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echo-three-one · 3 years

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Whatever It Takes

Sequel to A Forgotten Memory

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

With more and more information revealed via Augustus' burner phone, The team now has to make an important decision, one that would change the course of their lives, forever.

Chapter 15 to another story made by Ray (echo-three-one) Comments and Reviews appreciated! I hope you enjoy! Love you all ❤️

Previous Chapter : Meet Me Halfway

Unexpected Alliances

Gary "Roach" Sanderson

Task Force 141

Flying above Russian Airspace

Roach was speechless. Admittedly the dark and messy battle at the Gulag was something worth noting but the thing that kept his head preoccupied at the moment was Soap and France kissing in the middle of warfare.

Guess love knows no boundaries huh. He thought to himself as he looked at France kneeling beside Soap who passed out from exhaustion. Another person laying beside him was an old man named Jack. The 141 records had a match to Jack, he's apparently Alex's mentor who got missing when their safehouse got raided.

Guess the force will be having two reunions tonight. His eyes turned to Price, who sat by the huge window and gazed into the sea of clouds, he's always serious and in thought that Gary found him intimidating, even after that short mission in Germany.

Then there was Ghost. He's surely heartbroken now that she saw what France did. And Gary was slightly to blame, well not necessarily his fault but if he pushed him enough to confess, maybe this won't hurt more than it did to him today.

Gary spent the rest of the trip observing, noting his comrade's actions, discussing with their thoughts, especially after the invasion. He was glad 141 extracted Soap before the deliberation, where none of them are allowed to perform missions. Gary felt scared, he just got here, got the hang of it, and was afraid to cut ties with the 141 on such short notice. But he hoped Shepherd would talk sense to the board, especially now that the burner phone filled with leads was within their possession.

"You're awfully quiet…" Ghost nudged to Gary while fidgeting with his gun.

"Well, I got nothing to talk about." Gary replied, turning to the masked man.

"Well I've got a lot, and it's pretty nasty. Can't say it here though." He replied, his tone was almost relieved, as if he just blurted out something that was bothering him for a long time.

"Is it about them?" Gary whispered, pointing his thumb to the couple back at the med bay.

"That's a different story, and I told you I was right, they already had a thing going on since day 1. Who am I to interfere…" Gary could feel him frown beneath the mask, he got defeated in the war of love.

"That's okay… You'll find someone better." Gary consoled and Ghost automatically shrugged it off.

"Eh. I hope…" he said, turning to the window opposite to Gary's position.

Task Force 141 Base - Infirmary

"The audio from this room's camera is muted so it's best to discuss it here." Ghost sat on the chair as concerned 141 members circled around him, Jack, Alex and Soap occupied the beds as they recovered from injuries.

"What you got for us, lad?" Price crossed his arms as he leaned by the door, his hat tilted perfectly on his head.

"An anonymous number sent Augustus coordinates of the base prior to the attack." He held up the phone and everyone murmured.

"Looks like we have another mole in our hands." Alex grunted, turning to Jack for nostalgia.

"But this time, we have a solid lead to who it is…" Ghost added while everyone braced themselves for the slap of reality they're going to get.

From out of nowhere the infirmary doors opened, Maxine was panting and sobbing at the same time, her hands held her thigh desperately enduring some sort of pain.

"It's Samantha… haaah… Shepherd took her!..." she panted as Gary quickly assisted him while everyone who was capable of fighting dashed to the scene.

"Go, Gary. I'll take care of her." Soap quickly got up with Jack, they were already fine and just required to complete their nutrition so assisting her would be the best option.

Gary nodded and dashed outside, bracing himself for the unbearable news.

"Shit. What's going on! I thought we already agreed not to take Samantha elsewhere!" Gary caught up with Ghost and the rest of the available team.

"I have my wild guess, but you're not going to like it." He replied, adjusting his shades as they exited the building. From there, they saw the General's aircraft already far away from their reach. Behind them Alex, Soap, Jack and Maxine followed, their faces were drawn with extreme sadness.

A few seconds of staring at the sky and Price's comms received an incoming message.

"Captain, I regret to inform you that the 141 is no more… I'm sending the High Value Individual to their care as the threat escalated and is being designated to a different force. I'm sorry. Please tell the rest of the group that in two weeks they will be returned to their prior assignments before 141 was established." his voice was nonchalant, emotionless and straightforward, like he's reading it from a diner table's tissue paper.

"No…" Price muttered. They were this close to Nero. The rest of the team looked down, others started to disperse and did as ordered while the more concerned group stayed.

"Shepherd's working with Nero. He wants the EMP based weaponry to help his marines in Afghanistan." Ghost blurted, raising the heads of everyone around him.

"He's trading the economical side of the world to win a war?" Gary asked, as the information doesn't add up.

"It's a wild guess but the global economic pressure is already influencing the government to allocate more funds to anti terrorism. Cutting off 141 shouldn't be in play but he found a way to do so… He wants us to stop fighting back."

"Then fighting back is what we're going to do." Price muttered, grabbing his phone.

"I'm going to make a few phone calls. Those who want to stay and save the world could stay. Those who are content to return to their past lives, you could leave."

"What about me?" Maxine asked, raising her hand.

"Come with us, We'll take care of you while it's not safe out." Gary said, almost pleading her to say yes.

"I don't have anyone else but France and Samantha. I don't know where to go from here…"

"Then that settles it. Nikolai will take us somewhere safe. If the 141 is no more, we could still salvage weapons and ammo for ourselves. But after this, there's no turning back." Price added, his voice sparked inspiration to everyone.

And that was it, from that moment. They've gone rogue, for a good cause. And they have to defeat Nero, Whatever it takes.

The Next Step

John Price

Task Force 141 - Disbanded

Former Task Force 141 Base - Helipad

A small group of his comrades were willing enough to stop the war, even at the cost of losing a lot of privileges. Price was always one to work under strict jurisdiction, and this rogue act he's going to commit will be backed up soon, it's going to be dependent on how Laswell influences the board.

The idea was easy. Create another task force which had to be approved prior to the 141's disbandment so that the papers for their redeployment would never be processed. Of course a few strings needed to be pulled and an organization must be able to absorb them. Interpol was willing to help along with Jack's influence to the CIA and Price was lucky enough to have them two on their side.

And there they were, with Nikolai's majestic aircraft, they set course to a temporary camp thanks to Jack. Price noted that he'd get along with the CIA, given they're age similarities and stance toward warfare.

He surveyed his trusty crew and took note of their abilities. There's Alex, former CIA and fought alongside him in Verdansk and Urzikstan. He's got a clear objective and will and it doesn't matter to Price whether its love or world peace. He's good at terrible hostile locations and can single-handedly turn the tide of war by local agreements and persuasion. A good weapon.

Then there's Simon Riley, or Ghost. Excellent Sniper, the team's tech guy. He's a keeper, his ability to reject emotions while in combat makes him focused and a keen observer. He also excels in weapon usage. You give him anything with a trigger and he'll be sure to hit enemies no matter what.

Another one is John MacTavish, or Soap, what kind of a name is Soap? Price thought. Price looked at the muppet proudly. He rose among his comrades during recruitment and stood at the top of his batch, showing exemplary combat skills and demolitions expertise. Excellent at handling air support machinery and his keen eye never misses a tango hiding from the field. He's got it tough recently, Price believed luck wasn't on his side that's why he got injured a lot.

There's Gary Sanderson or Roach. Price calls him the team's therapist. He sees the willingness to help from the guy. He's eager to train hard and be better and he was impressed on how he handled the German Infilnitration they did together. He has initiative and a clear goal. Something useful at these times.

There's Francine Winters, France a.k.a. Shepherd's prodigy, the last minute addition. He's still quite skeptic as to why she's placed here, but so far he knew that with her sister mentally disturbed by the enemies she's bound to use her emotions as ammunition. She's great at stealth and close combat especially great for breaking and entering missions. She could be trained of open area battles and she has the drive to do so, making her another good addition to the team.

As for the remaining ones, Jack and Maxine, he has no idea yet but them tagging along and using their resources to the fight would greatly increase their chances of killing Nero and destroying the era of EMP machinery.

"Looks like you got yourself a pretty nice team, pal." Jack patted the Former captain's shoulder.

"Yeah. Small enough to remain secret and powerful enough to defeat Nero." he muttered. Jack held his phone and showed it to Price.

"I got us a place. An old CIA Safehouse."

"Are you sure this is going to be okay?"

"Positive. This one's not used for decades. Classified as dormant and unmaintained. It's situated near a city that once housed a lot of terror activity but after it got neutralized it became very peaceful." Jack convinced. Price no longer hesitated, the team needed the help they can get.

"As long as we're under the radar." He replied and gave Nikolai the coordinates. From there they would begin their revenge toward Nero's attack, plan Samantha's rescue, and discover what Shepherd is really up to...

One step at a time.

Doing everything they can.

To set things right.

Whatever it Takes.

END OF PART 1

Wild ride first half. I hope you stay for the second part right around the corner!

Notification Squad my beloved 💝

@smokeywhalee @samatedeansbroccoli @enderio @ricinbach @beemybee @whimsywispsblog

#horRAYfic #whateverittakes #john price #simon ghost riley #gary roach sanderson #john soap MacTavish #alex echo 3 1 #cod #codmw

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lynndoublelegacy · 3 years

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just a cool dnd meme i saw

Yook so it’s less a meme and more like. a big ol questionare but hey, might as well do it. originally saw it on @/probablyottrpgideas, go check them out

1. Game Master, Player, or both? Why?

Ok so technically I’ve DMed twice but I really don’t find it fun? and don’t ever want to do it again. so. Player. I like building characters and their connections with fellow PCs more than building worlds

2. When did you start roleplaying? How old were you?

oh god, if we’re talking about roleplaying in general? I’ve been doing it basically as long as I can remember. As a kid I would play House, and then once I got older in like 5th grade I actually started making characters and playing out their stories with friends. Google+ is what made me realize this was actually like, a THING, though, and I got into some roleplaying groups there, then on DevaintArt. Dungeons and Dragons is a newer development? I got into it in late 2018 when my sister’s friend invited us to a one-shot, and... well, yea, I got hooked lol

3. What was the first roleplaying book you ever owned?

dude, bold of you to assume I really own any. I don’t have that kind of money and literally only own the Guide to Wildemount, and that was a gift

4. Describe the first game you ever ran or played in.

I mean... it’s not a game but ima describe the one shot, bc my first campaign was a hot mess without a true storyline and I used the same character for it anyway. I played a tiefling bard called Aisling Kai (I didn’t know this was a cliche combo at this point, and I honestly played her like a rogue with a music motif but Whatever) and we were a little group tasked to figure out why the hell anyone who goes into this cave never comes out. So we go in, make our way through the dungeon, fight some frog people (I made one of their ears bleed just by getting a nat 20 on a performance check to play a high f# on flute, that was fun, FWEET), and turns out yep, theres a hill giant down here. We kicked his ass and collapsed the cave on top of us (dw I think we were fine but my memory is a little screwy)

5. What system did you grow up with? / 6. Which system do you play now?

i learned on and currently play dnd 5e. I don’t really know anything else, but I’m debating checking out Vampire of the Masquerade.

7. Longest campaign you’ve run or played in?

That would be my Tal’Dorei campaign group, aka The Fatefallen! Started in the Fall of 2019 and still going to this day, just played our 45th session last week. I play Ilia Liadon, the drow grave cleric, and the only member of our party who has been there for every single session since the beginning.

8. Where did you meet your current gaming group?

...well first I feel the need to mention that I have 3 different groups (2 of them are on hiatus now for pandemic related reasons but! we’re still groups). My first group (with Aisling) was formed slowly over time as friends adopted friends into the group, I think it started as a school club? but that didn’t last long. The other two started from a different school club as well, though one has since branched out into other people as well.

9. Strategic combat or dramatic plotlines?

I am a roleplayer first and a gamer second. Give me all of the backstories and dramatic plotlines. Don’t get me wrong, I still like combat, but story takes precedent for me.

10. Favorite RPG genre?

I don’t tend to define myself by genre? But I tend to fall into more of a fantasy, at most arcanapunk style. Give me all of the magic, and magic powered tech.

11. Your first character.

I got into her a little bit earlier, but my first character was Aisling, aka Calypso Kai. She was a homebrew subclass bard with a criminal background, who honestly? should’ve been a rogue. I’ve since rebuilt her into an Assassin Rogue/College of Eloguence Bard multiclasser, but this iteration was like. Baby her, baby me new to dnd, I did not know what I was doing. She tried to be edgy, but my mom energy came through HARD and she just. Never really had a set characterization. She deserves better and I plan on playing her better sometime in the future.

12. Your favorite character.

You are making me choose between my children. BUT, if I had to pick, either Ilia Liadon, or! Ashe Wednesday, a protector aasimar drunken master monk and my profile picture. Ashe also deserved a lot better from their campaign, so I have a massive soft spot for them, they were made during a really tough time in my life (as was Ilia) and was going through an equally rough time in-game, since I made them for a Curse of Strahd campaign without understanding what I was getting into. They’re my little rebellious asshole and I love them dearly, someone get this kid therapy. Ilia, on the other hand, is just... she’s a comfort character for me at this point. mostly soft edges, such a mom- while Ashe was me yelling “come at me” at the world while crying, Ilia was just... embracing it. Making it better. basically, if they actually existed, I would die for both of them.

13. Your most ridiculous character.

I don’t usually play super ridiculous characters, but! I would say Keothi “Bookfinder” Vaimeil counts. She was basically me looking all of the goliath barbarian stereotypes in the eye, and going “nah. she’s a nerd.” She’s literally a massive puppy dog, just the sweetest big old thing, sitting in her house and reading all the books she can get her hands on in order to make up for her amnesia. Oh, and did I mention that she’s a zombie? ...yea. She’s wacky, but I love her.

14. The best in-character line you’ve ever had.

“I need sleep. I don’t even sleep and I need sleep.”

~Ilia, after a particularly tough fight and an emotionally draining day

15. Your most epic death.

Ok so... none of my characters in game have ever actually died during the storyline? Keothi obviously has in her backstory, and Ilia might have in hers as well, it was never explicitly stated, but during the game? Nope. Ashe got stupid close, but nope. Since Keothi is my only death period, and her death was pretty epic, I’m just gonna describe that. Her parents and siblings in her Goliath tribe had all fallen ill, so she decided to go searching for a possible cure, and ended up getting conned into helping this cult, since they said they would cure her family. Turns out, yea, they were lying, they just needed a goliath willing to sacrifice themselves with a cursed sword. They made the mistake of revealing this before Keothi was actually dead, so as she was dying, she brought the entire goddamn cultist temple down to the bottom of the sea and took the cultists with her. The sword was why she was undead, in the Shadowfell, and couldn’t remember anything.

16. Your most disappointing death.

As mentioned, I’ve never died in campaign, but I feel like I have to mention this one that happened to our party in Curse of Strahd. We were in the death house, all 5 of us, still level 1, and our barbarian falls into a pit trap with spikes. None of us realize she’s actually dead, so we send out paladin down to get her... with the monk, the bard, and the warlock holding the rope. ....yea both of them died.

17. Something that shouldn’t have worked, but it did.

I’m stuck between two options for this one. First one was the time our water genasi paladin/rogue bloodbended our gnome cleric into a bridge to keep her from falling all the way down a ravine. The second time was when our party managed to defend a small seaside town from a pirate raid with just an NPC with Control Water, a ballista, ourselves, and some explosives. Neither should’ve worked, but both did. Having a triton in your party can really come in clutch in a seaside campaign.

18. Something that went hilariously awry.

I have one that’s hilarious and one that’s horrifying. Hilarious one: in my first ever campaign, someone from Aisling’s backstory popped up and our sorcerer went “that’s shady” (to be fair, he was) and then went to investigate BY HIMSELF. He obviously got kidnapped by the mafia, and then we went all stealth mission to break him out. Stealth was immediately abandoned after our other bard used a SCREAMING SWORD to break open the locks, then we proceeded to go out the way we came, setting everything on fire on the way out, and with our bard lying their way out the front door (with the rest of us in tow as “prisoners”) by pretending to be a fellow mafia member. It was great. Horrifying one: Ilia tries to Send to a member of the party who left in order to let him know that a fellow party member had died. Forgot that he left bc his mind was invaded by a previously dead, very evil old god, and ends up trapped there with him for a while. Ended up with all of our main spellcasters trapped in their own heads while the barbarian paced around worriedly and the rogue decided he was going to get smashed instead of worrying himself silly.

19. Your most memorable in-character moment.

There are a LOT in Ilia’s campaign, but! If I had to pick one, it would actually be a pretty recent one involving Ilia and our party’s wizard, Liara. They’re basically the embodiment of head vs heart? Anyway, Liara is currently suffering from something called magic corruption, though idk if suffering is the right word. Anyway! It basically resulted in her getting... possessed? by her own magic during the night during Ilia’s watch, and they had a really, really interesting conversation regarding guilt, death, and grief, and yea basically I love them. Honorable mention to our druid’s death (he’s back and better now, but that was my first long-time death in a game, we didn’t know he was coming back) and also the moment that Ilia realized that her childhood bff/crush had been revived in a new body and that this NPC was her best friend. That was a trip.

20. The coolest item you ever got and how you came to possess it.

I got this item in the revamp of my first ever campaign and nothing has topped it since which is Sad but hey. Anyway! I got this really cool, possibly cursed dagger after I threw a knife at an absolutely eldritch being and it got stuck in him as he transformed. It looked really badass, and allowed me to cast Inflict Wounds on occasion when I stabbed someone with it. So yea, we love that. Honorable mention to my paladin/bloodhunter’s Helm of the Aberrant Gladiator which allows you to basically do a bunch of fear based affects and psychic stuff.

Numbers 21 through 30 don’t apply to me but. yea. enjoy this summary of my dnd history I guess

#dnd #dungeons and dragons #d&d #d&d 5e #dnd meme #i would like to apologize to Vail and Zohros #they deserved better than to be briefly mentioned but their campaigns are also on hiatus #so they're not overly relevant rn #vail is the paladin/bloodhunter #zohros is the triton #he's a rogue

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mx-jinxous · 4 years

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Day 4: Coffee shop

Barry didn’t know what he had expected to change after the crisis, in this strange world he didn’t understand. After they defeated the Anti-Moniter, Barry had been informed by Joe that he didn’t work for CCPD anymore. He’d lost his job over not “filing” his impromptu sabbatical correctly after Savitar, from the chief not Singh, so at least he hadn’t burned a bridge with the new chief. Instead now he worked at Jitters, after Iris pulled a few strings for him with her old boss....and Barry sucked at his job. Even with super speed he sucked at making coffee and still couldn’t master what he’d been able to do before. He was so happy he was stuck on the register today, he needed a break and he was sure everyone else needed one after a week of Barry’s messes, not to mention Barry’s nightlife was strange too, still learning the layout of the new Central and the new villians.

His life wasn’t getting any easier, his body was also feeling different, like his connection to the speed force was different, but he figured that’s because an infinite number of worlds were erased from creation and now every speedster on the other earths ceased to exist. Barry sighed, his thoughts going to Jay and Joan, his parents dopplegangers. He had just met Joan, and it was like looking at his mom and dad again, he’s sure Joan would have been like a surrogate mother like Jay had become to him. He’d just gotten them in his life, but now they were gone again, just like everyone from the other earths that weren’t on earth 32. He lost Harry, Sherloque, Jessie, Ray, Leo, all the other Wells. He knew he’d never get them back, even if by some miracle some were carried over to the new earth they wouldn’t know Barry. He wished Oliver was still alive, wished he could talk to him and get some kind of pointers, feeling like that excited and scared young man that had first met Oliver Queen.

Sitting in the back breakroom, Barry sniffed, hiding his eyes as tears started to escape. He wondered if Kara, Kate, or the Legends, even Jefferson were feeling as lost and helpless as he was. It was something he couldn’t explain to the other, sure they had their memories back thanks to J’onn, but other than the other Paragons they couldn’t really feel as displaced as Barry. Deep in their subconscious they had memories that came with the new world, Barry didn’t have that luxury, he didn’t know all that changed, all he knows is that some friends were back. Iris wasn’t married to Barry, she was married to Eddie, Ronnie also back, even professor Stein was alive. Since the multiverse didn’t exist that meant that Stein hadn’t been killed by Nazi’s, instead he retired happily, Barry meaning to visit him. It was awkward with everyone on team Flash on a regular basis, Iris and Barry having to work through the awkwardness of knowing they’d been married, had slept together many times, were supposed to have Nora, but that all was gone, just a distant dream.

Barry still hasn’t figured out where he lived, his apartment he lived at before moving in with Iris being one of those things that changed with the new layout. For a while he stayed at Star, having one constant thing still in his life to keep him sane before he took refuge at Joe’s house, luckily his old room the same as it always had been. “Hey Barry, you feeling okay?” Barry jumped, looking back to see his Boss Taylor looking at him worried, having given him many of those looks after his sudden change in work performance. She thought it was all because of an injury from a meta attack that Barry had apparently made up before in prime timeline.

“Hey, yah. Just a long week.” Barry said, not looking as he wiped his eyes away as fast as he could at a normal pace.

“If you need a couple days off I understand. They won’t count against you.”

“I couldn’t leave you guys hanging.” Barry stood, catching a glimpse of his puffy red eyes. “It’s fine.” Barry said, the “It has to be” staying silent.

“If you’re sure, just promise me if you need to leave you’ll let me know.”

“I will.” Barry said, Taylor nodding as she turned and walked out of the breakroom. Barry mourned the memories of their work relationship, of all his co-workers because he doesn’t know these people, other Barry does. Taking a deep breath Barry walked out, getting behind the register and starting to take orders to help get the line down.

Once Barry had gotten the line down he was out on the floor, cleaning the tables, wishing he could just speed through all this. As he cleaned one table he felt eyes on him, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end, the speedster feeling a hand touch his elbow. Turning Barry backed away from the person, or people he should say, the young speedster’s eyes widening when he saw Leonard Snart and Hartley Rathaway both looking at him with worried eyes. “You a little jumpy, Scarlet?”

“Snart? I-I thought you were...with the Legends.” Barry said, deciding not to mention pre-crisis Snart’s fate. He looked like he had the last time Barry had seen him, helping him with King Shark, but he seemed to have lighter features. Hartley, Hartley looked different, his hair was a bit longer, a wavy side bang slightly obstructing his eye. He no longer had his big framed glasses on, his eyes clear of any cover, and Barry’s sure he’s never really looked into the metas eyes. His eyes were a sky blue, deep enough to fall in if you dared to stare long enough, Barry tearing his gaze away to avoid it.

“Snart...huh?” Len looked a little taken back, but collected himself immediately. “I haven’t been with the Legends in years, I promised I’d stay away from the band of merry men...we haven’t seen you for a bit.”

“Called and you didn’t answer.” Hartley said, folding his arms in the way Barry knew he did to protect himself, or least how he had on Earth 1. Maybe they were both possibly on Team Flash now, just waiting to be called back to the field.

“Look, can we just fight this out on the field in our nightlife gear. I’m trying to work right now.” Barry grumbled, folding his arms, needing one less headache.

“Fight? Is that what we’re doing?” Hartley said, now both of them on defense.

“Care to elaborate about what our fight is on this time Scarlet?” Len asked, Barry sighing and shaking his head. This new life was exhausting, his body feeling aged as he could only guess what they meant.

“I don’t know, whatever you're here to talk about. I don’t feel like dealing with the Rogues Gallery at work while I’m trying to make a latte.”

“Rogues? You know damn well the Rogues are dormant. Someone going on their own accord I can talk to, but don’t take it out on us.” Len said, Hartley pressing his lips together as he tried to hold back his tongue.

“We’re just trying to figure out why you haven’t been home or taking a call from us in over a week. Figured you were busy, but I can see you’re just ignoring us.” Hartley mumbled, looking at the ground, Len wrapping an arm around his waist, Barry getting even more confused. “Look, if we can talk it out we’d like to know what’s going on in your head. Don’t shut us out again.”

“If we’ve done something Barry let us know and we’ll talk about it...I don’t want to break up.” Barry froze, staring at the two as the wheels in his head began to turn. Break up means they’re together, like romantically together. Barry’s stomach felt like it was going to drop, the realization crashing down on top of him like a brick wall. The reason why he couldn’t find a place with his name on it was probably because it was under one of their names, and they were dating. Air seemed thin as he turned, trying his best to run out of Jitters at human pace, catching Taylor’s eyes as he rushed out. The woman gave a small nod of understanding as Barry ran out and into the alleyway, flashing away as he heard Hartley and Len yelling after him.

Barry didn’t know where he flashed to, only that he was standing in front of a plain white door, hyperventilating as he banged on the door. It was thrown open to show Caitlin and an angry Ronnie, which melted when he saw Barry was a mess. Pulling him inside Caitlin sat him on the couch, trying to talk him down from his breakdown, Ronnie walking out of the room and returning with water as Caitlin managed to calm him down. After a few minutes of silence and tears, Barry drank the glass of water before he spoke.

“Sorry for barging in, I didn’t even know who’s door I was at.” He asked, curled up on the couch with the two lovers sitting beside him.

“It’s fine Bare, but what happened?” Ronnie asked, gripping Caitlin’s hand.

“More post crisis stuff, it’s just been a lot.”

“Want to talk about it?” Caitlin asked, glancing at Barry worriedly, the speedster shaking his head.

“I just don’t know who I am anymore. This earth-prime Barry is not me, I’m earth 1 no matter how hard I try to change with this new world.”

“We get it, you’re lost and need guidance.” Ronnie said, looking at the younger man that had become like a brother to him. “Probably on some stuff we can’t help you with, but Kara’s just a jog away. I’m sure she’s feeling the same.”

“I don’t know. I think I should just go have a nap at the lab, then work on Gideon a bit to clear my mind.” Barry said, his mind flickering back to Len and Hartley, his insides twisting.

“Just take it easy, don’t over work yourself. Remember we’re here if you need somewhere to stay for a bit.” Ronnie said with a smirk, Barry nodding before speeding off, Caitlin’s hair whipping Ronnie in the face.

Barry collapsed onto the couch in the lounge of Star Labs, nodding off with his face pressed against the cushion, the exhaustion over taking him. When he woke up it was dark outside, now on his back, his body covered in a blanket from the infirmary, voices talking in the background, possibly some bickering. Barry let out a groan, shifting on to his side as he tried to nod back off, someone shushing. A hand pushed his bang out of his, another giving a light grip to his calf, Barry cracking his eyes open to catch a glimpse of Cisco leaning against the coffee bar, the hand still patting his head.

“Make yourself useful Ramon and find some of those bars you made for him. He’s probably starving.” A sharp voice said, Barry looking up to see Hartley brushing his hand through his hair, smiling down at him. Looking down at his legs he saw Len sitting with Barry’s legs across his lap, the older man now rubbing up and down his leg, he almost nodded back off.

“Hey sleeping beauty, are you hungry.” Hartley said lightly, Barry taking a second to let his mind catch up to him. When earlier events came back Barry shot up, speeding over to Cisco, who seemed as spooked as the other two men.

“So, still mad?” Len said, leaning back against the couch, Hartley scooting over to him and leaning against him. Turning Barry looked at Cisco, the other man looking just as weirded out by the two Rogues cuddling on the couch.

“It’s weird right? I haven’t told them anything.” Cisco whispered, Hartley perking up.

“You know I have sonic hearing right?” Cisco rolled his eyes, not taking his eyes off of Barry.

“Are you going to talk to us about anything?” The young meta asked, looking at Barry, the speedster patting Cisco’s shoulder to dismiss him. It was silent for a moment and it was times like this he wished he could get drunk, wondering if Caitlin has a bottle of the special booze in her office. After a moment of silence the older of the three spoke up.

“Look, if you really want to call it quits on us we’ll stop bugging you, but you have to talk to us about it, none of us can read your mind.”

“We’re not together!” Barry snapped, still staring at the coffee machine. “You can’t break up with someone you’ve never dated.”

“Wow, shit move.” Hartley sounded cold, taking a deep breath. “You can be a real dick sometimes Allen, but you can’t deny three years together.”

“What’s gotten into you? What happened to the speedster that loves us?” Len said, Barry turning to see both men standing, Hartley looking on the verge of crying while Len looked angry.

“He doesn’t exist anymore! I’m not your Barry and trying to find a place in a world you don’t know is kind of hard!” Barry growled, both men taking a defensive stance.

“Where’s our Barry then?”

“He’s me now. This new world isn’t the earth I lived on, this is strange.” Barry says, Len and Hartley still giving him dirty looks.

“Have you been time traveling again?”

“I wish, but no this is much worse.” Barry said, sliding down the counter, throwing his head in his hands. Both men stared at Barry as silence befell the three men.

“Explain right now what’s going on or I’ll assume you're a clone or something and blow you through that bar.” Hartley warned, Barry’s shoulder drooping.

“There was this crisis, a wave of antimatter swept through the multiverse and erased infinite numbers of earths, including my earth, earth 1. Oliver died and created this new world, earth-prime. Things are so different here, I’m not a CSI anymore, dead people on my earth are alive here, my parents grave is missing, I can’t find my house, and my wife is married to my friend on this earth. I can’t figure anything out and there’s almost no one that can understand what I’m going through because unlike everyone else with memories of the multiverse I wasn’t given memories of this life. I lost a daughter last year and now I’ll never get to meet her again.” Barry broke down crying, hiding his face in his knees. He hears footsteps, and slowly two pairs of arms wrapped around, Barry leaning into them.

“Take a second to calm down, let it all out Scarlet.” Len said, Barry leaning his head down, against Len's shoulder. It took a few minutes, but Barry managed to calm down enough to sit up straight. “Okay, ready to talk?” Len asked, nodding Barry cleared his throat.

“So you’re telling me that an infinite number of worlds were erased from existence and this earth is what replaced them? There are so many issues with that, you’re crushing together all these worlds into one world.” Hartley said, Barry looking over at him.

“Only three earth have been smashed into one, that’s all we found so far.” Barry mumbled, looking at the other meta.

“Okay so you said you were married to someone.”

“Iris.”

“What about us?” Hartley motioned to him and Len.

“You, last we talked, were fixing your relationship with your parents, then you set up a center to work with people that had been affected by the particle accelerator. You also opened up a few shelters for kids that had been kicked out by parents for their sexual orientation.” Hartley smiled, nodding.

“Sounds like a great person, but my parents are homophobic pieces of trash.”

“Yeah, they’re pretty terrible still, but they were trying.”

“What about me? Still with the Legends?” Len asked, Barry casting his eyes down.

“You died a hero, saving Mick from a self sacrifice. You held down the detonation on something called the Oculus, blew yourself up with these guys called the Time Masters. I’ve met your doppelganger, Leo Snart. He was married to Ray Terrill, a man that was a ray of light. They lived on this world run by nazi’s...they’re all gone now.”

“You must have lost a lot in exchange for what you have now.” Len said, pulling Barry for cuddling, Hartley rubbing up and down his thigh.

“I feel so displaced in this world, I’m not the Barry you guys love.”

“Sure you are. You are the same, sappy hero, with a great ass. Just because you don’t remember us, doesn’t mean we can’t be together. We can start again.” Hartley says, Barry looking at both of them.

“I just want to go home.” Barry said, Len placing a kiss on Barry’s forehead.

“We’ll take you home.” He whispered, the next thing he knew he was being carried in Len’s arms, Hartley taking the lead with the car keys.

Barry followed the two lovers into the house, keeping quiet as he took a look around. “I’ll start dinner, any request Barry?” Hartley asked, watching Barry pick up a photo from their anniversary. “I can make your favorites?”

“A banana?” Barry mumbled, staring intently at the picture. They looked so happy, sitting at a diner Barry didn’t know, leaning against each other.

“A banana?” Hartley asks, nose scrunched at the idea of just fruit.

“It’s all Iris could make that was edible.” Barry said, sitting the picture down.

“Well we all can cook, how about I make you some tacos?”

“Okay...what ways is the bedroom?” Len pointed the way, Barry taking off towards the back room, Len joining Hartley in the kitchen.

Barry took his time looking around, seeing many of his belongings around the room. The closet door was opened, Barry going through it to try and get a glimpse of what their life was like. When he got to the back he came across a familiar parka, behind that a newer looking costume that Barry was sure belonged to Hartley. A smile came to his face seeing the costumes, glad to have some familiarity in his life. Pulling away Barry turned to face the rest of the room again, eyes settling on the bed, his body moving on autopilot. Barry found himself sitting on the bed, a small tingle of familiarity coming over him. Reaching under the bed Barry found the old shoebox full of photos of his parents and his life at Joe’s. Dragging the box out Barry hoisted it up on the bed, the old box dusty. Flipping it open, Barry saw the messy pile of pictures of his childhood, bringing a smile to his face. He heard giggling coming from the kitchen, a chill running up his spine as he started pulling pictures out of the box, starting to come across ones with the three of them.

The first one was after Savitar, Barry could tell by the way they were dressed, Hartley’s costume was still the old one that Barry had known. Len had his same old parka and goggles on, apparently being the picture taker as Hartley and Barry were wrapped around him. There were a few pictures like that in there from over the last three years, ones Len shouldn’t have been present in.

Closing the box Barry slid it off the bed, leaving it on the floor as he laid down on the bed, resting his head against a pillow. Breathing in the first thing he smelled was the scent of Hartley’s shampoo and conditioner, the smell taking over his senses. Rolling over Barry was met with Len’s scent on the other pillow, smelling like his after shave. Barry laid there for a moment, thinking over what his new life entailed, what he’d lost and gained.

A knock came to the door, Barry shooting up to see Hartley smiling from the door, dishes clanking in the other room. “Hey, dinners ready. Len’s setting the table now.” Nodding Barry stood, following the young meta out of the bedroom and into a dining room Barry was sure was covered in stolen art.

“Hey Scarlet, if you don’t like the cooking I got a banana for you.” A smile crept to Barry’s face as he took a seat across from Len.

“So what do you guys do in this timeline for work?”

“Kind of working at Star Labs, if you're worried I’m still thieving don’t. You gave us that choice a while ago and we decided to go straight.” Hartley said, nudging Barry’s foot.

“I’m a consultant for the CCPD, what’s a better way to figure out a theft than from a thief.” Len said as he served himself.

“How’d this all happen? The Hartley and Snart of my world hardly knew each other.”

“Well when you wanted to move the metas and I betrayed you Hartley and I just..clicked. Later down the road and many team ups later we decided to make it a party for three.”

“I’d like to try and be part of your guys’ world, it’ll take time, but I want memories of this new world that aren’t all negative.” Barry said, two hands reaching over and gripping his.

“We’ll go at your pace okay, no pressure.” Hartley smiled, both he and Len looking at Barry with understanding and patience.

#baweek2020

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janephillipsblog · 5 years

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The Further Education of a Rogue

The past six weeks have been a busy but fantastic leg on my journey as an actor. As well as volunteering for the One Yellow Rabbit High Performance Rodeo for most of January, I ushered for several other shows which also got me in to see them. “The Robber Bridegroom” with Jupiter Theatre - somehow there is something even more gruesome about the dismemberment and murder of a puppet on stage than the realistic killing and maiming found in horror movies. Very well done and a play that made you think about social attitudes to domestic violence. Then there was the very brilliant “Deathtrap” by Ira Levin with Vertigo Theatre that would make one scream with laughter one minute and scream with horror the next. Next was “Shakespeare in Love” with Morpheus Theatre which was wonderfully done and then there was “Boom X” written, directed and performed by the super talented Rick Miller for Theatre Calgary, which took us through the years of Generation X which is, of course, my generation. I also ushered for Neil Simon’s “Plaza Suite” for Simply Theatre, a classic play that I have never seen before. Again, very well done. I feel that watching as much live theatre as possible is incredibly valuable for anyone wanting to create within that medium. It inspires me for my acting and even for my future writing and directing.

Ushering for Boom X, Theatre: Calgary.

On the big screen I saw “The Upside” with Kevin Hart, Bryan Cranston and Nicole Kidman, which was good, and on the small screen, I am still working my way through “Orange is the New Black” as well as “The Office” (US version). I also saw “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” starring Frances McDormand and Woody Harrelson, both favourite actors of mine. So good! I listened to several interviews with McDormand after watching that film as I wanted to learn more about her as an actor.

At the beginning of January, I started a six-week Essentials of Film and TV course with Company of Rogues Actors’ Studio (corogues.com), taught by Joe-Norman Shaw. In 2004, after about a year in Alberta, I took Scene Study I and II with Rogues. It was around that time that I had started to think of acting as more than a hobby, and a passion that could be developed. Both courses, one of which was taught by Stacie Harrison, who still teaches at the studio and whom I spent a day on set with on “Jann” back in September, were a really good experience for me. In both these courses, the students were paired up and given scenes to work on over the duration of the course, which allowed us to delve more deeply into a scene than would normally be the case for a community theatre production. The first session was with an instructor called Natasha who no longer works at the studio, but I will never forget how she told my partner and I that watching our scene (from Caryl Churchill’s “Top Girls”) was like watching “Coronation Street” which was to me, a big compliment. It was one of my favourite shows at the time and I’ve just started watching it again after a hiatus of many years. During Stacie’s class, I brought in long stem wine glasses for use in our scene from “Women of Manhattan” by John Patrick Shanley. Another group asked to borrow them and both ended up breaking during that scene (which was a couple fighting). Note to self: never use favourite items as props – I broke a tray that a friend had brought to a play to use as a prop last year. It was her mother’s and I am pretty sure that that incident has not endeared me or community theatre in general to her mother!

Essentials of Film and TV was different in that it focused on the audition aspect in the film and television world, however we also did discuss working in the industry as well as acting in general. For the most part, each week we were given sides of a scene from a movie to work on with a partner for the next week and then would have a bit of time in class to work on the scene together before it was presented in front of the rest of the class and videoed with each partner acting as the reader for the other one. For one class we had to do cold reads and were given about 20 minutes to prepare and for the last class, it was set up like a real audition with sides provided just a couple of days ahead of time and audition times given. We could not prepare with a partner and none of us got to watch others audition. It certainly felt like a real audition to me despite knowing that it was the last class of a six-week course! I felt that I really improved my audition techniques over the course, even learning to use a chair or water bottle appropriately in the audition room (as that is all that there often is to help set the scene). We had been provided a handout for Uta Hagen’s Six Steps with questions to be answered for the character and the scene. I have started to use this for every character I get to portray in an audition including ones for my theatre monologues. It works. I had the opportunity to practice with two film auditions in January (one being a self-tape) and felt a lot more confident in how I presented myself in an audition. The best take-aways from the class (other than the experience and practice) were to enjoy the journey and to not worry about the outcome of auditions too much as at the end of the day it is about whether an actor’s essence fits the part – apparent when we watched several people do the same scene. All in all, the Rogues’ Essentials of Film and TV, as with any of the courses offered by the studio in general, is a safe place for an actor to develop skills and to practice their craft.

I had my first professional theatre audition with Vertigo Theatre at the end of January. I had submitted my résumé and headshot, but it was still quite a surprise to get an invite to their general auditions in my junk mail one afternoon! I had to prepare two contrasting monologues. The day of auditions, I had already taken the day off work to attend a volunteer orientation session with AARCS as a cat caregiver and chose to go riding prior to that in the morning. I recited my monologues as I drove in the car including reciting them backwards. I am glad I wasn’t at the office as at least riding and AARCS took my mind off what felt like impending doom. By the time I was getting ready to go I was turning into a bit of basket-case - I suddenly couldn’t stand my own company. I was afraid that I would dawdle and be late. I dropped my keys as I was heading out the door, fumbling to pick them up as I juggled my purse and water bottle. (Incidentally, it was the same the morning of the mock auditions for the Rogues class, adding to it, the fact that I dropped my change for parking when getting out of the car on that day!) I took the train downtown and headed to the audition venue, second-guessing myself on its exact location. I headed inside the building and up the elevator and then down the longest corridor ever or so it seemed. I was early and I noticed that the two people that had signed in ahead of me had been in “Spamalot” with me in the fall – a lot of people I know got auditions with Vertigo and Theatre Calgary this year. Soon enough it was my turn. After a brief chat with the panel of two it was time to do my monologues. The first one was Katherine’s speech from Shakespeare’s “Henry VIII”. I honestly don’t know what came out of my mouth for the first couple of lines. I told myself to get a grip and continue and I think I recovered ok. Hopefully it looked better than it felt! The second monologue was Rivka’s opening monologue from “In the Cards” by Caroline Russell-King. It went as well as it ever has. I was sat in a chair and crossed my legs for the most part, however when I uncrossed them, my right leg just shook and vibrated (why couldn’t it have done that when needed in last year’s “Wake in the West”?). After, I sat down for another chat with the audition panel who explained that once the season for next year was announced there would be auditions for specific shows and I could let them know if I was interested in auditioning for any of the roles and that they would let me know if they wanted to see me for anything as well. So it wasn’t so bad after all!

This past week, I took a three-day Stunt Combat Workshop with Adrian Young of AY Action Services. It was an intensive, but fun and rewarding three days. When I joined ACTRA last summer I was asked to fill out a form if I was interested in doing stunts, something I hadn’t really thought about before. This wouldn’t get me stunt work but it would add me to the list of people interested in pursuing the work – it is a hard segment of the industry to get into. The workshop sounded useful, appealing and boundary pushing and so I signed up. It did not disappoint. The first day was mostly unarmed fight choreography and I was able to utilize techniques I learnt many years ago during Tae Kwon Do and the workouts at Canuckles MMA (RIP Max Marin), though I have to get used to “cheating” my hits for camera rather than just almost making contact. I also learnt how to do sit falls as well as forward tumbles. It was an intensive day and I was exhausted by the time I got home, at which time I had a hot bath right away. The next day we added fake handguns to the mix and learnt disarming techniques. We started to put together some fight choreography which we would include in an action sequence for our demo reel to be shot the next day where would we would each get to be the hero. That day finished with wire pulls where the stunt person would be pulled back on a wire into a fall as they were “kicked” or “punched” back. I didn’t feel ready to try this technique myself and so I just watched (as a few of us did). The final day was super fun as we shot our action sequence. I felt that it was a good simulation of a day on set for an action film and I did truly feel like I was either in a video game or an action star. It was a fantastic workshop and once again a safe environment as each participant was able to just participate in the activities they were comfortable with, though there were plenty of opportunities to push personal physical boundaries.

Striking a pose at the Stunt Combat workshop with AY Action Services

We started rehearsals for Gilbert & Sullivan’s “Princess Ida” with Morpheus Theatre at the end of January and it is coming along, though still in its early stages. The show goes up in April. I also auditioned for “The Wedding Singer” this weekend with Front Row Centre. If I get into that show, it will be a very busy Spring for me that’s for sure!

#actorslife #theatre #stuntwoman

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scapegoated · 6 years

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One Month [Chapter 2]

Chapter 1 HERE

-- Sleep In

Kaid’s eyes opened, with a sense of disorientation. He was lying in a bed… a very comfortable bed… and not on the hard ground in a somewhat cramped Tiny Hut. Three adventurers and a God do take up a fair bit of space.

However, this bed was only occupied by himself at the moment… he sat up with a start. What time is it…? A warm glow was coming in the window, so he assumed it was the Underdark equivalent of daytime. It was easy to lose track down here, but less so in the Crystal City with its multi-coloured, faceted and glowing structure. It was bright enough now that Oz had probably left to perform his clerical duties.

Gazing about the room he took in the simple but sturdy furniture, topped with various crafts and knickknacks. It spoke of a comfortable life spent mostly in one place. Even as a child Kaid and his parents were always on the move. As travelling merchants their life wasn’t unstable, but it also was less than stationary. That being said, they caravan was cozy, and his father especially loved collecting souvenirs—much to his more practical mother’s chagrin. Something about the room stirred a feeling of nostalgia in Kaid.

Hopping out of bed, he Levitated the bedcovers with a flick of the hand, easily tidying up, yet with a seeping thought in the back of his mind—did using his powers make the psychic beacon coming from him stronger?

Ah… where’s my stuff… he wondered, then realizing that he’d left his pack behind in his rush to escape that meeting the night before.

Shit… he pulled on the rest of his clothes, recalling his paper-thin excuse from yesterday. Kaid anticipated at least some teasing about that.

Heading downstairs, and upon entering the kitchen he spotted something shiny on the table, along with a note. A key…? Written on the paper was a short message,

Had to leave for work, but didn’t want to wake you. Here’s a key to the place. You can add it to your collection. See you later!

With a smile creeping onto his face Kaid untied the rope of the necklace around his neck and added the freshly made house key.

-- Dynamo, baby

Kaid’s walk back to the seat of the government was somewhat more leisurely than his dash to find Oz, but he was still in a bit of a hurry as he walked through the parks of the Sanctuary of Ermath—the temple district of the Crystal City. It was also a lot less frantic than the last time he was here. When the city was under attack by fanatical Crystal Cultists, things were understandably tenser.

Now he could see members of the predominantly Dwarven population out and about with their families. Playing, socializing, having picnics. It was, to put it simply, nice. He put a little more hustle in his step.

Back at the Seat of the Triumvirate, Hans and Charlie were already talking with the appropriate parties to make preparations for the coming plans when Kaid slunk into the chamber. Of course the hinges on the door creaked as he opened it, earning him an assortment of pointed and couple of perceptive looks before, mercifully, everyone returned to their discussions. Cringing, Kaid approached, trying to get a feel of the conversation before jumping in.

“Charlie, what’s the scoop?” he whispered to the Dhampir ranger.

“We just got Andre to hook us up with some more Dynamo Stones for when we leave. Plus,” he held out his hand, revealing two more detonator rings, “Now we can all set them off.”

“Damn, nice!” Kaid replied, taking one of the rings. “I’m pretty sure we can fit everything in the Handy Haversack…” he trailed off. “We took that with us to our room last night, don’t even worry about it. How was the library situation? Didn’t know it was open so late.” Charlie grinned, his one crystal fang shining as he gave Kaid a nudge in the arm.

“Uhh, yeah, learning never stops, I always say.” Kaid fumbled for a witty reply.

Hans was standing tall, arms folded across his chest, talking to Gordon, the head of the city guard and now one of the three Triumvirate members. “Aye, looking into these attacks on yonder Mushroom Folk is a wise idea, lad.” Gordon and Hans had had quite the buddy cop dynamic, and it seems they were slipping back into it with ease. “It may take, ach, two maybe three weeks ta comb that area, with the information ye provided. Will ye wait for the expedition ta come back or will ye lads be heading out?”

Kaid looked back and forth between Charlie and Hans, he knew they’d chomping at the bit to get on the road but… Please please let’s stay. For a little while. He had closed his eyes, and opening them again Kaid wasn’t entirely sure if he’d sent that out telepathically or not, from the way his teammates glanced back.

“It would be ideal to have that information before we resurface,” Hans declared, turning back to Gordon. The stout Dwarf reached up to clap the much taller half-elf Rogue on the back. Kaid’s heart did a flip flop with relief, and excitement, Two or three weeks!

“T’will be advantageous to have ye around again, von Panzer! The lads of the guard could do with a little training, can’t have us gettin’ lax just ‘cause you dealt with the previous threat. Best be on our toes.”

“Training, huh? I feel like I’m just about to break through to my next level of potential,” Hans von Panzer had a familiar glint in his eye, “Let’s get to it.” That red cape billowed impressively as he and Gordon strolled off, the Dwarf struggling just a little to match his stride.

-- Armor for Charlie

“Here’s your stuff, Kaid,” Charlie easily lifted the enchanted bag, handing it to the tiefling, “Don’t worry, we didn’t peek.” Kaid had to laugh at that, since it was mostly shared items; the Dynamo Stones, some gems they’d picked up, some chunks of mithril ore, their dwindling rations, various books. “That’s fine, I think you know most of my inventory already.”

“Speaking of, did you get some new bling?” Charlie nodded towards the freshly acquired key around his neck.

Shit. “Uh, yeah…” he wondered if there was any point in keeping up this pretence, after all he was only being evasive because he was shy.

“So, was thinking of going to the archery range, but I should totally look into getting that mithril armor made while we’re here. Been in touch with your Forge Cleric…” he coughed, “boyfriend?”

Kaid covered his face for a minute. Scratch that. There was absolutely no point in keeping up the pretence, “Yeah, I was there last night… I don’t think Oz makes armor, but he would definitely know someone who does. Can I get back to you with a recommendation?”

Charlie beamed—though it’s hard to picture a Dhampir beaming, Charlie is an expert—clapping Kaid on the shoulder, “Yeah, buddy! I’m gonna hit the archery range, then. Can’t let these arms get rusty!” he made his signature pose before walking off with a wave over his shoulder at Kaid.

-- The Library, actually

The Warlock didn’t have any books to return, but he did truly need to go to the Library. That at least had only been partially a lie. There were two pressing issues. First of all, they were slated to return from the Underdark to the topside of Cymmeria, which they’d left because it was infested with vampires. Thus, they needed as much information on the creatures as possible.

Secondly, there was the lingering prophecy that had been following him around—literally—most likely connected to the shadowy figures, and certainly connected to the Mind Flayers.

MADNESS WILL FOLLOW YOU WHEREVER YOU GO

YOUR SALVATION LIES IN THE UNBREAKABLE SPIRE

A comforting thought. Earlier communication with Kaid’s mentor, the Mage named Malfier, had revealed some details. Mainly that this “Unbreakable Spire”—possibly named The Temple of Cryx—was in the Underdark, but it was beyond The Abyss. Also a Shadow Dragon was taking up residence there. Oh, not to mention, The Abyss is Mind Flayer City. Of course.

With these two issues in his periphery, he found himself at the city’s Library. An impressive structure, found in The Arcanum, hub of magical research and arcane experimentation. There was also a library in The Temple district, but he figured with the sought after topics, The Arcanum was his best bet.

Kaid walked up to the front desk and leaned on the counter, whispering “Do I need to fill out a form to get a library card?”

An older Dwarven woman, red hair streaked with grey, peered up at him through thick glasses, “My, don’t ye look familiar? Aren’t ye one of the heroes in that statue in the park?”

Not really used to such notoriety, Kaid was a little startled but mostly pleased, “Uh, yeah! That’s me, Kaid Valvenom.”

“Right’ye are! Mr. Valvenom. Well don’t you be frettin’ about the library card, I don’t s’ppose yer settling down here? I’ve known a few adventurers in my time. Not much for settlin’ down.” She gets a misty look in her eye, and before Kaid can answer she starts up, “Well, look at me, talkin’ yer ear off. If ye need any help just give me a holler, Miss Yergi to ya. Jus’ don’t make me track ye down for late fees.”

“Just Kaid is fine—actually I have two topics I’m interested in, if you could help me out…”

It didn’t take Miss Yergi too long to locate some heavy tomes, most of which she carried to a little reading nook, carved out of the crystal. It had a small light, and some cushions. Kaid figured he would make a dent in some reading here, save himself some effort in carrying them back to... Oz’s. Lifting wasn’t his forte, and using Telekenesis was kind of overkill. Sinking into the cushions he tucked into the first book, “The Vampire, In Lore and Legend”.

Losing track of the time, Kaid’s notebook became filled with information about the various weaknesses and strengths of their foes above. Radiant damage, stakes, resting places, Holy water… The Temple of Cryx proved to be more elusive, but there was one text that seemed like it had relevant information, so that’s the one he packed up for further reading when Miss Yergi gently informed him that the library was closing for the night.

Not a 24 hour establishment after all; noted.

It was at that point that Kaid realized he had no idea what time it was, as well as no idea when Oz actually finished up with his Cleric work for the day. Better get a move on.

“I’ll bring this back soon!” he mentioned to the kindly librarian in a hushed tone, before heading off into the softly glowing city.

TO BE CONTINUED...

#dnd #Dungeons and Dragons #short story #tiefling #queer #romance #queer romance

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buckaroo-shopp · 3 years

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Skull Couple Heart Shape You And Me We Got This Poster

DRY DREAMS OF FURTHERING THE EITHER CRYING OR EXPLAINING YOUR GIGGLING THE STORY FOR SO LONG WE’VE BEEN AWAY FROM THESE CHARACTERS FOR SO LONGand JUST TO BE WITH THEM TO BE BACK IN THIS WORLD IS REALLY SPECIAL SEEING JOHN RECEIVE THIS INFORMATION ABOUT WHO HE IS ASSUMING THAT PEOPLE WHENEVER YOU CAME TO THE STORY IN WHATEVER WAY BOOKS SHOW SOME COMBINATION HE WONDERED ABOUT THISand WAITED FOR THEM TO FINALLY SEE IT WAS REALLY SPECIAL AMENITIES AT ALL THESE REUNIONS NOW ARE YOU SEEING THE INJURY ARE YOU SEEING JOHN JOHNSON BRAND LIKE THE LIST GOES ONand ON IT WAS JUST REALLY COMPLICATEDand VERY FRAUD IN A WAY TO FILTER THE STORY IT WAS ALSO REALLY SHOULD ONLY START TO KNOW I RIGHT NOW WHICH IS HOW WILL HAVE TO ARRANGE WILL DEFINITELY PROBABLY NEED TO BRING LIKE A DESIRE CDI BUDGET IS ALSO IS A QUICK BREAKand WILL BE RIGHT BACK ON TOP OF ROOMS AFTER THIS IS CRYSTALLINE CULTURAL IMPACT APPEALS TO DIEHARD GENRE PEOPLE ALSO HAS REACHED INTO THE PUBLIC CONVERSATION TO SAY MY DIVINITIES THE UNSECURED PAYMENT ADDRESS QUESTIONS LINE ON HASSAN’S ON THE WEDNESDAY BENJAMIN IS A DEEP DIVE LOOK AT EACH IMMIGRANT UPSET EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE ABOUT THE MOUNTAIN WHO IS STILL WITH US THOUGHand ON OUR COVERAGE ON RINGER WITH SINISTER and IT’S A BRAND NEW Cast AS YOU CAN ONLY WE ARE BACK ON SOFTER THROWING STICKS FOR JOINING US I TALKED TO THRONES IF YOU GUYS WANT TO REACH OUT TO USand WE NOW WE GET TO A SEGMENT OF THE DYING I CAN’T WAIT TO GET TO THIS ONE IS A FIREand ICE WINNER OF THE WEEK DELIVERED BY HOUSE WAYS A REALLY SMALL FROSTY WHEN YOU ORDER DELIVERY OF THE WENDY’S SPICY CHICKEN COMBO USING THE PROMO CODE HOUSE WENDY’S ON DOOR HIS DELIVERY AT ON THE WEEK MALLORY EXTREMELY CHALLENGING TO LOCK IN ON BECAUSE ALL I CAN WITHOUT ANY FEAR THEY ARE THROWN BUT HE DOESN’T WANT THAT IT’S A BIRDand IT’S VERY COMPLICATED GENRE TO DRAGON BUT ANDROPAUSE WATCHING HIM WHILE HE TRIED HAS ACCESS TO ALL OF YOU IS BEST TO SCHEDULE GOING WITH SANS THE BECAUSE THE PERSON WHO SEEMED MOST IN CONTROL OF LIKE THE COURAGE OF HER CONVICTIONand ALSO HAD THE MOST OTHER PEOPLE EITHER ADVOCATING FOR HER WERE SAYING LIKE SEEMS TO HAVE LIKE REALLY FIGURED OUT THIS EMAIL COURSE DANNY WAS NOT ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE SHE WAS SAYING WHY DOES YOUR SISTER NOT LIKE AND OR RESPECTIVELY BUT SEEM TO HAVE A PRETTY GOOD YOU HAVE TO BE MY FRIEND BUT SHE HAS TO RESPECT HIMand THAT WAS REAL HE GOT A WRITER HE’S BEEN ALONE THIS WHOLE TIME HIS BEST ELI SIRI ON JAVELINS FRONT HIS EYES TO HIS ROOMMATE FOR MANY YEARS UNDER THE MINUTE THE SWEET YOU ARE JUST CHILLING DOWN THERE EATING DUDESand GOATSand WHATEVER ELSEand NOW HE’S FINALLY GOT HOLD ONLY RIDE ON A GREAT ONE THANK YOU BECAUSE SO OFTEN THROUGHOUT THE STORY WE SAID WHY DANNY GIVING THIS AREA IS ALL ONLY JUST ROOM TO GROW IN ROME BUT YOU RIGHT AFTER HE HAS HIS AUTHORITARIAN SAYINGS THAT A GET A SECOND IN THE MIX FINALLY WONDERFUL FOR VEGGIESand WHAT ARE THE WEAK MALWARE OF THE WEEK WAS ON THE JESUS YOU A LOSER I AM A LOSER IT’S NEURON GRADE IS DEFINITELY NOT GETTING INVITED BACK TO THE FANTASY SWEET AFTER LOSING HIS PRIZE CAPTIVE BECAUSE HE WAS UP IN THE FANTASY SUITES RIGHT LIKE COME ON MY GUY IS STRONGER LOCK ON JUST SOMETHING TO MY ARE THE WEEK IS I IS KHYBER BECAUSE CLAIRE WHEN HE SAID THE WALL JOB HE WAS VERY EXCITED FOR A REUNION WITH ALL OF THESE REANIMATED CORPSES THEY COULDN’T WAIT TO USERS IS HANDLING DEBTS MY LOSER OF THE WEEK IS PROBABLY THE ELEPHANT TRADERS OF THE GOLDEN COMPANY UNDERSTAND HOW IF YOU ARE A HIGH LEVEL ANIMAL TRAINER WAS GETTING ELEPHANTS READY FOR BATTLE LIKE PRESUMABLY IS AS THEY WERE FOR MERCENARY GROUP I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THAT HAPPENS RELATIVELY FREQUENTLY BUT THERE’S LIKE THIS CATCH REALLY DON’T LIKE LONG SEA VOYAGES SO STUPID LIKE WHERE THE ACTION THAT YOU GOT WHERE IS HIS FIRST ROLE IS THE DISPUTED LAND LET’S BE FAIR THERE MAKE ANOTHER MAKING THEIR THEY’RE NOT IN THE DISPUTED LANDS IMAGINE CIRCE’S YELP REVIEW OF PROMPT RESPONDED TO MY EMAILS LOVED HIS NAME TO REMEMBERand DIDN’T SEEM TO GET UPSET WHEN YOU’RE ON CHILDREN’S GUYSand A GAMBLING GAME GONE WRONG BUT REALLY OBSESSED WITH ELEPHANT SHOW WHILE WE RUSHED BY I WAS LIKE THE CIRCUS LEFT TOWN THAT WAS WATER IN THE MANAGERS OF ELEPHANTS JUST NEED TO NEED TO STRICKLAND DID LOOKING LIKE THAT WITH YOUR ON I THINK THAT ACTUALLY THEY SEEM TO HAVE ATTENTION ALREADYand EVEN WONDERING IF MAYBE NEURON IS AGAIN FAMOUSLY THE COMPANY NEVER BROKE THE CONTRACT WE WONDERED IF MAYBE THE LOGISTICS OF NEURON BEING THE ONE TO RETRIEVE THEM WOULD MAKE THEM LOYAL TO HIMand SAID ASSERTION BACKand BE A PART OF WAS AT SOME POINT BUT THE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE THE OTHER WAY AROUND THAT STRICKLAND IS HAS NO INTEREST IN DEALING WITHand HERE I GET CUT OUT OF THIS IS A WAY HE’S A DANGEROUS MAN SO WHAT IS HE GOING TO DO THAT IF HE GOES ROGUE WAS HE THINK ABOUT HIS COUSIN ROD STRICKLANDand HIS CAREER IS BE A FOCUS SAY NOW IS OUR FIREand ICE WINNER OF THE WEEK DELIVERED BY ASSET HOUSE WENDY’S LET’S GET INTO THE SMALL COUNCIL WERE ON TWITTER WERE TALKING ON TWITTER ATTACHED ROSE TO SEND US YOUR QUESTIONS CAN SEND US YOUR COMMENTS OR THEORIES IF YOU GOT ANY GOT A COUPLE OF HITS FROM THE SMALL COUNCILS LET’S SEE THOSE NOW THE FIRST ONE I GOT HERE COMES FROM DAVID OXMANand HE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT DID YOU GUYS THINK OF THE NEW OPENING SO MUCH TODAY HAS A LOT THERE ANYTHING YOU GUYS REMEMBER FROM THE OLD IT’S A VERY VERY DETAILED YET THERE’S A LOT THERE I WILL SAY SO ONE THING I NOTICED I COULD BE WRONG BUT IF YOU NOTICE THE TARGET AREAand PORTION OF THE CRYSTAL FIRST OF ALL WINNERS ALLand SO THEY MADE IT DARKER THE TARGET AREAand PORTION IS VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE LIKE ON THE FAR LEFT IS THAT IS THAT LIKE IT IS THAT THE BLEEDING SARIS AT THE MEETING IS THAT THE METEOR THAT’S FALLING LATER THAT GOES WITH LIKE WHEN THE PRINCES PROMISES MUST BE I MEAN IT SEEMS TO BE SOME KIND OF LIKE FALLING ASTROID METEOR WHICH IS VERY INTERESTING OBVIOUSLY WE NEED TO GET LIKE A LOT DEEPER INTO IT BUT YEAH THERE’S A LOT TO DIGEST THEREand THAT’S ONE OF THE FIRST PACKAGES LIKE A PARSE EVERY SHOT THAT SEEING THE WALL YOU KNOW THAT THE WALL FALLING ALSO JUST HAVING THAT IS LIKE OUR ENTRY INTO YE RIGHT WHERE WE LEFT OFF WITH THE VIKINGS ARMY MARCHING THROUGH BUT AGAIN JUST CONFIRMATION THAT THIS FORCE YOU WHEN ARTERIES ARE PROCESSINGand WOLLASTON THROUGH IT ALL JUST TO BE REMINDED THAT IS NOT TRUE IT WASN’T FOR THAT ACTUALLY BUT IT’S NOT SURE NOW IS IS A VERY EFFECTIVE WAY TO GROUND YOURSELF IN THE STORY AGAIN RIGHT AWAYand AGAIN SEEN THE CRAP SAMMY HAD WE NEEDED MORE CONFIRMATION OF THE CRIPS OR TO PLAY A PIVOTAL ROLE THE SEASON BUT WE CERTAINLY GOT IT EASY PERCENT BUT IS USUALLY PUT IT IN THE INSURANCE LIKE OF EUGENIA ANNALEE EMMONS SHE TREATS OUT IS BEST WRITTEN SO FAR VOTING FOR THEO’S WELL DESERVED HEAD BUT I WAS A PRETTY GOOD ONE DID YOU A FAVOR REUNION EXAM FOR BEST ANYTHING OUT THERE JAMIE I JEANNIE BRAND THERE’S LIKE THE SYMMETRY IS GREATand LIKE THE YOU KNOW THE THINGS AS YOU SAID THE THINGS THAT YOU DO THAT HE DID FOR LOVE PUSH BRANDON OUT OF A WINDOWand HE’S DOING THINGS FOR DIFFERENT REASONS NOW WHICH HAS BROUGHT THEM BACKand THAT LIKE YEAH YEAH BRANDS YOU ANYTHING FOR HIS IS OF REACTIONS ANYTHING BUT ONE THAT I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING WAS LIKE I WAS A ROOTSTOCK ABOUT HOW JAMES CAN HAVE A ROUGH GO OF IT ONCE EVERYBODY FINDS OUT HE’S THERE REALLY KNOW HIS INTENTIONS BETTER THAN ANYONE RIGHT I CAN AS ENEMY HE’S JUST HE TOLD ME I’M NOT NOT RANSACKING RELIGIOUS HE’S LEFT A PART OF HIS LIFE BEHIND I WOULD BE VERY COMPELLING FOR SAW HIM REENGAGE WITH HIS HUMANITY THAT THIS SEASON BUT HE IS GOOD TO BE ULTIMATELY PROBABLY OKAY WITH EDGING SHAFFER ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT LIKE MASTERINGand OTHER THAN THAT ONE WHICH WAS ALWAYS A WONDERFUL SPACE PROBABLY ARIand JOHNand ARI AGAIN JURY YOU I FOUND THOSE BOTH VERY ELECTRIC FOR DIFFERENT REASONSand AGAIN JUST LOVE THESE STORYTIME COMPLEXITY OF HAVING ARIA ADVOCATE FOR SIGNS IN THAT EXCHANGEand IT JUST WOULD BE VERY EASY TO SLIP BACK INTO ARIANA JOHN GRUBB’S BEST FRIENDSand RNS EITHER DIDN’T JOHN DIDN’T REALLY REALLY APPRECIATE MOVING BEHIND AS ALL THESE CHARACTERS HAVE MATURED BRAIN CONFLICT TALKS ABOUT HOW HE’S DIFFERENT BUT ARE YOU JUST SEEMS TO IT’S LIKE A REALLY AMAZINGLY NUANCED PERFORMANCE BY VISIBLY BECAUSE SHE’S GOT HER LIKE SHE’S STILL OF THE WORLD SHE DOESN’T JUST GET TO ROLL AROUND IT IS BUICK I’M HAVING A VISION SHE’S BUT SHE’S SO MUCH FROM YOU SO PROFOUNDLY CHANGED BY ALL THE TRAINING SHE’S GONE THROUGH ALL THE EXPERIENCESand TRAUMAS SHE’S GONE THROUGH IS INCREDIBLE I LOVE ALAMOand JOHN IS LIKE REGARDING NEIL’S I CAN BE USED FOR OR FIVE TIMES A YEAR THIS IS FROM CD GORDON WITH A GREAT TWITTER HANDLE ACTUALLY DEFECTIVEand BEFORE I READ CDS TREE I JUST WAS A THESE GUYS ARE DOING AS THE MINISTER JASON WILL BE OBVIOUS IN WRITING IS AMAZING AT THE Mr COLUMN ON THE RINGER SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS HIT HIM UP WITH THOSEand CD GORDON ASKED WAS HARRY STRICKLAND BROUGHT TO WESTERN ROASTS SO THAT JOHN COULD END UP WITH BLACK FIRE IS FOR A LANEand EXPLAIN WHAT THAT MEANS IS SO LIKE LEAST THE COMPANY OF THE TOP THE GOLDEN COMPANY WAS FOUNDED BY DISAFFECTED MEMBERS OF THE EXTENDED TARGET AREAand FAMILY THESE WERE THE GREAT PASTORS WHO WERE FATHERED BY EGON THE UNWORTHY WHO WAS A VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY BAD KING SC WAS EXTREMELY PROFLIGATE HAD A LOT OF KIDSand HE GAVE ON THE CONQUEROR SWORD TO ONE OF HIS PAST HURTSand THAT WAS SEEN AS LEGITIMIZING THAT PORTION OF FAMILIES CAUSE THE CIVIL WAR THE BLACK FIRES LOST THEY THE SURVIVING MEMBERS THEN FLED TO SOS WHERE SOME OF THEM FOUNDED THE GOLDEN COMPANY INCLUDING ABEL RIVERS ANOTHER ONE OF THESE GREAT PASTORS WHO FLED WITH THE SWORD BLACK FIRE DISORDERLY ON THE CONQUEROR SO DO THEY STILL DO THE PHYSICAL INCOME IS THE SWORDand DO THEY STILL IDENTIFY WITH THIS OFFSHOOT TARGETING HOUSE TBD BUT IT’S PRETTY INTERESTING TO CONSIDER THE FACT THAT THERE’S NOT A LOT OF TIME TO LIKE FILL THAT UP BUT IT’S PASSING THINK THAT THEY MIGHT BE IF WHAT VALUE WOULD THAT WAS JUST HILARIOUS AS IS THE WORLD OTHER THAN HE ON THE ONE I THINK THAT JOHN’S RELATIONSHIP WITH LONG CLAWS OF LAND SALES FOR THE YEAR C4 COMMANDER MORE HAS BEEN LIKE ONE OF THE REAL HEARTBEATS OF THE SHOWand IS LITERALLY ALL OF THE NORTHand JOHN NEEDS TO BE ANYTHING TO REMIND HIMSELF THAT HE IS SO UNLIKE IN TRADING FOR A TARGET AREA WOULD BE VERY SMALLand SYMBOLICand IN A WAY THAT YOU FEEL TOTALLY RIGHT TO ME HOWEVER IF LONG LIFE IS LOSTand WE HAD THAT TRAILER THEY WERE WAS HERE POSTER THAT WE GOT IN THE TRAILER OF THE SNOW COVERING WINTERS ON THE BATTLE WRECKAGEand LONG CLAWS IN THERE NOW IS THAT LITTLE FOR YEARS ABOUT WHAT WE DON’T KNOW BUT THERE IS A COMPELLING ONE I WAS IN THE RECORD BUT THERE IS A VIDEO JOHN WIELDING BLACK FIRE HIS 88 ON THE CONQUERORS SWORDand MANY ARIANA FINDING DARK SISTER IS SAYING HE IS WHY SWORD WHICH WE HEARD HER TALK ABOUT SHE MENTIONED THIS IS HIGH WHEN YOU HAVE OFFICE AS A HEROINE OF HERS I THINK THAT YOU YOU YOU I MOST GIRLS LIKE YOUR AGE TO CARE ABOUT THE EXCESS OF WAS INTO THREE EYED RAVEN THIS IS OUR SECOND HEAD TOWARDS THE COMING EPISODE SPECIFICALLY NEXT SUNDAY’S EPISODE IF I HAVE TO GUESS THAT SEEMED A LITTLE BIT LIKE A STORM CLOUD GATHERING EPISODE RIGHT BEFORE FOR SURE WE GET IT IN OUR HOMES DEPARTED INVERTED EPISODES BY EITHER ANYTHING YOU GUYS SAW IN THE TRAILER FOR COMING SOON NEXT WEEK THAT YOU THOUGHT WOULD BE AN INTERESTING CLUE THEIR REVIEWERS WOULD BE BE INTO NECESSARILY IN THE TRAILER BUT I DO THINK WAS I DON’T KNOW IF THE GOLDEN COMPANY LIKE HAVE BLACK FIRE PRETENSIONS OR BUT IT DOES FEEL LIKE HE DIDN’T BRING THESE PEOPLE OVERand THEY JUST HAVE THE MOTIVATION OF LIKE MAKING I FEEL LIKE THERE’S ANOTHER THERE’S ANOTHER LEVEL THAT WERE GOING TO DISCOVER WITH THEM THEY HAVE LIKE THEIR OWN MOTIVATIONSand AS YOU NOTED HE LOOKED PRETTY PISSED THAT YOU’RE ON LIKE TO SLAUGHTERING HIS DUDES I THINK THAT THERE’S GOING TO BE SOMETHING OUT THEY WANT SOMETHING ELSE WHEN YOU WERE THE FIRST THURSDAY THEY WORK WELL THEY WERE EVER GAVE THEM A COLLECTION YES OF THE YEAR I WENT OVERand PAID WEEKLY WORK FOR YOUR THE IRONY IS USED THEM BEFORE WE HEARD THIS COME UP IN A CONVERSATION WITH CIRCE ABOUT HER PAYING HER DEBTS ARE LED EARLIER SEASONS BUT THEY’VE BEEN USED TO RETRIEVE GOLD FOR THE IRON BANK BEFORE WHOEVER PAYS A CONTRACT TO THE AIRPORTand WE DON’T KNOW WHO THAT IS TECHNICALLY IT SHOULD BE CIRCE BUT WHAT’S THE FINE PRINT WE DON’T KNOW ME THE MOST INTERESTING THING IN THE TRAILER OBVIOUSLY ALL OF THE JAMIE EXCHANGES IN A DANNY CHALLENGING JAMIE IS GOING TO BE A PRETTY CRAP HE’S BASICALLY ON TRIAL VICTORY WAS A LOT OF FORESHADOWING FOR THE BATTLE EITHER BEGINNING OR WILL GET THE DEFICITS CALLED WINTER FELLand AND THEN WE QUICK SHOT OF WHAT APPEAR TO BE DANNY WITH JOHN KREPS SO SHE IS SHE DIDN’T TELL HER DOWN THERE BECAUSE I THINK THERE COULD BE A STORYTIME PACK HERE WHERE JOHN IN THE CLASSIC THERE’S NO TIME FOR THAT I WAS LOOKING FOR HE SAYS NOW HAS TO WAITand THAT THAT’S POST BATTLE BUT JOHN’S CASEand WITHOUT SAYING BY THE WAY ON YOUR UNIT IS ACTUALLY TO COME UP AT SOME POINT WITH HER IS NOT THE WIDER REALM SO HIM CHOOSING TO REVEAL THAT IN THE CRIPS TO BE VERY POWERFUL I THINK ONE THING I KEEP THINKING ABOUT WAS THE THE WAY IN WHICH OF THE 19 ACROSS THE WALL OBVIOUSLY WAS WITH THE DRAGON THE ICE DRAGON I WONDER HOW FAST TO GET YOUR DRAGON FIGHT LIKE IF YOU WITH THE DRAGON LIKE WHAT WE CAN GET SOMETHING REALLY GNARLY REALLY FAST MAYBE EPISODE THREE BUT IT SEEMS LIKE WHENEVER THEY SEE THE END OF THE TRAILER FOR C EPISODE TWO SCARES THE HELL OUT OF WE DON’T SEE THE NIGHT CAME ORVIS AREAand IN ANY OF THE SEASONING TRAILERS ANYTHING SO THAT BE BECAUSE THE 19 IS NOT ACTIVE ADULT SEEMS HIGHLY UNLIKELY RIGHT SO SOME SORT OF DRAMATIC ARRIVAL WHY IS JOHN WRITINGand DRAGGING OUT OBVIOUSLY THAT MATTER IDENTITY IS IS ISSUED IS ISRAEL PARAMOUNT BUT THERE’S ALSO THE PRACTICAL STORYTELLING IMPACT OF THAT WHICH IS ONE WAY THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN ESCAPE QUICKLY IF THEY NEED TO EVER MAKING CLIENT ON THAT DRAGON WITH HIM A LOT TO ME LIKE PEOPLE BUT ARIEL THAT YOU KNOW IT IS NOW THAT IF YOU KILL A LIGHT WALKER ALL OF THE WHITES OF THAT WATER YOU ALSO FALLand IT IS ALSO CAME IN FROM THE CONVERSATION WITH WAYNE WHEN BARRICK COMES UP TO JOHN IS LIKE THERE’S A 19 JUST KILL HIMand JUST SOCIETYand IN THE AIRand SHOUTS TO BARRICKand TORMENT STANDING ON THE EDGE OF THE WALL AT EAST WIVES THE END OF LAST SEASON LAUNCHING ZERO SPHERESand EURO ARROWS AT THE NIKE SHOT MY DUDES TAKE A FULL COURSE EVEN MAYBE WE KNOW YOUand TELL YOU THAT HE’S ALWAYS HAD BLUE EYES SURFING DOWN ALL THE DISTANCE BROUGHT TO LIGHT RUNNING TO WORK ON THE IS WHAT THEY’RE LIKE YOU ANYTHING THAT WAS EPISODE ONE THIS IS THE EPISODE ONE OF TALK WITH THRONES WERE JASON ATENCIO MALLORY RUBEN I AM CHRIS RYAN KEEP UP WITH THE WRITER ALL WEEK WE GOT AMAZING PODCASTSand ARTICLESand VIDEOS FOR YOU TO CHECK OUT OKAY WITH THRONESand WILL BE BACK HERE NEXT SUNDAY AFTER DOOR GAME OF THRONES WILL SEE THAT Will off the Raiders game of thrones after show this is our after the series show I am Chris Ryan that is Jason conceptualand this is Valerie Rubin we have watched all game of thrones on multiple time is overand we are here to talk to you about how her feelings about it you know we watch the finale on Sunday night process we talked about on top of thrones talked about it on podcast talked about in our personal lives strip is richand fulfilling one we have talked about it not not but I’m sure CDS have any different perspective now that it’s been a Skull Couple Heart Shape You And Me We Got This Poster couple of days Jason started with you all really having lot as well as I think it as you as I get farther from it some of the better moments stand out more of the first half of the season I thought was really strongand really good episode tonight is 17 as I think will stand as one of the great episodes of game of thronesand evens up in the Raiders yet even even in the evening as it we entered like the back half after a long night there’s moments in there that that stand out as well I think that those will come to be finally is the kind of heat from the finale guys down Valerie Rubin Christopher Ryan game of thronesand the said you my dear friendand colleague boy I say they do a lot of emotions a lot the process I think that I am still in many ways processing the seasonand series finaleand much of the season I similarly Jason you know the things I loved about the season I find myself latching on to the meaning doesn’t totally align with the reality of what know for example I just like to to Jamie’s character arcand with writing brief you perhaps you gotta be putting up the finale itself I brought him a time that will haveand I found you know really like a lot of exhilarationand emotion in the first 40 minutesand in the closing montage with the Starks characters that I love so much I sorta does feel like the Dragon pit was like a fever so again lows you are will stand throughout time as a while jokingly seeing the light like I I still maintain that that drove on flying off with Dannyand his whole clown vault was like that 40 minutes that were made to show her you were sorting the writableand then it turns out is actually in Brenda’s mind I might is like you we start talking about game of thrones cause I professionally what one time ago but surgeries after shows around season six like for season six I guessand if you told me at the beginning season 6A that this is how game of thrones is goodand I doing okay but free good that’s uninteresting that they can there’s a Circe battle there’s the nurses told Garyand this kinda comes outand that’s how it wraps up I just never would’ve guessed that the sort of final 20 yards would’ve played out the way they did yeah absolutely I find myself liking all of the spectacle on the grandeurand pretty comfortable with the actual final destinationsand landing spots are mostly charactersand still do sort of wishing that we had more time to get thereand I think of season sevenand eight have each been the standard episodes we would have a lot fewer questions about how we got from point a to you a lot of the discourse around the shortened time frames been aroundand fairly so that Danny her turn to despotism but it really stands out the most with brand with brand being elevated to King this is a guy who the pitch for him into areas where this here’s the person with the best story you that story was not on the shofar sees you that so in that sense you know you said to me the inheritance back in season 56 like that’s really interesting I hope they’re laying the groundwork for that right right nowand some of it just didn’t seem like a got there especially particular brand stuff as well brand is obviously spent a lot of time kind of give your thoughts about how the last season when the last few episodes went quickly I would like to make a pivot towards maybe some more celebratory aspects of of of of the discourse yes well that positiveand so now what did the show mean to you personally shout out this game of thrones to the totality of that sort of start with the tears right awayand I’m glad I will also run things my lifeand like I mean that sincerely it’s been an increase writable part of my professional life has brought me great joy to discuss it with colleaguesand people I care about immenselyand know this question in some ways does connect to the first one how is about the ending because I think that as we move further for the way for meaning caring is one of the cool things about the show in community around it is that we also can easilyand interrogated it in a way that stems from how much we loved itand that will not go awayand it will always be reasonable to ask questions about it but I think we will just the further removed we are from the final moment find ourselves really thinking about the things we loveand gratitude that I haveand a lot of us have for being able to share this thing togetherand I think with a lot of things in life right now the digital age you gotta feel very aloneand not to like channel my inner tear in here but a great story can really bring people togetherand game of thrones to what you that’s what I mean ice I feel the same way on it moreand strictand pragmatic level it’s been great to be employed these last few years avoid that go to Trader Joe’s like when I can buy food this is goodand then I’d them all my landlord the first month of this writer will unite it’s just incredible story I think you I’ve come to the place with the books where I appreciate the world buildingand whether or not he gets to the ending I think that part of it will stand alone just there are many stories that you can fall into is totally as dishonest argument thronesand I think that’s the thing I really appreciate about this is this this fully realize world that you can fall intoand explore every part of it back through the history of this fictional history across this fictional globe we think it’s a globe you might be shaped like a globe commissioned like an egg one but just as a way to escape the worldand I really value that you is for me you know I just echo your both of you guys thought this but obviously one of the sore central thread throughout like this last decade of my professional career for the most part so it’s been a really like meaningful spike presence in my life but anything I think it is been really fascinating really awesome to see how many different ways there are to appreciateand enjoy itand how well of certain departments of of the world like on portersand like that you can cut itand how you’re supposed to enjoy it people can have game of thrones their life as a trashy beach read or as like a test or as a fine piece of art to be regarded as like from a visual standpoint or its launch the careers of 23 dozen people that will probably be watching for the next 20 years of our lives and’s that that that that sort of blossoming of all these different things that will kind of always be feeling the ripple effect the shows are really over your knowledge of the books but also because as you guys proved with about it something that actually does withstand repeated viewings looking for different nooksand crannies of it looking under the hood a little bit like how they make this workand why why do they do thisand why not even picking wages actually like thinking about the mechanics of story thinking about the mechanics ofand also thinking about real life stuff like historyand loyaltyand betrayaland familyand nationhoodand all that stuff that is all wrapped up in the shows like I thank you for giving me so much inspiration to think about stuff like that I was really wonderful freeand it’s just such a good way in richand rewarding text whether or not the books or the show the shelf courses a text toand being able to return to it constantly the way you think about a story is on the one hand kind eternaland constant if you love itand it’s this really steady most comfort that the course your life but also the way relatable change in the context of your lifeand give them a man that’s pretty exciting to think about what EOT. As he was 15 years old from West Orange New Jersey shaving off. Was on the wheel fortunate raises some and lowers other some low and it just keeps going so this is not some horrible permanent situation that we are that we are in in the past we really didn’t know how good we had under Obama did me I surely didn’t send the reading on her memory under her memory by voting a Chris I know your heart is heavy I know everybody’s heart is heavy but on her memory by she she she never gave up she never she never gave up six of swords based on pentacles while we have to be be very very careful when you vote Linda I know your heart is happy I know all in this together where this together okay on Angel spark sitting here having chills thinking about what’s to come are going to be okay were going to get through this Chris I agree she never gave up we can’t give up now exactly honor her by voting honor her by carrying on brainiac I totally agree with that asked for an early Christmas present a certain couple of chestnuts roasting on an open fire Rachel starting on a very careful when you go

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From mother nature this is a Skull Couple Heart Shape You And Me We Got This Poster man made threat by our own negligence we now see the virus ricocheting across the country from one state to another today we trail the world in defeating Cove we have over 5 million cases Americans learn the critical lesson how vulnerable we are when we are divided and how many lives can be lost when our government is incompetent but we learn something us my friends we saw the negative but we also saw the positive as they prove their way failed we prove that our way succeeded that America can still rise to the occasion we can put our differences aside and find commonality government can tell the truth and can build trust we can judge by content of character rather than color of skin we can care for one another that Americans can work together and forge community and a competent government and of course we will wear masks because we are smart and because I care about you and because you care about me of course we will socially distance because staying away shows how close we actually. It was interesting she thinks it discovered that she thinks that Ron was actually the makingand she wanted to reason why was pretty new to me to on the results ordering in the will check it out yetand is drawn to it so I guess I missed the gown number eight is what ofand then she said she feels like are you kill Danny albedo I’ll be okay with I was in a runand run ship as well as my by if we were to read it I know Guidry is the other one the fuck are you on all you we don’t yet he one like him a much seasonand he has a claim to the throne that’s not a formal line of madness is a would say this what makes Soares the main sword fight he got his first reason Terry got hook like that until the third is part of the story for I think you are you evil triathlete he’s a long distance runner long distance paddler with the third would be but Amara I sent I’m glad the shows fucking over I decided to do what he needed that much I’m just angry about it is wrestling on TV right now is ischemic throatsand don’t don’t let in the salutation about the room it for what it was in high pool due in orders you literally we say here for a while know how long 30 minutes talking about intricacies of the character plotsand you wrote to me that she felt bad it’sand they do their doing now spoils the rest like I will share this with you on the future when in the future I would like to the spin off the air for what 10 years I still don’t know washes friends eyes to watch the wire I’m never gets to watch game of thrones I’m never to be like watching enthralled you will believe the show because they’re going to get like six to the six seasonand what the RIVER five seasonsand I meet someone who didn’t watch game of thronesand I was excited like I met a virgin who didn’t realize there was something cool out there likely to do a little of this great event that’s what sex is a that’s what David would like to you don’t know I envy that you have this life experience that you haven’t started on yetand now I still goodand I recommend people I wouldn’t recommend it to someone to watch is a good show because seasons are still so so good that even with the enemy away ending I think I think the know it is the top 510 show a question that is yet so easily with a shitty ending is still better than most stuff but if if if can turn arrow survives I will test it out if anybody but John kills her I also will not like that at all I I would be happy if we get a little twist their right John are in the that good guy the hero the perfect person first eight years now what killer number is up north just you know is traveling in the ran for six that it’s okay with John Snow back to his this new way to go about your condition you if he goes back to the wall what would be the point of that would be practical from nowand be gross you will share with you in the wild that would be a logical form would be goldplated retarded he didn’t like the wall like I don’t know we like to be in the nights watch the actual issue curriculum is one he liked being in charge of itand he was all honorable about it more watch experience like you to remember him always having something horribly wrong he wasn’t a fighter he was like a cook or clean or something like that he wasn’t a leader in although is stupid thank you. McLaughlin to talk to and learn something from her you want to share with your daughter while I think the most surprising thing with that conversation with Carly was that know she is a supermodel even deals with body image issues and I think that says a lot since November at some everybody struggles with is a supermodel who literally gets paid to to you have the ideal body type are the ideal look so that I think that’s that’s one thing but also it is is coming to the unreal expectations and standards that we put on people it’s it’s unfair and I want my daughter to hear that somebody like is for a long time and is is there such a consummate professional even deals with that because he knows it’s not fair to a lot a lot of people a lot of girls little girls around the world so I think it’s very important for very young people do now and that’s important here talking working on yourself but also the same time for me to getting ourselves embroiled in remembering perfect but we can make our life See Other related products: Skull Couple Heart Shape You And Me We Got This Poster

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Sword Dual Wielding Vintage Retro T Shirt

DRY DREAMS OF FURTHERING THE EITHER CRYING OR EXPLAINING YOUR GIGGLING THE STORY FOR SO LONG WE’VE BEEN AWAY FROM THESE CHARACTERS FOR SO LONGand JUST TO BE WITH THEM TO BE BACK IN THIS WORLD IS REALLY SPECIAL SEEING JOHN RECEIVE THIS INFORMATION ABOUT WHO HE IS ASSUMING THAT PEOPLE WHENEVER YOU CAME TO THE STORY IN WHATEVER WAY BOOKS SHOW SOME COMBINATION HE WONDERED ABOUT THISand WAITED FOR THEM TO FINALLY SEE IT WAS REALLY SPECIAL AMENITIES AT ALL THESE REUNIONS NOW ARE YOU SEEING THE INJURY ARE YOU SEEING JOHN JOHNSON BRAND LIKE THE LIST GOES ONand ON IT WAS JUST REALLY COMPLICATEDand VERY FRAUD IN A WAY TO FILTER THE STORY IT WAS ALSO REALLY SHOULD ONLY START TO KNOW I RIGHT NOW WHICH IS HOW WILL HAVE TO ARRANGE WILL DEFINITELY PROBABLY NEED TO BRING LIKE A DESIRE CDI BUDGET IS ALSO IS A QUICK BREAKand WILL BE RIGHT BACK ON TOP OF ROOMS AFTER THIS IS CRYSTALLINE CULTURAL IMPACT APPEALS TO DIEHARD GENRE PEOPLE ALSO HAS REACHED INTO THE PUBLIC CONVERSATION TO SAY MY DIVINITIES THE UNSECURED PAYMENT ADDRESS QUESTIONS LINE ON HASSAN’S ON THE WEDNESDAY BENJAMIN IS A DEEP DIVE LOOK AT EACH IMMIGRANT UPSET EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE ABOUT THE MOUNTAIN WHO IS STILL WITH US THOUGHand ON OUR COVERAGE ON RINGER WITH SINISTER and IT’S A BRAND NEW Cast AS YOU CAN ONLY WE ARE BACK ON SOFTER THROWING STICKS FOR JOINING US I TALKED TO THRONES IF YOU GUYS WANT TO REACH OUT TO USand WE NOW WE GET TO A SEGMENT OF THE DYING I CAN’T WAIT TO GET TO THIS ONE IS A FIREand ICE WINNER OF THE WEEK DELIVERED BY HOUSE WAYS A REALLY SMALL FROSTY WHEN YOU ORDER DELIVERY OF THE WENDY’S SPICY CHICKEN COMBO USING THE PROMO CODE HOUSE WENDY’S ON DOOR HIS DELIVERY AT ON THE WEEK MALLORY EXTREMELY CHALLENGING TO LOCK IN ON BECAUSE ALL I CAN WITHOUT ANY FEAR THEY ARE THROWN BUT HE DOESN’T WANT THAT IT’S A BIRDand IT’S VERY COMPLICATED GENRE TO DRAGON BUT ANDROPAUSE WATCHING HIM WHILE HE TRIED HAS ACCESS TO ALL OF YOU IS BEST TO SCHEDULE GOING WITH SANS THE BECAUSE THE PERSON WHO SEEMED MOST IN CONTROL OF LIKE THE COURAGE OF HER CONVICTIONand ALSO HAD THE MOST OTHER PEOPLE EITHER ADVOCATING FOR HER WERE SAYING LIKE SEEMS TO HAVE LIKE REALLY FIGURED OUT THIS EMAIL COURSE DANNY WAS NOT ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE SHE WAS SAYING WHY DOES YOUR SISTER NOT LIKE AND OR RESPECTIVELY BUT SEEM TO HAVE A PRETTY GOOD YOU HAVE TO BE MY FRIEND BUT SHE HAS TO RESPECT HIMand THAT WAS REAL HE GOT A WRITER HE’S BEEN ALONE THIS WHOLE TIME HIS BEST ELI SIRI ON JAVELINS FRONT HIS EYES TO HIS ROOMMATE FOR MANY YEARS UNDER THE MINUTE THE SWEET YOU ARE JUST CHILLING DOWN THERE EATING DUDESand GOATSand WHATEVER ELSEand NOW HE’S FINALLY GOT HOLD ONLY RIDE ON A GREAT ONE THANK YOU BECAUSE SO OFTEN THROUGHOUT THE STORY WE SAID WHY DANNY GIVING THIS AREA IS ALL ONLY JUST ROOM TO GROW IN ROME BUT YOU RIGHT AFTER HE HAS HIS AUTHORITARIAN SAYINGS THAT A GET A SECOND IN THE MIX FINALLY WONDERFUL FOR VEGGIESand WHAT ARE THE WEAK MALWARE OF THE WEEK WAS ON THE JESUS YOU A LOSER I AM A LOSER IT’S NEURON GRADE IS DEFINITELY NOT GETTING INVITED BACK TO THE FANTASY SWEET AFTER LOSING HIS PRIZE CAPTIVE BECAUSE HE WAS UP IN THE FANTASY SUITES RIGHT LIKE COME ON MY GUY IS STRONGER LOCK ON JUST SOMETHING TO MY ARE THE WEEK IS I IS KHYBER BECAUSE CLAIRE WHEN HE SAID THE WALL JOB HE WAS VERY EXCITED FOR A REUNION WITH ALL OF THESE REANIMATED CORPSES THEY COULDN’T WAIT TO USERS IS HANDLING DEBTS MY LOSER OF THE WEEK IS PROBABLY THE ELEPHANT TRADERS OF THE GOLDEN COMPANY UNDERSTAND HOW IF YOU ARE A HIGH LEVEL ANIMAL TRAINER WAS GETTING ELEPHANTS READY FOR BATTLE LIKE PRESUMABLY IS AS THEY WERE FOR MERCENARY GROUP I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THAT HAPPENS RELATIVELY FREQUENTLY BUT THERE’S LIKE THIS CATCH REALLY DON’T LIKE LONG SEA VOYAGES SO STUPID LIKE WHERE THE ACTION THAT YOU GOT WHERE IS HIS FIRST ROLE IS THE DISPUTED LAND LET’S BE FAIR THERE MAKE ANOTHER MAKING THEIR THEY’RE NOT IN THE DISPUTED LANDS IMAGINE CIRCE’S YELP REVIEW OF PROMPT RESPONDED TO MY EMAILS LOVED HIS NAME TO REMEMBERand DIDN’T SEEM TO GET UPSET WHEN YOU’RE ON CHILDREN’S GUYSand A GAMBLING GAME GONE WRONG BUT REALLY OBSESSED WITH ELEPHANT SHOW WHILE WE RUSHED BY I WAS LIKE THE CIRCUS LEFT TOWN THAT WAS WATER IN THE MANAGERS OF ELEPHANTS JUST NEED TO NEED TO STRICKLAND DID LOOKING LIKE THAT WITH YOUR ON I THINK THAT ACTUALLY THEY SEEM TO HAVE ATTENTION ALREADYand EVEN WONDERING IF MAYBE NEURON IS AGAIN FAMOUSLY THE COMPANY NEVER BROKE THE CONTRACT WE WONDERED IF MAYBE THE LOGISTICS OF NEURON BEING THE ONE TO RETRIEVE THEM WOULD MAKE THEM LOYAL TO HIMand SAID ASSERTION BACKand BE A PART OF WAS AT SOME POINT BUT THE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE THE OTHER WAY AROUND THAT STRICKLAND IS HAS NO INTEREST IN DEALING WITHand HERE I GET CUT OUT OF THIS IS A WAY HE’S A DANGEROUS MAN SO WHAT IS HE GOING TO DO THAT IF HE GOES ROGUE WAS HE THINK ABOUT HIS COUSIN ROD STRICKLANDand HIS CAREER IS BE A FOCUS SAY NOW IS OUR FIREand ICE WINNER OF THE WEEK DELIVERED BY ASSET HOUSE WENDY’S LET’S GET INTO THE SMALL COUNCIL WERE ON TWITTER WERE TALKING ON TWITTER ATTACHED ROSE TO SEND US YOUR QUESTIONS CAN SEND US YOUR COMMENTS OR THEORIES IF YOU GOT ANY GOT A COUPLE OF HITS FROM THE SMALL COUNCILS LET’S SEE THOSE NOW THE FIRST ONE I GOT HERE COMES FROM DAVID OXMANand HE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT DID YOU GUYS THINK OF THE NEW OPENING SO MUCH TODAY HAS A LOT THERE ANYTHING YOU GUYS REMEMBER FROM THE OLD IT’S A VERY VERY DETAILED YET THERE’S A LOT THERE I WILL SAY SO ONE THING I NOTICED I COULD BE WRONG BUT IF YOU NOTICE THE TARGET AREAand PORTION OF THE CRYSTAL FIRST OF ALL WINNERS ALLand SO THEY MADE IT DARKER THE TARGET AREAand PORTION IS VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE LIKE ON THE FAR LEFT IS THAT IS THAT LIKE IT IS THAT THE BLEEDING SARIS AT THE MEETING IS THAT THE METEOR THAT’S FALLING LATER THAT GOES WITH LIKE WHEN THE PRINCES PROMISES MUST BE I MEAN IT SEEMS TO BE SOME KIND OF LIKE FALLING ASTROID METEOR WHICH IS VERY INTERESTING OBVIOUSLY WE NEED TO GET LIKE A LOT DEEPER INTO IT BUT YEAH THERE’S A LOT TO DIGEST THEREand THAT’S ONE OF THE FIRST PACKAGES LIKE A PARSE EVERY SHOT THAT SEEING THE WALL YOU KNOW THAT THE WALL FALLING ALSO JUST HAVING THAT IS LIKE OUR ENTRY INTO YE RIGHT WHERE WE LEFT OFF WITH THE VIKINGS ARMY MARCHING THROUGH BUT AGAIN JUST CONFIRMATION THAT THIS FORCE YOU WHEN ARTERIES ARE PROCESSINGand WOLLASTON THROUGH IT ALL JUST TO BE REMINDED THAT IS NOT TRUE IT WASN’T FOR THAT ACTUALLY BUT IT’S NOT SURE NOW IS IS A VERY EFFECTIVE WAY TO GROUND YOURSELF IN THE STORY AGAIN RIGHT AWAYand AGAIN SEEN THE CRAP SAMMY HAD WE NEEDED MORE CONFIRMATION OF THE CRIPS OR TO PLAY A PIVOTAL ROLE THE SEASON BUT WE CERTAINLY GOT IT EASY PERCENT BUT IS USUALLY PUT IT IN THE INSURANCE LIKE OF EUGENIA ANNALEE EMMONS SHE TREATS OUT IS BEST WRITTEN SO FAR VOTING FOR THEO’S WELL DESERVED HEAD BUT I WAS A PRETTY GOOD ONE DID YOU A FAVOR REUNION EXAM FOR BEST ANYTHING OUT THERE JAMIE I JEANNIE BRAND THERE’S LIKE THE SYMMETRY IS GREATand LIKE THE YOU KNOW THE THINGS AS YOU SAID THE THINGS THAT YOU DO THAT HE DID FOR LOVE PUSH BRANDON OUT OF A WINDOWand HE’S DOING THINGS FOR DIFFERENT REASONS NOW WHICH HAS BROUGHT THEM BACKand THAT LIKE YEAH YEAH BRANDS YOU ANYTHING FOR HIS IS OF REACTIONS ANYTHING BUT ONE THAT I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING WAS LIKE I WAS A ROOTSTOCK ABOUT HOW JAMES CAN HAVE A ROUGH GO OF IT ONCE EVERYBODY FINDS OUT HE’S THERE REALLY KNOW HIS INTENTIONS BETTER THAN ANYONE RIGHT I CAN AS ENEMY HE’S JUST HE TOLD ME I’M NOT NOT RANSACKING RELIGIOUS HE’S LEFT A PART OF HIS LIFE BEHIND I WOULD BE VERY COMPELLING FOR SAW HIM REENGAGE WITH HIS HUMANITY THAT THIS SEASON BUT HE IS GOOD TO BE ULTIMATELY PROBABLY OKAY WITH EDGING SHAFFER ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT LIKE MASTERINGand OTHER THAN THAT ONE WHICH WAS ALWAYS A WONDERFUL SPACE PROBABLY ARIand JOHNand ARI AGAIN JURY YOU I FOUND THOSE BOTH VERY ELECTRIC FOR DIFFERENT REASONSand AGAIN JUST LOVE THESE STORYTIME COMPLEXITY OF HAVING ARIA ADVOCATE FOR SIGNS IN THAT EXCHANGEand IT JUST WOULD BE VERY EASY TO SLIP BACK INTO ARIANA JOHN GRUBB’S BEST FRIENDSand RNS EITHER DIDN’T JOHN DIDN’T REALLY REALLY APPRECIATE MOVING BEHIND AS ALL THESE CHARACTERS HAVE MATURED BRAIN CONFLICT TALKS ABOUT HOW HE’S DIFFERENT BUT ARE YOU JUST SEEMS TO IT’S LIKE A REALLY AMAZINGLY NUANCED PERFORMANCE BY VISIBLY BECAUSE SHE’S GOT HER LIKE SHE’S STILL OF THE WORLD SHE DOESN’T JUST GET TO ROLL AROUND IT IS BUICK I’M HAVING A VISION SHE’S BUT SHE’S SO MUCH FROM YOU SO PROFOUNDLY CHANGED BY ALL THE TRAINING SHE’S GONE THROUGH ALL THE EXPERIENCESand TRAUMAS SHE’S GONE THROUGH IS INCREDIBLE I LOVE ALAMOand JOHN IS LIKE REGARDING NEIL’S I CAN BE USED FOR OR FIVE TIMES A YEAR THIS IS FROM CD GORDON WITH A GREAT TWITTER HANDLE ACTUALLY DEFECTIVEand BEFORE I READ CDS TREE I JUST WAS A THESE GUYS ARE DOING AS THE MINISTER JASON WILL BE OBVIOUS IN WRITING IS AMAZING AT THE Mr COLUMN ON THE RINGER SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS HIT HIM UP WITH THOSEand CD GORDON ASKED WAS HARRY STRICKLAND BROUGHT TO WESTERN ROASTS SO THAT JOHN COULD END UP WITH BLACK FIRE IS FOR A LANEand EXPLAIN WHAT THAT MEANS IS SO LIKE LEAST THE COMPANY OF THE TOP THE GOLDEN COMPANY WAS FOUNDED BY DISAFFECTED MEMBERS OF THE EXTENDED TARGET AREAand FAMILY THESE WERE THE GREAT PASTORS WHO WERE FATHERED BY EGON THE UNWORTHY WHO WAS A VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY BAD KING SC WAS EXTREMELY PROFLIGATE HAD A LOT OF KIDSand HE GAVE ON THE CONQUEROR SWORD TO ONE OF HIS PAST HURTSand THAT WAS SEEN AS LEGITIMIZING THAT PORTION OF FAMILIES CAUSE THE CIVIL WAR THE BLACK FIRES LOST THEY THE SURVIVING MEMBERS THEN FLED TO SOS WHERE SOME OF THEM FOUNDED THE GOLDEN COMPANY INCLUDING ABEL RIVERS ANOTHER ONE OF THESE GREAT PASTORS WHO FLED WITH THE SWORD BLACK FIRE DISORDERLY ON THE CONQUEROR SO DO THEY STILL DO THE PHYSICAL INCOME IS THE SWORDand DO THEY STILL IDENTIFY WITH THIS OFFSHOOT TARGETING HOUSE TBD BUT IT’S PRETTY INTERESTING TO CONSIDER THE FACT THAT THERE’S NOT A LOT OF TIME TO LIKE FILL THAT UP BUT IT’S PASSING THINK THAT THEY MIGHT BE IF WHAT VALUE WOULD THAT WAS JUST HILARIOUS AS IS THE WORLD OTHER THAN HE ON THE ONE I THINK THAT JOHN’S RELATIONSHIP WITH LONG CLAWS OF LAND SALES FOR THE YEAR C4 COMMANDER MORE HAS BEEN LIKE ONE OF THE REAL HEARTBEATS OF THE SHOWand IS LITERALLY ALL OF THE NORTHand JOHN NEEDS TO BE ANYTHING TO REMIND HIMSELF THAT HE IS SO UNLIKE IN TRADING FOR A TARGET AREA WOULD BE VERY SMALLand SYMBOLICand IN A WAY THAT YOU FEEL TOTALLY RIGHT TO ME HOWEVER IF LONG LIFE IS LOSTand WE HAD THAT TRAILER THEY WERE WAS HERE POSTER THAT WE GOT IN THE TRAILER OF THE SNOW COVERING WINTERS ON THE BATTLE WRECKAGEand LONG CLAWS IN THERE NOW IS THAT LITTLE FOR YEARS ABOUT WHAT WE DON’T KNOW BUT THERE IS A COMPELLING ONE I WAS IN THE RECORD BUT THERE IS A VIDEO JOHN WIELDING BLACK FIRE HIS 88 ON THE CONQUERORS SWORDand MANY ARIANA FINDING DARK SISTER IS SAYING HE IS WHY SWORD WHICH WE HEARD HER TALK ABOUT SHE MENTIONED THIS IS HIGH WHEN YOU HAVE OFFICE AS A HEROINE OF HERS I THINK THAT YOU YOU YOU I MOST GIRLS LIKE YOUR AGE TO CARE ABOUT THE EXCESS OF WAS INTO THREE EYED RAVEN THIS IS OUR SECOND HEAD TOWARDS THE COMING EPISODE SPECIFICALLY NEXT SUNDAY’S EPISODE IF I HAVE TO GUESS THAT SEEMED A LITTLE BIT LIKE A STORM CLOUD GATHERING EPISODE RIGHT BEFORE FOR SURE WE GET IT IN OUR HOMES DEPARTED INVERTED EPISODES BY EITHER ANYTHING YOU GUYS SAW IN THE TRAILER FOR COMING SOON NEXT WEEK THAT YOU THOUGHT WOULD BE AN INTERESTING CLUE THEIR REVIEWERS WOULD BE BE INTO NECESSARILY IN THE TRAILER BUT I DO THINK WAS I DON’T KNOW IF THE GOLDEN COMPANY LIKE HAVE BLACK FIRE PRETENSIONS OR BUT IT DOES FEEL LIKE HE DIDN’T BRING THESE PEOPLE OVERand THEY JUST HAVE THE MOTIVATION OF LIKE MAKING I FEEL LIKE THERE’S ANOTHER THERE’S ANOTHER LEVEL THAT WERE GOING TO DISCOVER WITH THEM THEY HAVE LIKE THEIR OWN MOTIVATIONSand AS YOU NOTED HE LOOKED PRETTY PISSED THAT YOU’RE ON LIKE TO SLAUGHTERING HIS DUDES I THINK THAT THERE’S GOING TO BE SOMETHING OUT THEY WANT SOMETHING ELSE WHEN YOU WERE THE FIRST THURSDAY THEY WORK WELL THEY WERE EVER GAVE THEM A COLLECTION YES OF THE YEAR I WENT OVERand PAID WEEKLY WORK FOR YOUR THE IRONY IS USED THEM BEFORE WE HEARD THIS COME UP IN A CONVERSATION WITH CIRCE ABOUT HER PAYING HER DEBTS ARE LED EARLIER SEASONS BUT THEY’VE BEEN USED TO RETRIEVE GOLD FOR THE IRON BANK BEFORE WHOEVER PAYS A CONTRACT TO THE AIRPORTand WE DON’T KNOW WHO THAT IS TECHNICALLY IT SHOULD BE CIRCE BUT WHAT’S THE FINE PRINT WE DON’T KNOW ME THE MOST INTERESTING THING IN THE TRAILER OBVIOUSLY ALL OF THE JAMIE EXCHANGES IN A DANNY CHALLENGING JAMIE IS GOING TO BE A PRETTY CRAP HE’S BASICALLY ON TRIAL VICTORY WAS A LOT OF FORESHADOWING FOR THE BATTLE EITHER BEGINNING OR WILL GET THE DEFICITS CALLED WINTER FELLand AND THEN WE QUICK SHOT OF WHAT APPEAR TO BE DANNY WITH JOHN KREPS SO SHE IS SHE DIDN’T TELL HER DOWN THERE BECAUSE I THINK THERE COULD BE A STORYTIME PACK HERE WHERE JOHN IN THE CLASSIC THERE’S NO TIME FOR THAT I WAS LOOKING FOR HE SAYS NOW HAS TO WAITand THAT THAT’S POST BATTLE BUT JOHN’S CASEand WITHOUT SAYING BY THE WAY ON YOUR UNIT IS ACTUALLY TO COME UP AT SOME POINT WITH HER IS NOT THE WIDER REALM SO HIM CHOOSING TO REVEAL THAT IN THE CRIPS TO BE VERY POWERFUL I THINK ONE THING I KEEP THINKING ABOUT WAS THE THE WAY IN WHICH OF THE 19 ACROSS THE WALL OBVIOUSLY WAS WITH THE DRAGON THE ICE DRAGON I WONDER HOW FAST TO GET YOUR DRAGON FIGHT LIKE IF YOU WITH THE DRAGON LIKE WHAT WE CAN GET SOMETHING REALLY GNARLY REALLY FAST MAYBE EPISODE THREE BUT IT SEEMS LIKE WHENEVER THEY SEE THE END OF THE TRAILER FOR C EPISODE TWO SCARES THE HELL OUT OF WE DON’T SEE THE NIGHT CAME ORVIS AREAand IN ANY OF THE SEASONING TRAILERS ANYTHING SO THAT BE BECAUSE THE 19 IS NOT ACTIVE ADULT SEEMS HIGHLY UNLIKELY RIGHT SO SOME SORT OF DRAMATIC ARRIVAL WHY IS JOHN WRITINGand DRAGGING OUT OBVIOUSLY THAT MATTER IDENTITY IS IS ISSUED IS ISRAEL PARAMOUNT BUT THERE’S ALSO THE PRACTICAL STORYTELLING IMPACT OF THAT WHICH IS ONE WAY THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN ESCAPE QUICKLY IF THEY NEED TO EVER MAKING CLIENT ON THAT DRAGON WITH HIM A LOT TO ME LIKE PEOPLE BUT ARIEL THAT YOU KNOW IT IS NOW THAT IF YOU KILL A LIGHT WALKER ALL OF THE WHITES OF THAT WATER YOU ALSO FALLand IT IS ALSO CAME IN FROM THE CONVERSATION WITH WAYNE WHEN BARRICK COMES UP TO JOHN IS LIKE THERE’S A 19 JUST KILL HIMand JUST SOCIETYand IN THE AIRand SHOUTS TO BARRICKand TORMENT STANDING ON THE EDGE OF THE WALL AT EAST WIVES THE END OF LAST SEASON LAUNCHING ZERO SPHERESand EURO ARROWS AT THE NIKE SHOT MY DUDES TAKE A FULL COURSE EVEN MAYBE WE KNOW YOUand TELL YOU THAT HE’S ALWAYS HAD BLUE EYES SURFING DOWN ALL THE DISTANCE BROUGHT TO LIGHT RUNNING TO WORK ON THE IS WHAT THEY’RE LIKE YOU ANYTHING THAT WAS EPISODE ONE THIS IS THE EPISODE ONE OF TALK WITH THRONES WERE JASON ATENCIO MALLORY RUBEN I AM CHRIS RYAN KEEP UP WITH THE WRITER ALL WEEK WE GOT AMAZING PODCASTSand ARTICLESand VIDEOS FOR YOU TO CHECK OUT OKAY WITH THRONESand WILL BE BACK HERE NEXT SUNDAY AFTER DOOR GAME OF THRONES WILL SEE THAT Will off the Raiders game of thrones after show this is our after the series show I am Chris Ryan that is Jason conceptualand this is Valerie Rubin we have watched all game of thrones on multiple time is overand we are here to talk to you about how her feelings about it you know we watch the finale on Sunday night process we talked about on top of thrones talked about it on podcast talked about in our personal lives strip is richand fulfilling one we have talked about it not not but I’m sure CDS have any different perspective now that it’s been a Sword Dual Wielding Vintage Retro T Shirt couple of days Jason started with you all really having lot as well as I think it as you as I get farther from it some of the better moments stand out more of the first half of the season I thought was really strongand really good episode tonight is 17 as I think will stand as one of the great episodes of game of thronesand evens up in the Raiders yet even even in the evening as it we entered like the back half after a long night there’s moments in there that that stand out as well I think that those will come to be finally is the kind of heat from the finale guys down Valerie Rubin Christopher Ryan game of thronesand the said you my dear friendand colleague boy I say they do a lot of emotions a lot the process I think that I am still in many ways processing the seasonand series finaleand much of the season I similarly Jason you know the things I loved about the season I find myself latching on to the meaning doesn’t totally align with the reality of what know for example I just like to to Jamie’s character arcand with writing brief you perhaps you gotta be putting up the finale itself I brought him a time that will haveand I found you know really like a lot of exhilarationand emotion in the first 40 minutesand in the closing montage with the Starks characters that I love so much I sorta does feel like the Dragon pit was like a fever so again lows you are will stand throughout time as a while jokingly seeing the light like I I still maintain that that drove on flying off with Dannyand his whole clown vault was like that 40 minutes that were made to show her you were sorting the writableand then it turns out is actually in Brenda’s mind I might is like you we start talking about game of thrones cause I professionally what one time ago but surgeries after shows around season six like for season six I guessand if you told me at the beginning season 6A that this is how game of thrones is goodand I doing okay but free good that’s uninteresting that they can there’s a Circe battle there’s the nurses told Garyand this kinda comes outand that’s how it wraps up I just never would’ve guessed that the sort of final 20 yards would’ve played out the way they did yeah absolutely I find myself liking all of the spectacle on the grandeurand pretty comfortable with the actual final destinationsand landing spots are mostly charactersand still do sort of wishing that we had more time to get thereand I think of season sevenand eight have each been the standard episodes we would have a lot fewer questions about how we got from point a to you a lot of the discourse around the shortened time frames been aroundand fairly so that Danny her turn to despotism but it really stands out the most with brand with brand being elevated to King this is a guy who the pitch for him into areas where this here’s the person with the best story you that story was not on the shofar sees you that so in that sense you know you said to me the inheritance back in season 56 like that’s really interesting I hope they’re laying the groundwork for that right right nowand some of it just didn’t seem like a got there especially particular brand stuff as well brand is obviously spent a lot of time kind of give your thoughts about how the last season when the last few episodes went quickly I would like to make a pivot towards maybe some more celebratory aspects of of of of the discourse yes well that positiveand so now what did the show mean to you personally shout out this game of thrones to the totality of that sort of start with the tears right awayand I’m glad I will also run things my lifeand like I mean that sincerely it’s been an increase writable part of my professional life has brought me great joy to discuss it with colleaguesand people I care about immenselyand know this question in some ways does connect to the first one how is about the ending because I think that as we move further for the way for meaning caring is one of the cool things about the show in community around it is that we also can easilyand interrogated it in a way that stems from how much we loved itand that will not go awayand it will always be reasonable to ask questions about it but I think we will just the further removed we are from the final moment find ourselves really thinking about the things we loveand gratitude that I haveand a lot of us have for being able to share this thing togetherand I think with a lot of things in life right now the digital age you gotta feel very aloneand not to like channel my inner tear in here but a great story can really bring people togetherand game of thrones to what you that’s what I mean ice I feel the same way on it moreand strictand pragmatic level it’s been great to be employed these last few years avoid that go to Trader Joe’s like when I can buy food this is goodand then I’d them all my landlord the first month of this writer will unite it’s just incredible story I think you I’ve come to the place with the books where I appreciate the world buildingand whether or not he gets to the ending I think that part of it will stand alone just there are many stories that you can fall into is totally as dishonest argument thronesand I think that’s the thing I really appreciate about this is this this fully realize world that you can fall intoand explore every part of it back through the history of this fictional history across this fictional globe we think it’s a globe you might be shaped like a globe commissioned like an egg one but just as a way to escape the worldand I really value that you is for me you know I just echo your both of you guys thought this but obviously one of the sore central thread throughout like this last decade of my professional career for the most part so it’s been a really like meaningful spike presence in my life but anything I think it is been really fascinating really awesome to see how many different ways there are to appreciateand enjoy itand how well of certain departments of of the world like on portersand like that you can cut itand how you’re supposed to enjoy it people can have game of thrones their life as a trashy beach read or as like a test or as a fine piece of art to be regarded as like from a visual standpoint or its launch the careers of 23 dozen people that will probably be watching for the next 20 years of our lives and’s that that that that sort of blossoming of all these different things that will kind of always be feeling the ripple effect the shows are really over your knowledge of the books but also because as you guys proved with about it something that actually does withstand repeated viewings looking for different nooksand crannies of it looking under the hood a little bit like how they make this workand why why do they do thisand why not even picking wages actually like thinking about the mechanics of story thinking about the mechanics ofand also thinking about real life stuff like historyand loyaltyand betrayaland familyand nationhoodand all that stuff that is all wrapped up in the shows like I thank you for giving me so much inspiration to think about stuff like that I was really wonderful freeand it’s just such a good way in richand rewarding text whether or not the books or the show the shelf courses a text toand being able to return to it constantly the way you think about a story is on the one hand kind eternaland constant if you love itand it’s this really steady most comfort that the course your life but also the way relatable change in the context of your lifeand give them a man that’s pretty exciting to think about what EOT. In March over the tracking board headline Peter Pascal joins one room to see what is realand is Chris Pine coming back I suggested he avidly had the answer after being very cagey about his summer plans I deftly heard that day he was gearing up to returnand now we have official proof how they explain. It was those Americans our ancestors they were on the receiving end of a democracy that had fallen short all their lives they know how far the daily reality of America strayed from the and yet instead of giving up they joined together and they said some some way we are going to make this work we are going to bring those words in our founding documents to life I have seen that same spirit rising these past few years folks of every age and background who packed city centers in airports and rural road so that families would be separated so that another classroom would get shot up so our kids won’t grow up on an uninhabitable plan Americans of all races joining together to declare in the face of injustice and brutality of the hands of the state of black lives matter no more but no less to that no child in this country feels the continuing sting of racism to the young people who led us this summer telling us we need to be better in so many ways you are this country’s dreams fulfilled earlier generations had to be

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johnboothus · 4 years

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11 Things You Should Know About Left Hand Brewing Co.

In the fall of 1993, two Air Force Academy graduates set their sights on destroying boring and bland beer. That’s when Eric Wallace and Dick Doore launched Left Hand Brewing Co. in Longmont, Colo., and brewed their first beer, an amber ale, in January 1994.

The brewery’s early recipes were designed by Doore, who had been experimenting with a homebrew kit. In the years that followed, Left Hand gained a reputation as a consistent source of high-quality brews, even becoming one of the top 50 craft brewing companies in the United States.

Left Hand is also a pioneer in crafting and packaging nitro beers, including its long-running Sawtooth Amber Ale and Left Hand Milk Stout, both of which are available in both regular and nitro versions. Left Hand isn’t resting on laurels as it continues to stand out in craft beer’s past and present landscape. Here are 11 more reasons to appreciate Left Hand Brewing.

Left Hand’s flagship beer is a local landmark.

When Wallace and Doore launched Left Hand’s first beer in 1994, the amber ale’s earthy and crisp flavor profile earned it a landmark name: Sawtooth, the name of a hiking trail in the Front Range mountains that run through the southern Rockies. Sawtooth Amber Ale went on to become a flagship brand, and continues to be a year-round favorite among fans. It even saw a revival with a nitro version in 2019.

Later, two more beers earned geographically inspired names: Twin Sisters, a double IPA, was named after a trail in the Rocky Mountains; and St. Vrain, a Belgian-style tripel, earned its name after the river that flows through the same mountains. Both beers have since fallen out of the brewery’s regular lineup — although St. Vrain may be making a comeback in cans soon.

Left Hand went nitro without a widget.

Early experiments with serving Left Hand Milk Stout on nitro at the brewery taproom proved that patrons wanted more, as they found nitrogen lends a creamy character to any beer. “The feedback was always tremendous,” says Jason Ingram, Left Hand’s national sales director. Since Guinness was a bit cagey about how it managed to bottle its own nitro stout, Left Hand became determined to figure out a way.

Left Hand found the solution: inject nitrogen into the bottles for a combination of roughly 70 percent nitrogen to 30 percent carbon dioxide, and rely on physics. It took lots of research, development, and reverse engineering, according to brewing operations director Jeff Joplin, but the brewery introduced its take on nitrogenated bottled beer with Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro at the 2011 Great American Beer Festival.

Left Hand’s name is more complicated than it sounds.

Just like the Longmont brewery, a number of locations around Colorado bear the name “Left Hand.” The namesake is one specific legendary left-hander who came to a tragic end. Chief Niwot (Niwot means “left hand” in Arapaho) spent winters in the Boulder Valley with his tribe and witnessed the arrival of gold prospectors during a gold rush in 1858. By 1864, even while Niwot attempted to maintain peace, tensions between Native Americans in the area and frontiersman came to a head and the chief was killed as a result of an attack by the Third Colorado Cavalry.

To carry on the memory of the original Colorado residents, Left Hand based its first logo on incredibly intricate Native American patterns based on those used by the tribes that once called the area home. In 1995, when the brewery first bottled beer, designers attempted to shrink that logo down onto bottle caps but just couldn’t make it work. Instead, the team developed the simple left-handed print now synonymous with the brand.

Left Hand’s logo didn’t change for 25 years.

The left-hand logo remained unchanged on those bottle caps, on the labels, and all over the brewery until 2020 when the brand underwent a slight refresh. The updated logo put more emphasis on the name of the brewery around the red-hued hand by enlarging the text and shrinking the hand down just a bit. And label designs were reconfigured to appear more streamlined as well.

The goal of the refresh was to create a more modern aesthetic for the packaging as a whole. But it also accentuates the names of the beers to really stand out on a shelf. It all came with a brand new tagline: “From Our Hand to Yours,” a nod to the brewery’s “hands-on approach” to crafting beer.

Left Hand turned a trademark failure into an annual celebration.

“Nitro” became so ingrained in Left Hand’s product line and company culture that the brewery attempted to trademark the term in 2011, and continued fighting for a few years. The move was met with contention from several competing breweries, namely Guinness. Left Hand quietly ended its efforts to trademark the term in 2014.

However, that same year, Left Hand launched a festival in celebration of the elemental gas: Nitro Fest. At that first event, 21 breweries brought nitrogenated offerings to Longmont and poured them while aerialists and fire-eaters performed around them on the brewery property.

While the 2020 fest had to be canceled, Left Hand already has plans in the works for the 2021 Nitro Fest.

Stout this good needs its own glass.

Given Left Hand’s longtime experience crafting award-winning stouts, it makes sense that Spiegelau sought out the brand to help develop a glass specifically made for the beer style. In 2014, Left Hand, along with Rogue Ales & Spirits, teamed up to design the best glass for a stout. The Spiegelau Stout Glass features a shape meant to enhance stouts’ roasty, chocolaty, and coffee aromas. Etching at the base of the glass encourages carbonated bubbles to rise for the perfect creamy head.

Left Hand employees work for themselves.

In a continued effort to buck the mainstream and change the world, Wallace announced in the summer of 2015 that Left Hand had become a majority employee-owned company, in partnership with more than 100 employees at the time. An effort meant to instill pride in Left Hand’s team members, the move allows those who work at the brewery to earn an allocation of the company’s profits each year.

You can thank Left Hand for the ‘hard pour.’

With no widget to speak of, Left Hand set about teaching beer drinkers about the “hard pour,” a technique of pouring beer from a bottle fully perpendicular over a glass to “activate” the nitrogen. It was a success, and soon the team was bottling more of its brews with nitro.

The brewery abides.

After years of resisting the can, Left Hand opted to incorporate canning into its packaged offerings in 2016. In late 2019, a nitro mixed 8-pack of Left Hand Nitro beers appeared on shelves at retailers around the country. The new packaging gave the brewery the ability to use widgets. (Take that, Guinness Draught!)

Left Hand continues to innovate in the nitro space, introducing new nitro-first recipes like the “Dude-approved” White Russian Nitro, a white coffee nitro stout; and Wheels Gose ‘Round, a mild sour ale with lemon and raspberry.

Take a left turn at the seltzer craze.

Instead of boozing up a can of seltzer, Left Hand decided to take a different approach in 2019: CBD Seltzer. The line of seltzers combines 20 milligrams of hemp-derived CBD from Colorado-based WAAYB Organics with sparkling water. They’re organic, free of artificial ingredients, and calorie-free.

The move allows Left Hand to take on the hard seltzers flooding the market over the last few years, including big names like White Claw, without following the same formula as everyone else. There remains some gray area as to how legal CBD beverages are — in fact, it’s technically illegal to ship them out of state — but that law hasn’t really been enforced. Three flavors of the seltzer, classic, lemon lime, and blood orange, were released in August of 2019 both in stores and online.

Left Hand fights racism with a beer in hand.

From the time Left Hand first opened, Wallace and Doore believed in building their community and giving back where they could. After the George Floyd protests began in late May of 2020, it only made sense for the brewery to contribute to the cause. More than just a black square on its Instagram, the team came together to take action. Joining Weathered Souls Brewing Co. to raise money for anti-racism organizations, Left Hand’s brewers collaborated on their version of Black Is Beautiful, a dunkel-style beer. The brewery pledged to donate the profits to Black Lives Matter 5280, the Denver area chapter of the national organization.

The Left Hand team didn’t stop there. Through June 2020, 50 percent of purchases of Raspberry Milk Stout sold at the brewery’s tasting room went to Center for Black Equity, a group aimed at lifting up the Black LGBTQ+ community.

The article 11 Things You Should Know About Left Hand Brewing Co. appeared first on VinePair.

Via https://vinepair.com/articles/left-hand-brewing-milk-stout-guide/

source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/11-things-you-should-know-about-left-hand-brewing-co

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wineanddinosaur · 4 years

Text

11 Things You Should Know About Left Hand Brewing Co.

The brewery’s early recipes were designed by Doore, who had been experimenting with a homebrew kit. In the years that followed, it gained a reputation as a consistent source of high-quality brews, even becoming one of the top 50 craft brewing companies in the United States. Left Hand is also a pioneer in crafting and packaging nitro beers, including its long-running Sawtooth Amber Ale and Left Hand Milk Stout, both of which are available in both regular and nitro versions.

Left Hand isn’t resting on laurels as it continues to stand out in craft beer’s past and present landscape. Here are 10 more reasons to appreciate Left Hand Brewing.

Left Hand’s flagship beer is a local landmark.

Left Hand went nitro without a widget.

You can thank Left Hand for the ‘hard pour.’

Left Hand’s name is more complicated than it sounds.

Left Hand’s logo didn’t change for 25 years.

Left Hand turned a trademark failure into an annual celebration.

“Nitro” became so ingrained in Left Hand’s product line and company culture that the brewery attempted to trademark the term in 2011 year (and actually continued fighting to get the trademark for a few years). The move was met with contention from several competing breweries, namely Guinness. Left Hand quietly ended its efforts to trademark the term in 2014. However, that same year, Left Hand launched a festival in celebration of the elemental gas: Nitro Fest. At that first event, 21 breweries brought nitrogenated offerings to Longmont and poured them while aerialists and fire-eaters performed around them on the brewery property. While the 2020 fest had to be canceled, Left Hand already has plans in the works for the 2021 Nitro Fest.

Stout this good needs its own glass.

Left Hand employees work for themselves.

They finally can *can* their stuff.

After years of resisting the can, Left Hand opted to incorporate canning into its packaged offerings in 2016. In late 2019, a mixed-pack of eight 16-ounce cans of Left Hand Nitro beers appeared on shelves at retailers around the country. The new packaging gave the brewery the freedom to use widgets (take that, Guinness Draught!).

Take a left turn at the seltzer craze.

Instead of boozing up a can of seltzer, Left Hand decided to take a different approach in 2019: CBD Seltzer. Present, the line of seltzers, combines 20 milligrams of hemp-derived CBD from Colorado-based WAAYB Organics with sparkling water. They’re organic, free of artificial ingredients, and are calorie-free.

The move allows Left Hand to take on the hard seltzers flooding the market over the last few years, including big names like White Claw, without blindly following the same formula as everyone else. There remains some gray area as to how legal CBD beverages are — in fact, it’s technically illegal to ship them out of state — but that law hasn’t really been enforced. Three flavors of the seltzer, classic, lemon lime, and blood orange, were released in August of 2019 both in stores and online.

Fight racism with a beer in one hand.

From the time Left Hand first opened, Wallace and Doore believed in building their community and giving back where they could. After the George Floyd protests began in late May of 2020, it only made sense for the brewery to contribute to the cause. More than just a black square on their Instagram, the team came together to take action. Joining Weathered Souls Brewing Co. to raise money for anti-racism organizations, Left Hand’s brewers collaborated on their version of Black Is Beautiful, a dunkel-style beer. The brewery pledged to donate the profits to Black Lives Matter 5280, the Denver area chapter of the national organization.

The Left Hand team didn’t stop there. Through June, 50 percent of purchases of Raspberry Milk Stout sold at the brewery’s tasting room went to Center for Black Equity, a group aimed at lifting up the Black LGBTQ+ community.

The article 11 Things You Should Know About Left Hand Brewing Co. appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/left-hand-brewing-milk-stout-guide/

0 notes

immedtech · 4 years

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The best smart locks

By Jon Chase

This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full guide to smart locks.

Your front door lock is an unsung hero, quietly keeping thieves and rogues at bay. Smart locks are the superheroes of the species, with special powers that make life more convenient (and a little more fun). The Yale Assure Lock SL (YRD256) Connected by August is our top pick as it comes closest to hitting the sweet spot of convenience, security, reliability, and good looks. It's fast, quiet, and completely keyless, and unlike with other models, its sleek, slim, glass-and-metal housing is stylish.

The Yale Assure Lock SL (YRD256) combines the hardware-security chops of Yale with the smart-home finesse of August. It connects to your Wi-Fi network (via the Connect bridge), allowing you to control the lock and manage access codes remotely. This ability to manage or even create new codes on the fly makes the lock especially suited to owners of vacation homes and short-term rental properties. The included August module makes the lock widely compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, HomeKit, and other smart gear. Unlocking it is simple, and its mechanism is far quieter than that of nearly every other lock we've tested. We also like the DoorSense accessory, which tells the lock if the door is open so that the deadbolt doesn't engage before it's shut. Although we greatly prefer the feel of the keypads found on Schlage locks, the Yale Assure Lock SL's other features, reliability, and overall aesthetics make it a far better buy for most people.

If your door is a single-hole model—that is, with a doorknob or lever and no deadbolt—the Yale Assure Lever (YRL256) is the one to get. It offers features identical to those of the deadbolt version, with a couple of minor differences; for instance, you can wake the lock or have it lock when you're leaving simply by pressing the Yale logo. We tested it on an internal door for several months, and we love how quiet it is.

One extremely important note: The Yale Assure Lock SL has no keyway—should its electronics ever fail or its mechanism jam, you would be locked out of your home and would have to destroy the lock to get in. (Yale also sells a version with a built-in keyway, which we do not recommend—see How we tested for more details.) As such, we recommend this lock only if you have ready access to another entrance, such as a back door or a garage. If you prefer to have traditional key access to fall back on, we strongly recommend going with another pick.

The Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro matches or exceeds the Yale Assure Lock SL in some ways, and it missed the top spot due to only a few minor performance flaws as well as its narrower compatibility with other smart-home devices and the fact that the company is a relative startup. Still, by any standard it is a wonderful device, with the cleanest, most precise hardware we've ever tested and a pleasing low-profile design. You can unlock it six different ways, including with a numerical code, in an app, through a physical keyway, and—the pièce de résistance—via fingerprint. (We highly recommend buying the $50 add-on Ultraloq Bridge, which allows for remote programming and control.) The companion app you use to set up and control the U-Bolt Pro is less polished and reliable than the August app, and we found that it sometimes required a restart to get back in sync. Although we believe the feel and function of the U-Bolt Pro's rubber number buttons to be superior to pecking numbers on the glass screen of the Yale Assure Lock SL, the fingerprint unlock was our preferred way to unlock this model. Unfortunately, it balked on around 20 percent of our attempts to unlock it using this method, and that required us to make multiple finger presses or to resort to using a key code. We hope this is something that the company can improve, since the fingerprint feature provides the best balance of security and convenience. The U-Bolt Pro is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, but unlike the Assure Lock SL it doesn't work with Apple HomeKit or Samsung SmartThings—if that doesn't matter to you, the U-Bolt Pro may be the better pick.

The Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt is a trimmed and toned update to similar previous picks, the Schlage Connect and Schlage Sense, but with the clever ability to connect directly to your Wi-Fi without the need of a plug-in adapter. (Most smart locks, in contrast, use battery-friendly Bluetooth and then connect wirelessly to a plug-in adapter that allows them to connect to your Wi-Fi and accept remote control.)

That capability is appealing, and along with the nicely designed hardware—which also includes a built-in impact alarm—it makes the Encode one of the easiest models to install and one of the simplest smart locks to use of those we've tested. In gaining its smaller internal housing, the Encode unfortunately shed compatibility with Apple HomeKit, though it can still integrate with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. We tend to prefer the feel of capacitive keypads like the Encode's over that of a glass touchscreen, and we think that feature makes this lock less fussy to use, so it's an especially good choice for rental properties.

If you are a renter who isn't allowed to change locks (or a homeowner who doesn't want to), the third-generation August Smart Lock is a wallet-friendly addition to an existing deadbolt. Unlike our other picks, which require replacing all the elements of your door lock, this August model lets you keep your deadbolt and keyway and swap only the thumb-turn mechanism on the inside of the door. When you have the Smart Lock on its own, you can set it to unlock when you approach the door and to relock after you close the door (thanks to the included DoorSense magnetic sensor), but you can also control it with August's smartphone app or the August Apple Watch app via Bluetooth. An optional adapter (the $70 August Connect) is required if you'd like to control the lock when you're not home, and it enables voice control through Alexa and Google Assistant (unlike other models, this August lock is not HomeKit or Siri compatible). The August is surprisingly noisy in operation, and in our testing of the automatic unlock feature, we experienced occasional delays or outright failures to trigger, sometimes requiring use of the app to unlock the door. We think this issue is highly dependent on the specifics of the install environment and therefore can be lessened with troubleshooting and recalibration.

Why you should trust us

I've been testing smart locks, as well as a wide range of smart-home hubs and accessories, since 2015. As a reporter and editor, I've been covering technology and trends—and testing and reviewing a wide range of consumer electronics—for two decades at a number of respected national publications. At this writing I have four smart locks installed in my home, as well as three smart thermostats, five smart bulbs, five smart switches, two smart outlets, two smart smoke detectors, two smart water valves, a smart security system, a smart doorbell, two smart cameras, a smart noise detector, six smart speakers, and a smattering of sensors. None of them work perfectly all of the time.

Who should get this

Smart locks are both the most useful and the most potentially risky smart devices you can install in your home. In the plus column, they make entering and leaving your home far more convenient by freeing you from having to carry keys (and in some cases a smartphone, too). Most make it possible to securely grant access to your home not only to family and friends but also to tradespeople or even your mail carrier or package delivery people. And when paired with a smart-home system such as Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, or Samsung SmartThings, they can tell other smart devices to turn on or off, or even spark a series of automated actions among a few devices—for instance, having your lights turn off and the heat or AC kick on when you arrive home and unlock the door.

That convenience comes with a price, though, as smart locks cost considerably more than their non-smart counterparts. More important, connecting your front door lock to the Internet adds at least a theoretical new way for thieves to infiltrate your home. Such security concerns are a particular source of contention for smart-home skeptics, who worry that allowing your door lock to be accessible over the Internet makes it fundamentally vulnerable.

Our view is that, although there is no question that it is technically possible for any smart lock to be infiltrated electronically (and also mechanically), the real-world odds of a potential burglar using a sophisticated hack to enter your home versus simply relying on the most popular manner of breaking into a door—by force, using something like an old-fashioned crowbar—are vanishingly slim. (We'd also point out that everyone now lives in a ubiquitously connected world, and everything from your utilities to the entire global financial system is fully Internet-connected.) In short: It's important to consider security, we do our best to recommend only products from companies that are responsible and competent, and the smart locks we recommend are as safe as or safer than their mechanical counterparts (which, for instance, can't alert you when your front door is unlocked or opened).

Here are a few ways a smart lock might be a useful addition to your home:

You don't need to carry your keys anymore, whether you're popping out for a quick run or you're off to work for the day.

You can create and share a custom code (or virtual e-key) for a houseguest, or even a last-minute visitor—no need to make physical copies of keys. This feature is especially attractive for owners of rental properties.

Parents with latchkey kids can keep track of when they get home from school (or a late-night party).

You can give a babysitter, nanny, or house cleaner ongoing or last-minute access.

You can receive notifications whenever the door opens and closes, and keep tabs on who's coming and going and when.

If you're out and about when a trusted contractor or plumber comes by, you can unlock (and then relock) the door remotely or give that person a time-restricted e-key.

Smart locks, especially keypad models, are perfectly suited for rental-property and vacation-home owners, such as Airbnb hosts, who tend to have to deal with frequent key exchanges (in fact, with some locks, Airbnb now offers to automate code creation for guests). Similarly, smart locks can be a useful tool for small-business owners who want to keep tabs on who might be coming and going through their doors when they aren't around.

One especially important buying tip: If your door has a mortise lock, with the latch and bolt in an integrated unit, or a door handle and latch that are a single unit, none of the smart locks we reviewed will fit (we hope to test some soon). In most of these cases, to accommodate a new smart lock, you need to replace that integrated unit with a standalone doorknob or lever and possibly a deadbolt—and all that extra work and hardware may end up being cost-prohibitive.

How we picked

For homes, there are two main categories of smart locks. The first type is an add-on device that replaces the interior thumbturn of your door's existing deadbolt but not the deadbolt mechanism itself. The second type is a full deadbolt replacement, which requires removing your existing deadbolt assembly and installing all-new hardware. You can set up and manage almost all models in both categories by using a companion smartphone app, and some can integrate with smart-home platforms and controllers such as Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, or Samsung SmartThings; they might also allow you to control them through a third-party app that consolidates multiple smart devices into a single interface. Most smart locks can now trigger other smart devices as well as automated actions—such as turning lights on or off or changing the mode of a thermostat. And while some smart locks work only when you are in close proximity (usually by relying on a Bluetooth signal from your smartphone), others let you control and monitor them remotely through an Internet connection, which for most of the locks we tested requires using a device called a hub; this is changing, however, as many new and soon-to-arrive locks can connect directly to your home Wi-Fi and so are directly accessible over the Internet.

Our goal was to find a lock that offered the best balance of convenience, security, and useful smarts while requiring as little technical complexity, ongoing management, or troubleshooting as possible. That last point deserves special emphasis, as models we've dealt with in the past have suffered from some reliability issues. We chose test models with a trigger or lock/unlock method that was quick and reliable—and one that didn't require directly using a smartphone app to lock or unlock the door, because we've found that, functionally, using a phone is no faster or barely more convenient than using a physical key. We also restricted our selections to models that you can monitor and control remotely via smartphone, regardless of whether that involves pairing them with a separate hub or gateway device (which typically is a separate purchase).

All of the smart locks we tested can integrate with other smart devices. For example, if you have a HomeKit-compatible smart thermostat or, say, light switches, you can have them adjust whenever you unlock your Yale Assure Lock SL. If you value such an ability, be sure to check a model's compatibility with your existing (or intended) smart devices before buying.

To aid in our selection process, we consulted professional reviews from sites such as CNET, PCMag, Reviewed.com, and Tom's Guide, as well as owner feedback on Amazon.com and other retailer sites. It's noteworthy that while a handful of models consistently made reviewers' short lists, no lock seemed to be a consensus winner. Based on our research, we added a few existing models to our current lineup of picks, as well as a couple of brand-new models. We then ran intensive real-world tests on this final group of nine models and cross-checked our findings with both the professional and customer reviews.

How we tested

A sampling of some of the smart locks we have tested. Photo: Jon Chase

In the many thousands of hours of use spread over about two dozen smart locks since 2015, we've had just one lock suffer a mechanical malfunction (specifically, the spring in the deadbolt dislodged after a freak gust of wind slammed our door shut). So while mechanical quality and proper installation of a lock are absolutely key factors, our focus in testing continues to be on the experience of using these devices, most especially their consistency, reliability, and ease of use.

For this round, we installed each test unit in one of a few modern, factory-made doors and tested it for at least a week, in most cases for several weeks or even months. During that time we used the locks during everyday activity, but we also methodically triggered the locks up close using our smartphone via Bluetooth, as well as over our home Wi-Fi network, and then again remotely by connecting via cellular signal. Our regimen included countless entrances and the experiences of a family of users (including two kids). We also installed several of the locks on a rig for longer-term testing.

In each companion app, we tested the various settings and preferences available—such as turning audio signals or LED lights on and off and enabling auto-lock and auto-unlock functions when applicable—and we took note of the speed, reliability, and usefulness of the notifications and the ease of adding and managing codes. Our tests included the use of companion apps on both iOS and Android smartphones.

In assessing the physical hardware, we took a close look at the ease of installation and the feel and quality of the various components. We also considered the physical robustness of each lock and, where applicable, the keyway. More informally, we also attempted to pick the locks using readily available lockpicking tools. To our surprise we found that the Yale Assure Lock Touchscreen Deadbolt (YRD226), an alternative to our top pick, was easily lockpicked in under a minute, a feat we managed to repeat several times. We weren't able to broach any of the other devices that we ended up naming as picks, though we did successfully unlock two other locks that had been previous test subjects.

Locks are graded on their ability to withstand brute-force entry attempts based on criteria devised by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). For deadbolts, Grade 1 is the top ranking, reserved for a commercial-use lock with a 1-inch-thick latch bolt that's able to take 10 strikes of 75 pounds and a million open/close cycles. A Grade 2 lock is considered consumer level, with a bolt that is ⅝ inch thick and able to withstand five strikes of 75 pounds and 800,000 cycles. With the exception of the Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro, which is not ANSI-graded, all of the locks we tested were at least Grade 2, and a few—the Schlage models—were Grade 1.

A major security consideration with smart locks is whether to enable auto-lock and auto-unlock. These features trigger the lock based your location (also known as geofencing), via some combination of Bluetooth, cellular signal, GPS, and Wi-Fi. Having your door automatically trigger as you walk up to it is the essence of convenience, but it necessarily puts you at risk of an accidental trigger that leaves your front door open to anyone. Some models include a little magnet, which you install near the lock, to determine when the door is closed or open; that ensures you don't lock the deadbolt when the door is left ajar, which is helpful. Another option for some locks is to use HomeKit geofencing as a trigger, which requires that you confirm the unlock signal on your phone before it can activate, which is a far more secure but also less convenient approach.

In our testing over the past few years, we've had multiple instances when devices auto-unlocked when they shouldn't have—both when we were home and away (the worst case was late at night when we were at home and in bed). More recent testing has shown greatly improved accuracy, but overall we believe carte blanche geofence triggering is essentially risky, most especially for city dwellers who are more susceptible to an opportunistic thief. If you live in a suburban or rural location, we think the risks are more of a personal judgment call.

Our pick: Yale Assure Lock SL Connected by August

The Yale Assure Lock SL (YRD256) Connected by August narrowly edged out our runner-up pick, the Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro, because it comes closest to hitting all the right notes in terms of convenience, reliability, and just plain good looks. It's a keypad model that is completely keyless, and you can trigger the lock using a code or an app. Once you set it up, you can use it without ever bothering with your smartphone, as long as you can remember a four- to six-digit entry code—useful if you have kids who lose keys (or haven't earned smartphone privileges yet). Its tidy glass touchscreen keypad, the handsomest we've seen, wakes with a finger press, is second nature to operate for virtually anyone, and unlocks a door quickly and quietly. Sharing access with other people is as simple as telling them a code of your choosing, which you can restrict or delete as necessary using the August app—no need to force guests to download an app or register for anything.

An extremely similar model, the Yale Assure Lever (YRL256) Connected by August, works almost identically and fits single-hole doors that lack a deadbolt. It is significantly larger because it contains a complete door-lever mechanism, but otherwise it worked wonderfully and was also noticeably quieter than typical smart locks we have tested in the past—just a brief whir. (Yale also makes a version of this model with a keyway, which we do not recommend—see How we tested for more details.)

The package includes a small Bluetooth radio module that you physically insert in the Assure Lock SL during setup; the module allows the lock to integrate with Apple HomeKit, which includes voice control via Siri (HomeKit works only with Apple devices). If you have a recent Apple TV or an iPad, or an Apple HomePod smart speaker, you can set it up as a hub, which enables remote access to the lock and the ability to run automated actions. Also included is a plug-in Connect Wi-Fi bridge, which becomes the middleman between the lock and your home's Internet network. Installing the included Connect Wi-Fi adapter is another way to enable remote access as well as compatibility with Alexa and Google Assistant voice control. One extremely important note: Because the Assure Lock SL (YRD256) does not have a keyway, if the lock malfunctions for any reason, you will be locked out of your house. As a result, you should install it only if you have ready access to another entrance to your home. (If not, consider another lock with a keyway as a fail-safe.)

Installation of the Yale Assure Lock SL is an easy, DIY task for most anyone who can hoist a screwdriver. We strongly recommend following the guided instructional video in the companion August app because doing a step out of order or incorrectly can hose your installation, and then you have to start from scratch. (Yes, I learned this from experience—don't bust my chops.) Another important note: Use the August app as instructed, not the Yale app, which a few readers have found to be problematic or even nonfunctional.

The included Connect adapter plugs into an electrical outlet and wirelessly pairs with the lock. During installation it measures and confirms that you are within adequate range of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, an especially nice touch. Within the August app you can swipe through your August devices and see and control the lock status—a big red circle means locked, and green means unlocked. In our tests, we could trigger the lock astonishingly fast—in a few seconds—over a cell signal, and in just five to 10 when on Wi-Fi.

Because the Yale Assure Lock SL is HomeKit-enabled, you can use the August app (left), the iOS Home app (right), or both, depending on your preferences.

A number of useful settings within the August app let you turn sound on and off, change the volume level, enable one-touch locking, and so on. Also available are useful security settings, such as timed lockouts based on too many incorrect attempted entries, a feature designed to thwart suspicious guessers. In addition, you have the convenience of creating individual codes for guests or family members and customizing when they are active, from always-on to recurring times or a set window—a great option if you have a housekeeper, a pool maintenance person, a babysitter, and so on. Through the app you can track who locks and unlocks the door and when, based on which codes they use for entry.

When you're accessing the lock from outside, the glass touchscreen is dark by default. You wake it with the press of three fingers or your palm, and then the keypad numbers appear. Once you input your code correctly, pressing the checkmark causes the screen to flash, and with a gentle whir the lock activates. The whole process takes about four seconds. To exit, either enter your code or, as we did, enable one-touch locking and then press and hold the screen for a second until it locks (this method, however, prevents you from knowing who specifically has locked the door).

The August Connect allows the lock to work wirelessly with other smart devices and platforms, though not as many as the August Smart Lock Pro. For our tests we were able to control the lock by voice using Alexa and an Echo device, as well as Siri via an iPhone, but we had issues getting Google Assistant to cooperate. With the lock acting as a HomeKit device used with a free third-party iDevices app, we were able to create an automation that would turn on a Lutron light switch and adjust an Ecobee thermostat when the Yale Assure Lock SL was unlocked, which worked fine.

Of all the locks we tested, including our other picks, none offer the same convenient, easy, and—most important—reliable access, with the same set of features, as the Yale Assure Lock SL (YRD256) Connected by August. We love not having to force guests to download an app to use the lock. Creating new codes, whether at home or away, for arriving guests is wonderfully useful. Though remote access isn't as crucial as with other locks—anyone with the numerical code can open it—the ability to receive notifications is handy. With different codes for different people, you can know who's coming and going in your house. More than anything, not dealing with an app or periodic Bluetooth failures just to get in through the front door is a welcome relief.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

To our taste, the glass touchscreen of the Yale Assure Lock SL (YRD256) Connected by August offers an inferior experience compared with the keypad of Schlage's line of keypad locks. The white numbers are small, and with the sound off it's hard to tell if your key press has registered. And we much prefer simply being able to press in our code rather than waking the lock, inputting a code, and then having to hit the checkmark, which seems like a needless step. We initially would forget that step and wait for the lock to open, only to have it time out. However, once you get used to the process, you hardly think about it.

We wish the Yale Assure Lock SL had some form of audible alarm (as the Schlage Encode does) to scare away attempts at brute-force entry—the only way to get past this keyway-less lock.

Runner-up: Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro (with Bridge)

Photo: Michael Hession

If you've ever felt a burning shame for wantonly lusting over an inanimate object, you might understand our relationship with the Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro. This is the closest we've come to finding The One: It offers multiple ways of quickly getting into your home—including a mostly great fingerprint system—all of the hardware is precision-made and hardy, it's just the right size and good looking (or at the very worst inoffensive), and it's the quietest lock we've ever tested. It's not our top pick because it isn't as widely compatible with leading smart-home platforms as the Yale Assure Lock SL (in particular, it's not HomeKit compatible) and because its companion app is generally good but occasionally flaky, as is its signature feature, a fingerprint reader. None of those problems are major, though—we think the U-Bolt Pro is a great option for anyone who doesn't mind its modest shortcomings.

The face of the U-Bolt Pro has durable but soft rubber number buttons that encircle a fingerprint reader in the center; the front face pulls down to reveal a hidden keyway, a nifty design move. The internal housing is thinner than that of any of the other models we tested and has a thumb turn. Setup of the lock is on a par with the process for all the other locks we've tested, and involves fully removing your existing deadbolt to replace it with the U-Bolt Pro. The companion app, which is very similar to the August one in terms of organization, walks you through the necessary steps and lets you manage users and codes in a straightforward way, without fuss or confusion. (On occasion, when we opened the app, it would take us to a login screen rather than logging us in automatically; we'd then restart the app to have it load correctly.) In our tests, we found using the app to control the lock and create codes—both while we were standing in front of it and when we were away from home—to be quick and easily understandable to anyone who has used a smartphone app.

Technically the U-Bolt Pro provides six methods of triggering the lock (including shaking your phone when you're in front of it); however, the most useful and, we think, the most likely to be used are the fingerprint and door code methods. The process for scanning a fingerprint will be familiar to anyone who has done it with a smartphone: You repeatedly place, adjust, and then reposition your finger over the scanner, and you can store two fingerprints per user. Then, when you arrive home, you push your finger onto the reader, and in half a second or so a ring around the scanner lights up green and the lock opens with a gentle whir (or it turns red and you have to rescan). We found that sometimes we needed to push harder, and if the scanner was dusty or our skin was especially dry, it wouldn't always register and we'd eventually resort to using a numeric code. To use a code, you push the button with the Ultraloq logo, enter your PIN, and push the logo again. One clever security feature lets you choose to press a string of random numbers before and after you enter your real code, so that someone observing you won't be able to see the code and memorize it (unless the observer can memorize long strings of numbers—in which case, use the fingerprint reader).

In order to access the U-Bolt Pro remotely, and to receive notifications when it locks and unlocks, you need to purchase and install the plug-in Ultraloq Bridge, which we highly recommend as we think those features are a large part of why smart locks have value. The Bridge also gives you the ability to use Alexa or Google Assistant with the lock, which in our tests worked well—we could ask Alexa if the door was locked or unlocked, and also have Alexa unlock it (to do so, you have to state aloud a custom PIN).

One final not-small note of concern about the Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro is that the company that makes it, U-tec, is just a few years old, so unlike established brands such as Yale, Schlage, and Kwikset, it may not have the same ability to handle customer support, security testing, and software updates, among other things. In the company's favor, it has a growing line of products, and in our experience it replied quickly to a customer service request and responded to questions about its security practices and policies with detailed information. Note too that all startups begin in the same position and many go on to become established brands—August, founded in 2012, to name just one.

We think that if you aren't interested in using a smart lock to trigger or automate other smart devices (or if you're content with the Alexa or Google Assistant ecosystem), the U-Bolt Pro is the lock to get. It's the one I plan to keep on my front door for long-term testing.

Also great: Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt

Photo: Michael Hession

If you're looking for a low-profile, no-fuss lock with a foolproof keypad and the ability to connect to Wi-Fi without requiring a plugin adapter, we like the Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt. The capacitive keypad is nearly identical to those on previous picks from Schlage, the Sense and Connect, and we think it's the most intuitive version to use, as the numbers have a textured surface and give ever so slightly as you press them. It's also the only lock in our test group with a built-in alarm, a soul-shattering shriek powerful enough to rouse the deceased—you can arm it to trigger if someone attempts to bust the lock or if the door is rammed. The Encode is smaller than its Schlage forebears (though not as small as the U-Bolt Pro), and it installs quickly. Unlike most smart locks, it has Wi-Fi built-in, so it connects directly to your home network (whereas most locks use Bluetooth to connect to a plug-in adapter that then connects to your Wi-Fi network). Amazingly, the Wi-Fi doesn't seem to especially tax the batteries, which in our tests lasted several months without fail. The Encode doesn't have the smart-home chops of the Yale Assure and is compatible only with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, so if you hope to have a smart lock as part of a comprehensive smart-home array, our top picks are better options.

Even without using third-party smart platforms, the Schlage Home app sends notifications when the Encode locks or unlocks, and you can use the app to add or alter existing lock codes. With those basic skills, we think the Encode is the best pick as a simple but smart gatekeeper for a vacation or rental property, especially as it's the one lock we've tested that needs no explanation for anyone to figure out: Just enter your code, and it opens. Simply press the padlock button to lock it when you leave.

Keep your existing deadbolt: August Smart Lock (3rd Gen)

Photo: Jon Chase

The August Smart Lock (3rd Gen) is an affordable choice if you want to use your existing deadbolt (which means you also get to keep your existing key). As with all August devices, the instructions and setup process are almost delightfully friendly and thoughtful, with straightforward video instructions. The all-metal housing offers reassuring bulk and heft, and the traditional thumb turn has precise movement. You control this August lock solely through Bluetooth and a smartphone—unlike its widely compatible big sibling, the August Smart Lock Pro—which explains the steep price cut. With the purchase of an August Connect Wi-Fi bridge (buy them together and save some money), you can control this August lock using Alexa or Google Assistant and access it remotely when you're not at home. August sells an optional keypad as well, but we don't recommend it due to the frequent connection and stability issues we encountered in our testing.

The August Smart Lock is a fine budget pick and suitable for most renters, but it doesn't come close to our top picks in terms of convenience or reliability. In order to make it easier than using a key, you need to turn on auto-unlock, which as we've noted can be unreliable and is thus problematic (and if you arrive home without a phone, or with a dead battery, you're locked out). In our tests, on a few occasions the August auto-unlocked when we were already home, or when we were several blocks from home—or it failed to unlock at all, requiring the use of our app, which ended up being annoying. Installation of the included DoorSense module, which detects when the door is open and closed, does somewhat solve the problem of accidental unlocks in that you can set the August to automatically lock when the door is safely closed after a customizable period of time. If all of that sounds confusing, consider this scenario: You're on your way home but still several hundred feet away, and then you decide to pop by the deli, where you get stuck in line. If the August lock detects you and auto-unlocks prematurely, your home is sitting unlocked—but if you have auto-lock set up to happen after say, 30 seconds, your door will lock itself and there's no real security issue.

It's a nice option, but in principle we don't recommend auto-locking unless you're using the DoorSense modules and you're confident, as it creates a serious risk of your locking yourself out of your home if anyone shuts the door when your phone is inside or elsewhere. The August's auto-unlock feature has been greatly improved overall, though, so that the trigger zone is now much smaller; in the past it was far too wide and would trigger when we were several blocks from our home in an urban environment, making it a nonstarter for use in cities.

August's native app is spare and easy to decipher, with basic controls that don't have you searching through menu settings. The app is dominated by a button that lets you lock or unlock (depending on the current state), and you can quickly view recent activity or invite guests and determine their level of access.

The August Smart Lock doesn't compare with our top picks in versatility or reliability, but as a budget model it's a good option, and for renters especially.

What to look forward to

image

A number of new locks have been released or announced.

The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock is nearly half the size of the company's Smart Lock Pro. It functions almost identically but also has built-in Wi-Fi, which enables you to connect to it remotely without having to rely on a plug-in Connect hub.

Igloohome has released the Smart Deadbolt 2S Metal Grey, a touchscreen keypad model that has a clever token system for letting owners share new PIN codes remotely without having the lock connect to the Internet. The company also has the Mortise smart lock, which we hope to test, and it will release a model with a fingerprint reader later this year.

Kwikset released a new keypad lock with built-in Wi-Fi, the Halo Touchscreen Wi-Fi Smart Lock. It also announced a follow-up model, the Halo Touch, a Wi-Fi–enabled lock with a built-in fingerprint reader that is compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant. It will be released sometime in 2020 and should cost $250.

Lockly announced the Lockly Vision, a keypad and fingerprint-reading lock with a built-in smart doorbell camera. It will be compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit, and will cost $400.

The Level Lock is an interesting model with unique hardware: Unlike most smart locks, which are designed to mount to an existing lock (or completely replace it), the Level is a mini assembly that replaces the internal portion of the deadbolt and the bolt itself while leaving your existing keyway and internal thumb turn. We haven't tested it yet, but it could be a good option for those who want the ability to unlock their door remotely in an emergency—or who plan to have it automatically unlock via HomeKit—while maintaining the aesthetics of a traditional lock.

The competition

Our experience with the smart locks we tested was largely positive, though we should note that every smart lock we've ever used has had instances where it didn't function correctly or required troubleshooting of some variety—an inevitability to be aware of when you're choosing to install one of these devices in your home. We have yet to meet a set-it-and-forget-it smart-home device.

Though we're confident that the Yale Assure Lock SL Connected by August is the best pick for most people, several of the models we have tested would certainly satisfy people with specific needs:

The August Smart Lock Pro is the most widely compatible smart lock we've ever tested, and August has consistently updated and improved its products over time. Our experiences using the Smart Lock Pro's signature auto-unlock feature have been inconsistent, however, and without that you need to whip out your phone to open the door every time, making it not as convenient to use as our other picks, especially the non-Pro August Smart Lock, which is usually $80 cheaper. If you live in a non-urban environment and are comfortable using auto-unlock, it's a good and versatile option (though be sure to keep an eye out for the soon-to-be-released Wi-Fi model).

The Nest x Yale Lock is largely identical to our pick, the Yale Assure Lock SL, except that it is compatible only with other Nest smart devices. If you have a smart-home system that is entirely Nest-based, especially a Nest Hello doorbell, it's a great option.

A previous pick for HomeKit users, the Kwikset Premis is a great and reliable device but was eclipsed by the Yale Assure Lock SL, which is compatible with both Android and iOS smartphones and supports Alexa and Google Assistant in addition to HomeKit. If you want only a HomeKit keypad lock, it's worth considering.

The Lockly Secure Plus keypad lock (deadbolt version) is in many ways a great smart lock, but we found it to be oversized and the plastic internal components to be of inferior quality compared with the metal ones of our top picks. In addition, when we tested it, the lack of remote access made it a nonstarter. The newer Secure Pro model is available for purchase with a wireless bridge, but at $300 it's not a good value compared with our picks.

The Schlage Sense, a HomeKit-enabled model virtually identical to the Schlage Connect, was previously one of our picks. Like the Connect, the Sense has a terrific keypad and top-quality ANSI Grade 1 hardware, but over many years of testing it has suffered from Bluetooth range issues that make it unreliable when we're trying to connect to it remotely—despite being within spitting distance of both our Wi-Fi beacon and an Apple TV acting as a hub. A $60 Wi-Fi adapter, which also enables Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility, is available but strips HomeKit compatibility. Still, the Sense is a solid model and a good option for rental properties. The Schlage Connect is a low-cost option for anyone who already uses a Z-Wave hub.

The Kwikset Kevo was a previous pick but has become notably dated, and as some commenters have pointed out, it is seemingly unique among smart locks in that it isn't compatible with a large variety of popular Android devices—you can render it incompatible if you buy a new phone. (We haven't encountered this issue with any other lock we've tested.) Considering that, coupled with the sheer length and breadth of the support-issue reports and complaints we continue to receive, as well as the expense and extended wait period for the gateway (which is required for remote access), we no longer recommend the Kevo.

The Yale Assure Lock Touchscreen Deadbolt (YRD226) was an alternative to our top pick (the YRD256), and we were pleased with its performance and looks. Unfortunately, in the course of long-term testing we found that we were able to pick its keyway with very little effort and with only novice lockpicking skills, something we have been able to do repeatedly. Although we understand that home thieves generally use brute-force methods to enter homes (or simply enter unlocked doors), low-cost, effectively unpickable keyways are widely available as a standard feature, so we recommend choosing another model that uses those technologies.

This guide may have been updated by Wirecutter. To see the current recommendation, please go here.

When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commissions.

- Repost from: engadget Post

#ITlive #engadget #The best smart locks

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norton-addiction · 7 years

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He won British audiences over with roles in hit television shows such as Happy Valley and Grantchester, and now James Norton has his sights set on Hollywood, having bagged his first major film role in the reboot of Nineties flick Flatliners. With the world at his feet, he tells Gemma Dunn of his hopes for stardom

Cut-glass accent. Tick. Movie star good looks. Tick. A top-notch education. Tick. A trail of slick screen performances. Tick. There's no denying British star James Norton has had a fair crack of the whip when it comes to fame - but his latest starring role in the remake of the cult 1990s classic Flatliners is set to propel his star to new Hollywood heights.

The sci-fi psychological horror - directed by Niels Arden Oplev and co-produced by Michael Douglas, no less - follows five medical students, obsessed by the mystery of what lies beyond the confines of life.

Taken by the element of the unknown, they soon embark on a dangerous experiment - a near-death experience which gives them each a first-hand account of the afterlife.

But, you guessed it: trespassing to the other side doesn't come without consequences.

"I think that everyone is preoccupied by the question of 'what happens to us after we die?'" Norton (32) maintains of the 'modernised' film's appeal.

"It's quite plausible now with the technology available to medical students, that ambitious and slightly brazen people would put themselves to death to explore that.

"To try and answer those questions," he elaborates. "It's a brilliant question."

It's not the first time the striking actor has broached the subject of afterlife, however: before training at RADA, Norton read theology at the University of Cambridge.

"Do you know, it's weird, I did do a lot of work in my degree on near-death experience and we did a load of essays and reading and research into people's reports of what happens," he recalls.

"The white light, going down a corridor... and there's both scientific explanations for that, you know dealing with asphyxiation and things," he adds. "But there are also people who jump in when there's a gap and say, 'It's God' or it's this particular religious explanation, so yeah, it was interesting for me."

Did he have a head start when it came to his character, "loveable rogue" Jamie, then?

"I mean, our afterlife isn't particularly Christian or anything..." he notes, candidly. "It's pretty specific to the movie; we hope the real afterlife isn't as dark as our movie is, but we'll see."

As for Jamie: "He isn't the most serious of students," Norton confesses. "He likes to party, he likes the girls, he's full of bravado and confidence and makes no bones about the fact that what he's really after is recognition. He wants to be a celebrity doctor."

It's a self-assurance that's balanced out by his fellow 'scholars', helmed by Ellen Page, Diego Luna, Nina Dobrev and Kiersey Clemons.

"In any movie, any performance, the trust involved between a group of actors is immense," insists the Londoner. "You have to open yourself up and within a few days show your soul and become incredibly vulnerable with strangers. And that takes an enormous amount of trust.

"So it's no surprise that actors generally become very close very quickly," confides Norton, who is currently loved up with his former War and Peace co-star, Jessie Buckley.

"And that was what happened on this movie, which was great because this movie is all about trust," he adds. "These characters are literally putting their lives in each other's hands and saying, 'Get me back, take me back from death.'

"So the fact that we all got on so well, that we all trusted each other off camera meant that the relationships and the stories of our friendships on camera was much easier."

It meant all the more that it was his first major Hollywood epic, too.

"I was running around having the time of my life, because it was all new!" he admits. "And it's an experience to have that kind of support from a studio like Sony - some of the set pieces, which you just don't have access to in television, are really fun and really exciting. Beaming, he follows: "Driving down the freeway on a motorbike on my own at 100kph was like the best theme park ride of my life."

Other first-time adventures included enrolling in the 'medical bootcamp' in order to learn how to carry equipment correctly and give injections and intubations the way a real physician would.

"It was a really great bonding experience," states Norton.

"But it was also very important that it all looked genuine and authentic because we don't want to draw the eye. It was a challenge; it was a lot to learn in a short space of time."

Don't expect him to exploit his newfound life-saving skills anytime soon, however.

"I'd like to think I was a bit better equipped..." he responds, with a laugh. "I was saying earlier, I think the problem in our CPR was preventing breaking the ribs, because it really does cause damage. So whilst we'd look great, we'd probably be really, really hopeless!"

But considering his rapid rise to fame in the past three years alone - Norton terrified millions with his BAFTA-nominated portrayal of murderer Tommy Lee Royce in Sally Wainwright's Happy Valley; not to mention his take on troubled vicar Sidney Chambers in Grantchester - it seems increasingly unlikely he will require a fallback career.

In fact, Norton is already set to cause waves next year with the lead role in a brand new BBC thriller, McMafia, in which he will play an English-raised son of Russian exiles.

Does he ever fret about the next level of celebrity, though. The next rank of fame?

"No, I don't think I worry about it," he answers thoughtfully. "I mean, I hope that... You're constantly trying to do different jobs and open new doors and build on what you've done before. There's an amazing amount of brilliant writers and directors in this town (Hollywood)," he concludes. "So if this allows me maybe an entry into that, then great."

Flatliners is in cinemas now

Belfast Telegraph

#james norton #interview #Flatliners

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thrivous · 5 years

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You’ve probably heard of the new miracle drug NZT-48. It’s a nootropic that gives users a spectacular boost to brain function and mental ability, radically enhancing memory and intelligence.

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With NZT-48, you’ll be able to absorb actionable information and sensory data at dazzling speed. You’ll learn a new language in a matter of hours.

You’ll assemble two Rubik's cubes in seconds, one with each hand. At the same time, you’ll negotiate a deal on Wall Street over the phone. And you’ll do it all while solving a complex math problem for your Silicon Valley friends in your head.

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Does NZT-48 Really Exist?

You’ve probably realized that NZT-48 is fictional.

It’s the nootropic featured in the Limitless movie and in the Limitless TV show. So people sometimes call it the “limitless pill” or “limitless drug.” But, officially, the limitless pill’s name is NZT-48.

Of course it doesn’t really exist. But it’s interesting to speculate on whether and when something like NZT-48 may be engineered.

Could a limitless pill exist in the future? Is a limitless pill possible? Is it reasonable to imagine that we’ll someday buy a limitless pill over the counter?

Some of today’s nootropics, including dietary supplements, can have a positive impact on mental well-being and cognitive function. For example, users of Thrivous Nootropic Stack have reported that they feel more alert and focused.

Of course, personal observations like those are subjective. And it can be difficult or expensive to measure nootropic effects objectively. That’s why Thrivous bases its formulas on placebo controlled human studies that measure and report positive effects.

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Could NZT-48 Exist in the Future?

Ramez Naam has written a science fiction trilogy (Nexus, Crux, and Apex) centered on the fictional smart drug Nexus.

In 2040, rogue nanotech researchers have developed a drinkable and neuroactive substance, named Nexus. It’s taken limitless pill ingredients to the next level with nanobots. And the very illegal street drug is spreading like wildfire.

Nexus nanobots colonize the brain and boost in-brain communications and coherence, with effects somewhat similar to those of NZT-48. But the real breakthrough happens when neuroscientists build firmware and software layers on top of Nexus.

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Since the publication of Naam’s novels, research has picked up speed. Elon Musk’s Neuralink (see Pulse 9, 12, and 111) is one of several promising research initiatives.

Thrivous Nootropics Are Real

If you’re looking for something as powerful as NZT-48 today, you’re out of luck. So maybe you’ll wait, hoping for a day when that changes.

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phillhall · 7 years

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Review: Stranger Things

(TV mini-series/Netflix)

Slick, nostalgic, pitched almost perfectly and so full of holes it could have been made in 1983...

There has been a buzz recently about a new 8-part Netflix series called Stranger Things, starring Wynona Ryder and some other people. Set in a backwater US town in the mid-1980s, it has a group of pre-teen ‘misfits’, a bunch of pre-college Jocks, an outsider/loner, a confused teenage girl, rogue cop, distraught mother - all the things that made 1980s ‘blockbusters’ from Steven Spielberg to the teen angst of John Hughes. Throw in a decidedly odd mix of Stephen King and Clive Barker and then don’t bother to think things through too much or you’ll end up picking it to pieces.

If you do start picking it pieces you begin to notice that it’s all style over substance and while it either allows or expects the viewer to fill in the necessary missing pieces, it also constitutes very lazy writing when some of the characters are literally just there to facilitate a plot thread.

There have been comparisons - justifiably - to Spielberg’s 80s movies such as ET, CE3K and his co-scripted The Goonies film and the homage flies thick and fast and any film buff worth their salt will be reeling off references faster than a teenager can have a wank and around the third episode I realised this was a production trick - a way of diverting the viewer’s attention away from the glaring lack of credibility and almost total lack of reason.

Plus - bleeding eyes? Really? Hasn’t this been done to death? Plus, why do film makers insist that people would bleed out of their lacrimol caruncle? Do you know what happens if you get a bleed in that part of the eye? Blood - a liquid and the surface of the eye, also a liquid/lubricant - mix and you get red, streaky eyeballs, especially when you blink. In a series that largely used 21st century special effects, this was one of several 1980s special effects they could have done without (but it was used as a plot device...).

The main story begins with the disappearance of an 11-year-old boy, mysteriously in some local woods. This in itself was handled like a baby with a hand grenade. I know this is the 1980s, but I’m fairly sure even the most red-necked and ignorant of US town sheriff’s would a) treated a missing child case with a degree of seriousness and b) done his searching during the day when flashlights were not required. Kid goes missing and townsfolk all do a day’s work before going into the woods with halogen lamps... This wasn’t the first thing in the show that puzzled me (unless it was an X-Files reference and therefore a decade too early) to the point of annoyance.

I’m going to stop being linear here because I’m not just going to spell out the eight-episodes for you. We are also introduced to 11 (played by Millie Bobby Brown) a young girl with closely cropped hair and a hospital-styled smock who is wandering around the countryside; she is met and befriended by the three friends of the boy who has gone missing. She has mysterious powers and doesn’t talk much. We are then introduced to what I feel is arguably the weakest and the part of the story that prevents the series from actually working...

Matthew Modine plays the head of some weird scientific project based in a building completely cordoned off not too far from the place where the boy went missing. No one, not even the sheriff seems remotely bothered or even knowledgeable about an apparently top secret facility, with armed guards, is situated so close to their town. It would appear this place and its employees might as well be in a completely different country - or dimension - because in a town that is portrayed as being small enough to know everyone else’s business, the top secret facility obviously was doing it’s job well.

Modine appears to be working for the US government and using a telekinetic child to locate and spy on Russian/Soviet officials - all very cloak and dagger and all very superficial. The problem for the girl doing these experiments - 11 - is that to be able to link with whoever her keeper’s want her to, she has to go through a place where monsters live - which she later describes as ‘the upside down’. Using your own powers of deduction, it appears that by using this incredibly powerful girl to spy on people it starts to break down the barriers between dimensions.

We’re then treated to more film and novel homage with nods to Poltergeist, Stephen King novels about dimensional barriers and at times Labyrinth. There is also a tree and this tree is obviously the portal that the creature (or creatures) on the other side of it uses to come to our world and abduct its food. This allows one of the supporting cast to do something totally totally out of character and then allows the series makers to do something almost ridiculously 1920s in its cliffhanger execution.

It’s the fact that the characters when the series is set up in the first episode don’t really express much after that first episode. We’re introduced to a group of young friends, but we have no real back story for two of them; the general conversation is that Mike the ‘leader’ of this gang of misfits and Will - the missing child - are best of friends and telephone conversations between their mothers’ (Ryder and Cara Buono) suggest the two women are also best of friends, but that never materialised. The thing is - no one talked to each other. It was like the 1980s was this period of time when everyone was just doing their own thing and no one else was remotely aware - maybe it was, but I can’t help thinking if Stephen King has written this - because it fits in with so many of his town-themed novels - it would have been more realistic in its characterisation.

It is so wonderfully crafted, it looks and sounds like it was made in 1986, even down to crowd scenes - the hair and clothes are all spot on. The dialogue, at times, veered into the wrong era - the expression ‘sick’ for something good was a few years away and began in a different part of the USA. Even the government as secret above-the-law agency was handled well, except... it wasn’t at all. The slightly bogus secondary antagonists - Modine’s security detail - were unconvincing and inconsistent - Spielberg did ‘sinister government’ spot on and believable; this lot just looked like a cross between crooks and psychopaths.

However many plot holes and things that were just badly written, it did have some really clever things going for it, there were some really unexpected performances and it fairly rattled along once it got going. Millie Bobby Brown stole the show for me and her tone and way she drifted through the series was possibly the best thing about it. Imagine a girl that has been kept as an experiment all her life, her lack of love and parenting, no nurturing, just used as a weapon and then being released into an unsuspecting world. The mixture of rage and confusion was set very well as was her ability to kill if she felt it was necessary.

Wynona Ryder was a revelation in the kind of role that Dee Wallace or Melinda Dillon excelled at in the 1980s, but with little or no real back story about her life, looking at her house, compared to her peers, and judging by her general hippy-ish attitude in flashback scenes, you get the impression that histrionics, drama and crisis has never been too far from her door; had this been emphasised a little more clearly, you might have understood why no one seemed that overtly concerned about her son Will’s disappearance. The fact that another town youth also disappears soon after generates about as much interest as an apple-bobbing party at the local church. Ryder plays the in-denial grieving mom very well up to the moment she starts playing with lights, carrying an axe round and smashing walls open because Will was trying to communicate with her. How he was managing to manipulate the electricity in a mobile home in the middle of nowhere from ‘the upside down’ was never explained, not even looked at, it was just thrown in there to emphasise to the viewer that Ryder wasn’t just bonkers.

There are some excellent scary bits, but once the suspense is done with and you’re given the idea that 11 and the monster are more than just linked, it might just be the creature of her id (created by the thing she was using to do the government’s bidding) it becomes a bit of a slaughter-fest with 11 and the monster dispatching large numbers of faceless agents. The’upside down’ is a mixture of creepy and Silent Hill and at times it had tremendous atmosphere, but none of the main characters are particularly likeable; even the kids are an odd mix, with the black kid being the most overtly bigoted and the fat toothless idiot as the level-headed one, despite being a (low-grade) buffoon. Spielberg gave you emotional attachment to specific kids inside 2½ hours; this series never manages to really make you care about any of the kids, because they’re all dislikeable in certain ways. Only 11 (or El as the boys called her) seemed exempt from this and not enough time was spent on her ‘re-education’ to life and too much time spent on Modine glowering over her and showering her in fake love.

So much, like a 1980s film, is left to the imagination and that, now, is a problem. Setting it in the 1980s circumvents such irritants as mobile phones, the Internet and transparency, but that doesn’t necessarily add any authenticity to it. Maybe viewed weekly this might have worked better, allowing the viewer to not remember clearly certain bits, thus allowing the imagination to fill in the blanks; but as a box set it just falls down in places.

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