In the quiet town of Greenwood, nestled amidst the shadows of ancient trees, a notorious jewel thief known as Vincent Delacroix prowled the night. His reputation preceded him, whispered in hushed tones by both law enforcement and fellow criminals alike. Vincent's expertise lay in his meticulous planning and flawless execution, but this time, fate had something sinister in store for him.
Vincent had set his sights on the prestigious Greenwood Museum, an architectural marvel housing an array of priceless artifacts. Rumors of a cursed object, said to bring misery and doom to its possessors, had caught Vincent's attention. He scoffed at such tales, dismissing them as mere superstitions meant to deter thieves like him. Little did he know the horrors that awaited him.
On a moonless night, Vincent infiltrated the museum, his nimble fingers dancing across the laser security system. He slipped through the shadows, evading detection as he made his way to the display case that housed the infamous cursed object. With a skilled touch, he plucked it from its velvet pedestal, a gleaming jewel that radiated a malevolent energy.
Unbeknownst to Vincent, the cursed object held a sinister secret. As he pocketed it, the ancient curse took hold, an invisible grip tightening around his soul. The cursed jewel accelerated the aging process, inflicting upon its holder the ravages of time twentyfold. Vincent's once youthful features began to wither, his hair turning gray and his skin creasing with wrinkles.
But the physical toll was only the beginning. As Vincent clutched the cursed object, it whispered to his mind, weaving disturbing visions that tore at his sanity. Haunting nightmares plagued his sleep, blending with his waking hours until he could no longer distinguish reality from the nightmares that consumed him.
Desperate to rid himself of the curse, Vincent passed the cursed jewel onto an unsuspecting acquaintance, thinking it would free him from his torment. But the curse had a cruel sense of irony. Each time Vincent relinquished the object, it left a trail of devastation in its wake. The lives of those who possessed it were shattered, their minds consumed by the same chilling madness that had plagued Vincent.
No matter how far Vincent ran or how cleverly he concealed the cursed jewel, it always found its way back to him, mocking his attempts to escape. The curse grew stronger with each passing day, consuming his sanity bit by bit, until he was but a hollow shell of his former self.
Soon enough, madness claimed Vincent Delacroix, his mind succumbing to the malevolent whispers and harrowing visions. He was found dead, a grotesque visage frozen in perpetual terror. The cursed jewel, stained with the blood of its victims, disappeared into the shadows once more, its dark power destined to ensnare another unfortunate soul.
Greenwood became a town haunted by the memory of Vincent Delacroix, forever marked by the cursed jewel and the madness it wrought. Whispers of the thief's tragic fate echoed through the streets, a cautionary tale of the insidious darkness that lurks within even the most hardened criminals.
The curse of the jewel continued its macabre dance, forever seeking new victims, forever ensnaring those foolish enough to cross its path. It is said that to this day, the cursed object lies in wait, biding its time, ready to unleash its terrible power upon those who dare to possess it.
In the aftermath of Vincent Delacroix's demise, the cursed object embarked on a twisted journey, leaving a trail of shattered lives and fractured souls in its wake. Its next unwitting victim was Olivia Morgan, a young artist seeking inspiration for her paintings.
Olivia had recently stumbled upon the cursed jewel at a local flea market, drawn to its mystical allure. Little did she know the darkness that lay hidden within its depths. As she held the jewel in her trembling hands, time warped around her, aging her youthful beauty in a matter of seconds. Horrifying visions plagued her mind, seeping into her art and infecting her every brushstroke with macabre imagery.
Driven to the brink of madness, Olivia unknowingly passed the cursed object to her childhood friend, Michael Collins. Michael, a talented musician on the cusp of stardom, saw the jewel as a potential good luck charm for his upcoming concert. However, the curse's grip tightened around him, causing his fingers to wither and his once melodious voice to crack with age.
With the curse consuming his every thought, Michael, in a desperate attempt to break free, passed the object to his beloved girlfriend, Sarah. Their dreams of a bright future together were swiftly shattered as the curse cast its shadow upon Sarah's life. Her once vibrant spirit drained away, replaced by haunting visions and a rapid deterioration of her physical and mental well-being.
The cursed jewel continued to change hands, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake. It found its way to Mark Thompson, an ambitious businessman seeking a shortcut to success. The curse twisted his ambitions into obsession, driving him to the brink of madness as his empire crumbled around him.
With each new victim, the curse grew stronger, fueled by the despair and suffering it brought. It found its way into the lives of an aspiring actress, a renowned scientist, and even a small-town mayor. The cursed object manipulated their desires, crushing their dreams and leaving them broken in its wake.
No matter how far the cursed object traveled, it always found its way back to Greenwood, where the cycle of destruction began anew. The town became a haunting reflection of its cursed history, forever marred by the echoes of shattered lives and the chilling whispers of the tormented souls consumed by the jewel's malevolence.
As the years passed, legends and cautionary tales grew around the cursed object, the mere mention of its name sending shivers down the spines of Greenwood's residents. Some believed it to be a divine punishment, a malevolent force exacting its revenge on those who dared to disturb its slumber.
And so, the cursed object continued its dark dance through the annals of time, forever seeking new vessels to torment. Its legacy became intertwined with the town's history, a somber reminder of the unfathomable depths of evil that reside within seemingly innocuous objects.
To this day, the cursed object remains a mystery, its whereabouts unknown. Some say it still lurks within the shadows of the Greenwood Museum, waiting for an unsuspecting soul to stumble upon its malefic power and once again set it free. Others believe it has been lost to time, carried away by the winds of fate to a new chapter of horror and despair.
Whatever the truth may be, the cursed object serves as a chilling reminder that some secrets are better left undisturbed, and the price of forbidden knowledge may be one's very sanity and soul.

Since this sub and some 4000+ others are going dark in 2 days in protest of probably this site's stupidest decision ever, I figure this is probably the last time I'll get to share my pointless thoughts on this game here, so may as well. It doesn't really matter anymore if it's full of awful takes and people just downvote and insult me in the comments, it's been a grand time and I'll miss seeing posts and having discussions over this dEaD gAmE.

Construction

• Starting off strong, construction was a mistake. While it did have potential and had some cool moments, it was ultimately a distraction from the parts of the game that most of the playerbase actually interacted with. Even now with the latest updates to it, I feel like it's still a waste of time and effort on the devs' part and I'd have preferred if that time went into something like improving existing base designs instead.

Base/Map Design

• Speaking of base design, where the hell are those shielded garages outside of Oshur and containment sites? Such a small thing would have gone a long way towards improving fight longevity and yet it just never happened.
  
• Containment sites themselves are a mixed bag of design as well. Ultimately you're trying to funnel players into three long hallways with 2 areas for them to spawn/approach from, the defender lower spawns and the attacker lower spawns or the buses parked just above. Because everyone's funneled like this, the pop ends up highly concentrated in one hallway or the other in a sort of "wave" pattern and people usually won't spread out aside from a handful of folks sitting on point to prevent ghost flips. I'd have liked to see more ways for attackers and defenders alike to get in and out of the lower levels, make use of the base's design to add more verticality to the action and break up the very predictable movement.
  
• Oshur is just a tremendous waste of potential in terms of design as well. The water and boats are just utterly squandered for some reason, despite the whole continent being designed for them. Why are the islands almost entirely cliffs that make it impossible for boats to actually engage? Where are the docks, the coves, rivers, straits, channels cutting through bases? Boats should be the centerpoint of logistics in Oshur, instead of just the most convenient means of capturing points that are just floating in the middle of the ocean with some ruins underneath.
  
• Underwater combat could have been interesting as an addition to regular combat, but when you try to limit it to being its own thing by making the only bases with underwater points, ENTIRELY UNDERWATER, you just end up with slower gimped combat. Why the hell don't island bases have sections that go down to the water, and have flooded areas? It's not like you didn't get to see what that might have been like, you flooded Indar in test and that was pretty neat.
  

Vehicles

• Vehicle play has been neglected. I'm not talking about nerfs or CAI, I'm talking about just making them a more integral part of the game. There are not enough vehicles for vehicle play and vehicle vs vehicle combat to stand out because vehicles largely lack purpose. When I get to a base to contest and I don't have a sundy, I ditch the vehicle because I can contribute more on my feet than I can in my vehicle. Unless the friendly sundies die, I don't really have much of an impetus to bring another vehicle. I also don't want to bring a vehicle from the neighboring base just to kill enemy vehicles that might be farming infantry because a) those enemy vehicles aren't really contributing to the cap, and b) my vehicle won't either. GIVE PEOPLE A REASON TO WANT TO PULL VEHICLES MORE OFTEN AND YOU WILL SEE MORE VEHICLES FIGHTING EACH OTHER INSTEAD OF JUST FARMING INFANTRY.
  
• As for what might motivate people to do that, here's an idea - take the existing CTF concept, and apply it to vehicles, but instead of all the finicky flag counts and resetting, just shift the base timer every time a flag is delivered. Place the flag and delivery points on the edges of the base where infantry can have some influence but are at a notable disadvantage to vehicles. This makes it so that vehicles can significantly supplement a base cap but aren't mandatory, and they have to move around instead of just sitting still. This can apply to air units as well at bases that have landing pads, and maybe we'd see more amateur pilots and have a healthier airgame.
  
• I also believe we can improve the vehicle logistics game by adding a new option to the defense slot of transports (valk, sundy, gal, ant?) which enables players within a certain radius of the vehicle to spawn directly into it, but with a longer timer (like 10 seconds longer than a parked bus). This does not make logistics specialist implant obsolete, as that can still work for non-transports, and also does not require sacrificing the defense slot. It also offers no benefit for squadplay, as squadmates can already spawn directly into squad transports. However, it should be a boon for solo players offering logistics or trying to catch a ride. Air transports hovering above bases to act as air spawns can also make for juicy targets for pilots, so there's another thing to encourage more vehicle and air play.
  
• Suppose I should go over vehicle balance briefly too, though that's less important than the above points IMO. We're going to focus one two key ideas here: no long-range imprecise AI, and more focus on armor vs armor.
  
  • For that first idea, the outright removal of HESH. It's been used as makeshift artillery for its entire existence, even when it was HE. Rocket pods, Dusters, and AI noseguns should have a significant increase in spread to drastically decrease their effectiveness at distance. Shorter range explosive weapons like Bulldog get a pass because their range makes them easier to retaliate against (assuming you have the means to do so), and non-explosive AI like Kobalts are fine.
  • For the second idea, an increase in mobility and weapon velocities across the board, as well as new main cannons to replace HESH because there's so few of those and they're still severely lacking in variety. With faster vehicles and more accurate weapons, we want to encourage people to be attacking on the move rather than hunkering down in place and slowly feeling out the right altitude for their shots. As for the MBT cannon replacements, here is a suggestion for each (not NSO you're fine) focused on ease of use over DPS:
    • NC gets a guided shell with the same damage profile as HEAT but the reload speed and velocity of AP. Shell is laser guided so it'll adjust towards the cursor, rather than camera-guided like the Phoenix rocket, which is kind of awkward to use and probably impossible to control at this velocity.
    • TR gets a 60mm autocannon with a 8 round mag and low spread/bloom per shot. Imagine a weaker, long-range version of the Viper intended for an accurate, sustained barrage of fire.
    • VS gets a proper laser repeater. 400 RPM or something stupid like that, piss for damage to offset the ROF, low COF because it's bloody lasers. This thing should be doing strafing runs on other tanks, or firing at aircraft and making a hell of a lightshow. Laser brrrrrrrrrt.

Infantry

• Infiltrator cloak should be a separate device you need to equip and activate to use. In that same slot is a new gadget, the nanite disruptor. Think the dildar, but instead of spotting enemies moving through, it slowly drains the shields and energy of enemies in its area, and also clears spots. For all the folks that don't abuse cloak, the cloak change won't be too bad. For the folks that decide they'd rather not cloak at all anymore, have a new and useful gadget.
  
• Heavies are mostly fine right now. The other classes have enough tools at their disposal now to offset the overshield's strength IMO. It really does just come down to getting good at clicking heads at this point.
  
• AMRs seem to be a point of contention, and I get people not being particularly happy about engineers getting BASRs, even if they aren't great at anti-infantry stats wise. To offset this, why not try a different approach - make them hipfire only ala MCG/Thumper, lower the HS mult to 1.5x, and raise the base damage so most of them (3 for DAGR since it's a quick boi) can kill infantry with 2 bodyshots but not 1 headshot. A rifle of that caliber would be hard as hell to shoulder and fire accurately anyway. Now it's a worse slug pump shotgun instead of a worse bolt-action.
  
• MAXes have already seen their share of nerfs, but I'd still like to see them be shifted more towards a support role over an offensive one. Remove all the AI options from the right arm and add a special grenade launcher in its stead that can fire the class-specific grenades of the Punisher SMG. Cure nades, repair nades, havoc nades, etc. It's a big hit to its infantry offensive capability but adds a LOT of utility already, and you can probably keep yourself alive a lot longer if you just spam repair nades at your feet lol.
  
• Revive grenades are too strong and spammy. I'd just limit the max amount you can carry to 2, even with grenade bandolier.
  

Monetization

• Let's face it, RPG/DBG is not good at monetizing this game. Yeah there's the bundles which whales and diehards will buy, but even those are becoming less attractive year after year. This is only a baseless assumption, but I'd guess that membership is what generates most of the revenue from this game. 10-15 bucks a month is a hefty subscription cost, and that's mostly just to skip queues. If the membership was for Planetside alone and not everything in DBG's roster, it'd be really damn hard to justify charging those prices.
  
• The Depot just doesn't get enough updates. It's stale. Now and then a fantastic modeller like d0ku or steve will pull through and give us some gorgeous cosmetics like the new armor sets or the sunderer armadillo skin (my beloved), but that's too few and far between.
  
• It feels like this game attempted to make its own version of a season/battle pass with the campaigns, which were interesting, but the implementation of the missions for them had major flaws and it was also too quick and easy to complete when other players weren't purposely making the missions impossible to do. If campaign progression was tied more to faction/community-wide milestones that could be reached through regular gameplay, like x bases captured or x resources gathered, it would be less of a pain in the ass and still be a special event that motivated people to play more. I think something like this could work well for this game, and to monetize it in a non-predatory way you could lock some cosmetic items in the campaign currency shop to season pass owners or members only.
  

Introduction: Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a ubiquitous buzzword in the world of business, technology, and beyond. It is the technology that allows a machine or computer to simulate human cognitive processes like learning, problem-solving, and pattern recognition. AI has the potential to change virtually every aspect of the workplace, from how we work to who works, and what tasks we perform. This article will explore how AI will change the workplace and the implications for businesses and employees.
Presentation:

1. Automation and job displacement AI will likely automate many of the tasks that are currently done by a human, which will ultimately lead to job displacement. Repetitive and low-skill jobs, such as data entry, customer service, and assembly line work, are the most likely to be automated. As AI becomes more advanced, however, it will increasingly be able to carry out more specialized and complex tasks, such as surgery, financial analysis, and legal research. This will displace more skilled and highly educated workers. The displacement of jobs will not only affect low-skilled workers but also highly educated ones. However, it is also worth noting that while some jobs may be lost, new jobs will also be created in areas such as AI development, maintenance, and support.
   
2. Increased productivity and efficiency AI has the potential to supercharge productivity and efficiency in the workplace. By automating repetitive or menial tasks, AI can free up employees to focus on more strategic and creative work. Machine learning algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data and identify trends and patterns that humans might miss. This can help businesses make better decisions, increase customer satisfaction, and ultimately drive growth. AI can also perform tasks more accurately and quickly than humans, reducing errors and increasing output. The increased productivity and efficiency of AI will enable businesses to focus on innovation and growth, ultimately leading to a more profitable and successful enterprise.
   

Conclusion:
AI is rapidly changing the landscape of the workplace, and it is crucial for businesses and employees alike to adapt to these changes. While there are concerns about job displacement and the future of work, there are also many opportunities for increased productivity and growth. To harness the benefits of AI, organizations must invest in AI development, re-training and reskilling their workforce, and developing strategies to navigate the ethical and social implications of AI. As we continue to move towards a more AI-driven future, our ability to adapt and evolve will be the key to success.

If I buy a DLC key on a third party e-store (g2a alike), will I get the code of the hisui zoroark event? Or I only get it through the Nintendo eshop? Thanks in advance for your replies :)

Online defamation has become an increasingly serious problem in today’s digital world, with the potential to cause significant damage to one's personal or professional reputation. Fortunately, automated monitoring tools can play a key role in mitigating this threat by providing real-time updates when negative content is posted about you or your company. Reputation Guards is one such tool that allows users to identify and respond quickly to any derogatory content which appears on search engines, social media platforms, and other websites. This article will explore how automated monitoring can help reverse existing damage from online defamation as well as provide strategies for protecting against future attacks.

Reputation Guard on the role of automated monitoring

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Types of automated monitoring tools available to help protect against online defamation

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Reputation Guards can help automate the process of monitoring

Reputation Guards is a powerful tool for automating the process of monitoring negative content on search engines, social media platforms, and other websites. It can be used to detect potential online defamation before it has time to spread further, provide proactive alerts to users when derogatory content is posted about them or their business, and trace the source of any defamatory material to take action against the responsible parties.
The automated monitoring service provided by Reputation-guards offers comprehensive coverage across major search engines such as Google and Bing. This helps users keep track of their online presence in real-time, allowing them to identify negative content quickly and respond to it before it has time to cause significant damage. In addition, they are also able to monitor all major social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for posts related to their name or brand. This ensures that users remain aware of what people are saying about them at all times so that they can take quick action against any potentially damaging comments.
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Strategies for using automated monitoring to reverse existing damage

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How effective automation is in helping protect against future attacks from defamatory content

Automated monitoring is an effective tool for protecting your reputation from future attacks and reversing existing damage caused by defamatory content. By leveraging services such as those offered by Reputation Guards, you can receive alerts when potentially damaging comments are posted about you or your business so that they can be addressed quickly before they spread further. Additionally, keyword tracking enables users to identify any potential threats while also providing insights into what topics people are discussing around them to better understand how best to protect themselves from future attacks. Combining proactive tools with additional steps like contacting legal counsel and engaging public relations professionals who specialize in reputation management provides individuals and companies alike the ability to effectively manage their online reputations against defamation.

Heads up! This story is both unpolished and unfinished, and posted here only for the sake of not letting my work go entirely to waste. If you want to continue the story yourself, feel free to do so.
Credit for The Nature of Predators goes to u/spacepaladin15.
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Memory Transcription Subject: Rania, Gojid Civilian
Date [Standardized Human Time]: Error 560 (estimated date: September, 2136)
At first, we assumed it to be an Arxur weapon, but we had plenty of time to get a more detailed look at the object intersecting our FTL trajectory. A mass of energy, far more than a star could emit, yet giving off no light. Gravitational pull was intense, but completely wrong for a black hole. Maybe the remains of a massive warp core accident? Whatever it was, it was directly in our path.
We had ample time before our collision, and nothing we could do. Our course was set, and escape vessels couldn’t be launched during an FTL jump. All that was left was to wait, and pray for a mercifully quick death that we all knew was unlikely. We built our starships to withstand direct assault from Arxur warships. Our deaths would be both inevitable and slow.
I was away from the refugee’s quarters, on the bridge. I couldn’t bear to watch pups cry in terror, as their parents tried hopelessly to ease their fear. The bridge was only marginally better. Some of the crew were facing their imminent death with stoicism. Many were praying. Many were crying. I don’t remember what I was doing when it hit, but I was probably crying too.
Then… then…
Pain, agonizing and blinding pain. No screaming. No noise at all. Silence, darkness, death.
Movement. But I couldn’t possibly move myself. Was I carried?
​
My first coherent memories started taking shape next to a fire. I couldn’t see, but the warmth and crackling were unmistakable. I tried to move, only to find myself unmoving. Was I in the wreckage of the ship? I felt no pain. Was I already dead?
“Hey, look who’s finally back in the land of the living. Can you hear me?”
A human. The species that started this whole mess. That attacked our cradle, let the Arxur find an easy target. That taunted us with their “Evacuation” cattle roundups. The disgusting mockery of a voice washed over me, tainting my very soul.
That fire must be to roast my flesh. Does it want my fear, before it kills me? It won’t get a single goddamn word, not so much as a noise.
“You… damn, he must still be out of it. Maybe another stimpak..?”
Cli-hsssss. A stabbing pain in my arm, followed by… relief? My arm twitched slightly, but I couldn’t manage anything more. A rushing sound filled my ears, overpowering the growl on my left until it bore me away to unconsciousness.
—
I woke up on a bed, staring at what must’ve been the ceiling, though all I could see was vague rust-brown shapes in the distance. My body still refused to move. And yet still, somehow, so little pain. Was my nervous system destroyed?
No. Hunger. Brutal, snarling hunger stabbed through my stomach like a dagger. I made a weak noise, remembered where I was, and rapidly forced silence. If it knows I’m awake, it’ll torture me until it lets me die…
“Oh! You— you’re awake again! Can you hear me?”
Don’t make a noise. It might lose interest.
“...No. Dammit. It’s going to starve if it doesn’t fully wake up soon… I can’t afford all these meds for much longer anyway. I’ll just have to… leave this here for it. Maybe it’ll wake again while I’m out.”
And just like that, a rush of movement and it was gone. It worked! I lived… I lived, just so I could starve…
​
By the graces of the protector. Food. I could smell food, just inches to my right. Can I move to pick it up? Can I move my jaw to eat?
Is it a trap? The human must be trying to fatten me up. Or maybe it didn’t leave at all, and is just waiting in the shadows to see if I take the bait. Or… maybe…
Fuck it. I was already good as dead, I could at least die full. I tried moving my arm, but to no avail. My other arm was no better. Maybe I could move my head?
The world shifted around me, a nauseating whirl of muted colors. But that meant my head could move. I could move… the food was still just barely out of reach. I can almost taste it… it’s so close to my nose…
I let out a weak cry of frustration. I couldn’t help myself. Did the human intend for this torture? The frustration became rage, filling my body like a white-hot star until I—
Trembling, my claw grasped the food. Rage and hunger animated my arm, pushing it forward. Whatever this was, it was soft. It smelled heavenly. I brought it up to my face. My vision was just recovered enough to make out its form; a strayu-like pillow drizzled with a sweet glaze. I tore into it like an animal, barely even tasting. I must not have eaten in days.
Gone in seconds, and the hunger was barely sated. But it was enough energy to force movement with. Slowly, unsteadily, I rose to a sitting position. The world threatened to shift away from under me, but I held, trying to get my bearings.
I’m in… some sort of shack. Bare, rusted sheet metal on the walls; clearly an improvised structure. Other than that oddity, the room was surprisingly normal. No blood dripping from cages, no hunting trophies on the walls. A torn up carpet, a beaten-up table and chair, some cabinets, all illuminated by soft rays of light pouring in from a window over the table. And right next to my little mattress… is that more food? Some sort of orange vegetable. Like the sweet strayu, I ate without even tasting.
Much better. I was still starving, but only metaphorically. I could even move my other arm, though my legs were entirely numb and refused to cooperate no matter how much I pushed them. Could I escape by dragging my body with my arms?
No. I was still too weak. I had to count on the human fattening me up a bit more before I could make a break for it.
​
​
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Memory Recovery Subject: Nathan Dunne, sole survivor of Vault 111
Date: December 13th, 2287
Just a hair to the right… and… Now. The interloper, a feral dog that had wandered onto the property, dropped without a sound.
I couldn’t afford to attract any attention, so I’d hastily slapped together a silencer for my pipe revolver. An old oil filter, just small enough to not obstruct the scope I’d hastily tied to the top. The gun looked ridiculous, but it got the job done silently. If I attracted any visitors, my alien guest was as good as dead. Nearly a week after finding it, and it still wasn’t waking up consistently.
Now’s not the time for thought. Focus. Now.
The second dog also dropped. The alpha of the pack still hadn’t noticed anything, a miracle. I lined up one last shot… pulled the trigger, and finally let myself breath. That was way too close. Every day without the fence finished was another day of silent stress.
Putting up a fence was easy enough, but putting up a fence QUIETLY was nightmarishly slow work, constantly punctuated by hiding from any would-be visitors. But these dogs had wandered onto the property without even seeing me. Could they smell the alien? I knew Dogmeat could track injuries from a far greater distance…
Fence should've been up yesterday. Back to work.
I’m running out of barbed wire. And screws. And boards. Can I afford another expedition? What if Dogmeat can’t defend him? Not a chance in hell I’m risking any other group learning about this… although Mama Murphy probably knows anyway, doesn’t she. Maybe the Minutemen can—
No. I can’t risk it. I’ll have to improvise. Maybe I can set up a Tesla arc as defense and leave to raid Sunshine Tidings. Rusted metal sheets don’t make for the best walls, but better than nothing.
The sun was still high, so I had some time if I hurried. As I began gathering supplies, a thought crossed my mind. A Tesla arc was better than nothing, and Dogmeat was formidable enough, but… surely if the alien was in serious danger, it could use some self defense. Those spikes weren’t gonna cut it. Maybe that bastard Kellogg’s old .44 would finally get some use?
I grabbed the .44 revolver, a spare arc trap I’d salvaged from Fort Hagan, and some tools. It would have to do. There was already power hooked up to the shack for heating, so wiring the—
The food’s gone.
Dogmeat didn’t eat carrots, so I knew there was only one culprit. The alien must’ve woken up while I was working. It was back asleep now, but at least it got something down. It wouldn’t starve. Thank god.
…right. If it can wake up, this trap is probably more dangerous to it than any invader. I walked back over to the shed, stowed the Tesla arc and tools, and grabbed a handful of vegetables and a water canteen. If it could stomach food, it needed to start putting on weight now to make up for lost time. This would be a start, at least.
I set the food and water on the table (taking care not to break the digital chimera I’d already laid there), and the gun beside the bed. I knew it could reach to there, without a doubt. Maybe toss in a handful more bullets, too; it’s not like I’d ever be able to make myself use the damn thing. I gave one last glance at the alien curled up on a bare mattress before closing the door and setting out.
—
Memory Transcription Subject: Rania, Gojid Civilian
Date [Standardized Human Time]: Error 560 (estimated date: Unknown)
Help me. Kay-ut. Ki-ra. Protector. Anyone. It’s right there.
When I heard the human coming, I faked sleep hoping it wouldn’t check. As seconds passed, that hope grew thinner and thinner. Clearly, it could see the food was gone. Not that it needed to figure anything out; it could probably see through my deception just looking at me. Ki-yu, trickster; please, let this work. Let me live a moment longer. Noises all around me. Was it laying out torturous weaponry? Was it getting ready to gut me?
Protector. Please. I don’t want to die.
The noise around me stopped. Had the gods heard my prayers? I dared not check; if the human was still there, and I so much as opened an eye, I was dead. But death failed to claim me, and more noises failed to appear, until I finally worked up the courage to take advantage of my blessing and open my eyes.
The human was gone. I was alive. One more look around the room, to make sure it hadn’t—
A gun. A human weapon, close enough to grab. And ammo…
I knew humans were masters at trapping, at deceiving; such was their nature. I stared at the gun, trying to figure out what the trap was.
But I was tired, and hungry, and every sense told me that this wasn’t a trap, but a loaded gun. An answer to my prayers for safety. I couldn’t hold myself back anymore. I picked it up. It felt solid and weighty in my hands, lending some sense of security to the otherwise hopeless situation. Emboldened, I tried to rise to my feet again.
If I grabbed some of the furniture and stood on my good leg, I could just about stay upright without pain. That would have to do for now. Maybe I could use something in this room as a crutch. A leg of the table might do nicely, if I could—
Food. More food, all over the table. A sprawl of alien vegetables, including that orange one I had earlier. A metal jug, probably filled with water. And… is that a translator?
Curiosity overpowered both my hunger and my fear. On closer inspection, it was indeed a translator, one of the older dedicated units. Wired into… some sort of metal armband with a green flickering screen. The craftsmanship was shoddy; some parts were literally held together with insulated tape. Still, it appeared to be powered on and functional.
If I wasn’t in so much danger… I’d love to get a better look at what the human did with this thing. To wire Federation tech directly into one of their devices, and make it work…
My attention drifted back to the bounty laid out on the table before me. It could all be poisoned, but I’d already eaten the human’s food; what harm could it do to be full?
—
Sweeter than the orange one, but not as filling. Kind of mushy. Now no longer starving, I began to savor my meal slightly more. The green fruit was next, the one nearly the size of my skull. Upon breaking open the shell, it turned out to be pinkish red inside, and so juicy that I didn’t even need the water in the jug.
Bitter, but strangely satisfying. Next was a massive purple flower, which I could only guess was supposed to be food as well. The taste was unpleasant, but it felt bizarrely good to eat. Maybe a medicinal herb?
Why would the human give me a medicinal herb?
I’d been circling around the question for some time now. Why the food? Why the gun? Why the lack of gutting? Even if those supposed “empathy tests” weren’t faked, our species were at war! Did it not know?
Well-fed prey made for better-tasting prey, but a gun did not feed. A translator did not feed. Did it really want to talk to me? I weighed my options.
Option 1: Run. Impossible to do in my current state. Even with a large head start, even with uninjured legs, humans were nothing if not persistent; my odds were not all too favorable. And where would I go, anyway?
Option 2: Hide. Impossible to do in any state. Humans were perceptive and cunning. Nothing short of divine protection would hide me. And again, where would I go afterwards?
Option 3: Fight. I had a loaded gun, but for all I knew it was only there to lure me into a false sense of security. And besides, did I really expect to outfight a predator?
Option 4: Talk. It wasn’t likely, but maybe the human would have some sympathy (or at least fake some sympathy to keep up appearances). I was already injured, and it hadn’t torn me apart already; it clearly had something else in mind. Maybe the translator was involved in its “Something else”?
I didn’t… like that last option, but it seemed a hair better than shooting on sight when the human came back. Maybe I was forsaking the protection of the gods, forsaking my fellow Gojid. But none of the options were without risk, and I had to try something bold if I wanted to survive.
A noise from outside roused me from my thoughts. It’s coming. Time to make your choice.
​
​
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Memory Recovery Subject: Nathan Dunne, sole survivor of Vault 111
Date: December 13th, 2287
Halfway through the outbound trip, I realized I’d forgotten my pip-boy at camp. I’d taken both off, while working on wiring in that translator to the spare one from Vault 81. Having no way of assessing potential injuries simply would not do.
Halfway through the return trip, I realized I’d brought Dogmeat with me instead of leaving him to guard. I managed to make myself move a little faster. That .44 was no guarantee of safety, not if the alien simply couldn’t get up.
Once back, I could at least be sure that nothing happened. No blue blood seeping through the shack’s foundation. I grabbed the pip-boy, ordered Dogmeat to patrol, and prepared to leave before the daylight faded.
That’s a bit cold, isn’t it? Leaving without even checking on your guest?
I was leaving so I could build a fence for its protection, but… a quick check couldn’t hurt. Just to make sure nothing happened, right? Yeah. Sure. I had the time. Though maybe barging straight in wasn’t the brightest idea, not when I had just given it a revolver.
I knocked twice, and tried to lower my voice to a more soothing register. I had no idea if my hacked-together translator abomination would work, so tone was key. Before I could even speak, I heard a wild scrambling from the inside.
“Don’t— please don’t k-kill me, human, I’ll… I’ll do anything.”
…I guess I should be glad the translator worked? What the hell was that?
“I’m not gonna hurt you. I promise. Is it OK with you if I come inside?”
“I… Y-Yes.”
I gave Dogmeat a strong look to stay back, and cracked open the door. The terrified sniveling over the translator couldn’t have prepared me for what met my gaze.
A few weeks ago, I’d heard a heart-wrenching noise while poking around the edge of the glowing sea; a lone radstag doe, torn literally in half by a deathclaw. The beast was scared off by an approaching Vertibird, leaving the doe to wail helplessly until I put it out of its misery.
I had nothing else I could compare the alien to. It was shaking like an aspen leaf, eyes screwed shut and body curled up against the wall. The gun was still technically in its hand (claw?), but pointed at nothing. Just looking at the thing made me feel helpless.
But I brought it back from the brink of death. Soothing terror would surely be easier than saving its life.
—
Memory Transcription Subject: Rania, Gojid Civilian
Date [Standardized Human Time]: Error 560 (estimated date: Unknown)
Protector. Please, give me strength. It’s… It’s going to…
No. It just wants to talk. Rania, get a hold of yourself.
I cracked open an eye. Tears largely blinded me from the horrifying details of the predator, but the human still towered over me, casting an engulfing shadow over my weakened form. It was all I could do to not further embarrass myself with incoherent pleading.
It seemed to take notice of my fear, crouching down to roughly eye level.
“You’re OK. I’m not going to hurt you, no matter what. What’s your name?”
“R-Rania.” I forced another eye open. The human had moved itself to a chair. Soft daylight illuminated a pair of forward-facing eyes, but no predatory scowl. It had an expression which could be mistaken for solemn sympathy on another species. But it had no reason not to be sincere. There was no other audience, nor anything I could do to escape. Could it really be concerned?
“Rania. My name is Nate. Can you tell me… what you are?”
“Just Nate? I— I thought humans had two names.”
“Oh, uhh… Nathan Dunne. I just go by Nate.”
I noticed a distinct look of confusion engulf the human’s face. Actually, I started to notice a lot of things. It wasn’t just the building and translator that were so clearly improvised. It— Nate’s armor was clearly not standard-issue anything. Nor the weapon on his side, some sort of pistol made seemingly from scrap.
He didn’t look like a UN soldier, nor a civilian of any type. And… just now… did he ask what I was? How could he not know?
“I’m a… I’m a G—Gojid. Does that mean anything to you?”
He shook his head, which even I knew was a human gesture for no. “Not as such. I might need to work out some issues with the translator, though, so don't count on it meaning—”
“The Federation? The cradle? Venlil? Arxur? UN?”
A bizarre shudder passed through Nate. “I know about the UN, though I can’t imagine how they’re relevant now… and no to the rest.”
“I can’t imagine how they’re relevant”!? What the hell could that mean?
“What— what does the UN mean to you?”
Again, that shudder, like a shadow cast over his soul. “They were a global group, trying to keep international peace. When the first Resource wars sparked… they collapsed like a house of cards. 2052. I was 12. After that, it…” he trailed off, before forcing himself to speak. “It all went to hell. As you can see.”
I couldn’t speak for shock. Predators were deceitful by their nature, yet I knew in my heart his words were sincere. It was plain as day, etched across his face. And if so… What the hell? What the hell!? What was any of that?
“As you can see? What do you mean?”
“Can you walk?”
Should I reveal my weakness? I don’t see any way he couldn’t notice my condition by now, so maybe I can get some sympathy for it?
“I… no, I don’t think so…”
“Then I can carry you outside. If you want, I mean. You’ll see what I meant by ‘went to hell’ real quickly.”
He’d have to… oh Protector, if he chose to carry me to slaughter, there’d be nothing I could do. But by this point, my fear was starting to wear thin from weariness. Curiosity was slowly taking the upper hand.
“S-show me.”
And just like that, the world moved out from under me. Instinctively, I grasped the human’s artificial pelt like a pup clinging to its mother. Light flooded my still tearstained eyes. I blinked them clear, and looked out on the world.
​
​
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Memory Transcription Subject: Rania, Gojid Civilian
Date [Standardized Human Time]: Error 560 (estimated date: Unknown)
Was this Earth? This couldn’t be Earth. Earth was green, wasn’t it?
Yellow foliage, grey trees. A soft blue sky, intermittently broken up by concrete highways that towered towards the clouds. And on the horizon, the mammoth corpse of a city, a metal carcass that dominated the skyline.
No green. No life. Not even wind. The whole scene was eerily still, seemingly frozen in time.
Unable to make sense of the wider world, my attention drifted closer. A ring of ramshackle fencing, a larger building that I might mistake for a house. An ancient hand-worked water pump. A plot of vegetables. A beast with glistening fangs, bounding towards—
“Dogmeat, no. Stay.”
Somehow, impossibly, the beast heeded the command, slowing down enough for me to get a better look at my imminent demise. Long brown fur with black markings, a swishing tail, a red fabric tied around its neck. Forward-facing eyes gleaming with hideous intelligence. It sat down, tilting its head and letting out a shrill whine.
“You still haven’t met Dogmeat yet, have you— Rania? Rania!”
I couldn’t breathe. It was looking straight at me. I thought the human was terrifying, but this thing made it look harmless. Did Nate not realize the danger he was in?
“N— No! Please… don’t let it…”
“It’s not going to hurt you either. You’re OK. Breathe.” Nate turned slightly, shielding the beast from view. “Here. We can go back inside if he scares you too much.” I managed to choke out an affirmation, and felt darkness overtake me as we rushed back into the relative safety of the shack. The door clicked shut, sealing the beast outside.
“Rania, talk to me. Can you breathe?”
“Please… please don’t feed me to it…”
Nate’s eyes went wide, and his hand rose to cover his mouth. I didn’t know much human body language (aside from the vicious snarl they called a smile), but shock was a constant across almost every species. His eyes cast around the room wildly, his breathing becoming erratic before he managed to regain control.
“Rania, I— I’m not going to feed you to him. You— listen, I won’t even let him in. It’s safe here.” He clearly had something else to say, and silently struggled with the words for a moment before finding his phrasing. “Can you tell me why you’re so scared? What happened before I found you?”
The words took several moments to consciously register, but their effect was immediate. If Nate was trying to startle me out of my fear, he couldn’t have done a better job. When I spoke, it was with startling clarity as fear was replaced by near-indignant confusion.
“How could I not be scared? You’re predators. Even if… even if you really don’t want to kill me, seeing injured prey must be a powerful temptation to your instincts, no? Not to mention the invasion of the cradle; even if you do have empathy, why try to save an enemy species?”
A few moments of stillness, and then I mimicked his previous motion of shock as I realized what I’d done. If he somehow didn’t know the situation with the Gojid before, he did now. Even prey empathy didn’t extend to their sworn enemies. My stupid thoughtless rambling meant I was good as dead.
“Rania.” Nate’s words were slow, soft, and measured. “I don’t know where you come from or what the situation is out… up there. But I can promise you this.” He tapped my shoulder, snapping me out of my terrified reverie and forcing me to pay full attention. “I’m never going to hurt you. I’ll keep it safe here, as long as it takes for you to heal. You can hold me to that.”
“Safe… even safe from that monster..?”
Nate looked deeply hurt, but quickly covered it up with his previous expression of concern. “Yes. I wish I could prove to you that my dog is friendly, but… if he scares you that much, I’ll find somewhere else for him.”
He stole a glance out the window, before turning back to me. “Listen. I need to get some supplies for the fence while there’s still light. I’ll take Dogmeat with me. Do you know how to use this?” He gestured towards the gun, still sitting where I’d carelessly let it slip from my claws minutes earlier.
“Y-yes.”
Apparently seeing straight through my lie, he bent down to show me. “Here, you just need to pull back the hammer. Finger over the trigger, and line up these sights on your target. Only pull the trigger when you know you have your shot.”
Nate stood up, putting one hand on the door before remembering something. “If you start hurting, you can use this.” He set a syringe down on the table. “Just stab wherever it hurts. The pack’ll do the rest for you. I’ll be back at sundown.”
And just like that, he was gone.
​
​
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Memory Transcription Subject: Rania, Gojid Civilian
Date [Standardized Human Time]: Error 560 (estimated date: Unknown)
For a while, I just sat there, gun in hand and mind slowly dissolving from all the new information weighing it down. But boredom is a powerful thing, and even injured as I was, restlessness started to take hold.
With the beast gone, and gun in hand, I started convincing myself that it might be a good idea to get another look at the land. I needed to know what I had to work with in case… something happened. And I swore I saw a vegetable garden earlier. Curiosity was getting the better of me.
I tested my legs again. One was sore, but shockingly capable. The other was still burning when I applied pressure, and swaddled in bandages. I didn’t particularly feel like knowing what was under there. One leg would have to do. I didn’t need my legs to shoot, after all.
Cautiously, without making a sound, I cracked the door open. Nobody was out there. I took one shaky step. Then another. Inch by silent sore inch, I made my way over to the “house”.
Like everything out here, it was a rough-hewn heap of rusted metal and thick planks of wood. On closer inspection, however, some care had clearly been put into making it insulated. The windows even had glass (albeit covered in dust), rather than the screen mesh in my shack. This must be where the human lives.
What could Nate be hiding from me?
My curiosity burned brighter than the pain in my leg as I ambled towards the door. Unlocked. I peeked inside.
Thick layers of carpet. A fireplace on the wall, a couple paintings. A mattress much better-maintained than mine, pushed up under one of the windows.
No blood dripping from cages. No hunting trophies on the walls. No indication that this was the lair of a predator. If not for the construction materials, it could be mistaken for a house back on the cradle. It even has refrigeration and lights, without a functional power grid. I guess that predatory cunning comes in handy.
I already knew what the fridge must be filled with. I made the decision not to look. It’d be better if Nate didn’t know I was here, and that’d be pretty hard to hide with vomit all over his carpet. I couldn’t stop myself from looking in one of the cabinets, though. The thing was stuffed with cans of food, nearly full to bursting. Some were clearly homemade, some looked like they’d been excavated from the dirt. Maybe they had been.
My good leg was starting to ache, cutting my exploration short. With no small hesitation, I forced myself back outside, back to the shack where I could rest up a bit.
—
I was only steps away from the door when a horrifying sight stopped me in my tracks. Dead animals, three of them. Sickly looking things, but recognizably the same species as that ‘Dogmeat’. I couldn’t look away. Was Nate hunting before I woke up? I stepped closer, morbid curiosity dowsing my pain. I don’t see any bite marks. And… predators don’t eat other predators.
​
Did he kill them to protect me?
Humans were apex predators on their planet. It couldn’t have been self-defense. Nor could it have been hunger, if he’d just left them to rot. So… what other reasons would he have to fight?
I looked closer, my eyes meeting a series of glassy stares. Two of them looked literally skin and bones, but the third looked a lot like Dogmeat. Mouth closed, eyes staring up at the sky unseeing. I almost felt bad for it.
“I wish I could prove to you that my dog is friendly, but… if he scares you that much, I’ll find somewhere else for him.”
Did Nate feel any conflict, having to shoot them on my behalf? Was he going to shoot Dogmeat too, just to ease my fears? He clearly cared about the beast, but if he thought “keeping me safe” meant…
​
No. I wouldn’t let it come to that. I had to overcome my fear. If I wanted to survive, I needed to be stronger.
Reaching out to the body, arm trembling, I ran a claw down its side. It was soft… still warm, too. The thought that this predator had been alive so recently, only to be put down for my safety, managed to elicit a twinge of sorrow. That feeling, hold on to that. Force it through your fear.
My movements got bolder, even exploring the rows of sharp teeth hidden by a clenched jaw. And the soft fur on its underbelly… its long tail, which sat limp and unmoving on the dust. I could feel my fear begin to fade more and more with every second I sat next to the body of this predator.
Eventually, I forced myself to rise. As I walked back to my bed, I stole one last glance backwards. Instead of horrifying predators, all I saw was a family of three. That they had to die so I could live… the thought filled me with a strange sense of shame.
I couldn’t stand there forever. My poor legs wouldn’t allow it. Back to the bed, step by shaky step.
​
​
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Memory Recovery Subject: Nathan Dunne, sole survivor of Vault 111
Date: December 13th, 2287
Hauling sheet metal was no easy task, even with the help of a dog. It was dark by the time I got home; I’d missed my appointment with the sunset by nearly half an hour.
Supplies stowed away, armor shed, weapons holstered. I rummaged around the fridge for a radstag fry I’d prepared a couple days ago. I didn’t have the energy to cook, and I still needed to check in with Rania. Dogmeat hovered around my ankles, performing his best puppy impression.
These might be the last meals you get to eat with him. I gave a few scraps for his unconvincing performance.
I knew the minutemen would take good care of him, and Valentine could make good use of his nose. But saying goodbye would be a challenge. He’d had my back practically since I escaped Vault 111, and casting him aside felt like nothing short of a betrayal.
The radstag felt like sawdust in my mouth. I tossed the rest of it to Dogmeat, who looked up quizzically rather than digging in. I knew he was wondering why I was being so generous all of a sudden, but I wasn’t ready to break the news to him yet.
—
“Is it OK with you if I come in?”
The voice responding sounded completely different. Still recognizably Rania, but without the terrified quivering I’d expected. “Yes. We need to talk.”
I slipped inside, taking care not to let out too much heat. The figure facing me, while again still undoubtedly Rania, was otherwise unrecognizable. Sitting up straight, unshaking, looking directly at me. A far cry from the poor creature I’d talked to when I left. He (he? I decided to assume it was male, given the voice from the translator) turned his head slightly to the side, leaving one eye to meet both of mine in what I assumed was an intense stare for a person with side-facing eyes.
“Nate.” Rania’s voice was thick with determination. “I’ve decided… I want to get used to Dogmeat. If he’s really as friendly as you say, you shouldn’t have to get rid of him just because of my fear.”
It was all I could do to suppress a full-bodied sigh of relief. If he’s on the fence on this decision, showing my joy would force his hand. I have to stay calm. “Can I ask why?”
“I, uh… I found the other predators. The feral ones. The ones you shot.”
Oh.
“And I… I don’t want you to have to do the same for him. It doesn’t…” The quivering returned in shades, but he continued. “Even if you meant ‘find somewhere else for him’ literally, you shouldn’t have to do that for my sake.”
“I…” I buried my face in my hands, trying to beat back tears. “Thank you. I couldn’t imagine having to… thank you. I can still keep him away from you if you’re scared. You shouldn’t have to live in fear.”
Rania shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Actually, I was thinking I should… you know, get used to him, not just tolerate him from a distance. Face my fear head-on. Just… not tonight, OK?”
For all that quivering, he’s a lot braver than I thought he’d be.
“Yeah. We can get something worked out later. Right now, you need to rest. I’m not just talking about tonight; you’re still injured. Best you can do right now is rest and eat. Which reminds me… The vegetables I brought you earlier. How were they? Any you really liked?”
“Oh, uhhh… yeah, the orange one was really nice. And that red mushy one wasn’t so pleasant; I could eat it anyway to get full, but I’d rather not. Why do you have so many vegetables, anyway?”
Why wouldn’t I? “What do you mean?”
“Well, I thought… predators eat flesh, right? Were you growing them for decoration? I mean… it was nice to see something green and growing out here, but that seems like a lot of effort!”
I couldn’t manage a verbal response to this. All I could give was a baffled stare, which Rania seemed to interpret as a threat.
“I— I didn’t mean to insult you—”
“No, no, it’s just…” I rubbed my eyes. Hauling sheet metal had sapped all my energy, but I couldn’t just let this slide. “I mean… humans aren’t obligate carnivores. Most predators aren’t; even deathclaws forage for mutfruit when they can. Or does the word ‘predator’ mean something else to you?”
It was Rania’s turn for a blank stare, and I began to wonder if I’d just said something insulting. He looked down, mumbling something the translator couldn’t catch, then turned his attention back. “I think we should talk about this later. I need to rest.”
I knew it was a flimsy excuse (I could practically see his mind overheating as he stared back into the ground), but he wasn’t exactly wrong. I bid my farewell with a solemn nod.
—
The moon cast a picturesque blue light through the windows, giving just enough illumination to fend off sleep. On its own, the meager light couldn’t fight off the exhaustion radiating through my muscles, but Rania’s bizarre outburst was also keeping me up.
Not knowing about the history of our planet was perfectly reasonable, given his alien identity. Being so scared of humans despite apparently knowing about them was strange, but nothing a bit of trauma couldn’t induce. But even schoolchildren knew the basics of the food chain, and I found it hard to believe that a space-faring alien race would be less knowledgeable about ecology than the local population of raiders. Even with no education at all, certain things were obvious by observation.
If nothing else, Rania was right about one thing. We will need to talk about this later.
​
​
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[Continued in comments]

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In recent years, there has been a significant shift in the transportation industry towards more sustainable and eco-friendly modes of travel. One such mode that has gained immense popularity is the electric scooter. With zero emissions, low maintenance costs, and ease of use, electric scooters have become a preferred choice for urban commuters and enthusiasts alike. In this blog post, we will shed light on one of the leading electric scooter manufacturers, Crayon Motors.
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One of the standout features of Crayon Motors electric scooters is their sleek and modern design. The company puts a strong emphasis on aesthetics without compromising on functionality. Crayon Motors understands that riders not only want a reliable mode of transportation but also a vehicle that looks good and complements their lifestyle. Their electric scooters are designed to turn heads and make a statement on the road.
When it comes to performance, Crayon Motors electric scooters are no slouch either. Powered by advanced lithium-ion batteries, these scooters offer impressive acceleration and top speeds, making them perfect for zipping through city streets. With a focus on efficiency, Crayon Motors ensures that their scooters have a long battery life and can cover substantial distances on a single charge. This is a crucial factor for commuters who rely on electric scooters for their daily transportation needs.
Safety is another area where Crayon Motors excels. Their electric scooters come equipped with features like anti-lock braking systems (ABS), LED lighting, and intuitive control systems to ensure a safe and secure ride. Crayon Motors understands the importance of rider safety and has taken proactive measures to incorporate the latest safety technologies into their scooters.
Furthermore, Crayon Motors is dedicated to providing excellent customer service and support. They have established a wide network of service centers and authorized dealers to cater to the needs of their customers. Whether it's routine maintenance or addressing any issues, Crayon Motors ensures that their customers have access to timely and reliable assistance.
In conclusion, Crayon Motors has emerged as a leading electric scooter manufacturer, known for its commitment to innovation, style, performance, and sustainability. Their electric scooters offer a compelling alternative to traditional gasoline-powered vehicles, providing riders with a convenient, eco-friendly, and enjoyable mode of transportation. With their sleek designs, impressive performance, and focus on safety, Crayon Motors electric scooters are well-positioned to shape the future of urban mobility. So, if you're considering joining the electric revolution, Crayon Motors is definitely a brand worth exploring.

Professional computer repair services Bathgate offer several benefits to individuals and businesses alike. Here are some of the key advantages of relying on professionals for computer repairs. Read more.

India, with its vibrant culture, diverse cuisines, and booming tourism industry, presents a wealth of investment opportunities in the hospitality sector. If you're a savvy investor or an aspiring entrepreneur looking to make a mark in the lucrative world of hotels and restaurants, then exploring the array of options available for sale in India is a strategic move. In this article, we delve into the enticing realm of hotels and restaurants for sale, highlighting the advantages and key considerations to help you make an informed investment decision.

1. A Growing Industry with Immense Potential: The hospitality industry in India is experiencing robust growth, driven by a combination of factors. The rising disposable income, increasing urbanization, and a burgeoning middle class have fueled the demand for quality accommodation and dining experiences. Moreover, the government's push to promote tourism, infrastructure development, and ease of doing business has attracted both domestic and international visitors, leading to a surge in occupancy rates and footfall. These trends create a fertile ground for investors seeking to capitalize on the growth potential of the sector.
2. Established Infrastructure and Brand Equity: Investing in an existing hotel or restaurant provides the advantage of an established infrastructure and brand equity. Renowned properties often come with a loyal customer base and a strong reputation built over years of operation. By acquiring such establishments, investors can leverage the existing infrastructure, furnishings, equipment, and customer trust, which significantly reduces the time and effort required to establish a new venture. This not only enhances the chances of success but also provides a head start in generating revenue.
3. Diverse Investment Options: India offers a diverse range of investment options in the hospitality sector. From luxury hotels to budget accommodations, fine dining restaurants to street food stalls, the market caters to a broad spectrum of preferences and budgets. Investors can choose to focus on a specific niche or explore multiple avenues, depending on their expertise and vision. This flexibility allows for personalized investment strategies tailored to individual goals and market dynamics.
4. Strategic Location and Target Market: Location plays a pivotal role in the success of a hotel or restaurant business. Before making an investment, it is crucial to conduct thorough market research and identify target locations that align with your business objectives. Factors such as tourist inflow, local demographics, proximity to attractions or business districts, and accessibility should be carefully analyzed. Understanding the preferences and demands of the target market enables investors to curate experiences that cater to the needs and aspirations of their customers.
5. Financial Viability and Return on Investment: Analyzing the financial viability of a potential investment is paramount. Assessing factors such as revenue potential, operating costs, average occupancy rates, and industry trends is crucial in determining the return on investment. Collaborating with financial experts, conducting due diligence, and carefully reviewing financial statements of the establishment can provide valuable insights into the business's financial health. Additionally, exploring financing options and assessing the feasibility of securing funds is essential to ensure a smooth transition into the hospitality sector.
6. Legal and Regulatory Compliance: Navigating the legal and regulatory landscape is vital when acquiring hotels and restaurants. Understanding licensing requirements, health and safety regulations, labor laws, and taxation norms is essential to ensure compliance and avoid any legal complications. Engaging legal professionals with expertise in the hospitality sector can provide valuable guidance and mitigate potential risks.

In conclusion, hotels and restaurants for sale in India present lucrative investment opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors alike. With a growing industry, established infrastructure, and diverse market segments, the hospitality sector offers a promising landscape for those willing to seize the moment. However, thorough market research, financial analysis, and adherence to legal requirements are crucial steps to ensure a successful investment venture. Embrace the potential of India's hospitality market, unlock the doors to profitability, and leave your indelible mark on the thriving landscape of hotels and restaurants.

Hi there! I am designing and making an escape room for my 3rd grade students as a review of the concepts they learned in 2nd grade. I would love input from a variety of people so I’m cross posting to escaperooms, teachers, and musiced.
Here’s what I have so far:
Theme - I am basing my narrative off of the book/song “There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly”. So far my narrative is: You are a doctor who got a call about a very sick old lady. You are at her home looking for clues about what could have given her such a terrible stomachache. Find out what she ate, give her the right medicine and do it all before she eats anything that would send her to the hospital.
Decorating and Prop Ideas - The game has to be reset for 6 classes. I’m thinking of laminating documents and making a flowchart that will make it easy to set up the game for the next day. Every class has about 20 students but they can be grouped into smaller groups. I want to make half of my class look like an old lady’s farmhouse with missing animals. There’s an empty dog bed, a kitty litter box full of sand, a fly swatter, a cobweb in the corner, a birdcage, a window overlooking a goat barn, etc… I have 6 small wooden boxes, one big treasure box (all boxes have a clasp for a lock), 6 locks and keys, and one big lock that has 6 holes on it where six padlock locks must all be opened in order for the big lock to open. I have six combination locks that open with 3 letter combinations. I have a felt old lady and felt animals.
Puzzle Ideas: My students need hands on activities. I was thinking of hiding a key in the sand (kitty litter box), hiding keys in clay, taping keys under furniture. Some of the puzzles I was thinking of were having kids solve musical math with rhythms, solving a jigsaw puzzle that shows the anatomy of a recorder, an ukulele, or a xylophone and then flipping it over to see a message. Maybe doing a watercolor and oil pastel secret message??? I have invisible pens and flashlights. I am also good with MakeyMakey, Scratch and Paper Circuits. Something with magnets would be cool. Or sorting instruments into instrument families. The students also learned about musical form (binary, rondo, etc) so I feel that lends itself into some type of puzzle. Definitely we can do something where they spell out a word using pitches on a treble clef staff.
Things I’m not interested in: I don’t want it to be worksheet heavy. I’ve seen the escape rooms on Teacherspayteachers and I’m not interested in everything just being in envelopes. I have a space in my class that can be dedicated to this escape room and would not interfere with my other classes so I don’t feel a need to make everything paper based.
How you can help me: I think I need a non-linear approach with six different tasks, six animals: fly, spider, bird, cat, dog, goat. Not the horse because that makes her die… that’s too sad. I could split up my class into 6 groups which is manageable. What does a 30 minute escape room experience look like for just one task? If I could get help with even just one task, I feel like I could get my mind around the other tasks. Thanks everyone!
P.S. I would err on being easy because I have kids that are just starting to learn English. So basic sentence structures, visuals, etc.

Hi there! I am designing and making an escape room for my 3rd grade students as a review of the concepts they learned in 2nd grade. I would love input from a variety of people so I’m cross posting to escaperooms, teachers, and musiced.
Here’s what I have so far:
Theme - I am basing my narrative off of the book/song “There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly”. So far my narrative is: You are a doctor who got a call about a very sick old lady. You are at her home looking for clues about what could have given her such a terrible stomachache. Find out what she ate, give her the right medicine and do it all before she eats anything that would send her to the hospital.
Decorating and Prop Ideas - The game has to be reset for 6 classes. I’m thinking of laminating documents and making a flowchart that will make it easy to set up the game for the next day. Every class has about 20 students but they can be grouped into smaller groups. I want to make half of my class look like an old lady’s farmhouse with missing animals. There’s an empty dog bed, a kitty litter box full of sand, a fly swatter, a cobweb in the corner, a birdcage, a window overlooking a goat barn, etc… I have 6 small wooden boxes, one big treasure box (all boxes have a clasp for a lock), 6 locks and keys, and one big lock that has 6 holes on it where six padlock locks must all be opened in order for the big lock to open. I have six combination locks that open with 3 letter combinations. I have a felt old lady and felt animals.
Puzzle Ideas: My students need hands on activities. I was thinking of hiding a key in the sand (kitty litter box), hiding keys in clay, taping keys under furniture. Some of the puzzles I was thinking of were having kids solve musical math with rhythms, solving a jigsaw puzzle that shows the anatomy of a recorder, an ukulele, or a xylophone and then flipping it over to see a message. Maybe doing a watercolor and oil pastel secret message??? I have invisible pens and flashlights. I am also good with MakeyMakey, Scratch and Paper Circuits. Something with magnets would be cool. Or sorting instruments into instrument families. The students also learned about musical form (binary, rondo, etc) so I feel that lends itself into some type of puzzle. Definitely we can do something where they spell out a word using pitches on a treble clef staff.
Things I’m not interested in: I don’t want it to be worksheet heavy. I’ve seen the escape rooms on Teacherspayteachers and I’m not interested in everything just being in envelopes. I have a space in my class that can be dedicated to this escape room and would not interfere with my other classes so I don’t feel a need to make everything paper based.
How you can help me: I think I need a non-linear approach with six different tasks, six animals: fly, spider, bird, cat, dog, goat. Not the horse because that makes her die… that’s too sad. I could split up my class into 6 groups which is manageable. What does a 30 minute escape room experience look like for just one task? If I could get help with even just one task, I feel like I could get my mind around the other tasks. Thanks everyone!
P.S. I would err on being easy because I have kids that are just starting to learn English. So basic sentence structures, visuals, etc.

Hi there! I am designing and making an escape room for my 3rd grade students as a review of the concepts they learned in 2nd grade. I would love input from a variety of people so I’m cross posting to escaperooms, teachers, and musiced.
Here’s what I have so far:
Theme - I am basing my narrative off of the book/song “There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly”. So far my narrative is: You are a doctor who got a call about a very sick old lady. You are at her home looking for clues about what could have given her such a terrible stomachache. Find out what she ate, give her the right medicine and do it all before she eats anything that would send her to the hospital.
Decorating and Prop Ideas - The game has to be reset for 6 classes. I’m thinking of laminating documents and making a flowchart that will make it easy to set up the game for the next day. Every class has about 20 students but they can be grouped into smaller groups. I want to make half of my class look like an old lady’s farmhouse with missing animals. There’s an empty dog bed, a kitty litter box full of sand, a fly swatter, a cobweb in the corner, a birdcage, a window overlooking a goat barn, etc… I have 6 small wooden boxes, one big treasure box (all boxes have a clasp for a lock), 6 locks and keys, and one big lock that has 6 holes on it where six padlock locks must all be opened in order for the big lock to open. I have six combination locks that open with 3 letter combinations. I have a felt old lady and felt animals.
Puzzle Ideas: My students need hands on activities. I was thinking of hiding a key in the sand (kitty litter box), hiding keys in clay, taping keys under furniture. Some of the puzzles I was thinking of were having kids solve musical math with rhythms, solving a jigsaw puzzle that shows the anatomy of a recorder, an ukulele, or a xylophone and then flipping it over to see a message. Maybe doing a watercolor and oil pastel secret message??? I have invisible pens and flashlights. I am also good with MakeyMakey, Scratch and Paper Circuits. Something with magnets would be cool. Or sorting instruments into instrument families. The students also learned about musical form (binary, rondo, etc) so I feel that lends itself into some type of puzzle. Definitely we can do something where they spell out a word using pitches on a treble clef staff.
Things I’m not interested in: I don’t want it to be worksheet heavy. I’ve seen the escape rooms on Teacherspayteachers and I’m not interested in everything just being in envelopes. I have a space in my class that can be dedicated to this escape room and would not interfere with my other classes so I don’t feel a need to make everything paper based.
How you can help me: I think I need a non-linear approach with six different tasks, six animals: fly, spider, bird, cat, dog, goat. Not the horse because that makes her die… that’s too sad. I could split up my class into 6 groups which is manageable. What does a 30 minute escape room experience look like for just one task? If I could get help with even just one task, I feel like I could get my mind around the other tasks. Thanks everyone!
P.S. I would err on being easy because I have kids that are just starting to learn English. So basic sentence structures, visuals, etc.

7 years of experience as an EM, but not a lot of recent hands-on-keys experience. Definitely stronger on the people/relationships/process side of management than I am on any particular tech or stack. I've managed security, full stack, front and back end, data, database reliability, and feature delivery teams. I have glowing recommendations from previous reports and managers/directors alike, a strong resume, I write a good cover letter, etc etc etc.
I was laid off in December, and I was starting to fray. Probably 300+ applications, 4 full interview rounds (and 4 rejections, ugh), a handful of other partial processes, lots of recruiter screens... had kind of tapped out my network, and the referrals hadn't gotten me anything. Close, but no brass ring. Severance ended in April, so the financial pressure was mounting.
Got passed over for a referral role that I really thought I'd get in May, after a full round of very good interviews, and I was pretty bummed. Anxiety at an all-time high (I mean ALL time, in 38 years of life). Starting to lose sleep, quality of life really starting to take a dip. Marriage stress. The works.
And then this role came through, completely randomly. No connections working there. Just saw a job description that resonated with me, threw my application in... maybe put in a little extra "oomph" in the cover letter... 4 rounds later... 16% salary bump compared to what I was making before, and it genuinely feels like a great fit. Values alignment, their recruiting process was super smooth, already got my standard-issue hoodie and water bottle, MBP's in the mail, flying out to meet folks at an all-hands in August, already feeling connected and already feeling good vibes. Obviously there's a honeymoon period and that will wear off, but... I'm excited.
Keep your heads up, folks. The roles are out there. It's rough and turbulent and the industry is going through convulsions right now, but the industry isn't going anywhere. This is a rough patch. We'll all get through it. It might get a little ugly and the stress/anxiety is very real, no doubt about it. Be prepared, be realistic, be pragmatic, but don't despair. Take care of yourselves, make sure you're being smart financially, and treat yourselves with kindness. It's a marathon.
And I'm not speaking to recent grads with no experience; I think you've got a different road ahead, and I think the landscape has perhaps changed more drastically for y'all than it has for us "veterans" with 5-10 years of experience, in the middle of our careers. I think the "tightening of the belt" (corporate speak for "the .001% that controls the money has decided everyone else is getting too much of it") is probably going to hit the entry level folks the hardest, because "doing more with less" means less bandwidth for mentorship, less budgets for internships, less appetite for juniors all around. It's absolutely penny-wise, pound-foolish and absolutely idiotic in the long term, but... well... welcome to capitalism.
But for those of us who have the experience: the roles are out there, and we'll get through this.

Why Algorand Should Comply with Regulations
Hi there 👋
A lot has happened lately and I would like to consider the possibility, in my humble means, for Algorand to accept (at least in the U.S) in its current state the classification as a security with intention to transition, while in compliance, into a commodity - taking the long and hard road so to say. I know this is surely not in the cyberpunk fashion blockchain started with, but it surely also is not the personality trait Algorand is all about. Algorand is not an usurper who unlawfully seizes or takes control of a position of power, typically through force or illegal means, without having a legitimate claim or right to that position - it is neither BTC, nor XMR, in philosophy. In fact, Algorand aims to be a legitimate and rightful public blockchain for the many, a blockchain who obtains and holds a position of power or authority in a legal and lawful manner, It aims to come to power through legitimate, democratic means while following the established legal process. Unlike a usurper, a legitimate ruler is recognized and accepted as the rightful occupant of the position they hold, and The Algorand Foundation plays a pivotal role in helping the blockchain to become this decentralised, self-sovereign agent in the future.
At the end of the day we want to integrate with the system to improve upon it. We do not want to be another crypto-casino - we do not want another Yieldly or malicious VCs to pump and dump on us (and the Foundation) over and over - let them play somewhere else. Like Bitcoin did for itself when it took distance from the word "Crypto", so should we strive to legitimate our tech and convictions, and overcome the repeating gold-rush swings made possible and advertised mostly by malicious agents, to build and enable something of value on great and lasting foundations. I strongly believe Algorand has the best tools (and people) to face what is coming down the road in the not so distant future, and I want to see us succeed.
Compliance with regulations is not just about avoiding legal repercussions. It's about building trust and credibility in the market. Algorand, as a blockchain platform, should comply with regulations to ensure its long-term sustainability and growth. Compliance will help Algorand attract more users and serious investors who are wary of the regulatory risks associated with cryptocurrencies. By complying with regulations, Algorand could gain a significant competitive edge in the market.
Moreover, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Illicit Finance Risk Assessment of Decentralized Finance report emphasizes the need for blockchain platforms to mitigate illicit finance risks. By adhering to regulations, Algorand can demonstrate its commitment, thereby enhancing its reputation and trustworthiness in the eyes of users and regulators alike.
The Role of the Algorand Foundation
The Algorand Foundation is instrumental in guiding Algorand towards its goal of becoming a decentralized, self-sovereign agent. The Foundation's role includes promoting the use of the Algorand protocol, supporting research and development, and providing guidance on regulatory compliance. The Foundation can help Algorand navigate the regulatory landscape and ensure that it complies with all relevant laws and regulations.
The Algorand Foundation's mission is to promote the long-term success of the Algorand protocol and ecosystem. By guiding Algorand's transition from a security to a commodity, the Foundation can help the platform achieve its goal of becoming a public good.
Algorand's Strategy for Regulatory Compliance
Algorand should adopt a proactive approach to regulatory compliance. This involves closely monitoring regulatory developments, engaging with regulators, and implementing robust compliance procedures. Algorand should also consider its current status as a security and work towards becoming sufficiently decentralized (something Woods also admitted needs further work) to be regarded as a public good (commodity) in the future.
The SEC's arguments and actions against other cryptocurrencies provide valuable insights for Algorand. For instance, the SEC's report on The DAO concluded that its tokens were securities, highlighting the (current) importance of the Howey Test in determining whether a digital asset is a security. By understanding and applying the Howey Test, Algorand can assess its current status and take necessary steps to transition from a security to a commodity.
Algorand's Advantage Over Other Blockchains
Algorand has several advantages that make it well-positioned to achieve its goal of becoming a decentralized, self-sovereign agent. First, Algorand's consensus mechanism, Pure Proof-of-Stake (PPoS), ensures that all users have a say in the network's governance, promoting decentralization. Second, Algorand's design philosophy emphasizes security and scalability, making it a reliable platform for building decentralized applications. Third, Algorand's commitment to regulatory compliance sets it apart from many other blockchain platforms that have taken a more adversarial approach to regulation.
Algorand's unique architecture also enables it to provide solutions to some of the challenges facing the crypto industry. For instance, Algorand's ability to enable the creation of complex multi-party transactions, such as group payments and circular trades, can revolutionise the financial industry by enabling more efficient and secure transactions.
Regulatory Compliance: The SEC's Perspective
The SEC's arguments for regulating cryptocurrencies are primarily centered around protecting investors and maintaining fair and efficient markets. The SEC has made it clear that it considers many cryptocurrencies, particularly Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs), to be securities and therefore subject to federal securities laws. This was highlighted in the SEC's report on The DAO.
The SEC's enforcement actions against non-compliant entities further underscore the importance of regulatory compliance. For instance, the SEC's Crypto Assets and Cyber Enforcement Action initiative aims to crack down on illicit activities involving digital assets. By complying with SEC regulations, Algorand can avoid enforcement actions and potential legal repercussions.
Moreover, the SEC's focus on mitigating illicit finance risks aligns with Algorand's commitment to promoting a safe and secure platform. The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Illicit Finance Risk Assessment of Decentralized Finance report emphasizes the need for blockchain platforms to implement robust measures to prevent illicit activities. By adhering to these measures, Algorand can demonstrate its commitment to mitigating illicit finance risks and enhancing its credibility in the eyes of regulators.
Algorand's Path to Regulatory Compliance
Algorand's path to regulatory compliance involves understanding and adhering to the SEC's regulations. This includes assessing its current status as a security and taking necessary steps to transition to a commodity. Algorand can leverage its unique features, such as its consensus mechanism and design philosophy, to demonstrate its commitment to decentralization and security, which are key factors in the SEC's assessment of whether a digital asset is a security.
Algorand should also engage with regulators and seek their guidance in navigating the regulatory landscape. This proactive approach to regulatory compliance can help Algorand avoid potential legal pitfalls and build a strong relationship with regulators.

1. Adherence to Regulatory Compliance: Algorand must ensure strict adherence to regulatory compliance. This includes Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter-Terrorist Financing (CTF) regulations. As per the U.S. Department of the Treasury's report, DeFi services often do not implement AML/CFT controls, which allows for instantaneous and pseudonymous transactions. Algorand must ensure that it has robust AML/CFT controls in place to prevent illicit activities.
2. Decentralization and Security: Algorand's Pure Proof-of-Stake (PPoS) consensus mechanism, which ensures equal representation (one ALGO, one vote), can contribute to its path towards becoming a commodity. This mechanism prevents the plutarchic rule of the minority and makes majority attacks uneconomic. It also ensures a high level of decentralization, which is a key requirement for a commodity in the crypto space.
3. Integration with Traditional Finance (TradFi): Algorand's ability to integrate with traditional finance can also contribute to its path towards becoming a commodity. The platform can enable the decentralization of credit rating, increase capital efficiency, and even allow small sovereign nations to issue debt or Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) on-chain. This integration with TradFi can help Algorand gain wider acceptance and usage.
4. Innovation and Development of Compliance Solutions: Algorand should also focus on the development of innovative compliance solutions. These could include digital identity technology for identity verification, zero-knowledge proofs for privacy preservation, and smart contract code integrations for risk mitigation. These solutions can help Algorand comply with regulatory requirements while also maintaining user privacy and security.
5. Engagement with Regulators and the Private Sector: Algorand should actively engage with regulators and the private sector to ensure that its services are in line with current and future regulations. This engagement can also help Algorand understand and address potential illicit finance risks before they arise.
6. Transparency and Public Engagement: Algorand should maintain a high level of transparency and engage with the public to build trust. This includes being open about its operations, its compliance with regulations, and its plans for the future.

Thx

From time to time its asked just how tolerant the Imperium is, how this galaxy wide government imposes its faith. With how large the Imperium is, and how inneficient the FTL travel and communication is, its only natural that the faith isnt uniform. But, how does said faith varies? What is and what isn't allowed. In the excerpt, we can see some explanations
A Life of Worship
The Emperor has a profound effect in the lives of the people he protects. To most, He is everywhere and everything. Part of every citizen’s life is to honour the Emperor, often on a daily basis, for the protection and guidance that He provides. How they honour Him, however, will of course vary depending on where they live and just how they choose to view the Emperor. For example, on the world of Acreage, the priests of the High King teach that the Emperor is the “King of the Sky”; sky-mill workers must keep there eyes averted from the heavens when they work high above the ground, lest they anger Him with their impudence. Villages often make “candle-balloons” in which to offer their prayers. On the mining world of Luggnum, the pit-shafts are so dangerous that all miners undertake hour-long blessings by the station abbot before they descend. Miners that have refused or avoided such blessings are scorned (or even killed) by their co-workers, lest they bring ill-luck to all, proving that perhaps the blessing does in fact protect from harm. Then there are worlds like Dwimlicht, a feral world far from the civilized core of the sector, where primitive locals see the Emperor as a mighty star-god and shave their heads so that at night He might look into their minds with His million eyes and see that they are faithful.
Whatever the world’s particular teachings, almost universally, citizens pray before work, before meals and before downtime. They thank the Emperor for what they have and pray to Him for what they desire. As most citizens of the Imperium are poorly educated, often knowing only what they need to do their jobs, prayer and the teachings of the Ministorum are all they know of the galaxy or world beyond their homes. They often believe wholeheartedly that if they do not pray to the Emperor and follow the instructions of His clerics, they risk their very souls (a belief unfortunately justified on many worlds). Over time, citizens become entwined in the rituals of worship, so that daily prayers to the Emperor are as natural to them as breathing. For most, this is as far as they come in their religious observance, convinced of their faith, living and dying without ever questioning the Ministorum or the god it serves.
Of course there are those who stray from the path. Paying no more than lip service to the Imperial Creed, these people forget their faith (if indeed they ever had it) and instead choose to see the Emperor as a distant overlord, ruling an empire that He will never see from a state of neither death nor life. Such folk choose to live by their own set of morals and ethics, though usually they have little of either. On many advanced worlds these kinds of people thrive. Where the rise of technology has overshadowed spirituality and wonder, so too does it undermine the belief in a power greater than mankind. Such places can be breeding grounds for the faithless or for those that would scorn the power of the Emperor for more tangible and immediate rewards.
For many citizens, however, the truth is, as always, somewhere between fevered worship and the brink of heresy. Most citizens pray at their local shrine once a ten-cycle, and invoke the Emperor’s name to protect them from evil; but beyond this they go about their daily lives like everybody else.
A Question of Faith
Just what your PC believes, when it comes to the Imperial Creed is up to you. All Acolytes have been raised in the shadow of the Cult of the Emperor and cannot doubt His influence and the power of the Imperium. However, deciding to accept or reject any of the myriad of nuances making up His religion, such as the stock placed in certain saints or the best way to interpret His will, is up to you to decide. The following questions may be used to help you round out your character’s religious beliefs.
How was the Emperor revered on your home world?
The worship of the Emperor varies greatly from world to world and, quite often different cultures focus on a key aspect of His power. For instance, on an agri-world it might be the grace of the Emperor that protects and nurtures their crops and villages, while keeping them safe in the night. Hence the population would view Him as a benevolent figure that guides and shelters them. Alternatively on a penal world, the Emperor is a harsh judge and overseer who weighs your every deed and strikes you down if you are found wanting. Here the population would view Him as an unquestionable overlord to be obeyed and feared. These various experiences colour how you see the Emperor and His role in your character’s life; even though your circumstances may have now changed, you remember the mighty Star-God or glowering statues of your childhood.
Were there any saints on your home world?
Many worlds have their own saints, whether sanctioned by the Ecclesiarchy or not. This helps people to better relate to the Emperor and His Creed. After all, at one time or another, saints were humans who lived, struggled and died in His name. If your character grew up on a world where the Ecclesiarchy was strong, it is likely that he or she would have also been taught about some of the many saints of the Imperium and be able to name each of the twenty-three trials of Quirdas, or tell the story of Kinorr the Pure and the three-armed Ork for instance. You would also have been taught about any local saints, such as the founder of your world (provided he was not a foul traitor who resisted the Imperium in any way). All this, of course, is not to say that a character born far from the schooling of the Ecclesiarchy could not come from a world blessed by saints. In many primitive cultures, for instance, the first warrior to approach the skyship when it landed is credited for “welcoming” the Emperor to their world (whether he got a bolt shell for his troubles or not).
Are there any saints that you personally identify with?
Where the Cult of the Emperor is strong, so too is the influence of its saints. On such devout worlds, when a child first receives the blessing of the Emperor it is not uncommon for the residing cleric to choose a saint to watch over the infant, sometimes adding the saint’s name to that of the child. These guardian saints are said to follow the person through his life, helping him to overcome his problems and finally, when he dies, usher him into the Emperor’s light. Sometimes, people come to have a guardian saint through other means, such as a man who nearly drowns taking up the worship of Epps the Unwell, saint of dangerous environments, for example. So it is possible, either though his upbringing or a chance event, that your character may have a very close relationship with one or more saints, praying to them regularly and looking to them for guidance in times of need.
How do you believe people should best serve the Emperor?
The people of the Imperium are often taught that they serve the Emperor in everything they do, whether it is vanquishing His foes or cleaning bilges on His cargo ships. However, most citizens of the Imperium believe that certain tasks please the Emperor more than others. For example, many believe that there is no greater service to the Emperor than killing His foes, be they aliens, heretics or witches. These people claim that His favour can only be found by wading through a sea of xenos blood. Others extol the virtues of self-deprivation and abstinence, claiming that the true light of the Emperor can only be found within our frail mortal shell. These folk suggest fasting and flagellating as the means to seek His grace. Some believe that what the Emperor truly desires is souls to cry out His name in worship, demanding that His word be spread to new worlds in order to turn unbelievers from their wicked ways and into His light. Of course it can be all of these or none, and ultimately it is up to you to choose just what your character believes.
What do you believe will happen when you die?
The Imperium is a violent, perilous place where life is cheap and death is common. For citizens on even the most stable and safe of worlds, most expect a lifetime of toil that leads to an unmarked grave. For this reason, the Ministorum teaches that, through service and sacrifice to the Emperor, the faithful can find eternal peace beyond the gates of death. For many, it is enough to know that no matter how terrible their lives or the drudgery of their days, this reward awaits them. Some, however, know more than they care to about the nature of the universe and the things lurking beyond the veil of death. Acolytes often know or have seen things that can alter their perception of death and what lies beyond, all of which is tied closely to their religious outlook. It is possible that every action your character makes is a step along the path to his eternal reward at the Emperor’s side, or perhaps your Acolyte has seen too much and knows that all they have to look forward to is the chilling madness of the warp. In either case, with such a risky occupation, your character’s feelings about death can have a profound effect on his personality and how he reacts to others.
How has the Ministorum affected your life?
Finally, the most important aspect about how your character feels about the Ecclesiarchy and the worship of the Emperor comes down to how he or she was treated by those that claim to work in His name. Perhaps he was treated well by the faith, raised by caring, if strict, abbots and clerics of the Schola Progenium and he views all those who wear the mantle of the Ministorum with respect and obedience. On the other hand, your character might have seen his family and friends put to the torch for trivial crimes in the name of the Emperor by corrupt and cruel confessors, leaving him with a deep distrust of those who claim to work in His holy name. This can be made more complicated by the fact that the Ministorum is often at odds with itself, and, like the Inquisition, there are equal amounts of the faithful and the flawed in its ranks.