Floating Tree Crisis

Defenses on the Newportian side of the Letona River with The Floating Tree in the background.

### Date

June 17, 2020
Day 3, Year 6 BK

### Result

* *Treaty of Treedom*
* Relocation of The Floating Tree and other structures
* Destruction of the "dirt spike"
* Reparations paid by ratatoing8990 to Mstar009

"*Now is the time to act. I move we declare war against the anarchists.*"
—ratatoing8990
The **Floating Tree Crisis**, also known as **Treegate** or simply the **Crisis**, was a confrontation on June 17, 2020 (Day 3, Year 6 BK) between the governments of Newport and Blartsburg and two anarchists living southwest of Newport: Mstar009 and Mak Mini. The incident was triggered by the *Ultimatum of Letona*, which demanded the destruction of multiple structures built by the anarchists, specifically The Floating Tree. The ultimatum threatened retaliation against the anarchists if they failed to comply with the governments' demands. The Floating Tree Crisis ended about an hour after the ultimatum was issued, following peace negotiations which resulted in the *Treaty of Treedom*. The confrontation is often considered the closest Newport ever came to declaring war.

## Background

Tensions between the Newport City Council and two players who would later come to be labelled "anarchists" began to rise on June 9 (-8:5), when Mstar009 and Mak Mini began construction on The Floating Tree. Located across the Letona River to the southwest of Newport, the project was in direct defiance of Newport's City Ordinance X, which prohibited floating trees within city limits. Mstar009 claimed that they created the tree "to be funny and annoying". Mak Mini later added that the tree was intended to mock "the Council's invasive abuse of power".

Though The Floating Tree was located outside of the Council's jurisdiction, many Newportians disapproved of the project, which could be seen from as far as Oldtown. The project caused heated debate within the Council; some councilors advocated for a city-sanctioned boycott of the tree, while some felt the situation was overblown and moved to repeal City Ordinance X. However, the Council did not take a unified stance against the project until Mstar009 and Mak Mini created three more "anarchist megastructures" in the vicinity of The Floating Tree. A rudimentary line of defense was constructed on the Newport side of the Letona River.

During that week, the situation continued to escalate in the wake of multiple acts of vandalism on anarchist structures. At one point, the stairs of The Floating Tree had been dismantled by an unidentified Newportian. An anarchist sign was also vandalized to read "down with anarchy", and one of their ender chests was stolen. A brief skirmish on anarchist territory ended with ratatoing8990 murdering Mstar009. ratatoing8990 later testified that it was "in the heat of the moment", and that he had returned Mstar009's property to The Floating Tree, though Mstar009 denies this claim.

On June 14 (-7:5), ratatoing8990 proposed what would become City Ordinance XV, which commissioned the *Ultimatum of Letona* to threaten retaliation if the anarchists refused to remove the structures within twenty-four hours. On June 16 (-6:2), the government of Blartsburg also ratified the ultimatum. The Council proposal passed in secret and with overwhelming support on June 17 (-6:3), and the ultimatum was sent to the anarchists that night.

## Confrontation

At 9:00 pm CST on June 17 (-6:3), the *Ultimatum of Letona* was sent to the anarchists by the governments of Newport and Blartsburg. At 9:04 pm CST, Mstar009 and Mak Mini agreed to peace negotiations. While negotiations were ongoing, players had amassed on the Newport side of the Letona River in case of a reactionary attack on the city. Mstar009 and Mak Mini agreed to dismantle one of their structures known as the "dirt spike", but refused to demolish The Floating Tree.

The only death of the Floating Tree Crisis occurred when claytations, later found to be an anarchist double agent, committed suicide by jumping to his death from the top of the dirt spike. He reportedly yelled, "You are destroying art!" in an apparent act of sympathy for the anarchists.

At 10:11 pm CST, negotiations ended with all parties signing the *Treaty of Treedom*. The treaty allowed Newport to dismantle the dirt spike and relocate The Floating Tree and Mstar009's mob spawner out of view of the city. The treaty also called for ratatoing8990 to pay Mstar009 two stacks of iron and one full set of diamond armor as reparations for the murder.

## Aftermath

Following the Crisis, ratatoing8990 told *The Newport Report*: "The situation could have easily escalated into a major war. I'm grateful for the resolve of my fellow Council members and the diplomacy of the anarchists in extinguishing this conflict once and for all."

The content of City Ordinance XV was soon released to the public. Other classified information also came to light, including the fact that Rage6838 had leaked Newportian military secrets to the anarchists and extorted ratatoing8990 to prevent the release of City Ordinance XV. On June 17 (-6:3), Rage6838's Newport store, Papaya, was vandalized by crustyceans in retaliation for the incident. On June 18 (-6:4), Rage6838 was stripped of the title of high priest of the Temple of the Magic Conch and replaced by lostcity99. He was later designated as a terrorist by City Ordinance XVII, which banned him from conducting business within city limits.

On June 20 (-5:1), the Council gave Mak Mini the Newport Peace Prize for "exceptional diplomacy" during the Crisis, in accordance with City Ordinance XIX.

On June 29 (-4:5), both The Floating Tree and Mstar009's mob spawner were relocated southwest of Blartsburg, in accordance with the *Treaty of Treedom*.

## External links

* *The Newport Report*: "I Hope They See It and Weep"; Massive Floating Tree Under Construction Outside City Limits in Defiance of Council (June 10, 2020; -7:1)
* *The Newport Report*: ANALYSIS: More Than a Tree (June 11, 2020; -7:2)
* *The Newport Report*: Proposal to Repeal Ordinance X Fails After Four Objections; Council Torn on Tree Issue (June 13, 2020; -7:4)
* *The Newport Report*: Toing Industries Announces Company Boycott of The Floating Tree (June 13, 2020; -7:4)
* *The Newport Report*: Tensions Escalate as Multiple Anarchist Megastructures Appear Overnight Near The Floating Tree (June 14, 2020; -7:5)
* *The Newport Report*: "No Choice but to Take Matters Into Our Own Hands"; City Ordinance XV Passes; Council Hits Anarchists with Ultimatum (June 17, 2020; -6:3)
* *The Newport Report*: War Narrowly Avoided as Peace Treaty Ends Floating Tree Crisis; 1 Death (June 18, 2020; -6:4)
* *The Newport Report*: 11 Days After Peace Treaty, The Floating Tree Finally Moved "Out of Sight of Newport" (June 29, 2020; -4:5)