Unknown to most, last Tuesday was the fourth month of existence for The Night's Watch - and it's been a long drive.

The original Night's Watch post has 368 comments on it - which should mean about 100+ people joined when it was first introduced. In four months time, we've grown to more than 500 members. That represents at least 100 new members a month - and that's not counting people who have left or deserted.

The MineZ community seems to finally be solidifying. With this large group of people we've essentially confirmed our place in it. While we welcome both constantly active and on-and-off players, it's important to be active from time to time either through the chatroom or in-game (with our mod please!), so that we can get an accurate count of how many people still believe in the message of The Night's Watch - this game doesn't have to be about killing (though that surely takes place). As a group, we can make this world habitable again. We can take on and destroy the undead.

Our last event had a very mild turnout, and the eagerness of the few that did arrive was enough that we were not able to well compose ourselves and take on the task at hand logically. This needs to be improved in the future. This will definitely be improved once we re-organize into a more militaristic fashion, but that's a bit far in the future, due to some other things I need to solidify before I complete it (by future I mean December/January).

However, that is not the main point of this announcement. This announcement is here to solidify our stance on politics.

Recently, the Unknown Trading Co. declared their friendship to the Watch. As they have done so, we have offered and willingly give them protection for official matters - and will continue to do so for as long as they stay a neutral entity in MineZ. Unknown Trading Co. knows our stance on neutrality, and that we will not continue to protect them should they begin to provoke the other powers in the realm, where as we are more than willing to protect them from the unknown scourge and the everyday bandit that attempts to steal their merchandise. If you are ever guarding Unknown Trading Co. when a bandit group attempts to attack - you are to attempt diplomatic negotiation if possible. If they do not immediately attack and offer the chance for talk, inform them that this is a neutral convoy and that attacking it is seen as an attack on The Night's Watch. If they attack - you are free to attack back. Make sure to immediately post a report of the situation upon success/death either to me via email or to the subreddit. It is of the utmost importance that we are kept aware of what is happening to The Night's Watch in regards to Unknown Trading Co.

Due to our neutrality, and Unknown Trading Co's supposed neutrality, we do not view this as involving ourselves in politics. We are simply friends, and that friendship may disband at any time. As certain members of Unknown Trading Co may be involved in banditry, please use utmost caution while around them. If any of their members attack, inform me in the way described above.

In addition to Unknown Trading Co, it was recently requested that we ally with a bandit hunting clan - and this is where I solidify our stance. We do not officially ally with any group. We may welcome other groups without hostility, so long as they are not committing crimes against us or while with us, but we can not ally. Allying means that we would protect them against other groups in the event of War/rivalry, etc - and that is what I consider participating in politics.

Please act responsibly as a member of The Night's Watch - we will always remain a neutral entity in this world. Our main goal is to serve the people, no matter who they are, from the undead.

For we are the shield that guards the realms of men.

Navarr
Lord Commander of The Night's Watch