TPP | Res Publica in the Pax Perdition

[Haymarket Riot]

We would like to reaffirm our commitment to the sovereignty of the Plains of Perdition. We apologize for any confusion about our commitment towards this outcome given our prior commitments.

[Rhaza]

We would like to reaffirm our commitment to the sovereignty of the Plains of Perdition. We apologize for any confusion about our commitment towards this outcome given our prior commitments.

Hello Jinkies, thank you for the comment,

While we appreciate any reaffirmation of our sovereignty, this comment is quite simply not enough (and its omission of the Outback is not lost on me). As explained in our statement yesterday (which was broadly focused on the NPO): "to coerce a region into [a delegacy change] against the will of its natives [...] represents an attempt to endanger the security of the Outback [...] Given the tied mechanics of Sinkers, this would additionally endanger the Plains of Perdition." The actions undertaken, maintained as legitimate for nearly two months before a public attempt to justify them, simply do not align with a respect for the sovereignty of the Plains of Perdition, much less its allies.

The NPO, LWU, and AA's statement had five core components,

1. Advancement of a defamatory and unsubstantiated narrative regarding Walkabout.
2. Acknowledgement that several foreign regions advanced a "preferred candidate" for Delegate of the Outback (notably this preferred candidate was a member of the NPO, and the additional candidate LWU put forward is an officer there).
3. Claims that our criticism of the above constituted a "campaign of social pressure and hostility".
4. Attempts to portray the conduct of the publishing regions as gratuitous rather than subversive.
5. Vague accusations of "extortion", implied to be referring to us, the West Pacific, and the Outback.

After this lengthy period of avoiding responsibility following the event itself, and instead opting to make the matter public (whilst privately promising an apology), we simply cannot take this forum post to rectify the situation.

EDIT: If "prior committments" is to refer to your involvement in the coup attempt itself, then continued downplaying of the incursion is also noted.

[Haymarket Riot]

I don't quite understand why you here insist on interpreting my kindness in the worst possible faith, but message reluctantly received. I'm sorry for wasting your time.

[Rhaza]

I don't quite understand why you here insist on interpreting my kindness in the worst possible faith, but message reluctantly received. I'm sorry for wasting your time.

It's not a question of interpretation, it's a question of context. As I said, we appreciate any affirmation or recognition of our sovereignty. That doesn't mean saying it now in a brief post undoes all of the damage (and attempted further damage), lying, and defamation done consciously over the last two months - which still goes without any sort of taking of responsibility.

If I attempt to cut down my neighbor's tree while he's at work, and he comes home to stop me, and then later asks me to apologize and not do it again... and my response is to put signs all over the neighborhood saying he's unreasonably blackmailing me, it makes it a little hard to believe if I later text him "yeah I respect your tree by the way".

[The null of Cyn]

someone explain what the LWU did please. Haymarket, anyone

[Rhaza]

someone explain what the LWU did please. Haymarket, anyone

Lone Wolves United coordinated an attempt to displace Walkabout as Delegate of the Outback wherein they and their co-conspirators threatened to cut the region off and remove any support (those who had any left there, anyway) if Walkabout was not replaced with a candidate of their choosing.

[The null of Cyn]

someone explain what the LWU did please. Haymarket, anyone

Lone Wolves United coordinated an attempt to displace Walkabout as Delegate of the Outback wherein they and their co-conspirators threatened to cut the region off and remove any support (those who had any left there, anyway) if Walkabout was not replaced with a candidate of their choosing.

Yeah sounds like us

[Ladka Jayak]

snip

1.4/10. Y'all can do better.

I ain't gonna put effort into making the posts good, that suggests I take everything you say as more than a joke. Which I don't. This changing of the narrative from it being a case of a request in order to allow a region to flourish to a coup attempt is pathetic.

snippity snip snip sniperoo

More likely battery, actually. Assault doesn't even require you to touch someone!

Could you explain to me how it doesn't qualify as a coup attempt in your mind? Not every coup involves tanks rolling through the streets, gunfire, and bloodshed. They're fundamentally political activities.

Various regions approaching another region and demanding it changes its delegate lest they take steps to endanger and isolate it is a foreign-backed coup attempt.

Let's look at some definitions, shall we?

"a sudden illegal, often violent, taking of government power, especially by part of an army:" - Cambridge Dictionary

Nope, this doesn't fit the events whatsoever.

":a sudden decisive exercise of force in politics and especially the violent overthrow or alteration of an existing government by a small group :" - Merrian Webster

Yes, perhaps, but there was no violence involved in the events; further, the AA, NPO and LWU do not qualify as a small group- they are, or were, contributors to a project and put forth a demand as their partners were failing to make it so the project succeeded. By the logic that counts as a coup? God knows what else qualifies. I dunno, protesting? Pretty broad definition, really. Not the best.

"coup d’état, the sudden, violent overthrow of an existing government by a small group. The chief prerequisite for a coup is control of all or part of the armed forces, the police, and other military elements." - Britannica

"a sudden, violent, and unlawful seizure of power from a government." - Oxford Dictionary

Doesn't fit the events... and doesn't fit the events, Oh my! I wonder why I doubt it being a coup... Maybe... Maybe because it isn't one. Wow. I am literate, who knew.

snip, again

I suppose you have evidence to indicate the Plains are a Defender region?

What else would it be, oh fair Quebecshire. Call yourself an independent all you want, you're just a bunch of Defenders who want to grief, but you can't handle being honest calling yourself defenders. Not that y'all defend anything anyways.

[Rhaza]

Let's look at some definitions, shall we?

"a sudden illegal, often violent, taking of government power, especially by part of an army:" - Cambridge Dictionary

Nope, this doesn't fit the events whatsoever.

It actually does? It was sudden (TWP was thrown into the chat right after internal discussions on the progress of TO that did not indicate they would do this) and it was clearly an attempt to take government power. "Often" and "especially" are not hard requirements. I'd also note that since the threat involved withdrawal of remaining forces/a refusal to protect the region going forward, army power was certainly leveraged here.

All of the other definitions are fairly similar so I don't see a need to pick each one apart individually, but we tick the two required boxes: (1) it was illegal and (2) it was an attempt at seizing power over the region's government, and we arguably tick one of the non-required supplemental elements, being army involvement.

What else would it be, oh fair Quebecshire. Call yourself an independent all you want, you're just a bunch of Defenders who want to grief, but you can't handle being honest calling yourself defenders. Not that y'all defend anything anyways.

The Plains of Perdition engages in both offensive and defensive action according to its interests, and much of RIP training revolves around practicing raiding. I didn't call myself an independent, I said the region is, which is simply true.

[Rhaza]

I ain't gonna put effort into making the posts good, that suggests I take everything you say as more than a joke. Which I don't. This changing of the narrative from it being a case of a request in order to allow a region to flourish to a coup attempt is pathetic.

Could you explain to me how the result pursued by LWU, NPO, and AA would allow the region to flourish?

Even if we set aside the ethics of the matter it's entirely unclear to me how an additional delegacy transition, or any of the candidates named, would be doing a better job.

In fact since the Outback was freed from the yolk of the "shrewdness" of these opportunists, they have found better partners who provided them (a) actual military support (b) a state of the art recruitment bot and (c) state of the art integration technology.

[American Generations]

I ain't gonna put effort into making the posts good, that suggests I take everything you say as more than a joke. Which I don't. This changing of the narrative from it being a case of a request in order to allow a region to flourish to a coup attempt is pathetic.

Could you explain to me how the result pursued by LWU, NPO, and AA would allow the region to flourish?

Even if we set aside the ethics of the matter it's entirely unclear to me how an additional delegacy transition, or any of the candidates named, would be doing a better job.

In fact since the Outback was freed from the yolk of the "shrewdness" of these opportunists, they have found better partners who provided them (a) actual military support (b) a state of the art recruitment bot and (c) state of the art integration technology.

If you really think about it, it was actually a win for TO. 2 new technologies had been supplied to the Outback in order to assist with integrating and recruiting new players to the region, plus unconditional military support from other allies that we'll never back-track against unlike what the NPO, LWU and AA did.

[The Perdition Post]

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TPP | Archonate Increases Perdition's Endorsement Cap
By Rhaza

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ARCHONS’ PALACE, 20 APRIL 2025 - High Archon Wickedness has announced an increase of the regional endorsement cap from five to ten - doubling the endorsement allowances of residents.

The original endorsement limit of five was established in November 2024 when the region was first settled. Upon Rhaza’s ascension to the WA Delegacy, the endorsement limit of five was declared as item II to the Founding Proclamation alongside the naming of provisional security officers exempt from the limit. Later, this collection of individuals came to form the Archonate.

When the region’s constitution, the Covenant of Radiance, was ratified it did not provide for the exact endorsement limit, but Article IV-VI allows the High Archon as Vice Delegate and the Primarch’s highest security official to define a general endorsement limit.

Since Independence Day on March 10th, Perdition’s native endorsement counts have continued to grow, now above 200. Recent data shows WA Delegate Rhaza nearing the count of the Rejected Realms in endorsements, and being roughly tied with the Restorer Osiris throughout much of the last week. Despite its youth, Perdition has joined longstanding GCRs in endorsement strength and stability, making it safe and comfortable for the endorsement cap to be increased.

The Post reached out to Luminarch Haitianstates, one of Perdition’s internal security figures who aids with vetting and auditing the Illuminated, as well as monitoring suspicious nations. On the raising of the cap, the Luminarch said:

The endorsement cap is one of many tools the Luminarch’s use to protect our community from external threats but has been an important mechanism to establish our initial stability and security.

Over our first five months the Primarch has been able to sustain a strong and consistent endorsement count. The Luminarchs and Archonate both supported doubling the endorsement cap so that our native community can share endorsements with one another, build their own influence and avoid inadvertent cap breaches.

The official announcement from the High Archon can be found here, and the dispatch containing endorsement limits information is located here.

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TPP Home Page | Perdition Discord | Perdition Forum

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[American Generations]

Road to 250 endorsements, here we go!

[Miravana]

Impressive numbers from our sister sinker. Congratulations to Perdition and Rhaza!

[The Saint]

While I hold no love for TPoP- I would be doing a disservice to not congratulate you for how well you have been growing TPoP. Truly, marvelous work. Congratulations.

[The Perdition Post]

Issue #1 ║ Friday May 2, 2025 ║ TPP

Government Updates ║ Regional News ║ Interregional Gameplay ║ Editorials & Op-Eds

Perdition Enters Second Government Term!

A Conversation with Chancellor Nolrem
Topic: Interview
By: Ghost of Tiyrannus Three

26 November 2024, 7:51 PM Eastern Time: A higher power conjures the Plains of Perdition and the Outback into existence as two new Sinker regions. This is the first time a Game-Created Region has been created since the creation of Balder and Osiris in 2011.
- Entry from the ‘History of the Plains of Perdition’ | Content by New Opolopia, converted to dispatch by Rhaza.

In just over four months, The Plains of Perdition has grown immensely under the rule of its Primarch, Rhaza, and the stewardship of its government, led by Chancellor Nolrem. To date, Perdition has over 1800 nations, with 89 Illuminated and over 200 WA nations endorsing the Primarch. Chancellor Nolrem’s first term saw significant leaps in ministerial work, with four ministries now consistently functioning under Nolrem’s second term. With so much change occurring rapidly in the region, The Perdition Post offers readers yet another glimpse into the thoughts of the region’s leadership, acting as both a reflection of the region’s short history and a snapshot of the present.

Last year in December, The Post’s fourth publication included an interview with Chancellor Nolrem. This interview occurred following the formation of the region’s first government on Sunday, December 8. At the time, Nolrem and The Post discussed topics ranging from challenges facing the new Sinker to what the future of the region would look like under the Chancellor’s term.

Once again, The Perdition Post has the distinct opportunity to interview Chancellor Nolrem following his reappointment for a second term on April 8. The Chancellor’s opening address can be read here, and inquiring minds can find their first interview with The Post here. For today’s interview, readers have another rare opportunity to hear directly from the Chancellor as they share their thoughts on the region, reflects on the last four months of Perdition’s early development, and shares ideas on the future of the GCR and its governance.

GT3: Welcome, Chancellor Nolrem! Thank you for taking the time to sit down with The Perdition Post and interview with us. These past few weeks have been extremely busy for the region at large, and we at The Post appreciate your time. First of all, I’d like to begin with the obvious - the last four months for Perdition have been incredible. There is so much that we could discuss in this interview, but time is limited for this segment and we’ll do our best to cover the big topics. We’re extremely grateful to have you here today.

Let’s start this interview with a look backwards. Four months have flown by, and your first term is already over. When you last sat down with The Post on December 15, Perdition was a fledgling GCR, just beginning its early development as a brand new region. At this point, the Primarch established our Covenant of Radiance, we had a pending flag contest, our first cultural event, and your government and ministries had just been formed. Effectively, when we last spoke your government was brand new, ready to lead a brand new region. What feelings arise when you look back on Perdition’s regional development thus far? Four months ago, would you have expected the region to be where it stands now?

Nolrem: Pride, mostly. I’m very proud of Perdition’s regional development. It’s hard to judge tPoPs growth against other regions because of our GCR status, but we developed very quickly and very well. I can’t think of another region that had our level of success as quickly as we did.
I do not think I would have expected us to be exactly where we are now, but we’re definitely not out of the range of my expectations for where we would be.

GT3: When we last talked, you mentioned that your first term was “about setting up the basics our region needs to succeed in the future.” Do you believe that you and your government have succeeded in fulfilling this goal in your first term? Are you satisfied with the progress that has been made, and how you have set yourself up for your second term in office?

Nolrem: Oh, we absolutely succeeded in fulfilling the goal, we established a great foundation for future Chancellors to build on. I am satisfied with the progress that was made in my first term, and I’m very happy with the way that we set ourselves up for this second term.

GT3: So many things have happened in your first term - from ministerial development, the establishment of several notable treaties and embassies, the construction of a military, and so much more. Which development in the region has surprised and excited you the most so far? What about it surprised you the most?

Nolrem: That’s like asking me to name my favorite child, it’s incredibly hard to do. I think that by far the best thing that has happened has been our weekly hangouts. What surprised me the most was that it came to fruition, for a very long time people kept telling me that it couldn’t be done, and then we did it, and it’s great.

GT3: Lastly, still looking back, what’s the biggest lesson you have learned in your first term, and what experiences played into it?

Nolrem: I am generally very easy going, and that has served me fairly well in my time in NationStates as well as in real life, however there are times when you have to be able to take a deep breath, and be less easy going, and sometimes even be aggressive or abrasive. My first term has taught me how to recognize those moments more easily, and has made me more comfortable with being aggressive and, sometimes annoying, when it comes to getting the things accomplished that need to be done.

GT3: So far, we’ve viewed things in hindsight for your first term, especially on those things which you see as notable elements of your time in office. At this point in our talk, I’d like to fast forward a bit and talk about the present, and what happens next for the region. In your second term opening address, you state that “we are still not going to be reinventing the wheel. In my first term as Chancellor we found a set of wheels that works really well for us, and this term we intend to keep using them.” You also state that increased involvement is a key theme for the next four months. On one hand, it is clear that the current government is working extremely well. The last four months have proven this. However, I’d like to discuss this theme of involvement. What new opportunities do you believe will be available for members of the region? On top of what we have already, do you plan to create new government programs, or primarily expand on what we currently have?

Nolrem: As I stated in my opening speech, one of my goals for this term is the establishment of an ambassador program, to further promote our media and goings on abroad. This will provide new opportunities to get involved for those interested in our Foreign Affairs.
We also in the process of planning a larger scale event than we’ve seen before, and if it pans out the way we hope it will, it will open the door to future large scale events and will open up opportunities for more involvement in the culture department.

GT3: This month, foreign affairs for Perdition have been center stage for the start of your second term, with Perdition revising, entering, and departing several notable treaties through February to the present. We now have a new minister of foreign affairs in your cabinet as well. Where do you see the foreign affairs ministry going in the next four months?

Nolrem: Over the next four months I expect that the FA ministry will continue the good work that it has done, we have a couple of treaties already in the works which will be announced soon, and then we have some partners which we intend to reach out to further increase our network of allies. Some of these are formalizations of already existing relationships, and others are more outside the box and unexpected.

GT3: Considering Perdition’s ongoing and successful development as a new GCR, the groundwork and foundation of our region is strong. Programs and structures exist that weren’t present at the start of your first term, and, colloquially speaking, the engine here is running really well. Now that you have a ‘new set of wheels that work well,’ what do you look forward to the most for your second term?

Nolrem: That’s a hard question to answer. There are a lot of things I’m looking forward to this term. If I had to pick just one thing, I would choose the event that we’re working on. Planning an event of this caliber is not something that I’ve ever done in NationStates before, and if it works out well then it will be something new and exciting for me, and hopefully something fun for a great many people.

GT3: On a final note, I’d like to open the floor to you to hear from you directly. We’ve briefly discussed your first term as Chancellor, and talked about what to look forward to and expect for your second term. That said, do you have any final thoughts regarding the region and this absolutely outstanding run we’ve had since November? If you could sum up your experience so far in just a couple sentences, what would you say to the region and to readers?

Nolrem: The people make the place. If we did not have the amazing, unique, and talented group of individuals that has come to populate Perdition, from Rhaza all the way down, then we would not be the region that we are today. As long as people continue to be willing to put their hand up, to volunteer and get involved, we’ll continue to have the same kind of success in the future that we’ve had in the last four months. As to what I would say about my experience in Perdition so far… I was retired. I was content to sit in my retirement home and be forgotten, until all that was left of me was a mention in the Security Council. When I came to Perdition, I was put on a rollercoaster, and it’s been the most exciting part of my career in NationStates so far. I want to thank everyone that has helped make it that way.

GT3: Well folks, that’s all for today! The Perdition Post extends its gratitude to Chancellor Nolrem for participating in a second interview following four months of exceptional growth as a region. We here at the Post wish the Chancellor a successful second term, and look forward to sharing more regional news with our readers at home and abroad.

Regional Illumination

Regional Fast Facts!

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Regional Stats - Monday, April 28 2025
Population: 1944 Nations
Total WA Delegate Endorsements: 212
Illuminated: 89
Lightbound Role Play Nation Count: 44
Total Manual Recruitment Telegrams Sent: 133809
Government of Perdition, Beginning April 8 2025
Chancellor: Nolrem (Reappointed)
Minister of Foreign Affairs: New Opolopia (Replacing Holy Flame)
Minister of Culture: Ostrovskiy (Reappointed)
Minister of Integration and Recruitment: South Petronellania (Reappointed)
Minister of Media: Ghost of Tiyrannus Three (Reappointed)

The Plains of Perdition Regional Flowchart

[url=IMAGE]Click for Full-Sized Image[/url]

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Cultural Spotlight
By: Ostrovskiy

Announcement from Perdition’s Ministry of Culture: Weekly Game Nights!
This is your reminder from the Ministry of Culture to come to Perditious Game Nights! They’re hosted in the Discord on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. eastern time, and they’re a blast.
We play all kinds of games, sometimes Discord activities and sometimes external games, but always fun ones. The winner gets a shiny role that they get to keep until the next game night, and we usually get about 6-10 people once we get going into the event, so you don’t have to worry about being left without company. I hope to see you there!

Regional Archive Created!
Do you want to know the exact dates Ministers entered and exited office? Have you ever wondered what operations the Inquisition did recently that didn't warrant a full report? Check out the new official Archive of Perdition! Maintained by New Opolopia with help from Minister Ostrovskiy, the records of Perdition are kept nicely and tidily organized in a Google Doc, with just the right level of detail to satisfy your curiosity without boring you. In time, we hope, this can become an invaluable resource of Perditious history. Check it out here!

Interregional Spotlight

News from Abroad
Topic: Interregional Blurbs and News
By: The Pains of Perdition

The months of March and April have been exciting in terms of gameplay. But it's easy to get lost in all the drama. So here are a few blurbs to remind you of the gameplay happening over the past few weeks.

Perdition and The West Pacific sign the Pact of the West Cocytus
On the 23rd of March 2025, The Plains of Perdition and The West Pacific signed the Pact of West Cocytus. The announcement of the pact emphasized Perdition's prior collaborations with TWP, such as the repeal of GAR#8, and showing solidarity and support to the Outback. The treaty emphasizes mutual collaboration between both regions.

Carcassonne and the New Pacific Order sign the Treaty of Tahiti
On the 25th of March 2025, the New Pacific Order and Carcassonne signed the Treaty of Tahiti. This treaty was to mark the friendship between the two regions. In the announcement of the treaty, the NPO shared their appreciation towards Carcassonne for treating them with dignity and respect, and that the cooperation between both regions would increase.

Perdition and 10000 Islands sign the Islands of Phlegethon Accords
On the 30th of March 2025, the Plains of Perdition and 10000 Islands signed the Islands of Phlegethon Accords. The accords include mutual security agreement, mutual recognition, and cooperation between both regions. In the announcement of the accords, Holy Flame remarked that XKI was involved in the initial rush and had been steadfast in their support of Perdition ever since, and that this accord made XKI one of Perdition's strongest allies.

The United Federations Holds its first Election
The United Federations is a sci-fi roleplay region, which was formerly ruled by an autocratic government. However, the government had become increasingly flawed, and so Archasia announced elections for the First Minister of the General Assembly on the 2nd of April 2025, and all WA residents were allowed to vote. There were two candidates, Archasia, and Voopmont, and the latter won.

Sovereign Seven Ratified
On the 3rd of April 2025, the Sovereign Seven was ratified as a voting bloc. The Sovereign Seven consists of the regions of The Plains of Perdition, The West Pacific, The Outback,, The League and Concord, Talonia, The Augustin Alliance, and Balder, with all regions (with the exception of Balder) having released a joint statement following the repeal of GAR#8 regarding the institutional health of the World Assembly. The Sovereign Seven recently opened a Discord server where aspiring authors can work on repeals to flawed resolutions. The Sovereign Seven is becoming an increasingly powerful WA bloc day by day.

Fall of Zickton
On the 6th of April 2025, Zickton was raided by a coalition consisting of The Galactic Armada of Starlight, The Trans Republican Army, The Blue Ridge Militia, The Europeian Republican Navy, and The Bankless Liberation Forces. Zickton was a member of the Stavian Union, which was founded by The Auglands, who had supported the Fifth Empire and spoke out against operations on transphobic and bigoted regions. The region is currently locked and will transition to a stronghold soon.

The West Pacific exits Pax Polaris Occidens
On the 8th of April 2025, The West Pacific exited Pax Polaris Occidens. This was due to a joint statement made by two member regions of PPO, namely the Augustin Alliance and the New Pacific Order, along with the raider region of Lone Wolves United, which defended the aforementioned regions’ actions towards the Outback, a region that is closely affiliated with The West Pacific. LWU, AA, and the NPO demanded that the Delegate of the Outback be replaced, or else treaties with the Outback would be terminated.
After the joint statement, The West Pacific, the Outback, the Plains of Perdition, and other regions issued a joint rebuttal against LWU, AA, and the NPO. Shortly after this, the Better Together treaty was terminated and The West Pacific left Pax Polaris Occidens.

Varanius becomes Delegate of The West Pacific
On the 3rd of April, 53rd Delegate of The West Pacific Fujai announced that he would be stepping down as Delegate of The West Pacific, and that Varanius, former Guardian and Minister of Foreign affairs would step up to the Delegacy. Varanius had shown dedication and excellence in TWP for a long time. And on the Major update on the 21st of April, Varanius assumed the Delegacy.

Vibonia Injuncted
On the 11th of April 2025, Vibonia, a prominent frontier considered to be in the “big 5 frontiers’ was injuncted by SCR#540. The resolution was written by Picairn, following internal discussion by the citizenry. The resolution passed by a wide margin, with more than 10000 votes for, compared to less than 2500 votes against.

Perditious Ponderings

Monthly Puzzle and Prize!

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How much do you know about NationStates and The Plains of Perdition? Test your knowledge on regional culture and activity by solving this perditious crossword by Ostrovskiy. The first nation to telegram a completed and correct crossword to Ghost of Tiyrannus Three will win a Legendary S4 Lislandia card! A list of answers works just fine.

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The Climb | "Digital Facades"
Topic: Human Interest Column
By: The Colorado Republic

I’ve played NationStates off and on since high school, and the concept of parading around anonymously as a nation, hiding behind a cool flag and interesting lore among other reasons has yet to lose its charm. At times it serves as an escape; in this space on the internet I can create another world, and perhaps be a completely different person than offline as well. On a platform like this, such anonymity can not only be good fun, but a way to comfortably advertise our politics and overall personality in a faceless manner.

Of course, most of us have lives outside of the game which we choose to share with friends and family, perhaps on social media like Facebook or Instagram. With countless filters and an increasingly powerful range of A.I. tools at one’s disposal, the freedom to project a carefully curated image of oneself on social media outside NationStates has never been easier. However, such inauthenticity can cause harm to mental wellbeing, especially among our youth. 48% of teens in a 2024 Pew Research Study felt social media posed a threat to peers their age, and among the 22% of teens and 44% of parents that cited social media as the top factor in youth mental health, one reason stood out - “The people they see on social media, it makes them think they have to look and be like them or they won’t be liked.”

As much as I have abstained from social media in the past few years, I’ll admit I still get sucked into thinking the grass is greener on the other side when scrolling through feeds. So many people my age are already married and having kids. Look at this family - they look so happy together! Then there are some of my friends who post pictures from the gym. Wow I wish I had a body like that! Even in corners of the internet under various names of Booklr, Booktok, etc. there’s no escape from superficial coveting. This is the 4th book you’ve read this week?! Where do you find the time?! As much as I knew deep down these types of posts were merely snapshots of various people’s lives, maybe even false ones, I couldn’t help but feel in the back of my mind that I was somehow inferior to these people.

However, a month ago I had a conversation with an older friend of mine (we’ll call him Bob) where I expressed my recent unhappiness with myself, and how this unhappiness was creeping into my daily life in the analog as well. I was feeling distrustful, like I couldn’t be as open with others as I wanted to out of fear I wouldn’t fit in as well. One thing Bob said has stuck with me ever since:
“Colorado, forget about what other people might think. This is your life to live and if you can’t be comfortable with yourself, then obviously you won’t be comfortable around others.”

In a way, he was right. Why should I care about how great other people seemingly have it? I’m not in their shoes nor are they in mine. Plenty of people get married and have children later in life than where I am now. For now I have time to enjoy things by myself without the commitment of needing to compromise with someone else’s wants. Concerning my body, if I’m in a position to change it for the better, then why not get up and take the steps necessary to do so? I already have the privilege of a gym membership that I could (and probably should) be using more! As for reading more, that’s a matter of better time management. Work and sleep aside, I could reclaim some time away from the phone or computer, and perhaps find a more enchanting escape in the printed word.

With this in mind, I’m extremely grateful for a place on the internet like NationStates. I’ve met some of my closest friends here and am beyond thankful for the region-mates who were always willing to be a shoulder to lean on when needed. Sure, most of us choose to maintain anonymity behind our chosen flag and a nation, but I’d argue this anonymity allows us to be more open about ourselves and make deeper connections with friends where sites like Facebook or Twitter would not. There’s been no pressure to post how great my private life is for likes or out of fear close friends and family will ostracize me. In this space I’m the Colorado Republic, but more importantly, just another human being like you. When we leave NationStates to go to our chosen social feeds, realize none of us are perfect, no matter how we portray ourselves, and as Bob might add, it is this imperfection we need to be comfortable with if we are to be comfortable with others.

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TPP Home Page | Perdition Discord | Perdition Forum

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[Ghost of Tiyrannus Three]

Thank you!

[Lumeris]

Very nice edition!

[Ostrovskiy]

Awesome article!

[Adkissa]

Good stuff!

[Ghost of Tiyrannus Three]

Good stuff!

Thanks Adkissa! Glad to share the news with Blue Ridge

[American Generations]

The Perdition Post, along with Youtube, is the only reason why I can speak and type English still, even in India. (this is just an exaggeration, my mom told me that if I continue speaking in my mother tongue, I'll speak in English way worse than before XD )

[New Rogernomics]

Really good read, and a nice release.

I tried joining a UCR once on an alt, trying it out, asking the leadership if they were okay with it first of course. Found I just couldn't handle hiding like that. Was fun for a month. Then I got tired of trying to create a new persona, and play the game hiding my past. Wasn't for me exactly either.

[Bhang Bhang Duc]

Enjoyed the read - keep up the good work.

[The Perdition Post]

Interview ║ Thursday June 12, 2025 ║ TPP

Government Updates ║ Regional News ║ Interregional Gameplay ║ Editorials & Op-Eds

A MID-TERM SPECIAL FEATURE

A Conversation with Minister New Opolopia
Topic: Interview
By: Mamjul and Korar (Moon)

While Perdition has only been in existence for over six months, its prestige and influence as one of the premier independent regions has been on a rapid rise. Already boasting over 230 endorsements on Primarch Rhaza and an active military force that can consistently keep pace with some of the best R/D has to offer. This has only been possible due to the wise guidance of our Primarch Rhaza, the excellent leadership of Chancellor Nolrem and their government, and of course, the hard work of all the Perditians. And Minister of Foreign Affairs New Opolopia, whose appointment to the position came as a surprise to many due to their relatively unknown status in Gameplay, has been a rising star both within and outside of Perdition. The Perdition Post had the distinct opportunity to sit down with this busy individual and have a chat about various topics, including The Outback extortion scandal, Perdition’s ideology and its involvement in the WA and their own history in NationStates.

Moon: Welcome, Minister New Opolopia! Thank you for taking the time to sit down with The Perdition Post and have an interview with us. I’m aware of your busy schedule and we of The Post appreciate your time.

Let’s get the obvious out of the way - your term as Minister of Foreign Affairs has witnessed some monumental changes in the landscape of interregional politics, many of them brought on by the failed attempt to extort The Outback to force the resignation of Walkabout from its Delegacy. What was Perdition's initial reaction upon hearing of this shocking event and now that the matter is seemingly resolved, what are your thoughts on it in hindsight?

New Opolopia: Our initial reaction was clear and unanimous: What happened to the Outback was a clear violation of a sister Sinker's sovereignty. As soon as we heard of the event, we all agreed to support our ally in their hour of need. At the same time, we also believed the Outback had a good chance of bouncing back. When NPO, LWU and associates sent their demand, they were already out of the region. Coupled with the return of TWPAF, which bumped Walkabout's endorsement count back to 71, the loss of their support would not greatly affect the Outback's stability.

Looking back, I think this was a huge blunder for NPO and LWU, NPO especially. They destroyed their goodwill and reputation just to knock a couple endos off a single region, and it doesn't look like any of the big Gameplay players will be letting them back in any time soon. It was also a test for how much we could support our allies, and I think we passed with flying colors - Walkabout is still Delegate, and is currently sitting at a healthy endorsement count of 87, almost all of them natives. Not as big as us, but impressive nonetheless.

Moon: Even though Perdition is less than a year old at the time of this interview, it already boasts an impressive network of allies and partners, especially when compared to other fledgling GCRs in similar situations (i.e Balder and Osiris in 2011). What desirable aspects are you usually looking for in a region wanting to establish a relationship with our region and what specific goals/agendas are you trying to accomplish with that new relationship?

New Opolopia: Generally speaking, what we want most from our partners is reliability, especially if they want deeper ties. Whatever responsibilities we put on each other, we want to know they'll be able and willing to hold up their end of the agreement. Aside from that, we also appreciate consistency and friendliness.

As for our goals, first and foremost is expanding our influence. Perdition is still a fairly new region, and although we've made a lot of progress in that regard, there is still much to be done. Another goal we have is supporting our existing partners. Establishing relationships with regions connected to those we already have relationships with benefits all parties involved and enhances their mutual influence and security. Last, but certainly not least, is isolating our enemies. Having relations with regions serves as a powerful buffer against them falling into the spheres of influence of our adversaries.

Moon: The last bit about enemies actually makes for a perfect segue into my next question; what role do you envision for Perdition's military, the Radiant Inquisition, to play in the region's diplomatic endeavors in the future?

New Opolopia: I believe in the future, the Inquisition will primarily be supporting our allies. We'll participate in operations with them, and, if they request it, reinforce their security. These operations will go a long way in proving our strength to other regions and demonstrating that we're a valuable partner to them.

Moon: This once again circles back to Perdition’s status as an independent region, not choosing to officially align themselves with neither invaders nor defenders. Could you explain how you turn this into viable applicable policies that you can execute?

New Opolopia: To me, being independent isn't so much about adopting any one policy or being close to any one region as it is about being able to adapt to changing circumstances and not limiting your options. And I think the main way I translate our independent status into policy is our flexibility. Because we aren't fully aligned with invaders or defenders, we're able to establish deep relationships both with likeminded regions, like TWP, and regions more firmly in either camp, such as Europeia. It's the diversity of our alliances that I believe is at the core of our independent policy.

Moon: Let's talk about the "manifesto" you wrote at the onset of your term, where you proffered a satirical ideology intended as a clear dig towards Francoism. Religious Francoism with Sinkerite characteristics, you called it. What was your thought process when you were writing that mini-essay and how often can we expect you to drop such masterpieces?

New Opolopia: My main thoughts when writing the manifesto were about how I could better emulate the writing style of the people who wrote Francoist theory and those who inspired them. The manifesto itself is quite casual; more of a joke than any serious policy or ideology. It's a passion project more than anything else, and I'll only drop something like it when I have the motivation to do so. Which, given my current state, is a long time. So don't expect those to come out regularly.

Moon: Perdition is one of the founding members of The Sovereign Seven, a National Sovereignist GA voting bloc that has "actively committed to a General Assembly that respects the sovereignty of nations and regions alike, and refrains from burdening our member nations with needless regulations and bureaucracy". How has this figured into your considerations while conducting diplomacy with other regions, especially with other regions whose members remain active participants in the GA?

New Opolopia: The various spheres of NS gameplay, the GA included, are all interconnected, and it plays a somewhat significant role in how I conduct diplomacy with other regions. Generally speaking, I'm more supportive of regions that vote similarly to the S7, and less supportive of regions that vote more against us. It's not the biggest thing on my mind, but I do think about it when engaged in diplomacy.

Moon: And another question along the same lines; what are your thoughts on the utilization of the Security Council, or more specifically Commendations and Condemnations and their repeals, as bargaining chips for diplomacy and interregional politics? Does Perdition have any guiding principles regarding how the Primarch votes in the SC?

New Opolopia: I see the SC as another avenue through which we can exert our influence. To this end, I support Commendations & Condemnations for friendly regions, and support repeals of those for hostile regions. I don't think it's a major part of diplomacy, but it is there, and we're using it to its fullest extent. The Primarch votes depending on what's in Perdition's best interests, which often entails supporting our friends and opposing our foes.

Moon: While this might be a bit too early, how would you rate your performance as Perdition's Minister of Foreign Affairs so far? Are there things you wish you could have done better? Are there anything you are particularly proud of accomplishing?

New Opolopia: I'd say I've done a decent job so far. While I can't say I've done most of the work, we've made a few accomplishments this term. We successfully handled the situation in the Outback and plan on further expanding our ties with other regions. I think we could be speeding things up a bit, but for the most part my performance has been good.

Moon: Let's look towards the future for a moment; what can we expect from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the rest of the term? Is there anything happening behind the scenes that we should be excited for?

New Opolopia: We have an ambassador program that I'm getting off the ground. Anyone interested in that should apply on the offsite forum - we'd love to have you around! We're also currently negotiating several new treaties, which, barring any unexpected events, will be my main focus for the rest of the term. We're making good progress on those, and you should be hearing about them soon.

Moon: Let's talk about yourself for a bit. How'd you find the hellscape known as NationStates?

New Opolopia: To be honest, I don't really know. It's been so long since I first joined that I've forgotten how I came here. My best guess is that I just searched "nation simulator" and this site was the first result that came up.

Moon: How long do you reckon it has been since you created your first nation? Ten years?

New Opolopia: Probably that, plus or minus a few years.

Moon: That is a long time to be stuck on this site. What was your "first" region, in the sense that it was the place that you stuck around for a long time? How would you compare the experience of being there to that of Perdition?

New Opolopia: The North Pacific, simply because my first "real" nation was founded there. In fact, it was my only region until Perdition came along, and I'm still active in their roleplay community. The experience there is more casual compared to Perdition, which I think comes down to me not really participating in the region beyond roleplay.

Moon: Building off of that, how would you describe Perdition's community? What is unique in the culture here that sets it apart from the rest?

New Opolopia: We're still a fairly new region, so our community is less established than that of other regions, but I'd say we greatly emphasize community participation, especially in events. Our regular activities are fostering a culture where anyone, no matter where they came from or how they got here, can participate in a casual and fun community.

Moon: A bit more future-oriented, but where do you see yourself in the future in NationStates? What are your personal goals that you are looking to achieve? And how does Perdition figure into all of that?

New Opolopia: I'm just looking to make a positive contribution to this region in any way I can, whether it be foreign affairs, serving in the Inquisition, or maintaining the archives. With its Sinker status, large community, and novelty, Perdition has a lot of potential, and I want to help it become the best region it can possibly be.

Moon: We are nearing the end of the interview here. Are there any thoughts you would like to add that were not covered in this interview? What message would you share to Perditians and the greater NationStates community relating to your hopes for your role and the region?

New Opolopia: As Minister of Foreign Affairs of one of the fastest growing regions on this website, I hope that through the efforts of both myself and many other people, Perdition will become one of the largest and most influential regions in all of NationStates. I hope that I will play my part in making this region a great powerhouse, where everyone feels welcome and has an enjoyable experience. Other than that, I don't have any additional comments.

Moon: Well, that will be all for today! The Perdition Post extends its gratitude to the Minister for entertaining our request for an interview. We wish the Minister continued success in their role for the rest of the term and look forward to sharing more regional news with our readers at home and abroad.