10000 Islands Embassy

[The Nation of the People of the Nation]

Off-site terrorism is terrible. Hope that y'all can recover whatever is recoverable and that y'all bounce back from this!

[The Church of Satan]

Greetings my fellow NS members. As some of you may have heard, today 10000 Islands was targeted by a person impersonating a member of our Discord moderation team. This impersonator was able to gain access to our entire discord server by impersonating an offline moderator, to the detriment of our region.

This impersonator, once having access to our server, engaged in a destructive action that left our entire server destroyed. All information within our server since it was created in late 2016/early 2017 has been destroyed and is beyond retrieval. Over a dozen members of our server were also banned by them, and we are working on contacting them in order to re-invite them. We ask that the community please have patience while we work go fix what has been destroyed, and if you know anything please contact us.

Thank you,
Kuriko
Chief of Staff of XKI

Any idea who the impersonator is?

[Jakker]

These kind of situations suck. Definitely not cool that this happened and wish you all the best of luck.

[Lord Dominator]

Greetings my fellow NS members. As some of you may have heard, today 10000 Islands was targeted by a person impersonating a member of our Discord moderation team. This impersonator was able to gain access to our entire discord server by impersonating an offline moderator, to the detriment of our region.

This impersonator, once having access to our server, engaged in a destructive action that left our entire server destroyed. All information within our server since it was created in late 2016/early 2017 has been destroyed and is beyond retrieval. Over a dozen members of our server were also banned by them, and we are working on contacting them in order to re-invite them. We ask that the community please have patience while we work go fix what has been destroyed, and if you know anything please contact us.

Thank you,
Kuriko
Chief of Staff of XKI

Any idea who the impersonator is?

Moderation did I believe delete the person (they bragged about it onsite), but I don't know of anyone who has indicated they know them as anymore than a particularly malicious individual.

[God-King Rorschach]

I am so so so sorry to hear that. Please let us know if we can help in any way.
We are contacting and spreading awareness about this.

[Maowi]

This is a huge shame. I'm so sorry to hear about everything you all lost from this. Best wishes in recovering.

[Kuriko]

Thank you everyone for your kind words, it really means a lot. Our server has been rebuilt to the best approximation of what we had before, but the loss of the information there can never be rebuilt. Luckily all of the most important stuff was done on our regional forum, so we haven't lost that.

NS moderation is handling the person behind the attack, at least on-site. I can say that the person who did this is known as The Star Federation on discord. Although we're aware they have many alt-accounts.

[Honeydewistania]

Aw man, that’s shit. I know XKI can recover from this, but those lost archives are gone forever. A shame.

[Sancta Romana Ecclesia]

That's just terrible. I'm truly sorry that this has happened to you, no region deserves this.

Off-site content destruction is a huge problem, I'm only glad it is not more prevalent and that the perpetrator of this was caught.

[RiderSyl]

no!

that's so awful. my heart goes out to the entire 10KI community

[The Noble Thatcherites]

This is just devastating to hear, Kuri. It has to suck to lose all of that incredible history, however, I am glad that the perpetrator of this attack is being banned both on and off site by administrators. Your stalwart leadership in this crisis has to be comforting for the XKI community. Those who destroy online properties should have no haven in this game.

[Ambrella]

If I or Europeia can be of any help to you, please let me know. This kind of destruction is intolerable.

[10000 Islands Foreign Affairs]

10000 Islands Emissary Report

Date: September 2020
Population: 1,522
Delegate Endorsement: 414
Forum: https://10000islands.proboards.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/4uWZbNS

TITO Command

Has your region been invaded, or do you want to get in touch with TITO? If so, contact one of the following nations:
~Chief Executive: Markanite
~Field Commander: Kanta Hame
~Tactical Officers: Shy Guyia, Smugglers and Mercs (TITO EF), THX1138, Controlitia, Grea Kriopia, Kuriko
~Executive Officers: Hakketomat, Aschente

Government

As of this report's publication, the Government of 10000 Islands consists of:
~Chief Executive: Markanite
~WA Delegate: HumanSanity
~Senior Senator for New Republica South (Debates and Discussions): Controlitia
~Senator for Himes West (RP): Wille-Harlia
~Senator for Lyonnesse East (Houses): Thedairos
~Senator for Blue Canaria North (Emissary Report): Wischland
~Minister of Immigration: THX1138
~Minister of Education: Grea Kriopia
~Minister of Labor: Free Las Pinas

Information about other government officials of 10000 Islands can be found here.

September Elections

Scheduled elections took place in September for the positions of Delegate, Senator for New Republica South, and Senator for Blue Canaria North.

HumanSanity of MSPP entered the race for Delegate, with strong support from the previous month's straw poll. Hakketomat also ran a playful campaign in the democratic spirit. Despite accusations of vehicular manslaughter, HS pulled through with an easy victory. Congratulations!

Incumbent Controlitia defeated Kohnhead and Solarampa to stay on as Senator for New Republica South.

Wischland ran unopposed to become Senator for Blue Canaria North following Grea Kriopia's transition to Minister of Education.

Congratulations to all candidate for a campaign well-run.

XKI thanks Kuriko for her invaluable service as Delegate.

New Government Appointments

~Minister of Education Grea Kriopia appointed Kohnhead as her deputy to assist her in collecting and organizing information about XKI
~ Ananke II and Eastern New England joined the Welcome Buddies team on the behest of Grea Kriopia to greet and mentor new Islanders
~Dokansia was made emissary to Forest and Yuwa was made emissary to Greater Dienstad
~Delegate HumanSanity hired Margaux as Secretary of State, to assist in the supervision of Emissaries and advise of FA matters
~Eastern New England was hired as Foreign Affairs Secretary

N-Day

This year's N-Day prompted great excitement within 10000 Islands. As the date grew nearer Islanders were eager to discuss N-Day in the RMB and every nation prepared for the nuclear apocalypse. XKI joined the Potato Alliance alongside many other spud-loving allies, with HumanSanity and Haivon serving as Potato Generals to lead XKI's operations.

Although the Potato Alliance had a rough start to N-Day, some expert strategy and the willingness of every member to grind away at the production of shields and nukes allowed for a quick recovery. Potato Alliance regained a positive score at about +12:56. From there, the faction climbed the ranks from last place up all the way to 2nd place, ending N-day with an astounding score of 284,847 and a grand total of 346,472 strikes!

Around the Islands

~September's Featured Nation was Yuwa. Consistent and undoubtedly reliable, Yuwa's dedicated work as a recruiter, TITO member, and emissary makes them more than worthy of the honor. Keep up the good work!
~Following the success of XKI's first TacoVision, Hakketomat quickly decided to host a round two. TacoVision II was even more popular, with 32 song submissions, an extended listening party, and a nail-biting live vote count! Congratulations to Ananke II for winning with the excellent song choice of Est-ce que tu m'aimes?
~A Short Story Contest hosted by Taco-Island-Charities asked Islanders to write a story about someone who "has been completely color blind for their entire life, seeing only grayscale, until they come across a stranger who appears in color." The contest concluded this month, with Jabberwocky taking the cake with his charming tale.
~Towards the end of the month, XKI was swept up in an Among Us craze, with Islanders gathering together every day to kill, sabotage, and accuse one another. Accidental self-reports, stab-happy imposter teams, and the clearly-audible sounds of murder coming from unmuted mikes led to a great deal of laughter and made everyone just a little sus.
~XKI joined the partea in the Tea House of Cards, where Islanders discussed trading cards and participated in fun events with friends from other region. Special congratulations to Eastern New England, for winning 1st place in the Quantitea and Regional categories of the Card Collecting Competition alongside Reimstagrad, and to Anisopterra for winning the I'm an Arteast section of Cute Animal Competition with their adorable drawing.

XKI Game-Side

A regional poll by THX1138 asked Islanders to pick their favorite kind of pole. XKI is evidently a fan of penguins as the South Poll became the clear winner!

The RMB picked up again in September with these wonderful revelations:

~Don't go clubbing with Krystalveil
~Fighting words
~NS is sus
~Make a wish!
~Give yourself a round of applause
~GK's #1 Fan
~Jaws 4: Coming to a Daycare Near You
~A true delegate
~Throwback Thursday

Meet A Nation Interview

HumanSanity has served in many government offices during his years in XKI, and has now taken on the mantel of Delegate. In this edition, he was gracious enough to give us a look into his plans for the region.

Wisch: First off, congratulations on becoming delegate! It's quite the achievement. What inspired you to run for the position?

HS: Since joining NS, regional government and region building have always been interesting to me. Throughout my time in 10000 Islands I've held a variety of government positions. This has always been something, simply put, that I find really fun. As I grow older, I especially love seeing my work succeed in building a strong community. I decided to run for Delegate for a few reasons.
First, it's sort of what's next for me. In XKI, I've held 2 of the 3 Minister positions (Labor and Immigration) and I am the only person to have been elected to each different Senate seat. But I had never been Delegate before, and I have an appetite right now to continue being a part of leading the region.
Second, I think the example provided by Kuriko was really instructive for me, and she certainly deserves credit for demonstrating to me how to effectively and tactfully advocate for defender values in NationStates. While I have my own approach and direction, Kuriko certainly guided me and helped hone my philosophy of XKI's foreign affairs.
Third, on a purely selfish level, I think this is going to be fun. Ultimately, we play NS because it's fun, and I think I'll enjoy both the gear of being Delegate that is about long-term improvements and projects and the gear where you address each problem and crisis as it arises. I think I'm going to have fun over the next 6 months, even if I'll be a bit exhausted

Wisch: You've certainly been very involved in XKI's government! Was anything different about your delegacy campaign than your previous campaigns for senator?

HS: More than anything it was different because I had planned it for a lot longer. I decided I was going to run for Delegate about 6 weeks before declarations open. Just emotionally there was a lot more build up and excitement associated with the election. Running for Delegate is a big decision: it's a 6 month term (not 4 months), it requires you to lock your WA nation from defending activity, and it requires you to serve as an informal figure head/head of state for the region (especially on site) in addition to performing specific job tasks.
Otherwise, it was pretty similar. Of course, I've never been accused of vehicular manslaughter before, but eh, that's not too big a deal.

Wisch: I'm sure getting elected gave you quite the sense of catharsis then. Now, let's look to the future. Could you detail some of your domestic goals as delegate? What's to come for XKI?

HS: My most important domestic goal as Delegate is to embody the spirit of 10000 Islands.
Whenever new nations arrive, they look to the Delegate as the nation's highest elected official. While the Delegate is not the highest member of our government, they are listed first on the main nation page, so they're someone who new nations look up to. It's important that the Delegate leads by example, providing a welcoming and positive presence on the main site, on the forum, and on Discord. Over time, I've gotten to see a lot of different Delegates, and I think this inviting atmosphere and community engagement was the hallmark of Ananke's two very highly regarded terms as Delegate.
Another purely domestic priority for the upcoming term is a bit of work with TIBOE. Vivolkha has done a fantastic job taking an informal leadership role in TIBOE, regularly and aggressively advocating for Delegate endorsements. I want to work with TIBOE and the WA Secretariat to connect TIBOE to the World Assembly Supremacy Program and our broader goals of using cross-endorsement to increase activity.

Wisch: And what can our friends in other regions expect from Delegate HS?

HS: My platform was entirely driven by a belief that expanded cultural and social ties will give us more tools to advocate for defender values on the world stage. Part of this is increasing the depth of our ties with other defender regions and part of this is working more with independent and unaligned regions.
To accomplish this, I am going assist several others in hosting a defender cultural summit shortly. Additionally, I am going to bring back the practice of weekend visits, but instead of attempting to run them every weekend, I'm going to pick and choose and invest more energy into planning each one so they can be more successful.
Lastly, and most importantly, I want my term to serve as an opportunity to clarify and promote a message of compassionate defender internationalism. For far too long "moralism" has been framed as a bad thing in favor of infinite relativism and competitive games playing. While the best defenders, both politically and on the battlefield, are tactical and clever, we cannot abandon our core values which are essential for recruiting, retention, and clarity of purpose.

Wisch: Of course, as delegate, you're going to be heavily involved in WA affairs. How are you planning on handling this new responsibility, especially in regards to upholding XKI's values?

HS: Ultimately, barring exceptional discussions or last minute changes in circumstance (as occurred in my recent decision to override the Liberate Syria vote), I will vote according to forum polls.
Of course, I will exercise clear community leadership on SC discussions. It is important to me that XKI supports Commendations for hard-working defenders and defender regions who have a record of extensive service to the cause. It is also important that XKI supports Commendations for those who have dedicated themselves to building neutral, independent, or gameplay unaligned communities as well - RPers, issue writers and answerers, cards players, and region builders who have also done the quintessentially defender work of building a more inclusive and active game.
Additionally, I want to see a serious pushback against the trend of both Commending and Condemning raiders. Both of these badges for raiders and raider regions become recruiting and propaganda tools. In a strategic sense, defenders should be denying raiders these tools for advancing their agenda. This is obviously an intense politicization of the SC, but the SC is already intensely political.
Most importantly, liberations are the last line of defense we have when things have gone wrong on an operation and native sovereignty is on the line. In do or disappear situations for longstanding native communities, I will be fierce in my advocacy for SC liberations for founderless regions being griefed.

Wisch: Thank you so much for your time. Before we conclude the interview, do you have any final thoughts or comments you'd like to share?

HS: I'm really excited to be Delegate and I'm looking forward to it

Until next month, your XKI Update Staff is signing off – Wischland

[Tinhampton]

As per August's emissary report, published on 12th September, "you can catch the WA Affairs found in the vote tracker created by the 10KI WA Secretariat. This section will not be included in future editions." However, the Secretariat's vote tracker has not been updated since that date, with the result that it still displays Repeal "Supporting and Valuing the Humanities" and Commend Altino as the current proposals at vote.

[Lord Dominator]

Why'd your forum go to the "everyone must login" kind of forum now (I like to look at your WA discussions from time to time)?

[HumanSanity]

As per August's emissary report, published on 12th September, "you can catch the WA Affairs found in the vote tracker created by the 10KI WA Secretariat. This section will not be included in future editions." However, the Secretariat's vote tracker has not been updated since that date, with the result that it still displays Repeal "Supporting and Valuing the Humanities" and Commend Altino as the current proposals at vote.

We'll work on this. Things fall behind and we're still working on polishing the format since the transition.

Why'd your forum go to the "everyone must login" kind of forum now (I like to look at your WA discussions from time to time)?

We're trying to rework permissions a bit after some ad spamming from guest accounts. We'll need a bit to tinker with it, but this wasn't the intent when the change was made and we're working on it.

[Lord Dominator]

Why'd your forum go to the "everyone must login" kind of forum now (I like to look at your WA discussions from time to time)?

We're trying to rework permissions a bit after some ad spamming from guest accounts. We'll need a bit to tinker with it, but this wasn't the intent when the change was made and we're working on it.

Gotcha

[Daytime to Night]

Great update and congratulations to all those taking on/elected to new roles!

[10000 Islands Foreign Affairs]

10000 Islands Emissary Report

Date: October 2020
Population: 1476
Delegate Endorsement: 444
Forum: https://10000islands.proboards.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/4uWZbNS

TITO Command

Has your region been invaded, or do you want to get in touch with TITO? If so, contact one of the following nations:
~Chief Executive: Markanite
~Field Commander: Kanta Hame
~Tactical Officers: Shy Guyia, Smugglers and Mercs (TITO EF), THX1138, Controlitia, Grea Kriopia, Kuriko
~Executive Officers: Hakketomat, Aschente

Government

As of this report's publication, the Government of 10000 Islands consists of:
~Chief Executive: Markanite
~WA Delegate: HumanSanity
~Senior Senator for New Republica South (Debates and Discussions): Controlitia
~Senator for Himes West (RP): Wille-Harlia
~Senator for Lyonnesse East (Houses): Thedairos
~Senator for Blue Canaria North (Emissary Report): Wischland
~Minister of Immigration: THX1138
~Minister of Education: Grea Kriopia
~Minister of Labor: Free Las Pinas

Information about other government officials of 10000 Islands can be found here.

New Government Appointments

~Vivolkha was named Chair of the XKI Brigade of Endorsers to organize efforts to increase the delegates endo count.
~Eastern New England appointed Dokansia as the Deputy World Assembly Secretary to assist in the coordination of FA policy.
~The position of Cultural Officer was taken over by Thedairos after Grea Kriopia stepped down. Thank you GK for all your hard work. We look forward to seeing what exciting events Thed has planned for the future!
~Serbianistan, Zaberaz Hapang, and Sulenia were all hired as Welcome Buddies by Minister of Education Grea Kriopia to help guide and support new Islanders.

The Liberty Gala

Islanders dressed up in their fanciest suits and ritziest ball gowns to rub shoulders and drink champagne with their fellow defenders at the first ever Liberty Gala. Players from all over NS joined in for the revelry and got to know one another through games of Among Us, impromptu VC parties, and a congo line to other regions' Discord servers. Besides making new friends, players paid respects to old ones, through panels and essays from experienced defenders, as well as an extensive family tree that traced mentor-trainee relationships through several generations.

But it wasn't all fun and games at the Gala, as players were also split into teams to compete in Defender Telephone, Trivia Relay, and a Detag/Chase competition. Players also had a chance to show off their individual skills in trigger jumping and chasing competitions, with results determined by a nail-biting few milliseconds! Despite the competitive nature of these events, players were quick to praise one another and keep their spirits high. In the end Team Obama proved themselves to be the best defenders (or perhaps just the most enthusiastic), and were awarded 1st place in the Defender Games. Though the end of the Gala is bittersweet, everyone returned home with new friends and plenty of fun memories!

Trick or Treat!

XKI went all in to celebrate Halloween this year, with plenty of events to get everyone is a spooky spirit!

~The Cultural Office hosted a Regional Pumpkin Event, in which Islanders could submit different designs for an XKI jack-o'-lantern. The simultaneously beachy and spooky palm tree design, suggested by THX1138 proved to be the region's favorite. Grea Kriopia, in a live pumpkin-carving session, expertly created this Halloween's fantastic Regional Pumpkin
~Chief Executive Markanite called upon Islanders to collect candy in a Trick-or-Treating themed Scavenger Hunt that had everyone scouring the forums for candy. Margaux proved themselves to be the most adept candy-hunter, finding an amazing 928 sweets, and winning 50,000 tacos as a prize! Wischland and Free Las Pinas also showed their candy finding skills, coming in second and third place respectively.
~The region didn't let the fun stop during Z-Day's zombie incursions. Islanders worked together to cure the zombie plague and save one another's nations, coordinating in Discord and the regional RMB. Player's cure spamming saved trillions of lives, and placed XKI on the Z-Day rankings at #13 for most survivors, and #5 for Most Survivors + No Quarantine. Meanwhile Louisistan led zombie-loving nation to spread the undead scourge from 10000 Zombies to the rest of the world. Whatever side Islanders took, they had a blast working with another to deal with the zombie threat.

Around the Islands

~Margaux was named Rookie of the Quarter. Besides his service as Secretary of state, Deputy Senator for Himes West, in TITO, and as a recruiter, Margaux has been a fixture on the forum and Discord, bringing joy to all with his formality and respectful discourse. Congratulations Margaux on the well-deserved award!
~Islanders sallied over the The Union of Democratic States to spend the weekend socializing with friends there. Members of XKI and UDS got together to play a variety of games and roleplay together in a mutual story-building event. Laughter and camaraderie abounded, and Islanders returned home with lots of new friends.
~Senator for Lyonnesse East Thedairos held the House Shield and Cup Competition, in which recruiters from XKI's different houses competed to contact and recruit as many new nations as possible. Led by the recruiting machine also known as United Counties of Escanaba, the House of Improving Wordiness took both the House Cup and House Shield. The House Sceptre went to the House of Aersoldorf thanks to Free Las Pinas's high recruiting success rate. Congratulations to the winning Houses and thank you to all recruiters!
~October's Featured Nation was Zaberaz Hapang whose excellent work as a Welcome Buddy and recruiter shows their diligence and commitment to making XKI an even better region. Keep up the good work ZH, we can't wait to see what you'll do next!
~Following HumanSanity's assumption of the Delegacy, October saw an Endorsement Drive to get HS's endo count up to an ambitious 500 endorsements. Although HS's endo count was still a bit short by the end of the month, the hard work of TIBOE prompted over 30 nations to give HS their endorsement, with more sure to come soon.
~The A Taco Archipelago International Convention concluded after a month of excellent roleplaying and nation-development, all hosted by Wille-Harlia and Thedairos. Islanders were asked to create factbooks on their nation's military, design a map for their nation, and even write a battle speech! The convention ended with a bevy of awards and congratulations for each event winner.

XKI Game-Side

A poll by Jabberwocky asked Islanders to pick which dinosaur they would save from extinction. Following lots of dino-based discussion in the RMB the Brontosaur and Raptors both proved popular.

There were lots of good vibes in the RMB this month:

~A Cheerful Hello
~Corruption? Who's She?
~Blessed by the Easter Bunny
~Prepare for the Elephant Rebellion
~We all know where Mozambique is
~THX is hip and with it
~NS Deep Fake
~"Good" is subjective
~The wonders of nature

Poet Laureate Competition

Aspiring poets of the region once again competed in October's Poet Laureate Contest, with poems centered on the theme of regret. After two tied votes, Margaux was declared winner of the competition with their poem "The Quiet Throne".

On top you stand alone,
and you have given everything to get there.
You sit on this lonely throne,
and you wonder, was it all fair.

How many dreams did you crush?
Who was hurt during your rise?
Because it was all a rush,
or was it all a bunch of lies.

They told you to be the best,
But did they tell you about the pain?
The endless time put into the contest,
through the snow, mud, and rain.

You pushed your friends and family away,
and only walked a lone path.
You hold the darkness at bay,
ever feeling life's wrath.

The aches and pain of it all,
never seem to disappear.
There is no one for you too call,
as you sit here in fear.

You look back and wonder,
what was it all for?
And as you hear the thunder,
what if you chose a different door?

Until next month, your XKI Update Staff is signing off – Wischland

[10000 Islands Foreign Affairs]

10000 Islands Emissary Report

Date: November 2020
Population: 1,444
Delegate Endorsement: 456
Forum: https://10000islands.proboards.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/4uWZbNS

TITO Command

Has your region been invaded, or do you want to get in touch with TITO? If so, contact one of the following nations:
~Chief Executive: Markanite
~Field Commander: Kanta Hame
~Tactical Officers: Shy Guyia, Smugglers and Mercs (TITO EF), Controlitia, Grea Kriopia, Kuriko
~Executive Officers: Hakketomat, Aschente

Government

As of this report's publication, the Government of 10000 Islands consists of:
~Chief Executive: Markanite
~WA Delegate: HumanSanity
~Senior Senator for New Republica South (Debates and Discussions): Controlitia
~Senator for Himes West (RP): Wille-Harlia
~Senator for Blue Canaria North (Emissary Report): Wischland
~Senator for Lyonnesse East (Houses): Aschente
~Minister of Education: Grea Kriopia
~Minister of Labor: Free Las Pinas
~Minister of Immigration: Thedairos

Information about other government officials of 10000 Islands can be found here.

November Elections

Scheduled elections for Senators for Lyonnesse East and Himes West rolled around again this November.

Incumbent Wille-Harlia was challenged for the seat of Senator for Himes West by Zaberaz Hapang. WH was able to pull ahead during voting to keep his seat.

Former Senator for Lyonnesse East, Thedairos declined to run again this election, making the seat an easy grab for Aschente, who ran unopposed.

Congratulations to all candidates for a race well run! Thank you Thedairos for your service as Senator.

New Government Appointments

~Delegate HumanSanity and Secretary of State Margaux have selected Sulenia to serve as XKI's new emissary to The South Pacific, Wischland as emissary to India, and Wille-Harlia as emissary to Arctic.
~Thedairos wasn't gone from the Council of Nine for long, as Markanite appointed him to the post of Minister of Immigration following THX1138's departure.

Thank you THX for you outstanding service to the region. We wish you the best of luck and much happiness for the future.

Around the Islands

~November's Featured Nation was Astrobolt. Though already fairly experienced in NationStates, Astrobolt recently moved to XKI and quickly made a name for themselves by joining TITO and becoming involved in the region's card community. Congratulations Astro, we're excited to see where you go next.
~Following Kuriko's new and improved Commendation, Taco-Island-Charities sought to give her the honor she deserves through a Commendation Giveaway. Islanders were able to spread the love and appreciation by posting something nice and commendable about another player, who would then receive 1000 tacos. Compliments abounded, and nearly a dozen Islanders walked away with light hearts and heavy wallets!
~The XKI Cards Co-op held a pull event in mid-November for Season 1 Sionis Prioratus. Sionis Prioratus's status as the first Islander to be Commended as well as their card's rarity and value had both the XKI card community and many friends of the region scrambling to get lucky during this event. From XKI, both HumanSanity and United States of Island land had the good fortune to pull a Sionis Prioratus card.
~Although November turned out to be a fairly quiet month for XKI, Islanders were more than happy to settle in for some of the Cultural Office's weekly events. Grea Kriopia, despite leaving the post of Cultural Officer, continued to host movie nights every Saturday, even getting into the holiday spirit with a showing of Elf. All of XKI's regional friends are invited to join us for coming movie nights on Discord. Islanders also kept their minds' sharp with Krystalveil's Weekly Riddles, following the surprisingly puzzling life of Kyle and his family. Big thanks to the Cultural Office for all their hard work!

Islander Achievements

~United Counties of Escanaba reached the historic milestone of recruiting 20,000 nations for XKI. Escabana is one of the oldest and most active recruiters in the region, and this achievement shows just how extraordinary they are. Then Minister of Immigration THX1138 added some perspective to this astonishing number, reporting that "the average population in 10000 Islands over the life of the region is about 1500 nations. This means that Esca, over the course of their recruiting career, has been singularly responsible for filling the region to its average capacity roughly 13 times". We can't thank Esca enough for their exceptional work!
~XKI was struck by an Easter Egg hunting craze this past month, with nations searching high and low, changing pretitles, and altering mottos to earn that sweet easter egg badge. Pianaville found their second easter egg, while New Kowloon Bay was quick to find their first one. Meanwhile, Grea Kriopia has worked her way up to seven eggs, and after 10 long years of searching, HumanSanity has finally managed to turn up his fourth egg. Congrats to all and best of luck in all future egg hunting!
~HumanSanity also got lucky in his card pulls, as he managed to complete Commended Islanders Cards Collection. Valued at just a little over 800 MV for only 11 cards, it's an impressive collection that contains a card from any member of XKI who has received a Commend from the SC. HS's dedication to collecting and displaying these cards in honor of the important Islanders they represent is truly impressive and is sure to lead to some great new collections come Season 3.
~November was a fruitful month for XKI's writers. Wischland became a first-time issue author when "Have Your Cake and Don't Eat It" was published. Congratualtions Wisch! Not to be outdone, Free Las Pinas submitted a General Assembly proposal titled Supporting People With Disabilities, which had reached Quorum, but was pulled before it reached a vote to make some last minute edits. Best of luck to FLP! All of XKI will be crossing our fingers for your success.

XKI Game-Side

A regional poll by Jabberwocky asked Islanders whether or not they believed in ghosts or spirits. XKI is apparently of scientific mind, because most Islanders responded with a strong no!

The RMB trended towards being a little edgy in November, with quite the array of dark joke:

~Speeding towards a better year
~Hello, 911?
~I think, therefore I am (a zombie)
~Couping 101
~Try kissing it better
~I'm watching…your stats
~A real mystery
~Nothing wrong with a little affection!

Meet A Nation Interview

We managed to chase down Margaux in between diplomatic summits and get them to sit down for an interview. Margaux is a rising star in XKI, serving in TITO, as Deputy Senator for Himes West, and as Secretary of State. Here's what this multi-talented Islander had to say:

Wischland: Let's start by taking a look back at your time in NS. What made you stick around XKI?

Margaux: Probably, the people I met here. XKI has so many people who are always ready to help and push you in the right direction. They are always checking in on you, asking how you are doing. And the overall atmosphere of XKI. Everyone I have met on the forum, RMB, and discord are nice people.

Wisch: That's always good to hear! Since you joined, you've also become a big part of the community, and stand out as one of XKI's most active roleplayers. What's your favorite thing about RP here in the region?

Margaux: That different things can happen each day. And how the RP region, "A Taco Archipelago", has evolved overtime. When I first joined, wars were the main thing that happened almost everyday. But, overtime different RP scenarios evolved. Leaders meeting with leaders, trade deals, pacts & unions, etc. Also I love how one nation can make a RP scenario that can slowly snowball into a Great Island War. No matter how small a nation is, they can have an effect on the overall RPing of the larger nations.

Wisch: Sounds exciting! You've also taken on a leading RP role as Deputy Senator for Himes West. How has that affected your RP?

Marguax: Being Deputy has not really changed how I RP overall. But, from time to time arguments will break out in the RP region. Even though it is not clarified in my duties, I try to calm down the sides. Try to work for an agreement so no one gets into any trouble. And as Deputy I report to the Senator of Himes West. So, if he wants something to be done in RP. I do it.

Wisch: Is there anything you'd like to change about XKI RP?

Margaux: I would like to get more people interested in the Forum RP area. Which is why I fully stand behind Senator Wille-Harlia. He has been pushing for more RP activity in the Forum.

Wisch: And best of luck to both of you in that regard. Another government job you've taken on recently is as Delegate HumanSanity's Secretary of State. Could you describe what you do in this role?

Margaux: Well, the main job I have is keeping track of the Emissaries. If they have gotten their reports in for their assigned regions, and if they have sent the XKI Update report out. From time to time, I ping islanders about SC or GA proposals that will be at vote

Wisch: Could you give us a sneak-peek into some of the behind-the-scenes work for publishing the XKI Update Report (like this one). What's the process that goes into writing, editing, and distributing the report?

Margaux: The Senator of Blue Canaria North is the mastermind really behind XKI's Update Reports creation and overall orchestration. The Senator takes note of the numerous events and on goings in the region, and compiles them all into one report at the end of each month. As Secretary of State, I look over the report before I hand it off to the Emissaries and Ambassadors. To make sure there are no errors or if the Delegate would like something added. After it passes me and Delegate HumanSanity's inspection. I round up all the Emissaries and Ambassadors and share it with them, to give to their assigned regions.

Wisch: And that's how it ends up in the hands of our regional friends! Now, let's look forward. What are some of your plans for the future? Should we be expecting a Senator Margaux anytime soon?

Margaux: That is a good question. As of right now I have no future plans. But, my thoughts are turning towards possibly running for Senator. And if things look bright, I may ponder running for Delegate.

Wisch: Well, you're definitely one to keep an eye on! Any final comments you'd like to make?

Margaux: If you are new to the XKI region. And you are feeling overwhelmed, don't be. When I first joined, I would never have thought I would be Secretary of State. I just wanted to RP and build my nation. But, sometimes you can just find something you may be good at. Even if you are not trying to look for it.

Until next month, your XKI Update Staff is signing off – Wischland

[10000 Islands Foreign Affairs]

10000 Islands Emissary Report

Date: December 2020
Population: 1,344
Delegate Endorsement: 438
Forum: https://10000islands.proboards.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/4uWZbNS

TITO Command

Has your region been invaded, or do you want to get in touch with TITO? If so, contact one of the following nations:
~Chief Executive: Markanite
~Field Commander: Kanta Hame
~Tactical Officers: Shy Guyia, Smugglers and Mercs (TITO EF), Controlitia, Grea Kriopia, Kuriko, Wischland
~Executive Officers: Hakketomat, Aschente

Government

As of this report's publication, the Government of 10000 Islands consists of:
~Chief Executive: Markanite
~WA Delegate: HumanSanity
~Senior Senator for New Republica South (Debates and Discussions): Controlitia
~Senator for Himes West (RP): Wille-Harlia
~Senator for Blue Canaria North (Emissary Report): Wischland
~Senator for Lyonnesse East (Houses): Aschente
~Minister of Education: Grea Kriopia
~Minister of Labor: Free Las Pinas
~Minister of Immigration: Thedairos

Information about other government officials of 10000 Islands can be found here.

New Government Appointments

~Minister of Education Grea Kriopia hired Dokansia to serve as Deputy Minister of Education and assist in organizing and updating The Great Library of 10000 Islands and coordinating the mentorship of new Islanders.
~GK also hired Murphtannia as XKI’s latest Welcome Buddy to help greet new Islanders and get them adjusted to life in the region.
~Secretary of State Margaux hired Sulenia to serve as the new emissary to Europe, Megistos as emissary to Canada, Dokansia as emissary to Thaecia, and Astrobolt as emissary to the International Democratic Union.

Around the Islands

~December’s Featured Nation is Megistos, who, besides being a frequent roleplayer, has also joined the Card Co-op and been appointed as emissary to Canada. Congrats Megistos, we’re excited to see where the future takes you!
~Islanders took a trip to the Wintreath forum to play a very intense game of Lord of the Rings-themed Werewolf. Members from both regions worked hard to hunt down Sauron’s forces (the wolves) and translate between the playing styles of each region. In the end, the Fellowship (the town), after plenty of arguments and a few false lynches, managed to deduce the wolves’ identities and secure victory. XKI looks forward to hosting Wintreath for another game of WW next month!
~The holiday season brought plenty of festivities to XKI, with the Cultural Office planning a variety of events throughout the month. Islanders traded presents in a Secret Santa Exchange, anonymously gifting music playlists, drawings, and pictures of cute Christmas animals. The Cultural Office also hosted two Game Sundays, with round of Among Us, Skribble.io, and Uno. Thedairos invited Islanders to participate in a XKI Kahoot, offering several valuable cards to those with the most knowledge about 10000 Islands. With plenty of fun festivities, XKI spent a delightful holiday season together.
~Chief Executive Markanite also got Islanders into the gift-giving mood by setting up the Rudolph’s Presents function on the forum. Islanders were able to collect gift tokens by posting of the forum, then send other nation’s all sorts of delightful gifts, picking from a wide range of animal, food, and other emojis. On Christmas Day, receiving Islanders could open up their gifts and enjoy the appreciation (and humor) shown by their friends.
~As the year approached it’s end, Islanders realized they were still miles away from success in the forums Count to 2021 before 2021 thread. Islanders old and new stepped up to the task and spammed like never before to reach the 2021 goal before the end of the year. On December 31st, Islanders pushed for the finish line with over 200 posts, with Echolilia bringing XKI home with the final 2021 post!

Islander Achievements

~Dokansia took his first foray into issue authorship with his draft Baptism of Liars, about the fallout of religious scams. Dok isn’t the only aspiring issue author though, as Wille-Harlia is also hard at work with his draft Congressional Non-Concession. Best of luck to the both of them in getting their issues published, and in their future issue writing endeavors!
~Several of the region’s newer members proved themselves to be promising issue players by gathering up their first few top 1% stats. Belize and Honduras achieved their first 1% badge early in the month, with the second one not far behind. Meanwhile Porymonia managed to achieve their third 1% badge Although they still have a long way to go before they reach the level of NS’s top issue players, these Islander’s dedication to their stats is already proving to be impressive. Their stat rankings are sure to improve as they continue to play.
~One of XKI’s longest members and a top issue player The Soylent Green Party reached an impressive population milestone in December. Reaching a population of 20 billion, The Soylent Green Party shows their impressive long-term dedication to the game. Such a high population count is the result of years of work. We cannot thank them enough for choosing XKI as their home.

XKI Game-Side

A regional poll by Jabberwocky asked Islanders which RL national figure had the best hair. Islanders showed their appreciation for Justin Trudeeau’s swoopy brown locks by a wide majority of votes.

The RMB was in an understandably festive mood for the holiday season:

~Liminal Spaces
~Very logical stats
~The very essence of the RMB
~A little endo love
~Not on the regional poll to be sure
~A true Christmas fan
~Step 1: Imprisonment, Step 2: Shut Down, Step 3: Profit
~It’s not a region, it’s a lifestyle
~Viva la Revolución!

Meet A Nation Interview

Grea Kriopia is an important member of XKI, having served as Senator for Blue Canaria North and Cultural Officer, and now finding her place as Minister of Education and a TITO Tactical Officer. We managed to track GK down between updates to ask a few interview question.

Wischland: With the year approaching its end, let’s take a look back. What’s been your favorite aspect or memory of this past year in XKI?

Grea Kriopia: Oh goodness, I've only been around since January so this past year has been everything for me. If we're going with favorite memories, I would say hosting the XKI Summer Olympics and then growing into my past work as Cultural Officer. I really enjoyed reviving more casual events like our weekly Movie Nights and spending time with our community. My favorite aspect has undoubtedly been the variety of work I've taken on over the last year–every day is something new and different.

Wisch: You sure have taken on a variety of work! With two different Council of Nine positions, Cultural Officer, and TITO Command under your belt, your rise in the region has been meteoric. What would you say contributed to your success in achieving such important roles so quickly?

GK: Is too much time on my hands a valid answer? In all seriousness, I can't say there's one specific reason for everything I've achieved up until now. I simply try to make myself as helpful as possible, do solid work, and not settle for anything less. I genuinely enjoy 99% of everything I do as well, so I'm sure that helps somehow!

Wisch: Let's take a closer look at your current position as Minister of Education. What do you do in this role?

GK: Generally speaking, the MoE is all about education/record keeping (obviously) and regional retention. My primary responsibilities are maintaining our Great Library with its various historical records and managing our Welcome Buddies as they guide new nations in our region. Naturally, this also allows some flexibility for pet projects and new ideas.

Wisch: Could you explain the Welcome Buddies program in more detail? What's the procedure you direct the Buddies to follow?

GK: Our Welcome Buddies are essentially tour guides for new nations when they arrive in XKI after being recruited. Buddies personally telegram new arrivals with helpful tips and starting information that many might not find right away. They also serve to answer starting questions which newer nations might not know how to answer. Each buddy does things differently, but all are meant to help new nations feel noticed and connected to our community.

Wisch: And what sort of advice would you give to such a new nation looking to get involved?

GK: Take your time to look around! Joining NS is an extremely steep learning curve with an overwhelming amount of information to ingest all at once. There's an endless amount of ways to get involved, so take the time to explore areas you didn't look at initially and find the opportunities you want for yourself. And, of course, don't be afraid to put yourself out there when looking for ways to help.

Wisch: Looking forward into the next year, what path do you see for XKI in the future?

GK: Well, nothing is set in stone, but I think this coming year will hold even more outreach and regional cooperation along with new regional improvements. A few large events already come to mind looming on the horizon of 2021, and I have no doubt we'll continue to push much of the hard work begun this year even further.

Wisch: Sounds exciting! And do you have any personal plans? Should we expect you to take on any new positions this coming year?

GK: No plans in terms of positions, I really like what I'm doing right now and would like to keep it up for a longer period of time unless something changes drastically. Otherwise, I know I'll have my hands in some fun festivals and events this upcoming year, maybe I'll try to branch out into some new hobbies. Then again, I always say that before taking on more usual work

Wisch Well, whatever you do, I’m sure it’ll turn out great. Any final comments you’d like to make?

GK: Thanks, I appreciate the confidence! Have a great New Year everyone and stay healthy~

Until next month, your XKI Update Staff is signing off – Wischland

[Coalition of Berkut]

So my country is a VERY policed state (the military is police so it ovious) but its economy mainly runs off of private industry?

[HumanSanity]

So my country is a VERY policed state (the military is police so it ovious) but its economy mainly runs off of private industry?

Hey there! Welcome to 10000 Islands. That can happen with your national statistics. Normally we use this thread for posting foreign updates and engaging with other regions. We usually discuss issue stats and classifications in the appropriate area of the forum or in the #issues-and-stats channel of our Discord server. Those are also good places to get to know your new region-mates more generally.

[10000 Islands Foreign Affairs]

10000 Islands Emissary Report

Date: January 2021
Population: 1,259
Delegate Endorsement: 428
Forum: https://10000islands.proboards.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/4uWZbNS

TITO Command

Has your region been invaded, or do you want to get in touch with TITO? If so, contact one of the following nations:
~Chief Executive: Markanite
~Field Commander: Kanta Hame
~Tactical Officers: Shy Guyia, Smugglers and Mercs (TITO EF), Controlitia, Grea Kriopia, Kuriko, Wischland
~Executive Officers: Hakketomat, Aschente

Government

As of this report's publication, the Government of 10000 Islands consists of:
~Chief Executive: Markanite
~WA Delegate: HumanSanity
~Senior Senator for Himes West (RP): Wille-Harlia
~Senator for Blue Canaria North (Emissary Report): Wischland
~Senator for Lyonnesse East (Houses): Aschente
~Senator for New Republica South (Debates and Discussions): Dokansia
~Minister of Education: Grea Kriopia
~Minister of Labor: Free Las Pinas
~Minister of Immigration: Thedairos

Information about other government officials of 10000 Islands can be found here.

January Elections

This January saw elections for the seats of Senator for Blue Canaria North and Senator for New Republica South take place.

Incumbent Wischland ran for reelection to her seat as Senator for Blue Canaria North. With no other candidates declaring their campaign, Wisch locked in another term as Senator.

Three Islanders declared their intent to run for Senator for New Republica South after incumbent Controlitia declined to run for a third term. Murphtannia, Dokansia, and Solarampa all announced their campaigns in short succession. Despite the competitive field, Dokansia managed to garner enough votes to win the election and become the Council of Nine’s newest member.

Congratulations to Wischland and Dokansia, and commiserations to the other candidates. Thank you Controlitia for your service as Senior Senator.

New Government Appointments

~Secretary of State Margaux selected Murphtannia to be XKI’s new emissary to Forest while Delegate HumanSanity hired Wischland to serve as XKI’s emissary to Refugia.
~Senator for Blue Canaria North Wischland hired Margaux as her Deputy to assist her in writing the Monthly Emissary report.
~Chief Executive Markanite appointed Wille-Harlia to the position of Communications Officer to promote XKI events and maintain news and information dispatches.

Harry Potter and the Festival of Friends

XKI joined forces with several other regions early in January to bring back everyone’s favorite Harry Potter-themed festival. Participants were sorted into houses and then cut lose to chat with one another, squee over their favorite characters, and practice their spellcasting with a plethora of fun bot commands. A variety of fun events, including an art and writing contest, a succession of movie nights, and a Yule Ball Roleplay, had everyone enjoying the festivities and making friends across regional boundaries.

Underneath the jovial atmosphere, however, a fierce competition to earn house points and win the House Cup raged! Hufflepuffs were the most chill about winning the House Cup, spending more time hug-piling and enjoying the festival than worrying about their point totals. Ravenclaw was more competitive, with members proving their knowledge during Harry Potter Trivia rounds and earning plenty of points for their house. Due to a lower number of participants in Gryffindor and Slytherin, the two houses’ points were counted together. Slytherin’s ambition and unmatched desire to win proved to be a powerful force, with members willing to grind away at .io games and The Owlery Project of Appreciation to boost their point totals. Combined with Gryffindor’s courage in finding their own place in the festival, despite being the smallest house, made the two houses unstoppable, and allowed them to sail to victory and win the House Cup. Congratulations to the winning houses, and a big thanks to the festival’s organizers for such an enjoyable experience!

Around the Islands

~Dokansia was named Rookie of the Quarter. Dok is a rising star in the region, having served as Deputy WA Secretary, Deputy Minister of Education, and as an Emissary to several regions. He was also recently elected Senator for New Rupublica South and holds the title of Knight in TITO. Congratulations Dok for this well-deserved award, and best of luck in your future endeavors.
~The voting for XKI’s prestigious Paffnia Prize concluded in January. The Paffnia Prize is an annual award given to the nation to comes up with the best new, implemented idea for the region each year, as chosen by popular vote. The past year has been a time of incredible change and innovation for XKI, and an astounding 56 implemented ideas were nominated for the prize. After two rounds of voting, Islanders awarded HumanSanity and Grea Kriopia first place for the XKI Summer Olympics. Second place was awarded to Hakketomat for his TacoVision Contests, with third place going to Paffnia himself for the Island’s Space Program. Congratulations to the winners and a sincere thanks for all the work you do to improve the region!
~Speaking of TacoVision, Hakketomat announced the highly anticipated TacoVision III. Once again, Islanders had the chance to submit their favorite songs in hopes of winning the votes of their fellow contestants and having their song be declared the hottest new beat. Contestants delivered scathing critiques of one another’s songs in a Discord listening session, plotting and scheming to win favor for their own melody. When all the votes were tallied, Wischland placed first with her song choice Bury Me Low. A round of applause for Wisch and for Dokansia and Thedairos who placed 2nd and 3rd.
~January’s Featured Nation was Murphtannia, who has popped up in several different areas of the region, serving in TITO, as Emissary to Forest, and even running for office in January’s election. Congratulations Murph! We’re excited to see where you go next.
~Senator for Lyonnesse East Aschente announced the House Cup and Shield Competition would be taking place throughout the month of January. Recruiters in XKI’s Houses compete for the whole month to send as many recruitment telegrams to new nations and draw them to the region. The House Of Louisistan won both the House Cup, for most collective recruiting, and House Shield, for most recruiting per capita, with Margaux and Sulenia showing a particular devotion to recruiting. Grea Kriopia of The House of Improving Wordiness had the highest recruitment success rate of the month and was awarded the House Sceptre for her efforts! Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to all recruiters for their hard work.
~Towards the end of the month, Chief Executive Markanite announced a region-wide Forum Theme Competition. Islanders are invited to create and submit island-themed designs for the forum. With taco prizes and the chance to have their creation chosen as an official new theme for the XKI forum, several Islanders were eager to submit their designs. We’re excited to see what other creative themes Islanders will come up with!

XKI Game-Side

A regional poll by Jabberwocky asked Islanders if they would be getting the COVID-19 Vaccine once it became available to them. Happily, most Islanders proved themselves to be health-conscious and responded that they would. Stay safe and stay strong!

Islanders showed their humor with plenty of silly quips in the RMB:

~December 32nd, 2020
~Rebels in XKI?
~I’ll remember, probably.
~Worthwhile Gambling. What’s that?
~69… Hah… Yeah, that meme is dead.
~You cannot defeat Tilapia
~Not again…
~Cats are a Liquid.
~The answer is no.
~Just one of the Fish around the Islands.

Meet A Nation Interview

For January, we turned our attention to the mystery man behind much of XKI’s more technical aspects. We managed to draw Kortexia out from his lurking on the regional discord to ask him a few questions about his work as Technical Liaison.

Wischland: You’ve been in XKI for quite a while. What about the region made you choose to stay?

Kortexia: Honestly, it was the people I met here and the community. The friends I've made here are the only reason I've played this game so long.

Wisch: That's wonderful! Anyone you'd like to give a special shout-out to?

Kort: Definitely Kanta Hame, he's been a steady mentor and friend for my entire time in 10KI.

Wisch: You’re currently serving as one of the region’s Technical Liaisons. What does this role entail?

Kort: The role entails maintaining and developing our regional Discord Bots as well as serving as an advisory on the usage of any 3rd party programs that are commonly used in R/D. Technical Liaisons are also a part of TITO Command, but don't generally run day to day operations.

Wisch: Could you tell us a little about what KorTech does?

Kort: KorTech serves as the main Discord administration tool for the 10KI server. It also has many fun things that I've added to it over time to make our Discord server more enjoyable! New features are being added whenever I get a crazy idea for a project haha.

Wisch: Do you have any crazy projects cooking right now? Or give an example of a past one?

Kort: The current project is secret . Past additions have ranged from the easy to write ExecutionCog used by Command, to a roster that still needs some fine tuning.

Wisch: I guess we’ll just have to wait and see then! KorTech has been affectionately named BorkTech by many Islanders for its semi-frequent malfunctions. Why do these sorts of things happen?

Kort: Mostly due to me tinkering with the code and inadvertently breaking things. Other issues stem from updates happening to anything that KorTech is connected to.

Wisch: And about how much time do you spend on coding/maintenance for the server?

Kort: It varies depending on how busy I am in my day to day life and if I have a problem in my code I’m working hard on to fix. I am always keeping an eye out for any issues that may occur so I can fix them right away.

Wisch: How did you become XKI’s resident techie?

Kort: Well, I spearheaded TITO's move from Skype to Discord. This expanded to include the rest of 10KI into our server over time, so its been my baby since the very beginning. So when I stepped back from being a Tactical Officer, the Technical Liaison role was created so I could stay in TITO Command and continue to develop and moderate the Discord Server. KorTech being created and developed also served to cement my position as the techie.

Wisch: The server must be very special to you then. Do you think you’re ever going to retire as Tech Liaison?

Kort: Perhaps one day, but that won't be for a long time yet. Tech Liaisons are required to be part of TITO Command due to the nature of access they have, and so there’s a much smaller pool of candidates for the position. Also, KorTech is my baby and would need to be swapped out for something else should I ever retire.

Until next month, your XKI Update Staff is signing off – Wischland and Margaux

[Frenchy II]

GK the recruiting fiend.