The most prized legendary in all of the Isles...

Hello there, Agadar here, bringing you a bi-weekly report that's way overdue!

[ NationStates Trading Cards ]

Fresh on everyone's memories is, of course, the NationStates Trading Cards game that was announced as this year's April Fool's joke. Many of us frantically began to collect the cards of our fellow region mates. Some of us, like Polar svalbard, made it their goal to collect everyone on the map, while others (like me) were content with gathering just the people we know personally. Again others decided to collect copies of themselves (looking at you, Corindia and Nights edge) but were kind enough to gift (or lend) themselves out so that others could complete their TWI collections.

Good job completing your collection by the way, Polar. Truly a testament that you can do anything if you set your mind to it.

Due to the massive success of the trading cards, our divine master Max Barry soon announced that they would become a permanent feature! This is awesome news, especially since Belle ilse en terre gifted me a copy of our dear founder Vancouvia, which I will now be able to cherish forever. Shoutout to you, you glorious man.

Did all y'all find the cards you were looking for as well? And what did you think of the April Fool's joke? Let us know on the RMB!

[ The TWImes ]

President Ostehaar recently started a great initiative, which I will be promoting through the bi-weekly reports and the update telegrams due to its sheer awesomeness: the TWImes, a newsletter covering role-play in our region. For anyone that's always wanted a proper and easy way to stay up to date with our region's role-plays, the TWImes is the place to keep an eye on!

[ TWIsleball Map 2 ]

Noronica and Polar svalbard have done it again, those mad artists: they have created a new version of the TWIsleball Map, aptly named TWIsleball Map 2. Go check out that awesome piece of art, because it absolutely deserves every view and like it gets. And if you're not on it, then don't despair: something tells me that these two lads won't be able to stop themselves from creating a third installment some day...

[ Survey results ]

[ New survey ]

Corindia, our survey designer, blessed us with another fun survey to take! Click here to be taken to the survey.

That's all, folks! It's a bit of a brief one, but nonetheless thank you for taking the time to read through my ramblings, and enjoy the dispatches and statistics further down in this report.

Best regards,
- Agadar

- Kobratia published "Mk1-King Kobra MBT";
- Great Nortend published "The Armed Forces";
- Storalia published "Storalian Government announces 3.7mil in funding for the Asio Steam Locomotive Revival Project";
- Alteran Republics published "GOV.ALT // A.N.S.A." and "GOV.ALT // Military // Verhun Mk.3 Valkyrie";
- Capitolius published "An Overview of Capitolius";
- Malagwi published "Malagwi - Maps & Geography";
- Montbellia published "The Palm Sunday Revolt of 1901";
- Wellsia published "How to determine the make up of my navy";
- Vibor published "Vibor";
- Halisha published "Governance";
- Noronica published "TWIsleball Map 2";
- Thuzbekistan published "Political structure of Thuzbekistan";
- Alteran Republics published "GOV.ALT // 404";
- Great Nortend published "Courts and Judges of Great Nortend";
- Menna shuli published "History of Mênna Shuli (1894 CE - Current Day)";
- Oxhampton published "Official Overview";
- Townside published "Constitution of Townside";
- Athara magarat published "Constitution of Athara Magarat (2015)";
- Town beside the sea published "Timeline of the history of Townside";
- Noronica published "Noronica | National Archives";
- Miklania published "Miklanian Air Force" and "Miklanian Marine Corps";
- Malagwi published "Malagwi Lion";
- Alteran Republics published "GOV.ALT // Religion // Haeuva";
- Town beside the sea published "The Western Isles Law Report: On the map";
- Alteran Republics published "GOV.ALT // Military // Verhun Mk.3 Vigilant" and "GOV.ALT // Military // Verhun Mk.7 Vanquisher";
- Malagwi published "Malagwi - Wikipedia";
- Town beside the sea published "ACESTI Secretary General voting result";
- Athara magarat published "Mahang of the Yellow Dragon" and "Athara Magarati Intelligence - Operation Marathon Runner";
- Athara magarat published "Athara Magarati Intelligence - Operation Shadow of Intent" and "Athara Magarati Intelligence - Operation Expendable 4";
- Athara magarat published "Athara Magarati Intelligence (AMI)";
- Yorrkon published "Yorrkish Model | Government System";
- Ainslie published "Ainslie, the World Assembly and its implications on TWI canon";
- Alteran Republics published "GOV.ALT // Tax Credits";
- Townside published "Budget of Townside";
- Covonant published "Flags and Ensigns of the Union of Covonant";
- Alteran Republics published "GOV.ALT // Indentured Servitude" and "GOV.ALT // Graduate Tax";
- Ainslie published "The Ahnslen Model (A Government System)";
- Covonant published "Covonantian Overseas Protectorate";
- Alteran Republics published "Felix Automotives";
- Avalornia published "Belle Terre~Avalornian Mutual Defense Treaty";
- Athara magarat published "Guns of the Magarati Colonial Realms";
- Ainslie published "Maps of Ainslie";
- Townside published "Townside law";
- Avalornia published "Economy of Avalornia";
- Xrevaro published "Vmir Theatre Academy";
- Menna shuli published "Economy of Mênna Shuli" and "History of Mênna Shuli".

A time of elections... more on that further down.

The 20k Milestone

It was a dark day, that 10th of February (or was it the 11th? Doesn't matter, let's carry on). The many powerful factions of TWI, some good, some evil, had long prepared for this day. They finally clashed in an all-out war of life and death, of honor and of victory: the war for the 20,000 RMB pages milestone. They did battle, these ancient forces, but in the end, only one side remained standing. Only one man lived to tell the tale, and claim victory. This man was no one else but our very own celebrated hero: the Twin King, mister Double Trouble, the 'buy one name get a second one free': Dormill and Stiura. May his reign be a long and prosperous one, and may we all bask in his eternal glory.

A Presidential Disgrace

Somewhere around the 16th and 17th of February, our President Polar svalbard, who until then had been an exemplary head of government, made the unfortunate decision of posting highly inappropriate images in our unofficial Discord chat. Founder Vancouvia soon answered with a one-week ban, and posted a detailed explanation of the situation on our RMB. When Polar's one-week ban was lifted, he immediately resigned as President of our region in a graceful and grateful manner.

I believe Polar's resignation closed the chapter of this unfortunate incident, and that we should forgive and forget his transgression, which many have already done. After all: everyone makes mistakes, men and presidents alike. On top of that, I consider him to be one of the pillars of our region, and I don't say that lightly: I only consider very few as such. He brings us quality role-play, companionship, and a lot of hilarious banter. In fact, I'm pretty sure banter is his #1 export.

I am proud to have served under Polar as Secretary of Information, and I am looking forward to the (hopefully SFW) things he will bring us in the future.

He Came, He Saw, He Left

As you might recall from the previous bi-weekly report, Miklania was elected Secretary of Role-Play. He soon after broke the shortest time in regional office record when he resigned amidst a heated debate about naval realism caps. While not as much a controversy as the presidential one, it still had a significant consequence, as it triggered a new election for the position. This time, Verdon and Thuzbekistan faced off, and the former won, rising to lead the office. Let's hope he has no intent of breaking his predecessor's record!

The Dark Osty Rises

Following Polar's resignation, our founder opened the election for the position of President of TWI. Ostehaar, Great-Imperialonia, and Dormill and Stiura faced off. They were all viable candidates worthy of the seat, but in the end, only one would rise to the throne. Ostehaar was the one to do so, winning the election with a convincing lead. As one of the region's most trusted and capable members, there is no doubt in my mind that he will do a fantastic job. I am looking forward to working together with him!

Survey

Corindia, our survey designer, blessed us with another fun survey to take! Click here to be taken to the survey. This report's survey seems to be quite the non-serious one, so don't go in there with a frown lest your frown becomes even... frownier?

Mating Season

Better put on those chastity belts, folks! Our dear Founder Vancouvia informed me (or rather, warned me) that he was in the process of completing his profile on a dating website! If you find the old chap singing cheesy love songs under your balcony at night, then feel free to throw a boot at him like they do in the movies.

That's all, folks! Thank you for taking the time to read through my ramblings, and enjoy the dispatches and statistics further down in this report.

Best regards,
- Agadar

Ainslie passing the Office of Role-Play to Miklania

Not much exciting happened the last few weeks: we had more ejections and bans than usual due to an influx of puppet masters, but that's about it. The highlight of the most recent days however was when Ainslie decided to resign as Secretary of Role-Play, for the purpose of focusing his time and efforts on his studies. The entirety of The Western Isles wishes the good lad the very best, and we're glad he will still be sticking around, albeit as a common citizen of the realm instead of a lord and master of the Western seas.

Speaking of the Secretary of Role-Play: an election to place someone else's buttocks on the seat soon began, but only Miklania decided to shoot for the stars. Needless to say, the election was but a ceremonial display, and the man who was once president a long time ago in a galaxy far far away re-entered the regional government with new clothes and new duties! May he carry the burden Ainslie, Atnaia, and many others before them have carried as well as they did, for we all know the life of a man with responsibilities is a rough and often ungrateful one.

Oh yeah: somewhere halfway January I decided to start including quality dispatches written by regional members in the daily happenings, and I will also be including them in these reports. If you published a dispatch before then, then it will likely not have been included. For that I do apologize, but c'est la vie. Enjoy!

Best regards,
- Agadar

Xrevaro published "Heyúva, The Native Religion of Xrevaro";
Athara magarat published "Spitting Cobra Multiple Launch Rocket System";
Ainslie published dispatches for six Ahnslen electorates: "Arlanah", "Dallama", "Burnett", "Wesland", "Norlands", and "Manning";
Noronica published "The Western Isles Office of Recruitment / Recruitment Update (1 Feb 2017)" and "The Black Isles";
Verona beach published "INTAF EB-18201";
Merifons published "Central External Security";
Ainslie published "Gresswell Island - A Territory of Ainslie";
San Jimenez published "Saint Phalgunanda (Athara Magarati/Jimenean Martyr)";
Thuzbekistan published "Thuzbek Intelligence Field Report: Project Fanatical War";
Ravenwaur published "General Overview of Ravenwaur";
Michigonia published "Association of Luso-Hispanic Nations";
Townside published "Reaction to SoRP resignation";
Ainslie published "Secretary of Role-Play Resignation";
Vancouvia published "Vancouvia-Covonant Cooperative Accord";
Northrenia published "Economy of Northrenia";
Vancouvia published "Yukon UAV";
The western isles office of role-play published "Monthly Update - January" and "Past Two Weeks - 27/01/18";
Athara magarat published "Military History of the Isles";
Thuzbekistan published "Thuzbek Foreign Relations";
Thuzbekistan published "Thuzbek Intelligence Services Field Report: Project United Revolutione";
Ainslie published "The Unraveling RP (Dispatch)";
Samudera published "Samuderan Agency for Foreign Intelligence";
Definus published "Republic of Definus Air Force" and "Republic of Definus Army";
Noronica published "F-20 Swallow Stealth Multirole Fighter - WIP";
Thuzbekistan published "Thuzbek Military";
Townside published "Financial services industry of Townside".

"As of today, The Western Isles is two years and 281 days old. And though it's a cliche, I do remember its first day like it was yesterday. We've come a long way, and that's thanks to the hardworking and passionate members that we've had and retained these past years. So hats off to you and hats off in general.

I remember a time when our sole role-plays were diplomatic summits where half the posts were of people arriving or committing an act of violence. Today we have a dozen role-plays running simulatenously with a multitude of topics.

I remember a time when our map was desolately nation-painted. Today, our map is virtually filled. It is also worth mentioning that our map is the most popular on this entire site by a significant margin and has accumulated over 50,000 views since its creation two years and 281 days ago.

I remember a time when I had to spend hours manually recruiting each day, copying and pasting nation names into the telegram box, eight at a time, for weeks on end, with a two percent success rate, just to fill up our region. Today, we are stable above 400 nations and with a huge percentage of those active.

Yes, a lot has changed and a lot of the changes have been for the better. We have, in some ways, stabilized completely, although I must comment that stability is not equivalent to near-perfection. We would be remiss if we rested on our laurels. We must, consciously, seek to continue to improve our region for the better. Whether you're the Founder, an officer, or someone who has just made your appearance on the map, we must all work to continually refine, readjust, and innovate our region. As we move into another year, it is my call to everyone to ask yourselves what you can do to not just participate in The Western Isles, but also improve it for others. It is, truly, in that way that we may call ourselves a region. We have a proud past; let us now make a brighter future."

- Founder Vancouvia (originally published here)

January and February were pretty tame from what I recall, but March immediately became one of the best months of the year when I (Agadar for the few poor souls who don't know) was elected Secretary of Information. I succeeded PPU who, unfortunately, vanished without warning, now occasionally to be seen again like a flamboyant ghost from the past. As promised to my one and only French senpai, I will continue to finish what he started. May he watch the Info Office grow to ever greater heights from where-ever he is.

April started off with a blast when Ainslie challenged President Polar svalbard for the presidency, but then pulled out, leaving only Noronica to take on the alcohol-fueled beast. Though Noronica fought valiantly, he stood no chance against the whiskey-drenched berserker, and was defeated. Later that month, Vancouvia resigned as Secretary of Recruitment, and Noronica took over, content with serving as one of Polar's champions.

Early on in May, the unstoppable Polar svalbard claimed the 17,000 RMB pages milestone. What a man. Less impressive but still relevant: it was also in this month that I took PPU's old dispatches and began overhauling them completely, a task which continues to this day.

In July, Ventlimer challenged then-Secretary of Role-Play Atnaia for his throne. Atnaia, tired of all the hard and good work he had done, decided not to oppose the challenge. As such, Ventlimer faced off against just Ainslie. In the end, Ainslie was victorious, and immediately got to work! On the same day, Vancouvia briefly lost the WA delegacy after we got raided. Thankfully, no lasting damage was done, save to our pride. Later on, Xrevaro would claim the 18,000 RMB pages milestone!

October brought us Presidential Executive Order 8 published by President Polar svalbard and a Regional Address by Recruitment Secretary Noronica. Also, Segentova claimed the 19,000 RMB pages milestone!

The month November saw the wrath of our furious Founder unleashed when some no-name puppet proposed a condemnation of our glorious isles to the Security Council. It never got anywhere, of course, but secretly I wish it had: the thought of us being condemned for being a bunch of role-players amuses me to no end. Somewhat related: Covonant and I got added to the Recognition of Outstanding Nations dispatch. I'm still riding that high. Speaking of highs, Noronica won our very first TWIsleball competition with his fantastic art!

December started with Vancouvia restructuring the regional map, and culminated in Noronica publishing the super cute TWI Chocolate Advent Calendar. Just look at those cute little chocolate faces!

The things I listed here are just the tip of the iceberg. Throughout the year, all of you have continuously contributed to our region. Whether you're the dedicated role-player spending his time thinking up new ideas, perfecting dispatches, and engaging in IC threads, or the laid-back RMB poster, chatting and having fun with the lads and lasses: you are all credit to team.

The Western Isles continues to be the glue that makes me stick to this gosh darn website and come back every day, no matter how busy I have it IRL. Never stop being you, TWI.

Love and sloppy kisses, and a special thanks to the Info crew: Corindia and Nights edge,

Your Info Secretary,

- Agadar

This bi-week's survey: The 'Money, Money, Money, must be funny' poll by Corindia!

'The Seal Poll' results:

Some of the submitted seals:

Ain't she a beauty, aye? Anyway, let's see what the last two weeks had in store for us:

1st TWIsleball competition

All hail Noronica, King of TWIsleballs, crowned as such for winning the 1st TWIsleball competition with the art above! A round of applause for our other competitors, Athara magarat and Samudera, as well, who also submitted amazing work! I'm already looking forward to the next competition!

Recognition of Outstanding Nations

Covonant and Agadar were added to the Recognition of Outstanding Nations dispatch for their unrelenting dedication and contributions to the region. Congratulations to both of them! It feels kinda strange congratulating myself, but I suppose all the best things in life are strange.

Hey Agadar, what the heck are all these emoji's doing here!?

It's an experiment in icon design for the Info Office dispatches. I'm not sure yet whether I like them myself, but they undeniably bring much needed colors to the dispatches, so they will likely be sticking around for a while. Feedback is more than welcome, though!

But wait, there's more!

Secretary of Role-Play Ainslie published Secretary's Notes - Before The Map, suggesting things to do while waiting on being added to the map. If you're currently in the waiting room, go give it a read!

That's all for now, folks!

Further down below in this report you can find the good old faithful statistics, graphs and charts. More importantly, you will also find the officer reports of November (or at least the one Ainslie sent) and the results of the last survey - and a link to the new one.

Hope you all have a good time, and see you again in two weeks!

- Agadar, Secretary of Information
- Corindia, Survey Designer & Analyst
- Nights edge, Activity Monitor

President Polar svalbard did not send anything this month. 😐

Secretary of Recruitment Noronica updated his Recruitment Update dispatch. 🙂

Secretary of Role-Play Ainslie updated his Monthly Update dispatch. 🙂

This bi-week's survey: The 'Seal Poll' by Corindia!

Quite a busy last few weeks, meaning a lot of content in this report! We've got the TWIsleball contest, we've got October's officer reports, we've got the results from the last drug-infused survey, and of course the usual graphs and statistics. You can find all of them further below!

Furthermore, some random guy decided to propose a condemnation of TWI to the World Assembly. It didn't get to the voting booths, obviously, but it sure would've been nice to earn that sinister looking badge for being a bunch of role-players, eh?

Also, our dearly beloved President Polar svalbard decided to pour his heart out and write a new version of the TWI family tree! Bless his drunk little heart.

Last but not least, make sure to check out the 'early' November survey!

Hope you all have a good time, and see you again in two weeks!

- Agadar

• The theme of the contest is alliances. Make a piece of art, a comic, a wallpaper, or anything of the sort featuring TWIsleballs with this theme!

• If you want to enter the contest, send your artwork to The Western Isles Office of Information before coming Friday (November 24th)!

• On that Friday, a poll will be made to decide on the singular winner of the contest, in which all TWIslanders can vote on their favorite artwork! Of course, cheatsy-doodles with the votes will be punished with the wrath of a thousand Polars;

• The winner will be proclaimed King of TWIsleballs until the next contest, and will be coronated as such in the next bi-weekly report!
  

President Polar svalbard

Presidential Monthly Report for the Month of October
-Released Presidential Executive Order 8 forcing me to do this
-Working with the SoInfo to help other officers to reform their offices which drastically helped their office's public image
-Continues to swing banhammer and the sword of suppression to keep the RMB good and the region safe
-Keeps clicking those buttons to accept or, mostly, decline embassies
-Defended region's honor and withdrew an embassy
-Was mostly sober, but just you wait for the ass end of November when I don't have a massive amount of stuff to do that keeps me away from NS

Secretary of Recruiting Noronica

Link.

Secretary of Role-Play Ainslie

“Dedicated to providing a diverse, sustainable and realistic Role-Play environment, the Office of Role-Play seeks to encourage nations to join Role-Play, empower them with information and guidance and inspire nations to begin their own roleplays and contributing to the Role-Play landscape in The Western Isles.”
-Mission Statement of the Office of Role-Play

Gday, it’s SecRP Ainslie again. So, thanks to an executive order, I get an opportunity to talk to you about what I’ve been doing this month. The above mission statement, although more subtle than Noronica’s address for the Office of Recruitment, outlines the new direction I will be taking the office - one that is more quiet and in the background. I believe that if we are to have an Office, this is the way we should be taking it. What is below is the concrete output of the somewhat vague input.

I welcomed 18 nations via telegram to the map, showing them roleplay specific links which would help them in beginning a nation.

I wrote up a Secretary’s Notes on the Koppen Climate Classification and how it can influence RP and Canon. Find that by clicking anywhere on this dot point.

I created the Isles Commerce Association, in order to cultivate a growing area of role-play in the Isles. Click anywhere on this dot point to be sent to that.

A nationbuilding prompt relating to Halloween was posted. Hopefully one of many nationbuilding prompts, I hope to make that a monthly feature. Click anywhere on this dot point to get to that…

Many of you may be asking what I’m doing on the role-play side. Well, I’ve been working with Samudera to successfully deliver “The High Life” RP, which is about an international drug trafficking ring.

I’ve also been posting results for the AWICC Cricket Championship.

Formally helped 11 nations build up factbooks, whether that be through telegram or private discord message (this excludes RMB and some discord chat messages).

Created the Gael Collaboration Thread to further promote collaboration in an already well connected area, OOC wise.

I have been writing up two roleplays currently, will provide more information when I can get a better idea of who and what it will include.

So, what has the committee been up to?
Associate to the Office, Samudera

Has been updating TWI Weather Maps for the entire month

Working on “The High Life” RP.

If you’ve got any suggestions, enquiries or comments, please send them my way.

Thank you, and see you next time,
Ainslie

As I write this report, zombies are trying to bash through the door to my room, seeking the delicious goodness hidden within my pleasantly-shaped skull. It seems I do not have a lot of time before the horde breaks through and ravages my very body. Will I be devoured whole, I wonder, or will enough remain of my corpse to be recruited into the ranks of the roaming dead? I guess we'll find out soon enough.

In the last two weeks, we've had some minor happenings. Firstly, Segentova claimed the 19,000 RMB pages milestone for Founder and Region. His glorious haul has been immortalized in the eternal Regional Records. May we learn to live in the shadow of his grand stature, for we shall surely never escape it.

Secondly, President Icaris of The League of Conservative Nations paid us a little courtesy visit. Pleasantries were exchanged between him and us TWIslanders, cementing our good relations even further. Glory to the League, and glory to the Isles!

Thirdly, some ambitious recruiting shot our population up by nearly 80 nations! Quite the achievement indeed. Thank you to those who donated and to our Secretary of Recruitment Noronica!

• The theme of the contest is alliances. Make a piece of art, a comic, a wallpaper, or anything of the sort featuring TWIsleballs with this theme!

• If you want to enter the contest, send your artwork to The Western Isles Office of Information before the next bi-weekly report!

• That should give you about two weeks to make something grand! If we don't receive enough entries or if y'all want a bit more time, then we can extend the deadline further;

• The best three entries will be decided upon by our impartial judges. The judges are 'heir to the throne' Ostehaar, 'I swear I'm not a weeb' Nights edge, and 'wait what were we doing again?' Verdon;

• After the judges have picked the best three, a poll will be made to decide on the singular winner of the contest, in which all TWIslanders can vote on their favorite artwork! Of course, cheatsy-doodles with the votes will be punished with the wrath of a thousand Polars;

• The winner will be proclaimed King of TWIsleballs until the next contest!
  

Hope you all have a great time, and see you again in two weeks!

- Agadar