The rebel angle was one of my favorite justifications for Magnagoran citizenship. They just want to be left alone, but in comes imperialist Celest trying to force its morality on everyone and subjugate the rebels. It helps demonstrate to the novices that it's far murkier than just plain good and evil.

Finished 62.5 pounds of origami. Meer....

What? You wear the black hats and tie orphans to rail road tracks! I bet you all sit around the megalith twirling your moustaches (yes the ladies too) and saying "nyah! nyah!" and conniving ways to ensure Cratchet and Tiny tim and the whos down in whoville all have very UNmerry Christmases indeed!

I'm gonna get griefed by some denizens if I log in. Think I'll watch Community for a while...

First off, a proper moustache helps keep the upper lip warm come Solstice time, especially when coupled with the friction of a good twirling. Second, Cratchit and Tim are the victims of natural selection and shouldn't have been trying to push their socialist agendas on the back of woefully outdated absolutist notions of compassion! Maybe if ol' Bob would pop the plump nipple of the welfare state from his suckling lips long enough to read a book some time, he'd be able to climb the social ladder and earn the money necessary to see to his family's care rather than expecting a miracle from his social and intellectual superiors when his own monotheistic patron (whose shortcomings he's blaming poor Ebenezer for) fails to provide one on His own holy day. Monetary handouts are not a viable solution to a crisis of faith!

This would have been very interesting, if it were completely true (specifically in regards to the 'wanting to be left alone' part). Could be my bias, but seeing how things have unfolded and how history tends to repeat itself, to me it's always been 2 big powers struggling for more power and domination, etc.

It wouldn't be very good propaganda if it were strictly true! It relies deliberately upon the fact that there has never been a historical Holy Magnagoran Empire, so it's impossible to say just what they would do with their newfound power if New Celest were to suddenly be wiped off the map. That said, enough of it's true (they do heavily favor freedom, moral relativism, and progressive views) that when you combine it with the fact that the Demon Lords aren't really the 'incarnations of evil' that they are in the Christian mythos and are really just Tainted half-formed (reducing the question to 'does everything the Taint touches become necessarily evil'), it does create an interesting and philosophically sound culture. A lot of the 'outwardly evil' aspects are just window dressing to keep away the dogmatic and ruffle New Celest's angelic feathers.

At least, that's how I always saw it. It's not for everyone, but they can be painted as 'the good guys' as easily as anyone else in the Basin, which I love.

What's wrong with aetherspace? Where are all the vortexes?

Betcha it's some kind of plot or change, if so, better keep it in-game.

PS--has there been any aetherflares yet since the initial bubble-grab?

Fluctuations in the number of vortices have happened before, I think. Sometimes it's a bug and sometimes it's the admin making small changes in decay rates and things like that.

Flower spam in three... two... one...

Submitted designs for the Beauty seal from all my cartels. I'm terrible with choosing my own designs, let's hope this year goes better.

Why am I so nervous about Justice? It's pretty much 90% luck anyway (well, maybe more like 60% luck, 40% charisma buffs out the wazzoo). I guess I'll never really be able to get over my competition anxiety. Even during hamster hunts I tend to be shakier than a hyperactive rabbit with Parkinson's.

It's neurologically impossible to be hyperactive when you have parkinson's

That's just how bad it is, man. Defying all possibility.

*Gasp*

But, but that's impossible!

I felt that way earlier but then... it's just a game! And totally random! There are other ways to get tons of credits feel accomplished.

I've never participated in a challenge before except Beauty, always had something planned during that time. This will be my first one evar.

EDIT: Nevermind my hands are cold and clammy.

I do the same thing. I have no intention of winning, I'm just here to roll the dice, and yet it still gets me nervous. Ironically I'd probably be a lot less nervous if this were a real debate competition.

Out on my first debate. Sigh.

Is there really, really only one pufferfish? I'm getting flashbacks to Lolliprin.