A Witch's point of view...

Fair morning.
I suppose the polite thing to do is introduce myself before I get busy with this blog (what a ridiculous name) thing. Well, I'm not feeling particularly polite at this ungodly hour... Hells bells, you might as well know I'm not known for being polite at the best of times but what the heck. You'll figure that out PDQ. So, since names are so important to you folks, mine is Hope (aye I've got two sisters named Faith and Charity). Story goes that our dear mama named us so because she had grand dreams for her darling daughters, Witches all. Whatever... I'm the second of a set of triplets and mama never got the chance to see if her dreams came to fruition since she passed soon after our birth. I expect she would've been quite satisfied with the way two of us turned out and probably would've been mortified by the third.

Although my siblings have no problem with their names, I've never forgiven her for tagging us with such silly monikers. You can't begin to know how difficult it is to live up to the standards she forced upon us by naming us so, and I sure as the devil haven't spent one moment of my twenty-four years trying to. Okay, you get the picture; I'm a disgruntled Witch but my name is the least of my reasons for being so.

As I'm sure you've noted by the lapse in posts, Dream Teller is unavailable (sheesh, the woman must be nuts for taking so much upon herself) and the call was sent out for someone to fill in here during her absence. You got it; I was minding my own business when I was tapped. Couldn't get around to it until now; so sue me. Ho-hum. Now that you have a feel for me, I'll get on with it and if you're offended by what I have to say, too bad. Call it as I see it, without reservation.

I read through some of your e-mails (some of you are freakin' off the wall) to get some idea of what topic to approach and the more I read, the more I realized I'd do well just winging it, so here goes. People like me have little patience with people like some of you wanna-be-a-Witch; wanna-be-a-Vampyre; wanna-be-a... Whats up with that? Witches don't go around wanting to be an Outsider, or a Vampyre, or a Werewolf, or a Faery, so why would you want to be something you aren't? I know; dumb question. In a nutshell; P-O-W-E-R. (I suppose some of you would jump at the chance to be a demon, too).

Look, let me clear the air here. Most of us didn't come into this world 'wanting' to be anything. Its our lot to be what we are in the here and now. Sure, many of us (and you) have been other things in past lives but only a few (very few) have the option of choosing what we would like to be in the present. Some of us remember past existences and some of us learn of those as we go along. You think that is cool? Perish the thought. What we know or learn isn't always a pretty picture. Why? Most of us are sent back, time and again, to get things right and a lot of us haven't managed, too well. Luck of the draw? Hardly. All of us have choices (regardless of what some will tell you) and we often make wrong choices, for one reason or another.

The trouble with that is that some keep on making wrong choices and at some point, we all will run out of chances to set things straight. Folks, it doesn't require but a little bit of intelligence to figure out that avarice and the me, me, me attitude are things that earn a ticket to the hottest seat in all of creation. You've heard the old saying 'hell ain't half-full'? Aye, you've got it. Its a one-way ticket and no amount of whining and pleading will change things when that destination is reached. The Lord of Darkness and his minnions will be all too pleased to welcome you with open arms so take heed, lest you be set on eternal damnation.

So you wanna be a Witch? Pu-l-e-ease. Wanting to be won't make it so. True Witches are born and while there are some who attain certain powers of Witch, those are meant to. They are people who already possess certain qualities that make it possible for them to join our ranks and the most of them are either discovered quite by accident, or they are sent to us. They become students with a teacher/mentor, designated for the task. Those few loners who accomplish the feat don't do so on their own. Yep, got it again. Those foolish idiots have bartered for the opportunity and I assure you their souls no longer belong to them. Hefty price; wouldn't you say?

Per force, we are always on our guard against our ranks being infiltrated by the likes of such as them, for they belong to him who is our worst enemy. They cleave to no code of ethics, feel no remorse for what they do, and will stop at nothing to take what isn't theirs to take -our powers of Witch. Don't mistake them for Witches who prefer a solitary existence (no ties to any coven), for solitary Witches who practice White Witchcraft aren't anti-social (at least most of them) but merely prefer solitary practice. I happen to be such a Witch and although I often prefer aloneness, I am by no means anti-social.

Truth of the matter is that solitary Witches like me aren't bound by need for brethren to practice our religion. I am quite content to go it alone (sometimes I will join my sisters at their request when they are working at a particularly difficult task and need the added assistance to accomplish whatever deed they are about); in fact I thrive on solitude (for which my sisters find me odd). One might say I jealousy guard my privacy and one wouldn't be wrong in the least.

Faith and Charity are wonderfully kind souls and while they are more like twins, (with me being more like the third wheel) we are one another's anchors in this life. I know they despair of my differences yet they allow for them, and while they thrive on doing the 'twin' thing, I find it a bit of an albatross. I mean, can you imagine being one of three so-called peas in a pod? Looking at two others and seeing yourself, as if looking in a mirror? Aye, we are identical and aye, we played the change-game as children. But those days are few and far between now (at least for me). As much as I love and adore my sisters, they aren't beyond whipping up a bit of majic in their efforts to find me a soul mate. They just don't understand why I'm content without a mate (deliver me from such a fate) and they can't seem to help themselves from wanting me to have a man like theirs.

Okay, I admit (but not to their faces) that my brothers-in-law are pretty neat guys. They are easy on the eyes, successful in their chosen professions, and they go out of their way to spoil my sisters (ain't love grand?) but I'm just not made for the goo-goo stuff those four wallow in. Yuk. I can't imagine having to share my every waking moment with a man who can't keep his hands off me and his eyes from eating me up. No, I didn't say I was adverse to men. They have their moments and certainly they have their uses but I prefer to enjoy them at arms length.

Why? Because I'm career dedicated and I like calling the shots in my life. Don't need a man to tell me how to run my business, as I'm successful at doing just that. I love my little shop and I enjoy being my own boss, going and coming as I please, awaking and sleeping on my own schedule; yada, yada, yada. You might say I'm the quintessential modern woman, and I enjoy it. Now, if it seems as if I'm painting pictures of which you envy, let me assure you that being a Witch doesn't come without its burdens. We aren't anymore immune to tragedy and heartbreak than you are.

We lost our mother at childbirth, one of my sisters lost her first child, and nothing within our power, or anyone elses, could prevent the tragedies. You see, our powers and abilities cannot, no matter how hard we try, prevent what is inevitable; preordained, and believe me we used everything at our disposal to save that little soul that perished in the womb, at the last moment before birth. But his life wasn't to be and so we shared our sister's grief in the hope that we might somehow ease her pain. We have no way of knowing what went wrong with a child that had had no previous problems during development, for there was nothing to point to the problem. He was beautiful and for all practical purposes, perfectly developed. But there you have it. We held him, wept over him, and buried him, and three years have not dimmed our memory of him. There have been other tragedies in our lives but we cling together and draw on one another's strengths to see us through.

The whole point of my telling you these things is in the effort to help you see that each of us is who we are, with purpose. If one is meant to be be Witch, Werewolf, Vampyre, or the like then one is. Sure, there are those who actively seek to 'become' and some manage it, but for those who manage it and weren't meant to be, life is anything but what they envisioned. No amount of power is worth losing one's self in the process. I have seen such instances, dealt with such individuals, and I'm always left wondering what was so damned unimportant about life that it was tossed aside for the mere chance at power.

Otherworldly power is a huge responsibility, for unwisely used, it becomes no more than the key to one's own destruction. 'Tis a gift not meant to be stolen but endowed upon those who have it. So when you think you want what another has, mayhap you will pause and remember all that I've pointed out to you. As Dream Teller would say; Ponder. Blessed Be, Hope.

Thanksgiving Reflection

Greetings and happy Thanksgiving, All.

I urge everyone to take a moment and give thanks for all you have been blessed with and while you do, remember those less fortunate in your prayers. I would also encourage you to remember our military troops all over the world. Prayer is powerful, no matter your faith, so join me in praying for our brave men and women and their families. Were it not for them our world would be in chaos and none of us would be enjoying this day. Blessings to all who stand up for our country and fight for our freedom.

As the end of this year grows nigh I have begun to reflect upon time past and time to come. While the last year has been one of turmoil and change I choose not to dwell upon the bad but rather, dwell upon the good which those changes have wrought. The broad picture is sobering, to say the least, but if one takes the time and makes the effort, one can pare down the scope and manage it in smaller sections in order to deal with life. As each of us tend to lock in on that which directly effects our personal life, we sometimes miss other things that effect us, in the long run. How so?

We sit in our comfortable spaces and watch the war going on in Iraq and when we tire of it, technology allows us to zap it into oblivion with the push of a button. The same goes for any unpleasant scenario that makes us feel uncomfortable, homeless people without food and shelter; weather related destruction; countries and peoples ravaged by disease and famine, and so on. While we may zap those from the television screen and tell ourselves we are not directly effected, the fact remains that those suffering, directly, cannot be spun off into oblivion simply because we wish it so. Like it or not, the reality is ever in our faces.

My point? None of us are exempt from what takes place around us and all of us, regardless of Kind, have the responsibility born of belonging to this life. One cannot accept the bounty without giving something in return. Though many are willing to sit back and reap the benefits while others contribute their time and effort, the day will come when the non-contributors are forced to face reality. May not be tomorrow, next week, or next year but come it will. Force is what so often sends one spiraling downward into the depths of despair, breeds anger and hatred, and causes one to lash out at society and loved ones. Happens everyday, everywhere and all because one takes life for granted. No amount of money, intelligence, or willingness to barter one's duty can protect against the force of reality.

The meaning behind Thanksgiving is not relegated to a select few, as some pretend. It is not just for Christians, or a particular Kind, to reflect upon. If we but stop and consider, look beyond the obvious such as tables laden with fine food; the gathering of family and friends; the count down to Christmas; parades; shopping; and all the other fanfare and revelry related to the season, mayhap we might grasp the intended meaning of this holiday. The breaking down of barriers between the Pilgrims and Indians, and the sharing of bounty at the same table between former enemies, was another in a long line of steps taken toward peace and acceptance among all. How many times has that step taken been blocked and the efforts cast aside, all for wont of disenfranchising those we either do not care to, or fear, to understand? Too many to mention.

This world is not the property of any one Kind but home and hearth to all who dwell here. Privilege; be it wealth, health, class, superior intelligence, or the combination thereof, is often the factor that leads to the assuming of that which is not rightfully, or solely, one's own. Like it or not, the same rights to life and prosperity belong as much to the homeless, as the rich and powerful; one Kind, as another; one faith, as another... The drift should be obvious.

As you sit down to your Thanksgiving meal you are not the only one giving thanks for your blessings, while forgetting that outside your safe little world there are many not so fortunate, as you. And while you lay claim to being caring and kind toward others, those others are left wondering just what your caring and kindness extends to. The harsh reality is glaringly obvious. One has but to look around your table to see the narrow scope of your claim, for sitting at your table are only those whom you select as 'deserving' of a place -the chosen. Non? Is there among you and yours one without a home or the means to purchase a meal? Is there a Pagan invited among Christians and Protestants? A Werewolf or Vampyre among humans?

Choice belongs to one and all but when that choice is the result of narrow vision, dislike, selfishness, fear, or the unwillingness to accept each for whom and what they are, the only one undeserving of blessings sitting at your table is you. What it all comes down to this day is not about simply breaking fast with a select few, but extending the hand of friendship and kindness; opening your home and your heart so that others may enjoy acceptance along with the camaraderie and the food. Ponder, and Blessed May You Be.

Otherworldly Communication

Greetings All.

I sincerely hope all is right with your world this morning. I enjoyed my three day 'rest' but I am glad to be back and ready to get down to business as usual. When I need a break I always try to seek a place near water and I retreated to a particular place that is near and dear to my heart. I would like to share something about it with you.

It is a place on the edge of an inlet that feeds into a very large man-made lake. Many inlets have carved into a wilderness where wildlife abounds, and if one is so inclined one can lose one's self in the serenity of nature. Water has always had a calming effect upon me but it is to this special place I go to in order to be close to a very special lady, my mother, whom I lost nearly seven years past. It was her 'place' and it was there that she thrived in her later years and would have gladly lived there full time if it had been possible. As it was not, she went there as often as she could and when she would return to town and home, mother would be newly revived and relieved of the stress of day-to-day living.

My mother was also my best friend and confidant and from her I learned to believe that all things are possible, if I but put my mind to achieving my goals. She was the one person who truly understood who I am and while many of my goals were somewhat alien to her, she never once thought me odd. She believed in the extraordinary gifts some of us are blessed with, for mother was also blessed. She had the gift of extrasensory perception, such that she always knew when one of her children was hurt; physically or emotionally, and she never failed to come to our aid. The gift was something of a burden to her, for she was of the generation that did not speak of such things that her peers did not understand. Many was the time she ignored the gift, for fear of what she would learn; see or hear, but she never ignored it when it came to her own. She was not a person who went out of her way to make friends and some believed her to be a snob but the truth was, those closest to her knew she was shy.

I grieved her passing for a long while (still do, but with a different perspective) until one evening, when I was at an extremely low point in my life, and mother came to my aid. I did not see her but I knew she was there because I could smell her and feel her presence. Then I heard her as once again, she reminded me that all things have a purpose and that her passing was one of those things. We did not communicate, verbally, but her soft voice whispered through my mind, as we carried on a mental communication. I learned that she was quite content with her lot and that she was not alone, as I feared she might be. We spoke of many things from which I gained a new perspective but it was a special gift she gave me that so renewed my spirit; contact with my brother, who preceded her in death by some five years. I missed him, terribly, because he was snatched from life quickly, and unexpectedly. I learned that he, too, was content and knowing they were together was a blessing. It was her grief over his death at a young age that my mother never quite overcame and, added to her physical ailments, the emotional pain of losing a child was too much for her to bear.

That evening the two of them helped me overcome the burden that was eating away at my soul and my faith, and between them they let me know it was not mine to question the reasons why they were taken from me. And it was then they gave me the gift of knowing where to go when I needed to be close to them. And so I go to that special place for renewal where I never fail to find the beautiful rose, my mother, and her butterfly, my brother. Both were lovers of nature, growing things in the soil, and the peace and serenity of being near water and wilderness.

Why am I telling you this? Because I have seen so many others suffering the loss of loved ones and if I can help even one person through that transition the effort will be worth it. The help I offer is certain to be viewed as unorthodox by many, but a few will, hopefully, try to understand and gain some benefit from it.

What I will tell you is this: Society teaches that death is the end of earthly communication between the deceased and loved ones. That could not be farther from the truth. It only seems so because the majority are taught and believe that unearthly communication is impossible. Truth of the matter is that each and every person has the ability to communicate with those who have passed, if one but tries. Fear of the unknown is the obstacle that prevents many from using the gift they have. Conditioned to believe that such communication is evil, or that such type of communication does not exist at all, renders one incapable of 'receiving' messages from loved ones. Further, the idea of ghostly apparitions, or any other form of communication such as the smell or feel of what is not seen but heard with the mind sends many into a state of panic. What one must learn is that any of those types of communications cannot harm one.

Forget the eerie tales of ghosts that supposedly push one down the stairs, etc., for ghostly apparitions cannot harm one. It is one's own fear that leads one to run in terror and fall. Apparitions are exactly that and have no substance therefore they cannot 'push' one away, or down. Those apparitions that present in ugly or scary form are not loved ones but those who terrorize in death, as they did in life, and they can only bring harm to one who allows them to do so. To simplify, evil has to be invited in before it can take hold, but that is a topic for another discussion.

Where good exists, evil cannot thrive. One has but to find a quiet place, relax, and listen, as one concentrates on the loved one they wish to communicate with. Will it happen that easily? Non, for one must master the quiet and relaxation, first. That is not to say that loved ones do not appear without being summoned. Often, it is the one who has passed that must take the initiative and those are generally ones who have an important message to pass along. In such a case the earthbound loved one must learn to control their fear in order to receive the message.

We have all heard of children who appear to be 'talking' to someone others cannot see. Children are easier to communicate with because they still possess the 'energy' that diminishes through lack of use. Adults who do not believe in any form of otherworldly communication shut down their own ability but it can and has been revived by those who break through their fear and disbelief. So I say to you; that light tap on the shoulder, the soft breeze on the cheek, the scent, or the feeling, experienced is a gentle nudge in the right direction. Ignore it and it will go away. Find a quiet place, watch and listen, and you will learn to open the channel between two worlds. Pray the prayers of your faith and you will set the parameters that keep evil at bay while you allow your loved one to come through.

Blessed May You Be, Dream Teller.

Staff filling in.

Hello All.
Just a quick note to let everyone know Dream Teller will resume posting tomorrow. She took a much needed week-end away on personal business and will return this evening. She asked me to post the next game clue so here it is:

#6 Addition and reduction is the path to choose, remember; it works when you combine all the clues.

And now to post answers to e-mails (Dream Teller faxed these to the office so you see she doesn't really know how to rest!

To Glen in Washington: Times change and as such each of us must change too; evolve, if you will. As I stated before there are sub types within many Kinds and the Vampyre is certainly one of those. Aye, Day Walkers have it easier than Night Walkers in that they are not forced to a specific rest period. However neither can they go out in direct sunlight without careful preparation but I believe the time will come when all Vampyres will evolve to the point that they can move around as they choose. The Day Walkers experience a period of sluggishness (for lack of a better word) during the day but they can take short naps and continue on. Many of them enjoy living in regular homes and sleeping in regular bedrooms with dark curtains or light filtering curtains. They awaken much easier than the Night Walkers thus they are quicker to respond to dangerous situations. It is myth that the Night Walker is completely at the mercy of anyone who discovers their resting place, for though they cannot physically defend themselves they can awaken and use other deadly skills such as the power of their minds to defend themselves. So you see, it is not wise to think yourself protected while Vampyres are at rest.

To Greg in Georgia: I have it on good authority (Garth) that some Vampyres can and do eat solid food. Day Walkers do and a few Night Walkers. They generally do so while in public for various reasons i.e social functions and dinner dates with mortals. As solid food has no nutritious value and their bodies do not excrete wastes, they get rid of it in private (regurgitate). Both types have to have human blood for nourishment and many Day Walkers have access to bagged blood for that purpose. The Night Walker prefers warm, fresh blood but they too can use bagged blood if they have no alternative. Many of them have loyal mortals who provide for their Vampyre's needs and the Vampyre takes only what is necessary so their mortals are not endangered. It is a very nice relationship that benefits all.

To Traci in Alaska: I doubt it. Vampyres detest cold weather. However some do live in cold climates and manage well enough but according to Garth, Alaska would be a last resort. Mayhap your friend is pulling your leg? Then again, nothing is impossible.

To Jenny in Arkansas: Aye, and there are born Vampyres though I have not had the pleasure of meeting one. Garth has several friends who are Vampyre born and he assures me they are quite friendly, though like other types within the Kind, they are extremely cautious. The born Vampyres are more knowledgeable of humanity and move around society much easier because of it. The world has always been theirs and thus they do not suffer the many complications the made Vampyre has to learn to overcome; such as losing their humanity, and learning to accept the new self.

To Trace in South Carolina: Whether or not she is a Witch is beside the point. The danger lies in what she is asking of you. Witches who practice Black Majic are known to recruit ordinary citizens to work with them and could be she is such a person. Do not allow her to lull you into complacency. More than one young man who believed himself capable of physically protecting himself has met with dire circumstances, so beware of false prophets. Witch or not, Black Majic is bad mojo and can only lead to harm. Stay clear.

Blessed May You All Be, Raven

My personal journey.

Good morning to you, all.
I'm both pleased and daunted by this opportunity to visit with you. I've followed the discussions in this forum closely, and when Dream Teller invited me to speak here I have to tell you I experienced several moments of panic, for two reasons. First, I'm no where near her league when it comes to public speaking and second, because she made no request of specific topic I was to address. When I expressed my doubts she encouraged me to be myself and speak from my heart. Okay, truthfully, the panic still resides with me but with my dear friends, Kaithlin and Garth, beside me to cheer me on, here goes.

A small town in Louisiana has been my home for twenty-three of my twenty-eight years (Garth is chuckling because he says I make twenty-eight years sound like eons). I have no clear memories of my first four years of life so what I'm first going to tell you was told me by others. I lost my parents and older brother when I was six months old. At that time we lived in another state and I had no kin to take me in, so I was placed in an orphanage. I remained there for two months or so then I was placed with foster parents; the first couple in a succession of five, before I was adopted at the age of two. A few weeks before my fourth birthday my adoptive parents died in a car accident and I was then taken in by an aunt and uncle; my mother's sister and her husband (I had never met or heard of them before). They had four children of their own and I was told I didn't bond well with them so they gave me up and I was again placed with foster parents. From that point I remember some things but others had to fill in the blank spots for me, until I was old enough to grasp and retain the facts of my situation.

Why am I telling you about my life? To reveal to you the goodness and kindness of certain individuals who are willing to step into the breach and rescue a child, who might otherwise have fallen through the cracks of society, as so many do. And so I continue with what I learned and what I remember.

My biological parents were true Witches whose ancestry dates far back (I 'm now in possession of my family history, thanks to some wonderful folks I will bring into my story in a moment). My dad was a Warlock (his parents long dead and he an only child) with a strong outgoing personality; a world traveler from an early age, and my mother was a quiet, shy woman (also an only child without family) who'd never strayed far from her small town roots, with the gift for healing both people and animals. Those who knew them, intimately, were surprised that they made a match, much less that it proved to be such a perfect match that my dad immediately changed from being a globe trotting rogue of sorts into a settled, family man. They and my brother were victims of a long-standing feud between my dad and a Wizard, and no one really knows how he managed to catch my father unaware; just that he did. If not for the fact that before he died my dad was able to inflict fatal injuries upon his enemy, I would have died that night, too. As my parents weren't members of any coven and that part of their lives was secret but to a very few, I was whisked away into the Outsider's system before anyone could get word to my dad's best friend in Louisiana (Witches look out for their own).

By the time he received the message, and being a young, single male, it was impossible for him to get custody of me, short of kidnapping me. But that part of my story doesn't end there, for which I'm eternally grateful. During my journey through the system and even after I was adopted, my dad's friend, a Warlock himself, and his family and friends, kept close tabs on me as they worked to figure out a way to get custody of me, without calling attention to the fact that they were Witches (Pagans are frowned upon to this day), and they knew no child would be released to their Kind. As most of you know, an extensive investigation is done into the lives of those who seek custody or to adopt a child, and the chance of discovery couldn't be taken by this family. They turned to another friend, also a Witch who is an attorney, and he paved the way for my return to my dad's home state.

Rather than chance the adoption investigation themselves, they went to a childless couple (Outsiders who are friends and allies of the family of Witches) and that couple was more than happy for the opportunity to try and adopt me. With the secret financial backing of Witches (amazing what spreading money around will do) the attorney and that couple came to my aid. A number of strings were pulled, favors were called in, and with Witches helping Witches across the country, the process began. It was two and a half months before my fifth birthday when child services turned me over to the couple and their attorney and I traveled with them to Louisiana, which I would later discover was where my dad was born. I was blessed to become the child of that wonderful couple, the only parents I've ever truly known, and to be welcomed into the hearts and homes of my Kind. I now have a mom and dad, a wealth of friends, and I'm forever grateful that I grew up knowing I'm a true Witch rather than having to discover it alone, and learn how to deal with what I wouldn't have understood about myself.

I'm happy that I inherited my biological mother's love for growing things in the soil (herbs are my specialty), and animals, both of which I have a natural affinity with. I'm equally happy that I inherited my dad's zest for life and while I don't stray far from home, as he once did, I make it my business (a tribute to dad) to know every inch of his home state. I prefer the quietude of small town life but I love the excitement of cities like New Orleans, too. We are rich in history, culture, cuisine, and numerous other things one might fancy but more than any other thing, I am rich in family and friends; my Kind and other Kinds, including Outsiders.

From chaotic beginnings I came a long way, but my journey isn't over. I'm now a Healer, engaged to a most wonderful man who happens to be a Healer, too. In my spare time I volunteer with various children's organizations. All children are worthy of love, care and kindness, but if I ever hear of children of my Kind come into the system, I will do everything within my power to see that those children are placed among their own.

I told my story in the hope that it will help others to understand that Witches aren't all strange, evil Beings or characters in books and movies of fiction. Most of us are people with families and friends whom we love and cherish, and who will go out of our way to assist others in need, if we're allowed to. And it harm none. Blessed May You Be, Anne-Alecia

States of being

Greetings All.

The state of one's being is subject to debate; oft heated, when debates cross the line into 'taboo' territory sanctioned impossible, improbable, or plain old ridiculous by the 'learned' scholars who set standards for what is and what is not. When the subject arises among the less 'learned', ordinary folks, if you will, follow the natural inclination to head for the nearest dictionary, thesaurus, or other sources of information (bibles by the 'learned' for the less learned) and voila, it all comes clear.

Let me take a moment to speak to what many of my visitors here have pointed out as my tendency to poke fun at those who shape the world of information; experts. Aye, and I do. I suppose I need to clarify my reasons for doing so. To cut to the chase, it is more for the fact that so many are willing to accept 'the word' pertaining to whatever information is being sought, on face value; the ease of availability. Understood, we are not all experts who have the time or inclination to go haring off looking for reasons to dispute what appears to have unfettered validity. The point of the exercise is more to remind that not all is as it appears, even to experts. How many times have some with purported higher intelligence boldly provided false theories, equations with no valid solutions, false claims, etc., conceived for the sole purpose of hoodwinking the public? My favorite remedies for prevention of just such tactics; step outside the box for a breath of fresh air, look around and think for self, consider the foibles of humanity (weaknesses that lend themselves to narrow mindedness, short sight, and the unwillingness to test given limits), open your mind, and use your intelligence.

If one always depends upon other's, one confines one's self to the arena of mediocrity in all one thinks, says, does, and believes or disbelieves. The result: setting self up to be blindsided, hoodwinked, used then discarded with the day's trash... You probably get the drift. While that arena may be your comfort zone, it is what I call the prison for those who are easily led, easily persuaded, and quite willing to give up and give in; in short, those who are satisfied with living, vicariously, through the 'learned', 'experts', 'idols', and so on. I am not suggesting that all experts are wrong in all areas, but when it comes down to that which is 'out of the norm', fear sends a great many scrambling for a place of comfort and safety; the tried and the true, where one can always fall back on he said, she said. Fine with me. If that is your preferred cup of tea, enjoy. It just does not happen to be my preference. Heard the term 'little people', in reference to the masses? Enough said?

Back to the topic of the day; states of being. Mortality, the characteristic of being human, is irrefutable, as solid proof is all around us. Most of us have been touched in one way or another by death. No expert needed to prove it. To move on to longevity (yes, some mortals live well past life expectancy and it is not necessary to get into genetics and the like), in reference to Kinds other than humans. Take Werewolves (not the only Kind with longevity), for an example. Their intrinsic characteristic of having dual natures is thought (key word) to be the factor behind their longevity beyond human years. They are long lived, and believers in the Kind and they, themselves, oft disagree as to the reason or cause. The Kind has it's own historical accountings, as with any Kind; and it's own set of problems with debatable issues.

Then there is the issue of immortality. Of course Immortals have no issue with their state of being but others do. If one goes to the dictionary, immortality is described as being exempt from death. As there are different Kinds of Immortals (your choice to believe or not), and I certainly have not met every Kind, I will speak in relation to those I have met, trust, and gleaned information from; Vampyres, for example. If one believes in their existence to begin with, those believers who have no factual knowledge or evidence of the death of one might naturally conclude that death by walking into the sun, being decapitated, or staking one's heart, are myths if one believes the dictionary description for immortality. For those of us who have actual proof that death can be visited upon an Immortal such as the Vampyre, we have learned that immortality comes with the same price tag as other states of being. To clarify; immortality is enjoyed, or not, so long as one does not meet with death.

Vampyres do not need to be reminded that their Kind is not invincible any more than the rest of Kinds do. While some might consider themselves so, those can be likened to ones of every other Kind who are foolish in that belief. Garth snickers when I playfully accuse him, as oft I do, of thinking himself indestructible. But never has he made such a bold statement, for he would be the first to say (and has) that Vampyres are as indestructible as their worst enemies; humans. The dictionary description for immortality, in his words, "only applies to the almighty Creator of whom one has complete, unshakable faith in."

Might that statement cause you to wonder whom other Kinds consider the almighty Creator? If so, it might surprise you, even shock you, that some Immortals believe in a Christian God. Garth does, and it is not at all unusual to find him haunting Christian houses of worship, most particularly of the Catholic faith, which he calls havens of peace and solace. Contrary to popular belief, forced solitude is not something Garth and many others of his Kind enjoy. But it is the solitude of a house of worship he and others like him will seek when the unfair burdens of their lives threaten to overwhelm them. Imagine that; long-lived Beings possessed of extraordinary strengths and powers few can conceive of, in need of a place to surrender their hope and belief that they, too, are deserving children of a good and just Creator. Ponder, and Blessed May You Be.

Game clue #5- Cardinal influence.

What you wish to know...

Greetings All.

I have received several inquiries concerning an earlier post r.e. the Vampyre Romanji (Roman to his friends and acquaintances). Some of you are wondering when he will return to post a personal message and others of you clamor for more information about him. As Garth will tell you, Roman is a law unto himself; comes and goes as it pleases him (aye, I worked hard to get him here last time; used a few enticements, if you will, but he came not because of those but because he chose to do so).

Given the preconceived notions regarding his Kind, and that he is unique among them, it is not unusual that so many of you want a physical description. I will do my best to satisfy your curiosity without offending his sense of what is important and what is not; looks being at the bottom of Roman's list of importance. And there are certainly reasons for his aversion for what he considers less than important in the scheme of things.

At first glance his size and stature tend to divide those who meet him into two camps, with no apparent middle ground between them; those struck by fear of him, and those enthralled by his raw masculinity. It is my impression that fear arises more from his stoic expression and unusual eyes and those, together with his size, lends him a lethal look at first glance. While Roman is not unusually tall at six feet five inches, his body build lends imagined inches to his height. I find it a bit difficult to describe his build, as I do not want to put you in the mind of a body honed by weight lifting or other rigorous training (keep that in mind). Broad shoulders and chest; long, powerful legs and arms defined my muscle and sinew, are of the natural genetics of his heritage. Toss into the mix the way he moves with a graceful, silent stealth wholly at odds with a man his size, and you have the looks born of fantasy.

Handsome? That is one way of describing Roman (Kaithlin calls him drop-dead gorgeous), but as I think of that as an over-used, too common, descriptive term, I would describe Roman as extraordinarily good looking in the sense of physical appeal of the male to the female. He wears a sensual aura that few men are possessed of. How to describe that sensuality? Again, difficult. As I view most things differently from others I will attempt (attempt being the key word here) to describe what is not tangible in physical form. I would liken that difficult to describe something to the air about him; a raw sexuality well beyond the norm. And that, being beyond the conception of normal, is both blessing and curse. I have seen it time and again, one of two looks on faces of those who get close enough to him to 'feel' that intangible air; fatal attraction, or complete revulsion. And those two overt looks are what put Roman off most people and why he prefers to be a loner.

As Kaithlin stated earlier, Roman is fairly new to modern society and he does not wholly understand modern mores, feelings, emotions, and the like. One must remember he is a product of times when ladies and women were breeds apart and manly men were too busy to brood upon one another's looks. That upbringing should give you some insight as to why he is stymied by both genders in these modern times. He was far too young at the time before being made Vampyre to have had much dealing with females, for he was consumed (his word) with learning the ways of a warrior while learning how to control the Berserker in him.

For all that he is, Roman is remarkably shy and uneasy with social scenes which he hides with his stoic appearance. He finds it utterly strange that people are wont to comment one way or the other about things such as the way he wears his near waist-length hair whether left loose, war braided at the temples, tied back or wrapped with a leather thong; his choice of style and color in clothing, most often figure-hugging britches and long sleeved shirts with billowing sleeves reminiscent of other times in his long existence, and always black; and footwear, soft suede or leather knee-length boots with pant legs tucked inside. He knows his is a look that sets him apart from others but he simply does not understand why so many people follow trendy fashions, rather than dressing or wearing their hair to suit themselves. I noticed he has begun to loosen up a little and try certain modern fashions (Garth's influence) but the one thing Roman will not tolerate is cutting his hair. Why is the length of his hair so important to him? Simple; it is the one reminder he has left to him of a life cut short; the way his father, brothers, and other men of that time wore their hair. He will not entertain any idea of a more modern hair style and woe is to the one who attempts to push him on the issue.

What I find most appealing about Roman is something so rare and special, and definitely unique, considering all of his combined circumstances. The first time I saw it, 'twas a most humbling experience that moved me as nothing else could have. He has an extremely soft heart where children are concerned, and children appear to have no fear of him, rather they flock to him like bees to honey. It is most extraordinarily touching to watch the man unfairly condemned as a dangerous creature get down to their level, even down on his knees if need be. He allows them to touch him, play with his hair, hang on him, or sit in his lap, and never does he appear to tire of them. While he is fond of children of all races and ages, and shows no favoritism, I have noticed that he most drawn to babies and first-stage toddlers. The look on his face when he is allowed to hold or touch them is beyond priceless. They bring out in him a degree of gentleness that he appears shocked to discover he is capable of, and only with children will you see him smile, effortlessly.

I once asked him what it was about children that drew him and his answers gave me my first indepth look into the real person hidden inside him. He told me that children who have yet to learn how to be cruel are the only perfection in an imperfect world; gifts meant to be cherished and protected, no matter the cost. Of those who have learned to be cruel, he believes they can be salvaged if one but has the patience and spares the time to take them in hand and steer them in the right direction. I made mention to him that he appeared a wee bit more partial to girls than boys and he was taken aback that I recognized that. Then he admitted it was true and told me why. Of five siblings, one was a female, and he and his brothers were awed when the baby of their family put in an appearance. He spoke of their devotion to their sister, how sweet and fragile she was at birth. He revealed to me that it was their father's love and gentle handling of his wife and daughter that taught his sons to cherish females in a time when females were often looked upon as no more than necessities for furthering one's bloodline.

Imagine, if you can, a man who is Vampyre; an Immortal something over two hundred pounds, standing well over six feet, a born warrior who was made predator, and possesses incredible strength and otherworldly abilities, holding an infant that barely covers the palms of his large hands; completely enthralled by that tiny infant. If you can imagine that scenario then you will know without a single doubt what I know; that there exists some Vampyres possessed of a goodness and kindness that puts many humans to shame. Roman would no more harm a child, or an innocent adult, than the world could stop turning on its axis.

It all boils down to thinking for yourself; seeking truth, rather than following the masses and leaping to judgment of those who are different than you. Believing them no more than myth is understandable but believing in them and branding all Vampyres as one Kind, unholy fiends, is about as far from true as claiming this world and the netherworld are one and the same. It is my fervent hope that some of you have gained something of vital importance from my attempt to describe this truly remarkable individual who seeks nothing more than acceptance amidst those who are just as different to him as he is to them. Ponder, and Blessed May You Be.

Who would expect...

Greetings All.

I have been asked on numerous occasions what I consider the single most telling reason why mainstream society is wont to condemn other Kinds out of hand. Would that there was a single reason, for if there were one could turn one's full focus on disabusing that notion. As in any society prejudice is the brain-child born of many things; fear, jealousy, hatred, and narrow mindedness, to name a few. Those are results of information garnered from a plethora of sources such as books, movies, other media, purported experts, radicals, and good old word of mouth. Prejudice also arises out of the lack of knowledge pertaining to the subject.

I feel safe in saying there is not a living Being of higher intelligence on this planet without some form of prejudice. To my way of thinking it is not so much one's ownership of prejudice that is the problem, but the manner in which that prejudice lends itself to the problem of prejudice as a whole. What is the root of the whole? Individuals who do not take the time to think, seek factual information, and rationalize, for themselves. Too mired in the business of life, many allow their thinking to be shaped by those sources of information they consider omnipotent. Sad but true.

Those who rush to judgment because they saw it on the news; heard it from an expert; read it in a book, magazine, report, and so on are those who line up behind the Pied Piper of the moment and blindly follow wherever they are led. Such behavior has been going on since the beginning of time and continues to thrive in these modern times. Consider the masses that buy name brand clothing, have non-necessary surgical procedures, consume particular pills and potions, flock to entertainment, follow ridiculous diets, and so on simply because particular idols endorse those. Gotta... 'Be like Mike', look like Brittany, behave like the latest bad boys and girls, buy homes in neighborhoods out of one's ability to comfortably afford; be number one at all costs.

The costs are enormous; mental and emotional stress brought on by lack of acceptance of one's self and place in life. The inability to think for self factors largely in prejudice and thus why would we expect the masses to make informed decisions? Much easier to be pushed into choosing sides by belly-crawling radicals who show up in force and rant and rave, chain themselves in public, and proclaim theirs is a just cause. The old saying 'sheep led to the slaughter' comes to mind.

All of the above and so much more plays into the condemnation of others. A single culprit? Never. And so long as weak minds and wills are in never ending supply to be bent, there will be prejudice without just cause. Is it any wonder that other Kinds branded out of the norm keep to themselves? I think not. They are forced to do so due to numbers; the masses who force them into seclusion and secrecy and then for that seclusion and secrecy turn right around and blame them for not coming 'out of the closet' and proving their existence and worth. If I were to point the finger at any one reason for prejudice and condemnation it would be the sorry failings of human nature. Ponder. Blessed May You Be.

Questions and Answers

Bonjour mes amies (good morning my friends).

We will give today's post to answering e-mail. We are heartened by the increase in visitors to our blog and as that naturally means more mail, Dream Teller has set aside one day of the week for that particular purpose. You may note that some questions have come up before but remember that our new visitors may not have searched the archives and, too, Dream Teller will often add new or more information to the answers. We begin...

To Candace in New Mexico: I do not pose e-mail questions in full for two reasons; taking up too much space on the blog, and because certain portions of my answers are meant only for the questioner. You will note that the basic questions are generally qualified by the answers so that one gets the gist of said questions. In short, personal messages protect the integrity of the situation, as needed.

To Hoyt in England: Directing one's power at a particular target depends upon one's ability and the source of the power. Certain Kinds, some Witches for instance, elevate the hands skyward when they call upon the elements and the hands become the lightening rod through which the 'outside' power travels into the body. By the same token that power can then be directed through the fingers at whatever or whomever is pointed out. If one is sourcing one's inherent powers (from within) some require the use of hands or eyes to direct the power while others can direct it by the use of thought or imaging. Then there are times that the pointing or the waving of a hand is merely a 'prop' if you will; to direct someone's attention while demonstrating the skill. Often, pointing or waving is a natural action given that the majority of us employ our hands as we speak to make a point in conversation. The same is true of one who causes a particular item to materialize on the palm. The palm is not required to hold the item, as it can be suspended in place, but it is natural to hold it for inspection or to offer it to someone. As you can see there is nothing 'sinister' about the practice unless of course it is being directed against someone for evil purposes. Blessed May You Be.

To Shanay in Louisiana: Were I in your shoes, I would be wondering why that particular unsavory character peppered the conversation with those words; malevolent, malefic, diabolical, and the like. While there is always the outside chance he is what he claims to be, he sounds more like a wanna-be trying to frighten and/or impress you. Be that as it may, you best steer clear of that sort, for without proof one should never chance fate. Certain types of Vampyre are known for their proclivity for enticing intended victims with overt lures that some young folks fall for in their desire to meet the 'real' deal. As I have stated before, role playing is harmless until one goes that bit too far. Whether he is or is not true Vampyre, the danger lies in his intentions. Many a role player has gotten caught up in the moment and taken things to dangerous lengths so I would warn you not to accept the offer. By the very fact that you question, tells me your instincts are warning you off him. Heed them. Blessed May You Be.

To Jerry in Iowa: Obviously, you have not a clue as to the rigors of that life style. My question to you is why would you give up all that you say you are blessed with to fall under the thumb of one who will hold dominion over you? Your life will never again be your own and you can be sure you will be forced into subservience. What will be demanded of you does not bear thinking of and when you are no longer of use, you then become a liability; one that will not be left to chance. Think again and again before you take that step and if that does not stop you, think of the harm you will bring down upon your family. I can only hope you make the right choice, for it is not mine to make. Blessed May You Be.

To Bailey in West Virginia: Narrow and littered with obstacles is the winding path but 'The Way' is far more preferable than the smooth path to perdition. While the one lures with false promises and the other remains silent, 'tis you who must choose to walk the dark or the light. No gift is given, lightly, nor is it given to any who have not the ability to use it, wisely. It comes down to choice, as to how the gifted respond. A certain degree of fear is healthy but one must not allow one's fear to be the deciding factor in the path one chooses. Look within; search your heart, soul, and mind, and there will you find the answers you seek. Life is short but eternity is forever. Blessed May You Be and may the fates smile upon you.

To Delaney in Arkansas: Comes the time when one must stand up for one's rights. 'Tis your choice whether to continue to go it alone or join with those you feel uncomfortable among. While the coven may well be above board, no member should deliberately attempt to intimidate you nor threaten you. Sounds to me like that particular person feels threatened by your presence in the area. If you feel that she is making false claims against you to the coven then you must decide whether to ignore her or take the matter to the coven council. If you felt uncomfortable with all of the members then rely upon your instincts, otherwise speak to the high priest. Whatever your decision, stand strong and in the meantime, the Warlock Gregory is checking into that particular coven. He will personally contact you with his findings. Blessed May You Be.

To Richard in South Dakota: I thank you for your kindness on behalf of those children. They definitely are in need of guidance for they are too young to make such decisions. Stay safe and Blessed May You Be.

To Becca and Brody in California: The twin thing, as you call it, appears to serve you well. Both of you are blessed to have one another. I have never run into a set of twins who happen to be born of a seventh child who is also a twin. As the circumstance is unique to me, I will turn your question over to our council and get back to you with their findings. Blessed May You Be.

Blessings upon all who are deserving, Dream Teller.

Oracle

Greetings All.

There will always be new seekers of basic knowledge of all things supranatural and I do not take those quests for basic knowledge lightly. Some of those seekers are people with no more than a fleeting curiosity, others have let me know they have had an interest for some time but have never found a forum where the information is not either ridiculously outlandish, or unbiased. Some of you have even directed me to particular web sites to support your position that the information lacks validity or at the least 'believable' points of interest.

I have visited those sites and taken note. Some are in fact outlandish, others have truth in them; truth difficult to ferret out from the drama contained in the content, as well as the dramatic presentation of the site. For those drawn by drama and dramatics those sites serve a purpose but for those seeking plain truth; not information wrapped up in streaming colors and blinding firebursts, the message is generally lost in the presentation.

I have also visited web sites that play up the danger aspect complete with ghouls with fangs dripping blood, creatures with burning eyes, and other dramatic features designed to lure visitors to those sites into the dark realm. Those, too, serve a purpose; be it entertainment, fetish for things that go bump in the night, or the desire to traverse that dark side. The downside of such sites should be obvious so I will not get into that.

Those are some of the reasons upon which I based my intentions to keep this blog site simple and unfettered, as will be my coming web site. Clean, clear, unbiased information is what I offer and while I have had some negative feedback pertaining to the simplicity, the majority of visitors have let me know they are pleased with that effort. I am beginning to see a trend toward more serious queries, rather than the ridiculous, and the need for more indepth information, rather than that which simply skirts the issues in question. That said, I will now address the question many of you have posed an interest in.

Oracles. In dictionary terms an oracle is one of two things; a revelation, prophecy, or vision (ancient, often enigmatic), or one who gives wise advice. Thus, a 'Book of Oracles' is confusing to some who question is it a book containing revelations or a book containing the names of ancient wisemen? The answer depends upon the particular book of information. Some of those are books of revelations pertaining to one particular prophet, others are books of revelations pertaining to more than one. Either way both the revelations and the prophet or prophets are oracles. Some of your confusion appears to lie in the belief that the book itself is an oracle. Not so. The book is what is know as an oracular instrument; a tangible accounting of the information contained within.

There are other oracular instruments which are used in various ways to gain prophetic information. Best known are runes, tarot cards, pendulums, crystal balls, looking glasses, and the like. While these instruments are used by some for entertainment purposes these days, they are in fact true instruments of prophecy and visions when in the hands of those with the ancient knowledge of their proper use. One has to get past all the hype related to those instruments before one can come to the conclusion that they are of truly important use.

Each of the runes and tarot cards have specific meanings and when particularly positioned, and taken as a whole, foretell the desired information. Those can be used against persons of weak will and mind but crystal balls and looking glasses are the most notably misused instruments in that the purported 'seer' pretends to 'see' visions in them. Such is not the case, as the instrument is merely a focal point. What is seen is seen in the mind and not in the glass. Can a vision appear in either of those? Yes, but only if the seer has the ability to project the vision into the glass which is generally done when one seeking information, without the 'sight', will benefit. You notice I said 'generally'. As there are those with evil intentions, who are not above doing so for unsavory purposes, those instruments are often used to promote fear, extort means of getting information; money; finding persons necessary to the seers plans, etc. Given that the questioner is more often than not innocent of things of that nature, you can see how easily innocents fall into dangerous traps.

So remember, it is not the particular oracular instrument that is dangerous in and of itself but the oracle (person) who puts it to use for evil purposes, or those who seek to use the instrument and the knowledge contained therein without proper knowledge of the use of said instrument and information. I can hear the wheels of minds turning.

Aye, it is possible for one without the knowledge to make use of such instruments and therein lies grave danger. One must remember that there are unknown evil forces just waiting to find a window of opportunity to slip from the dark realm into the light. Those who 'play' with that which should not be played with provide the vehicle (their mind) with which the evil spirit is able to enter this world. I bid you take care not to open yourself to invasion, for what you bring into yourself poses danger to others, and you have no earthly means to control what happens from that point.

I feel I must warn against a particular instrument that is a most dangerous oracular instrument and due to its easy availability, is the one most often found in the hands of children and young adults who mistakenly think it no more than a game. Children's haunts; toy stores, stock massive numbers of Ouija Boards that fly off the shelves as quickly as any other toy. Unsuspecting parents who believe it no more than a game purchase them and put them in the hands of their minor children, and high school and college students purchase them in record numbers. Impressionable minds are at risk, for the young are most brazen in their quest of the unknown. The older ones consider themselves invincible when it comes to things of a supernatural nature, while the younger fall victim to the exciting possibilities, and all have not a clue to what lies in wait. Fair warning. Ponder and Blessed May You Be, Dream Teller.

Provenance

Greetings All.

When the subject of psychic phenomenon arises, multitudes of both explanations and disclaimers abound. Not surprising. The scientific community, religious communities, and medical and psychology communities are quick to disclaim the existence of such phenomenon on the basis of their studies. What cannot be explained by the natural law and order of things is deemed rubbish by scientists, evil by religious authorities, impossible by medical theory, and mental problems according to psychologists.

All of those communities work off of one glaringly consistent fact; the lack of provenance, proof. Their theories have been substantiated by those charlatans who step forward and offer themselves up as test subjects in the belief that they can fool the so-called experts. Such charlatans exist in every community and society; have from the beginning of time. Nothing new there.

Those with 'gifts' of psychic ability (and there are many and varied types of gifts) generally refrain from stepping forward for obvious reasons. Those who have braved the nay-sayers have been branded charlatans themselves, for even as they expose certain of their gifts as proof, someone in one or more of those communities of experts puts a negative spin on the truth, or claims to debunk the effort. It all comes back to what cannot be explained by natural law and order. Skepticism is one thing but refusal to look at something 'uncommon' to the masses is another, and it is that which is uncommon that threatens, and therefore is relegated to the impossible.

In the past few years some headway has been made in the proving of psychic ability. Some well-known psychics and others who prefer to remain anonymous have joined forces with law enforcement agencies and assisted those officials in tracking down criminals otherwise gone uncaught. And while skepticism is still alive and well in the law enforcement community, at least some officials are coming around to realizing the value of psychic ability. They have proof, for where forensic science and profiling has failed them, psychic abilities have solved many crimes.

Provenance, such as visions and dreaming true, has offered up crime scenes, nameless faces, put names to the faceless, discovered unknown evidence in cold cases, described unknown paths, and so on. And even as law enforcement officials back the evidence finder the skeptics attempt to disclaim psychic ability. How ridiculous is that? Jealousy, mayhap? If I cannot do it or do not possess the ability then it is not possible?

Mayhap it is that the nay-sayers cannot get past the lack of 'tangible' proof. Hmm. Is love tangible? Hatred? Desire? One cannot see or touch those yet they are deemed real. Psychic ability is not a scientific, religious, medical, or psychological condition, for it is not a 'condition' at all. It is an ability; an intangible gift. And who is to say the masses were not endowed with such gifts? More like the masses are fearful of possessing what is inexplicable by the experts. Ponder and Blessed May You Be.

Game clue # 4- One day, one month, three gemstones.

The Shape of Things

Greetings All.

I thank all who stepped into the breach in my absence to help Kaithlin keep things running smoothly here at home, and those who stepped up to the plate to assist us in our efforts to curtail a most unpleasant situation. And now, on to today's business.

There have been many inquiries as to the day to day routine in the lives of Witches; what they do, and hope to accomplish in the outside world. Fair questions that let me know some of you realize that Witches are as much a part of the Outsider's society as their own (the same is true of any Kind that chooses to reside in modern society and I will speak to questions pertaining to those along and along).

Mayhap the best way to lead into this discussion is to remind that being a Witch does not preclude being a person. As I have stated earlier, Witches are part of mainstream society. Their children attend schools with your children, the adults have careers, own businesses, attend social functions as others do, and so on. Some let it be known they are Witches, others prefer anonymity, as they go about the business of life in regular society. Sounds simple enough yet there is nothing simple about it, for the fact that Witches must incorporate both callings; duties of person and Witch into one existence, and function in both societies.

The lone Witch without ties to a coven tends to have an easier time of it (that is not to say they do not run into many of the same problems with Outsiders) because the choice of being 'lone' affords them the ability to live on their own terms. Those with ties to a coven are bound by coven law and by the very fact of being involved with more people than themselves, each within the coven is dependent upon the other's proclivity, or lack there of, for the good of all. Human nature being what it is, and taken into consideration, the many run the greater risk than the one.

If one considers other things such as personalities, degree of loyalty, personal desire (and for what that pertains to), one might begin to conclude that, as with any people, the issue of trust factors into the equation. And further, given the hierarchy within covens, one might also recognize that conflict can and does arise. As in ordinary society, conflicts within the witches society lead to challenges of authority, disloyalty, the breaking of old ways, and the making of new ways. And the more discord the more risk of danger.

Let us look at some things that lend themselves to discord. At the top of the hierarchy are Warlock and Sorceress; both known for being of hedonistic natures (some are, others are not), and for demanding complete and total loyalty (some without earning it). Take those and apply them to both societies and you have the power monger who will stop at nothing to achieve his/her goals, at any price. Then you have those Witches who throw their loyalties in one direction or the other and thus you have discord. Add to those the Outsiders who are enlisted for unsavory purposes, people with their own unsavory agenda, and you should recognize how easily things can go awry in both societies. Ex.- corrupt officials of position on the outside in the pocket of a corrupt Witch. More than one mayor, governor, sheriff, or police chief has attained that office with the assistance of powerful Witches, and both enjoy the spoils of their victory. See where I am going?

Let it be known that I am not focusing a bad light on 'all' of one Kind or position. I am merely pointing out these things to give you another perspective with which to understand that human nature applies to the Witch as well as the Outsider. To be fair, I will also point out that corrupt persons in both societies have been brought down by other Witches and Outsiders working in tandem, for the good of all. Think balance, for without it in every society where would we be?

Thankfully, there is balance among those with extraordinary powers and skills and those without, and that because of the Witches who take 'for the good of all', seriously. Those are the ones who believe in live and let live; that all are deserving of equality and prosperity and work to those ends.

So, as you go about your busy day, while you may not know it, you are working beside a Witch; attending social functions with the same; entertaining them (or vice-versa); chatting with them at PTA meetings; electing them on local and higher levels; retaining them as attorney; receiving medical attention from them as doctors and nurses... You get the drift. Being a Witch does not lessen their humanity, nor prevent their places in the society that belongs to all. Mayhap the day will come when Witches feel free to welcome you, an Outsider, into their midst without cause for concern for them and their own. 'Tis a world worth seeing and people well worth knowing. Prejudice (in every walk of life; race, Kind, etc.) on the face of the few who reflect, badly, on the many is not just cause. Ponder.

Insight

Dream Teller, Dream Teller, tell me a tale,
Spin me a majical dream.
Show me 'The Way' and secrets unveil,
All that is not as it seems.

Cast your light in the world of dark
That I may clearly see.
Show to me ancient paths ne'er marked
From time, eternity.

Walk with me, guide me, lend me your eyes,
For to see what mine cannot see.
Decipher the whispers -ominous lies,
Dispel all treachery.

Dream Teller, keeper of ancient dreams
Foretell unto me, true.
Speak of majical, wondrous things,
That I may 'see' like you.

Dream Teller, copyright 2004

Bonjour all,
I thought you might enjoy a glimpse into Dream Teller's mind, so this morn I chose one of the many poems she has written. As I told you before, her brain tends to work on many levels at once. I found this piece scribbled then tossed aside;crumpled on the floor, and retrieved it for the file I keep for such things.

At the end of that particularly stressful day, I inquired as to what led her to write the poem. With a rather vague smile, she sighed and relaxed into her chair and picked up a pen and began scribbling as she spoke. She said: "You know 'tite chatte (little cat), the many questions that come my way often lodge in my brain and there they dwell until I find it necessary to do more than merely answer them. I suppose 'tis my way of making order and sense of chaos. Most are simple questions then there are those that are, surprisingly, out of the ordinary; ones that remind me that the thirst for certain knowledge is not ours, alone."

She went on to tell me that the poem was the result of a combination of questions from different people, with like curiosity. And while the poem focuses on the need for answers, what is contained therein is the context in which Dream Teller viewed those questions. In this case, in her words: "Certain of those questions put into perspective, for me, the child-like innocence that dwells within the adult. Few retain such innocence and thus I gave it a child-like spin; not to mock the adult, but to pay tribute to the child's innocence."

And there you have a bit of insight into someone who walks the darkness but isn't jaded by all that has gone therein. I would tell you that Dream Teller's world is often fraught with things that would send many running and screaming into the night yet, for all of that, she remains ever ready and willing to assist those in need, teach; comfort; chastise, on the occasion; provide safe haven, no matter the expense to herself (I'll not go any further with the praise, for she is not one to seek it.) But for those of you who think to ridicule her, mayhap you have learned something here. I certainly hope so. Blessed May You Be, Kaithlin.

What is lost and what is gained.

Bonjour and good tidings, all.

Dawn is in the offing and with its advent we are blessed with a new day; a new opportunity to begin again. I urge you reach out and seize the day with both hands, heart, and mind. Use your opportunities wisely; heal rifts, go forward, pause and give thanks for all you are blessed with, pray for strength of mind, will, and body, seek for the good of all, for in all of those peace and harmony abound.

In Dream Teller's stead it is my duty to handle matters here at home until her return. So, as all of us in her employ attempt to go forward in the wake of the near disaster of the past few days, we will do our utmost best to quell our anger and angst, give thanks for the positives in the outcome, and get past the negatives. Some of us will succeed and some will fail but each and every one of us is committed to the effort.

How, you might wonder, can we forget the gravity of the situation brought upon us by petty minds? It isn't in the forgetting but in the accepting of what we must take from and attempt to turn to the good. A lesson taught, a lesson learned. To dwell upon the bad situations in life leads to the inability to rise above those, which in turn lends itself to the corruption of all that we are about. In short, we don't forget, rather we learn and go forward. And though what we are meant to learn isn't often clear at the beginning, it eventually comes clear to those who strive to learn.

Five people acted out of personal desire to discredit an entire Kind and for their efforts earned consequences beyond their control. While they were given choice of consequence, the limit of those has bearing upon not only how their lives will proceed, but upon their families and a host of others. In hindsight they realize the enormity of their petty desires. So where does that leave them and all who were dragged into the quagmire? At the crossroad those five erected, by choice of the uninformed. Destinies have been altered with their choices; theirs and the others whom they robbed of choice.

Two will go on without knowledge of where they've recently been or what they did, lacking in some basic knowledge, as well, that will stand them apart from their peers, for they chose what they considered the road of least resistance (an out). That road will be littered with stumbling blocks (loss of memory for one) and it is now their lot to try and succeed in life with that deficit. The other three cast their lot with those whom they attempted to discredit. Theirs will also be a rocky road, for they are charged with learning new ways and remaining loyal while under the sharp eye of their benefactors. With that, those three have placed a burden upon others; those who are charged with their education, and those who are charged with keeping close tabs on them. None can go back to the way they were.

Let me say that this isn't the first time such things have happened, nor will it be the last. But let it be a lesson to all that attempting to smear another's character and discredit their beliefs isn't in anyone's best interest. It all comes down to leaving others to their rights of choice of lifestyle, beliefs, religious and every other persuasion, for none have the right to stand in judgment of others, simply, because they are different from the so-called 'norm' in society.

Take heed, for when you stand in judgment you may well wind up being judged and found wanting; worse, forced to a path too difficult to walk. No more will be said about this event. As Dream Teller would say: Ponder.

On another subject; Dream Teller has agreed with us that the game she devised could be better played by all if clues continued to be given instead of players having to ferret out the information from the postings, and as we have newcomers to the site, daily, they will have the opportunity to look back in our archives and enter the game at any point. Too, not everyone thinks in the same terms and on the same level as Dream Teller so it is our thinking that clues are necessary for fair play. 3rd clue: define, codify, symbolize. Good luck and Blessed May You Be, Kaithlin.

Update

Fair tidings one and all.

'Tis been a long night for those of us waiting and hoping for the outcome in the recent and unwarranted attack upon our own which escalated into a heated and deadly battle between Warlocks. We offer our thanks and gratitude to those of you who stood with us.

I am Kiersten, a true Witch and sister-friend of Suzaunna and Draedon. 'Tis with a heart both glad and burdened that I am here, filling in for Kaithlin who is in much need of rest. While I am most pleased to report that both of the missing Outsiders were found and taken into safe keeping, I am equally angry at those five for the danger they brought into our midst, and all for wont of gloating about, in their words: "To show Witches that their protective shields and barriers can be penetrated by 'lowly' Outsiders." And how sad is that?

Their mission was for naught, for there were no protective shields around the home they entered and desecrated. 'Twas no oversight but a well-laid trap for another into which they unwittingly fell. Had the owners but known that fools were at play (we can't know everything), they would only have had to devise a subtle barrier to keep them out. As the home stands well off the beaten path and it was made known to certain individuals in our society that it was vacant, it was hoped that a certain adversary would make his move. But for the fools' untimely appearance he would have tripped the secret shields of imprisonment that, for reasons such as what occurred, can only be tripped by the one for whom they were designed to hold.

Turned out that the Outsiders' folly played them right into the intended adversary's hands. When they arrived he was already there, and unknownst to them, he stood back and watched; led them to do their destructive best. They now know they were not as smart as they thought themselves, for only by his control did they seek what was stolen. The sorry truth is that they weren't even looking for those particular items, knew nothing of them, and according to their story, they went in with no intention of vandalism or theft but only to leave a message that they had bested Witches at their own game.

Shows their lack of intelligence. Not only do Witches not play ridiculous games, I assure you that Warlocks and Sorceresses are the least likely to do so and the worst ones to attempt to ire. Indeed! Where do some of you people come up with those ideas? One might expect such ignorance of children but in adults it is downright idiotic.

For those of you who think us lawless let me tell you at what cost to us were those five fools actions. A cherished abode was desecrated which will force the owners to devise safety barriers that stand at all times, and that may well be harmful to the next idiot who thinks to invade it on a whim; two of our own were seriously injured in their efforts to protect the invaders; a deadly battle was fought without benefit of the plan that, per force, went by the wayside but, thankfully, was won and at no cost to innocents. And now there is left how to deal with five individuals whom cannot be left in possession of the knowledge they garnered through their foolishness. How to do that? By emptying their minds, which could lead to memory lapses of normal, basic knowledge, or the only other alternative; forcing their allegiance and loyalty to our Kind. Neither of those choices is palatable to them or us but choice they will have, and there you have it.

Our sincere thanks to those of you who e-mailed us with the whereabouts of those we sought, you know who you are, and for you protection I will not publish your names.

Special thanks also to 'Onyxroots' for the heads-up r.e. the warning. Be it known to you that Witches can be and sometimes are distracted by the shadows, for mental preparation is near all-consuming (I get the sense you know this all-consuming state of being). However, we are ever aware that we can be felled by physical attack, as almost happened to two of our comrades in the early morning hours of this day. Your warning is duly noted and will be passed on.

To Darren: And it harm none.

To Christina: Will you now rethink the situation, or will you continue with your narrow-minded view of our Kind?

Blessings upon all, Kiersten.