Usda land for sale in texas
Corpus Christi, Texas
2009.12.01 03:00 Zhoul Corpus Christi, Texas
Topics of interest to and related to Corpus Christi, Texas USA and surrounding areas around the Coastal Bend.
2021.03.15 21:06 tolle_roller55 BuyingLandinTexas
This is a place to learn and discuss. Do you have questions about buying land in Texas? Or do you want to understand permitting and zoning laws about building a home? What are property taxes like here? Or maybe you want to live off-grid or start an off-grid community, but you’re not from TX so you don’t know where to start or what it’s like here. Maybe you’re just curious about where to buy, because Texas is so big and each region is unique.
2008.06.19 08:23 Houston, TX
2023.03.20 20:46 cheeseandbeerdiet D Vs EE
 | I've found a pair of boots that I really fancy picking up, the problem is they are only available in EE and not D. All the boots I own at the moment are a size 10D. My Anderson beans fit pretty much perfect, but I have a pair of Ariat that are made from a tougher leather that are maybe a little to tight. The brand I am looking at is Fenoglio, and the boots are made from Carpincho. Is there much of a difference between size D and EE? It's impossible for me to try them on as I live in the UK, and these would be coming from Texas. Pic is of my horse power and Anderson beans 🤠 Thanks! submitted by cheeseandbeerdiet to cowboyboots [link] [comments] |
2023.03.20 20:45 Eleganos A technical, non-moralist breakdown of why the rich will not, and cannot, kill off the poor via a robot army.
Preface/TLDR: My arguments below aren't based wholly in some nebulous belief in human goodness.
I accept the shitty realities of human civilisation, even as someone who does try to see the bright side of life.
However, those are by and large evils caused by malicious negligence in some cases, and scrupulous selfish opportunism in other.
Neither of which would be present in a 'kill the normies' plan.
Rich people do not see themselves as a collective in-group, and they are not want to sink God knows how much of their hard earned resources into making an army of Death bots when their collaborators could rat on them at any time and initiate a corporate takeover or monopoly thanks to their no longer existent competition. Or just to satisfy petty personal vendetta even. Or get good pr.
Rich people are not known for being cooperative team players.
The 'cull the poores' scenario isn't plausible for solely moral reasons. It is just impossible on a technical and logistical level.
To elaborate...
I'm not denying rich are shitty, and I won't deny some places have it bad, or that some rich people WOULD kill the poor if they could.
I just deny the sheer ludicrous scale of what would be needed to formulate, prepare, and execute a 'kill the normies' plan.
It assumes that...
If it isn't synchronized, it gives the human race a chance to see the knife being drawn and do something before the rich try to thrust it into us.
If there's backstabbing, namely infighting, it'd Drain their resources AND give us that moment of realization in one. Assuming the plan isn't just killed in its infancy or that they don't mutual kill each other in some sort of wealthy civil war.
If there's incompetence on their end, say they get sloppy and the CIA finds out about the rich illuminati planning on killing us all. Or they recruit Elon Musk and he decides to betray them all so he can stoke his ego by being remembered in history as the man who saved humanity, or they fuck up and their killer robots/AGI become free before the butchery can begin, then they'll just be fucked.
And that'll be it. The moment we find out they tried and failed to kill us all enough people will be pissed off and willing to throw hands that they won't get another shot.
This is a statistical reality.
Even if there's only 1% out of them all who have working moral compasses and would not be down for the mass genocide, when we're talking about what would need to be a global conspiracy, that's more than enough for one of them to be recruited into the conspiracy, or otherwise learn of it through other means, and utilize their resources and political power to counteract it.
Even if only, as I pointed out with my Elon Musk example, to assert themselves as the neo messiah/s who saved humanity from the other, evil rich people.
Billions of people equals trillions of bullets, trillions of microchips, metrics fucktons of steel and plastic and circuitry and God knows what else. It requires hundreds of factories and dozens of shipping route configurations to transfer materials between them all
And this is all without getting into where the fuck they're storing these murder robots/drones to begin with. You can't exactly hide a fighting force big enough to literally end 90% of the human race in a couple of warehouses. You'd need a whole city's worth of storage at the absolute bare minimum. Assuming they sprang for exclusively compact drones and not the outright terminators lots of people seem to be imagining.
Because I can actually buy the American government, for example, hashing out the logistics, the coordination, and enacting the plan with the motive of imperialism and enforcing an authoritarian peace/rule over the planet.
At the least, if the tech existed to just churn out robot armies, en-mass, first world nations would be building up artificial fighting forces with that tech to levels comparable to the rich's secret army of Doom. Armies that would definitely be used to achieve zero casualty precision military campaigns in foreign lands. In regions that had been previously unconquearble due to the death toll, morale tax, and corruption issues in previous attempts at subjugation.
If nothing else, this would be a litmus test and a big red flag to anyone with half a brain and ability to discern the consequences of it.
Especially if it came out that rich people were churning these killer robots out en mass for 'reasons'.
And all this is without asking what happens when some poorer governments who weren't let in on the plan and subverted by the rich (under the logic of 'fuck em, they're poor, who gives a shit') turn out to have secretly squirrels away a few nukes. With which they could enact a forced peace under M.A.D or ruin the days of the perpetrators who caused this shitstorm as a final middle finger.
At that point...why do they need to kill the poor...
Like, what do the actually gain from it?
More land?
More resources?
They can get infinite of both. And could kick anyone they wanted dout of their land at a moment's notice.
To get more money? To rid themselves of the proles?
There are easier ways to do the former now that they basically own the planet from the shadows with their secret army of Doom, and if they kill all the poors then they aren't rich anymore. Their lives literally wouldn't change other than them being on the same level as each other, which when considering all the egomaniacs amongst them...would not end well...
This whole scheme would be more trouble than it'd be worth. Yes, most rich entities are shitty and commit crimes. But, if you'll notice, they haven't exactly been taking over any countries single-handedly as of late. Or trying to overthrow their own nations. Because it's more headache than it's worth. Why risk everything for a plan that wouldn't really personally enrich you all that much.
Cause remember: they all have to share their 'winnings'amongst themselves after rthe normies are dead. And if there's one thing thing the rich hate. It's sharing.
They now have to 'divvy the spoils'.
In what world does this not end with them turning on each other at the end so they can 'win more?
They've already illustrated an insanity beyond anything previously demonstrated din the history of the human race. The butchery of the whole species just so they can be the kings of skull mountain.
Except they aren't the kings yet. Oh no, there's still thousands of lesser rich people trying to hog that land and money.
And so, with no more external enemies left to unite them, they'd do what humans have done time and time again in comparable historical situations: turn on one another.
At which point they're liable to just end up wiping each othe Rout.
So even in a scenario where, by some absolute ridiculous miracle they 'win', they've still not won just yet.
And if they've not killed off all the poors. If a few thousand survived through the 8000 separate one-in-a-million chances that occurred throughout the cull of 8 billion, and if the rich deplete themselves enough over their mutual fights with one another, thinking themselves fre eof any other potential threat, then the proles might yet get their win.
So even in the perfect, impossible scenario where they win. The proves have an equal, if not more enjoyable win condition for the aftermath of the global cull.
In conclusion: I don't say this scenario is dumb because I'm a hopeful optimistic who has unwavering faith in human goodness (though I won't deny it either)
It's just not a plausible scenario that's feasible outside of a dystopian sci-fi novel.
If you like theory crafting it, or you enjoy thinking up ways it could happen and debating over them, then you do you.
Just be honest about the fantasy that is this scenario.
It's not going to happen.
And if you really thought it was going to, then you'd be a fool for seeing it coming not actively working on an escape plan so you can be one of the one-in-a-million lucky survivor's who'd slip through the cracks.
That's basically everything I've to say on this.
I await the inevitable responses on how I'm dumb and wrong and I gladly anticipate the voices of those who concur or otherwise have something new to add to the discussion.
(This post is not a personal attack on anyone, just the bad take. It is not meant to insult or denigrate any parties.)
submitted by Eleganos to singularity [link] [comments]
I accept the shitty realities of human civilisation, even as someone who does try to see the bright side of life.
However, those are by and large evils caused by malicious negligence in some cases, and scrupulous selfish opportunism in other.
Neither of which would be present in a 'kill the normies' plan.
Rich people do not see themselves as a collective in-group, and they are not want to sink God knows how much of their hard earned resources into making an army of Death bots when their collaborators could rat on them at any time and initiate a corporate takeover or monopoly thanks to their no longer existent competition. Or just to satisfy petty personal vendetta even. Or get good pr.
Rich people are not known for being cooperative team players.
The 'cull the poores' scenario isn't plausible for solely moral reasons. It is just impossible on a technical and logistical level.
To elaborate...
I'm not denying rich are shitty, and I won't deny some places have it bad, or that some rich people WOULD kill the poor if they could.
I just deny the sheer ludicrous scale of what would be needed to formulate, prepare, and execute a 'kill the normies' plan.
It assumes that...
- Rich people possess the capability to unite, coordinate, and execute this plan simaltaneously
If it isn't synchronized, it gives the human race a chance to see the knife being drawn and do something before the rich try to thrust it into us.
If there's backstabbing, namely infighting, it'd Drain their resources AND give us that moment of realization in one. Assuming the plan isn't just killed in its infancy or that they don't mutual kill each other in some sort of wealthy civil war.
If there's incompetence on their end, say they get sloppy and the CIA finds out about the rich illuminati planning on killing us all. Or they recruit Elon Musk and he decides to betray them all so he can stoke his ego by being remembered in history as the man who saved humanity, or they fuck up and their killer robots/AGI become free before the butchery can begin, then they'll just be fucked.
And that'll be it. The moment we find out they tried and failed to kill us all enough people will be pissed off and willing to throw hands that they won't get another shot.
- All rich people, without exception, are willing and eager to murder all non rich people.
This is a statistical reality.
Even if there's only 1% out of them all who have working moral compasses and would not be down for the mass genocide, when we're talking about what would need to be a global conspiracy, that's more than enough for one of them to be recruited into the conspiracy, or otherwise learn of it through other means, and utilize their resources and political power to counteract it.
Even if only, as I pointed out with my Elon Musk example, to assert themselves as the neo messiah/s who saved humanity from the other, evil rich people.
- Rich people would require the logistics to enact this mass culling.
Billions of people equals trillions of bullets, trillions of microchips, metrics fucktons of steel and plastic and circuitry and God knows what else. It requires hundreds of factories and dozens of shipping route configurations to transfer materials between them all
And this is all without getting into where the fuck they're storing these murder robots/drones to begin with. You can't exactly hide a fighting force big enough to literally end 90% of the human race in a couple of warehouses. You'd need a whole city's worth of storage at the absolute bare minimum. Assuming they sprang for exclusively compact drones and not the outright terminators lots of people seem to be imagining.
- Governments would need to do nothing.
Because I can actually buy the American government, for example, hashing out the logistics, the coordination, and enacting the plan with the motive of imperialism and enforcing an authoritarian peace/rule over the planet.
At the least, if the tech existed to just churn out robot armies, en-mass, first world nations would be building up artificial fighting forces with that tech to levels comparable to the rich's secret army of Doom. Armies that would definitely be used to achieve zero casualty precision military campaigns in foreign lands. In regions that had been previously unconquearble due to the death toll, morale tax, and corruption issues in previous attempts at subjugation.
If nothing else, this would be a litmus test and a big red flag to anyone with half a brain and ability to discern the consequences of it.
Especially if it came out that rich people were churning these killer robots out en mass for 'reasons'.
And all this is without asking what happens when some poorer governments who weren't let in on the plan and subverted by the rich (under the logic of 'fuck em, they're poor, who gives a shit') turn out to have secretly squirrels away a few nukes. With which they could enact a forced peace under M.A.D or ruin the days of the perpetrators who caused this shitstorm as a final middle finger.
- Rich people would actually need to be motivated to do all of this.
At that point...why do they need to kill the poor...
Like, what do the actually gain from it?
More land?
More resources?
They can get infinite of both. And could kick anyone they wanted dout of their land at a moment's notice.
To get more money? To rid themselves of the proles?
There are easier ways to do the former now that they basically own the planet from the shadows with their secret army of Doom, and if they kill all the poors then they aren't rich anymore. Their lives literally wouldn't change other than them being on the same level as each other, which when considering all the egomaniacs amongst them...would not end well...
This whole scheme would be more trouble than it'd be worth. Yes, most rich entities are shitty and commit crimes. But, if you'll notice, they haven't exactly been taking over any countries single-handedly as of late. Or trying to overthrow their own nations. Because it's more headache than it's worth. Why risk everything for a plan that wouldn't really personally enrich you all that much.
Cause remember: they all have to share their 'winnings'amongst themselves after rthe normies are dead. And if there's one thing thing the rich hate. It's sharing.
- They need to be perfectly fair and generous and cordial to each other once all is said and done.
They now have to 'divvy the spoils'.
In what world does this not end with them turning on each other at the end so they can 'win more?
They've already illustrated an insanity beyond anything previously demonstrated din the history of the human race. The butchery of the whole species just so they can be the kings of skull mountain.
Except they aren't the kings yet. Oh no, there's still thousands of lesser rich people trying to hog that land and money.
And so, with no more external enemies left to unite them, they'd do what humans have done time and time again in comparable historical situations: turn on one another.
At which point they're liable to just end up wiping each othe Rout.
So even in a scenario where, by some absolute ridiculous miracle they 'win', they've still not won just yet.
And if they've not killed off all the poors. If a few thousand survived through the 8000 separate one-in-a-million chances that occurred throughout the cull of 8 billion, and if the rich deplete themselves enough over their mutual fights with one another, thinking themselves fre eof any other potential threat, then the proles might yet get their win.
So even in the perfect, impossible scenario where they win. The proves have an equal, if not more enjoyable win condition for the aftermath of the global cull.
In conclusion: I don't say this scenario is dumb because I'm a hopeful optimistic who has unwavering faith in human goodness (though I won't deny it either)
It's just not a plausible scenario that's feasible outside of a dystopian sci-fi novel.
If you like theory crafting it, or you enjoy thinking up ways it could happen and debating over them, then you do you.
Just be honest about the fantasy that is this scenario.
It's not going to happen.
And if you really thought it was going to, then you'd be a fool for seeing it coming not actively working on an escape plan so you can be one of the one-in-a-million lucky survivor's who'd slip through the cracks.
That's basically everything I've to say on this.
I await the inevitable responses on how I'm dumb and wrong and I gladly anticipate the voices of those who concur or otherwise have something new to add to the discussion.
(This post is not a personal attack on anyone, just the bad take. It is not meant to insult or denigrate any parties.)
2023.03.20 20:45 clinical27 NYC job market for SWE
I am a sophomore in CS currently who is very interested in living in New York City or any other major city with a decent tech scene, but NYC is my target right now.
Is there a decent scene for NYC, especially regarding new grads? Is there certain industries worth targeting, or certain technologies more prevalent?
I have 1 past internship in IT and I'm doing a SWE internship this Summer, neither are prestigious companies whatsoever. My goal is to land a more name brand internship next Summer, but worst case scenario I'll have a return offer from my current spot (non-competitive return offers) for next Summer.
With decent LeetCode skills, some solid personal projects, and at the minimum two tech internships, do I have a decent chance of getting a job in NYC? I know COL is quite high which is my main concern, but I would really love to move to a major city as a new grad.
submitted by clinical27 to cscareerquestions [link] [comments]
Is there a decent scene for NYC, especially regarding new grads? Is there certain industries worth targeting, or certain technologies more prevalent?
I have 1 past internship in IT and I'm doing a SWE internship this Summer, neither are prestigious companies whatsoever. My goal is to land a more name brand internship next Summer, but worst case scenario I'll have a return offer from my current spot (non-competitive return offers) for next Summer.
With decent LeetCode skills, some solid personal projects, and at the minimum two tech internships, do I have a decent chance of getting a job in NYC? I know COL is quite high which is my main concern, but I would really love to move to a major city as a new grad.
2023.03.20 20:45 kiae_immortal Best place for silver bullion in the UK?
As the title asks: wheres the best place in the UK to buy silver bullion? I've recently bought about 10 x 1oz silver brittanias but I feel like I've been taken for a ride.. with silver being about £18/oz each coin sells for around £25. But in the UK everything is subject to tax so that then gets slapped on top making each coin over £30/oz from any reputable and trustworthy site. Is this the only way? I don't trust myself to spot a fake from private sales so what are my options? (I can't see silver hitting £31+ before I retire so long term is gold the only option for me? Its a pity since silver is so much nicer!
submitted by kiae_immortal to Silverbugs [link] [comments]
2023.03.20 20:44 EldritchEggoWaffle WARDEN OF THE WEAVER - PART 61: "SCOUNDRELS AND SKINLESS MEN"
•1•
Aniyah paused by a tree that was bigger than all the rest. It was obviously very old. The leaves of its branches were a pretty teal color and were shaped like the diamonds in a deck of playing cars. She couldn't say exactly why, but this tree gave her a slight sense of comfort. In these woods--especially with the black curtain hanging over the sky--comfort was a rare commodity. She found comfort in this tree, oddly enough, and also in her new weapon. Windchine; Blade of the Paragon. She supposed she was the Paragon of the Weaver now. Whatever that meant. She knew the words, because they kept echoing throughout her thoughts, but she had only a faint idea of their meaning. She wasn't totally clueless. She'd picked up on the fact that the Weaver was a God, or something close to it. She'd intuited that Paragon was some kind of title, bestowed by the Weaver. It meant she was sort of like a knight. Beyond these things however, she didn't have much to go on. She'd always just known things she had no way of knowing. Sometimes, she knew things she had no business knowing, as Momma would have said. She wasn't psychic. Far from it. She just got gut feelings about things, that usually turned out to be right. Like the ones underneath. She'd picked up on all of that, without any real reason to pick up on it.
She was picking up on something now. Something involving the others back at the clearing.
But she was still piecing all of that together. She didn't have enough to go on yet, to have any complete, fully formed thought.
That wouldn't come until a bit later...
What came in that moment, was the subtle soothing nature of the very old tree before her. Comfort really was a rare commodity here, but aside from the tree and the scimitar, there was one more source of comfort for her, currently. The weird little jellyfish thing. It was bobbing along in the air a few feet from the tree. It hadn't left her side since bringing her the weapon. Like the tree--like Windchime--it granted her a small degree of comfort. She didn't know where the jellyfish had got the weapon, but she had an idea that even the jellyfish didn't know where it had come from. Maybe the old man had something to do with it. The one who kept the Keys. The Custodian.
She bitterly wished she'd thought to grab Mr. Brownie when she took off running from the skinless man.
The skinless man...
Now there was something she hadn't got any gut feelings about. Except for fear, that was. She knew to be fearful of the man, but that was all. She'd dealt with monsters her whole life. They'd shown up out the blue, or she'd shown up to them. Like in that Long Room. Something about the skinless man was different though. Something about him wasn't like the other monsters. He wasn't one of her monsters, she knew that much at least. She could also tell he didn't have anything to do with the ones underneath, or the grasshopper people. He wasn't connected to The Jailer.
The only intuitive feeling Aniyah had concerning the skinless man, was that he was connected to something a whole lot worse. What that something might have a been however, she had no clue.
Aniyah didn't have a sheath, or swordbelt. The scimitar hadn't come with a scabbard. As a result, she was forced to hold the weapon in her hand, since she had nowhere to stow it. The blade was as long as her arm, and curved--almost like a banana--but was only sharp on one side. This allowed her to rest the blunt edge in the crook of her shoulder, carrying it the way she'd seen lumberjacks sometimes carry their axes in old movies; with her elbow bent, and the blade sticking out behind her as if it were a compass needle that only pointed in the opposite direction from where she was facing.
With Windchine in this position, she leaned sideways against the old tree--feeling its rough bark against her skin. A soft breeze gently blew against her face, bringing with it the scents of nature. The blackness of the sky didn't seem to match the pleasantness of the wind or the earthy smells of the woods around her. Nor did the stillness. There were a few insects buzzing someplace nearby, but mostly it was quiet. It was almost tranquil, in fact. She knew that somewhere in these same woods, chaos was happening. Hell on Earth (or, Hell on In-Between, she supposed). But all of that seemed so distant. So removed from her in that moment, in this private patch of wilderness.
Part of her wanted to go charging off toward the battle, so she could save Eddie the Gnome, and Prioress Qaya, and the others. Yet, at the same time, another part of her wanted to just lie down right here and take a nice long nap. Another part still--a deeper part--briefly broached the topic of Amy. She shattered this thought into a million little pieces and scattered them in the wind. She wouldn't... no... she couldn't deal with that right now. Not yet. Soon, she would have to. But not just yet.
These contradicting parts were really all the same part. The part that didn't want to admit she was hopelessly lost. She had no dang idea where to go.
Aniyah looked up at the weird little jellyfish thing. She whispered, "Wonder how far it is, to get back to Eddie Money and the others?"
The jellyfish couldn't understand her. Duh. It was a floating jellyfish. How could it?
Except... for a moment, Aniyah thought maybe the thing did understand. And after another few seconds, she knew for sure it did.
The jellyfish flashed a soft green color. Once, then twice. To Aniyah, it was almost like it was saying: "Beep-beep!"
"What does that mean, Jellybean?" she asked, laughing at how goofy she probably sounded.
The jellyfish strobed green again. Just once this time. Then, it slowly began to float away.
"Hold up a minute. Where you goin'?" She stopped leaning against the tree and stood up straight.
The jellyfished froze for a second, beeped green once more, then started off again.
"Ohhh, okay. I see. You leading the way? Well okay then." Aniyah smiled in spite of herself.
She followed behind the jellyfish. Together, they made their way through the darkened woods. Hopefully, to rejoin the others...
•2•
"I've never been in this part of the city before," Flower-Seed admitted. "I didn't even realize there was so much down here. I knew there were older parts of Locist Spire that were here before the Jikk, and that most of it was under the city, but I didn't expect there to be all of... this." He looked around, pausing briefly to admire the elaborate architecture around him. "I mean... Gods. There's actually streets down here. And structures. Not to mention these sculptures and platforms. It's breathtaking. It's almost like an entire settlement encased in a mausoleum. A sort of... civilization time capsule."
Quijj gave only a noncommittal grunt in response.
The two of them walked side-by-side along a wide street paved in stone. So much was stonework, or marble. The craftsmanship that went into all of it was something even modern Artisians likely couldn't replicate. Large sections of the old city were in ruins, but those that remained mostly intact made Flower-Seed feel as if he'd traveled back in time. If they'd had the sky overhead instead of a cavern roof, he could have easily imagined being in the center of a bustling metropolis.
They strode by a towering sculpture made to resemble some sort of animal Flower-Seed couldn't identify. It certainly wasn't any kind of insect, or Insectoid. It had four legs and a tail, plus a large round head. It was as intriguing as it was beautiful.
Cave crickets were softly singing in the nooks and crannies. The distant sound of dripping water played constant accompaniment to the hollow resonance of this subterranean wonderland.
They turned down what had once been a side street, with Flower-Seed leading the way. Up ahead, a cavern wall blocked their advance. There was a place where the wall had been broken, creating an opening just big enough for them to squeeze through.
On the other side, they came upon a ledge overlooking a sprawling cavern. There were more ledges--some, only narrow slabs of stone reminiscent of catwalks; others, much wider, holding half-ruined structures--high up along the cavern walls. And in the center, sitting like an island in the dark sea of darkness, was a sprawling marble platform. The platform was surrounded on all sides by crags and trenches so deep Flower-Seed couldn't see their bottom. There was a naturally formed staircase of stone leading from the platform to another opening. This was most likely the main entrance to this chamber. Flower-Seed realized now that he and Quijj had taken an alternate route to get here, than the others had.
Yes. There were others. A lot of them, from the looks of it.
On the marble platform below, rows of tents and even a makeshift gazebo had been set up. As Flower-Seed's eyes adjusted, he began to make out the robes of Advisors; the armor of Spire Knights and Spire Watch. There were excited, panicked voices echoing throughout the cave. Some sort of commotion was going on.
"I had no idea any of this was here," Flower-Seed whispered.
Quijj gave him a strange look.
"Don't ask how I knew where to go, or how to get here. I just... did."
Quijj nodded, but said nothing.
From the platform, someone yelled: "Arrest the traitor!"
"Ah, shit," Flower-Seed said. He was no longer bothering to keep his voice at a whisper. The figures gathered below had broken into something close to a frenzy. "They must be talking about the Councilor." He looked at Quijj with a serious expression. "We have to get her out of here. I'm not exactly the biggest fan of our government, but something really bad is going on down here. I got... visions. I saw Spire Knights with their minds corrupted by parasites. Whoever attacked the city... they've infected some of the officials. We have to do something. If we're ever going to rebuild... we need Jikk like Councilor Lemma. She's one of the good ones."
Quijj grunted in agreement. "Alright. Let's do it."
"What's the plan?" Flower-Seed asked, suddenly nervous. He felt a bit silly asking Quijj what the plan was, considering the elderly tavern keeper had just been following his lead up this point. Now that they were here, Flower-Seed didn't have the slightest idea what he was going to do. Or even what he could do. He couldn't fight a trained Spire Knight. Let alone an entire company of them. He'd only get himself killed!
Fortunately (and to Flower-Seed's great relief), Quijj said: "Just wait here. And get ready to run. Like you've never ran before."
"Alright. I think I can do that much, at least."
Quijj nodded. He drew his odd-looking weapon, and leapt down from the ledge; spreading his wings as he did this to glide over to the platform. Just as the old tavern keep came to a landing, Flower-Seed saw two armored Knights seize Councilor Lemma by the arms, and pull her to the ground. One of the Advisors screamed.
Shit! his mind cursed. Come on, Quijj. You gotta do something! And fast!
•3•
There was a particular knock at the hidden door to the Navigator's study. Three heavy raps, a pause, then two sets of four bangs; the coded knock he'd taught to the mercenary leader. The corners of Drokin the Navigator's mouth--little more than soft tissue on either side of his pointed beak--sagged slightly, in a parody of a frown. He shot a glance over to the wall-mounted clock above his desk. It was only Ef'tat-Half-Wane. The merc shouldn't have made it to this part of Barkstone Barony, for at least another three Shecks.
Drokin cast a suspicious eye toward the opposite end of the room. He reached beneath his desk, unfastening the blade he hid there. It was always good to have a backup weapon. The talon-like claws of his hand instinctively found the pommel of his rapier. "Enter!" he called to the door.
There was a hefty creaking sound as a considerable portion of the wall was pushed inward, revealing both the false rock of the door's opposite side, and the midday sunlight beyond the study. The light was much too bright for Drokin's eyes, after spending so much time inside the chamber under the Arcas Rune lamps. For a moment, he had to squint in order to get a decent view of his visitor. The moment Drokin saw the figure entering his study, his claws tightened on the handle of his weapon.
The one who appeared through the doorway was not the merc leader Rave the Ravager. Not by a long shot. The stranger was a Jagged Fields Nerthran, just as Rave was, but this was where their similarities ended. Rave was of slightly larger than average size for an adult male member of the mothfolk race. The Nerthran before Drokin was the antithesis of average (or "slightly" for that matter). He was enormous; much larger than seemed natural. If one of his crew mates had told Drokin about seeing a Nerthran the size of this one, Drokin would have labeled them an exaggerator at best, a boldfaced liar at worst. He certainly wouldn't have believed mothmen could grow this large, if he weren't seeing the proof of that very thing with his own two eyes.
"Where is Rave? Who are you?" Drokin demanded.
The giant mothman slowly stepped inside the study and creaked the door shut behind him. He did not answer.
"I asked you a question. Where is--"
In a baritone voice that was almost pleasing to the ear, the mothman said: "Would you Sky Pirates send your Captain on every minor mission, or simple errand? I am Master Rave's deliverer. I am called Nollo."
A peculiar name for such a hulking creature as this, the Navigator mused.
When Drokin didn't initially respond, 'Nollo' added: "I have the Relic you wanted." He held up a black rectangular case, almost like the kind a Bard might use for protecting a musical instrument.
Drokin thought this over a moment, studying the towering mothman carefully. He felt almost like he was looking up at a living statue. One of the great big ones that lined the streets of the grand cities of Roshuka, or populated the ruins of Jyyrvesk's Old Country. Even the hulk's features were oversized, as if they needed to compensate for the massive face to which they were attached. This 'Nollo' somewhat unsettled Drokin. The self-proclaimed "deliverer" had a long, slender mouth that didn't quite seem to want to close all the way. This gave the mothman an almost moronic appearance; a dimwitted face with the mouth of a drooling imbecile. Combined with his considerable size, it would have been easy to dismiss this Nerthran as a buffoon. Even the title "deliverer" played into this impression. And he seemed to have a permanent glazed over quality about his eyes. However, Drokin saw what lurked beneath the surface. When he looked beyond these things, the Navigator could detect a cold, calculating intelligence in the mothman's eyes. Upon closer inspection, the glazed over quality didn't strike the Navigator as entirely organic. It struck him as purposeful, practiced--part of a kind of disguise.
Nollo was a mothman with the soul of a spider...
As these things dawned on Drokin, the unsettled feeling he'd had since this mothman's appearance turned to something bordering on outright fear. The Navigator had been all across the Lesser and Greater Reaches. He'd seen some horrid things. Something about this stranger was different, however. There was something not quite Insectoid in his eyes; not quite Of This Pocket Realm, as the Captain was want to say. Drokin had never believed in the concept of evil. Not in the same way the Old Scrolls talked about it, as least. But now--here in his study, confronted by the figure before him--when he looked into those eyes, evil was all Drokin saw.
"You... have the Horn?" Drokin asked, trying to sound casual. His heart was beating at three times it's normal tempo. He slowly reached for the Link Orb. Calling out to Captain Heekan may have been the only chance he had left. "Let me get you the coin I promise then."
"Stop," said Nollo. "Put your hand down."
Drokin paused. The tips of his claws were just inches from the Orb. If he were quick about it, he could snatch the thing up in a microsecond. The Navigator was quick. He was a trained fighter, afterall. But... he knew intuitively he would not be quick enough.
"I beg your pardon?" Drokin said, trying and failing to keep some air of authority in his tone.
Nollo laughed. It was not a pleasant sound. "There was never going to be any coin, was there? You think Master Rave wouldn't sniff out such an obvious con? You really aren't familiar with the Stonewing Pillar Mercenaries are you? We are not some low-level ratcatchers."
Drokin said nothing for a moment. At last, he sighed. He allowed his training to replace his fear. It took quite a lot of effort, but he managed. When his heart had returned to something closer to a natural beat, he leveled his avian eyes at the mothman. He dropped his hand, but brought it down to his rapier. He drew the weapon, but made no move to strike.
Through the end of his closed beak, Drokin growled: "Alright, asshole. Just what are you after?"
Nollo laughed again. He flipped open the brass latches on the black case he held, opened it. Inside, wasn't any Relic. That had been a lie. The black velvet lined interior of the case held a single object: a large throwing knife. Nollo removed the blade and let the case fall to the floor. "I'll need every piece of coin you have here. And anything else of value."
Drokin raised his rapier. "All our treasures are on the ship." He sighed, deciding to fess up. "I don't have anything here. You were right. I planned on taking the Horn and not paying. But I am obviously not getting what I wanted. There is no coin here for you to get what you want. Why don't we just call this an impasse? We both walk away, no better off... but no worse for wear than we were before. What do you say?"
Nollo shook his massive head. It was like seeing a boulder pivot atop a living column. "You think you can plot to take out our leader, and live to tell the tale? You're even more stupid than you look."
Now, Drokin was getting angry. "Do you have any idea who you're fucking with? You can't stand against our entire crew. We're the Hawkblood Pirates. You think Captain Heekan will just sit by and let you--"
The knife was buried in Drokin's windpipe, before he ever saw the mothman throw it. For someone so massive, Rollo had a dexterity and speed that were virtually unrivaled. There was a soft clang as Drokin's rapier fell to the floor; a soft gurgling sound as he began to choke on his own blood. He gasped for air his lungs couldn't find; his hands clawing at his throat to pull free a blade that wouldn't budge.
Drokin the Navigator fell to the floor with a hollow thud, knocking his chair over in the process. The last thing his dying mind registered before he lost consciousness was the sight of Rollo the mothman standing over him, whispering: "You Sky Pirates never should have come to the Wilden Green."
Then, Drokin was fading. Fading, fading.
Fading.
Fading from the mortal world, and headed for that Great Beyond...
•4•
Eyes. So many eyes. Staring. Watching.
Abominations. Wretched perversions of nature. Black-tongued things. Slime things. Things with many, many eyes.
Many. Many. Eyes.
Vellnoth! It was awful!
Zoocher slipped through a whirlwind of swirling shadows. He sank into quicksand of blackness. His mind shattered, then reformed. Shattered, then reformed. The world became a pane of glass which broke into a million, billion, trillion little pieces. He reached out, desperately trying to pick the pieces up, to put them back together.
It was no use.
Horrors. Eyes. Looking. Looking at me. Through me. Seeing me. Seeing all.
SEEING.
Zoocher rocked himself back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. There was dirt and grass beneath him. He was curled up into a ball, hugging his knees against his chest. Yet, these things were just background details. This was just his surroundings, and his physical body. His mind was somewhere else--perhaps, in another patch of dirt, slowly turning to mud. No. Not mud. Quicksand.
Sinking. He was sinking. Sinking, and slipping away. Slipping off into that Forever Night.
White Staircase?
No. He saw no White Staircase. Perhaps, only the Black Steps awaited him after all the awful things he'd done in life.
Only... there were no Black Steps, either.
Because he wasn't dead. Not yet, at least.
He was alive, but he was not living. Not in the normal sense.
Eyes. Watching. Looking. Seeing. Viewing. Glimpsing.
STARING.
GODS. OH GODS. OH VELLNOTH PLEASE!
No mercy for him. No Gods coming to save him. Only horrors.
He'd been in that terrible place, in that terrible room for what had felt like centuries.
Now he was back in the woods. But not all of him. He'd left some essential part of himself back there, back in that terrible place.
And now, he'd never get that part back. It was lost to him. For good. Forever.
Zoocher leaned over and vomited yellow bile onto the grass. His head was swimming. He slowly stood up. As he stood, everything fell away. Everything. His entire being. His essence. His all. His whole.
Zoocher? No. There was no Zoocher anymore.
Maybe there never had been.
Certainly, there would never be a Zoocher again.
Shattered.
Zoocher was shattered and lost. Gone. Now, Zoocher was no more. Forever departed.
He felt something warm and wet run down his legs. He'd urinated on himself without realizing it. This did not bother him. This meant nothing. He took a step forward and vomited onto his vest. This too meant nothing.
He stripped off his armor, his undergarments, his weapons. He kicked off his boots. To one side of the pile he'd made with his belongings, there were a set of bootprints in the dirt. He turned in the opposite direction, and started walking. He didn't know where he was going. He only knew he needed to walk.
Visions winked in and out of his mind. He continued walking, muttering to himself all the while. He spoke of everything, of nothing. He asked questions without answer. He gave answers to questions no one had asked.
Those eyes. They were burned into his brain. No. His brain was a burn. A scorchmark, littered with eyes. Staring. Watching. Waiting?
He walked on. Walking through the woods, to nowhere. Walking. Muttering. Thinking of eyes and Slime things.
It was a long time before he stopped.
•5•
There were two astounding sights, which presented themselves consecutively before him. In over two decades serving as one of the Hawkblood's top Assault Commanders, he had never seen anything more incredible than the Black Pyramid. That was, right up until the moment he saw the entire Pyramid vanish right before his eyes. If anything could be even more incredible than seeing the Pyramid; suddenly not seeing the Pyramid would have to be it.
Commander Ramses blinked several times, as if he were unable to trust what his eyes were showing him. The airspace beyond the windshield of his Glider Pod now showed only a sea of nothing, save for the Sky Gods higher up in the atmosphere.
"What the fuck? Where did it go?" he muttered to the empty cockpit.
The Glider Pods were designed to resemble plump black ravens. Ramses's Glider was slightly larger than the others in the fleet, as his was the Pod that carried most of the Big Weapons. Currently, they were in a V formation like actual birds; twelve in Ramses's group, twelve more in Commander Paulo's group that would have been approaching the Pyramid from behind; another twelve coming in from the right, making up Commander Gichi's group. The Gyff had their own Gliders, fashioned from wooden planks and some unknown material Ramses had never seen before. The Gyff ships looked a lot like the Gyff themselves; like long slender walking sticks. Their ships cut through the air like wooden missiles, lined up in a near row.
Ramses slapped the control panel, activating the Com-Cube. "Am I seeing things? Have I lost my mind?"
"No." It was the voice of Commander Gichi. She sounded uncharacteristically shaken. "The damn thing went POOF. Just like that."
The Gyff leading the stickbug group (his name was Kloom, if Ramses's memory served him) chimed in. "What do we do now? Will it reappear, you think?"
Ramses smacked the controls again, this time out of frustration. He said, "Somebody better get the Captain on the--"
"Already here," said the voice of Captain Heekan.
"You been listening this whole time?" Gichi asked.
"No. I just came on. Now listen. Everyone. Listen very closely. The Pyramid isn't in the valley anymore, but all is not lost. We will track it down. I already know where they took it."
Ramses gaped at this. "What? Captain... how could you already know all of that? It just vanished, only a few ticks ago."
Gichi made a soft gasping sound. "Captain. No. Tell me you didn't use it."
"I had to," Captain Heekan said with remorse. "The Mirror is too valuable a tool for us not to utilize it. And if ever there were a time when we needed it, it would be now."
"How many years did it take off your life?" Gichi asked hesitantly.
After a pause, Heekan said, "It doesn't matter. We're getting sidetracked here. There is a lot more going on than we realized. There are agents of not one, but two of the 5 Pharoahs here in the Wilden Green Valley, as we speak."
"What?" it was Gichi and Kloom in unison.
Commander Paulo broke his silence. "Which other Pharoah are we talking about?"
Heekan said, "Aside from Camaria the Butcher who we already knew about (it was one of her Scarabs that took the Pyramid), there's some of the Necromancer's men here too."
"The Necromancer?" Ramses said in disbelief. "The right hand man of Dowlmad the Deathless?" Ramses felt a cold chill run up his spine. "You're not telling me he is here in this valley, are you?"
"The Necromancer himself? No. Just some of his underlings. The Skinless Men, they're called."
Gichi asked, "Are they really all after the Pyramid and the Artifacts? I can't imagine two of the 5 Pharoahs would expend resources just for the stuff we're after. Aside for the Black Pyramid. But even still... something seems off here."
"Well," said Heekan. "That's because something is off. There are bigger forces at work here than we ever realized. Sure, they were after the Pyramid and the Divine Battery. But those are more like... party favors, to them."
Ramsese shook his head. "I already don't like how this sounds." The open sky outside his Glider suddenly felt less like empty airspace, and more like an endless abyss. One glance at the Sky Gods floating higher in the heavens strengthened this feeling, causing the commander to shudder as another chill ran up his back.
Captain Heekan said, "Then you really won't like what I'm about to tell you."
As it turned out, the Captain was absolutely right. Ramses really didn't like it one bit. None of them did.
•••
And Commander Ramses was not the only one who was told things they didn't like. While he was listening to his Captain's words with growing unease, elsewhere in the Wilden Green Valley, a certain Ranger was receiving a rather ominous warning...
•••
•6•
Deep within the bowels of the Reverse Tower. In the Domain of the Being known as O'Faxx.
Ranger Lexington stood atop the large boulder, surrounded by a sea of sludge. The putrid aroma of this place once more assaulted his senses, while his boots sank into the slick, squicky growth coating the boulder. Lexington's dragonfly-like features hid his discomfort. Outwardly, he appeared as stoic--as unshakeable--as always. At least, until he spoiled the effect with a knowing smirk.
To the bubbling muck, he called out: "So, you decided to help out afterall?"
There was no response.
Lexington's smirk faded. He bowed his head slightly. "It's alright. You don't have to speak. I only wish your assistance had been enough. That way Burlap wouldn't have had to give his life the way he did."
O'Faxx did not emerge from the murky depths.
Lexington would have sighed had the air quality in here not been so abhorrent. "Anyway, I just wanted to thank you. I will find a way to reward you."
Although O'Faxx remained beneath the muck, his voice echoed inside the Ranger's mind. "My actions were not on your behalf. Your ignorance betrays you, Overseer."
Lexington cocked his head to one side. "If you say so." He shrugged. "Some guys just can't accept a thank you, I guess."
"You have yet to understand. I helped you, to destroy you. None of you know yet what you are unleashing. I did not see the truth before, but the truth has now presented itself to me. The Gods wish to assemble the 12 and bring about the White Clock Consortion. Fools. They don't yet realize with the advent of the White Clock, the Black Clock follows. Those numbers shall count down their destruction. I looked into the destiny of the mortals you have placed so much faith in. I saw what they will bring about. They are one of the Four Winds that will blow upon the Door of Doom. One of them is a Paige of the Necronomicon."
"What does that mean? Quit speaking in riddles."
"There's a storm coming, Overseer. A storm that will wash away the world. This one, and all others. I haven't helped you. I've only helped the first few raindrops, so they might better form within the dark clouds hanging over this Pocket Realm. And in the wake of that rain? The thunder shall soon roll."
A storm coming. Four Winds that will blow upon the Doors of Destruction. Thunder.
These things made no sense to the Ranger. One thing was clear however; whatever O'Faxx's words meant, Lexington didn't like the sound of any of it.
•7•
There's a particular way Advisors and nobleJikk cry out when something disrupts their normal routine. It's a breathy sort of shriek, like someone emptying their lungs before they faint. Many of the High Advisors were voicing this exact variety of shriek now, as High Knight Pyx ordered his Spire Knights to arrest Lemma.
Temporary Councilor E'Shesh (to her credit) tried to block the path of the Knights. She was shoved out of the way, hard enough to cause the poor she-Jikk to tumble over onto the hard marble surface of the platform.
Then, underneath the makeshift gazebo, pandemonium set in. The stress of the attack on the city had already pushed everyone toward the brink of panic. This new development made them all leap right over the edge, falling right into the place people (Jikk, or otherwise) always fall in times like this one.
Lemma didn't run. She stood her ground, glowering at Pyx and Councilor Tholke; glaring as if she could knock some sense into them with her gaze alone. Of course, this was a futile endeavor. The Knights were upon here a moment later. Strong arms seized her, throwing her to the ground. Then, oddly enough, even stronger arms were lifting her from the floor. She stared down the Knights arresting her, but the expressions they gave her in return were not those of hardened Knights doing their duty. They were the expressions of Jikk who'd been caught completely off guard.
As she was lifted even higher, Lemma finally realized it wasn't the Knights who currently held her. It was someone else.
"What... who... what's going on?" she cried weakly.
She was being carried away by... one of the local tavern keepers?
"What's happening? What are you doing?" she demanded.
"She's getting away!" someone shouted.
"After her!" a Spire Knight ordered.
All at once, the Knights were airborne, in pursuit. The air was alive with the sound of buzzing wings, the shuffling and frantic falls of boots, and so much shouting. Lemma dangled over seemingly bottomless trenches and crumbling remnants of the City That Once Was.
The tavern keeper, in all this time, had only explained himself with a single grunt. Now, he was using his free arm to aim some kind of weapon at the Knights.
"No," Lemma pleaded. "Don't kill them. They're only doing their duty."
"Stun-shot," said the elderly tavern keeper. The words came an instant before his weapon discharged and the air behind them exploded in brilliant blue electricity. There was a loud series of crackling sounds, as the small-scale controlled lightning tore through each of the Knights. As if an invisible net had ensnared them, the Knights all froze in midair a moment, before their wings slowed to a standstill. They began to plummet down to the darkness below.
The tavern keeper voiced a soft grunt of regret.
"You can say that again," Lemma scolded. "The shot may have stunned them, but the fall will surely do a whole lot more. What's the meaning of this? Are you kidnapping me?"
The tavern keeper shook his head. "Behind you," he said. They climbed higher, closing in on the stone wall of the spacious cavern.
Lemma craned her neck to look back at the platform. What she saw horrified her. Hight Knight Pyx and Councilor Tholke. Even from this far away, she could see that their eyes appeared to have ruptured. From the vacant holes where their eyes had been, large fat yellow worms as long as sword blades were spilling out onto the platform. Each worm slapped down onto the marble, then immediately began to grow in size. Within mere seconds, each one grew to the size of a Field Roamer pup. And they only continued getting bigger.
The Advsiors and officials broke into a stampede, making for the platform's only exit; the flight of stone steps leading up to the passageway before street level.
"Gods," Lemma whispered. "We have to seal off the exit. We can't let those... those things make it up to the city."
But based on the ever-increasing size of the worms, and their ever-growing numbers, she feared it might already be too late.
"Hurry! Come on!" someone shouted, just ahead.
Lemma turned toward the sound of the voice. She saw a Jikk standing atop a stone ledge, high up on the cavern wall. She didn't recognize him.
A second later, the tavern keeper brought her down to a gentle landing on the ledge beside the unfamiliar Jikk. She eyed them both suspiciously. "Just what is going on? And who is this?"
"My name is Flower-Seed. And we've got to get the fuck out of here, Councilor."
The tavern keeper asked, "How can we seal it off?"
Lemma thought for a moment. "You came through there?" She pointed to the large gap behind Flower-Seed.
"We did," said the tavern keeper.
"Then we might be able to beat the worms to the surface. There's a secret tunnel in the cave ceiling, a little further on. Come on. We have to get to the statue of Kylo the Great, up in the Cobbler's District. There's a hidden lever inside. I know the code to turn it. It will seal off the Old City. It's our only chance."
"Then let's get moving," said Flower-Seed.
The tavern keeper only grunted his agreement.
Together, the three of them took off at a sprint. There truly wasn't a single moment to spare...
•8•
Rave spotted the figures below, standing patiently beside a gnarled, leafless gatortree. He came to a landing, just a few yards from them. Eight pairs of cold, dark eyes peered out from eight fleshless humanoid faces, considering him with an alien species of indifference.
A long black case was tucked beneath Rave's right arm. In his left hand, he clutched his Rune Stone expectantly. Any moment now, Nollo would be giving him the word that the deed was done. Any moment now. Rave had an internal clock that kept near perfect timing when it came to things like murder.
Sure enough, the Rune Stone began to grow warmer to Rave's touch.
Nollo's voice came through the Stone. "Boss?"
Rave grinned with what remained of his ruined mouth. "It's done?"
"It's done," Nollo confirmed.
"Good. I'd expect nothing less. You know where I'll be?"
"Yes, sire. I'll see you there shorly."
Rave didn't bother giving a final response. He put the Stone away and took the black case into his hands. The Skinless Men only watched him patiently.
Rave approached the figures beneath the gnarled tree. This was a remote region of Jikkellia's borderlands, where the high grasses gave way to miles of mostly barren dirt and rock. The gatortree stood out, in that it was one of the few trees on the visible landscape here. Just over the horizon, was the large mountain where a certain group of outsiders were rumored to have crashed in a small rowing vessel recently.
Rave waited for one of the skinless men to speak first. When none did, he said: "A lot of people wanted this Horn. You just so happened to be the only ones offering more than coin." This was a half-truth. The Sky Pirates had spoken of coin, but had in reality, offered only betrayal. "I've kept up my end. Now, I expect you to keep yours."
Rave's mind calculated dozens of ways he could slaughter each of these figures, should they show any sign of aggression. It was just how his brain operated. He plotted ways to thwart threats that hadn't even been presented yet. In this line of business, you had to stay twelve moves ahead.
Right on time, Rave's reinforcements arrived. He'd been doing these kinds of deals for far too long to ever go by himself. Even if he did feel confident enough in his abilities that he wasn't weary of the figures before him. Even in a 1 v. 8 duel to the death, he was certain he'd have the upper hand.
Four mothmen mercs landed just behind Rave--keeping their distance but standing at the ready. Rave didn't so much as glance at them. He casually stepped away from his foot soldiers and moved closer to the Skinless Men. "So, how about it? You said you had a way to get us out of this valley. Is that still true?"
One of the figures (there was really no way for Rave to tell the apart, as they all looked like carbon copies of each other) nodded. "We represent Pharoah Dowlmad. Pharoah Dowlmad always keeps his word. Give us the Black Horn and we shall give you freedom from this place."
Rave said nothing a moment. At last, he nodded. "Alright. I'll take you at your word." He slowly held out the case, offering it to one of the figures. The skinless man eagerly accepted the Artifact. He lifted the lid and removed the item inside, handing it to one of the others.
The Black Horn of the Olde Music looked like the hollowed-out horn of some bovine creature, like those Rave had seen sketched in old tomes. Aside from the fact it was black as obsidian, of course. There was a silver mouthpiece banded around the narrow end. That was all there was to the object. All in all, it was rather unimpressive looking by Artifact standards.
The other man examined it for several seconds, before deciding he was satisfied. He nodded back to the first man who took the Horn and returned it to its case.
"So," Rave said, taking on a tone of casual conversation while feigning ignorance. "What does that thing do, anyhow?"
The Skinless Men only regarded him coldly.
Rave nodded, flashing a half grin. "Fair enough. Now... as for your part of the bargain?"
"Yes," said the man holding the case. "You want your entire company to leave this valley? Return to us when you are all together. Some of us will remain here in this spot. We will give you three sunrises after sundown today. If you aren't here by then, we cannot wait any longer."
"We'll return long before then," Rave said.
There didn't seem to be anything more to say. He turned and motioned to the other mercs. "Let's head out. We'll regroup with the others and get everything underway."
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Aniyah paused by a tree that was bigger than all the rest. It was obviously very old. The leaves of its branches were a pretty teal color and were shaped like the diamonds in a deck of playing cars. She couldn't say exactly why, but this tree gave her a slight sense of comfort. In these woods--especially with the black curtain hanging over the sky--comfort was a rare commodity. She found comfort in this tree, oddly enough, and also in her new weapon. Windchine; Blade of the Paragon. She supposed she was the Paragon of the Weaver now. Whatever that meant. She knew the words, because they kept echoing throughout her thoughts, but she had only a faint idea of their meaning. She wasn't totally clueless. She'd picked up on the fact that the Weaver was a God, or something close to it. She'd intuited that Paragon was some kind of title, bestowed by the Weaver. It meant she was sort of like a knight. Beyond these things however, she didn't have much to go on. She'd always just known things she had no way of knowing. Sometimes, she knew things she had no business knowing, as Momma would have said. She wasn't psychic. Far from it. She just got gut feelings about things, that usually turned out to be right. Like the ones underneath. She'd picked up on all of that, without any real reason to pick up on it.
She was picking up on something now. Something involving the others back at the clearing.
But she was still piecing all of that together. She didn't have enough to go on yet, to have any complete, fully formed thought.
That wouldn't come until a bit later...
What came in that moment, was the subtle soothing nature of the very old tree before her. Comfort really was a rare commodity here, but aside from the tree and the scimitar, there was one more source of comfort for her, currently. The weird little jellyfish thing. It was bobbing along in the air a few feet from the tree. It hadn't left her side since bringing her the weapon. Like the tree--like Windchime--it granted her a small degree of comfort. She didn't know where the jellyfish had got the weapon, but she had an idea that even the jellyfish didn't know where it had come from. Maybe the old man had something to do with it. The one who kept the Keys. The Custodian.
She bitterly wished she'd thought to grab Mr. Brownie when she took off running from the skinless man.
The skinless man...
Now there was something she hadn't got any gut feelings about. Except for fear, that was. She knew to be fearful of the man, but that was all. She'd dealt with monsters her whole life. They'd shown up out the blue, or she'd shown up to them. Like in that Long Room. Something about the skinless man was different though. Something about him wasn't like the other monsters. He wasn't one of her monsters, she knew that much at least. She could also tell he didn't have anything to do with the ones underneath, or the grasshopper people. He wasn't connected to The Jailer.
The only intuitive feeling Aniyah had concerning the skinless man, was that he was connected to something a whole lot worse. What that something might have a been however, she had no clue.
Aniyah didn't have a sheath, or swordbelt. The scimitar hadn't come with a scabbard. As a result, she was forced to hold the weapon in her hand, since she had nowhere to stow it. The blade was as long as her arm, and curved--almost like a banana--but was only sharp on one side. This allowed her to rest the blunt edge in the crook of her shoulder, carrying it the way she'd seen lumberjacks sometimes carry their axes in old movies; with her elbow bent, and the blade sticking out behind her as if it were a compass needle that only pointed in the opposite direction from where she was facing.
With Windchine in this position, she leaned sideways against the old tree--feeling its rough bark against her skin. A soft breeze gently blew against her face, bringing with it the scents of nature. The blackness of the sky didn't seem to match the pleasantness of the wind or the earthy smells of the woods around her. Nor did the stillness. There were a few insects buzzing someplace nearby, but mostly it was quiet. It was almost tranquil, in fact. She knew that somewhere in these same woods, chaos was happening. Hell on Earth (or, Hell on In-Between, she supposed). But all of that seemed so distant. So removed from her in that moment, in this private patch of wilderness.
Part of her wanted to go charging off toward the battle, so she could save Eddie the Gnome, and Prioress Qaya, and the others. Yet, at the same time, another part of her wanted to just lie down right here and take a nice long nap. Another part still--a deeper part--briefly broached the topic of Amy. She shattered this thought into a million little pieces and scattered them in the wind. She wouldn't... no... she couldn't deal with that right now. Not yet. Soon, she would have to. But not just yet.
These contradicting parts were really all the same part. The part that didn't want to admit she was hopelessly lost. She had no dang idea where to go.
Aniyah looked up at the weird little jellyfish thing. She whispered, "Wonder how far it is, to get back to Eddie Money and the others?"
The jellyfish couldn't understand her. Duh. It was a floating jellyfish. How could it?
Except... for a moment, Aniyah thought maybe the thing did understand. And after another few seconds, she knew for sure it did.
The jellyfish flashed a soft green color. Once, then twice. To Aniyah, it was almost like it was saying: "Beep-beep!"
"What does that mean, Jellybean?" she asked, laughing at how goofy she probably sounded.
The jellyfish strobed green again. Just once this time. Then, it slowly began to float away.
"Hold up a minute. Where you goin'?" She stopped leaning against the tree and stood up straight.
The jellyfished froze for a second, beeped green once more, then started off again.
"Ohhh, okay. I see. You leading the way? Well okay then." Aniyah smiled in spite of herself.
She followed behind the jellyfish. Together, they made their way through the darkened woods. Hopefully, to rejoin the others...
•2•
"I've never been in this part of the city before," Flower-Seed admitted. "I didn't even realize there was so much down here. I knew there were older parts of Locist Spire that were here before the Jikk, and that most of it was under the city, but I didn't expect there to be all of... this." He looked around, pausing briefly to admire the elaborate architecture around him. "I mean... Gods. There's actually streets down here. And structures. Not to mention these sculptures and platforms. It's breathtaking. It's almost like an entire settlement encased in a mausoleum. A sort of... civilization time capsule."
Quijj gave only a noncommittal grunt in response.
The two of them walked side-by-side along a wide street paved in stone. So much was stonework, or marble. The craftsmanship that went into all of it was something even modern Artisians likely couldn't replicate. Large sections of the old city were in ruins, but those that remained mostly intact made Flower-Seed feel as if he'd traveled back in time. If they'd had the sky overhead instead of a cavern roof, he could have easily imagined being in the center of a bustling metropolis.
They strode by a towering sculpture made to resemble some sort of animal Flower-Seed couldn't identify. It certainly wasn't any kind of insect, or Insectoid. It had four legs and a tail, plus a large round head. It was as intriguing as it was beautiful.
Cave crickets were softly singing in the nooks and crannies. The distant sound of dripping water played constant accompaniment to the hollow resonance of this subterranean wonderland.
They turned down what had once been a side street, with Flower-Seed leading the way. Up ahead, a cavern wall blocked their advance. There was a place where the wall had been broken, creating an opening just big enough for them to squeeze through.
On the other side, they came upon a ledge overlooking a sprawling cavern. There were more ledges--some, only narrow slabs of stone reminiscent of catwalks; others, much wider, holding half-ruined structures--high up along the cavern walls. And in the center, sitting like an island in the dark sea of darkness, was a sprawling marble platform. The platform was surrounded on all sides by crags and trenches so deep Flower-Seed couldn't see their bottom. There was a naturally formed staircase of stone leading from the platform to another opening. This was most likely the main entrance to this chamber. Flower-Seed realized now that he and Quijj had taken an alternate route to get here, than the others had.
Yes. There were others. A lot of them, from the looks of it.
On the marble platform below, rows of tents and even a makeshift gazebo had been set up. As Flower-Seed's eyes adjusted, he began to make out the robes of Advisors; the armor of Spire Knights and Spire Watch. There were excited, panicked voices echoing throughout the cave. Some sort of commotion was going on.
"I had no idea any of this was here," Flower-Seed whispered.
Quijj gave him a strange look.
"Don't ask how I knew where to go, or how to get here. I just... did."
Quijj nodded, but said nothing.
From the platform, someone yelled: "Arrest the traitor!"
"Ah, shit," Flower-Seed said. He was no longer bothering to keep his voice at a whisper. The figures gathered below had broken into something close to a frenzy. "They must be talking about the Councilor." He looked at Quijj with a serious expression. "We have to get her out of here. I'm not exactly the biggest fan of our government, but something really bad is going on down here. I got... visions. I saw Spire Knights with their minds corrupted by parasites. Whoever attacked the city... they've infected some of the officials. We have to do something. If we're ever going to rebuild... we need Jikk like Councilor Lemma. She's one of the good ones."
Quijj grunted in agreement. "Alright. Let's do it."
"What's the plan?" Flower-Seed asked, suddenly nervous. He felt a bit silly asking Quijj what the plan was, considering the elderly tavern keeper had just been following his lead up this point. Now that they were here, Flower-Seed didn't have the slightest idea what he was going to do. Or even what he could do. He couldn't fight a trained Spire Knight. Let alone an entire company of them. He'd only get himself killed!
Fortunately (and to Flower-Seed's great relief), Quijj said: "Just wait here. And get ready to run. Like you've never ran before."
"Alright. I think I can do that much, at least."
Quijj nodded. He drew his odd-looking weapon, and leapt down from the ledge; spreading his wings as he did this to glide over to the platform. Just as the old tavern keep came to a landing, Flower-Seed saw two armored Knights seize Councilor Lemma by the arms, and pull her to the ground. One of the Advisors screamed.
Shit! his mind cursed. Come on, Quijj. You gotta do something! And fast!
•3•
There was a particular knock at the hidden door to the Navigator's study. Three heavy raps, a pause, then two sets of four bangs; the coded knock he'd taught to the mercenary leader. The corners of Drokin the Navigator's mouth--little more than soft tissue on either side of his pointed beak--sagged slightly, in a parody of a frown. He shot a glance over to the wall-mounted clock above his desk. It was only Ef'tat-Half-Wane. The merc shouldn't have made it to this part of Barkstone Barony, for at least another three Shecks.
Drokin cast a suspicious eye toward the opposite end of the room. He reached beneath his desk, unfastening the blade he hid there. It was always good to have a backup weapon. The talon-like claws of his hand instinctively found the pommel of his rapier. "Enter!" he called to the door.
There was a hefty creaking sound as a considerable portion of the wall was pushed inward, revealing both the false rock of the door's opposite side, and the midday sunlight beyond the study. The light was much too bright for Drokin's eyes, after spending so much time inside the chamber under the Arcas Rune lamps. For a moment, he had to squint in order to get a decent view of his visitor. The moment Drokin saw the figure entering his study, his claws tightened on the handle of his weapon.
The one who appeared through the doorway was not the merc leader Rave the Ravager. Not by a long shot. The stranger was a Jagged Fields Nerthran, just as Rave was, but this was where their similarities ended. Rave was of slightly larger than average size for an adult male member of the mothfolk race. The Nerthran before Drokin was the antithesis of average (or "slightly" for that matter). He was enormous; much larger than seemed natural. If one of his crew mates had told Drokin about seeing a Nerthran the size of this one, Drokin would have labeled them an exaggerator at best, a boldfaced liar at worst. He certainly wouldn't have believed mothmen could grow this large, if he weren't seeing the proof of that very thing with his own two eyes.
"Where is Rave? Who are you?" Drokin demanded.
The giant mothman slowly stepped inside the study and creaked the door shut behind him. He did not answer.
"I asked you a question. Where is--"
In a baritone voice that was almost pleasing to the ear, the mothman said: "Would you Sky Pirates send your Captain on every minor mission, or simple errand? I am Master Rave's deliverer. I am called Nollo."
A peculiar name for such a hulking creature as this, the Navigator mused.
When Drokin didn't initially respond, 'Nollo' added: "I have the Relic you wanted." He held up a black rectangular case, almost like the kind a Bard might use for protecting a musical instrument.
Drokin thought this over a moment, studying the towering mothman carefully. He felt almost like he was looking up at a living statue. One of the great big ones that lined the streets of the grand cities of Roshuka, or populated the ruins of Jyyrvesk's Old Country. Even the hulk's features were oversized, as if they needed to compensate for the massive face to which they were attached. This 'Nollo' somewhat unsettled Drokin. The self-proclaimed "deliverer" had a long, slender mouth that didn't quite seem to want to close all the way. This gave the mothman an almost moronic appearance; a dimwitted face with the mouth of a drooling imbecile. Combined with his considerable size, it would have been easy to dismiss this Nerthran as a buffoon. Even the title "deliverer" played into this impression. And he seemed to have a permanent glazed over quality about his eyes. However, Drokin saw what lurked beneath the surface. When he looked beyond these things, the Navigator could detect a cold, calculating intelligence in the mothman's eyes. Upon closer inspection, the glazed over quality didn't strike the Navigator as entirely organic. It struck him as purposeful, practiced--part of a kind of disguise.
Nollo was a mothman with the soul of a spider...
As these things dawned on Drokin, the unsettled feeling he'd had since this mothman's appearance turned to something bordering on outright fear. The Navigator had been all across the Lesser and Greater Reaches. He'd seen some horrid things. Something about this stranger was different, however. There was something not quite Insectoid in his eyes; not quite Of This Pocket Realm, as the Captain was want to say. Drokin had never believed in the concept of evil. Not in the same way the Old Scrolls talked about it, as least. But now--here in his study, confronted by the figure before him--when he looked into those eyes, evil was all Drokin saw.
"You... have the Horn?" Drokin asked, trying to sound casual. His heart was beating at three times it's normal tempo. He slowly reached for the Link Orb. Calling out to Captain Heekan may have been the only chance he had left. "Let me get you the coin I promise then."
"Stop," said Nollo. "Put your hand down."
Drokin paused. The tips of his claws were just inches from the Orb. If he were quick about it, he could snatch the thing up in a microsecond. The Navigator was quick. He was a trained fighter, afterall. But... he knew intuitively he would not be quick enough.
"I beg your pardon?" Drokin said, trying and failing to keep some air of authority in his tone.
Nollo laughed. It was not a pleasant sound. "There was never going to be any coin, was there? You think Master Rave wouldn't sniff out such an obvious con? You really aren't familiar with the Stonewing Pillar Mercenaries are you? We are not some low-level ratcatchers."
Drokin said nothing for a moment. At last, he sighed. He allowed his training to replace his fear. It took quite a lot of effort, but he managed. When his heart had returned to something closer to a natural beat, he leveled his avian eyes at the mothman. He dropped his hand, but brought it down to his rapier. He drew the weapon, but made no move to strike.
Through the end of his closed beak, Drokin growled: "Alright, asshole. Just what are you after?"
Nollo laughed again. He flipped open the brass latches on the black case he held, opened it. Inside, wasn't any Relic. That had been a lie. The black velvet lined interior of the case held a single object: a large throwing knife. Nollo removed the blade and let the case fall to the floor. "I'll need every piece of coin you have here. And anything else of value."
Drokin raised his rapier. "All our treasures are on the ship." He sighed, deciding to fess up. "I don't have anything here. You were right. I planned on taking the Horn and not paying. But I am obviously not getting what I wanted. There is no coin here for you to get what you want. Why don't we just call this an impasse? We both walk away, no better off... but no worse for wear than we were before. What do you say?"
Nollo shook his massive head. It was like seeing a boulder pivot atop a living column. "You think you can plot to take out our leader, and live to tell the tale? You're even more stupid than you look."
Now, Drokin was getting angry. "Do you have any idea who you're fucking with? You can't stand against our entire crew. We're the Hawkblood Pirates. You think Captain Heekan will just sit by and let you--"
The knife was buried in Drokin's windpipe, before he ever saw the mothman throw it. For someone so massive, Rollo had a dexterity and speed that were virtually unrivaled. There was a soft clang as Drokin's rapier fell to the floor; a soft gurgling sound as he began to choke on his own blood. He gasped for air his lungs couldn't find; his hands clawing at his throat to pull free a blade that wouldn't budge.
Drokin the Navigator fell to the floor with a hollow thud, knocking his chair over in the process. The last thing his dying mind registered before he lost consciousness was the sight of Rollo the mothman standing over him, whispering: "You Sky Pirates never should have come to the Wilden Green."
Then, Drokin was fading. Fading, fading.
Fading.
Fading from the mortal world, and headed for that Great Beyond...
•4•
Eyes. So many eyes. Staring. Watching.
Abominations. Wretched perversions of nature. Black-tongued things. Slime things. Things with many, many eyes.
Many. Many. Eyes.
Vellnoth! It was awful!
Zoocher slipped through a whirlwind of swirling shadows. He sank into quicksand of blackness. His mind shattered, then reformed. Shattered, then reformed. The world became a pane of glass which broke into a million, billion, trillion little pieces. He reached out, desperately trying to pick the pieces up, to put them back together.
It was no use.
Horrors. Eyes. Looking. Looking at me. Through me. Seeing me. Seeing all.
SEEING.
Zoocher rocked himself back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. There was dirt and grass beneath him. He was curled up into a ball, hugging his knees against his chest. Yet, these things were just background details. This was just his surroundings, and his physical body. His mind was somewhere else--perhaps, in another patch of dirt, slowly turning to mud. No. Not mud. Quicksand.
Sinking. He was sinking. Sinking, and slipping away. Slipping off into that Forever Night.
White Staircase?
No. He saw no White Staircase. Perhaps, only the Black Steps awaited him after all the awful things he'd done in life.
Only... there were no Black Steps, either.
Because he wasn't dead. Not yet, at least.
He was alive, but he was not living. Not in the normal sense.
Eyes. Watching. Looking. Seeing. Viewing. Glimpsing.
STARING.
GODS. OH GODS. OH VELLNOTH PLEASE!
No mercy for him. No Gods coming to save him. Only horrors.
He'd been in that terrible place, in that terrible room for what had felt like centuries.
Now he was back in the woods. But not all of him. He'd left some essential part of himself back there, back in that terrible place.
And now, he'd never get that part back. It was lost to him. For good. Forever.
Zoocher leaned over and vomited yellow bile onto the grass. His head was swimming. He slowly stood up. As he stood, everything fell away. Everything. His entire being. His essence. His all. His whole.
Zoocher? No. There was no Zoocher anymore.
Maybe there never had been.
Certainly, there would never be a Zoocher again.
Shattered.
Zoocher was shattered and lost. Gone. Now, Zoocher was no more. Forever departed.
He felt something warm and wet run down his legs. He'd urinated on himself without realizing it. This did not bother him. This meant nothing. He took a step forward and vomited onto his vest. This too meant nothing.
He stripped off his armor, his undergarments, his weapons. He kicked off his boots. To one side of the pile he'd made with his belongings, there were a set of bootprints in the dirt. He turned in the opposite direction, and started walking. He didn't know where he was going. He only knew he needed to walk.
Visions winked in and out of his mind. He continued walking, muttering to himself all the while. He spoke of everything, of nothing. He asked questions without answer. He gave answers to questions no one had asked.
Those eyes. They were burned into his brain. No. His brain was a burn. A scorchmark, littered with eyes. Staring. Watching. Waiting?
He walked on. Walking through the woods, to nowhere. Walking. Muttering. Thinking of eyes and Slime things.
It was a long time before he stopped.
•5•
There were two astounding sights, which presented themselves consecutively before him. In over two decades serving as one of the Hawkblood's top Assault Commanders, he had never seen anything more incredible than the Black Pyramid. That was, right up until the moment he saw the entire Pyramid vanish right before his eyes. If anything could be even more incredible than seeing the Pyramid; suddenly not seeing the Pyramid would have to be it.
Commander Ramses blinked several times, as if he were unable to trust what his eyes were showing him. The airspace beyond the windshield of his Glider Pod now showed only a sea of nothing, save for the Sky Gods higher up in the atmosphere.
"What the fuck? Where did it go?" he muttered to the empty cockpit.
The Glider Pods were designed to resemble plump black ravens. Ramses's Glider was slightly larger than the others in the fleet, as his was the Pod that carried most of the Big Weapons. Currently, they were in a V formation like actual birds; twelve in Ramses's group, twelve more in Commander Paulo's group that would have been approaching the Pyramid from behind; another twelve coming in from the right, making up Commander Gichi's group. The Gyff had their own Gliders, fashioned from wooden planks and some unknown material Ramses had never seen before. The Gyff ships looked a lot like the Gyff themselves; like long slender walking sticks. Their ships cut through the air like wooden missiles, lined up in a near row.
Ramses slapped the control panel, activating the Com-Cube. "Am I seeing things? Have I lost my mind?"
"No." It was the voice of Commander Gichi. She sounded uncharacteristically shaken. "The damn thing went POOF. Just like that."
The Gyff leading the stickbug group (his name was Kloom, if Ramses's memory served him) chimed in. "What do we do now? Will it reappear, you think?"
Ramses smacked the controls again, this time out of frustration. He said, "Somebody better get the Captain on the--"
"Already here," said the voice of Captain Heekan.
"You been listening this whole time?" Gichi asked.
"No. I just came on. Now listen. Everyone. Listen very closely. The Pyramid isn't in the valley anymore, but all is not lost. We will track it down. I already know where they took it."
Ramses gaped at this. "What? Captain... how could you already know all of that? It just vanished, only a few ticks ago."
Gichi made a soft gasping sound. "Captain. No. Tell me you didn't use it."
"I had to," Captain Heekan said with remorse. "The Mirror is too valuable a tool for us not to utilize it. And if ever there were a time when we needed it, it would be now."
"How many years did it take off your life?" Gichi asked hesitantly.
After a pause, Heekan said, "It doesn't matter. We're getting sidetracked here. There is a lot more going on than we realized. There are agents of not one, but two of the 5 Pharoahs here in the Wilden Green Valley, as we speak."
"What?" it was Gichi and Kloom in unison.
Commander Paulo broke his silence. "Which other Pharoah are we talking about?"
Heekan said, "Aside from Camaria the Butcher who we already knew about (it was one of her Scarabs that took the Pyramid), there's some of the Necromancer's men here too."
"The Necromancer?" Ramses said in disbelief. "The right hand man of Dowlmad the Deathless?" Ramses felt a cold chill run up his spine. "You're not telling me he is here in this valley, are you?"
"The Necromancer himself? No. Just some of his underlings. The Skinless Men, they're called."
Gichi asked, "Are they really all after the Pyramid and the Artifacts? I can't imagine two of the 5 Pharoahs would expend resources just for the stuff we're after. Aside for the Black Pyramid. But even still... something seems off here."
"Well," said Heekan. "That's because something is off. There are bigger forces at work here than we ever realized. Sure, they were after the Pyramid and the Divine Battery. But those are more like... party favors, to them."
Ramsese shook his head. "I already don't like how this sounds." The open sky outside his Glider suddenly felt less like empty airspace, and more like an endless abyss. One glance at the Sky Gods floating higher in the heavens strengthened this feeling, causing the commander to shudder as another chill ran up his back.
Captain Heekan said, "Then you really won't like what I'm about to tell you."
As it turned out, the Captain was absolutely right. Ramses really didn't like it one bit. None of them did.
•••
And Commander Ramses was not the only one who was told things they didn't like. While he was listening to his Captain's words with growing unease, elsewhere in the Wilden Green Valley, a certain Ranger was receiving a rather ominous warning...
•••
•6•
Deep within the bowels of the Reverse Tower. In the Domain of the Being known as O'Faxx.
Ranger Lexington stood atop the large boulder, surrounded by a sea of sludge. The putrid aroma of this place once more assaulted his senses, while his boots sank into the slick, squicky growth coating the boulder. Lexington's dragonfly-like features hid his discomfort. Outwardly, he appeared as stoic--as unshakeable--as always. At least, until he spoiled the effect with a knowing smirk.
To the bubbling muck, he called out: "So, you decided to help out afterall?"
There was no response.
Lexington's smirk faded. He bowed his head slightly. "It's alright. You don't have to speak. I only wish your assistance had been enough. That way Burlap wouldn't have had to give his life the way he did."
O'Faxx did not emerge from the murky depths.
Lexington would have sighed had the air quality in here not been so abhorrent. "Anyway, I just wanted to thank you. I will find a way to reward you."
Although O'Faxx remained beneath the muck, his voice echoed inside the Ranger's mind. "My actions were not on your behalf. Your ignorance betrays you, Overseer."
Lexington cocked his head to one side. "If you say so." He shrugged. "Some guys just can't accept a thank you, I guess."
"You have yet to understand. I helped you, to destroy you. None of you know yet what you are unleashing. I did not see the truth before, but the truth has now presented itself to me. The Gods wish to assemble the 12 and bring about the White Clock Consortion. Fools. They don't yet realize with the advent of the White Clock, the Black Clock follows. Those numbers shall count down their destruction. I looked into the destiny of the mortals you have placed so much faith in. I saw what they will bring about. They are one of the Four Winds that will blow upon the Door of Doom. One of them is a Paige of the Necronomicon."
"What does that mean? Quit speaking in riddles."
"There's a storm coming, Overseer. A storm that will wash away the world. This one, and all others. I haven't helped you. I've only helped the first few raindrops, so they might better form within the dark clouds hanging over this Pocket Realm. And in the wake of that rain? The thunder shall soon roll."
A storm coming. Four Winds that will blow upon the Doors of Destruction. Thunder.
These things made no sense to the Ranger. One thing was clear however; whatever O'Faxx's words meant, Lexington didn't like the sound of any of it.
•7•
There's a particular way Advisors and nobleJikk cry out when something disrupts their normal routine. It's a breathy sort of shriek, like someone emptying their lungs before they faint. Many of the High Advisors were voicing this exact variety of shriek now, as High Knight Pyx ordered his Spire Knights to arrest Lemma.
Temporary Councilor E'Shesh (to her credit) tried to block the path of the Knights. She was shoved out of the way, hard enough to cause the poor she-Jikk to tumble over onto the hard marble surface of the platform.
Then, underneath the makeshift gazebo, pandemonium set in. The stress of the attack on the city had already pushed everyone toward the brink of panic. This new development made them all leap right over the edge, falling right into the place people (Jikk, or otherwise) always fall in times like this one.
Lemma didn't run. She stood her ground, glowering at Pyx and Councilor Tholke; glaring as if she could knock some sense into them with her gaze alone. Of course, this was a futile endeavor. The Knights were upon here a moment later. Strong arms seized her, throwing her to the ground. Then, oddly enough, even stronger arms were lifting her from the floor. She stared down the Knights arresting her, but the expressions they gave her in return were not those of hardened Knights doing their duty. They were the expressions of Jikk who'd been caught completely off guard.
As she was lifted even higher, Lemma finally realized it wasn't the Knights who currently held her. It was someone else.
"What... who... what's going on?" she cried weakly.
She was being carried away by... one of the local tavern keepers?
"What's happening? What are you doing?" she demanded.
"She's getting away!" someone shouted.
"After her!" a Spire Knight ordered.
All at once, the Knights were airborne, in pursuit. The air was alive with the sound of buzzing wings, the shuffling and frantic falls of boots, and so much shouting. Lemma dangled over seemingly bottomless trenches and crumbling remnants of the City That Once Was.
The tavern keeper, in all this time, had only explained himself with a single grunt. Now, he was using his free arm to aim some kind of weapon at the Knights.
"No," Lemma pleaded. "Don't kill them. They're only doing their duty."
"Stun-shot," said the elderly tavern keeper. The words came an instant before his weapon discharged and the air behind them exploded in brilliant blue electricity. There was a loud series of crackling sounds, as the small-scale controlled lightning tore through each of the Knights. As if an invisible net had ensnared them, the Knights all froze in midair a moment, before their wings slowed to a standstill. They began to plummet down to the darkness below.
The tavern keeper voiced a soft grunt of regret.
"You can say that again," Lemma scolded. "The shot may have stunned them, but the fall will surely do a whole lot more. What's the meaning of this? Are you kidnapping me?"
The tavern keeper shook his head. "Behind you," he said. They climbed higher, closing in on the stone wall of the spacious cavern.
Lemma craned her neck to look back at the platform. What she saw horrified her. Hight Knight Pyx and Councilor Tholke. Even from this far away, she could see that their eyes appeared to have ruptured. From the vacant holes where their eyes had been, large fat yellow worms as long as sword blades were spilling out onto the platform. Each worm slapped down onto the marble, then immediately began to grow in size. Within mere seconds, each one grew to the size of a Field Roamer pup. And they only continued getting bigger.
The Advsiors and officials broke into a stampede, making for the platform's only exit; the flight of stone steps leading up to the passageway before street level.
"Gods," Lemma whispered. "We have to seal off the exit. We can't let those... those things make it up to the city."
But based on the ever-increasing size of the worms, and their ever-growing numbers, she feared it might already be too late.
"Hurry! Come on!" someone shouted, just ahead.
Lemma turned toward the sound of the voice. She saw a Jikk standing atop a stone ledge, high up on the cavern wall. She didn't recognize him.
A second later, the tavern keeper brought her down to a gentle landing on the ledge beside the unfamiliar Jikk. She eyed them both suspiciously. "Just what is going on? And who is this?"
"My name is Flower-Seed. And we've got to get the fuck out of here, Councilor."
The tavern keeper asked, "How can we seal it off?"
Lemma thought for a moment. "You came through there?" She pointed to the large gap behind Flower-Seed.
"We did," said the tavern keeper.
"Then we might be able to beat the worms to the surface. There's a secret tunnel in the cave ceiling, a little further on. Come on. We have to get to the statue of Kylo the Great, up in the Cobbler's District. There's a hidden lever inside. I know the code to turn it. It will seal off the Old City. It's our only chance."
"Then let's get moving," said Flower-Seed.
The tavern keeper only grunted his agreement.
Together, the three of them took off at a sprint. There truly wasn't a single moment to spare...
•8•
Rave spotted the figures below, standing patiently beside a gnarled, leafless gatortree. He came to a landing, just a few yards from them. Eight pairs of cold, dark eyes peered out from eight fleshless humanoid faces, considering him with an alien species of indifference.
A long black case was tucked beneath Rave's right arm. In his left hand, he clutched his Rune Stone expectantly. Any moment now, Nollo would be giving him the word that the deed was done. Any moment now. Rave had an internal clock that kept near perfect timing when it came to things like murder.
Sure enough, the Rune Stone began to grow warmer to Rave's touch.
Nollo's voice came through the Stone. "Boss?"
Rave grinned with what remained of his ruined mouth. "It's done?"
"It's done," Nollo confirmed.
"Good. I'd expect nothing less. You know where I'll be?"
"Yes, sire. I'll see you there shorly."
Rave didn't bother giving a final response. He put the Stone away and took the black case into his hands. The Skinless Men only watched him patiently.
Rave approached the figures beneath the gnarled tree. This was a remote region of Jikkellia's borderlands, where the high grasses gave way to miles of mostly barren dirt and rock. The gatortree stood out, in that it was one of the few trees on the visible landscape here. Just over the horizon, was the large mountain where a certain group of outsiders were rumored to have crashed in a small rowing vessel recently.
Rave waited for one of the skinless men to speak first. When none did, he said: "A lot of people wanted this Horn. You just so happened to be the only ones offering more than coin." This was a half-truth. The Sky Pirates had spoken of coin, but had in reality, offered only betrayal. "I've kept up my end. Now, I expect you to keep yours."
Rave's mind calculated dozens of ways he could slaughter each of these figures, should they show any sign of aggression. It was just how his brain operated. He plotted ways to thwart threats that hadn't even been presented yet. In this line of business, you had to stay twelve moves ahead.
Right on time, Rave's reinforcements arrived. He'd been doing these kinds of deals for far too long to ever go by himself. Even if he did feel confident enough in his abilities that he wasn't weary of the figures before him. Even in a 1 v. 8 duel to the death, he was certain he'd have the upper hand.
Four mothmen mercs landed just behind Rave--keeping their distance but standing at the ready. Rave didn't so much as glance at them. He casually stepped away from his foot soldiers and moved closer to the Skinless Men. "So, how about it? You said you had a way to get us out of this valley. Is that still true?"
One of the figures (there was really no way for Rave to tell the apart, as they all looked like carbon copies of each other) nodded. "We represent Pharoah Dowlmad. Pharoah Dowlmad always keeps his word. Give us the Black Horn and we shall give you freedom from this place."
Rave said nothing a moment. At last, he nodded. "Alright. I'll take you at your word." He slowly held out the case, offering it to one of the figures. The skinless man eagerly accepted the Artifact. He lifted the lid and removed the item inside, handing it to one of the others.
The Black Horn of the Olde Music looked like the hollowed-out horn of some bovine creature, like those Rave had seen sketched in old tomes. Aside from the fact it was black as obsidian, of course. There was a silver mouthpiece banded around the narrow end. That was all there was to the object. All in all, it was rather unimpressive looking by Artifact standards.
The other man examined it for several seconds, before deciding he was satisfied. He nodded back to the first man who took the Horn and returned it to its case.
"So," Rave said, taking on a tone of casual conversation while feigning ignorance. "What does that thing do, anyhow?"
The Skinless Men only regarded him coldly.
Rave nodded, flashing a half grin. "Fair enough. Now... as for your part of the bargain?"
"Yes," said the man holding the case. "You want your entire company to leave this valley? Return to us when you are all together. Some of us will remain here in this spot. We will give you three sunrises after sundown today. If you aren't here by then, we cannot wait any longer."
"We'll return long before then," Rave said.
There didn't seem to be anything more to say. He turned and motioned to the other mercs. "Let's head out. We'll regroup with the others and get everything underway."
2023.03.20 20:44 DodgeThisYouAssTurd Truck Camper/Car Port Loophole?
So, I was wondering about the legality of a hypothetical - and I’m aware it may vary from state to state and that living in a camper on a residential plot of land is illegal.
Say a person buys a dirt cheap plot of land and happens to have a truck with an 8 foot bed. On goes a truck bed camper.
Say you then set up one of those $300 zip up car ports - park your truck with the camper in there.
Are they legally allowed to unzip your tarp, and tell you you have to move your camper - which resides in the truck bed and isn’t being towed?
Why would I do this or ask about it? Approx 10k down in assets then $300 a month for a loan payment, I could be a landowner and live infinitely cheaper than I am now.
submitted by DodgeThisYouAssTurd to legaladviceofftopic [link] [comments]
Say a person buys a dirt cheap plot of land and happens to have a truck with an 8 foot bed. On goes a truck bed camper.
Say you then set up one of those $300 zip up car ports - park your truck with the camper in there.
Are they legally allowed to unzip your tarp, and tell you you have to move your camper - which resides in the truck bed and isn’t being towed?
Why would I do this or ask about it? Approx 10k down in assets then $300 a month for a loan payment, I could be a landowner and live infinitely cheaper than I am now.
2023.03.20 20:44 bogonici Steam Decks order - quantity
Hello everyone.
I just ordered my first steam deck two days ago. I wanted to order one for a long time, but now I was able to afford one due to the sale.
At the beggining I wanted to order the 512GB version, but the 64 Gb had a far better price at the moment.
The problem is that I want to order one for my little brother too, so instead buying a full priced 512 Gb version, I can now afford two 64 Gb consoles.
Considering that I already ordered the first one, and it was not still dispatched, can I place another order even if the first one was not delivered yet ?
Thank you in advance for your answers.
submitted by bogonici to SteamDeck [link] [comments]
I just ordered my first steam deck two days ago. I wanted to order one for a long time, but now I was able to afford one due to the sale.
At the beggining I wanted to order the 512GB version, but the 64 Gb had a far better price at the moment.
The problem is that I want to order one for my little brother too, so instead buying a full priced 512 Gb version, I can now afford two 64 Gb consoles.
Considering that I already ordered the first one, and it was not still dispatched, can I place another order even if the first one was not delivered yet ?
Thank you in advance for your answers.
2023.03.20 20:43 Top_Friend_5284 Seeking some info and legal guidance urgently.
First I want to state I am writing this on behalf of a friend who is legally blind. He has a daughter who is 35. he served 4 years in prison on 11 years sentence. He got released in 2003, he was told he owed about $6800 with interest at the highest rate. He has been paying child support ever since in the amount of $385. He recently called to find out how much he owes and they told him about $49,000. if you do the math, without interest he has made a total payment of $92,400 in 20 years, which comes out to +$24400 over the amount he supposedly owed. If you add the interest he would have paid even more( i am not sure about the exact amount of the interest rate). He currently resides in California but his case is from Texas.
I personally do not have kids and I am not aware of the laws concerning child support. We have tried contacting Legal aid but its going take months just to get in the door. Therefore, I am posting here for any relevant information, or the next steps he needs to take. By the way he is also a veteran, he just turned 63 years old. Thank you for your time and I hope you a pleasant day!
I will provide more details as needed.
submitted by Top_Friend_5284 to ChildSupport4Men [link] [comments]
I personally do not have kids and I am not aware of the laws concerning child support. We have tried contacting Legal aid but its going take months just to get in the door. Therefore, I am posting here for any relevant information, or the next steps he needs to take. By the way he is also a veteran, he just turned 63 years old. Thank you for your time and I hope you a pleasant day!
I will provide more details as needed.
2023.03.20 20:43 Winniehiller DO YOUR WRITTEN WORK! When you get a new script/sides, the first thing you need to do is “written work”. There are 2 first attempts by new students this week. I corrected each of their versions. Find mine in the comments below theirs.
When you have any kind of new script you need to work on, it’s important that you prepare by analyzing, writing any lines without responses as dialogue, and naming/dividing into tactics. It’s the first step in understanding your character and their relationship and purpose in the scene.
These are both monologues that new students are working on as their first attempts in class. Here are the links to their written work:
DAREDEVIL MONOLOGUE
I NEED HELP MONOLOGUE.
These links will take you to my corrected version. To see their first attempt scroll up. You can learn so much by noticing the difference in mine vs theirs. Objectives, dialogue and tactics…relationship and opposition are lessons you will understand the importance of. Take a look and let me know that you have.
You can try doing written work and get my guidance, too. Patreon members level 2 and 3 get my corrections. It’s only $10-15 a month. It takes me lots of time to give you all my corrections but it’s worth it if you learn something that will make you a stronger actor.
Watch the new videos! Audit classes! Share what you learned in last week’s WDYLTW/VOTW post. If you did , keep up the good work! Scroll down and see what you missed. Don’t forget to let me know what you see with a ⬆️
submitted by Winniehiller to Actingclass [link] [comments]
These are both monologues that new students are working on as their first attempts in class. Here are the links to their written work:
DAREDEVIL MONOLOGUE
I NEED HELP MONOLOGUE.
These links will take you to my corrected version. To see their first attempt scroll up. You can learn so much by noticing the difference in mine vs theirs. Objectives, dialogue and tactics…relationship and opposition are lessons you will understand the importance of. Take a look and let me know that you have.
You can try doing written work and get my guidance, too. Patreon members level 2 and 3 get my corrections. It’s only $10-15 a month. It takes me lots of time to give you all my corrections but it’s worth it if you learn something that will make you a stronger actor.
Watch the new videos! Audit classes! Share what you learned in last week’s WDYLTW/VOTW post. If you did , keep up the good work! Scroll down and see what you missed. Don’t forget to let me know what you see with a ⬆️
2023.03.20 20:41 TopEmployeurs Discover 2 Million Hidden Job Opportunities in USA - Get Hired Now with Our Daily Update March 20th
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2023.03.20 20:41 CaptainScuttlebottom [OC] Which Round of 32 game thread had the most complaining about the refs? And other analysis of all 54,886 comments from the second round
What is this?
Like I did for the first round, I scraped all the comments from every Round of 32 game thread using the PRAW Python wrapper for Reddit's API, and then analyzed them with R. This time, I ended up with a total of 54,886 comments from 16 threads. I came up with a few interesting ways to look at the data, but let me know if you have any other ideas!Here's the results from the Round of 64: https://old.reddit.com/CollegeBasketball/comments/11utq8b/oc_which_round_of_64_game_thread_had_the_most/
1. Which game thread had the most ref complaints?
I searched each comment for flags like "refs", "rigged", "bullshit call", "refball", etc. that usually indicate a ref complaint. This isn't perfect, because it will include false positives like the rare "the refs are doing a great job!" and exclude contextual / non-flagged things like "that's bullshit", but it gets pretty close. If you have ideas for flags I should search for, please let me know!CHART: Ref complaint leaderboard
This time the KU vs. Arkansas thread topped the list; I can completely understand why, since that was a classic "ten seconds of actual basketball punctuated by two minutes of free throws and ads" game. It was also a very physical, defense-oriented game, so there was a lot of potential calls / noncalls to complain about for both teams' fans.
2. Game thread timelines
I split each game thread up into ten minute chunks, and counted the number of comments made during each interval from each faction. This results in fun little timeline graphs that show you where the action / excitement spiked, what % of each thread was made up of neutrals, etc. I think they're neat, so I included the top ten most commented-on threads here. Let me know if you want to see any others!CHART: Game thread timelines
I really enjoy the graphs for the upsets here; it's pretty funny how you can see the KU / Bama / Houston flairs entering and exiting the thread as the games' outcomes became clear (for example, us KU flairs clearly all left to go re-watch 2022 highlights toward the end). And props to Kentucky fans for seemingly sticking it out until the bitter end!
3. Word clouds
I can also generate word clouds from the data! Here are some fun ones:WORD CLOUD: Full dataset, most used words
WORD CLOUD: Ref complaints only
WORD CLOUD: Arkansas vs. Kansas: KU flairs only and Arkansas flairs only
WORD CLOUD: FDU vs. FAU
I can take requests on these as well if anyone has any!4. Leaderboards
And finally, it's time to see who is winning the real March Madness -- posting on reddit.Top Commenting Teams
| Rank | Primary Flair | Total Comments | Unique Users | Comments per User | Avg. Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Michigan State Spartans | 3,572 | 350 | 10.21 | 3.70 |
| #2 | Kentucky Wildcats | 3,050 | 261 | 11.69 | 2.99 |
| #3 | Indiana Hoosiers | 2,363 | 243 | 9.72 | 3.56 |
| #4 | Kansas Jayhawks | 2,250 | 220 | 10.23 | 3.37 |
| #5 | Maryland Terrapins | 2,094 | 160 | 13.09 | 3.84 |
| #6 | Tennessee Volunteers | 1,555 | 162 | 9.60 | 3.00 |
| #7 | North Carolina Tar Heels | 1,446 | 150 | 9.64 | 3.36 |
| #8 | Alabama Crimson Tide | 1,384 | 154 | 8.99 | 2.47 |
| #9 | Duke Blue Devils | 1,346 | 149 | 9.03 | 3.16 |
| #10 | Arkansas Razorbacks | 1,319 | 136 | 9.70 | 3.23 |
Just like Indiana flairs had a field day with the Round of 64, it looks like MSU fans ran wild over /CollegeBasketball these past two days, taking the #1 spot by over 500 comments. The three blue blood losers make up 2nd through 4th place this round, and our friendly preseason #1 team, UNC, makes a surprise appearance at #7.
Top Ref Complainer Teams (min. 250 comments total in data)
| Rank | Primary Flair | Total Comments | N Ref Complaints | % Ref Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Arkansas Razorbacks | 1,319 | 118 | 8.95% |
| #2 | Kansas Jayhawks | 2,250 | 195 | 8.67% |
| #3 | Michigan State Spartans | 3,572 | 286 | 8.01% |
| #4 | Marquette Golden Eagles | 544 | 42 | 7.72% |
| #5 | Virginia Cavaliers | 289 | 22 | 7.61% |
| #6 | Iowa State Cyclones | 255 | 19 | 7.45% |
| #7 | Duke Blue Devils | 1,346 | 99 | 7.36% |
| #8 | Houston Cougars | 1,235 | 90 | 7.29% |
| #9 | Baylor Bears | 676 | 49 | 7.25% |
| #10 | Michigan Wolverines | 823 | 59 | 7.17% |
The Jayhawks and the Razorbacks were in a virtual tie here, which, again, makes plenty of sense. I think this actually vindicates my view that the officiating was god-awful and annoying to watch for both teams. The fact that MSU and Marquette fans are on this list is also no surprise, given how that game went. I do wonder why UVA and Michigan are on here, but I guess that comes down to the 250 comment threshold more than anything else.
Top individual commenters
| Rank | Commentor | Flair | Total Comments | Avg. Score | Min. Score | Max. Score | Threads Visited |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Ghost-of-Moravia | Maryland Terrapins | 260 | 4.08 | -7 | 19 | 12 |
| #2 | michaellomeli | Ohio State Buckeyes | 235 | 3.89 | -2 | 20 | 9 |
| #3 | Sirrenderthe69th | Tennessee Volunteers | 198 | 2.82 | -3 | 30 | 12 |
| #4 | That_One_Pancake | Penn State Nittany Lions | 191 | 4.51 | -10 | 27 | 11 |
| #5 | Kodyaufan2 | Auburn Tigers | 179 | 3.01 | 1 | 26 | 9 |
| #6 | JayMoney2424 | Michigan State Spartans | 178 | 3.29 | -3 | 25 | 10 |
| #7 | indreams159 | Fairleigh Dickinson Knights | 177 | 4.01 | -3 | 26 | 14 |
| #8 | Kardinale | Louisville Cardinals | 165 | 3.49 | 0 | 19 | 13 |
| #9 | bcocfbhp | Villanova Wildcats | 159 | 2.36 | 0 | 10 | 13 |
| #10 | iDestr0ya | Buffalo Bulls | 152 | 2.70 | -2 | 13 | 13 |
This is a completely different top 10 from the round of 64, which I wasn't expecting! None of the 10 people from last time made it, with fancycheesus, elgenie, and ddottay landing just outside at #11, #12, and #15 respectively. I was expecting to see the same group of "power users" throughout the tournament, so now I'm very curious to see who will end up on top once I combine all the rounds into one dataset.
Random fun facts:
- Most toxic thread: This one is kind of tricky this time. The thread with the greatest number of downvoted comments was Duke vs. Tennessee (617 downvoted / 7,248 total = 8.51%), but the one with the greatest percentage was Maryland vs. Alabama (446 / 3,795 = 11.8%). Both were plenty toxic in their own way, so I'll let you decide which was worse.
- Most 'fuck's per Comment: This time the Baylor Bears took first place, with 9.32% of all Baylor fans' comments containing some form of the word "fuck". Classic Baptists, am I right? Second place was Ohio State for some reason -- they took first place in the first round, so I guess OSU fans are just particularly potty-mouthed?
- /CollegeBasketball's most used words: The #1 most common word in this round's dataset was "lol" -- here's the rest of the top 10:
| Word | Instances |
|---|---|
| lol | 2515 |
| team | 2183 |
| refs | 2132 |
| foul | 2053 |
| call | 1448 |
| play | 1360 |
| time | 1355 |
| half | 1304 |
| fucking | 1219 |
| fuck | 1205 |
2023.03.20 20:40 Budget-Song2618 How accurate is this sentiment? Is it time DM said as much?
 | submitted by Budget-Song2618 to CurrentEventsUK [link] [comments] |
2023.03.20 20:40 irkli Job Listings Abound, but Many Are Fake
 | Job Listings Abound, but Many Are Fake In an uncertain economy, companies post ads for jobs they might not really be trying to fill Brian Stauffer By Te-Ping Chen Updated March 20, 2023 2:22 pm ET 62 submitted by irkli to ABoringDystopia [link] [comments] A mystery permeates the job market: You apply for a job and hear nothing, but the ad stays online for months. If you inquire, the company tells you it isn’t really hiring. Not all job ads are attached to actual jobs, it turns out. The labor market remains robust, with 10.8 million job openings in January, according to the Labor Department. At the same time, companies are feeling budgetary strains and some are pulling back on hiring. Though businesses are keeping job postings up, many roles aren’t being filled, recruiters say. Hiring managers acknowledge as much. In a survey of more than 1,000 hiring managers last summer, 27% reported having job postings up for more than four months. Among those who said they advertised job postings that they weren’t actively trying to fill, close to half said they kept the ads up to give the impression the company was growing, according to Clarify Capital, a small-business-loan provider behind the study. One-third of the managers who said they advertised jobs they weren’t trying to fill said they kept the listings up to placate overworked employees. Other reasons for keeping jobs up, the hiring managers said: Stocking a pool of ready applicants if an employee quits, or just in case an “irresistible” candidate applied. Newsletter Sign-up Careers & Leadership Get ahead and stay informed about careers, business, management and leadership. Subscribe Postings for “ghost jobs,” as recruiters and candidates sometimes refer to them, can be frustrating for job seekers. “It’s a waste of time,” says Will Kelly, who lives in the Washington, D.C., area and has been applying for marketing and writing roles. Mr. Kelly, who has decades of experience as a technical and marketing writer, estimates that when he was job hunting in late 2021, about 20% of listings that interested him were posted and reposted without anyone evidently being hired. Since his layoff from a startup in August, he says he has noticed that most jobs that catch his eye have been up for months. “I first thought of it as an anomaly, and now I see it as a trend,” he says. Given the uncertain economic outlook, some job ads may be more wishful thinking than anything else, says Vincent Babcock, a Nashville, Tenn.-based recruiter. Such a strategy, he says, risks turning off applicants who may view the ads as misleading. “They’re posting jobs with the intention of hiring, but not anytime soon,” he says, adding that some companies posting jobs now might not be aiming to hire until the third or fourth quarter. For employers, constantly looking for talent can make sense, says Kelsey Libert, co-founder of Fractl, a digital marketing agency. She says her company keeps ads up for associate positions even when they aren’t hiring, because turnover for those jobs is often higher than other roles. “Otherwise, you’re suddenly in a position where you need to spend a lot of money on LinkedIn ads to quickly drum up interest,” she says. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS Have you come across ‘ghost job’ ads? What’s your advice to job seekers who are tired of feeling let down? Join the conversation below. An employer that hasn’t been collecting résumés along the way might have fewer people to choose from when jobs open and need to be filled quickly, Ms. Libert adds. Many college seniors look for jobs from April to June, she says, noting that companies don’t want to miss out on that talent just because they didn’t have immediate roles open. “It’s better for you to hedge by leaving some of those job openings up,” she says. Some job ads have little correlation to actual job availability because companies require that all jobs be posted, even if a candidate has been predetermined. In other instances, especially at larger companies, poor coordination is to blame, says Elliott Garlock, founder of Stella Talent Partners, a Boston-based recruiting firm. During a previous stint working on talent strategy at Wayfair Inc., Mr. Garlock says, the online retailer frequently advertised jobs that it wasn’t actually hiring for. Plans and budgets were constantly changing, and so many teams were involved in the hiring process that it was hard to ensure job postings stayed up-to-date. “It’s not because we were ill-intentioned and out to trick the candidate market,” he says. Wayfair says it intends to fill every job it posts and makes every effort to treat candidates with care. The company, which announced layoffs in January, says that it is transparent with applicants about changes in hiring decisions and, for companies of its size, removing job postings takes time. Companies might also be reluctant to take down ads, Mr. Garlock adds, because “we don’t want to signal we’re slowing down, so we’ll let these things ride.” Brooke WilemonPhoto: Tina Wilemon Brooke Wilemon says applying for jobs lately has felt like chasing a series of mirages. Ms. Wilemon, who lives in Nacogdoches, Texas, estimates she has applied for around 500 jobs since receiving her master’s in business and public administration last year. Typically she doesn’t hear back, she says. When she does locate someone to talk to, she frequently hears the role isn’t being filled after all. Ms. Wilemon, 23, recently applied for a job at Nationwide Insurance. As part of her application, she put on makeup, a blazer and jewelry and sat before her computer and recorded answers to a series of automated job-interview questions, doing multiple retakes for each question before she was satisfied. Soon after, she received an email telling her that the company had decided not to fill the role. “It’s really disheartening,” she says. Nationwide said that its business needs occasionally change after roles are posted, and that the company tries to communicate and manage applicants’ expectations. It says it doesn’t post “ghost jobs” and has hired more than 600 external candidates since the start of the year. To avoid ghost ads, Scott Dobroski, vice president of communications at jobs site Indeed, recommends looking for detailed job descriptions. More specifics, such as schedules or a clear list of responsibilities, might indicate that an employer is serious, he says. He also advises checking the timestamp on ads to ensure they were posted recently. Every month, Indeed removes millions of job postings that don’t meet its standards from the website, including inactive job postings, he says. Indeed says it has recently seen more employers dial back their recruiting efforts. Job postings on the site have fallen by 11% since the start of 2023. “Many companies are proceeding with caution,” he says. Write to Te-Ping Chen at [email protected] Edition WSJ Membership Benefits Customer Center Cancel My Subscription Legal Policies Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information Limit the Use of My Sensitive Personal Information Google PlayApp Store Sign In ©2023 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
2023.03.20 20:39 Boring-Pea-4676 Fun gw2 idea/ theory- i guess spoilers?
now before we get into this, im not saying its true, they can do what they wants with the story and i can come up with ways to get rid of dragons ect aswell using the same theory.
This comes from something that bothered me in gw1 and now its a little more odd in gw2. and it particallly has to do with colors in guild wars in general. namely purple. i get you can have simular colors as example, nature and necromancy being greenish.
This has to do with abbadon and his story giving power to the worthy and trying to destroy tyria. he was imprisoned after handing out power to humans. who else gives power to humans? now you could say all gods and yes but it seems most of the gods have negitive traits which are highlighted in some of their stories found in game. Now dwayna game the emperor of cantha power for the ritual in gw1 seemingly, canthas culture is the most impacted by dragons in the early games. but who else gives power to people she deems worthy? who also tests humans and kills humans a bit more randomly in the game? who in her stories tests but also consumes all the food ect from people she then controlled to fight and die. Lyssa. The twin god, perhaps split personalities, god of illlussion and i raise you lyssa is loki. got a possible jar jar binks going on.
now this comes with colors from gw1 videos with shiro exploding, it has blue green and purple. you can say perhaps dwayna is blue as he absorbed the emperors soul but my thing is in gw1 we saw most of the relms of the gods, in gw2 you saw part of malandrues world, now you could say as you found the dragon he started in a area of the mists that was purple. maybe we saw some of lyssas world but i doubt it. and we know dwayna brought humans to find peace even if we havnt seen her plane.
now we are told we saw abbadons plane in gw1, madness and torrment... but in gw2 we talk and see the water dragons. we know most of the gods are simular to the dragons. perhaps the dragons feast on the energies that power the gods worlds. we know most of no all the gods worlds have confllict with shadow forces if not the void. Abbadon is the god of water.... blue.... madness and torment are mesmer sounding traits. he was imprisoned .... who was watching the prison? your telling me the gods didnt ever check their big boy threat in jail? what god likes punishing people.. lyssa. what god like manipulating peoples thoughts to do her will, lyssa, have we seen lyssas world? no. The gods came to tyria at different times. melandru is kind of neutral to natural things, dwayna is more on humans side than most. balthazar is a bit reckless and grenth is dwaynas son and the only god left that is able to see through lies.
i raise you that if the game wants us to kill or fight the gods right now is the time. kormir is the god of truth but she was bllind in gw1. she might not be able too see through lyssa. if the gods get power from their worlds, kormir gave up the title of water to who? lyssa, assuming lyssa might be able to enter abbadons relm and find knowledge maybe she is still around tyria. she is the main god that walks around tyria the most. testing people. now this leads to gw2 if domains give power lyssa now controls 2 which threatens balthazar. now balthazar has been collecting valiant soldiers to fight for him for a long time so even with him fallen his troops might be able to hold his domain for a while, opening the possibility of a fissure of woe expansion line. balthazar needed power to fight lyssa but now he is gone. leaving his world open to claim, we know abbadono was the strongest god and lyssa now controls water, which means its likely she is on par if not stronger than the other gods currently. and in this story grenth is the only god left that could see through her lies, meaning next target. leaving then dwayna and melandru left, and meandru would be neutral and grenths death might affect dwayna into action.
now in gw1 shiro was affected by a old woman fortune teller, we now lyssa has controled people before and turned into old women before. when shiro explodes there is a line of purple and he affects the reallity of the world with the jade wind. im a bit rusty on lore but maybe this was to awaken the dragons. we know lyssa deems peoplle worthy.
This suggests we have seen lyssas world or at least her effects on a world. Madness and torment. yes thats right. lyssa could have been the watcher over abbadon and to second this when shiro dies again he is sent to the relm of torrment for punishment. Abbadon was imprisioned... why would he have the power to decide were shiro went. yes its possible but lyssa coulld have been torchering abbadon and put shiro in there for her plans and perhaps abbadon loosing his sanity which is something we see in the dragons started to call apon the void.
now in gw2 balthazar was imprisoned and the only reason rytlock released him was hee didnt know it was balthazar, why is this? his form was changed by who? lyssa. lyssa helped imprison balthazar and then planned his escape so he would be forced to do her bidding aswell as give up his world.
i coulld go into mesmers in gw1 and the charr ect but its probably not important. but we have seen that charr get access to powerful balthazar artifacts in gw2? where did they get them? balthazar fought the charr with the humans in the past. if balthazar was trapped who would have access to his things .... lyssa.
now why would this be a thing. well lets compare the gods to something like dragons watch. you betrayal and one death. currently in the gods world you could say abbadon died and ballthazar betrayed the gods or , balthazar died and llyssa betrayed the gods, or both who knows.
we know dwayna brought the humans. we know grenth is dwaynas kid and melandru is kind of neutral and the oldest god. thats leaves, abbadon ,lyssa, and balthazar fighting over humans perhaps. lyssa may not even have a world if its void. abbadon was giving power to people lyssa didnt deem worthy, becoming her first target. the other gods can be simular in her eyes. and she has a kind of arrogance about her she may not like dwayna who knows. we dont really get much sense of unity between gods more like a mutual respect of power which is why they have to all decide to do something together and would give power to kormir after abbadons fall.
now they say the gods left to find new land but each relm we have seen had a dark force attacking it. the shadow army and the demons in grenths world in gw1. if that is affects simular to the dragons that means the gods might of been forced to return to their relms to protect their power and couldnt fight the dragons. also opens up storyline for us in the future.
mainly this more of less is based on purple. madness torment, torment weapons ect all purple. purple mesmer, illlusion, the skillls used by evil creatures in the games using mesmer effects ect. videos with purple energy effects.
lastly i want to throw one more thing in here. the new class, revenant. you involk legends... now you can say shiro is evil and he probably is but before his manipulation he was a hero of a sort, and most of the other legends are heroes. now in the new expansion you have lux and kurz heroes. what doesnt fit here...??
myllax- you have one demon evil creature among all the heroes.... lets look into this.
The Margonite Mallyx is a book about Mallyx the Unyielding, found in the Durmand Priory's Special Collections during the Hidden Arcana chapter of the Echoes of the Past.
No one knows who wrote this, but it is an ancient letter to the High Priest Zhellix, a Forgotten who led a historic assault on the Margonites (demon followers of Abaddon).📷 Read on.To be noted: breaching the Ebony Citadel will likely kill you. Mallyx the Unyielding rules the four Lords of Anguish, and they will shred you.📷 Read on.If they don't get you, Mallyx will. If you do succeed, Mallyx will embark on a mission of vengeance from which you are unlikely to escape.📷 Read on.If you insist, do not use standard tactics against this demon. They will not work. Good luck. I hope I see you again."📷 Put it back.
if you attack then it seeks vengence... and its smart.
Those who followed the Dark God thrive in hidden places where the light of truth does not shine. Chief among these followers is Mallyx the Unyielding, a great and terrible Margonite leader who tamed hordes of demons in his dark lord's service. Mallyx has now fallen back to his Ebony Citadel within the Domain of Anguish, where he plots to usurp the powers of the gods and sit upon his dark master's throne.
Mallyx has rallied the last remnants of the Margonite army along with their greatest surviving leaders. In addition, vast hordes of demons, titans, and other vile creatures have all flocked to his unholy banner. Only the bravest of heroes may halt Mallyx's rebellion. If you are worthy, then scour the Domain of Anguish and cast down this would-be usurper.
Meet me at the Gates of Anguish and I shall tell you more of what lies ahead, and show you how the last shreds of the Dark God's power may yet be crushed.
would be usurper, rebellling against the gods, if you attack it comes back with revenge. lyssa does test people to see if they can look past the looks of others . they say abbadon wanted to destroy the world but myllax is trying to attack the gods. he serves abbadons purpose and what happened to abbbadon, betrayal, attacked by the gods. why have a revenant summon heroes for combat and then have a leader of a ancient god destroying the world to join the party? when we learn more about abbadon perhaps we will hear or see a new side to abbadon. maybe these creatures are demons but demons created out of desperation from Abaddon calling apon dark powers for freedom.
anycase this is just a fun idea in the back of my head and its very possiblle the story wont ever go this route but if we ever want to fight on the gods worlds or kill more gods. we got open doors.
submitted by Boring-Pea-4676 to Guildwars2 [link] [comments]
This comes from something that bothered me in gw1 and now its a little more odd in gw2. and it particallly has to do with colors in guild wars in general. namely purple. i get you can have simular colors as example, nature and necromancy being greenish.
This has to do with abbadon and his story giving power to the worthy and trying to destroy tyria. he was imprisoned after handing out power to humans. who else gives power to humans? now you could say all gods and yes but it seems most of the gods have negitive traits which are highlighted in some of their stories found in game. Now dwayna game the emperor of cantha power for the ritual in gw1 seemingly, canthas culture is the most impacted by dragons in the early games. but who else gives power to people she deems worthy? who also tests humans and kills humans a bit more randomly in the game? who in her stories tests but also consumes all the food ect from people she then controlled to fight and die. Lyssa. The twin god, perhaps split personalities, god of illlussion and i raise you lyssa is loki. got a possible jar jar binks going on.
now this comes with colors from gw1 videos with shiro exploding, it has blue green and purple. you can say perhaps dwayna is blue as he absorbed the emperors soul but my thing is in gw1 we saw most of the relms of the gods, in gw2 you saw part of malandrues world, now you could say as you found the dragon he started in a area of the mists that was purple. maybe we saw some of lyssas world but i doubt it. and we know dwayna brought humans to find peace even if we havnt seen her plane.
now we are told we saw abbadons plane in gw1, madness and torrment... but in gw2 we talk and see the water dragons. we know most of the gods are simular to the dragons. perhaps the dragons feast on the energies that power the gods worlds. we know most of no all the gods worlds have confllict with shadow forces if not the void. Abbadon is the god of water.... blue.... madness and torment are mesmer sounding traits. he was imprisoned .... who was watching the prison? your telling me the gods didnt ever check their big boy threat in jail? what god likes punishing people.. lyssa. what god like manipulating peoples thoughts to do her will, lyssa, have we seen lyssas world? no. The gods came to tyria at different times. melandru is kind of neutral to natural things, dwayna is more on humans side than most. balthazar is a bit reckless and grenth is dwaynas son and the only god left that is able to see through lies.
i raise you that if the game wants us to kill or fight the gods right now is the time. kormir is the god of truth but she was bllind in gw1. she might not be able too see through lyssa. if the gods get power from their worlds, kormir gave up the title of water to who? lyssa, assuming lyssa might be able to enter abbadons relm and find knowledge maybe she is still around tyria. she is the main god that walks around tyria the most. testing people. now this leads to gw2 if domains give power lyssa now controls 2 which threatens balthazar. now balthazar has been collecting valiant soldiers to fight for him for a long time so even with him fallen his troops might be able to hold his domain for a while, opening the possibility of a fissure of woe expansion line. balthazar needed power to fight lyssa but now he is gone. leaving his world open to claim, we know abbadono was the strongest god and lyssa now controls water, which means its likely she is on par if not stronger than the other gods currently. and in this story grenth is the only god left that could see through her lies, meaning next target. leaving then dwayna and melandru left, and meandru would be neutral and grenths death might affect dwayna into action.
now in gw1 shiro was affected by a old woman fortune teller, we now lyssa has controled people before and turned into old women before. when shiro explodes there is a line of purple and he affects the reallity of the world with the jade wind. im a bit rusty on lore but maybe this was to awaken the dragons. we know lyssa deems peoplle worthy.
This suggests we have seen lyssas world or at least her effects on a world. Madness and torment. yes thats right. lyssa could have been the watcher over abbadon and to second this when shiro dies again he is sent to the relm of torrment for punishment. Abbadon was imprisioned... why would he have the power to decide were shiro went. yes its possible but lyssa coulld have been torchering abbadon and put shiro in there for her plans and perhaps abbadon loosing his sanity which is something we see in the dragons started to call apon the void.
now in gw2 balthazar was imprisoned and the only reason rytlock released him was hee didnt know it was balthazar, why is this? his form was changed by who? lyssa. lyssa helped imprison balthazar and then planned his escape so he would be forced to do her bidding aswell as give up his world.
i coulld go into mesmers in gw1 and the charr ect but its probably not important. but we have seen that charr get access to powerful balthazar artifacts in gw2? where did they get them? balthazar fought the charr with the humans in the past. if balthazar was trapped who would have access to his things .... lyssa.
now why would this be a thing. well lets compare the gods to something like dragons watch. you betrayal and one death. currently in the gods world you could say abbadon died and ballthazar betrayed the gods or , balthazar died and llyssa betrayed the gods, or both who knows.
we know dwayna brought the humans. we know grenth is dwaynas kid and melandru is kind of neutral and the oldest god. thats leaves, abbadon ,lyssa, and balthazar fighting over humans perhaps. lyssa may not even have a world if its void. abbadon was giving power to people lyssa didnt deem worthy, becoming her first target. the other gods can be simular in her eyes. and she has a kind of arrogance about her she may not like dwayna who knows. we dont really get much sense of unity between gods more like a mutual respect of power which is why they have to all decide to do something together and would give power to kormir after abbadons fall.
now they say the gods left to find new land but each relm we have seen had a dark force attacking it. the shadow army and the demons in grenths world in gw1. if that is affects simular to the dragons that means the gods might of been forced to return to their relms to protect their power and couldnt fight the dragons. also opens up storyline for us in the future.
mainly this more of less is based on purple. madness torment, torment weapons ect all purple. purple mesmer, illlusion, the skillls used by evil creatures in the games using mesmer effects ect. videos with purple energy effects.
lastly i want to throw one more thing in here. the new class, revenant. you involk legends... now you can say shiro is evil and he probably is but before his manipulation he was a hero of a sort, and most of the other legends are heroes. now in the new expansion you have lux and kurz heroes. what doesnt fit here...??
myllax- you have one demon evil creature among all the heroes.... lets look into this.
The Margonite Mallyx is a book about Mallyx the Unyielding, found in the Durmand Priory's Special Collections during the Hidden Arcana chapter of the Echoes of the Past.
No one knows who wrote this, but it is an ancient letter to the High Priest Zhellix, a Forgotten who led a historic assault on the Margonites (demon followers of Abaddon).📷 Read on.To be noted: breaching the Ebony Citadel will likely kill you. Mallyx the Unyielding rules the four Lords of Anguish, and they will shred you.📷 Read on.If they don't get you, Mallyx will. If you do succeed, Mallyx will embark on a mission of vengeance from which you are unlikely to escape.📷 Read on.If you insist, do not use standard tactics against this demon. They will not work. Good luck. I hope I see you again."📷 Put it back.
if you attack then it seeks vengence... and its smart.
Those who followed the Dark God thrive in hidden places where the light of truth does not shine. Chief among these followers is Mallyx the Unyielding, a great and terrible Margonite leader who tamed hordes of demons in his dark lord's service. Mallyx has now fallen back to his Ebony Citadel within the Domain of Anguish, where he plots to usurp the powers of the gods and sit upon his dark master's throne.
Mallyx has rallied the last remnants of the Margonite army along with their greatest surviving leaders. In addition, vast hordes of demons, titans, and other vile creatures have all flocked to his unholy banner. Only the bravest of heroes may halt Mallyx's rebellion. If you are worthy, then scour the Domain of Anguish and cast down this would-be usurper.
Meet me at the Gates of Anguish and I shall tell you more of what lies ahead, and show you how the last shreds of the Dark God's power may yet be crushed.
would be usurper, rebellling against the gods, if you attack it comes back with revenge. lyssa does test people to see if they can look past the looks of others . they say abbadon wanted to destroy the world but myllax is trying to attack the gods. he serves abbadons purpose and what happened to abbbadon, betrayal, attacked by the gods. why have a revenant summon heroes for combat and then have a leader of a ancient god destroying the world to join the party? when we learn more about abbadon perhaps we will hear or see a new side to abbadon. maybe these creatures are demons but demons created out of desperation from Abaddon calling apon dark powers for freedom.
anycase this is just a fun idea in the back of my head and its very possiblle the story wont ever go this route but if we ever want to fight on the gods worlds or kill more gods. we got open doors.
2023.03.20 20:39 DroopyDick714 "So the more you grow, the more fierce are the obstacles you have to face." Really? What about cell phones and online video streaming?
So the more you grow, the more fierce are the obstacles you have to face. I am guessing you can count whistleblowers as one of these obstacles. Thank you, guys, for attesting to the validity of our movement. SourceWhen something is good, when it is something people want and value, people welcome it. They pursue it for themselves. Examples:
- Cell phones
- Online shopping
- eBay
- Air conditioning
- Electricity
- Food/Grocery delivery services
- Portable hot tubs/spas
- Power steering
- Habitat for Humanity
- OnlyFans
- Imgur
- Youtube
- Video streaming services
- Large screen TVs
- the Chunnel
Nowhere, that's where. People immediately and enthusiastically embraced those when they were introduced.
So what are things that receive backlash from within society as they spread?
- Cults
- MLM scams
- "Nigerian prince" emails
- Scams targeting the elderly
- Catfishing
- Deepfakes
- Extremist political groups (Tea Party, MAGA, white supremacists, etc.)
- Opioid and other drug addictions
Have people been protesting and making alternative plans because removing the right for a woman to decide whether or not she is going to continue a pregnancy is a "good" thing to do? Is it because removing that right is a valuable move in the direction of "growth"?
It's the things that are harmful, that cause LOSS for people, that end up "facing obstacles". Because people DON'T LIKE them. That is not "attesting to the validity" of whatever it is; that's alerting the public to dangerous developments and even PREDATORS in their midst!
This is simply an illustration of how SGI disables its members' critical thinking abilities - there's simply NOTHING that can tell them that what they're doing is wrong and they need to do something else or behave differently! "Fierce obstacles" are society's way of telling people that they're doing something antisocial or self-destructive! SGI's embrace of "fierce obstacles" as a GOOD thing simply means SGI members who internalize that self-destructive idea have no way to self-correct!
These are all human beings - not outstanding paragons of virtue or castles of integrity - just ordinary schmucks with a deluded sense of their “specialness” which completely obviates the need for them to do any kind of self reflection and self correct - which is the type of thing a lot of decent and ordinary schmucks do.See also Why "Good People Are Despised" Thinking Necessarily Leads to Assholery
It’s the consequence of how cults work - with a special identity (bodhisattva of the earth; thetan, witness, prophet - pick your cult) and a special mission, you get a pass - you don’t need to reflect on yourself, you can ditch any moral compass in favour of the cult’s goal and the leader’s needs and the normal codes, mores, customs and heck - even laws of the land don’t apply. Cults top leaders’ reps as vile people are well known and well founded. There’s not many who list David Miscavige or Warren Jeffs as “person I’d most like to invite to dinner”.
I think it’s unhealthy and unnecessary to place people on a pedestal - no one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes and does things they regret. However - surely when it comes to those taking it upon themselves to offer guidance, instruction and issue judgements on others - we should set the bar a little higher? Source
I'm glad they appreciate SGIWhistleblowers. We're going to continue what we do. We'll give them more AND MORE to appreciate us for.
So there you have it: A recent example "from the wild" of how one of the SGI's narcissists behaves, particularly when she's caught red-handed and can't wiggle out of the fact that she was OPENLY lying - and several others who apparently knew it was all fake were going along with it like it was real when it was all a cheap manipulative sham, a fraud, a charade, completely phony. SGI does not self-correct; maladaptive/socially unacceptable behavior just becomes worse. It spreads. Source
My husband was right when he said they [SGI members] were creepy and not normal. Source
Ah yes indeed -,the “human revolution” - there’s always a revolution with these cults - or a “total transformation” - it’s all about the big change - the big transformation- the grand, dramatic playing out of a magnificent life in a splendid way on a global stage! All this ideating about how fandabbydozy one is going to be is fantastically disparaging of who one already is! So the character one already has gets discarded in favour of the new shiny one promised - no - guaranteed. In over 30 years I never saw a single person improve as a human being - including myself!! I saw many leave in the first few years. I saw those who continued to hope and wish the thing would work become unhappy, disillusioned, bitter, deeply dissatisfied, jealous, power-hungry and scheming - and I was around for a sufficient number of years to know many of those who are in senior positions now very well. Living an indoctrinated life is really no fun at all - and it exemplifies the law of diminishing returns. Even being on the payroll doesn’t compensate for the loss of your real and authentic self, your integrity and sincerity, your heartfelt bonds with those you really trust and your autonomy, ownership of and agency within your own life. This is the human revolution - the re-emergence of who you are out from under the indoctrination and manipulation of the cult. Source
2023.03.20 20:39 Efficient-Ad-3302 Picked up this awesome plate for $5 at a garage sale today in Bathurst.
 | submitted by Efficient-Ad-3302 to newbrunswickcanada [link] [comments] |
2023.03.20 20:39 imfatterthanyou Cameo video
I interviewed for a company a few months back and saw a ton of red flags so dropped out of consideration. Today that company posted a Cameo video of "Mr Wonderful" from Shark Tank and the Director of Sales was touting how Mr Wonderful is saying all of these great things about their company.
They literally paid him to say it, you can see hes reading off a prompt and the Cameo watermark is still in the video. Holy shit it was cringe. Gave me Christian Slater and Sabre vibes.
EDIT: Got his title wrong. He is the VP of Sales so even worse
submitted by imfatterthanyou to LinkedInLunatics [link] [comments]
They literally paid him to say it, you can see hes reading off a prompt and the Cameo watermark is still in the video. Holy shit it was cringe. Gave me Christian Slater and Sabre vibes.
EDIT: Got his title wrong. He is the VP of Sales so even worse
2023.03.20 20:39 FlobeeWanKenobee For sale in PDX (local pickup): 4x Nokian zLine all seasons, OEM all weather mats, JDM Armrest Extension/Cubby.
Tires have less than 500 miles, I switched to bigger wheels. ($250)
OEM Mats are new in packaging. ($80)
Armrest Extension/Cubby is basically new, I switched seating position and don't need it anymore. ($100)
submitted by FlobeeWanKenobee to VB_WRXMarketplace [link] [comments]
OEM Mats are new in packaging. ($80)
Armrest Extension/Cubby is basically new, I switched seating position and don't need it anymore. ($100)
2023.03.20 20:38 ironingthecurtains Repost - he took the kids handhold
The saga is ongoing. Lots of updates. Lots of flowery language. Cheerleading.
I'll post the 32 OP posts in comments so save you all going through the whole thread if you're not MN members. Eta - couldn't add as a comment so here's the longest post ever.
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4756410-he-has-run-off-with-the-kids-advice-needed-and-handhold
The saga is ongoing.
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4756410-he-has-run-off-with-the-kids-advice-needed-and-handhold
He has run off with the kids, advice needed and handhold 32 replies Iamworthit · 05/03/2023 09:30
Posting for traffic. Apologies, its long.
Some might remember my previous threads. Basically I separated from my controlling ex in February. Things moved really quickly. And I managed to find a house. I moved out on Thursday. Instead of taking the kids out whilst I moved to make it less distressing for them which we had previously agreed, he stayed and made me take all my stuff out in front of them, and put it into the front garden. My friend and her children came over to help load her car up with my stuff. As awful as it was I stayed strong for the kids, they were excited about the new house, their new bedrooms and where choosing which toys to bring as well as playing with their friends in the front garden. Once my stuff was out (not much, he refused i take any furniture), he demanded my keys back, demanded the kids go inside, and literally pulled my 4 year old away from me, she was screaming and crying. He slammed the door in my face and shut the curtains. In hindsight I should have called the police then, believe me I realise that now. However i was trying to cause as least stress as possible. Due to previous advice on here I have recorded him on multiple occasions. I recorded the children Thursday morning whilst they were playing whilst I was moving my stuff out. You can see my stuff in the front garden and the kids happy and playing. When he took my daughter off me and put the other two inside and slammed the door on me, I started recording then too. You can clearly see and hear my daughter screaming behind the door , (part frosted glass door) and him pulling her as she's holding onto the front door handle from the inside. You can also hear him say you will see mummy tomorrow. Him and I had agreed that they would come to my new house on Friday morning whilst he goes to work. He has been using my past mental health against me, (see previous threads, I will try to link,) since I told him I wanted to separate, he wanted me to provide him a letter from a medical professional saying im sane 🙄. My cpn is dicharging me next week, so he will have that on paper - i know i dont have to do that but I will send him a copy because i have nothing to hide. On Thursday afternoon he phones me asking when will I be giving him half the child benefit. I tell him I am arranging mediation and we can discuss it there as he keeps ranting at me down the phone. So, Friday morning comes around. I message to double check what time he is dropping them over. I get back one message saying the kids are safe, I'm not taking any calls. He then ignores my texts and calls. I got round to his house and the car is gone, the curtains are drawn. He has done a runner with the kids! I phoned police and social services. As we have only just separated there is no child arrangements order in place. I'm absoloutely heartbroken. I've never known pain like it. They are 1, 4 and 6. They spend the majority of the time with me. Nearly 4 years ago he built and insulated a shed in the bottom of the garden. He has slept out there 99% of the time since. Leaving me to do all night time childcare since then. The girls who are 4 and 6 sleep in the bedroom next to me, the 4 year old wakes almost every night and comes and spends the rest of the night with me. My one year old has been in my bed since birth, what must my poor babies be thinking? He also works part time where I have the children on my own. The 4 and 6 year old are homeschooled. I take them to all activities and clubs and play dates etc. I know this is 100% about control, that he is using the children to try to break me so that his "she's an unstable mother" claims come true. I am 100% confident in my ability to parent my children. I am 100% confident that there is no issue with me, infact I've never felt stronger, my mh has never been better. That's why I knew I had to leave, because I knew I could be a strong single mother to my beautiful babies and I didn't want them witnessing his toxic behaviour any more. I will not have my children growing up thinking his behaviour is acceptable. I have a solicitors appointment Monday morning at 9am. All services have been informed, mediation is booked for 2 weeks time. I have phoned the police 4 times since Friday, who advise its a civil matter. I have spoken to social services who have said I'm doing everything right and have contacted every one I need to. I have even contacted universal credit. I believe part of the reason he has taken the children is because he won't receive the child element of universal credit anymore. He has Been begging for half the child benefit which thankfully is in my name. I was receiving pip due to my previous mental health issues, and he claimed carers element in universal credit. Obviously now I've moved out, and said he isn't my carer since we split, he doesn't get that anymore. He was only having to work part time because of this, despite claiming to be my carer, I was doing the vast majority of child care and household chores, whilst he slept in the shed so his sleep wasn't disturbed.
I have never felt pain like this. Being away from my children and wondering what they must be thinking, why they aren't seeing me, what he's filled their heads with is breaking my heart. I know and I will be strong and get through this short time until the courts decide on child arrangements. I'm also realistic about the fact that he could keep them until that date, in which case it could be at least a month before I see them again. Even when I had pnd 4 years ago, I went to a mbu with my daughter, they knew it was imperative that she be with me. I did end up being sectioned but my medication was adjusted and I made a rapid recovery. I was allowed to leave early from the section and even then all my children were allowed to visit me in the family room next to the unit as everyone knew how important it was they and I have regular contact. I was never a danger to my children, I just felt that I wasn't good enough to be their mother. However I've worked hard on myself, I am fully recovered. I engaged in all therapy, took the medication properly and came off it under their advice. I look after myself because I know that to be a good mother to my kids I need to be good to myself. I since have had my 1 year old and there's been no issues at all. Infact as 'my carer' he never once phoned any services or teams on me with any concerns regarding my mental health in an extremely long time, years, So there is also evidence of this.
I have my furniture being delivered today, the girls Bunk beds and sofa, tables etc. I will make this house a special and safe home for my babies, where they feel respected and loved.
I'm sorry for the huge post. Please if anyone has any more advice on what I can do, Or any questions for the solicitor appointment tomorrow I would so appreciate it. I need all the support and advice I can get. Thankyou
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Iamworthit · 05/03/2023 10:52
NEmama · 05/03/2023 09:46
Stay strong. Are his family involved? Would ex mil speak to him . Awful situation for you op x
Nope, no one is answering or responding. I have absoloutely no idea where they have gone. My guess is he's spoken to a solicitor and they've told him he is legally with in his rights to take the kids as he has parental responsibility and there is no court order in place
Go to post Iamworthit · 05/03/2023 14:48
Dartsplayer · 05/03/2023 14:43
Unfortunately, having gone through the same thing with a family member, this is correct and there is nothing the police can do.
@Iamworthit you need to download a C100 form and submit it to your local family Court for an emergency hearing to have the children returned to your care as soon as possible. This group were invaluable in guiding us through the process from the children being taken to getting a Child Arrangement Order in place. You sound like you are doing everything right
www.facebook.com/groups/488124058749486/?ref=share
Show quote history I have my solicitor appt Tomorrow. Will she do that?
Go to post Iamworthit · 05/03/2023 23:08
CalamityClam · 05/03/2023 10:19
Hold tight. My ex did the same thing. I had to leave without them. The DCs were safe with him even though I knew he was an absolute controlling TWAT - I knew they’d be upset, but I knew they’d be safe. I did everything you’re doing, determined to have it sorted legally so he couldn’t do it again, even if it meant waiting to see them. Believe me, the novelty will soon wear off for him when he realises he’s stuck with the kids and you’re as free as a bird.
It resolved for me quite quickly- within a couple of weeks. We shared care going forward. The DCs are adults now and have a very distant relationship with their dad.
So reassuring to speak to someone who has been through this and there was a positive outcome. I haven't spoken to them at all or seen them since Thursday morning, this is the longest its been. I'm assuming he has gone to his parents over an hour away. The police managed to get hold of him today and will be doing a welfare check tonight or tomorrow. They can't give me his wareabouts. Im terrified my kids are going to forget me, especially the one year old, other than a handful of nights where he agreed to have him for a night or 2 whilst I visited friends/ family, he's always been with me. And what if he turns them against me. I'm so scared they will think I've abandoned them and hate me or forget me. It could be weeks before a court hearing. Can a 1 year old Remember that long. I don't know.
Go to post Iamworthit · 05/03/2023 23:23
Sunriseinwonderland · 05/03/2023 11:27
Take a deep breath and step back OP. My ex pulled this stunt more than once and the judge awarded me full custody and him none because DS was so traumatised by him. It took a while but it was ok. Well done for recording it. Your solicitor will advise you.
How long did he keep your son away from you for? I'm so scared they will forget me x
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Iamworthit · 05/03/2023 23:29
macncheeeesey · 05/03/2023 12:34
He's trying to punish you and unfortunately you have to abide by the system.
He will likely realise how hard it is very soon and won't be able to keep up with the homeschooling and caring for three little ones - especially as you say he sleeps in a shed normally.
Use this time to make the house a home for them. You can apply for an emergency family hearing - I'm sure your solicitor has advised on that.
He's an evil man who is damaging your kids but he won't be able to keep them. You've done everything you need to and informed the right people.
Try to distract yourself and use this time to work on your plan of attack to get them back and get yourself right.
My ex took our DD and wouldn't give her back but did eventually. Police wouldn't get involved after they did one welfare check. I would call them and ask them to do a check and say he is mentally unstable and you're worried about the kids. This will be logged and hopefully will scare him a bit.
I know the feeling, my DD wanted to come back but ex wouldn't let her. When she did some back she was super clingy. She knew what her dad did was wrong.
You've got this and you'll get them back.
I'm sorry you went through this too. How old was your daughter when he did that? How long was she away from you for. I'm scared they will hate me, god knows what he's telling them about why they can't see me
Go to post Iamworthit · 05/03/2023 23:33
liveforsummer · 05/03/2023 12:47
Presumably he was taking care of them while she was sectioned so whilst he may not look after them when she’s gone he clearly can.
He looked after 1 dc then, not 3. He has become increasingly abusive since then
No, he went to work when I was in the mother and baby unit with my 2nd daughter. My mum and mil took it in turns to look after our eldest and he would look after her when not at work. Even when i went away for a couple of kights for my friends wedding my mum came to help him look after the kids
Go to post Iamworthit · 05/03/2023 23:40
Springchicken75 · 05/03/2023 19:36
Op I would also strongly advise you to contact women’s aid after your appointment with the solicitor, they will offer some much needed support and advice.
www.womensaid.org.uk I did this a few weeks ago and I just got an email back with endless other support agencies, solicitors to call.
Go to post Iamworthit · 05/03/2023 23:45
OhmygodDont · 05/03/2023 20:00
Snatches children like some mad man on the street. Or a father having his children for the weekend or maybe even being the resident parent.
With this whole women and men are equal they are aLeo equal parents 🥱. He text saying they were safe and he would not be taking her calls. Police have been called 4! Times and don’t seem to think there is any issue. Op willingly left them on the Thursday.
Im sure op will hear find out more Monday morning but nothing makes her the better or more superior parent in the eyes of the law currently.
The police got back to me today. They are doing a welfare check tonight or tomorrow. I didn't Willingly leave them on Thursday. I left them heartbroken, not wanting to cause any more distress and with a stupid idea he would do the right thing and give them to me the next day as planned.
Go to post Iamworthit · 06/03/2023 05:16
Sami561 · 05/03/2023 20:22
I am so sorry you are going through this OP. The pain is like nothing else.
I have been in the same position as you and, unfortunately, as you have probably found, The Police have no powers if the father has parental rights. They say it is a civil matters for the courts.
All I can say is that this will massively go against him in family court proceedings- it did for my estranged husband. He was banned from having our child overnight for a considerable amount of time until he could prove he was trustworthy again. The courts and professionals also named that he was using our child as a emotional weapon towards me by doing this. Your husband will be viewed in exactly the same way by all involved. He isn't thinking about the children at all, he is thinking about himself and getting one over on you.
Brilliant that you have a solicitors appointment tomorrow, they will give you the advice you need.
Stay strong and get that child arrangements order in place💐
I really hope they do the same. I'm sorry you had to go through this too. It so incredibly cruel and unfair to the children.
Go to post Iamworthit · 06/03/2023 05:46
Kinneddar · 05/03/2023 21:49
Probably because it doesn't meet the criteria. The children are with their Dad, there's nothing to suggest they're at risk. Just because their Mum doesn't know where they are doesn't mean there's anything wrong.
The other thing is the police will look at the history of the family in assessing things. They've been called out before because the OP was threatening self harm. She's still currently under a MH section & despite being told its not a Police matter has phoned numerous times today. Regardless of what anyone here thinks they'll make the assessment based on the information they have, which from the sounds of it possibly doesn't look great for the OP. AND the other thing is, we only know OPs version of events. I'm not saying they're not accurate but we have absolutely no way of knowing
Police don't do a welfare check just because someone wants them to, there has to be grounds.
If for instance they don't turn up at school tomorrow that would have things reassessed.
Even if officers did go out to the house tonight & noone was home they're not going to turn it into a misper enquiry at this stage.
Show quote history The police were never phoned with regards to my mental health. I always went through the proper channels with the perinatal team. Yes I did have the crisis team involved but that was 4 YEARS AGO. I was in a mother and baby unit and the medication they gave me to treat it was to low a dose. I was always with my daughter at the mbu. I got sectioned 4 years ago, and once there, my dd went back to the family home with her dad. My mum and mil also took it turns to stay with them for extra support. My section was supposed to last 28 days. I was released at day 14 due responding so well to the medication. I had been observed with my children by the nurses and Dr's theres (yes I still got to see my kids, and kept breastfeeding her and pumping the whole time) even during that period I have never been away from the kids for this long. Everyone in my care knew I was a brilliant mother, I have documents from being there. I struggling with pnd, and never a harm to my children. We were very much bonded, I just felt absolutely not good enough to be their mother. I have engaged with services at every single point along the way. I since had another baby - the one year old, and I was put under the perinatal mental health team again for precaution, but due to me doing really well during that pregnancy my contact with them was very little and the discharged me a year after birth with a plan to come off my medication, which I have done. Even after all this I'm still strong because I know I have to be there for my kids when I do get them back they will need me more than ever. Yes he was claiming carers allowance. However he hasn't phoned any mental health team in years with any concerns about me. He is trying to gaslight me to say that he has concerns, well than why as he only just raised concerns since I told him I was leaving ? Thankfully this is all fact and documented. My cpn has been phoned by my ex regularly since for the last few weeks since I said I'm leaving. My cpn has received calls from my ex and his family claiming I needed a welfare check. I arranged for my cpn to see me, who agreed that I'm fit and well and will be discharged this week. My cpn told me he said to the mil that they are all wasting his time and to stop calling him. My cpn visited me on Friday when I phoned him to say my ex had taken the children, he came over straight away, and is still satisfied I can be discharged. I've had a traumatic childhood, pnd was almost inevitable I've been told, however I have worked bloody hard on myself and am a credit to my children. Any one else reading this thread in the future who has to go through similar, please do not let posters like this wear you down. I have had PREVIOUS mental health issues. My mental health now is better than its ever been.
Go to post Iamworthit · 06/03/2023 08:55
Thankyou. Omg 8 months your poor baby
Go to post Iamworthit · 06/03/2023 10:28
UPDATE solicitor was great. She will apply for an urgent hearing today. Expensive, but my mum will pay this initial fee. Hopefully be seen by the court today 🙏 With a predicted respond date by Friday from him. I don't know when this means I will get them back, but at least the ball is rolling She will also put in a Prohibited Steps Order to stop him from changing their gp, Registering them for school, or taking them abroad.
Go to post Iamworthit · 06/03/2023 10:38
SchoolTripDrama · 06/03/2023 10:36
Fantastic news, I'm pleased for you.
Also, him doing this, will MASSIVELY negatively affect his chances of getting access in the future, via legal routes. Judges look extremely dimly on parents who pull this stunt
Show quote history Thankyou. I hope this can be resolved ASAP. I think she said she's going to request an urgent live with order too
Go to post Iamworthit · 06/03/2023 13:46
mucky123 · 06/03/2023 13:33
I have no actual knowledge of the Court system in these circumstances or anything helpful to say but I just wanted you to know that I have read the whole thread and I think you are incredibly brave and strong. I think lots of people would have crumpled at this and maybe gone back to him or just broken down. Well done, keep fighting, hope it is all over soon.
Thankyou. Don't get me wrong I've sobbed huge tears of grief this weekend and been full of panic and worry, one thing I will not do is let him break me. My kids need the best version of me right now, and so that's my focus x
Go to post Iamworthit · 06/03/2023 19:25
Another update Not so great. He also did a Prohibited Steps Order. So the judge received them both today. They decided to see us together but the quickest available date is on the 21st of March! I've seen a copy of his order and requests. He wants me to admit I'm unstable. He wants confirmation from mh professionals I'm OK. It looks like he says I can have Supervised contact and calls. So obviously yes I'll take anything I can get, but need solicitor to confirm this. Also made allegations about how "unstable" I am. That I'm a suicide risk, that I've done x,y,z... BUT there's no record of him phoning my gp or cpn or anything, so hopefully that can quash that! He also keeps phoning my cpn telling him he is going for custody or he is giving me the order, or he is hiding away with the kids... So obvious he wants me to crack in front of the cpn. With regards to my cpn he is telling me he is putting my case to the team for discharge tomorrow, there is a chance they won't agree, and with the luck I'm having atm I'm beginning to think that they are going to say they won't discharge me.
Thanks for all the support. I really appreciate everything you ladies have said. I will update tomorrow with any news.
Go to post Iamworthit · 07/03/2023 06:30
Nope not since Thursday morning
Go to post Iamworthit · 07/03/2023 06:46
Scalessayeek · 06/03/2023 22:00
OP I can’t believe how some people are trying to bring you down. I would have completely fallen apart in your situation. You just need someone to see your posts on here to see how centered you are at the moment.
Sending you all the strength and luck in the world!
Thankyou. My kids have never needed more. All his behaviour is doing now is showing me just how controlling he is, and that getting out of that relationship is the best thing for me and the kids long term.
Go to post Iamworthit · 07/03/2023 06:48
P3N · 06/03/2023 19:42
Stay strong OP. You are doing amazing. Have the police got back about the welfare check? Your ex is disgusting trying to use your MH against you.
Yes. They saw the children and reported they aren't in harms way.
Go to post Iamworthit · 07/03/2023 06:54
Iamworthit · 07/03/2023 06:48
Yes. They saw the children and reported they aren't in harms way.
Show quote history Physical harm that Is. I said I'm guessing they are at the grandparents then and his expression told me everything I needed to know. At least they know them. Although they are nearly 80.
Go to post Iamworthit · 08/03/2023 15:57
Whiskeypowers · 08/03/2023 15:47
Hope you are holding up ok @Iamworthit
have you had any updates from the police or your solicitor etc?
No more information from police. He came back last night to his house, was there this morning amd gone this afternoon. I was notified by my friend who lives close by. No idea if the kids are with him. Waiting to hear if I can have Supervised visits before court hearing on 21st. Tonight will be night 7..
Go to post Iamworthit · 08/03/2023 22:08
Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 08/03/2023 19:19
Just for my own understanding, why do you need supervised visits?
Show quote history I don't. He is claiming I'm mentally unstable and a flight risk because he's a controlling, pathetic excuse of a man. He vanished with the kids and put an application for a Prohibited Steps Order that I can't have the children back until he sees a letter from a medical professional to state otherwise.
Go to post Iamworthit · 08/03/2023 22:10
MaireadMcSweeney · 08/03/2023 19:54
Honestly I would probably do this too, but I don't know how that would impact on the court hearing. Remember now the process has started you can't just pull out and cancel it.
Show quote history This. I can't do anything because it's with solicitors, police and social services.
Go to post Iamworthit · 08/03/2023 22:33
Hi ladies. My cpn came over today. He isn't going to discharge me for another few weeks. This is positive, because it means he can tell the courts/judge that he is having the most recent interactions with me and there for can give an honest and open account of how I am. He phoned My solicitor personally and she agreed this would help my case. He has written a letter for this interim period to say he has no concerns. My solicitor believes if he with holds supervised visits before the court date he will be doing himself no favours at all. My cpn also told me that in his notes he has written that in his professional opinion my ex is mentally unstable (he has been pestering my cpn every few days for the past few weeks, since I told him I wanted to leave, however not once in over 3 years before I wanted to split was he concerned). Also that he is bring coercive, he is controlling, and the fact he sleeps in a shed 🤣🤣!! My cpn has Been brilliant throughout this whole thing. It's a case of playing the long game at the moment, I can't do anything to jeopardise seeing my kids. This is night 7. I last saw them a week ago tomorrow at around 11. I will not let him break me. He is using every tactic he can think of.
Go to post Iamworthit · 09/03/2023 11:33
cpphelp · 09/03/2023 08:03
The update about your CPN is fantastic. You are doing everything right. I think you're amazing, and all of this will be working in your favour. Maybe once all of this is over, they will insist on supervised visits only for him! How's the house coming along? Charity shops and the British heart foundation furniture shops are great for filling up a house xx
Thankyou. Yes my cpn has been great! Every second that goes by is another second without seeing my children, but it's also one second closer to getting them back in My arms.
Today marks a whole week since I last saw, held, played with, cuddled or even talked to my beautiful babies.
Go to post Iamworthit · 13/03/2023 20:34
UPDATE So, I got to see them this weekend!!! Supervised with my mum present at his request, but after 9 long days I finally got to see them, hold them, tell them I love them and they didn't forget me! ❤️ They loved the house, and their new bedroom 🤗 it was magic!
I'm hopeful for more contact this week which solicitor is hoping to negotiate. I'm STILL waiting for my letter from the CPN!. He was told by his manager to go through the NHS solicitors to make the letter water tight so that ex/his solicitors can't pick holes in it, so I'm actually waiting on the NHS solicitors now, its frustrating... They have had a similar case happen before, so want to do as much for me as possible.
However, ex agreed to contact this weekend, both days, due to my CPN speaking on the phone with my solicitor, and informing her I am well, capable, of sound mind, has seen me / spoken to me every few days since ex started with these mind games a month ago.
The kids were very anxious about going back to him, which was heartbreaking, but at the very least they know I'm always here, I have a safe home and I'm going to fight for their right to be with me, their mum.
Thankyou for all your support ladies. The first "urgent" hearing is next week, and then it's dealing with cafcass, social services etc for the next (and hopefully final) hearing in 2 months time where we will find out the child arrangements order.
Still a bloody long way to go till this is sorted, I don't trust that he won't do anything he can to get at me. He is already disputing the kids living with me and now my benefits may be stopped or suspended until this is sorted, which is just another form of him trying to control me.
I will never go back to him. I have lost all respect, faith, trust and any love I had for him is well and truly gone. He was able to hide behind clever words, confuse me, manipulate me and control me for far too long.
I hope the kids will forgive me for this upheaval in their lives, and I hope beyond all hope that they are back with me on a regular basis and that the judge can see him for what he is and that his actions have impacted our children's emotional well being significantly. But, until I have the judges decision, I know I won't take anything for granted. Anything could happen and now I know ex is capable of this, he could be capable of more and throw something else at me.
As always, thanks for checking in on me and your support xxx
Iamworthit · Yesterday 18:44
Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · Yesterday 10:33
@Iamworthit your court case is Tuesday I think? How are you doing? Have you seen your children again?
Hi, nice username, dd2 loves hungry caterpillar!
I saw them once in the week aswell as yesterday and today. All had to be supervised by my mum, despite his solicitor confirming she sent him the letter from my CpN on Tuesday lunchtime, and me also sending him a message to say he now has it. However this letter he so desperately said he needs for me to have unsupervised and overnight visits he hasn't even responded to. I'm presuming he is waiting till court on Tuesday.
Yesterday the girls informed me that daddy left them at a strange woman's house whilst he went to work...
The time has been wonderful and I've really treasured every moment. Yesterday my one year old was in desperate need of a nap, he snuggled up to me in our new king-size bed in our new house and he slept peacefully for well over 2 hours. I feel so blessed to be their mummy and am thrilled at how comfortable they have been when back with me for these times. If anyone reads this in the future going through something similar - they don't forget you. That was my biggest fear, but I have more faith now that the bond between a mother and her children will always be there, no matter what or who stands in the way. Love is love.
So, our new magic house (the girls named it) is empty again for now. I'm just counting down the time until Tuesday afternoon and hoping/praying/wishing/ that the judge sees him for what he is and what he has put the children through. My solicitor is hopeful, but obviously no one knows what's going to happen on the day. I never thought my ex was capable of what he has done, but here we are.
I hope everyone has had a lovely mother's day 💗
Go to post Iamworthit · Today 11:18
Thankyou for all your messages and words of support for tomorrow. The police know everything, they did their welfare check on the children whilst he was staying at his parents house in their old country farm house with the attatched holiday home for them to stay in surrounded by their 40 acres of land. Not in the home where he and I lived with his shed at the bottom of the garden and no doubt chaos in the house where for the first time he is having to do all housework, laundry and cooking. They have been back at his for almost 2 weeks now. I have found a small comfort in them choosing games on their tablets and me getting the notification to approve their choices. The fact that I left with barely anything means they have the majority of their toys there, beds, tv etc and to them it was our home where we all lived together so at least they have familiarity. Cafcass will probably be doing a Section 7 report in which case they will meet with us and the kids in both houses so can make their own assessments from that.
They love our new house and I've explained to them the benefits of two houses, bedrooms, toys, Christmas, birthdays etc. They are being so resilient and brave through it all. I'm hoping for them it's just been a bit of an adventure.
The children filled me in on their day at the 'stranger ladies' house, where there was other children, guinea pigs a cat and a dog. They watched telly and played with the other kids and the animals and they gave dd2 a dress she particularly liked. They were very animated about it. I guess at the very least they had fun, I imagine they've been pretty bored with him. We had to drive past his house and up the road next to ex's house to get to mine yesterday and dd1 proudly pointed out 'that ladies house'. Would you believe it's almost directly behind his house!! For all I know he's been seeing this woman behind my back. She could have been hopping over the fence every night and going into his shed for all I know. I can't believe this is my life right now, you couldn't make it up. But as I've come to learn the hard way I certainly can't trust him, and I won't put anything past him.
Literally just counting down till tomorrow now.
X
Go to post Iamworthit · Today 13:28
I have no idea who she is. I did however do a Facebook search of the local "Andreas" in the area and the kids pointed to who she was and pointed to the children who they recognised. It took all of about 60 seconds to find her. And the kids named the kids correctly to what she had shared publicly on her fb page. There's even a picture of her 'cheers-ing' her primary aged son both of them holding glasses of red wine. I've taken screenshots. Her name isn't on any registered childminder lists.
Go to post Iamworthit · Today 13:29
ThreeLocusts · Today 12:12
Will light a candle for you tonight. You've kept it together amazingly through all this. Here's hoping your kids will be back with you tomorrow.
Thankyou x
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Iamworthit · Today 13:41
Ilovethewild · Today 13:10
Op, stay true to yourself and your children.
don’t get caught up with what ex is doing/seeing/sleeping with. It is irrelevant! You can’t control it and the kids are ok. It will just muddy the waters. As others say it’s another twist from ex to distract you and send you off the rails.
focus on what you can do and what’s in the childrens best interest.
good luck with tomorrow, I hope the kids come home to you asap.
I genuinely don't care what he's up to relationship wise, I've been hoping he'd find someone else for a long time and leave me alone.
What I do care about is him leaving the kids with someone they don't know for whatever reason, when I'm round the corner desperate to see them, and him thinking he can do whatever he likes without any consideration for them, me or my mum who's had to drop everything (shes been brilliant in all this) without question, to supervise time for me to have my own children.
I will definitely be asking for first refusal of child care as some other posters have suggested.
Go to post Iamworthit · Today 13:42
Sunriseinwonderland · Today 13:20
My ex hid him for a month. DS was desperate to see me. My ex is a very wicked man.
Show quote history That's despicable. I'm so sorry x
Go to post Iamworthit · Today 19:19
Tomorrow is an urgent hearing to sort out the interim child arrangements before the first official hearing in May after cafcass have done their reports. It's possible there will be another 2 Hearings after that and this could take anywhere from 6 months up to a year to resolve.
Because he did a runner with the kids first, filed a Prohibited Steps Order to stop them living with me because he is saying I'm mentally unstable.
Best case scenario they return to live with me and the judge sees through his controlling behaviour and that he doesn't have the kids best interests at heart. Worst case scenario it stays as it is.
I suspect he has something else up his sleeve to throw at me tomorrow. Its clear he wants me to suffer as much as possible.
submitted by ironingthecurtains to MNTrolls [link] [comments]
I'll post the 32 OP posts in comments so save you all going through the whole thread if you're not MN members. Eta - couldn't add as a comment so here's the longest post ever.
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4756410-he-has-run-off-with-the-kids-advice-needed-and-handhold
The saga is ongoing.
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4756410-he-has-run-off-with-the-kids-advice-needed-and-handhold
He has run off with the kids, advice needed and handhold 32 replies Iamworthit · 05/03/2023 09:30
Posting for traffic. Apologies, its long.
Some might remember my previous threads. Basically I separated from my controlling ex in February. Things moved really quickly. And I managed to find a house. I moved out on Thursday. Instead of taking the kids out whilst I moved to make it less distressing for them which we had previously agreed, he stayed and made me take all my stuff out in front of them, and put it into the front garden. My friend and her children came over to help load her car up with my stuff. As awful as it was I stayed strong for the kids, they were excited about the new house, their new bedrooms and where choosing which toys to bring as well as playing with their friends in the front garden. Once my stuff was out (not much, he refused i take any furniture), he demanded my keys back, demanded the kids go inside, and literally pulled my 4 year old away from me, she was screaming and crying. He slammed the door in my face and shut the curtains. In hindsight I should have called the police then, believe me I realise that now. However i was trying to cause as least stress as possible. Due to previous advice on here I have recorded him on multiple occasions. I recorded the children Thursday morning whilst they were playing whilst I was moving my stuff out. You can see my stuff in the front garden and the kids happy and playing. When he took my daughter off me and put the other two inside and slammed the door on me, I started recording then too. You can clearly see and hear my daughter screaming behind the door , (part frosted glass door) and him pulling her as she's holding onto the front door handle from the inside. You can also hear him say you will see mummy tomorrow. Him and I had agreed that they would come to my new house on Friday morning whilst he goes to work. He has been using my past mental health against me, (see previous threads, I will try to link,) since I told him I wanted to separate, he wanted me to provide him a letter from a medical professional saying im sane 🙄. My cpn is dicharging me next week, so he will have that on paper - i know i dont have to do that but I will send him a copy because i have nothing to hide. On Thursday afternoon he phones me asking when will I be giving him half the child benefit. I tell him I am arranging mediation and we can discuss it there as he keeps ranting at me down the phone. So, Friday morning comes around. I message to double check what time he is dropping them over. I get back one message saying the kids are safe, I'm not taking any calls. He then ignores my texts and calls. I got round to his house and the car is gone, the curtains are drawn. He has done a runner with the kids! I phoned police and social services. As we have only just separated there is no child arrangements order in place. I'm absoloutely heartbroken. I've never known pain like it. They are 1, 4 and 6. They spend the majority of the time with me. Nearly 4 years ago he built and insulated a shed in the bottom of the garden. He has slept out there 99% of the time since. Leaving me to do all night time childcare since then. The girls who are 4 and 6 sleep in the bedroom next to me, the 4 year old wakes almost every night and comes and spends the rest of the night with me. My one year old has been in my bed since birth, what must my poor babies be thinking? He also works part time where I have the children on my own. The 4 and 6 year old are homeschooled. I take them to all activities and clubs and play dates etc. I know this is 100% about control, that he is using the children to try to break me so that his "she's an unstable mother" claims come true. I am 100% confident in my ability to parent my children. I am 100% confident that there is no issue with me, infact I've never felt stronger, my mh has never been better. That's why I knew I had to leave, because I knew I could be a strong single mother to my beautiful babies and I didn't want them witnessing his toxic behaviour any more. I will not have my children growing up thinking his behaviour is acceptable. I have a solicitors appointment Monday morning at 9am. All services have been informed, mediation is booked for 2 weeks time. I have phoned the police 4 times since Friday, who advise its a civil matter. I have spoken to social services who have said I'm doing everything right and have contacted every one I need to. I have even contacted universal credit. I believe part of the reason he has taken the children is because he won't receive the child element of universal credit anymore. He has Been begging for half the child benefit which thankfully is in my name. I was receiving pip due to my previous mental health issues, and he claimed carers element in universal credit. Obviously now I've moved out, and said he isn't my carer since we split, he doesn't get that anymore. He was only having to work part time because of this, despite claiming to be my carer, I was doing the vast majority of child care and household chores, whilst he slept in the shed so his sleep wasn't disturbed.
I have never felt pain like this. Being away from my children and wondering what they must be thinking, why they aren't seeing me, what he's filled their heads with is breaking my heart. I know and I will be strong and get through this short time until the courts decide on child arrangements. I'm also realistic about the fact that he could keep them until that date, in which case it could be at least a month before I see them again. Even when I had pnd 4 years ago, I went to a mbu with my daughter, they knew it was imperative that she be with me. I did end up being sectioned but my medication was adjusted and I made a rapid recovery. I was allowed to leave early from the section and even then all my children were allowed to visit me in the family room next to the unit as everyone knew how important it was they and I have regular contact. I was never a danger to my children, I just felt that I wasn't good enough to be their mother. However I've worked hard on myself, I am fully recovered. I engaged in all therapy, took the medication properly and came off it under their advice. I look after myself because I know that to be a good mother to my kids I need to be good to myself. I since have had my 1 year old and there's been no issues at all. Infact as 'my carer' he never once phoned any services or teams on me with any concerns regarding my mental health in an extremely long time, years, So there is also evidence of this.
I have my furniture being delivered today, the girls Bunk beds and sofa, tables etc. I will make this house a special and safe home for my babies, where they feel respected and loved.
I'm sorry for the huge post. Please if anyone has any more advice on what I can do, Or any questions for the solicitor appointment tomorrow I would so appreciate it. I need all the support and advice I can get. Thankyou
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Iamworthit · 05/03/2023 10:52
NEmama · 05/03/2023 09:46
Stay strong. Are his family involved? Would ex mil speak to him . Awful situation for you op x
Nope, no one is answering or responding. I have absoloutely no idea where they have gone. My guess is he's spoken to a solicitor and they've told him he is legally with in his rights to take the kids as he has parental responsibility and there is no court order in place
Go to post Iamworthit · 05/03/2023 14:48
Dartsplayer · 05/03/2023 14:43
Unfortunately, having gone through the same thing with a family member, this is correct and there is nothing the police can do.
@Iamworthit you need to download a C100 form and submit it to your local family Court for an emergency hearing to have the children returned to your care as soon as possible. This group were invaluable in guiding us through the process from the children being taken to getting a Child Arrangement Order in place. You sound like you are doing everything right
www.facebook.com/groups/488124058749486/?ref=share
Show quote history I have my solicitor appt Tomorrow. Will she do that?
Go to post Iamworthit · 05/03/2023 23:08
CalamityClam · 05/03/2023 10:19
Hold tight. My ex did the same thing. I had to leave without them. The DCs were safe with him even though I knew he was an absolute controlling TWAT - I knew they’d be upset, but I knew they’d be safe. I did everything you’re doing, determined to have it sorted legally so he couldn’t do it again, even if it meant waiting to see them. Believe me, the novelty will soon wear off for him when he realises he’s stuck with the kids and you’re as free as a bird.
It resolved for me quite quickly- within a couple of weeks. We shared care going forward. The DCs are adults now and have a very distant relationship with their dad.
So reassuring to speak to someone who has been through this and there was a positive outcome. I haven't spoken to them at all or seen them since Thursday morning, this is the longest its been. I'm assuming he has gone to his parents over an hour away. The police managed to get hold of him today and will be doing a welfare check tonight or tomorrow. They can't give me his wareabouts. Im terrified my kids are going to forget me, especially the one year old, other than a handful of nights where he agreed to have him for a night or 2 whilst I visited friends/ family, he's always been with me. And what if he turns them against me. I'm so scared they will think I've abandoned them and hate me or forget me. It could be weeks before a court hearing. Can a 1 year old Remember that long. I don't know.
Go to post Iamworthit · 05/03/2023 23:23
Sunriseinwonderland · 05/03/2023 11:27
Take a deep breath and step back OP. My ex pulled this stunt more than once and the judge awarded me full custody and him none because DS was so traumatised by him. It took a while but it was ok. Well done for recording it. Your solicitor will advise you.
How long did he keep your son away from you for? I'm so scared they will forget me x
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Iamworthit · 05/03/2023 23:29
macncheeeesey · 05/03/2023 12:34
He's trying to punish you and unfortunately you have to abide by the system.
He will likely realise how hard it is very soon and won't be able to keep up with the homeschooling and caring for three little ones - especially as you say he sleeps in a shed normally.
Use this time to make the house a home for them. You can apply for an emergency family hearing - I'm sure your solicitor has advised on that.
He's an evil man who is damaging your kids but he won't be able to keep them. You've done everything you need to and informed the right people.
Try to distract yourself and use this time to work on your plan of attack to get them back and get yourself right.
My ex took our DD and wouldn't give her back but did eventually. Police wouldn't get involved after they did one welfare check. I would call them and ask them to do a check and say he is mentally unstable and you're worried about the kids. This will be logged and hopefully will scare him a bit.
I know the feeling, my DD wanted to come back but ex wouldn't let her. When she did some back she was super clingy. She knew what her dad did was wrong.
You've got this and you'll get them back.
I'm sorry you went through this too. How old was your daughter when he did that? How long was she away from you for. I'm scared they will hate me, god knows what he's telling them about why they can't see me
Go to post Iamworthit · 05/03/2023 23:33
liveforsummer · 05/03/2023 12:47
Presumably he was taking care of them while she was sectioned so whilst he may not look after them when she’s gone he clearly can.
He looked after 1 dc then, not 3. He has become increasingly abusive since then
No, he went to work when I was in the mother and baby unit with my 2nd daughter. My mum and mil took it in turns to look after our eldest and he would look after her when not at work. Even when i went away for a couple of kights for my friends wedding my mum came to help him look after the kids
Go to post Iamworthit · 05/03/2023 23:40
Springchicken75 · 05/03/2023 19:36
Op I would also strongly advise you to contact women’s aid after your appointment with the solicitor, they will offer some much needed support and advice.
www.womensaid.org.uk I did this a few weeks ago and I just got an email back with endless other support agencies, solicitors to call.
Go to post Iamworthit · 05/03/2023 23:45
OhmygodDont · 05/03/2023 20:00
Snatches children like some mad man on the street. Or a father having his children for the weekend or maybe even being the resident parent.
With this whole women and men are equal they are aLeo equal parents 🥱. He text saying they were safe and he would not be taking her calls. Police have been called 4! Times and don’t seem to think there is any issue. Op willingly left them on the Thursday.
Im sure op will hear find out more Monday morning but nothing makes her the better or more superior parent in the eyes of the law currently.
The police got back to me today. They are doing a welfare check tonight or tomorrow. I didn't Willingly leave them on Thursday. I left them heartbroken, not wanting to cause any more distress and with a stupid idea he would do the right thing and give them to me the next day as planned.
Go to post Iamworthit · 06/03/2023 05:16
Sami561 · 05/03/2023 20:22
I am so sorry you are going through this OP. The pain is like nothing else.
I have been in the same position as you and, unfortunately, as you have probably found, The Police have no powers if the father has parental rights. They say it is a civil matters for the courts.
All I can say is that this will massively go against him in family court proceedings- it did for my estranged husband. He was banned from having our child overnight for a considerable amount of time until he could prove he was trustworthy again. The courts and professionals also named that he was using our child as a emotional weapon towards me by doing this. Your husband will be viewed in exactly the same way by all involved. He isn't thinking about the children at all, he is thinking about himself and getting one over on you.
Brilliant that you have a solicitors appointment tomorrow, they will give you the advice you need.
Stay strong and get that child arrangements order in place💐
I really hope they do the same. I'm sorry you had to go through this too. It so incredibly cruel and unfair to the children.
Go to post Iamworthit · 06/03/2023 05:46
Kinneddar · 05/03/2023 21:49
Probably because it doesn't meet the criteria. The children are with their Dad, there's nothing to suggest they're at risk. Just because their Mum doesn't know where they are doesn't mean there's anything wrong.
The other thing is the police will look at the history of the family in assessing things. They've been called out before because the OP was threatening self harm. She's still currently under a MH section & despite being told its not a Police matter has phoned numerous times today. Regardless of what anyone here thinks they'll make the assessment based on the information they have, which from the sounds of it possibly doesn't look great for the OP. AND the other thing is, we only know OPs version of events. I'm not saying they're not accurate but we have absolutely no way of knowing
Police don't do a welfare check just because someone wants them to, there has to be grounds.
If for instance they don't turn up at school tomorrow that would have things reassessed.
Even if officers did go out to the house tonight & noone was home they're not going to turn it into a misper enquiry at this stage.
Show quote history The police were never phoned with regards to my mental health. I always went through the proper channels with the perinatal team. Yes I did have the crisis team involved but that was 4 YEARS AGO. I was in a mother and baby unit and the medication they gave me to treat it was to low a dose. I was always with my daughter at the mbu. I got sectioned 4 years ago, and once there, my dd went back to the family home with her dad. My mum and mil also took it turns to stay with them for extra support. My section was supposed to last 28 days. I was released at day 14 due responding so well to the medication. I had been observed with my children by the nurses and Dr's theres (yes I still got to see my kids, and kept breastfeeding her and pumping the whole time) even during that period I have never been away from the kids for this long. Everyone in my care knew I was a brilliant mother, I have documents from being there. I struggling with pnd, and never a harm to my children. We were very much bonded, I just felt absolutely not good enough to be their mother. I have engaged with services at every single point along the way. I since had another baby - the one year old, and I was put under the perinatal mental health team again for precaution, but due to me doing really well during that pregnancy my contact with them was very little and the discharged me a year after birth with a plan to come off my medication, which I have done. Even after all this I'm still strong because I know I have to be there for my kids when I do get them back they will need me more than ever. Yes he was claiming carers allowance. However he hasn't phoned any mental health team in years with any concerns about me. He is trying to gaslight me to say that he has concerns, well than why as he only just raised concerns since I told him I was leaving ? Thankfully this is all fact and documented. My cpn has been phoned by my ex regularly since for the last few weeks since I said I'm leaving. My cpn has received calls from my ex and his family claiming I needed a welfare check. I arranged for my cpn to see me, who agreed that I'm fit and well and will be discharged this week. My cpn told me he said to the mil that they are all wasting his time and to stop calling him. My cpn visited me on Friday when I phoned him to say my ex had taken the children, he came over straight away, and is still satisfied I can be discharged. I've had a traumatic childhood, pnd was almost inevitable I've been told, however I have worked bloody hard on myself and am a credit to my children. Any one else reading this thread in the future who has to go through similar, please do not let posters like this wear you down. I have had PREVIOUS mental health issues. My mental health now is better than its ever been.
Go to post Iamworthit · 06/03/2023 08:55
Thankyou. Omg 8 months your poor baby
Go to post Iamworthit · 06/03/2023 10:28
UPDATE solicitor was great. She will apply for an urgent hearing today. Expensive, but my mum will pay this initial fee. Hopefully be seen by the court today 🙏 With a predicted respond date by Friday from him. I don't know when this means I will get them back, but at least the ball is rolling She will also put in a Prohibited Steps Order to stop him from changing their gp, Registering them for school, or taking them abroad.
Go to post Iamworthit · 06/03/2023 10:38
SchoolTripDrama · 06/03/2023 10:36
Fantastic news, I'm pleased for you.
Also, him doing this, will MASSIVELY negatively affect his chances of getting access in the future, via legal routes. Judges look extremely dimly on parents who pull this stunt
Show quote history Thankyou. I hope this can be resolved ASAP. I think she said she's going to request an urgent live with order too
Go to post Iamworthit · 06/03/2023 13:46
mucky123 · 06/03/2023 13:33
I have no actual knowledge of the Court system in these circumstances or anything helpful to say but I just wanted you to know that I have read the whole thread and I think you are incredibly brave and strong. I think lots of people would have crumpled at this and maybe gone back to him or just broken down. Well done, keep fighting, hope it is all over soon.
Thankyou. Don't get me wrong I've sobbed huge tears of grief this weekend and been full of panic and worry, one thing I will not do is let him break me. My kids need the best version of me right now, and so that's my focus x
Go to post Iamworthit · 06/03/2023 19:25
Another update Not so great. He also did a Prohibited Steps Order. So the judge received them both today. They decided to see us together but the quickest available date is on the 21st of March! I've seen a copy of his order and requests. He wants me to admit I'm unstable. He wants confirmation from mh professionals I'm OK. It looks like he says I can have Supervised contact and calls. So obviously yes I'll take anything I can get, but need solicitor to confirm this. Also made allegations about how "unstable" I am. That I'm a suicide risk, that I've done x,y,z... BUT there's no record of him phoning my gp or cpn or anything, so hopefully that can quash that! He also keeps phoning my cpn telling him he is going for custody or he is giving me the order, or he is hiding away with the kids... So obvious he wants me to crack in front of the cpn. With regards to my cpn he is telling me he is putting my case to the team for discharge tomorrow, there is a chance they won't agree, and with the luck I'm having atm I'm beginning to think that they are going to say they won't discharge me.
Thanks for all the support. I really appreciate everything you ladies have said. I will update tomorrow with any news.
Go to post Iamworthit · 07/03/2023 06:30
Nope not since Thursday morning
Go to post Iamworthit · 07/03/2023 06:46
Scalessayeek · 06/03/2023 22:00
OP I can’t believe how some people are trying to bring you down. I would have completely fallen apart in your situation. You just need someone to see your posts on here to see how centered you are at the moment.
Sending you all the strength and luck in the world!
Thankyou. My kids have never needed more. All his behaviour is doing now is showing me just how controlling he is, and that getting out of that relationship is the best thing for me and the kids long term.
Go to post Iamworthit · 07/03/2023 06:48
P3N · 06/03/2023 19:42
Stay strong OP. You are doing amazing. Have the police got back about the welfare check? Your ex is disgusting trying to use your MH against you.
Yes. They saw the children and reported they aren't in harms way.
Go to post Iamworthit · 07/03/2023 06:54
Iamworthit · 07/03/2023 06:48
Yes. They saw the children and reported they aren't in harms way.
Show quote history Physical harm that Is. I said I'm guessing they are at the grandparents then and his expression told me everything I needed to know. At least they know them. Although they are nearly 80.
Go to post Iamworthit · 08/03/2023 15:57
Whiskeypowers · 08/03/2023 15:47
Hope you are holding up ok @Iamworthit
have you had any updates from the police or your solicitor etc?
No more information from police. He came back last night to his house, was there this morning amd gone this afternoon. I was notified by my friend who lives close by. No idea if the kids are with him. Waiting to hear if I can have Supervised visits before court hearing on 21st. Tonight will be night 7..
Go to post Iamworthit · 08/03/2023 22:08
Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 08/03/2023 19:19
Just for my own understanding, why do you need supervised visits?
Show quote history I don't. He is claiming I'm mentally unstable and a flight risk because he's a controlling, pathetic excuse of a man. He vanished with the kids and put an application for a Prohibited Steps Order that I can't have the children back until he sees a letter from a medical professional to state otherwise.
Go to post Iamworthit · 08/03/2023 22:10
MaireadMcSweeney · 08/03/2023 19:54
Honestly I would probably do this too, but I don't know how that would impact on the court hearing. Remember now the process has started you can't just pull out and cancel it.
Show quote history This. I can't do anything because it's with solicitors, police and social services.
Go to post Iamworthit · 08/03/2023 22:33
Hi ladies. My cpn came over today. He isn't going to discharge me for another few weeks. This is positive, because it means he can tell the courts/judge that he is having the most recent interactions with me and there for can give an honest and open account of how I am. He phoned My solicitor personally and she agreed this would help my case. He has written a letter for this interim period to say he has no concerns. My solicitor believes if he with holds supervised visits before the court date he will be doing himself no favours at all. My cpn also told me that in his notes he has written that in his professional opinion my ex is mentally unstable (he has been pestering my cpn every few days for the past few weeks, since I told him I wanted to leave, however not once in over 3 years before I wanted to split was he concerned). Also that he is bring coercive, he is controlling, and the fact he sleeps in a shed 🤣🤣!! My cpn has Been brilliant throughout this whole thing. It's a case of playing the long game at the moment, I can't do anything to jeopardise seeing my kids. This is night 7. I last saw them a week ago tomorrow at around 11. I will not let him break me. He is using every tactic he can think of.
Go to post Iamworthit · 09/03/2023 11:33
cpphelp · 09/03/2023 08:03
The update about your CPN is fantastic. You are doing everything right. I think you're amazing, and all of this will be working in your favour. Maybe once all of this is over, they will insist on supervised visits only for him! How's the house coming along? Charity shops and the British heart foundation furniture shops are great for filling up a house xx
Thankyou. Yes my cpn has been great! Every second that goes by is another second without seeing my children, but it's also one second closer to getting them back in My arms.
Today marks a whole week since I last saw, held, played with, cuddled or even talked to my beautiful babies.
Go to post Iamworthit · 13/03/2023 20:34
UPDATE So, I got to see them this weekend!!! Supervised with my mum present at his request, but after 9 long days I finally got to see them, hold them, tell them I love them and they didn't forget me! ❤️ They loved the house, and their new bedroom 🤗 it was magic!
I'm hopeful for more contact this week which solicitor is hoping to negotiate. I'm STILL waiting for my letter from the CPN!. He was told by his manager to go through the NHS solicitors to make the letter water tight so that ex/his solicitors can't pick holes in it, so I'm actually waiting on the NHS solicitors now, its frustrating... They have had a similar case happen before, so want to do as much for me as possible.
However, ex agreed to contact this weekend, both days, due to my CPN speaking on the phone with my solicitor, and informing her I am well, capable, of sound mind, has seen me / spoken to me every few days since ex started with these mind games a month ago.
The kids were very anxious about going back to him, which was heartbreaking, but at the very least they know I'm always here, I have a safe home and I'm going to fight for their right to be with me, their mum.
Thankyou for all your support ladies. The first "urgent" hearing is next week, and then it's dealing with cafcass, social services etc for the next (and hopefully final) hearing in 2 months time where we will find out the child arrangements order.
Still a bloody long way to go till this is sorted, I don't trust that he won't do anything he can to get at me. He is already disputing the kids living with me and now my benefits may be stopped or suspended until this is sorted, which is just another form of him trying to control me.
I will never go back to him. I have lost all respect, faith, trust and any love I had for him is well and truly gone. He was able to hide behind clever words, confuse me, manipulate me and control me for far too long.
I hope the kids will forgive me for this upheaval in their lives, and I hope beyond all hope that they are back with me on a regular basis and that the judge can see him for what he is and that his actions have impacted our children's emotional well being significantly. But, until I have the judges decision, I know I won't take anything for granted. Anything could happen and now I know ex is capable of this, he could be capable of more and throw something else at me.
As always, thanks for checking in on me and your support xxx
Iamworthit · Yesterday 18:44
Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · Yesterday 10:33
@Iamworthit your court case is Tuesday I think? How are you doing? Have you seen your children again?
Hi, nice username, dd2 loves hungry caterpillar!
I saw them once in the week aswell as yesterday and today. All had to be supervised by my mum, despite his solicitor confirming she sent him the letter from my CpN on Tuesday lunchtime, and me also sending him a message to say he now has it. However this letter he so desperately said he needs for me to have unsupervised and overnight visits he hasn't even responded to. I'm presuming he is waiting till court on Tuesday.
Yesterday the girls informed me that daddy left them at a strange woman's house whilst he went to work...
The time has been wonderful and I've really treasured every moment. Yesterday my one year old was in desperate need of a nap, he snuggled up to me in our new king-size bed in our new house and he slept peacefully for well over 2 hours. I feel so blessed to be their mummy and am thrilled at how comfortable they have been when back with me for these times. If anyone reads this in the future going through something similar - they don't forget you. That was my biggest fear, but I have more faith now that the bond between a mother and her children will always be there, no matter what or who stands in the way. Love is love.
So, our new magic house (the girls named it) is empty again for now. I'm just counting down the time until Tuesday afternoon and hoping/praying/wishing/ that the judge sees him for what he is and what he has put the children through. My solicitor is hopeful, but obviously no one knows what's going to happen on the day. I never thought my ex was capable of what he has done, but here we are.
I hope everyone has had a lovely mother's day 💗
Go to post Iamworthit · Today 11:18
Thankyou for all your messages and words of support for tomorrow. The police know everything, they did their welfare check on the children whilst he was staying at his parents house in their old country farm house with the attatched holiday home for them to stay in surrounded by their 40 acres of land. Not in the home where he and I lived with his shed at the bottom of the garden and no doubt chaos in the house where for the first time he is having to do all housework, laundry and cooking. They have been back at his for almost 2 weeks now. I have found a small comfort in them choosing games on their tablets and me getting the notification to approve their choices. The fact that I left with barely anything means they have the majority of their toys there, beds, tv etc and to them it was our home where we all lived together so at least they have familiarity. Cafcass will probably be doing a Section 7 report in which case they will meet with us and the kids in both houses so can make their own assessments from that.
They love our new house and I've explained to them the benefits of two houses, bedrooms, toys, Christmas, birthdays etc. They are being so resilient and brave through it all. I'm hoping for them it's just been a bit of an adventure.
The children filled me in on their day at the 'stranger ladies' house, where there was other children, guinea pigs a cat and a dog. They watched telly and played with the other kids and the animals and they gave dd2 a dress she particularly liked. They were very animated about it. I guess at the very least they had fun, I imagine they've been pretty bored with him. We had to drive past his house and up the road next to ex's house to get to mine yesterday and dd1 proudly pointed out 'that ladies house'. Would you believe it's almost directly behind his house!! For all I know he's been seeing this woman behind my back. She could have been hopping over the fence every night and going into his shed for all I know. I can't believe this is my life right now, you couldn't make it up. But as I've come to learn the hard way I certainly can't trust him, and I won't put anything past him.
Literally just counting down till tomorrow now.
X
Go to post Iamworthit · Today 13:28
I have no idea who she is. I did however do a Facebook search of the local "Andreas" in the area and the kids pointed to who she was and pointed to the children who they recognised. It took all of about 60 seconds to find her. And the kids named the kids correctly to what she had shared publicly on her fb page. There's even a picture of her 'cheers-ing' her primary aged son both of them holding glasses of red wine. I've taken screenshots. Her name isn't on any registered childminder lists.
Go to post Iamworthit · Today 13:29
ThreeLocusts · Today 12:12
Will light a candle for you tonight. You've kept it together amazingly through all this. Here's hoping your kids will be back with you tomorrow.
Thankyou x
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Iamworthit · Today 13:41
Ilovethewild · Today 13:10
Op, stay true to yourself and your children.
don’t get caught up with what ex is doing/seeing/sleeping with. It is irrelevant! You can’t control it and the kids are ok. It will just muddy the waters. As others say it’s another twist from ex to distract you and send you off the rails.
focus on what you can do and what’s in the childrens best interest.
good luck with tomorrow, I hope the kids come home to you asap.
I genuinely don't care what he's up to relationship wise, I've been hoping he'd find someone else for a long time and leave me alone.
What I do care about is him leaving the kids with someone they don't know for whatever reason, when I'm round the corner desperate to see them, and him thinking he can do whatever he likes without any consideration for them, me or my mum who's had to drop everything (shes been brilliant in all this) without question, to supervise time for me to have my own children.
I will definitely be asking for first refusal of child care as some other posters have suggested.
Go to post Iamworthit · Today 13:42
Sunriseinwonderland · Today 13:20
My ex hid him for a month. DS was desperate to see me. My ex is a very wicked man.
Show quote history That's despicable. I'm so sorry x
Go to post Iamworthit · Today 19:19
Tomorrow is an urgent hearing to sort out the interim child arrangements before the first official hearing in May after cafcass have done their reports. It's possible there will be another 2 Hearings after that and this could take anywhere from 6 months up to a year to resolve.
Because he did a runner with the kids first, filed a Prohibited Steps Order to stop them living with me because he is saying I'm mentally unstable.
Best case scenario they return to live with me and the judge sees through his controlling behaviour and that he doesn't have the kids best interests at heart. Worst case scenario it stays as it is.
I suspect he has something else up his sleeve to throw at me tomorrow. Its clear he wants me to suffer as much as possible.
2023.03.20 20:38 DJadzia How's Houston for LGBTQ+ folks these days?
Hey folks!
Houstonian here, born and raised. I lived in Houston until about 2001 and then moved away for work. I grew up there, graduated high school there, went to HCC, fell in love with BBQ, the rodeo, and became pretty much who I am there.
Since then, I've lived in Philly, Hong Kong (Briefly), San Diego, LA, San Jose, Salt Lake City, and Park City. I've traveled the world over several times. I still come home to Houston about 2-4 times a year to visit my family and friends but when I'm there, the majority of my time goes to family and I rarely go out and do social things. Now that I'm older, the call of family has me really considering my long-term plans.
That being said, all the news I see about Texas these days scares me a bit. As a member of the LGBTQ community and a 2nd generation Mexican, sadly the news (Be it fox news, CNN, NPR, you name it) repeatedly tells me that I'm not really welcome in Texas anymore since about 2016. While I miss my family a ton, the politics of the west coast are a lot more forgiving for women like me and my fiance.
I figured I'd go straight to the source - other Houstonians!
How is the culture in Houston these days for marginalized classes? Do folks in that community find it safe? Is there frequent harassment? Or is Houston as diverse and accepting as I remember?
Thanks!
submitted by DJadzia to houston [link] [comments]
Houstonian here, born and raised. I lived in Houston until about 2001 and then moved away for work. I grew up there, graduated high school there, went to HCC, fell in love with BBQ, the rodeo, and became pretty much who I am there.
Since then, I've lived in Philly, Hong Kong (Briefly), San Diego, LA, San Jose, Salt Lake City, and Park City. I've traveled the world over several times. I still come home to Houston about 2-4 times a year to visit my family and friends but when I'm there, the majority of my time goes to family and I rarely go out and do social things. Now that I'm older, the call of family has me really considering my long-term plans.
That being said, all the news I see about Texas these days scares me a bit. As a member of the LGBTQ community and a 2nd generation Mexican, sadly the news (Be it fox news, CNN, NPR, you name it) repeatedly tells me that I'm not really welcome in Texas anymore since about 2016. While I miss my family a ton, the politics of the west coast are a lot more forgiving for women like me and my fiance.
I figured I'd go straight to the source - other Houstonians!
How is the culture in Houston these days for marginalized classes? Do folks in that community find it safe? Is there frequent harassment? Or is Houston as diverse and accepting as I remember?
Thanks!
2023.03.20 20:37 Just_Ad_7197 Sales Executive salary
I am looking for a change in sales. I am interviewing boutique consulting firm that is looking to expand. I want to know how much salary sales executive takes ? Is there any commission based or purely salary ?
submitted by Just_Ad_7197 to consulting [link] [comments]
2023.03.20 20:37 Edgehead4Life What if Shawn Michaels went to TNA After Losing Streak vs Career match against the Undertaker Part 1: Rebirth
What if Shawn Michaels went to TNA After the Undertaker Streak vs Career Match
Story Theme: You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself as the villain.
Author’s Note: Daniel Bryan signs with TNA and doesn’t head to WWE till late 2012 to early 2013. Considering 2010 was the beginning of the end for TNA, I realistically can’t see Shawn not retiring. If the product was really good, I think HBK would’ve went in. In this universe, Paul Heyman is in charge of creative in TNA. He wants a youth-oriented promotion in TNA and to push the younger talent. The only wrestlers he wants as World Champion over 40 to make the younger talent into Bonafede stars are Kurt Angle and Shawn Michaels himself. Also, Hogan, Bischoff and their friends will still be there due to Dixie Carter’s involvement but will have limited roles and won’t have the control they did irl. Also, since Heyman’s in charge, expect top names who are affiliated with him who are still young to pop throughout the story.
Introduction:
At WrestleMania 26, Shawn Michaels lost his final WWE Match against the Undertaker in a No Holds Barred Streak vs Career which was on par with it’s previous classic at Mania 25. HBK has a heartfelt goodbye speech at the next night on Raw. HBK has left the building. Shawn was no longer contracted to WWE but was involved in the next SVR game and the WWE offered him legends deal and a Hall of Fame Induction in the next year. For a few months Shawn stuck with his retirement promise as he thought nothing would top his last match and even signed the legends deal before faxing it in. But the Ric Flair syndrome hit him, and he started having the wrestling itch again. He figured he had more years left in him. He knew he couldn’t go back to WWE as him immediately returning there would ruin the purpose of his program with Taker. He then heard rumblings about TNA. He watched the show and was impressed with the talent. He knew that with TNA growing, he could help with the younger talent and put them over. Long were the days of politicking. He contacted his Kliq buddy Kevin Nash to help negotiate a deal with TNA. Nash personally wasn’t happy in his run with his heat with Heyman due to the older guys getting pushed aside for the Vanilla Midgets but would do anything for one of his best friends so he agreed. Shawn then entered secret negotiations with Dixie Carter and Paul Heyman. Heyman tasked HBK to be one of the only full time guys over 40 with the likes of Kurt Angle even though Shawn could take hiatus whatever he wanted to spend time with his family. Dixie, promised to pay him the most amount of money in the roster, can fulfill outside endeavors, and had a say over his storylines and promos but not match outcomes. It was then a done deal and Shawn signed the deal to TNA. Shawn wanted it to be top secret to the point that no one knew he was joining in and even told WWE that he was going to sign with them to avoid speculation. HBK signed a four-year iron clad contract. When HBK asked Heyman about Nash’s issues, Heyman said he wanted to chop the heads off them 40-year-olds but HBK and Angle weren’t one of them.
Part 1: Rebirth:
HBK's New Theme Since the Sexy Boy Theme is WWE Property: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7Nioh8wq3w
Note. Note: Shawn’s character will initially be a babyface, but he will do heel like actions. In HBK’s mind he is the hero. This will get worse in time.
At TNA Slammiversary 2010, TNA World Champion AJ Styles defended his title against “The Icon” Sting. They had a great match with the Champion keeping up with the Icon’s experience in the ring. AJ ended up winning the match much to the dismay of Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff. As Sting stood up to a standing ovation, the lights went out and who stood behind him was a man in dark clothing wearing a mouth covering and a cowboy hat. Sting turned around and was hit with a Superkick. The man turned around, removed his mask and took his hat off Undertaker style. Out came the Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels with a smirk. The crowd goes nuclear crazy. Bischoff comes to the ring and eats a Sweet Chin Music. Shawn then escapes through the crowd as Hulk Hogan and security chase him. The next week on Thursday Night Impact, Shawn Michaels comes to a huge pop in San Antonio, Texas with a new theme of Rebirthing by Skillet. Shawn noticeably had a clean shaven face resembling his younger days with his long now receding hair in a top knot. He high fived fans. Shawn cut a promo on how after his lost his match he was fully committed to his retirement promise, but as he saw there was no more new stars who could surpass him. He figured that new generation were screwed due to old timers like Hulk Hogan coming and going and taking spots from the future. The only reason he came out of retirement was because he wanted to save the future of wrestling and have the younger talent be better than what he was, a backstabbing backstage politician. Long where the days of burying young talent. Shawn then said he didn’t go back to WWE due to respect to Undertaker who he trusted would preserve the future there. He wanted to cleanse the wrestling world of old part timers. He wanted this so the wrestling business wouldn’t go extinct in 20-30 years, be surpassed by other forms of sports and entertainment, and go under like WCW and ECW did. He promised that he wouldn’t challenge for any titles in TNA as his championship days were up. After his Mania match, he then declared himself to be the Career Killer and promised to end the career of any old timer who stood in the future’s way. He didn’t care if it was his best friend or anything. He will save wrestling.
Later in the night, Bryan Danielson defeated Jeff Jarrett in the main event. Jarrett and his crew then attacked Bryan, but outcome HBK for the save and he took down Jarrett’s crew causing them to flee the ring. In a similar image to Darby and Sting in AEW, Shawn helped Bryan up and stared him down. He then hugged his protégé and promised to be the mentor he should’ve been back in 99. He then walked down the ramp with him. The next week, he had a confrontation with Sting over the last PPV, Shawn said it was nothing personal but wanted to let Sting know that his time in the main event was up and was willing to spare him his career if he stepped aside from the title scene. Sting hesitated but refused telling HBK that he’ll decide in his own merit if his time was up. Sting and Shawn started brawling and out came Bryan to help HBK fend Sting. HBK and Bryan then performed a running knee/superkick combo on Sting. In a backstage interview, HBK with Bryan in his side declaring he was starting the Heartbreakers Foundation (a spoof name to the Hart Foundation). He then decided to have try outs for the group. Over the course of following weeks try out matches were made to see who would fit best in the group. Bryan Danielson won his tryout match against Okada, while other protégé of HBK “The” Brian Kendrick won his tryout match against Gunner, D Angelo Dinero won his tryout match against Orlando Jordan, The Motor City Machine defeated Generation Me for the tryouts. Shawn seemed impressed with Generation Me and kept an eye out for them by making them honorary members to be the future of wrestling in 15 years. The last tryout match was between Shawn’s Kliq buddies Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and Sean Waltman. The three men wanted in HBK’s group as they bonded well in the Kliq in the 90s. Shawn was willing to comply with their requests until they reminisced on their good old days and how they would bury the talent. Shawn then lost his cool and told them that those days were over. The four men then argued until Shawn said that only one of them would join the group if that person won the triple threat qualification match. Kevin Nash ended up winning the match. Shawn and his newfound proteges in the Heartbreakers Foundation beat Waltman and Hall down. Nash then realized Shawn was serious about his claims. HBK then forced Nash to Jackknife Hall and Waltman. Nash with tears in his eyes because he would hurt his best friends bad did so. HBK patted him on the back and said it’s for the best.
Heartbreakers Foundation Members:
The group will be a mix of the Hart Foundation and D-Generation X
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Story Theme: You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself as the villain.
Author’s Note: Daniel Bryan signs with TNA and doesn’t head to WWE till late 2012 to early 2013. Considering 2010 was the beginning of the end for TNA, I realistically can’t see Shawn not retiring. If the product was really good, I think HBK would’ve went in. In this universe, Paul Heyman is in charge of creative in TNA. He wants a youth-oriented promotion in TNA and to push the younger talent. The only wrestlers he wants as World Champion over 40 to make the younger talent into Bonafede stars are Kurt Angle and Shawn Michaels himself. Also, Hogan, Bischoff and their friends will still be there due to Dixie Carter’s involvement but will have limited roles and won’t have the control they did irl. Also, since Heyman’s in charge, expect top names who are affiliated with him who are still young to pop throughout the story.
Introduction:
At WrestleMania 26, Shawn Michaels lost his final WWE Match against the Undertaker in a No Holds Barred Streak vs Career which was on par with it’s previous classic at Mania 25. HBK has a heartfelt goodbye speech at the next night on Raw. HBK has left the building. Shawn was no longer contracted to WWE but was involved in the next SVR game and the WWE offered him legends deal and a Hall of Fame Induction in the next year. For a few months Shawn stuck with his retirement promise as he thought nothing would top his last match and even signed the legends deal before faxing it in. But the Ric Flair syndrome hit him, and he started having the wrestling itch again. He figured he had more years left in him. He knew he couldn’t go back to WWE as him immediately returning there would ruin the purpose of his program with Taker. He then heard rumblings about TNA. He watched the show and was impressed with the talent. He knew that with TNA growing, he could help with the younger talent and put them over. Long were the days of politicking. He contacted his Kliq buddy Kevin Nash to help negotiate a deal with TNA. Nash personally wasn’t happy in his run with his heat with Heyman due to the older guys getting pushed aside for the Vanilla Midgets but would do anything for one of his best friends so he agreed. Shawn then entered secret negotiations with Dixie Carter and Paul Heyman. Heyman tasked HBK to be one of the only full time guys over 40 with the likes of Kurt Angle even though Shawn could take hiatus whatever he wanted to spend time with his family. Dixie, promised to pay him the most amount of money in the roster, can fulfill outside endeavors, and had a say over his storylines and promos but not match outcomes. It was then a done deal and Shawn signed the deal to TNA. Shawn wanted it to be top secret to the point that no one knew he was joining in and even told WWE that he was going to sign with them to avoid speculation. HBK signed a four-year iron clad contract. When HBK asked Heyman about Nash’s issues, Heyman said he wanted to chop the heads off them 40-year-olds but HBK and Angle weren’t one of them.
Part 1: Rebirth:
HBK's New Theme Since the Sexy Boy Theme is WWE Property: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7Nioh8wq3w
Note. Note: Shawn’s character will initially be a babyface, but he will do heel like actions. In HBK’s mind he is the hero. This will get worse in time.
At TNA Slammiversary 2010, TNA World Champion AJ Styles defended his title against “The Icon” Sting. They had a great match with the Champion keeping up with the Icon’s experience in the ring. AJ ended up winning the match much to the dismay of Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff. As Sting stood up to a standing ovation, the lights went out and who stood behind him was a man in dark clothing wearing a mouth covering and a cowboy hat. Sting turned around and was hit with a Superkick. The man turned around, removed his mask and took his hat off Undertaker style. Out came the Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels with a smirk. The crowd goes nuclear crazy. Bischoff comes to the ring and eats a Sweet Chin Music. Shawn then escapes through the crowd as Hulk Hogan and security chase him. The next week on Thursday Night Impact, Shawn Michaels comes to a huge pop in San Antonio, Texas with a new theme of Rebirthing by Skillet. Shawn noticeably had a clean shaven face resembling his younger days with his long now receding hair in a top knot. He high fived fans. Shawn cut a promo on how after his lost his match he was fully committed to his retirement promise, but as he saw there was no more new stars who could surpass him. He figured that new generation were screwed due to old timers like Hulk Hogan coming and going and taking spots from the future. The only reason he came out of retirement was because he wanted to save the future of wrestling and have the younger talent be better than what he was, a backstabbing backstage politician. Long where the days of burying young talent. Shawn then said he didn’t go back to WWE due to respect to Undertaker who he trusted would preserve the future there. He wanted to cleanse the wrestling world of old part timers. He wanted this so the wrestling business wouldn’t go extinct in 20-30 years, be surpassed by other forms of sports and entertainment, and go under like WCW and ECW did. He promised that he wouldn’t challenge for any titles in TNA as his championship days were up. After his Mania match, he then declared himself to be the Career Killer and promised to end the career of any old timer who stood in the future’s way. He didn’t care if it was his best friend or anything. He will save wrestling.
Later in the night, Bryan Danielson defeated Jeff Jarrett in the main event. Jarrett and his crew then attacked Bryan, but outcome HBK for the save and he took down Jarrett’s crew causing them to flee the ring. In a similar image to Darby and Sting in AEW, Shawn helped Bryan up and stared him down. He then hugged his protégé and promised to be the mentor he should’ve been back in 99. He then walked down the ramp with him. The next week, he had a confrontation with Sting over the last PPV, Shawn said it was nothing personal but wanted to let Sting know that his time in the main event was up and was willing to spare him his career if he stepped aside from the title scene. Sting hesitated but refused telling HBK that he’ll decide in his own merit if his time was up. Sting and Shawn started brawling and out came Bryan to help HBK fend Sting. HBK and Bryan then performed a running knee/superkick combo on Sting. In a backstage interview, HBK with Bryan in his side declaring he was starting the Heartbreakers Foundation (a spoof name to the Hart Foundation). He then decided to have try outs for the group. Over the course of following weeks try out matches were made to see who would fit best in the group. Bryan Danielson won his tryout match against Okada, while other protégé of HBK “The” Brian Kendrick won his tryout match against Gunner, D Angelo Dinero won his tryout match against Orlando Jordan, The Motor City Machine defeated Generation Me for the tryouts. Shawn seemed impressed with Generation Me and kept an eye out for them by making them honorary members to be the future of wrestling in 15 years. The last tryout match was between Shawn’s Kliq buddies Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and Sean Waltman. The three men wanted in HBK’s group as they bonded well in the Kliq in the 90s. Shawn was willing to comply with their requests until they reminisced on their good old days and how they would bury the talent. Shawn then lost his cool and told them that those days were over. The four men then argued until Shawn said that only one of them would join the group if that person won the triple threat qualification match. Kevin Nash ended up winning the match. Shawn and his newfound proteges in the Heartbreakers Foundation beat Waltman and Hall down. Nash then realized Shawn was serious about his claims. HBK then forced Nash to Jackknife Hall and Waltman. Nash with tears in his eyes because he would hurt his best friends bad did so. HBK patted him on the back and said it’s for the best.
Heartbreakers Foundation Members:
The group will be a mix of the Hart Foundation and D-Generation X
- God Leader: Shawn Michaels: The Grizzled Veteran leader of the group who wants to preserve the future of pro wrestling
- Big Sexy Co Leader: Kevin Nash: The Muscle of The Group. He is a reliable tool to the younger members, but is still coming to terms that his glory days are done.
- The Violent One: Bryan Danielson (2009 look). Bryan Danielson is the violent submission specialist on an undefeated streak who Shawn’s is grooming to be the next big thing. Bryan does show a goofy side of him like in Team Hell No sometimes, but he just wants to kick some fning heads in.
- Kurt Cobain: The Brian Kendrick: He is the most funniest and chill back member of the group who was fired by WWE in 2009. He loves Nirvana and Weed.
- The Best Tag Team in The World: The Motor City Machine Guns: One of the best tag teams in TNA today. They will be the cornerstones of the tag division.
- Pope: D Angelo Dinero: He is a pope like figure in the group, who HBK personally loves due to his Christian Faith. HBK and Dinero have a similar ego problem but seems to like each other the most.
- Young Guns: Generation Me: They are the rookies of the group who Shawn wants to build up. At least when they eventually join the Bullet Club as the Young Bucks, they can say Shawn Michaels himself endorsed them.