Amnesty International Cage

I helped out on the Amnesty cage stall this morning. I wasn't expecting to be landed with a four hour slot, but I was free all that time, and didn't really feel I could refuse, as I hadn't exactly helped before, but it was a nice if cold day and it was going fine.

It's quite interesting to see different reactions; some people seem to have been presented slight misconceptions of what Amnesty do.

* "I'm not actually english." I don't know, but I *think* not from Burma is the point.

* "I'll sign on the way back." No-one did, but I still give them the benefit of the doubt :)

* "No thank you." It's a fair enough automatic reaction, but slightly incongruous in context.

* Arguing devil's advocately for five minutes and refusing to sign. Um. I like a good argument as much as the next guy. It keeps the brain in trim, and avoids you falling into ruts of thinking. But while I can see arguing that an amnesty petition is innefacious, I'm startled to see someone arguing without apology that it's not worthwhile. "What right do we have to interfere?" We're not. We're just sending a LETTER! "What about that guy arrested in Australia?" Drug smuggling is BAD (arguably). Peacefully campaigning for democracy is GOOD. "He should keep his mouth shut. We wouldn't like it if they criticised our country." I think they can. Look, you're speaking your mind right now. "They have a right to do things their way." There's 50 million people, and one Senior General. Why does *he* have the say?

* Standing on King's Parade for two hours is a convenient way to meet people. Mdavison passed several times.

* Eric from school in worcester said hello. We vaguely inteded to have an school meetup, but knew we never would.

* Tess, a Mrs. Dave stopped. She really is sweet.

* Theinquisitor stopped to chat, carrying a bag full of stuff, which I couldn't tell from larp, juggling, assassins, or candelabras.

* Anna, who I embarassingly couldn't place for a moment. Pippa's friend. Toft_froggy?

* Jacqueline and ?Adrian? back from ?France? for the weekend. Jacqy was nice, and I suppose Adrian was, but refused to sign until he could read up about Thet Win Aung.

* Martin, the evil bastard! He completely refused to help!

* Some Shiela people I didn't remember the names of until they were passed who fairly enough refused to sign petitions on principle.

* One girl who was flirting with me, but I couldn't get in touch with except by stealing the email from the sign-up list.

After that, I went to poohsoc AGM. We managed to scrape together a new committee, so I'm off the hook :) I'm now Christopher Robin, the ex-officio-est of the Committee-y roles, and we have a committee primarily of new people. Woo!

Shrot story - Quarrisan

This is the first writing I've finished for a while. It's a short story set in the world of Flewt and Gerald, exploring the way the metaphysics enables the formation of "gods".

Many thanks to calamarain for coming up with the names Maraya, Pilkos, Trulecta, Mim-Natos and Quarrisan! The names led soon to the personalities, and then there was little left for me to do. Though I'd still assert it's my copyright if anyone asks :) Stories abotu Maraya (the healing Godess) and Mim-Natos (the nearest equivalent to bargaining with the devil) will follow.

Any feedback, if you didn't follow the magic system, or didn't click with the characters, is welcome. Who did you think was the main character?

Quarrisan

The first of the gods was not Maraya the Kindest, though few in the world have not murmured her name at some point in their life. The dark cloistered orders of Mim-Natos Who Tempts say he touches all things, but in fact, gods and men grew together.

Historians point to Tyraphus and Trent, saying they are the same, and Trent drove game for hunters before the cities were built, but in fact Trent withered and Tyraphus filled his place, but does not remember the earliest times.

Many of our soldiers and citizens worship Tyraphus, but few talk to him. Blood sacrifices at the start of battle have made themselves felt, but his stout personality does not warm to a dedicated priesthood, and especially not magi. He must have seeped in to the world through a thousand accidental spells, as surely no magus would have affinity for him.

Still, there are some warriors with enough talent that they aim to direct their sacrifices, and a friend of mine caroused throughout the City of Diamonds with one once, and told me what he heard.

More...

Happy Birthday

Well, I didn't manage to write anything for camwriters birthday. If you want to see a story about beginnings, which is the nearest thing I have to something appropriate go: here. Comments here.

"The first of the gods was not Maraya the Kindest, though few in the world have not murmured her name at some point in their life. The dark cloistered orders of Mim-Natos Who Tempts say he touches all things, but in fact, gods and men grew together."

Virtual Alchoholh

We operate under various social conventions. If you see someone in an opera mask, you must pretend you don't know them, even if you owe them a duel. If you catch someone at an embarassing moment, you didn't see it. We cloak present-receptence and name-remembering and so forth in polite conventions that soften possibly awkward problems under layers of indirection.

I like drinking, and getting drunk, but not all the time, nor do I want to rely on it. I propose the social convention:

Synthahol.

Of which the prime instantiations shall be:

100% Vodkha (ingredients: H2O)
Finest Ghin (ingredients: N2, O2, CO2, Ar, H2O)

People drinking synthohol shall be considered to be drunk :)

(Terminology comes from Startrek, Chess With a Dragon, and some vague conception of optional roleplaying rules :))