Handball World Cup 17 (Everything Thread)

by **Kernansquillec** » Thu Aug 18, 2016 8:32 am

The Kers are back in town

Kernansquillec have enjoyed quite a lot of success on handball global stage, reaching the final of their debut tournament and the semi-finals of the following World Cup. A mix-up in paper work and a series of unread emails led the Kernansquillecan Handball Association to believe that it had been banned along with Kernansquillec's football teams due to domestic violence at a football game. Controversy would arise after Handball's governing body claimed that no such was in place and that Kernansquillec could have taken part in World Cup 16, had they submitted their papers on time.

While the chaotic situation led to many angry players and fans, as well as a number of high-profile sacking, the team is now back and after success at the Olympic Games it will hope to reaffirm its status as one of the best handball teams in the world. World number ones and triple world champions Costa de Ouro will be their biggest rivals and the Kers will be hoping to finally get one over them as the entire field tries to break the seemingly never ending series of World titles they keep on picking up.

A strong Kernansquillecan team will be led out by captain Adam Valade who has made quite a name for himself at The Old Saints. Many in the squad will also be helping the World Cup helps give handball a well needed boost world-wide and leads to the refounding of international club handball that has been absent since the attempted formation of a tournament many years ago.

OOC: IC the Olympic Games take place before the Handball World Cup, but as the Olympic Handball Tournament is still underway (with the women's team in the last sixteen and the men's still with a group game left) I'll be staying vague with how well we did for now ^^

by **Qasden** » Thu Aug 18, 2016 1:03 pm

Qasden
Athletic News

HWC17 Report- Previews

As the tournament's start peeks over the horizon, the Qasden Vans have trained their handball squad for this moment. Back in Quebec, Qasden was thrown into Group B, where they must face Kernansquillec, St. Trinians, and Thatius. Let's take a better look at our 3 days in GB, shall we?

<>Kernansquillec<>

#3 in the multiverse, the Kers have seemingly always been a dominant force in handball. Led by Captain Adam Valade, the greens will be one of Qasden's toughest opponents. Our prediction: while an upset would be awesome, Kernansquillec will probably slip past us, due to their strength and skill on the court.

<>St. Trinians<>

Being the only other unranked in Group B, Trinians could try and pull off a performance that the Qads are planning. But, we must stay vigilant, as their manager, Fern Trent, has set their team to a +3 offensive squad. If the Qads can pull a win off, there's probably a better shot at advancing to the KOs. Our prediction: if everything goes smoothly in our favor, Qasden might, just might, take this one home.

<>Thatius<>

Finally, there's Thatius, a fellow AO nation that currently sits in 53rd place with 0.00 points. While a roster hasn't been announced from the country, the Thatians are still looked at advancing with the Kers over Qasden and St. Trinians. That will not happen, as the Vans are looking to put Thatius in there place and out of Quebec. Our prediction: as pretty much the decider for Qasden, the beam can go either way, but a defeat wouldn't be surprising.

That's all for now. Can the Vans outlast Group B and stay in Quebec? Or will the Kers, Trinians and Thatians prove to be too much for Qasden to handle? Stay tuned, stay updated, and stay alert for our next HWC report, made in the Royal Kingdom of Quebec!

by **The Royal Kingdom of Quebec** » Thu Aug 18, 2016 9:02 pm

MD1 Results

Group A
Royal Kingdom of Quebec 30–24 Drawkland
Jarwel 32–30 Mattijana

Group A                                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Royal Kingdom of Quebec                  1   1  0  0   30  24  +6    2
2 Jarwel                                   1   1  0  0   32  30  +2    2
3 Mattijana                                1   0  0  1   30  32  −2    0
4 Drawkland                                1   0  0  1   24  30  −6    0

Group B
Kernansquillec 29–25 Qasden
St Trinians 29–24 Thatius

Group B                                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 St Trinians                              1   1  0  0   29  24  +5    2
2 Kernansquillec                           1   1  0  0   29  25  +4    2
3 Qasden                                   1   0  0  1   25  29  −4    0
4 Thatius                                  1   0  0  1   24  29  −5    0

Group C
Red Blackiland 28–24 Plasterdam
Gadirya 23–27 United States of Devonta

Group C                                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Red Blackiland                           1   1  0  0   28  24  +4    2
2 United States of Devonta                 1   1  0  0   27  23  +4    2
3 Plasterdam                               1   0  0  1   24  28  −4    0
4 Gadirya                                  1   0  0  1   23  27  −4    0

Group D
Britonisea 35–27 Northi Arabia
Cheongji 26–20 Vettrera

Group D                                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Britonisea                               1   1  0  0   35  27  +8    2
2 Cheongji                                 1   1  0  0   26  20  +6    2
3 Vettrera                                 1   0  0  1   20  26  −6    0
4 Northi Arabia                            1   0  0  1   27  35  −8    0

Group E
Costa de Ouro 31–13 Anglatia
Nassau-Hessen 19–31 Gumusservi

Group E                                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Costa de Ouro                            1   1  0  0   31  13 +18    2
2 Gumusservi                               1   1  0  0   31  19 +12    2
3 Nassau-Hessen                            1   0  0  1   19  31 −12    0
4 Anglatia                                 1   0  0  1   13  31 −18    0

Group F
Felix 31–19 The Greater Korean Republic
West Phoenicia 27–23 Ndaku

Group F                                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Felix                                    1   1  0  0   31  19 +12    2
2 West Phoenicia                           1   1  0  0   27  23  +4    2
3 Ndaku                                    1   0  0  1   23  27  −4    0
4 The Greater Korean Republic              1   0  0  1   19  31 −12    0

Group G
Hannasea 25–29 Alinghi Federal-Democratic Republic
Paputu 25–24 Ethane

Group G                                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Alinghi Federal-Democratic Republic      1   1  0  0   29  25  +4    2
2 Paputu                                   1   1  0  0   25  24  +1    2
3 Ethane                                   1   0  0  1   24  25  −1    0
4 Hannasea                                 1   0  0  1   25  29  −4    0

Group H
West-East Timor 25–21 Castalena
Abanhfleft 31–22 Parah

Group H                                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Abanhfleft                               1   1  0  0   31  22  +9    2
2 West-East Timor                          1   1  0  0   25  21  +4    2
3 Castalena                                1   0  0  1   21  25  −4    0
4 Parah                                    1   0  0  1   22  31  −9    0

by **Northi Arabia** » Fri Aug 19, 2016 6:09 am

Northi Arabia Sports News
Le Nu'evos Spa-at de Northi Arabia

"Laaaaaadddieeeesssss and Gentlemen, I'm John."

"And I'm Frank."

"And welcome to your daily coverage of Northi Sports."

"Yes John we bring you back to live coverage of Northi Arabia's first international tournament ever, the Handball World Cup!"

"Yes Frankie and today Northi Arabia received what we in Northi Arabia call a savage beating 35-27 by Britonisea."

"Yes John and that is literally all we know about the match because the winners declined to give any permissions to broadcast or report this game which is a slight cause for concern."

"No matter Frank because what we do know is that this is an impressive showing from Hamï Hammadouï's side considering that Britonisea are the highest ranked side in Group D and they managed to score an impressive 27 points."

"Hopefully next time we'll get permissions to write about what happened John."

"In other news Cheongji the only other unranked team in the group making an impressive showing stunning Vettrera 26-20 with ultra-defensive play..."

by **Gadirya** » Fri Aug 19, 2016 5:56 pm

Previously

The Reformist

Excerpts from chapter four of the book, Anwar the Reformist:

Following the passage of the Union Act the Gadiryan government moved on to another controversial bill, the Act to Join SETO. It is known that Anwar I pushed for Gadirya to join this union, but the reasons behind for wanting to do so are unclear. SETO was founded as an alliance to eliminate the threats of Gregoryisgodistan but Gadirya at the time did not have any relations, negative nor positive, with the nation. So opposition to the bill was understandable, especially adding the fact Gadirya's military was small, numbering just under 5,000 men and women. So why did Anwar want Gadirya to join? There are a couple theories as to why.

The first theory is the most plausible of the two, this theory states that Anwar I had no interest in the politics of Gregoryisgodistan but wanted to join SETO solely to make Gadirya more connected to Esportiva as a whole. Many scholars believe Anwar I was a moderate Pan-Esportivan, despite Royal officials denying so, which could explain his motives behind joining the Esportivan Community and SETO. For those that don't know, the main point of Pan-Esportivanism is that a nation is better off when it is closer to the region of Esportiva than it is alone. At its most extreme Pan-Esportivanism advocates fully joining any regional government, giving up sovereignty of the nation. But as mentioned earlier Anwar I was moderate, which probably meant joining any regional organizations but not giving up on the sovereignty of Gadirya.

The second theory, which is more cynical, states that Gadirya only wanted to join SETO so that they could update their military. Once Gadirya was just as advanced as the more elite Esportivan militaries they would drop out and peruse a policy of Esportivan relations of their own. There is no evidence of that at all so many scholars, me included, don't believe this to be true considering Gadirya has held good relations with SETO and there has been no ambitions to leave it.

The vote to join SETO was closely contested as once again there was declared to be a free vote for MPs but it is suspected that behind the scenes the King appointed MPs were told to vote yes on joining it. In the end out of those 75 MPs appointed by the King 60 of them voted yes. Overall the yes vote won by 92 votes to 58, while that doesn't seem close, polls stated that the nation was split evenly on the subject of joining the organization. Some minor protests broke out for a few days in major cities but two weeks later the tension subsided. Anwar, while taking a hit in popularity, proposed radical change in the House of Commons that bumped up his unofficial ratings* upwards as the new year got closer.

The proposed changes were quite radical at the time as it involved King appointed MPs. At the time 75 of the MPs, half of the parliament, were appointed by the King as per the Constitution written up the second year Anwar was King. Anwar I however wanted to reduce the appointed MPs to 50 the upcoming election, 25 the election after that, to finally 0 appointed MPs before the 5E 246 elections. Through Royal Decree the change was set for the upcoming elections, despite protests from MPs that were slated to be out of government support. The Parliament would still have 150 seats but 25 new districts would be created, most of them located in major cities such as Charmat, Casablanca, and El Main. The next chapter will discuss the impacts of these changes.

* Polls that involved the popularity/approval ratings of the King were deemed illegal till the passage of the Freedom of Polling Act in 5E 239 and confirmed as a right in the Constitution in 5E 242

by **West Phoencia** » Fri Aug 19, 2016 7:48 pm

The Confederate Kingdom of West Phoenicia

Team Name: West Phoenician Buffalos

Governing Body: West Phoenicia Handball Association
Team Colours: Purple; White and Red
Team Mascot: A real Buffalo

Manager: Melanie Power -Debney
Coach: Mark Rugby
Assistant Coach: Sol Christopher

Goalkeepers:

#14- Matty Haye
#12-Preben Defencer

Left Back:

#2- Allan Towersmith
#10 Ricky Leahmont

Central Back:

#8- Marquise Harbour Bush-Bishop
#11-Nelson Pah

Right Back:

#4- Ricky India
#7-Edmund Roxborough

Right Wing:

#2- Glen Park
#15- Audie True-Path

CF:

#3-Jake Prospect
#9-James Aviation

Left Wing:

#5-Ravi Singh
#1-Amos Springvale

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my Scorers: Yes
Choose Scoring Events: Yes
Godmod Scoring Events: no
RP Injuries to my Players: no
Godmod Injuries to my Players: No
Godmod Other Events: no

Style Modifier: +3.5

by **Red Blackiland** » Fri Aug 19, 2016 8:18 pm

Ultras Chronicles Blog

Decision Making - Part 2

It is an approach based on cognitive perspectives. Considering the plurality of information that are involved in the game and perhaps a lack of time for decision-making related to the path of knowledge cognitive (would be like if informally we spoke that there is no time to think of some specific moments because there is time pressure, space and / or information to be selected), the ecological perspective shows us that playing without boundaries that influence on issues related to the unpredictability of the game ends up being an important form of codes are quickly recognized, to ensure that "even without thinking a" athlete take decisions based on information that is recognized due to the large living situations "uncontrolled".
This way of thinking puts forth the idea of functional games (Game functional indentations that keeps unchanged the freedom of action of those involved) becomes a fundamental part of learning sports.
It would be like if, instead of preparing controlled activities in which there is a protagonist of learning, which should make decisions within possibilities previously agreed between the others involved in the activity (defense rises or does not rise, pivot offers or not, label pair performs fight the attacker and unique is, or unique marker performs combat the attacker and label pair is always within a prior arrangement), games are organized to demand that whoever plays, continue to depend on emerging situations (responses) of game to react within a systemic perspective as the defenders and attackers will be free to act as a game, ensuring that many situations are possible to be constructed within a single activity, providing the creativity of the player.
For example, one can create a situation dividing the offensive block into two halves, a left and a right, which is held on the right side a situation of 1 × 1 and the left side, a situation 2 × 1. And, on the right, the player must overcome a direct marker and if successful, should seek the goal (within parameters already experienced a situational game - defense combat, seek feint, if not fight, seek the pitch 9 meters) and if there is no success in the 1 × 1, get a pass to the player to attack the other half of the offensive court that is better goal situation, as there will be on the left a situation of 2 × 1, in which , the marker may be used bluffs (dissuasions to deceive the attacker and at the same time, attackers should work their mobility, clears, the offending locks and create support in order to overcome this marker.
There is not a protagonist. Functionally games, based on the example given, the defender and the attacker's 1 × 1 train individual tactical aspects; striker 1 × 1 trains making decisions about what is the best pass option; the attackers of the 2 × 2 play with group tactics to overcome the marker as the defender of the 2 × 1 works important defensive individual tactics, such as the struggle for the occupation of spaces, anticipations and dissuasions.
Then, as the "situational games" work concepts in a controlled manner, creating the protagonist the opportunity to learn to decide the face of previously combined information from the perspective of "functional game" decisions are made based on the ability to decipher and recognize the codes the game, which can be many, requiring the student a kind of "act without thinking," that is, to anticipate what to do.
Thus, work on decision-making as a way to conceptualize what is best to do in certain situations, is closely associated with the idea to decide in situations that occur in a more standardized form (which can occur in the game, no doubt) as it the "situational games" are configured.
Already anticipation is a trained capacity based on "functional games," whose freedom to act in the game is maintained by developing the possibility that creative actions may arise, requiring players in extreme pressure situations, anticipate how best to act, based on their previous experience in actual game situation (in which there is the continuing unpredictability, unchanged and little controlled manner).

by **West Phoencia** » Fri Aug 19, 2016 8:24 pm

After the host nations refusal to allow West Phoenicia to withdraw from the competiton based on a technicality the Buffalos headed to their first match against Ndaku.

After keeping sport fans waiting an extra hour as the team Chaplain held mass for the team.

The team finally emerged with their new team mascot a real life Buffalo named Sparky. Draped in the team colours.

West Phoenicia welcomed Ndaku to the game beating them 27-23.

After waving to their fans in the stand, The team stood in a line and sang out to the crowds "we shall overcome".

by **St Trinians** » Sat Aug 20, 2016 1:53 am

Fern Trent surveyed the faces in front of her. Molly Wyndham was the youngest and shortest on the team, her baby-face features were obscured by the open cut on her face. Barbie Brewer was sporting a fat lip, and Hollie Martins might have a fractured rib, they would need an x-ray. It hadn't stopped her from playing on though. Battered and bruised, some had their smocks torn and their hats crushed, but their spirits were undaunted, and they were holding Thatius to a draw at 23-23.

Fern cast a quick look over to the opponent's bench, where the Thatius players were nursing their injuries. Fern turned back to her players. "Right, I've only got a minute, so listen up." she told them, leaning in close to the huddle. "You've hit them hard, you've given blood in the line of duty. That's bloody awesome, but it's time to back off. We've got to play clean, or at least play sneaky. No penalty throws, or we're fucked, you got that? Right, let's get some points on the board. We won't take any of their shit on the circle, hit them if you have to, but again, do it smartly. You got brawn, no use your brains. Now get out there and kill them! Who are we?"
"St Trinians."
"I said, who the fucking hell are we?"
"St Trinians!"

Then they were back out onto the court. Cleo Butler made a save, and sent a quick pass to Parnel Hanson. She and her sister Zula tossed the ball between them as they raced up field, then doubled up on the Thatian keeper to put St Trinians in front. A defensive stop from Nigella Deidra started another run, and this time Parnel scored. As the game clock ticked down, the St Trinians ran ahead, scoring 6 goals to Thatius's 1 to record their first ever handball win.

works? · by **Abanhfleft** » Sat Aug 20, 2016 7:22 am

Part One Part Two Part Three Part Four Part Five Part Six Part Seven Part Eight Part Nine Part Ten Part Eleven Part Twelve Part Thirteen Part Fourteen Part Fifteen Part Sixteen Part Seventeen Part Eighteen Part Nineteen Part Twenty Part Twenty-one Part Twenty-two Part Twenty-three Part Twenty-four Part Twenty-five Part Twenty-six Part Twenty-seven Part Twenty-eight Part Twenty-nine Part Thirty Part Thirty-one

No Place For Heroes, Part Thirty-two

Presidential Palace
Gharbambiyah City, Gharbambiyah

“Sit down, do, please,” President Isaiah Cabulovowino invited Gerry Anthony, Gabriel de Galicia, and Ellen Quest as the three Fleftic agents arrived at the Gharbambiyan president’s expansive dining room. Cabulovowino was sitting at the head of a round table with four places set out. He was wearing the khaki combat uniform of the Gharbambiyan Army, of which he was also Field Marshal. But whereas other heads of state would be showing off all of their medals, Cabulovowino’s chest was bare of any finery except for his name patch and the Army patch over his heart. The president of Gharbambiyah looked like he was ready to eat his meal with his troops, not in his sheltered palace with an endless array of servers and aides at his disposal.

In contrast, the RBI agents were a little bit more appropriately dressed for the occasion. Both Gerry and Gab were wearing white-shirted business suits without ties, while Ellie was in a blue floral pattern dress with the hem just above her knees. Cabulovowino quickly took note of this and said, “My Fleftic friends, there is no need to be all dressed up, as this is just an informal dinner.”

“It was only appropriate that we went before you like this, Your Excellency,” Gerry said as an aide sat him down on the seat directly facing Cabulovowino, while Gab and Ellie took up the seats between them.

“Pshaw,” Cabulovowino said, waving a hand. “Don’t call me ‘Your Excellency’, Mr. Anthony,” he said. “If you must, I would rather you call me President or Mr. President. I know that my surname can be a mouthful, which is why I don’t want to use it as much as possible.” He then let out a guffawing laugh which sounded as British as his accent. Gerry and the others laughed politely and dutifully along.

“Now, shall we begin lunch?” Cabulovowino asked. “Every traditional Gharbambiyan meal begins with a healthy swallow of camel’s milk.” At these words, four stewards walked up to the table and each poured milk into a glass goblet for the four people. “Before we drink the milk, we offer a prayer to whichever deity each of us believes in, and then we toast and drink.”

Gerry quickly muttered a prayer of gratitude that he and his team had made it through the journey to Cabulovowino’s table alive and prayed that they would also walk away from it alive. He then lifted up his glass of camel’s milk to the air, following Cabulovowino’s example, and saw that Gab and Ellie were doing the same. Cabulovowino then said, “To Gharbambiyah,” and the others repeated him. He then tipped his glass into his mouth and downed the milk in three quick swallows. The Fleftics hesitated, and then Gerry also drank from his glass. The camel’s milk didn’t taste any different from the canned and powdered milk that he had bought and drunk from the supermarket, so he quickly got over his initial aversion and drank the camel’s milk straight. Gab had already finished with his drink, and Ellie, emboldened by Gerry’s quick acceptance of the milk, managed to finish hers as well.

The stewards quickly returned to refill their glasses, and Cabulovowino continued on his promotion of his country’s cuisine. “Once we have drunk the camel’s milk, we can start on the appetizer,” he said. Other stewards placed platters of cold cuts before the diners. “Of course, cold cuts only appeared in our country within the last hundred years, when refrigeration became a thing, but the classic Gharbambiyan appetizer had always been fresh cuts of meat from camels, horses, chickens, and fish. Speaking of the fish, we Gharbambiyans have grown quite fond of the Japanese sashimi style of eating fish raw, so don’t be surprised to see salmon on your plates as well. As you can see, there are no utensils before us, so feel free to eat your cold cuts with your hands. In fact, that is the right way to do it, as we Gharbambiyans have never really known utensils until we were conquered by the Europeans.”

Gerry looked at the plate of cold cuts before him, at the camel, horse, chicken, and salmon arrayed in a nice formation on the plate, and then at the sauces around the cuts, and he took a slice of what he assumed to be chicken, dipped it into what looked like barbecue sauce, and took a bite. The flavors were a little bit off, but he couldn’t exactly tell how wrong the flavors were. The “chicken” didn’t exactly taste like chicken, and the “barbeque sauce” wasn’t exactly how barbeque sauce should look and taste. Nevertheless, they were tasty and savory and Gerry continued eating. In fifteen minutes, they had all cleared their plates, and the stewards took the empty plates away as they washed their hands in a silver or stainless steel bowl of water provided to them.

“Now that we have taken care of the appetizers, we move on to the main course,” Cabulovowino said with his boundless enthusiasm. “I am, of course, talking about roasted camel. Ah, here it comes now.” Two stewards were pushing a large hunk of golden brown meat on a serving cart, and then they heaved the roasted camel up onto the table with grunts of exertion. The large metal plate on which the roasted camel lay made a loud thud as it landed on the table. Other stewards then arrived to carve up the roasted camel, placing steak-sized cuts on their plates, while even more stewards placed plates of steaming rice of various colors around the slab of camel meat. There was white rice, brown rice, black rice, and even yellow Java rice available for the diners to choose from.

“It is absolutely wonderful what a man can make when he just puts his mind to it,” Cabulovowino said as he rubbed his hands in anticipation. “Sergeant Makarashakala is simply a master at roasting camels; of course, his family has been doing it since time immemorial, so it only makes sense that he knows how to do his stuff. Tuck in, gentlemen and lady!” he invited. “You can choose to eat your roasted camel with the rice of your choice, but I would recommend taking steaming white rice with your roast camel. I find that combination simply the best.”

Gerry took up the president of Gharbambiyah’s suggestion and shoveled some white rice onto his plate beside his slice of roast camel. He cut up the camel with a knife and then used the fork to get some rice alongside the camel, which he ate with the spoon. Gerry had no idea what to expect, but what he experienced was an explosion of flavor in his mouth. He had no idea how to describe it as he was no chef or restaurateur, but the combination of roast camel and steaming rice was one of a kind, and he quickly got back to eating more.

“So, my dear Fleftic friends,” Cabulovowino said as he looked at his guests one by one, “what can you say about the food?”

“It is certainly one of a kind, Mr. President,” Gerry said through a mouthful of camel and rice. He then swallowed his food and continued, “I didn’t know what to expect, but now I’m thankful that I’ve got a blank slate, so to speak, about my experience with your food.”

“Excellent!” Cabulovowino said, clapping his hands with glee. “How about you, Mr. de Galicia, Ms. Quest? What can you say?”

“I have to be honest with you, Mr. President,” Ellie said. “I had heard stories about Gharbambiyan food, some of them not as flattering as the others. But now that I’ve taken the chance and taken a bite out of your country’s wonderful cuisine, I’m glad that I did so.”

“I’m an adventurer, Mr. President,” Gab told Cabulovowino when the president turned to face him. “And I believe that half of any adventure is the food in any given place. I’ve tasted Gharbambiyan cuisine before, but compared to the dishes we’ve eaten with you, they pale in comparison. Perhaps it’s because they’ve already been influenced by our own cooking, which is why they didn’t really taste right.”

“Perhaps,” Cabulovowino nodded in agreement. “Now, speaking of Gharbambiyah, how has my country been treating you fair folk? Do you like it here?”

“Aside from the occasional sandstorm and skirmish with rebel forces, I quite like it here,” Ellie said. “There’s a quaint feeling about the country, like it’s just the right mix of old-fashioned tribal nation and modern-day nation-state. I mean no offense, Mr. President.”

“None taken, Ms. Quest,” Cabulovowino said, waving away the apology. “I understand what you’re trying to say. As for you, Mr. Anthony, how are things going along with watching out for the interests of Abanhfleft in my country?” he asked Gerry.

“It’s going only very well,” Gerry said. “All of Abanhfleft’s interests in your country are under our watchful eyes, and no harm can possibly come to them.”

“Very good,” Cabulovowino said. “Very good. I am glad for that, for you, and for your country. I can only hope that this is the start of a very fruitful relationship with Abanhfleft, and eventually the start of a great friendship between our two nations.”

“Is that not what we all want, Mr. President?” Gab asked. “Peace and friendship?”

“Indeed it is.”

The doors to Cabulovowino’s dining room suddenly opened, and the dark-skinned man who entered the room didn’t give one of the president’s aides time to announce who he was before barging in. He was wearing the dark blue uniform of the Gharbambiyan National Police Service underneath a similarly colored ballistic vest, and on his shoulders were four shiny stars.

“Ah, Bobby, welcome to lunch!” Cabulovowino said, as if this kind of thing was common in his palace, but the hard look in his eyes betrayed the anger that he felt upon this other man intruding into his slice of the good life that he was presenting to the foreigners. “Would you like to sit down with us? Gentlemen, lady, this is Director-General Robert Desiree Rhombus of the Gharbambiyan National Police Service,” the president said, introducing the new arrival.

“No, Isaiah, I am not here for lunch,” Bobby Rhombus said in a British accent that was even more posh than Cabulovowino’s. “I am here to inform you of a very delicate matter.”

“You can tell me and my guests, Bobby,” Cabulovowino told Rhombus. “They have experience in dealing with delicate matters.”

“Very well, then,” Rhombus said, but his tone clearly said what he thought about his president’s order. “At 0500 hours this morning, an unknown number of unknown assailants attacked the WGCC chemical plant outside of Sarabia.”

by **Mattijana** » Sat Aug 20, 2016 7:23 am

Mattijana Works Out What Team to Submit, Will Probably Lose a Lot

Mattijana has submitted a young and inexperienced team for the Handball World Cup as the main team took a last minute victory in their group match against Ndaku to consolidate a place in the knockout round. It was actually unclear which team would show up for the first match against Jarwel.
It turned out that it was the reserve team that eventually rocked up in Quebec with the corresponding support staff. Here they all are:

Team Name: Mattijana Zwaken
Team Colours: Green and Yellow

Head coach: Martin Albirjke
Assistant coach: Dominika Lazeti
Goalkeeping coach: Danil Kralić
Head doctor: Charlotte Julenki
Assistant doctor: Samira Kulšik

Goalkeepers:

#1: Dominik Handanović
#8: Katija Handanovič

Defenders:
#2: LB: Jelena Kramarič
#9: LB: Jessika Illicič
#3: CB: Matej Kušak
#10: CB: Julian Albermauer
#4: RB: Emeli Kurnič
#11: RB: Dominika Dragič

Midfielders:
#5: LW: Katja Alikova
#12: LW: Marko Lizikov
#6: RW: Mattias Fredanović
#13: RW: Naomi Xhakova

Forwards:
#7: Mika Julenkić
#14: Lara Valorič

If my opponent RPs first, they may:

Choose my goalscorers: Yes
Choose scoring events: Yes
Godmod scoring events: Yes
RP injuries to my players: Yes, but no career threatening injuries or deaths.
Godmod injuries: No
Godmod other events: Yes

Style modifier: +2.0

by **Gumusservi** » Sat Aug 20, 2016 12:41 pm

Rise From The Ashes.
Part I. Arrival. | Part II. Breathtaking.

There are some things in life that are able to captivate one in such as a way that leaves one breathless. The astonishment and awe is so overwhelming that one is left speechless. Sometimes, it is a positive thing. Sometimes, it is a negative thing. Breathtaking moments in life are defining moments in various situations.

This was breathtaking. They stood before it, stunned. None of them were able to find the courage even the slightest of sounds, save for their unified gasp. They instantly became aware that the situation had drastically change - for the better, or for the worst, they were not sure. For sure, it was a game changer. As if someone had suggested it, someone grabbed the meaningful object after unhooking it from its place. They turned around and headed back to the sandy beach outside the destroyed city.

The ruins no longer fascinated them. They seemed to no longer be curious about what happened or where everyone went. For some reason, it seemed that they knew exactly what had happened. Their hearts were saddened. Speechless, they continued to make their journey through the ruins. The heat of the afternoon sun and its light dwindled. Thousands of thoughts filtered in and out of their minds as each tried to find a way how to explain this or even present it. Others, however, were just trying to accept this and let it sink in. Every once in while, they would gaze towards the object. Intact and splendorous it was. Their facial expressions revealed many emotions - from pale staleness to extreme worry and concern. They all had a different way of evaluating the situation.

The sun was long gone by the time the beach was in sight. The moon and the stars for provided them light as they walked towards the beach. Within seconds, their walk turned into a jog. Their jog quickly changed into a frantic run. A storm was brewing, though. The winds seem to want to push them back into the city, but they persisted.

The people awaited their return and they ran to them to welcome them. They had arrive before the floodgates were opened. The object was being risen in to air and the sky rumbled in despair. The dark clouds clouds had slowly consumed the starry sky. That's when it happened. A white streak illuminated the sandy beach, and that is when they saw it. They could not confuse it with anything else. It's impossible to do so. They were left breathless.

As if on cue, the rain poured.

by **The Royal Kingdom of Quebec** » Sat Aug 20, 2016 5:47 pm

Nation: Royal Kingdom of Quebec
TLA: QUE
National Anthem: O Quebec
Federation: Federation Quebecoise de Handball (FQH)
Committee President: Jean-Ian Page
Captains: Kyeong Shin Park, 32 (Men's); Joanna Wex, 27 (Women's)
Colours: Red, Gold and Blue

RP Permissions: TG me first. Chances are high that I'll let you do whatever you want, just no killing or maiming for life.

by **The Royal Kingdom of Quebec** » Sat Aug 20, 2016 9:40 pm

MD2 Results!

Group A
Drawkland 27–25 Mattijana
Royal Kingdom of Quebec 35–24 Jarwel

Group A                                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Royal Kingdom of Quebec                  2   2  0  0   65  48 +17    4
2 Drawkland                                2   1  0  1   51  55  −4    2
3 Jarwel                                   2   1  0  1   56  65  −9    2
4 Mattijana                                2   0  0  2   55  59  −4    0

Group B
Qasden 32–24 Thatius
Kernansquillec 32–19 St Trinians

Group B                                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Kernansquillec                           2   2  0  0   61  44 +17    4
2 Qasden                                   2   1  0  1   57  53  +4    2
3 St Trinians                              2   1  0  1   48  56  −8    2
4 Thatius                                  2   0  0  2   48  61 −13    0

Group C
Plasterdam 24–28 United States of Devonta
Red Blackiland 24–21 Gadirya

Group C                                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 United States of Devonta                 2   2  0  0   55  47  +8    4
2 Red Blackiland                           2   2  0  0   52  45  +7    4
3 Gadirya                                  2   0  0  2   44  51  −7    0
4 Plasterdam                               2   0  0  2   48  56  −8    0

Group D
Northi Arabia 24–21 Vettrera
Britonisea 31–27 Cheongji

Group D                                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Britonisea                               2   2  0  0   66  54 +12    4
2 Cheongji                                 2   1  0  1   53  51  +2    2
3 Northi Arabia                            2   1  0  1   51  56  −5    2
4 Vettrera                                 2   0  0  2   41  50  −9    0

Group E
Anglatia 32–24 Gumusservi
Costa de Ouro 29–22 Nassau-Hessen

Group E                                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Costa de Ouro                            2   2  0  0   60  35 +25    4
2 Gumusservi                               2   1  0  1   55  51  +4    2
3 Anglatia                                 2   1  0  1   45  55 −10    2
4 Nassau-Hessen                            2   0  0  2   41  60 −19    0

Group F
The Greater Korean Republic 21–24 Ndaku
Felix 31–23 West Phoenicia

Group F                                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Felix                                    2   2  0  0   62  42 +20    4
2 Ndaku                                    2   1  0  1   47  48  −1    2
3 West Phoenicia                           2   1  0  1   50  54  −4    2
4 The Greater Korean Republic              2   0  0  2   40  55 −15    0

Group G
Alinghi Federal-Democratic Republic 24–24 Ethane
Hannasea 23–23 Paputu

Group G                                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Alinghi Federal-Democratic Republic      2   1  1  0   53  49  +4    3
2 Paputu                                   2   1  1  0   48  47  +1    3
3 Ethane                                   2   0  1  1   48  49  −1    1
4 Hannasea                                 2   0  1  1   48  52  −4    1

Group H
Castalena 24–29 Parah
West-East Timor 27–29 Abanhfleft

Group H                                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Abanhfleft                               2   2  0  0   60  49 +11    4
2 West-East Timor                          2   1  0  1   52  50  +2    2
3 Parah                                    2   1  0  1   51  55  −4    2
4 Castalena                                2   0  0  2   45  54  −9    0

by **West Phoencia** » Sun Aug 21, 2016 5:24 am

Shoddy defence is being blamed for The Buffalos loss against Felix in MD2. Losing 31-23.

Poor performances from both right wing and left enabled Felix to get ahead and stay ahead the entire match. Goalkeeper Matty Haye did not fair any better receiving a dressing down from Coach Rugby, who wondered if Haye was aware what team he was on.

West Phoenicia moves into their next game against The Greater Korean Republic who have so far lost both matches. The Buffalos are hoping for a win with a huge score difference to knock Ndaku back into third place. Enabling the Buffalos to progress.

Meanwhile on the home front The West Phoenician First Party have lost 80 seats in the national election. Political pundits blame the party for being too moderate with millions of citizens turning their back on the main party due to issues of Immigration, Defence and Moral issues.

Thousands votes for a number of the left wing parties pushing up their seats in the Congress but still keeping them in the minority while the major right wing groups The Antebellum Party, The Segregation Party, The Nationalist Party and The Aristocracy Party saw a huge swing in their favour .
With two party preferred West Phoenicia First Party holds a difference of 10 seats compared to their rivals The Conservative Party. However with all right wing groups vowing to support The Conservative Party in exchange for changes in policy and members of their own parties granted portfolios it will push the Right Wing Coalition into victory.

Emergency meetings are being held to save the West Phoenicia First Party from handing over power in the country to the Right Wing coalition. Prime Minister Grace Atin has vowed Congress will not reconvene until this issue is sorted.

With two international sporting events coming up and Handball and Baseball commencing or already started many hope the political issues are quickly sorted so the purse strings can once again be open to their international sporting teams.

by **Qasden** » Sun Aug 21, 2016 10:02 pm

Qasden
Athletic News

HWC17 Report- Days 1 & 2

With two games down, it's time to curiously see how the Vans are doing.

Game 1: Kernansquillec

First up was the top dogs of the group, Kernansquillec. The Kers dominated throughout the game, scoring goal after goal within the first few minutes of the game. The Qads, however, came back, almost to the point of leveling with them. Unfortunately, the Vans couldn't keep up, and Qasden was downed 25-29. The loss only stuck Qasden in 3rd, just above Thatius by PD.

Game 2: Thatius

Next up, fellow AO nation, Thatius. While a ranked team, the Thatians actually struggled a bit against the Qads in the beginning of the game. Soon, they came to just 2 over Qasden before the Vans came back and ultimately slammed Thatius, 32-24. The victory shot the Qads up to second, after a St Trinians defeat to the Kers. Thatius is pretty much eliminated from KO contention, while Kernansquillec is pretty much in. So that leaves us and St Trinians.

Of course, they will be our next and final opponent in group B. As both teams stand with a 1-1 record, this match will determine the fates of both squads in Quebec. A win is ansolutely vital for the Qads, and a loss would surely send them back home. As for the Kers and Thatians, if Thatius could pull off a big enough win, as well as Qasden blowing out St Trinians, there might be a shot at taking top spot in GB.

That's all for now. Can the Vans knockout the Trinians and move on with Kernansquillec? Or will St Trinians snag the spot away from Qasden and brutally beat them in the next match? Stay tuned, stay updated, and alert for our next report, straight from the depths of Reapers country!

by **Kernansquillec** » Mon Aug 22, 2016 2:11 am

Promising start to Handball World Cup return

The Kers have been in decent form following their first two group games at the Handball World Cup in the Royal Kingdom of Quebec and after two wins from two, they have already booked their place in the last sixteen ahead of their final group game against winless Thatius. An edgy start against Qasden may have caused a few nerves, especially given some poor defending towards the end of the game that finished a bit too close for comfort. But the Green and Whites were in full flow against minnows St Trinians who were brushed aside by a massive margin.

While the Kernansquillecans were expected to dominate their group, they will be tested once the knockout rounds commence. Triple champions Costa de Ouro, Red Blackiland, Abanhfleft, hosts Royal Kingdom of Quebec and Felix are all with two wins from two and Kernansquillec's rivals are all expected to qualify.

by **Northi Arabia** » Mon Aug 22, 2016 6:08 am

Northi Arabia Sports News
Le Nu'evos Spa-at de Northi Arabia

"Laaaaaadddieeeesssss and Gentlemen, I'm John."

"And I'm Frank."

"And welcome to your daily coverage of Northi Sports."

"Now our loyal viewers will remember our inability to cover the Northi loss to Britonisea."

"But we have obtained an illegal version of the Northi match against Vettrera so let's get to it."

Unranked yet Northi Arabia taking the pitch today to play #53 ranked Vettrera. Hamï Hammadouï hoping to get Northi Arabia's first competitive sport win here today in Quebec. Well the game kicks off and Vettrera off to a flying start going ahead 4-0 inside 10 minutes. Northi Arabia not looking well here as Vettrera bangs 3 more goals in compared to Northi Arabia's 2 within the next 5 minutes. 15 minutes played, Vettrera 7-2 Northi Arabia. It looks like Habeeb Nastashi is on the ball, sends a beautiful pass Sasha Shakiki, she places the shot, straight past the keeper, 7-3. Could a comeback be on? Northi Arabia score 4 goals within the next 5 minutes. 20 minutes played, 7-7. Samir Al-Khanat is dribbling, a bounce pass to Ali Al-Khanat, Ali Al-Khanat, FROM DOWNTOWN HE'S DONE IT! NORTHI ARABIA GO AHEAD FOR THE FIRST TIME IN COMPETITIVE SPORT HISTORY! 8-7. Vettrera just can't believe it. Oh no, it looks like Northi Arabia are getting complacent here, 5 more goals for Vettrera while only 2 more for Northi Arabia, and it's half-time, Vettrera 12-10 Northi Arabia. Let's tune in to HamÏ Hammadouï's team talk. "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS IS OUR TIME, WE NEED TO DO THIS FOR OUR COUNTRY, WE GOTTA SHOW THE WORLD WHO WE ARE! Y Fa'aq Ma-ei! Al-Fa'aq Y'al!" Very inspirational repetition of the Northi Arabian motto there. And the game resumes with the substitute Zëyäd Noti replacing Hector Sheikh Amzal. Amzal had a great game credit to him 2 goals as a CB well done. In 10 minutes the score becomes level at 17-17. Hamid Illal running down the wing, picks out Ali Al-Khanat, and he swats it in, great vision from Illal there excellent play from Northi Arabia, 18-17. We might just have a chance to win this. 15 more minutes pass and we're all square at 20-20. The pressure is mounting. Vettrera go through on goal and it's 21-20, 3 minutes left. A quick counter-attack from Northi Arabia puts the match at 22-21 to Northi Arabia. Vettrera make and run, oh and the player gets fouled it seems to be a PENALTY to Vettrera, if they make this this would put a dent into the chances of a Northi win. Vettrera step up to take it, AND ALPHEUS PEÑO MAKES THE SAVE, quick run from Zëyäd Noti extends Northi Arabia's lead to the highest it's ever been, 23-21 to Northi Arabia. 1 minute left and Northi Arabia has possession, a chance to secure the win here, HAMID ILLAL! HE SCORES WHEN HE WANTS! HAMID ILLAL! HE SCORES WHEN HE WANTS. The fans are chanting can he convert this penalty. YES HE CAN! NORTHI ARABIA TAKE THEIR FIRST WIN IN ONLY THEIR SECOND GAME IN A COMPETITIVE INTERNATIONAL SPORT! Great game. Final score, Northi Arabia 24-21 Vettrera.

by **Drawkland** » Mon Aug 22, 2016 6:55 am

HAND CORPS FORMED LAST MINUTE
Written By: Brian Skeedson and Makenzie Watson

RECENT RESULTS
FROM GROUP A:
Royal Kingdom of Quebec 30–24 Drawkland
Jarwel 32–30 Mattijana

Drawkland 27–25 Mattijana
Royal Kingdom of Quebec 35–24 Jarwel

Group A                                  Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Royal Kingdom of Quebec                  2   2  0  0   65  48 +17    4
2 Drawkland                                2   1  0  1   51  55  −4    2
3 Jarwel                                   2   1  0  1   56  65  −9    2
4 Mattijana                                2   0  0  2   55  59  −4    0

HAND CORPS
Now, we assume you've all heard of Handball. The fast-paced, exciting, hardcore, underdog sport that supports a Minor League in Drawkland and has gained skyrocketing popularity lately. Of course you have. Well, when a nation was mistaken recorded twice on the registration record¹, the Handball World Cup Federation needed a quick entry to avoid delaying the tournament. The Drawkian International Sporting Council (DISC) hopped on that chance like ... uh ... damn. I can't think of any metaphors right now. I'm disappointed.

Anyway, the tournament started too soon for DISC to talk to the Drawkland Handball Council about forming an all-star team, or even hold tryouts, so DISC selected the best players they could find². A DISC spokesperson says that if the team puts a decent showing³ in the first edition here, that they'll remain as the Hand Corps next edition or even longer. So put your hearts out to the Hand Corps in this 17th edition, because by God they're gonna need it.

Why so? Well firstly, the hosts and 7th ranked in the world, Royal Kingdom of Quebec⁴, are the headliners of the group. 29th ranked Mattijana (more famous in other arenas) are also present, along with unranked but presumed powerful Jarwel. The task of getting 2nd in the group into qualifying is certainly a tough one, but with the power of this ragtag group of ballers, anything can happen.

vs ROYAL KINGDOM of QUEBEC
What a way to debut in the Handball World Cup: against the host nation on their home court⁵. It was expected to be a landslide on the fledgling team, which it essentially was. The team hadn't really gotten their team chemistry together yet, and it really showed. 7 whole turnovers⁶ were committed by the Drawkian team, most of the time when the intended target just wasn't even there. By the half the score was 17-15 Quebec. The second half showed improved defense, but at the expense of any offense whatsoever. Ellen Maggio was the real MVP to start off the tournament, scoring 9 points over the course of the match. The duo of Wyatt Johnson and MacKenzie Skeed⁷ was also top-notch, making plenty of offensive opportunities.

vs MATTIJANA
This match was more exciting and more fun as far as Drawkland was concerned. The breakneck speed and neck-and-neck scoreline was a rollicking ride, and the offenses of both were on fire. In the end though, a massive and unexpected penalty shot block by Roman Anforse of the Hand Corps put the Corps in an advantageous position which led to a 1-point lead, turning into 2 points after a Mattijanan turnover.

Drew Whittman pulled out a more decent showing this time, with an impressive 7 points scored by the leftback. Both rightbacks, Julius Warren and Zach Kingston, had considerable play time, playing about an entire half each. And both of them performed very well, scoring points and blowing holes in the Mattijanan defense. And let's not forget to mention Ellen Maggio, whose fast break skill is utterly unmatched. In 5 steals and turnovers, Ellen was the target (wo)man, and powered past the opposing goalie with no issues (except a minor nick off the arm which didn't prevent a score in the 2nd). Overall, much better and outgoing performance.

PREDICTIONS
Who knows how the rest will go. The unexpected defeat of Mattijana was a massive break for the Corps, both in an experience and morale standpoint. Many more Drawkians appeared to watch this game, and it's expected more will show up as the tournament progresses. Jarwel is in the same boat as Drawkland, beating Mattijana and losing to Quebec, however with a lower-quality offense, shown in their worse goal differential compared to our boys and girls. The next match is critical to the future of the Hand Corps in this tournament (and in future ones really). A loss or win will likely secure the fate of both teams in the direction of the result. Either way, it'll be a must-see.

That's all the time I have to type this up. I don't feel like working on this article after my lunch break. DNSN, out! Good luck Hand Corps!

¹ The hell? It's like these organizations are only run by one person at a time.
² Namely, the one Harvey Flantar likes and that answered on the first phone call.
³ Really just anything better than the Base Corps. They're garbage.
⁴ It's like they're hosting everything these days! I wouldn't be surprised if they host an Olympics soon.
⁵ And of COURSE it's the Bubonic Plague's court too. What vengeful god did the Hand Corps piss off?
⁶ It should've only been 6, but Iain Snivac basically passed it to Quebec on purpose. He must be one of those 7 obsessors. Don't blame him.
⁷ They're actually dating. Awww, isn't that adorable?

by **Gumusservi** » Mon Aug 22, 2016 7:39 pm

Rise From The Ashes.
Part I. Arrival. | Part II. Breathtaking. | Part III. Together.

When people work together, things change. Tough times require people to work together in order to overcome. When the people want answers, answers have to be given and a solution has to be created - as one, as a team.

Everyone was quiet most of the day. No one had nothing to say. No one had motivation to do anything. The leaders were in a close meeting, and the meaningful object was placed in the middle of the round table. They say there all day. Planning and discussing. They elected someone to speak before the awaiting crowds.

The sun begun to set, and the people started to gather around a built podium. He wiped sweat from his brow as he was getting ready to address the crowd. He looked down to the object in his hands and tighten his grip around it. He was not sure how to go about yet, although he did have his speech written down. Is this what he is supposed to say? It didn't seem right.

The people comfortably, yet impatiently, await on the sandy beach. The shelters that they had built had been destroyed by the winds. He stood up, and cleared his throat. As he stepped onto the platform, his grip only tighten on the object. He placed it on the podium, where it was visible to all.

"Good evening my fellow people! We have found the unexpected. The current situation has only gotten worse."

He looked down to his notes. Deciding to ignore them, he lifted his chin and continued.

"Let this not be a hindrance to us. Let this not stop us from building ourselves back up. Let this not murder your faith. In many situations, as this one, it is hard to comprehend what we refuse to accept. Yes, it is unbelievable. No, I was not expecting this. We were not prepared for this.

"But! We have always been one family. Brothers and sisters - that's who we are. Before we became the submerged people, we had an identity. An identity that supercedes our underwater adventures. An identity that still holds true today. We are family. We work together.

"This will be a hard obstacle to overcome! But, as we have already been told, together we can go great things! Together, we will construct an amazing future - for us, for our children, and for the many generations to follow.

"We will overcome this obstacle that had been presented to us. Why? Because we are one family who believes that we will. United, we will go reach the unimaginable. United, we will build ourselves up. United, we will create a plan and come through with it! United, we will rise from the ashes."

He swallowed and took a breathe. The heat of the sun was becoming unbearable, but everyone listened. A million of thoughts crossed through his mind! Many things to say, but he intentionally chose his words.

"Be faithful. Be joyful! This is an opportunity to show that we can overcome adversity!"

He smiled and nodded!

"We will rise from the ashes! Goodnight to all and welcome home."

by **The Royal Kingdom of Quebec** » Mon Aug 22, 2016 7:50 pm

HOST ANNOUNCEMENT : Due to reasons associated with the host's RL circumstances at this point, scorination will be pushed back by a day. Sorry for this inconvenience.

works? · by **Abanhfleft** » Tue Aug 23, 2016 8:03 am

Part One Part Two Part Three Part Four Part Five Part Six Part Seven Part Eight Part Nine Part Ten Part Eleven Part Twelve Part Thirteen Part Fourteen Part Fifteen Part Sixteen Part Seventeen Part Eighteen Part Nineteen Part Twenty Part Twenty-one Part Twenty-two Part Twenty-three Part Twenty-four Part Twenty-five Part Twenty-six Part Twenty-seven Part Twenty-eight Part Twenty-nine Part Thirty Part Thirty-one Part Thirty-two

No Place For Heroes, Part Thirty-three

Presidential Palace
Gharbambiyah City, Gharbambiyah

"Pray tell me more, Bobby," President Isaiah Cabulovowino of the Socialist Democratic Federated Republic of Gharbambiyah as the commander of his country's police force, Director-General Robert Rhombus, interrupted the luncheon that the president was holding with three agents of Abanhfleft's Republican Bureau of Investigation to report an attack on one of the country's chemical plants.

"I don't have all the details, Mr. President," Rhombus said. "I only have what Colonel General Casai has told me, and she is understandably reluctant to trouble you with such a trifling matter."

"If Milena really does not want to trouble me with the attack on her plant, then she wouldn't have said anything about it to you too, Bobby!" Cabulovowino said. "Out with it, man!"

"All right, Isaiah," Rhombus said, referring to the president by his given name. "Milena believes that there were twelve assailants who raided the WGCC plant. It appears that their objective was to copy all of the information within the plant's computers, although the security cameras also saw the attackers going into the storage area, but they didn't take anything, according to Milena."

"Copy the information in the plant's computers?" Cabulovowino rubbed the substantial beard on his double chin. "What could they possibly gain from hacking into the plant's computers? And why did they physically have to attack the plant in the first place? Hackers are real, aren't they? Bobby, do you have any idea who could have attacked the plant?"

"We've gone through the usual suspects, Milena and I have," Rhombus said. "We even roped in Stephane Eskalumbuye into our brainstorming. We've ruled out the likes of the Holy Legion of the Islamic Jihad and the African-Antarctic Islamic Brotherhood as being incapable of this attack because the attackers displayed a skill and sophistication that the aforementioned organizations are simply incapable of even imitating."

Cabulovowino facepalmed in frustration, and then he turned to his guests. "I sincerely apologize for my language and behavior," he said smoothly to Gerry Anthony, Gab de Galicia, and Ellie Quest. "I can only apologize that this... attack has come at such a time like today. I would really like to continue with our luncheon, but my time will have to be taken up with managing this latest attack on Gharbambiyah's natural resources and economy. I really hope to continue our luncheon sometime soon, my dear Fleftic friends. But I must go. My country needs me. I will gladly let Colonel Abdulmutallab drive you back to your headquarters. Thank you, and good day." Cabulovowino shook hands with Gerry, Gab, and Ellie, and then Colonel Abdulmutallab came into the dining room and led the Fleftics out of the palace.

"It really is such a shame that we had to cut our luncheon with the president of Gharbambiyah short, guys," Ellie said as Abdulmutallab drove them back to the hangar that they occupied in Chah Rajawhm.

"Yeah, 'tis such a shame," Gerry agreed. "How about that attack on that chemical plant, though? I wonder who could have done it?"

"They say that the Jihad Legion and the Islamic Brotherhood are incapable of such a sophisticated attack," Gab said. "But is that really true, or are the Gharbambiyans trying to hide something from us?"

"Yeah, I wonder who could have possibly done it?" Ellie said as she trailed off and looked at the distance.

WGCC Sarabia Manufacturing Plant
Five miles outside of Sarabia, Gharbambiyah

The dusty black Toyota Hilux pickup truck stopped in front of its white twin, around which three women stood. They were wearing combat webbing over their clothes, and they carried rifles. Two men stepped out of the blac Hilux and walked over to the girls. "Sorry we're late," the tall man said. "We almost ran into a Gharbambiyan Army patrol so we had to take a detour."

"We understand," Ellen Quest said. Behind her, Rysa Browne and Elizabeth Glenn nodded their heads at the new arrivals.

"Ramon Durban," the tall guy said, introducing himself. "Mr. E talks highly of you girls and your group."

"I'm sure he does," Ellie said with a smile.

The shorter man stretched out his hand. "I am John Andudududuano," he said.

"Excuse me?" Ellie said, blinking in surprise. The other guy, John, must have stuttered. "Did yo say your name was Anduduano?"

"No, it's John Andudududuano," he repeated. Ellie turned to look at Rysa and Liz, who both shrugged their shoulders.

"All right, my men and I are here," Ramon Durban said. "So is that the target?" He pointed at the WGCC plant before them. "What do you want us to do in it?"

"We're going to do a snatch and grab," Ellie told him. "But we're not going to take someone inside the plant. All we're interested in is the data in the plant's computers. We want to check if it's just for legitimate chemical production or if Isaiah Cabulovowino is using the plant to produce chemical weapons."

"We can do that," Durban said, nodding his head. "So, when do we start?"

by **West-East Timor** » Tue Aug 23, 2016 12:29 pm

Omnidirectional News

17th Handball World Cup: first two matches

The West-East Timorian National Handball Team have played their first two matches at the 17th Handball World Cup in the Royal Kingdom of Quebec. The first game against Castalena was won with 25-21, thanks to captain Timo Päkäinen who played as brilliant as last world cup. After the game, coach Sightor Ericsson said:

"We've played well today, yes, but Castalena were good too. I mean, it was their first match in a world cup ever. It's no shame to lose that. Our next game will be against Abanhfleft, and that will be a bit harder, I guess. As I've said, it is Castalena's first World Cup, and Abanhfleft are ranked fourth in the world. We are ranked 18th at the moment, so they are a bit stronger, according to the statistics."

And they were. After the West-East Timorians played a good first half, at halftime the score was 14-14. But in the second half, they couldn't keep up with the brilliant team from Abanhfleft, and so, they lost 27-29. Sightor Ericsson said something, of course:

"So, what did I tell you? They are way stronger than Castalena. But it's not a really big surprise that we lost. That means, we will simply concemtra on beating Parah now, and then we'll advance to the next round. And then we'll see how far we can get. Hopefully to the semifinals."

But he was not the only one who said something. Captain Timo Päkäinen:

"First, congratulations Abanhfleft, they played fantastic. I think we could have scored some more goals, we had some good chance, but yeah, chances don't count, just actual goals. So we'll give our best to win against Parah now. They won against Castalena, didn't they? I think it won't be as easy as might seem. But it's possible, and it would be a shame if we can't even reach the round of 16."

After two matches, Group H looks like this:

Group H
1 Abanhfleft 4P.
2 West-East Timor 2P.
3 Parah 2P.
4 Castalena 0P.

by **The Royal Kingdom of Quebec** » Tue Aug 23, 2016 9:46 pm

Alcoholism is tough to beat, and so is my winter. With that being said....

MD3 Results!

Group A
Jarwel 24–28 Drawkland
Mattijana 22–29 Royal Kingdom of Quebec

Group A                                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Royal Kingdom of Quebec                  3   3  0  0   94  70 +24    6
2 Drawkland                                3   2  0  1   79  79   0    4
3 Jarwel                                   3   1  0  2   80  93 −13    2
4 Mattijana                                3   0  0  3   77  88 −11    0

Group B
St Trinians 25–30 Qasden
Thatius 22–24 Kernansquillec

Group B                                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Kernansquillec                           3   3  0  0   85  66 +19    6
2 Qasden                                   3   2  0  1   87  78  +9    4
3 St Trinians                              3   1  0  2   73  86 −13    2
4 Thatius                                  3   0  0  3   70  85 −15    0

Group C
Gadirya 24–24 Plasterdam
United States of Devonta 24–28 Red Blackiland

Group C                                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Red Blackiland                           3   3  0  0   80  69 +11    6
2 United States of Devonta                 3   2  0  1   79  75  +4    4
3 Gadirya                                  3   0  1  2   68  75  −7    1
4 Plasterdam                               3   0  1  2   72  80  −8    1

Group D
Cheongji 23–26 Northi Arabia
Vettrera 29–23 Britonisea

Group D                                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Britonisea                               3   2  0  1   89  83  +6    4
2 Northi Arabia                            3   2  0  1   77  79  −2    4
3 Cheongji                                 3   1  0  2   76  77  −1    2
4 Vettrera                                 3   1  0  2   70  73  −3    2

Group E
Nassau-Hessen 32–22 Anglatia
Gumusservi 25–29 Costa de Ouro

Group E                                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Costa de Ouro                            3   3  0  0   89  60 +29    6
2 Gumusservi                               3   1  0  2   80  80   0    2
3 Nassau-Hessen                            3   1  0  2   73  82  −9    2
4 Anglatia                                 3   1  0  2   67  87 −20    2

Group F
West Phoenicia 26–29 The Greater Korean Republic
Ndaku 24–24 Felix

Group F                                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Felix                                    3   2  1  0   86  66 +20    5
2 Ndaku                                    3   1  1  1   71  72  −1    3
3 West Phoenicia                           3   1  0  2   76  83  −7    2
4 The Greater Korean Republic              3   1  0  2   69  81 −12    2

Group G
Paputu 28–25 Alinghi Federal-Democratic Republic
Ethane 25–24 Hannasea

Group G                                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Paputu                                   3   2  1  0   76  72  +4    5
2 Alinghi Federal-Democratic Republic      3   1  1  1   78  77  +1    3
3 Ethane                                   3   1  1  1   73  73   0    3
4 Hannasea                                 3   0  1  2   72  77  −5    1

Group H
Abanhfleft 22–28 Castalena
Parah 23–24 West-East Timor

Group H                                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Abanhfleft                               3   2  0  1   82  77  +5    4
2 West-East Timor                          3   2  0  1   76  73  +3    4
3 Castalena                                3   1  0  2   73  76  −3    2
4 Parah                                    3   1  0  2   74  79  −5    2

Round of Sixteen Fixtures
Royal Kingdom of Quebec vs. Gumusservi @ Colisee de Quebec, Quebec City (Cap : 19,500)
Kernansquillec vs. United States of Devonta @ Eugene R. Mayrand Arena, Quebec City (Cap : 12,800)
Red Blackiland vs. Qasden @ Levis Athletic Centre, Levis (Cap : 13,500)
Britonisea vs. Drawkland @ CSKA Veterans Memorial Coliseum, St. Croix (Cap : 11,500)
Costa de Ouro vs. West-East Timor @ CSKA Veterans Memorial Coliseum, St. Croix (Cap : 11,500)
Felix vs. Alinghi Federal-Democratic Republic @ Levis Athletic Centre, Levis (Cap : 13,500)
Paputu vs. Ndaku @ Colisee de Quebec, Quebec City (Cap : 19,500)
Abanhfleft vs. Northi Arabia @ Eugene R. Mayrand Arena, Quebec City (12,800)

by **Drawkland** » Wed Aug 24, 2016 6:30 am

MASSIVE WIN AGAINST JARWEL PUTS HAND CORPS IN PLAYOFFS
Written By: Makenzie Watson and Brian Skeedson

RECENT RESULTS
FROM GROUP A:
Jarwel 24–28 Drawkland
Mattijana 22–29 Royal Kingdom of Quebec

Group A                                  Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Royal Kingdom of Quebec                3   3  0  0   94  70 +24    6
2 Drawkland                              3   2  0  1   79  79   0    4
3 Jarwel                                 3   1  0  2   80  93 −13    2
4 Mattijana                              3   0  0  3   77  88 −11    0

RECAP
After a first two matches featuring mixed results for the Hand Corps, they came into the match against Jarwel hoping to make a name for themselves. Little did they, the coach, the manager, DISC, the fans, or really anybody involved with the Hand Corps realize, that this match wasn't just pretty important, it was absolutely crucial to the future of the Hand Corps. Why? Because the group stage was a single round robin. This was the final match for one of the teams playing this game for this edition, and the Drawkians didn't even know it. They just played their hearts out, and it payed off, because now they have their ticket to the Round of 16 booked and ready to go into the playoffs.

It hasn't been decided yet who they'd be playing in the first game of the playoffs, but it's assured it'll be a tough match to matter what. And it'll also be great to watch.

vs JARWEL
The game opened with a Jarwel possession, putting the Drawkians behind from the start. It was terribly evenly matched, 2 turnovers apiece which capitalized into fast break scores for both teams, 1 easily-made penalty apiece, and a ton of back-and-forth action which resulted in a halftime scoreline of 14-14. The Drawkians went in for a restful halftime and came out ready to take the match for themselves, and that's what they did.

The second half started with a Drawkian possession, putting them in the advantageous spot for once, but regardless, the first part of the second half suggested the game may yet end in a tie, in which Drawkland would just barely stay in the 2nd place spot on Goal Differential. However, in the 14th minute, Jarwel got a penalty shot opportunity, promising to tie the game back up again, 19-19, but a miraculous save by goalie Roman Anforse both shocked the crowd and brought the ball back into Drawkian hands, soon bringing the score to 18-20 instead. This was merely the beginning of the end for the Jarwellian team, as 3 massive turnovers off the Jarwel squad put the Drawkians in a massive tower atop the other team.

By the end, the team had come out, 24-28. As the raucous cries of the Jarwel supporters nearly deafened the mediocre cheers of Drawkian fans, the Hand Corps realized something was up. They soon realized that this game decided who was getting the second playoff position for Group A. It was truly a magical moment for the team when the implication hit them that they did what they'd come to do - not suck, and make it to the playoffs.

PREDICTIONS
This section is pretty bland now but we'll edit in more stuff later, since the seedings haven't been actualized, so we don't know who the Corps will be playing in the playoffs, but considering their record, we're expecting a fairly decent team, but no powerhouse. It will likely be an equal match and we'll certainly have to bring our best to get through to the Quarterfinals.

Thanks to all those who've stuck around all 3 days. DNSN, out! Good luck Hand Corps!

Royal Kingdom of Quebec, MD3, Afternoon

With 2 minutes on the clock and the score at 23-25, Iain Snivac took the ball from Rachel Smith, the goalie who subbed in after Roman got a slight smack in the face from a Jarwel winger's shot. He jogged across the half court line as a Jarwel defender came to cover him. He tosses it to Harry Nephara, who tosses it to back to Iain. He decides then to toss it over to Abram Snivac, but to his surprise, Abram wasn't where he threw it ... he was 5 yards to the left. Instead, a Jarwel defender took the catch and sprinted back across the court. The realization sent Iain spinning, and he ran as fast as he could. He was gaining on the Jarwel player, but with steps to go, there was nothing he could do. The shot is taken in a magnificent flying leap, but Rachel sees it coming a mile away. She punches the throw straight out of the air, sending it flying. The same opposing player snags it mid-flight and play resumes as normal. But a pass comes right in Iain's direction, and by pure instinct, he swats/grabs it out of the air. After that realization set in, he ran as fast as he could. No player could match his speed, and all it took was a quick fake around Jarwel's goalie and the score came up to 23-26.

A minute later, 1 score apiece, and the game was over. The crowd was deafening, but all the Hand Corps could notice was the massive outcry by the Jarwel fans.
"Come on, it's not THAT bad," Abram commented as they crowded around coach Snivac.
The coach look perplexed, perhaps for the same reason as the team. But then realization hit him.
"Oh my god ..." he takes a look at this papers and forms, "This was the last match of the group stage! It's only a single round robin!"
The whole team gasped. "Does this mean...?" asked Iain.
"This means we're in the playoffs!" Rachel exclaimed.
"What kind of people only arrange a single round robin for a cup this size?" muttered somebody, probably Roman, to the player standing next to him. But the excitement of the situation overcame the team. They realized what had happened was not only a gift, but a miracle. They'd managed to stay alive and get to the playoffs.
"Now, I have no clue who we'll be playing," Coach Snivac said as he furiously pored over the information he'd been given, "But we will be playing somebody probably evenly matched, judging by our points and differential. No Costa de Ouros or Quebecs in our near future. Maybe someone like Qasden or Devonta."
A few sarcastic smirks and huffs came after that statement.
"But either way, we'll need to play our very best. Single elimination harbors no respect for slackers, alright? Let's do this!"
"5! 6! 7! HAND CORPS!" the team yelled, and then they trotted back onto the court to celebrate.

It was indeed, magic.

Handball World Cup 17 (Everything Thread)

Hand Corps Formed Last Minute

Massive Win Against Jarwel Puts H.C. in Playoffs / "Magic"

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