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SPECIAL RELEASE: 20th Anniversary Edition | April 27, 2023
Editor-in-Chief: MANS0N
Index
- Preface - by MANS0N
- “A Rejected Q&A” - by MANS0N
- “In the Age of Frontiers” - by Westinor
- “Musings of a Granny” - by Thepeopl
- “WA Affairs in TRR” - by Westinor
- “Warzone Trinidad Emerges” - by Canton Empire
- ”What I’ve Learned as a Young NSer” - by Minskiev
- “A Rejected Rejected Times: an elite theory analysis” - by Glacikaldr
- “Where are the Defenders?” and more - by TRT Staff
- “From the Desk of the Editor” - by MANS0N
Commentary | WRITTEN BY MANS0N | EDITED BY TRT Staff
It’s an understatement to say that The Rejected Realms has “just” changed since its establishment in 2003.
Early on, TRR was viewed quite literally as a desolate wasteland (its first WFE even made note of this), so many viewed it as not worth settling. Various invaders of the time attempted to claim TRR for their own, including the proto-imperialist Atlantic Alliance, whose Central Command established a “base” in TRR. Louldamin, an unpopular ACC member, was allowed the delegacy of TRR. We’re not completely sure of the circumstances behind this. Perhaps it was ordered, or maybe Louldamin (later opting to style himself as the “One in Disgrace” due to his reputation within Atlantic) somehow took the delegacy first, instead opting to offer Atlantic free ad space in exchange for their endorsements. However, this wouldn’t last long as Gres, a low-ranking Atlantic Alliance recruit, would endoswap his way into the seat, displacing Louldamin, disavowing Atlantic, establishing the RRA, and making some enemies along the way.
The Rejected Realms Army’s first iteration was incredibly different from what it is today. It’s safe to describe it as “independent” or unaligned as Gres’ initial orders were for Rejects to invade the regions that ejected them. This would change by either late 2003 or 2004, with Gres, Kandarin, and others billing the RRA as something special, one of the world’s earliest defender organizations. This attempted rebranding was, as you can see today, a success, garnering TRR some powerful allies.
After about six years and multiple failed attempts at formally establishing a permanent system of government later, Kandarin would hand over his nation, and effectively the delegacy of TRR to Naivetry of Equilism in 2010. This outraged many longtime residents including RRA High Commander Crazy girl, who, in her eyes, sought to restore order and return the region to its rightful natives. CG and others worked towards this goal by heading the “The Council of Three”, a temporary governing body created with the purpose of running regional affairs, advising Nai, and overseeing delegacy elections. The first three members of this council included residents CG, Biblical Importance, and Thought Transference. However, in December of 2010 Biblical Importance would resign from his position with the vacancy being filled by Sedgistan. Following Nai’s confirmation as more than a placeholder Delegate, The Rejected Realms would continue to face thinly-veiled attempts from former Empire members to manipulate Nai and the citizenry as a whole. These would all be shirked and the constitution would be ratified in 2011 with Sedgistan being elected as the first constitutionally-recognized Delegate of The Rejected Realms, a move that would prove controversial to some thanks to his actions in The South Pacific.
Following a Guy delegacy, Whamabama (as Collector of Souls) would be elected as Delegate. However, following his assumption of the seat, then-New Inquisition General OnderKelkia, using his puppet Oud-Heverlee Leuven would, in an annoyingly bold move, eject himself and his endorsers from Belgium, which TNI had just occupied, to raid TRR. Thankfully, Wham would regain the delegacy after just 12 hours, but this act would soil many Rejects’ opinions of imperialism as an ideology and the regions associated and supporting Onder at the time, including Balder, a region which TRR would have a rocky relationship with for years to come.
In 2017 Catalyse would be elected to the delegacy, marking the dawn of a new era and with it, new expectations. Cat’s term brought regular activity in the form of Werewolf and themed forum avatar contests. Her plan to prioritize internal matters worked to her favor and her diligence led to her being our highest-endorsed Delegate as of right now, nearly reaching 300 endos. While she worked tirelessly, implementing unheard of innovations in order to keep TRR moving with the times, she also dealt with TRR’s diplomatic response to Funkadelia’s coup and dissolution of then-TRR ally Lazarus’ government, not to mention backlash from Queen Solorni of Balder following a controversial TRT publication.
2018 would mark the resignation of Zyonn from her post of Vice-Delegate (a term spanning seven years), the appointment of two new Vice-Delegates, their subsequent removal, and the implementation of a new constitutional amendment intending to formally codify what was once a murky position appointed at the will of the Delegate. Likewise, 2019 would bring the terms of Frattastan (his second term), Kyorgia, and Deadeye Jack. Jack’s term would jumpstart a time of bustling cultural activity, that is, until the pandemic.
It’s safe to say that TRR is constantly evolving. The region no longer is centered around a military and has become a haven for, well, Rejects, even those who disagree with its defender ideology. Who knows what 2024 will bring? We here at TRT are just as clueless as you are but we hope it’s something beneficial. With that being said, thank you for reading my ramblings and taking a glimpse into the region’s past. Keep in mind that this release not only marks the 20th anniversary of The Rejected Realms’ creation (happy Regional Foundation Day!) but also marks 12 years of TRT, a decade of which falls under this current iteration (thanks Kogvuron!) We all at TRT hope that you enjoy this issue.
Interview | COLLATED BY MANS0N | EDITED BY TRT Staff
Editor-in-Chief Manson sat down with some of our elder Rejects, learning about their RR experiences up until now while gathering insight surrounding potential hopes for the future.
What brought you to TRR?
Goobergunchia: My old regions were dead. TRR still had old friends, a flicker of life, and a philosophy of gameplay I was in alignment with.
Spartan Termopylae: I was invited to join. I know, I rejected myself. Back in 2010, I had been in a region or two with Kaver, I was in a region going nowhere (I'd been in several over the previous 5 years). Kaver invited me over, and I've been here ever since.
Kyorgia: Kyorgia was my second nation in the game. I started the nation be democratic since my first nation was a dictatorship. I was recruited to a democratic region but eventually left that to found my own region. At the time I had no idea how the game worked so I had no recruitment set up for the region or anything like that. Eventually I ended up ejecting myself so I ended up in TRR.
The Grim Reaper: I think I originally came to TRR because Harmoneia convinced me to, but my memory of those early days of TRR are faint and fleeting at best; at one point I was trying to become involved in a lot of different GCRs and that was around the same time.
Thepeopl: I was founded in TWP. I triple posted when I finally gathered enough courage to post. I did not know how to edit nor how to quote multiple posts in 1 post, hence my ejection.
Glacikaldr: What brought me to TRR?
I got to TRR the cool way. I got banjected! Way cooler than being ejected or — heavens forbid — choosing the Rejected Realms willingly!
It was from a passlocked region that one of my partner's classmates put together. My partner gave me the password but everyone eventually caught on that I wasn't from the class, with my nation being a couple years older and much larger than everyone else's.
Why’d you decide to stay?
Goobergunchia: The community. Come for the old NS friends and make new ones. Also, the region's commitment to democracy but not an overly bureaucratic one.
Spartan Termopylae: I already knew one person here, and I received a warm welcome from day one. Whilst I've played more active roles in regions in the past (I was a member of the judiciary of one region), I appreciated the feel of the place, and barring one of two exceptions, I've felt almost a kinship with a lot of the people here.
Kyorgia: What brought you to TRR? I started talking on the RMB and ended up becoming a regular there due to talking to others such as dogeisland. Eventually Unibot, who was delegate at the time, sent out a regional TG since one of his officers had resigned (I think the officer was Feux). I ended up running in the election and was elected to my first office in TRR.
The Grim Reaper: I ended up staying because TRR had a healthy political discourse scene that wasn't so heavily Americanized as the other GCRs are, it was a lot more mature to boot, and at quite a few points had a lot more healthy activity than other GCRs (judging from those old Discord and RMB stats articles that someone used to write).
Thepeopl: Jack, you, Sarah, CoS, Rom, Fratt. And when I joined discord, I could help someone with advice on how to elongate black trousers. And chat about unicorns.
But you made me feel welcome and soon enlisted me as your deputy. And then Karp made me pollster.
Also Rejectmas with Lord of Misrule.
I like our policy of helping newbies and trying to reform trolls/spammers
Glacikaldr: While checking out the World Factbook Entry of the region I now found myself in, I quickly realised the concept of citizenship and regional governments was a whole other side of NationStates that I was yet to tap into.
This quickly inspired me to first join our Discord and then apply for citizenship. Besides from the friendliness I was immediately greeted with, there was also Werewolf, a board game turned bot on our server that gave me plenty of opportunity to meaningfully interact with my new Reject family.
Who were the “old people” in TRR when you joined?
Goobergunchia: Kandarin, CG, Zyonn, Gettersburg.
Spartan Termopylae: Some of the people I remember from back then are the likes of Sedge, CG, Nai, Wop, Codger, I think Unibot was around then, too. Plus people like Wabbitslayah, Fratt, and Guy who are all still around. I know there are plenty more in missing, but my memory isn't quite what it used to be
Kyorgia: There are many different definitions of who qualifies as old but I will just be saying who I remember being in the region at the time. When it comes to the RMB someone like Dogeisland stands out to me as being active and contributing at the time. When it comes to the forum I can remember a few people for various reasons, good and bad. That includes Fratt, Unibot, Campinia and Christian Democrats.
The Grim Reaper: When I joined the old people were Sedge, CG, Fratt, Guy, CoS iirc, and Harm to a lesser extent, I think she had one foot in one foot out.
Thepeopl: Those mentioned above and: Ravania, Altasund, The Place, Margiboof, Codger, Guy, Toerana, Salem, and the Delegate, Kyorgia (then.. not now), Neop, Tupe,
Pharcyde, Ancient Republics, Liberal Republics
Glacikaldr: When first joining our discord server, I was initially met with "old people" like then Delegate TheChurchofSatan, Guy, Fratt, Cat, Manson (thanks for the interview by the way!), and Kyorgia.
In what ways would you say, if any, has TRR changed since your arrival?
Goobergunchia: It's more active than at its nadir but I'd like to see more competitive elections. We used to press our candidates harder than we do now, I think.
Spartan Termopylae: Well, the electoral system has changed, going from a first past the post system to it's current form, which has led to me not voting in elections since, as I disagree with the new format. We've also seen the introduction of the vice-delegate role, the rise of the officer jobs, and the constitution. There was some controversy around some senior members and coups in other regions, and some internal issues around a particular defender organisation and a certain raider group (oddly, not related controversies), but we've been largely stable in that sense for the last several years, now.
Kyorgia: Having been in the region for close to 9 years it has obviously changed a lot. Back when I first arrived in 2014 I was just mostly active on the RMB and eventually as an officer but back then mostly everything was done on the forum. Unlike a lot of the raider regions I was in during late 2014 and 2015 TRR was never active on Skype, so it felt more closed off and in a way elitist on the forum and possvile the IRC but i was never active on IRC so i can't speak to how active that actually was. I think the biggest change both for TRR and in many ways for Nationstates as a game was discord. Stuff became a lot more open and social and in many ways less restrictive. The core values of TRR is something I think has not changed. It is a region for second chances and a region anyone can join and succeed in. For most of my early career on NS I was a raider but even with TRR being one of Nationstates biggest defender regions I never felt unwelcome or like I didn't belong in the region. That in many ways is TRRs biggest strength.
The Grim Reaper: Since I arrived TRR has slowed down a little but ultimately it's really been much the same for a long time - it is much quieter, we do less WW, less codenames and diplomacy etc, but a lot of the same people are still around albeit with less frequency; we've got new faces like Salem and DoomHerald, Kyo has really moved pretty firmly into the TRR Elite and so forth.
Thepeopl: I'd like to think I brought some kindness, politeness and happiness to TRR.
But in reality I think I probably brought more smut, weird book references who no one gets and loads of recipes of "dutch" foods. I'm not a real dutchie so, more fusion than dutch cuisine.
I think the rmb is even less used as "true TRR" than when I started. And the forum is quite dead.
Glacikaldr: Most prominently for me, our journalism has gone through significant ups and downs. When I first became a citizen, John Laurens was working on reviving our media, with me quickly becoming Deputy and then Media Officer for two terms. Media and The Rejected Times has since changed drastically, now in a period of inactivity indisputably linked to the decision to remove Media from our ministries.
The current diminished state of The Rejected Times and what was the Media Officer role's legitimacy within the Rejected Realms has undoubtedly hurt our ability to project our presence as a high-profile Sinker in the NationStates community at large. This lack of presence is something I tried to help address during a term as Foreign Affairs Officer, producing issues very similar to what The Rejected Times was, and unfortunately only the Rejected Realms Army still meaningfully projects our presence as of writing.
My greatest regret is that I have been a part of this period of time where our citizens have lost control over the narrative about our region.
Looking forward, what are some hopes you have for TRR’s future?
Goobergunchia: We've been seeing more newer players get involved recently, which is great. I'm also hoping that recent events present an opportunity for TRR's traditional brand of defender philosophy to make a resurgence.
Spartan Termopylae: I'd like to see the forum activity expand again, but I may be behind the times there, as I have been told that things happen more on discord, but hey ho. I just want the region to grow, really.
Kyorgia: I started my time off in TRR as a raider and I feel like as a region that openness to accept everyone regardless of gameplay associations is very important. My biggest hope is that TRR continues being so open and welcoming. It sounds cliche or like an easy answer but it is something I always thought about as a raider and as a citizen of TRR back then.
The Grim Reaper: Looking forward I hope TRR can develop a strategy to achieve sustainable growth, I do think it's hard for regions to maintain a consistent culture in NS if they recruit actively, and difficult for them to maintain their numbers if they don't; I think it's cool that NS as a community has really become, frankly, a legacy of the old internet (this stupid site is two decades old), and it would be cool if TRR did become the kind of community where people can come and hang out for a little bit, share some nostalgia with people who they've known for ages every now and again, maybe be able to drop in for an event or something every now and again without feeling you're obliged to rock up to help make events more feasible on the numbers.
Thepeopl: I hope Mhaul will be the next delegate. And have more community on the RMB. But that's probably just my old age. I'm not a great fan of discord.
I hope ppl will learn to communicate differently with trolls/spammers. Some of them just need a kind word, honest question and a polite, "could you please stop".
One day our residents will not quote spam/inappropriate messages and just ping the offensive nation.
I have hopes that newbies will read all guides on the wfe (homerian laughter).
Glacikaldr: I do still await the day when there is the right environment for us to redefine how the majority of our citizens value outward communication. In the meantime, I hope we do not continue to lose legitimacy around being a success story for democracy, as a Sinker no less. We need to remain and proudly proclaim ourselves as proof that you can cultivate an online community that cares about shaping its future as a collective.
News / Commentary | WRITTEN BY Westinor | EDITED BY TRT Staff
It’s safe to say The Rejected Realms has seen its fair share of history.
Rising as a place for society’s “Rejects” in the formative years of NS, TRR has played an important role not only in a mechanical function, but from a historical, political, and gameplay lens. Its Rejects have played a monumental role to the development of NationStates throughout the years, and have undoubtedly left their mark on the minds of many.
In its early days, many of TRR’s finest were outcasts or exiles. Some found their way there by defection, and later were ostracized; others were victims of political conflict and tyranny. In an age where there was very little information about what was going on elsewhere, the calls to action that often birthed inspired players were rare — and few rivaled the effectiveness of being thrown out from one’s own home.
In time, TRR grew into a community of formidable residents, overcoming their inherent disadvantages and pushing to define the way the game’s been played through the ages. The RRA, headed by Rejects like Crazy girl or Siggi, were pivotal in the growth and development of early defender institutions like the ADN and FRA; TRR itself, in a different way, displayed how native resilience could overcome the wanton destruction of early NS and, in a different way, challenged the definition of what a “native” was. It has, through the ages, defined itself as different and distinguished in standing and identity.
Today, TRR stands as a leading defender region on the precipice of a new age. Uninvolved from scandals in recent weeks, its leadership has discerned itself from more divisive political elements, and accredited itself with a unique sense of reliability within the defendersphere. The region has quietly continued to grow — the delegacy has reached an endo peak not achieved in years and its government is filled with new faces looking to define themselves. However, the region faces activity and interest issues of its own still, burdened by a lack of energy throughout its halls.
If there’s one thing TRR has thrived on, though, it is its distinct nature as a bastion for the ejected. With the Frontier update set to bring a renewed level of conflict over regions and nation foundings back into the game, with the potential for battles akin to the destruction of the early years of NS, TRR is poised as the only region to accept the refugees of these crises. New and bewildered nations may once again find themselves in the Rejected Realms in their first few days, ejected not at the hands of a TWP RO but in the midst of a battle for their old home.
TRR is in a unique place to capitalize on this new age. Once more, it can continue to serve as a haven for the exiled, a safe home for those unable to return — and in time, it can once again nurture, mentor, and grow new players into leaders in their own right. In a time where raiders continue to display incredible strength, the RRA needs new energy to match their invader counterparts on the front lines. In a time where many regions will once again make themselves vulnerable to invasion, TRR needs to stay vigilant and welcoming as it rises once more into its role as the final destination for rebels, refugees, and removed founders alike.
Armed with its long, weathered history and equipped with a charming culture and wonderful residents, TRR has only one way to go — up. It comes down only to whether we are willing to reach for the sky.
Opinion | WRITTEN BY Thepeopl | EDITED BY TRT Staff
As a concerned citizen of TRR, as a former Speaker, and as one of many former Outreach Officers, I think it’s about time I shared my two cents with you.
I rejoice in the election of our new officers Cookie, New Anarchisticstan, and Mhaul. Well, Cookie isn’t quite new.
Their (almost) daily presence on our RMB is a nice boon. Although, I feel that there is a schism between TRR’s RMB and its Discord. Probably because I prefer the RMB and really lack the time to be very active on Discord. Most government activity is offsite and I feel that the RMB is left to its own devices. Of course there are activities that are simply easier to hold on Discord, like Popmaster or movie night.
But… the RMB is our first impression to new TRR members. If we want to have more active and involved TRR members, it’s imperative that we recruit them using the RMB as a tool (unless we find a surefire method to invite them via telegram/directly via Discord).
Nowadays our RMB is squabbling (discussions) or downright trolling. Mhaul, another newly-elected Officer, is one of the most available citizens for new drop-ins, often finding herself with the responsibility of pointing them to our RMB rules. It’s rare though that our officers point these new arrivals to our Discord or to our available legislation/positions. I know being officer is much work, I know I lack the time to be more active. But…you don’t have to do it alone. Appoint deputies. Share the workload.
The forums have been, up until recently, quite dead too. Maybe it’s time to communicate differently, but until we decide to, we need to inform our citizens. I have, like many RMB-centric members, absolutely no idea what our Delegate or the officers of the previous period have been doing. But, that’s probably on me, since I’ve stopped skimming the Discord.
WA nations (until now) haven’t been pinged to endorse the Delegate (well done Cookie! I did notice it) People additionally haven't been asked/pointed to the possibility to become citizens. Despite this, I have hope. I’ve missed TRT and I applaud the forming of the food Discord, maybe because I really love food…but I’d appreciate it more if those posts could be on our RMB.
Yes, I am old, yes I am not digi-savvy, I don’t know most memes. But. If we want to keep TRR alive, we need new blood and new citizens. I would like to see a more RMB active government.
Ivy (Thepeopl)
Opinion | WRITTEN BY Westinor | EDITED BY TRT Staff
For the first time in years, TRR has been without a WA Affairs officer.
What is often a crucial linchpin of any external agenda for regions with even moderately-sized endorsement counts was omitted in TRR’s most recent Officer Elections, which saw a total of three candidates running for the four Officer positions. The specific portfolio resultantly dropped was WA Affairs, which usually runs regular voting threads that help determine the Delegate’s vote on at-vote proposals. This responsibility was merged into the portfolio of Officer Salem, whose “External Affairs” portfolio encapsulates the duties carried on by previous Foreign Affairs and WA Affairs Officers. How did we get to this position?
Looking back, WA Affairs has been present as a distinct and near-ubiquitous Officer portfolio in TRR since 2019-2020. Since then, TRR has slowly asserted itself in the WA — though its presence is quiet, being that the region’s WA Affairs ministry has not often revolved around writing up Information for Voters (IFVs) dispatches, it holds a place as a founding member of the Partnership for Sovereignty (PfS), hosted its first “Security Council Convention” in 2021, and has been home to prolific WA authors like Bormiar and current Delegate Minskiev.
TRR is itself no slouch on the WA Affairs stage, bringing hundreds of votes to the table for each proposal. Thus, it should be no surprise that WA Affairs has been a key point for governmental focus for the past few years — and already, at the time of writing, campaigns to fill that last Officer spot are already ongoing, under the portfolio of WA Affairs. More than anything, flagging interest in the WA has driven lower community participation in TRR, particularly as the General Assembly has continued to make up most regular activity while the SC continues to grow increasingly polarized.
Though this temporary vacancy does reflect on the level of interest in WA Affairs at the moment in TRR, as well as general activity levels, it is unlikely it will amount to much more than a blip on the radar. However, this is as good of a time as ever to analyze TRR’s unique environment surrounding WA Affairs, and potential approaches to the department in the future. If TRR wants to revitalize the position and generate new interest in the community, there is no better time to start than now.
TRR already has a strong foundation in the Security Council (SC) — as a member of the PfS and a community with many authors (not to mention nearly a dozen commendees) TRR has the resources it needs to build a budding authorship and interest-based environment. A particularly unique facet of TRR, though, is the nature of its community attitude towards the SC — despite being a defender region, it was voted in contrast to typical defender lines on proposals like “Repeal: ‘Condemn Ever-Wandering Souls’” (SCR#425), “Commend Europeia” (SCR#413), and “Repeal: ‘Condemn Reventus Koth’” (SCR#395), voting against on each. This is a reflection of the uniquely diverse nature of TRR’s voting populace, which consists of a surprising number of conflicting viewpoints in modern gameplay. Far from being detrimental to TRR’s WA community, this can serve as a starting point for active and engaging discussion on SC votes — the cross-cutting nature of identities in TRR should only serve to break down the polarized approaches that have, of late, dissuaded many from participating in the SC in what they feel is good faith. TRR can stand instead as a place for open discussion on this front, leveraging their multivarious community to create a healthier and more constructive approach to the SC.
The General Assembly, on the other hand, has often had a reputation for being somewhat intimidating or difficult to enter, particularly for the unfamiliar. Luckily, TRR’s very own Delegate, Minskiev, already has plenty of experience in that area, and may serve as a good guide for those interested in venturing deeper into the festering snake pit (sorry for putting the spotlight on you Walrus!).
TRR has two options from here. Its next WA Affairs Officer can cement that the position is purely a thread-maintainer, a glorified custodian and nothing more, allowing WA Affairs to slip back and forth between relevance alongside with its namesake. Or they can help elevate TRR into a community of ideas and interests, and a player on the WA stage — one key facet of WA Affairs missing from TRR’s WA Affairs portfolio right now are IFVs. IFVs and their creation are a key activity point for WA Affairs departments and their regions. They are key in disseminating information and provoking discussion, which make up the backbone of any thriving WA community. There is no “one way” TRR WA Affairs can or will go from here — but TRR has distinguished itself in the past as one of the few regions with the potential for vivid WA discussion and has produced some of the WA’s best. It can work towards cementing that legacy, or go the path of so many other regions and fade in the distance.
News | WRITTEN BY Canton Empire | EDITED BY TRT Staff
The Caribbean Sea, Atlantic Ocean - In the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean, a new Warzone, Warzone Trinidad, rose from its depths on April 6th to join the international community as the seventh warzone, and the first since 2004. Warzones are unique among the game as the only regions where bans are temporary and additionally where influence has no effect. Originally designed to create spaces where raiders could freely invade regions, the warzones have evolved into a mechanically unique, but mostly ignored community.
Warzone Trinidad represents a new spin on the classic formula, however, with it being the last region in the game to update. This makes Warzone Trinidad incredibly valuable to any force occupying it, as its status makes it a perfect spot for any military to base troops out of. This unique state also makes it one of the hardest regions in the game to raid, as any group attempting to capture Warzone Trinidad would have to “update surf”, a precise maneuver involving jumping from region to region to avoid updating until reaching a target. Thus far, the allure of having a permanent late updating jump point has not drawn in big powers attempting to fight over it, but the novelty of a new warzone has brought in the new Warzone Trinidad Corporation, an assembled group of explorers determined to make a splash in the warzone community.
It is unclear if Warzone Trinidad will blossom into an active and vibrant community or settle into the same pattern as the other warzones, but in a changing world where the very nature of regions has changed, it is very possible that Warzone Trinidad will soon find itself at the crossroads of history.
