vespaer77

[vespaer77]

I don't want to say my Rook would've dropped trow and helicoptered... but I'm weak.

one last datv thought before i sleep...

i love that part in d'meta's crossing where rook yells at the dragon so much

like

lmao?? bud?? wtf were you going to do??? fucking? die??

what was the plan

i HAVE to know

[vespaer77]

Me at work: So many ideas! Can’t wait to write!

Me at home: *Stares at blank document* Never mind.

[vespaer77]

Dude.

Those of us who have played the Mass Effect trilogy? And have read the codex? And have a passable understanding of what the Mass Effect is and how it works???

Reading this with a healthy dose of skepticism of course because we are sane and rational adults.

But one eyebrow is most certainly raised.

Especially when we get to this paragraph.

This... uh. Is this not? THE mass effect?

[vespaer77]

5 more minutes.....

the semester just started for me so that means back to waking up early. ;w;

[vespaer77]

Paleo-caves in Death Valley

You have probably heard of "caves", or a natural void formed in rock. Caves are formed in a number of ways, but the most familiar are probably those formed in limestone - called karst or karstic. Karst caves are formed by the steady dissolving of limestone rock by naturally acidic groundwater percolating through the ground, often along faults or other natural weak areas.

Death Valley in California is not a hotbed of limestone caves, though evidence of them can be seen in a number of places! Ancient caves, often tens or hundreds of millions of years old, sometimes collapse or fill in with silt/minerals/debris. An ancient cave formation is called "paleokarst", and there are a few areas in Death Valley where you can find it. The easiest to access is in Titus Canyon, a major canyon who's lowest reach carves its way through limestone bedrock, leaving behind towering polished rock walls and revealing the internal structure of the rock.

Titus Canyon's narrow section is carved through the Bonanza King Formation, a Cambrian-age (538 - 485 million years ago) marine sedimentary rock package several kilometers thick. It's found in many areas of Death Valley and the surrounding region. Across its area and thickness, it alternates from dolomite to limestone (dolomite minerals versus calcite minerals). Dolomite doesn't usually dissolve and form caves, but limestone does - and the many fractures in this rock appear to have allowed numerous tiny caves to form somewhere in the distant past. Most of these have since been filled in with calcite minerals, making them paleokarst.

In this image, you can see the void of the cave lined with thinly-layered calcite. It has a flat floor, and these features are characteristic of having formed in a cave. In Titus Canyon, we can find these from a few inches to a few meters across, and as the canyon has been carved into the rock, these voids are exposed. This one below tells an exceptionally clear story:

You don't need to be a geologist to see how this differs from the first example. There's a weird pendant-shaped protrusion hanging from the top, there are layers in the minerals, the bottom half is red… there's a lot going on. Let's get some lines on there and figure out what we can see:

That's better. OK - I've separated out the parts of this outcrop which from my desk look to be distinct. Here's a close-up of part of the left-center area to show how it appears different up close.

OK, so we have the blue-gray limestone bedrock on the right, top, and lower left, then a gray-red area with layers and what looks like gravel or other angular pieces of the limestone. Above that is a finely-layered calcite deposit (remember? that's cave-like!), and above that is a layer of calcite which is rather porous. The top surface of this area is sort of scalloped and curved, which is also characteristic of limestone caves.

Here's the fully interpreted version. Let's go through the sequence of events. First, we have the limestone bedrock of the Bonanza King Formation (BKL). At some time in the distant past, a portion of it dissolved away and formed a cave. Over time, silt and debris filled in the bottom of this cave. Because it is ancient, we call it paleo-fill (OPF). This might have happened at a time when the cave was dry (not containing water), since if it was wet we would expect some amount of calcite to be deposited around its perimeter as is typical in limestone caves.

Above that is a layer of thinly-layered calcite, the cave mineral. This layer contains some reddish silt and the occasional fragment of the limestone, so the cave was probably happily active during the time that was deposited! This is the oldest cave mineralization phase I can discern in this outcrop, so I call it Old Cave Calcite (OCC).

Next, we have a slightly porous, light-colored calcite deposit. The porosity suggests to me that it was deposited faster, but I am not an expert on cave deposits so will not comment further. This unit fills the cave to its top in most places! I call this the Middle-age cave calcite (MAC).

Finally, the youngest unit is another cave-deposited calcite (YCC). As in the first cave picture above, it is a coarser-grained pale yellow color with layers that parallel the sides of the void. Most of the paleo-caves you can find in Titus Canyon are filled with this sort of calcite, and it may be geologically recent (last million years?). It filled the final remnant of this ancient paleo-cave, and is contrasting with the material around it. This visual and textural contrast is what inspired me to write this post in the first place - the best example I've seen in person of paleo-karst and the evolution of a miniature cave system, right in the heart of Death Valley - my favorite place in the world.

[vespaer77]

Paleo-caves in Death Valley

You have probably heard of "caves", or a natural void formed in rock. Caves are formed in a number of ways, but the most familiar are probably those formed in limestone - called karst or karstic. Karst caves are formed by the steady dissolving of limestone rock by naturally acidic groundwater percolating through the ground, often along faults or other natural weak areas.

Death Valley in California is not a hotbed of limestone caves, though evidence of them can be seen in a number of places! Ancient caves, often tens or hundreds of millions of years old, sometimes collapse or fill in with silt/minerals/debris. An ancient cave formation is called "paleokarst", and there are a few areas in Death Valley where you can find it. The easiest to access is in Titus Canyon, a major canyon who's lowest reach carves its way through limestone bedrock, leaving behind towering polished rock walls and revealing the internal structure of the rock.

Titus Canyon's narrow section is carved through the Bonanza King Formation, a Cambrian-age (538 - 485 million years ago) marine sedimentary rock package several kilometers thick. It's found in many areas of Death Valley and the surrounding region. Across its area and thickness, it alternates from dolomite to limestone (dolomite minerals versus calcite minerals). Dolomite doesn't usually dissolve and form caves, but limestone does - and the many fractures in this rock appear to have allowed numerous tiny caves to form somewhere in the distant past. Most of these have since been filled in with calcite minerals, making them paleokarst.

In this image, you can see the void of the cave lined with thinly-layered calcite. It has a flat floor, and these features are characteristic of having formed in a cave. In Titus Canyon, we can find these from a few inches to a few meters across, and as the canyon has been carved into the rock, these voids are exposed. This one below tells an exceptionally clear story:

You don't need to be a geologist to see how this differs from the first example. There's a weird pendant-shaped protrusion hanging from the top, there are layers in the minerals, the bottom half is red… there's a lot going on. Let's get some lines on there and figure out what we can see:

That's better. OK - I've separated out the parts of this outcrop which from my desk look to be distinct. Here's a close-up of part of the left-center area to show how it appears different up close.

OK, so we have the blue-gray limestone bedrock on the right, top, and lower left, then a gray-red area with layers and what looks like gravel or other angular pieces of the limestone. Above that is a finely-layered calcite deposit (remember? that's cave-like!), and above that is a layer of calcite which is rather porous. The top surface of this area is sort of scalloped and curved, which is also characteristic of limestone caves.

Here's the fully interpreted version. Let's go through the sequence of events. First, we have the limestone bedrock of the Bonanza King Formation (BKL). At some time in the distant past, a portion of it dissolved away and formed a cave. Over time, silt and debris filled in the bottom of this cave. Because it is ancient, we call it paleo-fill (OPF). This might have happened at a time when the cave was dry (not containing water), since if it was wet we would expect some amount of calcite to be deposited around its perimeter as is typical in limestone caves.

Above that is a layer of thinly-layered calcite, the cave mineral. This layer contains some reddish silt and the occasional fragment of the limestone, so the cave was probably happily active during the time that was deposited! This is the oldest cave mineralization phase I can discern in this outcrop, so I call it Old Cave Calcite (OCC).

Next, we have a slightly porous, light-colored calcite deposit. The porosity suggests to me that it was deposited faster, but I am not an expert on cave deposits so will not comment further. This unit fills the cave to its top in most places! I call this the Middle-age cave calcite (MAC).

Finally, the youngest unit is another cave-deposited calcite (YCC). As in the first cave picture above, it is a coarser-grained pale yellow color with layers that parallel the sides of the void. Most of the paleo-caves you can find in Titus Canyon are filled with this sort of calcite, and it may be geologically recent (last million years?). It filled the final remnant of this ancient paleo-cave, and is contrasting with the material around it. This visual and textural contrast is what inspired me to write this post in the first place - the best example I've seen in person of paleo-karst and the evolution of a miniature cave system, right in the heart of Death Valley - my favorite place in the world.

[vespaer77]

As a gamer who just got into sourdough baking who also subscribes to ologies on A-Prime... I'm gonna have to go give this a listen.

Scientist bakes sourdough bread with yeast derived from 4500 year old Egyptian pottery

i'm losing my mind @ this thread......historie......

[vespaer77]

The UpDAte 3/25/2025

Hellooooo, Dragon Age Darlings~ ✨! Thought I might try something new? I can't promise that this will happen every week, but I thought it might be helpful to have a summary of what's going on in the DA fandom soon, both 'locally' (smaller events run off of personal blogs) and more widely! Let me know if it's useful, and I'll try to keep up with it, when I can!

Locally

Monday Rook Into Hour is up, and there will be one on Friday, March 28th!

WIP Wednesday Thursday will run on Thursday, March 27th!

@thedissonantverses put another Writing Challenge Weekend up last Friday, and another will go up this week on March 28th!

@biowaredisasterbisexual put up her Sharing Sunday post for last week, and submissions are open for the next one until March 29th!

@becausedragonage has started a fun new game for Tuesdays! I believe she is still taking entries? Reflection Ruesday rules here!

@pixiedurango is still running the Antivan Postal Service! Get a letter from your favorite Crows!

Greater Thedas

Ongoing/Repeating Events

@thedasweekend runs weekly! [Instructions]

@dadrunkwriting is also weekly, on Fridays! [Instructions]

Events in Preparatory Stages

@handers-time is currently open for signups until April 5th!

@arlathanxchange is taking tag nominations until March 30th!

@worldofthedas-vol3 is taking contributor applications until April 11th!

@raraaviszine is taking contributor applications until April 5th!

@dragonageannual has an interest check open until April 6th!

Currently Happening/Beginning This Week

@veilguard-appreciation-week begins March 31st! [Prompts]

@transthedasfest will reveal works on March 31st!

@dragonageterminuszine is open for preorders until March 31st!

And, of course if you want to know the full scope of everything happening in Thedas, dragonagefanevents is your one-stop shop, including instructions for hosting your own event!

Disclaimer that I'm not affiliated with most of these events, and I haven't talked to most of the mods-- just thought it could be useful for people around here to have everything on one place! If YOU do something/are planning to and I missed you, please lmk! (mentions are for ease of nsvigation-- no need to rb, and if you'd rather I not mention your event, please lmk!)

[vespaer77]

looking thru old art is so fun i forget i did some of this stuff. the one time i made garrus the scourge of the beach

[vespaer77]

"Write for yourself"

Brother, I literally have more than 2 million words sitting in my drafts folder instead of posted on AO3.

I write for myself. I post for community interaction.

[vespaer77]

Look at her... she's so beautiful. Galaxy's best girl. <3

"you're not leaving me behind...."

"no matter what happens-- you mean everything to me, Liara. you always will."

"Shepard, I... I am yours."

it's so sad and tragic that Shepard departed with a smile. I mean, must be making the memory less bitter for Liara and letting herself feel the moment, be true with her own feelings, sincere, despite being in the middle of a battlefield.

[vespaer77]

Because I finished this past weekend, lol, serendipity has decided I must see these today. Now that I'm done.

A gigantic list of the maximum possible War Asset value and how you'd get them. Yes, I know it's cluttered and inconsistent and I maybe did the math wrong or missed an asset entirely but shut up its 4:25 AM rn

FLAT VALUES WITHOUT PENALTIES

AVAILABLE REGARDLESS OF CHOICES

(Can be lost by not completing the requisite quests before certain points, generally do these as soon as you can so you don’t risk them being locked later - Choosing not to do any of these is not considered a choice for the sake of this list - Some may require a choice to be made, but the alternative would be zero assets) (Note: Whichever reputation check answer you give during one of Diana Allers’s interviews will add 5 points to one of your assets. For the sake of this list, whichever asset is seen first in the list gets the bonus 5, but it really doesn’t matter, it all adds to the same final value if they do them.)

Terminus Fleet: 

Base 50 - Speak to Aria at Purgatory after Priority: Palaven

Plus 50 - Complete Aria: Blood Pack

Plus 50 - Complete Aria: Eclipse

Plus 50 - Complete Aria: Blue Suns

Total 200

Volus Dreadnought Kwunu:

Base 50 - Aethon Cluster, Esori, Solu Paolis

Shadow Broker Support Team:

Base 40 - Hourglass Nebula, Sowilo, Hagalaz

Elcor Flotilla:

Base 40 - Silean Nebula, Phontes, Oltan

Shadow Broker Wet Squad:

Base 25 - Krogan DMZ, Dranek, Rothla

Governor Grothan Pazness:

Base 20 - Kite’s Nest, Indris, Cholis

Void Devils Fighter Wing:

Base 30 - The Shrike Abyssal, Kyzil, Heshtok

Vorcha Labor Team:

Base 15 - The Shrike Abyssal, Thal, Tyrix

Liquid Assets:

Base 40 - Crescent Nebula, Tasale, Illium

Leviathan Enthrallment Team:

Base 400 - Complete Leviathan DLC

Omega Eezo Hoard:

Base 300 - Complete Omega DLC

Omega Raiding Fleet:

Base 75 - Complete Omega DLC

Arcturus First Division:

Base 60 - Complete N7: Cerberus Abductions

Alliance Engineering Corps:

Base 130 - Obtained automatically

Plus 40 - Complete Valhallan Threshold: Prothean Data Drives

Plus 40 - Complete Hades Nexus: Obelisk of Karza

Plus 40 - Complete Hades Nexus: Prothean Sphere

Plus 40 - Complete Athena Nebula: Hesperia-Period Statue

Toal 290

Alliance Cruiser Shanghai: 

Base 40 - Exodus Cluster, Asgard, Terra Nova

Rogue Fighter Pilots:

Base 20 - Complete Cortez’s subplot conversations and meetings

Diana Allers: 

Base 5 - Recruit at docking bay

Eden Prime Support:

Base 25 - Complete Priority: Eden Prime

Plus 25 - Retrieve one piece of intel during mission

Plus 25 - Retrieve two pieces of intel during mission

Plus 25 - Retrieve three pieces of intel during mission

Total 100

Alliance Naval Exploration Flotilla: 

Base 75 - Exodus Cluster, Asgard, Tyr

Communications Arrays: 

Base 50 - Complete N7: Communication Hub

Alliance Sixth Fleet:

Base 90 - Complete Priority: Horizon

Alliance Spec Ops Team Delta:

Base 35 - Exodus Cluster, Asgard, Loki

Synthdiamond Heat Sinks:

Base 25 - Caleston Rift, Balor, Bres

Asari Science Team:

Base 90 - Complete Priority: The Citadel II

Asari Second Fleet:

Base 90 - Complete Priority: The Citadel II

Plus 25 - Encourage Liara to talk to Aethya in Presidium Commons prior to Priority: Tuchanka

Plus 8 - Complete Citadel: Reaper Code Fragments

Total 123

Asari Sixth Fleet: 

Base 90 - Complete Priority: The Citadel II

Base 40 - Complete Nimbus Cluster: Library of Asha

Total 130

Asari Commandos: 

Base 20 - Complete Kallini: Ardat-Yakshi Monastery

Dr. Jelize: 

Base 25 - Silean Nebula, Kypladon, Hanalei

Armali Sniper Unit:

Base 30 - Silean Nebula, Loropi, Yasilium

Serrice Guard:

Base 30 - Silean Nebula, Nahuala, Hyetiana

Asari Cruiser Nefrane: 

Base 30 - Athena Nebula, Tomaros, Pronoia

Asari Research Ships:

Base 35 - Athena Nebula, Orisoni, Gaelic

Asari Cruiser Cybaen:

Base 30 - Athena Nebula, Parnitha, Tevura

Asari Engineers: 

Base 30 - Athena Nebula, Ialessa, Trikalon

Husk Neural Map: 

Base 30 - Sigurd’s Cradle, Mil, Chalkhos

Advanced Starship Fuel:

Base 75 - Complete N7: Fuel Reactors

Javelin Missile Launchers:

Base 50 - Sigurd’s Cradle, Skepsis, Watson

Volus Fabrication Units: 

Base 45 - Aethon Cluster, Aru, Cherk Sab

Volus Engineering Team:

Base 50 - Aethon Cluster, Satu Arrd, Nalisin

Interferometric Array:

Base 45 - Attican Beta, Hercules, Eletania

ExoGeni Scientists: 

Base 40 - Attican Beta, Theseus, Feros

Prothean Data Files: 

Base 75 - Exodus Cluster, Utopia, Zion

Shadow Broker Starship Tech:

Base 50 - Hourglass Nebula, Faryar, Alingon

Terminus Freighters:

Base 30 - Hourglass Nebula, Ploitari, Zanethu

Element Zero Converter:

Base 50 - Vallhallan Threshold, Micah, Farlas

Emergency Fuel Pods: 

Base 30 - Vallhallan Threshold, Micah, Elohi

Advanced Power Relays:

Base 50 - Argos Rho, Gorgon, Camaron

Haptic Optics Array:

Base 50 - Argos Rho, Hydra, Canrum

Jovian Dissertation:

Base 5 - Pylos Nebula, Nariph, Isale

Radiation Shielding Sheath:

Base 25 - Pylos Nebula, Dirada, Sineus

Cerberus Research Data: 

Base 50 - Complete N7: Cerberus Lab

Advanced Fighter Squadron:

Base 75 - N7: Cerberus Fighter Base

Ex-Cerberus Scientists:

Base 25 - Arrae: Ex-Cerberus Scientists 

Dr. Brynn Cole:

Base 25 - Arrae: Ex-Cerberus Scientists

Krogan First Division:

Base 50 - N7: Cerberus Attack

Admiral Zaal’Koris:

Base 25 - Complete Rannoch: Admiral Koris; pass reputation check to convince Koris to be rescued

Turian 79th Flotilla:

Base 40 - Apien Crest, Gemmae, Pheiros

Turian 43rd Marine Division:

Base 90 - Complete Priority: Tuchanka

Turian Seventh Fleet:

Base 90 - Completely Priority: Tuchanka 

Plus 5 - Complete Citadel: Medi-Gel Sabotage

Plus 40 - Complete Apien Crest: Banner of the First Regiment

Plus 5 - Renegade answer to Allers interview after Priority: Tuchanka

Total 140

Turian Blackwatch: 

Base 75 - Complete Tuchanka: Bomb

Turian Engineering Corps:

Base 110 - Complete Priority: Tuchanka

Turian Spec Ops Team:

Base 40 - Argos Rho, Phoenix, Pinnacle Station

Dextro Rations:

Base 10 - Sigurd’s Cradle, Lenal, Triginta Petra

Dr. Ann Bryson:

Base 20 - Don’t take either renegade interrupts while she is indoctrinated at the lab

TOTAL: 4,073 

ASSETS DETERMINED ONLY BY MASS EFFECT 1 CHOICES

Alliance Fifth Fleet:

Base 90 - Obtained automatically

Plus 15 - Hades Nexus, Hekate, Asteria

Minus 25 - Saved council in ME1

Plus 5 - Warn two businessmen on the Citadel

Plus 8 - Citadel: Improved Power Grid

Plus 7 - Authorize: Civilian Consultant Authorization at Spectre Terminal

Plus 5 - Renegade answer to Allers interview after Priority: The Citadel II

Plus 8 - Complete Citadel: Cerberus Ciphers

Total 113

Zhu’s Hope Colonists:

Base 30 - Save all colonists and spare Shiala in Feros: The Thorian in ME1

The Destiny Ascension:

Base 70 - Save Council in ME1

Salarian Special Tasks Group: 

Base 35 - Getting Kirrahe killed in ME1, speaking to Tolan at starting area of Priority: Sur’Kesh

Urdnot Wreav:

Base 25 - Kill Wrex on Virmire or do not recruit him in ME1

Clan Urdnot:

Base 300 - Complete Priority: Tuchanka (Wreav needs to be leader to avoid losing asset later)

SUBTOTAL: 573

TOTAL: 4,646

ASSETS DETERMINED ONLY BY MASS EFFECT 2 CHOICES

(Note: either choice in Legion: A House Divided will result in the same final value IF peace is brokered between the Geth and Quarians in ME3. This list will assume the geth heretics were destroyed)

(For the 103rd Marine Division, technically choosing to skip Arrival reduces the strength by 50, thus its placement)

Spectre Unit:

Base 40 - Complete Citadel: Hanar Diplomat w/ loyal and alive Kasumi 

Hanar and Drell Forces: 

Base 50 - Complete Citadel: Hanar Diplomat w/ loyal and alive Kasumi

Dr. Karin Chakwas:

Base 10 - Saved from Collector’s in ME2, told to stay at labs 

Kahlee Sanders:

Base 20 - Complete Grissom Academy: Emergency Evacuation 

Plus 5 - Save all students in mission

Plus 5 - Stopped Project Overlord and saved David

Total 30

Jack:

Base 25 - Survived ME2 and completed Grissom Academy: Emergency Evacuation

Alliance Frigate Normandy SR-2:

Base 50 - Obtained automatically

Plus 15 - Installed Thanix Cannon from Garrus in ME2

Plus 25 - Installed Silaris Armor from Jacob in ME2

Plus 25 - Installed Cyclonic Barrier Technology from Tali in ME2

Plus 35 - Complete Citadel Docks: Retake the Normandy

Plus 35 - Complete Citadel: Party

Total 185

Mineral Resources: 

Base 100 - 75,000 to 100,000 each element, must be collected pre-Suicide Mission

Kasumi Goto: 

Base 25 - Complete Citadel: Hanar Diplomat w/ Kasumi Loyal and alive at the end of ME2

Zaeed Massani:

Base 25 - Complete Citadel: Volus Ambassador w/ Zaeed loyal and alive at the end of ME2, talk to him at the Citadel Holding Area

Samara: 

Base 25 - Complete Kallini: Ardat-Yakshi Monastery with Samara having survived in ME2 and taking the paragon interrupt to keep her alive at the end of the mission

Optimized Eezo Capacitors:

Base 15 - Saved Donnelly and Daniels in ME2, pardon from Spectre terminal in ME3, complete Citadel: GX12 Thermal Pipe

Reaper Brain: 

Base 110 - Save Collector Base in ME2, complete Priority: Cerberus Headquarters

Dr. Gavin Archer:

Base 25 - Saved David from Overlord in ME2, complete Grissom Academy: Emergency Evacuation and Arrae: Ex-Cerberus Scientists 

Jacob Taylor:

Base 25 - Complete Arrae: Ex-Cerberus w/ Jacob alive from ME2

Ex-Cerberus Engineers:

Base 10 - Flirt with Kelly enough to invite her to dinner and save her from Collectors in ME2. Convince to change identity on the Citadel, do not pick renegade option when told she was a spy.

Mirana Lawson:

Base 25 - Complete Priority: Horizon w/ a surviving Miranda from ME2 AND after talking to her all three times on Citadel, given alliance access, and warned about Kai Leng after reading dossier from private terminal

Geth Corps:

Base 300 - Complete Priority: Rannoch, make peace

Plus 5 - Paragon answer during Allers interview after Priority: Rannoch

Total 305

Geth Fleet:

Base 300 - Complete Priority: Rannoch, make peace

Minus 150 - Heretics destroyed, make peace

Total 150

Geth Prime Platoon

Base 60 - Complete Priority: Rannoch, make peace

Grunt: 

Base 25 - Complete Attican Traverse: Krogan Team w/ loyal and alive Grunt from ME2

Krogan Clans:

Base 300 - Complete Priority: Tuchanka

Plus 40 - Complete Citadel: Kakliosaur Fossil

Minus 50 - Destroy Maelon’s data in ME2, causes Eve’s death 

Total 290 

Quarian Civilian Fleet: 

Base 200 - Complete Priority: Rannoch, make peace

Plus 50 - Destroy Geth Heretics in ME2

Total 250

Quarian Heavy Fleet:

Base 200 - Complete Priority: Rannoch, make peace

Plus  25 - Support Admiral Gerrel in argument after Rannoch: Admiral Koris

Plus 50 - Destroy Geth Heretics in ME2

Total 275

Quarian Patrol Fleet:

Base 200 - Complete Priority: Rannoch, make peace

Plus 50 - Destroy Geth Heretics in ME2

Total 250

Dr. Mordin Solus:

Base 25 - Complete Priority Tuchanka w/ alive Mordin Solus AND with Wrex and Eve dead convince him to sabotage cure

103rd Marine Division:

Base 100 - Obtained automatically

Plus 20 - Hades Gamma, Plutus, Nonuel

Plus 25 - Nubian Expanse, Kalabsha, Yamm

Total 145

SUBTOTAL: 2,475

TOTAL: 7,121

ASSETS DETERMINED ONLY BY MASS EFFECT 3 CHOICES

(Note: Killing or sparing Petrovsky results in the same end value. For the sake of this, killing him is taken + convincing Din lets you avoid a point penalty on Turiain Sixth Fleet + sparing Balak avoids point penalty on Alliance Third, thus placement)

Volus Bombing Fleet:

Base 75 - Complete Citadel: Volus Ambassador via reputation speech check

Citadel Defense Force:

Base 10 - Complete Priority: The Citadel II

Plus 7 - Support Dock Officer in argument

Plus 5 - Support Reluctant Civilian in argument

Plus 0 (optional) - Support Arguing Couple

Plus 8 - Authorize Partner Benefits at Spectre Terminal

Plus 7 - Authorize Civilian Deportation Order at Spectre Terminal

Plus 7 - Authorize Medical Supplies at Spectre Terminal

Plus 7 - Authorize Surveillance Authorization at Spectre Terminal

Plus 7 - Supported Worried Merchant over Angry Merchant, and authorize Militia at Spectre Terminal

Plus 5 - Authorize Citadel Entry at Spectre Terminal after Grissom Academy

Plus 5 - Supported Cafe Owner over Frustrated C-Sec officer 

Plus 5 - Speak to bank teller in Commons

Plus 8 - Complete Citadel: Target Jamming Technology

Plus 8 - Complete Citadel: Cerberus Automated Turret Schematics

Plus 8 - Complete Citadel: Biotic Amp Interfaces

Plus 40 - Complete Irune: Book of Plenix

Plus 40 - Complete Dekuuna: Code of the Ancients 

Plus 40 - Complete Silean Nebula: Rings of Alune

Total 217

Biotic Company:

Base 75 - Complete Grissom Academy: Emergency Evacuation, sending students to the war

Advanced AI Relays:

Base 45 - Support Admiral Xen over Tali after Rannoch: Geth Fighter Squadrons

Turian Sixth Fleet:

Base 135 - Complete Priority: The Citadel II

Plus 8 - Complete Citadel: Cerberus Turian Poison

Total 143 

Salarian First Fleet:

Base 150 - Complete Priority: Tuchanka by sabotaging genophage cure

SUBTOTAL: 705

TOTAL: 7,826

ASSETS DETERMINED BY CHOICES FROM MULTIPLE GAMES

Rachni Workers:

Base 100 - Complete Attican Traverse: Krogan Team w/ saved Rachni Queen from ME1, saved again here

Batarian Fleet:

Base 100 - Complete Citadel: Batarian Codes, convince Balak to join war effort

Plus 15 - Complete Citadel: Batarian Codes, convince alive Balak

Plus 40 - Complete Kite’s Nest: Pillars of Strength

Total 155

Alliance First Fleet:

Base 90 - Obtained automatically 

Plus 15 - Hades Gamma, Farinata, Juntauma

Plus 30 - Complete Omega DLC killing Petrovsky

Plus 15 - Hades Nexus, Pamyat, Dobrovolski

Minus 25 - Save Council in ME1

Plus 8 - Complete Citadel: Chemical Treatment

Total 133

Alliance Third Fleet:

Base 90 - Obtained automatically

Plus 25 - Gemini Sigma, Ming, Parag

Plus 15 - Nubian Expanse, Qertassi, Norehsa

Minus 25 - Save Council in ME1

Minus 4 - Private Talavi’s transfer request granted*

Total 101 *I have no clue who Talavi is but I’m including anyway because I have zero clue if it happens without intervention or with intervention

Khalisah Bint Sinan al-Jilani:

Base 5 - Paragon interrupt during interview during Priority: Citadel I

Plus 5 - Never punch her throughout the trilogy. Hard, I know.

Total 10

Ashley Williams/Kaiden Alenko:

Base 25 - Decide who survives Virmire in ME1. Keep them alive at the end of Priority: The Citadel II and deny them back on the Normandy

Dark Energy Dissertation:

Base 1 - Interact with Conrad Verner in ME1 and ME2 WITHOUT letting him die. Talk to him during Citadel: Medi-Gel Sabotage

Plus 4 - Complete Feros: Data Recovery, UNC: Asari Writings and buy Elkoss Combine Amory License all in ME1

Total 5

Salarian Third Fleet:

Base 125 - Complete Priority: The Citadel II w/ alive Thane that has been spoken to at the Hospital prior.

Plus 8 - Complete Citadel: Heating Unit Stabilizers

Total 133

SUBTOTAL: 662

TOTAL: 8,488

[vespaer77]

I think this is why ME3 is my favorite. I know a lot of folks love ME2 and I love them all, allllllmost-but-not-quite equally, but ME3 edges just a little further ahead for me because of this.

They're all good. But ME3 captures a FEELING of desperation, of racing against the clock, while even on a meta level (since it is the last game in the trilogy) that time is running out. Each game in the trilogy has a feeling to it, but the feeling of ME3 is the one that hurts the most. Even the music carries it through. It's like it took the soundtrack of ME2 but made it slower and sadder, while juxtaposed against a game that's such a fast-paced, angry frenzy.

What a masterpiece.

Replaying ME3 for my story and DAMN I forget how well they capture the atmosphere of dread.

[vespaer77]

I got you! Here! Languish not in Sad Land!

I followed this guide: https://masseffect.fandom.com/wiki/Completionist_Achievement_Guide

This is what did it for me. Also, if you're on PC, you can install for Mass Effect 3 (Legendary Edition) the Expanded Galaxy Mod: https://www.nexusmods.com/masseffectlegendaryedition/mods/422

It lowers the amount needed to 6500 and adds some additional little missions and scan-able items to help reach that goal. It also puts some fun items in the game like a shooting range in the cargo bay, it allows you to access some past companions like Wrex and Jack and Kasumi, etc, for a handful of missions (outside of where they may or may not appear in game), allows you to invite your love interest to your cabin whenever you want, puts your email messages in alphabetical order, etc. Other quality of life items.

Between that and the guide, you should have a much better time. Even if you're on console, though, and don't mod the game, following that guide did it for me and now I never play without it (and I just started my 20th play through).

Go forth and seek that warm retirement on a beach!!! Also tell us about your Shepard and who they banged!!!

who the fuck came up with the idea of 7800 military strength

7800 EXCUSE ME

(pov: she didn't get Shepard to gasp that breath)

[vespaer77]

[vespaer77]

recruiting garrus in me3

saying goodbye to garrus in me3

it's probably nothing, but i love how he uses the same phrase both at the start and at the end. as if shepard's stupid for suggesting he won't be by her side for more than a mere second

[vespaer77]

The Expanded Galaxy Mod adds in a bunch of intel codex entries, most of which are really interesting! I haven't really shared any of them because... well, it would be a whole lot of screenshotting that I don't really want to do. However, I think this paragraph in the entry about the coup might be of interest to everyone: