Hi all,
I recently posted in the bedwetting subreddit, and was surprised by how nice and welcoming everyone was. My anxieties were eased a ton after years of keeping my wetting issues to myself (noone else knows, not even close family members).
I posted there for, well, a bedwetting issue (obviously haha), and among the replies was one where a very helpful commenter suggested to track wetting issues in a bladder diary. It was my first time hearing about it. I downloaded one and now I'm doing my homework, and I have a couple of questions. I hope they are not too silly:

• Does peeing right before sitting down on the toilet count as accidental leaking? About half the time I manage to start peeing after lowering my pants. However, I'm still not sitting down. My clothes and pad remain dry, but I sometimes wet the outside of the toilet or the floor a little. The total number of accidents in the diary would double if these count, so I'd like to know.
  
• When I have an urge, I almost always pee a bit instantly, then concentrate to hold it (deep breaths, relax), get up and go to the bathroom (here I have ample time, 4 or 5 minutes of control), and I don't know if it's my mind playing tricks on me or what, but when I close the bathroom's door latch, I leak a bit more and need to hold my crotch, breathe and then I can unzip my pants. Do these two instances of leaking count as two accidents? They're for the same voiding, so I assume not?
  

I'm a bit sad though, while reviewing the diary I've realized I leak a bit more than I thought :/
Thanks!

My cat used to have really bad fleas a few months ago and I was able to treat them and they went away. However in the last week or so I noticed an increase in her self cleaning habits and some of the sores I saw before when she had a flea infestation appearing on her skin again. I thought maybe she was allergic to something until yesterday when I saw an actual flea on her tail end area. I gave her a flea bath with oatmeal shampoo specifically made for cats to help soothe her skin, towel dried her fully, put on a topical hydrocortisone based ointment (specific for wound/itch care that the vet approved of last time I took her in) on the most bothersome spots for her, and put some flea medicine on her. I put the cone of shame on so she wouldn’t lick anything until it dried. She was obviously not happy about any of this and scolded me for the day but still stayed close by like usual. She was shaking slightly for a bit as I figure her body had to readjust to her regular temperature as well as cats and baths don’t really mix and even though she’s very easy going with baths- she’s still not a fan. I had also treated the carpet with borax per my vet suggestion and kept her away from it until it got vacuumed up.
She’s been a little stand-offish today. But I just got back from running some errands and she didn’t greet me at the door like she typically does and didn’t come when I called her name. I found her curled up in a corner she never goes to behind some boxes. She was shaking slightly and her gums look maybe a little paler than usual on the pink parts? And her fur is a little colder than usual. I picked her up and she doesn’t seem painful anywhere, was fully alert, but definitely shaking slightly like a cold shiver. She started purring while I held her as well.
I’m not sure what’s going on?? Is this an immediate vet visit? Or a “give it a day” situation?

29f
Congenital heart disease
Congenital malformation of aortic and mitral valve
Ostium premium defect
Atrial flutter
Atrioventricular block (2nd degree)
Bicuspid aortic valve
Mitral valve replacement
Pacemaker (2nd battery, azure)
Epilepsy (left temporal lobe)
25mg atenelol x2 daily
300mg ER lamotrigine x2 daily
2mg folic acid once daily
81 mg Baby aspirin once daily
6mg warfarin daily but changes after INRs
Medical Marijuana
I am also missing both fallopian tubes and one ovary (1 tube and ovary blew up and were removed beginning 2020 and remaining tube removed in the beginning of 2022) my seizures started a month after the emergency surgery but I had auras since I was a teen..
I over heat a ridiculous amount. Even before the removal of my organs and seizures but it's definitely gotten worse since then. Sometimes it's a flash, sometimes it's a semi quick buildup.
A perfect example is this past winter. It was my first real winter since I was 11 as I lived in Arizona from 11 to 28. I admit, some of these days I was just running around playing in snow but that's not always the case. I would over heat in the snow and I had to start wearing less layers under my winter jacket to help cool off easier. I would occasionally open my jacket to cool myself off or just keep it open until I stopped feeling my sweat. When we'd get home from a walk, I'd have to start stripping my jackets on the way to the building door and I would still immediately start to over heat the second I walked in the door.
I can just be relaxing and start to get hot as fuck for no reason. I'm starting to end with cold water in the shower to help prevent myself from overheating as fast once I'm out but even then i occasionally still start sweating after I've dried off. I don't wear shirts at home because I sweat and just make them wet. If my clothes haven't been touched by sweat but i feel myself start, i rest my arms above me on the top of thw couch to dry. All of my sweating is at my armpits. Like 75% of the time I'm sweating and I fucking hate it. I have a cooling towel at home and work now since my work got them in.
What else can I do to help prevent it?? It's extremely uncomfortable living like this constantly. I brought it up to my PCP when I was going through atenelol withdrawals as i was heating up for a few days and was having a really bad day just before i came in. I had 5 seizures that bad day. Absolute max for me is 2. He didn't really say shit about me wanting to stop over heating and just took some blood but I never got called back so I assume the tests are fine.
I have an appointment with my gyno next month. Would they be able to help better than my PCP or should I revisit my PCP?

Hello swappers, I have a trio for sale today. These are all moving along because I have others in the inventory that are simply bumping them from the rotation.
Time stamp
YOLO gets it, if you are chatting be quick to respond and pay and please understand a YOLO will still get the item first.
Divo Buzz Tux SV $290
Buzz video
These are currently listed for $330 on Knifecenter and BladeHQ.
20CV hollow ground blade, riding on skiff bearing, and a lynchNW pocket clip, all anodized by me. Extra hardware and pouch is included with original clip. It is a fantastic knife and I feel this is a great deal considering it is like new condition, with it's factory edge, and was only disassembled for the ano and skiff install. the action is great, falls to the nail and shakes home. very nice detent on this one.
​
Giant Mouse Ace Grand REC exclusive SV $200
Ace Grand Video
These are no longer available and will not be coming back. 4E (Bohler 4V) blackwashed blade with a factory edge. Smooth burlap micarta, and disassembled to install skiff bearings, and added to the lock bar access relief to make it easier to disengage and allow to drop to the nail. Silky smooth action, medium dentent and in great condition with little use (minimal cut, or carry). Includes box it came in.
​
QSP Penguin plus TPK exclusive SV $140
Penguin plus video
This is a Traditional Pocket Knives exclusive version of the Penguin plus. You get M390 instead of 20CV, jigged scales only available from TPK to my knowledge, and you get a titanium pocket clip instead of the wire clip on the standard version. This has a factory edge, has been disassembled to install skiff bearings, and is in like new condition with minimal carrying and cutting. Includes box it came in.

I’m just looking for some input on what’s going on with my vagina. Lol. I’m a trans man and have been on testosterone for a very long time. I haven’t had a period in 5 years when my prescription lapsed. My vagina is probably on par with a menopausal woman’s, in that it seems to be a little more delicate and sensitive than a pre-menopausal woman’s. And seems to be rather sensitive to pH changes.
I had unprotected sex with a cis man about 1.5 weeks ago after a long dry spell. The first few days after I had some light yellow discharge of normal consistency with a faint funk smell but didn’t think much about it. A dildo and the wrong lube will produce a similar result and which clears up without medical intervention. Figured it was just cleaning itself out as it does. And it did seem to be getting better as the days progressed.
This past Sunday, I was really horny and masturbated like 3 times without any penetration. And I dunno, that seemed to really upset it. Monday, started with very profuse watery and yellow discharge that had a fishy and funk smell. I also had pelvic cramps, aching, and heaviness. My vulva was itchy and irritated and it burned to pee. I figured I have BV and looked to getting an appointment at Planned Parenthood but they were all booked out. I can’t just go to any gyno because I’m trans. But I already had an appointment booked for next week with my GP, so I settled on making it until then and started taking probiotics in hopes they will help. It’s kind of gotten better as the week has wore on. Sometimes my discharge is very watery, but it’s becoming thicker and milky looking as the week progressed. The yellow discharge has stayed consistent. The smell fluctuates between a yeasty smell, to an infectiony smell, sometimes with a little fishiness or even bit of a metallic smell (no blood). It’s worse in the mornings and gets better as the day progresses. Four mornings my underwear was wet when I woke up. (I can’t sleep in tight clothes including underwear, so boxers it is and I just let whatever happens happen. It’s nothing that can’t be solved with a load of laundry, and I’d rather my hooha have air flow.) I have to wear a pantyliner earlier in the day but by evening I don’t. Sometimes I have very mild itchiness, but most of the time I don’t. I have a bit of pelvic aching and heaviness in the morning that more or less resolves after a few hours. I might have a mild burning pee sensation the first pee or two of the day. No blisters, ulcers, bumps, or anything of that nature.
Sometimes it seems like it’s kind of getting better, sometimes not. Yesterday and today is definitely better than Monday. Obviously I need to talk to my doctor and get tested. I’m just trying to get an idea of what kind of infection I might have. I’ll see my doctor in 5 days, but until then I’m trying to figure out if there’s anything I can do in the meantime. I bought boric acid suppositories, as I’ve seen them mentioned several times in this sub. But haven’t tried one yet. I’m a little nervous about doing so as my vagina just seems to be sensitive, the tissue is a little more delicate and I can get micro-tears easily. I also live alone and I worry about poor reactions to it, and I live out in the country and the closest medical facility that I feel comfortable going to is about an hour away. And obviously I don’t want to make it worse. So, I’m hesitant on that one.
I feel like I have the whole spectrum of symptoms and don’t have a clue at this point. Anyway, anyone have any good guesses on my unhappy vag? Lol.

I'd like to start by letting everyone know that the genre is Fantasy Epic, and that this is a long prologue at 6,414 words. This prologue serves a purpose as it takes care of a lot of my setting and plot setup. It also gives the reader a fair bit of worldbuilding without making it too much of an info dump (talking to you Robert Jordan ;P).
I've had several people beta read this for me and gotten a lot of positive feedback. The prolbem for me is that these were all people I know very well on a personal level. Several have made comparisons to Chronicles of Narnia or Lord of the Rings as far as how well the full book is written. The problem is, friends and family can often have a bias and make things seem better than they really are. So, now I want to do a test run in the real world and see what people who don't know me think. Is it as engaging and compelling as they have made me hope that it is?
I'm basically wanting to take a page from a couple authors I admire and follow the ABC rule for critiquing. Please let me know of any point where you thought it was Awesome, Boring or Confusing. I know prologues aren't everyone's favorite thing, but this has basically been written like a novella for the main story as it foreshadows a lot of things leading all the way into book four.
————————————————————————————
PROLOGUE
ARCHIVE INFINITUM
October 14, 844 (Alt-Future)
"Welcome back to the Archive, Master Jonathan."
"Thank you, Charles. It's good to be back. Have you noticed anything interesting in the Physical Realm?"
"I have not, sir. Do you require any assistance today?"
"Thank you, but no. I'm only here to revisit a passage within the history of the Order. Shortly after, I'll depart for the reunion at the Tower."
"Excellent, sir. I'll leave you to it."
Jonathan emerged from the ether and walked through the Archive doors. Inhaling deeply, he breathed in the familiar scents of dusty cleanliness that can only truly be found in a place of learning. The lights reflected off the floor's white marble surface, casting a glow that evenly lit every corner of the large chamber. Even so, the room still felt cavernous to him, as if he were a galleon amidst the vastness of the ocean.
Jonathan appeared to be in his early to mid forties. Though, with the way he carried himself and the spring in his step, he seemed closer to his late twenties. His hair was shoulder length and dark gray. He wore bifocals though he hadn't needed them since his ascension, and dressed with a refined sense of style.
His gray eyes were by far his most interesting feature, though. They were the only hint of how old he truly was and the many adventures and travesties he'd witnessed. Regardless, how old he was didn't matter as age had long since lost its meaning for him. After all, being an immortal tended to give a man new priorities in life.
As he strolled across the room, a lift descended from the tower's heights. The square platform had waist high rails around its perimeter. It floated through the air showing no sign of a suspension system to raise or lower it. This was accomplished by a magical enchantment that allowed it to levitate and dart about the room at mind numbing speeds. As he stepped up onto the platform's dais, it landed on the floor in front of him. He took a position at its center, then, after folding his arms behind his back, mentally willed it to take him to floor eight hundred forty four.
It rose off the ground, gradually gaining speed until it was a hundred or so feet in the air. At that point, the platform took off like a rocket. The thought of what these speeds would do to him if this were outside the Realm of Intellect crossed his mind, making him chuckle nervously. He knew he had to be moving close to six hundred miles per hour.
Now, let me tell you a bit about Jonathan's pet project, The Archive Infinitum. The Archive is a magical structure he'd designed shortly after the cataclysm that nearly wiped out the human race. An event most of you now refer to as the Night of Burning Skies. That same event is also what gave us the powers we now refer to as magic.
Shortly after obtaining his ascension, he learned that science's multiverse theories were close to how reality really worked. There are an infinite number of parallel universes, or branching timelines, that coexist simultaneously. What was different is that each universe shared a common six realm structure. The Physical Realm, the Realm of Intellect, the Dominion of Shadows, the Plane of Enlightenment, the Land of the Forgotten, and the Ether.
He built the Archive within the Realm of Intellect so it wouldn't be bound by the laws of physics or time as we know them. Once the structure was anchored in place, he could set most of those parameters himself. What he didn't realize was that making it here would have an unintended, though not unwelcome, side effect. The structure's size, shape, and architectural style could change by anyone who entered it.
When someone enters the Archive, it ascertains their strength of mind and will. Suppose the individual's mental fortitude is deemed stronger than that of the other occupants. In that case, the appearance will adjust to one that best serves and appeals to that individual. This could become unsettling for the occupants already inside the first few times it happened. That being said, it has no effect on the contents atop the shelves or where you're located within the structure. For Jonathan, it shared an uncanny resemblance to the George Peabody Library, though on a much grander scale.
The lift stopped after a brief ride, and Jonathan stepped off. He resumed his stride, passing row after row of the cherry wood bookcases. There were hundreds of rows and thousands of tomes and scrolls in each. As a scholar, he'd spent most of his existence here. But, even so, he knew there would always be something more to be gleaned from their pages.
Today was a day of remembrance. Of celebration. Of mourning. It was the anniversary of the end of a war that had lasted ten thousand years. With the death of one individual, a light of hope was given to many. For others, it was a bittersweet victory that left a void in their hearts. He'd come here today to revisit a passage that would return him to that fateful day. Reliving the event which granted them this peace, and once again, paying his respects to a dear friend.
"Ah, yes, yes, yes. Here we go."
The plaque on the side of the bookcase read, Row DD, Column 15. Now that he'd found the right one, he began scanning the shelves. It wasn't long before his hand landed on the tome he sought.
"Here it is." He pulled it down from the shelf. "My word. Has it truly been fifteen hundred years since I glanced through these pages?"
Looking at the cover, he chuckled. The combined magic of the Archive and the Realm had created a thin layer of dust. Giving it the feeling of something ancient and lost to time. Raising it to his lips, he blew the dust away, causing the magic to dissipate as it fell to the floor. He pulled open the cover and rifled through the pages. The section he stopped at contained the account of Rexinon the Prophet's final words.
Summoning his divine magics, he channeled a spell into the tome. The words that once filled the passages began to fade away, leaving only the blank pages, which now bled a blueish gray smoke. The soft glow of the lights against the floor diminished as the smoke spread. As the darkness grew more substantial, luminescent spheres and arcs of brilliant blues and crimson could be seen dancing about its surface like lightning.
The ground trembled beneath his feet, and the smokey haze took on a more stormlike appearance. All around him, the air started to feel heavy, and the taste of dust and sea salt filled his mouth. A gentle rain began to fall, and the room's remaining lights winked out. If not for the increasing flashes of lightning, he would've been left in total darkness. But even this was not a comfort, as those flashes cast shadows against the storm's ever swirling walls. Many of which appeared to be dark things that should never be seen in the light.
The storm's intensity grew, bringing disorienting cracks of thunder and wind whipping around him. It assaulted his senses and seemed to have an almost vengeful purpose. That meant he had to constantly focus on the spell, bracing himself against the onslaught. If he failed, it would kill him without question.
Some of the shadows began to take on a physical form with details beyond what the walls could offer them. He watched as an hourglass tumbled end over end, circling him before it returned to the storm. A moment later, a blazing fireplace and mantle emerged but produced neither light nor heat. Finally, a door engraved with the crest of the Order appeared. These images were ones he'd expected to see for this particular passage, and so came as no surprise. However, when a fourth image appeared, he was caught off guard.
Although it was normal for three images to accompany this spell, an occasional fourth spoke of prophecy. He focused intently on this final image. It showed twelve people standing in a circle; one of them was coated in blood. Two others were bound by chains. One a man, the other a woman.
He looked closer at the man and realized it was Godric. His eyes opened wide as he tried to decipher the meaning behind the image. Only a few moments passed while he speculated, but it was a few moments too many. Disaster struck, and too late, he realized his mistake. He'd lost focus, and now the storm would surely take him.
Hurricane force winds and debris tore at his clothes, quickly turning them into rags. One powerful gust slammed into his side as if he'd been struck by a car, knocking him off his feet. The storm swelled with even greater ferocity. It threatened to consume him this time, and he wondered if it would finally cost him.
Rain and hail pelted his face and body, while dust and sand stung his eyes. As he wiped away the grit, a bolt of lightning struck before him, temporarily blinding him. He got to his hands and knees, gasping for breath as the storm continued to beat him relentlessly.
Steeling himself against the pain, he rose to his feet. As fast as he could manage, he began casting mental defenses and barriers to protect his mind from the horrific assault. He bellowed in defiance of the storm, "I will not let it end this way! I refuse!" One defense after another was laid upon his person, until finally, he succeeded. The winds died to a breeze as the rain became little more than a summer misting.
He heard the sound of a quill scratching against paper over the storm's remnants, and the air behind his back grew hot as a crackling fire joined the room's ambiance. The sickly sweet smell of incense filled his nostrils, reminding him of days spent in his master's study. Another fond memory.
The storm wall vanished as the tremors subsided, making the room visible through a misty haze. The light of the fireplace cast his shadow across the now rough cut gray stone floor. Half a dozen tapestries hung around the room, and a liquor cabinet stood at the room's far corner. The main entry door remained closed to his left, and the doorway to the study's balcony lay to his right. At the room's center sat Rexinon at his desk, writing furiously on a piece of parchment.
Wiping the sweat from his brow, he breathed a sigh of relief. Although he'd done this countless times, the journey into the pages of history was always filled with peril. But, blessedly, the most intense part of the spell was complete. And while he could now relax in that fact, that fourth image still concerned him.
He stood in the familiar square room, clothing restored to its original state. The evening's air flowed through the open windows, making the ambient temperature quite cozy. Crossing the room, he paused at the desk and listened as Rexinon started muttering. "What I wouldn't give for a typewriter, much less a computer. Would make this so much faster."
Jonathan couldn't help but crack a smile. "Oh, but how many times have I thought the same thing, old friend?" He remarked, though he knew Rexinon couldn't hear him.
He stepped up to the desk and leaned over it. Looking down at the paper Rexinon was writing on, he frowned. Like so many times before, it appeared as little more than black scribbles on a page. Those words had to be important, but there was no way to know.
This was one of the spell's critical weaknesses. The details within the vision were only as precise as what was written in the tome. Most of the books in the Archive were magically transcribed. The benefits of this were completed histories free of victor and writer biases. Although, it wasn't flawless.
Throughout history, there have been individuals or events that the spell couldn't see. The most well known examples of these blips in time were the United States presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt from 1933 to 1945 and the United Kingdom's Prime Minister, Michael Durham, from 2063 to 2065. All that is known about them was their lives before office and the accounts written by those around them. These gaps in history were generally the result of one of two things. In these two cases, a place or individual with a strong connection to the Dominion of Shadows.
Sighing, he pushed off the desk and crossed the room to the liquor cabinet. He opened the glass doors, pulling several bottles and a glass from the shelves. He made a drink consisting of three parts Red Adders Bite and one part Dry Amorian Blood Wine, then added a lime wedge to the rim of the glass. The others wouldn't arrive for another half hour, leaving him time to kill.
He walked around the room with his drink in hand and studied the various tapestries, several of which he'd been a part of. Each one depicted an accomplishment or tragedy facilitated by the Order. All save one, which showed a scene from the event that started it all.
The one to the left of the cabinet showed the Order's founding. In the background stood a grand tower of black and white marble. Its four sides were engraved with the Mark of Hellyrr, which glowed with a magical light. In front of it stood a man facing a gathered crowd, his arms swept wide in triumph. They looked up at him and the structure with reverence and awe.
He continued to move in a counterclockwise manner around the room. Above the main entry door hung another tapestry. One he was even depicted in. It showed the aftermath of a massacre. Six figures stood amidst the bodies of hundreds. The earth around them was scorched by flame, and the blood of the fallen had stained it red. The cloud covered sky glowed a deep crimson with gold outlines from the fires below. It had come to be known as the Cleansing of Elysian, in which the entirety of the planet's second continent had been annihilated to preserve the world.
"I wish it had never come to this. Why can't we all just get along? Instead of thriving in the prosperity of our two lands, they plotted and began planning to bring war to our own people. To rape, pillage, and enslave them. Even with all my vast knowledge and wisdom, I can't understand why they felt the need to dominate and control the world." He looked back up at the tapestry. "Even now, most of the land is still uninhabitable."
He turned around and looked at the tapestry above the balcony door. This one would appear out of place with the others to all but a few handfuls of people. Even for those who learned the truth behind it, it looked like little more than an artist's vision of what a beautiful landscape at sunset should look like. The sky is dotted with hundreds of stars as shades of red, orange, and yellow dance across the land's horizon. The artist's point of view appears to be looking down from a hillside. Down the hill's slope, you can see a pond teaming with wildlife along its edge. The remaining landscape is filled with miles of forest stretching toward the horizon.
For the few who survived this event and still remained, they knew it depicted the final moments of their world before all of humanity was nearly lost.
Jonathan fixated on this tapestry more than he had on the others. The longer he stared, the more distant his expression grew. Over time, his breathing quickened, and his grip on the glass slipped. It shattered as it hit the floor, causing the rug to stain from the liquid. The sound jerked him out of the trance like state, making him feel ill.
He could still recall the memory of that long ago day like it were yesterday. The thought of how close humanity had come to extinction made his legs weak, and he stumbled back against the wall behind him. He slid down the stones' cool surface and noticed his hands were now trembling. Through shuddering breaths, he uttered the words of a broken man. "So much death. So many lives were lost that day. So many. Oh, Sonia. Even after all this time, I still miss you."
The main entry door slammed open, crashing against the wall with a loud bang. Jonathan jerked as one of them collided mere inches from where he sat. The startling sound had been enough to pull him from his stupor, but it still took a moment for him to gather himself. A man in the doorway lowered his foot from where he'd obviously kicked the unlocked door in.
"Knock, knock, Rex. Seems you've done it now."
"Seth. I'll never understand the animosity you held for Rexinon," Jonathan said wearily as he got to his feet.
Seth stood just shy of five foot eight inches and had slick black hair that he kept combed back. He wore black jeans and a beige dress shirt with mother of pearl buttons, which had seen far too much polish in recent days. A malevolent grin displayed his perfect teeth and careless eyes. He strode into the room, dragging a chair behind him, and placed it on the rug by the fireplace.
"Was kicking the door in really necessary, Seth?"
A second man stepped into the room, obviously annoyed by the unnecessary use of force. He wore a navy blue business suit and towered over everyone else in the room, and that was saying something considering Jonathan was six foot. As he still held to the standards of a marine, he kept his hair high and tight and his face clean shaven. He stood at the rug's edge out of respect for the Order so as not to mar the embroidered Mark of Hellyrr. A respect Seth clearly lacked.
"Godric Gibbs. This day changed you. Hell, it changed all of us, but few as much as you," Jonathan said. He looked back at the door as the third and final man entered. "Assassin."
This man was of a height with Jonathan and wore all black from head to toe. His outfit looked like something out of a TV show. Almost like a cross between Gi Joe's Snake Eyes, and CW Arrow's League of Assassins. After ten thousand years, all they knew about him was his previous occupation as a contract killer. It wasn't long before they'd taken to calling him Assassin, as they had no other name to go by. Any time he was asked a question regarding his past, he either remained silent or dodged it outright. He took a position to Godric's left and, like Godric, took care of where he stood on the rug.
The three men stood in silence and watched as Rexinon continued to write. Godric and Assassin seemed content to wait until he addressed them. On the other hand, Seth seemed to grow more agitated as the minutes passed. Jonathan chuckled in spite of himself.
About twenty minutes later, Rexinon spoke, "Reverend Seth Jones, Colonel Godric Gibbs, and Assassin. To what do I owe the pleasure?" His tone plainly indicated that he already knew.
Seth spoke first. "Oh, cut the crap, Rex. You already know why we're here. This cult thing of yours has gone on long enough."
"Well, there's the pot calling the kettle black," Jonathan muttered sarcastically.
Godric rolled his eyes. Everyone in the room knew about Seth's past as a cult leader. They also knew his anger was more at being forced to wait in silence than anything to do with Rexinon or the Order.
"Calm yourself, Seth. There's no need for such hostilities." Godric looked at Rexinon apologetically. "I'm sorry to have to do this, old friend, but my hands are tied. Rexinon the Prophet, Headmaster of the Hellyrrian Order, you've been charged with conspiracy to overthrow the governments of Aurelia and seize control for the Order.
"As we speak, the leaders of the Hellyrrian Order are being gathered for execution. Furthermore, your towers and all their artifacts will be destroyed, and any remnants of the Order's existence is to be wiped from the face of history. As of 0813 this morning, you have been sentenced to death. How do you plead?"
Rexinon continued to write at an incredible rate. He knew why they'd come. He'd known this was coming for months. After all, his gift was the gift of prophecy. The evidence for the charges against him was both substantial and ethereal, depending on what light was shown on it.
Two centuries ago, the Order had tracked the activities of an unknown number of individuals who'd been subtly manipulating several of the Aurelian governing bodies. They'd spread like a poison, corrupting them and turning once prosperous kingdoms which knew few hardships, into lands where the people had to fight just to survive. The problem was that whoever that force had been, always seemed to be just one step ahead of them. Now, not only was it check, but checkmate. The Order had lost.
"I believe the Righteous Twelve to be ill advised. I believe you've been manipulated by the same corrupted governing body which we've spent so long trying to purify—." Seth grunted. "—But," he said at length, "I accept all charges against me, save one. Neither myself nor anyone else of the Order has ever sought to rule Aurelia, as the charges would imply. The Cleansing of Elysian should've been proof enough to show that to be true."
Rexinon penned the final words of his letter and placed the pen back in its stand. Pulling the top off a jar, he dusted the page with a thin layer of sand to soak up any excess ink. After dumping the sand back into another jar to be cleaned, he pushed away from his desk and stood to look at his guests for the first time. After nudging his stool back under, he addressed Godric directly.
"Will you join me on the balcony one last time?"
Godric nodded his head and gestured towards the balcony doorway. As they stepped outside, Jonathan followed.
Rexinon leaned against the railing and looked out over the city, his gaze fixed on the setting sun. Godric joined him and looked down to the tower's base, some five hundred feet below. Although he was not afraid of heights, it gave him respect for the sturdily mounted railing at the balcony's edge.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Rexinon said. Godric looked at him, confused. "The way the world has turned out since that day? Ten thousand years of watching as civilization was rebuilt and destroyed time and time again by a senseless war. Watching them evolve into something more as they learned how to use these gifts we were given. In some ways, we're greater than we ever were. In other ways, we're inferior. If I have any regrets, it's that I couldn't do more to leave the people better prepared for this new age."
"Well spoken. If it's any consolation, I believe this is wrong. I even spoke out against the council for a different outcome. For my efforts, though, I was threatened with execution if I didn't cease my objections."
Rexinon's tone grew heated after hearing of the council's reaction. "You should know better than anyone why I fought so hard against them, then. I'm not against governance. I'm against corrupt governance. We had far too many corrupt politicians and warlords in our own time for me to ever want to allow it again."
Godric nodded his head. "Yes. The problem is you played too heavy a hand too quickly. Instead of accepting that they'd been beaten, they cheated by playing with an ace they had hidden up their collective sleeves."
Rexinon sighed, knowing his words were true. "Indeed. I've accepted my fate. I won't run. Won't even make it difficult for y'all. I have no need to. I would like to make one final request to ease your conscience, though."
Rexinon leaned toward Godric conspiratorially. As he did this, the world around them began to shimmer and distort. Almost like the motion blurring you'd see on a TV. Likewise, their conversation was masked by the sound of white noise and the sound of hushed incoherent whispers.
This was the second hurdle the scrying spells had to deal with. Individuals with divine magic could conceal their conversations or even the events they were a part of. Rexinon had concealed this conversation, and to this day, Godric has never spoken of what was said.
Jonathan returned to the study with a resigned sigh. There was nothing more he could learn from their conversation. Assassin stood in the same spot he'd been when he first entered the room and looked as if he hadn't so much as twitched. Seth, however, was rummaging through the desk's drawers. He'd tried to figure out what he was looking for in the past, but nothing seemed obvious.
The shards of glass from when he'd dropped his cup earlier had vanished, along with the stain on the rug from the liquor. As expected, the glass had returned to the cabinet, and the bottles had refilled to where they were before he'd arrived. This was yet another reminder that this was a magically induced vision of an event that had long since passed. It could be too easy to forget that this wasn't real and that if he spent too much time here, it would have consequences in the real world for him.
He knew they'd be out there a while. In previous visits, he'd occasionally spent this time combing through the room, similar to what Seth was doing. Having cataloged everything centuries ago, there was nothing left to do but wait. So, he walked around the desk and sat squarely within the Mark of Hellyrr embroidered on the rug. There, for the next hour or so, he would remain, arms folded, legs crossed, and eyes shut. Freeing his mind of all unnecessary thoughts and emotions. At least, that was the plan.
About forty minutes in, Seth started to grumble and complain, forcing Jonathan to give up on his meditation. "… I know he's one of the humblest among our kind, but lord, does he have to be so dull? I can't find anything interesting anywhere. Even his liquor cabinet is dull." Seth walked from behind the desk to the liquor cabinet, pulled a few bottles out at random, and read the labels aloud. "Red Adders Bite, Amorian Blood Wine. Christ, he's even got Athester's Sweet Malt. This crap might as well be water." He pulled another bottle down and said, "At least he's got the taste to have at least one bottle of Nordic Berserker."
"Some of us prefer the simpler things in life. You might find life more enjoyable when you aren't always looking for the rare and exotic," Assassin said with a disinterested, almost dismissive tone.
Seth clicked his tongue. "Hell, even this letter he was so focused on when we arrived makes no sense." Seth thrust the letter towards Assassin, who took it nonchalantly. "Look at this."
Jonathan studied Assassin intently, hoping for any sign that would reveal the letter's contents. It was no use, though; for all the emotion he showed, Jonathan would've thought it no more important than a grocery list. But, if that were the case, why obscure it from the eyes of the scrying spell? The frustration caused by such a simple sheet of paper was baffling.
Jonathan got to his feet as Rexinon and Godric returned. As Rexinon walked to stand at the center of the rug, Jonathan moved behind the desk. Godric walked toward Assassin and conversed with him for a few minutes. Once again, the sound of white noise shrouded what was said. This time, it was Godric who masked his words from the spell. When Assassin nodded, Godric moved beside him and faced Rexinon.
Rexinon looked at each tapestry and seemed to relive each as he did so. They all knew those accomplishments and tragedies would stand the test of time. Any efforts to change that would fall flat. The Order had played too significant a role in shaping this new world. Finally, he turned to Godric, kneeling as he met his regret filled eyes.
Assassin pulled an infamous rod from his side, dubbed the Executioner's Handle. Forged in the Dominion of Shadow by Assassin some three thousand years ago. It was one and a half feet long of shadow infused steel and bound with his own divine essence. Ominous black tendrils crawled along Assassin's hand like something alive and flowed into the handle. The shaft elongated, and an axe head formed at its end.
Though he had accepted his fate, seeing that axe form made Rexinon's heart stop momentarily. He looked at Godric questioningly. Godric knew what that look meant and nodded his head in assent. Agreeing to this had allowed them both to right several wrongs this night by asking one simple question. "Do you have any final words or requests?"
"I have two, if you'll grant them. The first, allow me to disband the Order formally as my final act as headmaster."
Seth started to protest, but Assassin lowered the axehead in his direction as a silent threat. Seth glared at Assassin with seething hatred. Godric nodded to Rexinon. "Proceed."
As the headmaster of the Hellyrrian Order, he had a mental connection with every member. Without hesitation, Rexinon's eyes began to glow with a brilliant purple hue. This would be Rexinon's final order, and Godric knew it would save thousands.
"My brothers and sisters, hear me now and heed my words. Abandon the Order and save yourselves. Flee to the hills and never look back to what we once were. With my dying breath, the Hellyrrian Order is no more. The governments of Aurelia have played a hand we can't stand against. Anyone who disregards this command will be hunted down and executed without mercy. To the leaders and guild masters of the Order, I charge you with dismantling everything relating to the Order and turning over every artifact and document you can to Godric the Just, Jonathan the Wise, or Assassin the Watcher. I also ask that you help calm those who feel outraged and betrayed by this night. Do not blame the Twelve, as they were little more than pawns in this corrupt game of politics. Farewell, my friends. My family. May the peace we have fought for be found in the coming days."
The glow faded, and he slumped forward onto his hands, his breathing labored. A few moments passed, and he managed to catch his breath but still looked towards the ground.
"The second request I have is that anyone who would heed that warning be spared. The ruling factions wanted me. As long as no one else causes trouble, we know they won't cause too much fuss over it."
His voice took on a much sharper edge as he looked back up. "You call us a cult, though you know we are nothing of the sort. On the contrary, our Order has stood for nearly five thousand years for the betterment of the entire world. How they treated you should tell you that what I said and what we were doing was justified."
"Shut your mouth, Rex!" Seth spat venomously.
Godric glared at Seth. His own anger with this situation was at the point of breaking free. "Be silent! I don't know what kind of grudge you have, but I, for one, don't give a damn what the council said. Rexinon doesn't deserve death for the crimes he's being accused of. Unfortunately, the ruling factions in almost every nation are corrupted and working towards being as corrupt as they were back in our day." Godric sighed. "Regrettably, my hands are tied, though. The law is the law, and I have been overruled on this matter. Regardless of what my conscience thinks, I will abide by the rules of the land."
Rexinon nodded, understanding Godric's situation perfectly. Godric had become the divine embodiment of law and justice at his ascension. While those two things work hand in hand, they are far from the same, and one must often walk a fine line to serve them both. In this case, the choices were clear. In the end, it didn't matter what he chose; he would inevitably betray one virtue or the other. Unfortunately, there was no good way for him to handle this, and Rexinon could see how this was affecting him.
"The majority of the Order will heed my warning. As for the leaders, if any are still alive, they will follow that command to the letter. They'll even aid you in handling any hotheads who resist," Rexinon said.
"The good news is that no one has yet been executed this evening. I'll personally see to it that those who abide by that order are given a chance to live long, productive lives within society. If all goes well, you will be the only casualty of this idiocy."
Rexinon gave the faintest sign of a smile with a halfhearted chuckle as he said, "Godric, one thing I'll not allow is any of the Order's work ending up in the hands of one of those tyrants. Therefore, I demand that Jonathan be given every document, scroll, and tome held within our strongholds for safekeeping." Rexinon felt exhausted. The spell to warn his Order took more out of him than anticipated.
"You're in no position to be making demands of us," Seth said. Godric finally snapped and struck him so hard that he slammed back into the wall beside the fireplace, cracking it. He got back to his feet a moment later, fixed his shirt, and looked down at the blood he'd wiped from his lip. Godric looked back at Rexinon.
"As you were saying."
"Assassin, I'd ask that you secure all our relics and artifacts, regardless of their magical significance. I don't need to tell you what all we have housed around Aurelia."
"No, you don't. The nukes of our time were nothing compared to some of those items," Assassin replied.
"We'll see to it that it's done. There are things within these walls that were never meant for untrained mortal hands," Godric added.
"Thank you."
"As for the texts, Jonathan will have a field day going through everything. There is far too much the council doesn't understand within these walls that we can't afford to lose."
"Godric was right, Rex. I still have everything. Much of which has been quite useful over the centuries,"
Godric turned his head away, no longer able to look Rexinon in the eye. "I no longer deserve the right to call you a friend, but is there anything else you would ask of me?"
Rexinon looked at Godric for a long time and couldn't help but smile. Not at his pain or suffering in following the orders given to him, but knowing that if anyone here had ever been a friend to him, Godric certainly was. With his final words, he left Godric with a warning.
"No, but I'll leave you with this. Be wary of those among you, for one will betray you all. My friend."
Godric nodded, accepting these as Rexinon's final words as a tear ran down his cheek. Rexinon lowered his head, and Assassin enveloped his axe's blade in a purple aura.
"Woah, Assassin, what's with the new color? Never seen that before," Seth asked.
Ignoring the question, Assassin swung the axe, severing Rexinon's head cleanly.
That night, the cries of the Order were heard in every city across Aurelia. All mourning the death of the Order's first, and last, headmaster.
Jonathan fought back tears of his own as he watched the axe's head vanish. Assassin secured the handle on his belt as he walked towards the desk. Godric looked as though he was going to be sick.
"Did you do as I asked?" Godric asked shakily.
"Of course. I may be a trained killer, but even I know this was bullshit, mate."
Seth walked over and picked up Rexinon's severed head by the hair. He held it up before him, a mischievous grin on his face. Then he whispered something into Rexinon's ear.
Assassin's eyes locked on Seth. As he let go of the head, he used one of his abilities, known as shadow step, to cross the distance to where Seth stood. Before Rexinon's head hit the ground, Assassin snatched it out of the air and punched Seth so hard that it sent him flying into the same section of the wall he'd hit earlier. He bounced off it, but the force of the impact sent several of the stones flying into the next room. Seth crumpled to the floor, where he lay unmoving for several seconds. After a while, his head snapped upright, and he began to laugh. He stood up as if nothing had happened and headed out the door. Godric, now seething with anger, watched as Assassin started to go after him. "Leave him. He's not worth your time."
Jonathan paced around the room, waiting for the spell to wear off. His heart ached, and his own anger toward Seth at that moment made him wish he could destroy the man. But that was Seth's way, and they'd all learned to let it go in time. The world began to blur and vanish, reverting to the Archive once again.
He closed the cover, placing the tome back on the shelf with a heavy sigh. His fingers lingered on the binding as he read the inscription, A Complete History of the Hellyrrian Order, Volume 666. Finally, Jonathan let his hand fall to the side as he walked away with his shoulders slumped.
As if speaking to an old friend, he lamented, "Damn you, Rex. Why couldn't you have just left well enough alone?"
As Jonathan walked away, he shed a tear at the loss of one of his closest friends.

I've done some research so I know historically they were made of maple or oak, but I don't know if I'll have access to those materials, especially not properly dried/seasoned to prevent warping/cracking. The plan is to use it for humane euthanasia of fish and small game that I catch/hunt. It won't just be for show so it will need to withstand some force. Looking at timber from hardware stores, they aren't even specifying the species of wood used. I would think since it's for building houses it'd be pretty strong? but I know supporting weight is not the same as withstanding a sudden shock force. Any knowledge is appreciated!

News Link: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/06/09/2685507/0/en/Kaival-Brands-Looks-to-Address-Key-Market-Opportunities-Following-Acquisition-of-Extensive-Vaporizer-and-Inhalation-Patent-Portfolio.html
GRANT-VALKARIA, Fla., June 09, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kaival Brands Innovations Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: KAVL) (“Kaival Brands,” the “Company” or “we,” “our” or similar terms), today provided additional details of its recently-acquired extensive patent portfolio from GoFire, Inc. as it looks to expand its current product offerings to explore near and long-term revenue opportunities.
In the near term, Kaival Brands expects to seek third-party licensing opportunities in the cannabis, hemp/CBD, nicotine and nutraceutical markets, as a means of monetizing its new patents. Longer term, the Company believes it can utilize the acquired patents to create innovative and market-disruptive products for its growing base of adult consumers, including patent protected vaporizer devices and related hardware and software applications.
The consideration for the purchased patents consisted primarily of Kaival Brands equity securities, consisting of common stock, newly designated Series B Preferred Stock and a warrant to purchase common stock. Importantly, in certain key aspects, the equity consideration was structured in a forward-looking manner with valuations or exercise prices struck at premiums to the current market price of Kaival Brands’ common stock. The weighted price per share of the common stock issued and the common stock underlying the Series B Preferred Stock was $1.53 per share on the May 30 closing date, accompanied by warrants with exercise prices ranging from $3.00 and $6.00.
Included in the acquired technologies are patented systems and methods that are designed to overcome common issues regarding reliability and consistent dispensing over the entire life of a cartridge or reservoir, as well as improvements to the vaporizing chamber to ensure complete vaporization with minimum residue.
The acquired patent portfolio includes the following:

• Bluetooth Child Safety App and Mechanical Cartridge Protection- A dual lockout system including a child safety lockout via Bluetooth app and child safety measures built mechanically into the cartridge design to prevent accidental consumption by minors.
  
• Controlled Delivery- Patented Twist-to-Dose™ technology utilizes a micro-threaded piston that provides consistent and precise delivery of consumables. There is an audible “click” so the consumer knows exactly how much is inhaled with each use.
  
• Flavor Delivery and Experience to Last Puff- Patented technology eliminates the bad taste that is associated with oil and e-liquid degradation. The RefreshFlavor™ technology is designed in a novel way to keep the vaporized solution safely away from the heating chamber until the moment it is consumed.
  
• Leak Proof Design and Removal of Cutting Agents- Patented sealed reservoir prevents leaks from occurring. Ordinary cartridges rely on dangerous thinning agents and wicks to deliver the oil and e-liquid to the heating chamber. The Twist-to-Dose™ technology with micro-threaded piston system can directly extrude oil into the heating chamber decreasing carbonyl and analyte formation.
  
• Authentication System/Counterfeit Protection- The acquired patents also include novel cartridge/pod identification and authentication/counterfeit protection capabilities.
  
• Dry Puff Protection- Certain elements of the acquired technologies design mitigate “dry puffs” which can occur when the consumable reservoir in a vaping/inhalation device is depleted, allowing the coil or wick to burn dry and emit potentially harmful toxins.
  
• 510 and Pod Compatibility- The technology included in the acquired patents is compatible with both the universal 510 thread format as well as pod based systems, the dominant formats of vaporizer and inhalation technologies.
  
• Product Remaining Indicators- The acquired technology provides indicators allowing for consumer insight into remaining product supply.
  
• MHRA Requirements- Technology is designed to meet all Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) requirements in the United Kingdom.
  

The GoFire patent portfolio includes 12 existing patents and 46 pending applications with novel technologies across extrusion dose control, product preservation, tracking and tracing usage, multiple modalities (i.e., different methods of vaporizing) and child safety. The patents and patent applications cover territories including the United States, Australia, Canada, China, the EPO (European Patent Organization), Israel, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand and South Korea. The portfolio also includes a proprietary mobile device software application that is used in conjunction with certain patents in the portfolio.
The acquired assets are housed in Kaival Labs, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Kaival Brands which develops new branded and white-label products and services in the vaporizer and inhalation technology sectors.
To learn more about the acquisition and for a broader transaction overview, please see our release from May 31, 2023. For potential licensing inquiries, please reach out to Stephen Sheriff, Director of Communications and Administration: [email protected].
​

Question is about how soon I should dry out my RTT after getting rained on. I am going out Friday for a 2 day event. The rain appears to be coming about midnight and continue until Sunday late. I do live in a somewhat humid climate. So the main question is if the tent gets wet Saturday evening / Sunday morning (approx. 1in. rain) and I pack up wet and cannot open the tent back up till Monday is this an issue?

We just got a new kitten that is 7 weeks old and doesn’t seem to be interested in soft, wet, or a combination of both foods. We just got him roughly 18 hours ago so I get he needs to adjust to his new home. We got him formula and will be giving that to him but I’m curious if anyone has advice on getting him to eat solid food? Should I do wet only to start or dry? Any advice would be really appreciated :)

Hello, everybody! I just got my first two fountain pens ever: A TWSBI Eco T and a TWSBI Eco Rose Gold White (both with F nibs). Along with them I got two inks: Pelikan 4001 (dark green) and Pelikan 4001 (royal blue). I have no issues with the dark green, it has a nice flow and it is pretty easy to clean the pen. On the other hand, when using the royal blue, it seems as if there is not the same ink flow (it seems more dry with more thin lines) and I am too afraid to keep the ink inside for long because it seems to me that it tints the clear part of the body of the pen. Tbh, after a couple of hours I always take the ink out and flush the pen. Do you have any recommendations on blue inks that won't tint my pens and give a nice wet flow? Thank you in advanced! 🙏😊🙆🏼‍♀️

This is for an outdoor shower. Ideally I’d like a bench at one end so people can put on dry clothes without getting wet after the shower. Thanks

So it seems like my 6 month old male kitten is getting a little bit of a pouch in his belly. He’s not fat (~8 lbs) but it made me look further into his nutrition and daily calorie requirements. I’ve seen old posts about people feeding their (similar age or younger) cats two cans of 3oz wet food in total each day and more if they are hungry, but after looking at the calorie content, well a 5.5oz can of wet kitten food has 1300 kcal give or take 50. Most website recommendations I’ve seen say feed a 6 month old (8 lb male, fixed) roughly 400 kcal/day so I have been doing that (1/8 cup dry twice a day plus 1/4 big can wet once a day for a total of ~470 kcal per day). I can’t leave a full bowl of dry out for grazing because of my girlfriends 14 year old cat who is on a diet because she overeats. The vet said “give the kitten as much as it wants” with no time table to begin controlling their intake. I know 6 months is still a growing kitten but their growth is mainly 0-6 months and then it starts to slow. So basically: am I giving my furry friend enough right now or is 1300 kcal per day actually a normal amount? Am I overreacting to a little belly flap that is actually normal?
EDIT: holy cow I misread the label on the can. A single 5.5oz can of wet food is 208 calories. I was reading the “calories per kilogram” as in 2.2 POUNDS of wet food which is ~1300 calories. Oops. I’ve been feeding my kitten a total of ~200 calories for the last few days. No wonder he’s begging for food! Will increase accordingly. Thanks everyone!

Friend of ours runs a semi-rural commercial mat cleaning service where she collects the rented mats weekly or semi weekly and changes them out for "clean" ones.
The dirty ones she takes back to clean. I wanted to ask this subs help on how to improve the process couse right now its below optimal...
Her cleaning process consists of workers loading the mats into an older type dum wash with no centrifuge option and after some time inm there hange them out to dry.(additional hand pressing out water when there is a big pile up).
this process gets rid of most of the dirt in them but leaves large ammount of dust in them. (my hypothesis is that the dirty water is still in the rugs when they left to dry so when it does the finer dirt get left in there).
Additionaly the edges of the rugs keep curling up wich in my theory is the result of the poor drying process.(they hang them on plastic tubes hanging from the ceiling)
I had a few ideas given to her wich consist of an industrial grade liquid vacuum and the liquid pressing rod the professional rug cleaners use (no idea what its called, the one that looks like a mop with metal sheet instead of bristles).
She had plans of buying a larger industrial washing machine with centrifuge option but those in the country currently cost a price of a house for a new one.
In conclusion i wanted to ask for help in this matter becouse im in no shame qualified to give proper advice to her that would cost a huge chunk of money.
(if there is a better sub to post this please let me know)