The Osiris Fraternal Order

[The Osiris Fraternal Order]

Pre-Historic Legacy Thread #1 Legacy Thread #2
Legacy Thread #3 Legacy Thread #4 The Old Osiris Oracle Thread


Welcome to the Embassy of the Osiris Fraternal Order

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This forum topic serves as the official Gameplay Forum Embassy of The Osiris Fraternal Order, the sovereign government of the Osiris region. Things hosted within this thread include the following publications: The Osiris Foreign Update, The Osiris Oracle, as well as any Statements by the Pharaoh that are deemed important enough or interesting enough to also be added into the Gameplay Forum. It would be preferred if the topic here could stay mostly Osiris related, though Osiris Administration fully understands non-Osiris discussion if it is based off of an Osiris Oracle article or something of a similar sort. Thanks for reading, and feel free to help yourself to some complimentary coffee and pastries!

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Useful Links

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IRC Chat (#osi on Esper)
Guide to the Osiris Fraternal Order
Citizenship Application
Embassy/Consulate Application

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Got any questions? Telegram Pharaoh Cormactopia II.

[The Osiris Fraternal Order]

Table of Contents
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Pharaoh Tim Stark's Statement on The Imperial Wall | January 28th, 2016

[The Osiris Fraternal Order]

Yesterday, Pharaoh Tim Montresor-Stark released a much-promised announcement to the region about the construction of a wall between Balder and Osiris. Given the general amusement value of the statement, as well as the public notification it provides on some Osiran embassies, the Osiris Temple of Information Distribution has deemed it appropriate to post in this thread. The full transcript of the statement is below:

From the Office of Pharaoh Tim Montresor-Stark:
A Statement on the construction of The Imperial Wall
January 6th, 2016

Osiris,

Our culture, it is threatened. Our liberties, they are infringed. Our people, they are scared. Over the past many months, unbeknownst to both the governments of Balder and Osiris, self-proclaimed "free folk" living outside of government jurisdiction have been crossing the southern border of Balder and pillaging the northern reaches of Osiris. With reports coming in weekly of Osiran settlements up in the frontier going "dark" so to speak, having their fires and their lives extinguished by these savages, who folks have taken to calling Villmen. Though we of cities like Memphis, Kadesh, Karnak and other great cities are not in danger yet, we must ensure that these Villmen do not achieve any more, both for the sake of our great cities and the sake of the Osiran frontierfolk.

It may come as a surprise to many that Osiris has a northern frontier, or that it is in fact for the most part a cold and barren wasteland, but the many campaigns of the Sekhmet Legion have extended the Imperial borders far past the traditional confines of the Nile River that many of us have come to know and love. Reaching deep into the tundras and frost of our world, the Northern Frontier of the Osiran Imperial Order is a savage place, not for the likes of most people. Those who reside there are hardy, simple souls, hardened by the wind, and forged by the cold. Yet, they are Osirans, and as it has been previously stated, we must ensure their protection from the Villmen.

It is, due to this, that I have spoken with both the architects and engineers behind our greatest constructs, as well as the imperial arch-mages, on the topic of construction, specifically that of a preventative barrier from the Villmen of Balder's southern frontier. In the end, it was concluded that while some outposts, watch-towers, or even patrols might deter these invaders, the only true solution is a solid barrier that increases the difficulty of assailing the Osiran Frontier one-hundred-fold. And so, after months of spellcasting, carving, planning, praying, and fighting the bitter elements of the cold, our most ambitious construction since the erection of the Great Pyramid of Mekhet is complete. I present to you, Osiris, very much inspired by a potentially existing fantasy series, The Imperial Wall, as rendered upon papyrus and sent back to Memphis with haste for our viewing.

This is no mere wall, mind you. Sparing no expense, this construct rises 300 meters tall and 30 meters wide, stretching across the entire expanse of the Osiran Frontier. While I apologize for not informing the nobles of main Osiris earlier, I felt that this wall, on which building commenced early into my second term and remained in progress until now, could not be compromised. Operational security was kept at a maximum, but I am now proud to say that our northern border will be more secure than ever. The Imperial Wall currently only has five fortresses established across its expanse, but as the years pass I hope to increase that number to ensure constant vigilance. However, at the moment, the following fortresses have been erected:

• Fort Amun
  - Situated at the dead center of the Imperial Wall, Fort Amun serves as the de facto center of operations for the current forces garrisoned at the wall. Staffed by about 1,500 men, it is the largest of our current fortresses.
• Sobek's Light
  - Spanning both sides of Bastet's Folly, the perilous ravine temporarily running parallel with the wall, Sobek's Light is lightly garrisoned with about 300 troops, with an additional 20 arcane troops there for the purposes of researching and delving further into Bastet's Folly. It is situated to the west of Fort Amun by a fair distance.
• Wolfsguard
  - Located in one of the most desolate parts of the frontier and the Imperial Wall itself, Wolsguard is more of an outpost than a fortress, containing an advance force of about 150 at most. Heavily fortified, however, it is the only currently existing fort build on both sides of the wall. The sole way of crossing between the two halves, short of ascending the wall, is through a narrow passage designed with the ability to be collapsed at any moment of potential danger. Wolfsguard is located on the Eastern part of the wall.
• Point Hawkswind
  - Established as the western-most point of the Imperial Wall, and built into and around the top of the wall itself, Point Hawkswind serves as both a spotting location for kilometers around, but also as a key defensive fortification. Staffed by 500 men, it boasts a surprising amount of warmth for a fortress hollowed out of the Imperial Wall itself.
• Harald's Overlook
  - Named for the naval figure of Balder lore, Harald's Overlook serves as both the eastern-most point of The Imperial Wall and as the furthest north port in the possession of The Imperial Order. Serving the dual purpose, therefore, of being the last stop for supplies and gossip before Osiran merchants brave the freezing cold waters leading deep into the Realm of Balder as well as a key fort of the wall, it has a sizable garrison of 800 as well as a small settlement already becoming established around it.

Of course, many Osirans will then question where in Ra's name the double-crown found the wealth to pay for such an endeavor, given the consistent progress on such innovations as extensive aqueduct systems and public works projects down South in the Nile Valley. Those nobles who continue to skirt government regulations will be pleased, I imagine, to hear that it did not end up getting siphoned from their pyramids and vaults. For the most part, as promised in some campaign speeches, much of the funding was paid by, whether willingly or not, the funds of North East Somerset. The rest came up from a successful piling of funds between the crown of Balder and the double-crown of Osiris, as well as from a small zero-interest loan from the Pharaoh's own coffers.

In addition to this construction, Pharaoh Tim Montresor-Stark concluded that to clear up much space for more public works as possible, the Temple of Horus would take a census deeming incredibly inactive embassies and consulates, of regions which weren't allies or friends, within the boundaries of the city to be cleared for destruction, with the obvious option of being rebuilt in the future if needed. The census gnomes came back with the following list of demolitions:

Embassy:

• The Embassy of Caprecia and Nysa, empty since July 2014
• The Embassy of the International Democratic Union, empty since April 2014
• The Embassy of Kantrias, empty since June 2014
• The Embassy of La France, empty since October 2014

Consulates:

• The Consulate of The Association of Imperialism, empty since September 2014
• The Consulate of Ainur, empty since July 2014

In addition, the Pharaoh declared the taking down of the following region flags displayed as associates of Osiris, due to either a lack of reason for their presence or in relation to the cutting of embassies.

"In-Game":

• West Atlantic Organization
• India
• The Confederacy of Narvolk
• PrayForParis
• Conservative League
• Funen

Many other embassies on the list are currently under scrutiny, but will first have missives sent to their home region's ruling bodies on the topic of maintaining the embassies.



To Greatness,

Pharaoh of the Osiris Fraternal Order

[Benevolent Thomas]

Even though I skimmed this, I can tell its a great read. 10/10 Will actually read later.

If one of my regions had posted this, Fris would have locked it by now.

[Tim-Opolis]

Even though I skimmed this, I can tell its a great read. 10/10 Will actually read later.

If one of my regions had posted this, Fris would have locked it by now.

Thanks for the praise!

Given that the latter part discusses our embassies and the removal of aging embassies long abandoned by their ambassadors, we feel that it's still got more than enough Gameplay within it to be able to be posted within Gameplay.

[Siberian Districts]

#MakeOsirisGreatAgain

[None of your silly business]

#MakeOsirisGreatAgain

Those Lazureans are stealing our jobs and endorsements

[Kleorophorm]

The February Issue

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Talken with Walken: Interview with Raging Zen Master

Marselesk: Welcome, RZM, thanks for agreeing to do this!


Raging Zen Master: My pleasure!


Marselesk: Tell us a bit about how you started playing NS, and what drew you to raiding.


Raging Zen Master: Well it was a dark and stormy night...In seriousness, I've always had an interest in the political world, and so from that interest, NationStates ended up on my radar to get involved in and start playing. I was first drawn to the military aspect years and years ago when I happened across the RMB posts of a region that had recently received a new delegate. If my memory serves, that region was Western Europe. So naturally seeing irate natives yelling at the folks that had torched the place piqued my interest and so I put it in my dossier and went back to things as normal. I believe the folks behind the operation at the time were the Alliance of Dictators. When I followed up looking at the region I saw the issue about a liberation going on, and that's when I figured it'd be a great aspect of NationStates to get involved with.


Marselesk: Was TBH the first military you got involved with?


Raging Zen Master: My first involvement was with the Europeian Republican Navy.


Marselesk: Ah, indeed. I recall you being a senator there at some point in time, if I'm correct?


Raging Zen Master: Indeed, I've served in that role for several terms there.


Marselesk: You've recently been appointed as leader of the military of Balder, how did you end up there?


Raging Zen Master: Well, to go straight to Balder from Euro is to leave out a significant amount of involvement I had within The Black Hawks, which is where the answer to your question is.


Marselesk: True enough. What lead you to becoming a Black Hawk, and how do you see the region today as opposed to when you just joined it?


Raging Zen Master: Two words, and it's an anecdote that I don't quite think is that we'll known, though I do get asked "Why?" a lot because of them. Christopher Walken. What had happened in the Europeian Republican Navy during an operation was that I had decided to fly my flag as a form of psychological warfare. To that end a standard flag wouldn't do and I needed something that would strike fear into the hearts of our opponents and respect among comrades. I thus settled on the visage of Walken to be the herald of military might. That went on for a few operations, some good laughs were had, and so things seemed to be going swimmingly - I even got hate mail from people who were angered by Walken, so I figured the mission had been accomplished.

A couple of weeks passed before I was then informed that I was expected not to use the face of Walken as a herald anymore. At this point I had developed an affinity to adopt that imagery and when I was presented with the choice of either abandoning Walken, or ... Walken away... I chose the latter and ended up on the doorstep of Jakker. Jakker then welcomed me into the Hawks, and since then I've enjoyed being a part of that group of fantastic folks. I see the region of TBH as having grown in the year and a half that I've been there. Great leadership and great people.


Marselesk: What are your thoughts on the current state of the Jomsvikings, and what do you plan accomplish during your term as their leader?


Raging Zen Master: Balder is currently in a state of renewal and rejuvenation. We've recently recruited some exceptionally enthusiastic folks who are taking on a number of cultural and legislative projects. The benefits from that boost in activity have been particularly beneficial to the military. The Jomsvikings numbers were bolstered and we were able to field a number of troops, both newcomers and veterans alike to operations in Asia, Belgium, and the like.

For my personal hopes, I'm working on revitalizing the infrastructure and organizational side to ensure that participants in operations are recognized and rewarded for service. Currently my term is tentatively up, but I am hopeful to be re-appointed to the same posting within Balder once the MPs from our recent election are able to convene and lay out plans for the coming term.


Marselesk: What are your thoughts on the current state of R/D? Do you feel that there is a imbalance between the two sides?


Raging Zen Master: The state of R/d is of course unbalanced, as the two never have been equal or on even footing. It's quite worth expanding on and exploring, though. There often is a dichotomy that gets played up about Raiders and fendas being opposite sides of the coin. I don't believe such to be the case, though and believe the two to be entirely separate and incapable of balance.


Marselesk: When you eventually leave the game, or retire, what would you want your legacy to be?


Raging Zen Master: I hope to leave behind a more cohesive group in the areas I am involved in, as well as to leave behind a reputation and legacy of appreciation for both my fellow NS players, and Christopher Walken.


Marselesk: Alright, thanks again for participating, it's been nice talken with walken.

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The Festive Talk: Interview with Festavo

Marselesk: Welcome to the show, Festavo, thank you for taking out the time to do this interview.


Festavo: Good to be here, thanks for the invite.


Marselesk: So, you've recently served as Pharaoh of the Osiris Fraternal Order, how did you feel after the term ended and you were mobile again?


Festavo: I felt a little liberated, but it also made me realize how fast my term went.


Marselesk: And do you feel like you've accomplished the things you wanted to as Pharaoh? Or do you still think there's some stuff you want to see done?


Festavo: I personally see my term as Pharaoh to be a complete disappointment. I had hoped to boost activity via route of cultural events, roleplays, a more active Deshret and the like. I had hoped that NSA would continue my work in making The Sekhmet Legion a formidable raiding force and that we would see record activity there. I had hoped the Osiris Oracle would be the premier NS GP news source. I had hoped for a bigger and stronger community with more recruitment from the region to the offsite forum. My campaign was centered around record activity on all fronts, but I was a mediocre Pharaoh and I sincerely apologize to the people of Osiris for my empty promises. I had some tough and blunt talk with a mix of optimism and realism, but in the end I didn't get the job done.


Marselesk: A tough perspective to have. I suppose that's a good kind of mentality, being able to genuinely criticize yourself. You mentioned NSA continuing your work in the military aspect of the region, how do you feel about the Sekhmet in its current state?


Festavo: The Sekhmet Legion took a hard hit in activity under NSA due to his inactivity. I am happy to say membership is no lower than it has been in my terms. We have not had an operation in this term yet, but I am working on it. I got dealt some hard blows on my first operations with them failing before liftoff so I got set back a good deal. We will be operating very soon as I have planned some operations, but they take a bit to get started. Keep an eye out for the comeback. To answer your question about how I feel about it, I will not be happy with The Sekhmet Legion until we get activity to a solid level through consistent operations, more initiative from lower ranks and a size increase. My goal is for The Sekhmet Legion to be the most prominent GCR military and to compete with the bigger UCR militaries. Very ambitious, I know.


Marselesk: I'll be on the lookout for more Sekhmet action, then. Before being elected as Pharaoh, you've also served as Scribe of War for quite a while. We've seen the Sekhmet do a solid number of operations after you've taken over, do you feel satisfied with the results you brought to Osiris in your past few terms?


Festavo: No. I have not led the Legion to the level of success I outlined in my response to your last question. I will not be truly satisfied until that happens. However, I am glad I could bring the Legion more activity than my predecessor. I am told I have done a good job, but I try not to judge my own work. It is hard to believe this will be the fourth time I have been appointed to this position. It will be my third full term however. Time certainly does fly by.


Marselesk: So, what other regions are you currently in?


Festavo: I am a Sergeant in The Black Hawks. I was also just recently awarded the Arms of Glory, a medal presented for skill and valor on the battlefield on many occasions. I am one of three Grand Councilors in Grand Central. This is the first elected term for the Grand Council. The region is coming along nicely thanks to 94 Block and others reviving it. I am also a citizen in The East Pacific. Nothing special to say there...just a lowly citizen


Marselesk: Grand Central has been recently revived by 94 Block, what do you think of its future? Will it become the colossal powerhouse it once was?


Festavo: I am not too familiar with what it used to be, but I am confident it will continue to grow and I hope it does become a powerhouse. I will do my best as Grand Councilor and I hope to be a big part of the continued growth of Grand Central.


Marselesk: What are your thoughts on the introduction of Regional Officers? And do you think the R/D game is currently out of balance?


Festavo: I think the introduction of Regional Officers is a great thing. Took forever to get them however. I remember first hearing about them in early-mid 2014. I think they are a good addition to the game. I personally wish there were fewer restrictions, but that is because I am a raider. Do I think the R/D game is out of balance? Not really. I think naturally one side will be stronger than the other at one time or the other. It is just the way things work. It fluctuates. I do think raiders have a strong advantage when it comes to tag raiding. Detagging forces are not as prominent and active as taggers. When it comes to occupations I would say it is a rather level field. I cannot say for sure that one side has an edge over the other right now.


Marselesk: Are there any particular new features you'd like to see added to the game?


Festavo: Annexation and custodians are nice ideas. Estimated update times being displayed on regions is also a nice idea to allow less tech savvy and lower level players to take part in R/D or for players who just want to know when their region updates. NS++ does that, but they are horrible times and, let's face it, NS++ is not for everybody.


Marselesk: When you eventually leave the game or retire, what would you want your legacy to be?


Festavo: I want my legacy to, above all, be one of a cool dude. I want people to look back on me as a friend and somebody they could trust. Of course I would like my legacy to be much more, but if that is all I get for a legacy, that's fine. I try my best and I hope people think I am a good guy. I would like to go down as an accomplished raider/player and maybe more, but let's see what life has in store. I am 2 years into a game I never envisioned to be in for 2 years. All bets are off at this point


Marselesk: Fair enough. That's all for the show, thanks again for participating.


Festavo: Thanks for having me on, man. I appreciate it. Anytime.

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Ghostbuster Special: Interview with Greyghost

Marselesk: Welcome, Greyghost, thanks for agreeing to the interview.


Greyghost: No problem! It's a pleasure to be here today.


Marselesk: You're the newest gameplayer out of the three i'm interviewing, tell us a bit about how you found NS, what region you're originally from, and what drew you to military gameplay.


Greyghost: I was introduced to NationStates by a good friend of mine who played for a short while. The first region I joined is an imperialist region known as Ainur and run by Augustus Anumia. The first few months of playing, I mostly stuck to the culture of the region and small government involvement, that sort of thing. Upon working with the then High Command of Ainur, 94 Block, I was slowly introduced to small raiding activity and dabbled in infiltration once. During my small infiltration, I was thrown into defending where i was taught the basics of Gameplay.


Marselesk: So you eventually followed 94 into DEN after that?


Greyghost: Correct, yes. He invited me to come with him, and I followed him to DEN and loved it.


Marselesk: Right now you're the General of EPSA, what lead you there?


Greyghost: That's a very interesting story, haha. Well, I was speaking with a friend one day and we were having a hypothetical conversation. This led to the hypothetical question of "Would you like to be the Overseeing Officer of the EPSA?" It was later revisited as a serious question, so I thought it over for a few days and decided to take the position.


Marselesk: How do you feel about the state of EPSA right now, and what do you hope to accomplish during your term?


Greyghost: The current state of the EPSA is slightly inactive at the moment, though I'm working on things in the background to get it started. I plan on keeping the EPSA active in the world of gameplay once again, and keeping the delicate balance of the EPSA's professional reputation. Another goal of mine is to maintain the same family like environment that was made by Xoriet and Severisen Montresor, which I believe helped tremendously in keeping the activity and helping with team cooperation. Above all, I want it to be a fun place to participate in, where people feel welcome and are able to have fun in the realm of gameplay.


Marselesk: What are your thoughts on the current state of R/D? And do you think that there is a imbalance?


Greyghost: I think the current state of R/D could possibly be improved. Specifically the interaction between raiders and defenders. Obviously there will disagreements between the two sides, but the interactions at times can be toxic. From what I've heard from others, it has greatly improved, but I think it could probably always use improvement. I know they've recently changed the game mechanics a couple times over the past couple months, which makes things interesting to say the least. I think there is a imbalance, but isn't there always? It used to be defenders were the majority, but now the roles have switched.


Marselesk: Do you think GCRs in general are safer now that the RO feature has been put in action, or do you think it just opens room for coups?


Greyghost: It has perks and downfalls. I think it could happen both ways, honestly. If the ROs are loyal to the region and current leadership, the GCRs will be safe and secure. The problem would be if their loyalty is fishy or they have an intention to coup, it could make it quite easier to. Though, I think being able to restrict the RO's power helps avoid that issue to a certain degree.


Marselesk: Is there anything you'd like to see added to the game?


Greyghost: Nothing that i can think of at the moment.


Marselesk: When you eventually retire or leave the game, what would you like your legacy to be?


Greyghost: I don't think I really care about leaving a legacy, I just wish for those to remember that gameplay is supposed to be fun and that doing it with people whom are friends is what makes it awesome.


Marselesk: Alright, that concludes this interview. Thanks again for participating.

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The Foreign Dispatch

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Pharaoh elections

While the month of January was still in its younger days this year, the Deshret of the Osiris Fraternal Order had come together once more to vote on who should be the new Pharaoh, per the expiration of Pharaoh Emeritus Festavo's term. Though there were only two candidates for this seat of importance, the campaign was most certainly interesting to observe. Victor Siege, an on and off member of Osiris for a solid year and a half, and Tim Stark, one of the currently oldest members of the community, both went full-out with their campaigns in order to portray their plans and ideas as best they could.

However, when it came to the actual election, two time Pharaoh Tim managed to steal away the votes with his coherent and promising plans, as well as his solid show of leadership and wisdom in the past, and get himself a third term in the Imperial Palace upon the Pharaonic chair. The election itself concluded with Tim Stark receiving a total of 14 votes, and Victor Siege receiving one vote. After the almost unanimous vote to proclaim him as the Pharaoh of Osiris, Tim found himself in the orange masking once more. Later on an official announcement on behalf of the Pharaoh's office was released on the new Osiris forum, which consisted of a speech and summaries of future goals and plans.

After giving it some thought and considering all the people either vocally interested or capable of handling a certain area, Tim Stark went on to nominate several people for the Hedjet. These would, without any debate or disagreements pass and become legitimate in the eye of Osiran law. As per previous mention, the Pharaoh has also removed the offices of Foreign Affairs and World Assembly Affairs during his term, and has absorbed them into the responsibility of himself. The newly appointed Hedjet consists of Vizier Joshua, Scribe of Security Severisen, Scribe of Justice Rogamark, Scribe of Media Marselesk, Scribe of War Festavo, and Scribe of Culture Kyorgia.

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Pardons

Osiris has went through many turbulent times during its existence, as most of our readers know, and has shown time and time again that it can handle the stampedes coming its way. From the time it first appeared on the NationStates regions list, through tough times of the Empire and the Kemetic Republic, and all the way to its current state today. It has managed to show its strength and integrity in the darkest of times, but has recently revealed that it is more than righteous in a state of prosperity as well. The newly elected Pharaoh Tim Stark brought a fresh proposal to the Deshret that seemed troubling for some, but symbolic to most. Though, to what direction it was pointed was a cause of some debate between the councilors.

The proposal would fully pardon the then banned Cormac Stark and Ridersyl, but also remove the Persona Non Grata status from George Holland, Biyah, Dalimbar, Neenee, and Neo Kervoskia upon passing. Additionally, the proposal was presented as an all-or-none package, where either all the presented people would be pardoned, or none would. Naturally, there was a lot of diverse reactions from the councilors of the Deshret, which sparked a lengthy debate on whether or not such a proposal would be good for the reason, and whether it's even necessary to pass it. The discussion went on for a solid week, with all sides voicing their concerns and thoughts with reasonable arguments. Some went as far as to suggest this could potentially endanger the region, while others saw it as nothing more than symbolic. Granted, the latter would not be united in their thoughts on whether or not the proposal should pass, as they would debate on what kind of message it would send.

Nonetheless, the proposal eventually moved to the voting process where the Deshret would give its final say on the matter. Suspense had taken over the scene, as one after another the councilors presented their votes to the public. And finally, the vote concluded once the Keeper counted all the posts and confirmed that the majority of the Deshret had approved the proposal, fully pardoning all the individuals listed in it. This has not only proven that Osiris is a forgiving and mature place, but that it is a fully independent and self-sufficient force. And the proposal itself has also shown its value, as both Cormac Stark and Riderstyl are working as active and devoted members of the Deshret today.

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Keeper Elections

Though the previous Keeper of the Deshret Tomb was very efficient in handling the Deshret affairs, and dedicated to his job, the time has come to elect a new person to fill in the position. Many nominations were made for this round of elections, but eventually four people ended up accepting them. The diverse pool of candidates consisted of Deputy Scribe of Media and ex-Vizier Jakker, co-founder and Pharaoh Emeritus Cormac Stark, Councillor Ridersyl, and Councilor Kajan. Very active campaigns sprouted on the off-site forum of Osiris as a result of this, and all four candidates gave the voters many reasons to think on who to go for. Once the time for voting had come, the results gave Jakker the spotlight as the new Keeper of the Deshret, with Ridersyl coming in at second place. It is of no doubt to any citizen of Osiris that Jakker will prove to be more than capable in handling his job with great care and effort, as he has shown in other fields of work as well.

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The Sekhmet Rides Again: Philippines Invaded!

During the year 2015, the Sekhmet Legion has made a remarkable comeback from its inactive state of limbo under the leadership of Scribe Festavo. Holding the position of Scribe of War for three consecutive terms, Festavo has shown great competence and devotion in his conquests, and has given the Legion new life. However, that activity has somewhat died down in the past three months, as most could see. An unfortunate turn of events, considering the path the Legion had taken prior to that. It could have also been assumed that the Legion would not rise to do anything of note during this round either, but that assumption was just shot down completely after the Legion's latest expedition into foreign territory.

On the minor of February the 18th around fifteen unexpected guests had arrived into the peaceful and quiet region of Philippines, making the previously assumed-to-be native the new delegate of the region. However, upon closer inspection, one could see the joint might of the Sekhmet Legion of Osiris, The Land of Kings and Emperors, The Black Hawks, Europeian Republican Navy, and the mages of the Kingdom of Alexandria move in to endorse a sleeper that had waited to finally take over the region. Signifying a flashy return of the Sekhmet Legion, this occupation currently stands with thirty-five endorsements on the delegate/point. A great show of planning and management from the behalf of Scribe Festavo has brought fruit some had not thought possible for a military like that of Osiris, and has set in stone the destiny of the targeted region. Long live Osiris!.

[Zaolat]

Bang Boom Buff

RZN where is that BoM shoutout at? Hmmmmmm?

[Manny Pacman Pacquiao]

I would thank Kleo for interviewing me for this issue. It was an honor and I look forward to working with the Oracle and possibly other news sources in the future.

The Sekhmet Legion is back with the raid on the Philippines and more to come!
-Festavo

[The Osiris Fraternal Order]

From the Office of Pharaoh Tim Montresor-Stark:
On the Predator Tool and Associated Rules Violations
March 22nd, 2016

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It has come to the attention of the Osiris Fraternal Order that, over the course of nearly two years, numerous raiders have made use of a semi-automated raiding tool, known as Predator, created by delete-on-sight player Halcones before he was declared delete-on-sight. This Predator tool has now been ruled to be in violation of NationStates site rules by NationStates administration. According to Eluvatar, a member of the NationStates administration team, "the tool not only breaks site rules, but appears to be explicitly designed to do so." The Osiris Fraternal Order unequivocally condemns the development and use of the Predator tool.

We are relieved to confirm that the Predator tool has never been used in the course of operations lead by the Sekhmet Legion. We must unfortunately acknowledge that some of our citizens, including two executive officials and our forum root administrator, have used the Predator tool in the past to trigger the operations of other military forces. It should be noted that none of these individuals believed the Predator tool violated site rules, that they have been cooperative with NationStates moderation, and that they have expressed remorse for their use of the Predator tool. Regardless, ignorance and negligence are not valid excuses for involvement in what amounts to cheating. Indeed, there can be no valid excuse. Any raider who made use of the Predator tool should have known exactly what their own raiding tool was doing before making use of it, and should have been much more cautious about a raiding tool created by such an untrustworthy individual, particularly after he was declared delete-on-sight for script rules violations.

We encourage each and every citizen of the Osiris Fraternal Order who made use of the Predator tool to fully cooperate with NationStates moderation in their ongoing investigation. To the best of our knowledge, every Osiran citizen who has used the Predator tool is already cooperating with NationStates moderation. Osiran citizens who used the Predator tool on behalf of other regions and in ignorance of its violations of site rules will not be penalized by the Osiris Fraternal Order, as their actions were not undertaken on behalf of our region or our military. We will, however, respect and support whatever penalty NationStates moderation may impose, and we encourage the regions on whose behalf the Predator tool was used by our dual citizens to take appropriate disciplinary action. We believe that any consequences imposed by NationStates moderation and by the regions in question will be sufficient for those who ignorantly and negligently violated site rules through use of the Predator tool, without additional penalties imposed by the Osiris Fraternal Order.

The Osiris Fraternal Order will not, however, tolerate intentional violation of site rules by our citizens or by our military partners. Any citizen who is discovered to have known that the Predator tool violated site rules and used it anyway will be barred from participation in the Sekhmet Legion, and may have additional action taken against them as appropriate and as permitted by Osiran law. We will terminate diplomatic relations and military cooperation with any region that is discovered to have deliberately made use of the Predator tool with knowledge of its site rules violations, and we will only revisit such relations in the future when it is demonstrated to our satisfaction that the region or regions in question are committed to fair and responsible gameplay in compliance with site rules. Our investigation is ongoing and our review of diplomatic and military relations has only just begun, but willful wrongdoing will not be swept under the rug. That is our promise to the NationStates gameplay community.

As the government of the largest raider region in the world, the Osiris Fraternal Order takes very seriously our leadership role in the raider community, particularly the important political and diplomatic role we are privileged to undertake as the only raider game-created region. Although we have not made use of the Predator tool, we have nonetheless failed to lead as we should have. We should have raised questions about the Predator tool when its existence came to our attention and especially after its creator was declared delete-on-sight. We should have insisted that the Predator tool should not be used by our military partners until it was verified by NationStates moderation to be fully rules compliant. There was much that should have been done, and much that was not done. The responsibility for this lies, in varying degrees, with the entire raider community, and Osiris is not exempt. For our failure to lead when we should have, to ask questions, to insist on caution, we sincerely apologize -- to our fellow residents and citizens of Osiris, to our fellow raiders, to our competitors, to natives, and to others adversely affected by use of the Predator tool.

We know that an apology, on its own, cannot rebuild the trust the raider community has lost, or make up for our own lack of leadership. We are committed to rebuilding trust in the raider community through future leadership, and by ensuring that nothing like this ever happens again. It is our commitment that the end of this scandalous chapter in the history of raiding will be the beginning of a new chapter, a concerted effort by the raider community to ensure, in the future, that a rigorous standard of fair and responsible gameplay that is fully compliant with site rules will be upheld. The Osiris Fraternal Order will insist that our citizens and our military partners meet this standard, and we will have zero tolerance for failure to meet this standard. We urge our fellow raiders to join us in this commitment and to taking concrete steps to ensure that fair and responsible gameplay is the unbending standard for the future of raiding.

Signed,

Tim Stark, Pharaoh of the Osiris Fraternal Order
Joshua Bluteisen, Vizier of the Osiris Fraternal Order
Jakker Isaraider, Keeper of the Deshret

[Yokiria]

The Pharaoh represents Osiris well here. I apologize for any and all raids I partook in where Predator was used by the lead, in the non-Osiran military forces I find and have found myself in. I am also assured and fully believe that the Legion never conducted a raid with Predator.

With Osiris being the only GCR with the Invader tag in NationStates at present, it is difficult to put to words how disgusting this whole situation is.

It is my personal hope that every raider that was involved, intentionally or accidentally, in the damage Predator caused to Gameplay, presents a true apology to defenders, regardless of the expectation of how their apology is to be received.

[Cormactopia II]

An Address from the Pharaoh of the Osiris Fraternal Order
Declaring a Transitional Government and State of Emergency

---

My fellow residents of Osiris, citizens of the Osiris Fraternal Order, and our friends and allies abroad:

As many of you are already aware, the recent forum election for Pharaoh was fraught with controversy and divided the community of the Osiris Fraternal Order in half. The first contentious round of voting resulted in re-opening of nominations, but not before one candidate, The Almighty Jesus Whale, attempted to be elected Pharaoh by switching his own vote at the last minute to vote for himself, instead of voting to re-open nominations as he and half the community had agreed. The second round of voting concluded by a margin of one vote, with last minute votes and vote switches cast by citizens who now appear among The Almighty Jesus Whale's list of cabinet nominees. The vast majority of The Almighty Jesus Whale's cabinet nominees had, in fact, voted for him in the forum election, an indication of possible political patronage and corruption. Other voting anomalies have also been questioned by citizens of the Osiris Fraternal Order.

The outgoing Pharaoh, Tim Stark, and I have concluded that with such controversy and perceived manipulation, the results of the recent forum election cannot stand. Moreover, we have decided that the Delegacy of Osiris can no longer be subject to forum election, lest the questionable tactics used in the recent forum election be repeated in the future due to a desire to attain the power of the regional Delegacy. The Pharaoh will continue to serve as Delegate and head of state, and will choose a successor upon retirement, adapting our own version of the monarchist model that has proven so stable and prosperous in so many regions, including our sister Sinker, Balder.

With the assent of the outgoing Pharaoh, I have succeeded to the office of Pharaoh of the Osiris Fraternal Order, and I have appointed the outgoing Pharaoh to serve as my Vizier. As your Pharaoh and as co-founder of the Osiris Fraternal Order, it is my solemn duty to announce nullification of the State Code of Osiris, which has served this regional community well but no longer meets our needs, and declaration of a state of emergency. For the duration of this state of emergency, full sovereign authority will be vested in a Transitional Government of the Osiris Fraternal Order headed by the Pharaoh. After regional stabilization, this state of emergency will be rescinded and new terms and conditions for the operation of governmental, legislative, and judicial institutions will be established.

Residents, citizens, and our friends and allies now face serious choices which must be quickly decided.

The Almighty Jesus Whale has, due to his high endorsement count and regional influence level, been ejected and banned to ensure the security of Osiris. Should he choose to cooperate with this Transitional Government, he will be permitted to immediately return to Osiris with a puppet nation, and in time his main nation will be permitted to return when its regional influence has diminished.

Should the remaining Guardians of the Osiris Fraternal Order choose to cooperate with this Transitional Government, they will continue as regional Guardians. To demonstrate their cooperation, we ask the Guardians to endorse the Pharaoh and Vizier, and to refrain from exceeding any endorsement limit we set for Guardians.

Should residents and citizens choose to cooperate with this Transitional Government, life in Osiris will continue as usual for them without disruption. It is not our desire to conduct purges or to exact any kind of retribution. We are interested only in peace, order, and good government that meets the needs of our regional community.

If, on the other hand, any resident or citizen refuses to cooperate, and instead engages or assists in aggression against this Transitional Government, they will in due course be ejected and banned. Depending on the gravity of their aggression and the level of risk we judge they pose to future security and stability, they may face permanent exile from Osiris as enemies of the state. This will not be a judgment we will render lightly, as it is not our wish to disrupt or divide the regional community, but it is a judgment we will render whenever we believe it is necessary to safeguard the security and stability of Osiris.

Should friends and allies recognize this Transitional Government as the legitimate continuation of the Osiris Fraternal Order, we will continue to recognize them as friends and allies. If, on the other hand, any foreign power engages or assists in aggression against this Transitional Government, their forces will in due course be ejected and banned, and we may be compelled to reevaluate our friendships, alliances, or alignment in light of such aggression. Aggression against the Osiris Fraternal Order will never be forgotten. Support in difficult times will always be remembered.

It is the hope of this Transitional Government that these choices are clear to all, and that all will make the right choices. We do not wish for conflict, but we will not shy away from it. The peace and order of Osiris are at stake, and we will not stand down in doing what we must to protect this regional community from manipulation and division. The corruption and chaos that the Osiris Fraternal Order was founded to drive from this region will never again reign over Osiris. Let us all come together and make this a time of renewal, reviving the core values of perseverance, independence, and, most of all, fraternity that form the foundation of the Osiris Fraternal Order.

All parties will have 72 hours to make their choices. Any act of aggression against this Transitional Government will, in the meantime, be interpreted as a definitive choice in favor of aggression, and will be met with a swift response. May we instead move forward as sisters and brothers.

---

Signed, on behalf of the Transitional Government of the Osiris Fraternal Order:

Cormac Montresor-Stark (Cormactopia II)
Pharaoh of the Osiris Fraternal Order
Co-Founder of the Osiris Fraternal Order

Tim Montresor-Stark (Tim Stark)
Vizier of the Osiris Fraternal Order
Pharaoh Emeritus of the Osiris Fraternal Order

Ambroscus Koth (Saq)
Scribe of the Osiris Fraternal Order
Pharaoh Emeritus of the Osiris Fraternal Order
Co-Founder of the Osiris Fraternal Order

Joshua Bluteisen (Ikand)
Guardian of the Osiris Fraternal Order
Pharaoh Emeritus of the Osiris Fraternal Order

[John Turner]

Condemns The West Pacific for abolishing their forum government, abolishes elections within his own region to be appointed delegate........

Cormac, you have basically couped Osiris. Congratulations, you have basically became the NPO, and completely devalued the condemnation we authored against them.

Pat yourself on the back why don't you?

[Ikania]

Condemns The West Pacific for abolishing their forum government, abolishes elections within his own region to be appointed delegate........

Cormac, you have basically couped Osiris. Congratulations, you have basically became the NPO, and completely devalued the condemnation we authored against them.

Pat yourself on the back why don't you?

Do you think he cares about consistency? Cormac's been either the most prolific defender or prolific raider I know, but I can't decide which

[Alvalero]

Best of luck to Osiris in resolving its internal conflict quickly.

[John Turner]

Condemns The West Pacific for abolishing their forum government, abolishes elections within his own region to be appointed delegate........

Cormac, you have basically couped Osiris. Congratulations, you have basically became the NPO, and completely devalued the condemnation we authored against them.

Pat yourself on the back why don't you?

Do you think he cares about consistency? Cormac's been either the most prolific defender or prolific raider I know, but I can't decide which

No..... Cormac cares about drama more than anything.

[Tim Stark]

Cormac, you have basically couped Osiris. Congratulations, you have basically became the NPO, and completely devalued the condemnation we authored against them.

Not even a bit of credit to the person at the wheel? Rude.

[Caelapes]

[11:16:10] <@Koth> tim is a loose cannon cop on the edge who doesn't play by the rules

how did no one see the writing on the wall

[McManniaa]

And here I thought today would be boring. Guess Mondays aren't always boring after all.

[Benevolent Thomas]

Today's featured region is Gatesville Inc. Max himself can't write such a horrifying coincidence.

Assuming that there is such a thing as coincidence on this site...

[Valrifell]

Well, uh, wow, that was unexpected.

[Unibot III]

How is this not the precise system of governance that Cormac Stark criticized TWP for adopting? And surely the clearer path to avoiding patronage is to elect cabinets, like in TRR and TSP? Or approve ministers, like in Lazarus? This seems like a big, self-interested change being advocated for something that could be resolved through simpler means.

And then there's the whole, you know, cancelling the "Transitional Government" stuff, which is quite obviously a 'veiled' coup...

[Biyah]

Right, it's only a 'full blown' coup if UDL helps in the transition process. Remember that, Uni? Thought you might.

*goes back to eating popcorn and watching Osiris.

[Unibot III]

Right, it's only a 'full blown' coup if UDL helps in the transition process. Remember that, Uni? Thought you might.

Welcome back. Just in time for a coup.

I was away from NationStates at the time, but if I recall the precise circumstances: Gatesville had invaded Osiris, while the KRO requested UDL's assistance to take back Osiris. And no, I don't consider a liberation Osiris from Gatesville to be a "coup." Even Gates would struggle to not smile at that bull.