Grey School Newspaper 9

Whispering Grey Matters 1 Autumn 2006


AUTUMN 2006 WGM STAFF

FACULTY ADVISORS:MoonwriterKristalbrookeEDITORS-IN-CHIEF:SkyeJymi X/0NEWS DESK:Editor: Jymi X/0News Team: Arianhrod, LilythOPINIONS DESK:Editor: Laneth Shadow-WalkerARTS & CULTURE DESK:Editor: SkyeTeam: Violet Frost Wolf, Lord Akisho, Nefabit, FrogsDancing, Kitiara N. Goldmoon, Damia Serephina, KizzySCIENCE DEPT:Editor: Jymi X/0

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:Hedwig, Whiskerwind, Panther, Hikari the Black, Padraigin-Aine, Morgan Felidae

COPY EDITOR: Wolf LoresightPUBLISHER/LEAD: Jymi X/0

ART:COVER ILLUSTRATION: Detail from “Pyramid of Skulls” by Paul Cezanne

Damia Serephina's Figure Renderings: pp. 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 35

Photography by Jymi X/0Additional Artwork by Jymi X/0: p. 4, 16, 18

As well as plenty of illustrations from the Dover Clip Art series...!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Advisor's Column: Moonwriter.......................................3 Advisor's Column: Kristalbrooke....................................4 New Faculty...............................................................5 New Classes...............................................................5Dean's List.................................................................6 Prefects and Captains..................................................6Conclave Report..........................................................7 House Hat & Lodge Cup Awards....................................7House & Lodge Updates............................................8-9Fundraising Update....................................................10Opinion: Seasons of the Wheel....................................10Club Updates............................................................11Samhain Overview.....................................................12The Harrowing Computer Glitch of 2006.......................13The Halloween Hotel..................................................13Halloween in Salem...................................................14Global Warming PART I..............................................15 Global Warming PART II........................................15-16 Lughnasadh..............................................................16Fallen Ones..............................................................16The Besom...............................................................17The Witch of Pungo....................................................17Gameroom..........................................................18-19Top Ten Horror Movies...............................................19Science and Magic.....................................................20Solo........................................................................20FOOD:

Chocolate.................................................21-22Kitchen Hearth:.........................................23-24

Halloween Fun..........................................................25Roots of the Modern Vampire......................................25The Dark Arts: Interview with Prof. T'shirai...................26Perception and the Window.........................................27Reviews...................................................................28Fear........................................................................29Persephone..............................................................29Dragonlore: Interview with Prof. DeKirk.......................29Secret Recipes for Stunning Hair.................................31Herbal Spotlight: Mullein.......................................31-32The Frailties of War...................................................32Spooky Stars............................................................33When evening comes, when day is done... .................33Halloween Games and Stories................................34-35Hate........................................................................35Traveling..................................................................35Talking Boards..........................................................36Tarot: Skull Spread...................................................37War of the Ancients..............................................38-39

'Tis the night -- the nightOf the grave's delight,And the warlocks are at their play;Ye think that withoutThe wild winds shout, But no, it is they -- it is they.

-- Arthur Cleveland Cox


Advisor’s ColumnBy Moonwriter, Dean of Students

Autumn has always been my favorite time of year. I love the fall colors, the smell of woodsmoke that fills the air, the cool mornings, the long shadows, and the leaves that swirl through the streets. It’s a time of change, a time when the Earth goes to sleep and prepares to be reborn anew come spring. To those of you who live in the northern hemisphere and are sharing the grace of this time with me, rejoice!

This autumn also marks a change in our student newspaper. I’ve been involved with the newspaper since the very first edition—the Yule edition—in 2004, when Prof. Ravenweed was the editor-in-chief and I was her cub reporter. We did the paper all by ourselves then, and most of the content was contributed by the faculty. Set up as a simple MS Word document, it was 26 pages long, limited to seasonal content, and contained no images.

The second edition—Spring 2006—was also a Ravenweed/Moonwriter production, and was still in MS Word, sans illustrations, and 29 pages long. But this one was the first to feature GSW news. In this newspaper you could read about the brand new Prefect system, the Dean’s List (which had only 4 members), and the opening of Magick Alley.

Summer, 2005 brought edition #3 to the newsstands. And now the paper had a name—Whispering Grey Matters—chosen in an all-school “Name the Paper” contest. Still in unillustrated MS Word, issue #3 announced the first GSW Handbook and the winners of the first Earth Day Challenge. While Ravenweed and I co-managed the publication, we had begun assembling and training a student newspaper staff.

Edition #4 appeared in the fall of 2005, and featured a number of striking changes. Although still a Word document, the paper now appeared in a newspaper-like column format and featured color illustrations. For the first time, the paper was completely produced by a student publications team, advised by yours truly. Interviews, opinion columns, and film reviews appeared in this edition, which had grown to 40 pages The 5th paper, a special “Samhain edition” that published only a month after paper #4, focused on all things Halloween. Edition #6, which came out at Yule 2005, continued in the columnar, illustrated MS Word format, but expanded to include author interviews, podcast information, a games column, and an astrology forecast.

Edition #7—spring 2006—saw sweeping changes in WGM as the paper entered the world of desktop publishing. At 26 pages, the now professional appearing, multi-colored, and highly illustrated newspaper featured riddles, tool making, herbal spotlights, recipes, a report from Pantheacon, and a piece on building a magickal library. Edition #8—summer 2006—was equally wonderful, with 38 dense pages full of magic, lore, crafts, and school news.

The current edition of WGM--#9—marks a changing of the guard: after 2 years with the paper, I’m stepping down as advisor, and Kristalbrooke is stepping up. For me, the move is prompted by a busy mundane schedule; but in truth, in something as dynamic as a newspaper, it’s important to regularly bring in new people, i.e., “new blood.” Autumn, after all, is the perfect time for change. I’m proud of this paper, proud of the students who have worked hard to make it excellent. With Kristalbrooke’s enthusiastic guidance, and with the talent and experience of our student publications team, I can’t wait to see where Whispering Grey Matters goes next.


G________________________________________________________________________

The staff of Whispering Grey Matters will certainly miss Professor Moonwriter's contributions and guidance. Thank you, Moonwriter, for helping WGM along for so many issues. It's sad to let you go, but we're also eager to welcome our new Advisor, Kristalbrooke! Here she is to help set the mood and usher in this Samhain edition with a holiday column. Glad to have you aboard, Kristalbrooke!____________________________________________________________________

Halloween Magick in Phoenix, AZ by Kristalbrooke

When I was a child, Halloween always meant staying up late on a school night. We would walk the neighborhood with our costumes and pillowcases, eating a piece of candy here and there. We almost always ended up with a terrible stomachache, and the next day at school was miserable because we were so tired!

Times were different then. We could walk alone at night without being concerned about being abducted or worse. Our parents would stay home, passing out candy, and we would go out with our friends. My home was a Christian home where magick was prohibited, so it was not until I was much older that I learned about magick or the thinning of the veils between the worlds of the living and the dead.

As an adult and a mom of 2 magickal kids, I find Halloween so much more entertaining. We still have our trick-or-treating, but we also have our Dumb Supper and our rituals. We share the evening with our ancestors, telling stories of the past. Our kids are not allowed to walk alone in our neighborhood, or anywhere for that matter. We walk in large groups and include the neighborhood kids as well. We even have Haunted Houses set up in our neighborhood!

Halloween has taken on a much different meaning as I grew from a child to an adult. It has become more of a family or neighborhood event, rather than the more individualistic candy-eating fest of years past.

I wouldn’t trade it for all the candy in the world!

New Grey School Faculty as of Autumn 2006

Welcome:

Rainbow WolfAnna Fox

Brighid DelphinosJeremy "AutumnalMonk" Brown

Sabrina PendletonJohann "Quaesitor" Hasler

David "Duir" Smith Seth Tyrssen


NEW CLASSES Leadership 202: The Compleat CaptainCredits: 1Year Level: 2Teacher: Elizabeth Barrette

Class Description: In this class, the Captains will bring their Captain period to a close. They will create a report that evaluates their progress, shares their results in implementing House/Lodge projects, and describes their Captain service project.

This class is available only to appointed Captains, and is mandatory for all Captains at the close of their term.

SpellcraftCredits: 3Year Level: 3Instructor: Brighid Delphinos

(See Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard pp. 196-204)

Class Description: Much of the working of magick involves the Casting of Spells. A Spell is an organized act designed and performed to alter probabilities in the direction desired; simply put, to make something more or less likely to occur. There are many techniques used in Spell Casting and this Class will teach you some of them. By the time you complete this class you will be able to: understand how a spell works, know how to write your own spells, understand what the different types of magick are, and have a beginning knowledge of the Old Speech.

Icon Magick 3: High Magick (Ceremonial Magick)Credits: 3Year Level: 6Teacher: Crow Dragontree, Ph.D.

Class Description: This class is the final installment of a three-part course based on Professor Dragontree’s system of magick. This system is contrived to be a simple, portable system that is designed to fit within most belief-orientations. Although some basics are provided, it is presumed that the student is already reasonably well-versed in his or her own magickal tradition. In this class the student will apply the Icons learned in Icon Magick 1: Divination and Icon Magick 2: Low Magick in order to facilitate magickal partnerships with astral entities (“familiars”). Students taking this course will require a means of submitting drawings to the professor (e.g., digital camera, scanner, graphics program, or regular post) and are required to have successfully completed Icon Magick 1: Divination and Icon Magick 2: Low Magick. Successful completion of this class is contingent upon passing 11 essay exercises, including the final exam.

Lessons:1: Preface2: Introduction3: The Nature of Spiritual Entities: A Working Hypothesis4: The Nature of the Astral Familiar5: Finding Your Familiar (The Familiar Place Exercise)6: The Practiced Art of Sigilization7: Creating Your Familiar8: Anchoring Your Familiar9: The Care and Feeding of Your New Familiar10: Working with Your Familiar11: Banishing a Familiar12: In Summary13: Recommended Readings

Secrets of NewgrangeCredits: 3Year Level: 6Teacher: Susan “Moonwriter” Pesznecker, RN, BA

Pre-requisite: Archaeoastronomy 301

Class Description: The Irish passage tomb of Newgrange—a huge earthen mound encompassing artifacts, astronomical function, carved stones, an ancient circle, and funerary remains--was built over 5000 years ago, long before the better-known monument, Stonehenge. But what is Newgrange? Who built it? What was it for? In this class we will examine Newgrange from several different perspectives, reflecting on its multiple meanings and its magick. The class work includes essay writing, creative work, reading, and personal research and exploration.

Lessons:1. Introduction and syllabus2. The mystery of Newgrange3. Location of Newgrange4. The people of Newgrange5. Why was Newgrange built?6. The siting of Newgrange7. The building of Newgrange8. Newgrange falls into disuse, and is rediscovered9. Newgrange from 1700-190010. The modern excavation and study of Newgrange11. The stones and rock art of Newgrange12. Newgrange’s funerary items13. Newgrange’s archaeoastronomy14. Conclusion15. Resources16. Preparing for the final examination


Join me in congratulating our September Dean's List appointees:

Kalla, Stones Lodge (Sixth Year)Aramon Ra, Waters Lodge (First Year)Skye, Winds Lodge (Second Year)Dragons Light, Flames Lodge (Second Year)Firesnake, Flames Lodge (First Year)Kizzy, Flames Lodge (First Year)Stardust, Flames Lodge (First Year)Gero, Undines House (Second Year)

Well done! (And how about those Flames!)

Professor MoonwriterDean of Students

a Fourth Scabbard of Prefects

and Third Mast of Captains

Courtesy of Professor Moonwriter

Serving the Grey School from the September equinox to the

March equinox:

HousesHouse Captain: Dark Eagle (Fourth Year)

Gnomes: Violet Frost Wolf (First Year)Salamanders: Nefabit (First Year)

Sylphs: Aurora Vampira (First Year)Undines: Gero (Second Year)

Lodges

Lodge Captain: Kalla (Sixth Year)Vice Lodge Captain: Quiet Bear (Third Year)

Flames: Firesnake (First Year)Stones: Cashew (First Year)

Waters: Darkman (First Year)Winds: Skye (Second Year)

a

Note that some of these students are serving a second consecutive term-- we gave them this option because we felt that their Prefect/Captain experience had been shortchanged by "The Troubles" of last winter and spring.


We Came, We Saw, We Conclaved!By Professor Moonwriter

The days between July 20 and July 23, 2006, will live forever in the Grey School’s hallowed halls, for they marked the first Grey School of Wizardry Conclave.

Thirty-two GSW students and family members camped together at Oregon’s Silver Falls State Park for the three-day event. Everyone arrived on Thursday around dinnertime; the program started that evening and continued right up until our Sunday midday departure time.

Spirit ran high at Conclave! All who attended—whether GSW members or not—became part of either the Earth, Air, Fire, or Water group during the event and sported a color tie of green, yellow, red, or blue, respectively. By the end of Conclave, color ties could not only be seen around Conclavian’s necks, but had also become headbands, stave flags, hat bands, belt cozies, and even Grimoire bookmarks. The group was corralled by GSW Captains Aaran and Kalla, with help from four temporary Prefects: Treeotter, Sagewomin, Willow Silverhawk, and Oranstar.

Conclave was packed with events, including morning meditations, campfires, stargazing, a Magick Market, a freebie area, rituals, a BookCrossing site, and even a potluck supper in our own Hogwarts-style dining hall. Classes ran from morning to evening: among the favorites were wand making, stave making, runes, herbology, and outdoor cooking. A high point of Conclave was Friday’s 6+-mile hike along the Trail of Ten Falls, with Aaran and Lyonscribe as guides. Another was the

Friday evening Bardic Circle, and yet another was the final ritual and high campfire on Saturday evening, which featured shamanic dancing by Leigha and Gallie, the presentation of spirit awards, and a special guest ‘Bigfoot’ speaker. Kalla also received her Captain’s shield at the campfire.

Conclave wouldn’t have happened without a lot of help. Aaran, Kalla, Moonwriter, Morgan Felidae, Rainmaker, Whiskerwind, WillowRune, and Willow Silverhawk laid the plans beforehand and made sure that everything ran smoothly on site. WillowRune provided security for the event, becoming the first-ever Conclave Defensor. Captains Aaran and Kalla were in charge of morale, while Lyonscribe and Desert Thunderstorm helped fellow campers with hauling gear and putting up tents. And what would Conclave have been without James’ daily updates?

For anyone who’s curious, a DVD of the 2006 Oregon Conclave is available through

Prof. Moonwriter ([email protected]).

Plans are already underway for a round of 2007 Conclaves. A June event has been confirmed for western New York, and summer events are planned (although not yet finalized) for western Washington and northern Arizona. Watch the Dean of Students forum for updates.

Congratulations to the members of the Salamanders House and the Circle of Standing Stones Lodge for winning the coveted House Hat and Lodge Cup trophies for this term. Excellent work; we are all very proud of you!

Bright Blessings,Oberon Zell-Ravenheart, Headmaster


House & Lodge UpdatesLODGES

Stones:Currently, the Stones Lodge is getting comfortable with having our new school

forum up and running again. The Stones are busy finishing up classes and trying to make as many merits as possible in hopes of winning the House Cup this Mabon/Fall Equinox. On a more personal level, we have a few Stones doing some impressive work outside the Grey School.

Aaron is walking as part of the Leukemia Lymphoma Society's Team in Training and raising money to find a cure to these blood-related cancers. Aaron is walking 26.2 miles, and is doing this in honor of our Head Mistress Morning Glory. All students are encouraged to make a donation at http://www.active.com/donate/tntor/sasherwood, then let Aaron know you contributed, and your name will be added to a list of GSW students that will be presented to Morning Glory after the marathon. We hope to have at least 20 students on the list by September 30th.

Moonwriter is busy finishing up her book Gargoyles: From the Archives of the Grey School of Wizardry. Her book also has contributions from other Stones members. Illustrations: Cashew and Xander. Writings: Estara, Kalla, Aaran, and Oranstar. You can see the book cover and other details at:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1564149110/ref=sr_11_1/102-3310023-2616956?ie=UTF8.

On a sadder note, Hikari the Black has been forced out of his home due to his beliefs and wizardly practices. The faculty would like to encourage anyone interested to send good energies his way for finding another place to live. Fellow Stones members are putting together a group spell or ritual on his behalf.

Bright Blessings, Cashew

Flames:This past quarter has seen changes, both in our lodge and in the appearance of our

school. Once again, we would like to thank the faculty and staff that worked so hard to give this wonderful school its new "face lift". The halls and rooms look wonderful.

While the lodge has been working hard building merit points, we have not been ignoring our academic work, either. I'm proud to announce that, as of this writing, seven of the nineteen current Dean's List members are Flames. Congratulations to Dragons Light, Firesnake, Grey Panther, Jymi X/0, Kizzy, Stardust, and Tinwe Tercenya; with special recognition going to Dragons Light for making the Dean's List for both his first and second year in less than a month.

Several lodge projects are currently in the works and should be ready for unveiling by the next WGM.

On a final note, for those of you that don't already know, our Lodge Mistress, Prof. LeopardDancer, has recently had a book published. The book is entitled Dragonlore: From the Archives of the Grey School of Wizardry, and is, surprise surprise, about dragons! For those interested, you can read more about it at: http://www.amazon.com/Dragonlore-Archives-Grey-School-Wizardry/dp/1564148688/sr=8-1/qid=1158073571/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-2451458-6212908?ie=UTF8&s=books.

Blessings, Firesnake Prefect, Order of the Dancing Flames

Breezing in the WindsCrow Dragontree, Ph.D., Lodgemaster

The Society of the Four Winds has enjoyed a mellow few months. We’ve found that moving from our former offsite forum to the new Spire required a bit of adjustment as the Winds begin to acclimate to our new surroundings. Our Third Semiannual Lodge spell (in honor of Headmistress Morning Glory) was a strong success. At this time of the year, we thank Niveus Dragonheart for her work as Prefect and congratulate Skye for stepping into her new role!

No updates were received from the Waters.

http://www.amazon.com/Dragonlore-Archives-Grey-School-Wizardry/dp/1564148688/sr=8-1/qid=1158073571/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-2451458-6212908?ie=UTF8&s=books

http://www.amazon.com/Dragonlore-Archives-Grey-School-Wizardry/dp/1564148688/sr=8-1/qid=1158073571/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-2451458-6212908?ie=UTF8&s=books


HOUSESSalamanders:

Well, the Salamanders certainly have been settling into the new forums well—everything was pretty quiet when the old forums were down, but even though communication was a problem, we managed to pull through pretty well, especially with the off-site Yahoo! Group that Professor Dragontree set up. Everyone seems to be particularly enjoying the "sticky" posts, and it's like we have a "commons" with different rooms and areas, including a spell room, portrait gallery, and the Walls of Accomplishment! Several Salamanders were present at the 2006 conclave (unfortunately I couldn't make it!), and from all reports thoroughly enjoyed themselves! A month or so ago the Salamanders voted for the real animal house mascot. It came down to Hedwig's dog Rusty or my cat Iris. Iris, a Turkish Angora, won the vote, and apparently now has another reason to feel glorified. (She has always been rather self-dignified—even for a cat!) The Salamanders have currently been working on our house anthem—at the moment we're holding votes for which tune the lyrics should be to. (Salamanders—check out the forums and vote, vote, vote!) We expect to be heating things up this coming term, especially with the new gift of wonderful forums. This, of course, gives us the advent of better communication between our fiery brothers and sisters, so expect to be seeing more of the Salamanders!

Nefabit, Salamanders

Sylphs:The Sylphs House is really starting to get involved with things. I have encouraged

some activity, but I am also happy to say that the House members did some stuff without any leadership from a prefect. It means that the Sylphs have House spirit even with no prefect! The Sylphs started voting for a mascot when I was on vacation, and although I wasn't extremely successful it gave me the idea of voting for other things too. Housemaster Brown and I are planning a vote for the Sylph motto this month. I also set up The Sphinx Lair, a riddle section that was in the old forum. It is going well so far. Contests are something that may be "coming soon". There are a lot of things in store for the Sylphs House! ;-)

The Sylphs Prefect, ~Aurora~*

Gnomes:With the reemergence of the school’s forums, a new House Mom has been declared.

Kristalbrooke is settling into the new position with some help from Violet Frost Wolf, the Prefect.

We are working on the Gnomes motto and song, as well as learning about rocks and stones. There are always a few challenges running! We have a few active students that keep us earning those merits and giving the Salamanders some competition. We have enjoyed wearing the House Hat for this term! We do, however, love to share…

Blessings!KB

Undines:Ah, autumn: the sound of school bells fills the air in our neighborhoods. We have

begun new mundane academic years that pose as much growth to our fast-coming adult lives as ever before in this ever-changing world. The reassembly of schools has no doubt had a diminishing effect on the level of activity in the Undines forum. Nonetheless, we remain strong and dedicated to both our mundane and magickal studies.

Prefect selection time has come and I, Gero, have gladly stepped up to take position as the current prefect-elect. I hope to bring much honor to both the house in general and the good name of the prefects.

To leave you on a good note for autumn, I share with you this little story. A relative of mine has a little rhyme on a kitchen decoration that says: “True friends are like diamonds, precious but rare. False friends are like autumn leaves, found everywhere.”

I urge you to take this to heart and wish the best autumn possible for you. Many blessings! -Gero


Fundraising UpdateKristalbrooke has been taking time to help some of the student’s ideas come to fruition! Gero has designed a Student Assignment Booklet, now available for purchase. Congratulations!

Skye and Kristalbrooke are working on getting a GSW Cookbook assembled. We hope to have that ready by next publication! We have finalized this year’s GSW CD. It is also available for purchase. You can always check out the Fundraising section of the Social Forum for more information.

EBay donations have trickled to a halt. Rather than focusing on donations, we will be providing more fundraising support. Ideas? Feel free to email [email protected]!

SEASONS OF THE WHEELby Laneth Shadow-Walker

Hi all, I’m Laneth Shadow-Walker. I’ve recently taken on the position of Opinions Editor at Whispering Grey Matters, and just in time to rush in before the deadline for the Samhain issue. I’ll be encouraging budding, opinionated authors to submit articles for the next issue and will also be writing some articles myself. So watch this space, as I plan to bring out the voice of the general populace of the school and immortalise people’s thoughts within the pages of our school paper.

I live in Australia, and so am currently living on the opposite side of the Wheel to that for which this issue of WGM is themed: Samhain. I’m about to have my Beltane concurrently with the time when your Samhain is occurring. Therefore, in my mind, here lies a global quandary.

To half the population of the world, this is a time of quiet reflection, of honouring those who’ve passed with the Turning of the Wheel. It’s a time when the Dead walk the earth and the veil is thin, giving rise to heightened spiritual activity. However, for the other half of the world, it’s a time for joy and laughter, loud displays of love, and affection and the celebration of life. Two completely polar extremes occurring at exactly the same time.

It’s my opinion that those in the North aren’t just experiencing Samhain and all its gloom and spookiness, but are also living Beltane as well. The same goes for the South, only in reverse.

I look at this quandary in a practical sense: if Death is in the North, and Life is in the South, then the opposite should be expressed. I’ve felt for a long time that, at Beltane, one should take time to remember those who’ve passed and pay them your respects as you’re living at the year’s pinnacle of Life. The same with Samhain: at this time of Death one should remember the life that surrounds them and pay respects to the forces that tie us to the twisting dance of life.

In closing, I’d like to take my thoughts and add one little spin: if, originally, the celebrations of the Wheel’s festivals were based upon the seasons, then where do those people who live on the Equator fit in? The typical Summer, Autumn, Winter, Spring ensemble doesn’t really apply there as it’s mainly Wet & Dry. Do Samhain and Beltane still apply in this place that doesn’t have a true Summer or Winter, and being neither North nor South?


CLUB UPDATESDefense Against the Dark ArtsViolet Frost Wolf, Gnomes

As the sites' technical difficulties die down, we return home, only to find new forums. The DADA club got on its feet fast, wasting no time. We started off with a simple welcome back message and a bit of information on the club. Instantly we got into discussion and members began to participate. Several took the oath and can now call themselves “Defensors.” Elections are going on now, as well. People are nominating each other and themselves for offices. Hikari and Willowrune are working together to build a Compendium of Defensive Magicks and the rest of the club is putting in their knowledge. As Hikari is in a bit of trouble, the entire club is sending energies his way. We also have been given the chance to win the Taser wand award. Willowrune was the first to receive it.

Society for the Study and Care of Magickal BeastsViolet Frost Wolf, Gnomes

The Society for the Study and Care of Beasts immediately burst into friendly chatter and debate when the forums came back on. We discussed PETA, introduced our animal companions and familiars, started nominating for positions, etc. Firesnake started a topic about his wild encounters. He seems to be the most active, too. So many people here have a wide variety of animals. It makes it vary interesting and informative.

Tower of BabelViolet Frost Wolf, Gnomes

The Tower of Babel seems to be moving a bit slowly since its rebirth. A few of the members have already begun to ask for help, though there are not many responses. Hopefully we will be getting in the swing of things soon, though. There is a topic open that allows us to share which languages we know and how fluent we are in them. There is also a casual topic that's sole purpose is to say “Hi.” We, too, are open for nominations for positions in the offices.

Healer’s Tea RoomFrogsDancing, Flames

Since the forums have been back up and running, the HTR, like everyone else, has been busy reorganizing

and planning. We are holding elections at this time for the Scribe position. Skye has stayed on as President and Rahmid is remaining as the VP. The newest item is the Candle Room. All students and faculty are invited to use the Candle Room and light a candle for anyone that is in need of healing and healing energies. We are gathering and compiling lots of spells and recipes. The 'Healing Thymes', our monthly newsletter, is currently posted for all to view and use.

Gardening ClubKizzy, Flames

Well, the soon to be named Gardening club has come a long way in just a short time! Totaling a grand 19 members at the time of writing, the club has just appointed Kizzy as president and RowanTree as secretary and is moving on to the fun of Club and Officer position names.

We have been charged with the task of making this club unique, and boy are we trying! One of the first two things we did was offering an ALL SCHOOL CHALLENGE for Clean up the World 15-17/9 - this does not involve money, just a donation of time to help keep our planet turning. We also have a monthly club garden design challenge (which unused plot of land will be the next feature garden!?!)

But aside from all that, we are here for the garden: whether we potter, ecoscape, design, produce, or just have a pot on the sill, this group is about having fun playing in the dirt.

Do you want to get your hands dirty?

Manifestation Club (Currently voting on a New Name)Violet Frost Wolf, Gnomes

Though the Manifestation Club has gone off to a rocky start as we jump into cold water head first, we noticed we needed to find out where we were and organize what we were to do. Now we are focusing on a new, less confusing name. We have come up with a list and weeded it out. Now we are voting. The results will be announced soon. We are also open for nominations for office positions. However, not many people are nominating or accepting nominations. Once we get over this we will be focusing on club business.

______________________________________________________________

It was Halloween and three vampires went into a bar."What will you have?" asked the bartender. "I'll have a glass of blood," replied the first. "I'll have a glass of blood, too, please," said the second. "I'll have a glass of plasma," said the third. "OK, let me get this straight, " said the bartender, "That'll be two bloods and a blood light?"______________________________________________________________


Samhain (Sow-en)by FrogsDancing

October 31 - Northern HemisphereMay 1 - Southern Hemisphere

Samhain is one of the fire festivals. It sits opposite the Wheel from Beltane. Some scholars believe it may mark the Celtic New Year. It is regarded as a Greater Sabbat by some pagan groups. It also marks the beginning and ending of the witches' year.

Ancient Celts started every day at the sunset of the night before. The day before Samhain was the last day of Summer, the Light half of the year. The day after Samhain was the first day of Winter, the Dark half of the year. For some, this is the time of the year when the God descends to the Underworld. The Goddess takes on her Crone aspect.

Samhain festivals/celebrations may go from 10/31 - 11/2. It is a time when order and structure are abolished and chaos is allowed to reign. It is a time of "no time". It is truly a "between time", as it is between seasons, or even years. The veils between the world’s past, present, and future are thinnest and easily parted at this time. Prophecy and divination are often best achieved at this time.

It is also an ancestor festival. At one time the dead were seen as sources of guidance and inspiration. At this time of the year, it was appropriate to feast, honor, and remember the dead. The dead were said to be able to walk among the living at Samhain.

Samhain is a time to confront and examine your personal attitudes towards death and those whom have passed before us. It is appropriate that all frustrations and failures of the past year should be laid to rest and buried at this time. It may be celebrated as the spiritual beginning of the new year.

SAMHAIN CORRESPONDENCESSamhain: Also known as Halloween, Hallowmas, All Hallow's Even, All Saint's Eve, Festival of the Dead, and the Third Festival of Harvest. It is celebrated on October 31.Traditional Pagan Foods: Apples, pumpkin pie, hazelnuts, Cakes for the Dead, corn, cranberry muffins and breads, ale, cider, and herbal teas (especially mugwort)Traditional Ritual Herbs: Acorns, apples, broom, deadly nightshade, dittany, ferns, flax, fumitory, heather, mandrake, mullein, oak leaves, sage, and strawAltar Decorations: a jack-o-lantern, apples, candles in the shapes of Witches, ghosts, black cats, skulls, photographs of deceased loved ones, tools of divination, a small statue or figure representing the Triple Goddess in Her Crone aspectIncense: Apple, heliotrope, mint, nutmeg, and sageGemstones: All black gemstones-especially jet, obsidian, and onyxDeities: The Goddess in Her dark aspect as the Crone, Hecate (Goddess of fertility and moon-magick, and protectress of all Witches), Morrigan (Celtic Goddess of death), Cernunnos (Celtic fertility God), and Osiris (an Egyptian deity whose annual death and rebirth personified the self-renewing vitality and fertility of Nature)Candle Colors: Black, orange

Symbols of Samhain/HalloweenGhosts: Samhain/Halloween is a feast or celebration to honor the dead. The dead are often said to be walking among the living at this time of year.Skulls and Skeletons: These symbols come from a time when the animal herds were culled at the end of summer. All of the old, sick, and weak, as well as the animals that could not be supported through the coming winter, were slaughtered. The meat, skins, and other useful items were retained. It was not uncommon for large piles of bones and skulls to accrue.Black Cats: These cats were feared because it seemed as if they could sneak around "invisibly" at night.Witches: The medieval Church created the stereotypical witch seen at this time of the year. It decided that witches, along with the black cats, were evil and to be feared. The green tinged skin is a modern addition.Demons: This is the medieval Church at work again. It turned the Fair Folk into monsters/demons who would murder the unwary.Mummies, Werewolves, and Vampires: These are more modern additions to Halloween symbolism. As their tales were told, and perhaps distorted, their notoriety grew. As their notoriety grew, so did the fear of them. Jack-O-Lanterns: Irish immigrants to the USA found that pumpkins were easier to carve than their native turnips. Jack-O-Lanterns held the only lights for the home until the hearth fire was rekindled.


Techno-Mages Triumph over Terminal Transfers!-- An interview with WebWizard Morgan Felidae, by Jymi X/0

Greyschool's website is the center of activity for everyone at the school. It's where we attend classes, find resources for spells and other research, and touch base with friends around the world. Without the website, most of us would be on our own in our magical studies.

But in early March of this year, it all suddenly disappeared. Hundreds of confused students and frantic faculty members had our wizardly resourcefulness tested as we scrambled to stay in touch. This was no minor glitch – though the main site was restored a few weeks later, the forums didn't return until the end of July.

Professor Morgan Felidae explains that the problem started when the site's previous host, ReadyHosting, moved the website data to a newer server. The site code, which was written with an older program, was incompatible with the new server, and the site crashed. Greyschool's Webcrafters worked quickly to update the code. Just when everything was back in place, the host moved our data back to the old server – which was now incompatible with the new code! This second crash was far more serious. A great deal of information was totally lost, including entire classes. This all had to be painstakingly re-entered by humans.

Now we've got a helpful new site host (1&1 Hosting), updated code, and a slick new forum format. The work is far from over, though -- there's a lot going on behind the scenes. “(T)he new Webcrafter team will be...working with the pure code itself,” says Professor Felidae. “The language (the new site) was written in is called ASP, or Active Server Protocol.” These changes have made the site code more adaptable, making future changes much easier – such as the Phoenix Upgrade we've been hearing about! “(W)e will later be re-writing the site in PHP, or Hypertext Preprocessor, adding some 'bells & whistles' to

the layout with CSS, or Cascading Stylesheets.” PHP and CSS are among the newest and most adaptable programming languages on the 'net.

A great deal of time and effort is required to keep the site running smoothly. “The official Webcrafters team is made up of myself, Craig Melia, Bill Kilborn, and Nora Lundquist,” Professor Felidae said. “They will be responsible for conducting the upgrade and future fixes... (We also) had to get some help from outside contractors, namely Wolf Stiles, Grey Council member Ian "LurkingBear" Anderson, and lately tons of help from Grey School student DesertThunderStorm.”

Money is another major issue in running a site as active as Greyschool's. Professor Felidae continues: “(C)onsidering all of the man hours put in, we have definitely exceeded several thousand dollars (worth of time). However, most of that time was donated...If we were paying competitive labor rates to our Webcrafters...well, let's say at this point, we'd be paying more than we pull in for tuition, easily.” We all owe those volunteers a round of thanks, and for those of you who can afford to donate, please do. “The donations that students have been sending is probably the best way for the majority to help now, because it allows us to seek out professionals in emergencies who will not work for free.”

Computers, like all energy centers, have a mystical side. When asked if magic was used to assist in the website repair efforts, Professor Felidae said, “Well, I did a little bit, mostly with some amateur astral projection and interfacing with the site/code to understand it. My experiences with technology have suggested I may want to pursue a study of technomagecraft.”

Where do we sign up for that class?

The Halloween HotelBy Hedwig

Boo goes the ghost down the hallTroll in her mini skirt went to the mallThe goblin in room 30- double zero

Has a shrimp of a heroPumpkins gleam through the windows

You can hear the moan when the wind blowsGiants roam in the ballroom

So they have some place to loom.

Welcome to the Halloween HotelCome and Visit our Wishing Well

Nothing is as it may seemLook for us in the wicked themesJump on into the pool of blood

It feels good when the job gets donePets are welcome at the Halloween HotelJust know that you’re under an evil spell.


Halloween in Salem-- by Skye

Some people think that wizards and Magickal folk like to run amuck in Salem, Massachusetts on Halloween, but truthfully, most of us really dislike the commercialism of our most important holiday of the year and like to avoid the rush the holiday brings. If you notice, I said MOST. I am the rare one who runs around each and every store like a kid in a candy shop with no adult in sight to stop them from getting a big, bad bellyache. I do wait until after the 31st to get any provisions or supplies, as everything seems to be higher in price due to the holiday. It took a few times of me getting ripped off (in prices) to realize what was happening, so I wait until November 3rd or 4th to go back in for supplies. So what makes Salem so interesting on Halloween? Glad you asked…

Real haunted houses, street fairs, psychic fairs, parties, séances, and costume balls. Need I say more? There is this air in Salem, however, unlike any celebration on this night anywhere else. It doesn’t feel like just a kid’s holiday, it feels like it is truly an air of pure power and an electricity filled atmosphere, and even if you don’t believe in ghosts or the lore behind the holiday, you realize you cannot help but believe because of the feeling the whole night and town gives you. I truly cannot explain it, other than I feel as if the dead are walking and all of the spirits are trying to find their way home. It feels surreal, something not quite real, and even when you pinch yourself you can’t believe you’re there and feeling this feeling.

So, what is the first thing you should do? Well, honestly, the festivities last the whole month, starting October 1st to the 31st. You really shouldn’t feel as if you have to cram it into one night. If you are not too sure of the history of Salem, or even if you think you know everything there is to know about this town, you should check out the Witch History Museum, which has the full history of the witch hunts, witchcraft, and the 1692 trials of the Salem witches. You can also see ghosts, apparitions, spirits, and specters sitting right next to you at the Salem Witches Mansion, which is guaranteed to have you jump right out of your seat! Another Favorite is the Salem Wax Museum. Then, mosey on down to the

Witch Dungeon Museum. For history buffs, it shows the reenactments from actual transcripts of the trials of 1692, as well as untold stories of hysteria and the fate of those accused.

A very popular place is Salem Witch Village, which gives you a tour that sorts through the myths and legends of witchcraft and witches. It gives you the true meaning of what a witch is, as it is created and developed with the help of Salem’s wiccan/pagan community. There is also Salem’s Museums of Myths and Monsters, a tour with live actors and animation with special effects. It introduces you to the creatures that have haunted man’s imagination throughout the centuries, such as vampires, werewolves, witches, ghosts, and ghouls. There are also a few places not so scary, such as the House of the 7 Gables, writer Nathaniel Hawthorne’s birthplace and the oldest mansion in New England, which was built in 1655 and has a waterfront view. There is a trolley about 90 minutes long that gives you a tour of Salem Village and the Danvers area. You can also visit The Witch House, the home of witch trial judge Jonathan Corwin. There is also the 1630 pioneer village, which is truly unique and interesting. A favorite of mine is the New England Pirate Museum, a tour that guides you through a journey on a pirate boat and has unique artifacts and actual treasure found from ships around the Salem area. Salem Willows is also great for family fun, with arcades, games, rides, and prizes. It is one of my daughter’s favorite places to go.

Another great place to visit is the Spellbound Museum, which has rare, authentic supernatural curios and oddities from all over the world. You CANNOT miss Dracula’s castle, Salem’s largest haunted house, filled with creepy, scary chambers that will no doubt leave you screaming. I must tell you that Salem is best in the dark. This is the time for ghost tours; if you ever travel to Salem, do not leave without going on a Ghost tour. There is a tour called Spellbound Tours, a vampire and ghost hunt tour, which introduces you to a paranormal and supernatural expert, who will walk along the “Hot Spots” of Salem and share real and true ghost stories, taking you to the haunted sites and discussing the origins of New England Vampirism and Ghost hunting. There is also a tour called Haunted Footsteps Ghost Tours, which recount true tales of Victorian murders, area hauntings and colonial witchcraft while walking the streets of Salem at night and walking through cemeteries. Truly great tours!

The Festival of the Dead is another great attraction that has many different things to do. You can have a séance, learn to use spirit boards, give psychic readings, learn ghost-hunting techniques, dance with real vampires, make Mexican sugar skulls, have a dinner with the dead, enjoy the psychic and witchcraft fair and expo, and even attend a Dumb Supper. The final touch would be the Masquerade Ball.

So if you’re planning your trip to Salem, be sure to attend, or at least check out, some of these sites. I promise you will not be disappointed!

Resources:www.festivalofthedead.comwww.hauntedhappenings.org

http://www.hauntedhappenings.org/

http://www.festivalofthedead.com/


Global Warming, Local Effectsby Arianrhod

As global warming intrudes increasingly upon our consciousness, scientists are predicting wide variations in climate patterns. One prediction is that weather events will increase in intensity, if not frequency...

My cats tried to tell me something was wrong.

The oldest cat came racing inside on that beautiful Thursday morning. She stationed herself at a back window and went on “alert,” looking for all the world as if she was pointing at the creek. The youngest cat stayed outside tearing around as if panic stricken, but refused to come indoors. The middle cat (the one terrified of thunderstorms) simply hid.

At 11:30 am on Thursday, July 27, 2006, a stationary cold front over Lake Erie met a large warm front coming from the south. By noon, torrents of water were pouring onto the communities of northeast Ohio. This was no solitary thunderstorm -- this was a series of thunderstorms, one after another, as one mass of warm air met the stationary cold front, precipitated violently and was replaced by another wave of warm air. This was repeated over and over, for the stationary cold front remained just that—stationary—and the storm front did not leave the area.

By 8:00 pm, CNN was reporting that the Ohio governor had declared Lake County a disaster area. Interstate 90 was closed. Two bridges in Lake County had been destroyed and 25 others were structurally damaged. Roads were beginning to wash away and railroad crossings were damaged. The two Lake County rivers, the Chagrin and the Grand, had breeched their banks. Local communities reported up to 10-12 inches of rain.

The flood stage of the Grand River is 8 feet. At 9:00 a.m. Friday morning, the Grand River was at 17.35 feet. The current was estimated at 35 mph. It devastated everything in its path.

The marinas at the mouth of the river were destroyed. Boats were floating all over Lake Erie, some still tied to pieces of devastated pier. Local police and fire fighters had been up all night, doing rooftop rescues of people flooded out of their homes. Six hundred people were taken to four Red Cross shelters set up around the county. There were power outages sporadically throughout the area. Some people were awakened in the night as rescue workers broke into their homes to evacuate them before flood water reached their electrical outlets.

On Tuesday, August 1, the counties of Lake, Ashtabula and Geauga were declared Federal disaster areas.

However, lessons had been learned from the Katrina disaster that befell New Orleans. Governor Taft wasted no time on Thursday by designating northeast Ohio a disaster area. This allowed local rescue personnel to immediately put out a call for boats. The other Lake Erie communities responded immediately, some from 60 to 75 miles away. These boats were used for the rooftop rescues Thursday/Friday night. They were used again on Friday, when animal rescue personnel from around the state visited all the devastated homes and condominiums rescuing stranded, abandoned pets and taking them to a specially designated shelter. All have since been reunited with their families.

Only one human life was lost.

Local historians and archaeologists have since determined that this was the worse storm in the area for 500 years. Time will tell if we see another storm this severe in the near future. If the global warming predictions are correct, we will.

ADDITIONAL READING:The Plain Dealer, July 28, 29, 30, August 2, 9, 10 and 15, 2006

Global Warming: The Earth's Natural CyclesBy Arianrhod

The issue of global warming has been discussed widely in the public arena for the last few years. Global warming, however, is only one aspect of the broader issue of climate change. There is much that we do not know about climate change and much that we are directly experiencing.

The climate has changed many times over the millennia. There have been great ages where ice sheets have covered huge percentages of the earth’s surface, and also warmer periods where the ice sheets have melted and water has covered much of our current landmass. For example, there was once a huge inland sea which flowed over what is now North America -- right down the middle of our current Canada and the United States. The process of climate change moves back and forth in an entirely natural manner. There does not appear to be any way to stop the process, nor should we really want to, for if the process were stopped, the living functions of earth itself would be stopped, with consequences that would be fatal to all. The current controversy about climate change centers not on the issues of if the climate is changing (it is, and always has been) but on the speed at which the climate is changing. While some scientists are not yet ready to

Cont'd next page


Cont'd from previous page

believe that human beings are contributors to climate change, other scientists, as well as a growing number of the population, are beginning to believe that human behavior is accelerating the process. We impact our world in so many ways – the burning of fossil fuels, the over-building of coastal areas, the destruction of natural habitat – that the planet’s natural responses may be shortened. If this is the case, we will begin to see physical changes at an increasing pace within our lifetimes.

Some indications of climate change could include chemical changes in the atmosphere and ocean waters, the migration and sometimes extinction of species, and more intense weather conditions worldwide. Those organisms which have the capacity to adapt to these changing conditions will survive; those organisms that have neither the capacity nor the time to adapt will not.

Every aspect of scientific study impinges on the topic of climate change. We have learned much about our world in discreet units, yet do not understand how these units interconnect with one another. All of us, through observation and discussion, can contribute to the knowledge base of our world.

Additional Reading:Calhoun, Yael, series editor, Climate Change.

Chelsea House Publishers. Philadelphia, 2005.Erickson, Jon. Historical Geology. Facts on File, New York. 2002.Gaughan, Sheila, ed. Global Warming: Contemporary Issues Companion.

Greenhaven Press, Farmington Hills, MI. 2005.Lynas, Mark. High Tide . Picador, New York. 2004.

Lughnasadh-by Whiskerwind

Its twilight time and the crickets sing,My skin is sticky with the day’s sweat but I am not done.

As the earth spins away from the sun and the darkness surrounds me,I think.

Of all that might be, manifest.There are battles inside that have not been won.

There are deeds that have not been done.Yet, I turn my back on the past, and peer at the twinkling stars.

So far they are, to send me comfort, and hope.As the sun has passed away, I hold its seed in my hand, for tomorrow

And wonder what I want to becomeFALLEN ONES

As the skies slowly part I see an image of absolute beauty

Her dark glow entrances my senses I notice a glimmer roll down her pale cheekAt once a deep sadness fills me I know that all is not right in my world I embrace her and lightly brush the tear asideI gaze endlessly into her eyesThe blood boils in my veins and turns me to search for the truth behind all of thisBrandishing my sword I enter the womb of her fearsI know that the trials ahead will leave me weak and vulnerable But for this goddess I will shed all thoughts of uncertainty I will endure any amount of pain and anguish If only to save her soul from the torture that is this life Be it my sword or my heart I will wield either with ease to comfort my lady and save her from despairI will sacrifice mind body and soul if only to see her smile And my life means nothing if I could not protect that of my loveHer touch gives me the strength to carry on when at last breathHer kiss gives the courage to conquer all obstacles in my pathIf I were to succeed in my quest I would feel the warmth of her love for eternityWere I to fail I would die in vain and wander the realms of living and dead forevermore By her side I shall stay and will never leave

-This is one of Panther’s many thoughts


The Witch of Pungoby Lilyth Rose

Grace Sherwood was an 18th century midwife, herbal healer, and convicted witch. On July 10, 1706, she made the grand mistake of floating when tried by water in the Lynnhaven River for the crime of witchcraft and was promptly sent to jail as a convicted witch. She was accused of bewitching a neighbor's crop to fail and their cattle to die, creating storms, and causing a miscarriage. She went to court time and time again to fight the witchcraft charges or to sue neighbors for slander, but to no avail in the end.

She was finally released around 1714. She then had to pay back taxes on her property and proceeded to live out her life in the same community that condemned her. She died in 1740.

Three hundred years later, on July 10, 2006, Grace Sherwood was informally pardoned by Virginia State Governor Timothy Kaine. Mayor Meyera Oberndorf read the pardon at a reenactment of her trial on the anniversary of her dunking, July 10. The mayor also declared the day to be Grace Sherwood Day.

Belinda Nash, a local woman in the area of Pungo, led the campaign for Grace Sherwood's pardon and continues to campaign for a statue to be erected in her honor. Those interested in the cause can visit her site at: Grace Sherwood -- Witch of Pungo (http://carolshouse.com/witch/).

BesomBy Hikari the Black

The besom is, quite frankly, a broom. A lot of the lore associated with it is found in our textbook, The Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard, on page 118. I’m not going to say much about what’s covered there, as it is as complete as it needs to be at this level of our development. Instead, I am going to write about the besom as a symbol of the women who have compromised and sacrificed, shape-shifting to stay hidden so that they could carry on the tradition of European shamanism, also known as witchcraft.

As Christianity swept through Europe, it targeted those who would not conform to its tenets as enemies of God and the state. It reserved special hatred and destruction for witches and a double portion for female witches, as, very often, female witches were very strong, independent, and skilled, as opposed to the subservient and modest wife that a Christian woman was supposed to be. Thusly it was that some strong, independent women were oppressed without ever having practiced the craft.

The witches had to learn to hide their implements in plain sight, as common items, to give the courts no evidence that they were witches. The besom, one might speculate, was no less than a staff (verendum) disguised. Not only was it a household item, but a household item symbolic of a woman’s duty in the Christian home. This irony gives extra power to the defiance contained in the symbol of the besom.

The besom, then, is the symbol of the female witch as shape-shifter, outwardly conforming while holding the inner teachings close. It is the symbol of a phase in history where invisibility meant survival. It is the symbol of the quiet oppressed, awaiting redemption and justice for the cause of their knowledge.

We have the ability to bring that about, even in these days when the major religions hold more sway than ever over politics and world affairs. We have, in our hands and in our times, the power of redemption, the power to honor the spirits that have preserved our craft and are so close to us now in this season of Samhain. How do we do it?

Don’t sit down. Don’t shut up. Don’t be docile and agreeable all of the time. Don’t allow yourself to be exploited as objects any more. Stand up for those who are put down for reasons of social and religious intolerance. Don’t let people trivialize or marginalize your beliefs. Know Mother Earth well. Do good works openly and in the name of what you believe. Against these, slanderous arguments will find little purchase. Expose the ignorant lies of the slanderous, whether it be in the school hallway or in the church pulpit.

We must transform the besom from a necessity into a proud symbol of legacy. It is only through honoring the spirits of those who have carried its burden with our actions that we will ever truly be able to live up to their brooms or ours.

http://carolshouse.com/witch/


GAMEROOMFill in the blank:

My ex is.... Maybe I should....

I Love.... I don't understand....

I lost my....People would say that I'm...

Love is....Somewhere, someone is....

I will always.... Forever is....

I never wanted to....Life is full of...

My past.... I get annoyed when....

I wish.... My dog.....

Tomorrow I'm going to....Sometimes I want to.....

Samhain Word Scramble

1. mnppiuk2. vpemair3. hlguo

4. egorna5. kclba atc6. wsrercaco7. tsvrahe8. omrbo

9. raotscne10. taefs

Solution on page 39

Tongue Twisters!!!These tough tongue twisters are sure to get your tongue all taffied up!

An undertaker undertook to undertake an undertaking. The undertaking that the undertaker undertook was the hardest undertaking the undertaker ever undertook to undertake.

Pretty Kitty Creighton had a cotton batten cat. The cotton batten cat was bitten by a rat. The kitten that was bitten had a button for an eye, and biting off the button made the cotton batten fly.

There was a young fisher named Fischerwho fished for a fish in a fissure. The fish, with a grin, pulled the fisherman in; now they're fishing the fissure for Fischer.

Ned Nott was shot and Sam Shott was not. So it is better to be Shott than Nott. Some say Nott was not shot. But Shott says he shot Nott. Either the shot Shott shot at Nott was not shot, or Nott was shot. If the shot Shott shot shot Nott, Nott was shot. But is the shot Shott shot shot Shott, then Shott was shot, not Nott. However, the shot Shott shot shot not Shott-- but Nott.

Once upon a barren moor There dwelt a bear, also a boar. The bear could not bear the boar. The boar thought the bear a bore. At last the bear could bear no more Of that boar that bored him on the moor, And so one morn he bored the boar—That boar will bore the bear no more.

Samhain Mad Lib

I was walking in a (1) one day when I came upon a (2) cottage. The windows of the shabby cottage were (3) with an eerie (4) glow. I (5) approached and looked into one of the windows. There was a (6) talking to a man. I had never seen one so (7) in my life! The man saw me and began to (8). Before my eyes he turned into a (9) and started to chase after me. I started to run back to my house but tripped on a (10) log. Just before I hit the ground I awoke with a shudder. I thought it was just a bad dream until I saw a pair of (11) that were (12) in the dark. I pulled the covers up over my head and went back to sleep.

1. Noun2. Adjective3. Verb (-ing)4. Adjective (color)5. Adverb (-ly)6. Noun7. Adjective8. Verb9. Noun10. Adjective11. Noun12. Verb (-ing)


Samhain Word SearchN L U L O T S N K W W D L H OE Q U W R S P O C P A N O A NH N C O V O I T S A M T C U IW A O H H H R E G W T W T N RT D U T H G I L N O O M O T EE X D N S H T E M O O R B X TR R O U T B E K W J D N E R SM N I M B E M S Z L I V R U NE O S P S P D O U W I T C H ON I K P M U P A T O W L X K MW J B B I A C W E R E W O L FH J D M L D V Y K O O P S T MJ C G J O A E C U W K Z A C P O O H S M Z C R C Z X B N O GO R A N G E L K A Y V V X N T

Words

BATBLACKBROOMCAT

CAULDRONGHOSTGHOULHAUNTHAUNTEDHOWL

MONSTERMOONLIGHTOCTOBER

ORANGEOWL

PUMPKINSKELETONSPIDERSPIRITSPOOKY

TOMBSTONEVAMPIREWEREWOLFWITCHZOMBIE

Solution on page 39

FrogsDancing’s Top 10 Horror Movies Of All Time!!

Great horror films are profoundly unsettling. They chill you to the bone. They linger in the subconscious. They are also a very personal matter of choice. Keeping that in mind, here are my top 10 picks:

1. Nosferatu (1922) – F.W. Murnau’s silent vampire movie starring Max Schrek as the vampire.Nosferatu, the Vampyre (1979) – This is Werner Herzog’s remake of the 1922 movie. It still leaves every other modern vampire movie in the dust.

2. The Mummy (1932) – Boris Karloff’s performance makes this the only must-see mummy film.3. The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) – Boris Karloff stars as the monster. It is a much better film than “Frankenstein”.4. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1932) – Frederic March’s performance of the brilliant doctor and his monstrous alter ego won him an Oscar.5. Jaws (1975) – Admit it. You were afraid of the water for a bit after you saw this one. Steven Spielberg directed this well-acted, suspenseful thriller. Who can forget Jaws’s music?6. The Shining (1980) – Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, starring Jack Nicholson. Enough said.7. The Exorcist (1973) – A tale of the demonic possession of a little girl.8. Psycho (1960) – Alfred Hitchcock’s psychological thriller. Did you really think that I would forget one of horror films’ greatest moments, the shower scene?9. The Silence of the Lambs (1991) – Jody Foster and Anthony Hopkins. Murderer/psychiatrist (Hopkins) is interviewed by a young, beautiful, naive FBI agent for help in a case of serial killings.10. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) – Freddie Krueger, a murdered child killer, continues to kill, but this time he attacks and kills through their dreams.

I have also included my Top 5 picks for Family Friendly Movies:

1. Casper2. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown3. Monsters, Inc.4. The Witches5. Beetlejuice

Personally, I am planning a “Freddie” marathon. Freddie is my favorite—he makes me laugh. I think that Freddie has it all over Michael Myers and Jason, but opinions vary.


Science and Magic: Inseparable After Allby Jymi X/0

Some Greyschool students have a hard time deciding on their specialty color. But, as some of us older students know, all schools present us with equally tough, tantalizing choices. When I was in college, I changed my major no less than four times. (At least Greyschool offers that Rainbow Path – majoring in “Everything” is not usually an option in other schools!)

When I started college, I had expected to concentrate on Art and Literature. But one required foundation class in my very first semester introduced me to a new love which continues to this day: SCIENCE!

I learned as much, or more, about magic from my science classes as I have from many of the “New Age-y” books out there today. I remember walking out of Physics or Chemistry classes each day with new insights on the world and the invisible energies of which it is made. My magical skills improved during this time: being able to work out equations for the forces you're using produces some amazing results!

Classical science (that given to us by such masters as Newton and Galileo) tells us how the macroscopic world is put together. New sciences, such as quantum physics, have begun to describe a sub-microscopic reality we never expected.

The strange reality described by modern science is nothing new. It just hasn't had a place in hard science until now. When a modern scientist “discovers” an amazing new principle of energy behavior, you can bet that Wizards from all cultures throughout the centuries are saying “Yes, we could have told you about that, but you thought we were all crazy!”

In fact, some of the core concepts of quantum physics sound an awful lot like the magic with which most of us are pretty familiar. For example, in some circumstances, if you split up a pair of electrons and perform an action on one of them, the other electron, even if it's millions of miles away, reacts as if the same action had been performed on it, too! This sounds like sympathetic magic, in which performing an action upon a piece of your target's body or clothing results in the target feeling the effects of that action. Could this ancient magical practice share basic properties with modern particle physics?

The connection between modern science and ancient wisdom is strong. Quantum physics describes a reality in which nothing is certain – the world we take for granted may not even exist when no one is there to experience it, we really can change the direction of reality just by thinking about it, and there really are other dimensions. For centuries, scientists have thought to lead humanity away from the “primitive” ideas in magic and religion, but now it seems that they were just traveling in a huge circle: just like I learned about magic from my science classes, many scientists find themselves turning to magic to help them understand science!

It is thus with great pleasure that I introduce the new Science Section of Whispering Grey Matters. I hope you will enjoy looking at magic through the spectroscope. Next issue, we'll step right into the quantum world, where the magical energy resides!

Solo

I look out into the space in front of me and I see untamed beauty.A never-ending forest ridge, with trees like giants gathering in distant lands.

This is where I feel at home, at peace, in love.The spring birds' singing fills the air around me,

caressing my senses softly.The sweet smell of the leaves on the ground take me to far off places

I’ve never been and never want to leave.I feel safe here;

Like in this valley there is nothing that could ever hurt me.I wish that I could make this home,

this untainted land,Untouched by the plague that is mankind.

But I know that I must soon return to the steel and concrete jungle that is civilization.I must pass on my knowledge of this great land

to the seed of the future,to my children and the few with me now.

They too must know how to preserve this placeand how to appreciate it.

Maybe they too will learn of the amazing journeys that it holds.But until then, I will be the keeper of this great land.

-This is one of Panther's many thoughts


CHOCOLATE SAMHAINBy Skye

All these recipes and information found in the 2006 Herbal Almanac, article by Sheri Ann Richerson. Used with permission.

What is one word that can always make your eyes dance and bring a big smile to anyone’s face? What makes a horrible day wonderful, a sad person happy, can cause your mouth to water, and usually even makes most people stop crying? If you said or thought CHOCOLATE, you are right! This is the time of year when you can have your pick of chocolate—bags and bags filled with a million different types of candy. Some folks like the Reese’s Peanut Butter cup, while others cannot do without the Hershey’s Bar. I myself am an Almond Joy girl, and have discovered a new Hershey’s bar called Twosomes: milk chocolate and bits of Almond Joy. YUMMMMMM!

Let’s first unwrap the history of chocolate to get a taste for this treat. Chocolate comes from the Theobroma Cocoa tree. It grows in tropical rain forests and means “food of the gods”, which would explain why it was reserved only for warriors and nobility in the Ancient Mayan Empire. The Mayans were the first civilization to discover the treat and made a spicy drink, as well as burning the seeds as incense or giving them as offerings in rituals and ceremonies. Here is an interesting fact: cocoa pods were used as money. Imagine buying things with chocolate! Yes, I bought my house with 1.5 billion M& M’s!

The process to make chocolate is complex and time-consuming. You first have to scoop the cocoa seeds out of the pods and then place the seeds in baskets under banana leaves for one week to allow the seeds to ferment. Once they are fermented, they are then placed in the sun to dry, which takes several days. They are then roasted over an open fire to give more them more

flavor. You then have to remove the shell and crush the seeds to make a paste. You would then add sweetener and milk, according to your desired taste. The Mayans were the first known people to use and make chocolate. They, in turn, introduced it to the Spanish in the 16th

century, who added sugar to it to dull the bitterness and hid it from others until others discovered it. In 1657 the first chocolate house was opened to the public in London and became wildly popular. It was used in drinks, then later in food thanks to those ever-experimenting Italians.

Chocolate has been ‘rumored’ to be an aphrodisiac, as it contains small amounts of Phenyl Ethylamine, or PEA, which is a mild mood elevator that causes our brains to produce the same feeling we feel when we are in love or have happy feelings. It also has the horrible reputation for causing acne and skin breakouts, and for being bad for your health. These are all myths! It has been proven that cocoa has antibacterial agents that help fight tooth decay and has positive effects on controlling cholesterol levels. It also has been found that in 1.5 ounces of chocolate, there are 3 grams of protein, 15% of the daily allowance of riboflavin, 9% of the daily value of calcium, and 7% of the daily value of iron. There are also natural vitamins and minerals in the cocoa bean, so that should quell any and all arguments against chocolate—never mind the fact that to deny a woman chocolate can be harmful to your health.

I have come across some great and wonderful recipes, both edible and non-edible, bath and body, which contain cocoa to soothe you from the inside to the outside. Be sure to try the Chocolate Beef Ribs—I know it might sound weird, but trust me, they are great! I hope you enjoy these recipes as I have. You can also mix and match the recipes and ingredients to your style and taste.

Chocolate Chilled Soup

1 pint of low fat chocolate milk½ cup granulated sugar6 oz bittersweet chocolate chips½ vanilla extract

Combine the Granulate sugar and the chocolate milk in a saucepan, whisking the mixture slowly until heated and the sugar dissolves. Pour the chocolate chips in the pan and whisk until melted, adding in the vanilla. Chill, then add a dollop of whipped cream doused with cocoa powder and a side of fresh, ripe fruits and nuts.

Chocolate Mint Carrots

2 tbsp butter1 tbsp chopped chocolate mint 8 ounces fresh carrots

Steam or boil carrots until tender. Drain and add butter and mint leaves to a small saucepan and sauté, just slightly, until butter melts. Pour over carrots and serve.

Chocolate scrambled eggs

5 eggs beaten1 cup milk3 tbsp cocoa1 tbsp black pepperPreheat the skillet over medium heat. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well blended. Pour mixture in a skillet until eggs are firm.

Magic Shell Ice Cream Topping

1 (6 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips1/2 stick butter or margarine1/4 cup vegetable oil

Melt chocolate chips and butter in a double boiler. Add oil and mix in well. When spooned over ice cream, it will create a hard chocolate shell.


Chocolate Beef Ribs

3 pounds of beef ribs4 tbsp of butter½ cup vinegar1 cup tomato juice1 clove of garlic2 tbsp of white sugar1 tsp seasoning salt2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce½ cup catsup1 tsp paprika½ tsp chili powder½ tsp cayenne pepper1 tbsp butter1 tbsp A-1 steak sauce

Brown the ribs in the butter then place in a roasting pan. In a saucepan, combine rest of ingredients and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour mixture when ready (about 15 min) over the ribs in the pan. Cover the pan and place on 350 degrees until the meat falls from the bones, usually about 2½ hours depending upon the thickness of the meat. As the ribs cook, remove the cover to baste. Bake uncovered the last 15 minutes.

CHOCOLATE BEAUTY RECIPES

Chocolate Sugar Rub

2 cups granulated sugar½ cup cocoa powder¼ cup olive oil.

Combine in a jar together, mixing well. Use this to sloth off dry and dead skin.

Chocolate Mint essential oil

3 tbsp chocolate mint leaves1 pint of vegetable oil1 tbsp white vinegar

Use a mortar and pestle to crush veins of chocolate mint leaves. Place the crushed leaves in a quart container. Fill with one pint of warm vegetable oil. Add 1 tbsp white vinegar, and then cap the container and place in a warm sunny window. Wait one week, then strain. Store in a cool, dry place. If the scent is weak, begin again until you are happy with the outcome.

Chocolate Body Lotion

1/3 cup rose water1/3 cup glycerin1/3 cup lemon juiceChocolate scented oil from prior recipe.

Mix the first three ingredients together in a container that has a seal and can be shaken. Shake well until mixed. Add the oil in according to your preferences, and use right away.

Chocolate Mint Astringent

1 cup chocolate mint leaves1 cup boiling waterCrush the chocolate mint leaves in mortar and pestle and pour the leaves in a large bowl. Cover the leaves with boiling water.

Place in a container and put in a cool, dark place. Apply the mixture to face and neck.

"Look, there's no metaphysics on earth like chocolates." -- Fernando Pessoa


KITCHEN HEARTH

By Skye

Of course, this section would not be complete without the following recipes:

Roasted Pumpkin seeds

2 cups pumpkin seeds5 tsp butter, melted1 tsp Worcestershire sauce1 tsp sugar1 tsp salt¼ tsp garlic powder1/8 tsp cayenne powder

Toss pumpkin seeds in a bowl with butter and Worcestershire sauce. Then combine sugar, salt, cayenne powder, and garlic powder, sprinkle over seeds, tossing them to coat. Place aluminum foil on a baking pan and add nonstick cooking spray. Spread seeds and cook at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for 45-60 minutes, or until seeds are dry and roasted.

There are several ways to make pumpkin seeds, all according to your taste. Here are some ideas below:

Something sweet:½ tsp ground cinnamon½ tsp ground nutmeg½ tsp ground cloves

Savory:½ tsp salt ½ tsp paprika¼ tsp onion powder¼ tsp dried oregano¼ tsp dried thyme1/8 tsp black pepper

BBQ:1 tsp BBQ seasoning

Mexican Fiesta:½ tsp salt¼ tsp onion powder¼ tsp oregano¼ tsp ground cumin¼ tsp chili powder1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

"Nothing on earth is so beautiful as the final haul on Halloween night."

-- Steve Almond

Pumpkin Pancakes

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour½ cup whole-wheat flour2 tbsp brown sugar2 tsp baking powder1 tsp ground cinnamon½ tsp salt½ tsp ground ginger½ tsp ground nutmeg1 ½ cups fat free milk½ cup canned pumpkin1 egg white2 tbsp canola oil

In a large bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients. Combine the milk, pumpkin, egg white, and oil in another bowl. Stir into dry ingredients until moistened. Pour batter by ¼ cupfuls in hot griddle coated with a non-stick cooking spray, turn pancakes when bubbles form on top. Cook until second side is cooked.

Pumpkin Pie Recipe:by Lord Akishio

What You Need:1 1/2 pints vanilla ice cream, softened3 eggs1 3/4 cups pumpkin puree (Basically a 15oz can)3/4 cup white sugar (To taste)1/2 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (To taste)1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (To taste)1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (To taste)2 (9 inch) unbaked pie shells

What You Do: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place ice cream near the warm oven to soften.In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs. Stir in the pumpkin puree, sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Mix in soft ice cream until smooth. Pour filling into two 9-inch pie shells.Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F, and bake an additional 30 to 40 minutes, or until filling is set.


More Food...

A Hearty Autumn Meal

Beef-Wine Stew

Salt and pepper, to taste2 pounds stew meat or small chuck roast, cut up2 tablespoons bacon drippings2 onions, chopped 1 quartered onion1 clove garlic, minced1 (10 1/2 ounce) can beef bouillon1 1/2 cup red wine or sherry1 bay leaf1 pound carrots, cut into 1-inch slices4 to 6 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

Salt and pepper meat; then slowly brown in bacon drippings on top of stove.Add chopped onions and minced garlic; let brown.Pour bouillon over meat, scraping sides and bottom to get browned bits. Transfer meat and gravy to a Dutch oven or casserole dish. Add wine, bay leaf, and quartered onion.Put in 350F oven and bake, covered, for 45 minutes.Add carrots and potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and baste with gravy. Continue to cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until vegetables and meat are tender. If gravy is too thin, thicken with flour and water paste. Remove bay leaf.

Yields 4 to 6 servings

Recipes for a Spooky Samhain Party...

Eyeball Potion

8 oz Frozen whipped topping, thawedBlueberries or raisins1 1/2 cup Boiling water1 lg Pkg gelatin - any red flavor1 cup Cold waterIce cubes Using a small ice-cream scoop, place 2 scoops whipped topping into each of 10 dessert dishes for "eyeballs." Place a blueberry or raisin in each scoop for the "pupil." Freeze 30 minutes, or until firmMeanwhile, stir boiling water into gelatin in large bowl for at least two minutes or until completely dissolved. Mix cold water and ice cubes to make 2-1/2 cups.Add to gelatin, stirring until slightly thickened.Remove any remaining ice. Pour about 1/2 cup gelatin around the two "eyeballs" in each dish, leaving the top of the "eyeballs" exposed.Refrigerate 1-1/2 hours, or until firm.

Pumpkin Potpourri

1/2 c. Wild Berries (Red Jelly Beans)1/2 c. Owl Rings (Cheerios Cereal)1/2 c. Colored Flies (M&M's)1/2 c. Butterfly Wings (Fritos)1/2 c. Cobwebs (Coconut)1/2 c. Ants (Raisins)1/2 c. Earth Worms (Chow Mein Noodles)1/2 c. Squirrel nuts (Shelled Peanuts)1/2 c. Bat Bones (Pretzels)1/2 c. Bird Seed (Shelled Sunflower Seeds)

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Makes 10 (1/2 c.) servings.

"After eating chocolate you feel godlike as though you can,

conquer enemies ,lead armies entice lovers. " ,

Emily Luchetti--


More Halloween Fun

Extracted from various areas on GSW Forums for your viewing pleasure:

Here’s a few ideas to brighten up your doorstep.

● Instead of a candle, fill a carved pumpkin with some seasonal flowers.

● Wrap paper towels around lollipops, securing them with yarn. Draw a ghost face on each one, stick into some florist foam and place foam inside of pumpkin.

● Paint pumpkins stems black and carve faces on top so stem becomes noses. Put a witch’s cap on each top and line them up on your entryway or steps.

● Did you know the jack o’ lantern wasn’t always a pumpkin? It was a carved turnip with a candle in it to ward off evil spirits. Imagine having to hollow the turnip out!

FREAKY FUN HALLOWEEN PARTY TREATS

● Spider web cake -- Pipe white icing in concentric circles over chocolate frosted bundt cake. Then drag toothpick from center to the edge 8 times. Add plastic spiders to cake for extra spooky effect.

● Ghostly cookies -- Spread peanut shaped cookies (nutter butter cookies) with canned white frosting, then use black mini m&m’s for eyes and mouth.

● Devilish Eggs -- Place halved pimento-stuffed olives over deviled eggs to make them look like eyeballs.

● Ghoulish punch -- With a tube of red decorating gel, pipe “blood” onto glasses, around edging. Fill the punch with soda.

● To make frosting appear black for Halloween, use chocolate frosting and add blue food coloring.

Roots of the Modern VampireBy Damia Serephina

One of the most popular icons for the Halloween season is the vampire. They have appeared to the public in thousands of places, including literature, movies, television, comics, and even role-playing games. Where did the ideas for this race of beings come from?

Most cultures of the world have at least one reference to creatures that are closely related to the vampire. Sumerian, Babylonian, Indian, Egyptian, and Greek mythologies tell various tales of spirits, ghouls, demons, and lesser deities that either inhabited corpses or thrived off the consumption of human or animal blood. Of these cultures, the Eastern European tales are the most complete and popular depictions of vampires because they took the threat of these creatures very seriously. Stories from this region tell how to identify, repel, and even kill these horrific creatures.

Most of the modern views of vampires are attributed to the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker. Stoker introduced a revolutionary idea linking vampirism to disease, which was a popular subject at the time of its release. He succeeded in presenting a more human side to the vampire than had ever been seen before that the public could relate to.

These days the stereotypical vampire is a pale night-dweller with a black cape that sports a rough European accent. Instead of trying to kill them like our ancestors, we seek out and welcome these fanged friends into our homes in a variety of different mediums.

Have a safe and happy Samhain!

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampire

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampire


The Dark Arts: An Interview with Professor Estara T'shiraiby FrogsDancing

Q: What are the Dark Arts?In terms of the Grey School of Wizardry, the field

of the Dark Arts covers 3 different areas. The first is low magick, also known as sorcery. The second is lore of “creatures of the night”, such as vampires, ghosts, and werewolves. Finally, the third is Defense Against the Dark Arts, which encompasses things like shields, wards, identifying and repelling attacks, and at a high level, things like exorcism.Q: How did you become interested in the Dark Arts?

To be honest…they became interested in me! In my pre-teens, I underwent what I would call a spirit-initiation, which means that nonphysical beings started making their presence known to me in a variety of ways and all at once, too! It seemed I was just expected to figure out how to deal with it. The nice ones brought me information on how to do things and enhanced my talent. The not-so-nice ones lobbed things at me, to see how fast I learned how to duck or fight back. This is fairly typical in cultures that still have a form of shamanism, but in modern America, it can really throw you for a loop! So after that, I took every opportunity to read up on this stuff and get bits of real-life training from whomever I could find to give it to me.Q: What motivated you to or why do you teach the Dark Arts?

I started giving public instruction in Defense Against the Dark Arts way back in 1996, with a series of online zines called The Guardian’s Grimoires. Actually, they are still available. I knew that there were other people out there, like me, who were getting thrown in the deep end, and I wanted them to know that they weren’t alone. I wanted to give them some basic survival skills. I’ve also found that, as a sort of poster girl for the DADA, a lot of people in the larger Pagan and magickal communities have surprising misconceptions and fears about this subject. I’ve been called as desirable as human sacrifice on one hand and told on the other hand that none of what I teach has any relevance to the modern community, not even shielding. So, I think it is important for relatively reasonable-looking people to be out there, making information about what the Dark Arts and DADA really do and do not involve available to those people as well. I hope I fit the bill.Q: Why is it important for Apprentice Wizards to understand and appreciate the Dark Arts?

There is a shamanic practitioner named Thena Macarthur who gives talks at Pantheacon. I thought that she summed this up really well. She was addressing people’s tendency to dismiss the idea that people could really be casting the “evil eye”, or sending other negative energy at each other in this day and age; one of the objections that I often hear. She asked us to think about how often we were driving along and somebody cuts us off or does something else stupid or dangerous, and we

scream curse words at them – well! That is a release of negative energy! And it is directed at another person.

We are always making each other mad, jealous, or hurt, and those energies go somewhere, even if they are not consciously shaped and directed as spells. Every second, commercials and political PR slingers are throwing energies at you. They are trying to bend you to their will, so that you will buy their product, candidate, or war. We don’t think about it in magickal terms, but this kind of thing is actually happening to all of us all of the time. We have to know how to rise above it. That way, your will and your luck are your own, and that is how you are going to succeed as a Wizard.Q: What is the most important thing that you hope your students learn and take away from your classes?

I want my students to be able to think about subjects like psychic attack, shielding, and banishing without either totally dismissing their experiences of weird things or getting completely freaked out by every coincidence. I want to give them the tools to think about what is happening and why, and how to handle themselves when they have decided what they need to do. Q: Just because I am dying to know, how do you or would you answer Mundania’s generally negative perception of the Dark Arts?

I think that it is natural, given that on one hand conventional religions paint almost any magick as evil to some degree and, on the other hand, most of the examples we see come from horror movies! Things like Charmed, and the Harry Potter series, did at least make things a little better, making some people curious in a good way. Honestly, I don’t tend to give a lot of thought to this question since, to my mind, I exist in a world of energies and spirits that many people are not called to and do not really want to understand. I do my part for the general acceptance of alternative religions, cultures, and practices, but I do not expect the average person to go with me on my trip. What I do has never been for everybody. They just need to know where to find me if they need me. Mostly, the work I do is for other Wizards!Q: Can you tell us a little bit about the Defense of the Dark Arts Club?

We were the first Grey School of Wizardry club. The students requested the organization of the club. We are pretty much summed up in the name. We are a place where students can come and ask about topics of defensive magick and scary beasties. It is a place to compare experiences, as well as share tips and reviews of the handful of books available on our subject.

Thank you Professor T’shirai. You have peaked my interest in the Dark Arts. I am looking forward to taking your classes.


Perception and The Windowby Kitiara N. Goldmoon

In the Labyrinth of narrow, twisting halls that go on forever, there is a dark room, lit only by a small wax candle placed upon the ground. There is a constant sound of rain pelting the windows and beating the rooftop while thunder roars angrily against bolts of lightning that gouge the darkened skies.

Windows of fogged and dust-filmed glass line the room from corner to corner, wall to wall, in one straight, encompassing line. Outside, sickeningly disfigured shadows move and stare with malicious grins at the trembling form in the middle of the room. One of these windows the shadows don't touch. It is opened ever so slightly, just enough for one to pry it open, and it rattles with the howls of the ever strengthening wind, letting a small breeze blow in to make the candle flame flicker and unknown shadows dance across the bare floor and walls surrounding the door.

Huddled in the center, subject to constant fear clenched fast to his heart, Arthur watches the cold steel door. A sorry sight to see is this poor human man, eyes red from crying and throat raw from screaming. His hair is matted, his face stained with tears, and what used to be clothes are now rags. His thin body and sunken face giving him the ghastly appearance of a skeleton, he stares, frightened of that cold steel door...

There is not a fingerprint upon its surface as it seems to glow with unearthly life. No handle is leant to escape the room, and people laugh hysterically when you mention escaping through the window...

Without a sound, the steel door smoothly swings open to reveal one of the many pitch dark hallways of the Labyrinth that is lined with yet more doors leading to nowhere the man can remember.

For a while nothing at all seems to happen, and he thinks for a moment, "I'm free! I can finally leave!" But just as that flutter of Hope appears in his heart, it is torn out and replaced by a dread so terrible he is physically ill. A horrid figure has appeared in the metallic doorway, and it watches the man with a piercing stare.

Made from Woe, Agony, Terror, and the shadows between the stars, it embodies the very essence of our fears and every thing that comes along with it. Misery drips from its needle-sharp ivory teeth as it smiles in its crooked way. Its body is thin and gangly, making it ever more paralyzing to Arthur as it slinks toward him in a nightmarish fashion of violent jerks and dream-like gliding.

Shaking in terror, Arthur's whimpers turn to small cries, and he finally begins to sob as he watches the creature come to a stomach-churning stop just inches away from him. It lifts one silver-clawed hand slowly, deliberately, to partially cover Arthur's face just to where he can feel its rough palm digging into his skin as he watches through its claws.

Arthur's breath catches in his throat as he gasps for air. Then Cold comes and he's enveloped in what feels like a sheet of ice. What little oxygen he's getting he exhales in thick white clouds as he can feel his mind trying to escape the throbbing pain of his cranium. His eyes roll to the back of his head as he slumps into a heap on the wooden floor and convulses at the array of pains that assault him. As his vision blurs, Arthur sees the shadows outside mocking him. They laugh, point, and jeer at the torture that he's enduring. He glances over at his executioner and squints his eyes.

In this delusional, half-unconscious state that he's in, Arthur sees, not a claw, but a black glove. And he sees, not a monster, but the body of a thin male in all black clothing wearing a dark wooden wolf mask, tribal in appearance.

Is this what he's been afraid of? A man in a mask? Now, filled with adrenaline, Arthur pushes himself up against the pressure of the man's hand and tears that mask from the creature's face.

And just as soon as he had been brave, a mixture of confusion and fear knotted Arthur's stomach once more as he stared back at his own self...

Arthur stood as his breath quickened. What was going on? Why did this horrid creature look like him? There had to be a reason, but what? Who cares--the place is maddening, he had to get out!

He turned to the cracked window and threw himself away from his doppelganger and at the glass, wrenching it open to reveal blackness. "Anything is better than here," he croaked out to his twin as it watched him silently from its kneeling spot on the floor. It seemed almost innocent now as it looked on in indifference as Arthur crawled out the window and fell into the Abyss.

Arthur Moxley began living that day, when he fell into the Abyss and back into Life. That window of opportunity as small as it was, he took the risk of leaping out of...


Reviews Dragonlore, Ash “LeopardDancer” DeKirkfrom the Archives of the Grey School of WizardryReview by FrogsDancing

WOW!! I really enjoyed reading this book. It is packed full of information on dragons old and new. The European and Far East dragons are here, too. I was amazed to discover how many dragons called North America home. I never even considered that Africa and Oceania would have any dragons at all, but here they are. A collection of the better known myths and legends are covered, whetting one’s appetite for more.

I really enjoyed Chapter 3 “Dragons in the Modern Realm.” Dungeons and Dragons, along with its subsets, are explored and covered. Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh! are the new tellers of dragon tales and talents. “Dragons in Literature” can add this book to their ranks. Anyone with an interest in dragons will enjoy this book.

Personally, I can think of at least two DMs who will be receiving this book from me as a Christmas/Yule gift. Even my husband, who is not usually a reader, has expressed interest in this book. My eldest daughter has found it, and is currently reading it.

Tamshi’s Imp, Jonathan FesmireReview by Skye

This is a book by our very own Jonathan Fesmire, also known as Dolphin. He has several books published and has had several other works printed in magazines. I was lucky enough to get a copy of his book, Tamshi’s Imp.

Tamshi Telardian is a sorceress who finds that her memories are gone and she doesn’t remember anything about herself. She is also missing her beloved familiar, an ice imp by the name of Blue, and doesn’t know where to find her. She finds herself in a web of deceit, lies, and manipulation and in a world of nothing being as it seems and an uncertainty of whom she is able to trust. She also finds herself on a journey to find the pieces of the puzzle that will bring back her memories and unexpectedly finds herself with the realization that her service as a sorceress has been for an ancient demon whose ultimate goal is to destroy all the gods and become the Lord Demon. Will she be able to bring the deception to light without her memories? Will she be able to stop the Arch Demon and his cult?

It is a fascinating journey packed full of magick, suspense, and an ultimate twist you don’t see coming. I thoroughly recommend this book and cannot wait to delve into his other works. I was in no way disappointed with this book. Jonathan Fesmire's website is:http://www.jonathanfesmire.com/, or you can use http://www.jonathanfesmire.com/books.html

Tithe, Holly BlackReview by Violet Frost Wolf

Tithe, written by Holly Black, tells of a girl, Kaye, who is sent back to New Jersey to live with her Grandmother after her mother's boyfriend attacks Kaye's mom, Ellen. She reconnects with childhood friends and searches for the fairies that visited her at night as a child.

At a pre-party get-together at an abandon carousel, Kaye enchants a horse and her friend Janet’s boyfriend, Kenny, accidentally. Upset, she storms out and walks home in the rain. She comes across a fairy knight who has an arrow stuck in his chest. She not only helps him remove the arrow and bandage it, but she also summons a kelpie to sweep him away.

Poor Kaye is swept into a struggle for power between the Seelie and the Unseelie court that might just be the cause of her death.

This horrific and romantic fairytale is well written and very modern, making the fairies seem all the more realistic. As it has some cursing and is a bit gory I don't recommend it for younger readers unless you are absolutely sure you can handle it. Not only that, but there are some things that are a bit....disturbing for some.

The fairies are eerily wonderful, smart, and interesting. Some are grotesque, while others are amazingly beautiful. pulls off the romance well. The magick found here is startling. As always, Black has amazing endings that leave you satisfied, yet yearning for more.

Monster HouseReview by Violet Frost Wolf

Every house has its history. And every neighborhood has a house with an exceptionally dark history. DJ is a boy obsessed with proving that there is something horribly wrong with the house across the street and the mean, old man, Nebbercracker, who lives inside, coming out only to kick children off his lawn and steal their toys.

When DJ does to retrieve his friend's basketball, it is his turn to be harassed by Nebbercracker. On his lawn, scolding DJ, he seems to lose all life and is swept away by an ambulance: no sirens wailed.

As the house sits alone, DJ notices that something more resides within it. It comes to life and swallows anything that dares to ring the doorbell.

Teaming up with a clever girl, Jenny (who both DJ and Chowder like) and Chowder, DJ enters the house discovering an even darker secret.

Though it didn't live up to my expectations, Monster House was still a great movie with an interesting plot. I especially love the true and secret nature of the house. I recommend you save it to rent at Blockbuster.


FearFear is what keeps us quiet when we must speak.It's what makes us stand when we must run.It's why we cry in the dark and only smile in the light.It's why we speak of love to everyone but who we have it for.Fear binds us in its grasps and strangles all hope.Fear is but a part of the mind,Therefore can be fought.Our happy, hopeful memories are knights in shining Armour,off to slay the evil creature that is fear.If we keep these memories closed up deep inside,they will surely die,but if they remain close to our hearts and open for the world to see,they will vanquish our enemies with ease.Fear will be defeated for now but will always be there,Lurking in the shadows of disparity,Ready to strike with a deadly swipewhen we are vulnerable and unaware.


Persephone by Damia Serephina


An Interview with Professor Ash 'Leoparddancer' DeKirkBy FrogsDancing

Q: Why Dragons?Dragons are a big part of the religious path I follow. Most of the draconic types found in myths around the world are also found in the Dun'Marran religion.Q: How did you become interested in Dragons?I've been interested in dragons for as long as I can remember. When I was about 13, I was found by a follower of Dun'Marra. I fell in love with the religion, not just for the dragons, but for the whole concept of it as well. The Dun’Marra are among the most religiously tolerant people I know. We may, all of us, take a different path to get to the end of our life's journey, but we get to the same place nonetheless.Q: What sort of educational background do you have? How did this figure into your interest in dragons?I have a BA in anthropology/archaeology, as well as, some psychology training. Anthropology did not really affect my love for dragons, but I did get to use that to my advantage. My thesis paper was on dragonlore around the world and it is from that thesis that the whole Dragonlore class series sprang from.Q: How long did it take you to write the book? Could you describe the process?The whole project took a little less than a year. Most of that time was devoted to doing quite a bit of research. There is a big difference between a 26 page thesis and a 65,000 word book manuscript. Due to page restraints on my thesis paper, there was no information in it about Africa, Oceania or the Americas. That was the hard part! Next came putting it all together into the finished book that I have today. I also worked closely with the artists who did specially commissioned drawings. Kudos to both Erif Thunen and Ian Daniels for their wonderful work in that department!

Q: Why is it important for Apprentice Wizards to understand and appreciate dragons?It is good to have a healthy respect for all creatures and spirit creatures, as well as for the myths, legends and religious beliefs of the world. Doing so broadens your horizons and gives you a much different perspective than you might otherwise have.Q: What is your favorite kind of dragon?Well, my Patron, Grael, is featured on the cover of the Dragonlore book, along with her mate, Ayahz. Grael is the black dragon and Ayahz is white. She is a rather unique specimen, but closely linked to my favorite type listed in the book, the Ying-long. Ying-long are Asiatic dragons that, while they have the basic dragon body type, are furry and have feathered wings. For any who have ever played the Lunar: Silver Star Story game, the dragons featured are Ying-long.Q: Tell us a little bit about the Dragonlore Classes offered here in the Grey School of Wizardry. As of right now, there are 7 Dragonlore classes. Four of the classes are devoted to looking at the various types and myths in Europe, in Asia, in the Americas, and in Africa/Oceania. The next two are devoted to dragons in today’s media, and the last takes a look at dragons in the natural world, both modern and prehistoric.Q: What is the coolest thing about dragons that nobody knows?The niftiest thing, in my opinion, is the fact that dragons exist all over the world. From the cold climes of Alaska to the Outback, dragons roam the ages. The first thing someone thinks of when they hear the word “dragon” is the terrifying fire breather of European fame. Rarely does anyone think of the great ‘Plumed Serpents’ of the Americas or the ‘Rainbow Serpents’ of Africa and Oceania. Nor do the more exotic specimens, like the Ying-long, come to mind.Thank you for your time, Professor Dekirk.


Secret Recipes for Stunning HairBy Skye (Some info found in Woman’s Day magazine- 11/1/05)

You would be surprised at how many household basics, such as baking soda and teabags, contain the same active ingredients that popular, high priced shampoos and hair products used by celebrities contain. These simple, at-home recipes will strengthen, condition, silken, and give your hair the bounce and body it needs.

This is for oily hair:5 Mint herbal tea bagsTeapot filled with waterFresh Rosemary leavesBoil water, then brew the 5 bags in the teapot, allow cooling. Use this mix as a final rinse after shampoo and conditioner. Mint is a natural astringent and will help clean hair from buildup.

*You could also try pure apple-cider vinegar as a shine-booster rinse.

This is for thinning hair or hair not growing:1 Tbsp chopped Basil½ cup Olive OilHeat both Basil and oil in microwave for 30 seconds. Let it cool (enough so it won’t burn skin) and then massage into your scalp. Leave it in for 15 minutes, then shampoo.

Basil helps promote growth by stimulating the scalp.

This is for dull hair:1 tsp baking sodaAny type of shampooMix the baking soda into any shampoo. Mix well.

The baking soda lowers the PH of the shampoo and seals the hair’s cuticle, boosting it for extra strength shine.

This is for dry hair:1 tbsp honey2 tbsp shampoo

Mix the Honey with the shampoo and mix it well. The honey draws and traps moisture in the hair.

This is for limp hair:1 cup of rice2 cups of waterSpray bottleSoak 1 cup of rice in 2 cups of water overnight. In the morning, strain and place in spray bottle. Use it to mist on damp hair before drying.

The rice protein expands hair, making it appear fuller.

There are a few other recipes I would like to share with you.

*Mash up strawberries in a bowl and place on face, leave on 10-15 min., then rinse well. The berries contain ascorbic acid, which helps sloth off dullness.

*Squeeze a lemon, then soak nails for 5 minutes, then rinse them off. It contains citric acid, which bleaches the nails and stains.

*Slice a potato thinly and place under eyes for 15 minutes. This helps fade the dark circles under eyes, and this enzyme is found in the potato and whitens naturally.

HERBAL SPOTLIGHTBy Skye

There are several different Herbs that correspond with Samhain, but not too much is heard about Mullein. That is exactly why it made it into this edition of Grey’s Herbal Spotlight.

First and foremost, when you say the herb Mullein (Verbascum Thapus), you will find a whole bunch of hard to understand words such as the words Astringent (stops bleeding), Demulcent (soothes organs internally), Diuretic (eliminates urine out of the body), Emollient (soothes external skin), Expectorant (helps eliminate mucous in the lungs), Narcotic (mild pain reliever), Sedative (calms the nervous system and reduces stress in the body mildly), and Tonic (strengthens and enlivens specific organs or the whole body). It is best known for its uses in relieving sore throats, coughs, and chest colds by eliminating phlegm

from the chest. It is also great to use Mullein as a poultice on cuts and bruises or as a tonic to strengthen your immune system. Some other names it is known by are Jacob’s Staff, Aaron’s Rod, Torches, Lady’s Foxglove, Old Man’s Fennel, Lungwort, Graveyard Dust and Feltwort. The plant’s flowers and leaves are the parts that are used. It is also used cosmetically as a hair rinse to lighten hair by using it as an infusion and poured over hair. It is also used to make tinctures for the above ailments.

It has several Magickal uses. Its gender is Feminine, its planet is Saturn and its element is Fire. The powers that Mullein is said to hold are protection, courage, health, love, divination, and exorcism. In folk times, it was believed that mullein could be worn to keep

Cont'd next page



wild animals away while hiking in the wild and also to instill courage in the wearer. It was also believed that if a few leaves were placed in a person’s shoe it would prevent the wearer from getting sickness and colds. It can also be carried to obtain love from the opposite sex. It was also placed under one’s pillow to repel nightmares and evil dreams.

In India, it is hung over doorways to safeguard against evil spirits and banish demons and negativity. Interestingly, magicians and wizards kept their oil lanterns lit by using the downy leaves and stems as wicks. It was also used as a substitute for candles (do not light it) when one did not have a candle to use in ritual. I have given a recipe for a great compress for swollen and painful joints and muscles, since Mullein encourages the absorption of fluids, thus reducing swelling and inflammation. I have used it on several of my patients who have painful joints and arthritis.

Mullein Compress

2 qts of cider vinegar or malt vinegar4 oz mullein½ oz Lobelia (herb)¼ oz cayenne powderGently simmer well-covered in a glass pot for 30 minutes. Strain and pour over ¼ ounce of cayenne powder. Place cheesecloth in mixture and place on skin—whatever you feel comfortable doing, leaving on for 1 hour. If you have sensitive skin, you might want to cut the cayenne powder in half, as it might be rough on your skin. This mixture can be saved for up to three months.

The following information was taken from Llewellyn's Witches' Calendar July 1998.

Drying HerbsDry your herbs by tying them in bunches and hanging them up in a warm, dry area that is free of sunlight and dust. If you are harvesting the herbs for seed, tie brown paper bags loosely around each bunch of hanging herbs. The bag will catch the seeds, which fall away from the foliage as it dries. When the herbs are dry, gently shake them before removing the bag to loosen any additional seeds.

If you need to hasten the drying process, place the herbs on a cookie sheet in a low-heat oven, checking them frequently to be sure that they do not turn brown. Store in clean, dry, airtight jars, preferably of amber or cobalt blue glass. Keep jars out of direct sunlight.

Some Magical Uses of HerbsLove: Cardamom, chickweed, cinnamon, clove, lavender, lemon balm, rose, rosemary, tansy, vanilla, violet, yarrow.Good Luck: Allspice, heather, nutmeg.Healing: Angelica, bufdock, cinnamon, eucalyptus, hyssop, lemon balm, peppermint.Prosperity: Basil, benzoil, bergamot, cinnamon, cinquefoil, lemon balm, mint.Protection: Alyssum, angelica, basil, bay, garlic, mullein, rue, sunflower, white sage.Psychic Skills: Angelica, anise, bay, borage, cinnamon, fennel, mugwort.Purification: Anise, bay, chamomile, clove, copal, fennel, lavender, white sage.

THE FRAILTIES OF WAR

As I drench the world in crimson,My blood lust overwhelms meI fall into the black void that is my mind.I realize that I am not aloneI am being followed by my fear and hatred My hatred for the human race And my fear for the destruction of all that I loveI continue to spiral ever downwards and finally stopI have landed on the plateau of insanityI look up and I can see I see that my fear and hate have taken my body for their own agendaI search for a means of escape but I see only one waySweet n cold death but I know that I must fight that temptation I must take control of my mind and force the fear and hate to their kneesBut how? That is the eternal question Will I ever know the answerI fall into a deep sleep and wake up to realize that I’ve lost the warI am restrained to the plateau that is insanity Forced to watch as fear and hate destroy all that I’ve known and lovedAnd I know that I will never escape….

-this is one of Panther’s many thoughts ™


Spooky StarsBy: Padraigin-Aine (Patricia-Ann Ashlee Rosemarie)Winds Lodge, First year!

Starlight, star bright, I wish I may, I wish I might, have this wish, I wish tonight. Now that I think back on this, oh my, how I wish I did not wish tonight. You see, it all happened when I wished upon that stupid star. Yes, that star, that horrible star. When I would go out at night, I would always look up at the stars in all their splendor, until one night I saw one falling from the sky and I decided to make a wish.

I wished for someone to love me. A few days later, I won a trip to Romania. How romantic, I thought to myself. Now, it may sound a bit disturbed, but I had always had a thing for "The Count". Yes, I am referring to good ol' Dracula! I was excited to have arrived in Romania; however, I was very tired from my long trip. I was driven by horse and carriage to where I would be staying. I was not told where; it was supposed to be a surprise. I arrived, and, to my astonishment, it was his, I mean him, I am fumbling for words! It was the Count's place. I could not move; I was in shock. I got out of the horse and carriage and proceeded to the door. A servant greeted me and let me in. I stood there in amazement, a blank look on my face. It was him. Dracula himself. My mouth was wide open. I did not know if I should run in fright or introduce myself. He approached me.

“Hello,” he said. I just stood there for a brief second. “Hello,” is all I could say! “My name is --” “I know what your name is,” said Dracula!“You do?” “Yes, I do! Ms. Patricia-Ann Ashlee Rosemarie. What a pretty, but long, name.”“Thank you,” I said. “How did you know my name?” I asked. “How do you think? You won the trip. I brought you here, to Romania,” the Count said. “I wanted you here. I

have been watching you for a very long time. I want you to be my wife.” “Your what!” “My wife,” he said.

Now, don't get me wrong. He is everything I could have ever wanted, but can we date first? Dating was not an option for good ol' Dracula, oh, no! He must have what he wants, and what he wanted was me. I was afraid to tell him about the "curse"! The curse of the Spooky Stars! Well, to me it was a curse, but to him, it was counting his lucky stars! I wished for someone to love me, and I got my wish. Dracula loved me for a very long time. I, however, was not ready to get married. All I can tell you is, the next time you see a falling star, be careful for what you wish for. You may get cursed by the Spooky Star.

When evening comes, when day is done, The cats come out to play.When darkness wears her cold black gownAnd shadows creep and shroud the townThe cats come out to play.What lies beyond that shadowy wall?What do I hear? What made that fall?Perhaps a frog is under the house!Perhaps a lizard, perhaps a mouse!Cats by nature investigate,Must seek our prey before too late.Creatures of day do not relateTo the challenge of the hunt at night!When cats come out to play . . .When cats come out to play!

Nefabit


HALLOWEEN GAMES AND STORIESfrom Morgan Felidae

The Dead Man's Brains

This scary story is a scary game that people play at Hallowe'en, but it can be played whenever the spirit moves you. The players sit in a circle in a darkened room and listen to a storyteller describe the rotting remains of a corpse. Each part is passed around for them to feel. In one version, a player is out if he or she screams or gasps with fright. In another version, everybody stays to the end, no matter how scared they get.

Here is the story: Once, in this town, there lived a man named Brown. It was years ago, on this night, that he was murdered out of spite. We have here his remains.First, let's feel his brains. (A wet, squishy tomato)Now here are his eyes, still frozen with surprise. (Two peeled grapes)This is his nose. (A chicken bone)Here is his ear. (A dried apricot)And here is his hand, rotting flesh and bone. (A cloth or rubber glove filled with mud or ice)But his hair still grows. (A handful of corn silk or wet fur or yarn)And his heart still beats, now and then. (A piece of raw liver)And his blood still flows. Dip your fingers in it. It's nice and warm. (A bowl of catsup thinned with warm water)That's all there is, except for these worms. They are the ones that ate the rest of him. (A handful of wet, cooked spaghetti noodles)

Here are some others I like:

The Slithery-DeeThe slithery-dee,He came out of the sea;He ate all the others,But he didn't eat me.The slithery-dee,He came out of the sea;He ate all the others, but he didn't eat --

-- S-L-U-R-P...The Little Black Dog

Billy Mansfield said that a little black dog followed him wherever he went, but he was the only one who saw it, so people thought he was kind of crazy. To drive the dog away, Billy was always hollering at it or throwing rocks at it. But the dog always came back.

The first time Billy saw that dog was the day he fought Silas Burton. Billy was just a young man then, but the Burtons and Billy's family had been feuding for years.

When Billy saw Silas riding towards him, he went for his gun, and Burton went for his. But Billy fired first. He hit Burton in the back, knocking him from his horse. Burton's horse ran off, and his gun fell where he couldn't reach it.

He lay there on the ground, pleading with Billy not to kill him, but Billy killed him anyway. Burton's little black dog was with him when he was shot. The dog kept licking Burton's face, barking and snarling at Billy. In his anger, Billy killed the dog, too.

There wasn't much law enforcement in those days, so Billy wasn't arrested. But all that night he heard Burton's dog outside his cabin, scratching on his door and barking to be let in. "I'm imagining this," Billy said to himself. "I shot that dog. It's dead."

But the next morning Billy saw the dog. It was waiting for him outside. From then on, there was not a

day when he didn't see it, and there wasn't a night when he didn't hear it scratching on his door, barking to be let in.

From then on, Billy was always finding black dog hairs on the sofa, on the floor, in his bed, and even in his food. And the house and the yard stank of dog. That's what Billy said.

Whenever somebody told him there wasn't any dog to see, he'd say, "Maybe you don't see it, but I do. And I'm not any crazier than you are." Things went on like that for many years. Then, one morning, in the middle of the winter, the neighbors didn't see any smoke coming out of Billy's chimney. When they went over to check, Billy wasn't there. A day or so later, they found his body lying in the snow in a field at the back of his cabin.

Billy had plenty of enemies, and at first it seemed like somebody might have killed him. But there wasn't a mark on his body. And there weren't any footprints out there, except for Billy's. The doctor said Billy probably died of old age. But there was something odd about his death. When the neighbors found Billy, there were black dog hairs on his clothes. There were even a few on his face. It smelled like a dog had been out there. Yet no one had seen a dog anywhere.

The Bad NewsLeon and Todd loved baseball. When they were

young, they had played on the town's baseball team. Leon had been the pitcher, and Todd had played second base. Now that they were a lot older, they spent their free time watching baseball games on TV and talking about baseball.

Cont'd next page



"Do you think they play baseball in Heaven?" Leon asked Todd one day.

"That's a good question," said Todd. "The one who gets there first should let the other one know somehow."

As it turned out, Todd got to Heaven first, and Leon waited patiently to hear from him. One day Leon found Todd sitting in the living room waiting for him. Leon was very excited to see him. "What is it like up there?" he asked. "And what about baseball?"

"When it comes to baseball," said Todd, "I have some good news, and I have some bad news. The good news is that we do play baseball in Heaven. We have some fine teams. I play second base on my team, just like I used to in the old days. That's the good news."

"What's the bad news?" asked Leon."The bad news," said Todd, "is that you are

scheduled to pitch tomorrow."

StrangersA man and a woman happened to sit next to one

another on a train. The woman took out a book and began reading. The train stopped at a half dozen stations, but she never looked up once.

The man watched her for a while, and then asked, "What are you reading?"

"It's a ghost story," she said. "It's very good, very spooky."

"Do you believe in ghosts?" he asked."Yes, I do," she replied. "There are ghosts

everywhere.""I don't believe in them," he said. "It's just a lot

of superstition. In all my years I've never seen a ghost, not one."

"Haven't you?" the woman said -- and vanished.

_________________________________

Hate

The hate inside me grows ever so slowly,anger often consumes me,

I am swallowed by the shadow of evil itself,while I search for a way out, I see light, bright as the sun,

although I know it should burn,I find it impossible to look away,

this light seems some how familiar,as it slowly takes shape and grows,

I realize it’s my queen,my guiding light,

a beautiful angel, my one and only,as we remain loyal to each other,

I notice my hatred has faded,I am no longer in the shadows

but surrounded by the light.


TRAVELING-by Whiskerwind

Though my body is at restA fire is blazing up my spineAnd swirling inside my headI reach up my armsInto the heavensAnd rise up into them

To see and yet be unseenTo go and yet not goTo feel my mindand bodyWork as one


“Is Anybody There?”Talking Boards and Inner Demons

-- by Jymi X/0

We are often warned of the dangers of frivolous magical dabbling, and Demonic possession is usually right up there on the list of horrors waiting to afflict those who delve carelessly into mystical parlour tricks such as table-tipping, automatic writing, and Ouija boards.

In William Peter Blatty's classic tale, The Exorcist, young Regan MacNeil is the victim of Demonic possession. The reader is never given a full explanation of why the Demon chose Regan or how it came to possess her, but at the beginning of the story we find her playing with her mother's Ouija board, leading us to assume that this game was the Demon's gateway into Regan's mind and body.

In this modern age, it's hard to accept the reality of actual Demonic possession. Even Father Karras, Blatty's Jesuit protagonist, is dubious about Regan's true condition. As he explains to Regan's mother, “...it just doesn't happen anymore, Miss MacNeil...since we learned about mental illness, about paranoia; split personality...” (Blatty 200).

Regan suffers from neither paranoia nor delusions – she simply has no idea that the toy that allows her to speak with the friendly entity that calls itself “Captain Howdy” is a version of an ancient and potent spiritualist tool, one avoided even by many experienced wizards and witches due to the often unstable nature of the forces it can evoke.

What are these forces? Though the board can, theoretically, be used to communicate with any entity, regardless of its disposition, Ouija boards have a diabolical reputation. Many people see the boards as a very real threat to their spiritual safety, and refuse to have anything to do with them.

I find it hard to feel threatened by something when the best it can come up with is: “HELLO...DZDZDZDZDZDZDZ...FISH BRAP. YES.”

Like all magic, Ouija boards rely on the user's subconscious minds to supply the real power. They help us to forge mental paths which don't so much bring energy in from outside as they allow our own energy to find its way out from the inside. The occult encyclopedia “Man, Myth and Magic” explains: “...(H)idden resentments, frustrations and jealousies can also emerge; in fact, the use of Ouija boards and other such devices by persons ignorant of the psychology involved can lead to tricky and painful situations, especially as many people are more impressed by statements – and predictions – which come from a mysterious source than they are by those from one which is familiar.” (Heywood, MMM 2091)

It is easy to understand that, Demons or no, over-extending oneself with Ouija boards and other magical practices would lead to an over-exposure of the subconscious and its energy, leaving one vulnerable to one's own mental monstrosities. As the Devil called out at the end of the movie Legend, “I am a part of you all!”

Depending on the psyche of the practitioner, this could result in some terrifying personal manifestations. (One wonders to what subconscious horrors “Fish Brap” might refer.) We tend to get what we expect: the very fear that awful things will happen could be strong enough to bring them about, or at least cause the person to see them wherever they look, like an astral hypochondriac.

Terrifying though it may be, it's exciting when our attempts at magic or other-dimensional communication succeed, and this success can be addictive. In extreme cases, it would seem that people’s need to include the fantastic in their lives often overpowers their sense of self-preservation. In many of the Ouija-related stories I've read, the “spirits” continue to harass the users for a period of days or weeks, until the people finally get the idea to STOP PLAYING WITH THE BOARD.

I'm an advocate of the Ouija board. It can be a useful tool, provided that the practitioners have a healthy mindset. Some of the best magical advice was given by Apollo's Oracle at Delphi: “Know Thyself!” Regular soul-searching, self-maintenance on all levels, and a little common sense will prevent most Fish Brap, real or imagined.

WORKS CITED:

Blatty, William Peter. The Exorcist. Harper & Row: New York, 1971.

Heywood, Rosalind. “Ouija Boards.” Man, Myth & Magic: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Supernatural. BPC Publishing: Italy. 1970.


EXPLORING THE TAROT: THE SKULL READby Kizzy

“In this season of Samhain, we are reminded of other wondrous worlds existing side by side with our own, and we are invited to play, laugh, don disguises, delight in small miracles of human friendship, use common sense, and free our hearts to explore who and what we truly are.”

(http://www.mythinglinks.org/Samhain.html )

Wow, that is a lot for us to live up to at Samhain. In my tradition, Samhain is a period of for transformational change, gracefully (or not so gracefully!) letting go of the old, and making way for the new.

When we experience change, it can be a frightening, fearful time. People, things, routines, and situations that are loved and familiar may no longer be with us, and we can often respond by setting fast in our old ways, making ourselves more resistant to change, or locking ourselves into the past.

The read for this issue is about transformational change: about the successful letting go of old habits and setting the seeds of success in the new.

I’m going to share with you the Skull read. This read, affectionately known as the Smiley Face, is useful for aiding transformation with respect to a single problem.

Start by centering and grounding, then meditate on the aspect of your life that you are feeling the need to transform.

Use your own preferred method to shuffle and select the cards. If you are new to Tarot and have not determined what your preferred method is, try shuffling 3 times, then lay the cards face down onto the table to fan them out. Select them one by one from anywhere in the fan.

Card 1: This relates to your current position with respect to the area of transformation.Card 2: This relates to the area of greatest blockage in the pastCard 3: Probable stumbling blocks in the futureCards 4-6: Relate to avenues to aid you in overcoming the blockageCards 7-9: Relate to different avenues of thought and action you may choose to investigate to avoid stumbling in the future

Change is about letting go of old habits and becoming accepting of the new. Remember that, just as grief for the old way is transforming, so is joy and hope. This read has a sense of fun to it , which allows us to embrace the playful side of our natures while we seek to redress the balance.

76

2

8

3

5

1

4 9

http://www.mythinglinks.org/Samhain.html


War of the Ancients: A Deadly AllianceBy Lord Akisho

In a far away time before human existence, in an even farther away place, a war raged on between the forces of good and evil, Angels against Demons. Both sides were taking heavy casualties, with no end in sight, until the bringer of balance was summoned to the earth. He at once stopped the war between the forces, restoring balance to the world and making way for a new light. For a very long time, far into the birth of humans, the world was at peace until a group of unfortunate kids cracked the seal, releasing the ancient warriors of the past, bringing upon themselves The War of the Ancients.

1Akisho sighed as he awoke to another dreary

day. “God, I hate going to that school.” He got out of bed and walked to the full length mirror positioned on his wall and looked at himself. “Jeez, I look good.” Akisho smiled at his 6'0” 145lb muscular frame before heading into the bathroom to prepare himself for school. He walked downstairs, his shoulder length black hair laying across the white t-shirt he had decided to wear with his favorite pair of black jeans.

Trina groaned as her mother pulled her from her warm, queen-sized bed. “Mom, I don't want to go to school today,” she protested to her mother, who replied, “I can care less. Now get yourself up before I beat you senseless.” Grumbling, Trina trudged into the bathroom and slouched down the stairs while running a comb through her unruly hair. “I hate going to school.”

Serenity walked out of her bedroom door just as her mother was walking to wake her. "Good morning, princess; I should have known you were already up." She smiled at her mother warmly, saying, "Good morning, mama. I have to be at school for the student council meeting--we're going over prom arrangements." She pulled her long, dark, brown hair into a simple ponytail. Though her school did not require uniforms, her outfit looked just like one.

2Akisho walks into the school, happily waving at

his best friend of three years. “Trina! Trina girl wassup.”Trina turns around, smiling and waving back.

“Hey boy, looks like another day at this boring school.” Akisho nods and starts walking. “But on the flip side, there is that field trip to that old house.” She chuckles and walks on towards her class.

“Oh wow, some old house full of bugs and stuff, oh joy.” He laughs playfully, pushing her, and stops, staring off into the distance. Trina turns, looking in his direction, and sighs, rolling her brown eyes.

“Ugh, you still chasing after Serenity? Ain't it apparent you aren't going to be getting her any time soon?” Akisho shakes his head, breaking the trance he goes into every time he sees her.

“Shut up you, don't you worry, I will be with her soon enough, I can feel it.”

“Yeah, whatever you say, just don't come running to me when she turns you down for the hundredth time.”

“Whatever little girl.” He pops her softly and darts off to his class.

Serenity sits in the courtyard. Not having a first period class, she goes over the choices for prom decorations. She is only giving it half of her attention, her mind racing about how she was going to find a date for prom. She had planned to go alone, but the teacher sponsor for their class announced at morning meeting that all student council officers must have a date.

During second period, a voice comes over the intercom, telling the students to move to the buses for the trip. “About time,” Akisho says as he walks out to the bus.

Trina comes up and pops Akisho, “Don't be hitting on me like you crazy.”

“Ouch, you bastard.” Akisho leaves her, feigning hurt, and walks onto the bus, making a beeline for Serenity when he sees her toward the back sitting alone. “Is this seat taken, Serenity?” She looks up at him, saying, “No, go ahead.” Then she goes back to looking though prom books. Trina walks to the back of the bus and sits on the seat across from them. “Hey, come sit here.”

“No thank you, I'm fine.” He scoots closer to Serenity, who scoots closer to the window, scoffing.

After a long ride and many attempts at talking to Serenity without success, the bus finally comes to a stop in front of a large mansion.

“God, I thought we would never get here,” Serenity says as she grabs her bag and moves past Akisho, walking off the bus with the rest of the students.

“Yeah, you'll have her soon alright.” Trina giggles and runs off the bus before Akisho can react. Akisho walks off the bus and stands with the rest of the students as the teacher walks up to them.

“OK everyone, I'm gonna pair you off in groups.” He starts grouping the students and, as luck may have it, Akisho, Serenity, and Trina end up as partners. He begins assigning parts of the house to explore, and when he gets to the threesome he says “OK, you three, you guys get the basement.”

Akisho peps up, “No way, why do we get the old smelly basement?”

“Well, there is a good reason for that.” “And just what might that be, Mr. Naramo?” “Simple, my dear Akisho: because I said so.” And

with that, he walks away, leaving Akisho to look at his back, hissing.

Serenity walks up to Akisho and says, “You know, you shouldn't talk back to the teacher like that.”

He turns to her and replies, “You know, you shouldn't be such a kiss up.”

Just then Trina comes up, saying, “Now, that wasn't nice, Akisho.”

He pouts, “Yeah, I'm sorry, Serenity.” She smiles and gives his hand a playful rap across the knuckles with her pencil.

“It’s alright, you’re entitled to be a bad boy every once in a while.” Akisho stares at her in confusion but shrugs it off.

Cont'd next page



“Well, anyway, we better get to exploring.” He smiles and walks off as they follow him into the house and down to the basement.

3Serenity walks into the basement, looking

around. “Very creepy.” Akisho walks around. “Hmm, it isn't too bad, ya

know” he says as he bats cobwebs out of his face. Trina walks downstairs and has a large look of

disgust on her face. “This is some weird stuff; I don't see why we have to do this.”

Serenity looks at Trina. “Well, Trina, this house IS supposed to be historical.”

Akisho scoffs. “History my butt, if I wanted history I could have stayed at school and read a book” he says, chuckling and shaking his head as he walks towards the back wall.

Serenity rolls her eyes, walking to an old chest, opening it to see what is inside. “Wow, look at this old bow and arrow set, it must be ancient.”

Trina smirks, mimicking Serenity. “Wow a bow.” She opens a cabinet and screams as a spider jumps out onto her. Serenity turns, looking at Trina, then turns back to hide her giggles.

Akisho scans the wall, his light stopping on a splash of colors. He turns, calling to his friends, “Hey girls, come over here a second, you have to see this.”

Serenity walks over, gasping excitedly. “Wow, this is amazing.” Peering closer to the painting, she says, “Look at the detail.”

Trina walks over to the painting, still a little shaken. “Woo, it’s a painting on a wall, wooptie doo.”

Akisho taps Trina on the arm, smirking at her. “Shut up, Trina, we came here to discover stuff and we did, but yeah Serenity this painting is amazing.”

Serenity beams brightly. Kneeling down and discovering words, she begins to read them aloud. “To spill blood is to cause a war, a war of the ancients.”

Akisho looks intrigued. “Hmm, interesting. Cryptic, yet interesting nonetheless.”

Trina rolls her eyes. “More like boring, if you ask me.”

Akisho stands, not looking at Trina. “Well then, it’s a good thing no one asked you, then, isn't it?” He runs his hand over the painting, yanking it back and yelping in pain. “Ouch! I just cut my finger on that wall.”

Serenity reaches into her bag, pulling out a first aid kit and bandages. “Here, let me see it.” Akisho holds up his hand, and seeing that his finger is bleeding badly, he lets out a groan.

Trina steps up. “See, I knew this place was no good.” Serenity takes his finger, bandaging it. “OK, that should hold until we can get to the nurse, so let’s go.”

Akisho flexes his finger, “Yeah, let’s get outta here.”

Trina turns around to leave. “’Bout time, I been ready to go.”

Akisho turns to follow her, walking a small way and glaring at the bright light coming from behind him. “Jeez, Serenity, turn your bright light off.”

Serenity looks at the powered down light in her hands and slowly turns around. “That isn't my light. Watch out!” She jumps out of the way just in time to keep a bright orb from going into her.

Akisho turns around, pushing Trina out of the way as a bright orb goes into him. “AAARRGGHHH.”

Serenity looks up from the floor and screams as an orb enters her. Trina screams, running up the stairs to the door, but an orb hits her and she turns, falling to the ground, and gasps as she sees a number of dark orbs flying out in different directions.

Serenity sits up from the ground, looking around scared. “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh.”

Akisho stands up, brushing off his clothes. “What the heck was that? We need to get out of here, stat.”

Serenity scrambles up, nodding an agreement, and runs up the stairs, grabbing a thoroughly shocked Trina and dragging her out of the door with Akisho hot on her tail.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Solution to Samhain Word Scramble

1. Pumpkin2. Vampire3. Ghoul4. Orange5. Black Cat6. Scarecrow7. Harvest8. Broom9. Ancestor10. Feast

Solution to Samhain Word Search+ L + L + T S N + + + + + H + E + U W + S P O C + + + O A + H N + O + O I T + A + + C U + + A O H H H R E + + T + T N R + + U T H G I L N O O M O T E E + + N S + T E M O O R B + T + R + + T B + K + + D + E + S + + I + + E M S + L + + R + N E + S P + + D O U W I T C H O N I K P M U P A T O W L + + M + + B B I A C W E R E W O L F + + + M L D V Y K O O P S T + + + + + O A E + + + + + A + + + + + + + Z C R + + + B + + + O R A N G E + K + + + + + + + (Over,Down,Direction) BAT(12,14,NE)BLACK(4,11,SE)BROOM(13,6,W)CAT(9,2,SE)

CAULDRON(7,11,NE)GHOST(6,5,N)GHOUL(6,5,NW)HAUNT(14,1,S)HAUNTED(1,3,SE)HOWL(4,4,N)MONSTER(15,10,N)MOONLIGHT(12,5,W)OCTOBER(13,2,S)ORANGE(1,15,E)OWL(10,10,E)PUMPKIN(7,10,W)SKELETON(8,8,N)SPIDER(3,9,SE)SPIRIT(7,1,S)SPOOKY(13,12,W)TOMBSTONE(9,10,NW)VAMPIRE(7,12,NW)WEREWOLF(8,11,E)WITCH(10,9,E)ZOMBIE(6,14,NW)

Documents

Grey School Newspaper 9