NationStates Jolt Archive

I was wondering if it would be acceptable to role-play as a people without a nation so to speak much like social outcasts united by a common culture and/or ideology.

I do understand that I.I is for role-playing nations but I think that having such a group could prove to make interesting international incidents, whether it be a ruthless campaign to exterminate Hipoplean's or a violent military group aiming to seize control of a nation.


thanks for your time

Generally, we don't restrict or regulate roleplay (unless someone is clearly breaking another rule). I don't RP myself, but I think what you suggest might be interesting IF others are willing to play with the understanding that you're playing a group of people whose nation has been invaded or who are looking to emigrate. You'd still have to have some kind of coherent kind of government to represent these people....

I don't particularly have a problem with it, but see what other II players think of it, and get a couple more mod opinions. Good luck!

You'd still have to have some kind of coherent kind of government to represent these people....

Kat, if we start requiring coherent government, we'll have to close both RP forums, and the UN while we're at it. Probably General too.

<adjective> refugees from <nation> would suffice.

I've seen it done before with a kind of distributed nation-state something like the First Distributed Republic mentioned in Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash; if I recall there that player had some trouble with getting people to accept what amounted to dual sovereignty, but the principle is sound. In the same vein, if you were roleplaying something more like the Jewish diaspora you'd need to get permission from people to have Hipoplean enclaves in their cities or whatnot.

~ Tsarmageddon is King-in-Exile

The good folk of The Eternal Kawaii are doing an extended RP like that right now. So far they have RPs going in a couple of offsites, a constant stream of pilgrims through the Strangers' Bar at the UN and a Jolt thread (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=523311&page=6) as well.

My region has a nation, the Nemonicans, who constantly wander the byways of the other nations in the region.

I can't see any reason you couldn't do the same as the Kawaiians: start a Jolt thread to anchor the action, but RP in offsites or in other long-standing threads as well. I'd think you could jump in, for example, every time there's an opening-embassies thread.

EDIT: Maybe a Dalai Lama-type character advocating everywhere would get you past that "have a government" hurdle.

Speaking as an RPer(thought by no means indicative of the greater Rping community) I don't see thier being a problem. It seems like you're refering to a nomadic culture and there are multiple present such cultures like the 'Irish Travellers', the 'sterotype' of the Roma, the 'Sea Gypsies', the Lom and Dom peoples, the Lyuli and the Yeniche.

It is quite possible to have a wide-spread social/cultural group that doesn't hold land or have 'nationalistic' tendencies. Perhaps harder in light of the increasing technological nature of modern society but not impossible and certainly feasible.

In terms of the lack of goverment/Dalai Lama-type person, another possible solution would be each 'clan'/regional group has a nominal leader and every so often the nominal leaders get together to discuss important matters, arrange weddings, discuss policies, ect.

I don't see this as a problem either. It does sound like an interesting concept.

I'd be willing to have my government host some of your people if you wish...

I see the temptation, but let's not turn this into a sign-up thread. Hipoplea, if you want to go ahead with this, there's obviously interest, so it's up to you now to start a thread. As well as an IC thread for the action, you could post an OOC one if you're looking for further suggestions.