I found, loved and have enjoyed using a shortcut that adds items to my shopping/grocery list via a barcode scan from this sub. The original shortcut is located in a thread here.
After managing to break both my installs and my cloud backup of Data Jar simultaneously I've designed an Updated version of this shortcut that uses only the iCloud Drive file system and the internal shortcut dictionary commands, The shortcut is a fork of the original version in this thread, meaning it outputs a reminder to a list the user chooses at setup.
Sorry for the Notes app folks but I don't work with that much right now, I'm just glad I got this version working!

Welcome to Polyhedra - a growing community of nerds and ttrpg enthusiasts, just like you!
Fridays @ 7 p.m. Eastern
THE MAZE OF LIFE
Chult is a land of mystery and opportunity. Sweltering jungles, twisting rivers and volcanic mountains make traversal difficult, while predatory animals, lurking undead and territorial tribes make simply surviving no easy task.
Deep within the sprawling jungles lie the forgotten ruins of ancient cities, testaments to the time before the Chultan people were abandoned by their god. Now these ruins are claimed by villains who seek to wreak havoc across not only Chult, but the entire world…
Interested? Check out our Website or Schedule a Chat!
__________________________________
WHAT WE OFFER __________________________________
We are a team of ten gamemasters who run 25+ paid campaigns for our 180+ community members. Over the past year, we built an inclusive community of respectful players and talented gamemasters to provide a reliable game experience for everyone.
Why Paid Campaigns?
We love free games! Nothing, including our games, is better than sitting around a table with your friends playing a TTRPG. That said, for those of us who face life stressors, lack friends interested in the hobby, have odd work schedules, etc. Polyhedra is the perfect answer.
What do virtual tabletop games look like?
Feel free to check out DM David's ( nadriancox ) streaming games on YouTube and Twitch.
__________________________________
[CONTACT](mailto:[email protected]) __________________________________
For more information and specific questions, please either visit our website or send a message via Discord to DM David (Nadrian#9820) or Jason (a_unicorn_person#6909). You can also reach out through reddit here: nadriancox for David or at a_unicorn_person for Jason.
__________________________________
GAME DETAILS __________________________________
6 Player virtual tabletop.

• 3-4 hours of gameplay per session.
• Player’s Choice for character creation: Pointbuy, Roll 4d6 drop lowest, or standard array.
• Private, tier 3 boosted Discord server with voice and video (by DM) - players only need a working microphone and headset.
• Individualized creation chats with each player (available beginning now and through the first session of the campaign) where we will handcraft your PC's origins, background, and campaign-shaping plot points. NO CHARGE
• Class, Feats, Backgrounds from any official sourcebooks and Unearthed Arcana. Homebrew dependent on DM permission.

__________________________________
CODE OF CONDUCT __________________________________

• By becoming part of the community server, and my games, you agree to abide by the rules delineated therein.
• Be respectful of other players and myself at all times, even between sessions.
• All people are welcome, regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, minority status, language skill, etc.
• This game is for players of 18 years of age or older.
• Payment of the game fee guarantees a seat for the scheduled game that week. Payment is due the Monday before a session is scheduled. No refunds, unless specifically agreed upon by the DM.
• No streaming of the session without express consent. Violation may result in a kick and ban from Polyhedra games, and possible legal liability.
• Polyhedra reserves the right to screen, add, remove, or otherwise "manage" players in the game for whatever reason, but will automatically remove any player who upon warning continues to violate the terms of the CoC.

Welcome to Polyhedra - a growing community of nerds and ttrpg enthusiasts, just like you!
Fridays @ 7 p.m. Eastern
THE MAZE OF LIFE
Chult is a land of mystery and opportunity. Sweltering jungles, twisting rivers and volcanic mountains make traversal difficult, while predatory animals, lurking undead and territorial tribes make simply surviving no easy task.
Deep within the sprawling jungles lie the forgotten ruins of ancient cities, testaments to the time before the Chultan people were abandoned by their god. Now these ruins are claimed by villains who seek to wreak havoc across not only Chult, but the entire world…
Interested? Check out our Website or Schedule a Chat!
__________________________________
WHAT WE OFFER __________________________________
We are a team of ten gamemasters who run 25+ paid campaigns for our 180+ community members. Over the past year, we built an inclusive community of respectful players and talented gamemasters to provide a reliable game experience for everyone.
Why Paid Campaigns?
We love free games! Nothing, including our games, is better than sitting around a table with your friends playing a TTRPG. That said, for those of us who face life stressors, lack friends interested in the hobby, have odd work schedules, etc. Polyhedra is the perfect answer.
What do virtual tabletop games look like?
Feel free to check out DM David's ( nadriancox ) streaming games on YouTube and Twitch.
__________________________________
[CONTACT](mailto:[email protected]) __________________________________
For more information and specific questions, please either visit our website or send a message via Discord to DM David (Nadrian#9820) or Jason (a_unicorn_person#6909). You can also reach out through reddit here: nadriancox for David or at a_unicorn_person for Jason.
__________________________________
GAME DETAILS __________________________________
6 Player virtual tabletop.

• 3-4 hours of gameplay per session.
• Player’s Choice for character creation: Pointbuy, Roll 4d6 drop lowest, or standard array.
• Private, tier 3 boosted Discord server with voice and video (by DM) - players only need a working microphone and headset.
• Individualized creation chats with each player (available beginning now and through the first session of the campaign) where we will handcraft your PC's origins, background, and campaign-shaping plot points. NO CHARGE
• Class, Feats, Backgrounds from any official sourcebooks and Unearthed Arcana. Homebrew dependent on DM permission.

__________________________________
CODE OF CONDUCT __________________________________

• By becoming part of the community server, and my games, you agree to abide by the rules delineated therein.
• Be respectful of other players and myself at all times, even between sessions.
• All people are welcome, regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, minority status, language skill, etc.
• This game is for players of 18 years of age or older.
• Payment of the game fee guarantees a seat for the scheduled game that week. Payment is due the Monday before a session is scheduled. No refunds, unless specifically agreed upon by the DM.
• No streaming of the session without express consent. Violation may result in a kick and ban from Polyhedra games, and possible legal liability.
• Polyhedra reserves the right to screen, add, remove, or otherwise "manage" players in the game for whatever reason, but will automatically remove any player who upon warning continues to violate the terms of the CoC.

Welcome to Polyhedra - a growing community of nerds and ttrpg enthusiasts, just like you!
Fridays @ 7 p.m. Eastern
THE MAZE OF LIFE
Chult is a land of mystery and opportunity. Sweltering jungles, twisting rivers and volcanic mountains make traversal difficult, while predatory animals, lurking undead and territorial tribes make simply surviving no easy task.
Deep within the sprawling jungles lie the forgotten ruins of ancient cities, testaments to the time before the Chultan people were abandoned by their god. Now these ruins are claimed by villains who seek to wreak havoc across not only Chult, but the entire world…
Interested? Check out our Website or Schedule a Chat!
__________________________________
WHAT WE OFFER __________________________________
We are a team of ten gamemasters who run 25+ paid campaigns for our 180+ community members. Over the past year, we built an inclusive community of respectful players and talented gamemasters to provide a reliable game experience for everyone.
Why Paid Campaigns?
We love free games! Nothing, including our games, is better than sitting around a table with your friends playing a TTRPG. That said, for those of us who face life stressors, lack friends interested in the hobby, have odd work schedules, etc. Polyhedra is the perfect answer.
What do virtual tabletop games look like?
Feel free to check out DM David's ( nadriancox ) streaming games on YouTube and Twitch.
__________________________________
[CONTACT](mailto:[email protected]) __________________________________
For more information and specific questions, please either visit our website or send a message via Discord to DM David (Nadrian#9820) or Jason (a_unicorn_person#6909). You can also reach out through reddit here: nadriancox for David or at a_unicorn_person for Jason.
__________________________________
GAME DETAILS __________________________________
6 Player virtual tabletop.

• 3-4 hours of gameplay per session.
• Player’s Choice for character creation: Pointbuy, Roll 4d6 drop lowest, or standard array.
• Private, tier 3 boosted Discord server with voice and video (by DM) - players only need a working microphone and headset.
• Individualized creation chats with each player (available beginning now and through the first session of the campaign) where we will handcraft your PC's origins, background, and campaign-shaping plot points. NO CHARGE
• Class, Feats, Backgrounds from any official sourcebooks and Unearthed Arcana. Homebrew dependent on DM permission.

__________________________________
CODE OF CONDUCT __________________________________

• By becoming part of the community server, and my games, you agree to abide by the rules delineated therein.
• Be respectful of other players and myself at all times, even between sessions.
• All people are welcome, regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, minority status, language skill, etc.
• This game is for players of 18 years of age or older.
• Payment of the game fee guarantees a seat for the scheduled game that week. Payment is due the Monday before a session is scheduled. No refunds, unless specifically agreed upon by the DM.
• No streaming of the session without express consent. Violation may result in a kick and ban from Polyhedra games, and possible legal liability.
• Polyhedra reserves the right to screen, add, remove, or otherwise "manage" players in the game for whatever reason, but will automatically remove any player who upon warning continues to violate the terms of the CoC.

Welcome to Polyhedra - a growing community of nerds and ttrpg enthusiasts, just like you!
Friday @ 7:30 p.m. EST
BE THE LEGEND YOU WERE BORN TO BECOME
In a land where even the gods are bound by oaths and prophecies...
At the dawn of time, a war between the gods and Titans left the world of Thylea forever changed. Thousands of years later, the first mortals arrived, carried by ship and dragon.
The Dragonlords were the champions who overthrew the Titans 500 years ago and forged the Oath of Peace. But the power of the Oath has waned, and now the Titans seek vengeance.
You are one of the heroes called by prophecy to end the conflict once and for all. Poets will sing of your deeds for centuries to come... if you survive.
Interested? Check out our Website or Schedule a Chat!
__________________________________
WHAT WE OFFER
We are a team of ten gamemasters who run 25+ paid campaigns for our 200+ community members. Over the past two years, we've built an inclusive community of respectful players and talented gamemasters to provide a reliable and excellent game experience for everyone.
Yeah okay, Why Paid Campaigns?
We love free games! Nothing, including our games, is better than sitting around a table with your friends playing a TTRPG. That said, for those of us who face life stressors, lack friends interested in the hobby, have odd work schedules, etc. Polyhedra is the perfect answer.
What do virtual tabletop games look like?
Feel free to check out DM David's ( nadriancox ) streamed games on YouTube and Twitch.
__________________________________
[CONTACT](mailto:[email protected])
For more information and specific questions, please either visit our website or send a message via Discord to DM David (Nadrian#9820) or Jason (a_unicorn_person#6909). You can also reach out through reddit here: nadriancox for David or at a_unicorn_person for Jason.
__________________________________
GAME DETAILS
6 Player virtual tabletop.

• 3-4 hours of gameplay per session.
• Player’s Choice for character creation: Pointbuy, Roll 4d6 drop lowest, or standard array.
• Private, tier 3 boosted Discord server with voice and video (by DM) - players only need a working microphone and headset.
• Individualized creation chats with each player (available beginning now and through the first session of the campaign) where we will handcraft your PC's origins, background, and campaign-shaping plot points. NO CHARGE
• Class, Feats, Backgrounds from any official sourcebooks and Unearthed Arcana. Homebrew dependent on DM permission.

__________________________________
CODE OF CONDUCT

• By becoming part of the community server, and my games, you agree to abide by the rules delineated therein.
• Be respectful of other players and myself at all times, even between sessions.
• All people are welcome, regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, minority status, language skill, etc.
• This game is for players of 18 years of age or older.
• Payment of the game fee guarantees a seat for the scheduled game that week. Payment is due the Monday before a session is scheduled. No refunds, unless specifically agreed upon by the DM.
• No streaming of the session without express consent. Violation may result in a kick and ban from Polyhedra games, and possible legal liability.
• Polyhedra reserves the right to screen, add, remove, or otherwise "manage" players in the game for whatever reason, but will automatically remove any player who upon warning continues to violate the terms of the CoC.

Welcome to Polyhedra - a growing community of nerds and ttrpg enthusiasts, just like you!
Friday @ 7:30 p.m. EST
BE THE LEGEND YOU WERE BORN TO BECOME
In a land where even the gods are bound by oaths and prophecies...
At the dawn of time, a war between the gods and Titans left the world of Thylea forever changed. Thousands of years later, the first mortals arrived, carried by ship and dragon.
The Dragonlords were the champions who overthrew the Titans 500 years ago and forged the Oath of Peace. But the power of the Oath has waned, and now the Titans seek vengeance.
You are one of the heroes called by prophecy to end the conflict once and for all. Poets will sing of your deeds for centuries to come... if you survive.
Interested? Check out our Website or Schedule a Chat!
__________________________________
WHAT WE OFFER
We are a team of ten gamemasters who run 25+ paid campaigns for our 200+ community members. Over the past two years, we've built an inclusive community of respectful players and talented gamemasters to provide a reliable and excellent game experience for everyone.
Yeah okay, Why Paid Campaigns?
We love free games! Nothing, including our games, is better than sitting around a table with your friends playing a TTRPG. That said, for those of us who face life stressors, lack friends interested in the hobby, have odd work schedules, etc. Polyhedra is the perfect answer.
What do virtual tabletop games look like?
Feel free to check out DM David's ( nadriancox ) streamed games on YouTube and Twitch.
__________________________________
[CONTACT](mailto:[email protected])
For more information and specific questions, please either visit our website or send a message via Discord to DM David (Nadrian#9820) or Jason (a_unicorn_person#6909). You can also reach out through reddit here: nadriancox for David or at a_unicorn_person for Jason.
__________________________________
GAME DETAILS
6 Player virtual tabletop.

• 3-4 hours of gameplay per session.
• Player’s Choice for character creation: Pointbuy, Roll 4d6 drop lowest, or standard array.
• Private, tier 3 boosted Discord server with voice and video (by DM) - players only need a working microphone and headset.
• Individualized creation chats with each player (available beginning now and through the first session of the campaign) where we will handcraft your PC's origins, background, and campaign-shaping plot points. NO CHARGE
• Class, Feats, Backgrounds from any official sourcebooks and Unearthed Arcana. Homebrew dependent on DM permission.

__________________________________
CODE OF CONDUCT

• By becoming part of the community server, and my games, you agree to abide by the rules delineated therein.
• Be respectful of other players and myself at all times, even between sessions.
• All people are welcome, regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, minority status, language skill, etc.
• This game is for players of 18 years of age or older.
• Payment of the game fee guarantees a seat for the scheduled game that week. Payment is due the Monday before a session is scheduled. No refunds, unless specifically agreed upon by the DM.
• No streaming of the session without express consent. Violation may result in a kick and ban from Polyhedra games, and possible legal liability.
• Polyhedra reserves the right to screen, add, remove, or otherwise "manage" players in the game for whatever reason, but will automatically remove any player who upon warning continues to violate the terms of the CoC.

Welcome to Polyhedra - a growing community of nerds and ttrpg enthusiasts, just like you!
Friday @ 7:30 p.m. EST
BE THE LEGEND YOU WERE BORN TO BECOME
In a land where even the gods are bound by oaths and prophecies...
At the dawn of time, a war between the gods and Titans left the world of Thylea forever changed. Thousands of years later, the first mortals arrived, carried by ship and dragon.
The Dragonlords were the champions who overthrew the Titans 500 years ago and forged the Oath of Peace. But the power of the Oath has waned, and now the Titans seek vengeance.
You are one of the heroes called by prophecy to end the conflict once and for all. Poets will sing of your deeds for centuries to come... if you survive.
Interested? Check out our Website or Schedule a Chat!
__________________________________
WHAT WE OFFER
We are a team of ten gamemasters who run 25+ paid campaigns for our 200+ community members. Over the past two years, we've built an inclusive community of respectful players and talented gamemasters to provide a reliable and excellent game experience for everyone.
Yeah okay, Why Paid Campaigns?
We love free games! Nothing, including our games, is better than sitting around a table with your friends playing a TTRPG. That said, for those of us who face life stressors, lack friends interested in the hobby, have odd work schedules, etc. Polyhedra is the perfect answer.
What do virtual tabletop games look like?
Feel free to check out DM David's ( nadriancox ) streamed games on YouTube and Twitch.
__________________________________
[CONTACT](mailto:[email protected])
For more information and specific questions, please either visit our website or send a message via Discord to DM David (Nadrian#9820) or Jason (a_unicorn_person#6909). You can also reach out through reddit here: nadriancox for David or at a_unicorn_person for Jason.
__________________________________
GAME DETAILS
6 Player virtual tabletop.

• 3-4 hours of gameplay per session.
• Player’s Choice for character creation: Pointbuy, Roll 4d6 drop lowest, or standard array.
• Private, tier 3 boosted Discord server with voice and video (by DM) - players only need a working microphone and headset.
• Individualized creation chats with each player (available beginning now and through the first session of the campaign) where we will handcraft your PC's origins, background, and campaign-shaping plot points. NO CHARGE
• Class, Feats, Backgrounds from any official sourcebooks and Unearthed Arcana. Homebrew dependent on DM permission.

__________________________________
CODE OF CONDUCT

• By becoming part of the community server, and my games, you agree to abide by the rules delineated therein.
• Be respectful of other players and myself at all times, even between sessions.
• All people are welcome, regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, minority status, language skill, etc.
• This game is for players of 18 years of age or older.
• Payment of the game fee guarantees a seat for the scheduled game that week. Payment is due the Monday before a session is scheduled. No refunds, unless specifically agreed upon by the DM.
• No streaming of the session without express consent. Violation may result in a kick and ban from Polyhedra games, and possible legal liability.
• Polyhedra reserves the right to screen, add, remove, or otherwise "manage" players in the game for whatever reason, but will automatically remove any player who upon warning continues to violate the terms of the CoC.

Welcome to Polyhedra - a growing community of nerds and ttrpg enthusiasts, just like you!
SUNDAYS @ 6:30 pm EST
VENTURE INTO THE LAMP
You are a band of adventurers seeking to better the lives of the people of the Slippering Sands. From the bustling cities to the sprawling deserts, people from all walks of life have come together to form a community.
The Slippering Sands is a vast and unforgiving desert, dotted with the ruins of long-forgotten civilizations, and the cities of the modern age. It is a land of extremes, where the scorching sun beats down upon the dunes and the sandstorms rage with fury. It is a place where only the strongest and most cunning can survive.
Interested? Check out our Website or Schedule a Chat!
__________________________________
WHAT WE OFFER
We are a team of ten gamemasters who run 25+ paid campaigns for our 200+ community members. Over the past year, we've built an inclusive community of respectful players and talented gamemasters to provide a reliable and excellent game experience for everyone.
Why Paid Campaigns?
We love free games! Nothing, including our games, is better than sitting around a table with your friends playing a TTRPG. That said, for those of us who face life stressors, lack friends interested in the hobby, have odd work schedules, etc. Polyhedra is the perfect answer.
What do virtual tabletop games look like?
Feel free to check out DM David's ( nadriancox ) streamed games on YouTube and Twitch.
__________________________________
[CONTACT](mailto:[email protected])
For more information and specific questions, please either visit our website or send a message via Discord to DM David (Nadrian#9820) or Jason (a_unicorn_person#6909). You can also reach out through reddit here: nadriancox for David or at a_unicorn_person for Jason.
__________________________________
GAME DETAILS
6 Player virtual tabletop.

• 3-4 hours of gameplay per session.
• Player’s Choice for character creation: Pointbuy, Roll 4d6 drop lowest, or standard array.
• Private, tier 3 boosted Discord server with voice and video (by DM) - players only need a working microphone and headset.
• Individualized creation chats with each player (available beginning now and through the first session of the campaign) where we will handcraft your PC's origins, background, and campaign-shaping plot points. NO CHARGE
• Class, Feats, Backgrounds from any official sourcebooks and Unearthed Arcana. Homebrew dependent on DM permission.
• PATHFINDER 2ND EDITION

__________________________________
CODE OF CONDUCT

• By becoming part of the community server, and my games, you agree to abide by the rules delineated therein.
• Be respectful of other players and myself at all times, even between sessions.
• All people are welcome, regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, minority status, language skill, etc.
• This game is for players of 18 years of age or older.
• Payment of the game fee guarantees a seat for the scheduled game that week. Payment is due the Monday before a session is scheduled. No refunds, unless specifically agreed upon by the DM.
• No streaming of the session without express consent. Violation may result in a kick and ban from Polyhedra games, and possible legal liability.
• Polyhedra reserves the right to screen, add, remove, or otherwise "manage" players in the game for whatever reason, but will automatically remove any player who upon warning continues to violate the terms of the CoC.

Preface
I did a detailed writeup on my very first concert experience last year which was seeing Dreamcatcher's Apocalypse: Save Us concert in Reading and I got a positive response so I wanted to do it again for this concert. Hopefully this will help future Insomnia going to their first Dreamcatcher concert that are anxious about what to expect. Writing all this down is also a nice way for me to look back on the experience in the future. This is gonna' be another long read, don't think I can just TL;DR it so feel free to skip around to specific sections if you like. If you want to check out my previous concert writeup you can find it here:
https://www.reddit.com/dreamcatchecomments/vpzmqo/20220701_santander_arena_concert_in_reading_pa_my/
Ticketmaster
FUCK TICKETMASTER, ALL MY HOMIES HATE TICKETMASTER
I don't think there is too much to say here, Ticketmaster is already garbage about scalping bots and they continue to show their incompetence with this fuck up. It caused myself a good amount of anxiety like everyone else. I decided to wait till the day of the concert to see if they'd send the extra email with my printable ticket. Well that never happened, so I was debating calling Ticketmaster or just risk trying to pick them up at Will Call. That's when I saw people suggesting to make a separate new Ticketmaster account to transfer my tickets to. Lo and behold, it worked! Seriously, shout out to those suggesting that and whoever figured it out, real life saver! The only silver lining was that my seating got bumped all the way up front (third row specifically) smack dab in the center. So I can't complain too much but it sucks to everyone that got bumped out to much worse seating.
Concert Prep
Since attending the last Dreamcatcher concert in July, which was my very first ever concert experience, I've since seen Kard in Atlanta and Pixy, AleXa, and Rolling Quartz at Otakon in D.C. Not a veteran by any means but I've got a bit more experience going now. I work night shifts during the week so my sleep schedule is usually trash trying to readjust to days over the weekend. I woke up on the day of the concert at 3am and began doing some prep work. Charging my lightstick and battery brick (for charging phones), getting my ticket sorted, checking where I want to park once I get there, etc. I bought some equipment to attach my phone to mongmonie so I can record parts of the concert while keeping another hand free if needed. My original plan was to use all my lightstick extensions and use it as a sort of monopod setup for recording the whole concert. A few things made me change my mind, the first was that I couldn't find a clear answer on if extensions would be allowed at the concert, then there was the fact that my seat got changed and I felt like I'd be blocking people's view with it (plus I'd have to break it down every time we had to sit). It would've been a more ideal setup in a PIT area in the corner where I wouldn't be blocking people. I had planned on using a completely separate phone to record the whole concert so I cleared up a bunch of memory on it, but in the process managed to brick my phone 😒. So I had to resort to using my primary phone. Anyway, I felt like I somehow spent 10hrs. doing concert prep, not sure how lol. It was time to finally head out. It's only an hour and a half drive for me, think I left the house around 2:30ish in the afternoon.
Arrival in Reading
I arrived in Reading around 4pm. Reading Parking Authority recently switched to gateless parking which I've never used before. I downloaded the ParkMobile app before I left. When I got there it only let me pay for a 30min. increment on the app, so I used that time to get a bite to eat since I hadn't eaten anything all morning. Once I got back to the parking garage I noticed the little kiosk where you can pay for the full day, so that's what I did. After that I walked down the street to the venue so I could grab my VVIP bracelet which only took less than 5 minutes since there wasn't a huge line for it at the time. I wanted to chill in the short line forming outside the venue and chat up some Insomnia but decided I should probably go back to my car and get some rest since I had been up since 3am (shoutout to the Insomnia with the same Seven Spirits hoodie that I had who said hi to me on the way back though). After getting a bit of rest I went to go line up at the venue, the weather was a really nice mild day (55℉/13℃) with thankfully no rain like last time! There were so many nice Insomnia handing out banners and freebies in line. One was handing photocards/polaroids and asked me my bias, said I couldn't choose so just give me a random one, when I opened it up it was a choccy milk Gahyeon polaroid! Even if it wasn't official I got so hyped seeing that, haha. Someone else was handing out some cute DC anime stickers, this time I specifically chose Dami since there were only two of those left (person behind me snatched the last one). I signed the Dreamcatcher Reason flag while in line, it's super unfortunate they couldn't end up giving it to the girls! The line started moving around 6pm and moved pretty quickly, I was in the doors past security by 6:15pm.
Santander Performing Arts Center Venue review
I grabbed a Blue Moon and waited in the merch line. This venue was pretty small so they only had one spot to setup the merch table. The line was super long and wrapped around the entire venue starting on the first floor and leading up to the merch table on the second floor. The line moved at a decent pace considering how much it zig-zag'd around the place, shout out to the staff that were straight up sprinting around the line making sure to keep it orderly and moving it around so people didn't have problems accessing the rest of the venue. I got my merch by 7pmish so I waited in line for maybe 40min. There isn't too much to say about the venue itself, you can pretty much see the whole lobby in that pic I posted while waiting in line. There were easy to find bathrooms on a level lower than the ground floor, there were big signs to point you in the direction of each seating section and staff were great about helping people find there correct seats. For some reason the staff here felt even more proactive with helping everyone than the Santander Arena (though everyone there was also very friendly and helpful). I got seated at 7:05pm and the first thing I noticed was how cramped the seating was. Sitting down my shoulders were touching the shoulders of the people sitting to both sides of me, I feel like plane seating didn't feel as cramped. Once I got seated, the Insomnia next to me noticed my camera setup to record the concert and we had a nice conversation about photography and the gear we each use. Also talked about the messed up ticket situation with the venue change. One of my goals was to talk to more Insomnia this time around so thank you to the dude that chatted me up as I'm terrible at starting conversations myself but once I'm in it I could talk forever, haha.
The Concert
Once again, I noticed everyone's fits being on point at the concert. So many people with cool outfits, custom clothes, some people were wearing outfits that matched certain Dreamcatcher stage outfits, etc. Shout out to the bunny costume guy hyping everyone up before the concert! One thing I might've messed up on was footwear, whenever standing and jumping I could feel my feet killing me. I'm used to standing all day at work in these shoes, so I think it was the jumping up and down that really did it for me, not as comfortable as the UltraBoosts I wore last concert. Anyway, it was easy enough to ignore since the concert was so awesome! I was practically front row, which I never thought I'd get a chance to do. I'm really short for a guy, so I always worried about not getting a good enough spot in the PIT to see over people. Most people in front of me were taller than me but it wasn't a huge issue for the most part. The members entered and the hype begun, seriously never thought I'd get to be this close to them! One of my slight complaints from the last concert was that I am a bit nearsighted and it was hard to make out the members faces from where I was seated (although I know them well enough to pick them out on their gait alone). Now it was like seeing them in glorious 8k, and they all looked gorgeous! The setlist was so good, finally #justiceforWHAT! Plus getting to see the 'YOU AND I' choreo complete with props and Dami's awesome staff spinning! Everyone sounded so good and I was surprised that the acoustics sounded really good in such a small place not really designed for the type of music being played. Even during the songs with choreo you could here each member through the backing track at least a few times here and there. Like last time, the members I noticed really punching through the backing track the most were Siyeon and Dami. You can tell Dami goes all in on her raps at these concerts, to the point of bending over like 70° in order to really belt them out with as much power as possible. Also, OH MY GOD 'Reason' went as hard as I hoped it would live. They are pushing their vocals so hard during that song and the "woah" chanting parts get everyone so hyped. It was a fantastic idea to have the encore be all three fan songs. Celebrating Dami's birthday was so fun! Sua announcing herself as Dami's B-day present and her just ignoring it was hilarious, also Sua giving Dami the rights to being the Queen™ of Dreamcatcher while celebrating her birthday had me dying. I don't remember what song it happened during but at one point I'm pretty sure Yoohyeon's timing was off in one of the choreos and she completely bumped into another member (think it might have been Gahyeon but I don't recall) it was really cute as she quickly brushed it off with a smile. I thought I had recorded this part but can't find it so now I'm gonna' have to check other fancams to make sure I'm not going crazy, lol. During the last goodbye talks, Gahyeon cried saying she wasn't feeling well and hoped that it didn't show in her performing (it didn't, she did great!) and other members were tearing up too. It honestly feels so heartwarming as a fan getting to see Dreamcatcher's sincerity in their faces and words up close and personal, I'm surprised I didn't cry myself. Jiu especially goes the extra mile with her genuine facial expressions that show gratitude on the deepest levels. Another thing I loved about Jiu was her crowd control abilities, especially when it came to getting everybody to wave their lightsticks in synchronicity. Speaking of the crowd, I was pretty disappointed by the shrieking banshees that yelled over the members when they were talking. It's honestly super rude and makes the fandom look bad, it sucks that there isn't much you can do about it but to try and tell people near you to be quiet. You could see Dami was visibly annoyed by it and continued to make a shushing gesture at the crowd while pointing at the member currently talking. It doesn't help that the members also enabled the behavior by responding to a few people yelling things to them so that lead to others trying to grab their attention, it seriously got out of hand. Other than that slightly souring the experience, I still had a wonderful time. I will end this section by mentioning the only member I have yet to talk about here and I will will simply leave it with this; Handong's orange hair omfg?! 👨🏼‍🍳💋
Meet & Greet, Hi-Touch + Group Photo
After the concert ended, everyone started to line up for the VIP and VVIP M&G event. They lined up the VIP first since they were just doing the hi-touch. The VVIP participants were all seated and wherever you sat was basically the order they were going to have you go in with each row of seats being a section for the group photos, this way anyone in groups that wanted to stick together for it could figure out their order beforehand. Staff was great at giving everyone instructions and getting everything in order as fast as possible. I was so exhausted after the concert with running on little sleep that I just about snoozed off while sitting and waiting my turn. A weird thing I noticed was that I was seated towards the back of the venue and the seating seemed to be spaced out a bit better than where I sat for the concert. Anyway, it was my sections turn for the hi-touch. I kind of knew it was going to go by too fast to even get out anything meaningful so I tried to to be anxious about what I was going to say. The line moved so fast that when I got to the members I barely got to say "hi [member's name]!" in fact I remember getting to Sua and I think Siyeon was right before her and I called her Shua by accident cuz' I was trying to nail saying She-yeon previously, I felt so stupid but it is what it is, I'm laughing at it now looking back on it 😂. I also remember Jiu was first in line and I realized I gave her a pretty hard high five and ended up toning it down with each member till I got to Dami last and barely touched her hand. It was over as fast as it started, it went exactly how I thought it would but still left me a little disappointed. That was made up for with the group photo. As I waited back in line for the group photo, and was slowly approaching the line seemed to stop for a bit longer than it was before. It seemed that there was a group way ahead that didn't want to be separated for the group photo so they were looking for a single person to fill in the last spot. I stepped up and volunteered so we could get the line moving again. The staff were appreciative since they were on a time crunch, the people in line were happy to not get separated, and I got to skip like 30 people so win-win for everyone. That wasn't the best part though. Since the members were also waiting for a minute or two they all had their direction focused on the last person waiting to come up the stairs and that was me! Jiu gave me a very warm and cheery "hi!" as she was closest and was who I was going to sit in front of, needless to say my heart melted and I gave her an equally ecstatic "hello!" right back. I was going to ask her to do like a heart or something with me but since they were waiting I didn't want to hold them up any longer and decided to just quickly get seated so they could take the photos. Photo only took a sec and they we got up to let the next group in. I was the last person in line so I kinda' got selfish and took my time saying a few things to the members as we left. I got to look each one in the eyes and tell them what a great performance they put on, how cool they are, etc. Also told Gahyeon to feel better, and Dami was last so I got to personally wish her a happy birthday as well! Honestly made the VVIP package super worth it. I grabbed my VVIP merch on the way out and left the venue feeling great. The temperature had dropped quite a bit but it honestly felt really nice having the cool air hit my face after being packed like sardines for over 2hrs. I don't remember what time everything ended exactly but I headed back to my car by around 10:30pm. The drive back was a bit stressful as I was exhausted and we had a freak blizzard come out of nowhere. I didn't see anything about snow on the weather forecast for the day so I was surprised, but it was manageable for me since I live in the area and drive an AWD Forester with winter tires.
Final Thoughts
I got so busy with work, then my router shit the bed, then the great Reddit outage happened, then was busy at work again. I've been meaning to post this much sooner, it's crazy that it's already been two weeks since the concert. I surprisingly didn't get the usual post-concert depression this time, I think it was because this concert felt waaaay shorter to me for some reason. I kind of equate it to the feeling you get after watching a movie for the second time, you know what to expect and what scenes are coming next so the movie feels much shorter on the second watch-through. Everything straight up just felt like a 5min. dream to me it went by so fast. So it's a little sad in that sense but I still felt a feeling of fulfillment overall. Also, I thankfully didn't catch COVID this time so pretty happy about that .I should mention that masks were encouraged but not required, even for hi-touch/group photos. I wore mine all concert and for the hi-touch, but took it off for the group photo so I could see my face in the pic. I talked about my seating position off to the side giving me this weird feeling of disconnect from the performances last time, and this time felt much better as I was front and center and got to make lots of eye contact with the members the whole concert. I have no real regrets this time around, but my goals for my next concert are to talk to even more people and I kind of want to do something to give back to the community like the kind Insomnia that hand out cool freebies at the concerts. Not sure what I'm going to come up with yet but can't wait to get the creative juices flowing. Also, since I talked about photography with the Insomnia sitting next to me, it got me thinking about getting a press pass to shoot a Dreamcatcher concert in the future. I don't know how difficult that would be as an amateur with no real professional portfolio to speak of but it would be amazing if possible! I have to head off to work now, I'll probably fix some formatting to make this more readable and add other tidbits I forgot to add once I get off work.
Thank you to Dreamcatcher, DCC staff, Santander Staff, and all the wonderful Insomnia for another great and memorable experience!!

Welcome to Polyhedra - a growing community of nerds and ttrpg enthusiasts, just like you!
SUNDAYS @ 6:30 pm EST
VENTURE INTO THE LAMP
You are a band of adventurers seeking to better the lives of the people of the Slippering Sands. From the bustling cities to the sprawling deserts, people from all walks of life have come together to form a community.
The Slippering Sands is a vast and unforgiving desert, dotted with the ruins of long-forgotten civilizations, and the cities of the modern age. It is a land of extremes, where the scorching sun beats down upon the dunes and the sandstorms rage with fury. It is a place where only the strongest and most cunning can survive.
Interested? Check out our Website or Schedule a Chat!
__________________________________
WHAT WE OFFER
We are a team of ten gamemasters who run 25+ paid campaigns for our 200+ community members. Over the past year, we've built an inclusive community of respectful players and talented gamemasters to provide a reliable and excellent game experience for everyone.
Why Paid Campaigns?
We love free games! Nothing, including our games, is better than sitting around a table with your friends playing a TTRPG. That said, for those of us who face life stressors, lack friends interested in the hobby, have odd work schedules, etc. Polyhedra is the perfect answer.
What do virtual tabletop games look like?
Feel free to check out DM David's ( nadriancox ) streamed games on YouTube and Twitch.
__________________________________
[CONTACT](mailto:[email protected])
For more information and specific questions, please either visit our website or send a message via Discord to DM David (Nadrian#9820) or Jason (a_unicorn_person#6909). You can also reach out through reddit here: nadriancox for David or at a_unicorn_person for Jason.
__________________________________
GAME DETAILS
6 Player virtual tabletop.

• 3-4 hours of gameplay per session.
• Player’s Choice for character creation: Pointbuy, Roll 4d6 drop lowest, or standard array.
• Private, tier 3 boosted Discord server with voice and video (by DM) - players only need a working microphone and headset.
• Individualized creation chats with each player (available beginning now and through the first session of the campaign) where we will handcraft your PC's origins, background, and campaign-shaping plot points. NO CHARGE
• Class, Feats, Backgrounds from any official sourcebooks and Unearthed Arcana. Homebrew dependent on DM permission.
• PATHFINDER 2ND EDITION

__________________________________
CODE OF CONDUCT

• By becoming part of the community server, and my games, you agree to abide by the rules delineated therein.
• Be respectful of other players and myself at all times, even between sessions.
• All people are welcome, regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, minority status, language skill, etc.
• This game is for players of 18 years of age or older.
• Payment of the game fee guarantees a seat for the scheduled game that week. Payment is due the Monday before a session is scheduled. No refunds, unless specifically agreed upon by the DM.
• No streaming of the session without express consent. Violation may result in a kick and ban from Polyhedra games, and possible legal liability.
• Polyhedra reserves the right to screen, add, remove, or otherwise "manage" players in the game for whatever reason, but will automatically remove any player who upon warning continues to violate the terms of the CoC.

Welcome to Polyhedra - a growing community of nerds and ttrpg enthusiasts, just like you!
SUNDAYS @ 6:30 pm EST
VENTURE INTO THE LAMP
You are a band of adventurers seeking to better the lives of the people of the Slippering Sands. From the bustling cities to the sprawling deserts, people from all walks of life have come together to form a community.
The Slippering Sands is a vast and unforgiving desert, dotted with the ruins of long-forgotten civilizations, and the cities of the modern age. It is a land of extremes, where the scorching sun beats down upon the dunes and the sandstorms rage with fury. It is a place where only the strongest and most cunning can survive.
Interested? Check out our Website or Schedule a Chat!
__________________________________
WHAT WE OFFER
We are a team of ten gamemasters who run 25+ paid campaigns for our 200+ community members. Over the past year, we've built an inclusive community of respectful players and talented gamemasters to provide a reliable and excellent game experience for everyone.
Why Paid Campaigns?
We love free games! Nothing, including our games, is better than sitting around a table with your friends playing a TTRPG. That said, for those of us who face life stressors, lack friends interested in the hobby, have odd work schedules, etc. Polyhedra is the perfect answer.
What do virtual tabletop games look like?
Feel free to check out DM David's ( nadriancox ) streamed games on YouTube and Twitch.
__________________________________
[CONTACT](mailto:[email protected])
For more information and specific questions, please either visit our website or send a message via Discord to DM David (Nadrian#9820) or Jason (a_unicorn_person#6909). You can also reach out through reddit here: nadriancox for David or at a_unicorn_person for Jason.
__________________________________
GAME DETAILS
6 Player virtual tabletop.

• 3-4 hours of gameplay per session.
• Player’s Choice for character creation: Pointbuy, Roll 4d6 drop lowest, or standard array.
• Private, tier 3 boosted Discord server with voice and video (by DM) - players only need a working microphone and headset.
• Individualized creation chats with each player (available beginning now and through the first session of the campaign) where we will handcraft your PC's origins, background, and campaign-shaping plot points. NO CHARGE
• Class, Feats, Backgrounds from any official sourcebooks and Unearthed Arcana. Homebrew dependent on DM permission.
• PATHFINDER 2ND EDITION

__________________________________
CODE OF CONDUCT

• By becoming part of the community server, and my games, you agree to abide by the rules delineated therein.
• Be respectful of other players and myself at all times, even between sessions.
• All people are welcome, regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, minority status, language skill, etc.
• This game is for players of 18 years of age or older.
• Payment of the game fee guarantees a seat for the scheduled game that week. Payment is due the Monday before a session is scheduled. No refunds, unless specifically agreed upon by the DM.
• No streaming of the session without express consent. Violation may result in a kick and ban from Polyhedra games, and possible legal liability.
• Polyhedra reserves the right to screen, add, remove, or otherwise "manage" players in the game for whatever reason, but will automatically remove any player who upon warning continues to violate the terms of the CoC.

Hello, im wondering, if there is a way to create "database" in power BI and then use it as source for Excel data model. Example: every month, i receive excel file with roughly 200.000 rows. I want to connect it to older file and create sales history. This wil continue untill eternity, and excel capaciry is for 5 months (1 mil rows). However, i like excel as analyzing tool and therefore would like to combine power bi's ability to store data and excel ability for user friendly interface. I was able to import all data to power BI and refresh it with new data set (creating one big combined table as future data source). And save the file. . But im not able to figure out, how to use it as a source for excel data model (power pivot->manage->from other sources... gives no options for power bi).
thx

GPT-4 reply:

1. 1959 - Machine learning: Arthur Samuel developed a self-learning checkers program, demonstrating that AI could learn and improve its performance over time.
   
2. 1961 - Assembly line work: The first industrial robot, Unimate, was used in a General Motors factory to perform repetitive tasks, increasing productivity and safety.
   
3. 1964 - Optical character recognition (OCR): AI software for converting printed text into digital text was developed, making data entry more efficient.
   
4. 1970 - Medical diagnosis assistance: AI programs like MYCIN began aiding doctors in diagnosing bacterial infections, improving accuracy and reducing human errors.
   
5. 1976 - Speech recognition: AI systems like Carnegie Mellon's HARPY system understood spoken language, transcribing speech into text more efficiently.
   
6. 1981 - Robotic vacuum cleaners: The first robotic vacuum cleaner, the "Fugure 2000," demonstrated that AI could perform household cleaning tasks.
   
7. 1997 - Chess playing: IBM's Deep Blue defeated world chess champion Garry Kasparov, showcasing AI's ability to outperform humans in strategy games.
   
8. 2002 - Robotic lawn mowing: Robomow introduced automated lawn mowers, enabling efficient and precise lawn maintenance without human intervention.
   
9. 2005 - Autonomous driving: DARPA's Grand Challenge showcased self-driving cars, paving the way for AI to revolutionize transportation.
   
10. 2010 - Image recognition: AI algorithms like AlexNet excelled at classifying images, surpassing human performance in object recognition tasks.
    
11. 2011 - Natural language processing: IBM's Watson defeated Jeopardy! champions, demonstrating AI's capacity for understanding and processing human language.
    
12. 2012 - Automatic translation: Google Translate's AI-driven algorithms significantly improved, providing more accurate translations between languages.
    
13. 2014 - Facial recognition: DeepFace, developed by Facebook, achieved human-level performance in identifying faces, enabling advanced security and identification applications.
    
14. 2015 - Video game playing: AI agents began surpassing human performance in complex games like Dota 2, showcasing their ability to learn and adapt.
    
15. 2016 - Voice assistants: AI-powered voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant became widely adopted, offering hands-free assistance in daily tasks.
    
16. 2017 - Medical image analysis: AI systems surpassed human performance in diagnosing diseases from medical images, improving accuracy and speed in healthcare.
    
17. 2018 - Protein folding prediction: DeepMind's AlphaFold demonstrated significant advancements in predicting protein structures, revolutionizing drug discovery and biology.
    
18. 2019 - Text generation: OpenAI's GPT-2 showcased human-like text generation capabilities, automating content creation and summarization tasks.
    
19. 2020 - Autonomous drones: AI-powered drones were developed for precise agricultural monitoring, reducing human labor and increasing efficiency in farming.
    
20. 2021 - Artificial creativity: AI-generated art and music began achieving human-level quality, pushing the boundaries of creative expression.
    
21. 2021 - Robotic surgery: AI-assisted surgical robots like the da Vinci Surgical System achieved human-level precision, enabling minimally invasive procedures with reduced complications.
    
22. 2021 - Drug discovery: AI-driven platforms accelerated drug development, predicting molecule behavior and optimizing drug candidates with greater speed and accuracy.
    
23. 2021 - Fraud detection: AI algorithms outperformed humans in detecting fraudulent transactions, increasing security and reducing financial losses for businesses.
    
24. 2021 - Customer service: AI-powered chatbots provided efficient, 24/7 customer support, resolving inquiries with human-like responsiveness.
    
25. 2021 - News summarization: AI systems excelled at summarizing news articles, providing concise, accurate summaries at a fraction of the time required by humans.
    
26. 2022 - Stock trading: Algorithmic trading systems outperformed human traders, utilizing vast amounts of data to make more informed decisions and execute trades faster.
    
27. 2022 - Robotic exoskeletons: AI-powered exoskeletons enabled disabled individuals to regain mobility, performing movements with human-like precision and responsiveness.
    
28. 2022 - Autonomous shipping: AI-controlled cargo ships demonstrated safe, efficient navigation, reducing the need for human crew and the risk of accidents.
    
29. 2022 - Content moderation: AI algorithms became more effective at identifying and removing harmful content online, reducing the burden on human moderators.
    
30. 2022 - Movie script analysis: AI systems assessed movie scripts for potential success, predicting box office performance with greater accuracy than human experts.
    
31. 2022 - Document review: AI tools outperformed humans in reviewing and categorizing legal documents, increasing efficiency and reducing the risk of human error.
    
32. 2022 - Retail inventory management: AI-powered inventory systems optimized stock levels and predicted demand, enabling more efficient supply chain management.
    
33. 2022 - Waste sorting: AI-assisted robots accurately sorted waste materials, increasing recycling rates and reducing the need for manual labor.
    
34. 2022 - Weather forecasting: AI-driven models enhanced weather predictions, improving accuracy and providing more detailed forecasts than traditional methods.
    
35. 2022 - Human resources: AI-powered tools streamlined recruitment, assessing candidate qualifications and predicting job performance with greater accuracy than human evaluators.
    
36. 2023 - Financial planning: AI-driven financial advisors provided personalized, data-driven advice, outperforming human financial planners in generating optimal investment strategies.
    
37. 2023 - Elderly care: AI-powered robots assisted in elderly care, monitoring health, providing companionship, and performing basic tasks with human-like compassion and skill.
    
38. 2023 - Wildlife monitoring: AI-controlled drones and cameras identified and tracked wildlife populations, enabling more efficient conservation efforts.
    
39. 2023 - Predictive maintenance: AI systems accurately predicted equipment failure, optimizing maintenance schedules and reducing downtime in industrial settings.
    
40. 2023 - Urban planning: AI-driven simulations modeled complex urban systems, enabling more informed decision-making and better resource allocation than human experts alone.
    
41. 2023 - Astrophysics: AI algorithms identified exoplanets and analyzed astronomical data with greater speed and precision than human scientists, advancing our understanding of the universe.
    
42. 2023 - Video editing: AI-powered tools streamlined video editing tasks, automatically selecting and combining clips to create polished, professional videos.
    
43. 2023 - Agriculture: AI-driven farm management systems optimized crop growth, irrigation, and fertilization, increasing efficiency and reducing human labor requirements.
    
44. 2023 - Virtual reality: AI-generated realistic virtual environments provided immersive experiences for training, gaming, and social interaction, surpassing human-created environments in complexity and realism.
    
45. 2023 - Cooking: AI-powered robotic chefs demonstrated human-level culinary skills, preparing meals with precision and creativity.
    
46. 2023 - Scientific research: AI-driven literature analysis and hypothesis generation accelerated scientific discoveries, identifying patterns and connections beyond human cognitive capabilities.
    
47. 2023 - Fashion design: AI-generated fashion designs combined style, function, and trends, creating innovative clothing and accessories at a faster pace than human designers.
    
48. 2023 - Material science: AI algorithms accelerated material discovery and optimization, predicting properties and performance with greater accuracy than human scientists.
    
49. 2023 - Seismic data interpretation: AI systems outperformed humans in interpreting seismic data, enabling more accurate predictions of oil and gas deposits and reducing exploration risks.
    
50. 2023 - Education: AI-driven personalized learning systems adapted to individual students' needs, optimizing educational outcomes and surpassing traditional teaching methods.
    
51. 2024 - Mental health assessment: AI-powered tools accurately assessed mental health conditions, providing more timely and personalized support for individuals in need.
    
52. 2024 - Industrial design: AI systems generated innovative product designs, optimizing functionality and aesthetics while reducing development time.
    
53. 2024 - Cybersecurity: AI-driven threat detection and response systems outperformed human analysts, providing more comprehensive and effective protection against cyberattacks.
    
54. 2024 - Architecture: AI-generated architectural designs optimized space usage, sustainability, and aesthetics, outperforming traditional human-driven design processes.
    
55. 2024 - Sports coaching: AI-powered analysis of athlete performance provided personalized training programs, enhancing performance and injury prevention beyond human coaching capabilities.
    
56. 2024 - 3D modeling: AI-driven tools automated complex 3D modeling tasks, producing high-quality models at a faster pace than human artists.
    
57. 2024 - Marketing: AI-generated marketing campaigns analyzed consumer preferences and trends, creating targeted and effective advertisements that outperformed human-driven strategies.
    
58. 2024 - Music composition: AI-composed music achieved human-level creativity and complexity, expanding the realm of musical possibilities.
    
59. 2024 - Social media management: AI-powered tools optimized content creation, scheduling, and engagement, outperforming human social media managers in efficiency and reach.
    
60. 2024 - Technical support: AI-driven systems provided real-time, personalized technical support, resolving issues more quickly and accurately than human agents.
    
61. 2024 - Language learning: AI-driven language learning platforms provided personalized, immersive experiences, accelerating language acquisition beyond traditional teaching methods.
    
62. 2024 - Transportation management: AI-powered traffic control systems optimized traffic flow and reduced congestion, surpassing human-operated systems in efficiency and effectiveness.
    
63. 2024 - Pharmaceutical manufacturing: AI-driven process optimization in pharmaceutical production increased efficiency, quality, and safety, outperforming traditional human-controlled processes.
    
64. 2025 - Robotic journalism: AI-generated news articles achieved human-level quality, covering a wider range of topics and providing faster updates than human journalists.
    
65. 2025 - E-commerce: AI-powered recommendation engines surpassed human curators in providing personalized product suggestions, increasing customer satisfaction and sales.
    
66. 2025 - Hazardous materials handling: AI-controlled robots safely managed hazardous materials, reducing human exposure and risk in dangerous environments.
    
67. 2025 - Emergency response: AI-driven systems coordinated emergency response efforts, optimizing resource allocation and decision-making in critical situations.
    
68. 2025 - Environmental monitoring: AI-powered systems analyzed environmental data, predicting and mitigating the impact of natural disasters more effectively than human-led efforts.
    
69. 2025 - Robotic nursing: AI-assisted robots provided human-like care in hospitals and healthcare facilities, improving patient outcomes and reducing the burden on human nursing staff.
    
70. 2025 - Quality control: AI-driven inspection systems surpassed human performance in identifying manufacturing defects, increasing overall product quality and reducing waste.
    
71. 2025 - Art restoration: AI-powered tools accurately restored damaged artworks, preserving cultural heritage with greater precision than human restorers.
    
72. 2025 - Construction: AI-assisted robots performed construction tasks with human-like precision, improving efficiency and reducing the risk of accidents on job sites.
    
73. 2025 - Geospatial analysis: AI-driven tools outperformed humans in processing and interpreting geospatial data, supporting more informed decision-making in various fields.
    
74. 2025 - Event planning: AI-powered tools streamlined event management, optimizing logistics and resource allocation more effectively than human planners.
    
75. 2025 - Air traffic control: AI-driven systems managed air traffic with greater efficiency and safety, reducing delays and the risk of accidents.
    
76. 2026 - Medical research: AI algorithms accelerated the analysis of medical data, identifying correlations and patterns beyond human capabilities, and speeding up medical breakthroughs.
    
77. 2026 - Personal fitness coaching: AI-driven fitness apps provided personalized exercise programs and real-time feedback, outperforming human personal trainers in convenience and effectiveness.
    
78. 2026 - Robotic bartending: AI-powered robotic bartenders mixed and served drinks with human-level precision, increasing efficiency and consistency in the hospitality industry.
    
79. 2026 - Genetic analysis: AI systems outperformed humans in interpreting genetic data, enabling more accurate predictions of disease risk and personalized medicine.
    
80. 2026 - Urban farming: AI-driven vertical farming systems optimized crop growth and resource usage, surpassing traditional human-operated farming methods in efficiency and sustainability.
    
81. 2026 - Ocean exploration: AI-powered underwater drones mapped and analyzed ocean depths, providing insights into marine ecosystems and geological features beyond human capabilities.
    
82. 2026 - Biomedical engineering: AI-driven design and optimization of medical devices and prosthetics achieved superior performance and customization compared to traditional human-led approaches.
    
83. 2026 - Public safety: AI-powered surveillance and predictive analytics enhanced public safety efforts, preventing and responding to incidents more effectively than human-led initiatives.
    
84. 2026 - Veterinary diagnostics: AI systems accurately diagnosed animal diseases, improving veterinary care and reducing the need for invasive procedures.
    
85. 2026 - Water management: AI-driven water treatment and distribution systems optimized resource usage and minimized waste, outperforming traditional human-operated systems.
    
86. 2027 - Animation: AI-generated animations achieved human-level quality and expressiveness, reducing the time and labor required for complex animation projects.
    
87. 2027 - Space exploration: AI-powered systems and robots performed space exploration tasks with greater autonomy and efficiency, reducing the need for human intervention in harsh environments.
    
88. 2027 - Supply chain management: AI-driven tools optimized supply chain logistics, predicting demand fluctuations and reducing costs more effectively than human planners.
    
89. 2027 - Forest management: AI-assisted drones and robots monitored and maintained forest health, improving conservation efforts and reducing the need for human labor.
    
90. 2027 - Sentiment analysis: AI algorithms accurately assessed human emotions in text and speech, enabling more effective communication and customer service.
    
91. 2027 - Intellectual property management: AI-powered tools streamlined the patent application process, identifying prior art and generating patent claims more efficiently than human experts.
    
92. 2027 - Archaeological analysis: AI-driven tools deciphered ancient texts and analyzed artifacts with greater speed and accuracy than human archaeologists, uncovering new historical insights.
    
93. 2028 - Industrial inspection: AI-powered robotic systems performed comprehensive inspections of infrastructure and machinery, detecting flaws and predicting failures more accurately than humans.
    
94. 2028 - Interior design: AI-generated interior designs optimized space usage, aesthetics, and functionality, outperforming human designers in efficiency and personalization.
    
95. 2028 - Real estate appraisal: AI-driven tools assessed property values with greater accuracy and speed, reducing the need for manual appraisals.
    
96. 2028 - Human pose estimation: AI algorithms accurately analyzed human body movements in real-time, enabling advanced applications in sports, healthcare, and entertainment.
    
97. 2028 - Art curation: AI-generated art exhibitions combined aesthetics, historical context, and visitor preferences more effectively than human curators, enhancing the museum experience.
    
98. 2028 - Urban sanitation: AI-driven sanitation robots efficiently cleaned and maintained urban environments, reducing the need for human labor and improving public health.
    
99. 2028 - Sleep analysis: AI-powered sleep tracking devices provided personalized recommendations for sleep improvement, surpassing human-led sleep assessments in accuracy and convenience.
    
100. 2028 - Predictive policing: AI-driven tools analyzed crime data to predict and prevent criminal activity, enhancing public safety and resource allocation more effectively than traditional methods.
     
101. 2029 - Astrophotography: AI-driven image processing techniques enhanced astrophotography, achieving higher-quality images and revealing celestial details previously unattainable by human processing methods.
     
102. 2029 - Energy management: AI-powered systems optimized energy consumption and distribution in smart grids, improving efficiency and reducing environmental impact more effectively than human-led efforts.
     
103. 2029 - Telecommunications: AI-driven tools maintained and optimized telecommunications networks, enhancing reliability, and reducing downtime more efficiently than human technicians.
     
104. 2029 - Soil analysis: AI-powered soil sensors and analysis systems provided detailed, real-time information about soil health and composition, surpassing traditional human-operated testing methods.
     
105. 2029 - Sports analytics: AI-driven performance analysis tools provided real-time insights into team dynamics and player performance, improving coaching decisions and strategies more effectively than human analysis.
     
106. 2029 - Robotic caregiving: AI-assisted robots provided human-like care for children and individuals with special needs, offering personalized support, and reducing the burden on human caregivers.
     
107. 2029 - Art valuation: AI-driven systems accurately predicted the value of artworks, streamlining the appraisal process, and reducing subjectivity in the art market.
     
108. 2029 - Political analysis: AI-powered tools analyzed political data and public opinion more efficiently than human analysts, providing more accurate predictions of election outcomes and policy impacts.
     
109. 2029 - Film editing: AI-driven software streamlined film editing tasks, automatically selecting and combining clips to create engaging narratives more efficiently than human editors.
     
110. 2029 - Chemical engineering: AI algorithms accelerated chemical process design and optimization, predicting reaction outcomes and reducing trial-and-error experimentation in comparison to traditional human-led approaches.
     
111. 2030 - Gaming: AI-generated game content and characters provided unique, adaptive gaming experiences, surpassing the capabilities of traditional human-driven game development.
     
112. 2030 - Pest control: AI-powered pest detection and management systems improved agricultural productivity and reduced environmental impact more effectively than human-operated methods.
     
113. 2030 - Speech therapy: AI-driven speech therapy tools provided personalized, real-time feedback and progress tracking, enhancing outcomes more effectively than traditional human-led therapy.
     
114. 2030 - Natural language generation: AI systems composed human-like text across various domains, outperforming human writers in speed, accuracy, and adaptability.
     
115. 2030 - Job matching: AI-powered platforms accurately matched job seekers with relevant opportunities, optimizing the hiring process and reducing the need for human recruiters.
     
116. 2030 - Marine biology: AI-driven analysis of marine ecosystems provided deeper insights into species distribution and behavior, enabling more effective conservation efforts beyond human capabilities.
     
117. 2030 - Earthquake prediction: AI algorithms accurately predicted seismic events by analyzing vast amounts of geological data, outperforming traditional human-led methods.
     
118. 2030 - Online privacy: AI-driven privacy protection tools detected and mitigated online threats, ensuring user privacy and security more effectively than human-operated methods.
     
119. 2030 - DNA synthesis: AI-powered tools optimized DNA synthesis, improving the efficiency and accuracy of gene editing and synthetic biology applications beyond human-led approaches.
     
120. 2030 - Travel planning: AI-generated travel itineraries combined personal preferences, local insights, and real-time data to create customized experiences that surpassed traditional human-led planning.
     
121. 2031 - Space debris tracking: AI-driven systems accurately tracked and predicted the movement of space debris, improving satellite safety and collision avoidance beyond human capabilities.
     
122. 2031 - Wildlife conservation: AI-powered tools analyzed wildlife populations and habitats, enabling more effective conservation efforts and reducing the need for manual monitoring by humans.
     
123. 2031 - Molecular modeling: AI algorithms accurately predicted molecular structures and interactions, speeding up drug discovery and materials science research compared to human-led methods.
     
124. 2031 - Legal document analysis: AI-driven tools streamlined the review and analysis of legal documents, increasing efficiency and reducing errors compared to traditional human-led approaches.
     
125. 2031 - Smart homes: AI-powered systems managed energy consumption, security, and home maintenance more effectively than human-operated methods, improving comfort and sustainability.
     
126. 2031 - Disaster recovery: AI-driven robots and drones performed search and rescue operations in hazardous environments, reducing the risk to human responders and improving recovery outcomes.
     
127. 2031 - Bioinformatics: AI algorithms analyzed vast amounts of biological data, identifying patterns and correlations beyond human capabilities, leading to new discoveries in genetics and molecular biology.
     
128. 2031 - Waste management: AI-powered sorting and recycling systems improved waste management efficiency and reduced environmental impact more effectively than human-operated methods.
     
129. 2031 - Climate modeling: AI-driven climate models provided more accurate predictions of climate change impacts, informing policy decisions and mitigation strategies beyond human-led modeling capabilities.
     
130. 2031 - Talent scouting: AI-powered tools identified and evaluated prospective talent in sports, entertainment, and various industries, reducing human biases and improving selection processes.
     
131. 2032 - Robotic surgery: AI-assisted surgical robots performed complex procedures with greater precision and reduced complications compared to traditional human-led surgeries.
     
132. 2032 - Meteorology: AI-driven weather prediction models provided more accurate and localized forecasts, enhancing public safety and informing decision-making beyond human capabilities.
     
133. 2032 - Customer behavior analysis: AI-powered tools analyzed customer behavior and preferences more effectively than human analysts, enabling more targeted marketing and sales strategies.
     
134. 2032 - Pollution monitoring: AI-driven systems detected and analyzed air and water pollution levels, informing more effective environmental policies and cleanup efforts compared to traditional human-operated methods.
     
135. 2032 - Drone traffic management: AI-powered tools optimized drone flight paths and airspace usage, improving efficiency and reducing the risk of collisions beyond human-led management.
     
136. 2032 - Public health: AI algorithms analyzed vast amounts of health data, identifying disease outbreaks and predicting public health trends more accurately than human-led methods.
     
137. 2032 - Nanotechnology: AI-driven design and synthesis of nanomaterials accelerated advancements in electronics, medicine, and other fields beyond human capabilities.
     
138. 2032 - Personal finance management: AI-powered tools optimized budgeting, investment, and tax planning, providing personalized financial advice more effectively than traditional human advisors.
     
139. 2032 - Digital art: AI-generated visual art achieved human-level creativity and complexity, pushing the boundaries of artistic expression and reducing the time and effort required by human artists.
     
140. 2032 - Scientific peer review: AI-driven systems evaluated the quality and validity of scientific research, streamlining the peer review process and reducing human biases and errors.
     
141. 2033 - Electronic component design: AI-driven tools optimized the design and manufacturing of electronic components, improving performance and efficiency beyond human-led methods.
     
142. 2033 - Aquaculture: AI-powered systems managed fish farming operations, optimizing feeding, water quality, and growth rates more effectively than traditional human-operated methods.
     
143. 2033 - Fashion design: AI-generated fashion designs combined creativity, trend analysis, and customer preferences more effectively than human designers, streamlining the fashion industry.
     
144. 2033 - Music composition: AI-driven systems composed original music pieces in various genres, achieving human-level creativity and expression while reducing the time and effort required by human composers.
     
145. 2033 - Mental health assessment: AI-powered tools accurately assessed and diagnosed mental health conditions, improving access to mental health care and reducing the burden on human professionals.
     
146. 2033 - Materials discovery: AI algorithms accelerated the discovery and optimization of new materials for various applications, reducing the time and cost of experimentation compared to human-led approaches.
     
147. 2033 - Industrial design: AI-driven tools streamlined product design and prototyping, optimizing functionality, aesthetics, and manufacturability beyond human capabilities.
     
148. 2033 - Ecosystem restoration: AI-powered systems analyzed and managed ecosystem restoration projects, improving the efficiency and success rate of efforts to restore degraded environments.
     
149. 2033 - Seismology: AI algorithms analyzed seismic data more effectively than human seismologists, improving our understanding of Earth's geology and natural processes.
     
150. 2033 - Cognitive training: AI-driven cognitive training tools provided personalized and adaptive exercises, enhancing learning and memory more effectively than traditional human-led methods.
     

I spend much of my morning watching Coda and my ratlings working on Rocky’s ring, though I do check in on Violet, too. I’m trying to not get impatient and rush her, especially after Rezlar saying I’ve been growing way faster than other dungeons.
 
She’s actually sending centipede expeditions to scout the area before she expands, being cautious. To be fair, I don’t know what will happen with the scythemaw eggs in the area when she expands. They scythemaws proper are delvers, so would they become Residents? Dwellers? Delvers? I think Tarl said the townsfolk would become Residents if I expanded… or did he say Dwellers? I’d think Dwellers, since Residents seem a bit more connected.
 
Violet doesn’t seem too concerned about them, though, and seems more like someone looking to buy a house, and wanting to make sure they don’t discover the pipes are garbage or something. Whatever the eggs do, I just have to be patient and not push her too hard. She’ll get there.
 
Around noon, I feel familiar feet, with an unfamiliar set joining them. I smile to myself as I see Freddie and Rhonda, along with Fiona and Lucas, as well as an elf who feels familiar, but I can’t quite place him. I don’t need to send Teemo to go say hi, as he’s already on his way.
 
The kids are looking eager to do some delving, while the new elf is looking a bit nervous, but doing his best to hide it as Rhonda points at the porch.
 
“And there’s the notice board and the quests from the aranea!”
 
“We should get a quest. It’ll be a good way to help him get used to how Thedeim works,” points out Freddie. Teemo walks out from under the porch and grins as he sees the new elf.
 
“You guys snagged a newbie, eh?”
 
The kids look a little confused at the term, and the elf blushes a bit in embarrassment, so Teemo continues. “Nothing wrong with it. Everyone has to start somewhere. And with these two, you’ll be just fine.”
 
“He’ll be a great help to us, too,” points out Freddie. “He’s a fencer. We’ve been missing a good damage dealer.”
 
“Could have fooled me and the Boss. You kids can pull out some serious hurt when you need to.”
 
Rhonda waves that off. “We have to do a team up attack to do most of that kind of stuff. I only beat Rocky that one time because I tripped him up and basically made him hit himself.”
 
The elf’s eyes widen at that, as does Teemo’s grin. “You think the new guy could go toe to toe with Rocky?”
 
Freddie and Rhonda exchange a look, before Freddie shrugs. “We haven’t really seen him in action yet. I think the three of us together could at least give him a proper challenge.”
 
Teemo is definitely enjoying the poor elf’s misery at that idea. “What’s your name, anyway? Sorry about talking about you like you’re not here. Freddie, Rhonda, Lucas and Fiona are friends of Thedeim, and any friend of theirs is a friend of his.”
 
He looks even more terrified at that thought, but Rhonda and Freddie smile and motion for him to introduce himself, so he tries to steel his courage. “I’m Re- er… Larrez. Uh… just Larrez,” he manages, tripping over his words a bit.
 
Teemo eases up on him a bit at that and nods. “I’m Teemo, Thedeim’s Voice. Just Teemo’s fine, heh. Anyway, you kids were looking for a quest?” he asks of the whole group, and everyone, even Larrez, nods. “There should be one to do something down in Violet. You kids could take that one and take the long way. You know, show him the ropes and what all the Boss has to offer, maybe introduce him to a few of the other scions.”
 
“Is Rocky available for a sparring match?” asks Freddie, clearly wanting to actually test if he’s right about how they’ll fare.
 
“Eh… kinda. The Boss is working on a new arena for him. The big lug won’t say no, of course, but he might be a bit distracted by the call of his new ring.”
 
Freddie looks interested at that, and Rhonda speaks up. “Maybe we’ll just stop by to say hello, then. I’d love to learn more magic from him, too, but I wouldn’t want to interrupt.”
 
Teemo shrugs. “I don’t think he’ll mind if you drop in. Anyway, I’ll let you get to it. It was nice to meet you for the first time, Larrez. Just take it slow and learn to work together, and you’ll all be fine.” Larrez pales at Teemo’s exit, which makes me certain I’ve seen him before, but I still can’t place him. Teemo chuckles as he heads down a shortcut, and I decide to keep watching the young party as they look over the quests.
 
As they peruse the hanging pieces of wood, Rhonda speaks up. “Oh, this reminds me!” She levels a finger at both Freddie and Larrez. “You two should get a gathering skill!” Larrez looks confused, while Freddie looks thoughtful.
 
“We probably should, yeah. I don’t think I’m interested in any crafting skills of my own, but gathering could be useful. What do you think, Larrez?”
 
The elf, still looking a bit uncomfortable after having talked with Teemo, slowly nods. “It… would probably be smart, yes. I do not know if I would be any good at a crafting skill, but gathering is a good way to supplement adventuring income.” He gets a little more confident as he speaks, and I can practically see him reading it out of some book or another on adventuring.
 
“Anything stick out to you two?” asks Rhonda, excited her suggestion is getting followed through on. Freddie shrugs.
 
“I think the classic for a paladin would be mining or maybe lumberjacking. I even have an axe. But… neither really sounds that interesting to me. Larrez?”
 
“Um… I have always been intrigued by mining,” he admits, to the curious looks of his party. After a few moments, he continues. “It just seems… relaxing? Slow and methodical, nobody around to bother you while you work?”
 
Freddie nods at that. “You could even take up smelting to turn your ore into ingots. It’s not the most glamorous crafting job, but there’s no shortage of demand for metals.”
 
Larrez looks relieved for the support, and is even bold enough to ask his own question. “And you, Freddie? If not mining or lumberjacking, what gathering skill would you like to pursue?”
 
Freddie considers as his eyes wander the quests, before he picks one. “Field dressing is interesting. There’s a lot of magic in the herbs Rhonda gathers, but there’s also a lot of stuff in the things we fight, too. If nothing else, most skins and hides are worth something to a tanner. And… maybe cooking as a crafting skill.” He chuckles as he nods to himself, and smirks at Rhonda. “If we’re going to be a party, someone should learn to cook. Alchemy doesn’t count.”
 
She sticks her tongue out at him. “Alchemy soup totally counts,” she says with mock seriousness, before giggling and not arguing the point. She grabs a quest plaque to gather mushrooms in Violet, and Freddie shows his to skin three cave bunnies.
 
“How about you? Violet doesn’t have any mining nodes… I think, but Thedeim has ones all over in the tunnels and caverns,” says the goblin.
 
“I… do not have a pick,” admits the elf, but Rhonda doesn’t accept that excuse.
 
“We can get one from a ratling. Or, if they don’t want to let us have one, you can use your water affinity to erode the rock and get some ore, right?”
 
“...in theory?”
 
“Great! Then grab a mining quest, and we’ll give you the grand tour of Thedeim!”
 
He reaches out and takes a quest to mine some tin, then looks confused as he looks over at what the other two accepted. “Why do your quests say Violet?”
 
“Ah,” says Freddie, realizing they haven’t been explaining things very well, and motions for Larrez to follow him off the porch. “Violet is another dungeon, one pretty deep down. Thedeim found her and has taken her as his protege.”
 
His eyes widen in concern. “Another fast-developing dungeon!?”
 
Rhonda giggles and shakes her head. “Nah, she’s a lot more mild than Thedeim is, at least as far as Freddie and I can tell. Though she was kinda stuck behind the scythemaws for a while, so there wasn’t much expanding she could really do anyway.”
 
“But now the tunnel horrors are gone,” points out Larrez, still looking worried. Freddie smiles.
 
“Sure, but she’s still young, and Mr Tarl says she’s still acting like it. Thedeim is helping guide her and giving her advice, but if she was like him, she would have expanded as soon as the maws were gone. I’m pretty sure she still hasn’t.”
 
“She’s also looking like she’ll be a toybox,” points out Rhonda as they round the house and head for the simple herbalism nodes. Her quest might be for mushrooms in Violet, but the simple herbs seem to be a base for a lot of things, so might as well get some on the way.
 
“A deep toybox,” emphasizes Freddie. “Apparently, most deep dungeons are belligerent at best. If she keeps this up, the Dungeoneers will probably expand their guild here to ensure she’s safe and happy. The kind of resources she could provide could end up putting Fourdock on the map, even if Thedeim wasn’t here. With him here…”
 
Larrez sighs and I finally recognize him as he speaks. “With them both, the Mayor is going to have his hands full.”
 
 
< [Next>]
 
 
Cover art Want moar? Discord is a thing! I now have a Patreon for monthly donations, and I have a Ko-fi for one-off donations. Patreons can read up to three chapters ahead, and also get a few other special perks as well. Thank you again to everyone who is reading!

Greetings, tourists, chillaxers, and beach-goers!

Our contest Spring Break! has concluded, and what a fun and relaxing spring break we've all had here! It was so nice being able to luxuriate on the beach with not a care in the world- wait, most of you were stuck in customs? Ah well, not much that we can do to have our fun-in-the-sun now. All in all, 29 of you booked a trip down to our resorts in such fantastic places as Omsk, Glasgow, and Mogadishu, and while none of those places see particularly rave reviews, one only needs to trek a little off the beaten track to find yourselves in a whole another world of discovery - even if that world isn't the one that is thought of when you think of 'Mogadishu'.

With 8.00 points, please give a round of applause to...

☆wildeofoscar☆

^with

Flash Photography

As it is their second win, they are awarded with the opportunity to make their own custom flair and mini, as well as stars and a pair of golden wings for the month!

• With 7.00 points, second place goes to magicalgirldittochan and their piece Around the world, I ached and pained. They are therefore awarded with a pair of silver wings for the month!
  
• Finally, with 7.00 points, the third place goes to just_wait_a_sec and their piece Luxury Cruise. They are therefore awarded with a pair of bronze wings for the month!
  
• In addition, with 6.83 points, our coveted Mod's Choice Participation award goes to Nassau18b and their piece Italy's Mandatory Must Take Vacation Days. Here's a little ribbon to put next to your name for that
  

Here are the full results:

Score	Author	Entry	σ
8.00	wildeofoscar	Flash Photography	0.82
7.00	magicalgirldittochan	Around the world, I ached and pained	1.26
7.00	just_wait_a_sec	Luxury Cruise	2.08
6.83	wildeofoscar	XTREME TRAVELER CANADA	0.69
6.83	Nassau18b	Italy's Mandatory Must Take Vacation Days	1.07
6.83	MatDC	Holocaust memorial trip	1.77
6.67	Nassau18b	An Ivory Plated Vacation	0.94
6.33	MilkCultLeader	Vacation with Vatican™	0.75
6.20	jPaolo	Vacation Plans	1.47
6.17	DangalfSG	China Ailrines	0.69
6.17	ChummyCommie	A state-sponsored vacation	1.07
6.17	Watmaln	One Hell of a Vacation	1.57
6.00	Lord_Asker	Stuck in Neutral	1.15
5.83	Foghidedota	America goes on Holiday	0.69
5.83	RZ_923	Vacation to Dubai	0.69
5.83	Marzipanbread	Travel Darts	1.07
5.67	PanikingPotato	Are We There Yet?	1.11
5.50	U_Rift	Back in the glorious days of USSR, we had free vacations	0.76
5.33	Odd_Dot8342	Just like home	0.94
5.17	AppleEmpire_2629	this is totally not my fault	0.37
4.83	RayDeeUx	Travel Alternatives	0.69
4.67	RZ_923	Meetup in Paris	0.75
4.67	havefun0235	speed travelling	0.75
4.33	mel_bell123	Oh The Sights To See Here	1.25
4.33	Romania64	Djibooty	1.37
3.83	MatDC	I want to live life in my own way	0.69
3.67	TheLegend2T	When in Brazil	1.60
2.50	shamrockpediareddit	2023 Estonia Parliamentary election (REAL)	0.50
2.17	theuknown55	Bahraini Vacation	0.69

The updated annual rankings can be found here.
Thank you to everybody who participated in this contest! We hope to see you all around for the next contest. Make sure you congratulate the winners!
Cheers,
The /polandball modteam

State of Instagram Reels In 2023

We kicked off 2023 with some serious announcements from Instagram’s CEO confessing that Instagram pushed more reels than photos. And they will settle things back to normal meaning pushing every single piece of content at the same rate.
After that Meta’s Earning Report 2022 came out, In the statement regarding Instagram. Mark Zuckerberg confirmed that to make people create & watch reels they tried to give new format a boost until 2022. Now, reels can grow on their own.
And that brings us to current state of reels, which is reels aren’t as organic as 2021. But the time spent by Instagram users is increasing, now more than 20% users spend their half of the time on reels tab.
That’s why IG reels needs to be part of your overall Instagram strategy.

State of Tiktok 2023

Changes to Tiktok algorithm are bigger than Instagram reels. Increasing the arguments regarding Tiktok Vs Instagram strategy, here’s what you need to know regarding these changes.
First Tiktok recently announced a new monetisation feature called “Tiktok Series”.
Tiktok believes in quality content & they have mentioned these priorities over and over again. This time with “Tiktok Series” the platform wants creators to create long-form content to make Tiktok users more engaged within the platform.
The creators can charge upto $190 for content series. Your Tiktok series can have upto 80 videos with length of upto 20 minutes.
This new era of paywalled content on Tiktok will bring more engagement & money to creators.
Second TikTok’s Creativity Program aka “Creative Fund 2.0”
The platform introduced a new creator fund called “Tiktok creativity Program” and creators can apply for monetisation of video content. But this time there is a change to help deserving creators make more money.
In creativity program, creators apply for monetisation for a specific Tiktok video and the video has to be over 1 minue length or minimum. Plus, Tiktok will review Originality & creativity of video to consider monetisation.
Final Take, What these changes tell us?
These changes tell us that Tiktok wants original & long-form content to exist on platform. Tiktok was know for trending sounds in 2019-2021 and it still represents that part of social media. But now the platform seeks originality & wants to be a content hub like Youtube.

Understanding Instagram Strategy

I’ve advised 1000s of marketers, SMBs & creators that only reason Instagram never dies is because it’s the most personal platform & middle child in the family of Social Media Platforms.
The audiences on Instagram want to see memories, highlights & content from their friends, families & connections. And they discover new creators & businesses based on what Instagram knows about them. And Instagram gets the knowledge from who they follow, what they or the people they follow like. It’s all interconnected.
And that’s different from Tiktok. On Instagram while creating reels, you have to remember to make sure you focus on creating content more valuable for your existing followers.
When you create valuable content for them. You will get better engagement from them and as Instagram’s audience is interconnected & the platform knows the interests through the audience. You will go viral & get more engagement.
Meaning key to a great Instagram reels strategy is focusing on fulfilling your current audience with value to get more engagement from non-followers. To do that, you need to be more focused on understanding your followers how they react to different posts. After that you need to find what other creators & businesses are doing to find what works.
Both of these will help you in creating content within your expertise, without any pressure to jump on trends. Why? As you now understand what strategies & tactics work for your audience better than those Instagram fast growth gurus.

Decoding Tiktok Strategy

Above I mentioned Tiktok is different with context about how Instagram’s audience is interconnected & existing followers make a huge impact on virality.
Tiktok is opposite, People use it to discover new solutions, trends, Ideas & businesses. They aren’t interconnected with most of their friends. Unless Tiktok asks you to connect contacts & 70% people usually don’t follow their friends after connecting their contact lists.
Tiktok users are on Platform for new content discovery. You see content based on what you like, the personal connections doesn’t matter as much as they did on IG.That’s why brands on Tiktok try to create content that targets a broad share of platform. Because people are hear to build new interests, and discover new businesses.
First, Brands try to create content that appeals to 90% of people interested in X topic to go viral or gain exposure.
For example, @Bose on Tiktok create funny reels about their new products to reach most of the audience.
Second, They create educational & focused content to keep the existing followers engaging + connected with their brands.
To explain Take @schick on Tiktok creating story-focused content to make sure the connection between newly gained audience starts building.
Third, Brands try to stay relevant by discussing points that audience mentions in comments. To make people believe they are listening to everyone.
For Example, McDonald’s Tiktok manager replied to a follower who said nobody will read this. This act shows a lot & the screenshot of this comment gathered 13k likes on Twitter.
Showing how engaging in comments can also impact your audience + you can end up gaining more attention on Twitter or reddit.
Packing all this up, Tiktok strategy For Brands & Creators is a mix of broad content to target new followers & insightful content to keep the followers engaged. And engaging is similar to Instagram, It’s important on both platforms.

Instagram Images Vs Tiktok Carousels

In the state of Instagram reels, I mentioned that IG is back to prioritising every single format equally. What does that mean? It means that Instagram Imagery content is here to stay & it is gaining organic reach.
Comparing it to Rival Platform, now we have carousels on Tiktok. And this feature is highly organic when we compare it to Instagram carousels.
Tiktok carousels are an amazing way to post imagery content on platform and you can share more than 10 slides with ability to add sounds. On other hand, You can now add sound to Single images on Instagram but regarding carousels you can only have upto 10 slides with no sound adding feature.
Instagram carousels seem to take a loss here in terms of organic reach & Format freedom. But this format is one of my favourite to build an engaging audience as your audience tend to spend more time consuming your content.

•1•
Aniyah paused by a tree that was bigger than all the rest. It was obviously very old. The leaves of its branches were a pretty teal color and were shaped like the diamonds in a deck of playing cars. She couldn't say exactly why, but this tree gave her a slight sense of comfort. In these woods--especially with the black curtain hanging over the sky--comfort was a rare commodity. She found comfort in this tree, oddly enough, and also in her new weapon. Windchine; Blade of the Paragon. She supposed she was the Paragon of the Weaver now. Whatever that meant. She knew the words, because they kept echoing throughout her thoughts, but she had only a faint idea of their meaning. She wasn't totally clueless. She'd picked up on the fact that the Weaver was a God, or something close to it. She'd intuited that Paragon was some kind of title, bestowed by the Weaver. It meant she was sort of like a knight. Beyond these things however, she didn't have much to go on. She'd always just known things she had no way of knowing. Sometimes, she knew things she had no business knowing, as Momma would have said. She wasn't psychic. Far from it. She just got gut feelings about things, that usually turned out to be right. Like the ones underneath. She'd picked up on all of that, without any real reason to pick up on it.
She was picking up on something now. Something involving the others back at the clearing.
But she was still piecing all of that together. She didn't have enough to go on yet, to have any complete, fully formed thought.
That wouldn't come until a bit later...
What came in that moment, was the subtle soothing nature of the very old tree before her. Comfort really was a rare commodity here, but aside from the tree and the scimitar, there was one more source of comfort for her, currently. The weird little jellyfish thing. It was bobbing along in the air a few feet from the tree. It hadn't left her side since bringing her the weapon. Like the tree--like Windchime--it granted her a small degree of comfort. She didn't know where the jellyfish had got the weapon, but she had an idea that even the jellyfish didn't know where it had come from. Maybe the old man had something to do with it. The one who kept the Keys. The Custodian.
She bitterly wished she'd thought to grab Mr. Brownie when she took off running from the skinless man.
The skinless man...
Now there was something she hadn't got any gut feelings about. Except for fear, that was. She knew to be fearful of the man, but that was all. She'd dealt with monsters her whole life. They'd shown up out the blue, or she'd shown up to them. Like in that Long Room. Something about the skinless man was different though. Something about him wasn't like the other monsters. He wasn't one of her monsters, she knew that much at least. She could also tell he didn't have anything to do with the ones underneath, or the grasshopper people. He wasn't connected to The Jailer.
The only intuitive feeling Aniyah had concerning the skinless man, was that he was connected to something a whole lot worse. What that something might have a been however, she had no clue.
Aniyah didn't have a sheath, or swordbelt. The scimitar hadn't come with a scabbard. As a result, she was forced to hold the weapon in her hand, since she had nowhere to stow it. The blade was as long as her arm, and curved--almost like a banana--but was only sharp on one side. This allowed her to rest the blunt edge in the crook of her shoulder, carrying it the way she'd seen lumberjacks sometimes carry their axes in old movies; with her elbow bent, and the blade sticking out behind her as if it were a compass needle that only pointed in the opposite direction from where she was facing.
With Windchine in this position, she leaned sideways against the old tree--feeling its rough bark against her skin. A soft breeze gently blew against her face, bringing with it the scents of nature. The blackness of the sky didn't seem to match the pleasantness of the wind or the earthy smells of the woods around her. Nor did the stillness. There were a few insects buzzing someplace nearby, but mostly it was quiet. It was almost tranquil, in fact. She knew that somewhere in these same woods, chaos was happening. Hell on Earth (or, Hell on In-Between, she supposed). But all of that seemed so distant. So removed from her in that moment, in this private patch of wilderness.
Part of her wanted to go charging off toward the battle, so she could save Eddie the Gnome, and Prioress Qaya, and the others. Yet, at the same time, another part of her wanted to just lie down right here and take a nice long nap. Another part still--a deeper part--briefly broached the topic of Amy. She shattered this thought into a million little pieces and scattered them in the wind. She wouldn't... no... she couldn't deal with that right now. Not yet. Soon, she would have to. But not just yet.
These contradicting parts were really all the same part. The part that didn't want to admit she was hopelessly lost. She had no dang idea where to go.
Aniyah looked up at the weird little jellyfish thing. She whispered, "Wonder how far it is, to get back to Eddie Money and the others?"
The jellyfish couldn't understand her. Duh. It was a floating jellyfish. How could it?
Except... for a moment, Aniyah thought maybe the thing did understand. And after another few seconds, she knew for sure it did.
The jellyfish flashed a soft green color. Once, then twice. To Aniyah, it was almost like it was saying: "Beep-beep!"
"What does that mean, Jellybean?" she asked, laughing at how goofy she probably sounded.
The jellyfish strobed green again. Just once this time. Then, it slowly began to float away.
"Hold up a minute. Where you goin'?" She stopped leaning against the tree and stood up straight.
The jellyfished froze for a second, beeped green once more, then started off again.
"Ohhh, okay. I see. You leading the way? Well okay then." Aniyah smiled in spite of herself.
She followed behind the jellyfish. Together, they made their way through the darkened woods. Hopefully, to rejoin the others...
•2•
"I've never been in this part of the city before," Flower-Seed admitted. "I didn't even realize there was so much down here. I knew there were older parts of Locist Spire that were here before the Jikk, and that most of it was under the city, but I didn't expect there to be all of... this." He looked around, pausing briefly to admire the elaborate architecture around him. "I mean... Gods. There's actually streets down here. And structures. Not to mention these sculptures and platforms. It's breathtaking. It's almost like an entire settlement encased in a mausoleum. A sort of... civilization time capsule."
Quijj gave only a noncommittal grunt in response.
The two of them walked side-by-side along a wide street paved in stone. So much was stonework, or marble. The craftsmanship that went into all of it was something even modern Artisians likely couldn't replicate. Large sections of the old city were in ruins, but those that remained mostly intact made Flower-Seed feel as if he'd traveled back in time. If they'd had the sky overhead instead of a cavern roof, he could have easily imagined being in the center of a bustling metropolis.
They strode by a towering sculpture made to resemble some sort of animal Flower-Seed couldn't identify. It certainly wasn't any kind of insect, or Insectoid. It had four legs and a tail, plus a large round head. It was as intriguing as it was beautiful.
Cave crickets were softly singing in the nooks and crannies. The distant sound of dripping water played constant accompaniment to the hollow resonance of this subterranean wonderland.
They turned down what had once been a side street, with Flower-Seed leading the way. Up ahead, a cavern wall blocked their advance. There was a place where the wall had been broken, creating an opening just big enough for them to squeeze through.
On the other side, they came upon a ledge overlooking a sprawling cavern. There were more ledges--some, only narrow slabs of stone reminiscent of catwalks; others, much wider, holding half-ruined structures--high up along the cavern walls. And in the center, sitting like an island in the dark sea of darkness, was a sprawling marble platform. The platform was surrounded on all sides by crags and trenches so deep Flower-Seed couldn't see their bottom. There was a naturally formed staircase of stone leading from the platform to another opening. This was most likely the main entrance to this chamber. Flower-Seed realized now that he and Quijj had taken an alternate route to get here, than the others had.
Yes. There were others. A lot of them, from the looks of it.
On the marble platform below, rows of tents and even a makeshift gazebo had been set up. As Flower-Seed's eyes adjusted, he began to make out the robes of Advisors; the armor of Spire Knights and Spire Watch. There were excited, panicked voices echoing throughout the cave. Some sort of commotion was going on.
"I had no idea any of this was here," Flower-Seed whispered.
Quijj gave him a strange look.
"Don't ask how I knew where to go, or how to get here. I just... did."
Quijj nodded, but said nothing.
From the platform, someone yelled: "Arrest the traitor!"
"Ah, shit," Flower-Seed said. He was no longer bothering to keep his voice at a whisper. The figures gathered below had broken into something close to a frenzy. "They must be talking about the Councilor." He looked at Quijj with a serious expression. "We have to get her out of here. I'm not exactly the biggest fan of our government, but something really bad is going on down here. I got... visions. I saw Spire Knights with their minds corrupted by parasites. Whoever attacked the city... they've infected some of the officials. We have to do something. If we're ever going to rebuild... we need Jikk like Councilor Lemma. She's one of the good ones."
Quijj grunted in agreement. "Alright. Let's do it."
"What's the plan?" Flower-Seed asked, suddenly nervous. He felt a bit silly asking Quijj what the plan was, considering the elderly tavern keeper had just been following his lead up this point. Now that they were here, Flower-Seed didn't have the slightest idea what he was going to do. Or even what he could do. He couldn't fight a trained Spire Knight. Let alone an entire company of them. He'd only get himself killed!
Fortunately (and to Flower-Seed's great relief), Quijj said: "Just wait here. And get ready to run. Like you've never ran before."
"Alright. I think I can do that much, at least."
Quijj nodded. He drew his odd-looking weapon, and leapt down from the ledge; spreading his wings as he did this to glide over to the platform. Just as the old tavern keep came to a landing, Flower-Seed saw two armored Knights seize Councilor Lemma by the arms, and pull her to the ground. One of the Advisors screamed.
Shit! his mind cursed. Come on, Quijj. You gotta do something! And fast!
•3•
There was a particular knock at the hidden door to the Navigator's study. Three heavy raps, a pause, then two sets of four bangs; the coded knock he'd taught to the mercenary leader. The corners of Drokin the Navigator's mouth--little more than soft tissue on either side of his pointed beak--sagged slightly, in a parody of a frown. He shot a glance over to the wall-mounted clock above his desk. It was only Ef'tat-Half-Wane. The merc shouldn't have made it to this part of Barkstone Barony, for at least another three Shecks.
Drokin cast a suspicious eye toward the opposite end of the room. He reached beneath his desk, unfastening the blade he hid there. It was always good to have a backup weapon. The talon-like claws of his hand instinctively found the pommel of his rapier. "Enter!" he called to the door.
There was a hefty creaking sound as a considerable portion of the wall was pushed inward, revealing both the false rock of the door's opposite side, and the midday sunlight beyond the study. The light was much too bright for Drokin's eyes, after spending so much time inside the chamber under the Arcas Rune lamps. For a moment, he had to squint in order to get a decent view of his visitor. The moment Drokin saw the figure entering his study, his claws tightened on the handle of his weapon.
The one who appeared through the doorway was not the merc leader Rave the Ravager. Not by a long shot. The stranger was a Jagged Fields Nerthran, just as Rave was, but this was where their similarities ended. Rave was of slightly larger than average size for an adult male member of the mothfolk race. The Nerthran before Drokin was the antithesis of average (or "slightly" for that matter). He was enormous; much larger than seemed natural. If one of his crew mates had told Drokin about seeing a Nerthran the size of this one, Drokin would have labeled them an exaggerator at best, a boldfaced liar at worst. He certainly wouldn't have believed mothmen could grow this large, if he weren't seeing the proof of that very thing with his own two eyes.
"Where is Rave? Who are you?" Drokin demanded.
The giant mothman slowly stepped inside the study and creaked the door shut behind him. He did not answer.
"I asked you a question. Where is--"
In a baritone voice that was almost pleasing to the ear, the mothman said: "Would you Sky Pirates send your Captain on every minor mission, or simple errand? I am Master Rave's deliverer. I am called Nollo."
A peculiar name for such a hulking creature as this, the Navigator mused.
When Drokin didn't initially respond, 'Nollo' added: "I have the Relic you wanted." He held up a black rectangular case, almost like the kind a Bard might use for protecting a musical instrument.
Drokin thought this over a moment, studying the towering mothman carefully. He felt almost like he was looking up at a living statue. One of the great big ones that lined the streets of the grand cities of Roshuka, or populated the ruins of Jyyrvesk's Old Country. Even the hulk's features were oversized, as if they needed to compensate for the massive face to which they were attached. This 'Nollo' somewhat unsettled Drokin. The self-proclaimed "deliverer" had a long, slender mouth that didn't quite seem to want to close all the way. This gave the mothman an almost moronic appearance; a dimwitted face with the mouth of a drooling imbecile. Combined with his considerable size, it would have been easy to dismiss this Nerthran as a buffoon. Even the title "deliverer" played into this impression. And he seemed to have a permanent glazed over quality about his eyes. However, Drokin saw what lurked beneath the surface. When he looked beyond these things, the Navigator could detect a cold, calculating intelligence in the mothman's eyes. Upon closer inspection, the glazed over quality didn't strike the Navigator as entirely organic. It struck him as purposeful, practiced--part of a kind of disguise.
Nollo was a mothman with the soul of a spider...
As these things dawned on Drokin, the unsettled feeling he'd had since this mothman's appearance turned to something bordering on outright fear. The Navigator had been all across the Lesser and Greater Reaches. He'd seen some horrid things. Something about this stranger was different, however. There was something not quite Insectoid in his eyes; not quite Of This Pocket Realm, as the Captain was want to say. Drokin had never believed in the concept of evil. Not in the same way the Old Scrolls talked about it, as least. But now--here in his study, confronted by the figure before him--when he looked into those eyes, evil was all Drokin saw.
"You... have the Horn?" Drokin asked, trying to sound casual. His heart was beating at three times it's normal tempo. He slowly reached for the Link Orb. Calling out to Captain Heekan may have been the only chance he had left. "Let me get you the coin I promise then."
"Stop," said Nollo. "Put your hand down."
Drokin paused. The tips of his claws were just inches from the Orb. If he were quick about it, he could snatch the thing up in a microsecond. The Navigator was quick. He was a trained fighter, afterall. But... he knew intuitively he would not be quick enough.
"I beg your pardon?" Drokin said, trying and failing to keep some air of authority in his tone.
Nollo laughed. It was not a pleasant sound. "There was never going to be any coin, was there? You think Master Rave wouldn't sniff out such an obvious con? You really aren't familiar with the Stonewing Pillar Mercenaries are you? We are not some low-level ratcatchers."
Drokin said nothing for a moment. At last, he sighed. He allowed his training to replace his fear. It took quite a lot of effort, but he managed. When his heart had returned to something closer to a natural beat, he leveled his avian eyes at the mothman. He dropped his hand, but brought it down to his rapier. He drew the weapon, but made no move to strike.
Through the end of his closed beak, Drokin growled: "Alright, asshole. Just what are you after?"
Nollo laughed again. He flipped open the brass latches on the black case he held, opened it. Inside, wasn't any Relic. That had been a lie. The black velvet lined interior of the case held a single object: a large throwing knife. Nollo removed the blade and let the case fall to the floor. "I'll need every piece of coin you have here. And anything else of value."
Drokin raised his rapier. "All our treasures are on the ship." He sighed, deciding to fess up. "I don't have anything here. You were right. I planned on taking the Horn and not paying. But I am obviously not getting what I wanted. There is no coin here for you to get what you want. Why don't we just call this an impasse? We both walk away, no better off... but no worse for wear than we were before. What do you say?"
Nollo shook his massive head. It was like seeing a boulder pivot atop a living column. "You think you can plot to take out our leader, and live to tell the tale? You're even more stupid than you look."
Now, Drokin was getting angry. "Do you have any idea who you're fucking with? You can't stand against our entire crew. We're the Hawkblood Pirates. You think Captain Heekan will just sit by and let you--"
The knife was buried in Drokin's windpipe, before he ever saw the mothman throw it. For someone so massive, Rollo had a dexterity and speed that were virtually unrivaled. There was a soft clang as Drokin's rapier fell to the floor; a soft gurgling sound as he began to choke on his own blood. He gasped for air his lungs couldn't find; his hands clawing at his throat to pull free a blade that wouldn't budge.
Drokin the Navigator fell to the floor with a hollow thud, knocking his chair over in the process. The last thing his dying mind registered before he lost consciousness was the sight of Rollo the mothman standing over him, whispering: "You Sky Pirates never should have come to the Wilden Green."
Then, Drokin was fading. Fading, fading.
Fading.
Fading from the mortal world, and headed for that Great Beyond...
•4•
Eyes. So many eyes. Staring. Watching.
Abominations. Wretched perversions of nature. Black-tongued things. Slime things. Things with many, many eyes.
Many. Many. Eyes.
Vellnoth! It was awful!
Zoocher slipped through a whirlwind of swirling shadows. He sank into quicksand of blackness. His mind shattered, then reformed. Shattered, then reformed. The world became a pane of glass which broke into a million, billion, trillion little pieces. He reached out, desperately trying to pick the pieces up, to put them back together.
It was no use.
Horrors. Eyes. Looking. Looking at me. Through me. Seeing me. Seeing all.
SEEING.
Zoocher rocked himself back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. There was dirt and grass beneath him. He was curled up into a ball, hugging his knees against his chest. Yet, these things were just background details. This was just his surroundings, and his physical body. His mind was somewhere else--perhaps, in another patch of dirt, slowly turning to mud. No. Not mud. Quicksand.
Sinking. He was sinking. Sinking, and slipping away. Slipping off into that Forever Night.
White Staircase?
No. He saw no White Staircase. Perhaps, only the Black Steps awaited him after all the awful things he'd done in life.
Only... there were no Black Steps, either.
Because he wasn't dead. Not yet, at least.
He was alive, but he was not living. Not in the normal sense.
Eyes. Watching. Looking. Seeing. Viewing. Glimpsing.
STARING.
GODS. OH GODS. OH VELLNOTH PLEASE!
No mercy for him. No Gods coming to save him. Only horrors.
He'd been in that terrible place, in that terrible room for what had felt like centuries.
Now he was back in the woods. But not all of him. He'd left some essential part of himself back there, back in that terrible place.
And now, he'd never get that part back. It was lost to him. For good. Forever.
Zoocher leaned over and vomited yellow bile onto the grass. His head was swimming. He slowly stood up. As he stood, everything fell away. Everything. His entire being. His essence. His all. His whole.
Zoocher? No. There was no Zoocher anymore.
Maybe there never had been.
Certainly, there would never be a Zoocher again.
Shattered.
Zoocher was shattered and lost. Gone. Now, Zoocher was no more. Forever departed.
He felt something warm and wet run down his legs. He'd urinated on himself without realizing it. This did not bother him. This meant nothing. He took a step forward and vomited onto his vest. This too meant nothing.
He stripped off his armor, his undergarments, his weapons. He kicked off his boots. To one side of the pile he'd made with his belongings, there were a set of bootprints in the dirt. He turned in the opposite direction, and started walking. He didn't know where he was going. He only knew he needed to walk.
Visions winked in and out of his mind. He continued walking, muttering to himself all the while. He spoke of everything, of nothing. He asked questions without answer. He gave answers to questions no one had asked.
Those eyes. They were burned into his brain. No. His brain was a burn. A scorchmark, littered with eyes. Staring. Watching. Waiting?
He walked on. Walking through the woods, to nowhere. Walking. Muttering. Thinking of eyes and Slime things.
It was a long time before he stopped.
•5•
There were two astounding sights, which presented themselves consecutively before him. In over two decades serving as one of the Hawkblood's top Assault Commanders, he had never seen anything more incredible than the Black Pyramid. That was, right up until the moment he saw the entire Pyramid vanish right before his eyes. If anything could be even more incredible than seeing the Pyramid; suddenly not seeing the Pyramid would have to be it.
Commander Ramses blinked several times, as if he were unable to trust what his eyes were showing him. The airspace beyond the windshield of his Glider Pod now showed only a sea of nothing, save for the Sky Gods higher up in the atmosphere.
"What the fuck? Where did it go?" he muttered to the empty cockpit.
The Glider Pods were designed to resemble plump black ravens. Ramses's Glider was slightly larger than the others in the fleet, as his was the Pod that carried most of the Big Weapons. Currently, they were in a V formation like actual birds; twelve in Ramses's group, twelve more in Commander Paulo's group that would have been approaching the Pyramid from behind; another twelve coming in from the right, making up Commander Gichi's group. The Gyff had their own Gliders, fashioned from wooden planks and some unknown material Ramses had never seen before. The Gyff ships looked a lot like the Gyff themselves; like long slender walking sticks. Their ships cut through the air like wooden missiles, lined up in a near row.
Ramses slapped the control panel, activating the Com-Cube. "Am I seeing things? Have I lost my mind?"
"No." It was the voice of Commander Gichi. She sounded uncharacteristically shaken. "The damn thing went POOF. Just like that."
The Gyff leading the stickbug group (his name was Kloom, if Ramses's memory served him) chimed in. "What do we do now? Will it reappear, you think?"
Ramses smacked the controls again, this time out of frustration. He said, "Somebody better get the Captain on the--"
"Already here," said the voice of Captain Heekan.
"You been listening this whole time?" Gichi asked.
"No. I just came on. Now listen. Everyone. Listen very closely. The Pyramid isn't in the valley anymore, but all is not lost. We will track it down. I already know where they took it."
Ramses gaped at this. "What? Captain... how could you already know all of that? It just vanished, only a few ticks ago."
Gichi made a soft gasping sound. "Captain. No. Tell me you didn't use it."
"I had to," Captain Heekan said with remorse. "The Mirror is too valuable a tool for us not to utilize it. And if ever there were a time when we needed it, it would be now."
"How many years did it take off your life?" Gichi asked hesitantly.
After a pause, Heekan said, "It doesn't matter. We're getting sidetracked here. There is a lot more going on than we realized. There are agents of not one, but two of the 5 Pharoahs here in the Wilden Green Valley, as we speak."
"What?" it was Gichi and Kloom in unison.
Commander Paulo broke his silence. "Which other Pharoah are we talking about?"
Heekan said, "Aside from Camaria the Butcher who we already knew about (it was one of her Scarabs that took the Pyramid), there's some of the Necromancer's men here too."
"The Necromancer?" Ramses said in disbelief. "The right hand man of Dowlmad the Deathless?" Ramses felt a cold chill run up his spine. "You're not telling me he is here in this valley, are you?"
"The Necromancer himself? No. Just some of his underlings. The Skinless Men, they're called."
Gichi asked, "Are they really all after the Pyramid and the Artifacts? I can't imagine two of the 5 Pharoahs would expend resources just for the stuff we're after. Aside for the Black Pyramid. But even still... something seems off here."
"Well," said Heekan. "That's because something is off. There are bigger forces at work here than we ever realized. Sure, they were after the Pyramid and the Divine Battery. But those are more like... party favors, to them."
Ramsese shook his head. "I already don't like how this sounds." The open sky outside his Glider suddenly felt less like empty airspace, and more like an endless abyss. One glance at the Sky Gods floating higher in the heavens strengthened this feeling, causing the commander to shudder as another chill ran up his back.
Captain Heekan said, "Then you really won't like what I'm about to tell you."
As it turned out, the Captain was absolutely right. Ramses really didn't like it one bit. None of them did.
•••
And Commander Ramses was not the only one who was told things they didn't like. While he was listening to his Captain's words with growing unease, elsewhere in the Wilden Green Valley, a certain Ranger was receiving a rather ominous warning...
•••
•6•
Deep within the bowels of the Reverse Tower. In the Domain of the Being known as O'Faxx.
Ranger Lexington stood atop the large boulder, surrounded by a sea of sludge. The putrid aroma of this place once more assaulted his senses, while his boots sank into the slick, squicky growth coating the boulder. Lexington's dragonfly-like features hid his discomfort. Outwardly, he appeared as stoic--as unshakeable--as always. At least, until he spoiled the effect with a knowing smirk.
To the bubbling muck, he called out: "So, you decided to help out afterall?"
There was no response.
Lexington's smirk faded. He bowed his head slightly. "It's alright. You don't have to speak. I only wish your assistance had been enough. That way Burlap wouldn't have had to give his life the way he did."
O'Faxx did not emerge from the murky depths.
Lexington would have sighed had the air quality in here not been so abhorrent. "Anyway, I just wanted to thank you. I will find a way to reward you."
Although O'Faxx remained beneath the muck, his voice echoed inside the Ranger's mind. "My actions were not on your behalf. Your ignorance betrays you, Overseer."
Lexington cocked his head to one side. "If you say so." He shrugged. "Some guys just can't accept a thank you, I guess."
"You have yet to understand. I helped you, to destroy you. None of you know yet what you are unleashing. I did not see the truth before, but the truth has now presented itself to me. The Gods wish to assemble the 12 and bring about the White Clock Consortion. Fools. They don't yet realize with the advent of the White Clock, the Black Clock follows. Those numbers shall count down their destruction. I looked into the destiny of the mortals you have placed so much faith in. I saw what they will bring about. They are one of the Four Winds that will blow upon the Door of Doom. One of them is a Paige of the Necronomicon."
"What does that mean? Quit speaking in riddles."
"There's a storm coming, Overseer. A storm that will wash away the world. This one, and all others. I haven't helped you. I've only helped the first few raindrops, so they might better form within the dark clouds hanging over this Pocket Realm. And in the wake of that rain? The thunder shall soon roll."
A storm coming. Four Winds that will blow upon the Doors of Destruction. Thunder.
These things made no sense to the Ranger. One thing was clear however; whatever O'Faxx's words meant, Lexington didn't like the sound of any of it.
•7•
There's a particular way Advisors and nobleJikk cry out when something disrupts their normal routine. It's a breathy sort of shriek, like someone emptying their lungs before they faint. Many of the High Advisors were voicing this exact variety of shriek now, as High Knight Pyx ordered his Spire Knights to arrest Lemma.
Temporary Councilor E'Shesh (to her credit) tried to block the path of the Knights. She was shoved out of the way, hard enough to cause the poor she-Jikk to tumble over onto the hard marble surface of the platform.
Then, underneath the makeshift gazebo, pandemonium set in. The stress of the attack on the city had already pushed everyone toward the brink of panic. This new development made them all leap right over the edge, falling right into the place people (Jikk, or otherwise) always fall in times like this one.
Lemma didn't run. She stood her ground, glowering at Pyx and Councilor Tholke; glaring as if she could knock some sense into them with her gaze alone. Of course, this was a futile endeavor. The Knights were upon here a moment later. Strong arms seized her, throwing her to the ground. Then, oddly enough, even stronger arms were lifting her from the floor. She stared down the Knights arresting her, but the expressions they gave her in return were not those of hardened Knights doing their duty. They were the expressions of Jikk who'd been caught completely off guard.
As she was lifted even higher, Lemma finally realized it wasn't the Knights who currently held her. It was someone else.
"What... who... what's going on?" she cried weakly.
She was being carried away by... one of the local tavern keepers?
"What's happening? What are you doing?" she demanded.
"She's getting away!" someone shouted.
"After her!" a Spire Knight ordered.
All at once, the Knights were airborne, in pursuit. The air was alive with the sound of buzzing wings, the shuffling and frantic falls of boots, and so much shouting. Lemma dangled over seemingly bottomless trenches and crumbling remnants of the City That Once Was.
The tavern keeper, in all this time, had only explained himself with a single grunt. Now, he was using his free arm to aim some kind of weapon at the Knights.
"No," Lemma pleaded. "Don't kill them. They're only doing their duty."
"Stun-shot," said the elderly tavern keeper. The words came an instant before his weapon discharged and the air behind them exploded in brilliant blue electricity. There was a loud series of crackling sounds, as the small-scale controlled lightning tore through each of the Knights. As if an invisible net had ensnared them, the Knights all froze in midair a moment, before their wings slowed to a standstill. They began to plummet down to the darkness below.
The tavern keeper voiced a soft grunt of regret.
"You can say that again," Lemma scolded. "The shot may have stunned them, but the fall will surely do a whole lot more. What's the meaning of this? Are you kidnapping me?"
The tavern keeper shook his head. "Behind you," he said. They climbed higher, closing in on the stone wall of the spacious cavern.
Lemma craned her neck to look back at the platform. What she saw horrified her. Hight Knight Pyx and Councilor Tholke. Even from this far away, she could see that their eyes appeared to have ruptured. From the vacant holes where their eyes had been, large fat yellow worms as long as sword blades were spilling out onto the platform. Each worm slapped down onto the marble, then immediately began to grow in size. Within mere seconds, each one grew to the size of a Field Roamer pup. And they only continued getting bigger.
The Advsiors and officials broke into a stampede, making for the platform's only exit; the flight of stone steps leading up to the passageway before street level.
"Gods," Lemma whispered. "We have to seal off the exit. We can't let those... those things make it up to the city."
But based on the ever-increasing size of the worms, and their ever-growing numbers, she feared it might already be too late.
"Hurry! Come on!" someone shouted, just ahead.
Lemma turned toward the sound of the voice. She saw a Jikk standing atop a stone ledge, high up on the cavern wall. She didn't recognize him.
A second later, the tavern keeper brought her down to a gentle landing on the ledge beside the unfamiliar Jikk. She eyed them both suspiciously. "Just what is going on? And who is this?"
"My name is Flower-Seed. And we've got to get the fuck out of here, Councilor."
The tavern keeper asked, "How can we seal it off?"
Lemma thought for a moment. "You came through there?" She pointed to the large gap behind Flower-Seed.
"We did," said the tavern keeper.
"Then we might be able to beat the worms to the surface. There's a secret tunnel in the cave ceiling, a little further on. Come on. We have to get to the statue of Kylo the Great, up in the Cobbler's District. There's a hidden lever inside. I know the code to turn it. It will seal off the Old City. It's our only chance."
"Then let's get moving," said Flower-Seed.
The tavern keeper only grunted his agreement.
Together, the three of them took off at a sprint. There truly wasn't a single moment to spare...
•8•
Rave spotted the figures below, standing patiently beside a gnarled, leafless gatortree. He came to a landing, just a few yards from them. Eight pairs of cold, dark eyes peered out from eight fleshless humanoid faces, considering him with an alien species of indifference.
A long black case was tucked beneath Rave's right arm. In his left hand, he clutched his Rune Stone expectantly. Any moment now, Nollo would be giving him the word that the deed was done. Any moment now. Rave had an internal clock that kept near perfect timing when it came to things like murder.
Sure enough, the Rune Stone began to grow warmer to Rave's touch.
Nollo's voice came through the Stone. "Boss?"
Rave grinned with what remained of his ruined mouth. "It's done?"
"It's done," Nollo confirmed.
"Good. I'd expect nothing less. You know where I'll be?"
"Yes, sire. I'll see you there shorly."
Rave didn't bother giving a final response. He put the Stone away and took the black case into his hands. The Skinless Men only watched him patiently.
Rave approached the figures beneath the gnarled tree. This was a remote region of Jikkellia's borderlands, where the high grasses gave way to miles of mostly barren dirt and rock. The gatortree stood out, in that it was one of the few trees on the visible landscape here. Just over the horizon, was the large mountain where a certain group of outsiders were rumored to have crashed in a small rowing vessel recently.
Rave waited for one of the skinless men to speak first. When none did, he said: "A lot of people wanted this Horn. You just so happened to be the only ones offering more than coin." This was a half-truth. The Sky Pirates had spoken of coin, but had in reality, offered only betrayal. "I've kept up my end. Now, I expect you to keep yours."
Rave's mind calculated dozens of ways he could slaughter each of these figures, should they show any sign of aggression. It was just how his brain operated. He plotted ways to thwart threats that hadn't even been presented yet. In this line of business, you had to stay twelve moves ahead.
Right on time, Rave's reinforcements arrived. He'd been doing these kinds of deals for far too long to ever go by himself. Even if he did feel confident enough in his abilities that he wasn't weary of the figures before him. Even in a 1 v. 8 duel to the death, he was certain he'd have the upper hand.
Four mothmen mercs landed just behind Rave--keeping their distance but standing at the ready. Rave didn't so much as glance at them. He casually stepped away from his foot soldiers and moved closer to the Skinless Men. "So, how about it? You said you had a way to get us out of this valley. Is that still true?"
One of the figures (there was really no way for Rave to tell the apart, as they all looked like carbon copies of each other) nodded. "We represent Pharoah Dowlmad. Pharoah Dowlmad always keeps his word. Give us the Black Horn and we shall give you freedom from this place."
Rave said nothing a moment. At last, he nodded. "Alright. I'll take you at your word." He slowly held out the case, offering it to one of the figures. The skinless man eagerly accepted the Artifact. He lifted the lid and removed the item inside, handing it to one of the others.
The Black Horn of the Olde Music looked like the hollowed-out horn of some bovine creature, like those Rave had seen sketched in old tomes. Aside from the fact it was black as obsidian, of course. There was a silver mouthpiece banded around the narrow end. That was all there was to the object. All in all, it was rather unimpressive looking by Artifact standards.
The other man examined it for several seconds, before deciding he was satisfied. He nodded back to the first man who took the Horn and returned it to its case.
"So," Rave said, taking on a tone of casual conversation while feigning ignorance. "What does that thing do, anyhow?"
The Skinless Men only regarded him coldly.
Rave nodded, flashing a half grin. "Fair enough. Now... as for your part of the bargain?"
"Yes," said the man holding the case. "You want your entire company to leave this valley? Return to us when you are all together. Some of us will remain here in this spot. We will give you three sunrises after sundown today. If you aren't here by then, we cannot wait any longer."
"We'll return long before then," Rave said.
There didn't seem to be anything more to say. He turned and motioned to the other mercs. "Let's head out. We'll regroup with the others and get everything underway."

It's been 2 months since I bought my first MacBook. (Pro M1 Max). All my life I was a windows user for everything. Until one day I woke up and said: "I need a f** Mac". Brushed my teeth, got dressed, went to Apple Store and my life changed...
It's so easy... So intuituve... So fancy... SO GOOD.... IT'S PERFECT!
I can't understand why I never gave a single chance to MacOS until now. I'm completely in love with this device. 100% sure.
Also, comment some useful apps you use in your daily basis. Mine is definetly Rectangle (window management like in Windows Systems).

Last week I moved to a new company on the MS tech stack, which I literally haven't used since the mid-2000s. This week, with no training or guidance, I am asked to create a document template library to distribute hundreds of document templates worldwide. I have spent hours reading and watching videos and all I've learned is that I don't know how to use SharePoint. So before I commit to more learning, please may I ask if there is a simple yes or no answer to the question, "can I create a system that does the things below in SharePoint?" If yes, I will happily continue learning.
We have a library of hundreds of document templates, primarily for project management and design process. For example, I might have a statement of work template in Word that comes in three different languages multiplied by five different sub-brands. I know I can upload them so that they appear in the New button drop-down (which is very convenient), but that's not practical at scale. I need users to see a description of each template, the language, the brand, the last modified date, and the template version number (in order to satisfy ISO 9001 requirements). When they have selected it, I need them to save a copy of the template in the right project folder in SharePoint - not to write over the original.
In my last role I did this with a file list page on Confluence. People clicked on the link to the document template, saved it into the desktop folder, and Bob's yer uncle. But that was with primarily offline apps. Now, I need that convenience of access, with ISO 9001 standards of document control and audit trail, in a primarily online environment.
I freely admit that I am in over my head here, but if what I am describing is possible I will persevere anyway and learn how to do it!
TIA!