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I am also interested!

It had been six weeks of this rain, but finally, finally, it was over. It was the kind of weather where the sky is so grey that everything else takes on a particularly dark, dull hue as well, and Derrin was delighted to once again see the blue of the sky reflected in the small river that ran near the cottage again, and the bright joyful greens of trees whose leaves have more energy than they could want from sunlight. More importantly, she was relieved to be able to see more than the four walls of her home again.

It was a lovely home, if she said so herself. When it wasn't raining, it got plenty of sunlight, and she had furnished it over the years with plenty of bright, cosy things that made her happy. There was the quilt her grandfather had made on the bed, her favourite chipped mug from the Summit Tourist Information Centre sitting by the sink, shelves full of books and knick-knacks filled every available space on the wall, and a cosy chair by the fireplace. It was a comfortable space to spend a rainy day - but nature mages were not ones to be stuck indoors for so long.

It was good fortune that the rain had cleared up a few days before Market Day and so the many paths which ran through the forest, while still fairly muddy, were at least solid enough that she wasn't going to be at risk of losing a boot or slipping. She put on her hat, and checked that she had all of the things she intended to sell at that day's market in the small, worn leather backpack that she'd once got from a mage who could manipulate space-time and had used that skill to make all sorts of useful bags that were bigger on the inside. This one carried precisely 100 items (it did not seem to matter what size) and was perfect for bringing her pre-mixed potions, and a mixture of dried and fresh ingredients to town. Stepping out of her cottage, she sighed happily, taking in a deep breath of fresh forest air. The neighbouring trees greeted her, gently waving their branches to rustle a soft hello, and she called out a cheerful good morning to them in response, setting off through the well-worn path that would lead her into Summit and towards the market.

Perhaps she'd also go to that lovely coffee shop near the library, it had been so long since she'd had a proper cup of coffee. You just couldn't beat the deep, warm flavours of one made by an elemental mage, heated to the perfect temperature.

I'm looking forward to the Sims 5, although that will still be a good couple years, and the sequel to Fantasy Life. I played the first one a lot (and still do) on 3DS and I'm interested to see how the next one will go.

It's been so interesting reading about how people got here!

I'm glad for all you did to keep CalRef going, Luca, and I'm glad for all the decisions that lead to us all being here in 2023.

I've been thinking the last day or so about what you said in the first post, about creating what we want to see in the world. And the thing is, I'll dabble in creative stuff and help out where I can, but I'm not creative really. I'm not a writer or an artist or a coder or a musician the way many other people here are.

What I do feel deeply about though is people. I know I joke about how I just turned up and was an extrovert who talked a lot, but I love listening to others talk about the stuff they love. Really what I want to add to the world is not so much art or tools, and more just a space where people know someone is out there and listening to them, and believing that they're capable of being good and doing wonderful things. It's something I really love and appreciate about CalRef.

So yeah, if you ever do write that history post, I will definitely read it and listen to the details! And if not, either way, I will try to keep up with all the other wonderful things everyone here creates!

Lately I've been thinking about how much of my life can be traced back to a decision to pick up a leaflet at the back of the church I went to when I was 12. Through that leaflet, I joined my first online forum where I met my wife and many people who I am still friends with at 30. That leaflet and that forum indirectly impacted where I live and work and who I know now in "meatspace".

It is also, in a roundabout way, what lead me here. In November 2021 my dad started chemo, and I was trying to think of things I could do to spend time with him from another country when I remembered a game someone from that first forum used to play in 2006. Searching for that lead me to NationStates, where I then found a telegram about Refugia and with it, a discord and forum link.

Initially, CalRef was a place where people were kind and I enjoyed chatting, but also a place where I could have some peace from everything that was going on irl at the time. However, it quickly became my main online community, a place that unknowingly helped me through all of that, somewhere I've made good friends, and a group that has genuinely changed my life over the last 18 months.

When I met Nak, they gave me a notebook they'd made and bound, which I've been using since to do postcard collage type art. I guess that makes it CalRef collaborative art! In honour of Refuge Day, I used this postcard I got at an interactive art installation I visited in February. Those little blue strings were some kind of nature/tech fusion that was imagined in the exhibit, and this scene is exactly how I picture CalRef would be if it were a physical place: colourful and combining nature and tech to make the most magical and beautiful place. I had to add a lil Dot to the scene too, of course!



Happy Refuge Day, and thank you for being such wonderful people. I love y'all. <3

I believe Lyxu/St Leone was initially granted an exemption for a 1 year WA ban, however as he is a WA nation once again this no longer applies to any current exemptions.

Thanks Luca! I have passed this on to The Star Enpire via TG as I don't think they're on our forum or discord but it'll affect the Refugia Culture dispatch.

Something that was recommended to me recently that really worked was to read short stories or comics and let your brain build back up to longer books.

Other than that, I don't tend to read without distractions, as long as I keep returning to it then it's okay to get distracted every so often for me. Although I guess I'm just reading for pleasure and not to really analyse a book, but reading distractedly is still reading at the end of the day imo. If the goal is just to read, then half assing it is still gonna meet that goal more than giving up cause you're not doing it right.

Did the all seeing potatoey orb tell you that?

Because it was right.

I didn't realize Discord was having problems. Hope it gets resolved soon.

Have you heard any good birdsongs lately?

Not recently, but outside my last flat there was a bird that loved mimicking like sirens, alarms, that sort of thing. It was a great little bird.

Oh no Aav! I'm still able to discord but I hope you get back in soon.

[c. In the event that a Resident chooses not to be in the World Assembly but would otherwise be able to do so, for example for the purpose of better control over their stats, or on the grounds of national lore, rather than apply for an exemption they are encouraged to move a puppet with World Assembly membership into the region. After seven days when it receives Member State status, they should then inform a Councillor that they would like their non-WA Resident nation to be considered as a Member State instead of the puppet for the purposes of the map, entering Member State restricted contests, and running for Council positions. The puppet must both reside continuously in Refugia and as a member of the World Assembly in order for the main Resident state to retain these benefits. If the puppet leaves the region, the World Assembly, or CTEs (Ceases To Exist), the Resident main nation will no longer be considered an honorary Member State.]

I'm proposing an amendment to the Member State exemption in RRS 5 which to my knowledge we already do in practice with regards to the map, but hopefully makes it a little clearer in law and adds in a Council benefit. Any feedback is appreciated!

5. Residents may apply for Member State status in conditions where admission to the World Assembly is declined, rejected, or impossible.

a. Residents applying for a World Assembly Exemption must have resided within the Region for a period of time not less than fourteen days and receive the unanimous approval from the Regional Council to provide the exemption.

b. In the event that an exempted Member State accrues influence in another region, requests their status be revoked, or is ejected from the region, the Member State's exemption status is revoked. The Member State can apply to have this status reinstated, following the same protocol as laid out in RRS 5(a).

c. In the event that a Resident chooses not to be in the World Assembly but would otherwise be able to do so, for example for the purpose of better control over their stats, or on the grounds of national lore, rather than apply for an exemption they are encouraged to move a puppet with World Assembly membership into the region. After seven days when it receives Member State status, they should then inform a Councillor that they would like their non-WA Resident nation to be considered as a Member State instead of the puppet for the purposes of the map, entering Member State restricted contests, and running for Council positions. The puppet must both reside continuously in Refugia and as a member of the World Assembly in order for the main Resident state to retain these benefits. If the puppet leaves the region, the World Assembly, or CTEs (Ceases To Exist), the Resident main nation will no longer be considered an honorary Member State.

I've intentionally left off voting benefits as to my knowledge these are defined by NS data to Dot for vote.calref, and by NS itself for WA-restricted polls such as BOAT.

Author: Tiralta
Second:

Saving this to come back and do the OOC links to wiki etc in a little bit.

Main thread: https://forum.calref.ca/index.php?topic=242.0

Usual encouragement to discuss stuff here or in the roleplay channel on Discord! :D

Sometimes, life is like a rowboat slowly filling with water.

That was the thought going through Mallie's head as she clung on the sides of the castle for dear life, the prison guards at the window above her, and a steep drop to where the ocean crashed below her. Okay, maybe this had not been her brightest idea yet, but it sure beat dying for the crime of "piracy". She hadn't even set foot on a boat in her life before this morning to swipe the ring that had landed her in all this hot water. How was she to know it belonged to the Princess, or that the soldier who caught her would want to make an example of her? And yet here she was, the only thing between her and a world of pain her measly grip on a couple of uneven bricks. Escape may not have been her brightest idea, but who on earth decides to build a prison hanging out over the ocean!

Just as Mallie was giving up and debating whether it would be quicker and more comfortable to fall into the ocean or surrender to whatever the prison guards had in store for her, Fate herself intervened - a ship! Heading right underneath her, and if she timed the jump right, she could probably make it on to the mast... maybe? Deciding that this was currently the only course of action that wasn't going to result in a 100% chance of death, Mallie committed to her third less than bright idea of the day, closed her eyes, whispered a quick prayer to Fate under her breath, and leapt.

A few heart-pounding moments suspended in mid-air, and as she began to wonder if she'd missed and was just hurtling towards the ocean, suddenly she smacked her face against the wooden post of the ship's mast, getting tangled in the ropes that held the sails. Perhaps that idea would have been better if she'd kept her eyes open. But, she thought as she tentatively opened her eyes and gently brought a hand to her bleeding cheek, still alive! She slowly shimmied down the mast, keeping an eye out for anyone who might notice her and turn her in to the soldiers again. At least if she got caught, she'd somewhat earned that piracy sentence now, ha. Near the bottom, she suddenly heard a voice, and panicking, wrapped herself up in the furled-up sail.

"This is the Captain of The Harbor speaking. Ready yourselves for transport in 30 seconds, folks! All arms and legs inside the ride!"

"Who on earth names their ship The Harbor?" thought Mallie. "And what a strange announcement to the crew! What on earth could they mean by transport in 30 sec-"

Suddenly, the whole ship began to shudder and tremble violently, and a feeling came over Mallie like her insides had been taken out, braided together and then put back not quite right. Her entire body felt like it was being squashed down by some outside pressure and she gritted her teeth to stop yelling out in pain, when the feeling stopped as quickly and unexpectedly as it had started. Too terrified to even breathe, she grasped the rough material of the sail more tightly, trying not to be sick over herself. It could have been hours or minutes, but eventually her racing heart calmed, and the silent tears streaming down her face stopped, and she finally, finally built up the courage to gently lift her head and peek out at her surroundings.

Mallie couldn't stop the gasp that escaped her. The ship, which had a few minutes ago been on the ocean near the castle, where ships belonged, was now in a sort of... bubble? And beyond the bubble, endless darkness, which would have been a void had it not been for the millions of stars that twinkled in every direction as far as the eye could see, with no sign of land or ocean anywhere.

Sweet Fate, what have I got myself into now?

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.

Like this book is good, not just "for its time" but as a modern reader, I did genuinely like it. But yeah, you're right, I kind of want to know more about this the more I think about it.

Double post, but I've just finished Carmilla!

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.

Even though this book wasn't terrible for it, I don't picture things as I read, so I always find all the descriptions of settings or people quite hard to get through. I'd quite like to watch the webseries Maddie mentioned, or read some modern retellings of it too. However as I said, this one wasn't too challenging and I enjoyed the plot a lot.

I enjoyed this story of relatable lesbians, thank you for the recommendation, Emily!

I'm partway through Chapter 4 this morning and I just

her hot lips traveled along my cheek in kisses, and she would whisper, almost in sobs, "You are mine, you shall be mine, you and I are one forever." Then she had thrown herself back in her chair, with her small hands over her eyes, leaving me trembling.

"Are we related," I used to ask

I can't stop laughing at this quote. I feel like it should be framed and hung in a museum of lesbian culture along with like, this tumblr post. I wasn't expecting Victorian lesbian vampires to be this relatable.

Everyone who has redesigned an emoji based on :p to look less like a fun, lighthearted joking face and more like it's trying to lick you goes straight to existential jail.

It is a betrayal of the highest order, and I disavow it.

[[redacted]]

Get that classified information off your chest, like you're a Victorian writer who wants to namedrop without namedropping, or a newly released national document that looks more like blackout poetry.


Today I was talking to [redacted] about my feelings about [redacted] and they said [redacted]. Wow, rude.

Floor 5 GBNF, fly high xoxo