The Brotherhood of Malice: The Embassy

[Angeloid Astraea]

You are a bad agendaposter - listen to Koth next time and keep this sort of thing in the drafts. I'm sure you can do better.

They didn't meet Koth's either.

(Image mentioning Koth twice)

Your head should be charging Koth rent.

[Fort Concord]

The first two posts you're referencing are both about the same thing - one of BoM's upstart members making themselves look silly on the forums instead of listening to their betters.

The latter is about Thorn being lazy and sniping at stuff older than a signifigant portion of the playerbase (in NS age, that is) when BoM has just as shitty and tattered a past in the same regard.

Neither particularly demonstrative of Koth living rent free or whatever. I assure you he's mentioned about 500 times less in our server than I am in BoM's.

Go away.

[Reventus Koth]

The latter is about Thorn being lazy and sniping at stuff older than a signifigant portion of the playerbase (in NS age, that is) when BoM has just as shitty and tattered a past in the same regard.

I'd rather not be continually subject to this when I've stood up for you on this front recently. There's better ways to handle this that don't involve weaponizing my own past; if it's not okay when Thorn does it, it shouldn't be fair game for you to do it back. I've asked my folks not to keep using The League's previous home as a jab vector.

[Fort Concord]

The latter is about Thorn being lazy and sniping at stuff older than a signifigant portion of the playerbase (in NS age, that is) when BoM has just as shitty and tattered a past in the same regard.

I'd rather not be continually subject to this when I've stood up for you on this front recently. There's better ways to handle this that don't involve weaponizing my own past; if it's not okay when Thorn does it, it shouldn't be fair game for you to do it back. I've asked my folks not to keep using The League's previous home as a jab vector.

It's not like I'm looking for this to be an issue - I noticed the word choice in the original post and left it be, giving the benefit of the doubt. Thorn then went out of his way to explicitly clarify exactly what he meant.

Maybe you should do some introspection with your organization. Maybe if everyone in BoM wasn't constantly seeking to find reasons to paint me as a bad person, this wouldn't be something that keeps coming up. Not a single average Joe in The League or Concord knows about your political dispositions in 2016, because why the hell would they? So it really begs the question why it's such a hot and regular topic in your region.

Maybe it's because they're obessed. Maybe it's because some figures in raiding constantly played interference a now-blacklisted (who could've seen that coming!) zealot whose behavioral red flags were bigger than their communist ones, constantly on a crusade to paint their in-game opponents as the next coming of Tucker Carlson.

Maybe I'm being a little unfair because it focuses more on you. I get that. And I also know it wasn't just you acting like this in that era. But frankly your idea of "standing up" is to make passive posts about it and then doing nothing when it continues/happens again. So I only feel so bad. You "asking your folks" to do things doesn't really instill any confidence in me because they clearly don't listen, and you're not willing to actually do anything to enforce that request.

[Reventus Koth]

I'd rather not be continually subject to this when I've stood up for you on this front recently. There's better ways to handle this that don't involve weaponizing my own past; if it's not okay when Thorn does it, it shouldn't be fair game for you to do it back. I've asked my folks not to keep using The League's previous home as a jab vector.

It's not like I'm looking for this to be an issue - I noticed the word choice in the original post and left it be, giving the benefit of the doubt. Thorn then went out of his way to explicitly clarify exactly what he meant.

Maybe you should do some introspection with your organization. Maybe if everyone in BoM wasn't constantly seeking to find reasons to paint me as a bad person, this wouldn't be something that keeps coming up. Not a single average Joe in The League or Concord knows about your political dispositions in 2016, because why the hell would they? So it really begs the question why it's such a hot and regular topic in your region.

Maybe it's because they're obessed. Maybe it's because some figures in raiding constantly played interference a now-blacklisted (who could've seen that coming!) zealot whose behavioral red flags were bigger than their communist ones, constantly on a crusade to paint their in-game opponents as the next coming of Tucker Carlson.

Maybe I'm being a little unfair because it focuses more on you. I get that. And I also know it wasn't just you acting like this in that era. But frankly your idea of "standing up" is to make passive posts about it and then doing nothing when it continues/happens again. So I only feel so bad. You "asking your folks" to do things doesn't really instill any confidence in me because they clearly don't listen, and you're not willing to actually do anything to enforce that request.

Hardly a "hot and regular topic" when anyone who brings it up doesn't mention it again, but given that this is an obvious sore spot at this point for several of us, it's worth a heavier hand when people do this across the board.

I'm not going to bother with the off-the-cuff psychoanalysis of the region, I'll call it a wash because there's plenty of things that you just said worth picking apart on their own. I assume neither of us want to spend what's left of our work days in a public back-and-forth about whose snipes are pettier.

[Volstrostia]

Raid Report: Major, 31th March, 2024

"I appreciate you all joining me out here this evening," Alex said, marching in front of the assembled assassins like some sort of feline drill instructor. "No doubt many of you have been kept up by the strange noises from my laboratory over the past few days. Not to mention the power surges and subsequent blackouts. And, of course, all that glowing green ooze that we spilled last Tuesday." They winced a little as they recalled the latter incident. "But, rest assured it was not for nothing. Tonight, I am proud to unveil the latest and greatest in raiding technology!" Aristophana handed Alex a remote control, which they poked enthusiastically.

Next to the gathered assassins, a small turret popped out of the ground, rotated into position with an ominous click, and began to whir gently. Alex pressed another button, and the turret swung around to take aim at a target down range, spun its barrel, and... let out a puff of acrid blue-ish smoke as it whined to a halt without firing a shot.

"Well I don't know about you, but I'm certainly impressed" Skorrord muttered to Selene, who barely managed to stifle a laugh. "Whoops! Minor technical hiccup everyone, hang on!" shouted Alex, oblivious to the remark as they patted down their pockets to locate a screwdriver. Shortly after producing one from their cloak, Alex stepped towards the defunct turret... which chose that moment to explode, blowing their hair back into a stereotypical mad-scientist hairdo and unceremoniously knocking them onto their rear.

"It, uh, seems we're having some... technical difficulties." Alex remarked, seemingly unable to decide if they should laugh at the comedic timing or pout about their ruined grand unveiling. "I think I should get back to the lab... same time tomorrow, anyone?"

Field testers:
Battlemaster Volstrostia
Assassin Central Chimore (trigger)
Assassin Zeldria
Assassin Boris Cult
Assassin Skorrord

Regions with new craters in them:
The Principate Of School
Confederation Of Dolboyobs
Open Ocean 4
Kroponia
Tartaros
International Socialist Assembly
Dysmorphia
Cold And Snowy North
Deep Sea 5
North American Military Alliance
Imperial Atrocaunn Union
Ninjonia
Treeland
The Vast Sea
Constitutional Democratic States
The Great Herd
Grapological Region
Vorobevists
United Micronations
The Ragnarok System

[New Sunville]

Tourists Trapped, by Flame and Shadow

Trazyn walked the streets of Icoburn on a cool spring morning, as he did every day, with the distant ring of a church bell and the sounds of industry as the port city got ready for the day. Suddenly, he could feel the world beneath his feet begin to shake. Some citizens were startled, while others had no reaction since the tremors had become a regular occurrence.

"These earthquakes are really starting to piss me off!" exclaimed an irritated citizen, "They happen in the middle of the night and wake up my family! I wish the blasted things would just stop already."

Trayzn wore a smile on his face as he passed the man, for he knew something the stranger didn't. Rumors had begun to spread, the most popular of which being a product of the city's mine. A few months ago, larger shipments of TNT started being brought in. The common theory was that a large ore vein had been discovered, so more equipment was required to extract it. Most people accepted this theory; after all, it would bring in jobs and boost the economy. However, there was one thing they got wrong. While the TNT was being used in a mining operation, the boom it would bring wouldn’t be for the economy.

Over the horizon, a mass of sailing vessels could be seen crawling towards the harbor. Quickly, more rumors had begun to spread, this time of a nation whose intent was to invest in the newly found ore deposit. Unfortunately for the natives, like previous rumors, this was not the case. Stopping outside of an impressive structure that towered over the rest with its carved marble pillars and grand staircase, Trayzn took in the view, unintentionally looking like a tourist in the process.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer!", shouted a passerby. Breaking out of his fixation on the architecture, Trayzn made his way up the stairs through the halls of the quiet government building. No one asked what he was doing, either they didn't care or assumed he was there on previously arranged business. While this was good for him, it did make the task of getting to the roof rather boring.

Reaching the roof, he was met with a punch of wind to the face. This was it. He could see the entire city, the rolling hills that made up the landscape, and the ships, which had made their way closer since he saw them last. Without any delay, he shot a flair that burned with a purple hue. This set off a chain reaction that would be felt around the entire region as their cities begin to cave in.

---

On the Minor Update of April 7th, The Brotherhood set up in Eclipsis to make the most of the upcoming mid-afternoon darkness, cast by the shadow of the moon.

The following hooded figures helped deliver the fireworks:

Valtarre the Vampire King
Shadowmaster The Ever-Wanderer
Outside World Master Vleerian
Integration Master The Phantom Gambler
Veteran Assassin Lugus Triune
Assassin Lusitanian Whale
Assassin Red Raiding Hood
Assassin New Sunville
Assassin Skorrord
Assassin AVRBenism
Assassin Homyland
Assassin Boris Cult
Assassin Rudastan
Assassin Army of Malice

Special thanks to:
Senior Assassin (Ret.) BendyBen

The Black Hawks
Lieutenant Twobagger
Corporal Minagi
Corporal Valoptia
Primary Reservist Klarken

The Sekhmet Legion
Wir Diyu Notanam
Seneny Malphe II

The Sparkling Army
Mage Nova Vinelandia

---

[One Small Island]

Gotta love the RO titles this time around. Very thematic. A+.

[Antarctica Special Forces 1st Battalion]

Excellence.

[Boris Cult]

Extremely excited to stare into the sun tomorrow

I guess in the meantime, I'll be happy to stare at the new captured region

[Rosartemis]

I'm glad that Malice is a fan of staring at big balls in the sky too

[Ignis Ferreus]

This is where we can interact with the Region I assume right? Sorry if this is a stupid question I'm fairly new

[Ignis Ferreus]

I'm glad that Malice is a fan of staring at big balls in the sky too

Why'd you make it sound so sus

[KRiShNaNA]

Great work by Malice!
As always, the report writing and RO titles are awesome.

[The Ever-Wanderer]

I will leave the detailed reporting on the conclusion of Eclipsis to our own Sunville, whose shadow now lies over it permanently.

What I will opine on myself is how this operation represents the near-total collapse of the defending and independent faction.

Eclipsis was an operation led by the much-vaunted Brotherhood itself - the first such in a good bit. It was co-lead in close support by several of the other archenemies of the faction, Sparkalia and The Black Hawks. It had no baggage, and a solid handful of active natives (who RMB posted throughout the op!). It was a top Frontier (worthy of as many defender sleepers as possible!) and it was raided in direct proximity to the eclipse. There was also loads of warning that something was afoot, with SC regulars in TWP and TNP pointing out the obvious queue-stuff in advance.

There was no chase.

There was a single lib attempt, of mediocre mass.

There was not a single follow-up lib attempt, del tip attempt, or attrition run.

The counter-approval effort was weak sauce, and every single raider blocker survived to reach vote.

The only force that even attempted to impede The Brotherhood's complete and utter victory was The North Pacific, which attempted to quorum raid the blockers at the last hour. Their attempts fell short, but they tried. Credit for that. Its more than anyone else in their faction did!

It did not have to be this way. The cards are stacked against raiders. The 4 blockers we submitted were only just barely sufficient if we'd faced even a small handful of attempted liberations/attrition runs paired with del tips. They could have been overwhelmed as-is, and if one of them had remained illegal or knocked from queue (either by quorum raid or countercampaign), then the margin would have been razor thin given even marginal resistance, at best, and likely lost.

If the faction had conducted a half dozen jumps with a few del tips to make clearing the beachhead more difficult, Eclipsis would not have been refounded.

If the faction who proudly proclaims their total control of the Security Council had managed to remove 2 of those blockers from queue, Eclipsis would not have been refounded even without military intervention.

If anyone besides TNP had tried for more than 12 hours, or TNP had tried harder and earlier, Eclipsis would not have been refounded.

I say this not to undersell our own work. We pushed the pile, we campaigned the blockers, we did the math. It was a well run op. No, I say this to make one point - the cards are stacked against raiding for achieving a stretch goal like this. And yet, even for the single most despised gameplay organization, with a half dozen wars against us, the opposition was...next to nonexistant.

And thus, the assassins were enabled to strike.

One jump and two security council proposals are not enough.

Doing nothing beyond waiting around for the 50/50 shot at sniping the refound is pathetic and a total abdication of any claim to be limiting or preventing native destruction.

If this is how you fight a war, you might as well raise the white flag and move on with your lives.

---

...and for the record, the site went down well after most of our opponents have given up entirely, and while it did interrupt TNP's much-belated quorum raiding, the loss of Slavery would not have changed this outcome without any attrition runs having been conducted prior. In the end, the net impact of the site outage was losing several days off of one blocker without inf gain in exchange for a few BC slots we were going to get anyways. The success of this operation was irrelevant to the downtime, and the total surrender of our opposition predates it.

[Chaotic Sparkles]

snip

a moment of silence for the promises of a renewed defender faction 2024-2024.

[Rosartemis]

They didn't get tired of losing yet?

[The Ever-Wanderer]

snip

a moment of silence for the promises of a renewed defender faction 2024-2024.

I guess "daddy" actually just forgot his wallet while going out to pick up some milk.

Maybe he'll even find the Jomsvikings while he's at the store!

[Omnicontrol]

hey don't be so mean to defenders they were watching borussia dortmund absolutely CURB STOMP psg

or skibidi toilet, both work

[Ever-Wandering Souls]

I- Pardon?

[Angeloid Astraea]

this operation represents the near-total collapse of the defending and independent faction

Souls, don't be silly, there will be signs of life soon! Specifically when they bring 15 chasers on a 2-person training tag run to remind us they're Still Here. =D

[Bendicion]

And here i thought it was only the NationStates hamsters that needed some help reviving. Amazing work Sunville and co!

[Improper Classifications]

I will stand by and watch everything you’ve built burn with glee.

Still here.

Really now. Must be invisible then

[The Phantom Gambler]

I hear defenders will soon move to the next step of sending us strongly worded letters!

[The Ambis]

Still here.

Really now. Must be invisible then

Dear God they've evolved! Invisible fendas??? What's next? Flying independents?