The International Society of Shifters

I have always thought, and will always think, that members of strange societies and organizations, no matter how highly they think of themselves: are fruitcakes.

It sounds to me like this is a fraternal organization and the questionable activity could be something as simple as alcohol/drugs/sex. Suppose that the only people invited or accepted had to be involved in all three?

It's a good way to keep 'goody-goods' from opening their mouths and giving the club a bad reputation, while people who are 'in the know' can have all the fun they want and claim that it's nothing.

There's no way to tell unless a member squeals, which they aren't likely to do (they're having too much fun.)


These kind of societies are eeeveerywhere and the history goes way back. People play it down nowadays but they're usually full of it. You can guarantee some organizations are secret for a reason.

Why would the shifters be one? No idea. They are probably harmless. But back in the 20's you had to be part of a secret if you were going to enjoy the tastes of the underground.

[edit on 13-1-2008 by NewWorldOver]

I doubt that the Shifters themselves really understand - why the rituals? It's a society that does date back to the Templar Knights. If I write more it would just upset a lot of people and I like my life as serene as possible.

Originally posted by trashflavored
the Postern Gate (not sure what that is),

Postern of Fate, Gate of Death:

cf the Gates of Damascus by James Elroy Flecker

The Gates of Damascus by James Elroy Flecker

Originally posted by NewWorldOver

I have always thought, and will always think, that members of strange societies and organizations, no matter how highly they think of themselves: are fruitcakes.

...and yet here you are: a member of ats.

That speaks volumes.

Your pal,
Meat.

my friend from Whittenburg said that there is also a secret socity there called the Wizards and that their only goal is to figure out what the Shifters are up to

Originally posted by mmmeat

Originally posted by NewWorldOver

I have always thought, and will always think, that members of strange societies and organizations, no matter how highly they think of themselves: are fruitcakes.

...and yet here you are: a member of ats.

That speaks volumes.

Your pal,
Meat.

hahahaha
Funny.

I always wanted to belong to one of those clubs that promotes drunken debauchery like the Hellfire Club or something.

I think clubs and the like are good for people.
It helps promote solidarity and so on.

Hi there,
i graduated from Witt also (haven't referred it as that in years!), a long time ago.
I was on the college website, just looking for something, and ran across some tidbits of past presidents, etc.
When I was there, the Shifters used to stand in a circle, near the entrance to Weaver Chapel, and drop their paper clips, one by one.
They did wear their clothes backwards, they walked with their thumbs up.
A lot of the administration were shifters when I was there.
I did hear the Winnie the Pooh connection, with the man who wrote Pooh. Can't recall his name just now.
I also heard things about tunnels, but never saw any.
Very interesting.
Anonymous

reply to post by ninjaninjav


Completely untrue. I was a Wizard at Witt and the purpose of our society had nothing to do with figuring out the Shifters. That is ridiculous. We could care less what the Shifters were doing. We have seen there tunnels and other things, and probably new more about them than regular students and I'm sure they knew more about us than others did.

Golly-Gee- Whillakers....thats terrible. Without going into specifics..which I feel is moot..in this day and time...it kind of reminds me of consensual sex...vertically standing...then getting arrested for PUBLIC DANCING.

I came across an email of one of my friends who happened to be a new shifter. The email was sent to him from a professor who also happened to be a shifter. The subject heading clearly read: "Hello Boomers" and the email went on to invite him to his house. The email was addressed to 13 individuals, 7 of which were new shifters that i knew. I was later informed that 13 people get "tapped" each semester. I believe that the term "Boomers" refers to shifters who have not been initiated yet.

reply to post by WittWiz


Would you be interested in sharing what you know about them? I will of course ask you nothing about the wizards

i graduated from witt and have always been intrigued by the shifters, my housemate was a shifter and he told me a lot. I asked him about th winnie the pooh thing and I'm pretty sure it was just a rumor that spiraled out of control after word got out they had a winnie the pooh style theme party years ago. I also heard the something along the same lines from another shifter and I know for a fact they do something at the reservoir because my roomate asked me to drop him off there during their initiation and was real hush hush about it. I don't know why but i've always wanted to know what they were up to.

Its been quite a while since anyone posted to this thread, but as a Wittenberg graduate, I may have some information that one would find interesting. While in college, I often kept late hours...not much studying to do...and one night witnessed a group of individuals entering what appeared to be an underground tunnel. This tunnel is accessed from the West side of Weaver Chapel, it looks as though it is a part of some kind of sewer system or possibly related to the chapel's heating and air system. Being from Springfield, I returned to the site at night a couple of weeks later with a friend. We couldn't figure out how to get the protective cover off of the tunnel but could see a ladder leading down...beer cans strewn at the bottom. I've never gone back but it blatantly obvious and easy to find.

The reason that the Shifters seem so shady is that they actually have some power. Isn't President Erikson a Shifter? Many professors are, people in the physical plant are, and some of the faculty are as well. Because they have members working in the physical plant and on maintenance, they have access to every single door on campus. Including dorms. Yea. Doesn't that sound shady?
My friend once told me that her roommate turned down a Shifter tap and they came back to find that some of her stuff was missing and paperclips were everywhere.

The Wizards were apparently formed by a couple of people who were kicked out of the Shifters and were disgruntled. That is of course just what I've heard. I DO know FOR A FACT, that KDs are not allowed to be Shifters or Wizards. And that's their rules, not Kappa Delta's. I don't know specifically what happened, but I was told that KDs put sisterhood before the secret societies and that didn't go over too well. Again, that's just what i've heard, but KDs are never tapped for either of those societies.

And the new society, the Kings, was formed by some disgruntled Wizards. The Wizards initiation party was, as everyone who has recently gone to Witt SHOULD know, the cause of Karl's death two years ago. He blacked out completely from drinking too much, the Wizards tossed him back in his room without leaving someone to stay with him and make sure that he was alright. His frat brothers found him dead in his room the next morning. That's why you didn't see the Wizards around campus at all last year.

Let's see... what else do I know about our secret societies... How about flair?
Shifters- paperclips
Wizards- rainbow ribbon
Kings- we've yet to see this one....
Knights- plastic sandwich swords
Gnomes- painted roach clips
The Village- a ducttape tag with a barcode on it
The Pirates- metal design
Bells- a bell (how original)
there's also a group that wears beer bottle caps, haven't connected a name with that one yet
there's one that wears a yellow smiley face and if you ask them about it they smile, shake your hand and say "Hi I'm Tom". also don't know what that one is

Am I forgetting any? Most of the secret societies at Witt are just drinking or smoking clubs that have closed parties. I'm convinced that the Shifters are the only ones that could actually count as a secret society. If you ask me, it's all really lame, but really interesting to gather information on. There are some caves in Ferncliff cemetery that are supposed to connect with the tunnels, but I haven't found them yet. I've found a lot of beer cans though... There are a bunch of Wizard markings (the triangle with the two lines through it and three dots in the center) and boxes for electric candles up on Bong Hill (the hill behind the art building near Cliff Park).

... I think that that's everything I know. Good luck on your story. It might actually make me read the Torch.

OH! Talk to the Chief of Witt Police. He knows a LOT about them and supposedly doesn't like them.

Where is bong hill at? I have been a student at Witt for four years and never heard of a bong hill!

What about the silent shifters?
I've read the caretaker of ferncliff cemetery is one.

oh bother...



yams

HAHA! YOU PEOPLE DON'T KNOW JACK!

reply to post by trashflavored

I went to Wittenberg and encountered some Shifters. All I know is what has already been mentioned above.