Reçueçn

I'm realizing that I didn't make it very clear in the original post that although I did label this as 'a roleplay competition', roleplay itself is entirely optional. All that's needed to participate is to sign up here: I'll be taking care of everything else to provide results and let you know who wins. Roleplaying about the competition is just an added activity players can do if they think that would be fun. I'd really be sad to see anyone leave over concerns they don't know enough about roleplaying--the goal here is to include everybody at the level of involvement they want. The more the merrier. (So yes, Westwind, we'd love to have your irradiated team too!)
As always, if you have any questions or anything, feel free to ask here or contact me privately.

Visiting Reçueçn
Reçueçn is a small nation, but it's got a lot to see. If you're visiting for TWP's Rugby World Cup, you may want to extend your stay to see the sights. Most travelers to Reçueçn will fly into Reçueçn city. As the capital and biggest city, it will definitely have the flight connection you need. Genève, the nation's second city, will also accommodate you in this regard, and both cities will have their fair share of matches. If you are travelling from a nearby country, arriving by rail is also a possibility, and many more Reçueçian cities have international rail connections than have international airports.

For travel within the country, taking the train is probably the way to go. Car rentals are fairly expensive, and many cities restrict downtown access to pedestrians and public transport. When travelling through the countryside, you will find that autoroutes have high tolls, and smaller roads are typically wind annoyingly through steep mountain terrain. However, an extensive rail and tunnel network has been built, and taking the train is fairly cheap between most places in the nation. Bus routes also connect most larger towns. Within cities themselves, public transport is always very high quality and usually very affordable or in some cities, even free. During the world cup, there will be free buses between cities with venues in them. Hopefully these travel tips will enable you to explore the country beyond just the rugby matches.
What to See
Presumably if you're reading this, the main attraction that has brought you to Reçueçn is the TWP Rugby World Cup. The games will be played in eight stadiums in five cities around Reçueçn, with Genève and Reçueçn City taking the lion's share. But if you want to see a bit more of Reçueçn, consider taking a ride up to a cute alpine village and hiking along a mountain ridge to appreciate the amazing views we have to offer. Or take a swim in a mountain lake and cool off in the shadow of the peaks. If you really are looking to ditch the heat, check out the ice tunnels at the Écho glaciers. Or, if you come back in the winter, you can hit the slopes!

If the mountains aren't for you, consider visiting our world-famous cheese museum--free samples! Or visit the Genève Cathedral if the culture you're looking for isn't bacteria. Genève, Reçueçn, Zimmerich--all cities which will be hosting world cup games--each have a beautiful downtown historic district worth the walking tour. Check them out if your idea of a good time means wandering through medieval fortifications or strolling down cobbled alleys. If what's up your alley is shopping, then we've got that too--check out Genève's luxury district for high end jewelry, fashion, watches, and more. Exchanging your money should be no problem: the Reçueçian guilder is very stable and worth only a little more than the NSD.
Where to Stay, What to Eat
If you are on the search for the perfect hotel for your stay in Reçueçn, worry not. Plenty of all kinds abound in and around each major city, whether you're looking for the four star experience, or just want to save a buck. If you'd rather have the personal, local touch, then we've still got you covered: a quick look online will reveal plenty of family-owned bed & breakfasts, as well as short-term rentals with people trying to make some money off the empty spare room one night or week at a time. Hostels are also very popular in Reçueçn, and are a great way to stay near the city center for a very low cost.

What'll you have for dinner? Reçueçn's food is what will make you want to come back for another visit. We love our cheeses, and our national specialty is Raclette, melted cheese scraped over small potatoes, cornichons, and salami. Try it at a restaurant where each table is provided with its own small oven so each diner can melt their own. Another local specialty is Tartiflette, essentially a casserole of potatoes, onions, and lardon (thick-cut bacon) served with a slab of, you guessed it, more melted cheese cooked right over it.

If you find yourself in an alpine pasture hankering for a pique-nique, rather than seated at a fine dining establishment, don't worry, cheese is great for a basket-lunch too. Bring along a baguette and a saucisson, and you've got yourself a meal.

No meal in Reçueçn is complete without a glass of wine, and the local product is certainly worth the connoisseur's time. Reçuecian wine varies immensely depending on whether you're south, west, or north of the mountains, so try a few varieties and pick your favorite. If you need a pairing for your meal, it just so happens that every single person you meet on the street in the country is a self-proclaimed expert ready with helpful advice. Just don't stop them on their way home for dinner.
Host Venues
Listed by capacity
Reçueçn is traditionally more of a football (soccer)-loving nation than a rugby one. Thus all the stadiums hosting the world-cup games are in fact repurposed football stadiums.

National Stadium, Reçueçn
Cap. 30,000
The home of the Unicorns, Reçueçn’s national soccer teamteam, Reçueçn’s national stadium is located in the capital of the nation and has hosted every one of the RNFT’s home games. National Stadium was never officially named, and so is referred to as “national stadium” simply because that’s what it is—the national stadium. It is the largest stadium in the country and will host the world cup final.
Odd Group A games Final match

Carl III Stadium, Reçueçn
Cap. 28,500
Carl III Stadium is the home stadium of Reçueçn FC, Reçueçn’s biggest and historically most successful soccer team. Also located in the capital city, this stadium is known for its controversial name—Carl III was the first and only king of Reçueçn and was wildly unpopular for having invaded most of the country and ruling it with an iron fist. A rebellion led to his deposition and the creation of the Allied States. Inhabitants of other parts of the country, therefore, disapprove of the name, although those from Reçueçn City still use Carl III as an example of their superiority—on the football pitch.
Even Group B games Quarterfinal I

Stade de la Reformation, Genève
Cap. 27,000
Le Stade de la Reformation is the home stadium of Association Genève, Reçueçn FC’s biggest rival. Located just outside the city up the hill, a gap in the stands at one corner of the field allows a view of gorgeous Lac Genève during day games, and at night, the sparkling lights of the city on its shore.
Odd Group C games Semifinal 1

Siegstadion, Zimmerich
Cap. 25,440
Siegstadion, or, translated, Victory Stadium, has a lot to represent in Reçueçian culture. Zimmerich's eponymous football club is the premier side in the nation with a background from the German-speaking minority. Thus the stadium represents not only the team and the region it comes from, but to some extent, an entire language group in the country (although some German-speakers have their own teams they choose to root for). The stadium is white and in the form of an elipse, ringed with faux pillars, to conjure up the idea of an ancient Greek temple.
Even Group D games Semifinal 2

Sporting Field, Renwyll
22,000
Sporting Field is the English translation of this stadium's name, known locally as the Champs du Sport. Usually, as with all the other stadiums listed here, that sport is football, but the the locals are excited to see a different kind of entertainment and tickets have been selling quickly.
Odd Group B games Quarterfinal IV

Stade de l’Alliance, Genève
Cap. 20,000
Another Genevois stadium, Stade de l’Alliance is named for the historical agreement which created Reçueçn as a nation, ensuring that states besides the Duchy of Reçueçn (such as Genève) would have equal footing under the new system of government. Le Stade de l’Alliance is Geneva Lake-Side's home field.
Even Group A games Quarterfinal III

Arena der Alpen, Heldingen
Cap. 20,000
One of only two stadiums hosting games for the world cup which is located in a Germanophone region of the nation, the Arena der Alpen is high in the Reçueçian Alps, and the altitude may pose a small issue for teams not used to playing in similar situations. That said, this is yet another beautiful stadium; Heldingen has great views of the surrounding mountains, and any tourists attending games here may want to schedule a little extra time for a hike.
Odd Group D games Third Place Playoff

Chapel-Field House, Reçueçn
Cap. 15,500
The oldest stadium in the nation in continuous professional use, Chapel-Field House gave its name to the team that plays there. Admittedly a small stadium for a tournament of this size, Chapel-Field House is unexpectedly jumping into the limelight during this world cup as normally it and its team are overshadowed by the much bigger Reçueçn FC in the same city. It was chosen to host games during this tournament thanks to its proximity to other stadiums being used in order to cut down on travel time.
Even Group C games Quarterfinal II                                                                      National Team Roster   Style mod: 0.000 RP Permissions: Knock yourself out Nickname: The Unicorns Here to: Kick ass, Chew bubblegum Out of: Bubblegum     Player - Number - Position (First XV are starting line-up) Iris Siegel - 1 - Loosehead Prop Gaétan Millet - 2 - Hooker Madlen Eichwald - 3 - Tighthead Prop
Coreno Covino - 4 - Number-4 lock
Tilmann Schieffer - 5 - Number-5 lock
Ubertino Patron - 6 - Blindside Flanker
Adele Ratzenberger - 7 - Openside Flanker
Marius Kistler - 8 - Number 8
Yvonne Scheerbart - 9 - Scrum-half
Josef Borchers - 10 - Fly-half
Mareike Kehlmann - 11 - Left-Wing
Marie-Louise De la Croix - 12 - Inside-Center
Uliva Contento - 13 - Outside-Center
Henri Boutroux - 14 - Right-Wing
Zabina Alberici - 15 - Fullback
Cosimo Spatafore - 16 - Loosehead Prop
Helga Ludwig - 17 - Hooker
Markus Korngold - 18 - Tighthead Prop
Laure Lalande - 19 - Number-4 lock
Ilenia Celenza - 20 - Number-5 lock
Zita Mandracchia - 21 - Blindside Flanker
Adolphe Fétique - 22 - Openside Flanker
Roberta Lo Monaco - 23 - Number 8
Ludovic Arceneaux - 24 - Scrum-half
Catherine Geffroy - 25 - Fly-half
Jean-Noël Gilson - 26 - Left-Wing
Olivia Loup - 27 - Inside-Center
Heinrich Steimle - 28 - Outside-Center
Giovenzio Berna - 29 - Right-Wing
Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier - 30 - Fullback
Michael Schlim - 31 - Hooker
Giuditta Campus - 32 - Tighthead Prop
Gabrielle Delaplace - 33 - Blindside Flanker
Olindo Petrocelli - 34 - Number 8
Sandra Baschet - 35 - Inside-Center
Manlio Guglielmi - 36 - Left-Wing

Alright! Sign-ups are closed! I'll post the group draw/schedule right away!
 

Alright! Sign-ups are closed! I'll post the group draw/schedule right away!
 

Hey hey hey it's that time of the month again... yes, I mean the map update! This month we welcome  @Burakis, @novasamita, @Mulvana, @Edbman, @Boda, and @Taledo.
Unfortunately, some members and fallen inactive and lost citizen status, and with it, their place on the map. @CringeyDolphin, @Noahh, and @setne550, if you want to hop back on the map, just drop a line here and make sure to keep posting every month to keep your citizenship. [ok, 
You will notice time zones have been added to the map. If you are not happy with your nation's time zone(s), mention it on discord or message a cartographer and we can change that in a future update.
However, let's keep this thread purely for map requests and update announcements. Mulvana, I'll be in touch about whatever images you need (but usually it should be easy to find the full size map file and screenshot the bit you need, which is the same thing I'll be doing).
So, here it is!

Hey hey hey it's that time of the month again... yes, I mean the map update! This month we welcome  @Burakis, @novasamita, @Mulvana, @Edbman, @Boda, and @Taledo.
Unfortunately, some members and fallen inactive and lost citizen status, and with it, their place on the map. @CringeyDolphin, @Noahh, and @setne550, if you want to hop back on the map, just drop a line here and make sure to keep posting every month to keep your citizenship. [ok, 
You will notice time zones have been added to the map. If you are not happy with your nation's time zone(s), mention it on discord or message a cartographer and we can change that in a future update.
However, let's keep this thread purely for map requests and update announcements. Mulvana, I'll be in touch about whatever images you need (but usually it should be easy to find the full size map file and screenshot the bit you need, which is the same thing I'll be doing).
So, here it is!

Hey hey hey it's that time of the month again... yes, I mean the map update! This month we welcome  @Burakis, @novasamita, @Mulvana, @Edbman, @Boda, and @Taledo.
Unfortunately, some members and fallen inactive and lost citizen status, and with it, their place on the map. @CringeyDolphin, @Noahh, and @setne550, if you want to hop back on the map, just drop a line here and make sure to keep posting every month to keep your citizenship. [ok, 
You will notice time zones have been added to the map. If you are not happy with your nation's time zone(s), mention it on discord or message a cartographer and we can change that in a future update.
However, let's keep this thread purely for map requests and update announcements. Mulvana, I'll be in touch about whatever images you need (but usually it should be easy to find the full size map file and screenshot the bit you need, which is the same thing I'll be doing).
So, here it is!

Lol, I guess it was a mistake with the alphabetical order. I'll fix it to give me an excuse to put the right diacritics in 'Reçueçn'

I'm realizing that I didn't make it very clear in the original post that although I did label this as 'a roleplay competition', roleplay itself is entirely optional. All that's needed to participate is to sign up here: I'll be taking care of everything else to provide results and let you know who wins. Roleplaying about the competition is just an added activity players can do if they think that would be fun. I'd really be sad to see anyone leave over concerns they don't know enough about roleplaying--the goal here is to include everybody at the level of involvement they want. The more the merrier. (So yes, Westwind, we'd love to have your irradiated team too!)
As always, if you have any questions or anything, feel free to ask here or contact me privately.

Please don't post in this thread until you've signed up in the signup thread. Please don't put OOC posts here either.
(Rugby Union)
Welcome to TWP's first Rugby World Cup of its own! If you've signed up for this competition here, you're ready to start posting in this thread. A good way to start is with a roster post. A roster includes some information about your nation's rugby team, including, importantly, who the people on the team are. Here's a helpful link if you're new to rugby: https://www.ruck.co.uk/rugby-positions-roles-beginners/
Another helpful thing to include in a roster post is your "rp permissions." If you're planning to rp but want to make sure other rpers don't do things with your players you don't want, you can post a little box outlining what things others can or can't do, like this example:
Injure my players: yes Assign my players yellow cards: yes Assign my players red cards: no Godmod injuries: no Godmod scoring: no Godmod other events: yes "Godmodding" is rping unrealistic or unbelievable things happening, so if you want a more realistic experience for your team, you can ask that others don't godmod in your matches. Feel free to add other things you think of to your rp permissions, or leave some of the things in the example out, or be more or less specific. Or don't include it at all. You don't have to rp in this competition any more than you want to (or at all).
Finally, you can also include what's called a 'style modifier.' This is a number between -5 and +5, which indicates if your team has a more attacking or defending style. Teams with negative modifiers are less likely to give up points but will score less as well, while teams with higher modifiers will score more often but also let more attacks through. Style mods don't affect your chance of victory. If you don't put one, that's fine, you'll get a neutral mod (0.000).
Once you've posted your roster, feel free to start rping leading up to the competition. Once signups close, a format will be posted and you'll start seeing results here to rp about. 
If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the OOC thread. Have fun!
Group Draw:
Group A: Reçueçn Taledo Nieubasria Kurabis Group B: Bingsearching Teralyon Dilber Fujai Giovanniland Group C: Big Bad Badger Darkesia Dalimbar Hertfordshire and Jammbo Group D: Bhang Bhang Duc Croblade Sensorland Westwind Bran Astor Top 2 of each group advance to the quarterfinals.
Quarterfinal draw: I: A1 v B2, II: B1 v A2, III: C1 v D2, IV: D1 v C2
Semifinal draw: I v II, III v IV
 
Schedule:
MD1: Sunday, Feb. 23
MD2: Monday, Feb. 24
MD3: Tuesday, Feb 25
MD4: Wednesday, Feb 26
MD5: Thursday, Feb 27
Quarterfinals: Friday, Feb 28
Semifinals: Saturday, Feb 29
3rd Place Game and Final: Sunday, March 1
 
group schedule for groups of 5 (B and D)
 
Group schedule for groups of 4 (A and C)
 

I'm realizing that I didn't make it very clear in the original post that although I did label this as 'a roleplay competition', roleplay itself is entirely optional. All that's needed to participate is to sign up here: I'll be taking care of everything else to provide results and let you know who wins. Roleplaying about the competition is just an added activity players can do if they think that would be fun. I'd really be sad to see anyone leave over concerns they don't know enough about roleplaying--the goal here is to include everybody at the level of involvement they want. The more the merrier. (So yes, Westwind, we'd love to have your irradiated team too!)
As always, if you have any questions or anything, feel free to ask here or contact me privately.

In that case, Westwind will supply the iodine tablets for the opposing teams the Westwind Storm plays. That should reduce any risks.

I'm realizing that I didn't make it very clear in the original post that although I did label this as 'a roleplay competition', roleplay itself is entirely optional. All that's needed to participate is to sign up here: I'll be taking care of everything else to provide results and let you know who wins. Roleplaying about the competition is just an added activity players can do if they think that would be fun. I'd really be sad to see anyone leave over concerns they don't know enough about roleplaying--the goal here is to include everybody at the level of involvement they want. The more the merrier. (So yes, Westwind, we'd love to have your irradiated team too!)
As always, if you have any questions or anything, feel free to ask here or contact me privately.

Pretend this is deleted.

I will be performing backend maintenance later today, so expect some downtime as I upgrade the server.

(Rugby Union)
Hey everybody! Whether you're a longtime rugby fan or only here because you're intrigued by a sport you know nothing about, this is the place for you. If you just want to beat up on some TWPers via a roleplayed sport, that's cool too. So. What do you need to get started?
Not much. Just post here and say something to the effect of "I sign up." After that you can start posting in the IC (In Context) thread, where team rosters, roleplays, and results will be posted. This thread will be reserved for signups and OOC (Out Of Context) posts, so if you want to just chat about the tournament or have any questions, that can go here too.
Signups will be open for about a week or two and when we have a good number of people I'll close signups and post the tournament format in the IC thread. Don't feel that you need to wait for the tournament to begin to start rping about it, however.
Another note: I (Reçueçn) will be scorinating the tournament, but if any nation wants to host the world cup IC, feel free to mention that in this thread or roleplay a hosting bid and a nation will be selected. IC hosting would entail being the nation where everybody roleplays that their teams have been sent for the world cup, and we would want you to post a list of cities and stadiums where games will be held.
That's all I've got to say for now. Confused how we're playing rugby in a text-based game? Don't know what "scorinate" means? Read this spoiler.
 
Signups in spoiler
 

Please don't post in this thread until you've signed up in the signup thread. Please don't put OOC posts here either.
(Rugby Union)
Welcome to TWP's first Rugby World Cup of its own! If you've signed up for this competition here, you're ready to start posting in this thread. A good way to start is with a roster post. A roster includes some information about your nation's rugby team, including, importantly, who the people on the team are. Here's a helpful link if you're new to rugby: https://www.ruck.co.uk/rugby-positions-roles-beginners/
Another helpful thing to include in a roster post is your "rp permissions." If you're planning to rp but want to make sure other rpers don't do things with your players you don't want, you can post a little box outlining what things others can or can't do, like this example:
Injure my players: yes Assign my players yellow cards: yes Assign my players red cards: no Godmod injuries: no Godmod scoring: no Godmod other events: yes "Godmodding" is rping unrealistic or unbelievable things happening, so if you want a more realistic experience for your team, you can ask that others don't godmod in your matches. Feel free to add other things you think of to your rp permissions, or leave some of the things in the example out, or be more or less specific. Or don't include it at all. You don't have to rp in this competition any more than you want to (or at all).
Finally, you can also include what's called a 'style modifier.' This is a number between -5 and +5, which indicates if your team has a more attacking or defending style. Teams with negative modifiers are less likely to give up points but will score less as well, while teams with higher modifiers will score more often but also let more attacks through. Style mods don't affect your chance of victory. If you don't put one, that's fine, you'll get a neutral mod (0.000).
Once you've posted your roster, feel free to start rping leading up to the competition. Once signups close, a format will be posted and you'll start seeing results here to rp about. 
If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the OOC thread. Have fun!
Group Draw:
Group A: Reçueçn Taledo Nieubasria Kurabis Group B: Bingsearching Teralyon Dilber Fujai Giovanniland Group C: Big Bad Badger Darkesia Dalimbar Hertfordshire and Jammbo Group D: Bhang Bhang Duc Croblade Sensorland Westwind Bran Astor Top 2 of each group advance to the quarterfinals.
Quarterfinal draw: I: A1 v B2, II: B1 v A2, III: C1 v D2, IV: D1 v C2
Semifinal draw: I v II, III v IV
 
Schedule:
MD1: Sunday, Feb. 23
MD2: Monday, Feb. 24
MD3: Tuesday, Feb 25
MD4: Wednesday, Feb 26
MD5: Thursday, Feb 27
Quarterfinals: Friday, Feb 28
Semifinals: Saturday, Feb 29
3rd Place Game and Final: Sunday, March 1
 
group schedule for groups of 5 (B and D)
 
Group schedule for groups of 4 (A and C)
 

(Rugby Union)
Hey everybody! Whether you're a longtime rugby fan or only here because you're intrigued by a sport you know nothing about, this is the place for you. If you just want to beat up on some TWPers via a roleplayed sport, that's cool too. So. What do you need to get started?
Not much. Just post here and say something to the effect of "I sign up." After that you can start posting in the IC (In Context) thread, where team rosters, roleplays, and results will be posted. This thread will be reserved for signups and OOC (Out Of Context) posts, so if you want to just chat about the tournament or have any questions, that can go here too.
Signups will be open for about a week or two and when we have a good number of people I'll close signups and post the tournament format in the IC thread. Don't feel that you need to wait for the tournament to begin to start rping about it, however.
Another note: I (Reçueçn) will be scorinating the tournament, but if any nation wants to host the world cup IC, feel free to mention that in this thread or roleplay a hosting bid and a nation will be selected. IC hosting would entail being the nation where everybody roleplays that their teams have been sent for the world cup, and we would want you to post a list of cities and stadiums where games will be held.
That's all I've got to say for now. Confused how we're playing rugby in a text-based game? Don't know what "scorinate" means? Read this spoiler.
 
Signups in spoiler
 

(Rugby Union)
Hey everybody! Whether you're a longtime rugby fan or only here because you're intrigued by a sport you know nothing about, this is the place for you. If you just want to beat up on some TWPers via a roleplayed sport, that's cool too. So. What do you need to get started?
Not much. Just post here and say something to the effect of "I sign up." After that you can start posting in the IC (In Context) thread, where team rosters, roleplays, and results will be posted. This thread will be reserved for signups and OOC (Out Of Context) posts, so if you want to just chat about the tournament or have any questions, that can go here too.
Signups will be open for about a week or two and when we have a good number of people I'll close signups and post the tournament format in the IC thread. Don't feel that you need to wait for the tournament to begin to start rping about it, however.
Another note: I (Reçueçn) will be scorinating the tournament, but if any nation wants to host the world cup IC, feel free to mention that in this thread or roleplay a hosting bid and a nation will be selected. IC hosting would entail being the nation where everybody roleplays that their teams have been sent for the world cup, and we would want you to post a list of cities and stadiums where games will be held.
That's all I've got to say for now. Confused how we're playing rugby in a text-based game? Don't know what "scorinate" means? Read this spoiler.
 
Signups in spoiler
 

I'd rather vacation at the beach, but I'd rather live in the mountains.  The beach is nice cause it gives me a chance to swim, but that's mostly nice because I don't get the opportunity much. Somehow I feel like I need mountains in my life for some reason.

Walking around Sherman Pass, apparently!

Walking around Sherman Pass, apparently!

Guide to TWP Roleplay and
Esferos Lore Introduction

 

Current map version 1.18, updated 1 April 2024
Esferos Topographic Map | Biome Map | Tectonic Map | Wind & Sea Map
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Welcome to the map! Where can I RP? A brief "Session Zero" for TWP Roleplay Esferos lore introduction Welcome to Esferos!
The center of roleplay in TWP is the map of our world, Esferos. Our canon is tied to the map and our stories are built by our community—whether you're into nation building, international affairs, or rootin' tootin' cowboys, you'll find something that grips you here. There's no telling how deep you'll go!
Citizens of The West Pacific can request a place on the map to develop a history, culture, and people for their nation. While collaborating with others, you will create roleplay like factbooks, news, stories, or sports—essentially, whatever you want to do with your nation within reason. The current RP year is 1422 AF, this translates to modern-day Earth. Most technologies are also roughly equivalent to the modern day.
Before we get too into things, if you have any questions, you may address them to one of the Lorekeepers on the TWP Roleplay Discord server.
To join the world of Esferos you must be a citizen of TWP, read the rest of this Guide, introduce yourself on the RP Discord server, and submit your Mapplication™ in the Mapplication™ thread.
We very strongly encourage you to join RP Discord server before you submit your Mapplication™. Ideally, we want everyone to have the opportunity to get to know the different regions of Esferos (geographically and culturally) and see who is active there so you can decide which area is the right fit for you, as opposed to throwing a dart at the map.
Where can I roleplay?
TWP's two roleplay locations are the regional forums and the TWP Roleplay discord. However, these two places have different uses.
TWP Forums
TWP's forums are the official home of TWP's roleplaying—there are four roleplay subforums available for use:
Atlas of the Occident - Map and Factbook - Home of the regional map and forum-based factbooks of the nations that reside in it. The Repository - Local & World News - The place to post newswires about the goings on in and around your nation. Roleplay - How the West Was Won - The general RP subforum. If you have an IC roleplay thread to post, it belongs here. OOC Support - Information & Dispute Arbitration - The place where OOC threads belong and where disputes can be resolved. And of course the RP Archive, which is, as you guessed, where really old clutter goes.
RP Discord
The TWP Roleplay Discord server is the home of OOC discussion and worldbuilding. Its activities include nation building, arts and crafts, regional planning, and all sorts of other things, but it is not the place for in-character (IC) talk. It is also not a gameplay or foreign affairs Discord, nor a substitute for the general chat and spam functions of main TWP server.
You can find an overview of the server's rules, roles, and channels and links to helpful resources in the #welcome-info channel.
Roleplay Resources
Official Resources Big Book of Numbers - This contains the core statistics and basic information for all nations on the map, including capitals, land area, population, languages, and much more. The information you provide in your Mapplication™ will go in the Book, and you can comment on cells to add further information. Session Zero Guidance - This guidance forms the basis of our shared world. No one is allowed to go against the guidelines set in the Guidance. Unofficial Resources Language Table - This spreadsheet contains the names of all Esferosi nations in the different languages of Esferos. Maintained by Giovanniland, based on the spreadsheet begun by Kurabis Legal System Questionnaire / Comparison - Prompts to explore the way your nation's society is constructed through its legal system  Nation Building Exercise - A useful exercise for exploring balance in nationbuilding. A brief "Session Zero" for TWP Roleplay
The term "Session Zero" comes from tabletop roleplaying games, in which before a campaign starts, the game master sits down with the players to introduce the setting, set boundaries, and clarify expectations for the coming games. For our uses, it refers to the most basic rules and customs you need to know before starting to build your nation on Esferos.
When in doubt or in need of help/guidance, ask the Lorekeepers. They are all experienced in subjects related to wordbuilding such as history, military studies, archaeology, anthropology, and political and international studies. They also guide the balance, quality, and realism of our shared world, and may take action to enforce it.
Balance
An overriding goal of TWP Roleplay is balance—this means everything good comes with drawbacks. No nation can be good at everything, just as no nation can be bad at everything. You cannot “win” the RP spreadsheet
Your goal should not be to have the highest number on a sheet. Having a high population, a high GDP per capita, or high military spending each have their own drawbacks. It is a balance. Realism
Technological realism: Existing technologies with widespread implementation, such as cell phones or helicopters, are fair play. Advanced technologies with limited or experimental implementation, such as fully autonomous vehicle fleets or advanced laser weapons systems, are guided by balance: if a real-life analogue nation has access to a technology, then you may attempt to justify that access by defining the balance. Historical realism: Real-life religions and languages do not exist on Esferos. Similarly, you cannot use RL religious symbols in your IC religion. You may reference them as inspiration or ‘flavour’ out-of-character. Using similar inspirations to other nations does not mean your nation must be related to them. Your nation didn't always exist in its current form. People probably lived there for thousands of years, but much of it was in a very different form to modern life. It's unlikely that the exact same political entity that exists today existed hundreds of years ago. Ancient developments should follow a timescale with reference or similarity to the real world. If you are interested in exploring the ancient history of your region of Esferos, you should look into real-world societal developments for similar regions and timespans on Earth. Modern developments should also reference the real world. For example, the ‘Industrial Revolution' was a process which unfolded at different scales and speeds around the world from 1760 to today. International relations don't have to be cordial, and your nation can have been friendly and have histories with countries it isn't friendly with today. Miscellaneous realism: Just as RL religions and languages don’t exist here, RL places don’t exist either. Do not name your nation, cities, and other things after prominent RL places like “Shanghai”. Exceptions are common given names like “Georgetown”. If you need help coming up with names, ask in the Discord or check out a random name generator. There is no magic. That doesn’t mean people can’t believe something is miraculous or magical, but you cannot state as an OOC fact that it is. You should make distinctions between historical, semi-legendary, and legendary events and figures. Just because something is not an OOC fact does not mean that it cannot be believed to be fact IC. The laws of physics are the same as we understand them in the real world. They cannot be manipulated or exploited in any extraordinary way. Humans are the only available species to roleplay as. The current year is not the beginning of your nation’s story
We recommend avoiding the propensity to make big events happen in the current year; you should roleplay past events or allow them to be a historical fact. Just because you weren’t playing your nation before does not mean it didn’t exist or have relationships. Talk to your neighbours and define your historical relationships with them, it’s all part of the fun! War is difficult, messy, and detailed
There is no total victory. You should find some drawback or disadvantage to your activity—there’s no fun in always winning all the time. Just because you have a large army and say military spending is 50% of your GDP doesn’t mean you win. Be tactful and realistic; look to real life examples and ask the Lorekeepers for help if you need it. Yes, North Korea is a “real life example” but their level of expenditure is an extreme outlier and comes at great cost. Border changes will not happen without Loremaster approval. This would be dependent on quality and content of roleplay. Remember that matters of war and military are subject to oversight by the Lorekeepers for balance and realism purposes. You are not a “recently discovered tribe”, and avoiding other common tropes
There are no “undiscovered” nations on Esferos, just as there are none on Earth. If your nation is “opening up diplomatic and foreign relationships after a long period of isolationism” you are not going to be up to the modern standard of life or technology. Continents are not “Teams”
The Continental Congresses don't have meaning beyond out-of-character (OOC) planning. There is no IC organization called a "Continental Congress". In the Continental Congress channels, we come together to plan histories, geography, and other things that affect our neighbors, but the goal isn't one continent-spanning intergovernmental organization. Avoid treating continents as teams. A few community rules
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Worldbuilding and RP can be daunting, but you’re not alone—we’re a community.  Roleplay is multilateral, which means every party has to agree—you only participate in ways you agree to. If any issues arise, please let one of the moderators know. Along with this is zero tolerance for hate imagery or masked clones or iterations of nations like Nazi Germany. This section is adapted from the TWP RP20 Guidance and Rebalancing, which includes a slightly more in-depth version of the Session Zero.
Esferos lore introduction
Geography
Our planet is called Esferos, a medium-sized terrestrial world orbiting a gas giant around a binary star, and is the only astronomical object known to support life. Its surface covered mostly by oceans, with a handful of major continents and numerous smaller island chains.
The five continents of Esferos are Andolia, Aura, Doll Guldur, Nur, and Polaris.
Andolia is located in the southern hemisphere — a land of broad grasslands and forests in the east, mountainous shores in the west, and deserts and rainforests in between. Andolia also has the most active volcanos of any continent. Aura is regarded by some as the historical center of Esferos — much of the southern part of the continent is tropical, covered in lush rainforests and fertile plains, while the north is much more arid and contains the world's largest desert. Doll Guldur is a rugged land in the northeast of the region — its terrain is made up of great plains and wide forests, with shattered mountain chains along the eastern coasts. Doll Guldur also contains the world's largest endorheic basin. Nur is located far to the east the other continents — its surface is covered by plains and rainforests in the north to mountains, temperate forests, and steppe in the south. Nur is the largest and least densely populated continent of Esferos. Polaris is located in the far north — it is a land of great forests and greater mountains in the west, grasslands and hills in the east, and desert in the center and south. It is also home to the largest freshwater lake in the world. Miscellanea
Most of Esferos uses the Markan calendar system, which counts time from the founding of the Holy Principality of Saint Mark. One properly counts time using the BF and AF suffixes, short for "Before Founding" and "After Founding". The current year is 1424 AF. You can easily translate between the Markan and Gregorian calendar by taking the year in the Gregorian calendar and subtracting 600. For instance, 1900 CE in our time is the same as 1300 AF in roleplay time (1900-600=1300). The international language of Esferos is called 'Common'—it originated as a trade pidgin among sailors in the Darkesian Sea and spread from there. Out of character, most players use English to approximate it, but it is not related to English in-character. Esferos is a multipolar world—no single power international power has the strength to dominate the others.

Since claims need to be made in this thread, and we will post with the most recent update, you should be able to go back and check for any claims since the most recent edition. Right now there's just two--Imperial Shaustria, just south of Wymondham, and Einherfell, south of Libterraria. And yes, it's perfectly fine to claim land not marked by borders. Claims can be as vague as specific as you like, but we reserve the right to adjust claims in order to maintain balanced country sizes and location (we don't want someone to hog all the coastline, for example).

Kingdom of Giovanniland
Overview - History - Geography - Government - Economy - Infrastructure - Demographics - Culture - List of Rulers - Giovannese Language - Division Maps - Population Maps