Eva-Beatrice

The City of Books - a sacred realm separate of our own, under the divine protection of the Witch Senate. Here, countless books are stored, each one containing an entire world. In some instances, they may only contain knowledge of a specific thing, or group of things if they've been deemed important enough. Upon one of the many bookshelves within a small, semicircular room, rests this archive. The Witch Council has granted you access to peruse the Chronicles of Rokkenjima. To those who seek knowledge, feel free to take your time, and of course, enjoy your stay. Available Information: Chronicles of Rokkenjima: Part 1 - "Imperial Arms Murasame" Chronicles of Rokkenjima: Part 2 - "Ragnite" Chronicles of Rokkenjima: Part 3 - "The History of Rokkenjima" Chronicles of Rokkenjima: Part 4 - "Hinamizawa Syndrome"

The City of Books - a sacred realm separate from our own, under the divine protection of the Witch Senate. Here, countless books are stored, each one containing an entire world. In some instances, they may only contain knowledge of a specific thing, or group of things if they've been deemed important enough. Upon one of the many bookshelves within a small, semicircular room, rests one such book. The title on the spine read "The Legend of Hinamizawa." The following passage specifically relates to Hinamizawa Syndrome. History Hinamizawa Syndrome is a psychiatric disease found exclusively in citizens, or sometimes visitors, of Hinamizawa, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The disease was first discovered by a local researcher named Hifumi Takano in the year 1963. Takano would soon write a report regarding the history of Hinamizawa and the supposed disease plaguing its residents, with the goal of making knowledge of the disease public and to secure funds for researching its treatment. Part of Takano's report proposed that a member of the Imperial Japanese Army, one from Hinamizawa, was afflicted with Hinamizawa Syndrome. As a result of the worsening disease, this soldier fired at the Chinese National Revolutionary Army, triggering the second Sino-Japanese war in the year 1937. Several government officials at the time rejected Takano's report, as accepting his proposal would mean having to take responsibility for the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, which "Tokyo" had no intention of doing. Shortly after Hifumi Takano's death, his adopted granddaughter, Miyo Takano, took over her father's research of Hinamizawa Syndrome. She managed to secure funding from a "Tokyo" official named Nomura. Using this money, Takano joined with Kyousuke Irie and formed the Irie Institution, to further research the disease from within Hinamizawa itself. Use As A Biological Weapon "Tokyo" decided Japan needed a threatening biological weapon to compete with the world's emergent nuclear powers at the time. As a result, "Tokyo" commissioned research for both the cure and infliction of Hinamizawa Syndrome. In 1980, Miyo Takano developed H-173, a drug designed to induce Level 5 symptoms on any infected person. H-173 has since been used several times by "Tokyo" and later the Witch Council of Rokkenjima to assassinate an unknown number of targets. In 2018, an airborne version of H-173 was successfully developed, currently in use as a form of bioterrorism by the Rokkenjima Armed Forces. Signs and Symptoms The most common symptoms include anxiety and paranoia, which can force those infected with Hinamizawa Syndrome to commit strange and violent acts. Other symptoms include an extreme irritation of the lymph nodes and formication. Progression According to Hifumi Takano's research, Hinamizawa Syndrome has five different stages ranging from Level 1 (weakest) to Level 5 (strongest). Level 1 Almost everyone in Hinamizawa is afflicted with this level of Hinamizawa Syndrome. At this stage, the syndrome is largely dormant and has no effects on everyday life. However, the syndrome can easily escalate when those infected experience stress or anxiety. Level 2 Like the previous level, Level 2 Hinamizawa Syndrome is largely dormant and rarely affects everyday life. Level 3 At Level 3, the mental condition of the afflicted begins to deteriorate. Often times, the afflicted becomes both mentally and emotionally unstable. Level 4 At Level 4, hallucinations and extreme paranoia begin to occur. This can often lead to the afflicted taking drastic or violent measures to protect themselves from imagined enemies. Level 5 At Level 5, the syndrome becomes terminal. Often times, patients will claim hearing an "extra footstep" at this stage. An extreme variant of formication usually occurs, along with extreme irritation of the lymph nodes. This often leads to the afflicted clawing at their own throat until death. As formication can result from excessive use of amphetamines, those who die from Hinamizawa Syndrome are sometimes believed to have died from narcotic use. Causes Queen Carrier Theory Hifumi Takano identified an antibody of Hinamizawa Syndrome in the blood of members of the Furude family. He used this to designate the family as the as the "queen carriers" of the parasite, with the status of "queen carrier" falling upon the latest born female. He theorized that 48 hours after the death of the queen carrier, the parasites afflicting the villagers would aggravate the symptoms of Hinamizawa Syndrome, forcing everyone in Hinamizawa into Level 5 status. To counteract this, Takano created Emergency Manual #34, a contingency plan to wipe out the entire village in the event that a queen carrier should die. Although the discovery of an antibody found in the Furude family's blood was true, the Queen Carrier Theory has since been proven incorrect. Treatment The first treatment for Hinamizawa Syndrome, C-103, was created in 1980 by Kyousuke Irie. Developed from the previously discovered antibody in Rika Furude's blood, the drug was successful in reducing Hinamizawa Syndrome from Level 5 to Level 3. However, in order to keep the syndrome subdued, the drug had to be received three times a day via injection. If the drug wasn't taken three times a day, Hinamizawa Syndrome would relapse to Level 5. In 1982, Irie developed C-117, a slightly more effective drug for treating Hinamizawa Syndrome. Like its predecessor, C-117 could successfully reduce Level 5 Hinamizawa Syndrome to Level 3, though it only required two injections per day, rather than three. In 1983, Irie completed C-120. The most successful drug by far, C-120 could reduce Hinamizawa Syndrome from Level 5 to Level 2 with a single injection. However, the drug had extremely negative side effects when used on individuals who were already at low levels of Hinamizawa Syndrome, such as Level 1 or Level 2. When Level 1 or Level 2 individuals were injected with C-120, they would suffer muscle spasms, extreme irritation of the lymph nodes akin to Level 5, as well as a severe loss of stamina. As a result of these side effects, C-120 is sometimes used as a weapon and was given the nickname Crazy Medicine. In present day, knowledge of Hinamizawa Syndrome remains highly classified by the Witch Council. Research on a complete cure to the disease continues, however thus far, C-120 remains the most successful drug in combating Hinamizawa Syndrome. It is currently unknown whether a complete cure of the disease exists, or is even possible. Content received and slightly altered from: "Hinamizawa Syndrome." When They Cry Wiki, . 20 Apr 2018, 18:24 UTC. 3 Dec 2018, 05:00 <https://wiki.whentheycry.org/w/index.php?title=Hinamizawa_Syndrome&oldid=11000>.

Pretty sure midnight Eastern was something that’s been an unspoken rule since one of the previous map threads. Why not make it midnight UTC, if giving everyone an equal chance at expansion each month really makes you that salty? Also...

Claiming the Philippines for December. Please note that for all future monthly claims, they are only claimable at or after midnight Eastern Time on the first of the month.

Ohayōgozaimasu! Welcome to this week's Rokkenjima News Report here on RNN. I'm your host, Clair Vaux Bernardus. For those who are unaware, this is a weekly (hopefully) news show where I sit down and tell you all there is to know about what's going on in Rokkenjima. Without further delay, let's begin, shall we? To start, the Witch Council and us here at RNN would like to welcome you all to Rokkenjima. We are a diverse nation in many ways. Not only do we have people of different nationalities, faiths, and cultures, but people of different species living here as well. Humans, Witches, Vampires, Demons, and Angels are just some of the many different species who call Rokkenjima their home. Our territory stretches from the islands of Japan all the way to Taiwan and even Beijing, China. Rokkenjima's capital city is Evatrice, located on the island of Shikoku. Evatrice has a population of around 30 million people, making it the most populous city in Rokkenjima! The nation itself has a population of approximately 330 million people in total. I'm not quite sure how that compares to the populations of other nations, but I bet it's up there! Evatrice, Rokkenjima Next up, a map displaying Rokkenjima's territorial waters was officially released by the Witch Council. Everything within the red is under the control of Rokkenjima, and is constantly guarded by the nation's Navy. As a side note, the only way for naval vessels to access the Sea of Okhotsk via international waters is through the First Kurilskiy Strait, at which point Rokkenjima's maritime border ends. Nations whose vessels that have gained permission from Rokkenjima to enter its territorial waters may do so, under the condition that they notify the Witch Council each time a vessel will be crossing Rokkenjima's maritime border. Additionally, a report detailing the contents within each vessel must also be forwarded to the Witch Council prior to the vessel's crossing. Failure to comply will result in retaliatory actions being taken by the Rokkenjima Armed Forces. A map of Rokkenjima's maritime borders can be found below. Lastly, on behalf of Rokkenjima's Department of Foreign Affairs, I would like to state that Rokkenjima is currently open to the establishment of foreign relations. Thus far, Rokkenjima's only official tie is with The Holy Britannian Empire, of which an ODoAP, trading agreement, and travel agreement is in place. If any world leaders are interested in establishing ties with Rokkenjima, please contact our Department of Foreign Affairs. Thank you. Well, that's all for this week's Rokkenjima News Report here on RNN. Until next time, ja ne!

Rokkenjima's military, known as the Rokkenjima Armed Forces, consists of three different branches. They include the Army, Air Force, and Navy. Satan Jacob serves as the active Commander of the Armed Forces. Directly serving him are his three trusted Generals - Alciel, Lucifer, and Esdeath. General Alciel sees over Rokkenjima's Army. General Lucifer sees over Rokkenjima's Air Force. And General Esdeath sees over Rokkenjima's Navy. Additionally, each of them are also quite skilled in combat on the ground. Commander Satan Army: Led by: General Alciel Active Personnel: 3,000,000 Reserve Personnel: 950,000 Number of Tanks: 20,000 Tanks in reserve: 59,000 Rokkenjima's Army is divided up amongst nine different regions. The regional branches of Rokkenjima's Army include: Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Manchuria, Shanghai, Hong Kong/Macau, Taiwan, Russia, and the Northern Mariana Islands/Wake Island. The number of soldiers in each region are as follows: 1,000,000 in Japan, 350,000 in South Korea, 350,000 in North Korea, 500,000 in Manchuria, 100,000 in Shanghai, 100,000 in Hong Kong/Macau, 250,000 in Taiwan, 300,000 in Russia, and 50,000 in the Northern Mariana Islands/Wake Island. The number of tanks within in region fluctuates depending on where they're needed most. The majority of personnel within Rokkenjima's Army (about 75%) are Goat Butlers, soulless creatures created by the Witch Council as a stronger alternative to human soldiers. While their strength may be enough to easily tear a person to shreds, they have their weaknesses. They are slow, and are only able to withstand a few bullets directly to the head. The remainder of each region's personnel consists of humans and various beings of magical origin, with most residing in the the region they serve. Not all personnel in each region are trained in combat, however. Those who aren't are tasked with the construction and maintenance of the Army's equipment and tanks. Those who aren't trained in either belong to the medical field. Air Force: Led by: General Lucifer Active Personnel: 40,000 Reserve Personnel: 20,000 Number of Aircraft: 12,000 Aircraft in reserve: 2,220 Rokkenjima's Air Force, like it's Army, is divided up amongst nine different regions. The number of aircraft in each region are as follows: 4,000 in Japan, 1,400 in South Korea, 1,400 in North Korea, 2,000 in Manchuria, 400 in Shanghai, 400 in Hong Kong/Macau, 1,000 in Taiwan, 1,200 in Russia, and 200 in the Northern Mariana Islands/Wake Island. Unlike the Army, the amount of Goat Butlers within the Air Force make up only half of its personnel. The remainder, again, consist of humans and various beings of magical origin. Three quarters of those within each region are trained in combat and operating the branch's various aircraft, with the others being tasked with the construction and maintenance of aircraft and equipment. Navy: Led by: General Esdeath Active Personnel: 80,000 Reserve Personnel: 70,000 Number of Ships: 340 The majority of Rokkenjima's naval bases are located in Japan, with one present in Hokkaido Prefecture, one in Niigata Prefecture, one in Kyoto Prefecture, one in Shimane Prefecture, one in Nagasaki Prefecture, one in Kochi Prefecture, one in Tokyo Prefecture, one in Chiba Prefecture, and one in Okinawa Prefecture. Other than those, there are two in South Korea, two in North Korea, one in Manchuria, one in Shanghai, one in Hong Kong/Macau, one in Taiwan, two in Russia, and two in the Northern Mariana Islands/Wake Island. Their precise location is classified, and the number of vessels stationed at each is constantly fluctuating depending on where they're needed most. Like the Air Force, about half of the Navy's total personnel are Goat Butlers. Three quarters of Navy personnel are trained in combat and the operation of various vessels, with the rest tasked with construction and maintenance. (To be continued with equipment and military vehicles/vessels)

Iwo Jima is owned by Rokkenjima. Anything south of Guam is unclaimed. You have time to adjust your claims before I update the map tomorrow.

October 31st, Halloween night arrives in Rokkenjima once again. Per tradition, the city of Alcamoth was decorated and illuminated in colors fitting for the holiday, as it once again hosted Rokkenjima's annual Halloween party. Various species were present - witches, humans, demons, vampires, and a lone Diclonius. One such vampire, Maria Kurenai, was skipping along the ring of the floating city, happily humming to herself. Just days prior, she had seen the news regarding the establishment of relations between Rokkenjima and The Holy Britannian Empire. Just thinking about it still made her giggle with excitement. Maria stopped and gazed up at the night sky, the image of a beautiful girl with long green hair filling her mind. "I'll see you soon, my darling..." On the second level of the city stood the Witch Council, Commander Satan, and his trusted General, Alciel. Satan, otherwise known as Maou, turned his head to look at Eva-Beatrice. She had a slight smile on her face, and he knew all too well what she was thinking about. "Have there been any updates, Lady Eva?" She shook her head, keeping her voice down as she spoke. "None, but what we do know is this. Night Raid successfully made it behind enemy lines ten days ago, General Lucifer has his fleets in position, and General Esdeath and the Jaegers are on standby at the border. Nothing's changed. The operation will continue as planned." General Alciel stepped closer, joining the conversation as the remainder of the Witch Council dispersed to enjoy the party. "Are you positive about testing you know what? The effects may very well be felt beyond just Nanjing. I have to express my concern about Night Raid evacuating that many people without the military taking notice." Eva shrugged. "If our spy was correct, there isn't anything to be concerned about. Night Raid also confirmed upon arrival that the intelligence about the remainder of China's military forces being stationed to protect Nanjing is correct. You should have more faith in your subordinates, Commander. I thought the time you spent living amongst humans would have taught you that." Maou sighed a bit. "I know, but still, I'm not so insane as to expect success in every single mission. That is what prior experience has taught me. You're right, though. I have faith that Night Raid and Liu Xiu were able to secure the escape route to Shanghai." Alciel joined in once more. "Still, there is one part of this mission that remains unclear. What do we do once it spreads?" Eva simply smiled, an innocent expression on her face. "Why, help our neighbors in their time of need, of course." She walked off casually. Alciel turned to face Maou. "You know, even for not being a demon herself, she's still frightening." Maou nodded. "Yeah, I can't argue with you there..." Later, at Rokkenjima's border with China just outside Beijing... General Esdeath glanced at the clock. Noticing it was almost time, she stood, looking across the lightly guarded border into Tianjin, China. Standing in formation behind her was the Jaegers, Rokkenjima's elite Police Squad, tasked with assisting the General on this mission. As midnight finally arrived, Esdeath unsheathed her sword and pointed it across the border. "Jaegers! Before us stands yet another red door. Let's paint it black..."

Claiming Tianjin, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Macau.

An official announcement from Rokkenjima's Ministry of Foreign Affairs "Salutations, all. My name is Crestia Bel, and I appear before you today as Rokkenjima's Head of Foreign Affairs to deliver an important announcement. First of all, however, I would like to inform the leaders of the world that Rokkenjima is now open to establishing diplomatic relations with any nations that are interested. Our apologies for taking so long, but we had to make sure that our embassies here in Evatrice were ready to be opened as quickly as possible. While we are not currently looking to establish military pacts, Rokkenjima is eager to strengthen social and diplomatic ties with other nations. If you are interested, please contact Rokkenjima's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Thank you. Onto the main announcement. Earlier this month, Rokkenjima was approached by The Holy Britannian Empire with the purpose of strengthening ties between our two nations. After much discussion, an agreement was reached. The terms are as follows: Rokkenjima and The Holy Britannian Empire hereby establish an Optional Defense and Optional Aggression Pact with one another. Rokkenjima will begin the mining of the resource Sakuradite from Mt. Fuji immediately following the signing of this agreement. The mining will be done under the condition that the mountain is not defaced in any way and tourism remains unaffected. 100% of the Sakuradite that Rokkenjima mines will be exported to The Holy Britannian Empire. Furthermore, Rokkenjima reserves the right to cancel the mining agreement at any time for any reason. Immediately following the signing of this agreement, tourism between Rokkenjima and The Holy Britannian Empire will be opened. Citizens of both countries are now able to take flights to and from Rokkenjima so long as they provide ample identification and agree to a possible background check upon arrival. Trade of various resources will also take place between Rokkenjima and The Holy Britannian Empire. Such resources may either be transported by air or sea. That will be all for today. I thank you for taking the time to tune in. Until next time." *bows* - Crestia Bel, Head of Foreign Affairs

Welcome to Rokkenjima. The Golden Witch extends her heartfelt greetings. First, please put yourself at ease. There is nothing too difficult to think about. Accept entirely, silently, the events to happen. That is all that is asked of you. The Witch Council would like to welcome you to Rokkenjima. Although governed by witches, Rokkenjima is a nation that promotes equality between magical beings and humans. The nation itself is overseen by the Witch Senate, but is governed directly by the Witch Council. The Witch Council oversees all aspects of the nation, and consists of seven members. Eva-Beatrice - Golden and Endless Witch Beatrice - Golden and Endless Witch Virgilia - Golden and Endless Witch, Witch of the Finite Gaap - Golden and Endless Witch Ange-Beatrice - Golden and Endless Witch, Witch of Truth, Witch of Resurrection Bernkastel - Witch of Miracles Lambdadelta - Witch of Certainty The leadership of the Rokkenjima Armed Forces: Satan Jacob - Commander Alciel - General Lucifer - General Esdeath - General Rokkenjima's Head of Foreign Affairs: Crestia Bel Some other facts and statistics for convenience: Enjoy your stay! Rokkenjima's Declaration of Existence has been signed by the Witch Council.

Nation name: Rokkenjima Population (may use in-game numbers): 249,604,379 Population density (may use in-game numbers): 336 people per sq. mile Official currency: Yen GDP (may use in-game numbers): 5 trillion USD GDP per capita (may use in-game numbers): 38,894.47 USD Form of government: Oligarchy Describe your nation: An expansion by the Witch Senate into the real world. Politics & War Wikia link (leave blank if you don’t have one): https://politicsandwar.wikia.com/wiki/Rokkenjima Have you read, and agree to abide by the rules of the map/subforum? (Yes/No): Yes Where on the map do you wish to be located? (Using real-world geography, or a self-provided map): https://i.imgur.com/ykK3Kdb.png Nation flag link (if you have a specific one you wish to use): https://i.imgur.com/NqavpM4.png

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(Note: This post is narrated by Virgilia. She is intended to be the designated narrator for this series.) "Well, here we are. I believe it is quite time to address the elephant in the room. With the world becoming a crazier place by the day, and with tensions growing, it is important to look to the past, and let it guide us into the future. The modern-day nation of Rokkenjima may seem like an anomaly of a country to some, but even a place as fantastical as Rokkenjima has its origins. Let's take a little journey back in time, shall we? Our story begins with a man by the name of Kinzo Ushiromiya. Kinzo was born to the Ushiromiya family in the early 1910s. He spent most of his childhood in his hometown of Taishou, Taiwan. At the time, Taiwan was a territory of the Empire of Japan. The Ushiromiya family was well known across the island, and was among one of the richest families in 'Japan'. Soon after Kinzo reached his teens, the Ushiromiya elders began a fierce debate over whom would hold the title as the head of the family. It was eventually decided that Kinzo would play the role, and thus became the elders' puppet and used for their own gains. As a result, Kinzo became a jaded person, describing those times as "extremely long and gray days." Before long, he was forced by the elders into an arranged marriage with the daughter of a high aristocratic family. Before he knew it, she had given birth to their first three children - Krauss, Eva, and Rudolf. Despite this, no love was ever shown towards any of them, as they seemed to have been born on their own. By the time World War II had broken out, Kinzo was in a state of depression. He enlisted himself in the military, with the hope of dying in battle. He was soon stationed on the island of Rokkenjima, located in the Izu Island chain. Much to his dismay, he never saw actual combat. As the war raged on, US air forces never took notice of Rokkenjima, and so he spent his days on the island training for combat. One fateful day, Kinzo was approached by the commanding officer of the Rokkenjima garrison, Lieutenant Yamamoto. They had received a distress call by a lost Italian submarine hours earlier that was apparently damaged. Yamamoto answered the call, letting the Italians stay on Rokkenjima. Kinzo was assigned the role of interpreter, as he was the only one on the island capable of speaking English. Upon the arrival of the Italians, he met a woman by the name of Beatrice Castiglioni, quickly becoming close friends. The Italians had brought with them a large amount of gold, which was quickly discovered by the Japanese. It wasn't long before Yamamoto had devised a plan to steal the gold, and kill the Italians in the process. The sneak attack was a failure. However, this was when Kinzo first witnessed a man die before him. Realizing he wanted to live with Beatrice, he located her amid the chaos, and they escaped the island with as many gold ingots as they could carry. He would later use them to revive and restore the Ushiromiya family to its former glory. Following World War II, he established strong connections with many companies, both domestic and foreign, and grew rich through the investments he made. He also became greatly influenced by Western culture during the process. A few years later, he bought the island of Rokkenjima, moving there with his family (and Beatrice in secret). Kinzo had a secret mansion constructed on the island in addition to the main one where his family resided. The secret mansion served as the place to which he and Beatrice would secretly meet night after night. During this time, he had a child with his actual wife, and Rosa was born. At some point, Kinzo had arranged a marriage between his son Krauss and a woman by the name of Natsuhi. Soon after, Beatrice had died, and the child the two had together began to resemble her late mother. Kinzo believed her to be the reincarnation of her mother. Around this time, several things began occurring in Kinzo's life. By now, he had worked his way up in the Japanese government, gaining a position of power. However, this was also when he began having sexual relations with his and Beatrice's daughter against her will, and became interested in the occult. It was also around this time that Kinzo's legitimate wife had passed away. To support his interest in the occult, he founded the Ministry of the Occult. Kinzo's ultimate goal was to somehow use black magic to make his memories of Beatrice return. Eventually, he had a child with his daughter, and asked Natsuhi to care for it. Not long after, however, his daughter was involved in an unexpected accident, falling down a rocky cliff to her death. This took a toll on Kinzo's mental state, as he began to focus more and more on his work for the Ministry, with the hope of mastering the ability to revive her and apologize for his wrongdoings. This wasn't an easy task, however, especially with public support for the Ministry of the Occult remaining extremely low. Years later, unbeknownst to Kinzo, the child he had with his now late daughter became a servant in the Ushiromiya mansion under the name Sayo Yasuda. He would later discover a scar on the servant's foot where her sixth toe would have been. Throughout the years, Sayo became one of Kinzo's most trusted servants. As Kinzo reached his final years, and his suspicions of Sayo being his lost child grew, he created the Witch's Epitaph, hoping that Sayo would reveal himself to him. Sayo, taking on the persona of Beatrice, solved the Epitaph, with Kinzo apologizing to her soon after. During their conversation, he revealed Sayo's real name to be Lion. With his health worsening, it wasn't much longer before Kinzo passed away himself. In an attempt to keep their position of power within the Ministry of the Occult, his family covered up news of Kinzo's death to give the illusion that he was still alive, as he never named a successor. A year later, in 1986, the public's opinion of the Ministry would change drastically. What happened to spark this change? During the 5th and 6th of October that year, the Rokkenjima Massacre would occur. This caused belief in the occult to spread rapidly across the nation, as it seemed the massacre could not be explained with human means. Now, the Rokkenjima Massacre, although it is one of the major causes for the nation's founding, won't be explained here. That's enough to justify it's own story. In the end, however, one survivor escaped the island. That would be Kinzo's daughter Eva. By now, as word of the Ushiromiya family's death became known to the public, the question of who would replace Kinzo in the Ministry of the Occult arose. Eva, who had also solved the Epitaph, revealed herself to the public as Kinzo's surviving daughter and the successor to the Ushiromiya family. Eva, as a result, was voted into the Ministry of the Occult as Kinzo's successor. Under her leadership, the Ministry grew in popularity across Japan, gaining an increasing number of seats within the government. Soon after, the era of the occult would begin. Before long, significant progress would be made in the study of the occult, bringing forth magic. The teaching and practice of magic, too, spread quickly, becoming ingrained with everyday life. The year of 1998 was major for one reason. Eva decided to dissolve the Ministry of the Occult, gaining magical abilities of her own the same day. She would use her newfound power to become a witch herself, taking on the name Eva-Beatrice. Her physical age reverted to that of 14. She then declared the existence of the nation of Rokkenjima, becoming the founding member of the Witch Council, ruling over the new nation as its leader. The Council soon saw a growth in its membership as Saeko Ami, Natsume Maemi, Kasaya Mizuki, Dusk Nocturne, Thorne Nocturne, and Kihara Tomoko joined in. During the following years, the economy skyrocketed. The fusion of magic into the everyday lives of society pushed the nation forward technologically and militarily. Ten years later, in 2008, most of the world's economy entered a huge recession. While Rokkenjima wasn't hit too hard, its surrounding neighbors were. Seizing the opportunity, the Witch Council expanded Rokkenjima's influence to Taiwan, South Korea, North Korea, and Manchuria, promising to share the nation's technology as well as protect them from any threats under the condition that they agreed to be annexed by Rokkenjima. Although hesitant, as the lives of their citizens continued to worsen, the governments finally agreed. They signed over power to the Witch Council, and officially joined Rokkenjima in June of 2008. With that, we've reached the present day. I believe you should be familiar with the events that occurred beyond this point. While Rokkenjima may seem like an anomaly to some, and they may be right, it has its history just as every other nation has theirs. I hope to have answered many questions with my explanation, and perhaps shed a new light on the country we call our home."

The City of Books - a sacred realm separate of our own, under the divine protection of the Witch Senate. Here, countless books are stored, each one containing an entire world. In some instances, they might only contain knowledge of a specific thing, or group of things if they've been deemed important enough. Upon one of the many bookshelves within a small, semicircular room, rests one such book. The title on the spine read "Ragnite." Ragnite is a type of mineral with many different uses, from anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons/missiles to fuel and medicine. The nation of Rokkenjima is known for its large Ragnite deposits. Ragnite Ore glows blue, while sufficiently refined Ragnite emits a sunlight-like light. Usage and Extraction: Ragnite sees a wide variety of commercial and industrial use. It's primary function is as an energy source, capable of powering tanks, aircraft, airships, naval ships, and even cities and towns. It can also be used as medication in the form of Ragnaid. Once opened, a blue light envelopes the body, healing small wounds and bruises on the surface of the body. Ragnite derivatives can be used as propellant and payload explosives in grenades, shells, missiles, and rockets. Additionally, they can be used to make strong armor plating, seen on Rokkenjima's tanks, aircraft, and ships. Ragnite is used by Rokkenjima as a complete alternative to oil. Much as crude oil can be refined into many different hydrocarbons with different properties, so too, can Ragnite be formed into numerous specific types, such as the Ragnoline used to power and fuel vehicles. Most forms of Ragnite appear to be relatively volatile, though stable forms exist. Mining: Ragnite is mined from deep underground deposits, and is said to be hazardous. The refining of Ragnite is equally as dangerous, and involves large amounts of pungent chemicals that leave workers with a distinctive smell afterwards. For this reason, Rokkenjima tasks Goat Butlers with these jobs, alleviating the possible hazards and side effects that could be experienced by human and non-human workers with a soul. Weaponized Forms: Ragnite discharge is the primary method of attack used by Rokkenjima's tanks, aircraft, airships, and naval ships, and requires a fairly large gun or cannon that is capable of doing so. The discharge of Ragnite, in the case of tanks, requires at least a full minute of charging to fire, while the larger amounts fired by aircraft and ships may require several minutes. Once fired, the Ragnite materializes as a destructive beam of light, hurling through the air towards the target at great speeds. This is known to result in a considerable amount of recoil experienced by the object firing it. It's notable that this beam is bright enough to instantly blind anyone who should look at it with the naked eye. Ragnite beams can be continuously fired for up to ten seconds for tanks, and twenty seconds for aircraft and ships. During the firing process, it is very difficult to alter the trajectory of the beam. If it misses its target, the firing process is usually ceased and restarted. What makes Ragnite beams so lethal is the amount of heat that is given off by them. After coming into contact with the air, the beam will heat up the further it travels, with their maximum temperature somewhere around 500°F. The maximum temperature may, of course, vastly exceed this depending on the amount that is discharged. Depending on the equipment used to discharge Ragnite, it can be capable of creating machine gun-like rapid fire, powerful pulses, or enormous shockwaves of energy, which can be compared to an electromagnetic pulse. Chemical Weapons: Ragnite gas is a thick, blue aerosol and powerful nerve agent, apparently mass-produced by Rokkenjima's military in secret. Side effects of the gas include constriction of pupils, profuse salivation, convulsions, and involuntary urination and defecation. These symptoms may appear within seconds of exposure. Death as a result of asphyxiation or cardiac arrest may occur within minutes due to the loss of the body's control over respiratory and other muscles. While only a small fraction of soldiers carry these shells, all soldiers are required to carry the antidote to the gas.

The City of Books - a sacred realm separate of our own, under the divine protection of the Witch Senate. Here, countless books are stored, each one containing an entire world. In some instances, they might only contain knowledge of a specific thing, or group of things if they've been deemed important enough. Upon one of the many bookshelves within a small, semicircular room, rests one such book. The title on the spine read "The History of Imperial Arms." "Imperial Arms" or "Teigu" in Japanese, are mysterious and powerful relics that exist within the nation of Rokkenjima. They are rare, and only the strongest of warriors are able to wield them. Their appearances vary. Some appear as weapons, others as equipment, or even living beings. A form of dark magic was used to create them. The following is just one of the total forty-eight Imperial Arms in existence. "Murasame" AKA the "One-Cut Killer" is an Imperial Arms in the form of a long katana. It is currently held by Akame, a member of Rokkenjima's elite assassination group Night Raid. Murasame is a cursed blade, capable of killing any person with a single cut. Upon piercing the skin, a poisonous curse spreads throughout the victim's body, stopping their heart within seconds. The curse appears as black markings which originate from the wound, and spread across the surface of the victim's skin. They vanish once the victim has died. While Murasame is very powerful, it has its downsides. For one, cleaning it is a very risky task, and must be done carefully. Additionally, the blade's ability only works on living, organic beings with a heart. This renders it ineffective against armor, biological-type Imperial Arms, and machines. The only way to survive Murasame's curse is by severing the affected body part before the poison has a chance to spread. However, doing so is very difficult, as most do not possess the reflexes to do so quickly enough. It should also be noted that if two souls are present within one body, only one may be killed at a time. Like all Imperial Arms, Murasame possesses a unique "trump card." In this case, the blade's trump card is a performance enhancer titled "Little War Horn," which strengthens its user with the power of its poisonous curse. Once activated, the user's scleras turn black, with dark markings appearing around their pupils. Their body is also shrouded in a dark aura. Red markings will also appear on the user's skin, and remain as scars even after the affect has ceased. Even if the blade is destroyed, these scars will continue to inflict pain upon the user, unable to be removed. To be continued...

The Rokkenjima News Network, RNN for short, is a television news network run by the Witch Council. It is by far the largest television network in Rokkenjima. The most popular show to air on RNN is Rokkenjima News Report hosted by Clair Vaux Bernardus. The news show aired internationally on Orbis, and had received positive ratings in almost every country it aired in. Currently, RNN broadcasts only on the planet of Meta. An archive of each episode, as well as RNN's special broadcasts, can be found sorted by their date aired below. Episodes that did not air outside of Meta are not included in this list. RNN Broadcasts: June 2, 2016 - RNN: Announcements from the Witch Council June 17, 2016 - RNN: An Update from Rokkenjima June 24, 2016 - RNN: Travel Ban on Hinamizawa Issued Rokkenjima News Report: March 22, 2016 - RNN: Rokkenjima News Network March 27, 2016 - RNN: Rokkenjima News Report Episode 2 April 3, 2016 - RNN: Rokkenjima News Report Episode 3 April 10, 2016 - RNN: Rokkenjima News Report Episode 4 April 17, 2016 - RNN: Rokkenjima News Report Episode 5 May 1, 2016 - RNN: Rokkenjima News Report Episode 6 May 14, 2016 - RNN: Rokkenjima News Report Episode 7 July 1, 2016 - RNN: Rokkenjima News Report Episode 14 July 4, 2016 - RNN: Rokkenjima News Report Episode 15 August 3, 2016 - RNN: Rokkenjima News Report Episode 16 August 9, 2016 - RNN: Rokkenjima News Report Episode 17 September 9, 2016 - RNN: Rokkenjima News Report Episode 18 September 29, 2016 - RNN: Rokkenjima News Report Episode 19 December 22, 2016 - RNN: Rokkenjima News Report Episode 31 January 1, 2017 - RNN: Rokkenjima News Report Episode 32 February 10, 2017 - RNN/LNC Special Report (Episode 33) February 18, 2017 - RNN: Rokkenjima News Report Episode 34 March 5, 2019 - RNN: Rokkenjima News Report • 3/5/19 January 12, 2020 - RNN: Rokkenjima News Report • 1/12/20

Uploading the image as an attachment and inserting it into the sig worked for me as well.

I'm actually having the same issue. Whenever I try to update my signature, even if no changes were made, I get the same error. The image is 650x175px and a png.

For those who find themselves in a situation which would render them unable to post for an extended period of time (moving, school, health issues, personal issues, etc.), please reply in this thread. Inactive nations will remain on the map for an extra thirty days before being removed. The purpose of this thread is to inform the National Roleplay community of whom is away so they may focus their interactions and expansions elsewhere. If you are not comfortable stating why you will be away, feel free to contact me via private message. Authorized Leave:

This post will serve the purpose of organizing active treaties and agreements among NatRP nations. To be added to this list, please respond with a list of your nation's active treaties and/or agreements below. Prussian Empire Active treaties/agreements: Mutual Defense Pact: The Occitanian Empire The Occitanian Empire Active treaties/agreements: Mutual Defense Pact: Prussian Empire

"Neptune! Get up this instant! You're going to be late to the meeting!" The voice of Histoire seemed to fall on deaf ears as Neptune continued to stare at the T.V. in front of her, as she lay sprawled out on the floor. "Oh, c'mon, Histy. You know I can't quit in the middle of a battle. Lemme just finish this boss. Hiyah!" Histoire let out a long sigh. "Honestly, I wish you'd display a sense of maturity for important days like this, at least. Look, even Nepgear's ready." Nepgear walked over to where her older sister was, kneeling beside her. "Neptune, are you almost done? We should really get going..." Seconds after, a game over screen could be seen on the T.V. "Aww, game over? No fair! Well, time to try again." Just as Neptune was about to press the reset button, Histoire yanked the cord out from the socket with all her might. "Woah, Histy! It says in the instruction manual that you're not supposed to do that." Histoire began to lose control as the cord was swung around her. Neptune managed to duck, barely dodging it as it flew over her head. "Don't try this at home, boys and girls." A crack then appeared across the screen as the end of the cord finally collided with it. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Neptune and Nepgear finally departed. They stepped into the teleportation room of the Basilicom, arriving in Celestia moments later. They started walking toward their destination, Celestia Castle. "I'm thankful that we didn't end up breaking our readers' monitors back there." Nepgear said in a relieved tone. Neptune responded. "I'm just hoping my beloved console is okay. Histy can act so Pissty all the time." As they entered the castle, five familiar faces greeted them. Noire was the first to say something. "It's about time you showed up!" Her younger sister, Uni, smiled as she saw Nepgear. "Looks like we beat you here, unsurprisingly." "Heheh... Nice to see you, Uni." Two voices came from the other side of the room. "Miss Nepgear!" "It's Nepgear!" Nepgear turned to where the voices came from. "Oh, Rom and Ram. You're both here, too." Rom smiled, giggling. "Uh-huh! I'm a little nervous, though..." Ram wore a confident smile. "It'll be okay, Rom. We'll just be saying a few words to a camera. That's all." Nepgear nodded. "That's right. Besides, it'll be our big sisters doing most of the talking." Neptune looked up. "Nep-what? We're still in the prologue? And we have to do introductions? I didn't sign up for this!" Noire responded. "This isn't the time for your meta jokes, Neptune. A proper introduction is the least a nation's leader could do." Blanc finally spoke up. "You talk enough anyways. Introducing yourself should be no problem." Neptune sighed. "I guess..." She looked around. "Wait a second, where's Vert?" Noire answered. "Now that you mention it, I'm quite surprised you arrived before her. She must be caught up in something important." Meanwhile in Leanbox... "Oh, come on! What's the rear guard doing out there? Fiiine, I'll cover you myself..." Vert sipped her coffee while staring intently at the screen. "No, I'll be fine. You go on without me. What the?! Oh, poo! They're fast! These guys are just way too fast! Hm?" She clicked elsewhere on the screen. "Discord, huh? Looks like a Skype ripoff to me. Maybe we should shut it dow-oh...? Oooh, it displays what games you're playing as a status message? And has a built-in overlay for games? In that case, it might be a good idea to integrate this with our console's online service. Yes, I believe I'll do that. Oh!" She looked at the time in the corner of the screen. "Time flies when you're having fun. Alright, I best be going." She soon arrived in Celestia. "Sorry I'm late. I logged in intending to play for an hour before heading out, but then a castle siege started, and well, you know...I couldn't very well leave in the middle of that..." Neptune responded. "Serious Goddess fail. You might be even worse at your job than I am." "Not even close." Noire and Blanc said in unison. Noire continued. "Alright, now that everyone's here, let's get this over with. I have a ton of work to do when I get home." "The camera is all set up." Nepgear stated. "Let's go first, Nep Jr." "Hm? I wasn't expecting that. Is it really okay?" Neptune nodded. "Of course! I'm the main character, after all." With that, all the CPUs and CPU Candidates transformed, ready to begin. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nation Name: Planeptune CPU: Purple Heart (Neptune) CPU Candidate: Purple Sister (Nepgear) Oracle: Histoire Capital: Planeptune Population: 90,945,914 "Greetings, to those who reside beyond the borders of Gamindustri. My name is Purple Heart, the CPU of the nation known as Planeptune. Although we've been through some tough times socially and economically over the years, we're still here, ready to provide our people with the fun and stress-free environment they've come to expect. We pride ourselves on being the most technologically advanced nation of Gamindustri, and continue to allow open borders and free trade with the three other nations that share this continent. I like to keep things short and sweet, but before I wrap this up, I'd like to introduce my younger sister, Nepgear." "Hello, everyone! My name is Nepgear, and I'm the CPU Candidate of Planeptune. As the future leader of this nation, I continue to work hard everyday and learn all I can so that I may continue to make Planeptune a great place to live many years from now. It's nice to meet you all!" "Thank you, Nepgear. If any world leaders have any questions for us, or would like to request an embassy within Planeptune, please contact our Basilicom. Planeptune's Oracle, Histoire, would be happy to assist you. With that, I wish everyone a great rest of their day. And as always, welcome to the next level." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nation Name: Lastation CPU: Black Heart (Noire) CPU Candidate: Black Sister (Uni) Oracle: Kei Jinguji Capital: Lastation Population: 150,385,005 "Good morning, everyone. It's an honor to make your acquaintance. My name is Black Heart, and I'm the CPU of Lastation. Since our founding, we've strived to provide our citizens, gamer or non-gamer, with the best experience possible. With hard work and determination, we've managed to push ourselves to the top, rivaling the very best the industry has to offer. As a nation, we focus heavily on job creation, and ensuring a high quality of life for our people. Things haven't always gone our way, however. We've dealt with hacking more times than we can remember. Despite that, we continue to push the industry forward like no other. Before I get too carried away, though, I'd like to introduce you all to my younger sister, Uni." "Hey, it's nice to meet you all. My name is Uni, and I'm Lastation's CPU Candidate. I take every opportunity possible to learn as much as I can from my sister so that one day, I'm able to lead proudly and confidently, carrying on our legacy." "Thanks, Uni. I'll wrap things up here. World leaders are welcome to ask any questions they may have. If you wish to request an embassy, please contact Lastation's Basilicom so our Oracle, Kei, may assist you. I wish our viewers a pleasant day. Greatness awaits!" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nation Name: Lowee CPU: White Heart (Blanc) CPU Candidates: White Sister (Rom) & White Sister (Ram) Oracle: Mina Nishizawa Capital: Lowee Population: 273,702,988 "Hello, everyone. My name is White Heart, the CPU of Lowee. Lowee is the first and oldest nation of Gamindustri, dating back to our founding in 1889. Since then, we've focused heavily on innovation and quality over powerful hardware. This has allowed us to not only find new ways for people to experience the games they love, but also reach more people around the world than ever before. We've had our fair share of difficult times, coming off of the second worst recession in our nation's history. However, even that didn't stop us from coming back swinging. Due to our most recent hardware release, Lowee's economy and population has grown to become the largest in Gamindustri. But enough about that. I'd like to introduce you to my younger sisters, Rom and Ram." "H-hey there. M-my name is Rom, and I'm one of Lowee's CPU Candidates. My sister and I are working hard to l-lead this nation someday. We won't let you down!" "And I'm Ram. I'm also a CPU Candidate of Lowee. Like my sister said, we're working hard and preparing for the day when we become Lowee's next CPUs! That is, when we're not pulling pranks on our big sister. Hehehe." *sigh* "Thank you, Rom, Ram. Lowee is open to questions and the establishment of foreign embassies. Please contact our Basilicom if you wish to request an embassy so our Oracle, Mina, may assist you. Have a nice day and remember...Switch and play!" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nation Name: Leanbox CPU: Green Heart (Vert) Oracle: Chika Hakozaki Capital: Leanbox Population: 20,990,000 "Good morning, all. My name is Green Heart, and I'm the CPU of Leanbox. It's a pleasure to meet you. Of the three other nations that make up Gamindustri, Leanbox is the youngest. We focus heavily on online experiences, as well as developing capable hardware. In fact, our latest hardware has set the record for the most powerful console in history. Power aside, though, we also provide the perfect combination of first and third party support for our system, giving our citizens options when it comes to gaming preferences. Other than that, there isn't too much else to say. Unlike the other CPUs, I wasn't gifted with a cute younger sister, so Leanbox stands as the only nation in Gamindustri without a CPU Candidate. Even so, we're still getting by. Leanbox, too, is open to questions from foreign leaders. If you wish to open an embassy, I ask that you contact our Basilicom so our Oracle, Chika, may help you. I wish you a good day, and remember...it's all for one!" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gamindustri Map:

Yeah. I usually use real-life time.

Updated. Please make a post within 48 hours of your claim.

In that case, I'll probably include that in the map thread where everyone will (hopefully) see it.