World Cup 95 Roleplay Thread

by **Squornshelan Remnant States** » Thu Nov 16, 2023 3:46 pm

Though it wasn't the home victory that many might have hoped for to open qualifying, reasonable people will acknowledge that a draw against the group's top seed is certainly not a bad result by any means. With only second placed teams making the playoffs this cycle due to the 20-group qualifying format, avoiding losses is all the more important. So while yeah, it would've been nice to take all three points against Pasarga, one is certainly much better than nothing would have been. The return leg in Torgos will be an even more difficult challenge, of course, but that's a problem for another day.

That qualifying opener was preceded by a rather listless friendly in Lublova against World Cup cohosts, Sylestone. Though Penrooke defended the team's performance as indicative of a feeling-out match for the new lineup, it was certainly troubling that the team was unable to break through the Sentients defense very much at all. They tested Macleay occasionally, but weren't able to get anything past. While the quick-moving attack Penrooke's teams are known for was simply not there, stymied by the determined opposition, Penrooke praised his team's strong performance in their own end. After the early breakthrough by Eastwood, the Black-and-Reds' defensive shape was strong, keeping the dangerous areas in front of Blaha cleared of attackers.

The attack made its reappearance against Pasarga but not, however, before the Wanderers' own made its presence felt. The Black-and-Reds took a physical approach to things early on, perhaps trying to impress on the visitors that taking on Group 12's second seed on their own ground would be no cakewalk. While a few such physical statements were made to varying degrees of success, the main result was that the Wanderers were given a number of free kicks in dangerous positions, and you can't just hand those kinds of chances out to a player like Ilona Kárpáty. She beat Blaha with a ball that knuckled over the wall in the 14th, and looped a long ball in to meet the head of Földessi en route to the back of the net. A more purposeful buildup from the ensuing kickoff led to a driven shot from the top of the box by Sargsa to narrow the scoreline before the half, but it was pretty clear that the initial approach needed changing.

Penrooke brought off Van at the half, with the center back just not really looking herself. Jagdish replaced her, and the team set about chasing a tying goal. Such things are easier said than done, of course, and it would be the Wanderers who struck next, with Biró feeding Salai on a quick counterattack, leaving Blaha no real chance for a save. Needing something a little more special to get back into the game, Penrooke opted to bring on Hashemi for Saigir, and was almost immediately awarded as the veteran playmaker sent a key pass forward to Ksudach, who then set up Sargsa for her second of the evening. Not much later, with ten minutes remaining and a draw within reach, Penrooke sent on Ditou and Volam for some fresh legs to add a bit of punch to the attack. The move paid off. The Wanderers were by this point very much committed to, if not parking the bus, at least putting it in neutral, and the Black-and-Reds were able to control nearly all of possession for the next five minutes, eventually leading to a Sargsa layoff to Volam who smashed the ball home.

With the next two matches coming against Equestria and the Salish Republic, the team should be able to do a little more to refine their game against teams that, at least on paper, aren't actually supposed to be better than them. Early days yet, but there's definitely cause for optimism for this qualifying run. If the team can avoid mistakes and hit their stride by the middle of their schedule, enough to steal another point off Pasarga, they'll be well on their way to another trip to the World Cup finals.

SRS: 0
SYL: 1

Scoring:
SRS: None
SYL: Eastwood 10'

Lineups: SRS Blaha; Drenel (Nyberg 64'), Van, Titov, Norling (Maksimov 82'); Sevet-Ibilx (Amjol 64'), Saigir (Hashemi 78'); Ksudach (Bondarov 78'), Avachinsky, Aaltonen; Sargsa (Fridtjofs 82')
SYL Macleay; Holt (Wettenhall 76'), Mornington, Faucett, Keller; Ryland (Milligan 62'), Rodway (Hand Sanitizer 76'), Lawson, Jones (Barclay 62'); Sarcav-Jones; Eastwood (Bostock 85')

OOC: (SYL lineup via DM)

SRS: 3
PAS: 3

Scoring:
SRS: Sargsa 32', 73', Volam 85'
PAS: Kárpáty 14', Földessi 28', Salai 66'

SRS Lineup: Blaha; Drenel, Van (Jagdish 46'), Titov, Norling; Sevet-Ibilx, Saigir (Hashemi 69'); Ksudach, Avachinsky (Volam 80'), Aaltonen (Ditou 80'); Sargsa

Qualifying Schedule and Results

FRND: SRS 0–1 SYL @ Slavnareczpospolitastadion (cap. 61,230), Lublova, Molvania, SRS

MD01: SRS 3–3 PAS @ Vogsphere Arena (cap. 90,000), Vogsphere, Isle of Squornshelous, SRS
MD02: EQS  v  SRS @ TBA
MD03: SRS  v  SLR @ Zenith Stadium (cap. 58,400), Stavromula, Isle of Squornshelous, SRS
MD04: MAR  v  SRS @ TBA
MD05: SRS  v  CEN @ Raftel Park (cap. 59,870), Chalesm, Megabrantis, SRS
MD06: SRS  v  ATT @ Olympiastad (cap. 47,550), Arkintoofle, Megabrantis, SRS
MD07: SAJ  v  SRS @ National Stadium (cap. 102,000), Javoser, SAJ
MD08: PAS  v  SRS @ Stade de Torgos (cap. 90,000), Torgos, PAS
MD09: SRS  v  EQS @ Pheldagrif Stadium (cap. 45,620), Yassaca, Sivolia, SRS
MD10: SLR  v  SRS @ TBA
MD11: SRS  v  MAR @ Castle Street (cap. 57,300), Jaglan, Algolia, SRS
MD12: CEN  v  SRS @ TBA
MD13: ATT  v  SRS @ TBA
MD14: SRS  v  SAJ @ Albrechtsson Park (cap. 65,400), Damogran, Algolia, SRS

by **Valanora** » Thu Nov 16, 2023 3:48 pm

The curious case of Raynor City, three top flight clubs, and one institution at the center of both praise and controversy throughout the years. It is a well known fact these days that Raynor City United, Rolalas FC, and Soldarian FC all do not run a traditional academy system like which is found in the rest of the nation. There is no set academy for the three biggest clubs in the capital city, nor for Raynor City FC either who have occasionally found themselves in the top flight with the rest of the top clubs from the capital, although they do all still run and operate youth teams as well as reserve teams. It is an unusual setup that has lead to many questions, especially from those abroad who look at the way that football is run in the Empire and why this set of clubs do not have their own academies like the rest of their peers in the Vanorian pyramid, particularly perplexing given that United is one of the most successful clubs in the nation and many national team players were "developed" at the club itself.

That of course is because all the aforementioned clubs instead are beneficiaries of the prestigious Night Academy, the footballing academy set up by Kyla Night, and her husband Zacharius, in Raynor City near on or over a century ago when the Marauders were first starting out and the nation was still known internationally as the Elves Security Forces. As is known by nearly any serious student of the game in the nation, Night Academy is located in Raynor City and routinely produces some of the best prospects in the entire nation, many of whom are able to secure first team contracts either in the Premiership or other top flights abroad. In the transfer window prior to the IFCF season, twenty-two graduates from the academy have made it on to the wire, with four of those having secured a move abroad as of the writing of this article, with more expected to sign before the window closes shut. It is not uncommon to see graduates from this academy to go on to have exceptional careers and find their way to the national team, current Raynor City United midfielder Selim Estrada Barrientos is one such example.

However if the graduates sign for teams abroad, why do the major clubs in the capital not have their own academy to develop their own players rather than playing what might come across as a lottery when it comes to the graduates of this one particular academy? Well the answer is a bit complex, however it has to do with arrangements that were made between the clubs and the Academy upon its founding, particularly with that of United. There is a principal agreement between Raynor City United and the Night Academy that they are awarded first option on any player that manages to graduate through the academy, acting as the de facto academy for the esteemed club. Should United decide to pass on signing a player, the option is then given to Soldarian FC, then to Rolalas FC, before Raynor City FC with the last option before the player is able to then go and sign freely with any other club within the Empire or abroad as is the outcome more often than not. However it is not uncommon for Vanorian clubs, including the big capital four, to come back in for these graduates towards the end of the window, particularly to fulfill home grown registration rules within the Premiership and IFCF.

It is a peculiar situation and one where it could easily be argued where the three top flight clubs and Raynor City FC would all greatly benefit from moving from their reliance upon the academy and found their own. There have been many suggestions in the past for either Raynor City United or Soldarian FC to bring Night Academy into the fold and be their own academy, not just in practice but in name, given that is the two clubs that the founders are famous for having played for. However the results of the way this system has been put in place can not be denied, with the quality of player that has been produced by the Night Academy and how United and the entire nation has benefitted from the unique setup. It is not likely that the academy could have serviced the hundreds of young prospects a year who come through its doors and play within the various youth teams if it was part of a club setup, nor would the club in question be able to make use of it in the same way it can acting independently. While unusual, it seems that the VFA and VSC are happy with the arrangement, especially if it continues to see the best and brightest getting first team opportunities shortly into their professional careers and developing into players who can make the national team with high regularity.

by **Carpathia and Ruthenia** » Thu Nov 16, 2023 3:52 pm

Inexperienced squad fail to tax strong opposition

Captain Faust Acconci was the only bright spot of a disorganised and underwhelming Carpathia & Ruthenia side

Saint Eleanor, Saint Eleanor In a city so good they named it twice, they in fact scored thrice, and if it hadn’t been for some good saves made by Federica Antonini (and a seemingly ball attracting crossbar and post) the scoreline would have been even worse. Despite Antonini’s roars trying to get her defence in order the lack of experience of the defensive line allowed Saint Eleanor through time and time again and even when they managed to get the ball back out the midfield were quickly closed down by the strong Saint Eleanor players and kept making unforced errors.

You might imagine that I being harsh on our team and players that we are facing a team 125 places above us in the world rankings however if we are to achieve our goal of reaching a World Cup with the next 4 cycles we must be harsh on ourselves to keep pushing ourselves forward, the mistakes we were making in the game were not simply one of being outmatched but far too often we were guilty of unforced errors culminating in Naldi putting the ball in his own net near the close of play.

We need to pick ourselves up off the ground and give solid showings in our upcoming matches, we may be facing unranked Barunia next but they have showed a determination we were sorely lacking in an impressive 3-3 draw against a Starblaydia team, who while not the Starblaydia of old are still 58 places higher ranked than us. We will be at home so we need to make sure we are out in support and making one hell of a din.

Following Barunia we will be journeying to the Riverside Stadium in Qasmanbashi, Yakk who earned a narrow 1-0 win over a Cassadaigua ranked 69 places above them, showing yet again we need to be challenging and causing problems for the higher ranked sides, and showing that it is possible.

Manager Lucia Kovács has spoken about bringing joy back to Carpathia & Ruthenia football, and I’m sorry to say that tonight’s result showed none of that. Perhaps she should focus on bringing back solid football before trying to then bring back joy, after all at the end of 90 minutes the most joy that can be found is 3 points.

By Margita Ongaro
CBC Ruthenia

by **Eshialand** » Thu Nov 16, 2023 3:52 pm

Start off with a Bang!

"Excellent work team, that was amazing!"

There weren't too many expectations for this Owls team going into qualifying this year. After their so-so performance in World Cup 94 Qualifying, they missed out on the Cup of Harmony and entered AOCAF 70 with a team missing some old stars, brimming with new faces, and somewhat lacking in the skills department. Their performance that tournament had left a lot to be desired and Kenny Morgan knew that... but all hope was restored with this match.

5-2 in their home opener against the City of Myrtle Beach. That's the sort of scoreline that'll turn any heads, no matter how skeptical. The team had picked themselves up, dusted themselves off, and gone back to being one of the best versions of themselves they ever had been. However, this was just the start, and 13 more games lie ahead, which the team had to be ready for.

First off would be their first away game, travelling to Rea San Vegas for that team's second-ever WCQ home game... well, second WCQ game in general, actually. Their first game had been a 3-1 defeat to the Seagulls of Aleirave, and now it was the mainlanders' turn to show what they could do... and needless to day, there were some high expectations among the fans.

This would be the only chance the Owls would get to, at least indirectly, show their superiority coming into the big Eshian Derby at Eshialand City on matchday three. A win by 3 or more points would tell the Seagulls that, "yeah, you may be a good team, but we're even better." It seemed that a bit of that one-upmanship was starting to rub off on Kenny Morgan, even if he did intend the competition between Eshialand and Aleirave to be more friendly in nature this year. After all, no matter how much you say you don't care so much about the competition, the competition will always find you, and the competitive spirit never truly goes away.

"Karsten? Karsten?? KARSTEN!!!"
"What is it Josh--"
"Where the hell have you been the past couple of broadcasts, I've been needing you over here!!"
"Sorry, I'm a bit checked out of this whole sportscasting thing, I'm kinda--"
"Karsten, if I can get you to want to commentate again, will you come back?"
"I mean you can try but--"
"Eshian Derby on the horizon, Eshialand and Aleirave sitting top two in their qualifying group ignore the fact it's only been one MD we can spin it for clickbait and FIVE GOALS FOR THE OWLS ON MD1!"
"Okay yeah you have my attention."

Both commentators turn to the camera as the intro sequence starts to play.

"I'm Josh Seametzle..."
"And I'm Karsten Rhodes..."
"WELCOME BACK TO ENN TOURNAMENT REPORT!!"

"So Karsten, take a dang good look at this group and tell me what you see."
"Well, er, I see Baker Park, and--"

"Too bad I already ran the preview broadcast without you, ya snooze ya lose. Here are the scores for MD1 and now tell me what you see."

"What in the world is that between Hapilopper and Baker Park??"
"Nathan Ellis doing Nathan Ellis things, I suppose."
"Who are the Hapiloppians playing on MD2?"
"Seagulls."
"HAHAHA good luck then Haulafo, your team's gonna get OBLITERATED!"
"That's the spirit of the Eshian Derby I love to see. How about Brusseldorf and Cardenao?"
"A bit of an unexpected upset, do you even know who Brusseldorf are?"

"They've not been on my radar before but they sure are now. After all, you can't exactly upset a #2 seed 4-2 and NOT show up on our radar..."

"For sure, I just hope we don't have to play them for a long time..."
"MD4 right after Aleirave take it or leave it."
"Oh..."

"And after that is Baker Park Hapilopper Cardenao, so if you think the foot is going off the gas for one second after the Eshian Derby you're just wrong."
"Group of death?"
"I'd call it more a group of life... exciting, fun, unexpected. Gonna be a lot of stories to come, and I'm glad to have you back to cover them."
"No duct taping me to my chair this time?"
"No... guarantees"
"What?"
"What?"
"What?"
"Cya next time and until then, go Owls go!"
"Wait I still didn't quite get what you said before that--"

The transmission abruptly cuts out before Karsten can find out what Josh said.

by **Kimi-Suomi** » Thu Nov 16, 2023 4:08 pm

Welcome to the new era of Huuhkajat football... whether you like it or not. Kimi-Suomi is all-in on Anaia now and now that has come to pass, hope for the future sprung anew...no matter what happens now. This team is at the end of an era in its own right, for better or for worse, and Esko Laaksonen knew that this cycle would be very emotional no matter what...but what could this team do on this final ride?

Pesä was packed for the opening game of the new campaign and up first would be the top seed in the group in #8 Kelssek. Facing the biggest wolf in the pack on opening night was certainly one way to kick off the Anaian era of this team...but the game didn't really have goals to talk about at all. Kelssek had 64% of the possession here in Kimi Kaupunki but while Loïc Maçon-Petrault and Lionel an Deòir had great chances to knock us down, Anna-Leena Outinen somehow held firm in our net. Megan Woodwell also did well for herself, despite the best efforts of Valtteri Nordström and a substituted Jyrki Bottas, and so when that final whistle went, a 0-0 draw seemed fair. A point is a point, after all.

Next time, it's the debut of the Galaktien Colosseum vs Pimeämaninen [Darkmania] before our 1st road test comes against BoF contestant Senterus. One down, thirteen to go...one point in the bag, NOSTA KUIN HUUHKAJAT!

by **Cap Nord** » Thu Nov 16, 2023 4:14 pm

The numbers prove it: their football pallet of the average Capnordic sports fan grows increasingly international. Researchers of the Bargo O Grimfeldt University Sandfjell checked the interest of fans in non-Capnordic domestic leagues. Whilst there is still a sharp contrast (with 94% of the fans interested in the Premier Division and only 53% indicating a focus abroad) between the general attention to domestic versus non-domestic football. However, the trend is clear. Only three years ago, a previous survey by the same institute showed that only three in ten fans took note of other leagues.

For the researchers, there are a few prime elements in this trend, which they consider to be ‘impossible to stop’. First of all, there is the internationalization of our own domestic football. Participation in the Champions League made the competition mainstream, causing the participating teams and stars to become household names. Evidently, this in turn raises interest in their domestic performances. Secondly, the Bargo O Grimfeldt University Sandfjell team points to the growing diaspora of Capnordic footballers. As more and more players find employment elsewhere, the fans follow their footpaths (or at least their social media feeds).

And lastly, but not least, the bar to keep track of international football has been lowered. In the past, football media consumption was focused on the Cap6 channel which kept its grip on the sport through its exclusivity contract with the Premier Division. By now, two new, dynamic players entered the market in Sports Channel 7 and P!TCH, who both got their hands on packages of international highlights and the rare live game. Cap6 responded with buying rights of their own, which serves as a catalyst to internationalization.

As a follow-up question, the researchers presented the respondents a list of leagues and with the question to indicate their interest level therein. The result handed a list of popular competitions in Cap Nord, with more detailed questions giving us some extra insights in the motivations of the followers. It can be noted that interest level has a combination of causes. Whilst the level of the competition (here shown via their IFCF rank) plays its role, there appear to be more important drivers. The presence of Capnordic internationals, the proximity of the league (with a strong Esportivan accent) and the accessibility of the competition for fans to follow plays a far bigger role in determining the expansion space for a non-local competition.

Sylestone League Number One (IFCF 23)
The League number one, also in our hearts. There are a few conditions that need to be fulfilled for a close tie between a competition and the Capnordics, and it seems as if the L1 ticks all the boxes. The up and coming Esportivan division features a few of the most well-known clubs, with Pesfield Trees leading the way. While proximity plays its part, it is the presence of no less than three key internationals that ensures that this competition stays within the sight of the fans. Hella Veensma became a star player with the Trees and Johannes Marzinn became a household name with Cleorough. The Toucans even are fairly popular for a football trip, a Capnordic reputation that clashes with its domestic picture as the ‘boring mid-table’ club. In recent years, Cleorough inches closer to a consistent IFCF presence and its second international Jody Barnes, plays her role there. The versatile midfielder grew since departing to Sylestone and even won a spot in the last Team of the Season. As Barnes sticks to the Toucans, one can expect more sightings of Capnordic football fans in the stands of Carson Stadium.

T-League (IFCF 7)
A close runner-up and fellow Esportivans, the T-League dropped to second in international following but remains a fixture in the football landscape. Widely considered to be the leading competition in the region, the main clubs from Tumbra are well-known. By our estimation (as in, the intern walked around town and checked the pubs with a screen), the T-League is the most widely broadcasted one and the ‘Lakewood Clasico’ gets some watchparties. The departure of defender Luuk Vennema from relegated Columbia City ensured that the media update stream dried up a little, but as his club never was the focal point of the attention of the fans (because well, Vennema, and well, Columbia City) of the T-League, most of them kept tuning in. A mainstay for the fans, especially if these teams keep amassing CEdC wins over Capnordic sides.

Tikariot Premier League (IFCF 26)
Their rank might obscure the international esteem held by this competition. International players from across the world currently ply their trade in the TPL and it is telling that they were identified as a talent magnet by StatsPunk, the sports blog from Graantf… Grae… Gräe… from those Rushmori’s with the cuddly a and e. The Tikariotian scouts are renowned authorities in the field, even if they like to turn volumes, they do snap up promising talents. No less so in Jorgen Bjerkness who moved to Fort Viljan just in time to see their rapid rise through the ranks. Even if they fell back a little, the TPL remained attractive and Crimsonhawke made a valiant effort to become the new focal point of Capnordic attention by adding Iver Askelund in their ranks, next to goalgetter Till Myrrheim. If the latter can explode in his second season in Rushmore, the small company that ships the characteristic TPL shirts and apparel to Cap Nord could see its figures double or triple, and the TPL could be challenging for first in terms of Capnordic attention. The presence of a few popular Tikariotian stars who excelled in the Premier Division before returning home only contributes to that.

Dod Rava Ekstraliga(IFCF N)
There are a lot of metrics that seem off in this case. The Ekstraliga is yet to debut in the IFCF and none of the players selected by Pazron Finchley plays for the fellow Esportivan nation. Still, this case of popularity shows that it is a mix of factors that determines your popularity and this one maxes out on some of them. The young Ekstraliga might find itself geographically opposite to ours, but still is part of the Esportivan community. On top of that, they made clever use of the rise of the new commercial players on the television rights market. With sharp pricing, they ensured a large presence on these channels, ensuring a surprising familiarity. On top of that, there are the exciting stories of Klas Myklebust and most of all Murad Benkasar. The latter won the top scorer title after some misadventures at home and has given the Amica Koronki jersey a cult status. It is telling that the renowned house DJ Flatbread these days plays his concerts in the green and white of the new champions.

Chromatika Red League (IFCF 1)
The number one league in the world is an evident choice to follow for football fans across the multiverse. The Red League contains a nearly endless string of international stars and with twenty representatives in the last Tornados longlist, they quickly became a focus point for the Capnordic followers from the Champions League. The transfer from Moussa Sangaré to the Lhor Orcas only raised that profile, but Sangaré nor Lhor take the cake when Red League fans are asked about their motivation. They cite the high level of the competition. This could change if the rumored transfer from Simon Carstensen to Crossroads will put pens to paper. The rebellious club could see their socials swamped with Capnordics carrying heraldic imagery, further raising the profile of this league.

FLF Zeta Reka & Hugeltaldom Div. 1 (IFCF 19)
If one would have conducted this interview a decade ago, before the own Premier Division opened up to international footballers and vice versa, there is a good chance that the handful of fans that kept track of other competitions would have voted the FLF ZRiH as their preferred league. Especially in Fronterre, the southern province of Cap Nord that borders the home of the Div. 1, one can find a good number of people who capture the action via a satellite dish. Especially Ogroven Vanguardi, for its proximity, is notably popular among the Capnordics. The presence of a local star could catapult this competition back up the ranks.

Nepharan Zenith (IFCF 2)
If there is a competition that can internationally challenge the popularity of the Red League, it must be the longstanding Zenith. Filled to the brim with some of the most iconic clubs out there, it is evident to see why more and more Capnordics tune in on the Zenith. Add to that the presence of Rohan Williams, our most flamboyant player, and one finds easy insights for the press to report back. But as the Corinthians No Longer go through rough weather, more and more fans rather focus on the intense battles near the top of the league. For the first time since his transfer, it was not a match from the Heelers (who also feature former Crester goalie Seager) but the Sabrefell derby that attracted the highest viewing rates in Cap Nord.

Q-League (IFCF 4)
Situated just a little lower in the pecking order, the Q-League is remarkably popular in Cap Nord despite the lack of players from our fair peninsula. Some will point to the first in Jon Forseth. The disgraced former national manager took over the reins from Zenit Attawapiskat and turned them into a stable mid table side. The adventures of Forseth with Zenit always get a little extra attention but as the top Q-League teams seem to keep finding Capnordic teams on their IFCF paths, those get closely followed as well.

Brenecian A-League (IFCF 16)
Apart from the peculiar Rozelle striker Elodie Valdes, there is not a single Capnordic player found between the A- and the D-League but she does make up for it. In her fast, swirly vlogging style, Valdes keeps the people back home in the loop of her adventures and despite getting into card-fueled feuds with opposing defenders left and right, she somehow stays under contract. Even without Valdes, A-League giants Northern Union, Kingsgrove and North Hall are known quantities after various CEdC encounters and as does Rozelle, they all have a semi-official fanclub on the peninsula.

Patriotlandian Super League (IFCF 28)
The presence of the Super League is a bit of an outlier for all logic but sometimes, fans do make irrational decisions, it seems. Ever since Siebe Moersleutel made the surprising move to Griffin Isles United, it seems as if everyone and their dog got access to a Patriotlandian Witness account. As a consequence, the rapidly improving competition can count on numerous fans and the exciting play-off format ensures additional attraction. Com’on the Finns!

FLOX Omega Division (IFCF 39)
It would be a bit much to say that droves of fans are tuning in on XTRASports, but the Xannerian top tier keeps on gaining interest and is a newcomer in the top. Interestingly, despite the lack of internationals present, there is a cult following for Asbury Park situated around our western city of Fallwich. This is due to the presence of an Ashbury park in the heart of the city, the distinct place for youngsters to hang out. If a Capnordic player would sign there, one can be assured that these Esportivans will rise further up the ranks.

Zwangzug 1./ (IFCF 5)
The Zwangzugian top tier is one of those competitions that is not followed by a huge number of fans, but those who do tend to do so intensely. The distinct football style of the league is according to those in the know, a refined, acquired taste. Some others call those people smug hipsters. Fact is that it is the latter category that misses out on one of the strongest and most highly regarded competitions that has kept a distinct, national face.

Darmeni Series A (IFCF 9)
With its large number of teams and extensive pyramid, the Series A does not come across as an entry-level competition to follow. But after the transfer from national right-back Troels Poulsen, quite some people invested a bit of time to get inside the vast history of this competition. IFK Liverpool soaks up most of the attention but there are a remarkable number of Olympique Chuckio flags hung up in Stade des Marais when our Olympique, Isbècque, plays at home.

S-FPL (IFCF 6/18)
The S-FPL is not very popular at the moment and that is hard to explain. We send a team of specialists out there to come up with a reason and before they could board a plane to the geopolitical maze that is Farfadillis, their mission became null and void. Sporting Noordende star Daniel ‘Danny’ Clark signed for Jinja City FC and even before the first ball has been kicked, we have seen kids in the distinctive green and white of the Black Mamba’s. We have a distinct feeling that this one might spike sooner rather than later.

Ko-oren Top League (IFCF 14)
The general level of the league alone deserves a good following, but there are two distinct groups of people who tend to tune in on the Top League. On the one hand, the dodekatistricians who have an inexplicable desire to change the fundamentals of our mathematical system. On the other hand (and in a majority), the Sandfjell fans who haven’t forgotten about Charles Adams and who followed the beloved midfielder all the way to Maethoru.

Mytanija 1. Prvenstvo (IFCF 3)
Hard, physical football. The continuous threat of hooliganism. These are just two of the reasons why a Capnordic audience should put this competition much higher up its radar. Still, the world’s number three league is ranked this low and we can only assume it is due to the connection between Mytanija and the regime change: riots with away fans after a game against the Mytanar was the match that lit the fireworks and led to the takeover. But one man, with similarly sized talent and ego, could change that as golden boy Mickelsen is in contract talks with high-flying FK Arsika.

Audioslavian National League (IFCF 8 )
“There is too much football on television!” some people say. There is an argument to make for that. But most football fans will prefer to get into an argument about which Cathair club is the best one. Our traditional Three Pillars tend to see their fans identify with one. Those who side with Noordende have a natural tendency to lean towards title record holder 1830. Sielhafen 1.FC feels a bond with Shamrock and can through the Audioslavians at least still know what success tastes like. And the Sandfjell supporters admire the energy from Cazadores, widely supporting them when taking on their bitter nemesis in the Challengers Cup final.

KFL Championship (IFCF 10)
The majority of fans rate the national competition from Kelssek and keep an eye out for the adventures from Burnaby and Outineau. But most importantly, it is the home of Jan Van Dijcke, the former Noordende prodigy who surprisingly worked himself into the Kirkenes line-up - yes, the Kirkenes that won the Champions League. For reasons which are unexplained (and unexplainable) Van Dijcke keeps getting snubbed by Finchley. An anomaly that keeps the KFL profile lower than seems logical.

Cardenao Megapower League (IFCF 45)
A newcomer on the radar and all that via one man. Luuk Vennema traded relegated Columbia City for Real Alegria. At the time it was seen as a left-field choice and some considered it as fleeing from Esportiva. But twelve months later, all agree it was the right move for Vennema who thrives in Cardenao by the side of Chumacero. In his footsteps, quite some local supporters started to tune in for one of the countless matchdays.

Dantopian D1 (IFCF N)
Making up the rear, there is the fresh faced Dantopian first division. Last year, they suddenly got a fair bit of attention, especially from Noordende fans, as Tikariotian local legend Charles Terzaghi exchanged the Royals for Grenadiers. A smart decision as it earned him a transfer into the national team and the TPL, but also as it placed this competition on our collective radars.

Clark as Judge and Executioner

[i]The Whalers have given their statistics an excellent boost in the first duel of the World Cup qualifiers with a large victory over Abanhfleft. The latter were far more competitive than the scoreline suggests. If one team deserved the splendid opening goal from Bjerkness, it were the Whalers, but the home side in turn threatened Johannes Marzinn a number of times. Their tactical plan to strike back after the break collapsed as Daniel Clark tried to go on goal alone but got held from behind by his direct opponent. The referee showed little remorse and handed out the red card.

It was the start of a wild fourteen minutes in which the brand-new Jinja City forward showcased why his new employer had opened the wallet for him. With a near-perfect hattrick (two left-footed shots and one header) he slaughtered the disorganized Fleftic defensive line. As this assured the three points, coach Finchley started to rotate the troops, offering minutes to Veensma, Sangaré and the debuting Finn Mickelsen. The latter immediately opened his account with a well-executed retro before an unlucky own goal concluded a lopsided second half.

A few substitutions for the second game against Filonian State have been announced by Finchley, a decision from the Lozhoan that was not widely appreciated. Many criticize this early rotation and it could bite him in the back if the Whalers underperform. On the other hand, it is not unfair to expect solid performances and a subsequent win via Moersleutel, Gronseth, Tofte and Myrrheim, the reserves that are anticipated to feature. However, Cap Nord would be far from the first to slip over such a banana peel. Either way, we can assume that the Whalers will turn up in full force in the SendBank Arena for what could be, despite the early timing, a decisive game for the World Cup qualification. With high-flying Graentfjall anticipated to boss Group 9, Ochre Islands are the main rivals for the second spot in the group. Thriving on post-liberation war optimism, the CAFA runner-ups got a resounding victory in their opening game and seem ready to turn that into a win series: the recipe for a closely contested matchday three looks solid.

by **Pasarga** » Thu Nov 16, 2023 4:21 pm

The day had passed with little fanfare, court was as it was, annoying but a duty that was required of her position to hold every few weeks to address the concerns and petitions of both influential and common people alike who could afford the trip to Torgos for the appearance. Thankfully for those who needed to travel, the Queen and her councilors did well to keep the schedule well up to date to allow every opportunity for those who wished to make a court appearance so that their petition could be addressed either by the queen herself or one of her many advisors. The idea was that matters of small import were delegated to the advisers while those that potentially carried a bit more weight were personally addressed by the Queen, so that all had access to the Queen but that her time holding court was well used and not bogged down in the mire of the mundane, which could easily be situated by one of the officials within court. It worked to a point, but Azra knew it was an antiquated system from a time that was long past, though ideas on how to modernize it whilst still maintaining the authority of the crown were difficult to find in which many could come to an agreement on.

On this day, Azra had found it a welcome distraction to the thoughts and concerns that had been plaguing her, that had been why she had failed to sleep well the last few nights and why she had been in the court room hours before she had been schedule to hold court in the first place. Her cousin Aslan had made an unannounced appearance at court, having arrived nearly an hour into the session, though Azra suspected that he believed he had managed to slip into the throne room undetected to her and be among the courtesans who had come to enjoy the days festivities.

"I saw you arrive and try to blend in with the crowd cousin, you are not as sneaky as you might believe yourself to be." She said almost in a bored tone as he approached the throne when it was just the two of them that had been left in the room after the days proceedings.

"Nor was I trying to mask my presence, though I thought not to distract you or your activities with an announcement of my arrival. Besides, I come on personal matters and not in some official capacity, I have come to check in on your cousin. There are those in your entourage who are worried about you and those within Parliament and the noble houses who are concerned that you have yet to court a suitor and secure the royal line. We both know that you would rather not have the decree you, myself, and your brother agreed upon be put to question and allow interlopers to try their hand at destabilizing the realm once more." He sat two steps below where the throne rested and placed his hand on top of Azra's.

Azra gently squeezed her cousin's hand while closing her eyes and then sighing. "I should have known that someone might have contacted you or my brother. Probably better you though, brother is a bit of a hot head at times and would have thought something truly wrong, making some big scene when he came visiting. Thank you for that." She wrinkled her nose and sighed again, the pain of the attempted coup still all too soon, with what had transpired today to top it all off. "I know what is expected of me, I know what I should do, but I feel no desire to do so, not when the nation itself needs me now more than ever. Her surface wounds might have healed and scarred over but the nation's soul is still tender and needs great care, lest we suffer another folly once more."

"True, the nation does still need healing, though the type of healing that she needs is one that can only come with time and prosperity Azra. You can not heal the soul of a person with medicine and salves and operations, nor can you heal the nation's people by merely being here and acting as the Queen. The people like you, there is a reason why you were able to rally as many to the royalists side during the coup in as quick a fashion and did not see political fallout once you ascended the throne after all that business was taken care of. Nor are you any good to the nation if you are not taking care of yourself. I am not saying go out there and court every eligible royal or noble, but you should go and see what's out there. Perhaps make a vacation out of it, go touring the other monarchies within the region perhaps? Or even outside the region if you want to get away for awhile, court can still be held without you. And you my dear cousin do so look like you need some proper rest and relaxation."

"Hrmm, a vacation tour of other monarchies would not be a bad thing, could perhaps even give a idea on how to better modernize our way of doing things. Holding court is so... not with the modern times. And if there be someone who takes my fancy, well then maybe all the nobles and parliament will get off my back..."

by **Saterun** » Thu Nov 16, 2023 5:46 pm

The scene was set. Anasb, the ever-awake city, was certainly bustling tonight. Three trails of smoke rose from the nearby Sultan Stadium, one green, one red, one white. It was the opening day of World Cup Qualifiers for the 95th cycle, and hope was in the air.

Inside the stadium, Claws ultras had already gathered en masse, two hours before kickoff. Flags were waving in the Suleiman Marja Stand, named for Saterun's second sultan. A giant Kaka Sarabola tifo was unfurled at the opposite end. These Saternalians were prepared for a show. You could also taste the sense of anticipation and, more importantly, hope. After all, this Claws team may have been nearing a transitional phase, but they still had a lot of ability. They had shown that at the recent Independent's Cup, going on to finish and unprecedented third. Kameron Boyd, the manager, had already distinguished himself as one of the greatest Saterun managers ever, and that was after only one tournement.

However, if he wanted to take the title of greatest Saterun manger of all time, he needed to show up in WCQ. His nearest rival, Abbas Yousafali, had led the Claws to within an inch of making the qualifying play-offs. They had only lost out on the final day. Now, it was Kameron's turn. Not only was he also managing club side Futsworth United, but he also had to deal with the tourbles of a NT entering a transition phase. Some of the older players were starting to edge out, and new and exciting names were fighting for places. One of those new names was Hans-Jürgen Becker. Easily the most valuable Saterun player by market approximation, he had truly arrived to the world in the 19th IAC. Now, it was his chance to shine. Everyone had one eye on him at all times, and he seamlessly blended the joy of a young talent with the hard work of a seasoned veteran. Once Sarabola stepped down, the armband was likely to transfer to Becker. He had the skill and leadership ability that many compared to a younger Kaka Sarabola. But that was in the future. Today, he had to come out and perform for his team.

As the players walked out, the noise inside Sultan Stadium grew to a crescendo. The fans were fully behind this team, and wanted them to know it. The national anthems played, the starting lineups were announced, and the players gathered for their pictures. After that, the starting line eleven took to the field, ready to get this WCQ cycle underway.

Boyd's Claws picked up right where they left off. The manager liked to play with a disciplined, rigid side, with each player performing his own job. However, he also realized that there were some times when he needed to break from the norm. One such time had been in the IAC, when he had shifted his back line to a zigzag in order to play forward more effectively. But here in the first match of WCQ, he was taking no such risks. The Claws maintained their shape, and it was this discipline that lead to their first goal. Carrying the ball slightly out from the back, Saveli Holst spotted Kaka out on the wing. A quick down-line ball left him alone with a lot of green space to run in to. After a few bounds, he saw the corner flag coming up. This area was exactly where Kameron had made them practice crosses. Instinctively, Kaka played an outswinging pass across the field, right into the semicircle on the edge of the penalty area. Just as practiced, Glenn Lundquist was there to receive it. A sliding pass to Maksymillian Bates resulted in Saterun's young talisman opening the scoring after 15 minutes.

Saterun would put two more in during the half. In the 32nd, Hans-Jürgen piroutted around Hands McGurkin before smashing in a 20-yard effort. His race to the corner flag and ensuing slide up to the pitchside signs would become an iconic celebration, and was dutifully replicated on fields across Saterun. As the Claw's emerging number 13 raised his fist while returning to his half, the crowd began to roll in to a rendition of Saterun pop artist Fantastike's Our Time. When a blistering counter-attack in the 43rd set up Bates's second goal of the game, the noises only intensified. Alongside Hans-Jürgen Becker and Avishai Demare, Makysmillian Bates was becoming a name synonymous with the next generation of Saterun players. There were even whispers that he could surpass the legacy of Thiago Esparza and Mitzinho. As he brought his national team tally to double digits, those rumors didn't seem far off.

The Claws went into the half 3-0. And this is where Kameron's next tactical phase would commence. This Saterun team was blistering on the attack, but tended to be leakier on the defensive side of things. As they were doing so well, Kameron decided to tinker with his setup. He was already known as someone who was open to changing his back line, and this time was no different. He pushed Holst and Demare farther back, while bringing Johnothan Post and Alojzy Addams more forward. The result was a trapeziod facing upfield. However, all tweaks run have a certain risk. This one would soon show its own.

In the 61st minute, Bongo Johnson pushing to get back in it. Chaplain Crabtree directed a slicing through ball that cut the defensive trapezoid in half. Suddenly, Schnitzer Longmont had broken fee at the top of the 18 yard box. After a few touches to near himself to the goal, he delicately curled the ball around Ralf Abiatti to get his team a handhold. Kameron, although he felt apprehensive, decided to jkeep the new back line formation. It was solidified again in his mind after a more-forward Post set up a looping Sarabola run that ended in a tidy finish at the near post for Thiago Esparza. By the 69th, it was 4-1.

Saterun would hit their final two in with similar fashion. Glenn Lundquist played an excellent ball straight to the head of Bates, who poked it right past goalkeeper Adam Jones. Bates's signiture celebration of pointing to both ears with his index fingers was enthusiastically replicated by the 70,000 Saterun fans as he completed his hat-trick in the 73rd minutes. Individually, this squad was good, but once they combined, they were unstoppable. Andrei Coiro, who had been quiet for most of the game, curled in a 27-yard freekick to push his team to 6. The A. Liga Player of the Year for Season 6 was undoubtly the best freekick taker on the team, and developing into a top taker worldwide. By the 84th minute, the game was all but over. Although Bongald was able to sneak one past Abiatti in the 87th, it did nothing to dampen the mood in Sultan Stadium. If this was anything to go by, the Claws were going to have a memorable qualifying campaign.

Goal Contributions
Maksymillian Bates - 3
Hans-Jürgen Becker - 1
Andrei Coiro - 1
Thiago Esparza - 1

by **Tikariot** » Thu Nov 16, 2023 6:05 pm

Raynard Lazenby reporting from Težia

The Stadion Yolanda Savić in Težia was the scene for the first match of the World Cup 95 qualifiers and even before kick-off it had everything one could ask for in a game of this magnitude. Filled to the brim with 25,000 fans (there were rumours that there were closer to 27,000 people in the stadium) and to say that it was a sight to behold would have been an understatement. The running track was filled with flags and banners and you didn't need to understand Myatanijan to understand that the fans were not subtle about what they were thinking about the Tikariotian contingent. The Dark Tide, Tikariot's travelling fans, did not seem to be discouraged by the hostile reception of the home crowd, chanting right back and performing the Thunder Clap.

As the teams entered the pitch and the national anthems were played, you could not hear a note of the Tikariotian anthem, which was completely drowned out by the whistles of the Mytanar fans while the stadium was shaking to its foundation as the home anthem was chanted. The match itself was delayed for over ten minutes, however, as the Mytanar fans lit flares and pyros that looked truly spectacular but unfortunately produced so much smoke that you literally couldn't see the goal from the edge of the penalty box, forcing Audioslav referee Yuri Burdin to send the teams back into the locker rooms due to the acrid smoke wafting through the stadium.

When the match finally started, the atmosphere was electric with Tikariot trying to create pressure on the Mytanar defence early on, but the Wall of Težia, consisting of Bosko Pestotnik, Bigger Mbala-Ekakia and Foma Koshkin stood strong. Every touch of the ball by a Tikariotian player was accompanied with deafening whistles, which turned to an equally deafening roar when the hosts would gain possession. After the initial attack, Mytanija took hold of the game, with young Goran Papić-Papratović in his first ever cap for Mytanija demanding balls, trying to break open the defence.

Atletik midfielder Denis Ovsyannikov became the orchestrator, taking responsibility for the attacks and they built some immense pressure, giving Tanis Hemingway and Stian Farnsrud a ton of work with Conrad Hurst forced into some great saves, but after 26 minutes, a long ball forward by Mumin Jesenko found Ovsyannikov, who laid it off for Papić-Papratović who blasted it right past Hurst, making the Yolanda Savić tremble. And the atmosphere further energized the home team, which increased the pressure further, but made itself vulnerable to counter-attacks, like in the 39th minute where Morretta dispossessed Papez and initiated a very quick counter via Terzaghi to Nighthorse who unleashed a blistering shot on the bounce that Besak just barely managed to punch over the crossbar.

The Snowy Owls' hopes were dashed shortly before halftime when a shot by Dražen Skara was deflected by Davies and dropped to Ovsyannikov who took a shot from the edge of the box that hit the back of the net just past the outstretched hand of Hurst to double the lead for Mytanija.

For the second half, coach Brian McAllister made three changes, with Mathias Vercauteren, Layla Grover and Chiara Castlethwaite coming on for Sankalin, Sukunda and Davies and it was obvious from the get-go that they were not going to go down without a fight. Under the eyes of Mytanar premier Ana Mečava-Čatić, Tikariot increased their pressure on the goal of Semir Besak, forcing the hosts to drop deeper. Fired up by the heated atmosphere, the match also increased in intensity, leading to referee Burdin handing out five yellow cards within the first 15 minutes of the second half, with Grover, Grimaud and Farnsrud being cautioned on the Tikariot side and Mytnjak and Jesenko for the hosts. In another round of substititions, Song-Mihajlović, Lusamba and Skenderović came on, as well as Magdalena Strandberg replacing Adrian Grimaud who was close to getting sent off after a scuffle with Pestotnik.

With Tikariot playing with a higher line in the second half, it opened up spaces for Mytanija to push into and Hurst had to risk everything twice to prevent Skara from putting the game to bed. In the 87th minute, Strandberg showed why she is considered one of Tikariot's biggest offensive talents when she took the ball at the halfway line and danced through the Mytanar defence but instead of shooting herself, chipped the ball to Vercauteren who blasted the ball under the crossbar. Given that he plays for Liria, the goal almost started a riot in the stands, especially after a somewhat provocative gesture by Vercauteren, which earned him a yellow card in the process.

Unfortunately for the guests, the goal came too late to equalize as Misel Ravnjak ordered his team back to basically create an 8-1-1 formation, which held strong, securing Mytanija three important points to kick off their campaign in a heated and exciting match that leaves Tikariot on the backfoot.

The transfer window is coming to a close and most, if not all, Tikariot Premier League teams have finalized their business, so it's time to have a look at the biggest moves, both incoming and outgoing.

The biggest transfer without a shadow of a doubt was Þorgríma Vigdis Ástþórsdóttir moving from Carathyr to Chromatik for an unprecedented 15 million auranurs, making it the most valued transfer of any player in or out of the league. This came as a bit of a shock for many fans, but neither Þorgríma Vigdis nor the Emeralds could really say "no" to. This kicked off a bit of a domino effect and Carathyr snapped up Parakleion midfielder Pierre Sukunda to fill this suddenly gaping hole, sweeping 6 million auranurs into the Firebirds' coffers. In their quest to turn their woeful past two seasons around, they invested 6.5 auranurs to pry Mytanar wonderkid Gavrilo Stojadinović-Srpkinja away from Pamuk completing a circle here.

A big name returning to the TPL is Charles Terzaghi, who had left Vantanoch several years ago, just to really ignite his career with Capnordian Sporting Noordende, winning two titles with them, before moving to the Grenadiers in Dantopia, winning another title in his first season there. Now, he is back in Tikariot, with the Vna-Chuhul Ravens as his new club, clearly indicating their intent to take the next step up.

Another prominent exit from the league came with Aljož Sešlar, a Mytanar/Tikariotian dual national, who really broke through with newly-promoted Ceramadhion Lynx, playing a vital part in comfortably retaining their TPL status, joining 1923 Esca.

Experimental restaurant concept coming to Port Rhovanyon
Port Rhovanyon-based entrepreneur Esther Phillips recently announced the opening of a new restaurant in the Tikariotian capital that she claims will revolutionize the restaurant landscape. Called The Farfadillian, it promises to give patrons an experience they will likely never forget.

The concept that there is no concept. There is no menu, no cuisine, no predictability, no preparation. Customers will be served a meal without knowing what it will be. It could be haute cuisine or it could be something completely experimental. Esther Phillips says,

"I went with Farfadillian as the restaurant embraces this kind of unpredictable chaos of Farfadillis and not knowing what you might get just really embodies this."

When asked about potential allergen risks, she answered that patrons have to sign a waiver before being served that the restaurant cannot and will not be able to confirm the presence of any allergens. She said that you "eat at your own risk."

by **Josifovo** » Thu Nov 16, 2023 6:22 pm

Спортски Журнал
All the sports, by the people, for the people

TEAM'S FIGHTING SPIRIT PREVAILS AS ZLATNI LAVOVI PICK THE WIN

Pasirpura Stadium, Eraman: Only 150 Josifski fans took the long and arduous trip all the way to Eraman and they were rewarded for it in the maximum level. The opening matchday of the world cup qualifiers was a start that nobody could anticipate as Josifovo battled its way through hard terrain and emerged victorious, netting 5 goals in the process while conceding 3. The real winner of this goalscoring party however was the entire Josifki attack, as all 4 international strikers managed to find net at least once in the game with the odd one out being Nusret Mehić, the central midfielder, who would coincidentally score the winner.

The match would start with unusually offensive football, as if both sides were possessed by the spirit of Farfadillis' football. Not only were both teams playing recklessly but both teams would find net early on. Namely, the home side would break the ice with a long range shot by Nyoman Jelantik on the 12th minute leaving Budzaloski unable to react. This would not deter our nation's boys as the scores would get level immediately. On the 15th minute, Simonovski would intercept the ball from a reckless Bulat and would immediately send the ball in the box with Bajrami being able to capitalise on the subsequent header. The Monkey Kings would not take kindly to this and immediately score another, this time with a quick succession of passes between Grawira, Widya and Petara ending with the latter nailing the ball inside the net of Budzaloski, despite the Josifski goalkeeper's accurate dive.

The game would balance out, it seemed as if the Eramanian team would be slightly more dominant in this game and get a routine victory against a tactically inferior opponent. But this was not the case, the Josifski team would advance forwards on the field with a fine showcase of passing game, unlike what we are used to back at home. The ball would end on Sadiraj's feet, despite a swift dribble past Anton Mora inside the box, the Eramanian would tackle FK Samuilovo's number 10 from behind and earn himself a yellow card as well as give Josifovo a penalty. The penalty would be capitalised by none other than Pece Trajkovski, who would score with a panenka kick, confusing the Eramanian goalkeeper.

With the scores level and with the first half's end in sight, some frustration was apparent in the Eramanian, especially following the way which Josifovo managed to score. On the other hand, the Josifski team was full focused on its goal, seeking effectiveness and taking whatever they could out of this game. Playing close to Anton, they attempted to fish a red card out of him and it worked in the 44th minute when Anton would tackle Trajkovski from behind inside the box yet again, effectively injuring him and leaving him out for the rest of the game. Several Josifski players gathered around Anton, hurling demeaning phrases about the player, while the referee would have to yellow Saev and Kuzmanovski. In his place entered Konstantin Filipović, with the 19-year old being given the uneasy task of taking a penalty. The FK Radnički Crnometinci prodigy would prove to have blood cold as ice as he would nail Zlatni Lavovi's 3rd goal for the game, in an exciting turn of events.

The first half would finish with a 2-3 scoreline for the Zlatni Lavovi and that would be exactly what was needed come the second half. With the mentality on the side of the Josifski, they entered the stadium ready to sweat blood for the jersey if they had to. The numerical advantadge would come in handy, as Josifovo could play much more recklessly than usual and the players themselves believed to be on top of the world, especially seeing as how possession would fall into Josifski feet so easily.

Bajrami would be switched off in the 55th minute for Torov, Rabotnički Filipovac's talisman. The substitution would be met with cheers by the Josifski fans, regardless of ethnicity. This display of respect has served and given a message back at home, as the political situation is getting all the more fragile following the Di Bradini Cup campaign that allowed Josifski ethnics, completely leaving out the minorities.

Torov is exactly the type of player to make a deep impact upon entering the pitch. Simonovski, who was also having a good day would go on a run from the left side, a quick set of passes with Sadiraj would find the former with a lot of space to cross the ball on the box for Torov, which he did. Torov's header would go through Janggut's hands and into the back of the net to make it 2-4 in what can only be described as one of the most historic away victories of all time for the small nation. But this was not the last of it.

The Eramanians would go on an attack, with newly-substituted striker Neraca making her presence known on the pitch. A swift dribble through Vujić would find her one-on-one with Budzaloski initially shooting the ball onto him before being pulled to the ground by Karandzhulov, earning him a red card and a penalty for Eraman. The entire Josifski team protested the decision, but the referee was not having. Neraca would in fact be the one capitalising on the penalty, giving the match a new type of spice onl the 82nd minute.

With the newfound confidence, one could say the Eramanians would find their footings on the pitch again and while this was partly true, the Josifski team had developed a pace of play that would be hard to play, even when the players went level once again. Nusret Mehić would try his luck from 35 meters, with his rocket ending on the top left side of the Eramanian goal, freezing the entire Parsipura Stadium, while only having the few Josifski crowd's screams echo through the entire stadium. With Mehić and the rest of the team on cloud 9, the score would remain at 3-5 for the rest of the game, giving Josifovo a great and much-needed away victory against a higher seed nonetheless.

With the following games being against debutantes Ragdolia and Brannfjord, the small nation's team is tasked with giving both of them a harsh welcome to the world stage and make its first big strides towards attaining a better status in multiversal football. A task that is difficult, yet not insurmountable, as seen by the match against Eraman.

by **Tanirinthia** » Thu Nov 16, 2023 6:33 pm

Multiversal Sport Match Report

Category
Association football
Location
Unknown Stadium, Unknown Settlement, Carahue, Universe M-35A

Scoreline
Carahue 3 [2] – [1] 4 Tanirinthia

Carahue Scorers
Unknown #10 - 21', 45+1'
Unknown #3 - 78'

Tanirinthia Scorers
Wheeler - 11'
Payne - 51', 67', 90+4'

Archivist's Report
It must be noted that even given Tanirinthia's secrecy, the host nation for this match seems to have gone even further. Carahue have seemingly over ever communicated to convey their wish to compete is the World Cup. No roster was provided at any point so we are forced to identify their players via the shirt number they were wearing. Our team was ushered into Carahue under the most restrictive veil that I have come across so far, taken straight from the gate to an unknown stadium in an unknown location. Perhaps this secrecy was simply part of a psy-ops attempt to destabilise visiting teams, as it certainly seems to have knocked our players off kilter. Despite taking an early lead through a solid header from Viola Wheeler from a looped up free kick taken beautifully by Ferris Dixon after a late challenge by Carahue player number 3, Carahue were able to equalise through and nicely worked goal catching us off guard on a counter attack, and further knocking us off kilter with a (I must profress) glorious header drilled into our goal from a corner on the stroke of half time. However our manager [redacted] must have given one hell of a speech at half time, as we came out with fire in our bellies. This fire was rewarded after a superb solo effort Bridget Payne from 30 yards at the 51st minute mark. Tanirinthia kept building up the pressure and managed to catch them sleeping in the 67th minute with a simple 1-2 from Violet Bacchus given Bridget Payne a simple tap in to put us ahead again. Carahue fought fire with fire, and each side had a fair few chances with Carahue being rewarded for their efforts in the 78th minute with another fine header from a corner, ([redacted] has already reported that corner defence training will be upped). And Carahue looked to be rewarded with a well deserved point frustrating our pushes to grab the win, however another impressive solo effort from Bridget Payne in the dying minutes of the game, dancing around the tired Carahue defence and slotting confidently passed the wrong-footed goalkeeper gave Tanirinthia all three points.

Post radiation levels
Within normal parameters

Archivist
William Fowler, Chief Secret Archivist

Clearance level
Gold

by **Acastanha** » Thu Nov 16, 2023 6:39 pm

Context

Kolanos League Officially Cancelled

With the war rampaging the three countries of Kolanos Gulf, sub-regional football association, Kolanos Gulf Football Association (KGFA) officially cancelled the 4th edition of Kolanos League. KGFA at first stated the postponement of the competition. But as the war still continue and spread further through the 3 countries, the association decided to cancelled the competition. "It is for the safety of the players and officials," said KGFA spokesperson. He also mention that holding a competition won't be reliable in this kind of situation. The association hopes the war will end soon.

Kolanos League is a sub-regional club football competition competed by top clubs from top domestic league of three countries in Kolanos Gulf. Liga Acastanhada do Campeonato of Acastanha, Liga 1 Kieraha and Leihitu SaLiga. Top 4 from each league are qualify to the competition. The exception applied to Acastanhada league as they are the most established between the three and to leveled out the competition. So, the clubs qualified from Liga Campeonato is the 5th-8th placement at the end of the season. Despite competed by their 5th-8th placement clubs, Acastanhada clubs have won the first 3 edition of the competition. And all 3 were won by a different clubs; Porto Espinosa FC. (1st edition), Samaul FC. (2nd edition) and Sporting Praia do Emerita (3rd edition). The fourth edition should be played by 12 clubs from the 3 associations based on their 2024 league season result. From Acastanha; SC. Tabeira, Samuel FC., Gadhga FC., and Madeira FC. From Kieraha; Royal Gam Lammo, Soasio United, Tobelo City FC. and Athletic Sofifi. And from Leihitu; Masohi FC., Sporting Namlea, FC. Sirimau and SC. Saparua.

On the other hand, FFA, Federação de Futebol Acastanhada, is considering the cancellation of the 2025 season of Acastanha domestic league. Despite the war is concentrate in the southwest and west maritime of the country, but it is still dangerous enough for the players. "We have two proposals regarding the continuation of the league in this situation. First, is to moves all matches to the eastern part of the country especially for possible affected cities or clubs such as Praia do Emerita, Penshar, Tabeira, Baaskan and Varsayith. Or the second, cancellation," said FFA spokesperson. Currently, all domestic leagues in Acastanha are postpone until further notice. While the fans are afraid that the war could affected the currently on going World Cup qualification round. The country had finished their first home match against The Republic of Covelandia. "We will extended the safety of every home matches and do extra precaution," comment FFA spokesperson. He also mention that plan B is also arisen with possible moving the home venue from Estádio da Unidade Nacional in Amarelda to Estádio Azul do Recife in the town of Campo de Recife. The town is consider more safe as it is located on a single island off the eastern coast of Acastanha.

by **Kandorith** » Thu Nov 16, 2023 6:48 pm

Hikari Kyoyu

Illuminating Today

World Cup

A Victory Marks the Start of World Cup Qualifiers
by Natsumi Miyasaki | Sports - Football |

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The Kandorese national football team kicked off their World Cup qualification campaign at the Kurt Vogel Arena in Basel-Triesen. The first meeting with this team proved to be a nervous encounter for the newly selected team. While the Kandorese team looked slightly uneasy they took home a 0-1 victory to mark the start of the campaign. The performance has shown the first glimpse of how the team is structured and will be the first lesson to build on towards the upcoming matches on the road to the next World Cup.

For the Kandorese fans, the win seemed crucial as the match topic was trending for hours long after the match. The first success at the Kurt Vogel Arena did not seem to go all as planned as the Kandorese team seemed uneasy to play against a resilient Basel-Triesen side, who are ranked 186th right now, which says nothing. Basel-Triesen is of course the very fresh Baptism of Fire champion, beating Maraonia 3-4 in the finals which is a sign of just how resellient this team can be.

The match was characterised by determined defending, the Kandorese defensive line playing it save and in a solid position to thwart any effort of a break for the opponent. Despite the fighting spirit of Basel-Triesen, the midfield and defence controlled the game excellently and the Kandorese players seemed in no hurry to rush to the opposing goal while controlling the tempo of the match. The only thing to say is, hopefully, the upcoming performance of Kandorith will be more explosive while keeping this defensive composure.

The team's captain, Captain Daichi Nakamura, offered a brief commentary on the team's performance. In a composed manner, Nakamura expressed his contentment with the overall display, highlighting the significance of not underestimating lower-ranked teams in the competition. "Although some fans may have felt disappointed with the result, as they might have expected more goals, our focus is on the long-term goal," he remarked. "Ultimately, we secured three points, which is what counts." Nakamura's reflections appeared to echo the sentiments of the team, as they expressed their appreciation to the fans who had made the journey to Basel-Triesen to support the national team.

In the upcoming games, Kandorith will face the 72nd-ranked Darmen at the Empress Masumi stadium and 231st-ranked Sarzonia away. Mekahi will be looking to secure these wins for early momentum for sure and hope to put the drama that was the qualification campaign of World Cup 94 far behind as Takeshi Kurosawa has stated that he will be serving as the team's manager for these games too.

Technology

Scandal Rocks Kōsen OptiTech, Ocular Tech World
by Kazuki Nakamura | Technology |

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In a shocking revelation rippling through the corporate world, Kōsen OptiTech takes the spotlight as they are facing extreme backlash amid accusations of shady deals and invasive practices targeting users of their ocular implants. Renowned for their state-of-the-art optical technologies, Kōsen OptiTech now finds itself in a web of controversy and disbelief that alleges widespread collection and storage of personal data from their consumers.

Kōsen OptiTech, a leader in ocular implant technology, has been accused of using their latest implant lineup to collect data on private citizens. In a startling report, it is suggested that their products not only capture the daily lives and voices of Kandorese citizens but also record phone calls and conversations with third parties. The allegations against Kōsen OptiTech have prompted protests at the corporation's headquarters in Ginza.

The revelations come from an anonymous whistleblower only known by the name of KasuroByte. The whistleblower has claimed to be a former high-ranking corporate employee at Kōsen OptiTech and is in possession of multiple internal documents that validate Kōsen OptiTech's involvement in large-scale data collection projects.

The reports include contract details related to numerous customers of the corporation who have allegedly paid Kōsen OptiTech for access to the harvested data. One of the most shocking names on the alledged buyers list is MindSculpt, a notorious braindance company known for having never held a very high reputation around Kandorith due to their graphic and adult content from mostly stolen data, one of which led to a stalker-murder case in the city of Kurasawa.

The impact of the data harvesting scandal extends directly to the consumers of Kōsen OptiTech, as concerns mount about data breaches and, quite literally, people's lives available on the street.

The scandal has not only dented the company's previous pristine reputation, but the stock has since plummeted and trading has been halted as investors are pulling back from the corporation in large numbers as the share price has now hit a record low.

Kōsen OptiTech seems to have gone into full-scale damage control mode and issued an official statement. The corporation apologised for the incident, emphasising its commitment to consumer privacy. The statement has fallen on deaf ears as people are demanding either proof of the allegations being fake or for the corporation to be held accountable.

Legal implications now loom over Kōsen OptiTech as the authorities have started a full investigation into Kōsen OptiTech's handling of data and imagery, raising questions about what the possible consequences for the corporation might be in the near future.

Analysts are expressing concern as the allegations have not only tarnished Kōsen OptiTech's reputation but could have lasting effects on the ocular implant industry as a whole. Long-term damage to the industry could do long-term damage to the industry and might even endanger the lives of the Kandorese people, as ocular implants are the second-most popular implant only next to payment chips.

by **Zwangzug** » Thu Nov 16, 2023 6:55 pm

(The story so far: our narrator has been having visions of otherworldly fields where players and/or fans are punished for their sins, like being immature godmod goal-scorers or being miserable all the time about the state of the world and wanting other people to be miserable too. The Virgil character doesn't have a name but, based on the colors she wears, is probably Rejistanian. The narrator spends a lot of time judging people's accents and being a wimp about long climbs. It's just like the real Divine Comedy that way. In particular, it's like Longfellow's translation, in that it doesn't rhyme and the kludgy syntax to make it vaguely look like iambic pentameter is forced and bad. Okay, now you're caught up!)

I felt a piercing wind above a field
That might have been in polar island states,
So frigid and unwelcoming the clime.

The players, too, were dressed in uniforms
Made up of many layers, and their ears
So muffed they could not hear the referee.

In vain he whistled while they shivered on,
Running to keep warm, not control the ball,
And so racked up many kilometers.

"Where is this place?" I asked. "Like, on a map?"
With ample scorn my guide regarded me.
"Dost you not know that, even should you wake,

The world cannot be pinned down on a plane?
For lands are born, and quickly cease to be.
With helicopters are the regions' bounds

Drawn and redrawn, in peacetime as in war.
Nor is time any better off than space:
There is no common ground for day nor year."

"Yet countries who share borders east and west
May set their clocks by what their neighbors do,"
I dared to argue with that worthy sage.

"For, when the bells of Albrecht toll for noon,
In Rumiatzi is it one o'clock;
Twice do they chime down south in Concord Heights,

Three times for fans in Háttmark or in Zube,
Four in the metropole of Valladares,
In Corvistone or Bastion, five apiece,

Likewise Centralis, dear to memory,
As can be seen by looking at a map."
Then with a sigh she granted, "Very well;

If you must see the world in such a way,
Say it is high noon for the Dallas clan
Who in Jeruselem, city of peace,

Land of great faith, but also of great strife,
Where garments are but rarely worn, make home.
As you can see, the players here are far

Removed from such a warmth and carefree ease.
For it is midnight underneath these skies;
And when 'tis summer there, 'tis winter here,

Truly, this is the distant antipode
Of such a changeless, simple, open place.
Some say that clothes were made to cover shame:

If so, know well the players here have much
Shame to atone for, so they go about
Draped in not only uniform layers

But each in garb and secrets all their own."

by **Vdara** » Thu Nov 16, 2023 7:03 pm

Movin’ On Up

Previously, on ‘Vdara’:
“For them [the fans], these players would do absolutely anything - and they had to, if they were going to send them home happy.”

12’ Sophia Kyprianou (break from a counterattack, slotted into bottom left corner)
29’ Tryfon Vlahiades (penalty, top right corner)

Christchurchon Player #1 (defensive mishap, capitalised on) 44’

Halftime: Vdara 2-1 Christchurchon

65’ Lambros Tantalopoulos (powerful volley, assisted by Maria Hadjipavlou)
72’ Alessia La Rosa (header, assisted by Maria Hadjipavlou)

Christchurchon Player #1 (nice little finesse shot, Frangoglou barely misses) 83’

Full Time: Vdara 4-2 Christchurchon

Star Players + Ratings (Stats):

Christchurchon Player #1: 8.9 (2 G/A, 2 shots on target)
Maria Hadjipavlou: 8.3 (2 G/A, 88% pass accuracy)
Sophia Kyprianou: 7.6 (1 G/A, several chances created)
Alessia La Rosa: 7.2 (1 G/A, 1 yellow card received)

And send them home happy they did. Any early nerves in the VdarArena were quickly dispelled by a clinical Kyprianou, who took no prisoners when she dispatched her team’s first chance of the game straight past a despondent Christchurchon goalkeeper, left only to yell at their defenders whilst a jubilant Sophia threw her hands up into the air and ran straight towards the overjoyed horde of Vdarans in the stands in front of her. Not long after, a penalty was calmly slotted home by veteran Tryfon Vlahiades, and from then on, the tone for the game was set. Despite their opponents scoring two, Vdara remained mostly in control of the match until the very end, bagging an additional two of their own to see the game out in front of the nearly fifty-thousand home fans who had turned up to see their team play - and had seen them play very well indeed. The blowing of the final whistle was overpowered by the deafening cheers from said fans, their cries of joy signalling the end to what had been a successful outing. After the match, they filled the streets, and their euphoria continued well into the night, singing, drinking, and partying like it was World Cup 89.

Fun Fact: Former Vdaran Finance Minister Stefanos Pitanitsis once stated that matchdays at the VdarArena boost the national GDP by around 4% yearly. He was not known for his numerical skills, and was deplatformed in a vote of no confidence after miscalculating a simple sum in a visit to an Irakelio primary school.

As the players walked back into the dressing room with their heads held high, a visibly pleased Markos leaned on the wall, smirking, and as usual he had some comments for the players.

”Some crowd that was out there, eh? Thought they played a massive part. Haven’t heard them that loud since - oooh… maybe Ko-oren at home? Can’t be too sure. Anyways, the fitba. In general, that was lovely, lovely stuff out there today. You all played a massive part in dictating the pace of that game, and we’ve come out with all three points - and, if I’m not mistaken, a spot at the top of the group. Not that it really matters, but it’s good to have some bragging rights early doors. Plenty more of the stuff we were doing upfront, and we might even be back in the group stages in a couple cycles’ time - or quicker, if the Gods see fit to bless us. I do still have some complaints, though. I’m seeing the same problems cropping up here as I did in the Baptism of Fire - I want a defence that’s tighter than a miser's purse strings, and I’m actually seeing one that’s leakier than a cracked glass that you keep in your cupboard and forget about. That’s not on. Some of you numpties clearly need to re-learn how to play in a back line, since I saw a good chunk of you twiddling your thumbs, leaving people unmarked constantly, like it wasn’t your problem. Newsflash - it very much is your problem. If you don’t think it is, mark my words, I will personally pull you aside and make it your fucking problem. I know I’ve gone over this several times in the past few games, and I don't want to sound like a broken record here, but if we just keep rolling out the red carpet for opponents with front row tickets to the net, we might as well not even turn up! I mean, you can perform all the tricks you like, and you can bag a good goal here and a hat-trick there, but it will be worth ZILCH unless you buck up your ideas and stop making careless, child-like mistakes. The next team won’t be as charitable as this one was if we keep mucking up, alright? I hope I’ve made myself clear. Again, good work - but get your heads in the game.”

Now, after a victory like this, you might think that Markos was uncharacteristically harsh towards his players after a pretty decent result, and you’d be right. He wasn’t doing this without reason, though. During one particularly enlightening evening, following the announcement of the teams they’d be facing in the qualifiers, Markos took it upon himself to make a spiritual journey to the Temple of Apollo - or at least, the Vdaran version which wasn’t quite as wise, but still held some spiritual prowess. Here, he consulted the Oracle, who was not so kind about their prospects against a highly-rated Pyazhnaya side:

You come here seeking fortune,
but fortune is not plentiful.
Woe, woe befalls you!
Your heroes and heroines face certain defeat,
bludgeoned and bruised at the hands of a vicious adversary.
A mysterious land awaits, where blood-filled rivers flow.
Like the Persians at Salamis,
Or the Ithacans at Troy,
There lies no joy in battle.
Heed this warning, and heed it well,
If you are not to join those in the rivers.

Disheartened and, quite frankly, shocked by the Oracle’s prophecy, he pulled out a packet of crisps from his pocket and lay them on the floor in front of him. The Oracle ogled them with disgust, and cast a different prophecy:

Just, while your cause may be, the
Oracle finds your offerings pitiful.
Heathens, you are not, but,
Nearing salvation, you are neither.

Crowds will cry when they see,
Endless goals upon goals.
Notice commencements, and notice halts.
All your peoples count on you.

Markos shrugged his shoulders, and bowed his head to the Oracle. She hadn’t exactly given him a resounding endorsement, but he took some confidence in the fact that the Oracle’s second prophecy did not determine which side was scoring the goals, rather that there would be some goals in general. Nobody thought to tell him that the Oracle’s predictions and prophecies had a very low success rate, but he would take absolutely anything if it made him believe in Vdaran triumph - even if it meant listening to the poetic ramblings of an old woman sitting in an archaic temple, making offerings to Gods who had long since stopped being relevant.

Fun Fact Two: Despite being two very culturally distinct nations, Greeks and Vdarans share very similar heritages when it comes to religions and Gods. The differences between the two cultures’ deities are small, apart from one large deviation - the Vdaran God of Love is not Cupid, but Stupid, after a miscommunication between Cretan and Athenian sailors. Additionally, Stupid does not fire arrows like his Greek counterpart, but bullets. We love him anyway, promise.

Despite the Oracle’s choice of words, the Vdarans set off for Pyazhnaya with an air of confidence and a desperate want to make an early impact. The Gods may not be fully with them but, they hoped, the vibes would be. After all, Markos had hooked his phone up to the plane’s aux cord, and was blasting all the best tunes. With vibes like this, who needs Gods?

by **Milchama** » Thu Nov 16, 2023 7:06 pm

"Not great Bob"

"That's not my name"

"Look, we have deliberately obscured your name for years it's irrelevant"

"Irrelephant?"

"This isn't South Newlandia and they don't even play soccer. They only play baseball."

"Really?"

"Yep"

"Well that's weird"

"What's weird about it?"

"It's weird to not play soccer. I thought everybody plays soccer. Heck Vilita played so much soccer that at one point people believe that Vilita might have been as much as 15% of the World Cup through various colonies and such"

"That's crazy. I thought the WC rules on empires were pretty clear. You get one nation and one colony"

"How the heck is colony defined?"

"Incredibly loosely. It has something to do with something called an 'owner' which I don't understand and refuse to comprehend"

"Hmmm...I should check the bylaws sometime that's absolutely fascinating"

"It is"

"So anyway the actual football"

"We call it soccer"

"Oh shove it, football, how is that going?"

"Like I said, not great"

"How so?"

"We drew our first match against a team we should have beat"

"Oh that's not good. Was it because of rotation?"

"Sure we'll blame it on rotation"

"That works for me"

"Great, rotation is awful"

"Will it work better when we have two MDs?"

"It might, we might need to start tracking second MDs"

"That would make sense but will require work"

"Oh nevermind then"

"That's what I'm talking about"

"Good to see"

"Definitely feel good now"

"Glad to hear it"

"Hopefully you can make Milchama feel good"

"That's the goal"

"Great!"

by **Darmen** » Thu Nov 16, 2023 8:13 pm

Darmen 4-2 Sarzonia
@ Green Ensign Arena, West Scott City (attendance 47,465)

DAR: Toro; O'Hara, Snyder, Böhm (sub Kruse 66'), Ó Madaidhín; Park, van der Vennen (GOAL 23', sub Loritz 72'), Aleshire (sub Falkner 72'); January, Lee (GOAL 35', sub Tracey 80'), Hale (GOAL 7', 70', sub Boon 80')
SRZ: Sandt; King, Benignati (sub Russell 80'), M. Taylor, J. Taylor (sub Bowen 74'); Wilson (GOAL 64'), Mabree (sub Taunton 74'), Hennepin (sub Swann 83'), dos Santos; Campos (GOAL 52'), Cambrio (sub Wilcox 74')

Hale Brace Sees All Greens Past Stars

WEST SCOTT CITY - Kennard Hale scored twice in Darmen's 4-2 victory over Sarzonia as the All Greens opened up their campaign to qualify for the 95th World Cup. Lennart van der Vennen and Marianne Lee joined Hale on the scoring sheet.

Hale's goal in the seventh minute set the mood for the remainder of the match, with the Sarzonians "rattled" as their manager put it after the match and the Darmenis swarming around them smelling blood. Over the next fifteen minutes, several Darmeni offensive forays into the box ended without success, but the Sarzonian defense was clearly struggling to recover from their early set back. Midfielder Lennart van der Vennen's long strike from the top of the box in the 23rd minute and Marianne Lee's scrappy nudge of a goal from only a yard out in the 35th minute gave Darmen a 3-0 lead heading into halftime.

The Sarzonians used the halftime interval to regain the initiative, at least on offense for the first half of the second half. Jake Campos clawed one back in the 52nd minute, while Clayton Wilson closed the gap to just a single goal in the 64th minute. Any hopes the few Sarzonians present in the Green Ensign Arena had of a Sarzonian comeback were dashed however when Hale scored his second goal of the night and 44th overall in his international career, in the 70th minute. A substitution of a fatigued Cináed Böhm and a few changes to defensive positioning corrected Darmen's defensive lapses and they held the visiting Stars scoreless for the remaining twenty minutes plus stoppage time.

While Darmen's campaign is off to a good start, Denis Foss' side will need to keep their winning ways going in their next two matches against Kandorith and Semarland. Darmen has never before faced Kandorith in the modern era, which makes the All Greens' trip to Empress Masumi National Stadium one full of adventure and uncertainty. Darmen has faced Semarland in the modern era however, with the two sides playing out a 3-3 and 2-2 draw in their two World Cup 75 qualification meetings.

by **Eura** » Thu Nov 16, 2023 8:42 pm

WORLD CUP 95 QUALIFYING – GROUP 20 – MATCHDAY 1
Euran Oceania Territories 1–1 Eura
Scorers:
Vincent 38
Lineup:
13. J Hewitt
2. A Mason
15. J Bedford
19. M Pearce (sub Grant 86)
23. I Doherty
6. J Gates (sub Guta 89)
8. O Vincent
29. R Lambert (sub West 80)
20. T Roberts (sub Woodman 72)
9. A Sharp
10. S Singh (sub Miller 57)

ebc.eur/news/tech
Lucrative opportunity or poisoned chalice?
Football is a testbed as Euran social media reaches for a new, post-twii.tur powerhouse

It all started with an arrest.

Patrick Colton-Noble became a national figure of scandal overnight when he was escorted down the steps of 191 Noble Street, a skyscraper-dominated capitalist paradise in central Directus. The CEO of TwiiEur – the local corporate face of Turorian social media giant twii.tur – must have known he was in dangerous waters, with the parent company already dogged by controversy in multiple regions. A former head of Bastion-specific supermarket chain Hay Mart, Colton-Noble had spent weeks prior reassuring shareholders that these “wobbles” would pass, while reportedly stacking up on lawyers. Completely innocently, of course.

In stepped the Barnham administration, under pressure from industry rivals and national security professionals, who had called for the social media giant to be investigated for links to foreign states seeking undue influence on Euran society. “We just don’t know how far their tentacles run” complained influential Unionist MP Teddy Bowler to the Brigham Herald days before the arrest, “and what exactly it is twii.tur do with the data of billion Eurans. There needs to be accountability, and definitive proof that they are not harvesting our data for malicious ends. Or our precious bodily fluids for that mat-”

Amazingly, it took less than twenty-four hours of investigation by Eura’s federal level police force to uncover a series of clandestine bank accounts blatantly designed to dodge tax in various havens, several NDA’ed ex-staffers wanting to speak out, and a nasty rumour about a donkey at an office party, all of which pointed to multiple misdemeanours by the ill fated head of TwiiEur. An initial arrest took him in, soon followed by a raid, and then the flood – more revelations about other senior figures and a dramatic fall in the value of a TwiiEur share. Within a week, the board of directors was gone and twii.tur, once the most popular social media outlet in Eura, was blocked in the Federation and all of its overseas territories.

It remains to be seen what exactly the commercial impact will be on a site that is popular across Rushmore and the nearby regions, but which surely will miss the ad-revenue of at least one billion Euran users at a time of crisis, with its future already uncertain abroad. One immediate cost of twii.tur’s Euran downfall is that borne onto football fans, who are among the most prolific users of the site. “It’s not fair!” whined Billy Tibbetts, a dog strangler from Brigham. “With twii.tur gone, I must gossip about transfers in person, when I’d much rather do it online. Plus, I’ve done weird sex things and never pay any tax. But no-one arrests me! It’s a witch hunt, I tell you!”

Tibbetts couldn’t give a follow up interview from his cell, but we found plenty of other losers to vox-pop instead. Jimmy Dingles, a lime taster from Nukon, wept in the street as he cast his twii.tur branded sweater into a bin. “What’s the point in anything anymore? Without the ability to hurl anonymous abuse at footballers, my life has no purpose. What am I going to do instead? Talk to my kids?” Sally Supper had just finished her shift at Directus’ finest chocolate canal when she came up to our reporter, her face red with rage as the shadow of the Noble Street leviathans loomed over us. “Those cock-ends in the city have messed up a good thing. I don’t know what else to say. Hopefully something new will come along.”

Therein lies the key question – who can seize twii.tur’s crown? No change in regulation has taken place, nor has there been some market failure or lack of demand. It is simply the case that one monopoly has fallen and opened a big gap for a fresher fish to enter. Several foreign competitors to twii.tur have already taken advantage and they have the social sporting scene in their sights as a key demographic. “Sub out Twii, Sub in Cica!” blares one massive banner for Cica in a new ad campaign across Euran cities. Cica is a Dantopian platform that has quickly gained traction around the multiverse and is measured by some metrics as being the most popular in Eura at the moment.

Cica does face a crowded marketplace. Chirpr, Honkr, m.esh, J, deja.vu – these are just some of the brands already operating in Eura or which have secured the relevant licenses and are seeking an HQ. Cica has a first mover advantage, but it won’t last forever. In the meantime, Eura’s opening World Cup qualifier against the Euran Oceania Territories proved a fascinating insight into what the new social media landscape in Eura might look like. Pundits and journos covering the game at the Flynn Arena, who usually all share their insights on the Website That Shall Not Be Named, were beset by confusion as they scrambled to cover the game across at least half a dozen services, all with very different audience demographics.

Oscar Vincent’s opening goal of the campaign posed a particular challenge. Reggie Tamwee, the host of the popular commercial TV channel Swest Sports, “chirped” a delighted reaction on three different platforms in the space of a minute to Vincent’s sweet strike from 20 yards. In doing so he made a typo that suggested an epithet for Sameban people, causing a flurry of online outrage that completely distracted the studio team during half time just minutes later. Fortunately, an apology was quickly forthcoming, and there was no repeat of the incident later in the game when Jermaine Gates accidentally steered the ball into his own net, extending Eura’s ironically poor record against the Expats.

Audience reactions to the chaos were mixed to say the least. Hedgerow whisperer Elsa Parateo was in the middle of charming a nestled beaver in the city of Samebus when one of my colleagues grabbed her for a quick reaction, noticing two of the new apps flashing on her phone as he creepily leered over her shoulder. “Cica and Honkr” she answered when asked what she was using. “Obviously, I was furious about that fuckstick Tamwee after what he posted, but then I found out it was a miscommunication. By that point I’d already messaged a death threat and several slurs on both apps. How am I supposed to recall the dead fish I mailed to his apartment? There’s too many options!”

The answer surely lies in a stronk Euran alternative but so far no-one has stepped up. Euran startups face stricter rules relating to issues like data protection and countering disinformation, a set of regulatory requirements stipulated by the Euran federal authorities that foreign competitors are less rigidly tied too. But times are changing, and the government has signalled it will pass a new Overseas Social Media Act in light of the TwiiEur scandal, forcing foreign companies to follow the same rules, and offering Euran ones an easier process.

Little and large companies alike are moving to get involved. The one to watch though is a predictable giant - the mighty Harther Corporation has just hired several new high ranking executives, all with a history in tech, and has committed to building a new data centre outside Hornchurch. If Harther were to commit to a social networking service, it could be a gamechanger for the industry in Eura and even a competitor abroad - the race is now on to get a Euran flag stamped into the surface of planet social media.

by **Brusseldorf** » Thu Nov 16, 2023 8:54 pm

Match Reports

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Brusseldorf 4–2 Cardenao
November 15th
Fennec Stadia, Casablanca, Brusseldorf

Less than ten minutes into what would become a 4-2 upset against Brusseldorf, Cardenao found themselves defending a corner kick perfectly swung into their penalty area by Sarah Pickett. Dressed in the royal blue of their away kit, the Cardenaoan back line could only watch as the towering frame of Vindark Al Maghribī was rising, unchallenged, to meet it and drive home the opening goal of the game and Los Alrededores’ road to the 95th World Cup in Chromatika and Sylestone.

It was exactly the start that the Brusseldorfen fans had been hoping for, the cheers in a packed-out Fennec Stadia were deafening. With momentum being such a vital component of a successful qualification run, an early lead against superior opposition was just what the doctor ordered.

At 44th in the world, Cardenao was the highest-ranked Anaian side that Los Alrededores have played since Mertagne at 40th – a team they played twice and bested once. Themselves ranked 101st in the world, the 57 placings gap between the two teams at Casablanca's Fennec Stadia was not apparent.

Thus, when Al Maghribī and Michael Hernández made it 3-0 heading into half-time, the latter grabbing a quickfire brace in the 39th and 41st minutes, there was a sense that Cardenao might struggle to put themselves on the scoresheet. Perhaps that same thought had begun to dwell in the mind of Juanma Saez, who skyed two clear-cut chances against an untested Gimenza Azoulay.

Even with the story turning in Brusseldorf's favour, Ramon Lamberti's side refused to back down. Looking to the bench early in the second half was the appropriate tactical decision, and one that came close to levelling the match. Andre Allyn and Zoltan Keidobika made it 3-2, assisting goals for each other at the end of longer spells of Cardenaoan possession. It was to be in vain.

In truth, once the first goal had been scored it never looked like it would be Cardenao's night. At 38 years of age, Wolfenden has had the striker position of Los Alrededores on lockdown for almost a decade, and he silenced the travelling fans with a final goal that made it 4-2 and made certain that it would be considered a positive night at the office.

Lineups

Brusseldorf
12 Gimenza Azoulay
2  Boronia
3  Gabriel Lellouche
4  Ricard Sciolan
5  Andrea Zidane
6  Sarah Pickett
7  Michael Hernández
8  Vindark Al Maghribī
9  Teddy Wolfenden
23 Marcev Steyr
20 Aktha Akiveal

Substitutes
15 Leila Abidi (s 78')
16 Dieter Van den Berg (s 60')
19 Yasmine Benamar (s 80')

Cardenao
1  Emi Parodi
2  Moustir-Yves Almeny
5  Emmanuel Odita
19 Samuel Alcatron
3  Salva Perez
4  Diego Valenzuela
8  Haritz Larrainzar
6  Lonzo Capiatelli
11 Kaison Sibonaliso
9  Juanma Saez
7  Chímo Ventura

Substitutes
13 Andre Allyn (s 60')
14 Zoltan Keidobika (s 60')
24 Reynaldo Minarinho (s 72')

by **Cardenao** » Thu Nov 16, 2023 8:56 pm

“My Thoughts? We’re Shite” -Chímo Ventura

The World Cup Qualifying tournament has returned and with it the usual explosions of premature emotions and the Cardenaoan national team is not different. Hopes had never been hiring for the Blue and Golds heading into the 95th World Cup, 44th ranked team in the world, talented players excelling in foreign leagues, domestic talent clearly at its highest level yet, the wind was at our back. Our first opponent, the 101st ranked Brusseldorf. I didn’t know who they were coming into this match and I presume that sentiment was shared by the national team, though perhaps not entirely as lackadaisical as my attitude towards them. Overall, it should’ve been a tremendous victory for a Cardenaoan team riding a wave of success on and off the field.

La Furia Azule represents more than just a team to the people of Cardenao. They are more than a collection of our best players who we support on the battlefield, they are indicator of the health of our great nation. When Cardenao entered the 91st World Cup, it had been a century since Eshan ended their occupation with devastating questions, and together, as a nation, we were in a very dark place. The flooding of Greater Cardenao lead to millions dead, our nation’s golden territory ruined forever, and it destroyed any semblance of a national desire to achieve…much of anything really. Paved roads rare, running water rarer, any sort of advanced technology could maybe be found in the office of the President, no airports and a single port, but a lot of fishing and a lot of marijuana and a lot of beautiful beaches to combine the two. National stagnation followed but then, 12 years ago, Mihlay came to power and things have changed for Cardenao.

Entering the World Cup seemed ambitious for us considering our lack of infrastructure, but it proved to be the perfect spark to reveal to themselves the Cardenaoan’s deep desire to build something beautiful. And is there anything more beautiful than football? Using our natural love of fun to start building something beautiful, that was genius from Mihaly. World Cup tournament meant sport and transit infrastructure, which required factories and mines and those required technologies that needed to be developed, to be traded for, and so we entered an era of unprecedented modernization and growth, announcing ourselves on the world stage through sporting competition and a series of alliances and trade agreements with nations including Banija, Quebec and Shingoryeo, Tikariot, Krytenia, and others, and soon enough, Cardenao was no longer entirely unknown, just mostly so. On the field, positive results started to trickle in and that was just the icing on the cake for us as a people. Off the field, things were progressing at an incredible rate.

With a little help from our friends, we came to establish a sophisticated ferry system linking East and West Cardenao and with our neighboring Ochre Islands. Roads, slowly, began getting paved, several highways were built up, which paired well with the development of our power grid, the increasing proliferation of properties with access to clean, running water and somewhat efficient sewage systems. New technologies came into Cardenao and so an educated workforce was needed, so there was a renewed focus on education and bringing in highly-skilled foreign laborers, new football stadiums erected, more modern buildings, bridges, infrastructure, all constructed. To ensure what Eshan did to us would never again come to be, Mihaly began building Cardenao’s military, setting up a domestic industrial complex, bringing in foreign experts to train a new generation of Cardenaoan soldiers, and crafting trade agreements with other nations to bring in military technology far beyond anything we were capable of developing. Cardenao has a missile cruiser and an aircraft carrier now, and has been involved in two separate conflicts in the Ochres Islands and had a spot at the Negotiations in Koroa City. A lot had changed in a short amount of time and, much like the national team rose from unranked to 44th best in the world, so did the country of Cardenao undergo a similar transformation.

So with all this considerable wind at our back, how the hell did we lose this match?? A whole nation on the upswing, the 44th ranked team in the world, everything in our favor, Pot 2 by the way, and we lose the opening match 4-2? In a post-match interview, transfer listed Chímo Ventura was curt in his responses, looking very pissed and after enough prodding gave what could be a defining response:

“My thoughts? We’re shite.”

Those are words that can change the direction of a football program, of a national culture. While I don’t quite think we’re shite, and I do think there’s a fair amount of classic World Cup Qualification overreaction, I must admit our performance in this first match was entirely uninspiring. As a whole, the team seemed to treat this match as a given, that a victory would be without challenge and we would easily stride towards a comfortable finish. It was pretty disgraceful, and it took Brusseldorf going up 3-0 quickly to spark any semblance of life into an uncharacteristically sluggish and impercise Cardenaoan team. Of course, it must be considered that much has changed in this Cardenaoan team. Gone is Ibai Acosta-Vargas, record assist holder for the national team, Ray Holland, our starting goalkeeper since the 78th Baptism of Fire, Dylan Mathers, our first ever captain, retired from the team as was the same fate for several other long time contributors to the Cardenaoan squad with a rush of newcomers coming to La Furia Azule. Great change had come to the Blue and Golds and the first match in this new era was not hot.

Was it the aforementioned general malaise of the team? Was it the newcomers not jelling properly just yet? Or perhaps, how did that foreign journalist put it, “What is this formation, any good LB/LWB will destroy you?” Was it all of it? None of it? I don’t purport to have the answer and I don’t intend to speculate on how manager Steve Valentine should fix it, that’s his job and frankly I’ll have plenty of bullshit to spout over the course of the campaign, so I would rather see the team get in the lab, get things straightened out, and get things cooking. Two huge games are ahead of the lads, the manner in which they bounce back could set the tone for this campaign. Two more losses at any rate and qualification could already be out of the picture, but two wins and we’re right in the running.

Only time will tell if this is an overreaction from Chímo, a man under considerable stress these days due to his public transfer request away from La Escuela. Despite that, it’s extremely disheartening to hear your country’s best player publically state this, especially this early into a qualification campaign. To tell the truth, I’m a bit disappointed but I suppose he didn’t shy away from telling the truth: we were a bit shite in that match.

So here La Furia Azule goes, onwards and upwards trying to make good on the expectations put on their shoulders. One thing is for sure, I’ll be tuning in no matter how it goes.

by **Fort McKinley** » Thu Nov 16, 2023 9:01 pm

Red Force fall short against Nepalese

(FMNA) SHILOH SPRINGS--Fort McKinley's Heroes of the Revolution fought bravely against the team from Nephritis, losing only 2-1 on the road in the first match of World Cup Qualifying. The Red Force started slowly in the match, disoriented by a suspicious time zone change engineered by the nefarious regime in order to embarrass our boys, but other than missing out on the pre-match meal the damage overall was minimal.

Next up is a return home to face the nation called Ski Doo, a demented capitalist hellhole where the citizens are a strange mutt-breed people with eyes that open and close like those of a frog. Fort McKinley dominated the home portion of the fixture list in the second half of World Cup 93 qualifications, outscoring their six enemies by a total of 16-4 during a 10 match overall unbeaten streak.

In the second half of the two match international break, the side will travel to Trolleyburg where it is hoped that the contest can take place without the Heroes being molested by underhanded plotting and subterfuge. It is wise to always be vigilant around strangers who will look to discredit and sabotage the Revolution, as the capitalist pig-dogs fear the wrath of the People.

by **Huayramarca** » Thu Nov 16, 2023 9:22 pm

History of the Plurinational Republic of Huayramarca – Chapter I, Episode 1 – First Settlers

David Huamán was exhausted, he had spent quite a long day doing some research for what he was expecting to talk about. As he found the inspiration needed by Guillermo, his mentor in the world of videos and influencers, David was able to break the barrier of shyness that impeded him to express his feelings, and knowledge; but this time was a matter of finally breaking the ice, feeling confident and film his first video explaining the history of Huayramarca like no-one, ever, had done.

For that purpose, considering that there is a lot of gaps and information spread out there, David took some time and locked up in his room after taking a myriad of books from the National Library of Chuquiago, that despite recalling what the librarian said “Are you sure you need this number of books, pointing to a literal mini-market chariot he took to carry the books, David nodded and replied “People and history will be pleasing me after this. So, yes, I’m taking this bunch of books”.

As he prepared everything, including the set of cameras and carboards he would use to illustrate what he will teach people today, his mom appeared with a mug full of chocolate

“David. Seems that this will be an all-nighter, take this and relax while working!”

“Mom, thank you so much!” Said David as he took the mug and drank a bit to avoid spilling it on the floor

David sat, he found a comfortable position in his chair, then took near hand to start drawing what he intended to do, which took him around three to four hours. Drawing maps, possible images of “houses” of the past peoples from Huayramarca, routes of immigration and settlements that they created. Some of their subsistence methods, etc. As he was correcting drawings, and cleaning the droplets of sweat with a small microfibre towel, he then took a while to relax, still was around 11:00 in the night and there was a long way to go. What David had in favour is the fact that there’s not a lot of people around the house, so he could talk endlessly in peace without disturbing anybody; he was aware of it so he shouted “No police calls, hahaha!” Then, he took everything and started to talk.

“The Plurinational Republic of Huayramarca, what we call today our homeland, is not like we use to know it now, despite having a pretty tranquil history in the last 10 years… Yes, I say 10 years because our history tends to be pretty agitated and there’s not a lot of time between big happenings in the nation, causing that history books are too stacked with information that might have not been properly explained. Because of that I invite you all, dear viewers, to subscribe to my channel David te lo Cuenta as I will review the history of Huayramarca like no-one has ever done.

This series will require a lot of effort, but there is a big motivation from me to do this series. I want to make history not a boring stuff; I pretend to demonstrate that history can be told in a funny yet academically rigorous way that may help people to understand, reflect, and analyse our context with way more precision than before. Why we need to know this? Because those who don’t learn their own history are condemned to repeat the same mistakes from before. And, of course, my main goal to teach children about everything Huayramarca in a different way, being creative with this.

So, let’s start with the very first foundations of the Plurinational Republic of Huayramarca; but from a time, way before there was a notion of forms of government, societal systems as complex as we know them today… The times of the first settlers of this nation. First of all, there are many theories on how people came to this nation, all of those are different because of the geographical complexities we all know about this nation: jungle, impenetrable mountains and a quite hostile coast. This means that I will go forward with the most important theories, those who have enough proofs to be supported academically and are worth of noting.

The first big theory comes from Reynaldo Carhuanina, one of the most famed historians of Huayramarca, who said that around 17,000 years, the first inhabitants came from the Pibada, or the Sea of Blood that is located just north from the coasts of Québec. These settlers have not a confirmed origin, as they could’ve come from old Atlantian Oceania or Rushmore, a group of people that were technologically advanced enough to build a reliable wooden ship to cross the Pibada, which is a difficult feat by itself due to the wild waves and unpredictable water of the place, let aside the legends of monsters that are known to exist in that zone.

From Krakens to gigantic dinosaurs, the peoples known as moxeños or Moxans in English, managed to build in what is believed to be currently the Pazhueb Islands and Stvoto Latoli, boats made of pinewood and other strong artifacts that they already used to navigate through rivers, but with some added-value coming from testing in the sea, as they reinforced those with some metal plaques in the most critical areas of the boat, preventing it to be damaged by rocks or other stuff that they could have found in the sea (except for the cryptids). As they gathered more and more resources, they decided to sail in the Pibada in the hope of finding more territories to inhabit, as they wanted better lands to roam.

As they got into the sea, it apparently took them a period of three years (in which they stopped in some islands, including the now known as Ram Ranch) to gather food and continue their trip, in which they often got lost and returned to the Pazhueb lands. They finally were able to get to the northernmost tip of our northern neighbour Québec, place they decided to populate while others decided to explore the vast mainland that they have just discovered, which happened to be Calania.

Once they discovered the lands, the first big challenge for them was the climate of Québec, as the nation is renowned for having brutal winters, conditions that historically aren’t usual in their old lands, that’s why they decided to continue traversing further south through a couple of months. As they moved south, the peoples came to a realisation, and that was that the land was greener, the weather was more temperate and the sea waters weren’t as violent as they are in the north, that’s how the moxeños discovered what we know today as the coastal region of Huayaramarca, well known as simply Costa.

As they were settling and hunting around, they noted that the land expanded further to the east, that’s how some of the now settlers of the coast decided to have a further expansion after some years, in which they established a decently sized population to be a network of support. During those years, the coastal inhabitants were able to produce some basic agriculture and fishing, that through the skills they used while crossing the ruthless Pibada, but they still didn’t have a formal intention to permanently settle, that’s why some went to explore eastern bound, but they faced one of the biggest challenges for them, the Sierra.

For starters, the Sierra is a region known for having some of the tallest mountains of what we know as Anaia and Calania, a true challenge for mankind to access back in those times, as climbing wasn’t a skill that the moxeños had or were used to. This situation pushed them towards the southern regions of Huayramarca, especially the Yunga or intermediate region between coast and sierra. This region is easily accessible, as it didn’t require from climbing skills, it was just natural ascents for the moxeños, who settled in those regions and developed by the usage of minerals they were able to find in the surroundings, such as iron and copper that they decided to keep in order to trade or do weapons and tools for daily subsistence.

Progress for the moxeños stalled, as they weren’t able to break further the Yungas, missing the chance to get to the Selva or the jungle region, which is easily accessible from the Yungas. Now, for the second theory, which might be quite complementary to the first one, is that the settlers didn’t came from the Pibada, instead, they came from the zone nearby Lake Bekk in Calania, today’s Krytenia and Bostopia. The settlers, known as Bekksiders, had already spreaded through Krytenia and developed some advanced agricultural techniques, aside from iron and metal works, enough to have a more developed economy and production method compared to the moxeños, which was going to be an advantage for them under almost every single condition.

As the Bekksiders expanded their presence in what it is now the north of Krytenia, they reached the jungle, a hostile region riddled with mosquitos and humidity, but abundant on resources that they could have exploited properly if known. The Bekksiders tried to settle across the River Sechura, but they were brutally received by mosquitos and disease, which killed many of them and forced some to cross to the other side of the Sechura for better conditions, that until somebody thought that burning a part of the jungle would be a great idea to make the mosquitos run away, which worked but at the cost of missing a valuable resource, palms, because they were all burned by the Bekksiders.

Despite of the major loss, which went unnoticed and without any remorse (because they didn’t know about its properties), they settled in both sides of the Sechura and harvested with the waters of the river, creating some of the very first irrigation systems for crops and turning their lifestyle from nomadic to sedentary, as they decided to be in that place. The system they used to transport the waters to the crops, not only from the river and from the phreatic cap of the soil nearby was simply spectacular, as they drilled and used a pretty intricated system of levers to make a “screw” rotate and take water by bits from a tunnel, then they took it to the surface and used as they considered.

Bekksider system to get water from the phreatic cap of soil right into the crops.

The commodities of the zone made the Bekksiders not to want to explore the other regions or have an encounter with the moxeños, which could have been beneficial for both sides because the possibility of a tech exchange for navigation and agriculture from both sides, but it didn’t happen. According to some calculations, based on the time they needed to harness agility in the usage of those technologies for both sides, they could have saved around 500 years if they have met somewhere and exchange tech, but that in the scenario of both peoples meeting in friendly terms, because it also existed the possibility for fights and desire to defeat the other side for their benefit.

In the next episode, we will get deeper into the process of the first nations in Huayramarca, but in a completely different way, because this time it will feature more of a role play between characters of that epoch, as they try to conquer different regions. Do you think they will be capable to conquer the Sierra or not? Will another place be discovered? Another theory or evidence might pop up? You’ll discover it the next week in my channel. I’m David Huamán, and this was “The History of the Plurinational Republic of Huayramarca.”

David sighed, then relaxed as he was editing the video… It was 3:30 a.m. already and he had to wake up at 6:00 a.m. for some duties at school, despite the students are on a seasonal vacation… After publishing, David seemed to be satisfied, as he broke up the barrier of shyness and an introversive behaviour that impeded him to share his knowledge, which frustrated him deeply. Then, he slept for a bit, because it was “showtime” for him early that day at school (job).

by **Oberour Ar Moro** » Thu Nov 16, 2023 9:48 pm

Chapter One: The Hephaestus of the Lottery

It was a bright early April morning as the two gendarmerie approached two men on a street corner. The youngest of the two gendarmerie was rookie Charles-Claude Bernadaux. He was partnered with Kast Grandet, a veteran of seven years.

They were approaching a dealer who had just completed a drug deal, and the young man who had completed the purchase. The two were patrolling the rough "Porte des Mortes” neighborhood of Cyrene, and the neighborhood veteran Grandet did not recognize the charbonneur. As they closed in, a 17-year-old named Jovan Gouriout, who had just completed the purchase, bolted. Officer Bernadaux instinctively pursued him on his own, ignoring the calls of Officer Grandet.

A Ministry of Justice investigation laid out what happened next.

In his panic, Gouriout ran down Avenue des Roseaux, veered right onto Avenue Daniel Palein, and slipped into a door next to "Partique Phone", a store peddling used cell phones and accessories. Gouriout raced up a flight of stairs and unlocked a heavy metal door, before getting tackled by Officer Bernadaux, who had caught up with him. Bernadaux, ignoring protocol, chased a suspect without his partner or calling in his actions. In the scuffle, the two fell into an apartment above the shop. An apartment that served as the counting house for a numbers game.

Simply put, Numbers, was a lottery where players would bet on a three-digit number. For a few scruples anyone could place a bet, aiming for a payout exceeding 500 to 1 odds. The winning numbers for this operation were derived from the outcomes of races at the Hippodrome de Cathelineau. But like all forms of gambling in the Dominion, Numbers was illegal. Numbers, like all forms of gambling in the Dominion, was illegal. Gouriout was supposed to be serving as a look-out for the counting house, and in his distress tried to escape back to the shop.

Standing up, Officer Bernadaux drew his service weapon on the four men and women inside the repurposed living room, instantly recognizing the illicit activity. "Is this Numbers?" he demanded, his training from the gendarme academy kicking in. An argument broke out between the officer and the operators.

Then, Yann Lavandier, a fifth operator who had not been in the main room, emerged from the kitchen. He walked towards Charles-Claude Bernadaux from behind, wielding a meat cleaver in his left hand. He then swung his hand down, burying the cleaver into Bernadaux's skull. Blood sprayed onto the table with tabulating equipment, as Bernadaux sunk to the floor.

As the shocked insiders looked on in horror, Officer Kast Grandet entered the scene. Unlike Officer Bernadaux, Grandet was known to everyone in the room. He had been bought off long ago, and worked in the employ of Porte des Mortes gang boss Rolland "Maleur" Heussaff. Grandet was paid handsomely to turn his eyes away from the vices that made Heussaff his fortune. But now Grandet had to deal with the brutal murder of his partner.

Officially reporting Bernadeux's murder, it was decided amongst those there, was impossible. A conspiracy to cover up the murder began immediately. Grandet covered up Bernadeux's absence for the rest of the shift, before reporting that Bernadeux had not come into work the next day. Bernadeux's apartment was broken into during the night to create the appearance of Bernadeux's disappearing on his own accord.

Lavandier also disappeared. It is believed that the rash and violent gangster was killed by the Heussaff operation, though his body was never found.

An attempt was made to dispose of Bernadeux's body. He was packed and transported to a second apartment miles away. There the body was dismembered, using saws and meat grinders. The gruesome plan was to divide his body and scatter the remains across Cyrene. Four days later Tenenan Eveno, another member of the Heussaff operation, was pulled over for driving with a broken tail light. In a search of the vehicle a leg was discovered in a trash bag in the car's trunk. The gendarmerie quickly tracked the car back to the apartment-turned-abattoir, where parts of his dismembered body were found. Legs were found in a refrigerator, Charles-Claude skull was discovered in a cooking pot full of soup. The torso was never located.

The death of young Officer Charles-Claude Bernadaux sparked nationwide outrage. As Kast Grandet was arrested, a secret web of corruption within the gendarmerie was laid bare. Law enforcement officers across Cyrene, and beyond, were tied to organized crime that Oberour Ar Moro had either closed its eyes to or was ignorant to its scope.

And it was discovered that Numbers, the game that Yann Lavandier had been willing to murder to protect, had spread far and wide across the Dominion. Men and women, young and old, rich and poor, were playing Numbers. Initially the plan was stomp out Numbers. But other options began to be explored across Oberour Ar Moro.

by **Independent Athletes from Quebec** » Thu Nov 16, 2023 9:50 pm

Independent Athletes from Quebec (IAQ) - World Cup 95 Team
WINDOW 2 - v. Krytenia

- Beginning of communication.

Please note that for the second half of this qualification window, due to the Foreign Office requirement that prohibits Quebecois nationals including dual-nationals, from travelling into nations placed under Level Four - Do Not Travel without sufficient, one-month quarantine measure, there will be no regular IAQ delegation present to play an anon nation for home-and-away legs of this World Cup 95 qualification cycle.

Instead, eleven prisoners dressed in rainbow kits will be playing as IAQ on those matches, first away and then at home in their designated home venue at an unnamed uranium mine, Ruland, Farfadillis. There will be no Quebecois fans issued visa for away trip, or away fans flying into the designated home venue for the second leg.

End of communication. -

26-PLAYER ENTRY

Expected XI (4-3-3): M. Brown; Joo - Cizeron - Higgins-Mah - Yabusele; McTavish - Wawanolett - Bouck; Korniloff-Kouyate - M'bah-Pinho - Woodcarver
Likely substitutes: LB Delisle, CB McKinley, RB Miller, DM Dyxkeson, CM Oh-Chainey, AM Babin; LW Kweon, ST Hamisi, RW Hong Y.S.

GOALKEEPERS (3):
Mederick Brown (West Couno United, TMB), Goh Yeong-Rok (Kingston FC), Innes Sheppard (Urrheddiao, CMT)

DEFENDERS (9):
Pierre-Karl Cizeron (Liria, MYT), Alain Delisle (Mipojoseon), Coralie Higgins-Mah (Alnio, CMT), Joo Pil-Seung (Frenei Tor, CMT), Hannah Kim (Damogran, SRS), Noel-Hercule McKinley (West Couno United, TMB), Pierre-Karl Miller (RGS Athletic, EFL), Sinisa Salihamidzic (Montreal Koreana), Frederic Yabusele (Atletik, MYT)

MIDFIELDERS (7):
Jean-Christophe Babin (Sabrefell Moths, NPH), Mathinna Bouck (Rulandea Kosta, FFD), Joelinton Dyxkeson (Brantisvogan, SRS), Samuel McTavish (Lakewood City, TMB), Camille Oh-Chainey (CSKA Quebec), Pyo Seung-Hye (Avondale City, SYL), Rebecca-Anne Wawanolett (Chromatik, CMT),

FORWARDS (7):
Billie Blue Hamisi (Urrheddiao, CMT), Hong Yeong-Sahm (Lhor, CMT), Anna Korniloff-Kouyate (Atletik, MYT), Kim Chae-Young (FC Inter Nantwich, TMB), Eloise Kweon (Sabrefell Moths, NPH), Amina Salihamidzic Beckie (Frenei Tor, CMT), Zinaida Woodcarver (Crisibless, NPH)

Ahead By A Century

PART 2 - Chocolate

The car came out of the long, winding road, and into Avon County.

There the soil lay dark under the foggy sky, where the boundaries between the sky and the sand existed in a paper margin.

Then the car pulled up at the first plain it would see, heading directly into the Avon-Gillespie School campus.

Claire Lundrigan had never taken this road when travelling east to the Dongnae-Halifax County at the eastern end of the Acadie province, or to the Unama'kik Island of the province's northeastern tip, and when her and her father arrived at the school after what had felt like endless detours and zig-zags long the rolling hills of inland Acadie past the southwest, it would be around two in the afternoon. By then, the sun was already starting to set slowly to the west, even as they peeked past the light cloudy shrouds, and the trees, and the meadows had surrounded their sights as she kissed her father goodbye and walked into the largely-empty campus.

To young Claire, the Avon County's sceneries were that of a dream, even though she was more than aware in the dangers of the dreams that looked too sweet to be real. The dormitories, for most part, were smaller, two-floored houses that would be divided into multiple rooms and they were separated from each other by the rows of maple trees on the outside and the pine trees on the inside. It was an odd mix that presumably dated back to the school's founders in the 1930s, so she heard, but not something that had really come into her mind to start with.

Her bedroom, which she had it to herself perhaps due to being a transfer student this late into the year (obviously, there were other reasons behind that), was anything but depressing rooms of many secondary and collegiate dormitories. Instead it was a reasonably pleasant one with pre-fitted soft furnishings, Norrsk cupboards and wardrobes previously cleaned and washed, and high ceilings that made her feel like she was staring past the roof and then into the stars.

On the first two nights at the campus, with most of the upperclassmen students still having not arrived yet, Claire would lie on the bed reading for hours by the sight, while the outside would turn into gold from foggy, silvery mist of the morning, then back into gold and then into the pastel dark-blue with stars sewn into the fabric they would call as the sky. While the outside sky would go under cycles, and Claire away at times to engage into Opening Days (that's what they would call the orientation day for both the year sevens and the transfers, apparently) where a few faculty members, coaches and alumni would welcome them in a shortened orientation, the rest of the room as the unpacking would continue with plastic drawers right next to her desk and posters, those ranging from that of Saint John Green Sox to that of her mother's younger self, pasted to the wall to blow more life into it.

For most part, Claire had kept the thoughts of studies, which she held relatively secondary to that of her French Horn and the Piano, aside, but eventually this too would catch up on the third day when she had her appointment with her academic advisor, a certain Moderns department chair named Mr. Allard, on two in the afternoon. Dr. Allard, a former university lecturer in comparative literature and history at Yoseo University many decades back, was a man in his sixties with decently-trimmed moustache, graying hair and a sharp glare that reflected his analytical lens. Of course, he knew more than the words in the text and having been assigned as academic advisor to not only Claire, but good number of other students in this dramatis personae, he knew his best to enquire appropriately.

'Ms. Lundrigan, welcome to Avon-Gillespie,' said Dr. Allard, 'It is my pleasure to have you here, a rare transfer among recent upperclassmen cohorts, and I'm sure that if anything is to be derived from your mother and father's reputation, that we will be having another brilliant student here, who knows the value of life and death it could bring.'

'No, it is my pleasure. This is the first time your cohort's having a new student not of the original year-seven cohort, which should suggest the promise you, my dear, bring to the school.' Then Dr. Allard drew a breath, before opening her mouth again. 'I see from your original course selection form that you had previously requested to study A-Levels in English, Korean, Music and History of Art, is that correct? With possibility of adding History if there is a spot in the current cohort.'

'Yes, sir,' Claire nodded, confirming her original choice made when she had sent the course selection form.

'That will not be a problem on our end, though please do note that there will be no preferential treatment just because your father's the finest Korean writer of our time, and we all know of your mother.' Allard looked back at Claire, who briefly flinched at the note. 'And if you are having issues with any of your other courses, that being other than music which is your scholarship subject anyway, please let me know as soon as possible so that we could facilitate a possible switch before next year. The switch may be easier now than it would be next year.'

'Thank you, sir,' Claire answered, before speaking again. 'Is there anything I should keep in mind when it comes to my current subjects?'

'I think you should be fine, for most part, Ms. Lundrigan,' Allard responded with added sense of assurance on his end. 'You will be entering my English module, effective Monday at eleven, where we will be reading Akakhov's The Talent for fun, while Korean and History of Art will be held twice weekly by Mr. Jeon and Ms. Bhatt, both of whom I have trusted in my three decades of service at this school. As for music, that is not my domain, but do be aware of the principal tuba - as you would know yourself, the lower brass are usually the troublemakers and this school is no exception.'

Claire gave a light chuckle, aware of what that had meant. Being a horn player, she of course knew what Dr. Allard, who had pretended way too hard not to know anything of it, was intending. 'I promise I will,' she smiled back, before standing up. 'Thank you.'

Later that afternoon, after she had returned from her dormitory, Claire was back to being alone in her dormitory room. She was in a state of happiness, perhaps having put her original fears of leaving behind her father and the family behind, and the daunted reminders of her academic expectations, which she had not exactly kept a close eye upon, were not enough to keep her from strolling along the grassy fields and the hills, drunk and dazzled with beauty, before reaching the other side of the ravine in her dormitory hall.

When she had returned to her room at the Robinson House, however, Claire had immediately noticed something odd within the house. Instead of feeling the usual cool air that roamed into the halls and the rooms of the dormitory hall, the air felt hotter than usual, almost as if there were additional, golden particles floating into the air. One of those days huh, thought Claire, as she looked around to see dozens of tiny golden particles bounce off each and every wall they touched. Unlike Alexandre back in Concord Heights almost ten years ago, Claire had no trouble noticing the ways those tiny particles would just bounce off into random trajectories, but that's not the most important thing that she had noticed as she closed the door.

The particles may not have escaped the room, as they stayed obedient enough to stay clear from the hallway, Claire could not have but to notice a small jewellery box placed on top of her desk. I don't recall seeing that before, Claire thought to herself, as she moved closer to the table. Upon reaching the front of the table she noticed a red Jewellery box, as well as a photograph right below it. No way that's for me, and even then, why is that there? thought Claire, as she slowly brushed the top of the box to make sure it's safe to open. What if it's another girl's box and I get caught for wrong reasons? Still, she decided to opened the box in hopes that nothing would go wrong out of it, only to unveil a beautiful, blue sapphire ring with a golden band written 'The fate does not rest'.

Dazzled by the clearest hues of blue it would produce, as well as the message of the box, she quickly put the box on one of the drawers. Once safely hidden away, she would go back to notice a photograph. Previously dark and empty, it was now filled with an image of a twelve-year old boy, who had medium-length brown hair and smiled with a smug only the boys of certain stature and age could produce. He was wearing a suit that was perhaps too big for him, and the medals that did not suit him, but Claire was trying his best to recognise the boy's face.

She thought the boy had looked familiar, perhaps one of those whose parents may remember - every well-known folk and pop singer paid homage to Eileen, and Sir. Asher was the darling of Joongyeongite circles whenever in town (once every blud moon) - but could not exactly get a hang of it. But why? Claire said to herself, as she grabbed the photo, opened the bedroom door and grabbed a seat on the wooden chair she had brought it from the common room to the balcony. After a foggy morning earlier in the day, there was not a cloud in the sky, and just watching the ravine descend from the high-point they were at gave her gratifying enough of a feeling.

When she tried to place the picture by the sun, however, the photograph of the boy would disappear into transparency. It was instead replaced by a red and black seaplane which was flying out from the east, took a turn and started descending towards that of the Campus airfield just outside the football stadium. Upon immediately noticing the image actualising into an actual plane in flight, she flinched back, before remaining still to watch the two passengers shout and scream in joy like children to their way.

by **Saint Eleanor** » Thu Nov 16, 2023 9:55 pm

OOC:
1. This will be my only roleplay this cutoff.
2. If you need help deciphering the colourful circles between the match report and the RP, look no further.
3. There is a temporary Eleanorian training camp in Huayramarca's capital and Huay has approved it. Between the first and second qualifiers, in response to and perhaps preparation for the Yakkian threat, the squad - less an injured Launceston, plus a few fringe players who are just there to make up the numbers - will be taking part in training and multiple internal-but-formal games (from small-sided up to eleven-a-side) in order to improve altitude endurance and suchlike. The players will be allowed to roam around Chuquiago when they aren't training or sleeping but all of them will be well-behaved, I can tell you. (I may roleplay the camp in more depth in a future, retrospective cycle.)

Channel 4 presents THE RACE TO THE WORLD CUP - World Cup 95, first qualifier game
SAINT ELEANOR 3-0 CARPATHIA AND RUTHENIA (David Newcastle 34, David Key 60, Szevér Naldi 83 [o.g.])

Report by Candy Hewitt, Channel 4 football analyst: Saint Eleanor got their World Cup qualifiers off to a fourth perfect start in a row as they swept aside Carpathia and Ruthenia 3-0 on the National Liberation Arena's hallowed turf. Expectations of the much-revered Arrosian side - formerly of Atlantian Oceania until a massive rupture a few weeks ago involving virtually all nations there - were low, but few even in the Eleanorian camp expected them to be put almost immediately on the ropes. Opposing goalkeeper Federica Antonini had barely more than thirty seconds to get herself into action to cut off a teasing low effort by Rick Goldsmith.
Cases in which the White Stars should have taken an early lead, but did not, are legion. Steve Pilchard, bearing under a surprising amount of pressure, did well to get an almost-forced effort right onto the top-left of the goalframe. Bridget Coombe almost - almost - got one away from thirty yards, but it was tipped over by Antonini at the last possible moment and then sparked several seconds' worth of corner-related scrambling. And then there was the one that got away: Cathy Winchester almost immediately touched off a deservedly-won free kick to David Newcastle, who moved almost horizontally (to the surprise of the opposition) before curling an effort well past Antonini's grasp.
There was no real threat from either side after this, except for a poor Anastagio Brunetti chance that floated several yards wide of the post, but this was most likely a self-preservation effort because the Eleanorians were right at it after the restart. Exandra Davies was finally pushing forwards again, a rarity from her in recent cycles, although her main attempt barely just floated over. Sylvia Hollenberg had a good shout too but her effort was fairly easily gathered by Antonini. David Key, brought on at half-time to make his debut, was not far gone from having his first real chance get pushed onto the post when he headed on a nicely-placed cross from fellow debutant Angelica Northend, which proved far from perfect but just about sufficed to double the lead with an hour gone.
The Carpathians were largely tepid at best; Faust Acconci was acclaimed even by the national broadcasters as the team's star of the day, but by the time he really got going, his team had fallen two behind and looked extremely unlikely to drag the game back into action. He did not let that deter him from trying, however: he was rapid to break from the midfield, split the defence down the middle, and almost by accident angle a shot that may well have gone in had Arielle Richardson not wafted it away. From the subsequent corner, he hit a first-time shot off from the far edge of the box - and while it came off Winchester's arm in the end, he should feel hard done by that it did not pitch a few inches lower and gift his side a penalty for handball.
Ultimately, though, the Nat Lib was not to be silenced. Graham Lawson, a substitute also making his debut on the international stage, was to make sure of it. He contributed to all of Saint Eleanor's last major opportunities: first executing one of his trademark dinks inside before barely scraping the top of the crossbar; then launching a sweeping cross which Northend stuffed into the net, only to find herself marked offside; and finally pitching in a more reasoned low pass to Key, whose hurried effort would count courtesy of a massive deflection off a hapless, perhaps even directionless, Szevér Naldi. No Faustian bargain required.
Saint Eleanor did not take every chance, or even every good chance, they had in this game. Somehow, Coombe will not mind. She even took the opportunity to remind her post-match interviewer that they began last cycle's qualifiers with a three-goal win, too. They have a better reason to be excited by this result, however: it came in front of an expectant home crowd, off the back of a successful World Cup cycle, with a fresh new generation of players in tow and - especially in light of the Yak Empire's surprise 1-0 defeat of second-seeds Cassadaigua - more hopeful than ever that, after three playoff appearances in four, this will finally be their chance to make the World Cup automatically. There are still thirteen games in which to determine that, but this wouldn't be a shabby prelude.

⨷ ⨷ ⨷ ⨶ ⨷ ⨷ ⨷

Graham Lawson: "I have no idea what it was about but it worked"
Chief Football Correspondent Jamie Rodgers asks the heir to Hugh Roanoke about anything and everything other than that
Originally published on Friday 12th January 2007

There seems to be a certain streak to the new cohort of White Stars: angry, assertive, perhaps even overly physical at times. Graham Lawson assures us all, however, that this just describes him off the pitch. "I try to be as clean a whistle as I can when I'm out on the turf. Anywhere outside and I get to complain as much as I want about whatever I want. Almost, I suppose."

As a student at Whitehammer Community School, Lawson thought he was a fairly typical student, one who took part in sporting activities when he could and paid enough attention to all his classes to get by. "Yeah, it's true I got good enough results in everything; there were even a few Bs here and there. What's struck me about Eleanorian football, though, is the fact that so many other players do at least have some other passion or hobby to get them by. Even when I was at school, I was impressed that so many of my clubmates didn't just think sport was life; Dan [Young] was a pretty good shot at arts and drawing, for instance, and he wasn't even one of the more outstanding members. What did I have? A few decent homework projects. I wasn't too interested in much else when I was going to school, just chatting with the people in football and the other sports teams and hoping that maybe it could pay off."

The first sign he was on the right track was when he was called up to the school's 1997 Charles Trump Shield team - which proved to be a good sign, as they made the quarterfinals of every running between 1995 and 2001. "And this was, unfortunately, our third of four straight quarters eliminations. Anyway, just talking about this one, it was a good team with no real stars, not even Elissa Curry, who turned out to be the only other star. Sarah Newbury, the boss, really understood tactics, though, and she put me in on the wing where I used to play pushing up in midfield or sometimes as a striker because she knew I was fairly fast and good at floating passes in as well as punching them. We got a couple of expected wins over small fry in the opening rounds but Grand Beach in the last sixteen was an awful mess and I'm proud to say I had a hand in the equalising goal when I pumped the ball into the box and waited for somebody to finally get their shot over the line. The shootout wasn't much I was involved in but the quarterfinal exit to the University College was hardly my finest hour, either, because I was brought off after an hour with us 2-0 down and having nothing to lose."

I would ask Lawson about the three matches that most influenced him as a player if he didn't needle me about the obvious choice. "You did talk about '99 when I got just the one goal in against Army and Navy, didn't you? They were good back then! That was a good assessment of my season, actually - the first league match was the big break, and the only one for a while. There was a bit of housewarming involved; I was welcomed onto the team by all the experienced players, they answered my questions, congratulated me on making it here from the local school and what have you. And then I sat on the bench until, with twenty minutes to go, I was asked to just stand by on the wing, pretty much. I didn't think that game was just worth drawing, though, so the first real chance I got, I pushed my entire body as hard as it would go, coasted across the pitch with nobody in site, then clobbered the worst chip you've ever seen over the keeper to deliver us the three points. A battle well fought for the team, though, if you had to ask me."

He then shifts towards the 2-1 routing of Independence 1975 on their ground in 2001, which played a pivotal role in the Reds winning the second title of Lawson's career. "We had more than a few top results that year but that one really stopped the rot, or whatever was left of it anyway. Indy were on a bit of a title drought, there were eight games to go and a win would most likely see them two points clear of second and our title hopes pretty much gone. I don't think anyone in that squad under Yelto-Aflan Ono, at least, ever wanted to take no for an answer but Nightingale stepped up as she usually did and said something solemn and maybe two minutes in duration. I have no idea what it was about but it worked: I was the most focused I'd ever been, I knew exactly where I needed to go, just pitching as many early crosses to her as I could because, from what the scouts said, they weren't that good at dealing with them at that very specific moment in history. Why that moment? I'm the player, not the scout, so don't ask me. Did I help out? According to the stats, no, but if you mean whether I helped to wear them out and open the gap for the surprise attacking moves that did actually get us the goals, then I'd say I was definitely the main factor. I'm not a bragger, though."

His final choice comes as a bit of a surprise: playing in the Challengers' Cup last thirty-two in 2004, Athletic ran up against CA Paulinthal, who secured a 2-2 draw in Pasarga en route to an aggregate win. "The more I keep thinking about that Vâásk Çêwé chap, the more I'm convinced he was actually onto something and wasn't trying to just randomly screw us over. He'd put them ahead after just a few minutes and while he didn't grab anything else after that, he was generally a bit of a menace - hovering around the place and what have you - and I sincerely thought he was trying to wind us up or something like that. I went over to Harriet at half-time when we were two down and asked her if I could please, please, have a bit more license to fuck about with their rightback; she agreed and thought if that scheme worked, we had a real chance of getting back in the game. Anyway, when I had the ball, I tried to wrong-foot literally any and every defender I had coming near to me, then when the time came to go a bit orthodox, just hammer them. It isn't what you see from me every day, but it worked a charm and I got both of the assists required to somehow get us the draw in the first leg. Now the second leg... that's a story I'd rather not go over here."

I speak to Lawson not in the comfortable surroundings of the National Liberation Arena - "ask anyone in red, though, and they'll tell you that place is hell" - but thousands of metres above sea level in Chuquiago, Huayramarca, where Saint Eleanor are undertaking what captain Bridget Coombe has called an emergency training camp after the Yak Empire picked off Cassadaigua in a high-altitude home venue elsewhere on Group 14's opening matchday. "It's been completely fine, although there's nothing to particularly commend the session other than the fact it's high-intensity and, well, we're becoming more resilient to whatever Yakk can throw at us and all that. There has been quite a bit of team bonding on a smaller scale as well and for this session, most of my visits have been with Rick [Goldsmith] and Sylvia [Hollenberg]. He's a proper straight-talker like I am and we mostly have good times but we disagree quite a fair bit on the issue of the trades unions - my dad's a member while he thinks they're ruining the economy. She's the poshest person I know but always down for a bit of fun and doesn't mind getting her reputation a bit wet, let's say."

Few who have paid even a hint of attention to the Saint Eleanor League will have overlooked Lawson's power, skill and overall contributions to the Athletic team. A great many, however, underestimated how much damage he could do for the national team right off the bat - and if his commendable showings against Carpathia and Ruthenia are anything to go by, we have a lot more fireworks to see from him yet.

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