TexasBoard

Dear all,

Welcome to the International Democratic Union’s 2020 summer update! Enclosed are a number of articles on matters within the IDU, including discussing our regional role-playing, and regional government. At the start of July, we had our delegate election which was won by Xiomera, followed by our Speaker election which saw Trive being elected speaker.

We have also had a busy summer of roleplaying, with the Artists of Progress roleplay following the events unfolding after a coup d’etat in Xiomera, alongside a proliferation of news articles from our nations and wiki pages. Sports RP is also popular, with the IDU Football Championship being hosted by Legionas and won by Gnejs - for the second time running! We also have a new position of Sports Minister and a new football association for those in the region who are interested in taking part in more sport-oriented roleplay!

I hope you enjoy reading through our updates, please feel free to TG me with any questions or comments. Enjoy!

Lauchenoiria
IDU Foreign Minister

Contents:
Artists of Progress Roleplay - by Xiomera
The Newswire: On Roleplay Development - by Democratic Republic of Eiria
The IDUFC - by Libertas Omnium Maximus
Interview with Speaker Trive - by United New England
IDU Delegate Elections - by Legionas
Cabinet Plans - by Xiomera
The Delegates: Former and New - by Democratic Republic of Eiria

Artists Of Progress Roleplay
By Xiomera

What is AoP?

Artists of Progress is one of the RP events currently taking place in the IDU. AoP is set in the Xiomeran Empire, a nation in the southeastern part of the IDU. Prior to the end of 2019, Xiomera had been ruled for over six centuries by a series of autocratic leaders.

Background

On September 8th, 2019, the Emperor of Xiomera, Topilpopoca, was assassinated by a disgruntled former member of his Cabinet. The former official, Cētlalhui, had been fired by the Emperor for incompetence, and took his revenge by shooting the Emperor in front of the Palace of Flowers, the massive Imperial palace in the capital Tlālacuetztla. Under Xiomeran law and tradition, the next ruler would be chosen by a council of experts in a process known as the Great Selection. Topilpopoca's wife, Yauhmi, won the Great Selection and was declared the next ruler of Xiomera on November 3rd, 2019.

The Empress had promised those who helped secure her victory that she would continue governing Xiomera as previous leaders had. She had promised that Xiomera would remain an autocratic, hyper-capitalistic "meritocratic" state under her rule. Yauhmi, however, was not quite honest about her plans. As the Empress would have put it, she told everyone what they wanted to hear, and if they heard something other than what she intended, that was hardly her fault.

Upon becoming Empress, Yauhmi would embark on a series of social and democratic reforms that would alarm and anger Xiomeran elites. The Empress also made moves to re-establish a hereditary monarchy in Xiomera, with her son Texōccoatl as her intended heir. The reforms of the Empress, in the minds of the conservative and wealthy elites that ran Xiomera behind the scenes, posed an existential threat to their future - and to the Empire's future, which was almost as important.

Events taking place so far

On April 10th, 2020, as the Empress was opening the first session of a new national assembly meant to bring greater political openness to Xiomera, a military coup was launched by the General Staff of the Xiomeran Armed Forces. General Xōchhuitl, commander of the Imperial Army, assumed control over the Empire on behalf of a new Provisional Government. The Empress was arrested, and charged with treason, conspiracy, corruption and anti-Xiomeran activities.

The Provisional Government that deposed Yauhmi staged a new Great Selection and placed Xochiuhue, the son of a former Xiomeran Emperor notorious for his brutality, on the Obsidian Throne to replace her. Xochiuhue would soon prove to be even more brutal than his father. The new Emperor quickly reversed all of the reforms of the former Empress. When Xiomeran citizens began to protest the coup and the reversal of the reforms, Xochiuhue responded by banning protests, staging mass arrests, placing dissidents in camps, and instituting total media censorship. Other IDU nations, disgusted by the events taking place in Xiomera, severed diplomatic ties with the Empire and levied economic sanctions. The new Xiomeran government responded in kind, stoking tensions between Xiomera and its neighbors.

While the new Emperor tightened the screws on his own people, those opposed to his coup began to rally. The Crown Prince, Texōccoatl, formed a government in exile based in the nation of Laeral. Assembling an odd coalition of activists and fighters from Xiomera, Lauchenoiria, Milintica and other nations, the government in exile began staging operations inside Xiomera against the new government. The new government responded by declaring martial law and by acquiring the services of mercenaries from the nation of Shuell.

The mostly cold war between the two competing Xiomeran governments heated up dramatically on July 14th, when Xochiuhue dispatched a hit squad from the feared Xiomeran intelligence agency ASI to Laeral to kill the Crown Prince. While they failed, they succeeded in killing Nōlinyauh, the Secretary of State for the government in exile and one of Texōccoatl's closest mentors. In response, Texōccoatl ordered naval forces under his command to stage an airstrike against Emperor Xochiuhue on July 28th. While the airstrike also failed to eliminate the Emperor, it did succeed in eliminating General Xōchhuitl, the architect of the April 10th coup.

With many areas of the Empire now in open revolt against Xochiuhue, and the first combat occurring between the two competing governments, Xiomera slides further towards civil war. And one other event has occurred to throw things further into chaos: a group of rebellious Xiomeran Army soldiers, led by a former Kerlian Aurora, have helped Yauhmi escape from her imprisonment at an ASI black site. The Empress is now free - and about to make her presence known once more.

Multiple nations, including Kerlile, Laeral, Eiria and Legionas, have thrown their support behind the government in exile. Anger within the Empire itself is rising to the boiling point at the new Emperor's cruelty. And as all this occurs, the new Emperor and his supporters grow desperate, and dangerous. Xiomera, the land of the sun, is about to explode.

Themes

AoP is meant to be more than a standard war RP where things blow up and people shoot off guns. While that element is present, the RP also delves into deeper themes centered around the Xiomeran culture and society itself. As a hyper-capitalistic autocracy, Xiomera has long been ruled by an elite that live in unparalled wealth and comfort, while the majority of Xiomerans live far less pleasant lives. The Xiomeran people, who have ruled for centuries over the Empire that bears their name, have also been guilty of suppressing other ethnic groups within the country. Issues of equality, particularly related to standard of living, class and discrimination against non-Xiomerans, are a major source of the unrest now occurring in the country.

The issue of democracy versus autocracy also play a significant role in the RP, as they are intertwined with the issues of equality. The Xiomeran elites see the autocratic state as the source of their power; other Xiomerans see it as the source of their suffering. The events unfolding in Xiomera were sparked because of the removal of a popular leader and the ascent of a tyrant, but they are far more deeply rooted in the inherent problems that Xiomera has - issues that were papered over for many years with money and a consumer-oriented, distraction-seeking culture. As many Xiomerans begin to question the ideas and assumptions about how their society is supposed to work that they have been given for centuries, the nation hurtles toward a long-overdue reckoning with itself.

Artists of Progress is ongoing. It can be read here: https://theidu.us/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=2169

The Newswire: On Roleplay Development
By Democratic Republic of Eiria

The International Democratic Union is an amazing region for roleplayers, one of the best I've encountered in my time on Nationstates. Now, that could be the regional bias talking, but still, when you take a look at the forums, it's not hard to see the amazing creations of incredibly skilled roleplayers spilled out on a digital canvas.

And one of the main places you can see this mastery of word and phrase is the Newswire. Located on the IDU designated forum website, the Newswire provides a place for the members of the IDU to craft news stories and events that aren't necessarily directly related to the events of other nations. It allows roleplayers to create an individual roleplay Canon, to introduce new characters or events, and to drop plot hooks and foreshadowing elements. It also allows players to view the development of distinct writing styles in their writing, and gives them the ability to reflect on their past pieces.

Now, I'm almost not sure that I would want my old pieces to be public(They are a bit embarrassing in my opinion), but even I can admit that reading past posts can be very beneficial at understanding a roleplayer's writing style. Watching the evolution of a writer's quality is actually quite fascinating in my opinion. And though many roleplayers could be self conscious about their old posts(myself included), I believe it's something to be proud of!

There are many posted gems in the Newswire, both from News articles and political Behind-the-Scenes posts. Some roleplayers have even set up their own news websites, such as our Former Speaker Libertas Omnium Maximus, or our delegate Xiomera. I have always been impressed by the dedication put into Newswire posts, and I believe it's a place that anyone interested in the region should check out. It can provide valuable historical context for anyone wishing to learn more about the region.

The IDUFC
By Libertas Omnium Maximus

On the whole, the past two years have seen an unprecedented proliferation of sports oriented roleplays within the International Democratic Union. A definitive change from the usual political intrigue roleplaying that dominates the region’s in-character forums, sports roleplays give members the opportunity to relax and engage in more light-hearted fun. Despite their informal nature, many active members of the region managed to weave intricate story arcs over the course of the numerous events.

In the fall of 2018, following an initiative by Laeral to bring a soccer/football related event to the region, the first International Democratic Union Football Championship was hosted. The tournament, which featured a world cup style structure, lasted several months and saw some incredibly intense matches. Coming off of a near world war in the summer of 2018, tensions were high and several national rivalries even came to a head on the pitch. Despite all this, it was ultimately the Prosaic Union of Gnejs, easily the most calm, cool, and collected team, that came out on top, winning the tournament with a near flawless match against United New England.

Despite the fact that the 2018 I.D.U.F.C. was exceedingly well received, it’s sequel came not in 2019 but in 2020. Legionas, one of the region’s more tenured roleplayers, was selected to host the event in the spring of 2020. Though this year’s tournament was set up very similarly to its predecessor, Legionas truly made the tournament his own, writing intricate and detailed match summaries for each and every phase of the tournament. His extensive knowledge of the sport certainly added an extra level of realism to the event.
As with the 2018 tournament, participating nations were also encouraged to post about their nation’s responses to the tournament outcomes. Once again, we saw some exceptional writing from several participants, most notably Eiria and Gnejs. Though the quantity of overall in-character posts did decrease from the 2018 tournament, the quality of writing remained.

In addition to putting an incredible level of detail in each post, Legionas also managed to complete each phase of the tournament on time, a feat not previously achieved by any IDU sports event host in recent memory. In an interview conducted on the 27th of July, he noted that maintaining the tournament’s six-week schedule was a real challenge, especially since he became somewhat ill during week four. With that said, he stated during the same interview that he absolutely loved writing up each match review as they gave him a chance to use his imagination and put his extensive soccer/football related knowledge to good use. They also reportedly gave him an excuse to spend countless hours reviewing real-world match footage for inspiration.

The tournament, which concluded with a shocking victory for Gnejs, proved that lightning really could strike twice. It was a success on all accounts and will most assuredly be receiving a 2021 follow up, especially now that Legionas has been named Sports Minister in Xiomera’s new cabinet. We can safely look forward to great things in the IDU sports roleplaying department, that’s for certain.

Interview with Trive
By United New England

UNE: Hi Trive! I'm excited to interview someone whom I consider to be one of the smartest, funniest, and most interesting members of the IDU.

Trive: Hello, UNE and hello, readers. It's an honour to have been chosen to be interviewed.

UNE: Now, if I remember correctly, you joined NS when you were very young.

Trive: Yes, I was quite young when I joined NS, back in 2015.

UNE: What made you want to play NS?

Trive: I've always had an interest on politics. When I first discovered NationStates, I found it to be a very entertaining place to create a nation, from scratch. I had a few things written about Trive at the time, but no exact place to put them in.

UNE: How would you describe the concept behind your nation?

Trive: Trive is the result of an exercise of alternate history I had made, that explored the possibility of Catholic Russians getting exiled to the Far East, on which they just made their own kingdom. Afterwards, I ended up taking that concept I already had of Trive and placed it on a book I wrote - so the canon gets a bit messy at times.

UNE: Is it true that your nation is comprised of land in multiple solar systems, and that there are different species of sentient citizens?

Trive: Yes, that is correct. The United Kingdom of Trive's one of many interstellar nations on the Milky Way galaxy.

UNE: About how long have you been a member of the IDU?

Trive: I've joined the IDU on May 2nd 2015, and have been there since.

UNE: What made you want to be a part of this region? What do you think are its best qualities?

Trive: The region seemed like a hospitable place, mainly. With lots of nations of different ideologies, which pointed to an open political discourse. Plus there were plenty of reputable members of the community to learn from. Such as Bears Armed, Sciongrad, Grellania and Sanctaria.

UNE: How would you describe your own political leanings?

Trive: I currently identify as a right-wing libertarian, leaning towards anarcho-capitalism.

UNE: Aren't you a monarchist as well? I always enjoy learning about the interesting blend of beliefs you hold.

Trive: Yes, but my monarchist alignment is exclusively for the country I live in. It's like a short-term goal. I would definitely prefer the Ancapistan, but my country isn't ready in the slightest for it. And probably won't be in my lifetime.

UNE: I know you live in Brazil, and your first language is Portuguese. How did you learn to speak English so well?

Trive: That's a pretty funny story. Here in Brazil, we have lots of English and Spanish language courses. My mother and my brother used to be students in one, so I just used their books to study. Soon I was watching movies, reading books in English, writing my book in English, playing online games with Americans, and it kind of just wrapped up to how it is today. The Americans do say I sound like a British lad, though.

UNE: Another one of your talents is playing the piano, which I've heard you do over Discord's voice chat! What are some of your favorite musical genres and artists?

Trive: I listen to a bit of everything. But I specifically like Bossa Nova. Gotta admit, I cried when the news of João Gilberto's death appeared on the TV. I also enjoy Neoclassical or Epic music, especially those from Two Steps From Hell.

UNE: Sounds cool! Can you recommend a song from each of those artists?

Trive: From João Gilberto, I recommend "Aquarela do Brasil". Which is almost like a second Brazilian national anthem. From Two Steps From Hell, I recommend "Never Give Up On Your Dreams", it's quite an inspiring piece.

UNE: I'll definitely check them out! So, what made you want to run for IDUSA Speaker? What are your goals for the position?

Trive: The IDUSA is one of our most important government bodies. As Speaker, my goal will be mainly to further encourage the participation of the newer nations on it. I ran for the position because I believe that I can provide more positive change to the region while holding it.

UNE: That seems like an ideal goal! What advice would you offer to players who are new to the IDU and/or NS?

Trive: I advise them to be active in their regions. There is a point in NS where answering your 5 daily issues gets old, and it comes pretty fast.

UNE: How would you suggest members of the IDU get more involved, besides participating in the IDUSA?

Trive: I suggest that they engage in our many Regional RPs. For instance, one of our most engaging activities is the IDU World Cup. With the founding of the AFFIDU, me and Legionas intend to expand the footballing activities of the IDU to the club football level.

UNE: Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, Trive! I always enjoy chatting with you and so many others in the IDU.

Trive: Thank you for the interview!

IDU Delegate Elections
By Legionas

Every 6 months, an election is held to decide who would become the region’s World Assembly Delegate.

Following a relatively successful term in office, former world Assembly delegate, Lauchenoiria, announced that she would not be seeking re-election to the office. In accordance with Section I of the Delegacy Election Act, the speaker of the IDUSA, Libertas Omnium Maximus, opened nominations for the position. Two nations stated their intention to run, they being Eiria and Xiomera, both esteemed members of the community. The election, beforehand expected to be tight, was brought to the voting floor where IDUSA members were allowed to choose their favored candidate. Around 38% of IDUSA participated in voting.

In one of the closest elections in recent history, Xiomera just managed to edge out Eiria with five votes to Eiria’s four. In accordance with section 4 of the Delegacy Election Act, Xiomera was announced as the new IDU World Assembly Delegate, with Eiria being announced as the Vice-Delegate. The new delegate soon began assembling his cabinet which would aid him in administrative affairs. A new position was established, that of the IDU Sports Minister that would be in charge of promoting sports in the region via organizing sporting events, sports related role-plays, encouraging region members to participate in multi-regional events such as the NS World Cup etc. Those interested in holding a position in the cabinet were asked to personally contact the new delegate.

The new delegate announced the following as members of his cabinet:
● Eiria would serve as Immigration Minister in addition to being Vice-Delegate
● Lauchenoiria would serve as Foreign Minister.
● Laeral would serve as Culture Minister.
● Legionas would serve as Sports Minister.
● Gardavasque would continue as Regional Cartographer.
● Sanctaria would continue as WA Minister/WALL Ambassador.

Transition to the new administration was not without issue, but all issues were resolved promptly and decisively. Overall, the election cycle went smoothly.

Cabinet plans
By Xiomera

As a new Delegacy dawns in the IDU, a new Cabinet has been formed to support the Delegate and the region, as is the normal practice. This is a brief look at who is on the Cabinet, and what the goals for the new Cabinet are.

Vice Delegate/Immigration Minister: Eiria
Foreign Minister: Lauchenoiria
WA Minister / WALL Ambassador: Sanctaria
Culture Minister: Laeral
Sports Minister: Legionas
Cartographer: Gardavasque

The goals for the new Delegate and Cabinet are pretty straightforward: getting the word out about what makes the IDU a great region, and improving on those things to make it even better. For our Vice Delegate and Immigration Minister, the goals are to support the Delegate as needed, and also to implement plans to attract new residents to the IDU. For Foreign Minister, our goal is to continue to pursue friendly relations between the IDU and other regions. For Culture Minister, our goals are to mentor newer roleplayers (and supporting established ones), as well as developing a region-wide history. For the WA Minister / WALL Ambassador role, our goal is to continue the already great work that Sanctaria has been doing in that position. For Sports Minister, our goals are to expand the IDU's roleplaying opportunities in the sports-related field, building on regional events like the recent IDU Football Championship. For Cartographer, the goals are to continue the excellent work that our current Cartographer has been doing on our regional map, and make changes or improvements to the map as needed.

The overall goal is for our office-holders to continue the great work that has been taking place in those positions, and to improve on them as well for the betterment of the region.

The Delegates: Former and New
By Democratic Republic of Eiria

The International Democratic Union, is, as the name suggests, Democratic. As such, Delegates are democratically elected every six months. Elections aren't as flamboyant or high-profile as they are in real life, and power tends to fluctuate between a group of frequently active players. I had the pleasure of sitting down with two of these players, Former Delegate Lauchenoira, and recently elected Delegate Xiomera. I've had an amazing time working with both of them on several different roleplays, and they are both amazing authors and kind helpers.

Lauchenoira

Me- "So first, around how long have you been in the IDU?"

Lauchenoira- "I first joined in summer 2017, I'm
not sure which month but I would guess August".

M- "Okay, Do you remember how you first came across the IDU?"

L- "I was first interested in WA resolutions, I remember checking out the nations in GenSec and seeing how there were multiple in the IDU. While, in the end, I didn't end up super involved in WA stuff, that was my initial interest."

M- "Do you enjoy being a part of the roleplay-oriented community here?"

L- "Very much so, it gives me opportunities to work on my writing skills and weave a continuous story around my nations and the characters who live within them. Getting to collaborate with the others in our community is also fantastic."

M- "Do you have a favorite element/feature of the IDU, and why?"

L- "Oh, definitely the roleplaying element. It's what I love about this region - we've had almost continuous RPs following on from "Have I Got Coups For You" in 2018. Everything links together and loose threads can be wound up literally years later. I like having the opportunity to surprise everyone with my writing and see reactions very shortly after something I've posted."

M- "I would have to agree that judging reactions on a plot twist post is extremely fun. Especially with your talent for plot writing and story composition. Would you recommend joining the IDU to an interested friend?

L- "If someone was interested, then sure! Although, I'm not quite sure how I'd explain some of my RP plots to people I know from outside of NS!"

M- "How do you come up with your roleplay ideas, if it's alright for me to ask?"

L- "Partly I'm inspired by real world events, either past or present, partly just spur-of-the-moment ideas... but mostly my dreams. I have wild, wild dreams while I sleep."

M- "Fascinating. Now, for a different question topic: Can you tell me what was like being Delegate?"

L- "It was a mix, at times rewarding, at times frustrating."

M- "If you don't mind me asking, why was it frustrating?"

L- "Well, people would often message me at 3am asking me things, that's the problem with time zones. And then, the volume of campaign telegrams could be a little high at times."

M- "Ah, okay. Well, real life campaign practices were bound to appear in Nationstates at some point. If you could change one thing about the IDU, what would it be?"

L- "That we could have more roleplay all year round, at the moment there is definitely more going on in the northern hemisphere's summer months!"

M- "Do you have any advice for people new to the IDU, or people looking to join the IDU?"

L- "Get involved as soon as you're willing, we've a very welcoming community & love having new people around! You don't need to wait to start roleplaying."

M- "Okay, that's it! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer questions for the regional update!

L- "No problem!"

Xiomera

Me- "Well, let's start the questions, shall we? How long have you been in the IDU?"

Xiomera- "I think I arrived in May of 2019....so just over a year"

M- "Okay. How did you find out about the IDU?"

X- "I had previously played NS before this current incarnation as Xiomera, and was familiar with the IDU from back then. I had never had a nation in the IDU before, but when I got interested in NS again, I decided to park here because of that."

M- "Do you enjoy the Roleplay-centric culture here?"

X- "I do! RP is probably the biggest reason I am involved with NS, so having active RP in the region is important to me."

M- "Okay, cool. Do you have a favorite element/feature of the IDU, and if so, why?"

X- "I like the Discord because it allows all of us to communicate and chat with each other. That makes the region more entertaining and fun"

M- "Cool, I would have to agree on that one as well! Would you recommend joining the IDU to an interested friend?"

X- "I definitely would. I think we have a lot to offer as a region and that most people would feel at home here."

M- "So true. Now, on to a few more personal questions instead of broad questions about the region. What made you want to run for delegate?"

X- "I wanted to take a more active role in the region since I've found a good RP home here. I'm hoping to help keep the IDU going so that other people can enjoy the same experience."

M- "Along a similar vein, what things do you want to change as IDU delegate? I do believe you detailed some of your aspirations in your campaign post, but is there any particular thing you want outside regions to see?

X- "There's nothing specific that stands out other than what I went over in the campaign post. I don't think a lot needs to be changed. I just think we can do more of what we're already doing and let more people know that the IDU is a great place for them to move to."

M- "Okay. If you don't mind me asking, How do you come up with your roleplay ideas? Your roleplay posts, especially the Artists of Progress RP, are always eloquent and well written."

X- "Thanks! I usually start with a broad outline, kind of like a rough sketch, of what I have in mind as a basic plotline and use that as a sort of framework to build the RP around. I usually try to stick to the plot after that but have to adjust stuff a lot on the fly as other people respond and post and things change. Having the basic idea of where you want to go with the story helps a lot though".

M- "That sounds like a very good idea. I'm frankly a bit jealous of your incredible talents and work. I always have trouble with making my posts and ideas seem natural. They're always better in my head. Now, I should probably get back on topic. If you could change one thing about the IDU, what would it be?"

X- "I would encourage more people to be active. The region is only successful if people are active in RP, in things like IDUSA and delegate elections/speaker elections and things like that. Participation is super important."

M- "Well, thank you for agreeing to do this interview! It was very gracious of you to take time out of your day to help with an article. Is there anything else you would like to add, or say to people reading the Yearly update?"

X- "If they’re looking for a region with a long history and a good community of players, they should come visit us. We’d love to see some new people."

I hope that gives you a glimpse into the region and the people residing within!