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  EuroPride 2021 Schedule

Posted by: Kylia Quilor
06-02-2021, 01:17 AM
Forum: Embassy of Europeia
- No Replies

[Image: w8f8ir3.png]

Since it was first held in 2018, EuroPride has been one of the largest NationStates LGBT+ Pride Festivals. Held by Europeia with the aid and participation of its friends and allies, this festival seeks to celebrate and outline the achievements of NS' epic LGBT+ community. This year, under President Kazaman and his administration, Europeia brings you EuroPride 2021!

This year's schedule will be packed with a diverse array of activities from radio shows, competitions, games, and more all held on a Discord server exclusively made for EuroPride events. As an additional event that all attendees are encouraged to participate in, the Europeian forums will be open for all participants to present speeches of a more personal nature. Join us from June 4 to June 11 for a week of celebrating LGBT+ people and the NS community.

The Schedule:


Join the EuroPride 2021 Discord here

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  2021 Eiria Olympiad General Thread

Posted by: Democratic Republic Of Eiria
05-29-2021, 12:47 AM
Forum: IDU Olympiad
- Replies (10)

Welcome to the 2021 New Riga Olympiad ! 

(Special Thanks to Shuell for the Joint Post!)

Central, Shuell

Alaina Arpa walked slowly into the huge stadium that had held the Shuellian Central Olympics a few short years ago, feeling intimidated with its size and stature. The unlit torch in her right hand suddenly felt much less significant, as she examined every inch of the stadium that she could. Her guards surrounded her in a tight formation. She had been nervous to enter Shuell, having heard all of the horror stories of life in the distant nation. Still, she insisted on going, and the greeting she had gotten thus far hadn't been too bad.

A large elaborately decorated cauldron sits in the center of the Olympic stadium, elevated above the ground and surrounded by armed guards. The event had been received with enthusiasm by most Shuellians, seen as both a chance for the nation to increase its own prestige and establish goodwill with various foreign countries. Crowds of spectators had lined the streets leaning towards the stadium, although none were allowed inside - this honor would only be granted to high-ranking officials and the Directorate itself. The Shuellian national anthem blared loudly from the speakers as the woman approached the unlit cauldron, with cameras televising the ceremony all across the globe.

Alaina took one last look at the intricate torch in her hand, examining the cold metal. Okay, I can't screw this up. One, Two... She placed the torch on the rim of the cauldron, tilting it slightly.

The cold metal torch suddenly caught the flame, glowing like a small star in Alaina's hand. She turned to face the few spectators allowed inside the stadium, raising the torch above her head. She, being a former Olympic Gymnast, was on the shorter side, but her grace and presence more than made up for it in the eyes of the spectators. The flame burned furiously, almost causing her to hesitate. Calm down, it's alright. Easy.

The members of the Directorate, situated in an enclosure overlooking the affair, stood and politely clapped for the athlete. As the Shuellian national anthem transitioned into Rise for the Republic, banners of the Eirian flag unfurled next to the Shuellian one - if slightly smaller in size. Cameras would zoom in on Alaina, displaying her face on large jumbotrons outside of the stadium. The guards, seemingly handpicked for their size, lined up in rows on either side of the woman, raising their rifles at an angle and forming a canopy of sorts for her to walk under.

Alaina was slightly unnerved by the canopy of guns, but she walked forward undeterred, only slightly bringing the torch down as to keep it away from the firearms. She put all her concentration into not tripping, channeling her old gymnastic instincts to move with grace and precision.

As she walked, she hummed along to the Eirian anthem blaring from the speakers, smiling slightly with pride. A Shuellian stadium blaring the Eirian anthem. That's something you don't see everyday. She thought as she reached the end of the guard lines, making her way out of the stadium and onto the street, smiling at the spectators.

Black and white confetti, like some strange mixture of ash and snow, rained down on the streets from the rooftops of office buildings. A row of barricades were set up along the road, with crowds of Shuellian citizens stationed behind them cheering on the runner. A fleet of policemen on motorcycles baring corporate advertisements flanked the woman on either side as they escorted her down the busy streets, with others visible among the crowds to ensure nothing went wrong.

Carefully sweeping some confetti from her hair, Alaina made her way down the street, occasionally glancing at her Shuellian escorts. Police with advertisements. Huh. She kept a steady pace, marching towards a bus with Eirian security guards positioned around it. Almost There. She grabbed the railing of the bus, turning around to wave one last time to the crowd. Her security guards escorted her onto the bus, securing the flame that would travel continents to its new temporary home.

And as the bus pulled away, Alaina took one last look at the droves of spectators. Who are they? Do they like it here? Would I like it here?

The crowds faded away, leaving only one place to look: Forward, to Eiria. To home.

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  Eirian Politics 2: Electric Boogaloo

Posted by: Democratic Republic Of Eiria
05-28-2021, 01:30 AM
Forum: International Affairs
- No Replies

Chancellor’s Study, Chancellorial Manor, Geminus
Thursday, May 27th, 2:28 PM

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. The old clock on the wall was almost silent in its progression, only emitting a slight noise for every second. But for the Chancellor, it was enough to drive him mad. Another second of my leadership, gone wasting time on routine paperwork. How is this leading? He marked a few things on the paper before him with his blue pen, before closing the folder with a sigh. You’d think I’d get used to this, after five bloody years. He fidgeted with his pen, tapping it on the desk in some kind of morphing rhythm. The folder was placed with a stack of others, leaning precariously over the desk like an unstable skyscraper. 

His secretary stepped in the door, causing him to sit up at attention. “Senator Morrin is here. Shall I send her in?” Will stood and stretched, nodding. “Please do. And when I’m finished, please ask the Vice Chancellor to head on over here when she can. We have a few things to discuss.” The secretary nodded, stepping out of the doorway to reveal Lynn Morrin, Senator from the Nordjura Province. “Lynn, nice to see you. Can I get you anything to drink? Coffee, Tea…?”

“No, thank you. You sure you don’t have anything stronger?” She asked, taking a seat in a chair before the desk, glancing around the large room at tiny details on the walls and paintings. Will chuckled and walked around his desk, facing Morrin as he sat. “Believe me, I wish I did. Do you know why I’ve asked you here?”

She furrowed her eyebrows, sitting up slightly. “No. My secretary said that the subject would be discussed here, which means you’re either plotting, sharing state secrets with me, or letting me know horrible knows. If it’s the latter, we can skip the pleasantries. I’m not exactly good at them anyway, and I don’t want to waste too much of your time.”

“No, it’s not bad news. And believe me, your presence is a relief. Don’t worry about the time, unless you have plans of your own.” He paused, spinning his silver wedding band around his finger. “No one else knows why I called you here. It’s also not any state secrets. You probably know about most of them anyway.” He paused once again, thinking about his phrasing. “Have you considered the Vice Chancellor Position?”

Her eyebrows went up at that, and she took a few moments to reign in her surprise. “You want to put me on the ticket. To reel in conservative voters to a Coalition ticket. It’s a smart idea, and it would work better than many other vice chancellor options. But wouldn’t a ticket with my name on it piss off the Greens? Things are a bit rocky between us, which is probably the greatest understatement I've made in my career."

"It likely would, but they'd get over it, given that they'd be on the top of the ticket. They know they likely can't win that without making some concessions. Plus, in actual party leadership, the Greens have been overlooked for a while. In the Eclipse Party, It was always the Progressives trying to appease ModLefts, and they were mostly expected to follow. They have power now. We all do, in a circular gun standoff kind of way."

Morrin's surprise faded, to her more characteristic stoic unamusement. "So, I'd be subservient to a Green Chancellor, likely Leah Stendē? I'd temporarily serve as your servant and meatshield for a couple years, while possibly losing my own credibility? How, exactly, are you going to try to sell this? It's a net loss for me."

"Not if you become Chancellor after Stendē. You'd be in the prime spot to run. You're both a conservative icon and a moderate messiah. And even as Vice Chancellor, you'd be in a much better place to use your party's influence. Plus you could advise Leah in her administration."

Lynn thought for a few moments, looking at the Chancellor with a masked look. "And the gag rule? I'd have to keep my opinions silent for two years. Specifically on Abortion and other points where I disagree with Leah. Don't get me wrong, she's immensely qualified. I don't know if I can look past our ideological differences."

The Chancellor nodded, raising a finger. "But, you can have an impact on that. Your party has tangible influence now, and as part of the administration, you'd be the leader of your party's base, and a representative for ModRights throughout Eiria. Do you want to give an opportunity like that up?"

Morrin sat in a rare silence for almost a minute. "I'll think about it. Jesus, no one can say you aren't ambitious. No guarantees though. And I'll want to sit down with Stendē before I agree to this." She sighed. "I'll see you on the floor."

"See you then, and thanks for your time." The old oak door clicked shut behind her with a click, opening once more for Ava Christiansen, Lancaster's Chief of Staff. "You asked for me, sir?"

"Yes. Could you clear off some time in the next few weeks for a Serso Leadership meeting? Not right away, as we have some things to work out, but soon enough. Could you organize that with the Coalition Leaders?"

"Sure." She paused, going over an apparent mental checklist. "Pardon me for asking, but is this related to the Chancellorial Election? And, if so, should I lead with that when I schedule it?"

"...Yes, it is, and preferably not. Again, I still need to work out a few things on top of actually running the country, so I'll need a little time. Could you also send the Vice Chancellor in, if she's waiting?"

"Yes sir." She left quickly, causing Lancaster to close his eyes and take a quick breath. Convincing Morrin had been difficult enough, and not guaranteed, but convincing Stendē was going to be a whole different ballgame...

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  The Lumiere Journal

Posted by: Democratic Republic Of Eiria
05-18-2021, 05:31 AM
Forum: IDU Newswire
- No Replies

BREAKING NEWS: Tour-Real Riots Leave 17 Dead, Dozens Wounded

The city of Tour-Real was rocked this evening by a city-wide riot, killing and wounding an estimated total of over one hundred. Among the dead are six bystanders, eight rioters, and three police officers. Local police estimate that around a third of Tour-Real's downtown storefronts were destroyed, causing hundreds of thousands of Meras in damage. Additional damage was caused to two major historical sights; the Cathedral of Saint Helene, built in 1816, and the city's namesake, la Tour Royale, where Duke Philippe I, one of the first Laurent dukes, fought against mercenary rebels and lost his life in 1783. 

A group of rioters barricaded themselves in the Cathedral, causing damage to a number of paintings and injuring the Unitist priest and three Cathedral caretakers. We have yet to learn the names of the seventeen dead, but according to the TRPD, over fifty arrests have been made in connection to the injuries and vandalism.

The city is currently on lockdown, with adjacent cities contributing members of their own police forces to help secure the city. The Aurian National Guard has been mobilized to help with security and cleanup, and numerous charity organizations have donated money and manpower to the rebuilding effort. 

Prime Minister Lapointe released a statement around an hour ago, denouncing the riots and other civil unrest starting to break out throughout Auria. "I am shocked and appalled at the barbarity of these riots. I am disgusted that some of my political rivals would support these so-called 'protests'. My heart goes out to the families of those killed."

More information will be published as soon as possible.

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  2021 Eiria Signup Thread

Posted by: Democratic Republic Of Eiria
05-06-2021, 04:36 PM
Forum: IDU Olympiad
- Replies (15)

Welcome, My Friends, to the 2021 IDU Olympiad!

[Image: Screen-Shot-2021-06-01-at-3-00-00-PM.png]



I'm pleased to announce that, with a great amount of help from Laeral, the list of sports has been completed! As such, there is nothing left to do but open signups, and see who all joins! I hope all of you have an amazing time with this Olympiad, and I hope this stirs up some regional RP opportunities!

Events

A total list of sports will be posted below, and the rules regarding the number of athletes per event shall remain the same, with 1 athlete/team per event. (To Clarify: When I say per event, Men's and Women's Events of the same sport type are counted as different events. As such, each nation can contribute 1 Men's Cyclist and 1 Women's Cyclist.) 

Skill

Similar to the 2019 Olympic signups, the calculation modifiers that affect the results shall be rated individually per athlete or team, on a 100 point scale. However, instead of a 0.01-1.00 range, the Modifiers will be on a scale of +50 to -50. A positive score will help your athlete, while a negative one will hinder them. Also, repeating the average system from the last Olympiad, the average modifier of all athletes and teams must be 0. If the average is something like 0.1 or -0.1, It’ll be fine. I will ask that you get as close to 0 as possible, to help us make this competition as fair as we can. Please state your average at the top of your submission!

**Also, to note, due to how some of the calculations are set up, some sports on the list below shall be marked with two asterisks. I recommend making the modifiers for those sports multiples of 10, to avoid waste of modifier points.

Here's a template for your signups:

Nation Name:
Puppet?: Y/N
If so, Main Nation:
Total Number of Athletes/Teams:

And if you want to put your actual list on the thread or a Google doc, here's a template for that:

Event:
Athlete/Team Name
Skill Modifier

It would be an enormous help if you would put your roster into a Google Doc, Spreadsheet, or Dropbox, to avoid cluttering the signup page. 


Signup Timeframe

Unless posted otherwise, the signups shall close around June 6th, 2021. 

If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or roleplay ideas, let me know! Whether it's through Discord, the Forum, or the Regional RMB, I'm here to help!

Alpine Skiing

Men’s Downhill
Women’s Downhill

Men’s Combined
Women’s Combined

Men’s Slalom
Women’s Slalom

Men’s Super G
Women’s Super G

Archery

Men’s Archery
Women’s Archery

Athletics
Men’s 100M sprint
Women’s 100M Sprint

Men’s 800M sprint
Women’s 800M Sprint

Men’s 1500M sprint
Women’s 1500M Sprint

Aquatics

Men's 100M Backstroke
Women’s 100M Backstroke

Men’s 100M Breaststroke
Women’s 100M Breaststroke

Men’s 100M Butterfly
Women’s 100M Butterfly

Men’s 100M Freestyle
Women’s 100M Freestyle

Men's 200M Backstroke
Women’s 200M Backstroke

Men’s 200M Breaststroke
Women’s 200M Breaststroke

Men’s 200M Butterfly
Women’s 200M Butterfly

Men’s 200M Freestyle
Women’s 200M Freestyle

Men’s 10M Platform Diving
Women’s 10M Platform Diving

Baseball **

Men's Baseball
Women's Softball

Basketball **

Men's Basketball
Women's Basketball

Biathlon+Triathlon

Men’s 15M Biathlon
Women 15M Biathlon

Men’s 20M Biathlon
Women’s 20M Biathlon

Men’s Triathlon
Women’s Triathlon

Bobsled+Luge:

Men’s Two Person
Women’s Two Person

Men’s Four Person
Women’s Four Person

Men’s Double Luge
Women’s Double Luge

Curling: **

Men’s Curling
Women’s Curling
Mixed Doubles Curling

Cycling

Men’s Cycling
Women’s Cycling

Fencing

Men's Epée
Men's Foil
Men's Sabre

Women's Epée
Women's Foil
Women's Sabre

Team Epée
Team Foil
Team Sabre

Figure Skating

Men's FS
Women's FS
Pair FS

Gymnastics

Men’s Floor
Women’s Floor

Men’s Vault
Women’s Vault

Men’s Balance Beam
Women’s Balance Beam

Men’s Rings
Women’s Rings

Handball

Men's HB
Women's HB

Ice Hockey **

Men's Hockey
Women's Hockey

Speed Skating

Men’s Team Pursuit
Women’s Team Pursuit

Men’s 500M
Women’s 500M

Men’s 1000M
Women’s 1000M

Men’s 1500M
Women’s 1500M

Men’s 5000 M
Women’s 5000 M

Ski Jumping

Men’s Normal Hill
Women’s Normal Hill

Table Tennis

Men's Singles
Women's Singles

Men's Team
Women's Team

Tennis

Men's Singles
Women's Singles

Men's Doubles
Women's Doubles

Water Polo

Men's Water Polo
Women's Water Polo

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  It's Dark in the City of Lights

Posted by: Democratic Republic Of Eiria
04-09-2021, 03:52 PM
Forum: International Affairs
- Replies (70)

Outskirts of Downtown Lumiere, Cape Auria
April 9th, 2021, 8:27 PM

The Rouge Rose Bar was rather small, and decently outside the main area of Lumiere's prestigious Downtown Shopping District. Yet it still maintained a small group of regulars, who used Rose's location and discretion to hide what they don't want seen. And to Andrew Laurent-Cordonnier, Baron of Cordonnier, it was especially useful. He was a decently short man, in his sixties, with gray-white hair and a judging expression. His suit was custom-tailored at one of the boutiques in Lumiere, paired with a rather expensive tie and shoes. He did regret dressing up, because the weather seemed to be working to ruin his costly getup.

It was pouring rain in Lumiere, and although it was a bit of an inconvenience, the Baron had to admit: It certainly did camouflage his black car in the night. He got out and opened his umbrella, not wanting to get his expensive clothes or car wet. He had parked down the side alley next to the bar, adjacent to graffiti-filled brick and a set of garbage cans. He despised having to leave his car in such a horrid and undignified place, but it was a necessary evil. 

He quickly moved to the front of the bar, trying his best to avoid patches of mud in his custom shoes. The bartender, Pierre, waved to him as he entered, while casually wiping a glass. "You can go on in. Scott's already in there." The Baron nodded his thanks, smiling a little. Of course Scott's already here. That bastard is always jumping the gun. He made his way to the back of the main room, and ducked into the bar's private meeting room through an old squeaky door.

Scott Lautrec, the heir to one of the biggest technology companies in Cape Auria, sat in one of the chairs around a circular table, idly shuffling a deck of cards. He wore his trademark cocky smile as he looked up at the Baron. "Andrew. Nice of you to turn up!" He extended his hand, which the noble shook, after some slight hesitation. Both men sat, and a waiter silently brought Andrew a glass of Scotch. He sipped part of it eagerly, disliking having to be alone with Lautrec. Arrogant Corporate Prick[i], He thought silently, looking down at his drink.[/i]

The door squeaked open again, revealing a man and woman, who both quickly took their seats. Thank God, thought the Baron, feeling relief at the arrival of friendly faces. Sarah Berenstein, a Member of the Representariat, sat to his right, glancing between Cordonnier and Lautrec with a slightly nervous expression. She'd seen some of the arguments between the two, and she was extremely hesitant to sit between them.

Jonathan Gerand, Owner and lead anchor of an up and coming Media Company, looked similarly cautious. He was a rising star in Auria, decently young for the amount of money and reach he had. The Aurian Clarity News Network, or ACNN, had a great outreach from all sides of the aisle for its concentration on being unbiased.

The waiter came by to pour the two newcomers some drinks. Jonathan checked his smartwatch, glancing at the one vacant seat left at the table. "He's always late the exact same amount of time. Gotta love his consistency. Does he do it for style, or to maintain control? He's a General, for God's sale. He already has power over us."

The Baron chuckled silently. General Jean-Claude Michellen was the Chief Commander of Cape Auria's army(or what passes for it). He was the essential de facto head of the Aurian Military, and everyone in Auria treated him as such. He was the member that the Baron was closest to, having been friends since they started their careers. And even though everyone respects him for his service and status, he still likes to make people wait on him.

The door opened once again, revealing the tall General, who clutched a glass of whiskey in his right hand. "My friends, I apologise. Pressing matters had to be attended to."

The Baron grinned and gestured to his glass. "I didn't know the bar was a matter of importance to the Aurian Military. I feel much safer at night knowing that we're free from the clutches of whiskey and Besae. Although it appears that you aren't so lucky."

Michellen chuckled and sat, raising his glass towards his old friend. "It's a sacrifice I'm willing to make. Would you deal, Scott? I'm sure those cards are shuffled by now. Wearing out the cards is not a good thing." His Franco-Aurian accent shone through when he spoke English, his "th" sounds sounding much more like "s". The others' accents were much more subdued, especially Jonathan's, who's TV career required an excessive amount of dialect training.

Lautrec placed cards in front of each player, then three in the middle, leaving the remaining cards in a stack. "Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen, place your bets." Everyone through a few chips in the center after carefully observing their cards.

The routine poker games had started about a year ago, with the General inviting all of them to the Rose for a drink, before they all got bored and played cards. They each put a few hundred dollars on the game each time, not too much, but enough to add some sense of danger and accomplishment.

The Baron sighed as he watched Sophie claim the pot, which she had one with two pairs, beating his pair of kings. "Damn. Sweeping the board early this time, are we?" Sophie just grinned and nodded. Both her and the General were wicked poker players, and most of their betting money always made it to one of them by the end of the night.

As Scott shuffled the cards, the General, looking cautions, spoke up. "To be frank, I called you all here for a meeting, because there is an opportunity that has come up, one I think we should take." Everyone looked up from their cards, waiting for him to continue. He hesitated, then spoke again. "You know the rumor that Lapointe is an Eirian spy, and that his wife's an Aurora?"

The rest of the table looked confused. "Yeah, but I don't think any of us believe it. This may be the "Lapointe Haters Anonymous", but we're not exactly conspiracy theorists." Sophie said, fiddling with the edge of one of her cards. "It's a stupid theory, and I'm kind of shocked that it has the amount of support it does."

"The latest polls show fifteen percent of Aurians believe it to some extent. People really don't like him, and they can't believe they re-elected him last year. But most people are indifferent to the theory, and that's a good thing. People who are indifferent can be persuaded.”

Andrew narrowed his eyebrows, seeing the direction the General was heading. "You want to reduce Lapointe's power, using the rumor he's an Eirian spy? How do you plan to convince the Masterial, or even worse, the Representariat. Lapointe's got the Baroness of Mur-Du-Nord, Velasè, running interference in the Masterial. And I believe Sophie will tell you the same applies to her house as well."

"Ah, but you're forgetting the kind of people that are convinced of it are willing to fight for it. I don't want to reduce his power, but remove it entirely. The system is overly modernized and stagnant, and we need to strike while the iron is hot." He took a drink after finishing his speech, waiting to see the reactions.

Jonathan was surprised, his wide eyes fixed on the General. "You're talking about overthrowing the Government. The Parliament. And why do I have the sneaking suspicion you want to overthrow the Monarchy as well. Don't get me wrong, I hate the Monarchy. But we don't have the ability-"

"That's where you all come in. We've got me for military matters, but the rest of you have your own importance." He nodded at each member in order as he began listing off their importance. "From the Business sector, to the Media, to Elected Politics, to Old Aurian Noble Politics, and I’ve got the military. We have what we need at this table. We just need to use what we have wisely. And get some help."

Sophie nodded slowly, a plan rapidly forming. “I’m on the Foreign Affairs Committee. You and me to contact Xiomera. Clever, and I can see it working. But what if the Xiomerans refuse us help? I doubt they will, because they need another friendly government in the region, but what if they do? What if they’re too afraid of restarting their war that they just refuse us, or worse, turn us over to the authorities? We would be putting our fates in their hands.”

“And that’s a risk we have to take. For Auria.”

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  The Estranged Siblings (Huenya RP)

Posted by: Xiomera
03-17-2021, 02:49 AM
Forum: International Affairs
- Replies (16)

(OOC: This is going to be an ongoing RP about the aftermath of Artists of Progress. It will pick up that storyline and move into the new relationship between Xiomera and its "estranged siblings": Milintica, Huenya, Manauia Island and the Netlcoātl Islands. It is distinct from the Stories from Huenya thread in that the Stories thread is mainly about behind the scenes events and this one is about very much on-stage ones. Other players are free to post in this thread with responses; if there's anything you have a question about or think we should discuss beforehand, feel free to message me on Discord.)

---

When once estrangement has arisen between those who truly love each other, everything tends to widen the breach. - Run to Earth by Mary Elizabeth Braddon

Chuaztlapoc
March 1st

In one of the buildings that was serving as an ad-hoc government office for the Huenyan Federation, three of the new nation's leaders were staring at the latest reports in frustration. "This is hopeless," Yaochtzin, the Secretary of Trade, tossed his tablet on the table. "How are we supposed to get our economy going again from nothing?"

Talcueitlaco sighed. The Infrastructure Secretary had no answers either. "We can apply for loans from the GDIB, and see if other countries might offer us help...." her voice trailed off.

Quingo tapped his stylus on the table, deep in thought. At last, the Secretary of Work, Employment and Social Security smiled slowly as if he had just had an epiphany. "Who says we don't have anything?"

"We have an economy where every company is a start-up because the Xiomeran withdrawal took away all our old ones. We have stripped and wrecked factories. We have infrastructure that also took a hit from the war and from the Empire's actions. We don't have a great foundation here," Yaochtzin replied.

"I disagree," Quingo said. "We do have a great foundation, we're just looking at it the wrong way. So the Empire wrecked our factories and stripped us. We have a highly educated workforce, thanks to the schools the Empire built. We have millions of people who worked in Xiomeran factories, researched and developed Xiomeran technology and products. We have a huge database of Xiomeran technology and information that they left behind. We have scientists, programmers, software developers, factory workers who all know how the Xiomerans did things - and we can use that knowledge to our benefit. Not just to build our own economy, but to get some of the capital and the partnerships that we need."

"How?" Yaochtzin said skeptically.

"We sell, trade or barter every damned piece of Xiomeran knowledge we have to the rest of the world. We reverse-engineer everything we have that the Xiomerans did, and build our own products and technology with it," Quingo replied pragmatically. The Itotemoc bureaucrat looked around the room. "I imagine that there are a lot of companies that would love to get their hands on Xiomeran technology and designs - and would be more than willing to buy or license them from us, or form joint partnerships with us to mutual benefit using that information. I imagine there are a lot of countries out there that would love the chance to break down some Xiomeran defense tech in person, and again, either buy or license it from us or form some lucrative joint partnerships off it."

"But that technology and information, whether we like it or not, is Xiomeran intellectual property," Talcueitlaco said. "Wouldn't that be illegal?"

"By whose laws?" Quingo snorted. "The Empire's laws? Screw those. The Xiomerans used Huenyan labor and brainpower to build their Empire for centuries. It's time we got that back. They've made it clear they will never pay us reparations - so it's time for us to take it from them. A piece at a time."

A slight cough interrupted their thoughts. Yaochtzin, the only ethnic Xiomeran in the room, was looking at the others with an unreadable expression on his face. "How do you feel about this suggestion?" Quingo asked, a bit hesitantly.

Yaochtzin was silent for a moment. "When the Empire withdrew, their little scorched earth campaign left us all in the shit. Itotemoc, Necatli, Tepiltzin, to be sure. And I know the Imperials couldn't have cared less. But when they tried their best to destroy Huenya before it was even born, they did the same damned thing to millions of Xiomerans who live here. Our kin did that to us. They didn't give a damn if we lived or died, either. So, in that spirit.....I must agree, screw the Empire and let it burn in the deepest, most fiery pit of hell there is."

Yaochtzin calmly nodded, as smiles spread across the faces of the other two Huenyans. "Let's get a proposal together for the Vice-Speaker and the Cihuātlahtoāni. I think it's time Huenya got paid."

---

March 8th
Chuaztlapoc

"Thank you all for attending," Secretary Yaochtzin said. The press conference was packed with media from both Huenya and the rest of the IDU. The government had said that a major announcement was coming related to trade, development and the Huenyan economy. DTNS reporters were there as well, waiting patiently with the rest as Yaochtzin began his speech.

"Today, we are announcing the formation of the Huenyan Research and Development Foundation," Yaochtzin said. "The rest of the IDU believes that Huenya is a shattered land with nothing to offer. We believe that there is actually much Huenya has to offer interested partners, and the HRDF will lead the way in forming those partnerships. Huenya has a highly educated and skilled workforce, excellent institutions of higher education, and a wealth of research and technology to offer. Today, we are opening the doors to that knowledge to the world. We have the skillsets and the knowledge to offer value and benefit to the world in everything from consumer goods to defense products. We invite interested governments and private enterprises to contact the HRDF to see what we can accomplish together."

The DTNS reporter raised his hand. "Yes, Mr. Broussard," Yaochtzin said, nodding. Antoine Broussard, the DTNS reporter, thanked the Secretary before asking the question that was on everyone's minds. "Mr. Secretary, much of the information and knowledge you refer to was developed by Xiomera. Isn't that technically not Huenya's to sell or trade?"

Yaochtzin grinned. It was not a pleasant grin. "I am sure the Empire would say so. But they're the ones who tried their best to plunge us back into the Stone Age with a scorched earth campaign, after oppressing and taking advantage of Huenya for centuries and getting wealthy off of Huenyan brainpower and labor - and refused to provide us reparations or even any apology for it. So our response to any objections that the Imperial government may make to our plans is this - sue us."

Into the stunned silence that followed that particular gauntlet, Broussard simply nodded and sat down.

---

Tlālacuetztla
Xiomeran Business Association HQ, later that day

The boardroom of the XBA, after seeing Yaochtzin's speech on television, was plunged into a mix of anger, indignation and sheer panic. "We did our best to delete intellectual property and destroy servers and everything when we withdrew, but they still have a lot of our knowledge. They could make a huge dent in our economic prowess with that info - especially if they start handing it out to other countries," Cuālincōcatle, the CEO of defense contractor Coatōn Corporation, said.

"Sue them, he says. The little thief better believe we're going to sue their ass," Xocolcōza, CEO of Cala Computer and XBA Chairman, said angrily.

"I think we need to be prepared to do more than that. I will speak with Empress Calhualyana, if you all agree." Hueticue, the CEO of the Coytōchte mercenary corporation, ground his cigarette out into an ashtray with fervor, imagining it was Yaochtzin's head. "She can't send ASI people into Huenya due to the postwar provisions, but no one said I can't. Some Huenyan servers and facilities - and some Huenyans - will suddenly have an outbreak of unfortunate accidents. Life is hard that way sometimes."

Xochuaxi, the new CEO of the Information Security Technology Corporation, nodded with approval. "I think I'll go with you to speak to the lovely Empress. I think there will be some equally unfortunate and unexpected hacking incidents befalling the poor Huenyans - life really is difficult when you have a thief's karma."

"Good. While you're doing that, the XBA will begin the legal counter-attack. And a media one, as well." Xocolcōza was already making calls.

---

In the days after the announcement of the HRDF, the XBA began putting out a series of advertisements throughout the IDU. There were two campaigns. The first campaign was aimed at businesses and governments around the IDU, and was called Don't Buy A Lawsuit With Your Investments. The campaign warned that using "stolen, hacked and reverse engineered Xiomeran technology and knowledge" was risky due to the possibility of legal action and other potential responses. "Buy genuine Xiomeran, and don't buy legal headaches!" was the tagline.

The second campaign, Shake the Fakes, was aimed at consumers. It extolled the superior quality of Xiomeran products and technology. Xiomera already had a reputation for excellence in its products, and the campaign built off that, highlighting the longstanding reputation of Xiomerans as craftsmen and artisans over centuries to their benefit. The ads contrasted that reputation with the "inferior knock-offs" being offered by Huenya, and also ran funny ads showing tales of woe and wasted money from people who chose to buy Huenyan rather than "genuine Xiomeran quality."

Not to be outdone, the HRDF and the Huenyan Trade Secretariat began running their own ad campaign around the IDU. It was based off the "Trade with Principle" campaign the Secretariat was already promoting. Its advertisements promoted the argument that buying Xiomeran products helped support a tyrannical and oppressive regime, and urged the rest of the IDU to buy Huenyan "to do the right thing." It had a simple but cuttingly effective tagline: "Buy for freedom. Buy for democracy. Buy Huenyan."

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  Looking for a nation or two

Posted by: Tearvan
03-05-2021, 03:11 AM
Forum: Nations of the IDU
- Replies (9)

Hello! So I've been working my nation's factbook and wanted to have foreign nation to establish a colony that would become Modern-day Tearvan. I think it would be fun to have another nation involved in Tearvan's finding and would help me with developing the rest of the history. I got a basic outline of the history regarding the colonization of Tearvan but it's all just early concept and subject to change.

Points about the history I have in mind

  • Colonizer found a colony, the type of colony and date tbd
  • Tearvan purchases it's independence, potential catalyst include economic crisis, prolonged war/conflicts, or changing political opinion within colonizer's country.
I know it's not much to go off of but I really want the history to interact with the IDU and honestly I'm not good with coming up with this stuff Tongue . Feel free to ask any questions or leave suggestion.

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  A tale of Two Josephs: A Slokais Islands Story

Posted by: Slokais
03-04-2021, 09:23 PM
Forum: International Affairs
- Replies (4)

March 22nd, 1978
Lai Zhang and her son, were watching TV within their house in Central Valley.
"What Howard Xiang is doing is admirable at best," said Joseph Zhang
"Look, be glad we don't have that Marxist Juan Costa," said Lai
"But is Howard Xiang, really better I mean I support his social ideas, but is his economic policies will not fix Slokais"
"Joseph you were too young, to know the worst of the revolution"
"Are you going to except Howard Xiang, to run the country"
"Look, your father will not be happy if you say these things around him"
"So its the truth"
Joseph Zhang had lived in the mansion on the hill since he was born in 1965, his family came from generations of politicians and local figures, his uncle Richard Zhang was the pastor at the local church. His uncle often spoke about how we must never go back to the evils of Juan Costa and his regime and that the Left Party was the successors of Juan Costa. Yet unlike many in Slokais, his family's time under Juan Costa was not nearly as bad as others, as his family was rich enough to just bribe the police to turn a blind eye. Yet many within their own neighborhood has not been as lucky, they spoke up against the government, despite what his mother had said Juan Costa was not actually a Marxist, rather he drew from the works of Karl Mark and then used it to get people to agree with him then took those ideas to an authoritarian level.
"I heard you spoke ill of Howard Xiang"
"Yes, father I did because what he is doing well not help Slokais"
Verano Zhang was a Member of the Conservative Party as well as being on the Township Council. Those around him described him as a man, who thought he deserved respect from all, many on the Council feared his powerful will.
"Son, if these ideas continue I will have to stop it"
"Okay, father but you should really think about it"
"What did you say" yelled Verano
"Nothing I will just leave-"
"You are a child you have power over what I do, I will decide for myself," Verano said his tone rising
"I am sorry, father"
"Good, dont let that happen again next time I won't be so nice next time"

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  Huenya Aid 2021: An event RP

Posted by: Xiomera
03-02-2021, 08:14 AM
Forum: International Affairs
- No Replies

(OOC note: please visit the planning thread for more info about this event.)

Ixtenco
February 1st

Atoacotl sighed in frustration. The former executive with Xiomera's Mizhua Corporation was used to challenges. But the ones that came with his newest job were the worst ever.

After the end of the Second Xiomeran Civil War and the emergence of an independent Huenya, Atoacotl had left Mizhua when the megacorp decided to cut its losses and withdraw to what was left of Xiomera. Mizhua's sudden withdrawal had left thousands of people in Huenya out of work, and dozens of factories dismantled and stripped of their valuable equipment.

The Huenyan government had subsequently seized control of the former Mizhua facilities and what was left of the equipment, creating the Huenyan Goods Corporation to try to get the factories up and running again under new ownership. HG had been gifted the factories by the government, with a mandate to build them into something that could be a foundation for the Huenyan economy again. But HG, along with multiple other companies that had been created to take over the spaces left by now-absent Xiomeran corporations, had been given a massive task. To get the factories going again, and people working, would need a big investment. Money the companies, and Huenya in general, did not have.

"You seem happy," a chirpy voice with a touch of sarcasm interrupted Atoacotl's thoughts. Catzahue, Atoacotl's counterpart at the newly created Huenyan Products Corporation, walked into the office with his usual swagger. HuenPro, like HG, was in an almost impossible position. Atoacotl had no idea how Catzahue could always be in such an optimistic mood. "I'm supposed to launch a consumer conglomerate to rival Mizhua and get people working again with broken machines, wrecked factories, and no money. And so are you. Your cheerfulness is....slightly deranged," Atoacotl said. "And don't you ever knock?"

"I tried to ask him, sir," Cihalchitli, Atoacotl's secretary, said in irritation from the doorway. Atoacotl sighed again and nodded in commiseration with her. Catzahue wasn't the type to take no for an answer; Atoacotl gave his secretary a wry smile of forgiveness before gesturing for her to shut the door.

"Formalities such as knocking are for people who have time to waste. We don't," Catzahue said. "You're right - we're all between the proverbial rock and hard place, with a bunch of junk and smashed-up buildings and no money. But there is a way to jumpstart this situation."

"How? Don't even say the government, such as it is - they've made it clear they have no funds to give us, only expectations for us to meet," Atoacotl said sourly, his last meeting with Huenyan officials still leaving a bad taste in his mouth.

"Pfft, the government. When have people like us ever relied on the government? I have a better idea. Whether it's the private sector or the public sector, Huenya needs funds to begin rebuilding. Seed money, if you will. We're essentially the biggest startup the world has ever seen, right now. And we need venture capital, of a sort. I have a way for us to find some."

Catzahue handed Atoacotl a folder. Atoacotl took the folder and opened it, reading through the documents aside. After a moment, he put the folder down. "A benefit festival?" he said at last. "That's the idea?"

"It is, and a damned good one, if I say so myself," Catzahue said, slightly stung by Atoacotl's dubious tone.

"So.....you want us to go begging the world for money? That sounds....distasteful," Atoacotl countered.

Catzahue grimaced in frustration. "It's that kind of pride that will keep us in the gutter. It's not wrong to admit you need help, and if anyone needs help right now, it's Huenya, especially after the number the Xiomerans did on us....sorry," he finished with a look of embarrassment on his face. Atoacotl, who was Xiomeran, gave his Tepiltzin counterpart a bemused look. "Don't be sorry....it's not like I claim those Xiomerans either," he replied. He picked up the folder again and began looking through it, as much out of renewed interest as giving Catzahue a chance to recover from his embarrassment. "This won't work if it's just some crass money grab. We have to appeal to people outside Huenya, and give them a reason to care about helping us. We have to......show they're helping actual people. Show they're helping to build a democracy," Atoacotl said, his voice warming as the wheels began to spin in his head. "We'll need to form a non-profit board, with members from all walks of life. Including foreigners, if they want to be on the board. We'll also need to let multiple accounting firms watch the books, and how the money's spent. The money raised will also need to go to a wide range of goals: rebuilding the economy, building democratic institutions like the new legislature, repairing and building infrastructure...."

"So, it sounds like you're in," Catzahue said eagerly.

Atoacotl sighed yet again. "Someone has to make sure your crazy dream actually works," he replied.

---

March 1st
Chuaztlapoc

The press conference one month later was being held at the ancient south gates of the old city wall of Chuaztlapoc. This was by design. The south gates of Chuzatlapoc had already gained worldwide renown as the place where the forces of what would become Huenya had achieved their first great victory and stopped the Xiomeran army from crushing their dream of freedom. At those gates, the newly formed board of the Huenyan Aid Corporation was set to make their first announcement. Catzahue, as the most animated speaker, was chosen to give the statement. He stood in front of a large banner that read Huenya Aid 2021, a sober expression on his face.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming. We are here to stand before the world in a much different fashion from what you are used to hearing, from this part of the world. But as Huenya begins its journey of independence towards becoming a full-fledged democracy, we must humbly admit to the world: we need your help. The destruction of war, coupled with the deliberate pillaging and destruction of our homeland by its former rulers, have severely damaged our nation. Thousands of people are out of work, with their workplaces stripped bare and even destroyed. Infrastructure has been brought to ruin. Schools, hospitals, clinics, businesses large and small....all are feeling the impact of this wanton destruction."

"For the first time in our history, a democratic and equal nation is emerging in Huenya. But this great accomplishment, which we all aspire to, is fragile and painful to achieve. The deprivation our nation is now facing due to the war and to the deliberate attempts to sabotage us threaten that dream. The emergence of a democratic state in Huenya is something that the people of Caxcana, and indeed the world, have hoped and dreamed for just as we have, to end the shadow of tyranny and imperialism that hangs over this part of the world. We're asking the world, today, to help us ensure that dream can be realized."

"The Huenya Aid Foundation, a non-profit foundation, will be staging a series of live events on March 28th, 2021 under the banner of Huenya Aid 2021. We will be holding artistic and musical events, as well as educational events, live throughout the day both on air and online. We are hoping the rest of the world will join us in this effort to raise funds throughout that day to benefit the following goals: rebuilding the economy, building democratic institutions, repairing and building infrastructure, and direct aid to Huenyans in need. We're pleased to announce that groups in the Slokais Islands have already committed to holding a series of events to feature music, movies and special guest speakers. We hope many more nations will join us in this historic effort."

"The people of Huenya are hardworking and industrious - we're not looking for a handout. The help you give us will help get us back on our feet, so that we can repay it by being a stable trading partner, a united society, and another nation to help lead the fight for equality and democracy with our neighbors. It will also benefit those who are suffering through no fault of their own due to the fires of war, and those who have lost loved ones or suffered physical or mental harm. I hope that more nations will join with us to help the suffering, to help Huenya recover from its fight for freedom, and build our nation into a great land to help champion the cause of democracy in the future. Thank you," Catzahue said, before stepping back to applause.

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  1. IDU Regional Forum