Iciaros: a Q&A (IC and OOC)

[Iciaros]

In preparation for the upcoming opening of Iciaros' embassy/consulate programme to the wider international community, the Ministry of Diplomatic Relations has decided to host an open Questions and Answers session. All queries are welcome, and will be answered personally by myself, Chief Ambassador Magnolia Mercia, or another member of the government as may be appropriate for the subject-matter of the specific query. It is our hope that this exercise will allow us to foster strong diplomatic ties and lay the foundations for new and greater international cooperation.

Faithfully yours,
Magnolia Mercia, Chief Ambassador

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OOC: Hiya y'all! As is said, I'm planning to launch an embassy/consulate programme at some point, so what better way to put Iciaros out there than with a Q&A sesh? Feel free to ask questions OOCly if you want, which I will of course answer OOCly as well.

Oh, here's a brief rundown:
Iciaros is an absolute monarchy with selective succession (the current leader chooses the next heir, no succession by blood). It's a PMT nation that also has magic, so, basically, advanced magitech. It's got a lot of semi-autonomous territories and protectorates, many of which operate under domestic systems different from that of Iciaros' core territories, so keep in mind that some areas in Iciaros' borders don't entirely work the same way as the rest of it does.

If you'd like a link to more resources, here is the factbook compendium: https://www.nationstates.net/nation=ici ... ok/id=main

Alright, let's have fun!

[Valentine Z]

Ahh, hello there! I have heard from my, associates, that you are running a Q&A! So this is where it is, ha ha! Well, I believe that we have met before, so yeah!
Anyway, first question is regarding magic: do you all have time travel, or if not, perhaps dimensional hopping and travelling? Seems like magic can do that!

Second question 'll be, do you or your people believe in a higher being, not God, but someone like a Fate that would watch over all the happenings around?
Oh, don't mind me, I am just doing this Fate thing non-canonically; I don't determine the Fates of only the Valentians! So yea.. Fate. Do you believe in one?
- Chief Aviator Gwen Tracer Hepburn “Fate” Ellen Trixie Caitlin Foxworthy Avril Verlene Eveline Celinda Sammy Doris Wt. Oxton Arielle Lindall Leslie Allison

[-Astoria]

'Seems like a nice place to visit. However, we need to ask: do you use capital punishment? This is because we use this as a sort of litmus test as to whether to allow its citizens to visit us, and vice versa. If it fails it, well, expect a big list of sanctions coming your way.'

-diplomat

[Iciaros]

"Thank you for your queries, respected diplomats. Allow me to answer them as best I can."

Ahh, hello there! I have heard from my, associates, that you are running a Q&A! So this is where it is, ha ha! Well, I believe that we have met before, so yeah!
Anyway, first question is regarding magic: do you all have time travel, or if not, perhaps dimensional hopping and travelling? Seems like magic can do that!

"While we like to think our magic is quite advanced, time travel is something we have not invented, at least at the present moment. In any case, I am sure we would be careful in the development of such technologies, given the risks popular media has so frequently associated with interfering in time and causality.

"As for dimension-hopping and travelling, we do make frequent use of portal systems and networks, and indeed it is through this system that most of our diplomatic and international relations are maintained. Our scientists are currently divided on whether our portals merely cross vast distances or reach between dimensions themselves, but having seen many different worlds with different laws of reality, I am inclined to favour the latter position."

Second question 'll be, do you or your people believe in a higher being, not God, but someone like a Fate that would watch over all the happenings around?
Oh, don't mind me, I am just doing this Fate thing non-canonically; I don't determine the Fates of only the Valentians! So yea.. Fate. Do you believe in one?

"Be it gods or higher beings, the evidence at hand is insufficient to come to a conclusion regarding such an entity's existence or lack thereof. The state position, and the majority opinion of our people, is one of agnosticism. Were new evidence to emerge, I could envision this stance changing, but I do not believe such an eventuality is imminent or likely."

Regards,
Magnolia Mercia

(OOC: In reality, there is a sort of 'god' or omniscient being for Iciaros, but all of about two people actually know it, and neither of them are in government. So... *shrugs*)

---

'Seems like a nice place to visit. However, we need to ask: do you use capital punishment? This is because we use this as a sort of litmus test as to whether to allow its citizens to visit us, and vice versa. If it fails it, well, expect a big list of sanctions coming your way.'

"The status of capital punishment is... complicated. Technically, the framework for administering the death penalty does exist. Practically, however, it has not once been exercised in the past two hundred years, and the consensus among government officials is that no executions will be carried out except in the most dire of circumstances. Following Iciaros' entry into the World Assembly, we instituted laws to remain in compliance with GAR#443: Preventing the Execution of Innocents, which has made administering the death penalty even in the aforementioned dire circumstances effectively impossible. The reality, therefore, is that despite the existence of a legal framework, Iciaros will not and cannot execute any criminals, even if we wanted to.

"For context, if you are curious, the death penalty was implemented centuries ago not as a punishment or deterrent, but as a tool of necessity - the consequence of the existence of magic is that world-shaking magics are accessible, if difficult to attain and wield, and such individuals would be effectively impossible to safely contain in perpetuity. The rise of such empowered and malicious individuals are, thankfully, few and far between. The single incident in recent history that may have warranted the death penalty ended with the death of the perpetrator in battle, so there was no need to consider the application of law. That said perpetrator was responsible for the deaths of 20 million people, however, may indicate the threshold of severity necessary before Iciaros will even consider the use of the death penalty, if it was unconstrained by international law.

"I am obliged to note that this is the situation in Iciaros and its de jure territories. Iciaros has a number of de facto protectorates whose domestic policies we have vowed not to interfere with, beyond a minimum of ensuring immigration and emigration opportunities. I am given to understand that two of these protectorates have implemented the death penalty for crimes of varying severity. While Iciaros may disapprove of their policies, our promise to allow them internal sovereignty ultimately takes precedence.

"As for the possibility of sanctions... forgive me, honoured diplomat, but my records do not currently reflect any trade between Iciaros and Astoria. Perhaps they are out of date? I will consult my colleagues in our portal hub of Kalmia to ascertain the accuracy of my data."

Regards,
Magnolia Mercia

[Valentine Z]

Oooh, thank you very much for answering those questions for me, ha hah! Well, as you can tell, my name as definitely gotten longer, for it is to make sure that alignments are upkeep on 4K screen.
Anyway, a question from me: In your history, both written, spoken, or otherwise, who has the longest name of them all? I didn't mean titles like "His Imperial and Serene Majesty".. Just the names!
- Chief Aviator Gwen Tracer Hepburn “Fate of Existence and the Omniverse” Ellen Trixie Caitlin Foxworthy Avril Verlene Eveline Celinda Sammy Doris Wt. Oxton Arielle Lindall Leslie Vitesse Allison

[Iciaros]

Oooh, thank you very much for answering those questions for me, ha hah! Well, as you can tell, my name as definitely gotten longer, for it is to make sure that alignments are upkeep on 4K screen.
Anyway, a question from me: In your history, both written, spoken, or otherwise, who has the longest name of them all? I didn't mean titles like "His Imperial and Serene Majesty".. Just the names!
- Chief Aviator Gwen Tracer Hepburn “Fate of Existence and the Omniverse” Ellen Trixie Caitlin Foxworthy Avril Verlene Eveline Celinda Sammy Doris Wt. Oxton Arielle Lindall Leslie Vitesse Allison

"Thank you for your inquiry, Chief Aviator. Allow me to refer you to my colleague Tanya Small, our Chief Historian."
- Magnolia Mercia

"Hello! First, let me just say that it's an honour to discuss our history with someone outside of Iciaros. Most people here don't even really care that much, so to have someone else interested - and a high-ranking dignitary at that - is absolutely heartwarming!

"So, to answer your question. I'm afraid we don't have many records of names outside of people occupying senior government positions - Iciaros' identity databases only use numbers and pictures, you see, so any names we might have we only have because of academic curiosity, which naturally only deals with those individuals of some prominence. Our current sovereign, Empress Andromeda Ceriss, has one of the longest standard two-word names that exist in the archives, but by far our longest name to date is that of the last sovereign of pre-Apocalyptic Iciaros - Empress Angelica Concordia Sergla Celestis Icias. Her traditional two-word name, Angelica Concordia, is added onto by three names that represent the demands the time had of her. Sergla is the family name of Diane Sergla, a noble at the time who led a popular uprising against imperial Iciaros and achieved international recognition as a sovereign country by the end of the conflict; Empress Angelica married a sibling of hers in an attempt to mend the frayed ties between the shrunken Iciaros and its now-seceded provinces. Celestis is derived from the name of the Empress preceding Angelica, Empress Celeste, whose death during the conflict sparked a succession dispute due largely to Empress Angelica's uncertain descent and the lack of a will by Celeste - the name was taken to represent her legitimacy as Celeste's heir. Icias was a last name commonly given to abandoned children of uncertain parentage, meaning 'child of Iciaros'; Empress Angelica took up this name to represent her status as 'just another Iciarosian' to endear herself to her people, particularly in the aftermath of an uprising born from atrocities and mistreatment inflicted by her predecessor's provincial governors and nobles.

"I hope this answers your question!"
- Tanya Small