Wintreath Regional Community

A Link to the Past - Archives => The Registry of Things Past - Historic Archive => Frosthold Castle - Wintreath Government => Topic started by: Justinian Ezkantion on July 19, 2017, 01:37:51 AM

Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Justinian Ezkantion on July 19, 2017, 01:37:51 AM
(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kYoCzPS56hc/maxresdefault.jpg)
Alright boys and girls let's keep this quick because we've got a lot of work to do and we're behind schedule!
Orendi XII needs to be out by the end of this month because by god we've started a habit of rolling out consistent updates and it ain't gonna die on my watch!
So here's the sitch yo:

RIGHT NOw (July 18)-July 25 we brainstorm ideas and start writing

July 25-July 30 You get that stuff in a presentable format for this Update

July 31 Release Day, we send this golden writ out to every able bodied ambassador in the land


Ideas for Articles:
-My appointment as Head Scribe so that layabout Crush can look at potatoes or something

-Ashton's fancy shmancy new Superhero RP, "Empowered"

-That dumb post requirement is now 100% officially no takesy backsies dead and buried

Yew can right about whatever you want though to be quite honest, so get to work! You want that Game Bag reward or not?!
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Justinian Ezkantion on July 21, 2017, 03:17:15 AM
C'mon guys I know it was a little shitposty but I'm serious. If any of you have some good ideas lay em out
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Crushita on July 21, 2017, 03:36:36 AM
I would but you've accused me of being a layabout who looks at potatoes all day :P
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Wintermoot on July 21, 2017, 05:32:19 AM
The hardest part of the job...finding people to write. :P

I'll write something this weekend, but I'm not sure what yet
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Justinian Ezkantion on July 21, 2017, 03:23:12 PM
I would but you've accused me of being a layabout who looks at potatoes all day :P
I would be more apologetic about that if it wasn't a persona you yourself curated.
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Doc on July 21, 2017, 05:12:58 PM
Well it's just that you're so far behind schedule.
Release day was apparently 3 weeks ago.
Or maybe you meant July, not June.
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Justinian Ezkantion on July 21, 2017, 05:26:16 PM
Well it's just that you're so far behind schedule.
Release day was apparently 3 weeks ago.
Or maybe you meant July, not June.
*facepalm*
I'm a dumbass
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Wintermoot on July 23, 2017, 07:29:42 PM
Draft of my article. :) When you put the Orendi together, I'll upload the graphics to our webspace and change the image links. I do that so that way we won't have to worry about the images disappearing in the future.

Wintreath Celebrates 100,000 Posts!
(https://wintreath.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FFeTW2kY.jpg&hash=74ac98dbf7fc4c8678ceb59d45cfeb9e)
The wind and the snow has not kept us idle on the forums!

When we first started the Wintreath forums, I imagined many possibilities, including the one where the region never went anywhere. The one where just a few years later we would celebrate 100k posts seemed pretty far out, but with the support of the community over the years, that's where we ended up this month! Actually, we celebrated it twice: first when Aragonn made the 100,000th post counting deleted posts (http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4468.msg100000#msg100000) (which was post ID 100,000), and then later in the month when Matilda Love made the 100,000th post not counting deleted posts (http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=3143.msg101016#msg101016) (which brought the post count on the forum front page to 100,000). Either way, this accomplishment is a testament to the constant activity the forums have enjoyed over the years.

Wintreath Top 10 Topics of All Time
Top 10 Topics of All Time
GENERAL: Say What's On Your Mind (http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=3.0) - 7185 posts
SPAM: Double Post Game (Past Rounds) (http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=1453.0) - 6829 posts
SPAM: World Association (http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4.0) - 4309 posts
SPAM: Guess who will post next! (http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=8.0) - 2173 posts
ROLEPLAY: From the Ashes: A Galactic Nations RP! (OOC) (http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=3003.0) - 1522 posts
CULTURE: Werewolf VI: Until Dawn - The New Chapter (http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=3255.0) - 1497 posts
SPAM: Spam Points (Past Rounds) (http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4062.0) - 1420 posts
ROLEPLAY: Frostbite Tavern (http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=1914.0) - 1092 posts
SPAM: Count to 2,000 (http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=3146.0) - 1014 posts
SPAM: Count to 1,000 (http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?board=4.0) - 1004 posts

It's not surprising that many of the top topics are general discussion and spam game topics; however several cutural and roleplay topics have also stood the test of time to earn a place in the top topics list, including the Werewolf VI game topic, the From the Ashes roleplay Out of Character discussion, and the Frostbite Tavern casual roleplay.

This accomplishment comes as I've placed an emphasis on making the forums simpler and easier to understand and navigate, particularly on mobile devices. It also comes a month before the region's annual Summersend Festival, which last year alone generated over a thousand posts. Along with the continued support of the Wintreath community, these developments will help the forums remain busy far into the future!
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Gerrick on July 23, 2017, 10:51:56 PM
I'll write the next installment of my culture review.

@Ashton Mercer , would you be ok with being interviewed about your new RP?

If so:
Does anybody want to interview Ashton? Both the interviewer and Ashton would get credit for the article, so it's really easy to do. Here's the interview I did with Justinian (http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4314.msg96859#msg96859) if anyone needs ideas for questions. If not, I can just do it, or Ashton can just write something himself if he doesn't want to share the credit. :P If anyone wants it, I'll give 24 hours the chance to post here before I take it and start writing up an interview -- or unless Ashton doesn't want to be interviewed.
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Ashton Mercer on July 23, 2017, 11:12:15 PM
I'll write the next installment of my culture review.

@Ashton Mercer , would you be ok with being interviewed about your new RP?

If so:
Does anybody want to interview Ashton? Both the interviewer and Ashton would get credit for the article, so it's really easy to do. Here's the interview I did with Justinian (http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4314.msg96859#msg96859) if anyone needs ideas for questions. If not, I can just do it, or Ashton can just write something himself if he doesn't want to share the credit. :P If anyone wants it, I'll give 24 hours the chance to post here before I take it and start writing up an interview -- or unless Ashton doesn't want to be interviewed.
Absolutely. I have a great relationship with the press.
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Justinian Ezkantion on July 24, 2017, 01:57:53 AM
@Wintermoot

Do we have a thread containing the basic Orendi formatting or should I just rip it from your quoting on Orendi XI and replace the old article content?
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Wintermoot on July 24, 2017, 02:00:14 AM
@Wintermoot

Do we have a thread containing the basic Orendi formatting or should I just rip it from your quoting on Orendi XI and replace the old article content?
Honestly, that's what I did last month.
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Justinian Ezkantion on July 24, 2017, 02:30:10 AM
@Wintermoot

Do we have a thread containing the basic Orendi formatting or should I just rip it from your quoting on Orendi XI and replace the old article content?
Honestly, that's what I did last month.
k
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Gerrick on July 24, 2017, 07:28:21 PM
The Culture Review
(https://wintreath.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwintreath.com%2Fgraphics%2Forendi%2Fmoc_logo_lg13.png&hash=ad06345a0cf78df3192514919c2c736b)

This is the second installment of the Culture Review, written by me, Gerrick, Wintreath’s Jarl of Culture. I’ll be talking briefly about some events going on in the cultural areas of the forums, such as Ministry news, monthly contests, and forum games.

Wintreath’s Finest (http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4501) is the name for Wintreath’s citizen of the month. Nominations are for those who stood out as contributing or showing dedication to the region or having been extra active, caused activity, or been a good influence on others. The winner of June 2017’s Wintreath’s Finest was BraveSirRobin, who was nominated for his efforts to starting up more roleplays in the region. He has taken the helm at revitalizing Wintreath’s most popular character RP, the Star Trek-influenced Wintreath Space Expeditions (http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=2970), by starting up talks for The Next Generation (http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4468), which already has applications (http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4541) up and running. On top of Space Expeditions, BraveSirRobin has also taken the lead in trying to start up a new nation roleplay (http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4417) that will take place in a post-WW2/Cold War era alternate universe. BraveSirRobin was technically the only nominee, but as Jarl of Culture, I made no other nominations as I thought his win was well-deserved.

The Avatar Theme of the Month (http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4500) is the theme that several forum users will adopt into their avatars for the month, whether that means using pictures or memes that have to do with the theme or Photoshopping the theme into their usual avatars. Nominations are typically related to current world affairs, historical dates, holidays, or happenings in Wintreath. The winner of July 2017’s Avatar Theme of the Month was a tie between ‘MURICA and Canada 150 as both the USA and Canada have their national day in July. With the large number of Canadians and Canada-sympathizers in Wintreath, it was no surprise that it ended in a tie, and the rivalry between the two countries ensured that there would be no other nominations to spoil the contest for one side or the other. One proud Canadian-Wintrean, Crushita, even went so far as to turn his national anthem into a case why one should vote for Canada:

Oh Canada!
The World Does Not Hate Us!
Adi-ition-ly,
We don't have Donald Trump!
Tous les érables poussent là où les França-a-is sont
Nous devons les apaiser, nous aider s'il vous plaît
Spud keep our land
Glorious and free!
Oh Canada!
We-e vote for thee!
Oh Canada
We-e vote for thee!

The Monarch’s Game Bag (http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=2916) is a list of over 150 spare Steam keys that Wintermoot and other citizens have donated to the region over the years. It now serves as a reward for those citizens who perform necessary civil service duties for the region, such as recruiting and writing articles for the Orendi, as well as those who go above and beyond to be elected to win Wintreath’s Finest. This month, games were given out to two such citizens: Justinian Ezkantion chose Dragon Age: Origins for winning Wintreath’s Finest of May 2017 and writing two articles for the Orendi, and Gattoartico chose Purgatory for also writing two articles. We hope more citizens continue to follow their example and help out Wintreath to earn more free games!
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Justinian Ezkantion on July 25, 2017, 07:29:03 PM
That's two articles we've got. Is the interview ready? If so, we just might have something presentable.
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Gerrick on July 25, 2017, 07:54:34 PM
Just sent Ashton the interview questions.
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Gerrick on July 26, 2017, 09:07:26 PM
Interview with Ashton Mercer on his new RP, Empowered

(https://wintreath.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi64.tinypic.com%2F33acn51.jpg&hash=a66c7f2534f35a1f4f2e44fab5bc0d72)

Ashton Mercer, one of several former Ainurian refugees who moved to Wintreath last year, has been an active roleplayer ever since he became a Wintrean citizen. Last fall, he created and hosted a superhero RP called Super (http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=3909). Now he has started up a new, rebooted version called Empowered (http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4519). As Jarl of Culture and a member of the RP Guild, I sat down with Ashton for an interview.

Can you give a short introduction of yourself and your interest in roleplaying?
So, as most ex-Ainurians might know, I've been around the NS RP scene for a while. About five years, actually. Ever since I re-discovered Nationstates in 2012, I've discovered my enjoyment in crafting stories and characters. I've spent time in Albion, as well as other smaller regions, but my homeland and main haunt was Ainur. I did many RPs here and there, whether centered around a nation or a character, and near the end I was often leading them. About a year ago however, things began to fall apart, and people were looking to find somewhere else in NS to be. A lot of Ainurians left to join Wintreath, and I followed them here. The rest is good history.

Can you give a summary of the setting of the Empowered RP?
The Empowered RP is set in a universe that is (pretty much kinda) exactly like ours, except that a certain segment of the population have fantastic supernatural powers, like the heroes and villains you would see in the comic books. It's a fairly easy setting to wrap your head around, yet it has the detail and potential for exploration that very complex settings do. It strikes that perfect balance that makes it such a perfect world to enjoy and be a part of.

What is your role as Lore Master (the Wintrean title for Game Master) in the RP?
The way I see it, when I am directing an RP that I don't have a main character in, I'm basically supposed to be a very lazy shepherd. Point everyone in a direction that I think is fun, and let them work it out from there. Right now, I'm closely guiding the only main storyline so that we can work out the OOC/IC kinks without jumping through pan-dimensional hoops, but I'm hoping that more unique threads and separate stories will spring up once Innocence Lost has run it's course.

You've come up with a unique idea to Wintreath where there will be separate threads for each story-line. Where did you get the idea, and how do you see it playing out?
To be perfectly honest, the idea for the storyline threads wasn't mine. It was proposed to me by Doc in a private conversation, who himself was inspired by the typical way that comic books are structured: different issues for different stories, but with the capability to keep characters and story arcs intact. We came to the conclusion that an RP structured like this might be able to provide everyone with an ability to have heir own storylines without the clutter and story fatigue that comes with keeping everyone on a single thread, as is standard for most RPs. Also, it made more sense for Empowered in particular, since the setting is so open-ended than, say, Wintreath Space Expeditions, which has a focus on one ship on one mission. I think everyone will like the results.

Who are some of the current Empowered characters in the RP?
We have a good variety of characters so far: a constantly drunken pyromaniac, a antihero version of Thor with terroristic tendencies, a level-headed circus girl who can materialize mirror-like barriers from thin air, an archaeologist with some ancient aliens technology, and many more. The center of this latest story is a missing kid named Andrew, who has a tragic backstory, intense powers of speed and strength, and some mysterious and potentially deadly connections. If you want to see more or want more details, definitely check the threads out. The character apps and the story are both worth reads.

Finally, what direction do you think the story of the current issue, "Innocence Lost" (http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4521), will go? What should we expect?
While I know pretty well what I am doing to the story right now, I have no idea at all how Innocence Lost will end up, which makes all of this very exciting. Of course, I have some ideas about the various potential endings and how the NPCs I direct will handle it, but it all really depends on the player characters' actions and how they effect themselves and the rest of the acting parties in this story. A few players have actually thought of an ending that I hadn't considered at all and their characters are already going after it, which is awesome, and I'm looking forward to see what they will do at the climax of this chapter. I definitely will try not to spoil anything and there are still a lot of uncertainties that haven't been played out yet in the story thread. However, I will say this: barring a total disaster, this won't be the last time we see Andrew or the FBI Agent McGrath.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Thank you for your time, and if any of this sounds interesting to you, definitely take a look at us and consider signing up!
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Justinian Ezkantion on August 01, 2017, 01:56:10 AM
When I remember I was supposed to collect everything and have a rough draft ready yesterday while I'm in the middle of playing mass effect
(https://wintreath.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi0.kym-cdn.com%2Fentries%2Ficons%2Foriginal%2F000%2F020%2F143%2Fsquidward.jpg&hash=3e4767dad5a6e889703a2d24885255a2)
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Wintermoot on August 01, 2017, 02:07:04 AM
Oh yeah, somebody should do News in Briefs. We gotta have News in Briefs. :P
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Justinian Ezkantion on August 03, 2017, 12:23:50 AM
Code: [Select]
[center][size=60][color=#2C4B76][b]Orendi XI[/b][/color][/size]
[size=8][i]Wintreath Update 12 - July 2017 (a little late cuz mass effect marathoning takes time)[/i][/size]

[hr]

[img]http://wintreath.com/graphics/orendi/wintreathflag.png[/img]

[b]Realms of Wintreath[/b]
Wintreath - 286 nations
New Hyperion - 76 nations
Nowhere - 2 nations

[b]Government of Wintreath[/b]
Monarch: Wintermoot
Jarl of Culture: Gerrick
Thane of Culture: Aragonn
Thane of Foreign Affairs: Emoticonius
Court Scribe: Justinian Ezkantion-Telcontar
Jarl/Thane of Integration: [i]Vacant[/i][/center]

[hr]

[spoiler=Wintreath Celebrates 100,000 Posts!-Wintermoot]
[center][b]Wintreath Celebrates 100,000 Posts![/b]
[img]http://i.imgur.com/FeTW2kY.jpg[/img]
[i]The wind and the snow has not kept us idle on the forums![/i][/center]

When we first started the Wintreath forums, I imagined many possibilities, including the one where the region never went anywhere. The one where just a few years later we would celebrate 100k posts seemed pretty far out, but with the support of the community over the years, that's where we ended up this month! Actually, we celebrated it twice: first when Aragonn [url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4468.msg100000#msg100000]made the 100,000th post counting deleted posts[/url] (which was post ID 100,000), and then later in the month when Matilda Love [url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=3143.msg101016#msg101016]made the 100,000th post not counting deleted posts[/url] (which brought the post count on the forum front page to 100,000). Either way, this accomplishment is a testament to the constant activity the forums have enjoyed over the years.

[spoiler=Wintreath Top 10 Topics of All Time][b]Top 10 Topics of All Time[/b]
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=3.0]GENERAL: Say What's On Your Mind[/url] - 7185 posts
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=1453.0]SPAM: Double Post Game (Past Rounds)[/url] - 6829 posts
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4.0]SPAM: World Association[/url] - 4309 posts
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=8.0]SPAM: Guess who will post next![/url] - 2173 posts
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=3003.0]ROLEPLAY: From the Ashes: A Galactic Nations RP! (OOC)[/url] - 1522 posts
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=3255.0]CULTURE: Werewolf VI: Until Dawn - The New Chapter[/url] - 1497 posts
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4062.0]SPAM: Spam Points (Past Rounds)[/url] - 1420 posts
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=1914.0]ROLEPLAY: Frostbite Tavern[/url] - 1092 posts
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=3146.0]SPAM: Count to 2,000[/url] - 1014 posts
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?board=4.0]SPAM: Count to 1,000[/url] - 1004 posts[/spoiler]

It's not surprising that many of the top topics are general discussion and spam game topics; however several cutural and roleplay topics have also stood the test of time to earn a place in the top topics list, including the Werewolf VI game topic, the From the Ashes roleplay Out of Character discussion, and the Frostbite Tavern casual roleplay.

This accomplishment comes as I've placed an emphasis on making the forums simpler and easier to understand and navigate, particularly on mobile devices. It also comes a month before the region's annual Summersend Festival, which last year alone generated over a thousand posts. Along with the continued support of the Wintreath community, these developments will help the forums remain busy far into the future!
[/spoiler]
[spoiler=The Culture Review-Gerrick]
[center][b]The Culture Review[/b]
[img]http://wintreath.com/graphics/orendi/moc_logo_lg13.png[/img][/center]

This is the second installment of the Culture Review, written by me, Wintreath’s Jarl of Culture. I’ll be talking briefly about some events going on in the cultural areas of the forums, such as Ministry news, monthly contests, and forum games.

[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4501][b]Wintreath’s Finest[/b][/url] is the name for Wintreath’s citizen of the month. Nominations are for those who stood out as contributing or showing dedication to the region or having been extra active, caused activity, or been a good influence on others. The winner of June 2017’s Wintreath’s Finest was [b]BraveSirRobin[/b], who was nominated for his efforts to starting up more roleplays in the region. He has taken the helm at revitalizing Wintreath’s most popular character RP, the Star Trek-influenced [url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=2970]Wintreath Space Expeditions[/url], by starting up talks for [url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4468]The Next Generation[/url], which already has [url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4541]applications[/url] up and running. On top of Space Expeditions, BraveSirRobin has also taken the lead in trying to start up a new [url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4417]nation roleplay[/url] that will take place in a post-WW2/Cold War era alternate universe. BraveSirRobin was technically the only nominee, but as Jarl of Culture, I made no other nominations as I thought his win was well-deserved.

[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4500][b]The Avatar Theme of the Month[/b][/url] is the theme that several forum users will adopt into their avatars for the month, whether that means using pictures or memes that have to do with the theme or Photoshopping the theme into their usual avatars. Nominations are typically related to current world affairs, historical dates, holidays, or happenings in Wintreath. The winner of July 2017’s Avatar Theme of the Month was a tie between [b]‘MURICA[/b] and [b]Canada 150[/b] as both the USA and Canada have their national day in July. With the large number of Canadians and Canada-sympathizers in Wintreath, it was no surprise that it ended in a tie, and the rivalry between the two countries ensured that there would be no other nominations to spoil the contest for one side or the other. One proud Canadian-Wintrean, Crushita, even went so far as to turn his national anthem into a case why one should vote for Canada:

Oh Canada!
The World Does Not Hate Us!
Adi-ition-ly,
We don't have Donald Trump!
Tous les érables poussent là où les França-a-is sont
Nous devons les apaiser, nous aider s'il vous plaît
Spud keep our land
Glorious and free!
Oh Canada!
We-e vote for thee!
Oh Canada
We-e vote for thee!

[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=2916][b]The Monarch’s Game Bag[/b][/url] is a list of over 150 spare Steam keys that Wintermoot and other citizens have donated to the region over the years. It now serves as a reward for those citizens who perform necessary civil service duties for the region, such as recruiting and writing articles for the Orendi, as well as those who go above and beyond to be elected to win Wintreath’s Finest. This month, games were given out to two such citizens: [b]Justinian Ezkantion[/b] chose Dragon Age: Origins for winning Wintreath’s Finest of May 2017 and writing two articles for the Orendi, and [b]Gattoartico[/b] chose Purgatory for also writing two articles. We hope more citizens continue to follow their example and help out Wintreath to earn more free games!
[/spoiler]
[spoiler=This Month in RP-Gerrick]
[center][b]Interview with Ashton Mercer on his new RP, Empowered[/b]

[img]http://i64.tinypic.com/33acn51.jpg[/img][/center]

Ashton Mercer, one of several former Ainurian refugees who moved to Wintreath last year, has been an active roleplayer ever since he became a Wintrean citizen. Last fall, he created and hosted a superhero RP called [url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=3909]Super[/url]. Now he has started up a new, rebooted version called [url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4519]Empowered[/url]. As Jarl of Culture and a member of the RP Guild, I sat down with Ashton for an interview.

[b][i]Can you give a short introduction of yourself and your interest in roleplaying?[/i][/b]
So, as most ex-Ainurians might know, I've been around the NS RP scene for a while. About five years, actually. Ever since I re-discovered Nationstates in 2012, I've discovered my enjoyment in crafting stories and characters. I've spent time in Albion, as well as other smaller regions, but my homeland and main haunt was Ainur. I did many RPs here and there, whether centered around a nation or a character, and near the end I was often leading them. About a year ago however, things began to fall apart, and people were looking to find somewhere else in NS to be. A lot of Ainurians left to join Wintreath, and I followed them here. The rest is good history.

[b][i]Can you give a summary of the setting of the Empowered RP?[/i][/b]
The Empowered RP is set in a universe that is (pretty much kinda) exactly like ours, except that a certain segment of the population have fantastic supernatural powers, like the heroes and villains you would see in the comic books. It's a fairly easy setting to wrap your head around, yet it has the detail and potential for exploration that very complex settings do. It strikes that perfect balance that makes it such a perfect world to enjoy and be a part of.

[b][i]What is your role as Lore Master (the Wintrean title for Game Master) in the RP?[/i][/b]
The way I see it, when I am directing an RP that I don't have a main character in, I'm basically supposed to be a very lazy shepherd. Point everyone in a direction that I think is fun, and let them work it out from there. Right now, I'm closely guiding the only main storyline so that we can work out the OOC/IC kinks without jumping through pan-dimensional hoops, but I'm hoping that more unique threads and separate stories will spring up once Innocence Lost has run it's course.

[b][i]You've come up with a unique idea to Wintreath where there will be separate threads for each story-line. Where did you get the idea, and how do you see it playing out?[/i][/b]
To be perfectly honest, the idea for the storyline threads wasn't mine. It was proposed to me by Doc in a private conversation, who himself was inspired by the typical way that comic books are structured: different issues for different stories, but with the capability to keep characters and story arcs intact. We came to the conclusion that an RP structured like this might be able to provide everyone with an ability to have heir own storylines without the clutter and story fatigue that comes with keeping everyone on a single thread, as is standard for most RPs. Also, it made more sense for Empowered in particular, since the setting is so open-ended than, say, Wintreath Space Expeditions, which has a focus on one ship on one mission. I think everyone will like the results.

[b][i]Who are some of the current Empowered characters in the RP?[/i][/b]
We have a good variety of characters so far: a constantly drunken pyromaniac, a antihero version of Thor with terroristic tendencies, a level-headed circus girl who can materialize mirror-like barriers from thin air, an archaeologist with some ancient aliens technology, and many more. The center of this latest story is a missing kid named Andrew, who has a tragic backstory, intense powers of speed and strength, and some mysterious and potentially deadly connections. If you want to see more or want more details, definitely check the threads out. The character apps and the story are both worth reads.

[b][i]Finally, what direction do you think the story of the current issue, [url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4521]"Innocence Lost"[/url], will go? What should we expect?[/i][/b]
While I know pretty well what I am doing to the story right now, I have no idea at all how Innocence Lost will end up, which makes all of this very exciting. Of course, I have some ideas about the various potential endings and how the NPCs I direct will handle it, but it all really depends on the player characters' actions and how they effect themselves and the rest of the acting parties in this story. A few players have actually thought of an ending that I hadn't considered at all and their characters are already going after it, which is awesome, and I'm looking forward to see what they will do at the climax of this chapter. I definitely will try not to spoil anything and there are still a lot of uncertainties that haven't been played out yet in the story thread. However, I will say this: barring a total disaster, this won't be the last time we see Andrew or the FBI Agent McGrath.

[b][i]Is there anything else you'd like to add?[/i][/b]
Thank you for your time, and if any of this sounds interesting to you, definitely take a look at us and consider signing up!
[/spoiler]
[spoiler=News in Briefs-Justinian Ezkantion-Telcontar]
[center][size=3][b]News in Briefs[/b][/size]

[img]http://wintreath.com/graphics/orendi/briefs.jpg[/img]
[i]Honestly, we really are too lazy to find another image. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯[/i][/center][list]
[*]An all out brawl occured this month of the RMB where amateur RP enthusiasts of all varieties denounced one nation's decision to claim all of the Middle East.
[*]The position of Thane of Information was abolished, replaced with a court scribe whose sole function is to make this newspaper in a timely manner (EDITOR'S NOTE: It's totally the diplomat's fault. Nope, definitely not me playing old BioWare games and crying at what EA has done to it. No siree)
[*]AMAs have exploded in popularity on the forums for...some reason.
[/list]
[/spoiler]
[hr]
[center][b]Thanks for reading![/b][/center]
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Justinian Ezkantion on August 03, 2017, 12:25:48 AM
The Zetaboards version is finished. The InvisionFree version should be up tomorrow. If you want to see how it looks just clip off the "code" thingeys. I would properly make a Wintreath version for archival purposes but I think we should get this to the diplomats as soon as possible.
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Crushita on August 03, 2017, 12:44:28 AM
Justinian, the Oriendi lists your governmental role as Cour Scribe, not CourT scribe.
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Justinian Ezkantion on August 03, 2017, 02:29:10 AM
fixed
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Gerrick on August 03, 2017, 05:39:02 AM
*cough* Credit the authors in their articles. *cough, cough*
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Justinian Ezkantion on August 03, 2017, 07:00:56 PM
*cough* Credit the authors in their articles. *cough, cough*
*cough* that's a little confusing because in the culture review you credited yourself, giving me the impression you ought to include your authorship in the article if you want to be credited, but if you want I can list authorship under each article's title, but for the sake of consistency I'll need to delete the opening line of the culture review *cough*
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Gerrick on August 03, 2017, 07:38:12 PM
*cough* Credit the authors in their articles. *cough, cough*
*cough* that's a little confusing because in the culture review you credited yourself, giving me the impression you ought to include your authorship in the article if you want to be credited, but if you want I can list authorship under each article's title, but for the sake of consistency I'll need to delete the opening line of the culture review *cough*
*okey* cough *dokey*
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Michi on August 03, 2017, 07:48:12 PM
*cough* I'm coughing because I'm actually sick *cough*.

not really.
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Justinian Ezkantion on August 03, 2017, 08:47:35 PM
Anyway, I added credit to the spoilers. Next I'll be putting out the InvisionFree version. Who do I contact to let the diplomatic corps know everything is ready?
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: taulover on August 03, 2017, 09:00:16 PM
Anyway, I added credit to the spoilers. Next I'll be putting out the InvisionFree version. Who do I contact to let the diplomatic corps know everything is ready?
Wintermoot is Jarl of Foreign Affairs.
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Justinian Ezkantion on August 03, 2017, 09:08:20 PM
oi
@Wintermoot

Zetaboards version is done
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Justinian Ezkantion on August 05, 2017, 12:37:17 AM
Code: [Select]
[align=center][size=60][color=#2C4B76][b]Orendi XI[/b][/color][/size]
[size=8][i]Wintreath Update 11 - June 2017 (omg, monthly dispatches?!)[/i][/size]

[hr]

[img]http://wintreath.com/graphics/orendi/wintreathflag.png[/img]

[b]Realms of Wintreath[/b]
Wintreath - 286 nations
New Hyperion - 76 nations
Nowhere - 2 nations

[b]Government of Wintreath[/b]
Monarch: Wintermoot
Jarl of Culture: Gerrick
Thane of Culture: Aragonn
Thane of Foreign Affairs: Emoticonius
Court Scribe: Justinian Ezkantion-Telcontar
Jarl/Thane of Integration: [i]Vacant[/i][/align]

[hr]
[align=center][size=3][b]Wintreath celebrates 100,000 posts![/b][/size]
[i]Article by Wintermoot[/i]
[img]http://i.imgur.com/FeTW2kY.jpg[/img]
[i]The wind and the snow has not kept us idle on the forums![/i][/align]

When we first started the Wintreath forums, I imagined many possibilities, including the one where the region never went anywhere. The one where just a few years later we would celebrate 100k posts seemed pretty far out, but with the support of the community over the years, that's where we ended up this month! Actually, we celebrated it twice: first when Aragonn [url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4468.msg100000#msg100000]made the 100,000th post counting deleted posts[/url] (which was post ID 100,000), and then later in the month when Matilda Love [url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=3143.msg101016#msg101016]made the 100,000th post not counting deleted posts[/url] (which brought the post count on the forum front page to 100,000). Either way, this accomplishment is a testament to the constant activity the forums have enjoyed over the years.

[b]Wintreath Top 10 Topics of All Time[/b]
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=3.0]GENERAL: Say What's On Your Mind[/url] - 7185 posts
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=1453.0]SPAM: Double Post Game (Past Rounds)[/url] - 6829 posts
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4.0]SPAM: World Association[/url] - 4309 posts
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=8.0]SPAM: Guess who will post next![/url] - 2173 posts
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=3003.0]ROLEPLAY: From the Ashes: A Galactic Nations RP! (OOC)[/url] - 1522 posts
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=3255.0]CULTURE: Werewolf VI: Until Dawn - The New Chapter[/url] - 1497 posts
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4062.0]SPAM: Spam Points (Past Rounds)[/url] - 1420 posts
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=1914.0]ROLEPLAY: Frostbite Tavern[/url] - 1092 posts
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=3146.0]SPAM: Count to 2,000[/url] - 1014 posts
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?board=4.0]SPAM: Count to 1,000[/url] - 1004 posts

It's not surprising that many of the top topics are general discussion and spam game topics; however several cutural and roleplay topics have also stood the test of time to earn a place in the top topics list, including the Werewolf VI game topic, the From the Ashes roleplay Out of Character discussion, and the Frostbite Tavern casual roleplay.

This accomplishment comes as I've placed an emphasis on making the forums simpler and easier to understand and navigate, particularly on mobile devices. It also comes a month before the region's annual Summersend Festival, which last year alone generated over a thousand posts. Along with the continued support of the Wintreath community, these developments will help the forums remain busy far into the future!

[hr]

[align=center][size=3][b]This Month in RP[/b][/size]
[i]Article by Gerrick[/i]

[img]http://i64.tinypic.com/33acn51.jpg[/img]
[i]Interview with Ashton Mercer on his new RP, Empowered[/i][/align]

Ashton Mercer, one of several former Ainurian refugees who moved to Wintreath last year, has been an active roleplayer ever since he became a Wintrean citizen. Last fall, he created and hosted a superhero RP called [url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=3909]Super[/url]. Now he has started up a new, rebooted version called [url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4519]Empowered[/url]. As Jarl of Culture and a member of the RP Guild, I sat down with Ashton for an interview.

[b][i]Can you give a short introduction of yourself and your interest in roleplaying?[/i][/b]
So, as most ex-Ainurians might know, I've been around the NS RP scene for a while. About five years, actually. Ever since I re-discovered Nationstates in 2012, I've discovered my enjoyment in crafting stories and characters. I've spent time in Albion, as well as other smaller regions, but my homeland and main haunt was Ainur. I did many RPs here and there, whether centered around a nation or a character, and near the end I was often leading them. About a year ago however, things began to fall apart, and people were looking to find somewhere else in NS to be. A lot of Ainurians left to join Wintreath, and I followed them here. The rest is good history.

[b][i]Can you give a summary of the setting of the Empowered RP?[/i][/b]
The Empowered RP is set in a universe that is (pretty much kinda) exactly like ours, except that a certain segment of the population have fantastic supernatural powers, like the heroes and villains you would see in the comic books. It's a fairly easy setting to wrap your head around, yet it has the detail and potential for exploration that very complex settings do. It strikes that perfect balance that makes it such a perfect world to enjoy and be a part of.

[b][i]What is your role as Lore Master (the Wintrean title for Game Master) in the RP?[/i][/b]
The way I see it, when I am directing an RP that I don't have a main character in, I'm basically supposed to be a very lazy shepherd. Point everyone in a direction that I think is fun, and let them work it out from there. Right now, I'm closely guiding the only main storyline so that we can work out the OOC/IC kinks without jumping through pan-dimensional hoops, but I'm hoping that more unique threads and separate stories will spring up once Innocence Lost has run it's course.

[b][i]You've come up with a unique idea to Wintreath where there will be separate threads for each story-line. Where did you get the idea, and how do you see it playing out?[/i][/b]
To be perfectly honest, the idea for the storyline threads wasn't mine. It was proposed to me by Doc in a private conversation, who himself was inspired by the typical way that comic books are structured: different issues for different stories, but with the capability to keep characters and story arcs intact. We came to the conclusion that an RP structured like this might be able to provide everyone with an ability to have heir own storylines without the clutter and story fatigue that comes with keeping everyone on a single thread, as is standard for most RPs. Also, it made more sense for Empowered in particular, since the setting is so open-ended than, say, Wintreath Space Expeditions, which has a focus on one ship on one mission. I think everyone will like the results.

[b][i]Who are some of the current Empowered characters in the RP?[/i][/b]
We have a good variety of characters so far: a constantly drunken pyromaniac, a antihero version of Thor with terroristic tendencies, a level-headed circus girl who can materialize mirror-like barriers from thin air, an archaeologist with some ancient aliens technology, and many more. The center of this latest story is a missing kid named Andrew, who has a tragic backstory, intense powers of speed and strength, and some mysterious and potentially deadly connections. If you want to see more or want more details, definitely check the threads out. The character apps and the story are both worth reads.

[b][i]Finally, what direction do you think the story of the current issue, [url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4521]"Innocence Lost"[/url], will go? What should we expect?[/i][/b]
While I know pretty well what I am doing to the story right now, I have no idea at all how Innocence Lost will end up, which makes all of this very exciting. Of course, I have some ideas about the various potential endings and how the NPCs I direct will handle it, but it all really depends on the player characters' actions and how they effect themselves and the rest of the acting parties in this story. A few players have actually thought of an ending that I hadn't considered at all and their characters are already going after it, which is awesome, and I'm looking forward to see what they will do at the climax of this chapter. I definitely will try not to spoil anything and there are still a lot of uncertainties that haven't been played out yet in the story thread. However, I will say this: barring a total disaster, this won't be the last time we see Andrew or the FBI Agent McGrath.

[b][i]Is there anything else you'd like to add?[/i][/b]
Thank you for your time, and if any of this sounds interesting to you, definitely take a look at us and consider signing up!

[hr]

[align=center][size=3][b]The Culture Review[/b][/size]
[i]Article by Gerrick[/i]

[img]http://wintreath.com/graphics/orendi/moc_logo_lg13.png[/img]
[i]That's kinda what we do around here.[/i][/align]

This is the second installment of the Culture Review, written by me, Wintreath’s Jarl of Culture. I’ll be talking briefly about some events going on in the cultural areas of the forums, such as Ministry news, monthly contests, and forum games.

[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4501][b]Wintreath’s Finest[/b][/url] is the name for Wintreath’s citizen of the month. Nominations are for those who stood out as contributing or showing dedication to the region or having been extra active, caused activity, or been a good influence on others. The winner of June 2017’s Wintreath’s Finest was [b]BraveSirRobin[/b], who was nominated for his efforts to starting up more roleplays in the region. He has taken the helm at revitalizing Wintreath’s most popular character RP, the Star Trek-influenced [url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=2970]Wintreath Space Expeditions[/url], by starting up talks for [url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4468]The Next Generation[/url], which already has [url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4541]applications[/url] up and running. On top of Space Expeditions, BraveSirRobin has also taken the lead in trying to start up a new [url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4417]nation roleplay[/url] that will take place in a post-WW2/Cold War era alternate universe. BraveSirRobin was technically the only nominee, but as Jarl of Culture, I made no other nominations as I thought his win was well-deserved.

[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4500][b]The Avatar Theme of the Month[/b][/url] is the theme that several forum users will adopt into their avatars for the month, whether that means using pictures or memes that have to do with the theme or Photoshopping the theme into their usual avatars. Nominations are typically related to current world affairs, historical dates, holidays, or happenings in Wintreath. The winner of July 2017’s Avatar Theme of the Month was a tie between [b]‘MURICA[/b] and [b]Canada 150[/b] as both the USA and Canada have their national day in July. With the large number of Canadians and Canada-sympathizers in Wintreath, it was no surprise that it ended in a tie, and the rivalry between the two countries ensured that there would be no other nominations to spoil the contest for one side or the other. One proud Canadian-Wintrean, Crushita, even went so far as to turn his national anthem into a case why one should vote for Canada:

Oh Canada!
The World Does Not Hate Us!
Adi-ition-ly,
We don't have Donald Trump!
Tous les érables poussent là où les França-a-is sont
Nous devons les apaiser, nous aider s'il vous plaît
Spud keep our land
Glorious and free!
Oh Canada!
We-e vote for thee!
Oh Canada
We-e vote for thee!

[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=2916][b]The Monarch’s Game Bag[/b][/url] is a list of over 150 spare Steam keys that Wintermoot and other citizens have donated to the region over the years. It now serves as a reward for those citizens who perform necessary civil service duties for the region, such as recruiting and writing articles for the Orendi, as well as those who go above and beyond to be elected to win Wintreath’s Finest. This month, games were given out to two such citizens: [b]Justinian Ezkantion[/b] chose Dragon Age: Origins for winning Wintreath’s Finest of May 2017 and writing two articles for the Orendi, and [b]Gattoartico[/b] chose Purgatory for also writing two articles. We hope more citizens continue to follow their example and help out Wintreath to earn more free games!

[hr]

[align=center][size=3][b]News in Briefs[/b][/size]

[img]http://wintreath.com/graphics/orendi/briefs.jpg[/img]
[i]This image is a staple now. No getting around it.[/i][/align][list]
[*]An all out brawl occured this month of the RMB where amateur RP enthusiasts of all varieties denounced one nation's decision to claim all of the Middle East.
[*]The position of Thane of Information was abolished, replaced with a court scribe whose sole function is to make this newspaper in a timely manner (EDITOR'S NOTE: It's totally the diplomat's fault. Nope, definitely not me playing old BioWare games and crying at what EA has done to it. No siree)
[*]AMAs have exploded in popularity on the forums for...some reason.[/list]
[hr]
[align=center][b]Thanks for reading![/b][/align]
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Justinian Ezkantion on August 05, 2017, 12:38:02 AM
InvisionFree is done...I think.
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Wintermoot on August 05, 2017, 05:36:25 PM
I'm reposting the Zetaboard code here so it's on the latest page, and mentioning the ambassadors: @Emoticonius, @BraveSirRobin, @Crushita, @taulover, @North. Please post this to your embassies and let us know when you have done so. Thank you! And thanks to Justinian...looks like this will be another successful Orendi. :)

Now on to August ;)

Code: [Select]
[center][size=60][color=#2C4B76][b]Orendi XII[/b][/color][/size]
[size=8][i]Wintreath Update 12 - July 2017 (a little late cuz mass effect marathoning takes time)[/i][/size]

[hr]

[img]http://wintreath.com/graphics/orendi/wintreathflag.png[/img]

[b]Realms of Wintreath[/b]
Wintreath - 228 nations
New Hyperion - 77 nations
Nowhere - 2 nations

[b]Government of Wintreath[/b]
Monarch: Wintermoot
Jarl of Culture: Gerrick
Thane of Culture: Aragonn
Thane of Foreign Affairs: Emoticonius
Court Scribe: Justinian Ezkantion-Telcontar
Jarl/Thane of Integration: [i]Vacant[/i][/center]

[hr]

[spoiler=Wintreath Celebrates 100,000 Posts!-Wintermoot]
[center][b]Wintreath Celebrates 100,000 Posts![/b]
[img]http://i.imgur.com/FeTW2kY.jpg[/img]
[i]The wind and the snow has not kept us idle on the forums![/i][/center]

When we first started the Wintreath forums, I imagined many possibilities, including the one where the region never went anywhere. The one where just a few years later we would celebrate 100k posts seemed pretty far out, but with the support of the community over the years, that's where we ended up this month! Actually, we celebrated it twice: first when Aragonn [url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4468.msg100000#msg100000]made the 100,000th post counting deleted posts[/url] (which was post ID 100,000), and then later in the month when Matilda Love [url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=3143.msg101016#msg101016]made the 100,000th post not counting deleted posts[/url] (which brought the post count on the forum front page to 100,000). Either way, this accomplishment is a testament to the constant activity the forums have enjoyed over the years.

[spoiler=Wintreath Top 10 Topics of All Time][b]Top 10 Topics of All Time[/b]
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=3.0]GENERAL: Say What's On Your Mind[/url] - 7185 posts
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=1453.0]SPAM: Double Post Game (Past Rounds)[/url] - 6829 posts
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4.0]SPAM: World Association[/url] - 4309 posts
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=8.0]SPAM: Guess who will post next![/url] - 2173 posts
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=3003.0]ROLEPLAY: From the Ashes: A Galactic Nations RP! (OOC)[/url] - 1522 posts
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=3255.0]CULTURE: Werewolf VI: Until Dawn - The New Chapter[/url] - 1497 posts
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4062.0]SPAM: Spam Points (Past Rounds)[/url] - 1420 posts
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=1914.0]ROLEPLAY: Frostbite Tavern[/url] - 1092 posts
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=3146.0]SPAM: Count to 2,000[/url] - 1014 posts
[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?board=4.0]SPAM: Count to 1,000[/url] - 1004 posts[/spoiler]

It's not surprising that many of the top topics are general discussion and spam game topics; however several cutural and roleplay topics have also stood the test of time to earn a place in the top topics list, including the Werewolf VI game topic, the From the Ashes roleplay Out of Character discussion, and the Frostbite Tavern casual roleplay.

This accomplishment comes as I've placed an emphasis on making the forums simpler and easier to understand and navigate, particularly on mobile devices. It also comes a month before the region's annual Summersend Festival, which last year alone generated over a thousand posts. Along with the continued support of the Wintreath community, these developments will help the forums remain busy far into the future!
[/spoiler]
[spoiler=The Culture Review-Gerrick]
[center][b]The Culture Review[/b]
[img]http://wintreath.com/graphics/orendi/moc_logo_lg13.png[/img][/center]

This is the second installment of the Culture Review, written by me, Wintreath’s Jarl of Culture. I’ll be talking briefly about some events going on in the cultural areas of the forums, such as Ministry news, monthly contests, and forum games.

[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4501][b]Wintreath’s Finest[/b][/url] is the name for Wintreath’s citizen of the month. Nominations are for those who stood out as contributing or showing dedication to the region or having been extra active, caused activity, or been a good influence on others. The winner of June 2017’s Wintreath’s Finest was [b]BraveSirRobin[/b], who was nominated for his efforts to starting up more roleplays in the region. He has taken the helm at revitalizing Wintreath’s most popular character RP, the Star Trek-influenced [url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=2970]Wintreath Space Expeditions[/url], by starting up talks for [url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4468]The Next Generation[/url], which already has [url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4541]applications[/url] up and running. On top of Space Expeditions, BraveSirRobin has also taken the lead in trying to start up a new [url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4417]nation roleplay[/url] that will take place in a post-WW2/Cold War era alternate universe. BraveSirRobin was technically the only nominee, but as Jarl of Culture, I made no other nominations as I thought his win was well-deserved.

[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4500][b]The Avatar Theme of the Month[/b][/url] is the theme that several forum users will adopt into their avatars for the month, whether that means using pictures or memes that have to do with the theme or Photoshopping the theme into their usual avatars. Nominations are typically related to current world affairs, historical dates, holidays, or happenings in Wintreath. The winner of July 2017’s Avatar Theme of the Month was a tie between [b]‘MURICA[/b] and [b]Canada 150[/b] as both the USA and Canada have their national day in July. With the large number of Canadians and Canada-sympathizers in Wintreath, it was no surprise that it ended in a tie, and the rivalry between the two countries ensured that there would be no other nominations to spoil the contest for one side or the other. One proud Canadian-Wintrean, Crushita, even went so far as to turn his national anthem into a case why one should vote for Canada:

Oh Canada!
The World Does Not Hate Us!
Adi-ition-ly,
We don't have Donald Trump!
Tous les érables poussent là où les França-a-is sont
Nous devons les apaiser, nous aider s'il vous plaît
Spud keep our land
Glorious and free!
Oh Canada!
We-e vote for thee!
Oh Canada
We-e vote for thee!

[url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=2916][b]The Monarch’s Game Bag[/b][/url] is a list of over 150 spare Steam keys that Wintermoot and other citizens have donated to the region over the years. It now serves as a reward for those citizens who perform necessary civil service duties for the region, such as recruiting and writing articles for the Orendi, as well as those who go above and beyond to be elected to win Wintreath’s Finest. This month, games were given out to two such citizens: [b]Justinian Ezkantion[/b] chose Dragon Age: Origins for winning Wintreath’s Finest of May 2017 and writing two articles for the Orendi, and [b]Gattoartico[/b] chose Purgatory for also writing two articles. We hope more citizens continue to follow their example and help out Wintreath to earn more free games!
[/spoiler]
[spoiler=This Month in RP-Gerrick]
[center][b]Interview with Ashton Mercer on his new RP, Empowered[/b]

[img]http://i64.tinypic.com/33acn51.jpg[/img][/center]

Ashton Mercer, one of several former Ainurian refugees who moved to Wintreath last year, has been an active roleplayer ever since he became a Wintrean citizen. Last fall, he created and hosted a superhero RP called [url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=3909]Super[/url]. Now he has started up a new, rebooted version called [url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4519]Empowered[/url]. As Jarl of Culture and a member of the RP Guild, I sat down with Ashton for an interview.

[b][i]Can you give a short introduction of yourself and your interest in roleplaying?[/i][/b]
So, as most ex-Ainurians might know, I've been around the NS RP scene for a while. About five years, actually. Ever since I re-discovered Nationstates in 2012, I've discovered my enjoyment in crafting stories and characters. I've spent time in Albion, as well as other smaller regions, but my homeland and main haunt was Ainur. I did many RPs here and there, whether centered around a nation or a character, and near the end I was often leading them. About a year ago however, things began to fall apart, and people were looking to find somewhere else in NS to be. A lot of Ainurians left to join Wintreath, and I followed them here. The rest is good history.

[b][i]Can you give a summary of the setting of the Empowered RP?[/i][/b]
The Empowered RP is set in a universe that is (pretty much kinda) exactly like ours, except that a certain segment of the population have fantastic supernatural powers, like the heroes and villains you would see in the comic books. It's a fairly easy setting to wrap your head around, yet it has the detail and potential for exploration that very complex settings do. It strikes that perfect balance that makes it such a perfect world to enjoy and be a part of.

[b][i]What is your role as Lore Master (the Wintrean title for Game Master) in the RP?[/i][/b]
The way I see it, when I am directing an RP that I don't have a main character in, I'm basically supposed to be a very lazy shepherd. Point everyone in a direction that I think is fun, and let them work it out from there. Right now, I'm closely guiding the only main storyline so that we can work out the OOC/IC kinks without jumping through pan-dimensional hoops, but I'm hoping that more unique threads and separate stories will spring up once Innocence Lost has run it's course.

[b][i]You've come up with a unique idea to Wintreath where there will be separate threads for each story-line. Where did you get the idea, and how do you see it playing out?[/i][/b]
To be perfectly honest, the idea for the storyline threads wasn't mine. It was proposed to me by Doc in a private conversation, who himself was inspired by the typical way that comic books are structured: different issues for different stories, but with the capability to keep characters and story arcs intact. We came to the conclusion that an RP structured like this might be able to provide everyone with an ability to have heir own storylines without the clutter and story fatigue that comes with keeping everyone on a single thread, as is standard for most RPs. Also, it made more sense for Empowered in particular, since the setting is so open-ended than, say, Wintreath Space Expeditions, which has a focus on one ship on one mission. I think everyone will like the results.

[b][i]Who are some of the current Empowered characters in the RP?[/i][/b]
We have a good variety of characters so far: a constantly drunken pyromaniac, a antihero version of Thor with terroristic tendencies, a level-headed circus girl who can materialize mirror-like barriers from thin air, an archaeologist with some ancient aliens technology, and many more. The center of this latest story is a missing kid named Andrew, who has a tragic backstory, intense powers of speed and strength, and some mysterious and potentially deadly connections. If you want to see more or want more details, definitely check the threads out. The character apps and the story are both worth reads.

[b][i]Finally, what direction do you think the story of the current issue, [url=http://wintreath.com/forums/index.php?topic=4521]"Innocence Lost"[/url], will go? What should we expect?[/i][/b]
While I know pretty well what I am doing to the story right now, I have no idea at all how Innocence Lost will end up, which makes all of this very exciting. Of course, I have some ideas about the various potential endings and how the NPCs I direct will handle it, but it all really depends on the player characters' actions and how they effect themselves and the rest of the acting parties in this story. A few players have actually thought of an ending that I hadn't considered at all and their characters are already going after it, which is awesome, and I'm looking forward to see what they will do at the climax of this chapter. I definitely will try not to spoil anything and there are still a lot of uncertainties that haven't been played out yet in the story thread. However, I will say this: barring a total disaster, this won't be the last time we see Andrew or the FBI Agent McGrath.

[b][i]Is there anything else you'd like to add?[/i][/b]
Thank you for your time, and if any of this sounds interesting to you, definitely take a look at us and consider signing up!
[/spoiler]
[spoiler=News in Briefs-Justinian Ezkantion-Telcontar]
[center][size=3][b]News in Briefs[/b][/size]

[img]http://wintreath.com/graphics/orendi/briefs.jpg[/img]
[i]Honestly, we really are too lazy to find another image. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯[/i][/center][list]
[*]An all out brawl occured this month of the RMB where amateur RP enthusiasts of all varieties denounced one nation's decision to claim all of the Middle East.
[*]The position of Thane of Information was abolished, replaced with a court scribe whose sole function is to make this newspaper in a timely manner (EDITOR'S NOTE: It's totally the diplomat's fault. Nope, definitely not me playing old BioWare games and crying at what EA has done to it. No siree)
[*]AMAs have exploded in popularity on the forums for...some reason.
[/list]
[/spoiler]
[hr]
[center][b]Thanks for reading![/b][/center]
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Crushita on August 05, 2017, 05:48:46 PM
Posted in NUK. Once I figure out how spoiler tags work on ProBoards i'll post it on 10KI
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: taulover on August 05, 2017, 06:05:29 PM
Posted in Balder and INWU.

@Wintermoot what is Nowhere and how did they become a protectorate of Wintreath?
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: BraveSirRobin on August 06, 2017, 09:28:20 PM
Posted Europeia and North Pacific :D
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Wintermoot on August 07, 2017, 03:23:54 AM
Thanks guys...looks like we just have @Emoticonius and @Crushita (in XKI) needing to post. :)

Just so you know, from what I've seen so far there was some interest in the RP article in United Kingdom, and the delegate of The West Pacific liked the classic picture we're using with News In Briefs. :P
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: taulover on August 07, 2017, 06:32:15 AM
@Wintermoot what is Nowhere and how did they become a protectorate of Wintreath?
Bump

(Asked this last month too, didn't receive an answer... :()
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Wintermoot on August 08, 2017, 04:11:49 AM
Sorry, I thought I had answered this before...

Nowhere was originally Charax's region, and when he was no longer allowed to be on NS we secured the region and refounded it with his blessing. The original arrangement was that we would hold it for him and give it back when he was able to return, but then he never really did. It's been over three years now, but obviously he's moved on so we're still holding it.
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Wintermoot on August 08, 2017, 06:51:06 AM
Almonaster from the region Canada modified our News in Briefs graphic to include *transparent bits*. ^-^ This is seriously awesome, and I'll upload it to the site for our next release. :)

(https://wintreath.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F2zQh2Bo.png&hash=968f5751d60f2af79a16bd1f58bf3f4a)
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: Mathyland on August 19, 2017, 05:13:13 PM
Posted in Osiris.
Title: Orendi XII
Post by: taulover on August 20, 2017, 06:04:25 PM
Posted in the Versutian Federation.