This article is excerpted from the Rocky Mountain Pagan Journal.
Each issue of the Rocky Mountain Pagan Journal is published by
High Plains Arts and Sciences; P.O. Box 620604, Littleton Co., 
80123, a Colorado Non-Profit Corporation, under a Public Domain
Copyright, which entitles any person or group of persons to 
reproduce, in any form whatsoever, any material contained therein
without restriction, so long as articles are not condensed or 
abbreviated in any fashion, and credit is given the original
author.!

SNIPE SORCERY

In the great tradition of Wombat Wicca and Witchduck we present
the following Invocations,etc. as the latest in the continuing
series of the "ceremonial" of this fascinating sect of neo-
paganism.
---Asst. Ed.

	In the last issue we discovered what the `Snipers' feel are
the important elements of the major festivals.  Like most other
traditions, they use the ritual techniques of chanting, dancing,
ritual sacrifice, etc. to achieve a higher spiritual awareness. 
This after all, the purpose of any religion.  The Snipers are
acutely conscious (although this may be argued by some) of their
spiritual well-being.  One of the great principles which the
Snipe adherents hold to is the belief that "Life is a Game",
which we saw illustrated by the Monopolius ceremony.  In this
installment we will look at some to the philosophical and spiri-
tual beliefs of a Snipe.

	Snipers are inclined to look at everything as if they were
celebrating Monopolius.  This leads to such everyday expressions
of religious fervor as one Snipe meeting another with the
greeting "How's Tricks?" while at the same time giving the secret
handshake (which we cannot divulge here, obviously).  However, if
you see two people on the street who appear to be playing some
demented form of the old "Twister" game, you'll know them immed-
iately as Snipes.

	Snipes form a very close coven.  It takes a special person
to become a Snipe, and as a result the few who do make the grade
(or "take the trick", as they say) become closer than bridge
partners.  You will often hear one Snipe say of another, "He's a
good card", or "She's a card to draw to".  This reliance on card-
playing terms follows over into ritual as well.

	We have seen in other articles, the various titles Snipes
take during their rituals, but the ultimate group leaders are
referred to merely as "The Ace", or "Aces High".  The Aces High
are looked upon as the ultimate Dungeon masters, and treated with
reverence and respect by all the Snipes.  The position of Ace is
not earned without a great deal of knowledge and experience.  A
player cannot even aspire to "Ace" status until they have been
with the group for three years, having organized one full year's
worth of rituals, and having beat each member of the coven at the
game of the covener's choice (as a direct result of this,
politics in a Snipe coven are very similar to those of medieval
Italy).  The group may go on for quite some time "Ace-less" in
the light of this.  You may imagine how difficult this task is,
especially considering that a Snipe's first goal is to win, not
necessarily by the rules.

	So a Snipe coven is governed by a person of quick wit, good
organizational capabilities, good hand eye coordination, and a
devious mind.  What more could any group want?
....Kyri
____________fromRMPJ 12/86




Even the laws of mathematics are not eternally absolute.  Two
animals and two animals are four animals - True?  True, but not
eternally true if two are hungry coyotes and two are fat rabbits.

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