The Hornsounder - Volume 2, Edition 4

[woolhead]

The Hornsounder

 

A Note From the Editor

by Woolhead

 

Hey Hey!!

So here I am at the beginning and end of my reign as editor of The Hornsounder. I'm not going to lie, I had a good run, one of the best I would say (all 30 days of it!). However, I was only a interim editor as editing duties will now pass on to one of the original editors, Magnus Canis Rufus. To him I say good luck, enjoy, and I'm sure you will do the job much better than I would have ever been able to!

 

Well... that's enough about me, now for the Band!

All I can say is WOW! The Band it seems has grown exponentially in these last weeks to the extent that even me, a new member, is noticing beyond belief. It really is great, even with all the confusion of trying to remember who is who! It's really funny when I have to actually get the new recruits to clarify "which one they are again". Ah, good times!

 

Oops, looks like I started talking about me again!! :? :lol:

 

You see, I keep blathering on because I know this is the last time I'm ever going to get to do this... So Forgive me Already!

 

Alright, alright... Here we go ladies and not-so-gentlemen

 

Enjoy this month's edition of The Hornsounder. And remember, it's a good thing to be silly every once in a while!!

[woolhead]

Jack o’ the Shadows Contest

by A Band Member

 

This month's theme was leaders of the Band!

 

The winning entry:

 

Infantry's new CG is a fav of mine,

I've found him to be a gentleman fine,

'course, with the ladies he's smooth as wine ( )

As he dances with Jak O'the Shadows

 

To the Band of the Red Hand he's a real treasure,

Knowing you, Spacey, has been a real pleasure.

Keep up the good work and show your measure

In the dance with Jak O'the Shadows

 

By Lanette

[woolhead]

New Awards For Banders

By Corki, the Marshal-General

 

The old points recommendation system was rather biased towards those who were active, and especially to Captain-General's who liked to give points out very freely. However, a new awards system has come in, to recognise the work put in my Banders. Points are also part of the scheme, but tend to be more GP than ORG points.

 

However, it is now a lot harder to gain these recommendations as a form needs to be filled out (currently being created), and this form needs to be filled in very carefully. Then it is thoroughly checked by the Under-Commander and/or Executive Officer, before receiving the M-G Stamp of Approval from Corki.

 

Below are the names of the new Awards, and the criteria associated with each one.

 

- The Raw Recruit Stripe: An award given to Raw Recruits who finish and pick their Regiment within a month of starting their tasks with their first Regiment. This allows them the 3 weeks to be assigned to each Regiment, and a week to consider where to enrol with permanently. As a bonus, they will be given 1 and 5 GP. Anybody who fails to complete the Raw Recruit Scheme within the month will not be open to this award, unless a good reason can be offered (like LoA)

 

- Band Achievement Pin: Given for going above and beyond the call of duty by volunteering to do a minor Band project (i.e. doing the quest recap for a quarter, maintaining one of the sub websites already created for a quarter) worth 5 GP

 

- Red Handed Valour Badge: Given for going way above and beyond call of duty by volunteering for a major project (i.e. creating the travel review website or one of the division websites) worth 10 GP

 

- Luck of the DO Award: Given for an idea or action that helps improves the Band (i.e. coming up with the game for the DM site, improvement in the Game, new Law) worth 2 Org points

 

- The Manetheren Medal: Given for drastically helping the Band in a major way (i.e. someone editting the photos to a reasonable size and putting them up onto the website) worth 5 Org points

 

 

Icons are currently being made so that Band Members who receive these awards can have them in thier siggy area. It will also make you feel proud, as you can show off your award to others. All awards are announced with the bi-monthly promotions.

[woolhead]

Who Wants a Signature?

By Kristine

 

Attention one and all! Signatures by Kristine - aka Dannah Designs

 

Are you newly joined to a regiment? Do you need a face that people can identify you with? Are you looking for an update to a signature? If so, feel free to ask me for a custom designed signature! Each signature is made to the specifications of the requestor and with consideration to their unit. First come first serve and as time does permit. There are probably other limitations as well, but those will be discussed on a case by case basis. Send me a PM if you are interested.

[woolhead]

A Wedding in the Rain

by Lady Sheliara, Lt. Captain of the Cavalry

 

May 20th, 2006, Lady Sheliara married the love of her life, Chad Davis, and began her life as a married woman.

 

The day of the wedding started out with lots of fun in the mud at a scottish festival. It had rained heavily the night before, and the field the festival took place in was a huge quagmire of mud! My best friend, Mai, and I took off our sandles and went around barefooted. It was a lot of fun, we got some really neat souvenirs, and generally had a blast!

 

After the festival, we took off for a lunch with my grandma, grandpa, aunt and cousin. It was a lovely time. I got to see my family, and spend a lil time with them before the big day. It was great!

 

We headed out into the mountains (Chad and I) and checked into our honeymoon cabin, and unloaded some of our stuff there. We took a bit of a nap, and then headed back to the big cabin his mom was staying in to get dressed and ready. After that all was a flurry of activity as I got ready, and everyone kept trying to hide me from chad in a cabin so full of windows, I wondered what the point was!

 

We got to the area we intended to wed at, and durring the ENTIRE drive, it was pouring rain. And I mean POURING. We worried that we wouldn't be able to have the wedding there at all, but we were determined, and hoping that it would let up when we got to the actual spot. Surprisingly enough, it let up to a slow drizzle, and an occasional sprinkle!

 

The ceremony was short and very sweet, with few frills attached (we wanted it done before the rain came back) But the location was awesome!! We had a some rapids flowing behind us, and and greenness around us was awesome! We said our vows, were pronounced husband and wife, had our kiss, and ran off to get back to cabin, because just after that, it started to rain again!

 

We returned to the cabin and had a very nice reception. I had decorated my own cake, and that turned out very nicely, we had some brisket, beans, potato salad, cheese dip, crackers, and several other odds and ends for dinner, ate some cake, and had a very merry time!

 

All in all, the wedding was a HUGE success, and I couldn't have asked for a better husband. He is the one who planned it all, and got everything together for it.

 

After the wedding, we started our honeymoon by being stranded at our cabin for a day. We gave the car to a friend, and let him have fun around town while we stayed put. It was really nice, and peaceful, and we had a lot of fun together...until we got a call saying that my new grandma in law broke her hip at Dollywood! My mother in law was about to pannic because she didn't know what to do...Chad and I couldn't do anything, cuz we had no way to get to the hospital. It was more than a little stressful, but we made it through. Grandma made it through her surgery just fine, and is on the mend.

 

After that disaster, Chad and I decided we would have some fun and try and make the best of things. We went hiking, and shopping, and sight-seeing. It was great!

 

Thursday, we decided to do a very hard, and strenuous hike, up the chimneys, as they were called. It was hard! I didn't think I would make it! But with a lot of hard climbing, and lots of breaks, we made it up there. My breath was taken away by the sight that awaited us. It was a beautiful panorama. The likes of which you can onyl see from helicoptor, plane, or by being on top of the mountain. It was gorgious!!

 

The hike back down was a great deal easier. We made it down in an hour, when it had taken us 2 to get up it. It was great. We got some pizza at the smokey mountain brewery, I had a ncie cold beer, and then we went back to the cabin.

 

By the time we made it back, the price for the hike was becoming apparent. Chad threw out his back. It was terrible! He had to hang onto my shoulders and let me pul him up the stairs to go to bed. I had to help him get down, roll over, roll back over, give him a drink, talk to him while he was delerious on pain meds, and basically nurse him all nigth long, with no sleep for me. Then once he woke up I had to get up. After sleeping all night his back was much worse.

 

I had to help him get to his hands and knees, because he couldn't stand, let alone walk...and helped him crawl down the stairs. With a lot heaving and screaming on Chad's part, we got him into a wheel chair, and got him from the stairs to the back porch and hauled him into the hot tub, to see if that would help loosen him up.

 

I had to feed him, move him, get him out of the hot tub, and everything. It was rough! We finally got him to a chiropractor, and by then he loosened up enough to at least stand long enough for the chirpractor to do something to help him out. He was able to stand and walk on his own, and then was fully adjusted, and was able to lift and carry, and take care of himself more than he was before. He still needed help, because he couldnt bend down and get anything, and he had a VERY hard time getting in and out of the car, but because of this injury, we had to cut the honeymoon short and get him and everyone else home before someone else got hurt!

 

The trip was hard. Chad drove til we got through memphis, though it killed him, and then I took over from there. We hasd to stop oftenb, and let him get out and stretch, but we made it in 17 1/2 hours. We were so tired...I hadn't slept at all the night before, and I was doing the last leg of the trip, after staying awake the whole drive. Chad was knocked out by the pain killers, so it was tough going. But we made it in alright. It was a honeymoon to remember...

 

There were a lot of bad things that happened durring this trip, and a lot of god. But the most memorable part was the wedding. I had never smiled so much or so broadly, and neither had Chad, as when we wrere exchanging vows. It was magical. It may not have ben perfect after the wedding, but I know it will be a long and loving relationship. And that...is all that truely matters.

[woolhead]

The Mammoth and the Archer

by Froix, Recruit

 

T'was a cold quiet night in the town's lone inn

As a man with a bow came tumbling in

 

Quick to his feet, he began to greet

"Good day good sirs, the name's Kel Sweet,

Light the fires, strike up a feast,

For I have come to kill the beast."

 

The keeper gave Kel a look so cold,

"A copper an' gold, fer that brew you hold,

an' don't go spreadin' them funny words"

He then laughed so hard, and so did the lords.

 

At the crack of dawn, Kel packed and left,

To the mountains beyond called Dragon's cleft,

Where the mighty mammoth's been recently seen,

with large white teeth and also quite mean

 

So Kel trecked on, unaware where he's stepping,

he tripped and fell on a large wet dropping,

Quick to his feet, all covered in muck,

He cried, "At last! I've found his track"

 

No time to spare for thoughts of changing

The mammoth came at full speed charging

Kel cried, "My Lord! I hope I'm dreaming."

Quick to his feet, he ran off screaming.

 

Around and around, they covered much ground,

Through mountains and rivers, with trees abound,

No time to rest, the beast gave chase,

The archer prayed not to lose this race,

 

He turned to see the mammoth nearing,

He looked at it's eyes, they seemed quite leering,

He then got struck with a dreadful thought,

"He intends to mate! This scent I've caught!"

 

With just bow and arrow, clothes thrown to the lake,

He soon came to realize his dreadful mistake,

He then ran on feeling quite forlorn,

Naked as the day that he was born.

 

Around and around, they covered much ground,

Through mountains and rivers, with trees abound,

No time to rest, the beast gave chase,

The archer prayed not to lose this race.

 

Tired and weary, his pace began to bate,

He turned and faced his cruel fate,

The mammoth then came, he felt like crying,

Into the air, the beast sent him flying,

 

He then woke up, and got a shock

He found he's on the mammoth's back

With trembling hands, he drew his arrow,

Knowing he's got just one last arrow,

 

T'was a cold quiet night at the town's lone inn,

When the man with a bow came tumbling in,

"I've done the deed, I've killed the beast"

He then showed them both the mammoth's teeth.

 

The crowd then cheered with suddenness,

For his incredible feat and his nakedness.

[woolhead]

New Nurse's Assistants and Aids!

By Lady Sheliara, The Band's Resident Nurse

 

Hi! For those of you who do not know me as The Nurse, allow me to introduce myself!! I am Nurse Sheli, the resident Nurse for DM's Band of the Red Hand. I have taken on the responsibility of seeing to the wellbeing of all members of the band!

 

Recently I have decided to take an LOA that will go on for an undetermined amount of time. I am back now only because I am not back to work yet after my lovely wedding. To account for the fact that without me, there is no one to take care of the band, and for the fact that even the Nurse needs a Nurse on occasion as well...I went on a quest to fine the best assistant I could find!

 

I started out with a fairly simply application. The ones who turned in an application were called in for an interview, and then given a field test. The results were so great that i couldn't just pick one! I chose all 4 applicants who did all that was required for the position (I excluded some of the higher ranked members of the band, and chose only newer/lower ranked members to help increase their activity).

 

So, I have four aides, but what would the hierchy be? I based it all off of the originality, boldness, and activity of the members!

 

Twinflower, being a highly active, and new member of the band, I chose as my First Assistant. I was rolling at the end of her field test, and think her imagination will help her in nursing.

 

Steel Axe, being another highly active member of the band, has proved to be very amusing and though predictable in his Nursing, I think he shows quite a bit of promise in being a good Second Assistant.

 

Chaelca, who proved to be rather sweet in her treatments, but still creative and fun, I chose to be my First Nurse's Aid. I think she will be great help for I disagreeistants and for myself!

 

Woolhead, who may have the name of woolhead, proves to be a very creative and funny nurse as well! He had me laughing through hsi field test as well, and decided that he woudl do very well as my Second Nurse's Aid!

 

I gave the Assistants the choice of opening a tent in both the DM boards and the band boards, so be checking the nurse's Tent in each and be sure to swing by and say hello, maybe give the nurses a chance to treat a wound or two!

[woolhead]

“ANGAMPORAâ€: Martial Arts a la Sri Lanka.

by Lanette, Sergeant of the Archers

 

“Angampora†is the authentic Sri Lankan martial arts style, although only a handful today knows and practices it. It dates back to the most ancient of the Sinhala kingdoms: Anuradhapura era. In those days it was the fighting technique of nobles, which means that one has to be of a certain pedigree to be taught Angampora. But even that wasn’t enough: one had to have certain “graha yogas†(planetary settings according to astrology) in one’s horoscope to be admitted as apprentice to one of the Angampora gurus. And of course, this fighting technique was taught strictly to males.

 

Due to these facts another martial arts style known as “Cheenadi†(meaning Chinese Steps), taught by the Chinese monks who visited here became more popular later on. However, Angampora was far superior to Cheenadi, involving weapons and a deep spiritual side enhanced by extensive meditation, which gave the fighters powers such as “kundala yogee†that enabled them to exercise such powers as Telepathy.

 

The weapons used in Angampora are the Staff (“pollaâ€), Spear (“hellaâ€), Combat Sword (“kaduwaâ€), Dagger (“kinissaâ€), Bow & Arrows (“dunu eethalaâ€) and a pair of metal whips with saw-like edges called “velaudayaâ€. Only the most experienced fighters use the whip, as one can cut oneself open with this if not handled expertly. Each combat sword is custom made for the fighter, of a length similar to the distance between the fighter's fingertips and his under arm. A shorter sword, known as the “Keti Kaduwa†is also used. This is used together with a small shield called “Palihaâ€. The long bow & arrows used are unique to Sri Lanka.

 

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e39/timanahaf/Angampora/angampora-weapons.jpg

 

Angampora fighting style continues with each king as the kingdoms later passed onto Polonnaruwa, then Dambadeniya and eventually to Kandy. But because with each new king, new Angampora teachers emerged, the linage of the gurus became less and less concentrated.

 

The two dynasties who excelled in this form of martial art are Sudaliya and Maruwalliya, who were also arch rivals. Their rivalry was most pronounced in the 17th century Kandyan kingdom. As legend has it, a Sudaliya guru killed the head of the Maruwalliya clan by using kundala yogee powers, which was cheating as it was prohibited to use such powers during an exhibition match. As the story goes, the Maruwalliya chief didn’t have a son to avenge him. Hence his daughter secretly learned Angampora and, posing as a boy, challenged and killed her father’s murderer.

 

Every session of Angampora starts with a session of meditation and offering “Pin†(merit) to the teacher. When a student joins a guru’s apprenticeship, the tradition is that they light three oil lamps and make a pledge. If the teacher feels that the new student is not mentally fit to learn the art or keep the strict discipline that is involved in Angampora, they are refused to be taught. Those selected are first taught the basic warm up excersices, then the more specific exercises relevant to the art. Then only are they taught the actual fighting techniques of Angampora.

 

The first such technique is called “Mulla Panina†which is a basic foot movement. This is almost dance-like, done to the rhythm of “geta beraâ€, which is a type of traditional drums in Sri Lanka. This foot movement is essential to keeping one’s balance while sidestepping an opponent’s attack. Then the students move on to a more advanced rhythmic movement style known as “Gaman Thalawaâ€. This has been designed to imitate the movement style of felines, especially the king of Sri Lankan forests, the tiger. The combination of “Gaman Thalawa†with “Ath Haramba†or hand movements makes up the sparring style called “Amarayaâ€. The hand movements or “Ath Haramba†has three main varieties. One of these fighting techniques is combat with bare hands. An important part of this is targeting sensitive points of the opponent’s body called “Nilaâ€. A well aimed press of a thumb to a certain “Nila†can make the opponent pass out, become lame instantly or after a specific time period, or even kill, depending on the amount of pressure used. Armed combat is taught later on, each weapon as the student gains more proficiency. As mentioned before “Velaudaya†is taught last, as it is the most dangerous.

 

The traditional dress for fighting Angampora is a white sleeveless shirt and a white trouser-like garment called “Diya Kachchiyaâ€. The highest grade achieved in Angampora is the title “Panikkiralaâ€, which is equivalent to the black belt in karate.

 

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e39/timanahaf/Angampora/angampora-masters.jpg

 

(The pic shows “Panikkirala†Karunapala & “Panikkirala†Rienzie Wickramasinghe during a sparring session)

 

The sport faced a great challenge during the regime of the British, who captured Kandy and gained control of the entire island in 1815 posted a ban on practicing and teaching Angampora two years later. The penalty for any offenders was being shot below the knees. Many gave up in fear of the law and the high status that the art enjoyed was lost. However, some gurus continued the tradition in secret, and today it’s taught by two gurus: “Panikkirala†Karunapala and “Panikkirala†Rienzie Wickramasinghe. An important change that has occurred with the pass of time is that now Angampora is taught to girls as well.

[woolhead]

BadBad Northie!

by Cam

 

Now what would a day be like without Northie making trouble? It would be a day to mark down in history!

Northie, as usual, was up to annoying mischief and silly jokes. The RA's tried to control her but she would not be silenced. It all came down to a threat from Cam to have Corki spank her that made her stop her rampage of law breaking. At the end of hte day, she had racked up a few spotfines and a punishmet for channeling (A BIG HUGE NONO). It was up to Cam, the last RA standing, to dole out the punishment. He made it a nasty one.

Unfortunatly for the world, Northie will not be able to do it because of her exams. Reliable sources say that Cam is going to england to get Northie to do these dangable spotfines. Another source says that he doesnt have enuf time to make her do them all cause he would be there until New Years with all the crap NS has done...

Will she ever learn to control her primal urges? Probly not, but we can dream, cant we!?

CANT WE!????????

Until next time,

Stay classy BotRH

[woolhead]

A Passing of the Torch

by Lady Sheliara, Editor of the Hornsounder

 

I was for a while the editor of the Hornsounder. I enjoyed it, and I have found a love for the newsletter. I have, however, a lot on my plate, and for this month, I gave over the editing of the Hornsounder to Woolhead, who has done a great job so far!

 

Next month, however, the torch will be pased to one of the original editors of The Hornsounder, Magnus Canis Rufus! I believe that with him the Hornsounder will be in safe hands, and bid a sad adieu to the Hornsounder as editor.

 

Happy Reading!

[Lanette]

Fro, I just couldn't help but say this: your poem is one of the best I've ever read! Great work, hon!! Keep up the good work!

[Guest Froix]

You're too kind Lanette. Great work Wooly! This is a good read. Looking forward to the next one.

[F Horn of Valere]

*points out that the very good poet is in the Cavalry*

[Leane_Shariff]

nah great Cav poet is retired (Staffy) *nods* :D

[Lanette]

Talent should be admired whether it's from Cav, Archers or Infantry!