by Aidenfieeld (@DivineOwl)
Dear readers,
The South Seas Gazette, first and foremost, is intended to be a lighthearted publication. Informative, yes, but at the end of the day, it’s the newspaper for a virtual community whose official drink is called SPIT. The October edition was shaping-up to be right along these lines; this month was a busy one for TSP, with the Prime Minister election and first passage of a TSP-authored World Assembly resolution since the GA reset.
But on the 25th, everything was tragically upended upon receiving the news that Phil, the player behind Goodest of Phils, who was also running for PM at the time, had suddenly passed away. This was legitimately shocking, and very clearly affected those of us that had interacted with him extensively. Phil was an active contributor of wit and insight, particularly on Discord, and was quick and easy to strike-up conversation with on a variety of topics. I personally can fondly recall multiple conversations with Phil about the likes of tea, the weather, and the intracacies of the WA. Not to be forgotten is his humour; his tradition of creating overly specific titles for regular members of the Discord server was hilarious, and only further endeared him to all of us.
Above all, though, Phil was a genuinely kind person; always the first to offer heartfelt support to anyone experiencing difficulty in real life, always there to congratulate anyone for their successes, and seemingly always available to offer a welcome distraction from the vicissitudes of everyday life. It is genuinely difficult to grapple with the fact that we have lost such a member of our community. If you are still struggling with this, I highly encourage you to speak with someone you trust, be it family or a mental health professional.
This loss warrants at least some level of reflection. It goes well beyond this silly little browser game we all play. It reminds us that we are all humans, living lives that may be short, but which are precious and impactful to others, and thus should be valued and celebrated at every opportunity. Phil lived one of these lives, and we shall not forget that. But we also must not forget to keep perspective; to appreciate our lives, those of the people we know and love, and every moment we get the chance to share with them.
In the wake of this, it is somewhat difficult to present the typical lighthearted, informative newspaper for TSP, and I’m sure that it may be difficult for some of you to turn towards reading that. But indeed, we must go on, with Phil in our hearts and minds, forward with the October edition of The South Seas Gazette. As always, credit and thanks must be given to our wonderful writing team for their excellent work and dedication. And thank you to you, our readers, and to TSP as a whole; this is a truly wonderful community that will doubtless be able to get through a difficult time such as now with love, kindness, and reciprocity.
Best,
-Aidenfieeld/DivineOwl
Editor, Deputy Minister of Culture
by Catfeine (@Catfeine)
Prime Minister Election: a Race for the Coalition’s Future
Oct. 15th marked the end of HumanSanity’s term as prime minister and the beginning of the South Pacific’s latest election cycle. Following three months of new initiatives, Cabinet reshuffling, and absences among government officials, anyone seeking to become the next Prime Minister of the Coalition faced several clear challenges.
In accordance with established procedure, the Election Commission opened nominations and declarations. Only three people gave out nominations: Welly, with one; Cayo, also with one; and The Age of Utopia, who, in a very typical, precedented move, nominated 37 people. By Oct. 18th, three citizens had stepped up and declared their intentions to run for the premiership: Tin, also known as Holy Free; incumbent HumanSanity; and the Goodest of Phils.
A newcomer to the Prime Ministerial race, Tin ran a campaign with a variety of proposals, such as building on HumanSanity’s Cabinet Updates program, raising the prestige of the Upvote Squad through Discord roles, and encouraging cards gameplay through a donation-based goal system. One suggestion that stood out was the creation of a deputy prime minister, a position meant to assist the PM with the various complexities of running a region as large as TSP. However, some voters criticized Tin’s campaign, concerned that Tin appeared nervous and lacked confidence in his proposals.
Incumbent Prime Minister HumanSanity focused primarily on furthering initiatives started in his first term and completing projects that, in his own words, “fell short of [his] expectations. Amongst his key priorities was continuing the development of the Activity Triggers project, which was started by former minister of integration Heliseum prior to his dismissal. HumanSanity also vowed to continue supporting a wider variety of smaller-scale cultural events and initiatives like Question of the Day and Dungeons & Dragons. In the realm of foreign affairs, he focused on strengthening relations with other regions and providing a stronger identity for TSP and its alliance, particularly when it comes to the Aegis Accords.
One HumanSanity supporter, Utopia, said that “HS is the most capable of the three and whose political vision most aligns with the path I believe TSP should take, especially when it comes to FA. It was a very quick decision for me to put HS first.”
A longtime member of the Empire of Great Britain and The Outback, the Goodest of Phils was a well-liked friendly face in TSP, but was considered a newcomer to the affairs of its government. Phil set out on his campaign with intentions to “make the South Pacific a region full of enthusiastic members, learning and doing things for the region’s growth.” Phil’s proposals primarily consisted of bolstering existing institutions and furthering interregional relations and cultural activities.
Established voters, however, criticized Phil’s campaign for its handling of foreign affairs, particularly the World Assembly. Director of OWL, Eternal Raven, cited “their anti-stance towards the World Assembly along with the lack of transparency of what OWL would look like under their leadership” as the rationale behind his concern. In an attempt to dispel these fears, Phil clarified that despite his own leanings towards National Sovereignty, he would respect the International Federalist tendencies of TSP’s citizenry and not impede on OWL’s decision-making.
As the time for voting began on Oct. 22nd, it quickly became clear that HumanSanity was the clear winner of the October 2026 PM Elections. HumanSanity’s final tally was 25 out of 31 preferences, 80.65% of the votes. Tin received 4 out of 31 preferences, and Phil received none. There was a 48.57% turnout amongst eligible voters.
When asked about why he believes he won, HumanSanity said he “was a strong incumbent with clear ideas and a proven capacity to execute on them.” In regards to his victory, HumanSanity told the South Seas Gazette “I’m very grateful to TSP’s citizenry for giving me a second term and I’m excited to get to work with my Cabinet!”
However, in what should have been a moment of excitement for the beginning of a new era for South Pacifican governance, an air of melancholy had been cast over the region. The buzz surrounding the election quickly and suddenly dissipated as the region learned of the heartbreaking passing of the Goodest of Phils on Oct. 25th. Following the tragedy, many South Pacificans and visitors put aside regional politics and came together to mourn the loss of a beloved community member.
by Catfeine (@Catfeine)
Sanity Doesn’t Win All Elections
Complimenting the October 2026 Prime Minister election, the South Pacific came together to decide who the craziest member of the region is. All vying for the title previously held by Indiana, Election Commissioner Kris Kringle’s former pet rabbit, this election saw quite a few candidates.
Some standout candidates included Chum Chum, who adopted the persona of “President Chrump” and released a campaign parodying the ramblings of U.S. President Donald Trump; Tin (AKA Holy Free), who ran a Roman-themed campaign centered around “Stannum Julius Caesar” and his exploits in the Shadow Realm post-Ides of March; Cayo (Altnavia), who made a bid for “Prime Maniac,” a spoof on the Prime Minister elections; and Olivrser, whose platform revolved around him screaming about trains. Other candidates included Andersmeda, Yusa, Kris Kringle, and Meaningful Cough.
On Oct. 30th the votes were tallied, and Indiana the rabbit (pictured below) was again declared the winner.
Indiana won an astounding 52% of the preferences in the election. According to the official tally of votes by Kris Kringle, 30 out of the 29 votes cast were valid. Behind Indiana was Cayo, who won 12 out of 25 preferences. Tin followed closely behind Cayo with 4 out of 27 preferences.
Truly an election befitting the title of “craziest.”
by Eternal Raven (@eternalraven213)
A New Chapter for OWL and The South Pacific
It’s been a few awesome weeks for the Office of World Assembly Legislation, (OWL). On Monday, October 26, 2026, the International Civil Aviation Safety Standards Act passed the General Assembly after months of work. This marked the very first General Assembly resolution written by someone in TSP in a new era for the General Assembly.
On July 1, 2026, all the previous passed GA resolutions were repealed, and the GA began again with a clean slate. The reset created an opportunity for writers and regions across NationStates to reconsider what effective international legislation should look like. For me, this was an exciting time as a brand-new player in the NationStates. My journey as the Office of World Assembly Legislation (OWL) Director began in April, of this year, after Nwahs stepped down to become our WA Delegate. It happened relatively quickly. Before it happened, I was having a lot of conversations and training sessions with Welly! And yes, Welly was like an all-in-one TSP expert. We talked about everything under the sun like Foreign Affairs, the World Assembly, and my plans for world domination. My time as OWL Director was challenging at first because I set very high expectations coming in. With the GA reset just weeks away, we were moving our debate threads over to the forum, studying the basic policy principles of major World Assembly organizations, hiring new participants, and learning how to write a GA proposal! See, getting a TSP-authored resolution passed was a priority for the department.
My proposal, International Civil Aviation Safety Standards Act, started as a notebook sketch. When trying to write a proposal, I needed something that I was somewhat knowledgeable about; I chose that. The drafting process took a few months. I spent about 3 weeks just drafting before submitting on the NationStates forums for feedback. Posting a proposal on the forums is the most important step. This allows for advice for improvements, possible fillers on a possible, critical feedback from authors, reviewers, and experienced World Assembly participants. I got a lot of excellent feedback and criticism too. While criticism can be challenging, it is an essential part of writing a resolution that is practical, well-defined, and capable of earning support.
The General Assembly’s reset has also created a renewed environment for collaboration. These relationships matter because no writer develops in isolation. I had 2 wonderful co-authors who gave me a lot of advice, Cretox and The Democratic Disney States. With them, I ended up having 5 different drafts and number 5 was excellently well written that would become the passed resolution! I am grateful to everyone who offered advice, challenged the drafts, and supported this effort. As OWL continues its work, building and maintaining these relationships will be important.
My resolution is not the end of OWL’s work. It serves as a foundation for what comes next. The South Pacific’s ability to participate thoughtfully in the World Assembly is stronger than ever! We are projecting to have 2 more proposals submitted to the General Assembly in the next couple of weeks. It’s safe to say that TSP isn’t going to be shy of the GA or the SC! We have some awesome collaborations coming up! As we move forward, OWL will continue to create opportunities for our members to learn, write, debate, and help shape the future of the World Assembly.
by Peoples Guerilla Armed Coalition (@xshotss), countryball by Holy Free (@Tin)
Welly is among TSP’s premier gameplayers, serving as the region’s Minister of Foreign Affairs for multiple consecutive terms now, across a number of different administrations. In addition to that, he is a member of the Coral Guard, a High Court Justice, and a recent nominee to the Council on Regional Security, alongside fellow TSP mainstay, Utopia. In the below interview, hosted by Shots/Jay, he discusses a number of exciting recent foreign affairs developments.
Shots/Jay: Hello, Welly! It’s a pleasure to host your interview for this month’s South Seas Gazette issue. A lot of developments have occurred in recent times, but before we start with that, do you mind giving us a short overview of your time on NationStates and the South Pacific and who you are?
Welly: Thanks so much for having me, it’s wonderful to be here!
As you probably know, asking me for “short” answer to anything is a recipe for disaster, but let me take a shot at it. I joined TSP in 2023, and my first year and a half or so were mostly focused on domestic affairs. I’m a law nerd at heart, so I found myself naturally drawn to legislating and litigating. I drafted reforms to most of our major statutes, including the Elections Act, Citizenship Act, Criminal Code, World Assembly Act, and Judiciary Act. And I spent some time arguing cases before the High Court, most significantly the constitutional challenge to the Resolution to Restore Regional Accountability. Along the way, I served as Clerk, Deputy Chair, then Chair of the Assembly.
Over time, my interest shifted towards foreign affairs. I don’t actually recall when, but at some point ProfessorHenn appointed me to our Foreign Affairs Council, which only whet my appetite for greater exposure to that part of the game. Around this time last year, I was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, and I have just started my fifth term in that position. I’ve also been appointed to the High Court (probably because they were tired of reading my briefs as a litigant) and to the Coral Guard.
Shots/Jay: Two new members have been admitted into the Aegis defender alliance, Balder and Starlight & Horizon. What do you think this signifies for the alliance? How do you envision it going from now?
Welly: The accession of Starlight & Horizon and Balder were momentous events for the Aegis, and I’m excited about what both regions will bring to the alliance.
As pointed out in the Aegis statement regarding their admission, Starlight’s rise in gameplay has been nothing short of meteoric. They are now one of the most active Defender regions. As such, Starlight is a natural fit in the alliance, and Aegis will benefit immensely from their depth of talent across military, diplomatic, and cultural spheres. From TSP’s perspective, Starlight is one of our most valued friends and allies, and our relationship has only grown since the ratification of the Covenant of Swans and Stars in April. So we are very pleased to have them join our premier multilateral alliance.
Equally significant was the admission of Balder and the corresponding detente between Balder and the Rejected Realms. Balder’s rapprochement with Defender regions actually started with TSP in 2021, when HumanSanity negotiated the Pact of the Center of the Earth, the Balder-TSP non-aggression treaty. In the years since, Balder has been a steadfast ally in the conflict against Raider Unity and developed deep diplomatic and cultural ties with numerous Aegis members. Regrettably, Balder’s relationship with the Rejected Realms remained strained as a result of differences dating back over a decade. Just before Balder’s accession into Aegis, the Balder and TRR governments agreed to a detente and expressed a desire to continue discussions towards closer relations. I welcome this meaningful step towards mending bridges between two of TSP’s oldest friends, and I hope that it heralds an era of greater unity among Defender regions.
Moving forward, I think the alliance would benefit from thinking carefully about opportunities for collaboration outside the military sphere. For example, with the collapse of the Partnership for Sovereignty, there may be an opening for a new Defender-aligned Security Council voting bloc.
Shots/Jay: We’ve opened up two new embassies in recent times, the West Pacific and the Outback. Can you comment on what this means for relations with both regions? Do you think this points to any shift in the South Pacific’s approach to foreign affairs, or is it a simple expanding of affairs?
Welly: I’m incredibly enthusiastic about our expanded relationship with both the West Pacific and the Outback. Frankly, it made little sense that TSP was so diplomatically disengaged from these two regions, both of which are significant powers in numerous aspects of gameplay. There are so many areas in which we can collaborate productively–indeed, we already have, in WA votes and the inaugural GenSec elections, for example–that it benefits both sides to have a consistent, open line of communication between our respective governments. I look forward to seeing how both relationships continue to develop and strengthen in the coming months.
In terms of what these developments suggest about TSP’s approach to foreign affairs more broadly, I think they reflect our commitment to proactive, opportunities-based diplomacy. What do I mean by that? In my view, TSP’s historical foreign policy was overly rigid at times, more concerned with what differentiates us from potential diplomatic partners than what we have in common. Except with our most bitter enemies (i.e., raiders), there are always opportunities for mutually beneficial collaboration with other regions. Even if our interests sometimes diverge, there will be areas of overlap, and it is those points of convergence on which our diplomatic efforts should focus. And to identify those areas of overlap, we’ve got to be willing to talk to regions across the ideological spectrum, even those with whom we have had differences in the past. To be sure, we may still have disagreements in the future, but those disagreements can be more effectively addressed through direct, candid communications than by disengaging. That’s the direction that I’ve attempted to push our foreign policy over the last year–towards greater communication and collaboration.
Shots/Jay: About the Eladria situation, their unification with The League & Concord, and subsequent opening of an embassy with them, what do you think this means for relations between TLC & the South Pacific? On a related note, what’s your approach to working with allies when crises occur?
Welly: Our relations with TL&C&E are as strong as ever. They’ve been exceptional partners in the effort to expand Aegis, and I greatly appreciate Rhaza and Horizon’s productive engagement across a number of issues of mutual concern.
With respect to the Eladria situation, I was disappointed and saddened by the rift in the TL&C community that was caused by Eladria’s founding; its subsequent attempts to poach members of TL&C; and the hostile stance that Eladria adopted towards both TL&C specifically, and, as we now know, the entire Defender establishment more broadly. And I unreservedly condemn Entropan’s decision to invite Unibot into Eladria. Thankfully, through diligent intelligence and diplomatic efforts, that wrongdoing was exposed and those rifts have been healed. I applaud Eladria’s re-integration into the new TL&C&E community, which has become one of the largest and most powerful UCRs as a result, with over 350 endorsements between the three regions. Speaking from TSP’s perspective, it was great to formally open diplomatic relations with Eladria. They have a strong core of promising players, and I hope our respective citizenries find opportunities to interact and grow closer.
To your more general question, I think my approach to working with allies in crises is similar to my overall approach to diplomacy–that direct, clear, and candid negotiations are the best way to resolve fraught situations. As long as the two sides are talking, we can make progress. It’s when one side refuses to engage that relations can break down.
Shots/Jay: Domestically speaking, are there any structural changes to how Foreign Affairs functions behind the scenes (i.e ambassador corps, FAC)? Considering you’ve been MoFA for a while, are there any future plans for the ministry that you’d like to prepare for whoever ends up being MoFA after you, whether that be yourself or someone else?
Welly: This is one of the areas that I’m targeting for improvement in the coming term, working in conjunction with the Prime Minister, FAC, and Utopia in his role as Chief of Staff. While I’m proud to have gotten the Ambassador Corps back up and running after a several-year hiatus, I need to do more to engage with that group and deepen our bench of FA talent. Foreign affairs and gameplay can be a daunting arena for new players to step into, and it’s almost impossible to do well without mentorship and guidance. I benefited immensely (and still do) by learning from some of the best FA minds in the game. Now it’s time to prioritize doing the same for the new members of our FA team, to develop the next generation of FA talent. After all, even Mavs wasn’t MoFA forever!
by Republic Empire of Japan (@sodacan123)
On August 6th, the Ministry of Culture announced a new fun weekly event, Theme Thursday! Citizens compete to match the theme presented for the week, utilizing their creativity and imagination whilst being limited by the constraint of their own name. Following each mediation, a special role is given to the winner of each week in recognition of their wonderful achievement!
Following success in the first month of events, the Ministry of Culture hosted Theme Thursday again for this month, marking the 3rd consecutive month of the event since its reintroduction.
Notably, this month’s edition was a little different, with only one Theme Thursday being hosted throughout the entire month. Announced on October 9th, the theme was Halloween, a fitting choice to celebrate the spooky season! After reviewing the many high-quality submissions, the Ministry of Culture officially declared a winner on October 13th!
Through the many high quality submissions, the submission by Phellboy shone brighter than the rest, earning the title of the Champion of Theme Thursday for the month of October with his submission of Hellboy.
The submission takes inspiration from the film of the same name, released in 2004, which also happens to be the year Phellboy was born in! The movie follows a demon turned investigator named Hellboy, making it a perfect match for this month’s theme of Halloween.
Following this October Edition, a total of 7 events have been hosted since the new revamp, with the number of participations varying from 5 to 16. Here is the list of the winners since the 1st event:
Edition | Winner | Theme | # of Participants | Entry
1st | Void | Greek Mythology | 16 | 
Voiberous
2nd | Olivsrer | Ice Hockey | 5 | Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs
3rd | Chum Chum | Transport | 8 | (No Record Found)
4th | Cayo | Birds | 6 | Macaw-yo
5th | Helisium | Breakfast | 8 | Heli-O’s
6th | Mavenu | Appliances | 7 | ThermoMaven
7th | Phellboy | Halloween | 8 | Hellboy
by Heliseum (@Heliseum)
T R b E A P
Oh! It seems like someone has turned into quite the poet, but who could it be? It seems they’ve left a clue double-layered in its corruption.
O u a m d, w I p, w a w,
O m a q a c v o f l—
W I n, n n, s t c a o,
A o s o g r, r a m c d—
“‘T s v,” I m, “t a m c d—
O t a n m.”
A, d I r i w i t b D;
A e s d e w i g u t f.
E I w t m;—v I h s t b
F m b f o s—s f t l L—
F t r a r m w t a n L—
N h f e.
A t s, s, u r o e s c
T m—f m w f t n f b;
S t n, t s t b o m h, I s r,
"‘T s v e e a m c d—
S l v e e a m c d;—
T i i a n m.”
P m s g s; h t n l,
“S," s I, “o M, t y f I i;
B t f i I w n, a s g y c r,
A s f y c t, t a m c d,
T I s w s I t y”—h I o w t d;—
D t a n m.
D i t d p, l I s t w, f,
D, d d n m a d t d b;
B t s w u, a t s g n t,
A t o w t s w t w w, “L?”
T I w, a a e m b t w, “L!”—
M t a n m.
B i t c t, a m s w m b,
S a I h a t s l t b.
“S," s I, “s t i s t m w l;
L m s, t, w t i, a t m e—
L m h b s a m a t m e;—
‘T t w a n m!”
O h I f t s, w, w m a f a f,
I t s a s R o t s d o y;
N t l o m h; n a m s o s h;
B, w m o l o l, p a m c d—
P u a b o P j a m c e—
P, a s, a n m.
the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Contact Heliseum to send your answers and ask for hints! All who answer correctly will be given epic cards, and the first to answer correctly will get a shout-out in next month’s edition!
