World Cup 98 | RP thread

[Chromatika]

Matchday 11: Chromatika 0-1 Tumbra
Goal: None.
Starting Lineup: Fillar, J. (C); Coulibaly - Jackson-Jones - Nodis; Fillar, G. - Larriet-Cortes - Fillar, B. - Fillar, E.; Françine-Miklavivec; Xuen-Zhukov - Howard-Dawes.
Substitutes: Paterson -> Coulibaly (51'), Saburo -> Nodis (51'), Haitou -> Fillar, G. (66'), Mesic-Mizayaki -> Larriet-Cortes (66'), Fucheux -> Howard-Dawes (72')

Matchday 12: Chromatika 1-0 Martian Independent Republic @ The Shock, Wirr Tsi, Capital District (Cap. 51,350; 18,000 Seats)
Goal: Xuen-Zhukov 55'
Starting Lineup: Fillar, J. (C); Coulibaly - Jackson-Jones - Nodis; Fillar, G. - Larriet-Cortes - Fillar, B. - Fillar, E.; Françine-Miklavivec; Xuen-Zhukov - Howard-Dawes.
Substitutes: Harry -> Jackson-Jones (49'), Mátyás -> Fillar, E. (49'), Prenn -> Françine-Miklavivec (62'), Jean-Baptiste -> Xuen-Zhukov (62'), Þyrill -> Fillar, B. (80')

Matchday 13: Darmen 0-1 Chromatika
Goal: Howard-Dawes 61'
Starting Lineup: Fillar, J. (C); Coulibaly - Jackson-Jones - Nodis; Fillar, G. - Larriet-Cortes - Fillar, B. - Fillar, E.; Françine-Miklavivec; Xuen-Zhukov - Howard-Dawes.
Substitutes: Lethbridge-Antonio, C. -> Jackson-Jones (58'), Haitou -> Fillar, G. (58'), Paterson -> Coulibaly (72'), Mátyás -> Fillar, E. (72'), Bittencourt -> Howard-Dawes (82')

Matchday 14: Chromatika 6-1 Hispinas @ Z'ai'ai Field, Z'ai'ai, Mountain District (Cap. 113,000; 40,000 Seats)
Goal: Fillar, B. 31', Fillar, E. 41', Fillar, G. 45+2', Xuen-Zhukov 50', Prenn 72', Bittencourt 85'
Starting Lineup: Fillar, J. (C); Coulibaly - Jackson-Jones - Nodis; Fillar, G. - Larriet-Cortes - Fillar, B. - Fillar, E.; Françine-Miklavivec; Xuen-Zhukov - Howard-Dawes.
Substitutes: Lethbridge-Antonio, J. -> Larriet-Cortes (51'), Prenn -> Fillar, B. (51'), Saburo -> Nodis (70'), Þyrill -> Françine-Miklavivec (70'), Bittencourt -> Xuen-Zhukov (81')

Roster Selection for World Cup Proper Matchday 1
Starting XI: Fillar, J. (C); Coulibaly - Jackson-Jones - Nodis; Fillar, G. - Larriet-Cortes - Fillar, B. - Fillar, E.; Françine-Miklavivec; Xuen-Zhukov - Howard-Dawes.
Reserves: GK Hailee Sourtois, GK Jill Swanson, DCR Paisley Paterson, DC Rowan Harry, DCL Uemura Saburo, DC Claudia Lethbridge-Antonio, WBR Ibayashi Haitou, WBL Nemes Mátyás, DLP Alija Mesic-Mizayaki, CDM Jayla Lethbridge-Antonio, AM Maddie Prenn, AM Þyrill Bjarnhéðinsson, AF Marietta Fucheux, AF Adélaïde Bittencourt, AF Kaytlyn Jean-Baptiste.

The Promised Land

After suffering one defeat through all of Qualifying - to Tumbra away, which is as good of a loss as you can have - the Anomalies managed to overcome four draws to Qualify to the World Cup Proper in second place. Chief among the reasons why they managed to do so was the defense - Juxon Fillar, Hailee Sourtois, and Jill Swanson combined to post eight clean sheets in fourteen matches - a Chromatik record in qualifiers. Twenty-four goals scored - not even two per game - wasn't the best, especially if you consider the fact that they scored eleven on Hispinas, meaning that in the other twelve matches, they scored all of thirteen goals.

As much as the back three along with the Defensive Midfielder - Larriet-Cortes, Mesic-Mizayaki, or Jayla Lethbridge-Antonio - played well in front of goal, both Attacking MIdfielders didn't do as well - neither did the wingers. It was the strikers that did most of the scoring, as needed.

Alina Khabibullina and company will now head to The Kytler Peninsulae - the first time they've headed over there. The expectations are very clear - anything short of making it to the Round of Thirty-Two will be a disaster. Is that realistic? On paper, yes. However, there is no getting rid of the fact that the opponents will be a hard sell - they being Auprussia, Valanora, and Siovanija and Teusland.

This will be the first time that the Anomalies face Auprussia in football. A relatively new nation to qualify for the World Cup Proper, both teams will be starving for the three points when they face off in Carroll Lewiston. They'll stay in Carroll Lewiston to take on Valanora, before heading to Kytler Bay City to take on Siovanija and Teusland. Valanora, of course, the Anomalies have a lot of history against - their record is 3-2-8. In the World Cup, that record is 1-0-2. Most of the losses came in Regional Competitions, but the Vanorians - back to being #1 in the world - will be absolutely a challenge. Then, they'll finish against the Goldhorns of Siovanija and Teusland - a record of 1-1-0 against them, all games in the World Cup.

It is absolutely one of the hardest groups Chromatika could've been drawn into - but Khabibullina and company are up to the challenge. Alina has been trying to instill in them the same kind of urgency that Franscesca Larriet-Cortes had the first time that the Anomalies made the World Cup Proper. Everybody counted them out, and they were able to keep themselves together to the point that they surprised the world. That is what this team needs to do - the era of Chromatik dominance and Chromatik legitimacy has faded, and needs to be reinstated.

The roster that will be heading to The Kytler Peninsulae is mostly expected. The four Fillars, Eileen Jackson-Jones, Cylie Nodis, Ami Couliably, Kaia Larriet-Cortes, Evin Françine-Miklavivec, Lavrentiy Xuen-Zhukov, Elaine Howard-Dawes round out the starting lineup, while Hailee Sourtois, Jill Swanson, Paisley Paterson, Rowan Harry, Uemura Saburo, Claudia Lethbridge-Antonio, Ibayashi Haitou, Nemes Mátyás, Alija Mesic-Mizayaki, Jayla Lethbridge-Antonio, Maddie Prenn, Þyrill Bjarnhéðinsson, Marietta Fucheux, Adélaïde Bittencourt, and Kaytlyn Jean-Baptiste round out the rest of the list. To see both Lethbridge-Antonios on the roster is a nod to the future, while Maddie Prenn and Þyrill Bjarnhéðinsson continue to provide options along with the front three of Fucheux, Bittencourt, and Jean-Baptiste. Notably, Jean-Baptiste has distanced herself from her friend Baïe-Verte - but not by much.

Chromatika is expected to travel well to The Kytler Peninsulae, with the Chromatik Football Federation having a hand in lowering travel and ticket prices for the Chromatik public - especially those impacted negatively by the Abyssal Invasion and the rebuilding of the eastern half of Myana Island. It's not every day you get to go to a completely different region of the multiverse, and Rushmore has proven to a be a great host in the past. It will be an absolute paradise weather-wise compared to the cool, temperate climate of Chromatika, which will be a boon to player and fan alike.

What would it mean if the Anomalies made it out of this group? Well, it depends. If they make it out in first or second place, it will mean that they have clawed back a modicum of respect in the World Cup community - and make them a threat that people will have to pay attention again. It will cement the Fillars' legacy as the team that reached the highest of heights, dropped down, and then brought the team back to legitimacy. Making it as one of the eight third placed finishers, it would mean they were just good enough, but couldn't be trusted to make any noise.

If they don't, it'll be the third time in a row that the team has made it to the World Cup Proper and failed to make it out - two times in a row in the era of there being thirty-two teams. That would make Chromatika an also-ran in the tournament and mean that the era of where you have to worry about the Anomalies every tournament is fully in the rearview mirror - especially with the Fillars starting to phase out.

There is a lot to play for, even more on the line - but in a sense, they're playing with house money.

Is this the tournament to return back to glory, to the promised land, or will the Chromatiks be left in the cold once again, regardless of the warmer Kytleran weather?

[Siovanija and Teusland]

Score! Magazine

Preview: Goldhorns face challenging group at World Cup 98

It has been an excellent few years to be a fan of the Siovanija & Teusland national team.

When the national side returned from isolation in time for the qualification tournament at World Cup 96, no-one was quite sure how things would go. After all, there had been great changes in the world of international football since the days of Thorsten Kramer and Michael Ribbeck lacing up their boots for the national team. A really poor start to that campaign also did not help - the Goldhorns lost 5 of their first 7 games back in action, and you got the feeling that we were in for a long ride. After all, the original iteration of the national team took 5 cycles before it qualified for World Cup 84 for the first time, and it wasn’t until World Cup 87 that the ‘OIdhorns’ reached their plateau with a world ranking of 17th.

And then came World Cup 97 - a campaign that rejuvenated the nation and will go down as one of the most memorable sporting moments in this country’s history. A 5-2 loss on the opening day to Audioslavia was almost the complete opposite of everything that would happen thereafter. We don’t need to go into too much detail, as the story has been told many times: the burst into stardom for players like Einar Hackl and Xorge Le Meji, the incredible double-upset wins over world #3 Delte in both Qualifying and the opening day of the World Cup Finals, and a magical run all the way to the Round of 16 that ended in extra time against co-hosts Eastfield Lodge, a team on their own date with destiny. Qualification achieved in just the second tournament back post-isolation, and a first-ever knockout match win at the World Cup itself achieved. Einar Hackl broke years-old scoring records for the national team and became its biggest star.

Coming into World Cup 98, then, there was an expectation - get back to the World Cup for a second straight tournament and build on the performance. Drawn into a tough qualifying group that featured another world #3 - this time Kelssek - the Goldhorns had a campaign that could be described as fairly up and down. Throughout the 14 game campaign, the national side lost only once - a 4-1 defeat against Kelssek away. A result that was certainly predictable, and not too much cause for concern amongst Goldhorns supporters.

What was more concerning was a penchant for dropping points against lower-ranked opponents. Particularly in the first half of qualifying, there was some concern over the 1-1 draw at home with Busoga Islands and the 0-0 away draw to United Hawkland. The draw with Busoga, at the time, seemed quite worrying particularly having come at home, and so early in Qualifiers. It meant that the Goldhorns could afford fewer mistakes the rest of the way. The 0-0 draw in United Hawkland led to an inquisition into what could possibly make such a high-powered offensive team misfire so miserably. Blahoslav Zak has not been called up since that game, and Marjan Trstenjek and Veljko Vadimic’s appearances have been limited - a bit more on that later.

But with hindsight, one can note that perhaps the worrying was a bit out of hand. “I think it’s gotten a bit ridiculous,” said former national team man Viktor Dimitrov in an interview with RBC Sports. “You can’t become worldbeaters overnight, and no team in the world is going to be perfect night in, night out,” the former Energija Chernovets man said in the aftermath of that 0-0 draw. Take the Busoga Islands draw - can anyone really complain about that now, knowing how incredibly well the Busogans performed in the rest of the campaign? They may have started the tournament as outsiders, but finished it with a massive playoff win to secure their own qualification for World Cup 98. The fact that the Goldhorns ended up as the highest-scoring team in all of Qualifying, even despite that 0-0 draw, shows that it’s far more likely that game came down to one night where the team looked off its game compared to any structural issues with the attack.

There were plenty of more positive things to take from the Goldhorns campaign, too. The real turning point was the set of two matches early in the second half of qualifiers, when the Goldhorns faced Damukuni and Busoga Islands. At the time, both countries were chasing Siovanija & Teusland for that second spot and automatic qualification, and were just 2 points back of the Goldhorns. It was absolutely necessary to go 6/6 here, and the pressure was well and truly on. Firstly, the Goldhorns beat Damukuni 3-1 at the Draistadion, and then won a hard-fought match away to their Arrosian rivals to beat Busoga 2-1. That gave the Goldhorns a commanding 5 point lead and they never again needed to look back in the Qualifying campaign. Instead of collapsing under such pressure, the Goldhorns rose to the occasion and completed their task with great efficiency.

In the final weeks of the campaign, too, things really clicked together offensively. The last two home matches of the campaign saw the Goldhorns score 15 goals - over one-third of their total for the campaign. 8 of those came against Jeckland, with Uwe Seidl picking up a hat-trick and 4 other Goldhorns getting on the scoresheet. 7 of them came on the final day against United Hawkland, where Einar Hackl and Xorge Le Meji both scored twice.

Le Meji. If you had to pick an MVP of the campaign as a whole, it would likely be him. Einar Hackl ended up with 12 goals in the campaign - a Goldhorns record for most goals in a single campaign (previously held by Michael Ribbeck with 11 in the marathon World Cup 85 qualifiers) - but it was Xorge Le Meji who had 9 of his own and created many more. His mentality of relentless attack - probably in his Farf blood - has turned the Goldhorns into an offensive machine. His exact role is difficult to define - the Farf term takilante probably comes closest, describing a midfield player who presses hard, ups the tempo and gets forward to score goals. Le Meji’s duties come with a side helping of ‘create chaos,’ which he does with excellent sprints when out of possession and a bag full of tricks when in it.

His ascendancy into the starting role for the national side has directly coincided with an incredible increase in offensive output. Le Meji’s second goal for his country came in his 2nd appearance and first start - a 6-3 win over Oclea in WC97 Qualifiers. Since then, the Goldhorns have scored 5 or more goals in 7 matches. Le Meji has played in all 7, scored in 5, and grabbed at least 1 assist in the other 2. In the 21 matches the Goldhorns had played post-isolation before that first start? The Goldhorns had never scored 5 goals in a game. He has made a great connection with Einar Hackl, and when they are both on their game the Goldhorns are very difficult to stop.

Le Meji and Hackl go into World Cup 98’s final tournament, then, as the expected heroes for the Goldhorns. But it’s not always about the one you expect to do the job - the unsung hero has a role just as important. Josef Weber, for example. The FC Teussen Stelburg winger made his debut for his country against the Busoga Islands in a high-pressure game - and responded with the key goal to make it 2-1. In Qualifying, there were a few examples of this - Dejan Mesko getting his first starts at right back and putting in excellent performances. Uwe Seidl getting a hat-trick for his country. Most of all, however, it was Dusan Korlikov.

The Zvezda Vlaikograd winger came into this tournament as the second choice left winger to Veljko Vadimic. It was a situation Korlikov was used to - both young men are quite close in age, and all through the youth ranks of the Goldhorns it was the same. But those who know Korlikov well know that he would never settle for second best. Every chance he got in this tournament, he took. From a brace and Man of the Match status against Damukuni, things seemed to take off from there. When Veljko Vadimic hit a poor run of form, Korlikov jumped into the starting role - and refused to give it up. He managed a total of 4 goals in Qualifiers and by the end of the campaign was one of the first names on the team sheet.

That caused a selection dilemma for the final tournament - Korlikov, certainly, had earned the right to a spot in the final squad. But who would get the second left wing spot? Veljko Vadimic had some poor form in this campaign, but has been so solid for his country and club in the past. Josef Weber, though young, has looked incredible in all of his performances so far. In the end, the answer is… both? With a squad of 25 players available, manager Dominik Weismann has indeed chosen to take both Vadimic and Weber - with Weber having experience playing both sides of the pitch being cited as the reason.

Weismann faced no such selection dilemmas in the midfield or at the back. In midfield, the Goldhorns settled into a nice rhythm: Porsche-Prekmurje faced the most difficult opponents, while Gruber-Winter was the ready-to-go second choice squad. Josef Kosch-Kovarik often got the call in matches where the Goldhorns could expect to dominate possession and didn’t really require a more defensive midfielder - but that is very unlikely to be the case at this World Cup. Dieter Rosberg serves as a more traditional #10 and will be the backup for Xorge Le Meji. The centreback duo of Paul Steinhausl and Silvio Rodl was the rock for the Goldhorns, while the younger set of Arnold Apel and Erwin Sanner will also get a call-up for the final tournament. In goal, Per Holz, Koloman Bodeker and Sepp Kranz are on the final shortlist.

With the squad selected, the Goldhorns gathered in Stelburg for the traditional promotional day - complete with suited-up team pictures, filming of commercials/lineup headshots and goal celebrations for social media, as well as a lengthy press conference with the squad’s manager Dominik Weismann and captain Paul Steinhausl. “Last time around, we were happy to be there,” Steinhausl said. “This time, we know what we’re capable of.” With that, the #18 team in the world boarded the plan to The Kytler Penninsulae.

That’s right, #18. The Goldhorns have been moving up in the world - at the start of World Cup 97’s Qualifiers, the team were ranked 130th. Now, in two cycles, they have already reached just one spot lower than the team’s all-time high of 17th. A great performance at the World Cup would most likely see a new all-time high created. But that is where the difficult part will come in.

The Goldhorns have been ‘rewarded’ for their new status as a Pot 2 team with one of the most difficult draws in the competition: #1 Valanora, #29 Chromatika and #77 Auprussia will join them in Group G. Let’s break down these matches one by one:

Matchday 1 - Valanora vs Siovanija & Teusland (Carva Dock Arena, Kytler Bay City (53,116))

Facing the #1 team in the world on matchday 1. Look, at the end of the day, if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. It’s matches like these, even when you are the underdog, that help define the identity of your national team. It’s ok to go down, but it’s important to go down swinging. There’s a reason the Marauders are the top team in the world, and the Goldhorns will be facing arguably the most difficult match since the return to international play.

Looking at the opposing number, it’s difficult to find any weakness. Imre Haaland is one of, if not the, best forwards in the world. Laborious Hawk is the same player who has tormented more nations than you can count over his illustrious career. Julia Stromberg, Olaf Myher - a match for any midfield in the world. It’s the backline that many in Valanora noted as perhaps the reason the country lost at the final hurdle in both World Cup 97 and at the ARC tournament - however, the experienced duo of Franziska Maurer and Florian Beike have looked solid at the WC so far, as the side conceded just 19 goals in Qualifiers. Valanora topped Group 17 with a 9-4-1 record, earning them another shot at a sixth World Cup title.

There are storylines abound for both teams here, too. For the Vanorians, this is step 1 on the road to redemption. They were so close to #6 at World Cup 97 that they could taste it, with the title just slipping away to Sqournshelous on penalties. At the ARC tournament, it was the same final opponent with the same final result. This is a team that will be determined to right those wrongs and take home the world title - and that starts with beating the Goldhorns. For the Goldhorns, it’s another opportunity to prove themselves to the world by earning a result here. For many of the stars of this team, too, there is their own opportunity for redemption: 10 members of this squad played on the Di Bradini Cup 58 team for the Goldhorns, who grabbed a silver medal after losing the final to… Valanora.

Our closest neighbours across the Westsee, Siovanija & Teusland have met Valanora 5 previous times in international play, all pre-isolation. The first ever match between the sides was a 1-0 loss in the AOCAF 57 Quarterfinal, with the Goldhorns’ miracle run at that tournament (having defeated world #1 Vilita & Turori 5-4 in the Round of 16) coming to an end at the hands of the Marauders. It wouldn’t be long before the sides met again, facing each other in the opening match of AOCAF 58, an exciting 4-4 draw in which Thorsten Kramer scored the opener. The Goldhorns and Marauders have only met in knockout matches since then - two AOCAF playoff matches, two wins for Valanora but only on penalties. In World Cup 87, the sides met at the senior level for the final time, Valanora taking a 3-1 win in the Round of 16 over the Goldhorns. So yes, they’ve broken our hearts a few times - although we’ve gotten some payback in ice hockey, this patriotic writer notes.

It should be a great match between the two neighbours, who have always enjoyed a strong relationship - and our boys will have no pressure at all as they get things started looking for a massive upset and what would be a first-ever win over our friends across the sea.

Matchday 2 - Auprussia vs Siovanija & Teusland (Zube Olympic Stadium, Zube (61,093))

After Valanora, the Goldhorns will travel to Zube, where they will meet the group’s Pot 4 team, Auprussia. Ranked 77th in the world, the Auprussians are certainly outsiders in terms of ranking, with the other 3 group members all being in the top 30. They are certainly not outsiders, however, in terms of performance. The Auprussians scored 37 goals in their World Cup Qualifying campaign, a great tally for a squad not in the first few pots.

Manager Pierre Camanin notably switched styles leading into this tournament, from his country’s more traditional 4-2-3-1 into an all-out attacking 4-4-2 style. Many in his country weren’t sure about the move, but it had excellent results - a 9-0-5 record, with the side making a great run in the second half of Qualifiers that included victories over Sargossa and two hard-fought games with top seeds Banija. In the end, it was a less-aggressive 1-0 win over Doubeia that saw the Auprussians reaching the World Cup for the first time.

For the Goldhorns, this is going to be an interesting one to prepare for. No matter what happens against Valanora, this game is going to be a must-win, and although it is sandwiched between two higher-ranked teams, it would be very foolish to underestimate a team playing in their first-ever World Cup. The Goldhorns know better than many just how special that is, and they’ll have to be on top of their game. Dominik Weismann has always been good at encouraging his side to take things one game at a time, and he will definitely need to do the same here.

This match will be the first time that the Goldhorns will face Auprussia at any level, and will be a very important match for both teams looking to make statements at World Cup 98.

Matchday 3 - Siovanija & Teusland vs Chromatika (Carva Dock Arena, Kytler Bay City (53,116))

Then, on the final day, the Goldhorns will take on another familiar face - Chromatika. The pot 3 team, depending on results in the first 2 matchdays, this game could be incredibly important with both teams potentially needing a win to advance.

The Anomalies come into the tournament ranked 29th in the world, and qualified out of Group 4. In an interesting twist, the Goldhorns actually had the exact same record as Chromatika through the first 12 matches of the Qualifiers, down to the only loss coming against each group’s #1 seed (Kelssek and Tumbra, respectively). Chromatika faced a challenge from Darmen in qualification, and it was a 1-0 win against them on matchday 13 that secured the Anomalies’ place at these World Cup finals.

Chromatika scored 24 goals in Qualifying - but most importantly, conceded only 7. Juxon Fillar remains one of the top goalkeepers in world football, and overall the squad under Alina Khabibulina has performed quite well in the Qualifying tournament. What will count for the Anomalies, however, is how this group stage goes. Chromatika have failed to make the playoff stages since World Cup 95, a streak that is unacceptable in a nation so rich in talented footballers. It is a matter of utmost urgency for the Anomalies to reach the playoff stage, and that is something that means the Goldhorns are in their way. Sure, it’s possible for 3rd place teams to also qualify, but that means relying on results elsewhere. You want to control your own destiny, and Chromatika will know that they likely need to beat the Goldhorns to break that group stage streak.

Similarly, for the Goldhorns, it’s very likely that this ends up being the decisive match. Whatever you do in the first two games likely won’t matter if you can’t beat Chromatika. For World Cup 98, at least, these two sides have been paired by fate.

The Goldhorns have faced Chromatika only twice in their history - both times coming in the qualifying stage for World Cup 80. When Chromatika travelled to the Nationalstadion back then, the Goldhorns were total newcomers in their debut tournament, and it was only the 3rd match the national side had ever played at home. Siovanija & Teusland stunned their visitors with a 3-3 draw, and the ‘where are they now’ of the Goldhorns’ goalscorers in that game tells you just how long ago it was: Miro Dinev is now Technical Director at Energija Chernovets, Ivo Romanov is in the backroom staff at Olympia Borograd, and Paulus Leistner is now a pundit on RBC Teusland for Superklasse matches. In the return leg in Chromatika, the Anomalies got some revenge with a 6-2 victory, which stands to this day as the 2nd biggest loss in Goldhorns’ history.

Over 30 years later, these sides will finally meet again, and it is sure to be a match that will be written in the history of one or both of these countries - with the exact details of that story yet to be written.

It’s not just the 25 players and the additional members of the technical staff that will travel to Rushmore for this tournament - thousands of Goldhorns fans are expected to descend on Kytler Bay City and Zube to support the team during this tournament, and are hoping to see some historical moments. There will be happy moments and tough moments - but that’s why we love this tournament so much. Come on Siovanija & Teusland!

Siovanija & Teusland 25 man squad for World Cup 98

Goalkeepers: Holz, Bodeker, Kranz
Defenders: Schwefel, Wimmer, Reichenbach, Mesko, Steinhausl, Rodl, Sanner, Apel
Midfield: Porsche, Gruber, Prekmurje, Winter, Rosberg, Le Meji
Wingers: Korlikov, Vadimic, A. Kosch-Kovarik, Zschokke, Weber
Forwards: Hackl, Burger, Seidl

Expected XI vs Valanora: Holz; Schwefel, Steinhausl, Rodl, Reichenbach; Porsche, Prekmurje, Le Meji; Korlikov, A. Kosch-Kovarik, Hackl

[Mytanija]

The Mytanar press officer settled into his seat, facing the busy press room ahead of Mytanija’s final press conference before the start of the World Cup. It was a familiar theme for Mytanija in recent years, consistently qualifying for tournaments but failing to ever make a real impression on the competition – both at the World Cup and in the Copa Rushmori. The task for Ermin Držić was to change that fact, something that was much easier said than done. He had one of the more talented groups of players at his disposal, with many playing at a high level at home or overseas, but the difficulty was that everybody else had talented players too. Failing to win something with Denis Ovsyannikov in the team, a player who had been voted the greatest in the sport, would be a dark mark forever held against this era of Mytanar football. Držić was the latest to give it a go, and maybe this expanded format could help create the opening they needed.

“Okay everyone, we’ll be taking questions from the usual outlets first, before then going into the embargoed section of the press conference. Nevenka, we’ll start with you.” The press officer said.

“Thanks.” Nevenka Planinc replied, the queen of the Mytanar sporting press room was well versed in the formalities by now. She had seemingly taken a visit to a fountain of youth at some point, a constant character of Mytanar football who never really aged, despite being around for something like two decades for anybody actually tracking time. “Hi Ermin, Banija are a familiar opponent and we face them in our first game. It’s so important to get off to a good start in tournament football, how does the familiarity we have with them influence your preparations?”

“Hi Nevenka,” Ermin responded. “It’s something which can go both ways, really. We know their tendencies well, how they like to play, but they know us just as well. We’re familiar with their players and they’re familiar with ours. We’ve pushed them close a number of times when we have come up against them, and we’ve shown just how good we can be when we beat them, but we’ve perhaps never been truly consistent against Banija either. It influences our preparation in that we know what they are about, and we can try to plan for their strengths, they have lots of pace and we’ll need to stay disciplined in our shape to try to control their opportunities to counterattack. That’s been a major focus for us this week.”

“Lacina Issoumou has been absolutely crucial for us during qualification and I’m sure he’s a shoe-in to start against Banija, but you’ve rotated Blaž Kovačec and Goran Papić–Papratović alongside Lacina. Which of the two is more likely to start against Banija and which sorts of qualities do you see the team needing which have influenced that decision?”

“We haven’t decided yet, to be honest.” Ermin smiled, remaining cagey and refusing to give the Banijans – who would be watching – any idea of what his team selection might be ahead of time. “It’s a great position to be in, though, having two players of that level to choose from and it’s a good sign of the health we have in forward areas. We’re going to need to be disciplined against Banija, everybody is aware of that. We’re going to have long periods out of possession and that means we have to be very proactive in our press and we have to try to keep that going all game. It’s great we have both Blaž and Goran, both players that are good at that side of the game. I know that we’ll likely use both at some point during the game to keep our intensity levels up and we’re going to need them both.”

“Tournament football is usually about the fine margins, set-pieces has been a key area for us during qualification and is something which can define the term ‘fine margins’, will this be an area that you will target against Banija given their quality in open play?” Nevenka asked.

“Banija are well capable of both preventing us from scoring from our set-pieces and scoring from their own... It isn’t something we’re targeting because we think we can get one over on them there, we’re looking to use everything at our disposal to cause them problems.” Ermin explained calmly. “So yeah, set-pieces are a focus, but it’s alongside everything else we’re hoping to do. We know that Lacina, Ovsi, Bigger, Irfan, Ante are all major threats from set-pieces and we feel that we can defend them reasonably well. If we can cause them problems early from those opportunities then we may be able to create a bit of panic, but they’ve got plenty quality players who know exactly what to do to get through sticky spells too.”

“Hi Ermin, Nikola Šakić, Arena Sport.” Nikola, one of the television journalists, introduced himself. Ermin was well familiar with almost all of the press pack at this point in his career, having played in front of them, managed in the 1. Prvenstvo and now the national team. “Banija’s pace and ability in transitions has caused us lots of issues in the past – how confident are you in being able to handle those counterattacking opportunities?”

“Yeah, we’re familiar with the sort of problems they can cause us. Layvin Son-Saka and Odongo Kadenga are two of the best transitional players in the world, so much pace and it’s a great weapon to have in any side.” Ermin nodded in agreement. “We have to try to prevent them from having space to exploit, and also prevent them from getting the ball in transitional situations. We’ve got to make sure our own defensive transitions are sharp, that players are recovering their shape and that we have solid rest defence when we have the ball ourselves. The midfield has to stay compact and we’ve got to limit the turnovers in dangerous areas, if we can somewhat control the game’s tempo – not the easiest thing to do against Banija – then we’ll be looking to nullify some of that threat.”

“And we’re playing in Alaer, a city and country – in Kytler Peninsulae – which many Mytanars are very familiar with. How do you think this setting, just across Rushmore, will affect the team and the supporters?” Nikola enquired.

“It’s great to play in Rushmore. I think every Mytanar, both the fans and the players, had this tournament circled on the calendar when it became clear we were in with a shout for qualification. It’s as close to a home World Cup as we’ve had for a very long time and I’m sure the supporters will make the most of that. We know that there will be strict security checks with the troubles we’ve been experiencing over the past couple of years at home, but our supporters are always fantastic and travel in great numbers. We want them to be well behaved, we don’t want stories for off the pitch issues, but the players relish playing in front of them and their passion can truly push the players on to a higher level.”

[Valanora]

Luck is a fickle mistress that you should never rely on, no matter how well she might seem to be treating you at any given time, for as fickle as she might that nice treatment might immediately turn sour and the good feelings turn to ash inside your hands. After a bit of a roller coaster qualification campaign, who at certain times felt like the team was in a post silver medal hangover from both the last edition of the competition as well as the ARC, things seemed to stabilize towards the end of the campaign as the team overcame freak results to finish atop the table. While it was still quite frustrating for their only loss of the campaign to have come against the worst team in the group, Bongo Johnson, and having drew them at home to start the campaign, things still on the whole seemed to have gone fairly their way. It was by no means an impressive campaign, several fluke draws including on the first and last matchdays at home, meant that the Marauders severely underperformed their expected point outcome as the number one team and the average of points earned by their fellow teams who qualified for the Finals.

Yet when you win the group despite those troubles, you have to think that the wind has turned and that all the troubles are in the past allowing you to concentrate on the path before you, in this case the group stage of the Finals and hopefully the first step on a trip back to the Final itself with another chance of winning that elusive number six title. Much and more has been made in the past about the drought of the team, having spent more team without winning a tournament than it took to win the original record tying five, but it is information that only serves to frustrate and depress the fans and teams while there is hardly any one around who knew the Marauders from their heyday. There have been several generations who have never known the Marauders to be anything but a good team who has had their ups and downs and never quite could finish. While the team looks to correct this, having had two Final appearances in the last five editions goes a long way towards that, looking forward to that right away instead of focusing on the path ahead is a sure fire way to allow the distractions and upset bug to sneak their way back into the forefront.

And then when the team found out who was going to be in that group, things suddenly took a turn for the sour once more and concern about the Marauders chances to even progress out of the group stage have swept throughout the Empire. With the expansion to forty-eight teams with this tournament and the last one, so called groups of death were supposed to become increasingly rare and the best teams were more likely than not going to find ways to get out of the group stage despite perhaps an upset happening to them. Yet when the Marauders are drawn with Chromatika, Auprussia, and then our neighbors in Siovanija & Teusland, you start to understand why alarm bells are going off across the nation about the chance of performing well enough to not just win the group but ensure that the team is able to merely progress out of the group. At least three of the teams in the group would have believed themselves to have the quality to make it to the knockout stages of the competition before the draw had been made with relative ease, especially our own squad at being ranked the number one team in the entire competition.

That belief has to be shaken though when you consider the opponents and the Marauders own bit of shaky form during the qualification campaign, the results against Bongo Johnson being a prime example of the team failing to play up to their talent level. Failing to lose against the top seeds in the group might indicate that this is a team that at least during the qualifiers that they were playing up or down to the level of the competition that they were facing, which will be a dangerous thing to do here in the Finals when the level of the competition as a whole increases by several magnitudes even without it being one of the perceived groups of death. Chromatika is a side that will be reeling from last World Cup where the team completely and utterly flopped in the group stage, losing all three games, and they will be looking to get back on the up and have always been a difficult out dating back to times when the Marauders faced them in regional championships and had the aforementioned difficultly in getting past them and there is no reason to believe that a proud team like they are will have decreased in that spirit in the time since their last meeting.

It all kicks off though on the first matchday as the two neighbors in Arrosia kick off this group of death and the Marauders with their sights ideally set on another run to the championship game, while the Goldhorns are looking to recapture the magic of last edition where they made a miraculous run to the Round of Sixteen in just their second cycle back in international competition after several long years in isolation. While the two nations enjoy quite friendly political relations and a bit of a friendly rivalry when it comes to the arena of sports, this match feels like it will be something of an edge case. The Goldhorns have a lot to prove to themselves and the world, they will want that big scalp to show that last edition was by no means a fluke and that they are back in full force and ready to be a true contender, to exceed past the ceiling of where they failed during their last stint in the competition. They are a team with talent all up and down the roster and have the quality in depth and through the academic pipeline, the two teams having recently played for a DBC championship. This is exactly the sort of team who could take advantage of the weak backline if they are not on their best, while a win is ideal a draw could not be the worst result to take from the opening match.

It gets no easier on that second matchday with Chromatika and as we have highlighted before this will be a team who is hungry to right what they will feel are wrongs from the past edition. Having the liberty to play Auprussia in the first matchday, a team who is good but is by nearly all measures is the worst team in the group and might be fortunate to get any result from their three games, the Chromatiks are likely to already have three points in the bag and one foot into the knockout rounds already when the two square up. Depending upon the first result against the Goldhorns, this might be where Ellzidan looks to risk a bit of rotation and not play the full strength squad, saving the legs for the last game and hopefully a long knockout run. Yet she may not if things go south in that first game, knowing that three points will be vital before heading into that last matchday. Ending the group with Auprussia could either be a huge benefit or a looming disaster with the Goldhorns and Chromatiks in better position than the Marauders and those perceived three points might not come as easy as we would like, especially with a team with nothing to lose given the group and how it is perceived to play out.

With the challenges of this group, this is where you have to have your best players actually play like your best players, you need your leaders to be able to take the team on their back and take them across the finish line. Laborious Hawk will need to put on display his decades worth of leadership and have the rest of the team inspired and focused, not letting them get too high or too low depending on how the ebb and flow of the matches are going or the form in general. Imre Haaland will need to show a bit more of a lethal touch and efficiency that was missing from the qualification campaign, to reassert that he is the best player currently playing the game that is not an immortal being. The defense needs to show the sort of vigor and determination that allowed them to find several clean sheets in the qualification campaign and the renewed belief in themselves following the disaster of last edition's Final collapse. If the team can get those performance, if the Drawkian manager can get her team all moving in the right direction, then they can navigate this difficult group and find themselves once more in the knockouts and pursuing that goal and haunting specter in the shape of the number six.

[Pasarga]

For the Wanderers, now that they are here in the Finals, they really do not care about the trials and tribulations that they had to overcome in order to make it to this stage of the competition. The goal of the qualification campaign had been simply to find a way out of the group and the team was able to do that, helped in large part to the remarkable double over the group's top seeds in Juvencus, who would ultimately win the group on a tiebreaker as they just seemed to be able to roll through the rest of the group and only really stumbled against our Wanderers. It is perhaps a sign that the team is able to punch up above their weight and take down the teams who are perceived to be significantly better than they are in any given match, a quality that will come in handy now that the team is in the Finals and will not be among the favorites to escape out of the group. Knowing that on their day that the team is able to play competitively against nearly any team in the world and be able to pull out a result is a huge boost in the confidence of the team and gives them a lot of belief that a redemption might be in store for the team who fumbled their home World Cup last edition.

Thankfully the team does not have have far to travel for this World Cup, as it is being held here in Rushmore making it back to back editions to be held within the region after the Wanderers and their long term friends in Eastfield Lodge hosted the competition last edition. It was a historic competition for many reasons but the most notable was that it was the first tournament to expand from the traditional thirty-two to forty-eight teams. That expansion was supposed to allow the Wanderers a fairly good chance of making the knockout rounds and then instead of doing that, they were on the wrong side of a pair of upsets and let the home crowd down in not even being able to qualify through being one of the best third placed teams. It was a failure that stung particularly harsh as the group draw had not been unkind to the Wanderers, though it had not been overly kind either, and the team had looked poised and primed to reestablish themselves as a true competitor. Yet in true Pasargan fashion, their inconsistencies would rise up and snatch away what seemed to be sure fire success and deal a heavy blow.

Yet Thor showed his managerial chops and got the team going again in a surprisingly well put together showing in the forthcoming Copa Rushmori and then translated that success into this qualification run that eventually found its mark even if it was a bit touch and go there in the final stretches of the competition. Now in the Finals, the team has a chance to catch their breath before setting out on the next chapter in the tale and you have to wonder if this is a transitional moment for the team. They have several players who are or are about to enter into the twilight of their careers and the team is going to have to undergo quite a transformation in the coming editions in order to be able to be competitive still. When you consider that the perceived depth of national team caliber players is quite shallow right now, that looks to be quite the scary proposition but if there is reason for hope it is that Thor has been able to find success all throughout his time as a player and manager. The challenges that may yet come in the next few years he is sure to meet with the same vigor and energy that he did in his playing career and with his very successful stints as GT Molding and Graintfjall's manager.

For the here and now though, the team is in a good shape with its core and have plenty of players who are in their prime and ready to showcase the true worth of Pasargan determination and resilience. The group though, the group poses some challenges to navigate, notably in the second ranked Tumbra side who probably are going to walk the group with little trouble if they play anywhere near their ceiling. While the third seed, you might think the Wanderers could be favorites for the group as there is a weak second seed in TJUN-ia, ranked twenty-second in the world, the Wanderers being ranked thirty-first. The two sides will play each other in the first match of the group and it is here that the Wanderers have that real chance to make a statement and getting an opening group stage victory against a team that they will fancy their chances again. The diamond midfield should mean that the Wanderers star wingers out wide will be able to navigate pretty freely and open up chances for the attackers. The defense will need to stand tall and clean up those attacking efforts, particularly of that attacking midfielder who will want to dominate the space. It is difficult but so were the matches against Juvencus and a result to start this group stage would be quite the tonic towards erasing the bitterness of last edition's disappointment.

[Huayramarca]

Life is known for having significant ironies, everywhere. Be it in politics, day-to-day interactions, and even sports such as football; you do the counts and can relate to what happened prior to this World Cup cycle for Huayramarca. People were disappointed with the performance of the team, the parting ways process with Aginsogno left a lot of people unsatisfied, as it took longer than it should have taken; and surprisingly, many weren’t satisfied with the call-up of Tlanx Nulkx-Hal as manager, as they thought that he would be so “predictable” and wouldn’t match with what Huayramarca has to offer when it comes to attacking.

The irony begins to be built when people decided to take some distance from the National Team, a noticeable sign of dissatisfaction with the team, and something many expected that would harm or create a toxic environment for the players and manager alike. In the end, it proved to be a necessary process for both sides, to take a break and rebuild trust in a moment where some of our biggest stars are about to retire, a key moment to say the least. TNH decided themselves to give more protagonism to younger players, and to balance the veterans’ experience and capabilities into a natural blend of football, one that retains the disruptive ways of playing the sport that Huayramarca has, without artificial ingredients.

Precisely, that blend was what the fans wanted to see into action, as it worked as the ideal bait for the Federación Huayramarquina de Fútbol to reengage fans again, to rebuild those damaged emotional bridges between every fan and team, FA and fans, etc. Despite the rocky start for the team, where a string of draws and a defeat appeared, TNH remained committed to his plan, to his brand of football for Huayramarca where players such as Alszeghy, Rumiñahui, Lobatón, among others, turned into significant players, fearless and determined to cover up the holes for the future that Tello, Sayritupac, Mendoza and Quispe could cause when they decide to retire or when TNH opts for not calling them anymore to the team.

After being defeated by Omerica, Huayramarca steamed up against Milchama and began what many consider to be the most flawlessly executed performance of a Huayramarcan National Team since World Cup 92, a team that was built under two key premises: consistency and continuity. Let’s talk about each one in the following paragraphs:

Consistency is always the key, no matter what you do, if you let things go away or you don’t push enough to fulfill your goal, everything will go down like a poorly made house of cards. Huayramarca has been, for almost a decade, a consistent team in the middle of the pack, with some punches on top, when it comes to performance in World Cups, but burnout and excessive pressure/expectations, came and interrupted the cycle of consistency of five-straight World Cup qualifications, constant top performance in regionals and some of the most exciting national teams in youth echelons of the sport. The interruption was an endless spiral after World Cup 96, where the team managed to reach quarterfinals: choking in important moments, inability to offer a different brand of play, lack of punch, etc. Aginsogno’s cycle was essentially overcooked.

TNH, in this cycle, decided to keep the key elements of the identity of this national team, and refine them; which is remarkable considering the short notice between their hiring process and the start of the World Cup Qualifiers. Keeping the 4-1-2-3, adding young blood and doing slight role tweaks to key players, as an example Bryan Tello being now more of a poacher-like striker instead of the typical false-nine/finisher that he always had used to be, Sayritupac and Mendoza (and also their substitutes) playing in inner spots rather than going full on the wing for the sake of optimising spaces and reducing the odds of getting enclosed by defenders as it was a recent trend by that moment. What it seemed to be a series of gimmick moves, proved out to be key settings that optimised the game style, making Huayramarca regain their threatening attack reputation, but now using spaces in a smarter way than before.

The players, with that couple of moves, were into a mostly surprise-free territory, as they were asked to continue what they do the best. Henceforth, the learning and adaptation curve between players and manager was, basically, skipped off. The new batch of player helped to build a stronger team than before, and that was noted on how Huayramarca was able to have strong defensive performances, perhaps not as the likes of Tumbra or other, but significantly better than the ones that were the standard for the Condors, and that without compromising gunpowder at front.

Continuity can also be focused on how the veteran players were still called up and are a key piece of the team as of now, instead of simply not calling them anymore and compromise the overall quality of the National Team. One of the biggest mistakes that managers and fans alike can do is pressing for chainsaw an entire cycle and be passional about it; a decision of this calibre shouldn’t be taken lightly, and TNH did precisely that, by combing the best of two worlds, and make that guard supportive of new players.

Of course, that wasn’t as easy as we said, because fans, and parts of the FA were pushing for a generational change, to the point that some power struggles were noticed, the strain was noticeable in the media, as some players took distance from others, and so on. But the game philosophy and negotiation techniques of TNH proved to be effective, to the point that both sides decided to leave apart their differences and settle down under one premise, the Huayramarcan National Team. Since that, chemistry has turned back into usual levels, as Huayramarca has always been a team known for a strong comradery between players.

New associations were born between players, new options that added more gunpower to the Condors. Expected goals were at an all time high for Huayramarca, being around 50 for the qualifier, but it wasn’t like that due to the pretty solid defence displays that some teams offered in the Qualifier, teams such as Eraman and Omerica aren’t walks in a park, both have stiff defences, but Huayramarca almost always found a way to break the dead lock.

Now, as the World Cup looms, Huayramarca needs to continue their path to excellence, in a format with 48 teams that makes things look a bit more difficult than it used to be with 32, thanks to the extra chaos that those 16 teams can provide to the tournament. Speaking of chaos, that’s something that needs to be harnessed, as we will face Farfadillis in the Group Stage, basically, a game where defences don’t exist, but we hope for TNH to decipher the Farves and settle down a gridlock for them, having a strong defence will be the key for Huayramarca if we want to progress further in the World Cup, as the hopes are now restored, fans hope to see a new mindset in the team, one that isn’t too comfortable with scores, but one that strives for victory in every game like the life of players would be at stakes.

[Banija]

Oscar Kagenda, the brother of Banijan star winger Odongo Kagenda, sitting with a cigar in his hotel room, in the Kytler Peninsuale, three hours before kickoff

Oscar Kagenda had a complicated relationship with his brother, to say the least. Odongo didn't approve of much of his actions- Oscar had plenty of talent as a youngster, but made poor choices that ensured he couldn't go pro, like his brother. Constantly finding himself in and out of trouble- what Odongo knew was simply the tip of the iceberg, in that sense. None of his family knew anything, really, about him or his life.

His brother, of course, was a household name in Banija, and becoming quite well-known outside of Banija. A star footballer he was- scoring all sorts of goals, and creating others, for the national team. He was a key cog on the NT- one of those players that, if Banija wanted to really go deep here at World Cup 98, needed to be playing at his absolute best. It was Son-Saka who was the true #1 on the team, but what really lifted the lid off of this team's potential was when each member of this star-studded front 3 was playing at their best. And Odongo, despite being the oldest one of those three, was probably the least consistent. Now even that was a bit harsh- but he took a lot on the chin for Banija's stunning early exit from ARC 3, hosted by the reigning World Cup champions- the Squornshelan Remnant States.

There was no excuses for Banija's poor showing at that tournament- three matches in a row, they were thoroughly outplayed, and Odongo Kagenda took the brunt of that. Now, the success of the qualifying campaign, especially the way they were able to move up the rankings, not only into Pot 1, but all the way to 8th in the multiverse- well, it was pretty damn impressive. The poor showing at the regional tournament had basically been long forgotten, as a 12-1-1 World Cup Qualifying campaign, where you go unbeaten away from home, will do that for you. But what did that have to do with Oscar, exactly? Obviously, he was a fan of his older brother- that wasn't up for debate.

Oscar was all smiles heading into Banija's first game at the World Cup. Having his cigar- it was a great time to be Banijan, it was a great time to be a Kagenda. The World Cup was about to go on- Banija were going to play, his brother was going to start, and he had a front row seat to all the festivities. What more could he want?

After finishing his cigar, he took a few shots, and then, left the hotel. Next stop? The match. He left the hotel, and was walking down the street. He was wearing his jersey- down the street, somebody came up from behind him, also wearing a Banijan jersey. Oscar stopped, all smiles. "HEY HO- LET'S GO!"

The man chanted back at him. "Hey- you want some of my drink?" He flashed a beer, that was hidden in his jacket. He gave one to Oscar, and had one for himself- and they both started drinking. They both chugged it on the street, laughing merrily. And then, he started to stumble- things were woozy. Things were starting to fade out a little bit.

"Hey, Kagenda- what's your name?" THe man asked. He noticed that the man had an Istria- those bastards had distinct voices.

"Huh- How... How...." He tried to say. He was finding it harder to speak with every passing second. Was he getting dizzy? Was his beer bad? Spiked?

Suddenly, somebody else walked up behind him, without him noticing. The man in front of him shoved him backward- and he fell into the arms of the man behind him. All he could make out was a fading Busogan accent- he had no idea what he was saying, but Oscar knew that accent wherever he could find one. Next thing he knew- everything went black.

---

When he woke up, he was hella confused. He was in a hospital bed- surrounded by his brother, Odongo Kagenda, a couple of other family members, and two Kytlerian police officers- and a nurse saying his name.

"What the hell?" He groggily asked, while coming to. "What happened?" He then clocked his brother. "Bro, don't you have a game? IN fact... Why am I not there..."

"Well..." Odongo said, stumbling for words. Then, one of the Kytlerian police officers started speaking.

"You had a kidnapping attempt thwarted." The police officer told him. "You were about to be thrown into the back of a van- but one of our men saw it happening, and we were able to rescue you. Now... Can you tell us what happened?"

Oscar's life flashed before his eyes. What the hell was going on? He was trying to gain his sense of perspective and reality. "What was the score of the game?"

"Tell us the story." The cop repeated.

"The score of Banija v. Mytanija was..." Odongo began. Oscar gulped- as memory of the event came back, he knew that this was a dangerous moment for his person...

[TJUN-ia]

The Random Rambles of a Jaguar - WC98 Qualifying Edition
with Killian Looker

Welcome back to this Random Ramble and welcome back to World Cup Qualifying action for the final time! No matter what happened in this final game, our journey in WC98 Qualifying will come to an end. The question was, would this journey end back at the World Cup or the Cup of Harmony? David Seems and Li Xiu Ying have put together a 6-win campaign that also included 4 draws, but the Jagaurs managed to get into 3rd on their group by the skin of their teeth...despite entering this tough group as the Pot 1 team. There is certainly some disappointment about not making the Top 2, but the Playoffs are an environment we knew how to get out of in the past...so we needed to do so again. Simple as that.

The Game
At Melnock House in Eivora, Tikariot, the fates of both the Jaguars of TJUN-ia and the Claws of Saterun would be decided. We knew the Claws all too well, this was the same team we beat at the last World Cup to make it into the knockouts, but to have to face this team again, just to make this dance? That was certainly a stroke of fate for both sides involved. We have the utmost respect for Kameron Boyd and his team, but we knew we had to focus on the job at hand: booking an extended stay in the Xandrian Sea.

When kick-off arrived, the neutral venue hosting this game burst into life as Melnock House would be a divided house for one game only. Both sides, both at +1.5 on the International A/D Scale, were ready for a war of equals - and that is exactly what we got. It was a brutal affair that began with a bang as two superb strikes from Diana Sharafutdinov in the 10th and 18th minutes were countered by Caesar Ibañez and Maksymillian Bates in the 36th and 42nd respectively, bringing this game to 2-2 as halftime arrived. A breather was what we all needed after that chaos, but it also set the scene for a final 45 minutes that would settle all scores. This battle was certainly thought but after Ibañez got his 2nd, our quality shone through...and there would be no mistakes from here. Stephan Fiedtkou, Belle Whitewater and Zaine Bowry all got themselves in the scoresheet after we went down 3-2 as the pressure finally collapsed and we pressed forward towards qualification. 5-3 it would finish. GGs Saterun, We're sorry we had to take you down...but needed to get there. Simple as that. TJUN-ia is back in the World Cup for the 5th time, looking to build on the past.

Reaction
We qualified, despite all the hurdles we made for ourselves, so of course, the mood was jolly back home. It was certainly harder than most would've expected but in the eyes of everyone, just making it back was a very good sign - a sign that our run two years ago wasn't as flukish as some would expect. TJUN-ia can reach World Cups...the question is, what happens now?

Up Next...
The draw has been held and we are in Group H, playing games in both Kolle and Polan in Qusmo, an island nation right in the centre of the Xandrain Sea and is in between the other three nations hosting matches at this tournament: Tkiariot, The Kytler Peninsulae and Yuezhou. Playing on the island's east, three opponents stand in our way this time around:
- Pasarga (31), the Wanderers, who finished 2nd on goal difference in Group 1. Co-hosts of the last WC, we have only played this team twice - both defeats (0-3, 0-2) in WC91 Qualifying. A Neutral 0 on the International A/D Scale, playing in a 4-1-3-2 formation.
- Tumbra (2), who finished top of Group 4 - the same group as Kimi-Suomi -3 on the International A/D Scale, playing in a 4-3-3, the Black Eagles must be sick of the sight of us at this point. We're 1-2-1 against these guys, but that is not the point. This is our 5th World Cup...and our 3rd involving TJU v TMB in the Group Stage. That is some luck, huh?
- City of Myrtle Beach (44), who finished 2nd in Group 2 by 3 points to make it to another World Cup. We have never played MYR before, but we can expect a very attacking game from James Robinson's side - 4.05 on the International A/D Scale.

So a neutral side first, then the defensive familiar, then the attacking unfamiliar. Three very different games lie ahead in Qusmo, but we will be ready.
The time has come once more.
We had one of the worst PPGs ever to make the World Cup. Tied with West Vdara this cycle. Below only Pridnestrovia at WC75.
But we're here. We're ranked 22nd. And we want another run under our belt.
GO JAGS!

---

SCHEDULE (Group 13)
(Stadium Guide can be found here)
MD1: vs Ralsalin (UR) - Estádio do Pacífico, Rio Pacífico W 5-0 (1st)
MD2: @Delitai (105) W 2-0 (1st)
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MD3: vs Darkmania (153) - Tiankong Stadium, Tiankong W 5-0 (1st)
MD4: vs Poafmersia (67) - Stade de la Victoire, Roi Ville D 0-0 (2nd)
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MD5: @Natkr (215) L 0-1 (2nd)
MD6: vs StrayaRoos (48) - Beregozera Stadium, Szensky L 2-4 (2nd)
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MD7: @Baggieland (24) - Dartmouth Hill, Hawthorn L 2-3 (4th)
MD8: @Ralsalin (UR) - Ralsalien Grandmaster Kotarlok Arena, Rinkan W 5-3 (3rd)
--------------------------------Rambles--------------------------------
MD9: vs Delitai (105) - Estadio Universidad Carlandas, Carlandas D 4-4 (3rd)
MD10: @Darkmania (153) W 5-1 (3rd)
--------------------------------Rambles--------------------------------
MD11: @Poafmersia (67) - Libira National Stadium, Fiskadaha City L 0-1 (3rd)
MD12: vs Natkr (215) - Ke Kahua Pāʻani o Pua Aloalo, Kepu Manu W 1-0 (3rd)
--------------------------------Rambles--------------------------------
MD13: @StrayaRoos (48) D 2-2 (3rd)
MD14: vs Baggieland (24) - National Stadium, TJUN-ia City D 2-2 (3rd/6-4-4/22pts/+14GD)
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PO: vs Saterun (46) - Melnock House, Eivora, Tikariot W 5-3

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SCHEDULE (Group H, Qusmo)
MD1: vs Pasarga (31) - Mastad Koflira, Kolle (6:30 pm Local)
MD2: vs Tumbra (2) - Mastad Poldanza, Polan (6:30 pm Local)
MD3: vs City of Myrtle Beach (44) - Mastad Koflira, Kolle (2 pm Local)

[Kamijiro]

Shikata Ga Nai

Buzz buzz. Sōji Kokubun's phone vibrates in his pocket. Another round of buzzing. He checks it. Three new messages: two from Katsu Fujiwara, one from... an unknown number.

Checking Katsu's first, it reads:
"he knows. we're fucked" Followed by another message: "call me"

Strange. Sōji couldn't really think of anything that somebody... oh no.

He checks the other message.

"Kalimera you fucks,

Touché. I will be back.

Yours hatefully,
Markos Moustakakos"

Oh.

Sōji dialed Katsu.
"Relax. Old fart won't do a thing." Sōji said before Katsu could even speak.
"You sure? Like, sure, sure?"
"Yeah, I'm sure. I mean, really, what's he going to do? We're in Tikariot. They're in Yuezhou. Is he gonna press charges? No. Then he'd have to pay up for the door by court order once the FA finds out their players are being sued by him and they file a countersuit. I mean, the worst he could do in theory is get us back, right? Worst-case scenario, I wake up one morning with a dick spray-painted on the hood of my car or something."
"If you're wrong, though... that's a mean son-of-a-bitch we pissed off. You promised me he wouldn't find out!"
"Shikata ga nai. Oyasumi, Katsu."

Sōji hangs up the phone and exhales. Yeah, they've pissed off the wrong dude. No one else would have been pissed enough to take the time to track them down like this... that being said, unlike the people Sōji used to associate with, this guy won't kill them for this... right?

Then, as a strange twist of fate, as if Markos himself had picked the drawing the next morning... their karma came back, hard. Kelssek, HUElavia and Elmyia. Those would be Kamijiro's groupmates for the World Cup.

Even Raiji Kagawa, usually pretty up-beat and confident about his team's chances, was downcast about the drawing when asked by a reporter from the Jirō Shimbun.

"I mean really, it's just not favorable. We're going to have to scrape and claw for every single point. That's the fact of the matter. Our only hope now is a lot of luck and some world-class outings from my players. I'm confident in their abilities, of course, but they have to give 200% every single second. We can not let down for a single moment."

Katsu gave a statement as well. To the press, it was cryptic. To those in the know, it was obvious what he was getting at.

"Karma's a bitch. That's all."

Kamijiroan Schedule for World Cup 98 Group Stage.

Matchday One: Kamijiro (59) versus HUElavia (14).
Match held at the Thunderdome in Tovaca, Tikariot. Kickoff at 21:00 IsT on Day 3 of the Group Stage.
All-time record versus opponent: 0-1-1.
Last result(s) versus opponent: 0-0 Draw (WC96 Qualifying Stage), 1-2 Loss (WC96 Qualifying Stage).

Matchday Two: Kamijiro (59) versus Elmyia (41).
Match held at the Citadel of the North in Fort Viljan, Tikariot. Kickoff at 16:00 IsT on Day 9 of the Group Stage.
All-time record versus opponent: 1-0-1.
Last result(s) versus opponent: 1-2 Loss (WC94 Qualifying Stage), 5-4 Win (WC94 Qualifying Stage).

Matchday Three: Kamijiro (59) versus Kelssek (3).
Match held at the Citadel of the North in Fort Viljan, Tikariot. Kickoff at 17:00 IsT on Day 14 of the Group Stage.
All-time record versus opponent: 0-0-0.
Last result(s) versus opponent: N/A.

A computer-simulated group stage prediction (high chance for error):
1. Kelssek (average finishing position: 1.72)
2. HUElavia (average finishing position: 2.27)
3. Kamijiro (average finishing position: 2.45)
4. Elmyia (average finishing position: 3.55)

[Hapilopper]

DID YOU KNOW?… In mid-April 2003, police were dispatched to the Soldiers locker room of Capital Stadium in Hapilopper City prior to a Soldiers/Highway Patrol match, when people heard the banging of lockers and loud screaming. Police, expecting a brutal knock-down, drag out fight between members of Soldiers – who were not having a good year that year, instead got players hyping each other up. Word got out that Soldiers were so hyped for the match the cops had to be called, it got to the locker room of their rivals, Highway Patrol, and psyched them out. Soldiers won 5-0 that night.

The Thunderdome, Tovaca, Tikariot
Leading up to Match 1 of World Cup 98: Hapilopper v. Tanirinthia

For a very long time – an uncomfortably long time, Thom Perkins took a look at a large cardboard sign that had been transported with the Hapiloppian team en route to Tikariot for their first World Cup match. It was a sign that the late Nathan Ellis drew up as he sat in his small office in Garvinson several years before, a sign he drew up as he watched the first match of World Cup 94 proper, Banija and the Independent Athletes of Quebec. It was a checklist, a five-year plan if you will.

WC95: RETURN
WC96: PLAYOFFS
WC97: QUALIFY
WC98: KNOCKOUTS
WC99: SEMIFINALS
WC100: WIN THE WHOLE FUCKING THING

That last line, “Win the whole fucking thing,” was Ellis Football’s motto, and it was adopted by the HFA after taking over the program after Nathan passed away. The motto appeared on the Ellis Memorial kit worn during the last World Cup qualifier and the Campionato Esportiva match against TJUN-ia that year. It was more than just a slogan, but a passion, an attitude, a way of life. The Hapiloppians, despite being something of a longshot to get out of the group stage, were hellbent on going as far as they could. And that attitude could be seen in the Team Hapilopper clubhouse outside Thom’s office.

Usually, before important, tense matches, there was a silent tension that blanketed the locker room. Not here. Thom gazed over to see Rod Cutt, the intense defenseman that represented the Hapiloppian Number of Violence, Number Five, and realized that Rod looked like he wanted to hurt someone. He walked over to a locker and, to the shock of everyone, head-butted it, giving off an enormously loud clang that the whole locker room – and quite a few people outside – could hear. This was followed by some primal screaming and the start of a hell of a rant that not many people could hear all too well.

It made some wonder if Rod had concussed himself, the way he hit that locker with his head. Judging from the sick smile on his face, it made others wonder if he was going to take somebody out with extreme prejudice on the ball field. Thom was so worried about that, in fact, that he got up out of his chair, rushed out of his office and went over to his leading defenseman.

“Cutt?” Thom asked. “What was that?”

“What was what?” Rod asked.

“That screaming. You blasting the locker with your head,” Thom responded. “Seriously, I don’t need you laid out with a concussion, my friend!”

Instead of responding, Rod looked at Thom with a sinister look on his face, a look that implied he was ready to do some damage on the field over the course of 90 minutes plus injury time.

“Think of what I’m gonna do out there, coach,” Rod replied. “We’re gonna kick some ass.”

“Uh…”

“Think of what I’m gonna do,” Rod said again. “This is the biggest event in the world. I’m gonna kick some ass. I’m gonna knock the hell out of Tanirinthia. Bacchus? Dead. Holt? Dead. Payne? Dead.”

“Cutt, please, don’t kill anyone,” Thom started, getting a little bit nervous.

“Oh, I’ll keep it within the law,” Rod continued. “They’ll see their mommy and daddy again. But they ain’t getting past me. They ain’t never gonna get past me.”

Thom nodded his head and said nothing further. With someone like Rod Cutt, someone as maniacal as the late Nathan Ellis, you had to wonder if he was truthfully going to end someone’s life, or if he was going to figuratively end their game, or at best, end their scoring efforts with extreme prejudice. So Thom had to be careful. He had half a mind to order him to ride the bench if he was genuinely wanting to levy significant harm to Tanirinthia’s goal scorers, as opposed to their goal scoring efforts.

And what made things worse were some of the stories he had heard that morning – that Rod had gone without sleep for the last 24 hours, chanting some random slogan to himself, threatening to levy serious harm to anyone that got in his way. And that Rod was on the verge of going completely insane, possibly hyping himself out prior to the start of the first match of the World Cup.

But, if there was truly a reason to be worried, one of Thom’s lieutenants would have let him know beforehand. Ernie might have let him know at breakfast that Rod needed to be benched to as to avoid a capital murder charge on live television. But there was no such warning given, because no one felt one was needed. Rod was just plain ready. And he was getting all of his teammates ready, too. By getting hyped up the way he was, he was, in turn, hyping up all his teammates. Other players were screaming, roaring and going crazy as the minutes drew near to their first match of the World Cup.

That hype was plain as day as the players didn’t walk from the locker room, but exploded out of it, screaming and yelling about as loud as they could. The eyes of the multiverse were on the Thunderdome in Tikariot, and were on the Hapiloppians rushing out of the locker room and out of the tunnel, ready to show the multiverse what they were made of.

[Vdara]

I'll look at things now
In a different light than I did before
And I've found the cause
And I think that you can be my cure

Matchday 13: Calgasia versus Vdara

This was it. The day had finally come, the day that the Vdarans could secure qualification with a game still remaining. All they had to do was to avoid slipping up against Calgasia - a team who, despite their status as being the third-lowest team in the group, were still mathematically in contention for a playoff spot, and had impressed themselves against stronger teams before. What's more, this was going to be one of Calgasia's last fixtures at their legendary Der Rosengarten stadium before its demolition, and it was clear that their fans would be at their loudest, and their players at their best to bring about an iconic send-off to an iconic stadium. The Vdaran away fans, despite being in fine voice, were thoroughly outdone by the home crowd, who erupted as the Calgasians came onto the pitch. The sheer noise had rattled the Vdarans to their bones, so much so that just before kickoff, two players turned to one another and made a very swift conclusion.

"If we're going to get into this game, we've got to silence this mob."

"So, we score first?"

"We score first."

Unfortunately for them, things did not go as planned, and Calgasia's Gloria Renner slipped through a ropey Vdaran defence to send the home crowd wild within the first five minutes. The same two players, passing by one another for another kickoff, exchanged a few more words.

"So much for scoring first."

"Fuck up! You're not helping."

Fortunately, by the time another half hour had passed, Sophia Kyprianou had worked her magic and nabbed herself another two goals, quietening down the home crowd. Not satisfied with just the two goals, Sophia netted her third in the second half, and despite the Calgasians pegging the game back to 3-2 there was no looking back for the Vdarans, whose further two goals sealed both the victory and World Cup qualification. Towards the end of the game, the Vdaran away fans were now by far the loudest, with a rendition of "You're no singing anymore" giving the Rosengarten a sendoff it didn't deserve. Nonetheless, the fervent Vdaran away fans and their newfound rudeness cared very little for such things, and upon the final whistle they continued to sing loudly as the home crowd filtered out onto the streets of Ocheron. The players, of course, stayed behind to clap the away fans, who shouted such heartfelt and sympathetic messages of support as "WELL DONE SHAGGERS!" and "NOW DON'T FUCK IT UP!"

Matchday 14: Vdara versus Of The Golden Harp

Running out 3-0 victors, Vdara had sealed their spot at the top of group ten in front of their home crowd, ending a painfully long streak of second and third places. Naturally, this sent the 50,000-strong home contingent wild, but not too wild - after all, they had qualified for the last three World Cups. If anything, qualification was beginning to become an expectation, and merely doing well in the qualifiers was no longer enough to satisfy the ever-hungrier Vdaran fanbase. Nor was the offer of free gyros for topping their group (tasty, but not quite what they were after). Simply put, if they were going to send fans streaming onto the pitch again, they were going to have to do the same at a higher level, bettering their paltry record of having won only two of their eighteen group stage matches in the World Cup proper. Not an easy task!

Home Team Dressing Room
Vdara

Markos bounced through the dressing room door and high fived all of the players, running quicker than he had for about a decade. By the time he had made his third loop of the room, he was getting short of breath.

"Fuckin' YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAS!" screamed Markos, his almost-primal roar matching the players' vibe of elation. "Top of the fucking group, that's how we roll ladies and gents! None of this 'fuck about and slip in via the playoffs' bullshit. Pure, simple, group-topping ruthlessness. That's what the people have been waiting to see, some proper pumpings. We have to remember that this mob held us to 1-0 at their massive ground, so putting three past them is superbly satisfying, you get me? Ahhhh... I really need to take a breath before I fall down." He paused for a minute, regaining the little composure he had left. Despite not actually playing, the hotter conditions at the VdarArena had made his forehead shinier than a billiards ball - and about as red as one, too. "I'm sorry, everyone. It just makes me so happy to have everything work out like this. Well, not everything, but we're past that now. Yuugria? Kamijiro? Behind us, lads and lasses. You've earned the party we're gonna have tonight, but we are not - and I repeat - we are NOT going to dwell on this whatsoever. Get all of your congratulations to yourselves and each other out by the end of tonight, because by the time the group draw rolls around we all start from zero, okay? Yes, we absolutely have to pat ourselves on the back for having the group's best goal difference by a country mile, but we didn't score the most or concede the least, so there is still room for improvement. I'll let yous off, though, you've earned it. I've booked us all one of the VIP suites at a certain televised chef's special Chania branch. I will warn yous, though - he takes less shite than I do, so it's best behaviour or get fucked, alright? Cool. Kits off, get yourselves freshened up, and get your suits on. The coach leaves at seven, so plenty time yet."

Suited and booted, the players made their way to one of the country's fanciest restaurants to celebrate being on top of the world. Well, group ten, but it certainly felt like being the best. Markos, of course, neglected to tell the players that the Vdaran FA would be footing the bill, but they soon got the message once he'd ordered a third bottle of ouzo to the table. This was going to be a long night...

THE MORNING AFTER

Markos woke up in his hotel room with absolutely no recollection of the night before. "Good start," he thought. He checked his phone. Seventeen missed calls. "Even better!" As he looked around him, he realised that he was in fact, not in his bed, but wrapped up in the duvet on the floor. Staggering to his feet, he noticed a distinct smell emanating from the floor. Checking it, he saw a whole kebab on the floor. Out of sheer curiosity, he touched it. Stone cold. "Typical. Little did he know, his day was about to get a lot, lot worse. For one, videos were swirling around twii.tur and TikariotTokariit of Markos, clearly heavily inebriated, desecrating this restaurant's fine tablecloths with some horrendous dance moves before calamitously falling off of the table. He was also singing 'Hollaback Girl', but that's a story for another day. Still violently hungover, he checked his phone once more to see that the group draw results had come out.

Yuezhou (8)
Commonwealth of Baker Park (35)
Vdara (24)
Busoga Islands (118)

"Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit."

[West Vdara]

Channel 2 Kanaria

"Greetings, comrades! We shall let Stavros tell you all about this in a second, but I am delighted to inform you all that our glorious heroes of the West Vdaran proletariat have superbly triumphed in the exhibition match that was unfairly and unjustly set up in an attempt to undermine our proud nation's strong footballing prowess!"

"Yes, thank you comrade! The globalist, capitalist elite simply could not handle our footballing stars' sheer grit and determination as a result of the instilled socialist characteristics which define these players every day. Praise be to our glorious regime! Nevertheless, things did look sketchy, but as per usual the glory greatest West Vdarans did what they do best - crushing the capitalists under our iron fist of egalitarianism! We believe that five goals is the most ever scored by these fantastic players in a single game of football, which just goes to show how fantastic it is to see them improving day in, day out! Nonetheless, we must move quickly on from this excellent show of socialist force, as the group draw results have just arrived into our studios at Channel 2 Kanaria!"

"There you have it! Our World Cup group in all it's glory. Fantastic to see such likeminded, Western nations in our group! Our first game will be played in the filthy capitalist pigdog nation of Tikariot, at their so-called "Jewel of the Coast". 'Jewel', of course, has such horrendous capitalistic and materialistic - not to mention colonialistic - connotations, that we vehemently reject such a false description of this stadium. Indeed, if these globalist elitists had seen the glorious West Vdaran coast, they would have vastly different opinions of their pitiful little MoneyDome. Thus, it has been decided by the Western Vdaran Territories Football Association, that when our glorious players set foot in their jewel that was presumably stolen from indigenous peoples for profit and other materialistic motives, we shall rename it to the Arena of Peace, Love, and Socialist Integrity, which coincidentally shares the same name as the group that the West Vdarans shall be playing in. Such a curious coincidence, isn't it comrades?"

"Curious indeed it is, comrade Stavros. As always, thank you for your wondrous insight into this nation's footballing adventures - our proud leaders shall surely choose to elevate your reputation with a statue one day."

"Aren't statues also materialist, comrade?"

"No. Now shut up. In other glorious news, our benevolent and democratically-elected leader has announced that the nation's crippling shortage of coffee is OVER! Thanks to our nation's diplomatic prowess, we simply informed these inferior capitalist pigdogs that such a proud nation of ours would not respect their undemocratically-imposed sanctions designed to harm our proud, patriotic people, and thanks to this they chose to back off and once more allow fellow socialist nations to provide us with coffee grains, coffee beans, and super-instant coffee. The most loyal comrades will be able to access such rations of these firsthand at their local State Ration Bureau's office, provided that they can prove their loyalty to the state through a variety of methods, including but not limited to: 30+ years of party membership, the ability to sing the national anthem, the ability to sing the national anthem backwards, no criminal history, and the ability to do a perfect West Vdaran salute. Should none of these apply to you, fear not comrade! Coffee will later be rationed in a fairer manner once such logistical hurdles are cleared - which they will be! Furthermore, state agents shall be making unannounced visits to random households across the country! If you or a loved one is believed to be harbouring foreign currency without the knowledge of the government, you may enjoy a knock at your door shortly prior to our first World Cup fixture. That's all from us tonight - glory to our footballers, glory to our comrades, glory to West Vdara!"

Before MD1:

Peace, Love, and Socialist Integrity       P   W  D  L  Pts
West Vdara                                 0   0  0  0    0
West Newlandia                             0   0  0  0    0
Westfield Lodge                            0   0  0  0    0
Westwest Kalactin                          0   0  0  0    0

To play:
Westfield Lodge (Zenic), Arena of Peace, Love, and Socialist Integrity (Jewel of the Crown), Carathyr

[Tanirinthia]

---

OF FATES AND FORTUNES
Chapter Twenty Seven - The Negotiation

---

Clara had been led out from her cell, put in a transport van to heavens knows where, and lead towards a door by this Mr Cross fellow who reassured her that Jasper was just on the other side of. Her hand reached out towards the doorknob, and hesitated just shy of touching it. Thoughts began to rapidly cross her mind, each worse than the last; what if this was some trick, some psy-op to break her down, what if worse he was there but in some horrid state having being tortured with threats of worse to use as a bargaining chip to make her do what they wanted, or worst of all what if Jasper was on the other side of this door, just his body.

She froze for what seemed an age, trapped in a spiral of fear, before she grounded herself, closed her eyes and took a breath. Turning the doorknob and walking in the room, she paused briefly to find her fears unfounded. There Jasper was, yes a little dishevelled, tired in the eyes, and perhaps having lost a little weight but he was there, smile beaming at seeing her before rushing up to pick her up in a big hug.

There reunion was rudely interrupting with the entrance of Mr Cross

Ah now we are all gathered here, let's get down the brass tacks. For the past several years both yourself Mr Poole and then later joining you in this effort Ms Bonner have been engaged in convert research as to a way to defeat what I believe you refer to as the "entity", the same "entity" that you were manipulated into releasing from it's prison, imprisoned by the Great Uniter. Just over a year ago this "entity" escaped the confinement facility whilst you were in Eastfield Lodge at the ninety-seventh edition of the confusingly named Football World Cup. Since then background entropy levels have been steadily increasing in fluctuations, not just on Tanirinth but according to our scientists measurements this is taking place across the multiverse. After ascertaining the both of your, well your lack of current connection with this entity, we would like to engage your services and change your covert research into overt research. There is currently the ninety-eighth edition of this "World" Cup about to begin, our team has once again qualified and lucky for us we are based in Tikariot for our group stage, where one of our players Raven Medina has been based for the last several years playing for a local team the Parakleion Firebirds, so we do have small base of operations out there you can make full use of. I can get you on the ground over there before day's end

Jasper who had been quiet up to this point listening to Mr Cross, while holding Clara's hand tight, spoke up

I have two conditions, firstly myself and Clara have full autonomy, this project is ours we understand this entity better than most, if we say jump you need to be saying how high, we can't be being back-seat driven

Mr Cross paused before nodding in agreement.

And secondly, I have had a long time to be thinking about things and have come to believe that this entity is helped by that darkness, the ignorance of people. We need to let the people of Tanirinth know that they are but one world among infinite, that there is life out there stranger than we could imagine. Now I know you will have to go talk to others about this, but I am really immovable of these two points, so you'd best get starting making the calls you need make, and send some decent food and drink in here.

Mr Cross again took a moment, before wordless standing and leaving the room.

Jasper once again grabbed her up in a big hug.

I imagine they are listening, but did you catch what he said?

Yes worried the hells out of me, you and I know there is no such thing as just "luck" it wants us in Tikariot.

Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five | Chapter Six | Chapter Seven | Chapter Eight | Chapter Nine | Chapter Ten | Chapter Eleven | Chapter Twelve | Chapter Thirteen | Chapter Fourteen | Chapter Fifteen | Chapter Sixteen | Chapter Seventeen | Chapter Eighteen | Chapter Nineteen | Chapter Twenty | Chapter Twenty-One | Chapter Twenty-Two | Chapter Twenty-Three | Chapter Twenty-Four | Chapter Twenty-Five | Chapter Twenty-Six

[Tikariot]

Tikariot 98: A Documentary - Episode 1

The World Cup 98 Stage
The night air in Port Tacassam crackled with electricity as thousands gathered for the official kick-off of World Cup 98, their faces illuminated by the flickering glow of torches lining the stage. The World Cup 98 squad presentation was no ordinary affair. Set against the backdrop of Tikariot’s iconic Dragonscrest Plaza, the grandeur matched the hopes of a nation eager to see their beloved Snowy Owls soar to victory on home soil. The square, draped in black, burgundy and white banners bearing the team’s emblem and soaring owls, was a sea of excitement.

The presentation began with all lights going down, leaving the light of the torches as the only illumination. Then, an announcer’s voice sounded through the PA: "Brothers and sisters in metal, welcome to the Tikariot National Team presentation for World Cup 98!" The crowd erupted, their cheers becoming a deafening roar, reverberating across the plaza. A slow, rhythmic drumbeat began, building in intensity, the crowd matching it with their hands. The players, one by one, emerged from behind a curtain of fire flaring up every time one of them stepped through. Each introduction was accompanied by a short video on giant screens flanking the stage, with goals, tackles and other scenes from club and country.

Adrian Grimaud, the 37-year-old veteran striker, received the loudest cheer as the hometown hero of Port Tacassam FC. His highlight reel was collection of his most spectacular goals, of which he has many, finishing with a clip of him lifting the Copa Rushmori trophy. He smiled and waved, buoyed by the crowd's reaction, but with a mixture of pride and bittersweet emotion in his eyes. For Grimaud and others like François Dagenais and Hamish Stainthorpe, this World Cup was more than just a competition; it was maybe a swan song on the biggest stage.

After the presentation, the players formed a semi-circle on stage and captain Þorgríma Vigdis Ástþórsdóttir of Chromatik fame stepped forward, holding the microphone. “We are not just a team,” she declared, her voice steady and powerful, “we are a family. And this family will fight with every ounce of strength to make Tikariot proud. Together with all of you, the Dark Tide, we will make this World Cup unforgettable.” The crowd responded with a deafening roar, their voices uniting in chants that shook the very ground beneath them.

Beyond Dragonscrest Plaza, the excitement was evident everywhere across the country. In Vantanoch, spectators gathered at public viewing parties, while in sprawling Carathyr, fireworks painted the sky in Tikariot’s colors. As co-hosts of the World Cup, Tikariot was ready, both to host the multiverse and to show that their third-place finish at World Cup 97 was not a fluke. The fans knew they were part of history.

Training Camp in Port Tacassam
Located in the westernmost province of Acrassia, Port Tacassam was the headquarters for Tikariot's WC98 campaign and also was the setting for the Snowy Owls’ training camp. The Dragonscrest Training Complex, an ultra-modern facility surrounded by lush greenery and ocean views, was beleaguered by fans. Inside was one of Tikariot's most state of the art training facilities, with several full-sized pitches stretching out like green carpets, complete with gyms and recovery rooms. Outside, the players mingled with fans, signed autographs, and using the time to connect with the Dark Tide.

During a morning session, the team ran through a series of tactical drills. Brian McAllister, dressed in his signature tracksuit and cap, barked instructions with a mix of authority and encouragement. “Sérigne, tighter on the press! Annika, keep your runs diagonal; they can’t handle your pace!” he shouted, his voice carrying across the field. The fullbacks, James Wintersham and Anders Skogensberg, practiced overlapping runs, which as the training sessions progressed became smoother and more precise.

Off the pitch, it became clear that the team was more than just a collection of players. In the players’ lounge, Mathias Vercauteren and Markus Sivertstrand were engaged in a heated CAFA match, with several of their teammates cheering and jeering along. Meanwhile, Adrian Grimaud and Þorgríma Vigdis sat in a quiet corner, talking shop over some cups of herbal tea. “You know, this might be my last hurrah,” Grimaud said, his tone somewhat melancholic. Þorgríma smiled. “Then let’s make it count and kick some ass!”

Of course, not everything was harmonious. A small disagreement between Connlaodh MacGofraidh and Sebastian Karlsbakk during a defensive drill led to a tense exchange. “You’re leaving too much space!” MacGofraidh argued. Karlsbakk shot back, “I’m covering the runner; you need to step up!” McAllister quickly intervened, turning the moment into a teachable opportunity. By the end of the session, the two defenders were back to joking around, but the exchange showed that the team was on fire.

The Press Conference
The press room was packed, filled with journalists fom across the multiverse. At the front sat Brian McAllister, flanked by Þorgríma Vigdis, Adrian Grimaud, and Mathias Vercauteren. Cameras flashed as McAllister adjusted his microphone.

“Alright, let’s get started,” he said with a grin. The first question came from a journalist from the *Rushmori Football Times*. “Coach McAllister, what are your thoughts on opening against StrayaRoos?”

McAllister leaned forward. “StrayaRoos are a strong side, I mean, if you qualify for the World Cup, you have to be good, right? We’ve played them before, and we won both times, but you can't underestimate anyone. They’re unpredictable, but so are we.”

Another journalist directed a question at Þorgríma. “Þorgríma, how do you handle the pressure of leading the team on home soil?”

Þorgríma shrugged. “Pressure is just another word for opportunity. This is our chance to show the world what Tikariot is made of. Plus, with the Dark Tide behind us, we’ve got the best support in the world.”

When asked about his expectations, Adrian Grimaud injected some humour. “Well, I expect Mathias to score a hat-trick in the opener. No pressure,” he quipped, earning laughter from the room. Mathias grinned. “And I expect you to set up all three goals,” he shot back, which the two forwards struck on.

The atmosphere turned became a little more serious when a local journalist asked about the significance of co-hosting the World Cup. McAllister’s tone shifted as well, with a hint of pride. “It’shuge,” he said. “This is more than football; it’s about showing off Tikariot’s culture, hospitality, and passion to the multiverse. Hosting the World Cup is an honour, and we want to make it unforgettable.”

Match Preparations: Facing StrayaRoos
On the eve of the opening match, the tension and excitement were palpable. The team’s final training session at Dragonscrest Stadium drew a large crowd of eager fans. The players went through their routines with a mix of focus and levity. Annika Nurmsalu and Morris Nighthorse placed a bet at who could dribble through the backline faster, while goalkeeper Vincent Litman did some acrobatic saves to entertain the fans.

Brian McAllister gathered the team for a final huddle. “Tomorrow isn’t just another game,” he said. “It’s a chance to make history. Play with your hearts, and the rest will follow.”

Voices of the Fans
“This is our time!” shouted a young fan, her face painted in black and burgundy. “I can feel it, we’re going all the way this time!” Another fan, an older man wearing a scarf with the TFF's logo, confidently annoucned. “I’ve followed this team since their first World Cup. To see them host the tournament for a second time now is a dream come true. The team's the best I've seen so far.”

The Dark Tide, ever passionate, were already practicing their thunderous chants. Groups gathered outside the stadium, their synchronized claps and cries echoing into the night.

One fan summed it up best: “With the Snowy Owls on the pitch and the Dark Tide in the stands, no one can stop us. This isn’t just football—it’s our story, and we’re writing it together.”

[Saint Eleanor]

OOC: The cocktail bar in Polan has been used with Qusmo's permission. StrayaRoos has also approved of Lara Torridge's guide to his country!

Group of Six meeting (LIV) --- SAINT ELEANOR 2-0 Paringo
Participants: Gentle Breeze, Reniira Clevinger, Stephen Mitcham ~ Bridget Coombe [C], Cathy Winchester [VC], Olympia Woodward [ballot]
Location: The Salon (pizza restaurant; has vegan options!), North Seville, Saint Eleanor

I ordered one nice, fancy, average-sized pizza with vegan pepperoni and vegan cheese and mushrooms and peppers, $16.95. Following this was a short and particularly untense argument about the rights of the dairy industry and its PR operatives.

What do we have here? Stephen thinks I look too fancy. Bridget thinks I don't look fancy enough. I remind them that every self-respecting Eleanorian lady needs a nice, fancy, tall pair of boots - "those are some killer heels," remarks Cathy - but they keep pointing out that I'm wearing a particularly expensive watch. I remind him, in particular, that SESB's Penelope Campbell said much the same thing in a rather more respectful tone.

I dislike it when people get too bossy; it gets in the way of creativity. As the de facto chair of the meeting, I've therefore asked everyone else what they think about it. We could come to a meaningful agreement if everyone were heard out.

Gentle Breeze: "We should start from the 4-2-3-1, but Island Fusion has been a very minor pest, including for us - so we should be a bit more restrained. Strategically, of course, not necessarily structurally."

Clevinger: "The boss is a legend. Let her do what she wants, but I say get some minutes on the board for Barnett and Nicholls. They're more in line with this approach than the usuals."

Mitcham: "Everybody needs to push back a bit, hold fast, try to avoid Island Fusion getting another sneaky one in. I think we might have to get you out, Olympia; sorry."

Coombe: "There isn't much to be lost here. We should be a bit more experimental and see what works, or doesn't work. Again, I'll defer, but I wouldn't support too many attacking-minded changes."

Winchester: "I disagree with all of you. This is a time for reasoned normality; there should be a few switcharounds, maybe a flat five in midfield, but we shouldn't be cynical. Save Olympia, please."

Do we have a consensus? Yes, despite what Cathy thinks. If I had to say, this looks like pivoting the squad to be a bit more defensive. I'm in agreement on Barnett <Curran>, suggest including Hollenberg <Felaraneta>, further suggest moving Launceston up to midfield <Matsuda>, and yet further suggest releasing Wilson into the backline {Launceston}. I disagree on Nicholls, thinking that we need a bit of fluidity rather than pure toughness. There are nods all around, so I tell them that's what they're going with.

I also suggest that I'm not exactly well-placed to decide if I deserve a continuing place in the lineup for this round. Other than Stephen, however, there's a consensus that I'm still valuable and can drop back if necessary. That will be four changes from the usual lineup to a rather more defensive-minded 4-2-3-1, in which case. There may well be nothing to lose in doing so, given that Patriotlandia have stalled a bit and might not pose any real threat to Eshialand's position at the top of the table.

Could it get any worse? "We could lose," complains Cathy, not normally one for complaining. Bridget tells her off a bit, insists I'd make a good manager because I listen to people and try to get them together, informs me (and reminds everyone else) that she did the de facto team selection when we lost at Patriotlandia on Matchday Eight, and thinks that it's important that prospective managers fail now rather than when they're actually managing. I would absolutely go for more of an attacking approach if it was my decision and mine alone - certainly it works for Sword and Shield - but this is the Eleanorian National Team, and the will of the people shall prevail here.

I've largely disliked this conversation above and beyond the actual football side of it, which is why I largely haven't bothered to mention it; better if we talk about the great works of art. Thankfully, two bottles of wine have been ordered and I have had very slightly more than my fair share.

(Olympia)

The Grand Tour of Anaia - StrayaRoos: A bouncy country, if you're willing to bear all the tedious nonsense

by Lara Torridge - March 19th 2006

StrayaRoos can be a fun place, especially if you don't know what you're getting into. Unfortunately, I know all too well what the place is like, from my admittedly-limited runthroughs of local tourism guides. I have to argue with the woman at the bureau de change that yes, Montesina's currency really is called that. She relents after a couple of minutes of quiet, subtle back-and-forth and gives me my due.

Exchange rate: 1,650 soles de oro = R$306.50 (~5.65 Sol = $1 = R$1.05)

I resist the temptation to ask her if Roosian Dollars are a real currency, although I am quickly pleased to learn that they are. I do, however, ask my cab driver what Pale West Airport is like, if I've just gotten out of the sanitised sanity of Pale East. "Shit," he modestly replies. He insists that I be dropped off "in the city," as though I wasn't there already, before proceeding to pull up to one of the ranks near where everything is happening, with few if any questions asked. The Waterfront, as it turns out, is one of Anaia's biggest scams by surface area. I am fortunate to only spend twenty dollars of cold, hard cash there before remembering that I have a bank card on my person. It is used with more liberality than I wish to accept, and for little profit.

I have lunch, and a couple of tasters, at a few of the restaurants, and find them to be disappointing and not really in keeping for the local culture. This is why I settle on one of the local, half-decent pubs as my dinner venue of last resort. Finding the emu eggs to be too big in all regards for my taste, I order a kangaroo steak with chips, and a watery beer that I both hate and love at the same time. As is my fortune, though, I am served a whole three minutes before final orders; there is a scuffle, which I find to be unseemly given the apparent reputation of this establishment. I scuttle off to one of the middling hotels of little, if not quite zero, repute. I identify myself as a journalist travelling the world with Academy newspaper, to which he congratulates me on my callup to the Eleanorian national team. I was a good leftback, but not that good.

Day 1: Summary

What I wore: a tiny little coat, long-sleeved shirt, slim-fit jeans and sturdy boots - yet again
What I spent: more or less 20 Roosian dollars
What I've got left over: 95 Eleanorian dollars for emergencies; 285 Roosian dollars for ordinary use

My first day in StrayaRoos was a wild ride, however you spin it. I decide that the best way to spend my second day would be to do the most subtle full outfit change I can, check out of anything even vaguely resembling the Waterfront, and visit a few of the more relaxed spots. It is early enough that I get to swing by a couple of the museums. The one at Parliament House I thoroughly enjoy; I am not a particularly firm believer in democracy, as that largely isn't the done thing in Saint Eleanor, but I do suggest out loud that someone should turn some of these political disputes into a fully-blown television drama. The one at the National Museum I repeatedly laugh at. I'm accused of disrespect from a couple of quarters, only to respond that the concepts of Emu Wars and a couple of the local musicians' hijinks are funny in their own rights. There are no comedics by the time I get to the sections on sporting history.

I've had some fun with the local transit, and come to learn that the nearby city of Zeal is en route. I ask one of my fellow passengers if there's anything else to do anywhere outside the capital, since I had some fun with Montesina; he tells me that I made a mistake in visiting that place and that the other big cities in StrayaRoos would really be no better. I take him for his word, do a bit of shopping in Zeal (which is, on this occasion, not my idea of a fine day out), visit the zoo (which is technically in Zeal, and slightly less of a distraction than the one back home). I'm told there's an ice-skating rink, as well - something Pale doesn't have - but I am thoroughly not in the mood for a potential travel-disrupting injury at this time.

After a bit of unpacking, and a general realisation that not much really happens in StrayaRoos these days, I return to the same pub, at ten o'clock, to have the same kangaroo steak and chips and dubious local beer. The landlord remembers my complaint from last night and serves me one emu egg on the house, which I detest, but not enough to stop me from eating about half of it.

Day 2: Summary

What I wore: a leather jacket, short-sleeved shirt, normal jeans and a pair of trainers
What I spent: Twelve Roosian dollars
What I've got left over: 95 Eleanorian dollars for emergencies; 273 Roosian dollars for ordinary use

Did I forget something? I decide that there are still a few things I haven't seen around the Waterfront. I pay the entry fee for the Pale Eye, a fairground wheel larger than any of the ones in any of Saint Eleanor's actual fairgrounds - or what little has remained of them since the war now that we're all playing football - and appreciate the opportunity I've been given to have a look at all of these shiny, sometimes plasticky buildings from so high up. In the distance, I spot a couple of beaches and decide that going to one of them would be worth my time.

A couple of hours of confused wandering and a nice slap-up lunch later, I find myself in Manildon Beach. One of the local holidaymakers insists that Nandiri Beach, "over there," is "far worse and full of scumbags;" I ask what appears to be his mate for corroboration, only to be told that "this place is boring." I find myself drawn to agree; there are only so many sandcastles I can help to make and loungers I can borrow before I want to get back to my hotel, collect my luggage, hurry back to the beach and see if I can find any boat rental companies. I go to the third-nearest salesman (thinking that the other two will just be competing to scam customers), get charged a fair amount for a reasonable, serviceable boat in the end, and am reminded that I am actually dealing with a boat rental company. As is my form, though, I have no plans to return the boat.

Day 3: Summary

What I wore: the same as last time, minus the jacket
What I spent: Five Roosian dollars
What I've got left over: 95 Eleanorian dollars for emergencies; 268 Roosian dollars for ordinary use

Group of Six meeting (LV) --- Island Fusion 1-0 SAINT ELEANOR
Participants: Gentle Breeze, Reniira Clevinger, Stephen Mitcham ~ Bridget Coombe [C], Cathy Winchester [VC], Denise Livingston [ballot]
Location: Vawensa cocktail bar; the posh bits, Polan, QUS

MAJOR MATCH EVENTS: Salah 54, thereby meaning we finish second in the group and are - by some twist of fate - drawn to play against our group winners, Eshialand. "Not again!" (~ Reniira). A couple of yellow cards were shown all around, but everyone is available and - as usually happens - nobody is injured or suspended.


LESSONS LEARNED: "I'm not all that surprised, to be honest" (~ Cathy). [more lessons, and some moping about cocktails, coming soon!]


RECOMMENDATIONS: The consensus is that the Island Fusion lineup just did not work. At the same time, our traditional 4-2-3-1 has been hit-or-miss and not really responsive to Eshialand's quality. Cathy has once again suggested that a 4-1-4-1 with Coombe, Matsuda and Hollenberg in the midfield "triangle" would be the best option - given that it affords us stability and flexibility in midfield (especially as our own is fairly packed), defensive solidity, and the familiarity of one striker. There is concord, but with agreement that substitutes will almost certainly be much-needed - Ohan out wide is the biggest shout, although there's resistance to just starting him given his experience.


MOVING FORWARD: Reniira will be taking notes after MD1 (before MD2 vs Qusmo); it'll be our third meeting and she deserves to put her passion into it. Cathy will be doing the helpful summaries. If we're eliminated after MD3 (vs Valentine Z), I'll do the customary Group of Twenty-Nine; otherwise, it'll be Bridget's turn and we'll decide from there how to proceed if we keep on winning.

~GB

[Eastfield Lodge]

The Lodger

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Sport >>> Football >>> World Cup 98

New faces, new opponents, new format - what to expect from World Cup 98

Ahead of the Imperial Commonwealth’s opening World Cup 98 match against Gnejs, we take a look at what fans can expect out of this unique four-nation World Cup, both for Eastfield Lodge and around the wider tournament.

Corinne Mersiades’ side made relatively light work of qualifying, finishing top of their qualifying group for the first ever time in any World Cup campaign, 5 points clear of Myrtle Beach and 8 clear of the playoff spot top seeds Mertagne ended up being eliminated from. The successful campaign would mark the first ever time a foreign manager had taken Eastfield Lodge to the World Cup, the first they’ve succeeded in qualifying for in 21 cycles, and a first ever back-to-back set of World Cup appearances for the Imperial Commonwealth. A short trip south across Rushmore takes us to the host nations of the Xandrian Sea - Qusmo, Tikariot, Yuezhou and the nation where we will kick off the group stage in, The Kytler Peninsulae.

The Format

Much like World Cup 97, the first ever 48 team World Cup in the WCC’s history, World Cup 98 will also feature 48 teams, albeit with three hosts auto-qualifying instead of two - Yuezhou, whilst hosting some matches of the finals, were made to go through qualifying. 12 groups of 4, same as previously, but this World Cup won’t be done in the traditional “halves” - teams will be rotating between different cities all across the host nations. And the Round of 32 seeding will also be different compared to last time out - instead of the rigid group-based system the Eastfielder and Pasargan organising committees opted for, this will be based on the so-called Qusma seeding system used in the 32nd Copa Rushmori. That will make predictions for potential knockout stage opponents difficult, but is seen as a significant improvement on the last edition, which saw several of the favourites drawn together in the same quarter-final berth. From there on in, it will be your classic straight knockout to the final.

The Draw

Coming into the finals with their highest ever world ranking of 22, the Imperial Commonwealth were seeded in Pot 2, the highest pot the nation will be drawn from in the finals as well (as a reminder, backlash during the bidding process for World Cup 97 lead to Eastfield Lodge being put into Pot 4 despite their status as hosts). They have been drawn into Group B, featuring host nation Tikariot, fellow northern Rushmori side Gnejs and the Anaian nation of StrayaRoos. In World Cup competition, these are all new opponents for the Imperial Commonwealth. Playing on the opening day of the tournament in the Kytler Peninsulae, Gnejs are the first opponents for Mersiades’ side, the 40th ranked Pot 3 side topping their qualifying group containing The Holy Empire and Zwangzug and matching Eastfield Lodge’s record of 10 wins and 3 draws, their sole loss coming against Zwangzug in the first half of qualifying. They will be looking to improve on their dismal showing in Pasarga in the last World Cup, where they were eliminated as one of the worst third place sides with a single point from three games. The two nations have never actually met on the international stage before, so this will be a brand new challenge for both sets of players.

Travelling over the border into Tikariot, StrayaRoos will be the Imperial Commonwealth’s second opponent, the Anaian side coming in at 45th and in Pot 4. They had a rougher time in qualifying than any of the other sides, but still qualifying outright after coming in 2nd and seven points clear of TJUN-ia in third, 9 wins and 2 draws still providing a good points haul and demonstrating their prowess. And in the previous tournament, they only somewhat fared better than Gnejs, finishing third in their group in the Imperial Commonwealth half, and only advancing as the 8th of 8 third place sides, losing to Siovanija and Teusland in the Round of 32, who would go on to be beaten by the Imperial Commonwealth in the following round. Another match-up yet to happen in the history of Eastfielder football, this is one Eastfield Lodge will need to target for a win in order to fulfil their ambitions of a knockout place, ahead of their final match against the hosts, Tikariot. Pot 1, ranked 6th in the world, and automatically qualifying for the finals as hosts, Tikariot will be on home turf in Baraldhur in the final match of the group. Tikariotian football is riding a big wave at the moment, following their amazing third place finish in World Cup 97, having narrowly missed out against Valanora in the semis. Following that up with a convincing victory in last year’s Copa Rushmori, and the group favourites are looking good for a deep run in the tournament, and maybe even one of the favourites behind the ever-present Elves and defending champions Squornshelan Remnant States. Despite a long history on the international stage, the two nations are also yet to meet in any WCC competition, their only international meeting in the last decade taking place in the 46th Copa Rushmori, with Tikariot running out 2-0 victors in the final group game.

---

WC98Q MD11: Natanians and Nosts 0–1 Eastfield Lodge
Line-up (4-2-3-1): Horak - Webber, Duncan-Berntsen, Strong, St Cleer (<> Karson 75’) - Farrow (<> Toure 75’), Cope - Caceres, Gebo-McCraw (<> Allred 68’), Lysander (<> Hackett 86’) - Noble (<> Holdsworth 68’)
Goals (Assists): Holdsworth (85’)
[u]Headline: Eastfield Lodge heading towards qualification after late win

WC98Q MD12: Eastfield Lodge 6–2 Kandorith
Line-up (4-2-3-1): Horak - Guillou (<> Boyd 82’), Duncan-Berntsen, Strong, Karson (<> St Cleer 70’) - Farrow, Mordecai (<> Cope 82’) - Ashby, Gebo-McCraw (<> Wraight 70’), Hackett - Holdsworth (<> Dean-Jamal 70’)
Goals (Assists): Hackett (12’ - Ashby), Gebo-McCraw (28’, 43’ - Holdsworth, 47’ - Guillou), Duncan-Bernsten (36’), Dean-Jamal (73’)
[u]Headline: Sunny days as Sundus hat-trick books World Cup qualification

WC98Q MD13: City of Myrtle Beach 1–1 Eastfield Lodge
Line-up (4-2-3-1): Horak - Guillou, Duncan-Berntsen, Strong (<> Kirkup 78’), Karson - Farrow, Mordecai - Ashby (<> Caceres 67’), Gebo-McCraw, Hackett (<> Lysander 78’) - Holdsworth (<> Noble 67’)
Goals (Assists): Farrow (80’ - Noble)
[u]Headline: Late equaliser secures top spot for the Imperial Commonwealth

WC98Q MD14: Eastfield Lodge 2–0 Northwest Kalactin
Line-up (4-2-3-1): O’Sullivan - Webber, Kaber, Kirkup (<> Strong 84’), Karson - Toure, Cope (<> Mordecai 70’) - Caceres, Hackett (<> Ashby 70’), Wraight - Dean-Jamal (<> Noble 84’)
Goals (Assists): Webber (32’ - Caceres, 62’ - Caceres)
[u]Headline: Set piece galore as Eastfield Lodge secure revenge

Likely line-up to play Gnejs (4-2-3-1):
Horak - Guillou, Duncan-Berntsen, Strong, St Cleer - Farrow, Cope - Caceres, Fredrich, Lysander - Holdsworth

Suspended: N/A
Injured: N/A

[The Kytler Peninsulae]

This is the MD1 cutoff

[Sarzonia]

"Well isn't that just great?"

Sarzonian national team manager Caleb Rush said that was his reaction to the group draw that put his team into Group L, or as he put it "the freaking Group of Death." However, Rush left the distinct impression that the actual words he used were far more colourful.

"It certainly wasn't an ideal group for us, that much is certain," he said. 'We open the World Cup proper with Juvencus. Need I remind anyone what happened the last time we faced La Squadra?"

What happened was a match between the two teams with a bid into the World Cup 96 proper on the line. After that bane of Krytenian existence, the penalty round shootout, it was Juvencus who advanced to the proper whilst Sarzonia were on their way to Tumbra and the Cup of Harmony. Granted, we know what happened there, as the Stars ended up with their fourth major international trophy and second Cup of Harmony title. But still, it was a loss in heartbreaking fashion to Juvencus that was the lasting first impression between these teams.

Rush dismissed the notion of revenge being a motivating factor for Sarzonia against Juvencus, saying "that was enough ago where it's not something that we think about. Really, our intention is to get the three points and not think about revenge."

The Pot Four side will be Hapilooper, ranked 55th in the football multiverse, a team the Stars faced previously in a Cup of Harmony and in a football tournament within the Region That Shall Not Be Named. Other than that, there isn't a lot of history between the nations, but Rush said the team would be wary.

"We can't afford to slack against any of these teams," he said. "Points and spots in the knockouts will be precious and we need to be on point for every match."

Ranked one spot below No. 10 Juvencus, Tanirinthia will be a first-time opponent for the Stars, but they won't be a team the Stars are going to sleep on.

"You can't underestimate a team that's ranked higher than we are in the football multiverse," Rush said. "We have a tough road ahead, but that's to be expected."

[Zenic]

"I'm unsure why we're still on this train of thought, especially now during a major international event like the World Cup IN OUR HOME REGION. AGAIN!"

The Emperor was exasperated. It had been about 2 hours now since the Emperor and Consul had arrived at the military HQ in Binar and the discussion with Premier General Brynhildur Marcela had begun and was still ongoing. Consul Felipe and the other generals and admirals interjected as best they could but it was mainly a two-person conversation at this point. They were, once again, discussing the option of expansion of Zenician borders.

"Let's reiterate. We can't expand South as all known islands are part of the Arcadian Islands. We can't expand directly West since we have New Ponyville, Sicoutimont, and Cassadaigua. Directly East and North, we've got the Gatchingerrak Union." General Marcela shook her head. "Yes, but there is unclaimed territory around some of those nations. Simply ripe with resources we definitely could use. You and I both are very aware of that fact."

The Emperor covered his face with both hands, both in giving himself a mini break and calming himself down. "This isn't the stone age, General. Back in the day, you could make unprompted land grabs and mostly get away with it. Now, we literally have a Rushmori funded committee that focuses on updating maps and maintaining existing borders. I concede that you may get a small element of surprise but it doesn't last as long as it used to and the international court of opinion wields a ton of power now." The Premier General sighed before asking, "What about all the recent changes? Like Haiguaidian."

"Haiguaidian has yet to be recognized by most of Rushmore plus it's a small merchant city on unclaimed land made up of Yuezhou refugees. It's not like Yuezhou went out seeking that land intentionally. Plus, The Kytler Peninsulae, Graintfjall, heck even Nieuwe Sleeswijk or Brookstation could make a claim for that land and force them off. I'm smart enough to know not to be in a brawl with that many heavy hitters." General Marcela nodded slightly in agreement. "And all these new nations just sprouting up, like the Gatchingerrak Union? Taking land in OUR backyard?"

"Gatchingerrak Union, Kirungabi, Rea San Vegas, Elmyia, and Aerágny all went through the proper channels. Most of them were before my time as Emperor but regardless, I had Domestic Affairs, International Affairs AND Justice review the paperwork. Everything checked out with their claims. Emperor Proctor could not have stopped those even if he wanted to or had the time to focus on that especially in regards to the Union. They had a legitimate claim to the land," the Emperor replied, throwing his arms up in the air. "There are also several requests in the system that are still not approved and we don't know if they ever will be so it's not just a 'first come, first serve' situation, despite popular belief."

"And Qzvarkian Qaz?" The Emperor sighed as soon as that nation was brought up. "A little internal conflict here, a little economic collapse there. A lot of people without a nation to call home anymore. Something we are trying very hard to prevent ourselves from replicating." The rest of the room turned their focus over to the Premier General, seeing how she would respond. "I know. I too want to prevent that from happening here at home. But that land is precisely what we need: a ton of arable land with built in infrastructure that we can use immediately. " The crowd now focused back on the Emperor.

"I agree, if it didn't leave us in the same situation as your original plan did: more land, same amount of access to the rest of the world. Your first idea would have stuck us with a bunch of mountains smackdab in the middle of a closed off lake. Your new idea is a tiny bit better with a bit more access to the Greater and Lesser Inland Seas but not really as beneficial since most of the land has never been claimed. And still no direct access to North, West or East Rushmore. You have to think in the big picture, Premier General."

She paused for a moment, walking over to the large map of Rushmore on one of the walls. She was there for a long enough time for everyone in the room to grow concerned. "What if," she stated, jostling several people in the room. "We marched Northbound and claimed long strips of land East of northern Gatchingerrak Union and Norrhem that lead right in-between the Xandrian and Obsidian Sea?" The Emperor stood up and walked over to the map alongside Premier General Marcela to better envision what she recommended. Soon, a few others stood up and walked to get a better view of the map themselves.

The room was silent but you could almost hear the gears spinning in everyone's head. "Logistically, these new regions would need to be wide enough to build industrial, commercial, residential and military sectors but narrow enough to not break the Rushmori etiquette of land assertation. It's a tough ask but I can get the best people on the job to find out if it can be done," the Emperor said, finally breaking the silence. "The armed forces should be able to scale up and handle that much new land without question. It won't be a problem if we start ramping up ahead of time," Premier General Marcela advised the Emperor. "Finally, something we agree on. Take care of it."

She nodded and turned to the rest of the room. "You heard our Imperial Majesty. You have two weeks to gather all the information and projections you need for how much it would cost to ramp up our armed forces to adequately defend that much new land. Understood." All those seated stood up to join the generals and admirals already on foot in saluting the Premier General before filing out to do as asked.

"Impressive, Premier General. Was this your plan all along?" General Marcela turned to look at the Emperor. "Give me a second terrible idea only to follow up with an actual plan immediately after?" She simply shrugged her shoulders. "It definitely sounds like a solid strategy," she replied casually. The two exchanged smiles before the Premier General saluted the Emperor and left to get back to work. "So, what do you think?," the Emperor asked Consul Felipe as he walked up to the Emperor's side.

"IF we go ahead with this, good luck to us: we're gonna need it."

[Gnejs]

Enda Clentin’s Last Dance

Chapter four: The Story Of How The 98th World Cup Cycle Became Enda Clentin’s Last As The Head Coach Of The Prosaic Union National Football Team

The End of An Era

It’s never fun admitting you’ve made a mistake. I remember when I miscalculated once and a heap of money ended up where it didn't belong. It wasn't fun, dragging my legs into the director and enlightening her of my mishap. The mistake was rectifiable, and it wasn't the end of the world. I brought shame on my employer, contributed to a public relations nightmare and lost the respect of my coworkers, but it wasn't the end of the world. Not the world as such, anyways. I don’t know if the Director of The Unit for Delphic Occurrences of The Department of Bewildering and Delphic Occurrences of The Ministry of The Interior and her second in command had similar thoughts of gloom and doom as they made their way up to Meridian Park and the offices of The Prosaic Union Football Federation (PUFF, for short), but I know that their entry to the building started off the pinnacle and crescendo of the story of how the 98th World Cup cycle became Enda Clentin’s last as the head coach of the Prosaic Union National Football Team.     

One couldn't help but notice that the reception and visitor waiting area were surprisingly unscathed, considering the conflict between Clentinistas and Anti-Clentinists had been ongoing for the duration of an entire WC-qualification (and we all know how long and grueling those can be). This was no doubt due to the diligent receptionists, who did not abide any shenanigans and had kept a staunch stance of neutrality all throughout the PUFF Civil War. Kudos to them. Of course, it was a different story altogether when you passed through the turnstiles and entered the offices proper. Those halls and spaces that had so long been places of appropriate collaboration and cautious productivity. Now, they bore profound scars of prolonged warfare and the distinctive marks of infected strife. Desks, once tidy and suitably organized, now descended into a deep pit of clutter and chaos. Chairs and sofas, once rationally placed at spots designated for leisurely timeouts, now building blocks in makeshift partitions. Papers and office supplies scattered everywhere. And there, just behind homemade barricades and high stacks of documents, you could see some of the natives of this wild land. Their clothes wrinkled, soiled and bloodstained. Their eyes dark and sunken. They were on edge, and an atmosphere of paranoia permeated every inch of the building, where old Friendships had turned into bitter enmities. It was all a stark reminder of how quickly the thin veneer of civilization can be torn away, and how deep and dark instincts surface in times of crisis (in this case, disagreement over whether or not something a pub landlord once uttered had happened or not).

The Director of The Unit for Delphic Occurrences and her second in command did raise an eyebrow or two at the whole debacle, but they weren't overly fazed (they were not unfamiliar with strange and bewildering occurrences, after all). They marched straight into the middle of the battlefield and announced their need to speak with Task Force members Vichy and Horn. Both eventually came crawling out of their respective camps, and some coffee and a few biscuits were scrambled from the wartime rations to set up a makeshift meeting, in one of the few meeting rooms that hadn't been completely demolished by the ongoing hostilities. The Ministry people were brief and blunt. Due to Delphiological technicalities, the prophecy concerning Enda Clentin and The Dandelions was no longer relevant, they said. Operation Destiny’s Cup was terminated effective immediately, and its Task Force was disbanded, they continued. The Ministry of The Interior no longer had any interest in Enda Clentin or the Prosaic Union National Football Team, they said in closing. The Director and her second in command consented to reiterate the same statement in front of the entire body of PUFF employees down in the remains of the cafeteria, before they departed to convey the same message to Task Force members at The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and The Ministry for Culture, Sports and Other Charitable Activities.      

And the PUFF madness seemingly just evaporated. It was like a fog had lifted and former foes looked at each other anew, completely unable to remember what they had been so at odds for. There was no gloating or ill will, just a collective somber sadness at the realization that they all stood at the end of an era. And it really was the end of an era, the story of how the 98th World Cup cycle became Enda Clentin’s last as the head coach of the Prosaic Union National Football Team. And above all it taught us that an era ends not with a boing, but with a whimper, like the old Baggie poet once said. 

But did it have to be? An end of an era, that is. These new revelations meant that the battered bureaucrats had moved beyond the realm of foresight and back onto the open plane of indetermination; no longer coerced into traversing a certain path by elements of the deep-down-below-state, they were free, in the pedestrian sense of the word, to decide for themselves. The future was once again the proverbial tabula rasa. They no longer had to employ Enda Clentin as head coach, but at the same time there was nothing forcing them to not keep on employing Enda Clentin as head coach. Actually, you would've thought they might keep Clentin on, because as some of you might remember The Dandelions actually exceeded expectations and excelled in their endeavor to reach the 98th World Cup, despite the unfavorable circumstances. The battleworn bureaucrats of PUFF gathered as much as soon as they started engaging with the outside world once more, and they were all delighted. And surely it would be best to keep the head coach when the team was now to prepare for the World Cup proper? Ok, so maybe Clentin wasn't destined to guide The Dandelions to winning the WC, but he was still doing a pretty good job, no? Surely such an impressive qualification run would speak in his favor? You would think so, and it did, but in the end it mattered little, because otherwise this clearly wouldn't have been the story of how the 98th World Cup cycle became Enda Clentin’s last as the head coach of the Prosaic Union National Football Team.

It boiled down to two things. 

Firstly, it was the players and on-site team staff. The heroes who had actually achieved the impressive results. When PUFF representatives met with the team, it quickly became clear that they no longer had any faith or trust in Enda Clentin. They went on at length about how the remote-coaching-system had gravely troubled the team repeatedly throughout the qualifications, and how Coach Clentin in essence had been more absent than present. And on the rare occasions that they were actually able to communicate with him, he did not seem to understand or empathize with the extreme plights the team had to endure during their away games (those pesky cultural differences!). The goalkeeper Aristocles Svendsen, who was somewhat of a philosopher in his spare time, theorized that the favorable results were actually not a testament to Enda Clentin’s coaching, but rather to the response from the group in light of Clentin’s perceived and actual absence. «Fire tests gold, suffering tests brave men», said Aristocles, and many nodded. In short, the bond had corroded, and there was no support to be found for Old Enda. The good people at PUFF could have pressed the matter, of course, but seeing as the PUFF Civil War was essentially the root cause for most of the grievances the players listed, they quickly decided to cover their own asses and did not. 

Secondly, it soon became apparent that Clentin had not been heard or seen since sometime before the last game against Zwangzug. Technological hardship had made his presence sketchy all throughout, this was known, but he always showed up again. This time, it had just been complete radio silence. Obviously, this did not speak to his advantage. Still, the proper thing to do would've been to investigate further, clearly. What if something serious had happened to him? What if he was hurt, or some mysterious assassin had targeted him? The man was a PUFF employee, for Rock’s sake! However, PUFF was instead rather relieved at his absence, even though they would never admit as much. They had seen what way the wind was blowing, and it suited them well that Clentin took the fall for all the calamities that had plagued the 98th World Cup qualification. Clearly we can’t keep on employing someone who goes awol in the midst of a World Cup qualification, they said. The fact that he couldn't be reached was also an added bonus, because it’s never fun firing someone on face-to-face video. Instead, they sent a letter of termination to 33 Mange Street, Oswark. The timid assistant coach, Timotej Hansen, was promoted to head coach and charged with leading The Dandelions in the upcoming World Cup down southron way by the Xandrian Sea.

So, it was decided. Enda Clentin was no longer the head coach of the Prosaic Union National Football Team. A professional organization descending into collective madness. A prophecy turned on its head by specks of shit. A clash between love and loyalty in a time of war in a valley far far away. That was the story of how the 98th World Cup cycle became Enda Clentin’s last as the head coach of the Prosaic Union National Football Team. Was it a tale of deep magic and the wonders of hidden worlds? Or was it a tale of over-bureaucratization and incompetence, coupled with antiquated superstition, bringing about gross misuse of public resources? Perchance. 

•••

Perhaps you’re wondering what happened to Old Enda? That’s really another story, but from what I’ve heard he abruptly left Oswark and the valley, after the incident in the spare bedroom on 33 Mange Street. Allegedly, he left to escape a WI contract on his head, and some say the hit order came from Agnes herself, the new de facto leader of Delte. Rumors around the Six of Staves say his targeting was due to fraternizing with outsiders, but who knows. I’ve heard it said that he had warning, and that’s what saved his life, but people talk so much. I don’t know if it's true, but some say he ended up in Taxhavn as the new coach of Southern League old gentleman’s club Mount Shilling Casuals. I sure hope he’s doing ok. Knowing Old Enda, I’ll wager he’ll abide. Because, like Aristocles Svendsen used to say: it’s not what happens to you that matters, but how you react to it.

[Audioslavia]

Carrying the One

Parts [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]
[9][10][11]
[12][13][14][15][16][17][18]19[20]

---

Jan Jeremiah Power Jävinnen, (born July 22, 18XX) better known under the alias Jeremy J. Jaffacake is was an Audioslavian journalist, entrepreneur, film-maker, narrator, novelist, broadcaster, podcaster, television presenter, politician, sports administrator, felon and international football manager. He is widely believed to be the most famous Audioslavian in history, and is was believed by himself to be the most famous person in the multiverse.

---

When the noise of the blast eventually reached his ears, Fraser hardly registered it. He'd already seen it. It was enough to make the mind just cease any function above 'breathe' and 'oh god breathe' The man who had stood so confidently in front of him a second ago fell to the floor as if suddenly transformed into a rag doll. Downstairs, he heard the sound of his front door being kicked open, and then of half a dozen men scrambling up the stairs. Fraser leaned with his back against the bedroom wall and slumped slowly to the floor, sitting with his arms wrapped around his knees by the time the men burst into the room. Fraser would have been the first person the guards saw as they scrambled into the room. The body second. On the wall behind and above Fraser, fortunately half a metre to the right of him, was a very fine spray of red, and a spent bullet buried in the plaster just above.

Amidst the furore, Fraser could hear the sound of four walkie-talkies blending together as one.
"Unknown assailant. Neutralized. Looked to be armed."
"Roger, Quillesciotta" said a Bostopian accent at the back of the group. There were seven of them in the room now. Well, six. Dead men don't count.

A first Bostopian guard took the body by the shoulder and heaved it to show the deceased face. He stared for a second.
"Is this... huh..." Said the guard.
"Is he armed?" Said a second, looking over. On the floor, next to the body, was just a single business card.
"I recognise that guy" said a third guard, as the second guard picked up the business card. Without looking, he reached behind and passed the card to the third guard.
"Oh..." Said the third guard. "Oh shit"
"Is he armed" said the second guard again.
"Hardly matters now, guy's dead" said the first soldier.
"Was he armed" said the second guard. Fraser looked up, caught a glimpse, and saw it was Larry. He'd never seen Larry before, but the broom was a give-away. Fraser knew why Larry would be so concerned about him being armed or not"
"Don't think so" said the first guard, having as good a rummage in the deceased's shirt as he dared.
"Guys" said the third guard, staring at the business card in his hands.
"He wasn't armed" said Fraser, quietly.
"Doesn't matter" said the first. "Shouldn't have been here without us knowing. You didn't know he was here, right?"
"Right" said Fraser, into his own chest.
"Lads, shut it for a second" said the third guard, louder this time. The first guard looked up at him, then looked to the single bar on the third guard's uniform, then to him again.
"What was that, Private?"
"This guy. He's... he's..."

---

Jeremy Jaffacake felt funny. Lighter. His head-ache had gone. He hadn't even realised he'd had one. His slightly wheezy, too-many-cigarettes-in-his-forties breath felt cleaner, fresher, like an advert for throat medicine tells you you're going to feel. He was also surprised to learn he was glowing faintly blue and seemed, according to his hands at least, to be a little on the transparent side.

He looked down and saw a thin, curling beam of shimmering light. It connected him to the familiar looking body below. He was alarmed by the soldiers entering the room, but noted that after side-stepping the first guard, who had bent down to look at the body, a second had walked straight through him to pick up the business card he'd apparently dropped.

"This probably isn't good" said Jeremy.
OH, IT'S NOT AS BAD AS THEY MAKE OUT
The voice sounded like James Earl Jones's gravestone tumbling down a narrow well. Jeremy frowned, turned, and saw.
"Terry Pratchett's Death?" said Jeremy. Death didn't answer, instead choosing that moment to stand as still as possible and to look as much like Death as possible. Black cloak, floor-length. Silver scythe, practically room length, both in staff and blade. He held it like a scorpion holds its tail. It wasn't a warning. It wasn't a threat. It was just part of him. It rested in his grip like a pen rests in an engineer's top pocket. Jeremy had a moment of realisation.
"I'm dead", he said. Death responded by looking down at Jeremy's corporal, lifeless body. Death being Death, he barely moved as he did so. The response 'seems that way' was implied in the slightest of glances.
"Oh shit, there's an afterlife?" said Jeremy,
Death maintained his posture and what passed for a glare through hollow, eyeless sockets.
NO said Death, eventually. JUST THIS, I'M AFRAID
Jeremy looked up at the scythe. He looked back at Death. It appeared Death was looking at the thin sparkling light that tethered Jeremy's soul to his body. Jeremy looked back up at the scythe.
"But... a large skeleton in a cape that's... a bit on the nose, isn't it?"
HAVE YOU EVER READ ANYTHING YOU'VE WRITTEN said Death. A riposte, not a question.
"So what happens now?" Asked Jeremy. It was devastatingly apparent what happens now.
NOTHING said Death. THIS IS NOT A NEW BEGINNING. THIS IS THE END.
"But when you, y'know, swish swish" said Jeremy, miming a swing of a scythe incredibly artlessly. "What happens?"
YOU CEASE said Death. The implication was clear. Entropy. The only thing more inevitable than death.
"Oh but... but no" said Jeremy, his arms outstretched like a Pacitalian footballer who's been told he did indeed kick that Starblaydi, and yes, even in football, you're not allowed to kick Starblaydis. "I can't die. Do you know who I am?"
YES said Death. I KNOW WHO EVERYONE IS
"Well you'll know I've been functionally immortal for... for centuries" said Jeremy, trying to convey how long a century is with another sweeping gesture. "I'm a main character, me. I'm going to be needed in the future"
FUNCTIONALLY said Death. A one-word rebuttal.
"Convenient Character Immortality. C.C.I." said Jeremy. "Had it since I was 20"
CONVENIENT CHARACTER IMMORTALITY said Death. IMMORTALITY. WHEN CONVENIENT.
"I'm still convenient!" said Jeremy, now less sure of himself. He looked down at where his feet would have been if they weren't now being subsumed into the ethereal string attaching him to his mortal body. "I'm... look I'm spectacularly easy to write"
MORTAL. WHEN CONVENIENT.
"And there's so many things I haven't done. So many things I need to do!" Jeremy protested. "I mean... I wanted to.. to go to see Audioslavia in the World Cup. I wanted... I have articles to write and... you know I've been WCC President, right? And I've got an official WA Commendation for Services to Journalist Integrity. And I used to manage the Audioslavia team and I ran a marathon once. You'd be amazed at what I can do with just a swivel-chair and a colander. And I need to annoy Krytenians and... people will expect me to be sarcastic around them so I can't just... I.. need more time"
I'M AFRAID NOT said Death, producing a small hourglass from his cloak. There, it showed Jeremy Jaffacake's name, and not a single grain of sand in the top half.
"But..." Said Jeremy. He stopped. The hourglass represented more than his mind could deal with. The hourglass meant fate. Fate meant no free will. The future was determined. Time was immaterial. The universe was complete, born and dead all at once. Random numbers be damned. With the right formula you could look up the winner of World Cup 100. World Cup 200 for that matter.
TIME IS AN ILLUSION said Death, breaking the silence. RECENTLY RE-LEGISLATED TWO-YEARS-PER-CYCLE ROSEMARIAN TIME, DOUBLY SO
"And I did The Idiot Project!" said Jeremy, doing his best to ignore the will of the large cloaked skeleton with the scythe. "I... I totally plan on making more"
YES I LIKED THAT said Death, with a voice that seemed to rumble straight in Jeremy's mind without having to pass through the air between them. AND HOW HAVE YOU PROGRESSED WITH EPISODE SIX?
"I've written it!" said Jeremy. "Er.. a number of times. About different subjects. Only I can't seem to..." Jeremy stopped. Death had given him another slight gesture. A momentarily turn of the head. One that unmistakeably said 'yes, just as I thought'
"I mean this guy" said Jeremy, feeling he was getting somewhere. He pointed at Fraser Farrington, who was still sat in the corner. Around him, five soldiers were frantically talking to superiors on walkie-talkies and, in one case, frantically googling Jeremy Jaffacake to see if he had any twins or clones or professional look-a-likes.
"He's not a main character. He's a wet blanket. He's a, he's a..."
OH, I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH HIM SOON ENOUGH said Death, interrupting. Jeremy noted that it didn't him feel any better.
"I can't just die"
EVERYONE JUST DIES said Death.
"Okay sure but I'm not trying to be funny, but.." said Jeremy. "I am the main character, here. If not a self-insert then... a voice. Like the Creator sits down every other day and is like... he looks at me and he's like..."
WHAT IF THIS GUY WAS ME BUT A SH*TC*NT said Death. It was almost like he was quoting a prior conversation. The asterisks each rang out like a church bell.
"Death can't swear?" Said Jeremy.
ONE HEAR'S QUITE ENOUGH SWEARING IN ONE'S LINE OF WORK said Death. I PREFER NOT TO ADD MORE
"I resent being called a... that" said Jeremy, quietly.
I APOLOGISE said Death. I FOUND YOU QUITE HUMOROUS, SOMETIMES
Death, as has been noted by much better people, was not cruel or unkind. Just terribly, terribly good at his job.
Jeremy's last word, in life, had been an interrupted 'but'. He couldn't let his last word in death be a polite way of saying shitcunt.
GO ON said Death, as if reading Jeremy's thoughts. Death seemed to relax a little, as if all this talking was just making him late for an appointment. Frankly, it was. The scythe twinkled in the sunlight. Death had moved it, just a little, readying himself for the final cut. SAY THE LINE, JEREMY
Jeremy Jaffacake stood a little straighter.
"No" he said, after a second. "No it's too obvious"
OF COURSE IT IS said Death. Death seemed to know what Jeremy would say. Jeremy figured hey, what the hell.
"I've been Jeremy Jaffacake" he said. "G'night bitches"

---

Within a few minutes, the soldiers had departed Fraser's bedroom, with one stationed on the door just in case. Jeremy's body lay there still. It wasn't to be moved. Fraser had been asked to move, but had not responded.
He glimpsed the sight of a figure above him. He looked up, and saw nothing, but noted as he looked across at the far wall that the figure re-appeared in his peripheral vision.
Within a second it was gone, but it left a low whisper, rumbling in the air. It seemed unmistakably addressed to him.
SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAY

---

Bulls beaten in World Cup comeback
J.J. "Clearly here in spirit" quips Monterroso

You might not have heard much about it, given the continued fall-out from the sudden expiry of one of the nation's best known personalities, but there is a football World Cup happening right now. Indeed, so aimless was Audioslavia's performance that you might have thought they were being managed by the man who holds the worst win percentage record of any Audioslavia manager in history. You know the one. Old bloke. Wiry. Smelly. Hat.

In front of. packed house in Kytler Bay City, Audioslavia kicked off their campaign with a spirited but futile display against the group's second seeds West Barack and East Obama. Resolute in defence but listless in attack, a first half free-kick was all that was needed to separate the wheat from the chaff, and consign Audioslavia to the bottom of the group with just the one game played.

Having successfully navigated a qualifying group despite never troubling the first seeds, the Bulls will have to gain something of a result against top seed co-hosts Kytler Peninsulae in order to stand any chance of qualifying automatically.

To read more, you'll need to subscribe. A subscription to The Aesthetic costs just $4.99 a month, which is about the same price as a week's worth of broadsheet newspapers, or two weeks of tabloids. I mean let's face it, you were only buying those for the sports pages anyway, so we're basically saving you money as well as the environment. Also, we hired all of the good journalists, meaning the traditional press have resorted to using people who know nothing about the sport to cover it. Or, worse, they're having, say, herraduran football covered by someone who's supposed to be Herraduran but appears to resent having to travel from his bungalow in northern Cathair to go to a game every week. Go on. Subscribe. We promise it won't all turn out to be baseball and basketball with the occasional mention of sports in your area. That would be mean of us if we charged you and then published only, like, two articles a week. This box comes to you earlier than usual because I'm pretty sure I hit my normal wordcount halfway through the jaffacake bit.

[HUElavia]

Kamijiro 2–1 HUElavia
(Fujiwara 72', 88' | Milano 61')
Thunderdome, Tovaca, Tikariot

Katsu-done In

HUElavia open World Cup 98 with an upset defeat to Kamijiro due to the heroics of Katsu.

It had been 8 years since HUElavia was part of the best teams in the Multiverse at the World Cup. The last match Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos had played was a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to Farfadillis in the Round-of-16 at World Cup 96. Since then, everyone knows the story: 3rd Place at IAC 21, horrific World Cup 97 Qualifiers to fall short of playoffs by 2 points, and back-to-back titles at the Cup of Harmony 85 and IAC 22 at the expense of Drawkland. It has been an eventful 8 years since then, seeing the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Now, the next mountain to climb was to make a good run at World Cup 98. Finally taking part in the 2nd edition with the expanded 48-team field, HUElavia was looking forward as the No. 14 ranked team in the multiverse to put up a good show. Their first opponent was against No. 59 Kamijiro, who was in the midst of a civil war and was playing with mainly our-equivalent of Yamoto players. We had faced off against them in previous qualifiers where they had drawn against us in one of the matches, making us drop points. Now, they were coming in playing on house money for their country. HUElavia and Kamijiro came out with their A-Teams, going for the chance at getting points on the last game of Day 3 at the World Cup.

The match was a back and forth affair, with counter attacks coming left and right that had Ancel and Asumi making blocks and saves to prevent any goal from coming in. Much of these saves were applauded by the respective Kamijiro and HUElavia crowds for their efforts. Eventually, the respective backlines would begin to shape up and defend better as the match went along. HUElavia's best chance came in the 28th minute, when Dias had the ball and gave a low cross into the box, where Uchee beat Akaminai by a tip-toe to take a shot that way that narrowly got past Asumi and hit the post to go out for a goal kick. Kamijiro's best chance was in the 37th minute, when a pass from (Katsu) Fujiwara got to Kokubun, who gave a blistering shot that got past Ancel and hit the outward post to go out for a goal kick. At the half, it was still at 0-0, with both teams and fans wanting more out of the match.

The second half saw both team press more and more, being more calculating with their passes and possessions. Breakthrough would finally come in the 61st minute when a foul by Kameda over Schmidt would give way for a free kick. Go (in for Coentrao-Nascimento) would send a cross into the box, where Milano would tower over Kogushi to head the ball over Asumi into the goal, making it 0-1. The HUElavian crowd erupted in a roar and cheer to make the stadium rumble, as Milano ran and kneeled to the corner flag to do The Cross and hug his teammates at the goal, giving a good hug to Go for the assist and the lead. Kamijiro began to push more and more, motivated to salvage the match as best as they could. HUElavia would pressure themselves, now with Mantovani (in for Dias) put into the fray. Eventually in the 72nd minute, Delfino (in for Kagawa) would give a short pass to Fujiwara, who gave a one-time curving shot that surprised everyone as Ancel could not reach in time and it went into the low, right corner of goal, making it 1-1. The Kamijiro supporters jumped in jubilation and surprise while the HUElavians were left stunned at the goal. Both teams pressured more and more, wanting to see who would break and concede another goal. When it looked like this riveting match would end in a draw, in the 88th minute, a pass from Abiko (in for Kanazono) would reach Fujiwara, who would get past Alvarez and give a low shot past the legs of Ancel into the goal, making it 2-1. The Kamijiroan crowd erupted in joy and delirium while Fujiwara was mobbed by his teammates and the bench for the goal. Meanwhile, Coach Casillas would bark out orders and raise morale for the team. HUElavia would push and push, but Kamijiro would not budge in their defending, now engaging in the all-hated "Park the Bus" tactic. Eventually, once the referee blew their whistle, the Kamijiroan bench ran onto the pitch to celebrate with the players while the HUElavians fell to the backs and knees, stunned and exhausted from the loss.

In the other Group F game, another upset came as No. 41 Elmiya shocked No. 3 Kelssek in a 2-1 finish. Thus, right now, Elmiya lead Group F, followed by Kamijiro, then HUElavia and then Kelssek. Coach Casillas was quoted in the post-match conference saying "We're shocked at this loss, but I have to give credit to Kamijiro where they are due. They played well and they were very motivated, especially with the civil war back in their country. Who wouldn't use such a tragedy to motivate themselves to take on the Multiverse. I also give credit to Raiji Kagawa for his tactics against us, we have a lot to learn from this defeat. We only have ourselves to blame on here and I take my responsibility for this defeat. We have a big match in 6 days against Kelssek, which we're both with our backs on the wall. We cannot underestimate them and we know we have to go all out for a chance to make the knockouts. We have plenty to train and study on in these coming days and we hope to count on our fans to make it loud and overbearing like it's in Curumba, San Rafael, or Sao Salvador. We hope to do better on Matchday 2." Thus, HUElavia is playing in what is effectively an elimination game for the rest of the tournament. Another loss can really spell doom for the team, a draw wont be so much help. Thus, both teams are coming in obligated to win in what is one of the most anticipated matchups of the Group Stage. Here's to hoping what can be another Indies classis between these two teams and what can be another historic day in HUElavian football.

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

[Yue Zhou]

WORLD CUP KICKS OFF AMIDST H20MG™ PROTESTS
Yu Xiaowei, Beiyun Tribune

BEIAN -- In the south of Yuezhou today, the Xandrian Sea World Cup kicked off in Yuezhou, as Baker Park defeated Vdara in a six-goal thriller hosted in the Meridian. But in the north, a very different scene emerged - widespread anti-government rallies, as citizens protested against the full privatization of Beian city water by the Lit™ company H20MG™. While many cities in Yuezhou already have partially privatized their water, most commonly through public-private partnerships set up in the aftermath of the Civil War, the proposed water plan would mark the first city with full privatization of water - notably by a company with ties to a state that already has significant links to vital Yue infrastructure. The protests have so far remained peaceful, although much larger than most expected, with an estimated thirty-five thousand rallying around the mayor's office last night.

The protests were sparked by the announcement that H20MG™, a mysterious company that appears to only have been founded two years ago in Lithico™ to manage parts of the water supply there, was purchasing two companies in an existing private-public partnership with the provincial government. Additionally, the Lit™ company has reportedly reached an agreement with the Beiyun Commercial Board to set up a new partnership for "joint control of the remaining Beian city water rights." Control of both the Commercial Board and the Beian city government are split between allies of Zhuang government and two opposition parties - left-wing Solidarity!, who strongly oppose the proposal, and the center-left Progressive Democrats, who support it.

"Once again, rather than taking accountability for improving our infrastructure and delivering us clean water, the provincial government has decided to sell us out to foreign corporations," Hong Yanfeng, leader of Beian Citizens for Water Rights, noted. "It is not too late for the Progressive Democrats to remember the values they were founded on and block this travesty of a deal." Indeed, the protests have highlighted differences between the center-left and left in Yuezhou, who recently broke off an uneasy alliance under the big-tent Progressive Democrats after being marginalized under a new centrist leader. Chen Anli, a mentee of left-wing iconoclast and party founder Yan Ailing, who led the formation of Solidarity!, agrees. Chen earned national attention for a rousing speech against the further privatization of the Beian water supply during a public hearing of the Commercial Board. Behind closed doors, she has also been working to rally uncertain Progressive Democrats members on the board and in the Provincial Assembly to block the proposed deal.

"Of course, there will always be those who oppose anything a private company does," said a spokesperson of H20MG™, who vaguely resembled Tuskoles Yagaras with a mustache. "But the agreement that we've reached with the Beiyun provincial government will be very beneficial to the people of Beian. We're hoping to invest substantially in the public infrastructure to lower costs, improve reliability, and slowly consolidate control over all public services without arousing suspicion." Progressive Democrats leader Shang Ziyang agreed, taking a rare foray into Beiyun provincial politics to gather support for the agreement. The proposal will need to be approved by a majority of the Yue Commercial Board, as well as avoid veto by two-thirds of the Provincial Assembly and the Governor of Beiyun (Zhang Beihang, a Progressive Democrat), and currently appears on track to do so, barring defections from center-left and independent provincial assemblymembers.

WORLD CUP 98, GROUP STAGE MD1: yuezhou 0 - 1 BUSOGA ISLANDS
Starting Lineup: Zhao; Zeminsson Yao (Deng HT), Fan, Ji (Yuanjunsson Ren 74); Huang (Ansdottír Lin 74), Zhaxi, Dong (Zhenyasson Zhang 68), Milosevic; Mingsdottír Zhang; Jia (Li 68), Zheng

The less said about this one, the better. Much has been made of Lev Repin's decision to "rest" Leona Tsang, who has dealt with a nagging ankle injury recently, for Jia Luka Siski. While Repin hoped that Zheng Hong could fill in ably, and that it wouldn't matter much against group minnows Busoga Islands in their very first World Cup match, that was not the case. Zheng missed a pair of sitters in the first half after the Dragons were put on the back foot early, and Busogan keeper Ulus Talay turned in a heroic second-half performance to shut out the hosts in an impressive debut. Next, the Dragons will host Baker Park, who were somewhat of a bogey team in qualifiers, in The Meridian. A win against Baker Park or Vdara will be critical if Yuezhou want to avoid embarrassment in a home World Cup - but they will be buoyed by the return of star striker Tsang.

[Ko-oren]

Green and blue, no gold

A pretty abysmal run of Ko-orenite national sports teams, across the board, sees viewership numbers decline from the international game to the professional club game, and even caused a little dip in grassroots sports participation. That is despite national team matches are now legally required to be televised free-to-air on the one hand, and that subsidies for grassroots club memberships have seen a year-on-year increase under the previous cabinet.

But perhaps there's no stronger indication of the collective lack of greatness in green and blue than social media comments, where sadness has made way for frustration. Foreign managers who 'don't know the system', i.e. Manguele for soccer and Kuang for ice hockey, are mentioned, in some particularly unflattering comments. Others look at a general lack of direction and philosophy, to make those comments look a bit nicer than they are: players are supposed to be all-rounders rather than specialists now, and they're simultaneously too lazy and playing too many matches. In the five stages of grief, we've gone straight past denial - the results are clearly laid out in front of us - into anger and bargaining. Not sure about depression, but in sports, there is no acceptance.

Yes, 'we' haven't won a trophy in a while, across multiple sports, but we'd still like to make the case for why Ko-oren is still a good place for sports. There are reasons for a lack of success - and it starts with the unrealistic standards we've set for ourselves. The RUWC and World Bowl runs we've had a while back are unsustainable. If you get mad at Banija for winning two World Cups in a row in what's supposed to be a competition with parity and a lot of contenders, imagine how the multiverse felt at multiple RUWC golds in a row, or making nearly every World Bowl final for a full decade. With so many nations, young and old, and most competitions having at least half a dozen favourites, you can have some consecutive success, but no prolonged glory.

A second one is that, well, are we doing poorly? The recent Olympics were a resounding success - maybe we didn't medal in the events we had predicted, but the overall haul was quite literally nearly double the expectation. And Aminey CS are the current IFCF CL champions, as the first Ko-orenite club. We're on the upswing in baseball, and we're among those half a dozen contenders in cricket across the formats. Sure, you might want to see us as perennial heavyweights in soccer and gridiron - but looking beyond just those two we're still doing pretty well. Speaking of - did you know we're third in World Cup qualification streaks? We're always there. We might not always hit our ceiling, but we stay very, very far clear of our floor.

Third is that we're spread pretty thin across multiple sports. You can have a golden generation in one or two events, but with funding going to the Olympic teams as well, we're betting on a lot of horses simultaneously.

And then there's no better start to a 48-team World Cup where two-thirds go to a knockout than a win. 2-0 over the 14 Stars puts us joint first in the overall table with Baker Park - all twenty-two other games ended in draws or one-goal wins. The Dragonflies might not have lit up the scoreboard in qualifiers that much, but we've already surpasses our biggest win margin for the cycle. As always, the Squornshelan Remnant States are quite the challenge - but that's what they say about the Dragonflies as well, having met so often in such a short time - and we have a game against Baggieland as well, which will probably settle most of the seeding coming from group E.

Sure, we might (will) crash out of the Round of 32, but we only need enough KPB+ to stay pot one in the qualifiers, and you can do that perfectly well in the group stages.

---

What made Gelogathingun Prime Minister

We're a few months into the new cabinet. The most visible public reaction to the plans of a new Prime Minister are seen in election polls - speaking of which, one-third of seats are up for grabs in a year and a half, as the second major part of the political cycle after the cabinet appointment itself - and those polls haven't moved much since the start. That suggests a lot of continuity from the previous period, and not a lot of new plans to upset part of the population, but there are certainly some changes. Recent enough to not be felt yet, but they're on the way.

Laurderinthen's Legacy
Looking back at two terms of Laurderinthen, what has stuck out that needed fixing under Gelogathingun? Most policy areas have been nothing but green arrows going to the top right of a chart. Most of all, the economy grew, to take Ko-oren out of the bottom half of GDP per Capita in Anaia. With a new, bigger, economy, there are new challenges, which are Gelogathingun's to tackle. Her degree in Economics from the University of the Riverina will help with that: where some had thought she was selected because of her background in foreign affairs (and she was), her excellent fundamentals in economics are likely what has given her the nod.

To expand on the foreign affairs: Ko-oren has a new role in Anaia, and Gelogathingun can help maintain and expand it. We have a navy now, we have multiple regional and international offices on our soil. The change with the biggest impact on the most people is the creation of the Constellation, where Ko-oren will have to take a role: imperial and direct, or perhaps just as a founding member, to no role at all: just the first organiser of a forum for small meritocratic nations.

What to expect
In economics, we expect that businesses will receive incentives to expand their market abroad, rather than tax breaks for companies. That our economy would take on a more liberal form was going to happen under any successor, but with Gelogathingun you have a Keynesian approach fueled by the Keynesian University of the Riverina. That ties together both her foreign affiliation and her economic affiliation.

A growing economy would need more diversity, with a move to information technology and financial services on the way. The former has already been started, the latter is just setting up. Tieing in more soft power through tourism is likely as well - look at the touristic canons - all on a basis of food security and energy independence.

[Kelssek]

KSK 1-2 ELM / Benedetti pounces on Maraipu's late howler to deal Kelssek opening defeat

The players in blue falling to the grass at the final whistle encapsulated the feeling: a punch in the gut, as Kelssek suffered a shock defeat in their first match of World Cup 98 after having opened the scoring against Elmyia.

“We needed teamwork to be better, and we just weren’t sharp enough. Not getting to the second ball, not aggressive enough. We have to look forward to the next two matches, and I think you'll see a reaction from the players because we all know this cannot happen again.” said head coach Obey Chidiebere.

Airing the sense of frustration in the room, when asked if he was especially upset to lose his first match at the World Cup, Chidiebere responded, “It feels bad to lose any game and of course it’s bad to lose an important game. What kind of question is that?”

All seemed to be going to plan when Chike Obident sped through the backline and tucked away James Jouppi’s cross from deep. Much has been made of just such a use of the CF Outineau winger’s speed and ability to catch defences napping, and it was just that sense of the vulnerable point to direct his run that was on display for a well-worked opening goal.

Kelssek should have added a second on 41 minutes. Kaiden Pépin played Lionel an Deòir through on goal, but the striker’s first touch let him down and bobbled the ball into the grateful hands of the onrushing goalkeeper Enrico Girello.

Then Elymia nabbed an equalizer after Kelssek got pinned inside their own penalty area and the defenders lost track of Simmons bombing forward through the channel to find space to shoot 15 yards from goal. It was Elmyia's first shot on target and Kelssek had justification to think they were much better value than a level score after 53 minutes, but the offensive pressure they came up with was stymied with poor decision-making. Terence de Landa squandered a promising attack when he shot straight at the goalkeeper from wide with two players free in the six-yard box. Then Titan Pogbacar rattled the crossbar from 30 yards instead of feeding the ball into an overload of blue shirts developing at the far post. Kelssek also felt they should have had a penalty when Rolando Cutter was bodied off the ball but the officials were uninterested in the appeals.

Then came a goalkeeping error that was the stuff of nightmares. Kelssek goalkeeper Jenas Maraipu had come out to catch a hopeful long ball from Jane Beresford, and it should have been a routine one, but the veteran seemed somehow not to have jumped high enough. As the ball slipped through his hands and behind him. Vesper Benedetti almost tripped himself scrambling for the ball, with the Lanar striker managing to tuck it into the net to deal Kelssek a shock defeat.

Conscious of the debate over who should be the starting goalkeeper for Kelssek, team captain Kaiden Pépin defended his club teammate and said the whole team bore responsibility.

“I don’t want to talk about that one incident as decisive, when we simply didn’t play well enough to win. I think we started well, but in the second half we let them off, we need to be a lot better and realize we have to give more than we've had before if we want to get wins in the World Cup.”

KELSSEK 1 – Obident (18’)
Maraipu, Jouppi, Vergland, Lalande, Usher, Pépin, Pogbacar (Licea 82’), de Landa (Mao 68’), Obident, Heer (Cutter 68’), an Deòir (Goh-Lemaire 74’)
ELMYIA 2 – Simmons (53’), Benedetti (90+2’)
Citadel of the North, Fort Viljan (attn. 39,046)