Lair Tribune

[Shaderic]

Layer Tribune
The Only News That Matters
Week One

NEWS PAPER STARTS! NEEDS ARTICLE
By Shaderic

Well folks, it's been a week.

Some of us have dealt with the fact that we've been summoned to strange world where magic exists and the moon was almost dropped on the planet once with ease. Others just sort shrug, and go on with their lives. And a small few curl up into balls and start crying.

Well, after wiping away my tears, I decided to go see what I could do. After finding out that most of my immediate needs were taken care of by the the giant cave we now call home, I got bored quickly. Getting lost wandering around the city didn't appeal to me, and neither did risking my neck trying to find stuff in the Repository.

Eventually, I found an empty room that had a few typewriters, and plenty of paper. Thus, the Layer Tribune was born.

A newspaper, to gather rumors, knowledge, and spread whatever word needs to be spread, like a knife spreading butter on toast.

The newspaper itself is free of charge, as the Lair basically prints itself paper. However, as of this time, I can't be everywhere, nor can I know everything. Thus, I ask you, the Readers of this fine piece, to come to me! News, requests, public safety announcements, and ads! All these things need their messages to reach the masses!

So, bring them to me! Your articles, rumors, and ads! I shall spread your words across the Lair, that they might reach their intended!

Format is as follows:
Date at the top, with article below. Please do not give me obscene material to distribute. By giving information to me, you allow its public dissemination as I see fit. There are no royalties, or any form of payment for articles at this time. Deliberately presenting untruthful information is bad, and frowned upon by everyone. Also, please remember not to shoot the messenger under any circumstance.

[deviatesfish]

Layer Tribune
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The Only News That Matters
Week One

Benjamin's Brewery!
The Only Brewery in this Cave!
Drink, Drink, Drink!

Fishie's Martial Training!
Don't You Want To Live?
Survive Nasu-verse with Martial Arts!
Beginning Classes Free!
Advanced Classes TBA

Activate
Circuits
Easily!

The Hospital!
Bring Your Fellows in Need!
They Might One Day Return The Favor!

The Repository Search Team...
...Wants You!
To Help in The Fight To Organize The Library!

Alf's Cafe
A Great Place to Meet New Friends!
Exchange Information!
Ninja Maids!
Great Food!
Go Now!
Now Hiring Maids and Staff!

To Have Your Advertisements Posted, Contact Ren at Fishie & Tusia's Residence.

[Shaderic]

Layer Tribune
The Only News That Matters
End Of Week One

Fire in the War Room!?
By Shaderic

We've only been here for a week, and we've already burned something up!

On what I'm going to arbitrarily call wednesday the War Room, our primary communications link to the outside and at this time only source of information about the outside world caught fire.

While no one was injured, the projector was fried and several other pieces of equipment were destroyed by the fire. The damage has made the War Room's facilities completely unusable, and cut us off from the world.

Repairs are being conducted swiftly by our golem workforce, however it will still take time to fix the system. Estimates run from three days, to several months depending upong the availability of parts.

At this time, the cause is unknown, although several people are offering rewards for information about the incident.




Library Teams Nearly Finished with the First Aisle
By Shaderic

It's been a long week for the various groups trying to organize the library.

Cursed books, falling shelves, and zero existing organization have made it very difficult to get any work done. However, progress is still being made.

During my trips to Repository, I am always astounded by it's sheer size and the number of books there. Although the first aisle isn't even done yet, and even though it's merely one of what may be hundreds, it represents a significant milestone.

All journeys must begin with a single step after all, and this one is no different.

The Library Teams would also like to ask everyone to never come to the Repository alone, as it's surprisingly dangerous. Unbalanced shelves have cause accidents several times this week, and a few people have been hospitalized due to magically protected tomes.





The First Death
By Shaderic

Dear Readers, I'm afraid that I must report news most solemn.

A man has taken his own life, and jumped off of one the taller buildings we have.

While his identity is at this time unknown, and we can only hazard a guess to his reason, it does change the fact that one of our own has died.

His face is unrecognizable, however he was wearing a red shirt with a black X on it. At this time, his body is being in cold storage by the golems in a building that I can only assume to be the morgue.

Anyone with information about this mans identity, along with anyone who wishes to pay their last respects are invited to come speak at his funeral. While the exact specifics of his burial are yet to be decided, the ceremony shall take place at dusk on the largest hill in the park near the Lair Center.

[alfheimwanderer]

Week Two - First Day


The Nasuverse, Medical Care, and YOU!!!
by Mikhail Daud Vishnya (AlfheimWanderer), EMT-I/99 and Katherine Yen (Brynhilde), BPharm

The Nasuverse is not a friendly place - even in the Lair, the refuge from the world that has become our home for the next three years.

Demonic tomes lurk within the Repository of Knowledge, waiting to suck out the souls of the unwary.

Golems of unknown ability and intent patrol the area around Central Dogma

Even opening your magic circuits comes with the risk of death (or at the very least unimaginable pain).

...and this isn't even taking into account the myriad of mundane things that any of us can fall victim to - heart attacks, blunt force trauma from falls, even something like choking, if one doesn't know how to deal with it.

There has already been one death in the Lair - and that is one too many.

With those in mind, what are you waiting for?

Come to the Lair's only Certified First Responder (CFR) training workshops, hosted by the Medical Learning Group (led by AlfheimWanderer and Brynhilde),* and learn how to save a life. Who knows? The life you save could be your own.

---

*Signup sheet is posted on the bulletin board in front of the Experiential Cafe.** Topics of study to includerecognizing unsafe scenarios and hazardous materials emergencies, protection from blood borne pathogens, basic life support skills (first aid & CPR), bleeding control, spinal immobilization, oxygen therapy, assisting in emergency childbirth, advanced airway airjuncts/suction, trauma response, shock management, management of soft tissue injuries, treatment of infectious diseases, management of bone and joint injuries (fractures, sprains, strains and dislocations), management of suspected head and/or spinal injury, responding to the onset of sudden illness, transport/evacuation planning and implementation, and overall incident response and management.

**The Experiential Cafe is managed by AlfheimWanderer, and exists as an alternative to the golem-run Dining Commons (running on the same system, so no money is necessary). Come and share your knowledge that we may grow as a community in these three years together - or better yet, apply to become a staff member today, and receive CFR & Self-Defense training! See AlfheimWanderer or Fishie for details.

[alfheimwanderer]

Week Two - Second Day

Need to Talk?
by Katherine Yen (Brynhilde), BPharm and Mikhail Daud Vishnya (AlfheimWanderer), Creative Arts Therapist

It's been a hard week for all of us.

One moment we were asleep in the world we knew - and the next, we were snatched from our homes and sent to this strange new world, unable to see friends, family, or home in at least the next three years - for all intents and purposes, alone.

Yet, we found ourselves with our comrades from Beast's Lair. Most of us don't know each other as well as we should - or as we'd like, and it will take time to cope with being uprooted from everything we know. Most of us have kept busy, taking care of necessities like food, shelter, and knowledge on our own - and we've done well, but we are still a community at heart. We are still a group, a group that used to be bound together by a common passion, and now bound together by a common life.

We know that some of us are feeling sad, lonely, angry, worried, or out-of-control.

Perhaps, some of us are having trouble sleeping or eating.

And most of all, some us just want someone to talk to, a listening ear to help sort through things.

No one should be left suffering alone. Not after all that had happened over the past week. We're here to listen, to help, to guide. If you ever have anything that you feel is troubling you, or simply need to get it off your chest, we will be here. A counselling service has been set up. While we stumble in our daily lifes, we would hate to see anyone whose cries for help remain unanswered.

This service is, of course, free and completely confidential for all.

If you ever feel the need to talk, or if you feel the commitment to help us out*, come see us - we're based out of the Experiential Cafe's Greenhouse level, easy to find.

We are a community and we are always, always, here to help.

---

*See Alf or Bryn for details or to schedule an appointment - times are flexible, and there is no requirement for coming. We strive to cater to your individual needs the best we can.
**We are also seeking people interested in joining our staff of counselors and who would be willing to be trained.

[deviatesfish]

Layer Tribune
ADVERTISEMENTS PAGE
The Only News That Matters
Week Two
Day One

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Activate Circuits Easily!
Talk to Darko Alexandrov or Nemo for more information!

---

Fight Club!
Martial Training!
See Ren or Tusia at the Gymnasium
Every Evening from 7 to 11 PM

---

Ninja Maids!
Alf's Secret Service!
Now Hiring!

---

The Repository Search Team...
Wants You!
For the Organizing Our Great Library!

---

The Exploration Team...
Wants You!
For Mapping Out Our Great Lair!

---

Want to Post an Advertisement?
See Ren at the Experimental Cafe
At the Beginning of Each Week!

[alfheimwanderer]

Week 2 Day 4
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OFFICE OF THE MEDICAL EXAMINER

Contact Person: Mikhail Daud Vishnya

An autopsy at the beginning of the week determined that the man who fell from a fifteen-story building five days ago died not from impact injuries consistent with falling, but from blunt-force trauma to the skull. His death was ruled a homicide.

He has been identified as 19 -year old Jim Raynor (NerfedSpiritJim), a lurker on the Beast's Lair forums, who in the last week, as in his time online, kept mostly to himself. Witnesses report that he was last seen pre-occupied with an grimoire - one which was not found with his body or subsequently located after his death, leading investigators to term the circumstances that led up to the homicide as an apparent robbery-related incident.

While he did suffer from fractured legs, massive internal bleeding, and lacerated organs consistent with impact injuries from landing on his feet, a detailed examination revealed several perimortem cranial that occurred prior to or close to the time of death, including depressed skull fractures that represent blunt force trauma caused by repeated blows to the back of the head.

The past three days have been spent following up on several leads, according to the investigator's office.

The initial incident occurred on the last day of the previous week, around 4:20 a.m, according to the logs of the golems that discovered the body, with the building housing a large number of apartments.

Anyone with information, however insignificant it may initially appear, is asked to contact the Office of the Medical Examiner by leaving a message with any of the Lair's Golems, as the investigation is still in its early stages.

---

A Community Forum will be held at the Lair Center the following day at 6 pm to discuss the investigation and related issues.

[deviatesfish]

Layer Tribune
ADVERTISEMENTS PAGE
The Only News That Matters
Week Two
Day Five

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FORUM!
Do Your Part
In Forming Our Great Community!
Participate In the Forum Today
As We Decide Our Future!

VOTE FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN!

First session on the 5th Day of Week 2
At the Community Center

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E.xplorer's L.eague of E.xtraordinary G.entlemen A.nd N.oble T.ravelers
Simply Elegant, This Explorer's Guild
Map Out Our Great Lair!
Seek Out Great Treasures!
Dungeon Crawl Today!
Join Our Organization!
BE FABULOUS!

See Vice-Commander Suigetsu Ryuuga (Faker) or Commander Ren For Details!

First session on the 7th Day of Week 2
At the Community Center

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Fight Club!

Martial Training!
See Ren or Tusia at the Gymnasium
Every Evening from 7 to 11 PM

---

Alf's Cafe!

Now with...
...Ninja Maids!
Alf's Secret Service!
Now Hiring!
The Best Place To Exchange Information!
A Neutral Ground You Can Trust!

---

Feeling Down?

Want Some Advice?

See Counseling!

Go to the Certified First Responder
For more information

---

Want to Post an Advertisement?
See Ren at the Experimental Cafe

At the Beginning of Each Week!

[deviatesfish]

Layer Tribune
GUILDS PAGE
The Only News That Matters
End of Week Two

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Healer’s Guild Formed

The Medical Learning Group is co-led by AlfheimWanderer and Brynhilde. It has taken over the hospital and began teaching healing. This group is also in charge of autopsies and other human body research and studies. It also provides peer counseling, crisis counseling and other such services that has led to the lack of suicides since the advent of the Lair.
See the Medical Facilities for more information or to learn healing techniques, bodily functions, or other medical related subjects. It is currently recruiting and providing its service free of charge to the community.

EMT Members: 3
EMT in Training Members: 1
Counselor Members: 2
CFR Members: 5
CFR in Training Members: 15
Total Members: 26

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Explorer’s Guild Formed

E.L.E.G.A.N.T. (Explorer’s League of Extraordinary Gentlemen And Noble Travelers) is led by Ren and Faker. It is currently seeking Reinforcement magecraft and practice as a group. It is also seeking to map out the Lair as well as organizing future “dungeon crawls” in the unexplored areas of the Library Island within the Lair.
See the Community Center for more information. This group has future plans to mapping out the supernatural areas of Nasuverse.

Total Members: 18

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Warrior’s Guilds Formed

The Fight Club is an unarmed martial arts guild. It is led by Tusia under the leadership of Ren. It provides classes on basic combat and conditioning, which can be completed within approximately 8 months to 1 year. It may also form a more specialized combat unit, which will train considerably harder for the same duration of time. There is also a ninjutsu development class which is geared towards learning how to hide in plain sight and stealth.
See the Gymnasium for more information.

Committed Members: 20
Casual Members: 20

Total Members: 40

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Scholar’s Guild Formed

The Repository Search Team is co-lead by the Christopher Monroe (EF) and Nemo Joncker (2ndsly). This group is trying to organize the Library Island within the Lair so to provide the community with more knowledge. This is a non-profit organization, and is currently seeking more volunteers.
See the Library for more information.

Committed Members: 50
Total Members: 60

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Mundane Services and Survival Guild Formed

The Life Skills class is taught and lead by AlfheimWanderer. It encompasses mundane skills for both teaching and to be bought, such as cooking, cleaning and other mundane crafts. It also currently runs the gardens of the Lair free of charge. Shops and other services fall under this guild.
See the Experimental Café for more information.

Total Members: 3

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Inquisition Formed

The Inquisition is lead by Ren. It deals with internal and external threats to the Lair. It is both an information network and an execution unit. It is an espionage organization that works at crippling potential threats to the safety of the Lair. It also seeks out any threats that are within the Lair. It will eliminate all threats with extreme prejudice. It is currently seeking members of all skill levels.
See the Community Center for more information.

Agent Members: 2
Research Members: 2

Total Members: 4

[alfheimwanderer]

Layer Tribune
The Only News That Matters
End Of Week Two

Several Open Circuits Successfully, Magic Circuit Opener Destroyed, War Room on Verge of Reopening
By Mikhail Daud Vishnya

During the past week, the Repository of Knowledge has paid host to a numerous group of people seeking to open their Magic Circuits, meeting with varying degrees of success.

While it is possible that others have opened their circuits before, Darko Alexandrov (Bloble) - a man notorious for his luck, was the first to be witnessed doing so in a controlled environment. He credits his success to the book he discovered last week - the information of which he has announced a willingness to share, as well as the assistance of the medical circle to prevent complications.

Several others subsequently made the attempt, with most requiring prompt medical assistance after the fact.

Fortunately, whether succeeding or failing, no one lost their lives during the process, though one man was reported by an unnamed source as having lost his genitalia.

Further, in an unwitnessed incident, one of the two basic circuit openers was destroyed when an early attempt to open magic circuits backfired, causing the destruction of an entire magical laboratory.

The damage is still being evaluated, but initial estimates are that it is irreparable at our current level of skill.

In related news, the War Room is projected to reopen sometime in the following week, as golem activity, after a brief frenzy, has tapered off.



Library Teams Finish Third Aisle, First Grimoires Found
By Mikhail Daud Vishnya

After the initial disappointments of the past week's attempt at organize the library, the Repository Search Team has made some interesting discoveries this week.

A volume on reinforcement, one on consecration, a tome on Blood Magic, and even a grimoire on the arts of Lightning and Magnetism have all been discovered and logged, as per regulations.

Incidents of encounters with cursed books and falling shelves have dropped markedly after last week's groundwork, though progress slowed to a near-halt after the death of Jim Raynor, originally thought a suicide, was ruled a homicide following an autopsy.

In memory of the late member of the Repository Search Team, the advance team, whose purpose is to deal with magically protected tomes and explore abandoned laboratories with special hazards, has been dubbed Raynor's Raiders.

The RST reminds everyone that unless they are remaining within the sorted areas, to please do not come to the Repository alone, as accidents can - and do - happen.





Funeral of Jim Raynor
By the Layer Tribune Staff

At dusk at the close of this week, approximately 100 people turned out to pay their last respects to the late Jim Raynor, honouring the member of the community and celebrating the legacy he left behind.

His body was cremated, in accordance with tradition, and the ashes interred on the largest hill in the park near the Lair Center, at the roots of the great cherry tree, with a grave marker soon to be emplaced.

Mikhail Daud Vishnya (AlfheimWanderer) conducted the funeral, in conjunction with the Repository Search Team, for whom Raynor worked during his short time at the Lair.

In his eulogy, Mikhail spoke on the theme of community, urging others to remember Raynor's story and to remember that as we were a part of his, so was he a part of ours.

An excerpt follows:

"In a sense, we - each and every one of us - shares in the story of Jim, as he shares in our story - and as the first of us to complete the journey from ashes to ashes, from dust to dust, let us remember the legacy he left behind - a legacy of selflessness, of dedication, of service - a legacy worthy of recognition. Day after day, Jim went about his work quietly, without fanfare, without self-promotion. He never cared who got the credit, didn't need fame or recognition. He did all this and more because he understood that the work was needful and that we needed all the hands we could get - not just leaders to organize us and ensure our needs were met - but volunteers - the unheralded men and women who don't always make it into the history books but who make impossible dreams a reality with their hard work and perseverance. "

"In any world, be it this one, the world we came from, or the worlds of fantasy and thought, progress comes from the collective effort of many individuals working together for common cause. From medics and martial artists, to scholars and cooks, from counsellors and scientists, to students and simple citizens, thinkers and doers, men and women like Jim who took it upon themselves -- often at great risk -- to change their community for the better. Look in any history book - those are the ones whose legacies we remember. Jim, too, deserves a place in these immortal memories. He, too, deserves a place in our history - as a family - as a community. He, too, deserves a place of honour in our collective’s memory.

"Therefore, let us not remember Jim solely as the first of us to pass, but for all that he did for us behind the scenes, becoming part of a change to help us all survive. To help bring the light of knowledge to each of us. To spare others the risk of death in the halls of the repository. To make us see volunteering not simply as something that can be done - but should be done - to see helping others as furthering the cause of survival and hope."

"Jim wasn’t interested in credit. What he cared about was the cause. The cause of education. The cause of safety. The cause of opportunity. Community’s cause. While most simply had the desire to be first, to gain opportunity for himself, Jim harnessed that instinct, redirected it towards advancing the greater good; toward changing a community and a world for the better. And the lesson he would want to leave with us today - a lesson he lived out each and every day - was that each of us can also make this world a better place one step at a time, that in order to see change in the world, we must first become the change."

[deviatesfish]

Layer Tribune
GUILDS PAGE
The Only News That Matters
End of Week 2

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Medical Learning Group (Healer’s Guild) Doubles in Numbers
Community First Aid Lessons: More Than A Quarter of the Lair Attends
Cataloging of Pharmacy Continues, Almost Half Way Done
Counseling Continues, Swamped By Mass Depression

EMT Members: 3
EMT in Training Members: 10
CFR Members: 5
CFR in Training Members: 35
Counselor Members: 2
Total Members: 55

Led By: Alfheimwanderer, Brynhilde

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Explorer’s League of Extraordinary Gentlemen And Noble Travelers (Explorer’s Guild) Continues Recruitment
Members Begin Basic Reinforcement Study
Projection Learning Materials Found, Study Groups To Form
Unable to Form Groups Due to Lack of Members

Support members: 8
Total Members: 26

Led By: Ren, Blackdeath6031

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Fight Club (Warrior’s Guild) Begins Boot Camp
Casual Self-Defense Class Begins
Meditation Class To Form Under Tusia

Committed Members: 34
Casual Members: 32
Total Members: 66

Led By: Ren

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Repository Search Team (Scholar’s Guild) Finishes Fourth Aisle
Disaster! Books Fall Everywhere: Two Buried, Found Days Later Alive
Basic Healing Tomes Found, Untranslated Aztec
Evocation Tomes Found, Untranslated Ancient Chinese

Committed Members: 62
Casual Members: 93
Total Members: 155

Led By: EnigmaticFellow, 2ndsly

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Life Skills (Mundane Services and Survival Guild) Grows Rapidly
Cafe Needs More Staff
Community Cooking Lessons Planned
KARAOKE NIGHT on Last Day of Week 3 Planned

Total Members: 91

Led By: Alfheimwanderer

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Inquisition Starts Human Biology Research
Researchers Begin Studying Artificial Organs
Members Begin Basic Alteration Study
Agents Continue Search for Murderer, Clues to the Book "De Vermis Mysteriis"

Agent Members: 23
Research Members: 24
Total Members: 47

Led By: Ren

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Experiential Cafe Begins Ninja Maid Training

Members: 10

Led By: Alfheimwanderer

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STUDY GROUPS
End of Week 2

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Earth Alignment Study Group Begins
Formed and Lead By Andreas Lyngsø (Usandru).

Members: Tanner Wlos (drakon_136)
Total Members: 8

Led By: Usandru

Water Alignment Study Group Begins
Formed and Lead By Shen Ren (Deviatesfish).

Members: Bloble, Five_X
Total Members: 3

Led By: Deviatesfish

[deviatesfish]

Layer Tribune
The Only News That Matters
Beginning of Week 3

Mysterious Fox-Girl Sightings!
By Shen Ren

Members of the Lair saw in the past week several sightings of a fox girl in the this cavern, mostly in the Library and in the Hospital. According to eye witnesses, the Fox girl has brown or amber colored eyes, and brown hair. However, the most interesting aspect of her is that she has two fox-like ears that have been described as "unimaginably cute and adorable" and "it twitches when she reads! Moe! So moe I'm going to die!" and "a fox-girl is fine too".

A group of activists know only as "F.U.R.R.Y" has begun the search for this elusive fox-girl, yet the group has neither explained what their group's name stands for nor have they had any luck. The mysterious fox-girl is also reported to have "gravity defying breasts" and "a figure to die for". F.U.R.R.Y. spokesman who refused to give his name had this to say: "These is a cute fox-girl on the loose and you haven't caught her and done XXX or XXX with her?! YOU MONSTERS!" The group has laid various low-intellect traps around the Library, causing several minor injuries to the Scholar's guild. This prompted the Inquisition Agents to step in and confine several of the members found with traps to house arrest. Reports say that there are still over three dozen traps of various levels around the Library, so everyone should be careful.

The traps include devious traps like the "thick hemp rope between aisles used to trip blind people", the "cake under a box propped up by a stick", and even the "mousetrap".

None of these traps have captured the murderer of Jim Raynor.

F.U.R.R.Y. has posted a bounty of an unspecified for the capture of this fox-girl. Good luck!

[deviatesfish]

Layer Tribune
GUILDS PAGE
The Only News That Matters
Beginning of Week 3
PROGRESS REPORT

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Medical Learning Group (Healer’s Guild)
Counseling Swamped By Depression

EMT Members: 8
CFR Members: 45
Counselor Members: 2
Total Members: 55

Community First Aid Lessons: 25%
Cataloging Pharmacy: 50%
Community Counseling: 100%

Led By: Alfheimwanderer, Brynhilde

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Explorer’s League of Extraordinary Gentlemen And Noble Travelers (Explorer’s Guild)

Support members: 8
Total Members: 26

Reinforcement Study: 25%
Projection Study: 0%

Led By: Ren, Blackdeath6031

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Fight Club (Warrior’s Guild)
Combat Arts Class Established

Committed Members: 34
Casual Members: 32
Total Members: 66

Advanced Military Training: 100%
Casual Self-Defense Training: 100%
Meditation Training: 0%
Combat Arts Class: 0%

Led By: Ren, Alfheimwanderer

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Repository Search Team (Scholar’s Guild)
Swamped in Amateur Traps

Committed Members: 62
Casual Members: 93
Total Members: 155

Aisles Completed: Approximately 0.04% (4 Aisles)
Books Found:
Basic Healing (Aztec)
Evocation (Ancient Chinese)
(More To be Updated...)

Led By: EnigmaticFellow, 2ndsly

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Life Skills (Mundane Services and Survival Guild)
KARAOKE NIGHT on Last Day of Week 3 Planned

Total Members: 91

Community Cooking Lessions: 0%

Led By: Alfheimwanderer

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Inquisition
Agents Continue Search for Murderer, Clues to the Book "De Vermis Mysteriis"

Agent Members: 23
Research Members: 24
Total Members: 47

Human Biology Study: 0%
Artificial Organ Study: 0%
Alteration Study: 25%

Led By: Ren

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Experiential Cafe

Members: 10

Ninja Maid Training: 0%

Led By: Alfheimwanderer

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STUDY GROUPS
Beginning of Week 3

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Earth Alignment Study Group
Begins Work on Study and Scientific Paper on Prana and Reinforcement

Members: drakon_136, Fangstrike
Total Members: 19

Prana Study: 50%
Reinforcement Study: 10%
Scientific Paper on Prana and Reinforcement: 0%

Led By: Usandru

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Water Alignment Study Group Begins
Formed and Lead By Shen Ren (Deviatesfish).

Members: Bloble, Five_X, Blackdeath6031, Brynhilde
Total Members: 12

Basic Water Magecraft Study: 25%
Basic Consecration: 100%

Led By: Deviatesfish

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Fire Alignment Study Group Begins
Formed and Lead By Mikhail Daud Vishnya (Alfheimwanderer).

Members:
Total Members: 9

Led By: Alfheimwanderer

---

Legend

0% = Progress starting...
100% = Achieved/completed accomplishment and/or ongoing, self-sustained activity.

[deviatesfish]

Layer Tribune
ADVERTISEMENTS
The Only News That Matters
Beginning of Week 3

The Earth Alignment Study Group and the Science of Magic
By Andreas Lyngsø (Usandru)

One of the most frequent misconceptions regarding magic is that it must by default be unscientific.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Magic can be every bit as scientific as any other field of study. The moment the same type of effect happens twice due to the same type of cause, a repeatable phenomenon exists, and we may attempt to study it. Any limits to our scientific understanding of magic is purely within ourselves and our tools of measurement. Only truly random, non-replicable events can be said to be impossible to study, and even if the "effect" of magic consisted entirely of these, the very fact a magus could bring such non-repeatable phenomena into being is a repeatable phenomena that can be studied in itself.

Magic is thus only unscientific if we fail to consider it scientifically. Even if Magecraft can be said to move towards the past, the study of it is still scientific, in that it uses the very same tools of science used by any other field of study to bring forth knowledge and results. Even if Magecraft is ultimately a hidden art, the tools used to expand this secret knowledge are the same. The principles of science are the foundation of the search for knowledge, regardless of the subject.

When I formed the Earth Alignment Study Group a few days ago, in the spirit of shared knowledge and scientific thought, there were a number of people who expressed scepticism of the group and it's purpose, or even just plain apathy towards it, and no doubt there were also people hesitant to approach such a new and unknown group, especially if they happened to have stumbled upon some valuable secret. Similarly, there are most certainly those that have decided that the communal study of Magecraft is the height of folly, and that only by careful study in secret with closely guarded books and experiments can a Magus grow stronger.

I will not pretend that I can dismiss the doubts and criticisms of these people out of hand. However I will contend that whatever the disadvantages, the advantages of a properly organized and driven study group vastly outweighs them. Unfortunately, only time will be able to prove or disprove my conviction.

The purpose of the Earth Alignment Study Group is to advance our communal knowledge of how to manipulate prana for the purpose of achieving Magecraft. It is specifically aimed at Earth users in an attempt to ensure some degree of commonality among the participants, and to provide a common forum for the exchange of ideas and knowledge on the types of Magecraft specific to Earth users. The primary function of the Study Group is thus to encourage and ease learning, research and experimentation. Sharing knowledge and insights between each other will at it's most basic level reduce the amount of material and activities an individual will need to cover to discover the correct approach to a problem, as once the solution has been discovered it can be immediately shared and attempts to replicate it can begin. Similarly, as time passes and people begin to specialize, teachers and lecturers will become available, again reducing the amount of time needed to learn something new, while permitting all of us to broaden our repertoire of spells.

The secondary function of the Study Group is to prepare all the members for personal studies. As this is Magecraft it is ultimately inevitable that secret experiments and spells become the order of the day. In the spirit of, if not friendship, then at least mutual interest, ensuring that all practitioners understand the difficulties and procedures involved with Magecraft research and experimentation is of interest to all members of the Study Group. A solid foundation developed in groups with assistance on hand in case of accidents permits the reasonably safe development of proper procedures and safety precautions, as well as helping develop the crucial critical thinking skills needed for any kind of true research.

However this is not my sole reason creating of the Study Group.

I, as the founder of the Earth Alignment Study Group and a rationalist and academic at heart, would like to also encourage scientific thinking and form. Adopting correct terminology, understanding proper reasoning, being able to write good notes, and the creation of actual scientific papers, proper peer review and an experimentally verified knowledge base, forms the foundation of an academic organization that has the potential to persist far beyond the end of our isolation in the Lair. Even given an eventual reintegration into outer society with all that implies, an academic organisation based on Magecraft would persist and work to connect us, allowing for the sharing of knowledge when relevant, the training of new apprentices should any of us take such up, and the framework of a secret organisation operating within the bounds of a true society to protect us and shelter us.

This, more than anything else, is the reason I have created this Study Group. Like the nascent government being shaped by our tiny community, a framework such as this will not merely spring into being, and must be actively guided. The Study Group, and others like it, will form the foundation of our communal study of Magecraft. If government and medical care can be considered the necessities of our community, I believe the Study Groups may come to be it's purpose. Preparing all of us for the reality of living in this place we call the Nasuverse.