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Messages - CGJ

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1
Vignettes / Re: Dartfordian Vignette(s)
« on: January 30, 2023, 01:08:22 AM »
"Princess Adriana is dead."

The words hung in the air. Any energy in air zapped into the void of shock, disbelief, grief.

The Cabinet Secretary, the most senior official in Dartfordian's government, informing the Prime Minister. The Principal Private Secretary to the King informing the monarch. A chain of messages, all the same, slowly making its way to senior ministers and members of the Royal Family.

By the time the message had started to trickle, the news was breaking. Phone notifications, television stations stopping to play the national anthem, officials across the country putting in urgent 'Harland Castle' meetings to discuss their next steps.

"I didn't think it would come to that," Daniel Cleaver, the Prime Minister, said quietly. He leaned back into his chair. "We have to go along with it, I assume?"

"We do," the Cabinet Secretary replied solemnly.

Cleaver stood to face the window. "This will be the death of me, you know that?" Four months away from an election, participating in one of the biggest coverups in Mundus history. Electoral suicide. "I have to lie to my King."

"Do you wish to proceed with Operation Sandcastle?" Sandcastle was a top secret plan, devised in the last weeks, to strategically cover-up the possible faked death of Dartfordia's second-in-line. It took its name from all Royal death operation names - with each Prince or Princess having a 'castle' and the King and Queen having a 'palace'.

The Prime Minister bristled. "I don't have a choice. The King cannot know. I don't even now if the Prince and Princess of Littlebrook know." He steeled himself. "But we cannot let the Royal Family get implicated in this. they must grieve, like the nation will."

"I will need to contact the Palace," the Cabinet Secretary said, "you'll need to speak to the King. Once they've made the official announcement, the press will be outside waiting for your statement."

Cleaver thanked his official, who quietly made his leave. His speechwriter entered, none the wiser to the conversation that had just taken place, and the two began tidying up his broadcast to the nation.

A few minutes later, as his desk phone rang, he took a deep breath.

"Your Majesty," he began, never imagining his premiership would end like this. "I am so sorry for your loss."


2
Office of the Chancellory / SMF 2.1 Upgrade
« on: September 20, 2022, 04:21:35 PM »
Hi all,

This a follow-up to: https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=2644.0

As a few months have passed, I am providing an update on the forum 'upgradeability' - the majority of mods are not supported in SMF 2.1, although some have been replaced. It's unlikely these will be updated, and therefore a discussion will take place with Pyrena

Spoiler: Mods supported/replaced • show

Remove Last Edit - compatible
Misc Anti Spam - not supported, replaced (mostly) by built-in functionality
Menu Editor lite - not supported, functionality replaced by https://custom.simplemachines.org/index.php?mod=3674
Custom BBCodes Manager - supported
Ohara YouTube Embed  - not supported, replaced by https://custom.simplemachines.org/index.php?mod=3982
Expanding & Collapsing Spoiler Tag - not supported, replaced by https://custom.simplemachines.org/index.php?mod=4166


Spoiler: Mods not supported • show

SVG as image - not supported, no patch coming (low need)
Label for banned members   - not supported, patch coming (low need)
MPAAP - Modify Posts At Anytime Permission - not supported (not required)
Footnotes - not supported
Auto Respond - not supported, would lose tio_helper
Cloudflare IP Referral Support - not supported, not a major issue


Themes

One of the fun things we get to decide is...what should our default theme be! Unfortunately the theme library is a bit...limited. There is a question about whether we keep the current principally dark theme, which I thing (if can be done tastefully) should continue.

I therefore suggest if we wished to go ahead with the upgrade:
Primary theme: https://custom.simplemachines.org/index.php?theme=2930
Looks quite nice, will test to see if I can replace the purple with yellow (or orange)

Secondary themes:
- Default
- blindspot https://custom.simplemachines.org/index.php?theme=2974

Key decisions
- Are we happy with the proposal on the primary and secondary themes?
- Are we happy to proceed with an update without the auto reply bot?

3
Vignettes / Re: Dartfordian Vignette(s)
« on: July 24, 2022, 11:24:36 AM »
In the depths of one of Hematite’s many Government complexes, lined with dark carpets, bright white lights and rows upon rows of desks, there was a light buzz in the air. It was Friday. 3pm on Friday, too. People were clearing out the last of their inboxes, talk was turning to the weekend, and for Julia Holden, she was about to take a two-week holiday.

Julia had joined the Department for Education a few years earlier, having spent most of her career working in the Foreign Affairs. She’d wanted a break from the diplomatic arena, so it was only natural that she’d simply ended up as Head of the International Division. She liked her job, though - her own mini-Foreign Office. It covered student exchanges, recognising qualifications, and learning from other countries about what they do.

With the last of her inbox removed, she began to gather her things, keen to get away before the Friday evening rush on the trains. An instant message popped up on her screen:
Polly Clarke, 15:16 says:
Can I call you? I think there’s been a security breach.


Taken back, Julia frowned at her screen. A breach? Is it my fault?

In a heartbeat, she popped on her headset and video called Polly.

‘Hi Polly, what’s happened?’ her question was immediate.

‘It’s uh. A weird one,’ Polly replied, ‘We sent a few letters out to some countries about mental health in schools, but one country has replied that…we didn’t write to.’

Julia sucked in a breath. ‘How sensitive were these letters?’

‘Not that sensitive, it…I mean it was just a letter asking if they had been doing any work on it and if they’d like a meeting. It was the uh…10th May one. Let me forward it.’ There was a pause. ‘Okay sent. The thing is - we’ve only sent it to 5 countries, ones we haven’t worked with before.’

In a few moments, Julia had opened up the scanned response. Odd, she mused, staring at the Chrysanthemum seal. ‘So it does look like it’s from Rokkenjima,’ she hummed quietly, ‘but I remember you’ve already had a few workshops with them, so it seems odd. I don’t recognise the official, either.’

‘Neither do I,’ Polly added, ‘I wonder if this could be fake? The title of the department is different.’

Julia nodded, ‘I see - leave it with me, it’s come from the Foreign Department, I’ll call the Rokkenjima desk there.’

A couple of minutes later she was on the phone again. ‘Hi Tom, sorry to bug you on a Friday. We’ve had a letter you’ve sent through from Rokkenjima, can I check a few details?’

‘Hey Julia, uh…’ he paused, ‘We haven’t sent your department anything this week.’

‘But we’ve got it here,’ Julia flicked back to the email, scrolling down the chain. ‘It’s come from the Ardia desk - do you know Tina?’

‘Ahhh yes,’ Tom’s voice lit up in recognition, then he laughed. ‘You are the third call today. Tina covers north-east Ardia. So Heyra, Iwi, Cassiopeia and, the problem child, Daitō.’

‘Daitō? Why are they using Rokkenjima’s seal?’

‘They’re not - they’re claiming it themselves. Theirs has 17 leaves, not 16. Or something like that. Either way, something to do with shared Ardian heritage.’

‘So now we have two countries sharing one emblem?’

‘Yep, and Tytor are going nuts apparently.’

Julia paused, and confusedly asked, ‘Tytor?’

‘That’s what their desk tells me anyway - biggest Cross-Straits crisis since Darxit. Though I suppose they are the new special relationship! Rokkenjimans aren’t happy either, so…war it is!’ he chuckled, only slightly nervously.

‘What’s our Foreign Minister said?’

‘Bemused silence, so don’t think we have to worry about launching a taskforce yet.’

They finished up their conversation, with the ever-unfulfilled promise to ‘catch-up soon.’ Julia was once again making a call.

‘Good news - no security breach!’ she exclaimed.

Polly frowned, ‘So what’s happened?’

‘Well,’ Julia chuckled, ‘Let me tell you about the most boring case of copyright infringement Mundus has ever known…’


4
Vignettes / Dartfordian Vignette(s)
« on: July 24, 2022, 11:17:21 AM »
Creating this thread to post any random, but usually mundane, stories from Dartfordia.

5
Forum Administration / Forum Upgrade - SMF 2.1
« on: May 01, 2022, 08:47:54 PM »
Hello!

Two forum-related posts in a day!

As some of you may have heard, Simple Machines have released a new version of their forum software: SMF 2.1.

New features include:
  • A new WYSIWYG editor
  • 'Real-time alerts'
  • Support for mobile devices
  • Draft messages[/i]
    • Mentions like @CGJ
    • Embedded attachments and an easier way to upload attachments

    To allow for modifications and themes to update (we're using 12 mods and 3 custom themes!) I haven't upgraded the forum yet, however for when we reach better compatibility, I wanted to throw this open and let people suggest themes! We're likely looking at an upgrade over summer this year.

    There aren't many themes for SMF 2.1 on the official SMF site, but there are more sites out there. Of courses special credit will be given to anyone feeling specially creative and who volunteers to create a custom theme for TIO!

    Ideally I think we'll need a light theme and a dark theme. Feel free to use this thread to suggest themes.

6
Forum Administration / Issues with the forum email
« on: May 01, 2022, 08:22:53 PM »
Hi all,

I learned of an issue last week with emails not sending (thanks to Daito for flagging). We use SendInBlue to send our emails, as they are a well-known and 'trusted' service that is usually supported most email providers and reduces the risk of emails from the forum ending up in junk.

However, a few weeks ago '[email protected]' deactivated for a reason I am still yet uncertain. This meant that when SendInBlue (the people I use to actually send emails) wrote to me to say they were deactivating the account for inactivity/compliance, I didn't receive the notification. The SendInBlue was deactivated and emails couldn't send.

While investigating I setup a temporary solution which...wasn't the best but it had to do.

I am pleased to say, however, that I have regained the email account and re-activated the SendInBlue account. All emails should now be working. Please let me know via Discord if you have any issues by posting in the #forum-administration chat.

Thanks all,
C

7
Conference Hall / Re: Proposal for a Constitutional Amendment
« on: April 30, 2022, 06:49:29 PM »
My concern with this amendment is not so much substance, but that the Order of the Pen would take up a disproportionate amount of the constitution.

So do we amend the Constitution to just add ‘as defined by X’ and have a second Act (or whatever we call them) that covers the Order of the Pen?

My only other point here is: I would question the mental effort here caused by what is, at best, a technical error resulting from unclear legislation that was made in good faith.

8
Conference Hall / Re: Proposing A New Constitution
« on: April 23, 2022, 05:35:59 PM »
Although it is not required, I want to endorse this change to the Constitution.

9
Office of the Chancellory / IMPORTANT: Launch of TIO NFTs
« on: April 01, 2022, 07:06:28 PM »
Hello Orderians,

I am delighted to announce that we are launching our exclusive range of Non-Fungible Tokens, or NFTs for short.

NFTs are, put simply, the future of art and the wider internet. Just like in real life when you sell priceless art, you can now make money by investing in a unique, digital good on the blockchain. Or in This case, the TIO dragon with a variety of customisations. Your investment is then stored in the blockchain for eternity, ensuring that you, and only you, have rights over it.

The purpose of these NFTs is simple: we need to increase traffic, and we want to give you the financial incentive time to do the same. By bringing people here, they can invest in exclusive digital characters that they can have on their phones 24/7, it’s the future!

Like most things in life, such as being able to afford your own home in an overcrowded city, you just have to believe.

And if you believe. I believe. And then they believe. And we make all kinds of fucking money.

Unfortunately due to the environmental impact of cryptocurrencies and NFTs, we will instead accept payments using your local currency on PayPal and we’ll save your exclusive digital good in the TIO Google Drive. Trust us, it’s just as secure.

For more information, please check out this easy-to-understand explainer video courtesy of our NFT adviser, Victor Chaos.

The platform will go live from 2 April. Minimum investment $1000 per token.

Happy investing!

10
Conference Hall / Re: Proposed Constitution - For The Regional Assembly
« on: February 27, 2022, 10:06:53 PM »
 My third set of amendments, following Discord discussions. Just wanted to keep the thinking going.

Amendment 1:
(3) Should a petition to recall the Grand Chancellor be signed by five (5) eligible members within the space of 96 hours, the Lord Chief Justice shall organise a recall referendum of all eligible members. If 66 per cent of those voting vote to recall, then the Lord Chief Justice shall organise the election of a new Grand Chancellor.

Amendment 2:
(10) Any eligible member may bring forward their own legislation and, with the support of four further eligible members, require the Bill to be signed into law by the Grand Chancellor or brought to a referendum of all eligible members.

Amendment 3:
(22) An eligible member is one who has been a member of the forum for a period of at least 45 days, has made more than 20 non-spam posts on the forum, is not serving any form of sentence under the Criminal Code (2013), the Forum Terms of Service Act (2015) or the Discord (Terms of Service) Act (2017), and has not been inactive for a period of 14 days without leave of absence.

Amendment 4:
(17) The Lord Chief Justice shall be appointed by the Grand Chancellor, following the same procedure as an Act of the Chancellery, for an indefinite term. Should a petition to recall the Lord Chief Justice be signed by five (5) eligible members within the space of 96 hours, the Grand Chancellor shall organise a recall referendum of all eligible members. If 66 per cent of those voting vote to recall, then the Lord Chief Justice shall be dismissed by the Grand Chancellor.


New clause:
(9a) Any eligible member may present amendments in the Conference Hall thread of a Bill. Should any amendment be presented, there shall be a minimum additional 24 hours allowed for debate. Should an amendment go unopposed, it will form part of the final Act. If an amendment is opposed by any eligible member, it should be put to a vote within the thread.

11
Conference Hall / Re: Proposed Constitution - For The Regional Assembly
« on: February 27, 2022, 09:26:43 PM »
Alternatively to the above...

Amendment 1:
(3) Should a petition to recall the Grand Chancellor be signed by five (5) eligible members within the space of 96 hours, the the Grand Chancellor shall appoint an eligible member to oversee a recall referendum of all eligible members. If 75 per cent of those voting vote to recall, then a Constitutional Convention shall be required to appoint a replacement.

Amendment 2:
(10) Any eligible member may bring forward their own legislation and, with the support of four further eligible members, require the Bill to be signed into law by the Grand Chancellor or brought to a referendum of all eligible members.

Amendment 3:
(22) An eligible member is one who has been a member of the forum for a period of at least 45 days, has made more than 20 non-spam posts on the forum, is not serving any form of sentence under the Criminal Code (2013), the Forum Terms of Service Act (2015) or the Discord (Terms of Service) Act (2017), and has not been inactive for a period of 14 days without leave of absence.


New clause:
(9a) Any eligible member may present amendments in the Conference Hall thread of a Bill. Should any amendment be presented, there shall be a minimum additional 24 hours allowed for debate. Should an amendment go unopposed, it will form part of the final Act. If an amendment is opposed by any eligible member, it should be put to a vote within the thread. 

12
Conference Hall / Re: Proposed Constitution - For The Regional Assembly
« on: February 27, 2022, 07:10:34 PM »
Some amendments from me. Free free to go crazy.

Amendment 1:
(3) Should a petition to recall the Grand Chancellor be signed by five (5) eligible members within the space of 96 hours, the Speaker of the Regional Assembly to oversee a recall referendum of all eligible members. Should no Speaker be in post, the Grand Chancellor shall appoint an eligible member. If 75 per cent of those voting vote to recall, then a Constitutional Convention shall be required to appoint a replacement and the Regional Assembly shall pass an Act of Abdication .

Amendment 2:
(10) Any eligible member may bring forward their own legislation and, with the support of four further eligible members, require the Bill to be signed into law by the Grand Chancellor or brought to a referendum of all eligible members.

Amendment 3:
All references to 'Conference Hall' should be replaced by 'Regional Assembly.'

New clause 1:
(9a) Any eligible member may present amendments in the Conference Hall thread of a Bill. Should an amendment or multiple amendments be presented, there shall be an additional 24 hours, or 48 hours for a Bill amending the Constitution, the Criminal Code, the Roleplay Rules or Emergency Procedures, for debate. Should an amendment go unopposed, it will form part of the final Act. If an amendment is opposed by any eligible member, it should be put to a vote within the thread. 

New clause 2:
(10a) The Conference Hall may adopt Standing Orders to govern its procedures, including the appointment of a Speaker, in accordance with this Constitution.

13
Conference Hall / Re: Proposed Constitution - For The Regional Assembly
« on: February 27, 2022, 03:01:22 PM »
I wonder if the GC recall section should be made more prescriptive, or whether it would be better handled by a GC Recall Act?

14
Conference Hall / Re: Proposed Constitution - For The Regional Assembly
« on: February 27, 2022, 02:30:58 PM »
For the benefit of the group, changes:
  • (1) The Grand Chancellor shall be the Head of Government and Head of State of the Order, and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of The Independent Order.
  • (2e) Inducting and expelling, by means of Writ, members of the region into the Regional Nobility;
  • (3) The Grand Chancellor may be recalled following a referendum of 3/4th of all eligible members of the Independent Order voting in favour, as defined by law. Should a Grand Chancellor be recalled, then a Constitutional Convention shall be required to appoint a replacement.

Might I suggest we have somewhere the definition of "eligible members of the Independent Order" for example I know Pandect is active usually on the RMB but never in Discord or on the forum whereas I know some of us don't maintain active nations on the NS site.

Very last clause: (22) An eligible member is one who has been a member of the forum for a period of at least 45 days, has made more than 20 non-spam posts on the forum, and is not serving any form of sentence under the Criminal Code (2013) or the Forum Terms of Service Act (2015).

15
OOC Socialisation / Fantasy Premier League
« on: August 13, 2021, 09:53:45 PM »
Hi Orderians,

We have a Fantasy Premier League table!

Click here to join!

It starts on game week 2, the deadline is on Saturday 21 August to join (and take full advantage)!

16
Diplomacy and Events / Re: Matters of Admin - MAEA
« on: May 02, 2021, 08:23:36 PM »

Kingdom of Dartfordia
Department for Foreign Affairs

To the members of the Mundus Atomic Energy Agency,

While the Government of Dartfordia appreciates disagreements within this organisation and we initially put forward the proposal for the Cross-Straits Campus as a capable and sustainable alternative for this organisation, we do not believe it would be right to host the organisation against the wishes of the majority of members.

The decisions taken by the Governments in this Agency were not taken lightly, and we respect the rights of members to choose how the organisation is shaped, how it is organised, and how it should present itself to Mundus.

We therefore decline the kind invitation from the First Empire to host the Agency's headquarters.

John Lankly MP
Foreign Secretary

17
Diplomacy and Events / Re: Matters of Admin - MAEA
« on: April 24, 2021, 10:35:08 PM »

Kingdom of Dartfordia
Department for Foreign Affairs

We are saddened to see the sudden withdrawal of the Majestic Empire in both candidacy and membership.

I believe we have broadly set out our case for hosting the organisation. We certainly respect the view of the Lodjan Government, but hope others might see the value in utilising Dartfordia as a more neutral territory to house international organisations. Despite the general lack of diplomatic activity, we are nonetheless fully committed to supporting the aims of this organisation.

The Kingdom of Dartfordia votes for the Cross-Straits Campus to become the home of MAEA.

John Lankly MP
Foreign Secretary

18
Diplomacy and Events / Re: Matters of Admin - MAEA
« on: April 22, 2021, 05:30:50 PM »

Kingdom of Dartfordia
Department for Foreign Affairs

To the members of the Mundus Atomic Energy Agency,

I would like to begin by thanking the First Empire, the Holy Empire and the Majestic Empire for their headquarter proposals. Dartfordia does not wish to take aim at any of these locations, as I am sure each location would not have only provided adequate housing for the Agency, but would have gone above and beyond in their hospitality. Dartfordia has belonged to organisations headquartered in both the First Empire and the Holy Empire and my officials are never disappointed by the quality of the service that is rendered.

We are concerned about the polarity in opinion regarding the headquarters. We understand there may be strong reluctance in deciding between the First Empire or the Grand Duchy, I would therefore like to put forward our own candidate for headquarters: the Cross-Straits Campus. Colleagues will likely be familiar with this site as it previously was the headquarters of the Cross-Straits Union. It currently forms part of the Arendelle Innovation District, and is partially occupied by the Cross-Straits University and a number of businesses.

Spoiler: Overhead shot of the Cross-Straits Campus • show


The scale and size of the campus, when originally built for the Cross-Straits Union, has meant it has been difficult to find permanent occupiers and the site is only being half utilised by other organisations. It is perfectly suited for international organisations, is well connected with a direct link to Arendelle Airport by Metro, and the surrounding areas offer plenty of hotel and former consular locations for nations to occupy.

We do not anticipate MAEA needing to take up the entirely, or even a huge part, of the campus. Under our proposals the Cross-Straits University will continue to occupy some of the outer buildings and share certain spaces of scientific research, and with the consent of the organisation and university additional organisations may occupy any remaining space to reduce the administrative cost. This will provide a unique home for MAEA in a great city, with plenty of opportunity to grow in future. We hope members of the MAEA will consider our approach.

On the matter of the President, we are happy to second the nomination of Dr. Ulf Gren.

John Lankly MP
Foreign Secretary

19
International Organisations / Re: Mundus Atomic Energy Agency (MAEA)
« on: April 20, 2021, 08:19:57 PM »
Full Name of Country/Region: Kingdom of Dartfordia
Representative Signing: Foreign Secretary John Lankly MP
Continent: Albion
First Language: English
Second Language:

20

Jenka-Jenkinson Showdown Continues,

The Twitter Showdown

Former Empress Beatrice has come out in support of Princess Adriana’s controversial statements on the future of Jenka-Jenkinson. Both members of the Dartfordian and Rokkenjiman royal households have doubled-down in her pursuit to see a ‘special economic relationship’ develop between the city and the Cross-Straits Union.

In a controversial Tweet, Beatrice stated that the ‘Royal Government will stand solidly against’ Princess Adriana, who earlier refused to ‘back down’ from her proposals. Princess Adriana is second in line to the Dartfordian throne after her father, Prince Alexander, who has yet to make a comment beyond the official statement by his office.

The move has united political parties in Hematite, with the governing National Party and opposition Socialist Party both condemning the comments. The Prime Minister initially rebuked the Princess’ comments on Twitter, declaring that changes were ‘impractical and unnecessary.’

In a Tweet that settled Government insiders, Empress Evanthe also Tweeted that the Rokkenjiman Government has ‘no official position on the domestic situation.’ This seems to have done enough to reassure Dartfordian government figures, who had been drawing up possible contingencies if it became a political point at the Cross-Straits Community talks.

Line of Succession (Removal for Seditious Activities) Bill 2021

Assurances form the Rokkenjiman Empress have not been enough to alleviate some concerns from Dartfordian MPs who call into question Princess Adriana for directly intervening in the affairs of the elected government. Since Princess Georgia’s unusual involvement in Universal Rights negotiations in 2014 led to the withdrawal of a number of Dartfordia’s key political allies from the agreement, the Royal Family has very firmly not been involved in political affairs.

Steve Adams MP is adding further fuel to the fire by introducing a bill that could allow Parliament to ‘remove or demote any individual’ from the line of succession for seditious activities. It defines these as ‘any activity undertaken to undermine the Government or Parliament of Dartfordia, advocate for the destruction or loss of territory or sovereignty of any part of Dartfordia, or promoting the interests of foreign administrations to the detriment of Dartfordia.’ The Bill has received the backing of 57 MPs out of 600 in the House of Commons.

As the Private Member’s Bill has not yet received the required 60 votes to be given an opportunity to have a debate, and even so it is unlikely to be voted into law. It marks the first time Parliament has attempted to intervene in the line of succession since the 1919-24 civil war.

Polling suggests split in Jenka-Jenkinson, Worries for Royal Family

Exclusive polling conducted jointly by LocalView and NatPol has shown a ‘deeply divided’ view on Princess Adriana’s views. When asked whether the city should have ‘a special economic relationship, as suggested by (Crown) Princess Adriana’, the city is split 50/50. 40% respondents voted yes and 40% no, while the ‘don’t know’ category garnered a very large 20% of polling.

Amongst those identifying as ethnically Dartfordian, almost 65% indicated no, 20% yes and 15% don’t know. For those who identified as Rokkenjiman, around 56% voted yes, 19% no and 25% don’t know.

When asked nationally, the polls show 45% no, 20% yes, and 35% ‘don’t know.’ Other polls on the position of the Royal Family are more worrying, with the general public, with generally a clear negative reaction. Empress Beatrice, who still holds a much higher profile in Dartfordia, comes in for criticism and there are indicators that the King and the Prince of Littlebrook should publicly oppose the comments. Details on the polls can be found below:

‘Was (Crown) Princess Adriana right to intervene in Jenka-Jenkinson?’
Yes: 25%
No: 45%
Don’t know: 30%

‘Was (Empress/Princess) Beatrice right to intervene in Jenka-Jenkinson?’
Yes: 15%
No: 55%
Don’t know: 30%

‘Should (Crown) Princess Adriana be removed from the line of succession?’
Yes: 35%
No: 40%
Don’t know: 25%

‘Should (Empress/Princess) Beatrice be prohibited from being Queen Consort?’
Yes: 25%
No: 40%
Don’t know: 35%

‘Should the Prince of Littlebrook (Prince Alexander) publicly oppose (Crown) Princess Adriana’s comments?’
Yes: 50%
No: 20%
Don’t know: 30%

‘Should the King publicly oppose (Crown) Princess Adriana’s comments?’
Yes: 55%
No: 20%
Don’t know: 25%

21
I have made a small amendment to the privacy policy following the end of the Brexit transition period (thanks Nova for pointing it out).

The transition period ended on 31 December 2020, meaning the UK is no longer bound by EU rules. However, the UK has decided to continue to apply GDPR in accordance with the Data Protection, Privacy and Electronic Communications (Amendments etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. This means we will continue to apply the same principles and follow the same rules as prior to Brexit. It also means that, in our privacy policy, it is referred to as 'UK GDPR'. The UK Government has provided a consolidated UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018 here.

Therefore I have made a minor change to the Privacy Policy to reflect that it is UK GDPR that applies to the forum, with a link to the appropriate web source. This does not affect your rights in any way and there are no other changes to the policy.

22
Press Offices / Re: Press Office of Social Media
« on: March 07, 2021, 12:21:43 AM »

23

Adriana Comments Cause Alarm, Rochester Palace Dismiss Tweet

A recent tweet by Crown Princess Adriana has caused a major stir amongst Dartfordian politicians today. The Tweet seemingly gives her support for Jenka-Jenkinson separation from Dartfordia, a political cause on the fringes even within Jenka-Jenkinson itself. The Tweet has prompted a storm from Dartfordian politicians and from those within Jenka-Jenkinson, where historic divisions still cause issues in the city.

Within just two hours of the tweet being posted, Rochester Palace, the office of the Royal Family of Dartfordia, issued the following statement:
Quote from: Rochester Palace
His Majesty the King has expressed his concerns to Princess Adriana in relation to her statements regarding the status of Jenka-Jenkinson. The opinions expressed are not the opinion of His Majesty or the Royal Family. His Majesty has noted the success of the 2017 Basic Law in Jenka-Jenkinson and the commitment of those to ensure the agreement remains in force.

The representatives of Prince Alexander, Princess (and Empress Emerita) Beatrice, Princess Adriana and Prince Lucius, rapidly issued the following statement:
Quote from: Office of the Prince and Princess of Littlebrook
The views expressed in the Tweet do not reflect the opinion of the Prince and Princess of Littlebrook, or Princess Adriana of Littlebrook, in their capacity as members of the Dartfordian Royal Family. Any position adopted in this regard by Princess Adriana is in her capacity as the Crown Princess of Rokkenjima.

The area, originally Jenkinson, was established at the crossover between three railway lines running across the country. Its convenient access saw the development of a large goods yard and an accompanying town. With the closure of the goods yard after the First World War, the land was converted into housing for Rokkenjiman refugees in 1931. Tensions emerged following the Second World War with the collapse of industries and rising poverty levels. The divide was stark, with neighbouring streets consisting of entirely different ethnicities, road signs and shops. Violence between communities was rampant, with a number of riots throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

In 1998 a new city council was formed, where tensions subsided and an era of cooperation began. This broke down in 2014 which agin led to widespread violence across the city. An agreement was finally reached in 2017, and the new Council has continued to operate on a cooperative basis. While tensions were thought to have been raised when Dartfordia left the Cross-Straits Union, life has continued. Jenka-Jenkinson is the fifth largest city in Dartfordia with a population of 1.2 million, of which 700,000 are ethnically Rokkenjiman.

The Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Jenka-Jenkinson, Yuuna Kato and Tom Murphy, both elected in the 2017 election and standing for re-election later this year, also released the following statement:
Quote from: Office of the Mayors
The Jenka-Jenkinson Peace Process has been a remarkable, but delicate, achievement. We are committed to ensuring a workable solution be pursued for the good of all residents in our city. There is not appetite for drastic constitutional or economic change in the city. While the city voted overwhelmingly to remain in the Cross-Straits Union, it is unrealistic to suggest Jenka-Jenkinson could have a special economic relationship with the bloc.

This is not the first time the Rokkenjiman Imperial Family has interfered with Jenka-Jenkinson, after the Rokkenjiman Empress made an unplanned official visit to the city following the 2015 riots. Concerns continue to be raised over the position of the Imperial family in dictating Dartfordian affairs, especially with a Rokkenjiman naval base located within a few hundred miles of the city. With an election later this year, some are worried the Rokkenjiman Government is intending to interfere with the local elections and disrupt the work of cooperative parties.

The Dartfordian Government has not commented publicly, but a spokesperson has told members of the press that a request to withdraw the statement had been made by the Prime Minister.

24
Factbooks and Maps / Re: Kingdom of Dartfordia Wiki-links
« on: February 11, 2021, 11:08:52 PM »
Politics

The Kingdom of Dartfordia is a mostly federal democracy governed within the framework of a constitutional monarchy, in which the Monarch is the head of state and the Prime Minister of Dartfordia is the head of government. Executive power is exercised by His Majesty’s Government, on behalf of and by the consent of the Monarch, as well as by the Regional Governments of Southfleet, Wilmington, Hawley, Littlebrook, Stone and Darenth, and the Subregional authorities in Greater Hematite, the City of Jenka and Cydonia Island. Legislative power is vested in the two chambers of the Parliament of Dartfordia, the House of Commons and the House of Lords, as well as in the parliaments of Southfleet and Littlebrook, the assemblies in Greater Hematite, Wilmington, Hawley, Stone and Darenth, and in the council assemblies of Jenka and Cydonia Island.

Dartfordia’s 1924 Constitution  is the act that defines the state, the monarchy and the distribution of power between central government and the provinces. However, very little is prescribed in the constitution, and thus a large part of the Kingdom’s constitutional makeup a collection of disparate written sources, including statutes, judge-made case law and international treaties, together with constitutional conventions. As there is no technical difference between the Constitution Act and any other piece of primary legislation, the Dartfordian Parliament can perform “constitutional reform” simply by passing another Act of Parliament, and thus has the political power to change or abolish almost any written or unwritten element of the constitution.

The reigning monarch is King George I, and the current Prime Minister is Daniel Cleaver MP.

Spoiler: Constitution • show


Constitution Act 1924


Whereas His Imperial Majesty George III of the Dartfordian Empire proclaimed on 1 July 1921 that should His Imperial Majesty’s Most Loyal Armed Forces be triumphant in the face of opposed ideology, the Dartfordian Empire shall be dissolved in favour of a Royal Kingdom with a constitutional monarch,


And whereas on 17 August 1923 His Imperial Majesty George III sadly but graciously passed, and his successor, James, proclaimed the desire to establish a Royal Kingdom with a constitutional monarch,


And whereas on the 6 March 1924 enemy forces surrendered to His Imperial Majesty’s Most Loyal Armed Forces in the City of Lowfield,


And whereas this Act has subsequently been amended by the Disestablishment Act 1937, Parliament Act 1948, Separation Act 1954, Representation of the People Act 1968, Judiciary Act 1971, Reunification Act 1992, Constitutional Amendment Act 1996, Digital Communications Act 2002, Devolution Settlement Act 2004, Marriage Act 2006, Cross-Straits Union Act 2014, Universal Rights Act 2014, and Cross-Straits Union Act 2017,


Be it therefore enacted by the Emperor’s most Excellent and Imperial Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—


Part 1: The Kingdom


1. The Dartfordian Empire is hereby dissolved, replaced in its entirety by the sovereign successor state, the Kingdom of Dartfordia.


2. This Act continues to recognise the sovereignty of Parliament, composed of the Crown, the House of Commons and the House of Lords.


3. The Kingdom of Dartfordia shall consist of the territories of the six provinces, each with their own devolved parliament or assembly. Overseas possessions shall remain.


4. The new Kingdom shall embody the core principles of democracy, constitutional monarchy and the rule of law.


5. The laws of the Kingdom shall, unless otherwise provided, be enacted with the advice and consent of the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the Monarch.


Part 2: The Crown


1. The Crown of Dartfordia shall be vested in the House of Vaughan.


2. The Monarch is the embodiment of the state, and shall be the subject of all Oaths of Allegiance.


3. A Monarch may rule for life, save for the issuance of a Declaration of Abdication prescribed in an Act of Parliament.


4. The Kingdom is represented by the Monarch. They shall conclude all treaties with foreign powers, or have the power to delegate such authority, and shall accredit and receive ambassadors.


5. No declaration of war, peace or state of emergency, may come into effect without the Great Seal of the Realm of Dartfordia.


6. The Monarch shall have the exclusive right to apply, or withhold the application of, the Great Seal of the Realm of Dartfordia.


7. Nothing in this Act shall be considered to be limiting the Royal Prerogative of Mercy, appointment of Ministers of the Crown or any such power bestowed upon or entitled to the Monarch.


Part 3: The House of Commons


1. The House of Commons shall be composed of 600 representatives of the Dartfordian people and be considered the Lower House of Parliament.


2. Members of Parliament shall represent their constituencies, and have to follow nothing but their conscience. They are not bound to instructions but must all, at the start of a new Parliament, swear an Oath of Allegiance.


3. Members of Parliament are elected in a general, equal, immediate and secret election; voters are men and women older than 18 years; the election is held according to the principles of the Single Transferable Vote, as defined by law.


4. The House of Commons is elected to serve a term for no more than four years. There shall be no restrictions on the number of times a Member can be elected.


5. It shall be the duty of the Monarch to prorogue, dissolve, open and recall parliament, and summon a new parliament. However, Parliament shall not be dissolved for more than 30 days prior to an election, or 14 days following an election. Parliament cannot be dissolved by the Monarch more than twice in a single year.


6. Parliament shall also be dissolved, with immediate effect, if a motion of no confidence is passed by a majority of members.


7. The House of Commons establishes its rules of procedure.


8. The Monarch is prohibited from entering the Chamber of the House of Commons, however he may, when he wishes to make a proclamation to the House or request the presence of members of it to the House of Lords, establish a Commission. The House has the right to not hear the Commission.


9. Sessions of the House are public. If two-thirds decide in favour, the public can be excluded.


10. No member of House of Commons may be persecuted by court at any time for statements made in exercise of his mandate, in a vote, in parliament session or within the estate of the Commons.


11. The House of Commons shall elect a Speaker from amongst their ranks, and shall present the Speaker to the Monarch for Royal Approbation. This must be done within 7 days of a proclamation of a new parliament or the vacancy of the Office of Speaker. Should no member be elected by such time, the Monarch shall appoint an Acting Speaker.


12. The House of Commons shall be responsible for approving or rejecting the Monarch's choice of Prime Minister. This must be done within 7 days of a proclamation of a new parliament or within 14 days of an appointment at any other time. Should approval not be reached by such time, Parliament shall dissolve with immediate effect.


13. Members of Parliament may only be dismissed by a majority of all members of the House of Commons, or where the public so desires. The exercise of recall shall be defined by law.


14. An Act to amend this Constitution shall require a minimum of two-thirds of members.


15. Sections 11 and 12 may be exercised prior to both the opening of Parliament and the Oaths of Allegiance given by members, but not before the summoning of a new Parliament.


Part 4: The House of Lords


1. The House of Lords shall be comprised of 300 or more representatives of the six provinces and those deemed to have sufficient knowledge and experience to make a significant and positive contribution towards the passage and review of legislation. It shall be considered the Upper House of Parliament.


2. Each province shall send 20 Lords, as defined by law. The number of functional Lords shall be fixed at 180 and nominated by various independent organisations, as defined by law. Lords shall serve a non-renewable term of 16 years. A quarter of the Chamber shall be nominated every four years. Additional members may be appointed to serve at any time, subject to law.


3. When Parliament is dissolved or prorogued, the House of Lords shall be considered to be prorogued. Parliament shall be opened in the Chamber of the House of Lords.


4. The House of Lords establishes its rules of procedure.


5. Sessions of the House are public. If two-thirds decide in favour, the public can be excluded.


6. No Peer of the Realm may be persecuted by court at any time for statements made in exercise of his mandate, in a vote, in parliament session or within the estate of the Commons.


7. Peers of the Realm may only be dismissed by a majority of all members of the House of Lords.


8. The House of Lords may not vote on Money Bills, as defined by law, and shall only be entitled to withhold consent of a Bill twice and for a period of time not exceeding twelve months. This provision shall not extend to any Bill that seeks to amend the Constitution.


Part 5: Legislation


1. The Parliament of the Kingdom of Dartfordia is sovereign.


2. Unless an Act, motion or statutory instrument is found to contradictory to the Mundus Convention on Universal Rights, or this Constitution, there shall be no limits on the powers exercised by Parliament or Parliamentary Bodies, as defined by law.


3. Parliament shall retain the right, except otherwise prescribed by law, to be exclusively responsible for legislation in the areas:
1. foreign relations
2. colonial affairs
3. nationality, freedom of movement, immigration and emigration as well as extradition
4. national defence
5. national currency
6. customs service, the union of the customs and trade territory, freedom of movement of goods
7. postal, telephone and internet services
8. the definition of marriage
9. this Constitution.


4. Parliament shall also be responsible for the legislation in the areas:
1. civil law
2. criminal law
3. jurisdiction including the execution of sentences as well as judicial assistance between government offices
4. passport affairs and the registration of aliens
5. welfare for the poor and the migrants
6. press, clubs, assemblies
7. population policy, motherhood, baby, children and youth welfare
8. health care, veterinary affairs, protection of plants against diseases and parasites
9. labour legislation, insurance and protection of workers and employees as well
as certification of employment
10. the establishment of institutions representing occupations within the Kingdom's territory
11. welfare for combatants and their surviving dependants
12. the law of expropriation
13. the nationalisation of natural resources, of economic enterprises, of the production, distribution and pricing of merchandise for the social economy
14. trade, measurements, the distribution of paper money, construction and stock markets
15. the sale of food as well as other goods of daily consumption
16. industry and mining
17. insurances
18. merchant shipping. ocean and coastal fishing
19. railways, inland navigation, motor vehicle traffic on land, water and in the air, the construction of overland roads, as far as these serve general traffic and national defence
20. theatres and cinemas.


5. Parliament shall also be responsible for legislation regarding taxation and other revenues, as defined by law.


6. Parliament may, via legislation, establish principles for:
1. the rights and obligations of religious communities
2. the education system, including universities and scientific libraries
3. law pertaining land, its distribution, settlement, obligations coming with ownership of land, housing and the distribution of population
4. sub-regional governance
5. Marriage and marriage certificates and qualifications
6. funerals


7. Parliament may, by the means of legislation, establish principles for the legality of and the manner of collection of state dues/taxation, as far as necessary, in order to
1. avoid the diminution of national revenue or damage to national trade relations
2. avoid double taxation
3. avoid excessive or obstructive burdens in forms of tolls on the use of public roads or institutions
4. avoid the discrimination against imported goods, as compared to domestically produced goods, via taxation, in trade between the individual states and their parts or
5. avoid the subvention of exports or to preserve important interests of society.


8. Parliament shall share its powers with the devolved legislatures of the six provinces. Any issue not the exclusive responsibility of Parliament may be legislated upon by the provinces.


9. Should the law of the provinces come into conflict with Parliament, the law of Parliament shall prevail insofar as it is complaint with this Constitution. Disputes shall be dealt with by the Supreme Court.


10. Any law passed by Parliament or the provinces must receive be published in the Royal Gazette within 14 days.


11. The Great Seal of the Realm of Dartfordia must be applied to all legislation passed by the provinces in order for them to take effect.


12. Amendments to this Act must be assented to and promulgated by His Majesty in person in the House of Lords. All other Acts may be done so by Letters Patent and a Commission to both Houses, as defined by law.


Part 6: The Judiciary


1. Judges are independent and subject only to the law.


2. The appointment, removal and eligibility of judges shall be defined by law.


3. No free citizen shall be taken, or imprisoned, or disseized (of their rights or possessions), or outlawed, or exiled, or in any way harmed — nor will we go upon or send upon them (with force against him) — save by the lawful judgment of their equals or by the law of the land.


4. Extraordinary courts are inadmissible. Nobody may be deprived of his ordinary judge. Legal regulations concerning military jurisdiction and court martial are not affected.


5. A Supreme Court of the Kingdom of Dartfordia shall be established by law, and shall be the highest court of the land in all matters.


6. Matters of civil and criminal law may be resolved by the Borough Court, County Court, Provincial High Court, Provincial Court of Appeal or Supreme Court, as defined by law


7. Matters of judicial review solely involving a provincial legislature or government may be resolved by the Provincial High Court or Supreme Court, as defined by law.


8. Matters of judicial review involving, in any way, the government or Parliament of Dartfordia, including disputes with a provincial legislature or government may be resolved solely by the Supreme Court, as defined by law.


Part 6: Final Provisions


1. This Act shall come into force on the 1 July 1924.


2. It shall extend to all territories that are within the jurisdiction of the Dartfordian Empire, as provided by law.


3. The amendments to this Act shall have effect upon their commencement.


The Crown
As a federal state under constitutional monarchy, the Monarch, presently King George I, serves as the head of state of Dartfordia, though he takes little direct part in government. The King’s executive authority is known as Royal Prerogative and can be used for a vast amount of things, such as the issue or withdrawal of passports, to the dismissal of the Prime Minister or even the Declaration of War. The powers are delegated from the Monarch personally, in the name of the Crown, and can be handed to various ministers, or other Officers of the Crown, and can purposely bypass the consent of Parliament.

The head of His Majesty’s Government; the Prime Minister, also has weekly meetings with the sovereign, where he has “the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, and the right to warn.” Such power is interpreted loosely, and most Monarchs since 1924 have often exerted significant power and authority – including in the appointments of government minister. Such authority has waned significantly since the 1985 Constitutional Crisis, the accession of George I as King, and the election of Harold Saxon as Prime Minister.

Senior Members of the Royal Family
Senior members of the Royal Family are those considered for formal state protection, and who have the authority to act on the King’s behalf in official state engagements or attend meetings of the Privy Council. Senior Members are defined by the Order-in-Council dated July 1926 as: “The King, his Queen, his children, his eldest child’s spouse, his eldest child’s children, his eldest child’s eldest child’s spouse, his eldest child’s eldest child’s children, his siblings, his eldest sibling’s eldest child and his surviving parent.” All senior royals are automatically entitled to the style ‘His/Her Royal Highness’ (HRH), and although some members (due to changes in the family) lose the privileges of a senior member, they keep the HRH style.

Also indicated below is the Line of Succession. The Kingdom of Dartfordia has a system of absolute primogeniture, which was proclaimed with the inauguration of the House of Vaughan in 1924.

Government

The Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Dartfordia is the head of His Majesty’s Government. The prime minister (informal abbreviation: PM) and Cabinet (consisting of all the most senior ministers, most of whom are government department heads) are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Monarch, to Parliament, to their political party and ultimately to the electorate.

The office is not established by any constitution or law but exists only by long-established convention, which stipulates that the monarch must appoint as prime minister the person most likely to command the confidence of the House of Commons; this individual is typically the leader of the political party or coalition of parties that holds the largest number of seats in that chamber.

The position of Prime Minister was not created; it evolved slowly and erratically over three hundred years due to numerous acts of Parliament, political developments, and accidents of history. The origins of the position are found in constitutional changes that occurred following the Peasants’ Revolt in Littlebrook 1605-1612, and similar movements in Southfleet in the 1640s, both of which began a long and slow transition of power from the Monarch to the Prime Minister. When the Dartfordian Empire was established in 1801,  the positions of Chief Minister of Littlebrook and Prime Minister of Southfleet were merged, though this initially resulted in the sovereign’s power expanding.

Although the Sovereign was not stripped of the ancient prerogative powers and legally remained the head of government, politically it gradually became necessary for him or her to govern through a Prime Minister who could command a majority in Parliament.

The current Prime Minister is Daniel Cleaver, leader of the National Party, who was appointed by the King in April 2016. As the National Party do not have a full majority in the House, they were required to seek confidence and supply deals with the Liberal and Centre parties. This is in contrast with the tradition of forming coalitions, as had been done with his predecessors Harold Saxon (Socialist Party leader; coalition with the Green Party) and Harriet Jones (National Party leader; coalition with the Centre Party).

The Prime Minister is challenged by the Leader of the Opposition, currently Leane Hunnable (Socialist party), who traditionally leads the largest party not in government and is appointed a member of the King’s Privy Council. The Leader of the Opposition usually appoints a Shadow Cabinet, who can ‘man-mark’ the government ministers.

Cabinet

The Cabinet of Dartfordia is made up of the Prime Minister and the relevant Secretaries of State, who are all appointed by the Monarch on advice of the Prime Minister. Members of the Cabinet can be made up of both members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, however due to their elected nature, it is more common for senior members of the Cabinet to be form the House of Commons.

While in Coalition government, members of the minority coalition party tend to fulfil vacancies in the Cabinet. However, as the present government is based upon confidence and supply, only the leaders of the minority parties are given roles as Ministers-without-Portfolio.

In addition to the Cabinet there is a Dartfordian Joint Council: a biannual meeting between each head of government so that they can coordinate legislation and resolve differences between the governments. The current Joint Council comprises of:

25
Factbooks and Maps / Re: Kingdom of Dartfordia Wiki-links
« on: February 11, 2021, 11:05:44 PM »
This list includes flags that either have been in use or are currently used by the Dartfordian Empire, Kingdom of Dartfordia, or any of the countries that preceded it.

The College of Arms is the authority on the flying of flags in Southfleet, Darenth, Wilmington and Hawley, and maintains the only official register of flags for these regions. It was established in 1484 and operates under the authority of the Crown. The Arms and Flags Commission holds a similar role within Littlebrook and Stone. A separate private body called the Flag Institute, financed by its own membership, also maintains a registry of Dartfordia's flags that it styles 'the Darti Flag Registry', though this has no official status under law.

Spoiler: National Flags • show

  
  1992-present
 National Flag of Dartfordia
 White cross on an orange and blue background, with a six-pointed star in the top right quadrant. The blue represents the history of the people, while the orange represents the monarchy guiding the people they rule. The white cross represents peace between the people. The star symbolises the six provinces of Dartfordia, and was added following reunification in 1992.
 

 
 1924-present
 State Flag of Dartfordia
 The emblem superimposed in the centre of the pre-1992 flag of Dartfordia. It is used by government-owned buildings, such as consular offices or the home of the Prime Minister.

 
Spoiler: Regional flags • show

 
 1000CE-1801, 1924-present
 First adopted by the Nordic settlers in 1000CE in conjunction with the German natives, and then as the national flag in 1513, the white cross on a light blue background became the national symbol of the Kingdom of Southfleet. It lost its official status in 1801 and was only restored as a provincial flag in 1924.
 White cross on a light blue background.
 

  
  Pre-1514-1801, 1924-1953, 1992-present
 Initially used by all Ardian settlers on the Darti Peninsula, the flag of Littlebrook was first adopted as the official national flag in 1514 upon their independence, and remained active until 1801. It was restored in 1924, and then discontinued again in 1953 following the establishment of the DRL. It returned to official use again in 1992.
  St Patrick's Cross – a red saltire on a plain white background
 

 
 1553-1603, 1924-present
 After initially using the Ardian settler's flag during Littlebrook's initial control and first few years of independence, the flag of Hawley was intentionally designed to distinguish itself from the flag of Littlebrook, and was first raised in 1553. It became Hawley's Principality flag, though was discontinued in 1603. It returned to official use in 1924.
 A red saltire superimposed on a light green background, separated by a small white field.
 

 
 1924-1953, 1992-present
 By far the oldest of all the flags on the peninsula. The Red Dragon was first recorded as the symbol of Stone in 800CE, and variants of the flag were used from 1100 until 1602, though historians note that each flag was different: some had different coloured dragons, horizontal bars, vertical bars, etc. he flag continued in unofficial use after 1602, and a final design was agreed upon in 1924. It was officially discontinued in 1953, but remained the symbol of opposition and returned as the provincial flag of Stone in 1992.
 Red dragon on a green and white field. Known as the 'Y Ddraig Goch' (The Red Dragon in Stonian)
 

 
 1924-present
 The flag of Wilmington was first designed in 1924 for use after the civil war, and has remained in use ever since. A new flag was required as no national flag was ever designed for the short-lived Principality of Wilmington
 A yellow and blue field.
 

 
 1924-present
 Much like the Principality of Wilmington, Darenth never had a national flag, and so this yellow and green flag was designed in 1924 to serve as the official provincial flag.
 Identical to Flag of Wilmington, except the use of a green field instead of blue.



Spoiler: National Ensigns • show

  
  1992-present
 Naval ensign of Dartfordia
 White flag, with the Dartfordian flag in the canton and a black anchor in the middle of the remaining space.
 

 
 1992-present
 Civil ensign of Dartfordia
 Blue flag, to match the colour of the lower half of the flag, with the Dartfordian flag in the canton. As the blue represents the people, all Dartfordian-registered ships are required to fly this flag.
 

 
 1992-present
 Orange ensign
 Dartfordian flag in the canton with an orange background to match the upper half of the flag. The orange represents the monarchy, or in this case the state, and thus use of the Orange Ensign is limited to Dartfordian ships commanded by a (or have a certain number of officers that are) former Royal Dartfordian Navy or Royal Naval Reserve officer, Royal Research Ships by warrant and a certain number of yachts. Most defaced ensigns, such as the Government Service Ensign, are based off of this flag.

 
Spoiler: Royal Standards • show


(OOC: All Royal Standards were designed by Aeviternus)

 
 1801-present
 Imperial Standard of Dartfordian Empire (1801-1924), Dartfordian Royal Standard (since 1924).
 Divided into four quadrants, two representing the former Kingdom of Southfleet (the three wolves in the top left and bottom right) and two representing the Kingdom of Littlebrook (the dragon).
 

 
 1801-present
 Imperial Standard of Dartfordian Empire in Littlebrook and Stone (1801-1924), Dartfordian Royal Standard in Littlebrook and Stone (since 1924).
 When in Littlebrook or Stone, all Royal Standards are reversed to put the dragon quadrants in prime position and the wolves in the secondary position. Created due to the 'equal' nature of the Kingdoms of Southfleet and Littlebrook.
 

 
 1801-present (use intermittent)
 Imperial/Royal Standard of the Prince of Littlebrook
 Defaced Royal Standard, with a three-pointed label and the Littlebrook dragon in the centre.
 

 
 1801-present (use intermittent)
 Imperial/Royal Standard of the Prince of Littlebrook in Littlebrook and Stone
 Royal Standard of the Prince of Littlebrook, with the quadrants reversed.
 

 
 2014-present
 Royal Standard of the Princess of Littlebrook
 Royal Standard of the Prince of Littlebrook marshalled with four additional quadrants. The quadrants consist of the Imperial Rokkenjiman seal in the top left, Strood Castle in the top right, a cherry blossom tree in the bottom left and the single-winged eagle in the bottom right. Use limited due to her role as Empress of Rokkenjima superseding that of Princess of Littlebrook.
 

 
 2014-present
 Royal Standard of the Princess of Littlebrook in Littlebrook and Stone
 Royal Standard of the Princess of Littlebrook, with the quadrants in the Prince of Littlebrook's Royal Standard reversed.
 

 
 1995-present
 Royal Standard of the Princess Georgia
 Defaced Royal Standard, with a three-pointed label with two dogs and a heart.
 

 
 1995-present
 Royal Standard of the Princess Georgia in Littlebrook and Stone
 Royal Standard of the Princess Georgia, with the quadrants reversed.


Spoiler: Subregional flags • show



 
 1877-present
 Flag of the City and County of Hematite (1864-1977), Flag of Greater Hematite (1977-present)
 A red bar with a golden Crown in the centre, and at the bottom six alternating bars, white and navy blue, to symbolise the Aniu River.
 

  
  1965-present
  Flag of Cydonia Island
 A pale blue field with a nicked rhombus (a representation of the island's shape) and at the bottom six alternating bars wavy, navy blue and white.

 

Spoiler: Miscellaneous flags • show

 
 2014-present
 Flag of the Cross-Straits Union
 The official symbol of the Cross-Straits Union superimposed on a dark blue background.
 

 
 2015-present
 Flag of the Commonwealth Treaty Organisation
 The logo of the Commonwealth Treaty Organisation, superimposed on a blue background.
 

 
 2015-present
 Flag of the Taiwan Special Administrative Region
 Emblem of the Taiwan Special Administrative region superimposed on a light blue background.


Spoiler: Historical Flags • show


 
 1801-1924
 Flag of the Dartfordian Empire
 A horizontal tricolour. The orange represents the Imperial Family, the white represents unity and the blue represents the people.
 

 
 1924-1992
 Flag of the Kingdom of Dartfordia from its establishment until reunification in 1992.
 White cross on an orange and blue background.
 

 
 1953-1991, 1992 (de facto)
 Flag of the Democratic Republic of Littlebrook
 Red and green field with a five-pointed gold star superimposed in the centre. The red represented  the proletariat industry workers, the green the agricultural workers, and the star to represent the Communist Party.
 

 
 1979-1992
 Flag of the People's Republic of Stone
 The flag of the DRL, with blue submitting green and a larger yellow star. Hoped to symbolise greater unity, but the flag was deeply unpopular.
 
 
 1919-1924
 Flag of the Free Alliance of Dartfordia (1919-1924), Communist Reformers Party of Littlebrook and Stone (1975-1981)
 Flag based on the design of the Dartfordian Empire to represent the Free Alliance of anti-Imperial forces. The red represented the communists, the white the 'constitutionalists' (hen, after their withdrawal, peace) and the yellow the republicans. Briefly brought back as an unofficial flag of the reformers within the Littlebrookian Communist Party in 1975.
 

 
 1901-1996
 Flag of the Communist Party of Dartfordia (1901-1952, 1992-1996), Communist Party of Littlebrook (1952-1979, 1986-1992), Communist Party of Littlebrook and Stone (1979-1986)
 A yellow hammer and sickle located within a red star, surrounded by a yellow circle on a red background.
 
 
 1986-1992
 Flag of the Communist Party of Stone
 A yellow hammer and sickle on a red background, surrounded by a yellow-bordered star.

26
Forum Administration / Closure of TIOwiki
« on: January 10, 2021, 07:03:25 PM »
Dear all,

Following discussions with the Privy Council, we have decided to permanently close TIOwiki on Sunday 7 February 2021.

Until this point you will still be able to access the site to retrieve any contents you have stored on-site. The website will also continue to be backed up weekly.

We’ve found that, as a separate website, TIOwiki is significantly under-utilised. We originally intended for TIOwiki to directly integrate with Zetaboards (remember that?) and SMF, but this has sadly proved too challenging to achieve.

Our longer-term plans to migrate our servers to an alternative host also make it difficult to justify its continued existence and maintenance, and we have therefore decided that it would be easier to close the site.

We apologise for any inconvenience, but hope this provides adequate time to migrate any information to the Factbook forum.

Thanks,
CGJ

27
Vignettes / Re: Beaxander
« on: January 03, 2021, 04:52:19 PM »
Location: Pyrena Castle
Time: 2 January, 22:20 AST

It’s the rats life for us little Remy, we don’t cook food, let alone in people’s homes.” The sound of singing rang through the private chambers at Pyrena Castle, a faint echo from the former office of the Empress.

Beatrice sighed, watching the open door that led towards the voices. She glanced to her right, the empty space of Alex’s former desk taunting her. I need a new office, she thought to herself, again.

The stack of papers, an inch thick and spread across the expansive oak table, only added to her torment. How the various charities managed to produce this level of work over the festive break astounded her. No doubt they wrote this in November and dumped it on Christmas Eve.

”So grab a menu and follow me, there’s a whole buffet that I’d like you to see!”

She smiled at the sound. Her husband and daughter, enjoying one last evening before Adriana would be flown out to Tytor. She’d leave tomorrow afternoon, after which they wouldn’t see her for months. Still, they’d been apart for longer in the past.

With a small, resolved smile, the Empress Emerita stood and wondered towards the sound of the singing voices.

Their voices grew louder as she neared. “The rat’s way of life, the rat’s way of life, the rat’s way of lifeeeee is the way to gooo!

The two were dancing, the faces of Adam Lambert and Tituss Burgess singing in the background. Alex had told her about this, the social media-made Ratatouille musical, which all started after Disneyland opened a Ratatouille ride. Such a bizarre idea, why’d they want-

“Mum!” Adriana’s voice snapped her back to reality, as her daughter threw her arms around her. The television paused. “You’re missing out on aaaaaaaaaall the fuuuuun!” The girl pulled back, grinning and is that wine?

Beatrice chuckled slightly, “Hello you.” She eyed the two empty bottles of wine on the carpet, her smile faltering. “You’ve been drinking?”

“Dad said I could!” Adriana protested, “plus it’s not like I haven’t drunk before.”

“You’re 16,” she turned to Alex and hissed, “she’s 16!”

“When I was 15 I was laying in a field after a bottle of vodka,” the man responded with a grin, “this is an improvement.”

“And how did that end up?” Beatrice retorted, incredulous.
“I married you, didn’t I?”
“That’s not the point, and you know it.”

Adriana’s voice interrupted them. “Oi!” They faced her. “Are you gonna watch the Ratatoosical or are you gonna work? I need to learn the words so I can seduce all the Tytorian lesbians.”

Beatrice snorted, “Doubt you’ll find many of those.”

“You’d be surprised,” Alex murmured, “You know what they say about church girls.”

Alex!”

“They’ve gotta do something to get through those long sermons,” Adriana added, “and what batter way to get through those long sermons than to…” she waggled her index and middle fingers.

"Get some WAP," Alex finished for her.

Alex!” Beatrice gasped, turning to her husband. “You’ve poisoned her!”

Alex laughed. “Oh I wish, she gets this all herself. I do encourage it!”

“Don’t cause a diplomatic incident,” Beatrice’s attention switched to Adriana.
“Like that time you turned up in a miniskirt, yah?”
“Now that was a calculated move!”

Alex sighed, “If we’d just sent her to Quinntopia instead…”

“What’s a Quinntopia?” Adriana asked.
“History,” Beatrice and Alex murmured together.
“Right…”
“Anyway!” Alex clapped his hands and wondered to the fridge, producing another bottle of wine. “Ratatouille?”

Beatrice sighed, shaking her head and smiling. “Fineee, but you’re gonna have to fill me in!”

Alex and Adriana grinned, as the three rejoined the show.

28
"The Kingdom of Dartfordia also supports the proposal."

29
OOC Socialisation / Re: Character AMA - Reborn
« on: October 11, 2020, 11:21:25 AM »
To all: Do you put pineapple on pizza?

30
Forum Administration / Forum Downtime
« on: October 05, 2020, 08:26:09 AM »
Hi all,

As you may have seen from the Discord chat, an attempt was made to brute force into the server. This has resulted in significant downtime over the course of the past few days. The attack appears to have been targeted at the server itself, not any any forum passwords.

I am pleased to report that, to the best of mine and iFastNet's knowledge, no compromise of the server has occurred. This means that there has been no breach of personal data, not have any forum passwords been compromised. iFastNet have shut down one of the ports that was being used to attack the site.

I apologise for any inconvenience caused by the downtime.

Thanks,
C

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