The (JAWA) Post, Issue 88

Autumn is here, and the leaves are beginning to fall. With every harvest time, we look back on the summer that was, and in the (JAWA) Clan we look back on another year, as we celebrate the anniversary of our family! In this month's issue, you'll read about the events of JAWA's 13th Birthday Celebration, catch up on the latest news and promotions, catch up with an old member who's recently returned to the clan in "Wolfy's Forest", and receive a visit from the Ghost of Halloween Past in "Dragon's Treasure Chest"! In addition, we have a new episode of JAWARS, fresh poetry from Vex and IronSkull86, this month's Signature of the Week winners, some amazing screenshots, a brand-new "Did You Know", and of course, this month's music videos! Thanks once more for dropping by, and helping to make our publication the most widely-read monthly newsletter in all of JKA!

–Helena

Frosty's News

JAWA CELEBRATES THIRTEEN YEARS!

(JAWA) is well known among the JKA community due to its longstanding presence. On October 1, the members united to celebrate the clan's thirteenth birthday! By tradition, Nightwing started off the celebrations with the birthday speech, recapping the events that happened during the (JAWA) community's last year. A big part of what was achieved during the year was thanks to the members, who were recognized for their contributions.

Among the recognized members, System and Aya received the most prestigious award, being inducted into the Hall of Fame thanks to their efforts, activity, and personal growth over the year. Jacobie's work was recognized by the Council and Nightwing, who gave him a Contribution Award! Last but not least, Participation Awards were bestowed upon Hy Pro Glo and Chemist, who have shown both good attitude and dedication to their respective roles: Event Planner and Server Administrator.

A train of promotions quickly followed the awards ceremony, with Cypher, Hochimoto, Natsumi, and Kiti being called by the Council to be recognized for their activity. After the promotions, everyone gathered outside the building to take a group picture, which was followed by a joyful show of fireworks! The birthday celebration turnout was busy enough to reach the server's limit, and the (JAWA) Post couldn't be happier to be part of such an amazing clan!

ALLIANCE FORMED BETWEEN NGN AND JAWA

On August 7, New Generation Ninja's leader, NinjaGenius, posted in our forum regarding the formation of an alliance between NGN and (JAWA). Two months have passed since then, and in the meantime the clans' members regularly visited and got to know each other during occasions such as the Meet and Greet that was held on September 3. As time passed, it was clear that a bond had grown between the two clans and their members, and so on the 8th of October, the (JAWA) Council decided to accept NGN's request, officially forming an alliance. NGN's values and interests closely match ours, making it an ideal (JAWA) ally.

WATER WINS THE 2ND ANNIVERSARY TOURNAMENT

Water's skill in lightsaber combat is matched by few, and he had the chance to demonstrate it during the 2nd Anniversary Tournament that began on August 19. After defeating several opponents, Water faced Shadow in the final match, winning a best-of-10 duel and claiming first place in the tournament, together with its prize, a $50 Steam gift card. Shadow claimed second place, followed by Ret Larkin and ASD, who placed third. The event was recorded and streamed on Twitch, and the recording of the final match will soon be posted for those who were unable to watch it first hand. Water's glory is deserved, but credit is due not only to Shadow, Ret Larkin and ASD, who reached important spots in the ladder, and to all those who participated as well as the managers who made the tournament possible.

DEPARTURES

Activity plays a big role in the life of the (JAWA) community, but sadly it's not always easy to meet that expectation due to increasing real life commitments. Snipe, Shake and Padawin left our ranks as September came to an end. Snipe was a member for roughly a year, while Padawin took his leave after six months. Although they hadn't partaken in any particular activity within the clan, their presence will still be missed. Meanwhile Shake, left the clan due to not feeling at home anymore, and while we're sorry he hasn't found what he looks for in a community, we hope that he will find a suitable home in the future.

Wolfy's Forest

Wolfy: Hello everyone, and welcome back to my forest! This time around, I welcome the Doctor to sit with me. What's up, Doc? . . . er, hello Doctor, how are you?

TheDoctor: Same old, saving worlds from aliens, etc. You?

Wolfy: I've had a very bright day as well! Would you please introduce yourself briefly?

TheDoctor: Sure. My name is Josh, and I'm twenty-two years old. I live in the United Kingdom, in a lovely city called Sheffield! There's not much to me really; just your average guy who loves video games.

Wolfy: You've first joined us in August 2012, and after a three-year hiatus you've come back to JAWA. What would you say about your overall experience within the clan?

TheDoctor: Well, there is a lot I could say about JAWA over the years I have known the clan. The first thing I would tell anybody about JAWA and my experience, is how friendly the members are, and have been, and how great it is to see so many different personalities around here, compared to many other clans in any game. JAWA has existed for much longer than I have been around in PC JKA, so it was already an established thing around here when I turned up. Also, because I'm not a very skilled player in JKA, a lot of clans would hold very little for me to do, as they would focus primarily on in-game skill-based activities, and ranking up by proving yourself in certain ways—which is a very limited structure to things, when you get right down to it. When you think about JAWA, you are more drawn to what the community does and who they are; i.e. how creative some people are on the forums with their other hobbies, whether it be in the Arts club, or just generally otherwise. Then how active the clan is in the community as a whole, hosting events on a regular basis that anyone is invited to, for example. To me, JAWA is less of a clan, and more of a community of people who share the same interests; and that's just a really great thing. I love JAWA, and that's probably why I decided to come back in the first place. I missed it.

Wolfy: And the Arts club is one of your many contributions to the clan. You're also a (JAWA) Knight, Server Admin, and Event Planner. What are your next objectives within the clan?

TheDoctor: For me, personally, I would like to one day become a council member, and become a better person than how I used to be back in 2012. I used to be one of those introverted people, even online, where I'd not make much of an effort to speak to others or get involved in anything. This time around, I want to change up what made me leave the clan originally, because I never really wanted to leave. I just didn't feel like going online because I wasn't doing much; thus my activity was always going down. So in terms of objectives, as I'm getting a bit side tracked now, council is my next achievement/objective that I want to achieve in JAWA. I want to keep up with my current dedications as well, creating and making models/skins for people, Signature of the Week, hosting and maybe creating more unique event ideas, and in any other way possible that I can contribute to the creative aspect of the clan!

Wolfy: Okay! Let's move on to lighter questions. I can guess by your name that you are a fan of the TV series Doctor Who. How are you looking forward to the next Doctor and the upcoming season?

TheDoctor: Personally, I'm looking forward to it as I always do. Having a new Doctor never phases me, because I know people just move on in life and on to other things. Plus, it's always exciting to see how the show is going to go from then on! I accepted Matt Smith even, when he took over from my favourite Doctor, and the pacing of the Eleventh Doctor was much different to Ten!

Wolfy:What would you find yourself doing, other than playing Jedi Academy and watching Doctor Who? Do you play or watch anything, and do you study or have an occupation you wish to talk about?

TheDoctor: Video game wise, I play a good few number of games. The main ones would be most Star Wars titles, all from the Halo and Sonic series, and then a dabble in the Pokémon franchise now and then. Plus Overwatch, though not too much anymore. It's just too addictive. IRL, I love to travel. I like walking long distances and just looking at the scenery. I enjoy watching a lot of series and movies. There'd be way too many to list, but recently I'd say Rick and Morty, (Fear) The Walking Dead, Family Guy, Better Call Saul, and Game of Thrones. A good mix of things, really. In terms of work, I'm in and out, but I've had a good few positions in my time. I've worked in Domino's Pizza, for the NHS in the non-emergency 111 service, and some warehousing and adminning for a lovely little small health company called "Love Health Hate Waste".

Wolfy: Well, glad to see you're living an eventful life! It is now time for the JAWA Quiz! I will ask you five multiple-choice questions; if you get three or more correct, you will win the Golden Acorn of Knowledge! Are you ready?

TheDoctor: I am ready!

Wolfy: First question: what species are Dak and "Spiny Dan", the two protagonists of Helena's fiction JAWARS, to be published every month in the JAWA Post (don't miss it!)?

   A. a Vulptereen and a Zabrak
   B. a Rodian and a Jawa
   C. a Twi'lek and a Bardottan
   D. an Ugnaught and a Veknoid

TheDoctor: B!

Wolfy: That is correct! Second question: how many versions of our logo have there been throughout the history of the clan?

   A. 5
   B. 9
   C. 13
   D. 3,751 (I suppose that's roughly one per day)

TheDoctor: I would think 13, due to that being the amount of years it has been active. It always changes the 'celebrating' part underneath so . . . xD

Wolfy: The answer was . . . A! It was a bit of a trick question, because what you are referring to are "banners". Third question: on one of the JAWA cards out in 2012, there is a drawing making light of the recurring lags occurring on the event server. According to that drawing, the server was located:

   A. on a podracer, racing through snowy barren lands
   B. on a shuttle, regularly going through hyperspace
   C. on a raft lost at sea
   D. on Tatooine, slowly being eaten by the Sarlacc

TheDoctor: Ah, you see I actually own those cards so I know this one! It's C!

Wolfy: C stands for Correct! We owe this drawing to former member Marti. Fourth question: it is rumoured that Link has a special stash of money somewhere in order to purchase fast food, which was dubbed:

   A. the KFC Fund
   B. the Burger King Bank
   C. the McDonalds Money
   D. the Pizza Hut Piggy Bank

TheDoctor: A. >_>

Wolfy: Indeed! I'll have a bucket of tenders, please. You've secured the acorn, but let's shoot for the high score! Fifth question: which was Caelum's nickname during the tests of JA++?

   A) the White Jedi
   B) the Sky God
   C) Almighty Caelum
   D) the Alpha & Omega

TheDoctor: Oh man, I thought Raz0r was the main guy for JA++ . . . errr . . . B?

Wolfy: It is B! You score four out of five, and win the Golden Acorn of Knowledge! Congratulations!

TheDoctor: Woo!

Wolfy: Thank you for answering my questions, Doctor! Would you like to say anything else?

TheDoctor: You're welcome! And I'll call people around to relay some disturbing news on the server later. :L (references FTW)

Wolfy: And we will conclude this interview on this! Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you for the next issue of the (JAWA) Post!

JAWARS

The story so far: Dak ven Tinker, a young Jawa, and his friend, the Rodian smuggler "Spiny Dan" Odresi, helped Rylla Greymoon, rightful heir to the Greymoon spice trading empire, escape the clutches of her wicked uncle in a stolen spice freighter. Now, after selling its valuable cargo, they hope to hire a force of mercenaries on Taanab to take back Rylla's inheritance. But first they have to reach Taanab, and a squadron of fighters has just appeared on the ship's scanners!

EPISODE XXIX: SWARMED!

"Space Pirates?" Asked "Spiny Dan" nervously, as the ships grew closer on the radar.

"Perhaps", replied Binaton. "We'll know if they demand we surrender," said Fattavan Rattana's majordomo.

"Should we hail them?" asked Dak, from the copilot's chair.

"No," Binaton said firmly. "Man the guns!"

The Rodian turned to Rylla, standing behind him in the cockpit. "Can you fly this thing?" he asked.

"I think so," she answered.

"Whatever you do, don't fly a straight path!" Dan headed to the upper gun position, while Binaton himself took the lower one.

"Hold on," said Rylla to her copilot, as she prepared to break from course.

Dak tugged nervously at his robe, as the little Jawa continued to monitor the displays. "Here they come!" he announced, the squadron breaking formation and enveloping the freighter in a cloud of one-man ships. Dak hoped to hear a hail from the fighters, demanding their surrender. But none came. Instead, a burst of fire struck the Jezreel's forward deflectors, and the starfield whirled around as Rylla maneuvered into a diagonal looping motion.

The enemy ships made no sound as they swept through the vacuum of space, but from the air-filled crew compartment of a spice freighter, every rumble from the engines and whine from the superstructure seemed magnified. A plosive, drumming sound signaled that the gunners were firing, and through the canopy Dak could see the Jezreel's laser cannons pumping concentrated bursts of energy into the blackness of space, hoping to intersect with the attackers. The entire ship shuddered as the starboard deflectors absorbed a direct hit, but from the shield monitor it looked as if damage was minimal. Then a blast from the laser cannons intersected one of the fighters, which exploded in a brilliant white cloud of vapor.

"Got one!" came Danoweevak's voice over the ship's commlink. "Three headed around your way, port side!"

"I see them," said Binaton, calmly. Another fighter disappeared from the radar.

The ship rocked as an impact on the aft port shield pivoted the freighter around its center. Rylla steered into the turn, and suddenly three more fighters appeared above the canopy. The second and third erupted into showers of sparks as the top gun hit them dead center. It seemed to Dak that they must be winning! But there were still at least ten left, and a moment later the ship was buffeted by three consecutive shocks to the port side.

"That one's locked in!" said Binaton, trying to track the enemy. Another fireball heralded the destruction of an attacking fighter.

"Nice shot!" said Danoweevak.

"That wasn't him!" Binaton replied sharply. "That was!" he shouted, exulting as another fighter was taken out.

Another impact alarmed Dak. "Port shields are almost down!" he announced.

Binaton recognized the tactic. "They're concentrating their attack in one place, hoping to get through!"

Dak shunted power from the aft quarter to shore up the port deflectors. Another fighter took a hit, but remained intact. It drifted away from the freighter, probably too damaged to continue the attack.

"How many bandits do you make out?" asked Danoweevak.

"I see eight!" Dak answered, trying to make out all of the blips on his scanner.

"Seven!" shouted "Spiny Dan", as another fighter was blown into stardust.

Two more shots struck the port shields, which began to collapse. Dak shunted power from starboard now, trying to keep them up long enough for the others to drive off the enemy. But then a hard hit jolted the ship from the starboard side. Dak realized that the attackers must have expected him to shift power from the stronger shields to the ones they'd been battering.

"AAAUGH!" came a scream from Danoweevak's gun, as the freighter shook from another impact. Rylla turned for a split-second, but couldn't let go of the controls.

"I'll get him!" said Kiam Dorven, heading for the top gun.

Dak tried not to think about his friend as he stared at the displays in front of him. He could see a pattern in the attack, with fighters swinging around the ship's axis to alternate fire. But that left a gap in their timing, and Dak understood what to do, shifting power from the deflectors back and forth in anticipation of the attacks. He knew it would probably only be a matter of time before the enemy caught on, but that might be enough.

"Winged that one!" said Binaton, as another fighter spun off from the main force.

A second later, a blast of energy struck the deflectors right in front of the cockpit, momentarily blinding Dak and Rylla. Going by instinct, Rylla shouted, "hold on!" and put the ship into a barrel roll. As the freighter swung around, Dak felt a sudden crunch, but the motion continued. One of the fighters disappeared from the radar, evidently crushed against its prey.

"One more!" said Binaton, as yet another blip vanished. Four left! "Looks like they've had enough," said the majordomo, as the four remaining fighters peeled off.

Dak wondered if they'd rendezvous with the two damaged ones to pick up survivors. He shuddered at the thought of dying in space like that. The damage readouts seemed to indicate minimal damage to the freighter's structure, although the deflectors were heavily drained. There was a damage indicator in the very center of the ship, however. The top gun!

The Jawa scrambled out of his seat and ran to the rear compartment. Kiam Dorven was kneeling over Danoweevak, who lay on the deck.

"He's hurt," said the Jedi Knight, "but alive."

TO BE CONTINUED

System's Did You Know?

JAWA Poetry

Haikus by Vex

Thirteen candles to
blow out! The rebellious years
are about to start!

This cat has no claws—
Watch out for deadly kicks though!
Congrats, Knight Kiti!

The world is scary:
Anything can happen in
the next half an hour.

Be careful! In two
minutes, a Shadow can fire
thirty-nine missiles!

I will scream until
my heart comes out of my chest.
Nothing could go wrong?

Happy Birthday (JAWA)

By: IronSkull86

Happy birthday dear (JAWA)!
You are thirteen years old.
After you were created,
They then broke the mould.

It has been a long journey,
As time has gone by.
There have been times to be happy,
There have been times to cry.

But in the end,
(JAWA) stays true.
To its members I say,
A massive THANK YOU!

Chemist's Laboratory

Event Calendar

1. TFFA Nights are hosted each Monday at 7:00 PM JAWA time, 2:00 PM Eastern time!

2. Event Nights are hosted by Chemist and his assistants each Wednesday at 7:30 PM JAWA time, 2:30 PM Eastern time.

3. (JAWA) School classes are held by Helena Revan on Fridays at 7:00 PM JAWA time, 2:00 PM Eastern time.

4. Ambassador Nights will be hosted each Friday at 8:30 PM JAWA time, 3:30 PM Eastern time, just after (JAWA) School. These events focus on basic game modes, such as CTF, Power Duel, and Siege, while experimenting with different server settings (like base damages, or low gravity). Furthermore, some games will be hosted on maps from JK2 and the Bonus Maps, which we don't use enough! Make sure you have the JK2 Map Pack and the Raven Bonus Maps installed! Download Links are available from the Server Information page.

5. Outlander will be hosting an additional TFFA Night on Sunday, October 15 at 6:00 PM JAWA time, 1:00 PM Eastern time!

Dragon's Treasure Chest

Sorry I was away! Vacations, etc. I could rant on and on about it, but I think you're not here for that stuff. You're here for the random treasures!

Gonna spoil you lads with an early Halloween special—a blast from the past: Jawa Halloween Horror 2007 . . . my first Halloween movie! :P

As for the quotes, I got some lined up.

This one, well, I can't explain being that nut that goes that little bit too far . . .

This happened once . . .

The legendary MARRRRK NUUUTTT making an appearance when a poor padawan had been slept . . . I will at this moment remind you that the clanless-ness had nothing to do with the janitor bit.

I'll have more Halloween stuff next time, and don't forget, random screenshots are always welcome!

Videos of the Month

Submitted by:

Def Leppard: "Pour Some Sugar On Me" —Dragon
Ray Parker Jr: "Ghostbusters" —System

Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!: "All Star" —Vex
ELUVEITIE: "Inis Mona" —Wolfy

DAEMN: "Save Me"—Frosty
Goldfrapp: "Happiness"—Helena Revan

Men Without Hats: "The Safety Dance"—Editor's Bonus Pick

Bulletin Board

The (JAWA) Post welcomes your announcements on our bulletin board! Contact any member of the Post staff for more details!

¶ The (JAWA) Knights are seeking new members! If you're active and interested in representing the clan in matches requiring skill and training, contact Jacobie, Water, or Seth to see about trying out. The Knights are always looking for people who wish to train and improve their skills in order to help the clan!

¶ Be sure to check out Signature of the Week, only on the (JAWA) Forums! You don't have to be a great artist in order to have a good idea, and tutorials are available if you're interested in learning "sig" making. Even if you don't want to enter a signature, please visit each week's contest poll, and leave your feedback! Our artists like to hear what you think of their work, and what they could do to improve. Go ahead, cast your vote and leave some constructive criticism! There's a new topic every week, and you never know what might be coming up!

¶ Need a new signature, icon, or profile picture? (JAWA) Arts specializes in the creation of custom artwork! Talk to a member of the Arts club today, and don't forget to check out the Showcase forum!

¶ Have a great idea for the (JAWA) Post? Want to comment on a column you liked (or didn't)? Is something not working right? Send a Forum PM to the editor, or any of our columnists, and we'll be happy to talk about whatever it is! Your feedback is appreciated, and anything you say will be completely confidential!

SotW Winners

Presenting this month's winning entries from Signature of the Week!

(hover your cursor over the signatures to view them at full size)