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Dispatch → Meta → Gameplay
by 
The Impeccably Arranged Snark of The West Pacific Master Dispatch.
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Delegate Witchcraft and Sorcery's Inaugural Address
Friends,
It’s been a long journey. Thirteen and a half years, to be exact.
It’s no secret that I’ve had many homes over those thirteen and a half years, but this will in all likelihood be the final one. Nowhere have I felt more “at home” in NationStates than in the West Pacific, and it is for that reason precisely that it is my great honor to stand before you today and accept the title of Delegate of the West.
I could belabor the point with a long story about the weight of the role and my own winding tale on this game, but that would be very un-West Pacifican of me. This is meritocracy, and it’s best we get down to business. So here’s the plan.
As my first act in the seat, I hereby grant my predecessor 
Varanius the titles he held prior to his term as Delegate: Guardian and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Vara’s management of TWP’s foreign affairs network has cemented it as a modern superpower. I could speculate on exactly his methods of creating such an… immense… gravitational pull… toward TWP, but he has graciously agreed to continue his excellent work managing our network of allies.
I would also be remiss not to extend my profuse gratitude to Vara for his service as Delegate. This past term has seen intense challenges both at home and abroad, and he has met them all with outstanding skill. The Sovereign Seven movement he built saw its greatest test to date in the reset of the General Assembly, and so far the results have been astounding. We achieved what we set out to do and so much more. Not only did TWP secure the Secretary-General’s seat, but the S7 has continued to dictate the tempo and standards of the GA. Our foreign agenda, at least in the near term, will largely continue to be WA-focused, with promotion of TWP authorship and strict adherence to the Seven Principles top of the list. TWP’s long history of support for national sovereignty was top of the reasons I joined in the first place, and I intend to follow that with the same dogmatic commitment that got me commended in 2023.
In the near term, the Cabinet otherwise retains its current membership. 
Noton Mast and 
United Adaikes retain their respective portfolios of World Assembly Recruitment and Captain of TWPAF. 
Democratic Wer continues to impress with their behind-the-scenes management of much of TWP’s critical infrastructure, and retains their cabinet position. We might shake things up at some point, but for now I see no reason to do anything but stay the course.
Still, it’s no secret that foreign and WA affairs is not TWP’s biggest challenge at the moment. We need to improve regional culture and develop talent. All of the feeders are hurting right now since the Frontier and Stronghold update, and the reduced flow of new recruits has been felt across the board. TWP has thankfully been hurt less because of our relentless commitment to maintaining a high endorsement rate, but as Delegate my number one directive to my Cabinet will be getting new people involved.
To that end, I’m excited to share that I’ll be promoting one of our most active newcomers, 
The Three Rivers Nations, to Head Regional Guide. Zoran is stepping back after an excellent run of service on several different posts, and Three Rivers has been consistently active and welcoming on the RMB. I’ve told them the role is theirs to make their own, and I am excited to see what they do with it.
Culture is a cornerstone of this community. It is arguably THE cornerstone of this community. From Karaoke Friday to OcTWPerfest to any one of a million other things, there’s always something going on, something silly to wear on your head, or new people to talk to. NationStates is, at its core, a social game. Virtually every part of this game beyond the surface-level issues mechanic cannot be done alone. Culture is about more than just game nights and annual festivals. It’s about how we interact with each other both within and beyond our borders. Throughout my tenure as Delegate I’ll be trying new experiments and seeking creative minds to build on our brand of “snarky and free.” I’m already in talks to revive some elements of our roleplay sphere, as I’ve seen many people come through our doors looking for that and disappointed at how it’s been left. I am not a roleplay expert, but as Delegate it’s my job to be nimble and provide what support I can. I think we can at least get a Rugby World Cup going soon.
In the near term, here’s what you can expect: N-Day is coming up…literally this next weekend. TWP will be flying the SPEAR flag once again. That will preoccupy us until the final nuke hits its target, most likely. Fall and winter are a very busy time for the cultural calendar and my first weeks as Delegate will largely be focused on getting us set up for those. We are going to make a very big deal of the cultural calendar and getting people excited for it. We also have a couple of major foreign affairs projects which, while largely started during Vara’s administration, will be seen to fruition very soon. And there are, as always, many other things in the works I can’t talk about yet. ;)
I recognize that I have a few things to prove. I became delegate extremely quickly for a West Pacifican. It is my sincere hope to live up to the trust you have placed in me. It’s an honor and a privilege to be your Delegate.
Witchcraft and Sorcery,
Delegate of the West Pacific
TWP