Kaschovia: Hello and welcome back to another episode of the Spotlight! My name is Kaschovia and for this edition I am joined by Picairn, one of our region's newest and most promising talents! Welcome to the show, Picairn.Picairn: Thank you Kasch, I'm glad to be here!
Kaschovia: So, before we dive into your story in NationStates, for those who may not be familiar with who you are and what you're currently doing in The North Pacific, could you elaborate on what positions you hold at the moment and how this term has been for you so far?
Picairn: Let's see. Since becoming a TNP citizen (again) in October 2023, I have enlisted in the NPA, joined three Ministries as well as the Speaker's Office, and steadily worked my way up the ranks. At present, I am currently Deputy Minister of Defense, Home Affairs, and Communications in TNP. On top of those I'm also serving as a Deputy Speaker of the Regional Assembly, and TNP's Ambassador to The East Pacific and the United Regions Alliance.
This term so far has been quite busy but fantastic for me personally. Aside from actively participating in NPA operations to help protect TNP from our enemies (in fact, I'm about to reach 50 operations soon), I have written two short blurbs for The Northern Notes (TNN), three articles for The North Star (TNS), helped design and publish its latest XXXIV February 2024 Edition, made some great graphics for the NPA, reworked the RA Digest, and updated several of TNP's old dispatches, particularly the Handbook and the Government Index. All of those achievements took considerable amounts of my time, effort, and creativity, but I'm proud of the incredible results which I have accomplished. Many TNPers, from Ministers and colleagues in the Executive Staff, to NPA soldiers and regular citizens have praised my designs and work ethic, which is really heartwarming and keeps me going. I love doing my job, it's busy and demanding but very rewarding, not only in terms of improving TNP one step at a time but also hearing that a lot of people out there appreciate my work.
Kaschovia: I think a lot of people have noticed and appreciated just how much you have done in your time here so far. It's not very often someone joins the community and so quickly establishes themselves not only as a regular contributor to the executive, but also as someone who is willing to go above and beyond expectations. I've been really impressed with your work ethic in many different areas, especially your graphical design skills and writing. Now, what's your story before this term? How did you find NationStates and then eventually The North Pacific?
Picairn: Oh, that's a long story. It all began in February 2020, the early days when Covid was starting to spread in my country and across the world. My family was starting to take precautions by requiring everyone to avoid going out unless strictly necessary, as instructed by the government. I was sitting at home and bored out of my mind, so with nothing better to do I searched online for games to play, one of which was a "nation-building game" that I typed into Google. That search phrase led me to this curious little website called "NationStates", and that's how I came to join it.
Picairn is my first nation, and to this date I have no clue how I came up with that name. I must have read something about the Pitcairn Islands while creating my nation, but I don't remember. Believe it or not, I actually spawned in The West Pacific first. There are still old RMB posts of mine there around the time when I first joined, if you want to look.
Anyways, during the first two months or so I fiddled with Issues, made a Constitution for my nation (since building lore was all the rage), created some more puppets, and generally just fooled around. By late April 2020, however, I left TWP for TNP and joined both NS and TNP forums. I don't recall all the details but I was very impressed with TNP's activity on the RMB which motivated me to move there.
On April 30th, 2020, I first applied for citizenship in TNP. After that, I became a "casual citizen" i.e. one that mostly only showed up to vote for WA resolutions, RA motions, or regional elections. I also made a Discord account and joined the TNP Discord server, but I was inactive there.
My real obsession back then was building lore. Aside from the Constitution, I drafted laws, made a National Factbook, some miscellanous things like military ranks, and one of my greatest publications to date: The Stormridge Times. A rip-off brand of the RL New York Times, but it took me a week to research and craft the BBCode to turn it into a reality. I used it as a platform to write articles and create the GA Debate series (a now-defunct series of GA proposal analyses). It got me entry into the Ministry of WA Affairs when I applied on August 25th, 2020, though sadly I was inactive there as well because my lore building obsession took precedence. Eventually the GA Debate series was abandoned because I got sick and lost the energy to write them. For the rest of 2020 I was a spectator in Pigeonstan's Delegacy "campaign" and the TNP v. Ihese court case, which caused quite a ruckus.
From 2021 onwards, I continued to be the aforementioned "casual citizen". By this time my appetite for lore building had died out, and I found NSG to be a more "exciting" place, if you could call it that. It was a place to often discuss serious matters or surprise news, but also to engage others in arguments. Looking back now it was probably not the best use of my time, but NSG was quite addictive at the time and I was sucked into it until October 2023.
I remember checking out the RMB, as I occasionally did, and discovered the news that TNP was now at war from one of Robespierre's messages. Apparently, the region where I had stayed for over 3 years at that point had been attacked in a del-tip by BoM and TCB, and the RA had voted to recognise a state of war against them. Stirred by patriotic messaging, I decided to abandon NSG and return to TNP, this time as a more actively involved citizen and NPA soldier. The rest, as they say, is history.
Kaschovia: What an interesting story! I know a lot of other nations will empathize with having lore building origins and it's an area I have explored myself. As well, the Stormridge Times is a publication I remember being fond of too. You've told us quite a bit about the present and the past from your perspective, so it is only natural for me to ask: what do you think is in your future in TNP? Is there a goal or a position you'd like to go for over the next few terms?
Picairn: My current hope is to become a Minister in the next term or two. It's been only 6 months since I rejoined TNP, but I believe I have sufficiently proved my worth through activity, initiative, skills, and hard work. I am confident that upon becoming a Minister, I can bring energy and change to whichever Ministry I am in charge of, lifting it to greater heights. Failing that, I aim to run for the Speakership. I know that I have only been Deputy Speaker since January, but I have performed almost all of the Speaker's functions at this point: opening and closing votes, processing citizenship applications, maintaining the citizen/resident registry, publishing the Digest, etc. Despite a few mistakes, I have competently exercised my duties under the supervision of Speaker AraFuttio, and therefore I believe I have the skills and ability to become a Speaker in the future.
I have thought about running for Vice Delegate in the distant future, when I have accumulated significantly more experience to justify running for it. However, I'm not sure if I would do so - currently I love the NPA and military gameplay, and I don't really want to leave them behind even if it means I will get a bigger seat.
Political ambitions aside, I am content to help improving TNP in any way I can, whether as a staffer, a citizen, a soldier, or a Minister. That fact won't change regardless of what position I'm in.
Kaschovia: Those are some really great ambitions! I think in particular one area you've impressed a lot of people is your impact in the Ministry of Communications. Can you tell us how you found yourself there and what it means to you to be a part of the revived Communications effort? What attracted you to writing and designing for the ministry?
Picairn: Those who have read my op-ed article in the January 2024 edition of The North Star would already know my reasons for joining Communications, but I'll summarise them for those who haven't.
I was drawn to the Ministry through a combination of regional patriotism and personal ambitions. I love TNP for its vibrant democracy and energetic activity, and I wanted to contribute my writing skills to the region that I have called home for the past four years. Beyond fighting our enemies as an NPA soldier in the battlefield, I wanted to help strengthen morale, rally TNPers and allies behind our cause, and maintain our momentum to pursue the war to a victorious conclusion. I can use both the pen and the sword, and I was not going to let my skills go to waste when I could utilise them for the war.
By joining as a writer and designer for the Ministry, I also hoped to achieve fame and recognition for my writings and graphics. I invested a lot of time and thoughts into producing each of them, and it felt good to have my articles or graphics become widely acknowledged, which also keeps me going on.
Another reason is that when I first founded The Stormridge Times, I had grand dreams for it. I wanted it to grow into a great and reputable newspaper of TNP, one that would deliver reports on all interesting developments in the region and NationStates. Sadly, reality taught me that it was an impossible goal to accomplish as a one-man team. It took days to write, edit and publish an article, and the process was incredibly exhausting. Doubly so when I was running updates by the hour, like on N-Day for instance. When it was over, I felt really groggy and tired, and that's when I realised that this wasn't sustainable. I still wanted to write but not burn myself out like this, so joining a dedicated team where everyone would pitch in to publish an article would be better, I thought. I set aside my dreams for TST to preserve my passion for writing.
I am, of course, incredibly proud to be a part of the revived Communications effort. A Ministry devoted to telling stories and reporting on major events just like what I have always wanted to do, it's nice and makes me feel I truly belong here.
I'm not a graphic designer in real life, but I'm a perfectionist and want my (and others') articles to be accompanied by good designs. A cake beautifully decorated is superior to a plain one, and I apply this principle to any publications I write for.
Kaschovia: Well, I can certainly say that you've definitely made quite the impression on the ministry and impressed a lot of people. Now, moving on, I'd like to ask you about the ongoing war between The North Pacific and the Brotherhood of Malice as well as the Communist Bloc. You've been a member of the NPA for some time now and have risen through the ranks, finding yourself as a Deputy Minister of Defence and a member of the High Command, with dozens of missions and ribbons under your belt. What's been your experience of the North Pacific Army since joining and how has our progress/victories in the war effort played into that for you?
Picairn: It's never a boring week in the NPA. There's always something for you to do, whether it was tag/detag operations, invasions or liberations. Every couple days my phone would be bombarded with pings in the NPA server or Comfed/Robes would DM me about an upcoming major operation. Not that I disliked it, of course, I have always found military operations exciting.
When I first enlisted back in October 2023, I had exactly zero experience in military gameplay. The only experience I had under my belt was "How to argue with an NSGer until they quit". Nevertheless, I was eager to learn and Comfed took me in as my instructor back then. He directed me to training ops to get a basic feel on how R/D worked, and I proved a quick study at it. Soon I'd join nearly every type of operations, small tag/detag runs to large invasions/liberations, and I loved it. I joined out of patriotism and stayed for the excitement of military gameplay.
Solidarity was my first operation, and I remember it fondly. Not only did we achieve a great victory there, but there was also this general spirit of energy and enthusiasm among the Solidarity coalition that I fully embraced. The liberation of Far East Oriental Federation is another memorable one. It was chaotic in Libcord with over 100 updaters but when the time came, we all did our job and successfully liberated the region from raider occupation, though I regretted that I wasn't there for the liberation but only the siege. Nevertheless, those were exhilarating days, and I look forward to more operations like them.
Eventually I'd climb up the ranks quickly, and Robes noticed my activity and enthusiasm. He invited me to become Deputy Minister of Defence shortly after he become MoD. Since then I have become a member of the High Command, giving my opinions and suggestions on how to improve the NPA's effectiveness, and serving directly as Robes's backup in several NPA operations. I've come a long way from being a simple soldier, and I'm proud to have contributed to the NPA in many ways.
Kaschovia: One thing that I am sure many people have noticed is that you're involved in a lot of different places, which is usually one of the most reliable signs of an up and coming member of the executive, but is also one of the best things about our region. What are some of the most important lessons you've learned about being a member of The North Pacific that separates our community from the rest of NationStates?
Picairn: One of the things I have noticed about being a member of TNP is how close we are to a direct democracy. Any resident upon becoming a citizen are automatically granted the right to vote, the right to run for elections, and Regional Assembly membership without any additional applications to make. The RA is a unicameral legislature, comprised of all TNP citizens with no upper chamber of elites holding veto powers against the RA's will. We also directly elect the Executive and Judiciary branches, when members of the latter are often nominated by the head of state and appointed by the legislature in other regions. We the citizens of TNP, each has a voice in how our government officials are elected/appointed and how certain affairs of state should be conducted, and I believe that's one of TNP's great features.
Another feature is, as you noted, how there are many ways to get involved and succeed in TNP. One can choose to be a civilian official, a military officer, a Speaker of the RA, a Justice, or all of them on their path to become one of TNP's future leaders. For example, our current Vice Delegate Chipoli and their predecessor Fregerson, both were elected to the Vice Delegate seat without having ever been a member of the NPA or Security Council prior to their elections, by virtue of their experience in other government positions.
Lastly, TNP has a reputation for being a serious, by-the book community with a strict adherence to protocols and regulations, and I believe that reputation is well-deserved. Debating over the exact wording of laws, specific legal theories, or RA procedures isn't my cup of tea, but I can understand that upholding the rule of law is very important to our democracy.
Kaschovia: I agree with you on all of those observations, Picairn. Now, let me ask you something a little less serious. What part of being a TNPer have you enjoyed the most? What keeps you logging on every day?
Picairn: There are so many things I love about being a TNPer, but if I have to choose, it'd probably be working in the Executive Staff. Serving in the NPA to protect our region is highly important (and very exciting), and participating in elections is crucial to our democracy, but what I like most is being a part of a combined effort to make TNP stronger and better. I consider it my most meaningful calling to help improve TNP from the inside, by laying down a solid foundation for our community to grow and develop further.
Almost every time I log on to NS, I would check our RMB. I'm not good at idle conversations so I don't participate much, but I like to observe how people greet each other, talk about their nation or personal lives, or just goof off. TNP is a welcoming community, always open to people old and new, and that warms my heart. The positivity and hospitality of TNPers, they remind me to keep coming back.
Kaschovia: Are there any other ministries you think you're going to get involved with in the near future? I'm sure your energy and work ethic would be highly-valued anywhere else you decide to go.
Picairn: Right now I don't want to overburden myself with additional work, but I would like to join the Ministry of WA Affairs in the near future if possible. Perhaps I can make a place for myself there as an IFV writer and SC author, since GA resolutions has become too complex and niche for me to consider writing one. Alternatively, I can join the Ministry of Culture and assist with event planning. I don't usually partcipate in games and festivals, but maybe I can help with the organisation and setup if needed.
Kaschovia: Those sound like good ideas. Out of all the TNPers you've met so far, who's been your greatest mentor and who do you look up to the most?
Picairn: It's hard to say who my greatest mentor is from all the TNPers I have met, since each of them affected me in a different way. But if I have to choose, it'd be Robespierre. He taught me the ropes on R/D from the beginning when I was just a simple soldier, and together with Bobberino, gave me a lesson on triggering skills which helped me lead my first successful tag raid recently. When he offered me the Deputy Minister of Defence position back in January, I was surprised since I was only a Warrant Officer and not a full-fledged one. Nevertheless, he said that he had confidence that I'd do my best, which really inspired me. Robes believed in me even when I thought myself unqualified, which I believe is the hallmark of a great mentor. The person who I look up to the most is perhaps Ghost (Pallaith). His lengthy record of service for TNP, as cited in his forum signature and the RA commendation proposal, is extremely impressive and awe-inspiring. I also admire his tenacity in defending his beliefs and actions against criticisms. I can only hope to be as accomplished as 1/10th of him.
Kaschovia: Well, it's been wonderful to have you on the Spotlight, Picairn! Thank you for answering all of my questions and of course for designing and contributing so much to The North Star over the last few editions!
Picairn: No problem, it's been an honour! I love contributing to The North Star and will continue to help deliver more issues to our readers, you can be assured of that!