DEN NEWS | Operation Blitz: Atlantis Invaded!

[The Silver Sentinel]

Forget it. Move onward.

The same could be said for others who like to hang onto the past as well..

[We Are Not the NSA]

If it was who I think it was I told him to knock it off.

Does his name start with a "C" and may be a former member of Doom Squad?

No.

DEN is many things, but professional isn't a word I'd use. We got some pretty childish hate mail from some of your 'professionals'...

Would you mind forwarding any telegrams you recieved from DEN personnel to We Are Not The USPS? I'll deal with it.

[Cora II]

@ TSI: Whom? Where? How?

[Jabbas Pleasure Barge]

Is...Doom Squad still alive in another form?

*takes off the GCR cap and puts on the Doom Squad hunting hat*

BT! I choose you!

It was one year ago today that this message was sent on behalf of the cartel to the Squad of Doom. We shall reissue this message before rounding up the galaxy's most infamous bounty hunters to continue the chase.

Achute, my pee kasa Benevolent Thomas.
Xoriet wah ning chee kosthpa murishani tytung ye wanya yoskah.
Kava doompa D'emperiolo stoopa an Bona nai kachu. Tah-koh tee womp rat e’nachu.

[Xoriet]

It was one year ago today that this message was sent on behalf of the cartel to the Squad of Doom. We shall reissue this message before rounding up the galaxy's most infamous bounty hunters to continue the chase.

Achute, my pee kasa Benevolent Thomas.
Xoriet wah ning chee kosthpa murishani tytung ye wanya yoskah.
Kava doompa D'emperiolo stoopa an Bona nai kachu. Tah-koh tee womp rat e’nachu.

The fact that they didn't know what the message said was all the justification the bounty hunters needed.

[Consular]

Every org has the overzealous newbies. If you started getting hatemail from the upper ranks, that would be questionable, but I'm assuming most of it was the random DEN Private saying "Death to x! Hail DEN!" or something similar?

My favourite was "you suck". Followed by "you really suck". One even called me childish. Not really insulting (at least, not to me...) or vindictive, but also not in tune with that ridiculous motto you guys love to post everywhere in bold text.

This isn't even addressing the nonsense posted on the RMB. "DEEENNNN!!!1111!!1" etc

Just on the whole, not professional imo. But maybe my view is skewed from work with orgs that actually were professional in their conduct.

Would you mind forwarding any telegrams you recieved from DEN personnel to We Are Not The USPS? I'll deal with it.

We as DEN don't care what the world cares about us.

So much inconsistency from you guys. Very professional stuff.

For the record NSA, I think you received BBD's "not as much of a dick as the other invaders" award or something like that.

[Kknight]

Offical DEN beliefs, view points, and opinions are the posts made by Gest, Kknight, Knot, or DEN News Agency. All other posts are usually opinions of the individual and not necessarily of the organization.

Thank you.

[Consular]

Excellent. So basically "official DEN" is silent, while the hordes of lackies are given free reign to run about the place and say what they want. Is that official DEN's idea of professionalism?

[Kknight]

viewtopic.php?p=26084996&sid=46faca695456595a121f7ca3315745b6#p26084996

This was the offical statement on the TWP takeover. Someone sending harassing TGs to you? File a GHR. I can confirm that not a single person in DEN asked to send g-rated insults to you or any other person. If you would like to provide the names of the puppets, we would be more than happy to look into it ourselves. But please do remember, we can not control who puts up our flag and pretends to be part of DEN, especially in a high profile raid, such as TWP takeover. If you or anyone else reading this finds a nation impersonating a DEN soldier, feel free to contact me, or another ranking member of DEN, by TG, and we will take the steps necessary to attempt to correct the issue. Your cooperation is appreciated.

[Consular]

I don't believe I accused anyone of harassment. I just accused DEN and its soldiers of being unprofessional and not living up to its self important motto.

I'm not sure what cooperation exactly is appreciated, since I'm not and don't intend on being cooperative.

[Bhang Bhang Duc]

For the record NSA, I think you received BBD's "not as much of a dick as the other invaders" award or something like that.

To be fair it was the "BBD Award for Most Gentlemanly Behaviour in a Raid". I did say the competition wasn't great though.

[King Nephmir II]

I don't believe I accused anyone of harassment. I just accused DEN and its soldiers of being unprofessional and not living up to its self important motto.

I'm not sure what cooperation exactly is appreciated, since I'm not and don't intend on being cooperative.

You don't honestly expect a region to keep every one of their new members in line, do you? Don't you think calling an organization unprofessional because of the acts of an untrained few is a bit much?

[94 block]

http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?p=26084996&sid=46faca695456595a121f7ca3315745b6#p26084996

This was the offical statement on the TWP takeover. Someone sending harassing TGs to you? File a GHR. I can confirm that not a single person in DEN asked to send g-rated insults to you or any other person. If you would like to provide the names of the puppets, we would be more than happy to look into it ourselves. But please do remember, we can not control who puts up our flag and pretends to be part of DEN, especially in a high profile raid, such as TWP takeover. If you or anyone else reading this finds a nation impersonating a DEN soldier, feel free to contact me, or another ranking member of DEN, by TG, and we will take the steps necessary to attempt to correct the issue. Your cooperation is appreciated.

Cassius, I help out the HC of DEN by heading their Foreign Affairs Bureau, and completely endorse Kknight's post. If you ever have any trouble similar to this in the future, I and other members of DEN leadership will be more than appreciative to hear about it so we can get it all sorted out.

[Shadoke]

My post was more to the people talking about diplomatic consequences, which I derive from the fact that we don't have allies, but the fact that we extend friendly hands to like-minded regions, therefore we don't care who dislikes us, and was entirely my own opinion. Consistancy with the official DEN stance should not be expected.

If I crossed the line into being unprofessional, please telegram me with what I had said or done.

[Elegarth]

No,
1. Me and Elegarth both thought it was a joke a little before and after the joke, and talked about it. I told them I only jumped to be a butt. I'll provide screens if needed.

2. I thought this was all a joke till the DEN order changed, so didn' think too much about my little stunt.

Basically this is what happened. URA - the player not the nation - said he wanted to do "something" on his way out, and we thought the WFE changes and all were his "something", until we realized later through an RP region that he had ACTUALLY made the mistake/decision/#&$%"% of giving the nation out to DEN. And a few minutes after that, DEN changed its orders on their regional WFE so yeah... :/

To Be Honest, DEN didn't acted outside of what one would expect of a raiding region like theirs.

[DEN NEWS AGENCY]

Off-duty With Gest

---

The High Command:

✯✯✯ Field Marshal: Gest
✯✯ General: KKnight
✯✯ Brigadier General: Knot

---

The Black Riders: United We Stand

---

FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT | Sergeant Tyegëa

“Damn you TBR! Even in death you weigh us down!” ― Gest

As per the words of the Field Marshal himself, the occupation of The Black Riders is still ongoing. As Ever-Wandering Souls from The Black Hawks, in the guise of Harenhime, and Knot from DEN, in the guise of Omusubi Kororin, vied for endorsements from both allies and their own, neither wanted to be the one watching for liberation attempts. With the occupation of Japan ending, occupiers poured back into The Black Riders, once again reinforcing Harenhime and NSA.

Ever since the seemingly-native delegate, Harenhime, unmasked himself at last as Ever-Wandering Souls at the advent of this year’s RaiderCon, rising stars such as Funen, Sanctum and Auralia have reinforced the Black Riders alongside pre-Influence era veterans such as The Land of Kings and Emperors, Lone Wolves United and The Black Hawks in a remarkable display of Raider Unity.

Disciplined unity in complete contrast to the roughshod and uncoordinated “unity” (if it could be called that) displayed by the initial hodgepodge native and fenda pilers who took The Black Riders, fuelled by years of pent-up rage, angst, hatred and fear: fleeting emotions fated to last long after The Black Riders are long-gone, but fated also to be scattered as soon as they start to wane, as ashes in the fierce winds of Raider Unity, and muddied in the age-old waters of discipline.

As the occupation now draws to a close, with Ever-Wandering Souls as Harenhime making the final preparations to turn the fallen region into a memorial of the past glory of The Black Riders, we know that this is the end. When one door closes, another door opens:

This is The End of this incarnation of The Black Riders.

When The Music’s Over and all is said and done, we’ll hit up the Whiskey Bar, have a few drinks and Tell All The People about what this place once was, Who Scared You, The Spy, and how you too could get raided Someday Soon.

So give a nod to the Unknown Soldier left behind, Get Up And Dance a bit, and keep an eye out for the raiders going around on a Moonlight Drive... but not TBR.

For all that remains of this now is a hauntingly empty sound, a Ghost Song of sorts.

All Doors must close someday.

Raiding. Alacrity. Ingenuity. Discipline. Exemplar. Refinement. Unity. Neverending. Inevitable. Timeless. Years.

---

Off-duty with Gest: Exclusive Interview

---

INTERVIEW | Sergeant Tyegëa (with Field Marshal Gest)

After a hard day of leading raids against native settlements, even a Field Marshal needs to go off-duty sometimes. I sat down today to interview the mastermind behind DEN.

Here is a transcription of what he had to say:

TYE: Good evening Gest. How are you today?
Gest: I’m fine. How are you?

TYE: Very well, thank you. To start us off, could you perhaps describe DEN as a region and, by extension, an organisation?
Gest: DEN was an old raiding region that had become defunct. It is currently being reimagined in a manner that will honor its previous legacy but also be its own distinct entity in the modern environment.

TYE: Why DEN? Why did you choose to revive DEN instead of creating a new region with a new name?
Gest: A DEN revival was always in the back of my mind since the old home region was refounded, admittedly I hadn’t worked out how that was actually going to happen. I choose DEN because the story of it being occupied by a defender fossil for 9 years appealed to me.

TYE: Before and during the transition from The Black Riders, what did you originally envision DEN as then, both as a region and an organisation?
Gest: A large self-sufficient region with a pure raiding worldview.

TYE: What do you envision DEN as now, both as a region and an organisation?
Gest: I envision effectuating the above goals. A large pure raiding region is clearly necessary. Recently the defenders have suggested that all raiders become Cat Burglars and/or confine ourselves to the Warzone Ghetto. A strong raiding region is necessary to denounce any traitors on the raiding side who would agree to such nonsense.

TYE: DEN’s first occupation was of Paradoxia. Why was Paradoxia chosen, and what are your feelings on the occupation as a whole?
Gest: Knot/Ivo recommended it. For the limited resources available to us at the time, the occupation went well. The point lasted long enough to have the embassies close and repelled several joint defender-roleplayer liberations.

TYE: DEN’s second occupation was of Power is Rising. Why was Power is Rising chosen, and what are your feelings on the occupation as a whole?
Gest: Shadoke want to occupy a region. However the defenders choose not to defend because according to them it was a raider aligned region. In actuality the region said it would both defend and raid. The occupation went well, the region was refounded and thus we liquidated a small nest of apostates.

TYE: DEN’s third occupation was of Japan. Why was Japan chosen, and what are your feelings on the occupation as a whole?
Gest: Japan was chosen because people are suckers for well-known names. Occupation went well, point got to ban several defenders and there was a strong allied response to our request for aid.

TYE: What would you personally describe as your greatest challenge, in regards to DEN?
Gest: The greatest challenge was the loss of several people in the transition to DEN. Their loss is unfortunate but what was meant to be was meant to be.

TYE: What would you personally describe as your greatest accomplishment, in regards to DEN?
Gest: The creation of a strong nucleus for a large raiding region.

TYE: What are your thoughts about the progress of DEN as a region and, by extension, as an organisation?
Gest: We’ve got a good group of raiders who are showing some good hustle. The framework for a successful raiding region has been laid out. It’s all about building on our gains.

TYE: What are your thoughts about the upcoming wargames?
Gest: The wargames are a good idea. Hopefully the organizers come through and hold the games.

TYE: How do you foresee DEN panning out in the near future?
Gest: In the future I see a 1000 nation region, with 100 non-updaters, and 20 updaters. Note not a guarantee. Life is not about the destination it’s about the journey and how many natives are banned during that journey.

TYE: Do you think there is anything that could be improved in DEN and, if so, what and how?
Gest: More activity, more self-sufficiency, more triggerers, more initiative from the lower ranks.

TYE: Thank you for your time Gest. Goodnight.
Gest: Thank you.

---

CoupWatch 2015: The West Pacific

---

SPECIAL REPORT | Sergeant Tyegëa

Following in the footsteps of Empire and living a coup that Durk could only dream of, DEN, with Brigadier-General Knot taking the lead, pulled off a coup on The West Pacific, a region whose population once numbered over 5000, until Knot was entrusted as the delegate. He revealed his true colours with the passage of the Minor update on the 21st of September, and marked The West Pacific as DEN’s, causing widespread public outcry and horror at what unfolded before their eyes, while they could do nothing but watch.

Naysayers far and wide scoffed that Knot would not even be able to hold The West Pacific to the Major update, but they were proven wrong. With the aid of Sergeants Tyegëa and North Pacific Spy and Field Marshal Gest – who kept close watch on liberators as they came pouring in to aid the natives – as well as our very own comrades-in-arms – who helped reinforce Knot as delegate – we held them all at bay, quashed the resistance and even expelled the erstwhile emergency delegate, Elegarth. A Pyrrhic victory, but a victory nonetheless in the eyes of many, however fleeting it may seem, but enough to rouse Dalimbar of Empire from his retirement, as he was spotted aiding the natives of The West Pacific.

Morning’s End: The End of a Fictional Narrative

---

by Sergeant Tyegëa

Never did we realise that natives were capable of such retribution, not even when they first took The Black Riders. With necromancy in the equation now, it was too dangerous to stay behind in Japan: we had to leave post-haste...

Japan was in chaos. Otaku had returned as a vengeful guardian spirit, and even consulting the high priest of Raideron had revealed no trace of how she managed to return, only that she had indeed returned and sought our blood. I need not seek to describe the confusion, for you will remember old romances that tell of maidens disappearing in the night, and of how it was the next morning, with foolish young men who escorted them home upon request, never to be seen again.

His first messenger having failed to return, Knot sent a second. “I left Japan while the natives were still mourning”, he said.

Knot’s wife and the other soldiers made no sense. They had no notion what might have happened or might happen, and they moved in utter confusion from one possibility to the next. 94 Block and North Pacific Spy, two soldiers among us who had known of the crisis, had heard rumours from the natives of Otaku’s growing moodiness in months past, and feared she might have returned vengeful. Fearing the worst, 94 Block opened a letter Otaku had intended to leave to the natives of Japan, but which he had intercepted:

“My worries have left me quite unable to sleep, and so I suppose I shall not see you tonight even in my dreams. Nightmares, rather; nightmares dominate my life and have driven me mad. I see, in my mind’s eye, raiders, marching under a banner so ancient, but with names and faces as young as the morning’s glory, who seek to burn Japan to the ground. Though I am young, I grow frail now with a mysterious ailment, and I cannot protect you in life as I once could. There is only one option: I must protect you in undeath. Do not mourn me.

Goodnight, sweet soldiers...”

Knot looked over 94 Block’s shoulder to read the undead girl’s note to the natives, and was rendered speechless, his brow creased with worry and panic. It had happened.

There could be no other explanation for an impending bloodbath. But why had she not given the natives even a hint of it all? She had been their protector since she was a little girl. Otaku, in life, had not been separated from them for a moment, had not kept the tiniest mote of a secret from them, or so it seemed. Why, at the most important time of all, had she given no indication of what was coming? It was too much.

We had known, from listening to the natives wailing, that Otaku was despondent, but neither they nor us had thought her capable of such extraordinary, such frightening power. But how, exactly, and in which form, would the divine retribution come?

As a crimson haze slowly crept upon the mid-morning sky, Knot, raising his bloodied sword and gathering our forces, but first his wife, shouted his orders: “RETREAT!” He continued to give his orders, making sure everyone had heard his orders, and that they were followed without question. Those who resisted he personally ventured back to and dragged them off the tagfields in the general direction of Japan’s borders, sword in hand, though most heeded his orders.

As the last of our forces and those of our allies approached the border where Knot was shouting orders, his wife refused to leave him. No matter how much he pleaded with her, she would not leave his side. “What these otherworldly forces are capable of we cannot even begin to fathom! At least in death we will be reunited, but in undeath, there is no rest or reunion with the departed!” he muttered, desperate, and his eyes brimming with tears, as she continued to shake her head, clinging to him. “Grey... Please!” he pleaded one last time.

Stunned and hesitant, but slowly taking in his words, Grey slowly accepted Knot’s embrace one last time before she retreated with the rest of our forces, with our allies’ forces following close behind.

As the skies turned blood-red, almost black, Knot realised that those who had not yet retreated were all but gone to Otaku’s vengeance, and only then did he finally follow his own orders and retreat, barely managing to snatch his life from the jaws of death and from the very real doom and eternal torment of undeath.

---

Modified passage from The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu. Excerpt taken from near the beginning of Chapter 52: Kagerō (蜻蛉)

[Consular]

You always seem to leave out that you didn't get TWP from any skill on your part at all... It was handed to you by a grumpy Delegate who we thought was more mature than he actually was.

Knot wasn't "entrusted" as Delegate at all... We certainly didn't do "nothing but watch"... You didn't "quash" the resistance. But I guess you're entitled to your propaganda.

I guess this is what happens when a GCR tries to give the Delegacy to new players, rather than recycling the same tired elite that most regions do.

[Valrifell]

You always seem to leave out that you didn't get TWP from any skill on your part at all... It was handed to you by a grumpy Delegate who we thought was more mature than he actually was.

Knot wasn't "entrusted" as Delegate at all... We certainly didn't do "nothing but watch"... You didn't "quash" the resistance. But I guess you're entitled to your propaganda.

I guess this is what happens when a GCR tries to give the Delegacy to new players, rather than recycling the same tired elite that most regions do.

Still bitter about the whole affair, I see?

[Xoriet]

You always seem to leave out that you didn't get TWP from any skill on your part at all... It was handed to you by a grumpy Delegate who we thought was more mature than he actually was.

Knot wasn't "entrusted" as Delegate at all... We certainly didn't do "nothing but watch"... You didn't "quash" the resistance. But I guess you're entitled to your propaganda.

I guess this is what happens when a GCR tries to give the Delegacy to new players, rather than recycling the same tired elite that most regions do.

You know, TEP didn't have that problem with Ramaeus or Bachtendekuppen or me when the "tired old elites" passed the Delegacy to a newer generation.

[Consular]

Still bitter about the whole affair, I see?

Well we won, in a rather hilarious way too, so not bitter.

I am definitely still on tilt though.

You know, TEP didn't have that problem with Ramaeus or Bachtendekuppen or me when the "tired old elites" passed the Delegacy to a newer generation.

You, Ramaeus, and Bachtendekuppen are not new, nor were you when you took the Delegacy.

[Lord Ravenclaw]

We as DEN don't care what the world cares about us.

DEN as a whole may not, but some of its members may care what the world thinks of them. I had a discussion with a certain member of DEN who withdrew from said operation when they discovered that I was aware of their involvement. Although I did appreciate their agreement that they would not take part in any other operations against Feeders and Sinkers at my request.

Following in the footsteps of Empire and living a coup that Durk could only dream of, DEN, with Brigadier-General Knot taking the lead, pulled off a coup on The West Pacific, a region whose population once numbered over 5000, until Knot was entrusted as the delegate. He revealed his true colours with the passage of the Minor update on the 21st of September, and marked The West Pacific as DEN’s, causing widespread public outcry and horror at what unfolded before their eyes, while they could do nothing but watch.

Ohhhhkay. Where do I begin?

1. Way to go with insulting JAL. A JALCOUP(TM) is by far a superior event, that DEN failed to emulate (seriously). Do you have any idea what an actual coup in the Feeders or Sinkers looks like? I'm guessing no, since [DEN's] performance in TWP was lacklustre at best.

2. Entrusted? Well, that's one way of putting it. My own preference is "begged". I've lost considerable respect for [Knot] as a result of those events, and it will be a long time before I ever trust him with anything of import again.

3. Could do nothing but watch? Really? I seem to recall rousing the militaries of three feeders, having discussions with the Delegate of a Fourth as well as communicating with officials from at least three UCRs who deployed their militaries in The West Pacific. I also sent a well known nation of mine into the region, as well as resurrecting a few older ones that I have used in the past to fight problems like that. We also saw the Bucket family get together (I'm Richard, by the way) and have a few family moments on TWP's RMB. I specifically enjoyed speaking to the uneducated and unwashed masses that were DEN Grunts. I take it that the ability to think for onesself, let alone communicate effectively beyond grunting is not a requirement for membership? If it is, then I suggest you start looking for the villages and see if any of them are missing a few idiots, you may find said idiots within your own ranks.

4. As I've said to numerous people: DEN resembles a three-penny pantomime at a knock down slum theatre. You've got a long way to go if you want to be professionals - TBR was no different, and you're just under a different name. I get that you're using a name with a huge history in the vain hope that it'll rub off onto the current incarnation but if wishes were fishes... TBH remains the most professional raiding military organisation.

5. It wasn't just Dali who stepped into the fray, quite a few people from across NationStates stepped in. The West Pacific had the full might of four other Feeders come to Her aid during that event. Plus at least four other UCRs. Attitudes may start to shift, and I hope that those events will pave the way for better understanding between TWP and the rest of the NS communities who have off-site governments and communities.

Naysayers far and wide scoffed that Knot would not even be able to hold The West Pacific to the Major update, but they were proven wrong. With the aid of Sergeants Tyegëa and North Pacific Spy and Field Marshal Gest – who kept close watch on liberators as they came pouring in to aid the natives – as well as our very own comrades-in-arms – who helped reinforce Knot as delegate – we held them all at bay, quashed the resistance and even expelled the erstwhile emergency delegate, Elegarth. A Pyrrhic victory, but a victory nonetheless in the eyes of many, however fleeting it may seem, but enough to rouse Dalimbar of Empire from his retirement, as he was spotted aiding the natives of The West Pacific.

You wasted the influence by removing one of the Guardians. If you really had any idea of the damage you could do, with the right means and focus, you wouldn't have touched Elegarth or the Guardians and would have gone after the nations endorsing the guardians which would have had, in most cases, less influence and would have been easier to remove. I have to question the skill (and knowledge) of the people orchestrating it; you get a star for effort though.

Unless of course, [Knot] wasn't serious about it to begin with, and thus led [DEN] to believe that he was for reasons I'm not entirely familiar with. [Knot] has spent enough time around the Feeders where it's been discussed how to hold a feeder, since JAL gives his advice out regularly enough. Plus the Malice Trio and others have also shared their knowledge freely, and given [Knot] was in [Cormac]'s circle, it makes sense that [Knot] would have heard about it.

But who knows eh? I've always found [Knot] to be a very competent individual, but appearances can be deceptive, I suppose.

[McMasterdonia]

Still bitter about the whole affair, I see?

Well we won, in a rather hilarious way too, so not bitter.

I am definitely still on tilt though.

You know, TEP didn't have that problem with Ramaeus or Bachtendekuppen or me when the "tired old elites" passed the Delegacy to a newer generation.

You, Ramaeus, and Bachtendekuppen are not new, nor were you when you took the Delegacy.

Hmm, I just checked. Their nations are slightly older than mine. But still - they were new members to the East Pacific when they took office, at least compared to many other GCR Delegates who have played NS for five-10 years. I was elected Delegate within 9 months of joining, and I *think* Escade was elected within 6. You can transition to new Delegates without what happened this time, and I hope that TWP gives it another shot after what will hopefully be an excellent term by Delegate reunion.

The Bucket family reunion - mentioned by Raven - was my personal favourite part of the event. No bias whatsoever, of course. It was handled well by the TWP community, and I have a renewed respect for the rebellion style system that they use. Each region is different, but I think that worked quite well in this case.

[Solorni]

Why are defenders like Raven even posting in this thread? > : (

[Lady Anastasia]

Following in the footsteps of Empire and living a coup that Durk could only dream of

To follow in our footsteps, you should have at least had some plan. And Durk seemed bored by you guys. So.... no.

[Kringalia]

I *think* Escade was elected within 6.

8 months actually. Feirmont, our current Delegate, was elected within 7 months of becoming a citizen.