Velwythe

Archive for October, 2009

Jeff Schoener, a one time quiet resident of FreePort City, took the national spotlight today with the release of his new company, Neuro-Enhancement Strategies.  Schoener’s work looking at Magical Perspectives vs. Reality Perceptions, has taken the scientific and psychiatric world by surprise. With his approach to Whole-Brain Learning™  Schoener’s once quiet project is poised to change the life of every Atlan.

It all started over a decade ago when the young man from FreePort began catching the attention of his peers at the University of FreePort. With a heartfelt and emotional concern for those around him, Schoener began helping those in need. Focusing on personal growth and offering workshops at counseling centers in the city, he changed the lives of dozens of people for the better.

With such great success in FreePort, Schoener knew he had to take his ideas and give them to the world. For the past five years he and his wife Natalie have been creating their company and programs. When asked his reason for expanding his work he replied, “Too many people are held prisoners by their own fears and victimization. I would help them shift their perceptions and become courageous explorers of their own existence in order to drive themselves into lives of their design as opposed to happenstance.”

Neuro-Enhancement Strategies is based out of Gale, though there are facilities across Atla, at least one in every province, providing services and assistance to those in need. Jeff himself regularly travels across the nation helping people to become more effective at communication, increase the value of their relationships and unlock all of their dormant potential.  For more information on Jeff and Neuro-Enhancement Strategies please contact him at:
info@neuro-enhancement.com
or through Velwythe’s Best and Brightest.

For more info on Jeff and N.E.S. click here
Magical Perspectives vs. Reality Perceptions

Some years ago, there was at my feet was a stone, a crystal really. I would have walked past it if the moonlight failed to reflect it in just the right way. I picked it up, blew off the dust and watched as the light was reflected the prism. It was as if in that moment I was connected to this crystal and it was connected to me. It called, I listened. I tried to set it aside, I couldn’t. I was mesmerized. Without this, a new lens, I would have only continued to see at what I had always seen. I put it up to my eye and looked deeply into the crystal. The reflective lights through the facets of the stone would shine new colors on what I thought I saw. The landscape was now different. The path I would walk in my sleep now held new meaning and dimension.
Perceptions
Our perceptions may be our greatest allies or our most formidable foes. For within them hold the ability to display our limitations that will increase our frustrations, or they may allow our imaginations to soar.
Perceptions, individual or shared are our personal world views. The more limited one’s perception the smaller their world-view. The greater our perceptions the more we understand. New directions, newer possibilities—worlds open before us. Consider Christopher Columbus who sailed in the face of a flat- earth belief. Today we know his charts were wrong, yet his perception was correct. When he returned with proof of new worlds, the rest of Europe let go of their flat-earth belief and would also profit from something new.
Individually we go through our lives; we plod along and suppress our dreams. As a Master Practitioner and Trainer of NLP™ I am a change-master. People come to me with their limited beliefs and with some mental exercises in new perceptions, they let go of their old and become excited about the new elements of their lives. Their fears, albeit irrational, are real. They are locked into their nervous system and it is my job to free them. They perceive the rest of their world as a shared reality. A chair is a chair, as solid as we are. If someone’s perception came through the lens of a fear—a height phobia for example, place that same chair on the edge of a balcony and they may not even see the chair beyond their fear.
We constantly chart courses for ourselves. We plan and readjust based upon what is commonly referred to as reality. Real, but to whom? Individual reality is merely a perception. Shared realities are shared perceptions. Like fingerprints, no two realities, no matter how closely shared are the same. Consider this when parents perceives their children in some way. Children attempt to fit into the parents’ perceptions. In some cases it is a fine fit. In most other cases, the child must take extra time in order to become their own person based upon the child’s own perceptions and then deal with the expectations of the parents. Reality isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. The sooner we come to terms with that fact, the happier and more productive individuals we will become.
What I saw, so many years before would transform me because of that night. Nothing is as it seems. The profundity of my understanding is still being sorted out. This has extended to each morsel of food I eat and each drop I drink has new meaning through my new found Multi-Dimensional Understanding™
© 2009 Jeff Schoener, Neuro-Enhancement Strategies, Inc.

Warm regards all citizens of Atla.

News from the archipelago this week is sparse.

-12 Atlans were killed when an explosion set by a member the ‘B’ faction of Peretos terrorists destroyed a bridge the group was crossing.

-Elosh, a small island south of Peretos by 48 kilometers was re-captured by the Atla navy

-Current troops stationed overseas remains at a steady 500,000

As for the rest of Atla,

-The newest railcart nicknamed “the lightning serpent” will be unveiled the 1st of Peretosh.

-A Magi University has been proposed for FreePort. If it is accepted, its planned completion will coincide with the new railline

Look for ongoing weekly updates as they come.

—28th of Steyman

The very way the Atlan military fights its battles will soon be revised. With the latest Infantry Weapons Systems invention finally being produced for our troops, accidental deaths and wasted ammunition are going to be a thing of the past. The once hazardous system of carrying and using Marble Bombs has been completely reworked to be safer and quicker than any other weapon to date. But most importantly, it is also more accurate and deadly, ensuring our troops fighting The War Against Hatred will always, and quite literally, have the upper hand.

Developed by IWS, the Personal Marble Cannon version 147, or PMC-147 will revolutionize the way Marble Bombs are stored and used. Unlike all other storage devices for the bombs, the PMC-147 will keep each individual bomb separate from the others, while still offering immediate access. In fact, the rate in which the bombs can now be fired has increase by nearly 1000% over the competing personal weapons, and even tops some automatic, mounted Marble Cannons. By storing the Marble Bombs in a back mounted container, with each bomb sitting safely in its own chamber and ready to be deployed when necessary, a foot soldier can decimate an entire fort or encampment almost singlehandedly.

While the actual design and workings of the PMC-147 are highly classified, some of the weapon’s unique features have been made public. General Evan Patterson (Ret.), one of the lead engineers and researchers on the project spoke to the Observer about PMC-147.

PMC-147 works by compressing air within the unit to eject the Marble Bombs at a high rate of speed, but with ease needed to prevent them from detonating prematurely. Inside the back unit are thousands of individual chambers which all lead to a central and larger chamber. This chamber leads from the back unit to the hand unit by way of a small tube. Once the individual Marble Bomb reaches the hand unit it is fed into one of the four rotating barrels and ejected.”

After watching a brief demonstration of the PMC-147, General Patterson continued, “It’s not going to be easy to use, that’s for darn sure. This thing will wear you out. But considering the other options of hurling them individually or using some of the other contraptions, it’s more than worth it. Consider you could spend an entire day doing what would take mere minutes with the PMC-147 and you realize it’s well worth it.”

PMC-147 primarily takes its energy from muscles and nerves. While a user’s entire body will feel the effects, the unit was designed to transfer the magi those areas so as to keep the user’s mind sharp and ensure a speedy recovery.

There has not been enough time to see whether or not the promises of IWS and General Patterson will come true. Many weapons systems have come and gone throughout the past baring the same promises. But if General Patterson’s confident smile and determined nod in response to our question of, ‘will it work’ is any indicator, war on Velwythe will change forever.

It’s time to reach for the sky! All local news organizations across Atla are now accepting concept designs for flying machines. Several organizations are currently creating flying machines that will use ethanol as “an explosive propulsion system”. Participants are encouraged to use their imagination and come up with the world’s first flying craft which may or may not use that propulsion system. While anything your mind can come up with will be accepted, it is suggested you base your designs off of the numerous prototypes already common across Atla. The contest will last for two months. Winning designs will be displayed in every national news organization, many universities and other national publications. Here are the rules and guidelines:

-One grand prize winner will receive an all expenses paid tour of a flight-research base. This includes travel and lodging to one of the three leading organizations’ headquarters across Atla*. The grand prize winner is expected to make a presentation of their project in front of national media and the flight project members. 10,000 mig and a full scholarship to any university will also be awarded

-Ten winners will be picked as finalists with no limit to the number selected from a given location. Finalists will each be awarded 1,000 mig and a trophy

-Winners will be picked by two editors/managers/writers from each provincial news organization as well as five anonymous members of the flight programs and one Grand Councilor

-Submissions are free; however additional costs may be required for travel and lodging if you are picked as a finalist. Participants will not be reimbursed for any expenses incurred during their project

-The winning designs will be the ones that are not only the most creative and well done, but represent the most viable solution to getting humans in the air by powered flight

Submissions may be as creative and speculative as possible. But please note this is a competition to find the best plausible solution to sustained flight. Fantasy concepts not grounded in reality will have a harder time being picked as a winner because of the difficulty or non-realistic solution portrayed

-One submission per person per month

-Any medium may be used. However, for unique pieces and concepts too large to ship please send detailed captures of every part of the piece

-No hazardous materials may be used or submitted with any design

-While you are encouraged to create even your own flying machine, if your piece does have moving parts please ensure everything you ship is securely fastened and no dangerous materials are included

-Works containing any vulgar, explicit, illegal or inappropriate content will be destroyed. Any works containing information or images of criminal activity or behavior will be given to the appropriate law enforcement authorities

-Captures should be clear and easy to view. You may send as many captures as you like and are encouraged to send enough that your work might be fully visible

Good Luck! And we hope to see you in the sky soon!

The exact location of the grand prize will be determined by contest authorities after the submission deadline and will be announced along with the winners of each category

Project ‘Deep Blue‘, for many months making headlines throughout Atla, drifted from media attention at the end of last Chohwey. No news regarding the project has been made since an engineer said the vessel will support up to ten people–until now. Three days ago the silence was broken, or rather the darkness was lifted from over the project. What is claimed to be the first ever capture of the ‘submarine’ was taken by a lone man from FreePort fifteen kilometers north of the city.

Bernard Williams was camping along the FreePort coastline one night when he was awoken by something in the bushes near his tent. After discovering it was only a raccoon he returned to the tent. But on his way back Williams noticed a strange light coming from a cove just north of his camping spot. After making the short trek through the bush and trees he noticed the strange lights floating in the cove.

Williams was unfamiliar with the Deep Blue project before taking capture and did not submit it to the Beacon as a first glimpse of Deep Blue, rather he immediately turned the image over to the FreePort law enforcement fearing the strange vessel to be something from the radicals in the archipelago.

By the next morning news had spreading quickly that there was an unknown object in the water near FreePort. Patrol boats were sent to investigate just before morning light but even then the waters were empty. Luckily, after viewing the capture, local authorities stated definitively that it was not an enemy ship. What they couldn’t answer however, was what exactly had been there.

If indeed the image is of Deep Blue it is clear that the vessel will be quite large and shaped unlike any other sea going craft known on Velwythe. But the strongest evidence suggests that what was captured was not Deep Blue. For something so secretive and important to be casually trolling the waters north of one of the busiest shipping areas in the world is absurd. Heaton Willstrom with the Deep Blue project was contacted regarding the capture and has yet to reply. Any further developments will be brought to you first from us here at the Beacon. And for those unfamiliar with Deep Blue or any of the other exploration vessels in the Destination Horizon project more information is available at the FreePort Magi University.

I have searched my family’s records quite thoroughly, spending nights in my library and allowing my assistants to spend weeks doing the same. And now it has all paid off, it has all paid off. But it is not what I expected to find, not at all. There is something to this, but I am still disbelieving, skeptical. There have been many rumors reaching these walls and circulating throughout the entire province that the mountains on the south of the Sound are dangerous. Dangerous! What do they think is up there, monsters and creatures? I marveled at the ingenuity and stupidity of my people. Now I marvel at what might, but certainly must not be.

These mountains are wild and dangerous to a degree. They are full of wild animals, full of them. But there have always been animals in those peaks and valleys and they have never posed any significant threat to anyone but the ignorant and idiotic. But how these people could make so much of just a few animals is beyond me, is quite hard to understand.

Nevertheless this problem is not new, and was never resolved before. We found that approximately 500 years ago the people of this kingdom and all surrounding areas were complaining of an unknown threat. Don’t these people know animals when they see them, don’t they know what a bear looks like? How could they be so naive? Despite the fact that the problem seemed to vanish on its own 500 years ago, it is not so easy to keep the people quiet now as it was then, not easy at all. The idiotic press and news organizations will spread word of anything wrong, or even that I have not investigated a potential problem quicker than I can even write in my journal. This is the last thing that I want or need to take care of, something so minor and insignificant. But not doing anything, it is certainly more trouble to deal with the idiotic, irate people of my kingdom, certainly more trouble.

I have no idea what they want me to uncover, discover. I will send a team of my knights to explore the southern canyons of the Morrid range nevertheless. Hopefully when they return with news of only wild animals, the people will at last be able to stop their moaning, their whining. Why they have decided to begin complaining about bears now is also beyond my comprehension. My fathers have said that people were complaining of being driven out of their homes by humanoid creatures. Again I must question whether even the people of my fathers’ time were so ignorant as to forget that bears are capable of standing upright. But all is well. I am taking the easiest route out of this and can’t lament solving a problem simply. My only concern is in figuring how long my knights must tarry in the frightening woods before considering their fruitless search sufficient, adequate.

Calvin “The Vagrant” Mettle received his sentence today: Death. Mettle’s death will not be a quick execution by lethal injection or hanging as is common in the FreePort Province. Instead, he, and several others that have already been incarcerated will be used for a show in the Solstice Festival which begins at the end of Vos. While the arena is home to the CAF (Caged Arts Fighting) series, it occasionally provides a venue for blood matches where the combatants fight to the death, a tradition nearly 1000 years old. The Solstice festival has, for the past fifty or more years, offered those who are brave enough to watch, a spectacle unlike any other. Scheduled for the after-hours of the opening day, the blood matches will not be open to anyone under the age of 18. Calvin “The Vagrant” Mettle was captured near the logging city of Sayfend two weeks ago after a five year terror hold on the Valley. Mettle, during those years, often posed as a wanderer or homeless man and lured children and women to his hideout where he would at the very least, rob and beat them in the back alleys of FreePort city. Because FreePort is plagued by many homeless thieves, identifying the one responsible for the crimes was nearly impossible. While the exact number of people that fell victim to Mettle’s crimes is unknown, dozens of children and women have come forward since his arrest, all claiming to have been a victim of his during the past years. In fact, since he has been locked up at least 25 people have stepped forward to help ensure his death sentence. Other than the difficulty in finding Mettle, few people were willing to speak out about what had happened to them for fear of being hunted by the maniac. Everyone that has given a testimony of the events repeated the same frightening news, that Mettle swore he would take the lives of the victim’s family should they say anything about him. The city of FreePort has collectively breathed a sigh of relief now that Mettle is locked away. And ticket sales for the after-hours blood match which includes other public enemies are expected to rise by at least 50% from the past three years. For information on reserving a seat or for show times please contact any of the arena administrators in their offices on the south boulevard or at the arena itself.

20th of Desanna, 248EM

With only a few months until the Solstice Festival, preparations are already underway to make it the greatest event in FreePort’s history. Breaking his usual silence, Count Gerald Iseman’s press advisor gave this reply, speaking for the count, “I assure you all that this festival will be unlike any other in FreePort’s history. For such a special occasion, a special surprise is needed. The only thing more I can tell you is to make certain you are able to attend the opening ceremony.” Though we here at the FreePort Daily Beacon bring you the news first, rumors had already spread through the city that something special is being planned, long before the Count’s announcement. Speculation as to what the ‘surprise’ could be ranges from the absurd to the mundane. Some believe that it is the announcement of the completion of the road to and around the arena. Others think it might have something to do with the railline at the base of the Cliffs of Gent. What the count actually has waiting behind his back won’t be shown until closer to the festival. And you can be certain that the Beacon will be the first to bring you any developments and the latest updates as they happen.

1st of Desanna, 248EM

Managing Editor Sherry Wrothforth has finally stepped down from her work here at the FreePort Daily Beacon. After twenty six years with the organization she has been the primary force driving the Beacon forward and ensuring the Beacon’s reputation remained spotless. Wrothforth will be remembered by the staff and friends for her constant willingness to help, her ability to drive the staff to perfection and her always pleasant Demeanor. Wrothforth was the winner of several awards during her time here at the Beacon ranging from managerial commendations to the Truth Through Ink Award for journalism excellence. Most readers will remember Wrothforth for the two stories that won her the award on two separate occasions. Those reports, the assassination attempt on Count Iseman 15 years ago, and the riots in the Vos section of the city will always be a standard for the rest of the staff. The latter story was an integral part in finally ridding the city of FreePort of any hints of segregation. Taking over for Wrothforth is Michael Hefferson. Hefferson has been with the Beacon for several years now, and looks forward to the opportunity to run the organization. “It has been on the back of my mind since I joined the paper. I never thought it could happen, not until Sherry [Wrothforth] told me she was leaving and wanted me to take over. It’s just great.” Look for Hefferson’s critical and artistic touch in every aspect of the organization as well as his occasional work on the front page stories. 1st of Desanna, 248EM