CAFA Cup VI: Get CAFA'd - Everything Thread

by **Huayramarca** » Fri Apr 21, 2023 11:00 pm

Cardenao and Huayramarcan Invites you to Get CAFA'd (6)

It's that part of the cycle again! Anaians are itching to win the ultimate honor within our region It is the time for the CAFA Cup! Featuring a fun format with different scenarios that are hard to find during WCC-sanctioned competitions, and with some sentient squirrels, it's TIME to field the best of the best and the stars of tomorrow in Anaia.

Cardenao and Huayramarca, two nations with a shared background of building themselves up from poverty have embraced their similarities to provide the nations of Anaia with a field of honor to showcase their talents on the football pitch. From islands to snow-capped peaks, passing through sun-drenched beaches, hills and jungle. Come, and join us for the biggest football stage of Anaia; get CAFA’d!

Who will be able to take the trophy home? Will the domination of Flavovespia come to an end, will the Flavovespians consolidate themselves as the major power of Anaian regional football? You'll see this in Cardenao and Huayramarca, through several exciting matches that will showcase the best among the best in the region.

Important Links:
Sign-up thread | Bid |CAFA Rankings

Groups

Note: Groups 1-4 to be hosted ICly by Huayramarca, 5-7 by Cardenao. Scorination of groups 1-4 to be done by Cardenao, Huayramarca will score 5-7.

Group 1 (One)
Huayramarca
Pyazhnaya
Bostopia
Parumaquae

Group 2 (Two)

Chromatika
Audioslavia
Starblaydia
Vdara

Group 3 (Three)

Flavovespia
Estorvipa and Estorpiva
Cocoabo Forest
Notricia

Group 4 (Four)
Ko-oren
Yesopalitha
Koronavia
United Hawkland

Group 5 (Five)
Ochre Islands
Krytenia
Legalese
Wokeanaia

Group 6 (Six)
Cardenao
Aleirave
Evermark
Kharakia

Group 7 (Seven)
Lexandrija
Mertagne
Atheara
The Karodin Tetrarchy

Schedule

Wednesday, April 26th: Group Stage MD1 (1v4, 2v3)
Friday, April 28th: Group Stage MD2 (4v3, 1v2)
Monday, May 1st: Group Stage MD3 (2v4, 3v1)
Wednesday, May 3nd: Round of 16
Friday, May 5rd: Quarter-finals
Monday, May 8th: Semi-finals
Tuesday, 9th: Third Place Playoff
Wednesday, May 10th: Final

Cutoff will be in a time window from 3:00 to 4:00 a.m. UTC on each of these dates.

Role Playing Information

Every matchday, we will provide an overall prompt for nations emphasising on regional interactions, in order to strengthen bonds among nations - This prompts will be subjected to RP bonus; aside, for nations allowing godmode other events, aditional plots will be provided without a bonus for taking part on it. No brevity bonus will be applied in this tournament.

by **Huayramarca** » Fri Apr 21, 2023 11:01 pm

About Huayramarca: The Plurinational State of Huayramarca, also known as ”Huayramarca Mamallaqta” in Quechua and ”Huayramarca Suyu” in Aymara (literally: Windy Country), is an extraordinarily diverse nation in terms of geography that’s located in Anaia. Crossing three time zones, from the islands, reaching the coast, hiking the mountains, and then sliding into the jungle, passing massive cordilleras, a nation with 36 million inhabitants that is composed by 9 ethnical groups.

Huayramarca as is a relatively new nation for the traditional standards of it, it was constituted on 1822 (currently, we sit on 1984 according to the Inca Calendar), the main focus of building this nation was to help different ethnic groups to gather force into the region, in order to be recognized multiversally as a nation, hence, may gather some international protection in case their rights would be abused suddenly by an external force.

Being completely ignorant on what was happening on the neighbourhood, the Aymara, Quechua, Shuar, Guarani, Montubio, Tsáchila, Huaorani, Andoa and Candoshi ethnics decided to form the Republic with the support of neighbouring nations such as the Royal Kingdom of Québec.

Until the middle XX century, Huayramarca managed to survive economically from llama, alpaca and vicuña herding, since its skins are highly valuable in neighbouring Québec due to their strong winters; also, coffee production helped Huayramarca to build some solid institutions that promoted national expansion near the neighbouring Cocoabo Forest, that place is “La Selva”, a lush but quite dangerous forest with hundreds of rivers that come from the Andes. After some years of exploration, the authorities met the first indigenous peoples of the zone, which were exploited in order to produce rubber for tires and some mysterious chickens that were produced to do even more mysterious sacrifices to a deity, which the local people and even the rest of Huayramarca wasn’t able to understand how she works, granted, it’s not even a part of the Incan Mythology which includes Inti(the Sun god) and others.

Said abuses committed against the jungle inhabitants caused a heavy political turmoil around 1950, which formed a divide in the nation that remains until today: Serranos (highlanders), Costeños (coastals) against selváticos (jungle inhabitants); Those divides weren’t noticeable in economic terms but politically, with constant attempts of coup d’état against the government.

Aymara and Quechua peoples took the power during the remaining part of the 50’s until 1969. On that period, Huayramarca suffered the effects of a severe number of “huaycos” (mudslides) caused by heavy rainstorms across the entire Huayramarcan Sierra, those events killed at least 300,000 people and urged for an attempt to reincorporate Huayramarca back into normality, but, how? The main bet of the government was to aim for the tourism industry, spamming the developed nations of Anaia in order to make some tourists visit sacred places such as Illimani (a mountain that’s devoted as god for the Aymara folk), Huayna Picchu (the royal Incan palace for Quechua) and the sun-drenched coast ranging from Guayaquil to Lima (specially Montañita, the best beach par excellence in northern Anaia).

The formula was working decently, since the economy was reporting high growth numbers, but seemed to cause some lack of satisfaction on certain zones of the country, especially on the Jungle. Their inhabitants decided to support the Costeño elite to beat the Serrano government. 1969 election would be marked for the Huayramarcan history by the magnitude of the sabotage made against the current government, to the point of bribery or killings for their supporters.

Currently, Huayramarca has a huge wealth gap between zones, the coast boasts the fact of being the economic engine of the nation even though the capital city is in the Sierra, while the Jungle is slowly developing with some cities such as Sechura, Florencia, Virú and several others boosted by oil findings and rubber production. Sierra may be in disadvantage, but recent developments in neighbouring nations may make them turn relevant once again in the nation, since lithium batteries demand is growing up and Huayramarca’s Sierra possesses one of the biggest reserves of said mineral of the entire multiverse.

Basically, Huayramarca is a nation of contrasts and never—ending conflicts that’s well into the deep borehole named “the natural resource course” a hard situation to overcome due to the lack of proper education, critical thinking, and result-focused mindset on the population, that constantly seeks for shelter in entertainment industries such as soap operas, music, and now football. From power struggles between Costeño elites and Serrano social movements such as Ñucanchi Ñan, who uprose against Hugo Mina, a Costeño president, to defend the Aymara holy land of Mount Illimani from mining exploitation to the current political order, where Ñucanchi Ñan rules comfortably.

The focus of the mainstream agenda is over sustainable economic growth, taking care of the environment and inclusion of minorities, something that is accepted by the people in the nation. This environment has led to an increase in nationalism, since the national unity is being fostered as a State Policy; sports, especially football is being the main vehicle to promote that sense. As for now, the Huayramarcan Football Federation budget has been increased twenty times to aim for success in short-term.

Useful Information and Stadia:

You might want to check some maps, as Huayramarca is quite a massive country in terms of surface and distances. Click here for a Biome Official Map and here for a Cities Official Map.

Before introducing the stadia, there’s some handy information for away fans who might visit Huayramarca. As said before, this nation has a quite complex geography and some long distances to travel for away fans, since there are four international airports: Huayramarca International Airport, located near Huayramarca Metropolitan District at the highlands; the Jorge Guerra International Airport in Lima, on the coast; the International Airport of the Archipelago on Puerto San Carlos (isles) and the Libertador Suárez International Airport of Sechura (jungle). Those airports might provide you with connections for other destinations such as Guayaquil, San Ignacio de la Frontera and Nauta if you want to travel safely. If you are a risk taker and lover of adventure, rent an AWD vehicle and go up mountains or driving through them which is a complete odyssey due to the risks caused by the Andean geography itself, or the safe-to drive-coasts or through the jungle, which can be desolated to drive in case of mechanic failure.

People in Huayramarca might be passional about football pretty much everywhere, but more hostile when you go down the mountains, driving to the coast. Down there, if people don’t attack you, weather might do due to the offensive humidity, mosquitoes and heat that may occur there. In Lima, despite being in the coast, the weather is mild and great to play football, but there might be some sandstorms due to the deserts located south of said city. Coastal teams usually play at afternoon, when humidity may suffocate those not used to deal with it.

Same happens at the jungle, but the mosquito issue multiplies thousand-fold, also as humidity caused by constant rains that pass there in their transit to the highlands. Water absorption made by trees cause severe issues with an extremely humid weather, hence jungle teams decide to play often at noon, to torture rival teams.

On the Sierra things get worse since the main problem up there is respiration. For a physical activity like football, people might need some weeks to acclimatize altitude and get an efficient breathing pattern that might supply their physical effort needs. Several cities are above the 2500 masl, even the capital city, which is located at 4000 masl, it doesn’t matter at which time they decide to play, if a team isn’t acclimatized, they will even faint during the game if they don’t have with them oxygen tanks to breathe before the game or if they don’t get some treatment into a hyperbaric chamber.

Stadia are distributed to have a distribution as equal as possible for regions, considering that there will be ten local games at Huayramarca, Sierra, Costa and Selva will receive three matches each one and one in the Isles. Each region will receive a high tier rival and then a randomized sort of two other teams in other matchdays. You might contact the Huayramarcan Football Federation (OOC: TG me or shout me at Discord!) in case of more information or solving some needs for your team and fans.

Sierra:

Estadio Nacional de Huayramarca - Capacity: 45,500 - Huayramarca Metropolitan District.

Tenants: Ministry of Culture and Sports of Huayramarca.
Built in: 1968.
Altitude: 4,012 meters above sea level.
Local teams: Illimani FC, Real Ebriedad, Huayramarcan National Team.
Data: Built in 1968, the Estadio Nacional is the jewel in the not so well-shaped crown of the Huayramarcan sport venues, an Olympic stadium that might be a nightmare for visiting teams due to the altitude and weather of the city, which tends to be somewhat hostile every day, even more if it's played at noon due to the sun's radiation at that altitude. Despite being an Olympic stadium, people tend to set significant pressure in it, especially from the neighbouring apartment blocks which tends to be crowded for the matches being held there (they might aim lasers from there, take care!).

Also, the walls near the dressing room have curious messages as such: "Welcome to Huayramarca D.M. At 4,000 meters above sea level "is one of the first things the visiting teams will read upon entering the dressing room, perhaps to make clear the conditions to which they will be subjected throughout the game. It is still intimidating the following warning that is issued when they leave the visiting dressing room "Caution, if you have the following symptoms: Headache, vertigo, fatigue, tachycardia, nausea or vomiting, wheezing, dyspnoea or inappetence, go to the medical staff, we are at your disposal."

Will host:

Estadio de la Revolución - Capacity: 40,000 - San Ignacio de la Frontera, Cajamarca.

Tenants: Ministry of Culture and Sports of Huayramarca.
Built in: 1985.
Altitude: 2,325 meters above sea level.
Local teams: Audax Cajamarca, Huayramarcan National Team.
Data: The Ministry of Culture and Sports has decided to revamp the sporting infrastructure across Huayramarca to promote football among young people and form, in a near future, a strong Huayramarcan National Team. To fulfil said promise stadia were built in significant places in Huayramarca, San Ignacio de la Frontera is one of those sometimes-forgotten outposts of the nation yet relevant for trading with its neighbouring Mertagne in the eastern side of the Highlands. Home of Audax Cajamarca, this stadium promises to offer one of the most interesting fan scenes in the nation, as people are more enthusiastic than other places in Huayramarca, considering the heavy influence that Mertagnian football has caused in this place.

Not as high as another venues in terms of altitude, the 2,325 meters above sea level isn't a cipher that should be underestimated, to the contrary, it's still a problematic altitude for teams that aren't used to it, especially on ball shooting and breathing conditions. This stadium is the only one in Huayramarca that uses turf as ground to play, something that could cause issues with visiting teams and Huayramarcans that might not be used to play here.

Will host:

Estadio de la Universidad Nacional del Altiplano - Capacity: 24,000 – El Alto.

Tenants: Universidad Nacional del Altiplano.
Built in: 1986.
Altitude: 4,525 meters above sea level.
Local teams: Club Universitario del Altiplano, Club Atlético Always Ready, Huayramarcan National Team.
Data: Behold to what is one of the highest (if not the highest) stadium in the Multiverse. Huayramarcans are known for their impressive resilience to high altitudes, and this is a significant example, El Alto is a satellite city of Huayramarca D.M. and home of half a million people that’s located at a highly elevated portion of the Altiplano (4500 m.a.s.l. average). A working-class city, characterised for being the entry point for people settling from the rural areas and the gateway for students into the metropolitan life, El Alto can also prove to be a hostile field as it’s hard to adapt and settle in such conditions.

Home of Club Universitario del Altiplano and Club Atlético Always Ready, this stadium has not been created for the sake of torturing rivals, instead, for the popularity of the sport among the inhabitants of El Alto. People are usually thirsty for sports after a tough day, as people usually work under extenuating labour conditions, hence this is an authentic kettle set to explode in support for the local team.

Will host:

Selva:

Estadio Olímpico del Oriente - Capacity: 26,000 - Sechura.

Tenants: MuniSechura.
Built in: 1945.
Altitude: 560 meters above sea level.
Local teams: Sociedad Petrolera, Huayramarcan National Team.
Data: One of the biggest stadia in Huayramarca, the main hub of sports in the Jungle region is located at Sechura, a city of about 300,000 inhabitants which serves as logistical hub for operations of rubber production and for explorations into the dense jungle nearby. Sociedad Petrolera is a modest Liga 1 side, but one that tends to attract ticket sell outs every game, since people in that region tends to be quite enthusiastic of football in order to forget they’re not so good daily life. At that city, one should take care of humidity, which tends to be quite strong at times, hence teams usually play there on afternoon or night, since heat might be something difficult to stand even for locals.

Will host:

Estadio Provincial de Nauta - Capacity: 16,000 - Nauta.

Tenants: Autoridad Deportiva de Nauta.
Built in: 1985.
Altitude: 1,725 meters above sea level.
Local teams: Sporting Nauta, Huayramarcan National Team.
Data: Located in the high-elevation jungle, a biome located between 1,500 and 2,000 meters above sea level, Nauta is considered by many as the gateway to the Huayramarcan jungle, as it is the most populated town (255,000) in a desolated strip of 1,200 km of road that connects to Sechura (the fourth largest city of Huayramarca). Anyways, part of a wave of stimuli from the Government towards Football, Nauta got awarded a new venue for their local second division team and, potentially, a home for future matches of The Condors, which will be a reality in this World Cup Qualifier. Inspired in shells found at the shores of the river Nanay (which divides the city in two), this stadium reflects the local identity of the Nautans, people dedicated mostly to fishing activities.

This might be the calmest venue of the seven that Huayramarca will provide for this World Cup Qualifier, but don’t take it for granted that will be easy; mosquitos and weather will also play its match in Huayramarca, and this is not an exception.

Will host:

Estadio Municipal de Pando - Capacity: 18,000 - Pando.

Tenants: Autoridad Deportiva de Pando.
Built in: 1986.
Altitude: 150 meters above sea level.
Local teams: Asociación Deportiva Vaca Díez, Club ABH, Huayramarcan National Team.
Data: Pando is located just in the outskirts of the burgeoning city of Brigadier Echeandía, part of the well-known “Cocoa Axis” serving as a gateway to some of the best plantations of cocoa in Anaia. As part of the massive development that the Huayramarcan Selva is having due to oil and cocoa, the Autoridad Deportiva de Pando decided to invest in building a significant stadium for two of the strongest and most popular clubs of the Department such as Vaca Díez and ABH, hence it was built with savings coming from taxation of those two lucrative activities.

The environment could be relaxed compared to other venues in Huayramarca, fans there tend to be supportive but more as a hobby rather than a passion… But there’s no certainty on how this could change with the Huayramarcan National Team visiting their lands.

Will host:

Costa:

Estadio Metropolitano del Guayas - Capacity: 62,000 - Guayaquil.

Tenants: Autoridad Guayaquileña de Deportes.
Built in: 1980.
Altitude: 15 meters above sea level.
Local teams: Guayaquil Wanderers, Barcelona Sporting Club, Huayramarcan National Team.
Data: A kettle pot, that's the definition for the biggest stadium in all of Huayramarca. "El Metropolitano" is the most recently built stadium in the nation and will make the debut for international football in Huayramarca. Hosts two teams and the fan atmosphere in Guayaquil is one of the most intimidatory ones in the multiverse, fans throwing you stones while receiving, throwing flares, extremely noisy people all around and the incredibly hot and humid weather that dominates the city may be lethal for some teams when trying to visit. Rescuing a tie from here may be considered something great, since you survived the "Guayaco" hell. Hence that, teams often love to play at the afternoon, specially at 3:00 P.M. to squeeze out the rivals in exhaust.

Will host:

Estadio Olímpico Universitario - Capacity: 55,000 Lima.

Tenants: Universidad Nacional Mayor de Santa Cecilia.
Built in: 1955.
Altitude: 430 meters above sea level.
Local teams: Club Universitario.
Data: Imagine a venue packed of people that has just finished their daily classes, people thirsty to watch football and leave aside, for a moment, their daily academic stress. That’s the most accurate depiction of the Estadio Olímpico Universitario, a 55,000-seater venue that will host, for the first time, the Huayramarcan National Team. This is the second largest stadium of Huayramarca, and it’s known for being built in a way that optimizes acoustics, so fans could be noisier than they really are during their fireworks receiving of the local team. To include more communities into the sport, the HFF has considered to include this venue (and the city of Lima) for this WCQ to see more local identity during the matches.

Will host:

Estadio Departamental de Tarapacá - Capacity: 16,000 Alto Hospicio.

Tenants: Municipalidad de Alto Hospicio.
Built in: 1974.
Altitude: 12 meters above sea level.
Local teams: Deportes Tarapacá.
Data: Located in the southern portion of the Huayramarcan coast, Alto Hospicio is one of the most significant ports of Huayramarca, also an important part in football culture for the local fans by being the cradle of the Copa Huayramarca, the most prestigious tournament of the country. Fans in the stadium tend to be noisy and rowdy, except hostility and even insulting chants from them, as “Hospiceños” tend to be known in Huayramarca as the most foul-mouthed folks in Huayramarca

Will host:

Isles:

by **Cardenao** » Fri Apr 21, 2023 11:02 pm

*New Cardonia

Way of Life

Cardenao is a rapidly developing country, though the majority of the country still lives in poverty. The nation is located in the southern hemisphere of Anaia, and has a geographic location of extreme importance: Cardenao has two mainlands on the continents of Calania and Lurhautsia, and the shallow Strait of Cardenao presents a bottleneck for trade and movement between the Ocean of Ayes and the Itsasoan Sea. The Strait of Cardenao used to be an epic land-bridge with an intricate system of dikes, dams, and floodgates keeping the sea at bay, however a treacherous attack by the Eshan Republic resulted in the total flooding and submersion of the land-bridge. Due to the fertile nature of the soil thanks to farming and the warm waters that now cover it, the Strait of Cardenao is renowned for its world-class fisheries. In addition to the two continental mainlands, Cardenao also boasts 13 islands of varying sizes, though they are even more undeveloped than the mainlands are.

The Cardenaoan people are known for being very laid back and easy going, a passionate people who pursue leisure and pleasure and are notorious for being unpunctional. They love a good party and being around their friends, and are physically active people with practically everyone in the country involved in regular activity. As previously mentioned, the individual Cardenaoan is quite poor, however there are pockets of extremely rich citizens across the country. Overall though, most Cardenaoan’s live off unpaved roads, in slapdash favela-like conditions where the electricity is off more often than on, and the luxuries that are common for a first-world citizen seem closer to science fiction than a possibility for them. With that being said, the general quality of life of both the country and the average individual is improving faster than it ever has in Cardenao. As part of President Mihaly’s grand modernization plan, the country is experiencing a great deal of change as the President attempts to pull Cardenao into the modern, first-world era. That means roads are being paved, energy infrastructure is getting developed, fresh water is reaching more of the country day by day, and the country as a whole is becoming more developed. It will be a long process and many decades before Cardenao could possibly be considered to be a modern nation.

The average citizen probably has employment, plays football most days of the week, consumes alcohol and marijuana while ‘going hard’ on a weekend every once in a while. They’re not particularly religious but they are spiritual and feel in tune with higher energy when observing great natural beauty, which Cardenao spouts in abundance. They’ll probably have finished high school as college/higher graduates are a rare breed in Cardenao.

Some relevant laws/cultural doings are:

The legal age to buy alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco products is 18 years
This is completely overlooked 99% of the time as Cardenaoans don’t really care that much
Other drugs, such as magic mushrooms, LSD, cocaine, MDMA et al, are legal for anyone over 18 years of age
The use of CAD-E is illegal and punished by fine.
Blackmarket and ‘alternative retail’ market interaction is commonplace
The age of consent is 16 years
Prostitution is legal for those over 16 years
Cardenaoans are allowed to carry weapons for personal use. Firearms are very rare, yet gradually becoming more accessible as the country grows.

Tourism and Travel

Tourism in Cardenao is very much in its infancy but it has already become one of the biggest industrial sectors in the country. The combination of beautiful scenery, generally warm and Caribbean-esque nature, delightful people and national affinity for fun times makes it a very attractive destination, doubly so when the cheapness of the trip is considered! Fishing, lazing on the beach, surfing, kayaking, jet skiing, all that sort of aquatic fun is commonplace in Cardenao’s impossible to measure coastline. The climate of Cardenao does vary, being much drier and cooler on Eastern Cardenao and the five islands closest to Nova Calania, this is due to the San Gabriel Mountains that seals Eastern Cardenao off from the rest of the continent. There is a variety of different climbing, hiking, camping, backpacking, and other related activities for tourists to partake in the mountains.

The capital city of New Cardonia represents a much more modern city experience, though the poverty is still very much mixed into the city's fabric, while wealthy tourists might enjoy the rich Ocean of Ayes-side city of Alameda. The half submerged November City is a remnant of the pre-Echani attack, and was a bustling first-world city; now many of the buildings that once housed offices, coffee shops, and signs of civilization have been overtaken by an increasingly dense swamp. Certainly a tantalizing prospect for the intrepid explorer!

Travel in Cardenao was traditionally done by boat and still is for a majority of the population. Tourists will find many boatmen eager to provide a ride, though the government of Cardenao can’t guarantee a thorough safety check has been completed, so travel at your own risk! There are a variety of reliable and safety approved ferries that operate between the islands and mainlands of Cardenao, so that is always an option too. Travel via land can be a little less than comfortable due to the generally unpaved road system, so tourists are usually best off relying on the burgeoning and high quality rail system built and operated by the Regional Transit Corporation of Banija. The other, more authentic method of land travel would be to buy or rent a cheap beater vehicle to travel and enjoy the country at its finest.

Hosting Stadium and City Information
Coastal Venues

Casa Cartablanca, Cartablanca (Capacity: 41,000)
Sitting at the top of a large, white rock cliff with the ocean battering against it on the eastern side while giving way to calm beach on the west side is Casa Cartablanca, home to AS Cartablanca, from the city of…Cartablanca. It is a regal, almost house of worship like architecture that has earned it the nickname of La Catedral, though the only thing getting worshiped here is the glory of football. Much like the country itself, there is a fusion of more modern amenities and building styles, with a fantastic billboard displaying alternating real time stats and insights yet the scoreboard has to be manually changed, a nostalgic remnant of a bygone era.

The Palace, Alegria (Capacity: 47,359)
The Palace is named after the royal palace in the idyllic city of Alegria. Yes, Cardenao used to have a royal family before Eshan exterminated the entire bloodline (or so they think…). Sitting at the base of a golden sand beach, The Palace is appropriately extravagant, with plenty of the blue and gold coloring associated with royalty and the home club Real Alegria. It is renowned for the use of marble and gold throughout the stadium which will surely provide visiting fans with plenty of photo opportunities Alegria is a dreamy city with majestic sunsets and is located at a bay at the westernmost point of Cardenao, looking directly west towards the island of Marriapa. Wealthier tourists will be able to enjoy the city to the fullest, though those less well off will still find plenty to do in and around Alegria.

Mountain Venues

The Cottage, Küsbon (Capacity: 33,800)
Hosting the A5 vs B4 consultation semi-final is the iconic yet cramped home to Küsbon Town. The Cottage was inspired by the starkness of the San Gabriel Mountains, which the stadium sits at the base of. Four separate stands, sitting square to the pitch and made of concrete, with four connecting curves of concrete wrapping everything together. A third tier is supported by 11 cylindrical towers that match goers can use to access the various levels. The whole effect is one of a hollowed out castle, and the red and black decor of the home team reinforces that. The city of Küsbon is largely similar, a quaint town with an air of quiet determination about it. There isn’t much in the way of partying and entertainment within the city, as the playground of the surrounding mountains provides all the fun needed.

RTC Transhub Arena, Sareña (Capacity: 36,420)
The city of Sareña sits at the base of the San Gabriel mountain range in East Cardenao and is the wealthiest city from that side of the Kingdom. RTC Transhub Arena is sponsored by the Banijan Corporation and railways feature prominently in the stadium’s architecture, from railroad tracks imprinted into the ground at certain points of the stadium, to small functional trams mocked up as trains that shuttle fans to different parts of the facility, the whole experience is very fun and engaging for match going fans. Outside of football, Sareña's proximity to both the mountains and the beach means there are ample activities for visiting fans.

Island Venues

La Academia, Joya del Sol (Capacity: 47,845)
Floating on one of the Cardenaoan islands is the fabled Academia, home to La Escuela Nacíonal DCPF, the current Cardenao MegaPower League champions. The stadium started off humbly as the backyard pitch for the dormitory for La Escuela’s youth academy, home to the brightest young talents from across the country. Over the years the backyard pitch became the matchday pitch for the club, but legal wording meant that the brick and rock dorm had to stay. Thus, the stadium was built around the dormitory, with those lucky young talents' bedroom windows looking right down the halfway line. Sure, the club loses out on a bit of matchday revenue with one of the main stands being effectively full of subsidized children, but every young Cardenaoan dreams of earning a stay in those rooms at La Escuela Nacíonal De Cardenao Por Football. Joya del Sol is an otherwise quite little city and visiting fans will be encouraged to venture into the beautiful tropical rainforest that surrounds it.

Il Palomino, Alameda (Capacity: 33,223)
Sitting on Cardenao's largest island is Il Palomino, home of the Alameda Desperados. The stadium is defined by the slice of the northern side of the stadium that was intentionally left out so that the pitch looks out onto the beautiful beaches the area is famous for. The city of Alameda itself is quite a wealthy one, with many luxurious bungalow homes dotting the city where the rich and famous come to play and have fun. Nightclubs with exorbitant entry fees, the trendiest restaurants, fancy cars and signs of wealth, it is not a city for the light-pocketed matchgoing fan to take full advantage of.

Semifinal Venue

CNF Corp Center, New Cardonia (Capacity: 57,772)
Hosting the Cardenao semifinal is the Cardenao National Fishery Corporation Center, officially known as the CNF Corp Center. Home to club powerhouse Cardonia FC, the stadium is a technologically beautiful church of football. CNF Corp Center has a full color changing exterior and the 57,772 match goers enjoy all the comforts of a covered stadium. Tech amenities, interactive screens throughout the stadium for fans to perform their own replay analysis in live action, functioning toilets, and plenty of adult beverage stations makes the Center a party for all.

3PPO Venue:

Stadi Cardenao, New Cardonia (Capacity: 83,500)
Hosting the Third Place Playoff and sitting centrally on a massive grass lawn is the newly constructed Stadi Cardenao, home to the Cardenao national team and one third of the Cardenao MegaPower League season fixtures. The supermodern stadium boasts all the amenities of top stadiums in the multiverse and is a crowning product of President Mihaly Otamendi’s commitment to both sporting in Cardenao and national development as a whole. It was a classic football oval, not too much to it, with a retractable roof providing cover from the elements on the rare day something stirs up. There’s a network of paved pathways across the lawn with a small but growing number of shops spread throughout. A good deal of the lawn touched the Ocean of Ayes and stared across to the unseeable Eastern Cardenao across the blue. New Cardonia is the most modern city in Cardenao and presents a fusion of historical, cultural, and flat out fun opportunities for tourists and players.

by **Yesopalitha** » Sun Apr 23, 2023 1:12 pm

The current storyline:

Book 1: Eminent Change
Part 1: Omens and Portents
Part 2: The Meeting
Part 3: Amongst Legends
Part 4: True Darkness
Part 5: A Weighted Solution
Part 6: Sacrifice

Book 2: Abundant Chaos
Part 1: Everything Falls Apart
Part 2: The White Maiden
Part 3: Pockets of Hope

Book 3: Denouement

Part 1, Yesopalithan Half: Awakening

Dark Council Chambers
Freedom's Altar, Yesopalitha

A year since The White Maiden, Vrandis, had joined the Dark Council to aid the country in their darkest hour, only hours remained before Nirdasil, the Chosen of Zaiden, the Dark Crusader, and the leader of Yesopalitha, was predicted to awake by prophecy of Vrandis. The White Maiden had kept tabs on their leader from the moment that she had laid eyes on Nirdasil; all of her instincts and divine channels suggested that the leader would wake up, and wake up soon.

'My Lord Zaiden,' she prayed, 'Let our leader Nirdasil return to us quickly - so that the nation will be no longer without its leader, and that we will be able to start getting the nation back to what you had in mind - a safe haven for Unbidden to exist away from the prying eyes of the Bidden, away from their prejudices and their injustices.'

Then, the entire island of Yesopalitha started to shake - an earthquake, good for 5.6 on the scale.

"White Maiden!" shouted a scout, rushing into her room, "The rift to the abyss... It is... Unstable!"

"What do you mean?" demanded Vrandis, her eyes furrowing, "That makes no sense!"

"Our scouts at the rift report that it's starting to fluctuate, both growing and shrinking wildly! It's unstable!" reported the scout, before bowing and moving away to the next.

This made no sense. It didn't fit what she had been getting from those behind the divine gate. What was this?

Then, without warning, the stasis pod holding the form of NIrdasil beeped in acknowledgement that she was starting to wake.

The undisputed leader of Yesopalitha sat upright in a start. As Vrandis rushed to her side, Nirdasil uttered these words:

"No way. To the Rift!"

Rift to the Abyss

By this time, the guards around the rift had already cleared, per the orders from Tarahal, and that was fortuitous for them - for what was about to happen hadn't been foreseen by any soul in the country.

With Nirdasil's lifeforce starting to return to her body, the energy needed to keep the rift closed was dissipating. The sheer amount of magic being poured into the rift from the abyss would not be denied, and it, recognizing that Nirdasil could do this again if she wanted to, decided to go look for the nearest magical portal to Yesopalitha.

It looked south, but Starblaydia's magical community was far too powerful. It looked north, but there was nothing. It looked to the northeast...

And it noticed a magical temperate jungle in a nation called Chromatika.

In a blink, the rift to the abyss was not in Yesopalitha.

Instead, it was in the Eyrodii Jungle in Chromatika.

The biggest international crisis in Yesopalithan history had begun.

by **Audioslavia** » Sun Apr 23, 2023 5:11 pm

Bye Bye Swan, Kaixo Beltzarga
’Bulls +2’ travel to Cardenao/Huayramarca with cycle 93 firmly in its rear-view mirror

In terms of matches played, Cycle 93 was the longest in history for the Bulls. An early exit from CAFA 5 came after six games in the Dragonfly Invitational tournament, before a long qualifying, a losing playoff double-header and progression to the last four of the Cup of Harmony for the third time in three cycles. At the end of the marathon, the Bulls collected a bronze medal, completing the ‘full set’ of ten possible top-three finishes across WCC and regional tournaments.

During the cycle, the nation fell in and out of thrall to an ancient reconstructed glass swan, which everyone insisted had magic powers right up until it absolutely didn’t. Whether you’re pro-swan or anti-swan, the decision to ‘bake’ the swan into national team’s brand new stadium is a welcome one. Either the new ground is imbued with the magical strength of the glass swan, or it simply removes the swan from the public consciousness completely and allows you to get back on with your life.

Said new stadium is currently going under the working title of The Beltxarga, and will be situated in Glassbridge in western Cathair. Shamrock Cathair are due to become tenants upon the stadium’s completion, which is hoped to be at the end of the cycle, to be ready either for matchday one of World Cup 95 qualifying or, perhaps, an Audioslavian bid for CAFA 7.

*
Audioslavia’s CAFA 6 squad line up in tracksuits at the site of the new stadium.

The spine of this CAFA squad is similar to that of the cycle 93 team, but with two notable inclusions: Valerién Tibère and Gabriel Buvalelli may have been living in Audioslavia for as long as anyone can remember, but both represented Savigliane before the nation’s official withdrawal from international football. Audioslavia, never slow to give anyone a passport if they stick around long enough, have welcomed both men to the national team set-up. It’s hoped that their distinctly un-Audioslavian approach to football - forwards passes, looking up while controlling the ball, not pointing and shouting all the time - will give the side an extra dimension of sorts for the tournament.

Ager Alaba’s Audioslavians(+2) find themselves in a veritable Group of Death, being pitched alongside the dangerously wide Vdarans, a Chromatika side that have beaten the Bulls in both their previous CAFA Cup matches and a certain side called Starblaydia who used to be the best team in the world, at least according to your great great grandpa’s hand-written diary accounts of listening to their exploits on the transistor radio.

* made by MidJourney, unedited

by **Kharakia** » Sun Apr 23, 2023 5:39 pm

After years of waiting for a Kharakian national team to be formed, and suffering through many losses in the first stage of the Tea Cup and many friendlies, the Kharakians had finally done it: they made it to the big stage in Anaia. For some players, this was a dream come true, for others, a pressurizing nightmare, but for all, it was a glorious moment in Kharakia's Holloway Stadium, the home of their national team, when their name was called into group 6, along with host Cardenao, Aleirave, and Evermark. The 67,000 something people in the stadium erupted with joy, as their national pride was at hand. Some of them were against each other, but this was one thing they could all stand for: Their national side in CAFA VI, and finally, a chance to prove everyone wrong. Surely, the spectators will be watching from that stadium, but the stadiums in Huayramarca and Cardenao as well. Everybody is prepared for Kharakia to get CAFA'd.

Fun Fact: Brusnia United fans are happy, as their club is represented the most among the Kharakian National Team, with 4 players out of the 26. All 4 of them are starters, and combined have 2 goals and 5 assists over 38 caps.

by **Legalese** » Mon Apr 24, 2023 8:32 pm

Why your opponent is nice: Krytenia

Some people love to hate on Krytenia. But many people (typically Krytenians, not to mention
whoever is playing in the other semifinal) are fans of Krytenia. This preview of the Legalite opposition
in Group Five is for those who prefer to look on the lighter side.

Your team: Everyone’s favorite Bekkside (or Beccside, as they prefer) nation, Krytenia.

Their History: First ever CAFA runner-up. Second-ever CAFA Host. Second-place
amongst the Starblaydias, even -- though one could say the Kryties had good sense to shake
that off quite quickly. Even moreso, they haven’t invaded or occupied Legalese, nor do they
show cause for a weary eye across the lake, so we can’t help but feel good about them.

On the pitch, history says to expect lots of goals; in nine WCC matches between Legalese and
Krytenia, a total of forty-one goals were scored -- an average of 4.56 per match. Still, three of
those matches ended in draws.

Their Manager: Brelk-Xeral Erv. Qusmi has a history of providing managers to Anaian
sides, with fellow Bekksiders Starblaydia also looking to Qusmo for their manager for this CAFA.
Erv brings an attacking mentality to a traditionally attacking side, and with a regional to their
name as Brenecia’s manager, could make Krytenia the favorites here. At least, they seem
unlikely to underachieve again, as Krytenia’s four points-in-five matches in the Cup of Harmony
could be rightly called.

What’s New that’s Great: Up top, Erv has elevated Greg Williams to play behind Angus Jack.
Williams, at 23, likely aspires to rattle defenses so that Angus Jack can just pop up and surprise
those who weren’t listening to the lead-in music. His height could be a disadvantage, however.

On the back line, Derek Higgins adds speed to the high line defense, replacing Sonny Chiesa, a
fine back whose pace just wasn’t up to snuff. This should make their defense more difficult, but
as Chiesa’s vice-captaincy now falls to Higgins’ partner Robert Gorman, we’ll have to see if he
can handle adding the leadership role on his already cerebral style will pay off, or if his
difficulties in the air turn out to be not the only way his head is out of the game.

What’s always been great: When it comes down to it, they’re Krytenia, you see? If you’re a
side like Legalese facing them, a win feels reachable, but even the loss doesn’t feel that bad --
they are usually strong at this stage of the tournament. Like I said above, when a Legalite casts
a weary eye at a Bekkside nation, it’s usually to the north or south, not across the lake for a
reason.

Also, they have a robust coffee culture. Hard to hate a country with that.

by **United Hawkland** » Tue Apr 25, 2023 7:08 am

After an impressive fourth place finish in the Brevity Challenge Cup, the United Hawkland national football team is back and ready to fight for glory. After only losing three games in their whole fourth place tournament campaign (twice to eventual winners and CAFA Cup host Huayramarca,) they hope to bring the exact same energy. Vincent Telermen is in everyone's notes, after scoring an impressive 4 goals in the knockout stage alone. 2 of which, against Huayramarca. The striker duo also looks impressive, scoring a combined 5 in the whole tournament.

They enter the CAFA Cup with the exact same Starting XI and Subs as the Brevity Cup. They warn all of their adversaries, that they wont get CAFA'd. They will get Hawklan'd.

by **Flavovespia** » Tue Apr 25, 2023 12:52 pm

As Flavovespia depart for Cardenao and Huayramarca to contest the CAFA Cup 6, they do so in a position unprecedented for the nation. Winners of both CAFA Cup 4 and CAFA Cup 5 and sitting at #1 in the CAFA rankings, few would argue that they go into this tournament as one of the contenders. A quarter final defeat to The Karodin Tetrarchy in CAFA Cup 3 was the last time Flavovespia lost a game in the CAFA Cup. Since then, 13 victories (including one after extra time, the final last time out), and 2 draws means Flavovespia should be confident going forward.

Of course, as anyone knows in football, nothing is as simple as it seems on paper. For the now naturalised manager Augusto Rinaldi, there has been some changes as he looks to bridge from the past heroes. David Clark, David Blythe, Robert Totten, all players who’ll be remembered for their part in the recent successful era for Flavovespia, but as night follows day, the time comes for new players to step into their shoes. In the recent World Cup Qualifiers 93, Richard Birmingham began to make a real name for himself, and Martin Edwards showed some good potential. 3 players make their first tournaments here, Stan Scott-Wilson, Scott Gillespie and Anthony Lane. All 3 are players who’ve at some point been given high expectations, can they take their chances her to show their worth?

To defend their title, Flavovespia must first progress from their group in Huayramarca to make it to the Round of 16. Notricia will be first up for Flavovespia, and it will be the debut of Notricia in the CAFA Cup. Nevertheless, they can’t be underestimated. Earl Roon is an experienced manager, very adept in both man management and the tactical side of the game, and will have Notricia set up to take the game to Flavovespia. Captain Horace Matsumoto stands at almost 2 metres tall (6’6 ), a formidable opponent, with great leadership and a threat at both ends from set pieces. Bert Lemmi is just 18 and keen to use CAFA Cup 6 to show if you’re good enough, you’re old enough, and Marcus Marr has the instinct, pace and agility to keep defenders on their toes for 90 minutes.

Estorvipa and Estorpiva are up next for Flavovespia. On both occasions in the World Cup Qualifiers 93, a single goal won the game for Flavovespia, so Estorvipa and Estorpiva won’t want to lose narrowly again in the 3rd matchup between the sides. Playing a fairly defensive 4-2-3-1, they’ve shown in past games against Flavovespia it isn’t easy to break them down. Sashka Vidanova comes into the CAFA Cup 6 as a great goalkeeper, who can keep her side in the game. The defensive midfield pairing of Rahmatullo Rodin and Serafina Potritskij are also going to be important figures in the Estorvipa and Estorpiva line up.

Last up in the group stage for Flavovespia is Cocoabo Forest. In CAFA Cup 3, it was a 0-0 draw when these sides met, the fans will be hoping for goals this time. Their formation is a somewhat attacking 3-5-2 on paper. Goalkeeper Cocoabo #86 is considered the star of the squad, a reserve for Turori when they won the World Cup 88. A squad only identifiable by numbers, the Cocoabo Forest team are unusual in some regards, they may well hope that pays off for them.

So there are the 3 teams Flavovespia will face in Group D. Flavovepsia will hope, and cautiously expect, that they can go further than that, but nothing will be taken for granted. Fans who haven’t made the journey to Huayramarca will be getting ready to watch the opening game against Notricia, keen to start with a victory.

by **Ko-oren** » Tue Apr 25, 2023 1:21 pm

Census shows: Gehrennic languages on the rise

Gehrennic languages: Gehrennan, Tarrashall, Aviansolan, Altioran
Non-Gehrennic native languages: Mawr, Finisterran, English, French, Dutch, Japanese
Non-native languages: languages spoken by recent immigrant communities; Basque (Audioslavia, etc), Spanish, Quechua, Aymara (Huayramarca, etc), German (Mertagne, etc), etc.

The Census shows that the use of Gehrennic language is on the rise. Language use is tracked along several societal domains, the most important of which is home use, but also extends to (extended) family, school, and work. Statistics not tracked by the census but inferred by the bureau of statistics include namegiving, where a disproportionate number of, say, Gehrennan first names (compared to the number of births in typically Gehrennan municipalities) can tell us something about language use as well.

The numbers suggest a trend on a national scale but diving further into the data says that several regions are spearheading the change: Leeshire, the Corridor, and rural Gehrenna (the province, not the city). These areas are adjacent to traditional Gehrennan heartland but have always been staunchly English-speaking, particularly the cities of Idyllwild in Leeshire and Willowbourne in the Corridor. Seeing that the eastern Corridor, which has long trended a bit to French in home use, has shifted to Gehrennan in recent years, partially due to policies in the Corridor aiding English and working against French, but those have only promoted the use of Gehrennan, it seems. These three highly populated areas have changed enough to skew the numbers nationally, though in no region has the use of Gehrennic languages gone down.

The policies in these three areas passed the offices of the Language Commissioner and all other committees designed to stop out-of-hand meritocratic decisions. Parliament, the democratically elected auditory branch of government, also found nothing wrong with these policies. The fact that these policies have brought about change in the home domain is unusual and merits further research, the Census Bureau says.

In other domains, such as school or work, little to no changes were observed. All languages still enjoy equal status in the curriculum, and workplaces have largely concentrated on the most spoken languages over the past decades, with Dutch, French, English, Japanese, and Gehrennan as the five most widely used languages, followed by Altioran and Finisterran.

Other language news:
Cabinet Rift: Minister yNwllanmac for Police refuses to denounce vandalism in Leeshire and Mawryshire

Jasau Shadonguden (Parliament, Conservatives) SLAMS Ministry of Education over language policy

Naming trends
Parents opt to give their children multiple names, with the first often in the home language of the parents, and the second in the opposite category of languages: if the first name is Gehrennic, the second often is a Non-Gehrennic native language. This also works the other way around - and is a more popular option, contrary to previous years - where parents also give out a Gehrennic name as a backup. In the vast majority of cases, the second Gehrennic name is a Gehrennan one (as opposed to Tarrashall, Aviansolan, or Altioran options).

by **Krytenia** » Tue Apr 25, 2023 4:07 pm

The Rich And The Poor
By Rami Niblick in Emberton

HERE we go again. The Dragons step once more into the breach of international competition, but this time the mood is different. Gone, at least in the short term, is the expectation and borderline cockiness that all Krytenia has to do in the group stage is turn up and they'll have enough to reach the knockouts. The air of superiority has been replaced by an oxygen-deprived chamber of despair, with the national side staring over the metaphorical abyss. Trouble is, the abyss has been staring back recently, and it does not like what it sees. Not the best time, then, to be drawn with a rival.

Arguably, though, that's what's happened. Step forward, the archipelago of the Ochre Islands. We could talk all day about your service station embassies, the fights between Bellflower Council and Crazy Craig's, or the lingering maft of "Bostopian-ness" that the Ochres are desperately trying to shake off. None of that, though, has a damn thing to do with the football. The two sides have met on four occasions, with two wins and nine goals apiece, and managers in Brelk-Xeral Erv and Richard Valens who at this point have reached the "eggs in the morning" level of familiarity. The two sides will meet on Matchday Two, and you would imagine both sides will be well up for it. To be honest, if they aren't, what are they even doing here?

Before that, though, it's another familiar opponent in the form of Legalese. In fourteen matches between the sides, there have been a grand total of three clean sheets, so goals are absolutely to be expected. Minds old enough will immediately go back to the epic four-all tussle in World Cup 72 which helped Krytenia advance to a completely unexpected round of sixteen place, where they took the Vanors to extra-time in a tournament that the Dragons weren't expected to even come close to qualifying for. As with the Ochres, the last time the sides met was in CAFA IV; also just like the Ochres, Krytenia lost despite scoring twice.

That brings us to our final opponents, the unknown quality that is Wokeanaia. They have one thing in common with the Ochres - namely a difficult birth - but that should be where the comparisons begin and end. Emphasis there on should. This is exactly the game that Krytenia look past in the grand scheme of things. That...doesn't always work out well. Just ask Sulsuland, Drunk People at the Local Tavern, or Rangers FC. The Dragons simply have to treat this game as if they were playing Valanora or Starblaydia; no slip-ups, no underestimation. We are, sadly, not at the top table right now, and if we want to get back there, we need to be uncompromising against these so-called "lesser" sides.

The problems for the national side run deep, and they aren't necessarily issues that BXE can fix on their own. Even worse, the manager is truly on their own this time. Graham Lawton, the yang to BXE's yin, is not going to be at the tournament, taking doctors' advice after a recurrence of the medical issues that caused his collapse during the last Cup of Harmony. All this, too, whilst the storm clouds are gathering at KFA headquarters. The fans and the media alike are united in their belief that whatever is wrong with the team wears expensive suits and count beans in their ivory towers. Quite how to fix this problem, however, is another matter. There's no guarantee, even if the bureaucracy is torn down, that whatever replaces it will be any better than what we have currently. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark, and the corpse is in danger of attracting flies.

Still, it's not all doom and gloom. BXE is attempting to replace stronger, and whilst this is a team in transition, the likes of Esteban Salvador, Derek Higgins, and Jules Renard are at least looking hungry and eager to tear down walls for the cause. Hopefully the manager can channel that effort into results on the pitch, and bring the side back to relevance in spite of the clownshow upstairs. Onward!

by **Aleirave** » Tue Apr 25, 2023 6:38 pm

A New CAFA, A New Story

Anyone remember 2026?

Well, 2026 was a year with a story. It was a year of hopes, a year of dreams. It started off with threats: Haulafo, get this team to the semifinals or we'll find a new coach. Haulafo gave the team his word and he made good on his promises, another 4th place finish for the Seagulls. The first team to ever lose two CAFA third-place playoffs, neato.

The end of the year was a moment etched forever in this team's memory. They didn't make the Cup of Harmony knockouts, but their valiant efforts on the final matchday allowed their friends from mainland Eshialand to not just make the playoffs, but go all the way to the finals. Sure, the Seagulls didn't do so well themselves, but they sure made their mark.

Here at CAFA VI, the start of the Seagulls' 2027 antics, however, there are no friends to assist. Just them and their own goals. Their own dreams. Together, it was time to achieve those dreams.

"Hey coach!" Pavel Rasteniuk, one of the team's newest members, stumbled onto the field outside Lahaira that the team was using as their practice pitch.

"Pavel..." Haulafo said, "you do realize that we're travelling to Cardenao in three days, right?"
"Yes coach, but--"
"You were supposed to meet up with us a month ago to start training. Ma'uho's ready, why aren't you?"

Pavel looked towards young Ma'uho Katehovi, the other young rookie starting out his international career... but he didn't look like a rookie. He wasn't nervous. He was wearing his #53 proudly, looking prepared for anything, like a seasoned veteran.

"I'm so sorry Coach Paka'ula, I--"

The coach breathed a deep sigh before responding to this. "Look, Pavel... I know you've probably been busy, but when I ask you to do things, like come to our practice on time, that means I expect you to do them. I don't want you showing up a month later because 'oh yeah I need to be on that team', I want you to do your due diligence, and be not just a great soccer player, but a great person as well."

"Sorry sir, it won't happen again--"

"Just put this on and we can get to practicing."

The coach reluctantly handed Pavel his #38 kit, worried about what kinds of slacking off, goofing off, and other assorted offs the young man would get up to. As for Pavel? He excitedly put on the Aleiravan colors, ready to become one with his new team.

by **Pyazhnaya** » Tue Apr 25, 2023 6:38 pm

As the Pyazhnayan national team stepped off Pyazhair flight 38 at El Jorge Guerra Intl' Airport in Chuquiago and headed toward immigration and customs, Danila Terentyev looked at his Vna-Chuhul teammate Danila Mukhametshin.

"Where are we even playing our games?"

Danila M shrugged. "I have no idea, all I know is in Huayramarca, at least I hope so, otherwise we have a problem."

Thankfully, the CAFA organizers had set up a dedicated line for all participants in the tournament, which made the procedure far less daunting than they had worried it would be. As they exited into the public portion of the terminal, coach Aleksandr Zavrashin was looking for the chef d'equipe, Lyudmila Vorobyova who had been in charge of organizing everything, but to no avail. He looked around at his team which was scattered about all over the place, chatting in small groups, with some wandering off in search of - something.

Zavrashin pulled out his cell phone to dial Lyudmila's phone but was greeted with the dreaded message "No Service." He sighed. Nothing to do but wait, so he followed the trio of Shakhter Z'ai'ai players Maksimilian Chupov, Vsevolod Bogolyubsky and Tamara Davydova who were headed toward an outlet of the ConDorado restaurant chain. As they took a seat, he looked at the menu and could not identify anything. He looked at the players questioningly and Vsevolod laughed. "Coach, don't worry, we've got you covered. Have the ají de gallina and a chicha morada."

Zavrashin raised his hands. "If you say so...?" Tamara smiled. "We've been to a ConDorado back in Z'ai'ai, it's good stuff."

The drinks came first and he smelled the dark purple liquid. It smelled very sweet, with the scent of pineapple and some sort of spice. He furrowed his brow. This did not smell like anything he ever had before. He took a small sip and raised his eyebrows. It was far less sweet than the smell had indicated, very smooth and this spice-taste swinging throughout. He still had no idea what on earth he had just tasted, but he liked it. Only then did he realize that all three of his players were looking at him.

"What? Have you never seen anybody drink?"

They broke out in laughter. "We have, Coach," Maksimilian wheezed. "But you should have seen the look on your face."

"Oh, stop it. So what is this stuff?"

"Basically it's Huayramarcan purple corn that is boiled in water with cinnamon sticks, whole cloves and the peel of a pineapple. Then you add fresh lime juice and sugar. And voila - chicha morada."

Zavrashin took another big sip. "This is very different but it's good! I hope whatever you ordered for food is as good!"

Tamara said, "I'm sure it will be. Now, coach, we still don't know where we'll be playing and it worries me a bit."

He looked at her. "You and me both. Lyudmila is the one that gets all the communications and sets everything up. But she's not here and I don't have cell phone service. There are no messages, no bus, no nothing."

Tamara looked at him a little uneasily. "So, basically what you're saying is that we could be playing out on that island for all we know?"

Zavrashin grunted. "Pretty much."

"Awesome... Oh, here's the food!"

The server put a plate in front of him that also looked--interesting. A pyramid-shaped portion of rice, a generous mound of something in a thick, yellow sauce, two quarters of a hardboiled egg, one single olive and some garnish. He dug his fork into the rice pyramid and then the yellow sauce. There was something else in there. He took a bite and it had a very pleasant mouthfeel, smooth and creamy, apparently chicken. There was a nice spicy touch to it but the creaminess countered it nicely. This was good! He had to find out if there was a ConDorado in Krasnograd. And if not, they had to get one.

"So, coach, what's the plan for the game against Bostopia?"

While chewing, he answered "Win."

The three looked at each other and laughed. "Sounds like a plan, haha!"

He swallowed. "Seriously, as long as we win, I don't really care what you guys play."

They furrowed their respective brows. "But you're supposed to tell us what tactic we should use and all that?"

He took another bite, carefully chewing before answering. "I should, shouldn't I? Look. We had a great training camp before we came here. Half of you play together in Z'ai'ai, you know what to do. And if you don't do what you should, I'll just yell at you all."

Vsevolod broke out in laughter. "This is the most inspiring speech ever!"

Zavrashin smiled as he finished the last of his meal. "I thought so, too! Now where's Lyudmila?"

They paid and returned to the rest of the team who were restlessly waiting to find out where they would play. At that moment, a bus arrived with the Pyazhnayan flag on its side. Zavrashin sighed. "Good! Now let's just hope we're not playing on that island or it's going to be a long, wet ride..."

by **Vdara** » Tue Apr 25, 2023 6:39 pm

Now, Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted…

Several years had passed since the event known to Vdarans as the Period of Disconnection - or, indeed, ‘The Beaning’ to non-Vdarans - first took hold. The confusion and panic of no longer being able to see what was going on outside Vdara resulted in some initial chaos, but that had long since subsided. With aircraft grounded indefinitely, noise and air pollution was at an all time low. The tourism industry which the nation once thrived on had nosedived, but in its place came an environmental and cultural renaissance, with this involuntary isolationism bringing people together. Despite this, there was still a longing among many residents to return to the ways of old, to mingle with other nations, to see the Top 20 Most Popular Song charts in every corner of Anaia, and - most importantly - to be able to watch international footballing rivals getting gubbed by unranked opponents. Luckily for them, there had been rumblings of a breakthrough of a return to normality, and when a press conference was called by the Minister for Technology and Culture, hope began to build.

”Ladies and gentlemen, gays and theys, I bring you… this!”

Arms flew into the sky. Camera shutters flickered. Confusion turned to cheering. The designated press invitees, who had only been informed of this a couple hours beforehand, suddenly found themselves hastily scribbling down the biggest story of their careers. The piece of paper being held aloft at the front of the room meant more than any goal, try, or point ever could. This seemingly mundane sheet of A4 paper, with just a couple of words printed on it, signified what people across the country had kept in their prayers for years; contact. It was official, Vdara was finally reconnecting with the outside world, and it was ready to embrace it with open arms. Who knew what sort of Earth would be there to greet them, what greatness awaited them, what progress had been made? It may only have been a fax machine, but it may as well have been Jesus; albeit, with some slight differences. Fax machines can’t walk on water. Jesus couldn’t print out football scores. Swings and roundabouts.

A SOMEWHAT SMALL YET REASONABLY EFFECTIVE AMOUNT OF MONTHS LATER

Manager’s Office
VdarArena

The solidarity and good will which had been built up during the Period of Disconnection had quickly evaporated by the time CAFA rolled around, so much so that Vdaran President Charalambos Romanatos had requested to meet with beloved long-term manager Markos Moustakakos on the basis that his team “did not fit with the traditional national ethos”, which is a fancy way of saying “too woke”. As you can imagine, the meeting went about as well as you could expect.

”Look, if you’re going to complain about my team selection standards having changed, at least do it in writing so I can give it the respect it deserves and wipe my arse with it.”

“Sir, if you’ll excuse me-“

“No, you can excuse yourself and trudge right back out of that door. And don’t think about coming back without being draped in a chef’s apron with ‘I’M A CUNT’ written on it, got it?”

“Markos, where are your manners?”

“Oh, forgive me.”

Markos stood up from his swivelling chair, leaving it tilting slightly to the left, and slammed his hands on his desk.

”As far as I’m concerned, you waived your right to any manners as soon as you stepped through that door. See the shiny plaque on my desk? It says ‘Manager’. I manage this team, I pick this team, I know this team. Fuck, I live and breathe this team. This team represents Vdara, not you. The sooner you realise that, the better. Now, could you please drag your sorry arse out of that door, thank you very much?”

President Romanatos stood up, locking eyes with the manager.

”I could have you fired for this, Markos.“

“But you won’t. You’d make a bigger cunt of yourself than you’re already doing right here.”

With the meeting evidently going nowhere the President turned and walked out, slamming the door on his way. With that, Markos sat back down, examining the papers on his desk - the most important of which being player updates which had come from across the multiverse. Letters marked with ‘Audioslavia’, ‘Ko-oren’, ‘Tumbra’ and ‘Quebec and Shingoryeo’ were strewn across his desk, and with them came the details of seven players. Without so much as a second thought, he immediately faxed an updated roster to all prospective opponents, a grin spreading across his face as he did so.

”We’re back, baby.”

(OOC: For the avoidance of any confusion, this information has been added to the roster prior to this RP’s release, but I’m putting it here as well.)

THE FOLLOWING PLAYERS HAVE BEEN ADDED TO OUR NATIONAL ROSTER AND ARE AVAILABLE FOR SELECTION EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY:

MATHAIOS MAKROTSIS - FORWARD
TAKIS PIPADES - MIDFIELD
LAMBROS TANTALOPOULOS - FORWARD/MIDFIELD
ANARGYROS ZERVAES - DEFENCE
AKAKIOS DEMOTIS - MIDFIELD
STAMATIOS CHRISTAKOS - DEFENCE
TRYFON VLAHIADES - DEFENCE

IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE RECEIVED THIS MESSAGE IN ERROR, PLEASE DIAL +30-131-800-FITBA AND ASK FOR ‘ALAN’

Now, the thought did occur to Markos that most other football associations had probably gotten rid of their fax machines, and thus would not receive any notice of the roster change. Truth be told, he could not have cared less. ”Tactical advantage,” he thought to himself. ”We’ll counter their superior football with inferior technology. Easy.” Whether or not this held any bearing was yet to be seen - if it achieved results, he’d continue to fax to his heart’s content. If it didn’t, he might end up sending further updates via smoke signal, or short wave radio. The guy’s a nutter. That’s why we love him.

by **Cardenao** » Tue Apr 25, 2023 7:03 pm

Cardenao? More Like Hostingnao!

Well my dear readers, somehow it is time. Time for Cardenao to advance into the history books by hosting the CAFA Cup, this is a day I can safely say I never expected to see in my lifetime but the fact we’re hosting an actual international tournament shows how rapidly our country has improved. Who cares about improvements though, it’s Tournament Time!!! Let’s get right into it.

CAFA Cup. The most prestigious regional tournament in the multiverse. The seventh edition of it, co-hosted by Cardenao and Huayramarca. 28 teams entered and have been divided neatly into seven groups, with groups 5, 6, and 7 being hosted within Cardenao. The matches will take place all across our great country, with hosting stadium split into West Cardenao, which is of course strewn with beaches and tropical flora, East Cardenao, which is mountainous and features more high plain deserts, and thirdly into the Islas Cardeni, where the islands of Cardenao present a variety of different climates and playing conditions. Tournament organizers insist this will add a fun aspect to the CAFA Cup, so we’ll see how that goes. Let’s take a look at the groups we’re hosting and make some totally credible predictions.

Group 5 (Five): It’s quite hard to look past the Ochre Islands to win this group as our northern neighbors captured the hearts of the entire region during their extraordinary run to the knock-out stages of the World Cup. If they can bring that same level of passion and play to this tournament, surely they’re many people’s dark horses to win the whole thing. The battle for second will be fought by Krytenia, who will presumably be lining up in that particular shade of blue and narrowly missed out on World Cup qualification, and Legalese, one of a few nations to have won both an AOCAF and a CAFA Cup. I am quite hyped for their match and predict it will be one of the more exciting ones in the tournament. Finally there is Wokeanaia, a nation without much match tape for me to review but that’s what makes them a potential danger.

Group 6 (Six): This will quietly be quite the contested group. Cardenao and Aleirave are about as closely ranked as two teams can be, with Aleirave rated 56th in the multiverse to Cardenao at 57th. Whoever wins that game wins the group in my opinion, while the battle between 3rd and 4th will surely be between Kharakia, with the Red Wave entering on a 3-4-7 streak, and Evermark, whose claim to winning a World Cup is yet to be confirmed by us. Hard to see them providing a challenge to Cardenao and Aleirave but that’s the great thing about the CAFA Cup, you never know what’s going to go down!

Group 7(7): The seventh and therefore seventh group, Group 7 will be a fun one to watch. The favorites are easily Mertagne, a giant in Anaia who were unlucky to be knocked out in the World Cup Playoffs, and don’t really have a competitor of adequate level to give them a worry. Atheara has the quality to feel like a second place finish is their right while the fight for third will be great to watch though ultimately meaningless. My pick is The Karodin Tetrarchy, who have competed in the tournament since CAFA 2, while Lexandrija could mount a challenge. There’s little footage of their team available but word of mouth suggests a higher level of quality than an uninformed contestant might be prepared for.

Gods willing it will be a great tournament with hopefully plenty of goals to provide ample entertainment for all!

by **Chromatika** » Tue Apr 25, 2023 7:41 pm

Book 1: Eminent Change
Part 1: Omens and Portents
Part 2: The Meeting
Part 3: Amongst Legends
Part 4: True Darkness
Part 5: A Weighted Solution
Part 6: Sacrifice

Book 2: Abundant Chaos
Part 1: Everything Falls Apart
Part 2: The White Maiden
Part 3: Pockets of Hope

Book 3: Denouement
Part 1, Yesopalithan Half: Awakening

Part 1, Chromatik Half: The Stuff of Nightmares

North Point Ranger Station
Eyrods, Myana Island, Chromatika

Michael Starr didn't really belong in a National Park Ranger uniform. As a Biomedical Engineering Major at Eyrods Tech University, many of his friends made fun of him for his summer job - that of being a Ranger at the North Point Ranger Station, two miles from the unfettered wilderness of the Eyrodii Jungle. He loved the fact that even now, the Chromatiks barely knew anything about the jungle; Though they knew that the Enlightened Ones were responsible for the creation of it, the fact that a temperate jungle could exist in a cold, harsh climate like Chromatika was something else, indeed.

On his break, he was indulging in his favorite hobby - bird watching. Even slightly outside the jungle, temperatures were warm enough that finches and other small birds would be near the Ranger Station; with a pair of specialized binoculars, he was having a great time tracking a red-tailed finch when he heard the foreboding noise for the first time.

The air started to smell, as if it was ionized. Electricity filled the air, and as he turned his binoculars away from the departed finch down the hill at the jungles below, he noticed a proverbial cyclone that was billowing nearby. This also made no sense - cyclones or tornadoes didn't just appear out of thin air.

His intense watch was interrupted by the Head Ranger of the Station, Sharon Wallacher, running out at him.

"We have to go, Michael!" she shouted, motioning at him, "It isn't safe anymore!"

"What do you mean?" he screamed back, as the winds down below picked up, making it impossible to hear.

Instead of trying to explain, she pushed a tablet at him. On it was, "EYRODS IS NOT SAFE. EASTERN HALF OF MYANA ISLAND, EVACUATE AT ONCE. THIS IS NOT A DRILL."

As Sharon pulled him to their park jeep, Michael couldn't help but look behind him as a loud snap was heard.

Despite it being the middle of the day in Chromatika, sudden darkness overwhelmed the skies.

Fifteen minutes later, as the two were driving down the highway to the eastern half of Myana Island, they noticed just how packed the roads were. Why was Eyrods being evacuated? What about Inon? Where was the line that decided who had to move?

Suddenly, a large meteor fell out of the sky - except it wasn't quite a fiery meteor, but a ball of black shadow. All traffic halted as hundreds of such continued to fall around them.

As Sharon and Michael got out of their vehicles, they were faced with something that nobody had ever seen in Chromatik history: A shadow demon, coming to feast on the mortals in their way.

That afternoon, on that highway, Michael Starr and Sharon Wallacher were two of over 3,000 that fell to the initial incursion of the Abyss from Yesopalitha, making them the first Chromatiks to be killed by foreigners in history.

30 Miles Northeast of Freedom's Altar
CSN Ange de la Paix

Captain Kim Min-Young of the Chromatik State Navy looked at the rapidly approaching Yesopalithan coastline as she read her orders for what seemed like the hundredth time. It had come through the proper channels, top secret encryption and all, that the Ange de la Paix, Radiance, and Judgment, with their accompaniment, were to reach Freedom's Altar and demand an answer for what was happening in Chromatika.

What was known for the Chromatiks at this point was that long-range sensors had detected an energy surge departing Yesopalitha and arriving in the middle of the Eyrodii Jungle. It wasn't clear what the energy surge was, but the result was an incursion of creatures that belonged in the fantasy books that were terrorizing the Chromatik public. Timely intervention of the Chromatik half of the Navy, the Chromatik Army, and the Coast Guard had managed to establish a battle line two miles to the west of the town of Limonte, but it was a mess. The death toll was in the tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands were fleeing the eastern half toward Myana and the main Chromatik Island, and the country was reeling.

Was she here to attack Yesopalitha? Absolutely not, but she had also been told to get answers, no matter the cost. Still, from what little she knew about the Yesopalithans, ticking them off didn't seem like the best of ideas; she hoped that she would be able to find the information that they needed without causing an international incident.

"Contact, two miles and closing, Ma'am," reported the Lieutenant at the helm, "It looks like a bird of some sort, definitely not aircraft. Orders?"

"We don't engage unless engaged upon," she answered evenly, "Let's see if we can find a solution without getting stuck so far from home."

As the small armada swung hard to port and awaited for the visitors to arrive, a black wyvern appeared from the island. It was adorned in simple armor to protect its vulnerable underside, while a sleek, purposeful saddle had one being on it - a figure clad from head to toe in black, with specks of white.

"I mean you no harm," stated the being as the Wyvern landed on the deck of the amphibious carrier, "I offer you my condolences for what's happened in your country, and offer you a potential solution - but only if our two nations are to work together."

"Are you saying that this is all a freak accident of some kind?" asked Kim, her brows furrowing.

"Yes," sighed the figure. Lowering her hood, Nirdasil, the Chosen of Zaiden, the Dark Crusader, and the eternal leader of Yesopalitha stood. Part elf, werewolf, vampire, shade, and mummy, she was unlike any creature any Chromatik had ever seen, possessing both a beauty and a formidableness that demanded respect.

"My name is Niradsil, and I am the leader of this country," she introduced herself, "We don't have much time to lose. You must take me to where the Portal to the Abyss has moved to, and do it quickly before it consumes more of your country."

"You're willing to come with us?" inquired Kim, incredulously, "A nation that will not trust you after what's happened?"

"Trust is earned, especially in times of crisis," answered Nirdasil, "This is partly our fault, and it is our mission to help you put an end to this. Once we arrive at the location, I will be able to make the necessary adjustments to allow for my people to join us. Then, together, we can take down this threat."

As looks of unease flew around the ship at the mention of her bringing others, she added, "Provided we reach an agreement, of course."

Kim looked at this leader of Yesopalitha with scrutiny. She looked saddened, but not deceitful; in fact, the biggest thing that Kim saw was unilateral purpose. No matter which other motives that Nirdasil had, Kim believed that it was part of Nirdasil's mission to stoop what was happening in Chromatika.

"Very well," Kim answered, motioning for her crew to lower their weapons, "We welcome you to the Ange de la Paix. Wish it was under different circumstances."

As she motioned to the helmsman to turn the ships around and make their way to Myana, she offered a hand to Nirdasil.

"My name is Kim Min-Young," she explained, "I am the Captain of this ship, and the leader of this task force. We've been stationed here ever since we heard that the leader of this nation - which must have been you - fell into a coma. Civil unrest rose, and Chromia began to be concerned. We are glad we were here today to bring you to us."

"Traveling by plane will only bring forth more pain," Nirdasil explained, "There are many flying creatures of the Abyss, and they will be wary of any and all fliers that come near the area. From the water, though, we may have a chance to make it to Chromatika without being noticed."

"Let us hope so, for both of our sakes," Kim replied.

Then, with an unexpected Head of State in tow, she started the journey back to Chromatika, hoping that a solution to the issues at hand was on its way.

by **Cardenao** » Tue Apr 25, 2023 8:38 pm

Matchday One cutoff!!!

by **Huayramarca** » Tue Apr 25, 2023 8:42 pm

Matchday One cutoff!!!

Will your fans be there, at the stands, to witness some good football? Let's get this started!

Group 5 (Five)
Ochre Islands 2–2 Wokeanaia (3-2 Golden Goal) - The Palace, Alegría
Krytenia 1–1 Legalese (1-2 Golden Goal) - The Palace, Alegría

  Group 5 (Five)           Pld   W  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Legalese                   1   1  0    2   1  +1    3
  Ochre Islands              1   1  0    3   2  +1    3
3 Krytenia                   1   0  1    1   2  −1    0
  Wokeanaia                  1   0  1    2   3  −1    0

Group 6 (Six)
Cardenao 1–1 Kharakia (2-1 Golden Goal) - Casa Cartablanca, Cartablanca
Aleirave 1–1 Evermark (2-1 Golden Goal) - The Cottage, Küsbon

  Group 6 (Six)            Pld   W  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Aleirave                   1   1  0    2   1  +1    3
  Cardenao                   1   1  0    2   1  +1    3
3 Evermark                   1   0  1    1   2  −1    0
  Kharakia                   1   0  1    1   2  −1    0

Group 7 (7)
Lexandrija 3–5 The Karodin Tetrarchy - RTC Transhub Arena, Sareña
Mertagne 0–0 Atheara (1-0 Golden Goal) - RTC Transhub Arena, Sareña

  Group 7 (7)              Pld   W  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 The Karodin Tetrarchy      1   1  0    5   3  +2    3
2 Mertagne                   1   1  0    1   0  +1    3
3 Atheara                    1   0  1    0   1  −1    0
4 Lexandrija                 1   0  1    3   5  −2    0

by **Cardenao** » Tue Apr 25, 2023 9:14 pm

Group 1 (One)

Huayramarca 1–0 Parumaquae - Estadio Nacional de Huayramarca - Huayramarca Metropolitan District
Pyazhnaya 4–1 Bostopia - Estadio Departamental de Tarapacá - Alto Hospicio

Group One (1)           Pld    W   L    GF   GA   Pts 
1 Pyazhnaya               1    1   0     4    1     3
2 Huayramarca             1    1   0     1    0     3
3 Bostopia                1    0   1     1    4     0
4 Parumaquae              1    0   1     0    1     0

Group 2 (Two)

Chromatika 2–0 Vdara - Estadio de la Universidad Nacional del Altiplano - El Alto
Audioslavia 0–1 Starblaydia - Estadio de la Revolución - San Ignacio de la Frontera, Cajamarca

Group Two (2)           Pld    W   L    GF   GA   Pts 
1 Chromatika              1    1   0     2    0     3
2 Starblaydia             1    1   0     1    0     3
3 Audioslavia             1    0   1     0    1     0
  Vdara                   1    0   1     0    2     0

Group 3 (Three)

Flavovespia 1–0 Notricia - Estadio Marítimo, Puerto San Carlos
Estorvipa and Estorpiva 1–0 Cocoabo Forest - Estadio Olímpico del Oriente - Sechura

Group Three (3)             Pld    W   L    GF   GA   Pts 
1 Estorvipa and Estorpiva    1    1   0     1    0     3
  Flavovespia                1    1   0     1    0     3  
3 Cocoabo Forest             1    0   1     0    1     0
  Notricia                   1    0   1     0    1     0

Group 4 (Four)

Ko-oren 2–0 United Hawkland - Estadio Olímpico Universitario - Lima
Yesopalitha 0–0 Koronavia (0–1 Golden Goal) - Estadio Metropolitano del Guayas - Guayaquil

Group Four (4)           Pld    W   L    GF   GA   Pts 
1 Ko-oren                 1    1   0     2    0     3
2 Koronavia               1    1   0     1    0     3
3 United Hawkland         1    0   1     0    2     0
  Yesopalitha             1    0   1     0    1     0

by **Legalese** » Wed Apr 26, 2023 6:48 am

Why your opponent is nice: Wokeanaia

Many people love to hate on Wokeanaia. But some people (mostly those who understand
what the Gothanitan Isles actually are and how it somehow spans over a lot of regions) are
fans of Wokeanaia. This preview of the Legalite opposition in Group Five is for those who
prefer to ~~look past disingenuous choices~~take the latter approach.

Your team: Wokeanaia, or what appears to be East North Handoria, or West North
Handoria, depending on what geography tells us.

Their History: None. This previously unheard-of nation submitted their application to
join the CAFA, apparently without talking to the rest of the Gothanitan Isles in advance.
Running from AO? I’ve never heard of anyone doing that before!

Competition-wise, the Wokeans appear to have a domestic volleyball league,
which shows some experience with other sports. One hopes that being such a small area,
they don’t spread themselves too thin by stretching into another competition.

Their Manager: Tadas Conghalaigh. This his first managing gig, after time as a coach
in North Handoria, and a career as a journeyman defender in the Gothanitan Isles. With a
first time manager, Tadas brings a challenge for the Legalites, in that the only game tape
they’ll have to prepare is against the Ochre Islands. Whether that’s enough to overcome a
lack of experience as the gaffer, combined with a history of living in the middle-to-low tier on
the table is a fair question, but I’m sure Tadas will accomplish whatever Wokeanaia is aiming
to achieve.

What’s New that’s Great: Literally everything. New team, new country, new flag.

What’s always been great: Wokeanaia comes from a group of nations with a tradition of
unorthodox, outside-the-box thinking. And look, we’re not one to complain about a good breakaway.
Overall, just looking at this new side, it’s clear that they’re realistic about their results, which
is healthy, though maybe a bit pessimistic (which we try to avoid here). I’m sure that if the
Wokeans do manage to pull off a victory or two, they will be well-celebrated, but I’m also not
sure that’s the point. It’s not clear who they’re sending it to, or what it is, but the main point of
Wokeanaia being here is to send a message.

More from Relfector
CAFA
Patience is Golden, especially if waiting for your opponent to make a mistake

by **Kharakia** » Wed Apr 26, 2023 7:30 am

A decent start for Kharakia

Kharakia's debut in the CAFA Cup was a great day for many, as they finally saw their nation represented in an international tournament. Unfortunately, their debut resulted in a 2-1 loss to co-host Cardenao, though it was on golden goal. During the game, we saw great performances from players like Fremíer Síer, Yuri Farkas, and Ben Polas-Gonzalez. Only one card was given to Kharakia throughout the match, and that being Fremíer Síer's yellow card for simulation in Extra Time trying to draw a penalty to win the golden goal.
The only Kharakian goalscorer was Ta'a Kan, with his first ever goal for the NT. He was assisted by Yuri Farkas in his first ever assist for the NT. Many Kharakian bright spots were there, as the cohesion and teamwork was high, with many close chances. Unfortunately, Cardenao's goalkeeper, Ray Holland, had many incredible saves throughout the match to keep Kharakia to only one goal, keeping Fremíer Síer's 7 shots on goal from touching the back of the net. Meanwhile, on Cardenao's side, it was a good day as Ibai Acosta-Vargas managed to score a brace for the team in a Player of the Match performance.

In other news, manager Ryän Pierson-Mival has also made his debut in CAFA, and it's growing increasingly more likely that he moves on from his position at Burners FC, where he's the assistant manager. The club currently sits atop the Kharakian 2 League, with 25 points in 9 games, and 8-1-0 record, which is obviously better than any team in either the 1 League or the 2 League. However, his and Manager Lukass Cheshinirak's success did not translate into the Full Cup, where the club was eliminated in the group stage.

Kharakia looks forward to their roads ahead, where they hopefully can qualify for the knockout stage, but as newcomers in a group with teams who've all played before, it looks unlikely. But we can all hope than Kharakia doesn't get CAFA'd.

Cardenao 2-1 Kharakia (On Golden Goal)
Ibai Acosta-Vargas (44', 102'); Ta'a Kan (67')

KPB
Kharakian Public Broadcasting

by **Atheara** » Wed Apr 26, 2023 8:34 am

Things did not start too well for Atheara, again.

As Atheara would be playing in CAFA during the regular season for the Athearan Super League (And likely the regular season of football in other countries too), it meant that a good part of these players who were supposed to be playing for their clubs domestically would be playing internationally for the Republic. And we know how well this often ends up for Atheara. While the team continues to try and perfect their offensive tactics with a foreign assistant manager doing his best to try and continue to sharpen the offensive side of their game, The Blue Guard still fell short to Mertagne on the first matchday of the group stage, losing to a golden goal by Holly Eveson. Although to be fair, Atheara is rarely ever consistent when it comes to playing in it's regional competition against it's peers who have been playing regional football for longer.

But, within the team there is one person who can't really stand with how the team tactics are playing out. First choice goalkeeper and team captain Mikel Horzabath Krygorf wasn't sure if these "Offensively defensive" tactics were the way to go. Sure, it showed a lot of promise when in showcase, as they almost scored three goals against Mertagne. But he just fears that the defense of this team could become... Shaky again. There are instances when The Blue Guard's backline immediately crumble due to trying to force the chances to try and equalize against their opponents. He doesn't want that to happen, not with him in the net especially. Afterall, his brother left this team and trusted him in it. Sure Mugel did have a lot of howlers from time to time but he just doesn't want to dissapoint the Krygorf name, or his older brother at that. Afterall he knows about the comparisons people make, he knows people say that he's not as good as him. So what does he do about it?

Simple. He talks to the team manager in Kristian Johansson. Express his discontent with the change in tactics, perhaps maybe try to talk about it and what negatives it could bring. And Horzabath was doing exactly that as he was sitting in Johansson's office, as his manager tried to organize some files on his computer while listening to the goalkeeper complain about the team strategy. "I understand where your concern lies, Mikel." Kristian said. It took a bit but he cleared out the final unnecessary file on his computer. He then looked at Horzabath face to face, clasping his hands together. "But you also need to understand why these changes are being tried. I see this team and what I think we lack is that aggression when needed. We become too passive when things start being lost." Mikel glances to the side, understanding what Kristian meant. And that was when before he replied, "I know, I know. It's just I have that fear where our backline, pardon my language... Goes to shit. We play defensively because our backline struggles when we go on the attack a bit too much, no?"

Kristian laughed a bit at the younger Krygorf's reply. It seems he figured something out. "I think you just can't fully trust your fellow defenders yet. Let me tell you a small story." He said, The manager then got a few cups of coffee to keep Mikel's attention, as he gave one of the cups to Horzabath. "You see, your brother before the Baptism of Fire actually talked about the same thing. One of his most trusted friends was also in defense. But he talked to me about the fear of being too rigid, the possibility of this national team's backline being wobbly. You know what I told him, which made him and whatever backline he had mostly consistent?" Mikel shook his head, saying no. Meanwhile as he did that, Kristian drank from his cup of coffee. "Get to know your teammates. Don't just treat them as friends in the office, but as friends as if you're all playing for the same club. Once that friendship is started, the rest will be figured out with rather ease. Just like your brother did. I know that although you've been on here for a while, you haven't really got to truly know your team off the field."

"I guess I'll try. You are right, I haven't tried to know the team off the field so... I should at least make an effort to." Mikel said as his reply. The two continued to talk about the situation of the team and management, the tactics and strategies they might go with and what to focus on for the next few weeks. Eventually Mikel got up and decided to leave once he was done with Kristian, only to see Tedd Van De Lruzhingen outside his office. "Ah, sorry." Tedd said as he went to the side, allowing Horzabath to leave as he entered the manager's office and closed the door. Mikel decided to head to where everyone else was at currently, but he did hear a few bits and pieces about retirement and leaving it open. "I wonder what that could be about, oh well." Mikel muttered. That was none of his business, for him, it's the team and on the field.

by **Huayramarca** » Wed Apr 26, 2023 8:44 am

Matchday 2 prompt (optional): Any history between your nation and your opponent? Perhaps it's the time to write about it. No rivals, perhaps it's the time to forge one?

by **Flavovespia** » Wed Apr 26, 2023 1:19 pm

It was not a convincing victory by any means, but Flavovespia was able to squeeze out a narrow 1-0 victory, to start their defence of the CAFA Cup with 3 points. Visitors Notricia put in a real valiant effort, but just lacked the cutting edge to get on the scoresheet, which ultimately cost them.

Flavovespia weren’t taking this game easy with their line up announced. A full strength 11 took to the pitch in yellow and black, keen to get off to a winning start, and show there was no hangover from a long, gruelling World Cup Qualifiers and World Cup group stage. In the opening 10 to 15 minutes, Flavovespia certainly looked in good attacking form, and Roland Garrard had to do well to push a Michael Cole shot beyond his post. Adrian Jones also should’ve done better from the resulting corner, heading it well over the bar. However, once Notricia found a way to cut out the more dangerous through balls of Flavovespia, they began to build their confidence. A few good clearances, a few wayward passes from Flavovespia, and the fact that there wasn’t an early goal meant this game felt nervy in the first half. Marcus Marr would get a decent shot on target in the 36th minute, although it wasn’t enough to beat Aarif Muhammad. Nevertheless, after 45 minutes, it was 0-0, and not much in it.

The second half didn’t have the liveliest of starts, although if one side were to be labelled as ahead, it would be Flavovespia. Their quick attacks were wearing down the defence of Notricia, but Notricia always had the right man back when needed. Flavovespia needed change, and turned to Richard Birmingham to replace Adrian Jones, and Birmingham looked like he could well get on the scoresheet. In the end however, it was in fact one of the midfielders to score the game’s only goal. In the 74th minute, Jonathan Bagshaw whipped in a low cross. A deflection by Arunas Anker took the ball into the path of Kieron Player. On the edge of the box, a well curled effort by Player beat Garrard, and hit the back of the net. 1-0 to Flavovespia, a tough game, but one they now had the lead in.

That effort deflated Notricia, and although they put up a brave effort to find an equaliser, Flavovespia had enough in their locker to knock back any attacks. The 1-0 victory over Notricia was hardly a scintillating display, but it was enough to start the campaign off with 3 points. In the other Group 3 game, Estorvipa and Estorpiva won 1-0 over Cocoabo Forest. One goal victories are the story of the two matchups between Flavovespia and Estorvipa and Estorpiva. In Matchday 6 of World Cup Qualifiers 93, Richard Birmingham got the goal just before the half-hour mark, a close range near-post effort to turn in Michael Cole’s low cross. In the reverse fixture on Matchday 17, it was Jonathan Goldstone’s moment to shine. His 63rd minute shot from 23 metres out was powerful and accurate, leaving the defence and goalkeeper no chance, and making several highlight reels.

by **Estorvipa and Estorpiva** » Thu Apr 27, 2023 3:01 am

From the diary of Marek Lemish

Another CAFA Cup for the Federal Republic, another attempt to win something that may or may not mean anything in the grand scheme of things. A lot of people are already giving up hope that they will see the Federal Republic win the CAFA Cup within their lifetimes, and some of us are also beginning to think that we won’t win the cup while they’re still playing for the national team. Sometimes I’m one of those people, and sometimes I think that we will do the impossible and knock Flavovespia off of their perch. Maybe it is impossible. And maybe we are the team that will be able to do that. Who knows? Stranger things have happened in recent times.

Funny that I should mention Flavovespia out of all the other teams that I could have that are also in the CAFA Cup. The two-time defending CAFA Cup champions are in the same group as the Federal Republic. I can only see this ending in one way, and no one who supports the Federal Republic is going to have fun watching it. I don’t even care if there’s a chance of us beating the other two teams in our group. Flavovespia is more than likely going to spank us, and I don’t know if there’s anything that I can do to stop it. I don’t know if there’s anyone on this team that can stop the inevitable as well, not even Fabian Prasutagusic himself. I guess that’s why it’s called the inevitable, because it’s always going to happen no matter what.

Huayramarca has been nice in the short time that I’ve been here. It’s tropical, sunny, warm, everything that the Federal Republic is not. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a proper sunny sky over Estorian territory for as long as I can remember, and when I mentioned this to the team, a lot of people seemed to agree with me. My fellow striker, young Petru Udeanu, asked me why I didn’t think that it was strange that the sky always seemed to be cloudy over Estoria every time one of us tried to recall it. Maybe it’s because the sun had never been given a good reason to shine down on our country. Before the Federal Republic, I don’t think the people have ever been happy with the governments and leadership that we had. Even the landscape of Estoria itself does not lend itself well to well-lit and sunny backdrops. Everything from the mountains to the plains to the cities are just muted colors. Who would want to live there in the first place? Apparently, our ancestors did, and now it’s the place that we call our motherland.

  ESTORVIPA AND ESTORPIVA 1 - 0 COCOABO FOREST  
       PRASUTAGUSIC (56')

CAFA Cup VI: Get CAFA'd - Everything Thread

CAFA Cup VI: Get CAFA'd - Everything Thread

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