At last...a new offering

Bonjour mes amies.

'Tis a beautiful day. So many of you have been inquiring why we have no' had a contest like we had last year. 'Tis because we have had so much happen in the previous year. But, as we are all beginning to get past the Hurricanes and get some normalcy back in our lives Dream Teller has given the go ahead to begin offering some new things to our visitors. While our staff is busy putting together some ideas for contests that will offer prizes for the winners, we will begin with this offering. You will recall that last year we offered prizes to our regular visitors for the most new visitors directed to our Blog. This year, Dream Teller has finally given us the go ahead to begin a Membership drive. Yea, something many of you have been asking for since The Lair went on line. We still have a few things to work out before we open the membership but here are a few of the particulars:

1) There will be three, distinct membership divisons (tell you why as we go along).

2) Each division will serve a particular purpose(s) apart from the other divisions.

3) Membership rules and regulations will be division specific.

4) Membership in any one of the divisions will provide for members to earn certain opportunities (I will let you wonder about those but I will say there are some special and exciting possibilities being talked around).

5) It will be possible to progress from one division to the next highest, dependant upon certain criteria to be met. (Criteria for each membership division will be provided when the drive begins).

6) This is no' to be considered a fan club (Dream Teller does no' entertain such ideas) but membership for the purpose of learning about what we do, offering your ideas in given situations, and in some cases the opportunity to become part of our team (these are few and far between given the critical criteria that must be met).

These are the first basic concepts we have come up with and are subject to change as we continue to set the agenda. To clarify the division concept: Those will be specific to the member's knowledge base, inherent abilities, and reason's for pursuing membership.

Those interested in membership will begin at the first level which entails the registration process. That process is designed to rate each possible member according to the information they provide (no personal information such as SS#'s, credit card #'s, bank acct. #'s will be asked for at anytime. Do remember this as we all know how easily identities are stolen!) Also remember this; our registration forms will contain a code specific to the Lair for the purpose of preventing pirating of our forms. You, our regular visitors, already know how quickly and easily our Blog site can be tampered with by unsavory characters thus we encourage everyone to take great care with all concerned during the registration process. In order to protect both you and us, we will break up the registration process with one part done by e-mail and the other returned by snail mail. The latter and most important information will then only be seen and handled by our staff.

In order to defray costs membership dues are required. However, as we wish our members to be able to enjoy some side-benefits we have devised a method by which each of you can earn your dues back, as well as earn and accru points toward special, up-coming calender events, prizes, etc. (more abut all of those once we have the agenda set). Easily done by sending new visitors to our site. You will receive a percentage of your membership fee for each of those who registers for membership (using a code # you will be given at registration for that purpose) until you have received back your full fee then you begin to accru points thereafter. Each new member can do the same, and so on.

We will determine the amount of the fee once we are ready to begin offering membership to the Lair (nay, 'twill no' be some huge amount). Now that you have some idea of what we have come up with, I will leave you to think on it. I am most positive we will hear from many of you with your ideas but please understand that, for the time being, we will stay with this model we have worked on for some time. I am excited that we are finally able to offer you membership, for I know some of you out there are destined to become part of our organization and some, part of our family. Blessings Upon All, Kaithlin

The journey

Fair day, all.

'Tis a beautiful day ahead of us here in the southeastern part of the states and, hopefully, in other parts of the country as well. We thank all of our faithful visitors for checking back with us, even when a lot of time elapses before we get to post to our blog, and they have no idea why. But most of you know the nature of our business and the time it requires. For those who are new to our blog feel free to look back in our archieves to get a total picture of who we are and what we do. But for now, I (Kaithlin here with you) will update you on what has been going on at the the Lair.

Actually, 'tis more what has been going on away from the Lair that has required the presence of most of us in several locations. For the past month this place has been more like a morgue; folks ghosting in and out just long enough to grab what they require, attempting to get a few hours sleep before hieing off again, that sort of thing.

Garth, our resident Vampyre, recently returned from the field for a much-needed, much-deserved rest. 'Tis amazing the change in him this past year; changes wrought by last years hurricane. As you know Vampyres tend to condsider themselves invincible and friend Garth is no different. But when Mother Nature sends something of the magnitude of a hurricane calling, even Immortals are forced to heed the message. 'Tis no' for himself that the message became loud and clear but for the fact that powerful as he is, he was no match for what destroyed lives of friends, and his home and possessions. I think the worst of that message was for Garth to realize he could have easily lost his beloved wife; that no amount of his power could have prevented it if Mother Nature had been so inclined. 'Tis very difficult for Immortals to face such wake-up calls as that. They are so used to taking care of themselves and their own and often take their powers for granted. But they do so only because they have been around such a long time and their powers are so much a part of them it does no' require thought to reach for them as needed.

So 'tis a rather somber Garth who ghosts around here rather than the happy-go-lucky individual that used to tease me unmercifully. We all miss the happy Garth but as Dream Teller informed us, 'tis his journey to work through. And so we all hope and pray that Garth will come to terms with the fear that slapped him in the face and regain his confidence.

Then we have Roman (aye, we receive more mail about Roman than any other team member). 'Tis no surprise to us that he has become the darling our female visitors are most interested in but I assure you that Roman is so very surprised when we show him the amount of mail related to him. But too, you know how our Roman is; not one for crowds, stoic, the loner. But I have to tell you, he has become slightly more sociable (very slightly) and then only grudgingly. 'Tis taken some time for Garth and the Warlock Gregory and his family members to convince Roman that life is no' all about the hunt and the battle. For those of us whom Roman allows to know something of the real individual hidden deep within the Immortal's shell, 'tis a most gratifying experience. Imagine if you can a man some 6 1/2 feet tall (or thereabouts), powerfully built, who moves with the lithe, silent grace of a jungle cat.... Well you get my drift. He is, afterall, a hunter of rogue Immortals yet there is this very special, tender side deep within him that allows him to be gentle with those who most need a gentle touch -children.

Well, Roman was finally forced in from the field a few weeks back by none other than the Warlock Athen and his older brother, the Warlock Raphael. Powerful as those two are, singly and together, it required the efforts of both Warlocks to bring Roman around. You see, Roman has never given up (part of his self-assumed journey) the search for one particular child lost during the hurricane in New Orleans, last year. So, as he attends to his regular business which often drains his strength, he then heads off to seek the child until he wears himself down to the point that he leaves himself open to danger. Obssessed? Aye, but his love for children knows no bounds for they are the only ones who accept him, unconditionally, and ask no more of him than a hug. His desire is to find what happened to the child (he has come to accept that the little girl is most likely no longer alive) and afford her mother some sort of closure. I think what drives him hardest is his need to make certain that the child was no' snatched by the evil ones during the storm and kept for their horrid purposes. But to date there has been no sign of the child and so we pray for her. Please add your prayers to ours...

Next is word on the Warlock Gregory, one of my most-favored people. Gregory makes it his business to keep close tabs on the Lair and when he is out-of-pocket you can bet one or more of his sons or friends is no' far from us. Why? His and the Sorceress JoHaunna's kindred friendship with Dream Teller. Those three go way back and consider themselves more family than mere friends. Gregory is, himself, a workaholic of sorts but JoHauuna is the one who can reel him in and does. 'Tis humorous to watch that very tall, large Warlock be brought around by his very petite wife and by a mere crook of the finger or a particular glance that defies her Warlock to balk. Gotta love it! Anyhow even with all the work he has been involved in with rebuilding his and other family homes, Gregory has been busy raising funds (as is usual for his philanthropist self). Those funds are distributed wherever needed (so many areas) and so our Warlock keeps himself busy but never too busy to let the chance to look in on us slide past him.

Aye, our friendly Warlock just popped his head around the corner with that handsome smile of his. Bet he is checking to make sure I was out of bed early (you know I hate early) and at the business at hand. Umm, I do smell that wonderful smell of dark-roast chickory being brewed! Mind you, Gregory does no' drink anything with caffiene in it (says 'tis no' good for the body) but he is always sweet enough to brew it for those who do love it.

And now to tell you about the newest member of our team. The Werewolf Stefan, kin (nephew) to the Werewolf Michael, a criminal attorney by profession, has added his efforts to our cause. Stefan appears a devil-may-care sort but beneath that persona is a very dedicated, if need be, lethal individual. No' only has he been helping victims of the hurricane recover damages from insurance companies that fail to pay what is due, he also handles much of the legal work related to getting children into safe homes or adopted by desirable couples. Stefan works tirelessly with Gregory and JoHaunna and he is also responsible for advancing acceptability of his Kind among other Kinds. He has recently taken up residence in the area and we are most pleased to have him among us. So you will be hearing more about Stefan and his new Journey, in future.

Another new colleague is the Warlock Thieron. He grew up friend of Gregory's son and stepsons though they lost touch for several years due to a very sad event in Thieron's life (no' mine to tell but I think one day he may share the tragedy with us). Theiron reminds me a great deal of Roman in that he tends to be a loner and prefers to work alone. But he, too, is coming around to working within the organiztion with the team. 'Tis rare to surprise a smile on that man's face for he is all business and no' one to play (yet!) When he has been around us long enough he will, I predict, learn to loosen up and get a bit of enjoyment from life. Theiron was very difficult to bring into the fold for he is very leery of trusting other Kinds (and with good reason). But he is discovering that 'tis folly to judge all of one Kind by a few and so, grudgingly, he is attempting to at least work with certain of our colleagues he'd much rather.... Never mind. Theiron is a force to be reckoned with, another of our hunters (they come in all Kinds) and much of his journey in adulthood has been the seeking of those who destroyed his life. What became evident was that those whom he has sought for many years are some of those whom we seek, for various reasons. To date, Theiron has had the satisfaction of being handed one particular rogue Warlock that continually eluded him and that by Roman. 'Twas difficult for Theiron to accept that one of his deadliest foes was turned over to him by one of a Kind he most dispised. Eventually you will learn what caused the Warlock's pure hatred of Vampyres, but that is for later. And we welcome Theiron among us and hope we have a long and fruitful relationship. Too, we hope his life's journey becomes brighter and better.

As you know, we have many more colleagues and along and along we will bring you up to date concerning them. But as Dream Teller wanted our two newest associates introduced (and I do like to give as many details as possible), for the sake of time and space we will stop here. Blessed May You Be, Kaithlin