Well, it's that time again, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls:  it's another Saturday.  This has been a busy week in a quiet way:  we're growing, we're interacting, and we're changing to aid even more growth.  The Hall of the Sitters and the Council of Youth are debating new raising requirements for the Warder Yards, and if you have an opinion, remember that you can always write your direct superior, who will happily grant you permission to state it.  Also, the Council of Youth is "hiring"; if that's something you think you would care to keep up with, and your character writing supports, then please email me at greytower1@yahoo.com with the subject line "Council of Youth."

The last debate in the Hall of Sitters has come to a decision:  those with active threads on the Channeling Yards, Training Yards, or Band of Brothers should read in, but the gist of that decision was to retire those three boards.  They'll make a comeback soon, I'm sure, at the rate we are growing.  And then it will be time to introduce a whole new generation of characters to the fun of a pub crawl.

Now, for the comings and goings and raisings!  It's been an exciting week for those:  just the right amount of new growth and just the right amount of promotions.  Weeks like this make me stop complaining about being in admin. All right, nothing really does that, but at the same time, you guys aren't half bad.

The Welcoming Wagon:

We had no new Novices, but two new Soldiers and a new Drin'far'ji!  Please welcome Tad Rikos (and his illicit lover, PSC Eimon) as well as Paedric Feikinstafr to the Soldier Halls, and new Drin'far'ji Tristan Crowling of Arafel.  Looks like the boys are taking my advice and reclaiming the Tower from the dread grips of the Pink Fuzzy Handcuffs Ajah!

Raisings:

New Dedicated:  Danyk Kaldyn!

A new Ji'alantin: we need more of you guys to step up!  Kain Thresher has returned from his week in the wilderness.  Congratulations, Kain!

We had no new Accepted or Aes Sedai, but a lot of you ladies are tantalizingly close: remember to consult the RR-checklist!  You might be closer than you think. http://www.grey-tower.net/raising/rr-checklist.php/ .

We had a new Asha'man, Sevastien Hvorak.  He was welcomed into the Green Ajah.

Other News:

The winners of the 2010 Cutest Couple award were: Jip, Oenone, and Lucan din Nicander Riven Sail.

However, a sweet proposal between Laela Allette and Lucian Caeran was easily the cutest thread going.  Way to go, you two, and may you enjoy many years together both in and out of character. 

Wintersnight is off to a rousing start:  new players can join until February 24th, and the RP ends the first of March, to make room for The Green Ajah Hunt, which begins signups March 2nd. Be sure and read about Jip's suicide attempts: they were quite gripping.  But I'm sure there's far more drama on the way: Sarkaska's made his two girlfriends quite angry this time!  And new friendships are cropping up all over the place, making it a happy-touchy-feely kind of Festival. (But without the scandalous bad behavior of the Feast of Lights!...right?)

The Tower bow wargame is still ongoing: if you're signed up for it, we're actually shooting at one another now.  Step up and start firing!  I really want to see who nails Crysthia, and I know I'm not alone in that regard.  Well, we all know LUCAN nailed Crysthia, but I meant WITH A BOW, 'k?

Dwillon Gaidin's roleplay for Drin and (possibly?) Ji'alantin has begun on the Out of Tower board.  I have to assume he sent ya'll mail about it, because I don't know more than that it's happening, and I only know that because I have two rps underneath it.  Good luck, guys!

Jip Gaidin is collecting news briefs for her Tower newspaper, The Voice of the Tower. Written anything lately that might be fun for all to read?  Mail her a quick blurb about it and be sure to include the link.  She'll appreciate the help, I'm sure.  You can reach her at jipaltara@yahoo.co.uk!

Challenge for the week: Roleplay with someone random!  Make a new friend, using our nice extensive AIM and MSN lists, and see what trouble you can stir up.  We all tend to depend on the same circle of players once we know them well, and that makes us a bit hard to...well, penetrate.  So, make it your own personal mission this week to include at least one player - new or just new to you - in a post.  That is the single most important thing we all should be doing, and it's far more on the player's shoulders than admin's.

Players that I think will exemplify this challenge:  Cian Braveres, Celene al'Meerin Sedai, Kain Thresher, Saffiah Ella, Damon Thresher Gaidin, and Laela Allette Sedai.  And of course, Jip, Anahi, and Elyscia Mordel, but as they're all admin, they don't quite count for this challenge!

I'd like to be able to think of far more names the next time I get all preachy, so step up, everyone.  Repeat after me:  We are all in this together!

So, reach out to someone new this week!

have an article of news?  Mail me at koifish@comcast.net!

 

Happy upcoming holiday to those who celebrate it: everyone else can join me in enjoying the booming chocolate sales.

Nothing says "I love you" quite like theobromine.

It was a relatively quiet week in Tower comings and goings.

Hall Discussion at aVOTE:  make certain you're heard.  Current topic:  streamlining of the boards.

Members may have noted that some changes have already taken place to the navigational bars, and they will shortly be replicated on the main site.  Some boards were voted out in the preliminary discussion, such as Theories and Literature and the Convention board for last year, etc. Enjoy the sleeker interface, and keep an eye on it: it will become a little more user-friendly in the coming week.

Despite a short hiatus in service, we are back and working on becoming stronger.  Everyone thank Zarishka Ghiraise and Durent Antian for their timely intervention and aid in restoring us to ourselves!

New Members:

The Tower let out a collective cry of glee at the return of its Creator - Toby Selwyn rejoined us as novice Yasumi Sakara.

Other new Novices include:  Tamika Nadere, who came to us quite circuitously, from Tear.  Or did she?

Our new Soldier is Silas Malkom.  After a short and unsatisfying stint in the Children of the Light's army, Silas has discovered he's not quite the man he thought he was.

We have a new Drin'far'ji this week:  everyone join the Warder Yards in welcoming Thoia lan'Allyn!

Returning Members:

Ji'dar Gwyn Daesuro has returned to us from a four-year hiatus in Altara.

Novice Latonia Svan is rumored to be hanging around our hallowed halls again.  Welcome back, Evel!

Raisings:

Laela Allette is Accepted no more:  everyone congratulate Josh on finally achieving the Blue shawl he's been striving toward so long!

Other Events:

The Prank War rp is over, and credits will be awarded on Friday, February 19th.  If you haven't performed your pranks, get them done!

Wintersnight signups have begun.

The Warder Yards are proud to showcase two rewritten classes:  Unarmed Combat and Basic Dagger (underway).  Thank you, Katy!  Your dedication is an inspiration to us all.

Have news?  Submit it to koifish@comcast.net

 

Did someone mistakenly slip us a script worthy of Days of Our Lives?  Because it has, as usual, been an unusually dramatic week!

The Wargames have begun in earnest, so the eleven participants need to be on their toes.  The Prank War seems to be unusually slow:  what's up, folks?  I've performed one of my own pranks (Oenone vs Jip, D2D board) and I believe Saffiah vs Illyria happened, but hey, you guys really need to get out and shake what you have.  C'mon, it's an RR credit.  And an easy one, too!

New Arrivals (and some familiar faces too):

We welcomed back a Gaidin:  Damon Thresher.  Also, we welcomed back an Asha'man:  Gareth, whose Ajah has changed from Yellow to Green, please note.  And the White Ajah was delighted to welcome one of its favored daughters:  Aleatha Fondir!

Hang on folks, because the news just gets better and better!

We had no new Drin'far'ji this week.

We had a new Soldier, though:  everyone welcome Cian Bravere, of Far Madding!  And Alasdair of the "I Date Katy" club has rejoined us with Soldier Yulhan Nyamapfene.  (He was off eatin' lizards.)

Cerawyn Bandevin, Nykkolaia Zeran, Khadija Talnouren,Icerril Tiridan, of respectively, Andor, I-forgot-to-ask, Arad Doman, and Altara, joined our ranks of white-skirted beauties.  Watch out, men, it's becoming a ladies' tower...think you can take it back?

Raisings

Alarielle Narem has passed the Great Stair and joined the Blue Ajah.  Congratulations, sister!

Other News:

The Hall of the Sitters has been called. Come give your opinion on site board streamlining and be heard!

The Council of Youth has been convened on the same topic.

Also, I hear there's a rumor of a Cutest Couple contest in time for the big Singles' Awareness Day - wait, I mean Valentine's Day.  Those of us blessed with adorably kawaii relationships should join me in badgering Zarishka until she agrees to do a Keeper's Pick for mushy love stories.  C'mon, it'll be...cute!!

Have a news item?  Send it to koifish@comcast.net

It's been another dramatic week:  of course, we welcome more new admin - a new M'Hael, Durent, and a new Assistant Master of Soldiers, who's busy moving at the moment.

It's also been a slower week:  not so many mad happy raisings, and not so many new members!  While weeks like last week tend to really surprise and amaze me, weeks like this one are more preferable to me - it's time to integrate what we already are, stand together, and work toward our goals.  So don't be afraid to curl up and get cozy:  we're all in this love together.

Site changes this week were subtle and behind the scenes:  a new Raising Checklist for the "am I there yet?" questions, some changes to Admin pages, including adding Durent...

Character News:

Our newest additions this week are Novice Adella Rinnel, who comes to us from Arad Doman, and Soldier Medar Nindar, of Tarabon.

We had no new Drin'far'ji, and no raisings this week in any category.  Time for you Learning Ranks to hit those books!

Full Ranks characters, mentoring doesn't end at Novice/Soldierhood! Find an aspiring Accepted or Dedicated and make yourselves available! Should there be none, well, you're all qualified to write NPCs!  I'd like to see interaction out of you - someone helped get *you* to full rank, after all.

Other Noteworthy Events:

The Warder Yards would like all to attend their Warder Yard banquet: a lot of effort went into its planning and writing, and the turnout is quite anemic!  Come on down and let's hear it for our Brothers and Sisters to Battle!  All are welcome, and signups end Sunday, January 31st.

The Prank War is ending the end of its signups as well:  Let the pranking begin! Pick a partner, pick a prank, and post back so everyone can read the fun on the board you also pick!  Don't be afraid to do several pranks - and you can choose even people who are already picked.

No one's taken *me* as a partner yet - shame on you guys!! I'll go easy on you - if I don't *catch* you...

The Bow Wargame is heating up: all trained and signed-up members should head to the Wargames board to participate in the next event!  I believe it's called "being perforated by a demented Blue named Storm."

And in final news, all congratulate Storm Ananke, who will soon be submitting her Blademaster application for bows!  We haven't had a Blademaster raising in a year or more now - we're all rooting for you, Tawni!

Break a leg!

Have a news item?  Send it to koifish@comcast.net!

 

 

 

Hear ye, hear ye!

The space vacated by Zander Kilgas has been filled by one of his Green brethren:  Durent Antian is our new M'Hael!

He joins a large and stellar cast of admin (what, modest? never) who are utterly delighted to recieve him.

In other news related to admin, the writer of Anahi, (Joe) has been promoted to Assistant Master of Soldiers in the light of Deek's long absence (and the worst is still to come!)

Three cheers for the boy's side, ya'll!  Let's hear it for Trent and Joe!