Part 2
If you travel far enough North on the map, well above where the Civilized Nations stop because no crops grow, you'll find a mountain range. Crossing this range leads to the Monster Kingdom, though for some reason they prefer the name 'TFSU.' Yes, they prefer. The literal forces of anarchy and chaos in the universe have a government. However, ignoring that whole thing, the Monster Kingdom is fine. No armies march on them, mostly because of supply and logistical issues. The Monsters never say how they grow their own food, but given that they don't trade and millions of kobolds worth of food don't go missing every day, it's safe to say they make their own. Now, that doesn't stop the Civilized Nations to send one hero a decade to 'keep them in check.' Four decades ago, the hero closed off a mountain pass, which was supposed to cause a massive flood. Four days later, it was cleared, and the only thing to show for it were the cities that glow like the sun at night. However, yesterday, the Hero returned having burnt one of the bigger cities down. It was empty of all monsters, but the act was the first real damage they had taken in seven hundred years, since their founding. For seven hundred years, the TFSU have taken the beating of seventy heroes and simply moved on. But now. Now, millions of kobolds make up heavy 'machinery' units that march in armored, self-moving caridges that spit fire and metal. Thousands of beastpeople make up scouting and light infantry ranks. The TFSU use hellish 'guns' that hit harder than a catapult from kilometers away, all in a single 'bullet' not the size of a human's thumb. Metal birds and dragonflies join dragons as they assault cities. We poke the very literal sleeping dragon in the eye. Yet the armies don't do much. They march for our capitals and leaders, but on the way our civilians live. Surendees live. People go about their daily lives without too much change. Of course, that fact didn't stop the front line from finally crashing over my small village, located so close to the pass for a while we thought they the monsters had bypassed us entirely. The Civilized Nations had decided to send an entire legion to prevent the Monsters from getting across a nearby canyon pass. We were hit with an air-based assault with only dragons and metal dragonflies, our balista uselessly demolished by pillars of metal and flame thrown out of the metal dragonflies. I blacked out when the legion managed to shoot enough arrows to take down one of the dragonflies. I remember it crashing down onto my house... and then nothing.
-----
The elf stirred as they woke up. I'd been raised in the Terra Firma Sapience Union, so I was... less than familiar with the clothing and lifestyle the Southerners used. The elf groaned again, before their eyes shot open and they looked around, quickly settling on my frame. "A-Are you going to kill me now?" They asked, their voice shaken with fear. I let out a laugh. "If I wanted you dead, you'd already be dead." I decided to transmorph into my secondary form - a cat - to help the conversation go better. In a land where humans lived to forty, elves only lived to a hundred, and that meant that even I was older than this elf, and they were no older than thirty. The elf, to their credit, quickly figured out I wasn't pulling any mindgames. I'd heard tales from my relatives before the Kobolds founded the TFSU. People, especially when panicked, usual acted with more than enough stupidity to make the situation worse. "Where am I?" The elf asked. Their tone told me that they were still suspicious, but it wasn't outright denial of the situation. "My home," I answered bluntly. "Your village tried to fight our ground forces when they moved in, so most of them are currently under house arrest." Still in my cat form, I created a portal into my storage cavern and reached my arm through, while summoning a lab coat around my shoulders and glasses. It was a trick I had only learned to do recently. "Let's see..." I found the clipboard and brought it out, flipping to the elft's page and taping the pen against the paper. "You suffered a collapsed lung, severe burns on the right side of your body, three broken ribs and two fractured ones, shattered three wrist bones, three breaks in your right upper arm and another two in your lower arm, and on the left side you have another fractured rib and three broken fingers. Your left leg was shattered and your left foot was completely torn up. Healing magic stabilized you and surgery did the rest. You've been comatose for the past three days, and was brought to my home yesterday due to a surge in hospital patients from the seige of Trembolorne. "In terms of organ damage, that was also severe. A busted kidney, I already mentioned a collapsed lung, and your entire digestive system was... well, pulverized would be putting it lightly. Also, unrelated to the incident with the helicopter, you had cancer in your liver and kidney. "In terms of medical treatment, you've been given an IV line for the past couple days and several painkillers, and you underwent four separate surgeries. We reconstructed your organs, welded your bones to metal plates, and used a genetic printer to replace your skin. You're lucky to have gotten time with the genetic printer in the first place, you know; those things are expensive, and I mean expensive to run. Though it's all billed on the government anyway, but that just means that they'll only run it if they have to." The elf sat up in bed looking at me as I just stood on two paws on the cave floor. "Right, sorry, you wouldn't understand most of that." I sheepishly scratched the back of my head with my right paw. "Um... put this way, you were crushed by debris and we basically reconstructed your body before you died. So not necromancy, though you did get close to needing more advanced magical treatment." "Oh," The elf replied. The cat thing seemed to have helped, because they were no longer stuttering with their single word response. "Um... do you want anything to drink?" I tried to kickstart a conversation. "Where am I?" The elf asked again. I was silent for a second. "My home? It's right on the edge of TFSU territory, one of the southernmost places you can be while still being with the recognized borders. I chose this place because I like to fly out in the summer over the flowers in the forest at the foot of the mountains. Your village is a couple hour dragon-flight time away." "Mmmhm." The elf commented halfheartedly. "OK, um... who are you?" "My dragonic name isn't something most can pronounce, so my public name is just Vixie Remminie." I answered. "What's yours?" The elf's eyes narrowed. "Why do you want to know my name." I blinked. "Because... It's a name? I'm not a Fey, you know, it's not like I can tie ancient demons to your soul and call it a prank or something ridiculous like that. Besides, you asked for mine; now I get to ask for yours." "And who says you won't just burn my village to the ground and eat me right now!?!" The elf suddenly burst out. "You monsters ruin everything! You trespass on our land, take our resources, and kill our people! All we did was try to defend ourselv-" I cut him off, and poured just a bit of attention in giving myself an aura. Blue fire licked the bottom of my vision as I rebuttaled his point. "Don't forget, you stole the land from us. We were the ones living in the wild when you razed our forests and grew crops. We couldn't even purchase land to live on! So yes, we stole what we could to survive and those who didn't starved and died! And when all was said and done, you tried to kill us and turned it into a war, one where we had no choice but to kill you back. And when we found someplace to run, a spot to hide and do our own thing with our own land? You blistering idiots sent you 'courageous heroes' to try and kill us! What for? Nothing! Just your stupid, moronic fear making, forcing you to decide to 'kill the big thing over there!' We can't even have freaking farmland, we have to grow it all in hydroponic farms and harvest thousand-year-old vines out of caves because this is all we have!" I realized that my aura was burning fully and scorching the ground around me. I let out a long sigh, and it died down. Several memories flashed through my head, but I pushed them away. "Apologies, my parents are still a... sensitive topic for me. It would be best if we just stayed away from talking about the war until the hospital has room for more patients again." "Yeah?" The elf was still enraged. Even sitting down, they were still trying to construct an argument. "You parents who killed how many? Your family killed how many more? You dragons, you monsters are nothing more than one large grouping of murders that deserve to die! As the gods will!" The elf was spitting in rage, but I recognized his determination to hold onto his worldview. It was the one thing I needed to pry away before it got out of hand. "And you elves killed how many more?" I asked in a low voice. "Can you tell me the number of kobold dens exterminated in caves, the number of beastpeople sent to an early grave in slave camps? Because I can tell you ours. My father's was two, my mother's four, and my extended family including deceased relatives is one hundred and thirty seven. "You declared war against monsters, you child of an elf," I growled. "And death the reality of war. We know. The Unification Wars weren't fought with swords and honor. They were fought with artillery barrages and death. They were fought with miniature suns and political backstabbing, with tanks and guns and submarines and warships and all the more death. "You say the gods don't like us! That's put lightly. They forsook us! Abandoned us in our hour of need. So we learned to live without them. There are no gods we pray to anymore, elfling. Only each other, our creations, and the universe itself. They don't want us, we don't need them. It's more than they deserve." My aura was once again charring the floor and I had transformed back into my dragon form, but this time I refused to cool it down. "You call us creations of death, the primal forces of anarchy? We are you. You are us. We are sapient, we are all mortals, no matter our advantages. We are bound to this dimensional plane, forced to serve our betters, and live out our lives not with earnest but with trepredition for when it ends. We are all death incarnate, because we can all die. That is just the way it is. Besides, you've wondered about my kill count; tell me, can you tell me the gods'? Can you tell me how many souls they have cut from fate for their own entertainment? No? I can tell you." I growled, moving closer until the blue flames enveloping my body threatened to light the elf's cot on fire. "More people than are alive on this planet right now." I pulled back, bottling up my aura and reverting to my cat form. "We can talk all we want about death and destruction, and I won't lie and say you aren't victims of the war; pre-unification dragons we're exactly kind and merciful to those with treasure hoards. But perhaps, I implore you to consider that maybe we both are victims of the war, and maybe we can one day work together instead of fighting each other. "Maybe, one day, we can fight for our rights against the gods." I moved into my dragon form and darted deeper into my cave, moving so fast I could hear the howl of the wind against my ears. Only when I had reached my memorial wall for my parents did I stop and take a breath and think over my conversation with the elf. We had a long way to go, but I hoped I had put a little bit of sense into him. I hoped that the world could change.
-----
When the dragon cat thing sped away, I took a moment to survey my surroundings. Only now did the effects of my first question hit my formerly-groggy head. "My home." He said. Dragons live in caves. Oooooh. I'm screwed. However, there were no treasure hoards visible from my perspective; then again, while the Monsters were stupid, they still had brains to them, and carrying me into a treasure room would probably be something they'd be able to tell was a bad idea. Pops said never underestimate you foe, A voice in the back of my head said, and the dragon even launched in a full conversation with you. You're selling the dragon very, very shor- Shut up I growled internally to the treacherous voice in my head. The cave itself was... a cave. There was a metal slab on one end, it went deeper in the other, and that was that. In a 'corner' of the jagged room there were a number of red, glowing rods attached to some kind of giant mechanism three elfs wide and six deep, but the rods glowed against the cave's light- What light source? My eyes darted around looking for one. Only now was I aware of how unnatural each shadow was, how awkward each shining rock looked, how each stalagmite could hide an entire dragon, and that was before they started transfiguring into cats. How bright the ceiling- I looked up. The bright light burned my eyes, but I needed to know what fiendish magic was in play so I could counter it. But the light didn't flicker like fire - they were far too bright for that anyway - but they also didn't have the magical circles surrounding each spell. They were... lights. As if the universe simply willed brightness into existence. Each far-too-bright-hurts-to-look-ats was placed along a main hallway clear of stalagmites running from the metal slab deeper and around a corner where I couldn't see. The lights were only poised above this one hall, and they just... shone one the rest of the cave. Looking closer, I could see thin black lines, too thin to be mana feeds, running along the walls to both the glowing red rods and to the so-shiny-the-lit-up-the-cave. And... that was that. There was no massive pile of treasure in the hall, though I suspected the dragon kept their hoard deeper than... wherever I was. There was no pile of skull trophies or the banner of cities and armies slain, and I noted that while he had told me his parents', the dragon had never told me his own. Then again, the cat thing could be lying. Dragon transfigured into a cat. Probably has Circle Of Truth around his entire den. Nonsense, dragons can only do elemental magic. Evidently not. Would you just shut up already? No- I moved my attention back to the metal slab, cutting off whatever the voice in my head had to say about my current situation; it wasn't every day one just got kidnapped by a nation of monsters, after all. The slab was truly elegant. It was painted with the monster language, and then was painted with some kind of mural. I could barely make out a blue circle with green splotches on it surrounded by twelve rings in the bottom corner because most of the door was taken up by a ice-blue cat with lighter strips engulfed in blue fire. It was a mural of the dragon cat thing. That didn't stop it from being pretty, and someone had obviously put a lot of effort into it. The flames looked realistic from what I had seen minutes ago, and the cat's details were perfectly engraved. It was... acurrate. Yeah, because I think Vixie was just trying to tell you that they built their civilization for a reason, and it wasn't carnage. You don't know what you're talking about. We both know I do. How else to you think- Listen to me, you treasonous voice of a- No, you listen to me, you pathetic excuse for a brain. The dragon was able to hold and win an argument with you, fixed your wounds that would've been a dead write-off for any other hospital, and then you think SHE barely meets the threshold for sapient? THE ABSOLUTE MORON I'M ARGUING WITH IS THE ONE YOU BARELY MEETS IT!!! You moved to your frontier village because the world was changing, Lazerot the Sixth. Congrats, you were right. It did change. Now shut your OVERSIZED EGO up at being bested by a creature ten times older than you, and go appologies before they decide that saving your life wasn't worth it. I... I... OK- No. I'm in control now. Shut up. I....... yes, sir. Good. With new resolve, I stood up. My head throbbed, and the next thing I knew was my face hitting my cot again.
-----
When I heard the thud of something falling in the entrance cave, I carefully moved back into the entrance cave. The elf was face-down in their cot, unconscious again. It looked like they had tried to stand and just.... fallen over. I sighed and used a claw to nudge the elf back onto his pillow, and then covered him with a blanket. I watched him for a minute, and then returned to the deeper parts of my home. The TFSU was completely overloaded with the number of patients needing treatment. Apparently, the Southener's hospitals just... didn't do anything, so in addition to soldiers, there was a massive influx of civilians to our hospitals too. Of course, this meant that they were absolutely overloaded, and the Civilized Nations strategy of fighting to near-death and then surrendering wasn't helping. So, stable recovering civilians like the elf were just... shipped out. When shelters filled up because the Civilized Nations overpopulation crisis was too bad to do anything, people just had to take them into their homes. Long story short, the government was in way over their head attempting upgrade the standard of care in the Civilized Nations while occupying their territory. My job so close to the border was remote infrastructure maintenance, and my ability to change size while not dissolving made me an expert at it - and that was before my two hundred years of experience. And then I didn't need a vehicle to get on-site, and was fast. The alarm pinging me that one of the space radars was down again gave me an excuse to avoid the elf and do some work. I grabbed a pack of supplies, put on my shapeshift-compatible uniform, and wrote down a note on a piece of paper. On my out past the sleeping elf, I dropped it for him.

Space radar system needs repair, as it's returning a false positive. It's my job to repair all the infrastructure around here, so I need to go fix it. I'll be back soon. If you're hungry, my pantry is the first cave on the right. You can just eat anything that's easily open-able in there. If it has a lock or airtight opening mechanism (anything more than a clip, really) then don't eat it. If your thirsty, there's a stream in the entrance cave near the heaters. When the door mechanism beeps, step back. Sometimes pressure in the cave can get a bit wonky, and I don't want you to get hurt. Other than that, feel free to explore. I've locked all the doors to the rooms I don't want you to enter. For toilet necessities, the second cave on the left has a properly-sized toilet. And running water, but stuff I can explain later means don't drink it. See you soon! - Vixie.

Satisfied, I left opened the door. There was a puff as the air from inside flowed out to the lower-pressure atmosphere. I could spot a snow squall to the north, and the pressure meant that it was probably coming my way. I moved out onto the ledge and closed the door behind me. At high altitudes this far north, the air was already near-zero and it was still five in the afternoon. I took just a second to confirm with the weather report that the snowstorm was in fact going to arrive on my doorledge using a smartwatch I had strapped around my wrist. When I found that the storm was coming, I opened my wings and flew. Being an Ice Dragon had its advantages, but being a Water-Ice Combined Dragon was much better. The frosty air curled around my wings as the freedom of ignoring gravity filled my brain. Ice and Water dragons both had large wings to deal with the cold air (and lower pressure leading to the requirement for more surface area to achieve the same amount of lift) and incompressable water physics (to let the wings act like a one-way fan blade as they move back and forth, increasing efficient). Dragons might be magestic creatures, but we were still bound to the physics of the mortal plane, after all. Being part of both, my wings were even bigger, making me one of the best high-altitude fliers on the planet. The ability to use both gills and lungs at said altitudes helped with oxygen also helped. Air Dragons were better at flying in normal air, but I liked to think of it like stats from a video game. Air Dragons min-maxed their stats for low-altitude, but I could go anywhere - even underwater - can keep my speed relatively high. I took full advantage of this on my way to the space radar, soaring well above the cloud ceiling and to the point where I could make out the curvature of the planet below me. The ocean spread out to my west, while more land was to my east. Snow covered the north as to the south was the telltale splotchy color of industrialism. My smartwatch beeped, as I crossed the normal dragonic altitude limit. I hadn't realized I'd gone so high; I had a radar to repair, after all. I dove down towards the surface, ignoring more beeps as I crossed half the way to the speed of sound. The wind howled angrily in my ears, but I flattened those (thank you, streamlined water genetics) and came out of my death dive right over the radar. The repair itself went relativity smoothly, though I couldn't find a broken component and chalked it up to more space anomalies. They weren't infrequent, and usually marked where the gods decided to look over the planet. For my radars, anyway. Further north, ignoring the north pole, almost no gods came out and wanted to deal with us. Our unspoken agreement was held that way. I flew straight back for my return journey. The storm was definitely closer, but fifteen minutes of flying later and I was entering the opening mechanism for my door. As it swung inwards, I heard the high-pitched scream of an elf.
-----
When I awoke, I found myself tucked into some covers. It took all of seven seconds for reality to catch up with me. Right. I got into a heated argument with a dragon. I instinctively touched the part of my face that had been closest to the dragon's flame. I'd read about Auras in books, but never thought I'd get to see one. They were only ever found in the most powerful and competent individuals of a race in an entire plan of existence. I wondered which skill gave the dragon hers - Vixie, I reminded myself. Either way, given that Auras are technically illusions, I wasn't hurt. The flames didn't get close enough to hurt anyway, but that didn't stop me from checking. This time, I was much more careful when I stood up. I sat up first, then started to kick my legs back and forth. That's when I spotted a paper on the other side of my cot. I stood up without thinking, but managed to keep my consciousness this time and moved towards the note. It was handwritten and contained a lot of jargon that I wasn't familiar with. Space. Radar. False positive. Airtight opening mechanism. Heater. Beep. Pressure. Toilet. Running water. I could deduce some of it. A message had come in requesting the services of the local dragon to repair a thing that has an issue, and that she would return shortly. I could wander around as I pleased, besides eating food that wasn't open or contained in a clip bag. From the tone of the message, I could deduce what a 'toilet' was. The heaters would logically be things that produced heat, so all I had to do was look for those. I wasn't able to tell time, but I supposed at this point it didn't matter. I moved over deeper into the cave, and quickly heard the sound of a stream. It led directly into a forest of stalagmites. After clambering over those, the temperature started to increase, which was all I needed to know that I was getting a drink of water. I was only now catching up to the fact that I had been out for three days, and that meant that I was extremely thirsty. I wasn't sure how I wasn't dead of dehydration at this point. I found the stream next to the glowing metal rods, and with it a clear path to my location. Sighing slightly at the wasted effort on climbing through Rock Forest, I snatched an undersized cup off a rack built into a nearby jut in the cave wall and filled it, before entering the bliss of fresh water. Back in the village, we had some of the best and cleanest water in all the land thanks to snow melt, but this took that to a new level. Cold, crisp water melted in the sun only minutes ago. It was... pure. I spent the next couple minutes simply drinking and processing everything over in my mind. The gods might have willed the monster dead, but if even the monster gods had abandoned them and survived... then how come the Pantheon never told us? Religious issues aside, there were more practical issues regarding my own survival. How did I get out. There was a thud at the metal slab, and I moved back towards it, leaving my cup to dry on the rack I pulled it from. The engraving of the cat on the metal slab was- BEEEP! What was that sound? There was a hiss, and the slab started to peel away. A gust of frigid cold air washed over me as a mage Ice-Water hybrid Aura-capable dragon that I had argued with stared me down. I did the instinctive thing and let out the scream of a human three year old, squeezing my eyes shut and waiting for the final blow. When the end of my life didn't arrive, I reopened my eyes to find the sky-blue cat standing in the hole where the metal slab was supposed to be. Then there was another... sound, and the metal slab started to move back into position. The cat was surprised for a single moment before simply charging the door and jumping through, skidding to a halt right in front of me. Which meant that I got a closer look at her. Ocean-blue strips crossed an ice-blue body fur in a fifty-fifty ratio. Small crystals of ice twinkled, floating here her wings would be. One tail was accompanied by two more made of pure blue-white energy, and the cat even had a halo. Six orbs of blue-white light hovered in lazy circles around her back, and even in a diminutive form the size of a cat the being radiated the power of an aura-capable creature. "Oh, right, sorry," Vixie said, and all the ethirial energy disappeared. Now that I knew what I was looking for, however, I could just barely tell, using my power as a mage, that Vixie was using illusion magic to hide her true energy. "You don't need to hide your reserves," I said. "Though if you're shapeshifting into forms so small that you need to expose yours, then you should just burn yours instead. It's not worth the trouble of people bottling yours." Vixie gave some kind of half-shrug. "They're not reserves, no." She said, emphasizing the word. I looked at Vixie with a sharp look, and for a second I forgot I was talking to a dragon. "Then what are they?" "They're..." The cat blushed, something I wasn't even aware was possible. She let the illusion fall away, and the tails, crystals, orbs and halo returned. "They're my regenerative baseline minimum." I looked her up and down for a second, dumbstruck. She really is a creature of power, huh? "Um.... uh..." I stuttered. "Is... that where you get your aura from?" I asked. Vixie closed her eyes with an expression on her face, and this time green flame started to peel off her. "Part of it, yeah." To control an aura like that... two auras. Just how powerful is she? I was so deep in thought that I didn't realize that the expression on her face was pain. "I... uh... what happened?" I asked, shellshocked. "Why aren't you fighting in the war?" The worldwide-powerful dragon masquerading as a cat sighed. "I... haven't told anyone. It's... personal." "I..." Only now did it hit me that I was talking with a dragon, not another person. Not just a monster, but a... creature with emotions. "You don't have to tell me." I quickly backtracked. "No, no, it's a fair question. It..." The cat let out a chuckle, and it filled the cave with a beautiful sound. "I suppose it's kind of ironic... but it starts with a kobold and a god, back when the Firma kobold tribe decided to travel north to escape the civilized nations, shortly before the amassing of all creatures in these same northern mountains and the Unification War. "Back before the gods forsook us."
Original Prompt: [WP] For as long as all the races have known, Dragons have been seen as violent, destructive creatures. After an attack on your village, you black out and find yourself in the den of a dragon. It's rather annoyed that that is how they're seen, and wants to prove that isn't the case.
u/Lycan_Jedi thank you for the prompt!
Part 2

I got my new Karu 16 put together, connected to natural gas and made our first pizza on it last night. Wow! What a difference from the Koda 12 I have been using for the last year. Such a difference in space and temperature control.
Had some questions though.
I purchased the extra door, the one with half glass. Not sure why, but my thought was that the Karu didn’t come with a door. I haven’t installed it, still in the box. Do I really need this? What’s the selling point to justify the cost?
I also purchase a cover for the Karu. Previously with my Koda, I just folded the legs and I had a table cover that slid down over my the Koda and the Ooni table. Has anyone found a cover that I could use in a similar fashion with the Koda after removing the chimney? I would prefer the table and oven to be covered, but I don’t want two separate covers.
Last questions… chunk charcoal and wood. Any brand/product recommendations from any of the big boxes? Lowe’s, Costco, Home Depot, Cabellas, Walmart, Tractor Supply are all near me.
Thanks!

Does anyone know where in Edmonton one can rent a trailer dolly or other type of implement to move a 14000 lb fifth wheel?
I’m trying to move my fifth wheel into a spot on our acreage and using the truck is very problematic with the trees around the spot that I’d rather not cut down.
A tractor is probably a possibility but would they come with so way to hitch the trailer?

Still can’t believe they stole my jet skis, double trailer galvanized. Cut the locks and gone.! 2 years now.
1996 Seadoo SPI, 1992 650 SX, 2000 seadoo XPL 951
That 2 stroke 951cc was a rocket.

Right after college, I worked abroad as an English teacher teaching kids in a school in a small town in Mexico. The town had no internet, hardly any cell phones, and no air conditioning in many buildings. Kids entertained themselves with drinking, drugs, and urban legends. Because telling such stories was so deeply engrained in their culture, I didn't believe the kids when they came to me truly needing help. I actually feel triggered when I see a dumb character in a horror movie who doesn't listen to the main characters' pleas for help because that literally was me.
So what happened? One day, a student named Ramon asked to go the bathroom several times during the same class period. The first time was perfectly normal. The second time meant he was probably up to no good, but I still let him go for some reason. The third time, I had to ask. He also was starting to looked sick. He refused to answer. So, after class let out, I asked him in private if he was feeling all right. He had his head down and sheepishly told me he thought it was probably something he ate. He then asked me what he can do and looked at me with desperation like I was a doctor or something. I didn't know what to say. I told him to tell ask his mom and to get some rest.
I brushed the experience off at first, but within a few days, I noticed more of the kids were having difficulty focusing. They were lethargic and irritable. Ramon had been out the rest of that week. At that point, something just felt off. After class let out on Friday, I saw some kids harrassing Ramon's little brother Raul. They were calling him "maldito", meaning cursed (or damned if taken literally). I came by to break it up. Usually, at a time like this, the kids try to convince me it was just mutual horseplay and all in good fun, but this time, the two bullies stopped and with a really candid tone tried to convince me he really was cursed. One mentioned they weren't hitting him because he doesn't want to touch him. He told me about a rumor that Raul's older brother Ramon who was out sick was turning into the undead after one of the kids forced him to eat a cursed cat turd. At that point, I told the kids to go home and felt like their urban legends are really running out of steam lol. That was so fucking stupid, I thought.
As the weeks went on, more kids were calling in sick. It was quickly becoming apparent that something was happening. Of course, it wasn't any of the hallway rumors the kids were spreading, but something was spreading. About a third of the staff was also sick. Most were still teaching anyway. Sra. Fuentes was in the worst condition at the time. She was a little fever-brained and told one of the students she had a gun at home and planned on playing Russian roullete after work. At this point in telling the story, most people figure this was the climax. Unfortunately not. Señora Fuentes didn't come in the next day. Her husband taught elementary in the same building, and he was out as well (for bereavement, it seemed). She killed herself the night before just as described.
At this point, classes were being consolidated, and there was palpable panic in the air, and maybe something else we all thought. I was freaking the fuck out but so far had zero symptoms. I was terrified of catching whatever this was, and now the rumors were not only being spread by the students but in the staff lunchroom as well. We stopped sharing food and only ate prepacked foods, nothing from the local butcher or farms. It was a religious school, and the priest was also blessing everyone's lunch sacks for them now.
Nobody had directly died from it. So, it assumed by many that it was just a bad strain of the flu or something. There were also stories of people seeing little bugs in their shit. They were still alive too which was particularly disturbing.
For the remaining time I was teaching, there were more and more instances of kids and staff just being weird. A lot of the sick kids had a strange compulsion to be bit by other students. One of the brightest students, Felipe, was said to be offering to do homework for other students if they could bite his arm hard enough to draw blood. Some students would just stop and stare catatonically for a few seconds or complain of severe headaches.
Even before whatever this was, there was already a local legend about something similar. One of the cartels praying to Santa Muerte (some kind of Aztec death god they's kinda blend in with their Christianity down there) and wishing their rival gang to be poisoned. Not long after, most of this rival gang fell ill and died. It was touted as one of the only confirmed "miracles" of Santa Muerte. Before they died, they had reportedly gone insane and would do particularly risky behaviors as though they were possessed by this occult spirit to want to harm themselves. Some would do more mild risky behavior like one who bet everything he had in the casino but had never gambled before that night. Others would dance on cliffsides hundreds of feet in the air (not successfully because the disease made them pretty uncoordinated). Three of them on separate ocassions walked into tiger enclosures at the nearby zoo and were mauled to death. Most of those who didn't die in freak accidents eventually went blind. A few died of strokes. There were also outlandish stories of the longest living ones attempting to feed themselves to others. The local legend culminates in the priest who ministered to the cartel cutting off his right hand and attempting to feed it to his small congregation as the body and blood of Christ.
Anyway, by about 4 or 5 weeks, the town was in full-fledged lockdown. The school decided to temporarily close. Everything, even the church was shut down. This was in 2013, well before covid, but it felt like the covid lockdown. Ironically, the government wasn't locking us down, but it was the local cartel. Whenever I mention that, people are like "holy shit!" and think there's this violent gang I had to deal with, but actually they were not really belligerent. They supplied every household with food and bottled water rationed from the town supermarket. There were only a few of them, and they were treating this situation like a quarentine. After about 4 weeks indoors, the food and water stopped coming. I had been rationing the water they gave me and managed to stay indoors an additional 2 days before figuring I needed to leave eventually.
Once I finally left my little single room house, I walked around the town and saw burned bodies in the townsquare. There was no sign of the cartel. I figured they might be taking care of the body disposal and going house to house burning the corpses. I didn't check on any of the homes. I didn't do a safety check on coworkers I knew from the school. I just grabbed a bike and cycled out of town. Upon arriving at the nearest town, I didn't say a word of this. I kept my head down and got on a bus. I travelled to Aguascalientes and got a ticket to fly back home from Mexico City. I never experienced any symptoms and kept an eye on the news to see if there's any high lethality disease in Mexico. Nothing ever came of it.

Synapse X was my light in the dark. My angel amongst demons. The flame to my candle. The sun to my sky. Synapse was my everything.
Once Synapse stopped working, my once idyllic world was shattered. Gone were the times of yearning to get home from 4th grade to torment children online. Gone were the times to project my superiority over the inferior, non-synapse owning masses. Synapse was the epoch of my life.
Since Synapse stopped working I largely stopped eating and drinking (limited myself to one meal per day and two glasses of water). I locked myself in the basement where there was a plentiful supply of expired canned food and plastic water bottles which I consumed when I wasn't coddling myself in the corner, crying. I considered suicide but I knew that I couldn't quit just yet, not before Synapse came back.
My parents stopped tolerating my behavior and called the police to kick me out the house. Now I roam the streets astray; alike to a dog. I don't know how much longer I can endure this pain. Byfron, fuck you.

I planted 30 blueberry bushes inspired by the cheap little plants sold by Tractor Supply. I also planted larger bushes I found at a local nursery. Curious how much they should grow in a season!

Hi all. I've been getting a flashing ABS light on my 2007 120 series prado (4L V6)
The fault wasn't storing any codes and it's extremely random, sometimes I won't get the fault for days, so I tried a bunch of different fixes (listed below) while I waited for the wrror to come on during work hours so I could take it into the mechanic and get it scanned while the fault it present. Here are the fault codes:
C1275 C1276 C1277 C1278 All of which are showing abnormal output signal in each wheel sensor respectively, we think that the chances of all 4 sensors going bad simultaneously is extremely unlikely (especially considering the ABS light flashes instead of just switching on) and instead one of thew other two fault codes could be creating a domino effect. The other two are:
C1282 - Center diff lock position switch / Regulator pressure sensor C1283 - L4 position switch / Front(FR) pressure sensor output is faulty
Searching these two codes online have given me completely different results compared to the description of each fault. If it is a domino effect I have no idea which sensor could be causing it.
The other option I am wondering is if the ABS module itself is going faulty, but looking online it doesn't appear to be a likely cause. Anyone had something similar? I am thinking a good place to start is the center diff lock position switch, but because the description of the faults do not match what the description of these fault codes are online it has me extremely confused.
Here is a rundown of fixes ive tried and recent work to the car:
Removed and cleaned ABS module plug
Removed and cleaned all wheel sensors
Cleaned all wheel sensor plugs with contact cleaner
Tried testing the resistance of each wheel sensor with a multimeter
All lines for the ABS seem to be fine, no visible damage to and wires.
Checked all break and tail lights are working fine
Checked every fuse related to the ABS
Topped up break fluid, then installed all new break pads and all new break fluid
Disconnected the battery for several hours to reset the ECU
Took the trailer plug apart and cleaned with contact cleaner (I've also towed my trailer the other day and all lights on the trailer where working fine)
Then while I had it on the jack stands, I figured I may as well do the major service it was due for. I wouldn't think any of these things could effect the ABS but I'll include a list of things I did just for good measure:
Engine oil and filter
Tyre rotation
Replaced diff oils (including LSD additive in the rear. As these prados only had the rear LSD and no traction control)
Replaced transfer case oil
Flushed and Replaced power steering fluid
Flushed and Replaced coolant
New top and bottom radiator hoses
New serpentine/fan belt
New air and cabin filters
New fuel filter
I'm honestly at my wits end here, I've tried everything to try and fix it, and finally.got it scanned which seemed to only create more questions than answers.
My research says some other things like a dying alternator can cause it? But I don't want to keep replacing things because unless I know that's the cause.
Hoping someone here has some ideas that I haven't thought of or found online.

Super Stealth Launch Alert! Memes as a Service ($MaaS)
Attention, all my meme coin DEGEN APES!! Brace yourselves for the stealth launch of Memes as a Service ($MaaS), the game-changing crypto that's set to take the meme world by storm!
Just want live minuetes ago, Join the TG DONT MISS THIS IM TELLING YOU BASED DEVS.
Why $MaaS? Here's why you should pay attention:
Super low market cap - Get in early and secure your slice of the pie!
Stealth launch - No pre-sale, ensuring a fair distribution for all participants.
Unleashing the power of memes - Revolutionizing the meme culture and crypto landscape.
Strong tokenomics - 10 billion tokens, with 4% reserved for CEX listings.
Contract renounced - Ensuring transparency and ownership by the community.
LP locked for 1 year - Your investments are safe and secure.
7/7 Buy and Sell Tax - Supporting marketing, auto compounding, buybacks, LP, and the unique MILF tax!
Tokenomics Breakdown:
Total supply: 10 billion tokens
4% wallet reserved for CEX listings
Contract renounced for community ownership
LP locked for 1 year to safeguard your investments
7% Buy and Sell Tax Allocation:
2% Marketing to spread the word about $MaaS
2% Auto Compound to fuel growth and generate more rewards
1% Buy Back and Burn to boost scarcity and value
1% LP to provide liquidity and stability
1% MILF to support the Meme Index Leadership Fund
Telegram: Join our community at @ Masscoinportal
Don't let this opportunity slip away! The stealth launch of Memes as a Service ($MaaS) is your chance to join a vibrant community, ride the meme wave, and potentially enjoy substantial returns. Be part of the revolution and embrace the power of memes in the crypto world!
Contract Address: 0x3334fb8c058b6964ebae022b5bb750b552bee88a
Secure your spot early and become part of the $MaaS revolution today! Together, we'll create a future filled with memes and financial success!

I have purchased a lot for temporary parking for Tractor Trailers, by the day, week or month. It is in a major mid west city with easy access to Interstate traffic. It has 300 spots available and is open to Owner Operators, Big and Small corp. fleets etc... Basically anyone who needs to park or store their Truck or Trailer for 24hours or for several months.
I'm at 50% occupancy and am looking for marketing/advertising ideas on how to get this lot up to 90-95% full! (100% would be awesome)
Any and all ideas will be appreciated!:) And I do mean any and All!!!
Bless your Genius!

So today I went to a service call because of an exhaust fan, I get there and I found it locked up. I advised him “the owner” it was in horrible condition and needed a whole new exhaust fan, he said no he doesn’t have the money, “he drives a brand new Mercedes” I said ok well the exhaust fan motor is gonna be X amount of dollars+labor. He said ok go get it and please get it fixed today so I went it took me 30 mins to get to supply house and 30 mins back, fast forward I do the repair and it works cool. I went to check out and he wanted to know why he’s being charged a hour labor for my trip to the supply house and got all pissy. Like wtf? Am I out here just riding the roads for fun? I told him he can handle that with the shop I gotta go. People man always got something to complain about when it comes to price, always want something for free. My rant is over 😁

Outer Space Shack is a gripping space base building game where players strive to master the cosmos and establish sustainable habitats. In this update, we delve into thrilling enhancements in the game like our advanced life support system, the return of the lunar rover, and the initial stages of In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU). Plus, we've integrated numerous quality of life improvements to boost your gaming experience. Stay tuned for the latest game insights on our subreddit ( outerspaceshack). You may enjoy the latest video screenshots or the trailer on the Steam page.
High Performance life support
Over the past few months, I've introduced basic thermal and air management systems into Outer Space Shack. Early in the game, players can access this system, but it comes with certain drawbacks. It requires a piece of machinery per space base module, taking up considerable space inside. Additionally, CO2 scrubbing requires consumable supplies. Plus, cooling, a primary challenge on the Moon, demands substantial thermal radiators.
(screenshot here)
I'm excited to share that the high-performance life support system is a significant upgrade. A large heat pump now assures heating and cooling. The renewable life support mechanism I've designed includes a high-performance air conditioning vent and a renewable CO2 scrubber. This scrubber removes CO2 from the air and releases it later. I've also added a new vent for disposing of CO2 outside, and in the future, I plan to introduce a specialized tank for storing CO2.
I've also made provision for storing O2 bottles outside the base in a specially constructed shack, shielding them from solar radiation. This solution helps save valuable space within the pressurized modules of the base, further optimizing interior space usage and enhancing the overall functionality of your lunar base.
The escargot is back
I'm excited to announce that the space rover 'Escargot' has made its return to Outer Space Shack. You might remember it from the 2021 trailer. Subsequent development focused more on astronauts, causing the rover to fall into the sidelines. But now, after some thorough overhauling, it's back in action. The rover is an outdoor operator, as it can't enter the space base, but it's designed to automatically undertake landscaping and transport tasks.
Integrating the rover has the significant advantage of reducing your astronauts' EVAs. EVAs pose radiation risks to the astronauts and consume valuable water resources, as the space suits are cooled using a water evaporator.
(screenshot here)
Notably, the rover is indispensable for building regolith walls due to its ability to transport large regolith bags and blocks weighing a metric ton. Despite the Moon's lower gravity making this equivalent to just 150kg on Earth, it's still far too heavy for even the strongest astronaut.
I'm also mulling over making the rover a necessary component for transporting materials to build space base modules. Some parts realistically weigh more than the 100kg that astronauts can safely transport on the Moon. I would love to hear your thoughts on this, and invite you to join the ongoing discussion here.
Exploring ISRU: The First Step
ISRU (In-Situ Resource Utilization) involves the collection, processing, storage, and use of materials found or produced on celestial bodies like the Moon or Mars. These materials serve as a substitute for those that would traditionally be shipped from Earth. While the ultimate goal of ISRU is to construct space base modules, cultivate food, and fabricate necessary technology, the reality proves to be complex. Consider all the raw materials, factories, and diverse machinery required even to produce a simple object like a fork.
The initial implementation of ISRU in Outer Space Shack is modest but vital: a solar kiln constructs large blocks which can be stacked to create thick walls and roofs around space base buildings. The process of the solar kiln is slow, constructing one to two blocks per month. I'm currently exploring the possibility of integrating a combined solaelectric kiln for quicker block sintering.
(screenshot here)
These blocks play a critical role in shielding the interior of the space base from harmful radiation. Radiation poses significant threats to the central nervous system, causing cognitive and motor function changes, and behavioral shifts. Acute effects can include radiation sickness symptoms like nausea, vomiting, anorexia, and fatigue.
Chronic exposure to radiation heightens the risk of developing diseases such as leukemia, lung, breast, thyroid, esophageal, stomach, and colon cancers, as well as affecting the central nervous system. Radiation can also cause eye damage, potentially leading to cataracts, and can compromise the immune system, making astronauts more prone to illnesses or infections.
Thus, while the large regolith bricks may seem mundane, they serve a crucial purpose. Two meters of this material is needed to shield effectively from radiation, making them an essential part of your lunar base's safety measures.
Exciting Quality of Life Enhancements
As we inch closer to release, with less than two months to go, a significant portion of my time has been spent fine-tuning the game, implementing several small yet essential improvements, many of which are long overdue. To summarize:

• Expedited Transitions: The shift between the space center on Earth and the space base on your chosen celestial body is now faster and more fluid.
• Multiple Save Files: I've added the capability to save several game files for those times when you want to try different strategies or start anew without losing progress.
• Enhanced Function Screen: This feature has received a visual overhaul, providing a clearer, more appealing graphical interface. It's now accessible for all networks, encompassing electricity, heat, cold, clean water, dirty water, oxygen, and CO2. The screen now showcases top consumers and allows direct control to switch off systems as needed.
• Prioritized Assembly: When assembling diverse structures on your chosen planet, power generating buildings are now assembled first. This priority is given because power is typically necessary to operate other buildings effectively.
• Camera Improvements: The camera now provides smoother movements, enhancing overall visual experience. I've also included a feature where the camera can follow a land vehicle or astronaut for a more immersive experience.

(screenshot here)
I'm thrilled to confirm the official release date of Outer Space Shack - July 20th. This will mark a significant milestone in the game's journey and, as the old saying goes, 'you only get one chance to make a good first impression.'
If you've enjoyed what you've seen of the game so far and haven't already done so, please consider adding the game to your Steam wishlist.

(a couple people wanted to know how my succession game went. Good news, I got many great players. Bad news, they never got to play. Real fortress stuff begins at the 15th of Granite, everything before that is just backstory.)
Diary of A_Demon Ducimlelum and records of Drilledsacks.
9th of Granite. Year 50.
I have come to discover that drinking at the same tavern as our nation’s rulers wasn’t the wise idea I thought it was. I thought it would be an easy way to rub shoulders with potential investors while getting some drinks in my gut. Oh if I had only known what it would lead me to.
So there I was, tossing back plump helmet wine as if Zolak was coming for my soul and I, in my drunken wisdom, decided to rant about the Murky Volcano.
You see, in my efforts to become a better trader I decided to take a beginners course on gem cutting. My thought was I could buy rough gems, cut them myself and sell the cut gems for a huge profit. Anyways the teacher told us about how diamonds are formed deep underground and pushed closer to the surface by volcanic pressure so while I was in the tavern I ranted to anyone who would listen.
“Why are we digging for gems when the Murky Volcano is willing to do it for free! All those gems must just be sitting there like mushrooms in the dirt! Whoever's in charge around here has no idea what they’re doing!”
Then I fall off my bar stool and who do I see staring down at me? That’s right, it's Mafol Letmosmuzish himself! The king graciously helps me to my feet and says. “That’s very interesting. Perhaps an aspiring young merchant should build a fortress there since digging into a volcano is so easy.”
I would have said something like “I was just joking!” or “Please your, highness I don’t want to die!”, but I puked up my wine before I could say anything.
“Thank you for volunteering Miss Ducimlelum. I’ll send you the paperwork in the morning.” He said with a shit eating grin and walked right out the door. I feel like The Bloated just took a crap on my life.
10th of granite. Year 50.
I put out some help wanted fliers in the morning and I was surprised to have a full team by the afternoon. Of course it’s just my luck they’re all shallow dwelling sky gazers! The first dwarf who came in for an interview was eating a salad like some kind of elf. Her name is Cukes and apparently she’s a skilled miner. I’ll believe that when I see it.
The second dwarf to sign up was Dr Dave. “What’s your doctorate in?” I asked her. She never gave me a straight answer, but she’s a brewer, a planter and she can cut down trees with enough skill to make an elf cry, which is to say any skill at all.
Third was a dwarf named Clown Commune. I don’t want to know what she did to get a nickname like that. She’s a skilled engraver and I’ve seen some of her work around the mountain, at least that’s what I’ve been told.
The forth dwarf comes in with a crossbow in one hand and a wild boar carcass slung over his shoulder. He throws the damn thing down on the table and says these are the skills he brings to the team. Welcome aboard Salty.
Dwarf number five comes in with a beard so long it’s almost touching the floor. Thank the gods he keeps it neatly combed. He tells me his name is Cthulhu. He’s competent in three different crafting arts and he’s learning to smith weapons. Apparently a magma forge is just what he needs.
The final dwarf was impatient but I could hardly blame her after sitting in the waiting room for so long. Luckily she brought along a book to read. I wonder what a scholar is hoping to find in a volcano, but apparently she also has some medical dwarf training so that’s reason enough to bring her with us. That and the seven dwarf minimum for expeditions. Welcome to the team River Of Arrows.
11th of Granite. Year 50.
This was the day I took my life savings and spent them all on fucking fortress suplies. I got the essentials like food, seeds and an anvil. With the leftover money I bought some animals for the fortress.
They didn’t have any tasty chinchillas so I got chickens instead. They’ll be good for food and their leather is one of my favourites. I dearly wanted some water buffaloes, I like them for their wallowing, but there wouldn’t be much water at the Murky Volcano so I made the hard decision to only get one water buffalo for myself and two camels to pull the wagon. The camels were on sale.
12th of Granite. Year 50.
When I got to the wagon depot one of my new travelling companions shouted, “Hey, it’s A_Demon!”
Instantly there was a mass panic in the depot. “It’s pronounced Ay-deo-mun!” I shouted over the crowd. Then I saw the fortress guard coming down the stairs. Were they coming to fight the alleged demon? Calm down the riot? Throw us in jail for starting a riot? We didn’t stick around to find out. Everyone on the wagon, we’re getting the hell out of Hailflags!
13th of Granite. Year 50.
We’re now in the monstrous hills. I asked over and over again if there was another way, but the only other path would take us all around the Embraced Cresta, which is basically a trek across the entire Continent Of Kin.
Gods above, this place gives me the creeps. It’s chilling to think that the dwarven tower of Grouppaddle is out there somewhere.
The worst part about traveling through the Monstrous Hills is the zombies. They’re not fast enough to catch up with our wagon, but they’re damn creepy. Salty had half a mind to practise his archery on the horrors as we passed, but he decided to save his ammo.
To pass the time and keep my mind off the horrors outside I’ve been counting inventory. Why do we have thirdy shoes? The merchant told me this was standard embark supplies but why would we need thirdy shoes? Whatever.
In addition to the animals I bought, River Of Arrows brought her cat. I told her feeding it was her responsibility, but she promised the cat could feed itself by hunting rats. I’ll begrudgingly admit her cat might be useful.
I think Clown Commune may have been the one who brought the breeding pair of untrained dogs. Apparently getting untrained dogs was a cost saving measure, it’s cheaper if we train the dogs ourselves. A dwarf after my own heart. Maybe these dwarves aren’t so bad after all.
14th of Granite. Year 50.
I took a break from driving the wagon last night and let Dr Dave take the rains until morning. It was still dark out when I woke up to the sound of whistling in the style of The Beige Embrace. “Dr Dave, you know The Beige Embrace musical form?”
“Yeah, one of the two musical forms I know. The other is The Saffron Lutes.”
“Really, what’s that one sound like?”
“A little something like this.” She then performed a piece for us. After the first couple verses the wagon joined in. None of us knew the first thing about singing but we were having fun. At that moment everything felt like it was going to be ok. That should have tipped me off that something was about to go wrong.
The wagon suddenly lurched. We stepped outside and saw the damn thing was stuck in the mud. A minor annoyance to dwarves not trapped in a zombie filled waste land, if only we could be so lucky. The shambling corpses drew in.
Salty shot a few bolts in them to little effect. Me and Clown Commune tried to push the wagon. Somehow one of those undead beasts snuck up on me but River Of Arrows bashed it in the face with her book sending brain splattered pages everywhere. “Damn, I guess I’ll never find out how it ends.” She dropped the broken book and helped me push.
Salty ran out of bolts so he beat the nearest zombie to death with his crossbow. Dr Dave, Cukes and Cuthulhu picked up sticks and joined Salty in the melee.
While they fought off the undead the rest of us pushed the wagon out of the mud. The animals bolted. Me, Clown Commune and River Of Arrows jumped on. The rest chased after us. Salty had to leave his crossbow behind since it was stuck in a zombie’s chest.
I reached out my hand and pulled Cthulhu onto the wagon. Clown Commune helped Dr Dave. River Of Arrows got Cukes and Salty was able to pull himself up. We just laid there for a while, trying to catch our breaths. I think I fainted after that.
15th of Granite. Year 50.
That morning must have been the worst awakening I’ve had since the drinking contest in Bodystockade. It felt pleasantly warm at first then I opened my eyes. Zolak’s fucking eye, I was half a foot away from a lake of lava! I jumped up screaming. If I had rolled over in my sleep I’d have been burned alive!
Welcome to the fucking Murky Valcano! The animals must have pulled us up here while we were passed out. Thank any god you please that the wagon wheel broke off before we went over the ledge.
My first order as expedition leader, let’s move over there.
16th of Granite. Year 50.
Once the initial shock and horror wore off we couldn’t help but laugh at our situation. I guess it’s just gallows humour. As we unloaded our supplies I realised that I’ve come to consider these dwarves my friends. When I first met these bearded bastards I never thought I’d end up saying that. It’s funny what a near death experience or two can do.
Here’s to us. There’s no other dwarves I’d rather be stranded on a volcano with. A new chapter of dwarven history begins here, at this place, Monangfath, “Drilledsacks”. Strike the earth!
Seriously we need to dig a burrow, I’ve heard there’s leopards around here and they might be hungry.
1st of Slate. Year 50.
We’re making a wooden crossbow and some bolts to replace the crossbow that was lost in the Monstrous Hills. Hopefully Salty can hunt some of those kangaroos for us to eat. The wooden bolts aren’t very effective but they’re all we got right now.
28th of Slate. Year 50.
We’ve struck obsidian. This’ll be good for swords and traps involving swords. Metal is better of course but unfortunately we haven’t been able to find any. Also I have designated myself as the broker. I’ve been training to be a merchant for some time now, no reason to throw all the training away just because we’re stranded on a volcano.
Also we’re digging out some 4x4 rooms for ourselves. Might as well make something nice for ourselves.
24th of Hematite. Year 50.
Our first wave of migrants have arrived. They brought with them a steel axe and a breeding pair of turkeys. The birds are still poults but they’ll grow fast I’m sure. Now we’re up to 10 working dwarves and a child.
12th of Malachite. Year 50.
River Of Arrows has been feeling ecstatic lately but Salty is feeling a little bit down. I think it’s the stress of hunting. I’ll assign him some other duties and see if that helps.
6th of Galena.Year 50.
We’ve found some colourful rocks like microcline and quartzite. They’ll be good for decorating the place. Also there’s a cherry tree right at the peak of the volcano. It’s kind of pretty. That would be a great place to dump our garbage. Right off the edge and into the volcano.
17th of Galena. Year 50.
We have discovered an expansive cavern deep underground. I saw a gorlak down there. He seemed friendly but I sealed off the cavern just in case. I think I might build a tavern down there so adventurers can go straight from drinking to fighting monsters.
1st of Limestone. Year 50.
THE DEAD WALK HIDE WHILE YOU STILL CAN! It’s not even winter yet and we’re getting attacked by undead! I ordered everyone underground and built a quick wall to keep them out.
4th of Limestone. Year 50.
We couldn’t get the walls in time up but we managed to lock the doors. Hopefully that’s enough. While I was doing a headcount I found Kol Kekimzaneg the child was missing. He was last seen playing on the side of the hill, he must still be out there. His mom, Rigoth Zuglarunal, wants us to go out there and get him, but if I open those doors we’re all doomed.
Ganadalmosh, give me strength. I knew being an expedition leader would be hard but… fuck…
5th of Limestone. Year 50.
Day one of the siege. We have enough food and drink to last us a while, but the undead don’t need to eat… I’m sure they’ve killed most if not all of our livestock by now and we can only pray that Kol found a place to hide.
I’ve ordered some engravings to be made on the wall and designated this room as a tavern to keep up morale. It was originally intended to be our tavern until we could make a better one lower in the earth.
6th of Limestone. Year 50.
Clown Commune has made her first engraving. It’s a well-designed image of The Interpretation Of The Movement Of Animals, the white opal-bound codex by Zutthan Alathazin.
28th of Limestone. Year 50.
I decided to do some mining while we’re under siege. Might as well use this time to work on that grand tavern idea. I wonder if any adventurers are out there fighting the undead.
(interlude by Mothec Mukudon, the human archer) After three days of travel through The Foelds Of Silkiness and the beautiful elven Forest of Wires I have arrived at the Murky Valcano. What new wonders await me in the Drilledsacks? What marvels of craftsmanship have the dwarfs created in this majestic volcano? Could it perhaps be… Sweet fucking fields! What the hell is that! Oh god it took my ear off! What the fuck!
Mothec Mukudon was struck down by Acikolis, the hammer-dwarf corpse.
3rd of Timber. Year 50.
Those chicken eggs should be hatching by now. Imagine the sweet fluffy little birds coming out of their shells for the first time, peeping for the mamma only to be met by the hammer of an undead horror with a burning hatred for all life.
26th of Timber. Year 50.
I’ve opened up the cavern so we can start a small mushroom farm. We’ll stay down here until the zombies turn to dust if we have to, but damn, the rats down here are big.
10th of Moonstone. Year 50.
These hairy naked human looking things came into the new tavern mid construction and just started hanging around. Apparently they’re called troglodytes. One of them killed our female war dog.
That’s it, get the swords ready for a trog hunt.
22nd Opal. Year 50.
Ever since the troglodyte incident we’ve been preparing for another fight. We’ve got obsidian swords and tower-cap wood shields. I and the other miner will be using our picks and Salty of course has his crossbow. If it comes down to it we may need to fight our way out of the fortress.
1st of Granite. Year 51.
Happy new year. Living completely underground hasn’t been so bad. Sure we may never see the sun again but… Well we’ve got a pretty nice tavern.
19th of Granite. Year 51.
One of my fellow dwarves had the bright idea of setting up some traps for the undead. We’ve got plenty of rocks we can drop on them and we can build a narrow hallway in the old tavern. I’ll get a mechanics workshop up and running.
26th of Granite. Year 51.
The troglodytes came into the tavern again but this time we were ready for them. We ripped through them with the greatest of easy. Cutting them down where they stood. Welcome to The Mechanical Onion, mother fucker!
Of course I’m aware this was just a minor victory. The undead will be far harder to defeat since they wear armour and they don’t bleed. I keep this revelation to myself of course, it’s been too long since these dwarves had a reason to celebrate and they needed this victory.
20th of Hematite. Year 51.
The dwarves seem very reluctant to arm the traps. Maybe they want to delay the fight as long as possible. Sadly we can’t delay much longer, we’re running out of food and drink. I’ve designated a fishing area in the caverns. It’s not the safest way to get food but there’s little choice in the matter. And the troglodytes continue to be an annoyance.
2nd of Malachite. Year 51.
Dwarves are getting restless due to a lack of prayer. I’ve designated a hallway as a general temple called The Mess Of Growth. Let’s hope those gods hear our prayers.
6th Malachite. Year 51.
I’ve converted my room into a makeshift hospital called The Helmed Home.
15th of Malachite. Year 51.
We’ve run out of drinks and we’re now reduced to drinking muddy cavern water. Still no one wants to arm the traps. I may have to unlock the door without them.
4th of Galena. Year 51.
There’s no food or drink left. This is the day we fight. Today Drilledsacks will either stand or fall. We stand guard at the end of an unarmed trap hallway. We hear something coming. A random human poet comes screaming out of the hallway. And then another random human poet. Then another poet, a dwarf this time.
8th of Galena. Year 51.
Ok, I guess we’ll have to meet them outside.
(Everyone was killed in battle. It wasn’t even close. Dr Dave didn’t come to the battle since he was in the hospital where he died of dehydration.)

This is how I was killing time so far. Can't wait for the showcase. You're welcome to add more interesting questions, if you also want to kill some time.
Edit: it's a list now, not a paragraph.

Story, factions & cities

• What happened on Earth?
• Did a nuclear war happen?
• Did global warming force civilization to leave Earth?
• Did the poles melt and submerge all the continents?
• Has a pandemic of a deadly virus wiped out most of the population?
• Do people still live on Earth?
• How many people managed to leave Earth?
• Are radio signals still being emitted from Earth?
• Can we encounter (more or less readable) radio signals from the Earth from the past in deep space?
• Will we encounter the last radio signal sent from Earth and can we find out what happened on Earth?
• Was Cydonia the first interplanetary sanctuary or a mine built even before that?
• Have scientists settled separately on another place?
• Who is left to live in Cydonia?
• Is there a terraformed part of Mars?
• Are humans present on other planets in the Solar System?
• When was the Constellation organization formed? What is their goal?
• Is Constellation a technocratic organization?
• Is Constellation motivated by mere scientific curiosity or are they committed to progressivism?
• Are they committed to transhumanism?
• Where did they get the money for space exploration?
• How did United Colonies and Freestar Collective come about?
• Are these colonies under a dictatorship? Are colonies ideological?
• When and why did the Colonial War happen?
• What are the consequences of war?
• How and why was the truce concluded between them?
• Are there normal diplomatic relations between these two colonies?
• When and where was the first artifact found? What do the artifacts represent?
• How can the remaining ones be found?
• What do artifacts build? What material are they made of?
• What are the physical properties of these artifacts?
• Do artifacts build a wormhole? Or access to the fifth dimension? Or a method to make contact with other beings?
• Will we find intelligent extraterrestrial beings? Is Neon a corpocracy?
• Is the population of Neon being oppressed?
• Do corporations conduct unethical experiments on humans?
• How often do residents of Neon consume fish with a psychoactive substance?
• Is everyone welcome to New Atlantis or only UC members and sympathizers?
• Is Constellation HQ in New Atlantis?
• What is the relationship between Constellation and the United Colonies?
• Is there a threat of a new Colonial War? Is there a threat of alien invasion?

Character, perks & companions

• What is our goal?
• Who can we cooperate with?
• Who are our enemies? *Can we remain neutral? *Can we sabotage certain factions?
• Can we betray them? *Can we manipulate the colony leaders?
• What are the consequences of joining a certain faction?
• Can we improve diplomatic relations between colonies?
• Can we unite them into one common faction?
• If we get a high rank, can we hire people and give them a lower rank?
• Why do pirates have no leader?
• Is there a black market?
• Can we get a job in a corporation?
• Can we become a corporate agent?
• Can we destroy these corporations?
• Will we meet the CEOs of major corporations?
• Do we have multiple ways to complete a faction-specific quest?
• Do our choices positively or negatively affect relations with other factions?
• Can we start our own faction?
• Can we start our own corporation?
• Does our background matter throughout the game?
• Does our background automatically lock us from some side missions?
• Can our companion be enrolled in one colony while we are in another?
• Can our companion serve as a spy?
• Can our companion scan the terrain and tag enemies?
• Can the companion try to clear the place of enemies by himself?
• Does the follower often take the better weapons that are around or stick with the one we gave them?
• Can a companion heal us?
• Can we hire companions in the outposts and spaceship?
• Will followers be able to buy ammo for themselves?

Outposts, spaceships & crafting

• How many outposts can we have on one planet/moon?
• Can we create an outpost on every rocky planet or moon?
• Are the outposts owned by us or owned by Constellation?
• Can we level and raise the terrain within our outpost?
• Can we build drones and rovers that will scan the environment for ores and minerals?
• Besides ores, can we find traces of water in the crust of planets?
• How are we going to supply the base with oxygen?
• Can we grow local flora?
• Is there an option to build hydroponics?
• Can we interbreed different types of plants?
• Can we establish trade with capital cities?
• Can we hire suppliers/provisioners between any two outposts?
• Can pirates or others rob our transport?
• Can asteroids or meteors destroy the goods the provisioner is carrying?
• Besides the landing pad, can we build a hangar for our spaceship?
• Can we create tourist attractions?
• Do we hire people by radio or in person?
• Do radio signals attract nearby pirates?
• Can we train people for special tasks?
• Do they become more efficient in their work over time?
• Can we hire these same people to work in our spaceship?
• Can we manufacture artificial satellites?
• Will our outposts be attacked by local fauna?
• Can we pacify the local fauna?
• Can we build a prison for pirates and others?
• Will the workers be kidnapped?
• Can workers have a work accident?
• Will the colonies demand a percentage of goods if we are members of certain colonies?
• If we build a solar farm, can we export electricity?
• Can we make an outpost right next to a big city like New Atlantis?
• Do we build weapon and armor mods right away or do we have to wait for them to be machine assembled?

Technology, science & exploration

• How far has technology advanced in the fields of cybernetics, robotics, nanotechnology, biomechatronics, genetic engineering, artificial intelligence, aerospace, biotechnology, space exploration...?
• How far has science progressed in the fields of astronomy, physics, chemistry, astrobiology, medicine...?
• What is the latest technological achievement?
• What is the biggest challenge in physics right now?
• How advanced are artificial intelligences?
• Are there cybernetic implants and augmentations?
• Are there biomechatronic devices that improve physiological functions (such as immunization, respiration, angiogenesis...)?
• Is cyberspace developed?
• How advanced are robots?
• Are there more advanced robots (with free will) among utalitarian robots?
• Are there automated factories?
• Are there any weapons with corrosive, electric, or fire bullets?
• Do corrosive bullets melt armor, spacesuits, bones of some creatures?
• Do electric bullets disable electrical devices? Do fire bullets burn fur and flesh?
• Do spacesuits provide any other functions besides resistance to various harms?
• Can helmets have built-in cameras?
• What is the consequence of moving at speeds close to or faster than the speed of light? Is time dilation one of them?
• Are there rogue planets?
• Will we encounter binary stars?
• Can we catch any distinctive comets?
• Will we encounter geomagnetic storms?
• How common are auroras on planets?
• Could a coronal mass ejection fry our spacecraft?
• Are there planets with diamond showers?
• Are there planets with methane lakes?
• Are creatures made of similar proteins as on Earth?
• In what forms and shapes do creatures appear?

Combat, weapons & dog fighting

• What is the most powerful ballistic weapon?
• How rare are energy weapons?
• Are there plasma weapons?
• Do the creatures have weak points that we can target for more effective kills?
• Are some creatures resistant to melee weapons?
• Can enemies be blinded by a star if we position ourselves like that?
• Will the enemies be able to engage us from behind or from the side if we are focused on one?
• Can enemy's jetpack explode?
• Can we damage their helmets?
• Will they suffocate if we damage their helmets?
• If we damage their space suit, will they freeze?
• If we shoot their oxygen tank, will they explode, will they suffocate?
• Will they help each other?
• If we kill the leader, will others ever surrender?
• Do enemies know how to sneak?
• Do we steer the ship and shoot at other ships at the same time or does the crew assist?
• Can we use electromagnetic pulses?
• Can they destroy our oxygen tank?
• Can they disable our missiles?
• Is the glass on the ship bulletproof?
• Does the electromagnetic shield automatically regenerate?
• Do we have to manually repair the ship after the fight?
• Is there an option for spacewalk?
• Can we own more than one ship?
• Can our companions drive the ship?

It’s been a long time coming and I finally have some free time to tackle some more miscellaneous things on my to-do list, so gather round everyone, we’re gonna have a little discussion today that I can link people to the next time this subject invariably comes up again.
This guide is not RSX specific besides a few references to specific parts and can be applied as a general overview of how brakes work. This subject just bothers me particularly so because of how rampant the obsession with BBKs are in the DC5 “scene.” The TL-S Brembo “upgrade” is by far and away the worst offender, and I’m shocked that the need to butcher the knuckle, rotor, caliper bracket, and the caliper itself just to make it fit isn’t enough of a red flag for people.
Whether you’re looking to improve daily stopping performance or chase lap times, hopefully this little guide can give you a better idea of what you should be pursuing.
TL;DR at the end.

So you want to stop harder, huh?

Contrary to popular belief, larger calipers and larger rotors (i.e. big brake kits) do not increase stopping power and thus do not decrease stopping distance. We’re going to be breaking things down (zing) to some very basic levels here, so bear with me.
In physics, all the brakes on a car do is use friction to turn kinetic energy (momentum) into heat. Stopping harder is merely a factor of how quickly it does exactly that. If you’re keen on fuel economy, this is also why braking at all is, by definition, waste (so stop tailgating). It’s also why locking up the tires is terrible for stopping distance and why we have ABS.
If your tires lock up, the car’s braking system is already stopping the car as hard it can—too hard, in fact. It means the friction coefficient between the brake pad and rotor is greater than that of the tire and the road. ABS pumps the brakes rapidly for you so that the rotor and tire can continue to rotate, turning kinetic energy into heat. Otherwise, when the tires are locked, the only thing trying to stop you is your tires, acting as pencil erasers against the ground. It also means your tires are useless to turn the car as they’re just dragging along the road.
If you feel like learning more, Engineering Explained has a great video on why ABS is an absolute good, and why you should shame anyone that deletes ABS thinking it “feels better.” Threshold braking is practically impossible in the real world. ABS means that you’ve exceeded your maximum stopping force available, and is a tool to help keep you as close to it as possible.
The conclusion here is that, surprise! The stock brakes on your car are already stronger than they need to be. The original calipers and rotors will easily lock up the tires if you slam on the brakes; they literally cannot stop you any harder. If you want to increase stopping power, the operative variable here is firstly tires. Sticker rubber provides greater grip against the ground so that the tire friction is not overwhelmed by the braking force applied by the car.
For anyone not chasing lap times, feel free to skip to the end. The chief takeaway is that the OEM brakes are more than adequate already.

So what pads should I get?

If your tire selection is limited by weather or use case, there are some “OEM+” pads that offer better initial bite and feel. With ABS, you may still see an improvement in stopping distance, but remember that the limiting factor with brakes is almost always tires.

• For regular street use, any parts-store pad will work fine. Look for low noise, low dust. Akebono is the OE-supplier for Honda, and anything from Powerstop, Brembo, or Centric will do you just fine.
  
• For an OEM+ pad with a little more bite and heat resistance, Hawk HPS is my go-to because it's so readily available, but EBC Redstuff is a solid option as well. Both produce relatively low dust and are quiet, for the most part.
  
• If you're choosing an aggressive pad for track use, consider that the most aggressive pads like Hawk DTC-60 or EBC RP need to be brought up to an ideal operating temperature for maximum effectiveness. These pads have a very high metallic composition and they are high wear against rotors, very noisy, and very dusty. They are not designed for street use where brake use is comparatively sparse. Street driving does not generate the temperatures needed for these pads to work properly and as a result can be dangerous.
  
• If you're looking to do autocross or a couple of amateur track days, consider pads similar to Hawk HP+ or EBC Yellowstuff. They will still produce quite a lot of noise and dust, but provide adequate bite when cold to stop the car safely and are far more heat resistant than standard street pads. I personally run HP+ as a track pad but only swap them in for track days. They're not super fun on the street.
  

So you’re saying bigger calipers and rotors are useless? Then why do high end sports cars and race cars have giant brakes?

The primary benefit of a larger caliper with more pistons is to improve brake modulation. The stock caliper on the RSX is a single, large piston. By replacing it with a caliper with four smaller pistons, two on each side, the same amount of hydraulic pressure can be applied more evenly on a larger surface area across both pads. This allows for greater control of applied braking force.
A primary benefit of a larger rotor is heat capacity. A larger rotor is made up of more metal and thus can not only contain more heat, but also dissipate more heat through increased surface area. Excess heat of course, leads to brake fade—undesirable in any context. Rotor size will increase as vehicle weight increases, as there is more kinetic energy in a heavier car than a lighter car traveling at the same speed.
A larger caliper and larger rotor usually also mean a larger pad size, increasing the amount of braking surface area and therefore friction that the pads can apply to stop the car.

So you lied! Bigger brakes do help you stop harder!

No. Those same high performance cars are still governed by the same laws of physics that your piece of shit Honda Acura is. Now you know the benefits of having a larger caliper and rotor, and know that those cars are still limited by the rubber they roll on.
The larger and caliper also both add to unsprung and rotational weight, both of which affect vehicle dynamics much more than standard sprung weight. Things like acceleration, steering response, lateral grip, handling, and even stopping distance are all affected by unsprung weight.

So if there are other benefits to a larger caliper and rotor, why can’t I put them on my car anyway?

Because your braking performance will suffer. All cars have what’s called a brake proportioning valve after the brake master cylinder. Pretty self-explanatory name. You apply braking force via the pedal and the master cylinder, and the proportioning valve distributes hydraulic pressure to each corner of the car. The problem with big brake mods like this is a little bastard called brake bias.
The proportioning valve in your car is set to a specific ratio, based on a specific vehicle weight, a specific weight distribution, a specific friction coefficient in the front, and a specific friction coefficient in the rear. It is designed to lock up all four tires at the same time. With ABS, it means each corner of the car is stopping as hard as physically possible. Unfortunately, ABS is not smart enough to know which tire is locking up, and always engages per axle if even one tire begins to slip. What happens if you change one of those specific variables?
Yes, your larger calipers and rotors in the front can now apply more friction force than stock. One of two things can happen: 1.) the stock master cylinder and prop valve apply less pressure because of the increase in caliper size and the number of pistons—the rear brakes lock up first, which engages ABS, or 2.) the front brakes do have increased braking force and lock up first, which engages ABS. In either of these scenarios, ABS is working but only for one axle rather than two. You are no longer braking at the threshold of grip, and ABS engaging at one axle means the other cannot apply maximum braking force.
Brake bias is far more sensitive than you might think as well. Even something is little as having a different rotor type (high carbon vs. standard) from front to rear can affect brake bias significantly.
You could address all of these issues with an adjustable proportioning valve, and the larger calipers would work. It's been done before by at least a couple people I've met, but tuning brake bias is something that takes extensive testing and expertise that, quite frankly, you probably don’t have—I certainly don’t. Brake bias is something that takes professional teams and drivers entire test days to dial in. And the end result would be something you already had: a car that brakes as hard as it can. Remember that increasing caliper and rotor size does not change the fact that you’re limited by your tires.

So how can I get the benefits of calipers and rotors without having to mess with brake bias?

Easy. You get a caliper that uses the OEM pad and rotor diameter, and you get a thicker rotor.
A caliper like the OEM DC5 Type R Brembo, Spoon Monoblock, or ENDLESS Mini-6 all use the OEM rotor diameter and OEM Type S pad, meaning nothing is changed regarding friction force. You get all the benefits of a larger caliper with more pistons with none of the drawbacks of affecting brake bias. A lighter caliper will also help reduce unsprung weight.
A thicker brake rotor is ostensibly better than one that’s simply a larger diameter as the main source of cooling for a rotor is venting. Unfortunately there are not many companies out there that I know of making thicker OE-diameter rotors for DC5. They’re out there for S2000 (which uses the same diameter as RSX), but requires that the caliper be spaced out slightly further. Project Mu and AP Racing come to mind.
The Project Mu BBK is actually quite clever. It's a much larger rotor, but because it's a two-piece construction, they can increase the rotor diameter using the rotor hat but keep the pad surface area the same. Project Mu claims that you get all the benefits of a larger brake disc without affecting bias.
There is the 03-08 TSX rotor, which is slightly thicker at 300x28mm vs 300x25mm, but I have never confirmed if the rotor hat offset and bore is the same or fits an RSX.
To be frank though, the OEM rotor thickness is more than adequate for the weight of the car. A high quality blank rotor will easily handle several autocross or track days. Centric makes a cryo-treated high-carbon rotor, which is more durable and less prone to warping at high temperatures.
A slight tangent here regarding rotor selection for performance applications:

• Do not ever buy drilled rotors. At the high temperatures typical of performance driving, each hole is just a stress point that is far more likely to develop cracks. You’re paying extra money for a worse rotor. The holes also do not ventilate much heat, and you’re effectively reducing the heat capacity of the rotor by removing material. Modern pad compounds do not outgas as much as they used to, and the need to ventilate these gasses is by and large no longer a concern.
  
• Slotted rotors were also originally developed to shed gasses created by the pads, as these gasses could build pressure and prevent the pad from making full contact with the rotor. Again, this is very rarely an issue with modern pad compounds and not very relevant anymore. Slotted rotors can help with pad deglazing in the event that you overheat the pad while on track. The slots essentially help scrape any glazed material off the pad so that there is always fresh material available, but the difference in most amateur use cases is marginal.
  
• Two-piece rotors can be excellent long-term investments for performance drivers if you decide it’s within your budget (both the Project Mu and AP Racing rotors I mentioned above are two-piece designs). The rotor hat allows for slightly more cooling while being made of lightweight aluminum. They are less prone to warping because the brake disc can heat more evenly, and you can replace just the brake disc and retain the rotor hat, rather than having to replace the whole thing.
  

That all sounds too expensive. Are there any other things I can do to improve my braking?

Yes, but the following mods do not increase stopping power.
The most critical thing that seems to be overlooked is brake fluid. A good high performance brake fluid is worth its weight in gold on track. Fluid can improve brake feel far more than stainless steel brake lines, and are crucial for avoiding brake fade after long sessions.
When brake fluid overheats, it boils, releasing air into the brake lines. Like any hydraulic system, the brakes rely on there being only fluid in the lines, which doesn’t compress. Air on the other hand, does compress, which is what leads to brakes feeling spongy or going straight into the floor—the pedal is compressing air rather than applying hydraulic force. So, get your hands on some good brake fluid with a higher boiling point.

• Motul RBF660 is easy to recommend because it’s affordable and rather easy to find. It’s DOT4, meaning it’s compatible with any DOT3/DOT4 fluid you find at your local store if you’re ever in a pinch.
  
• If you feel like upgrading to some big-boy fluid, try Project Mu 335 or ENDLESS RF650. The Endless stuff is better, but also more expensive unless you’re buying direct from Japan. It’s the OE-supplied brake fluid for many Porsche, McLaren, and Mercedes AMG cars, and is used by several Porsche CUP, SuperGT, WRC, and even Formula1 teams, if that means anything to you. ATE Super 5.1 is also supposed to be great, but I haven’t tried it.
  

Unfortunately, those fluids are DOT5.1, which means they are not compatible with DOT3 or DOT4 fluid. DOT5.1 is also more likely than DOT3 or DOT4 to absorb water, which all brake fluid does naturally. Solution of water decreases the boiling temperature of the brake fluid (you'll see this on packaging as the "wet" boiling temperature), so for maximum efficacy, you would have to flush the fluid at least once or twice a year, depending on how often you see the track.
Stainless steel brake lines (sometimes called braided lines) can help improve pedal feel. The OEM brake lines at each hub are made of flexible rubber to allow for the wheel to articulate and not rip the brake line open. Rubber however, expands. This means that some hydraulic pressure is lost to the expanding rubber rather than going straight to the calipers. Stainless lines are more rigid and prevent that slight loss of hydraulic pressure, improving pedal feel. They are however, much more expensive than rubber lines, and do not always last as long.
Plenty of companies out there sell stainless lines, but they're more or less all the same. I have Project Mu lines, but there's no particular reason to go with one brand over the other. Goodrich seems to usually be the cheapest and most accessible option for most people.
Lastly, brake ducts are the most effective way to prevent brake fade and overheating, significantly more so than rotor choice. The DC5 Type R had small OEM brake ducts from the factory that take the place of optional fog lights. These kits are getting more and more rare now, and it may be more cost-effective to simply make your own out of zip-ties, large hose clamps, and dryer ducting. It’s how professional race teams do it, believe it or not.

TL;DR

Big brake kits are not just dumb, but they'll making your brakes worse if you don’t understand how they work. Get tires then pads if you want to stop harder. Calipers can help with modulation, and rotors help with heat, but neither help you brake harder. Fluid is critical for preventing brake fade, lines help with pedal feel, and ducts are still the best way to keep your brakes cool.
There's always people out there smarter than me, so if there are any corrections or additions to be made, please let me know.
Thank you for coming to my TED talk. You guys owe me like, four billable hours. For those who care, I’ll be updating the suspension post in a similar fashion as well, hopefully soon. Always happy to answer any questions.

There are quite a few mods for such a small and missile location. First we have "Believable Drumlin Diner (XBox)" which adds a small mutfruit farm, two beds inside the Diner and boards up the windows. Second is "Immersive Drumlin Diner" (my personal favourite Drumlin Diner mod) which completely overhauls the Diner and makes it look like a place people would actually live like as a minor trading post. It board's up the windows, removes the seats to make room for a small quarters to the left, and a little locked store room where you will trade with Trudy behind the counter (or Wolfgang, depending on how you complete the quest). Next is "TTP's Drumlin Diner (XBOX)" which adds two mattresses and a rest room with curtains. Finally we have "Better Drumlin Diner 2.0.0 xBox" which turns the Diner into a player home, with a small shack on the roof of the Diner, aswell as some terminals and a nearby trailer. This is to be used if you got a peaceful solution for the quest, as in the terminals and holotapes it shows how the friendship between Wolfgang and Simone improves. If you want additional NPCs there, there is a mod called "Doc Drumlin (Xbox)" which adds a doctor to the Diner, which stays friendly regardless of what side you choose for the quest. That is all, and I hope this helped you overhaul a otherwise bland and unimmersive area.