XV Olympic Winter Games - RP thread

by **Kelssek** » Sat Jan 16, 2021 4:17 pm

Navigation: OOC | RP | Results | Rosters

The Organizing Committee for the Clayquot Olympic Games (OCCLA) and the Kelssek Olympic Committee is pleased to welcome the 51 participating delegations.

Venues
Entauren
Entauren Mountain Resort – Alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, ski jumping, snowboarding
Etnier Sliding Centre – Bobsleigh, luge, skeleton

Clayquot metropolitan area
Fratellis Olympic Oval – Speed skating
Portage Centre – short track, ice hockey (home of the Red Star Clayquot professional hockey club)
Partisans Arena – figure skating, ice hockey (home of the Partisans Clayquot professional hockey club, it's more commonly known as The SuperBarn due to sponsorship by a grocery co-op)
University of Etnier Sports Centre – curling
Coronet Park – Biathlon, cross-country skiing

Other venues
Three cities outside Clayquot have been selected to host the bandy demonstration event.

Kestrel - Nestled in the foothills of the Whitetusk Mountains, a car parts manufacturing and cattle ranching hub that insists that it's a city in that it's the biggest population centre between Clayquot and the Lupinissia border. Matches will be held in a rink constructed in the city's Old Square, in front of its historic city hall.
Coldwater - A large mountain town with an extensive ski lift operation (similar in size to Entauren) that is a major wintersports destination in its own right. Matches will be held at the Bracebridge Rugby Ground.
Gimlet - A historic town with a couple of rye whisky distilleries and a chocolate festival. Matches to be held in Dutt Riverside Park.

Bronze and gold medal matches will be held in Paragon Park, near the base of the North Star Tower.

Newly-built Olympic Villages providing accommodation for all athletes are located at Entauren and in central Clayquot. They have suites of individual bedrooms with shared living space. National delegations are grouped together. Communal facilities within each complex include games and TV rooms, and gym facilities. Only accredited athletes and delegation officials have access to these facilities. All delegations are expected to reside in the Olympic Villages for the duration of the Games.

The schedule is now posted in the results thread. The cutoff for RPs to be counted to your participation bonus is at 23:00 UTC on scorination days.

by **Kelssek** » Sat Jan 16, 2021 4:17 pm

Information about Clayquot
Kelssek: a brief visitor's guide

Entauren is a large ski resort located 94 km from Clayquot. Public transportation by EtnierLine railway service is the primary mode of access.
The logo features the aurora borealis framing an abstract profile of the Memorable Mountains and looming above them, Parracuttis, the extinct cone volcano which is the most prominent peak of the Memorable Mountains and a landmark of the Clayquot region.
Craig Nolan Airport (CQT) is Clayquot's main airport, and is well-equipped to handle all the charter flights you can throw at it. Visitors from other continents are more likely to transfer through the much larger hubs of Latrobe's Burke Airport (LAT) or Kirkenes Malton (KRZ). The latter is the East Pacific regional hub for Rushmore-based Air Terranea.

by **San Ortelio** » Sun Jan 17, 2021 6:50 am

In case the flashing lights, fumes of smoke and an opening tune which abides to the law “As long as it’s loud and boisterous, it’s ok” did not give it away, then the title definitely will. Yes indeed, you are watching a typical San Ortelian tv show. You are watching…

So You Think You Can Be An Olympian

Amidst loud applause, the host and hostess of the show descend from stairs so large, it’s borderline ridiculous they don’t walk down with a whole circus behind them. Then again, the producer might not have minded but as this show is a collaboration between TeleUno, the main commercial broadcaster, and the SOOO, the San Ortelian Olympic Organisation, the latter tried to push the brakes on the budget every once and awhile. And often failed. Yet, the original idea did originate from the nearly invisible building in a silent cul-de-sac in Catrallo where the SOOO houses. One of the administrative forces came, during a particularly rowdy Friday afternoon ‘work meeting’ up with what was initially seen as a ridiculous idea: to send some San Ortelians to the Winter Olympics.

It is important to note that the highest spot in the country, Monte Alba, did not get its name from the snowy peaks but from the dusty lime roads, topping at about seven hundred metres above sea level. Yes, it can snow in San Ortelio, but it usually happens once in a decade and melts away in a matter of hours. Jokingly, the people in the SOOO always said that the Winter Sports department is composed of the cafeteria fridge. The number of registered winter sporters ahead of that [s]bacchanal[/s] technical meeting as such rounded up to a beautiful amount of zero.

Nonetheless, the motion somehow got accepted and two young newcomers to the Olympic organisation, Luca Mellini and Carolina Difiore, picked up the idea as their personal pet project. And with some success. Not only did they manage to find ten sporty individuals willing to convert their specialisations into a winter sports setting in exchange for eternal glory - or at least an attempt to it -, they also got in touch with TeleUno to tape their journey from newcomer to Olympian and broadcast it for the nation to follow. Not every board meeting upon the format went equally well with TeleUno preferring a bizarre knock-out televoting mechanism, but both parties managed to meet in the middle after all. That was if the SOOO accepted Dino Gazzoli, a veteran of many television wars with a shady track record, and Maria Bellucci, winner of the latest Miss election, as the hosting duo. And it are these two who walk out of the smoke, shining like a freshly polished shoe.

"Buonasera, ladies and gentlemen!” Gazzoli smiles, blinding his audience with the reflection of the studio spots on his teeth. He did not just reach, but shatter the official retirement age but he’s addicted to those spotlights. And the advertising cash, judged by the obnoxious collar ad. And working in an environment filled with young, naive women, judged by his marital track record. Oh, and heroine, but that’s not so relevant right now.
“Buonasera!” echoes Bellucci, whose title has been shrouded by allegations of vote buying. On her heels, she towers over Dino, looking even more glittery in her deep-cut evening dress, “we are honoured to welcome you to ‘So You Can Be An Olympian, You Think!’”
“So You Think You Can Be An Olympian, sweetheart,” Dino corrects, leading to a nervous giggle. Somewhere behind the screens, a producer nods his head, aware that this still is the best take they made. “Because we have searched far and wide for people who could become an Olympian hero.”
“Far and wide? In San Ortelio?” Maria reads off the telecaster. Even she’s aware that another micronation joke is getting old hat for the audience.
“Well indeed, it took quite a search to find eight people or duos equipped for the difficult and hazardous task: becoming a true Olympian. Most of them had never even tried their new sport, but all were chosen for their unique skills. Over the course of the next few weeks, we will see if they are capable of appearing in their sport and not drop out.”
“Together with the athletes, we will travel to Clayquot to follow the pinnacle of their adventure - partaking in the XV Winter Olympics! Oh, Dino, I’m so looking forth to visiting that winter wonderland!”
“Do not worry, Maria,” Gazzoli grins repulsively, “I’ll keep you warm in Kelssek.”
“Oh, you’ll make sure we’ve got gloves?”
“If that’s your… thing?”

An awkward silence later, Dino continues what is, after all, the short pilot episode for the show.

“But now you wonder, who are those people, those future heroes? Let’s take a closer look at them!”

As the camera starts to rise for a closing cut and the music, a predictable tune with some wintery bells, picks up, one can still hear the high pitch of Maria, “Or maybe those bear hats? You’ld look so cute in one!”

On a lonely bit of grassland, a camouflage-coloured tent stands against the backdrop of a rugged cliff. As the drone flies in, a man, tall, muscled yet notably sharp, walks out of the tent. An edgy font appears at the bottom right of the screen.

Daniel TASCHIN - Biathlon

“I am a person who believes in the power of nature. Being outside, being in touch with mother Nature gives me calmth,” the man explains whilst exposing a tattoo of a tree across his back. “For a decade, I have been in the military and I still believe that hard work accomplishes everything.”

An instant cut to Daniel, working out by lifting two heavy branches, gets exchanged to him jumping into a river in the early morning.

“The early bird catches the worm and too many hours on a pillow makes you soft,” Taschin grins. “I am not like that, that’s why I can become a true Olympian.”

A taxi rides up to a waving woman in what is most obviously a staged scene, partially for the fact that there is no other traffic despite it being played at the Corsa Canniero, a busy main street of Catrallo and partially because the woman is dressed in the short shorts and top of a track sprintster. Again, in a commercial main street. She gets in and a ‘totally unscripted, natural-flowing conversation’ starts as the font reappears.

Martina & Vittoria ZANARDO - Bobsleigh

“So Vittoria, are you ready for this ride?”
“More than anything, Martina!”
“There is no one with whom I want to do this but you, sister.”

They cut to a studio where the two sit together with the camera, giggling.

“So, yes,” Vittoria explains, “people may know me as an athlete already. I currently hold the national record on the sixty metres dash and the third best time on the one hundred metres. What few people might know is that my older sister Martina” (quick cut to a waving Martina) “is a taxi driver in Catrallo.”
“I’m not as athletic as my sister so that will require some work, but if you can navigate yourself through our rush hour, I’m sure I can bring a metal coffin to the bottom of a hill.”

As the drone still needed to be paid off, it is now flying across a middle-class street in what looks like the outskirts of Pesari. Suddenly, it takes a sharp left, flying towards a window where a couple is seated at the living table, solving a crossword puzzle. They seem to be thinking very hard, although keen observers will note that the sheet is completed already.

“So my wife and I,” explains the man who looks like a particularly dull maths teacher, “like to do things as a couple so when we saw this advertisement, we just had to subscribe.”

Edoardo Torrazzo & Angela CONCA - Curling

“I mean, I read it and I was like ‘oh my god, Edoardo, that’s so us!’” Angela shrieks, “It simply said - have you already followed all salsa dancing classes in town, but you still want to do a couples thing? So, well, I’ve never heard of curling before but I’m sure it will be fun. It’s like hair styling, right?”

Edoardo laughs the laugh of a man who has just been told that, yes, they will have to treat that root canal without sedation.

A classical tune is played on an empty stage and from the left, an elegant, skinny woman comes up. She is dressed in a black, narrow suit and moves graciously on a romantic tune, throwing in a few pirouettes to ensure people fully grasp that, yes, this is ballet.

“Dancing is my life and my only love,” she says softly, with the camera zooming on her aching feet to make the point.

Anastasia CONFALONIERI - Figure Skating

“I have always wanted to make more of my art, showcase it internationally. So this is a beautiful opportunity to go abroad and dance for a new, appreciative audience. And ok, I have never in my life wore a pair of ice skates before but dancing is dancing, no?”

The previous intro contrasts heavily with the upcoming shot, taken from inside a plane. A man in a helmet grabs the camera, waves to the audience and then jumps out backwards, still holding the camera with one hand and giving a thumbs up with the other.

“I LIKE TO WAIT AS LONG AS POSSIBLE BEFORE PULLING THE CHORD!” HE YEL- oh, sorry. He yells.

Fortunato LAVAZZI - Ski Jumping

“In my life I have done some crazy stuff already,” a bulky man with a bizarre mohawk and a neck tattoo explains. I’ve jumped off the Ralzani Cliff, I’ve fought with bears, I’ve stayed in an ice bath for two hours, …” Fortunato explains whilst clips of his exploits are shown, “This is for me just another stunt, but this time about speed and height. After all, ski jumping is just about guts and I am the right adrenaline junkie to do this.”

A fairly short man, just a bit over five feet walks up to a restaurant dressed in a sharp suit with an elegant rose attached to it in front. He’s all smiles and has a charming twinkle in his eyes. Up next, he’s sitting in the studio we recognise from the Zanardo sisters.

“Oh, shoot. I really thought this was the callback for First Dates. I’m actually a bit hungry now,” he laughs.

Lorenzo BASEGGIO - Shorttrack

“I am actually already an athlete in real life,” Lorenzo explains, “as I am a jockey. Back when there was a small rink at the christmas fair in Redoccio, I skated on that but it has been a while. But I’m a quick learner, I’m motivated and kind and… Wait, that was my line for First Dates.”

The segment ends on a shot of Lorenzo who puts on a shorttrack helmet, acting goofy throughout.

For the first time in the whole show, the audience sees some actual snow. It’s the sight of Giulia Canvelli sliding down a mountain and doing so with natural grace. In a characteristic end shot, we see her enthused grin appear from underneath the ski goggles before making a full stop - the snow thrown up by her skies covering the lens.

“What do you mean, my ‘regular’ life? This is what I do!”

Giulia CANVELLI - Alpine Skiing

“So I worked as a beach guard in the summertime, in the Astello marina,” Canvelli explains as some stock images of… well, a beach are shown as no one surely knows what our own coast looks like, “and in the winter months I live here in Tikariot, in Fort Viljan, where I’m employed as a ski instructor. But I hope to go to college in Quebec next year.”

Images show her trying to keep a group of about eight kids in line, all dressed in uniform red skiing suits, which gives away an image of a mother duck with her ducklings - if the ducklings were bright red seastars.

“So far I’ve been bankrolled by my Quebecois family as I have been applying to the SOOO for ages for some funding. And now there is, so I’m happy I can do it this way,” Giulia says, visibly miffed that it needed a bloody game show to get some official funding.

A man on a carbon bike in a lycra suit standing atop a hill which all Ortelians immediately recognise as Monte Alba, the highest ‘peak’ of the country. Amidst the white dust, the dark brown sunburn of his arms stands out even more. Attempting a cool look, the man lifts his sunglasses for a cheeky grin, but one notes he needed to look back to his stem for a second to remain clipped in.

“So my name is Jacopo, I won a bit here and there in mountain biking but I’ve never really considered winter sports.”

Jacopo SPERANDIO - Cross Country Skiing

“I think I have a chance to be good at this,” Sperandio claims, “as a cyclist, you need a good lung capacity, endurance, … I have all that.”

Another shot of him, sprinting up the same hill pushing away all his might on the pedals.

“I’m only not sure what on earth to do with these sticks.”

We’re back in the studio whilst the outro music is playing already. Dino knows the drill and summarises quickly.

“So there were our contestants, stay tuned, every evening at half past eight for their adventure!"

by **Teremaran Olympics Delegation** » Sun Jan 17, 2021 1:45 pm

“Good afternoon, Neu Engollon and to our international viewers! I’m Karl Demais here with your co-host, Magda Wertauer. This is the NETV 7 Special Coverage of the 15th Edition of the Winter Olympics and we have just arrived today in Clayquot, Kelssek where a small studio has been set up for us...”

“Karl, glad to be here for another Olympics. Teremara represent!”

“As tradition has set forth, we nations of Teremara do not enter separately into the Olympics, both summer and winter, but as a joint, unified delegation. It was quite an impressive and historic event several years ago when the Ministers of many Teremaran nations got together to discuss pooling resources and athletes into a joint delegation. Since that time, many more have signed on and what’s even more intriguing is the vast gulf of politics between many of the nations, yet they still work together as one cohesive delegation. You have some of the democratic Western Madurinite nations such as our Confederacy, Gaul, Lacetanya, and Taranima, joining forces with the likes of authoritarian nations like Yellow Star Republic, Austrakia, Gragastavia, and Falkasia. The Arkyatani Empire, and…”

“Let’s not forget the recent addition of San Rosito, widely considered to be a narco-republic, if we’re looking at the wide spectrum of Teremaran nations joining the delegation.”

“I don’t know that anyone is forgetting them, Magda, especially as they are quite an anomaly of a tropical, Latin nation participating in a Winter Olympics.”

“Stick to script, Karl... While there are a lot of new faces coming in from Gragastavia, Arkyatan, San Rosito, and Port Edwinn, we also have a wave of returning medalists and well known athletes that need to be acknowledged.”

“That’s right. Returnees like Valerian Larashenko, multiple medalist of Falkasia; along with Njall Ragnarssen of Glisandia, a long time teammate of Valerian in the cross country team sprint..."

“Valka Mogen, also a Falkasian, and Vincent Hudon, our Alpine and freestyle skier, along with Oskar Costello, a Neu Engollian skater…”

“Kria Annarsdottir, the Glisandian cross country skier, and Maríam Kársdottir, the skater from that Grand Duchy…”

“We could spend the rest of the time just listing off athletes, but really, let’s get down to it. What do we think the Teremaran Olympic delegation chances are this go round, Karl?”

“Well, I would have to say pretty good, Magda. I’ll be honest, I haven’t really looked at their competition, but I feel it’s likely to be most of the same as the last couple editions. I would like to see golds in the team sports like hockey and curling. Our teams barely made a showing at all in the 14th. They did decent in the 13th at Prescott, but the 12th, also in Prescott, was really their year. Women’s hockey got gold, beating out Redvale 2 to 1; and the men’s team got silver, losing out to Elejamie…”

“Well, that’s a team to beat in hockey, both professional and Olympic.”

“Yes. Both men’s and women’s curling also got silver, losing out on the gold to the host nation teams - Electrum. I’d like to see gold all around this time out in team sports. I think this is our best chance in years and the teams look really good and have been training hard. Hockey’s going to be the toughest, but I think our people have a shot and we’re looking as good as we did back then in Prescott.”

“I think that the 12th was really Teremara’s year for most events. That was a medal heavy Winter Olympics for us. A lot of celebrating, especially in Northern Tavlyria, which for those of you who don’t know, is home to Falkasia, Glisandia, and the Yellow Star Republic…”

“Plenty of celebrating all around the region, Magda. Unlike the last year's Winter Olympics, which was quite dismal.”

“I’m going to just try to gloss over that one, Karl. Also, wasn’t personally a fan of being there and trying to cover events and get interviews, with all the logistical difficulties.”

“It got difficult, but let’s not get into it. Go with your first instinct there.”

“Very well then...Skating and skiing which are some of the bread and butter events for Winter Olympics, have gotten quite revitalized over the past year as the Teremaran delegation has focused on bringing in new athletes, both from established and new national programs, and building up those existing programs.”

“A lot of the athletes coming from nations you wouldn’t traditionally think of as winter sporting nations, like San Rosito as we mentioned, but also Port Edwinn, that tiny city-state tacked next to the Roman Federated States. A troubled little burg, run under a very tight ship by President for Life Valentin Moret…”

“He’s a dictator, let’s not mince words here…”

“Ahem...We’ll come back after the break and we will talk with one of the two athletes sent by the Port - Vicente Zedillo. How he trained, what his hopes are going into this first Olympics for him and his nation...Right after this sponsor break, keep tuned in here to NETV Sports 7 and our Special Coverage of the 15th Winter Olympics in Clayquot.”

by **West Phoenicia** » Mon Jan 18, 2021 3:33 am

Cameras flashing…

Murmuring tones of the media and guests.

Baroness Flora Freeman, the West Phoenician Olympic Federation President, stood at a podium at the nation's official launch party hosted in the Hotel Abundantia ballroom in the nation's capital of Melbourne-Haven.

Baroness Freeman announced the delegation which headed to Clayquot; Kelssek to compete in the XV Olympic Winter Games.

The launch was full of the pomp and grandeur that has become synonymous with West Phoenicia's participation at the Olympics.

Hundreds of purple and gold helium balloons filled with gold and silver glitter hovered on the ceiling displaying a mosaic design of a cornucopia spilling gold coins, ears of corn, apples, grapes and gourds; a symbol of prosperity and good fortune, which the elegant hotel was known for.

Dubbed The Winter Next G.

95% of West Phoenician athletes attending the Games were making their debut. Fresh and ready for their piece of the Winter Olympics pie.

Since the XI Winter Olympics, Prescott; Electrum. Athletes who ranked in the top 30 often stayed a part of the delegation for years.
Their friendship with high ranking sporting officials and high level of skills continued to ensure they were among the best to represent the nation, even if they lagged behind the competition.
Many up and coming athletes criticised the logic of the West Phoenician Institute of Sport for selecting athletes who were not the best to represent the nation.

The Winter Games suffered by playing second fiddle, many sports fans seeing the Games as second rate compared to the Summer variant.

The team had moderate success.
Winter results were not to the same calibre at the Summer Olympics delegations. There was a lot of room for improvement. New and younger athletes would uplift the delegation, make them more competitive against their opponents.

After the XIV Winter Olympics Neverend, Liventia & Yeaddin, the review by the West Phoenician Olympic Committee decided it was time to phase out the old guard, replacing them with a new generation of younger talented athletes to make their mark and hopefully increase the Winter Games medal tally.

As talented as their predecessors were, they were ageing, and it was becoming harder for the old guard to compete against younger and fresher athletes.
The last thing the Committee wanted was older athletes strutting around the Olympic Village with the assistance of a walker.

The Winter Next G had now been in the works since the last games. The West Phoenician Institute of Sport received a good injection of government funds and private sponsorships to increase the number of spots available.

Additional scholarships were given to athletes who they felt could represent their nation, but lacked the funds to study and practise and train at the Institute.

Several Winter sports received almost as much funding as medal pulling Summer sports. New coaches were hired, training facilities upgraded and sending these teens and young adults to more competitions to gain experience and exposure.

There was the usual grumbling, of course. You could never please everyone.

Several Summer Olympic Games federations, complained their lack of medal-winning, resulted from poor funding. Many winter sports Federations followed suit, complaining they too were short-changed.

Figure Skating, Luge, Snowboarding, Skiing and Speed Skating were the big winners. All five showing a history of excellence and medal-winning over several editions.
Their facilities were among the first to be remodelled, and additional coaches added to the rotation to give the athlete's the best chances of winning.

Figure Skating, Luge and Snowboarding were bringing out the big guns at the next games. Federations held high hopes for multiple medal results. Many athletes had already cited increased stress from the pressure put on them by their coaches and the Institute of Sport to win.

Madame Giselle De'Angelo, President of the Figure Skating Federation, reported she received several unwanted phone calls and emails from other sporting federations and their fans over the $5 million funding they had received.
Fans felt figure skating was receiving a leg up from the royal family for adding the Emperor's children, Prince Glenton Gryphon-Bush V and Princess Philadelphia Gryphon-Bush, to the delegation.

Madame De'Angelo laughed off the accusations, saying the Royal family supported and helped fund a slew of sports, and the two children had earnt their spots because of their talent, just as many of their siblings had also earned their Olympic spots in other sports for to their talent. Madame De'Angelo cited the silver medal win by Prince Glenton Gryphon-Bush Bush IV Soter at the XIV Winter Olympics as proof that they did not bribe their way onto delegations, they earnt them, just like everyone else and should not be attacked just because they were successful athletes.

Baroness Freeman signalled for the technical manager to play the advertisement that would hit West Phoenician television screens from tomorrow. The commercials intended to whip up the citizens into a winter sport's frenzy and possibly get another sponsorship or two.

The ballroom lights went down, guests sipped champagne and nibbled on canapes.
Baroness Freeman stepped aside, she hoped the media and guests would love it as much as she did.

The commercial flicked across the large screen behind the podium.

The scene depicted a snowstorm, a female child in a red beanie and matching scarf, lost and crying.
The sun was setting and darkness settling in.

The child struggles to walk to find shelter. While two hungry snow leopards appear.

Their paws shown first. The camera pans up to their sleek bodies. Their eyes watching every move the child makes.

Both utter low hungry growls, they leap into action, beginning a slow run towards the child.

The sound of thumping heartbeats grows louder and louder as the snow leopards move in closer and closer.

The little girl turns and screams as she sees the snow leopards fast approaching. She screams and falls into the snow.

The snow leopard, ready to pounce on their prey when suddenly a purple and gold snowboard comes into view sailing across the snow.

A pair of strong calves are shown n purple and gold snowboard snow pants.
The camera continues to pan up, showing a young buff athlete in full snowboarding gear sailing to the rescue.
He grinds to a halt; the snowboard flicking snow at the leopards.

He lifts his violet lense snowboarding goggles, staring down the leopards.

"Close, but better luck next time. Next, G is here to win the day."

The snowboarder scoops up the little girl. He casts one look at the leopards before he sets off on the snowboard, zooming away.

A round of applause erupts in the ballroom. The lights flicker on and Baroness Freeman returns to the podium.

"This is one of three commercials that will start airing from tomorrow, to promote our new team winning the day in their sports and for our nation. It should resonate a sense of pride in all citizens who are sports fans. Questions so far?"

by **Central Shaneville** » Mon Jan 18, 2021 7:46 am

HOME PREPARATIONS FOR CENTRAL SHANEVILLE
For the first time in 3 years, Central Shaneville will participate at an Olympic Games and the Winter games itself is special for Central Shaneville as at the 13th edition of the games - the nation won its first medal during the Men's Giant Slalom event, the Central Shaneville Sports Association was very happy at Central Shaneville's delegation to the last games (which was its first.) so their confident their delegation this time round can bring more success to the island nation.

There are some new faces and new events in the Central Shaneville with some athletes possibly doing double or even triple duty on some events which is apparently to encourage younger people to take up more sports in Central Shaneville according to the CSSA.

Of course with the return of Central Shaneville to the olympics - The talk show known as The David Croft Show will also return with David Croft reportedly saying "It's great to be back, I can't wait to get out there and interview people and see it all really."

With all the hype continuing to build - training continues in the mountains near the city of Dereham in Central Shaneville where the delegation is reportedly going under some "unique" training programs which are reportedly top secret when approached on this subject the CSSA said "We can assure you its nothing sinister and if anything these new training programs are a journey of self discovery for the athletes to discover their limits."

With all this being said, the buildup to the 15th Winter Olympics begins right now and remember you can see all the action as it happens on the CSSN (Central Shaneville Sports Network.)

by **Augusticinia** » Mon Jan 18, 2021 8:23 am

Augusticinia to have Winter Olympic debut at Clayquot

A bit of History

For many the name of Augusticinia brings a dark turn. The name until recently held a legacy of civil war, political ineptitude, and great tragedy. For nearly half a decade Augusticinia was consumed in political strife, putting a halt to sports, and their just then-budding development. Players left for other nations for more secure training and even for a better chance at any semblance of victory. To be cliche, Augusticinia needed to become a phoenix rising from the ashes.

Then came the Great Reformation. Peace was signed and Augusticinia was brought back from its knees, and to national surprise, many athletes, even those who had found great success in foreign lands, came back. Of course, from the years of conflict the damage had been dealt, and the physical holds of Augusticinian support would have to begin anew. However, in idea, Augusticinian sport was stronger than ever. The people of the nation, in need of a way to believe in their reestablished country, flocked to the idea of sport and international victory -- a way to reassert Augusticinia's revival.

So that brings us to the present day, with an Augusticinian team eager to prove themselves for the first time again on the world stage, while a nation waits expectantly at home, hoping to see their country glorious anew. A wide mixture of returning athletes and younger dark horses populate the eclectic team, and if Augusticinia is to win, it's anybody's game. When asked about the chance to coach for Augusticinia again after a long itinerant stint Alpine Skiing coach Iris Riva said "Really, there's no expectation to outperform the past, or pressure to beat anyone, everyone is just excited to come back together under one flag and perform their best."

Olympic Preview

While Riva may have said there are no overarching expectations or past records to beat with this Olympic run, Augusticinia does present some top-class athletes, that if Augusticinia is going to bring home any medals these may be the top contenders:

Mara Sipeliene (Skeleton)

A long-respected skeleton runner, mainly performing nationless over the past few years in various international competitions. Sipeliene, a 32-year old racer, known for her quiet and composed demeanor is a contender for the Women's Skeleton title and hopes to reach the Olympic podium to finally round off her long career, and finally win under the Augusticinian flag.

Katya Ligeti (Women's Ice Hockey)

While the Augusticinian women's hockey team has a wide variety of players and characters, the young, breakout captain Katya Ligeti as a Left Winger will most likely prove herself as a versatile non-traditional player in the rink, if Augusticinia is to see success. At only age 22, Ligeti, like many others, has spent most of her time and continues to play in foreign leagues, seeing great success as a prominent goalscorer. Her drive may push Augusticinia to the final rounds, and be on the lookout for number 44 as the bar is set high by Katya Ligeti.

Leonid Bolshoi (Figure Skating)

The darling of the nation, ballet dancer turned figure skater Leonid Bolshoi is one of Augusticinia's top medal contenders. A subtle grace has carried Bolshoi throughout many nations performing as not only a repertory member in many established ballet companies around the world, but also as a competitive figure skater, placing his name on the many circuits where he performed exceptionally well if not won. Bolshoi's style is a notorious game of contrasts, with this Olympic run employing the vast range of Bernstein's Mambo from the broadway musical West Side Story and the adagio from Ravel's Piano Concerto in G. The figure skating rink is notorious for its top-notch competition, but many eyes look to Bolshoi as one of its potential victors.

Paul Danzig (Alpine Skiing)

At the ripe age of 24, Paul Danzig seems to be at the top of his career. Recent top-tier placements in the Skiing World Cup and various regional and national titles have led to a meteoric rise in the shorter, and unassuming Augusticinian. However, once placed on a ski hill Danzig employs a rigorous regimen of aerodynamic and tactics to achieve top speeds, which then are easily carried by his balance and solid technique. For Danzig, a medal, or even a top finish, would mean that his career is still on the rise and that the world can only hope for more.

Where to watch more

Augusticinian coverage of the XV Winter Olympic Games in Clayquot will be held on the Channel 2 of the Kanalstazione on APSN with exclusive coverage of Augusticinian athletes, and real time interviews with not only Augusticinian coaches, staff, and team members, but also all other interesting stories and happenings of the top-tier talent that Augusticinia will face.

by **Xuande-Xiphoi** » Mon Jan 18, 2021 3:56 pm

sorry for the short post - just to dip my feet thus far

CLAYQUOT, KELSSEK

"Adrian will kill you if you do, you know."

Alcohol dripped into the rainbow of colour specked tastefully into the carpet of this dormitory of the athlete's village. A chilly night revealed a dashing of snow in the glare of the lights of the room, as four people - two men and two women - sat drinking in front of a white, blue and gold flag draped across the window.

"What Adrian doesn't know," said the red haired 19 year old Lewis O'Hanrahan, "won't hurt him."

He popped open the cap of a local beer - Olympic logo front and centre of course, as with anything at these events - and made a lazy toss for the wastebin.

"That's a screw cap, dumbass." one of his teammates, the 23 year old Leonarda said in response. She was tall and thin, dark hair tied in a loose bun. Carpet burn on her elbows turned her olive skin red, as she had maintained a constant position laying above her iPhone watching replay after replay of their last practice round. Her partner in her event - the Ice Dancing portion - was in the corner of the room, himself propped with one arm under his cheek, snoozing on the carpet. His exhaustion - at 10:00pm no less - was partially attributable to the single beer he'd thought was fair enough as a celebration to making it here to the Clayquot Olympics, but moreso was due to the extended hours in the gym and on the ice rink with Leonarda.

The four assembled - the final member being Lang Zheng, the 27 year old "veteran" of this and other Olympics - after this long day and a hearty dinner. The Olympics, famously for the Xuande-Xiphoians, were a business like affair for each athlete, right up until the point their event concluded. It wasn't that different to other nation's approaches, of course, but at this most elite level, there was very little patience for athletes without a care for this etiquette. Hell, Lewis was pushing the boundaries by sipping on a second beer for the night. To the questioning looks, he drove forward the conversation.

"So what's our final view of the whole situation, then?"

"We know the top four, right off the top: the Phoenicians, the Taeshanians, Hannaseans, and the Liventians are every bit as good at us on a good day. Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll have food poisoning or some shit that day. The Diarcesians are also damn good, 'specially since the qualifiers. This is going to be brutal, and like Adrian says, it's one point here and one point there that'll make it gold or DQ'd. Although he's been saying that since he was skating, so I'm guessing there were some right fucking talented skaters in the Jurassic park he came from.

"Yeah, well, it's got us here." Lang responded. "He's a good coach... for an asshole." Lang took a long breath out.

"Look, we know there are really five teams that are able to take this one out. But let's ignore them. We can watch them on YouTube afterwards."

"Yeah... and our gold medal ceremony too."

They relaxed, in a moment of recognition. They were the best. They were all already international champions, and all of them had legitimately expended blood and tears to wear the Century Sun on the uniforms they now wore. For Xuande-Xiphoi - a largely tropical and sub-tropical archipelago with no tremendous history of success in the snow - rink sports were an investment that made tremendous sense. There was, of course, an unspoken expectation of the Xuande-Xiphoian Olympic Committee that figure skaters had to achieve success more than almost any other athletes in the Xuande-Xiphoian delegation; but, the fight was only just beginning.

by **Nurkama** » Mon Jan 18, 2021 6:42 pm

(OOC: For the sake of continuity, I am ruling any previous RPs I've done as non-canon. I'm far more interested in developing the story of my nation than I was back in the day and I'd like to have a fresh start.)

Michael Scandren sat at his desk tapping his pen repeatedly while skimming through mail he received that morning. There was not much else for him to do as the President of the Nurkaman Sports Federation, a body which oversees a divided up system composed of smaller governing bodies for individual sports. His role was mostly ceremonial, only making sure to enforce laws regarding sport put in place by Almighty Lord Khalladorrum VI and hardly doing much else other than appear at and open special sporting events. However, this role did give him the special privilege of contact with Lord Khalladorrum VI, something that few people within Nurkama will ever be able to do.

There was an unexpected knock at the door. Michael stood up from his seat and wandered towards the door. He peered through the peephole to see both the President of the Nurkaman Ice Hockey Association, Jack Mawlon and the President of the Nurkaman Ice Skating Sports Association, Vincent Burlapp standing on the other side.

"Michael, we have a proposition that we'd like to discuss with you regarding Nurkaman sport on an international level." Jack said from the other side of the door.

Michael opened the door and invited the two of them into his office, sitting them down at the two chairs in front of his desk.

"What are you two suggesting? You know Lord Khalladorrum VI won't appreciate the idea of individuals leaving the country to compete."

"Have you ever heard of the Olympics?" Vincent asked.

Michael's mouth dropped open slightly. Jack and Vincent weren't supposed to know about the games at all. It was feared that if the knowledge that Nurkaman athletes were not some of the best this world has to offer got out to the general public, it would plant a seed of doubt in the legitimacy of statements made by the government, causing a domino effect into other regions of the political sphere. Public doubt in the words of Almighty Lord Khalladorrum VI could potentially jeopardize the stability of the nation. Sending Nurkaman athletes to world events would almost certainly show to the Nurkaman people that Nurkama is not nearly as dominant as the nation's leadership claims it to be. It is for these reasons that word of international sporting events are kept secret from the public in order to ensure that this idea of Nurkaman superiority is preserved

"No, I've never heard of such a thing. What is this so-called 'Olympics'?" Michael replied.

Vincent opened his mouth to answer when Jack cut him off. "Well Michael, it's a massive sporting event in which athletes from many different nations compete in to display their talents for the whole world to see. Olympic gold medalists are highly regarded as some of the world's best athletes. Excellence on ice is this nations forte, so I propose we send a Nurkaman delegation composing of the best players from around the country in order to show that nobody stands a chance against us when it comes to putting a puck in a net. Oh yeah and showing off great figure skating and speed skating or whatever."

"HEY! Don't disrespect my athletes like that! They're great Nurkaman talents too, whether you like it or not." Vincent replied angrily.

"I have a question for the both of you. How did you two find out about this event?" Michael said as he leaned over the desk and peered into their eyes.

Jack and Vincent could feel Michael's stare piercing into their souls, they knew that they were just busted for obtaining illegal information that had been smuggled into the nation from the outside world. They could barely mutter a sentence, keeping quiet and shivering as Michael continued to look at them while standing up from his chair.

"Well... uh... you see..."

Michael slammed his hands down on the desk and turned his face downwards toward the desk. Jack and Vincent were both terrified of what Michael was about to do, could they be punished for their forbidden knowledge? They sure thought so, and prepared for the worst. Then Michael tilted his face back upward. Any sort of presumed anger was gone, it had turned into a friendly smile. Michael extended his hand outwards as if to give a handshake.

"Let's get started. I'll make damn sure Nurkamans will be there."

by **Srednjaci** » Tue Jan 19, 2021 5:15 am

ARENA WORLD SPORT TV - Chanel 1

Reporter :Dear viewers, welcome to our studio.
We are reporting from Clayquot, the host of the Winter Olympics.
For the first time, the Srednjaci are participating in games with 51 athletes.
With us in the studio are the president of the Srednjaci Olympic Committee, Mr. Siniša Čunko, and the president of the Srednjaci Ski Association, Mrs. Julija Sović.
Welcome.

ČUNKO: Thank you
SOVIC: Thank you for finding us well.

REPORTER : Our television World Arena Sport will broadcast all competitions directly from the arena to two channels and also show recordings and reviews on the third.
Mr. Čunko, how do you feel about the accommodation where our representatives are accommodated?

ČUNKO: Everything here for now looks superbly organized. So it is with accommodation. We are in the Olympic Village, the athletes are satisfied, nothing is missing and everything is ready to start.

REPORTER: This is our first appearance at the Olympics, what do you expect.

ČUNKO: I expect everyone to give their best and not get hurt. And the result will then come. Sport in Srednjaci is in full swing, not just women's handball for which we are known.
Sports facilities are being built and investments are being made throughout the country. Sports clubs visit primary and secondary schools, present themselves and their goals, and often have one of their stars with them. The success of the young Zrinka Ljutić started skiing.
By investing in facilities, investors appear, and with them, sponsors.
The popularity of the Master Handball League for women is huge and money is glued to clubs there.
But by starting clubs and leagues in other sports, sponsors come to us as well. Clubs are getting stronger and richer, children train in excellent conditions, so parents are happy with that.

REPORTER :Ms. Sovic, what is the situation in skiing?

SOVIC: We are happy because geographically we have something that most other countries do not have and that is the mountains. Our chain of mountains Bijeli Vrh, where the peak Lisjak is located, has snow all year round. Our skiers have excellent conditions all year round. We have 26 ski resorts, 5 of which are open all year round, it all depends on the snow, but on average 5.
We have 4 ski jumps small and large and 212 km of biathlon trails. Cross country is in full swing. We still don’t have enough good runners except one for these Olympics but it will be next Olympics I hope.

REPORTER: Then the success of our skiers is not so much a miracle?

SOVIĆ: Zrinka and Tvrtko Ljutić are out of series skiers. They defended the titles of national champions in slalom and giant slalom. Tvrtko also added a parallel giant slalom and a combination.
Zrinka is only 16 years old and she is really amazing. With a big advantage she was first in both disciplines.
Biathlon is the discipline in which we have the most skiers. The Srednjaci have 62 clubs in that discipline, so we expect good results there as well.
We have great representatives in biathlon. Lucian Matković, amazing how he skis, a combination of technique and strength. I have never seen anything like this in my life. He manages to make up for the misses with his ski race and strong photo finish.
He's amazing. Here we have the enduring Klaudij Ljubobratović. Champion at 20 km. Strong and corpulent. With the girls sisters Nina and Ivana Mandaric. Nina did not miss a single shot at the national championship. The champion is 7.5 km sprint, 7.5 km prsuit, 6 km team for her club and Ivana suprise her on 12,5 km mass start. She's great.
In ski jumping, there are Darinko Bučić and Ana Tea Lozančić, national champions and record holders at all ski jumps.
As you can see, we have our trump cards.
We are small, but what we have is quite high quality and a lot of money is invested.

REPORTER: After the end of the national alpine skiing championship, we did a small interview with our young stars Zrinka and Tvrtko Ljutić.
Tea Zrin talked to them, so let's take a look.

TEA: Dear viewers, the young Zrinka Ljutić is the current champion of Srednjaci in slalom and giant slalom with us. Greetings Zrinka.

ZRINKA: Greetings to you and the viewers.

TEA: You won the slalom convincingly ahead of Ivanovic, with an 80 hundredths of second advantage over Ivanovic. And in the giant slalom, even 1.74 seconds ahead of Ivanovic. How do you feel after those two races?

ZRINKA: when I won the giant slalom, everyone thought that something was wrong with the stopwatch hahaha.
I also thought it was impossible for me to win by such a big margin. I knew I drove great and good but so good ... I didn't expect that.
Then came the slalom and on the first run I slipped after the vend and was late for the red door. I finished with a gap of 15 hundredths and was third. Even though I made a mistake I lost so little. I knew I wasn’t allowed to calculate on the second run. I threw myself on my head, let go of the ski and when I reached the finish line and looked at the screen and on the screen was written my name, number 1 with an 80 hundredths advantage! I threw myself into the snow from happiness hahaha

TEA: How does it feel to go to the Olympics?

ZRINKA: For me, the Olympic Games are the biggest sports competition and the crown of an athlete's career. I am glad that Srednjaci is investing more and more in sports and skiing. When you have no money problems then you can dedicate yourself to a career.

TEA: What do you expect from the games?

ZRINKA: The ski cream itself will be at the games. I want to take the best I know and I can, I have no workload. If I do so then a medal is available.

TEA: What does the season look like for you? Do you have a vacation?

ZRINKA: I have a vacation. After the season I have 2 weeks off, during which time I learn to pass exams that I am late for. Then we have less workouts in the gym and fitness. At the same time, I go to school lectures. Then summer comes and I have 4 weeks just a break from everything. Then in the second half of August I am already on the mountain in preparation for the new season.

Tea: Where do you spend your summer holidays?

ZRINKA: On the coast, I love the sea and beaches, the sun haha

TEA: Do you ever think you don't want to ski anymore? You are young, are you having a hard time?

ZRINKA: There are days when nothing works for me. When I'm angry, I quarrel with the coach or one of the members of my team.
Then I see my peers and friends going out to nightclubs, hanging out and having fun.
Then I want to go and live like that.
But that was the moment, I realized it wasn’t my life.

TEA: Tvrtko Ljutić, the national champion in slalom, giant slalom and super combination and parallel giant slalom, is with us.
Dude, this is a slalom and giant slalom title defense and you've added two new ones. How do you feel after these titles.

TVRTKO : Great, a little tired but great hehe

TEA: You are only 24 years old and you have already achieved a lot. What is the competition like in Srednjaci.

TVRTKO : 10 years ago, at the age I was, there were only 9. There are 220 children under the age of 14 today. From championship to championship I see that the competition is getting stronger and bigger. Young men under the age of 20 took 6 positions in the top 10. It just shows that the future is bright.

TEA: Is it possible to make a living from skiing in middle school?

TVRTKO: 5 years ago I was thinking of giving up because we just didn’t have the funds anymore, the parents were exhausted. Then we managed to attract one sponsor.
Today, today is a different story. Today, one can make a very good living from skiing in Srednjaci. One title brought me 1.5 million Dalats and I won 4 hehe
Never before had the award been so generous. Let’s not forget the ski cups that also carry prizes.

TEA: What do you expect from the Olympics, what result do you expect?

TVRTKO : The competition is great but if I drive the race at the level I drove this season then the medal is realistic.

TEA: Zrinka, Tvrtko, thank you.
Congratulations on winning the title and we wish out a lot of luck and success at the Olympics.

REPORER: Tea, thank you. Here we heard brother and sister Ljutić. What do you say to their statements?
Mr. Chunko, I'll start with you.

ČUNKO: The two of them are very talented and dedicated to sports. Amazing how fast they are progressing.
Yes, Tvrtko is right, the competition in Srednjaci has changed a lot in 10 years. A lot of clubs got licensed and more and more children started skiing, alpine and nordic. Improved conditions have led to ever better results.

REPORTER: Ms. Sovic?

SOVIĆ: The most important thing is that the ratings in Srednjaci are high. The men's slalom for the DR Srednjaci champion was the most watched. There were 38,000 spectators in the stands, which is an absolute record. The total viewership of all races was almost 600,000 in the stands.

REPORTER: Another 10 million watched through our screens in Srednjaci and another 5 million in the Republic of Raspotochje.

SOVIC: Well, I didn't know that. Haha
I knew it was a big number but not that it was that big. It is important that skiing comes to our homes, alpine and nordic.

REPORTER: What about other sports? What about ice sports?

ČUNKO: yes, we stay there due to the lack of infrastructure, but there is no interest in some sports either.
In hockey we have only 4 clubs in the men's competition and we do not have a league but they play on the principle of the Gand Prix award. In the women's competition only one club.

REPORTER: why is that so?

ČUNKO: We are a young country, we have not managed to develop the necessary infrastructure. It is easy to ski when we have the natural infrastructure already solved, we have the mountains.
Katanija will get an ice center next year, it will be called Winter City.
It will be a combination of several ice rinks connected in the shape of a snowflake.
Hockey hall, auxiliary hockey hall, then figure skating hall, two speed skating halls and a curling hall.
The project is finished, partners are being sought for the contractor.
The hall we have is shared by hockey players and figure skating. The speed skating hall has already been tidied up and the conditions in it have already become bad.
Katanija is the only one to have a speed skating hall.
As for bobsleigh and other downhill sports, we have tracks, but they will be overhauled. So we will improve that infrastructure. Bob will be able to train in the summer as well.
Mostly everything is being worked on.
The rapid and large growth of the economy also enables investments.

REPORTER: Cho and speed skating. How does she train?

ČUNKO: She is a fighter, modest, she escaped from a country where she was politically persecuted. We trained in a neglected gym and not in ideal conditions. She fought and fought for citizenship and for conditions.
As an Olympic stimpedist, she trains outside our country in better conditions. The Olympic Committee and the Federation pay all costs.
You saw that in Srednjaci she has no competition, but she lobbied a lot in schools. Several clubs have been licensed and have children. It is important that we build this infrastructure for these children.

REPORTER: How many staff at the Olympics care about athletes?

ČUNKO: we have 51 competitors and 117 staff, including the presidents of the federations.
There are doctors, psychologists, nutritionists, physiotherapists, coaches, equipment technicians, meaning a lot of people are involved.

REPORTER: Ms. Sovic and Mr. Cunko, thank you for this visit and comprehensive information.
Dear viewers around the world, thank you for your attention tonight and we wish you dear athletes successful games and no injuries.
Good night and stay with the WORLD ARENA SPORT program

by **Nateros Sill** » Tue Jan 19, 2021 6:40 am

Welcome Comrades to this special edition of Sports Night, where we will be covering the most exciting event I think I've ever covered, the very first time Nateros Sill has been allowed into an international competition!

Yes that's right Gary, and it is a big one. It's the fifteenth Winter Olympic Games! Now it is worth noting, Nateros Sill has only sent a very small delegation to these games, but I for one am excited to see where this leads. I'm ever hopeful we can grab a few medals, but in the long run I think this could end up with other countries realising we're worth allowing into these kinds of competitions!

We can but hope. I'm Gary Wilhelmson, and sat beside me is Richard Frenkel. Now, we have a very special guest on tonight's show, joining us by video link all the way from the city of Clayquot, Kelssek, it's our very own Michelle Aldebrandi! Welcome to Sports Night Comrade!

Thanks Gary, it's great to be here.

So Michelle, you're a part of the women's bobsleigh team competing at these games, can you tell us a little about the preparations you've had to go through to get to where you are now?

Yeah, I mean it's been pretty intense. There was a whole time when we didn't think we were even going to make it. But when the call came through that we were allowed to compete it was overwhelming, we just couldn't believe it. Since then we've been training as hard as we can, and I think we stand a good chance of medalling when we take to the track in a couple of days time.

Michelle, you're also doing the country proud in another way, aren't you?

Yes, the Olympic Committee has selected me as Nateros Sill's official flag bearer, meaning I'm going to be carrying our nation's symbol into the heart of the stadium. It's a huge honour.

Well, that does sound impressive! I'm afraid we do have other topics to cover tonight, but Michelle, we'll come back to you in a little while. Now, on to the domestic news, and in the football league.........

by **Kriegiersien** » Tue Jan 19, 2021 4:20 pm

A short introduction of the Kriegiersien delegation

Sport has in Kriegiersien by edict a high status. The new requirement for the Kriegiersien sportsman is since the last Olympics that every athlete who wants to qualify for the team have to reach 25 in the complicated calculated MUST (minimum utility skill test). A presumed skill level that is very far below World Class, but still shows the potential to reach a final or even win a medal on a very good day.

The Kriegiersien team for the Winter Olympics is under big pressure to perform high. Like at the Summer Olympics, Atlanta Johnson, former Sport Star in Multiple Sports and medal winner at the 200 m in the Summer Olympics once, has taken over as head of Mission again.

At least instead of requesting 100 medals for Kriegiersien like in its first Olympics, the President now only demanded to win the most Silver medals. Why is a question that only the ~~mad~~ benevolent leader could answer.

The Kriegiersien delegation, even tough many species are living in this ~~hellhole of a~~ colourful nation, is this time nearly completely consisting out of humans.
Only Zomba la Bomba, a vegan Zombie, alpine skier, flag bearer and Paralympic athlete from Zombiestan and the men’s Curling team, made up by sentient Giant Hamsters from the Underdark beneath Kriegiersien are the exceptions, together with two orcish players in the female hockey team.

What is expected from the different Sports?

Biathlon: :clap:

As a militaristic event this is the crown of Kriegiersien Winter Sport. The families Nu, Nude, Desnudo and Nackt are dominating the contest in Kriegiersien and are as much in competition among themselves as with the athletes of other nations. Most medals are expected from here.

Bobsleigh/Skeleton/Luge: :eyebrow:

Thanks to not as good material as promised from the industry, the Bob teams are starting with a good disadvantage.

Some skeleton and luge athletes brought their own equipment to be able to fight for the medals.

Icedancing: :blush:

The from gymnastics coming family Elfelchen sends athletes who have the ambition and skills to win medals here, else it looks average.

ShortTrack and Speeeeeeedskating: :eyebrow:

Kriegiersien is competing here.

CrossCountry and FreestyleSkiing: :eyebrow:

Running around in the Snow with skier without a weapon? Crazy. Many fast running Biathletes who couldn’t qualify for Biathlon but didn't take the opportunity to switch event, are missed in the ski track.

NordicCombined:

Only a hand full of athletes from the new Stolen lands are on a level for Olympic medals.

AlpineSkiing:

A few athletes from our nation are contenders for medals.

Snowboarding: :clap:

The magic that is missing in today's Ice dancing can be found in Snowboarding. Here famous and great artists and entertainers have made their way into the Kriegiesien delegation who have as many fans as training hours.

Curling and Ice Hockey: :bow:

Both of this two teamsports have the burden of expectations of medals. Even the men’s curling team this time.

SkiJumping:

Even though the traditional (1 Edition) Pre-Olympic Ski Jumping Three Hill Classic were cancelled this time, a few of the Kriegiersien Top Athletes are coming down from their hills to win.

Bandy

The man are World and Olympic Champion, the women are also here.

by **Krytenia** » Tue Jan 19, 2021 5:43 pm

XV WINTER OLYMPICS PREVIEW

ALPINE SKIING
MEDAL HISTORY: 5-2-4
HISTORY PENPIC: Alpine skiing in Krytenia has tended to be dominated by the Mercians, working out of the Mowbray resort that hosted the VI Winter Olympics. We tend to pick up at least one medal per Games, and in a variety of disciplines. Except Super-G. No clue why.
CLAYQUOT PROSPECTS: Mary Black is the nation's biggest medal chance, and will be going in all five individual women's events as well as being part of the mixed team. Look out, as well, for Carlos Villa, hoping to become the first Avides to win a skiing medal. The men's slalom looks like his best chance.
KNOC OFFICIAL TARGET: 2 x medals.

BIATHLON
MEDAL HISTORY: 0-1-2
HISTORY PENPIC: Krytenia have never been strong at either cross-country skiing or shooting, so it's perhaps no surprise that we've traditionally been quite poor at a sport that combines the two. All three medals came in the same Games, in Liventia, and we're still at a loss to explain how.
CLAYQUOT PROSPECTS: Our girls have been absolutely thrashing the courses in Monteste, and there might be a medal or two on the horizon. No, really.
KNOC OFFICIAL TARGET: 3 x top 10, 1 x medal

BOBSLEIGH
MEDAL HISTORY: 1-2-1
HISTORY PENPIC: We have an...interesting relationshp with the bobsleigh. Four medals, all in the two-person events, and pretty much noting else.
CLAYQUOT PROSPECTS: Jennifer Wilson and Laura Tilsley have an outside chance of bronze in the two-woman event.
KNOC OFFICIAL TARGET: 1 x top 20

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING
MEDAL HISTORY: 0-2-1
HISTORY PENPIC: So apparently, Neverend was that one time we were actually good at skiing on the flat. As with biathlon, our only medals in cross-country came at the VIII Games.
CLAYQUOT PROSPECTS: There's a few potentials in the sprint events; Lindsay O'Neill, Sergio Sanchez, and Michael Ostensen will all be looking to bother the top places. Look out, too, for Tamara Scholten as a wild card in the 30km classical event.
KNOC OFFICIAL TARGET: 2 x top 20

CURLING
MEDAL HISTORY: 2-1-0
HISTORY PENPIC: Krytenia were the absolute boss in Ashton, winning both golds to add to the men's silver in Sao Jorge. Absolutely nothing since.
CLAYQUOT PROSPECTS: A pair of strong teams, and the pairing of Andy Safinovic and Maria Redmayne should do well too. The main barrier is that the competitions this year are all absolutely stacked.
KNOC OFFICIAL TARGET: 1 x knockout rounds

FIGURE SKATING
HALL OF FAME NOMINEES: n/a
MEDAL HISTORY: 1-0-1
HISTORY PENPIC: Krytenia have a tendency to be "decent" at figure skating. Sadly, decent tends to get you creditable but medal-free finishes. A gold in the very first Winter Olympics came in the ice dance; a second followed twenty-four years later in the same event...and that's our lot.
CLAYQUOT PROSPECTS: Jean Caron and Amelie Serreau will be hoping to give the ice dance some Gallic flair in Kelssek this year.
KNOC OFFICIAL TARGET: 1 x top 10

FREESTYLE SKIING
MEDAL HISTORY: 0-0-4
HISTORY PENPIC: Freestyle skiing is the boxing of the Winter Games, in the sense that we're really good at picking up bronze medals. And by "freestyle skiing", we mean "skicross", which is where we've collected all four of the benighted things.
CLAYQUOT PROSPECTS: Billy Roth will start as one of the favourites in - shock - the men's skicross; looking to break the cycle, meanwhile, is Steven Eales in the slopestyle event. For the women, Chantelle Green is our flagbearer, and goes in the women's slopestyle.
KNOC OFFICIAL TARGET: 1 x medal

ICE HOCKEY
MEDAL HISTORY: 0-0-0
HISTORY PENPIC: Remember that one time we hosted the Cherry Cup? Yeah, Krytenia's time as an ice hockey power is loooong past.
CLAYQUOT PROSPECTS: Not finishing last in the group stage would be nice.
KNOC OFFICIAL TARGET: none

LUGE
MEDAL HISTORY: 0-1-0
HISTORY PENPIC: If it's OK with everyone else, we prefer to slide down an ice slide on a drinks tray head-first rather than feet-first. Our only medal in the event came in the inaugural Games, a simpler time.
CLAYQUOT PROSPECTS: Our lugers? lugeists? ... whatever, are at least competent enough to not completely mess the bed. That's about it.
KNOC OFFICIAL TARGET: none

SHORT TRACK
MEDAL HISTORY: 14-6-9
HISTORY PENPIC: Krytenians are always the team to beat when it comes to the small-rink speed skating. Twenty-nine medals across six Olympics don't lie. Of particular note is Adam Goddard, whose six medals make him the country's most decorated Winter Olympian.
CLAYQUOT PROSPECTS: Everyone. We'll single out Karen Webster, who despite being only seventeen, is going for four medals.
KNOC OFFICIAL TARGET: 5 x medals, 1 x gold

SKELETON
MEDAL HISTORY: 0-0-1
HISTORY PENPIC: The famed Tormalay Tube in the Monteste mountains is the ultimate test of domestic sledders, and anyone on the Krytenian team is practically obliged to nail it to have any chance of getting in the team. That being said, talent has had a tendency not to turn to medals, with Kelly Costa's bronze the only top three placing thus far.
CLAYQUOT PROSPECTS: Lucas Hill, Emma Andreasson, and Muriel Barnes will all be hoping to break through the medal bottleneck Krytenia have in this event.
KNOC OFFICIAL TARGET: 1 x medal

SKI JUMPING
MEDAL HISTORY: 0-0-0
HISTORY PENPIC: Nordic sports have never been a strong suit - there's a reason we haven't sent anyone to compete in the combined - so it's perhaps no surprise that Krytenia haven't ever had even a sniff of a medal in the ski jump.
CLAYQUOT PROSPECTS: Nobody looks likely to win a medal, but Anna Sokova is at least a potential to be competitive, which is better than we usually do.
KNOC OFFICIAL TARGET: none

SNOWBOARDING
MEDAL HISTORY: 0-1-1
HISTORY PENPIC: Natalie Freedan is the nation's most famous snowboarder - and only medallist. The snowboard crosser managed silver in Ashton, and collected bronze four years later.
CLAYQUOT PROSPECTS: As with the freestyle skiers, it's the cross and slopestyle events that offer the best chance at medals. Chris Xavier, Peter Quentin, Dina Eriksen, and Tiffany Walworth will be among the contenders in the former, with Vincent Goodman, Hank Jordan, and Dominica Moreno among the favourites in the latter. Alternatively, look out for Iris Deacon in the women's big air.
KNOC OFFICIAL TARGET: 1 x medal

SPEED SKATING
MEDAL HISTORY: 3-1-1
HISTORY PENPIC: The medal count looks tasty, but remember that four of those five medals came in the inaugural Games. Such are the breaks when your nation specialises in short track.
CLAYQUOT PROSPECTS: Alania Ferreira seriously wants to write some national wrongs here. She'll be looking to win our country's first long distance speed skating medal, be it in the 3km, 5km, or mass start. Or, indeed, all of the above. Jack Orsini, meanwhile, fancies his chances in the men's sprint events, and goes in the 500m, 1km, and 1.5km events, as well as being part of the pursuit team.
KNOC OFFICIAL TARGET: 2 x medals

by **Aboveland** » Tue Jan 19, 2021 8:51 pm

Team Abovian Union Arrives in Kelssek for the XV Olympic Winter Games

Overview
Despite the relatively small delegation put together by the Abovian Olympic Committee, the Abovian Union's year-long winter conditions have the nation quietly optimistic about the chances of the athletes sent to represent the country. It will be the Abovian Union's first ever international sports competition outside of motorsport; our athletes hope their domestic experience will translate to international success. They will compete under the Abovian Union banner, using Samisyyttanflagg as their national symbol.

CLAYQUOT - The delegation of 83 athletes from Aboveland (66) and Nykipiflugpuu (17) assembled by the AOC, the Abovian Olympic Committee, arrived early Monday in the Kelssek host city of Clayquot in anticipation of the 15th Olympic Winter Games. The roster of athletes, among them local legends such as luge racer Kjellfrid Kristiansen, the veteran bobsleigh duo of Storm Lundgaard and Olvier Ritter, and figure skating arch nemeses and name-sisters Noora Kuivala and Noora Kukkula, will be led by flag-bearing 19-year-old short-track skating sensation Sami Katjamäki in Wednesday's opening ceremony. Also present at the opening ceremony will be Abovian President Kaj Torvald van Aalsbyyre, and Abovian Olympic Committee chairman Arne Kuadonvaara.

The Abovian Union's appearance in the 15th Olympic Winter Games is a milestone moment in the history of the country, marking the first foray into international competition beyond motorsport for Aboveland proper, and the first international appearance in any competition for the Autonomous Abovian Republic of Nykipiflugpuu, after the stillborn Nykipiflugpuun Noortekondis WGP2 team bid failed to come to fruition.

“The time was right to make our move,” Kuadonvaara told Ælunder Nyttispalvelu from Craig Nolan Airport, in the host city of Clayquot, Kelssek. “Sooner or later, the Abovian Union was bound to break its exclusive relationship with motorsport and move into the grander stage of international sport. There was no more appropriate event to start our legacy than the Winter Olympics: sports we can practice straight out of our backyards!”

As January 20th draws nearer, Ælunder Nyttispalvelu reveals its own predictions about what to expect of the Abovian Union’s performance in the 15th Olympic Winter Games:

Hold your breath!
Bobsleigh

35-year-old bobsleigh legends Storm Lundgaard and Oliver Ritter are the highlights of the Abovian Union's presence in men's bobsleigh, breaking out of the domestic scene for the first time in history. The pair have reached almost cult status among bobsleigh circles--and have gifted their expertise to young sensations Solveig Skjeggstad and Laika Aaltonen in hopes of seeing them shine in women's bobsleigh events. Four Nykipish athletes will compete in the bobsleigh events, their experience cultivated on the frigid glaciers of Nykipiflugpuu.
Figure Skating

One of the greatest domestic sporting rivalries of our time, friends-turned-foes Noora Kuivala and Noora Kukkula team up--somewhat by force--in the pairs figure skating event, with one of the most promising outlooks of the Abovian Union delegation. As rookies, they would never be seen apart for more than two seconds, and shone in pairs events as their talents complemented each other, but as their hunger for individual glory grew, so did their bitterness towards each other. Much to their disdain, their biggest triumphs came to them as a team, not as individual competitors.
Short Track & Speedskating

Do keep an eye out for the Short Track and Speedskating events. The delegation's chosen flag bearer, Pysyväräntä-born Sami Katjamäki, though young and inexperienced, is a proven winner on the domestic scene and the latest in young sporting talents from the Järvi-maakunta, after WGP2 driver Janne Laukkanen. Nykipish siblings Emi and Kuldar Kaltakari also make their first ever competition appearances in the Speedskating category.
Alpine Skiing

Perhaps the defining event of Team Abovian Union; a sport widespread in central Aboveland and eastern Nykipiflugpuu, the men's delegation is led by domestic masters Jari-Matti Talvela (no relation to triple World Grand Prix champion Terho Talvela) and Henrik Bjørnevisker of Iskfjellrevenbyen, supported by Koivuslott native Markku Salonen. In the women's category, participating only in Super Combined, the names are less well known, but Sigrid Storstrand and Inger-Lovise Tidemand of Bjørnskog show lots of promise. Most iconic, however, might be the Talvela-Bjørnevisker-Storstrand-Tidemand supersquad, who are sure to put Team Abovian Union on the map in the team event.

Cover your eyes!
Ice Hockey

Entered as more of a formality than anything else, both Abovian Union ice hockey teams, perhaps embarrassingly for an Arctic nation, have little pedigree--if any at all--when it comes to their competitive history. The truth is, the teams put together by the AOC, mostly as an attempt to reassure the world the Abovian Union is for sure a Nordic nation that also plays ice hockey like their neighbors, have never played a match together before. Unlike its geographical location would suggest, ice hockey has always been far overshadowed by every other sport in the Abovian Union, being marginally more popular in Nykipiflugpuu than on the mainland, and the few fans who exist tend to organize in quick, informal matches on frozen lakes and using makeshift gear. Nobody expects anything short of utter failure for the ice hockey teams; that's not to say they'll be the black sheep of the delegation.
Ski Jumping

Another victim of indifference. A distinct lack of slopes liberated for ski jumping mean Team Abovian Union's medal hopes lay far from the ski jump athletes. Though the women's entries might somehow pull some surprises, the men's competitions will be entered by a single athlete, Neemo Baardsen of Missäbjyyrntnukkuvatjennomloputõivainatti, Nykipiflugpuu. We wish them all the best, but won't be crossing any fingers.

by **Diarcesia** » Tue Jan 19, 2021 9:23 pm

"But here's my question: if our teamwork is as good as the reports claim, what's the maximum point differential we can make on a good day? I mean, you can make the best of a mediocre practice, and still end up with a dumbass day, or a good practice gets shit done and you end up with a good day, or you can end up with a double-digit point differential in a practice and a good day. How fucking do I put this?"

"I dunno, I guess the worst I can do is like -20 points from my personal record. I'm not looking forward with a performance that is that bad," Thedebrand Wolfing said, looking down. "But I guess there's hope for overachievers like you. We do our best, and we'll have the upper hand in the big event."

Chandra Ichijo nodded, and said, "I'm hoping that we keep ourselves in top shape, too."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," said the blonde-haired Thedebrand. "I'm gonna go get some food in the cafeteria and set up for our stand-up meeting."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of the meeting preparations," said Chandra, the redhead, and left the room.

Thedebrand found the cafeteria to be pretty empty, but not by any means sad. He could see at the distance that the few people present were students busy eating and discussing. They appear to be in a rush though and don't have a ton of time to hang out.

"All right, I can tell that you ate well. C'mon, hurry," said Chandra as she welcomed Thedebrand later in the meeting room. A bag of chips was in his hand. "Then we can go over our last practice session and plan for the future, shall we?"

To Adrast, King of Chiyginia and Heptarch Diarcesian
Your majesty,

In the light of these developments, I feel a sense of pride to do everything that is required to ensure that Diarcesia is not left behind in this process. I know that this is not an easy feat to accomplish, and that there will be many challenges along the way. I am pleased to let you know that our special arrangements with Mytanija is now officially finalized. Our athletes that will compete in snow sports will have a more... conducive training environment as they practice.

I hope you find this a most excitingly positive development in our Olympic program.

Sincerely,
Henry Gorch
Head of the Diarcesian Olympic Committee

A group of Diarcesian hackers, led by a former acolyte of the notorious person known as "Sentinel" and a self-identified former Diarcesiac Erogram employee, has released more than 60,000 documents from the personal Pilarmanesi email account of former Diarcesian presbyte (ambassador) Aaron Sanguina.

The group, calling itself 'Cozyhash' or simply 'The Cyber-Guys', released the documents on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the start of Sanguina's former host country's occupation of a disputed coastal area and in the subsequent request for information from the Diarcesian Nomothesia.

The Nomothesia, in a letter to the group, demanded an explanation for the breach of protocol and uncontrolled disclosure, claiming that this could possibly expose valuable information to entities that might wish harm to the Monarchy.

"We are aware of the recent media coverage of the Diarcesian hacking group, which has been dubbed 'The Cyber-Guys' by some", said spokesman Javed P. Vinković in a statement. "This is a very unfortunate and unwarranted leak, which we completely reject. We are confident in the fact that there are valid reasons and protocols for revealing sensitive information in the government. This is not one of them. We will continue to act in a manner that is only respectful of our legal and ethical requirements."

"The Monarchy condemns such behavior in the strongest possible fashion and will take whatever action is necessary to hold accountable those who seek to subvert the safety of the Monarchy and its citizens. We have already launched an investigation into this matter and expect additional actions to be taken against those who are found to have violated our country's laws and regulations."

by **Waisnor** » Wed Jan 20, 2021 6:48 am

WBC News:

Waisnorian delegation in Clayquot, Kelssek awaits the opening of the 15th Winter Olympic Games. Our correspondent Viktor Klimeev asked our athletes what they achieve in these games:

"Of course, victories! Although just medals will be a good result" - said skier Evgeny Sayvitsky.
"I would just like to successfully perform at this Olympiad, I don't want to leave without showing myself worthy" - said snowboarder Polina Kosmina.
"I think I am already lucky that I got to this Olympics. Any result will be good for me" - said newcomer to the Waisnorian Olympics team Arkady Davidovich, who will participate in short-track.

The experts expressed the opinion that Waisnorian team will collect some medals but they don't guarantee that they will be golden.

First Waisnorian participant will start his performance in Olympics at the day of the opening ceremony, 20th of January. It will be Grigory Fadeev in ski jumping.

by **Hannasea** » Wed Jan 20, 2021 2:19 pm

Article posted on the SuperSport Olympic page.

General Athlete Profile Bandwagon: Jayden Miller

what an idiot

by **Ioudaia** » Wed Jan 20, 2021 2:46 pm

Champion Network Temporary Studio
Clayquot, Kelssek

"Hello, this is Tychon ben Silounos Hillel with Champion Network, and I'm here in Clayquot with three of Ioudaia's olympians considered to have good chances to win medals: ski jumper Matan ben Utz, freestyle skier Chaya bat Meri, and biathlete Kyra Glezos. Let's start with you, Matan.

"The olympic team voted you flagbearer because they say you're the most improved athlete on the team. What do you say to that?"

Matan, seated leftmost of the three olympians, pointed at Tychon as he started his reply. "The same thing I said to them: I'm definitely better, but I'm not sure I'm the most better. The alpine ski team basically picked an entirely new sport, the nordic combined. Last Games, we had just one guy, Meleagros ben Alon, and now we have four people on both men's and women's squads. So, seven people haven't had a shot at the olympics before, and I'm 'more improved' than they are?"

Tychon leaned forward in his chair, surprised by Matan's answer. "But you are better?"

"Absolutely. I wish I could say it was something I did, or something the coach said, but just don't know. My form's a lot better. I'm getting better distances, more consistently. Maybe it was just more time to practice. The Leukoseira Training Center's had a lot more snow this past year, so I got a lot more jumps in."

Nodding, Tychon returned to sitting upright. "What do you think of your medal chances?"

"Let's see if I qualify!"

"Ok, you're first up for the Ioudaian team, so I'll talk to you again tomorrow."

Matan scowled: "Don't remind me! Everybody will be looking for some kind of sign of how we'll do. We athletes are a superstitious bunch. Not everybody will admit it, but it's true. I'll have dozens of eyes on me tomorrow. I'm trying to keep my focus, keep my mind on the jumps, but we'll see.

"Anyway, I'm stronger on the large hill, and that's not for a week."

"Well, good luck both days!

Tychon turned to Chaya. "Chaya, you came out of nowhere to win gold in the freestyle halfpipe at the last Winter Games. What do you think of another medal?"

Chaya brightened, jerking a thumb at herself. "I'm the defending champ; that makes it mine to lose. I think I've got a really good shot at it. I've got a new routine that's way better than last Games' championship routine. Sure, everybody's upped their games, but I think I've still got the edge. I think the whole freestyle team's better, and we picked up a bunch of really great new people too. Maybe we'll pick up several medals.

"Ask me again after the quals. Then we'll know what the competition's like."

"All right: I'll follow up with you too! Good luck, Chaya!

"Kyra, you've won four olympic medals, three of which are from the last Winter Olympics. Do you think you can repeat that?"

Kyra burst out laughing. "The mixed relay medal is up to the guys, especially that old guy, whatshisname!"

"Peneleos ben Chadad", Tychon slipped in for the audience.

"But in all seriousness--" She tried to keep a straight face, but couldn't, and ended up chuckling to herself, before finally settling down. "Winning medals isn't something that can be predicted. People will lay odds on me, and that's all well and good, but the truth is that nobody really knows until the race starts. Sometimes we get lucky, and sometimes we don't.

"Skill and experience matter, but there's only three medals to be divided up between dozens of athletes. The last mixed relay, only six seconds separated us from gold in an hour long race! That's how close the winners are in the olympics. There's no way to say who's going to get which medal or any medal.

"I'll be happy if I win another medal." Her face broke into a radiant smile. "Another gold medal would be great! But I'm not counting on it, just hoping for it."

"Here's to hoping, Kyra! Good luck to you, and the entire Ioudaian Winter Olympics team!"

by **Graintfjall** » Wed Jan 20, 2021 3:02 pm

One of the notable features of Græntfjall’s Winter Olympic delegation is that it is the first time members of the Kamdyr nomadic people have featured on a sporting roster linked to the White Winter Queendom. Noticeable for deviation from typical Græntfjaller naming customs (most Kamdyr names are not patronymic) and ethnic diversity (while sporting Græntfjallers have earned a reputation as “BFGs”, Kamdyrs tend to be shorter, stockier, and darker in hue and hair), the Kamdyr athletes will march behind the White Winter Standard at the Opening Ceremony, but some of their fans may be seen waving the flag of the Independent Kamdyr Peoples. “It’s a thorny issue in our community,” admits figure skater Ánddijá Holvaster-ten, who will partner fellow Kamdyr Máijá Sofka in the ice dancing competition. “Particularly among the older generation, there’s a reluctance to see us as ‘Græntfjallers’.”

The political issue of Kamdyr sovereignty has never been at the forefront of Græntfjaller matters. Kamdyrs live an almost entirely nomadic lifestyle, and many tribes do not recognize the existence of property boundaries at all. Herding deer, moose, cattle, goats, unicorns, and dragons, and living off the produce of the animals, from milk, pelts and horns, to unicorn semen used to color the octarine balls of Græntfjaller Snooker and dragon scales much in demand among manufacturers of military body armor, the Kamdyr have, according to tribal lore, lived in much the same way for thousands of years, worshipping ancestral spirits and animistic trickster-gods, drinking powerful hallucinogenic fermented yak’s milk to induce hypnotic frenzies, and sleeping in deer-skin yurts.

But modernity has not passed the Kamdyr by. Before leaving for the competition, snowboarder Emmá No-Dragon updates her InstaFace and twii.tur accounts. Her father has made a living helping other Kamdyr connect digitally: according to Emmá, the average Kamdyr today is as good with a smartphone as they are with a skinning knife. But she hasn’t lost touch with her roots: on the first night in Clayquot, she found herself uncomfortable in her hotel bed and ended up on the roof of the hotel, pitching an improvised yurt from the bedsheets.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Wed Jan 20, 2021 3:19 pm

TU Stelburg

Faculty of Arts - HIS 3305

Teus History Pre-1130AD
Professor Johann Richtenbach

Lecture 1: Introduction

Today, the Teus people are living in a modern world, and have enjoyed a long, mostly prosperous history. They rose from conquest to become an imperial power, successfully defended their power during the Golden Age of the Teus Empire, survived a turbulent period, and came out of the most devastating war in national history, the Great War, only to rebuild within a short time and once again develop into a strong culture.

Teusland has been home to prominent figures in a variety of fields, such as philosophy, music, art, military strategy and more. In recent years, footballer Thorsten Kramer has been considered one of the finest players of his generation, while hockey players like Gunter Pfenning have helped captain the national team to world championship titles. There have been good times, and there have been bad times. To truly understand the history of the Teus lands and peoples, however, we must understand where they came from. We must go, in fact, all the way back to the roots of Teus civilization.

The ‘Stelburg flute,’ dated to 43,000 years ago, is the first evidence we have of the Teus civilization. In those prehistoric times, the various tribes mainly settled along the Drai River basin, near modern day St. Jakob, all the way along the river through modern-day Stelburg. They were bounded in by seas to the north, east and south, as well as the Mittelgebirge mountains to the west, which at the time were considered to be impassable.

There was an internal divide, too. The Teufelswald forest, which splits Teusland almost neatly in half, was found to be impassable as well, and as a result, two somewhat distinct Teus groups developed during this time. Above the forest were the High Teus, who spoke a dialect much more similar to the modern-day Teus language, and below it were the Low Teus, whose dialect resembles some of the different accents found in southern Teusland, as well as amongst the Teus populations in Prinz-Eugens-Land and Sankt Konrad, today.

The tribes were originally hunter-gatherers, and nomadic peoples centred around the River Drai in the north, and below the Teufelswald, along the coast of the sea. The northern tribes were quite war-like, often fighting over land and resources, while the southern tribes were considered less aggressive. There are no recorded contacts between the Teus and the Siovanijans to the west at this point - both groups considered the mountain range to be the ‘end of the world.’

By the year 300AD, the Teus had begun to settle into more stable communities. The first of these was the city of Stels Burg, named after a prominent pagan leader of the era. Stels Burg would quickly grow to become the centre of the civilization in Teusland, but other cities were developing as well. In the northeast, there was Felsenstadt, in the northwest Marlesee, and at the mouth of the River Drai, the city of Donnarsheim. Below the Teufelswald, the Teus gathered along the coast, with no real centre of the population.

The Teus tribes were still at this time quite divided. Records tell us of large wars between the various cities, fought out for personal vendetta, control of resources, and mere rivalry between city states. By this point, the city of Stelburg (its name now shortened) had come to be the preeminent power in the north, and its armies were considered the strongest and the city, therefore, was considered to have the favour of the Gods. In the south, wars were more commonly fought over resources.

Technological developments in Teusland at the time were similar to the rest of the world, growing in sophistication over time. Those in the south had a relatively placid sea, and developed shipbuilding much quicker than those in the north. The first contact between Siovanijans and Teus was made around this time, as Teus arrived at the island of Vrnovo around the year 657. Tales spread across the south of this other people who spoke a different language. In the north, transportation was mainly focused on the riverways - the Drai the main connector. The Nordsee was significantly rougher than the Sudsee, and the tribes saw little to no use in crossing it.

By the year 800, then, the various Teus groups had organized into more clear areas. Gotthard the Bold had declared himself ‘Duke of Stelburg’ in 779, and had led his armies swiftly into the hinterland around the capital to conquer it for his demesne. Duchies were also founded in Felsenstadt, Marlesee, and Donnarsheim, as the main 4 players in the north. Some regions remained independent, such as the Free City of Lokkestadt in the mountains (modern-day Stahlberg). In the south, the organization was much less clear, and cities often banded together in temporary trading alliances. The population in the north was over double that of the south, and as the Teus made continued trips across the forest, however, influence from the north spread. The city of Pomen became a centre of power in southern Teusland at the time, but other cities quickly banded together before it earned too much power.

We can quite clearly see the status of Teusland in the year 800: through prehistory, a unique people had emerged. The Teus language had begun to be standardized, particularly in the north as High Teus and the south as Low Teus, for various reasons - in the north, for the diplomacy between states, and in the south through trade. The four northern duchies were engaged in a struggle to keep control over their region, and spread their power throughout the known realm. In 797, the word ‘Teusland’ is recorded for the first time - coming from the Old High Teus term ‘tiuri,’ meaning dear: the dear land.

In our next class, we will analyze Teus culture of the day, specifically focusing on the religion of the day.

by **Mytanija** » Wed Jan 20, 2021 3:37 pm

WINTERSPORTS ATHLETES HEAD TO KELSSEK
MEDAL HOPEFULS INCLUDE SLAVA PREOBRAZHENSKY, AMALIA ZAVRAZHNY & INES VINCEK

by Ilya Zivalvyuk

It is a huge day for a new generation of Mytanar wintersports athletes as the multiverse readies itself for the start of the Winter Olympics in Clayquot, Kelssek. The OKM (Olimpijski Komitet Mytanija) has selected a relatively youthful set of athletes for this Winter Olympics, the intention being to use it to gain experience and challenge for medals where possible. The real goal will be next time around, when the OKM want to make a significant medal push to take advantage of the increased level of investment in wintersports by the state and commercial interests over the past few years.

There are still veterans in some sports, perhaps most notably the indefatigable Nea Vogrin in the women’s speed skating. The 34 year old Vogrin is participating in seven different events and is seen as a medal hopeful in the 5,000m and the mass start in what is likely to be her final Winter Olympics. Emil Marcec in the men’s luge is another elder statesman of Mytanar wintersports and he will be looking to finish on the podium if possible, the 36 year old is aware that there aren’t too many in the pipeline after him saying that ‘[Clayquot] may be Mytanija’s last chance to medal in luge for a while, so I’ve got to give it my best shot’.

The undoubted star of this team is Slava Preobrazhensky, the alpine skier spoke to Gazeta Sporta around a year-and-a-half ago and his ambition to compete at the highest level was clear for all to see even then. Now 23, Preobrazhensky will be the flagbearer at the opening ceremony in Clayquot and is seen as Mytanija’s best hope of a medal – albeit in events which will be highly competitive. He’ll be starting in the slalom, giant slalom, super combined and the mixed team event; alpine skiing often boasts the most competitive fields in the Winter Olympics, but Preobrazhensky was clear about his goals: ‘Look, we know it’ll be competitive but during the last Alpine Skiing World Tour I was there or thereabouts at the top of the results before the season was cut short. I want to come back with some medals, nobody remembers 4th or 5th place finishes, it’s about getting onto the podium and hopefully with a gold medal’.

Nermin Ahmedhodzic and Lejla Nisic and husband and wife duo Zmejko Gramatnikovski and Marina Gramatnikovska are big medal hopefuls in the ice dancing event. Both pairs were schooled under the tutelage of Ivana Otomekh at her Esca Academy and have received rave reviews in ice dancing shows domestically over the past few years, the step up to Olympic level will come with fierce competition from elsewhere but both pairs stand a good chance should they perform to their best. Otomekh was buoyant about their chances: ‘They’re all fantastic dancers and two great couples – especially Zmejko and Marina, it is so beautiful that they can do the thing they love together as a married couple – and I’m sure if they perform to their best they’re right up there with the best in the world. We’ve some great talent here in Mytanija in figure skating and those four will hopefully demonstrate that at the Olympics’.

Mytanija probably has less likelihood of success on the ice hockey rink, with both the men’s national team and the women’s expected to end up towards the bottom of their respective groups. The men’s team will be competing in Group E with giants of the sport like Siovanija and Teusland and Chromatika; the women’s team have been drawn alongside Taeshan, the Vilitan Union and Chromatika (again) amongst others. For either team to progress through the group would be enormously unexpected in the ice hockey, with the goal mainly being to keep games respectable and hopefully come out with a couple of wins apiece.

Building friendships

The OKM has used the build-up to the Winter Olympics to build relations with other countries’ NOCs. This has particularly been seen with Diarcesia, who have used Mytanar venues to prepare their athletes for the games in Kelssek. This has been mutually beneficial, with the OKM receiving contributions towards the upkeep of venues in Sedlovina, Magevskaya and Avtovac, Thessia and Diarcesian athletes being able to use real snow and wintry conditions in preparation for competition. It is expected that the OKM will look to build on this by coming to similar arrangements with other NOCs from countries who do not have suitable venues due to their local climate.

This is a good move from the OKM, particularly as it looks to improve Mytanija’s international standing in anticipation of bidding for hosting rights of some international competitions in the not too distant future. It is expected that there will be an alpine skiing circuit held across four or five rounds at different venues around Mytanija at some point next year to try and raise the profile of Mytanar wintersports venues, but also to prove that the country has what it takes to be able to host big wintersports events. The OKM stepping in to help build relationships with other countries’ sports governing bodies is explained by the embarrassment Ski Mytanija faced when its bid to host rounds of the last Alpine Skiing World Tour were rejected due to ‘significant organisational issues’, the OKM were reportedly furious with the skiing governing body’s failure to present a successful bid and vowed to not allow it to happen again.

by **Kelssek** » Wed Jan 20, 2021 4:24 pm

A musical fanfare sounds at the appointed hour. “Welcome, bienvenue, to the fifteenth Olympic Winter Games.” A video montage of past Winter Olympics plays in a countdown

The dignitaries enter the VIP box. His Excellency Ronan Garrity, President of the Federation – ceremonial non-political figurehead. The Right Honourable Robert Monesto, Prime Minister, with none of the finesse and empathy of the thrice-elected predecessor he successfully backstabbed in a party leadership challenge, widely seen as doomed whether he calls an early election or not. The Kelssek flag is marched in and raised, with soprano Arlene Nah of the Etnier People’s Opera singing the national anthem backed by the children’s choir of the St. Boniface Basilica.

Fireworks.

Music begins, an ominous, sad dirge. Six children from different lands, each left homeless after calamitous disasters, wander the scorched desert. They are desperate for food and water and wonder what became of their families and communities. Huddling in a cave, they find some respite from the terrible burning heat.

This is no ordinary cave, however. A holographic dragon appears before them. Their meeting, they are told, was no mere chance. The dragon – a reference to local folklore about the dragon which lives beneath the volcano Parracuttis and is responsible for the smoke and fire that sometimes comes out from it – has guided their path to this place, in which the last remnants of life vanished from the world outside struggle to hold on, protected by the guardian spirits.

The dragon now reveals the agent of the horrors they have endured. Fierce firestorms, floods drowning whole villages, massive holes opening up in the earth, howling winds building into tornadoes, fertile soil rapidly disappearing leaving a dessicated wasteland. The world is decaying as the spirit known as P’gourix has broken from its bonds. Once a spirit of growth and renewal, it has become warped, accursed. Wanton and mindless in its lust for power, has spread its corruption and malice across the world, seeking to control and dominate it, even if it by doing so it will only destroy what it desires.

Not all that is lost can be restored, the dragon tells them, but only by planting a seed now and carefully nurturing it can they renew their future.

You want us to stop this P’gourix? How?

The spirits of the world will guide you on your journey. Only by working together can you prevail. You know it not but inside you is the courage and determination to heal this broken world.

But what must we do?

The seal of power was sundered into six pieces when P’gourix broke free from the bonds the other spirits had placed upon it. You must find them so P’gourix can be sealed away once again. We, the Guardians, will guide you. Together, you are the hope of all peoples.

The music reaches a hopeful crescendo and the lights, subdued and in harsh white tones until now, flourish with colours. At this point the parade of nations begins, with the athletes representing 51 delegations marching into the stadium. Coming last per tradition, the host nation, led by speed skater Ariana Elches.

As the athletes take their seats the performance resumes. As they vanquish four monstrous corruptions of the forces of nature, they purge those spirits of the hold of P’gourix and win them as allies. A spirit of fire, out of control and consuming all before it, is calmed. A mighty river spirit whose fear and hatred floods the land with fetid waters, sweeping away forests and homes and swallowing up the land before it. A stone giant, which they work together to climb and subdue. They hold together against a violent wind spirit that swirls menacingly, blowing them off their feet and throwing broken trees and other debris at them. They collect four shards from the spirits, who promise to aid them in the final struggle.

For the fifth shard they must battle a swarm of drones and uncannily lifelike robots, which they figure out how to distract and hack. For the final piece they must defeat P’gourix itself. It is here they find the terrible secret of P’gourix’s power. It appeals to the very ambitions and dreams of every person, and without really knowing it, anyone can be drawn into its seductive spell, feeding one’s desire for improvement and turning it into greed and avarice. From enjoying nature’s bounty to attempting to force nature to bend to one’s will. And through that simple pursuit of something better, people consume and destroy all that their lives depend upon...

But the children resist the attempts of P’gourix to turn them against each other. Despite their different and sometimes conflicting hopes for the future, they hold on to the solidarity between themselves that was built through the shared struggle. Angered, the spirit manifests into a physical form to attack them directly. This is the opening for the guardian spirits to strike, subduing P’gourix long enough for the children to seize the final shard.

They put the six pieces together and seal away P’gourix, freeing the land from the blight. It just so happens that this forms the Olympic Estoile, which floats from the hands of the children up to hover in the middle of the stadium. This is the seal which has the power to bring people together for something greater than themselves, for the common destiny...

The children look in amazement as they find themselves on a dry plain, but one with green shoots already appearing and a soft sunlight, no longer the harsh and punishing ball of fire in the first act. A forest springs up around them and the aurora borealis appears as night falls. And then... snow falls, slowly at first, blanketing the landscape. They start to play in the snow, tossing snowballs and fashioning toboggans from fallen logs. Fireworks light up as the performance ends.

Marie-Anne Boucher, the mother of Jean-Luc Lacroix, Kelssek’s most decorated winter Olympian, killed in a backcountry avalanche prior to the 12th Winter Olympics, brings the Olympic torch into the stadium. She hands it to Evan Mackay, a teammate of her son, recently retired after winning his third gold medal in Neverend. Evan then carries the torch to Briana Meekinson, two-time gold medal winner as captain of the Kelssek women’s hockey team, who has the honour of lighting the Olympic cauldron and marking the official opening of the fifteenth Winter Olympics.

---

This is the cutoff for day 0. Results.

by **Diarcesia** » Wed Jan 20, 2021 9:10 pm

Gaining new connections

The focus of winter Olympic preparations in Diarcesia moved to a new city ahead of the Clayquot games in Kelssek. This required new transport links, and the rerouting of buses and trolleybuses will be necessary to get athletes and staff to stay in one place. Access to the city is achieved through the use of highways which run through the centre of the city, linking the north with the south districts. Another highway snakes its way through the city to the outskirts.

The city, located in the dieresis of Castamiria, is surrounded on three sides by low mountains that tower above it. The tallest of these is the marbled White Summit, which stands at almost 2000 metres. Being located in a tropical climate, its summit is colder than the lowlands, but it has never seen snow in living memory. The mountain has a forest of tall, thin pine trees, which provide a magnificent view for the many office buildings and homes which dot the city.

The northernmost district of the city is called "The Reacheon Triangle", containing buildings of both Palaeodiarcesian and Castamirian architecture. Like many of the settlements in the dieresis, the city started as a fortified camp of the Castamirian Host during their migration in current-day Diarcesia. The Triangle originally had a collection of buildings that were knocked down in the 20^th century and replaced with taller buildings when the original owners sold them to developers. Around the time Orell took power as Monarch Diarcesian in 1923, the Reacheon was transformed with skyscrapers of the art deco style, the fashionable architecture of the day.

The tallest building in the city, the Harz Castletower, is over 250 metres high and contains a secret chamber that has never been opened. It is topped by a piece of crystalline capstone that was once part of a Wochaysteiner monastery. Around it and easily found in the city is green space that allows for a variety of activities, from walking trails through the park to boardwalks along the ponds.

The central park is divided into six "plaza districts" with different activities and layers. The largest of these is the area where the public can gather in concerts or important events. It famously included an open-air concert by the city's homegrown singer and 27th World Hit Festival contestant Williamine 'MINA' Megalus. It is not unusual for several smaller acts to hold events there. In addition to this space, the crowd is invited to explore the other half of the park, which is heavily decorated with greenery and is host to the world-renowned Art Walk of Fame, which honors individuals known for their outstanding pieces.

The Throngs, the Mighty and the Earth

The oldest part of the city and the location of the original camps of the Castamirian Host, the Throngs park has since become a popular spot for sporting events. Lumberjack challenges are common here. Even celebrities in their usual day or two off could be seen here. In the old days, however, the Throngs was the most densely populated portion of the city: a culmination of centuries of organic growth. A huge fire destroyed it however, and the city council decided to prohibit buildings on it afterwards and converted it to a park. It is quite a photo-op destination.

The air is crisp and clean in the morning. The sun is high in the sky and the clouds are white like snow. A gust of wind blows across the trees, creating a comfortable breeze for the people outside, some of them happily slouching over the grass. Some of the Diarcesian olympians on break are surprised to see them here, and can be quite a shock to them if they are not used to it.

"Oh, wow, look at all the people out there", says one of them.

by **Teremaran Olympics Delegation** » Wed Jan 20, 2021 9:40 pm

Ekaterine, Falkasia
A few weeks before send-off...

Vladimir sat at his desk and looked over a selected roster of athletes. It was much the same group he had always authorized and sent, sans Romanov. A shame really, he recalled to himself. Dimitri had, for almost five years, been the heart and soul of the Falkasian delegation. But as time went on, his age caught up to him. Health problems were what had ultimately sidelined him, and retirement quickly followed suit.

He had replaced Romanov with Andro Namestikov last summer, and while the results were satisfactory, the younger man’s obsession with predictability and statistics proved to be more or a detriment than a boon. Vladimir did find subtle amusement in Andro’s humbling following what he had deemed to be a less-than-stellar outing. This would be his first Winter Olympics, and thusly, a different opportunity to prove himself.

The Premier reviewed the roster again:

Falkasia is a predominately Nordic and sub-Nordic nation on the continent of Tavlyria in the region of Teremara, containing within it a diverse variety of peoples, landscapes, and climates. The majesty of this land extends from the frozen wastes of the northern Falkasian Gulf, down through the central grassy steppes and forests of the Falkasian heartland, and into the craggy scrubland of the Border Region with neighboring Gragastavia. While prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Falkasia was frequently represented by many accomplished athletes as part of a combined Russian/Falkasian delegation, and has gone on to represent Falkasia and the region of Teremara both equally with great acclaim. In combination with its neighbors and friends within the region of Teremara, the opportunity is nigh to set a new precedent for future generations that the Falkasian spirit cannot, and will not, ever be dominated.

Bobsleigh

Yule Skoog (29)
Full-time commercial fisherman with the Falkasian Crab fleet in the Falkasian Gulf, Skoog has always been an active member in the Falkasian bobsled circuit since he was a child. Skoog hails from the icy island village of Reynir, located just a few degrees below the Arctic Circle. His father is Falkasian, but his mother is Yellosian (The United Socialist States of Yellow Star Republic), from just over the northern border.
He spent much of his childhood with friends sledding on the various static icebergs surrounding the island. As with any self-respecting Falkasian, Yule cut his teeth playing organized youth hockey throughout the northern-most province of Volskaya. Despite being an accomplished skater and offense-man, he found that ice hockey lacked the adrenaline rush free-form sledding had given him as a child. In previous Olympics, Yule was the primary pilot for both the Two-Man and Four-Man Bobsled. This go-around, he will be replacing the veteran Dimitri Romanov as the team Captain. In recent years, especially with the announcement that Falkasia would again send a delegation to the Winter Olympics, he has taken time off from work and focused on training. Ironically, his team has no formal facility to conduct practice runs. Instead, they ride the same icebergs he grew up with as a child.

Karl Svensson (28)
Son of a baker, Svensson was born in the central Falkasian town of Vilzen; population 257 plus several dogs. As a child, he tended to avoid organized sports and instead preferred to explore the rolling hills and valleys surrounding his home with his childhood companion, a fluffy collie named Sasha. Karl's disinterest didn't matter much however, as the city of Vilzen was only able to afford a small ice rink, and only during the winter. Svensson's adventures fostered within the young man a strong sense of independence and determination, which ultimately led him to school to study business.

While studying at University of Ekaterine, he was approached by a founder and former Director of the Falkasian Olympic Committee, Dimitri Romanov, who ultimately recruited the begrudging, headstrong young man as their Two Four-man Sled Brakeman. Presently, when he is not training with his two and four-man bobsled teams, Svensson runs a small chain of Falkasian pastry shops, known as Pryanikis, throughout Vilzen and the surrounding hamlets. Since his appearance and Silver medal victory in the past Olympics, Karl has had difficulty keeping up with the increasing demand for his pastries. The locals have lovingly dubbed them “Silver Screamers,” a joke generated by a widely publicized sports image of him screaming down the track in Electrum, all the while showing a look of horror on his face as sled driver Skoog takes an embankment a bit too high.

Magnar Arneson (22)
Magnar is the newest member of the Falkasian bobsled team, taking over from Yule Skoog as the pilot for both Bobsled Teams. He is among the first graduates of the new Falkasiuan Olympic Program, originally set up four years prior, and represents the next generation of Falkasian Olympic athletes. Originally from Volsk, Magnar worked much of his adult life as a fish cannery worker and was recruited following a lead provided by his teammate Jan Holtgren. He has trained as a professional bobsledder for three years, and is very eager to get, as he claims, some “real experience in his pocket.”

Jan Holtgren (22)
Young and ambitious, Jan strives to be the best. "Strives," however, is likely an inappropriate word choice. Brash and unrestrained, likely on account of his age, Holtgren did not start out as a Bobsledder. Rather, as a child he played competitive ice hockey for the Crab Kings, a youth professional sports club based out of Volsk. The circuit took him throughout Falkasia, as well as neighboring Gragastavia and briefly into the Yellow Star Republic. Despite what he may say, Holtgren was a C player at best, and was often resigned to the grinder/enforcer role on the Fourth Line. As he said it, being at the bottom meant "he could see his path straight to the top." However, the ladder fell out from under him following an off-ice altercation with members of an opposing team, alongside two on-ice officials who attempted to intervene. He was promptly sanctioned by the Falkasian Youth Hockey Association, and after a similar altercation with several of his own teammates a week later, was permanently suspended from the league. Almost as if by chance, he was approached by a Falkasian Olympic Committee official who was able to offer the youngster a fresh-start. As the team quickly learned, his enormous size, youth, and hockey conditioning allow him to accelerate his sled as a Pusher at breakneck speeds. Outside of the sport, Holtgren does odd jobs to support himself. He aspires to become a Falkasian Marine Raider some day, but acknowledges that neither "[his] academic performance [nor] attitude would allow him to do well."

Truen Gunnarsson (28)
A true trendsetter, 6'6" Truen (Troon) was the first woman to pilot a bobsled to victory in Falkasia. Rather, she was the first woman to enter herself as a competitor in a Men's Bobsledding League and win. Her victory opened up the path for other women, much like herself, to form their own parallel organization for female bobsledding within the country. Born in Provno, a suburb outside of Ekaterine, her first sport was actually basketball. Given her height, this was a natural choice, despite the fact there are virtually no basketball courts anywhere in Falkasia. It presented a problem, and when she and her parents were forced to move north to Volsk, she abandoned her pursuit for other options. Bobsledding, ironically, was not a sport she actively pursued as she grew into adulthood. Her first foray was as a substitute Pilot for a men's Four-man Team, after which she became hooked. While attending technical school in Volsk, she and her friends formed the city's first female-only bobsled team and were frequently seen rocketing through downtown streets against rival teams during winter. Currently, her team trains in combination with the men's team on Reynir Island, but more recently she has been attempting to petition the local government for funds to construct a track in-town. In her off-season, Truen is a registered EMT and frequently works to support helicopter evacuations over the Falkasian Gulf.

Johanna Dahlin (26)
Like Svensson, Dahlin is also a member of the 257 individuals who call Vilzen home. She and Karl were distant friends as children, not so much because they had common interests, but rather because there were so few children around. As such, both share a variety of similar experiences that has created a very strong bond between both of them. Despite only being two-years younger, Johanna tends to regard Karl as her older brother and the two can be frequently seen teasing each other about their relative love interests. She is a fully educated and accredited Mining Engineer, the result of an extensive six-year education at the technical university in Volsk. During her time there, she was approached by her dormitory mate Truen and persuaded to join their team as the Brakewoman.

Selja Heino (28)
Unlike her teammates, Selja grew up with bobsledding as her family's past-time. Her father, a native of the city of Atley in the Falkasian ice fjords, participated in a variety of winter sports in his free time. While ice hockey and skiing were among his favorites, there was always a special place in the man's heart for his small, ramshackle two-man sled. Selja, once she was of age, would frequently go out with her father on some of his less exhilarating runs. From him, she learned every skill a sledder would require in to become competitive. By the time she was a teenager, her and her three sisters had built their own ramshackle four-man sled and were competing against other local children for the title of "King of the Mountain." Many of the tracks she and her friends built over the years have since been framed and turned into actual runs, although the facilities to maintain them have yet to be constructed. Grown up now, she still resides in Atley alongside much of her family and trains sled dogs for a living.

Leyla and Yildirim Sezen (23)
Leyla and her brother Yildirim are fraternal twins, born and raised in the chaotic and oftentimes dangerous city of Stana in the southern border region of Falkasia. Their parents, a Gragastavian father and Falkasian mother, were both career military officers serving as the region's security liaison between their respective governments. Given the city's notorious reputation for being a center of terrorist and separatist activity, the Sezen parents decided that it might be better to raise their children in a safer environment. Both of the Sezen twins might have spent much of their childhood growing up in one of the wealthier districts of the Gragastavian capitol of Al Duhaba, but instead a GLO suicide bomb attack killed their father shortly after the decision was made. A week later, their mother requested re-assignment, and the family was spirited away to Ekaterine.

Devastated by the death of their father, both Sezen children channeled their grief into release outlets. Aside from being an accomplished painter and singer, Leyla quickly became enamored with the sport of bobsledding after a one-time boyfriend introduced her to the sport. Ironically, Leyla regards fellow teammate Truen Gunnarsson as her idol, having watched her compete in the early days of the sport in Falkasia. It was this same idol who would eventually recruit Leyla to the team.
Unlike his sister, Yildirim had a more difficult time coping with the death of his father. While neither of them frequently saw eye-to-eye, his father was the primary driving force behind his passion. Stana, being a craggy landscape of scrubland, washes, and jagged cliffs, rarely ever got snow. Yet, his father was a strong supporter of his early interests in ice hockey and would actively dodge duty to watch his son play. Unable to separate the thought of his father with the game of hockey, Yildirim quit playing and has yet to step onto a hockey rink since. Instead, he poured his efforts into school and hoped to one day become an accomplished lawyer. Instead, his twin sister dragged him into the sport of bobsledding.

At least initially, Yildirim thought of it as a soft sport with hardly any skill involved. Skeleton, a parallel sport often broadcast in accompaniment of bobsledding, captured his attention and held on. When interviewed about this defining moment, he replied, "I like the intensity. It's just you and the sled and nothing else. The purity of it all calls to me. Reminds me if how I felt before my father died." Unlike his sister and the bobsled teams, Yildirim actually trains overseas in Neu Engollon, where he studies International Law at Burgunden University.

Liljan Mogen (37)
An accomplished skier and sledder, Liljan is the very definition of a backwoods outdoorswoman. Born in the mountainous region of Ikovskaya, her family lived in a homestead with three of her uncles, aunts, and their families. There was no running water, and many of the houses had dirt floors on their lowest levels. Her father was a lumberjack and game hunter, but outside of the occasional elk or deer he brought home, all of his earnings went to pay for family expenses and his own drinking problem. Despite his addiction, Liljan's father was as supportive as he could be of his only child, and encouraged her to come out hunting with him once she came of age. In a bit of homestead ingenuity, he would have her sled between the trees and stir out any critters into the open. Surprisingly, this strategy didn't work at all, but it left a lasting impression on the young girl.

As she grew, the sled was abandoned as she and her father would trek out together on hunting trips, for which her father made sure to pass her some spending money. Lacking a formal education, she poured her funds into books and taught herself a hodge-podge of subjects ranging from literature to mathematics. Sledding however, had returned to the forefront of her life. The nearest town, an Army installation known as Camp Ikov, began offering competitions for local sledders to compete. The soldiers there, having little to do during the winter months outside of watching TV and eating food, offered cash prizes.

It took very little time before they came to regret their decision, as Liljan quickly bankrupted most of the camp's population. Due to this, and despite her homestead's remoteness, Liljan is fairly well-known and respected by the region's community as a whole. This was partly the reason why she was approached by the Falkasian Olympic Committee, hoping that by having her compete would draw popular support for the fledgling organization. However, as Chairman Romanov mentioned to a reporter, her fame was considerably less important than her exceptional skill at skiing and shooting. "She's just that good," he said, "You can quote me on that too."

Valerian Larashenko (44)
A literal translation of the "Most Interesting Man in the World," Valerian has pretty much seen and done it all. Born in Al Duhaba to Falkasian parents, he was a curious youngster who frequently got himself into trouble. So much so, that the local FSIS bureau used to rig him with a tiny listening device to counter-act insurgency movements. Nothing is really ever off-limits, especially in Gragastavia. As a child, his parents traveled the world as official sanctioned diplomats of Falkasia. Over the course of his life, he resided in over 30 countries. As a result, Valerian speaks 9 different languages. It was during his late teens, while his parents were posted to the Falkasian Embassy in Salzland, that he discovered skiing.
He had in the past dabbled in a variety of traditional and local sports, but the nature of his parents' work meant that he could never stay around long enough to fully enjoy them. Illegal drugs were also proving an issue for the young man, so when his parents saw his interest, he quickly jumped on the opportunity and forced him in. While hardly a natural, the more he practiced the more he realized he loved skiing. "It's a sense of control I never had as a kid," he would later reflect to a reporter, "You're in charge of where you go. So long as there's snow, where ever you go is the right place to be." He served briefly in the Falkasian Navy as a gunboat captain in the Falkasian Gulf, where he had several run-ins with smugglers and Yellosian patrol boats. The ships he commanded, three in total, were all sunk at one time or another with him on board.

Three times each he was fished from the frozen water, ready to jump aboard the next boat to finish what he started. He has stared in a variety of local commercials, held political office as mayor of an Ekaterine suburb, built a successful international alcohol distribution company, and even went undercover as part of an FSIS and Precinct 19 sting operation on a cell of Cardwithian drug kingpins. Currently, his job is skiing. He has devoted himself full-time to practicing his sport in preparation for the upcoming Olympic Games, for which he also has a limited minority investment stake in, and travels the world on his own money to ski the greatest mountains known to mankind.

Boris Vasiliev (36)
Boris is a Falkasian Army Combat Skier by trade, although he failed to see any combat action during his entire tenure with the military. Originally born as an “occupation baby” in the contested Stanaskaya region of southern Falkasia, along the border of the Duhaba Sand Reserve in Gragastavia, he spent much of his childhood bouncing around military bases across both countries. His parents, both career military officers, eventually tired of his poor school attendance and grew increasingly concerned as he drifted from the prescribed straight-and-narrow of military life. By the time he was a teenager, Boris had been enrolled in a military reform school in central Ekaterine where he excelled under the harsh regime imposed upon him by the school headmaster. Unlike his parents, dissent was not tolerated and allowed him to foster, among other things, an intense work ethic.
Shortly after graduating, he enlisted in the Falkasian Army and was quickly fast-tracked through rapid promotion into the professional cadre of NCOs. Assigned to the Arctic Warfare Academy in Volsk, he was deployed alongside his unit to the northernmost border region of Volskaya in anticipation of an assault by Yellowsian forces. While a prototypical experiment unit, Boris quickly found a love for skiing, and among other things, performing death-defying stunts off the lower hanging mountain peaks. “It was all for the ladies,” he joked in an interview. “Otherwise, no one would have even remotely considered the risks I took.” Within the Falkasian skiing circle, Boris is often regarded as borderline insane and has few friends outside of those affiliated with his “blue blood” pedigree.

Ana Krasinsky (23)
Unlike many of her fellow teammates, Ana was born and raised in metropolitan Ekaterine. Equally to their chagrin, she has rarely explored outside the confines of her city’s major urban center. Both of her parents were government bureaucrats, literally faceless and lacking both personality in their jobs and personal lives. Ironically, it would seem tha the most boring of people tend to raise the most colorful. Aside from being stunningly beautiful, Ana quickly asserted herself through her cheerful personality and beautiful art. An accomplished painter, she got her start painting murals at the then brand new Tretiak Arena. Enraptured by the pictures of figure skaters from a bygone era, she was instantly obsessed and requested lessons from her parents. Sure enough, years later, she quickly rose to prominence as one of Falkasia’s most graceful figure skaters.
However, an unfortunate shoulder injury in a car accident ended her burgeoning figure skating career. Her boyfriend at the time, a hockey player for the Ekaterine Thunderhawks, introduced her to speed skating at one of his practices. Although there was a cult following among a small group of people, short track was mostly used as a training regime for speed conditioning in hockey. Realizing that her already impressive ice skating skills and superior balance, coupled with a limited need for upper body movement, had primed her for another opportunity, she jumped and began speed skating full-time. Although such a sport remains a sideshow amid the ice hockey scene in Falkasia, Ana hopes that by skating in the Winter Olympics, she will inspire a new generation of young Falkasians to follow in her footsteps. “Never let a setback keep you from accomplishing your dreams,” she was quoted as saying in an Ekaterine newspaper. “Its cliché, I know, but always be looking for that open door. Sometimes, it isn’t the one you want, but in the end they all lead to the same place.”

by **West Phoenicia** » Wed Jan 20, 2021 11:32 pm

WP||The West Phoenicia Times

Sports || Health || Technology || Gossip || Domestic Politics || International Politics || Entertainment || World || Religion || Weather

Thomas Jamerson, Indi Reporter

When it comes to the Olympics, West Phoenicia performed superbly when it comes to the Summer variant. For years the Winter version was treated second rate, a Cinderella in the home of a wicked stepmother, doing all the work but relegated to the shadows.
Summer Olympians were showered with first-class coaches and trainers, excellent training facilities and never-ending praises. These athletes in returned performed amazingly obtaining a slew of medals.

The Winter athletes struggled to keep up and their facilities were regarded as second rate, especially in events and disciplines where they would never likely stand a chance, most notably Biathlon, Curling and Nordic disciplines.

Others Figure Skating and Luge started to see an improvement in funding, better coaches and training facilities due to bringing home glory for West Phoenicia.

All that is changing. Winter sports are improving in the nation, fan bases are building up, citizens are tuning in to watch them on television and sponsors are knocking on the Ministry of Sports door.
Athletes are being noticed as just as talented as their Summer counterparts and deserve the same standard and recognition.
The Ministry of Sports over the last several years has seen them as a diamond in the rough, a lot more work needed before they hit the big times. The realisation hit when more athletes started to pull in medals or place reasonably well. More needed to be done to continue the momentum.
The Ministry realised with extra funding, better classes coaches and updated facilities, they can be just as great. They too deserved the praise and devotion which other athletes received.

Recognition was lacking and something needed to be done to show gratitude and pride in the Winter athletes.

Marking West Phoenicia's 5th appearance at a Winter Olympics.
Emperor Glenton Gryphon-Bush II announced in collaboration with the Minister of Sports and the West Phoenician Olympic Committee, a reward of thank you and appreciation towards the Winter athletes with, the creation of the West Phoenician Order of Winter Sports Excellence.

The West Phoenician Order of Winter Sports Excellence (OWSE) will become a symbol of superb recognition. Medals have been approved and designed and separated into medals three classes; Platinum Class, First Class Distinction and Second Class Distinction.

Platinum Class
Platinum Class medals will be awarded to those athletes who stepped up and obtained multiple medals in a single Winter Olympics or throughout subsequent appearances. A highly regarded reward and distinction for athletes sheer brilliance, skill and talent.

The list of Platinum recipients are as follows;

Gold Medal Winners:

* Angelika Lipinski: Skating- Figure Skating -Women's Individual (XIII)
* Angelika Lipinski: Skating- Figure Skating-Women's Individual (XIV)
* Angelika Lipinski: Figure Skating- Team Trophy (XIV)
* Michael Morrison/David McYouth/Stephen Von Swelsh/Titus Anu: Skating- Short Track- Men’s 5 000 m Relay (XII)
* Michael Morrison/David McYouth/Stephen Von Swelsh/Titus Anu: Short track speed skating-Men's 5000m relay (XIV)
* Rebecca Koo/Sarah Wang/Liesel Horne/Alicia Church: Skiing-Ski Jumping-Women's Team Large Hill-Gold (XIII)

Silver Medal Winners:
* Auric Le: Skiing- Freestyle Skiing - Men's Mogul. (XII)
* Auric Le: Skiing- Freestyle Skiing-Men's Moguls.(XIII)
* Lien Nam: Luge -Women's Individual (XIII)
* Lien Nam: Luge—Team Relay. (XIV)
* Gypsy Parks/Bo Grahame: Skating- Figure Skating - Pairs (XIII)
* Gypsy Parks/ Bo Grahame: Skating Figure Skating -Team Trophy (XIII)
* Malachi DeWitt: - Skiing- Cross-Country-Men’s 30 km Skiathlon (XII)
* Malachi DeWitt: Skiing- Cross-Country Skiing - Men’s 30 km Skiathlon (XIII)
* Rebecca Koo/Sarah Wang/Liesel Horne/Alicia Church: Skiing- Ski Jumping-Women's Team Large Hill (XII)

Bronze Medal Winners:
* Claire Cotton: Skiing- Alpine Skiing - Women’s Super Combined.(XII)
* Claire Cotton:Skiing- Alpine Skiing-Women's Super Combined. (XIV)
* Princess Jocasta Gryphon: Skiing- Freestyle Skiing -Women's Slopestyle. (XII)
* Princess Jocasta Gryphon: Skiing- Freestyle skiing-Women's slopestyle. (XIV)

First-Class distinction
First Class Distinction will be awarded to athletes who showed talent, skill and distinction which resulted in a medal win for the nation at any appearance.

Second Class Distinction

Second Class Distinction will be awarded to those athletes who placed first, second or third in a Demonstration event. Also, the award will go out to coaches, health professionals and support staff who went above and beyond their roles to ensure the success of the athlete at a Winter Olympic Games.

The award ceremony is scheduled to take place during day one of the three day Winter Olympics Games Gala hosted in Melbourne-Haven, the capital after the XV Winter Olympics Games in Clayquot; Kelssek. Where who knows more recipients may be added to the current lost.

The Winter Olympic Games medal count currently stands at 43 medals, which do not include demonstration event wins.
The XV Winter Olympics is seen as an opportunity for West Phoenicia to obtain enough medals to bypass 50 which will be an amazing achievement for the nation.

** Special mention and acknowledgment needs to go out to the nation of Fluvannia for the amazing medal designs

XV Olympic Winter Games - RP thread

XV Olympic Winter Games - RP thread

Who is online