Questions regarding the Order answered here...

[Thyatira]

What is your opinion on the present situation in NS, if you would compare it to the last 2 years...

I will have to look into the matter more deeply before I can intelligently answer that question.

What do you think of Taijitu related to the possibility of establishing a Chapter?

I am always pleased when the Order is invited to establish a new Chapter. As a returning knight in another forum has just recently said, "Your Order is well respected in NS..." To be asked to open a Chapterhouse is indicative of that respect.

How would an application of a Taijituan member within the ranks of the Knights-Militant cope with her/his obligations towards the regional army and how would the Order look upon that member taking part in aggressive actions (raiding), whether a noble motivation is or is not present?

If a noble motivation is not present, the Order would not condone that Action-of-Arms. As to the rest of that question, I would need to know more about the way the Taijituan military operates to explain any Gryphonnic stance on the matter. Is there a link for the regional army's by-laws or standing orders that I might read?

Why do you think that upon your absence, the other dedicated Dames or Knights have failed to uphold the Order?

Certainly they did not fail, at least not in my opinion. They maintained the effort for as long as they could -- electing a new Knight-Commander in my absence and pursuing all things Gryphonnic for a great length of time. Further, that the Knighthood would be asked to open a Chapter here suggests that there was indeed no failure. The reputation of the Order is a fine legacy. And I can think of no greater testament than this -- that I return to the game and find people willing to discuss the brethren so avidly within just 2 days of my coming back.

I hope that helps.

[Thyatira]

To continue, let me repeat that I do not dispute that a raider can have honor. And I admit that I have seen a small percentage of raids. This is to be expected given the size and nature of the NS game.

If, however, as you state "For the longest time griefing was defined illegal by the moderators, and now that it is legal..." please bears in mind that the opposition to griefing was established in the days when it was illegal.

I do not mean grief as strictly pain, but more generally as suffering. In the actions I have witnessed or heard of, the defending parties love their regions very much and resent intrusion.

I do make a very important distinction between raids and counter-offensives. Actions against groups that have attacked Taijitu must certainly be opposed. Defending oneself cannot be seen as a raid.

This leads to my next questions, do you think the order will allow raiders to join and raider regions to open charters?

The Charter of the Knighthood calls for this: "Listen deeply before speaking with wise counsel. Quick words too often are the cause of foolish hostilities. We vow to listen earnestly to all who seek dialogue with us, measuring their words with the counsel of others who may have special wisdom." I do appreciate your having pointed out that griefing is not illegal. I shall look into that further. If the language of the law permits legal raiding, the Order will have to revisit its position on the matter. Until such time as that review can take place, the Gryphons would probably prefer that no raid be undertaken in the name of the Order. Raiders may still apply for membership but no emblems of the Knighthood may be added to flags of Raiding Nations during the review of the Law.

[Thyatira]

Summary thus far:
The following Taijituans have had questions and comments: Chinese Loyalist; DRAKE; Eluvatar; of crazed; PoD Gunner; Soly. I have hopefully answered all questions.

There are, as yet, no official Aspirants to the Order.

[Eluvatar]

I would like to join the Order of Gryphons as I admire its relative neutrality and I agree with its principles of honor and respect.

If it is desirable, I will compose a more detailed application later.

[Thyatira]

Eluvatar, the guidelines for Application are as follows:
1) Publicly post that you wish to join the Order of Gryphons. which you have satisfied.
2) Tell us what attracted you to the Order of Gryphons. which you have also addressed.
3) Tell us about your Virtues, why you would be a good Brother or Sister of the Order. I should like some further detail here, please.
4) Declare the name of the Nation joining if it differs from your registered name here. This is merely a formality, as it deals with the traditions of the Order. However, I would appreciate a link to your nation.

After you have addressed these latter two matters, your Review shall begin. I do hope you will entertain dialog by PM should that become necessary.

[Eluvatar]

3. (OOC: I hate this stuff, made college applications hard.)

I believe that as I hold diligence (when I am interested in something) and as I hold a sense of personal honor and believe that I should always do the right thing, I would be a good Brother of the Order. In the past, I have always held strong beliefs in what is right, from my efforts to support my region of the Lexicon against TNP when I believed we were in a righteous war against them, to my work to improve the Lexicon internally to a more honourable stance, to eventually my decision that certain actions by the coFounders were incompatible with my personal moral beliefs and that I should withdraw myself from that region.

Following that decision though, where I had intended simply to withdraw from the NationStates world perhaps entirely to ponder, and achieve other things, those coFounders decided to kick everyone else in the government at that time too-- so I helped them set up Taijitu as a region to hold up everything I believed was good about the Lexicon, but also address its key internal moral flaws; namely a lack of accountability and true democracy. Since that experience at the end of the Lexicon I have held strong feelings about someone feeling entitled to power by virtue of having established something. Authority is earned.

[Thyatira]

After due consideration of your desire to further the ends of the Order, it is with great Honor and Enthusiasm that Eluvatar is welcomed to the Order of Gryphons!
It is customary to erect a flagpole and hoist aloft the flag of each accepted nation. Therefore, The Chapterhouse and Demesne of The Order of Gryphons hereby unfurls this banner:

Arise Sir Eluvatar, Gryphon, and stand welcomed to the Order!

[Eluvatar]

Thank you!

[PoD Gunner]

I, Red Kagran, hereby publicly express my desire to join the Order of Gryphons.

I have been attracted by the Order upon discovering one of its Chapters and reading through it, as it matches the same ideals dear to me, honor, fellowship, justice, mutual respect between humans and balance.

I believe I have a developed sense of morality and justice which I do not hesitate to express although it sometime gets me labeled as rigid and conservative, and as I am part of a similar organization in RL I have the necessary interest to pursue my role in the Order. I have not hesitated, as my Brother above has also stated, to turn my back on a region that, despite having nurtured me, has betrayed my ideals of truth, democracy and morale. I am loyal to my friends and merciful to my enemies. I have the capability to fight for a cause I believe to be right and the will to do so for the ideals and principles of the Order.

The Name of the nation wishing to join the Order of the Gryphons is Red Kagran.

Thank you for considering my application.

[Sovereign Dixie]

 Consider this to be my application to join the Order of The Gryphons A synopsis of a conversation via AIM with Thyatira follows.

Sovereign Dixie: also on the agenda for me tonight is to apply to join the Gryphons
 
Thyatira: I'd be glad to have you apply
 
Sovereign Dixie: coolness … though, I will warn ya, I do tend to lean pro raider in most cases (but not always)
 
Thyatira: so, what would you want to be a Gryphon for?
 
Sovereign Dixie: Well, partly because a lot of the great NS players have been there before me, I would like to try to make a positive impact on the NS world, and it seems like a good way to do it. I also have both in game, and RL, a strong sense of personal honour and I agree in general with what the Order stands for.
It is, in fact, that pesky sense of honor of mine that triggered Taijitu's founding … back in the Lex. I’ve just seen a lot of things regarding treatment of players, inside political dealings, that I did not like. I ran for Del, and won. Bannings were rampant under IP, and I formed a coalition to try to ensure the rights of Lexiconians to be free of such madness.
One day, that philosophy triggered things between IP and I to come to a head, my government was expelled, and Taijitu was founded … with built-in safeguards to ensure that nothing like that could ever happen in Tai. Basically, the rule of law will always prevail…
Militarily, as MoD, I’ve also expressed approval to assist other regions with containing the spread of neo-nazism within NS
 
Thyatira: laudable
 
Sovereign Dixie: so, that's basically … as much as I can present it at present
 
Thyatira: k. Last requirement: Declare the name of the Nation joining if it differs from your registered name here.
 
Sovereign Dixie: Confederate States of Sovereign Dixie

[Thyatira]

By posting the content of our AIM dialog publicly, Sovereign Dixie has satisfied all requirements of application.

Therefore after due consideration of your desire to further the ends of the Order, it is with great Honor and Enthusiasm that the Confederate States of Sovereign Dixie is welcomed to the Order of Gryphons!
It is customary to erect a flagpole and hoist aloft the flag of each accepted nation. Therefore, The Chapterhouse and Demesne of The Order of Gryphons hereby unfurls this banner:

Arise Confederate States of Sovereign Dixie, Gryphon, and stand welcomed to the Order!

[Sovereign Dixie]

Thank you, it is an honour.

[Khablan]

I humbly submit my own application to join the Order of Gryphons, and more specifically, the Hospitaler branch.

The ideals of the Order and of the Hospitaler are my own.  As criteria to judge my worthiness, I submit my current role as Welcomer of Taijitu, my rate of activity in the various boards, and the overall tone of that activity.  And I make a mean chicken soup.  Not to mention my bottomless cookie jar. 

The name of my nation is the Commonwealth of Khablan.

[Thyatira]

After due consideration of your desire to further the ends of the Order, it is with great Honor and Enthusiasm that The Commonwealth of Khablan is welcomed to the Order of Gryphons!
It is customary to erect a flagpole and hoist aloft the flag of each accepted nation. Therefore, The Chapterhouse and Demesne of The Order of Gryphons hereby unfurls this banner:

Arise Khablan, Gryphon, and stand welcomed to the Order!

Note: The procedure of Championship by Sponsor(s) has been suspended as Khablan was specifically invited to the Order. I do, however, have no doubt that those Knights as are resident in Taijitu and/or those that visit frequently would happily Support Khablan.

[Khablan]

I offer my gratitude.  I am honored to serve, and shall do my utmost to uphold the ideals of this organization.