Handball World Cup 23 - Everything Thread

[Equestrian States]

Handball World Cup 23
Equestria & Bollonich

Welcome to the 23rd edition of the Handball World Cup, hosted by Equestria and Bollonich. Please feel free to begin posting your RPs and rosters here in this thread. Please direct any OOC discussion to the HWC Discussion Thread.

Teams have been drawn into 5 groups of 8 teams and will play each team in their group once, with all games taking place in venues throughout Equestria and Bollonich.

Pots

Pot 1: Savojarna (1), Abanhfleft (3), HUElavia (4), Kriegiersien (6), Equestria (7)
Pot 2: Lisander (9), Qasden (15), Libonesia (16), Ethane (17), Quebec & Shingoryeo (17)
Pot 3: Græntfjall (23), Sarzonia (23), Sylestone (27), Drawkland (32), Saltstead (38)
Pot 4: The Greater Nordics (54), Alezian Union (UR), Arjunnagar (UR), Bollonich (UR), Castlelobruxo (UR), Croblade (UR), Frestovenia (UR), Gergary (UR), Hebitaka (UR), Imperial Rifta (UR), Islands of Ventro (UR), Kotzellach (UR), Magnecia (UR), Malandrin (UR), Oprimide (UR), Pyazhnaya (UR), Seguidores de la grasas (UR), Shreekar (UR), Shreekaristan (UR), Srednjaci (UR), Suimede (UR), Taxonomic Kingdoms (UR), The Federation of 14 Stars (UR), Varmennia (UR), West Phoenicia (UR)

Group Draw

Group 1
Bollonich (UR)
Abanhfleft (3)
Varmennia (UR)
Drawkland (32)
Libonesia (16)
Magnecia (UR)
Oprimide (UR)
Croblade (UR)

Group 2
Frestovenia (UR)
HUElavia (4)
Castlelobruxo (UR)
Ethane (17)
The Greater Nordics (54)
Græntfjall (23)
Alezian Union (UR)
Suimede (UR)

Group 3
Srednjaci (UR)
Sylestone (27)
The Federation of 14 Stars (UR)
Qasden (15)
Imperial Rifta (UR)
Kriegiersien (6)
West Phoenicia (UR)
Arjunnagar (UR)

Group 4
Equestria (7)
Sarzonia (23)
Hebitaka (UR)
Shreekar (UR)
Gergary (UR)
Malandrin (UR)
Pyazhnaya (UR)
Quebec & Shingoryeo (17)

Group 5
Kotzellach (UR)
Savojarna (1)
Shreekaristan (UR)
Seguidores de la grasas (UR)
Lisander (9)
Taxonomic Kingdoms (UR)
Islands of Ventro (UR)
Saltstead (38)

Tournament Schedule

Cutoffs for both Equestria and Bollonich will be at approximately 11:00 PM EDT / 03:00 UTC.

Thursday, May 27: Match Day 1 - 1v8, 2v7, 3v6, 4v5
Friday, May 28: Match Day 2 - 8v5, 6v4, 7v3, 1v2
Saturday, May 29: Match Day 3 - 2v8, 3v1, 4v7, 5v6
Sunday, May 30: Match Day 4 - 8v6, 7v5, 1v4, 2v3
Monday, May 31: Match Day 5 - 3v8, 4v2, 5v1, 6v7
Tuesday, June 1: Match Day 6 - 8v7, 1v6, 2v5, 3v4
Wednesday, June 2: Match Day 7 - 4v8, 5v3, 6v2, 7v1

Friday, June 4: Round of 16
Sunday, June 6: Quarterfinals
Tuesday, June 8: Semifinals
Thursday, June 10: Final/3PPO

Useful Links

HWC Discussion Thread
HWC 23 Signup Thread
Host Bid
Current HWC Rankings
HWC 22- Everything Thread
Handball on History of Modern NS Sports
Handball on Wikipedia

[Equestrian States]

LONELY MULTIVERSE
The Approx Guide to Equestria

Introduction

The Pony Principality of Equestria is a diverse country inhabited by dozens of sapient species, each contributing to the nation's proud culture of tolerance and giving the nation a reputation for compassion and kindness. Tradition and innovation have combined well in this Southwest Atlantian Oceania nation, rapidly bringing it into the modern era after centuries of isolation from the rest of the multiverse. This Lonely Multiverse travel guide is designed to be the ultimate companion for any tourist (regardless of their species) visiting Equestria, and is loaded with every tip and bit of advice one needs to have an safe and enjoyable stay.

History

It is widely believed that Equestria can trace its origins back to at least 2000 years ago, and perhaps even further. However, the early history of Equestria is shrouded in mystery, as precious few written records exist from that time period and those accounts which have survived to the modern day were passed down orally over the course of generations and frequently contradict one another.

Perhaps the most popular story of Equestria's founding is the tale of Hearth's Warming. According to the legend, the three Equestrian races once lived apart in three separate nations which often fought over resources, before being forced to cooperate to survive a particularly brutal winter brought about by magical creatures called windigos that feast on negative feelings. The unification of the tribes is commemorated each year on Hearth's Warming Day, a time spend time with friends and family.

Another popular story from Equestria's ancient past is the Tale of the Two Sisters, which has recently proven to be true. Over a millennium ago, the younger of the Regal Sisters, Luna, became bitter at her older sister and those who shunned the night in favor of the day and was transformed into Nightmare Moon and threatened to bring about eternal night. Forced to respond, Celestia banished her sister to the moon using the Elements of Harmony. It was not until just several decades ago that Nightmare Moon returned from exile and was purified by the Elements' new bearers, led by now-Princess Twilight Sparkle, returning Luna to her sister's side as one of Equestria's co-rulers.

Nearly 200 years ago, Equestria came into contact with the outside world for the first time, ending centuries of isolation brought about primarily by the country's remote location. The most important import for Equestria in the decades that followed was not trade goods, but ideas. Mechanization and industrialization were foreign concepts to the largely agrarian Equestrian society that was used to utilizing magic to produce goods that the rest of the world was using machines for. Equestria quickly set about industrializing itself, bringing the country into the modern age, but knowing of the environmental devastation other developing nations had witnessed at the same time, the Equestrians used their knowledge of the arcane to minimize the impact of pollution.

But knowledge of the outside world came at a cost, and that cost was that the outside world had knowledge of Equestria's existence, location, and magical nature. It was not long before the Equestrians faced threats from outside forces which viewed them as a threat. Some argued the Equestrians were demons inhabiting the bodies of wild horses, others viewed the ponies as a primitive race that could be enslaved and put to work. Equestria responded to these threats by building up a massive navy which was capable of keeping foreign invaders at bay, as well as by modernizing the training and equipment of its defense forces in both the Royal Army and the Royal Guard. Over the last two centuries, the Equestrians have engaged in a number of wars, nearly all of which were fought to defend Equestria's shores, with more recent exceptions in the liberation of South Covello and the Busoga Islands Conflict that were primarily meant to support oppressed groups.

Today, Equestria is an advanced country that has successfully merged tradition, magic, and technology. With an economy dominated by tourism, agriculture, and the mining of precious minerals, the Equestrians have found their niche in the international community. Thanks to its location in Atlantian Oceania, Equestria has become a travel hub for many visiting the region from around the world, and the nation is easily among the more prosperous and safe for foreigners to visit.

Geography & Climate

Equestria is both too large to be safely called an island nation and too small to be considered its own continent. However, most Equestrians live on a large landmass north of Valanora, known to Equestrians as the mainland, due to its size and role as a population and commercial center for the country.

The mainland is dominated by flat grassland and plains, though forests and hilly areas exist and are generally scattered throughout the landmass. Running north to south are the Harmony Mountains, named for Mt. Harmony near the capital city of Canterlot. The mountain range divides the mainland into eastern and western geographic regions, and was once home to dozens of active volcanoes. However, no eruption has occurred in the Harmony Mountains in at least the last 1500 years, and the range is believed to be inactive or extinct. The ancient volcanic activity on the mainland (and on many of Equestria's surrounding islands) resulted in mineral deposits from which Equestrian miners have extracted gold, silver, and other valuable materials for export.

The two most notable exceptions to the mainland's grassy majority are the Everfree Forest and Badlands. The Everfree Forest is more of a jungle than a temperate forest, and is widely considered the most dangerous region in Equestria due to its large numbers of wild carnivorous species, some of which would be considered "mythical" by foreigners. Within the Everfree Forest is the city of Everfree, located along the banks of the Stampede River and home to the largest population of non-equines in the nation. A number of more typical temperate forests surround the Everfree Forest itself. The Badlands, meanwhile, is a mix of marshland and desert near the southwestern coast, largely uncultivated and uninhabited by ponies, but is home to several other species such as changelings and buffalo.

Where things begin to get truly weird for the average tourist is Equestria's weather. Due to the magical nature of many of its inhabitants, the Equestrians are fully capable of creating, manipulating, and otherwise controlling the clouds and weather. This gives them the ability to determine where and when in rains or snows, as well any whatever other conditions they wish to create. The Equestrian government is very actively involved in coordinating the pegasi of the country to generate and control weather patterns favorable to Equestria's inhabitants (and its many earth pony farmers, in particular). As such, the odds of an Equestrian weatherpony giving an incorrect forecast are almost nonexistent, unless you happen to be in the Everfree Forest (the only region of Equestria where the weather is practically impossible to control due to a prevalence of wild magic).

Travel

Travelling to Equestria is generally easy, as most methods of interregional travel are available to visitors from outside Atlantian Oceania. Most international flights to the nation arrive at Canterlot's Harmony International Airport, Manehattan's Royal International, or Stalliongrad's Friendship Heights International. However, it should be noted that pilots flying to and from Equestria internationally must receive additional certification due to the nature of the country and much of the surrounding area. Because of this additional requirement for pilots, some airlines do charge extra to cover the training fees.

Once in Equestria, there are many other options for travel. Rental cars, taxis, and buses are easy to find in the larger cities such as Manehattan, Stalliongrad, and Everfree, though one might notice that most vehicles are electric-powered. But while cars and buses are regularly used in some cities, there are also several in which their use is limited to emergency services (most notably in Ponyville and Canterlot's Old City district) or is totally banned (as is the case in Cloudsdale).

However, the limited use of automobiles is balanced out by the proliferation of trains for travel between and within cities. Some of the more prominent and historical lines (such as the Ponyville-Canterlot Express) still use steam-powered engines or high-speed trains designed to mimic the classical appearance of an Equestrian train. Subways are also a common feature in Equestrian cities, spreading underground to connect many places of interest for foreign tourists. Cloudsdale is the only city where cars, buses, and trains/subways are unavailable.

But in the end, the most common method of travel in Equestria is one's own feet (or whatever body part one has to move oneself with). Few Equestrians drive or use public transportation unless they have to, preferring to take in the clean air on their way from place to place.

Culture & Society

Religion

Any analysis of Equestrian culture and society must begin with its majority religion and guiding philosophy: Harmonism. A dualistic religion, it revolves around the physical sun and moon deities, Celestia and Luna, as well as the six principles known as the Elements of Harmony. The religion's origins are near-impossible to determination, though it is widely believed to begun shortly after ponykind first encountered Celestia and Luna over two millennia ago. Unlike other religions, Harmonism lacks a written scripture or centralized multiversal organization to create such writings, occasionally resulting in disagreements between Harmonists from different regions. For the sake of brevity, we will only be exploring the most common spiritual and secular beliefs held by those from Equestria.

As stated earlier, the central beliefs of Harmonism include the worship of the Regal Sisters (Celestia and Luna) and adherence to the Elements of Harmony. Immortal and, according to spiritual Harmonists, capable of moving celestial bodies through magic, the two Regal Sisters are worshiped (or at least respected) by ponies throughout the multiverse as living goddesses. Some have recently begun to question the actual power of the Sisters, though it is widely accepted among ponykind that they are the two most powerful magical beings in existence.

The six Elements of Harmony are Honesty, Laughter, Kindness, Generosity, Loyalty, and Magic. These Elements exist both as philosophical concepts as well as physical objects capable of great power that contain the purest magical essence of the aforementioned virtues. The philosophical aspects of the Elements are more central to Harmonist faith as a set of morals to guide one throughout life. They are, for the most part, fairly self-explanatory, except for Magic. The sixth element has been connected not only to the ability of equine Harmonists to use magical spells, but also to the drive for new knowledge or understanding. It also has been connected to the power of friendship, and is mentioned in the most common Harmonist saying: "Friendship is Magic".

However, Harmonism has expanded from its spiritual roots (particularly as more non-equines are exposed to harmonist teachings) to become a secular philosophy as well. Secular Harmonists generally try to follow the virtues of Harmonism, though they generally do not believe that the Regal Sisters are physical goddesses. The expansion of Secular Harmonism has also led to the traditional virtues being adopted and woven into other religions as well, such as Christianity. Excluding the overwhelmingly Spiritual Harmonist equine population of Equestria, one can find many of the multiverse's most common faiths among the large immigrant communities, particularly Christianity and Islam, owing to the large Banijan and Busogan communities.

Language

Traditionally, ponies have spoken in their native Equestrian tongue; however, since the emergence of Equestria into the international community, many Equestrians have dedicated themselves to speaking multiple languages. The most common non-Equestrian language is easily English, which is spoken by approximately 70% of the population. It should be noted that some English words have been altered by Equestrians to better fit the equine majority, as the use of "everypony", "anypony", "hoofball", and other such words are modifications of the more standard English words. Mastery of many different languages is especially common among Unicorns, and as they are generally the ones more involved in business, are easy enough to find for foreign visitors. Numerous translating services exist throughout the Equestrian States, and airport bookstores generally contain a plethora of multilingual dictionaries for purchase.

Food

As one might expect from a nation dominated by a species of herbivores, many traditional Equestrian dishes are vegetarian in nature. The proliferation of such food is also furthered by the general lack of agriculture for the purpose of raising up animals for the slaughter. To hurt another living creature is, to many Equestrians, simply unthinkable. However, Equestria is not only inhabited by equines, but also by griffons, dragons, and humans (among others). Restaurants do exist to cater to these non-equine species, and do serve a wide variety of meats imported from outside of the region. That being said, it would be unwise to be seen in public eating a hamburger made from beef or any other meat product as many Equestrians are disgusted by such foods. This can make finding food difficult in smaller cities and in the nicer areas of the larger ones. A general tip would be: if your waiter looks like a herbivore, don't ask them for a cheeseburger or steak. Equestrian cafes are fairly creative with what they can do with non-meat products, and the bread and pastries are oftentimes better than what you might find in other nations.

Drink in Equestria can also differ significantly from other nations around the multiverse, as the most popular alcoholic beverage is hard cider, found at virtually every bar, pub, and restaurant. Ponies generally refrain from drinking too heavily, but other non-human sapients such as griffons are known to consume vast quantities of alcohol in a single sitting. We advise our human readers to graciously decline any drinking challenges offered, as one is unlikely to win, and drunk griffons can be notoriously temperamental. Beer is a distant second to cider, in terms of both popularity and availability, though bars and eateries which cater to human tourists will often keep domestic Equestrian brands in stock.

Inter-Species Relations

As Equestria is home to a wide range of species, it is practically impossible for any visitor to the country to avoid seeing a member of another species, regardless of where they might be. Unicorns could pull this off in certain neighborhoods of Canterlot, and earth ponies could do the same in isolated rural areas, though foreigners will often stumble across other species upon entry into Equestria as customs officials are perhaps the most diverse Equestrian demographic.

Relations between the three major pony races have not always been smooth, and some tensions still exist today despite the educational system's teaching of acceptance and tolerance. However, inter-species violence is very rare within Equestria, as is violent crime in general, with the possible exceptions coming from dragons, griffons, and other more naturally-aggressive species. Angering a dragon is about as dumb as it sounds, and is not advised unless one has a death wish.

Visitors to Equestria are also advised to avoid appearing speciesist to locals, as Equestrian society could be described as having a herd mentality, where an attack against or insult towards one person might be considered an attack on all those around that person. Thus, some words to avoid using in Equestria are: horse, mule, foal, or donkey. Calling a pony any of those terms is likely to result in a backlash towards the offending individual, as they are considered to be offensive unless one is actually speaking to a sapient horse or donkey, which are both easy to tell apart from ponies through their size and general lack of bright-colored fur or manes.

---

Handball World Cup 23 Venues

Group 4: New Indigo Arena (cap. 8,610) in Everfree
Group 5: Central Sportsplex (cap. 6,590) in Stalliongrad
Playoffs: Celestial Gardens (cap. 12,115) in Canterlot

[Bollonich]

WELCOME TO BOLLONICH

Overview

The Republic of Bollonich , is a small nation located on the eastern side of the Democratika. The Republic of Bollonich is sparsely populated with a large proportion of the nation being covered in forests and deserts. Bollonich is a highly advanced nation scientifically and economically. 90% of the Bollonischian population are habited on the coasts on the western side. Bollonich’s capital city Vreton, is a lavish location known throughout the multiverse as the stop for tourists passing by.

Players and Tourists Guidelines

Drug Policy - Bollonich has a relatively liberal drug policy, with marijuana sold throughout the nation. Any drugs that are found in the presence of players or tourists while arriving into Bollonich shall be returned on inspection if the substance is permitted by law. If it is not, the substance shall be confiscated. The presence of such a substance after arrival shall be subject to national law and dependent on the severity of the substance owned.
Alcohol policy - All people above 18 can consume and own alcohol. The last drink can be served at 2 am in the night after which all pubs must close. Identification of your age is required to purchase alcohol and ID maybe required for consumption. The Blood alcohol content for driving is 0.03%, above which a person is not legally allowed to drive.

Transportation

The matches that shall be played across two venues in two cities. The players shall be commuting with the means of airplanes, commercial versions of which shall also be available to tourists. If a person wishes not to avail Bollonich’s airlines, they can use Bollonich’s public transport system with the NCHS, being vastly available. Rental cars or motorbikes are also available however to rent one of these a person will need to display his or her driving license.
For within city commute, a person is welcome to use Bollonich’s underground system of subways, which costs a small fee for tourists. Cycles are also widely available for rent across Bollonischian cities.
For inter city transit a separate option also exists, that of national railways. Some passenger railways are free of cost while others require a small fee, as such trains are owned by privatised companies.

The National Coastal Highway System, near Fermont

Tourism

If you are travelling to Bollonich to spectate the 23rd Handball World, you might want to extend your stay to view some of the beauties here. Fermont is home to the National History Museum where a person new to Bollonich can learn all about our history and have a deeper understanding. Among educational locations such as this, another is the Bollonischian Cultural Centre located in Vreton which has information all about the culture and traditions. Visiting monuments like the Founders Statue located at Marda.
The other major tourist attraction are the beaches and forests of Bollonich. The western coast of Bollonich is blessed with a number of beaches and is a tourist hotspot with Kibnoto beach near Vreton being highly famous. The rainforests located towards the north wester side of Bollonich are endowed with a vast variety of flora and fauna. The Great Bollosch Tiger are also found here. The Akusha National Park located near Akusha is the largest national park in Bollonich which receives a large number of tourists every year.

Bollonischian Rainforest, East of Akusha

Kibnoto Beach, near Vreton

People and Living Facilities

The People of Bollonich are extremely friendly and are willing to help out anyone, however they are also very lawful and don’t like to break the law for anyone or anything. They can converse in English or the Bollonischian native language. The people speak nicely, however if you enter a political discussion with a Bollonischian don’t expect them to be nice to you as Bolloischians are highly passionate about politics and anything remotely related to it.
If you are visiting Bollonich, you will need a place to stay, and you could avail the 5 star Government line of hotels presented by the Bollonischian Department of Hotels. To get a room in any of these hotels you will need to produce your ID, either digitally or physically. The locals shall also be able to point you to the local home stay or such other places. All hotels and home stays are Government approved for safety, and other facilities.

Paradise, A Government owned hotel in Vreton

Sporting Culture

The Bollonischian people are highly passionate about sports, and you are bound to find a following for each and every sport. The most popular sport by far is football which is nearly followed by all sports fans, which also includes some of the most passionate fans ever. The rivalry between Vreton United and Vreton City is the most famous and revered among all. It has also led to the phrase, “If you see two people fighting they must be United and City fans.” Not a very elegant phrase but a phrase nonetheless.
The second place is held by two sports, mainly cricket and tennis. Cricket is a sport that is either loved or hated by most Bollonischians, and has a fair number of people from both camps. Tennis a sport mainly enjoyed by casual sports lovers and normal people, generally seen as a sport of the rich people.
Handball is a sport which doesn’t have the highest following in Bollonich but does have a fanbase, and the Bollonischian Handball Federation aims to make more people interested in this sport, and the establishment of the first Handball Cup completely held in the Vreton City State Handball stadium.

A brawl between supporters of Vreton United and Vreton City FC

Host Cities and Stadiums

Vreton - Vreton located towards the north west of Bollonich on the west coast is the capital of Bollonich and its largest city. Vreton is also the centre for everything Bollonich being the most developed city in Bollonich.
The Vreton City State Handball Stadium with an approximated capacity of 25,000. This stadium was build to host the new franchise based Handball tounrmanet called the BHC or Bollonischian Handball Cup. Group 1 and 2 shall play all their matches at Vreton, with Ro16 matches 5 and 6 being held here. This stadium will also host the QFs 3 and 4, SFs 2 and finally the 3rd position match.

Karvia - Karvia is the most centrally located city in the North south aspect while it is located in the extreme west. Karvia is a popularly industrialised city known as the IT capital of Bollonich.
The Karvia Indoor Stadium with a capacity of 7,500 people has been chosen as the other venue for the hosting of the 23rd Handball World Cup. All matches of Group 3 shall be played in this stadium, along with Ro16 matches 7 and 8.

[Kriegiersien]

Kriegiersien Handball National Team

After dropping out against later finalist and nemesis Abanhfleft in the quarter finals of the last World Cup, the men's team also dropped out at the Olympics early soon after, exhausted from the traveling. Even though the women are former Olympic Gold medal winners, a team out of the newly founded professionel leagues was formed for the WC23, but with only male players of the coming Olympic Squad.
"We know the women are good enough, they are contenders for medals at the Olympics, but the men have to present themselves. We are still optimistic, that they are able to win the title on their own. If that fails, we have to start with a mixed team next time."

Even though most players are humans, Orcplayers found their way in the squad, after the sport was promoted in all corners of the nation. But most players are from the team that played at the last World Cup.

Coach:
Egbert Esel


Goalkeeper
David Donkey
Gugbrush

Left and right wingman
Carlos Catz
Dagobert Dog
Left and right backcourt
Calvin Cock
Robert Rooster
Centre backcourt
Ludwig Lion
Pivot
Gregor Gorilla
Wanug

Defense
Dundee Crocodile
Garfield Gazelle
Gregory Greyhound
Robert Rhino
Marvin Newman
Orang Utan
Tobias Tiger
Vurbag



RP: Just don't do your worst, I should be able to work with it somehow

[Castlelobruxo]

Castlelobruxo HWC 23 Roster

Coach
Perry Fulton

Goalkeepers
Bernie George (Age - 32) (VC)
Craig Hubbard (Age - 29)

Left Back
Kimberlee Hughes (Age - 24)
Katey Booth (Age - 35)

Centre Back
Clare Polley (Age - 27)
Bill Mortimer (Age - 41)

Right Back
Marisa Hadaway (Age - 18)
Brendan Frank (Age - 30)

Left Wing
Cecilia Emmett (Age - 29)
Manley Herbert (Age - 36)

Right Wing
Gus Haywood (Age - 23)
Rudolph Leach (Age - 33)

Line Player
Buck Orville (Age - 41) (C)
Beth Norton (Age - 37)

Jersey
Yellow and Red

RP permissions
You are permitted to do almost anything however before godmodding send a TG or drop me a DM.

[HUElavia]

HUElavia National Handball Team Squad

Starting Lineup:

GK: #1 Rebecca Gizzi (26 Years Old) (1.78 m)

RB: #15 Fabiano Teixeira (27 Years Old) (1.80 m)

CB: #2 Gabriel Acin (24 Years Old) (1.79 m)

LB: #6 Eva Paiva (23 Years Old) (1.68 m)

RW: #10 France Moitessier (23 Years Old) (1.65 m)

P: #9 Isabela Felicitas-Magos (22 Years Old) (1.60 m)

LW: #7 Rafael Cancio (22 Years Old) (1.70 m)


Bench:


GK: #12 Pablo Cambeiro (26 Years Old) (1.80 m)

GK: #13 Silvana Vargas-Amorim (23 Years Old) (1.75 m)

RB: #4 Jong-Soo Tang (25 Years Old) (1.82 m)

CB: #3 Uchee Oby (26 Years Old) (1.79 m)

LB: #14 Julian Rothmann (22 Years Old) (1.80 m)

RW: #8 Chadov Yanovich (27 Years Old) (1.76 m)

P: #5 Misako Haruno (23 Years Old) (1.65 m)

LW: #11 Aida Hamidou (25 Years Old) (1.69 m)

Coaching Staff:
Head Coach:
Noé Montreal (39 Years Old)

Assistant Coach:
Fabiano Linhares-Melo (37 Years Old)

RP Permissions:
Nothing tournament or career ending, nor killing. Any expulsions can only be worth 1-Match Suspension.

---

[Pyazhnaya]

The Handball World Cup 23 is the first ever tournament Pyazhnaya is entering, which will be terra incognita for both the team and their opponents.

Starting Line-Up
GK Lev Kulibin
LB Yulia Rafikova
CB Rodion Yukhantsev
RB Galina Petrova
LW Anastasiya Yeltsova
P Anna Tolbanova
RW Oksana Sokolova

Reserves
GK Doroteya Kurbatova
GK Oksana Kolontayeva
LB Nadezhda Aristova
LB Vadim Golubkin
CB Rodion Kovshutin
CB Pyotr Kalinin
RB Vanya Akhmetova
RB Alyosha Amelin
LW Anastasiya Korovina
LW Valery Pozdnyakov
P Fedor Tokmakov
P Vladislav Shchepkin
RW Vsevolod Pogrebnov
RW Ulyona Ukhova

RP permissions:
Don't do anything stupid (nobody dying, no career or tournament ending injuries, nothing stupid, if in doubt, TG me)

[Kotzellach]

The Kotzellachian Handball Team

Coach: Edith Raulf (47, F)

Starting Line-up
GK - Rudi Mandel (23, M)
RB - Linda Kurtz (27, F)
CB - Mathias Ackermann (32, M) - Captain
LB - Josef Kuehl (29, M)
LW - Yvonne Viertel (30, F)
P - Annelie Korn (24, F)
RW - Christian Hohmann (31, M)

Bench & Reserves
GK - Sophie Reetz (23, F), Arno Rotte (30, M)
RB - Vera Heymann (19, F)
CB - Jörg Karnebogen (32, M)
LB - Katja Schalk (28, F)
LW - Jan-Hendrik Fuhr (28, M)
P - Eva Schuster (31, F)
RW - Bruno Frimmel (21, M)

RP Permissions: In general, everything is fine bar godmodding or injuring my players for career or tournament ending. No killing.

[Hebitaka]

Hebitaka's Handball Team

Coach
Head Coach - Palit Raj - 37 yr old
Asst. Coach - Umrika Tabaj - 42 yr old

Keepers:

#1 - Harsh Dardiwar - 27 yr old - GK
#13 - Ichiro Namida - 22 yr old - GK
#5 - Grusker Gallad - 25 yr old - GK

Backs

#3 - Jason David - 25 yr old - LB
#12 - Ulseen Kamp - 28 yr old - LB
#4 - Onaka Tasuin - 27 yr old - CB
#11 - Dikshit Rana - 22 yr old - CB
#16 - Joe Avleen - 30 yr old - RB
#2 - Haku - 19 yr old - RB

Wings

#7 - Rajesh Bhuvan - 22 yr old - LW
#15 - Kinaro Himiko - 27 yr old - LW
#10 - Nathan Blake - 25 yr old - RW
#20 - KK Ravan - 23 yr old - RW

Pivot

#6 - Harish Bajaj - 23 yr old - P
#17 - Jamal Ali - 27 yr old - P

[The 14 Stars]

The 14 Stars, Handball unknown but still a team?

While The 14 Stars has no official league nor a team to play, there have been picked a few people with talent and placed together to form hopefully a team which can popularize the sport here.


Starting Line-Up
GK: Rody Caylan - 18 - student
LB: Gia Moreira - 22 - teacher
CB: Julian Roseanne - 21 - farmer
RB: Hannah Gray - 19 - student
LW: Ivan Dzirkov - 18 - student
P: Zara Mirosa - 19 - singer
RW: Daley Newman - 21 - gym owner

Reserves
GK: Ivy Salisbury - 18 - student
LB: Claude Vögel - 18 - student
CB: Elena Silveira - 18 - student
RB: Bryan Krueger - 18 - student
LW: Clara Westfield - 18 - student
P: Frederik Moritz - 18 - student
RW: Olivia Williams - 18 - student

Coach: Hayley Jones - 36 years - former tennis coach
assistant: Victor Perez - 48 years - former volleyball coach
medical staff: Yurika Volodov - 26 years

RP permissions:
Keep it reasonable and if you think it crosses the line contact me

[The Greater Nordics]

The Greater Nordics has decided to enter the Handball World Cup again after a long absence. The team has been assembled from across the nation and was a challenge to put together as the GN does not have a handball league. A few players are still on the team from the last time we participated.

Manager: Siri Vernersen
Assistant: Fredrik Janson
Assistant: Kiira Hellström
Doctor: Isak Jorgenson
Trainer: Rebekka Feldt

Starters

#!4 GK Per Ek
#7 CB Oskar Horn- Captain
# 11 LB Arne Thaning
#15 LW Martin Sandström
#23 CF Samuel Silje
# 2 RW Adam Hummel
# 1 RB Malin Isaksson

Substitutes
#19 GK Julie Winther
#3 CB Jenny Kjeldsen
#5 LB Tatiana Eliasson
#20 LW Magnus Seppä
#22 CF Josephine Petterson
# 13 RW Birgit Olander
# 9 RB Elisabet Eklund

[Taxonomic Kingdoms]

The Taxonomic Kingdoms are populated by deities of the natural world. They believe -- at least officially -- that all living things are equal. Not just intelligent species, but ALL living things.

Deities from the Taxonomic Kingdoms most commonly appear in the form of talking plants, animals, mushrooms, or clouds of mist. They can also appear in human form, but it is less common. There are 16 kingdoms populated by different kinds of deities. Some kingdoms allow mortals in their land, while others do not.

The handball team are from the kingdom Animalia and they all appear as oversized marmots. The kingdoms' largest media outlet is the Ribovirian Network Association (tRNA), which owns multiple TV channels. All games will be televised on tRNA Sports.

ANIMALIA MARMOTS ROSTER

Starting Line-up:

GK: Marmota Broweri
LB: Marmota Camtschatica
CB: Marmota Bobak
RB: Marmota Kastschenkoi
LW: Marmota Baibacina
P: Marmota Monax
RW: Marmota Himalayana

Bench:

GK: Marmota Caudata
LB: Marmota Menzbieri
CB: Marmota Sibirica
RB: Marmota Caligata
LW: Marmota Olympus
P: Marmota Vancouverensis
RW: Marmota Flaviventris

The Marmots do not cheat. You can RP injuries, but because they are gods, they will recover almost immediately.

[Bollonich]

Bollonich’s HWC Roster

Handball is a sport which is currently in the development phase in Bollonich, which was started by the new Bollonischian Handball Cup. Serving as co-host on the 23rd Handball World Cup will also help bolster the interest shown in the sport of Handball.
The Bollonischian Handball team is a young and new one, with players who have professional experience by participating in the Handball Cup. This experience shall be crucial when facing off against inexperienced sides like the one from the Federation of 14 Stars.

Name                Age     Position      Franchise
Laci Harper         19         GK         Karvian Tigers
Maynard Bridges     21         GK         Vreton Bulls

Jeanna Waldroup     27         LB         Kings of Fermont
Reggie Mutton       35         LB         Akusha Rovers

Neil Newell         20         CB         Akusha Rovers
Lovell Ayers        20         CB         Maihar Knights

Fern Tailor         30         RB         Torrijas Wizards
Maxwell Shirley     27         RB         Karvian Tigers

Marietta Johns      24         LW         Lagos Yetis
Tom Thorly          28         LW         Kings of Fermont

Heath Adair         33         P          Vreton Bulls
Smith Hampson       19         P          Marda Frogs

Colin Akermen       20         RW         Karvian Tigers
Johnny Harell       32         RW         Akusha Rovers

Staff
Name               Age   Position          Franchise
Trix Joseph        43    Head Coach        Karvian Tigers
Annabel Rider      37    Assistant Coach   Kings of Fermont
Floretta Beaumont  35    Physio            Vreton Bulls

RP permissions
Go crazy, but before you do something too crazy TG me or drop me a DM.

[West Phoenicia]

Team West Phoenicia
Team Names: West Phoenician Buffalo's

Staff:

Manager: Cassiopeia Boncompagni
Coach: Marcus Rigby
Assistant Coach: Samuel Edo
Team Doctor Dr. Mary Fields
Team Physio Franco Chen


Roster:

Name	               Position	          Home Town
Loki Bryant	        GK	        Scarlett Orient Isles
Mentuhotep Montu	GK	        Seleucid Dominion
James Washington 	Left Back	Immaculata 
Gabe Hadrian	        Left Back	Jackson
Henry Tan	        Central Back	King Glenton Bush I Province
Alan Majesta	        Central Back	Jackson
Nicholas Xu	        Right Back	Debney Bay
Douglas Brown 	        Right Back	Upper West Phoenicia 
Audie Franks	        Right Wing	King Glenton Bush I Province
James Davies	        Right Wing	Agape
Rodney Powell	        CF	        Jackson
Don Landon	        CF	        King Glenton Bush I Province
Jose Santigo	        Left Wing	Savannah Grove
Lance Plumè	        Left Wing	Scarlett Orient Isles

Nothing tournament or career ending. If you post before, just no God modding.

[Kotzellach]

All opinions expressed within this are IC only and have nothing to do with the personal views of the user behind Kotzellach vis-à-vis the Anaia-AO situation, or anything else really.

Kotzellach City, Kotzellach

Not many people wanted to be Kotzellachian.

The hard-nosed, hard-working collection of city-states in Atlantian Oceania had really been a mere footnote in the annals of regional history, despite the country being extremely rich. It had existed, formed in the 14th century out of political necessity, fought off a Tumbran empire which had bit off more than it could chewed (the story of New Thurmond and how the Kotzellachians had waged an extremely successful trade war was a required chapter in the History syllabus), conquered their pesky rivals to the west, the Reiss Islands (just off the north coast of Mertagne) and peacefully existed. Since then, it had hummed quietly under the leadership of successful Grand Masters, elected one after another by members of the different guilds that controlled commerce and trade between the islands (and, indeed, through use of its merchant navy, effectively strongarmed trade through it). It was, effectively, a corporation that turned into a state — run by those with the supposed know-how to run a state.

Then the Industrial Era arrived, and with it, smokestacks boomed as factories heaved with machinery. Kotzellach industrialised quickly, but soon found itself having to deal with some of the side effects of industrialisation. Information spread, and soon people realised that living under a corporate state just wasn't the best state of affairs to live in. Things like accountability, democracy, due process — industrialisation spread all these, and more, including the nefarious c-word that threatened to upend the entire country's existence.

Then again, it wasn't as if the Grand Masters had done much to acquit themselves and point at their enlightened leadership, either. In the pursuit of profit, the common man had suffered. Kotzellach City, Eigengrau, cities that used to be some of the most beautiful in the world — they had suffered under neglect. Steam, smoke and glass — those were the sights of progress, but they managed to mask an urban poor, a population that lived under the thumbs of a few to create wealth for the rich, and saw little of it in return. Poor laws were created, but with those creating laws so far lifted from the ground, they were hardly enough of a panacea for suffering, and more of an ineffective plaster that threatened to peel off the moment it was applied. The running joke was that the smoke of their machines had blinded their vision to the suffering of the people below, and the sounds had deafened them to the cries of the ordinary people. It was less a joke and more a morbid statement of fact, but that was what passed for humour back then.

Things were bound to boil over, and eventually they did. In 1924 a first wave of protests emerged, calling for such lofty ideals such as democracy, justice, workers' rights, et al. They were put down, harshly, but all it seemed to do was to cause two more protests to emerge somewhere else. There were rumours that other governments had funded the protests, helped them get back up when the Kotzellachian government beat them down, but no such statements of truth ever appeared, and no foreign government put their name next to these "workers' liberation" movements. When Tumbra had been accused, they genuinely were shocked, and pointed at their experiences in Xinhua as to why they did not involve themselves in other countries' internal politics anymore.

So the protests continued. In 1926 a general strike was held — and more localised strikes occurred throughout the decade. Finally, in 1930, Wilhelm Krantz — the last Grand Master — announced that he would transition the Kotzellachian State into a republic, one that would properly represent the people. It felt like spring for the Kotzellachian peoples — finally they were allowed to determine their own futures, and they would turn out in droves to elect representatives to the Constitutional Convention. They managed to get some parts of what they wanted through, but for the most part, the process was dominated by the Guilds, once more.

Kotzellach, from then on, was a democracy, with its people free to decide its future — but one that was easily bought by the rich. Several expressed dismay at how the people in power essentially never changed. Wilhelm von Kleist, a wealthy industrialist, and his Zentrum party won the first elections, and managed to form a government. The Grand Master would become Chancellor, but in essence the role had the same responsibilities and powers — they just had to face the people every five years or so, and the Nationalversammlung, or Parliament, whenever it sat.

A new national identity was forged — that the country had to unite behind strong, wise leadership to succeed, and that even though the people had the choice to decide who ran the country, it was better off letting the people who knew how to run the country just run it. The narrative was that the left was dangerous to the country. The existing left-wing parties were forced to moderate themselves, press freedoms were curtailed, and activists were jailed.

But the country recovered. And to the tired Kotzellachians, that was what was important. They were comfortable again.

And as time went on, the country settled into a compromise — the government would provide economic benefits for the entirety of the country, and in return, the populace would give up some of their civil rights. It worked, of course — performance legitimacy was, bar none, the best way to build a country from scratch — and essentially the voices of dissent died off. Some literally so, but others were so caught up in their newfound luxury and elevated status into the middle class that they just really didn't care about society as a whole, anymore, and it was more about how they could survive.

That was the new narrative. Survival, survival, survival.

And it'd worked. After two decades of government swinging from left to right, the Konservative Volkspartei, formed of a merger between the Zentrum, Demokratische Partei and Nationale Partei, won a landslide in 1959, and had been leading the country ever since. The country had eight Chancellors between 1932 and 1959. Since 1959 it had had four. Stability had brought investment flowing in, and life had gotten good for the little nation of six and a half million ever since. It was a nice place to live, if you could accept the government acting less like a government and more like a heavily paternalistic figure, making sure everything was all right and that you were behaving well. Some couldn't take it — most foreigners couldn't, either, and kept the government at arms' length. But the government was generous, the government was good to you. Kotzellach City had become a place for the rich and wealthy to live, emboldened by the low tax rates, a compromise between business and government.

People wanted to live in Kotzellach. Not many people wanted to be Kotzellachian.

Until Foxchester.

[Sarzonia]

Sarzonia Stars

Manager Joyce Rodham, 43
Assistant Managers
Will Quinn, 32
Aaron Snider, 49
Meghan Tyson, 38

ROSTER (Starters in bold)
GOALKEEPERS
1 Pat Agnew, 5-foot-6, 155 pounds, 29
Note: Agnew is gender nonconforming and uses they/them pronouns.

30 Javier Lopez, 5-foot-11, 195 pounds, 23
39 Jim Haverchuk, 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, 21

BACKCOURT
LB 2 Charles Brougham, 6-foot, 185 pounds, 28
13 Britt McCauley, 5-foot-8, 145 pounds, 27

CB 11 Paul Crowley, 6-foot-9, 235 pounds, 25
15 Vance Tippett, 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, 29

RB 16 Vivianne Taylor, 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, 22
14 George Wompers, 6-foot-6, 230 pounds, 23

WINGS
LW 7 Nestor Catalina, 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, 26
11 Abbie Wagner, 5-foot-7, 145 pounds, 24

RW 18 John Maeve, 5-foot-11, 175 pounds, 24
20 Cris Orem, 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, 21

PIVOTS
22 Ivan Charlton, 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, 31
26 Mike Dakota, 5-foot-9, 175 pounds, 22

If my opponent RPs first, I give them permission to:
    Choose my goalscorers:                Yes
    Godmod scoring events:                Yes
    RP injuries to my players:            No
    Godmod injuries to my players:        No
    Hand out yellow cards to my players:  Yes
    Hand out red cards to my players:     No
    Godmod other events:                  No

Style Mod: 0

[Srednjaci]

HANDBALL ASSOCIATION OF SREDNJACI

ROSTER



COACH : Ivana Orešković
Coach Assistent : Juraj Keller
Doctor : Lidija Sumanić
Doctor Assistent : Kornelija Kutarić
Physioterpist : Magadalena Kočić
Condition coach : Vjekoslav Ude
Condition trainers assistent : Robert Zvalić

[Sarzonia]

When Joyce Rodham and her charges assembled for the previous Handball World Cup, the Sarzonian national handball team were simply trying to get their foot back in the door of a sport that had once been part of the country's history. Sarzonia, too, had a place in handball history as one of the first host nations to host a Handball World Cup to completion after several previous attempts were abandoned by their hosts as Sarzonia successfully shepherded the seventh edition through.

When the Incorporated Team Handball Council initially signed the Stars up to compete in the 23rd Handball World Cup, it was viewed as a nice little break for anyone who might not be interested in football's World Cup. It might have been an audition for Rodham and company to keep their positions and possibly help the team advance further.

But a lot of things changed between that signup and now. A cold civil war threatens to tear apart the Atlantian Oceania region Sarzonia has been part of almost since its very inception. The geopolitical situation in the region began to effect even these players, many of whom didn't want the distraction of world events. Now they hoped to be the distraction from world events.

"We all have opinions about what's going on," Rodham said. "We all try to stay informed and we all have very strong opinions about what's going on in Atlantian Oceania. However, we're gonna unite as a team and rise above the rhetoric and the rancor going on right now."

None of the players would go on record about the controversy surrounding the Foxchester Declaration and the aftermath. One player who spoke on condition of anonymity only said it was team policy to not comment.

"We're supposed to present one united front, no matter what our individual opinions are," the player said. "It sucks, but what can you do if you want to be part of the team?"

As for the World Cup itself, the Stars open with a match against unranked Pyazhnaya before Matchday 2's battle with co-hosts and world No. 7 Equestria. The fact that Equestria remains in Atlantian Oceania during the Foxchester row is important to Rodham.

"We would have had to re-evaluate our position if Equestria had tried to secede with the Foxchester nations," she said.

In fact, that match opens the team's two-match stretch against the highest ranked teams in the group as Quebec and Shingoryeo, ranked 17th, face the Stars on Matchday 3. That match promises to be "very interesting," according to several fans, as Quebec are one of the Foxchester signatories.

"The government's stance on Quebec is the same as it is with all the Foxchester countries," said a spokesperson for the ITHC. "I imagine things will be tense between the teams."

[Pyazhnaya]

The picture opens to a view of Krasnograd International Airport and a group of people in teal and maroon track suits. The camera than turns around to show the face of a young curly-haired woman, smiling into the camera.

Anastasiya Yeltsova: Hi, I'm Anastasiya Yeltsova, left winger of the Pyazhnayan national handball team. We're just here at Krasnograd International Airport, getting ready for our flight to Bollonich for the Handball World Cup. It'll be our first ever tournament abroad, so we're all really excited and I figured I'd try to keep a journal of some sorts to commemorate it.

She walks over to a group of players that are taking selfies.

Anastasiya Yeltsova: Here we have Rodion, Galina, Vanya and Vsevolod, hi guys!

The four wave and "hi" into the camera.

Anastasiya Yeltsova: So we'll even have our own plane, Pyazhnye Krylya, our national airline, has given us a charter plane, so we'll have a lot of room and everything, oh, I can't wait! Ooh, they're calling our flight! Later!

She waves into the camera. The picture then cuts to the inside of the plane, where everybody is still trying to figure out where they want to sit. Anastasiya is walking up and down the aisle, trying to take everything in.

Anastasiya Yeltsova: Alright, we're on the plane and they just told us to find spots to sit. I'm not sure where to go!

Two other young ladies wave her over.

Anastasiya Yeltsova: OK, these are Oksana Kolontayeva, one of our goalies, and Nadezhda Aristova, a left back. Guess I'll be with you for the flight! How are you feeling?

Nadezhda Aristova: Nervous! I've never flown in my life!

Anastasiya Yeltsova: Really?

Nadezhda Aristova: Yeah, I never went off the island, never really had to. So I'm nervous but also excited!

Oksana Kolontayeva: I'm a little worried.

Anastasiya Yeltsova: How come?

Oksana Kolontayeva: I'm in goal, well, I might be in goal, and I'm a bit worried about how hard the shots are going to come.

Anastasiya Yeltsova: I'm sure it'll be fine.

Oksana Kolontayeva: Sure hope so...

The inboard announcement that departure is imminent comes through the PA.

Anastasiya Yeltsova: See you in Bollonich!

The three girls wave and giggle. The next we see is a look out of the window of the plane, as it taxies to its gate at Vreton International Airport. In the background excited voices talk over each other. Then Anastasiya directs the camera at herself again.

Anastasiya Yeltsova: We're in Bollonich, this is getting real, people! We're almost at the gate, then we have to go through customs, get our baggage and all that and then - I think we're getting a bus?

As they exit the plane, they walk up the bridge to the terminal building, where they're getting shepherded towards a dedicated customs line for the teams of the Handball World Cup.

Anastasiya Yeltsova: Looks like there's another team ahead of us, not sure who it is, though. Can you see, Fedor?

A very tall man next to her cranes his head, trying to see.

Fedor Tokmakov: No, all I can see is something red and green.

Anastasiya Yeltsova: Oh well, doesn't matter either. Gotta turn off for now, looks like they don't like to get filmed here.

The picture cuts to the other side of customs and apparently also baggage as they are pushing carts towards an exit.

Anastasiya Yeltsova: So we're officially in Bollonich now, they're really nice here! The organizers sent us a liaison that is going to accompany us and show us around which is great! Ooh, our bus!

A shiny black bus with tinted windows is waiting for them curbside, the luggage compartments open with team members already stowing away their duffel bags and other pieces of baggage.

Anastasiya Yeltsova: Off to the hotel, which they say is just around the corner and then we'll see. Our first match will be against Sarzonia, they're 23rd in the world and apparently don't like people from Anaia. Oh well, their loss, haha. Byeee!

[Taxonomic Kingdoms]

The Grapevine

---

Latest Stories:

"Get Out of Your Pot and Investigate it Yourself"
Tobacco Mosaic Virus stirs controversy with plant-phobic comments and continues to hinder the investigation into the robbery of fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

Plant Kingdom Donates Wood to Rebuild Flooded Towns
Hundreds of plant gods have donated wood and fibers to aid Helvetiaviraean towns devastated by flooding on the River Lethe.

Marmot Gods Enter Handball World Cup
After the success of the Animal Kingdom's entry in the World Lacrosse Championship, a team of marmot deities have decided to try their paws at handball.

Thousands of Akaryans Fall Victim to Satanic Phone Scam
The Devil has been calling deities in Bacteria and Archaea posing as an employee of Vitalia Bank and collecting victims' bank account information.

GMO Crops: Playing God?
Genetic engineering is on the rise in human agriculture. Where does that leave us as gods of the Plant Kingdom?

[Srednjaci]

HANDBALL WORLD CUP 23-Equestria and Bollonich

REPORTER :Anita Ruković : The handball groups of the World Cup 23 were drawn. Our national team is in the third group. Attractive opponents are definitely Kriegiersien, Qasden and Sylestone.
For us, this will be the first competition at the highest rank. It is always more important to win the first game. Start the tournament with a victory. The coach of our team Ivana Orešković and the best Master League player and the best Master League scorer Antonija Ružić will tell us what chances we have at this championship.
Girls, welcome. first of all to comment on the situation in the master League in which there is currently a spring break due to national team obligations. Ivana, was it difficult to find players to represent us?

IVANA : Oh yes but those are sweet worries when you have so many players to choose from. The quality is unquestionable. We have really top players who are prepared at the highest level. As many as 14 clubs make up the Master League and in those 14 clubs you have 30 great players competing for a place.

REPORTER: Are there any unpleasant surprises? Injuryes?

IVANA : the preparations went well and smoothly. There were no major problems or injuries.

REPORTER : Antonija, this is a new chapter in your career. With ŽRK Katanija, you won the first edition of the Master League, and then you shocked everyone by moving to Automobili Raduč. You became the highest paid athlete in the history of sports in Srednjaci, but you are also arguably the most popular name in sports. How do you feel after all these achievements?

ANTONIJA : behind me was a very successful season. I won the Master league, I was named the best player in the league, I was the best scorer in the league ...

REPORTER: with only 21 years of age, we have to mention that ...

ANTONIJA: Well, years are not crucial here. What matters is play and commitment. I always try to be as good as possible.

REPORTER: The national team is something special. How much does this championship mean to you?

ANTONIJA: World championships and the Olympic Games are the dream of every athlete, including mine. It means a lot to me and I'm really happy because now I hangs out with all the players who were my rivals on the field until a few weeks ago. The atmosphere is great and I can't wait for the championship to start.

REPORTER: let's look at our group and comment on it.

Group 3
Srednjaci (UR)
Sylestone (27)
The Federation of 14 Stars (UR)
Qasden (15)
Imperial Rifta (UR)
Kriegiersien (6)
West Phoenicia (UR)
Arjunnagar (UR)

REPORTER : Ivana, we have some big names here. Kriegiersien, Qasden and Sylestone. All three are from Top 30 in the world, two of them in Top 15.

IVANA : tough group for sure. We have our game and we know how to play. But we are aware of ours opponents especialy that three. But uor chance is not games against those three big names, our chance is against unranked teams like we are.

REPORTER : Four unranked teams , excluding us , are in our group.

IVANA : yes, that is true. This does not mean that these teams are weak or that they are not there because they do not know how to play handball. They all play very well and we need to take every game seriously.

REPORTER : Handball is a national sport in our country. It is also the most watched team sport in the entire country. Do you have public pressure?

IVANA : there is a lot of pressure on me. I don't want the girls to feel it but I see it's on them too. I believe that when the tournament starts, we will get rid of that pressure. Everything will be fine later. The worst is this waiting of the start of the tournament.

REPORTER : Arjunnagar is our first opponent. What do we know about them ?

IVANA : We don't know nothing about them yet. We don't know roster or any informations about their game.

REPORTER : Thank you very much for this visit. We wish you good luck in the tournament. We, dear spectators, will continue to follow the broadcasts of our matches from the handball world championship.

[Abanhfleft]

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF ABANHFLEFT
NATIONAL HANDBALL TEAM

This is the eighth time that Abanhfleft will be participating in an international handball tournament. Handball is quite an obscure sport in the Democratic Republic, with no professional league established, and the handball department in the Commission on Sports and Games started out as just two men working out of a plastic table, but now their office has expanded to include three more coworkers and a bigger table. But no matter about its obscurity within the country itself. Handball has got a few lifelong and die-hard practitioners scattered throughout the country, and the Commission has managed to get hold of fourteen of the best of them, along with a handball coach to lead them, and they are now about to embark on a journey to claim some honor for both their sport and their country once again. The national team almost won it all when Abanhfleft hosted the Handball World Cup, but Savojarna proved too tough a contest even on home soil. After a poor showing in Mytanija, an entirely new team made it all the way to the final in Savojarna, only to be thwarted by the hosts. Four years later, is it still possible for Abanhfleft to get back into handball relevance? There's only one way to find out.

BASIC INFORMATION
Name of nation: Democratic Republic of Abanhfleft
Demonym: Fleftic
Team colors: Blue, orange, and green
Style modifier (if applicable): +2.0
Head coach: Robson Juarez (61 y/o, Abanhfleft)

STARTERS
GK: Keaton Summers (29 y/o, male)
RB: John Allison (30 y/o, male)
CB: Connor Clarke (27 y/o, male)
LB: Laquanda Drapeau (29 y/o, female)
RW: Zac Grant (23 y/o, male)
CF: Adonis Vinson (29 y/o, male)
LW: Karly Cramer (25 y/o, female)

SUBSTITUTES
GK: Brennan Lazaro (25 y/o, male)
RB: America Joseph (26 y/o, female)
CB: Kyleigh Jennings (23 y/o, female)
LB: Damon Parrilla (23 y/o, male)
RW: Kayden Shaw (28 y/o, male)
CF: John Kennedy Lorenzo (24 y/o, male)
LW: Ewan Hawkins (31 y/o, male)

RP PERMISSIONS
Anything except killing is fair game, although if you've got something wild in mind, drop a TG to me first, and we'll talk about it.

[Sylestone]

Sylestone National Handball Team

After a relatively disappointing performance last time in Savojarna, winning only three games and losing five, Sylestone overhauled their all-Sentient national handball team and replaced them with a human one for the 23rd Handball World Cup. There are 14 players in the squad - the starting seven and their respective reserves. They look like a promising side - one that will challenge all but the very top teams, such as the likes of Savojarna and Abanhfleft. How far will they go?

The first-listed player for each position will be the usual starter - it may change as things go on.

Nickname: The Hawthorns

Management:
Lauren Prior (F) - Age 38 - Coach
Angelina Marmion (F) - Age 53 - Assistant Coach
Cameron McRae (M) - Age 35 - Manager

Goalkeepers:
Bianca Gotch (F) - Age 33
Ben Ackman (M) - Age 28

Defenders:
LB - Isabella Bailey (F) - Age 30
LB - Flynn Strange (M) - Age 26
CB - Isla McCartney (F) - Age 30 (captain)
CB - Samantha Hussey (F) - Age 27
RB - Jonathan Younger (M) - Age 22
RB - Seth Bon (M) - Age 28

Wingers:
LW - Liam Thompson (M) - Age 34
LW - Zachary Radcliffe (M) - Age 21
RW - Lachlan Fosbrook (M) - Age 26
RW - Ellie McKean (F) - Age 20

Pivots:
Amber James (F) - Age 27
Patrick Barnsley (M) - Age 19

RP Permissions: If you want to injure them, please let me know beforehand. RPing these guys cheating is strictly prohibited. Other than that? Godmod away!

[Bollonich]

Vreton City Journal

Karvian Tigers clinch Handball Cup and more

The Bollonischian Handball Federation won the bid to co host the 23rd Handball World Cup along with the Equestrian States. This will also be Bollonich’s maiden Handball, however reasonable experience is present due to the Handball Cup held between 8 franchises.
The most recent edition of the BHC was very hotly contested with Kings of Fermont finishing first on the table followed by Maihar Knights in second and Karvian Tigers and Torrijas Wizards after that. Due to these positions, Kings of Fermont got to face Torrijas Wizards as they finished in the last qualification place. Akusha Rovers and Vreton Bulls would be unhappy to miss out. The first semi final between Kings of Fermont was won by Kings of Fermont by a margin of 29-27. The other semi final held between Maihar Knights and the Karvian Tigers was also very tightly contested with Karvian Tigers narrowly beating the Maihar Knights 23-22. The final which was between the Karvian Tigers and the Kings of Fermont was to be an incredible final. The match was finally won by the Karvian Tigers after extra time by a scoreline of 28-27. The players have now been called up for the national team and to participate I the 23rd Handball World Cup being held in Bollonich itself.
Bollonich has been drawn into Group 1, a group which will be played in Vreton. Teams in Bollonich’s group range from Abanhfleft, Libonesia and Drawkland among others. All of these teams are highly talented and strong, having made multiple appearances in the Handball World Cup earlier. Facing and defeating these teams will be a challenge which the Bollonischians have to overcome. We start our campaign against the unranked Crocblade, a team whose roster is yet unknown hence it will be interesting to see how the Bollonischian Handball team performs against them.

Schedule
MD1 : Bollonich (UR) vs Crocblade (UR)
MD2 : Bollonich (UR) vs Abanhfleft (3)
MD3 : Bollonich (UR) vs Varmennia (UR)
MD4 : Bollonich (UR) vs Drawkland (32)
MD5 : Bollonich (UR) vs Libonesia (16)
MD6 : Bollonich (UR) vs Magnecia (UR)
MD7 : Bollonich (UR) vs Oprimide (UR)

[Srednjaci]

HANDBALL ASSOCIATION OF SREDNJACI

The national federation has signed a contract with a company from Krbustan for the delivery of jerseys for the world handball championship.
We are proud to present the jerseys of our players for this World Cup.
" We are proud of these jerseys because they are made of the best and most modern materials. We believe that it will also bring us luck on this tournament. We are in talks with the clubs. We hope to reach an agreement with Krbustan in order to agree on new deals with their companies on the delivery of jerseys for clubs, "said the president of the association, Marina Matanović.

The logo of our players was also presented.
It is of course a national symbol, a bear.

SCHEDULE OF PLAY

MD 1 : Srednjaci vs Arjunnagar
MD 2 : Srednjaci vs Sylestone
MD 3 : The Federation of 14 Stars vs Srednjaci
MD 4 : Srednjaci vs Qasden
MD 5 : Imperial Rifta vs Srednjaci
MD 6 : Srednjaci vs Kriegiersien
MD 7 : West Phoenicia vs Srednjaci