[TWI-ONLY] The Western Isles Nationbuilding Prompt 2020-2021

[Roendavar]

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THE WESTERN ISLES NATIONBUILDING PROMPT 2020-2021
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Welcome to the Western Isles Nationbuilding Prompt OOC thread.

Every two weeks, the Secretary of Role-play shall release a theme for the nationbuilding prompt every two weeks. Members of the region can submit any works related to the nationbuilding prompt, both IC and OOC. IC works, such as stories and literature, will be posted in the Citizens thread. As for OOC works, including but not limited to, art (TWIsle Balls, drawings, art, music, etc.), information (dispatches and fact-books), and OOC discussion, they shall all be posted here.

Once the two weeks has elapsed, the Secretary of Role-play shall pick the best works in different categories and shall be featured in the monthly report. All responses here shall be catalogued and compiled.

I invite every member of the Western Isles to be creative and imaginative. Introduce us your nation in your perspective. How your nation lives, breathes, acts, and does. Be descriptive, vivid, and thorough. We want to see the full picture of your nation and how it works.

List of Nationbuilding Prompts

• Holiday Cheer and a New Year - December 23, 2020 - January 4, 2021
• Change - January 5, 2021 - January 17, 2021
• Justice: The Law - February 5, 2021 - March 6, 2021
• The Basics: Language - March 6, 2021 - March 30, 2021
• To Know Thy Weakness - April 11, 2021 - May 1, 2021

[Roendavar]

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NATIONBUILDING PROMPT

HOLIDAY CHEER AND A NEW YEAR
December 23, 2020 - January 4, 2021

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The holiday season. A time of joy, laughter, and the spirit of family and community. To many, a joyous time of the year. It's a time when the family sits together in a home, exchanging stories, and spreading love and joy. To some, another time where you have to dodge awkward conversations at your family gatherings like "How's your job?" or "Why don't you have a child yet?". Perhaps someone brought their awful dry crusty turkey once again to the family dinner. Truly, the holidays are definitely a highlight of the year of everyone that calls this planet their home... well... not including those who don't celebrate Christmas... which is quite a lot of people.

Now, the holidays have come to the Western Isles. For our nationbuilding prompt, show us how your country spends the holidays. Is it merry and jolly? Or is it solemn and spiritual? What foods do your people eat during the holidays? Do they even eat during the holidays? Do they do specific rituals? Like giving gifts, huddling around the fireplace telling Christmas stories, or throwing snowballs at random children that dare pass by their houses? Do they make ugly snowmen at the front porch? Do they succumb to consumerism and get cheated by the Christmas sales?

We want to know how your country spends time during the holidays. Introduce us to your beliefs, customs, festivals, and culture in general. Show us how your country celebrates the holiday cheer! Be creative and let loose! Tell us stories, events, everything! Make it as detailed as possible and, preferably, in the perspective of your country and people.

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OOC DISCUSSION AND QUESTIONS

1. Does your nation have Christmas or have an equivalent to it? Does your nation have a concept of holidays?
2. What are the holidays all about? Is it about family? Is it about the nation? Is it about community?
3. Are the holidays in your nation religious or secular? How do your people celebrate it?
4. Are there any specific symbols to the holidays in your country?
5. Are there any specific rituals unique to your country's Christmas or version of the holidays? Are there any specific happenings or gatherings?
6. How important is Christmas and the holidays to your people? Is it significant?

[Essena]

1. Does your nation have Christmas or have an equivalent to it?
Essena does celebrate Christmas. The idea of Christmas originated from the Spanish and was strengthened by both the Americans and the Prussians.

2. What are the holidays all about? Is it about family? Is it about the nation? Is it about community?
At first, Christmas, was solely a religious holiday but it has morphed into a secular holiday with the focus being on family instead of Christ.

3. Are the holidays in your nation religious or secular? How do your people celebrate it?
It is a mix of being religious and secular. To portray the idea of family, the nativity story of Jesus is read to children and portrayed in plays.

4. Are there any specific symbols to the holidays in your country?
Christmas Tree - Prussians origin
Christmas Lights - Spanish and American origin
St. Nicholas - Spanish origin
Christmas Wreath - Prussians origin
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

5. Are there any specific rituals unique to your country's Christmas or version of the holidays? Are there any specific happenings or gatherings?
LumenTag -celebration to signal the start of the Christmas season
Decorating house and shops
Christian Mass
Reenactments of the Nativity of Jesus
St. Nicholas Meetings (No lap sittings)
Family Gatherings (No lap sittings)

6. How important is Christmas and the holidays to your people? Is it significant?
Most people enjoy Christmas, specifically the family gathering aspect of it.

More info about the Holiday Traditions in Essena
https://www.nationstates.net/page=dispatch/id=1480861

[Biaten]

1. Does your nation have Christmas or have an equivalent to it? Does your nation have a concept of holidays?

Yes, Christmas is celebrated in Biaten, albeit not by everyone, with atheist Scrooges and certain religious fundamentalists, who make up a small minority of people, opting not to celebrate Christmas.

2. What are the holidays all about? Is it about family? Is it about the nation? Is it about community?

Christmas in Biaten is largely celebrated in the spirit of family and the community. It is a fun event when communities and families come together to enjoy each other’s company, as well as help the less fortunate and giving and receiving gifts to and from each other.

3. Are the holidays in your nation religious or secular? How do your people celebrate it?

Christmas has, for many centuries, been a religious festival celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ (do we have an Israel somewhere in this universe?!?). However, in recent decades, due to the rise in atheism and other faiths across Biaten, it has become more secular, with non-Christians celebrating the spirit of the community and family while avoiding some of the religious aspects.

Families across Biaten celebrate Christmas in several different ways. Most Biatenian families have a decorated Christmas tree. Many also have the inside of their house decorated with tinsel, and some also decorate the outside with festive lights. Many villages, towns and city districts across Biaten put up a Christmas tree and Christmas lights in their village or town centres.

On Christmas Eve, Biatenian children clean their shoes the night before Christmas and place them in front of the door, where Santa will leave them sweets, or coal if they have been naughty. Christian families will go to church to observe Christingle Services or/and Midnight Mass.

On Christmas Morning, children would wake up to presents underneath the Christmas Tree, many left by Santa Claus, which they get to open.

4. Are there any specific symbols to the holidays in your country?

The Christmas Star. Prior to Christianity, most Biatenians were astrological pagans. According to ancient legend, when people die their spirits become the stars. At the start of every winter, ancient Biatenians commemorated the dead by worshipping the stars, decorating their homes with carvings and ornaments of either individual stars or entire constellations. Although astrological paganism has been replaced by Christianity, this tradition is still continued today, to symbolise community and remembrance.

The Christmas Tree. In ancient times, Biatenians would bring plants into their homes to protect them from the effects of the winter.

5. Are there any specific rituals unique to your country's Christmas or version of the holidays? Are there any specific happenings or gatherings?

Christian families will go to church to observes Christingle Services on Christmas Eve, in which the birth of Christ is celebrated. Similarly, a Midnight Mass is held on the midnight of Christmas Day.

6. How important is Christmas and the holidays to your people? Is it significant?

It is considered important by most people, except for fundamentalist non-Christians.

[Ainslie]

1. Does your nation have Christmas or have an equivalent to it? Does your nation have a concept of holidays?
Christmas is celebrated in Ainslie and the period between Christmas Eve and into early January is typically when most businesses shut down for a couple weeks. Conveniently, this is also the time when the east gets the most snow which has traditionally been a secondary reason why things slow down around this time.

Other holidays in Ainslie include:

• AhnEst, or more formally known as Establishment Day - June 27, which is where Ahnslens celebrate the foundation of the Unified Electorates.
• Easter - over the normal days, however any non-themed christmas lights families have are typically put out this time and shine until good friday when they are turned off for the night and through saturday. They are then turned back on on Sunday - this has primarily been considered as a reference to Jesus being the light of the world and how darkness came over Jerusalem on Good Friday
• I haven't decided on the day yet or days, but there is certainly going to be one or more public holidays around a big cricket event in Ainslie.

2. What are the holidays all about? Is it about family? Is it about the nation? Is it about community?
Christmas and the New Years is largely about family and religion, with largely private gatherings occurring over this time. The outside parties and big events like that are normally reserved for AhnEst.

3. Are the holidays in your nation religious or secular? How do your people celebrate it?
Most holidays are quite religious bar AhnEst which has a very secular complexion, owing to the seperation between church and state that the nation was built upon. Christmas is pretty standard - except stockings are typically opened on Christmas Eve, the large gathering is normally an early morning breakfast before going off to Church and presents are opened after Church (or around lunch time). Other than that, the usual christmas carols and most of the stuff people would traditionally call as American occur in Ainslie around Christmas. Easter's pretty low scale, mainly just easter eggs and the like. AhnEst is a bunch of ceremonies, music festivals and a long day at the beach or in the bush with your friends. That long weekend often is used for camping as well.

4. Are there any specific symbols to the holidays in your country?
Nothing out of the ordinary bar the whole christmas lights thing

5. Are there any specific rituals unique to your country's Christmas or version of the holidays? Are there any specific happenings or gatherings?
Covered this earlier - mainly the order around rituals that are typically done in Christmas are switched up and pushed earlier for Ainslie. New Year's is pretty tame unless you've got illegal fireworks - traditionally Ahnslen subdivisions have relaxed their rules and enforcement of laws that ban illegal fireworks over New Year's however this has been tightened up significantly over the past couple years and it is not being openly done as much anymore.

6. How important is Christmas and the holidays to your people? Is it significant?
The holiday season is very important to Ahnslens, as many are either Christian or like going on a winter holiday or both.

[Roendavar]

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NATIONBUILDING PROMPT

CHANGE
January 5, 2021 - January 17, 2021

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The clock strikes midnight. Billions of people around the world cheer as a new year begins.

A new year has come to the Western Isles and one word is often associated with the passing of time. CHANGE. To all, change seems constant. Change is all around us, a product of the passing of time or the shift of humanity's very soul. To some, change is explosive, sudden, a cannon fired at the enemy, the grating of the guillotine as it rushes down, the raising of a flag upon a bloody battle, a raging waterfall that sends all tumbling to its edge and into the deep unknown. To some, however, change is slow. It is the aging of living things, it is the growth of trees to new heights, it is the weathering of the mountains, and the flow of the gentle stream. Some believe that change is a straight line, a progression into something far greater or a descent into something worse. Some believe that change is cyclical, that change is the constant cycle of the universe's good and evil.

What is change? Why do we change? When do we know that change has come? How do we know that something has truly changed? Was there a moment in your nation's existence when great change was achieved? When your people truly knew that yesterday was truly the past, and an unknown yet sure future awaits ahead of them?

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OOC QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSIONS

1. What is change according to your people? Do they have a definition on it? What is it exactly according to your culture, traditions, identity, etc.?
2. Is change good or bad? What is your nation's outlook on the changing times? Should we keep and guard our traditions or should we embrace change and incorporate new ideas and culture? Cite examples.
3. Does your nation believe that change is a cycle or a straight line? Cite examples.
4. Do your people fear sudden change? Or do they embrace it? Cite examples.
5. Do your people agree with the notion that change must be slow and steady? Cite examples.
6. Do you have an example of a great event in your nation's history that you could say brought about the greatest change in your nation's identity? Tell us a story or a rundown of such an event.

[Martenyika]

1. Does your nation have Christmas or have an equivalent to it? Does your nation have a concept of holidays?


Christmas is observed, but generally within the context of Martenyika's traditional festival of Nali (Martenyikan New Year), which goes on around the same time. Martenyikans blend the two celebrations into one synonymous holiday season between December 21st and January 6th.

2. What are the holidays all about? Is it about family? Is it about the nation? Is it about community?

All the things! There are numerous factors, anyways. Family and community are cornerstones of most Nali/Christmas/New Year customs regardless of what angle you're coming from--travelling to see relatives, parades, street food, family meals, etc. Nali has always been a celebration of agricultural and human fertility, including those born during the year. The nativity fits perfectly into the context of Nali for Christian Martenyikans. On the other hand, deceased ancestors and any who passed during the year are also celebrated, but usually before December 25th.

3. Are the holidays in your nation religious or secular? How do your people celebrate it?

The holiday season is both, really. As explained above the religious elements of Christmas are still very present. It is possible to enjoy in a secular manner, but even the semi-secular origins of Nali still go back to ancient religion and spirituality. Even a hardcore secular-ist can still find generic winter decorations like fake snow, lights, etc in some places like shops and hotels. Besides that family and community events happen regardless of religious or irreligious identity during the season in Martenyika.

4. Are there any specific symbols to the holidays in your country?

These aren't technically symbols, but I think they are iconic just like symbols--the food and drink! One of the most iconic dishes of Nali is Tuzhu, an extremely old lamb stew recipe, cooked with beer, spices and recently harvested crops. Delicious homemade honey wines usually come out at this time as well, and many Martenyikans claim the best honey wines they've had were during Nali.

5. Are there any specific rituals unique to your country's Christmas or version of the holidays? Are there any specific happenings or gatherings?

Most occasions meant to celebrate the life of the dead happen between December 21-24, so that Christmas Day (December 25th) transitions to the new year and new life to come. It's important for many to celebrate mass on the 25th. One of the two river festivals of the year happen during Nali, after Christmas day. Traditionally the rivers are seen as providers of new agricultural, human, and animal life; the river festival is a way of showing thanks. People light lanterns and form masses of boats, they distribute food and drinks, gifts, socialize, and generally party!

6. How important is Christmas and the holidays to your people? Is it significant?

The whole Nali experience is very important to Martenyikans. In the past a foreign writer rightfully compared the overall importance of Nali to Martenyika with the Mardi Gras Carnival season of New Orleans.

[Biaten]

1. What is change according to your people? Do they have a definition on it? What is it exactly according to your culture, traditions, identity, etc.?

In Biaten, change can often come to mean different things. In a political context, it is a major shift in policy either towards the left or the right. In a cultural context, it indicates a change in traditions and customs.

2. Is change good or bad? What is your nation's outlook on the changing times? Should we keep and guard our traditions, or should we embrace change and incorporate new ideas and culture? Cite examples.

In Biaten, change is perceived positively, although very rapid change is often rejected. Social and political change is considered to be merely an act of evolution, and so it should be embraced. Most Biatenians often participate in ancient traditions, such as the holding of funerals at night.

3. Does your nation believe that change is a cycle or a straight line? Cite examples.

Change is seen as a straight line, in which you can forward or backwards.

4. Do your people fear sudden change? Or do they embrace it? Cite examples.

Between the early 19th century and the mid-20th century, gradual change was usually chosen over immediate change, as there was a concern that immediate change would cause chaos; modern Biatenians still see sudden personal change as chaotic. In many areas of government, liberal reform was brought about gradually rather than immediately. For example, after the revolution, the republican government did not immediately abolish the death penalty, but rather reduced the amount of executions through removing the death penalty on certain crimes, although it was immediately abolished during the 1870s by the Liberal government. The granting of civil rights to women and the LGBT community was also gradual. Female suffrage was granted steadily throughout the late 19th century, until they were granted equal suffrage in 1910. LGBT rights were also granted steadily since the Biatenian Revolution, with the death penalty on homosexuality being abolished during the mid-19th century, homosexuality being legalised in the 1960s and same-sex marriage being legalised in the 1990s.

6. Do you have an example of a great event in your nation's history that you could say brought about the greatest change in your nation's identity? Tell us a story or a rundown of such an event.

One event that is considered to have caused the greatest change in Biaten’s identity was the Biatenian Revolution in 1811, when the lower and middle classes overthrew the monarchy. The new Republic government massively overhauled the political system granting suffrage to every adult man, abolishing slavery and remove some of Biaten’s conservative laws.

[Einnstadt]

[Message Deleted]

[Einnstadt]

[Message Deleted]

[Aromea]

1. Does your nation have Christmas or have an equivalent to it? Does your nation have a concept of holidays? Christmas does indeed exist in Aromea, however it is a time to spend with the extended family over supper rather than an exchange of gifts. New Years Eve is the holiday on which presents are exchanged. Yes, Aromea does have a concept of holidays.

2. What are the holidays all about? Is it about family? Is it about the nation? Is it about community? Depends on the holidays. Holidays such as New Years Eve and Christmas are generally spent with the family. National holidays such as Independence Day and Victory Over Fascism Day are nation-wide celebrations. Christmas Eve and April's Fools hold the same communal meaning as they are holidays on which entire communities celebrate as one.

3. Are the holidays in your nation religious or secular? How do your people celebrate it? There are both religious and secular holidays. The people generally prefer to celebrate with parties on which there is quality alcohol.

4. Are there any specific symbols to the holidays in your country? Nothing out of the ordinary.

5. Are there any specific rituals unique to your country's Christmas or version of the holidays? Are there any specific happenings or gatherings? There is a carnival passed down from pagan times, it is a chance for the people to express their creativity and mock public figures to great effect.

6. How important is Christmas and the holidays to your people? Is it significant? The holidays are seen as a chance to escape from the burdens of the modern world and just party or spend time with family or friends.



1. What is change according to your people? Do they have a definition on it? What is it exactly according to your culture, traditions, identity, etc.? Change is seen both as a symbol of good and bad as it can be either one. They do not have any unique definition. What could have been, what it is and what it had been. It is seen as a symbol of the foolishness of humans and their habit of always choosing the immediate benefits over the long-term ones.

2. Is change good or bad? What is your nation's outlook on the changing times? Should we keep and guard our traditions or should we embrace change and incorporate new ideas and culture? Cite examples. As stated before, it is seen as both good and bad. Uncertainty, the modern word is seen as a highly unstable proposition in which thee smallest change can cause an avalanche of change, either for the better or for the worse. Keeping traditions and memories of the past keeps the spirits of our ancestors alive, embracing and incorporating new ideas paves the road to the future. Take it how a mere pagan tradition became a symbol of criticizing the powerful and untouchable ones.

3. Does your nation believe that change is a cycle or a straight line? Cite examples. Our nation believes that those ignorant to the mistakes of the past are bound to repeat them and that those aware of the mistakes of the past have the responsibility to diverge from that path. Change and fate are seen as thing that can be affected by the actions of an individual, be it for the better or worse.

4. Do your people fear sudden change? Or do they embrace it? Cite examples. They do not fear it, but they are cautious of it. A great example is when King Aromeus III and Queen Alexandra both abdicated in favor of the current king, King Aromeus IV. The people were cautious of someone so young of age to take the throne, however, King Aromeus IV has proven to be a capable ruler.

5. Do your people agree with the notion that change must be slow and steady? Cite examples. They do agree that change needs to be thought-out instead of rushed. It is like boiling milk, if one does not keep a close eye on it and increases the temperature of the heat, the milk will boil-over.

6. Do you have an example of a great event in your nation's history that you could say brought about the greatest change in your nation's identity? Tell us a story or a rundown of such an event. Yes, as stated before, the abdication of King Aromeus III and Queen Alexandra did put a fear in people's hearts. Up until then all kings have ruled until the day they passed away, it had been seen as one of the symbols of the honor and prestige of the royals. When this tradition was broken, people started to panic. Even more so when they new king, Aromeus IV was crowned, at the age of 16. people feared that such a young and inexperienced rules would call out to neighboring nations to invade Aromea. That they did, but King Aromeus IV reacted swiftly and decisively crushed the invaders, thus securing Aromea's future.

[Roendavar]

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NATIONBUILDING PROMPT

JUSTICE: THE LAW
February 5, 2021 - February 20, 2021

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Justice. To deliver what is due. To claim what is right.

Do you hear the banging of the gavel? The voices of defense and accusations? Do you hear the slamming of the bars? Or the hushed whispers as a condemned soul faces Death? Or, perhaps, you hear the fervor of the mob as they shout the spirit of justice? Or the Court, with the due process that all deserve?

When the first humans banded together and created society as we know it, they laid down the rules that shall eventually govern the very aspects and foundations of their society. For millennia, law has been a part of human civilization, in one form or another. Law is as ancient as humanity itself, a part of us which shall continue to dictate our lives for the foreseeable future. Written, agreed upon, or assumed, it takes many forms, and yet all hold a binding agreement that glues society together.

This shall be the first in two nation-building prompts regarding Justice. You can create whatever you want with this prompt. It can be assumed that not everyone are Law students or graduates and, if you cannot create anything regarding your legal system, you may choose to answer the questions below.

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OOC QUESTIONS

1. Discuss the concepts of Law in your nation. Elaborate as much as you can.
2. Can the Law be flexible? Can the Law be bent for the common good?
3. If the Law is inadequate and one finds a way to exploit it, is it valid or not?
4. Who must decide Law? Should Law be dictated by the knowledgeable rather than by the masses?
5. Is Natural Law enough to govern human society?

[Alteran Republics]

1. Discuss the concepts of Law in your nation. Elaborate as much as you can.
Generally speaking, the law is the final word and a central pillar of Alteran society. Whilst laws have been constantly written and evolved over the years, the government tries to redefine and streamline its meaning and complexity as often as possible. Whilst this does lead to an ease of understanding of the laws, it does allow for different interpretations of the same laws. The few exemptions to this are laws that govern individual civil and political rights; where most of the laws written are considered "water-tight" and are difficult to circumnavigate. This is in part due to a national psyche of high-individual freedoms, but also as a product of the indentured servitude/contract laws. It is easy to gain access to this form of work and is often used by individuals as a method of gaining access to otherwise unreachable higher education or opportunities. However, from its modern re-conception, the laws protecting individuals from abuse from this form of work have ever grown tighter - making it harder to exploit, but often rewarding individuals and companies that utilize them.

2. Can the Law be flexible? Can the Law be bent for the common good?
As described above, the law - for the most part - is somewhat flexible, which allows for interpretation by judges to make appropriate rulings. However, it's vague enough to allow companies and individuals to seek outcomes that they desire - whilst remaining difficult for the same rulings to be exploited. Case-ruling is commonplace; where if a similar case has had a particular ruling - and in turn is similar to a current case - this can be used to inform a judge on a final ruling.

3. If the Law is inadequate and one finds a way to exploit it, is it valid or not?
For the most part, most court cases where such an event takes place, would be governed by the findings of a jury (whom are only selected from various professions, as opposed to any individual of the nation), as well as a judge. If a judge finds a case to be particularly exploitive, or the jury's verdict is nonsensical, the judge can dismiss or overturn the case and rule as they see fit. These sorts of rulings can in turn be brought before a panel of judges if appealed, who can then rule in favour or against the original verdict.

4. Who must decide Law? Should Law be dictated by the knowledgeable rather than by the masses?
Judges are usually individuals who have served long terms as lawmakers, lawyers or sometimes in lobbying groups who are well-versed in law making. These individuals usually have many years, usually decades, of experience. As the for the jury, as previously mentioned, they are selected from the various 'professional' classes - and must be a citizen of Altera and not just a civilian (they must contribute to the nation either through higher taxation, or working in a government position). The 'masses' are not selected for jury decisions, and it is generally accepted that the 'professionals' who sit on jury panels are better informed and educated than the general population; though obviously that isn't always the case.

5. Is Natural Law enough to govern human society?
Natural law, on the whole, is generally accepted. The population generally accepts that the law is interpreted by individuals with a 'good sense' of morals and, if someone attempts to exploit that law, there are enough safeguards in place to stop and overturn any unjust decisions. Whilst there have been calls to make laws in Altera more encompassing and detailed, the ability to opening use morals as a central pillar to make informed, judicial decisions is fundamentally important.

[Biaten]

1. Discuss the concepts of Law in your nation. Elaborate as much as you can.

In Biaten, Law is the legal framework that everyone must abide by, regardless of who they are or where they come from. There are three types of laws: constitutional law, statute law and common law. Constitutional law are laws outlined by the Constitution or constitutional legislation, such as the Impeachment Act 1824 and the Humans Rights Act 1997. Statute law are laws that are laid out in legislation passed by the executive and legislative branches. Common laws are unwritten laws that have always been considered to be a part of law, such as the outlawing of murder and theft. Laws are created by the government and approved by the National Diet, Senate and the President, and then interpreted and enforced by the judiciary branch (police and courts). Laws can be changed by the government, although it is more difficult to change constitutional laws, as that would require a 2/3rd supermajority in both houses of Parliament. Constitutional laws do, however, tend to be more vague than statute or common laws, and so the courts have to enforce them according to their own interpretations. Additionally, common law has, throughout the centuries, been integrated into statute laws for the sake of creating and changing sentences for them, but courts or/and the prosecution can still refer to certain crimes as a violation of common law.

2. Can the Law be flexible? Can the Law be bent for the common good?

Any violations of the law are punishable, so the law cannot be bent for the common good. However, in the events that certain actions that could be criminal are necessary for a person’s safety, for example a person kills someone else who was trying to kill them, then that is, according to law, allowed.

3. If the Law is inadequate and one finds a way to exploit it, is it valid or not?

Through the system of checks and balances that are currently in place, loopholes tend to be eliminated throughout the process. Inadequacies or vague laws that are open to interpretation are often enforced according to the judge’s interpretation. One flaw of the judicial branch is that most of the judiciary have left-leaning biases, as court vacancies are filled by the government, which has been liberal-controlled for most of the past century, and so justices usually take a stricter interpretation when it comes to financial laws and a more lenient interpretation when it comes to social laws.

4. Who must decide Law? Should Law be dictated by the knowledgeable rather than by the masses?

Laws are created by the government and decided by elected politicians. The law is, to some extent and indirectly, decided by the masses through the elected politicians, as the electorate would elect those politicians out of office if the politicians approve laws that their constituents do not like. However, Constitution laws can be , and have been, used to override legislation, and so laws do, from time to time, end up being decided by the judicial branch. A few examples of this include the 2015 Bailey vs Auvia case, in which the Supreme Court ruled a law passed by the Auvian regional government - introducing compulsory surgical castration for second-time sex offenders – unconstitutional; the 2011 Varnham vs Ministry of Justice Case, in which the Supreme Court overruled a law banning the Biatenian National Socialist Workers’ Party, and the 1948 Ministry of Justice vs Auvia case, which resulted in the abolition of the death penalty in Auvia.

5. Is Natural Law enough to govern human society?

In Biaten, modern governments typically take into account human nature when creating laws. Current government policy on law and order is liberal in the sense that it avoids outlawing a natural human act except for acts that are harmful to themselves or others, as well as creating punishments that reform offenders.

[Dormill and Stiura]

1. Discuss the concepts of Law in your nation. Elaborate as much as you can.
Doraltic Law is heavily influenced by Roman-Dutch Law and by Napoleonic Law, both as a result of its colonial heritage. As such, a large portion of legal works within Dormill and Stiura comes from an individual Civil Code, which in its modern form was enacted on 30 October 1995 although it carried significant force as early as 1990, as reunifying the various legal systems created by the Doraltic states during the Division Era was a top priority for the Council on Doraltic Reunification. According to the Constitution, the United Republics splits the responsibility of the High Federal Courts, the highest body of law in the nation, into three distinct categories: Cassation, which handles most matters both public and private within Dormill and Stiura, including appeals from Republic-level courts as necessary, Administration, which handles disputes relating to the Republics or between them or between the Republics and the Federal Government, and Constitution, which addresses matters as they relate to the Constitution and legislation made throughout the United Republics pursuant thereof. In recent years, legal experts within Dormill and Stiura have begun to adopt jurisprudence constante, that is, legal precedence from past cases are relevant when reviewing ongoing cases, which has resulted in a modification of the system with a broader shift towards Common Law. However, Law is still regulated via the Civil Code, which is the primary source of legal power and theory within the nation.

2. Can the Law be flexible? Can the Law be bent for the common good?
As above mentioned, there is a growing trend within the United Republics to use jurisprudence in addition to the Civil Code in order to review certain cases. As the Civil Code was inspired Roman-Dutch and subsequently Napoleonic Law, articles within the Code itself can be vague, dealing in generalities about a given case rather than the details of any one case. In this context, as jurisprudence gains more presence within Dormill and Stiura and as more laws are passed that modify the existing code, the possibility of "flexibility" in so far as a judge can nullify the Code in a given circumstance, has increased in recent years, especially for the common good to reduce sentences prescribed by the Code but may be considered unfair to the defendant in question. However, this practice is frowned upon by the broader community of legal scholars, and thus it hasn't been practiced frequently at the Federal level.

3. If the Law is inadequate and one finds a way to exploit it, is it valid or not?
Since the Civil Code is written primarily in generalities, exploiting it for certain ends is extremely hard (say for instance we go with the classic "But the Code didn't say this specifically" argument) to pull off, as Judges decide as to whether the case fits within the framework of the Code, rather than if the Code fits the case. The validity of law, both in the Code and passed by the Republics or Congress, is typically a matter reserved for the Constitutional Court, which was granted the power to review legislation for Constitutionality whenever it wishes, and even has the power to review the Constitution itself every so often to modernize their own rulings or modify the Code for future rulings.

4. Who must decide Law? Should Law be dictated by the knowledgeable rather than by the masses?
The Law is decided almost exclusively by Judges, who are among the most highly educated Dormill-Stiuraians in the nation given the nature of the complex federal relationship. As a carry-over from European systems, the Courts in general consider the common citizenry to be too ignorant of the inner workings of the Code in order to decide on the Law themselves, though it obviously must allow them to act as a collective via their representatives to determine the law otherwise. The Civil Code of Dormill and Stiura is one of a few legal documents that can be modified outside of direct legislation, although the Courts refrain from abusing this power, and usually sends recommendations to Congress for legislation to modify the code on a frequent basis. In any case, the Civil Code is beholden both to the academic class of Judges and to the common masses as a result of this system.

5. Is Natural Law enough to govern human society?
Most legal scholars within Dormill and Stiura agree that, on its own, Natural Law is insufficient for governing society. Though the idea assumes that Natural Law is the sole legal system by which the society in the thought experiment could be run. However, there is broad agreement that Natural Law is the foundation on which all other law is built from, following in the canon of European law. As a result, and in connection with Title IX of the Constitution, Natural Law is the leading section of the Civil Code of the United Republics, and is the only section that all three branches of the federal government agrees is subject to modification only via amending the Constitution itself. The same concept is true among the Republics, as each treat the Natural Law section of the Civil Code as outside of their authority to modify.

[Ainslie]

1. Discuss the concepts of Law in your nation.
The law in Ainslie derives its authority from the Constitution, where chapter II outlines the powers that the federal and electoral governments have to create laws for the peace, stability and certainty of the Unified Electorates. From this point, there are a few major overarching concepts of law that are especially notable when talking about Ainslie.

• the rule of law is strong in Ainslie - there is to be access to the law, it shall apply equally and no one shall be above the law. That last one is very much true for the Unfiied Electorates, where public servants and powerful people very often get dragged in front of courts where wrong has been done
• certainty and retrospectivity - the law is to be certain and predictable in Ainslie and laws which apply to make past acts illegal are largely discourage and avoided.
• Arbitrary punishment is strongly avoided, however many other human rights can be taken off the table where necessary. Ainslie remains to have a decisive lack of human rights guaranteed to its citizens.

Law in Ainslie is broadly separated into two categories - private law which concerns interactions between citizens and public law which concerns matters of the state and of interest to the wider population. Private law features areas like torts, contracts, property, corporations and equity whilst public law involves administrative, constitutional and criminal law.

In Ainslie, much of the focus of the Judicial Council is oriented towards public law whilst the Collective Court is often the last point of appeal for cases involving private law.

Elaborate as much as you can.
Not going there. Too deep a hole to go down…

2. Can the Law be flexible? Can the Law be bent for the common good?
The law in Ainslie is not flexible if the Parliament clearly states that something is good or something that is not good. However, largely the law is flexible as the principles of allowing wide discretion and judicial interpretation and as such the law can be bent for what one may call the ‘common good’.

3. If the Law is inadequate and one finds a way to exploit it, is it valid or not?
If the law is inadequate, three things will either happen. The person may get away with it and no one else will after courtesy of legislation, the case will go to an equity division where much more abstract principles can be applied to punish wrongdoing or most commonly a judge will do mental gymnastics to try and make the act illegal where a law at face value would render it okay. This all happens within the context of the principle in ainslie that everything that the law has not rendered illegal is legal - however that doesn’t mean people necessarily escape punishment if something is morally wrong.

4. Who must decide Law? Should Law be dictated by the knowledgeable rather than by the masses?
Law in Ainslie is very much directed by the knowledgeable and those experienced in the field rather than the masses - Ainslie has a strong anti-populist sentiment within the structure of its government which means law is passed through the democratically elected bodies but interpreted by people exceedingly qualified to do so.

5. Is Natural Law enough to govern human society?
Gosh no. Judges would be tearing their hair out trying to regulate and deal with ‘novel cases’ which would just be textbook cases in situations where legislation is a thing in Ainslie.

[Roendavar]

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NATIONBUILDING PROMPT

THE BASICS: LANGUAGE
March 6, 2020 - March 30, 2020

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The marvel of humanity is that we have condensed the meaning of our entire being, the comprehension of the vast universe and the intricacies of human emotion and comprehension, into patterns of sound, and that becomes a testament to how far we have come.

Language is integral to the development of human civilization throughout the centuries. It is what allows us to understand one another, to accord meaning to sense, to form thoughts and to give them shape and life. Language allows us to communicate what we want to say, to understand what others feel. Language allowed us to form societies, to create families and peer groups, and to communicate and direct scientific progress. Language, when yielded well, creates beauty, transcribes the wonders of our imagination into words and speech, to rouse the people into a fervor or to brighten their spirits and hope for a better tomorrow. Language, in its essence, is what makes us human. However, language also allowed us to deceive and lie, to influence people and stray them to a darker path, to dispense hatred and mark those who we deem unworthy, and to taint their very speakers to undergo the path of war and death itself. Language, when wielded well, becomes a harbinger of sorrow, to the slightest insults to declarations of destruction.

Language is the bedrock of a nation itself. It is the main influence of everything that makes a nation itself. From culture and traditions to philosophical ideas and political structures, language has shaped the modern world in more ways than one. And it shall continue to do so.

This nationbuilding prompt is the first of many that tackles Languages. For this prompt, discuss the language of your nation. Tell us about its features, grammar, sounds, and meaning. How did your language come to be? Was it part of a language family or did it develop on its own? How did your language evolve through time? How influential is language in the formation of your country? Does your language have any unique or interesting features and quirks about it? Does it have its own script? If your language isn't indigenous to TWI, discuss how it arrived to your nation. Was there any former languages? What are its implications on your country? Tell us more down below.

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[Nhoor]

The Nhoor language is probably an isolate (at least it will be until someone hatches a plan to create a conlang that is related to it). Nhoor does not make distinction between singular and plural (cf e.g. English 'sheep' or 'aircraft') and it uses a duodecimal counting system.

Another weird feature of Nhoor is its prepositions, or rather circumpositions, as the far majority of them consist of an opening and a closing element, e.g. in the official name of The Dominion of Nhoor: Jora li Nhōrili ; li ...-(i)li are both added around the noun or the noun group to which they refer. In case of li ... (i)li the elements are rather similar but this is not always the case, and in a few occasions the opening element can also cause the initial consonant of the noun group to change, e.g. caynhos = palace ; coph ... -(w)ph = at, but cō chaynhoswph = at the palace, as coph becomes cō before any consonant that can take an h (c, q, p, m, n, r).

Like most of my other conlangs, the Nhoor language was created first and the country was built around it (this time within the parameters of NationStates). In the history of Nhoor, the language was spoken by the Nhoor people all across Raedlon until they concentrated at their current location in the west around some 1000 years ago. Other languages were spoken there as well but they were gradually replaced by Nhoor. Between 1000 and 1200, Nhoor became the dominant language and any other indigenous language became extinct in the four or five centuries that followed.

More information here:

https://www.nationstates.net/nation=nho ... id=1136510

[Essena]

Esseni Language History
Beginning of the Esseni Language
The language of Esseni started out as a native Terrano dialect spoken by the Esseni people. When King Joffery conquered the neighboring kingdoms and founded the Kingdom of Essena, Esseni was chosen to be its official language. Joffery's son Mykal started a campaign to Essenify the other kingdom's languages in an event historians call The Great Loss. Today, languages from the other kingdoms are lost to history only living through spoken word or saved texts.

Language Under Spanish Rule
When the Spanish took over Essena, the Esseni language was heavily discouraged and often associated with rebellion. Luckily underground forces were able to keep the language alive. During this time many Essenians became bilingual, eventually turning into a Esseni/Spanish creole.

Language Under Prussian Rule
When the Prussians took control of Essena, the Prussians allowed the Essenians to speak their language freely. A resurgence of the Esseni language was prevalent during this time. Prussian replaced Spanish as the official language of Essena. The dislike of the Spanish led to Essenians shunning and banning the Spanish language, save for religious texts. At the end of Prussian control, Spanish and Esseni/Spanish Creole was unknown to the new generation. Prussian was replaced with Spanish as a language to be learned. This led to the mixing of Prussian and Esseni forming a new creole language. Essena is the only country in the world that speaks Prussian as an official language.

Language Under American Rule
When the Americans took control of Essena, the English language was introduced. Eventually English words were incorporated with the Esseni/Prussian creole. Because of World War I and II, Prussian was discouraged while English was heavily encouraged. But underground forces were able to keep the Esseni creole alive. After a few years Spanish started to mix with Esseni creole again. Creating a language influenced by 3 different fcolonial powers.

Language in an Independent Essena
When Essena became an independent state Esseni creole became the official language; much to the dismay of Esseni language purists. Leading up to independence a commission was started to have Esseni creole reworked before its debut. English and Prussian were also declared secondary languages. Essena is unique because it was one of the nations were most of the population is multilingual.

For more information visit Language of Essena

OOC: This prompt has sparked my interest in learning the language of my parents which is Illocao, a dialect of the Philippines.

[Roendavar]

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NATIONBUILDING PROMPT

TO KNOW THY WEAKNESS
April 11 - May 1

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To know your strengths is to march upon the battlefield with courage, to know your weaknesses is to know if you will win.

Far often do nations take pride in what makes them the greatest and the best. After all, what makes one prouder than the knowledge that they have built a society far greater than others. Is it not that we live for to become the paramount of our civilization? To yearn that our actions, in our very short lives, be fruitful? Yet, it is often those who stand tall, their eyes cast upon the heavens, do they fail to see what is beneath them. As it is in the laws of our universe, none can be perfect. In every magnanimous structure, there are cracks. In every grand orchestra, there will be one note wrong. In every country, there are factors that make it wrong, a flaw in which our societies either take pride on, or cast upon the recesses of our nationalism, refused to be acknowledged. In knowing these flaws, our weaknesses, it humbles our societies. To know our weaknesses make us human, and it is by being human do we truly know the path we must take for the sake of our civilization. To know these flaws, it makes us understand that, perhaps, being on the top doesn't matter. For when a nation hastily builds its foundations, refusing to acknowledge the gaps it has created, time shall eventually catch up. To know one's weakness, to know if the foundations you built are strong, lest we crumble into oblivion.

In this nationbuilding prompt, we ask the question "What is our weaknesses?" or, rather, what is our nation's weaknesses? What are the flaws that your country have? What are the things that others may see as negative? What are factors that continue to plague and hinder your country until today? These weaknesses can be as complex as societal or systemic issues, lack of something, or perhaps a culture or tradition of yours that can be seen as a negative? In this region, we always talk about what makes our country strong and better. Now, maybe it is time we are all grounded back to reality. Tell us truly, what is your nation's weakness? Tell us more down below.

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[Hyukai]

While generally I describe Hyukai as a great nation, there are of course some flaws (or else it will be another superior nation thing again). Bellow are some of our weaknesses

What are the flaws that your country have?

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1. Northern Disadvantage
While the south is much more industrial and filled with many thriving cities, the north mostly still uses traditional ways of life. A cold climate, terrain filled with mountains and forests means it's only known for its ski resorts and mountain hikes. The government also doesn't fund the North as much as the south so the economy is almost entirely dependent in its tourism industry.

2. Rights for people maybe too much?
Hyukai is a mix of Monarchy and Democracy. People can still vote for many things and have the right to protest. However, this leads to the question if perhaps the government needs to be more strict. A string of politicians have demanded some restrictions but of course, our government is stubborn.

3. Arms, arms and more arms
As said above, the government isn't so harsh on the people and one of the things that should be restricted but isn't are arms. Guns and knives are allowed to be used for defense but this has led to some cases where a person who have killed another person finds a loophole through that law and isn't arrested. While some people demand a gun restriction, others have agreed the law is a good thing (especially criminals).

What are the things that others may see as negative?

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1. Terrible Torture
About 90% of Hyukai is civilised and a part of the nation. The 10% are mostly tribes which are still given permission to exist in certain areas and are practically untouched civilizations. Some of these still use tortures that people in the modern world would call insane. While some tribes have stopped doing it, most of them still do so.

2. Pathetic Force
The police force and military are often trained improperly and lacks people. This because:

• It is an unpopular job
• Crime rates are quite low meaning that it's quite uncommon for them to be dispatched
• 6 Chief Officers of the Hyukaian Police force were found guilty of taking bribes in 2011. 2 of them had in fact committed some themselves

Due to these reasons, the police and military are often not ready in the case of a dispatching.

What are factors that continue to plague and hinder your country until today?

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1. Naturally deadly
Pollution isn't a problem in the nation although there still are. This causes the environment in Hyukai to be very natural. But it is also deadly. On average, about 100 people go missing or die in the forests due to predators and diseases. In 2019, the number increased to nearly 200. Some animals in various areas are being controlled but most rainforests remain dull of danger.

2. We need more kids!
The Ministry of Birth Control (MBC) has calculated that on average a Hyukaian couple has only 2 kids, 3-4 is uncommon and 5+ is rare. It is also estimated that only 6,500 babies were born in 2019. However, since the average age of death is 70 years old, it is still an unknown mystery that plays an important role in the nations small population.

[Nhoor]

For Nhoor that would probably be:

1) The form of government:
Although the parliament (legislative) is democratically elected, the people only elect the members of the provincial parliaments who in turn elect the members of the national parliament. In addition, the government (executive) is a self-regulating institution whose members (mostly) decide themselves on who leaves and who joins and who gets which portfolio. Parliament can only intervene in extreme situations. Parliament does have a strong say in the government's policies though. This means that there is no direct democracy on the national level and Nhoor's form of government may therefore seem undemocratic.

2) The duodecimal counting system:
Although both the decimal and duodecimal systems are tought at school, Nhoor who don't use the decimal system that often may make mistakes when they are abroad, e.g. "50" represents a higher value in Nhoor (namely "60") than elsewhere so Nhoor leaving their country by car may get fined relatively often for speeding. The introduction of computers has contributed to an easier and quicker conversion but in turn has made the average Nhoor lazier when it comes to paying attention. The other way around is even more complicated as most foreigners have no need to know the Nhoor symbols for 10 and 11, which causes issues when they visit Nhoor.

[New Jacobland]

• Instability in the Palo
  It is well-known that the Palo Territory is very unstable. With much of its population staying in tribal areas the government has almost no power in, it is a hotbed for murder and violence. Multiple secessionist movements have appeared over the years, ever since the Palo was split from Jacobland in the colonial era.
  
• Relatively new on the world stage
  Jacobland was extremely isolationist throughout its history, and it is only since the Second Jacobland War that it has opened up. This means it has not many formal diplomatic relations, or trade agreements. Although it is trying to change this, it is still an issue.

[Solaryia]

❅What flaws does your nation have?❅
With the overthrow of the monarchy in the 1950s, the first Consul of Solaryia, Ensi Alsen, was a brilliant, albeit incredibly power hungry and expansionist person. He set up the Solaryi government with a very strong central leader, having control over their own Executive branch and partial control over the Legislature, as he expected he’d live longer to exercise his power as a leader than he did. The powers he granted to himself, and by extension the position of Consul would allow an individual to abolish term limits, and even suspend voting itself if they manage to gain influence over the Judiciary branch. This flaw in government has not yet been abused to its full extent with Consuls after, however the possibility is still open for a strong leader to overthrow the Republic from the inside and give themselves total control.

❅What are aspects others may see as negative?❅
Another problem stemming from the large powers granted to the government is a very strong and overbearing police and justice department. In many cases, police forces are as well funded and equipped as the army, and many outside human rights observers have called out instances of police brutality in their ranks. The Ministry of Justice is one of the strongest ministries in the Solaryi government, and they’re famous (or infamous, defending on who you ask) for having over 95% conviction rates. The prison system is also considered especially harsh. In prisons, the core tenant is “Pay back what you took from Society”, so many prisoners are given the option to do manual labour or infrastructure work, and many with more violent sentences are forced to do it as well, all with little to no pay.

❅What are factors that continue to plague and hinder your nation today?❅
Solaryia is a very mountainous nation, which has its defensive advantages. However, the nation has relatively little flat and arable land, leading to the nation being very dependent on outside food sources. This is especially the case in regards to items such as meat, which requires large amounts of land in order to mass produce. This contributes to high food prices in the nation, especially more rural areas that are away from the port cities, and if a conflict were to ever break out or some other disaster were to befall Solayia's trading partners, then a very significant portion of food would be in jeopardy.

[Ainslie]

Time to reach back into the archives and into the recent history since then, but also some original thoughts (just for you roen)

How far does morality go?
Ainslie has two pretty conflicting goals - it holds to its morals strongly and views other nations through this lens, but the nation also happens to be neutral. As seen in Imperial War One, historical Ahnslen Governments have preferences this neutrality over their moral goals. The limits of how far Ainslie will seek to protect values it sees as ideal for The Western Isles to have has not yet been fully explored.

A sideways glance
In many nations, the representative body will be the supreme source of power in Ainslie. For example, a parliament may be the leading force in the nation and the way it is governed. However, in Ainslie there is a duality of power between the highest court in the land and its representative, the Judicial Council and the Judicial-General and the Assembly (the legislative body) and the Prime Minister (who is popularly elected in a similar way to a President). Whilst the Government can normally proceed with its agenda unhindered, the result of this power being more balanced is that the Prime Minister and the Assembly have to deal with matters surrounding the Courts and the law more broadly with much caution. Most recently, a new kind of Judicial-General has been appointed - someone who was a judge and then got voted into the Assembly and now has been elevated by the Judicial Council to his new role. It is unclear what this will do for the tensions between the Judicial Council and the democratically elected bodies of Ainslie.

A disaster is coming
Ainslie is pretty well known for the natural disasters it has - floods, fires, storms, avalanches, snowstorms, blizzards… only thing the nation doesn’t really have to worry about is tornadoes, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Owing to multiple failures in past administrations, the Ahnslen Government now funds and maintains a highly capable and likely Isles-leading emergency management and response mechanism for the nation. However, capable emergency services and highly sophisticated systems can only do so much. Whilst the nation has not yet experienced an extremely major disaster in the past four years like it did in the 1930s or the 1950s, it could be days, months or just a matter of years away. An urbanised and globalised Ainslie has not had to reckon with such a threat.

The consensus and those left out
Ainslie’s a nation where a lot of things are similar between people, there is mostly agreement on many things - however, there are definitely minorities in opinion and thanks to the strength of the mainstream these tend to get more stubborn and radical rather than reformist.

• There’s the doomsday cults
• There’s the Merenese, who continue their close relations with the broader Ipachi community and generally continue to feel disadvantaged by the Ahnslen state (although they haven’t organised to rally against this, yet).
• There’s a strong belt of nationalists in the central-west of the nation, as there are a lot of trade union types in the west..

Good things don’t last forever
In Ainslie, climate change poses a significant threat to the nation’s ability to feed itself. Much of the farmland in the nation is in climate zones and biospheres particularly vulnerable to desertification, water stress and drought.

The nation also derives a lot of its economic value from high tech manufacturing but as globalisation begins to accelerate the rate at which lower and middle income countries gain knowledge and increase in technology, the nation’s economy could be severely threatened.

The nation has also benefited from the stability of a strong and continuing centrist government, however it is more likely over the coming years that the vote will become split and things will be less clear.

Never bloc’d
Ainslie is a nation that likes to see itself as part of a chain of many different nations who share similar opinions and form informal organic blocs with one another. As such, they are very hesitant to enter into more formalised blocs and will respond with great suspicion to almost any formalised source of power like MSTO or the NISC. In the wake of all of this, Ainslie remains in only one formalised alliance - the G4, which was founded under the initiative of the past administration and does not regularly present itself as one unified front on most things. This means that as blocs begin to form, it is very likely Ainslie would be left behind without strong friends to rely on diplomatically.