#also increase 1 diamond to at least 5 diamonds

[haruyuki728]

RC stop sending male lis’s cards to me challenge 🙃 Since the wheel of fortune was launchd, I have received Ivo, Zain, Vlad and Lucian’s cards.

I just want the female li’s cards. RC just trolling me at this point 🙂‍↔️

[heavens-secret]

My “Wheel of Fortune” Impressions:

So my first free spin gave me Dmitry, which was *perfection* 🧑🏼‍🍳💋

I decided to buy the 50 spins for $20 and test out the wheel to see if it’s worth the value. Because I’m impulsive as shit, I ended up getting another 10 spins for $5 - so basically I used up 55 spins. This is what I learned and the impressions I was left with:

1) I bought the ENTIRE Volume 1 collection for $25 WITH giftable duplicates included for each one, and that’s how it should be. Completely my fault for being impulsive, but I’m frankly pissed off that I spent the same amount to get only a FEW Volume 2 cards (which are beautiful, don’t get me wrong) + WITHOUT giftable duplicates. I’m hoping this is just the case for “early release” and they’ll make the whole collection available for $25 soon, but it’s giving money hungry vibes I used to praise this app for avoiding when I ran away from similar story apps like Chapters, Choices etc. The appeal of RC has always been about this for me, as well as DR & how much they generally care about giving back to the readers & making the experience more affordable. I just hope they don’t stray from that.

2) DO NOT spend the 150 gems to “double your chances” of landing on a card. It is utter bullshit. I was dumb enough to fall for that twice throughout my 55 spins. This option promises to increase your chances for 3 spins, so that was 6 spins total that I didn’t get a single card. Just stupid treasures, a single diamond, or teacup. I got a decent amount of cards throughout my spins, but none with this option being “active.” Do not fall for the scam, keep your precious gems. That price is also just ridiculous for only 3 spins. Like, that’s a whole sex scene with Doran/Cain/Dmitry… It would be one thing if rare cards were guaranteed, but nah. Hell nah. Never doing that again. Very predatory that it’s there, costs that much, and is functionally useless.

3) I didn’t include them here, but I got some duplicates from the Volume 1 set in addition to these new hauls. I “broke” the ones that I already had at least 1 collected copy for. Keeping duplicates of collected copies is technically useless (because you can’t gift them, which you should be able to), but the breaking feature is seriously disappointing.

They say the amount of treasures you get is based on the rarity of the card, but I broke two fairly rare cards and got very little out of them. The ratios of what you put in:what it spits back out are atrocious. I recommend people don’t rush to break their collected duplicates just yet. Hopefully they fix the ratios in a future update. Otherwise, accumulating these treasures is going to be a drag and less people will be incentivized to do more than their basic free spins.

4) All that being said, the cards I did get are beautiful. The one with John was a pleasant surprise. And I respectfully don’t care if it’s AI, Mimi is breathtaking. No notes 🍸

[tanoraqui]

General Theory of Aman Economics

(by NOT an economist) (also on AO3)

Aman is very much a no-scarcity economy; even time isn’t limited, because everyone is immortal. However, they do use money, especially as more and more elves live there through sailing, re-embodiment, or just being born, because some sort of standardized valuation of common goods and conveniently exchangeable thing for them is useful.

Double-however, money is basically optional, because many people are happy to just share whatever, or barter, or learn to make something themselves rather than get it from someone else. Money most often gets used in:

Large collaborative projects where some sort of wages, payments for materials, etc. is a useful way to keep track of things as much as it is a means of paying people for their contributions. But payment may be required, at least as an enforcement of “you promised to do this so show up on time damnit”, if the work is a little boring—large-scale roadwork or something, idk—and not that many people are super interested.

If Person A wants to commission a creative work from Person B, and Person B isn’t inspired enough by their idea to do it for free and/or in any haste, and they don’t want anything from Person A in return…but they do want something from Person C, and C wants something from D… Money is often easier than arranging an elaborate trade chain

It’s entirely possible to use no money day to day and then, when you need it, go to an accountant and tell them all the things you own and what sort of work you can do, and they’ll tell you what value it all comes to, ie, how much money you legally have. You can then go physically withdraw that from a bank or do things intangibly like modern Earth finance.

As a rule, elves don’t go for paper currency, though metal may be used. In Middle Earth and other mortal continents of Arda, the most common Elvish currency is leaves of certain trees (to indicate denomination) preserved so as to not degrade and decorated in some standardized manner. Other Elvish currencies include shells, smooth rocks, and gemstones.

In Aman, the most common physical currency is gems, particularly in areas still socially dominated by Calaquendi, because that’s what the Calaquendi were using when everyone else started to arrive, because, yes, the Noldor invented money in Years of the Trees Aman. Of course the Noldor started it. They all carried around so many gems all the time that it was inevitable someone would be like,

“Hey, can I have your apple?”

“No, it’s mine. Get your own.”

“The nearest apple tree is a day away! Look, I’ll give you…” [fishes around in pockets] “…a ruby for it.”

“That is a nice ruby.”

“Damn right it is. Trade or not?”

“Trade.”

…and that happened enough that 1 apple = 1 2oz ruby started to unofficially standardize, and then someone sat down and laid out a proper system of standardization…

And then the Trees went Dark and everything got bad for a while, and in Beleriand there were REAL economics because there was actual scarcity, not to mention mistrust that people would keep their promises of future repayment; then in Aman post-War of Wrath there was no scarcity but with the ever-increasing mingling of ethnic groups the mistrust lingered…

Because gems are easily and happily made, insane inflation IS happening constantly, because you CAN just go to a jewelsmith and say, “Can I have [the equivalent of 5 million dollars] please?” and they’ll probably say, “Ooh neat project. In rubies or diamonds?”

There could be laws against this, but because it doesn’t REALLY matter (no scarcity!), instead, on average every couple hundred years the All-Aman Council of Economists and Accountants just issues a new declaration of, “We’re rebooting prices back to [X] standardization because it’s just not convenient to carry so many gems all the time just to buy a single apple. Use it or lose it by New Years. The Richest Elf Award will be announced the following month, after all accounting is done.”

(Accountants, people who professionally or as a hobby track where money is in the economy down to the smallest pebble, are generally regarded as a little weird even by elf standards. But they seem to be having fun!)

[tmisherewrites]

Chapter 5 Deep Dive: Day 1054 of the Revolution

Chapter 5 is a critical pivot point for Syrus' story. The seeds of her story's outcome are sewn in this chapter.

Because of the above, I'm going to give the spoiler warning pretty early. I've linked Chapter 5 above but if you'd like to read my fic, They Will Come For You In the Night, from the start you can find chapter 1 here.

The Invasion

This chapter starts with Castor Steele's plan to invade the Capitol in order to finally cinch a victory. For those of you familiar with canon, the invasion was the final nail in the rebellion's coffin because the Capitol's geographic landscape of being surrounded by mountains, makes an invasion incredibly risky because the Capitol could very easily pick off ground troops to weaken any sort of ground assault.

I included this both as an allusion to canon but also as a way to show that Syrus is a strong tactician and leader, being able to see the strategic weaknesses of the invasion plan and her ability to motivate and inspire when needed. I wanted to show at least one example of her good leadership because future chapters will be very much focused on her mistakes. Being a snapshot of the last few weeks of the rebellion, I knew this fic wouldn't be able to show the breadth of Syrus' exemplary leadership so a small taste of it was needed.

The Flu

When we talk about wars, we usually talk about the bravery of the soldiers and the strategic mastery which lead to victory. But we don't often talk about one of the make or break factors of war and that is health, illness, and disability. After all, the biggest killer of American soldiers in WWI was not enemy fire, but the Influenza Pandemic, or Spanish Flu as it's colloquially known.

In the book Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond, the author argues that the widespread transmission of diseases (i.e. germs) was a critical factor in Europe's worldwide dominance starting in the 15th century.

Disease and pathogens have the potential to have a world-shifting impact, which we all witnessed with Covid-19, and I think in an environment where the focus is on war and not mitigation, a flu, especially a zoonotic pathogen, has the potential to be incredibly destructive. District 10 being a district with the closest relationship to livestock was unfortunately the perfect candidate for ground zero of a flu of this type.

Freedom vs. Security

There's a pretty big debate in this chapter about how the Guardians will interact with their constituents and vice versa.

This may not be obvious from the first read, but this debate very closely resembled the debate in the early 2000s around The Patriot Act. While that debate focused mainly on the ways in which the government would be able to restrict the privacy and freedoms of its citizens, the debate of this chapter is the inverse, it is about ensuring the privacy and potential lack of accountability of the decision-makers, something that Thena and many other Guardians would find abhorrent.

There's a concept called 'Security Theatre' coined by Bruce Schneier in the book Beyond Fear. Security theatre is the implementation of a set of policies that give the illusion of security in order to improve confidence in an industry or institution. The example used by Schneier is the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) whose security measures in airports following 9/11 have been found to be incredibly ineffectual, however, their presence increased a feeling of security for travellers which encouraged them to travel again, saving the bottom line of airports and airlines.

In my opinion, the restriction of all meetings to Inner Guard only were just a bit of security theatre in order to increase confidence in the Guardians, not to actually be more secure, hence the undesired outcome we'll see in later chapters.

Quotes

We've got two quotes this chapter. The first is from Murray Bookchin, an important figure in anarchists movements in the West. He wrote the seminal Post-Scarcity Anarchism, a book which greatly influenced many anarchist and environmentalist movements of the 20th and 21st centuries. If you've every heard of Solarpunk, this book is a huge influence on that. I chose this quote because I thought it was a great rebuttal of the arguments for the limitation of the Guardian meetings. If the people don't have access to their leaders, then they don't have the power over their own lives, that power has been forfeited, which in my opinion, is an aberration.

As for the second quote, we're with Adrienne Maree Brown who I've mentioned before and who to me is a great contemporary and complimentary writer to Murray Bookchin. Brown's writing is greatly influenced by Octavia E. Butler who wrote Parable of the Sower. Quick detour to say if you want to understand the world today and want a quick preview of the next few years and decades, I highly recommend reading Parable of the Sower. I chose this quote from Brown because I often see arguments, even in anarchist circles, about "usefulness" which to me is pretty concerning. Anyone can be "useful", whatever that means, if given the chance and resources to be. When measuring and valuing the "usefulness" of one group over another, or in this case, the usefulness of one district over another, there be dragons. It is not a beneficial road to go down or an instinct to encourage. And in this story, it is one of the many seeds which lead to the concept of Career districts and Capitol loyalists within the districts that we see in Mockingjay.

[gleefully-macabre]

A bit disappointed in the Ancient Hero’s Aspect. 84 defense is nice, but increasing the power of the Master Sword Beam doesn’t help if the player sucks at maintaining full health.

I got the Champion’s Leathers, Diamond Circlet, and Zonite Shin Guards at the earliest opportunity and upgrading them was my #1 priority. This combination gives Link 88 defense, +1 Attack, and +1 towards improved battery efficiency.

I recently finish killing all 14 Gleeoks for the Monster Hunter Medal (3 down, 3 to go!) and switched to the Fierce Diety set when I realized I was able to take down a Gleeok without getting hit (at least one 5-shot Savage Lynel Bow, two or three Gerudo Scimitars fused with Silver Lynel Saber Horn, plus at least 2 Rocket Shields, and a +3 Attack buff). I was able to get the last 3 King Gleeoks, including the one in the Depths, without taking damage.

This is also the ONLY monster I have ever taken no damage with. Even Frox would get me once in a while, even if it’s just being too close and getting smacked by a flailing foot. With Ganon, that just ain’t gonna happen.

I don’t consider the Phantom Ganons to be decent practice runs for the real thing. They are weaksauce, especially with the Master Sword in hand.

*sigh* I’m just putting off the inevitable. I should just go face the final boss, die until I figure it out, then continue doing side quests at my leisure. Pretty sure I accidentally made it down to the final area (put a Travel Medallion down so I won’t have to make THAT trek again).

[feetoffire]

olympic dressage team finals :) this test is the GP special, so the majority of my gripes are the same, and i'll admit to being (kind of viciously) pleased that the US isn’t in the running for a team medal. it's not like we need it.

also, i have a theory that half of the dressage horses are black, so let's see if i'm right or not

Australia: Jayden Brown on Quincy B. i don’t think i’ve ever seen a chestnut with dapples, he's cool looking. little bit of froth and gape. i don’t hate their frame so far - the slightest bit in front of the vertical. he's crossing over with the front legs too in the collected trots - i know a few who do that to stretch, but i've never seen in movement. lovely extended canter. this is a very quiet feeling test, or at least less high-strung than the qualifiers. Quincy might also be tired, idk exactly.

Finland: Henri Ruoste on Tiffany’s Diamond. mare! black horse tally is 1. she’s a pretty looking horse - her head almost seems dished and she's got nice gaits. he stopped for a moment before they entered to let her look around, which, quite frankly, is the easiest way to get them to settle in environments like that. froth and gape, a little hyperflexed. Ruoste drops the curb rein completely after the test and it looked like she got some scritches. i like this pair, i just wish their frame wasn’t so tight. 

Austria: Stefan Lehfellner on Roberto Carlos MT. black horse tally is 2. nice proper extended trot. classical frame for the most part, but he’s frothing and his mouth is wide open. it’s not pretty. 

France: Corentin Pottier on Gotilas du Feuillard. black horse tally is 3. tight frame. no gape or froth so far. this might be the only time i ever trust a judge’s comment about a naturally short neck; Pottier is trying very hard to keep his nose on/in front of the vertical throughout the entire test, so good on him for that. not quite tracking up behind. some gape in the half passes. lots of hugs for the boy as they leave. 

Belgium: Domien Michiels on Intermezzo VH Meerdaalhof. black horse tally is 4, and this boy is Big. tight, hyperflexed at times.fFroth and gape. flashy with the front legs, not quite matched by the back end. floppy and mostly happy ears. 

Sweden: Juliette Ramel on Buriel K.H. froth and gape. tight through the head and neck, and possibly elsewhere - he’s not totally tracking up in extended trot. lovely extended canter. that’s…that’s a lot of froth. i don’t like that. 

Netherlands: Hans Peter Minderhoud on Toto Jr. black horse tally is 5. (what else would we expect from a Totalis baby.) froth and gape. frame is on the tighter side, almost hyperflexed a few times. very flashy movement, and close to being through. lots of tail action; this is a bit of a struggle, i think. wonderful extended canter - big and ground covering. 

UK: Becky Moody on Jagerbomb. i still think he has the tiniest hint of a roman nose. froth, altho no/very little gape. ever so slightly hyperflexed. nice gaits; they look very smooth. she strikes me as a fairly quiet rider. lots and lots of praise and scritches for Jagerbomb after the halt at the end.

Denmark: Daniel Bachmann Andersen on Vayron. tight frame bordering on hyperflexion. i’m seeing very little froth and/or gape. he’s a big mover, but he’s not quite tracking up. lil bit of spice in the canter work - we’ve all been there. 

Germany: Frederic Wandres on Bluetooth OLD. gape and froth increases throughout the test. tight frame to begin with, becomes hyperflexed at times. i can see his tongue. lots of tail swishing. big movement in the extended canter, but no lengthening of the head or neck. his trot is almost tracking up. kudos to Wandres for abandoning the curb rein as soon as he could.

[tipssupports]

INTRODUCTION

My name is Marco Rodriguez actually I’m the Owner of a Company that Import from China footwear or Comfortable lady shoes that distribute in Guatemala. I’m also like a Sells Manager, with more the twenty-five years of knowledge of the business for this product, I consider myself a person who can suggest how to import merchandise from China.

I love the sales area, and I know that is the best way to grow the Company business.

Import of China, isn’t complicate: Just you need to pay attention to know it works.

This is the reason why I created a guide to help you avoid financial risk of people.

Remember, the Chinese Business are honorable people, and is very important they feel good, but you have to ask to make sure.

You know, You can ask for Supplier that put a logo on your packaging box and product, as well as make changes to a product you like until you get it just the way you like.

This is a little guide, but increase it on what you follow knowing the process.

Below you will find this guide, I hope it will be the star of your own business.

1 GUARANTEE TRADE BY ALIBABA

It’s the secure payment method that Alibaba offers you as an intermediary. It consists of paying your chosen supplier, even up to the moment the product arrives on time and in the quality requested.

ALIBABA will refund your money as long as the supplier doesn’t comply with the conditions you require.  make sure that the quotation that the supplier gave you specifies the product, colors, price, sizes, quality of materials, special specifications such as markings on the product as well as on the packing box, shipping cost charge, etc. that you make sure that your supplier uses the Trade Assurance program.

2 DO NOT BUY TRADEMARKS

Don’t ask your supplier to manufacture products with already registered trademarks if you don’t have the legal representation to trade them.  Your supplier will manufacture them, but you will have a huge economic problem when the authorities don’t allow the merchandise to enter your country.

3. GOLD SUPPLIER STATUS

Register on ALIBABA with your email and password and log in to Verified Supplier, look for Gold Supplier Specifications in Basic Profile, where it’s Business License and Ownership Status; Contact Information, Company/Factory Location.  The Gold Suppliers that they pay an annual membership fee to ALIBABA. They are showing seriousness and the risk that they are scammers is diminished.

4. CHECK HOW LONG HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH ALIBABA

Check the number of years the supplier has been working with ALIBABA, the more years, lower will be the risk.

5. MAKE SURE THAT COMPANIES HAVE ASSESSED SUPPLIER (EVALUATED SUPPLIER)

Check that production capacity, certifications, etc., is a much broader verification of the supplier, so it’s important to work with Gold Suppliers that at least have a more rigorous verification.

6. SUPPLIER'S PARTICIPATION IN TRADE SHOWS

In the Supplier's Company profile, you can check which international fairs or events the supplier has participated.  In this section photos of the events are included. This gives us much more peace of mind.

7. SUPPLIER'S TRANSACTION LEVEL

This is measured based on icons that are placed in the form of diamonds.  The more diamonds they have, the more confidence they must do business with the supplier.

When you log into your supplier's portal (on ALIBABA) you can also review the transaction history by year and by country or region.

8. THE SAMPLE

It’s very important that Supplier sends you a physical sample so that you can see if it meets your requirements and, that a sample is also sent to your purchasing agent in China, so that he can inspect if it meets your requirements.

9. PAYMENT REQUEST FROM THE SUPPLIER

This requirement is made through ALIBABA portal. If it is a supplier with whom you haven’t had a business relationship, do not deposit without the intervention of ALIBABA because this is your best guarantee.  In this payment request, the supplier must include a file with all the specifications of the product, which you have already reviewed and agreed to when you received the physical sample.  If the supplier doesn’t include these specifications, don’t make the payment. It’s also very important that the negotiation is done with FOB price, which determines that the supplier is obliged to send the goods already packed to the port. If you negotiate with CIF value you must coordinate the reception of your merchandise in the warehouses of your supplier and take it to the port, which will generate a cost to you.

10. PAYMENT ADVANCE

The payments are generally divided into 30% first (indicated in the previous paragraph) and 70% when the product is ready to be shipped.

Way to do it: through ALIBABA (I recommend you do it by bank transfer) do not do it by credit card because the cost is very high. When you make the payment advance, tell your supplier that you will send an inspection agent to review the production process of your order and review the final process, this is done before making the second payment.

11. IMPORTANT DOCUMENTATION

The Supplier must send you by email the following documents:

COMMERCIAL INVOICE

PACKING LIST

CERTIFICATE OF ORIGIN

12. RECEIVE THE PRODUCT: To ensure the smooth nationalization of your product, it is important to hire the services of a customs broker. You should also establish the payment of taxes and the percentage of fees to be paid to the broker. It is recommended to inspect the product thoroughly upon arrival. If any issues are found, document them with photos and promptly contact your purchasing agent to communicate with the supplier, or contact the supplier directly

[cagemasterfantasy]

Draconic Sorcery (Formerly Draconic Ancestry) (5.5e)

Your innate magic comes from the gift of a dragon. Perhaps an ancient dragon facing death bequeathed some of its magical power to you or your ancestor. You might have absorbed magic from a site infused with dragons’ power. Or perhaps you handled a treasure taken from a dragon’s hoard that was steeped in draconic power. Or you might have a dragon for an ancestor.

Level 3 Draconic Resilience: The magic in your body manifests physical traits of your draconic gift. Your Hit Point maximum increases by 3, and it increases by 1 whenever you gain another Sorcerer level.

Parts of you are also covered by dragon-like scales. While you aren’t wearing armor, your base Armor Class equals 10 plus your Dexterity and Charisma modifiers.

Level 3 Draconic Spells: When you reach a Sorcerer level specified below you thereafter always have the listed spells prepared

Level 3: Alter Self, Chromatic Orb, Command and Dragon's Breath

Level 5: Fear and Fly

Level 7: Arcane Eye and Charm Monster

Level 9: Legend Lore and Summon Dragon

Level 6 Elemental Affinity: Your draconic magic has an affinity with a damage type associated with dragons. Choose one of those types: Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, or Poison.

You have Resistance to that damage type, and when you cast a spell that deals damage of that type, you can add your Charisma modifier to one damage roll of that spell.

Level 14 Dragon Wings: As a Bonus Action, you can cause draconic wings to appear on your back. The wings last for 1 hour or until you dismiss them (no action required). For the duration, you have a Fly Speed of 60 feet.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest unless you spend 3 Sorcery Points (no action required) to restore your use of it.

Level 18 Dragon Companion: You can cast Summon Dragon without a Material component. You can also cast it once without a spell slot, and you regain the ability to cast it in this way when you finish a Long Rest.

Whenever you start casting the spell, you can modify it so that it doesn’t require Concentration. If you do so, the spell’s duration becomes 1 minute for that casting.

Spells

Alter Self is a level 2 Transmutation spell for Sorcerer and Wizard. Casting Time is 1 action Range is self Requires a Verbal and Somatic component. Duration is Concentration up to 1 hour.

You alter your physical form. Choose one of the following options. Its effects last for the duration, during which you can take a Magic action to replace the option you chose with a different one. Aquatic Adaptation: You sprout gills and grow webs between your fingers. You can breathe underwater and gain a Swim Speed equal to your Speed. Change Appearance: You alter your appearance. You decide what you look like, including your height, weight, facial features, sound of your voice, hair length, coloration, and other distinguishing characteristics. You can make yourself appear as a member of another species, though none of your statistics change. You can't appear as a creature of a different size, and your basic shape stays the same; if you're bipedal, you can't use this spell to become quadrupedal, for instance. For the duration, you can take a Magic action to change your appearance in this way again. Natural Weapons: You grow claws (Slashing), fangs (Piercing), horns (Piercing), or hooves (Bludgeoning). When you use your Unarmed Strike to deal damage with that new growth, it deals 1d6 damage of the type in parentheses instead of dealing the normal damage for your Unarmed Strike, and you use your spellcasting ability modifier for the attack and damage rolls rather than using Strength.

Chromatic Orb is a level 1 Evocation spell for Sorcerer and Wizard. Casting Time is 1 action Range is 90 feet Requires a Verbal and Somatic and spell ingredient is a Diamond worth at least 50 gold pieces. Duration is Instantaneous.

You hurl an orb of energy at a target within range. Choose Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Poison, or Thunder for the type of orb you create, and then make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 3d8 damage of the chosen type. If you roll the same number on two or more of the d8s, the orb leaps to a different target of your choice within 30 feet of the target. Make an attack roll against the new target, and make a new damage roll. The orb can't leap again unless you cast the spell with a level 2+ spell slot. Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot: The damage increases by 1d8 for each spell slot level above 1. The orb can leap a maximum number of times equal to the level of the slot expended, and a creature can be targeted only once by each casting of this spell.

Command is a level 1 Enchantment spell for Bard Cleric Paladin. Casting Time is 1 action Range is 60 feet Requires a Verbal component and Duration is Instantaneous.

You speak a one-word command to a creature you can see within range. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or follow the command on its next turn. Choose the command from these options: Approach: The target moves toward you by the shortest and most direct route, ending its turn if it moves within 5 feet of you. Drop: The target drops whatever it is holding and then ends its turn. Flee: The target spends its turn moving away from you by the fastest available means. Grovel: The target is Prone and then ends its turn. Halt: On its turn, the target doesn't move and takes no action or Bonus Action. Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot: You can affect one additional creature for each spell slot level above 1.

Dragon's Breath is a level 2 Transmutation spell for Sorcerer and Wizard. Casting Time is a Bonus Action Range is Touch Requires a Verbal and Somatic component and Spell Ingredient is a hot pepper. Duration is Concentration up to 1 minute.

You touch one willing creature, and choose Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, or Poison. Until the spell ends, the target can take a Magic action to exhale a 15-foot Cone. Each creature in that area makes a Dexterity saving throw, taking 3d6 damage of the chosen type on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot: The damage increases by 1d6 for each spell slot level above 2.

Fear is a level 3 Illusion spell for Bard Sorcerer Warlock and Wizard. Casting Time is 1 action Range is self Requires a Verbal and Somatic component and Spell Ingredient is a white feather. Duration is Concentration up to 1 minute.

Each creature in a 30-foot Cone must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or drop whatever it is holding and be Frightened for the duration. A Frightened creature takes the Dash action and moves away from you by the safest route on each of its turns unless there is nowhere to move. If the creature ends its turn in a space where it doesn't have line of sight to you, the creature makes a Wisdom saving throw. On a successful save, the spell ends on that creature.

Fly is a level 3 Transmutation spell for Sorcerer Warlock and Wizard. Casting Time is 1 Action Range is Touch and requires a Verbal and Somatic component and spell ingredient is a feather Duration is Concentration up to 10 minutes.

You touch a willing creature. For the duration, the target gains a Fly Speed of 60 feet and can hover. When the spell ends, the target falls if it is still aloft unless it can stop the fall. Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot: You can target one additional creature for each spell slot level above 3.

Arcane Eye is a level 4 Divination spell unique to Wizard. Casting Time is 1 action Range is 30 feet Requires a Verbal and Somatic component and Spell Ingredient is a bit of bat fur. Duration is Concentration up to 1 hour.

You create an Invisible, invulnerable eye within range that hovers for the duration. You mentally receive visual information from the eye, which can see in every direction. It also has Darkvision with a range of 30 feet. As a Bonus Action, you can move the eye up to 30 feet in any direction. A solid barrier blocks the eye's movement, but the eye can pass through an opening as small as 1 inch in diameter.

Charm Monster is a level 4 Enchantment spell for Bard Druid Sorcerer Warlock and Wizard. Casting Time is 1 action Range is 30 feet Requires a Verbal and Somatic component and Duration is 1 hour.

One creature you can see within range makes a Wisdom saving throw. It does so with Advantage if you or your allies are fighting it. On a failed save, the target is Charmed until the spell ends or until you or your allies damage it. The Charmed creature is Friendly to you. When the spell ends, the target knows it was Charmed by you. Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot: You can target one additional creature for each spell slot level above 4.

Legend Lore is a level 5 Divination spell for Bard Cleric and Wizard. Casting Time is 10 minutes Range is Self Requires a Verbal and Somatic component and Spell ingredient is Incense worth at least 250 gold pieces which the spell consumes and 4 ivory Strips worth at least 50 gold pieces each. Duration is Instantaneous.

Name or describe a famous person, place, or object. The spell brings to your mind a brief summary of the significant lore about that famous thing, as described by the DM. The lore might consist of important details, amusing revelations, or even secret lore that has never been widely known. The more information you already know about the thing, the more precise and detailed the information you receive is. That information is accurate but might be couched in figurative language or poetry, as determined by the DM. If the famous thing you chose isn't actually famous, you hear sad musical notes played on a trombone, and the spell fails.

Summon Dragon is a level 5 Conjuration spell unique to Wizard. Casting Time is 1 action Range is 60 feet Requires a Verbal and Somatic component and spell ingredient is an object with the image of a dragon engraved on it worth at least 500 gold pieces. Duration is Concentration up to 1 hour

You call forth a Dragon spirit. It manifests in an unoccupied space that you can see within range and uses the Draconic Spirit stat block. The creature disappears when it drops to 0 Hit Points or when the spell ends.

The creature is an ally to you and your allies. In combat, the creature shares your Initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It obeys your verbal commands (no action required by you). If you don’t issue any, it takes the Dodge action and uses its movement to avoid danger.

Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot: Use the spell slot’s level for the spell’s level in the stat block.

Draconic Spirit stat block

AC: 14+the spell's level

Hp: 50+10 for each spell level above 5

Speed: 30ft on land a flying speed of 60 ft and a swimming speed of 30 ft

Strength: 19 (+4) Dexterity: 14 (+2) Constitution 17 (+3) Intelligence 10 (+0) Wisdom 14 (+2) Charisma: 14 (+2)

Resistance to Acid Cold Fire Lightning and Poison damage and can't be Charmed Frightened or Poisoned.

Has Blindsight to a range of 30ft and Darkvision to a range of 60ft

It only speaks Draconic but understands any language you know but can't speak them

Traits

Shared Resistances: When you summon the spirit, choose one of its Resistances. You have Resistance to the chosen damage type until the spell ends.

Actions

Multiattack: The spirit makes a number of Rend attacks equal to half the spell’s level (round down), and it uses Breath Weapon.

Rend: Melee Attack: Bonus equals your spell attack modifier, reach 10 feet. Hit:1d6 + 4 + the spell’s level Piercing damage.

Breath Weapon: Dexterity Saving Throw: DC equals your spell save DC, each creature in a 30-foot Cone. Failure: 2d6 damage of a type this spirit has Resistance to (your choice when you cast the spell). Success: Half damage

@doodl3

[onlygamemedia]

Hearthstone Patch Notes 28.2.3

Hearthstone Patch Notes 28.2.3: Exciting Updates for Standard and Battlegrounds Hearthstone's latest update, Patch 28.2.3, is a data-focused release, set to go live today, bringing significant changes to both Standard play and Battlegrounds. As the last scheduled patch for the year, our goal is to create an enjoyable and festive gaming experience for the holiday break. Join us in the Tavern and usher in the new year with these exciting updates!

Hearthstone Patch Notes 28.2.3 Standard Updates:

Developer Commentary: The primary objectives of this patch are to enhance underperforming classes, decks, and cards, particularly those from Showdown in the Badlands, while also tempering a few overperforming decks that have been dominating the meta. Our intention is not to eliminate beloved decks but rather to bring them into balance, creating more diversity within the meta. Click the link for the different game's patch notes! Class Adjustments: - Paladin: Identified as a major overperformer, Paladin is receiving adjustments to its AoE board clears. We aim to provide access to this mechanic without allowing the class to excel disproportionately. Other potential targets were considered, aligning with the desired strengths of the class. - Dragon Druid: Noted for its strong matchup spread, Dragon Druid is having a slight power reduction to make it more vulnerable in the early game while preserving its general patterns and excitement among players. - Doctor Holli’Dae: Acknowledged as one of the best cards in Standard, we are making a careful adjustment by reducing one attack from the weapon, balancing its overall power while preserving the unique charm of the card - frogs. - Rainbow Mage: This popular deck is receiving adjustments to bring it in line with other decks in this patch. The changes make it slightly less effective in cluttering the early board during its gameplan development. Card Adjustments - Decreased Power: - Keeper’s Strength: - Old: - New: - Prismatic Beam: - Old: Deal 3 damage to all enemies. Costs (1) less for each enemy minion. - New: Deal 3 damage to all enemy minions. Costs (1) less for each enemy minion. - Splish-Splash Whelp: - Old: 2/1 - New: 1/1 - Desert Nestmatron: - Old: 3/5 - New: 3/4 - Staff of the Nine Frogs (generated by Doctor Holli’Dae): - Old: 2/9 - New: 1/9 - Arcane Wyrm: - Old: 1/2 - New: 1/1 Players can disenchant the cards mentioned above, including non-Diamond Doctor Holli’Dae, for full dust refunds for at least three weeks following Patch 28.2.3. Diamond Doctor Holli’Dae owners will keep the card and receive a grant of 1600 Arcane Dust during the login later this week. We are also exploring systemic changes for Diamond cards affected by balance adjustments, with potential variations in the future. Temporarily Banned: Pyrotechnician: This card is temporarily banned due to ongoing refinement of problematic Druid decks, particularly the emerging Fire Druid. Quick action is taken to assess and address the situation in the next balance window. Card Adjustments - Increased Power: - Elise, Badlands Savior: - Old: Battlecry: If your deck has no duplicates, summon 4/4 copies of 4 random minions in your deck. - New: Battlecry: If your deck has no duplicates, summon 5/5 copies of 4 random minions in your deck. - Pip the Potent: - Old: 3/5 - New: 3/3 - Invasive Shadeleaf: - Old: Deal 8 damage to an enemy minion. Save any excess in a 1-Cost Bottle. - New: Deal 10 damage to an enemy minion. Save any excess in a 1-Cost Bottle. - Ra-den: - Old: Deathrattle: Summon each other minion you’ve played this game that didn’t start in your deck. - New: Taunt. Deathrattle: Summon each other minion you’ve played this game that didn’t start in your deck. Developer Commentary: Priest, struggling to find its place in the Badlands, receives adjustments to several cards, including three Legendary minions. The goal is to enhance new archetypes without solely buffing Control Priest, which currently hangs on a delicate balance. Ra-den, although not directly tied to Showdown in the Badlands archetypes, receives a boost to make it a more compelling card. Card Adjustments - Rogue Excavate Treasure: - The Azerite Scorpion: - Old: Battlecry: Get 4 random spells. If you’ve Excavated 8 times, they cost (0). - New: Battlecry: Get 4 random spells. They cost (1) less for each time you’ve Excavated this game (but not less than 1). - Velarok Windblade: - Old: While this is in your hand, play three cards from other classes to reveal Velarok’s true form! - New: While this is in your hand, play a card from another class to reveal Velarok’s true form! - Shell Game: - Old: - New: Developer Commentary: Rogue, facing challenges with the new Excavate and Burgle cards, sees adjustments to the archetype. The Azerite Scorpion's change aims to prevent spells from becoming excessive fuel for Draka and Sinstone Graveyard, ensuring a smoother gameplay experience without turning it into a Miracle pop-off generator. Hearthstone Patch Notes Card Adjustments Card Adjustments - Warlock Spells: - Barrel of Sludge (Spell generated by several cards-mostly in Warlock): - Old: When this is played, discarded, or destroyed, deal 3 damage to the lowest Health enemy. - New: When this is played, discarded, or destroyed, deal 4 damage to the lowest Health enemy. - Furnace Fuel: - Old: - New: - Pop’gar the Putrid: - Old: Your Fel spells cost (1) less and have Lifesteal. - New: Your Fel spells cost (2) less and have Lifesteal. Developer Commentary: Sludge Warlock, a promising but underperforming deck, sees adjustments to the Sludges without pushing them too far. These changes aim to maintain potency when disposed of without making them too strong when played. The Pop’gar adjustment ensures Sludges still cost 1 with it out. Card Adjustments - Deathrattle Minions: - Maw and Paw: - Old: 1/8 - New: 2/8 - Climactic Necrotic Explosion: - Old: Lifesteal. Deal 5 damage. Summon 2 1/1 Souls. (Randomly improved by Corpses you’ve spent). - New: Lifesteal. Deal 6 damage. Summon 3 2/2 Souls. (Randomly improved by Corpses you’ve spent). - Corpse Bride: - Old: Battlecry: Spend up to 10 Corpses. Summon a Risen Groom with stats equal to the amount spent. - New: Battlecry: Spend up to 10 Corpses to summon a Risen Groom with Taunt and that much Attack and Health. Developer Commentary: Maw and Paw receive a strength boost to make the card more impactful, particularly in its sticky minion aspect. Climactic Necrotic Explosion sees adjustments to enhance its Rainbow payoff, and Corpse Bride becomes a more exciting and secure big Corpse spender. Hearthstone Patch Notes 28.2.3 Titan Adjustments Titan Adjustments: - Khaz’goroth: - Old: 4/4 - New: 4/5 - Slagmaw the Slumbering: - Old: Dormant for 8 turns. (Excavate to awaken 2 turns sooner!) - New: Dormant for 6 turns. (Excavate to awaken 2 turns sooner!) Developer Commentary: Khaz’goroth, considered one of the weaker Titans, receives a power boost to better fit its decks without pushing into more aggressive Warrior builds. Slagmaw, currently weak, has its dormancy reduced to 6 turns, providing a quicker activation. Horseshoe Slinger: - Old: 2/2 - New: 1/1 This adjustment to Horseshoe Slinger aims to streamline its mana cost and stats, creating a more efficient card for Rogue players. In conclusion, Hearthstone's Patch 28.2.3 brings a comprehensive set of adjustments to classes, cards, and game mechanics, promising a more balanced and enjoyable gaming experience. Embrace the changes, explore the updated meta, and may your Hearthstone adventures be filled with excitement and victories in the coming year! You can check the Hearthstone Patch Notes official web site! Read the full article

[totalfloorserviceau]

The Ultimate Guide: 7 Steps for Polishing Concrete Floors

Are your dull and lifeless concrete floors bringing down the overall aesthetic of your space? Look no further! In this ultimate guide, we will unveil the secrets to transforming those lacklustre surfaces into stunning masterpieces that will leave everyone in awe. 

From the initial preparation to the final polish, we have broken down the process into 7 easy-to-follow steps. 

Whether you're a DIY enthusiast or a professional contractor, get ready to unleash your creativity and witness the astonishing results as we dive headfirst into floor polishing Melbourne Northern Suburbs concrete floors like never before!

Introduction to Polishing Concrete Floors 

If you're looking to add a touch of elegance to your home or business, polishing concrete floors is a great option. Not only does it give the space a sleek, finished look, but it's also easy to maintain and can last for years with proper care. In this guide, we'll show you the steps for polishing concrete floors, so you can get started on transforming your space today.

Step 1: Cleaning and Preparation 

Assuming you have already read our guide on choosing the right concrete floor polishing Melbourne Northern Suburbs service for your needs, it’s time to start the actual process. The first step is always cleaning and preparation. This is arguably the most important step because if your floor isn’t clean, the results of your hard work polishing will be lacklustre at best.

So how do you clean and prepare a concrete floor for polishing? First, sweep or vacuum the floor to remove any loose debris. Next, use a damp mop or cloth to remove any dirt or dust that may be clinging to the surface. Once that’s done, it’s time to move on to step two: repair. 

Step 2: Grinding 

Assuming you have the proper concrete floor grinder for your job, begin by grinding the surface of your concrete floor. Start with a coarse-grit diamond pad and work up to a finer one. Remember to vacuum between each grinding stage to collect any concrete dust from the process. Floor grinders typically come with multiple grit sizes, so be sure to start with the coarsest one first.

Step 3: Applying the Densifier 

After the floor has been coarse ground with a metal bond tool, it's time to apply a concrete densifier. This chemical hardener penetrates deep into the concrete surface and chemically reacts to form calcium silicate hydrate within the pores of the concrete. This increases the hardness and abrasion resistance of the surface. 

The densifier should be applied evenly over the entire floor surface using a pump-up garden sprayer. Once applied, the floor should be kept wet for at least 10 minutes to allow the product to fully penetrate. After 10 minutes, any excess material on the surface should be removed with a damp mop or cloth.

Step 4: Honing and Polishing 

After the concrete floor has been cleaned and repaired, it's time to start honing and polishing. This process involves using a series of progressively finer grits of diamond abrasives to remove scratches and other imperfections from the surface of the concrete. The final step in this process is to use a high-speed polisher with a diamond-impregnated pad to give the floor a glossy shine. 

If you're looking for a more matte finish, you can skip the final polishing step. However, remember that a matte finish is more susceptible to staining and dirt build-up than a polished finish.

Step 5: Sealing the Floor 

Sealing the floor is an important step in the process of polishing concrete floors. There are a variety of sealers on the market, and it is important to choose the right one for your needs. A good sealer will protect the floor from stains and other damage, and make it easier to clean.

Step 6: Applying Decorative Stains and Colour Enhancers 

Once your floor is clean and dry, you can apply decorative stains and colour enhancers. These products can be applied with a brush, roller, or sprayer. If you are using a brush or roller, make sure to work in small sections and wipe up any excess product that gets on the floor. Once you have applied the stain or colour enhancer, you must let it dry for at least 24 hours before continuing to the next step.

Step 7: Applying a Protective Coating 

After the concrete floor has been cleaned and polished, a protective coating should be applied to keep it looking its best. The type of coating you choose will depend on the level of protection you need and the amount of traffic the floor will see. A clear sealer is a good option for low-traffic areas, while a wax or acrylic finish is better for high-traffic areas. 

If you plan to apply a protective coating yourself, be sure to read the manufacturer's instructions carefully and follow them to the letter. The wrong type of coating or an improperly applied coating can damage your floors and void any warranties.

Conclusion 

Polishing concrete floors is a great way to add character and style to any home or commercial property. With the right tools and techniques, you can create beautifully polished, durable, and easy-to-clean surfaces. We hope our guide has helped you learn how to polish your own concrete floors in 7 simple steps. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask an experienced professional of floor polishing Melbourne Northern Suburbs for help.

Source URL : https://totalfloorservice.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-ultimate-guide-7-steps-for_14.html

[etiennekissborlase]

Bitcoin HODLers Unmoved By Recent Volatility Glassnode Reveals

Bitcoin HODLers Unmoved By Recent Volatility, Glassnode Reveals https://bitcoinist.com/bitcoin-hodlers-unmoved-volatility-glassnode-reveal/ On-chain data from Glassnode shows the recent volatility hasn’t been enough to make the ‘diamond hands of Bitcoin’ budge. Bitcoin Long-Term Holders Continue To Increase Their Holdings According to data from the on-chain analytics firm Glassnode, HODLing has remained the main dynamic among the long-term holders. The “long-term holder” (LTH) group is a Bitcoin cohort that includes all investors who have been holding onto their coins since at least 155 days ago. An indicator called the “Supply Last Active Age Bands” can break down the total amount of supply that each “age band” in the market is holding right now. Coins are divided into these age bands based on the total amount of time that they have been sitting dormant on the blockchain for. With the help of this metric, not only can the supply of the LTHs, in general, be tracked, but the behavior of the different segments of this group can also be studied. In the context of the current discussion, the relevant parts of the LTHs are those carrying coins since at least one year ago. To be more particular, the age bands being considered here are the 1+ years, 2+ years, 3+ years, 4+ years, and 5+ years groups. Here is a chart that shows the trend in the supply of these LTHs over the entire history of the cryptocurrency: Note that the age bands here don’t have upper bounds. This means that the younger groups also include the supplies of the age bands older than them. For example, the 1+ years band includes the combined data of all these other bands as it’s the youngest one. Now, it’s visible from the above graph that all these Bitcoin age bands have been rising in recent months, implying that the investors in the market have been holding coins long enough for them to mature into these ranges. BTC has experienced some pretty high volatility recently, but these investors still haven’t shown any significant changes in their supplies. “This suggests that HODLing remains the primary dynamic amongst longer-term investors, insinuating that further volatility in price action is required to entice old hands to spend,” explains Glassnode. Currently, the supply of the 1+ years cohort makes up for 67.5% of the entire circulating BTC supply, a very significant figure. The percentages naturally drop with each next group, as their supply can’t be larger than the group higher to them, as explained before. Generally, the longer an investor holds their coins, the less likely they become to sell at any point. This is partially because of the fact that the more aged coins are, the likelier they are to have become permanently lost (due to the keys of their wallets no longer being accessible). From the chart, it’s visible that the older age bands have generally observed lesser fluctuations compared to the groups younger than them. This interesting trend shows the aforementioned statistical fact in action. BTC Price At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading around $28,000, up 2% in the last week. via Bitcoinist.com https://bitcoinist.com May 02, 2023 at 05:30PM

[7xmofficial]

7XM Super Ace Slot Game Tips and Tricks: How to Play and Win

Jili’s Super Ace Slot Game

Original illustrations of cards serve as icons in Super Ace Slot Game, and there are short but fun animations and abstract background. Super Ace is a card-themed slot developed and published by JILI Slots. You only have to collect three scatters to reach the free spins bonus and double your chances of winning. There is also a low volatility slot demo and a bonus multiplier of 1500X.

Getting Started with Super Ace Slot Game

Symbols in Super Ace include the Jack, Queen, King, and Ace, which have 1024 Ways to Win. Each of these cards also has a golden version, which becomes wild when eliminated. They are visible only on the middle three reels. A wild card can replace any missing basic symbol. 

In this game, a progressive win multiplier applies to consecutive wins and a small or big wild card replicates itself in several other positions. Finally, three Scatter symbols will trigger ten Free Spins, increasing the progressive win multiplier.

Super Ace Golden Card

"Golden Card" appears only on reels 2, 3, and 4.

"Golden Symbol" will transform into "Joker Symbol" after elimination.

"Golden Symbol" replaces "Normal Symbol" pay and eliminates.

Super Ace Joker Card

"Joker Symbol" only transforms from "Golden Symbol".

Two kinds of "Joker Cards" are available: a "Big Joker Card" and a "Little Joker Card”.

When the "Big Joker Symbol" appears, it will replace 1 to 4 symbols (except the Scatter and Joker Symbols) and randomly select reels 2 to 5 by the "Big Joker Symbol".

The "Golden Symbol" only transforms into the "Joker Symbol" when it lands on the "Little Joker Symbol".

"The Joker Symbol" substitutes for all other symbols except the Scatter.

Super Ace Combo Multiplier

" In a normal game, there are 4 levels of “Combo Multiplier”: 1, 2, 3, and 5.

Every win and pay are multiplied by the "Combo Multiplier."

"Combo Multiplier" begins at x1 for the first elimination of wins and pays

The "Combo Multiplier" will be raised to x2 after eliminating any wins and pays from the multiplier level as x1.

The "Combo Multiplier" will be raised to x3 after eliminating any wins and pays from the multiplier level as x2.

The "Combo Multiplier" will be raised to x5 after eliminating any wins and pays from the multiplier level as x3.

Super Ace Slot Game: How Does It Work?

Super Ace from JILI Games offers a five-fold bonus and a chance to generate infinity combos as long as the "golden poker" is eliminated.

Free spins begin with at least ten rounds if the gold poker match is made correctly. However, players must strive for a combo multiplier that works twice. Ace Spades offers the highest odds, followed by King, Queen, Soldier, Spade, Heart, Diamond, and Club.

Play and Win Super Ace Slot Game on your Mobile Device

Super Ace's straight design allows you to play a game anywhere and anytime without downloading anything.

It is recommended that players play at 7XM, the hottest online casino. One of the most appealing features for players is the automatic deposit/cashout system. Please feel free to contact us any time, as we have real customer service representatives who will gladly answer any questions.

In the Super Ace slot, players can hit the paylines non-stop, making that dream a reality. Symbols will be replaced and repaired right away, and as soon as the "golden poker" wins, it becomes wild at the same location, resulting in higher multipliers for more combos.

As Super Ace is one of JILI's most popular online slots, collecting three scatter symbols unlocks a free game with doubled combo chances. The relaxing music makes the game even more enjoyable.

[dinaive]

The Tao of Islam: A Sourcebook on Gender Relationships in Islamic Thought (1992)

by Sachiko Murata

Chapter 1: The Three Realities (Part 5)

Children of the Elements

Everything in the cosmos manifests the names and attributes of God, while the macrocosm as a whole manifests the properties of all God's names. In the same way, everything in the human being manifests God's names and attributes, while the individual human being as a whole--at least in the case of those who are fully human and have become God's vicegerents-- manifests all God's names. Hence the difference between a human being and any other individual creature goes back to human wholeness (or potentiality for such) and the partialness of everything else. One of the most common ways in which human wholeness is illustrated is by comparing the human being to the other children of the elements: minerals, plants, and animals. In minerals, we find few divine qualities, and those only through employing imagination and metaphor. We can say that inanimate things show the effect of God's creativity and power, while precious minerals, such as gold and diamonds, stand at the pinnacle of mineral possibilities, since they manifest the divine qualities of light and beauty in the manner most appropriate to inanimate existence. In plants certain divine attributes are clearly reflected, such as life and power, while others can be discerned without a great stretch of the imagination. For example, plants reflect the divine attribute of knowledge, since they "know" how to find nourishment and light. Many of them manifest God's bounty and generosity through their produce and fruit.

Animals have a still greater concentration of divine attributes, since they manifest in a rather clear way the "four pillars of divinity": life, knowledge, desire, and power. Traces of other attributes can also be found. But it is in the human being that the divine perfections begin to manifest themselves in full abundance and with great intensity. All the divine attributes are present, at least potentially, in all humans. And the degree to which these attributes can be actualized can be guessed only by studying the lives of the greatest exemplars of the human race, who, in the Islamic view, are the prophets and the friends of God. So also great heroes, kings, artists, poets, statesmen--all manifest in more limited domains the extent to which the divine qualities can be actualized. The four children of the elements--minerals, plants, animals, and human beings--are ranked in a natural hierarchy on the basis of the qualities that they can manifest. A clear progression can be seen in most of these attributes by meditating upon the qualities present in the ascending degrees of the children. Knowledge, for example, increases steadily through the levels, and on the human level no limits to the degree of its actualization can be imagined. In the early Muslim philosophical tradition, the ontological levels represented by the four children are seldom discussed explicitly in terms of divine attributes, but rather in terms taken over from Greek philosophy. In the following passage, I quote from the Ikhwân al-Safâ', who look at the ascending levels of macrocosmic existence, all of which are repeated in the microcosm, in terms of the qualities they manifest. An uninformed reader might see this discussion as a primitive form of evolutionism, but that would be to mix the quantitative approach of modern science with the qualitative approach of the Muslim sages. In fact, it is a question of the progression and increasing intensity of qualities on different levels of manifestation. This is a static, ever-present phenomenon, not one to be observed over vast stretches of time. The existent things below the sphere of the moon are of two kinds: simple and compound. The simple things are the four pillars: fire, air, water, and earth. The compound things are the things that are born from them, the engendered, corruptible things: animals, plants, and minerals. The minerals are the first to be engendered, then plants, then animals, then the human being. Each kind possesses a characteristic that it is the first to acquire. The characteristic of the four pillars is the four natures--heat, cold, wetness, and dryness--and the transmutation of some of them into others. The characteristic of plants is to take nourishment and to grow. The characteristic of animals is sensation and movement. The characteristic of human beings is rational speech (nutq), reflection (fikr), and deducing logical proofs. The characteristic of the angels is that they never die. Human beings may share the characteristics of all these kinds. Human beings have the four natures, which accept transmutation and change like the four pillars. They undergo generation and corruption like the minerals. They take nourishment and grow like the plants. They sense and move like the animals. And it is possible that they will never die, like the angels, as we explained in the "Treatise on Resurrection."39 The Sufi tradition usually formulates these same ideas in terms of divine names and attributes. In the following passage, `Azîz al-Dîn Nasafî explains that the children of the elements differ among themselves according to the degree in which they manifest the attributes of the "spirit" (rûh). Spirit is the most common term our authors use for the direct reflection of the divine Unity on the created level. The inherent qualities of the spirit include luminosity, life,

intelligence, desire, power, and the rest of the divine attributes. On its own level of existence, the spirit brings together all the attributes of God into a unified, created whole. Then the attributes of spirit are differentiated and projected into the visible world through the body. Neither body nor spirit can achieve its full perfection without the other. In the last analysis, the body is merely the manifestation of the invisible qualities of the spirit within the visible world. Behind the four children stand four kinds of spirit, while the children manifest their qualities. But in fact, the four kinds of spirit are a single spirit. A things's constitution, literally its "mixture" (mizâj) of the four elements, allows the spirit to manifest itself in different intensities. A constitution near to "equilibrium" (itidâl) is able to bring together in a balanced way loci of manifestation for most or all the divine names. A constitution far from equilibrium can manifest only a few of the names. Nasafî refers to the names here in terms of what Ibn al-Arabî and his followers sometimes call the "seven leaders," the seven principle names upon which the existence of the cosmos depends: life, knowledge, desire, power, hearing, sight, and speech. Constitutions are of two kinds: in equilibrium or not in equilibrium. The former kind is not found below the sphere of the moon. . . . Constitutions that are not in equilibrium have no more than three states: near to equilibrium, far from equilibrium, or intermediate between near and far. The mineral body and mineral spirit appear from that which is far from equilibrium. The plant body and plant spirit appear from that which is intermediate. The animal body and animal spirit appear from that which is near to equilibrium. The human being is one kind of animal. O dervish! It is this animal spirit which, by means of training and nurturing, by learning and repetition, and by spiritual struggle and invocations, rises up through the levels. At each level it takes on another name. . . . The spirit is not more than one. The body is with the spirit and the spirit with the body. The two are not separate. O dervish! Each of the individual existent things has what is necessary for itself within itself. The spirit does not come from someplace, nor does it go anyplace. The spirit is light, and the cosmos is overflowing with this light. This light is the spirit of the cosmos, and this light takes the cosmos to perfection and keeps it moving--through nature at the level of plants, through volition at the level of animals, and through the intellect at the level of the human being. Thus a poet has said, Go, find an eye! Every speck of dust, when you look, is a world-displaying cup. O dervish! At one level this light is called "nature," at another level "spirit," at another level "intellect," and at another level "Nondelimited Light." All creatures of the cosmos are seeking this light. They seek for it outside of themselves, and the more they seek, the further from it they move. . . . In the first level, life, knowledge, desire, power, hearing, sight, and speech do not exist in actuality. But as the levels ascend, gradually life, knowledge, desire, power, hearing, sight, and speech come into actualized existence. Perfection lies where the thing appears. Moreover, there is no doubt that the fruit is the subtlest and noblest level of a tree, and the fruit of the existent things is the human being. The Greatest Electuary, the Highest Elixir, the World-displaying Cup, and the Universe-displaying Mirror is the human being who possesses knowledge. In other words, the light found in the spirit of the cosmos that is overflowing into the cosmos does not have actualized knowledge, desire, and power. Then the light ascends through the levels. As it does so, life, knowledge, desire, and power gradually come into actualized

existence. That light is not separate from the locus of manifestation. It is related to it as cream is related to milk.40 The Myth of Adam's Creation Islamic thought puts human beings at center stage, but not human beings "objectively considered," but rather "qualitatively recognized." Muslims should seek for knowledge in order to know God, cosmos, and self. Ultimately, the highest knowledge lies in knowing ourselves, since "He who knows his own soul, knows his Lord."41 Knowing one's own self means, among other things, knowing what it means to be human. Hence the myth of Adam is a constant point of reference in our texts. The question of its historicity is not brought up, since that is totally irrelevant to the story's meaning. And the story's meaning is found in the qualities that are ascribed to Adam and the other characters who are mentioned in the narrative. Najm al-Dîn Râzî (d. 654/1256), the author of one of the great Persian prose classics of Sufism, Mirsâd al-ibâd,42 retells the story of Adam's creation with close attention to the qualities that the tradition ascribes to human beings and other creatures. In so doing, he expresses in abbreviated form many of the major topics that will be brought out in the course of this book. He explains how the divine attributes become manifest within human beings and illustrates the close relationship between the microcosm and the macrocosm. Like Jâmî in the passage quoted above, he wants to clarify the meaning of the Koranic verses that refer to human all-comprehensiveness and the fact that the most luminous of creatures, the angels, were unable to fathom human nature. At the beginning, Râzî looks at the two grand movements that our authors observe in the macrocosm as a whole: the descent from the Origin (mabda') and the ascent to the Return (maâd). The whole cosmos is frequently pictured as a circle made up of two arcs (qaws), the Arc of Descent and the Arc of Ascent. The top of the circle corresponds to the First Intellect, while the bottom corresponds to the corporeal human body. Human beings as human beings begin ascending from the bottom point of the circle. If they reach the end of their journey, they join with the Active Intellect, which is identical in a certain mode with the First Intellect. God said, "I am about to create a mortal from clay" [38:71]. The Prophet said, narrating the words of God, "I kneaded the clay of Adam with My two hands for forty days."43 You should know that when it was desired to fashion the human frame from the four elements--water, fire, wind, and earth--these were not kept in the attribute of simplicity. Rather,

they were carried down through the descending degrees. The first descending degree was that of compoundness, for the element at the stage of simplicity is closer to the World of the Spirits, as was explained. When it is desired to bring the element to the station of compoundness, it must leave simplicity behind and advance to compoundness. Thereby it moves one descending degree away from the World of the Spirits. When it comes to the vegetal station, it must pass beyond the station of compoundness and inanimateness. Hence it falls one descending degree further from the World of the Spirits. When it leaves the vegetal realm to join with the animal realm, it goes down one more descending degree. When it reaches the human station from the animal realm, it descends one more degree. There is no degree lower than the human person. This is the "lowest of the low." The "lowest of the low" is mentioned in the Koranic verse, "We created the human being in the most beautiful stature, then We drove him down to the lowest of the low" (95:4-5). In Râzî's interpretation, this "driving down" has to do with increasing multiplicity, dispersion, and distance from the World of the Spirits. These qualities become more and more manifest during the movement toward the outermost realm of existence, which in modern terms is called the material world. Elements are noncompound and invisible, belonging to a subtle domain of existence rather than the realm of density that can be seen. Minerals, plants, and animals display increasing diversity and distance from the original oneness of the elements. But this is only to speak of the visible world, called the "Kingdom" (mulk). When we take the invisible world or the "Dominion" (malakût) into account, the picture is different. Instead of a descent, an ascent is taking place. The elements themselves are nonmanifest, so the divine attributes are totally hidden within them. Inanimate objects display practically none of the luminous properties of the divine names. However, the "Dominion" or unseen dimension of plants is clearly ruled by the divine attribute life, and this becomes manifest in growth and reproduction. The "Dominion" of the animals adds to life such attributes as knowledge and desire. In short, although there is a descent into multiplicity, a corresponding ascent takes place through which creatures are able to manifest more and more of the divine names. This ascent reaches its peak in the human being, or rather, in perfect human beings. Râzî continues his discussion: These words have to do with the elements, which, through changing states, go down through the descending degrees that mark distance from the spirits. However, if you look at the Dominion of inanimate objects, after passing through several levels it reaches the human level. Hence, this is a question of ascending degrees, not descending degrees. At each station, the Dominion moves closer to the spirits, not further from it. However, we were talking about the form of the elements, which is the Kingdom, not the Dominion of the elements. . . . Thus it is clear that the highest of the high is the human spirit, while the lowest of the low is the human frame. . . . My shaykh, the king of his age, Majd al-Dîn Baghdâdî, said in a collection of his writings: "Glory be to Him who brought together the nearest of the near and the farthest of the far through His power!" The human frame belongs to the lowest of the low while the human spirit belongs to the highest of the high. The wisdom in this is that human beings have to carry the burden of the Trust--knowledge of God. Hence they have to possess the strength of both worlds to perfection. For there is nothing in the two worlds that has their strength, that it might be able to carry the burden of the Trust. They possess this strength through attributes, not through form.

Since the human spirit pertains to the highest of the high, nothing in the World of the Spirits can have its strength, whether angels, satans, or anything else. In the same way the human soul pertains to the lowest of the low, so nothing in the World of the Souls can have its strength, whether beasts, predators, or anything else. . . . In the kneading of the clay of Adam, all the attributes of satans, predators, beasts, plants, and inanimate objects were actualized. However, that clay was singled out for the attribution of "My two hands." Hence each of these blameworthy attributes was a shell. Within each was placed the pearl of a divine attribute. You know that the sun's gaze turns granite into a shell that contains pearls, garnets, rubies, emeralds, turquoises, and agates. Adam was singled out for "I kneaded the clay of Adam with My two hands" for the period of "forty days," and according to one tradition, each day was equivalent to one thousand years. Consider then--for which pearl was Adam's clay the shell? And this honoring of Adam was before the spirit was blown into him. This was the good fortune of the bodily frame, which was to be the palace of the vicegerent. For forty thousand years He labored through His own Lordship. Who knows what treasures He prepared there? This passage expresses, among other things, the great respect that Muslims in general accord to God's creation. That human beings are made in the form of God extends to the bodily frame. Earth, in spite of all its lowliness, has a tremendous rank in the eyes of God. Râzî deals with this issue within one context, and in later passages we will see Ibn al-`Arabî and others bringing out the divine roots of the fact that the earth, the body, and all yin realities are eminently honorable. The general principle reverberates throughout Islamic thought and, of course, goes back to the fact that on one level the Tao of Islam demands equal respect for yang and yin. Râzî next provides some of the accounts that are given about God's sending the various angels to gather the earth from which Adam would be molded. In spite of all the angelic entreaty, the earth refused to come. The first honor that was bestowed upon the earth was that it was called to God's Presence by several messengers, but it pretended not to care. It said, "We know nothing of the mystery of these words." . . . Yes, such is the rule: The more people deny love, the higher they rise once they become lovers. Just wait, everything will be turned upside down. For a while I denied love for the idols-- My denial threw me into days like this. In this state, all the angels were biting the fingers of wonder with the teeth of astonishment: "What kind of mystery is this? Lowly earth has been summoned to the Presence of Inaccessibility with all this honor. In spite of its perfect lowliness and despicableness, the earth keeps on pretending not to care and makes itself unapproachable. Nevertheless, the Presence of Independence, Utter Freedom, and Perfect Jealousy does not leave it. He does not summon anyone else in its place. He does not discuss this mystery with anyone else." . . . The Divine Gentlenesses and Lordly Wisdom spoke softly into the inmost mystery of the angels, "I know what you know not" [2:30]: "How should you know what business I have with this handful of earth from eternity without beginning to eternity without end? . . . Be patient for a few days while I show the handiwork of My power through this handful of earth. I will polish the rust of creation's darkness from the face of the mirror of its original nature. You will see the changing pictures of a chameleon in its mirror. The first picture will be that all will have to prostrate themselves before it." Then from the cloud of generosity the rain of love fell down on Adam's earth, making the earth into clay. He made a heart of clay within clay with the hand of power.

Love's dew made clay of Adam's earth, throwing uproar and tumult into the world. Love's lancet pierced the spirit's vein-- out fell a drop. They called it heart. . . . According to some traditions, for forty thousand years the divine power, in accordance with perfect wisdom, exercised its handiwork on the water and clay of Adam between Mecca and Tâ'if. In his outward and inward dimensions the divine power set up mirrors corresponding to the divine attributes. Each mirror was the locus of manifestation for one of the attributes of Divinity. It is well known that one thousand and one mirrors corresponding to one thousand and one attributes were employed. . . . Strange to say, God's uncaused solicitude showed several thousand kindnesses and tendernesses to the soul and heart of Adam in the Unseen and the Visible, but none of the angels brought nigh were told the secret. None of them recognized Adam. One by one they passed by Adam. They would say, "What strange picture is this that He is painting? What kind of chameleon is He bringing out from behind the veil of the Unseen?" Beneath his lips Adam was saying, "Though you do not know me, I know you. Just wait till I lift my head from this sweet sleep. I will list your names one by one." For among the pearls that had been buried within him was the knowledge of all the names: "And He taught Adam all the names" [2:31]. Up until this point, Râzî has explained that human beings are set apart from all other creatures because they are made in the divine form, comprehending all the attributes of God. Now he turns to the great consequence of having been created in God's form: Everything found in differentiated form in the macrocosm is found in an undifferentiated mode within the microcosm. Râzî makes this point by telling how Iblis--Satan--attempted to discover Adam's mystery. Note the qualities attributed to Iblis as soon as he appears: deceit and having only one eye. The first quality is perhaps to be expected, the second is not so clear. It alludes to the fact that Iblis--or the microcosmic equivalent, which is the lower soul, called "the soul that commands to evil"--perceives only the "form" (sûra) of things, not their "meaning" (manâ). Iblis lacks the light of intellect (aql), though he is clever and cunning, and hence he is unable to perceive the signs of God for what they are. He sees the immediate context of things, but cannot grasp the beginnings and ends of things. Rûmî often refers to Iblis as one eyed, as in the following: With both eyes, see the beginning and the end! Beware, be not one eyed, like the accursed Iblis!44 Close your Iblis-like eye for a moment. After all, how long will you gaze upon form? How long? How long?45 The reader will remember that Iblis was one of the jinn and not one of the angels, since he is made of fire while they are made of light. However, his aeons of piety had brought him into their proximity, so he mixed freely with them. However much the angels examined Adam, they did not come to know what sort of all- comprehensive reality he was. But Iblis the deceitful was once walking around Adam. Gazing upon him with his one squint eye, he saw that Adam's mouth was open. He said, "Just wait.

Now I have found a way to undo the knot of our problem. I will enter this hole and see what sort of place this is." When Iblis went in and traveled around Adam's make-up, he found it to be a small world. He found there a representation of everything that he found in the large world. He found the head like the heaven with seven strata. Just as the seven planets are in the seven heavens, so also he found that in the seven strata of the head are seven human faculties: imagination, intuition, reflection, memory, recollection, governing, and sensus communis. Just as there are angels in the heaven, there were in the head the sense of sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Iblis found his body to be like the earth: Just as in the earth are found trees, plants, flowing streams, and mountains, so there are found corresponding things in the body. The longer hair, such as the hair on the head, is like trees, while the shorter hair, such as the hair on the body, is like plants. There are veins like running streams and bones like mountains. Just as in the macrocosm there are four seasons--spring, autumn, summer, and winter--so in Adam, who is the microcosm, there are the four natures: heat, cold, wetness, and dryness, prepared within four things--yellow bile, black bile, phlegm, and blood. There is no need to continue with the details of Iblis's investigation, since the text is readily available and in any case it is similar to the passage from the Ikhwân al-Safâ' quoted above. It is sufficient for our purposes to recognize that the macrocosm/microcosm relationship is common in Islamic thought and that it follows upon the idea that all qualities found in these two worlds derive from the divine names. The conclusion of this section of the passage provides a preview of the last chapter of this book, which is dedicated to the heart: When Iblis had traveled the whole frame of Adam, he recognized the macrocosm in all the traces that he saw. However, when he reached the heart, he found it to be like a pavilion. In front of it, the breast was like the square erected before a royal palace. However much he tried to find a way into the pavilion so that he could go into the heart, he was not able to. He said to himself, "All that I have seen was easy. The difficult task is here. If I ever experience harm from this person, it will probably be from this place. If God has some special business with this frame or has prepared something within, it is probably in this place." With a hundred thousand thoughts, he turned back from the door of the heart in despair. Iblis reports to the angels that nothing is to be feared from this hollow person, who is like the other animals, though there is one place that cannot be entered. The angels are not satisfied with Iblis's explanation, and soon they hear from God that this being of water and clay is to be His vicegerent. Their perplexity increases, but they prostrate themselves before Adam as commanded. In the final section of the chapter, Râzî points to the tremendous station of the human body, which corresponds to the macrocosm. But, he says, the real worth of the human being derives from the divine spirit, which in truth lies outside microcosm and macrocosm and rules over both. All these honors pertained to Adam's frame, which is the microcosm in relation to the macrocosm. But the Presence singled out his spirit for Himself, for He said, "I blew into him of My own spirit" [15:29]. At the same time, this world, the next world, and everything within them are but a microcosm in relation to the infinitude of the World of the Spirit. So look at what honors he was given! When the two--spirit and frame--are brought together in a special order, they move on to their own perfection. Who knows what felicity and good fortune will be showered down on their head? Wretched is the person who is deprived of his own perfection and looks upon himself with the eye of disdain! He employs the preparedness [isti`dâd] of the human level, which is the

noblest of existent things, in acquiring the objects of animal appetite, while animals are the meanest of existent things! He fails to recognize his own worth! You were brought up from the two worlds, You were nurtured by many intermediaries. The first in creation, the last to be enumerated is you--take not yourself in play.46

39 Ikhwân al-Safâ', Rasâ'il II 473.

40 Nasafî, Zubdat al-haqâ'iq 324-25, 327. 41 I have tried to avoid inappropriate gender-specific language throughout this book, but sometimes the demands of literal accuracy outweigh the concern for contemporary sensitivities. The Arabic sentence here quoted has two masculine pronouns and two masculine verbs. However, there is no implication that this saying, or similar instances of usages of the masculine gender, excludes women. According to the ancient rules of Arabic grammar, the masculine gender always takes precedence over the feminine. In chapter 6 we will see Ibn al-`Arabî come to some interesting conclusions because of this rule. 42 This is one of a handful of texts relevant to our discussion available in good English translation, and the reader will find in it a great deal of background material for the present work (Cf. Râzî, The Path of God's Bondsmen, trans. H. Algar). If I depart from Algar's translation in the passages I quote, it is in order to maintain terminological and stylistic consistency. 43 This hadith is often cited in Sufi sources, but it is not found in the standard hadith collections.

44 Rûmî, Mathnawî IV 1709 (SPL 83). 45 Ibid. III 2300 (SPL 83).

46 Râzî, Mirsâd al-`ibâd 65-82 (cf. Path of God's Bondsmen 94-109). This last poem is by Firdawsî, the author of the Shâhnâma, the Iranian national epic. We will quote it again in its own context in Chapter 4.

[gameguides]

Potionomics Romance Options

Welcome to our Potionomics Romance Options guide. The world of Potionomics features a diverse cast of characters, many of whom may form friendships or even have potential romances. In our Potionomics Romance and Gifts Guide, we cover how to befriend each character and more. #Potionomics We know that there are people who have a hard time finishing the Potionomics game. If you are one of those who find it difficult to finish the game, let's take you to our Potionomics guide.

Potionomics Romance Options

Unlock new Potionomics characters! Most of the friendly characters in Potionomics will be introduced to you between days with the only, which does not follow this trend and has minimal unlock requirements. When you first meet a character, you automatically unlock their initial friendship rank, which is displayed in the deck builder menu. Romance Options Unlock New Characters Here’s every character you can become friends with in Potionomics, along with their unlock requirements: - Owl - Default. Locked to 5 ranks. - Quinn - Day 1 - Mint - Day 2 - Muktuk - Day 3 - Baptiste - After 1st Adventure with Mint - Saffron - Day 7 - Roxanne - Day 12 - Xid - Day 13. A Greater Mana Potion is needed to unlock her first event. - Luna - Day 13 - Salt and Pepper - Day 14. Despite being two characters, they’re both counted together for friendship ranks. - Corsac - Day 22 Potionomics Gifts and Increasing Friendship While the first rank (of 10) is unlocked upon completing their first event, the rest must be unlocked by completing “Rank Up” events. These become available after you’ve gained enough friendship with each character. Increasing friendship can be done in a number of different ways. To start with, each character event (even the initial one) comes with dialogue choices. Picking the right ones will give a significant boost to your friendship. It's also possible to hangout with characters, increasing friendship and reducing stress. There are four tiers of hangout option for each character, each one having increasing friendship and stress relief: - 1st - Default. 1 time. - 2nd - Rank 3. 2 time. - 3rd - Rank 5. 3 time. - 4th - Rank 7. 4 time. The final (and best) option is gifts. When visiting any of the characters in town, you’ll be able to give them a gift. Said gifts are the ingredients you’ll also need to make potions, so make sure not to waste them. Only one can be given per character per day — since it takes time to travel out of your store, it’s best to give gifts to all characters at once. More Potionomics Gifts and Increasing Friendship Characters in Potionomics have specific likes and dislikes, with one type of ingredient being their favourite. If you give someone their favorite item type, their character icon will appear with two sparkles. You should always give characters their favourite gifts, as you only have a limited amount of time to befriend everyone before the game ends — 50 in-game days to be precise, and some of these are taken by the tournaments. As a side note, Owl cannot be gifted any items. He instead gains friendship ranks after you complete each round of the competition. Each character’s favorite category of ingredient is: - Quinn - Slime - Mint - Bone - Muktuk - Fish - Baptiste - Flower - Saffron - Plant - Roxanne - Gem - Xid - Bug - Luna - Fruit - Salt and Pepper - Ore - Corsac - Fungus In addition to ingredient types, they also have a rarity. From least to most rare, there’s Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Diamond. This can be seen via the border behind an item’s category when viewing its information in the mouseover menu. Higher rarity items will give a little extra friendship, so make sure to gift these if you have some to spare. Items marked as “Pure Mana” are unique, since they count as a favorite type for every character in the game — they’re all Diamond rarity too.These are good if you need to unlock new ranks quickly, though they can be hard to obtain early on. Potionomics Romance There are nine possible romance options in Potionomics. These are: - Quinn - Mint - Muktuk - Baptiste - Saffron - Roxanne - Xid - Luna - Corsac To unlock romance for these characters, you must pick the romantic dialogue choices when they show up during events. Doing so and reaching Rank 7 with one of the above characters will give you the option to date them after the event is over. You can only date one character, locking you out of future options if you accept (a warning box appears before you chose). You’re free to choose the romantic options for all characters. There’s no penalty for doing so, though characters will make lighthearted remarks about this if you reach Rank 7 with them and are already dating someone else. Romance is also not a requirement for any unlocks outside of Steam achievements — there’s one achievement for dating, and another for rejecting a character. Most of the rank 8 to 10 events will remain the same regardless, just with some romantic dialogue thrown into the mix. Salt and Pepper do not have romantic dialogue choices. Instead, you have the option to become blood brothers if you pick the right options — these show a paw print instead of a heart. Character Rank Rewards Whether you pick the romantic route or not, each character has a set order for unlock: - Rank 1 - Card - Rank 2 - Card - Rank 3 - Card - Rank 4 - Discount Coupon - Rank 5 - Card - Rank 6 - Card - Rank 7 - Card, romance if the right options are picked - Rank 8 - Better Discount Coupon - Rank 9 - Card - Rank 10 - Card. Requires crafting two specific potions to unlock. That's the basics to characters in Potionomics. Make sure to follow the specific character guides for a full breakdown of the correct dialogue choices to make and what you can unlock. Read the full article

[skyfire85]

-A Bell X-2 at Edwards AFB. A Boeing B-47 is visible in the background. | Photo: NACA/USAF

FLIGHTLINE: 159 - BELL X-2 STARBURSTER

The X-2 was built to investigate the "thermal thicket" at speeds above Mach 2, but the two examples completed had a short service life.

Building on the work of the Bell X-1 and Douglas D-558 aircraft, the X-2 (nicknamed Starburster, though it was rarely used) was designed to explore speeds in excess of Mach 2. Engineer calculations, backed up by flights of the former aircraft, indicated the existence of a "thermal thicket"; that is: escalating aerodynamic heating as speeds increased. As a result, Bell devoted extensive time to development of advanced materials, aerodynamics, and control systems all with the goal of creating an aircraft capable of flying faster and higher than any human had done previously.

-Orthograph of the X-2. | Illustration: NASA-DFRC

The X-2 incorporated numerous advances over the X-1, including a swept wing and horizontal stabilizer. The airframe was built from K-Monel, an alloy of coper and nickel, as well as stainless steel. An XLR-25 two-chamber throttleable rocket motor provided 2,500 to 15,000 pounds of thrust, burning a mix of liquid oxygen and alcohol. The XLR-25, produced by Curtiss-Wright, was actually based on a WWII RATO bottle developed by Robert Goddard for the US Navy. The aircraft were designed with a skid rather than main landing wheels, though a nose gear was equipped, as well as skids on the wingtips.

-An XLR-25 motor on display at the Aviation Hall of Fame in New Jersey. | Photo: Bill Maloney

In a worst-case scenario, the cockpit section of the X-2 could be ejected. With stability provided by a parachute, the pilot could then eject the canopy and bail out. Like the Skyrocket and X-1 before it, the X-2 would be carried aloft by a bomber (in this case a Boeing B-50), then dropped to begin its flight.

-One of the X-2s, its ground support personnel, the B-50 and its crew, F-86, F-80 and F-100 chase planes, and H-19 rescue helicopter. | Photo: NACA

FLIGHT TEST PROGRAM

X-2 number 1 was chosen to have the first engine installed, so ship #2 was sent to Edwards AFB for initial unpowered tests. The first glide test of the X-2 was on 27 June 1952, and ended rather inauspiciously. During the landing on Muroc dry lake bed, the aircraft pitched unexpectedly, forcing the right wingtip to contact the ground, breaking off the bumper. The nose gear collapsed as well, and the aircraft slid along the lakebed on its fuselage for some distance before coming to rest. The second flight was delayed while repairs were completed, and took place on 8 October, followed by the third flight two days later.

-Bell test pilot Jean Ziegler sits in the cockpit of the damaged X-2 #2 after the 1st rough landing. | Photo: NACA

X-2 number 2 was returned to Bell's factory in New York state afterwards, and the XLR-25 engine was installed. A captive carry flight over Lake Ontario on 12 May 1953 resulted in the loss of aircraft #2, Ziegler, and Frank Wolko from the B-50 crew. During a test of the liquid oxygen system, an explosion rocked the combined aircraft, jettisoning the Starburster, Ziegler and Wolko. The remains of the X-2 fell into Lake Ontario, and neither it, nor the bodies of the two men were recovered. The B-50 mother ship was able to return to the Bell facility, but was judged to be uneconomical to repair, and was scrapped. Similar explosions destroyed one of the X-1s, the X-1A and X-1D, and were eventually traced to Ulmer leather gaskets in the fuel system. The gaskets, treated with tricresyl phosphate (TCP), would react with liquid oxygen, making them explosive if sufficiently jarred. The Ulmer leather gaskets were replaced, and the explosions stopped.

-A Bell X-2 is loaded aboard the Boeing B-50A-5-BO Superfortress “mothership,” 46-011. | Photo: USAF

Modifications to the first X-2 and the engine delayed flights until 1955, with the first powered flight occurring on 18 November, reaching a speed of Mach 0.95. The test series began in earnest at this point, with the Starburster showing both its promise but also its limitations. On his final flight in July 1956, Lt. Col. Pete Everest was propelled to Mach 2.87, earning him (temporarily at least) the title of "Fastest Man Alive". Everest reported that the controls were only marginally effective at those speeds however, as the center of pressure for the aircraft changed at high speed, coupled with aeroelasticity of the empennage rendered the flight surfaces ineffective.

-Photo of the first X-2, showing shock diamonds in both exhaust plumes. | Photo: NACA

Testing continued however, with Captain Iven Kincheloe crossing 100,000 for the first time on 7 September 1956 and Captain Milburn Apt setting a new (unofficial) speed record of Mach 3.2. This mark came a grave cost however, as Apt, likely the victim of a lagging or miscalibrated instrument, attempted a banked turn above Mach 3, far in excess of what the X-2 could achieve. The aircraft tumbled out of control, with Apt unable to counter the control coupling, inertial roll coupling and supersonic spinning faced by the aircraft. Apt triggered the ejection of the nose, but was incapacitated by the forces he encountered, and was unable to release the canopy and free himself to activate his own parachute, and was killed when the capsule struck the lakebed. The nose-less X-2 continued on, eventually returning to Earth with little damage. A proposal was made to salvage the plane and modify it for hypersonic research, but was not funded, and the first X-2 was scrapped.

-Color photo of an X-2 still coupled to the B-50D mothership prior to launch. | Photo: USAF

LEGACY

The two X-2s completed 20 flights between 1952 and 1956, and although they set records in both altitude and speed, their contribution to the knowledge of high speed aerodynamics and heating was debatable. The unmanned X-7 and research variants of the Bomarc missile were capable of the same speeds, and the destruction of both X-2s meant that much of NACA's planned test program was left unflown. Manned exploration of hypersonic speeds and ultra-high altitudes would have to wait for the North American X-15, still several years off.

The X-2 was made a part of the 1956 film "Toward the Unknown", as the movie depicts several real and fictional test programs taking place at the USAF Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB. The climax of the movie depicts and accident roughly similar to Mel Apt's, although the pilot survives the crash.

-Film crews surround the X-2 during filming for Toward the Unknown. | Photo: Bob Rohrer

The plane was later included in the pilot movie "Genesis" for the NBC series "Quantum Leap", in which the main character time travels into the body of a fictional pilot for the aircraft. A full-scale mockup of the X-2 was created for the show, and was later acquired by the Planes of Fame Museum in California. The prop is still in the museum's collection, though years of exposure have not been kind to the faux-X plane, which was not built to last in the first place.

-Photo of the X-2 mockup at the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, CA, some time in 1994. | Photo: Jon Goto

[ruanbaijie]

shape clipping tutorial

for anon! clubbing gifs 1 and 3 of this set together since the logic is similar

1. crop main clip

whether directly on photoshop or on vapoursynth (like I do)

2. sharpen + colour

I wanted gif 1 to be black and white so I slapped on a black and white layer

then added brightness/contrast and curves to increase the contrast between the blacks and whites so that it doesn’t look too greyscale

went with my usual colouring steps: brightness/contrast, curves, levels, vibrance, selective colouring, hue/saturation

then to isolate the background because I wanted it to be blue but not affect his face, I took a soft brush:

and brushed over the areas I wanted to hide on a layer mask (see that black spot in the thumbnail)

then used hue/saturation to remove the yellows in the background, and selective colouring to change the greens to cyans, enhance the cyans/ blues, and change the overall colouring to something more cyan

3. position shape(s)

use the rectangle tool to create a shape (in my case, a diamond) of your choice, with fill and white outline (up to you whether you want the outline or not)

duplicate the shape and lay it out however you want

same logic for the paper tear, position it however you want it on the scene

4. load & clip additional scenes

measure the rough dimensions the additional scenes should be - I do this before loading the clips into photoshop because I load them into vapoursynth first which requires the (more or less) precise dimensions of the clip

position clips above the shapes you want to clip them to

(I’m showing this altogether but I did this one by one for each scene so it wouldn’t be so messy) 

at the thumbnail, position your cursor between the scene layer and the shape layer, then hold the option/alt key (on mac, not sure if it’s the same on pc). you should get this clipping symbol (I drew the one in red okay I couldn’t get a screenshot of it aklsdlkflk)

with the option/alt key held down, click, and the scene layer on top will get clipped to the shape layer below

do for the rest of the scenes

same thing here: position scene where you want it to go - you can always adjust it later after it’s been clipped to the shape

option/alt + click to clip

for this one, I also added an inner shadow on the tear to give it a bit of depth

and since I’d fubbed up the dimensions of the clipped scene and it wasn’t long enough to cover the entire tear, I duplicated the scene, flipped it vertically, and masked it to the paper tear, to cover up the bottom left corner of the tear

(so yes if you look closely at that corner of the gif you’ll notice that it’s moving in a different direction from the rest of the gif - lol - but at least it’s covered up and not super obvious)

5. colour additional scenes

I wanted something that was coloured but overall blue, so I put on a gradient map to colour the whole scene blue, then added brightness/contrast and curves to increase the contrast between the dark and light areas

for the following scene, black and white colouring - same steps as the main scene

duplicated the colouring for the first two scenes for the rest because I’m lazy

went with black and white for the scene in the paper tear, but instead of going super contrasted like my other black and white scenes in gif 1 (the one with the diamonds), I went opposite here and reduced the contrast

also put in a gif overlay on the main scene - which is the technique used in gifs 2 and 4 of this set

6. typography

and done!

^ spot the part I cheated to cover up the paper tear lol