Created this alt account just to post this.. It's gonna be very long and with many grammar mistakes.. I have been in a long distance relationship with my boyfriend for more than 2 years now. It's been hard but we usually make it work and would spend a lot of time almost every evening playing video games and watching shows. I have always felt a bit more needy in the relationship.. Like I will miss him more, will be the one initiating calls more, text first most often, be the one pushing for the next meeting. Usually we meet every 2-3 months for a week, sometimes just for a weekend, usually in my country, because his family is here and I have my own flat. Meanwhile the whole relationship he was renting a room from his friends and was very against us meeting there, which was always upsetting for me because that meant that we could meet a lot less often. He has a lot of money and could have easily afforded to move out sooner, but honestly.. he was just lazy and didn't want to and would spend most of his free time playing video games.. he would talk how hard finding a place is and how hard it is to move all your things.. he would complain all the time how he didn't like living at that place, but wouldn't do anything about it.. at one point we almost broke up because I told him that I can't handle him living there and barely seeing him anymore, I told him I don't even think he will ever move out at this point..
​
But now he has finally moved to his new place and has been moving his stuff, unpacking, etc. for the last few weeks and finally finished everything today (friday).. Obviously this whole time he was quite busy with his job and moving so we weren't spending any time in the evenings, maybe at most watch one episode of some show together and go to sleep immediately after. He wasn't really texting first or calling these weeks too and I was understanding of course that he was busy and tried to not bother him too much, but I really missed him these past couple of weeks, but can't say I felt the same from him.. He did actually have a lot of free time, but besides the whole moving in, he started working out a loooot every day and also just going out in the city, going on walks, runs etc. I was actually happy and proud that he was being active, going outside and not just playing video games all day (he is actually addicted to it and that's a whole other story..), but still feeling quite lonely and hoping he will have some time to spend with me once he's finished moving in.
​
And I'm about to graduate university and have been quite busy myself these past months and actually finished my thesis recently and absolutely nailed my thesis defense (is that what's it's called in english?) this friday! Which I consider quite a big milestone for me because these past 6 years in medical school were really challening... And I was really hoping to spend some time today with my boyfriend, celebrate a bit, you know? But honestly I have been feeling like he's not even that interested in my life, like he barely asks any questions about what's going on in my life.. He was actually the only close person of mine that didn't know about this whole thesis defense.. I would mention I have a big thing coming up this friday and he wouldn't ask anything about it, didn't wish me luck, didn't ask me how it went last night, etc.. Anyway, I called him during the day on friday, asked about his plans for the day, he told me he's actually about to finish moving in and talked about some exciting new show he wants to watch with me and got me all hyped up like we are going to watch it today.. I told him I'm gonna be free today and just be resting after my thesis defense and once he's free and want to do something together to let me know..
​
Well I haven't heard from him the rest of the day and at about 11 in the evening I got a text from him that an aquantaince is coming over and they are going to go to the city, which is really unusual for him.. I call and ask him what's going on. He told me he's been texting with this aquantaince all day and he (the friend) just got back from a fishing trip and is very tired, but is still coming over?? I asked if they're going to go to a bar or club and he said something about not being in a party mood and they are probably going to just walk/sit in some park/forest.. at 11 in the evening? I actually got a bit upset and cried.. I told him how he didn't find any time for me these past couple weeks and didn't even text or call me, but found time to do this and text his friend all day and I said I was waiting for him to watch that show and I missed him so much.. but we quickly talked it out and I wished him a fun time. At first I didn't question this whole thing, but then I started thinking this whole meeting with the friend in the middle of the night didn't make any sense.. and frankly can't imagine him just meeting a friend for a stroll in a park.. I didn't even sleep today because I felt like he was lying to me.. My gut was screaming that he's probably just going to a club and going to be doing drugs and drinking alcohol till the morning... but he actually didn't seem active on any social media during the whole night so I started thinking maybe he actually just met his friend briefly and went to sleep, but then he reacted to some meems I sent earlier at like 5 in the morning.. and that meant he was out this whole time.. I immediately asked what's he up to, but he just left me on read.. which happens often when he's really drunk..
​
I'm just feeling sick.. He actually (in my opinion) has a big drinking problem.. not that he drinks every day, but that once he starts drinking he can't stop.. and he becomes a very mean selfish asshole when he's drunk and just completely can't control his behavior or the things he says.. and he usually doesn't even remember the awful things he says and does to me when he gets like that.. He hurt me a looooot about half a year ago when he was high and drunk and we almost broke up then, at first I forgave him but after some months I realised that I couldn't be with a 30 yo man that can't control his drinking and I don't want to see him do drugs or drink in front of me ever again.. I was actually preparing myself to break up with him till he completely out of nowhere told me that he realised that nothing good comes out of drinking and he wants to at the very least to completely stop drinking beer.. And I gave him a chance and looked at it almost like a new beggining.. And he did really good for like half a year and our relationship got a lot better and healthier, but a few months ago someone got him some beer for his birthday and he kind of started slowly drinking again - occasionally going to bars..
​
And I'm just over it.. I don't want him to start doing drugs and drinking again.. I'm terrified of him when he's drunk (not physically, but emotionally..) and maybe that's just me, but it's a huge turn of that a man in his 30s is still spending all night in some club together with his buddy.. and a lot of his buddies are quite scummy people that cheat on their girlfriends.. and while I completely trust him sober, I don't trust him to control himself from doing something while he's super drunk.. Honestly all my family and my friends that have met him and seen how he acts while drunk hate him and want me to break up with him and I was really hyping up the fact that he stopped drinking and hoping to repair his reputation with them.. And I really love him, as stupid as that sounds, and was really hoping he could change and stop drinking.. when he's sober and we spend time together it's so so good.. I know I wrote a lot of negative things but there are lots of very good things too, but it would be too long to write everything.. I was supposed to move to him this summer after graduating and now I'm just so scared and nervous about that and don't know if I should.. I know I have to ask what happened last night, but it will end up with him being upset and angry and starting a fight and gaslighting me.. I have my final exam next week and hate that it all happened now when I really need to focus on studying.. What do I even do in this situation?

I 29M and my wife 25F have been married for only 3 years and I feel like there’s nothing between us anymore already. We met at the beach when she was vacationing in my country. She came 4 summers in a row and we stayed together 3 of them. On the last trip, I asked her to marry me and stay here forever and she said yes. (She never pressured me or brought this up, it was my idea and a total surprise) We both didn’t have much and were younger and really started to build something together here as a team. Since our careers have taken off and we are well off financially, things have changed. We always used to split everything 50/50 from bills to dates to gift amounts. It all started with gifts actually. One Christmas, she asked me for expensive lavish gifts. I thought we were on the same page. I got her everything she asked for and she got me a cheap headset for my game and it was the same one I already have. I wouldn’t be so worried about cost if the price difference wasn’t so massive. It’s also because I feel like she didn’t put any thought into it at all. This continued for the next birthday and Christmas also, same situation. I’ve learned my lesson for the next upcoming birthdays and Christmas. Sometime last year, she was crying and told me she’s been really depressed because she doesn’t feel like a princess. She said she is tired of splitting everything and a man should take care of his woman and a woman should not have to spend her money. I flat out asked her, “so you want your money to be your money and my money to be your money?” And she said, “yes”. I was beside myself and it turned into a long conversation about how I want to live, build, and grow together and that way of living is not realistic. Her response was that, “that is how people in my country live”. For context, she makes $15,000 a year more than me, but it puts her in a higher tax bracket so our take home is pretty equal, but hers is slightly more. We don’t share finances at all as she’s completely against it. I have no idea how much money she has and she has no idea how much money I have. All bills are in my name and she just pays me half each month. I feel that I’m pretty chill and never complain about anything. She always seems to have an issue with me every day and I almost hate being home for fear that I did something wrong. She said she doesn’t want to help clean anymore because it’s dirty and woman shouldn’t have to do it. I said, “if you don’t want to pay for anything and don’t want to help clean, then what are you doing for us?” And she said “you have me and nobody else does” and “I cook for you all the time”. This is true, she cooks all the time. But, she only cooks what she likes and will just make me a plate of the extras while she’s at it. I don’t really like the food that she makes and she says, “if you don’t like it, then just make your own food”. I sometimes wish she would think “my husband likes this so I will make it for him” but it is only what she likes. She will not split grocery bills unless we only buy ingredients for the food she likes. We’re about to move and she wants to get rid of all my stuff and wants me to buy all new stuff so our new place will have “atmosphere” instead of just being full of hand-me-down stuff. I’m sort of ok with that because we could use some new stuff. We commute to work together as we work in the same city (where we’re moving) but when we get home, we go our separate ways and hardly talk. She constantly speaks over me when we’re in company and always corrects me and makes me feel so small. If I’m telling a story about how someone won $4000, she’ll say, “actually it was $3,900 you’re always exaggerating” even my family pulled me aside and asked why she doesn’t ever let me just talk and relax. I feel like she is taking all my masculinity and I feel so small. We haven’t had sex in 6 months and we’ve had sex 2 times in the past year. I feel like she is always nagging me and when I try to talk to her about these feelings I’ve mentioned here that I don’t feel loved or cared about, she says I’m killing her good day. I suggested marriage counseling and she said she will only do it if I pay for it, which makes me feel like she doesn’t care at all. When I think about things ending, I’m really only afraid that she will take my dog at this point. What do I do? I want things to be better but I’m so lost. I’m rambling now so…
TL;DR
No love felt. Wife doesn’t want to pay for anything anymore, no sex life, I feel like she wants to sap me of money while she builds wealth. I feel like she doesn’t respect or care about me or my feelings. I feel small, no masculinity. My family has taken notice. Embarrassed. Wife doesn’t want help unless I set it up and pay for it. I just want to be happy and I feel like she just wants a tool put on this earth to make her happy.

College Indian kid looking for fun but I also want to build real life connections I’m not a big texter I’d rather do sum fun like go karting, art museum, or pottery. Down to text to exchange pics and get to know each other a lil better before meeting. Yes I’m real lol and yes we need to FaceTime before we meet. 420 friendly located near sugar land hmu dms open.
More about me- love to travel, go to the beach, fishing, go karting, arcades anything fun lmao. Btw I’m straight forward so u don’t have to act fake if u don’t fw me jus say that it’s wtv idc

New Music Friday is the weekly thread dedicated to cataloging all the Album/EP releases that came out this week, including non-subreddit relevant releases. This is also a great place to discuss these albums, or bring to attention other albums released this week.

❓ "this seems intriguing after a cursory look"
⭐ "im interested in this for one reason or another"
❤️ "ive been waiting for weeks, months/i'm absolutely in love with this"

June 2nd

⭐ Protomartyr - Formal Growth in the Desert
Label: Domino
Genre: Post-Punk, Art Punk, Gothic Rock
Beach Fossils - Bunny
Label: Bayonet
Genre: Indie Pop, Jangle Pop, Dream Pop
❓ Bully - Lucky for You
Label: Sub Pop
Genre: Indie Rock, Noise Pop, Post-Grunge
⭐ Pupil Slicer - Blossom
Label: Prosthetic
Genre: Mathcore, Post-Hardcore, Blackgaze
Body Type - Expired Candy
Label: n/a
Genre: Indie Rock, Post-Punk
❓ KNOWER - KNOWER FOREVER
Label: n/a
Genre: Jazz-Funk, Synth Funk, Art Pop
RVG - Brain Worms
Label: Fire
Genre: Indie Rock, Jangle Pop
Baxter Dury - I Thought I Was Better Than You
Label: Heavenly
Genre: Art Pop, Indie Pop, UK Hip Hop
Ben Folds - What Matters Most
Label: New West
Genre: Piano Rock, Pop Rock, Singer-songwriter
Jake Shears (ex-Scissor Sisters) - Last Man Dancing
Label: Mute
Genre: Pop, Pop Rock
Lanterns On The Lake - Versions Of Us
Label: Bella Union
Genre: Dream Pop, Chamber Pop, Indie Pop
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Council Skies
Label: n/a
Genre: Post-Britpop, Chamber Pop, Post-Punk Revival
FRANKIIE - Between Dreams
Label: Paper Bag
Genre: Indie Pop
Generationals - Heatherhead
Label: Polyvinyl
Genre: Indie Pop, Bedroom Pop, Electropop
Anthony Naples - orbs
Label: ANS
Genre: Ambient Techno, Downtempo, Neo-Psychedelia
Purr - Who Is Afraid Of Blue?
Label: ANTI-
Genre: Psychedelic Pop, Indie Pop
❓ Half Moon Run - Salt
Label: BMG
Genre: Indie Rock, Indie Folk, Folk Rock
Sam Blasucci - Off My Stars
Label: Innovative Leisure
Genre: Indie Pop, Singer-songwriter
❓ Gorgeous - Sapsucker
Label: n/a
Genre: Experimental Rock
Vulfmon - Vulfnik
Label: Vulf
Genre: Pop Soul, Jazz-Funk
Gula Blend - Allt har hänt
Label: Rama Lama
Genre: Surf Rock, Garage Punk
Gal Pal - This and Other Gestures
Label: Youth Riot
Genre: Indie Rock, Alternative Rock
❓ Lost Under Heaven - Something is Announced By Your Life!
Label: n/a
Genre: Art Pop, Indietronica
De Staat - Red / Yellow / Blue
Label: n/a
Genre: Alternative Rock, Dance-Punk
The Aquadolls - Charmed
Label: Enci
Genre: Surf Rock, Indie Surf, Indie Rock
Rancid - Tomorrow Never Comes
Label: Epitaph
Genre: Punk Rock
**Kildas - No Harmony
Label: n/a
Genre: Progressive Rock, Jazz-Rock
WITCH - Zango
Label: Partisan
Genre: Zamrock, Acid Rock
Louise Post - Sleepwalker
Label: n/a
Genre: Indie Rock, Indie Pop
⭐ Tigercub - The Perfume of Decay
Label: Loosegroove
Genre: Alternative Rock, Stoner Rock, Garage Rock
Sorry Girls - Bravo!
Label: Arbutus
Genre: Pop Rock
McKinley Dixon - Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!?
Label: City Slang
Genre: Jazz Rap, Conscious Hip Hop, Neo-Soul
❓ DZ Deathrays - R.I.F.F.
Label: n/a
Genre: Alternative Rock, Garage Rock Revival
Ben Harper - WIDE OPEN LIGHT
Label: Chrysalis
Genre: Singer-songwriter, Folk Rock
OLTH - every day is sOmeOne's speciaL day
Label: n/a
Genre: Screamo, Metalcore, Emoviolence
MILLY - The Freed Milly (EP)
Label: n/a
Genre: Shoegaze, Indie Rock, Noise Pop
❓ Public Phone School - Public Phone School
Label: n/a
Genre: Noise Rock, Powerviolence, Synth Punk
Kiltro - Underbelly
Label: n/a
Genre: Psychedelic Folk, Indie Folk, Latin Alternative
Speakers Corner Quartet - Further Out Than The Edge
Label: n/a
Genre: Jazz
Brandt Brauer Frick - Multi Faith Prayer Room
Label: Because
Genre: Minimal Techno, IDM, Electroacoustic, Nu Jazz
The Stools - R U Saved?
Label: Feel It
Genre: Punk Rock, Garage Rock
❓ Levyosn - Levyosn's Lullaby
Label: Borscht Beat
Genre: Folksong, Acoustic, Klezmer
Wire Crimes - The Impermanence of Things (EP)
Label: n/a
Genre: Indie
Jelly Kelly - Warm Water (EP)
Label: n/a
Genre: Pop Punk, Indie Rock
Monika Linkyte - HEALING
Label: n/a
Genre: Pop Soul, Adult Contemporary
Trixie Mattel - Looking Good, Feeling Gorgeous (EP)
Label: n/a
Genre: Dance-Pop, Nu-Disco
Stray Kids - 5-STAR
Label: JYP
Genre: K-Pop, Trap, Pop Rap
CIL - Tears Dry On Their Own (EP)
Label: n/a
Genre: Pop
Big Time Rush - Another Life
Label: n/a
Genre: Pop, Dance-Pop
Elettra Lamborghini - Elettraton
Label: Island
Genre: Reggaetón
Sophie Ellis-Bextor - HANA
Label: Douglas Valentine
Genre: Pop Rock, Synthpop, Alternative Rock
The Aces - I've Loved You For So Long
Label: Red Bull
Genre: Pop Rock, New Wave
Dj Smokey - Nuked Out Dance Party
Label: n/a
Genre: Instrumental Hip Hop, Trap, Experimental Hip Hop
DaBoii & The Mekanix - Soakin Game
Label: n/a
Genre: West Coast Hip Hop, Gangsta Rap, Detroit Trap
J Billz & Pi'erre Bourne - Streetz Hottest Young'n
Label: n/a
Genre: Trap
Moneybagg Yo - Hard to Love
Label: Cocaine
Genre: Southern Hip Hop, Trap, Pop Rap
Metro Boomin - METRO BOOMIN PRESENTS SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE (SOUNDTRACK FROM AND INSPIRED BY THE MOTION PICTURE)
Label: n/a
Genre: Film Soundtrack, Trap, Pop Rap
❓ Ghais Guevara - Goyard Comin': Exordium
Label: n/a
Genre: Hardcore Hip Hop, East Coast Hip Hop, Experimental Hip Hop
⭐ Avenged Sevenfold - Life is But A Dream...
Label: Warner
Genre: Avant-Garde Metal, Progressive Metal, Metal Metal Metal Metal
Bongzilla - Dab City
Label: Heavy Psych
Genre: Stoner Doom Jams
❓ Girls Under Glass - Backdraft
Label: n/a
Genre: Gothic Rock, Industrial Rock, EBM
Omnium Gatherum - Slasher (EP)
Label: Century Media
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
⭐ Rival Sons - DARKFIGHTER
Label: Atlantic
Genre: Hard Rock, Blues Rock
BURNT SKULL - Daylight Mutilation
Label: n/a
Genre: Noise Rock
❓ IUSA - ABANDON
Label: n/a
Genre: Blackened Sludge, Post-Metal
Einar Solberg - 16
Label: InsideOut
Genre: Symphonic Rock, Progressive Rock, Art Pop
Foo Fighters - But Here We Are
Label: Roswell
Genre: Alternative Rock, Power Pop, Shoegaze
❓ Messiahvore - TRANSVERSE
Label: n/a
Genre: Stoner Metal
Red Cain - Nae'Bliss
Label: n/a
Genre: Progressive Metal, Alternative Metal
Risin Sabotage - MACABRE
Label: Interstellar Space
Genre: Psychedelic Rock
Saint Karloff - Paleolithic War Crimes
Label: n/a
Genre: Stoner Metal
To Descend - Mindless Birth (EP)
Label: HPGD
Genre: Horror Pain Gore Death Metal
⭐ Unfurl - Ascension
Label: n/a
Genre: Sludge Metal, Mathcore, Dissonant Hell
Wytch Hazel - IV: Sacrament
Label: n/a
Genre: Heavy Metal, Hard Rock

May 26th

Sparks - The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte
Label: Island
Genre: Art Pop, Synthpop, Progressive Pop
Miya Folick - ROACH
Label: Nettwerk
Genre: Indie Pop, Alt-Pop
❓ Water From Your Eyes - Everyone's Crushed
Label: Matador
Genre: Experimental Rock, Art Pop, Post-Industrial, Dance-Punk
Kevin Morby - More Photographs (A Continuum)
Label: Dead Oceans
Genre: Folk Rock, Singer-songwriter, Indie Folk
Arlo Parks - My Soft Machine
Label: Transgressive
Genre: Bedroom Pop, Alt-Pop
Saya Gray - QWERTY (EP)
Label: Dirty Hit
Genre: Psychedelic Folk, Indie Folk
Bayonne - Temporary Time
Label: Rough Trade
Genre: Indietronica, Indie Pop, Ambient Pop
Gia Margaret - Romantic Piano
Label: Jagjaguwar
Genre: Ambient, Field Recordings
Shirley Collins - Archangel Hill
Label: Domino
Genre: English Folk Music, Traditional Folk Music
Boy & Bear - Boy & Bear
Label: n/a
Genre: Folk Rock, Indie Rock, Indie Folk
❤️ Phoxjaw - notverynicecream
Label: Hassle
Genre: Alternative Rock, Post-Hardcore, Noise Rock, Alternative Metal
❓ Stuck - Freak Frequency
Label: Born Yesterday
Genre: Post-Punk, Art Punk, Post-Hardcore
The Orielles - The Goyt Method (EP)
Label: Heavenly
Genre: Space Age Pop Drones
AJJ - Disposable Everything
Label: Hopeless
Genre: Indie Rock, Indie Folk, Chamber Pop, Anti-Folk
⭐ Clark - Sus Dog
Label: Throttle
Genre: Art Pop, Electronic, Ambient Pop, Progressive Electronic
Demob Happy - Divine Machines
Label: Liberator
Genre: Alternative Rock, Indie Rock
Panic Pocket - Mad Half Hour
Label: Skep Wax
Genre: Indie Rock, Power Pop
❓ Stimmerman - Undertaking
Label: n/a
Genre: Art Rock, Noise Grunge
❓ Miranda and the Beat - Miranda and the Beat
Label: Ernest Jenning Record Co.
Genre: 60's garage rock/soul
Yuksek - Dance'O'Drome
Label: Partyfine
Genre: Nu-Disco, Balearic Beat, Dance-Pop
Miss España - Niebla Mental
Label: n/a
Genre: new-nowave, punky synthwave, riot grrrl
⭐ Victory Over The Sun - Dance You Monster To My Soft Song!
Label: n/a
Genre: Black Metal, Avant-Garde Metal, Progressive Metal
Jacuzzi Boys - Glue (EP)
Label: n/a
Genre: Garage Rock, Indie Rock
❓ Twin Princess - Blood Moon
Label: n/a
Genre: Alternative Pop, Doom Country, Indie Rock
Moon Blue - The Moonlight Disco (EP)
Label: 777
Genre: Indie Pop, Lo-Fi Indie
The Dandy Warhols - The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald (EP)
Label: n/a
Genre: Neo-Psychedelia, Post-Rock, Ambient Pop
Radiator Hospital - Can't Make Any Promises
Label: n/a
Genre: Indie Rock, Power Pop
quickly, quickly - Easy Listening (EP)
Label: Ghostly
Genre: Jazz Fusion, Neo-Soul
Nate Schieble - plume
Label: n/a
Genre: Ambient
M. Sage - Paradise Crick
Label: Rvng
Genre: Ambient, ECM Style Jazz, Progressive Electronic
Divine Sweater - Down Deep (A Nautical Apocalypse)
Label: Better Company
Genre: Indie Pop, Sophisti-Pop, Chamber Pop
Chris Staples - Cloud Souvenirs
Label: n/a
Genre: Indie Folk, Singer-songwriter
Kassi Valazza - Kassi Valazza Knows Nothing
Label: Fluff & Gravy
Genre: Americana, Singer-songwriter, Progressive Country
RF Shannon - Red Swan in Palmetto
Label: Keeled Scales
Genre: Neo-Psychedelia, Americana
sophie meiers - shine__space
Label: Epitaph
Genre: Bedroom Pop, Alternative R&B
Crucchi Gang - Fellini
Label: Universal
Genre: Indie Pop
The Dirty Nil - Free Rein To Passions
Label: Dine Alone
Genre: Pop Punk, Garage Punk
Daniel Blumberg - GUT
Label: Mute
Genre: Singer-songwriter, Experimental, Art Rock
Daði Freyr - I'm Still Making An Album 2/3
Label: AWAL
Genre: Funktronica, Dance-Pop, Synthpop
Dev Lemons - Delusional (EP)
Label: n/a
Genre: Alt-Pop, Indietronica, Bedroom Pop
⭐ JAAW - SUPERCLUSTER
Label: Svart
Genre: Industrial Metal, Noise Rock, Psychedelic Rock
Westelaken - I am Steaming Mushrooms
Label: n/a
Genre: Indie Rock, Alt-Country
Marco Mengoni - MATERIA (PRISMA)
Label: Epic
Genre: Pop, Adult Contemporary, Pop Rock
Matchbox Twenty - Where The Light Goes
Label: Atlantic
Genre: Pop Rock
Tia Kofi - Pride. Power. Pop. (EP)
Label: n/a
Genre: Dance-Pop
PRETTYMUCH - This Thing Called Love
Label: n/a
Genre: Boy Band, Electropop, Contemporary R&B
Lauren Jauregui - In Between (EP)
Label: n/a
Genre: Pop Soul, Contemporary R&B
Kari Faux - REAL B*TCHES DON'T DIE!
Label: drink sum wtr
Genre: West Coast Hip Hop, Trap, Alternative R&B, Neo-Soul
Monaleo - Where The Flowers Don't Die
Label: n/a
Genre: Southern Hip Hop, Contemporary R&B, Trap
Loïc Nottet - Addictocrate
Label: Sony
Genre: French Pop
Ethereal - Heat Death 4
Label: n/a
Genre: Atmospheric Drum and Bass, Downtempo
Manu Manzo - Luna En Geminis
Label: n/a
Genre: Pop, R&B
Cruz Cafuné - Me Muevo Con Dios
Label: n/a
Genre: Trap, Contemporary R&B
Hunxho - 4 Days in LA
Label: 300
Genre: Trap
Portraits of Tracy - Drive Home
Label: n/a
Genre: Pop Rap, Alternative R&B, Art Pop
Khamari - A Brief Nirvana
Label: n/a
Genre: Pop
Dom Corleo - On My Own
Label: n/a
Genre: Trap, West Coast Hip Hop, Rage
Lil’ Keke - 25 Summers
Label: n/a
Genre: Southern Hip Hop, Gangsta Rap
Cochise - NO ONE'S NICE TO ME (EP)
Label: Columbia
Genre: Trap, Southern Hip Hop
Jay Worthy & Roc Marciano - Nothing Bigger Than The Program
Label: Marci
Genre: Jazz Rap, Gangsta Rap
Lil Durk - Almost Healed
Label: Alamo
Genre: Trap, Gangsta Rap, Pop Rap
$uicideboy$ - YIN YANG TAPES: Winter Season (1989-1990) (EP)
Label: G*59
Genre: Southern Hip Hop, Memphis Rap
❓ Heart Attack Man - Freak of Nature
Label: n/a
Genre: Alternative Rock, Pop Punk
Immortal - War Against All
Label: Nuclear Blast
Genre: Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal
Kostnatění - Úpal
Label: Willowtip
Genre: Black Metal, Avant-Garde Metal, Anatolian Rock
Metal Church - Congregation of Annihilation
Label: Rat Pak
Genre: US Power Metal, Thrash Metal
Vomitory - All Heads Are Gonna Roll
Label: Metal Blade
Genre: Death Metal
Cenobite - Torment Your Flesh and Explore the Limits of Experience
Label: n/a
Genre: Death Metal
The Foreshadowing - Forsaken Songs (EP)
Label: n/a
Genre: Doom Metal, Gothic Metal
In Tears - Stars Caught Tonight
Label: n/a
Genre: Blackgaze, Depressive Black Metal
⭐ Teitan - In Oculus Abyss
Label: Void Wanderer
Genre: Black Metal, Avant-Garde Metal, Psychedelic Rock
Mesarthim - Arrival
Label: n/a
Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal, Space Ambient
❓ The Mon - EYE
Label: n/a
Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Drone
Oceanlord - Kingdom Cold
Label: n/a
Genre: Stoner Rock, Doom Metal
❓ Ockra - Gratitude
Label: Argonauta
Genre: Doom Metal
Speedwhore - Visions of a Parallel World
Label: Dying Victims
Genre: Thrash Metal, Speed Metal
❓ Seven Impale - SUMMIT
Label: Karisma
Genre: Progressive Rock, Avant-Prog

So let's start off with this.
I originally lived in the city, at a beach. Few years later we move to a small town in the USA. years later, we moved to the middle of nowhere, literally. The nearest town is 35 minutes away and it's small. I'm home schooled and have no social life at all. I'll be getting my license soon hopefully, but even then I won't be allowed to drive anywhere.
All I do with my life is study. No socializing or anything, my parents are happy with the remote life style, but I hate it. It's gotten so bad I can't sleep anymore, loss of appetite and everything. We hardly travel anywhere, and until I get a job in a town next year I expect things to get much worse for me. I don't know how to cope because I feel terrible, my only 'escape' is studying because I know it's going towards my future (I'm going into medicine and enrolling into EMT school next year)
I tried talking about it with my parents, at first they were understanding, and since then they completely dropped the idea of it. I don't know what to do and everyday I feel worse. I still belong in the city and I plan on moving there once I range of age. For now, how do I cope, please help

We recently went to a Family gathering, and my fiancé's uncle said he had been wanting to go fishing with my fiance, but if it was OK with me, and if he had my permission to go. His father had a similar convo with me and i was very confused and told them he doesn't need my permission to do that stuff and I was thinking about it all day until I confronted my fiance. Well, it turns out my fiancé has been using me as an excuse to not visit his family or go out. He told me that he didn't want to go out because his uncle wanted to spend the night with him at the beach so he used me as an excuse so that he had a reason not to go. I told him it's not fair to portray me in that way when I'm not that type of person and that he should know that affects how his family thinks of me. He started to change his idea by saying he wasn't sure if it was OK with me. Never in our relationship has he been invited to a situation like this, so l've never said no. He has gone out with his friends before and i have encouraged him to invite them to poker nights and whatnot so I really didn't know where this is coming from. I know he had used me as an excuse to not play online with his friends when he didnt want to so his friends dont get mad at him but I didn't realize he was telling his whole family that I was a Ball and Chain basically not allowing him to do what he wanted. I'm not really sure what to do. I tried to talk with him about how that makes me feel and how he is portraying me in a bad light but he got angry and kept walking away when i talked to him, not letting me finish my sentences. I'm not sure how to get through to him that it is not OK to lie about me like that and I had previously told him to stop doing that with his friends as well but now I find out that he's doing it with his family. I don't understand his reasoning either as to why he thinks this is ok
Tldr: Bf says i dont allow him to do things with his family/friends so he gets out of hanging out with them

• 112 Operator
• 911 Operator
• Aarklash: Legacy
• Agent in Depth
• Alchemist's Castle
• Aliens vs. Predator Collection (includes Aliens vs. Predator + Aliens vs Predator Swarm Map Pack + Aliens vs Predator: Bug Hunt Pack) (may keep)
• Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs + Amnesia: The Dark Descent
• Among Us
• Arcade Spirits
• Armello
• Army Men RTS
• Assault Suit Leynos
• Backbone
• Battlecruisers
• Beat Hazard 2
• Behold the Kickmen
• Between the Stars
• Bezier
• Bionic Commando
• Bionic Commando Rearmed
• Blade Assault
• Blood And Zombies
• Brawlout
• Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons
• [email protected]
• Builder Simulator
• Calico
• Call of Juarez Gunslinger
• Cats in Time
• Chicka Wars Chicken Meat
• CivCity: Rome
• Click and Slay
• Concept Destruction
• Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?!
• Corridor Z
• Cosmic Express
• Cosmonautica
• Crayon Physics Deluxe (may keep)
• CROSSBOW: Bloodnight
• Dagon - The Eldritch Box DLC
• Darksburg
• Dead Age
• Dear Esther: Landmark Edition
• Death Squared
• Demon Turf
• Detached: Non-VR Edition
• Disciples: Liberation (may keep)
• Double Cross
• Doughlings: Arcade
• Doughlings: Invasion
• Draw Slasher
• Drawful 2
• Driftland: The Magic Revival
• Due Process
• EarthX
• EDGE OF ETERNITY (may keep)
• El Hijo
• Eldest Souls
• Emily is Away <3
• Encased
• Epic Chef
• Expand
• Fallout
• Farmer's Dynasty
• Farming Simulator 17
• Firegirl: Hack 'n Splash Rescue
• First Class Trouble
• Five Dates
• Fling to the Finish
• Forged Battalion
• Fortissimo FA INTL Ver
• Founders' Fortune
• Frick, Inc.
• Full Throttle Remastered
• Fun with Ragdolls: The Game
• GameGuru Classic
• Garfield Kart - Furious Racing
• Go Home Dinosaurs!
• Going Under
• GOLDEN LIGHT
• Golf Gang
• Guilty Gear X2 #Reload
• Guns & Fishes
• Guts and Glory
• Hack 'n' Slash + Soundtrack (& Spacebase GIFT)
• _ + Hack 'n' Slash_
• _ + Hack 'n' Slash Soundtrack_
• _ + Spacebase GIFT_
• Halcyon 6: Lightspeed Edition
• Harmony's Odyssey
• Heart Fragment - Book Two: Belief Fragments (Shannon & Lana)
• Helheim Hassle
• Hellbound
• HERO'S HOUR (may keep)
• Hexologic
• Hidden & Dangerous 2: Courage Under Fire
• Hidden & Dangerous: Action Pack
• Hokko Life
• Holy Potatoes! A Spy Story?!
• How to Sing to Open Your Heart
• Hydrophobia: Prophecy
• Hyper Gunsport
• I’m not a Monster
• In Sound Mind
• INDUSTRIA
• Internet Cafe Simulator
• Interplanetary: Enhanced Edition
• Into the Pit
• Iris and the giant
• Iron Danger
• Izmir: An Independence Simulator
• Joggernauts
• JYDGE
• Killsquad
• Knights of Pen and Paper +1
• Labirinto 2
• Last Word
• Lawn Mowing Simulator
• Legend of Keepers
• LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
• Leisure Suit Larry - Wet Dreams Don't Dry
• Let Them Come
• Lighthouse Keeper
• Little Orpheus
• Lust for Darkness
• Lust from Beyond: M Edition
• Maid of Sker
• Mainlining
• Mekabolt
• Meow Express
• MirrorMoon EP
• Monaco
• Monster Prom 2: Monster Camp
• Moon Hunters
• Morbid: The Seven Acolytes
• Motorcycle Mechanic Simulator 2021
• Must Dash Amigos
• My Time At Portia
• N++
• NecroWorm
• NeuroVoider
• Neverinth
• Neverout
• Nongunz: Doppelganger Edition
• Non-Stop Raiders
• Of Orcs And Men
• Operation Tango
• Orbital Racer
• Othercide
• Out of Reach: Treasure Royale
• Override
• Overture
• Paradise Lost
• Partial Control
• Pathfinders: Memories
• Pathway
• PAYDAY 2
• Peaky Blinders: Mastermind
• PGA TOUR 2K21 (may keep)
• Pilgrims
• Pill Baby
• Pixplode
• Pixross
• Planet TD
• PlataGO!
• Plebby Quest: The Crusades
• Popup Dungeon
• Post Void
• PowerBeatsVR
• Project Chemistry
• Project Nimbus: Complete Edition
• Propagation VR - Co-op
• Proteus
• Pumped BMX +
• Quadrata
• Radio Commander
• Railroad Corporation
• Railroad Tycoon 2: Platinum
• Railroad Tycoon 3
• Raji: An Ancient Epic
• Rebel Galaxy
• Rebound Dodgeball Evolved
• Re-Legion
• Remnants of Naezith
• Resident Evil Revelations (may keep)
• Resident Evil Revelations 2
• Revita
• RIOT - Civil Unrest
• Roarr! Jurassic Edition
• Roboquest
• Rogue Heroes: Ruins of Tasos
• ROGUE LORDS (may keep)
• RPG Maker VX
• Rustler
• Rym 9000

Sakura Alien
Sakura Dungeon
Sakura - Forest Girls set
- Sakura Forest Girls
- Sakura Forest Girls 2
- Sakura Forest Girls 3
Sakura knight set
- Sakura Knight
- Sakura Knight 2
- Sakura Knight 3
Sakura MMO set
- Sakura MMO
- Sakura MMO 2
- Sakura MMO 3
- Sakura MMO Extra
Sakura succubus set
- Sakura Succubus
- Sakura Succubus 2
- Sakura Succubus 3
- Sakura Succubus 4
- Sakura Succubus 5
- Sakura Succubus 6
Sakura Swim Club

• Save Room - Organization Puzzle
• Say No! More
• ScourgeBringer
• SEUM: Speedrunners from Hell
• Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun - Aiko's Choice
• Shady Part of Me
• shapez - Puzzle DLC
• Shing!
• Sid Meier's Railroads!
• Siege Survival: Gloria Victis
• Skullgirls 2nd Encore
• Slinger VR
• Smile For Me
• Sorcerer King: Rivals
• Soul Searching
• Soulblight
• Space Crew: Legendary Edition
• Spellcaster University (may keep)
• Spirit Hunter: Death Mark
• Stacking
• STAR WARS Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
• STAR WARS: Knights of the Old Republic
• Starpoint Gemini Warlords
• Stick Fight: The Game
• stikir
• Stirring Abyss
• Strange Brigade
• Strider
• Stygian: Reign of the Old Ones
• Sunlight
• Super Chicken Catchers
• Super Magbot
• Surviving the Aftermath (may keep)
• Sword Legacy Omen
• SYMMETRY
• System Shock 2
• System Shock: Enhanced Edition
• TaniNani
• Telefrag VR
• The Amazing American Circus
• The Beast Inside
• The Deed II
• The Golf Club 2019 Featuring PGA TOUR
• The Inner World
• The Invisible Hand
• The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante (may keep)
• The Next Penelope
• The Serpent Rogue
• The USB Stick Found in the Grass
• This War of Mine: Complete Edition (may keep)
• Ticket to Ride
• ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove
• Tools Up!
• Tooth and Tail
• Townsmen - A Kingdom Rebuilt
• Traffic Jams
• Train Station Renovation
• Treasure Hunter Simulator
• Turmoil
• Underland: The Climb
• UnMetal
• Vanishing Realms
• War for the Overworld
• Warhammer 40,000: Gladius - Relics of War
• WARSAW
• Where the Water Tastes Like Wine
• White Noise 2
• Windjammers 2
• Worms Rumble
• WRC 7
• WWE 2K BATTLEGROUNDS
• XCOM 2
• X-COM: Complete Pack (including X-COM: UFO Defense + X-COM: Apocalypse + X-COM: Enforcer + X-COM: Interceptor + X-COM: Terror from the Deep)
• XEL
• X-Morph: Defense Complete Pack (including X-Morph: Defense + X-Morph: Defense - European Assault + X-Morph: Defense - Survival Of The Fittest + X-Morph: Defense - Last Bastion)
• Yoku's Island Express
• Zombie Driver HD Complete Edition (including + Zombie Driver HD + Zombie Driver HD Apocalypse Pack + Zombie Driver HD Burning Garden of Slaughter + Zombie Driver HD Tropical Race Rage + Zombie Driver HD Brutal Car Skins + Zombie Driver HD Soundtrack)
• ΔV: Rings of Saturn

​
DOOM 64 (Bethesda.net)
Command & Conquer Remastered Collection (ORIGIN key)
Liberated (GOG key)
STAR WARS: Squadrons (Origin)
Wanderlust Travel Stories (GOG key)
Dishonored 2 (GOG)
​
Software

• Ashampoo Photo Optimizer 7
• GameMaker Studio 2 Creator 12 Months
• Music Maker EDM Edition
• Pathfinder Second Edition Core Rulebook and Starfinder Core Rulebook
• PDF-Suite
• Polygon Farm, Polygon City, and Polygon Prototype

GameDev.tv

• Complete Unity 3D Developer

Zenva Academy

• Intro to Game Development with Unity

#########################################################

Region is NA

​
My REPs: 202 successful trades, 0 dispute.

• 112 Operator
• 911 Operator
• Aarklash: Legacy
• Agent in Depth
• Alchemist's Castle
• Aliens vs. Predator Collection (includes Aliens vs. Predator + Aliens vs Predator Swarm Map Pack + Aliens vs Predator: Bug Hunt Pack) (may keep)
• Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs + Amnesia: The Dark Descent
• Among Us
• Arcade Spirits
• Armello
• Army Men RTS
• Assault Suit Leynos
• Backbone
• Battlecruisers
• Beat Hazard 2
• Behold the Kickmen
• Between the Stars
• Bezier
• Bionic Commando
• Bionic Commando Rearmed
• Blade Assault
• Blood And Zombies
• Brawlout
• Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons
• [email protected]
• Builder Simulator
• Calico
• Call of Juarez Gunslinger
• Cats in Time
• Chicka Wars Chicken Meat
• CivCity: Rome
• Click and Slay
• Concept Destruction
• Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?!
• Corridor Z
• Cosmic Express
• Cosmonautica
• Crayon Physics Deluxe (may keep)
• CROSSBOW: Bloodnight
• Dagon - The Eldritch Box DLC
• Darksburg
• Dead Age
• Dear Esther: Landmark Edition
• Death Squared
• Demon Turf
• Detached: Non-VR Edition
• Disciples: Liberation (may keep)
• Double Cross
• Doughlings: Arcade
• Doughlings: Invasion
• Draw Slasher
• Drawful 2
• Driftland: The Magic Revival
• Due Process
• EarthX
• EDGE OF ETERNITY (may keep)
• El Hijo
• Eldest Souls
• Emily is Away <3
• Encased
• Epic Chef
• Expand
• Fallout
• Farmer's Dynasty
• Farming Simulator 17
• Firegirl: Hack 'n Splash Rescue
• First Class Trouble
• Five Dates
• Fling to the Finish
• Forged Battalion
• Fortissimo FA INTL Ver
• Founders' Fortune
• Frick, Inc.
• Full Throttle Remastered
• Fun with Ragdolls: The Game
• GameGuru Classic
• Garfield Kart - Furious Racing
• Go Home Dinosaurs!
• Going Under
• GOLDEN LIGHT
• Golf Gang
• Guilty Gear X2 #Reload
• Guns & Fishes
• Guts and Glory
• Hack 'n' Slash + Soundtrack (& Spacebase GIFT)
• _ + Hack 'n' Slash_
• _ + Hack 'n' Slash Soundtrack_
• _ + Spacebase GIFT_
• Halcyon 6: Lightspeed Edition
• Harmony's Odyssey
• Heart Fragment - Book Two: Belief Fragments (Shannon & Lana)
• Helheim Hassle
• Hellbound
• HERO'S HOUR (may keep)
• Hexologic
• Hidden & Dangerous 2: Courage Under Fire
• Hidden & Dangerous: Action Pack
• Hokko Life
• Holy Potatoes! A Spy Story?!
• How to Sing to Open Your Heart
• Hydrophobia: Prophecy
• Hyper Gunsport
• I’m not a Monster
• In Sound Mind
• INDUSTRIA
• Internet Cafe Simulator
• Interplanetary: Enhanced Edition
• Into the Pit
• Iris and the giant
• Iron Danger
• Izmir: An Independence Simulator
• Joggernauts
• JYDGE
• Killsquad
• Knights of Pen and Paper +1
• Labirinto 2
• Last Word
• Lawn Mowing Simulator
• Legend of Keepers
• LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
• Leisure Suit Larry - Wet Dreams Don't Dry
• Let Them Come
• Lighthouse Keeper
• Little Orpheus
• Lust for Darkness
• Lust from Beyond: M Edition
• Maid of Sker
• Mainlining
• Mekabolt
• Meow Express
• MirrorMoon EP
• Monaco
• Monster Prom 2: Monster Camp
• Moon Hunters
• Morbid: The Seven Acolytes
• Motorcycle Mechanic Simulator 2021
• Must Dash Amigos
• My Time At Portia
• N++
• NecroWorm
• NeuroVoider
• Neverinth
• Neverout
• Nongunz: Doppelganger Edition
• Non-Stop Raiders
• Of Orcs And Men
• Operation Tango
• Orbital Racer
• Othercide
• Out of Reach: Treasure Royale
• Override
• Overture
• Paradise Lost
• Partial Control
• Pathfinders: Memories
• Pathway
• PAYDAY 2
• Peaky Blinders: Mastermind
• PGA TOUR 2K21 (may keep)
• Pilgrims
• Pill Baby
• Pixplode
• Pixross
• Planet TD
• PlataGO!
• Plebby Quest: The Crusades
• Popup Dungeon
• Post Void
• PowerBeatsVR
• Project Chemistry
• Project Nimbus: Complete Edition
• Propagation VR - Co-op
• Proteus
• Pumped BMX +
• Quadrata
• Radio Commander
• Railroad Corporation
• Railroad Tycoon 2: Platinum
• Railroad Tycoon 3
• Raji: An Ancient Epic
• Rebel Galaxy
• Rebound Dodgeball Evolved
• Re-Legion
• Remnants of Naezith
• Resident Evil Revelations (may keep)
• Resident Evil Revelations 2
• Revita
• RIOT - Civil Unrest
• Roarr! Jurassic Edition
• Roboquest
• Rogue Heroes: Ruins of Tasos
• ROGUE LORDS (may keep)
• RPG Maker VX
• Rustler
• Rym 9000

Sakura Alien
Sakura Dungeon
Sakura - Forest Girls set
- Sakura Forest Girls
- Sakura Forest Girls 2
- Sakura Forest Girls 3
Sakura knight set
- Sakura Knight
- Sakura Knight 2
- Sakura Knight 3
Sakura MMO set
- Sakura MMO
- Sakura MMO 2
- Sakura MMO 3
- Sakura MMO Extra
Sakura succubus set
- Sakura Succubus
- Sakura Succubus 2
- Sakura Succubus 3
- Sakura Succubus 4
- Sakura Succubus 5
- Sakura Succubus 6
Sakura Swim Club

• Save Room - Organization Puzzle
• Say No! More
• ScourgeBringer
• SEUM: Speedrunners from Hell
• Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun - Aiko's Choice
• Shady Part of Me
• shapez - Puzzle DLC
• Shing!
• Sid Meier's Railroads!
• Siege Survival: Gloria Victis
• Skullgirls 2nd Encore
• Slinger VR
• Smile For Me
• Sorcerer King: Rivals
• Soul Searching
• Soulblight
• Space Crew: Legendary Edition
• Spellcaster University (may keep)
• Spirit Hunter: Death Mark
• Stacking
• STAR WARS Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
• STAR WARS: Knights of the Old Republic
• Starpoint Gemini Warlords
• Stick Fight: The Game
• stikir
• Stirring Abyss
• Strange Brigade
• Strider
• Stygian: Reign of the Old Ones
• Sunlight
• Super Chicken Catchers
• Super Magbot
• Surviving the Aftermath (may keep)
• Sword Legacy Omen
• SYMMETRY
• System Shock 2
• System Shock: Enhanced Edition
• TaniNani
• Telefrag VR
• The Amazing American Circus
• The Beast Inside
• The Deed II
• The Golf Club 2019 Featuring PGA TOUR
• The Inner World
• The Invisible Hand
• The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante (may keep)
• The Next Penelope
• The Serpent Rogue
• The USB Stick Found in the Grass
• This War of Mine: Complete Edition (may keep)
• Ticket to Ride
• ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove
• Tools Up!
• Tooth and Tail
• Townsmen - A Kingdom Rebuilt
• Traffic Jams
• Train Station Renovation
• Treasure Hunter Simulator
• Turmoil
• Underland: The Climb
• UnMetal
• Vanishing Realms
• War for the Overworld
• Warhammer 40,000: Gladius - Relics of War
• WARSAW
• Where the Water Tastes Like Wine
• White Noise 2
• Windjammers 2
• Worms Rumble
• WRC 7
• WWE 2K BATTLEGROUNDS
• XCOM 2
• X-COM: Complete Pack (including X-COM: UFO Defense + X-COM: Apocalypse + X-COM: Enforcer + X-COM: Interceptor + X-COM: Terror from the Deep)
• XEL
• X-Morph: Defense Complete Pack (including X-Morph: Defense + X-Morph: Defense - European Assault + X-Morph: Defense - Survival Of The Fittest + X-Morph: Defense - Last Bastion)
• Yoku's Island Express
• Zombie Driver HD Complete Edition (including + Zombie Driver HD + Zombie Driver HD Apocalypse Pack + Zombie Driver HD Burning Garden of Slaughter + Zombie Driver HD Tropical Race Rage + Zombie Driver HD Brutal Car Skins + Zombie Driver HD Soundtrack)
• ΔV: Rings of Saturn

​
DOOM 64 (Bethesda.net)
Command & Conquer Remastered Collection (ORIGIN key)
Liberated (GOG key)
STAR WARS: Squadrons (Origin)
Wanderlust Travel Stories (GOG key)
Dishonored 2 (GOG)
​
Software

• Ashampoo Photo Optimizer 7
• GameMaker Studio 2 Creator 12 Months
• Music Maker EDM Edition
• Pathfinder Second Edition Core Rulebook and Starfinder Core Rulebook
• PDF-Suite
• Polygon Farm, Polygon City, and Polygon Prototype

GameDev.tv

• Complete Unity 3D Developer

Zenva Academy

• Intro to Game Development with Unity

#########################################################

Region is NA

​
My REPs: 202 successful trades, 0 dispute.

--- Table of Contents ---
Summer 4986, 15 Akamoth
Shaloon left the Firewyrm with the journeymen, tired and literally drained but smiling since she was allowed to help them feed and clean the animal specimens. Before continuing down the hall, the Archmage turned back to the small stable. She sighed as the Firewyrm hissed at one of the specimens for crowding too close to the bucket of meat she was dishing out to them. She was like a mother chastising over-eager toddlers. Shaloon’s lips curled in a sneer, her words slipping out in a growl of mixed languages, “Appropriate. Might as well be, her samples allowed for their evolution…”
“Archmage?” Journeyman Brom looked up from bottling the Firewyrm's blood. Fool, he would know all the words she'd said… But what sentence structure had she used? She couldn’t remember and hadn’t noticed. She walked away, having been talking to herself anyway.
She walked up the spiral stairs to the larger labs on the ground floor, the laughter of the Firewyrm ringing in her ears. Perhaps mother wasn’t the right word. The girl didn’t see them as children but as something else… “toys,” treasures.
She didn’t bother to knock before entering one of two main labs on the ground floor, and Morndancer didn’t bother to look up from his book, “We need purer samples.” she stated, leaning on the doorframe and crossing her arms to look down on him in the sunken room.
Morndancer snorted, “And where do you expect to find them? We have the Firewyrm.”
Shaloon growled, not looking forward to having this argument again. “She is tainted. Her samples mix on a molecular level, and the spell that changed her…”
“She is our greatest success!” Morndancer slammed his book closed, turning wide, mad, eyes on Shaloon, “You don’t think I tried to make something pure? Something complete? Do you have any idea how many priceless samples and artifacts we wasted before creating something that could actually survive? They are the closest things we have to true-”
“And yet, instead of focusing on replicating them, we waste our time trying to breed the beast out of animals!” Shaloon shouted then cursed, pushing roughly off the door frame, “I have sent to the central Talon and requested pure samples. They will be here in a month.”
“A month…” Morndancer mouthed, then his face twisted, “You sent for them over a season ago and are just now telling me? Why not cut your way there yourself if you are that eager to split our efforts?”
Shaloon turned her nose up at that. She had been transferred here, to this frozen backwater Talon, because she was one of the few Archmages able to cut a hole through space and teleport through the outer planes. She had allowed the transfer because she'd wanted to experiment with this man. What a disappointment. He'd been the greatest mind in the central Talon, making the most substantial progress seen since the extinction. But he refused to continue that line of study, and was now starting to ignore the last fifteen years of experiments here.
“You won’t even let me use the wyvern. It’s been cloistered away in caves for the last two and a half years while you ramble about gods and Chosen…”
“I saw one, Shaloon!” he shouted, jumping to his feet and knocking his book to the ground. Shaloon gasped, rushing down the steps for the book. Picking it up, she held the priceless tome to her chest as if cradling a crying child. “The Talons must shift their focus,” Morndancer paced around the room in circles, talking more to himself than to her, “If there is one, then there will be more. The wyrms gave them the power to reach across the planes. They will be the key. The children will create their own brood…”
Reverently Shaloon placed the book back on its pedestal and turned for the door. Morndancer had finally tipped over the edge. It was the inevitable fate of anyone who exposed their minds to the type of magic they studied. And he had reached deeper than any other. The human mind wasn't meant to converse with the forces that granted their power. She would fall too, eventually.
“But until then…” she turned back to the pacing Archmage, “The samples will be here in a month, escorted by Journeyman Karlo,”
Morndancer finally looked up, "Karlo will never advance past Journeyman, He's halfway to the Outerplains already."
Shaloon smirked, "Aren't we all?" and left the lab.
***
Veon-Zih cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders while he stood in line at the docks. Waiting patiently to present his papers to the guard signing off on the passengers disembarking from Oane. A second guard passed him, heading for a wagon to inspect the goods. The enlisted men looked tense, going through the papers and goods with more focus and efficiency than they usually would, A Paladin officer hovering over them, his hands clasped tightly behind his back and silver armor gleaming in the sun.
Veon-Zih smiled at the Paladin, handing his papers to the enlisted but speaking with the knight, “As much as I appreciate your inspired diligence, Sir, this would go so much faster if you didn’t have them checking and double-checking each signature three times over.”
“Proper procedure is key in keeping us safe, Mr…” he trailed off, looking toward the soldier who flipped to the front of the Monk's massive book to show his name, “Vee… ohn… Zee… ha?”
Close enough, “That it is good Sir. Carry on.” there was no point in arguing with Paladins over proper procedures. Even when it hampered efficiency.
Behind him, the wagon driver shifted nervously as the soldier began asking questions while perusing his trade logs. “I, um… Mr. Karlo?” Veon-Zih glanced over his shoulder as the driver stuttered. The portly man breathed an audible sigh of relief as a second man hopped from the wagon and addressed the soldier. This man was tall, or at least appeared to be, with his head stretched high and back held too stiff, his long straight robe seemed to give his slender body further length. But strangest was how he moved, in snaps and jerks, his head twitching back and forth as he spoke in a whisper to the guard.
“That’s not at all suspicious…” Veon-Zih muttered, taking his papers back from his own soldier and stepping out of the way of the line. Those who had gone before him had already disappeared into the port city, and those behind moved forward to take his place, passing the wagon to reach the free guard.
The driver had the unmistakable look of a merchant, with pouches lining his belt and his guild's badge displayed on his left breast. He should've crossed the straight to Clearhelm many times over as an apprentice before going solo. And yet, he'd stuttered nervously and deferred to his passenger, who was clearly not of the Merchants Guild. Most likely a Mage based on his robe's lack of a religious emblem.
Veon-Zih narrowed his eyes at the strange man as he passed over his papers. The book was nearly as thick as his own, though it bulged with the thickness. Either the Mage hadn’t updated the cover despite the increased pages or…
Veon-Zih cleared his throat, getting the Paladin’s attention, and gestured with his chin towards the wagon. The Paladin looked him over for a moment, his brow furrowed, then glanced towards the wagon. He had no reason to trust Veon-Zih but Paladins were not ordinary soldiers. If there was reason to worry, Hengist would urge him to look for the signs.
The guard shifted his weight just enough to turn his back to the Paladin before opening the book. Veon-Zih sighed, watching the man move. He wasn’t just turning pages. His arm pulled too far back rather than to the side. Most likely slipping something into his coat. The Paladin might not have been able to see, but he'd already caught the scent that something wasn’t right here and started forward, placing his hand on the guard’s shoulder.
“Everything seems to be in order, Sir…” the guard had a superb poker face, a sure sign he'd taken bribes before. He handed the Mage back his papers and turned to wave the wagon on.
Veon-Zih stepped forward just as the Paladin held out his hand to stop the driver. “Headed for the Mages Guild, perhaps?” Veon-Zih asked curiously, trying to sound innocent.
The Mage twitched violently, turning stunning purple eyes on Veon-Zih, “Yes. Very important samples…” he spoke slowly, as if he needed to consider each word before saying them out loud.
“Then why not take a gate?” Veon-Zih chuckled, “I’ve been across this fine kingdom of Daanlan many times over, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a wagon carrying Mage goods…” he tapped his own impressive book of papers against his leg, demonstrating his experiential authority on the matter. “What about you, Sir Knight?” he asked the Paladin, ceding control back to the Temple representative.
“Your papers,” the Paladin ordered, holding his hand out for the Mage's book. The Mage nearly vibrated with the speed of his twitching. The driver blanched but swallowed, keeping silent. Though it was his wagon. The Mage handed over his papers again, but then the Paladin added an order to the soldier, “Open the crates.”
The Mage’s eyes bulged, as the soldier he'd bribed moved towards the cart. Veon-Zih and the Mage both stared as the guard climbed into the wagon, opening the nearest crate without removing it. He nodded at the contents then closed the crate again. He had definitely accepted smuggling bribes before.
“Hold, good man…” Veon-Zih called. The guard glared at Veon-Zih, and the Monk grinned. If looks could kill…
“Sir.” the guard said indignantly to the Paladin as though the knight should be offended that Veon-Zih had inserted himself into this business. The Paladin, however, just frowned, waving the man down and nodding to Veon-Zih. Something in the knight's gut insisted that the Monk was to be trusted, and Veon-Zih’s grin widened as he approached the wagon.
Digging past some bottles labeled "griffin blood", he found what was making the driver so nervous, “Scales… dragon scale.” a nearly impossible-to-find, and highly restricted, magical component. Their owners having gone extinct millennia ago.
The Paladin growled, “All of you will come with me. Now.” he snapped the papers closed, shoving them under his arm and turning on his heel towards the Temple.
The Mage hissed like a snake, his arms coming up and black fire shooting from his splayed fingers toward the Paladin’s back. Veon-Zih grabbed the side of the wagon, swinging around it and sliding along the ground, he kicked the Mage's feet out from under him. The Mage tumbled backward, his fire barely licking the Paladin’s blue cape before going out.
The Paladin turned, reaching for his sword, but the Mage had blinked, disappearing before he hit the ground and reappearing ten feet away. “Damn magic users…” Veon-Zih jumped to his feet as the Mage began to chant, his arms becoming wreathed in shadow.
The guard who had inspected Veon-Zih’s papers drew his short sword and started for the Mage. A good man. Stupid. But his heart was in the right place.
Tentacles sprouted from where the Mage’s arms had been, twitching and writhing with the same jerky movements of the man himself. Veon-Zih sprinted forward, trying to close the distance and distract from the guard.
The Mage attacked, sending one tentacle out to strike Veon-Zih, who ducked, throwing his arm up to deflect the living whip. It shouldn’t have hurt this much. Veon-Zih blocked the pain, rolling forward. He needed to get to striking distance before…
The guard screamed, flailing his sword and cutting right through the second tentacle. As if made of smoke, the tentacle broke and reformed behind the swing, smacking the guard solidly on the head. The guard’s helmet flew off, and he dropped to the ground, clutching the side of his face. The skin between his fingers was black and blistering with red pustules.
Veon-Zih reached the Mage, striking up at the man’s chest as he stood, smacking him with the palm of his hand and knocking the wind from his lungs and spell from his lips. Lifting his foot high into the air, Veon-Zih slammed his heel down on the Mage's shoulder, sending him crumbling to the ground.
The Mage hit the stone hard, some of the cobbles breaking loose and flying into the air. His tentacled arms continued to writhe, whipping back and forth behind Veon-Zih, attacking the prone guard again as if on their own.
The Mage laughed. Giggled like a young child, his head lolling to the side, eyes staring at nothing.
Veon-Zih was forced to dodge a tentacle again, this time careful not to touch it. His arm still stung where it had burned through his clothes to reach his skin. Veon-Zih gauged the power needed to knock the man out without killing him. The Temple would want to question him. His fist hadn’t yet hit when the Mage screamed and thrashed. Veon-Zih turned to see the Paladin, sword drawn and glowing with a brilliant blue-white light, standing between the Mage's tentacles and his fallen guard. On the ground at his feet, twitched the end of one tentacle before dissolving into smoke.
The second tentacle whipped forward, thrusting like a spike to stab the knight. But the Paladin calmly cut through it, channeling the divine power of Hengist through his sword to split the tentacle down the middle. The Mage screamed again, then went quiet as Veon-Zih bopped him soundly on the base of his skull.
***
Shaloon burst through the door to Morndancer’s private rooms. The magical door made of starry night slammed into the wall and rattled the mirror across the way. “Something’s wrong.”
“Of course something is wrong,” Morndancer said absently, scratching the chin of the otherworldly pseudodragon draped over his wardrobe, “The world is being reborn, and all we can do is watch.”
“No.” she didn’t have time for his new nihilism, “Journeyman Karlo, we need to find him.”
Morndancer, for once, didn’t argue. He moved to the mirror, placing one hand in the center and holding his other out to Shaloon. She fished in her robes, pulling out a small jar, and upended it into his palm. A piece of flesh flopped into the Archmage's palm, and he closed his fingers around it, chanting softly.
The image in the mirror wavered out from his fingers as if made of water, and when it calmed again, they saw two men on its surface. A Paladin and an old man in lowly peasant garb with a shaved head. “It’s him…” Shaloon whispered.
Morndancer was more focused on the Paladin, “He’s been captured. What do they know…”
The Paladin held his helm under his arm and seemed to be watching them as he surveyed Karlo. “That was like no arcane magic I’ve ever seen before, Master Veh-oan-Zith. What kind of Mage casts spells like that?”
The Monk’s lip twitched in the merest hint of a smile, but it disappeared a moment later when he covered his chin with his hand, stroking it in thought. “The Warlock kind good Sir…”
“That’s enough,” Shaloon said with a sigh. Morndancer nodded, opening his hand and holding the lump of flesh out to her. Her shoulders slumped for a moment, another researcher lost… She draped her fingers loosely over Karlo's flesh and, with a word, set it alight with black flame.
***
“A Warlock, Master Monk? In Clearhelm?” the Paladin sounded horrified. Veon-Zih wished the knight would try and say his name again, just to add a little bit of levity to the solemn moment.
“I’m afraid so. This will be the third time I've faced one, and their magic is not one you forget,” Veon-Zih answered.
The twitchy Warlock was restrained in the center of the room, eyes open but mind far away. It appalled the Paladin how easily the man had almost gotten away with smuggling into his province, doubly so now that he knew the nature of the man’s magic. “He will be questioned thoroughly. Would you like to be present when-”
The Warlock screamed, struggling against his bonds. The Paladin reached for his sword and Veon-Zih dropped into a fighting stance but both had to shield their eyes a moment later as the Warlock burst into black flames from the inside. His eyes shriveled and burned, the flames licking out the sockets and catching his hair alight as his mouth continued to scream forth black fire.
The Paladin recovered enough to begin chanting some kind of healing or disenchanting spell but not fast enough. In mere seconds, the Warlock’s arms fell free from their bonds as they dissolved into ash, followed a moment later by the rest of his body. Leaving only the scorched chair, loose chains, and a pile of ash where once the man had been.
***
“We don’t know how much they learned,” Morndancer stated, turning accusing eyes on Shaloon.
Shaloon looked away, “They won’t find us.”
“You’re right.” Morndancer turned his back on her, “We are leaving. Make the arrangements.”
***
“They're still here then…” General Rasnah stood, looking out the window of her office towards the setting sun, clasping her wrists behind her back.
It had taken Veon-Zih a few weeks to reach Smilnda from the port city of Gehdran, though Rasnah had received the report of the Warlock incident much sooner, the same day in fact, through the Mages Guild mirrors. “Any new information?” Veon-Zih asked, moving to stand beside her. He'd returned to visit Shon in Hamerfoss, but would delay if necessary.
“No,” Rasnah sighed, “I've sent word to my counterparts in Oane and to the kingdom, we are trying to trace the man’s papers and cargo, but it will take time. They've covered their tracks well, probably have been for years.”
“At least thirty…” Veon-Zih muttered, turning away from the window and Rasnah. He took the seat in front of her desk with a road-weary sigh. “Why is it, my dear Rasnah, that you must tease me so?” he asked playfully.
Rasnah managed a laugh, “What?”
“Almost every time I come to Smilnda, something exciting seems to be brewing and then,” he snapped his fingers, “gone. We haven’t heard anything of these Warlocks for over five years, and just when I start to give up hope, bam, wyvern! I don’t suppose you killed it while I was away?”
Rasnah snorted another little laugh, finally turning away from the sunset and taking her seat behind her desk, “Please don’t remind me of the wyvern. It's been two years with no sightings, and Daunas still hasn’t stopped asking to hunt it with every report.”
“Does he want to avenge his father that badly?”
“How is it vengeance when Mung killed that one himself?”
“I wouldn’t think someone Daunas’s age would still be seeking glory…” Veon-Zih stroked his chin in thought, “He’s not much better than you 'retired' lot.”
Rasnah leaned back in her chair, lacing her fingers together, and finally gave him a real smile, “He works harder now than he ever did on the road. Us too, truth be told…”
“If you’re trying to convince me to join you again, you’re doing a very poor job of it,” Veon-Zih said, returning her smile. He didn’t want to return her mind to the serious issue at hand, but her’s wasn’t the only mind it was plaguing, “Now we have more Warlocks… possibly the same group. Are they going to disappear again? How many years before Smildna decides to dangle a true adventure under my nose once more?”
“Perhaps it’s a sign, my old, old... ooold friend. Perhaps these are adventures for the next generation.”
“Pah,” Veon-Zih waved that idea down as fast as he could, “I would rather not leave a mess for those coming behind. Besides, they aren’t ready.”
“They get closer every day, V. Don’t blink. As soon as you do, Shon will be Oath Sworn and off to hunt wyverns and Warlocks of his very own.”
Veon-Zih leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, “How’s he doing, Rasnah?” It had been a year and a half since Shon had transferred to Hamerfoss for training. Veon-Zih had tried to visit at least once a season, and the jumps in his skills seemed outstanding. Yet something still nagged at the back of Veon-Zih's mind. Was he still disappointed the boy hadn’t chosen the Monk path?
“You’re headed there next, see for yourself,” Rasnah answered shortly, though she also pulled a drawer open.
“Humor me,” Veon-Zih said, but she already was. She didn’t even have to look for the folder, showing him clearly she'd been ready for this very conversation. Before they'd been distracted by internally combusting Warlocks.
She didn’t pass over the file, such breaches of privacy were strictly against protocols, but she did leaf through it herself. “He gets top marks in combat, particularly with ambidextrous weapons and anything that requires finesse over brute strength. His lecture grades are also high, though he struggles with decorum and etiquette. His armor scores are honestly abysmal. Though I’m not sure the blame for that lies with him…” still facing the paper, she glared up at Veon-Zih with just her eyes.
“Well…” Veon-Zih rubbed the back of his neck under that accusatory stare, “He won’t have a problem if ambushed in the bath…”
That got another little snort of laughter out of the Paladin, who closed the file, “If you want anything more personal, you'll have to ask him yourself.”
Veon-Zih nodded. He just hoped Shon had made at least a few real friends since his last visit.
***
"How?" Veon-Zih gaped open-mouthed at Shon while the other Squires tried to stifle their snickers around him, “How did you get injuries from dancing?!”
Shon let go of his dance partner’s hands, and the boy stuck his fingers under his arms as if to warm them from a winter chill. Weary blue eyes turned to Veon-Zih for only a moment before Shon looked away, his cheeks pink. One cheek was bandaged with a thick square of cloth taped in place. His rolled-up sleeves showed the ends of more bandages on his right arm, and he flinched as he rubbed his ribs nervously. Were those hurt too?
“Well, Squire? Answer the man…” Daunas called from a bench against the wall of the fortress courtyard. The Weaponmaster leaned back, his hands laced behind his head, legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles. He maintained that dancing was for nobles and Paladins and wasn’t the one giving this lesson. Though he'd chosen to come watch regardless.
Shon mumbled something inaudible then turned away to resume dancing. His partner shook his hands out before reaching for Shon, but Daunus called out again, “What was that, Squire? Something about you taking hits on purpose?”
Shon’s eye twitched, and the boys around him tried to smother their laughter, “I won, didn't I?!” Shon called to the Weaponmaster, who snickered. The boys stopped laughing at that. They were the ones he was defeating.
The Paladin giving the dance lesson, gasped, “Squire, push-ups. Now.” Shon saluted sharply and dropped in place to perform the punishment for his rudeness. Daunas laughed louder. “The rest of you get back to work. One two, one two, leaders, don’t let your followers take control. They had their turn earlier…”
Veon-Zih made his way to Daunas’s bench, plopping heavily down on it, “The Cleric?” Veon-Zih asked the Weaponmaster, who was still smiling, though he had closed his eyes to take in the sun while it lasted. Autumn was right around the corner.
“We told him last week they weren’t going to heal anything he could've prevented himself.” Daunas explained, “Your boy has a nasty habit of taking a non-fatal hit if it means he gets the win. Which he always does. But it’s a bad habit.”
“Stubborn…” Veon-Zih muttered, watching Shon jump back to his feet to resume the dance lesson. His partner flinched at Shon's touch but started to dance without further complaint. The boys spun in well-timed circles, some stepping on feet, others pulling a little too hard, but mostly doing well. Shon had the steps down perfectly but looked stiff, like a golem going through programming. Not really feeling the music flowing from the open box beside the teacher still giving the count.
“He’s your boy." Daunas snorted out another laugh at Veon-Zih’s expense, "Sure he’s not a blood relation?” The Monk chose to ignore the insinuation and seeing he wasn’t going to get a reaction from Veon-Zih, Daunus continued, “He really is a great fighter, but he’ll need to be better with plate if he wants to keep taking hits like that.”
“You can hardly move in plate,” Veon-Zih argued, annoyed. Daunas just shrugged, so Veon-Zih leaned back with him, resting his back on the curtain wall’s cool stones, “How about everything else? Has he opened up at all?”
Daunas sighed, “In his own way. He doesn't -not- get along with anyone, and the others seem to like him well enough. But he’s quiet that one, would rather watch and listen than participate during free time, and that's assuming he's not outside practicing! He’s started helping the ones that are falling behind in combat training. It works out. He hardly uses the time he gets off anyway, and before you accuse me of taking advantage, it was his idea. I asked, and he said if they needed extra training, he might as well join them. But before you get too proud, their friendship outside the extra practice seems the same as all the others.”
So nothing had changed. Veon-Zih sighed, was there even a point in wanting Shon to make friends like a 'normal' boy? This was his normal, and if he was happy, then why encourage something different? "I suppose if it isn't harmful..." Veon-Zih whispered.
The hour bell sounded, and the Paladin closed the music box, leaving the deep rings to fill the suddenly silent air as the Squires all snapped to attention. He waited until the last bell faded before calling “Dismissed!” Almost as one, the sixteen boys sagged in relief, laughing and joking with one another as they began their first hour of free time before dinner.
Veon-Zih pushed off the wall and started for Shon. The other Squires smiled and waved or saluted greetings towards him, and he smiled and nodded in response, his feet never wavering from their path.
“Damn Shon, I swear you’ve gotten colder…” Shon’s dance partner said with a smile, rubbing his hands together. Shon just shrugged, and the boy laughed, “See you at dinner then,” before he rushed off to join some of the others heading towards the fortress proper.
Shon turned, then, spotting Veon-Zih, looked away again. Reaching him, Veon-Zih crossed his arms and arched a questioning eyebrow, waiting for the young man to look up. Shon was almost as tall as Veon-Zih now, just a few more inches, and he would overshoot his Master. That didn’t stop him from sounding small as he muttered a soft “Sorry…”
“Are you really?” Veon-Zih asked, keeping his eyebrow up.
Shon looked up, a stubborn glint in his ice-blue eyes, “They never know what to do when a blow actually lands. It ends the fights fast.”
“So you end one fight, but what about the next? Or the one after that? How many little blows do you think you can take before you fall?” Veon-Zih didn’t yell, and Shon would've heard it all from Daunas already, but it was different coming from his Master. He ran his hand through his hair, cut regulation short so not at all in his face, looking truly ashamed for the first time.
“Sorry…”
Veon-Zih sighed, taking Shon by the shoulder, “Don’t be sorry, be better.” Shon just nodded, so Veon-Zih gave him a little shake and a smile, “What about life in general? Still enjoying the military?”
Shon’s smile was as small and subtle as ever, but to Veon-Zih, it lit up his face. Shon nodded, “It’s easy and organized. I wish the Church had been so structured. As long as everyone does what they're supposed to when they're supposed to, it’s perfect.”
Veon-Zih threw his head back and laughed. By the time he looked back down, Shon was staring at him, his eyebrow arched in question. “Shon… you were born to be a Paladin.” Veon-Zih answered.
--- Table of Contents ---
Thank you for reading.

Discord Username: sketch
Character Name and House: Alyse Allyrion
Age: 23
Appearance: Alyse is a slender woman of average stature. She has olive skin and a square-shaped face with round brown eyes, framed by long, dirty blonde hair. Her vibrant Dornish dresses lend further emphasis to her heritage.
Gift: Gossiper
Skills: Deceiver(e), Espionage, Subtle(e)
Talent(s): Harping, Poetry, Singing
Starting Title(s): Spymaster of Dragonstone
Starting Location: King's Landing
Family Tree: House Allyrion of Godsgrace
Alternate Characters: Lianna Mallister
Character Name and House: Willam Wells
Age: 25
Appearance: Strong arms compensate for Willam’s thin frame and lackluster height of five-and-a-half feet. He has tan skin, dark wavy hair and a neatly stubbled jaw. His otherwise plain attire is usually paired with a colorful cloak.
Gift: Champion
Skills: Axes, Berserker, Defender
Talent(s): Fishing, Hunting, Swimming
Starting Title(s): Knight
Starting Location: King’s Landing
Family Tree: House Wells of Deep Well

Alyse Allyrion, Scion of Godsgrace

Alyse was the third of four children born to Tyene Allyrion and Morgan Vaith, a distinguished knight who perished a few years later in Dorne’s unsuccessful defense against the Iron Throne’s aggression.
For as long as she could remember, Godsgrace was always a household divided. Tyene and her twin sister, Tanselle, were rival heirs to their house’s titles; though the former had supposedly been born first, the latter was their father’s favorite.
Two stories always loomed large during Alyse’s upbringing. One was that of the fallen, who had given their lives to resist their kingdom’s conquest. The other was all she could see in those who survived: petty squabbles over the remaining scraps.
She was at least granted several years’ reprieve from the tensions at home when she was warded with her Vaith kin. When she returned to Godsgrace in her adolescence, she had little choice but to partake in the game at hand. Alyse learned to play politics at the most intimate level, doing all she could to advance her mother’s standing with her grandfather and her peers so that her line might someday succeed him.
By the time she came of age, Alyse had proven herself a reliable asset in her mother’s ambitions. She was often brought along on diplomatic visits to other lordly courts, but every new friend she made for herself earned a new enemy in exchange. It was not long before she grew tired of the turmoil at Godsgrace, and again she found refuge at Vaith.
This far healthier relationship with her paternal kin was eventually leveraged to earn herself a place at the princely court of House Martell. She at first flourished in Sunspear’s social circles, and fell into an influential faction - but her personal ambitions were still thwarted and undermined by her own kin. Her aunt Tanselle enjoyed the favor of the Martells, and was all but certain to enjoy their backing when the old lord of Godsgrace eventually passed.
Neither was Alyse optimistic about the reigning prince’s posture toward Dorne’s half-completed conquest. It became clear to her that her kingdom was now without its true leaders, and she resolved to support the last of that line. With Prince Aegon’s surprising appointment as the heir to the Iron Throne, Alyse saw potential for Dorne to enjoy liberty and a lasting peace with the Seven Kingdoms.
Alyse left for King’s Landing in 205 AC, where she offered her fealty and service to the crown prince. Her position at the royal court was at first tenuous, with one of Dorne’s greatest foes holding command over the king’s council, but she strove to ingratiate herself with anyone open to a foreigner’s friendship. Alyse’s penchant for music and poetry distinguished her as a lady of culture, and an ear for gossip helped her stay abreast of the fickle politics of the Red Keep. In the meantime, she cultivated valuable contacts in the lower streets of the city.
Almost two years after Alyse’s arrival in the Crownlands, Prince Aegon was formally installed on his seat of Dragonstone. In recognition of her talent as a rumormonger, she was elevated to serve as his spymaster. She has since set to work on expanding the reach of her eyes and ears, so that her prince might preempt any attempt to deny him his birthright.

• 184 AC: Alyse is born the third child of Tyene Allyrion and Morgan Vaith
• 187 AC: The Red War ends in Dorne’s defeat, with Alyse’s father among the fallen
• 204 AC: Alyse begins a brief and unsuccessful stint as a courtier at Sunspear
• 205 AC: Alyse leaves for King’s Landing, where she joins Aegon’s growing entourage of supporters

Willam Wells, Scion of Deep Well

Born a few years before the war with the Iron Throne, Willam Wells was raised on stories of bravery and sacrifice. His father had the good fortune of living to tell these tales, and believed it his duty to ensure that the next generation was as stalwart as the last.
Always slight in stature, Willam was pressured into a path for which he was not naturally suited. He squired for a knight of House Toland at Ghost Hill, where older and stronger boys left him with little choice but to grow thicker skin. He worked hard to prove himself better, learning to defuse his own temper with humor and humility.
By the time he came of age and earned his anointment, he had proven himself one of the most promising young knights in Dorne. Through merit alone he earned himself a place as a sworn sword at the princely court, but he found all his talents going to waste in the confines of Sunspear. The fights all around him were not the sort for which he’d trained.
Among his closest friends at Sunspear was Alyse Allyrion, who wisely elected to leave Dorne for the service of Aegon Targaryen. The next year, an increasingly restless Willam followed suit, seeking an escape from his idle routine. He did well to adapt to a crowded city in a hostile kingdom, and has since remained a reliable retainer to the crown prince.

• 182 AC: Willam is born to Arthur Wells and Dyanna Ladybright
• 194 AC: Willam is sent away to Ghost Hill to squire for a man of House Toland
• 202 AC: Willam is anointed a knight and takes up service as a sworn sword at Sunspear
• 206 AC: Following Alyse’s lead, Willam travels to King’s Landing to serve the crown prince

Supporting Characters

Ynys Allyrion (Archery)

• The youngest Allyrion sister has recently arrived at King’s Landing to impose herself at Alyse’s side, intent on sharing in the fruits of her ambitions.

Nate Sand (Swords)

• A bastard of House Ladybright, Ser Nate followed his cousin, Willam Wells, in taking up service to the Prince of Dragonstone.

The blob fish dies when it is brought to the surface because it is used to an environment with high water pressure, but lobsters and isopods can be brought to the surface and survive. So would it be possible for some sort of colossal crustacean that's capable of leveling a city to exist under the right circumstances? Just curious lol.

In the market for my first kayak - been inshore and offshore fishing for years but I’d like to hit some saltwater flats and would prefer to be more active than sitting on a boat…
I’ve read a lot of great threads here in both, watched a ton of vids, but still very back and forth. Price is close enough to be unimportant. Looking to mostly stay in little creek/pretty lake, a tributary that feeds the Chesapeake near the mouth. However would like to hit the Elizabeth River, occasional Chesapeake, other locations in Virginia Beach, and take it down to Florida when I visit my folks.
Healthy 30-something male, will get a cart, but not overly worried about launching weight wise. More focused on stability and fishability. Would like to bring my 3yo if staying close to the house as he loves to fish. Would still like to occasionally break out the paddle for some exercise and adventure.
Between the two, the recon seems to be the better choice, but the showdown just looks better and more stable. Anyone been on both or can offer a more informed opinion? TIA

My elderly aunt + uncle from South America are flying Air Canada, YWG/YYZ, arriving around midnight. They then have a connection the following day on Copa (also terminal 1, I believe) YYZ to Panama City at 9 AM.
Is the Sheraton hotel the closest hotel to Terminal 1? I would like to book them into a hotel so they can rest for a couple of hours before catching their plane the next morning. As they are elderly + do not speak or read English, I want to find the simplest hotel to get them to.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I’d heard the legends all my life: the siren song that called sailors to their deaths, a voice so beautiful they were compelled to seek its source. I thought it an old wives’ tale, something to keep us children from wandering too far along the beach.
I was a girl when I heard it, gangly and freckled and shy with it. The sea was my haven, where there were no boys to pinch me, or other girls to whisper behind my back. I could watch the tide for hours, curled on a sun-warmed stone.
The sun was sinking in a glory of fire when it drifted on the wind: a girl’s voice, soft and sad, singing in an unfamiliar tongue.
The sound drew me like a moth to aflame. Before I knew it, I was running, the surf filling my footprints behind me.
She lay at the base of a rocky cliff, her hair like tangled seaweed, her scales like sea glass. Her eyes were dark pools as she looked at me, her gaze so forlorn it broke my heart.
She was so lost, so lonely. She held out her arms to me, and I entered their circle, desperate to comfort her. When she pressed her cold lips against my own, I didn’t pull away—only opened my mouth to her questing tongue, noting the salty taste of her—like ocean spray. Like tears.
Then she bit down, fangs sinking into my tongue. Before I could even scream, she pulled with an ungodly strength.
I would’ve bled to death if it wasn’t for the fishermen. The siren was long gone by then, and I was insensible, nearly drowning in my own blood.
I do not visit the beach anymore. I cannot bear it. But when the wind blows from the west, it brings with it the scent of salt and a haunting song in a familiar voice.
A voice I will never use again.

Is this the best dry bag for fishing trips, beach … usually going to Rockies, the southern coast