Aguacenta

Cooperativa Minera Pan-Aguacenta Seeks Foreign Investors The Republic of Aguacenta is seeking foreign investment in the state operated mining and resource extraction company, Cooperativa Minera Pan-Aguacenta (CMPA / PAMC) in order to expand the firm's oil and natural gas extraction capabilities. PAMC has played a key role in Aguacenta's economy since before the inception of the Republic, and is largely responsible for the consolidation and modernization of Aguacenta's mining and oil industries. While the company has historically emphasized extraction of hard minerals and metals, it has recently sought to increase the utilization of the Republic's oil and natural gas reserves as a way to expand Aguacenta's economy and bring much needed capital to the country. Recent efforts to map deposits near Aguacentian territory undertaken as a joint venture between the PAMC and the Aguacentian Geological Survey (AGS) estimate total petroleum reserves at approximately 10 billion tons of oil, worth 5.4 trillion USD, and 12 trillion cubic meters of natural gas, worth 59 trillion USD. Charted deposits are predominately located under the continental shelf under the Arctic Sea. Future surveys are planned for deposits under the Sea of Cadiz. The majority of Aguacenta's major deposits currently remain unexploited do to lack of infrastructure and funds. In recent years, Aguacenta has sought to stimulate growth of the Republic's privately held extraction efforts, however growth has been slow and privatization efforts have stalled due to lack of domestic funds and expertise. As a result, the Republic hopes to increase its petroleum extration by scaling up the size of the PAMC's operations. The Aguacentian government currently holds a 77 percent stake in the conglomerate and has been able to maintain slight, but stable growth over the last several decades. The PAMC has a modest oil and gas extraction operation, that is undersized for the scale of the deposits that fall under its domain. PAMC's total revenue was estimated at 9.8 B USD for the most recent fiscal year with a net profit of 1.07 B USD. Currently oil and gas operations account for roughly 7 percent of Aguacenta's total GDP, but petroleum extraction remains an area of the economy ready for growth. The company's total assets are estimated at 15.1 B USD and are primarily invested in extraction and storage. PAMC is seeking 31.5 B USD in foreign investment over a ten year period, to allow it to develop new oil extraction, transfer, and storage facilities. With these investments, the PAMC expects to increase extraction at an average rate of 13 percent over the next 15 years as new facilities come online and expertise is developed. After the initial development period, PAMC expects to maintain a steady, but manageable growth. Capping total extraction revenue at between 100 B and 110 B per annum to insure the longevity of existing reserves, with an expected net profit of between 10 B and 12.5 B per annum. The PAMC is offering a percentage of the company's net profit. Under the proposed profit sharing scheme, investors will receive a gradually increasing percentage of the profit over 30 years. Investor profit percentage will start at 7.5 % in FY1 and reach 20.0 % in FY10. The share will then increase by 1/2 of a percent every five years, reaching a peak of 21.5 %. Profit share does not come with equity in the company or voting rights, however investors or investor groups are entitled to a non-voting position on PAMC's executive board. In exchange, investors will provide capital for PAMC development efforts. Starting with 10 B USD in FY1, 5 B USD in FY2, 4 B USD in FY3 and ending with 1 B USD in FY 10. Investors should expect to recoup their investment between 25 and 27.5 years into the agreement, with a total return on investment of around 15 - 25 percent. The PAMC expects to utilize investor funds in four phases, Phase 1 - Infrastructure Development & Extraction In Identified Fields (FY1 - FY4), Phase 2 - Development of New Deposits (FY5 - FY7), Phase 3 - Redevelopment and Exploration (FY8 - FY10), and Phase 4 - Comprehensive Repayment (FY10 - FY30). The PAMC will take bids and hear proposals from all interested parties. The PAMC's Executive Board will then make accept one or more bids. Partial bids are acceptable, however it will be necessary to reduce any profit-sharing incentive appropriately. The Republic of Aguacenta is also seeking permanent foreign shareholders to purchase a portion of the Republic's stake in the PAMC.

SOUND: A tone plays signaling the start of the daily broadcast. Followed by static and the deep male voice. ANCHOR: Bienvenidos. Welcome to tonight's broadcast. You are listening to AG 756 AM, La Voz de la Nación. This is Hector Bolívar reporting. SOUND: Theme music plays. BOLIVAR: After a National Assembly vote to declare May 22nd, the day of the flood, a national day of remembrance and federal holiday for the coming year, First Minister Cabrera addressed a rare joint legislative session today. The event was televised and broadcast nationwide. In his speech, he applauded first responders, clean-up crews, and citizens for their diligent work in restoring the southern coast of the Republic to working order. However, he also acknowledged that there is still much to be done in rebuilding the nations major metropolitan centers and ports. He stated that the the Home Office, in cooperation with the Ministry of Public Works, and the Ministry of Economy have already begun to implement long-term reconstruction plans. BOLIVAR: According to official numbers, 95 percent of displaced persons have now returned to their homes or found new permanent residences. Power, water, and other utilities have been restored to all but the most remote areas of the southern coast. National Guard troops are now being demobilized, however elements of the Aguacentian regular land forces, including army engineers and medical personnel, remain in place in certain parts of the country to help assist with long-term rebuilding and recovery efforts. BOLIVAR: The First Minister announced that he will ask the National Assembly to sell assets and disperse funds from the nation's sovereign wealth fund in order to bolster the depleted emergency management and disaster relief funds in order to insure that aid continues to flow to the worst affected areas of the country. BOLIVAR: First Minister Cabrera also announced that he has officially directed the Minister of Justice, Albert Acosta, to begin a formal inquiry into events that occurred in the aftermath of the recent earthquake and tsunami, including allegations of misappropriation of funds, price gouging, and possible wrong-doing on the part of several engineering firms responsible for the initial construction of several port facilities and coastal levees. BOLIVAR: First Minister Cabrera also took time to point time to spot-light acts of heroism and humanitarianism performed by citizens, civilians, and military personnel in the aftermath of the tsunami. The First Minister announced several recipients of national honors. Notable among these, was the awarding the Aguacentian Medal of Charity to French troops and support personnel who contributed to disaster relief effort within the Republic. BOLIVAR: In response, Jorge Antonio Baston-Santiago de Cadiz, current Bellator Magnus of Ciudad and official figurehead of the Brotherhood of the Guiding Star, the nation's oldest and most distinguished military co-fraternity, announced that the Grand Council of the Rising Star would officially extended an invitation to join the Brotherhood to Captain Toma and the crew of the French Frigate Titan, as well as other French military personnel who aided in relief efforts BOLIVAR: You have been listening to broadcast frequency AG 756 AM, La Voz de la Nación an Aguacentian Far East Radio Network station. This concludes today's headline edition. I wish you all a good night. This is Hector Bolivar signing off. Buenas Noches.

This seems pretty reasonable to me. It also works out nicely that one calendar week is about 3 months. Using that calendar, OrgRP should currently be around 2033-2034 (?). I think that works pretty well on a macro-level, but it does mean if you have person-level RP (e.g. interactions with other diplomats, stories about local characers of any length) it might have to be fudged a bit so it can fit into the standard time-line. I will definitely have to update some things in my backstory to bring it in line with the current calendar if that's what we're going with.

Revenue and Expenditures of the Republic The Budget of the Republic of Aguacenta is the annual budget set by set by the Treasury of the Republic of Aguacenta for the financial year with the revenues to be gathered by Aguacentian Revenue and Customs Service and the expenditures of the public sector, in compliance with government policy. Budgets are usually set once every year and are announced in the in the National Assembly by the Minister of Finance. Budget Process The official start of the financial year of Aguacenta coincides with the calendar year, it begins 1 January and ends 31 December. Historically, the budget is introduced in the November prior to the financial year, the budget is discussed and modified, and legislative action typically begins in the second week of of December. In the event of a budget is not agreed to before the beginning of the financial year, the National Assembly will pass a instrument of financial continuation, which allows the government to continue to operate for a defined period of time. Government departments submit their funding requests, called a Financial Needs Requirement, to the Treasury in the June before the start of the financial year. The Treasury then aggregates each department's budget request into a single document called the Master Financial Needs Requirement for approval of each of the National Assembly. The current budget of the Republic is approximately 52.2 billion USD. The biggest budget expenditures are social protections, education, and internal economic programs. Taxation and Public Revenue Taxation is carried out by the Aguacentian Revenue and Customs Service (ARCS), a department of the Ministry of Finance. ARCS is responsible for collecting the four main national taxes; the National Income Tax, the National Healthcare Tax, the National Pension Fund Tax, and the National Corporate Dividend Tax. The most recent year resulted in 52.2 billion USD in total revenue. The largest portion of tax revenue is collected as income taxes. Income Taxes Aguacenta has a progressive income tax. Under the current National Income Tax Plan, there are five tax bands, these are set at to correspond roughly to the each quintile of income earners. The current tax rates for each bracket from the lowest income bracket to the highest income bracket are 0%, 1%, 20%, 45%, and 65%. Income taxes account for 84.4% of all tax revenue. Program Specific Taxes ARCS collects two program specific taxes to cover expenses related to healthcare and social security. These are both flat taxes. The current National Healthcare Tax is set at 1.25% and the current National Pension Fund Tax is set at 2.5%. Combined Health and Pension taxes account for 10.9% of total tax revenue. Corporate Tax ARCS collects a National Corporate Dividend Tax on all corporations incorporated in Aguacenta and corporations doing business within Aguacenta. Currently, corporate taxes are implemented as a single flat tax on all corporate profits. The current National Corporate Tax is set at 20%. Corporate Taxes account for approximately 4.6% of total tax revenue. External Taxes In addition to the taxes income, program, and corporate taxes. ARCS is responsible for collecting two taxes for external parties: Provincial Taxes, which are used to fund Provincial governments; and National Religious Contribution Tax, often referred to as the "Church Tax", which is used to support the Aguacentian Church. Provincial taxes are marginally progressive. The current Provincial Tax has five brackets based on income. From lowest income bracket to highest income bracket these are 1.00%, 1.10%, 1.15%, 1.20%, and 1.25%. Provincial Taxes are used by each Province to fund local programs not directly funded by the National Treasury. Church taxes are currently implemented as a flat tax. All Aguacentians are required to pay 1.5 % of their total income to help support the Aguacentian Church and state religious programs. Exemptions are available for individuals who are not members of the Church of Aguacenta and do not wish to pay the Tax, however in practice such exemptions are almost never granted. Other Taxes Other minor taxes and fees do exist in Aguacenta, however they do not contribute substantively to the national treasury and are often not tracked in official government documents. Other taxes, including sales taxes and property taxes are collected independently by localities or municipalities are not subject to monitoring by the central government. Expenditures The most recent Budget of the Republic of Aguacenta allocated approximately 52.2 billion USD in total spending. The largest spending segments were social programs, education, and investments in industrial and agricultural supports. Social protections represent the single largest portion of Aguacenta's national budget and account for approximately 30 percent of all government spending. The second biggest spending segment was education at 14.3 percent. Aguacenta devotes about 12 percent of its total public expenditures to industry, agriculture, and employment. This includes industry subsidies, development grants, job training, and employment programs among other things. Aguacenta maintains various healthcare programs including a largely subsidized national healthcare system. While service fees and co-pays are required for some health services, the majority of the funding comes from the Treasury. In the most recent budget, 9.4 percent of total spending was allocated to healthcare and health related programs. Aguacenta spends modestly on defense. Current spending on defense is estimated at 1.6 percent of GDP, which represents 4.4 percent of total expenditures. Aguacenta allocates a substantive portion of its budget to foreign investment, development, and humanitarian causes. In total, these expenditures represented 2.5 percent of total expenditures. By law, all surplus funds a given financial year that are not specifically allocated to a program or need are required to be held in trust by Aguacenta's sovereign wealth fund, the Organization for Aguacentian Sovereign Investments and Stimulus (OASIS), which invests funds in foreign markets, resources, and commodities. Certain profits from state owned companies and resource exploitation are also currently held by OASIS. Strict legal rules exist that govern the use of funds from the sovereign wealth fund. The current market value of funds managed by OASIS is 17.39 billion USD.

Life After the Flood Julia started off excited about the flood. At first, everything about it seemed like one big adventure. They took a ride on the bus into the countryside to one of the displaced persons camps. There were kids her age to play with, they camped out every night in a big tent, and she didn't have to go to school. As far as Julia was concerned, the flood was the best thing she had ever experienced. However, eventually the novelty wore off and reality set in. Soldiers told her mother that the water had receded. They told her that it would be a good idea to stay in the camp for another week or two, but her mother was insistent they went home. When they got home, her mother took everything out of the house and piled it on the lawn. Her uncles came and took all the drywall out of the house and threw it in the pile. A couple days after they got home, the power came back on in their town. She had almost forgot what it was like to have power. However, they still didn't have drinkable water. Julia thought it was strange, when she turned on the tap the water looked clear, but her mother told her not to drink it. Every third day since they came home they had to go to the central square to get clean water. Today was one of those days. Her uncle had given them two big blue square cans to bring back the water. On the first day they went to get water, her mother didn't realize how heavy the containers would be once they were filled. They had started to drag the containers home, but before they could get out of the square two men from the Council's Guard saw them and carried the containers to thier house for them. Her mother was so glad to have the help, until the guardsmen asked for payment. Today, her mother had remembered to bring a wheel-barrow to move the containers once they were full. They had been waiting in line for water since before the sun came up. It was now almost 4 PM and they were finally nearing the front of the queue. One of the boys from her neighborhood told her that there was a French soldier helping to distribute water in the square. Julia was nervous, her cousins had told her that Europeans had two heads and had giant claws. She wasn't sure if they were being truthful, but it she wasn't sure she wanted to find out. They finally got to the front of the line. A soldier filled their containers from a large water truck. Her mother started to push the wheel-barrow, but struggled with its weight. That's when she heard a voice from behind them. "Senora. Senora, do you need help?" Her mother stopped for a moment, she was reluctant to let one of the soldiers help after what happened last time, but she wasn't really in a situation where she could argue. The soldier spent the walk back to their house chatting with her mother. There was something funny about the way he talked, but Julia couldn't figure out what it was. Finally, they got home and the soldier asked her mother if she wanted him to carry the water cans up the stairs to the house. He carried them with ease and then began to set off back toward the square. As the soldier began to walk away, her mother shouted something Julia didn't understand down the street at him. He turned around, smiled, and waved good-bye. Julia looked at her mother and asked what she had said to the soldier. Her mother told her it meant "Thank you, sir" in French. Julia's eyes got as big as saucers. She had met a European and she didn't even realize it. Teo walked across the plaza to the Parliament Building. Thanks to the back-up generators, it was one of the few buildings in the city with working electricity. Its bright lights contrasted the unusually dark backdrop of the capital. He walked through the security check-point in the lobby and headed toward his office. It was 03:30, but the building was already full of people. As he walked down the corridor he had to avoid interns and staffers sleeping on the floor. It seemed like every couch, every chair, and every bench had someone sleeping on it. Hundreds of people had stayed on during the night to ensure relief programs were in-place and running. He suddenly felt bad for returning home for a few hours to check on his family and sleep in his own bed. Finally he reached his office, plastered to his bulletin board were notes from his secretary. Each one an agency head or organization he need to place a return call to. The scale of the disaster was overwhelming. Destruction of this magnitude was unprecendented in this the history of the region and no one had expected it. The Home Office's disaster relief fund had been depleted in the first week after the tsunami. Thankfully, the National Assembly quickly voted to disperse more funds. Even with with the added money and foreign support the numbers just didn't add up. The First Minister had made promises of a swift rebuild, but Teo knew it was all rhetoric. It would take years if not decades to completely recover, the best they could hope for in the short term was a return to relative normalcy. It wasn't pretty, but they were slowly attaining that goal. Clean-up was underway, electricity and water were being restored, and people were returning to their homes. The political aftermath was less certain. Internal reports showed that both local authorities and humanitarian organizations were misappropriating funds. Instances of both abuse and incompetence by National Guard units were widespread. Businesses were profiteering and price gouging. Citizens were looting stores and robbing their neighbors. The one bright spot, was the military's disaster relief force. It had been dispatched quickly and in areas where it was operating things were generally good.

I like the first idea. If it comes to be, I'd be happy to man the 'NPC' type nations, although I'm not sure I'd move from OrgRP simple due to the amount of time sunk and my inability to effectively multi-task. I don't mind the second idea, whether it would be for the suggested new RP or as a change to one of the existing RPs.

Military Rank System of the Republic The military ranks of the Aguacentian Defense Force is derived from the Spanish military rank system. The Land Forces of the Republic and the Air Forces of the Republic use an identical rank system, while the Armada of the Republic uses its own system. Army & Air Corps Ranks The enlisted scale for the Army and Air Corps contain eleven ranks. They range from Soldado, the lowest enlisted rank, to Senior Sub-Lieutenant, the highest enlisted rank. The officer scale for the Army and the Air Corps contains ten standard officer ranks. The lowest officer rank is Alferez. The highest standard officer rank is Capitan General, it is equivalent to a five-star general in other armies. Typically the rank of Capitan General is reserved for the Army Chief of Staff and Air Corps Chief of Staff. The officer scale also contains a developmental officer position, Cadete, which is reserved for officers in training. Naval Ranks The enlisted scale for the Armada contains nine ranks. They range from Marinero, the lowest enlisted ran, to sub-lieutenant, the highest enlisted rank. The officer scale for the Armada contains eleven standard ranks. These range from Second Lieutenant, the lowest naval officer rank, to Capitan General. Capitan General of the Armada is equivalent to a five-star admiral in other navies. Typically the rank of Capitan General of the Armada is reserved for the Navy Chief of Staff. The officer scale also contains a developmental officer position, Guadiamarina, which is reserved for officers in training. Special Ranks In addition to the standard officer ranks, both rank systems include the rank of Cuadillo. Cuadillo is a non-standard military rank that comes with added political, economic, and social powers. During times of war the legislature will appoint a Cuadillo to oversee and coordinate all military activity, and direct economic planning to help meet the needs of the armed forces. Council Guard Ranks The Council Guard maintains their own rank system, which contains five standard ranks. Defender, the lowest ranked member of the Council Guard is equivalent to Soldier or Marinero. Rompedor de Lanzas, is the second lowest rank in the Council Guard. The name is derived from the Italian lanzia spezzata, which means "broken spear", the term is used for seasoned Defenders, who are usually responsible for leading units of 5-10 men. This rank is analogous to Lance Corporal in other militaries and Cabo in the other branches of service of the Aguacentian Defense Force. The next rank in the Council Guard is Chief of the Guard, this rank is equivalent to a senior NCO in most other militaries. The Council Guard has one officer rank, the Captain of the Guard, which is equivalent to a Colonel in most other forces. The highest Council Guard rank is Protector of the Republic, which is analogous to a general officer in most other forces. The rank of Protector is reserved for only most senior personnel within the Council Guard. Typically fewer than ten officers with the title Protector exist at any one time. Ranks and Insignia of the Aguacentian Defense Forces - Larger Version

That's definitely a workable solution. An alternative one might be a DnD or Risk style system, it could be done using a pre-set RNG over discord, so that takes out the work of having any given player determining the outcome. It's definitely worth its own discussion and broad input. If something winds up getting sussed out, we should also consider implementing the same system in OrgRP, regardless of what form it takes. So, your solution is to essentially berate a player until they stop wanting to play anymore? That hardly seems like a good idea, both mechanically and for the community. In this case, there's really no "rolled". Even without a consent rule RPing a conflict requires a certain degree of cooperation. Otherwise, you're going to repeatedily get this scenario: Smalltopia: Invades Bigtopia Smalltopia: Army takes the capital. Bigtopia: No it didn't. We defended the capital successfully. Smalltopia: Army slaughters all resistance Bigtopia: No it didn't. All YOUR troops were lost. Repeat ad naseum. 1. That's kind of my point. Removing the consent rule wont change that, as suggested by others. 2. Consequences should be had, it's really not one or two people at this point and spans both RP's. Removing the consent rule doesn't resolve the underlying problem. Without a reasonable replacement we're only likely to see more drama. 3. Eh, I'm not going to get into an argument with you over the merit of specific stated reasons for conflicts, since here is not the place. The point still stands, there have been way more ethnic conflicts and genocides that have been ignored than there are ones where others got involved. Most involvement occurs long after fighting starts to die down rather than prior to the event. NATO action in the Balkans is the exception, not the rule. 4. Lack of economic will is lack of political will. Differences aside, maybe it should be. If it shouldn't be, your point made in response to 3 is moot. 7. Maybe so, but it's useful to have reassurances for prospective players. I'll give you that it's hard to know whether or not they even care about such things, since they don't tend to comment. 8. I agree. How often is armed conflict an actual solution to an actual problem? Not often. You can make the argument, that the existing RP world is different, but I don't think having the ability to "roll" a nation is actually going to have the effect you think it will, especially without cooperation or some form adjudication there's really no consequence if you choose to ignore the fact that you are being attacked. Which is the same problem that exists with actions short of armed conflict. 9. Perhaps that wasn't a good idea, but what's done is done at this point. 10. OrgRP isn't immune to such things, even without the consent rule. The solution is to encourage good RP and fair-play. I don't see how removing the consent rule does either, given that most people here seem to prefer to RP military actions as a list of equipment followed by an outcome. Especially especially given that without some form of impartial adjudication all that is going to happen is people are going to get more heated. 11. Let's do it then. 12. Just because everyone deserves a certain degree of blame doesn't mean we shouldn't encourage everyone to be less shitty to each other. I got lost tracking the numbered list about half-way through, so it's entirely possible that certain ones don't correspond to their original thoughts. I think my general thought process can be dumbed down to: - Realistic RP is a good thing. This includes consequences and negative outcomes. This includes actions short of war. - Since "wars" or any type of economic/social conflict actually require two combating parties to cooperate even without a consent rule, it wont actually cause consequences or negative outcomes unless there's some sort of adjudication system or one/both parties are interested in such things. Removing the consent rule without having a supplemental war system in place is bound to cause problems. - Really the only way to have realistic RP with balance is to have players actually want to do that. We should encourage that. - Creativity is good for the RP, we should encourage that too. - I like lists with five points better than I like lists with four points.

As an outside observer to NatRP, but participant in the broader RP community here are a few thoughts on what's been said so far and the consent rule as a whole. 1. The "if we get rid of consent, people will have to develop their IC more" hypothesis being tossed around is pretty fallacious. If this were true, we'd see mass depth development in OrgRP where there isn't a consent rule. We don't, because persona development is largely a result of players wanting to do it, and nothing else. If anything, war is a political short-cut to solving problems without any real interaction or plot development. Don't like a nations internal political actions? No need to try anything else, just immediately threaten armed conflict. 2. If anything, the consent rule has actually forced the community in NatRP to deal with policies they don't like in a more creative and realistic manner. Without the ability to "go to war", the community is now faced with the problem of dealing with hostile states and policies they don't like with actions that don't involve armed conflict. From the outside, the political conundrum the consent rule has created for the NatRP community IC is a lot more interesting than anything else I've seen in the PnW RP community since I started here. 3a.Not having the ability to go to war at all is a lot more realistic than being able to go to war at the drop of the hat. In practicality, most nations shouldn't have the economic or political ability to go to war regularly due to domestic and international constraints -- particularly for humanitarian and moral causes -- which is what sparked this suggestion in the first place. Don't believe me? All you need to do is compare the number of times political and social atrocities have occurred in the last 100 years (it's more than a trivial amount) to the number of major interstate wars have been fought IRL over cultural differences or ethnic cleansing in the last 100 years or so (you probably only need one hand to count them all). 3b. Ultimately the PnW RP's are not "war RP's" and shouldn't be treated as such. If anything, we should strive to de-emphasize war and emphasize character and plot development. 4. Pariah states are a thing IRL and exist largely because the international community is helpless to do anything about them. The nation that has spurred this suggestion is pretty effectively RPing a pariah state similar to North Korea. Their RP is consistent and it's caused plot development, I'm not sure why you would want to stop it. 5. Even if the consent rule was removed, and the nations that would like to "go to war" due the incidents that have sparked this suggestion, most of them have no IC reason to actually do so. The vast majority don't have established super-strong religious beliefs or histories of humanitarianism that would spur such an action. 6. The "war doesn't matter anyway to your 'in-game' nation, so therefore it should be allowed without consent in RP" hypothesis being tossed around is also silly. If that's your preferred line of logic, why bother with RP at all since it has no affect on your in-game nation. 7. The consent rule allows new RPers to get into the RP without fear of outside threat and without having to worry about RPing something as complex as a major war when they first start out. 8. The consent rule is present to insure people can develop their RP without outside interference and to prevent groups of nations from brigading a single nation they don't like. Currently, it's doing a pretty effective job. 9. By eliminating the consent rule, you've effectively created to parallel versions of OrgRP. In which case there's no real reason to have both. 10. The "the consent rule is killing the RP" hypothesis is also silly. There are lots of RP communities that have similar rules and have super in-depth and lively RPs. If anything, it's lack of creativity and a migration to OrgRP that caused the decline of NatRP. 11. To co-opt Monika's idea, if you're not going to have consent, what mechanism are you going to use to determine victors and losers, especially when one or both parties have no interest in a negative outcome. As an aside, this is something we should consider discussing as a community for OrgRP as well, since it's bound to come up eventually. 12. Let's call a spade and spade. I fear that ultimately this suggestion is brought about by OOC differences rather than genuine concerns about NatRP.

Honors System of the Republic The Aguacentian honors system is a means of rewarding individuals' personal bravery, achievement, or service to the Republic of Aguacenta. Honors are bestowed on both military members and civilians to recognize personal accomplishments and contributions to the Republic. The honors system consists of eighteen major honors and numerous lesser honors. Honors can be awarded to both individuals and groups. Major honors currently fall into five categories: High Honors of the Republic, Orders of the Republic, Decorations of the Republic, Service Medals, and Co-fraternities.   High Honors Hero of the Republic. Hero of the Republic (1) is the Republic of Aguacenta's highest honor. It is awarded to those who commit heroic actions or deeds that go above and beyond the call of duty in the service of the Republic and its people. It is awarded by the First Minister of the Republic and can be awarded to both civilians and servicemen. The award consists of a light blue ribbon with white stripe and a hand-crafted gold rendition of the the North Star. In the middle of the star is mounted a round cabochon sapphire. Individuals awarded the title of Hero of the Republic also receive a life-long housing stipend, living stipend, pension with survivor benefits, tax-exempt status, free transportation on all public transit systems, medical benefits, and an entertainment subsidy. Star of the Republic. The Star of the Republic (2) is the Republic of Aguacenta's second highest honor. It is awarded to individuals for exceptional actions, deeds, or achievements that serve the economic or cultural interest of the Republic. It is awarded by the First Minister of the Republic and can be awarded to both civilians and servicemen. The award consists of a white ribbon with light blue stripe and a hand-crafted silver rendition of the the North Star. In the middle of the star is mounted a round cabochon emerald. Orders Order of the Patriarch. The Order of the Patriarch (3) is conferred upon those who have rendered distinguished service in promoting the Aguacentian Catholic faith, or who have contributed to the glory of the Church, either by feat of arms, by writings, or by other illustrious acts. It is awarded by the National Council in consultation with the Patriarch of Cadiz. The award consists of a ribbon and medallion. The ribbon is light blue with white center stripe. The medallion consists of a gold cross with a blue and white roundel in the center. The cross is mounted on a laurel wreath and gold ring bisected by crossed swords. Order of the Merit. The Order of the Merit (4) is conferred upon those who have made significant contributions to the national security or defense of the Republic. The award consists of a ribbon and a medallion. The ribbon is light blue. The medallion is in the shape of the Aguacentian Eagle adorned with a light blue shield with a white fimbriation. Order of the Republic. The Order of the Republic (5) is conferred upon those who have made significant contributions to science, art, literature, or for the promotion of Aguacentian culture. The award consists of a ribbon and a medallion. The ribbon is white with a light blue stripe. The medallion is a gold five-pointed star with polished dark-blue Azurite face affixed in a gold ring. Decorations Decorations are awarded to those who demonstrate one of the seven heavenly virtues of the Aguacentian Church. While these virtues are theological in origin, in modern Aguacenta they have also come to represent different aspects of the model citizen. All of the major decorations are civic medals and are awarded by the First Minister's Office. Medal of Chastity. The Medal of Chastity (6) is awarded for acts of self-control, discipline, or morality that contribute to the benefit of the People of the Republic. The award consists of a light-grey and white ribbon and a light-grey and white lacquered square plate mounted on a gold frame. Medal of Temperance. The Medal of Temperance (7) is awarded for acts of prudence or wisdom that contribute to the benefit of the People of the Republic. The award consists of a purple and white ribbon and a purple and white lacquered square plate mounted on a gold frame. Medal of Charity. The Medal of Charity (8) is awarded for acts of altruism or generosity that contribute to the benefit of the People of the Republic. The award consists of a green and white ribbon and a green and white lacquered square plate mounted on a gold frame. Medal of Diligence. The Medal of Diligence (9) is awarded for acts of persistence, effort, or work ethic that contribute to the benefit of the People of the Republic. The award consists of a yellow and white ribbon and a yellow and white lacquered square plate mounted on a gold frame. Medal of Patience. The Medal of Patience (10) is awarded for acts of endurance, forgiveness, or mercy that contribute to the benefit of the People of the Republic. The award consists of a blue and white ribbon and a blue and white lacquered square plate mounted on a gold frame. Medal of Kindness. The Medal of Kindness (11) is awarded for acts of compassion that alleviate emotional or mental suffering and contribute to the benefit of the People of the Republic. The award consists of a orange and white ribbon and a orange and white lacquered square plate mounted on a gold frame. Medal of Humility. The Medal of Humility (12) is awarded for acts of bravery, modesty, or reverence that contribute to the benefit of the People of the Republic. The award consists of a brown and white ribbon and a brown and white lacquered square plate mounted on a gold frame. Service Medals Gold Service Cross. The Gold Service Cross (13) is awarded for an act or acts of extraordinary heroism or gallantry in combat not justifying the awarding of the title of Hero of the Republic. The award consists of a medallion attached to a hexagonal ribbon. The ribbon is light blue and yellow. The medallion consists of a flat gold cross mounted on a gold ring. Silver Service Cross. The Silver Service Cross (14) is awarded for an act or acts of heroism or gallantry in the field. The award consists of a medallion attached to a hexagonal ribbon. The ribbon is light blue and white. The medallion consists of a flat silver cross mounted on a silver ring. Naval Star. The Naval Star (15) is awarded to to individuals who distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to Armada of the Republic. The award consists of a medallion attached to a hexagonal ribbon. The ribbon is blue with two yellow pin-stripes. The medallion is a silver four-pointed star with a lacquered blue square. Air Corps Star. The Air Corps Star (16) is awarded to to individuals who distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to Air Corps of the Republic. The award consists of a medallion attached to a hexagonal ribbon. The ribbon has alternating blue, grey, and white stripes. The medallion is a silver four-pointed star with a lacquered grey square. Land Forces Star. The Land Forces Star (17) is awarded to to individuals who distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to Land Forces of the Republic. The award consists of a medallion attached to a hexagonal ribbon. The ribbon has alternating green, light-green, and white stripes. The medallion is a silver four-pointed star with a lacquered green square. Co-Fraternities Brotherhood of the Guiding Star. The Brotherhood of the Guiding Star (18) is a military co-fraternity modeled roughly after medieval chivalric orders. The Brotherhood is official military order of the Republic, but is independently managed by its own internal bylaws. Soldiers, sailors, and airmen are invited by existing members to join the brotherhood. New members are invited when they demonstrate actions of valor that benefit or glorify the Republic. Collectively all members of the brotherhood are referred to by the title of Bellator. Membership is tiered into four ranks, and various sub-ranks based on service and involvement in the brotherhood. The highest level of membership, reserved for those in national leadership roles, is Bellator Magnus; the second highest level of membership, reserved for those in regional leadership roles, is Bellator Exemplar; the third level of membership, reserved for regular members, is Bellator Verum; and the lowest level of membership, reserved for new members of the brotherhood, is Bellator Novicus. The award is a large lozenge-shaped bronze radiant star with a polished ovaloid center-piece. The center-piece is etched with an Aguacentian landscape that features the North Star, a mountain range, a field, and a river. Traditionally, the insignia of the Brotherhood can be worn alone, around the neck of a collar ribbon, on a sash, or with backing ribbons. Rank within the Brotherhood are denoted by stars etched along the bottom of the oval-center, with three stars etched on the medals of the Knights Magnus and no stars etched on Knights Novicus.

An International Radio Broadcast, of a speech given by First Minister Emiliano Cabrera. Given this evening on the steps of the National Parliament Building. Today I stand before you, the leader of a beleaguered people. Many of us have lost loved-ones and friends in the recent tragedy that befell our nation. We, as a people, have witnessed many of the villages, towns, and cities of the south coast being devastated by earthquakes and the force of the sea. We have witnessed destruction, we have witnessed tragedy, we have witnessed disorder, and we have witnessed opportunism. However, we have also witnessed the best that humanity has to offer. Neighbors comforting each other, communities sheltering strangers, and an outpouring of support, not only from within the Republic, but from abroad. While it is easy to dwell on the cruelty and inhumanity we have see, I encourage you instead to revel in the selfless compassion of those who have sought to ease the suffering of others. I encourage you, not to look toward the past, but toward the future. The road ahead of us is uncertain. It contains many hardships and potential hazards. But, no matter how difficult the road gets, we as Aguacentians will walk it together. We will revel together in our triumphs and reassure each other in our hardships. We will leave no-one behind. Tonight, many of you are are listening to these words in places far from your homes. Forced to abandon your homelands. Force to reside in shelters, relief camps, in churches, and in the homes of strangers. Tonight, many of you will be wondering if you will be able to return to them. While I would like to able to say that a time-table is in place, and that you will soon be able to return to your homelands, unfortunately I can not. But, as leader of this Republic, tonight, I make each and everyone of you this solemn promise. We will rebuild. We will not stop at the halls of Parliament behind me. We will rebuild all that was lost. We will emerge from this tragedy stronger and more united than ever. We will not stop until those who have been displaced have returned to their homes. We will not stop until those who have lost are made whole again. Today the vanguard of Republic marches in lock-step. Together we can insure that humanity and compassion are one again triumphant over their foes. All departments of this government are currently working with vigor and haste to allow for a return to normalcy. The National Assembly has authorized the use of every resource at our disposal to aid in relief efforts. The armed forces of the Republic, along with the National Guard, Gendarme, civilian agencies and relief groups are currently working under a single umbrella with common purpose. The National Assembly has begun to take actions to spur rebuilding efforts and mitigate further damage to infrastructure and the economy. In short order, funds will begin to flow from government coffers into the hands of relief organizations, citizens, and industry. Help is on its way. It is on its way, not only from your government and from your fellow citizens, but from citizens of the world, who have put aside past grievances and opened their hearts to us in our time of need. Fellow Aguacentians, hear this, you cries have been heard. Our strategic partners in the Nation of Rokkenjima and the our newest compatriots in the Republic of France have heard your pleas and have extended their hands in friendship and good-faith to help. In the coming days and weeks, you may see many new faces in the streets of our cities. Fear not, for these are our brothers and sisters.

VOICE: ATTENTION. ATTENTION. ATTENTION. This is a Far East Radio Network civil defense news bulletin. Repeat. This is a Far East Radio Network civil defense news bulletin. Please stand by for a critical news update. VOICE: The official death toll is now over 32,000. Another 15,000 have reported serious injuries. Numbers are expected to continue to rise as authorities gain access to previously unreachable areas. Hospitals along the southern seaboard are swamped, and military triage stations are over capacity. Approximately 550,000 people have been temporarily displaced. As many as 150,000 people are expected to displaced in the long-term. VOICE: Displaced persons camps set up by the Home Office and Department of Defense have been overwhelmed. The government has begun relocating people to facilities in the northern cities of Siero, Callao, and Olivia which were unaffected by the disaster. VOICE: A temporary communication network has been set-up using balloon mounted cellular antennas. Electricity has been restored in pockets along the southern sea-board. Current estimates suggest less than 25 percent of residential customers have had their power restored at this time. Representatives of the major power cooperatives suggest that it could be weeks before power is restored to the majority of customers, and caution that restoration of power in rural areas could take several months. Critical facilities, including hospitals, dispatch centers, and emergency coordination facilities remain on generator power, however supplies of diesel are currently limited. VOICE: Access to potable water remains a problem in the southern cities. The Home Office has set up portable water reclamation facilities and distribution points in most urban areas, however lines remain long and rationing is currently in effect. VOICE: Total damage is estimated to be in the 12 - 15 billion USD range. One expert characterized the damage to Aguacenta's fishing and shipping industries to be "the worst damage that has ever been incurred by an industrialized nation in modern history". Environmental damage is expected to be irreversible. VOICE: The National Assembly has declared a state of emergency in the southern provinces. Military, National Guard, and Gendarme are currently working under direction of the Ministry of Defense and the Home Office. Military forces are currently exercising police powers to prevent looting and other criminal activity. At present, the majority of Military and Gendarme disaster relief personnel are in place. National Guard units remain slow to mobilize, and are expected to take at least another week before certain units are in place.

I guess up until this point I have been making certain assumptions about the way the international system functions that may not be universally accepted. For the sake of a coherent RP, it'd be nice to get a general consensus on how the international system works and how nations interact in between times where governments are taking direct actions toward one another. Here are some of the assumptions I've been making, and it would be nice to get input on them from the rest of the community: That nations have maintain diplomatic contingents in other countries unless specified otherwise in canon (e.g. travel bans, having them recalled/deported, periods of armed conflict, etc.). There are going to be variations in size and nature of these contingents based on national relationships. Trade, at least in some degree, occurs between all nations unless specified otherwise in canon (e.g. embargoes, periods of armed conflict, etc.). There are certainly going to be variations in specific trade partners and volume of trade. Currencies, where they exist, are in general circulation and are generally exchangeable at the proper exchange rate. People, more or less, have free movement between countries barring specific reasons in canon to the contrary (e.g. oppressive regimes, travel bans, etc.). Unclaimed territories are generally inhabited and may or may not have some form of marginal government that can be interacted with in reasonable ways. They may or may not have populations and economies similar to their real world counterparts. Seas are generally governed by norms that, more or less, resemble the real world. Skies are generally managed in a manner similar to the real world, with international cooperation to manage civil aviation. There are probably some obvious things that I missed. It would also be awesome to come to some sort of mutual agreement on at least a vague idea of what the international system looks like.

We find it curious that the Ottomans maintain such tight control over the movement of their citizens and the growth of their private enterprise. OOC: The assumption that no business transactions or exist or have ever existed between two nations who up until this point have been on good terms just because there is no formal agreement in place is absurd. Unless your conjecture is that all citizens have to request permission to enter into business arrangements or travel to-and-from your country, which is also generally absurd. Even at the height of the cold war there was exchange between the US and USSR.

VOICE: ATTENTION. ATTENTION. ATTENTION. This is a Far East Radio Network civil defense news bulletin. Repeat. This is a Far East Radio Network civil defense news bulletin. Please stand by for a critical news update. VOICE: Reports of the devastation continue to filter in from much of the southern sea-board. VOICE: There are confirmed reports of extreme damage to the port facilities in the cities of Puerto Libre and Merida. Both ports are expected to see extremely reduced capabilities for several months while repairs are completed. Several vessels of the Southern Fleet, which was moored in the harbor at Peurto Libre, suffered damages. Among them was the Corvette ANS Minotaur which was partially beached by the force of the wave. Lesser damages to port facilities in Ciudad Neuvo, Alicante, and Punto Agido. VOICE: Severe flooding in the Peurto Libre, Merida, and Ciudad Nuevo. This includes damages that resulted when several levies burst in Ciudad Neuvo and water poured into the city's historic district. Large portions of all three cities remain under-water and there have been reports of residents trapped in their homes. Flooding in in-land portions of country near rivers and wetlands have also been reported. Authorities recommend avoiding contact with flood waters as they may be contaminated, especially in Peurto Libre where we have unconfirmed reports that an underground storage cistern at a chemical plant may have leaked. VOICE: Structural damage to buildings, the result of earthquake aftershocks, has been reported in many cities along the south coast. This includes damage to the National Parliament Building, whose east wing-had to be evacuated after engineers discovered damage to the building's foundation. VOICE: Power and communications infrastructure remains out along most of the coastal sea-board, and restoration make take weeks or months depending on location. In areas where power infrastructure was partially working, authorities have disabled main feeds in order to prevent risks associated with life electrical conduits interacting with flood waters. Residents are advised to avoid downed electrical wires and power sub-stations. VOICE: Aftershocks have resulted in municipal water lines being fractured in several metropolitan areas. Residents are advised not to drink water from wells or municipal sources until they can be evaluated for quality and safety. Boiling water may not result in all contaminants being removed. VOICE: Looting has been reported in several cities. Local authorities have already made dozens of arrests related to vandalism and looting. Curfews and travel restrictions are now in effect for most of the southern coast. VOICE: The Home Office and Defense Ministry along with other supporting ministries are currently coordinating disaster relief efforts. Temporary evacuation camps are currently being set up in in-land areas of the Vigo, Lograno, and Utrera provinces. Elements of the 1st Infantry Division, garrisoned at La Paz, and 2nd Armored Division, garrisoned in central Vigo, have been dispatched to take part in disaster relief and recovery operations. VOICE: The First Minister has asked the National Assembly to activate several contingents of the National Guard that specialize in disaster and humanitarian relief efforts. The First Minister has also asked the National Assembly to authorize the Gendarme to be temporarily integrated into the United Land Forces Command, an action usually reserved for times of war. The National Council has authorized use of the Council Guard for humanitarian relief efforts. VOICE: There are currently no official reports of the number of lives lost, but unofficial estimates speculate the number could be in the tens of thousands. Unofficial estimates of the total damage to property suggest damages could reach into the billions. Meanwhile, damages to Aguacenta's economy remain unknown at this time as the Economic Ministry has suspended trading on all Aguacentian exchanges. VOICE: Members of the Foreign Office report a number of offers of foreign assistance. Coordinated efforts between the government of Aguacenta and several international partners are expected to begin in the coming days. The First Minister is expected to make his first public address since the disaster before the weeks end.