4th Annual AVBF (CLOSED. Thanks for your support!)

by **Neu Engollon** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 1:08 am

WELCOME TO THE 4TH ALPEN VIEW BREW FESTIVAL!

OUR WONDERFUL SPONSORS WISH YOU BIEN-WELK!

WELCOME

This is your guide to the festivities and the fun making! This is the Fourth Annual Alpen View Beer Festival. If you hold this guide pamphlet in your hands, you are in our fair city of Burgunden, the main financial center and more importantly, the center for craft brewing in the Confederacy of Neu Engollon. It is by far, the largest city in the Confederacy, at over 14 Million in the greater Burgunden area. Also, this city happens to be the home to AstyBev/Burgunden Breueries, the co-main organizer and one of the main sponsors of the event. The other organizer is the Neu Engollon Ministry of Tourism and Culture. There is a lot to do at the Fest besides eat and drink, but, of course, that is the main focus. You may want to explore the rest of our peaceful, panoramic nation after the BrewFestival has ended, and there are plenty of other things to do in Burgunden if you happen to branch away from the Festival Grounds. You may find brochures and travel information on Burgunden and Neu Engollon at the Confederacy Park Box Office, Gendarme Security Station, and at the Pavilion Help Desk. Also, any questions can be directed to our friendly help staff wearing special orange vests. Enjoy yourselves, but please be safe and be respectful of others around you.

STAYING OR GETTING AROUND IN THE CITY

Some places to stay if you haven't booked a room yet in Burgunden:

* Presarius Plaza Hotel H$$$$
* The Menton H$$$$
* Destination Chateau Burgunden H$$$$
* Hotel 26 (Golden Eagle) H$$$$
* Alpha Lofts H$$$
* Collections Hotel H$$$
* Paradise Hotel H$$$
* Hayden Hotel H$$$
* Rock House & Studios H$$$
* Summervale Gardens B&B H$$
* Tell's Inn H$$
* Alpenhorn Tavern H$$
* Motel Mertach H$
* BB Hostel H$

We recommend against trying to find parking for rental cars near the Festival grounds, because besides the fact that parking will be almost non existent and pay parking lots fill up fast, laws on drunk driving are also very strict. Most of all, we want everyone to stay safe. There will be bus and metro train service throughout the night. There will be plenty of taxis, most of them provided by the St. James Cab Service. They will always be lined up outside the gates to take you back to your hotels. Also, watch for the green mini-van shuttles, as they have certain hours, but are free shuttles to many of the hotels in the premier hospitality district of Burgunden.

THE GROUNDS

Confederacy Park is almost as old as Burgunden itself. The grounds are laid out simply with the main stage and the Pavilion in the middle and the participants' tents, aid station, security station and port-a-john stations around the walls of the park enclosure. Adjoining the main Festival grounds are the rugby pitches, auxiliary exhibition grounds and the Botanical maze, courtesy of Allure Botanicals. Pavilion admittance will only be for VIP guests (3rd/top floor) and special 2nd Floor ticket holders or Invited guests. Again, please utilize our friendly staff in the orange vests for directional questions.

THE BEVERAGE MAKERS

The brewers and distillers are some of the best from around the globe and have brought their craft to show off here in the backyard of Neu Engollon's premier brewing City. They have submitted a selection of their best offerings for the judging. They will also be serving most of these selections as well as many other surprise selections at their tents located throughout the grounds. See the map for tent location. Beverages will be served in various sizes, such as 3oz samplers, 8 oz or 10 oz glasses, 16 oz pints and some may even offer take home growlers, single bottles, 4-6 bottle packs, or cases. Many will also be serving examples of local cuisine and merchandise from their brewery/distillery, as well as some other alcoholic offerings. Check their tents, as pricing and menus should be posted.

THE JUDGING

The main purpose of the Beer Festival is to have a fun, friendly competition for many of the top beers and liquors from around the world. There are several Categories in which beers will be judged, with a couple categories being judged each day. Some of the categories of fiercest competition are for Pale Ales/IPAs, Lagers, Wheats, Stouts and Amber/Rye Ales. However, with the addition of liquors this year, there may be new bitterly contested territory. There are 10 breweries, distilleries and collectives competing in the AVBF this year. The judges are a panel of beverage experts gathered from around the world's most prestigious brewcraft and distillery regions.
Judging will be done through the Xkoronate 3.3 scorinator program, adapting an artistic gymnastic platform to beer categories. Bonus skill points have been given for descriptiveness, story and proper categorization, as well as booth menu and some other categories. Also, there will be RP Bonus.

ATTENDANCE

We are expecting thousands upon tens of thousands of attendees, many of them local to the Burgunden area, but many more from across Neu Engollon and Astyria. We will also have quite an outer-regional international presence including some celebrities, royalty and dignitaries from across the globe. Tickets will be sold in group packages, Full Festival 3 Day Passes and 1 Day passes. Sales of tickets are available up through the last day of the Festival until they last and capacity is reached. Attendees are allowed to re-enter the grounds upon leaving, if their ticket is for that day, but they are subject to search again upon re-entry. A wristband will be issued for re-entry. The Pavilion has three levels. The ground level seating and second level boxes are available for sale through to the last day of the Festival, or subject to availability. Third level boxes are reserved for advance sold VIP spots only. No outside food or drink is allowed in except for sealed water bottles.

PERFORMERS

There is a wide variety of musical performers and other entertainers that will be engaging and rocking the crowd. Some are from Neu Engollon and some are from the International Community. They are listed below in no particular order of importance.

On The Legion Corp Main Stage:

Fitarihana A folk band from tropical, exotic Racao. They describe their style as traditional Malagasy music mixed with English and French modern influences.
This is their first AVBF appearance, but they are already creating a buzz.

Vechirek A lively world vibe/folk electric band from the Principality of Smertolina. They have played every AVBF and have a strong following among Neu Engollian folk enthusiasts and music lovers in general. They are great friends with the local Alpen Volken Circle.

Von Todt A orchestral metal band from neighboring Smertolina with a big following across the Mederano Peninsula, including a mass of fans right here in Burgunden. We are glad to be able to welcome them back to the AVBF after a hiatus of a year.

The Smertolinan Serene Orchestra and Ballet Company The name says it all. From the Principality of Smertolina. They are led by Concert Master Yanu Boysky. This is their second appearance at the AVBF.

Rombergian Philharmonic Orchestra The national Philharmonic Orchestra of Romberg. This is their first appearance at the AVBF.

Massed Band of the Imperial-Royal Rombergian Armed Forces The symphonic band of Romberg’s Armed Forces, they perform at all military and many government functions of that northern Astyrian monarchy. This is their first appearance at the AVBF.

Rombergian National Choir The national and regionally renowned Choir of Romberg. This is their first appearance at the AVBF.

Penny Snyder A folk singer/songwriter from the frozen lands of the Aurora Confederacy in northern Lorecia, the upper continent of Astyria. This will be her first appearance at the AVBF and there are already some expectant fans hoping to be able to hear her live for the first time out of her native country.

The Royalists A pop band from The Blueberry Islands that has made some waves on the charts and found some air play on Neu Engollian radio stations. A decent sized, younger crowd is expected for their performance.

Backpack Saints A self proclaimed folk indie band from Nova Anglicana without much notoriety outside their home nation and region, but judging from their audition audio files, that will be sure to change with this first appearance in Neu Engollon.

Alpen Volken Circle A folk group that plays traditional favorites and several styles from around Neu Engollon. They originate from Ludenthal, NE. They have returned to play the AVBF every year.

Frigid Mares A favorite act that call Panoli, Neu Engollon home, they play a rich tapestry of rock and roll that takes influences from some of the old 60's garage rock and melds indie, new wave and electro clash influences to that foundation. They have played every AVBF and hope to keep on that trend. Along with the Servonaris, they are part of the southern coastal Neu Engollian music scene that has really come up over the last few years.

The Podunkers Neu Engollon's Podunkers play a fusion of punk rock, Celtic rock and ska with some other styles blended in. They are one of the most popular musical acts in Neu Engollon and have been active as a group for over 25 years. They call this big brewing city home, and many of their songs are about life in the large metropolis, social strife and the economic disparity that is often an intense topic.

The Servonaris This band hails from San Remo, and plays a blistering set of garage and surf rock. They built up quite a following in the southern cantons of Neu Engollon, subsequently taking the center and north of the country by storm, as well as many other parts of Astyria. This is their third Festival appearance.

On The PAK Auto DJ Stage:

DJ Charovnika and The Tansit Twins Plays a mix of electronic dance, dubstep, mashup and trance. They have a loyal following and do club tours across the Mederano area throughout the year, although they reside in Smertolina and spin most often in Cristofslazny.

DJ Goat Smasha Plays a mix of Goth dance, electronic, and Industrial re-mixes with a backdrop of some eerie videos and lights. Burgunden's own, you can often find him behind the boards at the Black Box club.

DJ Taunt Plays soul, reggae, ska and dub music, sometimes contributing his own sampled vocals and guitar stylings. From the capital, Telleursville, Geneva, NE.

Dragon Drop This eclectic and exciting woman spins every kind of music under the sun and surprises at every turn with the odd and interesting mixes she comes up with, but no matter their randomness, her mixes always seem to move the crowd to dance. She hails from Schwartzgarten, Grisbenden, NE.

IN CONCLUSION

It is my pleasure, as one of my first big events in this post, to open the Alpen View Brew Festival, which is without doubt the largest event my Ministry is involved with. Most certainly it is the largest event in the Confederacy and possibly one of the biggest in the region, and it keeps growing every year.

Much can be said about my predecessor, but he was a large proponent of spreading Neu Engollian culture and supporting it in any possible form, much to his credit. So we hope that you are able to taste our local cuisine and beverages, that of the region, and many from around the multiverse that have come to show off the best their people have to offer and compete for top prizes in the beverage judging.

New this year is the Rugby Sevens tournament, where top sporting nations from around the world have sent their best to compete on the pitch for the newly minted Alfredo Maracalo Cup, named for the man who first brought rugby to the Confederacy over 80 years ago. I hope that you are able to catch some of the matches.

There are safety concerns, but rest assured that every domestic law enforcement, security and intelligence agency are diligent in ensuring that you only have to worry about getting home or to your hotel after a long day of indulgence in smells, tastes, sights and sounds.

Welcome world leaders, brewers, distillers, sponsors, exhibitors, dignitaries, entertainers, food purveyors, rugby players, fans, and attendees! Enjoy yourselves!
Neu Engollon is happy to have you here in our large, bustling city of Burgunden, in our proud Confederacy, in the grand region that we call home, Astyria.

Sincerely,
Rosette Kozic
Minister of Tourism and Culture, The Confederacy of Neu Engollon

OOC: CREDIT to my good, generous friend Woodstead for making the AVBF logo and medals, as well as many other media and national images for me. I could not have done this without you, Woody!

by **Neu Engollon** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 1:50 am

ALPEN VIEW BEER FESTIVAL
CONFEDERACY PARK, BURGUNDEN, ZURICH CANTON, NEU ENGOLLON

1. BURGUNDEN BREUERIE (Burgunden, ZU, Neu Engollon)

2. ROMBERGIAN UNION OF BREWERIES (Romberg)

3. CARIGRADSKA CARSKA PIVARA AD (Carigrad, The Duchy of Moravska, The Empire of Nikolia)
MORAVSKA DESTILERIJA AD (Carigrad, The Duchy of Moravska, The Empire of Nikolia)

4. IRON EAGLE BREWERY (Smertolina City, Smertolina)

5. LEGION CORPORATION (Upper Ortega Area, Reconwood District, North Heraclea Territories, The Recon Empire)

6. OMHOLT'S BREUERIE (Schwartzgarten, GR, Neu Engollon)

7. CALNADOLE (Hollanda)

8. SCOTTOPIAN BREWING (Scottopian Isles)

9. VINBURGER BRAU (Vinburg, Austrog)

10. MABAYA MAHARANIA DISTILLERY (Soalara, Racao)

11. NEU ENGOLLON MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND TOURISM (Telleursville, GV, Neu Engollon)

12. RESERVED

13. LION BREWING COMPANY (Londinium, Nova Anglicana)

14. REIFF BREWERIES (Telemaitte, Restored Olwe, Olwean Empire)

15. PAK AUTOMOTIVE (Ionicus)

16.NATURNALIA PET FOODS (Ciavno, TC, Neu Engollon)

17. WOLFMAN'S BAR & GRILL (Olwe)

* ASTYBEV PAVILION

* LEGION CORPORATION MAIN STAGE

* PAK AUTO DJ STAGE

* SECURITY STATION (Manned by National Gendarmes, NEDM-DGC troopers, and Burgunden PD, with roving patrols)

* MEDICAL AID STATION

by **Neu Engollon** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 1:52 am

ALPEN VIEW BREW FESTIVAL
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

FRIDAY

*Ceremonies Start

1000 - Gates Open

1015 - Blowing of the Alpenhorn by Uncle Hans Toft

1020 - Introduction speech by Rosette Kozic, Minister of Tourism & Culture of Neu Engollon; Speech by main organizers Astybev CEO, David Toft and BB CEO, Erica Toft

1030 - Tents Start Serving

1045 - March of the Madcaps: A parade of clowns and other goofily clad characters march around the grounds and heckle everyone. Everyone is welcome to join in the parade.

1100 - 1215 MD1 games for all rugby sevens groups, with 15 minutes in between game times; on exhibition pitches A-D

1110 - 1300 - DJ Taunt (Dub/Reggae/Soul) spins on the FBNZ DJ Stage
(Local DJs will be playing throughout the day, and filling in between live act sets during load out and in for performers on Legion Corp Main Stage)

1320 - 1500 MD2 games for all rugby sevens groups, with 15 minutes in between game times; on exhibition pitches A-D

1315 - 1430 Penny Snyder (Folk singer) on Legion Corp Main Stage

1445 - 1615 The Smertolinan Serene Orchestra and Ballet Company on the Legion Corp Main Stage

1515 - 1645 MD3 games for all rugby sevens groups, with 15 minutes in between game times; on exhibition pitches A-D

1615 - 1830 DJ Goat Smasha (Goth/Industrial) spins on the PAK Auto DJ Stage

1830 - 1930 Frigid Mares (Indie Rock) on the Legion Corp Main Stage

2000 - 2115 Vechirek (World/Folk Rock) on Legion Corp Main Stage

2130 - 2250 Backpack Saints (Indie Folk Rock) on the Legion Corp Main Stage

2300 @ End of Backpack Saints set - Judging of Stouts, Meads, Fruits/Lambics, Bocks/Dunkels/Marzens, Porters/Browns/Scotch Ales, Ciders/Cysers, Doubles/Imperials, Spiced brews, Other/Experimental brews

Post Judging Announcement to Close -
DJ Charovnika & The Tansit Twins (Electronic/Dubstep/Trance) on the PAK Auto DJ Stage

SATURDAY

1000 - Tents Start Serving

1100-1230 - DJ Taunt (Ska/Reggae/Dub) on the PAK Auto DJ Stage
(Local DJs will be playing throughout the day, and filling in between live act sets during load out and in for performers on Legion Corp Main Stage)

1100 - 1215 MD4 games for all rugby sevens groups, with 15 minutes in between game times; on exhibition pitches A-D

1230 - 1345 Fitarihana (Folk band) on the Legion Corp Main Stage

1320 - 1500 MD5 games for all rugby sevens groups, with 15 minutes in between game times; on exhibition pitches A-D

1345 - 1500 DJ Charovnika & The Tansit Twins (Electronic/Dubstep/Trance) on the PAK Auto DJ Stage

1500 - 1600 Royalists (Pop group) on the Legion Corp Main Stage

1615 - 1715 Servonaris (surf/garage rock) on the Legion Corp Main Stage

1730 - 1845 Podunkers (Punk/ska) on the Legion Corp Main Stage

1845 - 1945 Alpen Volken Circle (Traditional folk group) on the Legion Corp Main Stage

2000 - 2115 Rombergian Philharmonic Orchestra/Massed Band of the Imperial-Royal Rombergian Armed Forces/Rombergian National Choir on the Legion Corp Main Stage

2130 - 2300 Von Todt (Orchestral Metal band) on the Legion Corp Main Stage

@ End of Von Todt set - Judging of ISAs/ESBs, Pale Ales, Pilsners, Ambers/Reds/Ryes, Saisons/Farms/Belgians, Wheats, Abbeys/dark malt ales, lagers

Post Judging Announcement to Close -
DJ Dragon Drop (Eclectic/House) on the PAK Auto DJ Stage

SUNDAY

1000 - Tents Start Serving

1000-1200 - DJs Taunt (Ska/Reggae/Dub) on the PAK Auto DJ Stage
(Local DJs will be playing throughout the day, and filling in between live act sets during load out and in for performers on Legion Corp Main Stage)

1100 - 1230 Rugby 7’s Plate competition on Confederacy Park Exhibition Pitch C

1200 - 1245 Frigid Mares (Indie Rock) on the Legion Corp Main Stage

1300 - 1345 Backpack Saints (Indie Folk Rock) on the Legion Corp Main Stage

1345 - 1515 Rugby 7’s Bowl competition on Confederacy Park Exhibition Pitch B

1400 - 1445 Servonaris (surf/garage rock) on the Legion Corp Main Stage

1500 - 1645 DJ Dragon Drop (Eclectic/House) on the PAK Auto DJ Stage

1530 - 1630 Rugby 7’s Cup competition (including 3PPO) on Confederacy Park Exhibition Pitch A

1645 - Farewell Speech from Confederacy President Jean Kriegman & Minister Kozic

1700 - 1800 Podunkers (Punk/ska) on the Legion Corp Main Stage

1700 - 1730 Sevens Medals ceremony on Exhibition pitches (TBD)

1815 - 1915 Penny Snyder (Folk singer) on Legion Corp Main Stage

1930 - 2030 Rombergian Philharmonic Orchestra/Massed Band of the Imperial-Royal Rombergian Armed Forces/Rombergian National Choir on the Legion Corp Main Stage

2045 - 2145 Fitarihana (Folk band) on the Legion Corp Main Stage

2200 - 2315 Vechirek (World/Rock) on the Legion Corp Main Stage

@ End of Vechirek set - Judging of Liquors/Spirits

Post Judging Announcement to Close -
DJ Charovnika & The Tansit Twins (Electronic/Dubstep/Trance) on the PAK Auto DJ Stage

by **Neu Engollon** » Fri Oct 02, 2015 1:18 am

CONFEDERACY PARK
BURGUNDEN, ZURICH
NEU ENGOLLON

David and Erica Toft arrived early to the grounds as they watched the contractors, Astybev/BB staffers and myriad of Burgunden municipal personnel setting up tents, booths and other various Festival apparatus. The port-a-johns, courtesy of Doctor Loo, had been the first to be installed before anything else. Well, that wasn’t completely true as the crew from Costa Alurian company Allure Botanicals had constructed and sculpted the botanical maze over to the East of the walled main grounds, on the exhibition grounds previous to the crucial delivery of additional sanitation and waste disposal.

They had been at that maze for months, with barbed wire topped fencing holding out any interlopers during off hours. Confederacy Park was one of the major parks of the city and saw traffic at all hours of the day and night from all walks of life. So, Allure had reason to want to keep people out during the late hours when they slept the workday off in their hotel rooms. That was true up until five days before the Festival kicked off and most of the Park was shut off to the public in order to allow all the crews from all the beverage entrants, vendors, sponsors and other booth renters to set up their tents, pumping systems, food bays, electronics, lights, etc. It took almost to the last minute for the park to be set up properly for the Festival.

David spoke first, breaking the morning silence as they left the Box office back door, stepping out onto the grounds. He had a large coffee in one hand.
“I was wondering if the Nikolians and Rombergians were going to try to build the moat thing again, but I guess not. Romberg's doing their own thing this year.”

His sister yawned,
“Waaa-ooh ya? Excuse me...Oh yeah, the moat. Was that even safe last year?”

“City Inspector signed off on it. As long as they built safety barriers and bridges to get across, and then return the park to its former state, they were given the green light. Which they did and it all worked out, so...”

Erica sipped at her own coffee
“Who else is coming? Any surprises this year, like that moat last year?”

“Well, I'm looking forward to the rugby sevens tournament. Brewer-wise, most of the usual crowd. Many of them are already here working on their tent set ups. Romberg Union's going to do some fireworks thing, which we're a bit worried about, that and the music they'll have blaring from their tent...I dunno. Also, besides Carigradska/Moravska and Rombergian Union, there's Lion, Reiff, Omholt’s…”

“Ugh.” She spit out. The Omholt brewery and family, based in Schwartzgarten in nearby Grisbenden Canton, had long butted heads with the Tofts in a bitter rivalry that had gone on for decades, even centuries.

“Easy! We invite them every year. They have a right to be here...Um...Iron Eagle, Mabaya Maharania...Oh! Vinburger is going to come out, too. That’s kind of weird.”

“Wow, yeah, some old folks won’t be happy about that. Austrogian beer being sold here.”

“The border war and skirmishes are long over. The old codgers need to get over it...”
They walked closer to where the massive pavilion was going up that would bear David’s company’s name. It was one of the most complicated structures of the whole Festival grounds.
“...Speaking of old codgers, I’m going to miss Dad and Uncle Franz. I wish they could be here.”

“They might show…”

“You know what I mean...in official capacity.”

“I know, Bro. Man, Garavano, that hunz…”

“Stop! No politics! Don’t get into that this weekend. Do. Not.”

“Yeah, but it’s politics that are the reason Dad and Uncle Franz won’t be here. Such BS. Calling our family corrupt and shoving everyone CFP (Central Federalist Party) out of office.”

“Let it go, Sis. It’s been 7 months now since the turnover, longer since the elections. Maybe it was for the best, for Uncle Franz, anyway. He can focus on the family businesses and ease into retirement. The Culture Minister, on top of everything else, was really beginning to stress him out. Now he and Dad can focus on BDI…”

“Dad can’t focus on much of anything these days, David. You know that. He’s losing more of his mind every day. I can’t believe he ordered that glider from Diamond Star. Could you imagine him trying to get someone to tow him up there? Flying that thing?”

“Ya, suicidal. I...I don’t want to really talk about Dad anymore. Not now anyway. Let’s think happy thoughts.”

Erica stiffened up a bit, and it wasn’t just because of the chilly breeze that blew through.
“Then don’t look behind you if you want to stay happy.”
Her eyes were locked on something over David’s shoulder. He turned to see who it might be, then involuntarily, he swore,
“Ah, cozzfick!”

Hoppy Jensen, the Head Master Brewer of Burgunden Breueries and one of the craziest, weirdest, crankiest, maniacal figures to ever grace the brewing industry.

“Hey David! I git ta rip on yer ear a lil’, big blessed boss!”

In a moment of either panic or brilliance, David tossed his coffee up in the air and ran for the far end of the grounds, away from Hoppy, amidst startled laughter from his sister and stares from several grounds and tent crews working hard. As Erica tried to avoid the falling coffee and cup, Hoppy broke into his odd, loping gait to catch up to beleaguered boss.

by **Aurora Confederacy** » Fri Oct 02, 2015 4:11 pm

03:20 hrs
Peace Valley Airport

Penny Snyder, a young woman with two smart-prosthetic legs and a matching arm is currently in check in, on the belt goes a keytar, a sort of hybrid instrument, part electronic guitar, part synth keyboard, an amp and some other equipment, followed by a bag of clothes, and as this goes on, the baggage clerk looks at her "off to Neu Engollon, the beerfest?" she asks.

Penny looks at the ceiling for a moment, "no, im off to give a rock concert to the pope in AbuDhabi!" she jokes, handing her ticket over to allow it to be processed, and so with her ticket stamped and her boarding card printed, Penny is handed her papers back and the clerk in that ever so transparent voice says "enjoy your flight" a phrase so over used in modern airline travel, especially for those flying in cattle carrier class that is usually called "economy class" or "coach class" where the aim is to squeeze as many folks into a tube as possible.

Penny with her papers back in her hand makes her way through the departure check in and off to the departure lounge where she gets to see her plane to Neu Engollon, a Trans Polar Airlines Monteluci A350 Eclipse and it seems that its passengers, most of whom are off to the AVBF seem to have started early as there is lots of good natured singing and joviality coming from that part of the departure lounge, much of it however virtually unintelligable or even vaguely understandable as the language here appears to be "drunk", lots of cheers, singing (badly), and empty beer cans. As penny walks in, who being a moderately attractive woman in jeans, a latex fashion top in dark ocean blue with neon blue highlights and a chrome arm, the attention is drawn straight to her and so the noice goes up a few decibels as the crowd cheers as Penny walks in.

"oh dear" she thinks to herself, straining to hear the tannoy over the din of the drunk passengers.

"hey up duck give us a kiss!" shouts one of the fellow passengers as another guy creeps up behind Penny and gets a good handful of Penny's butt! and again the crowd goes WILD
"YEEEEAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!" they all shout, so loud in fact they probably can be heard in Riysa, let alone the other end of the terminal. Penny however stays calm as another passenger leans up against her and puts his arm around her though she does look around and it would appear that this flight is going to be interesting, for apart from the flight attendants, she is as far as she can make out, the only woman on the flight!

*ding dong* "Will all passengers for Neu Engollon Beer festival charter flight please go to gate six please" *ding dong*, and this can only mean one thing, its going to get a little more interesting for Penny as more revellers start to head down the concourse to the gate, in all there are 180 passengers for this flight, 179 of them are in various stages of drunkenness, only one is sober, Penny, the rest are a mix of Neu Engollon locals, Aurorans and Ecossians and possibly some Rombergians from the islands, and the hostesses have their work cut out.

"Here missy, want a drink of this?" calls one drunken reveller, pointing to his crotch,
"YEEEAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!" shout the crowd as that same person staggers up to Penny who calmly pushes him backwards taking full advantage of his state, he staggers, burps and staggers a bit more "Are you sure little lady?" he says, trying desperately to stay upright without dropping his beer!
Penny looks at him, "nah, but i'm sure he might", pointing to one of the guys friends who is just as drunk.

As the plane boards, the passengers struggle to find their seats though penny as she is the only sober one, and now that everyone has arrived at the gate though the boarding is delayed by about 30 mins by this stage actually one of 10 women on the flight and it does seem like she is the only sober one in coach class she turns to a hostess, "any chance of an upgrade please?" she asks.

Now Trans Polar Airlines has a bit of an unfair reputation for customer service, they can and do when needed bow to passenger requests and so the hostess checks a list, "is there any reason why?" she asks, or need I not ask?" she says as she scans the list before picking up a hand held radio "Check in desk from gate six, any word on Holdness, Robert?"

"yeah he's missed the check in, he's going to be slotted in on the next flight" comes the reply, and so the hostess looks at Penny, "yeah, we'll put you in first for this, complementary upgrade" she says and taps a few keys and so Penny takes her seat in first class, well away from the drunken mob down in coach and so settles in for the flight out of Peace Valley.

A few hours later
Back in coach class, passengers are now asleep and the cabin is quiet, up in first class the passengers go about their work, booking hotels, checking emails whilst Penny relaxes as the airport comes into view, just as the tannoy springs into life *Ding dong* "this is your captain speaking, we're about ten minutes out from landing, please ensure you have your trays in the upright position and your seat belts fastenned, thank you" *ding dong*. The plane banks hard over to the left as the pilot lines the A360 up and begins the process of landing and soon the A360 was firmly on Neu Engollon soil, greeted by a the dull Thud Thud Thud of the nose wheel going over the centerline lights in the runway as it rolled to a stop then turned off the runway to taxi to the terminal.

Clearing customs and getting her kit, Penny loads up a trolley and heads off to the shuttle bus whilst the rest of the passengers who were so drunk in Peace Valley either deal with customs, law enforcement or on the whole, refill their bodies with beer as the airport that serves Bergunden is now getting ever more chaotic as other passengers arrive for the festival as Penny takes her seat on the coach that is going between the airport and Confederacy park, as she takes her seat penny opens a flap on her artificial arm and pulls the battery out before reaching into her bag and taking a new batterty and putting it inside her arm before putting the old battery in her bag, removing her smart phone from the same bag afterwards and checking her schedule as well as the events. She flicks through the list of songs that she is going to put on her set on the stage though one thing is for sure, she may well play a twisted version of a well known rock song done in a synth pop style, "Breakin the law" by Judas Priest may well become "drinkin it all!" though this is likely to be a bit of an encore. Penny places her phone down and taps the screen on her arm, before tapping her way though its menus and then lights in her arm come on, then go off again as she turns them off as the coach makes its way towards the park where the festival is being held.

Festival ground
As the coach pulls onto the site, Penny pulls out her pass and vacates her seat and walks to the front of the coach, "can you stop here by the organisers gate please" she says, waving her pass at the driver, hoping that he will pull up close to the VIP and participants gate thereby allowing her to unload close to the stage rather than to have her lug kit to the stage and secure area....

_{well he stop?}

by **Romberg** » Fri Oct 02, 2015 5:19 pm

Another year, another beerfest. Some things had changed, some things had not. Still in charge of the Rombergian Union of Breweries was Ms Tamara Thorvaldsen, already an experienced organiser. As an important liason between the government and the small independent breweries that rely on the RUB for advertising, she was already very experienced in the role, and once again was in charge behind the scenes back home. Yet there was a new Kaiser in play, and Rombergian policy did undergo a fundamental shift from one of quiet trade neutrality to one of greater assertiveness, with old customs resurrected and significant bureaucratic changes. Gone too was last year's representative, who was sent back into his natural role as a military officer due to his lackluster performance. Instead, here and in charge was Franz Freiherr von Tserdynov. A member of one of the most illustrious families from Romberg, he had been a civil servant for quite some time, but was then raised into hereditary nobility following the Kaiser's edict, enabling him to use the rank of Baron. Without a territorial designation though, this was only symbolic in recognition of the family's history, and ultimately he was but an ordinary citizen, albeit with a slightly flashier title.

That was one of the reasons he was selected after all, apart from his experience and love of beer. Rumours turned our wrong, as early talks with the Nikolian counterparts had established that the previous years' cooperation would be a one time event, and they would go their separate ways. It helped though. To coincide with the new Kaiser's policies, Tamara had already thought of a theme for the year, which was majesty. This year, instead of the jovial, informal mood characteristic of the Rombergian stand in previous years, it was one of glitz and glamour, made to showcase Rombergian might and glory. And getting a hereditary noble to help set everything up just helped put the puzzle pieces together.

Dressed in an immaculately tailored suit, the Baron now stepped onto the fields of the park, an empty canvas waiting to be transformed. Nearing middle age, he'd already have family, but business trips were the norm. Already, a hotel suite was booked, as standard for Rombergians. He of course had bodyguards since someone of his caliber may be a prime target, especially considering the nation's involvement in several military campaigns abroad, but right now with the park deserted apart from those setting up the stalls, he trusted the organisers to ensure his safety. Besides, he'd like to try out the different beers, and doing it on his own would entail a greater freedom compared to if he was forced to have bodyguards. After a good night's rest, he turned up on the park grounds in the morning, just as everything was about to arrive. But for half an hour somehow nothing came out of it.

Just as he was about to file a report back home notifying of the delay, the trucks finally rolled in. There were quite a few of them, as with previous years, a rather large stall was planned. On flatbeds, up close one could tell what the stall was going to be made out of - lightweight but strong fibreglass and carbon fibre panels. It would not be a feature within a moat this year. No, they were going to build a pop up palace.

"Come on. You've been expected. Time is tight. What took you so long?" the Baron asked the foreman.

"Got lost."

"You're a native. Remember how that contract clause said we could reduce the final deposit for unsatisfactory service?" the Baron threatened, obviously in no mood to joke around, and definitely annoyed.

"The damn police shut down many major roads these few days. Gotta do a whole long route to get here."

"Really? Half an hour late? I don't think so."

"Okay, truck number 2 broke down. Had to find a new tractor unit quick, and you know with the other vendors, we're short on trucks at the moment. Took us some time."

The Baron did not reply, but grunted. "I hope we're ready for grand opening tomorrow."

With that, he turned and left the grounds for breakfast. It was not like he could help build the pavilion anyway.

After breakfast, the Baron returned, pleased to see progress was going along fine. The foundation was well done, and already the marble flooring was beginning to be installed. Mounted on concrete slabs, the marble tiles themselves were stuck onto the slabs long beforehand to save time, and now the slabs fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. The walls too received a similar treatment, having all been lavishly decorated and smothered in gold foil in places. They would all ensure that hopefully the stall would be done on time. It was after all in the great Nordic tradition of flat-pack furniture, only done on a much larger scale. So far, it was great being the official Rombergian representative to the festival.

Retiring into his hotel room for the rest of the morning, the Baron however did not waste much more time. He did a final run through of what the Rombergian delegation and various acts would do, then quickly checked his family portfolio. As investors and landowners, there was after all a substantial personal fortune to take care of. After this, official business would occupy most of the day.

With a hearty lunch down his throat, notably not washed down with potentially impairing alcohol, now the Baron returned to the grounds for the third time. Having a personal driver, it was not too much of a hassle in the first place.

Quickly patting himself down in an attempt to make himself even more presentable than he was, the Baron now quickly looked through his briefcase to get the items that were missing. No wonder he felt slightly uncomfortable-maybe naked even. Two lapel pins they were, the marks of who he was. One, of his coat of arms, a proud show of his heritage; two, the green bordered black cross pattee that showed his status as a Rombergian official. With the pins smartly worn on, he then approached the organizer siblings.

"Franz Freiherr von Tserdynov. You can call me Mr Tserdynov or Baron Tserdynov or just Franz. On behalf of the Rombergian Union of Breweries, thank you for allowing us to once again return for this occasion. Ms Thorvaldsen sends her regards, as do the Kaiser." He then shook both of their hands.

by **Racao** » Fri Oct 02, 2015 7:45 pm

Rum - not exactly the most common offering at a festival dedicated to beer. Yet the Mabaya Maharania Distillery hoped to carve themselves out a niche in the world of alcoholic beverages - the world of rum. And where better to try it out than the world's premier locality for the tasting and judging of beer (mostly) and spirits? The Distillery, when it used to be Dukedom Drinks, had won with its Light Rum at the last Brew Festival; it intends to do so again this year, although the competition is a little more substantial than last year.

It should be more exciting this year, too, as the Distillery has expanded to provide some cocktails and Racaoan street food and dishes, as enumerated on the menu below:

MENU - MABAYA MAHARANIA DISTILLERY
Drinks
Mabaya Maharania Brand Gold Rum: Gold rums, also known as amber rums, are medium-bodied, aged rums. They get their name from their distinctive gold color. These rums have more flavor and are stronger-tasting than light rum. Gold rums are medium-way between light rums and darker rums.

Voaniho - Voaniho is a traditional Racaoan beverage, distilled in the mountains and valleys of Racao for centuries. Made from coconut milk and water, 'voaniho' means 'coconut' in Racaoan, because of its main ingredient. Coconuts are crushed into coconut milk in special presses and then fermented in special cellars in oak barrels, giving it a slightly woody taste. Overall, this beverage's taste is sweet.

Used in cocktails:
Mabaya Maharania Light Rum: Light rums have a flavor of general sweetness. They are also known as silver or white rum. The milder flavors of this type of rum mean it is used in mixed drinks more often than drinking straight. The Mabaya Maharanian brand is named after a Racaoan pirate, one of the most famous female pirates in history. This brand's name is a synonym for quality: from the farm-grown sugar cane to the molasses to the oak barrels that it is aged in. AVBF 3 Gold Medal winner.

Cocktails:
Cuba Libre - The classic rum and coke
Fitiavana - A word for "passion" in Racaoan, a cocktail of rum and Dukedom Drinks' famous Racao blend of tropical juices
Tsarovy - A word for "to remember" in Racao, this drink consists of rum and an infusion of vanilla and dark chocolate bitters

Street Food
Tsakitsaky - Racaoan snacks for those who need a quick snack, they include pan-fried peanuts, roasted peanuts, sweet loquat paste wrapped in banana leaves, mofa gasy (fried doughnuts), kaka pizon (deep-fried wonton-like strips), banana fritters, savory fritters of greens and pork
Koba - A famous Racaoan sweet made of a batter of peanuts and brown sugar then wrapped in banana leaves, caramelized, and sliced thinly
Guava/passion fruit pieces

Rice dishes
A laoka (accompaniment) served on rice:
Pork cooked with groundnut
Beef cooked with groundnut
Fish cooked with groundnut
Groundnut, peanut, cassava, banana cooked with garlic and onions

A further consolidation of Racaoan presence at the festival include the Racaoan rugby team taking part in the rugby sevens games and the musical group Fitarihana, translating to "influences," which seeks to blend traditional Racaon influences and modern English and French influences. While one member of the group uses a modern electric guitar, another uses the traditional valiha. A lot of the lyrical influences of Fitarihana take from the polyharmonic traditions of Racao, while the musical influences take their forms from both Racaoan playing styles and modern forms such as rock. The vocals include call-and-response music in traditional Racaoan style, while the music is fast-paced and including the guitar and drum influences.

by **Neu Engollon** » Sat Oct 03, 2015 10:14 am

OUTSIDE THE TICKET BOX/ORGANIZER OFFICES
CONFEDERACY PARK

"Can you stop here by the organisers gate, please?" The Auroran woman spoke to the driver, while waving a paper at him.

The bus driver sighed as he eased on the brakes. For him, it had already begun a couple days ago. Foreign tourists, more than usual anyway, making demands and unscheduled stops. The designated stop with sign was just a half block further up, but he stopped here.
“Yer know, lady, that the Fest doesn’t start till tomorrow, right? I mean, if you’re just buying tickets, great, but, aw...whadda I care? Hop on off.” He opened the door and let Penny off the bus.

As she came up to the ticket box window, to the left of the door leading to the organizers’ offices, a bored looking young girl put her phone down and tried to attempt a smile.
“Uh, hey...We’re almost out of three day passes, but if…”

Just then, the door burst open and an older woman rushed out.
“Penny? Penny Snyder?...Oh, I don’t mean to frighten you. I just...we’re big, BIG fans! The whole band! I’m Helena Germutler, lead singer of Alpen Volken Circle...Yeah...You’ve probably never heard of us. Anyway, we got a demo of yours and loved it…”

The girl in the ticket box office window lost interest within a second, half turning and picking her smart phone back up and clacking away. Other potential patrons tapped on the box office window to try to get her attention.

“...I’m helping out Erica with the entertainer organizing. Yeah, that Erica. Erica Toft…” She led Penny in, grabbing some of her gear for her. They walked past the box office down a hallway towards the back offices. Helena dropped her voice a bit, “Listen, don’t believe everything you hear about the Tofts being snooty, hoity toity rich jerks. Just because their family controls, well...almost everything...I mean, Erica and David are so down to earth, really.”

They had come out a door that opened out onto the grounds. It was quite a site as the finishing touches were being put on the Astybev Pavilion and a lot of the tents were already set up.
“I just can’t believe I’m standing next to Penny Snyder!”

Suddenly, a very burly, smelly, dirty man blocked their view of the Pavilion.
He was wearing rags serving as a sort of shirt, sweat pants that seemed loose and stain colored with little holes all over, and a long, tangled, scraggly brown beard to match his matted long hair. He held a 22oz bottle of BB Chateaux in one hand, and part of the reek was from beer, despite the early morning hour.
“Hu. Ye non’t wanna oogly hunziga like dis paradin’ ya round. Whuuzz yer name? Wendy Shniper? Wendeee, I’ll give ya tour round de grounds...Den me pad. I treeet ya oop reeeal nice like. Yer a fine lookin’ wohmon! Lemme show yerz round Burgunden.”

“Fuck off, Hoppy!” Helena spat out in disgust.

EAST END OF CONFEDERACY PARK
NEAR THE ROMBERGIAN TENT

David had managed to dodge Hoppy, not aware of where he’d gone off to, but not caring either, as long as he didn’t come back. His sister, Erica, had peeked over the Mabaya Maharahina tent setting up, very curious as to the Racaons, who were not quite new (having been to the previous Fest as Dukedom Drinks), but taking a fresh approach this year. They met back up at the Southeast corner of the main grounds, away from where Hoppy was prowling the box office area on the West end.

Erica smirked, holding back a full guffaw, as she looked at David.

David brushed himself off.
“I lost a good coffee, but it was worth it. I just can’t deal with Jensen this early in the morning. It’s a wonder he’s even up, but more likely he didn’t go back to bed.”

“Shouldn’t he be helping to set up the BB tent?”

“You know him, he views everyone as his minions. They don’t need his ‘supervision’. They’re better off if he stays away…”

Just then, a stately dressed man approached them. They weren’t nervous, as long as it wasn’t Hoppy. Everyone on the grounds theoretically had a pass to be there, Jensen included. A spark of faint recognition hit David, as he usually looked up pictures of all their incoming VIPs for every festival, just as he tended to do research on business associates for his regular job as CEO of AstyBev.

“Franz Freiherr von Tserdynov. You can call me Mr Tserdynov or Baron Tserdynov or just Franz. On behalf of the Rombergian Union of Breweries, thank you for allowing us to once again return for this occasion. Ms Thorvaldsen sends her regards, as do the Kaiser." He shook their hands and David and Erica both gave a slight bow, as well.

“Our regards back to the Kaiser and Ms. Thorvaldsen, Baron.” Erica said quickly, knowing that David would want to have more than a few words with the Rombergian Baron.

“Baron Tserdynov, a pleasure indeed. I was looking forward to meeting you. I’m David Toft, but I think you know that, and this is my sister Erica. We’re the organizers for the event, but in our daily lives, I serve as CEO for AstyBev and Erica runs our traditional family business, Burgunden Breueries, which is also partnered with, and the major distributed brand for AstyBev. I did want to talk to you a bit more indepth about a couple items. One, pyrotechnics, and two, possible volume level issues with your folks’ tent this year. I’m not trying to be negative, but rather it sounds exciting and I just want to be sure that it can be fully enjoyed without disturbing the other brewer and vendor tents...And, well, the fire safety issues…”

5 MILE RADIUS SURROUNDING CONFEDERACY PARK, BURGUNDEN

Security preparations and patrols continued to be under way by the joint task force whose job was to make sure that the Festival went as smoothly as possible from a security standpoint. The task force was headed by Deputy Commissioner Isolde Reinstahl, who had risen up the ranks as a seasoned Pine Park agent. Pine Park was the headquarters of the National Gendarmes, but it also served as the semi-official name of the CID (Criminal Investigative Division) branch of the Gendarmes, whose duties included Major crimes, counter intelligence, and counter terrorism, among many. They were most likened to the equivalent of the U.S.’s FBI, or the UK’s MI5. Pine Park had the most personnel assigned to the security task force for the AVBF, but they also shared the duty with their regular National Gendarme counterparts, The Burgunden Metropolitan Police Department, and a full Battalion of the NEDM-DGC. The most elite branch of the Neu Engollon Defense Militia (Neu Engollon’s ground forces), the Diplomatic Guard Corps was tasked with protecting and counteracting threats to all citizens of the Confederacy, both at home and abroad, from the most basic citizen all the way up to the Federal Council President, currently Brigitte Garavano. They were also the force that guarded all of Neu Engollon’s overseas embassies, and were currently helping the forces of the Scottopian Isles and the Blackhelm Confederacy in rescuing Astyrian foreigners from war torn Ala Moana, as well as enforcing peacekeeping duties there.

In their capacity for Festival security, the DGC would form the bulk of a quick reaction force should any unforeseen hostiles attack it, or strike at any part of the city during the AVBF. They were also, along with Pine Park Tactical Field Squads, deploying counter-sniper teams to all the tops of Burgunden’s skyscrapers in a five mile radius around Confederacy Park.

Lastly, NESA (Neu Engollon Security Agency) agents worked with their internal counterparts to pinpoint and determine what possible foreign threats might be trying to enter the Confederacy through all the ports and border regions. They had their eyes on all known Astyrian groups such as the ALA (Astyrian Liberation Army), the GGA (God's Glisandian Army), Moanan drug gang thugs, Insula Feran pirates and rebel groups, RLO agents (The secret police of the Yellow Star Republic), and Casegenian agents, as well as groups and hostile agencies outside the region. The neutral nation didn't have really any known enemies outside the region, but visiting dignitaries from around the world would make a pretty target for any International group hoping to make a statement.

In the days leading up, Pine Park teams, led by Burgunden PD detectives, had investigated every vacant office and floor in those buildings, along with warehouses and other structures in the area, as well as randomly checking other businesses and residential areas. Some people cried that it infringed on their rights, but the Federal Supreme Court had signed special multi-use warrants that allowed them to use any means necessary to secure Burgunden.

One week before the Festival, Burgunden PD/Pine Park teams had raided all known organized crime spots and headquarters, most of them located on the seedier side of East Burgunden and filled up paddy wagon after paddy wagon with kingpins and mob foot soldiers. While most would be free within 48 hours, it was more of a message from the Minister of Justice: ‘We can nab you anytime we want, for any reason we want - don’t fuck with the festival!’

Similarly, hate groups, particularly an emerging loose confederation of skinhead gangs that affiliated themselves with the GGA (God’s Glisandian Army - A Christian fanatical terrorist group in Northern Lorecia in Astyria) were targeted by law enforcement’s counter terror and crime sweeps. The sweeps of the NE-GGA groups turned up several suspects in recent hate crimes across northern Neu Engollon. While some freedoms were being lost to Confederacy citizens in the weeks leading up to the AVBF, it was deemed a small price to pay in order to ensure the growing International profile of Neu Engollon in the world, and forestall any catastrophic event that would derail the Festival.

On the eve of opening day of the AVBF, all teams were in place and patrols were constantly roaming. Nothing was being left to chance to jeopardize the Confederacy or the Festival.

by **Aurora Confederacy** » Sat Oct 03, 2015 11:18 am

As the bus stops, Penny thanks the driver and gives him a wink before climbing down the steps to the groun and instantly getting accosted by fans! what a start to a festival! With this she gives a happy smile when she addresses them "I suppose you want an autograph, but ya got a camera or phone?" she asks then turns to one of the other band members, "take a group shot of us all to keep the fans happy, and before y'ask no i don't charge for autographs either thats just wrong" as she puts her chrome arm around one of the group and her natural fleshy arm around another menmber of the party, candidly doing a rabbit ear gesture with her fingers! Turning to Helena, she smiles, "cant say I have heard of ya but the charts back home are a mixed bag with more than its fair share of overseas and domestic music, I'll have to look you up" her smiles didn't last long and vanished when Hoppy came towards her and started to ogle her. His tone however was seen as somewhat worse than disgusting, down right rude and offencive, and so to him, she was a little curt, "I DO NOT NEED YOUR HELP!" With Hoppy out of the way she turns to Helena, "who was he?"

Walking down the corridor, amps being pushed along nicely and the keytar suspended nicely by its strap over Penny's shoulder, "so, you guys staying local or what?" she asks Helena, as she points to a space, "put those there please" gesturing to where she wants her amps put for safe storage, "ya sure this is gonna be safe for the next few days Helena?" she asks looking over her shoulder to see if Hoppy is following as Penny seems to have a suspicion of him, his attitude just makes her a little uncomfortable.

Once everything is secure, Penny makes her way back to the pavilion, she plans to get some views of the pavilion and to find her guest musicians who were not on the plane area, following Helena and the band in the hope that she will be able to get a tour of the show however she plans on remaining relatively sober, after all, artificial legs and an artificial arm mean less blood in her body and so she gets drunk easier though that isn't to say she wont have a drink or 2, or 3, though she has no plans to end up like the plane load of festival goers that she travelled down with, or for that matter Hoppy.

At that point, her phone rang so Penny taps the screen on her arm and begins a conversation through a bluetooth ear piece.
"haaaaay Evan, Where's y'at?.....
...yes.....
....cool, ya got a good view?....
Anyway, cant stay long babes, I gotta go as this is costing ya a fortune, I'll call later on, byeeee"

At which point she taps the screen again and ends the call and takes the ear piece off, placing it in a pocket and heads off to get some food.

by **Neu Engollon** » Sat Oct 03, 2015 3:03 pm

APPROACHING THE MAIN STAGE AREA

Penny Snyder shouted at Hoppy, "I DO NOT NEED YOUR HELP!"

Jensen shrugged and belched. He was obviously a man used to being rejected. He took a chug of his bottle and let tumble out of his mouth:
"Whatevah...Yer loss, hunziga." His eyes glazed over and just as quickly mentally dismissed the women as he had taken notice of them. Well, Penny anyway. He stumbled off in search of other activities, people or a restroom. It was tough to discern.

With Hoppy out of the way she turns to Helena, "Who was he?"

Helena frowned.
"Well...You just met the Head Master Brewer of all Burgunden Breueries, Hoppy Jensen. Probably also the foulest man...if you can even call him of the human species...in all of Neu Engollon. I mean...think of the money he makes in his top position with a company like that, and that's how he chooses to live and present himself. You did the right thing in telling him off like that. I'm part of a lobby that has been trying to get him banned from attending the Festivals. Every year we lose on that proposition. Anyway, also, don't let anyone call you that 'H' word. It's Frandit for 'bitch', or worse really."

"So, you guys staying local or what?" Penny asked Helena.

"We're staying with some friends in Northern Burgunden, yes. In the Publishing District. They make room for us every year, it's so nice. Did you get a hotel room? Where?"

Penny points an assistant Festival staffer that had appeared, to a space, "Put those there, please.", gesturing to where she wants her amps put for safe storage. The Festival staffer paused in confusion and looked at Helena.
"Ya sure this is gonna be safe for the next few days, Helena?" Penny asks, looking over her shoulder to see if Hoppy is following as she seems to have a suspicion of him, his attitude just makes her a little uncomfortable.

"Oh, um...No, actually, we have a set up. She nods to the burly young male staffer, who waves for help for the amps from his friends. They wheel them up to the stage area, then lift up the black burlap fabric to expose cages underneath. He puts a master key in one lock on a door of a cage that is empty, with the name 'Penny Snyder #8' on duct tape on the door. And they start to put all the amps and gear in there.
Helena continues, pointing to the cage,
"That's actually where your gear will be stored until you need it. These cages are all around the circumference of the Legion Corp Main stage for all the entertainers. And he'll..."

The staffer walked up and pressed a #8 key that was in the lock to the Snyder cage into Penny's hand. Helena nodded.

"...give you the key to your cage so you can access your gear anytime you need. That's how we deal with that. Any time you need help for moving your gear or any Main Stage stuff, just grab one of these guys in the neon green vests. Not the orange vest guys, those are the staffers that deal with the general attendees...but the green vest people. I'm an old hand at this as our band has been at every Festival since the first one. Well, I'm sure you need to still get settled and I need to help some other arriving performers, so...Bon magen and bon forcha to you! Not that you need it, Penny. Nice meeting you."
With that, and a quick handshake, Helena was off to take care of other matters in assistance to Erica Toft, who seemed to be attending to other matters herself.

by **Romberg** » Sat Oct 03, 2015 4:25 pm

“Baron Tserdynov, a pleasure indeed. I was looking forward to meeting you. I’m David Toft, but I think you know that, and this is my sister Erica. We’re the organizers for the event, but in our daily lives, I serve as CEO for AstyBev and Erica runs our traditional family business, Burgunden Breueries, which is also partnered with, and the major distributed brand for AstyBev. I did want to talk to you a bit more indepth about a couple items. One, pyrotechnics, and two, possible volume level issues with your folks’ tent this year. I’m not trying to be negative, but rather it sounds exciting and I just want to be sure that it can be fully enjoyed without disturbing the other brewer and vendor tents...And, well, the fire safety issues…”

"Yes, certainly, although I'd like to point out that since we've decided to use a new theme this year, we're not using any pyrotechnics - no fireworks, not even any incendiary equipment, so you can be assured of that - and that means the fire risk would be lower. Even then, we've made it so that the windows are easily detachable to provide additional escape routes in a fire. Although you're right about the voiume issue. We're hoping to turn our stall into a pop up nightclub at night, so that might be an issue. We've added extra soundproof material hidden inside our walls, but I understand that there may still be an issue, but honestly I don't think the best solution would be to turn the volume down too much as it'd dampen the mood. Maybe we shut everything down latest 1.30 am? But in any case, good luck to your family business. Though I'd be wishing all the best for ourselves. We're sorta competitors after all." he joked mildly, still aware that they were talking business.

by **Nova Anglicana** » Sun Oct 04, 2015 1:50 pm

On one side of the Lion Brewing Company booth, a large display was posted.

Lion Brewing Company

Beverages

1 FREE 3 oz. sample per person, larger sizes for purchase (all prices NSD): 1/2 Pints (8 oz) $3, 12 oz. $4.50, Pints (16 oz) $6, 32 oz. Growler $10 + $3 deposit, 64 oz. Growler $16 + $3 deposit, Growler Refill $6/9

Corner Pub ESB, 5% - Lion goes back to Nova Anglicana's English roots with this Extra Strong Bitter that delicately balances hops and malts; served a little warmer than normal for that real English pub experience

Hunter's Pale Ale, 5.9% - Dark gold and full-bodied, with a hoppy nose and assertive-but-balanced flavors of pale malts and citrusy floral hops from start to finish.

Elder Statesman Rye, 6.3% - this beer is a nod to outgoing Prime Minister Allen Mumford, who was fond of rye beers. Some might call it a bit strong, while others will say the sour rye is just how a beer ought to taste.

Lion Stout, 8.8% - The dark caramel, large dense headed brew, with its 8.8% alcoholic content, is unique due to its sweet notes of chocolate and coffee interspersed into a foundation of dark roasted barley

Löwe Kolsch, 4.5% - Lion's take on this interesting style from Köln, Löwe is extra gold, extra cold, and perfect for a warm summer's day. Slightly fruity and slightly dry.

High Ridge Framboise Lambic, 4.1% - A fruity lambic beer made with raspberries picked directly from Nova Scotia, High Ridge balances the sweetness of a lambic with the tartness of raspberries for an excellent drinking experience

Lion Lager, 4.8% - Golden roasted malt in colour with a hint of fruit and caramel flavouring, it is very slightly sweet with less hop notes, good for thirsty workers at the end of a long day, the flagship beer of the brewery

Octoberfest Märzen, 5.5% - This is a new offering from Lion, a dark, coppery beer with a full-bodied taste and hints of hops, always served in the traditional Octoberfest Maßkrug

Windfall Cyser, 12.5% - A new offering from Lion, Windfall combines delicious Nova Anglican apples with Newfoundland honey for a twist on a traditional hard cider. Sweet but spicy, with floral notes, honey, and apple throughout, it works very well on its own or paired with hearty, savory fare to balance the sweetness.

Cyser Prices: 6 oz $6, 12 oz bottles $11

Good Old Hooch, 25% - Good Old Hooch is Liqueur de la Mures de la Marais in French, or chicoutai in First Nations parlance, a sweet liqueur made from cloudberries, a type of wild raspberry.

Chicoutai Prices: $3 shots, Clover Leaf cocktails $7, fifth $25, liter $35

Food (Provided by Bacalao of Londinium)

Note: Samples of everything are available

House-recipe chips plate - $4

Jiggs' Dinner rolls - Traditional Newfoundland dish of corned beef and cabbage wrapped up in a soft bread roll with a mustard pickle on the side, $4 individual, 3 for $10

Cod tongues - A Newfoundland delicacy seasoned, floured and flash deep-fried, they are crispy, tender and light, $8

Charcuterie plate - A delicious offering of smoked game meats and cheeses that comes in several varieties. Mix and match 3 of duck terrine, moose sausage, smoked partridge or pheasant breast, elk or venison jerky, and pork liver paté. Pick two cheeses (Brie, Camembert, Roquefort, Havarti, Gouda, Jarlsberg, Gruyére, Cheddar, Monterey Jack) Served with house-made sweet and hot brown mustard, $20

Bacalao with braised pork belly - Olive-oil poached, house-cured/salted Fogo cod with house-smoked crispy braised local pork belly and coffee-mango BBQ sauce, $18

by **Scottopian Isles** » Sun Oct 04, 2015 11:07 pm

Markus Anderson, CEO of SIAT stood upon the stage of his tent at the AVBF and looked out to the crowd that had begun to form. Individuals the world over with drinks in hand had heard of rumors to be near the tent at this time. Away it goes...

"Hey brewery enthusiasts, welcome to the 2015 Alpen View Brew Festival hosted by the magnificent city of Burgunden! We here at Scottopian Isles Automotive Technology are excited to be a sponsor of this grand event and to show it, we want to see 3 lucky participants leave here with a brand new 2016 model car, in your choice of colour, delivered to your personal address, in any country, courtesy of SIAT!....

...Our first prize giveaway of the AVBF is a 2016 California SS model. First guest to RP their experience at the event & our answer the following question at our tent wins this lovely vehicle:

SS stands for Super Sport, which was a concept used by the American company, Chevrolet. What was the first model to be distinguished SS & in what year?"

The crowd turned into a garble of shouts & yells when people found out a California SS could be theirs. Markus Anderson heard the right answer, so he thought & looked to find the winner to bring them on stage.

by **Neu Engollon** » Sun Oct 04, 2015 11:33 pm

CONFEDERACY PARK

"Yes, certainly, although I'd like to point out that since we've decided to use a new theme this year, we're not using any pyrotechnics - no fireworks, not even any incendiary equipment, so you can be assured of that - and that means the fire risk would be lower. Even then, we've made it so that the windows are easily detachable to provide additional escape routes in a fire. Although you're right about the voiume issue. We're hoping to turn our stall into a pop up nightclub at night, so that might be an issue. We've added extra soundproof material hidden inside our walls, but I understand that there may still be an issue, but honestly I don't think the best solution would be to turn the volume down too much as it'd dampen the mood. Maybe we shut everything down latest 1.30 am? But in any case, good luck to your family business. Though I'd be wishing all the best for ourselves. We're sorta competitors after all." The Baron joked mildly.

David spread his hands,
"Well, yes, to a degree, we're competitors. My father, and his, and many generations of Tofts, always believed that we had a duty to bring the industry up as a whole. To support each other in making good quality beer and beverages, to rise above those who always put quantity and coin before quality. That's what this Festival is about. Recognizing that we're in a brotherhood of beverage makers, Baron...
Now...I must have read an old application of yours about the pyrotechnics, or maybe it was the mass amount of electricity. I don’t know. The volume, it’s not a timing issue. We will have DJs and entertainers on the stages non stop till we get everyone out the gates every night. So, yes, it’s more of just insulating the sound, which is the best option. I will send some of the tech crew for the Main stage over to work with your people on how to best enhance your tent’s experience, but also keep it from interfering with the stages.”

0955 AM DAY ONE
(Previous to the SIAT CEO's announcement)

Some hours later, after David and the Baron's talk, and the tents were finished, it was time. The final touches were in place and the tickets for the day were almost sold out. There was a flood of people at the gates, and more expected later and throughout the day. Some wanted to be there early for the special varieties of beverages the brewers and distillers might have on hand. Especially the foreign ones, who would not be able to replenish such kegs and barrels. Once it was gone, it was gone, and the fact that they might be one of the lucky few to taste these limited batches was very exciting for some folks.

Some people were interested in that, getting some beverage tasting in, then heading back out onto the Burgunden streets, or even going home. They were prepared to come back with wristbands to catch the later acts, Penny Snyder, the Serene Orchestra and Ballet, the Frigid Mares, Vechirek and ultimately, the Backpack Saints, the Nova Anglicanan rock act. All that though was hours away.

For now, the gates opened. Security made sure there wasn’t a stampede. They checked bags and did other random checks. Oddly, a sword and a paddle were confiscated. Not much else was caught, and people were in a good jovial mood. They spread out, eyeing all the tents and getting a feel for the grounds.

David and Erica gathered with some of the other Neu Engollian dignitaries and business executives in attendance. They had dropped their stuff off upstairs on the upper floor of the Pavilion before coming down to help kick off the festivities.

Meanwhile, four men brought out the Alpenhorn, setting it up in the ground between the AstyBev Pavilion and the Legion Corp Main Stage. Festival staffers in orange vests encouraged people to gather round and helped to hype them.

Minister Kozic waved.
“Hello, if you could all gather in...Gather round. My name is Rosette Kozic, and I’m the Minister of Culture and Tourism for the Confederacy. So, yes, we have some traditions that are performed to kick off every Festival.” She pointed to the horn.
“...Please give a hand to Hans Toft, or ‘Uncle Hans’, who will do the honors.”

David watched as his great uncle entered in on a scooter adorned with mugs and flags and other crazy Neu Engollian paraphernalia. An explosion of purple, crimson and gold slowly entering in on rubber wheels with an electronic whirring hum. Uncle Hans himself was definitely looking his age. Deep wrinkles divided his face and his loose, crinkled parchment skin was visible through his outfit. He wore his Lederhosen and Tyrolean hat, also in the Neu Engollian colors. Sparkling eyes beamed out from heavy lids and took it all in.

Waving to people in a very slow manner that was an indication of his mobility. Were he to try to walk up to the horn from the organizers office under his own power, they might well be waiting until darkness and the Festival goers were exiting the grounds.
Finally, he pulled up level with the horn and with assistance, he limbered off the scooter. He looked around, breathing heavier until he gripped the horn and gave it a blow.

MMMAAAAAAAARRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

He stopped, finally too purple in the face to go on and the assistant caught him as he fell back, exhausted. David and Erica rushed over to make sure Hans was ok. Once reassured and Hans was settled back onto the seat of the scooter, they gave thumbs up.

Minister Kozic smiled as Hans wheeled off in a circle back to the way he had entered. The scooter wobbled and swerved, nearly running over one bystander’s foot before straightening out and heading out the gate. She put a bullhorn up to her mouth.
“A delight every year. Thank you all for attending our wonderful Festival. This is my first Festival in this position, taking over this year from the very able Franz Toft, whose niece and nephew are here as the major organizers. To you that have returned, thank you. To those new attendees that have never made it up to this part of the country, or this part of the region, or to Astyria, we welcome you as well. It is a pleasure to have you here on this grounds, no matter what route you had to take to get here. We are grateful. We have lots of events coming up and I won’t take up much more of your time as I’m sure that you all want to get your first beers, beverages and noshes and take part in the festivities. Thank you. Dankmerz! and Provici!”

“PROVICI!” Many voices rose up to answer the toasting call. David clapped as he stepped up to take the bullhorn.
“Thank you, Minister Kozic. Hello everyone, I’m David Toft, one of the organizers with my sister, Erica, over there. Wave, Erica! Thank you all for coming. As you may or may not know, our family has been involved with this Festival from its inception, and we are also very involved in promoting the rich brewing industry and culture throughout the Confederacy, the Mederano Peninsula, and Astyria, as well as around the world. This is one of the most major ways we do that every year. As well, a jury of peers from around the world signs on to help recognize the rising stars in the brewing world and acknowledge the hard, incredible work done by the Brew and Still Masters that bring us this plethora of beverages that we can enjoy on many levels. Accorzu...Okay...I will stop waxing on. Erica, anything to add?”

The attractive redheaded woman shook her head and put out a dismissive wave, “Let’s just do this!”
David nodded bringing the bullhorn down from his lips. He looked at one of the staffers that radioed on to someone out of view around the gates.
Suddenly, loud brass horns and all other forms of cacaphonic music started to build, from a distance, but growing closer. The first clowns and ridiculously dressed denizens broke from beyond the gates where Uncle Hans had disappeared off into. Some were dressed as traditional clowns and jesters, some were just outright idiotic, like a woman wearing her underwear on the outside of her clothes. They moved at different paces, some trotting, some shuffling, some cartwheeling and some wandering in circles. They started to mob the closest guests, pulling them to get them to join the bizarre parade. When many refused, that earned a tweak of the nose, a batting of caps or a pinch and a raspberry in the face. The music continued to build, a familiar tune was taking shape out of the din...

by **Scottopian Isles** » Mon Oct 05, 2015 12:23 am

The Royal Scottopia Brew & Malt Co. Is pleased to be a part of the 4th Annual Alpen View Brew Festival on our own 300th Anniversary. To celebrate & compete we have brought with us 3 beers & 3 liquors for the competition. They are as followed:

Wheat/Weisse:
Rays of Richie - Made from the grains from the sun soaked plains & fields of Glenbrae, Richie in South Scottopia. Aged in former wine barrels, this wheaty beer has a sweetness to appease with a ABV of 6.3% and a low IBU of 45.

Lagers:
Surfrider Lager - A smooth refreshing lager fermented and aged for weeks at cold tempetures to bring out the delicate, spicy & hoppy aroma. This malty beer sets a standard with a ABV of 7.5% and a IBU of 75.

Other/Experimental Beers:
Hemp Ale - This famous Scottopian brown beer, illegal in some countries due to misunderstanding, is brewed using roasted hemp seeds that bring a unique & earthly, herb accented flavor with a ABV of 8.7% and a high IBU of 90.

Whiskey/Scotches:
Royal Scottopia Whiskey - Celebrating its own 300th anniversary this year, our famous Royal Scottopia Whiskey, the flagship of the company, was ordered to be created by King Callum as a way to celebrate the Kingdoms centinial anniversary. The recipe has never been changed in all these times and is a coveted gift for foreigners visiting the Royal CommonWealth. The one that started it all has a ABV of 60% and is 120 Proof.

Rums:
Sweet Spice - Our version of the popular drink is made with 17 herbs & spices found nowhere else but in the Scottopian Isles. Infact, all spices are not found on every island and need to be located and transported before brewing, which brings a cultural significance to this drink. With a ABV of 40% and a 80 Proof.

Tequilas:
San Joaquin Tequila - An ode to our San Joaquin Valley allies, this drink was made as a gift to the Royal CommonWealth government by the people of the Valley Republic upon their independance. Upon arrival upon the islands, the smooth yet strong drinks flavor & popularity took off and the creators of the beverage were brought in to replicate the drink for our own citizens. Its ABV is 35% and is 70 Proof

Upon entering the Royal Scottopia tent you will be asked if you prefer the standing room or a seated dinning area, before having your picture taken & your own personal "BrewBook" or a Beer Passport. Receive a stamp for each Scottopian product you enjoy aswell as to collect stamps from other international vendors here at the AVBF.

With the BrewBooks in the Royal Scottopian tent are permitted to enjoy a 3oz taster of each of our 3 competition beers and an 1oz shot of your choice of competition liquor per day of the event. All non-competiton brands & cocktails do not qualify for the taster promotion & must be paid for separately at their set prices.

Patrons of the event who are willing to dine within the confines of the Royal Scottopian tent will be given a choice of 1 of 3 meals representing the Scottoian Isles. Each are NS$10 & if you try all 3, a 2 free drinks of your choice awaits you.

Meal #1 - Haggis, Neeps & Tatties
Brought along with the Scottish settlers to the Scottopian Isles, the dishes ingrediants are sheep's pluck, minced with onion, oatmeal & various spices. Served with neeps, which are turnips along with tatties, which are potatoes. Both the neeps & tatties will be mashed. Goes well with any of our fine beers or glass of Royal Scottopia Whiskey.

Meal #2 - Fish/Sausage Supper
A typical Fish & Chips or Sausage & Chips as if served on the streets of Urquhart itself. The fish is Southern Cod, freshly caught in the Scottopian Straits then prepared by our chefs & cooks before being deepfried in a batter comprised of our very own Surfrider Lager and native spices. Served ontop of a bed of chips with the option of gravy or curry. The sausage is from South Scottopian farm raised beef, all of which located within 50 miles of Urquhart, it is also deepfried in the batter. Both dishes come with a pickled onion & salad.

Meal #3 - Lau Lau
A traditional native Scottopian food before the onset of Europeans, its preparation consists of a few taro leaves and placing a few pieces of beef, chicken, fish and pork in the center. The food was traditionally made by wrapping the taro leaves in banana leaves before surrounding it by hot rocks & continually exchanging the rocks as they cooled for hotter ones. After time, the Banana leaves are removed leaving the Lau Lau ready to eat. Served with white rice & macaroni salad. [/i]

by **Romberg** » Mon Oct 05, 2015 3:57 am

The Baron was mildly disappointed at the comment taken rather a bit too literally, but what was said could not be undone. Quickly reflecting, he decided that the comment was indeed unwise, but yet did not seem to have damaged things too much, and thus privately his job should probably still be intact. Perhaps having grown up in luxury and prestige, all this commoner talk was still slightly foreign to him after all even after all these years.

"Certainly, sir. I will have a member of my engineering team send you or your representative the details of our audio systems and a basic wiring plan, so that it can be evaluated and modified as required. Once again, thank you for organising the event, and I wish for a sucessful AVBF."

With that, and with additional pleasantries exchanged, the Baron now returned to view the stall, now almost complete. Already a magnificent dome was attached onto the structure, opening up a second floor that would offer a great view of the grounds below. Here, entrants were allowed to enter for free, although a minimum amount of sobriety must be required and there was a strict limit to the number of people allowed on this platform, as ultimately the entire stall was a temporary structure after all.

Outside, a moderately large coat of arms of the nation was now hoisted up onto the centre of the stall, right above the main door in a recess. This was the centrepiece of the structure. Then, two national flags were raised on the two front corners of the building, and the entire structure was complete.

Inside too, things were going along well. With the help of Engollian sound engineers, the audio system was installed in the form of an army of massive speakers, and a DJ booth was set up in one corner overlooking a dance floor. In the day, tall tables in the style of cocktail parties were set up for revellers to rest their food and drinks on, while at night it would be cleared to turn the place into a nightclub. On the other side, there was a small shop selling ready-made items, including Rombergian souvenirs as well as prepacked food that revellers could take home to cook or eat. And in between the dance floor and the shop was a large open bar, stocked up not only with the various alcohol products that were going to be entered for judging, but also some non-alcoholic products and other non-judged alcoholic items such as previous entries mead and whiskey.

Menu
Snacks and side dishes
Item Price
German style Pretzels NS$ 1.00
German style Sausages (Bratwurst, Bockwurst) NS$ 1.00
Venison sausages NS$ 1.50
(with sausage) Bread roll OR curry sauce add NS$ 0.50
Swedish style meatballs NS$ 1.00 per 5
Charcuterie and cheese OR smoked fish and cold seafood platter NS$ 5.00
Pickles and picked herring selection NS$ 1.00
Lutefisk portion + free akvavit shot NS$ 4.00
Caviar taster NS$ 7.00
Bortsch NS$ 1.00
Pierogi(l) or Pelmeni(s) - mixed meat or potato filling NS$ 2.00 per 5
Main Courses
Item Price
Schnitzel (Veal OR Pork) with french fries NS$ 7.00
Goulash with dumplings NS$ 7.00
Stelze (ham hock) with sauerkraut NS$ 8.00
Wild game (bird) NS$ 7.00
Wild game (mammal) NS$ 8.00
Beef steak NS$ 7.00
Catch of the day (freshly airlifted from Romberg) - grilled or poached NS$ 8.00
Surf & Turf (steak) NS$ 9.00
Surf & Turf (game mammal) NS$ 10.00
Venison burger and fries NS$ 7.00
Fish and chips NS$ 7.00
Drinks
Item Price
Imperial Lager OR Rombergian Ale NS$ 3.00 per pint
Pavlovo Vodka OR Arctic Akvavit NS$ 2.00 per shot OR NS$ 10.00 per 6 shots
Other alcohol only NS$ 2.50 per unit
Cocktails or Shooters NS$ 3.50 per unit
Bottled glacial spring mineral water (with or without gas) NS$ 0.50 per 500 ml bottle
Wild berry and/or elderberry soda NS$1.00 per 500 ml bottle

by **Aurora Confederacy** » Mon Oct 05, 2015 4:40 am

Festival day 1
08:00

After a quiet night at a guest house, one run by a family catering to a few guests rather than by a chain and catering to a few hundred guests, Penny, wearing slashed jeans purchased a couple of days before, and a transparent blue top with modesty pads inlaid between its 2 skins of pvc, makes her way down stairs and out of the hotel, stopping briefly to kiss the hotelier and to slip a cd into his collection behind the counter, she doesn't say anything about it as she closes the door behind her.

As she walks with a briskish pace thanks to her rather expensive cybernetic legs developed by Otto & Rock her walk is relatively un noticeable. Walking through the gate waving her pass at the gate keeper Penny makes her way over to the stage area where she begins to watch the act that is on set though during this time her phone goes off.

"Penny meet you at the pavilion 12:00, Spider" says the person on yhe other end, yes her band has arrived.

Penny is quick to reply
"Spider. Don't forget the Barbo tomorrow"

"okay" he replies then hangs off leaving Penny to.enjoy the show.

(more to come..)

by **Ionicus** » Mon Oct 05, 2015 10:02 am

Day 1
09:30

Tom stood silently in the PAK Automotive booth, one arm propping up his head, the other holding his smartphone as he checked his social media accounts. Everything was set up and ready to go; in thirty minutes he'd be telling everyone not to drive drunk, handing out flyers about drunk driving, and organizing complementary taxi rides to various hotels for those who were too drunk to drive. Now was the calm before the storm, 30 minutes before the doors opened and the general public was allowed within this year's Alpen View Brew Festival. He hoped to himself that nobody who was completely hammered would end up at his booth.

Tom hated dealing with people who were severely drunk. He had only a few experiences dealing with them before. He had no clue how to deal with them, and that always made him feel awkward and out of place.

He checked his watch, inhaled deeply and stood up straightly. He straightened his tie and waited for the day to begin.

by **Smertolina** » Mon Oct 05, 2015 4:43 pm

THE MARCH OF THE MADCAPS

As usual, a number of Smertolinan festivalgoers participated in the highjinks and shenanigans, some of them clad in traditional folk wear: embroidered black, red and white skirts, aprons and blouses for the women and yellow leather trousers, high boots, vests and blouses for the men. They dragged other visitors into the madness, slapping people's bottoms, laughing and singing.

A group of black-robed priests, brothers and sisters of St. Christopher's Canons (whose beers were being sold out of the Iron Eagle/ Smertolinan tourism tent) watched with amusement from what they thought was a safe distance, but several figures in punked-out versions of Smertolinan folk costume crept closer from different directions, using other partiers as cover until they were close enough. At a signal from their leader, they jumped out wearing devil masks and shouted "Hail Satan!"

Some of the religious and others nearby gasped and jumped back (more out of shock at the blasphemy than any real fear of the devil), while others burst out laughing. Father Udo Borya, the Cathedral's brewmaster (who had recently shaved off his long black hair, deciding it was a vanity), recovered himself and, recognizing them, shouted "Vechirek! Darius! God dammit, stop that!" He chased after the cackling pranksters as they dove back into the crowd.

by **Neu Engollon** » Tue Oct 06, 2015 1:18 am

1049 AM DAY ONE
MARCH OF THE MADCAPS
CONFEDERACY PARK

David and Erica Toft stood to the side, a few feet from Ministers Kozic, Koepller, Plemarche, and several other Neu Engollian government officials. As the clowns, jesters, pranksters and band members rolled in, dancing to the music of the Rombergian marching band, they chortled along with the rest. It wasn't unexpected to them or most Festival veterans, but seeing the reactions of first time Festival goers as they were accosted by the Madcaps, and various musicians and staffers was a delight.
David and Erica focused in with a distant view as the monks from Iron Eagle were suddenly caught unawares by the Vechirek pranksters wearing devil masks.
David looked at Erica,
"That was...awesome!"

"It's pretty fun how quick the Smertolinans caught on to the Madcap march."

"Well, they're neighbors after all, with some similar customs. They have a lot in common with the Teutonic Neu Engollians, which is where I believe this whole tradition originated from."

"I think they just like to have fun, like we do. So what's the deal with the free Scottopian cars now?"

"They're free."

"Yeah, I get that...but, what..."

"Freeee carrrzzz."

Erica laughed and lightheartedly punched her brother. He paused, looking at her.
"It's good to see you smiling again."

The grin faded to a smirk.
"The divorce was hard. You know that. Derrin has fought me on everything, and he was the cozzfickin' cheater...and now he's going for full custody of Abrina. But this... helping to organize this has been good for me. Taken a weight off my soul, taken my mind off merd, ya know?"

David nodded.
"I know, sis. Ya know I'm in yer corner. Listen, just to totally change the subject and make it all about me. Ha!...but do you think Baron Tserdynov was upset with me? He seemed...put off."

Erica let out a big sigh and slapped David on the back. She shrugged.
"I dunno...David. You come off a little blunt sometimes, especially with someone of that station."

"What station? You mean his title?"

"Well, yeah. Like most Neu Engollians, we're not used to dealing with royalty and nobility, titles and social rank. It's not part of our egalitarian tradition, not for centuries anyway. Ya know...Dad had a way of figuring out how to coddle royalty just a bit, kiss some ass, same with high end corporate executives. He didn't patronize them, but he sort of gave them their importance, ya know? He still got what he wanted, but gave them what they wanted."

David nodded, trying not to bristle that he wasn't quite measuring up to the business acumen of their father, Jan Toft.
"So what should I do? Apologize? I mean, I wasn't trying to slight him. I was looking out for the other entrants and participants in the Fest."

"No, not really, just...Thank him for his contributions, for their cooperation. Don't stalk him, but just next time you run into him. They really are being very patient with you and working with us. Ya know...The Rombergians have been very big supporters of the Festival for a long time now. They are stalwart backers, you could say. They're not trying to drown out everyone else, they just want to make a statement in true, bold, Rombergian fashion. Is that so wrong?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You're right. As always, Sis."
Just then, a commotion from the back of the Madcaps parade drew theirs and everyone's attention.

A figure with a black hood with eye holes over grimy rags and fur pants cut into shorts ran up from the back, knocking over some of the Rombergian band members and making a ruckus.
"RAAAAAWWWWRRRRR!!!!!"

The troublemaker ran up to some of the clowns and other most egregiously dressed folks, punching them in the back of the head, or just bowling them over so they skidded face first into the dewy, slightly muddy ground.
"PANCAKES!!!" He yelled. (It became obvious that it was a very gruff man from the voice.)

"PANCAKES!!!" He continued to shout as he ran up the line, shoving marchers over, bystanders and participants alike. He threw more punches, knocking more of the Madcaps to the ground then stopped near the juncture of the Main stage.
"Aaaarrrraaaagggghhhhh!!!!...PANCAKES!!"

The black hooded figure ran off between the Lion Brewing and Reiff Breweries tent, cackling and clawing out at anyone foolish enough to remain in his path. The pancake demon high karate kicked one person along the way, knocking them into a crowd of their peers.
As he disappeared, letting out a loud fart before turning the corner, David turned to Erica.
"Fuckin' Hoppy! I think he's finally gone over the line."

Erica nodded, turning slightly ashen.
"Go get him."

[Posted on the Burgunden Breuerie tent, 1 on each side and 1 overhead the main entrance.]

Est. 1578, Burgunden, Zurich Canton, NE

Get yer beer while it lasts!
Only certain sizes offered for certain varieties.
We do accept credit cards, and always cash in Helvetis, but no foreign currency. Please use the exchange located along the west wall of the Pavilion to get Helveti.

64oz Growler filled upon request, only available on certain varieties
Special collecter's addition BB empty growlers available - H$6, or we will refill any standard growler.

BEVERAGE OFFERINGS

LEVEL 1

3oz Samples - H$1
8oz 1/2 pint glasses - H$3
12oz glass - H$4
16oz pints - H$5.5
64oz growler - H$17

CHATEAUX: a light, crisp pilsner

SHADOW SHANDY: a dark malted wheat mixed with lemonade

KRIEG KOLSCH: a light, crisp beer with a light spiced, hoppy aftertaste

LEVEL 2

3oz Samples - H$2
8oz 1/2 pint glasses - H$4
16oz pints - H$6.25
64oz growler - H$20

81 ALE: a hearty, hoppy India pale ale

ROUGE RYE ALE: a robust, amber rye ale

FERME TERRE SAISON: a creamy, but light Belgian farm style ale

GRANPAPPY'S GRÜIT: a rich and teasing to the senses ale, brewed from an ancient recipe. It uses a variety of floral and herbal spices throughout the brewing process

LEVEL 3

SCHIELE STOUT: a thick, dark malted stout - 3oz H$3, 16oz H$7, no growlers

BERRY LAMBIC: a fruity, syrupy dessert lambic - 3oz H$3, 8oz H$4.5, no growlers

LEVEL 4

243 ALE(12% ABV) 81 Ale with twice the wallop! Potent stuff - 3oz H$3, 12oz H$7, no growlers

FERME HADES(8.8% ABV) Double the earthiness of Ferme Terre, a third more alcohol - 3oz H$3, 12oz H$6, no growlers

CRIMSON RYE(10.9% ABV) The triple rye - 3oz H$3, 12oz H$6, no growlers

FOOD OFFERINGS

Meatballs! - 3 large meatballs, with choice of special herb tomato sauce or tangy curry bbq sauce - H$3

Roclettes - baby red potatoes, pickled veggies, with a gruyere cheese sauce melted on top - H$4, add bacon chunks - H$1.25

'SWAG' OFFERINGS

BB logo T shirt - H$9; black, white, yellow, purple or red
BB logo ball cap - H$7; black, green, silver, red or blue
BB monogramed cloth tote - H$6; blue, black or white
BB monogramed scally/derby cap - H$15; black, herring bone or tartan weave

by **Aurora Confederacy** » Tue Oct 06, 2015 4:26 am

As the pranksters went about their job of creating mayhem and madness, Penny, stood close to the stage spotted the commotion then calmly moved from the stage area towards the Eagle stand, as she does so Penny finds entertainment in the devilish pranksters. For a moment she ponders then enters the tent,
"Ay'up chick, cast'ne gis a pint please" she asks the voluptuous barmaid points with her cybernetic arm at the Iron Eagle premium beer tap throughout this time she is keeping an eye out for those pranksters.

Once served with her beer Penny heads pack out and around to the store area to check on the kit she has stored before heading back out, sipping the beer as she does, returning to her position at the music stage.

(short post due to being at work)

by **Olwe** » Tue Oct 06, 2015 3:13 pm

Princess Alizee Duvall was representing Wolfman's Bar & Grill, its limited business partner Reiff Breweries and the Olwean government she had been born into for the second year in a row. The Madcaps had caught her off guard the first year, though she had quickly recovered from the initial surprise and even wound up joining in the merriment. This year was no different... except for Hoppy's unexpectedly violent outburst, which caused one of her chefs to go sprawling from a karate kick to the face. "Aurora!" she called. A young girl of about 19 -- similar in age, and physical beauty, to Alizee herself -- snapped to attention from where she was leaning up against the side of the tent in a waitress uniform. The way she carried herself, however, was more indicative of Imperial Guard training than waitressing experience.

Aurora quirked an eyebrow. "Get him," Alizee said, gesturing in the direction of Hoppy's departure. "Use any nonlethal means you have to in order to subdue him, then hand him over to the proper authorities." Neu Engollonian security personnel could probably handle this themselves, but since an Olwean had been injured she wanted an Olwean to get some revenge in.

As Aurora nodded and slipped into the crowd, quickly getting lost among all the other people, Alizee turned her attention to the downed chef. "Let me see," she said, crouching down next to him. Probing his bleeding nose gingerly with her index finger brought forth an unpleasant grinding noise and a yelp of pain. "Broken," she said grimly. "Don't worry, you'll be able to say 'You should see the other guy' and truly mean it once Aurora's done with him." Though she was legitimately a Wolfman's waitress, Aurora was also a master of the Olwean-created martial art norn gurtha... she could easily inflict massive amounts of damage if necessary. She extended her finger again, tapping the chef's nose, and more grinding ensued... however, this sounded different, and soon the nose had reformed from its previous slightly disfigured state and the bleeding had all but stopped. "I'm still not sure we're supposed to use magic here, so just pretend you weren't that badly hurt," she advised.

While all this was going on, other tent workers managed to get a menu up:

Beers

Reiff Stout
Reiff Golden Lager
Reiff Spiced Brew

Other Liquors

Rabid Wombat Moonshine

Food

Pizza by the slice
Buffalo Wings
Plain Fries
Olwean-style (hot seasoned) Fries
German Potato Salad
Lembas
Fried Shrimp
Cajun Fried Shrimp
Alizee's Shrimp Jambalaya
Fish & Chips
Mozzarella Cheesesticks
Nachos Supreme
Bratwurst
Andouille Sausage

by **Smertolina** » Tue Oct 06, 2015 3:15 pm

Inspired by the elaborate displays by Romberg and Nikolia in previous years, the exterior of the "tent" of Smertolina's Iron Eagle Beverages no longer resembled a tent at all, but one of Smertolina's Baroque townhouses, with yellow walls and white framework. Inside, the posts and crossbeams were wound with garlands of wildflowers.

Buxom beermaidens worked the taps and carried food and drinks to and fro, wearing cleavage-exposing versions of folk costume. Taps and kegs took up part of the area, and the grills and food service another part, the smell of grilling kilbasa, garlic, onions and fresh-baked bread wafting out into the festival.

The Smertolinan Ministry of Culture and Tourism had consolidated with Iron Eagle this year, so the inner walls of the tent displayed the sightseeing and cultural opportunites for visitors, from cathedrals to casinos to hot springs to ski resorts. At one end, representatives from St. Christopher's Cathedral sold CDs, devotionals and rosaries. At the other end posed showgirls from Palatz-Cassino.

The Ministry had decided to follow along with other nations' theme of "beer passports and tasting visas", giving out red Smertolinan "passports" that contained a menu and tourism brochure, and stamping "visas" for tasting the beverages entered into competition.

MENU:

BEERS MANUFACTURED OR DISTRIBUTED BY IRON EAGLE BEVERAGES

All Smertolinan brewing begins with Smertolina’s famously soft spring water

Although our commercially produced beers are now made in modern stainless steel tanks, small batches made for tastings like this one are still made the old-fashioned way, in wooden barrels in the brewery’s cellar.

Shadow Valley Pilsner: Golden, with a small, firm, white head, this beer opens with a slight, crisp bite of bitter hoppiness and ends with a lightly malty, almost slightly sweet finish. Gold Medal Winner, AVBF1 & 2; Silver Medal, AVBF3. 3oz Samples - H$1. 8oz 1/2 pint glasses - H$3. 12oz glass - H$4. 16oz pints - H$5.5. 64oz growler - H$17

Blood of the Invader Red Ale: Ruby-red, with a hoppy, fruity, plum-like aroma, a smooth, malty body and a dry finish. Named for the many battles, victories, and losses throughout Smertolina's history. Gold Medal Winner, AVBF2 & AVBF3; Silver Medal, AVBF1: 3oz Samples - H$1. 8oz 1/2 pint glasses - H$3. 12oz glass - H$4. 16oz pints - H$5.5. 64oz growler - H$17

Fruit Basket Saison: Golden and cloudy, strongly fruity (apple, pear and plum) without being sweet, mildly tart, with a slight red pepper zing and a lingering fruit finish. Produced by Royal Smertolinsky Farms. 3oz Samples - H$2. 8oz 1/2 pint glasses - H$4. 16oz pints - H$6.25. 64oz growler - H$20.

Bishop’s Supper Bock: Brown with an enormous, expansive white head, this has a mouth-filling malty, buttery flavor described as being like drinking fresh-baked bread. Produced by St. Christopher's Canons. 3-time AVBF Gold Medal Winner, very popular at previous Fests: 3oz Samples - H$2. 8oz 1/2 pint glasses - H$4. 16oz pints - H$6.25. 64oz growler - H$20.

Dvoyitiy Dark Abbey Ale: A strong, malty, heavy-bodied brown dubbel with mild hoppiness, fruitiness and sweetness. Produced by St. Christopher’s Canons. 3oz Samples - H$2. 8oz 1/2 pint glasses - H$4. 16oz pints - H$6.25. 64oz growler - H$20.

St. Christopher’s Catacombs Premium Stout: As black as paint with a brown head, this barrel-aged stout is richly earthy, smoky, peaty and just slightly sweet, with a long-lingering smoky finish so earthy some have described it as being almost like drinking a fine cigar or pipe tobacco. Produced by St. Christopher's Canons. Gold Medal Winner, AVBF2; Silver Medal, AVBF1 & 3: 3oz H$3, 12oz H$7, no growlers

CIDER: Hrushkoviy Pear Cider: Sharply tart, strongly flavored, sweet and effervescent. Produced by Royal Smertolinsky Farms. 3oz Samples - H$1. 8oz 1/2 pint glasses - H$3. 12oz glass - H$4. 16oz pints - H$5.5.

MEAD: Slivameda Plum Mead: Honey from Royal Smertolinsky Farms' beehives (noted for its floral and herbal tones) is fermented with a combination of sweet and tart plum species to produce a fruit mead that is crisp rather than cloying. Produced by Royal Smertolinsky Farms. Gold Medal, AVBF2 & 3. 3oz tasting H$2, 8oz glass H$4, 750ml bottle H$15

LIQUORS:

Ice Princess winter grain vodka. Produced according to the traditional recipe, dating from when only the aristocracy was allowed to make vodka. Distilled 5 times but eschewing modern filtration techniques, preferring to retain a distinctive character. The label shows a painting of Princess Martina in a white uniform, overcoat and fur hat, in a snowstorm, with Black Wolves on leashes: 1.5oz shot H$2, 750ml bottle H$28

Crystal Eagle Vodka: A "modern traditional standard" potato-based vodka aiming for purity and clarity, quadruple-distilled and filtered through charcoal, silver and quartz. The bottle is sculpted as a stylized eagle. Tied for Gold Medal, AVBF3: 1.5oz shot H$1.5, 750ml bottle H$20. A special commemorative eagle-shaped bottle made of Smertolinan Silver is available for H$100 (last year's Duhasky Crystal bottle was one-time-only)

Orli Shlivovino plum wine. An asian-style sweet plum liqeur. The label shows a painting of the green mountain valley of Royal Smertolinsky Farms. Gold Medal, AVBF3: 3oz tasting H$2, 8oz glass H$4, 750ml bottle H$11

Bobuley Palenka: A fruit brandy made from fermented and distilled raspberries, blueberries and cranberries. Produced by Royal Smertolinsky Farms. 1.5oz shot H$2, 750ml bottle H$28
Smertolinans traditionally produce a number of fruit brandies, called "palenka", similar in style and manufacture to the traditional Nikolian brandies called "rakiya". Iron Eagle is entering Bobuley into competition as the one most distinctively Smertolinan. Other palenkas available for purchase by shot or bottle are made from plum, pear, apple, apricot or cherry.

Opoyeny Absinty; Franco-Suisse style distilled absinthe, with natural green herbal coloring, aged in settling tanks. In addition to standard herbs, a special recipe of additional herbs including mountain wildflowers and cannabis. Licorice and herb flavor, with floral tones and a pungency from the cannabis. 72% ABV, contains thujone and cannabis. The label shows a painting of a green-skinned nymph wearing only dark green Victorian stockings and shoes. Gold Medal, AVBF3, very popular: Serving of reservoir glass with 1.5oz absinthe plus water and sugar H$3, 750ml bottle H$30

FLAVORED MALT LIQUOR: Absintola: Inspired by the Royal Smertolinsky Farms' unique absinthe recipe, this licorice-&-herb flavored fortified malt beverage is pearlescent green, and contains absinthium (wormwood) and cannabis extract. The label displays a scantily-clad cartoon green fairy. 12% ABV, 24oz - H$3
"Stock your next party with Absintola! It makes the green fairy's clothes come off!"

WATER:

Valley of Shadow Spring Water 16oz - H$1

Valley of Health Naturally Carbonated Mineral Water 16oz - H$1

Fear No Evil Caffeinated Water. Popular on "the morning after" with hung over patrons at previous Beer Fests. 16oz - H$1

Crisp Apple Water: Naturally carbonated mineral water, with a light crisp apple flavoring added, marketed at the Beer Fests as a palate cleanser between tastings. Unsweetened. Also available caffeinated. 16oz - H$1

SODA:

Root Witchcraft: Iron Eagle’s new root beer, made by combining sarsparilla, birch, non-toxic sassafras extract, anise, vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, clove, honey and other Smertolinan mountain herbs, for a complex flavor. The brown label shows a pretty young Slavic witch brandishing plant roots. 16oz - H$1

Citroda: Lemon, lime, grapefruit and orange flavored soda. 16oz - H1$

Citronola: Caramel-based cola with a twist of lemon, lime and grapefruit flavoring. Less sweet and more tart than most caramel-based colas, with more caffeine. The label displays a cartoon Black Eagle Mascot. 16oz - H$1
"Peruny the Eagle says it's like lightning in a bottle!"

Sour Plum: A tart, plum-flavored soda with a label showing a frowning green cartoon plum. 16oz - H$1

Sweet Plum, Vanilla Cream, Cherry, Apple, Grape, Lemon, Grapefruit, Orange.

FOOD SERVICE BY SMERTOLINA DAIRY FARMERS' GUILD

Smertolinan Kilbasa: Large beef & pork sausage made with herbs & garlic, partially boiled in beer and finished on a grill, served with grilled onions. Available condiments include Dijon mustard, sweet brown mustard, spicy red pepper mustard, and dense, flavorful Smertolinan sour cream. - H$4

Fresh-Baked Barm Bread: Bread baked with ale barm instead of baker's yeast, served with a large slab of butter, or used as a bun for the kilbasa. -H$1

Potato Pirozhy: Dumplings filled with potato seasoned with black pepper & red pepper - H$2

Dessert Pirozhy: Dumplings filled with plum jelly. - H$1

Fried Cheese: Soft, spicy Smertolinan "Korensky" cheese, pickled in onion, garlic & peppers, then breaded and fried. - H$3

The tent also offers plates of a wide variety of cheeses (both mild and flavorful) and mushrooms for tasting, at H$6 for a selection of half a dozen, with suggestions for which cheeses and mushrooms might best complement different kinds of beers.

by **Romberg** » Tue Oct 06, 2015 6:27 pm

(OOC: It's not so much that he's a noble, but rather he's always been rich upper class.)

Taking a breather and a break, the Baron left his laptop within the RUB stall to get a few minutes of fresh air. He'd just finalized the menu, and the actual competition entrants still needed their descriptions confirmed, but that was already about two hours of solid work done. And now the menus were being printed, on high-quality embossed paper, with gold leaf decoration and a watermark of the Rombergian coat of arms. They were not going to be disposable of course, although there definitely was enough stock if the menus began to disappear.

That was about time for the parade to start. Although conservatives like himself did not like it, the Kaiser had the final say, and he decided to allow the massed band of the Royal-Imperial Rombergian Armed Forces (KKA) to act as music background for the parade.

"An insult to tradition" the Baron thought. "To think our best would have to put up with clowns and rabble..." Still, it was an order from the Kaiser, and the performance had to continue. Once the alpenhorns had finished sounding, a long tuba and sousaphone drone continued on, before the rest of the band chimed in with a selection of traditional circus pieces, but notably missing one of the most famous. That would be the final showpiece. Then there was the small...distraction, which brought a slight issue to be solved. As trained soldiers, the band would have no doubt taking the man down, but ultimately the show must go on, and music and entertaining the masses must take the utmost priority. Thus with an air of professionalism, those fallen members picked themselves up and found an opportune time to rejoin, while the others continued on. To an outsider, there would be some difference in the music, but hopefully at least they'd understand that it was caused by the disruption and that the difference in the music was not too big anyways.

As the parade slowly reached the end, the KKA band then now finally brought out their signature piece - the Entry of the Gladiators, arguably one of the most recognisable circus music pieces of all time, commonly associated with clowns. However, it was also an actual military march - and one that was curiously within the Rombergian military repertoire. Some music analysts have hypothesised a possible Smertolinan connection, although no solid evidence has been found as of yet. (OOC: It's a Czech march.) Here, the first part was reserved to end off the clowns and revellers in the parade, while in the second part, following the temporary stoppage of the drums, (OOC: about 1 min 20 s into the piece) the tone had turned suitably serious enough for the band to appear without being part of the laughing stock. And march they did, following the crowd. Instead of their usual military dress uniforms however, this time they were dressed in Austrian style Tracht including Lederhosen - which was a tradition in some Southerly regions of Romberg, primarily worn by ethnic Germans. This was completed by the Tyrolean hat as well. Mainly dressed in green of the national flag, as well as white shirts and the brown of the leather, they looked like they had just walked out of a village in the mountains, except all of them were trained military personnel. And march they did, albeit in a more relaxed style compared to the usual military precision - which would be reserved to formal occasions. To finish the musical portion of the parade, and to take into account their exit, the band then switched to a lesser known piece by the same composer. Though not in the official Rombergian military repertoire, it was deemed sufficiently serious to suit the band, while at the same time still whimsical enough to suit the atmosphere. A best of both worlds, it was hoped.

Once the parade was over, the band was then allowed to move around and socialise, to take a break before their main performance later in the festival.

Meanwhile, during the parade, though the Baron was still not too comfortable with seeing the military band put to such a use, he was ultimately pleased by how they presented themselves, especially even when that little incident got in the way. Truly world-class, he would write in his official report back home. At the same time, he was alerted of the need for security at the event, and especially at his stall. If it was to look like a palace, the guests would have to behave and dress like they deserved to enter a palace in the first place. T-shirts were alright, but that means no flip-flops, shoulders must be covered, and guests must have a certain degree of sobriety. And there however were no particularly sultry outfits to be seen either - all waiters and waitresses were dressed like butlers and with the attitude to boot. But there were guards at the entrance too - with powers to eject drunk participants, by force if necessary. Though dressed as if they were part of a period play, the guards were however not simply employed security personnel, but actual serving soldiers who were selected for the role. They would be the main line of defense for the stall, to ensure that hiccups like the intruder would not happen.

This he was satisfied. And as the parade winded down, he went back to work, knowing that time was tight, and there were still the descriptions to get confirmed and a preliminary report on the construction company to complete. Plus he needed to approve a preliminary stock-take before the stall would open its doors.

by **Austrog** » Tue Oct 06, 2015 6:58 pm

VINBURGER BRÄU

IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE MADCAP MARCH:

The Vinburger tent was decorated like a traditional Austrogan beer garden. The Austrogers in attendance, and moving throughout the festival, were largely dressed like obvious tourists, or wearing casual clothes that were fashionable in neighboring countries 10 or 20 years ago, or wearing short brown or green lederhosen. A polka band and professional yodeler began to start up, when a grouchy voice shouted "Stop that!"

Vinburger's braumeister, Heinrich Meisterbrau, stood up from his carved dark wooden throne-like chair, from which he had been supervising the set-up. He was a large, fat, jowly, bald old man with bushy gray eyebrows. He wore faded brownish, greenish, grayish lederhosen that probably hadn't fit him properly when he was younger, either. "It is not yet time for any music in the tents to be playing! Not until after the horn blows!"

"We can't play a little lively tune to lighten the mood during setup, Braumeister?" asked one of the musicians.

"It's against the rule, you stupid-head!" Meisterbrau boomed. "We are Austrogers, we are civilized! What are we without rules? We would be like animals, with no civilization! We would be like the sub-human Romagnans or Smertolinans... or the accursed Neu Engolloids!" He spat at the ground. "I won't forget how my father defended our beloved country when Neu Engollon invaded us, always the aggressors!"

A young biermädchen with braided blonde pigtails said, "But Braumeister, to be fair, wasn't it a few times centuries ago that Austrog was the aggressor in disputes with other nations, including Engollon?"

Meisterbrau looked shocked. "What? WHAT? How DARE you? Get out! OUT! Find your own way home! You do not work here anymore!" He brandished his carved wooden walking-stick and chased the sobbing girl out of the tent.

MENU:

All beers are H$1 for a 3oz tasting, H$3 for an 8oz glass, H$6 for a 16oz pint, and H$12 for a liter.

Vinburger Kölsch: Clear yellow, with a rapidly-dissipating, creamy white head. Aroma of honey and grass. Lightly bready body with grassy tone and a dry, wine-like finish. The Kolsch is also served in narrow, 200ml (6.75oz) "rod" glasses for H$2.50.

Gerösted Schwartzbier: Opaque black stout, heavy-bodied, with hints of chocolate, coffee and licorice.

Meiern Hefeweißbier: Pale, cloudy, heavily carbonated, with light hoppiness, sweetness and smokiness with an overtone of clove.

Herbstfestbier: Amber-colored, medium-bodied, malty and bitter Oktoberfest märzen, with a slight sweetness from caramel malt, and a clean, dry finish.

Traditionell Bock: Clear brown, with a large, cream-colored head. Rich, sweet toasted malt aroma and flavor with a hint of caramel.

Vinlager: Copper-colored, medium-bodied, with a light, slightly sweet toasted-malt aroma and flavor.

Strog Spiced Rum. An inland rum flavored with spices and many Austrogan herbs. Traditionally valued as a medicinal, often drunk in cold weather as "Jägertee", mixed with hot water or black tea. Older Austrogers claim Strog is responsible for their bushy, walrus-like mustaches. 80%ABV. H$2 per 1.5oz shot, or H$25 per 1 liter bottle.

4th Annual AVBF (CLOSED. Thanks for your support!)

4th Annual AVBF (CLOSED. Thanks for your support!)

Festival Grounds Map

Schedule

Setting Up

Who is online

Item	Price
German style Pretzels	NS$ 1.00
German style Sausages (Bratwurst, Bockwurst)	NS$ 1.00
Venison sausages	NS$ 1.50
(with sausage) Bread roll OR curry sauce	add NS$ 0.50
Swedish style meatballs	NS$ 1.00 per 5
Charcuterie and cheese OR smoked fish and cold seafood platter	NS$ 5.00
Pickles and picked herring selection	NS$ 1.00
Lutefisk portion + free akvavit shot	NS$ 4.00
Caviar taster	NS$ 7.00
Bortsch	NS$ 1.00
Pierogi(l) or Pelmeni(s) - mixed meat or potato filling	NS$ 2.00 per 5

Item	Price
Schnitzel (Veal OR Pork) with french fries	NS$ 7.00
Goulash with dumplings	NS$ 7.00
Stelze (ham hock) with sauerkraut	NS$ 8.00
Wild game (bird)	NS$ 7.00
Wild game (mammal)	NS$ 8.00
Beef steak	NS$ 7.00
Catch of the day (freshly airlifted from Romberg) - grilled or poached	NS$ 8.00
Surf & Turf (steak)	NS$ 9.00
Surf & Turf (game mammal)	NS$ 10.00
Venison burger and fries	NS$ 7.00
Fish and chips	NS$ 7.00

Item	Price
Imperial Lager OR Rombergian Ale	NS$ 3.00 per pint
Pavlovo Vodka OR Arctic Akvavit	NS$ 2.00 per shot OR NS$ 10.00 per 6 shots
Other alcohol only	NS$ 2.50 per unit
Cocktails or Shooters	NS$ 3.50 per unit
Bottled glacial spring mineral water (with or without gas)	NS$ 0.50 per 500 ml bottle
Wild berry and/or elderberry soda	NS$1.00 per 500 ml bottle