I posted a thread with some of the recent discoveries by the scientific community on the vagus nerve & its importance Root of Consciousness-Vagus Nerve not long ago & was reminded that id forgotten to cite a few really interesting articles I'd found.
ScienceAlert- 2ND brain
JHopkins- Mood, Wellness, Brain Gut Connection The brain in our stomach may hve evolved 1st. Our ancestors knew this to be true, we see the Moai of Easter Island, figures at Puma Punku, Tiahuanaco , the Olmecs Monte Alto statues, all depict a figure with its hands on the navel. The temples scattered across the globe emphasize the 'navel' or center by name & we now have archaeoacoustics experiments that found Malta Hypogeums Oracle room, the Kings Chamber, Cairns -Ireland have a resonance Frequency of 111hz In its' navel' now 111Hz.. Everything has its own frequency. Pythagoras created his musical scale starting with a note A (just next to the middle C) that resonates at the frequency of 111Hz.
.Findings of MRI scans suggest that at exactly 111hz, the brain switches off the prefrontal cortex, deactivating the language centre, and temporary switches from left to right-sided dominance, that is responsible for intuition, creativity, holistic processing, inducing a state of meditation or a trance.
Osho, the great Master, shares an example that makes this theory crystal clear. He says: Whenever you are in chaos, the brain stops. You are driving a car and suddenly someone comes in front of you. you push the brake so suddenly that it is not a work of the brain. It cannot be because the brain takes time, it thinks what to do, what not to do. So, whenever there is a possibility of an accident, and you push the brake, you will feel a sensation near your navel, never near your brain. You will feel that your stomach is upset, because your total consciousness is being pushed because of the chaotic accident. If it could be calculated before and predicted, then there would be no need, the mind would do, the brain would do. Whenever you are in an accident, unknown, something unknown comes to you, you will feel the consciousness coming to your navel ... Master Osho
"If you ask a Zen monk, from where do you 'think', he will put his hands on his stomach. When westerners come in contact with Japanese Zen monks for the first time, they could not understand this: 'Nonsense! How can one think from the stomach?' But the Zen reply is meaningful. Consciousness can use any centre of the body, and the most primary and the most near to the original source is the navel. And the most far-off is the brain. So, if life energy goes outward, then ultimately, the centre of consciousness becomes the brain. If life energy goes inward, then the navel becomes the centre."
Outer consciousness means worldly-mindedness, external awareness, ego, outward concept. On the other hand, Inner consciousness means a deeper understanding of wisdom, unseen essence, heaven, cosmic awareness.

In my study of the Talmud, I am currently in a section of the Jerusalem Talmud that mentions many different kinds of food, and being a subscribed to TH, it got me wondering if somebody has reconstructed these foods based on the scant description given combined with sources like Apicius or Cato. One food I thought could work for the channel is Kutach HaBavli, an ancient dip for bread. Googling it, it turns out that Dr. Susan Weingarten of the Allbright Institute in Jerusalem has done extensive research in old Jewish foods, including Kutach. According to this podcast I found, she has identified Kutach as being the Perso-Babylonian equivalent of Garum, though made with milk instead of fish, and found early Islamicate recipes from Baghdad . I think (though as she says in the podcast) this would entail a lot of time and labor on Max's part, if he would reach out to her, it would be an interesting episode of Tasting History.
When researching her work, it turns out she has written a book on Haroset, an essential dip used in the Passover Seder, and her book is an expansion of this paper, which contains medieval recipes across the Jewish world. Though Max probably has the videos that would coincide with the upcoming Passover already planned, perhaps for Passover 2024, he could make one of the recipes and talk about the history of Passover foods, especially if he ha already reached out to Dr. Weingarten on a Kutach episode.

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After going down a rabbit hole last night and reading through the whole IPCC summary analysis, I decided to put together some of my favorite positive Climate Stories. Note: this is not intended to try to deflect attention from Climate Change
Drop a like if this helps and I'll work on some more next week!

Positive Climate News:

• How playgrounds are becoming a secret weapon in the fight against climate change: These redesigned playgrounds will help New York City be more resilient in the face of climate change. Giving up asphalt in favor of porous turf and more green space helps manage stormwater runoff, reduce heat island effects, and engage kids in environmental stewardship. This grade school in Manhattan’s Chinatown is a success that city planners hope to replicate. See why.
• Positive tipping points could ‘unlock a climate crisis stalemate’: We’ve heard of negative tipping points for the climate: melting ice caps and rainforest destruction, for instance. But are there positive tipping points too? A study from Tim Lenton, a professor of climate change and Earth science, says yes, and that giving more airtime to climate solutions could break the climate crisis stalemate and inspire more action.
• A California town’s wastewater is helping it battle drought: Healdsburg, California is utilizing a water recycling system to combat drought and conserve water resources. The strategy has increased the city’s water supply reliability, eased pressure on reservoirs and wells, and reduced wastewater discharge into the Russian River. This is just one of California’s many wastewater reclamation projects and serves as a model for other localities interested in developing their own water-reuse plans.
• ‘Tipping point’: Renewable energy to become the world’s top source of electricity by 2025: Renewable energy is expected to surpass coal as the world's top source of energy by 2025. Demand for electricity is growing, but so is energy production from wind, solar, and nuclear power. Read more about why this advancement is cause for optimism, even as we have further to go in reducing the overall emissions that come from the power sector.
• US will see more new battery capacity than natural gas generation in 2023: The US is expected to add more new battery capacity than natural gas generation this year, a significant shift in the energy landscape. The increased investment in battery storage and other alternatives to fossil fuel-produced energy is driven by technological advancements, falling costs, and supportive policies that promote clean energy.
• Installing solar panels on these family homes led to spare cash and more free time: What happens when you give everyday people solar panels? Researcher Dr. Nicolette Fox in the UK found that installing solar for the social housing tenants in her study inspired people to conserve energy, share power with their neighbors, and become ambassadors for solar energy in their community. For households that never thought of solar as a viable financial option before, they saved money and became more knowledgeable of how their energy consumption related to their greater grid.
• Australia blocks coal mine to protect Great Barrier Reef: In a landmark victory for the environment, Australia has blocked the development of a new coal mine just 10 km from the Great Barrier Reef. This decision marks a turning point in the nation's approach to protecting its precious natural wonders and combating climate change, as it is the first time in history that the Australian government has blocked the creation of a coal mine citing environmental law.
• High seas treaty: historic deal to protect international waters finally reached at UN: A landmark UN treaty has been reached to protect the high seas, covering international waters that comprise nearly two-thirds of our oceans. Discover how this agreement aims to protect marine life and regulate human activities while fostering cooperation among nations. Explore the challenges and potential impacts of this vital pact (20 years in the making!) on the future of our oceans.
• ‘Dead’ Electric Car Batteries Find a Second Life Powering Cities: As Electric vehicle (EV) batteries reach the end of their lifespan, innovative solutions are required to manage the resulting waste. EV batteries are getting a second life as these companies repurpose them for power stations, reducing waste and supporting renewable energy integration.
• Seaweed farming inspires high hopes in Alaska for economic and environmental benefits: Seaweed farming in Alaska is garnering attention for its potential to boost local economies, reduce food insecurity, and buffer against ocean acidification and pollutants. Seaweed has a variety of uses, including agricultural, industrial, and food. With increasing global demand for sustainable products, Alaska's seaweed farming industry holds promise.
• Puerto Rico town celebrates ‘first-of-its-kind’ solar microgrid: The town of Adjuntas in Puerto Rico is celebrating the inauguration of a first-of-its-kind solar microgrid. The project, run by local nonprofit Casa Pueblo, aims to increase the town's energy resilience in the face of increasingly damaging storms, and serve as a model for similar initiatives across the island, which has faced ongoing power grid challenges since Hurricane Maria.

The economy of the Koudeiland Islands, which first involved sealing, whaling and provisioning ships, became heavily dependent on Gulba Fruit and Musk Ox farming from the 1970s to 1980s. It then diversified and now has income from tourism, commercial fishing, and servicing the fishing industry as well as agriculture. The Koudeiland Islands use the US Dollar, Argentine Peso, and Antarctic Dollar.

So here are some datamined unique items (build 0.8.0.39517). *Please note: These may not be final and there could be additional unique items added, or powers/names changed. I don't believe this is the final list, in fact, I've seen screenshots of many other uniques that aren't listed here. You'll notice a few fan-favorite uniques returning in the list from previous games along with uniques that are completely new.
*posted in the diablo reddit but was told I should post here as well.
In beta we got to see only a tiny part of charactebuild customization. Once we combine legendary powers, affixes and stats on gear, paragon boards, glyphs (socket these into paragon boards), uniques, skill trees, and the class-specific systems (enchantments, book of the dead, spirit boons, etc) we should be in a great place which should be enough to satisfy even the most veteran arpg fans out of the gate.
So uniques have the following:

• static affixes, any drop of that specific unique will always have the same affixes (although they still roll within a range, 5-15 strength for example. So it is possible to find a "perfect" rolled item).
• the affixes may be something that don't normally show up on that slot. For example, a helm could have 30% movement speed. Movement speed doesn't normally roll on the helm slot.
• There could be a unique affix on the item that doesn't appear on any other item in the game. For example, the Harlequin Crest has the affix "+45% crafting material find". I haven't seen that stat on any other item so it may be just exclusive to it. This list doesn't show those unique affixes.
• the number of affixes on the item don't have to follow rares/legendary. Could be more/less.
• the value of affixes can be unique. For example, if the max roll for a specific affix on a rare is 25%, you may find a unique that has a range going up to 50% instead. They don't follow any rules.
• Uniques are tied to lore/maybe have a tiny backstory or flavor text

Normal/Sacred/Ancestral tiers
Something that I've also not seen much discussion on are sacred or ancestral tiers of items. If you don't know what these are, they are similar to ancient items in D3. As you go up in difficulty (world tiers) you unlock the chance for any item that drops to be sacred or ancestral. All items; white, magic, rare, legendary or unique have a chance to roll as sacred or ancestral. Sacred items roll higher values and item power than normal tier, and ancestral items roll higher values and item power than sacred tiers. Finding an ancestral item at the highest world tier is actually pretty rare, so you can imagine that finding an ancestral unique or legendary item will be very rare and add to the actual endgame loot hunt.

Unique Items

Barbarian specific uniques:

Item Name	Type	Power	Flavor Text
Ramaladni's Magnum Opus	1h Sword	Skills using this weapon deal x% increased damage per point of Fury you have, but you lose x Fury every second.	"Without him the wine is less sweet, the hearth less warm, and our blades less keen. Our blood brother is gone, but Bul-Kathos willing, we will meet again one day." - Sorrowsong for Ramaladni *this is a tribute to Travis Day, a Blizzard developer who passed away.
Ancients' Oath	2h Axe	Steel Grasp launches 2 additional chains. Enemies hit by Steel Grasp are Slowed by x% for x seconds.	"Weapons wielded by the fiercest warriors often catch the eye of the Ancient spirits. If the wielder is worthy, the spirits may bless the steel with their strength." - Gerti, Oxen Tribe Forgemaster
Hellhammer	2h Mace	Upheaval ignites the ground Burning enemies for an additional x damage over x seconds.	The demon prince Ikonoth slew hundreds of the Heavenly Host with this infernal hammer before falling to none other than the Archangel Imperius himself.
Overkill	2h mace	Death Blow creates a shockwave, dealing x% of its Base damage to enemies. Enemies who die to this effect also reset Death Blow's Cooldown.	The malformed snake creatures that live in the swamps are not content with simply killing their prey. They seem to take a malicious pleasure from inflicting as much suffering as possible before death.
Fields of Crimson	2h Sword	While using this weapon, damaging at least one enemy with Rupture creates a blood pool that inflicts x Bleeding damage over x seconds. Enemies standing in the pool take x% increased Bleeding damage.	"We've been fighting these flesh-eaters for so long, been soaked in so much blood, that after a while it's difficult to tell what side you're truly on." - Daelyr, Crane Tribe warrior
Battle Trance	Amulet	Increase Frenzy's maximum stacks by x. While you have maximum Frenzy, your other Skills gain x% increased Attack Speed.	"The change that overtook my brother in battle was terrifying. His eyes turned hard like diamonds, and the way he moved... it was like he was dancing to music only he could hear." - Captain Dervin
100,000 Steps	Boots	After gaining the final damage bonus from the Walking Arsenal Key Passive, you automatically cast Ground Stomp and gain x Fury. This cannot happen more than once every x seconds.	"While many Barbarians remained in the Dreadlands, small groups from the Oxen, Crane and Bear tribes instead chose to search the land for a new home." - A History of the Children of Bul-Kathos
Rage of Harrogath	Chest	Lucky Hit: Up to a x% chance to reduce the Cooldowns of your Non-Ultimate Skills by 1 seconds when you inflict Bleeding on Elites.	Harrogath, the final bastion of resistance against Baal's assault on Mt. Arreat was destroyed along with the Worldstone. The survivors never forgave the betrayal that led to the loss of their home.
Gohr's Devastating Grips	Gloves	Whirlwind explodes after it ends, dealing x% of the total Base damage dealt to surrounding enemies as Fire damage.	"The brutish construction of these gloves belies the strength they bestow. Gohr was clearly no craftsman, but it would be foolish to ignore the triumph of his work." - Barrett's Book of Implements
of Hammering *(this is listed as unique test, but the name reads more like a legendary.)	2h Mace	(PH) Consecutive Hammer of the Ancients increase the next cast's damage by x% its radius by x%.	-

Druid specific uniques:

Item Name	Type	Power	Flavor Text
Waxing Gibbous	1h Axe	Gain Stealth for x seconds when killing enemies with Shred. Breaking Stealth with an attack grants Ambush which guarantees Critical Strikes for x seconds.	The nights preceding the full moon are sometimes far more dangerous than the event itself. The frenzy has begun to rise, yet the night is just dark enough to obscure a hunter from their prey's sight.
Greatstaff of the Crone	2h Staff	Claw is now a Storm Skill and also casts Storm Strike at x% normal damage.	"She has existed in Scosglen since before Fiacla-Géar walked the land. Her purpose is a mystery to us all. However, approach her with deference; she may grant you her counsel." - Airidah, to Donan
Mad Wolf's Glee	Chest	Werewolf form is now your true form, and you gain +2 Ranks to all Werewolf Skills.	"He was not a victim of the curse - he sought it out. As his skin split and his bones cracked, his laughter never ceased." – Tale of the Mad Nobleman
Insatiable Fury	Chest	Werebear form is now your true form, and you gain +2 Ranks to all Werebear Skills.	When the Days of Ash began, the great druid Nafain reminded his disciples that nothing, not even the loss of their humanity, was too great a sacrifice to protect Túr Dúlra from Astaroth's flames.
Tempest Roar	Helm	Lucky Hit: Storm Skills have up to a x% chance to grant x Spirit. Your base Storm Skills are now also Werewolf Skills	"Listen, child, to the music of the storm. It has its own rhythm. Its own melody. Hear how beautifully it sings, and perhaps one day you will be able to join in its harmony." – Airidah
Vasily's Prayer	Helm	Your Earth Skills are now also Werebear Skills and Fortify you for x.	"Roots from the Great Oak growing at the seaward statue of Vasily will, on rare occasions, be found twisted back upon themselves, suffused with ferocious magic." - Barrett's Book of Implements
Storm's Companion	Pants	Your Wolf Companions are infused with the power of the storm, dealing Lightning damage and gaining the Storm Howl ability.	"The storm's rage is my own, brother. I call, and the skies roar in reply." - Vasily, to Bul-Kathos
Hunter's Zenith	Ring	Gain a bonus when you kill with a Shapeshifting Skill: Werewolf: Your next Non-Ultimate Werebear Skill costs no Resource and has no Cooldown. Werebear: Your next Werewolf Skill will Heal you for x when damage is first dealt.	"By fang, claw, spear, or sword - send the bastards back to the flames from which they crawled! Soak the peat with their blood! For Fiacla-Géar! For Scosglen!" - Nafain, during the Days of Ash

Necromancer specific uniques:

Item Name	Type	Power	Flavor Text
Black River	1h Scythe	Corpse Explosion consumes up to x additional Corpses around the initial Corpse, dealing x% increased damage and with a x% larger radius per additional Corpse.	"The scrolls describe a river of tar that separated the living from the land of the dead. Any unfortunate soul who tried to cross would be dragged down into oblivion." - Notes of Scholar Kamien
Bloodless Scream	2h Scythe	Your Darkness Skills Chill enemies for up to x%. Lucky Hit: Your Darkness Skills have up to a x% chance to generate x additional Essence against Frozen targets.	"My companion swung her odd weapon in a wide arc, and our pursuer stopped short. The look of horror on his face as his body fell to pieces will haunt me forever." - The Ebon Pages, Canto II, Verse XI
Deathspeaker's Pendant	Amulet	Blood Surge casts a mini nova on your Minions, dealing x damage. Damage is increased by x% per target drained by the initial cast, up to x%.	Once a sanctum for Rathma's studies, the Temple of the Deathspeaker became a proving grounds for potential leaders of his priesthood. Its halls are filled with the corpses of those who failed.
Greaves of the Empty Tomb	Boots	Create desecrated ground beneath your Sever spectres as they travel, damaging enemies for x Shadow damage over x seconds.	"The massive door to my family's crypt, which had taken a dozen men to close, was thrown open. Had I known the horrors to come I never would have set foot inside!" -The Ebon Pages, Canto I, Verse VII
Blood Artisan's Cuirass	Chest	When you pick up Blood Orbs, a free Bone Spirit is spawned, dealing bonus damage based on your current Life percent.	"The infamous Necromancer Gaza-Thul's mastery over blood magic was indisputable. Many suspect that upon his death, his skin was used to fashion this eldritch armor." - Barrett's Book of Implements
Howl from Below	Gloves	Instead of detonating immediately, Corpse Explosion summons a Volatile Skeleton that charges at a random enemy and explodes. Corpse Explosion's damage is increased by x%.	"Can you not hear it? That endless scream from the cold earth beneath your feet!? They are down there, trapped, blind with rage! Waiting to drag us down into the sod!" - Ravings of Madman Gustav
Deathless Visage	Helm	Bone Spear leaves behind echoes as it travels that explode, dealing x damage.	"Rathma is endless. He was the first Ancient, and will remain at the end. He is the master of the Great Cycle of Being. When Death comes for him, why should he fear it?" - Vauntus, Acolyte of Rathma
Ring of Mendeln	Ring	While you have x or more Minions you gain: Lucky Hit: Up to a x% chance to empower all of your Minions, causing the next attack from each to explode for x Physical damage.	The signet of Mendeln ul-Diomed, the founder of the Priests of Rathma and the first Necromancer, was lost for over 3,000 years. The immense power over death held within, however, has not diminished.

Rogue specific uniques:

Item Name	Type	Power	Flavor Text
Condemnation	Dagger	Your Core Skills deal x% increased damage when spending 3 Combo Points. Your Basic Skills using this weapon have a x% chance to generate 3 Combo Points.	"I've never seen such ruthless butchery. He deserves to be be shipped off to die in the swamps with the rest of the godless murderers." - Witness to the murder of Sergeant Walcot
Asheara's Khanjar	Dagger	Hits with this weapon increase your Attack Speed by x% for x seconds, up to x%.	When Caldeum's gates closed, Asheara led her Iron Wolves out of the city knowing full well they would never return. Instead they roamed Kehjistan pledging their blades to any who were in need.
Skyhunter	Bow	The first direct damage you deal to an enemy is a guaranteed Critical Strike. If you had maximum stacks of the Precision Key Passive when you cast the Skill, gain Energy, this can only happen once per cast.	"Genai took up her bow and aimed at the sun itself. The light burned her eyes, but her arrow flew true. Wounded, the sun hid, and brought forth the first night. - Fable of the Great Sky-Hunt
Windforce	Bow	Lucky Hit: Hits with this weapon have up to a x% chance to deal double damage and Knock Back the target.	"There have been numerous world-shaping conflicts throughout history. This bow has been found on the battlefield of every one, and always in the hands of the victors." - Barrett's Book of Implements
Word of Hakan	Amulet	Your Rain of Arrows is always Imbued with all Imbuements at once.	"Let the great gates of Caldeum be sealed. Let its proud walls stand fiercely defended. The rest of Kehjistan may suffer this plague, but my city, and my people, will not." - Proclamation of Hakan II
Grasp of Shadow	Gloves	Lucky Hit: Damaging a Vulnerable enemy with a Marksman or Cutthroat Skill has up to a x% chance to summon a Shadow Clone that mimics your attack.	Dark wisps creep hungrily across these gloves, like an assassin's blade seeking a life to steal on a moonless night.
Cowl of the Nameless	Helm	You gain x% increased Lucky Hit Chance against Crowd Controlled enemies.	"He is banished from the Guild, his name stricken from the Book. His punishment is to never have been." - Excerpt from a burned parchment
Eyes in the Dark	Pants	Unless it hits a Boss or Player, Death Trap will continue to re-arm itself until it kills an enemy. However, Death Trap's Cooldown is increased by x%.	"And so, when the sun dipped behind the hills each night, he knew that Ashen Jack would soon be near. Watching, and waiting." - Greenslade's Tales, Chapter 2: "Each Long Night" name*:* Eyes in the Dark

Sorcerer specific uniques:

Item Name	Type	Power	Flavor Text
Flamescar	Wand	While Channeling Incinerate, you periodically shoot embers that are attracted to enemies, each dealing x Fire damage.	The burn may heal, but the pain is eternal.
Staff of Endless Rage	Staff	Every 3rd cast of Fireball launches 2 additional projectiles.	"Leaving even blackened bones for your kin to mourn is too good an end for you." - Josiah
Staff of Lam Esen	Staff	Charged Bolts pierce, but deal x% less damage.	"Also known as the Greatstaff of the Old Religion, this powerful relic is one of only a small handful of Skatsimi artifacts that have survived to this day." - Barrett's Book of Implements
Esadora's Overflowing Cameo	Amulet	Upon collecting Crackling Energy, there's a x% chance to release a lightning nova, dealing x Lightning Damage.	The only thing more potent than Esadora's magic was her endless hatred of humanity. As she lay dying, the pale amulet around her neck drank in both.
Esu's Heirloom	Boots	Your Critical Strike Chance is increased by x% of your Movement Speed bonus.	"While scholars have proven these boots were not created by Esu herself, it is noteworthy that they have been passed down since the formation of the Mage Clans." - Barrett's Book of Implements
Raiment of the Infinite	Chest	After using Teleport, Close enemies are Pulled to you and Stunned for x seconds, but Teleport's Cooldown is increased by x%.	The power you have is never enough.
Gloves of the Illuminator	Gloves	Fireball now bounces as it travels, exploding each time it hits the ground, but its explosion deals x% less damage.	After Inarius returned to Sanctuary, he sought a way back to the High Heavens. His first step was to reignite the religion he had abandoned millennia before: the Cathedral of Light.
Iceheart Brais	Pants	Enemies that die while Frozen have a x% chance to unleash a Frost Nova.	The mad artisan saw his fingers turn black from frostbite as he worked the cloth, but refused to stay the needle and thread for even a moment.

General (used by all) uniques:

Item Name	Type	Power	Flavor Text
The Butcher's Cleaver	1h Axe	Lucky Hit: When you Critically Strike an enemy you have up to a x% chance to Fear and Slow them by x% for x seconds.	A nightmarish amalgam of blood, bone and steel, this axe is as horrific, and as deadly, as its creator.
Doombringer	1h Sword	Lucky Hit: Up to a x% chance to deal x Shadow damage to surrounding enemies and reduce their damage done by x% for x seconds.	Whenever this ancient sword has reappeared throughout history, it portends a time of great strife, as well as a devastating loss of life.
The Grandfather	2h Sword	Increases your Critical Strike Damage by x%. The other properties on this weapon can roll higher than normal.	An unbroken lineage of unwavering strength.
-	2h Sword	-	-
-	2h Sword	-	-
-	2h Sword	-	-
Melted Heart of Selig	Amulet	Gain x% Maximum Resource. In addition, when you take damage, drain x Resource for every x% of Life you would have lost instead.	"Do not allow your passions to become obsessions. Fuel the fire that burns within you, but it is madness to allow yourself to become ash to please an uncaring universe." - Last words of Master Selig
Penitent Greaves	Boots	You leave behind a trail of frost that Chills enemies. You deal x% more damage to Chilled enemies.	Remorseful devotees of the Cathedral of Light must undertake a grueling pilgrimage, journeying across the frigid glacier known as the Serac Rapture. Only then may their gravest sins be forgiven.
Razorplate	Chest	Gain x Thorns	Crafted by the cannibal Armoda, each piece of this interlocking armor has been sharpened into a knife's edge. Even a century after death, the plate remained on her corpse, unable to be removed safely.
Fists of Fate	Gloves	Your attacks randomly deal x% to y% of their normal damage.	"Will you let fear cheat you, or will you risk everything to find understanding? After all, death is simply the coin with which we purchase life." - Zurke
Frostburn	Gloves	Lucky Hit: Up to a x% chance to Freeze enemies for x seconds.	A touch so frigid it stops the heart and chills the very soul.
Andariel's Visage	Helm	Lucky Hit: Up to a x% chance to trigger a poison nova that applies x Poisoning damage over x seconds to enemies in the area.	The horrific whispers of the Maiden of Anguish flicker through your mind, pushing you ever closer to madness...
Harlequin Crest	Helm	Gain x% Damage Reduction. In addition, gain +x Ranks to all Skills.	"This headdress was once worn by an assassin disguised as a court mage. Her treachery was unveiled, but not before she used its magic to curse the king's entire lineage." - The Fall of House Aston
Temerity	Pants	Effects that Heal you beyond x% Life grant you a Barrier up to x% of your Maximum Life that lasts for x seconds.	"The revelation that master tailor Callas was in fact a witch only served to further fuel the desire for her uniquely enchanted legwraps." - Barrett's Book of Implements
Mother's Embrace	Ring	If a Core Skill hits x or more enemies, x% of the Resource cost is refunded.	"Every tome, every scroll, every book in this temple produces the same answer. The only being willing to stand against the Eternal Conflict, against the Prime Evils, was Lilith." - Elias
Ring of Starless Skies	Ring	Each consecutive Core Skill cast reduces the Resource cost of your next Core Skill by x%, up to a maximum of x%.	"Yours is the power to pluck the stars from the heavens with the ease of a child gathering fruit from the bough." - Unknown

Happy Tuesday everyone!
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Alongside out be-tenticled Curator Eight, we're here to expand your mind!
Our friend over at FitProVR recently did an excellent review of our game! In this season of spending, if you'd like to expand your knowledge or slating your curiosity, now is the time!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lq7vlXRV9Y&ab_channel=FitProVR
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Hey there S? H? E? I've called you so many names, not sure what I'd use today -
Welcome, from the island of misfit toys. Don't think we've talked since you kicked me out in 2015 over a look I never gave your gf (now wife). I don't mean it to sound harsh or that I am still angry. I'm not. It's just what happened.
In fact, I was pretty happy for you. It's true that neither R or I ever cared for her much, but it was clear you were enamored and that was enough for both of us. I can even understand her hesitation at you living with an ex, even though I was also happily partnered. It was mostly how it went down rather than that it went down.
Anyway, that's ancient history.
So why write to you? We're no contact, and to be frank I imagine we'd both like it to stay that way. My guess is your time as an LEO has shifted you even further to the right, and my time away from so much, especially my abusive family, has given me time to fully experience myself and those around me. I've become an even louder leftist, far left of wherever you'd have imagined I was then. I'm pretty sure we were doomed to be incompatible, as friends or otherwise.
Put simply, I'm writing to tell you I forgive you for how you ended our friendship. I'm also writing to say that I know I didn't react well, and that in our 10 years of friendship/relationship, I did you wrong on a number of occasions too. I've found the space to forgive myself, but recognize you don't have to (and I'm not waiting for it). I do hope you're well. I hope your marriage is a happy one. I hope your family is well. I always had a soft spot for your dad. He was firm, but fair. A parent you know as well as I that I didn't have access to.
I'm also writing because even though we (in my estimation) will never be friends again, I know that we shared deeply painful secrets and periods of our lives together. I still have memories of some of those more severe times - times when each of us worried about whether the other would ever, ever really recover from what we'd experienced.
And I need you to know that I don't need to be your friend in truth to be able to continue to hold those hurts for you, if ever the need arises. And I say this because I require that I be a person who would help, regardless. That if a panic attack happened, a hospitalization, if the need for a shoulder who was there 12 years ago and acutely understands in a way new friendships don't arises, I would want to help. Because I still have R, and A, and B, and those precious friendships which have survived 15+ years. I don't know if you do, and everyone deserves someone who was there. Someone who will not revise history. Someone who will not try to make it okay, but will make sure you're ok.
So not friends. But if you need an emergency contact, you're not blocked anymore.
Until then, first - middle - last names all accepted, I hope you're well.
-KB

Season 11 Roadmap: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/643435142169493504/1080178581801553991/roadmap.png
Manhunt Targets; Chunks, Bantam: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/643435142169493504/1087770395756728491/manhunt.png
Weekly Invaded Missions:

• Bank Headquarters
• DCD Headquarters
• Camp White Oak
• Roosevelt Island

Weekly Legendary:

• Capitol Building

With Resident Evil 4 Remake right around the corner, I wanted to check in one last time and see if there are still any lingering hopes that you guys have for this game :)
The reviews already confirmed a lot of my desires (Leon gets to keep his cheesy banter, the final Saddler boss fight is now WAY tougher and more fun, etc), but there are still some things that I want to see in the remake
Here's my own personal list (in no particular order):

1. For the most part, I want Leon to be alone or with Ashley. As thrilled as I am with Luis’s increased role in the story since I adore his banter with Leon so far, I REALLY hope that his magnified screen time will primarily be in cutscenes and that he will only very rarely appear as a partner in gameplay alongside Leon because I LOVED the spooky feeling of having to fight hordes of monsters alone or with someone that I have to protect. So while I don’t mind teaming up with Luis in certain scenes (cabin, double El Gigante fight, mine cart section), I hope that we remain alone for the vast majority of the game
2. Las Plagas affecting gameplay. I am overjoyed by the fact that the plagas infection now visibly affects Leon and Ashley FAR more than in the OG, and I hope that, in the later stages of the game, it might even affect gameplay to an extent, like dropping us off into flashback hallucinations where we get to see things like how Ashley got kidnapped, how Leon ended up getting forced into government training, etc
3. Krauser will be a recurring boss fight. In the OG, you only really get to fight Krauser twice on the island section, which feels like a shame since he was such a cool boss and had such a rich history with Leon that we didn't get to explore as much as I wanted to. So here, I'm hoping that you get to fight him numerous times throughout the game, with plenty of characterizing dialogue and epic homoerotic mentor vs student/we used to be friends kinds of dynamics
4. The Salazar boss fight to be improved. Honestly, I found his boss fight to be annoying in the OG, which is why I always just used a rocket launcher to finish him off quickly. I hope that this time around, this boss fight will be way more engaging
5. THE LASER ROOM AND SADDLER'S THRONE ROOM SCENE. I know that it's one of the most unrealistic scenes in the OG and that it has probably gotten cut, but I really hope it hasn't because I just love it so much ;_; Like... if they cut the laser room, at least let us sit on the throne, which IS something that's both humanly possible and grounded
6. The laser sight can be equipped to any weapon

Reminder: NO SPOILERS!!! Please only post/talk about things that Capcom has already officially released in trailers, interviews, the demo, etc.

Swarmio Media (CSE: SWRM; OTC: SWMIF; GR: U5U) is a technology company focused on deploying its proprietary end-to-end gaming and esports platform, which enables telcos to monetize their gaming customers.
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And the winner is**;** “We are extremely honoured to have been recognized by the Pacific Telecommunications
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Council and to have won the award for Outstanding Applications Company for our Ember gaming and esports platform,” commented Vijai Karthigesu, CEO of Swarmio. “To have been considered alongside such a prestigious list of finalists was an achievement. Having launched the Ember platform to millions of gamers in partnership with several of the largest telecommunications companies in the world, I look forward to sharing more developments with our shareholders in 2023.”
Swarmio is a small company (Market Cap CDN$10million). Fifty-two-week price range is CDN$.05 to CDN$0.90. While past performance, etc., this group is in touch with its market globally and has a history of releasing tasty partnerships where they are the value add, particularly for telcos who want to keep or at least satiate their customer user bases. Given the churn rate of telcos (10% -70 % GLOBALLY), SWRM delivers a product that slows that number as customers are tied to the gaming platform.
In light of that chaotic churn rate, SWRM has carved out a niche to help telcos to retain customers by tying the unique gaming platform to the host.
“Ember gives telco subscribers access to a global gaming hub where they can create communities, a detail crucial for any brands targeting gamers,” said Aseef Khan, VP of Gaming & Esports at Swarmio. Swarmio will partner with telcos to deliver Ember to their large customer bases. There has already been significant interest in Ember from partners across multiple territories as they seek to engage and grow gamer subscribers.”
The need to keep subscribers is now paramount. Robust and adaptable gaming may be the key. Churn rates (customers switching providers) are exceptionally high in the telecom sector, averaging between 10 and 67% annually. It is estimated that 75% of the 17 to 20 million subscribers signing up with a new wireless carrier yearly are coming from another wireless provider.
SWRM recently announced significant progress with its GCash relationship with owner Mynt, a subsidiary of Globe Telecom Inc, and its integration into the Ember platform.
GCash is a cashless mobile banking system (wallet) that is the preferred digital wallet in the Philippines, with an average of 60 million users in the region in 2022, accounting for 83% of the adult population. GCash has been integrated into SWRM’s fintech solution ‘Swarmio Pay.’
Vinicius Esteves, Senior Vice President of Fintech for Swarmio, commented: “This is a very significant milestone for Swarmio. Giving gamers alternative payment channels is extremely important in markets such as APAC, where many gamers cannot readily access a credit card or bank account. We expect this integration to facilitate many new and recurring transactions within the Ember platform while also opening up opportunities for cross-promotion with game publishers in the future.” Smartphones represent a robust growth area, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.

• Asia-Pacific is anticipated to hold the largest market share in the gaming industry, with China, Japan, and South Korea showing high potential for market growth.
• The rapid growth of mini-games played within mobile apps, such as WeChat, without installing another application necessitates the expansion of China’s gaming business.
• Japan has been one of the prominent players in the gaming market with the rapid growth of technological adaption and the presence of many leading gaming companies, such as Sony, Nintendo, Konami, and others, for decades in the country.
• Japan is witnessing many acquisitions and partnership strategies by prominent players to expand its foothold in the region. For instance, in November 2021, the Japanese publisher Sega partnered with Microsoft to form a strategic alliance to use the Microsoft Azure cloud platform to develop the Super Games platform.
• Korean companies have been targeting growth opportunities by investing in other parts of the world. According to the company, the highly anticipated cross-platform game had drawn 7.46 million pre-registrations, a record in the country, trumping NCSOFT’s other hit MMORPG “Lineage 2M”, which drew 7.38 million users.

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Bottom Line
SWRM continues to make aggressive inroads into the Gaming and eSports market

• The esports market is estimated to be worth CDN$ 2.32 bn by 2025.
• “At the start of 2022, a group backed by the Saudi Arabian government bought two of the biggest esports tournament operators in the world, ESL and FaceIt,” he explained. “I think we’ll see more of this happening, and it will be a big trend in 2023 and probably beyond.”
• Over 500 million people watched esports online last year; the most significant events, such as the League of Legends world championship, attracted more than five million viewers.

Video gaming is one of the world’s biggest leisure industries. Globally, it generated some $180bn in revenue last year, more than the film and music industries combined. There are an estimated three billion gamers worldwide, more than a third of the world’s population. As a result, vast numbers play esports: one of the most popular games, Rocket League, has more than 80 million players worldwide. (The Week UK)
The sector has long passed the guy in his basement. It has become a genre, a lifestyle for both men and women, and a huge money maker with lots of growth ahead.
Pretty sure that SWRM is likely an excellent proxy to place you solidly in the ‘Game.’

[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5] [Part 6] [Part 7] [Part 8] [Part 9] [Part 10] [Part 11] [Part 12] [Part 13]
When my screams subsided, malevolent laughter filled the uneasy silence. Discordant, cruel laughter that sounded as though it bubbled from underwater. I turned around to see the macabre faces of the Kane sisters behind me, pressed against the window of their cottage, black teeth chattering.
“Where did they take him?” I demanded. My anger increased their delight.
“Where did they take him?” Margery mocked, my own voice coming out of her blackened mouth.
“Poor, poor girl lost her puppy!” Margaretta cackled.
I felt the rage rise within me, but I was utterly helpless. I knew they had the information we needed, but even if they were willing to speak, they could not be trusted.
Suddenly, their faces changed. Their dead white eyes widened in terror; their smiles had melted. Mina shrieked, a cacophonous cry that sent my hands to my ears.
It was René. Their eyes were fixed on him. His very presence caused them to tremble in fear.
“What is he doing here?” Margery hissed.
“Come back to hurt us again, he has!” Mina shrieked.
“Devil take you, vampire!” Margaretta cried.
I looked at René in astonishment. He wore an expression I had not seen before, a smile that was almost cruel.
“Well if it isn’t the old charlatan sisters!” He said. “I would have never guessed that she would still be keeping you around, but then again, she’s always loved the most pathetic of sycophants.”
“Be gone, vampire! Be gone!” They shouted.
“I would love nothing more. But you heard Nora. You have information we need. Where did they take the werewolf?”
Margery turned to me.
“Stay away from him, girl! Stay away!”
“He hurt us! He hurt us!” Mina moaned.
“How about we make a deal?” I said, thinking quickly. The sisters cocked their terrible heads in curiosity. “You can tell me your story. Tell me what he did. But in return, you must tell us where they took our friend.”
René raised his eyebrows, but did not protest.
“And I will know when you are lying,” he added menacingly.
The sisters looked at each other and began to nod eagerly.
“The girl says she will listen!” They whispered excitedly. I felt a pang of pity.
“Do you agree?”
“Yes,” they hissed, the glee returning to their voices. The door to the cottage opened.
I stepped inside with René close behind me. The sisters glared at him.
“Whatever you’re going to do, do it without drawing blood this time.” I said, remembering the claw marks in my wrists.
“No appreciation for the fine art of channeling,” muttered Margaretta.
The sisters gestured to the chairs at the table. René and I sat, but I kept my arms tightly crossed. The sisters closed their eyes and moved from side to side rhythmically, putting themselves into a trance. They moaned and their mouths opened, emitting a thick, ectoplasmic mist.
“Gross,” I whispered to René, who smirked in response.
The mist enveloped us and our ramshackle surroundings, along with the sisters, vanished. In their place appeared a mid-19th century parlor: a finely carved mantle draped in black crepe, the ornamental mirror on top covered with black cloth. It was night, the heavy damask curtains were drawn, elegant oil lamps were lit on a large oak table, also draped in black. The sisters sat at the table, very much alive, dressed in ostentatious displays of mourning, their wide skirts spread across the chairs they sat in, jet bracelets clattering at their wrists. Human hands wreathed by delicate lace grabbed those of an older man who trembled with emotion.
A small audience observed the séance, dressed for an evening’s entertainment. There was one man in particular, whose clothing was undoubtedly the finest, with a dazzling silver jacquard waistcoat. Though he wore a pair of blue tinted spectacles, I immediately recognized him as René. His brown hair was longer, combed away from his face and curling just under his ears. He was smiling, that same strange smile I had seen before.
The sisters made their usual dramatic entreaties to the Great Beyond and the crowd gasped when the spirits responded intelligently to their questions with a series of rapping sounds. The man begged them to contact the spirit of his young daughter who had perished in a carriage accident decades before. The sisters obliged, making contact through the rapping. With a flourish, Mina threw her head back and out of her mouth squeaked the voice of a small child. The man collapsed in tears. Women in the audience dabbed their eyes with their handkerchiefs. René was no longer smiling.
When the audience had shuffled out, René lingered. Margaretta gave him an unctuous grin.
“How may we assist you, sir?”
“I would like to schedule a…private appointment.” He lowered his glasses and fixed his grey eyes on her. Margaretta’s eyes widened. She stared vacantly as though in a daze.
“We are entirely booked. We are in such demand, after all. We leave Rochester for our world tour this Saturday.” Margery said. Mina peered at René over her sister’s arm and smiled. He winked at her.
“Such lovely ladies you are. Money should be no issue, of course. I think you will find that you are free tomorrow evening” he said slowly. Margaretta nodded.
“Yes, yes. We are.”
“Very good. I very much look forward to our session.”
“Yes!” Shouted Mina, clearly enamored.
René smiled and put on his top hat, taking his leave.
The next night, the sisters eagerly awaited their guest. René arrived with a veiled woman on his arm, wearing lace gloves, matching the sisters in a black silk gown. Mina looked slightly disappointed to see the woman, but the other sisters grinned at her obvious finery, expecting a hefty sum for their services.
“Ladies, I hope you do not mind I have brought my wife,” he said, almost unable to hide the sinister grin that crept across his face.
“Of course, of course, welcome, madam!”
The veiled woman made no response. René escorted her to the table and they joined hands. The sisters began their show: the room erupted in rapping.
“The spirits are many in the ether tonight,” Margery moaned. “To whom do you wish to speak?”
“I wish to contact the spirit of our deceased child.” René said, watching the sisters carefully.
“Ah yes, it is a child who has appeared before me now, a beautiful child!” Margaretta cried. “Child, rap twice for yes, or once for no. Are these your beloved parents before you?”
Two distinct raps were heard on the table. Mina made an exaggerated gasp.
“The child wishes to speak through my sister!” Margery shouted.
Mina began to speak in that same squeaking voice as the previous evening. René could no longer contain his fury. With one swift movement René rose and flipped over the table before them. He grabbed Mina by the neck.
“I have no child, you insidious swindlers!” He shouted. He dug his fangs into Mina’s neck and the sisters began to scream. The witch stood and removed her veil, green eyes glowing, black teeth grinning. She raised her hand and the remaining two sisters rose into the air. René threw the corpse of Mina at their feet. They sobbed hideously, begging the witch for mercy.
“I have no use for such talentless fools,” she said.
“We will do anything, we will be your most faithful servants,” they cried still suspended in the air.
“Ask them how much money they’ve bled from the grieving, how they’ve bankrupted their victims in the name of their lost loved ones!” René said, enraged, fangs bared. “Let me finish with them!”
The witch sighed. “Forgive my friend with his tedious sense of justice. Would you really do anything? Bind yourselves to me for all time?”
“Yes! Yes!” Margery and Margaretta cried.
“Idiots,” René muttered.
The witch curled her hand into a fist and the women began to cough, hands clawing at their necks. Their eyes rolled in the back of their heads. The body of Mina rose to join them. With a sickening snap, the necks of Margery and Margaretta broke and they joined their sister in death. The corpses’ mouths opened, so wide the jaws were broken and three familiar specters climbed out. The ghosts fell at the feet of the witch, making obsequies, hailing her their mistress.
The mist that had descended around the cottage dispersed, leaving the sisters glaring at us.
“Time to fulfill your end of the bargain,” René demanded. “We don’t have much time.”
They chittered angrily and turned their ghoulish heads to me.
“Girl! Have you nothing to say of the crimes of your beau?”
What I had seen had certainly shocked me, but it was something I could not bear to process at the moment.
“He’s right. Show us where they took Jake.”
“No lies.” René warned.
The sisters grumbled among themselves, but once again broke into a trance. A vision appeared before us. It was the river, a great gray mist hanging over it. A large, shadowy structure pushed its way through, revealing the towers of an elaborate stone castle. The castle was familiar to me. Around here, we call it Bellevue Castle, an abandoned Gilded Age flight of fancy on a private island that is now our most famous tourist site. During the winter months, it is closed to guests, leaving the island abandoned. The vision dissolved into smoke.
René stood up to leave.
“You’ll never reach him before dawn,” hissed Margery.
“Yes, yes, the sun is rising, revenant!” Margaretta cackled.
He ignored them. I followed him out, feeling their hateful stares at my back, leaving them to howl and complain among themselves. They had not been lying. The sky had lightened considerably, a thin line of orange had appeared on the horizon. René cursed and shielded his face.
“Let’s get to my cottage,” I said. We arrived just as I began to feel the sun behind me. René had bolted for the dark bedroom. I found him sitting on the bed, his face in his hands, shoulders tense with frustration. I was frustrated too. We’d been outmaneuvered and I feared for Jake’s safety. Would she make him the object of her retaliation? I was certain of it. But there was no way I could sail for the castle without René. I may have a death warrant, but I do not have a death wish.
“We leave as soon as the sun sets tonight,” he said, as though convincing himself.
“I don’t think we have a choice,” I said.
“Not if we want to find Jake.”
“Do you think…do you think we’ll be too late?” I didn’t want to contemplate it.
“I do not think she would kill him without us there to witness it. She wouldn’t deprive herself of the spectacle. We have to understand that she is anticipating exactly what we are planning on doing.”
“This is it then,” I said, trying to sound strong, though I felt like a fist were gripping my heart. René lifted his head and took my hands.
“I won’t let it happen,” he said. “I swear to you.”
“I don’t think that’s something you can promise, René.”
I pulled my hands back from his. It was hard to look at him, when Mina’s face flashed before me, eyes filled with terror just before he buried his fangs into her neck.
“I realize that you have not seen me feed before,” he said quietly.
“Feed? You make it sound so…casual.”
He raised my chin to his face, gray eyes resolute.
“I have spent many decades in utter misery, disgusted by myself, by what I am. That self-loathing is still with me and will be forever. But I cannot change the past and I cannot restore what I have lost. If I can channel this bloodlust, this propensity for violence, against those who have done evil, then perhaps through evil, I can accomplish something good, spare an innocent. This thought was the only thing that sustained me in that century of servitude by her side. This is something … something I hope you never have to understand.”
“I’m trying.”
“I know.”
“I’m going to take a shower.”
“If you return while I am at rest, remember—”
“You’ll look kinda dead. I know.”
He smiled sadly.
I was desperate for the warmth of the shower. The cold within me was not merely the effect of winter, but a numbness that I couldn’t shake. I tried to reach back to a couple months ago, before the sky had changed to that ghastly green, before the abyss opened before me. It was as though I were viewing another person’s life on a different planet. And yet the life I am living now does not seem like my own either. I am straddling the lives of two strangers.
I tried to imagine death. I tried to imagine not existing. Of course, I could not. Who can? I had to hope that there would be peace, that the spirits were not lying to comfort me. After all, I had already witnessed the existence of far more unlikely things.
The sound of the water soothed me. I stepped inside, relishing those first few drops, immersing my body, emptying my mind. The future didn’t matter. At that moment, I was alive and that was glorious.
I don’t know how long I had been standing there, when the water began to feel different. Thicker. Metallic tasting. I opened my eyes to find myself covered in blood, it was pouring out of the shower head. My skin began to burn, my hair falling out in clumps, my teeth loosening and I spat them out. I screamed.
I found myself on the floor of the shower, bruised but wet from water alone. My hands fluttered to my mouth, my hair. Nothing was amiss. I dragged myself upright, trying not to sob. She would take even those small moments away from me… I toweled off with trembling hands and allowed myself a brief glance in the mirror, too fearful of what might stare back if I lingered. Beyond some considerably dark rings under my eyes, I looked relatively normal.
Before, I had contemplated watching the full sunrise, sitting in the sunshine until eventually dozing on the couch. Instead, I went back to the dark bedroom and climbed under the covers of my bed. In my current state, my only comfort came in the form of the reanimated corpse next to me. I curled up beside him and fell asleep.
++
René woke me up at sunset. Despite everything, I actually felt well-rested and at ease. René prepared by downing a large thermos of blood. I secured my uncle’s knife under my coat in a leather belt sheath, my movements calm, almost mechanical. René handed me my silver bracelets and a wave of sadness passed through me.
“We don’t know what state he is in,” he whispered. I nodded and put them on my wrists.
We set sail in silence, the boat’s movements for once not triggering nausea. It was desperately cold on the water, despite the promise of spring in the near future. The cold struck through my gloves and burned my face. René was clearly not bothered by the climate; his coat wasn’t even zipped. He stared ahead with his brows furrowed, scanning all around us for ice and other enemies.
I thought of the summer and of the river crowded with life, with people laughing, speeding past each other on their boats, picnicking under the turrets of our destination, Bellevue Castle.
“Do you know the story of Bellevue Castle, René?” I asked.
“Manhattan hotelier wanted to build the grandest home in all of the Islands, but his wife died before it could be completed.”
“And in his grief, the husband asked all the workers to put down their tools and step away, leaving the castle a half-finished husk, a monument to lost love.” I added.
“I actually think he just ran out of money. I spent some time on that construction site in the 1890s.”
I laughed.
“Of course, you did. Don’t burst the bubble of anyone on the tourist board, alright? That place is a big money maker around here.”
It was good to smile with him, even if just for a moment.
As we neared the castle, a mist descended around us, just as in the vision of the sisters. The air felt heavy and old, as though rife with mildew and rot, difficult to inhale. The visibility severely decreased, but René was able to continue to navigate towards our destination, its hulking shadows barely detectible even by his eyes.
Our boat was hit by a wave, as though from the wake of a boat. René and I looked at each other, thinking the same thing: there was absolutely no one else on the river. A great creaking sound echoed all around us, the groaning of wood and metal. A veritable flotilla of ships and boats broke the surface all around us, arising from the depths glowing a ghostly green. There were wrecked wooden speed boats, steel-hulled freighters from the turn of the century, coal steamers, massive three-masted schooners, and frigates built for the wars of two hundred years ago.
No crew piloted these vessels, which groaned and sighed with the sadness of their years at the bottom. Something was weaving its way through the wrecks, howling through the air with the screeching of a cyclone. René leaned forward, craning his neck to spot it, when a rotting hand shot out of the water and grabbed his shoulder. He pulled it off, but another joined the attack, and another, until a great host of drowned, rotting corpses were pulling at him, threatening to board the boat.
I grabbed a paddle and whacked at them, but there were too many. They were pulling him overboard, despite our best efforts. I clutched his arm and with all my strength tried to drag him back in. The cacophony was approaching, my hair whipped around my face as the freezing winds accelerated. Something caught my boot and my grip on René’s hand slipped away. I was hurtled into the swirling air. I saw below me René’s struggling body dipping below the surface of the river, drowned dead glaring up at me lifelessly.
The whirlwind hummed with the cries of miserable souls. I was suspended among them, falling upwards and upwards until I could breathe no more.
x

Hi
Can anyone recommend me youtube channels that talk about movies/ history of cinema, or anything related to filmmaking?