Difference between revisions of "NSWiki:Featured articles/Archive"
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: ''See more in the [[Gulden|main article]].'' | : ''See more in the [[Gulden|main article]].'' | ||
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| + | == 19 September 2007 == | ||
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| + | <h3>[[Itinerate Tree Dweller]]</h3> | ||
| + | {| align="left" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: solid thin #bfbfbf; margin: 0.5em 1em 0.5em 0;" | ||
| + | | http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/7001/itineratetreedweller2qo9.gif | ||
| + | |} | ||
| + | The '''Illustrious Empire of Itinerate Tree Dweller''' is a historically powerful nation, rich in history and traditions. Following the overthrow of Roman Emperor Hadrian in 130 A.D., the head of the gens Xericus rose to the position of Roman Emperor. His first order of bussiness was the reorganization of the Imperial government to better suit his needs, the size of the Imperial Senate was doubled and citizenship was further limited to only those who have served the government, specifically veterans. These changes remain in place nearly 2000 years later. | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Culture === | ||
| + | |||
| + | Itinerate Tree Dweller has a very diverse group of european citizens that still retain their ancient beliefs and customs. Most notably is the celebration of Saturnalia which is an ancient Roman cultural festival where offerings are made to the Roman Gods. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Also celebrated are the birthdates of current monarchs, which are celebrated for a full week prior to the birthdate, culmination on the exact date of the birth of the monarch. During these festivals, all temples are usually decorated and sacrifies are made to the ancient Roman Gods, paying special attention to Venus and Mars, who are said to have shown special favor to the royal line. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Christmas and other Judaeo-Christian festivals are also common, considering a majority of the nation is Roman Catholic. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==== Constitution ==== | ||
| + | The basic laws of the land can be found entirely within the [[ITD Constitution]] which is designed to cover the basics of the nations laws. | ||
| + | ==== Government Organization ==== | ||
| + | First two terms must be clearly defined, a citizen versus a civilian. In many nations, these two terms have but one meaning, but in ITD the differences are clearly layed out. | ||
| + | |||
| + | A citizen is a person who has performed service for the Imperium, having completed the oath of citizenship and having served their time, honorably and without incident. If a person dies before completing their tour of duty for the Imperium, they are awarded their citizenship and they are given a citizen burial. Citizens have rights that do not extend to civilians. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===== Rights of a Citizen ===== | ||
| + | * The right to vote in Imperial elections and the right to hold political office. | ||
| + | * The right to address the Imperial Senate. | ||
| + | * The responsibility to protect the body politic. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Civilians have little political rights, but the same economic rights as citizens. No civilian may hold political office, but they can hold positions of power in economic groups and corporations. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Now that we have these two terms defined, we can better define the government of Itinerate Tree Dweller. ITD has a unique government system which is derived from the ancient oligarchy-republic of Rome and centered in power around the Consul-General/Emperor. | ||
| + | |||
| + | : ''See more in the [[Itinerate Tree Dweller|main article]].'' | ||
Latest revision as of 21:15, 20 October 2007
Featured articles frequently contain only an excerpt of the overall article. Those snippets are preserved here, along with the date they first appeared on the Main Page. See also instructions for changing the featured article
Contents
- 1 12 October 2004
- 2 28 October 2004
- 3 November 1, 2004
- 4 November 7, 2004
- 5 November 14, 2004
- 6 November 22, 2004
- 7 January 6, 2005
- 8 16 January 2005
- 9 14 May 2005
- 10 10 June 2005
- 11 30 September 2005
- 12 25 November 2005
- 13 31 January 2006
- 14 25 March 2006
- 15 20 August 2006
- 16 21 October 2006
- 17 19 July 2007
- 18 19 August 2007
- 19 19 September 2007
12 October 2004
On Tue, 12 Oct 2004, SalusaSecondus posted the following article on the main website News channel:
- WikiWiki!
- I'm always amazed at just what the players of this game do and once again something has been brought to my attention that I just have to share with the rest of you. NationStates has an (unofficial) encyclopedia! This is a WikiWiki which means that anyone can add and contribute to it (there are instructions). Have you always wanted to have an encyclopedia article dedicated to your nation, its history, military, trade, religion, language, etc.? This is a chance to do it. Enjoy and please wiki responsibly.
28 October 2004
Species: panNorm
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An insectoid species originally found on the S-14 colony ship and now only found in the "S-14" nation, more accurately known as the Coordinated panNorm Hives. There are four main races of panNorm, mostly classified as to their carapace color: Blue, Red, Green, and Mini. While this would normally be considered racist, these races are actually nearly distinct species, each particularly adapted to specific tasks. The color of their carapaces are a secondary attribute, as they will be the first to admit, but it is also the most obvious.
Physical Attributes
Universal panNorm Traits
All panNorm are generally ant-like in appearance, insectoid, with hard chitinous outer shells that make up three major body segments (the head, thorax, and abdomen) and six appendages that extend from the thorax. The most forward of these appendages have three major joints and are equivalent to arms and end in bony manipulator claws, four to a 'hand.' The four appendages behind these have four major joints and act as legs and end in multi-clawed feet that can grip porous surfaces easily.
Culture due to Nature
PanNorm culture is self-admittedly self-limiting. The highest virtue in panNorm culture is efficiency, and all aspects of panNorm life reflect this. The panNorm do not play, at least not in ways that do not contribute directly and efficiently into work. The panNorm do not decorate, but everything they build has a geometric elegance and simplicity based directly on form following function. The panNorm have no visual, performing, or musical arts beyond those immediately necessary to facilitate use of displays and communications.
- See the entire article at PanNorm
November 1, 2004
Region: Europe
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Europe is a region that contains a NationStates roleplaying community.
Although NationStates roleplayers were very segmented in the beginning, spread among small regions, huge communities of united roleplayers have sprung up. They organize themselves in regions, some with offsite forums. Two of the larger communities are European Affairs and the Meritocracy. However, while regions such as The New Meritocracy or the Heartland are based on peace and dialogue between nations, Europe is a much more bellicose region, with common diplomatic conflicts and wars among its nations.
The level of dedication given by the European players to its region is well known. Fictional flags, imaginary countries based in real countries or in historical regimes, common sporting events like organized football championships, and even pictures of the fictional nations' licence plates can be found in Europe.
Analogies
Most of the fictional nations in Europe are analogies of historical regimes or real nations. Erlangen-Ansbach, for instance, is the image of an alternative Bavarian Constitutional Monarchy. The oppressive and militaristic Dominion of Sortain can be compared to Nazi Germany, Azores reflects Portuguese fascism and Nosterra Italian fascism. Twente is Europe's superpowered Vatican, Great Britannia is an allusion to the British Empire and Rumeli is based on the Ottoman Empire.
The Linguistic Communities
Europe is a land of cultural and linguistic diversity. Although the main language of the community is English, some linguistic communities have grown large enough to compose their own sub-communities, which even have private forums for exclusive conversation in those languages. That's the case of the Zwia˛zek S?owian´ski and the Nederlandse Taalunie.
- See the entire article at Europe
November 7, 2004
Nation: Hell Bovines
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At a Glance
The Ecotopian Grand Duchy of Hell Bovines is a large nation located on the western part of the Greenfields continent. The nation is mostly inhabited by Hell Bovines, a race of sapient, bovinoid, semi-humanoid creatures that resemble cows walking on their hinds.
Hell Bovines is also a nation remarcable for its unusual laws (such as compulsory vegetarianism) and its unique government system, labeled Ecotopia, which combines direct democratic, socialist and enviromentalist ideals. Though not a military or economic power , Hell Bovines has built a strong diplomatic reputation for itself, becoming one of the leading voices of Third World Unity and the promotion of Non-Human rights.
History
Hell Bovinian history is very old, starting with the migration of the primitive Hell Bovinian tribes from the South Pacific and their following decision to settle on the Greenfields continent. It is in this new land where Hell Bovines built a rich, sedentary culture, effectively abandoning nomadism and organizing themselves into city-states ruled by kings and monarchs. Things would change drastically, however, in the XVIII century, when soldiers and expeditionaries from Galdago would discover the coasts of what they called "Hell Bovines". Originaly a pejoritive term for the land's inhabitants, it would later become a symbol of pride among the sapient bovinoids.
People and Culture
Hell Bovines, a race of semi-humanoid, sapient bovinoids comprise more than 99% of the national population and so, are effectively the largest ethnic group in the country. The remaining percentage is mostly composed of human communities and groups, though there is an important presence of Biotopians and Catpeople. The main religion remains the native "Cult of The Holy Cow" (67%), though in the recent years other Neopagan religions have been gaining popularity. There are some minor Christian communities, a legacy of the Galdagan rule, though they don't mantain very strong links with the vatican. The main spoken language is Spanish, but the traditional Mootish language is still widely spoken, specialy in rural areas. Though not official, English is widely understood as well.
- See the entire article at Hell Bovines
November 14, 2004
Roleplaying: Wank
Wank
The derogatory term "wank", originally slang for masturbation, or hacker-speak for a particularly clever and quirky styling, has a special meaning in NationStates. In the NS usage, wank is the abusive over-use of a particular stratagem, technique, or style. The word "wank" is often hyphenated to form a specific type of wank, as shown below. Remember, wank is not always bad or a godmode, but some forms can be.
Tech-Wank
The most common and least offensive form of wank. It is abuse of high technology, either to break the laws of reality , or to enforce adherence to minutiae on an RP not concerned with technicalities of combat systems.
In general NS, most people are not technophiles, and will become irked when you proceed to explain to them exactly how your 8mm Tungsten-Carbide, Armor-Piercing, Fin-Stabilized, Discarding-Sabot fletchette firing assault rifles are perfectly designed to penetrate their mere level three kevlar vests. This would be considered wank because most players would not know about the benefits of TC/DU APFSDS Fletchettes, and would negate their infantry armor. This is NOT a godmode, however, since it does not change the rules of reality or break the roleplay. (And yes, I used my own weapon as an example of wank. It's the SAG ACR, if you want to know.)
However, announcing that, because your opponent only claimed to use "RPGs" on your tank, it did no damage (since the RPG-7 is incapable of piercing the glacis plate of a Main Battle Tank, and your opponent did not use an RPG-29 specifically) is tech wank AND a godmode, because it allows you to ignore their attack, and take no damage. Most players couldn't tell an RPG-7 from an SA-2, and they had the right idea (firing rockets at a tank), but not the intrinsic knowledge of weapons. In this case, assume that they are using the correct weapon.
Most blatant of tech-wank is the "impenetrable shield" and the "unstoppable bullet" syndrome, in which the technology becomes a get-out-of-jail-free card, allowing blatant godmoding to be disguised as legitimate gameplay. On a side note, the effect of an unstoppable bullet striking an impenetrable shield has proven catastrophic.
- See the entire article at Wank
November 22, 2004
Nation:Falastur
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Long-time leader (and now sole member) of the Falastur Alliance region, the Imperial Power (more commonly known as the Empire) of Falastur is a modern part-Monarchy part-Democracy. While it's capital lies on Falastur Island, in the Atlantic Ocean, the Empire is far-flung all across the world. It may, perhaps, even be one of the few nations which could arguably boast that never does the sun set upon its unladen lands. While its history dates back little more than three centuries, it has arisen as a world leader in economic and military might, yet intermittent but protracted periods of seclusion have induced it into a less than prevalent role on the international stage.
Starting life as a English pseudo-colony, and thus declaring allegiance to England as such, although eschewing involvement in their affairs Falastur grew to be a universally renowned and distinguished sanctuary for those seeking renewal of self in the eyes of others. Furthermore to this day maintains resolutely an uninhibited and cordial immigration policy. Economic power and beliefs in a free market economy within Falastur, have led it to become a signatory of the Knootian International Stabilisation Treaty (KIST). Through a great period of colonialism has it traversed, having moreover, in a different epoch played a minor role in the Napoleonic Wars, largely avoided the World Wars, concomitantly escaping Civil War and reluctantly was a staging ground for part of the Cold War, and by way all of these has Falastur emerged through precarious times only to grasp security as much more unyielding, established as a relatively, considerably, extensive political unit.
Government
In order to maintain control over such a large political body, Government in Falastur is very much decentralised, and focuses on a series of tiers of Government down to the local level. Furthermore comprised of two divisions - the Monarchist half of the Government headed by Emperor Matthew VI of Falastur, and the Democratic side, directed by Anthony DeMoins. These two leaders have equal rights to power, and a strong friendship, despite the age gap between them. There is rarely any conflict between the two sides of the Government, and they are largely supportive of each other.
For more information about the Falasturian Government, see the Falasturian Government page.
- See the entire article at Falastur
January 6, 2005
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United Nations
Many players never go beyond the gameplay aspect of the UN. The UN is a cornerstone of the invading/defending game, due to the UN Delegate position.
Some players use the UN as a place to exercise their political muscles and propose resolutions that will impact other UN member nations to better reflect the author's ideology. Others see an intellectual challenge in using the proposal process to understand compromise and consensus. Some just enjoy the act of writing up proposals in legalistic language that will nonetheless be acceptable to the majority of players.
Another aspect of UN play manifests in active attempts to manipulate the voter pools. Proposal writers will present their case on the forums, actively campaign via telegram, or use the offsite forums to bring their case to the Delegates. There have also been hints of organized groups splitting into multiple regions and electing multiple delegates, expressly for the purpose of influencing the UN approval process.
A nation's national statistics are also affected by UN resolutions. A large group of nations are not members of the UN for this reason, as they don't want UN activity to "destroy" the nations they've built. Another reason for the low overall percentage of nations in the UN is puppet activity, though there is probably no way to determine the actual ratios of Anti-UN activity versus the various puppets nations.
The UN in Roleplay
UN members may create and vote upon proposals, which upon passage become resolutions. Passed resolutions have the force of law in all UN member nations, regardless of when they joined the UN. Using the UN forums, Civil Headquarters posts, and a variety of offsite forums; UN members can roleplay their national interests towards these laws that affect their nations.
The UN also has a number of standing UN Committees, some of which are managed by the UN Secretariat. Unlike the RL United Nations, the NS UN does not have a Secretary General or a Security Council. The NationStates United Nations is also forbidden from maintaining an army or directly intervening in wars, though its members are encouraged to aid each other in time of need.
16 January 2005
World Cup
The NationStates World Cup is NationStates' longest-running recurring sporting event, dating back to the spring of 2003. As of this writing, World Cup 20 qualifying has finished.
Each World Cup since the third has begun with a qualifying stage including anywhere from approximately fifty to one hundred nations, with eighty being the customary number. These nations are typically divided into eight to fifteen qualifying groups of six to ten nations, depending on the exact number entered. Each nation in a qualifying group plays each other nation in that group once at home and once away (the exception to this rule was World Cup V, where nations in the qualifiers played each other only once). After all matches have been played, thirty qualifiers are determined based on placement in their groups. The first criterion for placement is the number of points earned (three for a win, one for a draw, and zero for a loss). If this results in a tie, the first tiebreaker is goal difference (the number of goals conceded subtracted from the number of goals scored). The next tiebreaker is the number of goals scored. In almost all situations, this is enough to resolve any tie. (If it is not, the results of matches between the tied teams would act as a tiebreaker, and a playoff match would occur if the teams are still tied. This has never been required in the qualifying, although it has been required haphazardly in the group phase, first occurring in World Cup 12 when Halfassedstates beat Liverpool England 2-1.)
The thirty qualifiers in addition to the two host nations advance to play in the World Cup proper. The first round (or the group stage, as it is also known) is made up of eight groups of four nations. Routinely, four of these groups play in one host nation, while the other four groups compete in the second. Each nation in a group plays each other nation in that group once. The top two nations in each group advance to the second round, using the same rules as with qualifying. Beginning with the second round (also known as the round of sixteen), a single-elimination format is used. The exception to this is in the semifinals, as the two losing nations in the semifinals still move on to face off in the third-place playoff.
Results are determined by using a scorinator of some sort. Excel spreadsheets are the most common method, with the Java program Leagion increasingly used since World Cup 14. The early versions were created in the time of WC14 by World Cup 13 co-host Rejistania. However, World Cup 13 was not scorinated with leagion but by another Java-coded scorinator called wc13.java. The primary influence on the results is the rank of each nation, though roleplay bonus can also have a moderate effect (the exact influence of each depends on the formula used and hence varies between World Cups).
14 May 2005
Nation:Knootoss
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The Dutch Democratic Republic of Knootoss is a post-modern developed democracy on the European continent, inhabited by a highly educated population of almost four billion.
Knootians are a socially libertarian people who have grown used to the many visiting foreigners, including many non-humans. Knootoss is noted by many foreigners for its liberal social policies including legal drugs, prostitution and gambling. The nation sees itself as part of the Western world: its people are oriented on free and open trade, and there is a wide consensus on the advantages of the free market. The nation is run by coalition governments usually involving liberals. Currently a conservative/liberal coalition is in power under the Elvish Prime Minister Galadriël Táralóm nos Círdan.
The Knootian people are peaceful to the point of pacifism even if their (sometimes militantly capitalizt) government has been known to engage in foreign adventures. The Knootian Defence Force used to have a feeble reputation, but it has grown more effective since the Shadow War devastated the country.
Foreign policy
Knootoss pursues its foreign policy largely within the framework of multilateral organisations, such as the Knootian International Stabilisation Treaty (KIST) and the Vinyatírion Economic/Readiness/Intelligence Treaty of Allied States (VERITAS). It has taken part regularly in peacekeeping operations and is a member of the Human Rights Council. The government cooperates with the United Nations wherever this is thought possible using a UN office as its formal representative.
Knootian Culture
Knootoss is not famous for its celebrated heroes, brave soldiers and charismatic revolutionaries, nor are Knootians a people of profound philosophers and great thinkers. Rather, it is a nation of painters, lawyers, politicians and writers, and of course a nation of merchants.
Economy
Knootoss has a prosperous and open powerhouse economy depending heavily o-n foreign trade. The service-oriented economy is noted for stable industrial relations, moderate inflation, and a small current account deficit. Benefiting from the complete absence of drug laws, an extremely prosperous export sector is up and running. Due to scale advantages, the prices are significantly lower then illegal produce, making Knootoss extremely competitive in this industry. Other industrial activity is predominantly in Information Technology (IT) and various media but o-n the whole the industrial sector is very diverse and competitive in areas from arms manufacturing to cheese exports. Research and development is o-ne of the main service industries in Knootoss and great emphasis is placed o-n R&D by the government.
- See main article at: Knootoss
10 June 2005
Rejistanian
Introduction
The rejistani language is a conlang created to provide communication between the different peoples of Rejistania without any preference. It is used on formal occasions but also in normal life some terms are used and most rejistanis know the language well enough for simple conversations since it is taught in school and courses for adults are offered free of charge by the government. The grammar is based on northern rejistani languages, but very much simplified. Concepts from Isesi are also adopted, most prominent example are the 10 forms of comparism. the vocabulary is based on terms used in commerce and of the Jisu, but that is because the Jisu people conquered large parts of the Rejistanian Island and many words became used in other languages. To avoid problems with the different concepts of pronunciation, Rejistanian uses a minimal alphabet of only 18 sounds and letters. Its grammar reminds partly of Japanese and Esperanto since it relies heavily on pre- and suffixes. Rejistani is written either in the Latin alphabet or in a special rejistani one. The apostrophe is used to separate the different parts of a word. Notable is also the important position of the verb in this language: "xe'ki'lanja'isa'han'ta" (translation: "I will not go there/come.", literal translation: "I'am-going-to'maybe'go'to'not") is a complete sentence, which only consists of a verb ('isa: to go) with its pre- and suffixes.
The alphabet
Rejistanian knows fewer characters than most languages. But in transcripts of other languages on the rejistanian island, more sounds than the one from rejistanian are needed that is why these characters are composed out of two letters and to avoid confusion a tilde is put between them. In the rejistani alphabet, an arc is drawn below these letters.
The rejistani alphabet has the following letters: a, d, e, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, r, s, t, u, v, x, y. Except for the last three, they are pronounced as in German, the v sounds as in 'water', the x like in 'she' and the y sounds as in 'I'. The most common archaic combinations are: (vowel)~n (the vowel is pronounced nasal, similar to French), (vowel)~l (the vowel is stressed and the tone slightly rises, the l is silent), (vowel)~r (the vowel is stressed and the tone slightly falls, the r is silent), s~v (a sound similar to 'th' in thanks) and a~o (which is pronounced like in soul).
Basic vocabulary
This is based on a language guide for tourists.
Greetings
Hejida! Hello!
Hejida (name)'he Hello Mr/Mrs (name)
Il su? How are you?
veka/mesit/sejil fine/not quite fine/bad
Jilih veka, xe'mesu il(n). I am glad to see you (more formal greeting)
Va veka Good bye (from the one who is leaving)
Va dary Good bye (from the one who is staying)
Being polite
Viije Sorry! or Excuse me!
ma vy Please (if possible)
Texeki Thank you
Halen'ta/Jilih halen'ta You're welcome
Il('lanja)'ma visko jusa su? Can you speak English? (the 'lanja makes the question a bit more polite) (People consider it quite impolite to start speaking in a language, they do not understand, even if you do not know any more rejistanian, you ought to know that sentence)
- See main article at: Rejistanian
30 September 2005
Pacitalian
Introduction
Pacitalian is a centuries-old, descendant language of Latin native to the republic of Pacitalia. It is identified by its quick speaking consistency, its consonant-vowel flow, and in some cases its addition of Spanish/Mayan words. However, Pacitalian is different in that although it sounds similar to Italian, its structure and verb tensing is different because it is not from the same language family. Approximately 14 billion people worldwide speak Pacitalian, making it a top five non-RL language on NationStates.
The differences between Pacitalian and Italian developed, of course, because of the fact that Pacitalians first existed in their current land space around 24 AD, and this split Latin speakers from their homeland. The split caused a gentle but continuous tweak in the form and style of the language so that, when Latin in Italy morphed into Italian and Latin in Pacitalia became Pacitalian, there were marked differences present. These aforementioned differences began to appear most of all in the 1600s as Pacitalia established itself as a more imposing cultural and intellectual force.
The evolved lingua known as Pacitalian was declared an official language in April 1805. On a side note, English was not declared official until 1946. By the early 1900s, it was the principal language taught in schools and was widely used for literature not only in Pacitalia but in surrounding areas influenced directly or indirectly by Pacitalian culture.
Pronunciation key
The pronunciation of Pacitalian letters is similar to Italian with slight augmentations.
Vowels
- a = ah as in flaw or bra
- e = ay as in pay or gray
- i = ih as in bit or stick
- o = oh as in grow or ode
- u = oo as in boot or stew
- For forward accented vowels (á, é, í, ó, ú) simply add volume to your voice (emphasis).
- For back-accented vowels (à, è, ì, ò, ù) draw the syllable out.
Pluralisation
Add -mu to the end of a noun. Angels becomes angelicamu instead of angelica and apples become pomamu. When a consonant ends a noun (which is very rare), add -amu instead.
Pronoun conjugation
This is where conjugation differs within something, instead of on verbs where conjugation is universal in a tense. There are three pronoun types - masculina (masculine), feminena (feminine), and neutralità (neutral/unisex). Obviously, you should use masculine when talking about something of the male sex, feminine when talking about the female sex, and neutral/unisex when the noun/subject has no sexuality.
- See more in the main article at: Pacitalian
25 November 2005
Holy Church of Floyd
Floydism (Dutch: Palix, Esperanto: Flojdismo/FLФJDISMФ [pronounced flo-e-dis-moh] Palixian: Msidyolf [pronounced Syd-yold) or the Holy Church of Floyd refers to a set of philosophical teachings and religious practices rooted in a specific metaphysical understanding of the Palixian character Pink Floyd. For Floydists, Floyd could be described as the continuity principle behind the whole process of the constantly changing Universe.
Overview
Rooted in the ancient anti-Dutch systems of beliefs, influenced by primitive shamanism and observation of natural cycles, Floydism recognises Pink Floyd as its founder and the Inquisition as its most brillant representatives. Early Floydism developed as an original answer to the bitter debates during the philosophically fertile time of the Floyd school for Syd, corresponding to the Warring States period. It was a time of seemingly endless warfare and chaos. This turbulent era gave rise to a kind of naturalistic quietism in accordance with the "process" of the universe: Pink Floyd. Action through inaction (The Popes David Gilmor, Roger Waters, Nick Mason Richard Wright and Syd Barrett), the power of emptiness, detachment, receptiveness, spontaneity, the strength of softness, the relativism of human values and the search for a long life, are some of its preferred themes.
Holy Book
The Holy Book of Floyd (sometimes called the Cannon of Scripture), is the holy book of the Church Of Floyd. It is split into several books and is always open to new additions (which must pass inspection from the inquisition). It is an oddity among holy books, for it is completely open (for anyone can have a revelation), and it has several distict writeing styles. Aside from that it does not encourage restriction or anger towards outsiders, but more of an invitation for all who wish to live in the Great Gig in the sky with the band to join the faithful.
Empire Earth and Floydism
With the recent annexation of the region Pink Floyd and the displacement of the Floydian Government, Empire earth has been preeching that its new regime will allow floydism and is a strictly floydist government. The inquisitors however have stated that due to the empire's facist nature, it is a false floydism and all citizens of the empire who accept it are banned from the great gig in the sky.
"Floydists" usage
The Empire Earth controlled Pink Floyd now uses the word Floydist to refer to a citizen of their newly annexed region. The church has spoken out against such uses and continues to use the word only to refer to Floyd following nations. With the return of Floydian rule in Pink Floyd, this nolonger was a problem.
- See more in the main article at: Holy Church of Floyd
31 January 2006
Pacitalia
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Race, ethnicity, life and population
The Pacitalian population, overall, just passed 3.0 billion residents according to the last census. Aztecs and Mayans, the original inhabitants of the lands known now as Pacitalia, account for a mere 0.006 percent of the population (about 13.8 million residents), and sadly are classified in the "Other" category during census taking. Residents are predominantly ethnic Pacitalian but the nation maintains a multicultural distribution with sizeable Spanish, Romanian, Greek and Turkish minorities. The remainder is made up of of a wide diversity of other ethnicities like Russian, German, Dutch, Moroccan, Algerian, Scandinavian and Chinese.
Pacitalian culture
Pacitalian culture is based mainly on the Italian way of life: enjoyability, longevity and experience. Music and food play an integral role in Pacitalian life. The musical style of ethnic Pacitalia remains still a mystery in some aspects but experts agree that it is mostly based on a mixture of Italian, Spanish, Greek, Turkish and Romanian folk music. Marsa, a section of Pacitalia's largest city, Timiocato, is heavily populated with gypsies, or Roma, and is famous for its melancholy folk style.
Electoral system
The Constitution of the Republic calls for a 'true, unbreakable democratic system', in which plurality elects both the lower house (the Constazione Ampoliticato Federali) and the upper house (the Senatoro Federali) in general federal elections two weeks apart, at least once every fifth year. Usually, elections are called every fourth year, but the law extends the legal period of governance to that extra year. The bicameral constitutionalised democratic republic system, or BCDRS, is also used in Moepoeia, and elects, by direct, popular vote, 240 representatives to the Caza della Legislatorio Parlemento, and 120 representatives to the Senatoro.
Military
The Pacitalian military consists of five major branches: the Pacitalian Armed Forces (PAF), Pacitalian Naval Forces (PNF), Pacitalian Aeronautical Guard (PAG), Pacitalian Emergency Task Force (PETF), and the special operations group Special Attack Force Delta (SAFD). Minimum age for military service is 18 years. Currently, the total number of Pacitalians enlisted either as active or reserve stands at 45,874,000, with 384.7 million Pacitalians ready for military service at any time.
- See more in the main article at: Pacitalia
25 March 2006
Neo-Carthage
Neo-Carthage is a Modern port-city built upon the ruins of Old Carthage, which was destroyed during the Technocrat-Caliph War It is the capital of the Carthaginian TechnoCaliphate of The Lightning Star, and houses over 75 million people. It is part of the Car-Zar Metropolis, one of the most densely populated areas in the world.
History
Full Article: History of The Lightning Star
The history of Neo Carthage and Old Carthage stretches back thousands of years. In approximately 814 BCE, Carthage was founded by Phoenician settlers from the city of Tyre, bringing with them the city-god Melqart. Traditionally, the city was founded by Dido, and a number of foundation myths have survived through Greek and Roman literature.
Areas of Carthage
Due to the fact that the city is quite new and was designed by professional planners, it suffers nearly none of the problems faced by older cities. The roads are wide enough, the road system works like a charm, overcrowding is not an issue(even though the city houses such a large population)It is split into four districts: The Business District, the Living District, the Bay District, and the Old City.
Business District
The Business District(or Downtown) of Neo-Carthage is the largest in the Carthaginian Empire, followed by the Karachi, Delhi, and Mumbai Business Districts. Even though it is in the heart of this sprawling city, it usually takes less than an hour to reach the center even from the edges of the city. It is the home of the NCSX, the headquarters of many major companies, and much more. The business district has over 300 skyscrapers, and billions of Credits flow through hands here every day.
The commute is better than that of most cities, due to Neo-Carthage's transportation system. Public transportation is widely promoted and widely used. These include methods of transportation such as Monorails, a sub-way system, buses, taxis, and ferries(to get from the Port to the Business District).
Arts and Entertainment
Neo-Carthage is considered to be a highly intellectual city. It is also considered one of the most culturally impressive cities in the world. The Old City , contains a number of ornate theatres, including the Imperial Theatre and Great Citadel (which houses one of the largest theatres on the continent). Avant garde theatres are scattered throughout the city. The Neo-Carthage Film Festival is held annually in early December.
- See more in the main article at: Neo-Carthage
20 August 2006
Danaan Monarchy
The Danaan monarch is the chief of state of the Resurgent Dream. The current Danaan monarchy can trace itself back to the earliest reaches of the nation's history through High Queen Maile, an Aboriginal Danaan princess who wed the first king among the early European settlers in the land, Rhygyfarch ap Cunedda, who began to style himself High King after the wedding. However, it is High King Rhygyfarch who normally begins any modern list of the Danaan monarchs, largely because the ancestors of High Queen Maile, excepting her father King Kamameha, are unknown.
While the modern institution of the monarchy is clearly descended from the High Kingship traced back to Rhygyfarch and while the current monarch is directly on Rhygyfarch's line, this lineage has not had an uninterrupted rule. It is only in 2005 that the last and longest lasting interruption of Rhygyfarch's dynasty (a period of rule by House Gwydion) ended in the disaster of the Shattering.
Political role
After every Parliamentary election, the High King is bound by duty to issue his madate to form a government to the leader of the largest party in whichever coalition has a majority. However, that leader does not become Prime Minister until they have formed a government which has received the approval of a majority of the Parliament. If they fail to do so, the High King will normally dissolve Parliament and call new elections.
As Grand Marshall of the Royal Armies, the High King is the Commander-in-Chief of the Danaan Armed Forces. He attends weekly military briefings and makes military decisions based upon the advice of the Minister for Defence and the Military Command Council. The Sovereign very seldom gets involved directly in professional military matters.
As Lord Constable of the Resurgent Dream, the High King is the head of the National Police. In this capacity, he acts with the advice of the Minister for Justice.
Marlund and Adoki
Queen Ygraine of Marlund is the mother of the current High King of the Resurgent Dream. Her Majesty was widowed in late 1990, when her husband died in the brief Danaan Civil War. In 2005, she married a second time, joining with Hermann of Marlund. Although a Queen Consort's children from a previous marriage do not automatically become the heirs of her new husband, King Hermann legally adopted High King Owain in early 2006.
The Danaan Crown also has a more distant connection with the Throne of Adoki. The High King's fourth cousin, Prince Suizei of Kadoki is married to Princess Yuko, the only child of the current Emperor of Adoki.
Some commentators speculate that, because of this ties, the High King of the Resurgent Dream will also be the king of Marlund and the Emperor of Adoki within a few years. Such a possibility poses a number of constitutional problems, since it has previously been unlawful for a Queen Consort or Prince Consort of another nation to inherit the Danaan Crown, precisely because the merging of dynasties was considered extremely undesirable. The exact legal form any such union might take is currently hard to imagine.
- See more in the main article at: Danaan Monarchy
21 October 2006
Great Southern War
The Great Southern War was a large European conflict fought between November 2004 and February 2005. While originating as a civil war in the jungles of Vocur it would later pit some of the most prominent socialist and capitalist nations in the region against each other, culminating in full scale invasions of both Vocur and Daracnia by Greater DCU (GDCU). Peace would eventually be brought about through the efforts of diplomats at the Gaasbeek peace conference.
The Cold War Heats Up
Regional tensions first began to build after a number of small skirmishes between the more prominent capitalist and communist nations of Europe. These were generally confined to Europaland and Prax, where Qantrix clashed with Europaland and Greater DCU in a series of tense crises. While war was averted in each case, the involved nations were in no doubt that a larger conflict was looming in the near future. The delicate balance of power in Europe had long been shattered and, buoyed by an influx of likeminded nations, the capitalist and fascist nations felt confident enough to confront the dwindling stock of socialist nations.
The Vocurian Front
Shortly after the announcement of war the Greater DCU Politburo took the decision to deploy massive numbers of soldiers to crush the VNLF. This would serve the dual purpose of safeguarding the Union's southern border while also strengthening the resolve of the, increasingly nervous and unreliable, Vocurian government. Despite the enormous obstacles presented by the inhospitable terrain, the Red Army and its Vocurian auxlillaries proceeded to make headway against the lightly armed VNLF fighters. Within two weeks of the war's start the west of the nation was clear of major insurgent forces while Red Army divisions occupied strategic towns and cities throughout the nation.
The Heron Fallout (November '04)
In the immediate build up towards war, the Greater DCU Politburo had been alarmed by the rhetoric emanating from the Daracnian capital, Halgeria. However diplomatic assurances were taken on face value and the Union planners continued to concentrate on the southern theatre. This changed radically after the sinking of the Golden Heron.
Legacy
Apart from the number of lives lost (estimated to be upwards of 300,000) the Great Southern War had far reaching consequences for each of the major involved nations. The most drastic change was the partition of Vocur with the creation of the VNLF run Repulic of Vocur in the east of the country and the communist People's Republic of Vocur to the west. The former would forge close ties with the Alliance of Capitalist Europe (ACE) as it attempted to rebuild after decades of stagnation.
- See more in the main article.
19 July 2007
Pantocratoria
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Pantocratoria is the largest nation in the Pantocratorian Archipelago in the Western Atlantic. It is the largest nation in the entire West Atlantic in terms of population, but not of landmass. It was founded by a group of refugees (the Knights of the Order of the Pantocrator and their families) fleeing the Ottoman Empire after the Turkish conquest of Constantinople in 1453. The Pantocratorian Imperial line (the House of Bourbon-Comnenus-Palaeologus) sees itself as an extension of the Roman Emperors of Constantinople. It also claims descent from the Bourbon kings of France through Emperor Louis I, who was, the Imperial Family claims, the missing King Louis XVII of France, who disappeared during the French Revolution.
Culture
Pantocratorian society is culturally, economically, and linguistically diverse. In the rural countryside of mainland Pantocratoria, Greek-speaking Pantocratorians predominantly work in the agricultural sector. They are typically poorly educated, and earn less than their metropolitan compatriots. In Pantocratoria's cities live highly educated, comparatively affluent French-speaking Pantocratorians. In outlying islands, most notably the Exarchate of New Jerusalem, live so-called "Pantocratorian Indians" (and people descended from inter-marrying between European Pantocratorians and Aboriginal Pantocratorians), who tend to speak Greek and depend on fishing and other marine industries for their income.
Military
Pantocratoria's military is a large but inefficient institution. The purchasing of posts is commonplace amongst the nobility, as is promotion through nepotism. The position of commander in chief of the entire Imperial Navy (Lord First Admiral) is a hereditary one. The organisation is haphazard at best, and effectively prevents Pantocratoria from deploying anywhere close to its full strength in foreign wars.
Legal System
In Pantocratoria, "the law" consists of the accumulated Acts of Parliament, and the collected Imperial decrees, bans, bulls, statutes and edicts made by emperors throughout the years (including in the pre-Pantocratorian history of the Roman Empire). The Parliament may repeal Imperial edicts, just as edicts by the Emperor can repeal Acts of Parliament. For an Act of Parliament to become law requires the Emperor's assent, however, so no cycle of continual legislation-repeal-legislation is possible. All attempts to properly codify Pantocratorian law have dismally failed - many Imperial Chancellors have blamed this on the national fascination with bureaucracy and paperwork. There is an excellent understanding of the Pantocratorian criminal code in the nation's legal community, and there are frequent panels of review for criminal law which ensure that the courts remain well aware of Pantocratorian criminal law. It must be confessed that the study of other areas of the law can be frustrating, however, on account of the centuries worth of (often conflicting) legislation which has never been the subject of a consistent review and reform effort, as criminal law has.
- See more in the main article.
19 August 2007
Gulden
The gulden (G) is the civillian currency of Guffingford, which became the only legal tender in Guffingford on a date between 1902 and 1905. The annals of that time are lost, due to a fire in the National Assembly of Guffingford. Bills were printed too and many dates were released in a similar fashion as proofs, for collectors abroad and within Guffingford. The gulden enjoyed a long history in Guffingford even before it became the only legal tender, but that story is long and boring to write down.
The gulden is struck in nickel, cents in brass. Commemorative designs are struck in silver, while gold has been completely removed from the regular monetary traffic in daily life since 1963. Mostly because it was becoming too expensive to coin, and because of massive hoarding. The old ducat guilders are highly sought after among foreign collectors, because of the high gold content and beauty. Since none of them ever saw any circulation, these are all in near perfect condition.
History
Pre-Colonial Currency
Before explorers and settlers began to inhabit Guffingford, many tribes traded with each other through bartering. A very simple currency system existed in the lands of the Ko-I-Noor civilization, where small nuggets of gold served as currency. Some wore a stamp of a mighty warrior or a chief, but only a handful of these are known to exist. Most have been molten by explorers and pioneers in later centuries as the native tribes were assimilated into the Guffingfordian society.
The Gulden
Sometime in the 18th century, the gulden came into being. Gulden is a Dutch word for "golden", or "gilded" in some cases. Like any other currency of that day, the gulden was bumped around by the big monetary players of that time in Guffingford: the Hanseatic Thaler and the British Pound. However, the gulden remained strong and banks who issued the gulden began to link its value to ducats, thalers and the pound. Various schemes were produced, but the guldens for ducats proved to be the most profitable. However, since the gulden was growing in strength, people sought to exchange their currency for guldens. This was called "The Great Money Leech".
Mintmarks
A -- Hoogenbosch, founded 1612
Windlass -- Port Kramer, founded 1799
Palmtree -- Del Monte Pelado, founded 1834
B -- Bloupaarl, founded 1878
W (extremely rare) -- Windhoek, founded 1910, closed in 1919
Coinage
Guffingfordian gold coins, since they were first minted as bullion in 1963 continue to enjoy a world wide audience of collectors and investors, because of the high quality and stunning design. Each year a contest is organised and the winning artist or designer is permitted to design the reverse of each coin, which makes it even more interesting to collect. Having the high purity in mind, this marvellous feat of fine engineering and design also finds a captive audience in investment circles. Furthermore, these items are sold under the worldwide gold value due to the fixed gold prices within Guffingford. These coins are resold in other parts of the world, sometimes being 150% more expensive!
- See more in the main article.
19 September 2007
Itinerate Tree Dweller
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The Illustrious Empire of Itinerate Tree Dweller is a historically powerful nation, rich in history and traditions. Following the overthrow of Roman Emperor Hadrian in 130 A.D., the head of the gens Xericus rose to the position of Roman Emperor. His first order of bussiness was the reorganization of the Imperial government to better suit his needs, the size of the Imperial Senate was doubled and citizenship was further limited to only those who have served the government, specifically veterans. These changes remain in place nearly 2000 years later.
Culture
Itinerate Tree Dweller has a very diverse group of european citizens that still retain their ancient beliefs and customs. Most notably is the celebration of Saturnalia which is an ancient Roman cultural festival where offerings are made to the Roman Gods.
Also celebrated are the birthdates of current monarchs, which are celebrated for a full week prior to the birthdate, culmination on the exact date of the birth of the monarch. During these festivals, all temples are usually decorated and sacrifies are made to the ancient Roman Gods, paying special attention to Venus and Mars, who are said to have shown special favor to the royal line.
Christmas and other Judaeo-Christian festivals are also common, considering a majority of the nation is Roman Catholic.
Constitution
The basic laws of the land can be found entirely within the ITD Constitution which is designed to cover the basics of the nations laws.
Government Organization
First two terms must be clearly defined, a citizen versus a civilian. In many nations, these two terms have but one meaning, but in ITD the differences are clearly layed out.
A citizen is a person who has performed service for the Imperium, having completed the oath of citizenship and having served their time, honorably and without incident. If a person dies before completing their tour of duty for the Imperium, they are awarded their citizenship and they are given a citizen burial. Citizens have rights that do not extend to civilians.
Rights of a Citizen
- The right to vote in Imperial elections and the right to hold political office.
- The right to address the Imperial Senate.
- The responsibility to protect the body politic.
Civilians have little political rights, but the same economic rights as citizens. No civilian may hold political office, but they can hold positions of power in economic groups and corporations.
Now that we have these two terms defined, we can better define the government of Itinerate Tree Dweller. ITD has a unique government system which is derived from the ancient oligarchy-republic of Rome and centered in power around the Consul-General/Emperor.
- See more in the main article.
