Myrmidons (2nd)

Myrmidons is an orange team alliance based on the ideals of balance, honor, and excellence. It was founded on October 1st, 2008. It originally was a reincarnation of an older Myrmidons of the same name, but is in the process of developing a new identity. See Myrmidons (1st)

= History of Myrmidons (2nd)=

Rebirth
The history of the second incarnation of Myrmidons all began when Pathos, after a five month hiatus from Cybernations, had a burst of nostalgia and returned. His first act was to state so on the forums, announcing a press conference and to announce why he had rerolled for the seventh time as BaneofPathos. He said that he wanted to make amends, to return to the glorious days of his past times in Cybernations, and to refound Myrmidons as it was meant to be founded. His return was warmly recieved, and Theoden, who was facing hard times in his own alliance, sought to help him.

Theoden continued to work on the forums of the alliance, having made the forums awesome. While Pathos recruited off-site and layers on the cosmetics of the alliance-to-be: having stayed up one night until four in the morning working on a 3D model of the capital city, having made both the flag of the alliance and the capital city, having named the capital Arc-en-Ceil at the request of one of his friends, having chosen an official anthem for the alliance.

The breakneck pace to alliance creation suffered a blow on October 10, 2008, as Pathos, after suffering from a two weeks long bout of lack of sleep induced depression, stated his contributions to the alliance would be significantly less in the future as he seeks to gain his real life affairs in order.

Conflicting Interests lead to Compromises
The early days of the alliance saw a fevered pitch effort by the two to establish the framework of the future alliance. Often times resulting in conflicts of interest. When it came to the charter Theoden favored more autocratic reforms, while Pathos vied for more checks and balances to be established -- both agreed however that Pathos was to lead the alliance.

The bigger differences arose between the two in issues not covered in the charter. Regarding membership, Pathos insisted that the road to membership should be easy, but the credentials to stay a member be elevated. Theoden said the reverse should be the case, the road to membership should be hard, but once membership was obtained it should be relatively easy.

There was bitterness to be had regarding the existence of a Myrmidons Academy. While both understood the importance of well trained members, but both sought about different solutions. Theoden pushed for the creation of a Myrmidons Academy, similar to Alpha Beta, which would be separate from the actual alliance. Pathos was revolted by the idea, stating it would ultimately undermine the strength of the alliance -- his solution was to have an internalized academy system that issued comprehensive tier level testing.

And although both agreed to the importance of testing, Pathos felt testing aught to be optional with incentives, Theoden felt they aught to be mandatory.

A comprehensive conclusion was met prior to the declaration of the alliance. People seeking to become members, diplomats, or to establish embassies would have to go through regular forum proceedings unless they were invited by the Director-General himself.

It was also concluded that, once the alliance reached +50 members on a consistent basis, sweeping reforms would be implemented. First, a House of Councilors would be established as a democratically elected judicial body -- no less than 7 members, and no more than 10% of the entire alliance population. This elected body would be headed by the Director-Consul. A Secretariat of Education would be instated, and that person would oversee the implementation of testing and the employment of test administers. Testing would become mandatory for Myrmidons In Training becoming Myrmidons, and there would be optional training for those seeking to become officials in government.

The Director-Consul Crisis
On October 16, 2008, Theoden the Director-Consul left the game suddenly. This event lead to a three day crisis in which the state of the forums and the alliance was in peril. Theoden had been the root admin, and if he were not to pass on the account new forums would have to be selected. Furthermore, being the first Director-Consul, he was the only other member to have significant knowledge of Cybernations.

During this time, spanning from October 16th to October 19th, the state of the alliance as a whole changed. Membership rose sharply from six members, to ten. Rather than pursue Random Insanity as a protector, attention was directed instead to the Dutch-based FOK! Alliance, relations between the two warming up very quickly. All secretariat positions were incarnated until suitable replacements could be found.

EmperorOfCheese, who had been a tremendous help with the founding of the alliance from the very beginning, on October 19th agreed to become the new Director-Consul, once he was finished being attacked by the New Pacific Order for having aided (deliberately or otherwise) a member of Vox Populi.

FOK! Foriegn Affairs Minsiter, Sitethief, also helped orchestrate a great overhaul of the writing of the charter. A House of Councilors was added, protocols were better outlined, more checks and balances were implemented.

The crisis ended on October 19th, with Theoden briefly returning to hand over ownership of the root admin account to Pathos. The crisis, while leaving the alliance slightly shaken at the governmental level, led to the creation of a more stable and democratic Myrmidons. It was nearly time to announce the alliance, there was but one more thing to be taken care of.

The Identity Crisis
As one month came to pass, the progress of Myrmidons seemed to have come to a grinding halt and things seemed to only be getting worse for the alliance. First the alliance of FOK! turned down the protectorate deal, but advised the alliance to move to the Orange Team. Second, alliance activity dropped to an abominable 36% on October 30, 2008. And finally, it was learned that another gay-themed alliance called The Brokeback Brotherhood had issued a Declaration of Existence.

Diplomatic relations were begun between the two on October 31, 2008. Pathos began by stating his concern over there being two Gay-Straight Alliances. The leader of TBB, Jack, said that those fears were absolutely invalid. The idea of a merger between the two alliances was incepted there and it was decided the talks would be carried over to the next day.

The November 1st Talks proved to be disastrous. At first it began with an air of optimism. Both agreed that the Myrmidons system of government, though needing slight changes, was the way to go. However the House of Councilors was slated to be removed and it was only through vigorous persuasion on BaneOfPathos's part that the idea remained.

Talks began to degenerate and eventually broke down over the issue of who would lead the alliance and what was in store for the future of the alliance. Myrmidons wanted strong allies and close ties to the Orange Unity Treaty. The Brokeback Brotherhood wanted to maintain ties with relatively weaker alliances and grow with them, their main concern being they would lack a say in affairs. The Myrmidons argued that the analogy was based off a bad experience the other had had with NATO and that any protectorate deals with Orange Unity Treaty signatories were of a more optimal nature; that the analogy didn't carry over.

At the end of the talks it was mutually agreed that they would continue to pursue closer relations and an eventual merger deal, but it would take longer than previously hoped. One positive outcome was the creation of embassies in both alliances for each other, and a PIAT deal -- the first legitimate treaty of its kind for Myrmidons. However, EmperorOfCheese and BaneOfPathos both mutually realized the critical and dire need to establish an effective and valid government as soon as possible in the event the merger did not go through. The Declaration of Existence was again put on hold.

November 2nd would see unforseen changes in the political layout before Myrmidons. First, relations between Jamahiriya and Myrmidons warmed up very rapidly and the idea of a merger was presented. This proved to lead to nowhere as Jamahiriya would only agree to a merger if there was a direct mention of Islam within this new alliance. Both sides instead settled on a PIAT Agreement. On the whole these talks were deemed fruitful. But Myrmidons still remained without much adequate means. Most shocking of all was the sudden end of The Brokeback Brotherhood. Pathos desperately tried to get Jack|Diorno to reconsider a merger to help bolster Myrmidons government, the latter declined and had the alliance merge with the United Alliance. The chance that they had been waiting with so much anticipation for slipped through their fingers.

During their time negotiating with TBB. EmperorOfCheese and Pathos sought to create a richer identity for Myrmidons in the event negotiations did fail -- and which they ultimately did. Pathos developed unique badges for governmental positions, a nice cosmetic touch. The more major concern however came down to the issue of their in-game philosophy and what they would stand for. Pathos and EmperorOfCheese already knew that the future of the alliance was on the Orange Team, so there was little trouble to be had with that. Pathos however sought more romantic ideals for his alliance, to become a self-help alliance dedicated to helping people in real life. To use the alliance and a game as a vehicle to help those in need who could be reached. EmperorOfCheese was more pragmatic and wanted nothing to do with it.

On November 3rd, things came to a breaking point as Pathos expressed ever more romantic ideas. EmperorOfCheese conceded to Pathos and stated with humility that the two could not see eye to eye on the matter, and that while he would stay on the alliance he would not remain. Pathos was hurt by these statements, for he had come to see him as a very reliable partner and asset, but he understood and wished his friend all the best. There was one thing however that he asked of his friend however, something that had been lurking in Pathos's mind for a long time.

Declaration of Existence
On November 3rd, 2008, at 3:54 PM, DST, The Myrmidons Alliance was finally announced. Pathos had a prepared statement to start it off:

''On Wednesday evening one month passed I returned from my political holiday. I had been gone for five rather long months, and upon my return I knew there was work to be done. It is still self-evident, that there is work to be done. And once this statement is delivered, my work will have only just begun.

A cabinet has been forged with six departments, expressing the will of sixteen persons. It has been many days long for this to happen. It has been many days worked for this to be. There will be many minutes, and there will be many hours, and there will be many days, and the work will still not be completed. But I assure you that this craft shall not be in vain -- I assure you that this thing wrought shall not be broken -- I assure you that this endeavor shall not be failed.

On this day when the whistles howl, the cards draw, the tools gather. When industry is incepted, when labor is begun, when deed is at hand, I must invoke the names of those answerable for this day. Already I have lost a fellow man -- I have in my hands a poem of Old English origin, I feel it is appropriate to read it:

He rode singing in the sun, sword unsheathing. Hope he rekindled, and in hope ended; over death, over dread, over doom lifted out of loss, out of life, unto long glory.

It is called Death of a King, and of morals, and of knowledge, and of assets Theoden was king. Yet he still lives, he is very much alive, he lives in our hearts -- and in retirement.

I also must invoke the name of one who came from afar: Sitethief, Member of the FOK! Council of Five, Minister of Foreign Affairs on behalf of FOK! I come to honor this man, for without him an already substantial charter would not have become more hallowed. I am very much looking forward to working in concert and in unity with him and his alliance. (OOC: I can't wait for him to finish moving either!)

I now make an invocation penultimate. I now make an invocation to this alliance upon this most sacred hour. Let us work together for the sake of greater brotherhood. Let us work together for the sake of greater sisterhood. Let us work together for the sake of hallowed communion. On this hour let us work together on this glorious labor to be had.

And I now make the final invocation. On this day, November the Third, Two Thousand and Eight, let it be known that the Myrmidons Alliance is henceforth reborn: in the name of Justice, in the name of Opportunity, in the name of Unity.

Let it be known in the amber wheat fields spreading across the wide. Let it be known on the aquamarine sea expanding vast over the deep. Let it be known to the most might mighty of forces so that it may assail them. Let it be known to the most meek of persons so that it may assist them. And let it be cried in the bright presence of the sun. And let it be heard in the dark absence of the moon. Let it be known on this day, this glorious day upon which Myrmidons is reborn, that the false work is over, that the true work is about to begin.

All I have said is Myrmidons. And now, I present her charter. Let Godspeed be one with her now.''

The charter was delivered. And the original closing statements were:

''I now go forth. My hands at the ready. My mind keen and sharp. My heart willing and truthful. I go to work -- to work upon that glorious future that is to come. There is now work to be done.''

However, he made an ad-lib statement to close it instead:

{indent}''I actually originally wrote this a few weeks ago, and I've come realize a lot since then. As you may or may not know Myrmidons used to exist as a Gay-Straight Alliance like The Brokeback Brotherhood recently did. I originally remade the alliance with the intent of making it, again, a Gay-Straight Alliance. But I've realized in the past few days how vain an attempt this would be, and how counter-productive it would be. As such I no longer consider it a viable identity for this alliance... Myrmidons is not a Gay-Straight Alliance this time around.

I instead want to use this alliance as a way to help people, for people who want help and are looking for it. Whether it is the pursuit of academic help or the pursuit of a cure to a more fundamental ache. I figure it is a just cause to help people in real life, and I figure that Cybernations in some ways is a very good medium by which to help people. Therefore, I personally plan to use this alliance as a vehicle to help those in need in the Cybernations community however it may manifest.

However, that does not mean I will be a care-bear and not be in it to win it. I'm in it to win it. My alliance is in it to win it. On the advice of many great people, I have taken the government systems which they say work best, and that I feel would work best, and we have brought them into one place. It's no surprise then that our government is a nice mix of IRON and FOK. Once our government is embellished more, this process will continue -- and our government will become an even nicer mix of IRON and FOK, with a little NPO action thrown in there to spice things up.

I think I'll stop there and let the questions guide the discussion from here on out.''{/indent}

The reception of the new alliance, although not as hyped as the creation of the first Myrmidons, was met with many positive responses. Some noted how the dropping of the Gay-Straight title was needed on account that it limited how far the alliance could grow. Things seemed, for the first time in a long while, to be going fairly for Myrmidons. Things were about to get far better.

Pathos decided to contact the alliance Sparta, to try and develop inter-Greek negotiations. It dawned on him like a flash of lightning the absolute feasibility of a Sparta-Myrmidons protectorate deal. Both had a common Greek name. Pathos himself had taken Ancient Greek and was very familiar, and adamant, about the ways of the Greeks and especially the historical Spartans. By the twins, he could recite the first seven lines of the Iliad in Ancient Greek from memory! It took only a brief conversation with one of the Spartan Kings for it to be considered and put into effect.

As a result of the deal, not only did the Myrmidons find a strong ally in Sparta, but Myrmidons herself would change. The names of the positions were made more authentically Greek. The Director-General was renamed the Strategos. The Director-Consul was renamed the Antiostrategos. The House of Councilors was renamed The Boule. The Cabinet was renamed the Gerousia and the Secretariats were renamed Gerontas.

The Morning Age
= Arc-en-Ceil, Capital of Myrmidons =

Gallery
= Current Charter of Myrmidons =

Preamble
On this day, October the Twenty-Fifth Two Thousand and Eight, let it be known that the Myrmidons Gay-Straight Alliance is henceforth reborn: in the name of Justice, in the name of Opportunity, in the name of Unity.

Let it be known in the amber wheat fields spreading across the wide. Let it be known on the aquamarine sea expanding vast over the deep. Let it be known to the most might mighty of forces so that it may assail them. Let it be known to the most meek of persons so that it may assist them. And let it be cried in the bright presence of the sun. And let it be heard in the dark absence of the moon. Let it be known on this day, this glorious day that Myrmidons is reborn, that the false work is over, that the true work is about to begin.

Article I, Membership

 * Myrmidons is an alliance dedicated to excellence, understanding, and helping others. We consider ourselves an "Independent Self-Help Alliance" or "IRON meets Dr. Phil meets Real Life Meiji Era Japan meets Cybernations"


 * Myrmidons will not accept nations currently in a state of war.


 * No Myrmidon may attack a fellow Myrmidon, doing so will result in expulsion.


 * Membership with this alliance is incompatible with membership to any other alliance.


 * Members must agree, in a spoken or unspoken manner, to always act in the best interests of the alliance.


 * Myrmidons is proud orange team alliance. All nations are to be of the orange team unless granted a pardon.


 * An armed attack on any registered member of the alliance will constitute an attack on the entirety of the alliance.


 * A member found to be causing excessive inter/intra-alliance drama will be kicked out of the alliance and denied appeal until further notice.


 * If there is a state of global conflict, Myrmidons shall not become a soldier-for-hire body. Members who leave our alliance for the sake of fighting on the side of a war that Myrmidons is not in will result in denial of returning to the alliance until further notice.


 * All members of the alliance, especially members of government, must agree to an oath of confidentiality. What happens in the alliance as far as gossip and politics are concerned is to stay there, unless otherwise stated by the Director-General. A Myrmidon found to be violating their oath of confidentiality or practicing dual-alliance membership shall face immediate expulsion and possible military actions.


 * Members are to understand that there is a very strict IC-OOC barrier. If this is breached without just cause it will result in expulsion. In other words if you attack another nation on the grounds that you do not like what they stand for in real life, you will be expelled. If you sincerely claim that you are being attacked because your real-life circumstances, and complain about it on a medium our than the Myrmidons IRC channel, then you will be expelled.

Article II, Rights & Petitions

 * The people's statements cannot be revised unless it reveals classified information or is an OOC attack.


 * The people can only be silenced on the Cybernations Open World Forum by the Director-General him/herself.


 * The people will have their ideas for public policy considered regardless of their rank, only on how good the idea is.


 * Members can submit ideas to government on the "Messages to Government" forum, and if they are considered of merit they will be approved and implemented as public policy.


 * The people can send petitions to government regarding public policy, not the appointment of members. This is done by posting a topic in the "Messages to Government" forum in the proper format and collecting as much valid signatures from members of the alliance as needed. No polls allowed. Upon submittal, the petition is valid and member states are given 72 hours to sign the petition. For a valid outcome of a petition, a minimal turnout of 20% of the in-game active nations is needed. The idea is then approved by the Director-General with the possibility of compromises.

Article III, Sanctuary

 * All nations have the right to seek political asylum in Myrmidons. First a nation must submit an application at the Myrmidon's Armory in our forums. An official will then interview you on our Internet-Relay Chat servers -- no exceptions. Background checks will be undergone, and once you are granted refugee status you are granted a number, designated to a given Alliance Affiliation, and are obliged under pain of death to wave the French Flag -- no exceptions. As a refugee, you may enter peace mode, but you cannot attack another nation, send and/or receive aid, use spies on another nation, or have senate voting enabled. Any violation of these, during and one week following being removed of sanctuary status, will be considered a rogue attack upon the entire Myrmidons Alliance. If you are not a valid refugee who has not registered with us your attempts to receive sanctuary shall be denied and instead be considered a rogue action against the alliance.


 * The Director-General has the power to deny people asylum if he/she feels it would be detrimental to harbor said person(s) in the care of the alliance.

Article IV, The Cabinet

 * The Director-General has the power to appoint a deputy and heir, named Director-Consul. If it is felt that the Director-Consul is not adequately fulfilling his duties. The Director-General may relieve the Director-Consul of his duties.


 * There are five departments, each headed by a secretariat, this makes up the Director-General's cabinet.


 * There is the Department of Defense, headed by a Secretariat of Defense, who is in charge of managing the military, navy, and air force of the alliance.


 * There is the Department of the Interior, headed by the Secretariat of the Interior, who is in charge of moderating the forums, overseeing petitions, monitoring refugees, managing all identification systems, and carrying out a census.


 * There is the Department of Communications, headed by the Secretariat of Communications, who is in charge of managing all recruitment, and controlling creative media pertaining to the alliance.


 * There is the Department of External Affairs, headed by the Secretariat of External Affairs, who is in charge of managing all diplomats, embassies, and signs all inter-alliance pacts and agreements.


 * There is the Department of the Economy, headed by the Secretariat of the Economy, who is in charge of all economic cascade programs, and all economic strategies.


 * There is the Department of Education, headed by the Secretariat of Education, who is in charge of issuing all tests, all lectures, and the internalized academy program. This seat is invalid until there are at least seventy-five members at a time.


 * Powers not given to the Director-General by this charter are given to his cabinet.

Article V, Powers of the Director-General

 * The Director-General has the power to tell members to enter peace mode.


 * The Director-General has the power to levy inter-alliance treaties of any nature.


 * The Director-General has the power to classify or declassify information regarding the alliance.


 * The Director-General has the power to appoint secretariats as he sees fit, he may not create new departments without first bringing it to public referendum.


 * The Director-General has the power to ask his cabinet for a declaration of war, the cabinet is immune from incarnate during this vote. The vote must be unanimous in order for the declaration of war to be issued.


 * The Director-General is answerable to the state of his alliance, the state of the alliance is his responsibility.

Article VI, Powers of the Director-General and the Director-Consul

 * The Director-General and the Director-Consul have the power of incarnate, meaning they can assume their own cabinet positions as they see fit. The Director-Consul's ability of incarnate varies from the Director-General's, in that they can only occupy a maximum of two positions at once, and the Director-General designates which positions the Director-Consul may have. The Director-General however may occupy an unlimited number of positions at once. For vacant positions he need only state he is occupying the seat. For occupied positions a notice must be sent to the sitting Secretariat that their seat is being taken over.


 * The maximum number of incarnations of occupied positions that can be carried out are one a month.


 * The Director-General and the Director-Consul may place secretariat positions in conservatorship. This means that both the Director-General or Director-Consul, and the current Secretariat share the position together. Only two persons may be involved in an instance of conservatorship. The Director-General AND the Director-Consul cannot be involved in the same instance of conservatorship.


 * The Director-General and the Director-Consul have the power to expel members, the latter's power being checked by the former. The Director-General may re-invite a member should he feel that the Director-Consul was wrong to expel that member.

Article VII, The House of Councilors

 * The House of Councilors is the democratically elected representative body of the alliance. The House of Councilors is responsible for interpreting the charter, approving charter amendments, and representing the people of the alliance.


 * The House of Councilors shall be no less than seven members, and no more than ten percent of the entire alliance membership.


 * When the alliance is under fifty total members, or should there not be a minimum of seven people to be elected as Councilors, the body becomes defunct until conditions are more permissive.


 * During the times when the House of Councilors is defunct, the power to approve charter amendments is designated to the Secretariats. The interpretation of the charter is designated to the Director-General.


 * The Director-General determines when elections are to be held. He obliged to hold them at least once every six months, at most he can hold them once a month.


 * When elections are announced, the Secretariats nominate twice as many people than needed to serve as candidates. If one election calls for the selection of ten councilors, twenty shall be nominated. If an election calls for the selection of fifty councilors, one hundred shall be nominated.


 * The Director-Consul is granted one councilor vote. Neither Secretariat nor the Director-General have the power to vote in the House of Councilors.


 * The execution of petitions is unaffected by the validity of a House of Councilors.


 * Positions cannot overlap: Secretariats and Officers cannot be Councilors and vice versa.

Article VIII, Referendum and Amendment

 * The Director-General has the power to call referendums on charter amendment, a topic is posted in the "Messages from Government" sub forum, and it states the considered charter amendments to be made in detail it must always be a poll.


 * When the House of Councilors is active, all charter amendment proposals are submitted to them. The amendments must be approved by a three-fifths majority, sixty percent, of all those who voted. It then must be unanimously approved by the Secretariats.


 * When the House of Councilors is inactive, charter amendments may be made on an ad-hoc basis by the Director-General and his/her Director-Consul.


 * All referendum votes are given a ninety-six hour timespan from its inception to be approved.

Article IX, Policy

 * We do not allow tech raiding.


 * No person(s) can disband the Myrmidons Alliance, it can only be rendered defunct.


 * While the Director-General can sentence a nation to ZI or Perma-ZI, he/she cannot sentence a nation to Eternal-ZI.


 * War can only be declared if it is in accordance with Just War Theory, or in honor of a treaty, or in an act of retaliation.


 * Our nations may develop nuclear weapons as they see fit. The only exception is during times of individual or collective punitive actions against a given member or the entire alliance, during which the protocol of surrender takes precedent.


 * No firing nuclear weapons unless explicitly authorized by the Director-General or whomever he/she designates as the person in charge of this command. Rogues and retaliation strikes are the exception to this rule. Violating this rule will result in expulsion and possible military actions.

Article X, Applications

 * To apply for a Myrmidons membership, one must visit the Myrmidons Armory in our forums and fill out an application form. There will be background checks and following this you will be granted Myrmidons Membership.


 * To become a diplomat and/or to establish an embassy, one must visit the Myrmidons Armory in our forums and fill out an application form. There will be some background checks and following this either/both shall be established.


 * All government members MUST have an Internet-Relay Chat client, and all members must have a forum account. Failing to contribute to the alliance at all may result in your expulsion from the alliance, participating is highly encouraged and recommended be it in any positive way shape, or form.


 * The government has the power to pardon persons of the application process. If a member is invited from Internet-Relay Chat or in real-life to join the game by the Director-General or a friend of the Director-General, then the need to fill out the application process is nullified. Background checks will still be carried out however. The Director-General or the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs have the power to invite in embassies or diplomats, thereby overriding the application process.