#Large Scale Agile Development

[agileethos]

Large Scale Agile Development - AgileEthos

Discover how AgileEthos empowers organizations to scale Agile development effectively. Our comprehensive approach to large-scale Agile implementation fosters collaboration, transparency, and innovation across teams. From enterprise Agile coaching to customized training programs, we provide the tools and expertise needed to navigate complex projects with agility. Explore our solutions to optimize your organization's Agile journey and drive sustainable growth.

[tribbetherium]

The Late Rodentocene: 20 million years post-establishment

Pop Goes The Squeasel: Squeasels of the Late Rodentocene

Once just small, agile predators that hunted small prey both on the ground and in the trees, the long-bodied squeasels have diversified across many ecological niches as of the Late Rodentocene. The squeasels have since become the primary predators of the time period, usurping the earlier hammibals and spreading across the main continents of Nodera, Easaterra, and Westerna: but, notably, arrive far later to Ecatoria, allowing the hammibals to dominate there instead.

The desert meerca (Paramustelamys manori) is one such latecomer: having arrived to Ecatoria when the hammibals had already given rise to the predatory hamyenas, it was too late to claim the local ecosystem's niche of top predator. Thus, the meercas and kin continued to survive on the Ecatorian mainland, but only as small-scale predators, foragers, and insectivores, banding together in tight-knit family groups or seeking refuge in the presence of larger, symbiotic animals, in order to defend themselves from the hamyenas to whom they had become prey.

Similarly, the bare-tailed diremouse (Macrorattocricetus magnus) would grow to a larger size than its Middle Rodentocene kin, but not specialize much further. It and the rest of its group, the scabbers, would remain another set of small-scale hunters comparable to shrews and mustelids, that would only find success much later on Isla Centralis in the Glaciocene when the isolation and lack of larger competition would allow them to become the local primary carnivore clade. For now, the bare-tailed diremouse contents itself with a niche of a small and unremarkable forest-floor predator, preying on insects, furbils and duskmice.

But elsewhere, other lineages of squeasels, particularly the ferrats, are thriving and diversifying in this incoming new era of ever-larger prey. The striped panthster (Protopantherocricetus longicauda) is one of the largest carnivores alive at the time, adapted for hunting and preying upon the increasingly bigger hamtelopes and cavybaras of the Late Rodentocene. Bearing powerful jaws, semi-retractable claws and a long tail that aids it in balance when stalking and ambushing its prey, this cunning ambush predator continues its ancestors' abilities to tackle large prey with the help of cutting incisors and shearing molars that allow it to put animals bigger than itself on its menu.

Meanwhile, up in the treetops, the arboreal bossums too have prospered, in particular with the abundance of tree-dwelling prey, such as squizzels, kiterats, and even the earliest proper flyers, the basal ratbats, that still did roost in the trees. In particular, the beginnings of the early prosimian-like lemunkies have emerged to exploit the bumoer crop of fruit and seeds and small invertebrates in the treetops: but so too would come the lemunky treeasel (Sutormustalamys popii) that would develop opposable digits on both front and back paws that grant it great dexterity and agility in the trees, rivaling that of its lemunky prey. Its predation would, in fact, kickstart the evolution of the lemunkies themselves, becoming larger to better defend themselves, more social, to rely on strength in numbers, and, consequently, more intelligent as a side-effect of their increased sociality.

And with an abundance of vacant aquatic niches, some of the ferrats would take to the water and become the searets: excellent swimmers and ferocious hunters that paddled with their flat webbed feet and used their tail to steer, making them quite maneuverable. These semiaquatic predators would diversify quickly first in freshwater and later coastal habitats, preying on shrish, gastropods, pondrats and even ambushing small terrestrial animals coming to the water to drink. But an important turning point would be the marsh searet (Lutrodiromys atrox), a particularly large species that specialized on hunting hard-shelled shrish, using powerful jaws to crush their exoskeletons. It and its close relative, the lake searet, would be the early pioneers of a clade that soon found its way to the Centralic Ocean, where their skill at hunting large shrish allowed them to usurp the shrarks as the reefs' primary large predators.

In the Therocene, these new specialized squeasels would be the forerunners to the major carnivore clades of the era. From the striped panthster would arise the large ambush-hunting carnohams that would become apex predators adapted for hunting boingos and hamtelopes in the plains as they developed longer limbs and shorter tails, shedding their mustelid-like build in favor of a more-feline one, while in the treetops, from the treeasel would descend the treegers, arboreal lemunky-predators that evenly match their agile quarry in the forest canopy. And in the oceans, still mostly devoid of hamsters, the coming of the searets and their subsequent displacement of the shrarks would prove conducive to allowing other clades such as the bayvers and the cricetaceans to finally take to the sea, while the searets would give rise to the leviahams, numbering among them some of the biggest marine predators during the Glaciocene when the cold seas were at their most productive and conducive to biodiversity.

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[flornray]

My Babies (NF + LF) Headcannons

There's so much stuff I just... don't like too much about the LF, I think most everybody can agree with me, and since I'm back in my annual HTTYD phase, I'm developing my LF redesign further.

The grey version of the light Fury, that I'll be building off: (plus older redesign photos)

1. Invisibility/Skills

As shown in HTTYDTHW, LF has reflective scales when heated. This works with its own fire, but I like to think, also from the inside. Their body can consciously move internal bodily heat against their scales, so slowly able to become invisible within closed spaces. Also used to prolong reflectivity after using a plasma blast.

Plus, a nack for rock climbing, using their longer tail, as well as longer talons, allows them to scale up rocky walls.

2. Habitat/Camouflage

As shown in the hidden world, there are tide pools and large bodies of water. I like the idea the LF developed a grey top, to blend in with stone, and from any angle within the water, (like a killer whale.)

Also shown in my designs, their tail fins, are longer but thinner, with fins instead of spikes on the back, and this would be better for tight cramped spaces of a cave, and underwater manoeuvre. So semi-cave dweller, semi-aquatic.

3. Family/Pack roles

As shown in HTTYD Nine realms, Furies live in packs. There's obviously an order to that. I'm slightly taking inspiration from Lions, and comparing Toothless to the LF, Toothless is significantly bulkier. With this extra bulk, male LF are made to protect eggs and young. With white eggs, these furies often cover the eggs with their wings or bodies. While females, being less wide, allowing for tighter turning, are the hunters. Like a kingfisher, I think they may dive-bomb down into the water to quickly catch fish, being their main food-catching method, but with speed and agility, other larger prey can be caught.

I like to think with their destructive plasma blast, Males can often court females by carving out a hole in the rock walls or cliffs or claiming an already existing one. These home caves are often found by the water. Allowing for easy fishing, and allowing the kids to safely watch their mum while she hunts, to help them learn.

3. Courting

Being a thing Toothless didn't excel at, mating dances and other practices. intelligence and coordination seem to be the main two traits females look for.

I think mainly, having a good cave picked out, is something a female likes, showing intelligence. Also as shown in the Toothless sense where he dances with the LF after winning her over, swinging the tail, and spreading the wings are in the male's favour. Trotting, holding up the wings, and swishing the tail all at once, shows agility and coordination. The LF finally likes Toothless once he draws her, with the abstract show of intelligence, and so other things like that, solving puzzles, outsmarting other dragons in fights and such are other ways of showing off courting.

[crypticsketchpad]

ok u know what. *organics your robots*

spec bio wubbox concepts because why not! lore and rambling under the cut:

The Wubbox is an ancient species of monster dating back to the Dawn of Fire. Presumed to be extinct post-cataclysm, several caves full of dormant eggs have been found in the present day, and the species has once again become widespread in monster society. Loud, powerful, and somewhat territorial, they served as guardians of pre-contemporary monster tribes, and were regarded as gifts from the Celestials.

pic explanations

1. sketch of an adult wubbox, with different textures/components labeled. they are mostly covered in armor-like scales that are shed periodically; these can be replaced/upgraded by artificial parts, and are often repurposed into armor and instruments by other monsters.

2. sketch of a wubbox hatchling + notes:

- Baby teeth are sparse but very sharp, can and will eat almost anything (young wubboxes are notoriously ravenous, which lead to the myth that they eat other monsters)

- Protective cap over chest “speaker” (see image 4), falls off after a few weeks

- Long, fluffy fur for retaining warmth

- Simple armor plates that are shed several times while growing; initial set is made of eggshell parts that fuse onto the hatchling’s body

- Bioluminescent markings do not appear until adulthood

3. “blushing” wubbox; when flustered, their under-eye plates retract slightly, exposing patches of fur on their cheeks. these patches, like the rest of their fur, is bioluminescent, and is similar in texture to fiber optic lights

4. rough respiratory system diagram. they have very large lungs with a sort of dual output system; when speaking or “singing”, air passes through their larynx and into a hollow cavity in their chest covered by an eardrum-like membrane that functions like a speaker. this amplifies their voice and creates their signature booming roars.

5. side view of a wubbox’s head + skull concept. their mouths are full of large, flat teeth, with a diet consisting of vegetation and processed foods. 

6. earth epic concept. in this scenario, “epic” wubboxes are the result of eggs being stored in certain environments for prolonged periods of time and developing specific adaptations for said environments; for example, an earth epic would be created by keeping an egg buried in volcanic ash, in/near magma, or just in a high temperature environment.

an earth epic’s horns are hollow tubes developed from their eye plates, which grow out to cover their nostrils completely; these horns are the output of a built-in air purification function in its respiratory system that filters the ash and smoke it breathes in and ejects the contaminants in mist clouds.

7. air epic concept + notes

- Large eyes and angled under-eye plates

- Wingtips are notched like an eagle’s (air epics are very fast and agile fliers, being smaller and more lightweight than others of their species)

- “Nostrils”/air output valves on their wrists; purpose unknown (these are mainly used to emit train whistle-like shrieks for communication, but why they exist is a mystery)

- Body armor plates are replaced by smaller, feather-like scales

8. lol bald eagle

extra note bc i haven’t designed the rare versions yet: “rare” wubboxes are the result of experimentation on a common individual in an effort to “improve” the species for the modern age; all current rares are clones of the first successful specimen

[it-hurts-because-it-mattered]

Morrison's run on X-Men is such a fascinating thing to look back on because he establishes explicitly that Magneto can apply his control of electromagnetism to do... Basically anything on the small scale, and to apply unimaginable force on the large scale. He's more powerful than many gods in the marvel universe. And he also establishes that Magneto can work perfectly well with the X Men and follow his own principles and make his own decisions.

But he also caps off his run by making Magneto a deranged eugenicist concentration camp running monster out of absolutely nowhere.

All of which eventually earned the retcon that he can't apply his full mutant power because if he does then it fucks with the EM fields around his body enough that his brain goes fucky (which is a similar handwave to how Logan's agility and healing are *severely* inhibited by the adamantium) and he loses his mind.

He made the worst narrative choices he could and it was still salvaged into amazing character development.

[desires-of-chain]

Been really obsessed with thinking about the chain as dragon shifters (similar to Volga in Hyrule Warriors) lately. Dragon features are incredibly hot as it is - big horns, sharp teeth and claws, big wings and tail - and thinking about the variety in presentations when in half dragon form, as well as certain aspects of dragon culture: specifically the idea of reader being part of the chosen dragon's hoard (or all the dragons present's hoard, if going poly/partial poly chain).

Gonna focus on just my fave few - Time, Twilight, Warriors - because those are who I've thought about the most with it and my personal faves.

Warriors is majestic. Bright royal blue in wings and scales, horns curling gracefully back from his forehead, tail agile and used to knock over enemies and curl around your waist in equal measure. Most fond of being in half dragon form, and has a habit of putting his scarf and other wearable trinkets on you as a way of marking you as his hoard. Will bamf out the wings just to curl around you and protect you with them while you sleep. If going with the dnd model of dragon colouration equalling type of elemental power, then Warriors dragon power is a bright crackling breath of lightning. Swift, seeking, shocking and tangible in the air when he's feeling high emotions. Electrifying kisses upon your neck and tingling touches on bare skin as he slowly and purposefully shows you exactly how prized you are within his hoard.

Time is the biggest by far, and even half dragon form has him shifting to tower over all else. Can't decide between stunning earthy greens or elegant chilling white for his colouration, but both work really well for him, so perhaps he's a mix of both. Call it a side effect of the Fierce Deity, that shock of white. He personally enjoys being either fully human or fully dragon most, but isn't afraid to shift to half form for you - whether that be to protect you in battle, wielding the biggoron sword in a single hand, or to really feed into the inevitable size kink you'd develop dating him. his horns curling around his ears from the top of his head, framing your faces while you kiss and enjoy the full weight and size of him on top of you, the biggest you've ever taken. The biggest you ever will take, because he's not letting you go now.

Twilight is deep shining blacks and greys, mirroring his wolf form with large thick horns that poke up and out like his wolven ears. He is by far the most possessive of them all - as far as he's concerned, you are his and his alone (only willing to share you in the polychain because the others treat you like divinity, and he likes you happy). He doesn't grow much in half form, if at all, but the aerial capability he gains with his large, powerful wings allow him to absolutely dominate the battlefield with soaring up and plunging down with all his strength and bulk. When it comes to you, he's completely fine with exerting his dragon authority to keep you protected and pleasured, his deep rumbling voice as his pounds into you letting everyone know for miles around that you are mated and taken.

With the three of them all laying claim to you, it's a lot of physical affection and big cuddle piles, a mess of wings and tails tangling in one another as they all try to curl around you. Perhaps the butting of heads (and horns) about not being able to share as well as they should, but one big puppy eyes from you has them all bending to your will without much fuss. And of course, when mating season comes along, you have your hands full with three very horny, very possessive dragons that all barely take turns completely ravaging you until they're satisfied. At least the nest they make is spectacularly comfy to rest in between rounds.

I think I'm gonna write something with Warriors for this - I really like the idea of reader getting a bit injured in a battle while separated from Warriors, and his dragon instincts to protect his hoard going haywire as he smells the blood. Just ripping through bokoblins in a rage, ignoring everyone else to take reader away from danger the second the battle is (mostly) over. Settling them down on the ground away from the chaos, wings covering them protectively as he patches the reader's wounds, growling and muttering about slaughtering whatever dared lay a hand on you, my hoard, my treasure, can't they see you're already claimed? And, of course, making sure reader knows just how much he cares about them, and how very much they are his. If they couldn't tell you were already part of his hoard, then he'll just have to lay claim to you all over again... make it obvious who you belong to.

Anyway. dragons hot. I'd be excited to see anyone else's thoughts on this concept, especially the other links' dragon forms

- wizard anon

🧙 anon,

I'm gon go feral, I swear to the gods, I will. This. This is the shit I was waiting for. Dragon chain. The dragon AU. I love the description you gave each of them. I love it, I love it, I LOVE IT! See if I could show what I imagine what their dicks look like, I would but Tumblr humbles people so I'm not gon risk it lmao.

I would like to have a Time pls. I wanna spoil him in scritches and love uwu

[ss-tech-services]

The Importance of Local Social Media Marketing Agency To Your Business

In the present day and age especially in terms of the world of digital marketing, social media comes in handy for most of the businesses and their target market. Many companies decide to work with large national marketing Agencies, however, it is also more than evident that more and more companies are looking towards local social media marketing agencies. The reason is that such agencies tend to be more proficient on certain issues than more centralized ones, which is vital for the development of one’s business. In this blog, we’ll discuss the ways in which a local social media marketing agency will work in your favor, on top of exploring the differences between local and international agencies.

The Rise of Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing is an overall business approach for nearly every company. Bringing billions of active users from Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, TikTok and the like makes social media the most promising for promotion activities. However, how successful you are in your social media activities will depend on the winning choice of the marketing partner you are going to work with.

Importance of Local in Social Media Marketing

Here’s why engaging a local social media marketing agency can be more beneficial than dealing with the bigger companies that operate at a national scale:

In-depth Appreciation of Local Market

For a local social media marketing agency, having context is nothing out of the ordinary. They understand these things because they know the region, its culture, and even its people, thus developing relevant and insightful content strategies. This localized approach helps in executing campaigns efficiently without wastage of time and effort since the audience is likely to respond better to such campaigns.

Incremental and Individualized Response.

Local agencies gradually are capable of offering an individualized approach in terms of the services rendered. Having little clients to handle in comparison to big companies, much attention and resources can be given to them. This means more focused, inclusive, and rapid plans towards results when gearing towards a particular approach as reasonably suggested by the client. Such closeness can also foster creativity as more insightful and targeted solutions that meet the client’s goals are provided by the agency.

Strong Network Within the Community.

Local organizations having been on the ground may have formed links with community members in regard to press, opinion leaders, businesses, among others. These relations can then be put into good use by enhancing the social media advertisements or campaigns that you have been doing. Additionally, supporting a local agency can enhance your brand’s image as a community-focused business.

Enhancing Accountability and Transparency

Let’s tackle the issue of zero aggressors and business129 accountability. If you have to work with a local agency, chances are that you are going to be more accountable and will observe higher levels of transparency. Local agencies are dedicated to their image within the locality and thus they will want to achieve the best possible outcomes targeting you. You’re going to easily reach your account manager, then reporting will be more detailed, and the ads performance will be even clearer than ever.

Agility and Flexibility

When it comes to the region level, such agencies are usually very flexible in implementing recent changes as well as recent developments. Local firms are prepared to implement changes in their campaigns and even respond to emergency circumstances. This quick adaptability is very essential in this fast and ever changing tomorrow that is social media marketing.

How a Local Social Media Marketing Agency Can Help Grow Your Business

Working with a local social media marketing agency will yield effects which will be beneficial to the business.

Innovative Campaigns

Local agencies build Facebook marketing plans for a specific audience. Because of the knowledge of the local population by location, age, interests, and behavior. They create campaigns that are more people-oriented and hence improve implementation. This type of targeting gives a higher engagement rate and better results.

Increased Brand Recognition

That is the reason why, turning to local residents for your social media campaigns can prove beneficial in improving your visibility amongst the targeted audience. It is important to know that whether you are coming up with these local events, regional efforts or advocating for participation or sponsorship, a locality agency will help you achieve that.

Affordable Marketing Strategies

Most of the characteristics of local agencies include lower rates and greater customization of service offerings compared to bigger agencies. Trusted they provide custom economical options within one's range estimates without compromising on work quality. One particular sensitivity is applicable to small and midsize businesses that aim at the highest profitability bands of advertising.

Local Marketing Agency

Establishing a deep connection with the locals is useful to your brand in terms of loyalty and growth. Local agencies have realized this and thus come up with marketing strategies that incorporate the community and not just sell to the community. This ultimately increases the amount of loyalty, positive feedback and the brand’s penetration in the local market.

Innovative Campaigns

More often than not, local agencies tend to be more creative and come up with new concepts. They capitalize on such and other trends to enable them come up with attractive and appropriate advertisement campaigns. Their creativity can help you separate your company and its products from competition in the plough of prospects.

Choosing the Right Local Social Media Marketing Agency

When choosing a local social media marketing agency, the factors to consider include the following:

Experience and Expertise

Focus on an outside agency with plenty of years of practice in social media marketing. Look at their portfolio and, if available, case studies to determine their experience and expertise. A reputational local agency that has been involved in social media advertising will be in a position to address your needs.

Local Knowledge

It is important that the agency has a rich knowledge of the local market and the people who reside there. Having knowledge of local fads, customs, and populations will help in devising better social media campaigns.

Client Testimonials

Refer to client testimonials and reviews to evaluate the agency’s image and level of client satisfaction. It may be a wise decision to review how trustworthy other businesses found the agency.

Communication and Collaboration

Select any agency which believes in coming to the table with an open mind for communication and collaboration. Strong partnerships require an uncomplicated work process and a well articulated common goal of the campaign. Make sure that the agency is proactive or rather defers to you.

Creative Approach

Determine the agency’s level of creativity when it comes to social media marketing strategies. Seek out the most creative and out-of-the-box social media campaigns that will achieve your organization’s objectives.

Conclusion

Partnering with a local social media marketing agency can provide significant advantages for your business, from a deep understanding of the local market to personalized service and community connections. At SS TECH SERVICES, we specialize in creating tailored social media strategies that drive engagement and deliver results. Our local expertise and commitment to excellence ensure that your business stands out in the digital landscape.

If you’re ready to take your social media marketing to the next level, contact SS TECH SERVICES today. Let’s work together to enhance your online presence and achieve your marketing goals.

[hoichoi29]

The Synergy of Digital Marketing and AI: Transforming the Future

Digital marketing has become the backbone of modern business strategies, enabling brands to reach global audiences with precision and efficiency. As this field evolves, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a game-changer, revolutionizing how companies engage with customers, analyze data, and optimize their campaigns. The integration of AI in digital marketing is not just a trend; it’s a transformative force reshaping the industry.

Personalization at Scale

One of the most significant contributions of AI to digital marketing is the ability to deliver personalized experiences at scale. Traditional marketing approaches relied heavily on broad segmentation, often leading to generic messaging. AI, however, enables hyper-personalization by analyzing vast amounts of data, including browsing history, purchase behavior, and social media activity. This data allows marketers to create tailored content and product recommendations that resonate with individual consumers, enhancing engagement and boosting conversion rates.

For instance, AI-powered recommendation engines, like those used by Amazon and Netflix, analyze user behavior in real-time to suggest products or content that match the user’s preferences. This level of personalization was unimaginable just a few years ago, but today, it’s a key driver of customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Enhanced Data Analysis and Decision-Making

AI has also revolutionized how marketers approach data analysis. In the past, analyzing large datasets was time-consuming and prone to human error. AI algorithms, however, can process and interpret data at unprecedented speeds, identifying patterns and insights that might be missed by human analysts. This capability allows marketers to make data-driven decisions with greater accuracy, optimizing their strategies for maximum impact.

For example, AI can analyze the performance of a digital marketing campaign in real-time, adjusting targeting and messaging based on the results. This agility not only improves the effectiveness of campaigns but also reduces costs by minimizing wasteful spending on ineffective tactics.

Automating Routine Tasks

Automation is another area where AI is making a significant impact. Tasks such as content creation, social media posting, and email marketing can be automated using AI tools. These tools can generate content, schedule posts, and even respond to customer inquiries with minimal human intervention. This frees up marketers to focus on more strategic activities, such as creative development and campaign planning.

Conclusion

The integration of AI in digital marketing is revolutionizing the industry, enabling unprecedented levels of personalization, efficiency, and effectiveness. As AI continues to advance, its role in digital marketing will only grow, offering new opportunities for brands to connect with their audiences in meaningful ways. Embracing this technology is no longer optional; it’s essential for staying competitive in today’s fast-paced digital landscape.

[mulemasters]

Quality Assurance (QA) Analyst - Tosca

Model-Based Test Automation (MBTA):

Tosca uses a model-based approach to automate test cases, which allows for greater reusability and easier maintenance.

Scriptless Testing:

Tosca offers a scriptless testing environment, enabling testers with minimal programming knowledge to create complex test cases using a drag-and-drop interface.

Risk-Based Testing (RBT):

Tosca helps prioritize testing efforts by identifying and focusing on high-risk areas of the application, improving test coverage and efficiency.

Continuous Integration and DevOps:

Integration with CI/CD tools like Jenkins, Bamboo, and Azure DevOps enables automated testing within the software development pipeline.

Cross-Technology Testing:

Tosca supports testing across various technologies, including web, mobile, APIs, and desktop applications.

Service Virtualization:

Tosca allows the simulation of external services, enabling testing in isolated environments without dependency on external systems.

Tosca Testing Process

Requirements Management:

Define and manage test requirements within Tosca, linking them to test cases to ensure comprehensive coverage.

Test Case Design:

Create test cases using Tosca’s model-based approach, focusing on functional flows and data variations.

Test Data Management:

Manage and manipulate test data within Tosca to support different testing scenarios and ensure data-driven testing.

Test Execution:

Execute test cases automatically or manually, tracking progress and results in real-time.

Defect Management:

Identify, log, and track defects through Tosca’s integration with various bug-tracking tools like JIRA and Bugzilla.

Reporting and Analytics:

Generate detailed reports and analytics on test coverage, execution results, and defect trends to inform decision-making.

Benefits of Using Tosca for QA Analysts

Efficiency: Automation and model-based testing significantly reduce the time and effort required for test case creation and maintenance.

Accuracy: Reduces human error by automating repetitive tasks and ensuring consistent execution of test cases.

Scalability: Easily scales to accommodate large and complex testing environments, supporting continuous testing in agile and DevOps processes.

Integration: Seamlessly integrates with various tools and platforms, enhancing collaboration across development, testing, and operations teams.

Skills Required for QA Analysts Using Tosca

Understanding of Testing Principles: Fundamental knowledge of manual and automated testing principles and methodologies.

Technical Proficiency: Familiarity with Tosca and other testing tools, along with basic understanding of programming/scripting languages.

Analytical Skills: Ability to analyze requirements, design test cases, and identify potential issues effectively.

Attention to Detail: Keen eye for detail to ensure comprehensive test coverage and accurate defect identification.

Communication Skills: Strong verbal and written communication skills to document findings and collaborate with team members.

[anarcho-occultism]

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs are among one of the most iconic of primordial creatures. The exact time period they first arose is made fuzzy by the temporal anomalies and time travelers who have helped scatter them across history, but mainstream paleontologists such as Ross Geller and Eva Jain have concluded dinosaurs arose first in the Triassic period circa 252 million years ago. Throughout the Mesozoic era, dinosaurs dominated the ecosystem alongside similar species of marine reptiles, pterosaurs and the earliest proto-dragons (whom often engaged in predation of the dinosaurs, especially the slower, lumbering species of semi-aquatic sauropods and hadrosaurs). Some dinosaurs were largely peaceful herbivores while others were vicious and at times voracious hunters. The exact form dinosaurs could take varied wildly, even among many who through fossils were labeled identically. Some dinosaurs were slow-moving, lumbering behemothic lizards, slow-witted and inefficient. Other dinosaurs, however, were swifter, more agile and intelligent. In the Jurassic period, a subspecies of Ornitholestes developed Stone Age-level technology and intelligence. While this sentient species of dinosaurs did not make it to the end of the period, by the Cretaceous period, some dinosaurs had managed to develop sentience and various forms of society. This includes one that curiously mirrored the human society that would exist millions of years later and another with a level of scientific knowledge that enabled them to develop multiple time machines including one that operated as a train that traversed the Mesozoic era. It is theorized these sentient dinosaurs were uplifted by the time traveler Captain Neweyes.

The Mesozoic era is, of course, most famous for its vicious end. One factor behind the Cretaceous extinction was time travel. The Trans-Time corporation sought to farm dinosaurs for meat and, despite several containment breaches, was able to inflict a severe dent in the dinosaur population. A powerful superweapon developed by a cult leader was sent back in time by a group of scientist-adventurers led by Benton Quest, which further devastated the planet. Alien incursions also battered the dinosaur population. The Predators hunted dinosaurs for sport and the Nesk flung a meteorite at the planet to deal with a rival species known as the Mecora. The Achuultani also flung several asteroids into the planet, wrecking the environment. These two causes linked when the Brainspawn visited Earth and proceeded to ravage the dinosaur population. Beyond outside forces, sentient dinosaurs also inflicted severe damage themselves by triggering large-scale climate catastrophe. Dragons also ravaged sentient dinosaur populations after evolving past the so-called ‘Prehistoric Dragon’ form. A small portion of intelligent dinosaurs were able to evacuate Earth and set up colonies beyond the Solar System, while non-sentient dinosaurs were preserved in an ark created by the Silurians. Despite the seeming extinction of the dinosaurs on Earth, however, in fact many dinosaurs managed to avoid extinction.

The migration of numerous dinosaurs to a ‘great valley’ in the south where a microclimate protected against the worst climate effects of the Cretaceous disasters and its hidden location guarded against intelligent species targeting the dinosaurs protected some of them. Other dinosaurs were able to survive in deep caves underground, accessible only through passages into Earth’s interior. A few dinosaurs emerged from these underground caverns during the Ice Age, leading to brief periods where dinosaurs coexisted with later megafauna such as mammoths and sabertooths, as well as with ancient humans. Prehistoric man, naturally, tended to greatly fear dinosaurs that they shared the planet with for the most part. However, at various points early humans were able to forge cooperative relationships with dinosaurs. The ancient society known as Bedrock is known to have domesticated numerous species of dinosaurs, keeping some as pets and making use of others as beasts of burden or sources of meat. The contemporary society of Lem also had a cooperative relationship with dinosaurs. Elsewhere, depictions of a caveman who could ride a Tyrannosaurus rex and fought other dinosaurs, humans and various monstrosities have been documented on multiple cave paintings found in Europe. However, conflict did continue more commonly. The alien Yargonians, who attempted to invade Earth nearly 1 million years ago, weaponized dinosaurs against primitive man. Eventually, the large-scale dinosaur presence alongside prehistoric humanity would end amidst a deeper Ice Age freeze, once again relegating dinosaurs to the ‘great valley’ (whose climate remained suitable for dinosaurs despite the general drop in global temperatures) and underground refuges.

As the Ice Age concluded, rapid continental drift occurred. This had significant consequences for the ‘great valley’ that was the last bastion of dinosaurs above ground. The region split apart and drifted into many areas. Much of the valley would become islands later labeled ‘lost worlds’ by observers. The Skull Archipelago, Caprona, Dinosaur Island and Yaanapalu all would be formed in this time. The islands would also enable the formation of other ‘lost worlds’ thanks to the frequent appearance of temporal anomalies on them. It is believed dinosaurs arrived in the Savage Land, Maple White Land, Gwangi Valley and various regions of the Congo thanks to anomalies opening up. Despite dinosaurs’ presence for much of human history, humanity at larve only really took notice of the lost worlds in the late 19th century, on the heels of advances in paleontology. The ‘bone wars’ between Cope and Marsh and Bolt and Cartland helped fuel numerous waves of fossil discovery as well as public captivating, especially as the likes of William Johnson and Deborah MacGuiness added fuel to the wave of fossil-driven dinomania. Dinosaur fossils were used by Stephen Maturin to justify the theory of evolution, an argument picked up by Charles Darwin and other subsequent advocates of the theory. It is likely this that laid the groundwork for adventurous explorers to seek out remnant dinosaur populations.

While the earlier Lidenbrock expedition had encountered dinosaurs in Earth’s interior, it was the Challenger expedition of the 1890’s that was the first to prove dinosaurs still existed. This in turn sparked a wave of exploitation-some dinosaurs were captured and placed in circuses for entertainment beginning with the famed Gertie, a trained Brontosaurus who toured globally for nearly 20 years. Ambitious big game hunters would seek dinosaurs as quarry, a key factor in nearly wiping out the Mokele Mbembe species of carnivorous sauropod native to the Congo. The realm of Dinotopia, inhabited by sentient dinosaurs coexisting alongside humans, was wiped out by Nazi forces in 1937 as part of their attempt to capture and weaponize dinosaurs ahead of World War II. The mass extermination inflicted forced the Nazis to make use of crude cloning techniques in their haphazard attempt to use dinosaurs against the D-Day invaders. By the late 20th century, dinosaurs were reduced to the status of a critically endangered species. Poachers, vengeful hunters, climate change and introduced diseases wiped out most known lost worlds, with only very isolated realms like the Savage Land being left intact. The war against the Dinosaur Empire left many habitats in the subterranean world inhabited by extinct fauna desolated. The biggest subterranean ecosystem to survive was in Canada and would not be discovered until several surprisingly intelligent dinosaurs emerged from it in 2007. Dinosaurs were not technically extinct but as far as everyday people were concerned they might as well be. However, a new solution emerged: cloning. The first large scale attempt at cloning dinosaurs in the postwar era was carried out by Darren Penward in 1979, which led to his creation of a small private zoo of dinosaurs by 1984. Penward’s death at the hands of his clones would not be the end of this, as his research was acquired by operatives hired by InGen CEO John Hammond who envisioned creating a large scale zoological centering on dinosaurs. Hammond set up what he dubbed Jurassic Park on Isla Nublar off the Costa Rican coast, but disaster struck in 1992 before it could open when a disgruntled employee shut down electricity which unleashed many ravenous dinosaurs from containment, killing at least a dozen. Hammond, despite his reputation as a cold capitalist, was shaken by the peril his two grandchildren ended up in during this event as well as his own near-death at the hands of a group of Compsognathus and abandoned the planned park.

However this would just be the beginning of a push to establish dinosaurs in captivity. Hammond’s nephew Peter Ludlow would oust him as CEO and attempt to reopen Jurassic Park in San Diego only for the plan to fail when a Tyrannosaurus escaped and rampages through the city, eventually consuming Ludlow himself. This led to Isla Sorna, InGen’s so-called Site B, being declared a nature reserve by the reinstated Hammond and the Costa Rican government. But the push for dinosaurs as attractions would not end there. Gerry Harding, former veterinarian at Jurassic Park, had made copious note of the healthcare needs of dinosaurs, making the prospect of raising them in zoos more feasible than it had been. This sparked a boom in ‘dinomania’ as dinosaur-centered parks like Enoshima Dinoland and Jurassic World (set up on the same island as the original attempted Jurassic Park) would arise over the next decade. Smaller scale education-centered facilities such as Prehistoric Park would also set up during this period, the latter earning a great deal of attention for its use of temporal travel (based on technology developed by Britain’s Anomaly Research Center) and the documentary series set at it starring Nigel Marven, whom had used the same technology to make similar documentaries on prehistoric life earlier on. Marven’s program would temporarily be handed off to Drew Luczynski after Marven disappeared through an anomaly, thought to be eaten by a Giganotosaurus until reappearing alive almost a decade later, just as the park he built began to franchise out under the name Prehistoric Kingdom.

From 2003 on, many zoos that were not specifically dinosaur-centered would begin to open dinosaur exhibits as the cost of care for dinosaurs dropped. This had a number of causes-the Shiawise decision helping weaken liability risks, the spread of clean energy technology pioneered by the Future Foundation and a general zoo boom prompted by animal-centered reality shows such as The Wild Thornberrys and V.V. Argost’s Weird World increasing earnings for zoos enough to make having a handful of dinosaurs a plausible option. This caused heavy competition for dinosaur-centered parks, especially the aforementioned Jurassic World which was increasingly forced to rely on corporate sponsorship and a luxurious resort experience to remain profitable. It is likely due to this competition that the park resorted to trying to create new hybrid dinosaur species, which in turn led to the disaster of 2015 that saw the park closed down for good. An attempt to evacuate dinosaurs from Isla Nublar during a subsequent volcanic eruption led to a large dinosaur population becoming invasive to California, causing widespread panic and calls from some to render dinosaurs genuinely extinct. For now, those calls have been resisted as moves have been made to get feral dinosaurs out of populated areas and into either captivity or the Isla Sorna and Savage Land reserves.

[possessedscholar]

It's easy to forget, due to their near ubiquity throughout (most) Gundam series, that within UC Timeline arguably the original RX-78-2 Gundam's biggest advancement in mobile suit warfare, and really the biggest advancement of Project V as a whole (The RX line of mobile suits) was that it was equipped with the two first successful miniaturizations in beam weaponry, the Beam Rifle and the Beam Saber. At the time, beam weaponry was mostly relegated to ships in the form of Mega-Particle weaponry, as the hardware and energy requirements were prohibitive, to put it lightly. But then the RX line of Mobile Suits, thanks to the recently developed E-cap, had beam weapons that gave them firepower that made some smaller ships seem rather anemically armed.

Of course, it's also easy to forget that mobile suit usable beam weaponry were terrifying at the time because many of the beam defenses (Beam Coating, I-Field Generators, ect) seen in later parts of the Universal Century did not really exist until around the Gryps Conflict (Zeta Gundam) and later. At the time, because beam weaponry was pretty much only available to ships on a practical level, defending against a beam weapon was best described as "Getting out of the way", which made sense for Mobile Suits as they were small enough to evade the large, relatively slow and clumsy main guns of a ship. But with mobile suit portable beam weaponry, the lack of beam defenses was now a legitimate problem, as dodging something as agile, quick, and able to adjust aim as yourself (if not more so due to the RX-78-2's impressive specs compared to the Zaku II of the time) was a lot harder. All it took was one good shot from the Beam Rifle and a suit would be finished, often taking the pilot with it if the beam hit the cockpit or reactor, and unfortunately for Zeon's forces, the Gundam was very much able to make said good shots. Even glancing blows could be a problem, as the heat from the beam shot could easily cause mechanical problems.

It only got worse for Zeon with the creation of the RGM-79 GM, a mass production model of the Gundam that could be equipped with the Beam Spray Gun. Though weaker than the Beam Rifle, it was still a beam weapon, and as such could deal impressive damage to a Mobile Suit. Even with fairly limited production, the Beam Spray Gun was still devastating to Zeon forces due to giving the Federation the ability to deploy near Gundam firepower in multiple locations.

Of course, that's not to say beam weaponry was the only thing that helped the Federation win the One Year War. If that's all it took, the Gelgoog (Zeon's last Mobile Suit made for the One Year War, an impressive mass-production suit on par with the RX-78-2) would have been enough to help Zeon regain footing due to the Beam Naginata and Beam Rifle. But it cannot be understated how, unlike many Gundam series, MS-scale beam weapons were practically a game changer in the Universal Century.

[cagemasterfantasy]

Treecko the Wood Gecko pokemon a grass type

1ft 8inc

11lbs

Ability: Overgrow Hidden Ability: Unburden

Egg Groups: Monster and Dragon

Highest Base Stat: Speed:70

Lowest Base Stat: Defense:35

Base Stat Total: 310

The small hooks on the soles of its feet latch on to walls and ceilings, so it will never fall even while hanging upside down. Treecko can quickly scale even vertical surfaces. It senses humidity with its tail to predict the next day’s weather.

At level 16 it evolves into Grovyle the Wood Gecko pokemon a grass type

2ft 11inc

47.6lbs

Ability: Overgrow Hidden Ability: Unburden

Egg Group: Monster and Dragon

Highest Base Stat: Speed:95

Lowest Base Stat: Defense:45

Base Stat Total: 405

Its strongly developed thigh muscles give it astounding agility and jumping performance. Grovyle leaps from branch to branch in large trees, moving with ease. It propels itself with astounding speed and force.

At level 36 it evolves into Sceptile the Forest pokemon a grass type

5ft 7inc

115.1lbs

Ability: Overgrow Hidden Ability: Unburden

Egg Group: Monster and Dragon

Highest Base Stat: Speed:120

Lowest Base Stat: Defense:65

Base Stat Total: 530

It agilely flits through the jungle and uses the sharp-edged leaves on its arms to cut down its prey. The leaves on its arms are as sharp as swords. It agilely leaps about the branches of trees to strike its enemies.

[tribbetherium]

How can we imagine an wingle from Isla de Oof or a Temperocene hameleon?

Isla de Oof's most distinctive species is the greater oof: the largest species of the lemunkies and also the most aberrant, being a slow-moving, small-brained herbivore rather than its more intelligent and agile kin. But it is far from the only animal native to the isolated landmass: several other, smaller creatures have made their way to the island, and have settled there as well, scurrying about the greater oof's feet in the undergrowth.

Among these are wingles: tiny rattiles that have developed the capacity for flight with the aid of their modified scales that, over time, became gliding surfaces that eventually progressed to true flight. But like the pterodents and the ratbats before them, the wingles found themselves settling on islands with few or no dangers on the ground and empty niches to exploit: and thus, would abandon their greatest asset, their flight--but in a rather unusual way.

The fallen nephtile (Dystopteryx maximus) is the largest of the extant wingles, reaching lengths of about six feet including its tail. It far outclasses all other flying wingles, constrained in size by their more insect-like flight: having lost its flight, and with the adult bearing only vestigal stubs where its wings once were, it is freed to increase fiftyfold in size: taking on a role of omnivore feeding on a wide choice of diet, including fruit, leaves insects, small slow-moving prey and washed-up carrion on the coasts of the island.

But remarkably, they are not born this way: in their youth, the nephtiles are small and indeed flighted--resembling a far more typical wingle as a juvenile. One main constraint of the wingles' small size was being able to bear one young at a time, but as adult nephtiles are far larger, they can breed in bigger numbers--up to forty in a litter-- which stick close to the parent for some time until their wings grow in, at which point they disperse. This ability is kept only while they are small, as it allows them to evade predators such as pterodents and ratbats that might make an easy meal of them. However, as none of those predators are big enough to pose much threat to an adult nephtile, the juvenile eventually prioritizes size and bulk over flight. Eventually at about six months of age the youngster has grown too large to fly, and it is at this point that the wings, just modified hair, are finally shed, and here they live in the trees akin to most arboreal rattiles until they are large enough to be relatively safe to forage on the ground. Thus the nephtile fills three niches in the course of its life: aerial flier as a juvenile, arboreal climber as an adolescent, and ground-dwelling scavenger as an adult: allowing multiple generations of the same species to coexist with minimal competition.

[mercyjuliet1512]

Deciding Between Selenium with Python and Selenium with Java: An In-Depth Comparison

In the domain of automated testing, Selenium emerges as a pivotal tool for ensuring the reliability and quality of web applications. When it comes to selecting the programming language to harness Selenium's capabilities, two prominent contenders often come into play: Python and Java. Both languages offer distinct advantages and considerations, making the decision between them crucial for any automation project.

In this blog post, we'll conduct a thorough comparison of Selenium with Python and Selenium with Java, exploring their unique strengths, use cases, and factors to consider. By the end, readers will have a clearer understanding of which option aligns best with their project requirements, team proficiencies, and organizational objectives.

Python with Selenium:

Python, celebrated for its simplicity and readability, has garnered significant traction within the automation testing community. Let's delve into some key benefits of leveraging Python with Selenium:

Simplicity and Readability: Python's hallmark characteristics include simplicity and readability. Its concise syntax enables developers to express ideas in fewer lines of code, resulting in scripts that are easier to comprehend and maintain. For testers, this translates to expedited development cycles and reduced overhead in managing test suites.

Extensive Ecosystem: Python boasts a vast ecosystem of libraries and frameworks that complement Selenium, augmenting its capabilities for test automation. Whether handling data manipulation, conducting API testing, or generating test reports, Python's rich library support caters to diverse automation needs. Furthermore, the active Python community ensures an abundance of resources, tutorials, and documentation to aid testers throughout the automation journey.

Rapid Prototyping: Python's dynamic nature lends itself well to rapid prototyping and iterative development. Testers can swiftly experiment with different approaches, adapt scripts on-the-go, and respond promptly to evolving requirements. This flexibility seamlessly aligns with agile development methodologies, empowering teams to deliver high-quality software with agility.

Integration Compatibility: Python's interoperability with other tools and technologies makes it an appealing choice for Selenium automation. Whether integrating with continuous integration (CI) pipelines, test reporting frameworks, or version control systems, Python's versatility ensures smooth interoperability, streamlining the testing workflow and bolstering overall efficiency.

Java with Selenium:

Java, renowned for its robustness and performance, has long been a cornerstone in enterprise software development. Here are some compelling reasons to consider Java for Selenium automation:

Robustness and Performance: Java's static typing and strong object-oriented principles contribute to the robustness and performance of Selenium test suites. Its compile-time error checking aids in identifying potential issues early in the development phase, resulting in more stable and reliable automation scripts. For large-scale enterprise projects with stringent quality requirements, Java's reliability is a significant asset.

Widespread Adoption: Java enjoys widespread adoption within the enterprise landscape, making it a natural choice for organizations with existing Java codebases or a Java-centric development environment. The abundance of Java expertise in the workforce, coupled with extensive community support and industry recognition, solidifies its status as a preferred language for Selenium automation in many corporate settings.

Mature Tooling: Java's mature ecosystem of testing tools and frameworks, including JUnit and TestNG, seamlessly integrate with Selenium to offer comprehensive test automation solutions. These frameworks furnish advanced features such as parameterized testing, parallel execution, and built-in reporting capabilities, empowering testers to design and execute sophisticated test suites effortlessly.

Enterprise Support: Java's popularity in enterprise environments translates to robust support from vendors, extensive documentation, and a plethora of third-party integrations. For organizations seeking enterprise-grade features, reliability, and scalability in their Selenium automation endeavors, Java's ecosystem and support infrastructure present a compelling value proposition.

Conclusion:

In summary, both Selenium with Python and Selenium with Java present compelling options for test automation, each with its unique strengths and considerations. Python excels in simplicity, rapid development, and a vast ecosystem, making it an ideal choice for agile teams and projects with evolving requirements. Conversely, Java offers robustness, performance, and widespread enterprise support, rendering it well-suited for large-scale enterprise applications with stringent quality standards.

Ultimately, the decision between Python and Java for Selenium automation hinges on various factors such as project prerequisites, team proficiencies, and organizational preferences. By meticulously evaluating these factors and weighing the pros and cons of each option, stakeholders can make informed decisions that align with their specific needs and aspirations. Whether opting for the simplicity of Python or the robustness of Java, Selenium remains an indispensable tool for driving quality and efficiency in web application testing.

[wanderxdusk]

Who the heck is Shikoba?

Name: Shikoba Oklhili

First name means “Feather” in Choctaw, and last name means “Night” in Chickasaw. These are references to the Above World and Underworld; the guardians of the Chickasaw tribe, the red-headed woodpecker is a creature of the Above World, while the celestial Large White Dog (Ofi’ Tohbi’ Ishto’), is one of both the Above and Underworld. Her ancestors believed that the night sky was the Underworld being revealed, where the Underwater Panther reigns. Her abilities represent both the guardian dog and panther (and by extension, Tezcatlipoca the Jaguar God of Night in Aztec lore).

Age: 21

Gender: Female

Pronouns: She/Her

Race: Human (formerly), were-beast (Underwater Panther).

Stand (or just special power if outside JJBA verse): Black Thunder

Her abilities take on two forms depending on her mental state.

First form, when stable:

Can summon two large canine specters (one white and one yellow). These canines have stony, Southeastern-styled heads, star-speckled bodies, and collars with Choctaw diamond motifs. They can fight in her stead, often using relentless thrashing with massive, heavy jaws. They can also be used as shields against some projectile attacks.

Another way of manifesting is morphing her arms as two large, toothed warclubs. These warclubs bear the same stone canine heads but have large teeth-like serrations along their bottom jaws”. She can strike them to the ground to create small-range earthquakes and as blunt-force weapons.

Second form, when in great distress:

Black, sparkling, liquid pours from her mouth and eyes, which quickly overtakes her figure. The liquid transforms her into a large puma-like creature with antlers, serpentine eyes and body, eagle talons, and dazzling scales running down its back and fish-like tail. She gains supernatural strength, speed, agility, and senses and becomes increasingly aggressive when in battle. She can still cause earthquakes whenever she strikes her tail against the ground, dangerous flooding of the black water erupts from the cracks she creates.

 (Reference images of her stand’s forms coming soon!)

Physical Description: Shikoba stands at five feet and two inches, is of broad shoulders and small hips, and has a little bit of chubbiness in the middle. Her complexion is medium tan, indicating her Chickasaw/Choctaw heritage. She has a small patch of scales on her back, indicating her under-water panther form. Her general appearance can be seen in the image below:

Image coming soon!

Personality: A wandering heart best describes Shikoba. She feels a persistent desire to escape the monotony of average life. There are several reasons as to why she feels that constant urge to venture on. One is the deep need to escape her actions and past, the person she developed shame and hatred towards. Leaving that life to hopefully find a new identity she could feel peace with are what push her onward.

The yearning to discover more about her culture and heritage and all connections to it also burns within her heart, it’s the one thing about herself that she feels pride in. As a storyteller apprentice, Shikoba seeks to share what she has learned with others, as well as gather other stories from across the world.  She adores wildlife and nature, particularly those of the tropical rainforests. She lights up at merely seeing any sort of animal. She finds joy in art, as well, especially drawing. Shikoba normally tries to keep a notebook and a few pencils on hand to draw what she finds or is inspired by during her excursions.

Intelligent and observant, she will first attempt to gather information on the situation and environment before acting. Despite this, she is prone to panic during critical times and will hastily act to diffuse any confrontation. She tends to be a people-pleaser, especially towards those who choose her or claim to find value in her. She is annoyed by this weakness but the disconnect between her awareness and the emotional need for approval doesn’t stop her from falling back on it. This flaw leads to her making self-centered decisions, as she’s determined to do whatever it takes to keep others’ approval. She has some mistrust towards elders, and harbors deep anxiety about how her ancestors possibly view her.

 Though usually introverted, Shikoba will leave her comfort zone to either share traditional stories, information about wildlife and ecology to anyone who seems curious about such things.

Backstory: (Warning: This story contains abuse, assault, body horror, and other forms of violence)

“They say ‘we are our ancestors’ prayers’. What happens if ya were never what they hoped for?” - Shikoba

Shikoba’s story started centuries ago. Her ancestors fled from the land of the setting sun, towards the east. It was within the rising morning’s golden glow that they found freedom and refuge. Though their real reasons for their escape was not known, the reign of monstrous men of blood and night may have been the cause. Over the years, such men faded into shadowed stone pillars, and Shikoba’s ancestors grew and developed their own society and culture.

 Shikoba was born and raised in a small town in northern Mississippi. Her life hadn’t been too different from other children, though she often struggled with feelings of inadequacy as she couldn’t keep up with her friends during games. The concerns of being of less worth stemmed from her family life; though her parents loved her dearly, Shikoba’s grandparents were not as kind. The grandmother ruled the family with an iron fist, and viewed her daughter, Shikoba’s mother, as the scapegoat. This resentment escalated when Shikoba’s mother, Rose, went against her wishes and eloped with the man she loved. Though her grandmother didn’t view Shikoba as her own person, she had hoped the child would grow into an obedient agent for her will. An unwanted puppy or cub was still cute and easy to control, after all.

This put immense pressure on Rose, thus causing her to coach Shikoba on how to act around the family matriarch. Shikoba was meant to behave like a trained animal, and failure to yield to her grandmother’s unspoken demands led to the grandmother’s venomous rejection, Rose’s frustration, and Shikoba’s deepening sense of worthlessness. She had been called selfish, defective, broken, both by her grandmother and by Rose during her worst moments.

 This belief of being broken extended to school. Because her school was very small, it relied heavily on the one sport it could take part in: Basketball. Unfortunately, Shikoba wasn’t built for athletics, and she quickly became the burden of the coach when she dared tried out for the team. Her humiliation in that failure discouraged her from trying any others until much later. She adopted the view of never being good enough for others, it festered into a deep self-hatred. As she grew older, her bitterness grew into depression. Though intelligent, she gave up on her grades. She would flee into the country, tucking herself within the cedar forests. Instead of studying or doing homework, she would wander as far as the limited wilderness could lead her. How she wished there were no fences, nor roads to remind her of where she was, and who she was: trapped, powerless, worthless. The only class where she kept up some effort was in art, or outside of school, learning the traditional stories from the elder storyteller. Shikoba grew particularly fond of the stories about Ofi’ Tohbi’ Ishto and the Underwater Panther, beasts of celestial might. Despite these, the frequent failures further irritated Shikoba’s grandmother, and she intensified her efforts in isolating and controlling Shikoba and her parents.

Shikoba already struggled with fitting in with both her extended family and peers, as her inability to achieve in any athletics made people believe she was stupid and useless. Her interests in nature and mythology also seemed odd to the sheltered community. This only escalated when she started collecting crystals, animal skulls she found during her hikes, and darker clothing to hide her stout stature. Rumors of her wanting to be a witch (the Chickasaw term for “witch” isn’t the same as what’s seen in popular culture. It refers to one who practices bad medicine) began to float about, much to her dismay. The rumors led to the storyteller forbidding her to come for more apprenticeship lessons, deepening her sense of rejection from her people and by extension, her ancestors. All of these factors sparked the bullying, particularly from her rival: Destiny. 

When she reached her early teens, her father’s job required them to move frequently throughout the southeast. Shikoba relished the fantasy of escaping her life and creating a new, better identity, but found time and time again that it wasn’t given freely. Acceptance from classmates and teachers was always beyond her reach, as her awkward nature and fear of being cruelly tricked got in the way of her interactions. Her family struggled to make ends meet, as the frequent moves from rental home to rental home strained their already meager finances. All the uncertainty and weight of social rejection made Shikoba grow more fearful, angrier, and strengthened her desire to run from it all. The daydreams of traveling the world, never staying long enough for people to know her broken self, became temporary but necessary relief. Oftentimes she envied the feral dogs that wandered the lonely rural streets or the mountain lions rumored to wander the countryside. They could go wherever they wanted, they didn’t have to be imprisoned by rejection and judgment.

Though these new sources of stress loomed over Shikoba and her family, the shadows of their past would tear them back again. The annual stomp dance was about to occur in Shikoba’s hometown, and her grandmother demanded that they attend. So back she and her parents trudged, to the place that no longer seemed like home, if it ever did before. Though the central fire bathed the night in a warm amber glow, and the songs of the men echoed to the stars, Shikoba remained beyond the shadows. She hoped to remain unseen, but even that wouldn’t be granted to her. Destiny, her enemy, recognized Shikoba and strolled over.

Their conversation quickly became heated, with Shikoba cursing her out and Destiny laughing at Shikoba’s failures, reminding her of never being good enough. Shikoba was quick to throw back more insults, stumbling over her anger and trembling voice. This only made Destiny scoff even more before giving one last retort. “No wonder you’re a witch.” This was the final straw for Shikoba. Pocket knives were drawn and the two brawled on sacred ground. The fight was intense but short-lived, as Destiny overpowered Shikoba and struck her in the leg. This sent the sobbing girl to the Emergency Room. As she sat in the cold, sterile waiting room, her parents on either side of her and staring blankly at the tile floor, her grandmother stormed in. Her grandmother spat vitriol at the three, saying how ashamed she was that her reject of a granddaughter would start a fight at a public event. The words cut through Shikoba like darts: “You’re the reason why your mother is so miserable! It would have been better if you weren’t born!” The teen’s parents jumped in then, with Rose tearfully screaming at her mother for her hateful words. Security was quickly called in to guide the grandmother away, but not before she said the last thing Shikoba would ever hear from her: “You’re dead to me!”

At that point, Shikoba decided to never return to this town, nor claim belonging in this family besides her parents.

Years pass by since they permanently left that town, and she and her parents lived in Texas. Though Shikoba was in her early twenties, the frequent moves and transfers between colleges led to her losing credits and still being stuck as a sophmore undergraduate studies. She began her degree in ecology, and her desire to save endangered forests intensified. Shikoba had always wanted to save animals just like her childhood heroes on the nature channel, but now she felt there was a clear path to do just that. This would be how she could find her purpose, her worth, and finally become someone loveable.

 Now that she lived on her own in Dallas hours away from her parents, she began seeing men on campus. She would sneak into apartments and dorms, flirting with those who expressed interest in her. She craved the illusion of being wanted, chosen, and cherished, if only for a few hours. But staying much longer than that meant them seeing how stupid or pathetic she really was, it meant giving them control, it meant they could hurt her. So, she would quickly slip away and distance herself from those who have expressed prolonged interest.

But even then, it wasn’t enough. The harsh disapproval by those who held control over her personal life echoed throughout her mind. She was struggling to keep up with her studies, and the guilt of failing to become the person her grandmother, and by extension her ancestors, expected her to be overtook her restless mind. Shikoba dropped out of college after that and applied as field researcher aide for the Speedwagon Foundation’s Environmental Conservation Section. She unfortunately didn’t get the position due to her college education being incomplete. Reeling from the sting of disappointment of not fulfilling her dream as a protector of wildlife, Shikoba grew desperate to run from it all.

What finally pushed her over the edge was when she fell ill. It was a strange illness, one that immersed her in a constant, heavy fever. She could hear her own blood throb in her skull, her joints ached sharply despite the rising restlessness that would fall over her along with the setting sun. Her skin burned; blisters ripped open along her spine. She itched, she yearned to feel cool water! She had vivid dreams of running through maddening, blurry woodland and tearing through soothing clear water.  It was unlike anything she ever endured. The young woman feared if someone put bad medicine over her, or if her own disgrace brought the disease upon her.

On one fateful evening, when her symptoms grew more tolerable, Shikoba forced herself out of her dorm to pick up food from a nearby fast-food joint downtown. She just left campus grounds when she felt someone tread after her. She wanted to look back to see if someone was truly following her. The feeling grew heavier, pressing against her already stirring stomach. Shikoba panicked and took a sharp turn for the park, a move that her stalker anticipated. Their footsteps became rapid stomps. The sick woman raced for the cover of the woods, desperate to lose whoever it was behind her! Unfortunately, she was too slow, and the much more athletic man caught her arm. Shikoba tried to scream, but his large hand slapped over her mouth. She froze, heaving against calloused cold skin. She could feel his other hand creep along her neck, lightly dragging his nails along her blazing skin. It was as if he was searching for her pulse. Tears spilled over her red cheeks and she internally strained to let out a silent prayer. Anything to free her! It was then something within tore open, her tears tumbled into torrents and became black. She choked back what she feared to be vomit before slipping into that hot, dizzying world.

She felt numb, yet could see herself fall to the ground, fully intent on crushing her attacker. The man’s startled scream raked against her eardrums, making her even more enraged. She wanted to silence him, she wanted him to pay! She whipped around, far too fast and fluid from where she laid. Shikoba swung her fist for his head, only…it wasn’t a fist. A massive paw of curled talons flew forward; the gleam of long white fangs struck her eyes just before the talons hooked under his jaw. Sickening wet snapping assaulted her ears, and the thick smell of old rust filled her nostrils. Her conscience dropped then.

A blaring headache pounded over her skull all the more intensely as she pulled herself from that sleep. Was it sleep? She felt the grass prickle at her skin and something crusty covering her left arm. Shikoba jolted upright, her vision blurred. She hissed, blinking hard to try and clear her sight. She quickly wished she couldn’t see. The crust on her arm was brownish red with chunks of bright angry scarlet. The woman screamed. What was this?! Was this blood? Flesh?! Where was that creep?

She looked over and felt terror’s chill. The man laid lifeless; the top of his head torn from the hinges of his jaw. His crimson eyes were still open, frozen with horror. Her horrified gaze shot over him. He did indeed have fangs and glistening rib bones rose jaggedly from the yawning open carcass. She wanted to bawl and throw up. This wasn’t a normal man, and his flesh and blood were all over her. She killed him! Shikoba shoved herself onto her feet, staring towards the rosy sun rays peeking above the dark leafy crowns. She gave one last look at the dead man, peculiar mist rose from his pallid skin once the dawn approached. Shikoba didn’t take any time to wonder what that was; morning meant people will come, and they would see this! She ran, sobbing as she narrowly avoided being caught by the dorm’s staff.

Her mind spun as she hastily cleaned off the gore. What was that? What happened to her?! She stared down at her trembling hands. Someone will find him or come looking for him. It wouldn’t take long for cops to find her! Her heart dropped once stark realization hit. She had to run.

She took all the refund money from her university’s financial aid and took off into the night.  It was a sudden, risky, even foolish move, but it meant escaping her failures, the damage she caused to loved ones, and her murder. She became like those stray dogs or elusive mountain lions she envied, running away, yet not finding any happiness in doing so.

During her travels, Shikoba discovered the beast she became. She felt thick fangs along her tongue, the blisters left scales, and she could see, hear, and smell everything. She could see the Spirit Dogs who seemed to read and follow her thoughts. Their forever grinning heads could overtake her arms and were enough to crack the ground. Whatever the sickness was, it granted her such powers, at the cost of her humanity. She also soon found out that no one could find the body, only his shredded clothes. Clearly, he wasn’t human. Could he have been a monster too? Perhaps a…vampire? With these revelations, Shikoba decided to try cryptid hunting, hoping her discoveries of the mysterious could help her find her place in the world. If she could bring such things to the light and obtain fame, maybe she could redeem herself in the eyes of her family and ancestors; be seen as brilliant, brave, and worth keeping! At least, that was her fantasy.

(At this point her story is open-ended. Her job can take her anywhere in the world, wherever the RP will take place. )

[scrumsoftwaretools]

Scrum is a Project Management framework that breaks a large Epic into small tasks. Scrum helps with increased ROI for projects, it can be scaled to include large projects and enterprises. Scrum Tools like Jira, Vabro, Monday.com etc, helps these teams to deliver projects at the earliest with most value and efficiency. Vabro helps manage these projects while assisting the development team to streamline the delivery of projects.

Features of Vabro:

Vabro, a comprehensive Scrum tool, offers a wide array of features designed to streamline Agile project management and enhance team collaboration. Here's an overview of these features:

Portfolios: Vabro allows users to organize multiple projects into portfolios, providing a high-level view of all ongoing initiatives within an organization.

Programs: Within portfolios, Vabro enables the grouping of related projects into programs, allowing for better coordination and alignment of efforts across teams.

Projects: Users can create individual projects within Vabro, each representing a specific initiative or deliverable, with its own set of tasks, timelines, and objectives.

Teams: Vabro facilitates team management by allowing users to define and assign team members to projects, ensuring clear accountability and collaboration.

Release: Vabro helps teams plan and manage software releases by providing tools for organizing and scheduling releases, tracking progress, and coordinating release activities.

Sprint: Vabro supports Agile development methodologies by enabling teams to plan and execute sprints, with features for backlog grooming, sprint planning, and sprint review.

Prioritized Product Backlog: Vabro includes a prioritized product backlog where user stories and tasks are listed based on their importance and business value, allowing teams to focus on delivering the most valuable features first.

Scrumboard: Vabro offers a customizable Scrumboard that provides a visual representation of the project's workflow, allowing teams to track the status of user stories and tasks as they move through different stages of development.

Files, Links & Comments: Vabro allows users to attach files, links, and comments to user stories, tasks, and other project artifacts, facilitating communication and collaboration among team members.

Dependency: Vabro supports managing dependencies between user stories, tasks, and projects, helping teams identify and resolve dependencies to ensure smooth project execution.

Basic Filters and Advanced Filters: Vabro provides both basic and advanced filtering options, allowing users to quickly search and sort project data based on various criteria, such as status, assignee, or priority.

Team Management: Vabro offers tools for managing team members, including roles and permissions, user profiles, and resource allocation, to ensure efficient collaboration and utilization of team resources.

Epic: Vabro allows users to create epics, which represent large bodies of work that can be broken down into smaller, manageable user stories, helping teams to plan and track progress more effectively.

User Stories and Tasks: Vabro supports Agile project management by allowing teams to create user stories, break them down into tasks, and track progress towards completing them.

Overall, Vabro provides a comprehensive set of features to support Agile project management, enabling teams to plan, execute, and deliver high-quality software products efficiently and collaboratively.

Join us on this exciting journey of elevating your project management experience. Visit www.vabro.com to learn more about Vabro and how it can transform the way your team works! Stay tuned for more insights and best practices on Scrum and Agile methodologies.