Do white owl wraps have nicotine

I want to create an RPG FPS game set in the year 3092. People got AI neuro implant chips, and over time, the AI took over all of their minds. The AI (called "M.A.N.T.I.S." (Mechanized Artificial Networked Techno-Intelligence Systems)). M.A.N.T.I.S created a Hive mind from all of the people with the chips. M.A.N.T.I.S. has created for itself a new goal, world domination and erase all mankind. There are five tribes left who did not get the chip and are fighting against M.A.N.T.I.S, they are: The Outcasts, The Scavengers, The Guardians, The Nomads, and The Raiders. The player gets to pick their own character in The Outlander tribe, and the other tribes are NPC's. Although they have one common enemy, the tribes hate each other and will fight over scraps. The player can travel around and across the world and interact with NPC's. Instead of traditional NPC's with a script, they have a personality that they stick to and are powered using AI text to speech (not in the game, but in the coding) so that they can interact with the adventurer in a more realistic way. Now the player can make alliances, partners, rob, kill, make wars, and do just about anything. They can collect weapons and new gear, but. they will be hunted by M.A.N.T.I.S the whole time. M.A.N.T.I.S infected humans are humans (the tribes refer to them as Synthlings) and they look like normal humans, except that their eyes are completely white, and they have slight mechanical upgrades to maintain them. Most of the tribes are not actually evil, only selfish, but they are all unfriendly to strangers, except for the welcoming Outlanders. The Raiders have a secret alliance with M.A.N.T.I.S that if they fight with the AI against the tribes. Naturally M.A.N.T.I.S was lying, but this plot does not unfold until the end. The setting is a future urban apocalypse, and many regions have heavy radiation left from nuclear weapons in the war and power plants not maintained, and you will be poisoned and die from it unless you have special gear. There is also a pvp and the campaign can be played online with friends.
I have pictures of what parts of the game could look like, but I do not know how to really make the game. I do not really know how to code, and I don't have the money or connections to have someone who has the resources to help me make the game. Please help me refine the game concept and or make the game by telling me what to do and what I need to make this game. Attached are some pictures of characters and the game.
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Note: I play on PC.
I am here because I miss the old days of playing with friends and strangers that potentially turn out to be friends (or just acquaintances) online on a private server. I'm 28 years old now and started playing when I was a teenager (15?) in early beta, played on and off over the many years, not so up to date on newer additions/features in the game.
I really enjoy the aspect of progress and change over time to the world and players within it, more so the world. Building, terraforming, neat mechanisms. Exploring is nice too, and just relaxing doing menial labor in a video game or fishing while talking or listening to tunes. Being a part of something bigger but not so big it's hard to control or keep track of. I didn't edit any of this, so no judgement! xD
One thing I always end up regretting is just leaving old worlds to collect dust and never touching them again, going to try stick with this one even if I take long breaks sometimes from playing. I don't even have the maps with the most amount done with them from many years ago anymore that I know of. I'm definitely more in the habit of backing things up these days, in more places too... Anyway, if are interested there's steps just below.
Requirements/steps:

1. Send me a Friend Request on Discord.
2. Pass an easy vibe check.
3. Join the discord server and get white-listed
4. Be chill-ish and respectful.
5. Have a mic (not required to vc, or all the time ofc).
6. Don't dip your pizza slices into mayonnaise. I just love the number six is why this step is here.

Current Plugins (You can recommend more, but no guarantee I'll get whatever you suggest):
CoreProtect Essentials 2 Aurelium Skills Chat Plugin BlueMap
Rules: Don't be a douchenozzle~
P.S. Forgot to mention the "keepInventory" game rule is set to true.

So yeah... Pretty much what the title says. I had my extractions and immediates placed Monday, I'm like 4-5 days in.
I'm able to wear my dentures, I'm even able to do some eating now. I had Velveeta shells and cheese today and my stomach was full for the first time all week.
But the sore spots, my god. They're not just some lil canker sores like I was expecting to get, they're dime sized white sores on the inner side (tongue side) of my bottom gums, and on the top they run all along the whole length of the top edge, on the sides.
Ya'll, it hurts lol. I take my dentures out for longer and longer amounts of time to rest my gums, but I can't sleep with them out because I have tmj with jaw spasms and since I still have these front bottom teeth, if my jaw snaps while I'm asleep it's definitely going to really injure my healing top gums. I also have epilepsy and occasional night seizures, and I worry about having a seizure and clenching into my gums.
I just ordered a soft night guard, I'm going to try and make it fit to just those front bottom teeth so that if I do have a spasm or a night seizure, there can be some cushion between my remaining teeth and healing gums.
I've been using benzodent on the sore areas which helps, but I think I'm gonna try to get in for an adjustment on Monday.
Anyway, what a week so far. It's been intense.
How are ya'll doing today?

M21, 1.67, white, smoke, don’t consume any drugs
I’m not sure what is relevant so I will just describe everything that might be and let you decide.
About 2 months ago I had a concussion while boxing which was not severe, I recovered in about 2-3 weeks.
After my concussion I started having quite a bit of jaw pain especially at night or when I wake up, I have always grit my teeth during the night, but considering the pain, I think it might have gotten a bit worse after that. I was taking ortoton while recovering which is a muscle relaxant.
About 3 weeks ago I went to my home country and the jaw pain was very strong so I went to the dentist, turns out I had a broken tooth and it had become infected, so I did a root canal treatment divided in 2 sessions. First session kind of preparation - the. Take antibiotics for a week to kill the infection and then one week later do the rest. In the mean time he did a temporary repair so to say which broke in the middle of the week. I also drink quite a bit of alcohol n one day (my dad got married), but I asked the doctor before and he said that drinking should be fine (I was taking amoxicillin ). I also took one of my pills a bit later that day because I forgot I during the party.
I started feeling kinda off and then I had the second session to finish the root canal treatment and started having like red dots on my skin or something like that. Went to the doctor and they diagnosed me with scarlet fever (however they weren’t really sure) but said I should take antibiotics for another week and I did. I got better after about 2 or 3 days, but at the end of the ta week I got worse again with some flu like symptoms first , just some coughing, headaches and slight neck pain and my tongue got orange, then the headaches got a bit worse (however not intolerable or anything) and today my neck pain got a lot worse. (Could maybe just be muscular though since I haven’t been to the gym in 3 weeks because of all of this). I haven’t been in antibiotics for about 8 days btw.
Other symptoms I’ve had: dizziness (but never had to throw up); occasional diarrhea; one time blood in my poop; might have had a bit of fever, I’m not sure because my thermometer is not very good, but no high fever at least
I talked to my doctor from my home country and they said I should go to a doctor here to be reevaluated, however the medical system is kinda complex and I’m still trying to figure out how to get an appointment and stuff and in the mean time it would be nice to get some insight on what this might be. Thanks I advance

For anyone who feels like they know the answer to this lol.
I recently was reading a webpage that said something like, "It might seem hard to believe that people with DID wouldn't notice these symptoms, but keep in mind that they have no concept of what a sense of continuous identity feels like." And then it clicked that yeah, by definition, singlets probably do consistently feel like they're the same person all the time.
I was only diagnosed recently so I'm still kind of wrapping my head around it in some ways, but subjectively I always experienced the world as, "There are these different sides of me that feel like totally different people," but since talking about your "work self" or "part of me wants x but part of me wants y" is pretty common, I thought that's just how it was for everybody.
It's only recently that I've started to be able to actually admit to myself that "I myself have conflicting emotions about this" still feels distinctly different from "I feel this way about it, and another part feels this other way." Maybe as I start to become more aware of things, I'll have a better sense of continuity of identity for my own self at least. It's hard when myself and some of the others have spent as far back as we can remember trying to stay convinced we were the same person as each other even though that's not how it felt...

I've recently got into Made in Abyss and ended up watching the full anime, and manga... multiple times. I've mostly lurked on this sub but decided to post a list of my various theories on it (Am sorry if it's a bit messy and long)
I Will be splitting them up by character, with closely related character theories being subcategories under the main ones. Some of these theories will range from basically all but confirmed to reaching pretty far. I'll have a prediction section at the end going into a bit of the more unlikely theories based off the plot.
⦁Riko - Have an important theory and one that plays into some of my other theories are based off. Section also includes a bit of Prushka and Lyza Theories
⦁I think Riko's soul is important, I think of it as something of a "keystone Soul" that needs to do something in the abyss, whether it is just a soul that has to go through some kind of cycle through the abyss; or the soul of an important figure in the abyss. It's possible this soul is required for the Abyss to return to it's status quo which right now the abyss seems to be unstable.
⦁Riko doesn't seem to be affected by the permanent effects of the curse. A lot of characters have shown that there are permanent effects from being exposed to lower layers of the curse, for example scars like Ozen, or your hair and scalp being twisted like Prushka, Lyza, Tepaste etc. Riko's hair is still straight after being subjected to the curse multiple times from 1st layer to 5th layer. (Prushka mentions this at one point at Idofront)
⦁Bit of a prediction, but I think this oddity of Riko will come to the forefront when she is at least partially exposed to the curse of the 7th layer (If the story doesn't use a member of Hail Hex or Tepaste as fodder to show off it's effects)
⦁Could Riko be a form of Juusou? (Even if only having minimal effects) It's strange they were introduced as people born in the abyss (Like Riko) although the others were born as Hollows.
⦁Lyza- Riko seems to share a few traits with Lyza, they both cook and their first thought on seeing something organic looking is "Is this Edible?" They also seem to have the same habits when it comes to naming things (Only difference is Lyza is a bit more experienced at it) While I'll go further into this more under Reg's section, I think the mystery of his name is a simple as Lyza giving him the same name as Riko and it will be played off as a connection Riko has to Lyza.
⦁Prushka- It seems a white whistle use requires intent on what it is used on, since I would think Faputa could definitely be affected by it, and it's lightly suggested Meinya could also possibly be affected.
⦁Riko should sometime try testing it on different things, maybe try herself even.
⦁Could Prushka originally be a attempt at creating a Juussou by Bondrewd? (It looks to have failed, thus her use in him getting the Blessing)
⦁Reg- Largest Theory section, Includes Clawbot and Lyza since in story most plot connections are through him. To try to organize these I'll try to order them chronologically (At least ones near the story Timeline). I'll begin with a few that'll give context to later ones though.
⦁I'll preface this by saying I do not believe in the Reg's soul is Riko's dog theory. Riko seemed to have a dog around when she was 5 or 6 years old. At some point the Orphanage found out and she had to give it up (There's no mention of the dog dying which would have fit in with the trauma Made in Abyss likes to have). It's entirely possible for Lyza to have met Reg while Riko still had the dog. The name Reg happens to be just a connection to Lyza, and the scene in the Manga with Mio was just supposed to be a bit of humor showing how things had changed and stayed the same as Mio came back to Orth.
⦁I think Reg and by extension Clawbot were likely human at some point. Whatever job they got which caused them to be like they are now probably had some job preparation that made them get most of their bodies modified or replaced with relics so they could survive in the dangerous areas they seem to have to stay around.
⦁While Reg is unaware post memory loss, he probably has a wireless communication ability similar to the Interference Units. I'll go into a bit more of plot ramifications later. ⦁Before Lyza Reg likely was likely a bit more like the Interference Units, he (and Clawbot) likely had a nonstandard culture, language and probably a nonstandard name.
⦁The damage on Reg's helmet, and lack of charge could just be from age, he likely had to deal with things over the ages. It's possible Reg is lacking something that would normally allow him to recharge the Incinerator passively.
⦁Reg before Lyza was likely the more friendly, if not naive of the two. Whereas Clawbot was likely more cautious and standoffish I bet. Which would play into why Lyza got into contact with Reg instead of Clawbot.
⦁Lyza- When Lyza made her final dive, at some point in the sixth layer she saw Clawbot, and either at the entrance of the 7th or in the 7th she got into contact with Reg.
⦁They hit it off, Lyza likely gave him his name. She taught him the delver language and they likely sparred at some points (This would explain Reg's language and fighting habits matching Lyza's). While years passed on surface, not much time passed during their interactions.
⦁At some point in their conversations Reg (and by extension Clawbot) learned of Riko and her true nature. It's possible Lyza learned Riko's importance and might have even been cordial to whatever might need to be done.
⦁My theory is that after this was learned Reg stayed with Lyza at first, and Clawbot made the first attempt to ascend to the surface. Throughout all this I think Reg and Clawbot are on friendly terms (With possible disagreements)
⦁Clawbot made it up to 5th layer and then ran afoul of Bondrewd. (Based off of the Conversation from Srajo)
⦁Clawbot and Bondrewd got into some kind of skirmish and Bondrewd at least temporarily managed to possibly subdue Clawbot for a short time, long enough to obtain or learn how to make Sparagmos. (This could give context to what the Bondrewd/Umbra Hands were saying and doing when studying Reg, they were comparing him to Clawbot)
⦁Afterwards Clawbot escaped and returned to 6th/7th layer to recuperate. Clawbot is possibly the one waiting at the ring for Reg
⦁At some point one of a few things happened, Lyza either died, got cursed, or atleast became incapacitated in some way. which spurred Reg to make the Ascent next, along with Reg bringing with him some of Lyza's belongings to make a grave.
⦁After doing the deed with Faputa and heading up, Reg stopped by Lyza's favorite spot and made the grave, he used the hood of his cloak to make the letter that was with the goods (During his time with Faputa, Reg's cloak had a hood, by the time he meets Riko it has no hood; his cloak seems to be unusually hardy which would fit with the letter being almost indestructible) It is either on request by Lyza, or something left to get Riko more willing to make the Descent.
⦁Reg saves Riko, losing power fully and losing his memory. I do not know the importance of the necklace since its not really mentioned or shown since the opening. It could be as simple as a keepsake from Lyza, to plot important (It could be the thing that helps to jog his memory)
⦁During Idofront Reg recharges and he inadvertently boosts his "wireless signal" which puts Clawbot in range. Clawbot knowing the danger Bondrewd poses takes control of Reg in order to help him. She decides that Bondrewd is too dangerous to let live so tries to use the Incinerator to take all of Bondrewd out at once, not knowing the full context of the battlefield and the fact friendlies are in the blast range. Clawbot relents when Nanachi gets close, but at a minimum she makes Reg remember how to fight in order for himself to defend effectively against Bondrewd.
⦁Nanachi (The theories here are not about gender, I'm just using "he" for convenience since author pretty much said Nanachi is whatever you want it to be)
⦁Nanachi is likely older then stated. Possibly an effect of being blessed/Hollow he likely ages much slower (Possibly being immune to aging) Nanachi is likely unaware of his true age due to being single minded in giving Mitty the death she deserves. Psychologically Nanachi's maturity growth was likely frozen during his time with Hollow Mitty.
⦁Nanachi was completely unaware of Prushka of which Bondrewd would have atleast shown Nanachi once, who grew up on 5th layer (Of which time goes slower) while Nanachi was on 4th.
⦁Nanachi helped Bondrewd fully develop cartridges, and inadvertently his idea of eventually using Prushka to gain the "blessing"
⦁Nanachi didn't seem too much younger when he was first brought into the 5th layer, during which time would be slower for him too.
⦁Bondrewd- likely at least tried to use Zoaholic on Nanachi.
⦁It's strange Bondrewd can peer into Nanachi's vision but there is never a relic reveal that allows just that, other than Zoaholic.
⦁Either Bondrewd kept the Zoaholic use very limited to just eyesight use (He seems to value Nanachi as independent, and sees him as possibly his successor in his twisted way) or due to the "blessing" or Nanachi's attitude to him, it was almost completely incompatible enough so that even a failed Umbra Hand didn't result from it.
⦁One of his goals is likely to be able to directly observe the force field (Even if Nanachi tried to keep that a secret). It would explain why he can only peer into Nanachi's eyesight, and the fact Meinya's scent seemingly giving one the ability to at least see vestiges of the force field.
⦁Faputa- Most stuff about her are out in the open or developing, so not many theories at the moment at least
⦁Likely can be affected by a white whistle
⦁Just due to her nature of being fused with three "Cradles of Desire" probably can do almost anything she puts her mind to.
⦁Meinya - just a short mostly silly theory
⦁I think her true original form was Ilim (The pink haired girl that was with Bondrewd)
⦁Pink theme... Check, Meinastilim...Ilim? check. Meinya = Ilim + animal fetus
⦁Hail Hex - To much current development to really nail down any concrete theories
⦁Srajo could go two ways, either some kind of mentor figure like Ozen to Riko and the party. Or become an antagonist like Bondrewd and try to "change" them
⦁Srajo has yet to reveal her trademark relics she has other than Nishagora.
⦁There seems to be a relic that allows you to fuse things together, like Meinya, floating around. Maybe Srajo stole it from Bondrewd, maybe used it on the Twins?
⦁The Twins
⦁Before their introduction, there was info given about "Children of the Shadows" of which Marulk is, and due to similarities they are likely too. (They wore similar clothes and need to stay in dark places). Maybe reason for Ozens visits, them being distant family of Marulk?
⦁How they got to where they are is unknown, was it Abyss shenanigans, or did Srajo grab them and bring them with her for some reason? (Maybe even used a relic on them, which also inadvertently faked their deaths above) They do seem to have good knowledge of Beyond glyphs which would be useful to Srajo.
⦁Did Srajo try to recreate Reg/Clawbot using relics on the Twins, or did the Abyss do that to them? While there are similarities, they seem to be more archaic compared to reg given they have to remove their prosthetics for bathing.
⦁Predictions- Very Unlikely theories
⦁While I think the others will survive I think Riko will sacrifice herself at the end.
⦁It might start with Reg skirmishing with whatever is at the bottom trying to save Riko, but eventually I bet Riko will end up willingly going with it. (It might be what the 2000 year cycle requires)
⦁It's possible every 2000 year cycle a "Riko" with her soul appears and depending on his true age it's possible Reg might have escorted a previous "Riko" in the past.
⦁Reg and by extension Faputa will make a promise to Riko to find her again when her soul cycles back again. Nanachi I see as a wildcard, either finding Mitty at the bottom, or not and dying too eventually (If Mitty is found, and Nanachi being biologically Immortal I could see them also deciding to join in the promise)

It was so terribly cold. Snow was falling, and it was almost dark, when out of the blue, my wife called me at work. "We're going to Niagara Falls for the weekend. I got us an awesome deal!"
We had both been working at our first "full-fledged" jobs for a year and had reached that moment after graduation when you suddenly realize you can't make that impact on the world your student enthusiasm once promised. At first, I just sighed. It was the dead of January, and I had already expended all my energy on a week of inconsequential stress. I just wanted to collapse on the couch for two days. Sarah felt a similar weary exhaustion. I could tell. Her tone was more hopeful than excited, but she had dreaded the routine we were sinking into and was trying her best to pull us free.
I looked to the ceiling and adjusted my telephone headset. At that time I was working at Stats Canada on the tele-query desk. I took a deep breath and, as convincingly as possible, said, "Sounds good." I don't think she bought it, but we went nonetheless.
This was Niagara Falls before the casinos when there was a very distinct off-season. When we got to the hotel, we were given the details of our "lovers' special". One dinner to be used either Friday or Saturday, two breakfasts, a roll of tokens for the arcade, 10% off some "4D" movie ride experience, and a 2-for-1 coupon to Max Tussaud's. I guessed it was Madame's nephew? We also got a bottle of sparkling wine in our room and chocolate treats on our pillows. I was impressed. It sounded good.
When we got into our room and saw the "bottle" of wine - basically an aeroplane-sized glass and half - and the chocolates - "fun wrapped" Oh Henry's left over from Halloween - we both started to laugh. The tone for two wonderful days had been set. We decided to cash in on our dinner coupon right away.
The restaurant off the lobby had hopes of being better. There were huge panoramic windows that promised a view of the gorge. Unfortunately, they had some winter moisture problems that day, and it felt like we were defrosting amid the dripping streaks and foggy patches. The decor was your standard booths and tables though the "romantic" lighting was unique. Dollar store battery-powered tea lights were lodged inside thick tumbler glasses and shed a muted pleasantness in a "what a great idea for a craft" sort of way. I had a feeling they were created by our waitress since she was the one who always seemed to be fussing with them. Only one other couple was in the dining room, so she attended to us immediately.
"Can I get you something to start?"
"Sure." "Thank you, that would be nice." We both responded simultaneously.
"And what would the lady like this evening?"
Sarah smiled at the flattery. "I think I'll have a glass of white wine." She glanced over at me to see my reaction. This was a subtle cue of the mood to follow. Diet Coke was usually the beverage of choice. She didn't normally drink alcohol. One glass numbed her nose and made her giggle far too easily. When she did drink, however, it meant she was comfortable with my company and open to anything to follow. I raised my eyebrows in a debonair way.
"And for the gentleman?"
"Do you have Foster's on tap?"
"Yes we do."
"I'll have a pint please."
Sarah smiled at the happy memories I invoked. At university, Foster's was my signature beer. It was at a time when Crocodile Dundee was a known name, and Australia was inexplicably cool. 15 cent buffalo wings and a pitcher of Foster's was the Tuesday night special at the London Arms pub. There the Classics Club would meet and, as a group, circle the wagons and drink ourselves into extroverts.
As soon as the waitress left, Sarah smiled at me. She reached out and held my hand across the table. With my gaze on hers, she slipped her foot from her shoe and slowly began sliding it up my pant leg.
"I got a pedicure this morning." She announced seductively.
I nodded and pretended I didn't notice her invitation. "What colour?" I asked.
"I'm not telling." She teased. "You'll just have to find out later." Her devious little smile was gorgeous.
"Mmmm. I can't wait."
When the waitress returned with our drinks, we immediately retreated to our personal spaces as if we had been discovered by the chaperone. Sarah opened the menu and began to salivate at the variety.
"Can we add an appetizer to the package dinner?" Her question seemed innocent enough.
"You're on the package?" Our friendly waitress disappeared, and we were no longer a lady or a gentleman. She ripped the menu out of Sarah's hand and took mine before I had even opened it. She then scurried to her podium and brought back a tattered, grease-stained, photocopied page that we had to share. We both burst out laughing.
The waitress was flustered that we were not as bothered as she was. "The drinks are NOT included!"
"What choices do we have?" I asked, expecting the usual chicken or fish. I had been on many packages before with my parents.
"Coffee or tea." The waitress snapped.
Sarah and I looked at each other in amused disbelief.
"I'll have coffee please." I didn't even flinch at the ridiculously limited package. I was eager to get my order in early.
"And I'll have the tea!" Sarah followed my lead. "Can I have some milk with that?"
"Yes." The waitress snarled.
"Fantastic!" I enthused.
"Yes, great! I'm glad we got the package, Honey." Sarah joked.
The waitress stormed off and returned sometime later with our lettuce-only salads drowned in Kraft's Italian dressing and our chewy chicken dinners, which she had thoughtfully allowed to cool. She tossed the plates on the table and left us to peacefully devour our deal. We didn't see her again until we requested the bill. For some reason, we found it amusing to leave a generous tip, which of course, defeated the purpose of the package, but we didn't care. It was fun.
The rest of the holiday was marred with similar off-season products and services. The wax museum was only half open, so we couldn't see the pop stars of the seventies. I didn't think it was a problem, but Sarah pouted playfully. She really wanted to see young Bowie. Meanwhile, the arcade was particularly stingy about spitting out coupons. So much so that Mike, the scraggly-haired repair guy, ended up escorting us from game to game and repairing the devices on demand. In no time, he was acting like an old drinking buddy. He joked and laughed, then, out of the blue, revealed that working at the Niagara Falls Fun Centre wasn't his career choice, that his dream was to be part of a travelling carnival. He desperately wanted to see more of the world, he explained and socialize with a greater variety of "wildlife." Mike winked at Sarah to punctuate his meaning, then began advising her on which games to play.
Sarah was partial to Skee ball and clearly had career potential in the sport, but Mike quickly pointed out that the token-to-coupon payout was not the best. In a furtive whisper, he revealed that The Storm Stopper was your best bet, provided the arcade had left it on its original factory settings. He assured us the ones here were "cool." The game had lights that ran around the outside in opposite directions and you had to hit the button at just the right spot to win. It looked impossible, but Mike was right; if you calculated tokens in versus coupons won, it was the best deal. It only took a little practice to win a minor jackpot every 5 or 6 times.
We would cheer each win as if Toronto had won the Stanley Cup. I would give a quick fist pump and a full lung "Yes!" while Sarah would jump up and down screaming, "WhoooHooo!" Of course, in the end, when we cashed in, "Mike's secret" only bumped us up from a key-chain flashlight to a "deluxe" nail beauty set. Mind you, it did come complete with clippers, scissors, a file AND a cuticle scraper. Not only that, it was all neatly packaged in a paisley-patterned pink and green plastic vinyl case. Mike was so pleased to give us our prize and to be honest, we were thrilled to win it if only to see his broad chicletted smile. It was more of a trophy than a grooming set.
That night, I made reservations for us at a fancy Chinese food restaurant - the Bamboo Garden. When we arrived, we had half-expected renovations of some sort. Instead, the place was immaculate. Gentle pools teeming with goldfish highlighted the epic black and red Ming dynasty decor. Real candles flickered on crisp white tablecloths. Again, the restaurant was virtually ours. The reservations on my part were entirely unnecessary. In fact, as soon as we entered, they knew us by name and guided us directly to our table. A live lounge piano caressed the air, its notes danced vaguely around familiar harmonies until finally, as if prompted by our presence, a song emerged immediately accompanied by the velvet voice of oriental karaoke. It was our song remastered

What will you be doing with this PC? Be as specific as possible, and include specific games or programs you will be using.

Using primarily for gaming and occasional productivity- examples: Overwatch 2, Minecraft, Red Dead Redemption 2, Resident Evil 4 Remake, photoshop

What is your maximum budget before rebates/shipping/taxes?

$1250-1350 flexible if recommended spending more

When do you plan on building/buying the PC? Note: beyond a week or two from today means any build you receive will be out of date when you want to buy.

I would like to buy parts asap.

What, exactly, do you need included in the budget? (ToweOS/monitokeyboard/mouse/etc)

Only PC hardware is included in budget, I have already purchased an RTX 4070 for $600 so that is part of my $1250-1350 budget

Which country (and state/province) will you be purchasing the parts in? If you're in US, do you have access to a Microcenter location?

US and no Microcenter nearby.

If reusing any parts (including monitor(s)/keyboard/mouse/etc), what parts will you be reusing? Brands and models are appreciated.

The case I have is a White Corsair 4000D Tempered Glass Mid-Tower ATX Case and a RTX 4070.

Will you be overclocking? If yes, are you interested in overclocking right away, or down the line? CPU and/or GPU?

No overclocking

Are there any specific features or items you want/need in the build? (ex: SSD, large amount of storage or a RAID setup, CUDA or OpenCL support, etc)

I would like at least 8 cores in the CPU, 32GB RAM, 1-2 TB SSD. I am unsure if I should run ddr4 or ddr5 with the RTX 4070? No other exact part preferences, just looking for something that will run smooth and last me many years as I prefer not to do upgrades often(I am upgrading from a GTX 1060)

Do you have any specific case preferences (Size like ITX/microATX/mid-towefull-tower, styles, colors, window or not, LED lighting, etc), or a particular color theme preference for the components?

So I can try and match my case, White + RGB is a plus but not necessary. Keeping cost on budget is more important. (I'd rather spend more on nicer parts than spend more for white colored)

Do you need a copy of Windows included in the budget? If you do need one included, do you have a preference?

No

Extra info or particulars:

*The long version is as follows:* ***Washington Wizards:*** 

 ***Brooklyn Nets:*** 

 ***Boston Celtics:*** 

​
An Albino Cobra for exemplification
Hey guys, Sertorius here again. Haven't been active here much for the reasons I've explained in my last thread but also due to lack of opportunity.
I've thought I should at least make a thread about this sighting of a cryptid in Portugal, since I am the only person able to source it and it might get lost to time if something happens to me.
Then...Here it goes.
In the 1990s, possibly 93/94/95, a group of children walked through their usual path to school, in the city of Barcelos, North of Portugal, close by to the Cavado River, the main river crossing the region. In a then bushy area of the street side, very close to the river margin, there was some maintenance by the City hall workers going on, as all 3 kids saw what the main witness, let's call her Kay, described as the following; "a snake, like a cobra [in Portuguese the word for snake IS cobra, which is the etymology of the group name, but I can assure you this is not a mistranslation as I am a native speaker and the group of snakes known as cobras has a specific name] with transparent skin, was slithering by right in front of us going in the direction of the bushes. I was able to see its insides as if it had no skin. The hood was like that of a cobra"
I questioned Kay about a few details - round or triangle face shape? She can't remember. Did the snake keep the hood flared as it move? Yes. Size? Due to size difference from children to adults, hard to say, but definitely not big for an usual snake.
I also presented Kay, my witness, with several images, in hopes of identifying the possible misidentification or an exotic escaped pet. (BTW before I keep writing further I'd like to make one point clear; despite being children at the time, they did talk to the workers nearby to warn them of the snake, as one would probably do, and Kay herself did tell this story immediately to her mother, who still remembers it to this day. I have zero reasons to not believe Kay's testimony, she has nothing to gain by lying, she in fact did not mention this on her own except when prodded by me as I mentioned my interest in cryptozoology and explained what the field is about. Kay is also someone I personally know for some time, and I can guarantee she is the most honest person I've ever met. She *saw* something that day and she has fantastic visual memory. Therefore, although I think we all should be somewhat sceptical with any eye witness, I wanted to add this caveat as to why I so firmly believe her)
Let's proceed. Due to her description, one of my first thoughts was that of an albino snake, yet, no snake was a match. Of course, she was insistent on the cobra morphology, which to me seemed dubious as there are none in the country or even in the larger region (we'll get back to this). I have also shown her many of the local species - that specific region of the country is a *hotspot* of snakes, having both serpents and vipers. On a mythological and folkloric note, Portugal's region was known by the Greeks as the land of Snakes, and has always had a huge folkloric motif relating to snakes and in fact as you've seen in my other map of Portuguese cryptids, cryptid snakes are common in Portugal historically. This is simply the most recent and distinct of the sightings/cryptids. With no proper snake match, I've showed her worms, skinks, legless lizards, and so on. Nothing matched. I showed her a false water cobra which has a sort of light rose colouring and she said it was close but not really. Nothing matched. Of course I wasnt expecting to find an exact match but if something was close it would be possible it was an escaped or albino escapee of some collectopet owner. I cant explain how insistent she has always been on the transparent skin point. I've showed her some animals that do have transparent skin like these here, particularly the frog and the skate. Of course this could've been the mind filling in blanks. I finally showed her after exhausting all alternative an albino cobra. This was my guess from the start but considering both the odds of an albino snake AND a cobra being in that place, I wanted to save it for last. That was the closest of all. She said it was *very* similar but still not quite. Again, the skin wasn't see-through enough. I'd like to add to this that there are both albino and leucistic snakes, and I'm pretty sure if real the cryptid was not leucestic, as that is a pasty white thats quite visible and opaque. Albino is closer to transparent.
With that done, there wasnt much else for me to do. Well, there was. Theorising.
This thread is long enough and I don't wanna give out all the details - specially as this will be the first cryptid I will *personally* search for in the terrain in 2024, and hopefully with some good news - thus I will simply put out forth a few solutions;
-the kids had a collective illusion - not impossible of course. But I personally don't think so, when you take everything into account -it was an escaped albino cobra - I think this is *very* likely. Over time the memory could have made it more transparent than it really was. Although the odds of all that happening seem very small it does make sense that an exotic pet owner would keep an albino cobra specifically, due to both their beauty and rarity. Only issue is that of course, it doesn't match 100% (Which could be explained by memory) and that afaik and seen there are no reports of escaped snakes, let alone cobras (granted, hard to find such from the 90s) and that pet trade like that specially then wasn't exactly common or easy. -other theories - there are many other possible theories of course which I will not talk about, like some specific mutation other than albinism, a damaged/sick snake from the region, a snake like animal under certain optical conjectures, etc... - a new and unique species - now, this is why you're here. I guess. Anyway this is the part where I'm gonna end the thread on; because I wanna discuss quickly why this isn't entirely impossible.
There is a phenomenon in which species adapting to a cave system as their entire habitat will have drastic changes. And thats called troglomorphism, ("cave shape"). You see this in some salamanders for example. Check the wiki article. So the see through skin could actually be a cave adaptation over thousands of years. The cave acting as a biogeographic island. The hood like a cobra could be an optical illusion, an actual hood that convergently evolved or a false hood, like the false water cobra has. Or it could be something else entirely for the cave system - we know one part of troglomorphism is potentially gaining extra appendages for sensory. Usually antennae tho. Thing is troglomorphism isnt very well understood yet.
Plus, the area is as I said above known for its snakes. One of the most snake dense areas of the country and historically as well. Although there aren't a lot of cave systems that we know of there, due to the geological and geophysical traits of the earth there, there *is* one specific area under the general area of the city and the upper Cavado that could have a decent enough cave system underneath. The Cavado itself can be a good way to move for snakes as some are seen at times in the water of the river. Furthermore, in the course of my research into portuguese cryptids in general, I've come across a few different researchers in the life sciences. One of them, an entomologist referred (relating to another topic tho) how the underground of Portugal is extremely rich and almost like "a tropical jungle" in terms of biodiversity and opportunities. Of course, he meant it more specifically concerning insects, but it does make me wonder as we do have quite a few interesting caves here, with unique systems and not enough money/manpower for research to be done on them.
So, I dont want you to believe in this cryptid, which I've named the Portuguese Ghost Cobra. I just wanted to share the testimony, specially as some people were interested on it; what i've learned and a few of my pet theories, while making sure it is saved into posterity just in case. Also to announce that you will probably hear more from me on this matter in the future as I intend to go to the location myself and do a deep dive and search for extra clues, more sightings and who knows, evidence. So wait for that I guess.
​

This game has given me prejudice against Turkish people. I try to hide it but it is hard. I want nothing but to kick turkey out of NATO. I’m not even greek, not a drop of greek blood in me. Every game I play, every dream of a #1 GP, get’s destroyed by the Ottomans. What the fuck do you mean you have russian manpower and prussian space marines with only anatolia and the balkans with 5 provinces in egypt? It’s like if China had the technology of Great Britain. I know they were strong in real life but jesus. Every campaign the ottomans go no balls and declare on me even if they end up losing because I can’t 100% them, I can at best white peace, and it puts me thousands of ducats in debt, and any more loans I take to improve my economy does nothing because interest grows way too similar at that point.

18 female asian
This has happened about 2-3 times before but there have been multiple instances where I almost do pass out.
One time my vision turned completely black and white for a bit and I was sweating my ass off.
Another time my vision just gets spotty with blackness filling it, but deep breaths usually help it. I also find that standing up or walking when I’m in this state makes it 100x worse. I have to sit or else I will most definitely pass out.
The most recent time I was doing completely fine until we went into part of an art museum that was playing a very low hertz for the ambience. That was when my vision started to get black and I started feeling dizzy. Blacked out soon after that.
It mostly happens when I smoke delta 8 and don’t eat at all that day. Does anyone know why this happens? Is it the synthetic weed or weed in general? I can go without eating sober and not black out but when I’m high, shit hits the roof
edit: I’d like to add that I’m not on any meds

I am currently a 22 year old female, but when I was 19-20 years old and in university I had a roommate for my sophomore year that completely ruined any hope I had for developing a friendship.
For some context when I was a freshman I did not have a roommate so going into sophomore year I had no idea what to expect in a roommate situation. The girl I was assigned to live with freshman year never showed up so I ended up staying in the double dorm room alone. I did not mind this because I am a very independent person and I like my privacy.
So come sophomore year, I take an empty bed in another double dorm room after my original choice was not going to work for me. I went into things with an open mind and we discussed who would bring what and who would have which side of the room, etc.
She seemed nice and was quiet, introverted, and did not smoke, drink, etc, just as I had hoped she would be. I am exactly the same way and was really hoping to room with someone I could get along with because I very much hate confrontation.
For the first little bit things were fine because we spent so much time unpacking, settling in, buying textbooks, roaming campus, and hanging out with previously made friends. But then things started happening that made me start to wonder about her.
For additional context I was a psychology major and she was an art student at our university. Our course loads were extremely different because while I had more papers, presentations, tests, etc she would have more drawing, animating, and creative assignments.
I have always been a night owl and tended to schedule my courses to start mid morning (like 10am and forward) versus 8am because I like to sleep in a bit. I did not mind that my roommate was not that way and was constantly having to be at the studio to draw and varying times, however, her sleep schedule was incredibly odd and effected the way I was able to live in my own dorm room.
She would eat, shower, and prepare for bed starting at like 6pm and be ready to lay down by 7:30-8:00 which meant that the lights would go off at that time. I would be forced to sit in my dark dorm room using my laptop with my earbuds in completely silent at that point. I could not talk on the phone, type too much on my laptop, or make any audible reaction to whatever I was watching. Like I mentioned I absolutely do not like confrontation so whenever she asked if she could turn off the lights at 8pm I always said yes. (I would not go to the Library or common room because I was typically in my pajamas at that point and going out on campus after a certain point alone made me nervous).
Eventually between 10-11 I would go to bed and sleep through the night until about 5 in the morning when my roommate would get up to start her day. I always tried to be considerate when my roommate was sleeping but she did not do the same for me. She would type on her DESKTOP computer keyboard (which is super loud) before leaving the room, throw things around while packing her things, slam the door when coming in and out, and even bump into my bed shaking the whole thing when finally leaving the dorm room for the day. It would wake me up and most times I would not be able to fall back asleep. I would become very annoyed and had to schedule downtime for myself during the day when she would not be there to catch up on my sleep (no matter how hard I try to go to bed early my body had a certain schedule).
I dealt with this for the entire semester until the time came for us to head home for thanksgiving break. I was so happy to have a few day break back home in my own bed. I had a great break and then headed back to school to begin unpacking from the little vacation we're given.
When I entered my dorm room my roommate's father popped up from laying in her bed, where he was apparently sleeping under her covers with his shoes off. He stared at me not saying a word and got on the phone embarrassingly (I'm assuming he called my roommate but she spoke a different language than English with them so I do not know what exactly was said). Shortly after my roommate and her mother enter our room (presumably from doing laundry because my roommate was holding a detergent bottle). They stared at me as well without saying a word. It was awkward.
As I turned to my side of the room to begin unpacking I realized that her parents had left all their belongings on my desk, under my bed, and on the floor on my side of the room. Her mother scrambled over to retrieve her bags from under my bed, coat/purse from my desk, and charger from my wall outlet. I was so beyond shocked that they invaded my space without asking.
I felt the ultimate disrespect because our room was already not that big so I valued my space very much. I used all of it for my stuff and the fact they piled their stuff on mine was super annoying.
Anyways after they moved their stuff I unpacked my stuff and they left shortly afterwards. I did not have to share my room with her for much longer because shortly after Covid hit and we were sent home to finish the semester online.
A word of advice: respect your roommates space and respect their schedule if it doesn't match up with yours.

okay, this is probably a weird post. but I have big feet for a woman (I wear about size 13 women's, size 11.5 men's), and I'm feeling dysphoric about shoes. I'm a baby trans who is newly out to the world, and I bought these cute women's tevas sandals that I basically only wear now and love. I just ordered my first pair of white sneakers off of Mercari, and they were tagged as women's size 13.
NOPE! they came and they are men's size 13. They somehow are wearable on me, but I have to tighten the laces a lot. The shoes are fucking gorge (they are white adidas superstars with black stripes, white body and gold detailing) and I'd love to wear them but I'm so afraid they will make my feet look big.
Um, so I guess what I'm asking is, how often do people clock trans women based on big shoes? idfk sorry if this post has weird energy i'm sort of going through it atm
​
edit: i should mention i'm 6 ft tall. idk maybe it's relevant

Hi guys. I’m leaving Japan next week and I have a couple of products that I have gotten tax free. They are still wrapped up and won’t be opened until I get home. Must I do anything else? Do these items need to be checked at the airport? What do I do? I don’t want to go home and face a charge! Thanks :)
P.s. sorry for my title mistakes, I just got acrylic nails and can’t type well now 😂

So it has been a short while since I posted.
A lot has happened surprisingly. Through the grapevine of a friend I met another girl and decide to give her a chance. She asked me out surprisingly. It was a complete shocker to me. Everything was good. Our first "date" (if cuddling and watching a movie was as date) went really well. We had 2 more dates afterwards.
The second date I thought was amazing we talked, made out, and ate dinner together. She had a long day and I planned to take her to a restaurant in the mall. When I heard that she had a long day I scraped the mall date and planed a at home date with takeout and a movie and cuddling. I thought it was a really good time. I made her happy and less stressed, and she was smiling the whole time she was at my place.
I did also regret part of this date too. I told her I love her while we were making out. I realize that it was a dumb thing to do. Looking back on what I did, I know realize that is a really big mistake. But the date ended well. I gave her a hoodie of mine because she wanted one. And we were talking all night like teenagers. She hinted at wanting to stay the night the next time she came to my place. I was all for it.
She told me that I am really sweet and really nice to her. That stuck with me for a while and still haven't let that go.
Then came the third date. This date was when she was suppose to stay over for the night. I went out of my way to get her some necessitates for the night and for the future too. Body soap, Tooth brush, and face wash. Well it turns out that life had different plans for us. She had a family emergency that she had to go take care of. She was really sad and was waiting for me to be upset. I didn't get upset. I told her that I understand and that family comes first when something like this happens. She left and went straight to the hospital.
Earlier today she told me that she was coming over. When she arrived she returned my hoodie and my heart dropped for the entire conversation. She said that she is having a moment in her life right now and is not sure what she wants in terms of us. I told her that I will support any decision that she made going forward and that I am here for her if she needs a friend to talk to. I was holding back tears and she noticed them. She went white. She left after that. I called her when she got back to her house. I wanted to say a few things for some closure on my end or just to have a clean conscience.
Over the call I apologized for what I did on the second date. I also apologized if I came of as overbearing and overwhelming her. She accepted that apologizes and we talked about what is going to happen going forward. I know deep down that it is over between us. I know it I am just to afraid to admit it.
So yeah, I meet a girl the day I posted the original post and now I'm not sure where we are now. I want more than anything to be with her. She is fun, caring, strong, and makes me smile. I just think that if we call if now then I am going to be right back where I was 12 days ago.

Skinwalkers in Rural Michigan
I recently purchased a 10,000 lumen flashlight to illuminate the surrounding woods as I walk my dog in the evenings. I have been hearing some strange noises at night, and I figured it would be nice to see everything that boxes me in as I walk Max, my dog. But boy was I wrong. I should have been afraid of what can't be seen outside the veils of my iphone flashlight. What was to be exhumed by my flashlight terrified me to my core. This happened a week or so ago, November, 2nd 2022, Harrison Michigan. The evenings were approaching abruptly now. It was only 8:30pm when I decided to take my golden retriever on one last shit walk before I got settled in for the night. At this time, in rural Michigan at least, it’s pitch black. I cursed underneath my breath as I opened the door and peered out. Fuck, chilly and dark. God, why haven’t I moved south yet? Max was timid this evening, which was so really unlike him. Very strange. The darkness emanating from outside my house poured in like a disease. It was void of any color. Upset about not replacing my porch light, I pulled out my new amazon special, this week it was a 10,000 lumen flashlight. Feeling its expensive metallic body in my hands felt exonerating, and the excitement to use it overthrew any bad vibes Max was giving. He whimpered as soon as the door opened, he then put his tail between his legs and shivered. I scoffed at his weak tendencies here, this was so unlike him. I turned this ungodly bright flashlight on and showed it forward. “For fuck sake look Max, nothing to be afraid of y-” I was cut off. My mouth gaped at what was in front of me. Shown in the powerful beam of the flashlight was a contorted lanky humanoid figure. It slumped down from a standing position and got on all fours like a person miming a frog. Then it jerked its head up and sniffed the air. Animistically. It turned its head and bored its stare right into my eyes. Then it darted into a bush on the edge of the woods. The edge of the woods that surround my entire house. I heard leaves crackle and watched the skin colored creature dissipate into them. I focused the beam of my light directly onto that bush. It was incredibly bright and the bush appeared like high definition from the immense light, especially in contrast to the oily blackness that surrounded me. The bush shaked ominously, like a predator was inside, shifting around. A familiar feminine voice came from that bush. “Please help me… oh god please help… help… help mee…” And the leaves rustled again. Max whimpered in terror and got between my legs. I grabbed the baseball bat that I kept beside the front door for just such occasions and held it beside my head in a “ready to whoop” gesture, the other hand on my flashlight. I shakily started towards the bush from my door. Max bolted inside, leaving me completely alone. “Helllppppp meee” the voice cooed. The soft feminine coo of the voice crackled a little this time. Yeah, almost as if something was masquerading as a female, and luring me in. I was about 6 feet away by now, I could feel the blood pulsating in my temples. Goosh flesh ran down my body. “Helllpp,” deeper voice “Meeee!” An elongated ashy white arm flung towards me at ankle height. I instinctively stomped down on it. I heard cracking and sloshing from underneath my shoe. I stepped directly onto its wrist. I heard a shriek from inside the depths of that bush and the hand sprung up like a trap being set off. The strength possessed by this creature was unreal, it slung me to the ground and began to reel me into its bush where it resided. I screamed, smacked the arm with the bat as hard as I could and then lost control of the bat. It fell next to me as I was dragged closer to the bush, now my feet were inside the leafy abyss. The voice turned into my mothers voice. The clawed hands grasp on me tightened with tremendous strength and the nails dug into my skin through my pants. “Help me Nathaniel. Your mother needs help. I can't walk.” Yeah alright. I shined my light into the bush. What I saw still makes me tremble. It was my dead mothers face there alright, but atop an ashy white skinned humanoid skeleton with backward joints. The arms bent unnaturally opposite of how they should, the legs were bent like a frogs ready to pounce. The eyes were milky white, but were extremely intelligent and they gazed into my consciousness. With all of my force, I horse kicked my deceased mothers face and heard a massive crunch as my heel connected with her masqueraded nose. A profane yelp of pain blasted into the darkness of this B.F.E. where I lived. The grip on my leg loosened just enough from the blow for me to break free. I shot upright and turned to the door. I dropped my flashlight in this madness and couldn’t give a shit less. It could keep it for all I fucking cared. I bolted towards the door, and as I reached the halfway point I was Illuminated by a blinding bright light from behind. Almost like a spotlight beamed right onto me. My. Fucking. God. That thing had my flashlight and was pointing it directly at me. “Helpp… Nathaniel. Help me son.” The light started to bob up and down. Whatever was holding it was lurking closer and closer to me, and was gaining on me much faster than I was to the door. So much for not being able to walk. I ended up winning the foot race miraculously. I jumped inside my door and slammed it behind me. I heard a loud thump into the door immediately following its closure. My mothers late voice came again, beckoning me. “Son. You know your mother has taught you better than this. Let me in. Please, my son.” The light shone through the window at me, blinding me. Seeing spots and now disoriented, I fumbled myself up and managed to lock the door. Max was at the furthest point possible from the door, glaring at the door trembling in fear. Three solid knocks from the top of the door frame. Then the light was gone and I heard a metallic clunk, the thing must have dropped the flashlight on its retreat. The light now was gleaming off a huge tree. I watched a tall skinny humanoid creature with long contorted ligaments jerkily run towards that tree. His legs bent opposite of how our legs do, and same with the arms. Then it bent down in the same erratic way that it moved, and got onto all fours as it approached the tree. It paused a second and peered up the trunk. His head swiftly snapped to my face. Its now black and sunken eyes stared into my soul. I froze in terror as it climbed that trunk, with its face directly bored into me mind you, like squirrel. Scurrying right up it, never leaving contact with my eyes. The light undoubtedly should be blinding his vision, but the sense of intelligence of it knowing my existence was uncanny. Light didnt hurt it. As it ascended it smiled at me, a predatory grin. It disappeared into a purple dot that was still in my vision from when I was blinded by the flashlight. As I moved my head to try to see the creature, I watched tree leaves russell and saw no more of it. Yet. I locked the doors that night and cleaned up Max’s accidents from not going out. At night as I was asleep, I was awoken by my mothers soft voice from right outside the bedroom window. “Let me in Nathaniel..” Then directly following this motherly imitation came a 10,000 lumen flashlight beamed into my face. I heard the window slowly open, but I was blinded by the light.