World Cup 100 | RP thread

by **Zwangzug** » Tue Nov 11, 2025 7:46 am

The Spenson Star

What happens in a match between two teams both trying to downplay their confidence? Both HOT-DAMN and Zwangzug have clinched at least a playoff spot from group 28, but HOT-DAMN won their matchday 8 encounter and have a perfect record so far, while Zwangzug were held to a draw by Hanalia. So the result of this match is unlikely to matter, unless somehow HOT-DAMN drop points to Brusselstein on the final day, in which case Zwangzug could overtake them, which would still probably require them to not choke against Vaishnavaria and potentially defeat HOT-DAMN by more than one goal, depending on the tiebreaker.

Bishen Varadarajan's approach seems to be insisting that this match really doesn't matter, and that Zwangzug will take their chances in the playoffs. But Ernie Stevenson doesn't want to get complacent, either. The "beer leaguers" may be top seeds, but they have somewhat of an inferiority complex compared to mainland Hapilopper, not to mention the fact that their WCC history began only four cycles ago. To put that in perspective, Jubilee McGraw had scored three goals before anyone from HOT-DAMN took the field. A team that traces its history to World Cup 33 is unavoidably going to look like giants, however much they pretend to be modest about it.

To add to the stakes, the aptly-named "Brewery Stadium" is selling beers at a rate of "ten cents a pop." We have received many questions from confused fans who want to know what that means, so for clarification, "pop" here means "an individual unit," and does not have anything to do with effervescent drinks that may be referred to as soda or cola in other dialects. A "cent" is a very small unit of currency, usually one hundredth the value of the base unit in decimal systems. Ten cents, therefore, equates to one tenth the value of the base unit. While obviously subjective and depending on the shifting values of currencies, this is very likely to be considered a significantly discounted price, by the standards of capitalist economies.

According to the local ordinances, one must be at least eighteen years of age to legally consume alcohol. Lots of countries have similar age-based thresholds, and apparently see nothing inconsistent or arbitrary about this.

The availability of beer means that fans may be more prone to negative emotions as well as positive ones. Even if HOT-DAMN remain highly likely to qualify directly, the visiting players have been warned to keep interactions with locals to a minimum.

This shouldn't be difficult, however, because another piece of news from Hapilopper has Zwangzug's players even more on edge than they might otherwise be, namely, the promulgation of a new car racing tournament. "You're telling me first that people in these other countries drive cars all the time," said Beppo Hegesa, "like, with all the pollution and negative externalities. With all the potential for human error that hasn't been outsourced to robotics. But now you're saying that they're doing it at exorbitant speeds, not to get from point A to point B, but just going around in circles where they might crash and kill each other? Like, for fun? Are we sure this country is safe?"

"We need to be open-minded and nonjudgmental about other people's risk tolerances," said Narayan Thorkalson. "If someone wants to climb a high-altitude mountain just because it's there, that's their own choice to get themselves killed. But participating in a sport where you might very well kill some other guy by accident and then just going on with your career? I'm not sure we could handle that on our consciences, but whatever, maybe we're just all disproportionately neurotic people."

"These guys need to chill," said Gabriel Istibar. "The only reason Hapilopper are doing this is because Newmanistan went gray and white. But nobody ever gives them a hard time because they love the baseball Rockets. We'll be fine."

At press time, the West Pavolan host body has once again reiterated that playoff seeding is random, just in case second seeds thought that there was any point to running up the store against low-ranked opposition.

MD15: Mogarych 12, Lavrans 17 and 39 and 50, Thorlakson 26, Brecht 73
MD16: Flen-Willis 14 and 51, Hegesa 60 and 62, Dupont-Bowles 74

by **Biyambi** » Tue Nov 11, 2025 9:21 am

Part 2: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=575263&p=43193036#p43193036

(We see the front of the 68, 000 capacity Dean Dundunza Arena, fans swarming into the stadium, the camera rises up above and zooms into the stadium. We see a sea of red and white, we can hear the roar of the crowd. The camera panes over the banners the fans are carrying and they read:
REMEMBER 1971,

NEVER FORGET THESE NAMES; DEAN DUNDUNZA, DUSTIN CHIKHOSWE, ELVIS BANDAWE, AND MAVUTO BANDA

THE SPIRITS OF OUR HEROS LIVE IN THIS FOOTBALL SHRINE.)

Narrator:
“Matchday 6 of the Ziwanicell Super League brings together Biyambi’s fiercest rivals, Mansanduni Union and Ngwazi Strikers. This is no ordinary league fixture. This is a tie that carries a heavy weight, filled with history, pain, and pride.

For the Royals, the match against Union is a chance at revenge, a chance at redemption. Four weeks ago, Strikers had fallen once more in a BT Top 8 final to the Peoples’ Team. The Royals had come into the game ready to destroy Union’s legacy of beating them in finals. The Royals led twice but the Peoples’ Team Equalized. Ngwazi Strikers would lose painfully in the penalty shootout. The loss was truly heart-breaking for the team and the scars are still fresh for many of the players and Royals’ faithful.

But for Mansanduni Union its not just another chance to beat their rivals, this match means so much more than that. In 1971, Mansanduni Union beat Ngwazi Strikers 9 goals to nil at the Royals’ home ground to win the league. As the Union bus left the stadium, it was unfortunately petrol bombed by a Ngwazi Strikers fan. Several key players including their manager Dean Dundunza were killed. The Dean Dundunza Arena was belt as a shrine to them and every win is a sacrifice to them to appease their souls.”

(Cuts to black and white footage, we see the 1970-71 squad celebrating alongside Dean Dundunza after winning the league, the footage fades to colour and we see a montage of Mansanduni Union lifting the CMFA Champions League trophy in the background we see Royals players crying; we see Mansanduni Union lifting the 10-11 BT Top 8 gold plate and finally we see recent BT Top 8 final celebration scenes.)

Narrator:
“ Mansanduni Union has been the far successful team at the expense of Ngwazi Strikers. They have won three trophies beating Strikers in the final in recent years. The Peoples’ Team has also managed to turn the Dean Dundunza Arena into a fortress against the Royals. In the past 6 meetings at the DD Arena, Ngwazi Strikers has managed to only collect 4-points out of a possible 18. Union on the other hand has collected 13-points. That’s a record Royals’ Manager, Francis Chiwaya & new Club President, Edward Raulman, are desperate in destroying. ”

(Scene cuts to a young Francis Chiwaya in a Mansanduni Union jersey lifting a trophy, above we see a banner that reads: RZFL 93/94 Champions. The scene changes, we see the Mansanduni Union players alongside Francis Chiwaya in a suit on a double decker bus, carrying three trophies; the Ngwazi League trophy, the ZFF Cup, and the Oracle Top 8 shield, celebrating.)

Narrator:
The tension is not only on the pitch, for Ngwazi Strikers Manager, Francis Chiwaya this fixture is a collusion of his past & present. ”

(We see Francis Chiwaya in the Ngwazi Strikers press room, looking nervous.)

Orera Khoviwa (Journalist with Television Biyambi):
Coach, in Biyambian football you were once viewed as the heartbeat of Mansanduni Union, you were the captain that led them to their first league championship in 23-years, you were the coach that begun the Golden Era that Mansanduni Union is in at the moment by winning the cup double in the 02-03 season followed by the domestic treble in the 03-04 season. You are definitely a Mansanduni Union legend. After all those achievements as captain and then as manager, you understood the history & legacy of the club, so then why did you trade the Union colours for their fiercest rivals? ”

Francis Chiwaya (Ngwazi Strikers’ Manager):
Well it was never my intention to leave the Peoples’ Team. Every in my family including me is Union fan. Being Union manager was a dream come true. My goal at the club was to transform Union into the greatest club in Ziwani football history and like now with Ngwazi Strikers I had to compete with the two dominant sides in the league in Western United and Ngwazi Strikers. Within two seasons I had brought 5 trophies to the club. Honourable Mphatso Kambuwe’s vision however, did not include me, his aim was for Mandalanusa then the multiverse. He thought I did not have experience on that front so he told me to become assistant manager and help new foreign manager that he would employ. Honestly after being at the club for so long as a player, winning a league title and the ZFF Cup then winning 5 more trophies as a Manager, I truly felt a bit insulted. I wanted to be manager so I left for Super Dynamos. So now on to why Ngwazi Strikers. Well I always wanted to make a team the best team in Biyambi and possibly Mandalanusa, I never had the chance at Union or Dynamos. So, when the Royals’ gave me an opportunity to achieve my goals I jumped on it.

To all Biyambian football lovers, I am a football lover as well and believe in the Super League project. If our league is to grow then it has to be competitive. So, my goal is to make Ngwazi Strikers an equal to Mansanduni Union so that our game can grow. ”

(Cut to footage of Francis Chiwaya being unveiled as Ngwazi Strikers manager, the scene changes to Union fans outside DD Arena, angry and shouting traitor as they burn Francis Chiwaya Jerseys.)

Narrator:
“Since Francis Chiwaya had taken charge of the Royals’ he had become public enemy number 1 for Union supporters. His own family ties had not survived the switch. Francis and his brother, Lawrence Chiwaya who plays for Mansanduni Union have not spoken in the last 5-years since he made the switch. Even his marriage became strained following the switch, as his wife Shamiso Chiwaya, is a life long Union supporter and her brother, James Makina is the captain of Mansanduni Union, the team Chiwaya plans to defeat.

(Scene changes. Francis Chiwaya sits in his office and stares longingly at a picture. The camera zooms in, we see Francis Chiwaya as a player holding the ZFF Cup, he is flanked by his wife 24 year old Shamiso Chiwaya, an eight year old Lawrence Chiwaya and a teenage James Makina.)

(Footage cuts to the away locker room at the Dean Dundunza Arena.)

Narrator:
“It is Matchday at the Dean Dundunza Arena. The visitors prepare for an epic game in the away locker room. The away locker room at the Dean Dundunza Arena is deliberately small, making the room cramped and hard to move or make effective room talks. The players seem to shiver, the room temperature must have been reduced. This is psychological warfare by the Union management. But will these tricks work this time around? ”

(We see the players getting dressed, Francis Chiwaya sits at a corner, he is looking down and nervously playing with his hand. He stands up with his hands clasped, we here a whistle calling the team into the tunnel)

Francis Chiwaya (Ngwazi Strikers’ Manager):
“Good luck lads, destiny is calling us. Let’s go!

(Everyone in unison; “Let’s go! ”)

(The door opens and the players step out of the locker room with determined faces. We see the Ngwazi Strikers and Mansanduni Union players walking in slow motion side by side in the tunnels.

The footage then changes and we see an overhead shot of the Dean Dundunza Arena. The camera panes inside the stadium where we see the Union and Strikers badges.

We then see the players walk out of the tunnel with the match officials in front. We see the ref grabs the match ball from a stand decked with the Ziwanicell Super League and Super League Biyambi (SULEB) logos.

The whistle blows and the game begins.)

Narrator:
“ 12 minutes into the game, Francis Chiwaya’s brother and opponent on the day, Lawrence Chiwaya fires the Peoples’ Team ahead with an acrobatic volley in the box after a cross towards the box.

Will this be a repeat of the four other times the Royals have failed to get a result at the Dean Dundunza Arena, or will they fight back this time as they did in the 08-09 season, coming back to win the game 2-3? ”

(After the goal the Royals don’t seem rattled but up the pressure on the home team.

Ngwazi Strikers gets a free kick, Mada Masina the captain takes it. We see Richard Gondwe punch it out but Walinase Hynym-Forzu pounces on the rebound with a clincal shot that Gondwe cannot keep it out, 1-1)

(At half-time, we see manager Francis Chiwaya running towards the lock room, his face with intensity. We see him and the data analysts in front of a laptop, inaudibly discussing as they point at the screen.)

(We then see Francis Chiwaya addressing his players.)

Francis Chiwaya (Ngwazi Strikers’ Manager):
“ We can’t lose to those guys again, we are the better side. We need to go and take this game from them, they finished! Keep the pressure and don’t take your foot off accelerator, we are going all the way. ”

(In the 88th minute Hynym-Forzu puts Ngwazi Strikers in the lead after scoring from the spot. Minutes later he scores a his third to put the game to bed, 1-3)

Narrator:
“ Ngwazi Strikers had finally beaten Mansanduni Union and opened a 5-point gap at the top between them and the Peoples' Team but they had no time for celebration as just a few days later, the two sides would clash heads again in the TNB Knockout Quarter-finals. ”

by **Aphrilia** » Tue Nov 11, 2025 9:27 am

PART 8 / What Do You Mean A Horsegirl Thought Of Horse Girls!? ~~(This Title Makes No Sense)~~ (Educational, Informal)
Written by Emma Rhodes

You know the saying that there is something for everything? A game for a sport? A fan for a celebrity? A story for a book? A- you catch my drift. There's always going to be something for everything and for everyone, now that I think about it. And it's not any different for horse racing, there is always going to be something about the sport for anyone and everyone. Whether it's the statistics, the storylines, the history, the records, the horses and jockeys, and plenty of more. Take a look at Aphrilian horse racing and you can indeed see that to be true. Hell, we have merchandise such as plushies of the horses themselves, and even mini-figures of the jockeys. But for the longest time, one thing that had been lacking was media entertainment. Okay, we have movies and documentaries about the horses and many big storylines. We even have comics and TV series (Animated and non-animated! Thanks Sangonomiya) here, but there had been one thing lacking. And that certain "lacking" was the fact that there hadn't been much games related to horse racing. And that is where we begin.

Hey everyone, Emma Rhodes here, welcome to another part of Racing For Rookies. Last part, I promised to talk about the jockeys, trainers, and owners... As well as a phenomenon that has recently contributed to another boom in horse racing. But I'd like to do two birds in one stone to end this off, so maybe this will be the last part! Depends on a few things, since my boss never told me to write a certain amount of parts. Anyways, back to the main topic at hand. A few games related to breeding, training, and racing horses had been released but nothing major came of it. That was until Post Stage I released in 2003, developed by AP Games. It was the first true horse racing game where you could breed and train horses, as well as race them in big races around the world. But of course, they had to use fake names in order to avoid the dread that is copyright. Well, that was until in 2008 when they released Post Stage IV, for they used real names in that. The series has been a staple ever since, with many regarding Racing Stage VI: International (Which includes horses, jockeys, and races from every single country with a major industry in Eluwa) as their magnum opus.

But this mainly stayed to real horses as it's focus. And you know how there's this sort of unwritten rule that anything, and I mean anything, will have an anthropomorphic version? Well, these are horses we've talked about this entire series, and horse people DO IN FACT EXIST in Eluwa. Chevalune are a subspecies of ohia after all, and they bear some similar features to horses in their ears, tail, physical strength, and much more. So in 2014, a Sangonomiyan company by the name of CHRONOMAX (A subsidiary of major conglomerate ChronoDS) made the announcement of a new game. They had made some games before, covering many genres, but this was their first "big" title or so. "Racing Stage: Idol Derby" was the name of the project, and you can probably guess what it's about. Yep, female chevalune racing (Simply known as horsegirls for when referencing the game for convenience sake). Weirdly enough however, there would be no male chevalune featured in the game, though maybe it's just to attract a larger market since girls are generally more popular. I'm not a games expert as my most played game is an old RTS game called Warfront Ultimatum that was released back in 1998 with the plot of the story made by a two year old. Anyways, back to the main point. Racing Stage: Idol Derby (Or RS:ID, and just RS for short) was meant to be a multi-media franchise. Comics, animations, merchandise, music, everything you could think of would tie to the game itself. CHRONOMAX, as far as my research went, was largely inspired by other Sangonomiyan multi-media franchises such as Warlord Dynasties (A series surrounding the Sangonomiyan Warring States era) and Project Ultradimension (Originally a game about a girl named Isla travelling through "ultradimensions" to find her dad).

The game had some bumps during it's development largely due to internal company issues, but Racing Stage was in fact able to release without much issue in 2015. The reception? Quite positive in the end. The first two years of the game were rough since CHRONOMAX wasn't that big of a team and this was a big title that saw massive popularity from the get go, but with the help of their parent company's CEO Shimada Toshie (Who's not only a chevalune too, but is likely the driving force of this game's existence), they pulled through. Today, Racing Stage is a very popular series and even has spawned a few clones from other companies wanting the "chevalune racing like racehorses" money pie. But you may be asking yourself, "What does this have to do with another horse racing boom? What does this have to do with the jockeys, trainers, and owners of racehorses themselves?" A good question my friend, but I'm not done. You see, while Racing Stage is a popular franchise, it was largely limited to Sangonomiya. It focused on Sangonomiyan horse racing, depicting real racehorses as female chevalune who raced and sang and danced, with explicit approval from their real horse counterparts trainers and owners. Even some Sangonomiyan jockeys are known to be quite the avid players of the game. But CHRONOMAX wanted to expand, to grow beyond their homeland. They wanted to be a global phenomenon that catched the attention of so much more.

So in 2019, CHRONOMAX announced Racing Stage//Idol Derby: Aphrilia, which would just be original RS but centered on Aphrilian horses and Aphrilian horse racing. And that my friends, is what caused another boom of popularity. For Aphrilians already in the know of the sport, they know of these stories that these horsegirls made by CHRONOMAX are trying to re-tell. But the new way these stories depict them catch their attention. For non-horse racing fans, they may get attached to certain characters and would maybe like to learn the history behind the horse counterpart that is being shown in the game! The gameplay is essentially an endless cycle, but it's highly addictive. CHRONOMAX is also quite generous with in-game rewards and never punishes the player for getting certain characters or building custom decks. The songs that have been composed for RS are incredible for anyone to listen to, the animated series is known to be beautiful in it's storytelling (With four main seasons, two spin-offs, an OVA, and two whole movies), and the most important factor of it all: CHRONOMAX, and thus ChronoDS, actually respects the industry they're using to make this game for.

Shimada Toshie once commented that, "This concept was merely my pipedream. But now it's a reality thanks to so many hard working and talented individuals. With such a rich and wide source material, the company will do it's utmost to honor these stories told and the people involved." And frankly, I love that from her. The horsegirl counterpart for each horse in RS perfectly encapsulates the personality, character, and unique qualities of the horse while still being able to keep it respectful (Of course, they're slightly more liberal in their depictions). They're all unique in their own way, and there's always interesting references hidden in the character to the horse. Whether it be in their main story, their dialogue, interactions with other characters, in-game events, or perhaps even their damn song lyrics! CHRONOMAX took immense attention to detail for Racing Stage, with reports revealing that they often not only explicitly ask for permission from the owners of a horse if they wish to add them to the game, but often their trainer as well. Sometimes they may go their jockey too if they were that significant! They speak and collaborate with the connections of every horse to make sure they have as much information available in order to make a perfectly accurate caricature and then transform it into a character people can cherish. In my eyes, it's this love for the creating process of each character and the lengths that CHRONOMAX take to make sure every little detail is accurate that makes Racing Stage not just another game with a weird concept, but rather one of the biggest love letters to the sport of horse racing as a whole.

And this is something I wish for more things in general. To love the origins of others creations and to love the process of creation itself. To respect the origins and sources of creative works, to pour your soul into something if it's truly your passion. Racing Stage isn't my personal cup of tea when it comes to gameplay, but since I spoke of it, I will say that from my little bit of digging that Red World Rebirth has my favorite design of the Aphrilian horses and Pertrand Dice's solo song "This Little Roll of Luck" is probably my favorite song from the entire Aphrilian cast. That's all I have for this part, and once more, it's not what I usually do write, but an article here on ARNN speaking about Racing Stage was in my opinion long overdue, especially since the positive effects it's had on the sport has been noticeable. Some of the notable members of the horse racing community here and in Sangonomiya are here because of Racing Stage, the game and franchise itself has inspired some to become jockeys and vets or even horse owners themselves! The industry finally has a driving force to propel it's popularity in a symbiotic relationship, and the game can continue to expand and grow. If you want to try out the Sangonomiyan or Aphrilian versions, I believe CHRONOMAX did recently announce that it will do it's utmost to have the game be downloadable on your universe's application store/shop, so just wait it out. That, or get an Eluwan account to download the original, or maybe you have your own equivalent in your own world, who knows? This concept isn't exclusive to CHRONOMAX and the world of Eluwa after all. But even then, it brings and shines light to an industry that has a negative deception to some, and I'm happy with that. And whether this is my last piece of this series, I'm glad you've joined me along for the ride.

I'm Emma Rhodes... And peace out. Goodbye if we never meet again, see you soon if we encounter each other once more.

by **Warkus** » Tue Nov 11, 2025 9:55 am

Two losses. Back down to fifth, just when Jack thought things were going well again.

The loss against Indusse was fine. The team looked great in the first half but Indusse’s quality shone through in the second half to bring them up 4-2. Jack prepared the players for a stamina-draining game, making sure they could continue to run in the later minutes of the second half. As it turned out, however, they didn’t need extra fitness. Warkus started to really struggle once Djetson grabbed the fourth goal for Indusse and, perhaps unsurprisingly, Indusse slowed down the game by shifting to a more defensive playstyle that the Warkus players struggled to adapt to.

The loss against Germanic Cat was not so fine. Sure, the team looked pretty good most of the game. Looking good is not the same as winning. A draw was the absolute minimum they could’ve asked for and they still managed to piss that away. It meant falling down to fifth place in their group and being left level on points with Bruinswik, the debuting team that they’re playing next. Now Warkus needs to get more out of these final two games than Germanic Cat in order to finish a respectable fourth place. A last minute collapse, which was on everyone’s minds once again, could see Warkus fall as far as eighth – second to last in their group.

They couldn’t afford to take either of their final opponents for granted. Knights of LUSITANIA had shown an ability to achieve things that Warkus couldn’t: beating Germanic Cat away from home and beating The Osnari Federation at home. Both games were must wins but any idea that we could reasonably expect Warkus to win them had vanished. Jack felt that lack of confidence had started to take hold among everyone: the fans, the players, the coaching staff. Even he didn’t know what to think any more. He’d prepared all the training sessions for the penultimate game and put on a brave face to almost everyone around him, but deep down he knew he was teetering on a knife’s edge. Win both games would mean he’d end up with what will be remembered as a respectable, if unremarkable, second qualifying campaign. Falter and he’d have to return home with a cloud over his head until he gets the chance to redeem himself. Collapse and his time managing the national team will probably come to a disappointing end.

It wasn’t just Jack’s job at stake either. We all know that Warkus is not really a sporting nation at heart and that past governments have been very willing to stop supporting the nation’s athletes at the drop of a hat. The recent injections of funds came about because this team overperformed in the last cycle and because of the bronze medals that the lacrosse side brought home. If the Warkusian lacrosse team can be declared the world’s third best but the football team embarases themselves in the qualifiers, then people will start wondering whether the government should axe the football budget and go all in on lacrosse. Jack couldn’t let that happen either. Lacrosse is for oversized manbabies.

by **Juvencus** » Tue Nov 11, 2025 10:07 am

POETRY IN MOTION: THE NUTMEG

What happens when you give Joao Peres the ball on his turf? Magic does. The moment his feet touch the ball your sensations freeze, time moves by you as the fiery winger breezes past you as if you were child. What's next is an explosion of celebration waiting to unfold before your very eyes. All this space, the momentum and the gap you left on the right side of your team's defence are enough for Peres to set the ball up for a dangerous Audiol.

The onlookers, all 55 thousand people at Il Scudelliano(haha these Juvencus people man, naming everything Il Scudelliano nowadays) have already been raised up from their seats. They had all been suffering from the heat and all of a sudden, a downpour. This matters not as Audiol Airways deliver the best service in the heavens of the Lisander box and just like that, the ball comes crashing down, tearing through the net of Anders Michaelichen. The afforementioned crowd as though they were prophets celebrated what had become an obvious Juven classic. 2-1, a struggle that didn't have to be, but with the clock at 87 minutes. That's where the hold had to be and that is where the nutmeg becomes important.

Nutmeg is the spice that represents Scudelli and its surroundings. The finest native Sonnelian nutmeg comes from that region in particular, providing an aroma that could make even the most futuristic person return to the roots of their species. In the religion that is football however, the nutmeg has become a symbol of emptying out the pockets of your opponent, embarrassing them even. Joao Peres' magic move is consistent of the nutmeg and he has come to be known as the specialist of the move.

Lisander has been Juvencus' toughest opponent throught the entirety of the qualifiers, at least when it comes to head-to-head performances. Fighting until the end, playing its offensive football and at the same time finding the exact spaces that may give gli attaccanti a hard time. As with everything in life, such difficulties would be temporary. Marroqui and Callejon were in fight mode, stopping 2 attacks EACH on the goal-line. But the highlight of said match was when Joao Peres went on a final run at 90+5 minutes, dribbling past Saber Neville with ease, sprinting to the Lisander side when...

Well... Valens and Heathrow decided to cut the path of the specialist. A maestro of the sidelines, Peres would gently chip the ball between the legs of Valens, rendering Heathrow more vulnerable and exposed against Peres. This weakness would be swiftly exposed when Peres would bring the stadium in awe with yet gentle touch of the ball to get it past the Lisander defender's legs. As the crowd erupted in claps and applause, an exhausted Peres would push forward, scratching and clawing in his path with every last bit of his body and soul and with a resounding ROCKET from long range, he would only hit the crossbar but that would not matter.
Juvencus was victorious, his efforts appreciated and the push to the maintenance of the top spot a more realistic objective.

The specialist had done it again. He could now rest. But with a funny 10-goal game against New Rotterdam City one could ask if this art could remain consistent while moving forward. After Bevilacqua, he was next to gain the traction. Is it real? Only time could tell.

by **Krytenia** » Tue Nov 11, 2025 10:08 am

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8

PART NINE: TALES FROM THE OTHER SIDE

The world around Rami and Jeremy was black. Not just absent of light, but a blackness that felt almost alive, as if the void permeated and swallowed everything in its wake. Other men may have been driven to madness by this; however, this particular pair of dingbats could hardly have been described as sane to begin with. Eventually, though, the cloying blackness regressed to mere dark. Strange geometric patterns, seemingly lit in a sickly green hue, began to adorn what passed for the perimeter of this null space. As Rami began to wander towards the patterns, a disembodied voice called out, her caramel-smooth voice a stark contrast to the surroundings.

“At last.” the voice cooed. “Mister Wheldon. Mister Jävinnen. I've been expecting you.”

Rami stopped what he was doing, caught off guard by the mention of his surname. Jeremy, meanwhile, was even more shocked. CCI be damned; he didn't think there was anyone still alive who even knew his original last name. Not even Rami – a fact confirmed when the Krytenian mouthed ”Jävinnen?” at him with a quizzical look on his face.

“Surprised, are we?” the voice continued in a mocking tone. “I'd have thought you would have expected something like this after your encounter with that harridan.”

Rami's face hardened. “Listen, you,” he growled, “you'd better show yourself right this second, or else I'll...I'll...” He tailed off, realising the uselessness of attempting to threaten a disembodied voice.

“Oh, calm your britches,” the voice replied, “I'm coming.”

A figure faded into being in front of Rami and Jeremy. A feminine shape formed, not dissimilar to Margaret, albeit with a couple of differences. Instead of burgundy, her velvet robe was a rich sea green; meanwhile, her face was obscured by a mask of a similar colour, leaving only her eyes visible. She gave the two a knowing smile.

“Go on,” she said, “I know you're just dying to ask questions.”

Jeremy spoke up. “Well, first of all,” he said disapprovingly, “I want to know what's up with the 'Margaret's evil twin' cosplay.”

Rami sighed. “We've met Margaret – what's to say this one's the evil twin?”

Jeremy cocked a crooked smile. “Well, there's the mask. That's like the female equivalent of...oh, I don't know, a goatee.” He shifted a glance to Rami's facial hair.

“Excuse you,” Rami said, offended, “this is neat and fashionable! As opposed to your poor excuse for a beard. Or is 'hobo chic' in?”

“This is cultivated stubble, I'll have you know.” Jeremy said proudly.

“Cultivated with what?” Rami replied. “A blunt machete?”

“Nah,” Jeremy said with a wry smile. “If it was, I'd have shoved it up your jacksie afterwards.”

“I didn't know you cared.” said Rami dryly.

The woman snorted impatiently. “If you boys are quite finished,” she said in the manner of a disappointed parent, “shall we get down to business?”

Jeremy interjected. “You still haven't answered my question,” he said with a waggle of his finger, “and we still don't know who you are.”

“Fine, if it'll get things moving,” the woman said resignedly, “allow me to introduce myself.” She stepped closer. “I'm not 'Margaret's evil twin', nor am I pretending to be one. But we are related – in a sense, at least.”

“How do you mean?” Rami inquired, his curiosity piqued. “I'm guessing from your phrasing that we aren't talking actual blood relation here.”

“Indeed. You're a perceptive one,” the woman admitted. “Think of us as two sides of the same coin. Similar, but different. For instance, I got the brains...,” she explained as she unclipped her mask, “...but she got the looks.”

The woman removed her mask and lowered her cowl, revealing a head and face that looked not quite human. The lack of hair was one thing, but there was no other way of putting it; her head had corners. It was almost as if her skull had been covered with flesh-coloured rubber panels. Rami and Jeremy couldn't help but stare.

“This is probably why you don't know who I am,” the woman said, making a point of ignoring the two men's stares, “making yourself known to the public is a bit awkward when your head is shaped like a well-used eraser.”

“Hey, could be worse,” Rami said with a cheeky grin whilst pointing his thumb in Jeremy's direction, “this one looks and smells like a novelty toilet brush, but they still let him out.” He ignored Jeremy's furious glare. “So...what do we call you.”

The woman smiled. “That's actually a good question. Truth be told, I've had many names down the centuries. Cas, Melli...Hexatux – that was an odd one. Blame the Rejistanian. Oh, and Camille, in one strange reality. But...yeah, I kinda like the most recent addition to the list. So, we'll go with that one.”

She paused for dramatic effect.

“Call me Lisa.”

by **Sarzonia** » Tue Nov 11, 2025 10:28 am

Caleb Rush was sitting down with a cup of coffee in the late stages of World Cup qualifying.

His Sarzonian national football team weren't in the best of shapes at the moment. Sure, they weren't eliminated from World Cup contention, and they could conceivably still make it to the playoff round and still somehow get in despite a rather dismal history in playoffs. Sure, the Stars could make something of this trying campaign, one that saw the team look worse than their rank.

And yes, he'd been talked back into his job as national team manager by his predecessor in the job, Brady Reynolds, who was serving as interim CEO of the Incorporated Football Federation because The Mole was the biggest name in the IFF, Zack Wilson himself. But Rush knew his heart wasn't into it. The results bore that out. The offence wasn't clicking. The defence was holding their own, but the extreme balance that was his calling card was now looking old fashioned again.

But worse than that, Rush felt exhausted. Tired of the controversy of The Mole. Tired of the discussions about mental health and imposter syndrome that he blew wide open in his native Sarzonia. Exasperated at the whole row that led to his private diagnoses being public because of what was characterised as a mis-step, not a deliberate attempt to discredit Rush from all he'd accomplished as the first manager not named Wilson to win a major trophy for Sarzonia since Bryan Marshall back in Sarzonia's inaugural World Cup qualifying campaign back in World Cup 16.

He stared into the coffee mug that sat in front of him, mindlessly tracing the steam from the drink as he processed his thoughts, his emotions. He was all but convinced this would be his final ride as national team manager. He wasn't interested in the job of technical director, as the notion of evaluating player pools for talent didn't appeal to him. He hadn't begun talks with Reynolds yet, but he knew that was coming. He'd heard rumours that Reynolds didn't want to remove the interim tag and remain as IFF chairman. He had no idea that Reynolds would float his name to the Board of Governors for that role, nor would he be ready for the eventual torrent of text messages expressing support from Board of Governors members, players and other personnel alike.

There was one text that came in rather unlike those offering him support. It was a question, one he'd studiously avoided answering. It remained, insistent in the flicker of the dimly-lit café and the faint light of his phone. It was from a reporter asking him to comment personally on the removal of Jeruselem from the World Cup.

Rush sighed. He knew if he were confirmed as the new CEO he'd have to make a statement of some kind. He figured the statements the IFF already made about respecting the process or his about focusing on Group 17 and what he and the Stars had to do to qualify for the proper and not on any teams that lay outside Sarzonia's qualifying group were enough. He'd consistently pointed the press back to those statements, insisting that they were his only comment on the decision and the reasons the World Cup Committee and the hosts of the Century Edition made it.

He saw Travis West, the longtime Woodstock Daily Mail reporter walk toward him and he made eye contact.

"Travis," he said. "Want some coffee?"

"How about tea instead?" West said, sitting down after West motioned to the seat across from him.

"Okay," he said. He flagged down the waitress.

"Could I get him some tea?" Rush asked.

"Sure," she said. "What kind?"

"Silver Star?" West said-asked, looking at Rush. Rush nodded. A Sarzonian blend. Rare, but not expensive.

After the waitress brought the tea and West thanked her, he turned to Rush.

"You know I have to ask the question," West said. "I'm aware of your statements on the matter, but what do you really think about the Jeruselem situation?"

Rush's faint smile faded as he looked into West's eyes.

"I don't want to go on record with my thoughts," Rush said. "On the record, I stand by the statements the IFF and I have already made addressing the topic." Rush picked up the coffee mug and took a sip, looking at West who still had an expectant look in his eyes.

"I'm afraid I can't give you anything on record," Rush said again. "However, if you agree to make this conversation off the record, I'll tell you what I really think about the situation."

West drew in his breath for a moment and exhaled slowly. On record with Rush's name was too much of an ask, but perhaps on background, as "a source close to the IFF's thinking? West was sure he could at least wrangle that as a concession.

"How about on background?"

"As long as my name isn't tied to this," Rush said.

"Agreed," West said. West nodded, but his lips narrowed and his eyebrows furrowed. He paused for a few seconds, then looked down at the coffee mug again before looking back up.

"I've long been personally uncomfortable with what they've made known publicly," Rush said. "It feels like they previously knew where the line was and skirted it for years, but finally trampled it this time. We condemn actions and words that forced the hosts and the World Cup Committee's hands to take this unprecedented action."

"You believe the WCC and the hosts are doing the right thing?"

"You're damn right," Rush said sharply. Much more sharply than he expected. "Severe actions have severe consequences," he added. "The punishment was harsh, but it was the only thing that could've been done.

"I'd rather focus on football and what I need to do as manager of this team," Rush said. "I don't want to be discussing those barbaric words or actions."

by **Woodsmere** » Tue Nov 11, 2025 10:45 am

Woodsmere trounces Bythia 4-1!
Mende Jukapli , 11/11/2025

Woodsmere
4
Groibyz 21', 45'; Ranme 36'; Keulep 59'
Bythia
1
87'

The Match
The match against Bythia was essentially our best performance in the whole qualification stage, and it was a significant improvement from our initial draw with them. The Hares were packed with energy throughout the game, and their energy even lasted well after the game ended. It was a demonstration of consistent discipline paying off at the end, as well as sticking to strategies and formations.

Cascade Stadium, just before this match.

Like every match we play, we went for the defensive 4-4-2 formation, and Bythia used a 4-4-2 diamond, which really did not help them in the long run. The forwards started off with possession of the ball, especially Groibyz who was recently re-introduced to the pitch. They then passed to Keulep, and moved forward to the sides of the pitch to exploit Bythia's lack of width and create 2 wings around Keulep. Vilbetti received the long diagonal ball from Keulep, flanked the defenders and attempted a shot. Unfortunately, the ball just hit the crossbars. After 2 more unsuccessful tries from Vilbetti, Groibyz had the chance and used this chance wisely. He accurately launched the ball into the top-right corner and scored. The Woodsmereans rose up in joy, yelled like usual and waved their flags.Simple, emotional, and genuine - that is the voice that defines the Woodsmereans' attitude.

35 minutes in, and Ranme became the left wing for Vilbetti. He received the ball, dashed easily up the empty space, and effortlessly shot the ball. He ended up scoring by just pure luck. After that, it reverted back to the original organisation and Groibyz once again dashed it. Although he was 10 metres away, he did not score a goal - he also scored a nutmeg against an unlucky Bythian defender! In the 5 minutes before half time, the Hares slightly altered their strategy to defensive since they didn't have time to make another dash.

Half time happened, during which Reged told his team to start going defensive to reduce the risk of overload on the defenders, in case of an interception by Bythia. The disciplined Hares applied his instructions, but it ended up facilitating a goal from Bythia near the end. But at the start of the second half, the Hares did their dashing approach one last time, this time with Keulep attending. By sheer wit, he scored and he overwhelmed the already-overwhelmed home fans. However, this was the end of Woodsmere's scoring spree, and the match then transitioned into a Bythia-dominated one. They possessed the ball for the rest of the match while the Hares merely defended and pushed back the Bythians.

At the 87th minute, around 5 Bythians successfully passed the midfield and after overwhelming the long-dormant defense, scored a quick and easy goal. And this concluded the interesting part of the match, since that goal was followed by just a few passed amongst Bythia.

Full time whistle blew, and the Hares left the pitch satisfied. Reged stated, "Certainly our best win to date. After our final match, I ought to throw a party to celebrate with our great Hares!"

Woodsmere vs Pyazhnaya: a lucky 1-1 draw
Mende Jukapli , 11/11/2025

Woodsmere
1
Vilbetti 75'
Pyazhnaya
1
Bryzgalov 32'

The Match

The draw against Pyazhnaya certainly did not help our hopes of Woodsmere qualifying for the World Cup, however it still gave us some chance into the playoffs and was certainly better than the draw we expected. Reged did not comment on the game, understandably.

Pyazhnaya played an interestingly flexible 4-4-2 formation, which also somehow offensive. This clearly confused the Hares in the first half of the game. In addition, the Pyazhnayans were very eager to once again prove their superiority against Woodsmere, which was clearly reflected in their abnormally high energy compared to the Hares who appeared rather dishevelled. They took advantage of our wide players having a high workload, and Bryzgalov scored in the 32nd minute after a few attempts at scoring.

At half time, Reged came up with a plan to successfully overpower the other team, but he gambled a bit by sending a few defenders up to the midfield. Reged's new plan worked to some degree, but it was still challenging to overtake the opposition's midfield. There were a few missed chances from Groibyz and Keulep, but then Vilbetti finally scored into the bottom-left corner of the goal, 75 minutes in.

When the game ended, the Hares were happier than the Pyazhnayans, since Pyazhnaya had higher expectations overall. Still, Reged did not seem pleased with the result and refused to give a comment to us when we approached him.

@reksi3203
Niceeee, but Jeremy you really need to lock in mate! #jeremy #worldcup

@xrn9fn1
Good luck Hares, I hope you'll at least qualify for the Cup of Harmony - you guys really deserve some recognition #upthehares

@alinapotju
Glory to Woodsmere! Woodsmere wins! #woodsmere #truepatriot

Next Match

Our final match in the whole qualification stage is against Avote. Although we will almost certainly win, we need to win by a larger margin than Xanneria's next match, in order to have a higher chance of at least making it into playoffs. We will be playing at home, at Rivergreen Stadium.

INFORMATION FOR AVOTE FANS
Ensure that you purchase train tickets at the airport station
To reach Rivergreen from Wassenstad International Airport, follow signs towards a metro station in the airport, then board any train from platform 4 (towards Vehne) and exit at Vehne station. After exiting Vehne station, follow signs for the bus station and board a purple bus from bus stop C. The last stop is the stadium, and there are many lodges near this bus stop.

Our starting 11 for the next match:

by **Saterun** » Tue Nov 11, 2025 11:44 am

Snow
(Hey Oh)

The last time it had snowed in Fontecoro, Matt Saez's grandfather had been 3 years old. There had been several decades of warm weather since then, and many people thought that the south-western edge of the main island might never seen snowfall again. However, 2 hours before their game against Tristan de Cunha, the clouds opened up. It was the middle of winter here in Saterun, and it was just below freezing. It was already the coldest year on record for some time, and the temperature usually never dropped below at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The weather channels blamed cold northern storms that had drifted south, but whatever the cause, light, soft snowflakes were now drifting to the ground. As Matt looked outside, he couldn't help but get a little excited. He had only played in snow once, at a national youth tournament up in Neohalle. Isla Vinter, Saterun's second island and its main northern one, often got snow, but Matt rarely went there. He did remember, however, how unpredictable the game became with just a light dusting on the field. Although Fontecoro wasn't used to snow, the pitch at the Municipal Stadium was up to SFF code, and so the match would carry on as long as the snow didn't get any heavier.

Around 15 minutes before the game was due to start, the field was covered in a light sheet of white. The snow had been on and off since it had started, and there was nowhere near enough to call of the match. To Matt's delight, they would play in the snow. As the team warmed up, the players could feel the added slickness on the surface of the pitch. Passes were overhit, and Kristofor Bohler was learning to adapt to added speed on ground shots. Luckily for Saterun, they did have players who were used to playing in these conditions. Anders VandeLlen was from a small town in middle Isla Vinter, while Adrian Schlimme was from the small island of Reeskavov, which was west of Isla Vinter. Both would start this match.

As the match started, it quickly became apparent that the Claws had experience their opponents did not. Without having to make a few thousand mile jouney, the Claws were able to let their quality and experience shine through. They scored quickly, with Caesar Ibañez putting the home side up merely 9 minutes into the first half. Not wanting to be complacent, Handrix urged his side on. They controlled possession, and Matt was able to truly appreciate the atmosphere created by the weather. The light snow and fog made it seem like the inside of the stadium was the only place in the whole multiverse, and the snow on the ground made the ball way more unpredictable. It also allowed Matt to fully use his physicality, which let him lock down the opposing offense. In the 37th minute, Saterun would double their advantage, this time through a Leandro Alfienk header off of a corner. They were playing confidently and had the full backing of the albeit small stadium.

During the halftime break, Matt listened intently. While he was always interested in what Handrix had to say, it was also nice to be warm for a little bit. As the minutes drained away, he started to prepare himself for the cold. Finally, the teams walked back out, and Matt was back in focus. The opposition, still struggling to adapt to the weather, failed to really fight back after the break. Caesar scored in the 70th minute to put Saterun up 3, and from then on not much happened. When the full time whistle blew, the Claws were thrilled with their win. They had managed to get revenge, and continued a decent run of form in the second half of the campaign. As much fun as it had been playing out in the snow, Matt was happy to get back inside the dressing room. Once they had all settled in, Handrix began to speak.

"Good work today out there, lads. I know some of you haven't ever even seen snow before, and I know it makes everything a little trickier. But you guys controlled the game, and never let them get a good look in. We need to do the same thing next week. We're beyond the point where we can afford to drop points. It's getting really tight at the top, and we need everything we can get. We also have a difficult ending to qualifying, and we need to put ourselves in the best position possible for that. But I believe in you guys. Play like you did today, and you'll have no trouble getting all three points. We're gonna stay here for training, so either book a hotel or be back here by Wednesday." With that, Handrix dismissed the squad and went back into his office.

As Matt was gathering his stuff, Channan Gatsby came over to him. Channan was pretty young (Matt thought he was 19, but wasn't sure), and had been having a decent qualifying campaign, albeit one without too many appearances. As Channan started talking, Matt started to realize how tactically aware the young centerback was. Apparently, Handrix's strategy of routinely pushing one defender forward when the team was on the attack was leaving them unorganized, because there was never specific instructions on who was to go forward. Often, two players went instead of one, leaving them vulnerable to counter-attacks. Matt still wasn't sure what Channan wanted him to do about it, though. "Could you go tell Handrix for me?" Oh. Matt knew that some of the newer players were a bit scared of Handrix. Not only was he a highly decorated manager, but he was, by a significant margin, their elder and sometimes a pretty intense guy. Matt reassured Channan that he would chat with Handrix. However, that would have to wait until Wednesday. Right now, all Matt wanted to do was take a warm shower.

by **Xanneria** » Tue Nov 11, 2025 11:52 am

by **Pyazhnaya** » Tue Nov 11, 2025 12:22 pm

The Union and the Underdogs
Part I — Zubova’s Counterstrike
Krasnograd, FFP Headquarters. Late night, early morning, it's the time of day, or night, where the line blurs. Despite the time, the briefing room is fully illuminated, cameras aimed at th podium where Simona Zubova stands like a general preparing for war. Around her, her aides look exhausted, one fallen asleep against a pillar. They know what's about to happen and they are not sure if they should feel excited or deeply concerned.

Simona Zubova:
Yesterday’s events were not merely unprofessional. They were an affront to the integrity of the entire federation and what it stands for.

She slams her fist onto the podium, hard enough that the microphone pops. The journalists tense; no one dares speak yet.

Simona Zubova:
When our national players choose to parade through the streets instead of preparing for critical qualifiers, when they turn our symbols into a circus, they insult every Pyazhnayan who believes in discipline, in order, in respect.

A pause. She adjusts her glasses, flips open a folder thick with printed screenshots of AuraCast clips, Cypher comment threads, trending tags on The Forge. All with variations of #OnePyazhnaya.

Simona Zubova:
I have reviewed their so-called “fountain celebration.” Let me remind everyone: this is not a music festival. It is not a fashion campaign. This is the national team. Representing our nation on the world stage is not a game; it is a duty. And they have made an absolute mockery out of it!

She lets the silence hang, allowing her words to echo in the reporters’ minds before continuing, now with icy precision.

Simona Zubova:
We are two matches away from determining whether Pyazhnaya reaches the World Cup. And instead of focus and unity, we see chaos. Sanctioned chaos, encouraged by a coach who should know better, and defended by a federation that has clearly lost its grasp of authority.

She looks directly into one of the cameras broadcasting the press conference live. If looks could kill, half the nation would be on the floor right now.

Simona Zubova:
Let me be clear. Accountability will prevail. There will be consequences. Coach, players, anybody who has played a part in this travesty!

Rodion Akhmatullin (Gazeta Cherniy Zamok):
When you say there will be consequences for players, what do you mean with that?

Simona Zubova:
Suspensions. Bans. Fines.

Lyubov Chernitskiy (Vestiy Segodnaya):
So, you are seriously considering suspending players that have brought Pyazhnaya on the verge of a second qualification for the World Cup?

Simona Zubova:
If that's what it takes to restore order, then yes.

Sigurd Andersson (Tikariot Sports Gazette):
You are willing to jeopardize the national team's success for your fight against windmills because the team and federation is enjoying success without abiding by what you deem acceptable?

Simona Zubova:
This press conference is over.

She steps away from the podium. The press surges forward, shouting questions, but she ignores them, disappearing backstage. Her aides scramble to follow.

---

Part II — “The State of the Union” (AuraCast Live)

Early morning in Tverinsk. The title card flashes on AuraCast, Cypher, and The Forge simultaneously: “The State of the Union (Pyazhnaya Edition).” A thousand live chats erupt instantly. Four figures come into frame: Danila Terentyev, Danila Mukhametshin, Naira Akhatova, and Lina Vyrypayeva. The two Danilas look like they didn't sleep at all, the girls seem in overall better condition. The camera’s perched on a low table in what looks like a casual team lounge with hoodies, mugs, and a suspiciously large pizza box in views, including some sleeping forms in the background.

Danila Terentyev:
Good morning, everyone. Welcome to the most serious broadcast we’ve ever done.

Danila Mukhametshin:
So serious, in fact, that we put on our fanciest sweatpants.

Naira Akhatova:
Focus, boys. This one’s actually important.

Lina Vyrypayeva:
He’s right though. These are the limited-edition “we survived Zubova” tracksuits. Collector’s items soon.

Danila Mukhametshin:
I would also like to add that we're doing this pre-caffeine, just so you guys know how seriously we're taking this!

Laughter floods the chat. Terentyev clears his throat dramatically, pulling out a crumpled sheet of paper like a politician about to make history.

Danila Terentyev:
Ahem Comrades, friends, beloved fans of questionable taste; welcome to our “State of the Union” address.

He gestures grandly at the others, who nod solemnly, or try to, before cracking up.

Danila Terentyev (continuing):
It’s been a wild campaign. We started with chaos. And not the good kind. Before things even started, Coach Agratova came under fire from certain factions in the federation, which obviously didn't exactly help with a focused preparation, the Oversight Committee breathing down our necks, we barely had time to remember which direction to kick the ball. After six matchdays we were sixth in the table. Sixth!

Naira Akhatova:
He’s not exaggerating. We lost in Bythia!

Mukhametshin:
How could I forget? Half the team was still arguing about who was in charge of the Spotify playlist when the anthem started.

Lina Vyrypayeva:
And we lost 4-5.

Terentyev:
Details, Lina. Artistic losses are part of growth.

They laugh. Then, Terentyev looks straight at the camera.

Danila Terentyev:
But here’s the thing: we didn’t fall apart. We pulled together. Not because someone told us to. Not because of press conferences or politics. But because we remembered why we’re here.

Akhatova:
Because we play for something bigger than committees and titles.

Mukhametshin:
Because we love the chaos.

Vyrypayeva:
Because we love the game.

The chat starts flooding with heart emojis and national flags.

Terentyev:
Now look at us. Two matches left. We’re in a playoff spot; still have a shot at direct qualification if we pull off two wins if Saint Eleanor completely falls apart at the same time. Everyone thought we’d crumble. Instead…

Akhatova (grinning):
Instead, we started a movement.

Mukhametshin:
And possibly a few legal headaches for the FFP PR department.

Vyrypayeva:
Worth it.

Terentyev:
Earlier today, Simona Zubova threatened us with consequences. Bans, suspensions, fines. For what? Bringing a nation together? Playing some damn good football? Doing what we're actually here for? I would have some choice words for you, Miss Zubova.

Mukhametshin:
Oh yes, such as--

Naira frantically clamps her hand over his mouth.

Akhatova:
NOOO!!!

Vyrypayeva:
Terms of Service, dudes!

Terentyev picks up again, mock-serious again, trying to get back his “statesman” tone, but failing with every line.

Terentyev:
We have been called many things this campaign: unprofessional, unserious, uncontrollable—

Mukhametshin:
Unwashed, once.

Akhatova:
That was after the training camp in Balaralsk. Fair.

Vyrypayeva:
You smell better now. Marginally.

The four burst into laughter and the chat follows suit.

Akhatova:
All jokes aside, we know what’s being said. We know Zubova’s out there trying to make us look like a circus. But what she doesn’t get is that we are united. In our own weird, noisy way.

Vyrypayeva:
Yeah. We don’t always get it right. But we fight for each other. Every match. Every training. Every time someone calls us a disaster, we just prove them wrong by showing up again.

Mukhametshin (nodding):
And this isn’t just about football anymore. It’s about everyone who’s ever been told they’re too loud, too young, too stubborn, too something. That’s us. That’s Pyazhnaya.

Terentyev:
So here’s the deal. Two games left. Two chances to make history. And we’ll do it together. Not as perfect professionals, but as the glorious mess we’ve always been.

He raises a mug of tea, or maybe kvas, or something completely different, judging by Mukhametshin’s grin, and the others follow suit.

Terentyev:
For Pyazhnaya.

All together:
For Pyazhnaya!

by **Flavovespia** » Tue Nov 11, 2025 12:26 pm

World Cup 89: Retrospective

MD1 Kiltoch A 3 4, Cole 20', Coleman 47', 52', Lyons 64'
MD2 Jeruselem H 0 1,
MD3 Eshialand A 1 2, Coleman 33', Hall 51'
MD4 Commonwealth of Baker Park A 2 1 ,Hall 49'
MD5 Polkopia H 0 1, Totten 34'
MD6 Aut-Ves-Nat A 0 0,
MD7 Xanneria H 3 4, Cole 31' 59', Player 74'
MD8 The Jovannic A 0 2, Coleman 47', Hall 59'
MD9 Sajnur H 2 2, Hall 14', Cole 23'
MD10 Kiltoch H 1 0, Clarkson 40'
MD11 Jeruselem A 2 1, Hall 91'
MD12 Eshialand H 1 0, Cole 72'
MD13 Commonwealth of Baker Park H 2 2, Coleman 5', Hall 77'
MD14 Polkopia A 2 1, Cole 51'
MD15 Aut-Ves-Nat H 4 2, Coleman 12', 45', 72', Own Goal 74'
MD16 Xanneria A 1 2, Coleman 24', Clarkson 49'
MD17 The Jovannic H 3 1, Own Goal 40', Coleman 55', 81'
MD18 Sajnur A 3 5, Cole 21', 44', 65', Totten 45', Hall 48'

*  Group 17                    Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Commonwealth of Baker Park   18   12   2   4    45   25  +20    38
 2 Polkopia                     18   11   4   3    44   28  +16    37
 3 Jeruselem                    18   10   4   4    35   23  +12    34
 4 Eshialand                    18    9   3   6    44   32  +12    30
 5 Flavovespia                  18    9   3   6    34   27   +7    30
 6 Sajnur                       18    7   5   6    37   37    0    26
 7 Xanneria                     18    6   3   9    31   36   −5    21
 8 Aut-Ves-Nat                  18    4   3  11    32   47  −15    15
 9 The Jovannic                 18    4   2  12    32   55  −23    14
10 Kiltoch                      18    3   1  14    22   46  −24    10

MD1 Savigliane N 3 1, Cole 10'
MD3 Hispinas N 3 3, Cole 28', Coleman 53', Hall 81'
MD4 Geisenfried N 0 2, Coleman 19', Hall 57'
MD5 Sharktail N 1 2, Totten 81'

* Group D                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Sharktail                4   2  2  0    6   4  +2    8
2 Savigliane               4   2  1  1    7   3  +4    7
3 Hispinas                 4   0  4  0    6   6   0    4
4 Flavovespia              4   1  1  2    7   8  −1    4
5 Geisenfried              4   0  2  2    1   6  −5    2

A cycle of frustration and regression for Flavovespia, as this cycle just never got going. A collection of poor home results saw Marcus McCormick sacked after Matchday 7. That game was a 3-4 loss to Xanneria, including an embarrassing tailstrike incident with the away team’s plane by an inexperienced ground crew. Nick Cole came back as interim manager, Flavovespia going back to the manager who started it off for them.

It was a cycle where the early stars of Flavovespia were just starting to show their age, and their replacements weren’t all yet identified. Steven Hall was 33 and still playing every game, with only Robert Cooper utilised on the right. Robert Cooper nonetheless was one of the likeable figures of this era, regardless of on field performances. Scott Coleman got 11 goals, and now had the growing talent of Michael Cole alongside him, the son of Nick Cole in an unusual father-son manager-player dynamic. Defence was an area of concern, only Stuart Cookson was below 30, and Alexander May and Neil Wright failed to shine as options off the bench. A few players however broke out of their shell, this was the cycle David Lyons and Kieron Player became clear starters for Flavovespia too, despite an injury for the former. 5th in the Group was frustrating given the pre tournament hopes, although few expected the miracle qualifying run of Polkopia.

Cup of Harmony 81 compounded a difficult cycle. A loss to Savigliane put Flavovespia on the back foot, they were aiming for at least the knockout stages, but Sharktail sent Flavovespia on an early plane home. Flavovespia had a solid attack now, even with the advancing ages of Scott Coleman and Steven Hall, but depth and defence was a shaky area. This wasn’t quite a new era, nor a major transition period, but there was a sense Flavovespia were living an unfulfilled destiny, still hovering on the outside looking in for big tournaments and long runs in knockout stages.

by **Chromatika** » Tue Nov 11, 2025 12:27 pm

World Cup 100 Qualifying Matchday 15: Chromatika 4-3 The Ko-orenite Constellation
Goals: Mátyás 13', Prenn 25', Jean-Baptiste 66', 81'
Starting XI: Swanson (C); Paterson - Lethbridge-Antonio, C. - Saburo; Hauptmeijer - Lethbridge-Antonio, J. - Prenn - Mátyás; Lee; Jean-Baptiste - Baïe-Verte.
Substitutes: Janissen op Colmans -> Mátyás (59'), Han Cunningham -> Lethbridge-Antonio, C. (59'), Holgersson -> Lethbridge-Antonio, J. (71'), Heimdell -> Baïe-Verte (71'), Oriol -> Hauptmeijer (83')
Summary: Kaytlyn Jean-Baptiste's brace in the final thirty minutes of play was the deciding factor in Chromatika's narrow win over The Ko-orenite Constellation at the Island Dome, the first game being played in Myana since the Abyssal Occupation. The stadium may not be what it used to be, but a sold-out crowd still saw a great match in which Maddie Prenn was the superstar. Prenn had a goal and two assists, including the two goals scored by Jean-Baptiste. Stunning.

World Cup 100 Qualifying Matchday 16: Archalit 0-3 Chromatika
Goal: Baïe-Verte 13', Lee 29', Prenn 45+1'
Starting XI: Swanson (C); Paterson - Lethbridge-Antonio, C. - Saburo; Hauptmeijer - Lethbridge-Antonio, J. - Prenn - Mátyás; Lee; Jean-Baptiste - Baïe-Verte.
Substitutes: Panaś -> Mátyás (61'), Þyrill -> Lee (61'), Nodis -> Saburo (78'), Howard-Dawes -> Jean-Baptiste (78'), Coulibaly -> Paterson (82')
Summary: Chromatika raced out to a 3-0 lead by halftime and never looked back as they buried Archalit to remain perfect with their second stringers in World Cup 100 Qualifying. Prenn continues to shine - another goal and an assist here - and the combination with Lee cannot be understated. Will either of them make the Proper lineup now that they've qualified for the World Cup?
World Cup 100 Qualifying - Matchdays 17 vs. (UR) Dantopia @ Z'ai'ai Field, Z'ai'ai, Mountain District (Cap. 113,000; 40,000 Seats)
Starting XI: Swanson (C); Paterson - Lethbridge-Antonio, C. - Saburo; Hauptmeijer - Lethbridge-Antonio, J. - Prenn - Mátyás; Lee; Jean-Baptiste - Baïe-Verte.
Reserves: GK Jessika Aniston, GK Hera Courtois, DCR Jaxon Lehmann, DC Samantha Han Cunningham, DCL Cylie Nodis, DCR Ami Coulibaly, MR Kandice Oriol, WBL Róża Panaś, WBL Willemieke Janissen op Colmans, CDM Cassandra Van Der Borght, CDM Eden Gunsdorf, BWM Erica Holgersson, AM Þyrill Bjarnhéðinsson, AF Adélaïde Bittencourt, CF Jack Heimdell, AF Elaine Howard-Dawes.
Preview: It's one last time for this group that's gone undefeated to appeal to the Chromatik Football Federation before the World Cup Proper lineup is announced. Massive kudos to Uemura Saburo for starting every single game this cycle. Will they make it nine out of nine wins? Who will Khabibullina bring on at times to test for the final lineup?

Opinion: Time to Cast off the Fillars

There is no denying the impact that the Fillar family has had on Chromatik football. Juxon, Baillaire, Grayson, and Edith all have over a hundred caps apiece and have cemented themselves as some of the best footballers the country has ever seen. They were at the epicenter of the best finish by a Chromatik squad - second place in World Cup 93. Juxon was the epitome of consistency, Baillaire ushered in a type of midfielder in the one that shoots first, Grayson is the typical physical right wingback, and Edith is the fiery, speedy tactician.

However, with the way that the team is leaning, it's time to let them go. Perhaps not Edith, who is the youngest of them all, but the other two's time is nearing and end. Grayson has lost a bit of the ferocity that made him such a defense-leaning right wingback, while Baillaire's creativity is now being matched by Lee and Prenn.

Juxon knew when he should step aside. Grayson is 33. Bailliare is 34. Age doesn't lie, and there is a wealth of stars waiting to prove that it is their time to shine. Perhaps it can be argued that right wingback is the spot where Chromatika is the weakest, but the emergence of Jacoliene has been that of a rising star. Lee and Prenn are both twenty-four and extremely hungry; Baillaire was their role model, but there is a time where the student eclipses the master.

Better to go out on top than to be chased off, right?

by **Eshialand** » Tue Nov 11, 2025 12:43 pm

The Final Push
Montagne Noire 0-2 Eshialand
Eshialand 5-0 Britonisea

"Listen, I'm just happy those idiots didn't have to reduce themselves to such childish tactics against Montagne Noire this time around."
"Will you let that go Karsten? You can't deny that whatever they were doing, it was fun to watch. You're just spoiling the beauty of the game and its diversity of different playing styles!"
"Oh come on, they looked like clowns."
"You've just never seen a match quite like that one. Admit it, you just don't like trying new things."

Normally, such gabbing from Josh and Karsten would be reserved for the back rooms of ENN Studios, however this time a mistake from one of the producers (oh, how frequent those are now... someone needs to check in on him and make sure he's alright) led to this conversation occurring live on air after the match against Britonisea.

While yes, the match against Montagne Noire was much more reserved than the one which had occurred in Eshialand City, the result was one the Owls were desperately looking for: a win to help them keep chasing after first. With Captina Island having a bye on Matchday 16, the door was open for the team to take the lead in Group 30 at home against 2-5-6 Britonisea. While their draws total was enough to make one worry that they could steal some cheap points from the team known for choking when it counted, all worries subsided when goals started coming and just. Didn't. Stop. A second straight clean sheet from the goalkeeping tandem of Bruske and Garrett backed up a solid 5 goal performance from the offense to seal not just a win, but some even more amazing news that Josh and Karsten were about to cover. You see, it was time to get permutational.

With Captina Island having a bye, they could do nothing but sit back and watch as the Owls recaptured first place in the group, their 10-2-2 record keeping themselves just one step ahead of Captina's 9-3-2. All teams except them and Krytenia were eliminated, and Krytenia couldn't pass Eshialand, given they only had one match left, were behind 3 points, and the Owls had the head-to-head. While there could hypothetically be some weird three-way tie scenarios with Eshialand getting 2 losses, Captina 2 draws, and Krytenia a win, this wouldn't actually be possible with the Dragons hosting Captina in their final matchup. There was simply no way they could win while Captina drew, meaning a three-way tie was off the table. No matter what, the Owls would finish top 2. Their story would not end with the final whistle of qualifying.

That was the good news. The sketchy news was that Captina were only 2 points behind them and bore the head-to-head advantage in the event they end up tying. Captina's remaining strength of schedule was actually quite decent though: @ Krytenia, vs. Montagne Noire. These weren't pushover teams, they were ones capable of doing serious damage, as evidenced by their positions in 3rd and 4th in the group, respectively. As for Eshialand? @ Nergtul, vs. AJTON. Yep, this was the Owls' campaign to lose. Two wins between these matches and they were in. Draw one, and they'd need to become the world's biggest Krytenia fans for a day. It's not like they lost a match to AJTON already or anything...

Oh, right. They did.

"I know exactly what you all are thinking right now..." Melissa Carey said at the post-match interview, "you're looking at the final schedule and wondering where the choke is gonna be. Well, spoiler alert, it's not. This is a team that, even if you may see them as chokers, can definitely perform when they need to. The loss away to AJTON is only fuel for the fire they need to perform 100% at home. They're gonna do their best, and this match is gonna be electric. Mark my words, we're not letting them come away with any more points. The same goes for Nergtul, we've beaten them once before and we can absolutely do it again. You're gonna see us at the World Cup again, I know it."

The press wasn't used to seeing an Eshian manager project such absolute confidence. What they were used to was Kenny Morgan waffling about "oh, you know it could go badly but they tried their best and and and..." but Mel was clearly different. She knew what her team could do, and she was showing that she had no fear anymore. It was time for the final push for the World Cup, and they weren't going to let a couple of bottom-seeded teams stop them this time.

by **Mertagne** » Tue Nov 11, 2025 1:07 pm

LINDEN SALOMAN INVITES REGIONAL HEAVYWEIGHTS FOR DIPLOMATIC TALKS
Grand Regent looks to stabilise northern Calania amid EOT and Krytenian crises

Dannin, MERTAGNE -- Grand Regent Linden Saloman has formally invited representatives from Eura, Krytenia, Bostopia, and a slew of ACORN member states to attend a high-level diplomatic summit in Bretsaar next month, with the intention to make moves to solve the ever-growing instability surrounding nations across northern Calania. The ongoing economic woes that seem to be coagulating in the region have placed Saloman in a difficult position, and the Grand Regent appears to be looking to leverage Mertagne's relatively insulated position in that regard to broker a series of agreements on the long-term fate of the northern Krytenian states, which are currently operating without oversight and funding from a federal Krytenian government, as well as the future of the Euran Oceania Territories, which are currently administered by Eura under a 99-year lease which is set to expire in 9 years time.

Saloman looks to be willing to kill as many crows as it takes with a single shot, as the Grand Regent has made his end goal unusually clear - to provide a stabilisation framework for the entire northern Calanian region that is beneficial to the citizens in each affected nation, while avoiding Mertagne's unnecessary micromanagement of foreign affairs, which is currently unpopular with much of the electorate, which hoped to see Mertagne as a more beneficial partner of the ACORN agreement. Saloman, when interviewed about his plans for the summit, claimed that "It's imperative that we look to stabilise regions on our borders, such as Fligisve, Magnaeus, and the northern Krytenian states, as these comprise some of our biggest trading partners within and without ACORN. If their citizens suffer, ours do too, and that's not in keeping with the Anaian spirit that much of our region embodies."

Much work has already been done behind closed doors to prepare for the summit, with Saloman's administration reportedly reaching out to Eura to discuss preliminary terms for the territories, and several senior members of government having held private meetings with Krytenian state representatives to discuss potential funding packages and autonomous governance frameworks for the northern states. The Krytenian northern states in particular are keen to secure funding that isn't Argental-backed, and several intra-state committees have been formed to discuss potential frameworks for governance that would allow the states to retain a degree of autonomy while still being tied economically to Mertagne through ACORN and a possible deeper free trade and mutual defence agreement.

A senior official in the Krytenian army, who wished to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the situation, claimed that "[The Krytenian Army] is keen to avoid a full-scale military seizure of power in the northern states, as this betrays Krytenia's democratic values and would only lead to more instability in the long term. We are keen to work with Mertagnian diplomats and their own armed forces to ensure continued democratic governance in the region, and with Mertagne's support, [ I ] believe we can achieve that while protecting Krytenia from external threats."

However, it appears that Krytenia isn't unified on this matter, as the southern states have already secured funding and governance oversight from Bostopia, which has appointed a Governor to oversee the territories and ensure stability. Governor Preston Broome, who was appointed recently and has already begun to effectively consolidate power in the southern Krytenian states, has also received an invite to the diplomatic talks, in a move that many see as Linden Saloman extending the olive branch to Bostopia-backed government members in an effort to ensure Newfort's tacit support for any agreements that may be reached at the summit. Mertagne is of course keen to avoid any direct conflict with Bostopia, as the recent conflict between the two nations is still fresh in the minds of many, and Saloman wants to ensure that no possible flashpoints arise during the summit that could derail the entire process.

Bretsaar's 'Medicine Rooms' will be the venue for the summit, with a variety of compact meeting rooms and larger conference halls available for delegates to grease the diplomatic wheels and come to an agreement for the next stage of northern Calania's future. Security is expected to be on high alert, with several high-profile dignitaries likely to attend, either as representatives of nations directly involved or as observers from other states across the SARIMEA region. The summit, likely to last several days, is to end with a televised plenary session in which various parties will outline the agreements that have been reached, and their next steps for implementation.

Other news from across the nation:

World Cup 81/82/83/84

The Overachiever Awards!!

It's the last international matches of this World Cup Qualifying campaign and that means it's time for the traditional unveiling of The OA's, celebrating those nations who have distinguished themselves through the tournament beyond the expectations of perceived wisdom.

Our crack research team based somewhere in a secret location in Belle Haven go through the tables of every group and sort out the numbers to find the candidates, generally following the guidelines established long ago (although they aren't always held to rigorous standards).

This time, the record number of entries for both the Baptism of Fire and the World Cup itself created a bit of a problem, as the sheer number of nations that entered having previously been participants but having aged out of their ranking created a large pool of unranked sides, while the BOF field provided a range of newly ranked teams that ranged across over half the seeding pots.

The general rule of thumb for the OA's is a nation that will finish at a minimum of three places in the final table ahead of their initial pot assignment; because of ties, a handful of groups had more than one unranked nation while a couple of others had two teams with the identical rank, leaving the crack research staff to have guess which nation was assigned to which pot.

To simplify the process, the awards will now be just a recognition on a group by group basis, with a few groups having more than one team that falls into the criteria and a few groups that had no nation able to be recognized.

So, without further adieu, here's the Centennial World Cup Overachiever Awards!

Txakhaxi (group 1); Geektopia and Hafamarimët (2); Sambuca and Caebannog (7); Stewartika, who could possibly join the First Timers Club as a Finals qualifiers on their debut (8); Dantopia (9); Liberecky Krajland (11); Baman & Juket Liberationists (12); Sernet and The Free Republics (13); Kita-Hinode (14); Ethane (16); Anonymegg (17); New Montreal States (18); Airannia, who could also qualify for the Finals (19); New Arbuckle (20); Atheara and Felinetopia (21); The Lake Isle of Innisfree (22); Baldorium (23); Hamborn (25); Tornadic (26); and finally, Equinox Auraterra and Sinyal (27).

Congratulations to all the recepients!!

by **Snestar** » Tue Nov 11, 2025 1:18 pm

Matchday 15: Snestar 3-1 Denyssia
Goalscorers (Snestar):
11’ Valentino Garnati
84’ Elisa Baldriga
89’ Cesare Scanavino
Goalscorers (Grand Exultia):
81’ [unknown]
Player of the Match: Valentino Garnati

Snestar momentarily falls into fourth place, but the Viola is one step away from qualification

After faltering in the first half of Snestar - Denyssia but securing a 3-1 win at the Stadio Quattro Venti in Carvella, the Viola can now secure qualification to the World Cup play-offs, as long as it wins both its upcoming matches against Super Earth and Hapilopper. Still, Snestar must prepare themselves well if they want the dream of qualifying in the debut World Cup to come true.

Snestar 3-1 Denyssia: Match Summary
(for context, the Carvellans are the citizens of the city where the match takes place, as well as the fans of Carvella FC, the local club currently playing in Division Alpha, the top division of Snestaryan football)
When the Snestaryans hosted the match against the Denyssians at the Stadio Quattro Venti in Carvella, local fans were confident that the matchday would be trivial. The Viola started out strong, with Valentino Garnati helping out in the attack by delivering a heel kick from the middle of the penalty box, through a Denyssian defender, and straight to the goal. The remaining part of the first half was quite boring to watch: the Carvellans were starting to get annoyed at the Snestaryans for not scoring goals and eventually started making sure the players could hear their disappointment. Camilla Arentas was not happy with the treatment given to her team, so she tried her best to gesture to the locals to stop booing the team and actually support their nation. After Garnati also delivered a great goal-line clearance from a spectacular shot by Denyssia, Snestar was still leading the match 1-0 when the teams returned to the locker rooms at halftime.

By the time both teams returned to the pitch, the Carvellans had calmed down. The Snestaryans were being spurred to score by a series of long, provocative chants, though the Viola couldn’t find the second goal: the Denyssians had completely closed themselves in their half, stopping every attempt made by the Snestaryans. Elisa Baldriga was subbed in to freshen up the attack, as well as Cesare Scanavino (who had not been given much playing time in the World Cup qualifiers up until that moment), but neither of them were able to find any cracks in the defensive system set up by their opponents. By the 80th minute, the fans were starting to think this would be a 1-0 victory for the Viola, but Denyssia had other plans: a corner kick found an attacker’s head, and Federico Calvaresi barely managed to prevent the goal. However, since he wasn’t able to keep the ball safe within his hands, a winger took the opportunity to plant it into the net. Camilla Arentas was furious: a draw would’ve meant losing the play-offs battle. But just three minutes later, Elisa Baldriga received a long ball from Riccardo Cavaliere and dribbled her way through three players before finally ending her marvelous play with a flawless finish. Even though Snestar was leading 2-1, Cesare Scanavino was still not satisfied, so he chose to prove he deserves more playtime by delivering a curved header thanks to a cross by Valentino Garnati. Thanks to the two substitutes’ efforts, Snestar was able to bring home three incredibly important points that would still keep them in the qualification race until the end.

Right after the final whistle, we interviewed Camilla Arentas to hear her thoughts on the match. She was tweaking due to the shock of the last minute winning goals, but she had a huge smile planted on her face.

“I must say… Despite the hardships we faced as a team, I’m glad I was able to take part in such a wonderful team. Arminia, Elisa, Riccardo, Vittorio, both Nicolas… I can’t name them all, but ever since I started coaching them back in the 87th Baptism of Fire I knew this team was going to do great things. And even if we don’t manage to win against Super Earth and Hapilopper, the Snestaryan national team will still be noticed by many. We had a great campaign in the qualifiers, and even if our run may end tomorrow, we will use this opportunity to take our time to improve ourselves and challenge the greats in the next World Cup… Obviously, I would love to make qualify to my first World Cup as a coach, but I won’t be mad if we don’t make it this time. It won’t happen, but if it happens…”

by **Soviet Kem** » Tue Nov 11, 2025 2:00 pm

Soviet Kemrainan Final Games Line-ups

By Stev Burlam

The last two qualification games and the last two games for Soviet Kem of World Cup 100. Our qualification was dismal, with 6 wins, 5 losses, and 3 draws, we are currently sitting 5th in the table of Group 14, with the two top teams, Banija and Reçueçn, well clear of the third place, Kandorith, by eleven points. Ken Stavisk is still fielding our best players, in a hope to maybe gain some more places in the group. I am hoping for two wins, but odds are not in our favor against Kandorith, but I am hoping that they have been disenfranchised due to not qualifying, while I am predicting that we will win against The North Polish Union. This is also the last post I am making before I switch over to The VARroom with live coverage, pregame remarks, and postgame fun. My co-hosts and I are looking forward to our first appearance, it is a shame that we can't continue with the world cup this time round, but the four of us are looking forward to future coverage of Soviet Kemrainan international football, and other footballing events within Soviet Kem.

by **Captina Island** » Tue Nov 11, 2025 2:02 pm

Rosso have all to play for with two matches remaining
The Captina Company Press Association

The Captina Company National Team find themselves squeezed into a must win situation in Group 30, as a trip to Emberton to face a hot Krytenia side will determine whether the Rosso e Oro can clinch a second straight World Cup Finals berth on the final day at home or if a playoff will be needed in order to advance to the West Pavola hosted event.

Eshialand sit atop the standings having a two point lead with two fixtures left, knowing a win on their part on matchday 17 will get them the automatic spot if Captina fail to capture all three points on the road; what looked like a manageable final day against newcomers Montagne Noire now looks like a trap after the Rosso lost to the Doggies on matchday 9 away and the necessity of winning both fixtures in order to clinch first place became apparent.

Captina will rue their luck in dropping points away from TCC Sports Ground, especially during the second half of qualifying, if they fail to make it back to back Finals appearances. The four points lost to Britonisea and Shell Shock Troop Clan loom large right now with the group standings balanced on a knife's edge.

by **Hapilopper** » Tue Nov 11, 2025 2:31 pm

CONSERVATIVE PARTY PROBED FOR ‘BLACKMAIL DATES’
By Tim Goodman
Hapilopper City Herald

HAPILOPPER CITY – The Hapiloppian government has launched a probe into the Conservative Party and leader Tom Baxter concerning reported “blackmail dates.”

According to Press Secretary Marjorie Handel, the probe follows reports that the Conservative Party hired people to go on dates with people from Brett Booth’s past in an effort to dig dirt on them.

“We have it in confidence that at least one of President Booth’s ex-girlfriends was victimized in this manner,” Handel said. “We are going to see if any laws were violated, and we are certainly going to see if ethics violations occurred.”

Handel said the Hapiloppian government has evidence that a Conservative Party operative, William Sheridan, went on a date with an ex-girlfriend of Booth, and used that date to interrogate her about everything she knew about the current Hapiloppian President. That ex-girlfriend then called Booth directly and complained about what happened.

The Hapilopper City Herald and other news agencies across Hapilopper have chosen not to identify the ex-girlfriend.

In a media availability on Monday afternoon, Booth said the probe is about finding out impropriety.

“At best, this is an ethical question,” Booth said. “At worst, this is a gross violation of these women and their dignity. This probe is about finding out what kind of improprieties occurred, why they occurred, and finding out who did it. Who caused it? Was it directed from the top?”

Tom Baxter, the leader of the Conservative Party, angrily rebuked the probes.

“This is a witch hunt, plain and simple,” Baxter said. “Booth is doing this as a way of retaliating against us for those no-confidence votes. What any of our people do in their time away from work is, to put it mildly, not our business. It’s not your business and it’s not my business. If Bill Sheridan wants to hook up with someone, that’s really not my concern.”

Baxter declined to comment on the reported details of Sheridan’s date with Booth’s ex-girlfriend.

“I don’t know what he talked about with her, and I really don’t care,” Baxter said. “If it went wrong between the two, that’s on them. But all of this is a distraction to try to stop us from our real goal, which is to get Brett Booth out of office. He has done more damage to the institution of Hapilopper than anything he claims harms our country.”

PROBE: BAXTER ORDERED ‘BLACKMAIL DATES’
By Tim Goodman
Hapilopper City Herald

HAPILOPPER CITY – The Hapiloppian federal government has determined that Tom Baxter, leader of the Conservative Party of Hapilopper, ordered the so-called “blackmail dates” of former girlfriends of Hapiloppian President Brett Booth.

Baxter declined to comment on the manner but stated a statement was forthcoming.

“We have found that Mr. Baxter ordered people like William Sheridan to seek out and court some of Brett Booth’s ex-girlfriends in an effort to force incriminating information from them,” said Press Secretary Marjorie Handel. “We find these revelations to be appalling, and frankly, criminal.”

The Hapilopper City Herald learned that three of Booth’s ex-girlfriends were contacted in an effort to force information out of them. The Herald, and other media outlets, have chosen not to identify any of the women involved in an effort to protect their identity.

Booth announced that he will be demanding Baxter’s resignation.

“I will go to Parliament tomorrow morning and let Mr. Baxter know that he will resign his post, or we will remove him from office,” Booth said. “His actions are the very definition of conduct unbecoming an elected official. At the very least, I will request the Speaker take action on this matter forthwith.”

According to the report, and according to a wiretapped phone call, Baxter asked Sheridan to go out with one of the ex-girlfriends “to get dirt.”

“I want you to get some kind of recording device,” Baxter said in the phone call. “Something small and low profile. Record your interactions with her, even if you get lucky with her.”

When asked about the transcript of the phone call, Booth said the details were both sickening and unsurprising.

“I get the feeling that Mr. Baxter and Mr. Sheridan were going to use this woman, then throw her away when she quit being useful to them,” Booth said. “Having known this woman, I find this behavior to be appalling.”

In response to the wiretapped phone calls, Baxter said he would be speaking to his attorneys about possible legal action concerning the calls.

World Cup 81/82/83/84

Barnard--Bees will need to play "like our past heroes" to clinch top spot
Scott McCrae
The Daily Mail Chief Soccer Writer

Baker Park National Team manager Will Barnard has called on his players to look towards to team's history ahead of his side's final two fixtures of World Cup Qualifying.

A trip to Electrum's Olympic Stadium in Centralis looms as a pivotal "trap game" for the Gold & Black, as the hosts remain just one of two nations among the 270 participants yet to win through 16 match days and the boss is sending out a warning shot for his squad to focus their attention on the immediate task at hand

"The chance that they can get off schneid and knock us out of the World Cup will be a big motivation going in. We need to concentrate on our business, play our match and follow the gameplan. We are not worrying about the extra stuff going on around the periphery, the out of town scoreboard, the things happening down the road. If we want to get back to the Finals, get back to being in the top 20 or top 10, we need to play like our past heroes did during the 80's."

The call to the past also reflects what will be at stake in the finale in Belle Haven when Saterun will visit the BBP National Stadium on Commonwealth Day, November 11. The national holiday coincides with the last qualifying fixture for the first time as the top two seeds in Group 16 will face off with one or both advancement places possibly still up for grabs. It will pit the sides currently with the best form in the group, BP having won six straight ahead of the Electrum match and Saterun having won 5 of 6 coming into the final international break.

Barnard would not be drawn into a discussion about the fact that it will also be his final home match in charge, although he made clear that the emotional ramifications of that aspect will not affect how he approaches the preparations.

(O.O) · by **TJUN-ia** » Tue Nov 11, 2025 3:22 pm

Hello, and welcome back to our coverage of World Cup 100! Last time out, there was only one game to play in the window...but that 0-0 draw against Sangti and the Filindo Isles meant that our only pathway to the Centennial World Cup would have to be via finishing 2nd in this Group and surviving the Playoffs beyond that. It was a bit of a long shot; that was something that everyone was OK with admitting at this point, but as long as we had an "X" next to our name instead of an "E", there was a chance we could still get 2nd. That was the hope that David Seems and Li Xiu Ying were holding onto this late into the campaign, and that would be the hope of an entire nation. Four games left to get that Playoff spot. Let's see what we can do.

Behh would host us first in a game, like all of these final four games, are essentially must-wins. When every single game is a Bo1 do-or-die survival tie, you just have to play harder, win every ball you can, and hope to the gods that we can pull goals into that net. You just have to do your job, but when the stress builds up this high to not fuck it up, it can be relatively easy to fuck it up. That was the fear that permeated throughout our number as we played in our Esportiva Fourths for the first time. But we managed to get the job done, thank goodness for that, thanks to goals from Diana Sharafutdinov and Belle Whitewater. 2-0, job done, and onto the big one of this window!

Oh, what's this? Choppyhausen lost?! To Sangti?

So you're telling me there's a chance...

That sudden defeat for the Team in Teal effectively gave Valentine Z the group, an achievement they certainly deserve. But what it also did was set up a meeting with ourselves at the Stade de la Victoire in Roi Ville, where defeat would essentially eliminate us, but victory would take us to within 1 point of 2nd with a game in hand. Suddenly, from the belief in a miracle, the path towards the Playoffs was staring us right in the face in the NAU Zone and with that goal, that dream, suddenly all the more achievable, we knew we had to give it our all. The Teal played in Red against our Blue and Orange and out here, with the lights at its brightest, we would not let our guard slip. The first half was a ruthlessness the TJUN-ian faithful had not seen all campaign as we ran up the score against Choppyhausen, of all teams, in a dominant fashion - Diana Sharafutdinov in the 15th, Odysseas Issigonis in the 20th, the Captain again in the 34th. They effectively ended this game as a contest right there and then, with Harmon Merrit's side offering little if anything in response, and when Zaine Bowry made it 4-0 with half an hour to play, this game was in the fucking bag. During the bye, many fans were booking their tickets to the Cup of Harmony. Now? It's game on. TJUN-ia has life.

And so, these final two games will decide our fate - whether we play one more game, or whether the Cup of Harmony is our ultimate destination. We travel to Kyarpan Stadium in Mandalay to face group winners Valentine Z hoping to score points and then host Lignuntia in Toropo/Almadinat to end the campaign. If we win both our games, we will finish 2nd. If we get 4 points, we must hope Sangti scores the same or less. Anything less and it will probably be over.

THIS IS FOR EVERYTHING!
WE WILL NEVER SURRENDER!
GO JAGS!

SCHEDULE (Group 20)
(Stadium Guide can be found here)
MD1: vs New Arbuckle (381) - Estádio do Pacífico, Rio Pacífico W 3-0
MD2: @Surne (283) L 1-3
-------------------------------------------------------
MD3: vs Colmaijo (249) - Estadio Universidad Carlandas, Carlandas W 4-0
MD4: @Sangti and the Filindo Isles (87) - Nuevo Estadio Nacional, Nuevo San Marco W 2-0
-------------------------------------------------------
MD5: BYE
MD6: vs Behh (336) - Ke Kahua Pāʻani o Pua Aloalo, Kepu Manu W 3-2
-------------------------------------------------------
MD7: @Choppyhausen (142) L 1-2
MD8: vs Valentine Z (49) - National Stadium, TJUN-ia City L 2-3
-------------------------------------------------------
MD9: @Lignuntia (UR) W 5-2
MD10: @New Arbuckle (381) L 0-1
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MD11: vs Surne (283) - Tiankong Stadium, Tiankong W 3-0
MD12: @Colmaijo (249) L 3-4
-------------------------------------------------------
MD13: vs Sangti and the Filindo Isles (87) - Beregozera Stadium, Szensky D 0-0
MD14: BYE
-------------------------------------------------------
MD15: @Behh (336) W 2-0
MD16: vs Choppyhausen (142) - Stade de la Victoire, Roi Ville W 4-0
-------------------------------------------------------
MD17: @Valentine Z (49) - Kyarpan Stadium, Mandalay
MD18: vs Lignuntia (UR) - Zebra Stadium, Toropo/Almadinat

by **Alasdair I Frosticus** » Tue Nov 11, 2025 3:29 pm

OOC: For the sake of transparency, this RP quotes extensively from my 2012 RPs for World Cup 62, IC'ly citing the Zoe Argyro academic paper that was the framing device in that tournament.

THE IMPERIAL JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY

Mythic Bleed: Surviving Material Culture Records of Famous World Cup Qualification Campaigns and the Comparative Documentary Record

By Alejandro Brookses and Zoe Argyro

ABSTRACT

Up until Matchday 16 of World Cup 100 qualification, when group second seeds The Holy Empire snatched a famous victory against the top seeds that kept the five-time winners in the playoff hunt, Kamajiro's undefeated record in group 27 was being lauded across the multiverse as one of the greatest World Cup qualification campaigns of all time. The present study draws comparisons with the material culture and documentary record of another famous campaign - the Holy Empire's undefeated run to the World Cup 62 title, when the phenomenon of 'mythic bleed' led Imperial coach Juan Tzimisces appearing as a prominent character in legend and myth across the multiverse. In World Cup 62, the Holy Empire compiled a record of 14-0-0, GF 46, GA 10, GD +36, before smashing through the first round of the finals with three wins, 10 goals, and only 3 conceded, and then marching straight through the knock-out stages, winning the World Cup final 4-1 over an outmatched Bears Armed. Only Vilita in the semifinal managed to take the Empire past 90 minutes, but still succumbed in extra time. This paper re-examines aspects of the famous World Cup 62 'Mythic Bleed' campaign to see if there are any resonances with Kamajiro's not-quite-as-successful (but still undoubtedly impressive) World Cup 100 campaign.

<excerpts from the text>

...the present paper draws heavily on co-author Argyro's paper 'Dreamed Realm Figures in Mundy Myth; A Case Study of Juan Tzimisces and World Cup 62', as originally published in Ordinary Reality History; A Journal of the Imperial Institute of Mundy Studies, but is also influenced by Lascaro's classic study Mythic Bleed and Mundies - a Trans-reality Phenomenon*. Those familiar with the relevant literature will remember that - as outlined by Argyro - the extent of World Cup 62 mythic bleed first became clear when "archaeologists in Al-Quds excavated a cache of clay tablets dating to the dawn of civilisation in their nation"...

...Or, quoting an example of mythic bleed associated with Wight: "Tzimisces still lives, I suppose, again in that chasm of stone which has shielded him since the sun was young. His accursed portal is sunken once more, for my own ship sailed over the spot after the storm; but his ministers in Ordinary Reality still bellow and prance and slay around idol-capped monoliths in lonely places. He must have been trapped by the sinking whilst within his black abyss, or else the Uncertain Dimensions would by now be screaming with fright and frenzy. Who knows the end? What has risen may sink, and what has sunk may rise. Loathsomeness waits and dreams in the deep, and decay spreads over the tottering cities of the Sondry Folk". ...

...But in Arcadian Islands, the example of mythic bleed was perhaps even more overt; see this example from local epic The Farchnadiad: The gods, then, were thus ranged against one another. But the heart of Tzimisces could not be distracted from achieving his goal a fourth time, and utterly defeat the Arcadians, for he longed above all things else to glut the fields of battle with Arcadian blood. Meanwhile Krevvur set the captain of the Arcadians on to attack Tzimisces, and put courage into his heart. He said to the captain, "Brave captain, counsellor of the Arcadians, where are now the brave words with which you vaunted over your wine before the Arcadian princes, saying that you would fight Tzimisces in single combat?"...

...The famous sea-shanty "the Ballad of John Simkey", which was popular in certain Barbary Salé circles:

He led the Salé fleet out for raiding Vilita
And the loot they found, it was really wunderbar
When it came to piracy, well he was the man to please
And he was real great when he had a girl to squeeze
To his men he was no wheeler dealer
For they knew the things he'd done
They believed he was a mighty leader
With whom they'd have some fun

John, John, John Simkey
Captain of the Salé fleet
There was a man that really was gone
John, John, John Simkey
Lover of the Pirate Queen
We're still so proud of how he carried on...

...the Apocalypse of Viannor, "a work of prophecy predicting a time in the far-flung future wherein a figure known as 'Viannor' attempts to wage war against, and totally destroy Starblaydia". The key passage here was undoubtedly the section reading "And then Tzim'kees spake unto Zuam'Deeb, and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that they could return to the realm outside time: that the mystery was finished, that the forces of Viannor were vanquished as surely as the Marauders who had challenged them for the 62nd Cup that is twice the power of the 31st Cup, and that the battle against Viannor was won".

CONCLUSION

There can be absolutely no doubt that Kamajiro had a fine run of form in World Cup 100, and fully deserved to top the group; nations from across the multiverse rightly congratulated them for what was a benchmark qualifying success in the latter tournament. But archaeologists and historians familiar with the full panoply of World Cup history have called into question whether it compares to some of the other great qualification campaigns, such as the Holy Empire's famous World Cup 62 run. Archaeological and documentary evidence associated with the concept of mythic bleed serve to remind us of some of the forgotten details of the latter campaign. Now, there are some pedants out there who claim that the amount of effort that we two Imperial scholars have gone into to remind everyone of the Empire's excellent World Cup 62 campaign demonstrates that we're 'defensive immature snowflakes' whose 'egos are easily bruised', and that we should just be celebrating Kamajiro's success instead of worrying about a World Cup campaign that - depending on the reality dating method used - took place somewhere between 152 and 13 standard Ordinary Reality years ago. Perhaps we should be focusing more on our own campaign rather than harking back to lost glories from the era where the Empire could actually win things. We have very little to say to these jealous poopypants except to blow a massive ppththththhhhhhp raspberry. So there.

by **Kamijiro** » Tue Nov 11, 2025 3:34 pm

World Cup 100: The Holy Enders of The Streak

All the attention on the Kamijiroans really got to them on the pitch. They smacked around Dixie Florida at home, 4-0 (Murai 8', Kokubun 34' 87', Fujiwara 56' (P)) before heading on the road to face one of the most established teams in the scene - The Holy Empire. The buzz around the match was pretty much: "Look, we win this, we secure a perfect run. Sibersky's a formality. Just get through this one and we're going to finish at 16-0-0."

Within minutes, Kamijiro went down. Off of a corner kick, Arturo Evanses found himself wide open at the back post to nod in a header. The nerves instantly set in from there. The Lightning didn't look themselves - the scrutiny from the media clearly had been something they weren't able to cope with. It compounded in the 38th minute when a low cross found the foot of Evanses and he was able to ping in a second goal to put the Kamijiroans down two goals for the first time this entire qualifiers.

The half-time team talk was... hell. Raiji Kagawa was, of course, pissed - but the kind that was quiet instead of loud. Which, honestly? Might be worse. When he goes quiet, that's when you know you've done something bad. And the whole team was throwing the game, basically. The message was simple. "Go out there, salvage a point and maybe I won't make you swim home. Understood?"

So the Lightning got to work. Sōji Kokubun fired one back in the 64th minute off of a high cross by Azuma Kogushi that he was able to flick on with his head, then fired Kamijiro all the way back to equalize in the 69th off of a fumbled catch by Louis Binfordo, who bundled it right into the ground and into the reach of his foot. But the Kamijiroans overextended when trying to find a win to keep the streak alive. A clinical counter off of an error by Tōshi Kameda, who played a terrible throw-in directly into the possession of Gordon Childeses as he was trying to get play re-started quickly led to a really easy chance for Howard Cartero, who blasted it past Ichi Asumi. 3-2 to The Holy Empire, 89th minute. The Kamijiroans threw everybody forward from there but couldn't find an equalizer. Game over, steak over.

The locker room was shell-shocked after the game. Tōshi stared off into space, wondering if it was all his fault (it wasn't) and Raiji was too stunned to speak. The press conference was skipped by everybody except Raiji.

"Honestly? This needed to happen. The players needed to be reminded that nothing is granted and everything has to be earned. Fair play to The Holy Empire, they came out and took it from us. Can only blame ourselves for falling asleep at the wheel in the first half. We re-group, go again and do battle against Sibersky. Then we're on to bigger and better things and they're onto... what? The playoffs? Good luck to them."

---

So, what's in a name, anyway?

Kami and Jirō - the two main islands of Kamijiro, were both named by Japanese settlers when the colony was officially founded.

In kanji, Kami is written as 神.
Broken down into its two characters within the kanji: ネ (spirit) and 申 (humble).

Jirō is written as 二郎.
And it's two characters are 二 (second) and 郎 (son or man). Broken up, 郎 is 良 (good) and 阝(building). Can't explain why those two things combine to mean "son" or "man," but that's the way it is.

The reason why these two names were picked is pretty straight-forward. Kami Island is where the settlers thought the gods resided, specifically, the god Raijin.
Raijin is the god of thunder, lightning and storms in traditional Japanese folklore. Kami Island has thousands of lightning strikes per year, which is where that reasoning came from.
Jirō is the second island in both size and population, hence why it got named that way.

Then, there's the two smaller islands in the center of the strait between Kami and Jirō. They originally had names in Japanese that matched which main island they were closer to, but when the Portuguese came in, they took those two islands and added diminuitives. That is why they are now known as Kaminho and Jirinho.

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) W, 3-2
MD8        Sibersky          (A) W, 4-0
MD9        BYE
MD10       Sinyal            (A) W, 5-1
MD11       Al-Tamazgha       (H) W, 7-0
MD12       Equestria         (A) W, 6-2
MD13       Equinox Auraterra (H) W, 9-2
MD14       Bull Sheet        (A) W, 2-0
MD15       Dixie Florida     (H) W, 4-0
MD16       The Holy Empire   (A) L, 2-3
MD17       Sibersky          (H)
MD18       BYE

by **Valanora** » Tue Nov 11, 2025 3:43 pm

When history defies history. That was the feeling surrounding the Hatire Memorial in Capri, on the island of the same name, as the Marauders latest home game had the final whistle blown and no one was quite sure to make out what had transpired in front of their very eyes. Numerous national records had been set, a few international records as well, and despite the splendor surrounding all of the awe and indeed horror of what had happened the Marauders had still failed to punch their ticket for the Finals in Rushmore in a few months time. Fifteen goals had been scored by the home side, shattering the previous record for the Marauders that happened over a century ago during the mid thirty editions of the World Cup, when debut nation Keyne Island allowed the Marauders to ship eleven goals past them and score one in response. Golfo central would do a few better than that, perhaps in either a time of pity or perhaps complacency, the Marauders gave up three goals in the last quarter hour of the game for a total of four, as the scoreboard's final reading showed the Eternal Empire with fifteen goals to the visitors four.

It is a result that defies the imagination, it defies logic itself, it defies the form that this Marauders team has been having through the qualification campaign thus far in the Qualifiers. While having maintained an unbeaten record, the perfect record only spoiled by a draw against Calgasia, the team has not been performing showboating or dominant performances of this sort of nature during their victories, usually resorting to possession tactics late on in games to seal the three points once the victory was assured. While teams all around the campaign have been drubbing their opponents constantly, even to many surprise the defensive specialists of Ko-oren, the Marauders had by relative comparison a measured approach to their unblemished record. Secure the victory and then see out the game, do not showboat, do not attack merely for the sake of attacking, and yet even without a step on the throat approach, the team absolutely carved Golfo central to pieces in this match. Whatever possessed the team to perform to such heights on the day will be researched in great detail for years to come as people try to understand exactly what happened one afternoon in Capri.

While the crowd and those around the sporting world might gawk and gape and wonder how a score like this could have been possible, with several sources indicating that this is one of those unicorns of a scoragami, a score which has never happened before. That can not be the mindset for the Marauders heading into their last two fixtures, as the aforementioned Calgasia has done exactly as a few might have feared and taken their shock draw against the team and have run with that momentum. They have yet to taste any defeat besides the loss to the team from the Empire and have already secured at least a place in the upcoming playoff to determine the final fifteen entries to the field of forty-eight. Tied for the best defense in the group, the second seeds of the group have played like a team who believes themselves worthy of a top thirty ranking and not the sixty-fourth that they entered into qualifying with, with twelve wins and an additional two draws along with the draw and defeat to the Marauders. While unlikely, they still have a chance of supplanting the Marauders from atop the group and the automatic qualifying spot in upcoming international break.

The Marauders need only win one of their remaining two games or draw both in order to secure pole position in the group and the qualification spot that comes with it. The team travels first to Shin-Zetsubo, who started off the first half of the campaign fairly well but the second half has not been kind to them and they sit already eliminated in fifth. It is an away game and those are tricky regardless of the condition or the perceived quality of the opposition, Ellzidan is going to want to send her best team out there to go and secure the result. After the thorough domination of the last game, the team has to have high spirits and believe that they are capable of anything that they set their minds to, which should hopefully mean ending the campaign with an unbeaten record. Assuming that the team does manage to get three points away from home in the first game, there will likely be mass rotation in for the last game of the campaign to allow the Drawkian one final look at the depth of her pool before the need to trim down the team to twenty-six to take with her to battle in the Finals. While history has been made, the team knows that the job is not finished yet and its all together best foot forward in these last two games to ensure team goals are achieved as much as whatever records might have been set in the previous match.

World Cup 100 | RP thread

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