#5th map

[eleanornicholemiller]

“As soon as the 5th Among Us Map is out, you are all going to taste my wrath again.”

[mapsontheweb]

How the Romans slowly withdrew from Britain

[trykzt3r]

not being able to vote in this election has genuenly made me so sad. polls are still going and im sick to my stomach

[glamfellens]

hello. im having mixed feelings about veilguard. also. if i had a penny for every time a long awaited sequel absolutely obliterated and went scorched earth on a favourite place/faction of mine **this year**, i'd have two pennies, but its weird that it happened twice.

[rustymaps]

Lonelystar City

[perfectthewayyouare]

and what i'm supposed to just go to sleep and lay my weary head to rest now ???

[thefirstknife]

rip gambit you will be missed 😔

Don't even know what to say tbh.

For those that don't know, the big State of the Game article came out detailing incoming changes and adjustments and all the big stuff. Gambit was mentioned! But at what cost. Basically, they are ceasing any kind of support for Gambit. What we have now is what it is. We will get the Dreaming City map back in TFS and they will add Shadow Legion and Lucent Hive as enemy factions in TFS. That's all.

Full text:

As many of you have noticed, we’ve been quiet on Gambit since last year’s overhaul that launched alongside The Witch Queen. In that revamp, the team made significant changes across five categories in Gambit: core activity fundamentals, Primeval tuning, invasions, ammo economy, and rewards. Unfortunately, these updates didn’t move the needle for player engagement. Although we know our Gambit fans mostly care about new or returning maps, this is an area of the game with lower engagement that would take resources away from more popular parts of the game to shore up.   While we don’t have plans to dedicate more resources to significantly transform Gambit, we do have a few updates planned for the year of The Final Shape. These include porting the Cathedral of Scars map and its beautiful Dreaming City setting into the latest version of Destiny 2, as well as adding the Shadow Legion and Lucent Hive enemy types. 

I don't know how to tell you this Bungie, but the reason "engagement is low" in Gambit is because Gambit sucks. Ever since half of it was removed with DCV, it just sucked. It has no variety, the gameplay is largely busted, it's not sufficiently updated, ammo changes suck, invasion cycle sucks (why is the enemy even getting a portal when their Primeval is at 5% health and the other team is still in mote collecting phase is beyond me), there are no cool armour sets to chase (just look at Iron Banner and Trials stuff, imagine dedicated cosmetics) and finally there are simply no weapons that are worth anything. Both Vanguard and Crucible have more weapons and also adept versions. There is zero reason to go into Gambit without major changes to Gambit. And now with the further changes to how playlists and challenges will work, there will be even less reason to go into Gambit. Observe:

Before then, we’re making Gambit entirely optional to maximize your rewards unless you’re looking for a piece of gear that’s specific to the mode. Gambit will continue to serve as a source of Exotic engrams via weekly challenges, though as we mentioned above, you’ll be able to complete all your weekly challenges in any ritual you’d like starting in Season 22. If you want to stick to Vanguard or Crucible challenges without touching Gambit, now you can.  We’re also reducing the number of Gambit-specific Seasonal Challenges starting in Season 22, so players won’t need to bank motes to be able to earn that big purse of Bright Dust for completing nearly every challenge in the Season. Finally, we’re adding Fireteam Matchmaking to Gambit next Season, which will replace the Freelance node and should result in faster, better matchmaking by combining both Gambit playlists. We’ll keep an eye on reception and player engagement after these additions take place, and we hope you’ll visit ‘ol Drifter next Season to get your hands on his new Void Machine Gun. 

Ngl, but I don't think anyone besides like a total of 6 people will play Gambit next season. The incentive to go in there is completely removed. You won't even have to go in there for pinnacles or for challenges. The Void Machine Gun will not be enough of an incentive because the chance of that gun being better than two recently available craftable Void Machine Guns (Commemoration and Retrofit Escapade) is very low. And besides, once you get it at the end of your first match, you can leave Gambit forever.

This is the feedback loop that just reinforces the idea that people don't like Gambit. And I mean. Who would at this point. I'm pretty sure that if Crucible had stayed the same as it was at the start of Beyond Light, engagement would be low there too. But you know. Crucible has received major updates pretty much every season since with multiple new modes, several Trials overhauls, Iron Banner overhaul, competitive overhaul, new armours and weapons added and YES, even new maps. God forbid even 5% of these resources went into Gambit.

Anyway, this is the whole section about Gambit in 6500 words. It's basically a "you guys aren't playing this so we're doing the bare minimum of keeping it in the game as is, no new work will be done on it ever." Thanks I guess.

And for the record, something I also added while having a rant in my discord, I want to make it clear that I don't want anyone to spiral into a Bungie hate train. Even for this. I understand perfectly well what's the community attitude towards Gambit and what it's been for years now. People just don't like it and they're not incentivised to like it and they're actively encouraged to hate it. Spending resources into a game mode on the hope that maybe you can change people's minds would be insanity. Like, the amount of change Gambit would need to MAYBE start appealing to gamers would be beyond any reasonable time and resources Bungie can put in. And if you could guarantee that people would love and play Gambit then, fine. But you can't. Most likely, even if major changes happened, people would still just do their weekly stuff and bail. It's simply not worth it. In order for people to like it, it needs to be completely and thoroughly overhauled in a way that would need more time and effort than the entire Light subclass overhaul and it's just not a reasonable expectation, nor is it guaranteed to work. So I get it.

I'm still disappointed and annoyed about it because I believe it wasn't given a fair chance at all. I also know how good it can be and how Gambit Prime could've been improved upon over the years if they tried. Instead, it got removed and that was honestly the death sentence for Gambit. It's unfortunate. It's my favourite game mode that could've been so much better was it given even a fraction of attention of Crucible.

I'll still be playing it. You will find me in the Gambit queue waiting for 2 hours to find 7 other lunatics to play with, don't worry about it. But I'm absolutely incredibly sad about them being basically forced to axe the potential of the whole game mode that is incredibly creative and fits with the type of game Destiny is perfectly.

There's other interesting stuff in the article and some upcoming really cool improvements and changes to the game. But if you're a fan of Gambit in any capacity, this is a death certificate for the mode. I suggest coming to terms with it quickly because Bungie changing their minds about this is highly unlikely.

[zunadahalforcbarbarian]

[vulpine-spectacle]

Upcoming chapter titles for Echoes in our Blood

42: Restoration

43: The Mentat

44: Of Choices and Sacrifice

45: Abomination

46: Legacies at the Table

[maunamaps]

Incessant storms have soaked through the party's clothes and the winding trail continues through the mountain jungle. You've been waylaid multiple times already, and you have the sinking feeling like you're due again.

[pinacoladamatata]

something something down by the river

yeah i could draw something other than two characters gazing at each other with utter heartsick longing but I know what i'm about son

[mira-kuznetsova]

A little map of a massive mountainside fort named after its founder, a troll warrior called Ruzda.

It serves as a protective barrier to all cities of the land and holds many secrets in the catacombs beneath it.

[mapsontheweb]

Migrations and invasions in Eurasia from 4th to 6th centuries

"Atlas historique Larousse", Georges Duby, 1978

by cartesdhistoire

In the fourth century, Eurasia is dominated by the four great empires of China, Indian (Gupta), Persian (Sassanid) and Roman, well defended by natural obstacles (mountains of Central Asia and the Caucasus) or artificial (Great Wall of China, Roman Limes). But at their borders rush many barbaric peoples, who sometimes even enter their territories as federates: nomads breeders of the Asian steppes (Xianbei of Manchuria, Xiongnu in the northwest of Huanghe); pastoral peoples of the Middle East (Lakhmids, Rhassanids) and North Africa (Blemmyes, Berbers); hunters, ranchers or farmers of European forests and clearlands (Germany); fishermen pirate from the shores of the North Seas and Ireland (Scots, Pictes, Germans).

In the 4th century, a possible climate degradation, perhaps a population growth resulting in a pastoral overload of immutable yield pastures, throw these peoples on the assault of grain empires. To the east, the Xiongnu seize Luoyang, the capital of the Jin Dynasty, and Emperor Jin Huaidi in 311, before being eliminated by the Sien-pei clan of the Murong, then by the Tabghatch (Tuoba), founders of the Wei kingdom that dominated Northern China until 534-581.

In the heart of Eurasia, the Xiongnu push slips the Hephthalite Huns from the Altai towards Central Asia, then throws them on the assault of the Sassanid and Gupta Empires, at the junction of which they hold until about 565. West at last, the advancement of these same Xiongnu pushes Huns and Germains into four successive waves within the Roman Empire, starting at 375. In 476, this one was erased even in the West, where the invaders established barbaric kingdoms.

Thus emphasizes the deep unity of the history of Eurasia, whose great empires succumbed at the same time under the blows of the steppe peoples in search of spaces capable of ensuring their livelihood.

[zenmai--jikake--no--komoriuta]

made it to the 5th zone and got my first job to Lv100 today, my MCH! the Lv97 dungeon is soooo good I love it, the second boss is so much fun and the gear is fantastic and if you're not up to it yet then I hope you enjoy it as much as I did haha-- still sick with the flu so I'm no longer working tomorrow at least........ going to try to gun the rest of the MSQ so I can start using my rested exp on my DoL jobs!

[rizzenm]

The world is Talhith, a memory of what the world once was. Ages ago, the world began to flood, cities fell from the sky, and gods of this old world died. People from all over the world did what they could to survive in this world, the most popular of which was building what is now called a Shard.

Shards are homes built by generations of families trying to remain above the water as it continued to flood the the world. The tips of these Shards are all that can be seen now remaining as another danger for sailors to navigate and an archeological mystery for adventurers to explore. It is unknown what remains, but nearly every expedition has reveled horrors being contained only by the sea.

Urith is the largest continent, its capital city is Towersend. There are many factions and important people that call this continent home and many of them are at odds with each other. The terrain in the north is full of forests and hills. As you get more south you run into the Bog of The Twin Moon’s, a place many deem cursed as it is home to more monsters than men. Going east you can ride through the mostly uninhabited plains that the fallen city of Buelstone lies. Going further east you get to the Giants home mountain, Stormwind Peaks and the floating city Panuu. Going even further you get to the last forest of Urith, until you eventually cross the border into Trorn.

Trorn, commonly referred to as The Horns is the Tiefling homeland, and the lowest elevation found in Talhith. It’s ruler, Zepar Lust, the Ichor Father rules this land with an iron fist. However in recent years they seem to be doing more outreach. Trying to right wrong of the past even though they remain an extremely guarded state. It is defended by the volatile Devil’s Anguish that has lava and poisonous gases that prevent most anyone from crossing over by land.

Ibor was the great home of the now destroyed Purple Dragons Knights. They were soldiers of legend until they eventually sacrificed themselves to defend the world from a great evil. Now it is a shattered wasteland of ravines, and tribes of people fight for what little resources remain.

Gullura is the Elven homeland. It’s captital city, Cynore, has elements of this fae ancestry while also being very coastal. Most buildings are made out of lime and sandstone.

Rotsen is the Dwarfen stronghold. It is the banking and trading hub of the world. In the center of the island is a volcano that powers all of the forges. It is said this volcano was the child of Dwarf and Elf who could not conceive so they combined their magics to create a child made of stone. Soon after the parents argued constantly. The child, feeding of this anger grew to the size of the volcano and nearly destroyed everything before it was put to sleep.

Eagekul is a tropical, forest land home to more of the outsiders of the world. The Istoye forest is the largest fae forest in the world, the Gorge of the Ancients is home to many gearforged.

There is obviously many more place to talk about, and many more yet to be explored. I welcome all questions about this world and the places in it!

[rustymaps]

Xawellion City - Access