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Chapter 3: The Noise In Ether
For this story I had to consult with five Gojids. I didn’t want to be insensitive for what happened on Cradle.
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Memory Transmission Subject: Barm, Gojid Survivor
Date [Standardized Human Time]: October 15, 2136
The sight of empty streets and abandoned homes was a horrible reminder of the aftermath that happened merely a month ago. To prevent the invasion of the human homeworld, Earth, they struck us first, targeting only our military facilities and paralyzing our forces. Any civilian casualties were the victims of stampede, humans only killed resisting combatants. When the victory was theirs, unexpectedly Arxur showed up out of nowhere and took advantage of our nonexistent defense. Humans had no chance to resist the grays, but they evacuated as many Gojids as their capacity allowed. They took us into refugee camps on Earth and Venlil Prime for the indefinite period. This is what really happened. Despite being predators, humans did not eat any Gojid and did not collaborate with the Arxur, and they did not put us in cattle farms on Earth, as the rumors implied.
Still, I can’t say I could ever forgive humans for what they did. Our culture has been shattered and our populace was decimated. I have returned only when humans formed a questionable alliance with the Arxur and retrieved control over Cradle. Our towns were completely forsaken. The infrastructure needed full reconstruction. The biggest cities were populated only by a fraction of previous denizens. There were not enough people to keep the civilization functioning like the old times. Many Gojids were working in the primary economic sector, mainly agriculture. The other sectors were maintained less, aside from shopkeeping and maybe medical help. Speaking of that field, there was a high demand for medical service, as previous doctors, nurses and specialists were dead, missing or did not return to Cradle.
My job was to secure the abandoned facilities from further decay. That involves critical branches such as sewage, waterworks and power plants. There were already issues with sewage overflowing in the cities and corroding pipes. When we emerged from the shuttles, we were greeted by a foul fetor coming from the manholes. I was glad when I was chosen to do a power plants inspection instead. Not only because of the filthy environment but because of my pressing desire to remain as far as I can from the populace. The time of invasion and stationing on the homeworld of predators was traumatic enough to afflict some kind of predator disease. In fact, it was probably the most abnormal kind of predator disease known to the Federation. Sometimes I could hear the voices of other Gojids, usually in the presence of radio receivers or any electrical speaker device. The voices were like eavesdropping the arguing bystanders out of context, sometimes they were screaming in fear or talking directly to me, giving me hints and sharing opinions. I could not sleep properly in the presence of my TV. It was acute enough that I could have let myself be screened if only these humans didn’t paralyze our medical care. The concept of being locked in a predator disease facility was unnerving, knowing in what state people leave them, but I suppose I could be a threat to society right now. If I could not get help, I would serve remotely, not endangering the already struggling community. But I couldn’t avoid being escorted by my colleagues to the nuclear plant.
There were two other Gojids with me, a middle-aged Solem and one not much older than me, Nadra. To my dismay, I’ve been given a handheld two-way radio to communicate inside the power plant. As I took it, I braced myself for more hallucination episodes, but it was not something I couldn’t just ignore. What adds up to my horrible situation is that Ki-yu, one of our two moons, is at perigee, and the pulling effect on tides might have an indirect effect on our success as well as the psychological welfare. Adding the possible radiation, I realized I want to get it over with as soon as possible. As I approached the looming silhouette of the nuclear plant, a sense of foreboding gripped me. The once bustling facility now stood in eerie silence, its towering structure’s a haunting reminder of the power it once harnessed. The rust was eating away any metallic surfaces. Even there I could smell the fetor of clogged drainage systems.
My colleagues and I cautiously made our way inside, our flashlights piercing through the thick darkness that enveloped the corridors. The rhythmic hum of machinery that once filled these halls were replaced by an unsettling silence, broken only by the sound of our own footsteps echoing off the walls. We were merely in an entrance hall, studying the layouts and evacuation routes on the closest map before splitting up. Nadra went to locate the emergency power generator in the auxiliary building, Solem went to check the turbine building and I headed toward the generator building. I passed the locker room before I stood in front of big metal doors that could not budge. I saw the keypad scanner on the side. I reached for my transceiver and informed my friends of my defeat, hoping that someone could fetch a crowbar from the tool supply.
“I left my keycard in locker fifteen.“ The voice resonated on my radio. It did not belong to any of my colleagues. A sudden realization hit me that it must be a hallucination, my predator disease. My quills bristled from the haunting presence. I waited a moment to calm my nerves. That delusion brought me the idea to scan through the lockers. I started checking from the beginning. The hallucinations are a part of my broken brain, therefore they could not know more than me to be that precise. Most lockers were either empty or closed all the way until locker fifteen. It actually contained a keycard. I thought to myself that I’m turning into my brother, who also had magic luck, until he hadn’t. I hoped he didn’t suffer in his last moments.
“H e ’ s n o t w i t h u s .” Enraged at my mirage I grabbed my radio and tossed it as hard as I could. The lights flickered suddenly, catching me off guard and only after a while I noticed that the device bounced from the wall without shattering unfortunately. The transceiver responded with a more familiar voice. “The generator is on, but hurry up. It’s almost running on fumes” Nadra must have located the emergency generator, her voice was a blissful reminder of what was real and what wasn’t. Having power means I could unlock the doors and operate the control panels. I made my way inside the reactor building, completely forsaking the cursed communication device. The giant reactor hall was bathed only by flickering emergency lights casting eerie shadows across the hulking machinery. The air hung heavy with a metallic scent, a reminder of the radioactive presence that still lingered within the facility. The buzzing of my dosimeter was unnerving. Having my health in mind, I did not want to linger in this place any longer than necessary. My primary objective was to ensure the safe shutdown of the nuclear reactors. In the absence of regular maintenance, the reactors could pose a significant threat if left unattended. I could see the control room only by the strong yellow lights illuminating through the window, it was the only well-lit room. The control panels were coated in dust, their screens displaying cryptic symbols and error messages. It was evident that the systems had been left to deteriorate without proper care. I started looking for a manual to study each symbol. I had a degree in FTL engines which required extensive training and expertise in the nuclear field as they also operated on nuclear fission, but I would not dare to misinterpret the pictograms in a power plant, especially now when it was left in unrecognizable filth. Power plants were, after all, much more powerful than spacecraft engines.
My dosimeter started turning up, and I could hear a noise coming from a speaker mounted in the corner of a wall. It was used as an intercom. I heard a chatter.
“Sir, there’s a quake a few miles from there. Strong enough to move small buildings.”
“Any structural damage?”
“Negative, but the grid is straining hard.”
“Has the mayor contacted us?”
“She’s not responding, sir.”
“Damn it, I can’t stand that woman. Reduce the output and disconnect the plant.”
I felt numbness taking over my head. The noise of the dosimeter filled my head, I started seeing things. Against my will, I walked to the control panel and pulled my claw towards the controls of multiple generators. I snapped out of the trance hearing an eerie silence in a room. Even my dosimeter stopped buzzing. It took me a while to calm my quills and shiver. I glanced at the controls realizing they were familiar to me. With trepidation, I began the delicate process of shutting down the reactors. I reached and started manipulating the controls of my interest, mainly shutting down individual generators one by one. Each step had to be executed with precision, ensuring that the dubious state reactors would be rendered inert and the potential for catastrophe eliminated. As I manipulated the controls, a sudden surge of power coursed through the room, causing the lights to flicker and the machinery to groan. Fear gripped my heart as I imagined the worst-case scenario unfolding before me. But, with a deep breath and a steadying of my nerves, I continued the process, determined to see it through. When the power output reached an acceptable level I went to the auxiliary building to locate the switchgear room. I passed the lockers and lobby without encountering any of my coworkers. As I reached the switchgear room, I opened the circuit breaker, disconnecting the plant from the grid. I had completed the first step in securing the nuclear plant, but our task was far from over.
When I reached the lobby room I was caught by Solem, a visible frustration painted on his face. “The fuck you’ve been? Why weren’t you responding, and why did you toss your dosimeter?” Taken aback, I reached for my device and realized that I did have that cursed radio with me. I returned to the locker room and found a noisy dosimeter tossed onto the corner. What’s unnerving was that it showed high radiation behind the wall of the reactor building. I realized how my hallucinations had a dangerous impact on my workflow and that I should withdraw. I said that I felt dizzy and I needed a break, before returning to the hovercar.
As I distanced myself I took my time to review what happened inside. My brain must have tricked me to absorb a possibly dangerous dose of radiation. I looked at the towering power plant thinking of the workers that used to provide the energy to most bigger cities in this district. What happened to them during the attack? The horrors of invasion still haunted me and the disturbing hallucinations only served to amplify my unease. The car radio spoke up. This time I could hear panicking crowds, followed by a roar. That sound definitely originated from an Arxur. The next thing I could hear was a low, pitiful sobbing, that slowly, gradually raised in volume. The frequency of these cries were truly bloodcurdling. I felt a sudden flight response, a precognition that I should not be here. I launched towards the entrance and closed the doors before the crescendoing sound reached its breaking point. Once inside the voice abruptly stopped. I left my radio in the car and I only had my dosimeter on me. I tried searching for a living soul to share my worries regarding this place or my mental state. Perhaps Solem could save me from myself. I went to check on the reactor building. I didn’t notice it at first, but the dosimeter was relatively silent inside. It still displayed radiation but at a moderate level, in contrast to the hellish amounts I’ve seen merely five minutes ago. When I found Solem, he was operating a crane and moving the spent fuel rods into a fuel pool. He did not look happy at my sight and descended to scold me. However, I was ready for anything as long as I could get some advice. I told him about the voices that haunt me through the radio and an unknown danger outside the facility. As I was recounting, I felt shame, realizing how ridiculous it sounded. Solem’s body language also displayed signs of awkwardness but he left to check the danger himself. I shouted to make him stop, that it was too dangerous, but he didn’t listen. He slammed the door as he entered the lobby.
I investigated the fuel pool. It was filled with more than a dozen spent or damaged fuel rods. Keeping in mind that there were much more inside the reactor, the pool could not handle that many rods safely. We should return some other time with more support and consider long-term storage. I covered the pool with a heavy plate and left the reactor building. As I was inside the locker room, there was a sudden spike of radiation on my dosimeter, followed by a loud slam of the front doors. Once again a silence filled the room. It took some courage, but I entered the empty lobby. Only my footprints were breaking the silence. My quills were bristling out of my control. I was slowly and silently heading toward the turbine building. If Solem left through the front doors, I could only wonder what happened to him. My only hope is Nadra. I must find her and leave this place immediately.
I opened the heavy doors as silently as possible, moving ever so slightly. But once I entered the turbine room and released the doors, they moved with a shivering scrape and closed with a loud thud. Nothing reacted to the amount of noise. Finally, I forced my quills to ease and began searching for Nadra. Parallelly I investigated one of three turbines, which also fell victim to neglect. The blades were rusted out in a humid environment and filled the room with a musty smell. Humidity also gave the chance for mold to culture. Every tiny gap was accumulating dust. Overall the machine could not be turned on again until it was revived. I found Nadra crawling out of the turbine. She was probably disassembling it for further cleanup. She looked at me with confusion, I didn’t want to repeat my mistake by shoving her away with my delusions. I told her it was not safe there and that we should leave. She paid no attention to the urgency of my words and downplayed me saying I should take a break at the car.
The prospect of returning outside gave me a panic attack. Strong stress reaction pressed on my chest, my ears laid flat on my scalp and my quills bristled. She must have noticed me, but before she could say anything, her two-way radio reactivated, giving away a static noise. We heard as someone banged at the doors, but it came from the radio. We slowly approached the exit doors and the banging continued, louder with each step. Without warning the room filled with a deafening bang accompanied by flickering lights. Nadra flinched and dropped the radio, which stopped working, leaving us again in the noise of my dosimeter. It was the only tool that could warn me of an unknown danger. Whatever it was, it was standing outside. The unspeakable, invisible horror that manifested in airwaves. It took the voice of an Arxur, but it was more terrifying than any greys that invaded this place. Suddenly the intercom started playing and resumed the banging sounds. In an impulse I darted, searching for another exit out of the turbine room. I desperately examined the walls until I found a door, leading to an auxiliary building. The revelation was not good enough. The auxiliary room also led to the lobby and the monstrum that haunted it. Inside there were cooling systems, switchgear, power generator and many other things that I had no time to identify. While Nadra was examining the generator, I stared at the doors leading to the lobby and realized they were made of much more yielding material. The banging also changed the pitch. The previous sounds resembled punching metal doors, and now it was behind these. Suddenly the door cracked open and my head was filled with the deafening noise of my dosimeter. The lights went black and out of instinct I took my dosimeter and slammed it at the wall until it went silent.
The next thing I remembered was Nadra driving our car. The car radio had parts ripped off. I saw that Solem wasn’t with us. We have never seen him again. We drove to a remote cottage in a forest. Every electrical tool was thrown out and smashed just in case. We lived there in radio silence together, in fear, comforting each other. The dread could not leave us alone. We slept poorly, haunted by nightmares. She was seeing the same images at night as me and if we could check, she might have had the same hallucinations. But we could not risk that much. We had a horrible feeling that the nightmare was still lingering somewhere close and would pounce on us the moment we heard the noise. We lived like that for four days, until on day five I woke up in delirium and visibly sick. I was puking and shivering so hard that I couldn’t protest when Nadra took me to a hospital. It must have been radiation sickness. I was rushed to an emergency room where very few doctors were operating on me. Few voices were asking me and Nadra about what happened. None of us could say anything, especially me. They attached me to a neural scanner to analyze my memories and figure out what led to my awful state. When I regained consciousness, I was in a bed isolated from the rest of the room by a translucent plastic veil to keep the outside germs from my nonexistent immune system. The machine was still analyzing my memories. The only thing that kept me company was the music coming from the radio. When I came to my senses I realized the danger of being in the presence of a device. It started humming and I could recognize the voice coming from it. “I m s o r r y”
It belonged to Solem.
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Synopsis:

In the realms of Skysea, where destinies are moulded by the pantheon, one young man defies the established order.
Denied Aether on his Adulthood ceremony, Zaire was dragged by cruel whims of fate to somehow awaken Emerald Aether, setting him on the path of a Mage.
But his awakening hardly had anything to do with the pantheon. Deeper secrets reside within him and in the System. Why was he exiled to the backwater village? What did those recurring nightmares and visions entail? And what's with the cursed dagger?
Zaire will search for the answers to them all, but before that, he must master his power. Great evil lurks near his village.

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Chapter 01: Faithless

Carmel Village, Spring, 3617 years of the System
As the morning of System Inauguration Day dawned, countless individuals awakened with hopes and dreams for what the future held for them. Sadly, Zaire was of a completely different sentiment.
He had risen before the break of dawn, and went through all the rigorous training his mother demanded, and now, found himself on the receiving end of her ruthless thrashing in the spar.
"Move with purpose," Ella barked, her blade poised for the next strike. "I didn't teach you to be sloppy."
His limbs ached from all the exhaustive exercises, leaving him far from his peak during their spar. Not that it would have made a difference—Ella was in a particularly foul mood this morning.
Gritting his teeth, Zaire shifted into a defensive stance, though he didn’t see its purpose with Ella being... Ella. With narrowed eyes, he observed her approach. Despite her tall and heavy stature, she was light on her feet. Her training rod, held high, swung mercilessly towards Zaire in a threatening arc. He managed to block the first strike, but struggled to parry the following ones, barely delaying her advances.
There was no room for him to push forward. Zaire found himself constantly on the defensive, forced to withdraw under the unrelenting onslaught. Each contact between their weapons sent electric spasms through his arms, intensifying the ache.
"No," Ella yelled, her voice piercing the air. Unsatisfied. "I'm not seeing it yet. You are better than this."
Those words struck a nerve within Zaire, prompting him to shift his weight onto his front foot and mount a more committed front. His moves lacked refinement compared to hers, but he put more force behind them, although he knew it would hardly make a difference against a Retired Knight who was well over 200 levels.
But Ella would be more content seeing him trying to get a hit.
"That's more like it," Ella remarked, parrying his attack, a hint of satisfaction in her smile.
They continued sparring for another two minutes, leaving Zaire utterly spent and sprawled on the ground. At that moment, he couldn't help but wish that someone else had adopted him, someone who wouldn't subject him to such gruelling training sessions every morning.
She seriously needed a man in her life, Zaire thought.
"Clean the weapons and tools and you'll have your day," Ella instructed, placing the duelling cane among the rest of the equipment.
Zaire responded with nothing more than a grunt.
"I'll go check on your sister," Ella continued. "Hopefully, she's finished preparing the meal, so we can go to the temple for her awakening."
Zaire remained on the ground, still catching his breath from the exertion his mother had put him through.
Today marked System Inauguration Day, an event where individuals who had reached the age of sixteen would awaken their Aether and embark on the path the gods set for them.
A year ago, Ella was adamant about moulding Zaire into a Knight like herself, despite his fervent aspirations to pursue the path of a Mage. While he displayed considerable skill in swordsmanship and other weapons, Zaire's true passion had always been spellcraft.
He had tirelessly studied spell models and diagrams, fearing that the gods might mistake his talent for swordsmanship and force him into becoming a Knight Squire, as his mother had always desired. Zaire had invested double the effort in learning the spell models than in honing his swordsmanship skills, but it seemed the gods were merciless in their choices.
On his Age day last year, Zaire's dreams of becoming a Mage remained unfulfilled. Matter of fact, he hadn't awakened any Route at all. Completely no reaction from the Aethers.
Even the most humble and unfledged youths of the village had awakened as Woodcutters, Farmers, or Merchants, but Zaire was left without any designation.
The gods had deemed him Routeless. A Faithless Cur.
If only they would grant me another opportunity, Zaire thought, clenching his jaws in frustration. However, he couldn't be certain that it would make any difference. They had attempted various other methods, infusing him with different types of Aether, but most only resulted in agonising concussions and rendered him unconscious.
"Stop gazing at nothing with that long face," a feminine voice broke him through his contemplation abruptly.
Startled, Zaire found himself face to face with Faye, clad in a simple white gown, ready for the Awakening Event. The siblings were strikingly dissimilar in appearance. Faye stood with a full head shorter than him, her features set her apart from the villagers. Her hair was of burning silver, cascading over her shoulders, in contrast to their foster mother Ella’s blonde and his black.
Had it not been for Ella's integrity, Zaire would have suspected that the retired knight had stolen Faye from a noble house. Yet, he was even more perplexed by the implications of her unique features.
It was very likely that Faye was blessed by the Aether. Her pearl eyes and silvery hair were hints of that. He couldn’t think of them as just a coincidence.
His frustration grew with those thoughts.
"If I'm not mistaken, Mum asked you to hone all the weapons and clean everything else," Faye reminded him, breaking the silence. "You're going to get an earful for that."
Zaire grunted as he rose from his seat and made his way to the toolbox. His fingers deftly manoeuvred a knife against the grinding stone, the metallic scraping sound filling the air. Faye lingered in the yard.
"Aren't you missing something?" she asked, eyebrows raised.
Pausing his grinding, Zaire lifted his gaze to meet hers. Clueless
"Aren’t you going to wish me luck?"
"I don't think you'll need any luck from me," he replied with a sigh. "But for what it's worth, I wish you good fortune, Pumpkin. Hopefully, you'll awaken a formidable Route, and Mum will stop nagging about training me to become your Knight."
Ella had expressed her desire for Zaire to become Faye's Knight since she had adopted them. However, Zaire wasn’t so sure about her requiring protection. As far as he was concerned, it was the others who needed protection from her.
Faye arched an eyebrow, looking at all the items scattered around him. All this could take over an hour to finish easily. "I understand that this is difficult for you, but I hope you'll be there during the ceremony."
"What are you talking about?" Zaire responded, his smile beaming brightly. "There's no way I would miss this occasion."
He made sure his words carried genuine excitement and support, assuring her.
Faye beamed as she excitedly returned to the house to prepare for the ceremony. Zaire couldn't help but release a sigh and refocused his attention on his sharpening task.
A few minutes later, Faye emerged from the house along with their mother. She informed Zaire that they expected him to join them in the temple. Knowing that the ceremony would last for a couple of hours, Zaire was confident he would be able to complete his work and catch up with them in due time.
Zaire hastened his grinding pace, swiftly honing the blades one after another. Fatigue began to take its toll, and his arms throbbed. In his haste, the sharp edge of the blade sliced through Zaire's index finger.
“Damnation,” Zaire cursed, jolting his finger, causing crimson blood to splatter across all weapons and tools that surrounded him.
It had already been over half an hour since Faye had departed for the ceremony, and he still had a few daggers left to sharpen. If he were to tend to the cut properly, he definitely would be delayed. Exhaling, Zaire gave a couple of minutes for the blood to stop flowing out and clutched the next weapon in line—a worn dagger with a hilt that had seen better days.
Prepared to resume his grinding, Zaire steadied the dagger against the sharpening stone, this time putting pressure with his palm instead of fingers.
However, to his astonishment, the moment his fingers made contact, the blade began disintegrating into a swirling cloud of black smoke.
“What in the world!” Zaire broke into a fit of uncontrollable coughs as the thick smoke enveloped him, obscuring his vision. Within moments, the smoke dissipated, leaving behind nothing but empty air.
The dagger had vanished, dissipating into thin air as if it had never existed.
Zaire stood frozen in disbelief, his gaze fixated on his empty hands where the weapon should have been. He blinked repeatedly, hoping to get a hint to explain the inexplicable turn of events. He had spent years cleaning and sharpening tools, but he had never encountered anything remotely similar to this disconcerting phenomenon.
"I hope Mum will understand," Zaire muttered to himself, a sense of relief washing over him as he realised that the vanished dagger was not one of the cherished weapons.
After completing his errands, Zaire swiftly changed into a more presentable tunic, eager to make his way towards the temple.
Carmel Village, situated on the very fringe of the empire, could easily be labelled as a secluded backwater village. Despite its remote location, it possessed an old temple devoted to Goddess Solas. Solas, one of the twelve prominent deities of the Skysea, the Mistress of Union and Harmony. The folks of Carmel were pretty diverse in their faith, but it didn’t stop them to crowd over the old temple on occasions such as this.
Nestled amidst a serene expanse of wheat fields, the temple stood as a weathered and unpretentious chapel that seemed to have withstood the test of time. Clearly failing to reflect the true grandeur and influence associated with the primordial goddess.
Time had taken its toll on the temple, evident with the stonewalls bearing marks of weathering. A similar, if not more, withered stone arches led his path to the sanctuary where people crowded over, clamouring. As Zaire crossed the arches, a modest statue at the heart of the plaza came into his sight. One simply couldn’t assume that to be a statue of the goddess without context, considering it was challenging to determine whether the statue depicted a male or female figure.
Zaire ventured inside, only to be met with a sea of people obstructing his path. The number of adults in attendance far surpassed the youths present for the ceremony. Zaire's eyes swiftly located the two women with their distinct blonde and silvery hair, positioned on one side of the gathering. To his surprise, it seemed that they had also noticed him, as Ella pointed him out to the young girl and waved her hand in his direction.
After a couple of good minutes of shoving and wrestling with the people, Zaire managed to reach them, but he was already breathless by that point. It appeared that Faye was patiently awaiting her turn, as the guest priest called individuals forward one by one to the Ascendant Pool in the other chamber.
Fortunately, the priest conducting the ceremony was not the same one who liked to blabber too much during Zaire's previous visit. Nevertheless, an unsettling restlessness settled in his stomach as he regarded others.
"Are you alright?" Ella asked, concern laced in her voice.
"I'm fine," he replied, "just a bit breathless from the sprint."
"It's good that you came," his foster mother interjected. "I understand this isn't easy for you, but you must realise there are other paths beyond what the gods set us for."
Zaire clenched and unclenched his jaw, choosing to remain silent as he settled himself in a corner, leaning against the wall. They had indeed explored other avenues, ones that diverged from paths the pantheons chose for them, but none had brought about any meaningful change within him, except subjecting him to excruciating agony.
Regardless, it was Faye's special day, and he couldn't make it all about himself. Taking a deep breath, he adopted a carefree expression and engaged in conversation with his family.
The newly appointed guest priest for the ceremony appeared to be a stern man. Observing the chaotic gathering in the hall, which was no better than a bustling fish market, he dismissed the families who had already completed their ceremonies. Even among those still present, he allowed only two relatives to accompany the youths of appropriate age.
In a matter of seconds, the hall grew more spacious as more than half the attendees dispersed.
"Now we'll have fewer people bothering Faye once she completes her ceremony," Zaire joked, playfully nudging the silver-haired would-be maiden on the shoulder.
Faye snorted in response. "What, you think I'd enjoy when boys pester me until Mum has to brandish her sword to scare them away?"
Faye glowered at him, but upon witnessing his laughter, she couldn't help but burst into giggles herself. Her nervousness about the ceremony subsided significantly.
Zaire scoffed, exclaiming, "What are you even worried about? You got this."
“It’s just that. . .” Faye's voice trailed off. She didn't need to finish her sentence because Zaire understood her fears all too well. She dreaded the possibility of her ceremony turning out exactly like his. Her unique traits made her more apprehensive than confident.
"You'll be fine," Zaire reassured her, gently patting her head. Being a head taller than her, it was effortless for him to make her feel small and comforted. But that’ll end soon. . .
In quick succession, people gradually cleared out, and within half an hour, the hall was nearly empty, with only three more families remaining for the ceremony.
"Oh, crap! I need to go," Zaire exclaimed abruptly, startling both Faye and their foster mother. "Nature calls." He provided a curt explanation for his sudden departure and hastily rushed out of the temple.
Zaire swiftly made his way out of the hall, the sparse number of people remaining making his way out easier. However, in his haste, he failed to consider the possibility of encountering folks just outside the door.
Zaire caught sight of locks of golden hair just before colliding with someone the moment he emerged from the door. It was a young girl who had just undergone her age ceremony and ended up falling alone from the impact.
Zaire stumbled, barely regaining his balance and scattered attention until he could finally discern who he had collided with.
"Diana," Zaire instinctively called out, stooping down to extend a helping hand. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."
"You shouldn't be running inside the temple," Diana said, raising her right arm to inspect the bruise on her elbow. Her eyes were teary.
"I’m really sorry," Zaire repeated, more genuinely.
"It's alright," Diana sighed, accepting his arm and allowing him to assist her in standing up. Her expression showed she was bothered by something else entirely other than the little bruise she got from the collision. It could be that she didn’t get the right class she desired.
If it weren’t for the urgency, Zaire would have stayed there for a few minutes to listen to her and reassure her. But the growing pressure in his bladder made it harder for him to be considerate.
Regardless, the situation didn’t conclude there as Zaire hoped, as he found a group of youths led by Alex, a blond youth who went through Ella’s for a few months.
There was no way in hell they could resist the urge to aid a damsel in distress. Granted, in this particular instance, the damsel was only mildly bruised, but you try to explain that to them.
"I wondered who else would have the audacity to act so impudently within the sacred temple," Alex interjected. The blond youth had undergone his ceremony last year, along with Zaire. "Of course, it had to be you, Zaire. Why are you even here? Hoping to partake in the awakening ceremony once again?"
Alex didn't miss the chance to strike where it hurt the most. However, his counterparts were one level above him.
"Fat chance of that," Kash, a short, mousey-looking black-haired boy of their age, chimed in. "Ignoring everything, his blatant behaviour in the goddess's temple alone shows that he's unsuited for the path."
"Kash, we're all aware of your lack of intelligence," Zaire retorted, more irritated than angry. "No need to open your mouth and prove it to us again."
The mousey-looking youth glared at Zaire before turning his attention to the others. "Did I say something wrong?" he barked. "You have no fibre of reverence for the goddess. Why do you think you're still lost and—"
Zaire stifled a yawn. "I have more important matters to attend to than engaging in a pointless argument with you lots,”
The persistent pressure in his bladder reminded him of the true urgency at hand. With an apologetic smile directed at the blonde maiden, he hurried away.
Tackling the argument, Zaire now faced another predicament he had no time to dwell upon. While the temple may have been humble and worn out, it still resided within the holy embrace of the goddess. How could he commit sacrilege by pissing in its vicinity?
However, the pressure continued to mount, leaving Zaire with no other option but to retreat to the rear of the sacred grounds. Discreetly, he found a secluded spot merely a few blocks away from the hallowed area.
To an outsider, it might still appear blasphemous, but he clung to hope that the goddess would be more understanding than her devotees.
Zaire let out a deep exhale, a mixture of relief and frustration intertwining within him. His shoulders slumped as he directed his gaze towards the imposing statue of the goddess perched atop the temple's peak.
Zaire gritted his teeth. Why was it only me? What have I ever done? He wanted to ask her, but he had asked such questions countless times already. The goddess, to her credit, remained silent all these time.
Abruptly, he found his attention fixated on a small window high on the stone wall as Alex’s words resurfaced in his mind.
Without conscious thought, Zaire found himself scaling the walls, driven by an inexplicable force. He climbed towards the window that led to the ceremonial chamber.
Zaire wasn’t even sure what he was trying to prove or if he even thought of the consequences when he latched himself on the window ledge. It was simply an impulse.
Soft rays of sunlight filtered through stained-glass windows, casting a gentle glow upon the worn stone floors of the ceremonial chamber as Zaire cast his sight inside. Amidst the hallowed walls, tapestries, and murals that tell stories of the goddess, Zaire found the small pool next to the altar where another Goddess’s statue stood, in far better shape than the one outside.
A young boy, now an adult, just completed his ceremony and departed. Within a minute, Zaire caught sight of the blond priest ushering Faye into the room. Instinctively, Zaire lowered his head, ensuring to directly not to stare at the high-level priest of the goddess.
The priest focused solely on his sister, guiding her towards the pool. Faye approached the small pool with a reserved expression, her gaze fixed upon the clear and dense water that seemed to possess an otherworldly quality. The surface of the water reflected light differently from ordinary water, as thin misty smoke puffed out.
Faye hesitated for a moment, her mind enveloped in a flurry of unknown thoughts.
"Do not resist the Aether, Daughter," the priest advised, his voice carrying a tone of solemnity. "Embrace its essence, open your heart to the Goddess and let her lead you to your designated path."
Gathering her wits, Faye stepped into the pool, allowing herself to be completely submerged in the hallowed water. Zaire, observing from above, couldn't help but feel a tinge of anxiety.
However, any doubts he harboured dissipated as he witnessed a radiant white glow emanating from the Ascendant pool. Faye emerged from the water, her figure outlined by a blinding light that enveloped her form.
"Blessed! Solus!" exclaimed the priest, his voice filled with astonishment. "The Dream Aether, I knew it."
The intense white light faded as swiftly as it had materialised, leaving Faye slightly disoriented. Her eyes shimmered with an ethereal glow, reminiscent of light dancing through her pearl eyes. A moment later, everything returned to normal.
Dream Aether, Zaire thought, that has to be the rarest form of Aether under ordinary circumstances.
Zaire had his suspicions about it for years. Regardless, this changed everything.
The priest knew it too. If the priest had previously held a mild interest in his sister, now he was entirely captivated, granting her his undivided attention.
"Come on," the priest ushered her out. "I'll explain things more clearly to you, and I shall need to have a conversation with your mother. You have a bright future ahead of you, Fair Lady."
With them gone, Zaire had the room all to himself for whatever he wanted to try. However, he still waited for a couple of minutes, even though the priest had shut the door behind him, signalling the end of the ceremony.
The latch of the stained-glass window opened effortlessly as if it were a sign from the goddess to guide him into the ceremonial chamber. The opening was spacious enough for him to slide in without any trouble. However, the landing posed a challenge, considering he was still about three and a half metres above the ground.
Zaire couldn't afford to cause any disturbance, so he held onto the window ledge and dangled his legs downward. Preparing himself, he leapt like a house cat, albeit only on his feet.
His landing was nearly perfect, causing minimal disturbance. But that didn't give him an advantage; he had to finish this quickly and make his exit before anyone noticed.
Zaire cast one last glance at the statue of the goddess on the altar, his right palm clasped over his heart in a praying manner.
Then he submerged in the cold water. Instantly, a chill rushed through his spine. Unlike what happened to Faye, nothing developed in his case as he remained underwater, controlling his breathing.
The priests had instructed them to be open to the Aether and not resist it. However, how could Zaire resist anything when there was no reaction from the water, except for the uncomfortable shivers coursing through his body?
It was exactly like the previous time, no reaction, and… Zaire's thought process abruptly halted as he noticed the water starting to swirl around him in a terrifying surge.
Zaire couldn't even comprehend what was happening to him as the chill spread through his body and mind, completely stunning him. The priest had advised not to resist, but he wasn't sure if he could even if he tried.
[Awakening conditions met... Initiating Protocol... Analysing...]
[Soul curse remnants discovered.]
[Creating link.]
[Link complete...]
Zaire was completely taken aback, overwhelmed by the unfolding events. And before long, he lost consciousness...
[Purging the curse remnants...]
[ETA: 11:43:12]

Hi all. I've recently taken over driving my wife's 1L Ecoboost 2016 plate. For the past 7 years I've been driving a diesel Kia, I work in London but live in the counties so the diesel was very economical for me as I did 60 miles per day with 90% on the motorway. The Kia was only anothr 1L but I got on average 500 miles from a full tank
Now, I've been driving my wife's car around town for 2 days and the fuel economy is shocking. Yesterday it said 170 to 0 on the fuel tank, I drove it around town and up to the garage and by the time I arrived there it said 158 to 0. I had not driven anyhere near 12 miles. It was hardly 2! There was an engine light on that my wife ignored, which I then arranged to fix, hence my trip to the garage. ODB scanner said it was running too lean at bank 1, garage said it needed a new Lambda sensor and also there was no oil in it as the filter had leaked.
I didn't get the filter changed with the garage as I've got someone else doing a filter and oils change in a few days for a fraction of what they charge. So garage sorted out a new Lambda sensor and the light has gone off, but the fuel efficiency is beyond a joke still. I left the garage at 132 to 0 and I arrived at home at 121 to 0! I live less that 3 mike's from the garage! Yet it's drank 11 miles worth of fuel?
Can anyone advise me if this is a thing with these ford ecoboosts? Have I just been spoiled over the years on a ridiculously efficient diesel or is there something else genuinely wrong with the car? This is my first time driving Ford's, and my wife would not have paid any attention or noticed that sort of things. She used it for work locally since 2016, about 8-10miles per day non motorway driving.
Any info greatly appreciated 👍🏾

From Plains To Peaks: Delights Along The Delhi To Ladakh Bike Trip

Embarking on a motorcycle adventure from Delhi to Leh Ladakh is an experience of a lifetime. With its breathtaking landscapes, rugged terrains, and thrilling mountain passes, this journey is a dream come true for every avid rider and adventure enthusiast. Let's explore the top three motorcycle routes that will take you from Delhi to Leh Ladakh, allowing you to witness the mesmerizing beauty of the Himalayas.

Route 1: Delhi to Leh via Manali

One of the most popular routes for the leh bike trip from delhi is through Manali. This route offers a perfect blend of scenic beauty and thrilling challenges. Starting from Delhi, riders traverse through the enchanting valleys of Himachal Pradesh, passing through lush green forests, charming villages, and picturesque towns. The highlight of this route is crossing the mighty Rohtang Pass, located at an elevation of 3,978 meters, which serves as a gateway to the mesmerizing landscapes of Ladakh.

Route 2: Delhi to Leh via Srinagar

For those seeking a more relaxed and scenic route, the delhi to ladakh bike trip package via Srinagar is an ideal choice. Starting from Delhi, riders head towards Srinagar, the capital city of Jammu and Kashmir. This route takes you through the iconic Zoji La Pass, situated at an altitude of 3,528 meters, offering breathtaking views of the snow-capped mountains. From there, riders continue their journey through the picturesque valleys of Drass and Kargil, finally reaching the captivating region of Ladakh.

Route 3: Delhi to Leh via Spiti Valley

For the adventurous souls, the delhi leh ladakh bike trip via Spiti Valley is an exhilarating option. This route takes you through the stunning landscapes of Himachal Pradesh, offering mesmerizing views of barren mountains, deep gorges, and ancient monasteries. Riding through challenging terrains and crossing high-altitude passes like Kunzum La and Baralacha La, riders eventually reach Leh Ladakh, where they can immerse themselves in the rich cultural heritage and natural beauty of the region.
When planning your delhi to ladakh bike trip, there are various packages available that cater to different preferences and budgets. These packages typically include accommodation, meals, fuel, and a support team to ensure a smooth and safe journey. Opting for a bike trip package allows you to focus on the adventure while leaving the logistics to the experts, ensuring a hassle-free experience.

Delhi to Leh Ladakh bike trip is not just about the destination; it is about the journey itself. The rugged terrains, winding roads, and ever-changing landscapes make every moment on the road memorable. It is an opportunity to connect with nature, challenge your limits, and create lifelong memories with fellow riders.

Before embarking on this epic adventure, it is essential to ensure that your bike is in excellent condition and that you have the necessary riding gear. It is also advisable to acclimatize to the high altitudes gradually to avoid any health complications. Safety should always be a top priority, and riders should follow traffic rules, stay hydrated, and be prepared for any unforeseen circumstances.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the leh ladakh bike trip from delhi offers an incredible opportunity to witness the unmatched beauty of the Himalayas. Whether you choose the route via Manali, Srinagar, or Spiti Valley, each one has its own charm and unique experiences to offer. So gear up, pack your bags, and get ready to embark on a thrilling adventure through the Himalayan bliss from Delhi to Leh Ladakh.

Amidst the eager anticipation and buzzing excitement, the curtains were finally drawn back at WWDC, revealing a whole new world of possibilities for Apple enthusiasts. The stage was set, and Apple showcased its latest masterpiece: iOS 17. Months of speculations, rumors, and leaks fueled the imaginations of tech enthusiasts worldwide. But now, their hunger for knowledge would be satiated when Apple unveiled its iconic operating system. some of the ios 17 hidden features

1. Revolutionizing iMessage Apps Management
   
2. Enhance Your Messaging with iMessage’s Live Stickers
   
3. Audio Message Transcriptions in iMessage
   
4. Keep Your Loved Ones Informed with Automatic Arrival Notifications
   
5. Effortless Location Sharing and Viewing in iOS 17
   
6. Efficient Message Searching with Search Filters
   
7. Effortless Catch-Up and Swift Reply in Apple Messages
   
8. Customize Your Quick Responses in iOS 17
   

This is Part 2 of this write-up. Please read part 1 first. This is the link:
https://www.reddit.com/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/143r7l9/felix_vail_the_pedophile_serial_killer_caught/

PART 2:

ANNETTE CRAVER:

Born on the 7th of December 1965, Annette Craver was intelligent and creative. At 15 she was a singer-songwriter and in her senior year at a private school that specialized in medicine. Her dream was to become a midwife.
http://charleyproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/vail_annette6.jpg(A photo of Annette Craver.)
In the summer of 1981, she and her mother, Mary Rose greeted people at a friend’s yard sale in the Montrose neighborhood in Houston, Texas. They had just returned from a vacation in Mexico, and Annette felt heartsick, still infatuated with a boy named Adolfo, who was unable to join her in America.
VAIL MEETS ANNETTE
While people browsed the sale, Vail pulled up on a motorcycle and spoke with Annette. He was 41 and had done some carpentry work in the area. “When I saw her, I thought, ‘That’s going to be my new girlfriend,’” he said about the 15-year-old.
In April 1982, Rose and her daughter invested in a Tulsa home that had a rental cottage behind it. Rose began renovating both. After graduating from high school, Annette joined her mother in Tulsa. Vail appeared a few days later, and convinced Annette to leave with him on his motorcycle. They lived off the $500-a-month Social Security check that she received from her father’s death 3 years prior. It would be over a year before Mary Rose would see her daughter again.
That fall, Annette (who was still 15) would fall pregnant, and Vail would force her to have a painful abortion.
Jerry Woodall, reportedly friends with Vail later recalled an embarrassing scene, where the 42-year-old Vail was in a sleeping bag, having public sex with a 16-year-old Annette, only 20 feet away from him and his then-wife Meredith McMackin. Annette grinned and waved at them. Woodall and McMackin did their best to ignore them.
McMackin would later say that Vail had “this coldness and controlling aspect to his personality. Annette was so open and alive, but I think he just totally dominated her. He would try to convey that he was this higher form of being. At first, I thought maybe he was evolved, but then I realized it was this arrogant act.”
Later that summer, police in California would arrest Vail for violating probation a dozen years earlier. Annette telephoned Woodall, who gave her $200. After Vail walked free from prison, he and Annette decided to get married. However, as a 17-year-old she needed permission.
Annette told her mother that she loved Vail, that they were already “spiritually married” and that they would travel to Mexico and get married there if she refused. Not wanting to lose her daughter completely, Rose said OK.
On August 15th, 1983, in Bakersfield, California, the couple were wed.
AFTER THE MARRIAGE
Four months after the marriage, Annette turned 18, allowing her to collect more than $98,000 ($293,500 today) from life insurance policies on her late father. Accompanied by Vail, she withdrew all the money in cash from a San Antonio bank. She bought a Fiat convertible that Vail liked and paid for his dental work.
In April 1984, Rose returned home to find Annette waiting at her door. She told her she wanted to divorce Vail, and enroll in college. She talked about Vail’s temper, including an incident where he had broken his hand trying to punch his wife. He missed and hit a wall.
A few weeks later, Vail showed up. The couple fought constantly, and Vail left after a few days. Mary Rose said that Vail was “insanely jealous” and would become furious when Annette spoke of her desire to go out with younger men.
She and Annette worked on renovating the two homes after Vail left, enjoying their time together. The 2 even started a garden together.
Annette received a letter from Vail, who vowed their time apart would fuel their love. He wrote to her: “After we hung up, I went out to a park and ran and hung and talked with God and smoked some and shot some pool and rode with the top down out through the marsh playing ‘Iron Butterfly’ [“In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida”] and bathing every inch of your body-spirit being with love.”
He referred to being away from Annette as “deprivation jail” and to her ego as “his jailor.”
“The idea of her cutting away ego’s “feeder roots and creating roots between your spirit and the cosmic ground of loving makes me hot for you. My mind is kissing you everywhere.”
After that, Vail would return to Annette’s life. Rose said, “Annette told me, ‘Felix is the wisest person in the world, and I can’t make decisions without him.’” His influence on Annette had only grown stronger. According to Rose, she even compared Vail to God, a comparison Vail agreed with.
After this, the couple angrily insisted that Rose move out and deed the house to Annette. Accompanied by suicidal thoughts brought on by Vail’s continued control over her daughter, Rose left for California to stay with family and friends, deeding the house to Annette for $7000 ($21,000 today) before she did.
Annette would add Vail to the deed, and a month later had deeded him both homes, leaving him as the sole owner.
ANNETTE’S DISAPPEARANCE
Mere weeks after deeding the houses to Vail, the couple told neighbors they were leaving on vacation. When Vail returned in October, he was alone.
Vail told a neighbor that Annette had a lot of money wither her when he’d left her, and that she was likely visiting friends in Denver.
Upon learning that Annette hadn’t come back with Vail, Mary Rose called him. “He told me that while they were camping, Annette had a sexual dream about being with other men in Mexico, and she wanted to go there,” she recalled to an investigative reporter years later. “He claimed that the dream made them both realize that she should have her freedom.” The next day, Vail told her he had put Annette on a bus with $50,000 ($150,000 today) but didn't elaborate.
On Oct 22, 1984, Rose filed a missing person’s report. She told the Tulsa Police Department that each person who spoke with Vail “gets a different story about the amount of money that Annette took with her and where she might be. We all believe that he knows where she is or has done something with her.”
On January 22, 1985, Detective Dennis Davis and another officer questioned Vail at his home (This is obscenely late to start questioning him). By this point, Vail had filed for divorce, citing an inability to find her after a “diligent search.” Davis said her mother, Mary Rose, mentioned her daughter had received more than $90,000 from her father’s estate. Vail confirmed this was true, saying the couple had spent much of that money traveling in foreign countries. He said they kept their money in cash because they didn’t trust banks and that he had found about $10,000 in cash when he returned home.
The next day, Vail called a lawyer, who promised to talk with the officers and tell them to “leave me alone,” as he wrote in his journal.
When Davis returned five days later, Vail had a detailed alibi: The couple left Tulsa between noon and 3 p.m. on Sept. 13, 1984, and stayed the night in a hotel in Claremont, Oklahoma. After two nights of camping on the river, Annette woke up and told Vail she had decided to leave him. He took her to the Trailways Bus Station in St. Louis and left before she bought the ticket. (There is no Trailways Bus Station in St. Louis, and there has never been a Trailways Bus Station in St. Louis.)
He told the officers that she had told him she was headed for Denver, where she planned to get a fake ID card and leave for Mexico. When asked if he would take a lie detector test, Vail said no.
After Davis left, he wrote a letter to Rose. He blamed her for the “bad things” about Annette, told her that after the couple had returned from Costa Rica Annette had been “seeing friends and relatives --- completing her relationships with them for the purpose of getting ready to drop everybody and start over.” He wrote that Annette “disappeared herself from you” because Rose kept imposing her “value system” on her, and said Annette viewed her mother, grandmother, and herself as “zero self-image whores for approval.”
He explained the 2 had no plans to communicate, he did not know where she was, and that “I also assure you that even if I did know, I would not tell you.”
When Rose returned to Tulsa in April 1985, she entered the cottage Annette used to live in, only to find almost all the young woman’s belongings were gone, including her clothes and her diary.
Inside a Barbie suitcase, Rose found a photograph of her daughter and several of her identification cards. She also located things that Annette had written, including a Feb. 17, 1984, note that contradicted Vail’s claim that the couple had spent most of her inheritance on their travel to Mexico and Central American countries.
Instead, the note detailed how they used the money to buy the Fiat, pay off all of Vail’s loans, and deposit $36,000 into Louisiana Savings. It said that as of that day, they had $41,600 ($125,000 today) in cash.
Rose shared the information with the police. Detective Davis showed up again, and Vail told Davis the couple divided the money into smaller cashier’s checks, contradicting his earlier statement that they kept the money in cash.
After a while, Davis left, and despite the (seemingly obvious) suspicious behavior of Vail, closed the missing person’s case.
AFTER ANNETTE’S DISAPPEARANCE
Rose kept calling Vail after this and was finally able to reach him on September 14th 1985.
When asked about Annette’s whereabouts he refused to tell her.
When asked about Annette’s missing clothes he said he gave them to charity.
When asked about the insurance money, Vail told her ‘That’s all she really cared about.’ Rose hung up.
Two years later, fed up with the lack of progress in Annette’s case, Rose would return to Tulsa. She spent thousands of dollars on private investigators to locate Vail. When that failed, she simply went and found him herself.
Tipped off that he was staying at someone’s house, she went there with a friend and found him sitting outside. When asked where Annette went, he replied “Mexico.” When asked where in Mexico, he said the 2 had made a pact to contact each other every 5 years, contradicting his statement that the 2 didn’t have plans to communicate. Rose didn’t believe a word of it.
The whole time Vail never looked up, never stood up and never looked her in the eye.
BETH FIELD
Some time after this, Vail began dating Beth Field. Soon the couple had began arguing, and Vail would call her a “whore.” During a December 1987 argument, he would strike her so hard he ruptured her ear drum. She told Vail there was no justification for violence, to which he responded, “If you quit behaving like a whore, I’ll quit hitting you.”
In August 1988 Beth received a call from Rose, sharing details about the disappearance of her daughter, Annette. From that point forward, Field said she began to examine Vail’s words more closely, realizing that he had likely murdered her.
Four months after the call, he entered her home unannounced. Already drunk, he accused her of “imagined promiscuity,” according to a court order. He slapped her, struck her, and threw her across the bedroom. She asked if Vail was going to kill her, to which Vail replied, “It depends on what you tell me.”
A judge gave her a protective order, requiring Vail to keep his distance. Two weeks later, the sheriff reported that Vail was nowhere to be found.
While Field was visiting a meditation center in Texas in 1990, Vail arrived. After composing herself, she told him “There is a part of you that goes off, and it’s sick and it’s dangerous.”
He looked at her and asked, “Really?” She said “yes, really.” This time, the message seemed to go through. Vail left the next day, and with a single exception about five years later, she never saw him again.
MARY ROSE LEARNS ABOUT THE OTHER 2 CASES
In the summer of 1991 (6 years after Annette's disappearance), Rose drove over 2000 miles to Canyon Lake, Texas to speak to Sue Jordan, Felix Vail’s sister. Jordan said that Vail had told her that Annette wanted to leave, that he took her to a bus station and that she left with some Mexican men, heading for Mexico. Jordan also mentioned that Vail’s first wife had drowned, which was news to Rose.
Before she left, Jordan also told her, “Oh, you know, there was another woman that disappeared. I remember her mother calling my mother for years, checking to see if they’d heard from her. I think her name was Sharon.”
After the conversation, Rose sat down at a typewriter, writing every word she could remember. She also called the public library in Lake Charles.
The librarian remembered the 1962 drowning of Vail’s first wife, Mary Horton. She told Rose that he had taken out life insurance policies on his wife prior to her drowning and that the insurance companies were suspicious and didn’t pay the full value. The librarian made copies of newspaper articles and mailed them to her.
After reading them, Rose reached out to Mary’s family in Louisiana, speaking to Will Horton. He shared her suspicions about Vail and a copy of the 1971 National Enquirer article made after Vail's son Bill reported him to the police. When she read it, she learned that Sharon’s last name was Hensley.
In 1994, she read in the newspaper about Dolores Strehlow’s disappearance from Medford, Oregon, seven years earlier. Police had just arrested her husband, thanks to the work of Detective Terry Newell. She contacted Newell, who helped her find the family of Sharon Hensley. When Rose dialed the Hensley family, Sharon’s mother, Peggy, answered. Rose asked if Peggy knew a Felix Vail. Peggy replied with "you bet I do"
THE INVESTIGATION HEATS UP… AND COOLS DOWN
The detective who helped Rose before, Terry Newell, contacted Jim Bell, a national expert in serial killings working for the FBI. When Rose talked with Bell, she felt like she'd finally gotten somewhere. He was interested in working on the Vail case if he could swing the time. He still remained busy with active serial killer cases, helping train task forces across the U.S. Vail’s son, Bill, told Rose that he was willing to testify, as long as authorities provided protection to his family. Both the Tulsa police and the district attorney’s office in Lake Charles revived their investigations into Vail, now considered a suspected serial killer.
Bell suggested the victims’ families gather with authorities at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, to share information on Vail. He was unable to work on the case and left the FBI in 1995. The meeting in Quantico never materialized, and the cases involving Vail grew cold once again.
A QUICK RUN DOWN OF EVENTS
In the fall of 1997, family and friends held a mural for Annette.
Diagnosed with esophageal cancer, Vail’s son Bill heard from doctors that he didn’t have long to live. He’s quoted saying “now I’ll get to be with my mom.” Months before passing away in 2009, Bill talked about his father in a recorded interview with his pastor at Grace Church in Overland Park, Kansas.
On Jan. 3, 2009, Bill died, and Vail wrote in his journal, “I feel a large empty hole in my being where his life presence has been for 47 years,” before writing about getting a good haircut. He drove to Kansas but didn’t attend his own son’s funeral. If he had, he would have heard the recording, with his son detailing how he had overheard his father talk about murdering Bill's mother, Mary.
When Vail learned of the recording, he wrote to Pastor Tim Howey, asking for a copy. He blamed his son’s statements on “false memories,” saying, “I have not known about it until now and am stunned.”
In 2012, while attempting to confront Vail with reporter Jerry Mitchell whom she had contacted to write about Vial, Rose was stopped by Kaye Faulkner, Vial’s sister. She told Rose and Mitchell of the recording and urged Mitchell to get a copy of it. She also said that she believed Vial had murdered Mary Horton, Sharon Hensley, and Annette Craver.
She gave the reporter Vial’s number, as well as the numbers of her other brother, Ronnie, and her sister, Beth. Vial didn’t answer those calls, so Mitchell left a message. Ronnie promised to speak to his brother on his behalf.
MITCHELL INVESTIGATES
Mitchell arrived in Lake Charles and stopped by the Southwestern Louisiana Genealogical and Historical Library, which shared copies from old city directories. He began tracking down people who had lived in the Maree Apartments with Felix and Mary.
Many described Mary’s fair of drowning. A close friend of Vails, Judson McCann II described Vial as a ladies’ man, and insinuated he was a cheater. “Many nights, his car wouldn’t be home, and Mary would be there with the lights on. When Felix was gone, it wasn’t because he was trotline fishing.”
Another close friend, Bob Hodges described Vial’s story of Mary ‘falling’ in the river as “horse manure.”
A college roommate of Mary, Sandra Sudduth Pratt, said “Nobody believed it was an accident.”
Mitchell shared Mary’s autopsy report with pathologist Dr. Michael Baden of New York City, who concluded that foul play had taken place in her death.
The report showed large bruises with bleeding into tissues on the left side of the neck, which he said suggested she suffered forceful neck trauma before entering the water. There were hemorrhagic bruises to the right calf and left leg above the knee, which he said were consistent with a struggle before her submersion. But most convincingly of all was the scarf authorities found around her neck that extended 4 inches into her mouth, which suggested traumatic asphyxia before entering the water.
“Somebody had to push that scarf into her mouth. She had to have that scarf wedged in her mouth before she was put in the water.”
A cousin put Mary’s brother Will Horton in touch with former detective “Rabbit” Manuel, who had headed up the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Office’s investigation back in 1962. He had never forgotten Mary’s death. “Felix’s story just didn’t add up. The fishing tackle was dry. The trotline was dry. The boat was dry. Even Felix’s cigarettes were dry, despite him telling the deputies he dove straight in the water to save Mary.”
He and Manuel met with “Lucky” DeLouche, who directed an elite task force unit that investigated homicides. Three young detectives took notes as they talked. Manuel shared details from the case, saying deputies (officers) wanted to prosecute, but the district attorney wouldn’t let them. Horton shared the autopsy report, Vail’s letters and his belief that Vail was a serial killer. Horton said DeLouche replied, “This absolutely fits the profile of a serial killer,” to which the other detectives agreed.
Shortly afterwards, DeLouche left the task force, and for seemingly the hundredth time, grew cold again.
After Mitchell posted a story about Vail titled “Gone” (It’s nearly 9,000 words long, and the precursor to the 35,500 word story I have drawn heavily from) a man named Wesley Turnage contacted him. He told him of a conversation he had had with Vail in 1963 during a car ride.
According to Turnage, Vail called Mary a bitch and said she thought another child would help solve their marriage problems. He quoted Vail as saying, “She wanted to have another kid. I didn’t want the one I got. I fixed that sorry bitch. She will never have another one.”
Mitchell would make another discovery. District Attorney Salter Jr. had ordered that the judge dismiss 882 criminal cases — more than three cases for each working day.
Will Horton told Mitchell the original detectives in the case told him that Salter wouldn’t allow them to present the evidence they had collected against Vail. That matched the stories Mitchell had heard from grand jurors’ families.
Horton then contacted District Attorney John DeRosier, who said he would be willing to reopen the case if there was enough evidence.
Then came an interesting wrinkle in the story. Finding Vail.
He’d disappeared, returning on Labor Day weekend 2012 to sell his property, before disappearing again. Luckily, another reader of "Gone" came to the rescue. He phoned Mitchell, telling him where Vial was. Canyon Lake, Texas.
Mitchell then contacted Enzo Yaksic, founder of the Serial Homicide Expertise and Information Sharing Collaborative. Yaksic then contacted Armin Showalter, acting chief for the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit, which specialized in serial homicide investigations.
Yaksic shared a copy of GONE with Showalter, who in turn called Calcasieu Parish Deputy Randy Curtis, now taking on the Vail case. Curtis phoned Mitchell to find out where Vail was. A few days later, he called back to say the FBI had discovered Vail purchased property at 737 Shadyview Drive in Canyon Lake.
On Jan. 18, 2013, Curtis decided to confront Vail. He found him at that address, living in a storage shed. Curtis said he read Vail his rights before asking him about the death and disappearances of the women. Vail refused to say anything, accusing families and The Clarion-Ledger (Where "Gone" was published) of lying about him. The whole time, Vail couldn’t stop smirking.
​
Will Horton gave Mitchell the number of his cousin, who was a caretaker for 90-year-old Isaac Abshire Jr. When Mitchell sat down with the man, he shared a haunting story.
Abshire had worked with Vail and offered him a room to rent out. Once Vail and Mary were married, Vail had moved out. Abshire viewed himself as “a big brother” to Mary, calling her “a sweet little girl.”
After the marriage, Vail had become angry at work, talking about how ugly his wife was when she was pregnant, and how he didn’t like his baby. On the Friday before she was killed, the couple visited Abshire, bringing Bill, who was still an infant. Mary privately asked Abshire if he thought Vail could take her baby away.
Two days later, Mary was dead.
Abshire and two other workers went out the next day to drag the river. The next morning, Oct. 30, 1962, he returned with one of them, Jimmy May, to continue dragging.
Abshire said while they were talking, “something popped up. A guy with binoculars asked, ‘Does she have blonde hair?’ I said, ‘Yes, that’s her.’”
They recovered the body, and Abshire could never forget what he saw. Her body was rigid, and a scarf was wrapped around her neck before going into her mouth. Blood boiled on the boat, everyone voicing the same opinion. Vail had killed Mary.
Abshire had kept photos from that day for over 50 years. He said he had given them to Deputy Curtis as well as a copy of the 1962 sheriff’s report, which listed 15 points suggesting Vail’s guilt.
Despite being behind on major bills, Vail had managed to pay an entire year’s premiums in advance for a $50,000 ($150,000 today) life insurance policy on his wife. He had a second life insurance policy on her for $8,000 ($24,000 today), which promised to pay double if she died by accident.
It was almost as if he knew she was about to die.
Deputies had reported witnesses claims that Vail had told them he didn’t love his wife, that she looked stupid and vulgar, and that he had had sexual relations with multiple women, and at least one man.
Vail told deputies that his wife was wearing an off-white leather jacket when she went into the water. But she wasn’t wearing the jacket when her body was recovered. Inside his boat, deputies found two life preservers. Mary had not been wearing one, despite her fear of drowning. As for the trotline the 2 were supposedly running, deputies found it still inside Vail’s tackle box.
Most witnesses the Deputies had spoken too felt that Vail was capable of killing his wife.
When asked if he believed Vail killed his wife, Abshire said “Oh, my God, yes.”
THE CHASE & THE FINAL CLUES:
Ever since Vail had sold his Mississippi property, Mary Rose had wondered if he would eventually sell the Tulsa property, the one she and Annette had lived in. He did. Vail sold it for $149,000. Rose asked the question on the mind of everyone investigating. “What is he going to do with all that money? --- He could be running.”
On April 30th Mitchell got a call saying that Vail had left Texas. He was pulled over by police in Columbus, Mississippi after hopping the fence of his now dead brother Ronnie’s property. Curtis told Mitchell that the Columbus police were sending him a photo of Vail and the white pick-up truck he was pulled over in. He once again warned Mitchell that Vail could be running.
Vail’s sister called again, saying she heard her brother was heading to Montpelier. She wondered if he was driving to the home of possible witness Wesley Turnage.
Mitchell called Turnage to let him know that Vail might be headed his way. Turnage replied “If he sets foot on my property, there won’t be no trial.” He called Mitchell back later, saying no one in Montpelier had seen Vail.
Private Investigator Gina Frenzel, who had questioned Vail herself, including pretending to be his girlfriend, called Mitchell with good news. Vail had contacted her and told her he was back in Canyon Lake. Mitchell informed Curtis.
On May 17th 2012, authorities arrested Felix Vail for the murder of his wife Mary Horton.
In telephone calls from the jail in Lake Charles, he shared his explanation of what happened the night of Oct. 28, 1962, when Mary died.
He referred to his first wife as a “coon-ass lady,” saying she was “half kneeling” on his feet when she “saw one of the float buckets that were on the line.” He said the boat was “going real slow along the edge of the bank when the boat hit a stump ... and it dumped her right out.” Vail said he shut off the motor and dove in “where she had plopped in the water. I mean, nothing. The river had sucked her right in.” He said he “dove around until I was exhausted, and came in immediately to the police station in town and reported the accident and that was it.”
This story differed greatly from his story in 1962 when he said his wife was sitting on top of a boat seat when she fell out, not that she was kneeling on his feet. Back then, he said nothing about hitting a stump — just swerving to miss it.
It also differed from the story he had told his son, where a wave from another boat had dumped Mary out.
Vail told Frenzel that the case “has been an avalanche coming down the mountain all that time, waiting to hit my head, and it finally has.”
He blamed the families and Mitchell, “an evil, shrimpy reporter,” for what had happened, calling the charges “fabricated” and insisting that “a large amount of money, hate and political ambitions are behind them.”
At Vail’s request, Frenzel returned his truck to his home and went inside to take care of a few tasks. While there, she spent 16 hours photographing all his journals, more than 2,400 pages. She also photographed letters, documents, photographs and business cards, some dating back to the 1960s. She found a collection of women’s jewelry, old buttons, pins, and even a glass dildo.
Disturbingly, if at this point unsurprisingly, she found a photograph of a naked 3-year-old girl. Frenzel later spoke with the girl, now a woman. The journals revealed that Vail had stalked her for years.
Frenzel discovered the birth certificate of Annette Craver, who had used it for previous trips to Mexico.
Mitchell and Frenzel poured through the journals she had photographed. They noticed gaps in them that lead them to believe Vail had ripped pages out, including times when he should have been with Sharon and Annette.
His journals were dominated by sex, dreams of sex and reflected an obsession with children. In a March 27, 1986, entry, Vail wrote about the visit of a woman and her daughters in his home. “The little girls were delicious --- We massaged some, hugged & kissed some & it was 12 (midnight) & time for them to go.”
On Aug. 29, 1992, Vail walked into the Wal-Mart in West Point, and as he wrote in his journal “a 1-year-old white girl looked in my eyes loving me like there was no age difference between us.”
When Mitchell interviewed Kert Germany, a co-worker of Vail in 1977 he said that Vail attracted women wherever he went, and that Vail had told him the best sex of his life had been with 2- or 3-year-old girl.
It was that this time that Alexandra Christianson, Vail’s ex-wife called Mitchell and told him her story. She also put him in contact with Bruce Biedebach, the man she had been on a date with when she left with Vail. Biedebach would tell Mitchell that during a party in 1965 that turned into a “boast-fest” Vail had boasted about something he had done, that no one else had done.
Killed his wife.
He told the men at the party that he had held his wife’s head underwater until she drowned.
Biedebach then put Mitchell in contact with Rob Fremont, who had bicycled around California with Vail when he was 13. He said that while riding with Vail, he had told him that he hit his wife on the head and drowned her. Fremont never rode with him again after that.
With as much evidence as they could possibly gather, the case went to trial.
THE TRIAL:
Vail’s trial began on August 8th, 2016.
District Attorney John DeRosier laid out the evidence clearly.
He spoke of the evidence against Vail about Mary’s murder on October 28th, 1962.
He spoke about Vail swearing to Sharon Hensley’s mother that she wanted to start a new life in 1974.
He spoke about his letters to Mary Rose, telling her he wouldn’t tell her where her daughter Annette was “even if he knew.” Vail smirked at that one.
Finally, he spoke to the jurors.
“Mary Horton Vail is gone, Sharon Hensley is gone,” DeRosier said, “and Annette Craver Vail is gone.”
“You’re going to write the last chapter, and it’s simply going to read, ‘And justice was finally done. William Felix Vail, guilty as charged.’”
Prosecutors called all three families to testify.
Will Horton told jurors of his sister, “Mary was the kind of person you would want as a friend.” He broke while talking about visiting his nephew after he death in 1962. “I just wanted Bill to know how much his mother loved him.”
Brian Hensley told jurors that he last saw his sister, Sharon, with Vail before the pair left Bismarck, North Dakota, in 1972. Other than a telephone call and letter in the months that followed, he said no one had seen or heard from her since.
When Mary Rose took the stand, Vail bowed his head.
This was the woman who had been working for 32 long years to bring him into this court.
This was the mother who had waited 32 years for this moment.
She called Annette “a huge light in my life. We were always loving toward each other.” She testified that Vail ran off with her daughter on his motorcycle and married her. She testified that Annette, who inherited nearly $100,000 and received two homes, disappeared weeks after deeding those homes to Vail.
Wesley Turnage, Rob Fremont, and Bruce Biedebach swore under oath that Vail said he killed his first wife. Biedebach said he asked Vail if Mary was a bitch, to which Vail had said yes. Vail laughed in court as he told the story.
The current coroner, forensic pathologist Dr. Terry Welke, testified that in most drownings, the body comes up in a “dead person’s float,” with the back of the head surfacing first and the limbs hanging down in the water.
After sharing a series of pictures to show it, he showed the court two black-and-white photographs of Mary Horton when her body was recovered on Oct. 30, 1962, less than two days after she reportedly drowned. Her body was stiff, with her hands over chest as if she was in a coffin.
They also saw the videotaped testimony of Isaac Abshire Jr, who had died in 2014. He said her body was stiff when it surfaced either sideways or face up when she bobbed up in the Calcasieu River.
That testimony helped contribute to Welke’s homicide conclusion. So did the unbroken grease-like stain across her Chi Omega sweatshirt, which he believed could have come from a tarp covering her. Welke concluded Mary was dead and stiff before her body went into the water, explaining why rigor had set in.
Testimony was heard of Vail not paying for his own wife’s funeral, despite having made thousands from her life insurance.
THE VERDICT
The jury didn’t even take a half hour to reach their verdict.
William Felix Vail Sr was unanimously found guilty of murdering Mary Horton. He was sentenced to life in prison.
After the verdict, the prosecutor also revealed that the FBI had found out that Vail had molested a child over 30 years ago. They were unable to put him on trial for it, as the statue of limitations had passed.
Finally, nearly 54 years after she was murdered, Mary Horton had found justice.
Finally, 42 years after her disappearance, Sharon Hensley had found justice.
And Annette Craver, with the help of her mother Mary Rose’s tireless efforts, had finally found justice after 32 years.
https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/f75084c7dce4fb08e12e45ccba5e40a1
This a photo of Mary, Sharon and Annette. I felt it was fitting to end off with. May they all rest in peace.
MY SOURCES:
https://www.namus.gov/MissingPersons/Case#/8284?nav
https://charleyproject.org/case/annette-michelle-craver-vail
https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/local/felixvailgone/2016/12/29/felix-vail-gone-one-wife-dead-two-other-missing-jerry-mitchell/95895894/
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/5796622/mary-elizabeth-vail
https://charleyproject.org/case/sharon-hensley
https://www.namus.gov/MissingPersons/Case#/20525?nav

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“What?” came her whispered reply.
“Katira, I know way too much about all this for it to be a mere coincidence. Maybe that’s all clairsentience is. A reincarnated soul whose work wasn’t done, and they decided to come around again, only this time, with a little head-start. One of the two lives on in me, and I’d be willing to bet it was your former Master. Her partner died before you met her, and only you would know these things, correct?” Katira nodded her head, and I pressed on. “Okay. I’m also betting that this took place more than a hundred years ago, judging by the amount of earth and growth on this cairn, and due to the nature of societal acceptance of homosexuality. Them keeping their relationship a secret, way out here in the middle of nowhere, would be far easier than the two of them living together in a town. Am I right?” I asked
“Nearly one hundred fifty years, yes. As humans reckon these things, it was around 1875. Not long after your stupid civil war. My Master had lost her mother to typhoid, and her father to the war. She and her best friend decided to attempt to homestead not too far from here, and they eventually fell in love. They were only seventeen at the time, and most of the eligible young men in town had succumbed to the war or to injuries they sustained afterwards. My Master was a hardy, resilient woman. You would have liked her, Stu. She was built like me, and was bullheaded as a mule.” Katira laughed softly, wiping away tears. “Anyway, they built a cabin not terribly far from this spot, and lived for several years together, until the events you described. My Master was beside herself with grief, and nearly ended her time here on several occasions. Until one day, she chanced upon what looked like an old cellar out here in the fields.
“It was there that she found my little body and attempted to bury me. You should have seen her fright when, instead of a pile of bones that fell apart, she had a skeletal kitten bounding around her ankles. We bonded in a similar manner to Joaquin and Shutan. She fell onto the cellar, cut her arm, and the blood dripped onto me. She went on to become an amazing Necromancer in her own right. You two share the same essence type, as well. Huh. I wonder why I never made the connection before,” she concluded softly.
I walked over and wiped the tears from her soft, shimmery face. “Why would you even think to do so? You’ve dealt with all but the most rare of essences, right?” I asked, receiving a nod in turn. “There’s no shame in not recognizing an extremely old pattern. Especially when there’s no real reason to suspect anything. You had already explained away my knowledge, and that should’ve been the end of it.
“Let’s get the last of the reagents and head back. Now that we know where this is, we can come and pay our respects after my Growth. Any time you’re up for it. In the meantime, we say nothing and hint at nothing. My description of their last days could be chalked up to a lucky guess. A very lucky guess, but a guess nonetheless. Unless and until we have some concrete proof, we keep this to ourselves. Not a word even to the guild. Sound good to you?” I asked.
Katira nodded, and I turned and knelt by the old grave. I laid a hand on the topmost stone, and whispered “Not even the stars.” I took a small bouquet of the tiny blue flowers and stood, seeing a weeping dragoness behind me.
“It is you, Bethany. You’re in there, and I know it. I look different, but I’m still the same Katira. I still love you,” she said, tears streaming down her face.
“I’m sorry, what? Bethany? Is that your former Master’s name? What are you talking about?” I asked, concerned.
“What you said when you laid your hand on the grave. Do you recall?”
I nodded, “Yeah. I said ‘Not even the stars’. It just felt right. I dunno why,” I replied.
“That’s what Bethany used to tell her partner, Rose. ‘Not even the stars could shine as brightly as her eyes’, is what she told me. You hold her soul within you. It explains everything to me. Your apparent skill, your oddly specific knowledge, and your way with people. It doesn’t explain your intuition, but that could just be an amalgam of your spirits and your broad intellect. She always lamented her inability to be more creative,” she explained, taking my hand in hers.
“Well. That’s a thing, then. I’m still me, Katira. Even if I have Bethany’s soul, you’re still dealing with Stu. Remember that, please,” I told her.
“Absolutely, Master. This just brings new possibilities to light, is all,” Katira said, sniffling. “My Master, Bethany is gone. I know this. However, knowing that some part of her lives on is a great comfort. That’s all,” she said softly. Katira stepped forward and took my hands in hers. “I know you’re Stu. I know you’re my Master. I can’t forget it. You gave me this form, and I cherish it. Just like I cherish you. You’re going to be my final Master, and I can’t wait to spend an eternity with you,” she said, giving my hands a gentle squeeze.
“Alright, then. As long as we are clear. Are you ready to head back?” I asked gently.
Katira nodded, and we started back off towards the cave. It took us another three hours, but we made it back. The others had been there for a few hours by the time we returned. All three had begun the distillation process by the time we arrived, and had placed their squirrels in the appropriate locations.
“Excellent job, Initiates! I’m glad to see you have taken the initiative to begin your reanimations. Now, it isn’t a guarantee that you will be successful. Be prepared for a messy failure, otherwise. Upon a success, even a minor one, your squirrel will sit up and make vocalizations at you. In the event of a minor success, this is all that will happen. If it is anything more, you can give it a command. It might understand it and act. Just make sure it is a simple one. You can command it to simply die, if you wish. It is up to you. Now, who got here first?” she asked.
“I did, Instructor,” Robert said.
“Excellent. Good job, Initiate Grimes. How long after you got set up did the next one arrive?”
“About an hour, I think and Joaquin was a few minutes after her. That was three hours ago. I think mine is nearly done,” Robert explained.
“Good. While Initiate Merideth gets set up, we will discuss what comes after a successful reanimation,” Katira began.
I turned and began the process of removing the petals from the phlox, depositing them in the pot. I mostly tuned out the discussion they were having, my mind reeling from the events of the day.
If I didn’t hold a reincarnated soul, how else would I be able to do what I do without even thinking about it? How else would I know the stuff I know without having had the instruction? How did I know who was buried beneath that cairn of stones, and how she died? Was it even my soul that was reincarnated? Or, had Bethany’s spirit hung around waiting to impart knowledge upon one lonely Necromancer?
These questions and more rolled around my head, my body moving on autopilot. I was just about to reach into the bag containing the nettles when Katira grabbed my wrist, jerking me from my reverie.
“Initiate!”
“Huh? Wha?”
“Initiate, I’ve been trying to get your attention for a bit. You almost reached into the bag that has the nettles bare-handed. What’s gotten into you?” she asked, her concern evident.
I simply looked into her eyes, my own face a blank mask, and she sighed softly. “Okay. I understand. It’s about what we talked about before, isn’t it?” she asked softly. I nodded slowly. “I take it you’ve never handled nettles, have you?” I shook my head. “Let me show you. In fact, gather around, everyone. Nettles are a painful plant, and you may have to handle them at some point. Let me show you how to deal with them,” Katira announced.
The rest of the group came over and sat while Katira taught us how to handle the irritating plant. Once she demonstrated the process, I tried it once, and even though I’d succeeded, I figured I’d not like to attempt it again. Instead, I took my multitool and pocket knife, clamped onto the stem, and sliced the leaves into the pot. Then, for good measure, I sectioned up the stem and dropped it in, as well. In went the snake skin, water and three drops of my blood. I set the fire, and waited for something to happen.
As luck would have it something did happen. We all heard Robert’s fire go out with a pop, and turned to see the droplet of essence-infused oil spill onto the squirrel. As with our message stones, nothing was spilled, it all just absorbed into the squirrel, and we watched with bated breath.
At first, nothing happened. The squirrel sat motionless on the cold stone slab. After a few moments, however, we all saw the digits on the left forelimb twitch. Collectively, we moved back, as a crazed squirrel was as fearsome as it was small. It took a breath, then a second. Slowly, it sat up, turned its black, unblinking eyes towards Robert and began chittering.
“Try it, Initiate Grimes,” Katira whispered.
Robert cleared his throat and swallowed. “Go outside the cave, and dig a hole big enough for you to lie in beside the first tree you see,” he commanded.
We watched as the squirrel cocked its head to the side and hopped down. It bounded drunkenly out of the cave, and after a short search, began to dig a hole.
“Excellent job, Initiate. Why did you tell it to do that?” Katira asked.
“I felt terrible for it. I think it should be put to rest,” he said quietly.
“So it is digging its own grave? Interesting. Go and tend to it. It may not be able to finish,” Katira replied.
Robert got up and went outside to tend to his squirrel, and the rest of us sat back and chatted for a bit.
“Senpai? What took you so long to find your reagents?” Morita-san asked.
“Well, as our Instructor specified this morning, I require very specific reagents to even have a chance at making this work, and they weren’t easy to find. I had to have phlox, nettles and a shed skin. Phlox were those tiny blue flowers, and they weren’t easy to find. Especially as I had no idea what they looked like until I opened my Grimoire. I knew what nettles looked like, and everyone from around here knows what a shed skin looks like, I think. They just weren’t easy to get. However, after I found the nettles, the other two just kinda happened. The snake skin was tangled around some weeds in a field, and the phlox were growing by an outcropping of stone. We had to go something like five miles from the cave. Speaking of which, I’m gonna need to eat something soon. I just had a small snack around noon or so,” I explained.
“By the time your still finishes, it will be time for dinner, anyway. I’d suggest holding off, if you can,” Katira said.
“I’ll try, but if I start getting the sugar shakes or acting belligerent, I’ll need a small snack again. We really don’t want that,” I said.
Robert came back, looking somber and somewhat sad. “It’s done. I…I told it to die, and it closed its eyes and just stopped moving. It seemed happy,” he said, taking a seat.
“Initiate Grimes, I want you to understand that all you did was reanimate the body of a squirrel. It had no soul, and therefore wasn’t the same creature I killed three days ago. It was more or less a biological machine that used the energy of the reagents you selected and your essence as fuel. It would have eventually stopped moving on its own. You could re energize it with your essence, but that would serve to bond it tighter to you, which is not a situation we want here. You have done well thus far, and I’m proud of you. We all are,” she told the younger man.
“She is right, Master. You have grown in skill, and as a person. Rather quickly, I might add. As such, I would say that your own Growth is no more than a month away. Once we get home, you should alert your job to your upcoming illness,” Yin grumbled.
“I can’t do that, bud. I can’t plan to be sick. Instructor? Do the symptoms all come on at once, or are they in stages?” Robert asked.
“You will most likely get the headaches first. If you can function through them, I would call your job at that point, and tell them that you are sick, and it is unknown as to how long it will last. Hopefully, you will be able to maintain your job after you are done Growing,” Katira replied.
“I can form human arms and hands for the time it takes to send a message on your phone, Master. I could also call for any number of other familiars and Necromancers to help, should you need it,” Yin said reassuringly.
Robert seemed satisfied with this answer, and began to clean his equipment. He had just finished when, with twin pops, we heard both Joaquin and Morita-san’s fires go out. All heads turned to watch the reaction complete.
Both squirrels were doused with the oil/essence mixture, and we watched as it was absorbed into the bodies of the squirrels.
Both squirrels twitched and sat up, turning their heads towards their creators and began chittering.
Morita-san nodded at Joaquin, and he cleared his throat. “Venha aqui, esquilo,” he said.
The squirrel shakily stood and took two steps before collapsing. We all watched in horror as it continued to crawl forward, leaving its back half behind. Joaquin began to panic and scooted back.
“Release it, Initiate Madras!”
“Morra, esquilo! Morra!” the young man cried out. The squirrel shuddered and heaved out its remaining breath, one clawed paw outstretched towards Joaquin. As it did, the rest of its entrails oozed out from its body, coupled with a brown slime.
“I will explain in a moment, Initiate Madras. Initiate Morita-san, it is your turn,” Katira said.
Morita-san swallowed, staring at the halves of the squirrel on the cavern floor. “私に近づいて、リス。” she said, her eyes never leaving the squirrel.
Her squirrel never moved. It sat there, blinking. “Instructor? What do I do? It’s not moving. Just….blinking,” Morita-san said quietly.
“Try rewording what you just said.”
“ここに来て、リス。” Morita-san said. The squirrel bounded over to her, and began to inspect her shoes.
“Excellent job, Morita-san. It seems that your reagents harmonized rather well with both you and your subject. This is why it is acting more like a normal, living creature and not the automaton Initiate Grimes produced. There is nothing wrong with your results, Initiate Grimes. You’ll just need to try a different combination of reagents, is all. Initiate Morita-san happened to chance upon the right triad for her for this experiment.
“The squirrel is yours to do with as you wish, Initiate Morita-san. Congratulations to the three of you. You have successfully reanimated your squirrels,” Katira said happily.
The others smiled and seemed happy. Morita-san looked at her squirrel and cocked her head to the side. “Should I name him?” she asked aloud.
“There is nothing prohibiting that, Initiate.”
“I shall call you Daisuke,” she said to the squirrel. “この死んだリスを片付けて、ダイスケ。” she commanded, and the squirrel bounded over to Joaquin’s partial reanimation, and began to cart the remains outside.
“Now, as for your squirrel, Initiate Madras. It was apparently infected by a parasite which had been eating it from the inside. Some sort of intestinal worm, I would say. When you reanimated it, the parasite was immediately destroyed, and likely aided the decomposition. There is no shame in this, and none of us could have known it was there. It is the risk we take when we choose a creature for reanimation.
“This is why a skeleton was chosen for reanimation more often than not in the past. There was no risk of parasitic infection, little risk of a messy failure, and in the event the energies used ran out, it would simply fall to the ground in a pile, ready to be used again. However, one needs a distinct grasp of anatomy for it, because in the event you put it together wrong, it won’t move correctly,” Katira said.
“So, wait. We could potentially Frankenstein ourselves a servant together?” Robert asked.
“Where do you think Mary Shelley got the idea, Initiate Grimes?” Katira returned with an enigmatic smile.
Robert sat there, his mouth agape.
“Close your mouth, Initiate. You might catch a fly, otherwise.”
We all laughed as Robert closed his mouth with a click. He shook his head and sat beside his cubbyhole in thought. Morita-san and Joaquin were talking animatedly in their respective languages, aided by their familiars.
I sat beside my equipment, watching the oil collect in the reservoir. It looked a little different than the others’ did.
“Instructor?” I asked, waving her over.
“Yes?”
“My essence-infused oil looks different to theirs. Theirs was green, and mine is…well, it’s kind of an orangey-pink. Is something wrong?” I asked with concern.
“Hmm. I’m not sure. I’ve never seen a reanimation essence appear this color. Yin? Shutan? Oiwa? Would you three come here, please?” she called out.
The three familiars approached my station curiously. Katira turned to them, gesturing at my equipment. “Have any of you ever seen this color in a reanimation essence before?” she asked.
“Exactly once,” Shutan said, stroking his bony jaw. “Stu? Yours is a Multiplying essence, correct?” he asked, receiving a nod. “Then, I will reveal nothing, save this: This will be interesting.” He walked away, shaking his head, and I could swear I saw a smirk on his skeletal countenance.
“What? Interesting? I’m not sure I like interesting. Wait a minute! What do you mean, interesting?” I called after him, receiving no inkling of acknowledgement.
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“What?” came her whispered reply.
“Katira, I know way too much about all this for it to be a mere coincidence. Maybe that’s all clairsentience is. A reincarnated soul whose work wasn’t done, and they decided to come around again, only this time, with a little head-start. One of the two lives on in me, and I’d be willing to bet it was your former Master. Her partner died before you met her, and only you would know these things, correct?” Katira nodded her head, and I pressed on. “Okay. I’m also betting that this took place more than a hundred years ago, judging by the amount of earth and growth on this cairn, and due to the nature of societal acceptance of homosexuality. Them keeping their relationship a secret, way out here in the middle of nowhere, would be far easier than the two of them living together in a town. Am I right?” I asked
“Nearly one hundred fifty years, yes. As humans reckon these things, it was around 1875. Not long after your stupid civil war. My Master had lost her mother to typhoid, and her father to the war. She and her best friend decided to attempt to homestead not too far from here, and they eventually fell in love. They were only seventeen at the time, and most of the eligible young men in town had succumbed to the war or to injuries they sustained afterwards. My Master was a hardy, resilient woman. You would have liked her, Stu. She was built like me, and was bullheaded as a mule.” Katira laughed softly, wiping away tears. “Anyway, they built a cabin not terribly far from this spot, and lived for several years together, until the events you described. My Master was beside herself with grief, and nearly ended her time here on several occasions. Until one day, she chanced upon what looked like an old cellar out here in the fields.
“It was there that she found my little body and attempted to bury me. You should have seen her fright when, instead of a pile of bones that fell apart, she had a skeletal kitten bounding around her ankles. We bonded in a similar manner to Joaquin and Shutan. She fell onto the cellar, cut her arm, and the blood dripped onto me. She went on to become an amazing Necromancer in her own right. You two share the same essence type, as well. Huh. I wonder why I never made the connection before,” she concluded softly.
I walked over and wiped the tears from her soft, shimmery face. “Why would you even think to do so? You’ve dealt with all but the most rare of essences, right?” I asked, receiving a nod in turn. “There’s no shame in not recognizing an extremely old pattern. Especially when there’s no real reason to suspect anything. You had already explained away my knowledge, and that should’ve been the end of it.
“Let’s get the last of the reagents and head back. Now that we know where this is, we can come and pay our respects after my Growth. Any time you’re up for it. In the meantime, we say nothing and hint at nothing. My description of their last days could be chalked up to a lucky guess. A very lucky guess, but a guess nonetheless. Unless and until we have some concrete proof, we keep this to ourselves. Not a word even to the guild. Sound good to you?” I asked.
Katira nodded, and I turned and knelt by the old grave. I laid a hand on the topmost stone, and whispered “Not even the stars.” I took a small bouquet of the tiny blue flowers and stood, seeing a weeping dragoness behind me.
“It is you, Bethany. You’re in there, and I know it. I look different, but I’m still the same Katira. I still love you,” she said, tears streaming down her face.
“I’m sorry, what? Bethany? Is that your former Master’s name? What are you talking about?” I asked, concerned.
“What you said when you laid your hand on the grave. Do you recall?”
I nodded, “Yeah. I said ‘Not even the stars’. It just felt right. I dunno why,” I replied.
“That’s what Bethany used to tell her partner, Rose. ‘Not even the stars could shine as brightly as her eyes’, is what she told me. You hold her soul within you. It explains everything to me. Your apparent skill, your oddly specific knowledge, and your way with people. It doesn’t explain your intuition, but that could just be an amalgam of your spirits and your broad intellect. She always lamented her inability to be more creative,” she explained, taking my hand in hers.
“Well. That’s a thing, then. I’m still me, Katira. Even if I have Bethany’s soul, you’re still dealing with Stu. Remember that, please,” I told her.
“Absolutely, Master. This just brings new possibilities to light, is all,” Katira said, sniffling. “My Master, Bethany is gone. I know this. However, knowing that some part of her lives on is a great comfort. That’s all,” she said softly. Katira stepped forward and took my hands in hers. “I know you’re Stu. I know you’re my Master. I can’t forget it. You gave me this form, and I cherish it. Just like I cherish you. You’re going to be my final Master, and I can’t wait to spend an eternity with you,” she said, giving my hands a gentle squeeze.
“Alright, then. As long as we are clear. Are you ready to head back?” I asked gently.
Katira nodded, and we started back off towards the cave. It took us another three hours, but we made it back. The others had been there for a few hours by the time we returned. All three had begun the distillation process by the time we arrived, and had placed their squirrels in the appropriate locations.
“Excellent job, Initiates! I’m glad to see you have taken the initiative to begin your reanimations. Now, it isn’t a guarantee that you will be successful. Be prepared for a messy failure, otherwise. Upon a success, even a minor one, your squirrel will sit up and make vocalizations at you. In the event of a minor success, this is all that will happen. If it is anything more, you can give it a command. It might understand it and act. Just make sure it is a simple one. You can command it to simply die, if you wish. It is up to you. Now, who got here first?” she asked.
“I did, Instructor,” Robert said.
“Excellent. Good job, Initiate Grimes. How long after you got set up did the next one arrive?”
“About an hour, I think and Joaquin was a few minutes after her. That was three hours ago. I think mine is nearly done,” Robert explained.
“Good. While Initiate Merideth gets set up, we will discuss what comes after a successful reanimation,” Katira began.
I turned and began the process of removing the petals from the phlox, depositing them in the pot. I mostly tuned out the discussion they were having, my mind reeling from the events of the day.
If I didn’t hold a reincarnated soul, how else would I be able to do what I do without even thinking about it? How else would I know the stuff I know without having had the instruction? How did I know who was buried beneath that cairn of stones, and how she died? Was it even my soul that was reincarnated? Or, had Bethany’s spirit hung around waiting to impart knowledge upon one lonely Necromancer?
These questions and more rolled around my head, my body moving on autopilot. I was just about to reach into the bag containing the nettles when Katira grabbed my wrist, jerking me from my reverie.
“Initiate!”
“Huh? Wha?”
“Initiate, I’ve been trying to get your attention for a bit. You almost reached into the bag that has the nettles bare-handed. What’s gotten into you?” she asked, her concern evident.
I simply looked into her eyes, my own face a blank mask, and she sighed softly. “Okay. I understand. It’s about what we talked about before, isn’t it?” she asked softly. I nodded slowly. “I take it you’ve never handled nettles, have you?” I shook my head. “Let me show you. In fact, gather around, everyone. Nettles are a painful plant, and you may have to handle them at some point. Let me show you how to deal with them,” Katira announced.
The rest of the group came over and sat while Katira taught us how to handle the irritating plant. Once she demonstrated the process, I tried it once, and even though I’d succeeded, I figured I’d not like to attempt it again. Instead, I took my multitool and pocket knife, clamped onto the stem, and sliced the leaves into the pot. Then, for good measure, I sectioned up the stem and dropped it in, as well. In went the snake skin, water and three drops of my blood. I set the fire, and waited for something to happen.
As luck would have it something did happen. We all heard Robert’s fire go out with a pop, and turned to see the droplet of essence-infused oil spill onto the squirrel. As with our message stones, nothing was spilled, it all just absorbed into the squirrel, and we watched with bated breath.
At first, nothing happened. The squirrel sat motionless on the cold stone slab. After a few moments, however, we all saw the digits on the left forelimb twitch. Collectively, we moved back, as a crazed squirrel was as fearsome as it was small. It took a breath, then a second. Slowly, it sat up, turned its black, unblinking eyes towards Robert and began chittering.
“Try it, Initiate Grimes,” Katira whispered.
Robert cleared his throat and swallowed. “Go outside the cave, and dig a hole big enough for you to lie in beside the first tree you see,” he commanded.
We watched as the squirrel cocked its head to the side and hopped down. It bounded drunkenly out of the cave, and after a short search, began to dig a hole.
“Excellent job, Initiate. Why did you tell it to do that?” Katira asked.
“I felt terrible for it. I think it should be put to rest,” he said quietly.
“So it is digging its own grave? Interesting. Go and tend to it. It may not be able to finish,” Katira replied.
Robert got up and went outside to tend to his squirrel, and the rest of us sat back and chatted for a bit.
“Senpai? What took you so long to find your reagents?” Morita-san asked.
“Well, as our Instructor specified this morning, I require very specific reagents to even have a chance at making this work, and they weren’t easy to find. I had to have phlox, nettles and a shed skin. Phlox were those tiny blue flowers, and they weren’t easy to find. Especially as I had no idea what they looked like until I opened my Grimoire. I knew what nettles looked like, and everyone from around here knows what a shed skin looks like, I think. They just weren’t easy to get. However, after I found the nettles, the other two just kinda happened. The snake skin was tangled around some weeds in a field, and the phlox were growing by an outcropping of stone. We had to go something like five miles from the cave. Speaking of which, I’m gonna need to eat something soon. I just had a small snack around noon or so,” I explained.
“By the time your still finishes, it will be time for dinner, anyway. I’d suggest holding off, if you can,” Katira said.
“I’ll try, but if I start getting the sugar shakes or acting belligerent, I’ll need a small snack again. We really don’t want that,” I said.
Robert came back, looking somber and somewhat sad. “It’s done. I…I told it to die, and it closed its eyes and just stopped moving. It seemed happy,” he said, taking a seat.
“Initiate Grimes, I want you to understand that all you did was reanimate the body of a squirrel. It had no soul, and therefore wasn’t the same creature I killed three days ago. It was more or less a biological machine that used the energy of the reagents you selected and your essence as fuel. It would have eventually stopped moving on its own. You could re energize it with your essence, but that would serve to bond it tighter to you, which is not a situation we want here. You have done well thus far, and I’m proud of you. We all are,” she told the younger man.
“She is right, Master. You have grown in skill, and as a person. Rather quickly, I might add. As such, I would say that your own Growth is no more than a month away. Once we get home, you should alert your job to your upcoming illness,” Yin grumbled.
“I can’t do that, bud. I can’t plan to be sick. Instructor? Do the symptoms all come on at once, or are they in stages?” Robert asked.
“You will most likely get the headaches first. If you can function through them, I would call your job at that point, and tell them that you are sick, and it is unknown as to how long it will last. Hopefully, you will be able to maintain your job after you are done Growing,” Katira replied.
“I can form human arms and hands for the time it takes to send a message on your phone, Master. I could also call for any number of other familiars and Necromancers to help, should you need it,” Yin said reassuringly.
Robert seemed satisfied with this answer, and began to clean his equipment. He had just finished when, with twin pops, we heard both Joaquin and Morita-san’s fires go out. All heads turned to watch the reaction complete.
Both squirrels were doused with the oil/essence mixture, and we watched as it was absorbed into the bodies of the squirrels.
Both squirrels twitched and sat up, turning their heads towards their creators and began chittering.
Morita-san nodded at Joaquin, and he cleared his throat. “Venha aqui, esquilo,” he said.
The squirrel shakily stood and took two steps before collapsing. We all watched in horror as it continued to crawl forward, leaving its back half behind. Joaquin began to panic and scooted back.
“Release it, Initiate Madras!”
“Morra, esquilo! Morra!” the young man cried out. The squirrel shuddered and heaved out its remaining breath, one clawed paw outstretched towards Joaquin. As it did, the rest of its entrails oozed out from its body, coupled with a brown slime.
“I will explain in a moment, Initiate Madras. Initiate Morita-san, it is your turn,” Katira said.
Morita-san swallowed, staring at the halves of the squirrel on the cavern floor. “私に近づいて、リス。” she said, her eyes never leaving the squirrel.
Her squirrel never moved. It sat there, blinking. “Instructor? What do I do? It’s not moving. Just….blinking,” Morita-san said quietly.
“Try rewording what you just said.”
“ここに来て、リス。” Morita-san said. The squirrel bounded over to her, and began to inspect her shoes.
“Excellent job, Morita-san. It seems that your reagents harmonized rather well with both you and your subject. This is why it is acting more like a normal, living creature and not the automaton Initiate Grimes produced. There is nothing wrong with your results, Initiate Grimes. You’ll just need to try a different combination of reagents, is all. Initiate Morita-san happened to chance upon the right triad for her for this experiment.
“The squirrel is yours to do with as you wish, Initiate Morita-san. Congratulations to the three of you. You have successfully reanimated your squirrels,” Katira said happily.
The others smiled and seemed happy. Morita-san looked at her squirrel and cocked her head to the side. “Should I name him?” she asked aloud.
“There is nothing prohibiting that, Initiate.”
“I shall call you Daisuke,” she said to the squirrel. “この死んだリスを片付けて、ダイスケ。” she commanded, and the squirrel bounded over to Joaquin’s partial reanimation, and began to cart the remains outside.
“Now, as for your squirrel, Initiate Madras. It was apparently infected by a parasite which had been eating it from the inside. Some sort of intestinal worm, I would say. When you reanimated it, the parasite was immediately destroyed, and likely aided the decomposition. There is no shame in this, and none of us could have known it was there. It is the risk we take when we choose a creature for reanimation.
“This is why a skeleton was chosen for reanimation more often than not in the past. There was no risk of parasitic infection, little risk of a messy failure, and in the event the energies used ran out, it would simply fall to the ground in a pile, ready to be used again. However, one needs a distinct grasp of anatomy for it, because in the event you put it together wrong, it won’t move correctly,” Katira said.
“So, wait. We could potentially Frankenstein ourselves a servant together?” Robert asked.
“Where do you think Mary Shelley got the idea, Initiate Grimes?” Katira returned with an enigmatic smile.
Robert sat there, his mouth agape.
“Close your mouth, Initiate. You might catch a fly, otherwise.”
We all laughed as Robert closed his mouth with a click. He shook his head and sat beside his cubbyhole in thought. Morita-san and Joaquin were talking animatedly in their respective languages, aided by their familiars.
I sat beside my equipment, watching the oil collect in the reservoir. It looked a little different than the others’ did.
“Instructor?” I asked, waving her over.
“Yes?”
“My essence-infused oil looks different to theirs. Theirs was green, and mine is…well, it’s kind of an orangey-pink. Is something wrong?” I asked with concern.
“Hmm. I’m not sure. I’ve never seen a reanimation essence appear this color. Yin? Shutan? Oiwa? Would you three come here, please?” she called out.
The three familiars approached my station curiously. Katira turned to them, gesturing at my equipment. “Have any of you ever seen this color in a reanimation essence before?” she asked.
“Exactly once,” Shutan said, stroking his bony jaw. “Stu? Yours is a Multiplying essence, correct?” he asked, receiving a nod. “Then, I will reveal nothing, save this: This will be interesting.” He walked away, shaking his head, and I could swear I saw a smirk on his skeletal countenance.
“What? Interesting? I’m not sure I like interesting. Wait a minute! What do you mean, interesting?” I called after him, receiving no inkling of acknowledgement.

Have a 2012 Kia Soul + (2.0L A/T), developed an intermittent grinding sound on startup (lasts ~ 1 to 2 seconds, then all is well), only if it's been sitting a while (first crank of the day, or when leaving work). Replaced the starter, didn't help, flex plate teeth seemed fine. Now I'm thinking the sound might be more localized toward the front driver side, maybe closer to the wheel well area. Any ideas on potential culprits to check for?

“There were rules, Mafia codes you had to go by. But the code is ridiculous. It's a code among sociopaths.” David Chase (creator: The Sopranos)
Chapter Three: Tiffany and The Ax

1. ANTIBES, FRANCE. Jude sat at a small table outside La Forge Restaurant on Jacques Audiberti Place. The petite square was bustling with late morning activity. He sipped an espresso and paged through his USA Today. A group of teenagers passed loudly through the square on their way to the beach from a hostel. Tiffany and her girlfriend were with the group. He had been watching her for about a week now but the right opportunity hadn't presented itself.

He told himself he wasn't delaying the operation because he was on an unlimited expense account and his target was spending the summer on the Cote d'Azur. He supposed milking a client that way would be unethical. The thought amused him. It really was because he hadn't found the perfect chance to kill her. Mostly. Mostly that was it.
He noted that the Tour de France was passing through the area and decided to find a place to watch the event. And then there was the Musee Picasso on Place Mariejol. He didn't want to miss that.
He could kill Tiffany tomorrow. Or the next day.
Finally it was the weather that forced his hand. A fierce summer storm was predicted for that week. Such an event would make Tiffany's movements unpredictable. She might stay in and weather it, as he would then have to do as well or she might catch the train to a fairer climate. He had no doubt he could find her again, but uncertainties made him uncomfortable. The night before the storm rolled in, he got his perfect opportunity.
It was late, past midnight. Jude had been watching Tiffany as she snuck away with a young man, an Australian, Jude guessed. They had been drinking on the beach, the Plage Gravette, having snuck on after it closed. The location couldn't have been more perfect if Karsen picked it himself. It was surrounded by walls on three sides and faced the ocean. It wasn't lit other than the light kicking off the surrounding apartment buildings. And with the cloud cover from the oncoming storm, it was all but impossible for anyone in the overlooking apartment buildings to see any activity on the beach that night.
Tiffany's male companion passed out after sex. Tiffany lay there, quite drunk herself. Finally she got up and staggered towards the road. Jude watched from the shadows as she came right towards him. She passed one bum, fast asleep by the wall and entered into the tunnel leading from the beach. She never saw Karsen.
She cried out for a split second. But Jude covered her mouth with gloved hands and snapped her neck. He carried her body off the beach, out the gate to the Quai Henri Rambaud and onto a waiting boat.
While Jude piloted the motorboat out into the ocean, into the face of the storm, his partner prepared the body. When they reached far enough out, they dumped the pretty, blonde teenager over the side. And started a media firestorm.
​
Tiffany Teague was an ordinary American girl. She was from the state of New York. Wynantskill, specifically. A hamlet outside of Albany. She was a junior in college, attending Cedar Crest College in Allentown, PA, an all women's school. She liked Justin Timberlake and Fallout Boy and thought that Paul Walker was the perfect man.
Edward and Maggie Teague weren't rich, or even well off after several failed business ventures, but they doted on their kids and helped Tiffany save for a summer of backpacking in Europe. They were proud of the fact that while most of Tiffany's friends were sitting around getting drunk and pregnant, Tiffany would be learning about the world. They probably wouldn't have been pleased with how she spent her last hours alive.
When she vanished, they began a tireless campaign. Like all parents faced with an unsolvable mystery of this type, they played nightmare scenarios over and over in their heads. Was it worse that she was dead? Or was it worse that she was alive, perhaps living in some horrible situation? Which to hope for? How to pray?
The case caught the attention of Nancy Grace and Greta Van Susteren. The resulting media pressure caused France, the United States and Australia (the home of the poor drunken boy last known to be with her) to redouble their efforts on Tiffany's behalf.
But there was no trace to be found. No clue as to her disappearance. The Australian boy, somewhat of a loathsome cad, found himself now reviled as a murderer. For the life of him, he could barely remember their last hours together. He didn't even remember having slept with her on the beach. A fact attested to by the drunk who watched it, but his testimony was highly questionable.
No one would ever have tied it to a case in Federal Court from almost two years before. The prosecution of a small time thug named Paulie Azeglio. In 2002 Paulie was convicted under U.S.C. § 2315 Sale or receipt of stolen goods, securities or monies. He was sentenced to three years, but died in prison in 2003. His death was retribution in an ongoing organized crime power struggle involving his infamous father, Frank “The Ax” Azeglio. Edward Teague was a juror in the trial that convicted Paulie.
​
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK. Two and half months before Tiffany's death, Jude was in the living room of his home in Sherman Oaks. He had his laptop hooked up to his 70 inch big screen television and he was sitting on the couch watching porn when his cell phone rang with an unknown number. Normally he wouldn't have answered it, but the area code was from New York. And he got a prickly feeling at the back of his neck. So he managed to get his hands clean in time to answer the call before it kicked over to voice mail.
The speaker was abrupt. A limousine would be arriving at his home in forty-five minutes. It would take him to the airport. He would fly to New York, JFK International and be picked up from there for a meeting. After the meeting he would be taken to a hotel before being flown back to L.A. the following afternoon. The option to refuse this was not offered. And Jude, recognizing the voice, knowing the caller by reputation, never once thought of turning it down. He got up, showered and packed an over-night bag. The limo was right on time.
When he arrived in New York, it was almost 4 AM. Another limo was waiting for him and the ride from the airport took forty-five minutes. Jude slept for most of it as it was past one in the morning, California time. He woke from the sound of the limo coming to a stop. The driver opened the door and Jude stepped out, stretching as he did so.
He was in a warehouse complex. Dull orange lights hung from the corners of buildings in halos of mist. The ocean was nearby, though he couldn't see it. He could smell the salt in the air and hear the not-so-distant sound of compressed surf crunching against a wharf. This was an old complex. Rust rotted through the walls of the buildings. Some were missing whole panels.
The limo drove away, leaving him alone. For a moment, there was a tightness in his chest. Anxiety. He didn’t have a gun. He wasn’t armed but that was unavoidable. He pushed it away. Calculated the odds. It was unlikely they brought him this far just to kill him. Unlikely, but not impossible. He pushed the thought away again. You never knew for sure when dealing with the Mafia. Before anxiety consumed him, a door opened. Twenty feet away, a large man wearing a suit stepped out of the darkness and motioned him to come forward. Karsen did not feel better.
The man searched Karsen, patting him down. Karsen didn't object. When the man was satisfied, he waved Jude through the doorway. Neither of them spoke.
Karsen moved cautiously into the old warehouse. It was a huge empty place. Dim light filtered in from broken windows high above. Deep shadows hung like curtains through cavernous space. Karsen lit a cigarette and walked, kept walking towards the center of the warehouse. Finally, seeing no objective and hearing the door crash closed behind him, he stopped. In a dim pool of light drizzling in from a broken window high above.
Footsteps echoed out of the shadows. Coming towards him. Gradually a man emerged from the gloom. He stopped a few feet from Jude. The man was in his late fifties or early sixties. Obviously Italian. His hair was steel grey and his manner was one that assumed authority.
Jude stared at Frank “The Ax” Azeglio. He took a drag on his cigarette and exhaled softly. Frank spoke.
“Mr. Karsen.”
“Yeah.”
“Put out your cigarette. My sinuses...”
“Oh. Sorry.” Jude dropped the smoke and crushed it with his shoe.
“Thank you. And thank you for coming.”
“Sure.”
“I have a job for you, Mr. Karsen.” With gloved hands, Frank the Ax passed a manila envelope to Karsen.
“Family member?” asked Jude.
“No.”
“One of the bosses?”
“Is this a quiz show? Open the fucking envelope.” Azeglio pulled out a bottle of nasal spray and took a squirt up each nostril.
Karsen skimmed the information and looked at the photo. A photo of Tiffany Teague. He glanced back up at Azeglio, curiosity on his face.
“This is a teenage girl.”
Frank stared at him. Silent. Jude shot him a small, knowing smile.
“Sure. I'll do it. Any special requests?”
“Make it quick and painless. Make the body disappear.”
Jude nodded and slid the papers back into the envelope. Something was weird about this. There was a reason Frank called him in the middle of the night, flew him across the country. There was a reason they were meeting in this warehouse instead of some back room of a restaurant. Something about this contract was different.
“A mil,” said Jude. “Plus expenses.”
The Ax didn't hesitate or negotiate. “I'll have it wired to your account. Bill me the expenses through our usual contact.”
“You got a deal.” Karsen handed the envelope back to Frank.
“Don't you need this information?”
“I have what I need memorized. I don’t want to carry that file past the TSA.” Karsen turned and walked towards the door. He hadn't gone more than a couple feet before Frank spoke again.
“Mr. Karsen.”
Jude stopped and turned to the mob boss.
“I want you to know why.”
Jude shifted uncomfortably. He was itching to go and he felt the nascent urge to urinate. But it was more than that. Somehow he felt that the longer he stayed, the more...culpable he was. It was an irrational, random thought, but it nagged him. It put an urgency on him.
“That's not necessary. I prefer not to know. To know as little as possible.”
“But I want you to know.”
Jude stood there quietly. He desperately wanted a smoke. Frank “The Ax” began to speak.
“My son Paul. Francis Paul Azeglio Jr, you know I wanted a better life for him. Wanted him to go to college, maybe join the military. I didn't want this life for him. This life that you and I lead. I wanted better for my children. Wasn't that the point of fighting my way out of the gutters and back alleys of Brooklyn? And I did it. I gave my children everything. Paul was raised in luxury. He got an excellent education at a private school. He had all the opportunities of privilege at his fingertips. Opportunities I bled and made others bleed to win for him.
“All I wanted was for him to be a doctor or a stockbroker or even a musician. To have a family and give me grandchildren. I wanted my son to escape this life that I was forced into by simple economics and...certain skills I had that others lacked. You understand me, Mr. Karsen?”
“I don't have children,” Jude regretted it the moment it came out his mouth. Frank's expression clouded and his brow furrowed.
“But I get your point,” Karsen added quickly.
“Every father worth a damn wants to protect his children. Of course, to my son, it seemed like I thought he wasn't up to it, like I thought he wasn't tough enough for the job....” Frank trailed off, staring up at the shattered windows with their rusted frames. “Which, of course, was the absolute truth.”
They were silent. Jude's need to piss was growing stronger. But there was no way to leave this conversation. Not until Frank the Ax was done. Was this a confession wondered Jude? Karsen suspected Frank was probably a Catholic. How did he suddenly become this man's priest?
Frank finally broke the silence. “Did your father respect you?”
Ahh jeez, thought Jude, “I broke his jaw when I was sixteen. After that it didn't matter.”
“Bullshit. It always matters. I never even knew my father and I still wonder what he would've thought of me, to this very day. But you took respect from your dad the day you cracked his face.”
“I don't know. I didn't see him much after that.”
“Right...right,” Frank sighed. “Paul wanted my respect. He wanted to impress me, not just as a son or even as a man, he wanted my respect as a gangster. He coulda done anything and I woulda been proud of him. But he wanted to be good, be great at what I was great at. You understand?”
“I think so.”
“This kid...this right side of the tracks, white kid who never had to fight in his life, decided he was smart enough to do a major job, like it was some movie or one of these cable TV shows. He stole a container full of flatscreen TVs and tried to fence. He wanted to bring down a big score, just like the stories he'd heard his old man tell the boys, when he shoulda been in bed at night...”
“He got caught.”
“Of course he got caught. Grand Theft Auto was a video game to him. To me, it was a way of life.” Frank muttered something under his breath that Jude didn't make out.
“What?”
“Nothing. Because Paul went across state lines it was a Federal Crime. Ahh, that shouldn't have mattered. I got the best lawyers, greased the skids with the Judge and the prosecutor. They offered a decent deal, but not enough. I didn't want my boy to do a day inside. So it went to trial. Still shouldn't have been a problem. I hired one of those fancy jury consultant companies and wired the jury...but one slipped by. One man named Edward Teague. Real Dudley do-right. From my man inside, he tells me this Edward Teague bullied this jury, harassed this jury, and wore them out by dragging it on for days so they finally gave in and convicted. They didn't want to convict. But this guy...this guy...he was the foreman and he all but forced them...”
Something didn't ring true about this story, but Jude wasn't about to question a man nicked-named 'The Ax'.
“Tough break.”
“So my sweetheart baby boy, my only son...went to the Federal Pen. God, the way he acted, like it was a badge of honor, like I should be proud of him. I told him-”
Frank stopped, his voice catching as the memory overcame him. He composed himself and wiped a tear, passing it off as rubbing the bridge of his nose.
“I told him. Keep your head down. Do your time quietly and he'd be taken care of. Mob guys can be very safe inside. But he... he still had something to prove...”
Another tear slid silently down the mafia don's cheeks. Jude wanted desperately to leave. But he felt he had to say something at this point.
“He's dead.”
“I got the guys that did him. I got them already.” Frank wiped the tears from his face and his manner changed. As he spoke, a slow rage filled his voice. “Now. Now I want Edward Teague. Juror number nine. I want him to suffer like I do. To live without his precious child, his daughter that he dotes on, that he loves. I want to rip her out of his arms.” His voice seethed with hatred.
“I want him to hurt...you understand me? I want him to have this hole in his heart. This ache, this, this horrible, empty, loss torn into his soul.”
Frank stepped closer to Jude, until he was so near Jude could smell the faint medicinal scent of nasal spray on the man's breath. He was so uncomfortable that he wanted to burst out laughing, but knew that would mean his instant death. Not figuratively. Frank, in this moment, would kill him for disrespect. It was the thought of his own face being bludgeoned that drove the amusement away.
Brutality filled Azeglio's voice, “I want to take his daughter from him and I want him to live the rest of his life never knowing what happened to her.”
The cold hatred that burned out of the man was awful in its intensity. His eyes cut into Jude's with the horror of emptiness. Without another word, Frank turned and walked back into the darkness.

What, is there something special happening today? Hold on, let me grab my calendar book from my chiseled bookshelf.
Oh, it's time for Trails & Tales! How could I forget? Time to equip your new brush and ride your camel off to new adventures!
This update can also be found on minecraft.net.

New Features

• All features and changes from the "Update 1.20" experimental pack are now part of the game
• Added Archaeology
• Added Sniffer mob, Torchflowers and Pitcher Plants
• Added Camel mob
• Added Smithing Template items and redesigned the Smithing Table
  • Added a new armor trimming system to visually customize your armor
  • Changed how Netherite equipment is crafted
• Added the Cherry Grove biome and Cherry Wood Set
• Added the Bamboo Wood Set
• Added the Chiseled Bookshelf block
• Added Hanging Signs
• Improved customization options for Signs
• Added the Calibrated Sculk Sensor block
• Vibration resonance functionality has been added to Blocks of Amethyst
• Added playable mob sounds with Mob Heads on Note Blocks
• Added Piglin Mob Head
• New music tracks added to Cherry Groves, Desert, Jungle, Badlands, and Flower Forest biomes
• New Trails & Tales Advancements
• Added support for Windows Aarch64/ARM64

Archaeology

• Added craftable Brush item
• Added Suspicious Sand and Suspicious Gravel
  • Suspicious Sand can be found in Desert Temples, Desert Wells and Warm Ocean Ruins
  • Suspicious Gravel can be found in Cold Ocean Ruins and Trail Ruins
  • These fragile blocks are hard to spot and easy to destroy, so be careful!
  • Brushing Suspicious Sand or Suspicious Gravel with a Brush will extract objects that were buried long ago
• Added the Trail Ruins, a buried structure from a lost culture
  • Four types of Armor Trim Templates can be found here
  • Trail Ruins can be found in Taigas, Snowy Taigas, all Old Growth forest biomes and Jungles
  • A new music disc can be found by brushing suspicious blocks in this structure
  • When put in a Jukebox, "Relic" by Aaron Cherof is played
• Added Pottery Sherds
  • Pottery Sherds have pictures on them
  • A total of 20 sherd have been distributed between the 5 Archaeology sites: Desert Wells, Desert Temples, Cold Ocean Ruins, Warm Ocean Ruins, and Trail Ruins
  • They cannot be crafted, and are only found by brushing Suspicious Sand or Suspicious Gravel

Decorated Pots

• Crafting four Pottery Sherds together will create a Decorated Pot with a picture on each side
• Brick items can be used instead of Pottery Sherds in the Decorated Pot recipe
  • The sides that were made from Brick items will not have pictures
• Smash a Decorated Pot with any block-breaking tool to break it apart and get the Pottery Sherds back
  • Hitting the pot with bare hands, silk touch tools, or any other item will drop an intact pot instead
• Crafted Decorated Pots with at least one pattern have a hover tooltip displaying the Sherd & Brick ingredients

Sniffer

• The Sniffer is the mob vote winner of Minecraft Live 2022
• Sniffers are passive, friendly mobs
• Sniffers sniff the air and occasionally dig for seeds, which produces a Torchflower Seed or a Pitcher Pod item
• Sniffers can only dig grass and dirt-like blocks
• Sniffers can be tempted by, and bred with Torchflowers Seeds

Sniffer Egg

• Can be found by brushing the Suspicious Sand of Warm Ocean Ruins
• When two Sniffers breed they do not immediately spawn a Snifflet; instead, a Sniffer Egg is dropped
• When placed in the world, the Sniffer Egg will hatch after some time
  • When placed on Moss, the Egg will hatch in approximately 10 minutes
  • On all other blocks, it will hatch in approximately 20 minutes

Torchflowers

• The Sniffer can occasionally sniff up a Torchflowers seed, and it can be used to breed two Sniffers
• The Torchflower seed can be planted on Farmland and grows into a Torchflower
• The full-grown flower can be harvested and replanted
• The Torchflower can be crafted into Orange Dye

Pitcher Plant

• The Sniffer can occasionally sniff up a Pitcher Pod item
• The Pitcher Pod, when planted on Farmland, grows into a Pitcher Crop
• The Pitcher Crop has five growth stages
• Once fully grown, the Pitcher Crop can be harvested, yielding a two-block-tall Pitcher Plant
• The Pitcher Plant can be crafted into Cyan Dye

Camel

• Camels can be equipped with a Saddle and ridden by two players
• Camels spawn naturally when Desert Villages generate
• Camels can be tempted by holding Cactus
• Feed Cactus to Camels to breed them
• Camels are tall
  • Most hostile mobs will not be able to reach you when you are on a Camel
  • They can walk over Fences and Walls
• Camels randomly sit down
  • While sitting, it is difficult to convince them to move
• Camels can either walk slowly or sprint quickly
• They can also dash forward but will lose stamina for a while when doing so

Smithing

• Smithing Tables have been redesigned into a workstation for physical equipment upgrades and modifications
• Alongside slots for combining a piece of equipment and materials, there is now a required slot for an item type called Smithing Template
• Smithing Templates define what type of upgrade you will be making to a piece of equipment
  • It specifies both what type of items you can upgrade, and which ingredients are valid to customize the upgrade
  • There are currently two categories of Smithing Templates: Armor Trim and Netherite Upgrade
• Smithing Templates are consumed when used to upgrade an item in the Smithing Table
• You can craft a copy of a Smithing Template in the Crafting Table with 7 diamonds + 1 block of material that the template is made out of + 1 smithing template, which will output 2 of the same Smithing Template

Netherite Equipment

• Netherite equipment crafting now also requires a Netherite Upgrade Smithing Template
• Netherite Upgrade Smithing Templates can be found randomly in all Bastion Remnant chests
  • Every Treasure Room Bastion Remnant will contain 2 Smithing Templates
• This change was made for a variety of reasons:
  • Increase the time players utilize Diamond equipment before Netherite
  • Make Netherite equipment more significant achievement in the game's progression
  • Adapt Netherite more naturally into the new Smithing Table crafting system

Armor Trims

• You can now visually customize your armor with a variety of unique trims at the Smithing Table
• Armor trims are purely visual with no gameplay benefits
• Armor trims can be applied to Helmets, Chestplates, Leggings and Boots
  • All trim patterns are visually the same on an armor's item icon, but the color will still change based on the trim material
  • To check which trim pattern a piece of armor has, you can hover over it in the inventory
• Armor Trim Smithing Templates can be found all throughout the world, and each of the following structures contain their own unique Smithing Templates:
  • Trail Ruins: Wayfinder, Raiser, Shaper, and Host Armor Trims
  • Pillager Outpost: Sentry Armor Trim
  • Desert Pyramid: Dune Armor Trim
  • Shipwreck: Coast Armor Trim
  • Jungle Temple: Wild Armor Trim
  • Ocean Monument: Tide Armor Trim
  • Ancient City: Ward and Silence Armor Trims
  • Woodland Mansion: Vex Armor Trim
  • Nether Fortress: Rib Armor Trim
  • Bastion Remnant: Snout Armor Trim
  • Stronghold: Eye Armor Trim
  • End City: Spire Armor Trim
• Smithing Templates are found in chests in their respective structure
  • Trail Ruins have no chests, Smithing Templates are instead found by brushing Suspicious Gravel
  • The Ocean Monument has no chests, Elder Guardians sometimes instead drop a Smithing Template upon death
• Some Armor Trim Smithing Templates are rarer than others, so be on the lookout for them to impress your friends!
• An armor trim has two properties: a pattern and a material
  • The pattern is defined by the Smithing Template used to apply the trim, and represents the visual pattern of the trim
  • The material is defined by which ingredient you used to apply the trim, and controls the color of the trim
• The viable ingredients you can use to define the color of your armor trim are the following:
  • Iron, Copper, Gold, Lapis, Emerald, Diamond, Netherite, Redstone, Amethyst, Quartz

Cherry Groves

• Added a new Cherry Grove biome, with pretty cherry blossom trees
  • The biome can be found in the mountains, in similar places as Meadows
• Added a new Cherry wood set, with all the corresponding wooden things you can craft from it
• Pink particles fall from beneath Cherry Leaves
• Added a new Pink Petals block with lots of pink flowers on the ground
  • Each Pink Petal block can contain up to 4 petals
  • Using Bone Meal on it increases the number of petals
  • Placing a Pink Petal into an already placed block increases the number of petals
  • Drops the number of petals in the block when mined

Bamboo Wood Set

• Added a new Bamboo wood set, with all the corresponding wooden things you can craft from it
• Block of Bamboo can be crafted from 9 Bamboo and can be stripped like other wood logs
• Bamboo Planks crafted from Block of Bamboo yield only 2 planks compared to 4 for wood logs
• Added a new "Mosaic" plank variant that is unique to Bamboo called the Bamboo Mosaic
  • It can be crafted with 1x2 Bamboo Slabs in a vertical strip
  • You can craft Stair and Slab variants of Bamboo Mosaic
  • Bamboo Mosaic blocks cannot be used as a crafting ingredient where other wooden blocks are used, but they can be used as fuel
• Added a unique Bamboo Raft and Bamboo Chest Raft which can be crafted like normal boats, but with Bamboo Planks
  • They function the same as ordinary boats, but have a unique look to them

Chiseled Bookshelf

• A new, chiseled variation of the Bookshelf
• Crafted with 6 planks and 3 wooden slabs
• Can store Books, Book and Quills, Written Books, Enchanted Books, and Knowledge Books
  • Holds up to 6 books
  • These can be added or removed from any slot by targeting the specific slot
• The Comparator signal strength corresponds to the number of the last book that was inserted or removed
  • The numbering of book slots starts from 1 at the top-left, and increments from left-to-right
• Works with Hoppers

Hanging Signs

• Hanging Signs are a more expensive version of normal Signs
  • Crafted with 2 chains and 6 stripped logs of your preferred wood type
  • Crafting results in 6 Hanging Signs
• Can be hung up in the following ways:
  • Underneath a block that can provide support in the center, like a full block or a fence
  • Attached to the solid side of a block
  • Attached to the side or underneath another Hanging Sign
• Unlike normal Signs, they cannot be placed directly on the ground without support from the side or above
  • However, Hanging Signs that have a horizontal bar will not pop when the supporting block is removed

Signs

The following changes have been made for both Signs and Hanging Signs. - Sign text can now be edited after being placed in the world - This can be done by interacting with the Sign - Signs with non-text chat components can not be edited - Both sides of the Sign can now have separate text and colors, allowing for further customization options - By default, a Sign will prompt you to input the front side's text when placed - To apply text to the back-side, you must walk to the other side and interact with that face to edit it - Signs can now also be waxed with Honeycomb, preventing any further edits to its text - Opening the sign edit screen in singleplayer no longer pauses the game

Calibrated Sculk Sensors

• A new variant of Sculk Sensors that allows you to filter vibrations based on their frequency level
• They are not found naturally and can only be crafted with 1 Sculk Sensor and 3 Amethyst Shards in the Crafting Table
• One side of the Calibrated Sculk Sensor can receive a redstone signal as input
  • The strength of that redstone signal is the only vibration frequency the Sculk Sensor will listen to
• They have a combined active and cooldown phase that lasts 20 game ticks
  • They output their redstone signal for the first 10 game ticks
• They can detect vibrations up to 16 blocks away

Vibration Resonance

• Blocks of Amethyst have a new behavior when placed adjacent to Sculk Sensors
  • If that Sculk Sensor receives a vibration, the Block of Amethyst will re-emit its frequency as a separate vibration at its location
• This behavior is called Vibration Resonance, and allows players to move vibration frequencies across long distances without having to recreate the vibration naturally

Playable Mob Sounds

• When placing a Mob Head on a Note Block, that Note Block will now play one of the ambient sounds of that mob when played by a player or powered by Redstone
• Mob Heads can be placed on top of Note Blocks without sneaking

Piglin Mob Head

• Piglins will now drop their heads when killed by a charged Creeper
• Placing the Piglin head on a Note Block will play one of the Piglin's ambient sounds
• The Piglin head will flap its ears when powered by Redstone, or when worn by a player while walking

New Music

• Added the following new music tracks by Aaron Cherof to Cherry Groves, Desert, Jungle, Badlands, and Flower Forest biomes:
  • A Familiar Room
  • Bromeliad
  • Crescent Dunes
  • Echo in the Wind
• Added a new music disc with the track "Relic" by Aaron Cherof, found in Trail Ruins

Windows Aarch64/ARM64 support

• Minecraft Java Edition is now fully supported on Windows devices using an Aarch64/ARM64 architecture, such as the Windows Surface Pro X

Advancements

New Husbandry Advancements

• Smells Interesting : Obtain a Sniffer Egg
• Little Sniffs : Feed a Snifflet (requires Smells interesting)
• Planting the Past : Plant any Sniffer seed (requires Little sniffs)

New Adventure Advancements

• Respecting the Remnants : Brush a Suspicious block to obtain a Pottery Sherd
• Careful Restoration : Make a Decorated Pot out of 4 Pottery Sherds (requires Respecting the Remnants)
• Crafting a New Look : Craft a trimmed armor at a Smithing Table
• Smithing with Style : Apply these Trim Smithing Templates at least once: Spire, Snout, Rib, Ward, Silence, Vex, Tide, Wayfinder (requires Crafting a New Look)
• The Power of Books : Read the power signal of a Chiseled Bookshelf using a Comparator

Changes

• Changes to Sculk Sensor block behaviors
• Vibration frequencies of many actions in the game have been tweaked
• Colored Wool, Carpets and Beds can now be dyed to any other color
• Replaceable blocks no longer block the connection between enchanting tables and bookshelves
• Wither effect particle and Potion of Slow Falling color have been adjusted to make them more distinguishable
• Updated step sounds
• Updated Advancements
• The main menu background is now a Trails & Tales panorama
• Updated the Minecraft Java Edition logo
• Updated the Minecraft Realms logo
• The game's application icon has been updated
  • This will be a Grass Block in release versions, and a Dirt Block in snapshot versions
• GUI can be scaled on the Video Settings screen by holding Ctrl and scrolling the mouse wheel
• Updated the credits
  • Added the ability to scroll upwards by pressing the up arrow key
• The game will now display a message box on startup if user enabled text-to-speech functionality, but it is not available
• Removed Herobrine

Sculk Changes

• If a vibration is scheduled to be received by a Sculk Sensor or Sculk Shrieker, they will stay queued until all adjacent chunks are loaded and ticking
  • Prevents vibration resonance setups from breaking when unloading their chunks from a distance
• Waterlogging a Sculk Shrieker will now silence their shriek sounds
• Sculk Sensors' default redstone output has been modified to be more reliable for distance calculations
• Sculk Sensors and Calibrated Sculk Sensors now strongly power the block they are placed on
• Both types of Sculk Sensors now stay in their Cooldown phase for 10 ticks, with other phase timings being adjusted to compensate

Sculk Sensor Phases

• Sculk Sensors and Calibrated Sculk Sensors have three phases: Inactive, Active and Cooldown
• The default phase is Inactive
  • This phase lasts indefinitely until the block receives a vibration
  • During this phase, the block is able to listen to nearby vibrations until one has been scheduled
• When a scheduled vibration is received, the block switches to the Active phase
  • This phase lasts 30 game ticks for Sculk Sensors, and 10 game ticks for Calibrated Sculk Sensors
  • During this phase, the block stops listening to nearby vibrations, wiggles its tendrils and emits a redstone signal and light
• After the Active phase has finished, the block switches to a Cooldown phase
  • This phase lasts for 10 game ticks
  • During this phase, the block keeps wiggling its tendrils, but no longer emits a redstone signal nor light
  • Finally, once this phase is finished, the block will switch back to the Inactive phase
• Previously, some of these phases had different timing values:
  • Active: 40 game ticks for Sculk Sensors and 20 game ticks for Calibrated Sculk Sensors
  • Cooldown: 1 game tick for both types of Sculk Sensors
• These phase timings were tweaked so that it is less common for activated contraptions to recursively activate the Sculk Sensor that powered them

Vibration Frequencies

In preparation for the Calibrated Sculk Sensor, vibration frequencies have been greatly simplified to prevent unwanted interference. The following are category descriptions for each frequency and the expected events that they correspond to:

1. Movement in any medium (land, water and air)
2. Landing on any surface (land or water)
3. Item interactions
4. Gliding with an elytra or unique mob actions (Ravager roar, Wolf shaking, etc)
5. Dismounting a mob or equipping gear
6. Mounting a mob or interacting with a mob
7. Mobs and players getting damaged
8. Consuming items (drinking and eating)
9. Blocks 'deactivating' (door close, chest close, button unpress, etc)
10. Blocks 'activating' (door open, chest open, button press, etc)
11. Blocks changing (cauldron water level rising, adding food to campfire, etc.)
12. Blocks being destroyed
13. Blocks being placed
14. Mobs and players teleporting or spawning
15. Mobs and players dying or an explosion

Step Sounds

• Walking on a block will now always play a step sound
  • It was previously not the case if you were walking along the edge of a block with air or fluid besides it
• Walking on the ocean floor will produce a step sound for the block you are walking on at a lower volume and pitch
• When walking on Carpets, Snow, Nether Sprouts, Warped Roots, and Crimson Roots, a combination of step sounds will be played
  • The top-most block you are walking on is played as normal
  • The block underneath is played at a lower volume and pitch

Advancements

• Breeding Camels and Sniffers now count for "The Parrots and the Bats" and are now required for "Two by Two"
• Hanging Signs now count for "Glow and Behold"
• Visiting a Cherry Grove is now required for "Adventuring Time"

Technical Changes

• Improved performance of the light engine
• The data pack version is now 15, accounting for sign data format, item display orientation and advancement changes
• Removed update_1_20 feature flag and built-in datapack - features are no longer experimental
• Added a return command
• Tweaked display entity interpolation
• Added a capped rule structure processor that limits the number of replaced blocks for a structure piece to a configured maximum
• Configuring block entity fields in a rule processor rule is now delegated to a referenced block_entity_modifier instead of the previously fixed output_nbt configuration
• Random sequences for loot tables are now deterministic
• Added a reference loot table function
• Loot table condition/predicate changes:
  • Renamed alternative to any_of
  • Added all_of
• Advancement trigger changes:
  • Added recipe_crafted
  • Changed format of placed_block, item_used_on_block and allay_drop_item_on_block triggers
• Ingredients in array form are now also allowed in smithing_trim and smithing_transform recipes on fields template, base and addition
  • Those fields also allow empty arrays, which signalize that slot needs to be left empty
• Added new damage types: outside_border and generic_kill
• Game events have changed vibration frequency and some have been removed
• The resource pack version is now 15, accounting for the font and credits update
  • Updated the sprite layout of minecraft.png
  • Removed the overriding minecraft.png from the Programmer Art resource pack
  • Updated the sprite layout of invite_icon.png
  • legacy_unicode glyph provider has been removed
  • Bitmaps used by uniform font have been removed
  • uniform font has been updated to use Unifont 15.0.06
  • That changes shape of multiple characters, while also adding support for new ones
  • Combining characters no longer include circle overlayed over them (so M◌̆ now renders as M ̆)
  • Added second level of organization of entries in credits.json on top of titles, called disciplines
• Font textures are included in debug texture dump (F3 + S)
• Added new font glyph providers: unihex and reference, removed legacy_unicode
• Added support for Quick Play
• Removed the server & port commandline arguments as their functionality has been replaced by Quick Play
• Updates to telemetry
• Changed encoding of server.properties to UTF-8
• Added validation for symbolic links in world saves

Light Engine

The light engine is responsible for calculating the brightness of each block in the world. Light is calculated during world generation as well as updated when a block is changed in the world. Behavior of the light engine has not been changed.

• The performance of calculating light has been improved
  • Reduces one source of lag spikes when crossing chunk borders
  • Improves FPS in situations when a lot of light updates occur
  • Improves how quickly chunks can be generated

Commands

return

The return command can be used to control execution flow inside functions and change their return value. Effects:

• Remaining separate top-level commands in the currently executing function (if any) are skipped
• The result value of the function command that triggered the function is changed from the number of commands executed to value
• The result value of the return command is also value

Syntax:
return
Parameters:

• value: An integer return value

data

• string data sources now accept negative boundaries, which are interpreted as index counted from the end of the string

Display Entity

Interpolation Changes

• Previous values are always discarded if interpolation_duration is 0
• Made sure that render properties are applied at the same time (so block_state is applied at the same time as transformation, i.e. at the next tick after receiving an update)
• Display entities are not rendered until their initial data is received. That means display entities might not be shown on the first tick.
• Note: due to how the game handles updates, changes to entities made after summoning might be delivered to clients within a later tick

Rendering Changes

• item_display items have been rotated 180 degrees around the Y axis to better match the transformation that is applied when rendering items on an Armor Stand head and in Item Frames
  • For reference, the order of transformations applied to model (starting from innermost) is item_transform, rotate Y 180, transformation field, entity orientation (billboard option + Rotation field + Pos field)

Structure post-processors

Capped post-processor

• A capped post-processor has been added which can limit how many blocks a delegated post-processor randomly transform in a structure
• This can be used to configure a structure piece to have an exact amount of specific blocks, instead of using random distribution
• The capped post-processor has following required parameters:
  • delegate A post-processor which performs the actual block transformation
  • limit Maximum amount of blocks that the delegated post-processor can transform
  • The blocks inside a structure are all randomly passed to the delegated post-processor until it has transformed the limited amount
  • Either constant or random number generator sampled during post-processing

Rule post-processor block entity configuration

• Previously a rule could specify an optional fixed output_nbt which would be added to the processed output block entity
• This field has now been changed to reference a block_entity_modifier
• Existing block_entity_modifier's are:
  • passthrough Retains existing fields on the block entity
  • This is the default if no block_entity_modifier is specified
  • append_static Similar to previous output_nbt this provides fixed fields to add to the block entity
  • A minor change is that this modifier appends configured fields to the processed block instead of replacing existing fields
  • clear Removes any existing fields on the block entity
  • append_loot Appends a loot table and seed to the block entity through required parameter:
  • loot_table Referenced loot table to add to block entity as LootTable field
  • Field LootTableSeed is also added to the block entity using random seeded by block position

Loot Tables

Random Sequences

The game now uses named random sequences to deterministically produce loot for loot tables. Each random sequence produces a unique sequence based on the world seed and sequence ID, which means a loot table will produce the same results when ran with the same parameters in the same world.
The ID of the random sequence to use for a loot table is specified in a new optional field called random_sequence. If no sequence name is given, loot is drawn using a non-deterministic random source.

reference

New function reference allows functions to call sub-functions (similar to reference condition).
Fields: - name - location of function to call

any_of/all_of

• Loot condition alternative has been renamed to any_of
• Added new loot condition all_of that passes only when all sub-conditions pass
  • Has the same syntax as any_of

Advancements

New Triggers

recipe_crafted

• Triggered when crafting a recipe
• Conditions:
  • recipe_id - the resource location of the recipe crafted
  • ingredients - an array of predicates for the item stacks used in the recipe
  • A single item stack can only be used to fulfill one predicate
  • Each predicate needs to be fulfilled to trigger the advancement. This allows for separation between recipes that have same identifier but use different ingredients.
  • This field is optional. When not provided, or left empty, only the recipe_id will dictate the success of the trigger

Changed Triggers

• All fields in placed_block, item_used_on_block and allay_drop_item_on_block have been collapsed into a single location field
• The new location is similar to the player field - it is a list of loot conditions/predicates
• All conditions in this list must match for a trigger to run
• Conditions are evaluated in a new loot context called advancement_location. It has access to:
  • Player as this entity
  • Position of the placed block
  • Block state of the placed/interacted block
  • Held/used item as "tool"
• Migration guide:
  • Contents of old location field should be migrated to location_check condition
  • Contents of item field should be migrated to match_tool condition
  • Contents of block + state fields should be migrated to block_state_property condition

Example (from make_a_sign_glow advancement):
Before: { "conditions": { "item": { "items": [ "minecraft:glow_ink_sac" ] }, "location": { "block": { "tag": "minecraft:all_signs" } } }, "trigger": "minecraft:item_used_on_block" } After: { "conditions": { "location": [ { "condition": "minecraft:match_tool", "predicate": { "items": [ "minecraft:glow_ink_sac" ] } }, { "condition": "minecraft:location_check", "predicate": { "block": { "tag": "minecraft:all_signs" } } } ] }, "trigger": "minecraft:item_used_on_block" }

Damage Types

• Players outside the world border are now hurt by the damage type outside_border instead of in_wall
• Forcibly removing an entity using the /kill command now uses damage type generic_kill instead of out_of_world

Tags

Block Tags

• Removed replaceable_plants since it was only used as a subset of the blocks for the tag above, and not as universally
• Added replaceable_by_trees to better express blocks that are replaced when the tree grows through them
• Added replaceable with all the blocks that can be replaced
  • This tag only represents the internal state of the game, changing this tag does not make blocks replaceable
• Added sword_efficient to represent blocks that are broken 50% faster by a sword than normal
• Added maintains_farmland to represent which blocks will not cause farmland to be converted into dirt due to drying out when placed on top of it
• Added combination_step_sound_blocks that controls which blocks produce a combination of step sounds
• Added enchantment_power_provider to control which blocks increase the level of an Enchantment Table
• Added enchantment_power_transmitter to control which blocks are allowed between an Enchantment Table and a Bookshelf (or other Power Transmitter)
• Added vibration_resonators to control which blocks transmit vibration signals when placed next to Sculk Sensors
• Added trail_ruins_replaceable for blocks that Trail Ruins can replace when generating
• Added sniffer_diggable_block to control which blocks Sniffers can dig
• Added sniffer_egg_hatch_boost to that control on which blocks Sniffer Eggs hatch twice as fast
• Added ceiling_hanging_signs
• Added wall_hanging_signs
• Added all_hanging_signs
• Added stone_buttons block tag
• Added cherry_logs block tag
• Added bamboo_blocks block tag

Item Tags

• Added villager_plantable_seeds to represent which kind of seeds Villagers can farm
• Added noteblock_top_instruments to control which blocks can be placed on top of Note Blocks without sneaking
• Added breaks_decorated_pots to control which tools can break Decorated Pots
• Added decorated_pot_ingredients
• Added decorated_pot_sherds
• Added sniffer_food
• Added trimmable_armor
• Added trim_materials
• Added trim_templates
• Added stone_buttons item tag
• Added cherry_logs item tag
• Added bamboo_blocks item tag

Biome Tags

• Added has_structure/trail_ruins

Game Events

• Removed piston_contract game event in favor of block_deactivate
• Removed piston_extend and dispense_fail game events in favor of block_activate
• Many game events have new vibration frequencies:
  • 1: step, swim, flap
  • 2: projectile_land, hit_ground, splash
  • 3: item_interact_finish, projectile_shoot, instrument_play
  • 4: entity_roar, entity_shake, elytra_glide
  • 5: entity_dismount, equip
  • 6: entity_mount, entity_interact, shear
  • 7: entity_damage
  • 8: drink, eat
  • 9: container_close, block_close, block_deactivate, block_detach
  • 10: container_open, block_open, block_activate, block_attach, prime_fuse, note_block_play
  • 11: block_change
  • 12: block_destroy, fluid_pickup
  • 13: block_place, fluid_place
  • 14: entity_place, lightning_strike, teleport
  • 15: entity_die, explode

Fonts

New unihex Glyph Provider

• New glyph provider for reading Unifont HEX files
  • HEX format describes font glyphs using a bitmap
  • The height of every glyph is 16 pixels
  • The width of glyph can be 8, 16, 24 or 32 pixels
  • Every line is made of two hexadecimal numbers separated by :
  • The first value describes a codepoint - it must have 4, 5 or 6 hex digits
  • The second value describes the glyph as a stream of bits, line by line
• When rendering, empty columns on left and right side of glyphs are removed
  • Custom glyph widths can be set with size_overrides
• This provider requires two fields:
  • hex_file - path to ZIP archive containing one or more *.hex files (files in archive with different extensions are ignored)
  • size_overrides - list of codepoint ranges that should have width different from auto-detected (based on empty space in glyph). Fields:
  • from, to - start and end of codepoint range (inclusive)
  • left, right - integers describing the position of the left-most and right-most columns of the glyph in range
    • Any bits in columns outside of this range will be discarded

New reference Glyph Provider

• New glyph provider that can be used to include providers from other fonts
  • Providers are guaranteed to be loaded only once, no matter how many times they are included
• Provider has one field id, that describes another font to be included in the currently loaded one
  • Inclusion is performed after all fonts are loaded, so it will include all providers for a given font defined in all datapacks

Removed legacy_unicode Glyph Provider

• The legacy_unicode glyph provider has been removed
• This functionality has been replaced by the unihex provider

Quick Play

• Added support for four new command line arguments that allow the game to be launched directly into a world
• quickPlayPath takes a specified path for logging (relative to the run directory)
  • If a path is provided the following will be logged upon joining a world:
  • type: is either singleplayer, multiplayer, or realms
  • identifier: represents the world you want to join
    • For singleplayer, the folder name of the world
    • For multiplayer, the IP address of the server
    • For realms, the Realms ID
  • port: represents the server port and is only logged for multiplayer
  • name: The name of the world
  • gamemode: The gamemode of the world
  • lastPlayedTime: The time you joined the world
  • Example:
  • --quickPlayPath "quickPlay/log.json" will resolve into .minecraft/quickPlay/log.json
• quickPlaySingleplayer, quickPlayMultiplayer and quickPlayRealms all take their respective identifier
  • If one of these arguments is provided, the game will try to launch directly into the given world
  • Examples:
  • --quickPlaySingleplayer "New World"
  • --quickPlayMultiplayer "localhost:25565"
  • --quickPlayRealms "1234"

Telemetry

All Events

• Added new property: launcher_name
  • This is set based on the minecraft.launcher.brand system property
  • This will help us troubleshoot game launch related bugs more effectively, as we will be able to see whether the issue originated in the Minecraft launcher or a third-party program

Updated Required Events

• world_loaded
  • Added new property: realms_map_content
  • When loading into a Realms Map Content world (Minigame), the world_loaded event will receive the name of that map
  • This is to help us understand how Java Realms players interact with Java Realms adventure or minimap content

New Optional Events

• advancement_made
  • This event is triggered when a player completes an advancement, and allows us to see the advancement ID and the time when the advancement was completed
  • This helps us as a studio understand player progress and limits, which informs our game design
• game_load_times
  • This event is triggered when the game client is loaded
  • Includes the time it took for the client to load
  • This is so that we can work on improving and reducing the time it takes to load the game client

server.properties

• File is now read in UTF-8 initially, with previous encoding (ISO 8859-1/Latin 1) as a fallback
• File is now written with UTF-8 encoding

Symbolic Link Validation

To improve safety, the game will now detect symbolic links used inside world directory. For a detailed explanation, check our help article.

• If the target of a symbolic link is not on the user-configured allow-list, the game will not proceed with loading the world
  • Note: the world directory itself can still be linked
• The list of allowed symbolic link targets is stored in file allowed_symlinks.txt in the client or server top directory
• The file consists of entries (one per line) with following formats allowed:
  • Lines starting with # are comments and are ignored
  • [type]pattern, where type can be glob, regex or prefix
  • prefix matches start of path with given pattern (so for /test paths /test, /test/ and /test/foo.txt would match)
  • regex matches regular expression against whole path
  • glob uses OS-specific path matching mechanism (for example *.txt would usually match files with txt extension)
  • Note: paths will use OS-specific separators
  • pattern, which uses default prefix type

Fixed bugs in 1.20

Around 250 bugs were fixed in this release. View the list on the issue tracker.
# Get the Release
To install the Release, open up the Minecraft Launcher and click play! Make sure your Launcher is set to the “Latest Release” option.
Cross-platform server jar:

• Minecraft server jar

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

Want to give feedback?

• For any feedback and suggestions, head over to the dedicated Feedback site category. If you're feeling chatty, join us over at the official Minecraft Discord.

What, is there something special happening today? Hold on, let me grab my calendar book from my chiseled bookshelf.
Oh, it's time for Trails & Tales! How could I forget? Time to equip your new brush and ride your camel off to new adventures!
This update can also be found on minecraft.net.

New Features

• All features and changes from the "Update 1.20" experimental pack are now part of the game
• Added Archaeology
• Added Sniffer mob, Torchflowers and Pitcher Plants
• Added Camel mob
• Added Smithing Template items and redesigned the Smithing Table
  • Added a new armor trimming system to visually customize your armor
  • Changed how Netherite equipment is crafted
• Added the Cherry Grove biome and Cherry Wood Set
• Added the Bamboo Wood Set
• Added the Chiseled Bookshelf block
• Added Hanging Signs
• Improved customization options for Signs
• Added the Calibrated Sculk Sensor block
• Vibration resonance functionality has been added to Blocks of Amethyst
• Added playable mob sounds with Mob Heads on Note Blocks
• Added Piglin Mob Head
• New music tracks added to Cherry Groves, Desert, Jungle, Badlands, and Flower Forest biomes
• New Trails & Tales Advancements
• Added support for Windows Aarch64/ARM64

Archaeology

• Added craftable Brush item
• Added Suspicious Sand and Suspicious Gravel
  • Suspicious Sand can be found in Desert Temples, Desert Wells and Warm Ocean Ruins
  • Suspicious Gravel can be found in Cold Ocean Ruins and Trail Ruins
  • These fragile blocks are hard to spot and easy to destroy, so be careful!
  • Brushing Suspicious Sand or Suspicious Gravel with a Brush will extract objects that were buried long ago
• Added the Trail Ruins, a buried structure from a lost culture
  • Four types of Armor Trim Templates can be found here
  • Trail Ruins can be found in Taigas, Snowy Taigas, all Old Growth forest biomes and Jungles
  • A new music disc can be found by brushing suspicious blocks in this structure
  • When put in a Jukebox, "Relic" by Aaron Cherof is played
• Added Pottery Sherds
  • Pottery Sherds have pictures on them
  • A total of 20 sherd have been distributed between the 5 Archaeology sites: Desert Wells, Desert Temples, Cold Ocean Ruins, Warm Ocean Ruins, and Trail Ruins
  • They cannot be crafted, and are only found by brushing Suspicious Sand or Suspicious Gravel

Decorated Pots

• Crafting four Pottery Sherds together will create a Decorated Pot with a picture on each side
• Brick items can be used instead of Pottery Sherds in the Decorated Pot recipe
  • The sides that were made from Brick items will not have pictures
• Smash a Decorated Pot with any block-breaking tool to break it apart and get the Pottery Sherds back
  • Hitting the pot with bare hands, silk touch tools, or any other item will drop an intact pot instead
• Crafted Decorated Pots with at least one pattern have a hover tooltip displaying the Sherd & Brick ingredients

Sniffer

• The Sniffer is the mob vote winner of Minecraft Live 2022
• Sniffers are passive, friendly mobs
• Sniffers sniff the air and occasionally dig for seeds, which produces a Torchflower Seed or a Pitcher Pod item
• Sniffers can only dig grass and dirt-like blocks
• Sniffers can be tempted by, and bred with Torchflowers Seeds

Sniffer Egg

• Can be found by brushing the Suspicious Sand of Warm Ocean Ruins
• When two Sniffers breed they do not immediately spawn a Snifflet; instead, a Sniffer Egg is dropped
• When placed in the world, the Sniffer Egg will hatch after some time
  • When placed on Moss, the Egg will hatch in approximately 10 minutes
  • On all other blocks, it will hatch in approximately 20 minutes

Torchflowers

• The Sniffer can occasionally sniff up a Torchflowers seed, and it can be used to breed two Sniffers
• The Torchflower seed can be planted on Farmland and grows into a Torchflower
• The full-grown flower can be harvested and replanted
• The Torchflower can be crafted into Orange Dye

Pitcher Plant

• The Sniffer can occasionally sniff up a Pitcher Pod item
• The Pitcher Pod, when planted on Farmland, grows into a Pitcher Crop
• The Pitcher Crop has five growth stages
• Once fully grown, the Pitcher Crop can be harvested, yielding a two-block-tall Pitcher Plant
• The Pitcher Plant can be crafted into Cyan Dye

Camel

• Camels can be equipped with a Saddle and ridden by two players
• Camels spawn naturally when Desert Villages generate
• Camels can be tempted by holding Cactus
• Feed Cactus to Camels to breed them
• Camels are tall
  • Most hostile mobs will not be able to reach you when you are on a Camel
  • They can walk over Fences and Walls
• Camels randomly sit down
  • While sitting, it is difficult to convince them to move
• Camels can either walk slowly or sprint quickly
• They can also dash forward but will lose stamina for a while when doing so

Smithing

• Smithing Tables have been redesigned into a workstation for physical equipment upgrades and modifications
• Alongside slots for combining a piece of equipment and materials, there is now a required slot for an item type called Smithing Template
• Smithing Templates define what type of upgrade you will be making to a piece of equipment
  • It specifies both what type of items you can upgrade, and which ingredients are valid to customize the upgrade
  • There are currently two categories of Smithing Templates: Armor Trim and Netherite Upgrade
• Smithing Templates are consumed when used to upgrade an item in the Smithing Table
• You can craft a copy of a Smithing Template in the Crafting Table with 7 diamonds + 1 block of material that the template is made out of + 1 smithing template, which will output 2 of the same Smithing Template

Netherite Equipment

• Netherite equipment crafting now also requires a Netherite Upgrade Smithing Template
• Netherite Upgrade Smithing Templates can be found randomly in all Bastion Remnant chests
  • Every Treasure Room Bastion Remnant will contain 2 Smithing Templates
• This change was made for a variety of reasons:
  • Increase the time players utilize Diamond equipment before Netherite
  • Make Netherite equipment more significant achievement in the game's progression
  • Adapt Netherite more naturally into the new Smithing Table crafting system

Armor Trims

• You can now visually customize your armor with a variety of unique trims at the Smithing Table
• Armor trims are purely visual with no gameplay benefits
• Armor trims can be applied to Helmets, Chestplates, Leggings and Boots
  • All trim patterns are visually the same on an armor's item icon, but the color will still change based on the trim material
  • To check which trim pattern a piece of armor has, you can hover over it in the inventory
• Armor Trim Smithing Templates can be found all throughout the world, and each of the following structures contain their own unique Smithing Templates:
  • Trail Ruins: Wayfinder, Raiser, Shaper, and Host Armor Trims
  • Pillager Outpost: Sentry Armor Trim
  • Desert Pyramid: Dune Armor Trim
  • Shipwreck: Coast Armor Trim
  • Jungle Temple: Wild Armor Trim
  • Ocean Monument: Tide Armor Trim
  • Ancient City: Ward and Silence Armor Trims
  • Woodland Mansion: Vex Armor Trim
  • Nether Fortress: Rib Armor Trim
  • Bastion Remnant: Snout Armor Trim
  • Stronghold: Eye Armor Trim
  • End City: Spire Armor Trim
• Smithing Templates are found in chests in their respective structure
  • Trail Ruins have no chests, Smithing Templates are instead found by brushing Suspicious Gravel
  • The Ocean Monument has no chests, Elder Guardians sometimes instead drop a Smithing Template upon death
• Some Armor Trim Smithing Templates are rarer than others, so be on the lookout for them to impress your friends!
• An armor trim has two properties: a pattern and a material
  • The pattern is defined by the Smithing Template used to apply the trim, and represents the visual pattern of the trim
  • The material is defined by which ingredient you used to apply the trim, and controls the color of the trim
• The viable ingredients you can use to define the color of your armor trim are the following:
  • Iron, Copper, Gold, Lapis, Emerald, Diamond, Netherite, Redstone, Amethyst, Quartz

Cherry Groves

• Added a new Cherry Grove biome, with pretty cherry blossom trees
  • The biome can be found in the mountains, in similar places as Meadows
• Added a new Cherry wood set, with all the corresponding wooden things you can craft from it
• Pink particles fall from beneath Cherry Leaves
• Added a new Pink Petals block with lots of pink flowers on the ground
  • Each Pink Petal block can contain up to 4 petals
  • Using Bone Meal on it increases the number of petals
  • Placing a Pink Petal into an already placed block increases the number of petals
  • Drops the number of petals in the block when mined

Bamboo Wood Set

• Added a new Bamboo wood set, with all the corresponding wooden things you can craft from it
• Block of Bamboo can be crafted from 9 Bamboo and can be stripped like other wood logs
• Bamboo Planks crafted from Block of Bamboo yield only 2 planks compared to 4 for wood logs
• Added a new "Mosaic" plank variant that is unique to Bamboo called the Bamboo Mosaic
  • It can be crafted with 1x2 Bamboo Slabs in a vertical strip
  • You can craft Stair and Slab variants of Bamboo Mosaic
  • Bamboo Mosaic blocks cannot be used as a crafting ingredient where other wooden blocks are used, but they can be used as fuel
• Added a unique Bamboo Raft and Bamboo Chest Raft which can be crafted like normal boats, but with Bamboo Planks
  • They function the same as ordinary boats, but have a unique look to them

Chiseled Bookshelf

• A new, chiseled variation of the Bookshelf
• Crafted with 6 planks and 3 wooden slabs
• Can store Books, Book and Quills, Written Books, Enchanted Books, and Knowledge Books
  • Holds up to 6 books
  • These can be added or removed from any slot by targeting the specific slot
• The Comparator signal strength corresponds to the number of the last book that was inserted or removed
  • The numbering of book slots starts from 1 at the top-left, and increments from left-to-right
• Works with Hoppers

Hanging Signs

• Hanging Signs are a more expensive version of normal Signs
  • Crafted with 2 chains and 6 stripped logs of your preferred wood type
  • Crafting results in 6 Hanging Signs
• Can be hung up in the following ways:
  • Underneath a block that can provide support in the center, like a full block or a fence
  • Attached to the solid side of a block
  • Attached to the side or underneath another Hanging Sign
• Unlike normal Signs, they cannot be placed directly on the ground without support from the side or above
  • However, Hanging Signs that have a horizontal bar will not pop when the supporting block is removed

Signs

The following changes have been made for both Signs and Hanging Signs. - Sign text can now be edited after being placed in the world - This can be done by interacting with the Sign - Signs with non-text chat components can not be edited - Both sides of the Sign can now have separate text and colors, allowing for further customization options - By default, a Sign will prompt you to input the front side's text when placed - To apply text to the back-side, you must walk to the other side and interact with that face to edit it - Signs can now also be waxed with Honeycomb, preventing any further edits to its text - Opening the sign edit screen in singleplayer no longer pauses the game

Calibrated Sculk Sensors

• A new variant of Sculk Sensors that allows you to filter vibrations based on their frequency level
• They are not found naturally and can only be crafted with 1 Sculk Sensor and 3 Amethyst Shards in the Crafting Table
• One side of the Calibrated Sculk Sensor can receive a redstone signal as input
  • The strength of that redstone signal is the only vibration frequency the Sculk Sensor will listen to
• They have a combined active and cooldown phase that lasts 20 game ticks
  • They output their redstone signal for the first 10 game ticks
• They can detect vibrations up to 16 blocks away

Vibration Resonance

• Blocks of Amethyst have a new behavior when placed adjacent to Sculk Sensors
  • If that Sculk Sensor receives a vibration, the Block of Amethyst will re-emit its frequency as a separate vibration at its location
• This behavior is called Vibration Resonance, and allows players to move vibration frequencies across long distances without having to recreate the vibration naturally

Playable Mob Sounds

• When placing a Mob Head on a Note Block, that Note Block will now play one of the ambient sounds of that mob when played by a player or powered by Redstone
• Mob Heads can be placed on top of Note Blocks without sneaking

Piglin Mob Head

• Piglins will now drop their heads when killed by a charged Creeper
• Placing the Piglin head on a Note Block will play one of the Piglin's ambient sounds
• The Piglin head will flap its ears when powered by Redstone, or when worn by a player while walking

New Music

• Added the following new music tracks by Aaron Cherof to Cherry Groves, Desert, Jungle, Badlands, and Flower Forest biomes:
  • A Familiar Room
  • Bromeliad
  • Crescent Dunes
  • Echo in the Wind
• Added a new music disc with the track "Relic" by Aaron Cherof, found in Trail Ruins

Windows Aarch64/ARM64 support

• Minecraft Java Edition is now fully supported on Windows devices using an Aarch64/ARM64 architecture, such as the Windows Surface Pro X

Advancements

New Husbandry Advancements

• Smells Interesting : Obtain a Sniffer Egg
• Little Sniffs : Feed a Snifflet (requires Smells interesting)
• Planting the Past : Plant any Sniffer seed (requires Little sniffs)

New Adventure Advancements

• Respecting the Remnants : Brush a Suspicious block to obtain a Pottery Sherd
• Careful Restoration : Make a Decorated Pot out of 4 Pottery Sherds (requires Respecting the Remnants)
• Crafting a New Look : Craft a trimmed armor at a Smithing Table
• Smithing with Style : Apply these Trim Smithing Templates at least once: Spire, Snout, Rib, Ward, Silence, Vex, Tide, Wayfinder (requires Crafting a New Look)
• The Power of Books : Read the power signal of a Chiseled Bookshelf using a Comparator

Changes

• Changes to Sculk Sensor block behaviors
• Vibration frequencies of many actions in the game have been tweaked
• Colored Wool, Carpets and Beds can now be dyed to any other color
• Replaceable blocks no longer block the connection between enchanting tables and bookshelves
• Wither effect particle and Potion of Slow Falling color have been adjusted to make them more distinguishable
• Updated step sounds
• Updated Advancements
• The main menu background is now a Trails & Tales panorama
• Updated the Minecraft Java Edition logo
• Updated the Minecraft Realms logo
• The game's application icon has been updated
  • This will be a Grass Block in release versions, and a Dirt Block in snapshot versions
• GUI can be scaled on the Video Settings screen by holding Ctrl and scrolling the mouse wheel
• Updated the credits
  • Added the ability to scroll upwards by pressing the up arrow key
• The game will now display a message box on startup if user enabled text-to-speech functionality, but it is not available
• Removed Herobrine

Sculk Changes

• If a vibration is scheduled to be received by a Sculk Sensor or Sculk Shrieker, they will stay queued until all adjacent chunks are loaded and ticking
  • Prevents vibration resonance setups from breaking when unloading their chunks from a distance
• Waterlogging a Sculk Shrieker will now silence their shriek sounds
• Sculk Sensors' default redstone output has been modified to be more reliable for distance calculations
• Sculk Sensors and Calibrated Sculk Sensors now strongly power the block they are placed on
• Both types of Sculk Sensors now stay in their Cooldown phase for 10 ticks, with other phase timings being adjusted to compensate

Sculk Sensor Phases

• Sculk Sensors and Calibrated Sculk Sensors have three phases: Inactive, Active and Cooldown
• The default phase is Inactive
  • This phase lasts indefinitely until the block receives a vibration
  • During this phase, the block is able to listen to nearby vibrations until one has been scheduled
• When a scheduled vibration is received, the block switches to the Active phase
  • This phase lasts 30 game ticks for Sculk Sensors, and 10 game ticks for Calibrated Sculk Sensors
  • During this phase, the block stops listening to nearby vibrations, wiggles its tendrils and emits a redstone signal and light
• After the Active phase has finished, the block switches to a Cooldown phase
  • This phase lasts for 10 game ticks
  • During this phase, the block keeps wiggling its tendrils, but no longer emits a redstone signal nor light
  • Finally, once this phase is finished, the block will switch back to the Inactive phase
• Previously, some of these phases had different timing values:
  • Active: 40 game ticks for Sculk Sensors and 20 game ticks for Calibrated Sculk Sensors
  • Cooldown: 1 game tick for both types of Sculk Sensors
• These phase timings were tweaked so that it is less common for activated contraptions to recursively activate the Sculk Sensor that powered them

Vibration Frequencies

In preparation for the Calibrated Sculk Sensor, vibration frequencies have been greatly simplified to prevent unwanted interference. The following are category descriptions for each frequency and the expected events that they correspond to:

1. Movement in any medium (land, water and air)
2. Landing on any surface (land or water)
3. Item interactions
4. Gliding with an elytra or unique mob actions (Ravager roar, Wolf shaking, etc)
5. Dismounting a mob or equipping gear
6. Mounting a mob or interacting with a mob
7. Mobs and players getting damaged
8. Consuming items (drinking and eating)
9. Blocks 'deactivating' (door close, chest close, button unpress, etc)
10. Blocks 'activating' (door open, chest open, button press, etc)
11. Blocks changing (cauldron water level rising, adding food to campfire, etc.)
12. Blocks being destroyed
13. Blocks being placed
14. Mobs and players teleporting or spawning
15. Mobs and players dying or an explosion

Step Sounds

• Walking on a block will now always play a step sound
  • It was previously not the case if you were walking along the edge of a block with air or fluid besides it
• Walking on the ocean floor will produce a step sound for the block you are walking on at a lower volume and pitch
• When walking on Carpets, Snow, Nether Sprouts, Warped Roots, and Crimson Roots, a combination of step sounds will be played
  • The top-most block you are walking on is played as normal
  • The block underneath is played at a lower volume and pitch

Advancements

• Breeding Camels and Sniffers now count for "The Parrots and the Bats" and are now required for "Two by Two"
• Hanging Signs now count for "Glow and Behold"
• Visiting a Cherry Grove is now required for "Adventuring Time"

Technical Changes

• Improved performance of the light engine
• The data pack version is now 15, accounting for sign data format, item display orientation and advancement changes
• Removed update_1_20 feature flag and built-in datapack - features are no longer experimental
• Added a return command
• Tweaked display entity interpolation
• Added a capped rule structure processor that limits the number of replaced blocks for a structure piece to a configured maximum
• Configuring block entity fields in a rule processor rule is now delegated to a referenced block_entity_modifier instead of the previously fixed output_nbt configuration
• Random sequences for loot tables are now deterministic
• Added a reference loot table function
• Loot table condition/predicate changes:
  • Renamed alternative to any_of
  • Added all_of
• Advancement trigger changes:
  • Added recipe_crafted
  • Changed format of placed_block, item_used_on_block and allay_drop_item_on_block triggers
• Ingredients in array form are now also allowed in smithing_trim and smithing_transform recipes on fields template, base and addition
  • Those fields also allow empty arrays, which signalize that slot needs to be left empty
• Added new damage types: outside_border and generic_kill
• Game events have changed vibration frequency and some have been removed
• The resource pack version is now 15, accounting for the font and credits update
  • Updated the sprite layout of minecraft.png
  • Removed the overriding minecraft.png from the Programmer Art resource pack
  • Updated the sprite layout of invite_icon.png
  • legacy_unicode glyph provider has been removed
  • Bitmaps used by uniform font have been removed
  • uniform font has been updated to use Unifont 15.0.06
  • That changes shape of multiple characters, while also adding support for new ones
  • Combining characters no longer include circle overlayed over them (so M◌̆ now renders as M ̆)
  • Added second level of organization of entries in credits.json on top of titles, called disciplines
• Font textures are included in debug texture dump (F3 + S)
• Added new font glyph providers: unihex and reference, removed legacy_unicode
• Added support for Quick Play
• Removed the server & port commandline arguments as their functionality has been replaced by Quick Play
• Updates to telemetry
• Changed encoding of server.properties to UTF-8
• Added validation for symbolic links in world saves

Light Engine

The light engine is responsible for calculating the brightness of each block in the world. Light is calculated during world generation as well as updated when a block is changed in the world. Behavior of the light engine has not been changed.

• The performance of calculating light has been improved
  • Reduces one source of lag spikes when crossing chunk borders
  • Improves FPS in situations when a lot of light updates occur
  • Improves how quickly chunks can be generated

Commands

return

The return command can be used to control execution flow inside functions and change their return value. Effects:

• Remaining separate top-level commands in the currently executing function (if any) are skipped
• The result value of the function command that triggered the function is changed from the number of commands executed to value
• The result value of the return command is also value

Syntax:
return
Parameters:

• value: An integer return value

data

• string data sources now accept negative boundaries, which are interpreted as index counted from the end of the string

Display Entity

Interpolation Changes

• Previous values are always discarded if interpolation_duration is 0
• Made sure that render properties are applied at the same time (so block_state is applied at the same time as transformation, i.e. at the next tick after receiving an update)
• Display entities are not rendered until their initial data is received. That means display entities might not be shown on the first tick.
• Note: due to how the game handles updates, changes to entities made after summoning might be delivered to clients within a later tick

Rendering Changes

• item_display items have been rotated 180 degrees around the Y axis to better match the transformation that is applied when rendering items on an Armor Stand head and in Item Frames
  • For reference, the order of transformations applied to model (starting from innermost) is item_transform, rotate Y 180, transformation field, entity orientation (billboard option + Rotation field + Pos field)

Structure post-processors

Capped post-processor

• A capped post-processor has been added which can limit how many blocks a delegated post-processor randomly transform in a structure
• This can be used to configure a structure piece to have an exact amount of specific blocks, instead of using random distribution
• The capped post-processor has following required parameters:
  • delegate A post-processor which performs the actual block transformation
  • limit Maximum amount of blocks that the delegated post-processor can transform
  • The blocks inside a structure are all randomly passed to the delegated post-processor until it has transformed the limited amount
  • Either constant or random number generator sampled during post-processing

Rule post-processor block entity configuration

• Previously a rule could specify an optional fixed output_nbt which would be added to the processed output block entity
• This field has now been changed to reference a block_entity_modifier
• Existing block_entity_modifier's are:
  • passthrough Retains existing fields on the block entity
  • This is the default if no block_entity_modifier is specified
  • append_static Similar to previous output_nbt this provides fixed fields to add to the block entity
  • A minor change is that this modifier appends configured fields to the processed block instead of replacing existing fields
  • clear Removes any existing fields on the block entity
  • append_loot Appends a loot table and seed to the block entity through required parameter:
  • loot_table Referenced loot table to add to block entity as LootTable field
  • Field LootTableSeed is also added to the block entity using random seeded by block position

Loot Tables

Random Sequences

The game now uses named random sequences to deterministically produce loot for loot tables. Each random sequence produces a unique sequence based on the world seed and sequence ID, which means a loot table will produce the same results when ran with the same parameters in the same world.
The ID of the random sequence to use for a loot table is specified in a new optional field called random_sequence. If no sequence name is given, loot is drawn using a non-deterministic random source.

reference

New function reference allows functions to call sub-functions (similar to reference condition).
Fields: - name - location of function to call

any_of/all_of

• Loot condition alternative has been renamed to any_of
• Added new loot condition all_of that passes only when all sub-conditions pass
  • Has the same syntax as any_of

Advancements

New Triggers

recipe_crafted

• Triggered when crafting a recipe
• Conditions:
  • recipe_id - the resource location of the recipe crafted
  • ingredients - an array of predicates for the item stacks used in the recipe
  • A single item stack can only be used to fulfill one predicate
  • Each predicate needs to be fulfilled to trigger the advancement. This allows for separation between recipes that have same identifier but use different ingredients.
  • This field is optional. When not provided, or left empty, only the recipe_id will dictate the success of the trigger

Changed Triggers

• All fields in placed_block, item_used_on_block and allay_drop_item_on_block have been collapsed into a single location field
• The new location is similar to the player field - it is a list of loot conditions/predicates
• All conditions in this list must match for a trigger to run
• Conditions are evaluated in a new loot context called advancement_location. It has access to:
  • Player as this entity
  • Position of the placed block
  • Block state of the placed/interacted block
  • Held/used item as "tool"
• Migration guide:
  • Contents of old location field should be migrated to location_check condition
  • Contents of item field should be migrated to match_tool condition
  • Contents of block + state fields should be migrated to block_state_property condition

Example (from make_a_sign_glow advancement):
Before: { "conditions": { "item": { "items": [ "minecraft:glow_ink_sac" ] }, "location": { "block": { "tag": "minecraft:all_signs" } } }, "trigger": "minecraft:item_used_on_block" } After: { "conditions": { "location": [ { "condition": "minecraft:match_tool", "predicate": { "items": [ "minecraft:glow_ink_sac" ] } }, { "condition": "minecraft:location_check", "predicate": { "block": { "tag": "minecraft:all_signs" } } } ] }, "trigger": "minecraft:item_used_on_block" }

Damage Types

• Players outside the world border are now hurt by the damage type outside_border instead of in_wall
• Forcibly removing an entity using the /kill command now uses damage type generic_kill instead of out_of_world

Tags

Block Tags

• Removed replaceable_plants since it was only used as a subset of the blocks for the tag above, and not as universally
• Added replaceable_by_trees to better express blocks that are replaced when the tree grows through them
• Added replaceable with all the blocks that can be replaced
  • This tag only represents the internal state of the game, changing this tag does not make blocks replaceable
• Added sword_efficient to represent blocks that are broken 50% faster by a sword than normal
• Added maintains_farmland to represent which blocks will not cause farmland to be converted into dirt due to drying out when placed on top of it
• Added combination_step_sound_blocks that controls which blocks produce a combination of step sounds
• Added enchantment_power_provider to control which blocks increase the level of an Enchantment Table
• Added enchantment_power_transmitter to control which blocks are allowed between an Enchantment Table and a Bookshelf (or other Power Transmitter)
• Added vibration_resonators to control which blocks transmit vibration signals when placed next to Sculk Sensors
• Added trail_ruins_replaceable for blocks that Trail Ruins can replace when generating
• Added sniffer_diggable_block to control which blocks Sniffers can dig
• Added sniffer_egg_hatch_boost to that control on which blocks Sniffer Eggs hatch twice as fast
• Added ceiling_hanging_signs
• Added wall_hanging_signs
• Added all_hanging_signs
• Added stone_buttons block tag
• Added cherry_logs block tag
• Added bamboo_blocks block tag

Item Tags

• Added villager_plantable_seeds to represent which kind of seeds Villagers can farm
• Added noteblock_top_instruments to control which blocks can be placed on top of Note Blocks without sneaking
• Added breaks_decorated_pots to control which tools can break Decorated Pots
• Added decorated_pot_ingredients
• Added decorated_pot_sherds
• Added sniffer_food
• Added trimmable_armor
• Added trim_materials
• Added trim_templates
• Added stone_buttons item tag
• Added cherry_logs item tag
• Added bamboo_blocks item tag

Biome Tags

• Added has_structure/trail_ruins

Game Events

• Removed piston_contract game event in favor of block_deactivate
• Removed piston_extend and dispense_fail game events in favor of block_activate
• Many game events have new vibration frequencies:
  • 1: step, swim, flap
  • 2: projectile_land, hit_ground, splash
  • 3: item_interact_finish, projectile_shoot, instrument_play
  • 4: entity_roar, entity_shake, elytra_glide
  • 5: entity_dismount, equip
  • 6: entity_mount, entity_interact, shear
  • 7: entity_damage
  • 8: drink, eat
  • 9: container_close, block_close, block_deactivate, block_detach
  • 10: container_open, block_open, block_activate, block_attach, prime_fuse, note_block_play
  • 11: block_change
  • 12: block_destroy, fluid_pickup
  • 13: block_place, fluid_place
  • 14: entity_place, lightning_strike, teleport
  • 15: entity_die, explode

Fonts

New unihex Glyph Provider

• New glyph provider for reading Unifont HEX files
  • HEX format describes font glyphs using a bitmap
  • The height of every glyph is 16 pixels
  • The width of glyph can be 8, 16, 24 or 32 pixels
  • Every line is made of two hexadecimal numbers separated by :
  • The first value describes a codepoint - it must have 4, 5 or 6 hex digits
  • The second value describes the glyph as a stream of bits, line by line
• When rendering, empty columns on left and right side of glyphs are removed
  • Custom glyph widths can be set with size_overrides
• This provider requires two fields:
  • hex_file - path to ZIP archive containing one or more *.hex files (files in archive with different extensions are ignored)
  • size_overrides - list of codepoint ranges that should have width different from auto-detected (based on empty space in glyph). Fields:
  • from, to - start and end of codepoint range (inclusive)
  • left, right - integers describing the position of the left-most and right-most columns of the glyph in range
    • Any bits in columns outside of this range will be discarded

New reference Glyph Provider

• New glyph provider that can be used to include providers from other fonts
  • Providers are guaranteed to be loaded only once, no matter how many times they are included
• Provider has one field id, that describes another font to be included in the currently loaded one
  • Inclusion is performed after all fonts are loaded, so it will include all providers for a given font defined in all datapacks

Removed legacy_unicode Glyph Provider

• The legacy_unicode glyph provider has been removed
• This functionality has been replaced by the unihex provider

Quick Play

• Added support for four new command line arguments that allow the game to be launched directly into a world
• quickPlayPath takes a specified path for logging (relative to the run directory)
  • If a path is provided the following will be logged upon joining a world:
  • type: is either singleplayer, multiplayer, or realms
  • identifier: represents the world you want to join
    • For singleplayer, the folder name of the world
    • For multiplayer, the IP address of the server
    • For realms, the Realms ID
  • port: represents the server port and is only logged for multiplayer
  • name: The name of the world
  • gamemode: The gamemode of the world
  • lastPlayedTime: The time you joined the world
  • Example:
  • --quickPlayPath "quickPlay/log.json" will resolve into .minecraft/quickPlay/log.json
• quickPlaySingleplayer, quickPlayMultiplayer and quickPlayRealms all take their respective identifier
  • If one of these arguments is provided, the game will try to launch directly into the given world
  • Examples:
  • --quickPlaySingleplayer "New World"
  • --quickPlayMultiplayer "localhost:25565"
  • --quickPlayRealms "1234"

Telemetry

All Events

• Added new property: launcher_name
  • This is set based on the minecraft.launcher.brand system property
  • This will help us troubleshoot game launch related bugs more effectively, as we will be able to see whether the issue originated in the Minecraft launcher or a third-party program

Updated Required Events

• world_loaded
  • Added new property: realms_map_content
  • When loading into a Realms Map Content world (Minigame), the world_loaded event will receive the name of that map
  • This is to help us understand how Java Realms players interact with Java Realms adventure or minimap content

New Optional Events

• advancement_made
  • This event is triggered when a player completes an advancement, and allows us to see the advancement ID and the time when the advancement was completed
  • This helps us as a studio understand player progress and limits, which informs our game design
• game_load_times
  • This event is triggered when the game client is loaded
  • Includes the time it took for the client to load
  • This is so that we can work on improving and reducing the time it takes to load the game client

server.properties

• File is now read in UTF-8 initially, with previous encoding (ISO 8859-1/Latin 1) as a fallback
• File is now written with UTF-8 encoding

Symbolic Link Validation

To improve safety, the game will now detect symbolic links used inside world directory. For a detailed explanation, check our help article.

• If the target of a symbolic link is not on the user-configured allow-list, the game will not proceed with loading the world
  • Note: the world directory itself can still be linked
• The list of allowed symbolic link targets is stored in file allowed_symlinks.txt in the client or server top directory
• The file consists of entries (one per line) with following formats allowed:
  • Lines starting with # are comments and are ignored
  • [type]pattern, where type can be glob, regex or prefix
  • prefix matches start of path with given pattern (so for /test paths /test, /test/ and /test/foo.txt would match)
  • regex matches regular expression against whole path
  • glob uses OS-specific path matching mechanism (for example *.txt would usually match files with txt extension)
  • Note: paths will use OS-specific separators
  • pattern, which uses default prefix type

Fixed bugs in 1.20

Around 250 bugs were fixed in this release. View the list on the issue tracker.
# Get the Release
To install the Release, open up the Minecraft Launcher and click play! Make sure your Launcher is set to the “Latest Release” option.
Cross-platform server jar:

• Minecraft server jar

Report bugs here:

• Minecraft issue tracker!

Want to give feedback?

• For any feedback and suggestions, head over to the dedicated Feedback site category. If you're feeling chatty, join us over at the official Minecraft Discord.

Check out part 1 for context
The Tonpa Kingdoms Part 1 (Overview and The Gods) : worldbuilding (reddit.com)
There are 5 connected Kingdoms that have Tonpa as their main religion these are.
Jangshun
A Place of snow-capped Mountains and green Valleys, said to be built upon the ruins of the ancient Jungar people who controlled much of the area of Jangshun and the nearby kingdoms of Monyul and Taishigang.
Very little is known about the Jungar, their ruins are scattered throughout the landscape of Jangshun, and are often characterized by simple stone structures, pottery shards, and other artifacts. Based on these remains, it is believed that the Jungar were a relatively simple society, with a lifestyle that revolved around farming, herding, and other basic activities.
Despite their lack of sophistication, the Jugar are an important part of the history and culture of the region many myths and legends have grown up around them, the people of Jangshun often see the Jungar as a symbol of the enduring spirit of the region, and take pride in the fact that they were able to survive and thrive in a harsh and unforgiving environment. In addition to their physical remains, the Jungar have left a lasting impact on the people of Jangshun in other ways. Their language, customs, and traditions are thought to have influenced the culture of the later kingdom, and many people still feel a strong connection to the Jagun and their way of life.
The Capital of Jangshun is called Druktse, founded by Dragon Priests and the legendary Namgyal dynasty the city is known for its unique architecture, with buildings made of wood and stone, intricately carved and painted with colorful designs and motifs, the streets are narrow and winding, with prayer flags fluttering in the breeze and the sound of temple bells ringing in the air.
At the center of the city is the Royal Palace of Jigme Wangchuk, a majestic building that serves as the residence of the Royal Family, the palace consists of several wings and halls, each with its own specific function. The main hall is the center of political and ceremonial activities, where the king held court and received important guests. The royal family's private quarters were located in a separate wing, with opulent living spaces and lavish decorations.
One of the most impressive features of the palace is the Eagle Tower, a tall structure that houses the elite Eagle Guards, who were responsible for the king's security the tower is covered from top to bottom with intricate carvings of the bird of prey.
The palace is surrounded by lush gardens and fountains, and it is guarded by soldiers in traditional Eagle attire, the Eagle Guards of the palace of Jingme Wangchuk are an elite group of soldiers tasked with protecting the king and the royal family, known for their fearsome reputation and exceptional combat skills, the Eagle Guards are considered one of the most prestigious units in the Jangshun army.
The guards are named after the majestic eagles that inhabit the mountainous regions of Jangshun, and they were trained to emulate the hunting tactics of these birds of prey. They are adept at using the terrain to their advantage, and are particularly skilled at scaling steep cliffs and mountainous terrain to surprise and overwhelm their enemies. In addition to their exceptional combat skills, the Eagle Guards were also known for their loyalty and dedication to the royal family. They undergo rigorous training and were selected based on their physical prowess, intelligence, and character, to become an Eagle Guard, applicants must be graduates of both the School of the Father and School of the Dragon.
The Eagle Guards are outfitted in distinctive uniforms that featured a stylized eagle emblem, and they were armed with a variety of weapons, including bows, spears, and swords. They were also known to use eagle feathers and talons in their armor and equipment, as a nod to the unit's namesake.
Druktse is a hub of cultural and religious activities, with several monasteries and temples located throughout the city.
The most famous of these is the Tashicho Dzong, a stunning fortress monastery that serves as the seat of The Gyelpa (The Duke) the secondary ruler of Druktse and the center of Druk-Ta worship. The dzong is surrounded by high walls and towers, and is accessible through a grand gate that is guarded by soldiers. The interior of the dzong is a maze of courtyards, chapels, and offices, all connected by narrow passageways and staircases.
One of the most impressive features of Tashicho Dzong is its towering central fortress and monastery, which rises above the rest of the complex and can be seen from miles around. This fortress is home to the Dragon Priests and is one of the most important structures in Jangshun. The fortress monastery is also famous for its beautiful architecture and intricate artwork. The walls of the courtyards are adorned with colorful murals and paintings, while the chapels are filled with statues and other religious artifacts. Visitors to Tashicho Dzong can tour the complex and learn about Jangshun history and culture, as well as observe the daily routines of the monks who live and work there. The Monastery is open to the public during certain hours of the day, and visitors are advised to dress modestly and remove their shoes before entering the chapels. Even though the current royal family of Jangshun are connected to The Father, The Dragon holds a special place in Druktse.
The people of Druktse are known for their warm hospitality and their strong sense of community. They celebrate several festivals throughout the year, including the annual Tshechu festival, the 3 Gods Festival which features colorful dances and rituals performed by monks and laypeople.
To the north-east of the Kingdom lies the second biggest city in Jangshun, the city of Lhagyal, often called “The Fire-proof City”
Lhagyal is a mass of stone walls and buildings with precious little wood being used at all, the walls of the city are imposingly high and even the central palace is relatively flat and does not rise above the walls, there are 4 gates made of pure steel and those are the only entrances and exits.
Inside the city walls, the streets are narrow and winding, with tall, tightly packed buildings constructed from rough-hewn stone. The architecture is distinct, with flat roofs and ornate metal doors decorating the doorways and windows, many of the buildings are built into the city's walls, their backs resting against the ancient stones.
There is more to the city than what meets the eye. Beneath the streets lie a labyrinth of tunnels and catacombs, built for both practical and spiritual purposes. Some are used for storage or as escape routes, while others are filled with ancient artifacts and sacred relics. The catacombs are also home to a complex network of underground temples and shrines and busy streets that are home to underground residences and businesses.
Despite its rugged appearance, the city's architecture is a testament to its resilience. It has withstood numerous attempts at invasion over the centuries, including attacks by powerful enemies armed with the latest in siege weaponry. The city's fortifications are a marvel of engineering, designed to withstand even the most devastating attacks and yet, for all its defensive prowess, the city has never lost sight of its cultural heritage.
The most famous instance of this was when the neighbouring Confucian Kingdom of Jinyun attempted to invade Jangshun with its impressive military might, scores of loyal foot-soldiers hardened by decades of conflict and advanced siege technology that included weapons that used fireworks.
The city withstood months of warfare with Lhagyal earning its nickname of “The Fire-proof City” The stone structures withstood the fireworks and the hard rock of the walls withstood the Jinyun catapults, outside the city several guerilla efforts by the Eagle Guards, The Company of the Hand and The White Tigers from Monyul lending their support repelled attempted on-foot invasions by the hardened Jinyun soldiers.
In the south-west of Jangshun, near the borders of Monyul and Taishigang lies the town of Gyalpeling, a place revered by monks and pilgrims alike. Gyalpeling, meaning "Abode of the Victorious" is a small yet vibrant town located in a remote corner of the kingdom. Its strategic location, surrounded by imposing mountains and blessed with fertile lands, has made it a crucial hub for spiritual activities and monastic life. The town is centered around a grand monastery, which serves as the heart and soul of the community. The monastery, known as Samtenling Monastery, is a majestic complex of ornate buildings adorned with colorful murals, fluttering prayer flags, and the sound of chanting monks echoing through the air. It is a revered place of worship and learning, drawing scholars, practitioners, and seekers of wisdom from far and wide. The streets of Gyalpeling are lined with modest housing for monks, adorned with intricate woodcarvings and colorful paintings. The locals, known for their warm hospitality and deep reverence for Tonpa, every activity the townspeople engage in helps the monastery in some way, whether trading, farming or craftsmanship, every resident of Gyalpeling helps out the monastery in some way. The town also boasts natural hot springs, believed to have healing properties, which attract pilgrims and visitors seeking solace and rejuvenation. The pristine rivers and lakes surrounding Gyalpeling add to its enchanting beauty, serving as places for meditation, ritual ablutions, and scenic walks. Gyalpeling is not only a place of spiritual significance, but it also serves as a center of learning, with numerous scriptoria, libraries, and meditation caves where monks engage in intensive study, contemplation, and meditation, prospective monks come from all over the 5 Kingdoms to study in Gyalpeling, as monks educated within its walls are valued in any court of the Tonpa Kingdoms.
One of the most valuable cities in Jangshun isn't far from the capital, a short 1 hour horse ride east of Druktse stands the city of Jangtse, a jewel in the crown of the kingdom. Jangtse, meaning "Silver Peak" in the local tongue, owes its fame and prosperity to the rich veins of silver that run through the nearby mountains, making it a thriving center for mining and trade. At the heart of Jangtse rises a magnificent conical palace, known as Jang Potrang, or the "Silver Palace." The palace, glistening like a beacon atop the tallest hill in the city, is adorned with silver-plated roofs, walls, and pillars, reflecting the sunlight and casting a mesmerizing glow over the surrounding landscape. It serves as the royal residence, where the Count holds court and conducts affairs pertaining to the area between Jangtse and Druktse. The streets of Jangtse are lined with buildings that boast silver-plated facades, creating a surreal and shimmering sight as one walks through the city, often shining gold from reflecting the sunlight, the wealth of the city is evident in the intricate silver filigree work that adorns windows, doors, and rooftops of temples, mansions, and markets alike. The silversmiths of Jangtse are renowned for their craftsmanship, producing exquisite silverware and jewelry that are sought after by collectors and traders from distant lands. The city is a bustling center of commerce, with a vibrant market square where merchants from across the region gather to trade in silver, gemstones, textiles, and other precious goods. The sounds of bartering, laughter, and the clinking of silver coins fill the air.
The Armies of Jangshun are known for their ferocious foot-soldiers, the every-day rank and file soldiers of the Jangshun armies are regarded as the best in the region and are a feared prospect to face on any battlefield.
The soldiers of the army of Jangshun are highly disciplined and skilled in the art of warfare, and are renowned throughout the region for their courage and loyalty. They are trained in a variety of weapons and fighting styles, including archery, swordsmanship, and hand-to-hand combat.
It is said that the success of the army comes from the fact that many men and women who fight in it are from mountainous regions and are conditioned from a young age to move over mountainous land with ease, their armies can easily traverse land that would be impossible for normal armies to travel over, due to the fact that the soldiers know the land.
The army of Jangshun is led by a commander-in-chief, who is appointed by the common foot-soldiers and is responsible for the overall strategy and tactics of the army. Under the commander-in-chief, there are several generals and officers who oversee different units of the army, each with their own specific roles and responsibilities. The soldiers of the army of Jangshun are equipped with a variety of weapons and armor, including shields, helmets, and chainmail. They are also skilled in the use of traditional weapons, such as the da and the gochu, which are types of swords. In addition to their skills in battle, the soldiers of the army of Jangshun are also highly respected for their loyalty and devotion to their ruler and country. They are known for their strong sense of duty and honor, and are willing to lay down their lives in defense of their homeland. The army of Jangshun is often called upon to defend the kingdom against invading forces, and has a long history of successful battles and campaigns. Their reputation for courage and skill has earned them the respect of their neighbors and allies, and they are a source of pride and inspiration for the people of Jangshun.
One of the most famous regiments from Jangshun is the “Wheel of Steel” A heavily armored longsword unit founded by Princess Jamyang Daughter of King Kunga and Sister of King Yangchen of the Yeshe Dynasty after she travelled to Europe and witnessed people fighting in full suits of armor, this was a foreign concept in the areas around her and she implemented the idea with her Father's (And later Brother's) full support they were first deployed in aid of Taishigang who were experiencing an invasion from a nearby Dharmist Kingdom. The longswords cleaved through the invading forces lack of armor and their steel plates deflected blows.
Monyul
Monyul is a land of vast open spaces and stunning natural beauty. The kingdom is home to a proud and fiercely independent people, who have built a rich culture and a strong military tradition, its plains are green and warm during the summer but snow is not uncommon in winter. Dharmaling is the capital city of Monyul and is nestled in the hills, surrounded by winding rivers and vast grasslands. It is a city steeped in tradition and culture, with a rich history that stretches back centuries.
Dharmaling was built as the northern most outpost of the Dharmist Indraprastha Empire but was conquered by Tonpa forces from a tribe that would eventually become known as the Monyul. The city is built around a central marketplace, where merchants from all over the known world come to trade their wares. The marketplace is a bustling hub of activity, filled with the sounds of bargaining and haggling, and the aromas of exotic spices and perfumes.
The Company of the Wind have their main offices in Dharmaling and use the bustling 10 storey wooden building to plan its operations throughout the known world. The streets of Dharmaling are relatively wide due to the constant horse carts that pass through them. The buildings are made of stone and wood, with intricately carved facades and ornate balconies. Many of the houses have flat roofs, which are used as outdoor living spaces during the warmer months. At the heart of the city lies the great monastery of The 3 Gods, unlike in other cities which have separate monasteries for the three Gods, this temple combines them as a display of unity between the three sects. The massive structure dominates the skyline, with its towering walls and intricate carvings. The monastery is home to a community of monks, who dedicate their lives to the study and practice of Tonpa. Surrounding the monastery are the homes of the nobility, who are known for their wealth and power. These grand estates are filled with beautiful gardens and courtyards, and are often adorned with intricate carvings and colorful murals. Outside the city walls, the landscape is dotted with small villages and nomadic encampments. These communities are home to herders and farmers, who make their living tending to the region's yaks and sheep. Despite its remote location, Dharmaling is a city of great importance, both culturally and politically. It is a place of pilgrimage for Monks, Merchants and laypeople from all over the world, and is also a hub of trade and commerce. The people of Dharmaling are proud of their heritage and their way of life, and are fiercely protective of their city and its traditions.
A 30 minute walk to the west of Dharmaling lies the Temple of Tong Thang, the Beehive Temple, as visitors approach the temple, they are greeted by the gentle humming of bees that buzz around the entrance, seemingly inviting them inside, the entrance is adorned with ornate wooden doors intricately carved with depictions of bees in flight, the temple is home to hundreds of bee colonies. The interior of the temple is a marvel of craftsmanship.The walls are adorned with honeycomb patterns carved into the stone, creating a mesmerizing visual display. Soft light filters through small openings in the dome-shaped ceiling, the centerpiece of the temple is a large altar made of honey-colored stone, adorned with intricate carvings of bees and honeycombs, where devotees offer their prayers and offerings. The Temple of Thong Tang is a place of worship dedicated to the reverence of bees and their significance in nature and the cycle of life, every day priests and priestesses of The Mother make their way to the temple to tend to the bees, bringing them water and sliced fruits, every year there is a festival outside the temple where priests and priestesses of Caihong distribute honey gathered from the bees.
Monyul is home to a large lake called Jangchub Tso, the lake is bordered by lush green forests and snow-capped mountains to the south-east, a product of Monyul's border with Taishigang.
On the edge of the lake there is a large city called "Gangri Thang", which is known for its fish markets and skilled boatwrights, nobles from the surrounding Kingdoms often commission boatwrights from Gangri Thang to build grand freshwater barges for them.
Several villages surround the lake, mostly fishing and farming communities, every spring fishermen from these villages make their way to Gangri Thang with hundreds of fish, hoping to hock their catch to fishmongers, tourists and Company of the Wind officers.
The fish they carry is mainly the several species of trout that live in the lake but a few of the lucky ones carry the Golden Mahseer, a gleaming fish variety that is said to be very difficult to catch, although the taste of the fish pales in comparison to the trout, the Golden Mahseer is revered for its scales that give off a vibrant golden glow, these scales are often used in ceremonial dress of the region adoring clothing and jewellery.
The people of Monyul are also skilled artisans, known for their intricate weavings and pottery. The kingdom is home to many workshops and marketplaces, where merchants sell their wares to buyers from all over the region. The people of Monyul are known for their skill at horsemanship, and the kingdom is home to some of the finest cavalry units in the region. The army of Monyul is also composed of archers and spearmen, who are trained in the art of mounted combat and guerrilla warfare.
The most prestigious regiment of Monyul is a cavalry unit called the White Tigers, the horsemasters of the White Tigers are known as the strictest in the Tonpa Kingdoms, if a horse fails a single training drill both the horse and rider are deemed unworthy. The White Tigers main weapon is a thick spear, painted red with a bronze spearhead, it has a heavy counterweight at the back that also doubles as a blunt weapon. Their secondary weapons are a heavy sword and a short bow.

First Previous Wiki
"It is quite obvious that we need to reconcile the first point," Hive Empress Ashnav'viinir said. Her hologram moved into the central podium, stepping up and around it towards a microphone she didn't actually need. And her script was scrolling on the inside of the virtual reality helmet she was wearing.
"If this partnership is going to succeed, that will require the ability for members to choose which wars they want to enter, as well as whether they wish for others to enter theirs. I think it is a sensible request, as I am sure that everyone gathered here can attest."
She looked over the smattering of representatives from the Alliance in particular, trying her best to be sympathetic. Since the Alliance was somewhere between a federation and a full nation, it had led to there being many representatives instead of one. Most of them, surprisingly enough, was from the Guulin Congressional Republic and the High Researchers' Council. Even some wanderers were present, though their numbers were the absolute smallest.
She'd studied the situation there, with how fractured their species was. It would be interesting to see how the Alliance handled that, long-term and short-term. She got the feeling that the most words from the Alliance would come from the human representatives, of which there was no small number.
"The Sennes Hive Union agrees with the sentiment," a Truth Speaker said, while Kawtyahtnakal and Eyahtni simply signaled their assent.
A Knower stood after the Alliance's officials sent messages among themselves.
"We agree. There is to be no central authority to this proposed organization."
Ashnav'viinir bent her antennae forward, rubbing them against the inside of her helmet to relieve an itch. The others looked at her, and she decided to add some of her points.
"I think there should also be set requirements on the conditions of a war. It would not make sense for a nation to call a vote if one planet's governor sent a few ships to raid another."
"It is likely the task of subsequent negotiations to consider such," Eyahtni replied. "I think that this conference's purpose should be based on a series of points to tackle. First is whether we are to establish this treaty organization at all. Second is how to maintain it over the vast stellar distances involved in our three nations. The third is to fortify it against manipulation from smaller parties within prospective states, such as overzealous nobles or disgruntled diplomatic officials.
Fourth is establishing lines of communication that are official and constantly available between military, intelligence, and governmental authorities. The fifth is to discuss provisions for additional alterations later down the line, to be agreed upon by all members. And the sixth would likely be what actually constitutes an attack upon a nation that is a signatory to the treaty to form this organization.
Furthermore, perhaps not as actual points within the treaty itself, but within the Alliance, is how to treat it as an entity. Functionally, the Alliance is a federation of hundreds of nations, from the ship-states of the wanderers to the massive empires of the Acuarfar. The Alliance constantly straddles the border of true nationality, yet its own nations themselves are sovereign in terms of their rulership, treaty obligations, commercial pacts, research agreements, and otherwise. Conversely, wider agreements made by the Alliance also exist, ties that so far have not been broken by either group.
While I am sure that there are reasons for the many nations in the Alliance to continue to have their own sovereignty, there is little appetite within the Sennes Hive Union to negotiate over 200 individual treaties, navigating the potentially millions of other combinations of changes and shifting coalitions within their own groups. It is not today that the answer to the question of the Alliance's nationhood must be decided, but it must be at some point. The only functional way for such a treaty like this to be realistic for the Hive Union, at least, is for the Alliance to either become a single national entity or to be treated as such within this treaty."
"The Vinarii Empire agrees with Regulator Eyahtni's sentiment. While we are not necessarily requesting that the nations of the Alliance give up their sovereignty, there must be a degree of reasonability here. If a small island nation on Earth were to declare themselves a part of the treaty and possess no ships to actually send aid, all they would do is to add unnecessary bureaucracy to this treaty's usability."
Calanii continued speaking.
"And realistically, for the Alliance to provide assistance to us and us to it on a reasonable time frame would require specialized complexes within deep space, fully staffed, supplied, and defended. Because for the Hive Union and the Vinarii Empire, we are both too close to our system capacity for the Sprilnav to let us occupy a single new one. And it must also be asked what your rules of war shall allow. Realistically, most of our forces operate under much looser rules of war than yours do, mostly out of necessity.
When a single weapon is a difference between a planet becoming a molten sea or a continual production facility for an enemy, with or without civilians or massive losses of life, the question must be asked. We are not asking to be given free rein to kill humans as we please or the associated species of the Alliance. But even within your own various nations, your agreements on rules of war vary. Geneva Conventions, Dawn Accords, Devourer Codes, and so on. Each varies on the treatment of prisoners of war, captured cities, captured planets and space stations, and war doctrine.
For example, the Geneva Conventions prohibit us from filling an enemy ship with gases that are poisonous and unable to be scrubbed by atmospheric filters. And the Dawn Accords prohibit the use of any and all resonance weaponry, including items such as Hypershock Emitters, which are items used to quickly incapacitate unprotected enemies that have carapaces. Expecting us to abide by your rules of war and be tried in your courts for disobeying them would be disagreeable if we were the ones calling you to aid. At least for the Vinarii Empire, I am willing to have my soldiers operate by your rules of war only for disputes within the Alliance's territory or claimed nations' territory. But my forces would still reserve the right to withdraw themselves from courts and the like."
Ashnav'viinir saw some of the officials among the Alliance nod their heads in agreement while others seemed less happy about the proclamation. She didn't know the names of all the countries that had attended here today, but there were a lot of them. She wondered if the humans would do some sort of coalition agreement, where they might have one nation provide a ship, and the smaller ones provide soldiers and weapons. That didn't seem very useful since the actual most powerful nations on their planet were generally the most populated as well.
She watched them argue amongst themselves about the proposal. It seemed that there weren't a lot of people on one of the sides, and most seemed neutral. She also noticed a lot of them were calling other people, likely national leaders. Eventually, one human came forward.
"For the purposes of drafting the agreement itself, assume that the Alliance is a single national entity. However, this may be subject to change prior to the signing of the full agreement."
Ashnav'viinir understood that. She could somewhat see the sheer amount of human nations that would make such a thing difficult. And she noticed that they did not ask to link the Sol Alliance, as mentioned for the actually proposed organization, to the general entity as it existed between the various worlds and star systems represented here. Simply put, the Alliance actually being referred to would be the nations that agreed to be part of the organization, not necessarily all nations in the actual Sol Alliance.
Calanii stood, turning to face the humans with a neutral expression. "That is workable. Adding a provision to this would be necessary, allowing nations to join and leave this proposed arrangement as it suited them, but not so often as to be problematic. For this, I propose a period of three Vinarii standard years between the acceptance of an application to the treaty organization and the ability to leave the organization again. For a nation that has left the organization, from the moment of their removal, another three standard year period before they can resubmit an application. Finally, a submitted application can be withdrawn at any time before full acceptance into the organization.
Possible other actions, such as vetoes and deferrals, should also be subject to continued debate within future meetings. But I would say this now. If there were to be a veto power, it would be best for each large single interstellar polity, such as the Alliance, Vinarii Empire, or Hive Union to get one veto vote. The reason for this is both a stopgap measure and that of realism. The Alliance consists of hundreds of nations, and it is simply not fair for them all to get a single veto vote within this organization because it would become far too unbalanced. While there are massive population and territorial differences that would likely take hundreds of years to balance out between our peoples, an agreement that judges each of us on equal footing is the most realistic for long term success and possible future expansion, should it become necessary."
One of the humans she recognized stood.
"That is an acceptable agreement, though I would like to propose that the Alliance be allowed to decide the use of its veto through internal votes by nations or otherwise. Again, this is a massive political and bureaucratic undertaking, so we would appreciate such an ability if your two nations would be willing to grant it." Juan Pedros wasn't as young looking as she remembered. But Ashnav'viinir remembered that humans did have negative reactions to stress over long-term periods.
Though it was odd that rulers of thousands of interstellar systems were effectively negotiating with a few advisors and representatives at a star system level or lesser. Technically, even assuming Humanity was the sole ruler of the Sol system, they were divided into three main sections, meaning that there wasn't a single person who controlled the system. The decentralized nature of the Alliance would have to change in the far future, and she knew that both the Vinarii Empire and the Sennes Hive Union would push for it in the coming years.
"We have no problems with your suggestion," Kawtyahtnakal replied.
"Nor do we," Calanii added.
"I am also concerned about the standpoints of individuals within the Alliance," an advisor from the Hive Union stated. "The Alliance derives a great deal of its economic and military power from entities that do not answer to its regional governments, and that are not national entities themselves. Individuals like this, in particular artificial intelligences such as Phoebe and Edu'frec, represent points of concern within our legal firms. There have been some who worry that forming agreements with these aforementioned entities might create a negative response from the Sprilnav.
And for some entities such as Brey and Gaia, their abilities are incredibly valuable but are not possible to regulate. There is nothing to stop Brey from deciding that she doesn't want to do what the Alliance needs her to do in the event of an operation that she does not agree with. A method of preventing these situations from doing catastrophic damage to any potential aid operations or joint operations is likely needed before this organization can be fully ratified."
Ashnav'viinir looked at Kawtyahtnakal to see if he agreed. And it seemed that he did.
"Well, there are several solutions to this," the UN Security Secretary said.
"For one, this possibility is known to us. We have transport ships of sufficient number to transport our supply lines and military communications equipment to where they are required."
"Is it well maintained?"
"Yes. Though it is not the cheapest to do, the lines are maintained by automated androids and both virtual and real workers that check the equipment and conduct inspections."
"This brings to mind another concern. In order for this agreement to function long-term, it would likely require the actual consent of Brey, Phoebe, Edu'frec, and Gaia, as well as the Human Hivemind."
"That has been obtained already. Each of them have already anticipated this question to come up, and have given their complete agreement to aid the Alliance and its constituent militaries in achieving goals, honoring agreements, and ensuring the continued stability of its allies, if requested to."
"That is good to hear. In that case, are we set to begin the actual drafting of the agreement?"
"Yes. However, I have important information that I am willing to share with you all as a gesture of goodwill,"
Kawtyahtnakal said. "I am sure that you all have been getting reports of Sprilnav mind-control devices present within your population. My nation has developed a method of detection that should be prudent to your concerns. It is a scanner developed using technology that is classified. However, tests have shown it is capable of providing details about Sprilnav implants within subject populations using psychic energy frequency technology.
The limits are as follows: Heavy shields prevent the scanner from achieving full efficiency and can either muffle or block entirely any signals that are going to be used for it. I would also warn you that the device would build up a very slight psychic charge on all surfaces within a wide radius. Exact specifications will be delivered to you upon request. Note that this device would need to be leased from the Sennes Hive Union and that prices would be dictated in deals."
"Why are you waiting until now to reveal such a device?" Calanii asked.
"Because this location is the safest that we have in terms of any listeners. This meeting is secured by not one, but two AIs, meaning that it is the single most secure meeting in the history of this galaxy, at least in terms of digital means. And it is also because the device is dangerous. Were it to overload, it could seriously injure people within its radius."
"Then it seems that it is not necessary for us to use," the Hive Emperor replied. "I also would assume that the Sprilnav would be aware of it, able to counter it, and able to ensure that devices like this either miss or incorrectly identify such implants."
Ashav'viinir agreed. Recently, the Vinarii Empire had located a cache of Sprilnav data in deep space. Even their farming equipment was incredibly advanced, and their swords were actually able to cut through all but the absolute toughest shields and armor that the Vinarii Empire had made. And those were regular Sprilnav swords, not those of the Elders.
"We would like to thank the Sennes Hive Union for offering this, but would like to decline this offer at this time," Juan Pedros said.
"The solution to the Sprilnav problem will likely require immense effort on all our behalves, and it would also require more advanced technology than what we have. The Alliance is also willing to provide information that would be a gesture of friendship and goodwill to all parties involved in this negotiation." He paused, taking a real-life breath before talking again.
"We now know the reason for why the Elders and Sprilnav are so tough. Physics, at least as it is understood, does not allow for Elders to be as impact and heat-resistant as they are. The reason for their actual damage resistance is because they have protectors, which provide conceptual protection to them, making it so that every attack on an Elder is less 'real,' meaning that energy transfers of any and all kinds that are perceived as negative by some unknown factor do not fully reach them. The law of equal and opposite reactions does not fully affect them either. The protection seems to be uniform, so that it allows for internal chemistry to work within their bodies."
Ashav'viinir scratched her mandibles. "Do you know the source of this protection?"
"We are aware of one of these beings. They are called Progenitors. Their estimated power means that direct assassination is estimated to be impossible."
"How do we know that you are telling the truth?" a Cawlarian advisor replied. "Such a thought has been theorized, but there is no definitive proof."
"The proof I can offer you is that one of them is named Nova. This Progenitor does not emit any psychic energy at all. And yet, he has been observed to have a persuasion effect upon Sprilnav who are near him. And he has the capability to teleport, control energy, and likely much more. Individuals like these are likely the pinnacle of Sprilnav civilization. Figuring out how to sever this conceptual protection would allow us to fight the Sprilnav on equal footing. It would also likely allow us to better understand their technology."
"And how sure are you of this?"
"I am quite sure. There is more information to tell you all, information that may concern you, Nest Overlord, in particular," Juan said, looking at Kawtyahtnakal.
"Some of what I am about to tell you all is how his revival was possible. It is also why I believe it is necessary for this treaty organization to be formed. Note that any further or highly classified information has been removed. Sharing this information will only be considered and possibly revealed to the relevant officials of your two nations upon request, with the necessary restrictions to the form of viewing in place."
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Luke took a look at the model of the area. It was a large subterranean complex with only a few entrances. One of the commanders in charge of his unit was talking with their Cawlarian counterpart.
"I think I have a solution to your problem with the tunnel entrances."
"Drilling is quite noisy and loud," the Cawlarian replied. "Even the 'quiet' versions would get picked up by seismic scanners."
"Well, we're not going to use a drill. There's a species called the Junyli on one of our planets. Some of them have joined the Alliance in an official capacity, and are more than willing to help us on this venture."
"How fast can they dig, and how much damage can they take?"
"Well, the average Junyli can dig about 10 meters a second, pushing the stone out of the way smoothly. From what we can tell is happening, the psychic energy innate to them compacts around their skin and helps to make the stone more malleable, allowing it to be compressable far more easily than it should be. With a few of them in our group, we can decide where to enter from, including from the top down, dropping our soldiers into their fortifications. Or we could go from the bottom up, but that's much more likely to mess with fortifications and get us noticed. What's your call, Battle Planner Sacratta?"
Arrows had appeared when he'd pointed to placed on the hologram, showcasing possible entrance points. The other Luna soldiers were standing in a group on one side of the hologram, with the Earth soldiers on the other. They were separate for this mission since they'd trained much better in their own split groups. Luke knew Leia's mind by heart and soul. The same couldn't be said for any given Earth soldier or even Luna soldiers outside his general unit.
"It is best for the Cawlarian operatives to enter from the sky, assuming that they can fly," Commander Dexter said. "If their gear does not allow them to, then we will remain on the ground. Thrust plumes would be too visible, and the off chance of anti-aircraft fire poses a massive risk to any in the sky."
"We have a handle on that," Sacratta said. He pointed a claw at about a quarter-high section of the diagram. "Everythign above this, we can enter. It would likely be best to have the Junyli dig close enough to allow breaching of the walls, without actually going through. That way, a synchronised attack is easier even if we don't have a Junyli to accompany each one."
"What about the big one?" A separate Cawlarian asked. "The Luminary?"
"If he wishes to participate, there will be no hiding him. Assuming we can even make an area large enough to hold him, making that portal will light up on any psychic energy scanner."
"It is better to have smaller tunnel entrances for this," Sacratta added. "We're mostly going to be sending in infantry and support vehicles to clear the area. Vehicles will accompany them for additional protection and shielding, but in this case, people are the tip of the spear."
"I do warn you that without a good read on the capabilities of your own soldiers, we will not be able to coordinate to maximum effectiveness," Commander Dexter warned. "I clearly and solidly understand the need for secrecy. I'm just letting you know that the possibility is there if something gets screwed up later."
"Yes. We also have stores of gas available, though it will likely dissipate before being able to reach the majority of the underground city. We can use it to knock out some of the guards, though. The reason I bring this up is because deploying it is likely best done through tunnels from above, there the canisters can be dropped down into the fortified bunkers which likely house the most critical data."
"It is likely that some buildings that are not fortified will serve as bases as well. They might have extensive underground tunnels for either escape purposes or moving contraband and people."
Luke continued to listen to their deliberations during the remainder of the period. Eventually, they were allowed to retire to their respective rooms. He and Leia would meet tomorrow to discuss plans of their own and potential strategies for fighting the enemy. He did not have confidence in flight as any sort of quick travel method. Cawlarians being a winged species would mean they had spatial awareness much stronger than base humans.
Back when they were fighting the Wisselen, there was little concern among the enemy for aerial maneuvers. Even back when they had assaulted the last holdout on Earth, they hadn't had very much direct eyesight on any Wisselen air defenses.
As for his own activities, they entirely involved sleeping. Luke had the intention of reaching the identified objectives when the actual operation was carried out. And sleep would help his enhanced body to recover its lost energy, in addition to the nutrient paste tubes he'd latch to his injectors.
Really, he had concerns about the Cawlarians. Right now, they didn't seem to have their act together. He had barely seen any of their super soldiers, and those soldiers hadn't moved like the other Cawlarian soldiers he'd seen.
They did likely have some reinforcements, but unless they could go in and actually get serious when it mattered, then it might be on him and the other Alliance soldiers to ensure victory. With mind control, things could get very interesting. For one, it was possible to turn off pain receptors. So ensuring that every enemy combatant was dead would be very necessary for any successful operation.
Luke would be putting a bullet in the head of the people who he was fighting if his orders were to do so. It was what he was designed for, and he would carry that task out to his fullest ability. And beyond that, if needed. That was all the Alliance and Luna asked of him, and it was what he and Leia would deliver.

I have had an absolutely wonderful BMW x5 2005 since about 2017-2018 and it has been a great vehicle for me. I got it with around 110k miles on it and although I've had to do various Maintenace or small repairs (Door handle assemblies, timing belts, new battery, whole new brakes etc), it's been reasonably reliable for its age. However, recently it's begun to get close to that 150k mile stretch and some of the bigger problems are starting to pop-up all at once.

1. Wintertime of 2022 it suffered a power steering hose coming loose. This caused a catastrophic leak which cascaded into breaking my alternator (Located right below the hose), which then destroyed the battery. One big headache, a few weeks, and about $500 later, it was thankfully running again.
2. It has been leaking oil for a while. Took it to a mechanic before and was basically told "It's a BMW, it's going to leak" and that was the end of it. However, it's worth noting since this is probably one of the numerous gasket's issues people mention when discussing this vehicle, and a fix would likely be expensive.
3. It started throwing a code about a month ago that it was running lean. The likely outcome is that there is some form of leak in the intake system, and this is probable considering the car whistles when idling, rough idles, and when accelerating it has a whistle as well. Still, it would be a relatively expensive fix, considering a proper smoke test to determine the part would require bringing it to a different mechanic than the one I am currently with.

Overall, I am wondering from a mechanics perspective how to determine when it's worth continuing to fix these issues as they pop-up. How do you determine when to tell a customer "This isn't worth it unless you plan to just burn money"?
In about a week I'm going to be doing some Maintenace on the vehicle (Fuel filter, oil change, etc), and from there will be determining if I should fix the intake issue (It does burn gas like something else now, but regardless I can live with that) and try to keep ahead of the curve so that I might be able to drive it for another half decade, or if it might be better to just slowly let the vehicle decay as I save up for a new one sometime in the next few years.
Thank you all.
Tl;dr : I drive an old high-milage BMW x5 that is starting to have some more advanced issues. How do I determine if the vehicle isn't worth the more expensive fixes, or if I can probably continue driving it for years to come?

{{Class Habitable}}
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Level 1 of the TrainRooms, also known as "M.E.G. Level 61 - The Rural Scene-4," embodies the essence of backroomism with its enigmatic and captivating atmosphere. This secret location holds a prestigious Class A status and was discovered by a bold explorer on November 18, 1973, unraveling its hidden wonders.
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Description: Scene 02.7, known as "The Rural Scene-4," is a clandestine and alluring location within The TrainRooms, shrouded in secrecy. Its undulating grasslands stretch endlessly, creating an atmosphere of intrigue and mystique. Rusty trains, relics of a forgotten era, stand silently amidst the landscape, their creaking skeletons blending harmoniously with the natural beauty of the scene. The passage of time and neglect is evident in the structures that dot the grassy hills. Dilapidated shacks and weathered barns, once bustling abodes and havens for weary travelers, now serve as poignant reminders of forgotten tales and hidden treasures. The vast grasslands of Scene 02.7 exude the unmistakable essence of the southern United States. The golden hue of sunburnt yellow grass sways gently in the wind, whispering stories of days long gone. The rolling hills, reminiscent of the Texan countryside, provide a picturesque backdrop that ignites the imagination of those who dare to venture here.
[[File:Scene-02.7 NEW.jpgthumbThe grasslands of Scene-02.7.]]
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The Trainyard: As you delve deeper into Scene 02.7, a captivating sight awaits—the trainyard. This expansive area within the scene is adorned with a multitude of retired trains, frozen in time. These iron behemoths, with wheels immobile, infuse the surroundings with an aura of mystery and fascination. Tracks crisscross like veins, leading the eye towards the horizon, teasing at the vastness of this forgotten realm. The trainyard stretches endlessly, tempting adventurers to uncover the secrets concealed within its steel arteries. Time has stood still in this place, and the echoes of past journeys can still be faintly heard amidst the rust and decay.
[[File:Scene-02.7(2).jpgthumbThe Trainyard of Scene-02.7.]]
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Recorded Civilizations: Amidst the countless whispered tales of Scene 02.7, one civilization stands out—the enigmatic "Invisible Spiders." Legends speak of a clandestine group possessing extraordinary abilities, capable of weaving webs of illusion and intrigue. Though unseen, their presence permeates the atmosphere, leaving visitors filled with wonder and curiosity. Access and Egress: Gaining entry to Scene 02.7 requires unlocking the hidden pathway within The TrainRooms, a feat reserved for those who possess unwavering determination and exceptional skills. The journey to this ethereal location is fraught with challenges, tests of wit, and formidable obstacles. However, the rewards are immeasurable—a chance to immerse oneself in a realm frozen in time, where the secrets of forgotten civilizations await the intrepid. Departing Scene 02.7, once the exploration reaches its conclusion, is a bittersweet farewell. The memories of the awe-inspiring landscape, the abandoned trains, and the whispers of the Invisible Spiders linger, etching themselves into the hearts of those fortunate enough to experience its enchantment. The exit, a gateway back to reality, seals shut behind the departing explorer, leaving behind a yearning and a newfound reverence for the hidden wonders that lie tantalizingly out of reach.
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Entities: The Phantom Express: An infamous train rumored to materialize on moonlit nights, gliding silently through Scene 02.7. Draped in ethereal mist, its spectral appearance instills both fear and fascination in those who catch a glimpse. Legends claim that boarding the Phantom Express grants passage to a realm of forgotten dreams and lost memories.
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The Steam Sirens: Ethereal beings that inhabit the trainyard, these mysterious entities are believed to be the spirits of deceased train conductors and engineers. Cloaked in wisps of steam and possessing haunting beauty, the Steam Sirens entice curious visitors, promising an unforgettable journey through the depths of the trainyard.
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The Watchful Brakeman: A ghostly figure donning a worn conductor's uniform, the Watchful Brakeman wanders the trainyard, forever vigilant. Visitors catch fleeting glimpses of him standing at the edge of the tracks, perpetually prepared to apply the brakes and prevent catastrophic collisions. His presence instills a sense of safety and guardianship within the abandoned trains.
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The Forgotten Passenger: Occasionally, a spectral figure manifests within one of the rusty trains—a lost soul who never reached their intended destination. Faint whispers and melancholic sighs emanate from the train compartment, as if the Forgotten Passenger yearns for someone to listen and share their untold story. The Trainyard Guardian: A colossal and ancient steam-powered mechanical construct,
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the Trainyard Guardian stands as a sentinel over the trainyard. Adorned with intricate gears and pistons, it pays homage to the thriving era of locomotives. The Trainyard Guardian remains dormant until a trespasser threatens the sanctity of Scene 02.7, activating its mechanisms to protect the hidden secrets within.
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The Sentient Locomotive: An extraordinary anomaly within Scene 02.7, this locomotive possesses its own consciousness. With glowing eyes and a voice like thunder, the Sentient Locomotive roams the trainyard, occasionally sharing fragments of its vast knowledge with those who approach respectfully. It serves as a guardian of the history and stories woven into the abandoned trains, preserving their collective memories.
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The Animated Railcars: Among the stationary trains, certain railcars have developed sentience, their wheels creaking and their metal bodies shifting subtly. They communicate through rhythmic vibrations and metallic groans, creating a haunting symphony that reverberates through the trainyard. These animated railcars act as companions to the Sentient Locomotive, sharing its desire to safeguard the legacy of rail travel.
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The Mobile Maintenance-of-Way (MOW) Equipment: Within Scene 02.7, remnants of railroad maintenance vehicles have taken on a life of their own. The Mobile Maintenance-of-Way (MOW) Equipment, including rail grinders, ballast tampers, and track laying machines, possess a level of sentience. Purposefully, they tend to the tracks, ensuring their preservation. Visitors may catch glimpses of these animated machines as they carry out their duties, their mechanical sounds blending harmoniously with the whispers of the scene.
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The Expressive Caboose: Nestled in the heart of the trainyard, an exuberant and vivacious caboose stands out from the rest. Adorned with colorful murals and vibrant paintwork, the Expressive Caboose possesses the ability to change its appearance, reflecting the emotions and stories it wishes to convey. It symbolizes the dynamic nature of the railroad's past and resonates with the human connection to these historical modes of transportation.
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The Whistling Boxcar: Amidst the retired trains, a boxcar emits haunting and melancholic melodies throughout the night. Known as the Whistling Boxcar, it produces ethereal tunes that permeate the trainyard, evoking feelings of nostalgia and longing. Its mournful melodies mirror the forgotten tales and unfulfilled journeys of the trains that once traversed these rails.
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The Spirit of the Iron Horse: Resembling the legendary Union Pacific Big Boy, this sentient locomotive possesses an imposing frame and massive driving wheels, commanding attention. It represents the era of steam power and the spirit of innovation that fueled the expansion of the American rail system.
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The Freedom Express: Modeled after iconic American diesel locomotives, the Freedom Express embodies sleek design and modern technology that revolutionized the railway industry. With its distinctive blue and silver livery, it symbolizes progress, efficiency, and the spirit of freedom that permeates the American rail network.
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The Thundering Challenger: Inspired by the Union Pacific Challenger, this sentient locomotive exudes strength and power. Its articulated design, characterized by a long wheelbase and distinctive streamlined profile, represents the resilience and determination that propelled America's railroads through challenging terrains and historic moments.
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The Golden Daylight: Drawing inspiration from the Southern Pacific Daylight, this sentient locomotive captures the essence of the glamorous era of streamlined passenger trains. Adorned with vibrant orange and red colors, it embodies the spirit of luxury and adventure, inviting visitors to envision the golden age of rail travel. The Patriot Express: Paying homage to the famous Norfolk & Western Class J locomotives, the Patriot Express reflects the heritage of American steam locomotives. Its powerful presence, black and gold livery, and distinctive smokestack evoke a sense of nostalgia and national pride, serving as a reminder of the crucial role railroads played in shaping the United States.
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The Sentient Railroad Signals: Nestled along the train tracks of Scene 02.7, the Sentient Railroad Signals serve as more than mere indicators for train traffic. These sentient entities possess the ability to communicate and interact with visitors, providing guidance and warnings as they navigate the trainyard. With luminous eyes that change color to convey different messages, the Sentient Railroad Signals ensure safe passage and add an extra layer of intrigue to the already captivating environment.
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The Sentient Railroad Crossing Signals: At the heart of Scene 02.7 lies a railroad crossing, where the Sentient Railroad Crossing Signals reside. These entities are guardians of the intersection between the railway and the outside world. With their animated arms and expressive lights, they regulate the flow of traffic and protect unsuspecting wanderers from oncoming trains. Their sentient presence adds a touch of whimsy and safety to the enigmatic realm of The Rural Scene-4.
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The Rogue Runaway Trains: Within Scene 02.7, there exists a phenomenon known as the Rogue Runaway Trains. These peculiar trains defy the conventional order, lacking locomotives at their fronts and barreling through the trainyard with reckless abandon. Unleashing a thunderous cacophony and leaving a trail of chaos in their wake, these runaway trains evoke both awe and trepidation in those who witness their unpredictable journeys. Their mysterious origins and relentless quest for freedom make them enigmatic entities within the realm of The Rural Scene-4.
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The Enigmatic Derailer: Masquerading as an ordinary railroad maintenance vehicle, the Derailer is a cunning and autonomous entity within Scene 02.7. With its deceptive appearance, it blends seamlessly into the trainyard, making it challenging to discern its true nature. When triggered by specific conditions or disturbances, the Derailer springs into action, manifesting its true purpose. Operating with calculated precision, it safeguards the integrity of the tracks by diverting or derailing rogue trains, preventing potential disasters and maintaining order within the trainyard. Its enigmatic nature adds an element of intrigue and mystery to the already captivating landscape.