An Update from Avalon
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An Update from Avalon
Greetings, Micras! Recently it was brought to my attention that there has been some confusion about the current status of Avalon. I've decided to post here in my capacity as head of government, just to clear up any misunderstandings and answer any questions people may have.
Avalon continues to exist, but because we would ideally like to attract new blood to the hobby, we are experimenting with some new approaches for our forum and website. Specifically, I've noticed that political simulations have had considerable success on Reddit, so we're working on a Reddit-based discussion forum (/r/AvalonMN), while keeping laws and other critical documents at avalon-mn.org.
Many of you will remember the days when half of the micronations were on ezboard and we could use one account everywhere. To my mind Reddit can offer that convenience, but without the administrative complexity of something like Bastion. Anyway. It's possible that this will prove unworkable, but so far it's going well.
The AvalonMN subreddit isn't quite ready for public consumption yet -- there are things like FAQs and citizenship applications to write, etc. Things move slowly in Avalon, and there hasn't exactly been a mob clamoring at the gates demanding to join, so I figure that we can afford to move slowly. I anticipate making the subreddit public in the near future, but if anyone would like access in the mean time, just let me know.
Rt Hon. A. J. Harmsworth
First Lord of Chancery
Avalon continues to exist, but because we would ideally like to attract new blood to the hobby, we are experimenting with some new approaches for our forum and website. Specifically, I've noticed that political simulations have had considerable success on Reddit, so we're working on a Reddit-based discussion forum (/r/AvalonMN), while keeping laws and other critical documents at avalon-mn.org.
Many of you will remember the days when half of the micronations were on ezboard and we could use one account everywhere. To my mind Reddit can offer that convenience, but without the administrative complexity of something like Bastion. Anyway. It's possible that this will prove unworkable, but so far it's going well.
The AvalonMN subreddit isn't quite ready for public consumption yet -- there are things like FAQs and citizenship applications to write, etc. Things move slowly in Avalon, and there hasn't exactly been a mob clamoring at the gates demanding to join, so I figure that we can afford to move slowly. I anticipate making the subreddit public in the near future, but if anyone would like access in the mean time, just let me know.
Rt Hon. A. J. Harmsworth
First Lord of Chancery
The Kingdom of Avalon — Post Tenebras Lux
Re: An Update from Avalon
Hello again, Micras! Those of you who are reading this will likely have seen that Avalon has given up its territory on the map. I'm posting a not-so-brief explanation here, just so that no-one thinks we are dissolving Avalon, or that we've gone crazy and are doing things completely at random -- the former definitely isn't true, and the latter probably isn't either. There is a particular event which was the catalyst for our decision, but in truth things may have been building up to it anyway.
Avalon was born as a "reboot" for the Brettish Isles, but the project quickly grew beyond that. We've been experimenting with unconventional solutions to some of the classic micronational problems. First and foremost is the need for new blood which I discussed above, but we've also structured our monarchy in what I think is a new and less problematic way. I'm also quite proud of the narrative history we've written for various government offices and social institutions. We're perfectionists who also have full-time jobs, and this work has accordingly progressed at a snail's pace. Perhaps we also did it more privately than we should have.
Given the widespread lack of activity, our thinking was that the community would regard our quiet and gradual development with an indulgent eye. It would appear, however, that the land shortage on Micras simply became too oppressive. We were taken aback to discover this week that our experimentation with moving the forum to Reddit has actually triggered aggression against Avalon.
We mostly take a peaceful and non-confrontational approach, and we have no energy or desire for a fight -- whether it be a recwar or just an unending argument. This prompted a reappraisal of the importance of our MCS land to Avalon. We have reached the conclusion that our land and the particular contours of our borders are not essential to Avalonian identity at this time. Therefore, we have withdrawn from Micras for the present.
In conclusion, we still have a great deal of affection for Micras, and many good memories over the last decade-and-a-bit. I promise that this is not a recruitment post, but we will always be happy to hear from our fellow micronationalists in the MCS, provided of course that you come in friendship. If you wish to contact Avalon, you can PM this account, or message the moderators at https://www.reddit.com/r/AvalonMN.
Rt Hon. A. J. Harmsworth
First Lord of Chancery
Head of Government
Avalon was born as a "reboot" for the Brettish Isles, but the project quickly grew beyond that. We've been experimenting with unconventional solutions to some of the classic micronational problems. First and foremost is the need for new blood which I discussed above, but we've also structured our monarchy in what I think is a new and less problematic way. I'm also quite proud of the narrative history we've written for various government offices and social institutions. We're perfectionists who also have full-time jobs, and this work has accordingly progressed at a snail's pace. Perhaps we also did it more privately than we should have.
Given the widespread lack of activity, our thinking was that the community would regard our quiet and gradual development with an indulgent eye. It would appear, however, that the land shortage on Micras simply became too oppressive. We were taken aback to discover this week that our experimentation with moving the forum to Reddit has actually triggered aggression against Avalon.
We mostly take a peaceful and non-confrontational approach, and we have no energy or desire for a fight -- whether it be a recwar or just an unending argument. This prompted a reappraisal of the importance of our MCS land to Avalon. We have reached the conclusion that our land and the particular contours of our borders are not essential to Avalonian identity at this time. Therefore, we have withdrawn from Micras for the present.
In conclusion, we still have a great deal of affection for Micras, and many good memories over the last decade-and-a-bit. I promise that this is not a recruitment post, but we will always be happy to hear from our fellow micronationalists in the MCS, provided of course that you come in friendship. If you wish to contact Avalon, you can PM this account, or message the moderators at https://www.reddit.com/r/AvalonMN.
Rt Hon. A. J. Harmsworth
First Lord of Chancery
Head of Government
The Kingdom of Avalon — Post Tenebras Lux
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Re: An Update from Avalon
I'm pretty sure that nobody really cared about Avalon. Not to be rude, but most of us simply tend to focus on their own piece of land.Given the widespread lack of activity, our thinking was that the community would regard our quiet and gradual development with an indulgent eye.
That being said: Avalan is set to private, so nobody can really see if anything is happening in your nation. I personally don't think Reddit is a better or worse choice than a forum, it's only a pity we can't see what's happening over there.
Honoured Servant of the Jingdaoese Heavenly Light and the Kaiseress of Shireroth
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Re: An Update from Avalon
I was pretty interested in seeing how Reddit would work for a nation, both in terms of activity (I've seen a few social media used to different degrees of success, but never this one) and as a means of generating new member involvement.
I agree with Jonas, albeit not in a way to sound rude, outside of the MCS and organisations which actively take a look at what nations are doing, most individuals around here only focus on their own projects and are unlikely to be aware of new things happening elsewhere. I can't understand where any "aggression" has come from towards Avalon for this idea either, but it certainly isn't from the MCS itself. I would personally hate to feel that another nation has bullied you off Micras for having the slightest amount of creativity in relocating to an unexplored area of online networking.
If Avalon ever decides to change its mind - and I'd like to hope it would - the MCS has no qualms with accepting a reclaim supported by Reddit activity...
I agree with Jonas, albeit not in a way to sound rude, outside of the MCS and organisations which actively take a look at what nations are doing, most individuals around here only focus on their own projects and are unlikely to be aware of new things happening elsewhere. I can't understand where any "aggression" has come from towards Avalon for this idea either, but it certainly isn't from the MCS itself. I would personally hate to feel that another nation has bullied you off Micras for having the slightest amount of creativity in relocating to an unexplored area of online networking.
If Avalon ever decides to change its mind - and I'd like to hope it would - the MCS has no qualms with accepting a reclaim supported by Reddit activity...
Re: An Update from Avalon
Jonas -- Not caring much about Avalon is what we want. Keep up the good work! Our subreddit will be set public in the near future, once I've finished making it look nice and writing introductory material for people new to the hobby.
Craitman -- You'll still have a chance to see if Reddit works, of course. Avalon will continue in a non-Micrasian form, and we haven't necessarily abandoned Micras forever, although we're tossing around a few different ideas about geography.
The aggressive action I'm referring to has been mentioned publicly on Bastion, but it looks like nobody noticed that. I first heard about it via PMs here, and it took us completely by surprise. Let me make it clear that we consider you and the MCS organization to be friends, and this withdrawal was not caused by anything you did. We left the way we did because we decided that every minute we spent arguing about land was a minute which could be used on something more productive and more fun. Land would be nice, but it's not essential to the project at this time.
Craitman -- You'll still have a chance to see if Reddit works, of course. Avalon will continue in a non-Micrasian form, and we haven't necessarily abandoned Micras forever, although we're tossing around a few different ideas about geography.
The aggressive action I'm referring to has been mentioned publicly on Bastion, but it looks like nobody noticed that. I first heard about it via PMs here, and it took us completely by surprise. Let me make it clear that we consider you and the MCS organization to be friends, and this withdrawal was not caused by anything you did. We left the way we did because we decided that every minute we spent arguing about land was a minute which could be used on something more productive and more fun. Land would be nice, but it's not essential to the project at this time.
The Kingdom of Avalon — Post Tenebras Lux
Re: An Update from Avalon
The "aggressive action" was an in-sim move and done in response to the fact that Avalon had zero activity on its forum for a number of months and then disappeared without any warning. Further, we had been attempting to contact you since November, so it's not as if we didn't try. We also proposed a power-sharing agreement or splitting of the lands into respective spheres, which you didn't bother to mention. Arguing, as you call it, is a large part of the micronational hobby, and under different terminology is called "diplomacy".
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Re: An Update from Avalon
I've now read what I assume you're referring to (Mountbatten, I take it), and I feel it's a real shame you've felt the need to leave because of that. Primarily because Mountbatten themselves have no land on Micras, nor any amount of sway on what happens to the land Avalon claimed at all. As much as it's labelled "aggression" or "diplomacy", Avalon could have ignored it as much as they'd wanted and nothing would have changed in terms of the claimsmap as long as they were active. People can say they're attacking you as much as they want, but this hobby's a two-way street and if you don't want to be involved (regardless of how well-meaning they may be in their actions), you have no obligation to be.
Like I say, it's a shame to see a nation feel it necessary to leave because of this, especially when there were other approaches which would have been more amicable
Like I say, it's a shame to see a nation feel it necessary to leave because of this, especially when there were other approaches which would have been more amicable
Re: An Update from Avalon
There's been ongoing discussion regarding Avalon and Mountbatten behind closed doors and via PM going all the way back to November. What has been posted publicly in Mountbatten has only come about as a result of these private discussions and Avalon's disappearance. The Sons of the Mountain was formed with the specific goal of restoring the Brettish government through a well-written story arc. Back in November when this idea was first discussed, given Avalon's flagging activity, we asked them [Avalon] if they were interested. No reply was ever given, and we watched as Avalon sunk further into inactivity. When the forum was deleted it was assumed by everyone that it had finally died and we began in-sim measures to secure the islands. Avalon only showed signs of life AFTER we made these moves. When it became clear Avalon was not dead we offered to negotiate terms - Avalon refused and decided to withdraw from Micras.
It should be clear that these are the circumstances that led to current events, before people start claiming to be victims or pointing fingers.
It should be clear that these are the circumstances that led to current events, before people start claiming to be victims or pointing fingers.
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Re: An Update from Avalon
I'm not sure how "ongoing" talks can be when a reply giving permission to do this hasn't been received in the four months since asking, but thanks for the clarification. I guess this is one of the downsides to making eyes at other nations' land while they still claim it
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Re: An Update from Avalon
In the end this is a meaningless discussion. All will be assimilated into one big Jingdaoese Micrasian Empire.
Honoured Servant of the Jingdaoese Heavenly Light and the Kaiseress of Shireroth
Re: An Update from Avalon
Huzzah!Jonas Windsor wrote:In the end this is a meaningless discussion. All will be assimilated into one big Jingdaoese Micrasian Empire.
Re: An Update from Avalon
Orion -- We wish you luck in all of your future endeavours.
Jonas -- We will look forward to this new and glorious era of Pan-Micrasian Jingdaoese dominion. On behalf of the Avalonian state, I offer a prayer to the mighty god Ba'al, that he may crush your enemies, burn their cities with heavenly fire, and cause them to lose their car keys. Disclaimer: The Government of Avalon does not condone or advocate burning cities with heavenly fire.
Craitman -- Of course, we could ignore the actions of the Mountbatten Republic, or any nation for that matter. However, as you touched on, when another micronation puts eyes on your territory it is incredibly hard to shake that ambition. No micronation (and I mean this universally) should have to be constantly vigilant of the post count numbers. As well, there is also the risk of what letting in new citizens might bring if they should come from rival nations. I think no one want to constantly have to monitor every aspect of your micronation, especially in the midst of real life concerns. In the end, we reached the decision that it was better to do without land for the moment, to find what works best for us without the need to worry much about the forum.
Jonas -- We will look forward to this new and glorious era of Pan-Micrasian Jingdaoese dominion. On behalf of the Avalonian state, I offer a prayer to the mighty god Ba'al, that he may crush your enemies, burn their cities with heavenly fire, and cause them to lose their car keys. Disclaimer: The Government of Avalon does not condone or advocate burning cities with heavenly fire.
Craitman -- Of course, we could ignore the actions of the Mountbatten Republic, or any nation for that matter. However, as you touched on, when another micronation puts eyes on your territory it is incredibly hard to shake that ambition. No micronation (and I mean this universally) should have to be constantly vigilant of the post count numbers. As well, there is also the risk of what letting in new citizens might bring if they should come from rival nations. I think no one want to constantly have to monitor every aspect of your micronation, especially in the midst of real life concerns. In the end, we reached the decision that it was better to do without land for the moment, to find what works best for us without the need to worry much about the forum.
The Kingdom of Avalon — Post Tenebras Lux
Re: An Update from Avalon
A very gracious reply, Richard.
Porque las estirpes condenadas a cien años de soledad no tenían una segunda oportunidad sobre la tierra.
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Re: An Update from Avalon
I disagree here, given how important such things are to maintaining MCS membership, but I understand your sentiment. I still feel it a shame that you've decided to leave because of this, but I hope the Reddit approach works for Avalon from now onAvalon wrote:No micronation (and I mean this universally) should have to be constantly vigilant of the post count numbers.
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Re: An Update from Avalon
I think I'm starting to love you guys a little bit.Avalon wrote: Jonas -- We will look forward to this new and glorious era of Pan-Micrasian Jingdaoese dominion. On behalf of the Avalonian state, I offer a prayer to the mighty god Ba'al, that he may crush your enemies, burn their cities with heavenly fire, and cause them to lose their car keys. Disclaimer: The Government of Avalon does not condone or advocate burning cities with heavenly fire.
Honoured Servant of the Jingdaoese Heavenly Light and the Kaiseress of Shireroth