World Cup 83 - Roleplay Thread

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Parliament House, Belle Haven

At 11:30am, a single bugler emerges from behind the blue curtain to the right of the gathered mass in the Assembly –members of the House seated along the sides, the Council of State, the Justices of the High Tribunal of the Commonwealth and other dignitaries seated on chairs in the center of the chamber—and plays three staccato bursts, followed by the call of the Clerk , "All Rise!"

The Sergeant at Arms proceeds down the short stairs with the Mace, while behind him on the small stage where the Chair is, the Speaker leads the procession of State guests to their seats—Head of State Michael Gregson and his wife Darlene, along with Kabaka Mwanga of Banija, his wife Luguba Katrina, followed by the other members of the Royal Family who have accompanied them on this visit—Isebantu Mutungi & his wife, Omugaba Namakula, along with their two children; and Omugaba Immaculate & husband, Omalangira Muteesa.

When all are in place and Mace has been set, the Speaker opens the proceedings. "Order, order, this Extraordinary Joint Session of the 31st Parliament of the Commonwealth of Baker Park is now in order, be seated. The Chair recognizes the Prime Minister, Rebecca Schoenlein."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, I beg leave of the Chair to move that our honored guest be extended the privileges & rights of the Assembly for the duration of his visit with us, under Standing Order 7C. We are indeed honored to welcome to our nation the leader of one our most stalwart friends in Atlantian Oceania; a man who, along with his late predecessor, his father Albert III, has led the Kingdom of Banija through a harrowing and severe crisis, then in the aftermath, faced a tragic circumstance to ascend to his position. He has been a great believer in our two nations' friendship and we are delighted that we have been able to forge ties with him, and all of the people of Banija, and hope that he and the Kingdom know they count on the Commonwealth in times of prosperity and crisis equally. With that, Mr. Speaker, I ask that the question be put."

"The Chair recognizes the Leader of the Opposition, Allan Arnold."

"Thank you Mr. Speaker, I rise to second the motion of the very distinguished lady, the Prime Minister, and I also welcome our guest and all of his family to Baker Park. I too have been honored to have been a recipient of the graciousness of the Kabaka and also of his father, and share the Prime Minister's hopes for continued close relations with the Kingdom. I beg to move the previous question"

The Speaker stands, and in the manner of a longtime tradition of the House, emphatically calls for the decision of the members, pointing at the table where bills are laid. "The Question is Put! Shall the Assembly extend its privileges and rights to our honored guest for the duration of his visit? All those in favor say Aye." The chamber explodes with cries of 'Aye' and the Speaker continues. "The opinion of the chair is the ayes have it, and the journal shall reflect that the motion is passed. And so, ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to present to you His Majesty, Kabaka Mwanga."
The audience applauds and gives a standing ovation as the Speaker steps to his right to shake hands and invite the Kabaka to the podium that is just off to the right of the Chair itself.

After a few minutes, the Speaker calls for quiet. "Order. Thank You. Order. "
When everyone had returned to their seats he allows Mwanga to begin. "Your majesty."

The previous day

The State Visit of the Royal Family of Banija had begun with a bang, quite literally. In order to minimize disruption to regular air traffic at Belle Haven International Airport, the arrival of the flight from Busukuma was held on the far north side, away from the main passenger terminals, using the runway normally dedicated to cargo planes, police and fire, and some military flights.

Bands played the national anthems of both nations prior to the ceremonies, after the introductions had been made to the Royal Family of various dignitaries. A platoon from each of the units that make up the Army's 1st Division were rounded up and dressed in their ceremonial uniforms, each distinctive from the others, and a small cannonade salute were the military review aspect of the welcoming ceremony, along a brief joint statement by the Kabaka and the Head.

The George V hotel, Belle Haven's most elegant, were slightly put out at not having the opportunity to host the State guests, as had been their unofficial right for over a century; the decision to use the larger Intercontinental across the street was made solely for expediency, as the arrangements were on an unusually short notice and the IC could be made secure by putting all the visitors on the top 2 floors, where the G5 would normally require the entire facility be made available.
As a way to placate the older establishment, some of the foreign journalists and the flight crew of the Royal jet were provided lodging there—unbeknownst to those guests at the time, a genuine perk of the trip.

Once the party arrived at the hotel, their only engagement remaining for the first day was a cocktail reception for prominent Banijan ex-pats, along with some Baker Park celebrities, business types and assorted government officials—foreign ambassadors, cabinet ministers.
Meanwhile, in an adjacent reception room, a different type of party was being held. Claire Schoenlein, age 13, and Eric "Freddie" Gregson, age 11, were the hosts for a small group of young people in honor of the grandsons of the Kabaka—Omugabe Ssekamanya, age 9 and his brother Omugabe Ssemanda, age 6—which included entertainment, video games and refreshments. The two youngest offspring of the Prime Minister and the Head, respectively, had taken their roles very seriously, planning the event and choosing most of the guest list from among their friends and several children of other politicians and dignitaries (all overseen, to their minor dissatisfaction, by the putative chaperones—Andrew, 22 & Melissa, 18 Schoenlein, and Samantha, 19 & Tom, 15 Gregson, the older siblings of the young hosts).

The following morning—Friday—saw the entourage driven to Parliament House, where they were greeted by The Speaker of the House of Assembly, David Kosik and the Clerk of the House, Paul Tolbert, along with Bradley Gilliam, the current Chair of the Council of State; the trio gave the party a brief tour of the building, beginning in the Central Hall and then through the North Gallery, containing the State Regalia and other displays that tell the history of elected government in the Commonwealth, watched over by the portraits of past Prime Ministers, Speakers of the Assembly and the five men who served as the Prince Regent, as well as the three men who succeeded them as Head of State, including the incumbent, who met up with them just prior to the session, as the 15 minute and 5 minute bells sounded to herald the start of the proceedings.

Afterwards, an open-air motorcade wound through the streets surround Parliament House, with thousands of citizens lining the route, waving Banijan and Baker Park flags, ending at the front of St John's Palace, the residence of the Head of State and formerly of the five Prince Regents who served as the titular Head of State until the death of Prince Daniel in 1978. The exterior of the palace, built in 3 phases between 1893-1899, mixes Baroque & neo-Classical features, while the State Apartments have a more subdued decor.

A luncheon in the so-called "Family" Dining Room was followed by a tour of the Palace, both the dozen well appointed State Rooms and a personal tour by Mrs. Gregson to the Luguba and her daughter & daughter-in-law of the private residence; afterwards, the entourage made the short drive to the Commonwealth State Museum nearby.
The museum itself consists of 3 different sections--The State Museum, which is dedicated to the history of the Commonwealth; the Museum of Commerce & Industry; and the Museum of Science & Culture, which is geared towards a younger audience with hands-on exhibits and displays.
Outside of the building is the Grand Terrace, containing the vaults of the Prince Regents, their wives and several important figures from history, including William Baker, first Prime Minister and oldest son of the country's founder George W Baker. Also the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior and the Tomb of the Pioneer are located within the park.

The Royal Family called upon the Embassy of the Kingdom of Banija on their way in returning to the hotel, where in the evening they threw a black-tie dinner in honor of their hosts.

To be continued...

[Eura]

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6

Coastal airspace
Bellight, Mareibat

Darkness enveloped the island of Bellight as the clock hit two in the morning. Most of the island slept not so soundly in their beds given recent events. The BPA did not sleep at all. They were on high alert, and their bases running a constant night watch after recent raids which they suspected were a Euran retaliation for the attack on ENS Swifton. Nineteen Euran’s were dead and there had been a stern response. The men and women aboard four helicopters flying low over the Endemien Ocean were to be the final part of that response, Commandos on a mission to kill or capture a former Sameban General assisting the BPA and blamed by Euran intelligence for the attack. None of them could see more than a few feet in front of them, due to the misty weather conditions as much as the lack of sunlight. Weather conditions were posing a serious threat to the mission.

Under orders from on high the pilots had been instructed not to break radio silence until the Commandos had begun their assault, but they had little choice other than to make an exception with the coast rapidly approaching and the conditions atrocious. In a crisis room a long way away in Bastion, Prime Minister Yarley and key members of her cabinet and staff were listening in. On her insistence the pilots of the helicopters and key members of the strike teams had been equipped with helmet cameras and radios with a direct link back home. ‘…four, three, eighteen.’ This was the first bit of transmission that had been picked up unexpectedly early.
‘Copy. Sierra Three we have you thirty seconds from final approach.’
‘Copy, uh, Baseplate, we have poor sighting, really poor. Our confidence is not high. Can we get a go or no go to proceed?’
‘I don’t like the sound of this. What’s happening?’ One of the Chiefs of Staff leant in to quietly reassure the PM. ‘They’re just running a final weather check. If the conditions are poor we may have to abort.’
‘No.’ She stared him right in the eyes, and raised her voice so the whole room could hear. ‘There will be no abort. We go in tonight.’ He sunk back into his chair and nodded along without comment. That was that settled.

Yarley relaxed slightly, although in the back of her head she was visualising the headlines if four Euran helicopters crashed into trees due to some rain on a mission that wasn’t supposed to exist. It wouldn’t be good PR. ’Uh, copy, Sierra Three, you are go to proceed.’
‘Alright, copy Baseplate. Sierra Group proceeding.’ The radio faded to silence and that would be the last thing Eura’s leadership would hear for at least a quarter of an hour. In total blackout with driving rain and cloud dousing any other light sources, they were practically flying blind if there was any problem with the aircraft’s sophisticated systems designed for this kind of situation. In truth the two escorting helicopter gunships were now vital not because their firepower might be needed, but because they were better equipped for such weather, and if need be could guide the transport helicopters through if the weather worsened any further. ’Baseplate, this is Sierra Three, we’ve lost one. Send for SAR to fifty-one thirty. Proceeding.’ A collective gasp made its way around the situation room. One of the helicopters was down, but they had no way of knowing how or whether there were survivors.

In reality it was not a disaster. Sierra Four had suffered a moderately bad bird strike and been forced to abruptly land, not knowing what was below them other than it was at a couple of hundred metres above sea level. Fortunately they landed safely on a plateau, forcing the crew and squad aboard to disembark and wait for evacuation, embarrassed but safe. The other three and their two escorts pressed on without stopping. On board the lead aircraft Major Walker decided to take one last look through the cockpit to cabin door space and out of the front window. All he could see was lashing rain and cloud. ‘What’s in front of us?’
‘Low hills. Not low enough that we don’t need to concentrate.’
‘Sorry. How long?’
‘Forty five seconds.’ He acknowledged the time remaining and returned to the cabin. ‘Alright boys and girls, this is it.’
‘You’re coming in with us sir?’
‘Of course I am! Never in doubt.’ A tense wait followed, which ended when the helicopter pitched its nose up to slow down, then gently descended to hover over grassy land. Walker turned on his helmet camera. Leading by example, he leapt out first.

BPA base west of Floricon
Bellight, Mareibat

On a night like this most armies would be keeping their head down, yet the BPA were determined to punish failure and betrayal at all hours and with no regard to the weather. The youngster who had looked after Cain back in Bellight city, Cadle, was writhing about in the mud outside the main building of this encampment, struggling to open his eyes through the bruises that covered his face. Standing over him was Tolinet and his enforcer, Granger. ‘I didn’t fucking do nothing! I told you all of it, all of it!’ All that Cadle could be grateful for was the heavy rain which was washing away the blood and dirt. He could not be grateful for the crushing blow Granger landed on his shoulder with a pipe iron. Tolinet growled at Cadle without an ounce of sympathy. ‘You know exactly what you did, you petulant little rat. And now you’re going to pay the price for it.’ Cadle wailed in pain as he was dragged to his feet by two other men. Granger brandished a rope and the reactions of pain turned to fearful tears. He was only seventeen.

Watching on from a distance was Cain, protected from the rain by a canopy. Like every other senior Sameban army officer past and present, with the exception of a very small number of them, he’d grown desensitised to senseless brutality against the weak. It had been policy to dole it out to the “undesirables” – pacifists, leftists, political South Samebans, and above all the Euran’s – both military and civilian - when war came. A good human being would have called for a stop to this outrage even if they knew it would not work, or would at least work to prevent it happening in future. Cain was not that man and never could be. Cadle stood accused of having provided information to the Euran’s leading to the raids on Bellight. Sure, that was based on what Cain felt was probably spurious evidence. Yet he also believed that you couldn’t put a price on loyalty, and if Cadle was the sacrificial lamb needed to remind everyone here not to hand Cain over, then so be it. His own survival had to come first. Therefore when Cadle spotted him with a desperate gaze, Cain gave the lad nothing other than a cold stare as he left the cover of the canopy and followed the group away from the building.

The rope was lashed to the underside of a girder running between a water tank and a warehouse on the edge of the very large compound. A crowd of BPA men had gathered to watch despite the certainty of getting soaked. For a minute or two Cadle struggled before finally giving in and resorting to begging. ‘Come on, please! What if I do something, like, I don’t know, just anything! I’ll be first off the fucking ramp into Halholzer, please!’ Granger was a particularly cruel man and revelled in this. ‘Oh, you will? That’s nice.’
‘Please!’ Tolinet ignored the pleas of the condemned at first. ‘Tolinet, come on.’
‘Lad. This is happening. Make your peace.’ Cain caught up with the group and watched as they got Cadle into position. He’d stopped making noise now. Cain had seen this before. It was what happened when they knew it was over. ‘Tolinet…’
‘Shut up.’
‘What will my mum do? Can you tell her it happened somewhere else? Anywhere else.’ Tolinet paused and looked up to the heavens, beads of water rolling off his glasses. He smirked and turned away. ‘No, I don’t think you’ve earned that.’

Moments later Cadle swung and there were a few cheers as it happened. Mainly there was resigned silence. It was not the reaction Tolinet had anticipated. His smile turned to ash, then anger. ‘Enough, shows over. Get back to fucking work! We’re at war, didn’t you hear?’ The men dispersed abruptly back to their posts on the perimeter and in the buildings. Tolinet walked over to Cain and gave him a pat on the back. ‘I’m sorry we housed you with that piss-ant of an informant. We find another one and we’ll strip them to their bones before the end, I can assure you of that.’
‘I don’t care too much about the punishment. All that matters is I can resume my work…or I might need to think about going elsewhere.’ Tolinet didn’t appreciate the arrogant implication that Cain could simply leave of his own accord, but he had nothing to come back with, so he walked away. Cain took a moment to watch the body rock back and forth before returning to the main building, his new home, safe in the knowledge that whoever the real mole was would get back in line now, blissfully unaware that his goose was already as good as cooked.

East guard post
BPA base west of Floricon
Bellight, Mareibat

Six BPA militia were making themselves comfortable ahead of a long night taking watch when a faint clink could be heard in the doorway of their little pillbox. One poked his head out with a gun in hand, too late to realise that it was a flash grenade. This tried and tested weapon of modern warfare blew his senses away, and left the others stunned, as a group of soldiers clad in temperate green camouflage swooped inside and dispatched everyone before they could get out of their bunks, suppressed weapons muffling the gunfire to an audible but not booming sound. The lead attacker stopped and muttered something to himself, confusing another with him. ‘Sarge?’
‘Nothing. Just hope they didn’t hear that.’
‘In this unholy din? No bloody chance.’ BPA militia nearby did hear a bang, but without the accompaniment of loud gunfire or explosions they failed to react urgently. The Sergeant leaned through the pillbox gap and spotted his superior approaching.

Walker came over to the pillbox doorway. ‘Major, sir, we’re all clear here.’
‘Ok. Have we got a signal from the one on the other side?’
‘Pending as we speak.’ There was a delay as they watched in two directions, north and south, and waited for the signal. It came in the form of a series of blue flashes with a handheld laser. ‘Ok, we’re go.’
‘Aren’t we going to circle someone round to the west flank sir?’
‘No need. If these arseholes try to climb that hill it’ll be hunting season.’ Walker was right; the base’s west side was at the bottom of the hill running up the western bank of the valley in which the base was situated. The incline was much steeper than the further away eastern ridge, making a speedy retreat impossible. The BPA would have to fight this one out. ‘Are all teams in position?’
‘Yes sir.’
‘Alright.’ Walker checked his watch. ‘On my mark, fifteen seconds.’ Each second passed with the heart of each man and woman present beating faster and faster. ‘Execute.’ Walker took a step forward, and with him came all of them.

Minus the one squad whose helicopter had been forced to ditch, and a second squad split in half to cover the north and south flanks from range, twenty Commandos advanced swiftly through the grass and into the base approaching a jogging pace. By the time a few of the loneliest BPA fighters realised what was happening they’d been shot, stabbed or garrotted by the ghosts that were running through them. It was only by chance that a fight would be put up outside at all. Two Commandos hesitated at the sight of Cadle’s corpse swinging slowly from left to right in the open. A handful of BPA militia spotted them, illuminated by a wall light, and opened up with automatic rifles. One of the Commandos went down clutching their chest while the other dived behind a tractor, firing their own rifle as they went. Over the course of the next few minutes an immense gun battle erupted. The Commandos couldn’t avoid casualties as several more went down. Nevertheless they had the better of their opponents and soon the fighting wound down.

Two BPA fighters remained, protected by a fragile brick wall, firing blindly over it. Darder and Driscoll had initiated this undeclared conflict with their spotting of the Swifton and within a couple of weeks they were getting their comeuppance. As their comrades thinned in numbers and they ran low on ammo, Driscoll stated the obvious as he was always prone to do. ‘I think we have to call it mate!’
‘Are you fucking kidding me?’ Darder recklessly hauled himself to a standing position and fired repeatedly into the darkness. ‘We’ve got to kill these bastards!’
‘I don’t think I’ve hit anything at all. Can’t bloody see except for the ones getting close to the walls. Have you got any ammo?’ Darder’s gun clicked loudly, making Driscoll’s question rhetorical. ‘Fuck. No way, I’m going down fighting.’
‘Don’t be stupid, we can get out!’ Driscoll was struck across the face by his supposed comrade in arms with a lot of force and accompanied by a spiteful ball of spit. ‘Traitor.’ Darder darted off into the darkness leaving Driscoll on his own.

There was little in the way of gunfire now so Driscoll took his chance to get to his feet, rest his weapon on the wall in front of him, and put his hands in the air. He walked forwards half expecting to be shot by his own side but no bullet came. He kept going, moving as far away as he could from the north east outer building – all four outer buildings had been surrounded and cleared with grenades so he figured this would be far enough. Driscoll waited, expecting still to be hit by something. Instead he saw the outline of a Commando aiming at him from about ten yards away. ‘Lower your weapon!’ It was the voice of a woman, older than he was, and evidently Euran.
‘Wait, I don’t have one. I surrender!’
‘Open your jacket! On the floor! Do you surrender?’
‘Ok, ok, I surrender!’ Without thinking Driscoll lay down on the floor having opened his jacket as the Euran and one of her colleagues checked him over, then cuffed him quickly with plastic handcuffs. Meanwhile, for all his big talk, Darder had shown his true character and fled up the hill with several others. A burst from the gunship ended their attempt to escape.

Only the final building remained. The Commandos had been through a very tough fight and almost botched the operation with a few casualties. Yet they were still here, and their quarry was trapped inside. Cain had realised the moment the fighting started that barring an unlikely BPA victory in the ensuing firefight, he was finished. All he could do was wait and hope something would deliver him. He was being shepherded upstairs by one of the small cadre of BPA men in the building when Tolinet passed him, walking downstairs. ‘Tolinet! Where are you going?’ He looked less strong than he had earlier in the evening. ‘We’ve got more men coming from the town to the east. I just need to get a flare off and they’ll come here, overwhelm the enemy, and we’ll be safe. Trust me.’ It sounded like an optimistic plan to say the least – not that Cain had any better ideas. He and the remaining militia plus base staff waited inside the building as they saw Tolinet creep outside. A group of Euran’s scuttled along the side of a brick wall ten metres from the building.

The rain had stopped out of nothing. If only it had done so an hour ago, Cain thought to himself with a pang of disbelief that he might finally get caught here. Could Tolinet save the day? He was a hero of Bellight after all. Unexpectedly he shouted something from the doorway he was leaving by. ‘Asset!’ One of the Euran’s, probably an officer of some kind, twigged the shout and leant over to one of his soldiers. ‘Asset!’ he shouted back. Tolinet then sprinted hell for leather towards the Euran’s with his arms in the air, and was bundled away to safety, leaving the defenders in stunned silence. Cain couldn’t believe what he had just seen. After all the theatre and murderous behaviour, Tolinet was the snake in the grass all along! Now, with nowhere to run, Cain gave in. He grabbed a rifle and retreated to the most isolated room on the upper floors. The next half hour was one of self-reflection as the Euran’s slowly and meticulously cleared the building room by room, each “breach” accompanied by the low thud of a breaching charge and a few muffled gunshots.

Under the gap between the door and the floor Cain saw the unmistakeably light of a red strobe laser from the gun of one of the Commandos. They were in the corridor. He had a handful of base staff in the room with him and Granger, the last of the BPA’s fighters, the only one to truly fight until the end. ‘Quarry, you got a plan?’ It was said more out of hope than expectation. ‘No.’ Cain could barely talk. ‘There’s no way I can get us out of this. Sorry.’ Cain’s breath almost gave out on him at that last word, like he was disgusted at having said it. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d made a really sincere apology to anyone, for anything. Had the situation taught him a bit of humility? Maybe. Or maybe he was really only sorry that this was the end for him. Only moments remained and he tried desperately to think of something positive. He’d enjoyed the time he had spent with his wife over the years, and the armed forces, and being part of Gartanzo’s golden era, but he couldn’t focus on it. She was dead to the vengeance of the Euran Air Force “strategically” levelling her home years ago and so was everything else about the old Sameba.

There was no counting how many wives and husbands he’d taken from others, how many dreams of a future Sameba or a future Eura and now a future Mareibat had been ended by guns under his command and influence. Positive memories were blinded by the very abrupt realisation coming over him that he was a thoroughly vile human being. He’d known it for a while on some level. This was the situation that forced him to stop lying about it. Cain didn’t have the energy or attentiveness to raise his gun properly as the Commandos stormed the room. Major Walker had waited for this moment for a very long time, ever since on a cold night five years ago he’d lost his brother to the same paramilitary forces people like Cain had commanded. He’d been ordered of course to take Cain alive if he could and, had he waited a moment, Cain might have surrendered as the most belated of epiphanies struck home.

Instead the old General’s actions had caught up with him. Walker took the three most satisfying shots of his combat career. Two to the chest and one in the head. Granger went down shooting, hitting no-one as Walker called in the news. The staff surrendered without a fight and thankfully the Commandos paused before continuing the shooting. ‘Baseplate, do you read me, Backfire is down and out, I repeat, Backfire is down.’ It was a matter of fact kind of declaration yet it still prompted roaring cheers in the situation room. Yarley watched the entire thing unfold with a deceptively relaxed smile from her chair. She’d got her man and now had a narrative to sell to the Euran public. It would be in every major newspaper the next morning. ‘Wherever our enemies are, be they ones of the past, present or future, we will hunt them, we will find them, and we will bring them to account.’ Of course the usual critics domestic and abroad would warn of a terrifying future when such rhetoric was becoming commonplace from the Euran Prime Minister. They would call her an imperialist, a crook, an anti-democrat, an executioner. Her only regret was that there wasn’t an election tomorrow to take advantage of it.

[Busoga Islands]

The Busoga Chronicle
The Islands #1 News Source!

Victory over Ethane leaves the Islands with everything to play for against Chromatika


Ibrahim Fatah(#17) celebrates goal against Ethane

CRYSTAL CITY, CRYSTAL EMPIRE, EQUESTRIAN STATES- It has been quite the campaign for the Buosga Islands. They've had their fair share of ups and downs, but of course, they've earned their way to this spot. They had to battle their way, against all the odds in a group that contained both Jeruselem and Mattijana, ahead of larger and more talented nations to find the #2 spot in their group. And this, of course, was in a group with the world champions- where the Busoga Islands, for the second consecutive World Cup Qualification campaign, found a way to earn points away from home against the world champions, Vilita.

And now, the playoff group has, incredibly, not seen the Busoga Islands overwhelmed. A one goal loss in their opening match of the playoffs was followed by an important, and impressive, 2-0 win over Ethane. This was a huge win, of course, that put them in a place where they always wanted to be at this point- one more match, with a spot in the World Cup on the line. Who wouldn't be more excited? Chromatika didn't qualify for the last World Cup, and neither did the Islands. Heartland Stadium is going to be absolutely packed to his maximum capacity, with two sets of fanbases desperate to taste the Finals.

The scenarios are simple. The Busoga Islands, to have a chance to make the World Cup, need to take all three points against Chromatika. That, of course, is imperative. But a 1-0 victory, if, and only if, the Main Nation Ministry get all three points in their match against the already eliminated Ethane, will not be enough to put the Islanders through to the World Cup Finals. In that scenario, there would be a three way tie between the Islanders, Chromatika, and the Main Nation Ministry. To get out ahead on goal difference there, they'd need to win by at least a couple of goals, so expect the Islanders, a side who aren't used to pressing, to really try and get forward in this one.

Now, of course, if Ethane, inshallah, can help us out, then a win of any kind will take us to the World Cup Finals. And anything short of a victory for the Busoga Islands, no matter what happens in the other game, means that Chromatika will be returning to the World Cup. This, no matter what, is the last match of World Cup Qualifying. This is the end of the road. All those games played, all those frequent flyer miles logged, all comes down to one match in the Crystal Empire for this young nation's opportunity to get to the multiverse's greatest sporting competition. It will be quite the match.

And, Inshallah, may the Islands bring joy to this nation and clinch their spot among the 32 in the World Cup Finals. Go Busoga!

[Equestrian States]

WORLD CUP 83
EQUESTRIA & BANIJA

Playoff Groups 1-3 - Match Day 3 Cutoff

One day remains. Who will be heading to Equestria and Banija? Time to find out.

Results

[Banija]

We've reached the end of the road. The final World Cup Qualifiers. 30 spots have been claimed in World Cup 83- who will claim the last two? Here's a fitting cutoff for this moment.

[Hapilopper]

The locker room of Estadio Mocoa, Mocoa, Amazonesta
Right after the final qualifying playoff match – Hapilopper 0-1 Tinhampton
It was over. The impossible dream would not be fulfilled this year. The Hapilopper National Football Team had gone all the way to the last day of qualifying with a shot, but with the team about as tired as could be, and with the sense that Kita-Hinode had already locked it up, the Haps looked out of it all game long. They were just plain outplayed by a better team from Tinhampton, a team with nothing to lose on this day in Amazonesta.

All things considered, the Hapiloppians were crushed. They had come this far to fail to qualify for the World Cup. They had run roughshod over their opponents in the first half of qualifying, only to see reality kick back in and those other teams, some of whom were obviously superior, come back and take over. The Haps, as a first year team, were obviously not prepared for some of the onslaughts they were about to face. It took a ton out of them, and it took all they could muster to stay competitive against some of the world’s top national teams.

Still, Thom Perkins, the manager and head coach of the HNFT, wasn’t upset. He had no reason to be, and neither did anyone else.

“Yeah, we got beat,” Thom said. “People pretty much expected we’d get beat. But you know something? I’m proud of you. I’m proud of all of you. Nobody really gave us much of a shot and we made the most of it. We kicked some serious ass in this qualifier. We didn’t lay down, and for that, I’m proud of all of you.”

Thom’s future was secure. Dom Probst, the head of the Hapilopper Football Association, was delighted with what he had seen. Hapilopper had more than held its own against some of the top footballing teams in the world, and a lot of that was because of Thom’s work to unify this team around the objective of becoming a footballing powerhouse. They had come together, all right, and Thom would be in charge of this team for a long time to come.

Other players like Ernie Stevenson, Cooter Harris, Bobby East and Murray Hunnisett would remain a part of the team for a long time to come, as well. Defensemen like Nate Ellis, Nick Seward and Scott Dukes would remain a part of the club as well. They had more than pulled their own weight on the pitch.

But for the time being, the World Cup hopes of the Hapilopper National Football Team had come to an end. There would be other World Cups for them to play. There would be other opportunities for the team to make the world proud, and that core group of players would, unquestionably, be a part of it, as would the tactical genius of Thom Perkins. But now, it was time for the HNFT to exit stage left, and wait for a potential invitation to the Cup of Harmony, as well as any other events they may be a part of in the future.

As the team left the locker room at Estadio Mocoa with a twinge of sadness, they thought about what might have been, and what would be in the future. Their time was not now. But it was coming, and oh boy, what a time it would be.


Hapilopper City Airport, Conyers, Hapilopper
The next afternoon
When the chartered jet landed at Hapilopper City Airport, the players, coaches and staff of the Hapilopper National Football Team was surprised to see thousands of cheering fans welcoming them home from what had been a gallant effort to make the World Cup. They hadn’t qualified, but the Hapiloppians were still proud of them regardless.

The HNFT was more than just a team of the best footballers in Hapilopper. To young people everywhere, they were hope. They were the new heroes in this great nation. They were the stars they would look up to. Nobody gave these ragtag bunch of misfits a chance, but they came together and started winning matches. They won the Baptism of Fire. They won their first five matches in the qualifying phase of the World Cup, and for a brief moment, it looked like that “impossible dream” would come true. They had beaten some magnificent teams handily, such as Brenecia, Polkopia and Damukuni.

But those teams had something Hapilopper didn’t have. They had experience. They knew what to do to get past an inexperienced side like the Hapiloppians were. Brenecia overtook Hapilopper near the end of the group phase of qualifying and made their 10th World Cup. In the playoff phase, the Haps never had a chance, going against teams like Kita-Hinode, Tinhampton and Barunia. Sure, they beat the Barunians, but the wind had been taken out of their sails after getting beaten out by the team from Kita-Hinode.

Even though they had been defeated, a crowd of delighted fans were more than happy to congratulate the Hapilopper National Football Team on what had been a giant-killing effort. They had held their own, and they had shown that Hapilopper was here to stay in the international sporting landscape.

Even more importantly, the HNFT had established association football as a major sport in the Hapiloppian landscape. Because of the successes of players like Ernie Stevenson, Cooter Harris, Murray Hunnisett and others, children and teenagers who had thought about picking up a bat and a baseball, or trying to raise money to purchase their first midget racing car or dirt late model, instead decided to kick around a football, and decided they liked it.

After receiving the well wishes from the thousands of fans at the airport, the players made it to the parking lot, where their cars had been parked for weeks. It was time to go home. Players embraced each other as they prepared for the drive back to places like West Hampton, Border City, Pinkerton, Garvinson and Buckridge. Some would just go across the West River and return home to Hapilopper City.

Before long, just four players were left in the parking lot, saying their goodbyes, until the next time the HNFT would get back together and raise some hell once again.

Ernie Stevenson and three of his new best friends, John Cornett, Bobby East and Stan Long, the “Midnight Express” trio of the Garvinson Trojans, stood there for a while, not wanting the moment to end.

“It’s been a fun ride, friends,” Ernie said. “What do you think, think we’ll be invited to the Cup of Harmony?”

“I sure hope so,” John said. “We’ve got something special here. I think we can do something there.”

“Damn right,” Bobby said.

The four embraced for a long time before it was time to leave. Ernie got in his car and waved goodbye to the “Midnight Express” trio. They waved back as Ernie drove out of the parking garage.

They were Hapilopper. They had inspired a generation. Their run in this World Cup had come to an end, but they would be back, and they would be back with a vengeance.

[Busoga Islands]

The Busoga Chronicle
The Islands #1 News Source!

Busoga Islanders end up tantalizingly close to the World Cup as agonizing 3-3 draw with Chromatika see them eliminated


Fara Turay runs back with the ball for a quick restart after equalizing goal against Chromatika

CRYSTAL CITY, CRYSTAL EMPIRE, EQUESTRIAN STATES- 14 different sides from Atlantian Oceania will descend on the Glorious Southwest to participate in World Cup 83. And unfortunately for this national team, one that had their best World Cup Qualification campaign to date, one that poured their heart and soul onto the pitch for 15 games, one that fought like hell against the best of the best, they will not be one of those 14 sides joining the 32 at the World Cup Finals. It was an electric and enthralling finish to this World Cup Qualification campaign, an ending, while disappointing, that was fitting to the quality of football shown by this team throughout World Cup Qualifiers. And, of course, in the final game of World Cup Qualifying, these two sides left everything that they had on the field, and there can be no complaints. While, of course, in the coming days, it'll be debated across the country on what exactly the Busoga Islands could have done to score the last goal needed to take them to Equestria & Banija, but for now, of course, let's go over this game and simply appreciate the crazy spectacle that the Busoga Islands and Chromatika put on for us.

After the national anthems were belted, the tension at Heartlands Stadium started to rise. Now, of course, was the moment for the Busoga Islands and Chromatika. Chromatika started with the ball, and from that moment forward, began an energy draining, up tempo match between the two Atlantian Oceania sides. Keira Andisori, the Chromatik captain, fired a shot in just the 3rd minute that made al-Shareef, the Islander goalkeeper, really work for it. She had the ability to turn and launch from about 25 yards, and al-Shareef was forced into an early, diving save. He was able to catch the ball, but it was at full stretch. Chromatika was coming, extremely early, for a goal that would put them in the lead and see them take full command of their desire to get back to the World Cup Finals. The game, in the early stages, was mostly controlled by Chromatika. Of course, the Busoga Islands threatened on the counter, but the rock solid defense in front of Jillian Nier prevented any real scoring opportunities for the Islanders.

That was true, of course, until about the 35th minute. Chromatika had a corner kick, and Retta Conrad swung the ball into the 18 yard box. It was a big, looping cross, but al-Shareef leaped high to catch the ball, moving forward, at the 6 yard box. He, of course, was not going to settle for just a solid play. He sprinted out, catching Chromatika a bit by surprise, ran to the edge of the 18, and rolled a perfect one out to Utpal Ishan, who was already running out towards the other goal. With the Islander players sprinting out, it was a four on two- Ishan with the ball, Fatah and Oojam running up either sideline, with Amitabh running up the middle. A brilliant ball down the right sideline went to Fatah, who then hit the ball across to a wide open Oojam. It was a brilliant counter-attack, with defenders committing to the ball and Amitabh, and the long cross was absolutely perfect. It hit Oojam in stride, and the goalkeeper didn't have a chance, scrambling back across her goal. Oojam had a powerful header towards the near post, into the back of the net, and then sprinted to the sideline to celebrate with this teammates. Shockingly enough, the score was 1-0 in favor of the Busoga Islands.

Many of you, of course, have heard of the saying that when it rains, it pours, right? That is absolutely true regarding this specific game, at least, in this moment for our opponents. In the moments ensuing, the Busoga Islands seemed hell bent on doubling their lead. Chromatika was ssemingly shaken by the goal- it was the Busoga Islands who had grabbed this bull by the horns. A brilliant header in the 39th minute by Babaja was saved at full extension by Jillian Nier, or else it would have been 2-0. But that would happen soon enough. In the 43rd minute, the towering Galactico Henri De Aea made a brilliant tackle against Amitabh, who seemed to be in on goal. However, the richocheting ball went to Babaja, who wasn't going to miss from 8 yards. The scenes in the red end of the stadium were incredible! It was 2-0 to the Busoga Islands, and it seemed as if the party was starting.

At halftime, of course, Islander fans were ecstatic. Ethane was leading in their game against the Main Nation Ministry on the other side of town, which meant that based on those scores, if they held, the Busoga Islands would qualify for the World Cup Finals. That was a big if, however- Chromatika did not become a footballing power because of their lack of ability to respond to adversity, and for a nation who was once ranked 4th in the KPB rankings, they were not going to simply lie down against a nation that had never been to the World Cup before. The help that the Busoga Islands needed to make this task manageable came through, as Ethane eventually came out 3-1 winners over the Main Nation Ministry. What would happen here though?

Chromatika came at them in an energetic format, and they put tremendous pressure on the Busoga Islands defense. This team's strength is in the back, with Abeselome and Marie Sonko on that back line, but they would have a rough go of it against a fully focused, desperate, Chromatika attack in the second half. The defense had a bend but don't break menatality in the second half, and they held out for 20 minutes, somehow keeping Chromatika out of goal while not managing a single shot themselves. The ball was on the Islander half seemingly this entire time. al-Shareef made some saves, and it seemed as if Chromatika was pounding at the door, but could not open it. Creating some great chances, but ultimately, some sloppy finishing.

It would ultimately be Retta Conrad who would be the first black and white shirt to find their finishing boots. A long corner kick by Retta Conrad herself had to be collected on the opposite end of the field by Thorben, who then swung the ball back across goal. al-Shareef came out to punch the ball, but it was unconvincing. Instead of powerful and forward, the punch was weak and to the side, and it went to Conrad. Conrad took one step, and powerfully shot the ball with her left foot to the far post, and the ball went into the back of the net. It would be the Chromatik captain, Keira Andisori, who would fish the ball out of the net. There was no time for celebrations- with just 25 minutes left, Chromatika still trailed, and they ran the ball back to the center line for a quick restart.

Starfire took this moment to make a substitution of her own. Parviz Blourian, the left back, came off the pitch, while Naaji al-Azam came onto the pitch at the same position. The margin for error was now almost zero, and the black and white shirts had all the momentum. But remember the phrase when it rains, it pours? THat was true for the Busoga Islands as well. Chromatika, who had been dominant in the half so far, was always going to deserve a second goal. On a 71st minute corner kick, the 6'7 Galactico Henri De Aea rose up above the crowd, and powerfully headed a ball towards goal. It was saved by al-Shareef. However, the rebound went right to the feet of striker Kaytlyn Victoriane, who buried the ball from point blank range into the back of the net. IT was their second goal, made the game 2-2, and put Chromatika back in the driver's seat in this group. Now free to celebrate, there were jubilant celebrations from the Chromatik half, as she leapt into the stands to celebrate with their jubilant fans.

Chromatika was not done at this point. Silian Parker, the Chromatika manager, substituted Rowena Sierra onto the pitch for the captain, Kiera Andisori, for some more energy up top. Just four minutes later in the 77th minute, Chromatika had another spell of possesion in the final third, and Sierra had the ball about 25 yards out. Not many Chromatiks were making runs- they needed to defend at this point, as this scoreline would get them through. However, Sierra had all the space she needed. She took a step forward, and launched the ball from 25 yards into the top corner. It was a brilliant goal, and the go-ahead goal for Chromatika. That looked to be it for the Islanders dreams of making World Cup 83, and looked to finally take Chromatika over the hump.

The match was not over, however. The Busoga Islands were going to do whatever it took, in the few remaining minutes, to try and do something. In the 88th minute, Fara Turay was able to score a goal off of a rebound that made the score 3-3 with just 2 minutes left before stoppage time, and the Islanders tried desperately to get not only a match winner, but what would have literally been a goal that would have qualified them for the World Cup. On the game's essential last play, a shot from Babaja forced a diving save from Jillian Nier, and when she punted the ball afterwards, the final whistle was blown. The game was over. Chromatika players ran onto the field in celebration, as they celebrated getting back to the World Cup. The Busoga Islander players hit the ground, with lots of tiredness, lots of pain, and knowing that their valiant effort to make their first World Cup has fallen just short.

The players went and applauded their fans, who applauded the players. Flying back to Dukuma International, they had a heroes welcome for their efforts, with about 400 or so fans waiting for them, cheering as the plane landed. What might have been for the Busoga Islands, right? But in this best ever World Cup Qualifying performance for them, even if they fell just short, a lot has been accomplished. They can go toe to toe with the best. They can respond and play well under pressure. The talent level isn't quite there, but it is leaps and bounds better than it was immediately upon independence, and this team is almost ready. We'll see what the Cup of Harmony has in store, but with the confidence gained in this qualification campaign, expect an energetic Cup of Harmony from this core of players.

[The Macabees]

---

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GOLDEN THRONE IMPERIAL FOOTBALL TEAM QUALIFIES
DESPITE DOUBLE HOMICIDE TRAGEDY



Celebration of the team's qualification for World Cup 83, the first qualification for a World Cup Finals in many years
has been marred by the recent murders of Klasos Derag and Frapto Nevara.

Beda Fromm — What should be good times for the Golden Throne, its imperial football team, and the fans have been weighed down by the uncertainty and sadness surrounding the double homicide of players Klasos Derag and Frapto Nevara. Yes, the streets of the empire's cities, from Beda Fromm in the west to Gus'Liam in the east and from Macabea in the north to Manzanar de Gorezca in the south, have filled with tens of millions of fans celebrating the imperial team's first qualification for the World Cup Finals in recent memory. Yet, despite it all, the specter of the tragedy that has befallen two of the team's most beloved players has proven to be unshakeable. The players must now confront one of the most important challenges of their careers with the weight and tension of the murders, thought to have been perpetrated by one of the team's own doctors, on their shoulders.

The cheers of more than thirty billion people could be heard when the final whistle blew in the last match against Brusseldor, where two goals by Damrek Yusen and Geroga Kileno secured the third of three victories in the playoff round for qualification to the World Cup Finals. In a brilliant campaign, the Golden Throne's imperial football team defeated their three playoff opponents, including Juvencus — which they had played twice during the World Cup 81 Qualifiers, but never defeated —, after finishing second in their group, only one point behind the second-best team in the world, Turori. That, mind you, achieved with only one loss (at home) to that very same team, which they would go on to beat in the return/away match. The qualification marks an important moment in the history of the imperial football team, whose absence from the highest orders of international football had converted a team with some world footprint into a backwater of the sport. Now 36th ranked in the world, the imperial team has met one of its long-standing goals, that of returning to the prestige stage of global football.

It has been a long and winding road for a team whose best recent memory remains the last cycle's Cup of Harmony, where they reached the round of sixteen. That was the first and last time the team progressed to the knock-out stages of a major international tournament, at the time the sought after objective of an association just beginning to find its feet again. And although few necessarily expect the Golden Throne to move on to the knock-out stages of World Cup 83, qualification for the tournament is a prized result that has surely given head coach Begora Listenaicher the credibility to continue on as team manager for at least another cycle.

"The team's efforts have been extraordinary," said Listenaicher during the press conference following the win against Brusseldorf. "This is a momentous occasion achieved by a team that has simply played fantastic during the last fifteen games. Qualification is a product of their work, they have all the reason in the world to be proud."

Millions of fans took to the streets in the thousands of cities spanning across an empire that has grown to its western extreme in the Satrapy of Nicaro to its eastern frontiers in New Empire, Pezlevko-Rubino, and Indras. As was customary in the past, all World Cup qualification and Cup of Harmony matches are heavily publicized and offered over a public, imperial television network. Even troops in combat zones are afforded the leisure of watching matches, if not on an active mission. It has earned the team widespread popularity and burgeoning support, an effect no doubt bolstered by the imperial league's announced reorganization to account for the new territorial incorporations.

Qualification for World Cup 83 will give the imperial team a degree of attention that it hasn't enjoyed for quite some time, promising larger audiences for future cycles that are likely to result in [hopefully] better, improved outcomes. Indeed, although a generation ago it lost every game of the group stage during the team's first World Cup Finals appearance and little better is expected this time around, Listenaicher will be expected to, at very least, produce direct qualification for World Cup 84. Regardless, these augmented expectations are a signal that Listenaicher has been doing things right.

Unfortunately, this success has been marred by the recent criminal investigations on the murders of players Klasos Derag and Frapto Nevara.

Found dead in Nevara's apartment in Beda Fromm, where the team was training between games during the current tournament cycle, the two deaths were originally ruled to be suicided. Both are reported to have died in their sleep, which is what prompted the initial assumption. However, a toxicology report uncovered a strange pain killer compound that contained enough poison to more than kill each of the players. An intense investigation carried out by security contractors Penzlon Security ultimately discovered irregularities in the movement of chemicals and drugs out of the team's headquarter's sports medicine department. These drugs and chemicals, they found, were the ingredients to the poison that killed both men.

The investigation ultimately landed on Dr. Emelie Reverie, who had been sleeping with both Klasos Derag and Frapto Nevara, as the culprit behind what is deemed to be a crime of passion. Based on text-based conversations between Dr. Reverie and the players, as well as one eye witness testimony, her relationship with them and subsequent breakup are well documented. Irregularities in the medical department's inventory accounts are suspected to be a product of Dr. Reverie's use of departmental drugs, chemicals, and compounds in the production of the poison responsible for the murders.

In a dramatic turn of events, Dr. Reverie was found murdered in her jail cell soon after being arrested. A woman by the name of Amarga Deleen, previously arrested for assault and battery, admitted to slitting the doctor's throat during a lapse in the security postage on the outside hallway of the cell block. The third cellmate, Samanth Jergo'os, arrested for child abuse, was also murdered in the same fashion. Mrs. Deleen has pleaded insanity. Emelie Reverie's death has further darkened an otherwise celebratory mood in the locker room.

Another former employee of the imperial football team association was found dead in her apartment, murdered by an unknown assailant assumed to be a robber. Janis Mariko, an analyst who quit the association over private issues related to Dr. Reverie and another analyst by the name of Dario Gertona, was found murdered by means of a firearm. Her roommate has been killed by the same assailant, as well. There are no known suspects yet. For his part, Dario Gertona has not been found. He and Ms. Mariko had fled south during the investigation into the murders of Mrs. Derag and Nevara, for unknown reasons. Penzlon Security has released that Mr. Gertona is thought to have emigrated to Safehaven. They have clarified that neither he nor Ms. Mariko, who was brought in for questioning, are thought to be involved in the murders of the two players, although they were at one point suspects in the case.

These ancillary deaths have been the subject of a great many conspiracy theories pointing to a cover-up, although few armchair investigators have forwarded plausible alternative explanations for the murders of Mr. Derag and Mr. Nevara and the subsequent murders of Dr. Reverie and Ms. Mariko and the disappearance of Mr. Gertona. Rumors have nevertheless received further fuel after it was disclosed that that lead detective and investigator on the case, officers Ineke Marissi and Leender Zuilek, were removed after the murder of Dr. Reverie. Neither officers nor Penzlon Security have released statements on why this change in the investigation's leadership were put into effect. It is believed that they were found to be negligent in Dr. Reverie's death, if not directly then indirectly. Alternative explanations have connected the change to the notion of a cover-up.

Regardless, the ambiguity surrounding these cases has produced confusion and has limited the association's ability to find closure in the tragedy.

That these events have cast a glum mood on not just the locker room, but the association overall, goes without saying. The association's sporting director, Donal Jerispo, has reportedly taken a vacation due to the stress of the situation. Others have also taken temporary leaves. All of this as the team prepares for one of the most exciting challenges in its history, the group stage of a World Cup.

Despite the shadow of the criminal investigation and the loss of two players, as well as two staff members, the Golden Throne's squad is motivated and ready to compete in the most prestigious football tournament in the world. The objective, of course, will be to reach the knockout rounds of the competition with the intention of continuing the team's climb up the global rankings. The better they perform this tournament, the better they'll perform the next, with an eye on the eventual conquest of the title — an achievement that is far off, but not so distant to dissuade or dampen the ambitions of an empire.

[Banija]

Kabaka - King
Luguba - Queen Consort
Sarauniya - Queen Mother
Isebantu - Crown Prince
Omugabe/Omugaba - Prince/Princess
Omulangira/Kyabazinga - Duke/Duchess
Kagere/Kiweewa - Lord/Lady
Katikkiro - Prime Minister
Waziri - Foreign Minister
Lukiiko- Parliament
Kiongozi- Leader of the Opposition

Parliament House, Belle Haven, Commonwealth of Baker Park

The Kabaka walked up to his stand where he was to make his speech in front of a thunderous applause from the members of the Baker Park Parliament. When that died down, he gave one last look around, and began speaking.

"Mr. Speaker, Mr. President Gregson, Madam Prime Minister Schoenlein, and Mr. Leader of the Opposition Arnold, and all members of this body and this government, I would like to gratefully thank you for the invitation of my family and I to visit this great country, and reaffirm the bonds of the people of the Kingdom of Banija, and the Commonwealth of Baker Park. This is a historic moment both individually for each of us, and most importantly, a historic moment for tremendous Banija-Baker Park relations. This is the first time that a Banijan monarch has addressed this pristine body, and I am proud to have been the one to be able to address it. This is the first time that a Banijan monarch has been given the honor of addressing a joint session of Parliament of any nation not within the Quebecois Commonwealth of Nations, and for that, we are extremely grateful.

I am humbled, as a man, to be addressing this body in these circumstances. The alliance between the Kingdom of Banija and the Commonwealth of Baker Park is not one that is political, is not one that is simply between person to person, no matter how strong the relationship is between Prime Minister Schoenlein and I. This is a relationship that will be passed down, hopefully for generations, as our values align, as our interests align, as our people align. It was strong when I was the Isebantu, and my own son Isebantu Mutungi, the next Kabaka, understands its value. This is part of the reason why my grandsons sit in this very room tonight, behind me. If we could give them a hand."

*They engage in a short applause for the two very young Omugabes, as they both stand and acknowledge their grandfather, and everyone else, clapping for them.*

This is to show the value that we place on this relationship. I am proud that I can literally say, our grandchildren will understand, at a very young age, the importance of maintaining and strengthening this relationship. The oldest of those two will not reign for many years, but it is key that they are shown the importance of Baker Park to Banija.

This nation that we are a guest of today has always moved forward in the right direction, since independence, because the heart of this nation is in the right place. This nation ensures fights for equality for all, this nation wants to help everyone, it is open, it is inclusive, it is diverse. From the days of George W Baker himself, Baker Park has built a diverse, multicultural society that is the envy of many around not only Atlantian Oceania, but the entire multiverse. We look at the bad trends besetting nations- we look at the rise of some sinister and racist elements, against people who look like myself and most Banijans, and in this nation, there is a strong rejection of that. From its very foundation, different races and origins of people were accepted into Baker Park, and integrated. It is an example that we all wish to follow.

We look at the bonds that our two nations have built over the years. You know, I was able to work very closely with the Prime Minister and the Commonwealth during the Banijan-Equestrian War. While, for obvious reasons, not everything can be stated publicly, we publicly give thanks for the humanitarian and peace efforts provided by the Commonwealth throughout that period of time. It was a rough period, that drought, and although the political complications and risks of the help provided to us was high, I knew that this government could be relied upon to help the Banijan people. And for that, on behalf of my own people to the Commonwealth, I must say, thank you to this Prime Minister, to this body, for staying the course even in the most difficult of moments.

And while that was important, history can only inform those bonds. IT cannot be the sole thing relied upon to keep and strengthen them. But our nations have done so, and will continue to do so, through deliberate action. You look at what our nations have done together over the years. We worked together to co-host the regional football championships, AOCAF LVIII, a tournament that was a roaring success. Not only was it a success on the field in both countries, where we both had record finishes at this tournament, it was a success off the field. IT was a testament to what can be accomplished when our nations are working together, for a common goal. There is great cooperation as Banija really begins to take our own path towards economic growth and revitalization, since cooperation with the Commonwealth has been key to us beginning to realize the full potential of Banija's oil reserves."

"This visit is important to reaffirm the tight bond that have been created between Banija, and one of our own closest allies, the Commonwealth of Baker Park. But it is about much more than re-affirmation. It is about strengthening those bonds in the future. Just as in normal human relationships, Every nation-to-nation relationship must continue to be worked on, be reaffirmed, be strengthened. There will always be some rough patches. But what makes this bond between Banija and Baker Park unique, what makes it stand out, is the dedication on both sides to making it work. We share the same values. We value freedom, we value hard work, we both value family, we both value God- and I believe that this relationship, between Banija and Baker Park, is one of those few that can whether the storms, that will truly stand the tests of time, and will continuously bear more fruit for both sides. We must, and we will, continue to stand, side by side, as we both move forward in this ever changing the world.

Thank you all for inviting me to your country, for your great hospitality to my family, and especially my grandsons, and lastly, of course, for inviting to speak in one of the most hallowed halls of all of Atlantian Oceania. It has been the deepest honor of mine. Have a great night, Baker Park." Thunderous applause greeted the Kabaka as he finished his speech and moved back to his seat.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

BP-BANIJA "SHARED VALUES"--KABAKA

BELLE HAVEN (CPA)--Kabaka Mwanga, of the Kingdom of Banija, reinforced his nation's strong commitment to the relationship between The Kingdom & the Commonwealth of Baker Park in his address to a joint session of Parliament here Friday.

The hereditary successor to the throne of Banija became the eighth person honored to address the Parliamentary Joint Session in the history of the Commonwealth, and emphasized the closeness the two nations have enjoyed in the years since the Commonwealth mobilized resources to aid in the relief of the drought in Banija, and the subsequent war between the Kingdom and the Equestrian States.

His Majesty pointed to the limited nature of the official travelling party as to how he viewed the relationship between the nations: his eldest son & eventual successor, Isebantu Mutungi accompanied by his family--wife Omuguba Namakula and sons, Omugubes Ssekamanya & Ssemanda--presented with the opportunity to understand and appreciate the nature of the Kingdom's relationship with the Commonwealth.

The Royal Family were honored with a motorcade on their way to a luncheon at St John's Palace, with the exception of the Kabaka's eldest daughter and her husband, Omuguba Immaculate & Omulangira Muteesi; the pair were given an abbreviated tour of Treasury House, and a brief meeting with Minister of State for Finance Stephen Austin, President of the Treasury Board Carl Young, and executives of the group of banking corporations known as "the Big 5".

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Saturday morning, Rosenau ground, Belle Haven.

There had been many opinions expressed on the subject of taking the Royal Family, along with the contingent of BP officials, to Mansfield for a half-day trip and the logistics involved; a motorcade on a Saturday morning would not be a huge inconvenience for the police, but still would be an 80 minute drive--in both directions--and there were few, if any, other alternatives that seemed to settle the issue.
It was an off the cuff remark by Tom Gregson, the Head of State's older son, that ended up bringing about the solution in the week leading up to the visit.
"Why can't you just helicopter them up, in those big 510s?" The H-510 was a twin rotor, airlift & personnel carrier, with a capacity for 20--large enough for one of the smallest National Guard or Army units to be transported to a location--and obviously could cover the distance in about 1/3 of the time. The civilian model used for passenger transport could carry up to 34 passengers.

The Protection Service and the rest of the organizers of the State Visit put their heads together and came up with a plan that checked all of the boxes. One H-510 would transport the advance personnel, and 3 smaller H-410's (single rotor copters, each capable of seating about 14 passengers) would carry the VIP's, who would be distributed among the different helicopters to ensure safety.
The most obvious place where the flights could land with enough room was just to the west of the Intercontinental Hotel, at the home stadium of the Victoria & Albert FC, Rosenau.

The club agreed to allow the helicopters to land inside of the stadium and the passenger lists were worked out. Kabaka Mwanga & his wife, Prime Minister Schoenlein & her husband Tony, and the Banijan Ambassador to Baker Park, Ndulu Azubuike were among the passengers on the first departure, following the media, security and aides being lifted off; Secretary of State Hannah Delaney & her husband, Isebantu Mutungi & his wife, along with the two Omugubes & their new-found friend Freddie Gregson, along with Allan Arnold, Leader of the Opposition and his wife, taking the second chopper, with Head Michael Gregson, wife Darlene; Omuguba Immaculate & her husband; and Ajaye Kwumembu, the Chairman of the Banijan-BP Friendship Association--who had been a guest at the dinner the previous evening--among the final party.

Mansfield Temple, Puritan Church of Jesus Christ of LDS, Saturday midday.

The motorcade that arrived in front of the church that serves as the central gathering spot of the vast number of Banijan ex-pats that live within the greater Mansfield area--between 6 & 8,000 by most estimates--emptied many dignitaries that were recognized and given welcome.

Yet to this point, there had been no sight of the Banijan Royal Family that the crowds had come to pay tribute to; Leader of the Opposition Allan Arnold, along with his wife, were cheered and given heartfelt tribute--Arnold had earned the respect and admiration of the Banijan expats after the death of Kabaka Albert III, when he came to express his condolences--but so far, none of the Banijans had shown.

There was a subtle shift in the crowd alignment ahead of the next arrival in the motorcade; Ambassador Azabuike, followed by the young Omugubes and Master Gregson, with Omuguba Immaculate & Omulangira Muteesi, who all spent more than several minutes among the crowd; there were unprecedented opportunities for autographs, pictures of the trio of youngsters who showed a natural and genuine closeness--absolutely comfortable demonstrating easy acceptance--and finally a group shot of the Isebantu's sons with their Aunt & Uncle, and another with their self-proclaimed "cousin"; Eric Gregson was the first child born to an active Head of State living in St John's Palace since Princess Frederica was actually born within the Palace to Prince William & Princess Helena in 1915.
It was this connection that earned him the nickname he has answered to since, "Freddie".

Meanwhile, most of the rest the VIP's were re-routed to arrive at the rear of the Temple building, where the Kabaka, Isebantu, the PM, & the Head of State made their entrance; it was solely to Omuguba Immaculate's credit that she agreed to forgo the private route.

When it became clear that there were no more VIP's that would be arriving at the front of the Temple, the crowd began to push forward up the front steps to gain entry, only to be held off by security. When the whispers of what was happening made their way forward, an unlikely duo stood up and quickly retreated towards the rear; the person who knew how the situation was best handled found the senior person in charge.

"What is the issue, Superintendent?"
"Mr Arnold, sir. The crowd outside are wanting to be allowed in."
The Leader of the Opposition immediately recognized his fellow responder and laid his hand on the back of the arm of the Omulangira.
"Your Highness...if you would step outside and explain to them we hear their concern and are going to address it, I would be most grateful."
Muteesi nodded; he had only a few minutes of conversation with this man who was Parliamentary Leader of the Opposition to the Government of Rebecca Schoenlein. He had been struck by how much cooperation and mutual respect existed between the Prime Minister & the main opponent in the legislature. Perhaps he could use this opportunity to find out more about how the Parliament operated, to the benefit of his wife.

"Yes Mr Arnold, I shall do what I can." Muteesi was escorted outside with a CPS agent at his side and shouted above the din for calm.

"Fellow Citizens. I am here to speak for you. Although you may not think I have a voice, Mr Arnold, whom many of you do know, is also at this moment speaking for you, and we are working together to solve the issue. Please! Trust the process and do not challenge these lawful men who are here to keep peace. I hope that they have, in their hearts, the knowledge that Banijans respect the law. The Kabaka, my Father in-Law, respects the Law of this country and all others."

In the meantime, while Muteesi was speaking, Allan Arnold was estimating how many of the people outside the doors could be admitted to stand in the rear, or down the outside aisles, and if the door could be at least kept open for anyone not able to be admitted to at least hear what was going on.

Arnold walked out next to Muteesi about 2 minutes after the Kabaka's son-in-law finished.
"Ladies & Gentlemen, we will allow as many of you inside, to stand at the back or on the outside aisles, as can be safely accommodated, and for the rest, we will prop these doors open for you to hear the ceremony. We have only operated on the strictest precautions for the safety of everyone. God Bless you All."
The crowd cheered and after a few minutes, the majority of those gathered had been ushered in.

[Taeshan]

The doubt that crept throughout the minds of 89 million Taeshani citizens has since been vanquished and after 38 years of failures to qualify, over 350 games since the last that was in a World Cup the Purple Knights of Taeshan have managed to qualify for the 83rd World Cup. After a loss to Darmen on the penultimate matchday had them heading into a bye, the slight lead over Mytanija seemed not enough as they went home to watch their already eliminated Rushmori rivals face off against Mytanija with a win or tie sending the Knights to the World Cup, and a Darmen loss by more than 6 goals sending the Knights to a play-off. That said it was all but certain the Knights were headed to the World Cup and only the worst of results would have sent them home, and luckily we don't have to think about that. We have qualified for a 9th time to the World Cup finals, and for the first time in over all of the playing careers and lives of the current squad. Only the management team was alive in the last World Cup to see the Purple and Gold among the jousting 32.

The Knights spend no time in getting to excited about qualifying for the World Cup, and while they are assuredly happy to be there, it means more than that. Wilhelm Nkitilina seems likely to be using this incredible campaign to move abroad, as does Shiloh Morgenstern. The left sided attacking duo look for greener pastures than Atlantea on the wrong side of its history, and Al Haxire on the wrong side of well...to be fair they're about where they are meant to be. The veterans of the squad looking to go out with an incredible run have managed that achievement, but can they do more? Xander McDrew managed to get the team back to a World Cup, but now his job in his final season at the helm of the squad is to make the Knights competitors again.

How does a side manage that? Well the best way to beat the best is to play the best. A four game friendly series was arranged with both hosts in the lineup, a relatively competitive Timuria side themselves close to an impressive qualification, and a relatively familiar side in Starblaydia. The Knights set up a pre-world cup battle in Banija against the host sides and their other two competitors to continue to hone their skills, and hopefully set them up for a strong performance in the actual competition.

The first matchup saw the Knights face the 9th ranked Starblaydia side. The two possibly to see each other in the Group stage matched up for the first of the big pre tournament battles. The Knights for their part continued to hold their own, while in a group less than skilled during qualifying you can only beat the teams in front of you and the Knights did that for the most part. Their biggest test for a while was their opponents, wearing all white, with their fans feeling likely weirded out seeing the Knights in Purple against their own Purple nation. The Knights would win the opener 2-1, with Nkitilina and Miles Snavely scoring.

The second matchup was a drone 0-0 draw with Timuria which the less said about that the better, which could also be said by the absolute demolishing the Equestrian States would put on the Knights less than a week later dominating the younger side 3-0. Finally the Knights faced their hosts Banija. The closest side in rank, and likely the biggest mental test the home side seemed to be thrilled to get a chance to walk out before the tournament and get a chance to fine tune things before the actual games began. The Knights for their part were more interested in winning and that showed in Morgenstern and Nycolas Jackson helping the side to a 2-1 victory in their final warm-up before an interesting tournament to follow.

[Recuecn]

Boom. Boom.

Boom.

It was one in the morning in Reçueçn City, but fireworks were going off, red, purple, and gold. Indeed, the whole nation appeared to be awake. In the countryside lights were on, and the usually still Reçuecian night was lacking its typical silence. The evening simmered with energy as if behind each closed door, a small mob of eager fans was waiting with bated breath.

Boom, boom, boom. As the fireworks began to go off, a dull roar added itself to the commotion, as crowds began to pour out of bars in Reçueçn, where despite the early hour on a weeknight, pubs were still packed to the brim. The fans joined others, already waiting in the streets of the city, cheering and yelling. Drivers laid on their horns. In the national stadium, every seat was filled with fans, and more still stood on the pitch, all watching the giant screens that were showing a soccer game being played in a far away cloud city.

Despite the physical distance, it was hard to imagine anything closer to the hearts of the Reçuecians watching than the underdog team that had just achieved an all-important 1-0 upset. For the team was the Reçuecian National Football Team, and it had just done the impossible. Reçueçn, a minnow of international football, a nation of only about five million souls, unranked in multiverse soccer, had just qualified for the World Cup.

Pundits scrambled to find explanations. Reçueçn was coming of a similarly unexpected run to third place in the IAC. The Reçueçian coach, Jacques Tremblay, had put his team through a rigorous training regimen of higher intensity than anything they'd experienced before. The recent reorganization of professional Reçuecian football had spurred on the nation to achieve something beyond its own capabilities. Reçueçn had had an easy qualifying draw. (Not particularly.) Reçueçn had had an easy playoff group draw. (Not especially.) Reçueçn hadn't had to travel at all during its playoff group. Reçueçn was playing at Southlook Stadium, a smaller stadium like one its players were used to. Reçueçn had sacrificed myriads of rubber chickens. (No one in the country had done this, or knew what this was supposed to mean.)

But as many reasons as the analysts could come up with, none of them rang true. No one explanation seemed to provide a comprehensive answer for the astounding success Reçueçn, an unranked nation, had had in qualifying for the world cup. There was really only one answer.

Reçueçn had been incredibly lucky.

Hard work had gone into it, sure, and had the team exerted itself any less, there was no way they would have come this far. But when the dust settled and Reçueçn looked around, there was no explanation other than good luck. Nations like Pasarga, Omerica, Saltstead, Drawkland, Damukuni, and 95X had failed to qualify. Lisander had somehow missed the whole tournament. Even Hapilopper, despite their recent arrival to the international football scene, ought to have had a better chance than Reçueçn to make it through to the finals. But none of those teams had. And yet, through all that, somehow Reçueçn had made it, just barely.

Celebrations continued in the streets of Reçueçn long into the morning. The whole nation partied. Shops were closed the next day. There's only one first time that your country qualifies for the world cup, and Reçueians planned to enjoy it. Coming out of nowhere, unranked, made it that much sweeter.

Jean-Luc Lassalle, the young new minister of sport, was with the crowds at the national stadium watching the game on the big screen. At some point, for some reason, someone made him give a speech. He didn't really know what to say.

"My fellow countrymen--my fellow fans--my fellow Unicorns!" (The crowd roared--here, and intermittently throughout the brief speech.) "Tonight we have accomplished the impossible! We were not supposed to be able to do this. But if you want a Reçuecian to do something, tell him that he cannot achieve it! If you tell a Reçuecian that what she does impossible, be ready! Because she will accomplish it tomorrow!

"It is not just in our country that we celebrate what we have achieved in sport. I am proud to serve you in your government because we believe that sport is a universal right, a tool for the betterment of humankind everywhere! When we come together to compete with one another, to laugh and play with one another, there is something deeper than what we see on the surface that goes on there. We build connections. We become better versions of ourselves. We find out a little bit about who our neighbors are, and about who we are. And tonight--we are winners!

"We celebrate tonight because we won; because we will play in the world cup; because it is the end of qualifying. [Reçueçn in fact had one more game to play--a 1-0 victory over the already eliminated 95X.] But I tell you that this is not the end. This is only the beginning. We will move on and we will be better than ever. This is the spark that will kindle a new era of glory for Reçueçn!"

It was a bit pretentious, perhaps--a bit pompous, a bit gauche. But somehow, in that moment, it was right.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

City-County Plaza, Mansfield

This was to be the largest event on the visit, with a crowd of over 50,000 expected in the space bordered on three sides by the centers of government--City Hall, the Mansfield County High Court and the Van Arndt Federal Office Building.

Mansfield had become an not so unusual spot for the influx of Banijans who had come to settle in Baker Park in the aftermath of the Drought and the downfall of the Mutebi government; while it is the country's largest city that has no access to the Belle Haven River (even Oceana can be reached via a canal), it is a major industrial hub in the automotive, defense and heavy equipment fields; just a bit under 1 in 3 people identify themselves as minorities, as the city was any early destination for non-white settlement, owing to the fact that it was less reliant on agriculture as a primary source of jobs.

The master of ceremonies opened the rally by welcoming the various dignitaries seated on the stage--Helen Fowler, the Secretary of State (equivalent to Governor) of Baker Park State; Mansfield Mayor Ken Bonner; Emily Tomaselli, the Chairwoman of the City Corporation Board; the Assembly representatives from the surrounding area, and finally, Chikelu Babalola, the Consul-General for Banija, who served at the office here to assist ex-pats in maintaining ties to their mother country.

Finally the motorcade negotiated the final turn into the square just behind the stage, where the vehicles emptied their passengers, to the cheers of the thousands in the crowd waving miniature Banijan & Baker Park flags; then the line for introductions and handshakes snaking across the stage like a slow-moving train finished and it was time for the speeches. Tomaselli, who was technically the city's nominal executive, began the proceedings.

(Under the scheme of how cities are governed, Parliament issues a charter to the City Corporation, and the state legislative body of where the municipality is located appoints a 3 person board to run it--The Chair, the Secretary, and the Bailiff--who are responsible for the raising and spending of money; the Mayor and city council concentrate on the governance and lawmaking. Only 16 cities operate under this style.)

"Ladies & Gentlemen, guests. It is indeed a great honor to be here today for this visit from the Banijan Royal Family. We are extremely thrilled to welcome Their Majesties, Kabaka Mwanga and Luguba Katrina, in addition to their highness's who have accompanied them on this trip. Now I'll turn things over to Mayor Bonner, who will mention a few other guests."

The Mayor made his introductions of the Head, the PM and the other cabinet ministers; the Ambassador and Mr Kwumembu and Mr Uzoma Ibekwe, the minister from the Church.

Following remarks from a few others, Tomaselli & Bonner joined together to do the honors in awarding the Kabaka the Freedom of the City, after which the monarch gave a brief speech of appreciation and thanks, and then it was over; everyone returned to their vehicles and the motorcade exited the square.

The various passengers were slightly jumbled for this portion of the drive, on the return to board the helicopters that would take them back to Belle Haven. The PM, Foreign Minister Thomas Dixon and Isebantu Mutungi rode together, while the Head and the Kabaka shared their ride with Hannah Delaney. Mrs Gregson welcomed the Luguba and her daughter-in-law to ride with her and Omulangira Muteesi asked if the Leader of the Opposition (and his wife) would join Omuguba Immaculate & himself.

The "business" in the first two limousines was approached delicately and with tact; while Gregson knew what was being talked about, officially he wasn't supposed to be advocating or offering his view.

Meanwhile Muteesi and Arnold talked a bit about the ways that opposing parties co-operated with one another. Arnold put it as humorously and bluntly as he could, "when one party has been running the show continuously for 75 years, you don't have much choice but to get along. We really aren't that far apart on 90% of most political issues."

[Valanora]

Valanora Times
Marauders Cast Long Shadow as World Cup Awaits

The Marauders will enter the Finals of this World Cup held in the neighboring nations of Equestrian States and Banija in a bit of an unfamiliar feeling for a good deal of the fans of the squad. Rather than being among the first or second seeds for the tournament, the Marauders will be a third seed and are not counted among the bookies to be a team that will advance far into the knockouts should they happen to pull the rug out from underneath the two teams that sit in front of them in the seeding table. Thanks to a supremely lackluster showing by the squad two years ago in their own home tournament, a feat that will go down as one of the most disappointing in the history of the Marauders, the squad slipped into the twenties of the rankings and were unable to make up sufficient ground despite posting an unbeaten record during the Qualifiers for this tournament to make up the difference between themselves and the rest of the top fourteen sides who had advanced into the tournament as well, with the cohosts opting to give the semi-traditional choice of being a first seed for the purposes of the draw.

As mentioned, the Marauders went through the Qualifiers without suffering a loss, an achievement that will no doubt serve as huge boost to the confidence of the squad following the supremely poor performances by the team in the two tournaments before, having also been very unlike themselves in the AOCAF that had followed the eighty-second World Cup. It breathes a breath of fresh air into the side and allows them to have faith and confidence that they are quite capable of performing up to the standard that has resulted in the five stars that are adorned on that crest of their kit. Each player has to be acutely aware of the history of the Marauders and the lengths that some teams out there will still go to to get one over on the squad, such is the richness of the history and the lofty status that a few hold the Marauders to still, despite it being some time since the squad has been a true contender for the World Cup title. That fact though does not matter for a few, while others still see those stars and see a challenge for which to overcome, a scalp that could be there for the taking.

If the latter of those thoughts is prevalent, then the send off friendlies that the squad had before making the journey to Equestria will hopefully be enough to dissuade any that this Marauders side is not up for that challenge as well. Bolgano visited the Hatire Memorial, having decided that facing off against the Marauders would be a good measure of their own progress and were trounced in a very convincing fashion with the Marauders posting six goals and maintaining a clean sheet against their challengers. It was a good match for the Marauders to have, as Tobias Möller was able to rotate several of the reserves and fringe players of the squad in and give them some much needed game time before the Finals begin in two weeks. However the VSC had also scheduled a sterner test for the squad, with the Rushmori nation of Darmen visiting The Battleground in Raynor CIty. This time the Marauders were indeed tested, as Darmen had taken an early lead thanks to some poor defensive communication, however Marie Skaar had leveled things with a curler into the far post three minutes before the half. Hawk would give the Marauders the lead just before the hour mark with one of his trademark freekicks from the left of the box, while Olivia Nygård finished off the scoring in the eighty-first, putting the ball into the net with just her third touch after being subbed on. The final was three for the Marauders and one for Darmen and a huge morale boost before the squad boarded the boat for Equestria.

It will be in the Pony Lands that the Marauders will be playing in the Finals, making it quite convenient for fans as well as The Navy Wave to make the trip and secure tickets to the Marauders group stage matches. The group, which was drawn last night in Equestria, will look like it should be an AOCAF group for the casual observer and one that the Marauders will need to be at their best at in order to advance, having been (un)lucky enough to draw the cohosts themselves as well as the fierce Dragons of Cosumar, on top of the question mark of Kelssek. With their rank of fifty-four, it is obvious that Kelssek is perhaps a cycle ahead of themselves in getting into the Finals and might be merely content with having made the tournament itself, yet history has shown that this go lucky squads are quite prone to providing at least a single upset in their time at the tournament. Given their Olympic success, no one can doubt the athleticism of the Kelssek group and that makes them a very dangerous encounter despite the rank they hold. Ultimately though, the Marauders should be able to buckle down and see out that match and get a required three points if they wish to advance out of the group.

Which obviously means the crux of the group is trying to get a result against either the Equestrian States or Cosumar, a task that is difficult in itself for either and triply so if the Marauders want to get one against both and take the group. While many fans would be content with merely getting a result against one of the higher seeded teams in the group, the old guard of the fandom is calling to set the bar high and taking the pair of results and the group itself as was the custom of the national team in editions long past. Such ambition is admirable if a bit foolhardy, given the state of the squad, and how most of the players who had won championships, had taken the tournament by storm and held it are now long gone. The most likely place to take a result will be that opening match against Cosumar, the first match in the group is always the most open as everyone is playing for a win to get their foot out ahead of the others. Recent history even gives the Marauders a slight edge, though Cosumar has recently had success in the Eternal Empire with their youth squads. Playing the Ponies in the second match proves a much more challenging task, not only because they are home but that second game is usually far more tense and conservative, a sort of style that plays right into the Ponies mentality some would say, though a result in the form of the draw would not be the end of the world, provided the Marauders could indeed then finish off the group strong and beat Kelssek. It's a goal, one that is obscured by the shadow of what once came before, but yet may come once more if the Goddess is willing.

[Turori]

Cocoa-bo seeking nominations for Tastes of the Multiverse

Cocoa-bo World Headquarters, Mliona, Turori :: Turori's popular delectable Cocoa-bo has grown into an internationstatal brand and now the brand is looking to bring a taste of their travels back home with them as they begin a brand new campaign the "Tastes of the Multiverse" .

As Cocoa-bo has continued to expand its brand throughout the multiverse it has begun to also get influenced by the great places it has expanded. Now, for the first time ever, Cocoa-bo is looking to take some of the unique flavors that have been concocted at popular locations such as Old Town Canterlot and its Evening-only specialty "Magic Rain-bo" Flavored Treats or the "Cocoa-pinana" out of South Covello and bringing those selections to Cocoa-bo locations multiverse-wide for a limited time so all Cocoa-bo patrons can experience the joy and comfort that Cocoa-bo brings to fellow Cocoa-boers multiverse wide.

In anticipation for kicking off the Taste of the Multiverse campaign at the World Cup 83 finals in Equestria and Banija, Cocoa-bo are taking suggestions from their fanbase and customers to select which unique local flavors will be included in the Taste of the Multiverse selection at Cocoa-bo shops and stand up booths as the multiverse comes together for the World Cup 83 Finals. The company have indicated that it will include up to five flavors as best voted upon by its customers and those participating in the online balloting to be held on twii.tur on the @cocoa-bo account with new flavors being polled daily. Write-in flavors from Cocoa-bo locations around the multiverse will also be accepted via telegram to Turori mail location Cocoa-bo; Mliona. Submissions should include the name of the flavor being nominated, which city and nation the storefront that the flavor was originated in and, if known, the name of the barista responsible for initiating the flavor in that country.

The selected flavors that are featured among the Taste of the Multiverse campaign will also be included in surveys on site at World Cup 83 venues where a champion flavor of the multiverse will be crowned based on fan feedback during the games.

:: Cocoa-Bo Eatery

Cocoa-bo, an establishment taking its name directly from the beloved national animal of Turori, started as a small dessert shop in Kionao. However, it was only after they added chocolate topped drinks to their menu that their popularity started to soar. As more and more patrons scooped up their chocolate flavored pick-me-ups, demand for the Cocoa-bo product skyrocketed and soon new franchised locations were popping up all throughout Turori. Shifting to more of a social 'hang-out' then just a casual place to drop in, get a dessert, and leave, the new locations started adding small foods such as Bagels for the morning, Soups and Sandwiches for Lunch or Dinner and Salads for the entire day.

Cocoa-bo has expanded outside of Vilita & Turori. Their first regional location was opened in Andossa Se Mitrin Vega and Cocoa-bo has opened temporary locations during major internationstatal events such as the World Cup Finals with past locations appearing in Drawkland and Cosumar. Cocoa-bo has a permanent presence in South Covello and is also continuing to grow its presence in Starblaydia, the Equestrian States and the Free Republics. The company continues to further increase its image by partnering with Motorsport teams and expanding the company footprint across Atlantian Oceania and beyond. Cocoa-bo are also the kit sponsor for Mliona-Lpaka AFC in the Vilitan League.

Cocoa-bo's largest current markets are, in order, Turori; South Covello, the Equestrian States, Vilita and the Free Republics

[South Covello]

SoCo Goes Loco World Cup 83 Preview:

Bozo Bryant: Yo ho ho, everybody, and welcome to the World Cup 83 Preview Show, here on the SoCo Goes Loco Podcast. I'm Bozo Bryant.

Shawn Burst: I'm Shawn Burst.

Jason St. Pierre: I'm Jason St. Pierre.

Bozo Bryant: And we're the best damn soccer podcast in all the Multiverse!

Shawn Burst: OK, so World Cup 83 is almost upon us, and we'll be heading to Banija, land of the Evil Goat Eaters! Or as we like to call them, Ban Ban World because they won't ban goat eating!

Jason St. Pierre: So to help encourage them to ban goat eating, we brought a live goat with us into the studio tonight. Say hi to our audience, Mr. Bleatypie!

Mr. Bleatypie: Bleat!

Jason St. Pierre: Isn't he adorable?

Bozo Bryant: Yes, he is. And now, let's get to previewing the Group F, as in Fun, because this is a fun group!

Shawn Burst: That's right, the group consists of us, Free Republics, Kita-Hinode, and Mercedini. So the top teams from Pots 2 and 4, the worst team from Pot 3, and us, the fifth-best team in the Multiverse. So it's an interesting group for sure.

Bozo Bryant: So let's get to previewing each group. The first team we'll look at is the Free Republics, led by so-called Soccer General Rule Theriault and his team.

Jason St. Pierre: And for those who haven't been watching Friday Night Live, the two Consuls of the Free Republics are a drunken frat boy and a porn star. Or at least that's how they tell it.

Shawn Burst: Yes, and we all know FNL is a perfectly accurate political report.

Bozo Bryant: Yes, but back on topic, Rule Theriault has apparently proclaimed himself to be the Soccer General, which I'm told is an official rank in the Republican military.

Jason St. Pierre: Yes, he gets to command an army of soccer balls as they invade other countries.

Shawn Burst: Sapient soccer balls? Sounds like a team The Holy Empire would send.

Bozo Bryant: That would be very confusing. What if someone accidentally kicks a sapient soccer ball into the net instead of a non-sapient one?

Jason St. Pierre: Red card, obviously.

Shawn Burst: But he didn't mean to kick the opposing player. He thought he was the ball.

Jason St. Pierre: Intent doesn't matter in situations like these. Just as stepping on an opposing player's face is an automatic red card, as we've seen time and time again during qualifying, regardless of intent, I'd imagine kicking an opposing player so hard they fly into the goal is as well.

Jason St. Pierre: Well, can we get back on topic, please?

Shawn Burst: Sure, where were we?

Bozo Bryant: We were talking about the Free Republics.

Jason St. Pierre: Oh yes, and in addition to their crazy soccer team, they will also be bringing with them 666 cheerleaders, or some obscene number like that.

Shawn Burst: Everyone knows real soccer teams have Supporters, not cheerleaders. This isn't football.

Jason St. Pierre: Unless you're like 70 percent of countries. Then it is.

Bozo Bryant: Well it's not that kind of football.

Shawn Burst: Yeah, if it were, we'd have fat guys with pads trying to tackle each other.

Jason St. Pierre: And not just Enemy Crushers.

Bozo Bryant: The Enemy Crushers haven't crushed or been fat for a while now, thankfully.

Shawn Burst: Despite King Paulus not being able to tell time and thinking they're all long dead, they are, in fact, alive, though.

Bozo Bryant: All right, can we focus now, please? So, the Free Republics are the second-strongest team in the Group, ranked 8th in the Multiverse, and as we discussed, are the strongest team in Pot 2. So a tough draw for us.

Jason St. Pierre: OK, can we stop talking about them now? I'm afraid Busty Daniels is going to show up in the studio and -

Bozo Bryant: YOU SAID THE MAGIC WORDS! NOW, A WORD FROM OUR SPONSORS!

Jason St. Pierre: I did what?

Bozo Bryant: That's right, this episode of SoCo Goes Loco is sponsored by Busty Daniels and her new book, Busty Gets Even More Lusty. In this follow-up to her sensational title from before, Busty Gets Lusty, porn star and FNL actress Busty Daniels reveals even more affairs with world leaders and other famous people, including a prison rendezvous with Lord Almighty Gregory, a lesbian affair with Maria Polus, and a three-way with the two Republican Consuls. She also claims King Paulus of Saintland used his scepter for... well, this is a family show so just read the book and you'll see what it says.

Jason St. Pierre: If it's a family show, why are we promoting this book?

Bozo Bryant: Because she pays us. There, ad over, now I can say what I really think. This book is complete and utter bullshit, and while there may be one or two truths in there, I'm quite certain most, if not all, of it is fabricated.

Jason St. Pierre: Yeah, how would she even get in prison to see Lord Almighty Gregory?

Bozo Bryant: Well, that's in the book too. Apparently she seduced a boat operator into taking her on the supply boat and hiding her in a bucket of ice cream.

Jason St. Pierre: The Gregists get ice cream in prison? And how did she not suffocate?

Bozo Bryant: Well apparently the ice cream was for the guards.

Jason St. Pierre: And they didn't notice there was a woman in the ice cream?

Bozo Bryant: She seduced them too, apparently.

Jason St. Pierre: And then what happened to the ice cream? Did they eat it despite the fact that it had had a person in it?

Bozo Bryant: The fate of the ice cream is left unclear, so I'm told.

Shawn Burst: Well, anyway, now that we're done discussing fake news books, let's move on to the next team in the group, Kita-Hinode.

Jason St. Pierre: And this team apparently has some connection to the Northern Sunrise Islands teams of old, I think, except that all the Pokemon disappeared, except for a Squirtle which got sent to Lord Almighty Gregory shortly before his assassination and then the new Lord Almighty Gregory and the Revolution and you know the rest.

Bozo Bryant: So what if the Squirtle was a sleeper agent sent to assassinate LAG?

Shawn Burst: The Squirtle didn't kill him, we all saw the video.

Jason St. Pierre: But the timing is a bit too much to be a coincidence.

Shawn Burst: Coincidences happen. This morning, I was eating breakfast while singing a song I wrote about a potato, and then my wife walked in and reminded me that I should pick up potatoes from the supermarket so she could make her famous Deep Fried Garlic Potato Pie.

Jason St. Pierre: Don't you think she might have heard you singing about potatoes and it reminded her? Doesn't seem like a coincidence, seems perfectly normal.

Shawn Burst: And maybe the Squirtle reminded the assassin that he needed to kill Lord Almighty Gregory.

Bozo Bryant: But how would that work? Also, LAG apparently cloned the Squirtle so now there are many Squirtles running wild on the nature preserve dedicated to his former menagerie.

Shawn Burst: Yeah, that's where we got Mr. Bleatypie from. He was one of the first goats born on the nature preserve, to the lovely Mr. Baabaapants and Ms. Nannynoo. Isn't he lovely? Come here, Mr. Bleatypie.

Mr. Bleatypie: Bleat!

Bozo Bryant: Now who would eat such a beautiful creature? That's just evil.

Shawn Burst: And speaking of evil, that brings us to the third and final team in our group, Mercedini.

Jason St. Pierre: How is Mercedini evil?

Shawn Burst: I don't know, I just wanted to say that.

Bozo Bryant: Well anyway, Mercedini are tops in Pot 4, and so it's another tough draw, and anyway, what's a fun fact about them?

Jason St. Pierre: I don't know, Mercedini is boring.

Shawn Burst: Oh, I know, Busty Daniels claims in her book that, no, this is too dirty even for us.

Bozo Bryant: Oh yeah, I remember that part of the book. Poor sapient potato pancake.

Jason St. Pierre: Well maybe that sapient potato pancake will go on to star for The Holy Empire in the World Cup.

Bozo Bryant: In its condition?

Shawn Burst: With the Dreamed Realm magic, anything's possible, and don't assume Pancakey's gender.

Bozo Bryant: I didn't.

Shawn Burst: Well I don't think he, or she, or they, or whatever pronoun Pancakey prefers, wants to be called "it."

Bozo Bryant: And on that note, we'll have to go because we're all out of time.

Shawn Burst: Wow, for a soccer podcast, we sure do barely talk about soccer.

Jason St. Pierre: All right then, good night everybody and next time we record will be live from Ban Ban World where we won't eat goats!

[Vilita]

Jungle Cats survive Group Stage, advance to Cup of Champions Semi's

7th Cup of Champions, Group Stage, Banija :: After surviving a tense World Cup Qualifying campaign, defending World Cup Champions Vilita headed off to Banija for the Cup of Champions where they would square off against the tournament host Banija, Defending Cup of Champions winners Brenecia and Baptism of Fire Cup holders Hapilopper. It would be the debutant Atlantian Oceania side that the Jungle Cats would start off their campaign against at the Kabonero III Field in Moravica. Hapilopper is a nation which has recently risen to Internationstatal Sporting prominence with the strong performances of their Motorsport drivers including Drake Stevenson who impressed on the World Grand Prix Circuit driving for iBen Toralmintii's Race Eelandii! Vilita and Turori Motorworks team. The Hapilloperians then built on that success to claim the Baptism of Fire Cup trophy and earn themselves the moniker as Atlantian Oceania's most exciting new footsport squad since the Commonwealth of Baker Park.

The Hapiloppers came into the Cup of Champions with a more than healthy serving of confidence but as with any Baptism of Fire winner in the Cup of Champions, were well positioned to earn a lesson or two and be greatly humbled. Starting off against the defending World Champions may have seen like a good challenge to the newcomers especially with the Jungle Cats resting a number of key players for the tournament, but in the end it was a healthy serving of Humble Pie on serve to the newcomers.

Hapilopper lasted approximately 20 minutes of scoreless play before one of the stars of the Vilitan National Team broke the deadlock as Eastal Lunar FC's Nii'arala Milaaso, former Junior Galacticos Player of the Season scored after nutmegging one of the Hapilopper defenders to break free in the area. A pair of veteran players in Mileke Drokasorna and Enzoril Alabonni would treble up the Jungle Cats advantage either side of the break but the scoreline was still a respectable enough 3-0 until the closing moments when Hapilopper turned off the spickets and the Jungle Cats responded by twisting the knife. First it was Mliona-Lpaka Academy midfielder Tulaki Rauogba who got on the score sheet for their first career top level internationstatal goal and a goal that could become a footnote in history. Rauogba is expected to declare for the Turori National Team ahead of the World Cup 83 Finals but with the Cup of Champions not an officially sanctioned World Cup Committee Rankings influencing event and Rauogba having yet to appear in an Official match for the Turori National Team, the Vilitans registered a handful of Vilita and Turori dual national teenagers to fill out their roster for the event which they also registered through the joint Vilitan and Turorian association even though the majority of the senior players are full Vilitan Internationals. It was a moment in the spotlight for Rauogba but the last laugh would come from Milaaso who book-ended the match with their second goal in the 91st minute to turn what seemed to be a respectable result for the Baptism of Fire champions into an embarrassing debut against the toughest opposition they had ever faced.

Vilita [5] - [0] Hapilopper

:: Vilita Goalscorers :: :: 20' Nii'arala Milaaso :: 39' Mileke Drokasorna :: 69' Enzoril Alabonni :: 89' Tulaki Rauogba :: 91' Nii'arala Milaaso

:: Vilita Statistics :: :: Possession: 64% :: Shots on Target: 11 :: Corner Kicks: 16

:: Hapilopper Statistics :: :: Possession: 36% :: Shots on Target: 4 :: Corner Kicks: 5

---

Vilita Jungle Cats Lineup v. Hapilopper ::
[GK]Striitca Virahat, [D.]Rojara Tiones, [D.]Inteali Koranjo, [D.]Mileke Drokasorna, [ML] Limu Katarakhna, [MC] Intikko Kuhilana, [MC]Kudii Davasarii, [MR] Cywrenta Vlintejni, [FC] Sipke Tarala, [FC]Enzoril Alabonni, [FC]Nii'arala Milaaso
BENCH::
[FC]Berali Tzufarei, [FC]Clarana Refiami, [M]Tulaki Rauogba, [M]Lentali Purama, [U ]Cavuna Aquafek, [D]Rintala Sekagaya, [GK]Cilamara Issah

---

After their opening victory against Hapilopper the Jungle Cats clearly became favorites to advance from Group A though they still had their two toughest opponents to come. They would leave Moravica and head off to Herzegovina City to the newly expanded 70,000 capacity Star Field, home to the most successful domestic side in Banija: Herzegovina City FC. The Jungle Cats would play both of their remaining Group Stage matches at the field with competition organizers recognizing the attendance drawing potential of having the defending World Cup champions in the expanded arena while the Jungle Cats were hoping to play even more matches at the stadium that would ultimately host the Cup of Champions final as well.

With a raucous crowd in support of the home side, however, it was a difficult environment for the Vilitan National Team to compete in. The Banijan's were out in full force and their team were proving a good match on the day for the mixture of experience and youth in the Vilitan lineup. For Banija it was an important litmus test for the upcoming World Cup 83 Finals especially considering their opening matchday victory over Brenecia had already set them off on a winning path. For long stretches of this match, however, it appeared as if things would be resolved in a stalemate with both teams eying a place in the knockout phase. Instead, however, it would be another moment of magic from early player of the tournament hopeful Nii'arala Milaaso who scored the matches only goal in the 71st minute after a feed from the fresh legs of substitute defender Lohani Riiyaaw. From their the Jungle Cats would hold on and with two wins in their opening two matches seemed all but a lock for the competition Semi-Finals.

Vilita [1] - [0] Banija

:: Vilita Goalscorers :: :: 71' Nii'arala Milaaso

:: Vilita Statistics :: :: Possession: 49% :: Shots on Target: 4 :: Corner Kicks: 7

:: Banija Statistics :: :: Possession: 51% :: Shots on Target: 3 :: Corner Kicks: 6

---

Vilita Jungle Cats Lineup v. Banija ::
[GK]Vernasa Sanamun, [D.]Jirak Trikala, [D.]Inteali Koranjo, [D.]Mileke Drokasorna, [ML] Limu Katarakhna, [MC] Kudii Davasarii, [MC]Intikko Kuhilana, [MR] Lentali Purama, [FC] Sipke Tarala, [FC]Nii'arala Milaaso, [FC]Clarana Refiami
BENCH::
[FC]Berali Tzufarei, [FC]Enzoril Alabonni, [M]Naraiza Ruaplal, [M]Tulaki Rauogba, [U ]Jyuola Mtalata, [D]Lohani Riiyaaw, [GK]Hanauma Ranbomahi

---

Things would get interesting in a very different way however as the Group Stage came to a close with the most anticipated match outside of Banija that would see the defending Cup of Champions winner Brenecia squaring off against defending World Cup Champions Vilita with a place in the Semi-Finals at stake. It would be a rematch of the 6th Cup of Champions Final which had seen Brenecia triumphant over Vilita by a 5-4 scoreline. Just as things had happened in that match it was once again a high scoring affair between the two sides with Brenecia opening up to a 2-0 lead at the half. The Jungle Cats would respond at the start of the second half through Rintala Sekagaya before Nii'arala Milaaso extended their goal scoring streak with their fourth goal of the tournament in the 74th minute to tie the match. It was a key goal for the Jungle Cats who climbed back in to the knockout rounds needing to stay within one goal of Brenecia to advance. For their part, the Esportivan side could only advance if Banija dropped points against Hapilopper or they defeated Vilita by two or more goals.

Ultimately, neither would happen as the Jungle Cats would survive to progress even though the Brenecians scored a late winner to claim victory on the day. They may have won the battle at Star Field but the Vilitan survived the war in Group A as the three sides finished level on six points and results against pointless debutants Hapilopper were dropped from the tiebreaker. With the remaining results it was the hosts 2-0 victory over Brenecia on the opening matchday that was the differentiator with Banija going through as Group A winners and defending tournament champions Brenecia left on the outside looking in in third position.

Vilita [2] - [3] Brenecia

:: Vilita Goalscorers :: :: 57' Rintala Sekagaya :: 74' Nii'arala Milaaso

:: Vilita Statistics :: :: Possession: 50% :: Shots on Target: 9 :: Corner Kicks: 10

:: Brenecia Statistics :: :: Possession: 50% :: Shots on Target: 9 :: Corner Kicks: 5

---

Vilita Jungle Cats Lineup v. Brenecia ::
[GK]Vernasa Sanamun, [D.]Jirak Trikala, [D.]Lohani Riiyaaw, [D.]Rintala Sekagaya, [ML] Intikko Kuhilana, [MC] Limu Katarakhna, [MC]Kudii Davasarii, [MR] Tulaki Rauogba, [FC] Linvoi Warazil, [FC]Clarana Refiami, [FC]Nii'arala Milaaso
BENCH::
[FC]Enzoril Alabonni, [FC]Sipke Tarala, [M]Lentali Purama, [M]Cywrenta Vlintejni, [U ]Fishtii Blikala, [D]Mileke Drokasorna, [GK]Hanauma Ranbomahi

---

For the Vilitans their reward for advancing would be a trip back to the Kabonero III Field in the economic capital of Banija - Istria. Their opponents would be the defending Cup of Harmony and Esportivan champions Kita-Hinode though some were wary the Hinodjeans might begin suffering a little match lag as they also needed to go through an extra playoff stage at the end of World Cup Qualifying just to secure their place in the World Cup 83 Finals. The other Semi Final to be played in the Rukunbi District features the host nation Banija against Omerica.

[Audioslavia]

With Vilita

A quick overview of Audioslavia's confidence levels going into World Cup 83, set to the tune of Señorita by Shawn Mendes

I hate it when we’re drawn in with Vilita
I wish I could predict that we’ll not meet a
Defeat to them on Matchday Two, la la
It’s true, la la la
Ooh, they’re number one and
Ooh, we fear they’re coming for us

Land in Istria
We’re gonna feature in the cup
Let’s drink some beer
And analyse who’s coming up, la la la
It feels like ooh la la la, yeah.. nah.

The Golden Throners
A group of fighting macabees
They give us… weird thoughts
We hope we’ll beat them back with ease, la la la
Like hell we will, la la la, yeah

I hate it when we’re drawn in with Vilita
I wish I could predict that we will beat the
Champions on Matchday Two, la la
Hue hue, la la la
Ooh, who are we kidding,
Ooh, they give us the skids when we are drawn in with Vilita
I wish we could predict that we’ll not meet a
Defeat to them on Matchday Two
It’s true, la la la
Ooh, they’re number one and
Ooh, we fear they’re coming for us

Elsewhere in our group
The Commonwealth of Baker Park
They make our fans poop!
With an exclamation mark, la la la
Cause y’know they’ve been improving for a while, unlike our Bulls

Ooh, even if we progress it’s H versus G
We’re fated to fight Turori
Oh fuck

I hate it when we’re drawn in with Vilita
I wish I could predict that we’ll not meet a
Defeat to them on Matchday Two, la la
It’s true, la la la
Ooh, they’re number one and
Ooh, we fear they know that when we’re drawn in with Vilita
We really should all flock, en masse, to twii.tur
And beg them all for quarter, la la
We oughta, la la
Ooh, they’ve got Tarala
Ooh, let’s pray to Allah
Let’s flee to Guatamala
Disguised as an Impala, la la

[Taeshan]

You tend to try to set up pre-tournament friendlies against sides that relate well to sides you will see in that tournament. In Taeshan's case their preparation was more to set up friendlies with sides they would literally see in their return to World Cup action. The draw for World Cup 83 sees the Purple Knights face some sides that the fans will be well aware of, in a historic sense, but also in a recent matchup sense. The Knights will start the tournament off against hosts Banija, followed by a matchday 2 matchup with Starblaydia, and a matchday 4 matchup with Qasden.

The Knights opener will be a relatively familiar matchup with hosts Banija who probably get to open their hosting duties with the side they would have until recently felt most comfortable defeating.That is until the Knights knocked off the Banijan side 2-1 in their last friendly before the World Cup finals. The Knights will come into the match knowing this is the most likely of the group stage matches for them to be able to get a result, with the remaining sides of a skill perhaps beyond their level. The Knights have thrice played Banija on the international stage with two victories on the road, and a tie in Taeshan. This will be an incredibly different fish to fry however, as the whole nation will want to see their side get their own world cup off to a rousing start. The hill is likely a tall one for the Knights to climb.

Matchday 2 sees the most familiar of the three opponents as the Knights face the Purple Peril known as Starblaydia. Coincidentally the two sides also faced off in a pre-tournament friendly that the Knights also won 2-1. But the top ranked side in the Group will likely not only win the group, but seems likely to run away with it. The Knights played the friendly to win, which often can be detrimental. The other side in Purple was likely preparing for another slog of a tournament, while the Knights are likely to just be happy to be in the finals for the first time in 38 years and 19 tournaments. For their part historically the two sides have met twice in World Cups, both 0-0 draws, though the second matchup saw the Purple Knights move on the Quarterfinals on penalties 4-3 in World Cup 64. That said the Knights will go into the 8th meeting of the sides with a 2-2-3 overall record against their opponents, though a 2-1-0 record in neutral venues.

The final matchup pits the Purple Knights against Qasden. The least familiar opponent of the group, the Turkish Vans won the only ever meeting between the two sides 1-0 in a Cup of Harmony. The Knights will see this as their second best opportunity to get a point out of this tournament against the 20th ranked side. This matchday 3 matchup could end up being a pointless match if both sides win out, or lose out the first two rounds, or for a chance at something. That said the Knights will take scoring a goal, especially longtime captain Miles Snavely. The aged Knights have done the impossible, and at this point any result in this group stage will make a long waiting fanbase cheer for joy.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Campaign to bring Cocoa-bo to BP
Endborough (BPNA)--Upon the announcement by the Turori company Cocoa-bo, to introduce a competition to open suggestions for new flavors ahead of their "Tastes of the Multiverse" promotion for World Cup 83, there has been a strong reaction among citizens anxious to see the delectable chain expand to the Commonwealth.

A group of ardent aficionados of the the chocolaty drink have begun a petition to be presented in favor of a unique Baker Park taste combination--white chocolate, caramel, & nutmeg--in hopes of gaining enough votes in an online poll conducted on social media platform twii.tur #@cocoa-bo.

It's believed that if the response is large enough, the company would look towards an expansion of its eateries in the near future.

___________________________________________________________________________________

WC draw brings challenge
Frank Armitage
The Daily Mail Chief Soccer Writer

The group draw for World Cup 83 followed a familiar path for the Commonwealth National Team.
As a second seed, the BP side waited until the final two selections to know their opponents; as was true in previous WCF, and qualifying draws, it came down to the very end for the Bees, who were drawn into Group H, joining Audioslavia and The Macabees in anticipation of the final member of the quartet.

In the end, the luck of draw put pressure on the entire group, as top ranked Vilita rounded out the selection; in an additional surprise, the Commonwealth were assigned to take on the Jungle Cats on the first match day, followed by a first time meeting with the two-times World Cup & three times AOCAF champion Bulls, ending up with a match with the Golden Throne Imperial side, who persevered in spite of the horrendous murder of two of their key players during qualifying.

The group is already being mooted in the media as a candidate for the ubiquitous "Group of Death", and several bookmakers across the multiverse have BP at 100/1 for winning the tournament, and 20/1 for progressing beyond the group stage.

[Kita-Hinode]

WORLD CUP 83
What a Wild Ride
Written by The Sunrise Club's Digest director Choji Sarutame after a dozen bottles of sake
RAIMUNEJIMA, SOMEI-YOSHINO - The year is 2142, I'm stuck at my office, staring at a white screen in a Kirishimatech monitor, pondering on how exactly to properly explain this situation we're in. I guess I should start with the first Hinodejin national team manager to actually be a professional manager: Sacheverell van Caan. The Hinodejin returned to the international fold (at least, the one where they weren't in war with everyone) with the full knowledge that it'd be an uphill battle in more ways than one. Keep in mind that there wasn't a concept of a united Hinodejin national team, players were much more familiar with playing for their province's team. It was just unnecessary for these players to defend the Empire's colours, namely because there weren't people for them to play against.

After being handled by a Queen, the team started to be run by van Caan who managed to get the Empire its' first Campionato Esportiva and even managed to bring them back to the World Cup fold. Alas, van Caan was eventually moved to a position working with the youth levels of Hinodejin football, something he found himself being surprisingly suitable after scoring some great names in a window once. Without any other interesting options, the Hinodejin decided to give a Nepharim a shot. An interesting moment in the history of the multiverse as a whole, given that not too long ago the Nepharim were rivals of the Sunrisians in a competitive fashion (we're not talking like Apox here), yet now a resurging Hinodejin were looking towards having the touch of a Nepharim at their team.

Eleanor Lindgard's career as a manager was filled with events that easily shown exactly what the Hinodejin predicted, that it was going to be an uphill battle for the team of the Hinodejin Empire to reach any sort of title, let alone dominance. Our first ever star player, Kyung-Ja Sang ended up having her entire career go to waste in a series of senseless contact moments that just ended up damaging her head. The team's form was a major problem with the team, results varying from blow-outs in our favour to losses to some incredibly, jaw-dropping, eye-popping shit teams. There's no point in being gentle, let alone sympathetic with some of those opponents, in all honesty. The Empire might have many corpses buried but they're still a much better state than most of the teams that went against them. Places under legitimate chaos that, for some reason, still managed to send out a national football team when they really should be bothered with keeping themselves safe.

And despite all this? Can you imagine that Eleanor Lindgard, the manager who had to go through all of that turns out to have been the second most successful manager in all Sunrisian and Hinodejin history? It's even more jaw-dropping than who she's behind in that ranking.

Pictured here as a ten-year old.

As a bit of a note, Val Kylx here was a two-time World Cup champion with the Sunrisians. This means that he's tied in titles with Eura, Liventia, Cassadaigua and Osarius. He's also above the following nations: Wight, Brenecia, Electrum, Commerce Heights, Lemmitania, Nephara, Sarzonia, Schottia, Squornshellous and Casari (the ones responsible for that flop of an idea that people kept bringing up for no reason a while back).

Madam Lindgard proved to be crazy-successful. First, she got a Cup of Harmony, something that even the Sunrisians failed to reach before upping her ante in the following Campionato Esportiva, where she managed to get the trophy out of Dreamplanet's clutches in the final with one of the finest displays a Hinodejin team ever presented in that tournament. But then, there came the World Cup qualifiers. The first half of the qualifiers was wasteful, a single win and plenty of losses. Some were understandable, most of those weren't: the apex of the sketchiness of Hinodejin qualifiers had to be a tight 3-4 loss to Spensar, a country that by all accounts doesn't even exist anymore.

Imagine if they qualified to the tournament proper. Just imagine it. Please.

A month ago, these guys were proudly celebrating a victory against one of the top teams of the Multiverse. Now? We don't even know if they're even alive and kicking. It makes you ponder of the nature of the qualifiers and what exactly happens to those we face off. Nobody mentions the plight of those who survived the end of, say, Lymantatia.

So. What happened?

Pictured here Lingard's answer to a reporter in some colorful drawing.

Well, the Hinodejin were already booked to play the rest of the qualifiers anyway. You couldn't just ask to be dropped out over reasons of discontent and questionable refereeing. So they played. They didn't just play, though, they won. They won with a margin. With zero expectations about qualifying to a tournament that by then they didn't really think anything about besides considering it a good thing to have the month free to watch the Nations' Cup, they qualified to the playoff groups and then got themselves into the tournament proper. Of course, that meant that the Hinodejin ended up as a Pot 3 team and got drawn in a group with Mercedini, some hosers down south and the guys who got decked by Vilita when everyone hated their guts.

"Well, smartass! What about Hinode now? Are they taking it over, eh?"

No. Look, no offence to Madam Lindgard, she did a bang-up recovery job after watching her team shiv itself six times in a row but even if we do pass this group, we'll face off some powerhouse that will probably beat us then. Going to the World Cup was our goal, winning silverware wasn't in mind at any point. The Hinodejin will do their best to be competitive, hopefully, get a win or two out of the whole ordeal before bowing out in acceptable fashion and Lingard probably keeps her job despite the equivalent of a heart stroke in the qualifiers.

Kita-Hinode 2–1 Vilita @ Kabonero III Field in Istria, Moravica

...Then again, the Hinodejin seem to be pretty deadly when they don't have any expectations towards tournaments.

[Zwangzug]

The Spenson Star
B-lieve it

In what the international press is calling "one of the eight groups to watch at this upcoming World Cup," Zwangzug has been drawn in Group B, held in Equestria. There they will face Sargossa, Nephara, and Ko-oren. So...two attacking-minded teams known for aggressive physical play, and...two defensive-minded teams known for...linguistic diversity and video games???

MD1

Zwangzug takes to HarmonyLink Field, which will probably spur fans to coin another verse to "Harmony Sound," the Sesquipedals' recent hit performed at Liberty Stadium. Nephara are known for being champions of World Cup 74, and the homeland of Rook "coolest name among leading strikers in recent history" Cathar. Paige Daunten plays for their North Sabrefell, although none of her domestic teammates are on this Cormorants side. Her counterpart in the #12, Hesterine Mercator, will surely win fans in Equestria for being rather horse-faced [I do not think that word means what you think it means -ed], whereas right midfielder Monako Saroszi could create [CENSORED, they're probably reading this in Qusmo you moron -ed]

MD2

If the Star Stadium is anything like the Stelladome, Lucas Kukiseso should be right at home there. Zwangzug take on the Dragonflies, in a rare encounter with a side even more staunchly defensive than Zwangzug themselves. Ko-oren play a (1)-5-3-2, with one of those five kind of being whatever. Reizo Yokota is a player to watch, boasting a prime uniform number as well as being a prime defensive midfielder. Cole Train could come under pressure for his unsustainable emissions (hopefully not in the middle of a game, mind you).

MD3

The Corsairs, by their own reckoning, are going through a purple patch [to be clear, the colors of the teams that have recently knocked them out are entirely coincidental -ed]. They are heavy in Cabañas effect, and defender Alex González plays in the Eura domestic system, which perhaps will give him some familiarity with the Nepharim squad. Longtime historians will probably recognize some of their names from the Aguazuleño pseudorandom nomenclature generator, to which we remind you that the Hispanophone diaspora is wide and these sorts of things should be expected.

Prediction

Lots of football will be played and some goals will be scored.

[Ko-oren]

Lunaro Tsukida's Numbers Game

Oh and boy, do I have numbers for you. There is so much to talk about, it's crazy. It really hasn't been very long since the national team's last match and yet we have entire new worlds to explore. First of all, some results. For the first time in Ko-orenite football history, the final spots were decided by a group stage playoff - and contrary to everyone's opinion (or at least contrary to mine), the Dragonflies didn't need the second group stage to advance. The Dragonflies kept Eura out for just a little longer, but the 4-letter behemoth still advanced to the World Cup as one of the 6 playoff graduates. I feel sorry for their group mates, all of a sudden having a top 10-KPB team in their group.

Imagine you're 4 years old again. A story book is pulled out, it's almost bed time. It's been a long day, and you have energy for one last fairy tale before you basically pass out and it's World Cup 84 all of a sudden. The story starts: "Once upon a time, -" and then the book slams shut. "EURA HERE, THE STORY ENDS HERE". 'Little' Saltstead, Mytanija and Newmanistan scream in terror and pull the blankets over their eyes. "GOOD NIGHT, EUR ALL OUT. EURA OUT!"

Joining them are Kita-Hinode, Kelssek, Reçueçn, Chromatika, and the Macabees. Kita-Hinode wasn't much of a surprise, the Macabees and Chromatika weren't much of a stretch either, Kelssek pulled off a few upsets and get there as a 50+ ranked team. And then there were the Cedilles. 88th - after their qualification. No Baptism of Fire or other qualification attempts to their name. The anti-Ko-oren, qualifying on their 'first' attempt. Congratulations to them!

And there we have it, we have our 32 teams. All the way from Vilita (1) and Turori (2), just south of our own home, down to Bongo Johnson (49), Zwangzug (45), Kelssek (54) and Reçueçn (88). The highest ranked nation to miss out is Pasarga, at 18th. Only one other team that's ranked above us is out: Ethane. Both aren't present at the Cup of Harmony, that's a shame. That would have been a very likely CoH trophy for one of them. More interestingly, how sure are highly ranked teams of going to the World Cup? Ko-oren has been in the low 20s and even high 10s before, and at exactly zero qualification attempts have we felt like we were locks for the World Cup. In fact, all of our high Cup of Harmony finishes were due to the Dragonflies not qualifying despite being ranked in the top 25. Is it just us, or should qualification be a lot easier than it is for us?

That brings us to our own group. In our 11th World Cup appearance, what are our chances of making the second round? The obvious favourites are Nephara. Sargossa are much like Eura, a team we can beat on a good day - but we could suffer a horrible defeat at the same time. Zwangzug is back from a lengthy absence as far as being in the same group as us goes, and they are an easier opponent on paper. Cue us beating Nephara and losing to Zwangzug, restoring balance and entropy in the Multiverse.

For Nephara, Dalton and Lampshire have a sneaky edge for playing their club football over there. For their high ranking and successful history, the Cormorants (fancy word for sea bird) have been pretty much like Ko-oren since World Cup 75: awful attempts at reaching the final 8, with the exception that the Nepharim have actually made the quarterfinal once in that span. All things considered, with their bad recent record, they are still ranked 6th and the hype is very much surrounding this team again. I could spend an entire paragraph on their tactics, but at this point all you need to know is that they are very good and likely the better team physically. The strategies should be pretty balanced, both teams capable of sitting back, then striking on the counter. Nephara can also strike not on the counter, so there's something to be aware of. For all of their domestic prowess, far from all Nepharim play in their own league. There are a lot of players operating in Eura and Cosumar. The Cormorants are about as young as our own team, and are both in the same 'stage' of their generation: just after a rebuild, and successfully fitting in a few new talents in among a group of players that have just about hit their peak. Strongbow is my choice for best player on the team and she'll work directly across from Dalton - definitely a matchup to watch.

Sargossa are most like us, just a few years ahead in their development. The Corsairs are at their best ever, and what goes up must come down. Either they show that there is even further to grow, or this has been their limit and they are slowly coming down again. Hard to tell, even if the Dragonflies have gone through a few of these cycles themselves. When the decline comes, it's sneaky and silent at first and the blink of an eye later, all hell breaks loose with a cacophony of strange losses and players suddenly well over 30 while you still rely on them - with nobody on the bench good enough to replace them. Anyway. Sargossa are quite the formidable opponent, the most attacking side of the group, and unlike the rest the Corsairs are very happy to press the opponent before they can build up. The other three teams are fine to sit back and first let the opponent do something - so they'll have a natural advantage there. A bit like being the only 3-4 defence in your division while the rest plays a 4-3 defence - and that's my monthly quota of gridiron references. Like the Nepharim, the Sargossans play hard but fair - a big difference from the Dragonflies who are occasionally seen employing legal but unorthodox tactics. Cáceres looks to be the most reliable and delivering player. Oh, and by the way: the earlier remark stands - the Corsairs have quite the old team. Do they have a new generation coming or will there be a drought after this?

Zwangzug are a team we love to have back on our list of fixtures. Who knows who their best player is? Their league is hard to understand and I would still love a foothold in the crazy world of black and white football. The 1./ (get this, First division, get it) is a wild affair. Also, I know Zwangzug uses English but I just cannot read it easily. The team employs no strikers and will play 4-6. Ambaile-Hund is their most scoring player, among a team with a lot of recent debutants. Joshua 2ni is also 1 2 watch.

That brings me to the final note of the day, and a pretty important one at that: the preliminary transfer season has started and plenty of Ko-orenites have stated their intent on playing abroad starting next season. And it's not the mid-level talents of last year, mostly finding employment in Darmen and finding their way up from there. No, we're talking some very big targets from De Villepin to Doolan, to Dominique, Yokota, and Longchambon himself. A decent part of the national team might just play abroad very soon - a problem for our own Top League but man will it make my weekly forays into foreign leagues a bit more fun to watch. Whether the 12 Top League clubs will find quality youngsters to replace them, or whether they will spend their newfound money in the casino that is the transfer market, remains to be seen. Yes, this will be the most interesting offseason in Ko-orenite domestic football, ever. And it's not close.

[Sajnur]

Another Cup of Harmony for Sajnur

Sajnur have once again been invited to the Cup of Harmony in the wake of a failure to qualify for the World Cup, amidst the melancholy of millions of football fans nationwide. Sajnur were left with a last round bye hoping that neither Tornado Queendom and Brusseldorf would win their matches against Filindostan and Bliuji respectively, but while the Tornado would be beaten by the hitherto underperforming Esportivans, Brusseldorf would vanquish Bliuji, just as Sajnur had done the previous matchday, and shatter what remained of Sajnur’s World Cup hopes. It is thus the consolation tournament for our players now clad in purple and red. It must be said, though, that success even in this tournament would be wonderful for a nation so new to the highest levels of international football.

We must, however, review what led us to where we are now this cycle. Andre Naulo has once again proven to be an exquisite goal scorer, with twelve goals this cycle. However, he has shown a somewhat mercurial streak, with six of those coming in hattricks on the final two matchdays against Tornado Queendom and Bliuji, those matches being dominations of attack over defence, our players coming out 5-4 winners on both occasions. Naulo scored a further three goals against Bliuji in the 3-3 draw on Matchday Six, but scored just three in the rest of qualifying. More still, one of those was against Tornado Queendom in that loss, and the other two were one each in the two Filindostan fixtures. He scored no goals against Audioslavia, Astograth, or Brusseldorf. Astograth is little issue as we won both matches against them, the second thanks to a spectacular hattrick from Jessica Siafik, but two losses to Audioslavia were annoying, and two draws to Brusseldorf proved fatal. Siafik scored free kicks against both teams in the second half of the campaign, but goals from Naulo would have extracted more from both matches and secured a playoff spot. Instead, the team was left with ten points from nine matches and winning our last three games was not enough.

Naulo, however, cannot be relied on to provide every goal, even if he scored 12 of the team’s 29 this time to go with the 10 goals in WCQ82 out of the team’s 26. What has transpired to be the supply of goals to back up Naulo is a mish mash of contributions from numerous players, with only Siafik scoring more than two goals in the entire cycle. This could be due to the predominant use of the 4-3-3 this cycle, but of the 13 goals not scored by Naulo or Siafik, seven were scored by defenders (well, six plus Silja Jorse’s, and with her constant shuffling between fullback and wing…) and one was the penalty Laghiev put past Bliuji with the last kick of Sajnur’s qualifying. Oh, how bittersweet that moment would turn out to be. There’s also the question of supply. Unusually, Siafik only assisted three goals during qualifying, although it must be said this didn’t turn out to be much of a problem as the mish mash of goal scorers was backed up by an even bigger mish mash of providers. Siafik was still tied for top assister, but an unexpected name at the top with her was Under-18 player Silja Jorse, who was rewarded with a handful of starts and substitute appearances. Clearly, she has made full use of those opportunities going forward, and she has been rewarded with a spot in Sajnur’s Cup of Harmony squad, possibly at the expense of a midfield option in Sihano Kerero. Her defensive abilities, though, are still to be improved on.

Those defensive abilities, however, are a long-standing problem for the Sajnuran team, given the offensive style of play that the team has made part of its identity, and not without success. While Sajnur scored 29 goals in 12 matches, the team conceded 27. That’s 2.25 goals per match. In a 30 match long Sajnuran league season, that’s 67 goals conceded. Most teams that concede at such a rate are rooted to the bottom as such teams simply do not have the talent to stay afloat in those leagues. Yet our Sajnurans scored at a rate of 2.42 goals, or 72 goals a season. In Sajnur, that’s top four most seasons. In better leagues with better defences, such scoring is usually reserved for title winners. With Sajnur scoring like champions but conceding like basement dwellers, the result was third in Group B. Many are asking if a better defence is the key to success. Audioslavia, after all, scored fewer than Sajnur, but conceded just sixteen goals. Many more, though, point to Brusseldorf, who conceded three goals more than Sajnur, but finished second in the group on the back of scoring 37 goals, eight more than our players. The defence does have promise. Kahala Murje is arguably our best defender already, and she is only 19. At the rate that she is improving, she could become a world class defender, both at left back and centre back. Tomasi Vuierev, too, is top class and getting better with each match he plays, although at 26 he has less time to reach such heights. Further back in the pipeline are wonderful prospects, and three of them are in the Cup of Harmony squad. Kabas Verjez and Hatu Raglan make an excellent defensive partnership at age group level, and Silja Jorse has proven to be a sight to behold, even if it transpires that her future is as a winger. With the uncertainty surrounding the team's identity, the only real conclusion is that the team must continue developing, to get better at all aspects so that one day our country may fly its flag at the World Cup. But if we’re already scoring like champions, it must follow that most of that development will be for our defence.

Regardless, the World Cup Qualifying has happened, and we must now proceed to the Cup of Harmony, our near future. The location we have been assigned to is the United States of Damukuni, more specifically the city of Endoshi in the country’s south, in a stadium whose name is a long string of capital letters. Our opponents, from highest ranked to lowest, are Darmen, Abanhfleft, Mattijana, and Tamgu. Bar Tamgu, each team was the highest ranked in their respective pots. Given that we were ourselves the second highest ranked team in Pot 4, this is a veritable group of death. Although Sajnur got a bad draw, there are still results to be had in Damukuni, as is the nature of the Cup of Harmony. Darmen, the highest ranked team in the entire tournament, are 29th. High, yes, but by no means insurmountable. A significantly less experienced, and 315th ranked, Sajnur did defeat a Cosumar side exactly 300 spots above us, after all. The expectations are, as usual, quite low. Given that Sajnur did make it to the Round of 12 at the last Independent Associations Cup, though, hopes will be high that our team can repeat that feat here at what is a much bigger tournament. But we can only hope that Siafik can continue to provide assists, that Naulo can continue to score goals and even produce some more hattricks, that Murje can continue to sweep opposing forwards off their feet, that all three, who Eliseo Marinon recently nominated as Sajnur's picks for the World Cup Team of the Tournament, can continue to pull magic out of the bag and inspire their teammates, and that the team can win and keep winning. Will we win the Cup of Harmony? Probably not. Can we win the Cup of Harmony? Maybe we can.

Glory to Sajnur!

And woe betide Tamgu.


WCQ Results: Second Half

Brusseldorf

Wolfenden 25' (Sidi)
Dominguez 77' (Sidi)

Sajnur

Siafik 15'
Haji 37' (Hajat)

Naulo 16' (p)
Nazar 71' (Down)

Audioslavia

Sterling 21' (Borjon)
D Kuznetsov 36' (Sterling), 56' (Boiteux)

Sajnur

Siafik 40'

Sajnur

Siafik 3' (Hasan), 25' (p), 68' (Verjez)

Astograth

Urdanibia 47' (Lekea), 79' (Bengoechea)

Naulo 5' (Jorse), 7' (Kiral), 20' (Murje)
Murje 36' (Munjari)
Jorse 89' (Parjazu)

Sajnur

Naulo 39' (Siafik), 79', 88 (Jorse)
Vuierev 51' (Tule)
Laghiev 90+4' (p)

Bliuji

Belov 9' (Lyskov), 22' (p)
V Aksakov 20' (Alexandrov)
G Kolesnikov 31' (Bocharov)

WCQ Statistics

Naulo – 12
Siafik – 6
Haji – 2
Vuierev – 2
Levici – 1
Maktar – 1
Nazar – 1
Murje – 1
Jorse – 1
Verjez – 1
Laghiev – 1

Siafik – 3
Jorse – 3
Nazar– 2
Murje – 2
Parjazu – 2
Tule – 2
Kiral – 1
Hajat – 1
Down – 1
Hasan – 1
Verjez – 1
Munjari – 1

Team of the Tournament Picks

Jessica Siafik (CM)
Kahala Murje (LB/CB)
Andre Naulo (ST)