Antarctic OasisBoard

Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.

April 26th, 2016
Issue XVI. Red Right Hand

Index
I. King of Hell Campaign Recap
II. Spotlight News:
-The Satanic Cathedral joins Hell
-Hippiedom Freed
III. Ask Fredd!
IV. Luciferianism Part 1: Back to the Start
V. Artwork of the Damned
VI. Easter Eggs Five

King of Hell Campaign Recap
Article by, The Stalker

Campaign Dispatch
Campaign Thread
Election Hub

The Mad King of Hell The Stalker entered the race for WA Secretary-General early March 31st, catching immediate fire among the most depraved and twisted individuals. A campaign promising a say, a virgin, and all the entrails you can eat, a most delicious offer.

Vote Crowley

Early support came from the Kennyites and Antarctic Oasis! Declaring their endorsement of The Stalker for Secretary-General! Other prominent support for the Mad King came out of The Satanic Cathedral, Hippy Haven, Middle Earth, Capital Wasteland, and The Bad Place.

One thing all candidates have in common?

Round 1 The Stalker would stake his claim with 1.2% of the total vote taking 18th. As his campaign picked up the madness of the king spread infecting others to enlightenment boosting Stalker's ranking round 2 giving him 2.6% of the vote landing in 11th place, overtaking a starting favorite "Edward rump". Round 3 would see Stalker's position held, but unable to climb to the top 5 in time, maintaining 2.2% of the vote and holding onto 11th place one again.

At the start of the General election The Stalker endorsed Caelapes, the already strong favorite to win. And would also do a shout out to The Salaxalans for second, who would in turn end up taking second.

Mad King Endorses Caelapes

It was a fun demonic campaign, and I'd love to do it again. One day I will rule you all, but for now I'll settle for whispering in your leader's ears, corrupting the hopes and dreams of your generation.

Spotlight News
Compiled by, The Stalker

The Satanic Cathedral joins Hell!

On April 15th long time supporters and friends of Hell, The Satanic Cathedral was annexed and incorporated as a subsidiary vassal territory of Hell, merging their community with Hell. Celebrations were had by Hellions all around welcoming their new satanic brothers Ingskalla and Laveyan inferno to the demonic pit.

Hippiedom Freed!

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts.”
~Winston Churchill

Hippiedom was freed April 2nd 2016 after 4 years of being held by The Black Riders / Den. Taken when the community tried to refound. The community of Hippy Haven / Hippiedom has been overjoyed with the return of their homeland after all these years, calling it a miracle.
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(Hell's Bells welcome submissions for future Spotlight News articles, contact The Stalker for details.)

Ask Fredd!
Advice Column by, Freddland

Dear Fredd,
If an April fool fooled several fools on April fools, how many fools could an April fool fool fool?

Sincerely,
The April Fool

Fool
4.3

Fredd
------------------------

Dear Fredd,
I spilled some of my coffee on my cat, and he got really offended, wouldn't even let me lick it off. Do you think it be a good idea to start giving him coffee instead of water, strap on a top hat, glue on a monocle, and start calling him Mr Sir Buggles? Because I did.

Sincerely
Coffee Spiller

CS,
Great idea. Make sure your cat sleeps with you every nite. It'll help you two bond.

Fredd
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Dear Fredd,
I have the worse owner in the world, he spills coffee on me the other day and now recently got me this ugly hat and glued some disk on my eye I can no longer see out off! Only gives me coffee, I never sleep anymore. I'm planning on murdering him in his sleep, what is the best way for a cat to kill a human?

Sincerely,
Mr Sir Buggles

Bug,
Yeah, he sounds like a real loser. Wait till he's asleep and snoring, them ram your tail as far as you can down his throat. He should choke to death in a minute or so. Best of luck.

Fredd
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Dear Fredd,
Do people ever send you really dumb questions you can't come up with a proper reply?

Sincerely,
Joe Joeyson
--
Joe,
Don't think so. Not sure, tho. Let me check my files.

Fredd
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Have a question for Fredd you'd like to see answered in the next issue of Hell's Bells? Submit here via telegram to Freddland.

Luciferianism Part 1: Back to the Start
Article by, Theistic luciferia

As most of you know, i have been gone for some time and have been unable to write an article for the bells since november of last year, or October, I can't remember. Before my absence, I had been writing on topics generally related to Luciferianism and the Luciferian Philosophy as well as Luciferian and Occultic Rituals. Since it has been so long and many people have been gone some time, I feel it is time to restart my Articles on Luciferianism, so without further ado, I will discuss the questions commonly asked to Luciferians by those who have absolutely no idea what we are other than that the root of our name is "Lucifer"!

Q: Do Luciferians Worship Satan?
A: No, to worship Satan is to be weak. As a Luciferian it is abhorrent to bow before any entity or god in a manner similar to Christian Monotheistic Supplication. We are the only gods that are and anything outside the self, at the highest, is simply a guide or a teacher.

Q: Do Luciferians Believe in a Literal Entity Lucifer?
A: Some do, Others see it as a symbol. First off, Most Luciferians recognize ourselves to be Lucifer, or at least that is the ultimate goal, as Lucifer means "Light Bringer/Bearer" Light being an allegory for Knowledge. Luciferians regard Knowledge and Wisdom as the most important qualities in life and often spend most of our time acquiring as much as we can. Back to the question though, There are about as many forms of Luciferianism as there are Luciferians as there is no dogma, we do have common values that keep us in our own group, but anyone who self-identifies as a Luciferian and at least bears in resemblance a similar approach to philosophy and Non-Dogmatic Lifestyles is a Luciferian of their own accord. The main four types of Luciferians are Theistic Luciferians: who usually believe in literal entities outside of the self, and while these entities may hold higher power than us mortals, they are not gods, rather they are the blueprint of what we hope to become, and they are the teachers and guides that give us the wisdom and encourage our wills. Most Theistic Luciferians are Poly-Theistic as we observe many of the Old Gods of Civilizations ranging from Egypt and Mesopotamia to Celtic and Norse to the Various Roman and Greek Deities (by observe i do not mean worship, i mean that we may perform rituals and receive wisdom from those paths). There are also Atheistic Luciferians who believe in the Symbolism of the Fall of Lucifer and the meanings behind the name, the spirit being an allegory for the potential in life, and again, holding knowledge and wisdom in the highest regard. both theistic and atheistic Luciferians perform magick if they so choose, although, the atheistic luciferian will see everything in forms of symbols and melodrama (quite the same as the Church of Satan sees their rituals). Aside from Atheistic and Theistic Luciferians are the Agnostic Luciferians who may change their opinion back and forth between atheistic everyday life and Theistic Ritual life, or simply do not know what to attribute their beliefs to and instead draw on the symbolism while accepting the possibility of an external deity. Finally there are Cosmic Luciferians who do believe in a Singular Higher Power, although we have never met it, do not know if it is conscious and generally consider it to be the universe or multiverse itself. Again they still believe that worship is weak and ignorant and rely on cunning and wit to create their own destinies and remaining the gods of our own lives, but acknowledging that there may be an ultimate cosmic force that controls all that exists, with or without regard to us. Regardless none of us lower ourselves to worship or supplication, but rather choose our own destinies and take responsibilities for our own choices and the consequences that result.

- BAPHOMET

Artwork of the Damned
"Feel the Bern"
Political Cartoon by, Unknown

Easter Eggs Five
Article by, Buer the demon AKA Dr george

#266: Breaching the Great Fourth Wall of @@NAME@@
Trigger: Economy reaches 100.

The Issue
After the recent eXtra-Kinetocam Cartographic Digital satellite survey revealed that @@NAME@@ is a surprisingly tiny section of land on a peninsula of a much larger continent, expeditions sent to explore these new lands have found a wide assortment other landmasses- all with new cultures and foreign civilizations. Of course, now people are wondering what to do with... or about... their newly-discovered neighbors.

The Debate
1. "Isn't it obvious? We must establish contact and trade with these other countries!" the CEO of one of the major mining companies notes happily, gesturing toward the XKCD survey map with a laser pointer. "The land claimed by Stalclaft is noted to contain a particular gaseous resource that could prove profitable for us! Never mind the report also says that the place is a war zone!"

2. "Are you insane? We're completely and totally vulnerable to attack!" declares General @@RANDOMNAME@@ while flailing at the new world map in a dramatic fashion. "We know nothing about these civilizations, what their intentions are, what they're capable of! Look at how massive that Cea-Dicee is, just to the south of us! What little we do know about them implies that they have SPACESHIPS! We need to strengthen our military to protect against these threats at all costs!"
3. "Don't mind the paranoid ravings of the General there." Noted scholar @@RANDOMNAME@@ states calmly, while tapping a spot on the map just offshore to the northeast of the peninsula. "We're simply expanding our understanding of the world and where we fit in it. The report says that the ancient ruins of Subspais are on the seafloor here, and I think it would be a most worthy endeavor to study them. It won't be cheap, but knowledge is the greatest resource we can have! As the saying goes, knowledge is power!"

4. "This hippie professor doesn't get it." Admiral @@RANDOMNAME@@ scoffs. "We have an opportunity here! For instance, this island of Uoeq to the west of us. They'd never see us coming; after establishing forward bases there, we could easily begin a campaign against Cea-Dicee and take their land and technology for ourselves! With that turned into a colony of @@NAME@@, the island of Sekonlif would fall easily, and we could seize Stalclaft's precious gas. Just imagine, eventually the entire continent could be under our control... or rather, YOUR control."

5. "Don't believe these lies for a minute!" Notorious and arguably very crazy conspiracy theorist @@RANDOMNAME@@ quickly unrolls a chart over the XKCD survey map before giving you what looks like a hat made of tinfoil. "These 'new lands' are all part of a conspiracy by the evil alien Bunny-Knights of Violet! I have evidence here that proves that these bunnies from space want us to THINK there are lands beyond what we already know. It's quite clear that this map is completely phony and that if we fall for it, we feed them our delicious mind-carrots! Forget this map of lies @@LEADER@@, for the sake of our mind-carrots!

NOTE: this one is not marked as an EE but it'll say you've found an EE once you answer it.
Comments: this seems rather straightforward in the POV of the various speakers. #1 is for business interests, #2 is for building a stronger military, #3 is the academic option, #4 is the hawkish option, and #5 is the extreme and religious option. I have not had this issue since the comprehensive data for each issue became available, but it seems rather straightforward which option you should pick depending on the needs of your nation.

IMHO, it is quite easy to grow your Economy to 100. Even if you answered economic issues at random, you would eventually reach 100—the game has a bias towards increasing wealth. If your Economy is persistently falling, it is because you are making choices that strangulate economic growth. If you want to have a green environment AND a good Economy, you will have to make smarter choices that foster growth without much affecting the environment. In this issue, for instance, you would choose option 1 without directly degrading the environment. You can appoint a Supreme Court judge who is pro-business. You can release SAL 9000 into your internet. You can allow children to gamble. You can relax certain regulations. You can resist the urge to nationalize your economy and instead permit the unrestricted growth of big business. You can subsidize your industries. You can allow corporations to make unlimited contributions to favoured politicians, etc.
If you do want to compete for the greenest environment in the world, you will probably have to strangulate your Economy entirely, as you discover that, for whatever reason, certain choices negatively affect your environment. I’m not arguing that the effects are necessarily particularly rational, but now that we have comprehensive information about the effects of choices, you can establish which choices are green (some), which choices are environmentally destructive (quite a few), and which degrade the environment just a little bit (very common). Unless you are within the world top 100 in most environmental rankings, you don’t want to do anything that would negatively affect your environment, but for most people, most of the time, having some measure go down by 0.05% (5 parts in 10,000) is not by itself a huge problem.

#375: Easter Egg: Keep Your Hands Off Those Lucky Charms!
Trigger: Have “gold coin” (or possibly other variations including “gold”) for currency.

The Issue
The sudden appearance of a bouquet of rainbows in the skies above @@CAPITAL@@ has bedazzled the city's natives. Initial investigations by amateur scientists have revealed the source of the phenomena to be a previously undiscovered ancient barrow just outside the city limits, apparently teeming with hoards of gold. Efforts to procure the gold, however, have been in vain, with rumours that mysterious men of a limited stature are mischievously playing tricks on would-be treasure hunters.

The Debate
1. "This is spectacular", squeals @@RANDOMNAME@@, presenter of popular entertainment show 'Us Nightly'. "All this GOLD for FREE! I can think of a thousand ways to spend it all. So what if there are a few weird dwarves - we could use all of this gold to fund the national budget! Let's blow that ditch to hell, grab the loot, and go on a shopping spree!"
“The nation's gold reserves are said to be somewhere over the rainbow “

2. "Gold? Dwarves? Rainbows? This is a travesty!" decrees @@RANDOMNAME@@, an infamous mendicant preacher who wandered into a live report on the lunchtime news. "These are no mere dwarves - these are leprechauns; demons sent here to deceive us! They are wicked, sinful tricksters, who have become manifest because of our tolerance of ancient pagan burial grounds on our sacred and holy lands. We must purge these abominations and destroy all that which is connected to this Plague; the leprechauns, their evil gold, and that unholy barrow!"

“Rainbows have been replaced by gloomy rain clouds as a result of the mass burning of leprechauns”
3. "Top o' the morning to you laddie!" says Patrick O'Malley, a twinkley-eyed leprechaun, all clad in green. "Ara, let's not be talking about blowing up this and blowing up that. Sure we'd just love to be friends, you and I and us. Now look a chara, how's about we come to a wee deal, aye? We'll swap some of our lucky Irish gold for a couple o'drops to drink. We do be dying of the thirst and wouldn't say no to an aul whiskey or two ... dozen. Just between us, mind! Our wee secret."
“Drunk leprechauns pelt countryside ramblers with gold coins”

This is one of the more difficult of EEs to get; it can quite literally take years of having “gold coin” as your currency before you encounter this EE. This is a fun little issue with #1 being the belligerent option, #2 being the religious option, and #3 being the higher freedom, more inclusive option. Most of my nations choose #3. Being an EE, you shouldn’t expect profound results from your choice, but I find it fun to have leprechauns cavorting with industrialists, LGBTQ people, people grown in vats, conspiracy theorists, alien abduction believers, aliens, persons with mind control capacities, sports enthusiasts, various Bigtopian and Maxtopian minorities, Violetists and various other religious bodies, and the rest of the cast of characters you might encounter in a given nation.

In summary, then, we have seen that these 10 Easter Eggs vary from quite easy to obtain to nearly impossible. If you manage to get 4 you’re doing well, 7 you’re awesome, and should there exist regular players who’ve gotten all 10, I would want to shake their hands! A few might impact your nation in a noticeable way, but for the most part, they’re simply fun to get. Happy hunting!

We hope you've enjoyed our Sixteenth issue of Hell's Bells. Nations interested in contributing to future issues should contact The Stalker for details.

Important Note: In payment for having enjoyed our Newspaper you are expected to up arrow this factbook. Failing to up arrow this factbook means you are willing choosing to forfeit ownership of your soul to The Stalker for all eternity instead. Thanks for reading.

There was another packed political season this April, full of debate and zeal for the pro-life cause. Four candidates faced off in the RTL presidential election, where the region's WA members voted for their WA delegate.

The candidates were:
The Rouge Christmas State (The RCS) from the Conservative Federalist Party
The United Empire of New Missouri from the Libertarian Party
United Massachusetts (UM) from the Liberals for Life Coalition
Stellonia from the Life Party

The important issues this presidential election included increasing activity in the region, managing the regional bank, and striking the proper balance between anti-discrimination laws and the freedom of regional business owners. The main disagreements were on economic policies. An RTL citizen, Ovybia, held a candidate questionnaire, where each candidate shared his views on the important issues. To see more information on the candidates' views, the questionnaire can be found here:

nation=ovybia/detail=factbook/id=602096

As the voting began, New Missouri started off in the lead with UM and the RCS tied for second place with almost half of the remaining votes apiece. Voting ran for three days as usual. On the last day, UM dropped out and endorsed the RCS. The voting closed that day with a surprising 7-7 tie between the RCS and New Missouri. The RTL constitution tasks the founder, Culture of Life (COL), with breaking such ties.

After deliberation, COL decided on the RCS to succeed then-president Pan-Celtic Nation of the Libertarian Party. He made this decision based on the fact that more RTL citizens voted for the RCS over New Missouri. (Non-citizen WA nations are allowed to vote in presidential/delegacy elections.) The RCS responded to his victory with this statement: "You ran a great campaign New Missouri, you have a bright political future ahead of you here in Right to Life. To CoL thank you for bestowing upon me this tremendous honor, so thank you and too all of the people who supported me."

Right to Life Olympics (By United Massachusetts)

As one of the goals for his presidency, the RCS proposed an Olympics in Right to Life. The idea was discussed in the past with little action since Right to Life has not traditionally been involved in sports roleplays and Founder Culture of Life (Christian Democrats) has no experience in roleplay sports. However, several nations stepped forward as potential host cities. First to propose was Stellonia, for the cities of Banemaville and Redport. Then, New Missouri proposed the small town of St. Genevieve. This was soon followed by Texasa, who proposed the city of Los Angeles, California, Texasa. Finally, United Massachusetts brought forward a bid for the city of New Boston. After a lively discussion and poll, it was determined that the Olympics will be hosted by New Boston, United Massachusetts.

WA Proposal: Child Destruction Ban (By United Massachusetts)

Right to Life citizen Ovybia recently proposed to the World Assembly (WA), with the help of United Massachusetts and Culture of Life (Christian Democrats), a resolution called the Child Destruction Ban, which would criminalize the practice sometimes known as partial-birth abortion in WA member states. With the support of many delegates, the bill successfully reached quorum despite hostility from several veteran nations in the WA forums. The bill, which technically would not prevent any abortions from occurring, would nonetheless be a step for prenatal rights and equality on NationStates. However, it was taken down for contradicting Reproductive Freedoms, a WA resolution legalizing abortion on demand. Ovybia is currently working on refining the proposal to make it legal in the hope of resubmitting it.

United Massachusetts Appointed Foreign Minister (By Ovybia)

After being elected president, The Rouge Christmas State (The RCS) resigned his position as foreign minister to allow another person a chance in the government. He appointed United Massachusetts (UM), who was then required to resign from his position as News Director since regional law mandates that the News Bureau be unbiased and mostly uninvolved in other governmental agencies. Since becoming foreign minister, UM has been quite active, having established embassies with several prominent regions, including Lazarus. UM says that he is uniquely qualified for leading the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since he is a liberal pro-lifer and, therefore, shares many of the views of the majority of NS regions. To fill the vacated News Director position, Founder Culture of Life (Christian Democrats) appointed Ovybia.

Residents React to Trump's Abortion Comments (By United Massachusetts)

United States presidential candidate Donald Trump's comments that women should be imprisoned for having abortions sparked an intense debate in Right to Life. Several region members came out against Trump, saying that the mother who has an abortion shouldn't be punished for it. "It would, maybe, be best to treat illegal abortion like (other) illegal drug use. Punish the dealers severely, and let the users go or slap them on the wrists depending on the circumstances (age, criminal history, etc.)," said one Right to Life member. Another countered, saying that women who obtain abortions should be punished for the crime. "This is one of the only reasonable things Trump has said in his entire life. He basically said that women who commit abortion, when it is illegal, should receive some kind of punishment. That's just basic common sense. You break the law, you pay a punishment, especially in something like murder. If a mother murders someone, whether it be her own child or someone else's child, she has to face the penalties." Some members talked about how it seems to show a media bias against the pro-life movement. "I don't agree," said one, "with Donald Trump's statement on abortion, but today's negative press coverage clearly shows the bias of the media against the right to life. Nobody makes it the headline when Hillary Clinton says that she supports abortion until birth or when any politician says that he would force taxpayers to fund this backwards practice." Several nations pointed out the deep pain that many mothers feel after an abortion and said that we must show "love and compassion to post-abortive women" rather than penalize them.

Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.

May 31st, 2016
Issue XVII. Beat The Devil's Tattoo

Index
I. The Demon Hawks
II. Spotlight News:
- Hell Freezes over, gets Commended!?
III. Ask Fredd!
IV. The Hellfire Club
V. Artwork of the Damned
VI. Counter-Productive Issues

The Demon Hawks
Article by, The Stalker

A plot by The Black Hawks to raid Hell for the upcoming RaiderCon event had been known by the Mad King for some time. A scheme stretching back roughly a year, the idea born during last RaiderCon to raid Hell for the challenge, the esteem, to try and dethrone the confident King. Throughout the year they began to sneak in nations one by one, a handful of devoted sleepers spent months just to get in, and months more waiting for an opportunity that would never come.

Months and months were spent endorsing and supporting the Mad King. Writing articles, becoming real members of the region on many levels. See the King has known for some time some of the trial nations where likely sleepers.

So long as the number of Hell Elders and Stalker loyalists outnumbered those who earned their passage from Underworld, an internal shift would be impossible. Balanced growth has always been the key, and the King is a master of numbers. This method makes raiders a helpful resource rather than a hindrance, putting the infiltration attempts of invaders to work for you.

Keep your friends close

Today we honor their efforts, both for their boldness and for their service to the inferno. Truly you guys have helped in the cultural development of Hell, increased our endorsement count and influence growth, and Hell thanks you. For this, I dub thee the Demon Hawks! You are all forever welcome in Underworld.

Former nation and known sleeper Nazgur spent from August 12th 2015 till giving up in February 21st 2016, and a few months more in Underworld, nearly 8 months of WA support for Hell instead of raiding.

Zen beatitudes would serve Hell from October 2015 till April 2016 when the Predator punishments ejected them from the WA, 6 months of WA support, along with authoring articles for Hell's Bells.

Another known Underworld sleeper Assanria would author a few articles for Hell's Bells before being deleted during the Predator puppet sweep.

Azazal, would serve from mid January till mid May, 4 months of WA support and more in Underworld.

The terran states, would serve from mid January till mid May, 4 months of WA support and more in Underworld.

Nivagard, would serve from March till mid May, 2 months of WA support and more in Underworld.

The mission would ultimately be called off mid May 2016 when it was clear Hell couldn't be taken. Probes for raiders within the region and a timely merger with ones of Hell's allies would be the final straws to end the Hawk's campaign.

Hell has faced some of the best NationStates has to offer and stands stronger for it. So to all the would be raiders of Hell, know this, you can try, I invite you to try, but in the end you will serve Hell like all those before you.

Never underestimate the King of Hell, darling.

Spotlight News
Compiled by, The Stalker

Hell Freezes over, gets Commended!?

Befitting the Hell frozen over theme taken up for the month of May, Hell was the surprising target for a World Assembly Commending. A resolution posted on Friday the 13th by Yokiria, aka Ridersyl, to Commend Hell hit the voting floor May 22nd. It would amount to a very close race for the bulk of the voting period.

Very CLose

Ultimately passing 9,673 (54%) For and 8,303 (46%) Against.

Hell would like to sincerely thank all those who voted for this, and Ridersyl for his efforts as author, you all have our sincere gratitude and it won't be forgotten. We really got a lot of unexpected support and it is truly an honor to have our region so recognized, we thank you all.
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(Hell's Bells welcome submissions for future Spotlight News articles, contact The Stalker for details.)

Ask Fredd!
Advice Column by, Freddland

Dear Fredd,

Hell has Frozen over and been Commended by the World Assembly, surely these are both signs of the apocalypse!? Is the end near? Are we all doomed? What does it all mean!?

Sincerely,
A Cold Guy

--

Cold Dude,
Hell freezing over is part of the global warming conspiracy. They siphoned all of the heat from Hell to warm up the Earth. They are fiendish bastards, whoever they are.

The Commendation is also a conspiracy to make us relax and let our guard down. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!!!!

Who stole my tinfoil hat? Must be those environmentalist, transgender feminazis. DAMN THEM!!!

Fredd
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Have a question for Fredd you'd like to see answered in the next issue of Hell's Bells? Submit here via telegram to Freddland.

The Hellfire Club
Article by, Laveyan inferno

“Do what thou wilt". This simple, yet powerful and revolutionary edict adorned the building that hosted the infamous Hellfire Club. The motto would again appear in Allister Crowley’s Law of Thelema, and it now stands as a symbolic commandment for those who pursue the principles of the Left-Hand Path. Composed of elites and rakes of English society, the Hellfire Club hosted a variety of libertine and taboo activities that gained it much notoriety, and earned it its name from critics. A world entirely of its own, the club was not only a den of debauchery, but served as a sanctuary for the blooming ideas of the Enlightenment Age. There are also indications that several members, including its founder, aspired for a revival of pagan culture and practices. Although much is uncertain about the exploits of this secretive and exclusive club, it is clear that it has served as a philosophical model and inspiration for later organizations of similar intent, such as the more recent Church of Satan.

The gentleman behind the inception of the Hellfire Club was none other than the prominent Sir Francis Dashwood (Topham). Little is known about his upbringing, other than that he was born into an extremely wealthy family and was educated at Eton University. Afterwards, Sir Francis moved on to become a politician by day and exercised insatiable hedonism as a rake by night. He achieved a highly respectable political career, holding positions as a Parliament Member, the Treasurer of the Chamber, Exchequer, and Postmaster General within the British government (Kemp). His strong passion for travel was evident, as he went on “Grand Tours” all over Europe. It was during his travel through Italy that he developed a strong distain for the Catholic Church and its rigid doctrines. This deep seated hatred would later motivate him to form a leisurely organization centered on the pursuit of indulgence and the mockery of Christianity.

He officially established the order in 1746 under the name of the ‘Knights of St. Francis,” more than likely a cheeky jab at the system of chivalry formerly exercised by the Church. The dubbing of the more recognized name “Hellfire Club” would later originate from his critics as an attempted insult, referencing to a previous club under the same name that was active from 1719 to 1721 (Topham). Initially starting out as a small gathering of members in the “George and Vulture” public house in London, the Hellfire Club grew in popularity and prominence, warranting the need for a more lavish, secluded space in which to meet (Topham). Sir Francis decided it would be fitting to relocate to Medmenham, formerly an abbey for the Cistercian religious order during the thirteenth century, long since abandoned (Topham). He probably chose this location not only out of personal convenience, as it was relatively close to his estate in West Wycombe, but also due to its religious significance. The dark comedian that he was, he likely viewed with sardonic pleasure the moving of his earthy and unholy order of “knights” onto sacred ground as an act of desecration.

The domain of the Hellfire Club chosen, Sir Francis faced the laborious task of refurbishing the dilapidated ruins of Medmenham. He wanted not only a mere meeting place, but a great pleasure palace of incredible finery, excess, and a cultic aura , where the true extent of the club’s potential could be realized. To help him accomplish this great undertaking was architect Nicholas Revett (‘The Hell-Fire Caves). Drawing greatly from the Neo-Classical and Gothic styles, the abbey was redecorated with such additions as arches, a tower, stain glass windows, and fresco paintings garnishing the ceilings (“The Hell-Fire Caves”). Of all such improvements to the abbey, perhaps the most significant of these was the Hell-Fire Caves. A grand entrance in the form of a Gothic Cathedral would welcome the members into a long winding passage covered in carvings and engravings. Within this cave was a Banqueting Hall, various chambers and even an Inner Temple, where Sir Francis and his knights were said to have performed rituals (“The Hell-Fire Caves”).

In fact, there was a chamber dedicated to the U.S. founding father Benjamin Franklin, who was a close friend of Sir Francis and who was an active participant in many of the club’s activities during his time in England. He spoke fondly of the Hellfire Club and of Sir Francis in a letter to his son, stating:

"l am in this House as much at my Ease as if it was my own, and the Gardens are a Paradise. But a pleasanter Thing is the kind Countenance, the facetious and very intelligent conversation of mine Host, who having been for many Years engaged in public Affairs, seen all Parts of Europe, and kept the best Company in the World is himself the best existing:" (“The Hell-Fire Caves”). And, from what is known about what went on in the depths of the infernal grotto, what a hell of a time he surely had!

Hellfire Club meetings were conducted twice every year, and are best described in the 1779 book Nocturnal Revels:

'They however always meet in one general sett at meals, when, for the improvement of mirth, pleasantry, and gaiety, every member is allowed to introduce a Lady of cheerful lively disposition, to improve the general hilarity. Male visitors are also permitted, under certain restrictions, their greatest recommendation being their merit wit and humour. There is no constraint with regard to the circulation of the glass, after some particular toasts have been given: The Ladies, in the intervals of their repasts, may make select parties among themselves, or entertain one another, or alone with reading, musick, tambour-work, etc. The salt of these festivities is generally purely attic, but no indelicacy or indecency is allowed to be intruded without a severe penalty; and a jeu de mots must not border too much upon a loose double entendre to be received with applause” (“The Hell-Fire Caves”).

Indeed, the club did engage in many indulgent, and often taboo, vices: fine wining and dining, gambling, and carnality with mistresses, to name a few. The members also partook in the arts, as is evidenced by various musical instruments and books on numerous subjects found within the chapter room (Topham). Most interestingly, Dashwood and several other members had apparently dabbled in various aspects of pagan ritualism, often mistaken for and misconstrued as genuine Satan worship.

Dashwood, being an avid student of ancient religions, seemed to hold a particularly strong reverence for the Roman goddess Venus. Statues of the deity of love and beauty can be found throughout Medmenham, and a painting of Sir Francis depicts him venerating the goddess in religious garments (Topham). Therefore, along with the conventional mock rituals that were merely meant to poke fun at Christianity, there may have indeed been some form of pagan worship in respect to the goddess. It would make sense that Sir Francis would focus explicitly on Venus, since she represented the emotion of lust which was quite prevalent within the ranks of the club, especially with its leader. Also, she signified a more artistic, intellectual side of the club, which held literature and the arts and how they, like a mirror, reflected the immaculate splendor of nature, in high regard.

The Hellfire Club, with its rampant infamy and often mistaken intentions, achieved a stunning accomplishment: freedom from the chains of Abrahamic suppression. The gentlemen of the Enlightenment Era within it, through their will and determination to live to the fullest, spit a seething flame in the face of god, and created for themselves a superior reality, if but for a brief moment in time. They stand as an inspiration to all who seek liberation from the mental prison of conformity: Satanist, Luciferian, Pagan, Witch, Thelemite, and Wiccan alike.

For more information on this fascinating group of daring deviants and its eccentric founder, I recommend the websites listed in the bibliography below.

With Promethean Flame, Hail Satan!

Bibliography:

Bloy, Marjie. "The 'Hell Fire Club'" The 'Hell Fire Club' Web. 18 May 2016.

Kemp, Betty. "History of Parliament Online." DASHWOOD, Sir Francis, 2nd Bt. (1708-81), of West Wycombe, Bucks. Web. 16 May 2016.

"The Hellfire Caves." The Hellfire Caves. Web. 18 May 2016.

Topham, Ian, and Alison Topham. "The Hellfire Club." Mysterious Britain & Ireland. Web. 16 May 2016.

Artwork of the Damned
"Fear and Loathing"
40x30 Oil Painting by, The Stalker

COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE ISSUES
Article by, Buer the demon AKA Dr george

For this article, I’m going to be addressing a very specific way of answering issues: I am assuming you are at least an intermediate-level player with a good grasp of the issues; that you already have good Civil Rights and Political Freedoms and want both to go even higher; and that Economy, Economic Freedom, and Freedom from Taxation (i.e., lower taxes), and good environment are of secondary importance to you.

Ever since we were given the information on how our answers impact our nations, I have been dismayed at the large number of issues that have vastly more negative consequences than they do positive ones. In some cases, there are three times or more falling statistics than there are positive ones! If course, not all positives are good to most people, say Primitiveness, and not all negatives are bad, like Tax Rate.

So, over the past several days, I have assembled a list of the issues I’ve encountered that either do the opposite of what they were claiming or have more negative outcomes than positive ones. In some of these, the issue in question lowers Civil Rights or Political Freedoms, even when choosing the nominal high freedom choice.

I am guessing most readers will have one or more additional rankings that they would like to increase, even at the expense of others, say Cultured. Perhaps some of the following issues have overall negative consequences, but also happens to include a rise in Cultured, so you may choose it anyway.

I have deliberately excluded those issues whose primary aim is to lower taxes. Almost by definition, lowering taxes is going to include perhaps some very deep cuts in some areas as well as more modest cuts in other areas, so they will naturally have negative consequences outnumbering the positive ones.

One should take into account the variation of change. If issue XXX raises, say, Civil Rights, by 20% and lowers ten other things by .05%, you would do well to answer that issue, as the benefits vastly outweigh the consequences. Here are my (admittedly subjective) views on percentage change:

Change<1%: trivial
Change=1-5%: can be meaningful, especially in conjunction with an overall trend in the same direction
Change=5-10%: meaningful (especially as you rise in world rankings)
Change=10-100%: WAY significant
Change=100-1,000%: WOW
Change>1,000%: WOW WOW WOW!!!
To date, the highest percentage change I have noticed was 144,000%!

So, without further ado, here is a short list of issues I would dismiss if I were pro-CR, pro-PF, and secondarily pro-Econ, pro-Econ Freedom, pro-environment, and pro-Freedom from Taxation, based on choices that seem to favour high freedoms (I may update this list as I go through more of the issues):

2
5
16 (BOTH)
17 (BUT RAISES PF, EF, AND LOWERS TAX)
19
20
22
27
57
58
59
74
75
75
84
94
101
102
112
115
117
145
148
156 (BUT VERY GOOD FOR HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT)
175
180 (LOWERS PF & TAX)
183
189 (BUT RAISES PF & LOWERS TAX)
195
198
212
237
239
246
249
255
258
262
264
269
274
277
280
290
294
296
308
323
327
331
338
341
347 (CHOOSE #2, NOT #3)
369
379
412
414
417
429
431
440
442
446
448
452
456 (RAISES CR AND LOWERS TAX)
464
493
503
508
515
518

We hope you've enjoyed our Seventeenth issue of Hell's Bells. Nations interested in contributing to future issues should contact The Stalker for details.

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