World Cup 91 [roleplays]

[Tikariot]

-- The World Cup 91 is covered by Wilbur Sorensen and Kendora Wintrup --


Birnin-Likulu, Ziwana - The qualifying campaign for World Cup 91 is under way and started with an excursion into terra incognita for Tikariot when they faced Ziwana in their first game of the qualifiers. After the very bumpy start to the WC90 campaign, fans and experts alike were looking with great expectations towards the Melayuan nation to see how Brian McAllister's first foray into the competition would go.

Things were led off by Tikariot Football Federation president Aylmer Shaw presenting a Bashperian carved snowy owl sculpture in remembrance of the lives lost in the plane crash that left several players and team members dead after being shot down during the Ziwanan Civil War, before the hymns were being played.

Led onto the field by Oriannor midfielder Celyn Monaghan, the Snowy Owls looked ready and motivated with the Thunder Clap ceremony, which also received appreciative applause from the home crowd. The opening half hour did not yield much action in terms of shots on goal, but showed two teams that were trying to gauge the opposition in an attempt to make sure not to start the qualifying campaign on the wrong foot. It took until the 37th minute before the first really dangerous attack saw Ximon Bergstrand make a strong run down the left side past Charles Fernandes, before whipping in a sharp cross that found Gary Conway's head, who laid it off to Xasthur Fredriksson. The Oriannor striker did not waste any time and struck the ball volley and right underneath the crossbar, leaving Peter Kakhobwe in the Ziwana goal no chance to even get to the ball, breaking the stalemate between the two teams.

The second half saw the hosts increase their offensive efforts while Tikariot dropped back a bit, allowing for the Ziwani some nice combination football, but the Xanark centre back duo of Duncan McCariot and Xander Augustinsson stood strong with the former in national team debut laying down some quite robust challenges taking the bite out of vice captain Hassan Haqawi. In the 59th minute, however, a beautiful diagonal pass by Mohammed Casimir opened the field nicely for captain Chimango Ngwenya to slip behind Stephen Mhor and drive the ball into the Tikariot penalty box, attempting a tight-angle shot that Brian Merson could only deflect with one hand. The ball fell right to Oradinho Banda and the 28-year-old from Sandheights City had no problems slotting the ball right past Merson into the goal for the equalizer.

This was the wake-up call for Tikariot and McAllister brought on Isak Liverstam for McCariot, who had already seen a yellow card and was at risk of seeing second, as well as Guillarim winger Simon Arrowsmith after his brace in the final friendly against the Squornshelan Remnant States. Immediately they increased the pressure on the Ziwani defense and the relative inexperience began to show as the quick Tikariotian combination play together with Arrowsmith and Alan Castanheira constantly switching sides caused some disarray in the Ziwani back four. A quick one-two strike in the 70th and 72nd minute when a long Monaghan freekick found Arrowsmith in acres of space on the far post and then Gary Conway had muscled his way past Rex Munthali and was able to lay the ball back to Arrowsmith once again made it 3-1 in quick succession.

Despite coach Slam Alahaji's efforts to re-focus his defensive line, they were hard-pressed to regain their composure as the Snowy Owls kept up the pressure and Celyn Monaghan in the 86th and Alan Castanheira in the 90th minute scored two more goals to make it 5-1 in the end for an ultimately convincing and successful start into the campaign for the Rushmorian side.

---

Bul Khungur - After kicking off the World Cup 91 qualifying campaign with a convincing 5-1 victory in Ziwana, the Tikariot national team hosted Cardenao for match day two in Bul Khungur's legendary Temple of the Crow stadium. A sell-out crowd of 26,000 spectators turned the black basalt stadium into a very intense environment for the Cardenians in their first meeting with Tikariot, coming off a surprise 3-3 draw against Barunia in their opening round.

Coach Brian McAllister sent out the same starting eleven as in the opener, seeing no reason to change a winning team just yet and as opposed to the slow start to the first game, the second match went off with a bang instead. Almost right off kick-off, Xander Augustinsson sent a long pass forward, finding Gary Conway as target man. He knocked the ball right into the path of a rushing-in Xasthur Fredriksson, who fired off a one-timer at the goal of Ray Holland, but a great reaction by the Cardenia CF keeper prevented a disastrous start to the game for the guests.

Attempting to build on this and prevent Cardenao from setting up their game, Tikariot continued to press and in the 14th minute Conway once more used his height to his advantage when a corner by Callum Baines found his head. While he could not quite get the ball onto goal, it was enough to allow for Nicholas van Haar to get his foot in just enough to tap the ball past a stretched out Holland to bring an early lead to the hosts. Six minutes later it was Duncan McCariot who hoofed the ball forward after Cardenao's first few attempts to open the game and Avanaroch winger Alan Castanheira timed his run perfectly to avoid the offside trap, latching onto the ball. Getting around Hendrix with a nice fake-out, he had a clear path towards Holland and with great composure unleashed a curving shot around the outstretched hands to give Tikariot a 2-0 lead.

While a quick 1-2 brace had basically decided the game in Ziwana, Cardenao had no plans to just write off the game, though, and pushed back. Just three minutes after Castanheira's goal, a corner by Haritz Larrainzar found its way to Giampetro Vera, laying it off to Diego Valenzuela and his blistering shot past friend and foe hit the back of the net, past an outstretched Brian Merson, giving the Cardenians an almost instant lifeline back into the game, which was showcased ten minutes later when a goal by Juanmi Saez was ruled off for offsides by the narrowest of margins.

The game's frenetic pace continued, however, and in the 37th minute Xasthur Fredriksson used his power to muscle past Grandillon, faked a shot on goal to send Holland flying before laying the ball off for Gary Conway who had no problems slotting the ball into the goal to make it 3-1 for half-time.

The start to the second half was a lot slower, likely owing to the teams trying to preserve their energy a bit after the intense tempo of the first, with some shots on goal, but not a lot of true danger for either keeper other than a nice header by Robert Rojas following a corner kick of Larrainzar. But all of this changed in the 69th minute when Brian McAllister brought on Morris Nighthorse and Kathleen Chamberlain for Fredriksson and Monaghan to inject some new life into the game.

Emerald Coast Raiders shooting star Kathleen Chamberlain, who started the season on the bench of the number one pick for immediate relegation to now star in the national team, was the one to whip in a corner that found Nighthorse, who took down the ball with his chest, turned and unleashed a shot that hit right between Holland and the post to make it 4-1. This prompted guest coach Scooter McNash to make his three substitutions with Odita, Archer and Viscarra replacing Rojas, Larrainzar and Yeison and the changes immediately made an impact.

The flow of play changed in Cardenao’s favor with much higher tempo to the play, crisp passes, smart runs, in the 74th minute Jayful slid a through ball for Juanma to run onto and curl into the net to make it 4-2. With their confidence rekindled, the Blue and Golds continued to push forward and just four minutes after the goal, left winger Ibai Acosta-Vargas sent a blistering shot just over the crossbar. Merson executed the ensuing goal kick as quickly as he could, finding Morris Nighthorse. With a wonderful fluid move he weaved between Odita and Mathers and Ray Holland showed an incredible reflex to deny the Baraldhur striker a brace.

Again just two minutes later, Jayful Archer perfectly timed a tackle against Callum Baines and played it out wide to Acosta-Vargas, who pulled inside before passing it back to Jayful Archer, who sent the ball right past the defense to Juanma Saez who took a touch and looped it over the keeper with great composure to make it 4-3.

Fueled by the adrenaline Cardenao now pushed forward to go for the equalizer, but in the 87th minute Ximon Bergstrand initiated a quick counter attack with a long pass down the left side to find Chamberlain, who perfectly timed her ball inside to Nighthorse. His timing proved excellent as he was just onside when he started his run, taking down the ball, running for a few more steps and finished the game off with a hard, low shot to make it 5-3.

After the final whistle, the Tikariot fans started up a Cardenao chant to express their respect for the spirited display of the guests before switching back to celebrating a great start to the qualifying campaign for the Snowy Owls with two wins in two games.

---

Line-up for the games against Republica Guanasteca and TJUN-ia:
Merson - Yates, Farnsrud, Tameifuma, Al Hak - Aird, Welch, Vacarese - Arrowsmith, Beaumont, Nighthorse.

[Kelssek]

KELSSEK’S SPORTS LEADER

World Cup qualifying >
Guardia switches it up after embarrassing first match in charge

Jorge Guardia’s tenure as Kelssek manager got off to an inauspicious start as the Voyagers frittered away a 2-0 lead against a nation ranked 304th in the world in a match that seemed well enough in hand to throw on a debutant at half-time.

Miles Mann did himself credit individually but he’ll be leaving out the final score from the story of his first senior cap, which resulted in an embarrassing draw against Caribbia, last seen going winless en route to a group stage exit in the Baptism of Fire for new entrants into international football.

A change of shape and an change of fortunes followed as Kelssek then convincingly beat Abanhfleft in Kirkenes with Guardia deploying an aggressive back three. Both Teadgh Brewer and Phillip Lozic were evidently instructed to get forward and pressure the opposition, leading to some hair-raising moments but overall a much improved performance. While Guardia’s body of work has had him seen as a bus-parking defensive coach, this might be a sign of the “new thinking” he apparently did while unemployed.

CARIBBIA 2 – Franco (64’), Black (78’)
KELSSEK 2 – Maçon-Petrault (25’, 41’)
St-Gerlais, Buené, Auiloquet, Lozic, Bowler, dí Völará, Lapierre (Ducharne 81’), Docherty (Wylten 72’), Ó Tuathail, Maradrogba, Maçon-Petrault (Mann 45’)

KELSSEK 4 – Ó Tuathail (16’), Maçon-Petrault (53’, 82’), Douglass (77’)
ABANHFLEFT 2 – --NaN-- (61’), %gouda-overflow-error%20 (90+1’)
Terlock, Buené, Lozic, Brewer, Halliger, Douglass, Lapierre (dí Völará 73’), Lafrenière, Ó Tuathail (Blanchette 85’), Maçon-Petrault, Hartpoach (Wylten 79’)
Exhibition Place, Kirkenes (attn. 31,877)

[Valanora]

A beautiful summer day in Capri saw the Marauders start off their qualifying campaign with a bang, winning comfortably in front of the home crowd. It was technically the second matchday of the campaign but the Eternal Empire had their first bye of the campaign on thenfirst matchday, meaning the team will be "playing catch-up" for the duration of the first half of the qualifiers as well as the second when that time comes around
While bye days are generally not used in the Empire's own domestic competitions and traditionally avoided in events it hosts, they are sometimes a necessary evil to facilitate proper qualifying groups. When used there is a lot of discussion and debate as to when the best time to have your bye date, with no real concensus besides not wanting it on the last matchday. There is a belief that having it in the middle of each half of the campaign adds a certain boost with the ability to nurse injuries or a weeknoff to fix any tactical concerns, alas it shall not be for the Marauders this tournament.

Baggieland came to Capri as a massive underdog, taking on the third ranked team in the sport and in front of their home fans for the first fixture of the Marauders. It is about as terrible as a scenario as one could have as a low potted team in the tournament and the Marauders were quite keen on asserting their authority on the match as well as signal to the group that trying to topple the Marauders is not going to be an easy task. The star that is Lothas Ludwig made an early impression with a well worked individual effort in the seventh minute when he dispossessed an opposition defender and dribbled around their partner in the center of defense, feigning a chip before rounding the off put goalkeeper and slotting home the opening goal. Twelve minutes later the striker would rise above everyone on a well taken corner and put in a powerful header to the near post that beat the keeper. Lothas seemed keen on single handidly taking the three points from the opening match and getting the Marauders off to the start that the team desired.

Fortunately football is not a one man sport andnLudwig has plenty of help to get the Marauders moving and playing like the fans want them to. The legendary captain Laborious Hawk would add a third for the Marauders in the fifty- first minute when he would convert a free kick just off the right side of the box, curling it expertly in a way that caught the keeper flat footed and too far away from the near post. It is the sort of goal that Hawk has made a career out of and there could be an entire half hour highlight reel of Laborious converting free kicks exactly like that one across the entirety of his footballing career. Indra Söderström would finish off the scoring in the eighty-first minute on a first time volley getting on the end of a cross field cross from Veliz and sending the fans home with a huge smile on their face. It was exactly the sort of opening day win that can snowball for a team who has a pursuit of a title on their minds.

The Marauders will head away from Vanorian shores in the next international weekend, heading to Rushmore and to take on Eastfield Lodge. The Rushmori outfit is something of an enigma, having been in the competition for decades but failing to reach the elite level of the field, although they do have a Copa Rushmori title to their name and a fairly well established domestic league. They are dangerous in that regard with nothing to lose and everything to gain. After the adventure off to Rushmore the Marauders will return home to take on Caribbia. It will be a match that the fans will be desiring a similar outcome to that which they just were witnesses to and should the Marauders be on that hunt for a title, neither game is a match that they can afford to drop points in.

[Pasarga]

"I thought you said with new management that the team wouldn't have the same issues that they had with the Kelssek manager in charge! Yet here we are already having lost to a low seed away from home. It is quite an embarrassing situation to always be so remarkably inconsistent."

"A manager needs time to implement their ideas and find the personnel to fit how they want to play the game. Also, it was a single game and away from home, away daysbare always trouble even for the most elite sides of the sport."

"It feels like it has for the entire last decade, players who are supposed to be among the best in their position or best in the nation and routinely not putting up those sort of performances when called up to the national team."

"I think you are being entirely unreasonable, look at how well they played in the follow up game in Torgos, smashing one of the competitors for a qualifying spot. Teams are allowed to have bad games, it happens to everyone regardless of how good or bad they actually are. One bad game does not the end of the Wanderers make, especially as it was the first game of qualifying. There is plenty of time for the side to get it right."

"I sure hope so, I and many others can hardly stand yet another campaign where the side plays more like a pot three or four team than a pot one team that is supposed to be running the group. My heart just can not take another time we have to make a second half of the campaign comeback to sneak into the Finals."

[Alasdair I Frosticus]

A STATEMENT FROM THE HOLY EMPIRE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

Hey there, you cute little mundies!

We understand that questions are being asked in Ordinary Reality about incidents in each of the recent matches against Vilita and Geektopia. We wish to take a moment to clarify the nature of these incidents to the best of our ability, and to assure our mundy friends that there is no cause for alarm.

The first incident happened in the 60th minute of the match against Vilita, at which point the Holy Empire was crushing the Jungle Rebels 5-0 (somewhat, it should be said, to the disappointment of Juan Tzimisces, who was looking forward to a challenging match against these respected long-term foes). Suddenly, however, goalkeeper Isaac Paraspondylo collapsed, and started to grow two extra heads - one looking backwards on his left shoulder, the other positioned centrally on his chest. The referee entirely appropriately blew his whistle to bring the match to a halt, and concerned imperial medics immediately took to the field to tend to Paraspondylo. He was withdrawn for the final half an hour of the match, and - in a rare imperial substitution - replaced by back-up goalkeeper Juan Neokaisareites. Rattled, the team let in three late goals, with the final result ending 5-3.

Curiously, Mr Paraspondylo did not lose the two extra heads after the match, despite the expectation that our ability to control reality in the Dreamed Realm would have would have allowed the goalkeeper to quickly return to his more usual physical state. Our best oneirologists are examining this closely, but we have been assured that there is no sign that his condition is contagious, and that he presents no danger to mundies.

Following further consultation, Mr Tzimisces and Mr Di Bradini decided to return Paraspondylo to the team for the match against Geektopia. Mr Tzimisces has offered the opinion that while the starting goalkeeper may take some time to adjust to his new sets of eyes, the additional field of vision more than adequately compensates for any temporary difficulties.

The second incident happened in the thrilling 3-3 away draw with Geektopia - which saw three goals scored after the 80th minute, including two in time added on, after the Empire took a 2-0 lead in the first half. To concede three goals to Geektopia was perhaps unfortunate, but we are confident that Mr Paraspondylo will be able to make the best use of his two additional head in due course.

This, however, is incidental to the incident that occurred in the 57th minute, almost immediately after Germaine Sophie scored the first Geektopian goal. At this point, imperial forward Jose Miguel Arianites collapsed while clutching his wrists - and promptly grew two extra feet from each wrist (for clarity, he grew feet as body parts, two on each wrist - not extra feet as a measurement of length). Fortunately, Mr Arianites was quickly back on his feet (his usual feet; not the new ones on his wrists), and was able to continue to play. It soon became evident that his new physical condition conferred our forward with a certain advantage, in that it was almost impossible now for him to handle the ball since the ball would inevitably strike the feet on his wrists rather than his actual hands in situations where a handball might have otherwise occurred. This was the source of some controversy in the 79th minute when Geektopia thought they should have been awarded a penalty off a corner when Mr Arianites' arms were raised. While we believe the referee made the correct decision, we concede that this was an unprecedented situation, and one which the World Cup Committee will no doubt want to clarify when its rules subcommittee next meets. However, it's our contention that the laws of football state that 'It is an offence if a player deliberately touches the ball with their hand/arm'. As Mr Arianites clearly touched the ball with his feet - though admittedly feet positioned on his wrists - and not his hand or arm, then no offence can have taken place.

We are keeping Arianites under observation, but at present his condition does not seem to impede his ability to play football, and we expect him to start in the next match. As with Paraspondylo, we have been assured that there is no sign that his condition is contagious, and that he presents no danger to mundies.

We hope this clarifies matters, and we consider the issue closed for the time being. Both Arianites and Paraspondylo will continue to represent the Holy Empire, and we assure our opponents that in all other respects they remain completely normal and utterly unremarkable footballers.

[Ochre Islands]

Every tree has its own unique sound in the Ochre Islands. Every plant too, but theirs rarely chirp as loudly as the trees - although there are notable exceptions. The bellflower, for instance, speaks in much the same way as robin on a cool summer morning greeting the dawn rising above the mountains to the east, a bright chirping note and a sing-songy voice that many attuned Islanders have fallen in love with. Along with the bellflower, one or two of the native cactus plants can get very loud if you get too close, shooting off alarm calls like a flock of seagulls, warning humans away from their thorns and skin-burning milky saps.

The trees meanwhile tended to whisper, sounding much more 'human-like'. Though with so many trees around, this could still end up being a cacophany of sound and occasionally difficult for people not rooted in that area to understand, what with the heavy accents unique to each island, along with the sub-dialects, speech patterns and so on of each type of tree. Whilst they retained most of that island's accent, the idiosyncracities of each regional variation made them quite distinguishable from each other in much the same way human accents and dialects are.

What exactly do trees talk about? Well, they generally don't bother themselves with the goings on downslope (downslope generally being where the human settlements are). Whether that's the argument on whether to use proportional representation or first-past-the-post in the upcoming election (the trees had their own, very succesful system), or indeed of the ongoing World Cup qualifications. They knew of course that the 'Ochre Islands', as the humans called their nation had won both games so far, but their most valued possession hadn't featured in either game yet so it lacked interest for them in the most part.

That's not to say the trees didn't bother for the humans. As much as anyone else they were rather judgmental. They knew most of the humans covered themselves with decorated material made of fallen plants or animals, and would often whisper about those humans who didn't seem to show much care or respect for who they were wearing, picking up on humans who would wander by in whole new outfits every time or those who clearly idolised how they looked in their flesh coverings more than they bothered for the humans around them.

I suppose the question rather is who exactly can hear the trees? Mostly 'Ochre Islanders' who are attuned to the natural spirits of the islands strongly enough. A lot of them were in touch with nature on their previous home soil, instinctively knowing when to plant crops, when spring would arrive and so on, but were pleasantly surprised to find that the Islands themselves seemed to welcome them there the moment their foot touched the land. These people considered themselves 'attuned' to the islands and passed that feeling onto their 'Ochre-born' children.

There is of course the occasional tourist who is caught surprised by a whisper in the woods with no-one around, suddenly spinning to see nothing but trees and foliage alongside the pilgrims path they're walking. They might tell this story at the next inn or tavern and be met with a knowing smile but usually not much comes of it. One or two mention it to a monk at the shrine they're heading to and end up staying longer, others are simply told they were tired and sent on their way. It all depends on what the monk senses in the soul, you see.

And the football World Cup? What does all this have to do with that? Well, as previously alluded to, the Islands and the spirits themselves have an interest in it. The 'Ochre-born' in the team may be their parents children, but each was guided and watched by their creators.

[Banija]

Kabaka- King
Isebantu- Crown Prince
Katikkiro- Prime Minister
Lukiiko- Parliament
Waziri- Foreign Minister (Title is always held by the Isebantu)

In response to the linked RP

Toyuwa Okafor, the Banijan Ambassador to Cardenao, sitting at the Banijan Embassy in New Cardonia

Okafor was sitting in his offices, smoking a cigar, with his feet up on his desk. He had what many would call a cushy job. Banijans took their diplomatic corps very seriously, sending Ambassadors to basically any country that you've ever heard of. But Okafor took what some might say was... A non-traditional path to the Banija diplomatic corps. He spent the prime of his youth as a professional footballer. The first (and, if we're honest, the worst) of a long line of great Banijan strikers, to put on the shirt for the Kadongo Kamu. He was the starting #9 on the first ever Banijan team to qualify for the World Cup, and he of course was forever the owner of Banija's first ever World Cup goal. You couldn't ever take that one away from him. His most famous moment, of course, is him revealing a Mutebi Must Go shirt after that very goal. Protesting, of course, against the then Banijan dictator, Matthias Mutebi.

Obviously, those were very fond memories. He had a lot of great memories in his career- at both the club and international level. But of course, like everyone else, his playing career eventually ended. Many of his former teammates, of course, have stayed in the sport in various roles as coaches, and assistant coaches, or executives. But not Okafor. He had a second love, even beyond football- and that was business. He was passionate about business, and always thought it was extremely interesting. Because of his travels, he was interested in international business. Obviously, he didn't go to college after high school, going straight into pursuit of a soccer career. But when that finished? He went back to college, as a grown man(a very rich grown man), and got his degree in international business, at Loyola-Busukuma, at the age of 40.

And what better company to work for in Banija if you are an international business major than the RTC? He would end up spending 7 years as a company man. He spent a year working in Rosaria, the Echani capital, before the RTC's headquarters were brought back to Banija. He spent another year working in Istria, before he was assigned working at this outpost. He spent 5 years working for the RTC in Cardenao, rising up the ranks. He met his wife here, a Banijan woman 12 years his younger. She immediately had quadruplet sons, naturally. It was interesting, his rise. People thought he was dumb because he played football, but his intellect and drive continued to surprise people. He eventually moved over to the Government Relations Department.

And then, the RTC decided that they wanted him to go a different route- the Government route. How would that work? Of course, in Banija, for certain diplomatic outposts, the RTC has a major say in who works for the Banijan embassy in that country. Some would call that outright corruption, others state capture, some maybe a deep state, or even oligarchic. Whatever it was, this was one of those outposts. The RTC having exclusive ferry rights to get people from one side of Cardenao to the other was insanely profitable, as one might imagine. They wanted to ensure those exclusivity rights stayed that way. Good Government advocates in Banija hated the arrangement. But of course, Ambassadorial appointments are not accountable to the Lukiiko- they are the strict province of the Monarchy. So the system stayed, although rarely talked about. Okafor went back to Loyola-Busukuma to do a two year graduate degree, to prepare him for diplomacy.

And then, he was back in New Cardonia. As the Banijan Ambassador to Cardenao. He had a picture of himself, scoring THAT goal at World Cup 80, shirt lifted in the air, hanging on his wall. While he was definitely a smart man, he was also someone who loved to enjoy himself- especially when it came to the sport. So here, on Matchday 2 of World Cup Qualifying, the Embassy was hosting a watch party of Banija's visit to the Squornshelan Remnant States. Only one team in each qualification group would go to the World Cup directly, with 30 teams in total going to the playoffs. Banija, of course, did not want to be one of those. And Okafor, as a former national teamer(and #10 on the Banijan all-time scoring list), was obviously watching the game intently at his party.

It was the second half, in a game that was absolutely a wild one. The Confederates had scored the opening goal, with Thorgnyr Bondarov, getting a start, hitting what was honestly an insane volley. Bondarov had celebrated wildly, as obviously it was a major goal for the Confederates. The two AO teams, locked in a match that could honestly qualify as one of the best ones of the day. But after that, it was all Banija. The Kadongo Kamu put on a tantalizing display going forward for the remainder of the first half, scoring three times to take a 3-1 lead into the break. While the stadium was mostly silent after the display, the Banijans in this embassy were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

When Sarafina Ikpeazu scored her 2nd goal of the first half, and the team's third goal of the game, with a deftly beautiful chip over Paiva Shimski's head, she simply winked at the camera as she slid on her knees to celebrate the goal with the bench. Okafor, of course, had jumped up and celebrated himself, knowing that the Banijans were well on their way to a big win. There was a local Cardenao student from the University just down the street from the embassy, that he walked up to as the celebrations in the room died down. "Hey, did you know that I actually have more career national team goals than her?" The student, who had no idea who Okafor was, and who was just here for the food, simply looked up at him and nodded. Okafor, grinning, laughed and continued to walk away. Probably shouldn't have said that- but eh, that's how these things go, right?

The second half, however, did not go as well. The Confederate manager made a few changes, and the home team was launching a comeback. Mithya Hashemi scored a goal in the 52nd minute to cut Banija's lead in half, and then, at the one hour mark, Lyzolda Petrov, fresh off the bench, headed in an equalizer that got the home crowd roaring. The room, at the embassy, was nearly silent. That's when Okafor decided to get up. "C'mon guys- we got this!" Okafor said. The rest of the room was lethargic, and it seemed as if Banija was going to fall to the age-old adage- there is no lead more dangerous than a two goal lead. But the opposite was true. The team reeling, in a key qualifier. Very early in the stages, yes. But whenever it's Pot 1 v. Pot 2, even if it's on Matchday 2? Always a big game, especially in a cycle where Banija's bye was scheduled for the final matchday of the Qualifying campaign.

Pam Scott then decided to get two subs of her own. Demba Kinteh, the captain, coming out for Adin Wasawo. And then Aquila Hongo, coming into the central midfield for Tijan Sowe. "C'mon guys." Toyuwa Okafor whispered, basically to himself. At these events, he was supposed to be strolling around, shaking hands, talking about Banija, and extolling the benefits of his country. What one would call soft, cultural diplomacy. But of course, the game was far too intense. Those who actually cared about the sport, including him, were basically glued to the flat screen in the Embassy's party hall. It was a tense one. Petrov almost gave the Confederates the lead, but a sprawling save by the 37 year old goalkeeper Wanda Kouyaté on a free header by Petrov kept the game tied at 3. She made another brilliant save in a one v. one situation against Ikra Yonte. A perfect through ball from Petrov, but she was aggressive and quick off her line(especially at age 37!), and she made the brilliant save to keep the Banijans in it.

After that, the young substitutes, both in their first World Cup Qualifiers, started to make an impact. Wasawo was starting to really roam and control the center of the pitch. Hongo, on the other hand, at just 20 years old, and fresh off the bench, was outrunning both his tired teammates and opponents. The Banijans were starting to control possession again, and with that, really go for the jugular. Some great up and down football- both teams were going for the win. The Banijans had a great opportunity in the 82nd minute, when Gereh Kama got the ball at the top of the box. As he dribbled into the box, Valda Harkhan lunged for a rash, desperate challenge. "PENALTY!" Okafor jumped up and yelled, as did basically everbody in the room. There was no need for a VAR check- the Baker Park referee was quick and decisive, pointing to the spot and brandishing a yellow card for the Confederate defender.

As Wesoloski-Okafor lined up to take the penalty, one of his aides came up to him. He was so focused on the game, he had no idea she was coming- he nearly jumped when she walked up. "Toyuwa, we have an urgent message for you to see."

"Urgent? Can't you see this game is going on?" The Ambassador and former NT striker said. "Look, we're about to score."

"You need to see it immediately." The aide said. "This is something that will get the attention of Busukuma... And Istria." At once, Okafor nodded. Busukuma, referencing the Banijan capitol. And Istria, where the RTC was headquartered. They walked back to his private office. He walked backwards, and when Wesoloski-Okafor buried the penalty to give Banija a 4-3 lead, the whole room exploded. "YES!" He yelled, with a fist bump as he walked into his office. THe aide that had gotten him sat down, and there was another aide in the room as well.

"Ambassador Okafor." The second aide said. "I need you to take a look at this."

.... "We are looking for foreign investment within our nation, and asking the global community for investment within our great nation. Foreign aid, foreign direct investment, and infrastructure"....

Ambassador Okafor didn't even need to look at the rest of the press release. The aide then got him some headlines from various Cardenao political newsites. "President asks for foreign aide" "Cardenao seeks to diversify investment options" "Foreign direct investment from neighbors en route".

"Ahhh shit." Ambassador Okafor looked up. The party in the lobby was cheering again- Ambassador Okafor thought maybe the Banijans had scored a goal to put the game on television on ice, but of course, he had no way of knowing. "This isn't good."

"Sir, do you think they're going to try and pursue the crazy of-" The aide started before she was interrupted.

"No, I don't think so." The Ambassador said. Then, he re-considered. "Well- actually, they might. There's long been a desire to build a damned bridge here, isn't there? That'd ruin the RTC's most lucrative business in all of Anaia." He paused, looking around. "We're gonna have to make a few phone calls. There's no reason to panic yet, but we got a bunch of people here now. Call a press conference for a few hours from now. Order some pizza for any fans who want to stay."

The Ambassador then sat there, thinking. "Alright." He then pointed to the first aide. "Hey, place a call to the RTC EVP in Cardenao." The RTC EVP in Cardenao, of course, was the head of RTC operations in Cardenao. "They're gonna want to know if their position, especially their position with that ferry, gets threatened. As for me? I'm gonna get on the Isebantu's calendar for tomorrow morning. We're going to need something for him." The aides were both off. The second aide would take care of scheduling an impromptu meeting with Okafor's superiors back home.

Meanwhile, Ambassador decided to release a statement that he hoped would kill the furor before it began...

... "We have seen Cardenao's called for foreign aide and foreign direct investment. Let us remind the world, that the Kingdom of Banija is the #1 foreign direct investor into Cardenao in multiple ways, both in the public and private sector. The RTC, in particular, is one of the largest foreign corporations operating in Cardenao. Ensuring that both halves of Cardenao are connected by a reliable ferry is one of the things that they are excellent at, and it is this sort of private-public partnership that is vital to the lifeblood of Cardenao. The Kingdom has had a lengthy relationship with Cardenao, and of course, welcomes all measures that improve the welfare of the people of Cardenao. The Kingdom, as a vital partner and a long-term ally of Cardenao, will also look to ensure that any foreign investment and aid agreements in Cardenao work well alongside existing investments and aid projects already happening in Cardenao, and we will ensure that the people of Cardenao are the main beneficiaries."

"With that, the Banijan Embassy has also held a successful community celebration..."

It was clear, of course, that the Ambassador's words were politician speak. Everyone knew what he really meant in politicians speak- that Banija would fight against any foreign investment/aid that were not aligned with Banijan interests. It wasn't exactly a bold and bright red line- but it was certainly a red line that was drawn. How would his superiors act at home? How would Cardenao politicians act back here? Okafor figured he'd find out in the morning. Meanwhile, he took out a cigar and went to the back porch of the Embassy. Hopefully, that dissuaded Cardenao's President from doing anything rash, without Banijan involvement. IF not, this may be the last time he'd have to relax with a cigar for quite a while. So he figured he'd better enjoy it...

[Squornshelan Remnant States]

A Typically Squornshelan Start

World Cup Qualifying is officially underway for the 91st edition of this storied tournament, and in typical fashion, the Black-and-Reds have started the race in neutral. It began with a pair of warm up friendlies against nations ranked not too far behind. 40th-ranked Tikariot paid a visit to Albrechtsson Park in Damogran, after which the Black-and-Reds went on the road to Acqui Bollente for a match against 34th-ranked Savigliane. Both matches represented the first meeting between the teams involved, and both, frustratingly, ended in defeat for the Confederates, who scored two goals in each contest, but looked far too loose at the back. Still, Groothuis was unconcerned in her press conferences, pointing out the value of having these sorts of warmup matches against good opposition that had the ability to expose the team's weaknesses before competitive play begins.

That kind of approach is all well and good, but things were scarcely better for the Black-and-Reds as qualifying began. Eraman has proved a problematic opponent before, with a matchday one victory over the Black-and-Reds contributing to our failure to qualify for World Cup 89. Hopefully this opening draw, with only will not herald the same result. In order to avoid an embarrassing failure to qualify though, the Black-and-Reds will need to significantly improve their current form. Some might point out that Banija were always considered favorites, despite the team's second match taking place in Brantisvogan. Still, having taken the Kadongo Kamu to penalties just a cycle ago, the team surely hoped for better than conceding five goals in front of their home supporters. An attempted rally started with Hashemi's goal in the second half and continued with another from the supersub, Petrov. In the end it wasn't enough, and Valda Harkhan is in a tough spot disciplinarily even earlier than anyone expected, having picked up her second caution in as many games, giving away a penalty to Banija in the process.

Fortunately, the next opponent is not one expected to trouble the Black-and-Reds overmuch, after which they'l have a bye to gather their thoughts and make adjustments. Beyond that though, a pair of regional rivals await, one of which is the Pot 3 team many would consider the biggest threat to the Black-and-Reds' qualification hopes. If Groothuis can't kick the team out of its funk by then, this could be a very, very long qualifying tournament for the SRS.

Schedule and Results:

FRND: SRS 2–4 TKT @ Albrechtsson Park (cap. 65,400), Damogran, Algolia, SRS
FRND: SVG 3–2 SRS @ Stadio del Piero, Acqui Bollente, SVG

MD1:  ERM 1-1 SRS @ Daulapura Stadium (cap. 40,000), Daulapura, Daula, ERM
MD2:  SRS 3-5 BNJ @ Radlov Arena (cap. 76,800), Brantisvogan, Megabrantis, SRS
MD3:  QUK  v  SRS @ TBA
MD4:      BYE
MD5:  SRS  v  MIL @ Overburg Arena (cap. 46,222), Damogran, Algolia, SRS
MD6:  EFK  v  SRS @ Lake Dal Stadium (cap. 55,900), Kebmot', Ssedbam, EFK
MD7:  SRS  v  ALR @ Eichlen Stadium (cap. 37,500), Rudlit, West Flania, SRS
MD8:  LMB  v  SRS @ TBA
MD9:  SRS  v  SRG @ Civic Arena (cap. 58, 300), Viltvodle, Megabrantis, SRS
MD10: BRO  v  SRS @ TBA
MD11: SRS  v  MNS @ Killough Grove (cap. 31,400), Han Wavel, Han Dold, SRS
MD12: SRS  v  ERM @ Striterax Cybernetics Arena (cap. 64,325), Striterax, Isle of Squornshelous, SRS
MD13: BNJ  v  SRS @ The Stadium of the Restoration (cap. 91,835), Busukuma, National Capitol Region, BNJ
MD14: SRS  v  QUK @ Zenith Stadium (cap. 58,400), Stavromula, Isle of Squornshelous, SRS
MD15:     BYE
MD16: MIL  v  SRS @ TBA
MD17: SRS  v  EFK @ Synesoft Arena (cap. 46,950), Syneca, Sivolvia, SRS
MD18: ALR  v  SRS @ A field (cap. 100), Lahaira, ALV
MD19: SRS  v  LMB @ Smolak Systemy Stadion (cap. 31,200), Sjerezo, Molvania, SRS
MD20: SRG  v  SRS @ Estadio Generalissimo Joaquín Delgado (cap. 108,879), Soluca, SRG
MD21: SRS  v  BRO @ Emerald Coast Colliseum (cap. 31,200), Vassilian, Algolia, SRS
MD22: MNS  v  SRS @ TBA

---

World Come Undone, Part 1
“A riot is the language of the unheard.”
CW: Violence

The underlying concept, as well as the affected voice of this series is conceptually indebted to the outstanding work of Indy Neidell, Astrid Deinhard, Spartacus Olson, and the rest of the incredible team at Time Ghost History. I cannot recommend their work enough to anyone with any interest at all in 20th-century history, and I urge those of you who are interested to support that work.

Where is the line between riot and revolt?

When does unrest become a revolution?

100 years ago* next month, that question was answered with the outbreak of the Squornshelan Civil War, a conflict which, legally speaking, continued until just a few short years ago when the divided nation was reconciled and reunited.

People familiar with some of the history will likely know that the Squornshelan Civil War was touched off by the national team’s early elimination from World Cup 41. A loss to Zwangzug in the final match of the group stage sent the fourth-ranked Pschychoes (sic) tumbling from a tournament they’d harbored hopes of winning, and sent frustrated supporters into the streets of the Imperium’s major cities. The police effort was largely successful on the Isle of Squornshelous in the capital, Vogsphere, and other major cities like Striterax and Santraginus. Separated from its colonized provinces by a narrow straight, the Isle comprised the original core of the Imperium, and was both politically and economically powerful within the nation, and overwhelmingly ethnically Squornshelan. Its cultural influence was also unmatched by any other regions within the Imperium. Thus, with many of the socioeconomic tensions underlying the riots in the west, those on the Isle were fairly easily dispersed. In West Squornshelous, the crowds proved much more stubborn. To understand why though, we need to take a closer look at what had been going on in the Imperium in the lead up to the riots.

Records are occasionally patchy from that era, though some recoveries from the Imperial government post-unification have filled in a few gaps. However fragmentary the picture though, one thing that is immediately clear is that the Imperial government ruled with an iron fist. Indeed, the final verified international communique from the Squornshelan government prior to the war was issued by the Department of Savage Beatings and Public Executions, during World Cup 40.

Even setting aside the Imperium’s caricature-esque approach to law and order and defense, the simple truth was that the various ethnicities of West Squornshelous, Brantid and Han, Sivolvian, Algolian, and Molvanian had been de facto, if not de jure second class citizens from the moment of their homelands’ absorption by the Imperium. Economic and political power was consolidated nearly everywhere in the hands of ethnic Squornshelans. A government that was hand in glove with the massive kombinats that dominated the imperial economy allowed the already rich and powerful to plunder the natural resources and exploit the populations of the western provinces, further exacerbating the existing inequality. Cultural touchstones were deliberately targeted for elimination by the government in an effort to destroy any sense of separateness and subsume the west’s once distinct civilizations under Squornshelan hegemony. A particular source of outrage along these lines had been the demolition of Jaglan Castle, the ancestral seat of the former King of Algolia. Citing spurious evidence of structural instability and a risk to the public, the Imperium issued a permit to Stavro-Kom to demolish the complex and build a concrete batching plant on the site. So, while the unexpected elimination from the World Cup was the immediate cause of many taking to the streets, resentment for the Squornshelan ruling class and the government in general had been building for decades. The character of the demonstrations, therefore, almost immediately changed from a sports riot to something much more political, and difficult to quell.

Demonstrations dispersed in one location would recoalesce nearby just a few hours later. Numerous officers and demonstrators were injured in confrontations that became more and more serious as the inevitable escalation by the Imperial Police brought teargas, armored vehicles, water cannons, and even sonic weapons to bear on the crowds. In Arkintoofle, Chalesm, Damogran, and Lutenblag, police asked for and received military assistance, as the authorities came to believe that only city-wide curfews and patrols on every street could bring an end to the lawlessness. On the fourth night, shots rang out in Damogran. Government sources say that members of the crowd fired on police and military first, while some eyewitnesses disputed that claim. Whoever you decide to believe, the result was seven of protestors killed, dozens injured, and the assembly dispersed.

Until the following night.

The frustration that had driven four nights of protesting across West Squornshelous boiled over into rage, with the Imperial Police and Army squarely in the crosshairs. In almost every city, crowds took to the street, marching and chanting. In Lublova, farmers and ranchers drove their tractors to block city streets in protest. In Brantisvogan, the crowds were only stopped from reaching the Viceroy’s palace by troops stationed at barricades around the government district. And in Damogran, where the pain and anger were strongest, a small group had decided that enough was enough. They were going to fight back.

While fear of police cleared the streets during the day, a meeting of pro-democracy groups took place in a high school gymnasium in South Damogran. The debate was contentious. All present knew that a response was necessary, but consensus on what form that response should take was elusive. Those present would remember that the majority of organizations present favored continued and increased protesting, with an aim of bringing international pressure to bear on the Imperial government to enact reforms. A vocal minority, however, decried this plan as insufficient and futile, and not entirely without justification. The near total absence of free press from the Imperium and far-reaching powers of the Department of Information Management meant it would be exceptionally difficult for anyone beyond the Imperium to learn of what was happening. Here in the present day, the complete communications blackout from the Imperium in the aftermath of the riots lends credence to this viewpoint. At the time, though, their calls for armed resistance to the government’s anti-riot measures was seen by a majority of those present as a dangerous escalation that would only serve to worsen the crackdown.

Unsatisfied with the decisions reached, one group of would-be revolutionaries determined to act on their own. Mistral, as they named themselves, saw themselves as the first breath of breeze that would become a powerful wind, sweeping the Imperium away before it for an independent Damogran. Their membership at this time was barely more than a couple dozen, with barely enough scrounged weapons to equip all their operatives. The advantage of their small size and apparent lack of significant capability is that they had completely escaped the notice of the Ministry of Security, who were much more concerned with the larger, but less militant organizations in Damogran. That night, Mistral operatives loaded into a cargo van along with what few rifles they possessed, and a collection of homemade explosives, bound for the nearest police station to the location where the shooting had occurred 24 hours earlier.

Six officers were killed in the blast, and two more in the ensuing shootout, in exchange for three Mistral members killed and two captured. Also among the dead that night were Anik Tamboli, a 43-year-old father of three walking home from the bus stop, and Pakpao Vemula, a 17-year-old helping her parents by making a trip to the corner store for groceries. Tamboli and Vemula were the first two of countless innocent bystanders to be killed in the brewing conflict, and in the aftermath, both sides blamed the other for their deaths and held them up as martyrs.

Looking ahead from this night of violence, without the benefit of hindsight, it’s impossible to say what the outcome of this revolt might be. Will the call to action spread across Algolia, or perhaps across the entire Imperium? Could real change come to a horrifically oppressed international pariah state? Or will this revolt be crushed under the steel-shod heel of the Imperial war machine? No one can say. The only thing that is certain at this juncture, is that thousands upon thousands of people, soldiers, revolutionaries, and civilians, will be dead before all is said and done.

The Squornshelan Civil War has begun.

*Time and retcons are always a bit wobbly around here, but it was now 50 cycles ago that I left NS (next month because WC41 took place in June), and that seems to merit some commemoration and codification of lore.

[Brenecia]

Brenecia 4 - 0 Kuraita
(4-4-3) 12 - Tanner; 2 - Bravender (17 - Sidle 61'), 5 - Shrine, 6 - Giltanan, 3 - Seeler; 8 - Conway, 4 - Schofield, 11 - Covolan (13 - Garrard 68'); 15 - Wake, 21 - Lofthouse (9 - Lamorak 83'), 10 - Byrne
Goals: Conway 9', Lofthouse 26', Wake 45+1', Shrine 79'

Natanians and Nosts 0 - 0 Brenecia
(4-3-3) 12 - Tanner; 2 - Bravender, 5 - Shrine, 6 - Giltanan, 3 - Seeler; 8 - Conway (13 - Garrard 84'), 19 - Mikoliunas, 11 - Covolan; 7 - Carpenter (15 - Wake 71'), 21 - Lofthouse (15 - Tristram 60'), 10 - Byrne

It took just nine minutes for Iseult Conway to raise the roof at the Hubris Dome.
A fitting way for a first goal at a curtain-raiser. Katua Byrne's free kick was thumped into the centre of the box, cleared dubiously by Indrasis. It broke favourably for Conway, who hit a clean, crisp strike past a sea of bodies,and past Kalnins in goal.
Nothing elegant, nor was the second. Jadwiga Lofthouse simply rose highest to convert a thumping header off a pinpoint Bravender cross. This was a strong Brenecia side playing with the belief that Derdriu Wright had somehow instilled in them, and those in the stadium were able to forget their troubles for a time. Randall Kearney applauded for the cameras in the corporate box, failing to avoid looking a little like a proud parent whose kid just trotted out for a bit-part in the school play.
Wake made it 3-0 just before half-time, stealing in to capitalise on a defensive mix-up between Varnis and Legrants and whipping a decisive finish low past Kalnins. Overwhelming pace, power and directness showed why the debutant was rated so highly in ITK circles, and by the scouting team of one of the world's strongest clubs. Kuraita had performed well in the middle of the park, and for the most part played fairly capably. But in those decisive moments, the seasoned Brenecian professionals made their difference count, reliably.
4-0 by full-time. A staid second half, for the most part; Kuraita put together a few decent strings of play and at last tested Tanner, but the finishing touch belonged to Brenecian centre-half Athelney Shrine, wrestling free of her man to drive home a corner. A commanding victory, and not an unfair scoreline, on balance. Wright called it a 'statement of intent', and ultimately, everyone could go home pretty happy that the Naming Rights, for all the controversy of its existence, had opened to a massive win in front of a capacity crowd. Maybe things would turn out alright, after all?
And that was the thing, the hope, the feel-good factor. Bread and circuses. Pomp and circumstance. A bolstered honour guard for the royal family, and a new stadium to host 4-0 wins. That was what this government had run on, after all. Damn the expense, damn the promises made to anyone, it was all about chasing the sugar high in a country desperate to feel good.

The afterglow could not last. By the time the Patriots slumped to a dismal scoreless draw in the Natanians, the people trapped under Brenecia's grey skies had bigger fish to fry. Similarly, there was little care for the news that Nephara was sending one of their best-credentialled former officials to act as the new Ambassador.
The housing bubble in Rozelle had burst. Unemployment hit 15%. International businesses were in full retreat. The Treasurer had stepped down; her successor pledged to print money to account for the shortfalls, everywhere.
Brenecia's Great Recession was here.

BRENECIAN NATIONAL TEAM SELECTION - FORTNIGHT 2
Goalkeepers: 1 - Anthea Finnan (Holdenberg City, EUR), 12 - Sorcha Tanner (Southern Star), 20 - Cairbre Dundalk (North Laithland, NPH)
Defenders: 2 - Clovette Bravender (Ulsa, EUR), 3 - Mynah Seeler (Southern Star), 5 - Athelney Shrine (Southern Star), 6 - Casey Giltanan (Workers Union, EUR), 17 - Felice Lovibond (Kingsgrove), 18 - Iucharba Killen (North Laithland, NPH), 22 - Nimue Culpepper (Rozelle)
Midfielders: 4 - Ronan Schofield (Raynor City United, VAL), 8 - Iseult Conway (Northern Union, c), 11 - Lienke Covolan (Vermillion Rage), 13 - Consaidin Garrard (FK Metropola Borograd, STL), 19 - Kurtis Mikoliunas (Mâ Âlâmëómë, FFD), 23 - Kestutis Garrett (Northern Stallions)
Forwards: 7 - Kendra Carpenter (Wirr Tsi, CMT), 9 - Cantwell Lamorak (Twin Saints), 10 - Katua Byrne (KT Itzalovalle, AUD), 14 - Danand Tristram (Northern Stallions), 15 - Maerhen Wake (1830 Cathair, AUD), 16 - Rhona Leonard (Kingsgrove), 21 - Jadwiga Lofthouse (Northern Union)

[size=75]Brenecia 4 - 0 Kuraita
Natanians and Nosts 0 - 0 Brenecia
Brenecia vs. Arjunnagar
Eura vs. Brenecia
Brenecia vs. Srednjaci
Mertagne vs. Brenecia
Brenecia vs. Gyatso-kai
Polkopia vs. Brenecia
BYE
Brenecia vs. Maphidon
Omerica vs. Brenecia
Kuraita vs. Brenecia
Brenecia vs. Natanians and Nosts
Arjunnagar vs. Brenecia
Brenecia vs. Eura
Srednjaci vs. Brenecia
Brenecia vs. Mertagne
Gyatso-kai vs. Brenecia
Brenecia vs. Polkopia
BYE
Maphidon vs. Brenecia
Brenecia vs. Omerica

[Vilita]

A New Hope for Rebels despite strength of the Empire

Rebel Training Academy, Forest Moon of Endur, Tivali Jungle, Vilita :: The Vilitan National Team returned to the Rebel Base dubbed the "Forest Moon of Endur" following a spirited but ultimately unsuccessful fight against the Holy Empire inside the Dreamed Realm. Despite all assurances to the contrary, there was no shortage of extra-worldly encounters when the Vilitan National Team arrived to play the highly anticipated Unofficial World Cup Title Belt match against the number one side in the multiverse. From the start, the supposed team of normal every-day skilled footsport players that had never before played an international match seemed as if it were a collection of the best eleven players in the multiverse. Of course, with the Jungle Rebels fielding a side that also included six players making their Internationstatal Debut and earning their first ever Caps for Vilita, and a further three players entering the match with single digit all time appearances for the National Team, it is perhaps unsurprising that the VIlitan National Team got off to a slow start against solid opposition.

An Imperial Medic looks on in shock on as The Holy Empire's goalkeeper grows two extra heads

Of course, slow is perhaps an under-assessment of the quality (or lack there of) shown by the Vilitan squad at the start of the opening match of the World Cup 91 Qualifying Campaign. Rubbish, Inept, Outclassed - these are words more apty to describe the discrepancy between the two sides early on in the proceedings. With Vilita conceding five goals in the first half of play, the team were well on pace for the largest ever defeat in the history of the Vilitan National Team and the possibility of combining that with the shortest ever stint for a National Team manager - 1 single match - seemed a real possibility. Then a strange thing happened on the field. Perhaps something that would typically be expected in the Dreamed Realm, but something that players and officials were assured would not happen. The Holy Empire's goalkeeper grew a pair of extra heads.

No explanation was given for the matter as Paraspondylo was taken off the field and into the care of Imperial Medics who had, like much of the remainder of The Holy Empire bench, been entirely tuned out of the match and engaged in an intense game of mystical Dejarik on the sidelines to pass the time while their entirely normal teammates competed on the pitch. At the moment Paraspondylo went down, confusion turned into cover up then turned back into confusion as the backup goalkeeper, Juan Neokaisareites, was not even wearing his playing uniform at the time - so rare is it for The Holy Empire to resort to backup personnel during a match. Once it was confirmed that the three-heads were not going to resolve themselves and that Neokaisareites participation in the match would, in fact, be required, the goalkeeper found their equipment bag and somehow instantly appeared with their uniform on - gloves and all, trotting out onto the field. Fortunately for Endur Rotropii and the entire Vilita Jungle Rebels roster, it appeared as if Juan Neokaisareites had either never played footsport before - or was just too pre-occupied eying the game of mystical Dejarik on the sideline to make sure they weren't getting swindled that they struggled to keep their attention on the match itself.

With the drop of a hat... or three one for each head that grew out of Mr Paraspondylo, a Nightmare match that threatened to be the last ever for some of Vilita's debutants quickly transformed into one memorable evening. Young Turoki Tide attacker Diamoa Waviino, making their first ever start for the National Team, would tap the ball effortlessly past a distracted Neokaisareites just minutes after play resumed to put the Jungle Rebels on the scoreboard. Less than ten minutes later it would be another goal - this time from Riku Kasslin, the 26 year old who plays their domestic sport with Club ESF in Valanora - making just their third appearance for the Vilita National Team. All of a sudden Vilita were down just three goals and had all the momentum. Though there was just fifteen minutes left in the match, all of a sudden it felt as if Rotropii's side had a chance.

Of course, regardless of how distracted and unprepared the goalkeeper might have been, the rest of the lineup was still representing the best team in the multiverse and on their own turf in the dreamed realm, there was little the Jungle Rebels could do to truly turn the match around. They had put themselves in too deep of a hole and even a second goal from Riku Kasslin with three minutes to play was not enough for Vilita to re-claim the UWC Title from The Holy Empire.

While the full time whistle came with Vilita still trailing by two goals, there was a small celebration from the Vilitans who could sense A New Hope at the end of the match that maybe, just maybe they had enough firepower on their team Rebels that if they worked hard and worked together they might still be able to take down the Empire. After the match, Head Coach Endur Rotropii discussed the teams performance:

"Well, quite frankly it wasn't going well for a while there. We had conceded five goals and it looked like we might concede five more yet. We had a lot of youngsters out there, a lot of inexperienced guys. We rounded up whatever talent we could find and we threw a uniform at them and told them 'Here, go into Battle against the Empire' - and they stepped forward and did it. Sure, it was a struggle at times but all we needed was that little spark. That little spark to light the fire that will hopefully be able to burn that Empire down."

Rotropii continued, "We may have lost the first battle but we were fighting on their turf under their rules. We're going to go back into the Jungle and train harder. train smarter. train different. We'll force ourselves to be better. Then, when we are ready, we will take on the Empire once more."

 Vilita 3 - 5 The Holy Empire	
	Vilita Goals:	:: 66' Diamoa Waviino:: 73' Riku Kasslin:: 87' Riku Kasslin            
	Stats :: Vilita 	:: Possession: 35%:: Shots: 7:: Corners: 9 :: The Holy Empire :: Possession: 65%:: Shots: 10:: Corners: 18
	Vilita Lineup :: 	Zelkki Milake Jr., Injyua Klizlo, Narri Sebapilo, Awukchu L’bakka (Lentali Purama 45'), Letirpsi Vulitn (Riku Kasslin 60'), Fyin Miateal, Trezisi Rokopolis (Sami Samii’i 71'), Jakku’u Naboyavi, Antiviv Davaflei, Takaara Milanzi, Diamoa Waviino

[Efnakia]

THE PERFECT START
Dumo hom Ccahor get six points out of six to kick-start qualification campaign

MANKAM, Abmas – The Blue and Golds comfortably handled Mon Sold in front of a packed crowd in Mankam, 2-0, to earn their second win from two matches in World Cup qualification after a 1-0 win away in Brookstation.

Standing out at midfield and hearing the national anthem isn’t half bad for instilling national pride in a man, and the hearts of the starting eleven for the Dumo hom Ccahor must have been absolutely bursting with pride and passion as they heard the anthem for the first time in a World Cup qualification match. Having made the long trip to Rushmore, the Blue and Golds were heavy underdogs, with Brookstation previously making the Round of 16 in the Copa Rushmori and entering the tournament in Pot 6, three pots above Efnakia.

Efnak manager Tutsem Katemabffu has already made clear his preference for heavily defensive strategies during World Cup qualification, and the low block employed by the Blue and Golds demonstrated that to perfection in their first ever qualification match. The match was scoreless until late on, when an excellent free kick delivery from central midfielder Bapam Katefess in the 81st minute was met with a diving header from Muhdet’ striker Uhtetul Kahelto and powered into the bottom corner, prompting the entire 23-man squad, as well as some technical staff, to pile onto the field and pile onto their goalscoring hero, with the hundreds of traveling Efnak fans on the verge of delirium. The Blue and Golds would hold on in the end, surviving a furious rally from the Dreamers which climaxed with young center back Ukcca Katla making a brilliant save on the goal line to maintain the clean sheet. Seconds later, full time would blow on yet another piece of history made by this Blue and Golds team – another first for a team that is carrying serious momentum.

The Dumo hom Ccahor would return home several days later, though, to face Mon Sold in the Abmas Provincial Stadium in Mankam. A capacity crowd of 58,700 was in attendance to see the first ever home qualifier for Efnakia, and it would be against a familiar opponent, with the Blue and Golds having faced Mon Sold in the Baptism of Fire. That game ended in a 2-0 victory for Efnakia, and this game would start in much the same way as an electric Ssaddar sparked the team into furious pressure to kick off the match. Catching the Bowheads defense by surprise, center back Cibran Zanetti would leave a backpass to goalkeeper Bertoldo Mondadori well short, allowing Efnak striker Lanel Kamosspeffe to slide the ball past the stranded keeper to spark wild celebrations in the Provincial Stadium, before a minute had even been played. The Dumo hom Ccahor would be comfortably in control throughout the match, keeping the Bowheads to only two shots on target in the 90 minutes. Ssuto Katemam would continue his quality performances in the Baptism of Fire to finish the game on 78 minutes as he cut in excellently off the left wing before finessing a curling shot into the top right corner of the net.

Up next for the Blue and Golds is an even more difficult window. First the side travels to Eraman, to face the 67th ranked Monkey Kings, who are coming off a win over Milchama and a draw with the Squornshelan Remnant States. Next, though, is the biggest game in our history so far – the Kadongo Kamu of Banija, the 5th ranked team in the world, arriving at Western Line Stadium in Koff. The Banijans are coming off two victories as well, both over Atlantian Oceania nations in Quakmybush and the Squornshelan Remnant States. Large delays are expected throughout the city on matchday, for currently unknown reasons, as stated by the Koff City Transportation Authority. As usual, all Efnak national team games will be broadcast live on MMSsE1 and MMSsE3 in Efnak and Common respectively, with all Group 12 matches being streamed live in Efnak on MMSsE-Ala. As always, Hok Efnakia!

   Group 12                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Sargossa                          2    2   0   0     8    4   +4     6
 2 Banija                            2    2   0   0     8    5   +3     6
   Efnakia                           2    2   0   0     3    0   +3     6
 4 Eraman                            2    1   1   0     3    2   +1     4
 5 Aleirave                          2    1   0   1     7    7    0     3
 6 Mon Sold                          2    1   0   1     1    2   −1     3
 7 Squornshelan Remnant States       2    0   1   1     4    6   −2     1
 8 Lumbinipur                        1    0   0   1     2    3   −1     0
   Quakmybush                        1    0   0   1     2    3   −1     0
10 Milchama                          2    0   0   2     1    3   −2     0
11 Brookstation                      2    0   0   2     2    6   −4     0

Thanks, dear reader! Buccoss kal, medunffob kasal! Ccam son ccamol teb he kem Efnak-asske bef bet’ tem ssa.

Ccam son omol ohaskof he al onka asske faf kem mat' ass kem Onka Ssaddo Loksob (Ssufuta hom Kodam) 395. Ccam ssal-lak ccamol omabu he Efnakia hom ccamol an Efnak ssaccess "memekmab mef".

"Thanks dear reader! You can find this article in Efnak on our site here. This article was written in a foreign language under the guidelines of the National Oversight Act (Safety and Security) 395. This newspaper is based in Efnakia and is on the list of Efnak government 'trusted sources'."

[Cassadaigua]

The streak is over,
by Chelsea Dufresne, Concord Heights Times

You’ve never heard us mention it, because it was not something to be jinxed. On MD2, Cassadaigua’s remarkable 66-game unbeaten streak came to an end.

The Fillies were defeated by Quebec on MD2 of World Cup 86 qualifying. They would not lose again, going 14-1-0 in the remaining 15 games.

In World Cup 87, they extended the unbeaten streak to 33, by going 16-2-0.

Cassadaigua hosted World Cup 88, therefore did not need to qualify.

In World Cup 89, they added another 18, making it 51, by going 15-3-0.

World Cup 90 saw more draws than we would have liked, but still no losses, going 9-5-0. The streak sat at 65, and the team would win their opening match of World Cup 91, to make it 66. After that Quebec loss in World Cup 86, Cassadaigua ran off a qualifying record of 55-11-0.

The question would be, would be the team to break the streak? You would have hoped that it would be a nation of Huayamarca, Darmen, or Sarzonia’s stature, but Magnecia will have to do. Still, quite remarkable, though would have been better if it translated to better luck in the World Cup itself.

[Kandorith]

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Shinonome Kyoai - International

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Renewed Kandorese side of to a flying start in group 10

Even before the qualifications began, there was a feeling of pride and expectation in the air and after two matches the new generation of Kandorese footballers has not disappointed at all.
By Natsumi Miyasaki
Sports

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 PGroup 10                          Pld   W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Indusse                           2    2   0   0    11    3   +8     6
 2 Kandorith                         2    2   0   0     7    3   +4     6
   Ochre Islands                     2    2   0   0     7    3   +4     6
 4 South Newlandia                   2    1   1   0     6    3   +3     4
 5 Krytenia                          1    1   0   0     2    0   +2     3
 6 Cheetahs and Reptiles Coalison    2    1   0   1     2    4   −2     3
 7 Saint Eleanor                     1    0   1   0     3    3    0     1
 8 Armbruster                        2    0   0   2     2    5   −3     0
 9 Reorganized Portugal              2    0   0   2     1    5   −4     0
10 Sannyamathland                    2    0   0   2     3    8   −5     0
11 Fort McKinley                     2    0   0   2     2    9   −7     0

The Kandorese have started their qualification campaign towards World Cup 91 with two enjoyable matches and a large number of goals. Having faced Sannyamathland and Fort McKinley respectively, the team has shown what they are made of by enjoying a large field presence and playing controlled football. Naturally, a question asked a lot now is if the Kandorese team can hold on to this route and play the favourite role in their group. The Kandorese team has had a good start to the qualifiers for the third time in a row and appears refreshed and renewed in both playstyle and vitality.

Yuki Ono and Noboru Hamasaki shine

While the qualifiers have just started, there are two players who are already exceeding the expectations on the field. With Michiyu always stating that the start of the campaign can always play a very important and psychological role in the campaign, there is no doubt they wanted to try and snatch the first place instantly. Right now, Kandorith is standing in second because of goal difference and is at the same height as Ochre Islands. South New Zealandia and Krytenia follow, rounding out the group's current top five.

The first match against Sannyamathland saw a completely full Empress Masumi stadium in Tenkyo, where there was no shortage of spectacle during a very enjoyable ninety minutes. The lone striker, Ono, would get his first chance within minutes of the start of the game but saw his effort go wide past the goalkeeper of Sannyamathland.

A few minutes later, the ball would find its target for the first time. Captain Yoshihiro Matsumoto was able to leave the field of vision of the Sannyamathlandian defence and was able to launch the ball towards the goal. The goalkeeper tried their best but could only deflect the ball, which then reached the waiting body of Ono, who easily slid the ball past the still floored goalie.

The follow up would be a build-up of mistakes and renowned swiftness. Sannyamathland was trying for a goal and pushing bodies forward as they forced a mistake in the Kandorese defence, leading up to the first corner kick of the game. A well-placed corner initially caused a little bit of panic in the Kandorese penalty box, but eventually, Yoshito Yamakawa was able to kick the ball towards the midfield. Immediately, Ono would sprint after the clearance and see his chance when one of the Sannyamathlandian defenders could not control the ball correctly on the first touch. With a swift movement, Ono was able to conquer the ball and begin his run toward the goal. After a quick fake shot, a tricked goalkeeper, and an easy goal for the new striker, Kandorith was expected to go into halftime with a 2 - 0 lead.

Disaster struck, though, as the Kandorese defence was taken off-guard in injury time as a mistimed tackle from Asato was enough for a yellow card and a free kick in a perfect position for Sannyamathland, just outside the penalty box. The free-kick was taken swiftly and before the Kandorese team could even react, there were appeals for handball and the referee pointed to the spot. Appeals were being brushed off and after communicating with the other officials, the decision would not be altered. A perfectly placed penalty in the right-hand corner was unstoppable for Akio Maruyama, even though he dove towards the right spot.

2 - 1 at half-time and fierce words from Michiyu

In the dressing room, there were harsh words from manager Michiyu as they were clearly upset by the lacklustre defending leading up to the penalty. In his own words, Matsumoto has already said that the words were "brutal and completely put the team in their place". There was work to be done by the Kandorese team as they walked onto the field again, looking to turn the match into their hands again.

With a slow start to the second half, the Kandorese would slowly find their pace and had a few attempts at goal, but did not get much further than that. It would take another Sannyamathlandian attack to get a wake-up call. Three players were allowed to slip away as the first corner from Kandorith was well defended and unable to defend three versus three properly, the next mistake was made. Again, a seemingly panicked Asato tried to stop the attack in its tracks and was given a stern talking-to from the referee and the free kick was awarded. For Michiyu, this was the point at which Asato was replaced by Ryu Tanji. While leaving the field with a hanging head, Michiyu did not even glance at the disappointed defender and went on to yell instructions to the rest of the team. The free-kick was met perfectly in the box by Sannyamathland's striker, and the header flew into the goal with the goalkeeper unable to do anything about the deflected ball.

Effenciency and focus redeem the match

Yet another substitute would come on, and this time Yoshito Yamakawa would be switched out for Mitsuyori Takahashi in an attempt to turn around the game again. With the scoreboard now reading 2 - 2, even some fans were already getting nervous, and the frustration on Michiyu's face was getting apparent. Half an hour before time, the match would turn around, however. With seemingly nothing happening and two more substitutions, the Kandorese team seemed to be taking back control of the game. Yoshida, who had only been on the field for about two minutes, was able to sprint down the right side and dribble past the defence to slide the ball into the near corner through the legs of the goalkeeper.

In the last ten minutes of the game, it would be Kandorith's turn to score even more, as constant possessive attacking football was able to keep the ball on the side of Sannyamathland for the most part of the second half. The last goal would fall to Ono once again, and with a brilliant strike from distance, he would seal the game with a 5 - 3 victory for the Kandorese. A beautiful start to a qualification campaign in which Michiyu leads the team for the third time to try and reach the World Championship.

In the upcoming matches, Kandorith will face Cheetahs and Reptiles Coalison and Ochre Islands, respectively, which both look like matches where the Kandorese team should shine. For now, the Kandorese have done enough to make sure they have a proper start to the qualifiers and are looking to bring the same goalscoring prowess to the upcoming opponents.

[Eura]

WORLD CUP 91 QUALIFYING – GROUP 8 MATCHDAY 1
Mertagne 0-0 Eura
Scorers:
n/a – Woakes miss pen 15
Lineup:
1. E Palmer
2. A Mason
15. K Sherwood (sub Byrd 76)
4. J Menard
5. T Green
3. L Almwood
6. S Erskine
16. O Vincent (sub Robshaw 62)
7. M Woakes (sub Bowman 68)
9. S Robson
10. C Atkinson

WORLD CUP 91 QUALIFYING – GROUP 8 MATCHDAY 2
Eura 2-0 Gyatso-kai
Scorers:
Robson 4, Atkinson 67
Lineup:
1. E Palmer
5. T Green
4. J Menard
19. A Coles
6. S Erskine (sub Gates 65)
8. V Robshaw
11. B Malone (sub Coffey 77)
7. M Woakes
12. A Woodman (sub Reeve 81)
9. S Robson
10. C Atkinson

The talisman

A short, sharp yelp and a flailing roll brought Kevin Sherwood to the ground. Briac Lewis kicked the ball away and told him to get up. Imagine his shock when the referee pointed to the spot without hesitation.
‘Penalty. Green 3 on red 15.’
‘What?! I didn’t touch him!’ Most of the Flynn Ar3na’s nearly ninety-thousand capacity crowd agreed with gusto. The referee was having none of it, no matter how much noise they could make.
‘You swept his back leg, I had a good line of sight, it’s a penalty. Hey – we need the ball back!’ A reluctant ball boy trudged off to scoop the ball up and return it to the officials, so that they could hand it over to the Eurans.
There was no deliberation on the red side, other than whether to listen to Skorji Oslograd’s helpful advice from the side-line.
‘MOIRA! Moira, this keeper is a fucking fraud, he looks like he’s about ten, just belt it. Break him!’ Moira Woakes did indeed take the ball and tried her best to tune out her eccentric boss.

When she was growing up Eura seemed to win a lot of penalties in the international game – the likes of Lee Sharp, Craig Sinclair and Kris Campbell mesmerising and luring defenders into the kind of silly tackles that gifted them constantly. Not so in recent times. Penalties had become a rarity for Eura, an occasional gift that gave the taker a chance to add a cheap notch to their international goal tally while, conversely, heaping enormous amounts of pressure on them to not screw up. What had fuelled the change? No-one really knew. Maybe Eura were just not as good and couldn’t win so many anymore. Perhaps their style had changed, as the national side evolved from its one trick pony tippy-tappy nonsense to a more cynical and defensive game. Or, after Liam Armstrong’s infamous stoppage time miss against the Free Republics, maybe Euran players were just wired to try and avoid winning any for fear of the national media inquest if they blew it.

Moira tried to avoid intellectualising the whole thing. Who cared about conversion rates, historic precedents, the TV cameras and the effect they might have? She was a professional goal scorer. She had the ball at her feet with nothing in front of her but a few yards and some poor bastard who had to stop her.
That was all there was to it.
Or so she thought.
Moira hadn’t taken many penalties at international level. Brian Bond’s dominance of the role outside of shootouts left her out of practice, and try as she might, she couldn’t help but have a little bit of doubt creeping in. A toxic development for a footballer, even one of her qualities. A doubt that grows and starts to snowball. At my age, if I miss this, am I getting dropped? Will I come back? When are they going to put me out to pasture and move on? I haven’t played in a World Cup knockout game for half my bloody career!
She stared down Rhys le Besco in the Mertagne goal. Ok. Bottom right hand corner.
She took a breath, strode in, hit the ball cleanly, and watched with agony as le Besco dived to his left and diverted the ball wide of the post.

‘Moira, Moira, Moira.’
Great. The inquest begins. Half time would not be fun.
‘What was that? Was that your gift to the national morale of Mertagne? Compensation for having to play in this rip off Flynn Arena rather than the real deal?’ Skorji had a way of words as ever.
‘Yeah, sorry boss, I just under-hit it.’
‘That’s not a thing. No-one “under-hits” the ball. We don’t hit it at all. We connect with it.’
‘Ohhh, really?’ she replied, her eyes rolling over so hard they might pop, ‘I didn’t think about it that way, cheers!’
‘Don’t get shitty with me’ he barked, picking up on her tone. ‘I’m right. Well, obviously. I’m always right. But I’m really, really right this time. Every time your boot connects with the ball, it takes with it the energy you are carrying, and that decides its fate. You feel confident and composed and the ball will feel it too – it will obey you, like a good horse. It will carry itself to its intended destination in cruise control. But, if you don’t believe, well…’ He shook his head to emphasise the unsaid conclusion. ‘…that’s how you end up taking a limp dick penalty like that.’

As utterly mad as Skorji and his philosophy were, Moira sort of got it. Not literally – bloody hell, does he really believe the ball had magical properties and agency? – but there was something, possibly, in the idea that her state of mind was holding her back.
‘So…what do I do then? Its not that I don’t…I know I’m a quality player, so how am I supposed to make sure I…am?’ At 33, a veteran player by all accounts with a decade of world class performance behind her, Moira was shocked that she might actually talk herself into accepting a useful lesson from this lecture. But it was never too late to learn, right?
‘You’re not just a quality player are you though? You’re Moira Woakes. You’re our talisman. The one the kids put posters on their walls of. Believe it and act like it and that won’t happen again. And, well, maybe some training ground practice wouldn’t do any harm. Just because you’re good, doesn’t mean you can’t get rusty.’
Moira took this away and thought about it very hard.

Fast forward to the fourth minute of the second qualifier. Gyatso-kai at home. Sharon Erskine carefully distributes a pass back to Jack Menard, the centreback quickly sweeps the ball left to Alex Coles, and an incisive pass between two players cuts them out of the game – and now the ball comes to rest at the feet of another.
Moira Woakes, on the ball with all the time in the world in the centre circle. Out of the corner of her eye, Skorji holds aloft a...an icon? Some kind of voodoo doll? What the fu-
‘TAAAALISSSSMANNNN!’
Oh.
Her heart warmed. No doubts. No hesitation. The talisman would deliver.
In one smooth series of motions, she pushed the ball slightly away from her body, shaped up, then put her right foot through it to send a jaw-droppingly good diagonal ball over the top of the back line, perfectly weighted for Stewart Robson to run onto it, chest it down, and toe poke the ball under a sprawling goalkeeper and into the net. Halfway through the second half she’d set up a second, this time for Christine Atkinson, with a similarly top-class free kick.
After the game, Moira and Skorji exchanged glances and a smile. Nothing was said. Nothing needed to be.

[Chartistan]

And now, a "HOLY CRAP HOW ARE WE ON TOP OF THE GROUP" poem. Since I don't have any ideas.

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Holy crap, we're top of the group
Two matchdays in and we cashed in a coup
Although the teams we faced were poor
We sure as hell just caused a storm
Away to Star United States
Trumped them 3-1, no raising stakes
On Loreen, on Gabby and Holy Smier
Combbrush was singing and smiling wider
For one second we were 2nd in the group
But one game straight in? Can't compute
Alas it was time to go to Old Town Road
Matchday 2 was ready to behold
The opponent was on top of the pile
Garifunya said we didn't feel vile
The sounds and sights said "Billboard, Baby!"
We have been scoring a fair bit lately
And boom boom boom, 3-1 when done
We're top of the lot and second to none
Thank Exnash for that, a goal and an assist
While the entire damn nation stays and persists
But truth be told we're probably not staying
And this poem is getting a little bit fraying
And so before we slide from first to fifth
This tale and story will cease to exist

[Pyazhnaya]

-- The World Cup 91 is covered by Wilbur Sorensen and Kendora Wintrup --

In our coverage of World Cup 91 qualifying we are going to take a brief look at former Baptism of Fire winners Pyazhnaya and more precisely at their players in the Tikariot Premier League.

Currently there are nine Pyazhnayan players under contract in the league, six of who are in the extended pool of the Phoenix' national team for the qualifying campaign. Three of them can be considered surefire starters, interestingly and surely purely coincidentally all three of them women:

Larisa Nekrestyanova (30, CF, Vilharady Owls).
The oldest and most experienced player, Larisa Nekrestyanova has been the first Pyazhnayan player to sign a deal with a TPL club (at the same time Temur Krasnyoporov also signed with the Dhun Lagarr FC, but he has moved on to Flavovespia's Marthorpe City since) and has proven herself to be a reliable, if not spectacular scorer for the Vilharady Owls since. She has proven to be very important as a team player by being able to draw opposing attackers out of position, thus generating openings for team mates, or acting as target woman to receive the ball with the back to the net and then re-distributing them to better placed team mates in their forward motion. Especially for the national team she also acts as a calm leader that enables the often young players around her to focus and grow as players.

Inna Parshikova (23, RM, Dhun Lagarr FC).
Having become a fixed point in Dhun Lagarr's midfield ever since her arrival from Squornshelan Wavel AC, Parshikova has carved herself a niche as physically robust player with a strong pull towards goal, (sometimes too) often forsaking a well-placed pass for an attempt to score herself, which is her only real weakness, much to the chagrin of both team mates and coaches. If she manages to turn this particular trait off, she could be on the verge of something great.

Yekaterina Pshenichnikova (22, CB, Emerald Coast Raiders).
The youngest of the three also is the biggest surprise so far, given that she plays for the Emerald Coast Raiders, who experts almost unanimously nominated as first choice for relegation. Having just arrived in Tikariot at the beginning of the season, Pshenichnikova, other than being a nightmare for most TV commentators, has not only shown a very strong defensive performance that has allowed the Raiders to sit in a surprisingly comfortable midfield position at this point of the season, but her three goals to date also have far surpassed all expectations of her.

The other players signed with Tikariotian teams that have been nominated for the national team have not had much of an impact for their respective teams in the TPL so far this season, but as we all know, this is something that can change in the blink of an eye:

Aleksandra Novoseltseva (18, CM, Parakleion Firebirds)
Solid stand-in for the Firebirds, with her biggest claim to date so far being having scored the deciding goal at the end of season 103 keeping Parakleion in the TPL. She has not managed to break into the starting eleven yet, but given her age that is not too surprising.

Tikhon Yevstigneyev (21, CF, Parakleion Firebirds)
Has seen his playing time for the Firebirds go down dramatically this season so far after the arrival of the M&Ms (Jesson Morrison and Franklin Mosnyk), but he sees it as a tremendous opportunity to learn from some of Tikariot's best, even though a transfer to a team where he can see more minutes might be in his near future.

Danya Zabolotnaya (19, LB, Avanaroch White Wings)
Competing with Mikhail Kholstinin for playing time in Avanaroch is not the most beneficial situation for either, but given her age advantage she can use it as a learning experience.

The other three are not on the national team radar and their current playing times for their teams are not too encouraging for that to change in the foreseeable future, which could influence their future in the league:

Mikhail Kholstinin (30, LB, Avanaroch White Wings)
As just mentioned, he is competing for the same position as Zabolotnaya, but also has the advantage of being capable of playing centre back, which has given him some more opportunities, however an injury has kept him out of the line-up for a while.

Varvara Zavrazina (18, GK, Dhun Lagarr FC)
Playing understudy to Guo Yanhong in Dhun Lagarr, young Zavrazina is also more in a learning role than a true threat for the incumbent, whenever she was able to play so far this season, her performances have strongly varied, but once again, given her age it is something to be expected.

Timofey Chumakov (20, CF, Ancarea FC)
So far with zero minutes of play for surprise table-toppers Ancarea, Chumakov has indicated that unless something changes in this situation he will ask for a release, as he is widely seen as a big offensive talent that could become a national team player, but first and foremost needs to see playing time.

[Trolleborg]

First part here
Trolleborg “Vazlav” publishing house specializes in issuing short references for the needs of fans, in electronic format and in the form of pocket books, sometimes very useful, but sometimes not giving even slightest idea of what awaits the guests of the country when they truly become its guests. And not because the agents and authors of the guidebooks are bad, incurious and lazy, but because countries broadcast little information about themselves and do not want to make public anything but the most general information. Gortolekua is just such a case: everything that can be learned will fit into a page of text: located in Anaia welfare state that collects half of earnings in taxes (not so long ago we had a similar picture, only as a result of the efforts of the government the tax rate was gradually reduced to about 10%), fairly even distribution of income (by force); criminals should not be feared, but still you need to be on guard; the name of the currency is known, but not too much about this; good indicators of what is appreciated by the citizens of Trolleborg - the quality of food, the state of the environment, the culture of the population, medical care, transport. Not so much, but if you think about it, does a football fan need more detailed information, especially our Trolleborg fan, who arrives for ten hours as he flew in in the morning, and left at midnight after the match? There is some grain of truth in this consideration, but still... somehow everyone want to learn slightly more about the new country. On this reflection, Vidar Sodershelm, as he himself understood later, dozed off, and if he traveled not by a plane specially rented for the needs of a fan to Gortolekua, but, say, by train and his destination would be some intermediate city, his “golden round” will almost sertainly broke down he felt asleep very deep.

He was awakened as a result of the action of an electronic steward, who is programmed on such flights to begin to disturb people who remained in the cabin when 80% of the passengers left it. Hastily tying a scarf, Vidar hurried after the rest of the sleepy ones who were making their way outside, then into the city. Staying in it did not leave any special impressions on the fans, in this first away match they were more interested in the result, and basically agreed that the score would be in our favor. Most converged in the thought that something like 2:0 would come out. The opponents performed well at the BoF, beating the future winners of the tournament (and the offenders of our cousins Trollish Islands), Aleirave, in the group, and losing to them in the semi-finals, but it seemed that for our experienced team newcomers would certainly create problems, but no one, except for inveterate skeptics and cynics, who pointed out on the unpredictability, and, in general, the random nature of the results in most WCQ games, did not expect what happened. Having created several dangerous situations near Gortolekua gates in the first half hour, the Trolleborg team then left their fans gaping in annoyance among the stadium raging with delight - in a rather simple situation, our central defenders completely lost their vigilance and allowed the opponents' forward to get a pass from the flank and make a shot at close range. It remained more than an hour to play, but on this, to even greater annoyance, football as such in the performance of the Trolleborg team ended. The team looked completely lost, and - what did not particularly please football fans - the head coach also looked confused, made three completely ununderstandable substitutions and did not achieve anything at all as a result of them. In a word, if someone collected a bad mood and bad forebodings from people, he could easily stock them up that evening, walking among the fans, who standed looking at the scoreboard in disbelief. If it were not for the energetic prodding of senior comrades, many people would have stood for hours more, re-experiencing what had happened, and would certainly have missed the plane. Vidar, however, this time turned out to be in the ranks of energetic senior comrades - he also saw worse defeats, much more offensive, and at a time when there was much more at stake.

He met Sunday morning at home, but before falling asleep after a night in a comfortable, but still airplane seat, he found the strength to work out a route to Potenzia, which was awaits him in just two weeks. The tournament has just begun, but it's better not to relax!

[Zwangzug]

Neha Jeejeebhoy, private eye, clambered through the trees in Guariday. Her client awaited.

To be blunt, Guariday was not the most exciting place to be a private eye. Zwangzug went for the sort of utopianism that preferred carrots to sticks; the all-consuming bureaucracy was less criminal justice and more tedious attempts at education and social welfare. And the Namiri region, in particular, valorized indigenous communal authority sources. The most likely source of wrongdoing was arson, and the average Namirite was less likely to hire a detective to hunt down the misbehaving youth, and more likely to ponder what sort of deconstructionist statement was being made and how it represented a resigned protest against technological modernity, by which time the perpetrators would be halfway to Errinundera.

But the country was also very large. And even in Guariday, there were niches for people like Neha, if you knew where to look.

The client had declined to meet at Neha's apartment, and offered an alternate location in a public park. When she reached the liaison spot, Neha immediately realized why. She was dealing with a Zeb.

The sentient, but non-anthropomorphic, creatures were usually content to keep to themselves and stay out of human business. On occasion, however, one would see them agitating for fair cross-species standards regarding topics such as the age of majority for voting. One had even played for Namiri Independent over in Sharag, but they mostly preferred traditional hoofracing to team sports. But this one had sought out Neha rather than any established authority figure among the humans or her own people.

"Hello," Neha began, guardedly. "I'm glad you could make it."

The client began swishing at her computer. Zebs had fine motor control of their tails, which they used for more nuanced communication than the inter-clan hoof language; after much trial and error, Zwangzugian scientists had developed a tactile "touchpad" that allowed for adequate machine translation. (It still occasionally glitched and output 1337 sp3ak on occasion, but that was typical in Zwangzug.)

Once satisfied with the on-screen glyphs, she stamped one hoof to translate. "You are the human scout?"

"Yes, my name's Neha. And you?"

"Seven-Winds. I am here about my son, Brave-Stripe."

"What about him?"

"The...humans have taken him. They have broken the pact."

"Kidnapped him?" That would be a surprise, and a serious crime worth bringing in the actual government.

"They hurt his mind. They make him think that he wants what they want, but they do not know what is good for him."

"If he left of his own choice, I'm not sure if I can bring him back. How old is your son?"

"Three winters." Neha must have looked skeptical, because Seven-Winds continued, "But what is that? Even two-legs do not agree on how days flow into years, not with your ball-kickers and your faraway forests. Our lives are full, as our yours. He is...old enough he does not need me, but too young for any mare to want him. He should be running with the young men, becoming his own stallion."

"Do you know anything about the humans that--that he went with?"

Seven-Winds kicked at her screen several times, writing and erasing various attempts. Apparently, this concept did not have an easy translation in either hoof-stomped nor signed language. Eventually, she settled on very crude approximations of human letters. "DHA."

"The Divine Host of Archangels?"

Seven-Winds gave a dismayed whinny. "Two-leg monsters! Evil humans. Pact-breakers."

Neha was not particularly religious herself, but this seemed harsh. She reminded herself that, from Seven-Winds' perspective, they had abducted a juvenile. "What pact?"

"You humans, you set store by what you can write and sign. We are free, to go among you and speak in your parliament, and mark our X's in the ballot box. And you are free to walk among our forests and climb our mountains. These are the laws you prize, and we do not mock them. But the that-which-is, the things-that-are beyond the stars and within the mountains and beneath the trees? You have as many songs of creation as you do human cities. And we, each clan has its own tracings of the unseen, that would make no sense to you even if you sat and listened. It does not hurt us if you preach, but to twist the hearts of children and tell them that the angels are as near as the grass beneath your hooves, that is wrong."

Neha did her best to piece this together. "You think your son is converting to the DHA?"

"Not a choice. They--smear him, taking what should be clear stripes and smirching them gray. He is a kind child; he would not dare to make mock of humans just for being two-legs, nor to insult the angels if he thinks they may be listening. These humans, the DHA, they take advantage of him. Your government says they can do nothing, that if he chooses to believe it is his choice and not mine. But what they do is dangerous."

"So you want me to find him."

"And bring him home."

Neha nodded. Seven-Winds was right in that interspecies religious conversion was extremely rare, and a zebra--sentient or otherwise--would definitely stick out at a DHA gathering. How hard could it be?

(Waugh 50)

[Graintfjall]

RP cutoff

RP bonus info

Combining the grading of Græntfjall and Turori for MD1 (1st and 2nd games). All RPs by the same user in one cutoff window are combined for the purposes of grading.

• 75 RPs were graded for MD1.
• The mean RP bonus was ~62% of the max available.
• The median RP bonus was ~62% of the max available.
• The STDEV of the RP bonuses was ~20%.
• 9 RPs received at least 90% of the max bonus available.

Roster bonus info

Rosters were graded by Græntfjall and Farfadillis.

• The mean roster bonus was ~75% of the max available.
• The median roster bonus was ~70% of the max available.
• The STDEV of the roster bonuses was ~16.5%.
• 38 rosters received at least 90% of the max bonus available.

Style modifier info

While not relevant to the RP bonus info, just out of interest:

• The mean style mod is ~ +1.6.
• The median style mod is +2.
• The modal style mod is +2.

As I don't anticipate a significant number of further rosters being submitted, roster data won't be included next time on.

News from the White Winter Queendom to read while you twiddle your thumbs as I swear at my keyboard for messing up the BBcode

• The Overseas Development Assistance Office of the Græntfjaller Foreign Ministry has extended an overture to Cardenao for a mission to assess possible opportunities.
• Islamist fundamentalists have claimed the shootdown of the medical supply plane Grákondor with the loss of 8 lives, in reaction to “egregious provocations” of the Græntfjaller government.
• Háttmark’s bond rating has been raised to AA+.
• Prime Minister Kaija Michaelsdóttir signs stimulus package in response to falling króna.
• Crown Princess Kassandra visits Mont Vert, somehow.

Results

[Oberour Ar Moro]

"So the pictures and the preview were ready months ago." Lorete had to speak up to be heard over the house music being played a touch too loudly on the speakers. He was regaling a collection of his Mercury Sports coworkers on his workplace troubles. "Everything is written up," Lorete continued, "we're about to publish, I'm actually about to click the button when I get a message to stop."

"My boss, she said 'they," Lorete made an air quote with his left hand while he still held a half-full glass in his right, "had said they needed to look it over and make changes or something. But last week when we get it sent back it's the exact same thing! No changes at all."

The people he was regaling with this story around the kitchen island were not horribly impressed. "Maybe they were disappointed in Dalleux's drawings," offered Gennevote, who worked in marketing.

Gennevote's friend Anne, a procurement analyst, agreed. "They do look like something he farted out over an afternoon."

Erwan, who works with Lorete directly in the press shop, was similarly unimpressed. "I figured it was because the Oberour player in the drawing was so short."

"It is pretty insulting to Pius Petitmesnil," agreed Pêr from marketing. "Dalleux specifically drew a number 9 and made him look like a gnome."

"I don't know, it's pretty close. Petitmesnil's not that tall," Gennevote countered.

"He's not that short!" Pêr, the noted Cyrene Bay fan, protested. Gennevote, who knew Pêr could be worked up so easily, laughed.

And then Bénigne, who did something in information technology and had been lurking at the far end of the island, decided to pipe up. "You guys know the hold up was because of the Kamisato Ayaka Nation picture, right?"

"Ah, here we go." Erwan knew Bénigne well enough and could imagine where this conversation was going decided now was a good time to return to hosting. "Anyone want anything? Another drink?" As Erwan wandered away Bénigne eagerly took center stage.

"Have any of you seen Kamisato Ayaka Nation?" Bénigne asked, turning his head to look at everyone in turn. "Like, seen them play?"

Pêr and Anne shook their heads.

"There are some websites where you can watch foreign football. I saw some of their matches." Bénigne said as some kind of explanation.

"Are you bragging about pirating football broadcasts?" Anne ribbed him. Bénigne ignored her and carried on.

"It was super weird to watch. A team of eleven young women that are all named Kamisato Ayaka and all look the same. No substitutes, if they get injured they just sit on the sideline before coming back. I'm pretty sure I saw an injured Ayaka eating an apple with silverware on a plate!" Bénigne boggled, in a way that made it sound like it was the eating apples with a fork was the weirdest part.

Lorete pulled up the Mercury website on his phone to look at the Kamisato Ayaka Nation picture. Unlike the, let's say, stylized pictures of football players in what vaguely resembled football kits, there was a woman with long lilac hair in some sort of dress with a printed skirt and a ribbon around her waist. Is that what Kamisato Ayaka Nation wore to play football?

"I've seen this term by foreign people online," Bénigne had carried on. "A 'Cognito Hazard'. A Cognito Hazard is an idea or a concept or information that is dangerous to you to learn. The idea itself is dangerous."

Lorete sat his drink down on the counter. "So you think this Ayaka Nation is a cognito hazard?"

"What I think," Bénigne responded while pointing, "is Oberour Ar Moro thinks it could have been a cognito hazard. Like, you turn on the television and there from the Parade Grounds in high-definition 4K is eleven clones or whatever? Forty-nine thousand people in person and a couple million at home in the dominion suddenly have to deal with whatever they are."

"But the whole Dalleux collab was released." Erwan noted, looking at his phone. He then lifted his head and held out his phone to Bénigne, showing him a television schedule. "And in a couple months the Kamisato Ayaka Nation team will be in Regium for a football match you can watch on television."

Bénigne sidestepped the arrow aimed directly at his argument and responded confidently and unfazed. "Clearly the regime decided they didn't have a choice."

Gennevote shook her head after another wacky rant from Bénigne. "This conspiracy stuff is going to get you in trouble someday."

[Wreckeria]

From: “The Tales of a Dead Country – The Story of Wreckeria’s World Cup 91 Campaign” by Gord Radcliff

3: The start of something… special?

“WE’RE LEADING! WE’RE LEADING!”

The Wreckerian locker room in Metherwoll, if you could call it that, was absolutely electric with delight as the team returned after defeating the home team 3-0 in the first match of their World Cup 91 qualifying campaign. But yet, strangely, I felt somewhat cheated. After all, weren’t matches like this supposed to be played in huge stadiums? Wreckeria had that new Unification Stadium that seated 66,000. Some players talked about some of the 90,000 seaters, 100,000 seaters, even one that seated somewhere around 200,000 people.

Instead, we were at someone’s backyard. Nice backyard, nonetheless, but it seemed strange. There were a few people around, and it gave the impression of some beer-league soccer game in the middle of Hapilopper City where a bunch of fat guys on their fifth beer of the day tried to run around and play a coherent game of soccer for a period of time before they decided as a whole that their sixth beer was a better idea than their first goal. So they’d go around the coolers, pick up their sixth beer and decided they were just fine.

Across the multiverse, there are dozens of these games happening at the same time. In Hapilopper, a fan could pay $44.95 to watch HTN’s “Super Qualifying” setup – where they could watch any World Cup 91 qualifying match live or in demand, and find Ziwana vs. Tikariot, Sannyamathland vs. South Newlandia, HUElavia vs. Chromatika, or Wreckeria vs. Metherwoll. For a sportswatcher, it produced an amazing day of television. Many of them played in huge stadiums, where thousands among thousands of fans would cheer on their home team, cheer against the visitors and hope their World Cup qualifying campaign would get off to a good start.

As I took my seat in the designated press area, my editor sent me a text, reminding me to discuss – in lurid detail – what was going on. Were the fans chanting anything vulgar? Any sort of bad vibes? Any possible problems that could impact Wreckeria’s chances?

“Maybe turn the match on TV, there’s no bad vibes about any of this,” I text him. “You should check this out.”

Fans watching across Hapilopper, including my editor, had to have been surprised when they saw what they saw. So too did the Wreckerians. They took one look at the lawn and realized this might have been the best way to start the campaign. Rather than have thousands of people yelling in their ear at every move, they would get to enjoy a calm, relaxed start to the season. And maybe that helped get them into the right frame of mind.

But what a strange feeling this had to be. This felt, on the surface, like the furthest thing removed from what I had covered in the past. I went from reporting on stock car racing and causing major controversies in the sport with my words. Now I was writing about a World Cup qualifying match in someone’s backyard, a match with my subject, a national team without a nation, a collection of Independent Wreckerian Athletes. But as I thought about it, it felt poetic – no, dare I say it, it felt right.

The result was what it was – Wreckeria got the win, got three points, and at the end of the day, when all the matches were played, Wreckeria also got the lead in their group. A group featuring some real dangerous sides like Turori, Starblaydia, Savojarna, Juvencus and Flavovespia, and it was being led by the Wreckerians. It was a fact not lost on anyone – especially not Marvin Byrnes, Biscuit Gilbert and Gordon Sheppard.

That night after the Metherwoll match, I am sleeping in my hotel room, hoping to get some rest before I got on the plane to go back to Halsted. It’s there that I am rudely awoken by an excited 3 a.m. phone call from Biscuit, who just can’t help himself, the big lug, even though he could probably use some sleep.

“WE’RE LEADING THE GROUP! WE’RE LEADING THE GROUP!” Biscuit happily yells into the phone. I can’t get mad at him, he’s excited that he and his teammates were leading Group 14 of qualifying for the 91st World Cup. Turns out, he called everyone with that same excited vigor. The next morning, I ask Biscuit what some of the players thought – specifically Dean Norman, who I had recalled was not the happiest person in the world, and Gordon Sheppard, who had gotten prank called by Biscuit not long ago and probably still wasn’t happy about it.

“Nah, they was cool about it,” Biscuit tells me. “You’d be surprised. I mean, Dean told me to go to hell but Gordie was like ‘yeah, we’ve done did good.’”

‘All Business’

I figured I didn’t know Gordon Sheppard like I probably should. For all I knew, he was probably misunderstood. Not many people spoke about him socially – but at least they didn’t speak negatively of him like Dean Norman. With Wreckeria on a bye week coming up, I figured I’d try to get to know him, figure out what made him tick. Not many people did. The story I heard about him was that he didn’t drink, didn’t smoke, didn’t chase women, didn’t do anything interesting. So I figured he had to do something else interesting.

So as we got on the plane to head back to Wreckeria, I asked Gordon what he was doing for lunch when he got back home.

“Gardening,” Gordon said sharply. “Why?”

“Well, I was wondering if you wanted to get some lunch,” I replied. “I’m buying.”

“Not really, but actually, you know what? Yeah, let’s do,” Gordon said. “I got some things to tell you. Meet me at my place.”

When I stopped by the address Gordon gave me, I figured I had to have been at the wrong place. The lawn was perfectly manicured – complete with those kind of stripes you see on the top international football fields. The flowers near the house were among the most beautiful I had ever seen. Everything looked, dare I say, perfect.

Too perfect for a footballer, I thought.

So as I pulled into the driveway, I perfectly expected some middle-aged woman to come out and tell me that she wasn’t interested, she wasn’t buying what I was selling, whatever. But no – it was Gordon Sheppard, and for the first time since I had seen him, he had a smile on his face. As I got out, he was more than happy to greet me – which seemed like a shock because he seemed so short with me and so short with everyone else. I figured he lived in some bachelor’s pad in Halsted or Hapilopper City – but no, he lived in a beautiful two-storied house in suburban Halsted, in what seemed like one of the only places that hadn’t been touched by the Wreckerian Civil War.

And to my surprise, I found a beautiful family. His wife, Cindy, was all too happy to greet me, as was their young children, Leonard and William. The Sheppards – Gordon, especially, seemed warm and welcoming, to my absolute surprise. So, what gives?

“I don’t really like being in the spotlight,” Gordon tells me. “It makes me really uncomfortable being out there in public. I do this because it’s one of the few things I’m good at, and they pay me well to keep a roof over my head and over my family’s head, and to keep food in our stomachs.”

“But the thing people say about you – you’re antisocial,” I say. “What is it?”

“Heh, that’s a myth that the media puts out because they keep asking stupid questions, so I don’t really give a lot of answers back,” Gordon says with a chuckle. “I have a very low tolerance for bullshit. I have a very low tolerance for people with no substance. I enjoy talking with people that have a substance to them. If someone gives me an intelligent question, I’ll give them an intelligent answer, and it seems like certain football media types don’t have that capability.”

I realized quickly that Gordon wasn’t the kind of person that the media had portrayed. He provided some deep thoughts on his team, his teammates and about the game as a whole.

“This is a good football team,” Gordon said. “A good team. Are we on the level of Starblaydia? Probably not, but they’re one of the best teams in the multiverse. It was an absolute fluke that they didn’t make the World Cup last year. Are we on the level of Turori? Probably not, they’re another dangerous team that scares me. But we’re a good team. We’re a team that’s developed ourselves into something that could surprise us. All of us.”

“What about the prank calls? You were less than thrilled about that,” I say.

Gordon chuckles, looks out in space and thinks about his answer. For a second I wasn’t sure if he was going to shut down on me or not.

“You were there?” Gordon asked. “Biscuit is a character. Hell of a character, but a little bit of him goes a long way. I didn’t mind the call late at night after we won in Metherwoll – we were leading the group and I think a little levity was warranted. But before the matches, the night before a training session, that’s where I’m not cool with it. At a time like that, I’m all business and I’d like to think my teammates are the same way. The night before a training session, I’m all business. The night before a match, I’m all business. I’m not out at the bar getting drunk. We’re out on a business trip, and we’re here to do business.”

I sense a confidence in Gordon’s face. He marches to the beat of a different drum. He has his time for fun, and he has his time for business.

“You see this?” Gordon said, pointing out to his backyard. “This is my fun. This is my stress reliever. I love coming out here and cultivating this garden. I don’t really going out to drink – I’ll have a drink from time to time but not like Biscuit. I’m a part of the PTA at my kids’ school, and I like volunteering there. But I’m not like the typical party animal that the Wreckerian and Hapiloppian media like to portray our sports stars. I’d rather be with my family, I’d rather be out here in my back yard working on my flowers or on my lawnmower, and I think that bores the media.”

As for his aspirations for World Cup 91, Gordon thought about it for a bit. It was clear his guard was down, and it was clear he was actually kind of comfortable with me.

“Get ourselves a good footing in case we get invited to the Cup of Harmony,” Gordon said. “I don’t see us making the World Cup proper when Starblaydia, Turori, Juvencus, Flavovespia and Savojarna are there. I mean, this is a tough group we’re in. But we’ve got to make the most of it. We can do it. I know we can.”

Gordon smiles at me as he finishes his thought. He means every word when he says it. I realize it – he’s not a bullshitter. He has no tolerance for it.

By the time we finish our conversation, I’m pleased with what’s gone on. So is Gordon. Here, he’s not the quiet type with no patience for anyone. He’s pleased as punch to talk about life, about football and about gardening, when the time is right.

Gordon Sheppard quickly became one of my favorite footballers that day. A straight shooter if there ever was one.

[Eshialand]

Today's Dreams, Tomorrow's Memories
Part VI: Tomorrow Cannot be the End
Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V
Montesina 1-1 Eshialand
Eshialand 5-2 Legalese

"Agh, Wilbur, you old coot, how'd you get out of the nuthouse?" Lucy, the owner of the diner, told the man who had just barged in.

"You know this man?" Bianca asked Lucy, clearly still panicked by the news he was spreading.

"Of course I know him, he used to visit this place for years, spinning his delusional yarns each and every day. No matter what, he would always find some sort of insane conspiracy theory, celebrity gossip, or weird ramblings to weird people out here... I thought he was safe in the institution though!"

"Look, I'm telling you..." Wilbur told Lucy, "we're going to war, it's happening, I swear!!"
"Who told you this?"
"Uh.."
"Yeah, that's what I thought. Go back where you came from, Wilbur!"

"See Lucas..." Bianca told him, "you never know what's gonna come next in the multiverse. It's a wild place, full of wild people..."

"So why come here?" he asked. "Why come to Toro-- Eshialand City? Why not just stay in Vaynorth, where everything makes sense?"

"Well, for one, this is where the job I wanted was... I'm sure that's why you came here too, after all... but the multiverse was gonna make its impact anyway. The world has found Eshialand, and it's gonna make its mark. Heck, it already has made its mark. Vaynorth, Eshialand City... it's all changing, no matter where you go..."

Lucas checks his watch and realizes how long it's been. "Shoot, I really need to get going..." he tells her, before laying a $20 bill on the table.

"Don't worry, I'll get the bill..." she tells him, handing back the bill. "You just worry about getting back to work before your new boss really gets pissed."

"Heh heh, thanks... I'll see ya around sometime, hopefully it won't be another 7 years..."

"It better not be, or we'll have some problems!" she jokingly replied.

As Lucas left the diner, he looked back one last time to reflect on the day he'd had so far, and on the sheer coincidence that was finally seeing Bianca again. Maybe coming to Eshialand wouldn't be so bad after all...

[Vdara]

beans

[Huayramarca]

OOC: For reference's sake, this RP series will be based from this series.

Public Servant

Part I - Unexpected Fame.

Currently, Huayramarca sits in the IC year 1,986. For the sake of the story, we will move back to 1,979.

The first rays of the sun appear from behind the impressive Eastern Face of Mount Illimani, a sacred place for Huayramarcan indigenous peoples and the most visible landmark of the Huayramarcan Metropolitan District. Several roosters crowed in sequence, that marked the beginning of the day for Martha Mamani, a restaurant janitor who often tends to take part in political activities, clearly opposing to the mediocre Hugo Mina’s iron-fist dictatorship over Huayramarca, one who tended to crack down heavily on dissenters but, somehow, Martha managed to avoid nicely.

She had to rush a bit as the clock was marking 7:55 a.m. The restaurant opened at 8:00 a.m. Fortunately, she was only a couple of steps away from it, as her apartment block was a mere five buildings away from it. She rushed downstairs, found her mom and saluted her wile sprinting in the street, then she reached the restaurant in time to prepare food for the people who had, already, formed a big queue.

“We don’t have the entire day to feed this people!” Said Fernando, the owner of the restaurant, “Move!” he said as Martha and more people prepared various dishes to the people. After a couple of minutes, Marta managed to spot two of the most important spokespersons to the government of Hugo Mina, she ignored them as there were more people in the queue. Her indifference didn’t last a lot, as they had to be attended by her “Give me beans, eggs and plantains” said one of the spokespersons “Good morning!” said Martha, sarcastically after they ordered without greeting, something that it’s customary in Huayramarca and always expected.

“People in Sopocachi tend to be weird, eh?” said one of them, the other one replied “Poor people tend to be badly educated, but they always appreciate you if you give them few things” This in reference on how Sopocachi had been, traditionally, a poor zone of the Huayramarcan Metropolitan District and one of the places where the government tend to gift items before elections in order to ensure a positive outcome for the process. Martha was irking from inside; she was now red-faced like a tomato “Are you OK?” said a spokesperson, “Yeah, I’m fine… After all, I’m a poorly-educated and weird Sopocachi denizen” while slamming things in the kitchen. “Calm down, you know how they are!” said Francisco, the chef of the restaurant “Keep yourself level-headed” Martha didn’t manage to do so, annoyance was notorious on her face, but she continued to deliver food to the spokespersons, but not without being sarcastic sometimes. “Sopocachi is a great place, though, they come here to eat as they aren’t capable to find decent food in their bubbles!” Then she said “Take your food, it’s I$5.50…” they paid and she said “Now, sod off.”

Fernando continued to observe the scene, although, he didn’t notice anything weird or some bad-tempered moods in the restaurant (for the relief of Martha). The spokespersons ate and left, meanwhile Martha was now thinking on her next step… She also owns a cyber coffee that operates after 2:00 p.m. each day, that’s when she finishes working in the restaurant and it’s part of her plan to create an extra source of income for her family. “I’ll perhaps video myself with something, or perhaps comment it through media or a quipu¹, people will trust me and that’s for sure, nothing to worry about!”

The plan seemed to be good, but it has a couple of inherent risks depending on which source she would decide to divulge her message… If done by a quipu, somebody could detect where the vibration waves are coming, decipher the message and report it to the police; another way was that she could be geolocated if she decided to film herself. In a time of dictatorship, any kind of dissent could carry some police officers knocking out the door of the home, apartment, whatever one may live in, and then interrogation or torture could be the next logical steps from the officers. Martha took some time thinking about the potential benefit or risk she would have to face, then slowly muttered to herself “You know what? I don’t care, I’ll do both things and cause a headache to them.

Work had to be done, it was only 12:30 p.m. and there was still a bit large queue of people awaiting to be served with their lunch. Martha was thinking about what to say “Hmm… Perhaps stating the stance, they hold against Sopocachi and their inhabitants? Exposing small-scaled corruption issues for future judiciary probes? There were quite a lot of alternatives for her on how to expose the corrupt officials that had been sucking the blood of Huayramarca for a couple of years. “Would you vote for someone who has that stance against us, a hardworking suburb of the Metropolitan District?” That would be her first slogan…

Fernando left some minutes in order to ask some clients about their experience in the restaurant, that as a way to gather cheap feedback from clients or connoisseurs that might love to try Huayramarcan food. In that moment, Charles, a cooker said “I know it’s quite of disgusting to resist the toxic attitudes of that couple of guys and I guess what you also have to say” Martha nodded and said “That kind of people deserves a one-way ticket straight to hell!” Charles nodded in agreement with Martha and said “Of course. Although, you should consider that we need to press the hell out of them publicly, put them on shame so their minds can retort them on how bad they have been acting against us, the ones who elected them in charge, the victims from whom they abused their confidence and trust.” Martha said “I’ve been planning to make a video regarding that kind of comments. Do you think it’s right for me to do it?” Charles said “Someone has to make the dirty job, you’re quite capable as you’re sincere in that kind of situations… Go forward!”

Martha was feeling some impulse to do so, as there was at least a single supporter that might help her to promote the message through people in Sopocachi and Huayramarca and raise awareness on how Mina and its people doesn’t hold the minimum respect to the ones who elected them to be on those positions in the government. Martha watched the clock moving, slowly but constantly while it reached the 2:00 p.m. mark… She spotted it for a last time, it was 1:55 p.m. and it was time to wash her hands, set everything ready for tomorrow and leave when the clock marked 2:00 p.m. Time came and the noisy bells of the Main Cathedral of Our Lady of Sopocachi ringed twice, announcing the time, she bid a farewell and left immediately to her apartment block.

She reached the flat, took her slippers and started to meditate on what to say, as she needed to tone down a bit of her original plans as it was too inflammatory. She took a paper sheet, a pen and wrote on it...

A Concerned Citizen Fed-Up of the Constant Abuses from the Oligarchy and Noveau Riches against the Proletariat

My name is Martha Mamani, 42 years old neighbour of Sopocachi, cooking worker by profession. I always hesitate about making this kind of things go public but, today, the straw broke the camel. I’m always the kind of person who has a decent work ethic, I try to be calm with people why offering them food services, no matter if they are happy, annoyed or being abusive against me or my colleagues, I have limits and that one was overwhelmed by the attitude of some high-level spokespersons of the current government led by Hugo Mina.

As a Sopocachi native, I’ve listened several times slurs against the residents of our city, one that’s not perfect nor the hellhole that some people, in an active fashion, try to sell to media and people as a narrative; this time, the spokespersons said that we are “poor, uneducated, weird and useful idiots” Why on Earth another fellow Huayramarcan discriminate another for the sake of living, or being born, in a certain place of the nation? Or are they recognising, implicitly, that their policies and plans are failing to provide equality and opportunities for all Huayramarcans, no matter their ethnic background or place of residence?

For several years during the Mina government, the division among Serranos, Costeños, Isleños and Selváticos² have been segregated and treated in different ways, turning Huayramarca into a nation with four different classes of citizens, some being “worthy” more and others less. Serranos, Selváticos and Isleños have been degraded through time as the dictatorship diverts founds to the sole benefit of the Coast and its inhabitants; it’s enough of that kind of injustices towards us! It’s time to react and made them respect us, as we deserve equal treatment, respect and fair opportunities for everybody living under the glorious Huayramarcan flag!

Let’s meet in the Central Plaza of Sopocachi on Saturday, spread the voice and rage quit the injustices that you’re suffering, your family and friends… ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

The paper was now written, it was matter to paste it on a wall, put the camera near it and rehearse prior filming herself with a camera and a tripod, then it will be matter of post it on social media and spread it as fast as gunpowder. She did it and then uploaded it to twii.tur as a three minutes long video where she exposed, with precise details, what she suffered and some examples of prolonged, chronic abuses that Huayramarca was suffering from the Mina’s rule.

She closed the laptop and decided to transmit the messages via quipu, strong vibrations through the multi-coloured laces running from one building to other, she didn’t expected responses but she did receive ones quite fast, some like “Calm down” or even “Sod off” to some inspiring ones “We will stand and fight for what belong to us.” Then, she returned to her flat and decided to sleep a bit more, it was 5:00 p.m. and Martha usually skips dinners for dietary reasons, hence she took a nap until around 7:00 p.m. She woke up and saw multiple messages on her twii.tur account, mostly from people that shared similar stories and some that promised to join to the demonstration, but there was a particular message that surprised her…

Augusto Buendía, major of the northeastern city of Tulcán, known for being one of the noisiest opponents of Hugo Mina contacted her “Hey, Martha! I’m glad that you stood against the injustice and took a brave, valiant, step of denouncing it publicly! Should we meet tomorrow at noon?” Martha recognised Buendía and she didn’t hesitate, she accepted the meeting in her workplace “Let’s meet on the restaurant that’s close to the Cathedral of Sopocachi, noon!” Buendía answered quickly “Understood, see you tomorrow!”.

Martha managed to spread her message in a strong way, it went viral and already sent her to the public spotlight of Huayramarca, one where the Government lacks of enough courage to attack dissenters as it would harm their local and international image as a “fair and respectable government”. What was going to happen, Martha didn’t know, but the risk was worthy to be taken for the sake of Huayramarca, her child, friends and more family. For a brighter future!

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1. A series of strings that are connected from one building to other, it's a communication means that transmits messages through a series of vibration patterns that are well-known and decipherable by people.


2. Highlands, Coast, Isles and Jungle inhabitants. This division arises due to the vastness of the Huayramarcan territory, which is comprised of four (4) different, completely distinguishable biomes.

[Independent Athletes from Quebec]

Avalon

PART 2 - Atlas (2)

Neither dead nor living. The Writer felt those words ring into his head, as he slowly emerged from the living room sofa of his bedroom. Did he expect any differently of his recent state, feeling half dead, half living, half the time in hospital and other half a deserted home? He wasn't sure, but the Writer knew that he saw as little need to see the light as possible.

Night, Night, thought the Writer, as he stood and slowly walked in circles of the living room. Most of her life, The Writer had brought life into the words he said like the threads of fate. When he had first met The Musician as a sixteen year old lad, the first threads were connected from Jellyfish-like stings to actual bundles of the time, the space and the feelings. Then seventeen, Eileen de Ramaut kept herself quiet in the family estate, and it was in those woods of the Coxwell Park, the Old Forest and the islands bordering Semarland that the Writer felt closer than close. The feelings of that week he first came to see her on the warming weeks of March still existed on paper seventeen years after the fateful, rainy afternoon in middle of Joongyeong, but the Writer knew they were of no value and that they only constitute as exercise.

Brr, Brr.

The Writer jumped a millimetre, got back and walked to the door of his room, immediately feeling as if this ring came from her daughter Claire. One of the worst-known open secret in the Songako-Montrealais musical circles, the one that's not discussed openly in public, however, was the comatose state of The Musician. Considering the Writer's seclusion, combined with a de facto control on press, it was already enough to imagine the pain that stood underneath the veil of silence, but nobody, who had the misfortune of opening this dying house, could prepare for the dying roots and the dark, crispy branches of the flat.

'Claire, where have you beeen-' The Writer froze and shouted as he saw the woman, just an acorn short of him, stood behind his daughter. 'Oh, you,' said he.

It was the person he had not expected to see. Standing behind his daughter, dressed in a summer coat, a mask, and a grey beret, was The Queen, his longtime friend from their St. Croix days. Her face, so calm on the surface and yet containing a fire that's mixed of both fear and disappointment, and the messy mix of the blonde hair, was more than enough to suggest him that. They, who first met as Prof. Heo's introductory module students, had been roommates for last two years of college. He's seen her silently question every step of the way in the last months of Jacques IX's life, she's seen him confessing that he had once loved a woman, but left her to protect her from a mortal secret about his health. But even then, the sheer sight of a dark, dying main floor of the flat was more than enough to infuriate the Queen.

'Okay...why are you here?' breathed the Writer, and it was obvious from his voice, as he asked Claire, that he did not expect the Queen to meet his daughter that way. 'Umm, Claire, can papa have a moment with your friend, auntie Kristina? Maybe stay in your room for few minutes and we can go outside to say hi to mama after that.'

'Yes, papa.' Claire nodded slowly, her head moving down. Feeling sad and subdued, she walked upstairs, while the Queen and the Writer started walking to the living room, before sitting on the opposite side of a large tea table. Aided by a swish or two, the room's unruly piles were at least moved to one side, while the antiques, feeling a couple of wind brushes, sat.

'Well, I'll keep a single light on, but make yourself comfortable.' said he, snapping a finger as the chandeliers turned on, before they sat on the table. Then they said nothing for about ten minutes. The writer, whose mental and physical condition had long deteriorated over last decade, held his guard low, and the Queen, with her opal eyes looking back at him in the solitude-filled gaze. The atmosphere was buzzing with unspoken tension across the room.

'How did you not tell me about this pitiful state you are in, Asher,' Christine lifted her right arm, slapping her friend with a full swing of her hand. The sound of the slap, shearing through the air, rang across the room and into rest of the apartment. Asher, feeling the slap, was drawn back for a second, but gathered strength to hear once more from the Queen. 'Why didn't you tell me that your wife's dying in that cold, cold hospital ward, and that I have not been notified of all this, even as you wrote me of your progresses?'

Lord,. Asher felt a slow time-buffer, as he felt his heart, feeling as heavy as a boulder, sink into the bottom of the ocean, while Christine looked back at him. The idea of an unexpected visit by the monarch over a personal matter, even when they were close friends, was not something that had ever been on an agenda. But then, he did not expect her, whose life, in his opinions, often involved a life busier than enquiring about the childbirth of a woman she disliked so much, to know without a word. 'My suffering is better kept as an individual suffering, and I felt it best not to write you about it all,' Asher said, looking right to see a massive portrait of him, his wife Eileen, and the families lined up for their wedding photo. 'They, her family, have right to know for it involves the holy matrimony and me not seeing mine so much nowadays, but my duty to you, the Crown, remains no more nor less than to provide what her majesty find interesting about mes livres.’

‘No, but your daughter certainly knew who I was, through the veil,’ said Christine, remembering the earlier sight where Claire, while trying to retrieve her ball, happened to see a semi-transparent Christine. 'Is she..who I think she is? And she is possessed too?'

Asher took a breath, having a hard time phrasing the words together. 'Yes, the woman who you had wished to give the world's blessings even when she was yet to be born.' said he, 'Not intentionally, as I had not intentioned myself to accidentally notice you in magical apparition when I had to ask you about house dinner at The Acadianan Cafe when we were nineteen.' he then coughed twice, thinking about the time when Asher accidentally stumbled to Christine, ever calm and controlled, possessed. 'Anyways she's heading back tomorrow, and I have to say goodbye to her and Henry, who's with the Bathurst's and Annandale's, this evening.'

'The girl of the prophecy.' Christine was shaking, as she felt a half-dozen puzzles pieced together. She turned to look at another picture on the wall, this time of the two children. 'Good lord that Claire at least bears semblance of the mother…but heading back? To Coxwell where you two had finally escaped for once?' Christine lifted the tone, intensity matching the nerves. 'And what is the father going to do? Is he just going to lie around the first floor, forever absent from his bedchambers, and do nothing but to pray to the gods who will not listen to you?'

'Praying, and writing as a mode of atonement is all that I could do to keep this world, and that of hers alive,' answered Asher, coughing twice as he struggled to pace himself, staring to cry. 'Please don't do this to me tonight, my kids need me and I am sending them back home to protect from what had happened to this place without her.' While the Writer wasn't sure whether his daughter, who was most likely upstairs in the room she's been sharing with her brother, was hearing this, it was clear from the sounds of it that their visit was going to be a short one. 'Tonight they will have to go back to their grandparents, and come back later to see their mother.'

'I know what it means to lose a soul, and also to pass off a mere statistic as nothing,' said she. 'You are here with your daughter, the one who is going to be the Queen of this country one day, and yet you have lost the grip of hope and reality!' Asher's pleas for his friend to calm down was ignored, as her eyes changed colour from opal to red. 'Do you know what is like to lose a loved one, and what it feels like to not being able to do anything? And well, that woman?'

'No, but to not being able to do much, while she lies dying and my daughter Sophie, who came out miraculously alive, being separated from her mother, is enough to tell you what had happened here, and all that I feel like about this vain life.' Asher answered, his glare sharpened. 'Nobody knows what it is. But whatever the illness that she had gotten after the childbirth is enough has not subsided. It will eventually kill her.'

'Do not think that way. You must remember to carry on with your own life before assuming the worst, Valletta,' Christine said, directly using the baron title that was of his mother, the Baroness who was once the princess of the Vdaran ex-royal family, to suggest a degree of command. 'You cannot pretend that no secret can last forever in this country where I sit in a throne of bones.'

'Especially not in this day and age where worst qualifying campaign in fifty years cause mass suicides on the Reneegrad,' Asher felt the bitter taste of the cigarettes in his mouth, as he looked at the Queen once more. 'So I pay the price for hurting her the day I had met her, but the children will be safe from that. They will visit her often and pray too, but it is a sight I cannot bear myself.' He pinched his eyes twice, before looking. 'I expect to finish writing the chapter of 6th of 13th month, 1989 in a week, and after visiting Eileen at the hospital that morning, I will see you as scheduled at the Palace.'

Christine had none of it. Erupting over his friend's behaviour, she punched the table. 'ENOUGH!' she shouted.

Then the ceiling cracked, with the chandeliers breaking into dozens of pieces. They, colliding into each other like the regent's fists, were deflected and hit the wall like a million darts released upon activation of a booby trap.