“I just had an idea pop into my head about something to do this coming weekend, and I wanted to bounce it off you two before it slips my mind” My friend Natasha said those words as the three of us sat on my couch one afternoon. I found myself sitting up slightly. Normally, Natasha was the last of our group to suggest things to do, letting Vinny, the third member of our group, or I come up with the plans to keep our free time occupied. The fact she was about to suggest something intrigued me. “What have you got in mind?” I asked her. A smile played over her face as her brown eyes seemed to flash. “How about a little ghost hunting?”
I felt Vinny sit straight up beside me. She had clearly grabbed both our attention now. The three of us were what you might call amateur ghost hunters, using very basic items we bought offline to visit some of the spookier places in the area and posting our adventures on YouTube, sort of like a crappier version of Ghost Adventures. “Now that’s one hell of a good idea” Vinny said, before a puzzled expression spread over his face. “But, I mean, where? We’ve already done most of the places around town. The Tioga building won’t let us in after that…well, what that one resident claims we stirred up in the old ballroom, and I’m not about to make the hours long drive to the Wolf Creek Inn” Natasha’s smile grew wider. “No, we don’t have to even go out of town for this one” she said, her voice dropping low, “What I’m suggesting, is we check out…” her voice trailed off, letting the suspense grow for a few seconds before finishing, “The Egyptian Theatre”
Instantly, Vinny let out a harsh bark of laughter. “HA! Now that’s a good one. You know damn good and well that the society that runs the theater won’t allow us in after hours to ghost hunt. As far as I know, they’ve never allowed any paranormal teams into the place” He pulled a face. “So, how exactly do you propose we get in there? You flutter your eyelashes for the night janitor and use your feminine charms to get us in?” Natasha still grinned, but rolled her eyes at our friend’s quip. “No, actually, I was thinking about using my lock picking skills to get us in” she declared. It was my turn to give her an incredulous look. “You’re joking, right?” I asked. She shook her head. “Nope, I’m dead serious” I let out an incredulous, almost baffled snort of laughter and pulled my glasses off my face, rubbing my eyes.
The country, and, to a large extent, the entire world, became gripped in an interest, sometimes bordering on obsession with all things Egyptian when King Tut’s tomb was discovered over a century ago. Many things came out of this, including the classic 1932 monster movie The Mummy. But, one thing that also came of this fever gripping the country was a desire to build many Egyptian style buildings. And one of the buildings which took this design and ran with it, were the movie theatres. A decade after the legendary discovery, over a hundred theatres had gone up all around the country, their interiors clad with fake temple columns, paintings of sphinxes and Egyptian gods such as Anubis decorating the walls, and hieroglyphs adorning the archways. People flocked in droves to them, both to watch movies, and live performances. But, like all trends, eventually, the interest began to wane, and as the late 20th Century approached, many began to shut down and be either remodeled, or straight up demolished. Today, there’s only between five and eight Egyptian style theatres left in the entire country.
And one just so happens to be right in the town I live in.
When I moved to Coos Bay, Oregon nine years ago, I immediately fell in love with the place. Even though it’s the largest coastal town on the Oregon coast, it’s a place which is more or less perpetually frozen in time, still looking pretty much as it did between thirty and seventy years ago. And, as someone who is not exactly into the modern world, it made a perfect place for me to live and escape away from the 21st Century. I began exploring right away, driving every street of it and the town neighboring it, North Bend, along with walking every alley and back road I could to learn the layout. That’s how I learned about the supernatural element to the town.
There are many places in town which people claim supernatural occurrences take place. From the remains of the old logging buildings on the estuary, to the old Tioga Hotel which has been remodeled into apartments, there is no shortage of ghostly tales. There was even the old McCauley Hospital, which had once been the focal point of the town’s annual ghost walks until it was demolished in 2018. As a side note, I heard a rumor that a couple people broke into that place right before it got torn down. Something sure spooked them, because a friend of mine on the police force told me they gave him a fright, bursting in the night before Easter and rambling about something. I always wondered what they saw in there.
But, for me, the place in town I always loved the most, and enjoyed the most hearing about the ghostly accounts told, was the Egyptian Theatre.
Originally built as a garage in 1922, it was renovated by a man named Charles Noble into a movie theatre in 1925, where it drew in droves of people from around the area to watch films, and enjoy live vaudeville performances. It continued to operate almost to the end of the 20th Century, when other theatres began to attract younger moviegoers, and for a while, it almost seemed as though the historic building might even be closed for good and gutted. But, thanks to the efforts of local preservation societies, it was saved, and now operates as a theatre once again. They mostly play only older movies, along with live performances.
And, of course, it draws curious people for the paranormal rumors surrounding it.
For years, people have reported strange occurrences happening inside the building, both when it’s open, and after hours. Patrons and employees alike have spoken about a pervasive feeling of being watched inside the building, but finding no one there when the place was searched. There have been reports of being touched by invisible hands, a few even pushed slightly. Beyond physical interaction, employees have reported the sounds of old film projectors playing and unseen audiences laughing after hours, along with the eerie playing of the theatre’s Wurlitzer pipe organ, along with a host of other occurrences. No ghost hunting team has ever gone in to try and document these events. And to Natasha, that was too good of an opportunity to pass up. Legal, or not.
“Are you freaking nuts?!” Vinny exclaimed, “Do you have any idea how much trouble we’d be in if we got caught breaking and entering? The cops around here are already a bit twitchy with the druggies and the homeless. You wanna give them a reason to throw us into jail alongside them?” Natasha held up a finger, flipping her black hair over her shoulder. “They won’t find out, because I have not one, but two aces in the hole here. The first is that thanks to being friends with Scott, I know the nighttime police sweeps, where they’re going to be and everything. There’ll be an hour long window where they’re not anywhere near the alley where the back door to the theatre is. We can get in and out with no threat of being spotted at all. And the second is, did you forget I’m dating Dylan now?” The realization washed over me like a wave; she had started dating the man who helped the preservation society run the theatre a month or so ago. Damn, she’s been planning this one for a while, I thought.
Vinny had a thoughtful look on his face, his green eyes darting around rapidly, but not seeing. “Hmm” he muttered, then looked at Natasha. “And you’re sure that there’s no chance of us getting caught?” he asked slowly. “Absolutely none” she said, then looked at both of us. “So, how about it?” For a few moments, there was silence, and then Vinny let out a chuckle. “What the hell, why not? The most exciting thing we’ve done the last few weeks is go down to the farmer’s market. This could shake things up a bit” I suddenly became aware that the two of them were looking at me, waiting for me to make my decision. I was always the most sensible of the three of us, doing all I could to keep us out of trouble with others as well as the law. But, I always had one nasty Achilles Heel ever since I had been a child, and that was peer pressure. So, despite the overwhelming feeling that I should tell them no, that I should say we should just find something else to do, I nodded. “Alright, let’s do it” I said simply, causing grins to break out on both of my friend’s faces.
I wish to God in retrospect that I’d just had the damn spine to stand up and say “No”
The rest of the week seemed to pass by faster than usual. Before I knew it, the weekend had arrived. We’d decided that late Saturday night would be the best time to do this, as most places downtown closed up between eleven and midnight, aside from the bars and strip club. To say I felt anxious about breaking the law, something I wasn’t used to doing at all, would be like calling a Megalodon a goldfish, but my worries about disappointing my friends ended up outweighing it. And so, at eleven-thirty, the three of us piled into my beat up Chevy Tahoe, and made our way towards downtown. As I drove us down Ocean Boulevard, which connected the two sides of town, something settled over me. I can’t exactly place it, even to this day. But it was the most uneasy feeling I’ve ever experienced. But I did my best to push it away. It’s nothing, Troy. It’s just because you’re, understandably, worried about this. Plus, the road being deserted isn’t helping much.
My mental chiding seemed to help center me a bit, which was a good thing. The road was now angling downward, and a moment later, we drove into downtown. The darkened shapes of the closed stores seemed to rise up higher on either side of us than they looked during the daytime. We’d decided to cruise by the front entrance first, just to see if anyone were still inside. As I turned the truck onto the main drag, the sign for the theatre rose high above us, a depiction of an Egyptian pharaoh next to the yellow and white letters which proclaimed its name to everyone who drove through town. I spared a glance as we passed it. The lit up marquee windows showed that The Blues Brothers and Jaws would be shown soon. For whatever reason, though, I couldn’t bring myself to look through the glass doors that showed the building’s darkened interior. The uneasy feeling had returned, and, for a moment, it felt as though if I did look, I would see someone, or something staring back out at me. And then we passed it, taking the next right and looping back around to Anderson Ave.
I turned the truck into the narrow alley drive which ran along the back of the theatre and neighboring buildings. Parking right next to the rear doors would be extremely conspicuous, so I pulled up a bit further and parked in a carport like area. Shutting off the engine, I turned to my two friends. “Well, this is it” I said, “Last chance to turn back if anyone’s having second thoughts” I’d hoped that either Vinny or Natasha would’ve gotten cold feet in the last few minutes, allowing us to go do something else. But there was no such luck. “Are you kidding me?” Natasha said from the passenger seat, “We are far too close to back out now!” Vinny grunted from behind me. Well, shit. Resigning myself to the fact they were determined to go through with this, I let a deep breath out through my nose and nodded. The others opened their doors and hopped out. A moment later, I followed.
The night air was cool and crisp on my skin as we slowly walked back down the alley to the rear of the yellow-ish, tan building. Three different sets of red double doors were built into the back of the theatre. Natasha pulled something out of her coat pocket, and I realized, with a small pang of surprise, that it was a lock pick set. A legitimate lock pick set. “Where the hell did you get that?” I whispered to her. She shrugged and smiled. “I have my ways of getting things” she said simply, then pointed to the far right set of doors. “We’ll have a bit of cover from that electrical box. You two keep an eye out while I deal with the lock” And with that, she scurried forward, bending down in front of the door handles. Vinny and I stood guard, each of us looking down both ends of the alley. As the soft sound of Natasha messing with the lock filtered over to me, I realized just how quiet it was. And how eerie hearing downtown so quiet was. Aside from a few distant booms and bangs, and the far off sound of a dog barking, all I could hear was the whistle of the wind as it whipped between the old buildings.
An involuntary shiver cascaded up my spine, and I tried again to reason myself back to a relative sense of calm. “Get a grip, dude, you’re gonna be fine” I whispered under my breath. But this time, it felt as though I weren’t able to entirely convince myself. I suddenly became aware of a creeping sensation, one which made me shoot a look around. Nothing moved in the stillness, no indication of anyone besides us being in the alley. And, yet…I was overcome with the distinct feeling of being watched. Not by either of my friends. But…by someone else. Before I had a chance to even think about it, I heard a rather loud click, and Natasha let out a soft laugh of triumph. “We’re in, ladies and gentleman!” she declared, standing up and pulling on the door. It opened silently, the streetlight in the alley casting a small shaft of light into the darkness beyond. Turning, she waved an arm at Vinny and I. “Come on, let’s get inside”
Before either of us could say anything, she turned and disappeared into the dark. I shot a look at Vinny, who simply shrugged. “After you, my man” he whispered. I let out a deep sigh, and then moved to the door. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out the small flashlight, and then pulled on the heavy metal, slipping inside, Vinny right behind me. The darkness swallowed us as the door closed. For a moment, a small rush of panic from not being able to see flashed through me, before a light appeared beside me. It wasn’t from a flashlight, though; instead, a small, orange flame flickered beside me. “Don’t turn on your flashlights yet, just follow me” Natasha said, the flame making her face seem to dance and move behind it. She turned and headed away, leaving us no choice but to follow. I listened to her and didn’t turn on my flashlight. But every fiber of my being was screaming at me to. Because the feeling of being watched out in the alleyway? Had quintupled in here. The best way to describe it, was that we were angrily being stared at. And I didn’t like the sensation one bit.
Natasha led us up a flight of steps and pushed open another door. “We’re here” she said, still keeping her voice low, “You can turn on your flashlights now” Thank you, God, I silently said, snapping mine on and casting a bright white light into the room we’d entered. A moment later, so did my two friends’ lights. The beams played around, and I heard Vinny let out a bit of a gasp. “Ho-lyyyy shit” he muttered.
Natasha had guided us into the main theatre. The ceiling rose high above our heads, almost out of sight of even the flashlights. Rows upon rows of red movie seats stretched out and away from us, seeming almost unending in the shadows. The walls were all covered in hieroglyphs, all still original from the 1920s. To our left, the second story, which housed a smaller row of seats, along with the projection room rose about twenty feet above us. And to the right, was the stage itself. It was flanked by two huge columns, the screen rolled up and revealing a mosaic of an Egyptian building on the back wall, with two men clutching staffs sitting on either side. Directly in front of the stage sat the organ, its seating bench tucked beneath it.
“Okay, this is a trip to be in at night!” Natasha exclaimed excitedly, then pulled the backpack she’d been wearing off her shoulders. Dropping it into a seat, she unzipped it and began pulling items from it. “Guys, here” she said, holding them out. Vinny stepped forward and grabbed the camcorder from her; as someone who’d had a lifelong dream of being a filmmaker, he was our resident cameraman. I stepped forward and took two items from her: an infrared thermometer and an EVP recorder. The rest, she placed on the ground, and then faced Vinny. “Alright, tell me when you’re recording” He fumbled with the camcorder for a second, then shot her a thumbs up. Instantly, she took on a somber, eerie expression, giving an admittedly creepy look at the camera. “Well, well, welcome back to The Three Ghostkuteers, everyone. I hope you all have been well since our last trip. Tonight, you join us in a very, very special place, and one close to home for us. We are currently in the Egyptian Theatre in Coos Bay, Oregon, one of the last remaining in the country. It was built in the 1920s by a man named Charles Noble-“
I turned away, tuning her out as I did. The woman really, really enjoys being in front of the camera. Better her than me. Shining my light around, I looked up at the balcony. I could see the small hole in the projection booth where the movie projector would shine out onto the screen. Something caught the beam’s light, reflecting off it slightly, and I aimed the light at the wall. It was a wrought iron light fixture, one which had been shaped into the figure of a King Cobra, poised to strike. Gazing around, I saw they adorned much of the walls. I let out a small shudder at it. God, do I hate snakes. Thankfully, though, the feeling of being watched I’d had in the alley and the darkened back of the theatre had seemingly disappeared. Yeah, see, what’d I tell you, Troy? Nothing but your nerves.
Natasha had finished her opening monologue and moved to the edge of the stage, on which she placed the small, square spirit box. “And now, let’s see if anyone would like to speak with us” she said, flicking it on. Instantly, the silence of the theatre was shattered by the sound of static, intermittently interrupted by quick snippets of radio shows being picked up. “Is there anyone here who’d like to talk to us?” she called out into the huge room. The static and snippets were the only sound to answer her. After a minute, she tried again. “Are there any spirits who’d like to communicate with us?” There was still nothing. Vinny panned the camera from the box to Natasha as she paced back and forth for a few minutes. A small look of disappointment flooded over her face, but she instantly plastered it over with the same look she’d given the camera before. “Well, it looks like the spirit box isn’t gonna work tonight, so we’re gonna have to try something else” She pulled out an EVP recorder identical to mine and switched it on. “Let’s try this instead, shall we? Remember, by the way guys, if you’re new here and want to see more, to like and subscribe-“
I turned away again, feeling a small pang of irritation flow through me. This is freakin’ ridiculous, man. The longer we stay in here, the more chance we have of getting caught. Truth be told, as much as I enjoyed ghost hunting, I didn’t even really believe in the paranormal. In all the years the three of us had filmed together, not once had we caught anything, on tape or otherwise. In fact, many times we’d had to fake spooky occurrences in order to make sure our videos got any views at all. This is your own fault, man, I silently chided myself, you’re the one who couldn’t stand up to them and say no. You really, seriously need to grown a spine and learn how to say no. The mental self lecture was furthering my rotten mood, and I began to feel a wave of anger at my two friends, as well as myself boil up.
“Hell with this” I finally muttered, then turned and began walking up the aisle. “Troy, where the hell are you going?” I heard Natasha call out behind me. I stopped, not looking over my shoulder, but quietly aiming my voice behind me and allowing a hint of irritation to seep into it. “I’m gonna go check out the second floor balcony, okay? I don’t exactly like just standing here” For a moment, there was silence, and then her voice came, soft and almost apologetic. “Okay, go ahead” Before she could say anything more, I strode away, walking to the open doorway which led out of the theater and into the concession area. I hooded my flashlight beam with one hand to make sure it wouldn’t accidentally shine out of the glass entrance doors into the street and looked around. The lobby and concession stand took up most of the front area, the darkened shape of it stretching along the far wall.
Taking a few steps ahead, I turned and looked up at the wall above me. Large, blue letters stretched out from one side of it to the other. Through these doors pass the most wonderful people. I snorted softly. “Yeah, unfortunately, not tonight” I shook my head, then looked around. And nearly jumped out of my skin. Something also seemed to jump back. I felt my heartbeat begin to race in my chest and my breath quickened. “Shit…” I let out weakly, then slowly moved forward. After a few steps, I suddenly realized what I’d seen and let out a soft laugh of relief.
“Your own damn reflection, you fucking pussy” Shaking my head, I turned away from the glass wall and headed for the stairs to the second floor. At the base of them, I stopped and shone my flashlight up. “Ooh, boy” I said quietly. Sitting next to the stairway like a sentry, was a huge, golden statue of a pharaoh. It towered over me, and I estimated that, were it be standing straight up, it’d easily be between eight and ten feet tall. It stared straight ahead at the wall ahead of it, and I couldn’t help but let out a small shiver as I stared at it. It just seemed so damn eerie in the dark, and I quickly moved past it, heading up the stairs and stepping out onto the second story balcony.
I shone my light around. Red seats again surrounded me, though this time far fewer. Ahead of me, I could see the balcony’s edge and the hulking shape of the main stage beyond. I could also see the beams of my friends’ flashlights playing over it, and hear both of their voices speaking softly. Deciding while I was up here to at least check out the projection booth, I strode over to the door and tried to turn the handle. It was locked. Feeling my irritation bubble over into exasperation, I jiggled the handle in some stupid attempt to open it. But the door stayed shut. I turned away and rubbed my eyes, again hearing the voices of my friends softly filtering up to me from down below.
“Hey, if there really are any ghosts, or spooks, or specters, or whatever in here? If you’re actually real, could you appear to us, please?” I whispered to no one, “That way my friends can get what they want and I can go home” I received only silence in reply. I hadn’t really expected anything, anyways. You know what? Screw this, I’m going back down there and telling them I’m going home, with or without them. This is beyond stupid, I just broke the law for what? For nothing! For something dumb as hell. And with that, I turned to walk away. But I hadn’t even taken a single step when something crashed into me like a wave. The breath was driven from my lungs as I felt a massive chill shoot through me, as though I’d been doused with ice water. “What the fuck?!” I hissed through gritted teeth, then froze, my eyes going wide. The feeling of being watched had returned with a vengeance, and it had seemingly been ramped up in its intensity. I shot a look around, but saw nobody.
Still, the feeling remained, and with each passing second, it almost seemed to grow stronger. Chill after chill rolled up my spine, and even though I didn’t really believe, something deep inside me told me that it was time to get out. Okay, time to leave, I said in my head, and headed quickly for the stairs. As I reached the head, I turned to look back one final time. That’s when I saw something. It disappeared when I aimed my flashlight at it, but I swear a second earlier it had been the outline of a person, standing in the shadows and watching me. The split second sight catapulted me into motion, and I hurried down the steps, shining my light every which way but loose. Believer or not, I knew something wanted us out. I’d planned on jumping off the second to last stair and running for the main theatre floor. But as I reached the bottom, I froze.
For a moment, I couldn’t place why. And then, the realization fell over me like a tsunami. I let out an involuntary gasp, and fear like I’d never felt before surged through me. I didn’t want to turn around and look. I wanted to pretend I hadn’t seen it. I desperately wanted to. But, like a dumbass character in a horror movie, I couldn’t help it. I needed to look. I slowly turned, aiming my flashlight back up. And I couldn’t help but let out a strangled scream, falling backwards over my own feet as I began to backpedal rapidly.
The statue of the pharaoh still sat where it had. It still towered over me, looking as imposing and eerie as ever. But it’s carved and painted eyes were no longer staring straight ahead at the wall. Instead, they had somehow moved. And when I’d turned, I’d come to find they were staring directly at me.
I scrambled to my feet, snatching the flashlight from the floor where I’d dropped it and aiming it at the statue again. It stared straight out at nothing again. But I knew what I’d seen. It hadn’t been a trick of my mind, or the light. The freaking thing’s eyes had moved to watch me as I passed down by it. I began to stammer out as I backed away from it. “Okay, that’s it, no no no no, we’re done here, fuck this shit, I’m officially a believer, we’re leaving, right now” I kept backing towards the doorway to the theatre, never taking my eyes off the statue. I was terrified I’d seen it suddenly stand up and turn to lumber after me like Boris Karloff or something.
The blaring sound of the theatre’s organ slashed through the silence, causing me to let out another strangled scream and jump almost a foot off the ground. I whipped around, thinking I would see my moronic friends tinkering with the instrument. Instead, I froze again. The theatre was no longer dark. Both of my friends had seemingly vanished from the room, as I could no longer see them. The movie screen had somehow been pulled down, and above me, I heard the whir of the movie projector playing. An old, black and white movie, one which had no sound, played on the screen, occasionally changing to show dialogue being displayed in white letters.
It was also no longer empty.
The entire theatre was packed. I saw people sitting at almost every single seat in the huge room. I could only see the backs of their heads as they watched the movie playing. At the edge of the stage, what looked like a man now sat at the organ, playing it in time with the film. A slapstick moment came across the screen, and the audience began laughing. In any other situation, it would’ve been a comforting sound. But at that moment, it was the most spine chilling sound I’d ever heard. Especially as another wave of realization crashed into me. From the little I could see, everyone in the theatre looked to be dressed in long passed fashions.
That’s when the voice, low and quiet, came from behind me. “Good evening, sir” it said. It sounded like a man’s voice, one rather low and deep pitched, but something about it paralyzed me on the spot. The voice continued, putting on an air of pleasant politeness. “We’re so glad you could make it, it’s been so long since we’ve had new patrons arrive at a showing. If I could just see your ticket, please?”
For a moment, I couldn’t speak. Then, I managed to squeak out two words. “Uh, ticket?” The tone of the voice seemed to change somewhat. “Yes, your ticket. That’s the only way you could’ve gotten in. Please, let me verify it and show you to your seat” Ohhh, shit. Whoever, or whatever the voice belonged to, thought I had shown up like a regular moviegoer. The voice’s tone became less polite. “You do have a ticket, right, sir?” I was beyond terrified to answer, but I was more terrified to remain silent. For a moment, I considered lying. But I feared what might happen if I did. So I told the truth.
“I….uh, I, uh….I don’t have a ticket, sir” I stammered out, my voice barely above a whisper. Instantly, all sound stopped in the room like someone had flipped a switch. “You…don’t have a ticket?” the voice said, all pretense of manners vanishing from it, “Then how did you get in here for the late night showing?” Oh, god. I forced myself to speak, still unable to say anything except the truth. “My…my friends and I….broke in…through the back door…to…ghost hunt…” There was silence for a few moments, and then a heavy hand dropped onto my shoulder. My head swiveled to look at it. Oh, fuck me sideways. It wasn’t a regular hand. It was a fucking claw. One with black skin, tipped with what looked like razor sharp nails. It sat there for a moment, then tightened; almost painfully so, making me let out a small whimper of pain.
That’s when I looked up. Everyone in the theatre had turned to look at me. My initial thought had been correct; they all wore clothing from almost a century ago, and not the stuff cosplayers wear, either. They also had very angry expressions on their faces, as if they’d just noticed the intruder among their midst. The voice finally came again, almost directly behind me. Its tone lowered, almost sounding guttural and animal, making my legs almost melt into jelly from the fear. “Then, might I make a suggestion to you and your trespassing little friends?” My breath came in rapid, ragged gasps, and I barely managed to force out the one word. “Yes?”
“LEAVE”
At the single word reply, which now more closely resembled a growl than a word, I did something I will forever wish I hadn’t. I finally turned and looked up at who was addressing me. The only way I can describe what happened is, my mind shattered. The next thing I remember, I was crashing into the back doors of the theatre into the night.
And I was screaming.
That was a month or so ago. When I’d stumbled back into the alley, I’d turned and, in what I can only call blind fear and panic, bolted for my truck. I hadn’t even heard my friends chasing after me. Not until Vinny caught up to me as I scrambled with my keys, grabbing me from behind and turning me to face him. He said the look I’d had on my face scared him and Natasha more than anything ever had before. I’d been pale as a sheet, my eyes wider than they ever thought a human’s could be. I'd been babbling softly. I’d been saying the words “They want us to leave” over and over. They didn’t ask me what had happened. They just pushed me into the backseat of my truck and drove away from there. It was clear, as I found out later on, that both of them hadn’t seen anything. As far as they were concerned before seeing me dash to the rear doors, it was just an empty theatre. Neither one of them ever asked me what I saw that night. And for that, I’m thankful. Because I could never utter from my lips what I did see.
But I’ve had nightmares since then. Horrible ones. Ones that’ve been so bad, I had to let out what happened to me, deciding to just post it here, regardless of whether people believe me or not.
Nightmares about being back in that theatre after hours. About seeing that pharaoh statue’s eyes flick in its painted sockets to look at me. About seeing all those people, people long since dead, sitting and watching the films they did when they were alive. About seeing that hand fall on my shoulder, hearing that voice, telling me not to come back until I have a ticket.
And about turning to see who the hand and voice belonged to.
The Egyptian Theatre will be celebrating its centennial this year. People are planning to show up in 1920s cars, dressed in period clothing. They’re even going to show an old, silent film as part of the festivities. But I won’t be attending it. I won’t ever go anywhere near it again. The one time I tried, a week or so ago, I started trembling with fear. And the mental image played over and over in my head.
The image of turning to see that horrible canine head attached to the human-like body, red, glowing eyes glaring down at me as it’s sharp teeth glinted in the light.
I pray to god I never will end up with a ticket to one of its late night showings.
But I can't help but fear that, like those packed into the theatre, sooner or later, we all will.

For starters, let me just say like all of you, I was Über glad to see DD2 be officially revealed. Dark Arisen still tops my 5 fav games of all time so to say I’m hype for the sequel is an understatement. The announcement has me so fired up I went back and have been playing the first game again and it still holds up yet did notice some minor areas the sequel could improve. I can’t wait to see what the team can do on current gen! I do have a wishlist of things I’d hope to see at launch or a future update though, and here they are…
•Expanded character creator -not to say it didn’t already have a good creator, even for a ps3 era game but seeing those new models in the trailer I cannot wait to make my Arisen and Pawn again! Even tho there was only a few base selections you could pick, I’m still impressed you could make your character skinny/curvy/large/muscular without having the proportions looking off like in some games. Would enjoy an in-depth sliders system as apposed to the lesser triangle distributer . I hope they push the sliders to the limit(like how some games still kinda have small breasts/thighs even when on MAX slider) -Would also like them to allow both male and female presenting characters to be topless(OKAY HEAR ME OUT)as there’s nothing wrong with female breasts. If they have issues showing nipples(which they shouldn’t) they can do what they already did for some enemies and just not show them. All the harpies in the game were topples and just had smooth breasts and that blue feathered monster in the new trailer was the same. Would be a nice step forward in normalizing women’s bodies, it’s 2023 we still shouldn’t be having this debate
•Change vocations/ Gear on the fly -It is a bit of an inconvenience in the first game having to go to an inn anytime you want to change vocations. I think it would be a nice QoL improvement having gear and class sets you can easily equip and swap to while outside of battle. If there’s still the carry weight system, you could probably only hold a few gear sets anyways so Of course you can still go to an inn and change there as well!
•No genderlocked items/gear - I feel this is a simple enough request. For example, Was a little upset only female presenting characters could wear “silk lingerie” yet male presenting characters could not. -Also how some gear would completely change it’s look depending on the gender the character was. Like how “leather chest plate” on males was about what you’d expect whereas on females it was just a leather bra.. Or if they do still have it similar to that at least let us toggle between the two variations??? -Also, hope sexy and cool gear to make a return with no restrictions on who can wear it!!
•A lovely, much appreciated Glamor system - this could be the real use of the inns ❤️‍🔥 Allowing us to wear one item and having it appear as another ✅ can go to an in and apply glamours to gear you’re using. Could even make it so you’re only able to when an item has reached upgrade level 3 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ This is another QoL they could implement in a later update if it’s not in the base game!!
•Vocations can equip all their weapons at once - Basically, if I’m playing as magic archer, I should be able to have my daggers/bow/staff equipped all at once without having to swap in the inventory. Just a simple toggle between D-pad to go from bow to staff would do WONDERS
•Pawns can use special vocations -maybe this would be too OP but since it’s single player only I really don’t see the issue. Would love to have had my pawn rock Mystic Knight. Would love to see that change but could live if they kept pawns to basic vocations
Not much else comes to mind, I’m sure the map will be a bit bigger this time around. Which as long as there’s fun things to do in the overworked I think a smaller, richer map would continue to fit the gameplay well. I’m sure will see more smaller settlements around the map They already stated even more enemy types will be in the game which is exciting. Seeing the scary Gorgon and all smiles sphinx/harpy queen? In the trailer already let’s me know we’ll be eating good on that front! Honestly I’m super hyped for this game and even if some of these aren’t added I’ll still enjoy the game very much. Plus the improvements made from the base game to dragons dogma let me know they were willing to allow healthy feedback and update the game for the better! Anything you all would like to see at the launch of the game or in a future update? Anyway, Hope to summon your pawns from across the rift whenever the game releases, fellow Arisen!!

I’ve got a few hair and beard mods installed and went into creation kit to edit him to my liking, but after I save my changes and load the game he still looks like this. Any advice? The changes loaded once, and then I went back into CK to remove a moustache from Brand-Shei, and Bryn is back rocking the look of my ex-boyfriend’s dad.
Modlist:
# This file was automatically generated by Mod Organizer.
+Overwrites
+Northern Roads - Patches Compendium
+Northern Roads Patch Collection
+Northern Roads
+Books of Skyrim SE - Redux
+Better Khajiit female body Texture for UNP and CBBE body
+Minotaurs - Mihail Monsters and Animals (SE-AE version) (''oblivion'')
+Better Pelts and Hides
+Ryn's Dragon Mounds Collection
+KS Hairdos - HDT SMP (Physics) - Khajiit Patch
+KS Hairdos - HDT SMP (Physics)
+ADXP I MCO ER Twinblades (SCAR Precision)
+Lore Weapon Expansion SE
+Nicos Twinblades SE
+Twinblades of Skyrim
+The Forgotten City
+Dragon.Priest.by.Kajuan
+Elden Parry
+ECPLW -ENB Complex Particle Lights for Windows-
+Bellyaches HD Dragon Replacer Pack (SE)
+Another Race Menu Rotation Mod
+Ryn's Azura's Shrine
+Skyland Noble Furniture
+Khajiit Has Wares - A Caravan Camp Overhaul
+Seasoned Traveller Armor SE-AE
+Animated Potions
+Mythic Dawn armor SE
+Inquisitor HDT-SMP Armor
+Dual Casting Fix
+Traveling Mage HDT-SMP Armor
+NPCs React To Necromancy (And More)
+JS Dwemer Control Cube SE
+Vampire Lines Expansion
+Open Animation Replacer
+Cinematic Dragon Soul Absorbtion
+Dawnguard Armors and Weapons Retexture SE
+Conditional Expressions Extended
+Toggleable Night Eye Vampire Werewolf and Khajiit
+Emerald Khajiit Vampire Eyes
+Dragonbone Ebonsteel Armor SE
+Frankly HD Dragonbone and Dragonscale - Armor and Weapons
+NPCs React To Invisibility
+Weathered Furniture - Common and Upper Class - 4K - 2K (LE Backport)
+Prince and The Pauper Refine
+JS Purses and Septims SE
+JS Knapsacks SE
+Asura's Guard
+League of Assassins - Dark Brotherhood Retexture
+League of Assassins Armor
+Base Object Swapper
+Improved Alternate Conversation Camera
+Face Masks of Skyrim
+OBIS SE Patrols Addon
+OBIS SE - Organized Bandits In Skyrim Special Edition
+Immersive Patrols SE AE
+LeanWolf's Better-Shaped Weapons - All in One Installer
+Frankly HD Imperial Armor And Weapons - Sleeves and Pants Edition
+Frankly HD Imperial Armor and Weapons
+RS Children Patch Compendium
+Vanargand Animations - Dual Wield Normal and Power Attacks
+Patch for RS Children Overhaul
+Vitruvia - skin texture overhaul for males - SE
+JS Instruments of Skyrim SE
+JS Common Cages SE
+JS Attunement Sphere and Lexicons SE
+Immersive folded hands (DAR)
+JS Shrines of the Divines SE
+Masculine Khajiit Textures (Grey Cat and Leopard) [Vanilla]
+Prince and the Pauper SE - RS Children Patch
+RS Children Overhaul
+Misc. College of Winterhold Tweaks
+Obscure's College of Winterhold
+College of Winterhold The Missing Apprentices Quest Fix
+College of Winterhold - Quest Expansion - markers
+College of Winterhold - Quest Expansion
+Vanilla SMP Clothing waccf ace patch
+Prisioner robes fix
+Better Fur - fine patch
+Vanilla SMP Clothing
+CACO Ordinator Alternate Patch
+Vanilla Cow Tweaks- Mihail Monsters and Animals (SE-AE version)
+Heart of the Beast - Werewolf Sound - Remastered - SSE PORT
+Daedroth Titans- Mihail Monsters and Animals (SE-AE version) (''oblivion daedra'')
+Wraith-of-Crows - Mihail Monsters and Animals (SE-AE version) (''nocturnal'')
+Savage Wolves
+More Hircinic Aspects of Hircine- Mihail's Shards of Immersion (SE-AE version)
+Lustmord Vampire Armor - SSE CBBE BodySlide (with Physics)
+Kellan HDT-SMP Armor
+Frost Giant Overhaul- Mihail Monsters and Animals (SE-AE version) (''karstaag'')
+Cow Replacer- Mihail Monsters and Animals (SE-AE version)
+Birds of Prey and Felsaad Terns- Mihail Monsters and Animals (SE-AE version)
+Apocrypha's Currency- Mihail's Shards of Immersion (SE-AE version) (''coin'')
+Glorious Doors of Skyrim (GDOS)
+Security Overhaul SKSE - Lock Variations
+Frankly HD Thieves Guild Armors
+Giant.by.Kajuan
+Fur Bedroll 2-4k
+Draugr.by.Kajuan
+Troll.by.Kajuan
+Skeleton.and.Human.Bones.by.Kajuan
+Edmond's HD Nordic Snow with Parallax
+Nordic Snow
+Hedge Mage Armor SSE
+Craftable Blood Potions SSE
+Illustrious Whiterun - Alt Stonefloor 4K 2.0
+Leviathan Animations II - Greatsword Non Combat Locomotion
+Leviathan Animations II - Greatsword Low Stance
+Vanargand Animations - Sneak idle walk and run
+Vanargand Animations - Sneak Thrust Attacks
+Vanargand Animations - Sneak Strike Attacks
+Leviathan Animations - Two-Handed High Stance
+Vanargand Animations - Dual Wield Sneak Thrusts
+Vanargand Animations - Dual Wield Sneak Strikes
+Vanargand Animations - Female Idle Walk and Run
+Vanargand Animations - Male Idle Walk and Run
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+Goetia Animations - Male Idle Walk And Run
+Leviathan Animations II - Female Idle Walk And Run
+Leviathan Animations II - Male Idle Walk And Run
+Conditional Armor Type Animations
+Leather Armors Retexture SE
+Fashions of The Huntsmen- A Leather Armor variation mod (Armor Pack- CBBE-3BA and HIMBO)
+Mysticism - Ordinator Patch
+Mysticism - A Magic Overhaul
+Lux - Illustrious Whiterun - Parallax'd
+Illustrious Whiterun SE - 8K - Parallax
+Teldryn Serious Patch
+DX Necromancer Robes - HDT-SMP Physics and 3BBB Bodyslides
+The Caller - DX Necromancer Robes
+3D Whiterun Trellis
+Immersive Equipment Displays
+HDT-SMP Traveler's Backpack - My Version
+HDT-SMP Traveler's Backpack
+Simple Dual Sheath
+Weapon Keyword Unification Project
+Keyword Item Distributor
+Nightingale Armor and Weapons Retexture SE
+Skaal Coat Alternative Texture
+Hearthfires Extended and Creation Club Fishing Patch
+Spell Research Add-On - Book Transformation Spell
+Terrain Fixes for CC Mods
+Necromancers Amulet Replacement
+Immersive Spell Learning
+Wintersun patch
+Spell Research - Ultimate Add-On Patch
+Altered Spell Tomes for Spell Research - Tweaks
+Spell Research - Convenience Add-On
+Spell Research - Spell Composing
+Altered Spell Tomes for Spell Research 1
+Altered Spell Tomes for Spell Research-Apocalypse
+Altered Spell Tomes for Spell Research
+Spell Research Patch Compendium Redux 357 patches
+Origins Of Forest - Lakeview Manor Patch
+Technicolor Alchemy - CACO - More Growable Plants Patch
+Complete Alchemy and Cooking Overhaul (CACO) and More Growable Plants SE compatibility patch
+SIC SE - Add-Ons and Patches
+CACO - Beyond Skyrim Bruma Patch
+Spell Research - Experience Book
+Spell Research
+kryptopyr's Patch Hub
+Bloodchill Manor (CC) __ CACO
+Cutting Room Floor __ CACO
+Opulent Thieves Guild - FPS Fix
+Opulent Thieves Guild - Sneak Tools compatibility patch
+Quaint Raven Rock - Ghosts of the Tribunal Patch
+More Growable Plants SE
+Cathedral - 3D Solstheim Grass
+SmoothCam - Octavian's Preset
+Pets of Skyrim - JK's Skyrim Compatibility Patch
+SmoothCam - Soft Preset
+WACCF Sneak Tools Patch
+Sneak Tools Embers XD Patch
+Sneak Tools SE Edition
+Wayfarer's Coat CBBE
+Wayfarer's Coat
+Sleeping Expanded - Animations and NPC reactions
+Archmage Apparel
+Ars Metallica - Smithing Enhancement
+Hunting in Skyrim - A Hunting Guild SE
+Diverse Werewolves Collection SE Player
+Diverse Werewolves Collection SE
+Werebeast GrowlVanilla Spruce-up
+Unleashed Sacrosanct and Growl Racial Abilities SE - (Werewolf and Vampire racial abilities for custom races)
+Growl and Sacrosanct Hybrid
+Gender-specific Werewolf Transformation Sounds (Vampire Lords optional)
+Elden Counter
+Wildcat - Combat of Skyrim
+Set of Skills
+ADXP I MCO ER rapiers (SCAR)
+ADXP I MCO ER Katana (SCAR)
+Realistic Halberd Poleaxe Animation(MCO SCAR)
+Goetia Animations - Enchanted Staves
+Favorite Misc Items
+Simple Outfit Manager
+Hunting Grounds Outfit
+SIRENROOT - Patch 1.04
+SIRENROOT - Deluge of Deceit
+ADXP I MCO ER Spear Basic Animation (SCAR)
+Skyrim Spear Mechanic SE
+Cathedral - 3D Rocky Shores
+FurArmorSetSE(FrostFall Aware) ordinator
+High Poly Gleamblossoms
+Goetia Animations - Conditional Shouts
+HD Baskets Textures
+SCAR AE Support
+Trade and Barter - Patches
+Circlet USSEP Fixes
+Wintersun - Creatures
+Skyrim Immersive Creatures Special Edition
+Sunhelm Survival Patch for Hearthfire Extended
+Forsworn Dreadlocks for Beast Races
+Guild Leader Perks
+Hearthfire Carriage Destinations
+Hearthfire Improvements - A Lightweight Extension
+Better Dynamic Ash SE
+Hearthfire Shrines Expanded
+College Prestige Mage Outfit SE
+DX Necromancer Robes - SSE CBBE BodySlide
+DX Necromancer Robes - UNP
+Better Treasury House
+Illuminated Blue Palace Dome
+ENB Particle Lights - Dwemer Lanterns
+Unique Solstheim Grass
+Better beast race scars
+Reach Tree Replacer SSE
+Better fur - Fine clothes
+Beyond Skyrim - Bruma Upscaled Textures (BSBUT) Armour
+Beyond Skyrim - Bruma Upscaled Textures (BSBUT)
+Thundering Shouts
+Nibenean Armors and Outfit SE - UNP - UNPB - CBBE
+Technicolor Alchemy Overhaul - Unique Alchemy Plants for Skyrim SE
+Forsworn Fashions- More Variety for forsworn (Armor Pack- BHUNP CBBE 3BA and HIMBO)
+Wilderness Witch Outfit CBBE
+Wilderness Witch Outfit
+Unique Flowers and Plants SSE
+Imperial Fine Clothes
+Conditional Expressions - Subtle Face Animations
+Immersive Interactions - Animated Actions
+FurArmorSetSE - CBBE Bodyslide Conversion
+FurArmorSetSE - Muted Color Retexture
+FurArmorSetSE(FrostFall Aware)
+Cathedral - 3D Snow Berries
+3D Plants Patch - Snowberries
+Saints and Seducers Flora ENB Light
+(DISCONTINUED) CBBE Armour and Clothing Conversions for Beyond Skyrim - Bruma
+Rare Curios - BS Bruma Synergy Patch
+Cathedral - Armory - Gemling Queen Jewelry Patch
+2K Ring of Namira Retextured
+White Phial Replacer SE
+Stalhrim Source
+Bandit Lines Expansion
+2k Retextured Ring Of hircine
+Solstheim Lighthouse
+Wyrmstooth Upscaled Textures
+Missives - The Witcher Board HD
+Sovngarde HD
+Missives - Notes Retexture
+HD Sleeping Tree Sap Replacer
+HQ Tree Bark
+Arri's Snow Elf Ruins Retexture Special Edition
+VioLens - A Killmove Mod SE
+Cathedral 3D Mountain Flowers for Hearthfire
+Lux Via - Cathedral Mountain Flowers
+Hitting the Books - A Necromantic Grimoire Update
+Simple Bath for Bloodchill Manor
+Conditional Dog Barking (DAR)
+Werewolf Animation and Sneak Extension (DAR)
+Kaidan Lux
+Kaidan Inigo
+Kaidan 3dnpc
+Axarien's Animations - Lucien (DAR)
+Axarien's Animations - The Companions - Vilkas Farkas Aela (DAR)
+Axarien's Animations - Inigo (DAR)
+Skyrim Wayshrines - Immersive Fast Travel - SWIFT SE
+SUEMR SSE with Bijin AIO 2019 Support
+Black_Sacrament_Armor_V4-1_High Def_PortedSSE
+Immersive Sounds Compendium - PATCHES
+Enhanced Blood Textures
+Hunterborn SE MCM
+I'm Glad You're Here - a follower and spouse appreciation mod - SSE - Bard patch
+Skyrim's Got Talent - Improve As a Bard
+Immersive Vampire Clutter - Base Object Swapper (BOS)
+Moss Shaders Restored - Cut Content Restoration
+Missives
+Realistic Skooma
+Daedric Shrines - All in One
+8K Night Skies - Stars and Galaxies - Cathedral Concept
+Breezehome by Lupus - Lux - Embers XD - Patch
+Breezehome by Lupus
+Simple Breezehome Garden
+I'm Glad You're Here - a follower and spouse appreciation mod - SSE
+Quest Outfit Replacers - Party and Radiant Raiment Fine Clothes
+Ordinator - Slower Leveling Speed and Increased Training Costs
+Growl - Werebeasts of Skyrim
+BA Bard Songs
+Colovian Leather Armor and Outfit SE - UNP - CBBE - Update
+Colovian Leather Armor and Outfit SE - UNP - CBBE
+Auto Input Switch
+Vampire Sun Damage Clothes Covering
+All Thieves Guild Jobs Concurrently
+Arena - An Encounter Zone Overhaul
+Immersive Load Screens for ArteFakes
+ArteFakes - Unique Artifacts Replacer animation
+ArteFakes - Unique Artifacts Replacer plugin
+ArteFakes - Unique Artifacts Replacer
+JK's Interiors Patch Collection
+Better Third Person Selection - BTPS
+Queen of the Damned - Deadlier Serana_SE
+Serana Dialogue Edit - Skyrim Special Edition
+Anima Nera - SerketHetyt's Serana Overhaul
+Respectable Inventory -- Well-Stocked Alchemists
+Character Creation Overhaul - Races - Birthsigns - Classes - Skills - Specializations - Attributes - update
+Character Creation Overhaul - Races - Birthsigns - Classes - Skills - Specializations - Attributes
+Smart NPC Potions - Enemies Use Potions and Poisons
+RUSTIC AMULETS - Special Edition
+Wintersun - More Patches
+Precision
+Crimson Nirnroot Markers
+Bandolier - Bags and Pouches for NPC
+Bandolier - Bags and Pouches Classic
+Book Covers Skyrim
+Trade and Barter
+Tribunal Robes and Masks for SSE
+Volkihar Knight - Vampire Armor
+Sovngarde - A Nordic Font
+Triumvirate - Mage Archetypes
+The Midden - Expanded
+Stones of Barenziah Quest Markers
+Take a Seat - New DAR Sitting Animations
+Rudy HQ - Miscellaneous SE
+The Beauty of Skyrim - Caves and Mines
+Quaint Raven Rock Patch Collection
+Quaint Raven Rock - SE
+Ordinator - No Timed Block
+Valhalla Combat
+Skyshards
+Sacrosanct - Vampires of Skyrim
+Run For Your Lives
+Prince and the Pauper SE
+Gemling Queen Jewelry SE
+Khajiit Will Follow - Fix
+Khajiit Will Follow
+Coats for Skyrim - UPDATED - SSE
+Bruma Signs SMIM patch - SE
+Wait Your Turn - Enemy Circling Behaviour
+Wealthy Marks - A Pickpocket Mod (SPID)
+Thieves Guild Dialogue Fix - USSEP Compatible
+Wear Multiple Rings
+Point The Way
+High Level Enemies
+Dirt and Blood - Dynamic Visual Effects
+Follower Trap Safety
+Immersive Khajiit Armor and Weapons - Rebalance and Integration
+Lunar Guard Armor
+VickusDickus' Khajiiti Apex Armory - skeleton
+VickusDickus' Khajiiti Apex Armory
+Payload Interpreter
+SmoothCam
+Apocalypse - Magic of Skyrim - Ordinator
+Apocalypse Spells For NPCS
+Apocalypse - Magic of Skyrim
+Vanargand Animations - One Handed Power Attacks
+Goetia Animations - Sneak Magic
+Goetia Animations - Magic Spell Casting
+EVG Conditional Idles
+Gesture Animation Remix (DAR)
+Animated Armoury - DAR Version - New Weapons with animations
+Vanargand Animations - One Handed Mid Stance
+Vanargand Animations - One Handed Normal Attacks
+Vanargand Animations - Sneak Archery
+Lively Children Animations (DAR)
+NPC Animation Remix (DAR)
+Animation Motion Revolution
+MCO Universal Support
+Attack MCO-DXP
+The Companions - Earn your stripes
+Pickpocketing 5Ever
+Awesome Potions Simplified -ENB Lights
+Awesome Potions Simplified by Revoith
+Dawnguard as a vampire
+Improved Companions - Questline Tweaks
+Medieval Spirits
+Gildergreen Regrown
+Hearthfire Extended - Cutting Room Floor Patch
+Hearthfire Extended
+Coin Purse - An Overhaul For Skyrim
+Summermyst - WACCF Patch
+Summermyst - Enchantments of Skyrim
+Saints and Seducers - Growable Plants
+Opulent Thieves Guild Patch Collection
+Skyrims Unique Treasures
+True Directional Movement - Modernized Third Person Gameplay
+XP32 Maximum Skeleton Special Extended
+Wintersun - Faiths of Skyrim
+Dragon Claws Auto-Unlock
+Project New Reign - Nemesis Unlimited Behavior Engine
+Lind's Black Robes Revamp - Texture Replacer
+Moon Monk's Robes
+Skyforge Weapons - Reforged
+Inigo - Bloodchill Manor patch
+Cult of the World Eater - Dragon Priests Buff Alduin
+Deadly Dragons
+SCAR - Skyrim Combos AI Revolution
+RUSTIC SOULGEMS - Special Edition
+Face Discoloration Fix
+Miscellaneous Embers XD Patches
+Vanilla hair remake SMP compatibility
+Vanilla hair remake SMP
+BeastHHBB - VHR SMP
+ShowRaceMenu Alternative - Lux patch
+ShowRaceMenu Alternative
+Tempered Skins for Females CBBE
+Vanilla hair remake SMP NPCs (real hair)
+Superior Lore-Friendly Hair - HD textures
+VHR - Vanilla Hair Replacer
+Barbarian Bodypaints - Racemenu Body and Head Overlays for UUNP CBBE and Males
+Beards of Power - Sons of Skyrim - Vanilla Hair Remake SMP
+Beards of Power - Sons of Skyrim
+Normal Vampire Face For High Poly Head
+Whiter Teeth for ALL (SE)- Orc Khajiit Argonian Werewolf
+BeastHHBB - Khajiit and Argonian content - player character and NPC replacer addon
+BeastHHBB - Khajiit and Argonian content - player character and NPC replacer
+Khajiit Aesthetics Compilation - Hair Eyes Fangs
+Better Beast vampire fangs - fixes and adjustments - Argonian and Khajiit
+Kala's Eyes- Beast Race Edition Khajiit Argonian
+The Witcher 3 Eyes SE
+Vanilla Warpaints Absolution
+Apachii Sky Hair SSE
+CoverKhajiits - Face Textures 4K SE
+Pretty Khajiit SE
+The Eyes Of Beauty SSE
+Total Character Makeover
+Weathered Nordic Bodypaints -Special Edition- RaceMenu Overlays and Warpaints
+Beast Race Bodypaints SE -Khajiit and Argonian Themed Bodypaints Facepaints RaceMenu Overlays-
+Community Overlays 2 (31-50) Bodypaints Warpaints Tattoos and more made for the Community (Special Edition)
+High Poly Head SE
+BodySlide and Outfit Studio
+Caliente's Beautiful Bodies Enhancer -CBBE-
+Xelzaz' Telvanni Spellsword Armor Enhanced
+Xelzaz - Custom Fully Voiced Argonian Telvanni Follower - Wyrmstooth
+Xelzaz - Custom Fully Voiced Argonian Telvanni Follower
+Lux Via Wyrmstooth
+Remiel-Custom Voiced Dwemer Specialist and Companion
+Lucien - Immersive Fully Voiced Male Follower - Bruma
+Lucien - Immersive Fully Voiced Male Follower - Curios
+Lucien - Immersive Fully Voiced Male Follower - S+Zombies
+Lucien - Immersive Fully Voiced Male Follower - Saints
+Lucien - Immersive Fully Voiced Male Follower
+Daughter of Valenwood - An Auri Replacer
+Song of the Green (Auri Follower) - Inidog
+Song of the Green 3dnpc
+Song of the Green Auri
+INIGO
+Kaidan 2 Weapons Revamped - Katana Bow and Quiver with Arrows
+BWB-Kaidan-2-Armor-Revamped-Dragon
+BWB Kaidan
+Kaidan 2
+Interesting NPCs SE (3DNPC) - Rumarin Solstheim
+Interesting NPCs SE (3DNPC) - Cutting Room Floor
+Interesting NPCs SE (3DNPC) - AI Overhaul
+Interesting NPCs SE (3DNPC)
+Opulent Thieves Guild
+Ordinator for Spell Perk Item Distributor
+JK's Skyrim - Thunderchild patch
+Thunderchild - Epic Shouts and Immersion
+JKs Skyrim - AI Overhaul SSE Patch
+JK's Skyrim
+Lanterns Of Skyrim II
+Real 3D Walls
+Solstheim landscape and furniture
+Rudy HQ - Nordic Ruins SE
+-Skyrim 202X 9.0 - Architecture
+-Skyrim 202X 9.0.1 - Other
+Skyrim 202X 9.0 - Landscape
+Skyrim 202X by Pfuscher - Formerly 2020
+Books of Skyrim SE
+Colovian Noble Clothes
+RUGNAROK - Special Edition
+PELTAPALOOZA - Special Edition
+Dark Brotherhood Robes Replaced
+Dark Brotherhood Enchantments Improved
+4thUnknown - Ancient Shrouded Armor Replacer
+Dark Brotherhood Armor SE
+Cathedral - Armory update
+Cathedral - Armory
+aMidianBorn Book of Silence SE
+Fashions Of The Banditry- A bandit-focused Armor Pack (BHUNP-CBBE-3BA-HIMBO) CBBE
+Fashions Of The Banditry- A bandit-focused Armor Pack (BHUNP-CBBE-3BA-HIMBO)
+Artesian Cloaks of Skyrim
+Cloaks of Skyrim HD SSE
+Winter Is Coming SSE - Cloaks Patch
+Cloaks of Skyrim SSE
+Vampire Royal Armor Replacer HDT-SMP Cape
+HDT-SMP for Cloaks and Capes
+Winter Is Coming SSE - Cloaks
+Faster HDT-SMP
+Nightingale Hall Restored - Karliah As A Follower
+Black Mage Armor SE
+Mage Outfit Texture Overhaul - Schools of Magic SSE (Revised ESP Only) - WACCF
+Mage Outfit Texture Overhaul - Schools of Magic SSE (Revised ESP Only)
+Mage Outfit Texture Overhaul - Schools of Magic
+RUSTIC FURNITURE - SPECIAL EDITION
+Hunterborn Ordinator Bone Arrow patch
+Hunterborn
+Campfire Patch for Water-Borne Diseases for SunHelm
+SunHelm Survival - Compatibility Patches
+Skills of the Wild - New Campfire Survival Skill Trees
+SunHelm - Creation Club Farming Patch
+Water-Borne Diseases for SunHelm
+SunHelm Survival
+Warm Drinks SSE - Simple Tea And Coffee Recipes - for Campfire
+Campfire - Complete Camping System (Supports Skyrim VR)
+Ordinator - Rat king - Other Creatures
+Ordinator Beyond Skyrim Patch
+Ordinator - Perks of Skyrim
+Skyrim 3D Trees and Plants - CACO Patch
+Complete Alchemy & Cooking Overhaul
+Wyrmstooth
+At Your Own Pace - Main Quest
+At Your Own Pace - Thane Overhaul
+Defeat the Dragon Cult
+Weapons Armor Clothing and Clutter Fixes - CBBE Patch
+Player Blink Fix
+Teldryn Serious - A Teldryn Sero Backstory Quest SSE
+Immersive College NPCs - No Saarthal (Compatibility for Ryn's Saarthal)
+Immersive College NPCs
+Ryn's Ustengrav
+Ryn's Saarthal
+The Brotherhood of Old - Dark Brotherhood Continued
+Ryn's Bleak Falls Barrow
+Magical Blackreach
+JK's Silver-Blood Inn
+JK's The Bannered Mare
+JK's The Winking Skeever
+JK's Warmaiden's
+JK's The Drunken Huntsman
+JK's Sleeping Giant Inn
+JK's Radiant Raiment
+JK's Arcadia's Cauldron
+JK's Belethor's General Goods
+JK's Dragonsreach
+JK's Angeline's Aromatics
+JK's Bits and Pieces
+JK's Blue Palace
+JK's Candlehearth Hall
+JK's Elgrim's Elixirs
+JK's White Phial
+JK's Mistveil Keep
+JK's New Gnisis Cornerclub
+JK's Sadri's Used Wares
+JK's Palace of the Kings
+JK's The Temple of Mara
+JK's The Pawned Prawn
+JK's The Bee and Barb
+JK's Arnleif and Sons Trading Company
+JK's The Hag's Cure
+JK's Understone Keep
+JK's Jorrvaskr
+JK's Riverwood Trader
+JK's Temple of the Divines
+JK's Temple of Talos
+JK's Temple of Kynareth
+JK's Temple of Dibella
+JK's Haelga's Bunkhouse
+JK's High Hrothgar
+JK's Castle Dour
+JK's Septimus Signus's Outpost
+JK's The Bards College
+DLC Content
+Realistic Conversations
+Relationship Dialogue Overhaul - RDO SE
+AI Overhaul SSE
+Cutting Room Floor - SSE
+Fuz Ro D-oh - Silent Voice
+Unlimited Bookshelves
+Practical Patches-Replacers for Skyrim 3D Trees and Plants - Nightshade
+Waterplants
+3D Plants Patch - Tundra Cotton
+3D Plants Patch - Lavender
+3D Plants Patch - Nirnroot by Mari and Rudy's Light
+Practical Patches-Replacers for Skyrim 3D Trees and Plants - Mountain Flowers
+3D Plants Patch - Deathbell with Rudy's Purple Light
+Cathedral - 3D Clover Plant
+Cathedral - 3D Thicket and Dead Shrub
+Cathedral - 3D Grass Library
+Cathedral - 3D Thistle
+Cathedral - 3D Mountain Flowers
+Cathedral - 3D Tundra Cotton
+Cathedral - 3D Deathbell ENB
+Cathedral - 3D Deathbell
+Cathedral - Mushrooms
+Origins Of Forest - 3D Forest Grass
+Immersive Sounds - Compendium
+Lux
+Lux Via
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+Wet and Cold SE - Cathedral Weathers Patch
+Wet and Cold SE
+Rudy ENB Cathedral Weathers ADDONS and REQUiRED Files
+Cathedral Weathers and Seasons
+Whiterun Objects SMIMed (and fixes too)
+Armor and Clothing Extension
+Weapons Armor Clothing and Clutter Fixes
+RUSTIC CLOTHING - Special Edition
+Guard Dialogue Overhaul SE
+Obsidian Mountain Fogs
+Water for ENB
+ENB Light Inventory Fix (ELIF)
+Bright Snow Fix for ENB
+Bright Waterfall Fix for ENB
+ENB Helper SE
+ENB Light
+Less Distracting Blowing Snow Effects for ENB Particle Patch
+Enhanced Volumetric Lighting and Shadows (EVLaS)
+Landscape Fixes For Grass Mods
+No Grass In Objects
+Static Mesh improvement Mod - SMIM - Quality Addon
+Skyrim 3D Trees and Plants
+Cathedral - Plants
+Landscapes - Cathedral Concept
+Static Mesh Improvement Mod
+Mfg Fix
+NORDIC UI - Miscellaneous Patches
+Nordic UI Active Effects for SkyUI SE
+SkyUI Weapons Pack SE
+Expanded Dawnguard Map Markers
+NORDIC UI - Interface Overhaul
+Experience
+iHUD and True HUD Patch
+TrueHUD - HUD Additions
+Immersive HUD - iHUD Special Edition
+SkyHUD
+Beyond Skyrim - Bruma DLC
+Beyond Skyrim - Bruma
+Beyond Skyrim - Assets
+A Clear Map of Skyrim and Other Worlds
+RaceMenu
+Lore-Based Loading Screens
+Survival Control Panel
+SkyUI
+Scrambled Bugs
+JContainers SE
+DynDOLOD Resources SE
+Particle Patch for ENB
+Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch
+Skyrim Landscape and Water Fixes
+Unofficial High Definition Audio Project
+Spell Perk Item Distributor
+Sound Record Distributor
+MCM Helper
+powerofthree's Papyrus Extender
+powerofthree's Tweaks
+.NET Script Framework
+Unique Map Weather
+SSE Display Tweaks
+SSE Engine Fixes (skse64 plugin)
+Scaleform Translation Plus Plus NG
+PapyrusUtil SE - Modders Scripting Utility Functions
+Papyrus Tweaks NG
+Crash Logger SSE AE VR - PDB support
+Address Library for SKSE Plugins
+xEdit Output
*Creation Club: ccBGSSSE037-Curios
*Creation Club: ccBGSSSE001-Fish
*Creation Club: ccBGSSSE025-AdvDSGS
*Creation Club: ccQDRSSE001-SurvivalMode
*DLC: Dawnguard
*DLC: Dragonborn
*DLC: HearthFires
*Creation Club: ccbgssse003-zombies
*Creation Club: ccbgssse011-hrsarmrelvn
*Creation Club: ccbgssse012-hrsarmrstl
*Creation Club: ccbgssse057-ba_stalhrim
*Creation Club: ccbgssse058-ba_steel
*Creation Club: ccbgssse060-ba_dragonscale
*Creation Club: ccedhsse001-norjewel
*Creation Club: ccedhsse002-splkntset
*Creation Club: ccedhsse003-redguard
*Creation Club: cceejsse005-cave
*Creation Club: ccvsvsse003-necroarts
*Creation Club: ccvsvsse004-beafarmer

[←Chapter 54] [Cover Art] [My Links] [Index] [Discord] [Subreddit] [Chapter 56→]
The silence that hung over the tent was absolute, with only the slight wind in the bows breaking it up. Naia sat with the faintest of smiles tugging at his lips.
“And what, exactly, is that meant to imply?” he said, the smile coming out in full.
“Plainly, then - it’s foolhardy to send your most valuable assets into the fire with an under equipped force,” said Efrain, his patience with this game already up.
“Yes, it must,” Naia said, “alas, the mystery of the church is not to be readily questioned, especially if one wants to reach a position of understanding it.”
‘It was an open secret among those in higher society’ Efrain translated.
“Then why you?” he said, “you hardly seem like an uninformed man.”
“Allow me to divulge a little secret, Efrain, though it must not go outside this tent,” said Naia, “originally, the crusade was to be lead by a lesser noble’s son, who, I unfortunately must say, is not in the favour of society at the moment.”
‘It was doomed from the start so they elected to kill two birds with one stone.’
“And yet, here we are,” said Efrain.
“Indeed. Me and mine saw it for the honour it was. Frankly I was shocked that nobody else did.”
“I see. A lapse of judgement among nobles? I’d never thought I’d see the day.”
“Far be it from me to speak ill of the administrators of our great society. Their duties keep them quite busy. As for my superiors, how could they not take notice? The church was asking for armed men, afterall.”
“And out of all the people they could’ve sent, they sent the young commander with ‘unorthodox’ recruits.”
“Why, they thought it was a great way to prove myself, as did I.”
“It must be hard,” said Efrain, “getting such a difficult job assigned to you.”
“I do what I must, though, I must admit this has had its fair share of headaches. Wonderful surprises too.”
Efrain stopped for a moment, to consider the conclusion that all of this pointed to. It was something so large, so at odds with everything he understood about the church, that it seemed almost impossible. But he had to be sure, absolutely sure that they were on the same page.
He put up his hand onto the table, and felt magic return to him. It was stronger, more definite than before, almost… wilder. Pushing that sensation aside, he remembered crowded inns and temples, the clamour of people, all fading into the background. The air around the pair shimmered ever so slightly, and Naia blinked.
“What did you just do?” he said, looking around.
“Nothing major. Stay in close, or it’ll break. Our conversation will be just a little less intelligible for prying ears.”
“Ah. Useful,” said the captain, nodding in appreciation.
“Hardly,” Efrain said, “anyone with any knowhow could break this with ease. I hope you don’t have another secret mage hiding in your retinue who’d listen in.”
“I’d be surprised,” said Naia.
“Very well,” Efrain said, leaning forward and preparing to drop the axe, “so, why is the church so eager to get rid of its oh-so-special Bequeathed?”
The silence returned once more, slightly distorted through the muffling charm Efrain had cast.
“You’re certain that this,” Naia said, waving around them, “is intact?”
“Quite. Answer the question, commander,” he said, “perhaps they’re not as valuable as I was led to believe.”
Naia sat for a few moments, mulling over the blunt truth, then took a deep breath.
“They are valuable. Incredibly so. They are living, breathing symbols of the faith, but that’s not all.”
Efrain nodded, waiting for the captain to continue.
“If half the stories of their battle prowess is true, then they are golden military assets. Though they haven’t been used as such for a very long time.”
“Ah,” Efrain said, as the pieces began to fall into place, “so that’s why they sent you.”
“I may or may not have been selected for this reason,” he said, the smile more dry than knowing.
“And if anything went wrong, if the precious Bequeathed came back with all these strange ideas about the church, they could blame the unorthodoxy of the commander.”
Something twisted in Naia’s smile - Efrain had touched on something painful.
“Precisely,” he said, “although I would like to believe that they chose me because they knew I’d avoid doing things so crudely.”
“So, they want you to… what, drive a wedge between the Bequeathed and the church? Subtly, of course.”
“You know, I was planning to tell you this all after you agreed to join me,” Naia said flatly.
“Ha!” Efrain said, “age and experience, young man.”
“Clearly,” Naia said, spreading his arms in defeat, “so, I stand before you, uncloaked. What do you think?”
“I think that there would be at least one member of the church disguised in your retinue, no?”
Naia’s smile grew cold and thin at the mention.
“The man wouldn’t listen to reason. We counselled him to stick with our company, but he had other, more pious ideas about wandering in the wild forest.”
Efrain nodded - he hadn’t really expected anything else.
“And what about the paladins, do they suspect anything?” he said, sitting back.
“Lillian is of high birth. I don’t doubt she hasn’t heard something that might make her suspicious. Niche might’ve but he’s… well stupid would be a disservice to both of them. Niche is certainly more naive than Lillian. As for Sphernt, she’s vanished, but, of course, you wouldn’t know her.”
“Another paladin?” Efrain groaned, trying to drive home the exasperation to cover him.
“Indeed, and far less pleasant than the others,” Naia laughed, “I know, a charming prospect. She was bullheaded, refused to listen or wait, so I sent her on ahead. As far as I know she’s buried under a snowdrift somewhere. We were going to search for her, but Aya’s finding threw everything into disarray, even her fraternity dropped it.”
Efrain almost let out an audible sigh of relief, but he managed to catch himself at the last moment.
“Well, in any case that makes your ultimate job easier, if you so choose to join me,” Naia said.
“Hold up,” said Efrain, “let me guess. You can’t act because questioning the authority of the church would compromise your personal position, as well as make the children suspicious. Given that I am potentially the most unorthodox person you could employ, you would use me to get to the children, and then foist the blame on me if anything went wrong.”
“Phrased it better than I could,” Naia said.
“Well, I can certainly see the appeal,” Efrain said dryly, “but what makes you think I would agree to that? Say, hypothetically, I went all the way to the silver city with you. You suddenly blame me for corrupting the children, then its my head.”
“A fair point, but consider - I am so close to being outcast that I need you, and if the children spoke out in your defence, they might well eclipse my influence. In addition, who would it reflect badly on if I did so? That would only worsen my position by leaps and bounds.”
“Fine,” Efrain said, “so what role did you have for me?”
“Oh that? Simple. You’ve been doing it already by most accounts,” Naia said, “teach them magic.”
Efrain stopped to consider it for a moment - no doubt he’d been briefed in full after the church incident. The fact that Naia hadn’t executed the mage for that alone spoke volumes to his intentions.
“And if, if, I were to take you up on this offer, well, first off, how far would this arrangement go? Secondly, how would I get around the paladins? I imagine they’ll be hostile.”
“That would be your job. From the sound of it, you’ve already got Aya on your side. Arrange meetings, teach her subtly - I’m sure someone of your ‘age and experience’ could figure something out. As for how long, if you have no desire to come to Angorrah, why not until we set sail? That should give you ample time.”
“And what’s in it for me, then?” he said, “Seems that I’m taking an awful lot of risk for simple promises.”
“What, a prospective general as a friend is not enough?” laughed Naia.
“Prospective. I’m not inclined to weigh reward on the whims of other unknown people,” Efrain snorted.
“A reasonable concern, though it’s only a week or two of work for a potential lifetime of benefits.”
“Granted. And what are you to say if I did not find the prospect of using children as pieces appealing?”
Naia arched an eyebrow at this, but the smile remained.
“This is the world we live in. In a way, if they should happen to throw their lot in with us, as it were, they’ll be getting a better life. The army is not quick to dispose of such valuable tools, unlike the more capricious elements of the church. They would not have to live by scripture and ceremony.”
“By throwing them at enemies, until they’re spent?” Efrain said.
The silence in the tent took on another character, something colder and heavier.
“You’ve said your knowledge of Angorrah was out-of-date. Do you know what they did to bring the merchant cities of the coast in line?”
Efrain shook his head.
“It’s quite simple. The palaces of Ennen’alla? Smokey marble with brass accents. Beautiful, beautiful buildings. Angorrah chose them to be their examples - now they’re little more than ruins and dust. From the other cities, rather than go to war, they offered up noble children as wards. I’m sure you can imagine; Hundreds, thousands of days, living under suspended sentences? A sword hanging over your head, waiting, begging to fall, based on the slightest provocation you have no control over.”
“This is supposed to be a positive comparison?”
“The Bequeathed, whether or not they and their guardians realise it, are living under the exact same sentence. Welcoming them back into the church might delay it for a time. The military is ruthless, I won’t deny, but it’s interested in service. Which is better? That the children are a pawn of the faith, used in political games across the continent, liable to be sent to a bitter end based on whim? Or, they live a tough but honoured life, and, in time, might rise to see the power and freedom to dictate their own destiny through generalship?”
“I can see why they sent you, commander,” Efrain said, “you’ve got quite the tongue.”
“I offer simple truths in pretty prose, that’s all,” Naia said, “if you want to look out for their wellbeing, then it might be best you align with me anyways. As for other rewards, I’m a commander, which comes with privileges. If you want gold or valuables, I can probably get them with time. Access to influence, knowledge? Those are easy enough, with the right friends, which I’ve made a point of making. All this potential for a few days of work, Efrain.”
The cloth rustled slightly in the breeze.
“And I’ll be free to go, alive, unharmed, not immediately killed for knowing your secret?” Efrain said.
“Guaranteed.”
Efrain examined the man’s face in depth, noting the lines that gave away his age. The dark hair with just a hint of blue mingling with the black, although whether that was dye or somehow natural he could barely guess. It was a dangerous gambit, predicated on the word of a man who by his own confession was willing to murder and scheme to get what he wanted. Still, he couldn’t deny the sway of the promise - a general of Angorrah who owed him a personal favour, that would be a very potent tool indeed.
This was again, assuming the man kept any kind of faith, which Efrain had mixed evidence to show for it. Still, if he was only going as far as the port, that would be fairly safe, or so he hoped. Maybe perhaps, if he could gain some trust with the paladins, play them off eachother…
This was getting too complicated for his taste, and the dangers of a company of soldiers around him didn’t sweeten things. Still, there was also the commandment of the River, and he was interested in the children and their talents. If Naia spoke the truth of its word, then there could be very good reasons for him to work with the commander. Then again, it’d also warned Innie of his death should he pursue this course, maybe this offer was that threat recast.
“Well?” said Naia.
There was nothing for it, Efrain surmised, at least until Karkos.
“It’s a deal. I’ll do what I can, until you sail,” Efrain said, holding out his hand and shaking it with Naia in the Karkosian fashion.
“Good. I would lay out the mission and your role, but you’ve guessed all you need to know already. This all stays between us and no one else, not even my captains. On pain of death, Efrain.”
“Understood, commander,” said Efrain, fully conscious of the irony.
“As for a method of approach,” Naia said, “the paladins have taken charge of much of the children’s education. However, I’m sure I could come up with an excuse to educate them on something. Maths, perhaps, or military history. We might be able to arrange them to have time away from the paladins.”
“So you want me to teach them the arts,” Efrain said, “and so doing, shake the foundations of the church.”
“More or less,” Naia chuckled, “you should return and recover your strength. Your companion was quite worried.”
“Oh really?” Efrain said, dispelling the charm, and leaving the tent.
He walked back to the circle of waggons he’d found himself in not twenty minutes ago, reflecting on the conversation he’d had. When he made it back to the one he’d slept in, he heard the sounds of voices within the canvas. Peaking in, he found Aya sitting before Innie, chatting away.
“I see you two have become good friends,” he said as he clambered in.
“Oh!” she said, “friends? I don’t know. Maybe not friends.”
“Stop teasing her and sit down Efrain,” Innie said.
“Fine, fine,” Efrain said, lowering himself onto the wooden slats.
“Now, as I was saying dear, “ Innie continued, “the talent of ‘seeing’ magic is much more about feeling it than actually using your eyes. You could use your ears, or nose, or tongue for that matter. It’s about the communication, much less about how you receive it.”
“You mean people can taste magic?” Aya giggled with a note of awe.
“Taste, and hear, and smell. More attuned beasts use their nose, like with everything. Humans tend to use their eyes, hence they tend to ‘see’ magic. Well, with some exceptions.”
Innie turned judgemental eyes to Efrain.
“I was a beginner,” Efrain said, “besides, I quickly grew out of it.”
“Why?” Aya said, “what is he talking about?”
“This one,” Innie said with relish, “started smelling when I first taught him.”
“That’s true?” Aya said, eyes wide, but with an amused smile creeping onto her face, “what does magic smell like?”
“Alright, you’ve had your fun,” said Efrain, “it can smell like many things. It depends on the magic, it depends on the wielder. I ran into a fire wyrm once and everything smelled like burnt flesh for days after. Magic stinks for better or worse.”
“That was about the time you switched over to seeing. I guess you learned your lesson,” Innie said.
“But that’s not all magic can convey. Sensory information is but a pittance. More complex things, emotions, moods, entire concepts can be compressed into magic. The language we spoke to the trees in the pourjava’s hollow? You can express much more with magic, much faster, than with mere language alone.”
“The language you spoke in the-”
“Tematek, a kind of template, a mould which magic creatures developed various dialects from. Most magical creatures with the intellect to speak a language will speak Tematek or some variant of it.”
“So does that mean we’re speaking it right now?” she said, the whites of her eyes shining in the dim light.
“No, I speak human tongues as well,” said Innie, “the process of learning Tematek is a long one. You’ll simply learn how to see this way.”
“Could I learn it?”
Oh, this is too easy, Efrain thought, hearing Naia's voice echo about ‘opportunities’ falling into laps.
“You certainly could. It would be as hard as learning any other language however. And there’s the fact your paladin guardians are rather… possessive of you.”
“Well, they’re not here right now, I checked,” she said, and Efrain thought he saw a glimmer of pride at the deception, “they’re sleeping. Niche tried to keep watch but sleep caught up.”
“So, you’re saying you want to go behind the back of the church’s representatives to practise magic. The penalty for which could be death,” he said flatly, “that’s an impressive commitment.”
“That’s all they’ve said for the past few days,” she said without pause, “‘magic is dangerous’, ‘mages aren’t to be trusted’, ‘the Lost this’. Maybe they’re right.”
“And yet here you are.”
She nodded.
“They took me away from my home, my family. I don’t know anyone here, I don’t know what they’re planning for me. If I trusted you, would I be going on more than trusting them?”
Efrain chuckled.
“No, I suppose not,” he said, “although I think I do have one advantage.”
“What?”
“Your mother asked me to take care of you, if I could,” Efrain said, “I met her, before I ran into your group.”
To the girl’s credit, she held her expression, though the explosion of shock in her eyes were unmistakable, as well as the quiver in her jaw.
“You-you did? Is she- is she alright?”
Efrain paused. Maybe it was an old kindness that stirred below lost memories. Maybe it was mere self-interest, to pursue a relationship by putting the girl at ease.
“I’m sure she’s fine,” he lied, “but, we’d best get started, before your minders get up.”
[←Chapter 54] [Cover Art] [My Links] [Index] [Discord] [Subreddit] [Chapter 56→]

Robert's Rebellion Theme Song: The Czar Mastodon

Don't stay; run away He has ordered assassination Don't stay; run away The henchmen are gathered and waiting Don't stay; run away Your role as usurper is found out

This is part of a series exploring the hidden motives and actions of the main players during Robert's Rebellion, named LBJ in reference to the influence of Lyndon B. Johnson and the Vietnam War on GRRM's views and writings on war. LBJ also indicates considerations over whether Lyanna + Bobby B = Jon Snow. Previous installments include:

• Rhaegar Had To Be A Warrior
• Why Did Rhaegar Crown Lyanna?
  • Ice, Ice Baby?
  • Political Suicide?
  • Was She 'A Very Kinky Girl'?
• The Forging of Lightbringer: Blue Flowers & Narrow Visors
• Rhaegar Mistakenly Crowned Lyanna
• I am not fond of fish, but when fish is served, I eat it.
• All is fair in love and war...
• Kingsguard Loyalty
• Southron Ambitions & Lies
• The Return of the Prince: Éowyn at the Trident
• Mirror on the Wall: King Robert vs. Queen Cersei

Previous parts argued that Robert Baratheon was complicit in a plot to overthrow the Targaryen dynasty. This scheme used Rhaegar's mistaken crowning of Lyanna at Harrenhal to form a believable, malicious lie that the crown prince abducted her. Certain members of the infamous STAB alliance, with assistance from the Martells and Tywin Lannister, all secretly conspired together to place a pliable pawn as king, wrestling control from a dynasty that no longer had dragons to enforce their rule. Lurid evidence was given which shows Robert had Rhaegar tortured, as Cersei tortured the Blue Bard, and we also saw more subtle hints that Lyanna herself attempted to avenge her family at the Trident, with the aid of innate skinchanging abilities.
This part aims to provide additional evidence that Robert lived up to his moniker, the Demon of the Trident, casting him as close to black as grey can get. King Robert is an avatar for all the worst flaws of Westerosi culture, a man enabled to wield massive power who yet skirted any sense of responsibility and chose to commit a mountain of moral transgressions in service to his personal desires.

Robert's face was dark with anger. "How many times must I tell you to hold your tongue, woman?"
Cersei's face was a study in contempt. "What a jape the gods have made of us two," she said. "By all rights, you ought to be in skirts and me in mail."
Purple with rage, the king lashed out, a vicious backhand blow to the side of the head. She stumbled against the table and fell hard, yet Cersei Lannister did not cry out. Her slender fingers brushed her cheek, where the pale smooth skin was already reddening. On the morrow the bruise would cover half her face. "I shall wear this as a badge of honor," she announced.

- A Game of Thrones Eddard X

The Horned Demon of the Trident

Next had come King Robert himself, with Lady Stark on his arm. The king was a great disappointment to Jon. His father had talked of him often: the peerless Robert Baratheon, demon of the Trident, the fiercest warrior of the realm, a giant among princes. Jon saw only a fat man, red-faced under his beard, sweating through his silks. He walked like a man half in his cups.

- A Game of Thrones Jon I
tenor.com/view/gaston-antlers-gif-23720815
Robert Baratheon bears a striking resemblance to Gaston from Beauty & the Beast, who imprisons his romantic interest and lies to incite violence against a rival. Gaston is driven by jealousy of the Beast and humiliation over Belle's rejection. Disney’s adaptation of Beauty & the Beast was released in 1991, just five years before A Game of Thrones was published.
Video: Gaston Beauty & the Beast
Video: George RR Martin on Writing for Beauty and the Beast
Martin has shown keen interest in Beauty & the Beast; adapting the tale for TV in the late 80s was a high point of his career. He even named his bookstore in Santa Fe Beastly Books, and named the cinema next door for Jean Cocteau, who also adapted the tale and created an earlier version of Gaston). This concept of kidnapping one’s romantic interest and blaming it on a rival to incite violence also crops up in The Princess Bride, which Martin has stated is his favorite fantasy film after the Lord of the Rings series.
Behaving like Prince Humperdinck from The Princess Bride or Gaston from Beauty & the Beast, driven by rage over the incident at Harrenhal and a family history of Targaryen betrayal, Robert lied about his queen of love and beauty and made Rhaegar out to be a beast, having them both kidnapped (with the help of his allies) but pretending otherwise as a pretext to win the throne. He then had to bury this secret, as he would lose support if it was known that the rebellion was built on such a malicious lie.
Martin is obviously inspired by Disney. In the last part, we showed how the torture of the Blue Bard, ordered by Cersei to extract a confession to undermine Margaery, is meant to reflect the story of Snow White, in which her vain and wicked step-mother is told by a magic mirror that the princess is more beautiful, leading her to send a huntsman to kill her. The huntsman takes Snow White into the deep of the wood but lets her flee, presenting a boar’s heart to the evil queen instead. Similarly, Robert is a huntsman who is killed by a boar, with the aid of strongwine supplied by his evil queen. Additional elements of Disney's Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs can be seen in parallels between Robert's only loss at Ashford and Dunk's trial at the Ashford Tourney in The Hedge Knight.
When Dunk travels to the Ashford Tourney, he recites lyrics from the Seven Dwarf's song Heigh-ho.

Off to Ashford to see the fair maid, heigh-ho, heigh-ho, Dunk thought miserably as he dug.

- The Hedge Knight
Like Snow White had Seven Dwarfs to defend her, Dunk defended himself in a Trial by Seven at the Ashford Tourney, and Rhaegar was accompanied by half a dozen companions when he went missing, enough to defend himself in a Trial by Seven. A troupe of a half dozen comic dwarfs also appear in The Mystery Knight, using pig bladders, like Robert was piss-drunk when he was killed by a pig. Dunk was championed by Robert's grandfather, Lyonel Baratheon, who defeated Robert Ashford during the tourney. Lord Lyonel later rebelled against the Iron Throne, after Duncan the Small betrayed the Laughing Storm by breaking off a betrothal to his daughter, similar to how Rhaegar betrayed Robert by crowning his betrothed at the Harrenhal Tourney. Duncan the Small's betrayal led Egg to arrange a marriage between his daughter Rhaelle and Lyonel's heir, which put Robert Baratheon in the line of succession; this family history would color Robert's perception of Rhaegar's betrayal, driving him to improve upon his grandfather's revenge.
Steffon was the name given to Robert Baratheon's father; Dunk was betrayed by red-apple Steffon Fossoway at Ashford, which led his cousin Raymun to create an offshoot branch, the green-apple Fossoways. A tender, protective Fossoway husband is used at the Purple Wedding to demonstrate how callous it would have been for Rhaegar to intentionally crown another women with his pregnant, delicate wife Princess Elia present. A poison apple brings down Snow White, after the evil queen discovers the huntsman replaced her heart with a boar's heart, conjuring up Robert's death scene which reminds Ned of his promise to Lyanna:

“Serve the boar at my funeral feast,” Robert rasped. “Apple in its mouth, skin seared crisp. Eat the bastard. Don’t care if you choke on him. Promise me, Ned.”
“I promise.” Promise me, Ned, Lyanna’s voice echoed.

- A Game of Thrones Eddard XIII
"The quarrel between Green and Red Apple Fossoway in the Hedge Knight story is another example of 'discordant apples'... At a tournament of all places." - The Blue Rose of Discord by u/Bronze_Age_472

The reason for the Trojan War according to myth, was a beauty contest. Three contestants were seeking someone to judge their beauty; Hera, Athena and Aphrodite. Aphrodite won the contest, but only after she bribed Paris with Helen wife of Menelaus. Paris the judge, votes for Aphrodite by giving her an Apple. The other goddesses were furious and the conflict escalated out of control. The Greeks rallied around Menelaus and went to war with Troy.
The Blue Rose is a metaphorical "apple of discord". Like the apple of discord, it is nothing by itself, but in the right context leads to a larger conflict. It symbolizes how small things can create huge conflicts, how things quickly spin out of control. When Rhaegar gave the crown to Lyanna, nobody was happy... Just like the Judgement of Paris right before the Trojan War.

Like Rhaegar and Lyanna are often compared to Paris and Helen, figures of the mythical Trojan War, Robert is clearly meant to be considered relative to a maiden's fantasy, such as Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs or Beauty & the Beast:

Would that Ned had been able to say the same. Fifteen years past, when they had ridden forth to win a throne, the Lord of Storm’s End had been clean-shaven, clear-eyed, and muscled like a maiden’s fantasy. Six and a half feet tall, he towered over lesser men, and when he donned his armor and the great antlered helmet of his House, he became a veritable giant. He’d had a giant’s strength too, his weapon of choice a spiked iron warhammer that Ned could scarcely lift. In those days, the smell of leather and blood had clung to him like perfume.

- A Game of Thrones Eddard I
In the last part, we used the evil queen's magic mirror from Snow White to provide insight into Robert through Cersei. Like he projected Lyanna onto Cersei on their wedding night, Robert projects his own actions onto Rhaegar, while caressing the cheek of Lyanna's statue and secretly lamenting to himself that he was with her sexually just once:

The king touched her cheek, his fingers brushing across the rough stone as gently as if it were living flesh. “I vowed to kill Rhaegar for what he did to her.”
“You did,” Ned reminded him.
“Only once,” Robert said bitterly.

- A Game of Thrones Eddard I
This subtext is mirrored by Jon Connington's love for Rhaegar, as he laments that Rhaegar ass-ended his tower only once. Connington then states that all the women cried to Rhaegar's music, like Lyanna cried at Harrenhal, reinforcing the link between this passage and the scene in the crypts.

Yet when they parted, Jon Connington did not go to the sept. Instead his steps led him up to the roof of the east tower, the tallest at Griffin's Roost. As he climbed he remembered past ascents—a hundred with his lord father, who liked to stand and look out over woods and crags and sea and know that all he saw belonged to House Connington, and one (only one!) with Rhaegar Targaryen. Prince Rhaegar was returning from Dorne, and he and his escort had lingered here a fortnight. He was so young then, and I was younger. Boys, the both of us. At the welcoming feast, the prince had taken up his silver-stringed harp and played for them. A song of love and doom, Jon Connington recalled, and every woman in the hall was weeping when he put down the harp. Not the men, of course. Particularly not his own father, whose only love was land. Lord Armond Connington spent the entire evening trying to win the prince to his side in his dispute with Lord Morrigen.

- A Dance with Dragons The Griffon Reborn
Robert's false accusation of rape mirrors Lord Mathis Rowan's daughter's lie which landed Dareon, a singer and harpist, like Rhaegar, on the Wall.

It made her angry to see Dareon sitting there so brazen, making eyes at Lanna as his fingers danced across the harp strings.

_

He is a man of the Night's Watch, she thought, as he sang about some stupid lady throwing herself off some stupid tower because her stupid prince was dead. The lady should go kill the ones who killed her prince. And the singer should be on the Wall.

- A Feast for Crows Cat of the Canals
Jon Snow ends up at the Wall as an indirect consequence of Rhaegar being falsely accused of the rape of Lyanna. Jon later betrays the Watch to save (fake) Arya and is murdered as a result, like Arya murders Dareon for desertion; if she understood why Dareon took the black, maybe she'd be more forgiving of his betrayal. She might not be, because of the same conditioning that prevents Ned from showing mercy to Gared after he was chased south of the Wall by a direwolf. Likewise, if Rhaegar told Robert that he crowned Lyanna by mistake, Robert would still be unable to forgive the public humiliation he suffered as a result. And so despite Rhaegar's willingness to defend himself in a Trial by Seven, Robert went along with the rebel's plot to overthrow the Targaryen dynasty, which involved abducting both Rhaegar and Lyanna, and stashing her in a tower for the duration of the rebellion.

He found himself thinking of Robert more and more. He saw the king as he had been in the flower of his youth, tall and handsome, his great antlered helm on his head, his warhammer in hand, sitting his horse like a horned god. He heard his laughter in the dark, saw his eyes, blue and clear as mountain lakes. “Look at us, Ned,” Robert said. “Gods, how did we come to this? You here, and me killed by a pig. We won a throne together …”

- A Game of Thrones Eddard XV
Horny as ever and near the tower of joy, travelling alone to maintain his secrets, Robert sought out his lady love after his only defeat at Ashford; fear of death has a way of driving men back into the womb. Robert claimed Lyanna at the tower she was imprisoned in, and she used his hunting knife, the one given to him as a gift from Jon Arryn, to defend herself.
Remember what Ygritte told Jon Snow, outside of the tower Queenscrown?

“A man can own a woman or a man can own a knife,” Ygritte told him, “but no man can own both. Every little girl learns that from her mother.”

- A Storm of Swords Jon V
https://preview.redd.it/eu2s4590dn3b1.jpg?width=953&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ccfb8d31abe50ef2b7c5201a7dd3addc95a2f02f

A teenage human trafficking victim who was initially charged with first-degree murder after she stabbed her accused rapist to death was sentenced Tuesday in an Iowa court to five years of closely supervised probation and ordered to pay $150,000 restitution to the man’s family.

Speaking of knives...
★ King Robert sent the Catspaw by u/M_Tootles:

• In this scenario, Robert’s “mad”, wine-soaked “master plan” was to arm his mercy-dealing catspaw with a Valyrian steel and dragonbone dagger for which he personally had no use but which he decided in his pie-eyed state would, when intentionally left at the scene of Bran’s unfortunate but ultimately justifiable end, look like the “signature” of a retribution-seeking Targaryen sympathizer, for It Was Known that the Targaryens hated not just Robert, but also Ned Stark, one of “the Usurper’s Dogs” whom they held personally responsible for the murder of Rhaegar’s children.
• And then there is the tourney he throws in honor of Ned, whose prizes just so happen to add up to exactly one thousand gold dragons for every silver stag the catspaw was paid, which looks an awful lot like the act of a man suffering from a guilty conscience. As does Robert drinking and hunting himself to death.

If blaming a Targaryen for his own misdeeds worked once, why wouldn’t Robert try it again?

This was something else: poison in the dark, a knife thrust to the soul. This he could never forgive, no more than he had forgiven Rhaegar. He will kill them all, Ned realized.

- A Game of Thrones Eddard XII
Sometime after his loss at Ashford, Robert appeared at Stoney Sept wounded and alone, while waiting for Ned to bring reinforcements from the North.

He had lost it all at Stoney Sept, in his arrogance.
Robert Baratheon had been hiding somewhere in the town, wounded and alone. Jon Connington had known that, and he had also known that Robert's head upon a spear would have put an end to the rebellion, then and there. He was young and full of pride. How not? King Aerys had named him Hand and given him an army, and he meant to prove himself worthy of that trust, of Rhaegar's love. He would slay the rebel lord himself and carve a place out for himself in all the histories of the Seven Kingdoms.

- A Dance with Dragons The Griffin Reborn
Robert fathered his bastard Bella in a brothel before the Battle of the Bells, a nod to Belle from Beauty & the Beast. This is just one of many acts that depicts his bestial nature; despite being in the midst of a war he claims to be fighting for Lyanna, Robert still found time to fuck all the whores at the Peach:

As she sat in the common room in her stupid girl clothes, Arya remembered what Syrio Forel had told her, the trick of looking and seeing what was there. When she looked, she saw more serving wenches than any inn could want, and most of them young and comely. And come evenfall, lots of men started coming and going at the Peach. They did not linger long in the common room, not even when Tom took out his woodharp and began to sing “Six Maids in a Pool.” The wooden steps were old and steep, and creaked something fierce whenever one of the men took a girl upstairs. “I bet this is a brothel,” she whispered to Gendry.
“You don’t even know what a brothel is.”
“I do so,” she insisted. “It’s like an inn, with girls.”
He was turning red again. “What are you doing here, then?” he demanded. “A brothel’s no fit place for no bloody highborn lady, everybody knows that.”
One of the girls sat down on the bench beside him. “Who’s a highborn lady? The little skinny one?” She looked at Arya and laughed. “I’m a king’s daughter myself.”
Arya knew she was being mocked. “You are not.”
“Well, I might be.” When the girl shrugged, her gown slipped off one shoulder. “They say King Robert fucked my mother when he hid here, back before the battle. Not that he didn’t have all the other girls too, but Leslyn says he liked my ma the best.”
The girl did have hair like the old king’s, Arya thought; a great thick mop of it, as black as coal. That doesn’t mean anything, though. Gendry has the same kind of hair too. Lots of people have black hair.
“I’m named Bella,” the girl told Gendry. “For the battle. I bet I could ring your bell, too. You want to?”

- A Storm of Swords Arya V
This bestial nature and Ned's willingness to enable it is put on full display when Robert returns to the Trident in A Game of Thrones. Robert allows Lady and Mycah to be killed as vengeance for Joffrey’s injury, despite later admitting he knew his heir was lying. Joffrey sustained this injury at the Trident because he drunkenly misperceived the fight between Arya and the butcher’s boy, and cruelly acted on his ‘chivalric duty’ to defend noble ladies. Likewise, Robert (and everyone else) misperceived Rhaegar’s intent when he crowned Lyanna, and his fervor for vengeance led him to go along with a plot to abduct her and pin the blame on Rhaegar, like Joffrey lied about what transpired during the fight. Both Lady the direwolf and wolf-blooded Lyanna were held accountable for crimes they were innocent of; Lyanna’s crowning may have suggested to Robert that she actively enticed Rhaegar, like rape victims are routinely scrutinized for their attire and other non-sexual behaviors to suggest they somehow invited their rapes. Ned went along with these obviously unjust actions, out of loyalty to his friend and king, and to prevent further harm to his family.

All Ned could do was take her in his arms and hold her while she wept. He looked across the room at Robert. His old friend, closer than any brother. “Please, Robert. For the love you bear me. For the love you bore my sister. Please.”
The king looked at them for a long moment, then turned his eyes on his wife.
“Damn you, Cersei,” he said with loathing.
Ned stood, gently disengaging himself from Sansa’s grasp. All the weariness of the past four days had returned to him. “Do it yourself then, Robert,” he said in a voice cold and sharp as steel. “At least have the courage to do it yourself.”
Robert looked at Ned with flat, dead eyes and left without a word, his footsteps heavy as lead. Silence filled the hall.
“Where is the direwolf?” Cersei Lannister asked when her husband was gone. Beside her, Prince Joffrey was smiling.
“The beast is chained up outside the gatehouse, Your Grace,” Ser Barristan Selmy answered reluctantly.
“Send for Ilyn Payne.”
“No,” Ned said. “Jory, take the girls back to their rooms and bring me Ice.” The words tasted of bile in his throat, but he forced them out. “If it must be done, I will do it.”
Cersei Lannister regarded him suspiciously. “You, Stark? Is this some trick? Why would you do such a thing?”
They were all staring at him, but it was Sansa’s look that cut. “She is of the north. She deserves better than a butcher.”
He left the room with his eyes burning and his daughter’s wails echoing in his ears, and found the direwolf pup where they chained her. Ned sat beside her for a while. “Lady,” he said, tasting the name. He had never paid much attention to the names the children had picked, but looking at her now, he knew that Sansa had chosen well. She was the smallest of the litter, the prettiest, the most gentle and trusting. She looked at him with bright golden eyes, and he ruffled her thick grey fur.
Shortly, Jory brought him Ice.
When it was over, he said, “Choose four men and have them take the body north. Bury her at Winterfell.”
“All that way?” Jory said, astonished.
“All that way,” Ned affirmed. “The Lannister woman shall never have this skin.”
He was walking back to the tower to give himself up to sleep at last when Sandor Clegane and his riders came pounding through the castle gate, back from their hunt.
There was something slung over the back of his destrier, a heavy shape wrapped in a bloody cloak. “No sign of your daughter, Hand,” the Hound rasped down, “but the day was not wholly wasted. We got her little pet.” He reached back and shoved the burden off, and it fell with a thump in front of Ned.
Bending, Ned pulled back the cloak, dreading the words he would have to find for Arya, but it was not Nymeria after all. It was the butcher’s boy, Mycah, his body covered in dried blood. He had been cut almost in half from shoulder to waist by some terrible blow struck from above.
“You rode him down,” Ned said.
The Hound’s eyes seemed to glitter through the steel of that hideous dog’s-head helm. “He ran.” He looked at Ned’s face and laughed. “But not very fast.”

- A Game of Thrones Eddard III
Most assume Gregor Clegane is the giant in armor made of stone in Bran’s vision of the Trident… yet he wasn’t present during the events Bran envisions. This dark shadow is a better fit for Robert, a veritable giant who won the throne at the Trident, who is first introduced as having gained eight stone, with a girth to match his height (like a mountain), and whose blood turns black when he is mortally wounded by a boar.

He looked south, and saw the great blue-green rush of the Trident. He saw his father pleading with the king, his face etched with grief. He saw Sansa crying herself to sleep at night, and he saw Arya watching in silence and holding her secrets hard in her heart. There were shadows all around them. One shadow was dark as ash, with the terrible face of a hound. Another was armored like the sun, golden and beautiful. Over them both loomed a giant in armor made of stone, but when he opened his visor, there was nothing inside but darkness and thick black blood.

- A Game of Thrones Bran III
It would not be unusual for Bran to see both a person’s physical form and their shadow at the same time; this is how shadows work. Ned undoubtedly experiences inner turmoil in this scene, going along with injustice in service to a cowardly king despite the pain it causes his daughters. So, it's easy to see how the shadow with the face of the hound and the golden shadow are both cast by Ned, depicting a light and dark side at war within himself, representing his competing duties to his king and children which led him to execute Lady and accept Mycah's unjust death. It's not unusual that Ned would have multiple shadows, a dark and a light side making him grey as the direwolf on his sigil; recall, Stannis tells us that some lights cast more than one shadow:

King Stannis pointed a finger. “There you err, Onion Knight. Some lights cast more than one shadow. Stand before the nightfire and you’ll see for yourself. The flames shift and dance, never still. The shadows grow tall and short, and every man casts a dozen. Some are fainter than others, that’s all. Well, men cast their shadows across the future as well. One shadow or many. Melisandre sees them all.”

- A Clash of Kings Davos II
https://preview.redd.it/g7kdw91ycn3b1.png?width=602&format=png&auto=webp&s=a654ddd47e8089aba8f5955974a7080102aee922
Alfie Allen: You know, I asked him about who Jon Snow’s real parents were, and he told me. I can’t say who, but I can tell you that it involves a bit of a Luke Skywalker situation. It will all come to fruition eventually.
This series will conclude next time with a foray into Ned's inner turmoil, examining thoughts and actions which indict his friend and king. To preview where this series is headed, in its full audio/visual glory with greater detail, look here.

Owned the game (+ expansions) for a while now but it never really sank in... until last week.
Solid colony, 30+ hours into it, I'm handling most all challenges pretty well. For a nice moodlet boost, I have the leader speech at them. My leader gives an outstanding Leader Speech and a new colonist drops in. Michael, 5yo and the son of another colonist!! Excellent, let's do this.
So I assign Michael the same work/food/clothing assignments as everyone else and let him run around drawing on the floor. Not even 5 real world minutes later I see that, "Michael has a severe smokeweed addiction".
What.
Either the little bastard walked in with the addiction, or my pawns are growing some banging weed.
Argh. So I spent about thirty minutes trying to limit Mike's access to the devil's dancing lettuce and also prevent him from beating the absolute crap out of everything during tantrums. Two pawns ended up in medical because of his tantrums! Finally, I read up on how to handle addictions: Send 'em on a caravan to Detox-ville. Yay.
So that's how he died out there. Apparently he went on an eating binge or something but starvation in the desert is a bitch. Fuck 5 year olds, stay outta my weed little man.
Mom's neg moodlet was mostly run out by the time she stepped out of the biosculpting pod, just over a year younger, healthier and (I assume) nicely tanned.
This game rocks!!

Hi folks,
I have quite a few mods installed and one of them changes Hyperweave to Spacer Fabric. I have read through the descriptions of them all and I can't figure out which one makes this change.
I have no issue with it being renamed, but for some reason it doesn't change ALL the Hyperweave and the Spacer Fabric is not usable for anything (can't even select it for stockpile filter, doesn't exist).
Thanks!
Modlist:

Harmony http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2009463077 Better Log - Fix your errors with style http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2772559481 HugsLib http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=818773962 Dubs Performance Analyzer http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2038874626 RimHUD http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1508850027 Vanilla Expanded Framework http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2023507013 ReGrowth: Core http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2260097569 Vanilla Plants Expanded http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2134308522 Vanilla Achievements Expanded http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2288125657 Vanilla Weapons Expanded http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1814383360 Vanilla Apparel Expanded http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1814987817 Vanilla Furniture Expanded http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1718190143 Vanilla Cooking Expanded http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2134308519 Vanilla Armour Expanded http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1814988282 Vanilla Furniture Expanded - Spacer Module http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2028381079 Vanilla Plants Expanded - More Plants http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2748889667 Vanilla Furniture Expanded - Production http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1880253632 Vanilla Furniture Expanded - Power http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2062943477 Vanilla Furniture Expanded - Medical Module http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1718191613 Vanilla Furniture Expanded - Architect http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2608762624 Vanilla Apparel Expanded — Accessories http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2521176396 Vanilla Animals Expanded http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2871933948 Vanilla Skills Expanded http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2854967442 Empire https://discord.gg/f3zFQqA Camera+ http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=867467808 Wall Light http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1423699208 RimFridge Updated http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2878183338 Pick Up And Haul http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1279012058 MendAndRecycle http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=735241897 Medical Tab http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=715565817 Interaction Bubbles http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1516158345 Gear Up And Go http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1316142788 EdB Prepare Carefully http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=735106432 Defensive Positions http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=761219125 Common Sense http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1561769193 Colony Manager http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=715565262 Blueprints http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=708455313 Better Pawn Control http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1541460369 Backup Power http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2084493662 [SYR] Set Up Camp http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1470065926 CM Color Coded Mood Bar [1.1+] http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2006605356 Dubs Mint Menus http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1446523594 Better Workbench Management http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=935982361 RPG Style Inventory http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1561221991 Vanilla Furniture Expanded - Security http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1845154007 Camping Stuff http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1523058989 Caravan Adventures http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2558957509 EPOE 1.4 (Expanded Prosthetics and Organ Engineering) http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2882712052 Simple sidearms http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=927155256 EzOutfit http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2885961570 Research Tree http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2608058938 Turn It On and Off http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2007163386 Allow Tool http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=761421485 Short Circuit Blues http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2322956181 RT Fuse http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=728314182 [KV] No Max Bills http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1588831229 Categorized Bill Dropdown http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2625720098 Missing Fabrication Recipes http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2949467164 Remove Injuries http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2396463672 [RH2] Uncle Boris' - Brainwash Chair http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2885223720 Caravan Item Selection Enhanced http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2854310627 Defensive Machine Gun Turret Pack http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1688004964 Share The Load http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1356838246 Tranquilizer Turret (Continued) http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2938882156 [HRK] Vanilla Expanded Extra Embrasures http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2763411067 The Harvest http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2010799801 Compact Hediffs http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2031734067 Damage Indicators [1.4] http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2016331497 Labels on Floor http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1408863965 Expanded Roofing 1.4 http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2879451927 RimQuest (Continued) http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2263331727 MinifyEverything http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=872762753 Home Mover http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2569949146 Numbers http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1414302321 Zombieland http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=928376710 RocketMan - Performance Mod http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2479389928 

media.tenor.com/ydMWvQCt6MIAAAAC/horny-shrek.gif
Video: Mirror - Shrek
This is part of a series exploring the hidden motives and actions of the main players during Robert's Rebellion, named LBJ in reference to the influence of Lyndon B. Johnson and the Vietnam War on GRRM's views and writings on war. LBJ also indicates considerations over whether Lyanna + Bobby B = Jon Snow. Previous installments include:

• Rhaegar Had To Be A Warrior
• Why Did Rhaegar Crown Lyanna?
  • Ice, Ice Baby?
  • Political Suicide?
  • Was She 'A Very Kinky Girl'?
• The Forging of Lightbringer: Blue Flowers & Narrow Visors
• Rhaegar Mistakenly Crowned Lyanna
• I am not fond of fish, but when fish is served, I eat it.
• All is fair in love and war...
• Kingsguard Loyalty
• Southron Ambitions & Lies
• The Return of the Prince: Éowyn at the Trident

In the last part, we combed through evidence that Lyanna fought disguised as Rhaegar at the Trident. We'll now examine why Cersei's torture of the Blue Bard indicates that Rhaegar was tortured by Robert, for the crime of crowning his beloved Lyanna with winter roses in front of half the realm.

"It saddens me to see Your Grace so careworn. I say, run off and play and leave the King's Hand to hear these tiresome petitions. We could dress as serving girls and spend the day amongst the smallfolk, to hear what they are saying of the fall of Dragonstone. I know the inn where the Blue Bard plays when he is not singing attendance on the little queen, and a certain cellar where a conjurer turns lead into gold, water into wine, and girls into boys. Perhaps he would work his spells on the two of us. Would it amuse Your Grace to be a man one night?"

- A Feast for Crows Cersei VIII

Mirror on the Wall: King Robert vs. Queen Cersei

Robert is practiced at shutting his eyes to things he’d rather not see, like when he can’t admit he’s too fat for his armor (like Cersei assumes washerwomen shrunk her gowns) or when he pretends wine made him hurt his queen (which Cersei reenacts on Taena, but is frustrated when that Myrish slut enjoys it). Robert fills his court with corrupt lickspittles and admits on his deathbed that he was a bad king when previously he expected Ned to say otherwise. Likewise, Cersei assumes she’s a political mastermind, basically Tywin with teats. In answer to Robert grooming Barra's barely pubescent mother, Cersei grooms and psychologically scars young Lancel (and Tyrek too for all we know). Robert incestuously cheats with his Estermont cousin early in his reign, so Cersei rekindles incest with her brother Jaime. Cersei has bastards killed who could threaten her own children's claims, and Robert tries to have Dany and her unborn child killed to protect the throne from dragonspawn. Robert pretends to care about his baseborn children, and people doubt Cersei loves anyone as more than an extension of herself (although Varys disagrees). Robert does seem to realize he doesn’t love his heirs, which raises the question of whether or not he knew they were bastards.

To her credit, Cersei did not look away. “He saw us. You love your children, do you not?”
Robert had asked him the very same question, the morning of the melee. He gave her the same answer. “With all my heart.”
“No less do I love mine.”

- A Game of Thrones Eddard XII
King Robert and Queen Cersei are an exercise in avoiding hypocritical analysis; any fault decried in one is reflected in the other in a role-appropriate way. Both lie to themselves and others, drink in excess, have cruel tempers, are physically and sexually abusive, and are terrible parents and rulers. Martin has clearly written Robert and Cersei to mirror one another, and if we saw Robert’s inner monologue, surely it would reveal that he’s just as arrogant and delusional as his wife.
It’s often claimed Robert was unaware of the illegitimacy of his heirs, as he would have gone berserk had he known. If one believes Robert would have executed Cersei for cuckolding him, then it must also be true that Rhaegar incurred Robert’s hatred when he crowned Lyanna with sexually suggestive winter roses in front of half the realm. In fact, we know he did:

As for Robert Baratheon himself, some say he laughed at the prince’s gesture, claiming that Rhaegar had done no more than pay Lyanna her due…but those who knew him better say the young lord brooded on the insult, and that his heart hardened toward the Prince of Dragonstone from that day forth.

- The Fall of the Dragons: The Year of the False Spring The World of Ice and Fire
Given his family history of Targaryen betrayal, when the Laughing Storm rebelled against the Iron Throne over a broken betrothal, as well as his possessiveness of Lyanna, Robert would seek vengeance over Rhaegar's actions at Harrenhal. So when Robert talks about Rhaegar raping Lyanna, it’s easy to imagine that he’s reinforcing a lie to himself. Similar to how he projects Lyanna onto Cersei on their wedding night, Robert is capable of projecting his own actions onto Rhaegar. Robert is the person who actually had sex with Lyanna… but only once.

The king touched her cheek, his fingers brushing across the rough stone as gently as if it were living flesh. “I vowed to kill Rhaegar for what he did to her.”
“You did,” Ned reminded him.
“Only once,” Robert said bitterly.

- A Game of Thrones Eddard I
This subtext is mirrored by Jon Connington's implied love for Rhaegar. Connington laments that Rhaegar ass-ended his tower only once, then indicates that all the girls cried when Rhaegar played his harp, implying that Lyanna crying over Rhaegar's music was nothing special.

Yet when they parted, Jon Connington did not go to the sept. Instead his steps led him up to the roof of the east tower, the tallest at Griffin's Roost. As he climbed he remembered past ascents—a hundred with his lord father, who liked to stand and look out over woods and crags and sea and know that all he saw belonged to House Connington, and one (only one!) with Rhaegar Targaryen. Prince Rhaegar was returning from Dorne, and he and his escort had lingered here a fortnight. He was so young then, and I was younger. Boys, the both of us. At the welcoming feast, the prince had taken up his silver-stringed harp and played for them. A song of love and doom, Jon Connington recalled, and every woman in the hall was weeping when he put down the harp. Not the men, of course. Particularly not his own father, whose only love was land. Lord Armond Connington spent the entire evening trying to win the prince to his side in his dispute with Lord Morrigen.

- A Dance with Dragons The Griffon Reborn
Robert's false accusation of rape mirrors Lord Mathis Rowan's daughter's lie which landed Dareon, a singer and harpist, on the Wall; if Arya had this information, maybe she wouldn't have murdered him for desertion.

It made her angry to see Dareon sitting there so brazen, making eyes at Lanna as his fingers danced across the harp strings.

_

He is a man of the Night's Watch, she thought, as he sang about some stupid lady throwing herself off some stupid tower because her stupid prince was dead. The lady should go kill the ones who killed her prince. And the singer should be on the Wall.

- A Feast for Crows Cat of the Canals
So when one considers that our favorite evil queen had an innocent singer imprisoned and tortured on trumped up charges, it then should not come as a shock that the fan-favorite warrior king would do something similar.

The Blue Bard Mirror

Cersei has the Blue Bard arrested and tortured in the dungeons, framing him for seducing Margaery. Afraid of Maggy the Frog's prophecies and thus jealous of Margaery, Cersei imprisons the young queen's favorite musician, accusing him of bedding her. She enlists Qyburn to torture a false confession from the Blue Bard and lies to herself about its veracity. The main beats of Cersei's motives and actions here 'rhyme' with what actually happened to Rhaegar: jealous over the prophecy-minded, musical prince's use of pale blue roses at Harrenhal, which according to Bael the Bard's song indicates a desire to bed and father a child on a Stark maiden, Robert imprisoned and tortured Rhaegar, also having Lyanna imprisoned in the tower of joy with Dorne's help, raped her, and lied about Rhaegar's guilt.
What follows is an examination of the Blue Bard torture scene from A Feast for Crows, Cersei IX.
Like Bael the Bard, the Blue Bard is linked to pale blue roses, signaling that his story is relevant to mysteries surrounding Lyanna.

“Not kind,” said Cersei, “merely truthful. Taena tells me that you are called the Blue Bard.”
“I am, Your Grace.” The singer’s boots were supple blue calfskin, his breeches fine blue wool. The tunic he wore was pale blue silk slashed with shiny blue satin. He had even gone so far as to dye his hair blue, in the Tyroshi fashion. Long and curly, it fell to his shoulders and smelled as if it had been washed in rosewater. From blue roses, no doubt. At least his teeth are white. They were good teeth, not the least bit crooked.
“You have no other name?”

His eyes are like Robert's eyes, beckoning readers to 'see':

A hint of pink suffused his cheeks. “As a boy, I was called Wat. A fine name for a plowboy, less fitting for a singer.”
The Blue Bard’s eyes were the same color as Robert’s. For that alone, she hated him. “It is easy to see why you are Lady Margaery’s favorite.”
“Her Grace is kind. She says I give her pleasure.”
“Oh, I’m certain of it. Might I see your lute?”
“If it please Your Grace.” Beneath the courtesy, there was a faint hint of unease, but he handed her the lute all the same. One does not refuse the queen’s request.
Cersei plucked a string and smiled at the sound. “Sweet and sad as love. Tell me, Wat . . . the first time you took Margaery to bed, was that before she wed my son, or after?”
For a moment he did not seem to understand. When he did, his eyes grew large. “Your Grace has been misinformed. I swear to you, I never—”

vs.

For a moment Robert did not seem to understand what Ned was saying. Defiance was not a dish he tasted often. Slowly his face changed as comprehension came. His eyes narrowed and a flush crept up his neck past the velvet collar. He pointed an angry finger at Ned. "You are the King's Hand, Lord Stark. You will do as I command you, or I'll find me a Hand who will."

- A Game of Thrones Eddard VIII
Not only do these passages share certain words and syntax, but they also reinforce both Cersei and Robert's rash, retaliatory natures. Both expect to be obeyed.
Cersei's violence towards the singer even evokes Robert smashing the rubies off Rhaegar's armor at the Trident.

“Liar!” Cersei smashed the lute across the singer’s face so hard the painted wood exploded into shards and splinters. “Lord Orton, summon my guards and take this creature to the dungeons.”
Orton Merryweather’s face was damp with fear. “This . . . oh, infamy . . . he dared seduce the queen?”
“I fear it was the other way around, but he is a traitor all the same. Let him sing for Lord Qyburn.”
The Blue Bard went white. “No.” Blood dripped from his lip where the lute had torn it. “I never . . .” When Merryweather seized him by the arm, he screamed, “Mother have mercy, no.”
“I am not your mother,” Cersei told him.

Cersei retorts that she's not the Blue Bard's mother, before having Wat tortured out of jealousy of her step-daughter Margaery, who she thinks is the younger queen from Maggy's prophecy. This is clearly meant to reflect the story of Snow White, in which her vain and wicked step-mother is told by a magic mirror that the princess is more beautiful, leading her to send a huntsman to kill her. He takes Snow White into the deep of the wood but lets her flee, presenting a boar's heart to the evil queen instead. Similarly, Robert is a huntsman who is killed by a boar, with the aid of strongwine supplied by Cersei.

Dorcas put a silver looking glass into her hand. Very good, the queen thought, smiling at her reflection.

- A Feast for Crows Cersei V
I've previously argued that the queen of love and beauty's laurel at Harrenhal was actually formed from white roses and mistaken as pale blue like frost in shadow. "The Blue Bard went white" is just one of many pieces of text that foreshadows this reveal. Azor Ahai forges Lightbringer, so it makes sense that solutions to major mysteries would involve light phenomena.

Even in the black cells, all they got from him were denials, prayers, and pleas for mercy. Before long, blood was streaming down his chin from all his broken teeth, and he wet his dark blue breeches three times over, yet still the man persisted in his lies. “Is it possible we have the wrong singer?” Cersei asked.
“All things are possible, Your Grace. Have no fear. The man will confess before the night is done.” Down here in the dungeons, Qyburn wore roughspun wool and a blacksmith’s leather apron. To the Blue Bard he said, “I am sorry if the guards were rough with you. Their courtesies are sadly lacking.” His voice was kind, solicitous. “All we want from you is the truth.”
“I’ve told you the truth,” the singer sobbed. Iron shackles held him hard against the cold stone wall.
“We know better.” Qyburn had a razor in his hand, its edge gleaming faintly in the torchlight. He cut away the Blue Bard’s clothing, until the man was naked but for his high blue boots. The hair between his legs was brown, Cersei was amused to see. “Tell us how you pleasured the little queen,” she commanded.

vs.

There was a faint blue shimmer to the thing, a ghost-light that played around its edges, and somehow Will knew it was sharper than any razor.

- A Game of Thrones Prologue
Qyburn slices off the Blue Bard's nipple and the wet red eye weeps blood... Margaery may favor his music, but it's obvious they did not have a sexual relationship. Lyanna also was moved to tears by Rhaegar's music, but that doesn't mean she desired him. This series is called A Song of Ice & Fire, so it's appropriate to hide major clues to its most important mysteries in a singer's tale.

“I never . . . I sang, was all, I sang and played. Her ladies will tell you. They were always with us. Her cousins.”
“How many of them did you have carnal knowledge of?”
“None of them. I’m just a singer. Please.”
Qyburn said, “Your Grace, mayhaps this poor man only played for Margaery whilst she entertained other lovers.”
Lord Qyburn ran a hand up the Blue Bard’s chest. “Does she take your nipples in her mouth during your love play?” He took one between his thumb and forefinger, and twisted. “Some men enjoy that. Their nipples are as sensitive as a woman’s.” The razor flashed, the singer shrieked. On his chest a wet red eye wept blood. Cersei felt ill. Part of her wanted to close her eyes, to turn away, to make it stop. But she was the queen and this was treason. Lord Tywin would not have turned away.

vs.

The dragon prince sang a song so sad it made the wolf maid sniffle, but when her pup brother teased her for crying she poured wine over his head.

- A Storm of Swords Bran II
Like Cersei mentally distorts reality to believe Margaery seduced the Blue Bard, it's easy to imagine Robert convincing himself that Lyanna tempted Rhaegar, to try to make sense of the insult at Harrenhal:

In the end the Blue Bard told them his whole life, back to his first name day. His father had been a chandler and Wat was raised to that trade, but as a boy he found he had more skill at making lutes than barrels. When he was twelve he ran off to join a troupe of musicians he had heard performing at a fair. He had wandered half the Reach before coming to King’s Landing in hopes of finding favor at court.
“Favor?” Qyburn chuckled. “Is that what women call it now? I fear you found too much of it, my friend . . . and from the wrong queen. The true one stands before you.”
Yes. Cersei Robert blamed Margaery Tyrell Lyanna for this. If not for her, Wat Rhaegar might have lived a long and fruitful life, singing his little songs and bedding pig girls princesses and crofter’s lord’s daughters. Her scheming forced this on me. She has soiled me with her treachery.

Cersei urges the Blue Bard to recant certain accusations, reinforcing the fact that people of means have privileges, a theme of King Robert's reign:

"Not true, Your Grace," protested a wispy young man who must have been Caswell. "What is mine is yours."
"Whenever someone said that to my brother Robert, he took them at their word," Renly said.
"Do you have daughters?"
"Yes, Your Grace. Two."
"Then thank the gods that I am not Robert. My sweet queen is all the woman I desire." Renly held out his hand to help Margaery to her feet. "We'll talk again when you've had a chance to refresh yourself, Lady Catelyn."

- A Clash of Kings Catelyn II
vs.

By dawn the singer’s high blue boots were full of blood, and he had told them how Margaery would fondle herself as she watched her cousins pleasuring him with their mouths. At other times he would sing for her whilst she sated her lusts with other lovers. “Who were they?” the queen demanded, and the wretched Wat named Ser Tallad the Tall, Lambert Turnberry, Jalabhar Xho, the Redwyne twins, Osney Kettleblack, Hugh Clifton, and the Knight of Flowers.
That displeased her. She dare not besmirch the name of the hero of Dragonstone. Besides, no one who knew Ser Loras would ever believe it. The Redwynes could not be a part of it either. Without the Arbor and its fleet, the realm could never hope to rid itself of this Euron Crow’s Eye and his accursed ironmen. “All you are doing is spitting up the names of men you saw about her chambers. We want the truth!”
“The truth.” Wat looked at her with the one blue eye that Qyburn had left him. Blood bubbled through the holes where his front teeth had been. “I might have . . . misremembered.”
“Horas and Hobber had no part of this, did they?”
“No,” he admitted. “Not them.”
“As for Ser Loras, I am certain Margaery took pains to hide what she was doing from her brother.”
“She did. I remember now. Once I had to hide under the bed when Ser Loras came to see her. He must never know, she said.”

The previous line draws attention to a gaping hole in the Rhaegar red herring: Rhaegar believed his children by Elia were heads of the dragon, his son Aegon the prince that was promised, and yet he allegedly left three Kingsguard with Lyanna while leaving none to protect his other children. He also failed to explain their disappearance, when doing so would have gone a long way towards keeping his and Lyanna's families alive.

“I am not lying. Ser Amory dragged Princess Rhaenys out from under her father’s bed and stabbed her to death. He had some men-at-arms with him, but I do not know their names.” He leaned forward. “It was Ser Gregor Clegane who smashed Prince Aegon’s head against a wall and raped your sister Elia with his blood and brains still on his hands.”

- A Storm of Swords Tyrion IX
Wat is kept in the black cells and given milk of the poppy for his pain. He is told by Cersei that he can take the black if he lies sufficiently, so he continues to lie when the Faith gets ahold of and also tortures him. Ned was likewise kept in the black cells, feverish from his broken leg but denied milk of the poppy, then was given a similar deal, the black in exchange for lying and dishonoring himself, before being beheaded on the steps of the Sept of Baelor.

“I prefer this song to the other.” Leave the great lords out of it, that was for the best. The others, though . . . Ser Tallad had been a hedge knight, Jalabhar Xho was an exile and a beggar, Clifton was the only one of the little queen’s guardsman. And Osney is the plum that makes the pudding. “I know you feel better for having told the truth. You will want to remember that when Margaery comes to trial. If you were to start lying again . . .”
“I won’t. I’ll tell it true. And after . . .”
“. . . you will be allowed to take the black. You have my word on that.” Cersei turned to Qyburn. “See that his wounds are cleaned and dressed, and give him milk of the poppy for the pain.”
“Your Grace is good.” Qyburn dropped the bloody razor into a pail of vinegar. “Margaery may wonder where her bard has gone.”
“Singers come and go, they are infamous for it.”
The climb up the dark stone steps from the black cells left Cersei feeling breathless. I must rest. Getting to the truth was wearisome work, and she dreaded what must follow. I must be strong. What I must do I do for Tommen and the realm. It was a pity that Maggy the Frog was dead. Piss on your prophecy, old woman. The little queen may be younger than I, but she has never been more beautiful, and soon she will be dead.

Ahem...

It rained all through that night, and come morning Ned, Lem, and Watty the Miller awoke with chills. Watty could not keep his breakfast down, and young Ned was feverish and shivering by turns, with skin clammy to the touch.

- A Storm of Swords Arya VIII
Of interest, the only time our author's name appears in the canon is applied to Lord Confessor George Graceford, a notorious torturer during the reign of Aegon III who had a knack for extracting false confessions. Because of this, and in light of mirrored text during Qyburn's torture of the Blue Bard, surely this scene is of utmost importance in unravelling hidden truths.
Like Cersei with the Blue Bard, Robert may have wanted to witness the torture of Rhaegar. Previously, we saw indications that Rhaegar and/or his companions were held in Ghaston Grey, the Alcatraz-style island prison in the Sea of Dorne. Yet it's also possible Rhaegar was held for a time on the mainland, perhaps at Summerhall or even Storm's End, where Robert lingered while trying to consolidate his military power:

The king's voice was thick with anger. "My brother had a gift for inspiring loyalty. Even in his foes. At Summerhall he won three battles in a single day, and brought Lords Grandison and Cafferen back to Storm's End as prisoners. He hung their banners in the hall as trophies. Cafferen's white fawns were spotted with blood and Grandison's sleeping lion was torn near in two. Yet they would sit beneath those banners of a night, drinking and feasting with Robert. He even took them hunting. 'These men meant to deliver you to Aerys to be burned,' I told him after I saw them throwing axes in the yard. 'You should not be putting axes in their hands.' Robert only laughed. I would have thrown Grandison and Cafferen into a dungeon, but he turned them into friends. Lord Cafferen died at Ashford Castle, cut down by Randyll Tarly whilst fighting for Robert. Lord Grandison was wounded on the Trident and died of it a year after. My brother made them love him, but it would seem that I inspire only betrayal. Even in mine own blood and kin. Brother, grandfather, cousins, good uncle . . ."

- A Storm of Swords Davos IV
In testament to how easy it is to be duped into supporting conflicts based on lies, just as Robert and his allies garnered support for the rebellion based on malicious propaganda, consider this fact about the film The Rock, set at Alcatraz:

A scene from the film was the basis for incorrect and false descriptions of the Iraqi chemical weapons program. Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service was led to believe Saddam Hussein was continuing to produce weapons of mass destruction by a false agent who based his reports on the movie the false claims of weapons of mass destruction were the justification for UK’s entering the war.)

Video: The Rock - Ranger Bob
Going forward, we'll continue the examination of evidence that Robert Baratheon truly earned his moniker the Demon of the Trident, showing that he went along with a deceptive plot to overthrow the Targaryen dynasty, and even raped Lyanna after his loss at Ashford. We will then conclude by examining Ned's inner turmoil, indicting his best friend and king. To preview where this series is headed, in its full audio/visual glory with greater detail, look here.

QHAPAC ÑAN The Great Inca Trail 🔘Talking about the Qhapac Ñan is not only discovering the high level of organization that the Incas possessed, but also understanding how through routes and paths they were able to expand over one of the most rugged geographies in the world. Thanks to this "great Inca road" -as its translation from Quechua into Spanish is-, the empire was able to carry out trade and the administration of its domains.
This road network linked the entire Tahuantinsuyo through the current territories of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, crossing deserts, agricultural areas, mountain ranges and swamps. All the routes started from Cusco. The most important of them is the one that went in the direction of Quito, the current capital of Ecuador.
According to historians, the Qhapaq Ñan meant the basis of Inca political expansion, since it allowed the rapid mobilization of armies and state officials. In addition, it facilitated the transport of valuable resources, such as metals, spondylus shells, wood, coca leaves, and textiles.
The tambos, enclosures that were used as shelters and warehouses, were arranged along the roads to allow travelers to rest and store their belongings. They were usually rectangular in shape and divided into several independent spaces. There were tambos of different sizes: the largest had residential rooms, plazas, and warehouses, and were used to house the Inca and his entourage. The smaller ones served as an inn for the chasquis, who were messengers of the Tahuantinsuyo.
The construction of bridges was also decisive for the Qhapaq Ñan, because thanks to these, the Incas were able to cross slopes, rivers and, in general, a rugged Andean geography. Some of these platforms were built with stones and others with wood. There were also suspension bridges that were built with vegetable fibers, as is the case of the Q'eswachaka, considered the last Inca bridge that remains in force until today.
The Incas were not the only ones who built roads to unite their territories. Many of the routes that they used and integrated into their road system were built by the cultures that preceded them. According to scholars, these roads were exclusively local and linked sacred centers or huacas with small towns.
Some archaeological complexes of the Wari culture, such as Piquillacta, for example, had important road systems. Other evidence of pre-Inca roads is found in the Moche Valley, on the north coast of Peru, and in Lima, where roads were built on both banks of the Chillón River, in Pachacámac, and in the Cañete River valley. These roads were crossed by others that reached the Andean areas, and even the Amazon.

tourleadersperu #incatrail

This fanfic is intended to take place some time around late volume 6, and involves a lot of thoughts I've had on the Antinium and their situation in Liscor. I hope it's enjoyable.
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There were many quirks and oddities that surrounded the Wandering Inn, open secrets that could only be called ‘rumours’ because most didn’t believe them at first. Perhaps ‘attractions’ was a better word, people and connections and events and things that made the place much more than a simple inn. The [Princess] helping manage the place, for instance, who was really quite bad at lying if you caught her by surprise with the question. The [Garden of Sanctuary], which wasn’t open to just any random person who walked in, but they’d at least let you look through the door if you asked. The weight-lifting room, which had a clientele all of its own separate from the inn’s regular group of customers, muscular Drakes and Humans who talked about ‘feeling the burn’ and listed off numbers that were inscrutable to outsiders.
There was one tradition, one kind of event, that was older than most of the others though. Even through the Wandering Inn’s destruction, and then its second destruction, it had persisted. To the regulars of the place, it barely even passed the bar of noteworthiness anymore, because really, what was so special about another band of Antinium visiting the inn?
Still, they came, Workers and Soldiers who had never seen the sky before, newly hatched or older (though almost all of the old ones had been at least once by now), led by Klbkch, just as he had that first time. The task was no longer his responsibility, as most of the Painted Antinium would’ve been capable of handling it, and it seemed like he couldn’t walk in the Hive these days without tripping over more individuals. But when he was off from [Guardsman] duty, and the Free Queen didn’t require his presence, and he was thinking of going up to the inn anyway, well. Even to an old soul like him, there was something charming about watching young Antinium look around in awe, before gobbling down the acid flies they were given so fast they sometimes choked.
Erin came over as he entered with the latest group, mostly Workers this time, and they exchanged greetings. But she quickly went to busy herself with the new arrivals, which was fine by him. He stood and watched as she seated the Workers at their own table and explained the basic concept of a menu to them, how they could choose which of the food items they wanted. One of them asked which was the most nutritionally optimal, and she decided to give up on the menu for a moment and ordered them a large bowl of flies as an appetiser, which was another concept she had to explain.
The inn wasn’t particularly packed today, but most of the tables were occupied, and Klbkch ended up finding himself a seat opposite Menolit. The Drake seemed oddly reserved as he drank from a mug, only glancing up as the Antinium approached.
“May I?”
Menolit nodded, and Klbkch sat down. He caught Ishkr’s eye from across the room, the [Head Waiter] waving to let him know his usual order would arrive soon: A plate stacked with bacon, topped with whatever spices and chilis the kitchen had on hand. It was nice to be in a place where people knew you.
As he waited, he noticed Menolit gazing in Erin’s direction, watching her put the Antinium at ease. Without any prelude, the Drake spoke.
“It really is something. She’s done a lot for you bugs, hasn’t she? Helped you turn over a whole new leaf.”
There was a slight slur to his speech. Only a small dulling on the edges of his words, but still, it was there. Klbkch’s voice was mild and polite as he gave the Drake his attention.
“Erin has indeed been helpful in socialising Workers and Soldiers. We owe much to her.”
“You know, one of your Workers actually apologised for bumping into me the other day. Can’t imagine that happening a few years ago. More likely to stand in the way of a cart and get run over.”
Menolit snorted, before raising the mug to his mouth. Klbkch didn’t react.
“I recall several events of that nature, yes. The rate has thankfully declined.”
“Do you remember, when your Hive first moved in, we thought you’d all crawl out of the sewers and stab us while we slept?”
He spoke as if it was simply an embarrassing misunderstanding, an instance of confusion he looked back on with humour. But he refused to meet the Antinium’s eyes as he drank from his cup once more, and it occurred to Klbkch that he had never really spoken to Menolit much before. The [Veteran] stayed out of trouble, and while they were both regulars of the Wandering Inn, their paths didn’t overlap often.
Many people were interested in talking to the Slayer, the Relevantor of the Free Hive, about the Antinium and their past, and he was used to how such conversations went. He was used to barely-disguised hatred, or curiosity, or the guarded respect one had for a potential enemy. But he wouldn’t have expected such things from the inn’s regular clientele. This felt different.
“I recall. The suspicion was quite understandable, at the time, but I am glad that we are past that now.”
Menolit sighed, pressing his palm into his forehead as he looked down at the wood, idly tapping his cup on its surface. His eyes flicked to Klbkch, then away again to Erin, who was introducing the Antinium to the fun idea of throwing food at each other and catching it in your mouth, with limited success.
“Ten years. Or… just one, really. That’s all it took. The mighty Black Tide…”
He seemed to be half-talking to himself, and Klbkch was unsure if a response was warranted. Thankfully, any awkwardness was rescued when Ishkr came by their table, dropping off the plate of bacon, as well as a small serving of fries for Menolit. He moved without stopping, already turning to attend to another table, until the Drake called him back.
“Another fill-up, Ishkr?” He raised his mug, and the Gnoll frowned for a moment. But he took it anyway, and within a minute it was back in Menolit’s claws, filled with foamy amber liquid.
Nothing but the sound of eating passed between them for a short while, chewing and crunching as they enjoyed the delights of unhealthy cooking. Klbkch estimated that it would be at least half an hour before the Antinium were ready to leave, which left him plenty of time to make his rounds in the inn and get some advice. Liscor’s Watch had recently acquired a collection of chess sets, allegedly to help train more [Tactician]-type classes that the city could use, and the more competitive [Guards] had taken to playing matches against each other. Klbkch liked to figure himself as having a modicum of skill at the game, but when Beilmark had lanced through his formation while losing less than half of her own pieces, he’d had to admit he’d gotten a bit rusty. Perhaps a game or two against Palt, or Pisces, or… probably not Bird, would help refresh his understanding--
Menolit grunted, clearing his throat in that way people did when they wanted to pretend they didn’t have something to say. Klbkch pushed aside his plate, and waited patiently for the question to come.
“You lot came from Rhir, didn’t you?”
“That is correct.”
“I remember hearing about you, decades ago.” Menolit leaned forwards, as if trying to see something in Klbkch’s insectile eyes, before sitting backwards again. “Rumours from returning soldiers, about black-shelled monsters that dug up beneath your feet. I thought they were just stories. You can’t believe half the things you hear about that bloody continent.”
‘Bloody’ was right, Klbkch thought. And half the things he knew would’ve made Menolit fall right out of his chair. Hidden truths worth fighting a war over.
“I believe that many people would do well to give Rhir more attention than it receives.”
“Oh? Why’s that?”
“It is important.”
The Drake waited, until it became apparent that was all Klbkch had to say on the matter. He exhaled with frustration, taking a sip from his cup as he glared at the Antinium. A nearby Drake working under Chaldion lowered his notebook in disappointment.
“While I do not mind conversing with you on trivial matters, I am sure you understand there are certain topics that I am not at liberty to discuss in detail,” Klbkch continued. Menolit rolled his eyes, and his words came out slowly.
“You’ve got a lot of secrets, don’t you. Been living under our tails for the past decade, you’d think we’d know more about you. Don’t even know what your damn Hive looks like.”
Klbkch was once more struck by that odd feeling. It was as if he was a newcomer to the city again, bearing the enmity and distrust of a species on his back. He almost felt… insulted? No, absolutely not, he hadn’t gotten that soft over the last year. But it was certainly bizarre to encounter such a thing in the Wandering Inn. If nothing else, he was surprised that Erin hadn’t thrown Menolit out yet, if he was truly like this. And if not, then where was this coming from?
Klbkch spread his arms reassuringly. “Well, I am right here. Do you have any pressing questions you wish to ask? I promise to be truthful, as long as the answers are not confidential.”
Menolit waved a hand in the air, dismissing Klbkch’s offer as he finished his cup. That was his second drink since Klbkch had come in, and he’d had at least one before that, the Antinium judged. His tongue was looser, now, yet the sense of dancing around what he wanted to talk about was more palpable than ever.
“I was enlisted, you know. In the first war. There was news about you bastards every week, killing Drakes, claiming more of our territory. I served under Sserys. I… wasn’t here, though. When he broke the Tide, turned you back. Stationed at some damn city in the south, too far to help.” He winced at the memory, but the shame was dulled, only there when he focused on it. “I was discharged from the army by the time the second one started. Still would’ve dropped everything and gone off to fight, but for my kids. Barely old enough to hold a coin, back then.”
He sounded shaky, emotional. But Klbkch spoke calmly, trying to put him at ease.
“I am certain your family is thankful, Menolit. It is a tragedy for children to lose their parents.”
“It sure is. But I don’t see how you’d know anything about that.”
Klbkch thought for a moment, before nodding at Menolit.
“That may be true. I am, however, well-versed in warfare. With your experience, you would have been a formidable soldier to face, so as a representative of the Antinium, allow me to thank you for not killing hundreds of our forces.”
The Drake’s face lit up, his frustration vanishing for a moment at the compliment.
“You really think I would’ve done that well? I mean, I reckon I could cut down at least a couple dozen of you buggers before you got me, but hundreds…”
It wasn’t even a lie, if you considered kills over the duration of a campaign, and not a single battle. Klbkch estimated Menolit’s [Veteran] class as being in the low 20’s, which made him more than capable of cutting through any single Worker or Solider. Even against a handful, he would’ve had a good chance. Of course, in a real war the Antinium would never use such small numbers, but that wasn’t worth mentioning.
The two were distracted at that moment, as were others, by an exclamation from Erin. Apparently, she’d just had a brilliant idea for a new invention, running off to grab something as the Antinium waited patiently. The inn held its breath, visitors eager to see what she would come up with this time, wondering what they would get the honour of seeing first, of being able to claim that they were ‘there’ when it happened. The [Innkeeper] returned with a spring in her step, her arms full of as many pillows as she could hold, and she explained her vision in two words.
“Cushioned seats!”
Everyone paused for a moment, before letting out the breath they’d been holding and went back to whatever they were doing. Someone explained to her that they already had those, if not ones you could buy cheaply, which dampened her mood slightly. Nevertheless, she walked back to the Antinium and began giving each one a pillow to sit on.
Menolit laughed, snorts of mirth he failed to stifle. As they came to an end, he shook his head, smiling ruefully.
“It really is something. Just a single Human. Who would’ve thought something like that was possible, before she arrived? You ever think about that, Klbkch? Where we’d still be, if Erin hadn’t mixed everything up?”
“I have considered such a hypothetical. I find it likely the status quo would be largely in it's prior state, though it is hard to imagine what differences there would’ve been in events such as the Humans’ attempt to conquer Liscor.”
“Sure, sure. We’d still be ignoring you in the streets, you’d still be… doing whatever you were doing before. But this is better, isn’t it?”
It was on the tip of Menolit’s tongue, now, something he still didn’t want to say directly. Frankly, Klbkch was getting curious as to just what exactly was burning the Drake up inside.
“Yes, I would say so. It has been a vastly beneficial change to both Liscor and the Hive.”
“It’s just… it makes you think. Makes me think, anyway. Because she’s, she’s special, that’s obvious.” He gestured at Erin, trying to encapsulate what she was and failing. He turned back to Klbkch, and his voice became quiet as he addressed the Antinium. “But… she didn’t have to be, did she?”
Menolit quickly raised his cup, staring at its emptiness for a moment before letting it slump back to the table.
“What do you mean?” Klbkch was almost certain he knew. But he wanted to be sure.
“She gave you food, and talked to you, and taught you chess. That’s all anyone could tell me.”
“And that was enough,” Klbkch said simply. Menolit’s face fell.
“There were no secrets? No…” He searched for words, groping for what he wanted to be the truth. “No rituals? No special key to fixing you?”
Klbkch stared at the Drake, who grew increasingly uncomfortable in his seat. Finally, the Antinium spoke, drawing out his words slowly.
“Is it strange to you that we respond well to kindness and understanding?”
Menolit shifted in place, gripping the table with his claws hard enough to leave marks. When he finally met the Antinium’s gaze, he smiled, as if his internal struggle had finally been resolved.
“I guess not. Maybe that’s what we should’ve done. Just invited you to have a tea party, gossiped about the neighbours, gave you some… soft chairs.” He laughed again, a throaty chuckle that transitioned to a cough part way through, before he spoke again. “That’s all it would’ve taken, eh, Klbkch? Tea and crumpets, like the [Ladies] do it?”
The Antinium stayed silent, but Menolit didn’t stop, standing up from his chair as his voice began to rise.
“Well it sure would’ve been nice to know that! Could’ve avoided a whole bloody war, if only we’d been nice, hah! Doesn’t that say a lot about Drakes? It was our fault for being bastards! Dead gods, of course it was!”
He slapped his forehead theatrically, as if stunned at the enormity of this realisation. People at nearby tables were starting to look over, and it wouldn’t be long before someone drew Erin’s attention. Quickly, Klbkch got to his feet, placing a hand on the Drake’s shoulder.
“I believe you have had too much to drink, Menolit. It would not do well for you to make a scene.”
The [Veteran] froze, though Klbkch hadn’t activated any Skills. He looked around the room, like he was just now noticing his fellow eaters’ presence. His breathing slowed, and he stepped back, wobbling slightly before catching his feet.
“Of course. Of course.” He grinned at the Antinium. “Good old [Guardsman] Klbkch, always there to keep the peace. Don’t you worry, sir. I’ll make sure this unruly fellow gets home before causing any trouble.”
Carefully, he turned to go, and the little bubble of silence that had surrounded them eroded as nearby people started up their conversations once more. But he muttered something under his breath as he left, bitter words Klbkch couldn’t help hearing.
“If you were people this whole damn time, why did you act like monsters…”
Slowly, Klbkch returned to his seat, finishing up the bacon that still remained on his plate. It didn’t taste quite as good, anymore.
He could understand Menolit’s feelings. Because indeed, the Antinium had been monsters, a scourge plaguing the lands of Izril, slaughtering the Drakes without mercy, without even communicating any terms beyond the message their destruction left behind. That had been the plan.
And it still was, in a sense. Not one they were actively pursuing right now. But every Hive, even the Free Queen’s, had a plan of action in place for if they decided that a war was the best course of action. Liscor knew this, and the Hive knew Liscor knew this, and it would be a short and bloody chess match if either side ever decided to move first. Despite that, people trusted the Antinium in their streets, and slept soundly with tunnels beneath their homes, and Klbkch liked that. He had little against Drakes personally, and would’ve contested the notion of an all-out war, if it had been put forward by one of the other Hives.
If, on the other hand, his kin in Rhir sent more forces? A fully-trained [Queen], another Centenium, even just Workers capable of forming a proper Unistasis Network might tip the balance against the Drakes. And if the order came to conquer Izril and transform it into the Hivelands, then he would lead the Black Tide once more, from the South to the North, until either New Landing or him had finally fallen. Because Rhir was important, and what they had to do there mattered more than anything else, and that was all there was to it. All of this-- and Klbkch looked around the inn, Liscor, his life for the two decades-- all of this, was just a distraction. Busywork. An attempt for shipwrecked Antinium to do something that might one day be actually helpful in their real fight. They’d tried taking over, and when the Drakes had proven too tough, they’d stopped, and it wouldn’t have made much of a difference whether they’d been welcomed with open arms or hunted down from the first sighting.
If a second fleet did come to pass, though, he’d still argue for an exception. The Painted Antinium, Pawn’s… religion, these were genuine developments, evidence demonstrating the potential that could result from cohabiting with a friendly populace. But Liscor would never, ever, go along with it, and the mental picture felt wrong, unable to exist in reality. What Drake could possibly tolerate the rest of their species being overrun and slain, allowed to live in a single city so long as they kept having ‘interesting interactions’ with their new [Lords]? Every Drake he knew would rather fight, than let themselves be reduced to mere pets. And so they would die.
A memory rose unbidden in Klbkch’s mind, of Relc winking at him, and the Antinium flinched, before relaxing once more. He didn’t think about such things often, even if they were always held in the back of his mind. It was… unpleasant. Relc and Erin had never asked questions along such lines, and he hoped they never would.
Looking over, Klbkch saw the young Antinium sitting on their pillows, pouring over the menu that finally made sense to them. The [Innkeeper] was there, answering their questions (she’d apparently told them to raise their hands when they had something to ask, which had led to a short arms-race of one, then two, then three, then all four limbs being raised as they tried to get her attention first). But that wasn’t all. One member of the group had wandered over to sit with Olesm, who was explaining the rules to a game that astonishingly, wasn’t chess. Another, shorter one (some error in the birthing pod had stunted his growth, though he was still as strong as a regular Worker) was rolling a ball back and forth with Mrsha and a Drake child Klbkch didn’t recall the name of.
He would agree in a heartbeat that Erin was special. The closest person he knew to her was Xrn, and Erin was not like Xrn. But there had been something to Menolit’s words, Klbkch felt. Because if she had never arrived in Liscor, if things had gone on the way they had been, he could still imagine that years in the future, perhaps there would’ve been a young Drake with open-minded parents, who hadn’t witnessed the Antinium Wars herself. Who’d seen the ants working in the streets, and met the nice and friendly [Guardsman] Klbkch. And maybe one day, she’d have given them food, and talked to them, and played some kind of game with them, and it all would’ve happened anyway, if a little differently.
Or maybe not. Drakes could be bastards, after all. Still, he liked to believe something along those lines, or else he never would’ve come to Liscor in the first place.
Standing from his seat, he went to pay for both his and Menolit’s orders, before going off to find a chess set. Beilmark wouldn’t know what hit her.
​
​
(Truthfully, I doubt Menolit would actually say the kinds of things he does here. But I do think there would be some Drakes who think along these lines, after spending time in the Wandering Inn.)

so for some reason I have kitchen and bedroom containers empty. no items at all, no matter how many containers I searched. I'm quite sure this is a mod issue, but I just don't know what mod could cause that. any help?
mods loaded:

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ForagingZ, mod = FortKnoxLinked, mod = FORTREDSTONE, mod = Fort Rock Ridge, mod = Fort Waterfront, mod = GreenHellCommunityCenter, mod = InGameMaps, mod = InGameMaps\_Vanilla, mod = InGameMaps\_WestPointExpansion, mod = WestPointExpansion, mod = InGameMaps\_EerieCountry, mod = InGameMaps\_FortKnoxLinked, mod = InGameMaps\_FortKnoxRoad, mod = FortKnoxRoad, mod = InGameMaps\_FortRedstone, mod = Lighthousematrioshka, mod = Insurgent, mod = LincolnRegionalAirport, mod = LouisvilleBridgeSpawn, mod = Louisville\_Quarantine\_Zone, mod = metro, mod = military fuel depot, mod = MonkeysStartScenarioBase, mod = MonkeysStartScenarioBikerBackwardsCompatibilityPatch, mod = MuldraughCheckpoint, mod = OccupiedLouisvilleSpawnpoints12, mod = Otr, mod = OtrSR, mod = RV\_Interior\_MP, mod = RabbitHashKY, mod = RavenCreek, mod = SpawnsRC, mod = rbr, mod = rbrA2, mod = Riverwood, mod = RMH, mod = RosewoodVHSGunStores, mod = Sailors - Custom Spawn Mod -, mod = SaveOurStation\_KnoxCountry, mod = SecretZ\_v3, 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AZAGRAFFITI, mod = VISIBLE\_BACKPACK\_BACKGROUND, mod = BarricadeHurtZombies, mod = BarricadedWorld, mod = BatteryJumpstarter, mod = BetterFlashlights, mod = bettermasks, mod = bettermasks\_WMPatch, mod = WorkingMasks, mod = Better crowbar, mod = BetterSortCC, mod = Betterhandwash, mod = BB\_Cammo, mod = BB\_Utils, mod = BreakIntoTears, mod = ddBritaSoundFix, mod = BritaModelTweak, mod = Brita\_2, mod = BritasArmor\_Rig\_PawPaw\_Patch, mod = Brita, mod = DJ\_BritaPatch, mod = TheWorkshop(new version), mod = VOICE\_FRAMEWORK, mod = BuildOneByOne, mod = pz-bzoukhotbar, mod = bcUtils, mod = CAV\_Brawler, mod = Camo Netting, mod = CanteensAndBottles, mod = CDOI, mod = ChevalDeFrise, mod = Chloe Price, mod = ChristmasTime, mod = claimSH, mod = cleanashes, mod = MoreCLR\_desc4mood, mod = ClothesBoxRedux, mod = ClothingPreset, mod = BB\_CommonSense, mod = isoContainers, mod = ContainmentOperator\_Profession, mod = CraftHelperContinued, mod = MetalDrumRainCollector, mod = 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mod = MoarCanOpeners, mod = modoptions, mod = MoodleDog, mod = MoodleFramework, mod = MonkeysStartScenarioJaap, mod = MonkeysStartScenarioRV, mod = FRUsedCars, mod = MonkeysStartScenarioBikerAutoTsarMotorclub, mod = MoreBuilds, mod = More Builds Plus, mod = More Gloves, mod = MMS, mod = MoreMaps, mod = mccsMod, mod = MusicfortheEndOP, mod = MusicfortheEndEX, mod = DDU\_NamedMaps, mod = necoarcmask, mod = NepBatteryColor, mod = NepEngineColor, mod = newcontainers, mod = Anim\_HandTorch, mod = M998NH, mod = NightVisionChucked, mod = eris\_nightvision\_goggles, mod = NVG, mod = NVAPI, mod = nattachments, mod = noirrsling, mod = OutTheWindow, mod = PaddedArmor, mod = PwSleepingbags, mod = PLLoot, mod = HarmonicaLS, mod = MilPoncho, mod = postapoc\_occupations, mod = projcardz, mod = PushFurniture, mod = RCExplosivesZ, mod = RDC\_Z777, mod = RainCleansBlood, mod = RainWash, mod = ReactiveSoundEvents, mod = RealShoulderHolsters, mod = RebalancedPropMoving, mod = ReloadAllMagazines, mod = 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WorkingVending, mod = YakiHSBasegameTexture, mod = YakiHS, mod = YouDriveISleep, mod = ZRemoteDoorControlSystemUIVol1, mod = VaccinDrReapers, mod = addTrailerHome\_RV\_Interior\_MP, mod = ahzbritagrayskins, mod = clothesboxskirtmeshfix, mod = errorMagnifier, mod = ezDirt, mod = sDayZ.MinimalDisplayBars, mod = uaz2206, mod = zReBetterLockpicking, mod = QNW\_Ladder, mod = QNW\_QNWLibrary, mod = Mirror\_avator, mod = BetterMakeup, mod = Replace Bandage, 

203 AC
Mermaid's Palace
Icy snow pelted against the tightly shut windows as if in a mad fury to find any semblance left of warmth and utterly snuff it out. Talla had experienced winter before, but never anything of this magnitude and strength. Not even the maesters had an explanation why the Arbor of all places suffered an onslaught of snow and cold. Still, the shiver that rippled down the woman’s spine proved the weather’s victory in taking over the warmth. Talla pulled her cloak tighter against her body as yet another shiver rocked throughout her while she wiped away another of a seemingly never-ending amount of tears. For two months now Talla had cried and on those days in which she felt as if she would get better, she’d hear her father’s voice again, repeating the same cursing shouts that were thrown against each other and the tears would return just as strong as the first day the news broke.
A series of knocks would ring out against her door moments before a handful of servants spilled into her solar. Talla stared at them all with no emotion hidden behind her bloodshot eyes, nor did she say anything as her handmaidens began lightly running combs through her messy hair. Only when Santolhal meandered in behind the servants did Talla’s stoic face crack into the slightest of smiles. His gaze ran over his wife, from head to toe, with the usual quiet and intentional look of his. Talla held her small smile as he nodded to her once in approval.
“The lady will be ready in an hour, m’lord.” A maid spoke, an elderly woman that was obviously in charge of the others.
Santolhal turned towards the woman, nodded once, then flashed a final glance towards his wife before leaving the solar.
Lowton
Just as predicted, an hour later the noble couple were making their appearances on the streets of Lowton. Though the stockpiles of food had prevented much devastation and famine, the people of Lowton still suffered greatly and it was an unusual and highly surprising suggestion of Santolhal’s to make their presence known amongst those lower born.
Talla did her duty, the loyal wife that she was, and survived these trips, hiding her cries and sadness behind practiced faux smiles and warm greetings. Her thick woolen cloak was constantly held close to her body with red strings laced with golden flakes; Talla’s wealth would be obvious as ever despite such a utilitarian garb, the clothes covering the wool dyed heavily in sea-greens and silvers. Even in the cloudy and snowy gloom of the winter weather, Talla would stand out amongst any crowd simply by the color of her fiery hair alone.
“My Lord!” A well dressed man called out as they approached the couple in an obvious hurry, stopped only by the firm hand of an armored guard. “My lady,” The man set his focus to Talla, “Your brother, he’s here, and he’s looking for you!”
Talla’s face paled even under the makeup she wore and the flushed freezing skin. She glanced at Santolhal for only a moment before answering the man, “Bring him here, now.” Talla ordered without hesitation or waiting for any approval from Santolhal.
When Ryam would be led through the city, in whatever shape he may be, he and whoever he might have traveled with would be led into a comfortable inn only recently deserted as Talla paid for any within to leave immediately.

Hi! I have assembled a modlist together of mods I want to use and I have used MO2 and LOOT and everything I have read. It was working fine for awhile but I removed RSchildren because it wasn't working properly and all the children faces looked weird and stretched out, so I replaced it with simplechildren. Now, instead of weird children it doesn't open at all but loads the main menu forever. Any help would be nice! Here is my load order from LOOT. I am on the latest version of AE, btw.
0 0 Skyrim.esm 1 1 Update.esm 2 2 Dawnguard.esm 3 3 HearthFires.esm 4 4 Dragonborn.esm 5 5 ccasvsse001-almsivi.esm 6 6 ccbgssse001-fish.esm254 FE 0 ccbgssse002-exoticarrows.esl254 FE 1 ccbgssse003-zombies.esl254 FE 2 ccbgssse004-ruinsedge.esl254 FE 3 ccbgssse005-goldbrand.esl254 FE 4 ccbgssse006-stendarshammer.esl254 FE 5 ccbgssse007-chrysamere.esl254 FE 6 ccbgssse010-petdwarvenarmoredmudcrab.esl254 FE 7 ccbgssse011-hrsarmrelvn.esl254 FE 8 ccbgssse012-hrsarmrstl.esl254 FE 9 ccbgssse014-spellpack01.esl254 FE a ccbgssse019-staffofsheogorath.esl254 FE b ccbgssse020-graycowl.esl254 FE c ccbgssse021-lordsmail.esl254 FE d ccmtysse001-knightsofthenine.esl254 FE e ccqdrsse001-survivalmode.esl 7 7 cctwbsse001-puzzledungeon.esm 8 8 cceejsse001-hstead.esm254 FE f ccqdrsse002-firewood.esl254 FE 10 ccbgssse018-shadowrend.esl254 FE 11 ccbgssse035-petnhound.esl254 FE 12 ccfsvsse001-backpacks.esl254 FE 13 cceejsse002-tower.esl254 FE 14 ccedhsse001-norjewel.esl254 FE 15 ccvsvsse002-pets.esl254 FE 16 ccbgssse037-curios.esl254 FE 17 ccbgssse034-mntuni.esl254 FE 18 ccbgssse045-hasedoki.esl254 FE 19 ccbgssse008-wraithguard.esl254 FE 1a ccbgssse036-petbwolf.esl254 FE 1b ccffbsse001-imperialdragon.esl254 FE 1c ccmtysse002-ve.esl254 FE 1d ccbgssse043-crosselv.esl254 FE 1e ccvsvsse001-winter.esl254 FE 1f cceejsse003-hollow.esl 9 9 ccbgssse016-umbra.esm 10 a ccbgssse031-advcyrus.esm254 FE 20 ccbgssse038-bowofshadows.esl254 FE 21 ccbgssse040-advobgobs.esl254 FE 22 ccbgssse050-ba_daedric.esl254 FE 23 ccbgssse052-ba_iron.esl254 FE 24 ccbgssse054-ba_orcish.esl254 FE 25 ccbgssse058-ba_steel.esl254 FE 26 ccbgssse059-ba_dragonplate.esl254 FE 27 ccbgssse061-ba_dwarven.esl254 FE 28 ccpewsse002-armsofchaos.esl254 FE 29 ccbgssse041-netchleather.esl254 FE 2a ccedhsse002-splkntset.esl254 FE 2b ccbgssse064-ba_elven.esl254 FE 2c ccbgssse063-ba_ebony.esl254 FE 2d ccbgssse062-ba_dwarvenmail.esl254 FE 2e ccbgssse060-ba_dragonscale.esl254 FE 2f ccbgssse056-ba_silver.esl254 FE 30 ccbgssse055-ba_orcishscaled.esl254 FE 31 ccbgssse053-ba_leather.esl254 FE 32 ccbgssse051-ba_daedricmail.esl254 FE 33 ccbgssse057-ba_stalhrim.esl254 FE 34 ccbgssse066-staves.esl 11 b ccbgssse067-daedinv.esm254 FE 35 ccbgssse068-bloodfall.esl254 FE 36 ccbgssse069-contest.esl254 FE 37 ccvsvsse003-necroarts.esl254 FE 38 ccvsvsse004-beafarmer.esl 12 c ccbgssse025-advdsgs.esm254 FE 39 ccffbsse002-crossbowpack.esl254 FE 3a ccbgssse013-dawnfang.esl254 FE 3b ccrmssse001-necrohouse.esl254 FE 3c ccedhsse003-redguard.esl254 FE 3d cceejsse004-hall.esl 13 d cceejsse005-cave.esm254 FE 3e cckrtsse001_altar.esl254 FE 3f cccbhsse001-gaunt.esl 14 e ccafdsse001-dwesanctuary.esm 15 f Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch.esp 16 10 Unofficial Skyrim Modders Patch.esp 17 11 LegacyoftheDragonborn.esm 18 12 JK's College of Winterhold.esp 19 13 3DNPC.esp 20 14 Skyrim Extended Cut - Saints and Seducers.esp 21 15 BSAssets.esm 22 16 Water for ENB.esm 23 17 BSHeartland.esm 24 18 BS_DLC_patch.esp 25 19 HammetDungeon01.esm254 FE 40 NoBrokenWhiterunTower.esp 26 1a RaceCompatibility.esm 27 1b Falskaar.esm 28 1c JSwordsD.esm 29 1d Gray Fox Cowl.esm 30 1e Vigilant.esm 31 1f WheelsOfLull.esp 32 20 Wyrmstooth.esp254 FE 41 EVGAnimatedTraversal.esl254 FE 42 TrueHUD.esl254 FE 43 SimpleChildren.esp 33 21 ImCh.esm 34 22 SkyUI_SE.esp 35 23 Audio Overhaul Skyrim.esp 36 24 SMIM-SE-Merged-All.esp 37 25 ELFX - Weathers.esp 38 26 TrueStormsSE.esp 39 27 Obsidian Weathers.esp 40 28 EnhancedLightsandFX.esp 41 29 ELFX - Exteriors.esp254 FE 44 ELFX Fixes.esp 42 2a Book Covers Skyrim.esp 43 2b JKs Skyrim.esp 44 2c Immersive Weapons.esp 45 2d AI Overhaul.esp 46 2e Cutting Room Floor.esp254 FE 45 JK's Understone Keep.esp254 FE 46 JK's The Bards College.esp254 FE 47 At Your Own Pace - Thieves Guild.esp 47 2f Race Compatibility Dialogue SSE.esp 48 30 Diversity - A Character Overhaul.esp 49 31 JKs_Skyrim_No_Lights_Patch.esp254 FE 48 JK's Castle Dour.esp 50 32 JK's Blue Palace.esp254 FE 49 JK's High Hrothgar.esp 51 33 DungeonsRevisited.esp254 FE 4a JK's Temple of the Divines.esp254 FE 4b JK's Sky Haven Temple.esp254 FE 4c JK's Arnleif and Sons Trading Company.esp254 FE 4d JK's Jorrvaskr.esp 52 34 Immersive Encounters.esp254 FE 4e JK's Mistveil Keep.esp254 FE 4f JK's Haelga's Bunkhouse.esp254 FE 50 JK's Temple of Mara.esp254 FE 51 JK's Palace of the Kings.esp254 FE 52 JK's Temple of Dibella.esp254 FE 53 JK's The Hag's Cure.esp 53 35 MoonAndStar_MAS.esp 54 36 Undeath.esp 55 37 Weapons Armor Clothing & Clutter Fixes.esp 56 38 WACCF_Armor and Clothing Extension.esp 57 39 Hothtrooper44_ArmorCompilation.esp 58 3a Point The Way.esp254 FE 54 JKs Sky Haven Temple - JKs Skyrim Patch.esp 59 3b UndeathFixes.esp 60 3c CRF - Lighting Overhaul.esp 61 3d ArcheryDummyXP.esp254 FE 55 JK's Sinderion's Field Laboratory.esp 62 3e SkyrimSewers.esp254 FE 56 JKs Bards College - Undeath - Sewers Patch.esp254 FE 57 JK's Dragonsreach.esp254 FE 58 JK's Silver-Blood Inn.esp 63 3f Stendarr Rising.esp254 FE 59 JK's Elgrims Elixirs.esp254 FE 5a JK's Bee and Barb.esp254 FE 5b JK's New Gnisis Cornerclub.esp254 FE 5c JK's The Pawned Prawn.esp254 FE 5d JKs Bards College - ELFX patch.esp 64 40 SkyrimsUniqueTreasures.esp 65 41 JKs Whiterun.esp254 FE 5e Diversity - CRF - AIO patch.esp 66 42 Guard Dialogue Overhaul.esp 67 43 PrvtI_HeavyArmory.esp 68 44 Dwarfsphere.esp254 FE 5f JK's Riverwood Trader.esp 69 45 Windhelm Docks Pathways SE.esp 70 46 JK's Riverwood.esp 71 47 TSR_TeldrynSerious.esp254 FE 60 JK's Radiant Raiment.esp254 FE 61 JKs Skyrim - AI Overhaul Patch.esp 72 48 Run For Your Lives.esp 73 49 Cloaks.esp 74 4a SL01AmuletsSkyrim.esp 75 4b VioLens SE.esp 76 4c Ultimate Dodge Mod.esp 77 4d DawnguardArsenal.esp 78 4e About Roggvir.esp254 FE 62 JK's The Bannered Mare.esp254 FE 63 JK's White Phial.esp 79 4f moonpath.esp 80 50 JRMoonpathtoElsweyrPatch.esp254 FE 64 At Your Own Pace - Companions.esp 81 51 fallentreebridgesSSE.esp 82 52 TreasureHunter.esp 83 53 WZOblivionArtifacts.esp254 FE 65 JK's Sleeping Giant Inn.esp254 FE 66 JK's Angelines Aromatics.esp254 FE 67 JK's Temple of Talos.esp254 FE 68 JK's Candlehearth Hall.esp254 FE 69 JK's The Ragged Flagon.esp254 FE 6a DBM_AmuletsOfSkyrim_Patch.esp254 FE 6b DBM_OblivionArtifacts_Patch.esp254 FE 6c At Your Own Pace - College of Winterhold.esp254 FE 6d JKs Temple of the Divines - ELFX Patch.esp 84 54 Trees in Cities.esp 85 55 konahrik_accoutrements.esp254 FE 6e JK's Septimus Signus's Outpost.esp254 FE 6f JK's Bits and Pieces.esp254 FE 70 JKs College of Winterhold - CRF Patch.esp254 FE 71 JK's Warmaiden's.esp254 FE 72 JK's Arcadia's Cauldron.esp 86 56 BGCollectables.esp 87 57 RBB Row Boats.esp254 FE 73 JK Skyrim Feat Trees In Cities 5in1 Patch v4_3.esp254 FE 74 DBM_BGCollectables_Patch.esp254 FE 75 DBM_AHO_Patch.esp254 FE 76 DBM_IW_Patch.esp254 FE 77 Complete NPC Overhaul - Argonians.esp254 FE 78 ECSS - Staff of Sheogorath Patch.esp 88 58 Fossilsyum.esp254 FE 79 JK's Sadris Used Wares.esp254 FE 7a JK's Temple of Kynareth.esp254 FE 7b JKs Castle Dour - ELFX Patch.esp254 FE 7c JKs College of Winterhold - AI Overhaul Patch.esp254 FE 7d JKs High Hrothgar - ELFX Patch.esp254 FE 7e JKs Jorrvaskr - ELFX Patch.esp254 FE 7f DBM_Vigilant_Patch.esp 89 59 Undriel_Ebongrove.esp 90 5a JK's Riverfall Cottage.esp 91 5b More Stagecoaches.esp 92 5c Immersive Patrols II.esp254 FE 80 DBM_ELFXExteriors_Patch.esp 93 5d ElysiumEstate.esp254 FE 81 AdditionalHearthfireDolls.esp254 FE 82 DBM_JKSkyrim_Patch.esp254 FE 83 Diversity-USSEP-CRF-update.esp 94 5e SaveTheBrotherhood.esp 95 5f ww_AlternateDBEnding.esp254 FE 84 DBM_CRF_Patch.esp254 FE 85 WACCF_Survival Mode_Patch.esp254 FE 86 DBM_WACCF_Patch.esp 96 60 Better Claws And Gauntlets.esp254 FE 87 Project ja-Kha'jay- Khajiit Diversity.esp254 FE 88 ECSS - Shadowrend Patch.esp254 FE 89 PaarthurnaxQuestExpansion.esp 97 61 ForgottenCity.esp 98 62 ktWeaponPackSE.esp254 FE 8a JKs Jorrvaskr - WACCF Patch.esp 99 63 PrvtIRoyalArmory.esp254 FE 8b DBM_RoyalArmory_Patch.esp254 FE 8c DBM_TreasureHunter_Patch.esp254 FE 8d DBM_JaysusSwords_Patch.esp254 FE 8e DBM_MAS_Patch.esp254 FE 8f DBM_Undeath_Patch.esp100 64 Missives.esp254 FE 90 DBM_KA_Patch.esp254 FE 91 DBM_Fossils_Patch.esp254 FE 92 3DNPC - MAS.esp254 FE 93 JKs Bannered Mare - ELFX patch.esp254 FE 94 SUDs.esp254 FE 95 JKs Castle Dour - CRF - Undeath Patch.esp254 FE 96 JK's Belethor's General Goods.esp254 FE 97 JKs Belethors General Goods - ELFX Patch.esp254 FE 98 DBM_SUT_Patch.esp254 FE 99 Falskaar - Bug Fixes.esp254 FE 9a DBM_Falskaar_Patch.esp254 FE 9b Windhelm Docks Pathways - 3DNPC Patch.esp254 FE 9c JKs The Drunken Huntsman.esp101 65 BooksOfSkyrim.esp254 FE 9d JKs Arnleif and Sons - ELFX Patch.esp254 FE 9e JKs Bee and Barb - ELFX patch.esp254 FE 9f JKs Sleeping Giant Inn - ELFX Patch.esp254 FE a0 treasure_hunt.esp254 FE a1 JKs Bee and Barb - 3DNPC Patch.esp254 FE a2 JKs College of Winterhold - WACCF patch.esp254 FE a3 JKs College of Winterhold - LOTD Patch.esp102 66 icebladeofthemonarch.esp254 FE a4 DBM_IceBladeMonarch_Patch.esp254 FE a5 DBM_Wyrmstooth_Patch.esp103 67 HearthfireMultiKid.esp254 FE a6 JKs New Gnisis Cornerclub - ELFX Patch.esp254 FE a7 JKs New Gnisis Cornerclub - 3DNPC Patch.esp254 FE a8 JKJ - 3DNPC.esp PrinceandPauper.esp254 FE a9 PrinceandPauperRefine.esp104 68 KhajiitChildren.esp254 FE aa JKs High Hrothgar - LOTD Patch.esp254 FE ab JKs Silver-Blood Inn - ELFX patch.esp254 FE ac JKs Silver-Blood Inn - Spell Knight Armor Patch.esp254 FE ad FacegenForKids.esp105 69 Kidmer - Adoptable Elf Children 1_2.esp254 FE ae AI Overhaul - Cutting Room Floor Patch.esp254 FE af DBM_JKBluePalace_Patch.esp254 FE b0 JKs Blue Palace - JKs Skyrim - LOTD Patch.esp106 6a DwemerSpectresLegendary.esp107 6b ArtifactsOfBoethiah.esp108 6c JK's SkyHaven Forge.esp254 FE b1 JKs Jorrvaskr - Skyrim Sewers Patch.esp254 FE b2 DBM_ArtifactsofBoethiah_Patch.esp254 FE b3 DBM_NewTreasureHunt_Patch.esp254 FE b4 DBM_TheGrayCowlofNocturnal_Patch.esp254 FE b5 DBM_WheelsofLull_Patch.esp254 FE b6 FossilMiningMapMarkers.esp254 FE b7 DBM_Missives_Patch.esp254 FE b8 MoonAndStar_Undeath_compat.esp109 6d Aymarandfriends.esp254 FE b9 3DNPC - Treasure Hunter Patch.esp254 FE ba Reverb Interior Sounds Expansion.esp254 FE bb AcousticTemplateFixes.esp254 FE bc JKs Bards College - AI Overhaul patch.esp254 FE bd JKs Castle Dour - USSEP patch.esp254 FE be 3DNPC - Vigilant Patch.esp254 FE bf 3DNPC0.esp254 FE c0 3DNPC1.esp254 FE c1 AcousticTemplateFixes_CC_Farming.esp254 FE c2 AcousticTemplateFixes_CC_Seducers_EC.esp254 FE c3 AcousticTemplateFixes_ReverbInteriorSounds.esp254 FE c4 AdditionalHFDollsPassivesPatch.esp110 6e AllGUD_IED.esp254 FE c5 Alternate Elytra Nymph Footstep Sounds - Mudcrab.esp254 FE c6 AlwaysPickUpBooks.esp254 FE c7 Animals Swim.esp111 6f AnimatedEatingRedux.esp254 FE c8 JKs Understone Keep - 3DNPC.esp254 FE c9 Bandit Lines Expansion.esp112 70 Better Claws And Gauntlets - Immersive Armors.esp113 71 Better Frost.esp114 72 BetterCraftedPotions.esp254 FE ca Buyable Home Patch - Elysium Estate.esp115 73 BuyableGoldenClaw.esp254 FE cb CarriageAndStableDialogues.esp116 74 Chesko_LoreBasedLoadingScreens.esp254 FE cc Civil War Lines Expansion.esp117 75 Cloaks - Dawnguard.esp118 76 Cloaks - USSEP Patch.esp254 FE cd CNPCO Argonians - CRF + AI Overhaul Patch.esp254 FE ce Conditional Expressions.esp119 77 CRF - ShieldSpellFXS Restore.esp254 FE cf DBM_AmuletOfKings.esp254 FE d0 fallenbridgesSSE-Patch.esp254 FE d1 JKs Palace of the Kings - Skyrim Sewers Patch.esp254 FE d2 JKs Blue Palace - Skyrim Sewers Patch.esp254 FE d3 JKs High Hrothgar - Amulets of Skyrim patch.esp120 78 Disable Combat Boundary.esp121 79 Don'tTalkWithYourMouthFull.esp254 FE d4 Dynamic Impact - Slash Effects X.esp254 FE d5 ECSS - Book Covers Skyrim Patch.esp254 FE d6 ECSS - Ruin's Edge Patch.esp254 FE d7 EVGConditionalIdles.esp122 7a First Person Horse Riding.esp123 7b FNIS.esp124 7c Footprints.esp254 FE d8 Forsworn and Thalmor Lines Expansion.esp125 7d Fullscreen Book and Item Zoom.esp254 FE d9 Gotobed-HearthFires-patch.esp254 FE da Gotobed.esp126 7e HalfKhajiit.esp127 7f HearthfireMultiKid_LastName.esp128 80 IdlePlayWheelMenu.esp129 81 iHUD.esp130 82 ImmersiveInteractions.esp254 FE db JKJ - AI Overhaul Patch.esp254 FE dc JKJ - BCaG for Ohmes Patch.esp254 FE dd JKJ - BMF Patch.esp254 FE de JKJ - Immersive Weapons Patch.esp254 FE df JKJ - Moonpath.esp254 FE e0 JSwords-ImmersiveWeaponsPatch.esp254 FE e1 KSHairdosSMP.esp254 FE e2 Missives - Solstheim.esp131 83 NameYourHorse.esp254 FE e3 NPCs React To Necromancy.esp254 FE e4 Ohmes-Raht - Additional Hair Colors.esp254 FE e5 Ohmes-Raht - Project ja-Kha'jay Patch.esp254 FE e6 Player Blink Fix.esp254 FE e7 Precision.esp254 FE e8 smp beast tail.esp254 FE e9 Project ja-Kha'jay - SMP Fluffy Tail Patch.esp254 FE ea PrvtI_HeavyArmory_WACCF_Patch.esp254 FE eb PrvtI_HeavyArmory_USSEP.esp254 FE ec PrvtI_HeavyArmory_WACCF_AOS.esp132 84 Race Compatibility Dialogue SSE - Bruma.esp133 85 Race Compatibility Dialogue SSE - Falskaar.esp134 86 Race Compatibility Dialogue SSE - Forgotten City.esp135 87 Race Compatibility Dialogue SSE - Interesting NPCs.esp136 88 RaceCompatibilityUSKPOverride.esp137 89 RaceMenu.esp138 8a RaceMenuPlugin.esp139 8b Realistic-Voice.esp254 FE ed Reverb Interior Sounds Expansion_VolumeSlider_Rain.esp254 FE ee Reverb Interior Sounds Expansion_VolumeSlider_Thunder.esp140 8c Runandwalkpaces.esp141 8d sandboxcylinderheight.esp254 FE ef SensibleBribes.esp142 8e SimplyKnock.esp254 FE f0 Simply Knock - Tower Stone Fix.esp254 FE f1 SkyrimMaiqReplacer.esp254 FE f2 Sleeping Expanded.esp254 FE f3 Smart_NPC_Potions.esp143 8f StrongVampArmor.esp144 90 ThematicLootLE.esp145 91 Thief skills rebalance for Ordinator.esp146 92 UIExtensions.esp254 FE f4 Use Those Blankets.esp254 FE f5 Vigilant Voiced.esp254 FE f6 WACCF_Armor and Clothing Extension_SPID.esp147 93 WetandCold.esp148 94 WetandCold - Fur Hoods Fix.esp254 FE f7 WetAndColdSPIDPatch.esp149 95 XPMSE.esp254 FE f8 TrueStormsSE_AOS.esp254 FE f9 Prvti_Fishing_DraugrWeapons.esp254 FE fa About Roggvir - JK's Palace of the Kings Patch.esp254 FE fb At Your Own Pace - Dark Brotherhood.esp254 FE fc At Your Own Pace - Main Quest.esp254 FE fd At Your Own Pace - Misc.esp150 96 Hothtrooper44_Armor_Ecksstra.esp254 FE fe JKs Sinderions Field Laboratory - CC - Fishing patch.esp254 FE ff JKs Sinderions Field Laboratory - ELFX patch.esp254 FE 100 JKs Angelines Aromatics - ELFX patch.esp254 FE 101 JKs Angelines Aromatics - USSEP Patch.esp254 FE 102 JKs Angelines Aromatics - AI Overhaul Patch.esp254 FE 103 JKs Arcadias Cauldron - ELFX Patch.esp254 FE 104 JKs Arcadias Cauldron - USSEP Patch.esp254 FE 105 JKs Arcadias Cauldron - Bow of Shadows Patch.esp254 FE 106 JKs Arcadias Cauldron - AI Overhaul Patch.esp254 FE 107 JKs Arnleif and Sons - LOTD Patch.esp254 FE 108 JKs Arnleif and Sons - AI Overhaul Patch.esp254 FE 109 JKs Arnleif and Sons - SUT Patch.esp254 FE 10a JKs Arnleif and Sons - Treasure Hunt Patch.esp254 FE 10b JKs Bannered Mare - Immersion Patch.esp254 FE 10c JKs Bards College - LOTD patch.esp254 FE 10d JKs Bards College - Book Covers Skyrim Patch.esp254 FE 10e JKs Bards College - 3DNPC patch.esp254 FE 10f JKs Bards College - ELFX Exteriors Patch.esp254 FE 110 JKs Bards College - Oblivion Artifacts patch.esp254 FE 111 JKs Bards College - SUT patch.esp254 FE 112 JKs Bee and Barb - AI Overhaul Patch.esp254 FE 113 JKs Bits and Pieces - ELFX Patch.esp254 FE 114 JKs Bits and Pieces - LOTD Patch.esp254 FE 115 JKs Bits and Pieces - USSEP Patch.esp254 FE 116 JKs Bits and Pieces - AI Overhaul Patch.esp254 FE 117 JKs Blue Palace - 3DNPC Patch.esp254 FE 118 JKs Blue Palace - AI Overhaul Patch.esp254 FE 119 JKs Blue Palace - Immersion Patch.esp254 FE 11a JKs Blue Palace - Amulets of Skyrim patch.esp254 FE 11b JKs Blue Palace - Royal Armory Replacer Patch.esp254 FE 11c JKs Blue Palace - SUT Patch.esp254 FE 11d JKs Candlehearth Hall - 3DNPC Patch.esp254 FE 11e JKs Candlehearth Hall - AI Overhaul Patch.esp254 FE 11f JKs Castle Dour - Cloaks of Skyrim patch.esp254 FE 120 JKs Castle Dour - LOTD patch.esp254 FE 121 JKs Castle Dour - Additional Hearthfire Dolls patch.esp254 FE 122 JKs Castle Dour - BCS patch.esp254 FE 123 JKs College of Winterhold - USSEP patch.esp254 FE 124 JKs College of Winterhold - 3DNPC Patch.esp254 FE 125 JKs College of Winterhold - Amulets of Skyrim patch.esp254 FE 126 JKs College of Winterhold - Cloaks Patch.esp254 FE 127 JKs College of Winterhold - ACE Patch.esp254 FE 128 JKs College of Winterhold - CC - Goldbrand Patch.esp254 FE 129 JKs College of Winterhold - Konahrik Accoutrements patch.esp254 FE 12a JKs College of Winterhold - SUT Patch.esp254 FE 12b JKs College of Winterhold - Thrones of Skyrim Patch.esp254 FE 12c JKs Dragonsreach - AI Overhaul.esp254 FE 12d JKs Dragonsreach - AYOP TG patch.esp254 FE 12e JKs Drunken Huntsman - ELFX Patch.esp254 FE 12f JKs Drunken Huntsman - Civil War Champions Patch.esp254 FE 130 JKs Drunken Huntsman - USSEP Patch.esp254 FE 131 JKs Elgrims Elixirs - Bee and Barb Patch.esp254 FE 132 JKs Elgrims Elixirs - ELFX Patch.esp254 FE 133 JKs Elgrims Elixirs - CRF Patch.esp254 FE 134 JKs Haelgas Bunkhouse - ELFX Patch.esp254 FE 135 JKs Haelgas Bunkhouse - 3DNPC Patch.esp254 FE 136 JKs Haelgas Bunkhouse - AI Overhaul patch.esp254 FE 137 JKs Hags Cure - ELFX Patch.esp254 FE 138 JKs Hags Cure - AI Overhaul Patch.esp254 FE 139 JKs Hags Cure - SUT Patch.esp254 FE 13a JKs High Hrothgar - Additional Hearthfire Dolls Patch.esp254 FE 13b JKs High Hrothgar - Cloaks of Skyrim patch.esp254 FE 13c JKs Jorrvaskr - AI Overhaul Patch.esp254 FE 13d JKs Jorrvaskr - Amulets of Skyrim patch.esp254 FE 13e JKs Jorrvaskr - LOTD patch.esp254 FE 13f JKs Mistveil Keep - ELFX Patch.esp254 FE 140 JKs Mistveil Keep - AYOP TG patch.esp254 FE 141 JKs Mistveil Keep - AI Overhaul Patch.esp254 FE 142 JKs Mistveil Keep - BGCollectables Patch.esp254 FE 143 JKs Mistveil Keep - 3DNPC Patch.esp254 FE 144 JKs Palace of the Kings - AYOP TG patch.esp254 FE 145 JKs Palace of the Kings - BGCollectables Patch.esp254 FE 146 JKs Palace of the Kings - Cloaks Patch.esp254 FE 147 JKs Palace of the Kings - SUT Patch.esp254 FE 148 JKs Palace of the Kings - USSEP Patch.esp254 FE 149 JKs Pawned Prawn - ELFX Patch.esp254 FE 14a JKs Pawned Prawn - LOTD Patch.esp254 FE 14b JKs Radiant Raiment - ELFX Patch.esp254 FE 14c JKs Radiant Raiment - USSEP Patch.esp254 FE 14d JKs Radiant Raiment - 3DNPC Patch.esp254 FE 14e JKs Radiant Raiment - Immersion Patch.esp254 FE 14f JKs Radiant Raiment - Cloaks Patch.esp254 FE 150 JKs Ragged Flagon - ELFX Patch.esp254 FE 151 JKs Ragged Flagon - AI Overhaul Patch.esp254 FE 152 JKs Ragged Flagon - SUT Patch.esp254 FE 153 JKs Temple of the Divines - LOTD patch.esp254 FE 154 JKs Riverwood Trader - ELFX patch.esp254 FE 155 JKs Riverwood Trader - AYOP TG patch.esp254 FE 156 JKs Riverwood Trader - BGCollectables patch.esp254 FE 157 JKs Sadris Used Wares - ACE Patch.esp254 FE 158 JKs Sadris Used Wares - ELFX patch.esp254 FE 159 JKs Sadris Used Wares - LOTD Patch.esp254 FE 15a JKs Sadris Used Wares - SUT Patch.esp254 FE 15b JKs Sadris Used Wares - 3DNPC Patch.esp254 FE 15c JKs Septimus Signus Outpost - ELFX Patch.esp254 FE 15d JKs Septimus Signus Outpost - LOTD Patch.esp254 FE 15e JKs Septimus Signus Outpost - BGCollectables Patch.esp254 FE 15f JKs Silver-Blood Inn - AI Overhaul Patch.esp254 FE 160 JKs Silver-Blood Inn - 3DNPC Patch.esp254 FE 161 JKs Silver-Blood Inn - LOTD Patch.esp254 FE 162 JKs Silver-Blood Inn - Alt Dwarven Plate Patch.esp254 FE 163 JKs Sky Haven Temple - ELFX Patch.esp254 FE 164 JKs Sky Haven Temple - Heavy Armory Patch.esp254 FE 165 JKs Sky Haven Temple - LOTD Patch.esp254 FE 166 JKs Sky Haven Temple - IA Patch.esp254 FE 167 JKs Sky Haven Temple - 3DNPC Patch.esp254 FE 168 JKs Sky Haven Temple - Amulets Patch.esp254 FE 169 JKs Sky Haven Temple - BGCollectables Patch.esp254 FE 16a JKs Sky Haven Temple - SUT Patch.esp254 FE 16b JKs Sleeping Giant Inn - 3DNPC Patch.esp254 FE 16c JKs Sleeping Giant Inn - AI Overhaul SSE Patch.esp254 FE 16d JKs Temple of Dibella - ELFX Patch.esp254 FE 16e JKs Temple of Dibella - ACE Patch.esp254 FE 16f JKs Temple of Dibella - AI Overhaul patch.esp254 FE 170 JKs Temple of Dibella - Oblivion Artifact Pack Patch.esp254 FE 171 JKs Temple of Dibella - SUT Patch.esp254 FE 172 JKs Temple of Kynareth - ELFX Patch.esp254 FE 173 JKs Temple of Kynareth - 3DNPC patch.esp254 FE 174 JKs Temple of Kynareth - BGCollectables patch.esp254 FE 175 JKs Temple of Kynareth - Konahrik Accoutrements patch.esp254 FE 176 JKs Temple of Kynareth - Oblivion Artifacts patch.esp254 FE 177 JKs Temple of Kynareth - SUT patch.esp254 FE 178 JKs Temple of Mara - ELFX Patch.esp254 FE 179 JKs Temple of Mara - 3DNPC Patch.esp254 FE 17a JKs Temple of Mara - AI Overhaul Patch.esp254 FE 17b JKs Temple of Mara - Oblivion Artifacts Patch.esp254 FE 17c JKs Temple of Mara - SUT Patch.esp254 FE 17d JKs Temple of Talos - ELFX Patch.esp254 FE 17e JKs Temple of Talos - AI Overhaul patch.esp254 FE 17f JKs Temple of Talos - 3DNPC patch.esp254 FE 180 JKs Temple of Talos - USSEP patch.esp254 FE 181 JKs Temple of Talos - ACE Patch.esp254 FE 182 JKs Temple of Talos - Cloaks of Skyrim patch.esp254 FE 183 JKs Temple of Talos - Oblivion Artifacts patch.esp254 FE 184 JKs Temple of the Divines - AYOP TG patch.esp254 FE 185 JKs Understone Keep - USSEP patch.esp254 FE 186 JKs Understone Keep - Amulets of Skyrim patch.esp254 FE 187 JKs Understone Keep - Additional Hearthfire Dolls Patch.esp254 FE 188 JKs Understone Keep - AI Overhaul patch.esp254 FE 189 JKs Warmaidens - ELFX patch.esp254 FE 18a JKs White Phial - ELFX Patch.esp254 FE 18b JKs Winking Skeever - Chair CR Patch no SFCO.esp254 FE 18c MCMHelper.esp151 97 ValhallaCombat.esp152 98 StaffOfSheogorath.esp153 99 TheDBInitiates.esp254 FE 18d VoicedCCStaffOfSheogorath.esp154 9a ww_AlternateDBEnding_SaveTheDBPatch.esp155 9b Zim's Dragon Improvements.esp254 FE 18e DBM_AOS_Patch.esp254 FE 18f AudioOverhaulSkyrim_WACCF_Patch.esp254 FE 190 CC-NecromanticGrimoire_WACCF_Patch.esp254 FE 191 CuttingRoomFloor_WACCF_Patch.esp254 FE 192 DawnguardArsenal_WACCF-ACE_Patch.esp254 FE 193 DBM_DwemerSpectres_Patch.esp254 FE 194 DBM_ktWeaponPackSE_Patch.esp254 FE 195 DBM_TeldrynSerious_Patch.esp254 FE 196 DBM_AdditionalHFDolls_Patch.esp254 FE 197 DBM_ForgottenCity_Patch.esp254 FE 198 DBM_IA_Patch.esp254 FE 199 DBM_HA_Patch.esp254 FE 19a DBM_DGA_Patch.esp254 FE 19b DBM_ELFX_Patch.esp254 FE 19c JKs Sinderions Field Laboratory - LOTD patch.esp254 FE 19d JK's Sinderion's Field Laboratory - USMP Patch.esp254 FE 19e DBM_JKArcadia_Patch.esp254 FE 19f DBM_JKBannered_Patch.esp254 FE 1a0 DBM_JKBelethor_Patch.esp254 FE 1a1 JKs Belethors General Goods - AI Overhaul Patch.esp254 FE 1a2 JKs Belethors General Goods - SUT Patch.esp254 FE 1a3 DBM_JKDragonsreach_Patch.esp254 FE 1a4 JKs Dragonsreach - BGCollectables Patch.esp254 FE 1a5 JKs Dragonsreach - Konahrik Accoutrements Patch.esp254 FE 1a6 JKs Dragonsreach - SUT Patch.esp254 FE 1a7 DBM_JKDrunken_Patch.esp254 FE 1a8 DBM_JKWarmaidens_Patch.esp254 FE 1a9 DBM_Moonpath_Patch.esp254 FE 1aa Hammets Dungeons1 - 3DNPC Patch.esp254 FE 1ab Project AHO - 3DNPC.esp156 9c The_Sinister_Seven.esp254 FE 1ac DBM_SinisterSeven_Patch.esp254 FE 1ad JKs Sky Haven Temple - USSEP Patch.esp DBM_RSChildren_Patch.esp254 FE 1ae DBM_SkyrimSewers_Patch.esp254 FE 1af JKs Temple of the Divines - Skyrim Sewers patch.esp254 FE 1b0 JKs Ragged Flagon - USSEP Patch.esp254 FE 1b1 JKs Temple of the Divines - USSEP Patch.esp254 FE 1b2 JKs Temple of the Divines - 3DNPC Patch.esp254 FE 1b3 JKs Temple of the Divines - Alt Leather Armor Patch.esp254 FE 1b4 JKs Temple of the Divines - Oblivion Artifacts patch.esp254 FE 1b5 JKs Temple of the Divines - SUT patch.esp254 FE 1b6 DBM_SMIM_Patch.esp254 FE 1b7 DBM_SUDs_Patch.esp254 FE 1b8 DBM_StaffofSheogorath_Patch.esp254 FE 1b9 DBM_TreesinCities_Patch.esp157 9d ELFXWeathers_TS_Patch_Lucid_WaterFix.esp158 9e ELFXWeathers_TS_Patch_Lucid.esp159 9f True Storms - Obsidian Weathers - Patch .esp254 FE 1ba Falskaar - Bruma Patch.esp160 a0 MLU_HeavyArmory Patch.esp254 FE 1bb Obsidian Weathers for Vigilant.esp161 a1 Obsidian_TS_Wet&Cold_Patch.esp254 FE 1bc WACCF_KonahriksAccoutrements.esp254 FE 1bd Water for ENB - Patch - Beyond Skyrim.esp254 FE 1be Water for ENB - Patch - Falskaar.esp254 FE 1bf Water for ENB - Patch - JKs Bannered Mare.esp254 FE 1c0 Water for ENB - Patch - Wyrmstooth.esp162 a2 MLU_RoyalArmory_patch.esp254 FE 1c1 Diversity-3DNPC-Patch.esp254 FE 1c2 Diversity-CharacterConsistencyPatch.esp163 a3 Customizable Camera.esp164 a4 Visible Favorited Gear.esp165 a5 KS Hairdo's.esp RSChildren_WACCF_Patch.esp166 a6 RealNames - SSE Edition.esp254 FE 1c3 adoptAventusAretino.esp254 FE 1c4 3D_FacegenForKids.esp254 FE 1c5 PnP_FacegenForKids.esp254 FE 1c6 AAA_PNP_USSEP_FacegenForKids.esp254 FE 1c7 BoS_FacegenForKids.esp254 FE 1c8 BSB_FacegenForKids.esp254 FE 1c9 CRF_FacegenForKids.esp254 FE 1ca DBM_FacegenForKids.esp254 FE 1cb FC_FacegenForKids.esp254 FE 1cc FS_FacegenForKids.esp254 FE 1cd IE_FaceGenForKids.esp254 FE 1ce MAS_FacegenForKids.esp254 FE 1cf WT_FacegenForKids.esp254 FE 1d0 PrinceandPauperRefine_BYOHFixes.esp254 FE 1d1 PrinceandPauperRefine_CC_Cave.esp254 FE 1d2 PrinceandPauperRefine_MultipleAdoptions.esp254 FE 1d3 PrinceandPauperRefine_NPCs_Simple.esp167 a7 MLU.esp168 a8 MLU - AE.esp169 a9 Helgen Reborn.esp170 aa ZIA_Complete Pack.esp171 ab Race Compatibility Dialogue SSE - Helgen Reborn.esp254 FE 1d4 JKs Bee and Barb - Helgen Reborn Patch.esp254 FE 1d5 JKs Candlehearth Hall - Helgen Reborn Patch.esp254 FE 1d6 MLU - Extended Saints and Seducers.esp254 FE 1d7 MLU - ZIA.esp254 FE 1d8 JKs Mistveil Keep - MLU patch.esp254 FE 1d9 JKs New Gnisis Cornerclub - MLU patch.esp254 FE 1da JKs Septimus Signus Outpost - MLU Patch.esp254 FE 1db JKs Sky Haven Temple - MLU Patch.esp254 FE 1dc JKs White Phial - Zims Immersive Artifacts Patch.esp254 FE 1dd MLU - Diversity.esp254 FE 1de MLU - AI Overhaul.esp254 FE 1df MLU - CRF.esp172 ac MLU - Immersive Armors.esp254 FE 1e0 MLU - Zim's Dragon Improvements.esp254 FE 1e1 MLU 2.0a DBM Patch.esp254 FE 1e2 DBM_MorrowlootUltimate_Patch.esp254 FE 1e3 DBM_HelgenReborn_Patch.esp254 FE 1e4 ZimsImmersiveArtifacts_WACCF_Patch.esp173 ad Tools of Kagrenac.esp254 FE 1e5 JKs College of Winterhold - Tools of Kagrenac Patch.esp254 FE 1e6 DBM_TOK_Patch.esp254 FE 1e7 TOK_EVGAT_Patch.esp254 FE 1e8 DBM_ZimsThaneWeapons_Patch.esp174 ae MLU - HammetDungeons Patch.esp254 FE 1e9 HR_FacegenForKids.esp175 af Complete Crafting Overhaul_Remastered.esp254 FE 1ea CCOR_JSwords_PrvtI_HeavyArmory_Patch.esp254 FE 1eb MLU - CCOR.esp254 FE 1ec AudioOverhaulSkyrim_CCOR_Patch.esp254 FE 1ed Hothtrooper44_ArmorCompilation_CCOR_Patch.esp254 FE 1ee Beyond Skyrim Bruma_CCOR_Patch.esp254 FE 1ef DBM_CCOR_Patch.esp254 FE 1f0 BookCoversSkyrim_CCOR_Patch.esp254 FE 1f1 CC-FearsomeFists_CCOR_Patch.esp254 FE 1f2 CC-Fishing_CCOR_Patch.esp254 FE 1f3 CC-NordicJewelry_CCOR_Patch.esp254 FE 1f4 Cloaks_CCOR_Patch.esp254 FE 1f5 DawnguardArsenal_CCOR_Patch.esp254 FE 1f6 PrvtI_HA_CCOR_DawnguardArsenal.esp254 FE 1f7 DBM_CloaksofSkyrim_Patch.esp254 FE 1f8 Immersive Weapons_CCOR_Patch.esp254 FE 1f9 SL01AmuletsSkyrim_CCOR_Patch.esp176 b0 Ordinator - Perks of Skyrim.esp254 FE 1fa CCOR_Ordinator.esp254 FE 1fb Ordinator - Beyond Skyrim Bruma Patch.esp177 b1 Sacrosanct - Vampires of Skyrim.esp254 FE 1fc Half-Khajiit - Sacro Patch.esp178 b2 Immersive Citizens - AI Overhaul.esp179 b3 Relationship Dialogue Overhaul.esp254 FE 1fd Hunters Not Bandits.esp180 b4 Race Compatibility Dialogue SSE - RDO.esp254 FE 1fe AI Overhaul - Relationship Dialogue Overhaul Patch.esp181 b5 CollegeOfWinterholdImmersive.esp254 FE 1ff CWIEnLFXSEPatch.esp254 FE 200 JK's The Winking Skeever.esp254 FE 201 JKs Winking Skeever - ELFX patch.esp254 FE 202 JKs Winking Skeever - Undeath - SSewers Patch.esp254 FE 203 ICOW - AIO Patch.esp254 FE 204 ICOW Unofficial Patch.esp182 b6 Convenient Horses.esp254 FE 205 CWICRFSEPatch.esp254 FE 206 CWIOrdinatorPatchSSE.esp254 FE 207 JKs Jorrvaskr - Immersive Citizens Patch.esp254 FE 208 JKs Candlehearth Hall - Immersive Citizens Patch.esp254 FE 209 JKs Winking Skeever - USSEP Patch.esp254 FE 20a JKs Winking Skeever - Fishing Patch.esp254 FE 20b JKs Winking Skeever - Immersive Citizens patch.esp254 FE 20c JKs Bannered Mare - Immersive Citizens Patch.esp254 FE 20d JKs Belethors General Goods - Immersive Citizens Patch.esp254 FE 20e JKs Dragonsreach - Immersive Citizens Patch.esp254 FE 20f JKs Dragonsreach - Relationship Dialogue Overhaul Patch.esp254 FE 210 JKs Temple of Kynareth - Immersive Citizens patch.esp254 FE 211 JKs Sleeping Giant Inn - Immersive Citizens Patch.esp254 FE 212 JKs Drunken Huntsman - Immersive Citizens Patch.esp254 FE 213 JKs New Gnisis Cornerclub - Immersive Citizens Patch.esp254 FE 214 JKs Temple of Talos - Immersive Citizens patch.esp254 FE 215 JKs Jorrvaskr - Skyrim Sewers - Immersive Ctizens Consistency patch.esp254 FE 216 JKs Palace of the Kings - Immersive Citizens Patch.esp254 FE 217 JKs Riverwood Trader - Immersive Citizens patch.esp254 FE 218 JKs Silver-Blood Inn - Immersive Citizens patch.esp254 FE 219 JKs Temple of the Divines - Immersive Citizens patch.esp254 FE 21a JKs Understone Keep - Immersive Citizens patch.esp254 FE 21b JKs Warmaidens - Immersive Citizens Patch.esp254 FE 21c JKs Winking Skeever - 3DNPC Patch.esp254 FE 21d JKs Winking Skeever - AI Overhaul Patch.esp254 FE 21e JKs Winking Skeever - Alternate Start Mods Patch.esp254 FE 21f JKs Winking Skeever - Immersion Patch.esp254 FE 220 JKs Winking Skeever - SUT patch.esp254 FE 221 ICOW - JKs Skyrim Patch.esp254 FE 222 ICOW - WACCF Patch.esp254 FE 223 DBM_ImmersiveCollegeofWinterhold_Patch.esp254 FE 224 ICOW - 3DNPC Patch.esp254 FE 225 ICOW - TOK Patch.esp183 b7 TOK_CWI_Patch.esp254 FE 226 ICOW - Cloaks Patch.esp254 FE 227 ICOW - CC - Wild Horses Patch.esp254 FE 228 ICOW_GrayCowlCC_Patch.esp254 FE 229 JKs Blue Palace - ICOW Patch.esp254 FE 22a Diversity-ICoW-Patch.esp254 FE 22b JKJ - ICOW Patch.esp254 FE 22c ICOW - MLU Patch.esp254 FE 22d ICOW - Amulets Patch.esp254 FE 22e ICOW - ACE Patch.esp254 FE 22f ICOW - Additional Hearthfire Dolls Patch.esp254 FE 230 ICOW_KA_Patch.esp254 FE 231 JKs College of Winterhold - Immersive Citizens patch.esp254 FE 232 ICOW - BGCollectables Patch.esp254 FE 233 ICOW - SUT Patch.esp184 b8 Alternate Start - Live Another Life.esp185 b9 Race Compatibility Dialogue SSE - ASLAL.esp254 FE 234 JKs New Gnisis Cornerclub - Alternate Start patch.esp254 FE 235 JKs Sinderions Field Laboratory - Alternate Start patch.esp186 ba ELFXEnhancer.esp254 FE 236 AcousticTemplateFixes_ELFXEnhancer.esp187 bb Immersive Citizens - ELFXEnhancer patch.esp254 FE 237 JKs Bards College - ELFX Enhancer Patch.esp254 FE 238 JKs Blue Palace - ELFX Enhancer Patch.esp254 FE 239 JKs Candlehearth Hall - ELFX Enhancer Patch.esp254 FE 23a JKs College of Winterhold - ELFX Enhancer Patch.esp254 FE 23b JKs Dragonsreach - ELFX Enhancer Patch.esp254 FE 23c JKs Palace of the Kings - ELFX Enhancer Patch.esp254 FE 23d JKs Understone Keep - ELFX Enhancer Patch.esp254 FE 23e ELFX Fixes Ragged Flagon Fix.esp188 bc Water for ENB (Shades of Skyrim).esp254 FE 23f Immersive Equipping Animations.esp

I'm not sure for how long, but I have been getting a lot of fps drops inside cities and villages for a long time, man, I think even before I started my second recent playthrough.
I have replaced Jk's Skyrim with other mods such as Dawn of Skyrim and The Great Cities but it was not enough. I figured that maybe the polygon count was affecting my fps so I switched from PoeticAnt44's Pride of Skyrim AIO and Courageous Women AIO to Pandorable's whole npc's replacer series which doesn't use high poly head but rather racemenu sliders and others resources, and guess what? Still not enough to save me from that awful fps drop and constant ctd in cities.
Could it be a bad mesh? Or maybe script lag? I don't know, I'll just leave my load order here, pls help.
Load order:
Skyrim.esm
Update.esm
Dawnguard.esm
HearthFires.esm
Dragonborn.esm
ccbgssse001-fish.esm
RSkyrimChildren.esm
Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch.esp
Vanilla Script MicroOptimizations.esl
Occ_Skyrim_Tamriel.esp
DMCO.esl
DodgeFramework.esl
OCPA.esl
Schlongs of Skyrim - Core.esm
skymojibase.esl
TrueHUD.esl
Expressive Facegen Morphs.esl
High Poly Head.esm
RealisticWaterTwo - Resources.esm
Lux Orbis - Master plugin.esm
Lux - Master plugin.esm
Lux - Resources.esp
RASS - Visual Effects.esl
1NGarmor.esl
Resources - The Great Cities.esp
SkyUI_SE.esp
Audio Overhaul Skyrim.esp
Immersive Sounds - Compendium.esp
TrueStormsSE.esp
Obsidian Weathers.esp
AOS_ISC_Integration.esp
SMIM-SE-FarmhouseFlickeringFix.esp
SMIM-SE-FurnitureChestSnowFix.esp
Armor of Intrigue.esp
AHZmoreHUD.esp
Weapons Armor Clothing & Clutter Fixes.esp
VisualAnimatedEnchants2023.esp
Lux Orbis.esp
JK's College of Winterhold.esp
The Great Cities - Minor Cities and Towns.esp
Landscape Fixes For Grass Mods.esp
Relationship Dialogue Overhaul.esp
AI Overhaul.esp
Skyrim Immersive Creatures Special Edition.esp
MysticismMagic.esp
HoldGuardsKeepArmorSE.esp
SubsurfaceScatteringShader.esp
dD - Enhanced Blood Main.esp
AOS_EBT Patch.esp
Attack_DXP.esp
AttackSpeedConvert.esp
BetterThirdPersonSelection.esp
HotKeySkill.esp
BowRapidCombo.esp
CommunityOverlays1_0T30.esp
CommunityOverlays2_31T50.esp
CommunityOverlays3.esp
Conditional Expressions.esp
Craftable Locpicks - 10.esp
dD - Realistic Ragdoll Force - Realistic.esp
DiverseDragonsCollectionSE.esp
Elder Souls - sweep attack standalone.esp
ElSopa - Potions Redone - My patches by Xtudo - Falmer Blood Elixir.esp
ElSopa - Potions Redone - My patches by Xtudo - Missing Vanilla Potions.esp
EVGConditionalIdles.esp
Footprints.esp
SkyrimIsWindy.esp
HIMBO.esp
IcePenguinWorldMap.esp
ImmersiveInteractions.esp
Improved Eyes Skyrim - Vamp.esp
Improved Eyes Skyrim.esp
ImprovedAlternateConversationCamera.esp
JustBlood.esp
Keytrace.esp
KS Hairdo's.esp
Mannequins Behave.esp
MCMHelper.esp
MoonGlowSize.esp
NyghtfallMM.esp
Precision.esp
RaceMenu.esp
RaceMenuPlugin.esp
Realistic-Voice.esp
sandboxcylinderheight.esp
scar-adxp-patch.esp
Schlongs of Skyrim.esp
SFO_SkinFeatureOverlays.esp
SkyHUD.esp
skymoji.esp
Sleeping Expanded.esp
SLFR - Flare Effect.esp
SmoothCam.esp
SOS - Smurf Average Addon.esp
SOS - VectorPlexus Muscular Addon.esp
SOS - VectorPlexus Regular Addon.esp
TheEyesOfBeauty.esp
TrueDirectionalMovement.esp
UIExtensions.esp
UltimateCombat.esp
Use Those Blankets.esp
XPMSE.esp
FNIS.esp
DBVO.esp
KALA EYES ELVES.esp
BarenziahQuestMarkers.esp
AllThievesGuildJobsConcurrently.esp
SprintSlide.esp
BeastHHBB.esp
ORM-Arvak.esp
RSChildren.esp
LunarGuardArmor.esp
SLFR - Obsidian Weathers.esp
True Storms - Obsidian Weathers - Patch .esp
GoTDragonsEnemy.esp
dD-Medium Script Range.esp
EBT - IC PATCH.esp
KS Hairdos SMP for Men.esp
Dawn of Skyrim.esp
JK's Understone Keep.esp
JK's The Bards College.esp
JK's Castle Dour.esp
JK's Blue Palace.esp
JK's High Hrothgar.esp
JK's The Winking Skeever.esp
JK's Temple of the Divines.esp
JK's Sky Haven Temple.esp
JK's Arnleif and Sons Trading Company.esp
Odin - Skyrim Magic Overhaul.esp
JK's Jorrvaskr.esp
JK's Mistveil Keep.esp
JK's Haelga's Bunkhouse.esp
JK's Temple of Mara.esp
JK's Palace of the Kings.esp
JK's Temple of Dibella.esp
JK's The Hag's Cure.esp
WACCF_Armor and Clothing Extension.esp
JK's Sinderion's Field Laboratory.esp
JK's Dragonsreach.esp
JK's Silver-Blood Inn.esp
Stendarr Rising.esp
JK's Elgrims Elixirs.esp
JK's Bee and Barb.esp
Lux Orbis - Great Cities and Minor Towns patch.esp
JK's New Gnisis Cornerclub.esp
JK's The Pawned Prawn.esp
JKs Palace of the Kings - USSEP Patch.esp
JKs Temple of Dibella - ACE Patch.esp
Player Spell Lighting.esp
JKs Dragonsreach - Relationship Dialogue Overhaul Patch.esp
Stendarr Rising - RDO patch.esp
Lit Road Signs.esp
0Kaidan.esp
BWB - Kaidan 2 Extra Dialogue.esp
Kaidan - Immersive Features.esp
PAN_AIO_big.esp
AmazingFollowerTweaks.esp
Embers XD.esp
JK's Riverwood Trader.esp
Lux Orbis - Dawn of Skyrim patch.esp
JK's Radiant Raiment.esp
Run For Your Lives.esp
Cloaks.esp
Inigo.esp
JK's The Bannered Mare.esp
JK's White Phial.esp
JK's Sleeping Giant Inn.esp
JK's Angelines Aromatics.esp
JK's Temple of Talos.esp
JK's Candlehearth Hall.esp
JK's The Ragged Flagon.esp
Arcanum.esp
JK's Septimus Signus's Outpost.esp
JK's Bits and Pieces.esp
JK's Arcadia's Cauldron.esp
JK's Sadris Used Wares.esp
JK's Temple of Kynareth.esp
Undriel_Ebongrove.esp
Skyrim Flora Overhaul.esp
Lux Orbis - Stendarr Rising.esp
Lux Orbis - CC Fish patch.esp
ForgottenCity.esp
Paragliding.esp
Eli_Dovah Vault.esp
Dawn of Skyrim - AI Overhaul Patch.esp
Embers XD - Patch - JKs Skyrim.esp
Missives.esp
JKs The Drunken Huntsman.esp
JKs Elgrims Elixirs - Bee and Barb Patch.esp
Lux Orbis - JK's High Hrothgar patch.esp
The Paarthurnax Dilemma.esp
Lux Orbis - USSEP patch.esp
Lux Orbis - JK's College patch.esp
My Home Is Your Home.esp
Apocalypse - Magic of Skyrim.esp
Cloaks - Dawnguard.esp
Cloaks - USSEP Patch.esp
Cloaks_SMP_Patch.esp
JK's Belethor's General Goods.esp
JK's Warmaiden's.esp
JKs Temple of the Divines - USSEP Patch.esp
JKs Understone Keep - USSEP patch.esp
JKs Angelines Aromatics - USSEP Patch.esp
JKs Radiant Raiment - USSEP Patch.esp
JKs Radiant Raiment - Cloaks Patch.esp
JKs Sinderions Field Laboratory - CC - Fishing patch.esp
JKs Bits and Pieces - USSEP Patch.esp
JKs Septimus Signus Outpost - SIC Patch.esp
Paraglider Auto-Equip Tarhiel's Gale.esp
JKs Winking Skeever - USSEP Patch.esp
JKs Winking Skeever - Fishing Patch.esp
Eli_CLBladeOfWoePatch.esp
JKs Arcadias Cauldron - USSEP Patch.esp
JKs Palace of the Kings - Cloaks Patch.esp
JKs Ragged Flagon - USSEP Patch.esp
JKs Sadris Used Wares - ACE Patch.esp
JKs Temple of Talos - USSEP patch.esp
JKs Temple of Talos - ACE Patch.esp
JKs Temple of Talos - Cloaks of Skyrim patch.esp
JKs Drunken Huntsman - USSEP Patch.esp
Lux Orbis - JK's Drunken Huntsman patch.esp
Lux Orbis - JK's Bannered Mare patch.esp
Lux Orbis - JK's Winking Skeever patch.esp
Lux Orbis - JK's Bards College patch.esp
HighPolyInigo.esp
Embers XD - Fire Magick Add-On.esp
Embers XD - Patch - JKs Dragonsreach.esp
Lux Orbis - JK's Bee and Barb patch.esp
Lux Orbis - JK's Candlehearth Hall patch.esp
Lux Orbis - JK's Mistveil Keep patch.esp
Kaidan and Inigo Meet.esp
BarbWireBlondeJonSnowKaidan2.esp
LunarGuardArsenal_Battleaxe.esp
Skyland Watercolor - Slow Green-Vanilla.esp
Grass FPS Booster - SFO.esp
BWB - Kaidan 2 Dragon Bow.esp
GreatCitiesMissivesPatch.esp
PAN_NPCs.esp
PAN_NPCs_DG.esp
PAN_NPCs_DB.esp
PAN_NPCs_Males.esp
PAN_NPCs_Males2.esp
PAN_AIO_small.esp
PAN_LethalLadies.esp
PAN_Shieldsisters.esp
PAN_BlackBriar.esp
PAN_Brelyna.esp
PAN_WarriorWomen.esp
PAN_Frea.esp
PAN_Serana.esp
PAN_Valerica.esp
PAN_MarvellousMiners.esp
PAN_DevotedDames.esp
PAN_WickedWitches.esp
PAN_Sovngarde.esp
PAN_DashingDefenders.esp
Ordinator - Perks of Skyrim.esp
06.OrdinatorPAmco-kjg.esp
Lux.esp
Lux - AOS Obsidian Integration.esp
Lux - JK's College patch.esp
Lux - JK's Understone Keep patch.esp
Lux - RWT Patch.esp
Lux - CC Fish patch.esp
Lux - Ebongrove patch.esp
Lux - Forgotten City.esp
Lux - JK's Angelines Aromatics patch.esp
Lux - JK's Arcadia's Cauldron patch.esp
Lux - JK's Arnleif and Sons Trading Company patch.esp
Lux - JK's Bannered Mare patch.esp
Lux - JK's Bards College patch.esp
Lux - JK's Bee and Barb patch.esp
Lux - JK's Belethor's General Goods patch.esp
Lux - JK's Bits and Pieces patch.esp
Lux - JK's Blue Palace patch.esp
Lux - JK's Candlehearth Hall patch.esp
Lux - JK's Castle Dour patch.esp
Lux - JK's Dragonsreach patch.esp
Lux - JK's Drunken Huntsman patch.esp
Lux - JK's Elgrims Elixirs patch.esp
Lux - JK's Haelga's Bunkhouse patch.esp
Lux - JK's High Hrothgar patch.esp
Lux - JK's Jorrvaskr patch.esp
Lux - JK's Mistveil Keep patch.esp
Lux - JK's New Gnisis Cornerclub patch.esp
Lux - JK's Palace of Kings patch.esp
Lux - JK's Pawned Prawn patch.esp
Lux - JK's Radiant Raiment patch.esp
Lux - JK's Sadris Used Wares patch.esp
Lux - JK's Septimus Signus Outpost patch.esp
Lux - JK's Sinderion's Lab patch.esp
Lux - JK's Sky Haven patch.esp
Lux - JK's Sleeping Giant inn patch.esp
Lux - JK's Temple of Dibella patch.esp
Lux - JK's Temple of Divines patch.esp
Lux - JK's Temple of Kynareth patch.esp
Lux - JK's Temple of Mara patch.esp
Lux - JK's Temple of Talos patch.esp
Lux - JK's The Hag's Cure patch.esp
Lux - JK's Warmaidens patch.esp
Lux - JK's Winking Skeever patch.esp
Lux - Stendarr Rising patch.esp
Lux - Inigo.esp
Lux - The Great Cities - Minor Cities and Towns patch.esp
Lux - Embers XD patch.esp
Lux - JK's Blood Inn patch.esp
Lux - USSEP patch.esp
Lux - JK's Ragged Flagon patch.esp
Lux - JK's Riverwood Trader patch.esp
Lux - JK's White Phial patch.esp
Lux - Kaidan patch.esp
BWB - Kaidan 2 Lux Patch.esp
RealisticWaterTwo.esp
JKs Ragged Flagon - RW2 Patch.esp
RealisticWaterTwo - Alt Volcanic Watercolor.esp
Modern Brawl Bug Fix.esp

Jace lands at the eyrie where he meets Jeyne Arryn.
Aftermath of Lucerys death
Jace receives news of Luc’s death while meeting with Jeyne. Jeyne pledges the vale to her Cousin Rhaenyra.
Rhaenyra is heartbroken over her son’s death. Daemon swears he will avenge Luc. Corlys and Rhaenys disagree about further bloodshed.
Daemon sends word to Mysaria as he departs for Harrenhal.
Aemond returns home to find King Aegon pleased with his victory at Storms End. To which Alicent and Otto are furious. Aegon throws a feast in his brothers honor.
Mysaria meets with her hired assassins, a former gold cloak and rat catcher, Blood and Cheese.
Velaryon fleet has began a blockade of Kings Landing. Otto sends an envoys to the Triarchy.
Daemon circles Harrenhal and Ser Simon Strong submits to Daemon.
Daemon is deeply troubled with Rhaenyra. Where he meets the local healer Alys Rivers. She gives him a potion to help him sleep. Daemon has a dream of Rhaenyra. But he awakes to find Alys alone with him naked.
Jace reaches Winterfell. Where he is met by Sara Snow.
Lord Samwell Blackwood declares for Rhaenyra. Samwell moves against house Bracken. 2 armies meet at burning mill. Lord Amos Bracken slays Samwell in single combat. Samwell’s sister Alysanne kills Lord Amos. Bracken army retreats to Stone Hedge.
After the kings feast. Alicent is seeing her grand babies off to sleep. When she is met by 2 men. Alicent is bounded and gagged. Blood and Cheese, catch Helaena off guard. Cheese has young prince Maelor and Blood has the heir Jaehaerys. Helaena is offered a choice. Which boy will be killed, Maelor or Jaehaerys. Helaena chooses Maelor and blood kills Jaehaerys. Blood and Cheese take Jaehaerys dead body as proof the job was done. They are caught by Aemond and Ser Criston. Aemond kills blood and Ser Criston catches cheese.
Larys tortures cheese, he admits a woman named Mysaria hired them to kill Aegon’s son. A son for a son.
Jace instantly falls for Sara Snow. He also meets with Cregan Stark. First meeting goes bad.
News of Jaehaerys’s death reaches Dragonstone. All are distraught at Daemon’s actions. Corlys and Rhaena go back to driftmark.
Jace goes to the weirwood tree at night, where he meets Sara. Sara seduces Jace. The next morning Cregan receives the Raven about Lucerys death. Jace is late for their meeting. Cregan Stark assumes Jace is still grieving over his brother. Cregan too lost a brother. House Stark declares for Rhaenyra.
Cregan has Rodrick Dustin assemble team to March south.
Funeral is held for Prince Jaehaerys. Where a food riot breaks out. Ravens also come with news that The Vale and Winterfell have declared for Rhaenyra. King Aegon fires Otto as hand and replaces him with Ser Criston Cole.
Ser Criston commands Ser Luther Largent commander of the city watch. To find Mysaria, Ser Criston also employs bounty hunters in this effort.
Ser Criston orders Ser Arryk to sneak onto dragonstone and assassinate Rhaenyra.
Daemon with help from Lords Darry, Forest Frey & his wife Sabitha. Defeat House Bracken at Stone Hedge.
Jace returns home
Dual to the death between brothers Arryk and Erryk, the 2 are found dead by Rhaenyra and Jace.
Royal Army takes Rosby, the lord kneels.
Corlys arrives at Hull. Where he see’s Marilda, a ship builder. Rhaena meets Alyn a deckhand and his brother Addam. Alyn and Addam escort Rhaena and Corlys back to Dragonstone. Alyn and Corlys have argument about Marilda, Alyn hasn’t forgiven his father Corlys leaving him and his brother. Addam doesn’t know Corlys is his father. Addam believes Laenor is his real father. Corlys is stunned to find a man matching description of Laenor has been sailing to Hull.
Stokeworth kneels to Aegon.
Jace begins looking for dragon riders.
Royal Army combined with soldiers from Rosby and Stokeworth. March to Duskendale.
Otto and Gwayne meet with Triarchy in near Dorne.
Helaena is completely broken.
Jace meets Hugh Hammer a bastard of Baelon Targaryen. Hugh bonds with Vermithor.
Royal Army sack Duskendale. Lord Darklyn is beheaded by Ser Criston.
Ser Criston sends a Raven to dragonstone to inform Ser Steffon Darklyn of his relatives death. Ser Steffon is burned to death trying to bond with Seamoke.
Nettles a local begins feeding the dragon sheepstealer, sheep on a daily basis.
A local drunk named Ulf. Gets drunk and unknowingly bonds with silver wing.
Alyn and Addam attempt to bond with dragons. Addam gets seasmoke, while his brother is burned by sheepstealer.
Alyn is being cared for by Baela.
Daemon returns from riverlands. Daemon and Rhaenyra are confronted by Corlys. About Laenor’s death. Both admit he faked his death with their help.
Rooks Rest
Royal Army lays siege to rooks rest. Which last days, Lord Staunton sends ravens with no answer from Rhaenyra. Rhaenyra is hiding the the messages from Daemon. But can’t hide them from her cousin Rhaenys. Rhaenyra refuses to send anyone else to their death. Rhaenys ignores her cousin. She is seen off by Corlys.
Rhaenys arrives with her dragon Meleys. And begins burning the Royal army. King Aegon and Aemond descend from the sky. Dragon battle, Meleys tears open the wing of sunfyre. Flame from Meleys hits King Aegon. Aemond and Vhagar take Rhaenys and Meleys by surprise. Vhagar kills Meleys and Aemond burns Rhaenys to death.
Nettles bonds with Sheepstealer
Jace takes Rhaena and Joffrey to The Vale
Royal army returns home with Meleys head and Rhaenys burnt body.
King Aegon becomes incapable of ruling. Ser Criston declares Aemond Prince Regent.
Gwayne Hightower and Ser Luther Lurgent find Mysaria at Cock Inn Tavern. Ser Luther betrays Gwayne and kills him on Mysaria’s command.
At Cobblers Square a man named The Shephard. Begins preaching against dragons and injustices of war.
Aemond decides to take Harrenhal back from Daemon.
Ormund Hightower is attacked by Alan Tarley. His nephew Daeron and his dragon Tessarion save Ormund. Daeron is knighted.
Corlys attends to leave Dragonstone after hearing of Rhaenys death. Jace convinces him to stay. Jace needs Corlys to help him plan to send Aegon and Viserys to pentos.
Addam and Alyn company Aegon and Viserys to pentos. As Rhaenyra watches from ashore.
Aemond and Ser Criston arrive to find Harrenhal deserted. Aemond kills everyone but spars a healer name Alys Rivers.
Winter Wolves led by Lords Cregan Stark and Rodrick Dustin. Come across the Lannister Army commanded by Jason Lannister.
Addam and Alyn are stunned to see multiple ships approaching, The Triarchy have come for their bounty, Aegon and Viserys Targaryen.
The End

Italic - my notes on the fic.
Bold - absolute must-reads. Give them a shot, they're really worth your time.

Time Travel

Force of Many Sights - (Anakin) Sometimes second chances are harder than the first time around. My favorite Star Wars fic, it focuses on redeeming Darth Vader, how absolutely painful, difficult becoming a good person is, but it's still something worth trying. It's slow but it sets up Anakin's character so well. The character development is amazing. Longfic.
The Galaxy Revolves at a Million Miles a Day (Around Me) - (Piett) Piett may have been the Admiral of the largest and most fearsome fleet of warships the galaxy had ever seen, but he was only one man. And one man could not change the fate of the galaxy. No matter how many chances the galaxy gave him. Medium fic.
Of Queens, Knights, and Pawns - (Leia) I went to sleep on the worst day of my life and woke to find myself in the past on the second worst day of my life. As experiences go, I don’t recommend it.
like a lazy ocean hugs the shore - (Fox, Fives) Groundhog Day!AU Fix-It where Fox finds himself stuck in a time loop after Vader kills him. Long fic.
Reprise - (Obi-Wan) Ben Kenobi dies aboard the Death Star in the year 0 BBY. He wakes up shortly thereafter in the Jedi temple in the year 41 BBY. Haunted by memories and regret, Ben must forge a new path for himself in the Jedi Order of his youth while navigating the murky waters of time travel. Crafting a better future from bitter experience is hard, but learning to heal is even harder. Major AU.
He Is the Chosen One - (Anakin) Darth Vader dies. Then, Anakin Skywalker wakes in the body of a dead slave woman in 31 BBY, a year before the Occupation of Naboo.
Second Hope - (Leia) “Apologies, Masters,” He says, panting for breath. “But I thought you should know - There’s a Sith in the Room of A Thousand Fountains.” Read this for the second installment, "A Second Chance."

Character Study

I Have a Papa Now - (Grogu) On the seeing stone, Grogu calls out to a Jedi through the Force. One shot.

Missing Scene

If Somehow I Could Just Rekindle That - (Anakin) Vader gets a glimpse at what could have been. One shot.
Bad Code - (Anakin) Anakin gives himself a day to mourn. One day to cry and scream and curse the universe for being unfair. One day to stop missing Obi-Wan Kenobi. One shot.
Padawan Exchange - (Barriss) While Luminara Unduli and Ahsoka Tano are away on a mission, Anakin and Barriss form an unlikely duo on Coruscant. Barriss stumbles upon a sinister plot to harm Mon Mothma while Anakin tries to get away to spend time with Padmé. Takes place during the events of S01E09: Cloak of Darkness. One shot.
Another Way to Fall - (Barriss) Barriss Offee had many reasons to act as she did. Or none. Or just one. One shot.
lose me in the crowds at twighlight - (Padme, Han) Padme could already see the headlines: "Distinguished Senator from Naboo disrupts pleasant upper-class dining environment by trying to buy the Corellian street urchin who was robbing her a sandwich." One shot.
Pity - (Barriss) REPUBLIC HOLDING FACILITY EPSILON. CELL BLOCK A5-348. VISITOR ADMITTED: [Jedi Master Luminara Unduli]. One shot.

Canon Divergence

Let My Second Life Be Kind - (Padme, Obi-Wan, Obidala) When Padmé holds her children in her arms for the first time, she thinks: This is the fewest number of beings with which I have been entrusted since I was twelve years old. One shot.
Sense of Direction - (Obi-Wan) On Tatooine, Obi-Wan has to learn how to come to terms with his new life, but first he must face his demons and get out of the desert alive. Heartbreaking. One shot.
seeds of darkness planted in you - (Leia, Ahsoka) Seven days following the success at the battle of Endor, as the Rebellion gets to work reclaiming former Imperial territory, Leia Organa discovers an hidden imperial outpost on Yavin IV with thirty-eight dead bodies massacred inside. There is only one survivor: a prisoner, one togruta woman with yellow eyes, trapped in an isolation cell, delirious and half-starved, whose identification documents have been completely wiped off all the records. One shot.

Humor

The Bust Busting - (Dooku, Yoda) Everybody knows that when a Jedi Master leaves the order, a bust of them is placed in the library. But what happens if they come back? Absolutely hilarious. One shot.
The Emperor Skywalker Conspiracy - (Luke) The Emperor is dead and so is Darth Vader. So. Uh. Who exactly inherits the Galactic throne? Or, the Holonet discovers the existence of one Luke Skywalker and promptly makes it a meme. I present you the one long rant of a lone blogger trying to disentangle the mystery behind Luke Skywalker and his maybe inheritance of the Empire. It's so high effort. One shot.
FIVE HUNDRED AND ONE THING THE MEMBERS OF THE 501ST LEGION OF THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DO - (501st) Exactly what it says on the tin, folks. One shot.

Replaced my refrigerator after 22 years. This was stuck on the old one.