View Topic

The Monarch's Eighth Ice Cream Social

Greetings to everyone running for Underhusen, those watching them, and those considering voting for them! I originally started this event because nobody else had done anything similar in a long time, but with so many people running both old and new, the opportunity for candidates to answer some basic questions is particularly important. Who wouldn’t want to come to the Castle and enjoy some delicious ice cream, anyways? :D

If you’re a candidate, this is an opportunity to talk about yourself, your ideas, and your opinion on the issues, as well as to explain why you’re running and why someone should vote for you, all the while having unlimited amounts of ice cream! So let’s get started.


1. First, introduce yourself, especially to voters that may not be familiar with you. Why are you running for Underhusen?

2. Are you currently involved with any other regions? If so, how so?

3. What's your favourite memory of Wintreath so far?

4. What part of the region are you most involved in at the moment?

5. What one person from Wintreath's past or present would you most consider a role model for yourself, and why?

6. In your opinion, what role does the Storting play in the region overall?

7. What do you believe you bring to the table as a potential member of the next Underhusen?

8. What do you believe is our region's biggest strength at the moment, and how would you capitalize on it?

9. What do you believe is our region's biggest weakness at the moment, and how would you fix it if you could?

10. What does Wintreath as a region and as a community mean to you?

11. If you could change one thing about Wintreath, what would it be?

12. Once again a major topic of discussion last term was reforming the Underhusen, particularly by making it into an open assembly. This has been a recurring debate for a few years now, and it seems to me that there’s always just enough support to keep the discussion going, but not quite enough support to actually pass anything. What is your stance on this topic, and how will you go about gaining the support needed to reach that stance?

13. In just a few months, we’ve gone from a community near collapse to one that in many ways is larger and more successful than ever before. However, this has not come without its share of growing pains...do you feel Wintreath is coping well with success? If not, how do you feel we could improve just in general as a community?

14. There was recently a brief background discussion on the role of Citizenship, the Storting, and regional government as a whole in a modern Wintreath that is now quickly growing in areas beyond the NationStates cradle it was born in. In your opinion, how can the Storting remain relevant when so much of the community has grown to be outside its jurisdiction?

15. This isn’t exactly related to the UH, but it’s an issue that I’m curious for your opinion on. What is your opinion of Wintreath as a community right now? For those who have been here some time, do you feel like it’s improved over the years or not? We promote ourselves as an open, personal, accepting community of friends...do you feel like we’re living up to it?

16. Are there any other issues in the region you feel that the candidates running for election should address?

17. Finally, what is your favourite flavour of ice cream? :)

18. Oh yeah, we have a toppings bar now. What's your favourite ice cream topping? :)

1. I'm Doc; at present, among other things, I'm a sitting member of the 39th Underhusen.
I'm also incredibly handsome (and modest, but I never talk about that).
I'm running for the Underhusen, as I ever do, on the platform of burning said corrupt institution down.

2. At present, I have a nation sitting in Ainur and another in Almaren, but let's be honest, the dream of an Ainurian Restoration hasn't been relevant in three years. For all intents and purposes, my only nation is in Wintreath.

3. Finally surviving a game of Werewolf, earlier this year in Werewolf XXI. All previous Werewolves were also a great time, but finally being alive at the end - ugh, no better feeling.

4. I try and divvy up my attention between the RMB, Forums, and Discord, but honestly it's primarily Discord.

5. Speaking jokingly, trader, because he's been made a Prince of the Royal Family, and by god I want that badge.
Speaking seriously, also trader, because he deserves it; he's deeply involved in the Minecraft server, an active member of the Overhusen, and an Op.

6. It's simultaneously a group of people LARPing as Parliamentarians, and the equivalent of an internship to see if you'd be a good fit for the Cabinet at a later stage. While I'm not interested in the former and I've already passed muster for the latter, I believe the most effective way to destroy this institution to replace it with a better one is from within, which is why I'm still running for office.

7. I wrote or made substantive edits to all of the legislation passed in the 39th Underhusen. Of the three acts, only the RRCA was profoundly significant, since the AVA was merely a QOL improvement to the legislative process, and the other was a Seating Act. Evidently a prescient one, considering that there's more people running in this election than we've ever had before, but still, in the end, just a seating act.

8. Our population has exploded, our RMB and Discord are more active than they've ever been before, and we've never had an infusion of this much fresh blood into either the community or putatively into the Storting - this is our opportunity to really build up the community's size, clout, and leadership base for the future. But that's largely an Integration issue - the best the UH can do is 'be larger', which it's already done to the maximum extent allowable under the present law. Which is why I continue to reiterate we must replace it with an alternative.

9. RP is in the doldrums, despite being something obviously profoundly desirable to almost everyone in the region. Unfortunately, even if the UH was a functional institution, it would have no jurisdiction to take action.

10. I spend like, 2 hours a day on the Discord. We argue, we disagree, sometimes we fight, but we joke, we laugh, we rejoice in each others' successes and commiserate with each others' failures. We teach each other, we open each others' eyes to new experiences and horizons, we play games and share stories and help each other become better people.
It means a lot to me, for all that I joke around, pull stupid shenanigans and feed into dumb in-jokes.

11. I would, obviously, burn down the Underhusen. Come on. Nobody was expecting a different answer here.

12. My stance on the matter is crystal clear, and unfortunately for my political opponents, I'm not going to share my continued strategies for stoking the fires of...uh...arson, I guess.

13. I think we're doing solid, but we do need to constantly be on the search for ways to get new people Involved - not just in terms of the community, but feeling like they're shaping its direction and its future going forward. I think one part of this is achievable through the Open Assembly, but another part of this may need to be an expansion of both the Cabinet and the Ops as the 'executive' sort of component of our regional governance structure.

14. Can't. That's why we burn it down and replace it with something else.

15. I think we're doing well, but one of the areas I'm concerned about is that I feel as if, after the Reconciliation, there's a good number of people who still feel like the moment an argument is brewing that it should be nipped in the bud as swiftly as possible in order to prevent a reoccurrence. I feel differently - that it was bottling up disagreements and letting them ferment into resentments that caused our problems the first time round, and one of the best ways in my view to resolve these is sometimes to just let everyone scream at each other. This happens, sure, but almost invariably in what was once Politics and is now Great Debates, and while it's good that there is such a place, the arguments that invariably wind up there are sort of self-selecting, since there aren't the 'moderate' voices.
There's no obvious solution to this, since some people just don't want confrontation in a community they go to to relax or calm down, but I worry that that tendency may metastasize into a desire to bury one's head in the sand and walk on eggshells instead of resolving the simmering resentments under the surface. It's a tough thing to resolve.

16. My legislative agenda for the term is Paragonhoods. There's a lot that are long overdue, and I think that the return of some Paragons to active life in the community is the greatest single signal that the 'old model' of Paragonhood, that it be an honor reserved for those who have left, is as obsolete as the Underhusen itself.

17. You got it, I'll eat it. But I prefer turtle tracks (or equivalent).

18. Caramel!

1. I'm Charax and I recently came back to NS after a pretty long hiatus. I was involved at the very beginning of Wintreath and I was the first Jarl of Foreign Affairs.

2. I'm a citizen of Balder, one of the three sinker regions, where I am the Mayor of Ribe and Minister of World Assembly Affairs.

3. The Constitutional Convention of 2013 is one of my favourite NS memories, there was so much enthusiasm from all of us and we ended up with an incredible community in the long term.

4. I'm mostly a casual Discord participant, and occasionally heckler from the Citizens' Platform.

5. Moot — we got into the game at around the same time in Spiritus, and he's been able to create a thriving community that's been around for seven years and is still going strong.

6. I think the role of the Storting isn't too clear right now, which is one of the big challenges we have to face. If we're still going to have a functional legislature it should have a clear remit, and I wonder if the way forward is devolving some NS gameplay responsibilities to the legislature. But that's a germinal idea, I don't have any concrete prescriptions yet.

7. I have a lot of legislative experience in NS, in many regions across many years, and in Wintreath specifically I contributed to our Fundamental Laws before they were codified.

8. With the most candidates ever for a Storting election and a rising population it's clear that momentum is on our side. We should clarify the remits of our institutions to better understand what the Storting is responsible for, which will make engaging with it a more appealing prospect for our membership.

9. I know this isn't the dominant sentiment in Wintreath but as someone who really does enjoy NSGP, I feel like there's not a whole we have to offer on that front. Ogunbiyi has expressed an interest in reviving the military, which might be a step in the right direction there.

10. Between the forums and the IRC I probably lurk Wintreath upwards of 10 times on your average day. I've known some of you since forever ago, most I've met more recently, but I've never been a part of an online community which has been so meaningfully a part of my life as this one.

11. Dark mode

12. The issues facing the Storting right now are lacklustre integration of new citizens and a lack of clarity on the roles of our various institutions. Both of these can be fixed, and I believe are better fixed, without abandoning the idea of an elected assembly.

13. I think things are going well on that front by and large, though we should be vigilant to ensure it stays that way of course.

14. I sort of alluded to this above, but perhaps the Storting could take on a more direct role in the NS side of things, acting as a sort of Presidium. But this is a long-term discussion which will likely run beyond the 40th Underhusen.

15. Well, although I wasn't here for the events in question so I may be missing out subtext which is obvious to others.

16. My main focus is the constitutional issue, but I'm looking forward to addressing the issues raised by other candidates.

17. Cornish! It's a thick yellowy vanilla that comes from Cornwall in SW England.

18. N/A. Toppings would distract from the lovely Cornish.

1. I'm Hapi and I'm trying to reform the regional legislature to give it a chance to stand on its own and thrive

2. Nope

3. Werewolf even though I died 

4. Discord and the forums

5. Pengu he's just airways so informative and kind and thoughtful everything I'm not but want to be.

6. I don't think anyone knows which is why it must be reformed.

7. Well I think the last UH got a lot done I was a part of that and I began some pretty serious and important sustains that should extend into the next term. I also helped to gently nudge the UH towards activity again when we were floundering. Though admittedly it was mostly Doc.

8. Community. Everyone here is accepting welcoming and forgiving when you mess up. Not really sure how this can be useful to a UH but its nice.

9. Integration. And I will fix it when you the purple elect me Thane of Integration 

10. Friendship and acceptance

11. Seriously I just wish sometimes more voices were heard outside the wintrean veterans of yore. I feel sometimes your ignored if your not one of the old guard.

12. My stance is that the UH needs some form of reform and than it must be given a chance to thrive or fail and if it fails Doc wins. 🔥I think that reform weather it be an open assembly a roleplay legislature a reorganization of the current model. A reform of cit plat whatever it is needs to be an attempt to increase interest and participation and if it fails than this body of government largely isn't necessary.

13. Integration needs reform but other than that I think we are alright.

14. Reform.

15. Wintreath is a family to me I think your succeeding.

16. Not really

17. Cookie Dough

18. Still cookie dough?

1. Hi, I'm Katie! I'm currently your World Assembly delegate, but in the past I've been Jarl of Foreign Affairs, Thane of Integration, Thane of Embassies and, most importantly, Skrifa in the Underhusen for 8 terms (29th thru 35th, and 37th). For 7 of those terms I served as the Officer of Information, writing regular updates for the populace regarding Underhusen activities and happenings.

2. Currently, I am not involved with any other regions. Wintreath is my one and only.

3. My favorite memory of Wintreath so far is uh... well now I guess. In my opinion we're experiencing a new Golden Age of Wintreath, and many of my best memories here have happened since Feburary of this year. From before that, the good memories seem to blend together. There's Summersend of last year, and my time as Thane of Embassies when I revitalized the ambassador program. Lots of good memories that are hard to choose from.

4. Currently I'm most involved with the RMB as WA Delegate and, as always, our Minecraft server where I'm building a huge sugarcane farm.

5. Well I could say what I've said in the past, but this time I'm going to say Doc. Doc has influenced my opinions on many topics (real life politics, in-game politics, etc.) and is generally a good person. I've always been inspired by how fun of a person he is to have in the community.

6. In my opinion, the Storting plays very little if any role in the region at the moment. Every term I've had in the Underhusen I've been trying to think of ways to make it better, and with this new pro-Open Assembly movement going on I feel like we might finally be in the mood to try new things and experiment.

7. My experience, I suppose, and my exposure to various aspects of the region.

8. Our biggest strength right now is our growing community. If we want to grow from here, we need to take as much advantage as we can, and I feel like we've actually been doing a decent job at it since the Durnil surge.

9. Our biggest weakness is lack of communication. Even little things like "I don't want to hurt this person's feelings" are getting in the way of honesty and proper communication, but also some events or information aren't properly advertised, or some decision is made that was pushed to the footnotes. This needs to get better, I think.

10. Wintreath to me means a place where we can be safe, where we can get a second chance. When I arrived here I did so to escape the constant reminders about my NS past that I received in larger regions. It was so refreshing and as a result I've been more successful and feel more at-home here than in any other region.

11. The Storting. As I said we need to try something new, and although the open assembly model may not be the answer, the current system also isn't the answer.

12. Well, that is true. There hasn't been serious Storting reform movement since the last ConCon, and we all know how that went. What I think we need to do is form a coalition that can spread its word through the masses and get the things done and answer the questions it needs to. For example: we need a centralized place to discuss storting reform. Not a forum thread or discord channel, but a legitimate central place. We need like a google doc or something. Additionally, we need to figure out what the opposition doesn't like about it, change the concepts where we can, and simply accept that there will be concepts we can't change.

13. I think Wintreath is doing immensely well with the new growth, and sure I've seen a couple people have to shift around their priorities as a result (myself included), but it's all been good. The only itching fear I have in the back of my mind is that when the Durnil surge inevitably collapses we won't be able to retain any more than we had before it.

Though, I do disagree with the sentiment that we were nearly collapsing before the video came out. We were already entering this golden age before the video because of the Reconciliation, which was a huge paradigm shift for how everyone in government and operation approaches a multitude of situations.

14. I've discussed this already, but as for relevance I think the Storting and government as a whole should (and I believe I've said this before) have a bigger presence on the gameside. We've always distinguished ourselves, sometimes pridefully, from the "bumbling masses" or whatever of non-citizens, and I've never liked that sentiment even if it's not intentional. I'm doing my part to fix that by being especially involved on the gameside as WA Delegate, but for one person that's alot. Perhaps the Storting itself can't do much due to its very design, but the government as a whole definitely needs to step up their RMB involvement.

15. The Wintreath community has neither improved nor devolved. It changes dynamically, and sure sometimes there are people that come and go that bother us or have a personality we don't like, but there are always the core members of this community that define what it is, and I don't think anything can take that from us.

16. Nope, I was too lazy to think of an answer for this one

17. Vanilla!

18. Rainbow Sprinkles!

1. Greetings All. I'm Ogunbiyi6422, I'm your vice-delegate of Wintreath serving with our great delegate Katie, an ambassador and a former member of the Underhusen for the 37th and 38th terms, and I am running for the Underhusen to be a meaningful part of the great changes undergoing the institution and implementing meaningful changes but still maintaining the Underhusen. I have not been swayed to burn it down yet.

2. No, I'm only loyal to Wintreath.

3. I have many great memories in this region, I guess one of my favorites was my first CAH game on Discord, which I plan on attending today!

4. I jump around from time to time, but I'm most active in our forums on NS, WA, and on the many parts of our discord.

5. Katie has really been a great role model especially since she was one of the first people I felt comfortable talking to and she ultimately encouraged me to run for my first position in Wintreath.

6. The Storting serves as not only a government institution closest to the people, it also serves as the base for many people with prospective careers in Wintrean government. 

7. I intend to bring a little experience and many ideas and reforms in addition, but also much more space to grow and learn and encourage new members to run and join the UH.

8. Our ability to bring people with a wide area of talents and interests, and like I will mention 20 times in this social  , we need to bring in new people.

9. I believe we may need consistency in Wintreath and a way to bring more of our new members to actively participate, because UH does a great job at that, but there are only 5 positions. However, I am still skeptical on the idea of an Open assembly.

10. A place of inclusiveness and a great variety of people and activities to do.

11. Nothing, its great

12. I definitely understand why people would want an OA, and this was increasingly important in the days when the activity in UH was at an all time low, and as I said before, it would be a great idea for increased citizen participation, I just don't like the idea of tearing down a structure that has kept Wintreath stable for over 5 years and I prefer reforming something instead of tearing it down to the ground, because there is no guarantee that the new thing that rises from the ashes will be good or functional. I think more debate and discussion is needed and also other ideas. This is a big decision and we need to understand all sides of the debate.

13. I'm happy this was a question, I mentioned part of this in my campaign, it is quite amazing that our region that was successful but participation was so weak rose in a matter of months nearly doubling its size and an election that has to be the most competitive in the 3 years I have been here. This was because of all our great government officials, and we have been doing well in making Wintreath grow to accommodate all, but I still think we need to be more inclusive of newer members of Wintreath and create initiatives to achieve this.

14. Like all real life institutions, the Storting must remain relevant by adapting to the changes of Wintreath and bringing in more people, which will cause people to HAVE to notice the Storting and creating initiatives that will encourage people to know that change is easy to make and maybe even encourage people to try to be part of that change. I believe that citizenship is great how it is, but maybe people want more attached to it.

15. I definitely believe that Wintreath is living up to its claim, we are prided around NS as a very inclusive region despite our size and I have not seen that change from the 3 years I have been in Wintreath. Though I was not that active from 2017-2018, I always noticed Wintreath's inclusiveness and their oppeness.

16. N/A

17. chocolate-strawberry

18. chocolate chips.

1. First, introduce yourself, especially to voters that may not be familiar with you. Why are you running for Underhusen?

Hello everyone, for those who may not know me, I'm Pengu.  In all of my terms in the UH, I've always had one goal: To represent the voice of those that voted for us in office.  Any decisions I've made have always been with the interests of the region as a whole in mind, and is normally guided based on what the majority of people are wanting despite what my personal interests may be.  I'm running for Underhusen again to continue being that representation, that voice in your corner when you need it.  There's still many ways we could go with improving the nation, and I hope to explore those in another session.

2. Are you currently involved with any other regions? If so, how so?

I'm currently involved in Thalassia as their Deputy Minister of Information.  What that means is that I help oversee their regional newspaper known as The Wave, helping make sure articles are being submitted and that deadlines are being made while also submitting articles of my own.

3. What's your favourite memory of Wintreath so far?

My favorites are usually when we're all engrossed in a game like Spyfall or a friendly game of Werewolf, when we're both competing and bonding at the same time.  I'd also say things like CAH are great fun, so that's usually another favorite area of mine that I usually look back on fondly.

4. What part of the region are you most involved in at the moment?

Discord and the forums, usually in some cultural aspect such as Werewolf, Spyfall, or something similar.  Currently I'm working on bringing back an old game that hasn't been played for roughly a year or so now.

5. What one person from Wintreath's past or present would you most consider a role model for yourself, and why?

In all honesty, there's a few people that I admire and I couldn't say just one.   Laurentus and Katie are both very driven individuals for one, and aren't afraid to speak up for things that they believe in.  Likewise, people like Hapi and Weiss amaze me with some of the ideas and/or their energy to make those ideas a reality and try to push for actual change in the region.  And of course you have people like Wintermoot who are absolutely tireless in their patience against hardships that come their way and are driven in their commitment to see the region succeed.  And that's only a few of the people, as others like Doc, Ruguo, Gerrick, Arenado, and many others have done admirable things or overall have just been such with how they are as people in general.

6. In your opinion, what role does the Storting play in the region overall?

It's something that people can be a part of and help decide the direction of the region, even in smaller amounts since the bills we go through aren't monumental outside of government structural changes at the biggest so far.  I think the Storting does has some potential to be better that hasn't been tapped into, but I also think that's due in part to people not being able to actually agree on what it does.

7. What do you believe you bring to the table as a potential member of the next Underhusen?

As always, a level head and devil's advocate attitude to where I can understand both sides of a debate.  A listening ear for people outside of the UH that want the UH to listen to them and their concerns, and to listen to it without judging it.  An open mind to new ideas and changes that, while I may personally not be 100% for them, I'll still agree with them if it's what a majority of people are wanting.

8. What do you believe is our region's biggest strength at the moment, and how would you capitalize on it?

I think our open and accepting nature is our biggest strength, and I think continuing to have festivals and events to emphasize it is the way to go.  I also agree that one of our recent strengths is our growing community, and I also think the events and games we have is already a great way to capitalize on that and continue the trend.

9. What do you believe is our region's biggest weakness at the moment, and how would you fix it if you could?

I mentioned this to some people, but I think our biggest weakness is our inability to really trust each other.  Like, we'll say "Yeah, I trust you." But deep down it's not entirely meant.  I've seen people blow up at others when they felt like the person was attacking them personally, even if the person didn't mean it.  While they're definitely things that happen in the heat of a moment from debates, it still very much magnifies a much larger issue in the long run, which is that lack of actual trust.  While I think it'd be a really difficult one to fix, if I could I'd want to find ways to strengthen that trust that we have of each other...really build on the fact that we are friends here and don't mean any ill will or harm towards each other.  Maybe try to establish more of an "agree to disagree" attitude towards topics that people might not agree on since in the end, we're not out to get each other and we have to be able to overcome feeling like that when we don't agree on something if we really want to be better.

But I personally don't know of any concrete way to fix that, since that's a pretty monumental problem that can't be fixed incredibly easy.

10. What does Wintreath as a region and as a community mean to you?

Wintreath is a place where people can get away and be more of themselves without fear, or at least that's what it means to me on most days.  A place where all opinions are welcomed outside of ones that incite hatred/violence, and it doesn't feel like one opinion gets shut out while the other becomes an echo chamber and people can resolve their differences peacefully because we're all friends and care about each other.  That's at least what I want it to mean.

11. If you could change one thing about Wintreath, what would it be?
Read #9  I think it affects a huge majority of everything in the region, and is definitely something I would want to change.

12. Once again a major topic of discussion last term was reforming the Underhusen, particularly by making it into an open assembly. This has been a recurring debate for a few years now, and it seems to me that there’s always just enough support to keep the discussion going, but not quite enough support to actually pass anything. What is your stance on this topic, and how will you go about gaining the support needed to reach that stance?

I think that eventually we need to come to a decision on this rather than continuing it constantly.  We either need to perfect the OA system and experiment with it, perfect any confusion with the UH by making some guides and making it more clearcut on what it does, or finding some happy medium between the two and maybe open up the UH a bit more but not completely, or something of the like.  The more we continue just talking and disagreeing and letting it continue, the more it's just going to be unresolved and a continuous focal point of discussion with no results.

As I mentioned, I want to start actually polling people outside of just asking for people's opinions in the topic.  Maybe PM people that may be on the fence and get some input.  If we run into the same problem as the Constitutional Convention because we have quiet people voting against it, then I want to get to the root of the matter and find out why and go from there.

13. In just a few months, we’ve gone from a community near collapse to one that in many ways is larger and more successful than ever before. However, this has not come without its share of growing pains...do you feel Wintreath is coping well with success? If not, how do you feel we could improve just in general as a community?

I think we're getting there, but we're also having issues.  The recent Werewolf showed that we still have issues with big games with tourists from areas with different ways of playing.  Recent debates and events have shown that as a community we're still pretty divided even amongst each others to an almost slightly toxic degree to where nobody wins because everyone is mad.  Again, I think this just goes to the overall lack of actual trust that we have of each other that we need to find ways to work on if we really want to move on as a region and actually be better as opposed to saying that we're better from it.

14. There was recently a brief background discussion on the role of Citizenship, the Storting, and regional government as a whole in a modern Wintreath that is now quickly growing in areas beyond the NationStates cradle it was born in. In your opinion, how can the Storting remain relevant when so much of the community has grown to be outside its jurisdiction?

If people want it, we can find ways to keep it relevant.  If they don't want it, then we need to do away with it and find a different direction.  But that's something that we as a community need to figure out: Whether we want to be tethered to NS or become much more of own own thing (but then that also brings parts of the Riksard in question if we do that), and whether or not we want to keep, alter, or altogether dispose of the Storting and find some alternative route.

15. This isn’t exactly related to the UH, but it’s an issue that I’m curious for your opinion on. What is your opinion of Wintreath as a community right now? For those who have been here some time, do you feel like it’s improved over the years or not? We promote ourselves as an open, personal, accepting community of friends...do you feel like we’re living up to it?

I think we're on a rollercoaster to where some ways we've improved since I first joined, and some ways we've gotten worse.

Let me elaborate:  On the upside, I do feel like overall conversations in the casual sense have been still mostly positive, and I think from a cultural side we've improved immensely to where our games have been for the most part a hit.

However, there's a flipside.  On that flipside, we've started heading the path of being intolerant of opposing viewpoints, which is most apparent in places such as the Great Debates channel in Discord.  I've seen arguments go south the moment someone feels like their opinion is being attacked, and it's almost becoming an echo chamber of one opinion decimating the other without giving it much of a chance to be explained.  I've seen jokes gone wrong because they get blown out of proportion and turned into something else completely, I've seen arguments dissolve almost completely to the point of "You're stupid and I'm right!" to where they've had to have constant OP intervention, and overall I'm not really comfortable with the direction that the region is going in that aspect.  Wintreath is a place of different opinions, and the idea of the shutting down of people's opinions that I see on occasion is actually at a far worse level than when I first joined.  Things that were once allowed or joking are now becoming more taboo, and that actually worries me.

16. Are there any other issues in the region you feel that the candidates running for election should address?

I think the RMB and Discord are usually topics to talk about since they get lost in the shuffle of things since the UH likes to focus on more forum-regional affairs despite both areas still being considered part of the region.  Outside of that, I think all the issues are currently being addressed.

17. Finally, what is your favourite flavour of ice cream?

Rainbow Sherbet!

18. Oh yeah, we have a toppings bar now. What's your favourite ice cream topping?
Gummi Bears!

The Monarch's Eighth Ice Cream Social

Greetings to everyone running for Underhusen, those watching them, and those considering voting for them! I originally started this event because nobody else had done anything similar in a long time, but with so many people running both old and new, the opportunity for candidates to answer some basic questions is particularly important. Who wouldn’t want to come to the Castle and enjoy some delicious ice cream, anyways?

If you’re a candidate, this is an opportunity to talk about yourself, your ideas, and your opinion on the issues, as well as to explain why you’re running and why someone should vote for you, all the while having unlimited amounts of ice cream! So let’s get started.


1. First, introduce yourself, especially to voters that may not be familiar with you. Why are you running for Underhusen?
Hello, i am anthony, a fellow citizen who joined toward the end of the middle ages of wintreath back in 2017 i think. But the reason i am running for UH is Because this sounded like a chance to finally exist in the government of this region. I love it here.
2. Are you currently involved with any other regions? If so, how so?
Nope. Im 100% wintrean. Im pure bread 
3. What's your favourite memory of Wintreath so far?
Idk. I have a lot of them. Icd have to say ZDAY 2018
4. What part of the region are you most involved in at the moment?
The discord server which i am very active on. Im also active on the forums since the elections started and which i hope to be later on.
5. What one person from Wintreath's past or present would you most consider a role model for yourself, and why?
Katie because she got so much done so quickly. I cant go into detail cuz at this point i dont know very much about the government yet.
6. In your opinion, what role does the Storting play in the region overall?
They just exist.
7. What do you believe you bring to the table as a potential member of the next Underhusen?
I feel like someone who is underestimated by some people and im here to prove that you dont have to be extremely smart or rich or above 18 years old to be important within the community. You just need to be good at what you do.
8. What do you believe is our region's biggest strength at the moment, and how would you capitalize on it?
I think its how every piece of the puzzle fits in its own way and how everything within the piece holds it together.
9. What do you believe is our region's biggest weakness at the moment, and how would you fix it if you could?
The operators. With the amount of power given to people at absolute random moments with the ability to delete the server at any given moment if they decide to. All thats really needed imo is to lower the amount of operators from 8 to 4 or 5 and nerf their abilities. And mabye make elections for them instead of being picked by the monarch exclusively.
10. What does Wintreath as a region and as a community mean to you?
It means everything to me. I want to do everything i can do improve it in any way. Ive said it before and i lilely will say it again. "I will do everything i can do".
11. If you could change one thing about Wintreath, what would it be?
Giving operators a small nerf.
12. Once again a major topic of discussion last term was reforming the Underhusen, particularly by making it into an open assembly. This has been a recurring debate for a few years now, and it seems to me that there’s always just enough support to keep the discussion going, but not quite enough support to actually pass anything. What is your stance on this topic, and how will you go about gaining the support needed to reach that stance?
I feel like when it comes to passing laws and such, it should stay within the government because that just allows people to vote even if they are clueless about what any of this is. Its like putting a blindfold on someone and telling them to hit one of 2 piñatas. They dont know the outcome and the events that might follow.
13. In just a few months, we’ve gone from a community near collapse to one that in many ways is larger and more successful than ever before. However, this has not come without its share of growing pains...do you feel Wintreath is coping well with success? If not, how do you feel we could improve just in general as a community?
I mean, drew durnil doing a NS video doubled our population and thats something thats never happened before in the history of wintreath. Who knows what will happen. But overall i think wintreath is doing a fair job at holding itself together.
14. There was recently a brief background discussion on the role of Citizenship, the Storting, and regional government as a whole in a modern Wintreath that is now quickly growing in areas beyond the NationStates cradle it was born in. In your opinion, how can the Storting remain relevant when so much of the community has grown to be outside its jurisdiction?
First, what is the storting. I feel it would be easier that for future members would be given an article giving people a basic understanding of the government in a factbook. I feel that would be easier. I cant answer that question bc i dont know what storting is.
15. This isn’t exactly related to the UH, but it’s an issue that I’m curious for your opinion on. What is your opinion of Wintreath as a community right now? For those who have been here some time, do you feel like it’s improved over the years or not? We promote ourselves as an open, personal, accepting community of friends...do you feel like we’re living up to it?
Mostly. But i dont think we have improved much. Weve just linda been the same as long as ive been here.
16. Are there any other issues in the region you feel that the candidates running for election should address?
Not that i know of.
17. Finally, what is your favourite flavour of ice cream?
Chocolate
18. Oh yeah, we have a toppings bar now. What's your favourite ice cream topping?

cherries 🍒 my answers are inside the quote.

7. What do you believe you bring to the table as a potential member of the next Underhusen?
I feel like someone who is underestimated by some people and im here to prove that you dont have to be extremely smart or rich or above 18 years old to be important within the community. You just need to be good at what you do.

FYI, many of us join Wintreath at a high school age or younger (Chanku, myself, Mathy, trader, Hydra, etc.) and do many things here, including UH. So there's a good history here.

6. In your opinion, what role does the Storting play in the region overall?
They just exist.

Simply put and well said.

1. First, introduce yourself, especially to voters that may not be familiar with you. Why are you running for Underhusen?

Hello everyone! I'm Crushita, the Potato Pope, and one of the regions longest serving legislators. I'm running this term to provide the experience I've gained both in Wintreath and other regions to the discussions going on about the future of the Underhusen and other hot button issues!
2. Are you currently involved with any other regions? If so, how so?

I am Deputy Prime Minister and a Member of Parliament in the Kingdom of Great Britain, and a citizen of The United Kingdom, the Kingdom of Canada, and Europeia.
3. What's your favourite memory of Wintreath so far?

Somehow managing to get a significant part of the region to worship the Holy Potato has been one of the greatest pleasures of my NS career.
4. What part of the region are you most involved in at the moment?

I most chat these days, and haven't held any government positions in a while.
5. What one person from Wintreath's past or present would you most consider a role model for yourself, and why?

Wintermoot, you're the beating heart of this region and I aspire to be so dedicated to something as you.
6. In your opinion, what role does the Storting play in the region overall?

The Storting plays the role that the people in the region want it to, which at the moment isn't much. We clamor to call it inactive, while simultaneously giving it little to do.
7. What do you believe you bring to the table as a potential member of the next Underhusen?

I have a long history of legislative experience both inside and outside of Wintreath, and I've had the fortune to be a member of this region for a long time, giving me a pretty good understanding of how its evolved over the years.
8. What do you believe is our region's biggest strength at the moment, and how would you capitalize on it?

Wintreath is large, its community is enthusiastic, and we are finally seeing an upward trend that for so long eluded us. We absolutely should do our best to continue that momentum!
9. What do you believe is our region's biggest weakness at the moment, and how would you fix it if you could?

The pitfall of getting bigger is losing what makes our community our community. Wintreath has undoubtedly morphed in ways we couldn't have imagined over the years, and we must do our best not to lose the sense of community we have.
10. What does Wintreath as a region and as a community mean to you?

Wintreath is special, there's no other region I know of where everyone is so close to each other, yet so welcoming of newcomers. Together we have overcome many adversities and come out stronger for it where other communities would have fallen apart. If I were sum it up in a phrase: Open arms and open minds.
11. If you could change one thing about Wintreath, what would it be?

I'm not sure, anything serious could have effects that I couldn't anticipate, so I'll leave it at making the Church of the Holy Potato the state religion
12. Once again a major topic of discussion last term was reforming the Underhusen, particularly by making it into an open assembly. This has been a recurring debate for a few years now, and it seems to me that there’s always just enough support to keep the discussion going, but not quite enough support to actually pass anything. What is your stance on this topic, and how will you go about gaining the support needed to reach that stance?

I am extremely cautious about an open assembly, as I've said in my platform, and would like to give the idea a trial run in the form of a Role Play Assembly to see how people adapt to the new format. I think this idea can win over both those who are more cautious and those who want to burn it down.
13. In just a few months, we’ve gone from a community near collapse to one that in many ways is larger and more successful than ever before. However, this has not come without its share of growing pains...do you feel Wintreath is coping well with success? If not, how do you feel we could improve just in general as a community?

I think Wintreath needs to find ways to get the citizens involved in the actual governance more then it is, I think if there were ever a time to try a civil service again it would be now.
14. There was recently a brief background discussion on the role of Citizenship, the Storting, and regional government as a whole in a modern Wintreath that is now quickly growing in areas beyond the NationStates cradle it was born in. In your opinion, how can the Storting remain relevant when so much of the community has grown to be outside its jurisdiction?

I mean one obvious thing would be to increase the jurisdiction of the Storting! The Storting clearly needs to evolve and perhaps that's the first step to doing so.
15. This isn’t exactly related to the UH, but it’s an issue that I’m curious for your opinion on. What is your opinion of Wintreath as a community right now? For those who have been here some time, do you feel like it’s improved over the years or not? We promote ourselves as an open, personal, accepting community of friends...do you feel like we’re living up to it?

Wintreath has changed, undoubtedly. It's impossible to be small and tight-knit when you are no longer small. Despite that I can without a doubt say there are more people enjoying their time in this community then ever before, and that is absolutely amazing.
16. Are there any other issues in the region you feel that the candidates running for election should address?

Are you a member of the Church of the Holy Potato? If not will you put your name into the Book of Records to convert to the one true faith?
17. Finally, what is your favourite flavour of ice cream?

Cookies and Cream!
18. Oh yeah, we have a toppings bar now. What's your favourite ice cream topping?

Such perfection needs no toppings.