Ceramic tile that looks like tin

I have a ridiculous amount of proof my spouse is a liar, cheater, sneaking around, selfish and cruel. I found out years ago and chose to move forward. More things I am finding out and I can't freaking take it anymore. I don't know you at all. The most frustrating part is you take no responsibility for any of the disrespectful and humiliating crap you've done. I show you proof and you deny it all. Tell everyone I'm crazy, lazy and all I do is bitch. Instead of being a better person you make me look and sound horrific because its easier and your lazy. Financially you screwed our family. You put yourself and your wants first. Everyone likes the fake you. Doesn't that bother you?

Hey Guys,
I’m here looking for some help and guidance regarding a chronic and acute testicular pain I’m facing.
Im male, 31, 5’10, Caucasian, having testicle and pelvic pain for 15 months, no exisiting medical issues, using lyrics 300mg once daily, baclofen 25mg twice daily, no drinking, no smoking, in Australia.
8 years ago I went to the doctor with an awareness that something wasn’t right in the testicles, got ultrasound, results normal, went on with life.
As life went on the awareness of a problem continued but without pain until March 2022 when suddenly I felt a sharp pain in left testicle. From then on I have been in constant pain everywhere in the pelvic but specially the testicles with the left testicle being extremely bad, in pain and discomfort 24/7.
The entire 8 years I had been doing enormous amounts of kettlebell swings (1000 swings daily) and deadlifts, working 16 hr days, 7 days a week (being under a lot of stress and pressure, was using the weight lifting as a outlet to blow off steam) that seem to have caused problems with my pelvis and the pain in the testicles. I understand this was wrong and stupid now but in the moment I needed stress relief. It’s like as if the testicles were stretching from the weightlifting and then after it turned painful now they are cramping wanting to go inside me.
Then for the past 15 months the sensitivity and pain has been getting progressively worse, I have been to the ER 6 times, I have seen 35+ doctors (chiropractors, physio, pelvic floor therapist, rheumatologist, urologist, pain specialist and many more) and all can not seem to figure it out or fix anything.
The general consensus is that it’s pudendal neuralgia with a hypertonic pelvic floor and have just had a bilateral nerve block, pelvic floor Botox and testicular Botox to try eliminate the pain and relax the area, this seems to be working but not totally fixing the problem. (another thought is that the muscles in the pelvic are overdeveloped and causing the constant spasm).
Food helps ease the pain.
THC, alcohol, caffeine, nicotine and any stimulants makes the situation very very bad and painful.
I have had 7 ultrasounds, 3 mri’s and a ct scan and all come back free and clear of anything, everything is completely normal on all scans. Have had full panel bloods done and everything is in perfect range, high testosterone. All free and clear of sti’s/std’s. Had mri on spine and it’s all normal.
My left testicle hangs very low like as if the cremaster muscle is over stretched like a rubber band that has lost it elasticity and in a lot of pain 24/7 and the right testicle is cramped up as a result of a bad reaction to Gabapentin. It feels like the left spermatic cord is damaged somehow.
I feel it’s almost like I have a combination of varicocele, epididymitis, cpps, bells clapper, hypertonic pelvic floor and pudendal neuralgia.
I find it hard to walk because of the pain and discomfort.
I spend a lot of time doing yoga, swimming and stretching, it seems to help a lot, I do pelvic floor releases daily, I meditate everyday, use tens machine, I use a chiropractic adjustment tool on the pelvic floor, I have been working on my diaphragmatic breathing everyday, creatine helps ease the pain, numbing cream on the pelvic floor everyday. I have tried every supplement none help except choline, cbd, l theanine, magnesium and baclofen. I wear supportive underwear. All these protocols help a little but are not helping me get better just easing the pain.
My life have been completely turned upside down I used to have a job where I was very active, very social and now I spend most of my time at home, laying down in pain with no real hope in sight.
I used to be a high performer running a business with 100 employees working everyday, focused on life and successful. Now I struggle to get out of bed, have not worked for over a year, am in pain all the time and pain in the testicles destroys your confidence and zest for life.
Mentally I’m very strong but have been experiencing a lot of depression, grief, regret, shame and intrusive thoughts that I have been doing my best to combat with good sleep, good diet, getting outside regularly and always staying positive but it’s still very challenging.
Once every week or two I will have a extreme pain episode where the entire pelvic, pelvic floor, spermatic cords and testicles will go into spasm and I will need to take Valium to ease the pains and I will have to lay in bed for 3 days to let everything relax.
I’m not sure where to go or what to do but would love to hear any insights or ideas that could help.
A picture of the situation is attached so you can see the damage that seems to have been done and let me know if you know what the problem I have is and or how I could fix it.
Any help or comments are greatly appreciated.
https://imgur.com/HIbcB3n
https://imgur.com/jEgnU92
Many thanks.

First off I only been at this job for about 1 year and this a-hole had a nerve to ask me if I have my degree. Now I see why some of the women in different engineering departments have their degree on a frame in their desk. I’m probably gonna do that soon. I probably just make men body heat boil when they see me. They try to hide it but eventually it will come out. So get this I call the senior engineer because he’s the one that sent in the pump serial number sheet to me on behalf of the customer. I only asked him one thing on the pump serial number sheet and he’s all like I don’t mean this in a rude way at all but do you have your degree and in what.
And the sad part is the question I asked him had nothing to do with Engineeing. It was just simply a clarification on which size of the pump the customer wanted. It had 2 choices with a slash. The first one was for the brand I work on and the other one was for another brand. I would t have known that if I didn’t ask. Like do men just wake up one day and decide to be an asshole? So he wanted to test my knowledge for some odd reason and he gets upset I got the right answer and tells me okay that’s right but explain it to its entirety. Then he’s all like okay I guess that’s a way to say it but it’s actually blah blah blah. So I say in short terms what I explained it as and he’s like yes while I guess you didn’t need all that explanation. Duh you arrogant a-hole. I’ve only been in the industry for 3 years now and I hope this will be the only encounter I face with a senior engineer. By the way looks like he needs to retire and he’s mad that new generation engineers are possibly getting paid more than him. This not the first time he tested new engineers on the team. But because I’m the only one on the team with a background in engineering he thought it was wise to ask me do I have my degree.

Hello there! I was looking for LED oyster lights (like the lights that i have attached the link for). I want a brand that is reliable as well as cost effective. I really want to buy bulk supplies. You can recommend me any reliable electric store in Australia that you trust or have good reviews. Before recommending a brand, kindly consider after-sales service, including warranty support, returns and exchanges, and assistance with product troubleshooting. Thanks in advance!

My boyfriend(M22) and I (F21) have been together for 4 years. He smokes weed every single day and hes been deciding to quit. Today he treated me terribly told me without weed he has no feelings or emotions towards me. He made me cry, he didnt even look at me once (i was sitting in his bed next to him all day) he didnt say one word to me.I tried so hard to touch him and talk to him i begged him and still nothing.
He told me to breakup with him and that this is the new him and i need to find better. He said hes going to continue to treat me like shit every single day and that i need to get used to it. However he got up and went to the gym with me and after he said he feels a bit better. He then apologized about everything said and doesnt want to lose me. I understand quitting is hard for him am i being crazy for thinking he just doesnt love me anymore?
I was so sweet, gave him space, told him im always there for him and when i tried to hug him he got up slammed the door and went and sat in the other room away from me. He says were good now but I cant help but think its something wrong with me. I dont get how you could treat your partner that way if you love them.
TL;DR Boyfriend told me he doesnt like me when hes sober and treated me terribly but then apologized. I still cant help but feel like i did something wrong. Can anyone relate to a partner trying to quit smoking? Maybe I just don’t understand what its like.

…then why in seven hells is there no group finder tool? Or not even a general chat or lfg chat to look for groups?
Local Chat is DEAD (and even dead is an insult for the word dead. Literally nobody ever says anything in there)
The experience feels like a solo game.
They literally marketed this as a more “MMO” type Diablo game yet it has less social features than Diablo 3 or Diablo Immortal!
In what world does this make sense??
Other than that, 10/10 game.
Inb4 “I’m a father of 625 toddlers with 2700 friends to play the game, I dont need this trash feature ty very much”
Listen, it’s great that you don’t need this feature, but there is no harm in implementing this optional tool.

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Want to know more about a Home Survey (used to be called the HomeBuyers Report)? It's a survey done by a qualified RICS surveyor to check out the property's condition. They offer three levels of surveys: Level 1 (basic), Level 2 (moderate), and Level 3 (super detailed). These surveys have a strict standard and use a checklist to make sure they cover everything.
The idea behind the Home Survey is to give you a quick overview of the property's current condition and point out any areas that might need fixing or attention in the future. They use a traffic light system to show how urgent repairs are. Level 2 and 3 surveys also come with advice on what actions you should take, and Level 3 even gives their opinions on what's causing any issues.
According to RICS, Level 1 is good enough for standard properties in good condition, Level 2 works for standard or older properties that are still in decent shape, and Level 3 is for properties with unusual construction, really old homes, or those in a bad state, especially if you plan to do a ton of work.
But you should also be aware that they don't look at hidden stuff like under carpets or floorboards, and they can't inspect much in cluttered areas like cupboards or lofts. They also won't check the drainage, water pipes, or electric wiring because they're not experts in those things. You'll need separate reports for that stuff, like a wiring or plumbing inspection, and if you want advice on energy usage, call in an EPC assessor.
Now, a Home Survey report can look terrifying at first glance. You might even wonder how the property is still standing! The surveyor isn't trying to scare you away. They just want you to know what you're getting into. It's better to find out about any potential problems early on, so you can budget for fixes or maybe even renegotiate the purchase price.
Some surveyors even offer walk-throughs as part of their service. It's a good idea to take them up on it. Sometimes what looks like a major issue could just be a warning, and it might never actually become a problem. But being aware of it will help you stay on top of things and fix it before it gets serious.
People often wonder if they need a Home Survey for new builds. Well, my advice is yes, you do! Even though they're supposed to meet regulations, mistakes happen. Not everything gets caught by those building inspectors. And honestly, you're spending a lot of money on a property, so it's worth spending a bit more for a survey. Trust me, I wouldn't buy a place without one, even with all my experience. I'm not inspecting homes every day, so I might miss something important.
So, go ahead and instruct a Home Survey. It'll give you the info you need to make a smart decision. The aim is to empower you with knowledge.
For more information on Home Surveys, have a look at the RICS website linked here: https://www.rics.org/profession-standards/rics-standards-and-guidance/sector-standards/building-surveying-standards/home-surveys

Hello. Someone from linked in reached out to me if I am still looking for opportunity and I said yes. I was invited for an interview on June 13, I have mentioned that I already accepted a JO from Company A and I am still considering them. One reason is that I think the HR Manager in Company A is a bit rude (she wasn’t like that when I had my first interview) based on her text messages. When one time I asked to move my start date, her reply had exclamation point. 2nd, she isn’t that polite on some of her emails. No thank yous, no regards and email signatures. 3rd, I’m just greedy. I think I can have a better offer from this Company B given that the positions have the same JDs. Now, my problem is that when I also get accepted to Company B, is it okay to resign immediately to Company A? Or should I not pursue with the interview or di nalang galingan para wala akong pproblemahin? Pero part of me talaga gusto parin ng higher offer kahit na mataas na offer ni Company A. Also, I’m about to send my signed contract with Company A. And I know this will be asked by B. Red flag ba to kay B if kakasign ko palang ng contract pero naghahanap na ako ng ibang opp kahit diko pa naman nattry magwork kay A? Feeling ko magmmukha lang akong pera sa kanila kapag nabanggit ko na if your offer is better, I will resign immediately/I will consider. Sayang lang din kasi tong isang opp kasi baka by that time di ko magustuhan si A, hindi na available yung position kay B. Your thoughts?

I’ve been having a lot of trouble with my identity lately. I don’t know what to categorize myself as, but here’s the best description of what I’m feeling (FAB, btw):
I do feel comfortable in the body that I’m in, but at the same time, I would be content with whatever body I would’ve been born in, whether it’s female or male. I don’t care what pronouns people call me, as I can feel and relate to male, female, and non-binary. I wouldn’t mind being called any pronouns as long as it’s respectful. I have looked into pangender, but I don’t feel like it necessarily fits, as it states that it’s feeling multiple genders at once when I simply am content with whatever.
I use she/her pronouns irl since that’s what I pass by (half of the time. I get confused often). But online, I primarily use he/him and have a different name. I don’t know if this is normal. I don’t know if not caring is normal. Help.

Hush, Hush, My Juliet
Sophie was always worried about her unwavering feeling of being watched by something sinister lurking beneath the veneer of her normal life. Sophie soon started acting distant, and complained to her family about an unshakable feeling that she was being watched. Most of the family brushed her off, but her brother was the only one who took her seriously. At first, her paranoia was subtle. She reported a flicker of movement caught in the corner of her eye, a shadowy figure disappearing behind the trees. But as the days went by, Sophie's unease grew, and the stalker's presence became more pronounced. Swiftly after, her brother started to feel as if someone was watching him as well.
The feeling drove him close to insanity. He felt like a rat in a glass cage, being watched for amusement. He had no reason to believe that anyone was there, at least I thought. He began to try effortlessly to figure out the spawn of his paranoia. He promised to find the culprit that brought his sister and him so much pain. Alas, his fear ended abruptly, not by the satisfaction of finding this mysterious face that was watching him, but by his untimely death due to the hand of another man… By murder.
Sophie continued her brother's death wish disguised as a manhunt in hopes to cleanse her tormented mental state. Little did she know that she would succumb to the same fate as her brother. For the first few months, she could find nothing, forcing her to upgrade her plan of attack. Multiple cameras were set up around her home, the most dominant being located over her backyard. Nothing could go in or out of that home without being caught by at least one of these cameras. Her house was now a fortress in the eyes of an over indulgent admirer. Never, since that moment, have I felt more distant from her.
Two soon to be lovers cannot be separated like this, so I had to make a move. Tonight was the night that I would finally be able to meet her. I will never forget the time I first read Shakespeare. His words are so effortlessly romantic, so tonight, I shall take after his prized character Romeo. I will treat her backyard as Juliet’s and provide sweet words to her ear written by none other than Shakespeare himself. Her camera lit up as I entered her backyard from a convenient mound against the home’s fence. The camera overlooking the yard lit up, but I took my time and pulled out my rose I picked especially for this occasion. The windows illuminated, casting a fine light on me as if I was on a real stage. I now knew she was awake, so I recited my words of love: “It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief, That thou her maid art far more fair than she. It is my lady, O, it is my love!” I audibly heard her screaming and shouting. “Has she fallen over?” I thought, “My words may have frightened her, but how. This did not happen in Romeo and Juliet.” I took charge and tried to open the back door, but it was locked. “Let Romeo in!” I yelled, “Your courteous lover has come to save you!” But, alas, the door did not open. “She has to be in pain and must not be able to reach the door handle!” I thought again. I smashed through the glass door and unlocked it from the other side. “I’m coming Juliet!” I yelled dashing up the stairs towards her room. She spends most of her time there everyday. If she was anywhere it would be in that room. I ran towards the door, one more boundary that I would have to cross to get to my beloved Juliet. I grasped the door handle and twisted it. An explosion of controlled fire broke through the door and a sharp pain touched my leg. I fell to my knees. “She shot me!” Is what I meant to say, but I must stay strong for my lover as this could be to test my strength. The door opened and I saw the barrel of a shotgun. That was when I saw her for the first time face-to-face. I pushed the gun out of the way to get a better glimpse of her, another thunderous roar coming from the shotgun as I brushed it back, creating a hole in the wall next to us. However, I did not care, for she was more beautiful than in the photos I had taken. Even with her makeup drooling down her face, I could still feel her beauty levitating around me. She redirected the gun back at me, but instead of another shot, there was nothing but a mere click. It was a double barrel after all, how could she be so foolish to think another bullet would form. She reached into her pocket and pulled out more shotgun shells and tried to put them back into the gun, but struggled. “Don’t worry Juliet, let Romeo do it for you,” I offered. She screamed, which I thought was a rather rash reaction for a simple helping hand. I ripped the shotgun from her grip and asked for the shotgun shells with what I thought to be a greatly polite attitude. She tried to flee, but I grabbed her by her shirt and threw her back into her room. She yelled and backed into the corner of her room, clawing at the window. I walked up to her and removed the shells from her possession. I loaded the ammunition into the shotgun with prestige accuracy. I felt like a well trained soldier ready for battle. I held out her weapon, waiting for her to take it back. However, all she gave me was a look of confusion as if she had no idea what my intentions were. “How could I make this more romantic?” I thought. The title of Romeo and Juliet bounced through my head over and over, until I realized something. Romeo and Juliet’s relationship never ended happily, which begs the question: “How could our relationship do so?” The answer was quite apparent to me at the moment; It cannot and will not end happily, so, I drew the shotgun back into my own arms. The sound of police sirens wailed in the background. “Have you ever read Romeo and Juliet?” I asked. She wept, but finally answered me with a nod affirming “yes.” “Good, now can you remember how that story ends?” She looked at me in pure astonishment as if it were not our destiny to reenact it. “Hush, Juliet, our story will end soon…”

Has anyone transitioned from finishing a secondary PGCE to then pursue building their career as a primary teacher (UK)?
Would this be feasible, and how would hiring international schools look upon this?
Would they be against hiring a primary teacher with experience, even if their PGCE is secondary trained?
I think some countries like Australia, Scotland, and the USA require that your PGCE must be in the age range you actually apply to teach? (ie: having a secondary PGCE means you can only teach secondary).
Thanks in advance for any answers!

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So its been near 6 months since I foolishly went to a chiropractor for neck adjustment to treat neck pain. Resident of Calgary.
Since then, I’ve been experiencing intermittent onsets of occipital neuralgia (headaches along the occipital nerves, most prominently affecting my left eye socket).
Gone to neurologist. Had MRI and XRAYs done. Neurologist can’t find anything wrong but suggested my symptoms match occipital neuralgia, which is hard to pick up by diagnostics. They recommended medication that can help numb pain but have side effects like drowsiness. Thats a no. They also suggested numbing my nerves which is another no.
Also tried second opinions from other family doctors and even teledoc but none of them would acknowledge issue is caused by chiropractor’s negligence.
I’m not looking for an excuse to sue but this grievance has only started immediately after I visited said chiropractor, and most doctors seem reluctant to make the connection.
Looking for legal advice/help as this has cost me many work hours and medical bills with seeing specialists, not to mention the months of sleepless nights and pain that I’ve described.
I’m super aggravated by the medical system at this point, having no luck with finding relief of my pain, which is why I’m posting here for advice.
Thanks in advance.

I’ve been having a lot of trouble with my identity lately. I don’t know what to categorize myself as, but here’s the best description of what I’m feeling (FAB, btw):
I do feel comfortable in the body that I’m in, but at the same time, I would be content with whatever body I would’ve been born in, whether it’s female or male. I don’t care what pronouns people call me, as I can feel and relate to male, female, and non-binary. I wouldn’t mind being called any pronouns as long as it’s respectful. I have looked into pangender, but I don’t feel like it necessarily fits, as it states that it’s feeling multiple genders at once when I simply am content with whatever.
I use she/her pronouns irl since that’s what I pass by (half of the time. I get confused often). But online, I primarily use he/him and have a different name. I don’t know if this is normal. I don’t know if not caring is normal. Help.

So I have semi dry skin with combination skin around my nose. I moisturize and exfoliate and use an eyebrow razor on my face before applying my makeup to make sure I have no fuzzies or anything. I recently started using the elf powergrip primer with the morphe filter effect foundation. I do my contour, only powder around my nose/under eyes (I don’t like it anywhere else) then finish off with the elf stay all night setting spray. I’m trying to get my makeup to withstand a whole night out where I’ll be sweating or rubbing my face so the waterproof products are a must. The issue is by the end of the night my foundation is so patchy. I use a darker foundation bc my body is darker than my face but this ends up as me looking like a Dalmatian. It rubs off in some places, clings on it balls up in others. Is there a longwear or waterproof foundation that won’t look gross and patchy by the end of the night that doesn’t break the bank?:(

Moonlight filtered in through the curtains, and an owl hooted outside. A large, dead tree reached up to Elucia's window, its withered branches scratching against the glass like wooden fingers trying to claw their way inside. The girl herself was hunched over at the desk, humming.
This inn was a rather lovely place. They even had a quill and some ink, though patrons had to supply their own scrolls. Elucia had no problem with that, and happily laid out her fifty-something parchment papers to begin scribbling notes on. She had been studying many things these past few weeks. Among them was Asmon.
She put him right by her chair. She would need to climb back into him later. He loomed over her. In battle, he shielded her against many dangers. He had saved her life, before the cultists could sacrifice it to their dark gods. And yet, whenever Elucia looked at him… she felt threatened. She knew some part of him was sentient; but what part? To what degree?
She bit her lip, dabbed her quill in some more ink. She would have a lot of writing to do. Elucia decided that maybe she ought to try a primary source.
"Hey, Asmon. How are you feeling?"
Asmon twitched.
~
Sunlight filtered in through the stained glass window. The room smelled strongly of flowers. Right outside the door, the royal guard marched, performing their routine patrol. The Sultan was hunched over on his stool, while he turned a blank canvas into a glorious oasis.
Asmedan was standing at his side. Though Asmedan wished to comment on the painting's elegance – the young Sultan had grown proficient in the art – he kept his mouth shut. The Sultan wouldn't hear a word of compliment from him. Or a word of anything. The Sultan was deaf, and Asmedan was mute.
Among the common peoples, it was a bad thing to be mute. Among slaves, it was a selling point. If he could talk, Asmedan would've been killed back in the mines, and wouldn't be serving the royals of the Dunelands. He had watched the young Sultan since his birth, and he would probably watch him die. Such were things.
"Hey, Asmon," the Sultan turned around and motioned towards the painting, "What do you think?"
I think you should use my real name, pig.
But through sign language, words could be thought on, and lies could be more easily told. He signed:
"Your art rivals the sculptures of House Scepter, though it lacks some maturity."
It was important to throw in some criticism. Otherwise, he would no longer seem genuine, and the Sultan would cease to think him a friend. Friends did not whip friends. Asmedan's back was lined with wicked scars. Most of them were from the mines. Three were from the young Sultan.
"Hey, Asmon," the young Sultan snapped him from his thoughts, "How have you been feeling, eh? You are my friend, by the way. You seem worried as of late. I am always here to… sign to."
Asmedan stopped himself from grimacing. Why did the master care to know the heart of his slave? A man befriends a man. A warrior befriends a sword. A man could not know joy without a friend; a sword could not know battle without someone to swing it.
But a slave? A slave was kept from happiness by his master. Asmon, he would be called. A brief, localized version of his true name. In his own homeland, "Asmon" was the kind of name given to dogs. A master didn't need a slave to be happy; a master ought to raise his own damn son. A slave ought to be a master. There ought to be no slaves. Asmedan ought to be a sultan.
That is how he felt.
"I feel okay, sir."
~
Elucia was sitting at the desk again. She decided to spend an extra day at the inn, as apparently a necessary bridge had been toppled in a recent spellcasting incident. And besides, it was a really nice inn. Her room at the shack wasn't unpleasant, but it was lifeless. Here, she felt like she could breathe.
Also sitting at her desk was Asmon. She had crawled into him, pinched the quill between his claws, and willed his muscles to move. It was a struggle at first, but with practice even movements as fine as these felt normal. Elucia had actually grown quite attached to Asmon – literally and figuratively.
It was hard not too. Even with his ominous aura and all, he was quickly becoming a necessary part of her life. Without Asmon, she would never walk again. She would never jump. She wouldn't have anything fun to study without him, either. She often pondered his origins, and the biomechanics that allowed him to move as he did.
Today, she was just practicing writing. She wanted to see how precise this shell could be. The quill glided easily across the scroll, Asmons hand a tool of elegance. It felt a lot like painting.
~
Asmedan had learned something men should not learn, and seen something men should not see. It wasn't even hard to do it, either. He had pulled an ancient text from the great library, the one adjacent to the young Sultan's new garden. He had drawn a sigil with chalk in the abandoned wing of the palace. He had scattered feathers and the guts of a shark across the floor.
And now it was here. It crawled from between the cracks in the floorboard, slithered from his ears, from his mouth. It stood taller than the palace itself, and yet was small enough to fit between his fingers. The thing was nothing. Sweat dripped down Asmedan's brow. That little bead of water rolled down to his chin, sagged, dropped to the floor.
It became a whirlpool, almost. In it's depths, Asmedan saw a thousand faces, and many of them were not unlike his own.
"You have called us because you want to kill the Sultan," said the drop of sweat.
Asmedan's hands became a flurry motion as he explained himself.
"Yes, Riala, my queen. I seek your aid. I seek to free the slaves of the Duneland, and to become the king of the downtrodden."
"We are not Riala. She did not exist until I willed it so. I do not say this to boast. It is simple truth. Asmedan, did you hope to connect with Riala? You think of her as a force of good. She is not. Nor is she evil. She's just another animal."
Asmedan stared down at the thing. Riala was an ancient demon, spoken of only by heretics and fortune tellers. He had not expected her to be good, but he had at least expected her to answer. No matter.
"Tell me your name, then, so I can give you the reverence you deserve."
"Flattery is of no use to us, but we will tell you this: We go by many names. Glok-tar was our first. A thousand years passed. Then, we were Philong. Then we were Treatan. Then we were Hrothgar, then we were Philip, then we were Mecrates. Soon, we will be Asmedan. We know why you have called us here."
"You are destined to die as a slave, Asmedan. Did you know that? You will die as a slave. One day, the young Sultan will grow tired of your pleasantries and your ceaseless loyalty. He will feed you to a pack of hounds in order to appease foreign guests. They will laugh. He will forget you. Then, it would be as though you never existed at all."
"In calling us, you bypass that death. You live. And you live. And you live. You are granted power over your fate. You are granted a voice. Can you handle it? Can you carry the weight of your life? You think you can, and so you will try. We know you are certain of this."
In the center of the ritual circle, the chalk and the feathers and the guts of a dark drew closer to one another, guided across the floor by an invisible hand. They flashed white in the center, and in their place, was a simple dagger.
"Take this dagger, Glok-tar, Philong, Treatan, Hrothgar, Philip, Mecrates, Asmedan. We give you this dagger! We give you life! Plunge it through the sultan's throat. His life will be yours. His voice will be yours. You will carry the weight."
Asmedan took the dagger.