Madison Valley Role Play

I'm not working today.

If anyone's passing near the church maybe you could stop in for a visit? I could do with...conversation.

[Filtered to Justine]

Can I talk to you?

What the hell is wrong with you people?

You encourage weakness in every possible way, you scorn strength, and you're constantly whining about stupid shit you can't control.

You don't train kids with civic duty worth a fuck,mand you fucking keep weapons away from them instead of training them to be lethal.

You're training a world of pussies, not a world of strength.

I used to like reading dystopian fiction. I mean apart from the stuff like Brave New World which is ridiculous anti-genemod propaganda from before it got fashionable to write stuff like that.

But the longer I'm here and see what this world is like, without Y-Energy, and hear about all the worse places other people come from? The more disturbing I find it all. I can't appreciate in fiction what might actually be true in someone else's timeline.

I'm so thankful for Kenzo Yagai. I bet if he were here he'd find us a way home. I want to be home for Christmas because Thanksgiving without family wasn't right at all.

WHO: Roland Deschain and OPEN
WHAT: Really, really trying to read a history of this place
WHERE: The library
WHEN: Wednesday morning
STATUS: OPEN/ONGOING
WARNINGS: TBD, likely none

( ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~ )

We don't have Thanksgiving in Ireland, but the idea of it, I think, is grand. Giving thanks for the good things in your life, and realizing that wherever you are, you haven't gotten there alone.

Don't know if I like so much the part about the murder of the Indians and the racism and all that - actually, I'm pretty sure I don't - but I do like the idea of giving thanks.

I think we all have something we can give thanks for? No matter how terrible things are.

For me, despite it all, I've got my health, and I'm an Irishwoman. That's a good deal to be thankful for right there.

What about the rest of you?

So, it's pretty obvious that a lot of us have wildly different opinions about what's appropriate to post on the network and what isn't. Obviously we can't please everyone, but maybe we could come to some sort of agreement on what should and shouldn't be posted on the network (at least without an Over 18 filter)?

These are my suggestions, but feel free to offer your own.

Please Filter the Following to People Over the Age of 18
1. Graphic talk of sex.
2. Requests for sex.
3. Complaints about lack of sex.

Anything else? This isn't telling anyone they can't talk about this stuff, just trying to make everyone a bit more comfortable.

So I was told this is where I can meet all other 'refugees' or whatever they call us.

I'm Chloe Sullivan. I got here yesterday.

Would you like to come over in the morning for breakfast? I'm thinking of making three different flavored pancakes with different fruits and breakfast meets.

[ENCRYPTED AES 512 BITS]
[IP REMOTELY ROUTED...UNAVAILABLE]

So I guess the afterlife is like...pre-rising Indiana?

I'm afraid to ask...exactly which one this is.

My shoes are freaking ruined and my phone case is beyond repair. Screw this place.

WHO: Christian Ozera and Leisha Camden
WHAT: Match-up!
WHERE: The Church
WHEN: Friday evening
STATUS: Ongoing
WARNINGS: TBD

If you'd of told Christian Ozera that one day he'd be trying to find comfort and familiarity in a church? He'd of just laughed you off and written you off as insane. Yet here in Madison where his entire world was gone around him save for Lissa, Rose, and Dimitri? We he had found refuge in the Church attic, the same type of attic he and Lissa began getting closer. It was where they began falling for one another amid the protests of others. He'd have to bring Lissa up here, when she wasn't busy that is with Council stuff. Then again he was used to that, she was the Queen after all back home.

He heard someone down inside the church, something that did catch his attention with it being so late. He thought maybe it was Lissa, so he left his place in the attic and headed down into the church, surprised to not find Lissa. Yet he smiled and looked at Leisha with a friendly smile.

"Hello. Didn't know anyone else would be here."

[Private to Nico]

So what's the problem?

Honestly. Don't just say it's because you think I'm stupid or whatever because we can swap insults all day and it just isn't productive. So what do you actually have against me?

[Filtered to Leisha]

Hey, kid, what's up?

If anyone really wanted to make a fortune in this town they'd train as a psychotherapist.

Just saying.

[Filtered from the Council]

Okay. This is so Lissa and everyone else can't say I didn't consider all my options properly.

To everyone considering being a volunteer guardian for kids

Hi. I'm Leisha. I'm eleven, I live at the church and I work at my own stall in town. I want to know if any of you are in any way suitable to be my guardian. If the way I'm phrasing this offends you, you're not suitable.

If you're suitable, you need to be:

- a libertarian or whatever your world's equivalent is, I don't need an exact match but I want some values in common
- not opposed to young people working, since I'm not giving up my stall
- willing to at least consider co-signing business contracts with me. I don't mean you have to sign everything I put in front of you but if you're thinking now that you'd never consider it, you can stop reading.
- used to dealing with gifted kids, I test at a genius level in 2019, after all us genemodded kids have messed with the scale a bit and you need to be able to deal with my intellectual level and needs not matching my chronological age.
- rational. I don't deal well with people being overly emotional or acting irrationally and those people tend not to like me and it just ends up a bad situation and might just frighten me and/or give you a substance abuse problem. Just don't.
- productive in some way, doesn't have to be formal employment but it's important you're doing something
- not freaked out by genemodding or me being from the future
- capable of dealing with a young person who doesn't sleep. Seriously. Don't guess at this if you're not sure. Guessing at this kind of thing does genemodded kids psychological and in some cases physical harm. Locking me in a room for 8 hours so you can sleep is not an option unless you'd do that to a Sleeper kid during the day in which case you're just a bad parent.

So.

Anyone?

Didn't think so.

Lissa, Georgia and I have taken your concerns into consideration and discussion. In response for a request of our intentions we're releasing a brief statement of issues we deemed important and will therefore address at the first Council meeting.

The issues follow as:
- Guardianship for those under 18
- The ban of magic
- Use of the hospital facilities
- New arrivals

1. Guardianship.

We propose that financially stable Refugees present become guardians for any new arrivals under 18 years of age. You'll also be given first priority if a member of your family arrives, financial status notwithstanding. In order for this to be effective we've determined that volunteers should step forward if you're willing and able to take on a child. You should tell us the age group you're comfortable with, if you're comfortable with magic users, and how many children you are able to care for. In addition, the children already present should be given a choice about coming under the guardianship of Refugees or staying with their assigned family.

2. Magic ban.

We're against the ban of magic as a whole and will appeal to the Council to remove it entirely.

3. The hospital.

We've agreed that our population should be permitted to use the hospital services, as the separation from hospital to clinic has split resources and left the city as a whole exposed to health concerns that effect us all, Refugee and local alike.

4. New arrivals.

Given the treatment by the city many of us receive upon arrival, we're requesting that one of our number be present during the initial welcoming phases with new arrivals. We need several volunteers to be on hand for this task as new arrivals appear in the city at any hour.

- Cesare Borgia, Lissa Dragomir, Georgia Mason

[Filtered; Georgia, Lissa.]
Volunteers to meet new arrivals:
Daryl Dixon - any
Karrin Murphy - morning
Molly Carpenter - night
Sookie Stackhouse - day
Roland Deschain - 4pm to 7
Katherine Pryde - any
Helena Wayne - Night
Tris Prior - any
Oliver Queen - day
Maria Deluca - any

Volunteers for guardians
Karrin Murphy - any age, 2 at most, magic +
Jo Harvelle - any age, 1 at most, magic +
Marius Black - any age, 2 at most, magic +
Clara Oswald - any age, 4 at most, magic +
Katherine Pryde - any age, 2 at most, magic +
Lucrezia Borgia - under 2 years
Alicia Florrick -

[Filtered from the Council]

I want to say thank you to the person who appreciated my work and my efforts enough to build me a shelter. It means that I can have the stall out even in the worst of weather and it's really nice to know that someone values what I'm doing that much.

I've moved to a more central location a bit further from the church, [location] where I'll get more foot traffic.

Today only I'd like to offer anyone who wants to come by a free drink - tea, coffee or hot chocolate. It's a special promotion to celebrate the new location and increased business!

If you want to take advantage of the offer, the password is Susan Melling. Tell me that and I'll know you saw it here! Oh, and come quickly because it's only until I run out for the day.

For those of you attending the Halloween party, would you feel more or less comfortable inviting locals to come, if they want to?

I, personally, think it might be a good opportunity to mingle in a less stressful environment.

Today at school, it was announced that tomorrow would be the beginning of tryouts for West Side Story at the High School.

I found the soundtrack, and read the script, and I think I'll be trying out for Tony.

Is anyone else trying out?

I've been thinking a lot over the past few days. Some things Georgia said really stuck with me and now after the violence at the theater I think-

I think I need to live by my principles more.

So I'm not going to let some stupid looter who thinks the only way to get what he wants is by hitting people scare me.

And I'm not going to let some corrupt government that won't respect people's rights scare me either.

That's not what Kenzo Yagai would do. That's not what my daddy would do. It's giving in, and that's not right. Not in my timeline when the anti-genemod people try to wreck things, and not in this one where anti-refugee people do the same thing.

So I'm going to pitch my stall where I want and I'm going to make all the money I need and I'm not going to let them scare me into hiding in a church for as long as I'm here. Because I deserve better than that.

So there are a lot of us here now.

And there's been a great deal of focus on our differences, the things we don't like about each other, the things we fear about each other and the council.

But what there hasn't been is much discussion about things we may have in common. Things we may have in common include missing people or things from back home. Here's my challenge to you: what do you miss most about home?

I miss my mother.

Let's have a discussion.

Roland seems to have touched a nerve, so I'm officially asking everyone here:

1.) Do you feel unsafe? If so, who/what group are you worried about?
2.) If you do, why? Please mention whether or not this feeling is colored by previous experiences in your own timelines.
3.) What are some ideas you have for alleviating this problem, that you think could be implemented? We all have ideal solutions, but let's focus on pragmatics.

If you don't feel comfortable addressing some of these questions publically, feel free to either tell me privately in some way or say you don't feel comfortable. It's fine, but if you don't say anything at all, even to abstain from answering, we can't know your thoughts and consider them.

In terms of ideas, so far there's been Roland's suggestion of a protective force (which I object to, but I'm one vote). I'd also like to suggest the idea of escorting people, or setting up checks of some sort within the community for those who are interested.

Cry your pardon, but who are the peacekeepers here? I'm of a mind that we should have someone to protect us from the council's doings, as they seem to have strayed far from the path of the White, say true.

I reckon most here don't trust the local police, aye?

I'd not put myself forward unless asked, so I wouldn't, but something, I think, should be done, something that can be agreed on by all.

Hi, my name's Harry Dresden. I've been a wizard since I was 10.

And this freaking bubble is pissing me off. Wizard-mode engaged, I'm about to do what I do best: formulate really bad plans.

First guess was that the barrier was a mutated version of thaumaturgy. Which in wizard speak means that if you do something on a small scale and feed enough energy into it it'll happen on a large scale. Think a map of Indiana with a circle around Madison Valley and something funneling energy into maintaining the integrity of the circle. Except the actual effects are happening to us here. The types of things that can bring us here and feed energy into a circle that big means we should just quit life while we're still breathing because we're screwed.

Second guess was a magic circle. If you wanna see a demonstration of that my apprentices or I can show you. The center's the focus and used to contain things, or sometimes keep them out. But there are mortals here who can't get passed it, and that breaks every law of magic that I know and understand. If there are any practitioners who have a different experience it's time for show and tell, kids.

Who wants to show and tell anyway? Most people go out on Friday nights, I wanna play with your magic. Sue me.

Anyway. I was theorizing that we have a series of different practitioners and science types who understand the laws of physics and energy manipulation to some degree. So, maybe we could combine our strength and funnel energy into the barrier to knock it down. Depending on the spellcrafting. I've been testing the stupid barrier and a lot of magic gets absorbed, but the physical objects get thrown back with equal force.

The problem being that if the spell is reflected instead of absorbed, the expansion of energy will level a good portion of the area. If not the whole town. To counter that though, we could do a working where the barrier meets the river. Since I heavily suspect that's the weakest point. We can ground the reflecting energy out into the river itself, since water washes away energy.

Grounding energy into the earth would probably cause a quake and knock some buildings down or something. Not eager to do that. I have a clean record so far.

You know the funny thing about that other Leisha from those books? She gets banned from a place called Sanctuary. If you ask me it's because she's got a better grasp of Yagaiist ethics than people who think going and living on a space station away from Sleepers is the way to deal with things. I don't think Kenzo Yagai would have agreed with that at all. It doesn't really follow trader principles, being that isolated.

But then here I am living at the church which is a different kind of sanctuary. The parallel's only slight? But it's interesting. Because both places exist because of authorities making unjust demands, really.

Oh, something else. Does anyone know how I could learn to test blood?

I'm thinking that there needs to be somewhere around here that could use a governess for show that will fight to protect any of the underage refugees here who the Council deem need a guardian? I can list plenty of references for the job.

I have come across a job of sorts, mayhap.

There's a...camp, called Louis Ernst, north of town a bit, where young boys - Scouts, they call them - learn skills important to a young man's life. After a bit of research, I inquired after a job placement there, and they've told me they could use a 'counselor' for the target shooting merit badge. They wish to see me shoot, but I am certain that will not dissuade them, say true.

Does anyone know of this organization? We've nothing like it in Gilead, except the gunslingers themselves.

[Filtered to Cuthbert]

I've finished the second book, so I have. Jake...comes back alive!

But I lose two fingers on my right hand, Cuthbert. Two fingers. On my right hand.

Harry's right, you know. I'm a dangerous girl.

And you should probably keep your distance, because I'm capable of terrible things.

Who: Roland and Leisha
What: Leisha's first lesson
Where: Cuthbert and Roland's apartment
When: Thread is backdated! To after Roland and Leisha discussed shooting lessons
Warnings: TBD

( Read more... )

Good day.

As apparently the only licensed doctor among the refugees, I should like to see all of you for a baseline medical exam. The results will be kept in strictest confidence.

Feel free to ask if you have any questions or concerns.

Congratulations, Georgia, Lissa and Cesare.

I hope we've done the right thing in choosing you three.

There are many different people here, from many different worlds and cultures. And those people often hold conflicting sets of beliefs. What is right to one person may not necessarily be right to another. It does not make either belief wrong, in essence.

I am a Christian man, and as such I believe in certain things, and hold a certain world view. I do not expect others to believe as I do, nor will I necessarily judge you as an immoral person if you do not. I know that the world has moved to a point where it is not kind to a Christian world view, and I believe that a person's choices are theirs, and theirs alone to make. And what becomes of your soul is between yourself and your God.

And I am rambling. What I mean to say is that however you believe, however you behave in this place is no business of mine. It is only for God to judge. And the same is true for all here.

Public Announcement

The spatiotemporally displaced young people now living in Madison Valley have determined their chosen representative. The winner of the election is:

Lissa Dragomir

I read too much and I got too curious. I'd looked for my name in official records before, when I first arrived here, but now I understand your internet better, I can find things like I can at home on datanet.

Someone here in this world has written a book about a genemodded woman named Leisha Camden. I haven't read the book, only the spoilers.

Leisha Camden dies while active and in very good health and I suppose her society must have figured out things with the telomeres because she's 107 at the time.

Leisha Camden is assassinated by terrorists. I guess you don't die that way unless you've accomplished something notable, do you?

Isn't it silly?

Isn't it the most irrational thing I've ever heard? I'm not going to cry. Alice cries. All the time and I can't I have to be stronger Daddy says I have to be at least that strong. I want Daddy. I want to go home.

Hello, Refugees of Madison Valley. For those of you who don't know, my name is Justine Williams. I am a Refugee from Chicago 2009. I currently work in Madison Valley's City Hall, and they've requested I gather official persons nominated to stand as our representatives to the council. The longer we delay the longer the issues fester.

There has been some discussion but no official decisions on how we'd choose our representation. The city requested we fill 3 seats, but with the number of different peoples in the city it was suggested we broaden our categories to fill everyone in. The results of that listing ends like this:

American Rep.: Tony Stark & Georgia Mason

Non-American Rep.: Cesare Borgia, Cuthbert Allgood

Magic User Rep.: Elodin, Lissa Dragomir

Non-Magic User Rep: Cuthbert Allgood, Georgia Mason, Tony Stark, Cesare Borgia

Under 20s Rep: Lissa Dragomir, Cuthbert Allgood

However, with the lack of persons nominated, holding a category of five presents issues with representation if one person wins multiple slots, and we lose the point of having multiple categories to begin with. If we don't get more candidates added to the listing, we'll remove the categories entirely and present names in a block. The top three will win the nominations.

The nominations will close Monday at 11:59pm. If you have been nominated please do not give us a nomination for someone else. And please be specific about your nomination/category, I don't want to make it up on my own. If you provide a name and no category I won't add it to the list.

Thank you.

I'm also officially removing myself from the list of potential candidates Harry.

[Filtered to refugees under the age of 20]

Further to discussion after my previous message, the nominees for youth representative candidate are:

Cuthbert Allgood

Lissa Dragomir

Kvothe

Voting is now open. I've attached a link to a secure site where you can cast your vote. You can only vote once, and your vote is secret. If you're a candidate, you can vote for yourself. In fact it would be odd if you didn't.

Voting closes in 24 hours at which point we'll offer official support to the successful candidate.

[Filtered to refugees under the age of 20]

One of us needs to be chosen to represent our interests to the council.

You'll all know me and that I have no interest in any...collective sentiment or anything of the sort, but there are a lot of us here who are young and dealing with things we wouldn't have to in our own timelines and we deserve to have representation.

You know me and you know also that I set up a network against the Council so I'm not going to be intimidated by their authority. If there's not a better candidate, I'll nominate myself. But I'm realistic and I know that I'm young even by our standards and there's very probably someone who will be more accepted.

I believe in democracy and while I know that the whole of my ideology isn't a popular one here? We've got specific interests in this specific context that merit working together. Shared interests, shared values.

So, if you'll follow the idea, this is the primary.

If you'd like to be representative, state your case here. We'll choose our candidate. Then we'll support them in the public thread. We've got the numbers, if you're willing to go along with the idea we can at least see that one young person is chosen, even if not your particular favorite candidate.

Nobody's obliged, of course. If you don't like the idea at all I'd ask that if you want to tell me why? Message me privately. I'm happy to talk about it but I don't want to derail the discussion. Let's have it more like datanet and less like internet. I'm not going to tell anyone how to vote but there's a reason why real elections have political parties and chosen candidates. I think it's important that we're listened to. Maybe some of you do, too.

ATTENTION REFUGEES

There has been much discussion among us about the limiting of weapons and dangerous articles among the refugees. However, as we embrace the second amendment as much as any American, we are loathe to seize any weapons that you may have brought with you.

As we have been unable to come to any clear conclusion over what is to be done about this problem, we would like to meet with representatives at a time and place convenient to you. We are sorry that we cannot meet with all of you, but we feel it is better for security reasons to limit the number allowed in the council chambers.

So if it is possible, please choose - or elect - three representatives to come and argue your case before us on this matter.

Thank you,

Madison Valley City Council

[Filtered to Roland Deschain]

I hope your headache's better this morning! I considered what you said. Really did think about it carefully and I do want to learn to shoot so I'm willing to uphold the contract we settled on.

[Filtered from the Council]

So I read about it on the internet but I'd rather ask advice from people I actually know because your internet's full of ridiculous opinions.

What's the best sort of handgun for a beginner to try?

For the information of certain people Maximus, Cuthbert, probably the Council if they're reading everything like I am:

"A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

I think it's fairly self-explanatory. It's also the law in America. All the Americas I've made a note of so far, actually.

I don't think there's a power known to man that can make you not reaffirm how special you are.

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

More than two months have passed, and still we find ourselves here. Although I find myself quite comfortable, I wonder how many of us are becoming complacent. Have we stopped looking for a way home?

I also wonder, does time here pass as it does in Faerie? Will we return home to discover that no time at all has passed, or will we find that ages have passed and all we once knew are dead and gone?

[Filtered to Harry Dresden]

When will you begin to actually teach me something? If you restrict my behavior as you have and teach me nothing in return, then I think our contract may soon be at an end.

It worked. I've received a much finer welcome this time than I did the last. I've got my own apartment, filled with all this world's marvels, and a new one of the little cards that passes in token of actual funds, and isn't that something!

I've never lived alone. It's perfect nice, like having a grand set of rooms high up in some palace or other, even if the ideas on proper...interior design are a little lacking.

My only complaint is that I still can't buy my own graf I should have said 21 but who'd believe that? If any of you folk care to visit and bring along a welcome gift of such nature? I can welcome you into my home and we'll have a good meal and suchlike.

[Filtered away from Harry Dresden and the Council]

So it sounds as if magic is genetic.

If it is, then if you could isolate the coding, you could genemod for magic. I bet my stepmother could do it. But she's not here and there aren't any genelabs, so...

It's just a thought.

[Filtered away from the Council]

Attention wizards, witches, mages, arcanists, sorcerers, vampires, werewolves and other magical people!

Did any of you cause the strange weather we're having?

I don't mind the snow. I'm just curious.

I didn't realise Indiana was secretly in Canada. ITExIa13UWAtyG80ITM0IVyLnmLEdwe6f5ecK4VNUyExMSE9P/OBiStBz8IFyHH90nbIITE2MCFNJan4pVCZITMzIQd9M4TOFCTX6lLT3WSrdAV3MCExMCGbUYrH6fzbXwa3mCO3uV5vWTLMHuvsNeIhMTMhB4b7I3vvSi03

I can't say I particularly mind the cold.