After a busy week in Belgium saw several important developments, the F1 circus returns to the Temple of Speed having seen another busy week on the news front.
Williams Family Leaves F1
The Williams F1 team announced last weekend that the team has been sold to Dorilton Capital, a USA investment firm. At the time, the destiny of Sir Frank and especially that of Deputy Team Principal Claire Williams were up in the air, everyone involved giving vague and non-committal answers to questions about the direction of the team moving forward. There were plenty of rumors flying around that neither would carry on in the team, and these were confirmed this week, as the team announced this will be Claire Williams’ last race as Deputy Team Principal, with no replacement named yet. Sir Frank and Sir Patrick Head founded the team 43 years ago and the Tuscany Grand Prix will be the first time the team is not headed by someone with the Williams last name. In those years, the team won 7 Drivers’ titles, 9 Constructors’ titles, with drivers such as Keke Rosberg, Nigel Mansell, Nelson Piquet, Damon Hill, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Damon Hill, David Coulthard, and Jacques Villeneuve driving for the team. More recently, Nico Rosberg, Valtteri Bottas, Sebastian Vettel, and Lance Stroll all got their first taste of an F1 car in a Williams. The team faced incredible financial struggles after the car’s performance dropped in the last few years, with main sponsor Rokit ending their agreement before the 2020 season. The team has announced that the Board of Directors will now be composed of Matthew Savage (chairman of Dorilton Capital), Darren Fultz (CEO of Dorilton), and James Matthews (CEO of Eden Rock Group). The departure of the Williams family from F1 brings a lot of sadness to many fans, even if the team name will be maintained (for now, at least), as one of the legendary names in F1 leaves the sport. We say goodbye to the Williams family with sadness, as they were a great example of the determination, hard work, ingenuity, and commitment that helped Formula 1 become what it is today.
Technical Directive Slows Down Engines
The new Technical Directive designed to end the use of “party modes” has finally been set by the FIA. Teams will now have to use the same engine mode from the start of qualifying to the end of the race. Nominally, it appears the objective of the TD is to hold Mercedes’ PUs back, but initial analysis shows that it may actually help the Mercedes-powered teams, so we will have to wait and see what actually happens. It would be great for fans of Mercedes and of schadenfreude if the TD had the diametrically opposite effect. ERS usage has not been affected, so drivers will still have their hybrid options available to them.
Tech Talk And Rules Update
For this weekend, we will be seeing the lowest downforce packages of the entire season, with the skinniest rear wings and the most angled front wings for each team. Some teams, such as McLaren, even tested parts for this weekend at Spa, as they all bring their lowest downforce package to Monza. Expect to see tiny rear wings and top speeds in excess of 350 kph over the weekend. The FIA’s crackdown on track limit abuse marches on and at Monza, they are cracking the whip hard. Timing loops have been installed at the exit of Parabolica to monitor track extensions (with both the current and next laps being deleted if the driver goes beyond the limit), whereas last year they had to rely on camera shots to make sure the drivers kept all wheels inside the white lines, resulting in some confusion about some track extensions. There looks to be no chance of rain, and the temperatures look to be stable and pleasant throughout the weekend. Lastly, in an attempt to avoid a repeat of last year’s qualifying debacle, Michael Masi sent the teams a document reinforcing the rule of Article 27.4 of the Sporting Regulations while also establishing maximum lap times for FP3 and Qualifying. [Note: Article 27.4 reads: “[a]t no time may a car be driven unnecessarily slowly, erratically or in a manner which could be deemed potentially dangerous to other drivers or any other person.”] With the tow from another car being very powerful at Monza, however, we will have to wait for tomorrow to see if the FIA will in fact strictly enforce Article 27.4, and also wait to see if the tragicomical scenes from last year’s qualifying session will be repeated. —-
Free Practice 1
Friday morning started off slow, with teams waiting a while before getting started. The first timed lap came with around 20 minutes gone in the session, Alexander Albon setting a time that was promptly deleted for track limits at Parabolica. It would not be the last time we would see that happen. The track showed its greenness, multiple drivers locking up as they applied the brakes,, the most notable of these being Sebastian Vettel and Romain Grosjean, who both locked up their front tires going into the second chicane. Vettel’s struggles were not restricted to a lock-up, though. The 4-time champion went off at Lesmo 1 and kicked up a lot of gravel, finishing the season with only the 19th fastest time, ahead only of Nicolas Latifi. The other Williams FW43 was driven by Israeli F2 driver Roy Nissany, who finished immediately ahead of Vettel in P18. Max Verstappen was also in trouble during the session, losing the rear in the second leg of Ascari and crashing into barriers. He was able to limp home to the pits, sans his front wing. The usual quick Red Bull pit work had him back on track in a few minutes, but he could not find his usual torrid pace, while his teammate found himself third behind the all-powerful Mercedes duo. Mercedes seemed unperturbed about the engine mode change ban, stamping their authority right from the start. Even if Valtteri Bottas appeared to struggle in the early going with a number of lock-ups and off-track excursions, he managed to set the fastest lap by the time the checkered flag came out, a 1:20.703 leading his teammate by over 0.2 second. As has been the case throughout the season, the W11 reigned supreme around Monza, Albon’s best lap 0.797s slower than Bottas’ best effort. The Mercedes driver was irked by both the Williams drivers for their car placement, the Finn being very vocal about Latifi and Nissany not paying attention to the faster car’s approach. Outside the rarefied heights of the W11, the midfield battle continued to be as tight as ever. AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly’s different to 17th placed Kimi Räikkönen was less than a second. Ferrari, usually a force at their home event, had another miserable session, along with the teams that use their PU. Charles Leclerc managed the 11th best time, 1.201 second to Bottas, while Haas had to retire Kevin Magnussen early due to cooling issues. While teams do run different programs with their drivers in Free Practices, the lack of pace of the Ferrari-powered cars is still evident at Monza. The battle in the midfield seems to be tightening up, with Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo predicting a strong weekend for the French outfit after the RS20 showed impressive pace around Spa. Touted to be an extremely fast car on straights, Monza should be perfect for Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon to show the RS20’s pace. McLaren, after having a few lacklustre weekends, will be looking to turn the tides at Monza as well. Racing Point will, obviously, try to frustrate the other two teams’ expectations, in what promises to be another intense battle in the midfield. The traffic problems at Monza persisted, with everyone trying to get the best tow into their flying laps. Lando Norris commented about how the FIA should do something about the dangerously slow speeds cars queued up to start their laps, and Lance Stroll was not particularly happy with the traffic through Turn 6. But the tow’s powerful effect cannot be denied, so teams are always looking for some help. Leclerc was clearly worried about getting a tow whenever possible, as the Ferrari could certainly use some help. Gasly appears to have maintained his strong form from Belgium, setting some rapid times in the AT01 before having a slight off into the gravel at T5. But with the engine running and the car pointing the right way, he was able to get rolling without too much damage and set a very respectable time, good enough for 6th place, while his teammate’s apparent resurgence continues, with Daniil Kvyat finishing the session with the 4th best time, between both Red Bulls. —-
Free Practice 2
The second session also got off to a slow start. After about 15 minutes, teams started to head out. Some minor incidents included Romain Grosjean locking up at Turn 1 and Leclerc having his time deleted for track limits at the Parabolica. With more cars out on track, teams looked for ways to test out the slipstream. The midfield teams were especially eager to attempt to use a tow, as a properly executed manoeuvre can lead to a gain of half a second or more on a fast lap. The session then went into a short lull where nobody was out on track for a few minutes. Around the 60-minute mark, the session went into a higher gear, with all 20 cars on track. 15 of those 20 cars got caught in a giant traffic jam towards to the Parabolica. Ricciardo, after posting a strong session for Renault in the morning session, was on his way to a similar result, but had his time deleted for track limits at the Parabolica, with Vettel and Albon suffering the same fate later in the session. After qualifying simulations were done, most teams did longer runs on more durable tire compounds, with Hamilton going 0.2 second faster than his teammate while fellow Briton Norris had a PU issue, and was forced to go back into the pits. He would make amends, though, finishing the session with the third best time, less than half a second ahead of Gasly’s AlphaTauri. Over at Ferrari, Vettel’s woes were not done for the day. Coming into Lesmos, the SF1000 twitched sending him on a spin, and rolling in reverse into the Tecpro barriers, a severely flat spotted set of tires being the worst consequence. Leclerc had a small outing into the gravel at the same spot, grumbling “[t]his is such a difficult car to drive”. Down at the Alpha Tauri garage, it was raining purple for Daniil Kvyat, why Gasly maintained his strong form through the session until the end, when something broke in his AT01, the French driver complaining of a springy rear end and slowly limping back to the pits.
Predictions:
u/DeathPig: Mercedes seem set to be on pole, even if they mess up the tow. The W11 is that powerful. However, we might see a toss up of the qualifying order with the teams thinking about which engine mode to use for qualifying as well as the race. I predict Mercedes, Red Bull, Racing Point to be in the top 6, with Ferrari, McLaren, and Alpha Tauri making up the rear of this train. As for the race, it should be a HAM BOT VER podium followed by Checo, who would have been pursued yet not passed by Alexander Albon. Ricciardo will move into sixth, Leclerc into seventh, and Stroll eighth. Personally, I’m not betting on Gasly after his problems today, but time will tell. u/UnmeshDatta26: Toto Wolff has talked about how he thinks the party mode ban wouldn’t affect the team, so I expect the two Mercedes cars to be on top, along with their 2019 car painted in pink for Racing Point. That said, Red Bull are my pick for second best come qualifying. Alpha Tauri are sure to challenge for a top 10 spot following the great showing at Spa last weekend, although Kvyat has been some distance away from his teammate. McLaren should be close with Renault in the fight for the top 10, and as much as my Ferrari heart bleeds, I expect the Prancing Horse to be outside of the points. Leclerc could spring a surprise, but I don’t expect anything special. For Qualifying, I expect the two Mercedes drivers to share the front row along with the Racing Point duo, with a faint chance of the Red Bull duo breaking up the hegemony. u/showstopperNL: I’ll stay away from the usual predictions, because I think we all know the score at front, but in the midfield and further back I’m really expecting some fireworks. Renault seemed really quick. It didn’t show in the end, but Ricciardo’s deleted lap time was 2nd fastest. With last weekend’s performance in mind I'm expecting big things. Certainly a top 6 in qualifying, maybe even out qualifying Max Verstappen. Renault will battle along with Racing Point and Mclaren for the top 6 on Sunday. AlphaTauri looked good, but I think when push comes to shove, they lack the ultimate one lap pace to really compete. Although I’m happy to be proven wrong. I have a soft spot for Gasly. The way he was treated by both Red Bull and the media seemed really unfair to me. I think Russell can make it out of Q1 again. He certainly seems to understand how to get the most out of his car. I don’t expect much from all Ferrari-powered cars. Both Ferrari drivers are very unhappy with the car, as showcased by their offs in FP2. Editor's Note: Sorry for the delay, but the editor was called to help put out a small bushfire and things took a little longer than expected.
The Meld II (19): Path-finder. As the sun began sinking, Nahrl realised he had underestimated badly. On the other side of the basin the City seeming far closer than it actually was. The fault in review proving the madly towering scale of the splintered ruined towers, combined with far taller trees deeper along on this side as well. Both factors combining to deeply confuse his normally accurate sense of distance via bamboozling the measure of relative scales. There being a paradigm shift over here. Though occasional forced backtracking didn’t help them reach their destination quickly either. As if on cue he heard another approaching Drone. ‘To cover.’ Nahrl signalled. With deep reluctance, but necessary haste, the party hustling off the animal track. Each member - carefully - merging among the grown denser, stranger undergrowth. Ideally disappearing under the eaves of only passive large rubbery leaved plants. Avoiding contact with the increasingly prolific and problematic hanging vines and other menaces. Some of the trailing plants, lately waxing in numbers, moved in alarming ways. More carnivore, it guessed ancient science altered, plantimal forms. Judging on variations of feature and colour several species. A few deceptively beautiful, scenting richly attractive as well, probably luring occasional victims that way. Perhaps it cautiously looking upward rather than down tripped Gryll. The Rogue emitting a sharp wordless electronic burst of surprise whilst plummeting from sight. Their Korvax friend vanishing into a previously unseen drop, trailing a scatter of netted plant growth with him, a profusion once matted across the gap possibly only accidentally concealing the now exposed void. That event, in part, glanced under the optics of Efor, as rear guard, the Gek cursing out, ‘Gryll!’ over comms., whilst the Sentinel drew nearer. The machine floating down the natural path they had lately taken, only the Drone, red lens flaring, arriving upon them from the opposite direction. Akin to the Pentacle Minus One, the Sentinels currently also forced to patrol natural conduits, else, unlike the friends, they zoomed along high above the canopy. Efor easily understanding, given the hanging banes and so on, why some wise animals had created safer trails via habitual movements. Although the animals also ventured off trail to forage on occasion most doing so tentatively with great care. Nature a good teacher. They had all witnessed what happened to startled bolting animals rushing wildly off their own paths in panic. At this end of the jungle, the vines oft catching unlucky ones. Some manner of thorn injected neurotoxin suspected. Anyway, the deaths jerky, quick and loathsome. Presently the more usual in many woods semi clear space between the canopy and the undergrowth full with those tangling jungle style spilling liana like vines. Some of which, (confusingly far from all), retaining the aforementioned animalistic predatory qualities. Meanwhile, back in the perilous moment, the Drone gliding forward, drifting effortlessly upon a sophisticated anti gravity drive. The thing only pausing to smoothly pivot in mid air as if sniffing, though clearly attracted by the previous sound of Gryll’s fall. It then followed on with a slower virtually stalking level of creeping advance, shifting cautiously almost as if nervous while still buzzing ever closer orientated to the hole and via loose grouping the concealed party too. All the hiding above ground companions growing more tense and still. Thoughts of Gryll’s fate deferred momentarily by their own requirement to stay unnoticed. The Drone ultimately halting a little shy. The mechanical mind computing its best reactive options whilst listening for further discordant noises via sharp microphones. It wisely hesitant to advance deeper off the trail into the often lethal undergrowth beyond. Though the friends unsure how deadly the vines might be to a machine, perhaps it merely didn’t want forced to wound or destroy to break loose. That being one advantage here - for the Pentacle Minus One - the Drones seeming to know, and to avoid, deep jungle complications. Thus the friends as long as they stayed hidden and remained still might yet be safe. Although the sound of Gryll’s fall a bit of ill luck. Grim games of retreat or hide and seek presently too familiar. The area, nearest they guessed to the City limits, had ways suspiciously hiving with mechanised patrols. It as if the Sentinels intent upon keeping people out, else people or other unknowns cut off and imprisoned within. Many times Drones or Quads had forced the friends to stealthily backtrack and skirt around seeking a better gap in the defence only to be moved on again, primarily using those safer crisscrossing animal trails. Thus it would go until Nahrl, in deep frustration, would get a little bolder and chance them to slip around some judged narrow chink in another defensive ring. The cordon proving many layered, though really it was less geometric than a simple ring in action due to the random forest pathways. Nahrl oft fearing they would get caught in the middle of this dangerously monitored zone, exposed and attacked from all accessible directions with no sane escape off trail. Using a jetpack under the canopy a virtual suicide via vine. Even if the thorns did not penetrate shields, the tangling would immobilise and delay making anyone snared easy Sentinel targets. Luckily the Forest - for all its exotic menaces - especially towards Efor -, or so he still claimed, also provided ample cover on the slightly safer fringes of the well judged animal trails at least in selected spots. Machine noises by the Drones and Quads usually giving their approach away reasonably clearly in advance. The party however, in their traverse, forced to move slowly, constantly listening with their suit microphones turned up, or their ears straining. Whilst despite precautions a few too close calls kept everyone stressed. Yet, so far, they had remained undetected with the exception of one previous mishap: The event when Efor shot the shrieking initially hidden ground dwelling tentacle sprouting hunched plantimal thing that had ambushed him, no pun intended. That encounter precipitating an especially tense rout. The group fleeing - alerted - Drone attention down various tracks. The unholy hooting shrieks of the weird plant animal mix when it fought and died easily rallying Sentinel attention and ire. Despite the one aberration, simply stealthily retreating or taking to concealment for a time often proved good enough, whilst that lone chase occurred before they entered the main body of this apparent Sentinel cordon. It also happening before they got surrounded by especially dense masses of the troublesome hanging vines. As they neared the City outskirts matters ranging from bad to worse in multiple ways. If the SmugglerGek flew directly into the heart of the City they probably had no idea just how lucky they had been in avoiding a jungle trek. Although Nahrl, as ever, did a diligent Scouting job as a master of the path-finding craft, including being a Fox expert at avoiding rather than finding trouble. As Sentinel encounters waxed frequent, rather than sporadic, it getting harder work. Therefore they had toiled in increasing despair - anything but directly - towards their desire the sun steadily sinking, that blessed orb’s kindly presence waning early, its light diffused, horribly barred, by the barrier of the jungles intimidating growth. In a way the shade aiding their cover from angry machines, but it hardly boosted their morale. Meanwhile, the currently menacing Drone scanned a local berry heavy thorn bush with suspiciously luscious looking fleshy yellow fruit. Then seemingly content, began to float away. Efor felt he was sweating Gek stink inside his helmet, despite temperature controlling. To him the cursed unnatural predatory flora bad enough without machines congregating as well. Yet since he donned his helmet and turned his suit olfactory sensors off, the traverse had become more tolerable on one level at least. It a hard price for him to pay though - as a Gek: Not scenting his environment directly with his own nostrils that made him feel somewhat sense blind. Though he found himself naturally increasingly relying upon optical and sonic input instead. The sweaty weary Gek cursing inwardly, yearning to get away from the freakish claustrophobic living domain. The Damn Drone too typically taking its time about moving on, it only going a few Gek paces distance before pausing again, to scan some other relatively mundane object in the vicinity. Efor often wondering precisely what the machines scanned for, though maybe it something less obvious than it appeared. Perhaps it sought signs of material instabilities in the structure of reality: Fluxes in the quantum foam or other esoteric hokum well beyond his level of general science learning - well mostly - ignoring his occult days. Whatever the machine obsession, it left Efor desirous of screaming. Could such routines be programmed in, to deliberately test the nerve of any trespassers they hunted? A big part of him wanted to end his tense vigil by leaping up from his crouched cover to shoot the cursed thing down without mercy. He envisioned that action several times over, it seeming a grand Gek fantasy. Sadly although decisive martial action might appear the quick solution to move along unmolested, more probably it very much not so. Rash action only summoning more of the damned things, beginning a grim too standard escalation of hunting reinforcement. Truly, it would not surprise him if Drones did loiter - simply to act as tempting targets - offering themselves up as disposable bait. Coming under fire being a fine way to pinpoint and reveal hostiles to their wider conglomerate. If they did play such selfless games, it actually rather cunning for spawning bots. Given how it usually played out, Efor knew staying concealed the best option of all, yet every time they were trapped he struggled to retain his necessary immobility. The Gek now appreciating how much he lacked the Foxes - at need - almost meditative levels of deep inner and outer stillness. Their patience in particular when hiding and stalking both impressing and sometimes frustrating the spawn out of him. By comparison, staying perfectly still, for him as a Gek, often a battle of fraying willpower over natural fidgety inclinations. Worse, he personally also felt a betraying inner part of him yearned to give all their positions away in a deliberate devilish manner. A mad impulse perhaps of the former CultGek tempting him. How he hated that horrid being - he had fled away from - so long ago. Evil thoughts from that SurvivorGek still ironically making him itch to do dire things. Yet such simply his unhappy - once broken - mind being converse, when he dwelt too much upon haunting old matters best left to wither and die. Occasionally remembrance of an ill history can spawn with your better nature. Mocking the hard won successes, claiming there actually no hope and no escape from the Gek you used to be. As his Seniors had oft lectured: The pyramidal tiers of the Cult is all! Beyond such advancement only a soul devouring darkness. You fed the Darks, or the Darks fed upon you! That was the devil’s compact. Once in the Cult, always a Cultist… The Dark Taint - not a matter easily expelled - it seeped in deep to meld firmly with your being. Forbidden knowledge rooting in your cells as if some malignant cancerous mutating blight or roguish, (off kinder remit), invasive nanotech machines. How do you escape from yourself after you have become what you become? Of course, some of that a lie designed to help keep New Initiates bound to their New Masters, yet a shadow of truth in there too. The taint did stain you, you were never quite free of it or the same Gek you were before initiation. ‘Bah!’ He complained inwardly turning away from the old - too familiar - horror of his shadowed history. Turning instead to immediate concerns about the lone Sentinel and Gryll. Was Gryll alright? He must have fallen down a sink hole, perhaps dropping into a deep cave system or even an old Warren living space or tunnel, it being Hellespae after all. Unlike any other world he had traversed, this one a labyrinth of ancient and modern underground - manufactured workings - not just natural tunnels and caves though there remained plenty of those as well. In some ways, more occurring underground these days - in places - than happened above on the surface. Especially since the return of the Sentinels, the Hellespae Underdarks hiving with banished Tusk and Fox souls, although that not, he realised, the most auspicious way to consider it. Some of his nasty thoughts probably seeded by memories of the Forest Stink yet wounding his equilibrium. At least Gryll smart enough to remain quiet after his accident. Efor positive the silence just Gryll being sensible, not say the effect of him falling down some unholy ruinous abyss to lie broken. Bah! Gryll had a jetpack and active shields too. No mere fall would easily end the rare Traveller Korvax. Nonetheless, Efor itched to rush over to the hole to investigate the unexpected happening, even as a potential underground escape from the testing jungle trek. Yet he dared not move whilst the Drone yet lurked so close listening. Again he had to resist that urge to pop up and shoot it. It coming to his mind that if he destroyed the spawning thing they could all jump into the hole to hide from any deeper attention that action might draw. Yet he knew drawing that added attention - stupid - and leaping into an abyss might lead to other issues even if it presently seemed attractive. It proving a harsh wait indeed, when Nahrl lobbed a well aimed stone that had the Drone move off to investigate that sound. Now why didn’t I think of that low tech solution, Efor thought, then realising probably because it was low tech. Bah! You could get too dependent upon machines. When it finally out of range, Efor gave out a great sigh of relief and sprang into physical action. The movement an intense Joy, Joy. Yet he was careful enough to mind his own footing lest he tumble beyond some vegetative edge in an undignified and worse overly loud crashing manner. It was only belatedly that the Gek judged himself a fool. After all, he could have silently linked into Gryll at any time to ascertain his friends present status including during his hiding vigil. There being no need to rest in ignorant trepidation. Yet in the moments of concealment, thoughts of communication with others had abandoned him. Maybe a good thing, as sometimes it better to stay alert rather than be too distracted by a back and forth babble. Although he had kept up a busy inner monologue in his head with himself that somehow less bothersome distracting. ‘Gryll fell into something.’ Efor nonetheless broadcast by comms., to the others first. ‘Heard him drop.’ Nahrl sent back, soon moving over with Jhasq ranging behind him on one flank, something lethal tactical about that deployment not to mention hunting sinister. In the jungle the Foxes seemed to wax predatory. The way they stalked sending a natural thrill of alarm to the Gek almost activating a prey flight or fight instinct. Yet it was just Nahrl and Jhasq - his friends - he let the cowardly impulse go. ‘You alright down there.’ Nahrl sent, doing the obvious, before Efor framed and transmitted his own planned query. That being what he got for distracting thoughts of Fox Predators hunting him through the undergrowth. ‘Fine.’ Gryll replied lightly as if surprised at anybody even being concerned. ‘So what have you found down there?’ Efor sent turning his torch on to peer into a narrow round shaft that ran perfectly straight. The lengthy hole although well overgrown in places by normal creeping weeds - denoting possible antiquity - had all the signs of a once well cut Terrain Manipulator type escape tunnel. The sort of thing wanderers had a habit of excavating as short cuts to the surface when stuck deep underground. Though Efor mused it could also as easily be an old - no thrills - air shaft of some manner. Somehow it didn’t strike him as a sensible purposeful entrance. There being no ladder or even cut semi hidden hand and foot holes nothing of that aiding civil engineered nature visible anyway. ‘A Fox Warren area, of a sort, although…’ Gryll trailed off for a time. ‘…something else too.’ The Rogue added with a very different - far more serious - not to add mysterious tone. From above Efor could make out hints of his friends torch light flickering around below though it didn‘t really help him to see much more, not even when combined with some steadier plant based bioluminescence also present. Yet peering down as if through a long non magnifying telescope he did glimpse hints of a blocky overgrown shape directly below that instinctively disturbed him slightly, though he could not immediately appreciate why at that distance. He didn’t dwell too much on it though, partly because, of late, so very much disturbing him. Being half freaked out seemed his present mode of the moment. Strange what you can get used to, including a constant ambiance of terror. ‘Coming down.’ Efor stated before leaping in cushioning his fall via short taps of his jetpack. The Gek veering off slightly from the protruding object directly below. Although he landed a little awkwardly to one side of the block, Efor felt instantly safer with all the primary jungle growth now a good distance above, better yet with mostly a fine deep stone barrier between him and it. Truly Joy, Joy. Without a word Nahrl then Jhasq also slipped down to join their colleagues also using a little jet power to avoid colliding with the central object and to land well enough. ‘Does it run our way.’ Nahrl asked immediately, whilst looking around, his mind still set firmly on the journey ahead. Efor judging even their Scout happy to potentially get away from among the trees, in his case to avoid the increasingly troublesome Sentinel patrols now taxing even his stealthy guidance. Actually Nahrl had long been looking for ways underground ever since they entered the hanging vine jungle style part of the Forest biome, without luck in that side quest until now. The only hollows previously observed being some too obvious animal style - dug out - burrows that Nahrl considered best avoided, a choice Efor firmly agreed with not liking the idea of what might lurk in those locations. Something about those holes, maybe another smell, also giving him the creeps. It probably amusing Nahrl now though that Gryll - by sheer mishap - had perhaps found what he could not, despite all his scouting craft. Although that they had striven to avoid straying off the animal trails, (as much as possible), probably ill helping with locating underworld entrances. Efor took in the new area. It was a largish, mostly open, space ignoring the elevated central block. Certainly the Pentacle Minus One not crowding it, but it was not vastly huge either. The shaft actually at the apex of a smaller perfect but compact dome shaped void that then widened via a hard edged circumference into a broader flat ceiling. Directly under the shaft and dome now, he looked at it better, in dimensions a suspiciously alter like slab of dark heavily carved stone. The stonework rather overgrown with hardy opportunistic weeds even inside the shaded hollow. Yet glimpses between that unruly growth that also colonised patches upon the wider mud caked stone floor did hint at elaborate - Fox - skill level carvings. Unfortunately, the object itself and the shapes half glimpsed of the things carved in relief soon presented as less Foxy and suggesting nothing pleasant. ‘An old Gek Blood Cult Shrine.’ Gryll stated firmly - but plainly - as if that fact no big deal, whilst playing his torch over the offending weed encased sacrificial alter block. Not, thank The Stars, active Elder Tech, just regular old inert stone - as far as I can tell. No creepy emissions here whatsoever, beyond the natural reactions it causes via association in any dark lore wise mind, or simply any vivid imagination.’ He added. ‘Filthy work.’ Nahrl barked out via a sending. ‘I hate that any of my people were involved in crafting such abominable things.’ The Fox glared at the weed choked alter stone as if its presence alone deeply offended. ‘Grimly, even quite recently Tusks often used enslaved Fox Masons to carve out their unholy Tributes and Shrines to the Dark Dreamer. Can you imagine it? Being forced to do such vile labours knowing your own people likely to be tortured, sacrificed and devoured there - body, mind and soul - at least according to the worst dark myths.’ Nahrl looking like he wanted to spit, or maybe to blast the old relic into chips and dust. ‘I didn’t credit our Father Geskhan promoted such worship - in his time - yet I guess such as this, (as some off world scholars might say), is simply evidence of the old Imperial Blood Cult.’ Jhasq noted. Gryll shook his head ever so slightly almost below easy biological perception in that sometimes understated Korvax way. ‘I calculate not so deeply official.’ ‘Why not?’ Nahrl asked. ‘Many little things don‘t fit. I fear you might be surprised too how the corruption of such darkling worship can spread, even into the most unlikely of places, among the most improbable of folk.’ ‘An earlier Tusk corruption than the advent of the Dreamer.’ Nahrl ventured. ‘Perhaps.’ Gryll replied but he did not sound too convinced by that idea either. ‘You know there are even it believed Korvax that secretly worship the Darks and not just Rogue Korvax. Once deemed Lawful Convergent folk too, some at first innocently simply doing research but going a bit too deep in their studies. Some vile doctrines can infect even the cool headed - akin to a contagion - acting as if a disease of the mind. All it takes is to get too close to the same and to exhibit a little weakness of character.’ That idea made Nahrl shudder inside and feel slightly depressed too. Why did evil always seem so pervasive and strong? Corruption so rife? He glared at the stone again with its leafy semi hidden, best not described, hints of dire images of Elder Horrors from Beyond any sane Beyond. Meanwhile, Gryll gave a little start and gazed away for a moment. They could all too easily guess at the cause of that abiding twitch, it becoming too familiar to the entire party. Surely Gryll was not hinting that…, Nahrl thought, soon finding one fresh idea offended him deeper than the Alter itself - so deep - he could barely bring himself to name it even in the seclusion of his own head. For a time Gryll seemed distracted. Perhaps his thoughts drawn away by that distant pulse that only he felt. A little reluctantly but unable to resist Nahrl asked. ‘So what - exactly - is so unofficial about it?’ ‘For a start it lacks certain expected hints of the Grand Imperial scale also richness of finish. Plus it is clearly well out of the City proper, hidden away here.’ Gryll noted in full scholar mode. ‘So? The Cults like to lurk on the fringes. That is nothing new, or it could be a minor split.’ Efor injected. ‘In this age you are correct. After all in these more reasonable times sentient sacrifices are judged by most both crimes and moral abominations. Yet during the height of the Gek Empire it was, you might say, a State run franchise, probably even here on Geskhan’s world to some degree. Not practices occurring in hidden places during clandestine gatherings. Although the Cults certainly always retained some secret - sacred inner sanctums - that few ever witness, those even rarer sites well distinctive in their own right. Such housing impressive collections of weird Elder Tech objects and / or a lot of questionable texts.’ ‘Is the shaft here ritual then, given its - obvious - orientation with the alter? A tunnel cut out to the sky and all that rests - far beyond it - to those worshippers.’ Jhasq asked. ‘Well spotted. Very possibly, good Fox, you have a fine scholarly mind. Moreover, I suspect it a flue of sorts for the unleashing of unholy smoke. Burned offerings occurring here, not just blood spilling. See here,’ Gryll pointed with his torch, ‘to me that a well contained fire pit though obviously long lost to use.’ ‘As if gutting people not creepy enough they had to cook parts of them too.’ Nahrl noted. ‘Very probably whilst they were yet alive to view and smell it. It adds to the terror, the spectacle and the drama.’ Efor stated angrily. ‘I know of a few particularly nasty rituals that veer in that horrid direction. You might say an unspeakable sort of barbeque.’ The Gek possibly grotesquely half joked. Nahrl felt a bit sick at the concept especially having seen some Dreamer Cult Shrines. Sadly the one at Bhathag’s Fort destined to be only one of many he would later help to uncover, digging for survivors after the bombarding Wrath of the Sentinels. ‘Hateful - so unnatural - so cursed wrong.’ Jhasq complained. ‘Hating the Cults, when you know them, a too easy habit.’ Efor agreed. ‘Let’s not linger here overlong. Is there an underground way onward from this place? A path that might better suit us than the Forest above?’ ‘Possibly. As easily noted four equidistant exits depart from this room, each facing a cardinal point, though how far any of those go… That one in our general direction.’ Gryll noted pointing again with his torch. ‘Still that immediate directionality might mean little enough any distance beyond it. This place - given what it is - may have been concealed I will bet by cunning twists and turns beyond.’ ‘Give me a moment to scout a little ahead, to see if any of these paths are worth using.’ Nahrl sent. ‘If our luck holds access might be found from here into a main Causeway or some other direct underground route straight into the City Centre. Such a substantial site should historically be well serviced by many such routes. That being why I was so keen to find us a way down. This place despite its former usage a fortuitous find Gryll. You bring us good fortune.’ ‘I spawning hope so.’ Efor sent back. ‘I really don’t want to go back up there again, especially in the deeps of night, it gloomy and grim enough in daylight. Anyway, those Sentinels getting too much. We are tempting fate keeping pushing into those patrols. Sooner or later they are going to detect and surround us.’ Perhaps complaining about the gloomy Forest an ironic statement given their current location, yet to the Gek the old Shrine despite its former infamy, (in closer examination), seemed dead. The power of the site - if it ever had any beyond wishful thinking and mundane social manipulation - spent - long ages ago. Its ancient evil kindly banished and buried under healthier intruding growth. The weeds here alone, including a few glowing bulbs shining cheerily bioluminescent almost banishing the shadows of former menaces entirely. Though none of the light makers that brighter traditional Warren lightweed, the glowing flowers still seemed to have turned the place picturesque enough, verging on charming at least through a less tainted lens. You simply had to ignore its old purpose and not look too closely at the semi-hidden carvings. Though the far walls remained shadowy enough, those walls never meant to be well lit. Never dedicated to Light and Life always to Darkness and Death. Nonetheless, defiant life bearing its own light had reclaimed and in that small wonder Efor found cheering glimmers of hope - a rare - good omen indeed. Still whilst Nahrl departed to do - what he always did - hunting a generally safe way onward - they poked around the Shrine with a certain difficult to restrain morbid curiosity. Though none of them brave enough - not even Gryll - to get up close with the alter stone itself. They all let that arcane object be, not even moving some of those screening plants aside to better view the abominations rendered so skilfully possibly by Fox hands below. Maybe if they did not have more pressing issues Gryll would have taken pains to record it all, as an interesting Blood Cult archaeological find, but compared to the grander moment of the guessed mega archaeology of the City proper beyond, this place seemed an insignificant distraction not worth much effort. Efor nonetheless found himself scraping away some dirt with his boot at a spot where he had expected to find something more obvious. Then in the end he pulled out his Multi-tool and reducing its power output significantly used a Terrain Manipulator function to clear a layer of earth and plant growth away. It was the slow deposit of ages, soil and so on washed down perhaps from above sprouting seeds too. Not so deep that soil, just a skim really, the MT simply making a quicker, cleaner operation of removing that covering from the patch obsessing him. Rightly enough it cleared a bigger capping stone to the rest of the pattern tiled floor. Yet a block Efor suspected might be less substantive than it looked plus weighted and balanced for easy opening in some manner. Foxes with stone cunning engineers, Efor seen many of their works in action. Soon he was pressing and prodding around but having scant success at finding a hidden unlocking mechanism. Jhasq however noting his failing work intervened, the Fox seeming to know the exact spot and quickly had the stone door swinging down upon concealed hinges. Though it stuck part way until forced by Efor. The Gek’s violent stomp causing something to give way so that the whole stone block dropped but also tilted at an angle one hinge at the very least broken. There was a little billow of dry dust when the lowest corner’s edge struck down hard accompanied by unsettling snapping crunches. Jhasq inhaled sharply then coughed out a bark in disgust at the sight revealed, whilst waving offensive particles away given their now visible source. Gryll just nodded as if expecting nothing less, Efor registering little emotion too being yet hidden behind his almost First Spawn style helmet. Perhaps in all the excitement forgetting to take it off or yet still wary of Forest stinks. Apparently the Gek using his grasp of Blood Cult lore and architecture to uncover the Shrine’s Ossuary a ritual depository of sacrificial bones. They all gathered around to shine their torches down upon the ancient victims to get a better look. Thankfully, there was little in the way of a bad smell as often accompanied tall tales of such finds. Here the surviving bones including many broken chips, all dry and dusty rather than wet and rancid. Among them a few recognisable skulls, some still sporting long distinctive Tusks. Kneeling down to look closer, Efor noted a few of the fragments had charring upon them but far from all. Some also seemed to have wicked tooth marks as if hungrily gnawed upon many such broken open and hollow edged as if the marrow greedily sucked from within. Had some critters found there way in to feast on the dead? Efor doubted it but ran his torch around the circumference of the pit to be certain, it all seemed lined with unbroken well worked stone. ‘Surprisingly early Tusk cannibalism taken to new depths of - self - abusive horror.’ Jhasq stated. Efor and Gryll let that go. They both had other thoughts, but if choosing to believe the crimes here committed by Ancient Tusks made dealing with the site easier for Jhasq neither of them saw much point in shattering her delusion. Sometimes a lie arguably better than a truth, when the truth only wounds. In this instance correcting didn’t seem to matter, the crimes - as the owners of the bones - all ancient history. Sometimes the abused become the abuser. Though given the age of this place Efor not sure which party started any cycle, maybe it would never be known with any clarity. Besides, this specific Cult could be statistically some rarity rather than evidence of a deep trend or any broader movement. Too often singular finds causing wild fancies about an entire society or culture, whilst they might only pertain to a twisted tiny subset of the same. This was Gek Blood Cult work though - from its form - even more so than modern Dreamer Shrines. The Dreamer Shrines had many commonalities with Gek Blood Cults, as Efor better knew them, but they also had their own peculiar kinks that set them distinctively apart. As if the Dreamer Cultists only acting out a faith in part copied from older forms as mere inspirational points of reference. Perhaps the Dreamer once robbing occult lore from Shadow Library files then warping those ideas to his own equally grim cultural desires and purposes. This site to Efor purer worship of a Dark or Darks, well if you can ever dare to call such actions pure. ‘Come away from it Jhasq.’ Gryll sent as he moved back. ‘Some matters - too deeply studied - can only disturb a soul’s grip upon their better self. You need not go there, recording such evil is not your business. You are a healer, not an Archivist of Cults of the Outer Darkness.’ Jhasq considered that and nodded backing away as Gryll suggested to join him at the far end of the room against one wall. ‘So many.’ She whispered aloud. ‘Such places can be active for a long time thus accumulating a horde of victims even if the killing rituals are rare enough and say calendar based.’ Gryll stated. ‘I’ll never understand these insane arcane wastes of life.’ She confessed ‘Which is a good thing.’ Efor sent joining them. ‘It is a pity the stone broke. Yet I have filled the mass grave in.’ He added holstering his multi-tool after clicking it off the create function. It was amazing what nanotech could do. Some tool functions even making mass out of seeming thin air, although actually it was always about complex processes of elemental compression, decompression, transport and conversion. After the Geks comment none of them spoke for a time. Not even after Gryll gave another tiny start and habitually turned searching for his ghostly signal. What was it about it? The Rogue mused. Somehow it felt almost familiar, akin to some data deleted but whose void left a distinctive hole in an internal memory space. Why did he feel that pulse fitted as if a key into a gap within his digital mind and soul. The more he thought about it the more it bothered him deeply, again it felt oddly personal and somehow no one else’s business not even his friends. He did not really want to discuss that particular aspect of the experience with anyone else, even though earlier when he had spoken of the pulse in general that had made him feel a little better. Gryll knew he now felt less isolated in his escalating plight. It was no joke to any Korvax though to feel yourself malfunctioning even due to an external influence. What if the systems of his Casing failed altogether? He would be lost into the keeping of the Atlas and then the Convergence at least such his supposition of belief. With Nahrl likely gone awhile, they settled in to wait. In truth, they were all a little tired, well maybe not Gryll - not physically anyway - though maybe emotionally he was worn down enough by that periodic pulse through his systems. Soon the Rogue standing with his back to one wall, whilst the others sat sprawled on the floor nearby all far away from the alter. Efor considering eating something but realised he had no present appetite. The Gek did happily take his helmet off though eventually stowing it away in his backpack. First he sniffed at the air hesitantly though, it proving fine only a little musty with but a hint of the malignant jungle scent down here. In fact, the more local weeds predominantly smelling fresh to him - clean - natural - normal. Again, Efor thought of that simple joyous life intruding into this space as a benison. He felt a little bad about clearing some of it away when harvesting the ground to expose the cap stone of the Ossuary. Yet he let it go, done being done and no open pit in evidence had surprised him. Besides, he filled the grave in with untainted freshly generated earth and that might soon enough be re-colonised by seeds and spores. There being some innocent enough fungi down here too. At least one type of which scented edible raw. Yet he was not of a mind to gather either opting to let it be. They waited in a companionable enough silence, each lost in their own contemplations. None wanting to burden the others with some of their occasionally darker chains of thought. Although overall Efor brightened a little, with the Ossuary buried and if you ignored the alter this place as good a rest stop as they might hope for. No horrid vines down here. Ideally no carnivorous plants at all - at least he hoped so. When Nahrl appeared he just looked them over and gestured for them to follow. They complied falling into the same single file order of march as before. The immediate way proved as serpentine and tricky as Gryll had hinted. The Rogue also knew his Blood Cults and was perhaps growing well familiar with Fox Warrens as well. Without doubt to casual intruders coming the other way there were ways that would have been easily missed and slants that would naturally deflect. Yet such not designed to hide from the opposite direction. Still there were several side ways Nahrl ignored. Efor wondering if he had explored any of those paths during his initial scouting or if Fox signs, invisible to the Gek, had guided him invariable down the main direction he wanted to go. At times Nahrl's ability to navigate underworld spaces seeming to verge on the uncanny. Yet Efor positive it was just deep cultural awareness, experience and mundane training. Also now having already scouted this way - it was all mapped in his head - so he moved with even greater surety. For a while no stalking involved the party making good progress at a steady verging on vigorous walking pace. Though all things must come to an end, thus as Nahrl reached the confines of the area he had already scouted he slowed and grew more cautious again. Occasionally having his colleagues wait whilst he checked out a questionable junction or passage. At one point even delineating the confines of an ancient pit trap. Some age old Warren defence against ignorant intruders. Nahrl claiming it a later edition than the working of the passageway itself, though he was positive the whole area long since abandoned to active occupation. They did find some small signs of life long departed. Some stone urns, a bowl some flint arrowheads and other less definable things that Efor did not recognise but where clearly worked items perhaps once part of something larger rotted away. For example a spill of some stone discs too big to be practical coinage. There was even some lightweed in places overgrowing from its once well sited tracks in the walls. At times due to wild proliferation almost too bright to easily gaze upon. Rather strange to be dazzled by light in deep tunnels. Disappointingly though the ways, some natural looking others very much Fox architecture, still rather meandering. Occasionally an old route walled off some possibly deliberately, others looking more akin to effects of ancient earth movements. Nahrl seemed intent, whenever possible, upon leading them ever downward. Did all the main Causeways rest at great depths? Before now that a possible fact Efor had not really considered, but now going on previous experience it might prove true. Even Bhargle, thinking back, lay deep enough.
In the first 5 minutes of this weeks group stream not only did we get a trial of Ben Moore but also Huber reveal his glasses while being Ben's lawyer (39 points, 22 comments)
77 points: Joobun's comment in Easy Allies New Studio Tour
77 points: Tallepyon's comment in Damiani is pushing me away from EZA
76 points: ThisAlbino's comment in Michael Huber on Twitter: Hey everyone. My brother passed away after a long battle with cancer. I’ll be stepping away from Easy Allies for the time being. Love you all.
73 points: grinfucking's comment in Michael Huber on Twitter: Hey everyone. My brother passed away after a long battle with cancer. I’ll be stepping away from Easy Allies for the time being. Love you all.
Make sure to PM us suggestions/questions! Follow us on Twitter to stay updated on when we go live! We're going to continue hosting IRC chat for the Summer split. To join us, simply click here, enter a Nickname of your choice and press Connect. Alternatively, you can connect using your IRC client of choice at irc.xertion.org:6667 and join #TournamentThreads. New: We now have a Twitch Chatroom setup, message LaZyBoxTv with your Twitch name to be invited to the official TournamentThreads chat.
All matches will be played on patch 4.10 with , and disabled. has a bug with his ultimate, while recently got reworked. She will be available in about 2 weeks. Ifmymathiscorrect. got disabled because of a bug with his Q.
If you live in the UK, please add one hour to GMT.
Pro's tweeting
Roccat vs. Fnatic @RiotQuickshot Confirming that @FnaticxPeke secured his 300cs on Orianna at 21:52 #LCS [1/2] Absolutely incredible play from all of Fnatic. They are absolutely in control of this game, every fight so far has been clearly a FNC win. [2/2] @AraneaeLoL Man, after watching that teamfight I realize I dont need to coach those guys. That's was absolutly awesome... not happy with the Baron tho! @FnaticRekkles GG Roccat! #LCS @FnaticsOAZ Feed to win. If the jungle ganks bot i punish him top if he ganks top they die bot #decideee sad i had to go ex instead of igni thoo SK vs Gambit @Wickdlol I don't see Gambit coming back from this. Their bot lane got 0 completed big items vs 2 from Cait @Darkerlol Imo its really hard to win if you dont have good dragon control in 4 10 and gambit pretty much gave up every dragon that game @EdwardCarryLoL Fail lane swap. bg. @TheSvenskeren Ggwp gambit, 3 more games to go ! @SKGaming CW vs. Roccat @FnaticsOAZ Jankos is a god @AraneaeLoL Celaver doing a good job with Corki. Thats why I though he may pick him. #predictions @JoeyYoungbuck GG WP to Roccat. Our performance wasn't bad but we have to work on a few things quickly @ROCCATVander 1-1 today could be worse. We have to learn how to put pressure more. #LCS MIL vs. Fnatic @CLG_dexter FNC playing a really good game, perfect catches .. but I really want to know why everyone likes Aatrox so much ._. @AraneaeLoL GG to @M_Millenium ! We took our revenge! Amazing games by @FNATIC . Great objective/vision control, sometimes a bit risky but worth! #LCS @FnaticsOAZ Yayyyyy rly happy about our performance today ! @Jreelol I played terrible and got caught way to many times to win this game. Wp @FNATIC ! ALL vs. SHC @TabzzLoL Yay we wonned #_# @Wickdlol Invisible troll dragon gg @FroggenLoL Our communication was terrible this game. Also the invisible dragon threw us off pretty hard LOL #LCS [1/2] Theinvisible dragon meant we all had to relog and we lost all our timers and our cd's on ults were messed up. Was really frustrating to play [2/2] @theAllianceGG One down, three to go! Alliance beats Supa Hot Crew, and our winning streak continue. We'll be back for another #LCS game tomorrow.
[Spoilers] EU LCS Summer Split 2014 | Week 6 - Day 1 | Live Update and Discussion Thread
Countdown Make sure to PM us suggestions/questions! Follow us on Twitter to stay updated on when we go live! We're going to continue hosting IRC chat for the Summer split. To join us, simply click here, enter a Nickname of your choice and press Connect. Alternatively, you can connect using your IRC client of choice at irc.xertion.org:6667 and join #TournamentThreads. New: We now have a Twitch Chatroom setup, message LaZyBoxTv with your Twitch name to be invited to the official TournamentThreads chat.
All matches will be played on patch 4.10 with Shen and Nidalee disabled. Shen has a bug with his ultimate, while Nidalee recently got reworked. She'll be available in about 3 weeks. Ifmymathiscorrect.
If you live in the UK, please add one hour to GMT.
Pro's tweeting
CHW vs Fnatic @AraneaeLoL @FnaticsOAZ may get a bowl cut aswell for that 1v1 in the botlane... #LCS [1/2] And @FnaticYellOwStR will get another bowl cut if he gets another double kill. The Carry-Support role is back! #LCS [2/2] @FnaticsOAZ I played my 1n1 really baaad :( didnt have ult in timeeee. noooes [1/2] We won but i feel so bad about that holymoly [2/2] @JoeyYoungbuck Second time this split we face fnatic and lose before the 5 minute mark, feels frustrating but was well played by FNC @FnaticYellOwStR Hey people, stop calling me hooker ! Alliance vs Millenium @Wickdlol Being full tank isn't that fun, but it's useful [1/2] I hope there won't be an Evelynn on my lane 24/7 tomorrow :) [2/2] @FroggenLoL We fked up super hard at dragon fight after going 3-0 bot.. too many mistakes dragged the game out. Happy we won though #LCS @kev1n_LoL ggwp Alliance Not much to say we Played Abit to passive Should habe dived midlane everytime we could and they played their comp really good. TF fp really caught us offguard. And toplane boring to Play against a full Tank rene with a tf on his side! Couldnt pull out the ignite :(( Time to focus on SK !!!!! [1/2] @Wickdlol I hope there won't be a Twisted Fate on my lane 24/7 tomorrow :) [2/2] @Kerpx @kev1n_LoL @Wickdlol atleast @tabzzlol didnt greet you with an ace in the hole every minute SHC vs Gambit @EdwardCarryLoL YEY!!! GG WP!! Happy to perform well as a thresh with genja ! #LCS @RiotDeficio ............ Don´t 1 man Yasuo ult the tank .............. @NintendudeX WHY IS THERE NO LOCKET ON SHC ITS KARTHUS FOR GOODNESS SAKE #LCS @RiotQuickshot Really exciting game to watch and cast, but you have to ask why that last team fight happened. Pressure calls for SHC not working out. #LCS SK vs Roccat @TheSvenskeren Ggwp roccat @SKGaming @SKCandyPanda At Level 4 or whatever my mouse stopped working and I had to blow flash cause I was in tower range, made me die when I got ganked after ._. @AraneaeLoL Funny fact: Jankos Q and took the lantern. Then he was far away of the Q and flashed+W in to end the Q. #LCS
[Spoilers] EU LCS Summer Split 2014 | Week 8 - Day 1 | Live Update and Discussion Thread
Countdown Make sure to PM us suggestions/questions! Follow us on Twitter to stay updated on when we go live! We're going to continue hosting IRC chat for the Summer split. To join us, simply click here, enter a Nickname of your choice and press Connect. Alternatively, you can connect using your IRC client of choice at irc.xertion.org:6667 and join #TournamentThreads. New: We now have a Twitch Chatroom setup, message LaZyBoxTv with your Twitch name to be invited to the official TournamentThreads chat.
All matches will be played on patch 4.11 with and disabled. has a bug with his ultimate, while recently got reworked. She will be available in about 1 week.
If you live in the UK, please add one hour to GMT.
Pro's tweeting
Roccat vs. SK @Darkerlol I feel like no ignite on fizz will cost him lots of early \ mid game kills, curious to see how TP gonna work for Overpow #LCS @RiotQuickshot Gotta wonder about the Chalice + Essence Reaver combo. Wonder if it isn't a bit overkill for mana. #LCS [1/3] Teams are super even this game. You have to admit Roccat appear to be playing better, but SK are putting pressure on objectives. #LCS [2/3] Not sure Yorick is doing anything really for SK this game, and I feel like they have been very timid when it comes to engaging. #LCS [3/3] @ROCCATVander Finally we managed to win against top 2 team. Ggwp SK. #LCS CW vs. Gambit @EdwardCarryLoL Don't blame any1 pls. Cuz of my bad play at lvl 1 we give enemy bot way too much advantage and they control the game. I lost this game solo. @Darkerlol cw won every lane ._. @JoeyYoungbuck GG WP to @GambitEsports but the victory is ours! This was a victory truly deserved for everyone in the team, our co-ordination was fantastic SHC vs. Fnatic @CLG_dexter Seems like @FNATIC is too good at snowballing their early game advantage and show some good objective control @SUPAHOTCREW Very very well played @FNATIC. We will come back though! #LCS [1/2] The game was over at 10 minutes, because Eve ganked perfectly. We would have won with our comp late, but Eve's ganks and xPeke made the diff [2/2] @AraneaeLoL What a clean and beatiful game from @FNATIC ! @FnaticsOAZ MVP ?? @FnaticRekkles GG SHC! #LCS Millenium vs. Alliance @kev1n_LoL Ggwp !!!!! so happy about that Win but we di da ton of mistakes aswell. We can learn alot from the Game ! #LCS Good Night Im Out !! @Kerpx never missed so many sharks in a game @Jreelol Nice hooks Kappa #lcs @RiotDeman Standard EU #LCS I guess, just when you thought @theAllianceGG were going to run away with it, they lose 3 in a row!
Hello I'm Snith, playing my 202143th game on Chen. [pasta][dotabuff] measure ur words cuz i might smash ur head when i meet u [post] Just a boy trying to play dota. KA LE [post] Scientists baffled by man's ability to fuck up every time [image][image][image] Cloud9 no TP scrolls vs Secret [video] Old man Fear in a wheelchair: "Where am I?" [video] One less ego one more championship [tweet][post] Source 2 will fix it. Spin 2 Win; Juggernaut, Axe and Troll Warlord being the meta heroes tfw valve memes u [post] Luna's new "Shoulder" Slot Item [post] hey its me ur brother [kym] DROP YOUR STICK [video] HO HO, HA HA; Sniper being the meta hero [sound] ez bugatti Wolves Need no Armor [video] 6.84 is coming after Starladder [post] Expert Analyzers [video][webm] 17%; Spirit Breaker's Bash Chance Icefrog likes Mangos [post] 6.84 Necrophos Jungle Guide: Ancients, by Leafeator [video] You are playing against Alliance. [post][video] Polishing [blog][image] Futa's Way: Warlock (slahser's way parody); Mangolems, Mangolian Scepter [video] Bruno = Icefrog, now with proof! [post] I look at the moon and I tell myself... I fucked up... I FUCKED UP! [video][image] When game is going this bad I just want to create chaos. Create so much chaos that no one understands Dota anymore. [post][image] I'm a simple man. I see boobs, I upvote. Good Jokes mate real funny see u at FUCK YOUJ [post] eh, average play. [post] Matumbawoman / MASTURBAWOMAN [tweet][video] 👌👀 good shit [kym] PogChamp WTF 3 Merlinis PogChamp [tweet] Topless Gamer Grill Stream [video] Experts and Synderen [video] OSfrog Imbalance Demands it OSfrog [sound][explanation] Artstyle graves himself [video] Swindlemelonzz drops his Eul's; Delete your Eul's and apologize [video][video] It looks like you're interested in learning to fuck everyone else game. Here are some useful resources which might help you get in low priority fast. [user] 420 Booty Wizard; Dendi's surprise appearance at TI5 all-stars match [video] IT'S A DISASTAH! v2.0; 6 million dollar echo slam [video] One of my favorites! ThusIinvokeMasturbation[user] RTC? TI5? [video] Introducing Team SUNSfan Digital Chaos [video] Hello. I am noobfromua. I wanted to ask if you give me permission to sometimes use your stream content in my youtube videos. [post] Nope ._. [tweet] Nice dota meme! [link][reference][reference][reference][reference] Pit Lord picked in Moon Duck Elimination Tournament [video] Aghanim's Scepter: Riki (Pocket Riki) [post] pls mr lizard [image] 8 0 0 0 M A T C H M A K I N G P O I N T S [post][post] Kuroky was right, Arteezy was left.; Arteezy was right, Kuroky was left. offlaner and his Alliance tattoo [post][post][post] Solving Bad with Arteezy; Arteezy, the banana dealer [video] glance value; what rules?; no bitching [image] SeemsGood Thanks Purge SeemsGood [post] Brutal, Savage, Rekt. [video][gfy] Orangutang Ganja, Overrated Gamers, Olympic Gays [video][image] QUALITY MEMES. I love the memes there, Jack. [video] 6.86: Literally nothing. [post] Happy little trees. [post] Whatever kid. Oh I'm sorry did I fucking trigger you? [post] 400mmr dude looking to enter the shanghai qualifiers; Kappa Crusaders [post][post]
I mean how do I describe what it was like, it was awesome. I wish there a way to go back to have that feeling again. It's the ultimate high that I don't know if I'll ever get back. It's incredible obviously.
Phil Laak is one interesting character...he's great, he's fun, he's always up for hanging out or gambling or whatever.
Don Cheadle and I played a heads up match where if I lost, I had to do a full blown magic show at his house in a top hat for him and his guests. If I won, he had to come over and cook for me and up to 25 of my guests in a chef's apron. Of course I lost, and now I owe him a magic show.
Yes, I have some money in stocks but I don't make any decisions on what to buy and what to sell. I let experts do it on my behalf and pay them a tilting commission. If I could go back and do the opposite of every stock tip I've ever gotten, I would be much better off financially.
Istanbul, Turkey because it's a magical place filled with kind people, really good food, beautiful scenery, and believe it or not some of the best night life I've ever experienced. Also, the fish in Turkey are in a league of their own. ;)
I would have definitely learned all of the poker games back in the day and I would have spent much more time at the table versus going out in my 20s. I left a lot of money on the table. But, I have no regrets and life is all about experiences.
I would study a lot off the Internet. I would know the math in and out.
I'll just say that I had a lot of fun in my 20s. Living in Vegas as a single guy for many years were some of the most memorable times of my life. But if you want specifics, I'll have to plead the fifth.
I don't know where it comes from, but at the end of the day, life is the ultimate freeroll. How you live it is your choice and I'd never want to be the guy on my deathbed with any regrets.
The hand I remember most is AK vs the QQ of Guy Laliberte in the One Drop when I hit the King on the turn. The shift in my life just on that one card is pretty significant. Not just on a monetary level either.
During the WSOP I go with All American Dave's food because it's tasty and more importantly healthy. But if I order food, I always try to go Thai. Love me some curry.
I would want to hang out with the people who are my friends in the poker world. We would do fun things just like any other group of friends. Burning Man, travel, party, go to a movie, eat, etc.
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