So I'm writing this here cause I'm too lazy to write it ICly in the great library. But, anyway, dragons. URE and I discussed things over Discord, and so we're better exploring dragons and their role in Andlosheim.

Some facts:

• The Order hates dragons, for some reason.
  
• The Order, Sidgard, and their puppets lead a genocide of dragons in the "north".
  
• The Sinne hunts dragons for their material. It gives them hard-ons. Still, dragons aren't extinct here.
  
• The Confederacy, tolerant as ever, accepts and employs dragons.
  
• The Confederacy is also the last remaining state in the Sidgardian Sphere to employ wyvernriders, given the above details.
  
• Dragonborn, humanoid dragonkin, live freely in the Confederacy and even join its military.
  
• Wyverns are the most common dragons, and are what tend to be ridden to battle. While cunning, they are not sapient.
  
• There are Kaiser Dragons: golden dragons that fly above the clouds of Andlosheim separating the gods from the mortals. Not much is known about them (they are sapient).
  
• There's more kinds/races/whatever of dragons.
  

• A High Dragon is larger and more powerful than a wyvern. It has a ridiculous(ly long) lifespan and sapience. They're not very numerous, especially after the genocide.
  
• While wyvernriders are cool in their own right, they are not true dragonlords. A dragonlord is a person (human or otherwise) who a High Dragon has chosen to bond with, sharing its power and longevity (though this doesn't make a person immortal).
  
• Dragonlords are granted the ability to speak the dragon tongue and communicate with dragonkin, though there are persons who can inherently speak dragon tongue (though they're rare, and tend to be killed by the Order when their ability is discovered). Those who can inherently speak with dragons tend to have an easier time of a becoming a dragonlord.
  
• The Elder Council is a circle of High Dragons that formed after the genocide in the Confederacy in order to keep the race alive and reduce territorial disputes within their now much-smaller habitat. A few of these High Dragons have a dragonlord.
  

This is just a notice that, due to circumstances, September newsletter items will be rolled into the coming October newsletter.

Halvadag, Lanlania, Holy Lanlanian Empire
Sunday, 1 Quartyr 1587

In the year since the new government entered power, the Holy Lanlanian Empire made leaps and bounds in its recover. The Social Democratic Party, in coalition with the Sentric Democratic Party and the Liberal Party, had a healthy majority in the riksdag which it used to rapidly restore the Holy Lanlanian economy in it's image. The crowds of militant Imperial Sentric supporters and their counter-protesters had largely dissolved, occasionally revitalizing by leaks of Sulkholm's trial. Little more than scars of battle remained in Lanlania, where the struggle between Imperial Sentric insurgents and government forces was at its worse—and even those were to be healed by government revitalization projects.

All in all, a bright and eager atmosphere had overcome the empire. Imperial pride and unity was on the rise. The Azreaen independence movement, having lost the referendum, was on the decline. The Moderate government of Syorid, having campaigned on maintaining the status quo, did not pursue Syorid's independence. The Empire's overseas territories were in the process of consolidation, and bills to annex Rylmark were working their way through the the Imperial and Rylmarker riksdag.

The words "Dan Sornidda Hardut" were engraved on the thick, heavy doors of the throne room. "The Empire endures."

But at what point does it prosper?

When did the empire become so docile?

Is it content being so pliant?

Those questions had always lingered in the back of Damen's mind. Ever since Lariss entered his life, they came forward more frequently. After their marriage, they were always there. The Imperial Sentric Party's conspiracy to overthrow him was a wake up call.

"The empire has become weak."

"It did nothing when its friend in Galeae was kicked off his throne."

"It's been decades since it last asserted itself."

"The Navy has become lethargic. The Army apathetic."

"The empire's is a history of decline."

"This is an opportunity to reverse this."

"The empire must not just endure. We must flourish!"

Damen snapped out of it. That one wasn't Lariss's voice. No, it was the television. Ah...he was watching the Prime Minister's speech.

"But we are being held back!" Akë Alburnstad continued. "The monarchy, as it is, is a relic of ages past. It is preventing the fully executing the will of the people."

The Holy Lanlanian Emperor scowled.

"Another clown," said his wife, Empress Lariss.

OSTARAN TIMES

'''Ostaran Times''' is a Nam Dihn-based international newspaper covering politics, economics, business and culture "from an Ostaran perspective". Ostaran Times was created in 1578 by Lê Công Trai, a Hoinomese media mogul who comes from an ancient family of the Hoinomese northern nobility. The current editor-in-chief is Hà Quang Bào, who was hired in 1584.

The new publishing company is Ostaran Times Corporation, incorporated and duly registered in Hôi Luỳên with offices in Haesong, Kanjong, Doungzhou, and Jandrea City. It derives part of its revenues from advertising and publishing books on different issues.

The newspaper offers news and commentary by distinguished analysts and correspondents, spanning the spectrum of Ostaran issues and the global issues that intersect with them. According to the Royal Office of Media, Ostaran Times is the most widely read Oslan-language in Hôinòm. It is popular in Nam Dihn and Hôi Luỳên, with simultaneous editions from Bâc Duong, Quang Cai and Tiejungo.

Ostaran Times is published in Oslan language, with an edition on Hoinomese language simultaneously published in Hôi Lùyên. It has also online editions published on Lanlian and Florinthian languages.

DENIL DREAMING
Espionage in the Florinthian capital
Some listening as you read

Denil, Florinthus
Vintyr 20, 1586

Alan stretched his arms out as he looked over the article. He was a reporter for a small political news agency in Wilmington and was in Denil to take in the festivities of the election and comment on it. He had spent most of the day out in the streets talking to various voters and other officials but in the evening he had arrived at his favorite café to write his column on the election. He had just gotten the results and he could hear people cheering in the streets as the announcements made their rounds. This part of Denil was considered a Centrist stronghold, and so many in the area were surely pleased with the results.

Alan put the finishing touches on the column before sending it to the editor, who would look it over before posting it the following morning. Alan looked up at a television over the counter to see the smiling face of the new Prime Minister, Andre Gouhlaman -- the leader of the Centrists. In all his days, Alan had never anticipated he would see a black man in the Prime Ministers seat. Being black himself, it was a strange feeling. He felt pride, though he himself had little to do with it. He had voted for the liberals, in fact. Still, this man did have a way of inspiring even a cynic like Alan. Another six years of Centrists. He wasn't sure he could totally stomach it.

As he began packing his things he heard the door open. A grim looking character in a black turtleneck entered the room. He was bearded, and had a stern look on his face. As he approached the counter, he rapped the table a few times. The clerk looked at the man, surprised, and whispered something quietly. The grim man did the same, his green eyes glaring at the clerk.

Within moments the clerk was going from table to table, asking everyone to leave. The café was closing early. Alan didn't have a problem with that, as he was leaving anyway, but... maybe it was his journalists instinct. There was something about the grim man that intrigued him. He had to know more. As he approached to ask him a question the clerk grabbed him with some force. "No sir, you have to leave now. Don't bother with that man." The grim man turned and Alan was shocked to find the man looking at him oddly. There was a slight smile on his face. It made Alan uncomfortable.

"It's no trouble. I'll just be going then." Alan's eyes could barely leave the grim man's piercing gaze as he walked out of the café.

Still intrigued, Alan waited across the street, to see if the man left. He was being discreet, leaning against the wall. Inside the café, the lights were low. He couldn't hear much, but there was some shouting. Suddenly, Alan heard the sound of a gunshot from within the café. He ducked as the door opened, and the grim man, rubbing his arm as though sore, exited the building quietly. He approached the street, where a large black SUV approached. He hailed it, got inside, and was off.

Alan was shaken, but didn't have the nerve to stay. There had been enough excitement for one night, as he ducked into a nearby alley to leave. He couldn't shake the feeling he had witnessed something he should not have.

1587 Federal Republic of Khokharsa presidential election


The Federal Republic of Khokharsa is a presidential democratic republic which head of state is directly elected by universal suffrage via run-off voting.

You have TWO VOTES which would directly influence the first round and indirectly influence the result in the second round (this means that the candidate who receives more votes will not be necessarily elected president, while the number of votes obtained by third and fourth candidates may have some influence in the final result). The election will be happening IC on late 1587.

Everyone is invited to vote.

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Name	Gustav Black
Political party	Democratic Party
Age	66
Description:	Gustav Black is the incumbent president and main favourite for the 1587 elections. A veteran politician, he has been state legislator, senator, Governor of the state of Idajile (1562-1570), Secretary of Foreign Affairs (1572-1580), before being elected President of the Federal Republic of Khokharsa in the 1582 election as the Democratic Party candidate, winning 59% of the vote. As president, Black mostly followed the policies of his predecessor, President Benedict Dacian, a combination of fiscal conservatism, liberalization of the public sector, administrative reform, and modernization and increasing investment in education and public works. Critics of the government argue that the policies of the Democratic Party -once a center-left urban party- have increased inequality and damaged Khokharsa's limited welfare state, along recent corruption scandals involving the Democratic Party (although neither Black nor other members of the federal government were personally involved so far). Notwithstanding, Black's supporters can easily point out to the steadily economic growth and political stability experienced in the last decade.

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Name	Chika Odbazor
Political party	People's Party
Age	41
Description:	Chika Odbazor was surprisingly elected in the Liberal Party primaries, without any political experience before her election as senator in 1581, being reelected five years later. Odbazor is of mixed race, belonging to an influencial family of the minority Zambawi ethnic group. Her father was an experienced diplomat, the first Khokharsan diplomat to serve in the consulate of the Grand-Duchy of Macharaviaya (today Khibland) where Chika was born, while two of her uncles served in both the Khokharsan Assembly and the Senate, and one of her grandfathers was Chairman of the Khokharsan Central Bank as well. Although nominally a center-left political party, the People's Party has shifted to the center in recent years, away from the party's populist past. Odbazor is running in a typically social democratic economic program, promising a moderate increase of taxes and social programs, and social-liberal on social issues.

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Name:	Benedikte Gammel
Political party	Liberal Party
Age	47
Description:	Benedikte Gammel is the candidate of the Liberal Party. The centrist Liberal Party, although the oldest existing political party, with 12 of 35 Khokharsan presidents, it became reduced decades ago to the largest third-party, with only a serious political influence in the northern states. The last Liberal president was elected in 1512, but Gammel hopes to become an alternative to Democrats and Populars with political platform combining social-liberal economic policy, the promise of fighting corruption, a centrist program on social issues, and a foreign policy focused on regional cooperation.

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Name	Adekunle Rasbund
Political party	Independent
Age	69
Description	Rasbund is a retired military officer, running as independent candidate. He retired from the Khokharsan Armed Forces in 1581, with the rank of general. He is running to president in a political platform which has been described as populist and nationalist, promising to increase spending on law and order and defense, ending corruption and restricting immigration, and an ambiguous economic program which combines reduction of taxes, rationalization of federal spending, and further funding and expanding of existing social programs. Analysts seem to agree that the election of Rasbund as president is highly unlikely, as he lacks any kind of previous political experience and institutional support. But Rasbund's aggressive rhetoric and direct style is proving popular with some voters, as showed in recent approval ratings in the polls. Since the proclamation of the 1382 Constitution presidents of military background have been rare, however, being President Gabriel Sakoa (1432-1447) the last one, more than a century ago, although he was elected as candidate of the Moderate Party. Even if elected, Rasbund would likely be forced to deal with an hostile parliament as the Movement for Khokharsa -as Rasbund's political movement is called- has no elected members in either the Khokharsan Assembly or the Senate.

Hey guys,

Sorry to barge in after a long time of being inactive. I'll keep it short and sweet. Why? Shortest answer that is possible is: life. Many say that your high days are in high school, as a teen. To be honest, I do not know how I will look back at high school in the future.

Anyways, I have been under some depression. This was because one of my close friends was depressed and I freaked out and turned her in. Then she got standoffish and mad at me and I felt really bad since. Then family issues and ect. and ect.

When I got back to school, I had the brilliant idea of taking 3 advanced classes (AP US History, Pre-Calculus, and Advanced American Lit.). Oh, I am also 1st Oboe now in the upper band in my school, so I have been practicing more. Now my masterpiece of a year is becoming a regret. But hey, gotta be able to handle this if I want to go abroad is my mindset.

So why I have not said anything? Because, the more I thought about how long I was gone, the more bad I felt and it was a paradox.

Anyways, I am not sure what I'll do. I already said before that I was returning but that did not last long. Just beats me on the decision-making department....

But nice to be back here, how ever long that will be!

Well, my name is JakkuZakku or just Jakku (Yus like the horrid planet from Disney SWFA) I've been in the Rp world for about a couple or so years, in some games like Swtor or some random weab group on Fb. *Shrugs* I am curious as to what kind of adventures I get to encounter here. P.S I am a dude, but I don't mind writing a female character and all that fancy stuff that comes with it. As long as and IC relationships don't carry into OOC life/feelings. >_> I did it, now what?!?!

This is a continuation of this post and the discussion that followed on Discord between me and Lines. I've come up with an idea to attempt to address the two issues I brought up in the post linked above, which I will expand on here.

One of the biggest problems we have in Eternity, is the geopolitical nightmare that leads to a situation where every continent/region keeps to itself and interacts very little outside of its comfort zone. This kills wars, as most of them end up being very one-sided, or don't get enough activity due to regionalist restrictions. It also makes most diplomacy pointless, as Eternity has a very passive status quo, which is strictly enforced by the geopolitical situation. What's the point of signing anything more than a trade pact and a couple of generic defense accords with a few neighbors, if there is no risk of a major war occurring in the foreseeable future.

There's also the problem of a lack of theme, which is important more for recruiting new members, although it can help foster activity for the old members as well. We have a very good community here and a fairly expansive lore, but on their own, these two aspects do not make good enough selling points for a lot of people, since every good NS community also has these advantages. We need a theme, something to set Eternity apart from the other NSMT groups, that can catch the eye of people and get them to join up.

So, in order to address the geopolitical issues of regionalism and lack of global issues that would circumvent that, I came up with the idea to spawn a second NPC superpower, on par with Nyland in terms of GDP and overall strength, but this time a totalitarian, dystopian state that would partner up with other dictatorships, just like Nyland partners up with the democracies/capitalist states. This would tilt the balance of power between the democracies and dictatorships and maybe put them close to being on par with eachother.

This can also serve as the seed of an ongoing, overall theme. I'm taking inspiration from a number of sources, such as the Killzone series (very good games, you should give them a try if you have a PS3) and the Red Rising series of books (something of a mix between the Hunger Games, Red Faction and some inspiration from the Holy Roman Empire).

My idea is of an antagonist who doesn't simply want to oppress everyone because evil, but a nation with an ideology that it believes, is for the overall greater good and the betterment of humanity. The as-of-yet unnamed ideology incorporates ideas of military rule, with eugenics and a good dose of social darwinism. The strong thrive and rule, the weak go extinct. They believe that ideas of freedom, democracy, equality, communism and individual rights, are detrimental for the long-term survival and evolution of humanity and that in order to insure the survival of the species, a strict, new world order must be established, one which exercises complete control over every aspect of society, with the clear goal of advancing the human species technologically, culturally and genetically.

The society of this nation would be stratocratic, somewhat reminiscent of Starship Troopers. There is a clear distinction between civilians, citizens and leaders. Civilians do the work, citizens serve in the military (the only way to obtain the status of citizen) and vote leaders, while only the leadership caste may run for office (this caste is drawn from the highest-ranking military officials and scientists).

My idea was to drop this NPC in not-Antarctica (there already is an NPC there, which could be expanded into this). They'd have to import their food and would have a hard time maintaining a high population, so I'm thinking about 100 million people. They offset this population defficiency with a massive economy fueled by a powerful industry, vast reserves of natural resources such as oil and minerals and the most advanced technology in the world. This location also fits with their theme of "survival of the fittest", as a civilization of this size existing in such an environment, would face tough challenges and would realistically opt towards a strict, highly ordered society in order to simply survive.

Also, since this isn't enough to prevent Nyland & friends from just invading anyway, I was thinking we should give this NPC nukes. A monopoly on nuclear weapons would make a strong deterrent that would offset the lack of population, but their arsenal shouldn't be big enough to allow them to outright attack everyone else, just a deterrent that puts them on par with Lanlania and Nyland.

EDIT: Forgot to mention this, but if we go down this route, our NS page, as well as our recruitment/promotional material should include references to this. We should have a short description of Nyland and this new NPC, their summarized beliefs and a short snippet about the geopolitical situation.

1586 SIFA World Cup the Mandavines



It's time for the World Cup once again! This time, it's the 1586 edition taking place in several of the Mandavine Islands, specifically Magentina, Lusby & Corwyn, Puerto Seguro, and Skoven. This tournament is special for the island nations that for the most part are relegated to the basement of the football world. For a little over a month, these nations will be center stage as the rest of the world travels to the beautiful vistas of the Mandavines to play the beautiful game on the worlds stage.

While there are four hosts, only two places for hosts were permitted, so a special play-in took place prior to the qualification events. In that play-in, Magentina and Lusby & Corwyn won the rights to play in the world cup as hosts, though matches will still take place in Puerto Seguro and Skoven.

An interesting feature of this world cup, besides the exotic locale, are the advent of expanded stadiums. While traditional hosts usually have permanent fixtures built for the World Cup, the Mandavine tournament organizers recognized that much of the stadium capacity used during the World Cup would be mostly useless after the event finished. To combat this waste of resources, stadiums were kept smaller than usual for a world cup for a more intimate experience. For the later stages, certain stadiums have special expanded capacities to ensure they are able to meet the demand for the final matches. Also of note are the various means for travel between the islands. Ferries and planes are being used to get from one island to the next, though planes are the method of choice for all athletes and teams.