The following was part of an informational brochure distributed in 542 IO, during the era in which mar-tourism in Lariat was at it's height. The bulletin was distributed by the MMRC, or the Modello Mar Rescue Collective, a then-newly-formed group that specialized in rescuing lost divers from the mar.

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The mar is a fact of life in Lariat, and one that many of us are rather proud of since the synapse has become a popular tourist destination and location for exploration in the past few decades. As mar exploration in Lariat has flourished, and the ranks of divers have quickly multiplied, it has become more and more common to explore the mar, both with and without official exploration groups, and we at the MMRC have seen an explosion in the number of cases that our orginization must investigate as many of these simple and harmless expeditions go wrong. As a result, we have compiled and distributed this list of common rules for staying safe when interacting with the mar in association with the Lariat Administrative Oversight Committee and the Eschatology-Kymoptosis Presage. Much of this may be familiar to our readers, but we urge you to keep these guidelines close at hand when interacting with the mar in any way.

Remember! The simplest way to counteract the effects of the mar are through understanding it. Just by reading this document or carrying it with you, you’re keeping yourself safe!

1. Never travel alone! The MMRC still supports the anchor-tether-lure system of mar navigation, and we suggest never traveling in the mar without at least two other trusted friends, though in general, bigger groups are better. It’s always safest to travel with people you know well and trust. You’ll get out of the mar much faster if the people with you have a strong conceptualization of who you are in mind!
2. Ask someone who has experience! If you’ve never traveled in the mar before, or if you only have minimal experience, it’s best to at the minimum ask the advice of a skilled diver, if not to bring one along for the ride. If you’re interested in exploring the mar casually, many divers offer tours through a number of orginizations across the city, including the EKP’s wonderful tours of the synapse. Making mar exploration accessible is what Lariat is known for, so why not take advantage of it!
3. Know the path before you go!While maps of the mar are often changing and it can be difficult to get your hands on an updated version, it’s important to know the path you’d like to travel before entering the mar, even if this is through verbal description, hand drawn map, explanatory diagram, descriptive sonnet, one act play, or informational graph. Having a clear idea of where you are traveling is the simplest way to keep the mar ‘stable’ as you move through it, and to keep the path back home open!
4. Move with intent!While we divers understand that the mar is a beautiful place, and it’s constantly changing avenues, paths, and scenery can inspire one to wander aimlessly to simply see what it has to offer. Unfortunately, this is a great way to get lost, and the further these meanders are followed, the less likely it is that you’ll find a way out. If you see something you’d like to explore further, make a clear plan with your group before doing so!
5. Keep a strong sense of reality!For people who are unused to how the mar works, being there can be a highly disorienting experience, and can cause one to have difficulty judging the mar’s shifting environment. We suggest to expose yourself to the mar in small increments before traveling in it to understand how it will affect you specifically, as it changes from person to person, and to follow grounding techniques (often discussed beforehand with your team) when the changing environment becomes confusing.
6. Always come home!The simplest way to not get lost in the mar? Have a strong sense of the home you will travel to at the end of the day - think about it clearly, whatever place it may be to you: how does it smell, look, feel, taste, sound? What other people are there? What are the parts of it that make it feel like home? When you can imagine leaving clearly, the mar will often simply let you go.

These are only the basics of mar safety - ask any diver, and they’ll add many more tips and tricks from their own experiences that are often vitally useful. Divers love sharing information with people who are enthusiastic about mar exploration, and we all want you to be as safe as possible. If you don’t know any divers, visit us at MMRC at our office and we’ll happily consult with your group and give you any pointers we have for you before you set off! We’d rather see you before you start your exploration than to have to see you when something goes wrong!

Stay safe, enjoy the mar, and, (as us divers say) always remember that all mirages cast real shadows!