World Cup 100 | RP thread

by **United States Of Alpha** » Fri Oct 31, 2025 1:05 pm

[locker room. While the earth is being wrecked by zombies, the Alphanian Soccer Team has been preserved, but they lost to Dēmos 4-1.]

Oofio: So, let's consider everything we've had thus far. The World Cup has sucked ass so far I know. But, as always, we're not out of it yet.

NotJustBry4: But are we? Let's take a look at the facts. We are 1-3-1 with a winning percentage of .3, we are tied last in the group. And this crap is the most stacked shit I have ever seen in the history of sports divisions.

The1onlymanuel: We need to be better on defense. Can't you do that?

Oofio: actually . . .

STYLE MODIFIER -2.25 (I will post this in my roster incase putting it in RP is ilegal.)

Oofio: There. We have improved the defense just like that, but also nerfed the offense. We have lost because we keep getting scored on. We're not bad, we just need better strategy. Hopefully, that can carry us through the next few matches and further on.

Noobus Howdoitype. Sounds good.

TheOtherNoobus: Sucks for me, but for Alpha, yeah it works.

Oofio: We play Whispinia tommorow, then Karmosora the next match. We should be fine. Now, just a quiet team on 3.

Everyone: One, two, three, team.

[everyone got rested up for the night. Don't be surprised if they feel like zombies tomorrow.

by **Andso Mangis** » Fri Oct 31, 2025 1:13 pm

There’s always next time which is is a rhyme I knew before or draw and loss

by **Busoga Islands** » Fri Oct 31, 2025 1:30 pm

OOC Note to hosts and other readers: The following is a Map of Banija, Abahamba, and the Busoga Islands. Most of the credit goes to Tumbra. All three are ICly firmly independent countries, with historic ties to Banija- OOCly, all three of them are ran by the same user. Abahamba will be a large focus of this tournament for me, but as they are not in this tournament(for IC reasons that'll come out in due time), the RPing will be done mostly via Busoga and Banija. Abahamban perspectives will come from both nations.

Part 1: Intro to Abahamba
Part 2: A new Ambassador
Part 3: Robel takes a phone call

Busogan President Kavak and Abahamban King Zotsara III, watching the Travanta v. Busoga game together during the state visit

The game had just kicked off, and the Islanders were taking on Travanta, at Travanta's national stadium. It was a big game for both teams, with Busoga having 9 points so far, while Travanta had 7- it was a battle between the second and third place teams in the group. A big one- the winner, if there was one, would be able to get a marker, showcasing their ability to finish in a top 2 slot in the group- or even a top 1 slot. It was the second day of President Kaval's visit. The first day, was mostly about ceremony- allowing Abahamba to showcase from domestic customs. He saw more dodo birds than he had ever seen before- in fact, the President was impressed when he was told that Abahamba had Arrosia's only population of wild dodo birds. "Can't hate this!" He had told his chief of staff.

And then, of course, they had spent the evening talking about foreign aid. President Kavak talked about an aide package that he wanted the Islanders to deliver to Abahamba. They had largely agreed on the size of the package (what was the King gonna do, say no?), and then mostly worked out details of delivery. It was an enormous aid package- a food and education package, one that was designed to reach the numerous villages that dominated the Abahamban landscape. Not a very populous country, and a very rural country- it was a source that would be a tremendous help to the everyday people of the Kingdom. The second day, was going to be just the leadership of the two countries, getting to know each other on a personal level. Do some fun things. Watch the Busoga World Cup Qualifier at 11 AM- due to time zones. Then, play a round of 18 on the Royal Family's golf course- one of two 18 hole golf courses in the entire country. Apparently, the king had a gold-plated golf cart. See some of the luxury of the leadership.

But first, the game. A few minutes into the game, the Crown Prince commented. "Hey, Mr. President, you see this Bostopia score?"

"Huh?" The President replied. The Crown Prince handed over his phone. The President grabbed it- and was shocked. "Holy shit, Bostopia lost!" The President exclaimed. "A huge loss."

"I know." The King said. He had ensured, for the visit, that he and his line were all super up to date on the Busogan NT ahead of the visit- it was something that would endear his country to their visitors. "So they lose, they're in first place right now. If you guys win..."

"We go top of the table!" Said an aide to the President, who's voice he quite couldn't make out. It was an excellent game early- while many thought both would sit back, both were on the front foot, getting forward. Talay was forced into a diving save in the 7th minute, while in just the 2nd minute, Omar Jallow had a tremendous strike from 20 yards- that whistled just an inch or two above the crossbar. They, clearly, had heard about the group leaders falling away from home- and both teams wanted to take advantage. An unexpected opportunity to take early advantage, and all caution was thrown to the wind. Great for the neutral supporter.

But in the 13th minute, the Islanders were flying ahead on the counter. A great through ball, and Jallow was getting into a one v. one situation with the Travanta goalkeeper. It was Whitney Westcott III, who would come crashing in from behind with a slide tackle- and it all went wrong from there. It was a bang-bang play, it looked like she had gotten some of the ball, but the controversial referee from Cardenao, Lemoyne Bailey, gave the penalty. He didn't even bother going to the VAR- and the Terns faithful were letting him have it. While the penalty could've gone either way, he didn't have to give double jeopardy- and he did just that, giving Wescott III a straight red.

The President just laughed. "I mean... Look, I'll take it. It was definitely a penalty, right?"

"Goal-scoring opportunity- but a brutal red card for Travanta fans." The King said.

"Yeah, you're not wrong." The President said. "But hey- can't blame us for a shitty referee." And he was right- they couldn't be blamed for having a piss poor referee. The referee made his call- it took a few minutes to calm things down, as the supporters were booing the ref, and Travanta players were, righteously, aggrieved. "Kujabi Jr's had a lot of time to think about this one." The President said to nobody in particular. "Let's hope he's locked in." And as Kujabi Jr put the ball down, and took a deep breath, Bailey gave him the signal to go. And Kujabi Jr had ice running through his veins, as he buried the penalty calmly and simply. It was 1-0 to the Islanders, they were up a man, and things were looking good.

"Come on, baby!" President Kavak said. President Kavak did like the sport- even if he liked cricket better. "One-nil and a man up- let's go for it lads!" And the home team, who were both a goal down and a man down, we're in a tough position. This game was set up to be a spectacular one, with two teams competing for a World Cup spot- but after the red card, it was a slaughterhouse. The Islanders saw an opportunity and took it, with Uzun scoring a brace before halftime, as the Busogans took a 3-0 lead into halftime, away from home. Erdal Aydin came off the bench to score in the second half, as the Busogans wrapped up a 4-0 win over Travanta.

At full time, the Busogan delegation was buzzing. "Thanks for building time in for the match- what a game it was!" President Kavak told his hosts. They were waiting around- it would be about 30 minutes before transport would be ready to start their golf. The Crown Prince walked up to the President.

"Mr. President, I've got a question."

"Your Highness, what is it?"

"Well..." The Crown Prince started. "I know you aren't in BISA(Busoga Islander Soccer Association), but did your government provide financial guarantees to them?"

"Why would we do that?" The President chucked. "BISA's got its own money."

"Do you know what they used to provide proof of funds to the WCC?" The Crown Prince asked. President Kavak was confused. "Like, when the WCC asked them to provide proof of funds to sign up for the World Cup. What did they use?"

"The WCC doesn't ask that." The President replied.

"You know for sure?"

"Of course, why the heck would they do that?" The President said. "You think their accountants are knowledgeable enough in every country's unique financial systems to even deal with that? It would be an administrative nightmare."

"Fair point." The Crown Prince said. His mind was racing.

Lakiska.Daily
33 minutes ago

Press conference called in Abahamba, a week after President Kavak's visit. Rumors about Banijan WCC VP Robel Ezera, Abahamba, and World Cup Qulaifying? Not sure but we'll keep an eye on all the latest updates...

The Lakiska Daily

SPORT- Busogans suddenly flying to the top of the table after 4 goal destructions of Travanta and Acapais, respectively

LAKISKA, SOUTH ISLAND, BUSOGA ISLANDS- The Islanders find themselves at 5-0-0 in World Cup Qualifying, after a perfect window- a 4-0 demolition of Travanta, away from home, followed by a rotated squad cruising to a 4-1 win, at home, over Acapais. "Look, it's a fantastic window- 6 points from 6 for the second time, we've won all 5 of our Qualifiers. We're only a third of the way through, but it's literally as good of a start as it gets." Said Millet, the Busogan manager. "But while a strong start helps- now we've got a huge target on our backs from the rest of the group. It only gets harder from here on out- but we're gonna keep mashing forward. We have proof of concept that we're good enough to achieve our goals, which are finish top 2 in this group."

Not only top two- but hype is starting to surround them to finish top 1. Why? Well, the Islanders got 15 points from 15 possible- obviously, an excellent start. But even beyond that? THe rest of the group is struggling. Teams in the 2nd-4th position each have 10 points, aka, 5 points behind the Busogans, just through one-third of World Cup Qualifiers. "Look, the table doesn't really matter when you're only 6 games in." Abu Sesay told reporters, the team's starting winger. "Is it good to be top? Of course it is- wins now are equivalent to wins later, even if they don't feel like it. And we're about to hit the hardest part of our schedule- so getting ourselves from breathing room is nice."

And he is not kidding- the hardest part of the schedule is coming up. Busoga's next game is an away match against Huayramarca, and then they face Kronbia at home- who just had a huge upset against Bostopia. And then, following that, a double away window, against two teams in the thick of the qualifying race- a flight to Anaia to take on Bostopia, and then to Moon Deing. "Qualifying for the World Cup has never been easy, and it is especially difficult in World Cup 100." Ulus Talay, the goalkeeper, told reporters. "But, we welcome the challenges. When things are hard, you know that things are going well. Nobody's talking about your hard schedule if you don't have a legitimate shot- so I'm excited for this opportunity, to take this show on the road."

The Islanders have only qualified for one World Cup ever, and that was via the playoff. So, having a chance to qualify directly... It's the first time in our national history. Of course, we say that before this upcoming stretch- if Busoga still finds itself in this position, 4 games from now.. Then they truly have a legitimate shot to do something that has never been done before in the history of this country- qualify directly to the World Cup Finals.

And hey, for those who are keeping track- Banija's in 2nd, while we're 5 points clear. Who's the better nation now

by **Krytenia** » Fri Oct 31, 2025 3:31 pm

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

PART FOUR: THE TIME IS NOT HALF SIX

Between the Veil and reality, there existed a true void, an expanse of nothingness. Rami Niblick, propelled by the powerful right foot of Margaret, was now hurtling through this expanse at a rate of knots. If there had been a view, he wouldn't have had a chance to take it in, however, as his destination approached. Reality warped into existence around him, most notably the pavement which his face squarely connected with. Surprisingly, it didn't hurt, but that just confused Rami more. He got to his feet and took in his surroundings. They looked oddly familiar, like a relic of his past. The pavement was cracked and in disrepair, as was the road it ran alongside. Looking ahead of him, Rami saw a football stadium, one that clearly hadn't been used in some time. He headed towards it, compelled by a mixture of confusion and curiosity.

The inside of the stadium was just as dilapidated as the outside. Seats were missing all over the place, and crumbling concrete walls looked worryingly like they were about to collapse entirely. The patchwork of claret and green in the stands, and the peeeling paint of the same colours on the walls, served to make the scene even more eerie.

“So...that settles it,” Rami mused to himself, “I'm in Audioslavia. But why is everything so broken? Is this what Margaret was trying to tell me?”

As he scanned the stadium again, Rami spotted something – or, more precisely, someone. A figure sat slumped in what remained of one of the dugouts. As he approached, and the stranger became clearer in his view, Rami's eyes widened. He'd recognise that face anywhere...even without the signature trenchcoat that usually accompanied it.

Jeremy bloody Jaffacake.

Rami got to within speaking distance and called out. “Jeremy?”

Jeremy turned at the mention of his name, and looked to who had called for him. His eyes were half-closed and bloodshot, his hair unkempt, as was the scraggly beard that looked more like someone who had lost the will to shave rather than someone intentionally growing proper facial hair. His eyes narrowed as he realised who was standing before him. With all the venom he could muster, he uttered a single word: “YOU.”

Rami was surprised at the instant hostility. “I thought we'd moved past this, Jeremy,” he said, trying to keep calm, “what happened?”

Jeremy's voice was barely above a snarl as he got to his feet. “Are you fucking kidding me, cockfeatures?” His fists balled and clenched at his side. “After what you did? You RUINED MY LIFE! Nobody returns my calls, I can't find work in a grocery store, much less a newspaper, and you want to be the BIGGER MAN?!?” With surprising speed for someone in such poor condition, Jeremy's right fist connected with Rami's nose. “Go fuck yourself.”

Rami staggered back at the impact. “Ow.” he said as his hand went up to his nose. “I think you broke something. What did I do to deserve that?”

Jeremy looked at Rami incredulously. “Seriously? Crap, I must have hit you harder than I thought. Or maybe not hard enough.” He grabbed Rami's lapels, shoving him up to the wall. Concrete dust billowed from the point of impact. “Eight years ago? World Cup 48, Cafundeu? Ring any bells?”

Rami's eyes widened. “Eight years...Cafundeu...so that means...this isn't Audioslavia at all.” His expression softened. “It's longer ago for me than for you. Please...humour me a moment.”

Jeremy inhaled sharply. “This'd better be good, labia boy.”

Rami nodded slowly. “So...I'm not the Rami Niblick that did that to you. I mean I am, but...” He shook his head. “Let me start again. I'm Rami from...about two hundred years in the future. I've been sent here by Margaret herself to fix...something or other, and for some reason, she's brought me to you.” Rami smirked. “Also, you started it and you know it. That's why you're so upset.”

Jeremy's grip loosened. “OK, I know you well enough to tell when you're shitting me. And you aren't shitting me. Yet.” He let go of the Krytenian. “But if I find out this is all bollocks...they'll never find the body. Especially not here...the Silexherans give this place a real wide berth.”

by **Stewartika** » Fri Oct 31, 2025 4:26 pm

TWO LATE COMEBACKS AS STEWARTIKA AVOIDS DEFEAT

While not the most pleasing of results, Stewartika holds onto the top spot of Group 8 by one point after holding both the Martian Independent Republic and Kelssek to draws. The determination to avoid defeat and fight to the end gives Royal Purple some confidence that they can manage qualification, despite two draws not being the best form compared to their opponents, who each picked up wins in the other fixture.

Matchday 5 - A Night on Mars

As the Stewartikans packed into a tram to head to Xuesen Stadium, all now adjusted to the cold despite the occasional shiver, something caught Hawkins Blake’s eye outside in the station.

“Isn’t that…?”

It was two people, gazing at the tram as it pulled off, one gesturing while the other listened. One, slightly shorter, was that kind of European man that was dark and gloomy, the depressed French type, while the taller was a stunningly beautiful dark-skinned woman, who was showing the man around. Something was off about that man’s face…

As the station streaked away, Blake turns to Cho, who looks up with a confused “huh? Huh?”

Because as different as the man may have looked racially, that last offness set everything together.

The man looked just like a younger Founder Em Hitozuki.

“Multiverse shit is crazy.”

As the match itself began, the small stadium by necessity greeted the players, the home Spiders in black and rust orange, and Stewartika in their away red. Breath frosting in the freezing temperatures, they faced off underneath the Martian sky, two moons and distantly Earth shining up above.

As the whistle blows, amidst the cheering of the Martians, evidently something was wrong with Stewartika’s players. Not warmed up enough in the chill, they were sluggish, and the Spiders immediately took advantage. Easily outpacing Wanima, forward Luke Garamond easily slotted home an early opening goal for one nil, to the delight of the home fans. While Stewartika started to grow into the game, only defensive heroics from Grovalle, Strand and Soon kept the scoreline a manageable margin.

Half time comes and goes, and Stewartika returns to the pitch stronger and faster. The Martians begin to struggle to dominate possession, and soon yellow cards begin to fly out as a battle in the midfield ensues. Two for Stewartika - Jesse Morissey, and Jens Bergmeier, and one for the Spiders - Giovanni Caballi. Soon, the match becomes back and forth football, Stewartika bombing up the pitch and then the Martians returning the favor after sitting deep and countering. As the minutes creep on, it becomes clear that the Spiders were attempting to just defend the lead they had until full time, where they would walk away with the three points. In the dying moments of stoppage, Stewartika are awarded a late corner.

From a neutral broacaster:

Here’s Sung with the delivery. Lifting in for STRAND! Mishit, skipping beside the goal line- it’s missed Enwye’s fingers! Here’s Sjoberg on the other end, putting it slightly out for WANIMAAAAAA!!!! WONDERFUL STRIKE! STEWARTIKA HAVE RESCUED A POINT AT THE DEATH!!

Itsuki Wanima takes the ball with a rocket of a volley on the edge of the box after the ball bounces around a bit, thanks to a lucky mistake by goalkeeper Henri Enwye. His first start for the national team in some time has been rewarded with a stunning goal and a story to take home, and the whistle soon blows despite further pressure from Stewartika, amidst handshakes between Kunio and Martian manager Tanguy de Montfort.

Full Time:
World Cup Qualifiers - Group 8

The Martian Independent Republic
Stewartika

1
1

L. Garamond ‘5
I. Wanima ’90 +2

MAN OF THE MATCH: Soon Byun-ho

Yellow Cards: Jesse Morissey (Stewartika) ’49, Giovanni Caballi (the Martian Independent Republic) ’52, Jens Bergmeier (Stewartika) ’53

Venue: Xuesen Stadium

Weather: stale, starry, 9 degrees C

Interview with head coach Bunta Kunio:

It’s a disgrace. A disgrace. They had us dead to rights but just sat back and defended one nil. We deserved to win. It’s how the Bultans say, ahh… Haramball.

*pause as he listens to something said off camera*

…That being said, this is a wonderful stadium and colony, uhhh I applaud the ingenuity of the human spirit.

*He immediately leaves.*

Matchday 6 - Clash at the Top

Commentary:

Stewartika and Kelssek go into this game at the top of Group 8 - just one point between them. A win for Stewartika could mean a historic moment as they go 4 points clear of any other team, but a Kelssek win could spell doom for the Pigs. Illney Stadium is absolutely rocking, but will it be enough to get them going here in the qualifiers?

The ball is kicked off, and the match is underway underneath the Pig City lights. Possession is scant, the first chance when Morissey goes dancing through three Kelssek players and attempts a low driven shot, just flashing across Maxime Carreri’s goal. Some more struggling in midfield later, and suddenly Titan Pogbacar is sent on the left side, carrying the ball all the way to the goal line, where his cross meets Kaiden Pépin’s feet. The Kelssek captain fakes out Himmel, with a quick pass to striker Rémy Niemi, who holds up the ball and then gives it back in a one-two, the midfielder wasting no time in slamming it home into the left side of the net. With the Stewartikan crowd quieted once more, Kelssek makes it 0-1.

After the restart, Kelssek continues to overwhelm Stewartika with tactics and pressure, with another goal courtesy of Niemi. Half time comes with Stewartika trailing for the first time after 45 minutes.

In the locker room:

Kunio: Look at them. Look at us. They’re fluid, yes, they’re strong, but they can’t be everything at once. They can score two goals? We can score the same. Press them when they’re weak, and they’ll need time to adapt. We’re too good guys! Too clean. If we have to play dirty to get them off our backs for a few seconds, then let us.

When they returned, with the fans starting to come back into the match, Stewartika came out swinging. Fighting for the ball at any opportunity, three yellow cards were brandished - another by Morissey (I don’t think the accumulated yellow cards rule applies until knockouts?), and then by Cho and Bentham. While these earned free kicks far away from goal for Kelssek, it ensured that goalscoring opportunities remained scarce while Stewartika built up play in their half. Soon, Stewartika was knocking on the door, bodies in the box, when Jin was shoved down by Lalande, earning the defender a yellow card and, to the roars of the fans, a point to the penalty spot.

As the teams assembled to contest the penalty, there was a bit of a scuffle between striker Sjoberg and team captain Sung, Sjoberg clearly wanting to add another goal to his tally, but Sung evidently wishing to take the penalty himself. After a small while of discussing, Sjoberg walks to the edge of the box, while Sung places the ball down onto the spot.

Sung Min-jae vs. Maxime Carreri. Stewartikan gold vs Kelssek versatility. The stadium is silent as he steps up…

And scores, slotting it home, completely wrong footing Carreri, as Illney screams in the belief that it was possible. Sung runs to the net, grabbing the ball from where it lay past Carreri’s feet and it was game on.

More clashes in the midfield ensued as Stewartika fought for an equalizer and Kelssek to restore their dominance. Before they knew it, Stewartika was on the attack again, a beautiful Sung pass skipping through the Kelssek midfield to find the feet of Hijikata, who despite being dragged down by James Jouppi manages to slide-kick the ball up and into the net, and suddenly Stewartika is level. Hijikata, of course, foolishly gets a yellow card for protesting the foul despite his goal, and Jouppi gets one for the foul itself. For the rest of the game, possession remained tightly contested, and no more chances were registered. The whistle blows, and Illney celebrates, with their team coming back from the brink against one of the best teams in the world. This chant was heard from the stands as the teams walked off:

YOU’VE BOTTLED THE WIN,
YOU’VE BOTTLED THE WIN
TENTH RANKED IN THE WORLD,
HOW GOOD MUST WE BE?

Full Time:
World Cup Qualifiers - Group 8

Stewartika
Kelssek

2
2

M. Sung ’68 (pen)
K. Pépin ‘5

A. Hijikata ’74
R. Niemi ’33

MAN OF THE MATCH: Sung Min-jae

Yellow Cards: Jesse Morissey (Stewartika) ’47, Cho Seung-a (Stewartika) ’50, Ott Bentham (Stewartika) ’51, Sandrine Lalande (Kelssek) ’65, James Jouppi (Kelssek) ’75, Arnold Hijikata (Stewartika) ’75

Venue: Illney Stadium

Weather: clear, slight wind, 69 degrees F

Stewartika goes on to face Langenia away from home, before finally having a much-deserved break on Matchday 8 with a bye. Until then.

by **Milchama** » Fri Oct 31, 2025 4:34 pm

"Ok let's do it"

"What?"

"Make everybody mad and qualify"

"Why would us qualifying make everybody mad? We're a pot 2 team in this tournament, somehow, and us qualifying is by no means something others would find upsetting"

"Oh it would make the nation mad"

"Why?"

"Did you notice how no newspapers are covering the team anymore"

"Pretty much"

"And that every article about soccer is about how it's 'dying' or 'how it used to be so much popular in my day'"

"Yes, so what"

"The haters are out man, the haters are out"

"And?"

"We can qualify and make the haters go away"

"They won't go away, their attacks don't stand up to empirical reality. Youth soccer is as popular as ever, sure baseball is more popular but baseball has always been more popular"

"But we can shut them up"

"You sure?"

"You want to say soccer is in decline after the Warriors go out and qualify in a tournament where literally nobody sent a reporter to away games?"

"That's a pretty low point"

"Meh, we're not a serious country with a serious media anyways"

"That's fair enough, considering that our media is littered with ex Dancougarian interns, has zero fact checkers, and generally makes things up it's not great"

"I mean most media makes things up"

"But ours is worse, mostly because they also believe Milchama is either the best or the worst with no in between"

"Yeah, that's true, and that has bit us in the ass before"

"It definitely has"

"Fair but so it goes"

"Oh so it goes"

"So it goes with everything"

"We're not continuing in this vein"

"What about this vein.fm"

"Bad band"

"Them's not fighting words but a surprisingly hot take"

"Look, their version of hardcore just isn't good, too metallic, doesn't do enough, needs to be either more metal or, ideally, less metal"

"Hardcore forever"

"Krill forever!"

"Krill! Krill! Forever and ever!"

"Now that's a band"

"Krill's a good band"

"Good band"

"Weren't we talking about football?"

"No soccer, get your sports right"

"Oh shove it"

"Anyway, let's shut up the haters"

"Yeah, let's shut up the haters"

"Come on You Warriors!"

"Let's Go Milchama!"

by **Super Earth Under Siege** » Fri Oct 31, 2025 4:42 pm

Duma Tyr - Nanos Sector

The autumnal aurorae of Duma Tyr were a beautiful sight to behold. When the sun set and the clouds parted, an endless dance of ethereal green light flooded the sky. A majestic display, and one none of the four Helldivers deployed had more than their mandatory 2.5 approved seconds to appreciate before they ran.

"Hârt! Stäl! Vi! Käl! I! Vil! Gar tû vår!"

On the plains. Between the trees. In their fortresses. The Automatons lurked. Menaces of socialist steel, they had eluded extinction once already in the Second Galactic War. There was little in the way of orbital support to face them, not with the vast majority of the Helldiver Corps deployed to the Hive World of Oshaune. But some were determined to avenge their losses to these titanium talking trashpiles.

"Hârt! Stäl! Vi! Käl! I! Vil! Gar tû vår!"

The chanting was etched into any diver who'd survived a single mission against the bots. It was their marching cadence, distorted and garbled by their barely-comprehensible voices. It was like an overclocked router having a speaker malfunction, harsh and screeching yet retaining the faintest semblance of humanity beneath the static.

"Zy'berstan! Gâr kip'ir gân! Vi'kar da! Va nû dår!"

Some swore they carried the legacy of the Cyborgs defeated a century ago. Whatever their origin, whatever their true nature, they existed for a singular purpose- the eradication of Freedom from the galaxy. Their Jet Brigade assailed whole worlds in a matter of hours. Their Incineration Corps saw cities burn to the ground.

"Daiver skum! Gâr kip'ir gân! Vi'kar da! Va nû dår!"

And the rest of them had guns. Lots and lots of guns. Guns that took alarmingly few shots to break through the armour of an unprepared Helldiver and do more damage than a stim injection could ever hope to prepare. And that was the little ones. The big ones took only one shot.

"Hârt! Stäl! Vi! Käl! I-"

One patrol got too close, and every conscript's eyes flashed red, beams scanning the terrain for their adversary. The cowering Helldiver secluded himself behind a rock, but it was already too late. Bots closed in from either side. Desperate, he tore from cover and laid into them with unrelenting fire from his machine gun.

"HAVE A TASTE OF FREEDOM!"

"Khel'daiver skum!"

Bullet after bullet passed through the air, but the entire magazine wouldn't have been enough. One Automaton at the backline had already raised its flaregun and pulled the trigger. The green light of Duma Tyr's night was eclipsed by the crimson shine as the flare hung in the air.

"Sûper Ärth vil bârn!"

The diver fell to Automaton infantry fire before the dropships even arrived.

By the end of the mission, only one would survive the deliver the captured escape pod data the entire mission had been dedicated to.

SUPER EARTH CANNOT PREVAIL ON THE
MERITS OF ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL

THE FORMER HELLDIVERS WILL BE MET
WITH THE MACHINERY OF THE
AUTOMATON COLLECTIVE

Seyshel Beach - Cancri Sector

The Super Earth Senators had lost their winning streak- though not without a fight, and not with a loss.

Their match against Grand Exultia saw them ultimately victorious. Though grandly named and exalted in title, the unfortunate nation was already flagging in the rankings, the very worst-performing team in Group 18. The Senators met their desperation with aggression and it was enough to see them concede. Super Earth had been defeated once on home territory, and stubbornly refused to permit it again. The same could not be said for their away match. The Cretian Territories put up a stubborn defence that just refused to easily budge, and only the sheer lunacy Ret and Longshot's absurd-distance assaults managed to get through- and only just in time to close out the match in a draw.

Hive Lords were erupting on Oshaune.

The Automatons were aware of the Senators and were making plans.

The Illuminate, silent, were no doubt preparing some kind of cosmologically-impactful scheme.

Even for the Senators, the most disciplined and obedient of heroes, it was hard not to feel...left out, of the greater war. They could content themselves with their pride and their precedent, on ensuring Super Earth's reputation across universes was one of prestige and power. But for that to happen, they had to achieve greatness. True greatness. And should they falter here, by the time of the next opportunity, the torch would need to be passed on.

The fact that it was so frantic made every second of waiting that much more unbearable.

Credit to TVTropes of all places for this interpretation of the Automaton marching cadence, and to Fariel for Automaton alphabet translation. Translation was done from Swedish but the translator disliked copy-paste attempts, so it is not entirely accurate in this case for many of the vowels.

by **HUElavia** » Fri Oct 31, 2025 7:32 pm

Warkus 3–3 HUElavia
(Castell 32', Rose 58', 90+3' | Sol 20', Mongrain 43', Yepes 70')
Dome of Virtue Nyareth Newydd, Central Warkus, Warkus

Previously On...

Blur

2.3 Ignition

The headlights of the dark car approached as Vinicius tried to speed up faster, trying to get the most of his Sannis. He continued to floor it, trying to outrun the car that was approaching him. 200 kmh. He continued weaving through the traffic, making the slightest of turns of direction. After all, one sudden turn, and it's a very grim crash waiting to occur.

Vinicius looks to his mirror and finally sees the dark car turning to match him. 225 kmh. He glimpses to his left and sees the car: a black Kamata Fiera.

(Start Race)

It was a car that gave off an imposing aura. A dark pressure just exuded from the sports car, driving with ease, but with a seriousness that Vinicius had never seen or experienced before. He felt his grip on the steering wheel tighten up, as he didn't feel a thrill, but anxiety now. From the speed and now this monster of a car at his left, fear began gripping him. He felt once more the whisper of the car.

F A S T E R.
F A S T E R.

He continued to floor it, now at 230 kmh. But the Fiera was starting to get past him, inching further and further into the lead. He would narrowly pass and miss vehicles, once more just moving a little bit to be able to switch lanes, as did the Fiera, also moving slightly to avoid traffic. Vinicius began to wonder if that driver was also feeling the same anxiety, the fear, the thrill of the high speed race, going as fast as they could on the highway.

The Fiera began to really move further into the lead, now a 1/4 of a car length ahead of the Z. 240 kmh. Vinicius was doing his best to keep up, but the car was already getting into the red line on the spedometer. This is probably as fast as its going to go, he thought as the car was not moving faster. 250 kmh. Vinicius had hit the absolute limit of the Z, yet the Fiera continued moving forward. It seemed as if now it really was moving faster with ease. Was he matching my speed on purpose?, he thought, shocked at seeing this revelation from this unknown opponent.

The whispers continued to surround Vinicius, almost giving off an angry voice at falling behind the vehicle.

NO.
NO.
NO,

But Vinicius could not keep up. He began decelerating on the car, knowing he had to stand down and just let the Fiera get away from his sights. He began to feel just scared as he decelerated. It began to dawn on him how fast he was going. He started out on the stretch going so fast, so free. And now, he was within 5 miles of the end of the highway. He let off one hand to wipe off the sweat on his forehead and looked just briefly to his hand and saw it trembling. He quickly put it back on the steering wheel, trying to regain his composure. Now was not the time to have a panic attack, even less so on a highway while going fast.

In that brief panic, he lost sight of the Fiera. It couldn't be found anywhere ahead of him, no matter if he sped up to see if he had slowed down. Not that he wanted to anyways. The speed and the pressure coming from that car was just too much to handle. Dejected, Vinicius finally got to the exit he had to get to and began the long ride towards his home.

To Be Continued...

by **Bhumi Matawis Empire** » Fri Oct 31, 2025 8:42 pm

Matawis Kingdom
Matawis Sultanate
Bhumi Matawis Empire - The Establishment (1810-1928)
Bhumi Matawis Empire - The Ealy Years (1928-1950)
Bhumi Matawis Empire - The Second Empire (1950-1971)
Bhumi Matawis Empire - The Third Empire (1971-1999)
Bhumi Matawis Empire - 1999 General Election, The Game Changer Part 1
Bhumi Matawis Empire - 1999 General Election, The Game Changer Part 2

Bhumi Matawis Empire - The Fourth Empire, The New Era

In the reign of Budi Kartosuwiryo, the government tried to maintain the stability of the Empire both in security and economy. He embarked on an international mission to neighboring countries to renew the relationship between countries and strengthen the trade alliance. He tried to convince the masses that the new government was free from corruption. He continued Hayat Islan legacy to separated the military from political stage. Some institutions allegedly with connections to the military were audited for financial irregularities prompting the possibility of corruption.

Budi Kartosuwiryo

On another place, uprisings happened in South East Kolanos which started with religious tension between muslim-majority North Kolanos and Christian-majority South and East Kolanos. All areas are under the United Kieraha Sultanates, one of the 14 states of the Empire. The tension went violent in late 1999 and culminated with the declaration of a separate State of South East Kolanos in mid-2000 which was deemed unconstitutional by The King of United Kieraha Sultanates. The Empire intervened and tried to open mediation between both parties. But before the mediation took place a radical Islamic militia Jihad Matawis arrived at the conflict zone and assisted their muslim allies and made the situation worse. It was later found that the group had received arms from the TBM (Tentara Bhumi Matawis, Bhumi Matawis Armed Forces). This situation deteriorated the relationship between Budi Kartosuwiryo and the military.

Financial scandals severely impacted Kartosuwiryo’s credibility. In early 2000, the Logistics Affairs Agency reported missing money amounted to NSD 4 million which was allegedly taken by Kartosuwiryo maid under his order. He also did several cabinet reshuffles which raised questions from critics. Some argue that the reshuffles were necessary to bring better governance to the country. But others argue there was a rift within the government coalition. In 2001, Kartosuwiryo extended the freedom of religions and gathering in the Empire which made him become more popular. However, his controversial speech at a meeting with university rectors about the possibility of the Empire going into anarchy and his plan to disband the Kawula Graha if such things happened had intensified the opposition to remove him from office.

As the situation became chaotic, Kartosuwiryo asked the Emperors to declare a state of emergency to which they refused. In his last resort, believing that he was still popular among the citizens, he requested a snap election to strengthen his position in the government. On 1 August 2001, the snap election was held. But the result was a disappointment to Kartosuwiryo. Bangun Negoro lost half of its seats while PSKM came out as the winner. The other parties withdrew their support for Aliansi Nasional. And the Emperor disbanded the Kartosuwiryo-led government. PSKM leader Munarwanto was given the mandate to establish a new government.

Munarwanto

The rise of Munarwanto into the position of Mahapatih Anom was seen as a change of wind in the country’s politics knowing about his past stance which was in opposition to Murjiono Ali. In politics, he continued Kartosuwiryo’s agenda to restore political stability and democracy. This led to the creation of the Constitutional Court and Matawis Anti-Corruption Commission. The creation of Matawis Anti-Corruption Commission was welcomed hugely by the populace in realization of many legal institutions which were not clean. He also assigned the Ministry of Domestic Affairs to implement decentralization and increase regional autonomy. Despite the early vision of the Empire where each state can control their domestic affairs with little intervention from the Empire, this practice was basically erased during the Third Empire Era where the Empire controlled everything. Munarwanto wants to return it to the early vision when the Empire was established. Thus regional autonomy was upheld and pushed.

In the military, Munarwanto with the help of Kawula Graha passed the new military law which addressed and outlined the rule, goal, vision, targets and implementation of the Empire defense. In this law, Bhumi Matawis Armed Forces are placed as the main defense component supported by reserve and supporting components. He also involved non-governmental organizations to assist the military in non-military threats. The law also separates the position of the police institution and the armed forces. Internationally, the country faced an armed embargo from several countries following the bloody uprisings in Kieraha and Papo-Iriya. Munarwanto turned to other suppliers to help him build the military equipment. He also increased the capacity of the national arms industry to support the military supplies of armaments.

In the economy, his administration attempted to provide a conducive condition to rebuild the economy that has been ruined after the financial crisis and the fall of the Third Empire. During the early period of his administration, the Empire had NSD 108.5 billion in debts which was inherited by the Third Empire Era. Munarwanto held several meetings with creditors in an attempt to renegotiate the Empire’s outstanding debts which resulted in a delay payment of NSD 6.2 billion in debt in 2002 and prepared a debt payment of BMS 113.6 billion in 2003. His administration is also known for privatization of state-owned companies (SOC). It was done to defend the SOC’s from public intervention and debts payments, to increase its efficiency and competitiveness and to speed up economic growth from the private sectors. This move had increased the economic growth to around 4% annually and suppressed the inflation at 5% rating. But his move to privatize the SOC was criticized by the opposition. He was accused as an unnationalist and neoliberal.

On another note, he focused on developing the Empire’s marine and fishing industry. Realizing the nature of an archipelagic country, he believed that marine and fishery should be one of the Empire’s main economic sectors aside from mining and forestry. He also conducted a reforestation program aimed to address the need of rehabilitation in degraded areas which continue to increase each year.

In domestic issues, during his administration, the Kierahan uprising was able to be controlled. He persuaded the state’s government to hear their south east region’s demand. Kierahan government answer the call by enacted autonomous status to both East and South Kolanos on February 2002 which gradually ended the uprising. While in Papo-Iriya, he reaffirmed the Empire’s position in the state as the central government of Papo-Iriya. But also address the implementation of wide autonomous power for the state. A move that was accepted by the people. On the international stage, Munarwanto continued the Empire’s foreign policy of non-alignment. He conducts relationships with both right and left leaning countries. While he also faced terrorist threats. Light bombings happened in Kartasura and Labuanjaya in mid-2001 and early 2002. The largest one happened in Mahameru in late 2002 which killed more than 200 people, most of them were foreigners. His administration responded quickly by issuing a decree which became the basic law of terrorism in the Empire. The key suspect of the Mahameru bombing was arrested together with his followers. They were sentenced for life (the Empire didn’t implement the death sentence).

He led the Empire in quite a stable condition as the economy rose, the political situation calmed down and the security of the Empire was under control. He believed with all of his achievements, he could win the next election in 2004. But something happened…

#   Name                       Pos    Age   Club
Starters
30  Putu Sumadiyasa            GK     32    Persetegung Tegal Agung
2   Faizal Rasyid Bassa        LB     23    PSPS Payung Sekaki
13  Alexius Reinhard           CB     26    FC Wamena
3   Lino Coutinho              CB     25    AS Kopeng
14  Herman Susanto             RB     24    AS Kopeng
6   Sofyan Arifin Jalil        LM     27    FC Gamalama
27  Yahya Wiryawan             CM/DM  26    Persewa Watampone
9   Lucky Steviano             CM     28    Persenggu Junggalu
8   Yuliawan                   RM     24    Persekarta Kartasura
10  Sandi Wijaya               AT     25    Persekarta Kartasura
11  Christian Hadiwinata       AT     24    Persenggu Junggalu
Substitute (in Bench)
33  Sandi Mustaqim             GK     35    Persetang Tangaram
19  Komang Sudarma             ST/AM  27    Meru United
5   Arisandi Yudana            RB     24    Persetang Tangaram
15  Eka Pancaka                CB     25    Kayutangi FC
7   Eka Wiryawan               CM/DM  25    Meru United
18  Wahyu Suryobroto           LM     26    Persekuta Kutagedhe
Reserve
39  Paul Wisesa                GK     30    Perseyuda Yudakarta
12  Galih Darmantyo            LB     24    Tongass United (MLI)
40  Prabu Reynaldi Baruara     RB     23    Port Campbell FC (PBP)
36  Felix Fernandi Kusnanto    CB     24    Kandai United
17  Ilham Rahmayanto           CM     24    Persekarta Kartasura
44  Hernando de Sousa          LM     27    AFC Temasik (PBP)
16  Heriadi Gustaf             RM/CM  25    Port Campbell FC (PBP)
20  Viktor Tampanea            AT     24    Manaro FC
21  Ruslan Ruslana             ST/AT  24    Tongass United (MLI)
29  Komang Trisnanda Putra     AM/CM  25    Manaro FC

by **Jeruselem** » Sat Nov 01, 2025 12:31 am

Naked News Jeruselem's Princess Melissa in Juvencus on qualification match 5 for World Cup 100

Hello, this is Princess Melissa reporting for Naked News Jeruselem covering the World Cup 100.
The fact I'm wearing clothes means we're not at home, and well the background is so unfamiliar.
I'm in Juvencus where the Princesses face one of the favourites in Group 13, they are ranked 24th compared to our pitiful 93rd rank.
Unfortunately we're coming off a scoreless at home against Macbon so we're not looking that hot on paper.

Unranked New Rotterdam City had the bye today, well considering how they are going I think they won't mind the rest.
There were three other games in Group 13, with some interesting results.
Macbon decided to have another scoreless draw, this time at home with visiting Lisander.
I guess it's better than losing.
Sernet hosted the red hot Free Republics. Free Republics ath home previously drew 1-1 with Juvencus so that result showed they were not a pushover.
But Sernet inflicted Free Republics first loss, beating them 1-0. Proved Senet aren't a team to disregard.
It turns out Senet come to Jeruselem next round of the qualification.
It was the battle of Asian Y teams with Yangchenia hosting higher ranked Yuezhou.
Yuezhou won 2-0.

So it's back to Juvencus, err here.
Turns out this game was a little more eventful that we expected.
Group 13 had it's first 9 goal game, Jeruselem somehow won 5-4.
We'll take the win, especially against the top seed and then it was in their home turf.
Both teams worked out being defensive wasn't going to work well today.
I guess we were the ones who let in the least goals.

A great day for the Princesses, hopefully we can keep going and built on this.
Next up, we host Sernet at home.
Visitors to Jeruselem have been wondering why their holidays are so cheap in the end.
That's because our currency has lots of extra zeros.
Well that's alright, it means Jeruselem is great for a cheap holiday.

A lot of people comment we have the best looking air hostesses.
It's not accidental, it's one of those jobs that people really notice on a plane.
Attractive younger females are part of the psychology to make plane flights more enjoyable because honestly flying on planes is not the most fun of travel.
So I guess a distraction in the form of a pretty girl helps.
No they don't have bigger breasts, it's just they are just shorter so the sense of proportion is distorted.

One more thing, I am not related to some hurricane out there in the Caribeean.

That's it from me, I'll be going back home.

by **Woodsmere** » Sat Nov 01, 2025 4:03 am

Woodsmere beats Norway-Sweden-Finland 1-0!
Maks Pohve • Harbude

Once again, the Redbricks stadium was glowing of light, in preparation for the long awaited match against Norway-Sweden-Finland (who will be shortened as NSF for most of this article). Considering NSF's loss count, many said we were bound to win. But this still wasn't enough to convince the critics. The match ended with a victorious celebration from Woodsmerean fans. Most Meares were too tired to celebrate when the match ended, so there were parades and parties across Woodsmere the next day.

It started with hope for the Hares knew they ought to win. Ojalas opened up the pitch and pushed forward rather easily, and passed to Keulep whose control of the ball shook the opposition. This enabled him to find space and score precisely at 22'. What followed was screaming from the Woodsmerean fans accompanied by chants like "Rusu no nemus-da!" (Glory to our home/Woodsmere!) and "Bweżravs! Bweżravs!" (Continue! Continue!) which lasted well into the first half.

The second half was understandably less exciting, due to the well-battered NSF team failing to attack us. There was a slim moment when a midfielder from NSF dashed past Viren at 56' and kicked in the ball, but fortunately it was saved by Poldma. A yellow card was handed to a forward from NSF, due to a foul on Jeremy Roheline at 73'.

As the whistle blew and the masses left the stadium, the enthusiastic singing of the national anthem was so loud that locals woke up to join in. It was indeed such an exciting game for Woodsmere, and motivated the Hares to push further when they played Bythia.

Redbricks Stadium a few minutes before half-time
Note: AI-Generated

Bythia humiliated, hammered and humbled 2-0!
Maks Pohve • Harbude

A displeasing result was predicted for our match against Bythia, who are still dominating the group table, yet our strong Hares played them and finished with a solid 2-0.

It started with Bythia dominating possession of the ball, however Linstre and Roheline held off the attack and regained possession of the ball 15 minutes in, with a skilful interception. This was followed by a swift pass to Reged who dribbled past the poorly organised opposition's defence, and launched the ball into the top-left corner of their goal at 19' and their goalkeeper turned red as a tomato from embarrassment. Another skilled win for Woodsmere, but the game still wasn't over. Until half-time the ball was controlled by our midfielders as well as 2 failed attempts to score from Ojalas.

After half-time, the competition really began since Bythia understandably did not wish to lose a game for the first time - it would be such a shame for them. The midfielders were not able to keep up with their pace, but Ojalas intercepted at the right time, flanked the distracted defenders and launched a missile into the goal at 75'. The poor goalkeeper ought to have been teamed up on in their team changing room. The small but outspoken minority of Woodsmerean fans cheered on till the very end once again.

The news of the victory was such great news for Woodsmere, parades happened once again, more people raised Woodsmerean flags outside their windows, and many even began wearing flag-themed clothing. It was a reminder that resilience is the key to success.

Street in Central Fórlann with flags
Note: AI-generated

Comments from our website (translated):

@AdorableFilter said: Aw shucks, well sh*t Hares :evil:

@hg6kd2 said: Glory to Woodsmere! Glory to the Hares! Glory to all who care! :bow:

@meknajdregvas said: Well played Ojalas, keep it up. :clap:

And good luck against Avote, wishing all the best :lol2:

@jeremyfan123 said: Jeremy seriously needs to up his game, his fans are being neglected now...

Woodsmere Sports TV - Street interview in Wassenstad
Gregori Mansaz

Gregori: Welcome back to Woodsmere Sports TV - we're here in the centre of Wassenstad today to ask ordinary people about what they think of the recent Hare wins.

Young man with his girlfriend: A good thing really, my mates and I are going to throw a party tonight to celebrate. I just went out with my girlfriend to the restaurant, because it's worth eating out for an event like this. Any patriot would celebrate.
His Girlfriend: Yeah, when we went to the restaurant, there were no free seats - that's how many people are celebrating! There are others going over the top by painting their faces with the flag too. Wonderful, really.

A rather tall Somerician teenager with shades: ranting We're winning and all, BUT JEREMY IS NOT! Jeremy seriously fell off after the first game, and he even let that foul slide. Jeremy needs to make up for all this.

Grown man with a shopping bag: I'm on my way but I don't mind losing some time for the good of Woodsmere. I watched the game last night, and it was honestly incredible. Especially cunning Keulep with his professional dribbling. Can't wait to watch the game against Avote, we're guaranteed a win.

Gregori: We'll now take a tram to Wassenstad Terminal to ask some tram passengers

An old woman: Ah, what a game. I actually went to the game against NSF the day before, and it almost felt like we were all one hivemind cheering for Woodsmere. Words cannot describe my joy there. She gets off the tram

Middle-aged woman with her young daughter: Didn't actually get time to watch it, apparently it was great. We're eating out tonight to celebrate, I guess.

Gregori: Unfortunately, that's all our time so thank you for watching and please do something to celebrate :lol:

Woodsmere Sports TV - Predictions for the next game
Zak Malracce

Tonight we will face Pyazhnaya away. We cannot yet predict the outcome, but it seems that the results could be in their favour. Their history and experience is no match to ours - but that's not without saying we have some hope. We are almost on par with them in terms of results, a win could mean us overtaking them. We do not know much about their nation, apart from their huge Russian influence and their only stadium being in their capital Krasnograd. Many teams have lost to them, but we must not give up hope. For the new game, we are going to swap Groibyz for Alatalato and Roheline (unfortunate for his fans) for Kalninsu. The result will be known tonight. Good luck to the Hares and to Pyazhnaya :clap:

by **Zenic** » Sat Nov 01, 2025 6:09 am

"I can feel it. The tides are turning and the winds are pushing us closer to our destination."

"Are you trying to wax poetic on a one game international play period? They did well but that was to be expected from anyone with a brain cell: something the media seems to be lacking nowadays," replied Victor Samuel Paredes to his old national team partner in crime, Luke Killian. The two had decided to meet up roughly halfway between the previous international period and upcoming international period to talk about the qualifiers and to catch up with each other.

"Trust me, I've had too many examples lately of that but the relief of being able to shut them up, even for a few days, is amazing. Now, pour me another glass of the whiskey." Paredes happily obliged and pour one for each of them before clanking their glasses to drink. 6-1 was always scoreline to celebrate, especially one that massively redirected Zenic back into the correct direction: up the table, not down. These weren't baby steps like the other matches: this got the Survivors back into a positive goal differential and within 4 points of the top two spots in Group 22.

"That's to a potential two win international period to put us at a 5-0-2 record with a strong chance at first or second place, depending on how the rest of the matches play out, of course." Paredes chuckled. "If we win both, this could be our lucky bottle of whiskey." Killian looked at his glass and then at the bottle. "Not if we finish it before then," Killian replied, causing the two old pals to burst out laughing.

Killian, Paredes, Zys, Tapi, Dimi, The Emperor, The Consul, the players, and the fans all knew what had to be done: crush Moladea and Porotia then see how the others make the tiniest of errors to tumble down the standings to make room for the Survivors.

Do that and the upcoming Rushmori duel with Bonusia, and the awaited rematch at home with Nova Calania, could be the point when Zenic takes control of their destiny and never look back.

by **Calgasia** » Sat Nov 01, 2025 6:22 am

Stöckl Motor Werke

Chapter 3: Fresh Air - The Stöckl Aria

The Stöckl story so far...
Introduction & Context
Chapter 1 - The Stöckl Nabucco
Chapter 2 - The Stöckl Otello

The eighties gave way to the nineties, and stability was finally the prevailing tone in the country and especially at the Stöckl Motor Werke, with a major expansion of the manufacturing plant to meet the demands of the engine manufacturing agreement for Klimes. But that tranquillity was about to be shattered throughout Calgasia. Young people were beginning to create a social and cultural movement that would change the entire country. Old social conventions would become a thing of the past with the new generations. Groovy Goldstadt, a similar movement to London’s Swinging Sixties, was in the making.

New fashion houses replaced the austere tailoring of their parents with bold colours and synthetic fabrics. Modern art exhibitions multiplied, the film industry was booming, and the streets of the capital were alive with the sound of electric guitars and motorbikes. And in the middle of all of that, a man willing to lead that change.

Wolfgang Stöckl Jr. Good-looking, witty and with the rare ability of . He studied industrial design with honours at Goldstadt University, as well as a course in business management. A regular at both the university library and the capital's coolest cafés, Wolfgang Jr. soon gained a reputation as a brilliant student as well as a socialitè. And there, surrounded by his classmates, models and musicians, he absorbed all the influences that were brewing in the city and would soon sweep across the country, and decided on the path the company would take.

Wolfgang? I don't know how he even did it. He was one of the best students in industrial design, but at the same time, he was everywhere! Every party, every café, every happening... there he was. And the next morning, sitting in the university classroom. I guess he mastered the ability of not sleeping at all.
Georg Franken, lead designer at Stöckl

He graduated in 1996 and joined the company. He soon challenged his father's traditional business ideas, arguing that if Stöckl wanted to be truly financially sustainable in the future, it had to be much more ambitious, break away from Klimeš's orbit and manufacture in much larger numbers. Additionally, Stöckl had to lead the cultural revolution that was brewing, and its cars had to be an integral part of such movement. Their cars had to be objects of desire, not just vehicles. In short, he wanted to shake up the established order.

After months of discussions, Wolfgang Sr., knowing that he would be retiring in a few years, allowed his son to create a project team with one goal: to make the new generation of Stöckl cars, the Futura group.

To this end, Wolfgang Jr. hired some of the brightest university students in the country. His university classmate in industrial design, Georg Franken, mechanical engineers Hans Kotschka and Jan Novotný, and aerospace engineer Willy Dausser. A new wing of the factory was built with a shiny wind tunnel (no more asking Klimeš or the University of Goldstadt to use theirs), two mechanical workshops, and a prototype assembly area. The Futura Project was set.
The work was not easy. Long hours, sleepless nights, and constant problems were the daily companions of this group of young engineers for months. Stöckl Sr. helped with the development of a new engine, a 1.6-litre, DOHC with twin spark, that would later be known as the Stöckl Twin Cam Engine or STCE.

The design of the Aria was a nightmare. We wanted to create a new, revolutionary design, but turns out that building a car from scratch is no easy task. When it wasn't one thing, it was another. One day it was the tubular structure, another day it was understeer, and the following month, how to fit the engine into the structure. We often slept in the studio. Oh, and don't get me started on the 1.6 engine.

The engine design process was being constantly delayed, so the new car would have to begin to be sold with the 1.3L 90 CV that was being used for the Salon. After 14 months of work and a few delays, they presented the final prototype of the new model at the end of 1999, the Stöckl Aria. A breath of fresh air.

Wolfgang Sr. was speechless when he saw the Aria. A beautiful coupé with a groundbreaking design, never before seen or even imagined in Calgasia. Wolfgang Jr. went back to basics: no more large, ostentatious coupés like the Otello or the Salon Sport. New, powerful engines, excellent handling, groundbreaking design. Sportiness and luxury hand in hand. Higher production volumes, no more small batch manufacturing, no more full dependence on Klimes. This time, the company was finally dreaming big.

The times they are a changing

One of Goldstadt's favourite pastimes is cafés and terraces. On weekend mornings, people like to stroll along its grand boulevards and avenues, see and be seen, and then sit down at one of the many establishments. A coffee, a hot chocolate or, why not, a beer or a glass of wine while watching people go by and discussing with friends.

A fine, sunny December morning in 1999, Alexander Huber, chairman of Austro-Daimler, was partaking in this activity. He was sitting in the Café Budapest when he saw a bright red car speeding down the avenue. The entire terrace stood up in surprise and awe at that sight, people asking themselves which car that was. Alexander sat back down in his seat, looking worried. Who could it have been? Then it occurred to him: Herr Stöckl. Problems were coming.

We had the final prototype ready, painted in a flashing, intense red colour. The design and construction had been extenuating, and now we had to think about marketing and selling.
Given it was December, we initially thought that we would wait until the new year had passed to start with the ads and so, but I had an idea. Realising it was Saturday morning, I took the keys and drove to the city centre, making sure I passed through the famous cafés. Turned out to be the best ad we've ever had, and it was well worth the cold I got from driving a roadster in December.

Wolfgang Stöckl Jr.

Success was immediate, with orders coming from all across the country, and quickly becoming the favourite car of the beautiful people, artists, and the growing young urban professionals.

Technically, the Aria is a two-seater, front-engined, rear-drive roadster. Initially, it was only sold with the 1,290 cc twin cam engine was the same used on the Klimes Salon, and produced 88 hp. Top speed was 170 km/h (106 mph). Buyers could only choose a 5-speed manual transmission for the first year, but now a 4-speed automatic gearbox is available. The interior is austere yet luxurious with wood interior, ventilation, and a radio. The standard seats are fabric, but leather seats can be included. The starting price is 30,000 NSD.

[th]Model[/th][th]Engine[/th][th]Max Power[/th][th]Torque[/th][th]Top Speed[/th][th]Transmission[/th][th]Price (NSD)[/th]

Aria 1300	1,290 cc DOHC I4	90 hp (67 kW) @ 4,600 rpm	137 Nm @ 3,200 rpm	170 km/h (105 mph)	5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic	30,000
Aria 1600	1,570 cc DOHC I4	110 hp (82 kW) @ 4,800 rpm	142 Nm @ 3,400 rpm	180 km/h (112 mph)	5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic	34,000
Aria Speziale	1,570 cc DOHC I4	110 hp (82 kW) @ 4,800 rpm	142 Nm @ 3,400 rpm	185 km/h (115 mph)	5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic	40,000

Equipment & Packages
Standard fabric seats with lumbar support
Polished wood dashboard
AM/FM radio with twin speakers
Ventilation system with adjustable nozzles
Three-spoke wood-rim steering wheel
Compact luggage compartment (90 L)

Luxury Package: Leather seats, chromed mirrors and handles, Glanz&Sohn speakers, electric windows. Price: 2,000 NSD (included as standard in Aria Speziale)

Touring Package: 4-speed automatic gearbox, Glanz&Sohn speakers, touring suspension. Price: 1,500 NSD.

Performance package: Sport suspension, sport alloy wheels, tuned engine (only available for 1600 models). Price: 2,800 NSD

Colours: Rosso Corsa, Alpine White, Goldstadt Blue, Melperk Green, Obsidian Black, Lemon Yellow, Light Blue, Tangerine Orange, Light Green

Contact your nearest Stöckl dealer for more details

OOC: All images are AI generated.
OOC 2: You may use this Aria model and subsequent ones in your RPs. ICly they're available, unless the previous models in my RPs.
Aria is based on the 1966 Alfa Romeo Spider Wikipedia article

by **Shin-Zetsubo** » Sat Nov 01, 2025 6:30 am

Shin-Zetsubo 4–1 Txakhaxi
From Despairing Soccer Ground, Towa City, Shin-Zetsubo
Stacee Carsons '21 '46 (SHZ)
Kelley Garfield '51 (SHZ)
Unknown '74 (TXK)
Ursula Dorsey '85 (SHZ)

Gyaromia 0–0 Shin-Zetsubo
From FK Partisan Lászvár Stadium, Lászvár, Gyaromia

It was the game nobody in Shin-Zetsubo wanted to watch. Okay, people were watching the match in the first few minutes, but if there's one thing about Shin-Zetsubo you might have to get used to, it's that nobody likes to be bored. It's easy for the Shin-Zetsubites to get bored, but when it happens they'd rather be watching anything else. Two-minute "despair dramas", home cooking, even teleshopping. Yes, in Shin-Zetsubo, they would rather watch people gawk at useless items for them to buy with their copious amount of currencies than to watch a boring football match. See, for example, the Despair Girls traveling to Lászvár.

Gyaromia were not a bad team. Far from it, they were exactly #100 when it came to the overall ranking. By all intents, they were the favorites, but Golfo central also gave them. shocks, a hard time when they visited the Central Gulf. It wasn't the visitors losing, but it was still a hiccup on the road to qualification for football's biggest dance. So how would the Emoran system, positionless despair and all, fare against their first real test of the qualifiers?

Notice how we didn't mention the prior game SHZ had before traveling here. Welcoming complete newbies to the Despairing Soccer Ground in Txakhaxi, the Despair Girls romped to a 4-1 victory off the back of a Stacee Carsons brace. When the time came to head to Lászvár, Carsons herself decided to ride the bench. She was tired, for once. That meant the rest of the team had to step up in a qualification 6 pointer.

They disappointed.

By no means was the match not a snoozefest by conventional football standards. Shin-Zetsubo and Gyaromia had chance after chance to break the deadlock, even with the hosts opting for a more defensive style to counteract positionless despair once the system got off and going. But none of those chances became goals for either team. Ádám Tóth and Anna Willows guarded their goals as if they were some unknown jewels to the crown, blocking shot after shot and even grabbing a couple balls to completely mute out some attacks. Try as they might, nobody could get a lead.

DespairTimeTV, being the official broadcaster of Shin-Zetsubo's national team matches, saw the writing on the wall. Dianna Sayaka and Yves Quarrington, the commentators for the match, decided to leave their posts at the 55th minute:

"Dianna... I'm bored of watching this match. Is there anything interesting to see in Lászvár?"
"Yeah, in fact... I think it's time to step away from this match. See you soon for postgame! Puhuhuhu~!

8 minutes later, with not even a single goal scored, the match just... Stopped being broadcast. Instead, it was teleshopping. The wares they were selling didn't matter to most people, the only thing that did was that Shin-Zetsubo weren't on their televisions not scoring goals. With the relief off their chests, the Shin-Zetsubites began to pay for their despairful items one by one. Such was life in the land of despair. If one thing gets boring, one way or another, you find something else to get despair out of.

And hey, a MonoMono boombox for 11307 Monocoins sounds good right about now...

by **Recuecn** » Sat Nov 01, 2025 6:56 am

[OOC: This RP builds off Banija's ongoing Abahamba storyline, which I've linked. Thanks to Ban for letting me hop on the collab!]

Banija, Part 1: Intro to Abahamba | Banija, Part 2: A New Ambassador | Banija, Part 3: Robel Takes a Phone Call | Busoga, Part 4: Rumors Hit the Internet

Foreign Affairs work in Reçueçn was hard. The nation's devolved government was divided by factions so myriad and so tiny that no governing coalition was possible. Instead, the nation's main legislative chamber, the chambre maïorale functioned in an essentially non-partisan manner, with alliances between individual deputies that shifted for each new vote. The nation had no head of state. Centuries ago, the Allied States had come together to depose a despotic tyrant, and in the wake of that rebellion, there was much enthusiasm for democracy (although with a limited franchise and much oversight from the aristocracy). Popular opinion had forbidden the creation of any new post—prime minister, president, or anything—to replace the old king. However, the ministers of the new alliance government still vied for the most prestigious titles. The various government ministries soon had a widely accepted, albeit unofficial, ranking, and those with the most publicly visible roles took precedence. Chief of these was the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Reçueçn had decided that no one man would ever govern the nation, or be its sole representative. Yet that was precisely the role of the Minister of Foreign Affairs—to represent Reçueçn to the world. Immediately, the position became the most highly coveted job in the nation. Competition was fierce. Since the chambre des pairs appointed the ministerial positions, often from among its own members, no election could solve this issue by putting the question to the people. Instead, the chambre des pairs, Reçueçn's upper legislative chamber, was deadlocked.

A series of several foreign ministers was rapidly appointed and destitués (impeached) in turn, since trumped-up destitution charges were the main way the chamber had of giving itself the chance to appoint someone new. Eventually, it became clear that no one would be able to maintain the position, since that would require pleasing a majority of the nation's aristocracy, and they all wanted the position for themselves. A compromise was finally reached—the position would remain vacant, and Reçueçn would have neither a head of state, nor a head of government, nor a head of foreign affairs.

All of this is long-distant history now, but to this day, the Reçuecian Ministry of Foreign Affairs functions without a Minister. The ministry's special status is recognized as a de facto reality, and an unusually large number of deputy ministers work together to ensure the office can still complete its duties. All that to say, that doing foreign affairs work for Reçueçn is often very difficult, and officially completing a simple task can require a half-dozen different approvals. Often, the most work is accomplished when ministry staffers take things into their own hands in an effort to get something done. The level of initiative expected from Reçuecian diplomats is very delicately defined, and has been the subject of many white papers.

~~~

Ottilie Thorvex didn't even work in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She worked for the Ministry of Sport, and for most of her career, had scoffed at the arcane machinations of the foreign ministry, laughing at the hoops its employees had to jump through due to their ministry's politicization. The Ministry of Sport, by comparison, was perhaps the least political ministry in the government. The ministry itself was very well-thought of by most Reçuecians, and was led by a popular, decisive young minister who had already achieved remarkable things.

That said, it was starting to feel more and more as if Ottilie might as well work in the foreign affairs department anyway. She'd been assigned as part of the Reçuecian delegation to the WCC, and given the politics of it all, some days she felt that she might as well be working at the World Assembly. Ottilie had expected the work at WCC headquarters to be dull and repetitive, exceedingly formulaic. But it turned out the nations of the multiverse always had new ways to stir up drama, even when they all paid lip service to the idea of coming together for sport.

For example, Ottilie had just heard a wild rumor from one of her friends she'd had lunch with. Ottilie tended to spend a lot of her free time with other Reçuecian expats in Zube, since she always felt just a bit homesick. Hearing French outside of work immediately brought up a warm wave of feeling. Unfortunately, most of the other Reçuecians Ottilie knew here in Pavola were her coworkers, and she didn't want to spend all her time off with them too.

Today, Ottilie had grabbed lunch at a café with her friend Fiorella. Fiorella was also Reçuecian, but at least she didn't work for the government—she worked directly for the WCC. They had met at a gala for WCC representatives, Ottilie attending on behalf of Reçueçn, and Fiorella, just there for fun, but invited since she worked for the WCC itself. When they'd realized they were from the same village in southeast Reçueçn, they hit it off. Their careers had a lot in common, so they had plenty to talk about, but since they weren't on the same team, it didn't feel too much like being at work still.

Over a plate of bangers and mash, Fiorella had told Ottilie about the latest headache at work.

"They gave me these documents to review for filing, but I have no idea what to do with them. I spent this whole morning searching the WCC archives and I can't find a single time we've requested this kind of info from any other nation. Every other form I get I've seen a million times, so I know exactly which parts to check, and where to file it. But these Abahamba forms—I'm convinced my boss fucked up, and now its endless work for me."

"Abahamba?" Ottilie asked curiously.

"I'd never heard of it either. It's a developing country in Arrosia apparently—I looked it up—and they're not WCC members because they've never participated in any WCC tournaments before."

"So the problem is just that there's no file on Abahamba?"

"No," said Fiorella, "They put one together—IT has a special team we work with when we're onboarding new nations. It happens every world cup, and especially with World Cup 100 being so much bigger than every other World Cup in history, we've had to make a bunch of new hires to keep up with the influx. But the Abahamba sign-up is weird. Normally a new nation shows up saying they want to compete, and we just shoo them in. But suddenly, for just this one country, there's endless financial documentation we have to go over. It just feels like busywork."

"That's frustrating."

"It is! It's like someone wants to waste time on this application! Otherwise I don't understand why we're filing these documents when they have no bearing on whether or not the application is accepted."

"Weird." Ottilie was trying to sympathize with her friend, but in her head, the gears were turning. "Did you ask your boss about it?"

"Yeah, but I think there has to be some mistake. He's so bad at communication—I can show you the email he sent me. It's two sentences. Just, 'You're doing great work Fiorella, sorry for the extra workload. The bigwigs told me to make sure we got the numbers.' He didn't even answer my question!"

"What numbers, the finance stuff?"

"Yeah. It feels like I'm working for the freaking impots et douaniers. This application was supposed to be a quick rubber stamp and it's turning into a fucking audit!"

Ottilie couldn't stop thinking about the conversation when she got back to her office. She looked up "Abahamba" on an online encyclopedia, trying to figure out what could possibly be so special about this country she'd never heard of. Certainly it seemed there were signs of corruption in the country—it was deeply impoverished, yet one of the few photos she could find of its king showed him seated in what appeared to be a gold-plated golf cart. Beyond that, it looked so foreign to her she found it hard to imagine what it must be like to visit. All she could picture was dodos, running around in the jungle.

Well, the wiki also said that Abahamba was strongly influenced by Banijan culture. That immediately conjured up images in her head—Ottilie found she had no shortage of Banijan stereotypes to draw from. Banijan soldiers, marching through the forest. The Banijan kabaka, ruling his kingdom as a despot from the midst of his harem. Well, okay, the kabaka was a seven-year-old now, she knew that. But it sickened her to imagine what kind of man he would grow up to be, being raised to believe he was the scion of a theocratic dynasty who could do no wrong. It hurt her to think that the patriarchy was so alive and well in such a powerful, technologically modern (if socially backward) country.

She knew Banija had expanded northward recently with the annexation of Lugave. And it had taken an alliance to defeat them in the war to stop their imperial aspirations. Were they at it again, now trying to eclipse the poverty-stricken Abahamba through Banija's infamous sports-based soft power? It sounded like an insane conspiracy theory, Ottilie was aware. But she couldn't get the thought out of the back of her mind.

Maybe it was worth sending an email to her boss—the director of the WCC division at the Ministry of Sport. Was someone meddling with Abahamba's WCC application? If so, how was she meant to proceed?

LICORNES RECORD GREATEST VICTORY; STILL TO CONCEDE
Reçueçn Times
By Sportswriter Georges Quint

Reçueçn, Reçueçn—Yesterday's 7-0 victory over Shiverian Republics set a new record for the ÉNRF's greatest victory. Other than an 8-2 victory over Borxinoia in the 59th Baptism of Fire, Reçueçn has never scored more than six goals in a single game. With a five-game win streak, the équipe nationale has also tied its results in World Cup 89 qualifiers for its best start to a qualification campaign. (The 89 WCQs ultimately led to a collapse and sixth-place finish. World Cup 100... remains to be seen.)

Fans have noticed that Les Licornes, usually known for their defensive play, have been uncharacteristically trouncing their opposition in their qualifying games. Reçueçn currently leads its qualification group, ahead of first seeds Banija, thanks to its strong goal differential. That number—plus fourteen—is also the same number as Reçueçn's total goals, since it hasn't yet conceded. Although it's understood that the traditional Reçuecian strategy is to prioritize defense at the cost of attacking, this cycle it seems that Les Licornes have learned how to do both at once. In five games so far, Reçueçn has kept clean sheets the whole time, while scoring an average of 2.80 goals per game, much higher than the nation's average goals scored after 90 minutes before this cycle, at 1.51. Comparing average goal differential is an even more impressive difference: again +2.80 for these qualifiers, contrasted with a previous mere +0.42 all-time.

Who deserves the credit for such a sudden uptick in performance? The équipe nationale now raking in 1.3 more expected goals (xG) and preventing 1.1 opponents' goals (a rise in expected saves, or xS). Does ÉNRF manager Hyron LeBouffe deserve the credit? No, most pundits agree. The team's success is seen as a sudden run of good luck for LeBouffe, but analysts can't point to any particular strategy changes in the past five games to explain Les Licornes' performance this year. LeBouffe has previously coached the ÉNRF through a Cup of Harmony, two IACs, and a World Cup, although due to the player strike before World Cup 99, he has never managed a WC qualification campaign. Here, during qualifiers for World Cup 100, he seems to be sticking to his more-or-less hands-off approach, but for some reason it's just... working better.

The ÉNRF's success isn't a lone phenomenon, however. International sports journalists have pointed out that teams across the multiverse have been scoring goals by the bucketful the past few weeks. Two new WCC "scorigamis" have been recorded in just six matchdays. Theories attempting to explain this increase abound. Some smack of conspiracy, such as those accusing the WCC of turning a blind eye to the usage of performance-enhancing substances like steroids, drugs, or RPinin. Other theories sound ludicrous, such as the one claiming that a recent change in WCC regulation has caused widespread changes to the kinds of turf on which international games are played, making play move faster and causing teams to score more goals. (There are no confirmed reports of host venues across the multiverse all making a coordinated switch to a new, previously unknown, magical-goal-increasing playing surface.)

For the Reçuecians, at least, we can point to two elements which have contributed to their success—and they're both named Firaut. Team captain Gerauld Firaut leads from the rear, from his post as goalkeeper. His defense has so far prevented any and all attempts to score against them, a feat no other team in the multiverse can boast of. Gerauld turned 40 this year, and is approaching the end of his career, so fans didn't expect the display of athleticism he has put on. But his clean sheets are not due only to his defensive strategy—he has put up some very beautiful saves, including one diving leap against Kandorith to stymie a shot from Akio Nishimura that seemed a sure thing.

Meanwhile, Gerauld's daughter Rébecca, famous for her activism and responsible for the ÉNRF becoming a mixed-gender team, now plays on the team's starting line-up. Having fought for her right to play on the équipe nationale, Rébecca is excelling in the position she earned for herself. She scored a hat trick against the Shiverian Republics yesterday, putting her up to five goals total and giving her the lead as Reçueçn's leading goal-scorer this tournament. She has played as a center forward, pushing Les Licornes' erstwhile striker, Franky Adams, over to right wing. But Firaut and Adams have had great success as a pair, often giving each other assists. Rébecca's other partner in crime is Héloïse Asselineau, who plays on the left. Asselineau, Firaut, and Adams have become a dangerous trio, scoring 12 of Reçueçn's 14 goals between them. Against the Shiverian team, the trio appeared unbeatable, running circles around defenders, and consistently breaking through the Shiverian back line.

After the match, coach LeBouffe was asked why he allowed his player to continue scoring goals in the second half, once it was clear that Les Licornes would win the match.

"For starts, let me get out in front of anyone claiming it's 'disrespectful' to score so many goals against an opponent, even if they're the weaker team on a given day. It's a sign of respect for us to take every match as seriously as possible. But not just that—with other strong teams in the group like Kandorith, Kita-Hinode, and especially Banija, it's essential we make the most out of every game. Right now, for example, we're even on points with Banija while we maintain this win-streak, but it's our goal differential keeping us in first place. That five-goal advantage we have in GD right now is the difference between making it to the world cup, and falling into second place, potentially getting an unlucky playoff draw, and having to take a trip to the Cup of Harmony. As Reçuecians, we take pride in our defense, but we'll take every goal we can get."

Reçueçn has two more matches before it visits Banija for a face-off that may presage the outcome of Group 14. The team is looking ahead to that showdown but in the meantime, LeBouffe says, "every game is a must-win."

[OOC note to hosts: due to the differences between LISA and Xkoranate, I'd like to change my style modifier to -5, if allowed.]

by **Zwangzug** » Sat Nov 01, 2025 7:07 am

The archives honor sacrifice and pain,
But sporting defeat's more than enough drama
For narratives that linger and sustain.
Life's hard enough with no one dumping trauma

Upon us from outside: oppression, war,
Famines and plagues, floods, flames, assassinations.
Redoubled misery: what is it for?
Unchosen shame, on behalf of one's nation?

We even flinch from subtle, quiet change,
Dismayed when old flags fade to white and gray.
Are we too fragile? Is it really strange
Lamenting that all things pass, none can stay?

But scorelines from the past remain true, known.
They echo back each anthem and each groan.

The Kerlagrad Courier

Jubilee McGraw has admitted that the national team's minimalist approach to uniforms was "probably a bad idea." As Zwangzug could not or would not provide an alternative to the evenly-spaced white and black stripes during their match at the Park der Fründens, Saltstead wore a purple home kit instead, which some of the local fans blamed for their defense's poor showing in a 5-2 defeat.

"As much as we pride ourselves on our aesthetic, they were the home side and probably should have gotten first dibs," McGraw conceded. "We will definitely have a backup plan of all-white, with very thin black stripes, for the rematch at Eglantine Park. Or the other way around, if they'd prefer! Just let us know."

"Once we realized there was a problem, it's like...we could have tried to go easy on them out of pity, but that's a terrible precedent to set," the captain declared. "If all the high seeds start screwing around with that kind of fake magnaminity, then where would we be? No, the only appropriate response was to run up the score while we had the chance, and do better next time. We look forward to facing Saltstead at the top of their game in the FTC."

McGraw added that, while our country's fashion sense is so bad that we have not bothered to describe our goalkeeper kits to the international community, we definitely have goalkeepers and they definitely wear some kind of kits. "Our country may be slightly insane, but we wouldn't do something as dumb as not let people play goalie because we're too lazy to come up with another style of shirt," she proudly asserted. "We might do it for differently inane reasons, but not that one."

Mogarych 15, Istibar 40 and 68, Kalnis 76
Mookaiah 12 and 16 and 38, McGraw 61, Brecht 86

by **United Adaikes** » Sat Nov 01, 2025 7:17 am

After 3 matchdays playing 5 matches in the Qualifiers, United Adaikes has dropped to fourth in the group.

4th match - UAD 6-4 L

It was not just a loss. It was a catastrophe.

It’s the kind of result that screams “we got too high on our hype.” After the high of competing with Dhemixia, the team traveled to face their opponent with a complacent attitude.

This is exactly the kind of chaotic and unprofessional result that the old Adaikesian team under the corrupt era would have produced. It’s a chilling reminder that the new foundation might be fragile. The “gritty” defense that defined their three matches completely vanished. Conceding six goals to a team indicated a total systemic breakdown: poor organization, lack of focus, and players trying to be flashy instead of disciplined.

“I think the weight of expectation became too heavy,” Coach Nuñez replied to a question from the media about the topic of expectations. “We were no longer underdogs, we were the favorites, and we cracked under that new pressure.”

5th match - UAD 4-1 W

Back at home, and while a win is a win, and bouncing back from humiliation is crucial, the scoreline looked like a double-edged sword.

In positives, the attack finally exploded. Page & co. found their rhythm. The team showed that they have character and didn’t quit after a disaster.

In the negative, conceding a goal at home to an unranked team proves the defensive issues from the previous match weren't a one-off. The team is now predictable. And it’s now Coach Nuñez and the staff’s turn to find a way that being scored on will not hurt in the dreams of qualifying for the World Cup, or just have the Adaikesians play better defense. It now becomes a dogfight for a qualification spot.

And while the qualification hopes are still alive, the Adaikesians will be traveling to Saterun to play in the 24th edition of the Independent Associations Championship (IAC) in the 3rd quarter of this year before they visit the #1 ranked team in the multi-verse, the Squornshelan Remnant States, before returning back home to play against the #110 ranked team, the Anewkansas, in the next matchday of the Qualifiers in the 4th quarter of this year.

The IAC will be a good ground to gauge the level of the Adaikesians with other international teams, most especially those who play independently of the multiversal regions. 4 teams will size up the United Adaikes team in that tournament.

The 4th quarter of this year will also be the make-or-break moment for the Adaikesians as the next two matches will be the ultimate “Welcome to the Big Leagues” moments.

On the first qualifying match of the quarter, the pundits have already been saying that the match cannot be about winning. It must be about survival and respect. The primary goal for Coach Nuñez must be to fix the defense and avoid a demoralizing blowout.

On the second qualifying match of the quarter, the pundits have called it the most important game of the campaign so far. The true test of the team's mentality. Can they handle the pressure? The fans will be nervous.

This is no longer just a "redemption story." It's a story about resilience.

by **Yangchenia** » Sat Nov 01, 2025 8:41 am

Yangchenia Blazing Dragons
"In the flames of sport, our iron will is forged"

Yangchenia losing streak continues with 0-2 loss to Yuezhou
Will the losing curse ever be broken?

Lhamo, Yangchenia - 02 hours after the match with Sernet.
“We can do this. We can get a dub. We cannot give up so soon.”

Hu Winwei exclaimed as the team left Sernet with another defeat in their hands. The Sernetian team was certainly good at their game, especially for their rank. But with the defeat to Sernet the Blazing Dragons had yet to score even a single victory in the world cup. A victory drought that seemed tough to end, especially looking at the team’s next opponent - Yuezhou, ranked 35th. A powerhouse team indeed, and for a moment, the Dragons had flashbacks to their previous match against Juvencus — yet one that also showed the Dragons’ resilience to fight despite overwhelming odds.

But Winwei’s attempts at pep-talking the team into hopeful spirits bore little fruit. Morale within the Dragons was the lowest it had ever been. Even the usually optimistic Wu Hsaing had doubts about his team’s chances at moving on from the elimination round — especially with their unenviable last place spot. Li Wunming, who took offense towards the end of the match against Sernet felt the same way, it was as if the Dragons were cursed by the Gods. Or maybe luck wasnt on their side today.

Yangini horoscopes had been predicting misfortune for the team as soon as the brackets were announced. Bracket 13. The number 13 struck doubt into many superstitious Yanginis, believed to be a number of bad luck. But at least it wasn't number 4.

Damdul Gyatso was still bruised from his earlier matches, however he was certainly not out of the running just yet. The last match seemed to revive something in him, as if he was reborn as a new man. Behind him, Tsamchoe Thaye, the oldest player in the team yet also one of the strongest as an accomplished martial artist stood silent, observing the rest of the team from a distance. Sasha Saizi was beside him, her arms crossed, also passively observing the group. Her kick during the last 30 minutes of the match was powerful, heard from the middle levels,to the point that she started to be called “Iron Lady” by many Sernetian audiences. Well they certainly weren't wrong. An accomplished martial artist in her own right, she definitely has fists and feet that feel like iron if you find yourself on the wrong side of them.

The night sky loomed over the city of Lhamo, the city’s bustling nightlife emerging. Winwei’s breath condensed in the frigid cold air of Msalka at the cusp of November—signaling the dawn of winter. Winter had long been considered one of Yangchenia’s allies, helping the country in numerous defensive wars in the past, but this time, it seemed like winter wasnt playing them any favors.

But they couldnt change anything now. All that was left to do is fight the next few matches, and hope the tides turn in their favor.

And so, the team went their separate ways, agreeing to meet back at the Dome of the Thunder Panda early the next morning. They were the home team in this first match against Yuezhou, but it didnt really serve the team much advantage against a high ranking team like them. Still, any advantage is welcome in this fight for the team’s future in the World Cup.

As the matchday began, the stadium’s 110,000 seating capacity was slowly filled up by excited audiences as the two teams piled into their dugouts on opposing ends. As the team got ready, Winwei stood in the corner, hoping that this would be it—these coming few days would bring what Yangchenia needed the most.

A dub.

As the team flooded out of the dugouts, Tsamchoe Thaye led the charge, a break from the traditional Wu Hsaing. In his sixty-four years on this planet he has rarely stared down defeat, but now, he was willing to stare it down until it fled. In his eyes, he carried not just his team’s glory, but the glory of his entire country. He wasnt just carrying a ball, he was carrying the pride of an entire country—one that does not surrender easily, even in great trial.

As the whistle was blown, the Yuezhou and Yangini teams clashed in the center for possession of the ball. The opening minutes of the match brought little gains. The Yuezhounese players were certainly skilled, however the Dragons also had the skills needed to counter them. By the 20th minute, neither team had made breakthroughs through the other, and for a moment the match seemed to settle into a stalemate as it entered the 30th minute.

Then suddenly, the line broke—Yuezhounese players breaking through the Yangini midfield—through the defense and by the 32nd minute, they were at Damdul Gyatso’s doorstep. First strike - blocked, Gyatso throwing himself to the ground. Second shot bore no fruit either, Gyatso kicking the ball back away from the goal. Then on the third strike, Zhu Tianming of the Yuezhounese team managed to score a goal on the 38th minute, bringing the score 0-1.

Bad news began further hitting the Dragons as only 10 minutes later, on the 48th minute, Leona Tsang again scored for Yuezhou, though after 5 blocks from Gyatso, leading the score to two-nil.

By halftime, the Dragons were now on the backfoot, and Winwei knew the only path forward was to score. By the end of halftime, the Dragons returned to the field, however this time—the Yuezhounese team failed to break through. The ball had fallen into Kara Mingsdottir’s possession, however she struggled to make it past Yesui Erkhet’s defence, her tall stature making it challenging to get past her. At the 69th minute, the ball fell into Yangini possession, with Wu Hsaing and Tsamchoe Thaye making a breakthrough through the Yuezhounese lines, making several attempts at the goal. However all of their attempts were summarily blocked by the Yuezhounese goalkeeper, Zhao Deliang.

However the Dragons refused to gived up, and by the 84th minute, midfielder Sasha Saizi made another attempt for the goal, her infamous “Iron Kick” sending the ball flying past the Yuezhounese defenders. However yet again, the Yuezhounese goalkeeper held firm, tanking the ball and ending the game 0-2 with a Yuezhounese victory.

Image is human-made using Canva.

Yangchenia draws against Free Republics on Matchday 6
A case for optimism?

Location: Olympic Stadium, Baselton, Amolotopia
With yet another loss on their hands, Yangini morale further fell to an all time low. Rumors of suicide from patriots who couldnt take their country’s loss spread across national news, with the Yangchenia National Police reporting a total of 27 dead across the country. Although Yangini police find that many of the suicide victims were people that had placed big bets for the Dragons during the World Cup, who lost all their money after the Dragons' losing streak ever since Matchday 2 , the toll still dawns on the team.

But now was not the time to lament over losses. Their next match against the Free Republics was coming up next, and they couldnt afford to miss and lose another one. And so off the team went to the Free Republics, leaving their home nation behind to fight on a foreign frontier once more.

The team’s arrival in the Free Republics was met with little fanfare however. The significant drop in morale for Yangini fans has led to a significant decrease in the amount of people turning up to see the matches live—lest they witness another defeat. The goal was clear for the team as soon as they landed in the Free Republics, prove to the Yangini people, and to the world for that matter, that the hope has not been lost.

As the match begun, things were immediately off to a rocky start for the Yangini team. With early enemy possession of the ball and a Free Republican breakthrough soon after on the 7th minute, it seemed like a repeat of Yuezhou was inevitable. However this time, the breakthrough was contained, the ball falling under the possession of Tubek Orlov, a member of the Yangini team who rarely got the spotlight, however for this moment the eyes of millions fell upon him. Passing it to Yesui Erkhet, then to Wu Hsaing—this time the Yangini team had the upper hand, pressing through Republican midfielders, then their defenders, and finally, getting close to the goal on the 21st minute. However, once again the enemy goalkeeper was able to block his attempt.

As the ball fell into Republican hands once more, the Yangini team pulled back to defend the goal, however their time with the ball was short lived as it was quickly stolen back by Li Wunming, who made another attempt at the Free Republican goal. Their goalkeeper Peter Savage, however Wunming’s shot missed, the ball bouncing off the crossbar.

With that final goal attempt, for the rest of the match no other breakthroughs were made, a stalemate taking hold until the final whistle was blown, the match ending in a goalless draw. With this draw to the Free Republics, the Dragons now stand at 3 losses, 2 draws, and no wins. However their draw against the Free Republics did help in rejuvenating Yangini morale, showing their countrymen that despite the odds, Yangchenia will not bow. Yangchenia will not kneel.

Instead, it will fight.
Until the Dragon’s final roar.

Image is human-made using Canva.

NEXT MATCHES:

Matchday 8
Yangchenia vs Jeruselem
at Dome of the Thunder Panda, Lhamo, Yangchenia

Matchday 9
Lisander vs Yangchenia
at Soria Park, Lisander

by **United States Of Alpha** » Sat Nov 01, 2025 9:08 am

[Note: For those of you that actually believe I'm brainrot, I'm not. I just watch a lot of Roblox memes, like Buur, and I use that to give myself some flair, some pizazz to my nation's WC team and to the WC as a whole. No judging. Onto the interview.]
[Other note: Any roasts of any nations are not intended to cause offense (gotcha mods) and are purely for entertainment only.]

Weather machine reporter: So apparently, in their RP, Atymnius, the incarnation of Dēmos called you "brain rot" in their telling of their 4-1 beatdown of your team. How do you respond to that?

Oofio: First of all, says the person who belongs in 1500 BCE. But, roasts aside, I have to admit they did make a decent point when they humbled the crap out of us. We do throw in a bunch of 2024 stuff into our team. My counterargument to this is that we are, simply put, the ketchup, mustard, chili, shredded cheese, and other toppings onto the plain hot dog of other people in the World Cup.

Reporter: You mean vanilla ice cream?

Oofio: No, vanilla ice cream is actually good. And also, we pretty much are anti-brainrot (except the occasional 6-7 meme, but then again, some of the other guys are part of that train too, so we're not alone).

Reporter: I think that covers that misunderstanding. Anyways that's all I've got to ask. Let us reporter team know how the games went. See ya.

Oofio: Bye! Will do.

[Final note: if you don't understand who "Buur" is, then here: https://www.youtube.com/@Buur (still no judging)]

by **Vixette** » Sat Nov 01, 2025 9:39 am

134340 - bts

“How did I drift apart from him?”

Mia typed that line into her laptop. She leant back, stretching her arms and back, and let out a long yawn. The soreness in her back dissipated for a brief moment before coming back like a flashpang. Mia looked at her clock: 4.55 a.m. She stayed up for… six hours? Maybe six and a half. Actually, no, it was seven, perhaps. But then again, she did take that snack break, so it might have been eight? She was surprised her fingers weren’t very sore.

Mia strolled back to her bed, thinking about her story. She had finished penning the first chapter. It felt like a sin for taking so long to even get it done, but her creative fuels were at an all-time low. She just couldn’t conjure the motivation or energy to get anything written, really. She wasn’t even a fan of the chapter she wrote – it was some bullshit, cliche prologue about the main character’s crappy (love) life – but sunk cost fallacy and fatigue were the only things stopping her from scrapping it altogether.

Speaking of fatigue, suddenly all of it evaporated from Mia’s body the moment she lay on her bed. While she was struggling to even press on her keyboard moments ago, now she was on her bed staring at the ceiling wide-eyed. Did she not brush her teeth already? Did her body decide it was opposite day? It felt like shit. Mia felt like shit. Whatever slop she had just vomited out onto her laptop felt more like an autobiography instead of a story. It was as if she was airing out her grievances onto the document. Her grievances about her life, her non-existent love life, the tiring nature of her jobs. Mia was lucky she wasn’t popular to the point of being instantly recognised along the street, but having to attend book signings, conferences and festivals all while juggling her publisher’s expectations and her football duties was not easy by any means. Turns out money didn’t exactly buy you happiness, but only means to numb the pain a bit.

Mia spent a few minutes lost in her thoughts. Her mind was racing all over the place. It could not find a state of stability as it jumped around different topics: that dumbass chapter she wrote, the upcoming match against Sargossa, and then…

Félicien.

It always came back to him, didn’t it? Mia felt it was unfair to pin all of her life’s current iniquities on him, but at the same time, wouldn’t life be so much better if she were together with him?

“What the hell, you just learnt a magic trick?” Mia and Félicien were camped out on the campus green for a little lunch picnic.

“Watch.”

Out of nowhere, Félicien managed to conjure a flower from behind the handkerchief. He twiddled with the stem of the flower, then handed it over to Mia.

“Just learn this, ahem, ‘trick’. I guess you’re the first to receive one of my flowers,” Félicien said ever so nondescriptly. On his face was a deadpan expression – expressionless eyes, a flat mouth – but Mia could sense the amusement in his demeanour. He was hiding something, wasn’t he?

“There’s no way you did that,” Mia said. Félicien let out a prideful “hmph”, closing his eyes and folding his arms in indignation.

“So you don’t trust your best friend, hmm?” he spat, “Fine, I’ll make you another flower!” Félicien got to work, fiddling with his handkerchief. All while he was doing that, Mia was deep in thought.

They were… best friends? Like, not just good friends, best friends? Mia had never heard him refer to them like that, but Mia quite liked it actually. In fact, she wanted him to think of her as even more than best friends! Like, what about bestest friends? Bestest, goodest, amazingest friends? Or…

Girlfriend?

Mia couldn’t ignore the way her heart warmed when Félicien was around, or how she would find herself unconsciously smiling in his presence. At first, she wasn’t sure if it was just a crush or a fancy, but she found herself enjoying Félicien more and more. She fantasised about him, but her lustful thoughts turned to more… wholesome, sentimental ones. What would Félicien be like as a boyfriend, a father? Mia was sure he would be the most gentle, doting, caring soul to her, to their children. She couldn’t back up her premonitions, but she just knew.

When Mia woke up from her daydream, Félicien was holding out another flower, offering it to her. Mia took the flower from his paw and looked at it. Admired it. Basked in its presence.

“This flower… it’s quite pretty, really,” Mia commented.

“Right? I guess… I’m just that great of a magician, huh?” Félicien joked. They both broke into a hearty laugh. Mia was laughing from her soul. It was genuine, and she was sure Félicien’s laugh was as well. After their bout of laughter, Mia stayed silent for a while, staring at the flower while Félicien… Well, Mia wasn’t sure what he was doing, but he must have noticed what she was doing.

“Why’re you staring at the flower?” he asked, “Surely it's not prettier than me?” Félicien cupped his face and pouted.

“You’re a tease, aren’t you?” Mia chuckled, “No, of course you’re prettier, but…” Her voice trailed off for a while.

“But what?”

“Why me?”

“Hm?” Félicien’s forehead started to crease in worry.

“Like, am I not the first person you’ve done this trick to?” Félicien nodded.

“Yeah, so why?” Mia asked calmly, “I’m not confronting you. I’m just curious.”

“Oh…” It was Félicien’s voice that trailed off this time. He seemed a bit nervous, but then he gave a reply.

“I guess I’m just the most comfortable with you. At least, I think you’d be the most receptive.” A slight blush appeared on Félicien’s cheek and his gaze started to avert from hers a bit.

“Awh…” was all Mia had to say. She felt honoured that Félicien trusted her so much. Actually, if she was his first option, then that meant he trusted her a whole bunch, no? Was that tantamount to something..?

Mia looked at the flowers Félicien gave him, and she smiled the warmest she had ever in a long time.

Mia lost those flowers a few years ago. She remembered keeping them on her table, but one day they just vanished. She would have asked him to make more, but by then they had drifted apart. As Mia started to recall more memories, her heart started to hurt even more. Why? Why weren’t her and Félicien this close anymore? For Mia’s college life, she thought she saw herself in Félicien. It seemed like he was the one, but did he think so too? He called her his best friend, and she called herself his… future girlfriend.

Mia spent a lot more time reminiscing about college life. Sure, she did have a steady friend group that she hung out a lot with. She was particularly close to them, and they did everything a Vixettean college student would: go to the beach, sneak into the library late at night, take a roadtrip… these were core memories for her, but she didn’t hold any of them as close to her heart as the moments she had with Félicien.

At one point, however, those memories with Félicien came to an end.

Mia straightened the creases on her dress. She made sure her fur was on point, and she spent way too much time overthinking her “plan”.

Everything would be revealed in time.

Once she felt ready to leave, Mia stepped out of her dorm, a heart-shaped box in her arms. Mia headed out to the campus green, and everything just felt so different. So many couples holding hands, kissing, just living in the moment. Pink, red decorations lined the entire area, with a large banner reading: “Happy Valentine’s Day to all the couples in school!”

Mia’s single ass would have abhorred the occasion in other years. A day solely dedicated to couples being extremely open with their affection was the bane of her existence, but this year it was different: she had someone this Valentine’s.

Mia looked for her someone. He didn’t seem to be in the college green, but why would he? He was single. Mia whipped out her phone to send him a text, asking him where he was. He would respond a few minutes later: “I’m out right now. If you have anything, just leave it at my door, or meet me tomorrow.”

He surely must be out with his friends, right? After ruminating about it, Mia decided to make it to his door. After many flights of stairs and much walking, she made it to his front door. Mia stood in front of it, thinking about whether she should go ahead and put her heart-shaped gift in front of the door. She paced about the dorm corridor for a while. He didn’t know she liked him, right? She had to tell him at some point anyway. Her heart was practically begging for her to tell him, and she had a conviction he liked her back. After all, the way he acted around her, there was no way he didn’t, right?

Mia decided to put the chocolates down. The box was accompanied by a lavishly decorated note; that damn note took her three days to write. It wasn’t just because of the materials she needed, but also because she didn’t know what to write. She didn’t want to sound cheesy, but she also wanted to seem friendly. What word should she use? Was she too informal with her tone? She finally made up her mind in three days, and she was slightly proud of it.

Mia decided to head back to her dorm. After making it out of his dorm, she cut through the campus green. Manoeuvring around all the couples was hard work, but she didn’t mind it one bit. For the first time in forever, she found herself feeling happy for everyone who was out there basking in the Valentine’s sunset together. She was sure she would be one of these people next year, during her final year.

Then Mia saw Félicien holding paws with another girl.

Wait, what?

Mia’s world shattered. When she saw him at first, she thought she was seeing things. It couldn’t be him, right? She rubbed her eyes. Still Félicien. She moved closer to him and… the other lioness. Still Félicien. She circled the campus green just to see his face.

Yep, still Félicien.

It was an open secret. Mia’s somebody was fucking Félicien, if that wasn’t obvious enough.

Stage one of grief was denial. After seeing Mia’s worst fears come true, what came after seemed to be an amalgamation of anger, bargaining and depression. Mia couldn’t believe it. She didn’t want to believe it. Félicien liked someone else all this while? No, it was impossible, he seemed like he liked her! There was no way. No way at all…

…Then, Mia saw Félicien kissing the lioness.

What now? Everything was moving too fast.

Mia didn’t know what to think. She was shocked. She felt nothing and everything simultaneously. Her heart started to palpitate like it was running for its life. Her arms started to tremble while her lips stammered. She watched Félicien practically “cheat” on her with her eyes wide open. What, so him practically hanging out with her every other day, giving her goodies every time, them literally going camping together all surmounted to this? Him giving his heart to another girl? What did all this mean?

Mia observed how Félicien held onto the lioness’ paw. He had never held her paw so gently, so tenderly. It felt all so… Mia didn’t know what to say anymore. She didn’t want to look at this. She sprinted back to her dorm, and the rest of Valentine’s was spent drowning in tears. In all her grief that day, Mia forgot that she had practically left Félicien a Valentine’s gift and a confession letter at his door. She wouldn’t remember it until Félicien sent her a text the next day:

“I’m sorry, Mia, but… I like someone else.”

He had sent more, but Mia only needed to see the first sentence to know that the friendship was over. Over. Over. She had withheld her personal crush on him, and when she decided to tell him, risking the possibility of ruining their relationship, she then finds out he fancies someone else. Well done, I suppose?

The rest of college Mia spent with her friends, but she still felt empty without Félicien. Well, she was sure he’d fucked off with his new girlfriend or whatever, but she still missed him. As a friend, firstly, but she also felt a piece of her die. It was as if she had dedicated a compartment of her heart to Félicien, and now that he was with someone else, what was to become of that compartment?

All of these thoughts and memories weighed down heavily on Mia’s psyche. She didn’t remember speaking to Félicien for a long time since that Valentine’s day. They graduated together, and then they just went their separate ways. Mia knew the library Félicien worked at, and she thought of visiting him a few times, but her conscience always turned her down. After all, why chase after someone who didn’t love you?

Mia was prepared to move on from Félicien but then they had to be drafted for the football team. The first training session, when the two made eye contact, Félicien’s gaze seemed far more… intense, heavier. It was as if he had something to say to Mia, but he ended up not saying a thing. Mia felt awkward, but at the same time she still fancied Félicien, so she just watched him from afar, only to have Blanchefleur steal him from her.

Whatever, Mia was used to it.

Mia could feel the first ray of morning sunshine stab her in the eye. Oh, it was dawn. She looked at the clock. 7.15 a.m. She had spent a good two hours just reminiscing the moments she had with Félicien, and it was only now when the sun was up that she was starting to feel drowsy.

As her eyelids grew heavier, Mia’s mind could only think of one question:

“So… why did it have to end like this?”

by **Kamijiro** » Sat Nov 01, 2025 9:54 am

World Cup 100: Six in Six, 18 Points and 9 Points Clear

The Kamijiroans once again handle business in what has been Raiji Kagawa's longest win streak to date. 6 wins in a row - the Lightning are flying higher than ever before.

A two-goal victory over Bull Sheet was headlined by Azuma Kogushi's towering header in the 31st and a wonderful Haruka Kagawa assist to Sōji Kokubun which led to a tap-in in the 58th minute. Kamijiro's first red card of the campaign was handed out to Hiro Kumakiri after a rough challenge on Steve Miller after some piss-poor singing during a set piece attempt by Bull Sheet. Fortunately, Hiro's the back-up wingback for Tōshi Kameda, so not all is lost there. All things considered, an elementary home win for the Lightning on Jirō Island.

It was the away trip to Dixie Florida that was a little nervous. The away trips had been where the Kamijiroans had been weaker overall, especially on the defensive end. The first goal broke easily for Keigo Nakaji as he racked up yet another goal in this campaign. A forced error by Sōji Kokubun let Keigo pounce on a loose ball and slot it past the keeper into the bottom corner. 1-0 after 18 minutes. The scoreline stayed at 1-0 through half, then Dixie Florida found an equalizer in the 51st. Not really sure how it happened on that one, but a combination of errors from Ichi Asumi, Kyōji Kirishima and Akinari Akaminai led to a breakdown in defense, a ball swept across the face of goal and tapped in. From there, it was all Kamijiro. Sōji Kokubun scored another header for the Lightning just seven minutes later to make it 2-1. Subs came on in the form of Vivienne Silva for Azuma Kogushi, Saiichi Demizu for Nicácio Xavier and Darren Williams for Sōji Kokubun shortly after that in the 68th minute. Silva netted an assist just two minutes later, finding Nakaji's darting run through the back line to make it 3-1. Williams scored the final goal from a deep cross flicked in from Tōshi Kameda to make it 4-1 in the 90th.

"Overall, quite pleased with the result. Wish we could clean up the defensive errors that led to their goal, but scoring four away from home is never a bad away day, eh?" - Raiji Kagawa.
"Honestly, just glad I get to play my part. Didn't think I'd be getting this much burn so early in my national team career but I'd been told I've been training well so no complaints here." - Vivienne Silva
"Two goals again but still wishing I could've had more." - Keigo Nakaji

Group 27 after MD6
                         Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Kamijiro                6    6   0   0    21    5  +16    18
2 The Holy Empire         5    2   3   0    13    7   +6     9
3 Equestria               5    2   2   1     4    7   −3     8
4 Equinox Auraterra       6    2   2   2     9   13   −4     8
5 Sinyal                  5    2   1   2     7    6   +1     7
6 Bull Sheet              5    1   2   2     6    9   −3     5
7 Sibersky                6    0   4   2     4    9   −5     4
8 Dixie Florida           5    0   3   2     5    9   −4     3
9 Al-Tamazgha             5    0   1   4     1    5   −4     1

The Lightning will finally have a bye coming up soon, but not before they take on The Holy Empire and Sibersky, who sit second and seventh, respectively.

Schedule:
Matchday   Opponent
MD1        Sinyal            (H) W, 3-2
MD2        Al-Tamazgha       (A) W, 1-0
MD3        Equestria         (H) W, 5-0
MD4        Equinox Auraterra (A) W, 6-2
MD5        Bull Sheet        (H) W, 2-0
MD6        Dixie Florida     (A) W, 4-1
MD7        The Holy Empire   (H)
MD8        Sibersky          (A)
MD9        BYE
MD10       Sinyal            (A)
MD11       Al-Tamazgha       (H)
MD12       Equestria         (A)
MD13       Equinox Auraterra (H)
MD14       Bull Sheet        (A)
MD15       Dixie Florida     (H)
MD16       The Holy Empire   (A)
MD17       Sibersky          (H)
MD18       BYE
Playoff    IF NEEDED

by **Mystris** » Sat Nov 01, 2025 10:03 am

[sidebar][center][background-block=lightgreen][nation=noflag]Mystris[/nation]

[/background-block][/center]

[table=noheader]
AssociationNMFA
National Mystrisian Football Association
ConfederationEastern Continental League
Head CoachJoel Addloan
CaptainCaleb Jaxon
Most CapsSurues Zachary (14 Years)
Top ScorerKael Montrose (223 Goals)
Home StadiumAurora Arena
Country CodeMYS
Budget
4,500,000,000 Trilium
[/table]
[center]
First International
Soviet Kem 1-0 Mystris
(03 Oct 2025)

Appearances
BoF 87
(25 Sep 2025)
World Cup 100
(-------- 2025)

Biggest Win
Mystris 3-0 The Democratic Unionist Cool Kids
(07 Oct 2025)

Biggest Defeat
Seeberg 1-1 (4-1 AET) Mystris
(09 Oct 2025)

Best Results
BoF: Round of 64
XCST8: Round of 16
World Cup: Pending
[/center]

[center]EASTERN CONTINENTAL LEAGUE[/center][table=noheader]
Appearances 3 (EASTERN CONTNENTAL LEAGUE)
[/table]
[/sidebar]

History

The Mystrisian National Team has officially united with the goal of stepping onto the international stage to earn recognition and respect among global competitors. This bold move marks a new chapter in Mystris’s sporting ambitions, as the team seeks to showcase its talent, strategy, and national pride on a broader platform.

Headquartered in the vibrant metropolis of Lunaris City—widely regarded as the cultural and economic heart of Mystris—the team benefits from world-class facilities and a passionate local fanbase. Lunaris City’s dynamic energy and commitment to excellence serve as a fitting backdrop for the team’s international aspirations.

Currently, the Mystrisian National Team is one of the active participants in the prestigious ECL (Eastern Continental League), where they compete against some of the most formidable teams from across the continent. Their presence in the ECL not only reflects their competitive caliber but also provides a valuable opportunity to build experience, forge rivalries, and elevate their profile in the global arena.

Staff

Head Manager: Joel Addloan | Male, 41
Assistant Manager: Marty Williams | Male, 34
Senior Coach: Roger Starr | Male, 37
Academy Coach: Kylte Onell | Female, 29[hr]

National Team Roster
Formation: 4-3-3 | 4-2-2

ST: Jonas McHill | Male, 24
RW: Caleb Jaxon (Captain) | Male, 27
LW: Luis Maxwell | Male, 33

DM: Deaines Sol | Male, 25
CM: Wilson Stone | Male, 23
RM: Sydney Chame | Female, 31

CB: Jakob Losell | Male, 21
CB: Angelrio Rammed | Male, 26
FB: David Herbal | Male, 22
FB: Casey Knox | Female, 28

GK: Bojihk Yerh | Male, 24

Reserves:
ST: Alejandro Cruz | Male, 30
LB: Taylor Yowe | Female, 29
RB: Jackson Guille | Male, 28
WW: Hans Sturmwald | Male, 35
LM: Terri Kohn | Female, 25
GK: Los Sterling | Male, 32

Club/Country Records

Most Trophies Won: José Alvarez; 44 Trophies

Most Assists: Ian Spencer; 117 Assists

Most Saves: Giovanni Ferro; 139 Saves

Most Cleansheets: Adrián Rodriguez; 51 Cleansheets

Most Penalties: Curtis Adelman; 103 Penalties

Mystris Home	Mystris Away
[center][/center]	[center][/center]

[center]
A Word From Joel Addloan[/center]
Following the National Team’s disastrous performance in its first Baptism of Fire, several media outlets, including Aurora Sports, have scheduled an interview with the head manager Joel Addloan.

“I must admit, Mystris was not yet fully prepared for the tournament. We released our player report and stopped there. What we failed to do was stay on top of the matches — providing vital updates, organizing our next fixtures, and finalizing our starting lineup and formation. There’s a great deal to learn from this, and I’m committed to making sure Mystris is far better prepared for future tournaments. You have my word.”

by **Ethane** » Sat Nov 01, 2025 10:39 am

Undefeated Run Continues

Ethane's undefeated run in qualifying so far has seen them continue to hold first place in the group, two games before the end of qualifying.

Coming into games 5 and 6, the management knew that the next two games were very important to maintain their lead at the top of the group. Games were coming against Riandera and the Commonwealth of Baker Park.

Riandera would be first, visiting the Newton-Smith Arena in Letson, on the south coast of Ethane. Coming into this game, Riandera were the only team to have won all their games, albeit having played only three games due to their bye late in the round robin. This was also a team that was offensively strong as well as defensively sound. 11 goals across their first three games while only conceding two was an intimidating record to face. Ethane's defensive record matched that of Riandera, yet the Red Kites had only scored 7 goals, not hitting the same offensive prowess that other teams had managed.

The Commonwealth of Baker Park were also known dangerous opponent that can always pose a threat to a team. The highest ranked team in the group, everyone is waiting for their team to switch on because when they do, they are the absolute best in group 16. Yet they have had a poor run of form so far. At the end of match day 4, they were 4th in the group with 6 points to Ethane's 10 (2 wins and 2 defeats). For Commonwealth of Baker Park, again their offensive capability was intimidating; they'd scored 11 goals in 4 games. However, they had a very leaky defence and had conceded 9th, the third worst in the group.

Essentially this week was vital, both in terms of impact on the group standings, but also in terms of the match ups the team faced. This was two teams engaging in offensive play scoring lots of goals versus the Red Kites, a team setup to defend primarily. A tactic that had been working for them against the highly ranked teams with no defeats yet.

A tactic that would continue to work. The match against Riandera was one of those dull rubber games. Nothing really happened, neither team had many opportunities. It was a very stale game, not the sort of quality you'd expect from teams at the top of group 16, but perhaps expected for teams ranked 148th and 377th in the world. Both teams seemed lethargic, with very few opportunities coming outside of set pieces. Riandera had a couple of opportunities to score from Woolridge in the 22nd minute and Zhang in the 36th minute, but in the end they were tame headers easily collected by Harris.

The Red Kites very quickly settled into a rhythm and took control of possession. Between the 32nd minute and 78th minute, the Red Kites saw possession rates of above 70%. Yet they were hardly dangerous with it. A tame cross in the 42nd minute saw Baker almost find Rushbrooke, but he was beaten in the air. Knutton had a speculative effort from outside the box comfortably saved by Dharmawanto on the verge of half-time.

The only goal of the game came in the 53rd minute. Riandera had the ball and were on the offensive, Kambuaya out wide with the ball. Riandera were ready for the ball in, and had overloaded the box but this left them vulnerable to a counter attack. Ashford pulled off a good tackle on the wing and pushed forward with the ball. He timed a medium range pass to Rushbrooke well who was just on side just past the half way line. Rushbrooke turned, beating Habibi and was able to streak into the box and beat Dharmawanto, making it one-nil. And that was the game. The Red Kites controlled possession from there. Challenge complete.

Riandera wanted to ruin the narrative. A late flourish saw a lot of pressure piled on the Ethanian defence. A rash challenge from Roberts gave a free kick just outside the box in the 88th minute, a sense of desperation creeping in. This went wide and over. A corner in the 90+2 minute was found on the head of Woolridge, but this was tamely sent wide. And the whistle went, leaviing Ethane as the only undefeated team in group 16.

This was meant to be sorely tested by the Commonwealth of Baker Park the very next weekend, but again this challenge was dealt with comfortably. Again this was a dead rubber match, neither team really finding a quality opportunity to take the lead. It appeared as the game went on that both teams were happy to take the draw, Baker Park away from home and Ethane against the top ranked team in the group.

All eyes will now be turning to Ocruo who will be visiting the Marrianne Detreux Stadium in Southern Hampton and Electrum away from home to round up the first half of games. Other than Ethane, these two teams are the two lowest ranked in the group, meaning these feel like must-win games for the qualification chances of the Red Kites. Electrum has lost all but 1 game which they drew, making it feel more comfortable especially as they have only scored 3 goals so far, but Orcuo is two wins, two draws, 2 losses and could provide an upset.

Schedule and Lineup

(377) Ethane 3 - 1 Saterun (43)
@ The Pit, Deloitte
Lineup: Harris - Baker - Thomas-Brown - Roberts - Johnson - Ashford - Brooks - Sullivan - Benjamin-Wilson - Knutton - Rushbrooke
Goals: Rushbrooke x2, Knutton
Assists: Knutton, Baker, Benjamin-Wilson
(297) Valladares 0 - 1 Ethane (377)
@ Valladares
Lineup: Harris - Baker - Thomas-Brown - Roberts - Evans - Ashford - Brooks - Sullivan - Benjamin-Wilson - Knutton - Rushbrooke
Goals: Thomas-Brown
Assists: Baker
(377) Ethane 0-0 Tristan de Cunha (235)
@ King Edward IV Stadium, New Sarum
Lineup: Harris - Baker - Thomas-Brown - Roberts - Johnson - Ashford - Brooks - Sullivan - Benjamin-Wilson - Knutton - Rushbrooke
(89) Elmyia 1-3 Ethane (377)
@ Elmyia
Lineup: Harris - Baker - Thomas-Brown - Beckett - Johnson - Wilson - Brooks - White - Benjamin-Wilson - Knutton - Rushbrooke
Goals: Knutton 42, Baker 61, Rushbrooke 70
Assists: White 42, Rushbrooke 61, Benjamin-Wilson 70
(377) Ethane 1-0 Riandera (148)
@ Newton-Smith Arena, Letson
Lineup: Harris - Baker - Thomas-Brown - Roberts - Johnson - Ashford - Brooks - Sullivan - Benjamin-Wilson - Knutton - Rushbrooke
Goals: Rushbrooke 53
Assists: Ashford 53
(30) Commonwealth of Baker Park 0-0 Ethane (377)
@ Commonwealth of Baker Park
Lineup: Harris - Baker - Thomas-Brown - Roberts - Johnson - Ashford - Brooks - Sullivan - Benjamin-Wilson - Knutton - Rushbrooke
(377) Ethane vs Ocruo (336)
@ The Marianne Detreux Stadium, Southern Hampton
Lineup: Harris - Baker - Thomas-Brown - Roberts - Johnson - Ashford - Brooks - Benjamin-Wilson - Nicholas - McLaughlin - Tace
(UR) Electrum vs Ethane (377)
@ Electrum
Lineup: Harris - Baker - Thomas-Brown - Roberts - Evans - Ashford - Hayes - Sullivan - Benjamin-Wilson - Knutton - Rushbrooke
(43) Saterun vs Ethane (377)
@ Saterun
(377) Ethane vs Valladares (297)
@ King Edward IV Stadium, New Sarum
(235) Tristan de Cunha vs Ethane (377)
@ Tristan de Cunha
(377) Ethane vs Elmyia (89)
@ King Edward IV Stadium, New Sarum
(148) Riandera vs Ethane (377)
@ Riandera
(377) Ethane vs Commonwealth of Baker Park (30)
@ The Pit, Deloitte
(336) Orcuo vs Ethane (377)
@ Orcuo
(377) Ethane vs Electrum
@ King Edward IV Stadium, New Sarum

by **Auprussia** » Sat Nov 01, 2025 10:46 am

SATISFIED

The crisp air at Parc De Nasional begins an emotional day for the Auprussia National Team. They face off against group leaders Biyambi for control of the group. The Auprussians themselves look intense and focused for this upcoming match. The media and fans crowding the stadium. The roar of the croud has the Auprussians walked out on to the field. Eleo Vicard had every player ready today.

The match against Biyambi was a perfect storm of emotions and intensity for the Auprussians. They got off to a fast start with an Ingalcer Pardau free kick goal. Throughout the match the run of play ostensibly favored the home squad as Huberdeau Audac got a brace within the first half. The Biyambi players were lost and lethargic being run ragged by the energetic and focused Auprussian front line. The back line while competent never had to really do a ton to stop Biyambi's attack either. After that half, Rogeur Pagault scored the 4th off of a cool finish near post and while Biyambi scored a consolation goal it didn't really affect Vicard's statements afterwards.

"I am proud of our players today, we have had a great understanding of how we want to play and it showed today".

A journalist named Marcel Duporet asked a question: "There have been rumors that you had emphasized this match and the importance of it, what went in to your preparations this time?".

"Well, we knew the opposition were top of the group and we had to put in a ton of work to overcome them. I emphasized attention to detail and hard work the most because when facing an opponent of equal strength those are the most important things"

Another journalist named Gerault Vantre-Chency jumped in: "It felt a little bit like an emotional match, just looking at the players and their actions throughout the day. Was there a particular occurrence that motivated your squad?"

"Not one event or anything, I think it's just the result of all that we had done during this cycle. We had played an incredible match that summed up our great campaign so far"

The dream campaign then hit a snag. 4 goals allowed would lose any game especially when Auprussia got out to a quick start with a Huberdeau Audac goal. The defense never seemed settled and even with substitutions the players never could solidify the backline. It also outlined a weakness: The aggressive attacking style had hung the defenders out to dry on counter-attacks, something Vicard himself couldn't get a hold of before Eastfield's attack completely destroyed the back line. By the 4th goal most of the team seem deflated and exhausted. It also seemed like after the match against Biyambi the intensity wavered just a bit and they were not as focused on the task at hand that day.

"Before we get started on anything I do have to commend Eastfield Lodge for a job well done. They outplayed us from start to finish."

Marcel Duporet asked the most pressing question: "After a very good start to qualifying this seems like a bit of a let down performance, why do you think that is?"

"Firstly it starts with me, I have to do a better job in preparation for these types of matches. We had a fast start but couldn't keep our momentum for very long and it led to a long day for us."

Duporet asked another: "Was it tactical today or was it execution of the gameplan?"

"Hey hey, I know what you're trying to do. It is a total team failure not just one or the other. Both have to be better overall."

Massimioux Tarlin, a reporter from Alba-Morgavin asked a question out of left field: "Will you bounce back better after this loss than your predecessor?"

Everyone in the room looked at Massimioux, even Duporet held his hands up and mouthed "Why would you ask that?" Vicard sensing the awkward tension in the room answered in a graceful but stern matter: "I think the goal for all managers is after a loss you go and find out what to improve and how to improve the issues that led to that loss. Whether or not my predecessor did a good job of that bears no meaning to me now, I am the manager now."

While the loss did sting Vicard he was ultimately satisfied with this string of matches. His team were at the top of the table and had a great amount of confidence even with the lost to Eastfield Lodge but, the questions about Pierre Camanin had been nagging him for a bit now. Eleo had legitimately no idea where the "Traitor" stuff came from in the first place and now reporters are comparing him to Pierre? Someone had a line to the media but he hadn't the faintest idea of who is stirring this issue. Quite frankly, it wouldn't be productive to dwell on it...yet.

by **Atymnius** » Sat Nov 01, 2025 10:46 am

TWO PARENTS APART: PART I
Chasing Wolves

Wyetti walked back from the defeat at Whispinia to his local apartment. Remembering his childhood upon the words—

You are missing something—

By the coach of all people, he did think of one individual: his mother. The cold, isolated cement in front of the chandelier and the Mater Dolorsa of pure gold, it was ridiculous, he’d thought.

Smiling faintly he would start relapsing as he cried subsequently.

Why are we so useless this World Cup?

Suddenly, however, the memory came to him.

Mommy! I just don’t want to be here. Leave me alone!

It was the shock of the young boy’s life, defying his mother’s orders, the sneer of cold command.

As he was about to lock himself in the 4 x 4 sanitation cubicle, he pushed—

Just a little push to his very own mother—

Wyetti! Just know that I’ve never seen this rage… You will go to that English workshop. It’s not a debate.

She closed the doors, furious with panned disappointment.

The little boy would cry tears he never felt he needed to cry.

Did I just commit gender-based violence?!

He cried thinking too deeply and deeply still.

“Do you know GBV?,” asked his father.

I think you think everything in this world belongs to you (although it did). Nothing in this world is yours (although technically it was). With this entitlement, you will go nowhere (my football passions were technically spoon-fed to me).

You are nothing, without what the world gives you.

He waved his hands as if to shout his philosophy and left the boy, with the nonchalant, callous look of a father who “handed it” to his boy. Who handed nothing.

The boy would go into his room and staring at the night ceiling, gestured himself up and clasped his hands again.

In this world I am alone. I will claim football as my everything.

Why couldn't coach see my fury, my suffering?

All for the game.

World Cup 100 | RP thread

this is a new low (bye day)

An Interview with Oofio On Getting Called "brain rot"

Mystris National Football Team

Two Parents Apart: Part I

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