NationStates Jolt Archive

Dressed in the traditional green and red (with some nice blue ribbons) dress of the ancient Duchy of Marnage, newly appointed Minister for International Affairs Zradovan Hertzegovina unfurled the Grand Scroll of the Ancients and announced Marnage's intention to enter the stage of international politics after hundreds of years of isolationist policy.

Ignoring the frankly appalling production values of the Marnage State Television, he said: "Marnage nation rightly proud of its achievements. But we cannot continue alone. This move does not mean an end to our compassionate internal policies which seek equality for all the people of Marnage. The time has come for us to look outside our borders in an effort to improve our lot and, hand in hand with our neighbours, the lot of those less fortunate than us in our region. There is no hiding from the fact that our economy is not in the best of health. We would therefore like to invite those countries who share our ideals to come to a conference in the beautiful rainforests of Benzgonia in central Marnage to discuss how we can implement an ethical trade policy for the benefit of all our nations. Of course, international aid to help us develop our weak industrial base whilst protecting and strengthening our tourist assets will also be welcomed with open arms. I thank you all."

OOC: Is this the sort of thing one should start with? How does this work? If I RP trade to strengthen the economy, do we all just have to pretend I'm doing better than the game says I am (until I can get issues to improve it in real terms?

No, if your labeled as a certain economy thats what we base it on.

indeed, but we welcome you to the world anyway :)

Hmm, reflected the minister in response to a tricky question about the meta-gaming logic of his fictional country. Err, no, if that's true, for now, I don't quite see how RP can be of assistance to our country's economy.

However, we will persist with our current policy of blindly thrashing around in the dark until we learn the rules of our newly uncovered universe. The invitation to ethical trade talks stands, to be chaired by Sub-Minister for Annoyingly Right-On Mr Christos Martinov.

RPing trade and stuff can help you gain money, so if you come up with something to sell and make a lot of money off it, and if someone gives you a hard time when you try to buy something you'll have proof you have the money for it.

Just watch how us veterans do it. Most people learn quickly.

Christos Martinev sat alone in the vast castle dining room, idly toying with an organic boar sausage on a stick. The trade conference had been a disaster. Not a single delegate. He rubbed the back of his hand irritatedly. What was he thinking, scrawling 'Fair Trade Now'. There were no cameras , no journalists. No-one was watching. Surely he was for the chop now. And what to do with all the sausages? And all that mahogany? He'd had to fight tooth and nail with the environmental lobby to get even the limited logging through. And now there was no market! And he'd spent half the year's tourist advertising budget on this conference. They were going to be after his blood too! Was there a local dictatorship he could flee too???

OOC: Cheers, yeah, I think I get the idea. But how to get a little nation like myself noticed and involved in the local and world scene without doing something silly and god-moddy?