The Order of the Grey WardensBoard

Welcome to The Order of the Grey Wardens!

As a newcomer to our region, it can be a little confusing figuring everything out at first. It is our hope that this guide can answer some basic questions, as you prepare yourself for further involvement in our region and offsite community. Since you've made it this far, you're likely already aware that The Order of The Grey Wardens is a defender military focused on preventing the actions of those who seek to destroy user-created communities. It is our hope that you can help bolster our ranks even further in this fight, and rise to greatness as a defender legend.

The Order of the Grey Wardens (also called TGW) operates a little differently than most NationStates regions in that it is primarily a military-based organization. The Order is led by the First Warden with day-to-day assistance from Commanders of the Grey, who are also called Warden-Commanders. There is the High Constable who acts as second-in-command to the First Warden, and the Chamberlain of the Grey who serves as the primary archivist and recordkeeper for the organization. Below the Commanders are the Constables of the Grey and then Lieutenants of the Grey who take charge when their superiors are away and help with various tasks to keep things running smoothly. Further information on leadership and ranks can be found here.

Below you'll find a summary of the path ahead of you, as well as the various branching pathways of being a Grey Warden. If you haven't already, we strongly recommend you join our Discord to get more involved in our community, and begin your process towards enlisting in The Grey Wardens and helping us save NationStates!

As you begin your fight against The Blight, the first step is joining The Order.

Before anything else, you'll want to join The World Assembly (WA). World Assembly nations, and their various gameside functions, are the primary tool that you will utilize in any Military Gameplay. You'll be prompted for your WA nation when you fill out your application, so getting that step out of the way is a great trick to skip ahead a few steps in line! Once you've done this, and have taken a good look around, it's time to head to our HQ and begin your adventure.

Upon joining our Discord Server, you'll receive an automated message asking for you to share your nation name, and one of our seasoned Welcome Squad members will swing by to say hello. As they help you get your bearings, you'll be set up with access to our vibrant public areas, as well as pointed in the direction of our Enlistment Office. It is there where you'll fill out your application - conveniently located on Discord itself - and have a Warden-Commander get you processed and ready for training and battle! You'll start out as a Warden-Recruit, quickly moving up the ranks as you complete your first operation.

Continue reading below to see further details on the branches in which this path will take you, and all the ways you can help The Order continue to thrive, grow, and fight back this game's villains.

The Path of the Warden is what you've heard about in our recruitment, on the gameplay forum, and in the angry wails of defeated Darkspawn.

Wardens take the fight directly to invaders during the two game updates that take place at 12 AM and 12 PM US Eastern Time respectively. As a Warden, you will usually conduct multiple operations per update and act as the first and greatest line of defense against invader attacks on vulnerable regions. Liberations of invader-held regions and counter-invasions of invader home regions are also conducted by Wardens at update as our primary strike force. Wardens are the most high-trained and effective force in the game, and each day will present a new challenge or threat to be faced.

Don't worry if you're new to the game or don't think you have enough experience, as we'll provide you with comprehensive guides and training to help you find your way. As long as you can be online at 12 AM and/or 12 PM EST at least one day per week, then the life of a Warden is for you. It is, without question, some of the most fun you can have playing NationStates once you get the hang of it.

As previously mentioned, Discord is a requirement for Wardens, as is World Assembly membership. Our Enlistment Office is located within our Discord, and is the first place you'll want to head to.

The Guardians are the Reserve Force of The Order, performing primarily Non-Update Operations!

As with most players, it is more than likely that you cannot be present at every update throughout the week. No problem, you can still conduct military operations and make a difference with Guardian missions! Guardians protect and cleanse the regions of NationStates from the Darkspawn in-between update times with a more flexible schedule. Our stalwart reservists move into target regions during the 12-hour windows between game updates and provide vital World Assembly endorsement support to their leading officers, as well as conducting restorative operations to regions and off update defenses. Guardian Missions also often-times deploy to vulnerable regions as foreign aid, to assist at-risk native populations in securing their regions against the raiders seeking to damage them. Wardens are strongly encouraged to take part in Guardian missions whenever they're not actively updating!

Additionally, Guardian Missions are published gameside on our (Regional Message Board) and World Factbook Entry. These are updated every twelve hours, with exception of longer foreign aid deployments.

More information on mission requirements and how to participate can be found here: page=dispatch/id=1628390

When not deployed on missions, one of the best ways to strengthen The Order is by maintaining your endorsement on our World Assembly Delegate.

If you are not deployed on military operations, it is paramount that you provide domestic strength by being in the World Assembly and endorsing our WA Delegate (How-To Guide) Potatoville. Winning the Delegacy through a battle to the top, Potatoville stands as our beacon of influence upon World Assembly affairs. A high endorsement level increases our regional sway in important World Assembly matters such as in Security Council Liberations to help vulnerable regions, as well as giving you a personal vote for whatever comes through the General Assembly and Security Council.

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If you want to take a more casual approach to NationStates, and just hang out answering issues and chatting, The Order is still more than happy to have you! The day-to-day RMB chatters, issue answerers, card farmers, and endorsement chasers are the backbone of our gameside strength. It is paramount to the success of our organization that we not only maintain a mighty military, but a robust domestic base as well. You will not have as much access to our amenities as a full-fledged Warden, but the opportunities are nonetheless plentiful. Once you're more settled and ready to get further involved, enlisting in the Wardens will just be a quick Discord post away!

If you have any questions about NationStates, then you should check out this helpful guide to get you started and swing by our discord if you need more help.

Being a Guardian is for warriors who are unable to engage the Darkspawn on the frontlines and yet are still willing and eager to fight the raider blight.

For those busy during the two game update times, you can still conduct military operations and make a difference as a Guardian. Guardians choose to guard and cleanse the regions of NationStates from the Darkspawn in-between update times with a more flexible schedule. Guardians move into target regions during the 12-hour windows between game updates and provide vital WA endorsement support to their leading officers, as well as conducting detags and off update defenses.

Guardian mission updates are found on the RMB (Regional Message Board) and World Factbook Entry for Guardian missions which are updated every 12 hours. There are also notifications given on Discord, if you are able to join.

You don't need to sign up or register anywhere, either on NationStates, on Discord, or the forum. Just start participating by following this guide! This guide will remain pinned in our region to serve as a handbook whenever you need it.

We call your current nation in The Order of the Grey Wardens your "main nation". For Guardian missions, you will need another nation, which is called a "puppet nation". You can name this nation whatever you want when you create it. To get your puppet nation setup, follow these steps:

1) If your main nation is admitted to the World Assembly, resign your World Assembly membership.
2) Login to your puppet nation, or create it if you have not done so already.
3) Go to the Settings page.
4) Associate a valid e-mail with your nation (make sure this is the same e-mail address as on your main nation).
5) In your Motto, make a reference to the name of your main nation in some fashion (so that we know it's you!)
6) Set the Guardians Flag on that nation
7) Apply to join the World Assembly.
8) Check your e-mail, and confirm your admittance into the World Assembly.
9) Move to the current region listed in the newest Guardian RMB post and endorse the selected nation
10) Remain there until the lead nation gains the delegacy position

To confirm your Guardian registration, please send a Telegram to Pangaea-Panthalassa with the following information:

The First Warden wrote:

Guardian Nation Name:
Main/Original Nation Name:

Between missions, keep your puppet nation in The Order of the Grey Wardens, endorsing our delegate Witchcraft and Sorcery.

Total mission counts and ranks are calculated at the end of each month by Guardian leadership, typically pinned on the main region page when published.

There may be times where the format of a Guardian mission changes, depending on the needs or goals of the mission. It's important to check your telegrams on your Guardian nation in case you receive special instructions, but here are some you might encounter generally:

• If asked to move to a region, you move your puppet nation to that region by opening the region page, scrolling to after the World Factbook Entry, and then clicking "Move (Nation) to (Region)". (Note: Do not post on that region's Regional Message Board unless invited by native nations to do so)

• If asked to endorse a nation, open that nation's page, scroll to the bottom, and click the button "Endorse (Nation)". (Note: You can only do this if your puppet nation is in the same region as that nation)

• If asked to cross-endorse on a nation, you not only endorse that nation but also every other nation endorsing that nation. To see the endorsees of a nation, scroll to the bottom of the page to "Endorsements received:", which is followed by a list of endorsing nations.

• If asked to cross-endorse in the region, when you enter a region, you will want to find your fellow Guardian nations and cross-endorse on them. To find these nations, you can either scroll through all nations in the region and look for nations with the Guardian flag, or look at the activity page for that region for nations moving to that region with the Guardian flag.

Being a Guardian offers quick promotions based on the number of missions you complete and further leadership opportunities. Guardian missions and various Guardian tasks are managed by those who hold the following ranks:

• Silverite Guardian - The Silverite Guardian is the leader of all the Guardian forces. They will oversee missions and make sure the deeds of the Guardians are remembered for those who come after by maintaining records.

• Guardian Champion - The Guardian Champion is second-in-command to the Silverite Guardian. They are an experienced veteran of the battlefields and can be trusted to provide leadership in the absence of the Silverite Guardian.

• Guardian Captain - Guardian captains are those who have shown outstanding dedication to the cause and are entrusted to take the lead on missions when called upon by their superiors.

Even when not in leadership, Guardians can earn titled ranks that reflect their experience and hard-earned effort against the raider blight. These ranks are calculated by leadership at the end of each month, as found in the Guardian mission log:

• Guardian Knight-Indomitable - These Guardians have dedicated countless hours to protecting regions. You can recognise them by their armor, dented but still glorious, and patched up over and over. That is, if you don't already recognise their storied name. (Awarded to those who have completed more than 125 missions)

• Guardian Knight-Stalwart - Stalwarts are loyal to their friends and their quest, reliable in every battle, and hard-working, having dedicated their time and sword to a myriad of missions. (Awarded to those who have completed 76-125 missions)

• Guardian Knight-Bulwark - These Guardians have attended a multitude of missions, their glorious swords always ready to plunge into battle. Regions know they can depend on a Knight-Bulwark. (Awarded to those who have completed 36-75 missions)

• Guardian Knight - When you hear the gale of wings, and the glint of metal, and the cry of the griffin, a Guardian Knight cannot be far away, ready to help whoever is in need. (Awarded to those who have completed 21-35 missions)

• Guardian - Guardians are the shields that protect the vulnerable, and the hands that reach out to help people back up after a raid. (Awarded to those who have completed 6-20 missions)

• Guardian Squire - These young guardians have recently taken up their sword to protect regions all over NationStates. You can recognize them by their shiny new armor and boundless enthusiasm! (Awarded to those who have completed 1-5 missions)