A shared world, centred on the town of Refuge. The works were published in Australia by Australian and New Zealand authors, but contributors also included American, British, and European writers. Refuge itself is said to resemble Canberra, but is more a potential future Canberra than a representation of the current city. The stories draw from a variety of fictional inspirations, including H.P. Lovecraft and Clive Barker's Hellraiser universe.

In addition to Australian authors, the shared universe includes the work of international authors such as Lee Murray, Paul Kane, Noel Osualdini, Ramsey Campbell, Traci McBride, E.J. McLaughlin, Mark Allan Gunnells, Pete Sutton, and Amdi Silvestri.