Cup of Harmony 84 - Rosters/RPs/Results

[Cabo Azure]

República Guanacasteca 0–5 Cabo Azure
Scorers: Corte-Real (11', 35', 68'), Cardoso (19'), Gouveia (75')

A tightly-executed, decisive victory to put the Macaricas on track to advance out of Group B. Corte-Real caught fire, scoring a trio of goals, with goals from Os Dos Vascos rounding out the win.

Corte-Real's first goal came off an unexpectedly pacey cross from Marciano Ferrerra, headed into goal. Cardoso followed up eight minutes later by burning Rosas as the second runner into the box, sneaking in behind Gonzalez. Corte-Real finished his first-half brace at the thirty-five minute mark by converting a direct kick, sailing the ball past Gonzalez's outstretched hands.

The pace of the second half was slower and Los Cerdos mounted a more robust defense, but there was just no stopping Corte-Real, who found the back of the net again with a half-volley off a cross from Rathbone. Ever one to beat a dead horse, Gouveia scored a late header as well, off a corner kick from Rathbone.

The Macaricas will next face a Holy Empire side which was unable to achieve liftoff versus Atheara, and will round out the group stage with a match against that same, unexpectedly strong Atheara side before moving into their bye in the fifth matchday. It's too soon to tell, but after a perfect start, three or four points from those two matches seems like it might be enough to put the Macaricas through.

“Five out of Six”, pt 3
Nine years ago
Eustaquio Silva pushed his cigarette into the ashtray, where it joined two of its fellows smoldering in the warm evening air. It was quiet around the Silva manor as Eustaquio and his father Carlos stared together into the hedges that separated their family home from the neighborhood to which it had given its name; Villa Silva. Their conversation had gone silent, which meant it was time for one of them to broach the topic they'd really come onto the deck to discuss.

"We fly back to Acadiana Wednesday night after the funeral," Eustaquio said, as if he’d just realized it.

“Don’t go,” Carlos replied suddenly, sounding more vulnerable than Eustaquio had ever heard him. “I know you need to keep your own house, but please stay. I don’t have many years left, and someone needs to run the business after I’m gone.”

“I haven’t been part of the business in twenty years, Papa,” Eustaquio protested. “Plus I’ve got my own interests in Acadiana. Why don’t you promote from within?”

“And let what I’ve built leave the family? Do you hear yourself? Do you want us to end like the other aristocratic families?”

Carlos had him there, Eustaquio had to admit. Of the nine houses that Sebastien di Portelo had raised to noble status to help him and his descendants rule the islands, only the Silvas retained their lands and titles. The others had long since relinquished their titles and sold their ancestral homes in the depths of various misfortunes. The death knell for many of them had been King Adolfo II when he had removed the noble houses as intermediaries for taxes paid to the Crown, instead collecting them directly and disbursing the proceeds to the islands based on their petitions. This practice won him the love of the people, who paid significantly lower taxes and saw much better results, but drove many of his lords into poverty.

Carlos continued, breaking the silence. “I know why you’ve stayed in Acadiana so long. Let me clear your debt with Boss Kierney, so you can return home with your head held high. You can repay me by taking over the business.”

Eustaquio stifled a laugh. As a young man he had left Cabo Azure to find his fortune, seeking to make inroads in Esportiva for his family by setting up a logistics operation in Acadiana. In this he failed miserably, spending most of his seed money attempting to generate goodwill with very little return on investment. Broke with no source of credit and faced with the prospect of humbling himself to his father, he turned to a local loan shark, who in turn referred him to Ashley “Boss” Kierney to finance his ventures.

Kierney set up Eustaquio as the legitimate face of a large-scale money-laundering outfit, using a chain of Hungry Pat’s service stations as fronts. Eustaquio ran the stations, managed the books, and presented for the world as a hard-working immigrant entrepreneur, while Boss Kierney and his crew moved dirty money through his bank accounts. Kierney hadn’t accounted for Eustaquio’s natural business acumen and work ethic, and within a few years, the business was in the black in its own right, which was all the better for laundering.

“Boss Kierney is dead,” Eustaquio said matter-of-factly. “Killed by his mistress’s boyfriend or something; I don’t know all the details. I squared with Ma Kierney when I pulled strings to get her boys into university so they wouldn’t follow in their father’s footsteps.”

Carlos was quiet a moment. “So what do you do now?”

“I run a chain of service stations, Papa,” Eustaquio said, his voice cracking with mirth. “Sixteen in Acadiana and three in Sylestone. I’m Hungry Pat’s second-largest franchisee.”

“Where does the money come from?”

Now Eustaquio was laughing. “From fuel, Papa. And burgers. And little plush crocodiles.”

Carlos laughed, too, in spite of himself, before turning deadly serious. “There is one debt you haven’t yet paid.”

“What’s that?”

“You owe me an heir,” Carlos told his son, “Someone who will spend years learning the business and take over for me, the way I intended you to.”

“Carlito is an infant, Papa,” Eustaquio protested, meaning his youngest child and only son, who was safely home with an au pair in Acadiana, along with Eustaquio’s two younger daughters.

“I’ll be gone long before Carlito fucks his first girl,” Carlos said dismissively, “Though I do appreciate you and Lianne committing to having a son. The house and titles are his when he comes of age, absolute primogeniture be damned, but I need someone who can learn the business now, while I’m still on my feet.”

“Which girl?” Eustaquio asked, getting to the heart of the matter. “Janice or Marisol?”

“Janice is sweet and smart,” Carlos mused. “And beautiful, too. She got Lianne’s looks. She’ll make a man very happy someday.”

The implied decision hit Eustaquio like a punch to the gut. Janice was everything her grandfather had just described and more, in many ways a perfect daughter, but for that reason she’d be ill-suited to the task Carlos had in mind. The Silvas weren’t criminals like Boss Kierney’s outfit, but the business they were in wasn’t for the faint of heart. In the old days, Carlos had gotten his way by spreading bribes among the Gang of Seven faithful; nowadays, politics was the racket. Mario Borges, the football player-cum-bureaucrat, was tipped to be the first prime minister under the new system, which made him a sacrificial lamb in Carlos’s eyes. When the people inevitably turned on their champion, he meant to be there with a candidate of his own, and from there they’d rule Cabo Azure, no matter who sat the throne in Portelo.

To do that, he’d need a right-hand man, someone younger and more agile than he, and also hungry and ruthless. He needed Marisol.

“So Marisol stays,” Eustaquio said quietly. “I’ll let her know.”

–

Six months ago
When the housekeeper found Dom Carlos dead in his bed, Marisol’s first call was to Janice in Acadiana. The sisters, thick as thieves through their adolescence, had drifted apart in adulthood as Janice went to university and made a life in Acadiana while Marisol first went to sea, then took the reins of the Silva empire. Nevertheless, and despite the absurd hour in Esportiva, Janice answered on the second ring.

“Avo’s dead,” Marisol said matter-of-factly, her voice barely holding back tears. Though she hadn’t grown up with Dom Carlos in her life, they’d grown inseparable over the years she’d been in Cabo Azure. He’d kept his wits til the very end, a mercy for which Marisol was eternally grateful. As she let the priest in the front door to perform her grandfather’s last rites, she contemplated saying a prayer of thanks that she’d had as long with the man as she had.

After the priest came Carlotta. Even though she had nothing to do with the family business, and even though she was once again known as Queen Carlotta, Carlos’s twin sister never forgot her birth family. She’d gone back to the Silva name soon after her husband King Reinaldo I died, and though she chose to live in the widow’s house where her stepson had stashed her, she was a regular fixture at dinner at Villa Silva.

“My dear girl,” said Carlotta as she emerged from the bedroom, her lined face streaked with tears. “How are you holding up?” The funeral director had arrived and was downstairs, preparing to remove the body. Funerary arrangements on Cabo Azure were simple, a consequence of being a small archipelago with strong historical ties to both warfare and seafaring. Carlos would be cremated and his ashes committed to the sea from the port bow of his yacht, the Silver Dragon, just as a fisherman might expect his remains to be spread from the deck of his trawler.

“I’m well, auntie,” Marisol said in answer to the queen’s question. “I miss him.”

–

Nine years ago
Marisol was opposed to the arrangement until the moment Dom Carlos said she would no longer have to attend school as his protege, then all of a sudden took to it as if it were her own. In Cabo Azure, her mornings were taken up with a few private lessons, mainly geared at preparing her for the entrance exams to Maritime (the application would take care of itself, but there was no corrupting the exam process). Afterwards she was free to shadow Dom Carlos or the members of his inner circle as she saw fit; if she slacked off or wasted time, he reprimanded her sternly and dictated her schedule until he deemed she was back on track.

Once expectations were set, though, there was very little need for incentives. Having seen her father grow his petrol-station business from the ground up in Acadiana, Marisol was delighted to learn the inner workings of a business empire that had been up and running for centuries. The Silvas controlled a veritable cartel of interrelated businesses in finance, logistics, insurance, and other industries, mostly but not entirely centered around commercial shipping. She decided early on she needed to go to sea, as Azurean businesspeople put a premium on those who’d started out as mariners. Originally she wanted to ship out as a cabin girl, but Dom Carlos talked her into accepting an appointment as a midshipman at Maritime and becoming a rated deck officer instead.

Janice returned to Acadiana with her parents after her grandmother’s funeral, where she helped raise the three younger children and went to an Acadianan university while working the till at one of her father’s convenience stores. It never dawned on her to return to Cabo Azure, except maybe to visit Marisol, and even that fell in the vague realm of “maybe someday.” The girls followed each other on social media, but remained virtual strangers until the fateful day that Miranda Silva died.

[Mertagne]

Part 1. The Middle Ages
Part 2. The Early Renaissance

Time. Space. Reality. We know all too well that it’s more than a linear path. As scholars in ages present have stated, it’s a prism of endless possibility, where a single choice can branch out into infinite realities, creating alternate worlds from the ones you know. I am the Narrator. I am your guide through these vast new realities. Follow me and ponder the question that has haunted the minds of Mertagne for eons... "What if?"

Previously, we’ve taken a look at a period of war and expansion for the historical nation of Vertagne, which stayed a presence in northern Calania due to an unexpected victory of the Order of the Fourbarbs at the Battle of Vecchio. Through the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance, the nation has grown through conquest of nearby territories such as the city state of Neorudo and the clans of Hebra, but come to blows against other sovereign nations such as the Karodin Tetrarchy. An easy peace with Krytenia bolstered by international trade and a slightly less easy peace with the Jhanna-Siderian lands of modern day Starblaydia formed the grounds for expansion right up to their borders, compounded by the founding of the Quechua Republic in the highlands to the west.

The late Renaissance would see growth internally and the strengthening of the state, centralising power further under the monarchy and formally establishing advisory systems that would replace the ad-hoc advice given to the monarch by their court. Using our reverse SERAPH method, which outlines - Social Groups, Economy, Religion, Achievements, Politics, and History - in reverse order, let’s take a look at Vertagne in this period.

The Late Renaissance
The history of this period would see the previously feudal lords, which enjoyed much power in the early Renaissance, come under the wing of a more dominant centralised monarch operating out of Cravannien.

At the start of this period, the border to the east would be put under strain with the emergence of the Jhanna-Sideria civil war in what would become Starblaydia. Vertagne is loath to help, and instead sets about strengthening the border with local armies. The events of the war, which results in a Daii victory, spurn Vertagne into forming a central army in retaliation, fearing a Daii offensive. Moving away from the previous system that required local lords to raise armies in times of conflict. The aptly named “Green Coats” would not become a scourge of Calania and beyond, but would be competent at holding their territory, and excel at warfare in difficult conditions such as marshlands and mountains.

A period of stability, if not slow decline, would continue during the next few centuries, with the centralisation of the state and the inception of various central institutions. The international trade ring with Krytenia would decline, and a new company would exist in its place, that would interact with Vertagne and move through its territory.

Vertagne would not partake in a colonial tradition, but would explore the continent and wider regions, likely discovering key parts of the lands of the SARIMEA regions. Relations with powerful nations such as the Empire of Tumbra and the Graentfjaller Commonwealth would commence at this time, with Vertagne attempting and just about managing to remain relevant on an increasingly growing multiversal world stage. The marriage of people into and out of the royal family would be seen as the quickest way to secure alliances, and Vertagne’s House of Plitt would be peppered with the nobles from other nations during this time.

Politically, the cohort of aristocrats that would advise the monarch would likely be formalised around this time. Democratic ideals were lacking in the nations around Vertagne, and the nation would not appoint more democratic measures such as a system of parliament, instead choosing to retain the power in its monarchy at this time, with a monarch that had the final veto of all laws. A Chamber of Lords would likely be formed, with representatives from the aristocracy present to critique and propose legislation, and towards the later end of the late Renaissance this Chamber would also receive representatives from key industries, such as Guild Leaders, inspired by the meritocratic ideals of nations such as Ko-oren.

This period would see many scientific and cultural achievements, especially due to increased funding for education during this time in order to compete on a multiversal stage. More universities are established during the early part of this period, adding to those found in Cravannien and Leorudo, and aristocrats continue to patronise artists and writers during this time. With the population at large becoming more literate, the printing press finally arrives to the nation’s shores due to immense demand for books that the Guilds of Bookbinding and Calligraphy are unable to keep up with. The first book printed and sold in Mertagne on a national scale is The Principles of Increasing Agricultural Yield in Small-Holdings, by farmer-come-agricultural researcher Abigaile Farrer - the knowledge contained within educates many on better farming practices. Plays are circulated and many amateur theatre productions are performed across the country, with comedies becoming popular at this time, many of which poking fun at nobility and those in power. As an evolution of this, the ‘comedy of the profession’** is popularised, with many performances starting as an archetypal performance as publicised by the books but quickly moving towards a more improvisational feel as theatres put their own spin on a performance in order to attract paying customers. The most popular of these, Goblinn - a scheming and mischievous thief that hides a grotesque form - is used as propaganda by the Karodinians, cementing the nickname of a ‘Green Goblin’ for a Vertagnian.
**Analogous to the real-life concept of the Commedia dell'arte.

Religiously, it is likely that Vertagne declares itself to be a Christian country, due to the enduring presence of the Siderians, the Krytenians, and the Gesemites on their borders. Due to the mixing of these sects of the religion, a uniquely Vertagnian sect crops up, but is not recognised as an official sect by religious leaders. The religious centre of the nation is found in Webster, as it is believed that a miracle had occured in the city, which is a city only by virtue of a cathedral. In the later part of this period, the nation is inundated with further faiths from abroad, such as Banijan Mormonism, Islam, and Judaism. Due to the weak status of the Vertagnian Church, and little forced pressure from the other Christian sects in Krytenia, New Gesem, and Jhanna-Sideria, these other faiths are welcomed among the population. Those that retained their pagan beliefs are likely prosecuted by the more dominant Christians, and a series of witch and warlock trials begin across the nation, revealing cults and heresy which is routed out. One particularly religious King, King Alkman ‘the Pious’, is devoted to quelling ‘heresy’, and his decade of rule is rife with paranoia concerning magic.

Economically, during this period trade continues with the new found nations of the SARIMEA regions, however the enduring presence of Mrii pirates alongside corsairs from other nations, such as Sargossa, make trade for Vertagne specifically rather difficult. Born from the decline of the Krytenian founded international trade ring, the Calanian Landing Company is established, a trans-national corporation with bases in many nations across the multiverse. Goods of all sorts are moved through Vertagne, particularly Dannharbour, which comes to be known as a safe port due to the ability of Vertagnian Naval ships to blockade the Dannmarsh Sound from attackers. Furthermore, towards the end of this period, trade would increase between Vertagne and the Empire of Tumbra, with Vertagne becoming a key trading partner to the Empire through their trading post in New Thurmond.

This period also sees the transformation of the economy, with guilds growing in power, and the establishment of institutions such as the Old City Bundesgruft, a national bank.

Socially, during this period, with an increase in educational standards and scientific advancement, it is likely that the beginnings of a ‘middle class’ would form in the nation - trained trades and craftspeople that likely would belong to a guild or a familial dynasty. It would likely be assumed that a person would enter their familial trade or that of their spouse, or make their own way in the nation’s cities. The arts would become more of a part of the life of the average person, and it would be likely that everyone would at least know someone that could read and write, even in rural areas. The concept of a social safety net would likely begin to creep in at this time, with the occurrence of almshouses and apprenticeships in an attempt to alleviate poverty.

All in all, this period would be a time of introspection for Vertagne, as free from being entangled in major foreign conflicts, the nation would look inward at using international trade to improve the status of its people. As we move towards industrialisation, however, the relationship between workers and the aristocracy may sour, with far-reaching consequences…

[Gnejs]

Previously

Escape from The Lodge

She was running frantically, with no sense of direction. The only goal was to get away, as far away from that horrid place as possible. The ancient woodlands around her created a dense atmosphere and the ground was cragged and rugged, making it very unwieldly to travel at any great speed. But she was resolved to keep up the pace. She didn’t know if anyone was following her, but she had to assume she was being hunted.

She tripped and fell, her face smashing into the wooden debris of the forest floor, with the stench of decomposing leaves and branches hitting her nose equally hard. She rolled around and stayed put for a minute, breathing heavily. She caught a glimpse of the starry night sky through the gaps in the multilayered canopy, and she thought about Jakob. Where was he? Did he make it out of the Lodge? What about Lena? Was she alive? And what about Øystein, sailing out there on the seventy-seven seas? She got up and started running again. She didn’t have time to think about the others now, she had to save herself.

Earlier

“Come here now, little bureaucrat, it’s time for my song.”

The slimy voice seemed to come out of nowhere and abruptly awoke Hannah from her slumber. Not again. Already? What time was it? How long had she endured this terror? The dungeon was without any light, and she had quickly become completely disoriented and lost all track of time. The only fixed points were her tormentor’s visits, forcing her to sing that horrible song, and then the paddle if she got it wrong (which she always did). Fixed as in recurring, but it felt like the moments he appeared were utterly random; one minute she was done and about to return to her makeshift bed and the other we was back again for more. Other times it could feel like days passed between those awful séances. She hoisted herself up from the floor and cleared her throat. Her mouth was dry, but she tried to get her voice to carry all the same. She sang:

It wasn't very large,
There was just enough room to cram the drums,
In the corner over by the Dodge,
It was a fifty-four,
With a mashed up door,
And a cheesy little lamp,
With a sign on the front said…

Hannah’s singing was abruptly cut short by a loud smacking sound. The sound the paddle made when thrust against the dungeon’s wall. “Ah ah ah, you said ‘lamp’, not ‘amp’. Pity, pity, pity. That’s a paddlin’” her tormentor cackled with joy. Hannah closed her eyes. It didn’t make much of a difference, because she couldn’t see anything one way or the other, but the stinging burn of the paddle was somehow more bearable with her eyes closed.

It was done, and she was once again alone. She opened her eyes. What was that? A faint light. Was that an opening, a door? She crawled closer, and indeed it was. Her tormentor had forgot to close it properly, and unwillingly given her a shot at freedom.

Later. Back at the Lodge.

Jakob Pettson sat leaning against a plush cushion in a dimly, but cozily, lit dungeon. He had a bowl of assorted berries, a mug of fresh spring water and the latest issue of Offside! Magazine. His beloved Kejm BK had completely collapsed on the final MD, and missed out on the Allgnejsan top spot. That hurt, but considering he had been certain of imminent death just last night, he didn’t let it get to him.

It had been scary, that cackling madman Steve pulling him and Hannah down to the dungeons of the Lodge’s subterranean levels. And even scarier when they had been separated. Hannah in one cell, and he had been dragged even further down and thrown into another. He had been alone in the darkness for what felt like hours, but when Steve had arrived and demand he drop his pants for a paddlin’, everything had changed.

He had always wondered about that big birthmark in the shape of a large stone lodge covering his left buttock, and now it turned out it was actually a traditional Lodge Membership tatto that his father had imprinted on him at an early age. The father he had never known, a Lodge member? A low level member, sure, but still. Who would’ve known?

The halls of the Lodge were quiet again, but had been bustling with shouts and activity just a few moments ago. What was going on? And who’d you have to paddle to get some refills on berries around here? He got up and walked towards the door. He pounded on it to get some attention, but nothing. He went back to his cozy little nook and settled back in. Then, suddenly the door creaked and opened. In came Lodge Master - also known as Minister for Fisheries and Coastal Affairs - Lennart Andersson.

Jakob got up, but the Lodge Master smiled and gestured for him to sit back down. “I was wondering if we would ever see Brother Stig’s little boy,” the Lodge Master said and approached Jakob’s nook. “You must forgive me for your treatment here, I, we, were not aware of your ancestry and membership.” Jakob smiled carefully and responded it had taken him by surprise as well.

Jakob asked about the earlier commotion, and the Lodge Master chuckled, although you could clearly hear the annoyance in his voice when he spoke. “Steve has a bad habit of toying with his marks. He’s been reprimanded and won’t be doing more of that any time soon.”

Jakob swallowed hard and asked “Hannah?” The Lodge Master nonchalantly waved his hand and smiled. “Don’t worry about her. The Interior nights are hard on experienced steaders, I doubt a Kejm bureaucrat will get far. If anything, you should start thinking about how to promote Lodge interest in your new position, namely as the new Director General for the Department of Cultural Heritage.”

Jakob’s jaws dropped and he needed a minute to compose himself. “But that’s Hannah’s job,” he finally said cautiously. “It’s yours now. Or will be, at least. The MCSCA listens to my advice.” The Lodge Master patted him on his back and started walking towards the door. “Come with me, no need for you to spend anymore time down here, Brother Jakob.”

[Kimi-Suomi]

After a good win kickoff our Harmonian Kuppi strongly at The Skyliner in Novick, Kimi-Suomi were now quickly approaching the midpoint of their group as one more game lay in front of the Huuhkajat before they took their bye on MD3. Everyone knew that getting as many points as possible before that bye would be very important in our quest to try and reach the knockout phase and Esko Laaksonen knew that, too. Getting points was going to be very important in any CoH group...but how crazy would things get by the end of this game?

Tigers Stadium in Laurelum would host our contest with Scooter McNash's Blue and Gold of Cardenao, who would be playing in their first game of the group stage after their bye fell on MD1. Points were obviously going to be the main aim for this contest and both sides certainly played like that was the goal. We did take the lead into halftime, thanks to a nice header from Kimi Airo in the 28th minute, but once the 2nd half got underway, the attacking playstyle that McNash was known for was starting to bite hard and the substitutes only added to the pain. Chímo Ventura would be the one who ultimately broke us, however, scoring twice in the space of 10 minutes to send the points over to the Blue and Gold. Simply put, we were humbled...and now, we must stew over this on our bye week.

We'll watch the others play at Chiefs Stadium in Kitsuartat before we head out to Pioneer Field in Corcorran to face HUElavinen (HUElavia), a team who are certainly good but will have their bye on the final day itself. With 4 teams currently level on points in this group, the next two matchday may decide Kimi-Suomi's fate...and we will we can have some influence on it. NOSTA KUIN HUUHKAJAT!

[Acastanha]

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Conselho Estadual Results Are....

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In the previous article, we have seen the breakdown of Acastanha lower house, Conselho Popular. And now, we shift ourselves to view how the Conselho Estadual or Acastanha upper house look after the election. Conselho Estadual or State Council is created to balance the composition of Conselho Popular and giving a fair share of representatives between the 2 republics. Conselho Popular seats allocation is based on population proportion. So larger province in term of population will receive larger seat. For example Arrakan in Arra and Espinhosa Province in Palidas who are the largest province in its respective republic get the most seat. 16 and 19 seats respectively. While Madeira, the smallest populated province is only get 2 seats. In Conselho Estadual, the calculation is a little different. The seat is not calculated in provincial level but calculated in region or republic level. So the allocation is based on the total votes gained by a party in a republic. There are a total of 75 seats in the council, 35 in each republic and 5 seats given to Região da Capital.

2022 Acastanha General Election
Conselho Estadual Official Results

Arra Republic
Party             Votes         %     Seat     +/-
ANP              624,377     21.41%      9     -3
UdP              577,350     19.80%      8     -2
CAD              445,473     15.28%      6     -2
NAA              269,817      9.25%      4      -
Eco              239,088      8.20%      3     +3
Independent      218,549      7.49%      3     +2
STA              177,967      6.10%      2     +2
KB                56,512      1.94%      -      -
UaT               47,088      1.21%      -     New
PLDP              39,933      1.37%      -      -
PPS               31,992      1.10%      -      -
NMP               26,799      0.92%      -      -
ASP               25,052      0.86%      -     New
PKJ               18,372      0.63%      -      -
AP                17,401      0.60%      -      -
VP                16,474      0.56%      -      -
JA                10,781      0.37%      -     New
PNP                5,945      0.20%      -     New
Total          2,848,970    100.00%     35
Valid votes    2,848,970     97.70%
Blank/spoiled     67,089      2.30%
Total votes    2,916,059     
Turnout        4,073,162     71.59%

Palidas Republic
Party             Votes         %     Seat     +/-
PLDP             428,137     21.77%      9     -7
PPS              365,039     18.57%      8     -5
NMP              214,154     10.89%      4     +2
VP               161,439      8.21%      3     +3
KB               157,440      8.01%      3     +2
Independent      152,404      7.75%      3     +1
AP               135,096      6.87%      3     +2
PKJ               81,421      4.14%      1     +1
UaT               79,618      4.05%      1     New
UdP               32,144      1.63%      -      -
ANP               24,659      1.25%      -      -
CAD               18,841      0.96%      -      -
PNP               15,766      0.80%      -     New
Eco               15,299      0.78%      -      -
NAA               13,171      0.67%      -      -
STA                8,221      0.42%      -       -
JA                 3,948      0.20%      -     New
ASP                3,813      0.19%      -     New
Total          1,910,610    100.00%     35
Valid votes    1,910,610     97.17%
Blank/spoiled     55,618      2.83%
Total votes    1,966,228     
Turnout        2,729,511     72.04%

Região da Capital
Party             Votes         %     Seat     +/-
PLDP              55,783     27.81%      3     +1
UdP               30,177     15.21%      1      -
CAD               25,613     12.51%      1      -
PPS               18,921      9.23%      -     -1
ANP               11,269      5.68%      -      -
Independent        9,316      4.70%      -      -
UaT                9,172      4.62%      -     New
VP                 7,632      8.25%      -      -
AP                 5,803      2.92%      -      -
NMP                4,428      2.23%      -      -
Eco                3,019      1.52%      -      -
NAA                2,673      1.35%      -      -
KB                 2,179      1.10%      -      -
STA                2,019      1.02%      -      -
PKJ                1,718      0.87%      -      -
ASP                1,033      0.52%      -     New
JA                   618      0.31%      -     New
PNP                  318      0.16%      -     New
Total           190,481    100.00%      5
Valid votes     190,481     96.00%
Blank/spoiled     7,938      4,00%
Total votes     198,419     
Turnout         246,318     80.55%

Summary
Party          Arra     Palidas    Capital     Total     +/-
PLDP            -          9          3         12       -6
ANP             9          -          -          9       -3
UdP             8          -          1          9       -2
PPS             -          8          -          8       -6
CAD             6          -          1          7       -2
Independent     3          3          -          6       +3
NMP             -          4          -          4       +2
NAA             4          -          -          4        -
VP              -          3          -          3       +3
AP              -          3          -          3       +2
KB              -          3          -          3       +2
Eco             3          -          -          3       +3
PKJ             -          1          -          1       +1
UaT             -          1          -          1       New

From the result, we can see PLDP is winning the most seat in the council. This is the party's third consecutive winning. Despite having a huge loss in Palidas, PLDP success to gained more support in Região da Capital hence they got 3 out of 5 seats there. While União a Todos surprisingly win 1 seat in the capital region making it the most successful debutant. This election results, seeing an increase in votes for minor parties. However, there is a speculation of a possible divided parliament. Political expert, Andre Aramde mentioned there are 2 solid coalitions, Red-Yellow Coalition lead by ANP and PPS and Blue-Red coalition lead by UdP, PLDP and CAD. Aramde speculated that ANP might approached NAA, STA and both Ketampi-based parties into their coalition. Two of them are only collected 23 seats in Conselho Popular. While the Blue-Red coalition have already secured 36 seats. Red-Yellow Coalition needs around 28 seats more to reached majority. However, this is still immature to be predicted. Aramde added that everything might change after the announcement of president election result. Who will comes out as the top two will attract a huge support. But seeing the parliament election result, Aramde betting for Saramotxo and Karpanyo will through to the second round.

---

---

Group Stage MD 2
BYE

MD 3
Acastanha v Pasarga
@ Volatus Millennium Stadium, West Bank, City Centre, Ceni

Calls up

Starter
31 GK  Santiago Karba
12 LB  Rafael Oronako
3  CB  Santiago Urupao
16 CB  Dionisio Leimanki
4  RB  Jorge Vidshav (C)
17 LM  Lisandro Turtapa
6  CM  Plinio Adondare
20 CM  Nóe Brinanko
9  RM  David Gothrado
10 ST  David Yushankar
11 AT  Felix Kalchankar
Substitute
23 GK  Armando Padia
13 LB  Manuel Savalor
2  CB  David Erunde
27 RB  Casimiro Urinjane
7  LM  Pedro Ustankar
8  CM  Igor Erdagh
28 RM  Andre Aramde
22 ST  Manuel Brandas

[Audioslavia]

Egon Mustard Backs Out of Twii.tur Purchase
Self*-made billionaire turns attentions to Cathair Herald

Audioslavia's self*-made mining, e-car, aerospace and ghostbusting billionaire Egonius Mustard, better known as Egon Must, has backed out of his mooted purchase of Turorian social media giant Twii.tur, citing various causes such as 'it's probably full of bots' and 'i didn't want it anyway' and 'I'll create my own short-form open messaging service, with pontoon and props'. Rumours that the self*-made mogul backed out for a different reason - namely that spending the GDP of a banana republic on a social media app because a podcaster goaded you into it after you threw an incomprehensible strop over free speech on his basement bro-show might be a stupid idea - are thus far unfounded.

Some sources close to Must have hinted that he may go ahead and continue with the purchase anyway, following what will presumably be two months of law-suits from a relieved Twii-tur and two months of the multiverse pointing and laughing at his pudgy oblong face as its meat-flaps produce yet another unworkable alternative to High Speed Rail, but instead it appears Must will turn his attentions to Audioslavia's most prominent newspaper: The Cathair Herald.

This would coincide with the Herald appointing its new Editor In Chief, having recently promoted former sports editor Jeremiah P Jaavinen, commonly known as Jeremy Jaffacake, to the role. Jaffacake, former sports reporter at the Cy'un, former Audioslavia national team manager, former president of the FFA and former president of the WCC (all of which you could put the adjective 'disgraced' in front of and it would be pretty inarguable) has been involved in a public spat with Must in recent weeks, first via an appearance on short-form video interview series Hot Ones, where ridiculously hot takes are thrown between guest and host until one of them falls over. One such take from the show resulted in Jaffacake falling into a brief coma, which was fun. The take is rumoured to be connected with Egon Must, but so far the video has been withheld by the Hot Ones team, who are awaiting the result of legal action from both Must and Jaffacake before deciding whether or not to proceed with publication.

Should Must buy out the Cathair Herald, he'll likely do two things. First, Jaffacake would surely be out of a job. Secondly, he is likely to close down the print version of the newspaper and move the entire thing online. Rumours that he'll let anyone print whatever article they want so long as they give him eight dollars have thus far proven to be unfounded.

---

"Absolute horseshit" said Jeremy, barely audible through the poor reception on Rubio's phone and the fact that Jeremy had said it while halfway through a sandwich. "The Herald won't sell to some snowflake spaceboy doormat hairplug arsehole douche. Not while I'm in charge"
"I don't think the editor has a say in whether the owner sells up or not" said Rubio, sitting at home at the dinner table, with his food and his wife growing ever colder.
"I'll put a word in his ear" said Jeremy, sitting at his desk at the Herald, surrounded by ashtrays and empty coffee cups. He didn't smoke any more and he was more into green tea these days, but you technically weren't a journalist unless that's what your desk looked like.
"Must is gonna put a billion or so in his wallet" said Rubio. "What do you think he'll listen to more"
"His own love of unbiased journalism" said Jeremy, who paused before barking down the phone: "Stop laughing!"
"He's just hired you Jeremy"
"I'm famous for being unbiased"
"You're famous for so many things, Jeremy, but 'unbiased' isn't one of them. Anyway. Cheer up, it'll likely never happen"
"Last time you said that it was about Audioslavia failing to qualify for the World Cup" said Jeremy
"Exactly" said Rubio. "And that will literally never happen again"

[West Barack and East Obama]

NATASHA OBASHA: SPECIAL REPORTER

11th November

Today's the big day. After about a week of intensive preparation, Rachel "The Obamasaurus" Bar-Rack and I were about to complete a daring feat: breaking into the Pentagram and stealing security footage.

I had committed at least a dozen felonies over the last week, and will up that number to about a hundred after today's done. Using my connections with Obama Fried Chicken recruiters, I managed to get Bar-Rack a position in the Pentagram's OFC outlet, where she has been working at over the last three days to familiarise herself with the area. To be extra safe, I illegally downloaded a copy of Pentagram blueprints from a piracy site. We figured out that through a network of vents, Bar-Rack could find herself right by one of the various security centres. There, she could release a tiny vial of sarin (which I also illegally sourced from the piracy website) to trigger the sarin alarm (but not enough to harm anyone really) in that wing of the building, causing mass evacuation and allowing Bar-Rack to steal the security footage we needed to exonerate Wolfgang "DJ Momo" Obamadeus-Mozart.

"Are you SURE we can't just ask politely?" inquired a concerned Bar-Rack for the eightieth time this morning, as we made our way to the Pentagram in my car. "Also, why are you even coming along? You're not even involved in this part of the plan."

"Oh, I actually have to come to this press conference at the Pentagram today. Something to do with declaring war on some nation because they don't like our new sheep tariffs. It's a great opportunity, as I have access to many parts of the place and can easily slip away in case things go bad on your end." I snickered. "Plus, I have one more ace up my sleeve if everything really does go haywire."

"What are you talking about?" Bar-Rack asked in an even more concerned tone.

"Well, all those bags of fertiliser in the back do serve a purpose." I replied.

"What the hell? Great, as if releasing sarin wasn't terrorist enough for you, now you're making car bombs. This is insanity!" she cried.

"Don't give me that crap. This is your idea. I'm helping you. Without all this, you'd be nowhere near here. Probably in a prison cell. This car, along with a couple others I parked a short but not too suspicious distance away from the Pentagram, would be detonated if you ever get caught red-handed, triggering a full evacuation of the building. The panic and chaos would allow you to escape. Plus, it'll come right after war was declared so they wouldn't even suspect us, and hunt down a bunch of foreigners instead." I replied. Bar-Rack looked stunned, but eventually just resigned to completing the mission alive and stopped arguing.

We both checked into the Pentagram and assumed our positions. At 10am, the press conference started. I sat down as I watched the Minister of Defence, or Minister of War, or whoever ramble on about insubordination with sheep tariffs. I was a bit too distracted to be taking notes, as I was anxious about the treason being committed in the walls and ceilings surrounding me. I couldn't bear it and decided to slip away to find the exact security room we located.

Conveniently, the security room was located right by a McDonald's. Man, these defence people really love their fast food. As I munched on a vanilla cone, a shrill alarm sound pierced through my eardrums, followed by a message over the PA system.

"SARIN ALERT. SARIN ALERT. EVERYONE IN THE EAST WING IS TO COVER THEIR MOUTHS AND NOSES AND EXIT IMMEDIATELY. DO NOT..."

This was the cue. I briskly jogged out of the building, but also lingered around the exit with a slight view of the security room door just to make sure no one went in. So far, so good. As there were wiretaps all over the building, there was no way I could communicate with Bar-Rack, so I only had hope she was doing her job right.

However, after a few minutes, an unexpected cavalry of emergency vehicles pulled up to the scene. All dressed up in hazmat suits and ready to storm the building. Crap, I completely forgot about the 'Nerve Gas Task Force' formed to fight these exact situations. They were certainly about to ram their way into the security room, and catch Bar-Rack. If they did, she'd probably give me up or they'd figure it out my involvement from all the shady dealings I've been doing. I had to execute Plan B.

I ruffled through my handbag, but I couldn't find my "car keys". Of all times to lose my keys, this was definitely one of the more inconvenient ones. I checked my front pocket, my purse, all kinds of places. It was too late though, because the Nerve Gas Task Force opened the door of the security room. Knowing that my life had already been ruined, I made a run for it.

[HUElavia]

The Jovannic 2–4 HUElavia
(REDACTED 36', 79' | Amezcua 8', 72' (P), Mayordomo 20', Balderas 64')

A Bright Hope!

HUElavia's youth leads the team to a vital win over The Jovannic to keep pace in Group H!

Coming into Matchday 2, HUElavia was coming off being outplayed by Brenecia, which was expected by the general public. Although, now Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos had used up their one match for a margin of error, and now needed good results. Their first opponent after this loss was The Jovannic, who were coming off a 3-1 loss to Kimi-Suomi. In order to keep legs fresh, Coach Aveiro opted to mix up the starting lineup with a mix of starters and backups for the match.

The match was a solid domination by HUElavia as they were on the attack from the get-go. In the 8th minute, Yamada was on the ball, being covered by REDACTED, when she gave a turn-around to cross the ball into the box, where Amezcua appeared from the other side past REDACTED to slide the ball at an awkward angle past REDACTED to hit the post and ricochet into the goal, making it 0-1. The HUElavians in the stands jumped with joy and cheer while Amezcua hugged her teammates in celebration. In the 20th minute, Balderas was on the ball, being covered by REDACTED, when he gave a low pass to Mayordomo, where he gave a one-time curving shot past the reach of REDACTED to go into the top corner of the goal, making it 0-2. The HUElavians jumped with joy, cheering loudly and applauding the spectacular goal while Mayordomo was mobbed by his teammates for the spectacular goal. In the 36th minute, The Jovannic was on the attack, where REDACTED was being covered by Couto, where they crossed the ball into the box, where REDACTED won the ball over Pillpe to head it past Casillas into the goal, making it 1-2, which is what the half ended on.

In the second half, HUElavia kept on with the attacks. In the 64th minute, a pass by Yamada reached to Balderas, who was covered by REDACTED, where he ripped a blistering curve shot past the reach of REDACTED as it went into the goal, making it 1-3. The HUElavians once more jumped in celebration, cheering and applauding as the spectacular shot, while Balderas ran to the corner flag to dance and celebrate the goal. In the 72nd minute, Duarte was running looking to take on REDACTED, where she was clattered by REDACTED, where the referee did not hesitate to point to the penalty spot and give a yellow card to REDACTED. Amezcua stepped up and sent REDACTED the wrong way, as the ball blasted into the goal, making it 1-4. The HUElavians cheered and applauded with joy once more as it was seeming to be a blow out victory, while Amezcua hugged and celebrated with her teammates. In the 79th minute, a pass from REDACTED reached REDACTED once more, where they took a low, curving shot past the fingertips of Casillas as it hit the post into the goal, making it 2-4. Despite the goal and a further attempt to score again, The Jovannic was unable to get anything more, as HUElavia clamped down on defense and held out for the three points.

At the moment, HUElavia sits in 4th place with 3 Points, but it is essentially a 4-way tie for 1st place in Group H, only separated by Goal Difference. For Matchday 3, HUElavia is playing against Cardenao, where both teams will strive for the three points and inch closer to the Round of 16. HUElavia will play mainly the starters with some backups starting, as well as the Special Uniform being worn. It will be a tense and vital match for both teams, but hopefully it can be a memorable and enjoyable one.

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

[Elmyia]

The Overlap
Elmyia Look Lost Without Teen Wolf in the Side

The fact of Benedetti being a Teen Wolf has come as somewhat of a revelation to the people of Elmyia, however, in a flaccid defeat to Ziwana, it was shown just how crucial he is to the set up now. Elmyia have had 2 goals for, and 1 against, whilst he has been on the pitch. When he has been off the pitch, Elmyia have gone 0-3. It's worth looking into why.

The first point has to be that Elmyia's pressing structure looks much stronger with the mutant in the side. Elmyia initially tried a different structure in a 3-4-3, with Byng flanked by Newell and Froggatt. This matched the midfield two of Ziwana, and meant both sides were fielding two players each on both wings. Whereas usually Elmyia have two strikers to funnell the ball into midfield, dictating where the ball goes and allowing them to press intelligently in the middle block, here it was only Byng. Whilst he got around the pitch, manfully running at defenders, it lacked the opportunities for turning the ball over that Benedetti offered. With his unnatural pace, the rage of the beast simmering within him and a wolf's canniness to disposses opponents, it is clear Elmyia's out of possession structure is much improved by the befurred teenager.

In addition, Elmyia failed to click in attack. Partly due to the lack of alternative centre-forwards, but also simply the drop off in quality without Benedetti on the pitch. Benedetti's supernatural vision and stamina were missed in attack, particularly his ability to get involved in the midfield area. In truth, the switch in system hurt Elmyia here, with them going 2 on 2 in the middle. With the wingers occupied by the full-backs and Byng outmatched by the two centre-backs it became difficult to produce overloads or to make use of spells of possession in a way that was useful.

Finally, Elmyia also looked short an option when attacking at set pieces. Whilst it is always useful to have a player who can jump 3 metres in the air, there was no excuse for just how poor Elymia were in this regard. Elmyia squandered 9 corners, and a succession of well supplied crossed from the wingers and wing backs. Ultimately, no one got on the end of them, with both the centre-backs and Byng poor in their attempts to get on the end of these.

Overall, Elmyia look a much poorer side without their talisman (or talisbeast?). Benedetti returning for the fixture with Audioslavia looks like a god send, with Elmyia facing off against opposition who really would look more at home competing in the main tournament. Benedetti's strength in the tackle might come in handy against opponents know to pick up cards, and his ability to run at and cause chaos in defences might be Elmyia's saving grace in their toughest fixture yet.

[Pasarga]

In the days after decapitation strike by the coalition forces, there was an ominous mood that was blanketing the dual islands. The main threat to the crown and the continued prosperity of the Dual Islands had been swiftly and efficiently dealt with, with casualties within acceptable parameters according to the Sentinel. Dozens of defectors who had flipped to the rebel cause were one by one laying down their arms and surrendering to coalition forces. Few had any real sense of structure or leadership after the leader of the faction had been eliminated by the coalition forces. Those that did seemed to be the groups who were hiding in the mountains and forests across Pargis, sacrificing control of all the initial gains that they had originally made. There was no route to victory but perhaps some had not the pride to admit defeat and surrender or were waiting for the right moment.

A day after Torgos had been retaken, Queen Azra immediately flew back to the city and reoccupied her previous residence in the royal mansion. There was some minor celebrations but most were merely hoping for a return back to normalcy compared to the chaos of the past few months. Deep in her heart, Azra knew that there were no winners in this, they all had lost by the simple fact that it had come to pass. Thousands had been displaced, hundreds had been killed, a few thousand more had been wounded, civilian and armed forces alike. The physical damage to the nation was perhaps merely superficial and be easily repaired, the mental and emotional damage though was staggering and it was going to take quite some time to heal that wound the Queen knew.

Was it worth it? All the bloodshed and trauma all for a mansion and a fancy chair with a title that allegedly gave her power over the rest of the people in the nation. Nearly an entire branch of the Majistar family had been wiped out and for what, what reason did they have to die? While Azra might never have gotten along well with Ezid nor his mother, they were kin and yet the division between the branches of the family had allowed this plot to take root. Was being the Queen really worth all that had been sacrificed to make safe her station? Would the people trust her to do what was right when there was now a history of blood that had allowed her to ascend the throne.

The most pressing issue though was now dealing with the Sargossa and Eura forces and diplomats. They had answered the call for aid when it had been requested and now was the time for settling the debts for doing so. Additionally it was an apt time to figure out where both stood with the dual islands moving forward. Azra had an idea that was beginning to stir inside her head and one that she doubted anyone would have thought her like to do. If it worked the way she wanted it to, it could hopefully smooth out some of the tensions that were still smoldering within and hopefully prevent a succession crisis that they had just went through.

[Brookstation]

TIME FOR REDEMPTION
THE DREAMERS PREPARE TO FACE SENDHANG IN WORLD CUP REMATCH

by Jeremiah Rhodes

One thing that drives a team to perform better in the subsequent stages is their previous set of results. Unfortunately for Brookstation though, things aren’t quite so as the team continues to move on with their winless streak. In their first matchup, Brookstation were up against a relatively higher ranked Delte side and a well earned draw against Delte would mean that Brookstation were ready to take the field against a much lower ranked Talannua side. Even the most doubtful Brook was ready to expect a fruitful result from the game but the events of the game were disastrous enough to drain the spirits of the entire nation.

Heading on to the pitch, the team was confident of victory. With the team in a mood to win, the match kicked off to a dramatic start. Within the very first ten minutes of the game, Brookstation had attempted three shots on target, each of which missed the net by a few inches. Thomas Brook and Mark Waters tried to experiment with the Brook defense early in the game as well but the well organized Brook defense couldn’t be beaten. On the other hand, Johnson and Kehr launched back to back attacks from either wing, creating an enormous pressure around the Talannuan defense.

The dominating start to the game indicated an obvious win for Brookstation but contrary to the usual, the morale of the Talannuan team was uplifted. As the game progressed into the more interesting stages, Talannua soon caught up with the Brook formation, marking each player closely to avoid any chances of a goal and soon enough the Talannuans started to gain possession of the ball more often than they were expected to. Just as the first half was nearing its climax, Caceres made a huge mistake when he carelessly touched the ball with his forearm during Talannua’s corner kick which resulted in a penalty for the Talannuan team. This was a factor to worry about and it would only take a second for Brookstation to find themselves in a hopeless position. Thomas Brook, stepped up to take the penalty against the very Brook side. He launched a severe shot right at the left corner of the post but it was Logan’s brilliant reflex which commanded him to dive in that direction and subsequently prevent the Talannuans from scoring.

Perhaps it was Talannua’s perfectly balanced formation that stopped the Brooks from slaughtering the Wild Horses but the Talannuans were judicious with their intel and were successfully able to discover a loophole in the Brook team which they exploited to their advantage. After Alan Farmer fouled Veum just outside the Talannuan box, Johnson was able to fire the ball towards the Talannuan goal only for it to be deflected by the goalpost. The Brooks didn’t give up however. As soon as the ball deflected off the post, Harlow reached out with a header but the Talannuan defense would obstruct the ball. After almost a minute of chaos in the Talannuan box, the dispute was finally settled by goalkeeper John True who reached forward and grabbed the ball in his safe hands.

The Brooks didn’t lose their momentum in the second half either and continuing with a similar aggressive style of play, Moussa Wague almost found the net in the 56th minute but his shot bounced off the left post. The Brooks’ attempts would be countered by the Talannuans as well. In the 65th minute , David Woods fired a shot from almost 30 yards out but luckily for Brookstation it could not find its way into the net. The excitement kept growing among the crowd and what followed in the next few minutes of the game were consecutive attacks from either side, with each attack being more intensely closer than the other. Unfortunately enough, luck just didn’t seem to be on either side of the line. None of the 15 shots on target by both teams converted into a goal. Such was the fate of the game.

Two successive draws have put the Dreamers in third position, a position that the team wouldn’t ideally be looking forward to. With only two games in hand, the Dreamers will buckle up to face their toughest set of opponents. Sendhang has already become a notorious name in the nation, especially after their 3-2 loss to the nation, which in a way assisted in Brookstation’s exit in the group stage itself. Well, Brookstation will obviously be looking forward to taking the ideal revenge. In fact, there is no other alternative for the Dreamers either. Another loss would more or less restrict them from the Round of 16 and in this Do or Die situation, I’ll look for our Dreamers to bounce back from the dry run and achieve a nice win under their belt.

[Sargossa]

SSM | Sargossan State Media

International Edition - Football



Abad Day At The Office



Blanco Borrayo reports from Whitehaven;

It’s a troubled time for the Sargossan national football team. Formerly, the darker blues occupied an unparalleled, unassailable position in the nation’s zeitgeist. The sporting press, countless websites and millions of denizens on social media fought a daily tussle over the latest gossip to emerge from the camp. Football sat firmly atop the nation’s sporting pantheon and the national side towered above that pantheon like a colossus. Other sports shrunk in its shadow. Even the nation’s domestic structure, the apparatus designed to feed the beast, suffered in the darkness. That was then. Now reverence has been replaced by indifference.

An encouraging Olympic performance, medals won across the International Athletics Tour and a seemingly revitalised domestic league have all helped to chip away at the national team’s pre-eminence. All of which wouldn’t count for a tinker’s cuss were the Corsairs playing like the teams of old, consistently qualifying for World Cups and lifting the occasional (other) trophy in the process. Instead the darker blues have been on a relentless slide down the rankings that recently culminated in a spot in pot five for the recent World Cup qualifiers. A subsequent sixth place finish in those qualifiers will no doubt see that slide continue ever downwards.

But one man who is probably enjoying the lack of scrutiny is the veteran Mytanar coach Slavko Jelic, who is gamely trying to hammer his relatively new charges into some kind of shape. He certainly deserved a fair amount of the plaudits as Sargossa swatted aside a surprisingly lacklustre Mercedini side in the first round of Cup of Harmony group games. But the feel-good factor didn’t last too long as Group D’s top seeds Adab hove into view across the sand in Ceni.

It wasn’t that the Corsairs played that badly, it was just that Adab were too good. Slick in possession and relentless out of it, the Adabians are the groups top seeds for a reason. A cleanly struck volley from the left boot of Kastiliasu Akaptaha give the favourites a half time lead that they fully deserved. In the second half Satchit Chandrasekar was called into action to deny both Mateo Manzanares and Martín de la Cavallería but it was largely a frustrating night for Sargossa’s finest, who struggled throughout to break through the Adabian press. It was left to substitute Nadje Barzani to administer the coup de grâce with seven minutes left on the clock, wrapping up the three points for her nation.

  Group D                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Adab                     2   2  0  0    6   3  +3    6
2 Sargossa                 2   1  0  1    3   2  +1    3
3 Mercedini                2   1  0  1    1   3  −2    3
4 Chartistan               1   0  0  1    3   4  −1    0
  New Gelderland           1   0  0  1    0   1  −1    0

Despite the defeat the Corsairs remain well placed, in second spot thanks to a superior goal difference over Mercedini. Next up Sargossa switch coasts and head to the beautiful Westgreen Park Stadium for a date with Chartistan. Chartistan are yet to register in this tournament but have a good record against the Corsairs, which includes sticking six past them the last time the nations met in a Cup of Harmony fixture. A win would leave Sargossa in a strong position to advance into the knockout stages. But a victory for Chartistan could turn Group D into a right ‘ole scrap for second place.

[Ceni]

OOC: This RP is ICly written before the CoH started, and hopefully will provide some more information to teams playing in Westgreen.

City Centre | Ceni | Rushmore | World | Opinion | Politics | Sport | Business | Arts & Lifestyle | Travel

Controversial new Westgreen Park Stadium to replace Shadow B'betsy Stadium in Cup of Harmony venue list

Shadow B'betsy Stadium, situated along Lake Cenial in the Westbank district of City Centre, has long served as a critical piece of stadium infrastructure in Ceni. Despite all its advantages as a stadium, though, organizers have decided to replace it with the newly built (and newly controversial) Westgreen Park Stadium as the country prepares to host the 84th Cup of Harmony.

And neither City Centre officials, football aficionados nor fiscal neutrality campaigners are happy.

Kesi Donnall, chair of the City Centre Chamber of Commerce (CCCC), noted that the move would harm local businesses surrounding the stadium.

"When an event like the Cup of Harmony comes to Ceni, we have fans staying in hotels near the stadium, eating in restaurants near the stadium, visiting City Centre tourist attractions," said Donnall. "I like to think that the infrastructure in City Centre in those regards is much more developed than in Westgreen, which doesn't have the transit infrastructure we do, doesn't have the culinary culture we do, doesn't have the fine hotels that we do."

City Centre-based football fans, meanwhile, noted that Shadow B'betsy was going to be a much closer option for them, as well as the majority of Ceni's urban population. "Something like 75% of Ceni's population lives in the Metropolitan Tetrad," wrote one Brie Salagorie on twii.tur. "If we want to go see a team that's based out of Westgreen, we have to go to the commuter rail station, take the commuter rail, and then take a bus from the commuter rail to the stadium."

"The transit links are just too complicated," added Salagorie.

However, CoH officials attempted to rebut those criticisms by pointing out the self-centric and autarkic arguments employed by City Centre residents. "We have to consider people living on the west side of Ceni; they should have the same opportunity to enjoy high-level football as residents of the Metropolitan Tetrad," said Director of the Cenian Football Association Fonak Orisenel, who has been involved in planning the CoH.

"Additionally, City Centre is still getting a place in the tournament with the Millennium Stadium in downtown, which is also a convenient option for City Centre fans," Orisenel continued. "Broadly, we're trying to move away from a central focus on Cenial and City Centre so that incoming football fans can have the broadest taste of our small country as possible, and also so that we're not overly taxing the resources we do have around Lake Cenial."

This tiff is only the latest instance of the political battle over the Westgreen Park Stadium, which started several years ago when development corporation GCLI proposed the stadium in collaboration with the Cenian FA as a state-of-the-art competition venue within a larger suburban development complex that includes Ceni's only golf course and a large "pickleball ranch."

After the project received government backing and partial public funding, several left-leaning MPs criticized the project as an example of corporate welfare in action.

Kel Viridian, a Social Democrat and Minister of Urban Planning, noted that infrastructure projects structured as PPPs almost always went over budget, took longer than expected, and negatively impacted the taxpayer. "These projects harm our citizens and basically transfer tax revenue from public coffers to private corporations," said Viridian.

"Building more stadiums is also wasteful, both in terms of optimal land use as well as the groups that will utilize the land," he continued. "Because I would advocate that we build more housing instead of devoting it to pursuits that will primarily benefit our most-well of citizens."

But Minister for Culture, Art and Sport Marius Sauvageot, a fellow Social Democrat, announced his support of the development. "Our stadiums are generally in poor shape; we need to make sure that we're more in line with the rest of the SAREIMA regions in our stadium quality," Sauvageot said. "I'm also in favour of expanding the recreational opportunities available, and I'd say this project does that."

After Westgreen Park held the CdC final several months ago, in which AFC Treason defeated CA Paulinthal, some fans have changed their mind on the stadium.

City Centre resident Tucker Knarrall told the Eagle that he was reluctant to attend the Treason-Paulinthal match due to the stadium's distance. "But once I got there, I was pleasantly surprised," he said. "It was easier to get to than I thought, and it had the most advanced creature comforts I've seen in a stadium. Plus, I like that it's one of the most sustainable stadia around."

"I would definitely go back for the Cup of Harmony," Knarrall added. "And I hope I can convince people to go, because then it's going to be a really baller tournament with more people there."

[Bears Armed]

Here's an entry from the latest edition of the Encyclopaedia Bearhomeica, which still comes as a set of printed books rather than just as as an online production.

WyldKin

The term 'WyldKin' is commonly used to group together and to label collectively assorted beings that live within or at least relatively close to Bears Armed, and also various beings with a simlar range of origins that arre native only to places further afield. Many of those beings themselves, however, refuse to recognise this categorisation and hunt being referred to instead by terms that apply more specifically to their own particular kiinds. The situation is complicated still further by the fact that no overlall consenus about this term's scope exists among it's users.

The most common definition given for 'WyldKin' is, according to the 'Bullford English & Urso-English Dictionary', "Any being whose parentage involved a mundane being and an embodied nature-spirit, or that is descended from at least one child of such a mating and has recognisably inherited traits that were approrpiate separately to each of those types of ancestor".

The three general types of beings that fall within a literal interpretation of this definition but that are most frequently excluded from its coverage in practice are _
(1) the wide range of non-sapient animals descended from matings between nature-spirits and non-sapient animals;
(2) the 'Talking Trees';
and (3) the two kinds whose members comprise entire Septs within the socio-political structure of Bears Armed: The latter comprise the 'SunBirds -- descended from matings between sapient fire-spirits and eagles, from matings by the children of lesser Barrlar⁽¹⁾ and mundane eagles with either sapient or non-sapient fire-spirits, or from ancestors of both those origins -- who form one sept within the Sun Clan and one within Clan Redwood; and the CloudBers -- descended from matings between Ursines and weather-spirits -- who comprise a Free Sept⁽²⁾ .

Thus the beings most commonly included under the label 'Wyldkin' are those descendants of Ursines by nature-spirits who live either as members of clans and septs that are predominantly non-WyldKin or separately out in the wilds, and the Talking Beasts.
Another group that some people include within this general category is the members of the Free Sept called LionBear, who are of purely Ursine ancestry but with each of them carrying not only an Ursine soul but also -- due to a long-ago pact -- a Lion-spirit alongside this.

OOC Footnotes
1. The 'Barrlar' are Bears Armed's counterpart to Middle-Earth's 'Valar'.
2. Many of this nation's 'septs' are divisions within clans, but "free" septs are not and are members of the Confrederation in their own right instead.

[Yue Zhou]

Cup of Harmony 84, Group Stage MD2
Yuezhou 2 - 1 Cap Nord
Starting Lineup: Zhao; Jiawei, Yang T. (Li J.G. 71), Yuan, Dong (Reeve 65); Li J. (C), Wan, Wen (Yang X. 71); Jiang, Liu (Zheng 84), Luo N.W. (Luo D. 65)
Goals: Jiang 7, Liu 51 // Scharf 45+2

The Dragons got off to a somewhat rocky start in Ceni but were able to weather the storm and hold on for a narrow 2-1 victory over impressive newcomers Cap Nord. "The Whalers definitely gave us all they had," said Chen Huikang after the match, "and we were uncharacteristically sloppy for periods of the second half. Still, three points are three points, and I'm proud of my team for fighting through it."

Cap Nord is relatively new to international football, but racked up an impressive resumé for a debutant, finishing third in the Baptism of Fire and reaching the quarterfinals of their first regional. Still, the Dragons came out of the gate strong, and Jiang Jieren, still glowing from his shocking league title in Audioslavia, scored the opener after just seven minutes. In a rare win for numerical determinism, the left winger, whose number is seventy-seven, streaked down the left flank before receiving the ball in space from Liu Huiying, ducking inside past Jonathan Peary, and driving a low, side-footed finish that left Leuwert with little chance. While he could've had a second in the first half, and the likes of Luo and Wen had chances as well, Cap Nord held firm. New manager Robert McEather ordered his men to absorb pressure and counterattack in a slightly defensive setup, and despite the early crack, they did an admirable job of resisting pressure, and even had a chance of their own. And while Dieter Scharf missed an open net in the thirty-fourth minute, the Dragons wouldn't be so lucky the next time he received the ball, and the Sielhafen 1.FC forward tucked the ball between a flailing Zhao Deliang's legs.

Yuezhou quickly got the goal back at the start of the second half, through none other than Liu Huiying. But it was against the run of play, with Cap Nord seriously waking up in the second half, and the Whalers really blossomed. Owing to what was undoubtedly an impressive half-time talk from their new manager, they pressed hard, effectively harrying the likes of Dong Xiaowang and Yang Tao in the back line. The latter sloppily gave the ball away in dangerous areas a number of times, but Zhao Deliang proved undefeatable (besides when Scharf nutmegged him in first-half stoppage time), and the Dragons managed to withstand the onslaught. Next, the Dragons play hosts Ceni, who slipped up against Juvencus but remain the Dragons' biggest rival for the group victory.

[Juvencus]

HARD-FOUGHT VICTORY AGAINST THE HOSTS: IS THIS THE START OF A WINNING RUN?


Juven fans in Ceni have exhibited some questionable behavior in la squadra's games

Before this article unfolds, Il Scudelliano would like to announce its disappointment at the behavior exhibited by Juven fans so far in the Cup of Harmony. Showing behaviors in the form of demeaning chants, racial and homophobic chants as well as other horrible slurs towards the Cenian fans who wanted to watch their own national team as well as the match official. We urge the Juven Football Association to come clean and take responsibility for the actions of its fans overseas.

The circumstances surrounding the game between gli attaccanti and the hosts, Ceni could be described as a do-or-die situation. Really, the team had to deal with a disappointing and unfair result against Cap Nord. It was entering the game under the fear of yet another bad refferee, who would give the hosts an unfair advantadge, in their home soil as well. So intimidating support was to be expected from their opponents. On top of that, fan violence is nothing new by Juven individuals in whatever sport that may be, so knowing all those aspects, gli attaccanti was facing insurmountable circumstances against Ceni on matchday 2 of the Cup of Harmony. Not only did it face them, but it experienced them to the fullest, especially after gli attaccanti fans decided to scream homophobic chants to the Cenian crowd throught the entire game.

The first half was a half to forget for the gli attaccanti not because of its performance on the pitch which was nothing short of magnificent but because of the reactions of the Juven fans to several of the calls of the Cobre official, Nwabueze Okwaudigbo. Entering into the game, the hosts, having the home advantadge entered the pitch with a lion's confidence and grabbed whatever chances they could by the neck. A dangerous Koromin pass found Cyn-Penzag in a very beneficial position and Ibarra managed to land a strong tackle that hit the ball first, however it was called as a penalty. A penalty was called and Ibarra was yellow-carded himself. This led to an eruption in the Juven side of the stands, with the fans shouting demeaning chants about the official's mother, as well as racial slurs, a behavior mostly combated but not utterly unknown by Juven fans. Cyn-Penzag would go on to score the penalty, giving the hosts the advantadge. This would not last long as in the 37th minute, a beautiful Martell cross would see Campana jump higher than everyone to nail the ball on the back of the net. As if that was not enough, a Pereyra solo run in the 41st minute would end up with space being opened up and with a swift through-ball to Campana yet again he would score the brace and turn the tables around.

In half time, Juven fans would maintain an aggressive attitude towards the Cenian fans that were seated across and in an attempt to enrage them, they began singing homophobic chants, which are known to infuriate the more liberal-leaning Cenians. An announcement had to be made by both the Cenian administration and from coach Madeiros himself and only then did they tone down their offensive behavior.

The second half started with an instant equaliser by the Cenian team, with an Aidan Koromin stunner that would shake the game's tide. Then, after that, gli attaccanti's engine lit up and a barrage of opportunities followed, mostly by Martell and Campana, both of which were on form that night. More specifically, a Santini-Martell passing discipline would end up with the latter in a tight corner against Glasvyrn, with Glasvyrn deflecting Martell's shot into a corner. In the follow-up corner kick by Kouyaté, Campana would head it straight into the left post and then wide. More failed opportunities followed, without diminishing the Juven morale all that much. However, a dangerous Koromin shot would send shockwaves through the already endangered Juven backline.

The game would luckily take a turn for the better for the gli attaccanti as in the 88th minute Martell and Santini would work with each other effectively once again, but the Cenian side, seeing as Juven chances would normally end up inside the box had gathered up, effectively creating a bus of sorts. However, Martell's genius would strike when it was needed most and with a cheeky backheel he would find Josefina Portieri who would rocket the ball on the top right side of Glasvyrn's net. This led the Juven fanbase into screams of excitement as they would get their first victory in the Cup of Harmony and a very important one at that.

Next matchday is against Bears Armed, who are coming off a break following a defeat against the hosts that the gli attaccanti just beat. A victory there would strengthen the chances of la squadra going through to the next round of the Cup of Harmony and getting one step closer for a second victory. Dudu Madeiros' tactics will have to prevail once again, as this remains a do-or-die situation for la squadra now.

[Delaclava]

This has nothing to do with anything, just a song to listen to while you wait for scores. Don't @ me.

Day 3 cutoff!

---

Group A
Ceni 3–3 Yuezhou
Bears Armed 2–5 Juvencus

  Group A                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Juvencus                 3   2  0  1    8   5  +3    6
2 Ceni                     3   1  1  1    7   6  +1    4
  Yuezhou                  2   1  1  0    5   4  +1    4
4 Cap Nord                 2   1  0  1    2   2   0    3
5 Bears Armed              2   0  0  2    2   7  −5    0

Group B
Cabo Azure 5–5 The Holy Empire
Valentine Z 3–2 República Guanacasteca

  Group B                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Cabo Azure               3   2  1  0   12   5  +7    7
2 Atheara                  2   1  1  0    1   0  +1    4
3 Valentine Z              2   1  0  1    3   4  −1    3
4 The Holy Empire          2   0  2  0    5   5   0    2
5 República Guanacasteca   3   0  0  3    2   9  −7    0 E

Group C
The Cordian Isles 1–3 Gnejs
Acastanha 2–3 Pasarga

  Group C                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Pasarga                  3   3  0  0    6   3  +3    9 Q
2 Gnejs                    2   2  0  0    6   2  +4    6
3 Acastanha                2   0  1  1    4   5  −1    1
4 The Cordian Isles        3   0  1  2    3   6  −3    1 E
5 Koronavia                2   0  0  2    2   5  −3    0

Group D
Adab 1–1 New Gelderland
Chartistan 2–1 Sargossa

  Group D                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Adab                     3   2  1  0    7   4  +3    7
2 Chartistan               2   1  0  1    5   5   0    3
3 Sargossa                 3   1  0  2    4   4   0    3
4 Mercedini                2   1  0  1    1   3  −2    3
5 New Gelderland           2   0  1  1    1   2  −1    1

[PotatoFarmers]

Poafmersia 3–2 Eraman
Goalscorers: Tessa Bjarnesen 17' (assisted by Lawrence), 80' (assisted by Sartini); Dagur Lawrence 38'
Lineup: Nicole Potts (c); Kilikina Lee, Nacro Astro, Cindy Oriol, Xenophon Robson; Magreta Rym, Sylvia Fusco, Erle Sartini; Tessa Bjarnesen, Dagur Lawrence, Leontiy Seet
Substitutes: Agapito Murphy (Lawrence 70'); Aapeli Shea (Rym 70'); Zak Kaloyanov (Robson 84'); Jimmy Couch (Lee 84')

Chasing the Unknown
Thread C Part 1: The guy who upset the meta

In the previous part, we were talking a bit about the format of the games in the GPL. The Global Ban-Pick format, the format that reduces the impact of tier 0 and tier 1 heros because they are limited to one-match in the entire series. But that wasn't the original format of the GPL. Back in the early days, we used a standard tournament draft format. Blue bans 1, Red bans 2, Blue bans 2, Red bans 1 and picks 1, Blue picks 2, Red picks 2, Blue picks 2, Red bans 1, Blue bans 1, Red bans 1, Blue bans 1, Blue picks 1, Red picks 2, Blue picks the final 1. There, that is the procedure drafted into 1 line. In the early eras, when such a format was the norm, the top was essentially a choice of 3 heros - the tank hero Johnson, the robot Earthshaker, and the female fighter Lina. That was literally it. All three don't really counter each other, but they provide some form of counters to the mids, as well as the bottom shooters, which is why they continue to remain t0 heros.

But then there is a fourth hero. A hero that, in the professional scene, hasn't seen play, very frequently, becuase of how hard to utilise it, but is essentially the only viable counter to Earthshaker and Lina (and even to some extent, Johnson). Its the mage - the Dreamcatcher. Happened to be t1 at game launch based on high-rank plays, but it slowly got nerfed and it became realistically harder to play in professional play when the GPL first started, because of how it requires a different play style with the ultimate following the rework. Yes, the Dreamcatcher provides some form of shield against physical damage, which is exactly what all 3 of the t0 heros above have in terms of damage. Yes, it is also worth noting that the Dreamcatcher does provide some sort of magic damage buffer to pierce through armour that all 3 heros have as part of their passive/ultimate/skills. But the item build is not easy, and there is little room for error in using the skills of Dreamcatcher, which is why many professional players chose to stay clear of it - its too much time to devote to fine tuning their play style of this hero, yet it is not likely to make too much gains.

In comes Sleeper, the first-generation of players for the GPL. In ranked games, he has been maining the use of the Dreamcatcher, experimenting with different item builds for the hero. But ranked games and professional games still had some difference. It wasn't until the 2101 spring season, in the regular season game for Edward Gamers Club against then-defending champions Chirper Gaming. The first time Dreamcatcher came on the match and won - that was against Lina. Of course, the coach had some credit for picking a lineup that fits the Dreamcatcher's play style, but nevertheless, it was a first for the team. Sleeper, however, went on to twenty-game winning streak with the hero, which became his namesake hero at the end of the same season, when he won the final game of the best of five using Dreamcatcher to secure the title for EGC. That changed the dynamics of play. Against EGC, now you had one more ban to consider - is the Dreamcatcher bannable for you?

It is also worth noting that Sleeper's understanding of the hero lasted beyond just how to use his skills. He frequently changed the item builds to counter opponent's counterbuilds & hero lineups, something that showed his understanding as a professional player and the in-game top player for the hero. Sometimes he goes for outright magic damage boosts. Sometimes he gets himself magic armours. Other times he goes for speed of damage, to tilt the hero towards more of a mini-assasin. As some point in time, he was teaching his jungler, Chase, how to use Dreamcatcher to play Jungle (it did work for a bit, but got quickly hard countered and Sleeper found it hard to counter the counter). And it was Sleeper who proved that under the Conquest mode, there is room for non-T0 and T1 heros to see play. After Sleeper's Dreamcatcher run, there were a few other guys who started playing around with more heros, albeit at a lower frequency as compared to the Dreamcatcher. But it started causing an slight upset in the meta, and if we have to thank someone for causing this, it has to be Sleeper.

[Ziwana]

THE NGWAZIDOM OF ZIWANA

ROYAL ZIWANI EMBASSY

Note No. 38/7

The Royal Embassy of the Ngwazidom of Ziwana in Eraman presents its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Mandalanusan Cooperation of the Kingdom of Eraman and has the honour to inform the latter that the Ziwani Armed Forces College (ZAFCO) proposes to undertake a Mandalanusa Study Tour of Eraman from 7^th - 16^th August, 7ZNE (2027). The team will consist of about 48 course participants comprising senior officers from the Royal Armed Forces of Ziwana and the directing stuff. The study tour constitues an important aspect of the College's geo-strategic curriculum for the Course. The theme of the study tour is "Brain drain as a threat to Mandalanusa's Security and Development". The study tour in Eraman will afford participants the opportunity to conduct on-the-spot research on current efforts and strategies employed by Eraman towards addressing issues emanating from brain drain, with a view to deriving lessons for Ziwana.

Durinng the tour, participants are expected to receive briefings from appropriate authorities covering the following areas:
a. Prevailing issues in respect of the theme of the tour.
b. Efforts of Eraman at addressing brain drain towards enhancing regional security and development.
c. Geo-settings of Eraman covering the geography, history, culture, occupation of the people and why they leave their country.

In view of this development, it would be appreciated if the esteemed Ministry could kindly notify the Relevant Eramanian
authorities to facilitate the study tour, including the issuance of appropriate entry visas to the participants.

The Royal Embassy of the Ngwazidom of Ziwana in Eraman avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the esteemed Ministry of Foreign and Mandalanusan Cooperation of the Kingdom of Eraman the assurances of its highest consideration.

Anara, 15^th June, 7ZNE (2027).

[Talannua]

The trip to Delaclava had been a bitterly nostalgic one for many on the team. It had emerged that the portal may not be entirely closed, but the council of towns had decided it would be best not to exploit that weakness quite yet, so the Talannua kicks team played dumb and took the normal itinerary to Avon before going through the Rushmore portal to Drawkland, then shipping off to Delaclava by way of the Catherina airport. To their relief, the customs agent who cleared the team seemed sympathetic and not derisive, a weary and knowing spark in his eyes as he rotely questioned each of them on their purpose for entering Delaclava.

The first game was in Corcorran, not exactly in the neck of the woods of Castaic, but certainly a city known to all and familiar to many who had visited at some point in their lives. Jason Hill and James Bull had some drinking buddies from a rod-and-gun club that they joined for the night after a hard-fought game by the Wild Horses in which they erased a 2-0 lead of the Saint Eleanor squad before the favorites finally prevailed.

The second game was in Cleopatrana, geographically just a handful of miles away but culturally a world away, for the people in Castaic weren't really interested in doing the kind of things you usually do in Cleopatrana. And unfortunately, the fans at the Shipyard were a bit rowdy, ragging on the raggedy-looking Wild Horses, an unfortunate instance of political and cultural warfare playing out, with the metropolitan, screeching, mani-pedi'd fans jeering the rough-and-tumble, hard-working rural squad who had not chosen to follow along with the "most fabulous nation in Sonnel". Neverthless, Talannua persisted, overcoming a slow start and frustrating a Brookstation team that expected to win, came out aggressive, and grew annoyed when their efforts were fruitless. Despite plenty of attempts made on goal, none were successful.

[Cardenao]

Cup of Harmony Matchday 1

Hello my dear readers, we are back again but for real this time! Yes I got many angry and amused emails from you regarding my second by second review of our first matchday when, of course, we had a bye day. Quite a masterful bit of trolling if I may say so myself, but we’re on to the present!

That’s right Kings, Queens, and other non-binary royalty of Cardenao, it’s time to review our match against Kimi-Suomi, the 62nd best team in the world. If you’re busy, I’ll save you some time: it was a glorious 2-1 win against a team who played with a lot of heart, grit, and determination. Lettuce get right into it!

The visitors (even though we were playing at a neutral stadium), came into the game with a progressive, attack minded gameplan. The Kimi-Suomi-ian(?) players came in knowing that there were three points to be won, and whoever came out on top looked that much better going into the final three qualifying matchdays.

Attack after attack, spreading the ball from wing to wing to stretch the Cardenaoan defense, it was honestly really beautiful play. Fair play to the lads for standing strong for so long but the breakthrough goal came in the 28th minute when the imperious Kimi Airo broke through our defensive line, deftly evaded Shandon Grandillon, and powered in a thunderous header to make it 1-0. It was a greatly run goal, no denying that, and the crowd from Cardenao couldn’t help but applaud to show their respect. The half ended 1-0, with the state of play thoroughly in Kimi-Suomi’s favor. It was distressing to see, but there were some bright points for the Cardenao fans. Ibai Acosta-Vargas was looking dangerous on the left wing, constantly opening up avenues of attack and creating goal scoring opportunities, it seemed like a matter of time before Cardenao found some sort of breakthrough opportunity.

Second half started and it was clear that Scooter McNash had lit a fire under his player’s feet. Our attacking playstyle started to really shine though as Haritz Larrainzer started to impose his will on the game in the midfield and started to dictate the pace of play. Juanma Saez came close in the 57th minute when he received a crisp pass from Giampetro Vera, turned past his defender, and let off a rocket of a shot that blasted off the crossbar.

It ultimately came down to our great hope of the future to save us in the now, when Chímo Ventura brilliantly collected a long ball from Diego Valenzuela, hit a nice set of crossovers to evade his marker, then blasted in a goal past the Kimi-Sumian goalkeeper to level the score at one apiece in the 70th minute. Fans only had to wait a few minutes more for the go ahead goal, when the myth in making ‘Chímoooooooo’ received a pass from Ibai Acosta-Vargas, feinted like he was going to strike it with his right foot before pulling off a Cryuff turn to slip in behind the defense and chip the keeper to make it 2-1. It was a glorious goal and perfectly fitting to put Cardenao into the lead, a position we would keep for the rest of the game.

Our first actual match of this Cup of Harmony and our first win, the perfect start! Next up HUElavia! It will be an incredible game that’s for sure! Or it won’t and it’ll be a snoozefest, no way to know!

[Ceni]

Group E
Ochre Islands 2–2 West Barack and East Obama
Delaclava 3–1 Baggieland

. Group E                       Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Delaclava                       2   2  0  0    7   3  +4    6
2 Mertagne                        2   2  0  0    4   2  +2    6
3 Baggieland                      3   1  0  2    7   9  −2    3
4 West Barack and East Obama      2   0  1  1    2   3  −1    1
5 Ochre Islands                   3   0  1  2    7  10  −3    1

Group F
Ziwana 2–3 Eraman
Audioslavia 2–0 Elmyia

. Group F                       Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Audioslavia                     2   2  0  0    3   0  +3    6
2 Poafmersia                      2   2  0  0    6   4  +2    6
3 Eraman                          2   1  0  1    5   5   0    3
4 Ziwana                          3   1  0  2    3   4  −1    3
5 Elmyia                          3   0  0  3    2   6  −4    0

Group G
Brookstation 5–3 Sendhang
Delte 1–0 Talannua

. Group G                       Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Brookstation                    3   1  2  0    6   4  +2    5
2 Delte                           2   1  1  0    2   1  +1    4
3 Saint Eleanor                   2   1  0  1    3   3   0    3
4 Sendhang                        2   1  0  1    4   5  −1    3
5 Talannua                        3   0  1  2    2   4  −2    1

Group H
HUElavia 2–3 Cardenao
Brenecia 3–0 The Jovannic

. Group H                       Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Brenecia                        2   2  0  0    5   0  +5    6
2 Cardenao                        2   2  0  0    5   3  +2    6
3 Kimi-Suomi                      2   1  0  1    4   3  +1    3
4 HUElavia                        3   1  0  2    6   7  −1    3
5 The Jovannic                    3   0  0  3    3  10  −7    0

[Baggieland]

Training

Apprentice Alswitch: "All rise for the Grand Master."

Grand Master Lei Siulung: "What is the first order of business?"

Journeyman Fletcher: "The induction of Øystein Øye as the newest member of our Lodge."

Grand Master Lei Siulung: "We shall proceed with the initiation ceremony."

One Tender Derrière Later

Grand Master Lei Siulung: "Apprentice Øye, you have now been accepted into our Lodge, ergo into the Rock Lodge of Gnejs as well. Your assassin training will begin immediately."

Apprentice Øye was led out the back and into a walled, solemn courtyard. A lone figure dressed in a shadowy guise with his back turned, stood waiting for his arrival.

Apprentice Øye: "Ki… Killer Bob!"

Killer Bob: "We meet again Øye. You left me in the dinghy to paddle all the way back to Baggieland, no easy task that, so don't expect me to go easy on you. Firstly, assassins need to be marksmen, so let's see how good you are with a hunting rifle."

Apprentice Øye had never handled a gun before; Captain Fletcher wouldn't allow him anywhere near the munitions onboard the submarine. It would come as no surprise that he was totally inept at this.

Killer Bob: "For crying out loud Øye, my daughter can aim better than you! Here, try some snuff, I find that helps me."

Apprentice Øye found it hard to imagine Killer Bob's daughter, she had to be a cold, monstrous child, certainly not the type of little girl to wear angel-wings. The snuff took a bit of getting used to, however, after a couple of snorts, he found his aim improving. Was this the secret to being an assassin – snuff?

Killer Bob: "It's time to take you out into the woods for some live-target practice. Let's see if you've got it in you."

Apprentice Øye and Killer Bob headed into a nearby wood. After about thirty minutes of stealthily creeping through the vegetation, they came across a target. There stood before them was a baby deer, playfully jumping around in nature's garden without a care or worry in the world. A fawn so innocent; the sunlight sparkled in its bright wide eyes, its infant fur as fluffy as a cloud.

Killer Bob: "Go on then Øye, take the shot. Blow its fucking brains out."

Apprentice Øye raised the rifle to his shoulder, his whole body began to shake. Could he do this? Who was he becoming?

Killer Bob: "Do it Øye!"

Apprentice Øye squeezed the trigger. The fawn fell to the ground, it let out an agonised squeal as its body squirmed its final movement.

Killer Bob: "Good job Øye."

Apprentice Øye had killed.

And it Felt Great!

He had the power… over life… and death!

[Cabo Azure]

Cabo Azure 5-5 The Holy Empire
Scorers: Rego (1'), Cardoso (18'), Corte-Real (31, 59'), Ferreira (90'+4)

An unexpected result from a match so ridiculous that the opposing team being Marxist hamsters piloting robots barely moved the needle of insanity; nevertheless, a hard-earned point from what was, on paper at least, the toughest match of this group stage by far.

Vitor Rego, earning his first start in place of an injured Lobo, scored off the opening kickoff with a boot from outside the eighteen-meter box that would have earned him a hiding had it not caught Empire keeper Toggle adjusting his tophat inside his mech. The ball sailed through, marking first blood for both Rego and the Macaricas.

The insanity only grew from there; Corte-Real added to his frankly absurd tally of goals with a pair of headers, while the superior endurance and physicality of the hamsters' mechs were put on display with their offense, which ran Rego ragged, as well as substitute left back Heitor "Bandicoot" Soares, making his first start for an injured de Lima. Counterattacks, never a fixture of the Macaricas' all-out style, became their salvation, as the hamster-mechs were shown to lack the necessary peripheral vision and ability to change directions at speed necessary to contain the Macaricas' fast wide players.

On the right wing, Amilcar Branco and Seth Rathbone picked up an assist each feeding balls in to Gouveia and Corte-Real, respectively, while Marciano Ferreira finished the fight himself at the death, receiving a long ball from Soares and dribbling straight past Sprockett to pile the ball into the goal himself.

“Five out of Six”, pt 4
Ronnie glassed the little speed boat as it approached, adjusting the focus on her binoculars as it came closer. Three figures broke up the outline of the boat’s gunwales; Marisol Silva and her sister Janice standing at the bow and a man at the helm. Marisol, round face framed by her bobbed haircut, wore a white blouse, khaki skirt, and a big safari hat that threatened to blow away; Janice, taller and curvier with longer hair and a longer face, wore a white dress that might have been a swimsuit coverup. The man, for his part, had the same look as hired muscle the multiverse over; black rip-stop pants and a black polo that could barely contain his biceps.

When the boat pulled alongside the king’s yacht, it was Noah Rathbone who extended a hand to help the Silva heiress and her sister aboard while the boat’s pilot tied them off to a cleat. Ronnie, Noah, King Manuel, Queen Mother Abby, and now the Silvas were the only people aboard the Bejia Flor and close to the only people in the multiverse who knew where they were, or that they were meeting. Abby had reached out through family connections and invited Marisol to a sit down aboard the yacht, to avoid prying eyes and ears. After all, a meeting of the royal family with the most important business family in Cabo Azure was a significant event, even if they were all cousins.

When they were seated at the table in the ship’s aft, stewards brought wine and small sandwiches. Ronnie was taken by how comfortable her mother and brother seemed with the Silvas; she knew they weren’t close even by the standards of second cousins, and yet their conversation hardly seemed stilted as Manuel inquired after their family and their business. It took her a moment to put her finger on why it seemed so strange, but when she realized, it was unmistakable; though the Silva sisters observed all the formalities of talking to the king, they showed him no deference in their conversation. They thought of themselves as his equals.

“I’m glad to hear Eustaquio is doing well,” Queen Mother Abigail said, her tone indicating that portion of the conversation was complete. “Now, I imagine you’re wondering why we called you here.”

“We assumed there was a purpose, Your Highness,” Marisol agreed matter-of-factly.

“As you may have guessed, under present circumstances, it is unlikely that I will ever be a grandmother,” Abby explained. She said it without much inflection, but there was no mistaking the disappointment in her voice. “If you don’t mind, I’ll refrain from diving into my children’s love lives for the reasons why, but suffice it to say that is the reality in which we currently reside, and it is unlikely to change.”

“There’s no need,” said Janice reassuringly, with a glance toward Ronnie, “We understand.”

Manuel picked up where his mother left off. “With that being the case, if the monarchy is to survive, it is necessary that we designate an heir sooner rather than later, so that the people may come to accept this individual. I’m not as concerned about my legacy as some, but I’d rather it wasn’t a succession crisis, at least.”

“We have some decades to solve this problem, Your Majesty,” Janice mused, “Or, so I hope.” Ronnie noted the use of first-person plural; Janice considered the matter of succession to be her family’s problem as well as Manuel’s.

“I’m not planning to keel over anytime soon,” Manuel agreed, “But still-”

“Who did you have in mind?” Marisol’s dark eyes had been focused on the horizon ever since Abby started talking, and now they turned to look the king dead in the face. In some cultures, Ronnie knew, that would be a crime punishable by death; here, Manuel just looked mildly uncomfortable.

“A young lady named Solveig,” Manuel said, meeting her gaze. “Granddaughter of my great-aunt Desdemona.”

“Desdemona,” Marisol repeated the name as if trying to recall it. “Younger daughter of Reinaldo I, left for Quebec when Reinaldo II took the throne. So the girl is Quebecois?”

“Graintfjaller, actually,” Manuel explained. “Her grandfather, Desdemona’s husband, was Antonius, a minor prince of Graintfjall who was exiled in Quebec at the same time. They moved to Graintfjall when the royal family was reinstated.”

“How old?”

“She’ll be thirteen in a couple of months.”

“We understand this is a sensitive topic,” Abby said, butting into the conversation, “And we don’t want you to feel slighted, so we’re bringing this to you before we go public and asking you to back our play.”

“So this is a strategy meeting?” Marisol leaned back in her chair, studying the royals.

“In a manner of speaking, yes,” Manuel agreed.

“With your permission, Your Majesty, I’d like to speak to my sister in private.”

“Of course. Take all the time you need.”

–

In the small galley of the Bejia Flor, Janice and Marisol convened, speaking in rushed, quiet tones. Marisol knew instinctively the entire ship was bugged, but she wasn’t concerned; this meeting wasn’t officially happening, and she wasn’t prepared to say anything the king didn’t already know. She just needed to get her thoughts out before she committed to anything, and to do that she needed to talk to her sister in an environment free of distractions.

“Thoughts?” Janice asked.

“I don’t hate it,” Marisol said quickly. “I need to know more about the girl, but a thirteen year-old is easy enough to mold, and as you said, we’ve got time to do it.”

“Plus it isn’t a big ask,” Janice added. “They’re literally asking us not to go against them when they announce Solveig as heir. Any additional support is up for negotiation.”

“True,” Marisol agreed. “Abby’s working out of an old playbook. Dom Carlos set up the match between his sister and Reinaldo I in order to link the Silvas and di Portelos in perpetuity. Since Desdemona isn’t a Silva, that link won’t carry on past Manuel. Maybe Dom Carlos would have been upset by that, but he was always very old school in his thinking about blood ties. There are other ways to influence a monarch.”

“So we back the play,” Janice said. “What do we ask for in return?”

“Nothing,” Marisol answered quickly. “We don’t ask for a damn thing up front. We graciously accept the naming of Solveig as heir, and then the little girl grows up knowing the Silvas are part of the reason she’s in line for the throne. When we call, she’ll answer, especially if the AN stays in power.” The AN was the political party the Silvas controlled, the party of Federico Bravo, the prime minister.

“I like it.”

[Acastanha]

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A Tight Race to the Second Round

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The presidential election was held on the same day as the parliament election. This planned was carried out to cut the election budget. Although political experts were in mixed about the decision, but it still went through. From the candidates, a 3-way race is predicted to happened. Benigno Karpanyo, Miranda Garbuno and Abelardo Saramotxo. Experts said that some votes were possibly to split. CAD voters for example. As a party who is supporting both UdP and PLDP, their voters were lileky to split between Garbuno (PLDP candidate) and Saramotxo (UdP candidate). Nearing the election date, experts saw the tight race between both candidates with Karpanyo get an easy votes collection. Karpanyo is a controversial figure for the past few months. He voiced an unexpected thoughts which triggered national debate. These things which makes Karpanyo raise to popularity. And it is help him to gained more votes.

2022 Acastanha General Election
Presidential Election
First Round Official Result


Candidates                  Votes         %
Benigno Karpanyo         1,549,525     30.50%
Miranda Garbuno          1,147,399     22.58%
Abelardo Saramotxo       1,144,945     22.54%
Mafalda Rinko              451,578      8.89%
Salahuddin Soleh           339,671      6.69%
Alda Soronda               102,479      2.02%
Lúcio Karendane             99,880      1.97%
Flúvio Urinjane             94,544      1.86%
Simão Palinkir              87,366      1.72%
Total                    5,017,038    100.00%
Valid votes              5,017,038     98.75%
Blank/spoiled               63,319      1.25%
Total votes              5,080,706     
Turnout                  7,048,991     72.08%

And the results are clearly seen. Karpanyo leads the election results with 30% votes. While Garbuno win the second place with a narrow margin against Saramotxo. Only around 3,000 votes or 0.04%. The result was indeed a big blow for UdP. As the largest party in the last election, they couldn't secure the top 2. After the announcement, Saramotxo express his regret for his failure and congratulate both Karpanyo and Garbuno. While he implicitly notified that he would endorsing Garbuno in the second round. KB-PKJ coalition candidate, Salahuddin Soleh explicitly congratulate Karpanyo. He officially endorse him in the second round. While the green coalition (Ecovibração and Verde Palidas) are still not commenting anything. Their candidate, Mafalda Rinko only hoping for the best result in the second round. On the other hand, the 4 independent candidates are not giving any comments about the second round.

Political expert, Andre Aramde is surprise with the result especially Saramotxo lose. He predicted that Saramotxo will face Karpanyo in the second round. As many experts did too. He analyse that the lack of candidates from Palidas based party who become the reason why Garbuno gets a lot of votes. He pointed out the province-level results. Garbuno wins in all Palidas provinces except Ocidental which was won by Soleh. She also won in Região da Capital. In Arra, Karpanyo won in 4 out of 5 provinces. With the exception of Arrakan which was won by Saramotxo. However, He success to secured more than 10% votes in each of Palidas province. He even gets the second largest votes in Cabo and Espinhosa, the 2 largest province in Palidas. And the reason why he gets so many votes in Palidas is PPS supporters. PPS is a close ally of ANP. They will support candidates from ANP. This is also a good strategy from both parties. Because they are only focused on 1 candidate. While Saramotxo only rellies on UdP and CAD supporters which both are based in Arra. This fact that makes Karpanyo lead the election result. And the reason why Saramotxo failed to clench the second place. But how about the second round prediction?

Aramde speculated that the second round will be tight. Garbuno is seen to get a boost of voters from both UdP and CAD supporters. This fact that have to be counter by Karpanyo's campaign machine. While Karpanyo only get endorsement from KB and PKJ which can not be compared with UdP and CAD. The green and independent voters are likely to be the deciding force. Karpanyo-side would hope that his controversial statements can attract them to vote for him later. But they can't rely on it too much. Karpanyo has to be seen as a reliable leader rather than a chatty opposition. Because his opponent is Garbuno, two times Vice President of Acastanha. Garbuno get her advantage on this. As the voters will see her experience in the government. Her accomplishment and so on. Although it might not clearly be seen as Vice President position is rarely getting the spotlight. And that's will make this second round will be a tight race for both.

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Group Stage MD 3
Acastanha 2-3 Pasarga

Goal:
Felix Kalchankar
David Gothrado

MD 4
Gnejs v Acastanha
@ Volatus Millennium Stadium, West Bank, City Centre, Ceni

Calls up

Starter
31 GK  Santiago Karba
12 LB  Rafael Oronako
3  CB  Santiago Urupao
16 CB  Dionisio Leimanki
4  RB  Jorge Vidshav (C)
17 LM  Lisandro Turtapa
6  CM  Plinio Adondare
20 CM  Nóe Brinanko
9  RM  David Gothrado
10 ST  David Yushankar
11 AT  Felix Kalchankar
Substitute
23 GK  Armando Padia
13 LB  Manuel Savalor
2  CB  David Erunde
27 RB  Casimiro Urinjane
7  LM  Pedro Ustankar
8  CM  Igor Erdagh
28 RM  Andre Aramde
22 ST  Manuel Brandas