Atlasian Public Acts - Publication of the Game Engine

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Who decides how GM stories are created? And what the results are?

It feels extremely biased.

IA losing 10% for "foreign interference" makes no sense for several reasons, most importantly Greenland is Atlasian today. So there's no foreign interference, it's ours. If i'm not even able to walk in my own country again... it's not unheard of American politicians all over the country travelling to Iowa for some reason. Unless some people have been pressuring the game moderators again... who knows.

The good news stories are always for the same people and stories and the bad news stories are also for the same people over & over again.

Why people would "mock me" specifically also is a question but it feels more like game moderators "mocking me" instead of The Peruvians doing so. I just have to say that I can't really appreciate this, and that my trust in the team esp. for being non-biased and independent and able to function without outside pressure is at an all-time low (given the YT logs). If it happened before, why couldn't it happen again.

[West_Midlander]

Who decides how GM stories are created? And what the results are?

It feels extremely biased.

IA losing 10% for "foreign interference" makes no sense for several reasons, most importantly Greenland is Atlasian today. So there's no foreign interference, it's ours. If i'm not even able to walk in my own country again... it's not unheard of American politicians all over the country travelling to Iowa for some reason. Unless some people have been pressuring the game moderators again... who knows.

The good news stories are always for the same people and stories and the bad news stories are also for the same people over & over again.

Why people would "mock me" specifically also is a question but it feels more like game moderators "mocking me" instead of The Peruvians doing so. I just have to say that I can't really appreciate this, and that my trust in the team esp. for being non-biased and independent and able to function without outside pressure is at an all-time low (given the YT logs). If it happened before, why couldn't it happen again.

I disagree. And as for Peru, it was your bill to try to extradite Castillo here, no?

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Who decides how GM stories are created? And what the results are?

It feels extremely biased.

IA losing 10% for "foreign interference" makes no sense for several reasons, most importantly Greenland is Atlasian today. So there's no foreign interference, it's ours. If i'm not even able to walk in my own country again... it's not unheard of American politicians all over the country travelling to Iowa for some reason. Unless some people have been pressuring the game moderators again... who knows.

The good news stories are always for the same people and stories and the bad news stories are also for the same people over & over again.

Why people would "mock me" specifically also is a question but it feels more like game moderators "mocking me" instead of The Peruvians doing so. I just have to say that I can't really appreciate this, and that my trust in the team esp. for being non-biased and independent and able to function without outside pressure is at an all-time low (given the YT logs). If it happened before, why couldn't it happen again.

I disagree. And as for Peru, it was your bill to try to extradite Castillo here, no?

My point is, who decides the outcome?

I mean based on this... the most important position in the entire game to have or control... is that of game moderator.

In their mind, they perhaps see it as an unrealistic thing to happen. In mine it is not. So basically how is the outcome decided. Prejudices by those same GM's based on their own ideologies and experiences?

[P. Clodius Pulcher did nothing wrong]

Given recent events, the GM's know that their posts will be scrutinized more closely. I think they are doing just fine, and I appreciate that they are actually reacting to things we do in the game and moving the plot forward.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

I've talked against the GM's and we're good, it's all okay.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The GMs aren't there to make your life easier, they are here to make your actions have consequences that you have to respond to.

It makes perfect sense why meddling would cause a hostile political reaction for that cited example or why a foreign power might react with hostile to the domestic political situation. Its happened to us with China policy as I recall many times.

Who gets to decide, the GMs do. That is the point.

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

GREENLANDIC ELECTION SPECIAL: SIUMUT MAYOR ARRESTED FOR BRIBERY, PRO-DEAL PARTIES FLOUNDERING AS ATLASIAN TENSIONS REACH A BOILING POINT

By Weatherboy

MAY 12, 2023

Sisimiut, Greenland - Malik Berthelsen, Mayor of Qeqqata Municipality in Greenland, has been arrested today after a lower level bureaucrat in the municipality released documents showing correspondence between the Mayor and a representative from the Chevron Oil Corporation regarding some “campaign donations” in return for expediting the referendum process. The documents show the deal was accepted by Berthelsen.

This is, at least seemingly, a lone incident, but the combination of this and Mayor Stine Egede’s (IA-Kujalleq) loud accusations of corruption have led to Siumut collapsing in the polls, showing far worse results than before. Their support has been scattered, with most going to IA or Naleraq.

Meanwhile, as the tensions in Atlasia reach new heights, Greenlanders are increasingly turning on the pro-deal parties for leading them into a “death trap of a union that seems to be imminently collapsing”, as one protester put it. Some liberal voters are fleeing from Demokratit and Atassut to the Cooperation Party, who pinned their hopes of returning to parliament on being the liberal and anti-deal party. It appears those hopes may be coming true. With the election happening in a few days, the impact is likely to make or break several parties.

All of this shows in the last polls being produced, as IA looks to be falling just short of a majority, with a 3-way race for 2nd between Naleraq, Siumut, and NQ.

POLLING: 2023 GREENLANDIC GENERAL ELECTION (+/- seats vs 2021 election)
INUIT ATAQATIGIIT: 48.0% 15 seats (+3) [Democratic Socialism, anti-deal]
SIUMUT: 13.0% 4 seats (-6) [Social Democracy, mixed, leans pro-deal]
NALERAQ: 12.9% 4 seats (+/- 0) [Populism, mixed, leans pro-deal]
NUNATTA QITORNAI: 12.5% 4 seats (+4) [Social Democracy, Decentralization, anti-deal]
DEMOKRAATIT: 6.0% 2 seats (-1) [Social Liberal, pro-deal]
SULEQATIGIISSITSISUT: 4.1% 1 seat (+1) [Liberal, pro-Denmark, anti-deal]
ATASSUT: 3.5% 1 seats (-1) [Conservative Liberal, pro-deal]


GM Team Vote was unanimous

[It’s so Joever]

Confirming unanimous vote.

[Devout Centrist]

I ask that the GM team ignore recent statements from Southern Governor Young Texan, who is clearly indisposed at the moment. Any articles about his recent outburst should be held until the Supreme Court can rule on the multiple cases pending before them.

[It’s so Joever]

Governor YT easily survives recall
By Forumlurker
Austin, Texas

After a contentious and polarizing election which saw massive surges of disinformation and allegations of electoral fraud on both sides, the South has voted decisively to pass an election reform act which most notably, removes the ability for southern politicians to be recalled as was traditionally permitted previously.
The lopsided margin was an impressive feat for the incumbent governor, although noted with stark geographical polarizations that psephological nerds claim are correlated to “traditionally unionist” parts of the South such as Eastern Tennessee (and of course several major cities such as DC and Atlanta) However overall, the vote passed easily, showing YT still maintains strong support much to the chagrin of his political rivals.


Effigies of YT, LT being burnt across the South
By Forumlurker
Fayetteville, Arkansas
 Across the South, as internal political divisions between former governor LT and current governor YT have hit the boiling point, effigy-burnings of both figures have been taking place across the region and even in Lincoln and Fremont border states.
Most notable of these took place at the University of Arkansas, where two similar sized effigy burnings on the same Campus took place in the span of a week. When asked for interviews however, most students showed relative indifference despite the massive political chaos ensuing outside, with one student stating,”The entirety of this all is a dumb fight by egotistical blowhards. Can’t wait to get killed in their stupid war while they LARP from their comfy offices so I won’t have to hear them again.”
Protestors burning the effigies had differing opinions, citing the state of the Union (for those burning YT) and the sake of Southern sovereignty (for those burning LT) as major issues behind their anger.


Baltimore Mayor calls for “Liberation” of the city
By Forumlurker
Baltimore, Maryland

After Southern troops were stationed near the city limits, Baltimore mayor Brandon Scott (Peace) came out and called for the “liberation” of the city from hostile southern actors by national forces. In his remarks, he claimed the usage of intimidation tactics by Southern military to prevent protests, the lack of forewarning leading to massive congestion for the city’s residents, and also complained of the continued marginalization of black communities “to the greatest extent since Jim Crow” Critics argue his speech will only lead to more division while supporters argue these comments are a necessary voice from often unheard voices in the region.

Lincoln gas prices surge:
By Forumlurker
New York, New York

 Largely due to recent emergency measures passed by the Southern Governor blocking oil infrastructure from the South into Lincoln and the lack of a coherent response from the federal government, gas prices in Lincoln have skyrocketed, with prices reaching up to 8-9$ per gallon across many major metropolitan areas in the region.
Measures designed to reform existing infrastructure to prevent a future repeat have been taken by Lincoln’s regional government, but these are long term and have not reduced the extreme pain millions of Lincolnites have felt in their pockets, especially as the economy continues to appear to be souring nationwide.

Lincoln man fires at Southern Troops, gets shot at:
By Forumlurker
Emmitsburg, Maryland

As thousands of Southern and Lincoln troops have begun mobilizing along the borders, experts feared a day would come in which the already tense political situation eerily similar to the Korean DMZ years ago would reach the breaking point. While that so far has not happened as of yet, a recent incident near Emmitsburg pressed another challenge.
A rogue Lincoln farmer by the name of Jack Maroon on the Pennsylvania-Maryland border fired upon Southern troops conducting a military defense exercise. In response, the Southern troops fired back, lethally wounding the man.
The incident has since made airwaves and has sparked controversy in the already tense area, with neighbors of Maroon outraged at the South while Southern troops have asserted that the act was purely out of self defense and that Maroon fired first. Either way, the scene shows just how divided the country has become.

Black Panthers revived:
By Forumlurker
Atlanta, Georgia

As the country falls into chaos, several groups have begun to re-emerge from the shadows of society, one of which being the infamous Black Panther group which operated throughout the Civil Rights Era.
In a “press conference” today, the new ringleader of the revived group who refers to himself as “The Reverend” (and refused further identification) cited the rising instability in Atlasia, concerning legislation passed in the South, and the rise in anti-black hate crimes as reasons for the movement, arguing that “The White man promised us safety in ‘64. But we’ll be lucky to stay alive to ‘24 if we don’t form a community! Arm yourselves brothers and sisters and all my beautiful black brethren, better days are ahead of us!”
Former Black Panther and organization cofounder, Bobby Seale, has come out in support of this new group stating, “This is a true successor to the black empowerment struggle we have faced for decades. I pass the baton to The Reverend and condemn any pretenders (in reference to the New Black Panther Party which already existed prior to this update) We did not start this, this was a grassroots effort by young black men and women, and that's a wonderful thing to see. I wish them success and encourage them to focus on self defense efforts and community preservation. We shall be a beacon of hope in these troubling days!”

Instability and inaction cause economic nosedive:
By Forumlurker
New York, New York

The market this week took a complete nosedive on multiple fronts at once, giving the Federal Reserve a likely headache and the average Atlasian citizen a pink slip. Already in a poor state due to the SVB bank collapse, several other banks in the recent weeks collapsed due to investor panic creating a liquidity crisis.
With the continued tensions rising between the South and Atlasian and the relative inaction of the government, several other banks, including Free Republic, PacWest, Comerica have collapsed as well as the dominos start to fall.
 Consumer confidence additionally has fallen to levels not seen since 2012 when the economy was still recovering from the Great Recession. Of course, the DOW, S&P, and NASDAQ have all tanked, with the S&P seeing the greatest percentage drop of the three.
 Finally the unemployment rate has jumped from 4.1% up to 4.7% in the past month, with most of the layoffs being in the tech sector. Experts now fear an economic collapse as lagging indicators eventually reveal the true situation caused by the recent political and monetary instability.
SOUTH DECLARES SECESSION: SOME STATE NATIONAL GUARDS REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE YT, SOUTH SPLIT IN TWO
By Joseph Cao

MAY 15, 2023

Raleigh, NC - Late night tonight, Southern President YT declared the South independent. Almost immediately, those who opposed the move took to the streets, especially the near-third that voted against the Election Amendments Package this past weekend.

Now, portions of several state guards have refused to take up arms, with 3 states having their commanders outright refuse to take orders now. In North Carolina, Kentucky, and Tennessee, state National Guards and other militias have sworn allegiance to Atlasia, cutting off Virginia and Nyman from the bulk of the South.

The TN National Guard has already marched on the southern Capitol building, but not before the House of Burgesses, YT and Saint, and other officials managed to relocate instead of being captured.

Already, radical groups are beginning to rise up as well. Reports of an irredentist group holding the city of Ulysses, KS hostage have trickled in, and worries of black nationalist uprisings abound as well.

In Florida, the Conch Republic has had their “army” (of street performers, police, and citizens) march along the Overseas Highway, notably bringing the Naval Air Station under their control. As of now, the “army” is in Big Pine Key.


In Nyman, the calls for Tack to do something grow louder, with Senator NYE calling on Tack to “send in the military to put down the rebellion against our republic”.



Xi Jinping mocks Atlasian hypocrisy on The South:
By Joseph Cao and Forumlurker
Beijing, China
At a conference, Chinese leader Xi Jinping condemned the “blatant hypocrisy” of Atlasia’s “two faces” on territorial integrity.
State-run Xinhua News quoted him as saying: “Again and again, when we defend China and its boundaries, we face bullying from the West. But Atlasia does the same and its defenders mouth about protecting democracy.”
International reactions to the issue have thus far been cautious and ambiguous, with EU representatives calling for a peaceful resolution, and Vladimir Putin of Russia calling for “honest dialogue.”

South African Cape Independence Movement gains new steam:
By Forumlurker
Cape Town, South Africa
As the country of South Africa has been living under increasingly burdensome and downright dangerous electricity shutdowns to maintain the poorly maintained grids, the rise of the Cape Independence Movement has grown rapidly, being a “multinational movement for the goal of Cape Independence and efficient government”, a far cry from the current living situation for millions of South Africans.
The movement in the past few months has surged both due to the blackouts, but also increasing support of the Southern independence movement in Atlasia which has made airwaves globally. Although the party is still minor compared to the electoral titan which is the ruling ANC, evidence of rising grassroots support through rallies and events has been reported by correspondents from the region.
Either way, the road to independence would be tricky in the already divided country, and very well could have unforeseen consequences as well. However what can be said is that the Southern movement has certainly helped revive other regional independence movements around the world.

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

GREENLANDIC ELECTION SPECIAL: IA WINS ELECTIONS IN A LANDSLIDE, BUT FALL  JUST SHORT OF MAJORITY

MAY 15, 2023

Nuuk, Greenland - “The Southern Deal is dead on arrival”. Those were the words spoken by Mute Egede, likely Prime Minister of Greenland after the election held in Greenland today. As polls showed heading into the election, the Inuit Ataqatigiit party won by a large margin, with populist Naleraq coming in 2nd, the hardline separatist Nunatta Qitornai coming 3rd, and the social democratic, previous natural party of government, Siumut, falling all the way to 4th. Behind them is the liberal Demokraatit, the pro-Denmark Suleqatigiissitsisut, and the conservative Atassut.

The fall for Siumut can be attributed to the unpopularity of their decision to support the southern deal early on, something they backtracked on slightly during the campaign. This, combined with an arrest of the party’s sole mayor, Malik Berthelsen, led to the party collapsing in the polls and eventual results. Nunatta Qitornai saw massive gains off the back of anti-Atlasian sentiment caused by the deal, the SNP convention in Nuuk, and the endorsement of IA by the Peace Party of Atlasia, something the party took full advantage of by accusing IA of being no less foreign influenced than any pro-deal party.

Ironically, this means the two largest anti-deal parties are unlikely to work together to form a government. Instead, it appears likely that IA will work with Naleraq, a party that while previously supportive of the southern deal had begun to sour on it by election time came around, with the former Inuit Party group in Naleraq vocally opposing it. The two parties do differ on some other issues, but not to the point that it seems likely that a government would be unable to form.

When the deal comes up for a vote, it appears certain to fail, as vocally anti-deal parties won 20 of the 31 seats in the Parliament.

2023 GREENLANDIC GENERAL ELECTION (+/- seats vs 2021 election)
INUIT ATAQATIGIIT: 48.8% 15 seats (+3) [Democratic Socialism, anti-deal]
NALERAQ: 13.0% 4 seats (+/- 0) [Populism, mixed, leans pro-deal]
NUNATTA QITORNAI: 12.6% 4 seats (+4) [Social Democracy, Decentralization, anti-deal]
SIUMUT: 12.3% 4 seats (-6) [Social Democracy, mixed, leans pro-deal]
DEMOKRAATIT: 5.9% 2 seats (-1) [Social Liberal, pro-deal]
SULEQATIGIISSITSISUT: 4.1% 1 seat (+1) [Liberal, pro-Denmark, anti-deal]
ATASSUT: 3.3% 1 seats (-1) [Conservative Liberal, pro-deal]

Spoiler alert: Election Maps by Party by Municipality

Show

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

Both updated were unanimous, confirming that.

[It’s so Joever]

Confirmed

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Southern Greenland is now a dream as dead as Viking colonies in North America that lasted until the 1300s-1400s.

[Sirius_]

Well, we own Greenland so… no more of this stupid nonsense, sending southern forces there.

Congratulations, all of NATO is against you now

[Joseph Cao]

Confirming unanimous votes for the two Greenlandic updates and the bumper update.

[Joseph Cao]

This was meant to be posted with the bumper update for the record:

UNCERTAINTY IN NYMAN
By Joseph Cao
May 15-16, 2023

NYMAN, DC — As they emerge from bouts of rainy weather, residents of Nyman viewing the warmer and drier outlook for the coming days worry that it will coincide with an explosion of political brushfire they haven't seen the likes of in years, if not in living memory.

Acting on directives by Secretary of State Scott and SoIA Sirius, and with the blessing of local authorities, federal troops have been dispatched to the state. Charged for the moment with guarding buildings and preventing panic among citizens, their efforts were witnessed Monday evening by residents living on the state’s periphery. Reactions within the first few hours have been muted, as between residents’ typically Federalist lean and the pro-union proclivities of civil servants there appears to be a tacit acceptance of the measures as “necessary to keep the peace.”

While a response from the White House came early Tuesday morning, taking steps to halt transport into and out of the South, its neighbors on Pennsylvania Avenue had already made their opinions known the previous evening. “No further compromise” remains the prevailing sentiment, though calls for a military response by President Tack have grown louded both in and out of the Capitol. Those currently responding from the pro-secession camp are largely Southern regional officeholders, with federal Senators Reactionary and Muad'dib at present unavailable for comment, although former Senator Deadprez has publicly expressed his support for the effort.

Caught up in the broader tensions wracking the South, and with the eyes of the nation and the world on the city awaiting the federal government’s next move, the state of Nyman, for the moment, is going to sleep under guard and uncertain of what the coming days will bring.

[NewYorkExpress]

Umm...Can I get a retraction on these stories? I'm not a Senator anymore, I'm now a member of the Lincoln General Court.

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

GM TEAM DECREE/STATEMENT

The GM Team does not recognize any military maneuvers at this time aside from those mentioned in already published stories  as matters continue through the court system. And in absolutely no circumstances shall the GM team recognize or put into canon, the use of nuclear weapons of any form.



For the first time, the vote was not unanimous. 2 Aye (WB, Cao), 1 Nay (Forumlurker).

[Joseph Cao]

Umm...Can I get a retraction on these stories? I'm not a Senator anymore, I'm now a member of the Lincoln General Court.

Bleh, there are too many Peace senators to keep track of. You're right. Edited to reflect that.

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

Well, we own Greenland so… no more of this stupid nonsense, sending southern forces there.

No

[It’s so Joever]

We will continue to act militarily, that I can tell you.

I am speaking with my Generals as we speak.

Not canonically.

[It’s so Joever]

We will continue to act militarily, that I can tell you.

I am speaking with my Generals as we speak.

Not canonically.

Greenland is ours, we are merely securing it. This is southern canon.

Cool you can have your claims but Greenland is currently an autonomous region of Denmark.

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

We will continue to act militarily, that I can tell you.

I am speaking with my Generals as we speak.

Not canonically.

Greenland is ours, we are merely securing it. This is southern canon.

No

[Joseph Cao]

My point is, who decides the outcome?

I mean based on this... the most important position in the entire game to have or control... is that of game moderator.

Anyway, Laki, you have hit the nail on the head exactly! This is why being GM is scrutinized much more than being president in some ways and why we have always tried to appoint responsible people, Crane being an aberration. As YT has just helpfully demonstrated, they decide what is and isn't happening in the wider world of the game. With great power et cetera!

The good news stories are always for the same people and stories and the bad news stories are also for the same people over & over again.

Storylines do, indeed, work this way. Everything was going swimmingly for the Greenland effort until secession got in the way, then everything spiraled for them. We write far fewer “bad news stories” than would happen in an RL event of this magnitude.

You can accuse us of “personal bias” or you can accuse others of trying to influence us. Not both at once.