Madison Valley Role Play

Who: Belle and Rumplestiltskin
When: Early hours of the morning of 10/1
Where: The apartments
What: The Council's latest announcement has made decide she finally needs to convince Rumple Michael and the Church are trustworthy. This should go well.
Rating: Low for now?
Status: Closed/ongoing

( Read more... )

Citizens and Refugees of Madison Valley

Because of the recent violence that has taken place at King's Daughters Hospital, and the protest and refusal of many of the doctors and administration there to continue to treat refugees who threaten them, injure them, or destroy their premises, the Hospital can now be considered off limits to all refugees.

A Refugee's Clinic will be opened at the location of the old Madison Clinic, staffed with doctors not involved in the protest, to treat the illnesses and injuries of refugees.

Also, due to recent events, the use of magic is now banned in Madison Valley. Those who are found violating this law will be subject to 90 days in prison and/or a fine of $10,000.

Thank you, and have a nice day.

~Madison Valley City Council

The first time I've seen snow in four years, and I'm as ill prepared for it as I was then. Actually, as cumbersome as my dresses back home were, I think they were actually warmer than what I was wearing today.

So, no work without giving them our blood? It seems a steep price, with what they can do with a person's blood. But the question is - do they know what they can do with it? Or are we worrying unnecessarily?

I have never heard so many churchbells.

How is a girl supposed to sleep through that?

I really do hate this place, with the exception of a few things/people.

The money we've received from the resistance has allowed us to put up cots in the church now, instead of just sleeping bags. We've also got a good deal more food available, and the teachers who have volunteered to teach are going to help a great deal.

I've been in touch with some members of the resistance, and they're doing all they can to make sure that we have everything we need, but it's dangerous for them too.

I sense no duplicity in them.

Anyone who needs shelter or asylum is welcome at St. Michael's.

Who: Rumpelstiltskin and Open
What: First time entering the town of Madison Valley after being accosted by the strangely-dressed workers for the Council.
Where: Entrance to Town
When: Early Sunday Afternoon
Rating: TBD
Status: Incomplete/Ongoing

( Read more... )

Attention Refugees!

Madison Valley Citizens Against Draconian Repression (MVCADR) has been working behind the scenes as much as possible in order to offer what support we can to those who have suffered because of the actions of the Council. Although we have not been able to do as much as we might like, we have accomplished the following things.

BUSINESSES THAT HAVE AGREED TO PAY CASH AND EMPLOY REFUGEES

Martin's Tires (a full-service garage)
Anderson's Grill
Big Elmer's Tavern
The Big Apple Orchards
Finnegan's Law Office

We are working on others, but we have those at the moment.

We have also raised $10,000 that we are donating to St. Michael's church to help with the refugees there. There are also several teachers from the local schools (who will remain unnamed in this communique) who have agreed to come to the church to help with lessons for the children.

Also!

We are an organization working for the Refugees, and we would like to have refugee involvement with what we're doing. We have come up with enough money to pay a stipend of $100 a week to any refugee who will work with us at least 20 hours a week and help us fight for your rights. We know it isn't much, but we're doing what we can.

If you have any questions or comments, please reply to this encrypted message.

Who: Belle and Michael Carpenter
What: Belle decided to give up her job because of the council's treatment of others. She's having feelings about this.
When: Sunday morning
Where: St. Michael's
Rating: Probably low?

( It was difficult to remember that this was the brave thing )

Hi, I'm Leisha Camden. Some of you know me, but for those who don't, I'm an eleven-year-old girl from 2019.

I've been talking quite a bit to the other kids who are trapped here. I'm a bit reluctant to post this message because I know that plenty of you are going to say I'm too young to know what I'm talking about. You might be right. I don't know that. What I do know is that I've got something to share.

I've been staying at the church. If anyone's interested, it's a good place to stay. Safe. I'm an atheist, and not a wobbly one either, I'm sure that there's no God, but none of the priests have given me any trouble over it, and I haven't tried to hide it from them. The worst I get is people trying to bless me, and it's not like that hurts. There's food here. Not the best-tasting food, but it's alright, and we have computers and I'll help anyone study who's worried about missing school.

I've been reading the network very carefully. It sounds ridiculous of me to call the church a sanctuary. It sounds like something out of a bad historical novel. It is safe, though. Not because of any inherent sanctity or anything, but because the Council trying to break into a church would be a publicity disaster so bad it'd actually work in our favor. I've been talking to people here and none of us think they're that stupid. So if you're worried about coming here, don't be.

Now about what I've been reading. I understand that some people here might be dangerous. People have still got rights, though. If someone commits an actual crime, I think it's fair enough that we hold our own trial for them instead of relying on the Council's justice. For a number of reasons which I won't go into unless someone actually wants clarification. In the meantime, you've still all got your Second Amendment rights, and following that up by taking Harry Dresden's advice on protecting yourself probably isn't a bad idea. Defending yourself isn't wrong. Initiating force is. There's the difference.

I don't think it's at all helpful for people on any side of this debate to start acting all irrational and taking disproportionate steps, though. Do you know who benefits from that? The Council. We're all individuals and as anyone who's talked with me at length probably knows, I like a good debate myself. I'm not suggesting conformity or silencing tactics. People have got the right to express their opinions, regardless of how much I disagree with them, and to talk things out. What I am going to point out is that the more important we let these arguments become? The closer we get to actually fighting each other? The better the Council will like it.

I can see that. I'm eleven. You're all grown-ups and I hope you can too.

Leisha.

[Filtered: visible to all refugees except those on the Council's magic user list and/or those who have publicly admitted to being magical/supernatural]

Does anyone else here think that the Council might have a point?

Before you shout me down, listen. I'm not saying I condone their methods. I'm utterly against them, particularly when it's children that that they're targeting. That's wrong. What they're doing is wrong.

It's not nearly as clear-cut as us against them though, is it? There are people with dangerous abilities here, and while some of them are just like you and me? Others might mean us harm. Maybe we ought to be less trusting of people just because they've arrived here the same as we have.

I'm not sure what's going on, but I've never been practicing spells and ended up sending myself to a completely different country.

What's going on here, and how do I get back home? There are some people who are going to flip out over me being missing.

This is so frustrating. I with I knew what to do. My supposed guardian made me go down and do all that stuff. What if they find out I'm running away.

This is getting very, very old.

What do they need my blood for? They can't have it.

If that means I lose my job, I guess I lose my job.

Attention Refugees!

As many of you do not have Social Security Numbers, or other means of identification, we would like each of you to come by the Clerk's office and fill out some paper work. We will be taking fingerprints, a blood sample, pictures, and asking some information about you, to keep on record.

If you do not come to the Clerk's office and register, you will be unable to find employment in the town, as this information is now required for payroll.

Thank you,

Madison Valley City Council

Now that I'm mostly recovered from my illness, I took Miss Mason's advice and I spent some time at the library.

You've made so many advances. In medicine, in technology, in social policy. Yet in other ways you're worse. More hedonistic and violent and - I'm not sure how to describe it, it's almost as if I've stepped into another culture entirely, and I don't mean because I'm British and you're American. The gap's bigger.

What I will never, ever understand is how you could have allowed a second war. We called ours the War to End All Wars, you know. The last. A generation later and there's another, and it's worse, although maybe you learned from that. I read about your situation with the Soviet Union and I was expecting the outcome to be a lot worse.

I'm sure this will just seem like rambling to most of you, and I'd hardly blame you if you just ignored it but I...just keep having this thought and having it just go around in my head isn't doing me a bit of good, so. Maybe talking with...all of you, sort of, will help.

I've been freerer here than I have been in years. And even if [...] certain things had not happened, I would still have more freedom here, as a woman. I miss the people I love, but I'm [...] happy here. With what I can do and be, in a place like this.

But I know that's not the case for a lot of you. That the things the leaders here are doing to some of you, because of what you are, make you afraid and angry. And I can't blame you at all. And even those of you who aren't, who just desperately need to go home...you've every right to that.

What I'm saying, in far too many words is [...] I want to be happy here, but it doesn't feel right, knowing what this place is doing to so many people, and [...] I'm just losing too much sleep over it among other, and I suppose wanted to know if I'm the only one feeling that way.

The hell is this, then?

Another day, another hell dimension?

I do not like hiding. But this place seems to want to make me ashamed of who and what I am. It is wrong, very wrong. I have done nothing to deserve being treated this way.

I am angry.

Who: Belle and Lydia Martin
What: Random meeting
Where: Street leading away from the library
When: Late Sunday afternoon
Warnings: Not likely, will update if necessary

( For the first time in years she was free )

[Filtered against Sarissa]

The days are getting shorter. I can feel it.

And it hurts.

I hate long, dark, cold nights. Especially without her.

I can't - I miss her so much. I know...I'm not much to look at. But it never mattered.

I'm still not quite sure what to make of this place, but I must say I do like the library. It might not be as grand as the ones the clerics kept back home, but they also didn't allow women to enter without a man, much less work there.

Is there anything more beautiful than a night in midsummer?

No, I mean it. Everything's alive...and lush. Life's all around you, and it's when life has...meaning. Warmth. When nature is kinder.

It's the world as it should be.

Oh no, it's happening again.

Seems like a normal town, so why can't we leave?

I don't like it.

WHO: Justine and OPEN
WHAT: Exploring!
WHEN: Sunday evening, after going to the doctor
WHERE: The Streets
WARNINGS: TBD
STATUS: Open/Ongoing

( ~+~+~+~+~+~ )

I'm just human.

I can't open windows into the Nevernever. I can't teleport myself.

So...how am I here?!

I probably have dozens of questions, but I suppose I'll start with two:

Is there anyone else here who hardly knows how to use these...things? And...is there anyone else who isn't in any real hurry to go back?