World Cup 101 - The Roleplays

by **Zwangzug** » Sun May 17, 2026 1:12 pm

THE COSMOPOLITAN MISANTRHOPE

hating all the people, everywhere

ZWANGZUGIANS THWAPPED AGAIN, SOMEHOW CLIMBING THE RANKS ANYWAY

Zwangzug underwent mixed fortunes during the critical MD13/14 qualifying window, which pitted them against both of Group 5's high seeds. Against Saint Eleanor, they managed to better their performance from the first leg by two goals of differential, which is to say, they only lost three-nil. They overcame Pasarga in the following match. The Wanderers are still in second place on tiebreakers, but Zwangzug are tied with them on points. Saint Eleanor face Pasarga on the final day, which could prove decisive if the contenders are consistently able to assert their superiority against weaker sides. Then again, that never happens when you expect it to happen.

Free of injuries, the White Stars were able to sport their first-choice starting lineup at home in the National Liberation Arena. The first quarter-hour was a more defensive affair than the first leg, with Keith Barnett of the home side enjoying some technical spells of possession. Barnett, who plays for the Good Hope Club [is that where the Cape Penguins are from?! -ed], expertly dispossessed Brunnhilde Lavrans and Gabriel Istibar in turn to thwart the Zwangzugians' early efforts. This buildup culminated in a goal from Gisken Aldra in minute 22. Nine minutes later, Saint Eleanor were awarded a penalty after a foul from Sohini Dravid on Naclé Öhân; Dravid protested and claimed simulation on the part of the "method actor," but Isabella Bright took the penalty and made it 2-0. Öhân would get his chance, scoring the third goal in minute 55. [Strangely, the SEFA claims not to know what his mindset under fire is like, but with a name like that, I think we can guess. -ed]

It was on that uninspiring note that Zwangzug came home to the ZS^3. Given their performances in their matches against higher seeds so far, parking the train was only to be expected. Zwischen fans, however, are not generally in favor of parking the train, and vacillated between making their displeasure known and trying to cheer on their compatriots. Oriana Euchre-Smith, a key piece in Rovers United during their season 54 [redacted until IFCF cutoff] performance, had been thrust into the nominal starting lineup with no prior international appearance. This match in particular, she rose to the occasion, calmly thwarting Daniela Zagorec and Mór Buday.

The frenetic Wanderers, who were perfectly aware of the group permutations, raised the pace in the second half; Zwangzug fell back again, and by then even the fickle Zwischen fans supported the karelan approach. Against the run of play, Naryan Thorlakson found open space in minute 67 [heeheehee -ed] What? Anyway, Lourenço Leal, the Bettian native [there's no way this is correct -ed] was out of position, and Thorlakson notched a goal that could prove key to the entire group. Or could prove absolutely nothing. Sadly, at least two and potentially up to five teams from this drek will qualify to the proper. (Of course, the same can be said for any other group, this is just the one we're compelled to focus on for some inexplicable reason.)

PENGUIN OF THE DAY: The penguin of the day is the déli penguin (Pygoscelis deli), known for its surplus of Cabañas effect and fantastic taste when prepared in very thin slices. It was discovered and named by the explorer Juliuscaesar Mountaincity, who is also known for his acquisition of the ancient statue masterpiece, "Secondplanet of Kilometres." [I still think you're making these up, but at this point I'm starting to doubt myself because I feel like you would at least go to the effort of coming up with something vaguely plausible and realistic sounding. -ed]

by **The Ko-orenite Constellation** » Sun May 17, 2026 1:42 pm

"We need to start somewhere. How do we guide 30 members, and probably even more by the end of the year, to some sort of shared future while they all try to run off to do their own thing?"

"That's what we're for, though. We're the Council, they look to us for that shared story. And right now, we need information."

"Can't we just tell them what to do?"

"We first need to know where we're all coming from, right? We can tell them where to go but in order to figure out how to get there, we have to get an idea of where they're at now. And we can do that... through the wonderful medium of the self-assessment."

"A questionnaire that they're free to lie on?"

"Initially, yes, but then we'll be tying targets to what they reported, so if they lie, they'll have to put their money where their mouth it, at some point in time. Maybe we'll even audit them on the outrageous claims. Look, if Tarören claims to be at the forefront of countries-that-don't-let-the-military-run-the-nation, we know they're talking out of their... behinds."

"And if they underreport to make their targets easier?"

"See, that's the beauty of it. That means they get easy targets, targets they'll fulfill no matter what, and we get to report to the rest of the world how fantastic our methodology is and how wonderful the Constellation gets its stuff together."

"So we're creating a truth that only exists on paper?"

"And who's to disprove what we're writing down? You think anyone's that invested in the Council to do that? 83% the newpapers in all member states do a bad job at auditing their own governments, let alone us."

"83%? That's specific."

"Specific, so it must be true."

"Is it?"

"No clue, I just made it up."

"So what are we asking the member states?"

"Things so we can reduce all of their efforts to a couple of things. We need some sort of Meritocracy Index, a Green Index, a Peacefulness Index, and a Social Index. That's the pillars of the Constellation covered. And then we need some other basic stuff - HDI, GDP, accurate population stats, Gini, Literacy rate, there's heaps of them."

"Universities can help us collect accurate data - and then we have a network of universities across the Constellation-"

"And bit by bit, that shared future comes into focus."

by **Chromatika** » Sun May 17, 2026 2:31 pm

World Cup 101 Qualifiers Game 13: TJUN-ia 4-4 Chromatika
Goals: Xuen-Zhukov 10', 39', Prenn 45', Jean-Baptiste 70'
Starting XI: Sourtois; Van der Plas Bouwmeester - Lethbridge-Antonio, C. - Saburo; Hauptmeijer - Lethbridge-Antonio, J. - Françine-Miklavivec - Fillar; Prenn; Xuen-Zhukov (C) - Howard-Dawes.
Substitutes: Han Cunningham -> Lethbridge-Antonio, C. (51'), Gundsdorf -> Lethbridge-Antonio, J. (51'), Jean-Baptiste -> Howard-Dawes (66'), Lee -> Prenn (66'), Bittencourt -> Xuen-Zhukov (81')
Summary: An eight-goal blockbuster in TJUN-ia results in a draw, the Anomalies' defense having some issues with the opposing side but being bailed out by players like Lavrentiy Xuen-Zhukov with his brace and Kaytlyn Jean-Baptiste with the late goal. They'll take having taken four out of six points possible against the Jaguars of TJUN-ia as they head into the all-too important game at the Capitalizt Dome.
World Cup 101 Qualifiers Game 14: Chromatika 3-1 Valentine Z
Goals: Xuen-Zhukov 31', Fillar 45+2', Oriol 80'
Starting XI: Sourtois; Van der Plas Bouwmeester - Lethbridge-Antonio, C. - Saburo; Hauptmeijer - Lethbridge-Antonio, J. - Françine-Miklavivec - Fillar; Prenn; Xuen-Zhukov (C) - Howard-Dawes.
Substitutes: Panaś -> Fillar (56'), Oriol -> Hauptmeijer (56'), Lehmann -> Van der Plas Bouwmeester (72'), Mesic-Mizayaki -> Lethbridge-Antonio, J. (72'), Bittencourt -> Xuen-Zhukov (88')
Summary: In a picturesque evening at the Capitalizt Dome, the Anomalies overcame an early deficit to dominate Valentine Z 3-1, sweeping the second seeded team to be six points ahead of second place and eight points ahead of third with twelve points remaining. Despite conceding the early score, the midfield of Chromatika took over for the rest of the game - and fifteen shots on goal yielded three scores to put the game away. It all but clinches qualification for the Chromatiks unless things go absolutely haywire.
World Cup 101 Qualifiers Games 15 and 16: @ (124) Vetrahjart, vs. (152) Quakmybush
Starting XI: Aniston; Lehmann - Lethbridge-Antonio, C. - Ataciara; Hauptmeijer - Mesic-Mizayaki - Françine-Miklavivec - Fillar; Lee; Jean-Baptiste - Howard-Dawes (C).
Substitutes: GK Hera Courtois, GK Jill Swanson, DCR Ineke Van der Plas Bouwmeester, DC Samantha Han Cunningham, DCL Uemura Saburo, DCR Caro Thiers, MR Kandice Oriol, WBL Marci Schaefer, CDM Jayla Lethbridge-Antonio, CDM Eden Gundsdorf, AP Linnea Karjalainen, AM Maddie Prenn, AF Lavrentiy Xuen-Zhukov, CF Jack Heimdell, CF Harriet Baïe-Verte.
Preview: Chromatika still needs to score four points in the next four matches to qualify, so they can't field an entirely rotated squad; instead, they'll let Jessika Aniston have her first shot as goalkeeper, rotate few players, and let some others with minor dinks rest - with enough firepower on the bench should things get really dicey. The end of the qualifying schedule for the Anomalies is pretty pedestrian - they should close the deal in this window.

Previously...

CNS Designator
Komodo Channel, Pavola, Rushmore

Captain Harvard Thorensten, Chromatik Navy, remembered when he had first been told that he would be responsible for this task. Summoned by order of Rear Admiral Jordan Simeon, Thorensten had been called into the chambers of the Chromatik Security Council at 1000 hours about a week ago. The six members were present, as was The Chosen of Yesopalitha and couple Yesopalithan clerics that he had come to recognize in the last two years. It didn't completely shock Captain Thorensten to be summoned, as he had already participated in a dozen top secret missions as the Captain of one of the only stealth ships of the Chromatik Navy, but he had no inkling at all about what this mission would entail. He, like any other Naval officer in the Chromatik Navy, hadn't had a lot to do in the last two years while Chromatika remained in the pocket dimension/plane - there wasn't a maritime neighbor, navigating the "waters" around Chromatika always led them back to where they were, and it was frankly suicidal for humans.

So, he had kept himself busy with training and volunteering for some missions against remnants of The Shadow Hand that had been successfully flushed out. He was ready for something new, and this mission, whatever it was, would give him taht chance.

It was Nirdasil, the Dark Crusader, the Chosen of Zaiden and the national leader of Yesopalitha, who spoke first. "Captain Thorensten," she began with her calming, steady tone, "It's come to the attention of this Council and to my people that you Captain a vessel that is the lightest capable fighting ship in the Chromatik Navy. Is that correct?"

The Designator was the lightest stealth ship that Chromatika had. It was built of a metal alloy that made it neigh indetectable to radar and sonar, had monitoring technology to pick up things that other ships were doing, and had communication arrays that made it possible to contact allies far, far away. Though it didn't possess much hull plating, it also had enough weapons to pack quite a punch against an unsuspecting enemy. It wasn't meant to take many duels in the seas, but the Designator did know how to take care of itself.

Thorensten looked nervously at the Chromatiks at the table to see if he should answer, and was steadied by the presence of one Keira Andisori, who simply nodded in affirmation.

"Yes Ma'am," he offered, "The Designator is the lightest capable fighting ship in the Chromatik Navy, and it possesses some unique capabilities that allow it to be a problem to face."

The cleric to the left of her, a brittle-looking skeleton mage, inquired, "How many tons does the ship weigh with skeleton crew required to operate it in open ocean?"

Thorensten consulted the list of facts that he had memorized before responding, "Under 9,000 tons. The lightweight alloys make it considerably lighter than most ships its size."

This earned a nod from the cleric to Nirdasil, who then motioned to Keira Andisori.

"Captain Thorensten," spoke the Chromatik legend and current Capital District Commissioner, "Zaiden, the god of the Yesopalithans, has informed me that we will be able to translate the country back to the Prime Material Plane in the next two weeks. After scanning areas in the multiverse for a place where we would fit, it has been decided that of the four spots available, the best place would be in the Komodo Channel, in the subregion of Pavola, in Rushmore. We cannot return to where we were because of the magics that now permeate our country, and neither of the two other places are suitable for what our country needs."

Thorensten stood, stunned. They were finally going to go back? Not have to deal with the pocket dimension/plane anymore? More importantly, he was going to be able to operate a ship in open water again?

"The Yesopaithan clerics tell me that with enough of them present, they can help planeshift a vessel of less than ten thousand tons into the Prime Material Plance. It will be your job to broadcast a strong signal to the region that Chromatika is coming, and to initiate diplomatic proceedings with any and all nations that wish to engage with us in regards to what that will entail. We will be sending with you a fully teamed diplomatic team, and the Yesopalithan clerics with you will also ensure that you will have direct access to us here in case further negotiations are needed. Do you understand your mission?"

"Are we expecting any hostile resistance, Ma'am?" the Captain couldn't help but ask. He wasn't an expert in Rushmori politics, but he could see how an island nation of about thirty million people suddenly translating into the ocean would cause a problem.

"No, we don't, but you never know," admitted Andisori, "We will be telling our potential new neighbors that the magics involved will not harm a single creature in the area that our country will be appearing in, as they'll all be transported to be just outside the landing zone. Then, we are willing to negotiate treaties involving the usage of natural resources in the Komodo Channel, as well as immigration, trade, and whatnot. We are fully aware that we will be infringing on an area that's never had a country before, and we're willing to do what it takes to secure our future."

With that, Thorensten had his orders. He took on board a team of ten Yesopalithan spellcasters that would help planeshift his vessel. He also took on a fully staffed diplomatic team, led by an Ambassador that was best fit for the job - retired Premier Keri Wyse Aart, with her husband, Chromatik football legend Luuk Aart.

The translation happened without much fanfare. One moment, they were outside the port of Myana, and the next, they were in the middle of a frigid, windy channel.

"Communications officer, begin transmitting!" Thorensten commanded.

And so, the following began to be transmitted in the Region of Rushmore. There was some talk about having it be an official communique, but that was shot down with the understanding that there wasn't the time needed to play things extremely by the book.

To: Nations of Rushmore

Displaced from our natural place in Anaia by a malevolent force, we, the people of Chromatika, have been in a pocket dimension/plane for the equivalent of two Prime Material Plane years.

Recently, we've acquired the ability to return, but one of the only places where we are able to do so is in the Komodo Channel.

We have sent forward this vessel and a diplomatic corps to start to make connections and negotiate any deals needed to help make the translation a successful one.

Please understand that we do not mean to take away any rights from anyone. No native fauna nor flora will be immediately harmed.

Please contact the vessel that this signal is coming from for more details.

Chromatika

by **Tikariot** » Sun May 17, 2026 6:27 pm

Just like episode seven had its very own, different, vibe from the very beginning, so does episode eight, albeit in a very different way. Where the fine dining round was cloaked in fear, this time around, it is dread. Visible, almost palpable dread: Dessert. Whereas last week, the lighting was subdued, with black counters and precision tools, the kitchen now is bright and cheerful to the point of almost painful. Pastel-coloured decorations have appeared around the set like the production team is actively mocking them.

Motyka stops in the doorway immediately. “...this is a trap.”

“Yes,” Solfroy says instantly.

Across the room, Grimaud looks deeply offended by the existence of decorative sugar flowers. “This challenge insults me.”

Morris studies a macaron tower quietly. “You fear sweetness.”

“I fear precision with consequences.”

Meanwhile, Team Belfrage look cautiously optimistic. Desserts suit elegance, technique and precision, all things they have mastered in previous rounds.

Socorra spots tempered chocolate already laid out at one station and visibly relaxes. “Oh, thank the gods.”

Andarra smiles faintly. “We’ll be fine.”

Henrik, overhearing this from the judges’ table, actually laughs. “Oh, no.”

Socorra’s confidence immediately evaporates. “...why did you say it like that?”

Iardwallon steps forward looking far too delighted. “Welcome back to Nine Circles to Glory, where tonight, our contestants enter the sweetest circle of all...”

The lights shift pink and gold.

“The Dessert Round.”

Davorka claps excitedly. “Oh, this could be fun!”

Ante looks skeptical. “Sugar is dangerous.”

“That’s the spirit!”

Chef Voss folds her hands together. “Desserts are unforgiving. Ratios matter. Timing matters. Chemistry matters. This is not something you can just wing.”

Motyka slowly turns toward her. “...chemistry?”

Henrik notices instantly. “Oh no.”

Iardwallon grins broadly. “And tonight’s stipulation...”

Everyone braces automatically.

“...your dessert must include at least one savory ingredient.”

Absolute silence. Then—

“What.”

The word comes collectively from almost every contestant simultaneously.

Motyka’s eyes widen slowly. Then widen further. Then light up with the kind of dangerous inspiration normally associated with lightning strikes and forbidden rituals. “Oh, this is AMAZING.”

“No,” Solfroy says immediately.

Chef Voss continues mercilessly. “Cheese. Herbs. Vegetables. Spice. Fermented elements. Even seafood if you’re insane enough.”

Everyone slowly turns toward Motyka. Motyka gasps dramatically. “They believe in me.”

“We absolutely do not,” Henrik says immediately.

Iardwallon raises a second finger. “Oh—and one more thing.”

Of course there is.

“Your dessert must contain a surprise texture element.”

Now even Team Belfrage look unsettled. Socorra narrows her eyes. “Define surprise.”

Henrik grins. “That’s for you to figure out.”

The timer appears.

120:00

“Your time starts now!”

The pantry assault is pure panic. Chocolate. Cream. Fruit. Sugar. Cheese. Herbs. Peppers.

At one point Motyka grabs a beetroot and whispers: “You understand me.”

Solfroy catches up. “Put it back.”

“No.”

“You don’t need beetroot.”

“Wrong.”

Back at their station, Motyka begins assembling ingredients with increasingly horrifying confidence.

“Dark chocolate. Chili. Black garlic caramel. Beetroot reduction. Candied rosemary. Smoked salt.”

Solfroy freezes. “I beg your pardon? ...Black garlic?”

“Yes.”

“In dessert.”

“Yes.”

“...why.”

Motyka looks genuinely confused by the question. “Because destiny demands it.”

Across the room, Team Belfrage are struggling for the first time in weeks.

“Savory ingredients in dessert are fine,” Socorra says carefully, “but surprise texture?”

Andarra looks thoughtful. “We could do brittle.”

“Too expected.”

“Compressed fruit?”

“Still predictable.”

For the first time in three episodes, they’re overthinking again.

Henrik notices immediately. “They’re spiraling.”

The Old Guys are somehow doing worse. Grimaud stares at blue cheese like it personally insulted his ancestors. “No.”

Morris studies honey thoughtfully. “Sweet and savory can coexist.”

“Yes,” Grimaud replies. “In theory. Not in civilization.”

Meanwhile, Storm and Sea are surprisingly functional.

“Salted honey cake,” Davorka suggests immediately.

Ante nods. “Good.”

“Goat cheese mousse?”

“Yes.”

“Candied walnuts?”

“Yes.”

Davorka points dramatically at him. “You’re suspiciously good at dessert.”

Ante shrugs slightly. “Food is food.”

At Chaos and Fire, things are escalating catastrophically.

“I think,” Motyka says with dangerous excitement, “we make chocolate lava cakes.”

Solfroy nods cautiously. “Okay.”

“With fermented chili centers.”

“No.”

“And black garlic caramel.”

“...maybe.”

“And beetroot powder.”

“No.”

“And smoked rosemary foam.”

“WIOŁETA.”

Motyka is already reducing something violently purple. The audience is losing it.

Henrik leans into his microphone. “This woman cooks like she lost a bet with reality.”

Solfroy turns to him. "Reality is a mere suggestion to her."

Thirty minutes in, Team Belfrage are unraveling elegantly. Socorra stares at a sugar garnish that snapped incorrectly. “...I hate dessert.”

Andarra pinches the bridge of her nose softly. “We’re thinking too technically again.”

“We’re making architecture instead of food.”

A pause. Then Andarra suddenly laughs quietly.

Socorra blinks. “...what?”

“We’re doing it again.”

“Doing what?”

“Trying to impress instead of cook.”

That lands and Socorra takes a deep breath, then exhales slowly.

“...right.”

They reset. Not elegance first. Flavour first.

The Old Guys continue suffering.

“This mousse is unstable,” Grimaud mutters.

“So are we,” Morris replies calmly.

Grimaud points a spoon at him. “That is not helping.”

Meanwhile, Chaos and Fire have descended fully into culinary sorcery. There’s smoke. Purple powder. A saucepan bubbling ominously. At one point Motyka appears to be caramelizing black garlic while humming triumphantly to herself. Solfroy tastes the caramel and freezes.

“...wait.”

Motyka slowly turns.

“...wait good?”

Solfroy tastes again. Then looks genuinely alarmed.

“That’s actually incredible.”

Motyka throws both arms upward. “YES.”

“But if you add one more weird thing, we die.”

Motyka immediately reaches for rosemary. Solfroy SLAPS her hand away. “NO.”

“But—”

“NO.”

“You suppress innovation!”

“I preserve civilization!”

“Forty-five minutes remaining!”

The kitchen is in more or less controlled chaos now. Grimaud curses as his sugar burns, while Morris's chocolate seizes.

Davorka nearly drops an entire tray before Ante catches it one-handed without looking.

“How are you real?!”

Ante places it down calmly. “Focus.”

At Team Belfrage’s station, things finally begin clicking again. Olive oil cake. Citrus cream. Candied herbs. Crisp honey shards.

Warm, rustic, elegant without being stiff. And suddenly, they relax again.

Meanwhile, at Chaos and Fire dessert now resembles something forged during a lunar eclipse. Dark chocolate cakes with a molten chili-black garlic center, covered with beetroot dust, smoked rosemary cream and candied chili shards.

Solfroy stares at it in exhausted disbelief. “...this should not exist.”

Motyka wipes flour off her face proudly. “And yet.”

“Ten minutes!”

Storm and Sea plate beautifully rustic desserts with honey glaze and goat cheese mousse.

The Old Guys barely hold their mousse together emotionally and structurally.

Team Belfrage regain elegance through warmth and instinct.

Chaos and Fire appear to summon dessert from another dimension.

“Hands up!”

The dishes sit beneath the lights. Tiny masterpieces. Tiny disasters. Tiny crimes against pastry.

Henrik stands slowly. “I am genuinely afraid of one of these.”

Motyka waves proudly.

The judges begin tasting. Storm and Sea first.

Davorka presents confidently. “Salted honey cake with goat cheese mousse, candied walnuts, and herbal citrus glaze.”

The judges taste.

Chef Voss nods immediately. “Excellent balance.”

DeLuca smiles warmly. “Comforting. Sophisticated.”

Henrik points at Ante. “You continue being suspiciously competent.”

Ante shrugs. “Maybe.”

The Old Guys present next. Grimaud looks emotionally exhausted. “Blue cheese mousse with honey pastry and caramelized pears.”

Henrik blinks. “You look traumatized.”

“I was.”

The judges taste.

Chef Voss nods slowly. “Technically imperfect.”

Grimaud visibly dies inside.

“But delicious,” she finishes.

He revives instantly.

Team Belfrage present beautifully.

Andarra gestures softly. “Olive oil cake with citrus cream, candied herbs, honey crisps, and sea salt.”

The plating is gorgeous without being sterile. The judges taste.

DeLuca immediately smiles. “That’s lovely.”

Chef Voss nods approvingly. “You recovered beautifully.”

Henrik gestures toward the plate. “This feels human again.”

Socorra laughs softly. “Good.”

Finally, Chaos and Fire.

The judges visibly brace themselves.

Solfroy steps forward looking like someone who has survived battle. “This,” she says carefully, “is a dark chocolate lava cake with fermented chili-black garlic center, smoked rosemary cream, beetroot powder, candied chili shards, and smoked salt.”

Absolute silence.

Henrik slowly turns toward Motyka. “...you made a WHAT.”

Motyka smiles like a delighted supervillain. “Trust the process.”

“No.”

The judges taste. The silence becomes even more absolute.

Then—

DeLuca blinks rapidly. Chef Voss takes another bite immediately. Henrik stares at the plate. “...what.”

Motyka leans forward eagerly. “Good what?”

Henrik points aggressively at the dessert. “WHY DOES THIS WORK.”

The audience erupts.

Chef Voss looks genuinely stunned. “The black garlic caramel is extraordinary.”

Solfroy looks deeply vindicated. “THANK YOU.”

“But,” Voss continues carefully, “this could have gone catastrophically wrong.”

“It almost did,” Solfroy says immediately.

Motyka looks offended. “Art requires sacrifice.”

“You nearly put rosemary foam on it!”

“IT NEEDED MYSTERY.”

Henrik takes another bite anyway. “I hate that I love this.”

The deliberation is more animated than ever. Chef Voss looks torn. DeLuca keeps laughing in disbelief while eating more of Motyka’s dessert. Henrik is gesturing aggressively with a spoon.

At the stations, everyone is tense. Motyka paces proudly. “I have transcended dessert.”

“You committed dessert crimes,” Solfroy corrects.

Across the room, Socorra watches nervously.

“I think it’s between us and the chaos goblin.”

“Probably,” Andarra admits.

Davorka points toward Motyka’s plate. “That thing looks cursed.”

Ante nods once. “Yes.”

“...but?”

“...good curse.”

Finally, the judges return. Iardwallon grins widely. “I don’t think anyone expected that.”

Henrik points at Motyka immediately. “Especially not us.”

Chef Voss steps forward. “Tonight tested creativity more than any previous round.”

She looks across the teams. “One dish showed warmth and elegance.”

Team Belfrage straighten.

“One delivered deeply surprising flavour combinations.”

Chaos and Fire grin immediately.

“And one showed beautiful rustic restraint.”

Storm and Sea nod slightly.

A beat.

“The winners of the Dessert Challenge...”

The entire kitchen stills.

“...are...”

Chef Voss smiles slightly.

“Chaos and Fire.”

Motyka SCREAMS. “I HAVE CONQUERED DESSERT.”

Solfroy immediately grabs her before she can jump onto the counter. “You nearly destroyed dessert!”

“BUT I DIDN’T.”

Henrik points at the plate again. “That should not function according to known pastry laws.”

DeLuca is still laughing. “And yet I want another one.”

Chef Voss shakes her head in disbelief. “You turned black garlic into dessert.”

Motyka places both hands dramatically over her heart. “I am a visionary.”

Solfroy sighs deeply. “You are a problem.”

“An award-winning problem.”

by **Dhemixia** » Sun May 17, 2026 8:56 pm

Columbus, Dhemixia
Brigantine Park
MD14 vs. Tristan da Cunha, entering the 90th minute

It's been a weird tournament for the Dhemixians. With five to go, they've found themselves in the top three with their sights set on an autoqual of the top two. Two points up on fourth place Marsonne and only two back of second-placed Airannia, they've got a decent shot at overtaking the second-place spot and getting sent (with Crpostran) directly to the proper. The only problem? Smoltrendestof's already won 3-1 away at Burikinia, clawing themselves within one of the Serps, and the Serpents are on the verge of blowing it to Tristan da Cunha at home.

Entering the 90th minute, Dominic Sanford's just taken down Steven Millet in the box, and the ref's just awarded him a penalty. Wesley Williamson absolutely has to save this if the Dhemixians want any shot at a top two finish.

Dhemixian broadcast booth wrote:Here's Millet, driving in - and he's fouled! No! Dominic Sanford what are you doing! With seven minutes of stoppage, he's just given Tristan da Cunha a penalty for the lead! No!
...

Brian Zhang's been elected to take it here. Game on his boot, he steps up to the spot. Zhang starts, fires - SAVED! WILLIAMSON'S JUST DONE ENOUGH TO GET IT OVER THE BAR! THIS IS A NEW BALLGAME FOLKS!

The Serps would find a way to escape the looming threat of the corner afterwards, and they've never been hungrier for a goal in extra time. Gifted another life, they won't waste this one, at least, not if they can help it.

On the counter, with just under three to go, Boro Ouattara does not want to go for the tie. Instead of dropping the outside mids back, he pushes them forward and creates a quasi-3-1-2-4. They'd make use of that immediately.

Dhemixian broadcast booth wrote:Here's Hutchinson now, playing extremely far up the pitch, almost level with Obisana as he finds him in the middle. Fakes to Calhoun and cuts right, beats Sedgewick - and he's fouled! Oh how the tables have turned! Bryan Sedgewick's just fouled Jonathan Obisana just outside the box! Free kick awarded, this could be the chance for the Serpents!

If the man does anything extremely well (which, to Ouattara's credit, he does a lot well), understanding the moment is certainly one of those things. Randy Calhoun, fresh from the Dhemixian academy system, was a "break glass in case of emergency" addition to the squad following the Marvin Bolton retirement. He hasn't been able to prove himself yet, but almost everyone knows exactly the player that's hidden somewhere in there. He has a chance to be great, he just hasn't had the opportunity yet. With no goals yet this cycle, Boro Ouattara calls his number to take the free kick in injury time. This is what you dream of as a kid in the backyard.

Dhemixian broadcast booth wrote:Sedgewick's adamant that it was all ball but the referee's having none of it. He will not change his decision no matter how much Sedgewick is in his ear about it. Oh? What's this? Is that Randy Calhoun stepping up to take the free kick? He's a couple months removed from having to ask to go to the bathroom and Ouattara's giving him the kick? What are we doing here? Calhoun steps up to take it. 2-man wall from Tristan da Cunha in front of him, here's Calhoun - AND IT'S IN!! WHAT!?! HOW HAS HE DONE THAT? RANDY CALHOUN HAS JUST BENT IT AROUND THE WALL INTO THE TOP CORNER! CALHOUN GIVES DHEMIXIA THE LEAD IN THE 95TH MINUTE! I DON'T BELIEVE IT!

Have we said this kid's the future of Dhemixian football enough yet? No? This kid's the future of Dhemixian football. Randy Calhoun is primed to send the Serpents to the proper this cycle, or he'll die trying.

by **Aleirave** » Sun May 17, 2026 9:01 pm

An Octopus?

Matchday 13 was always going to be a critical day. Things were of course getting on in the schedule, and all eyes were on which of the top 5 teams would come out of it in the top 2 spots, and the scheduling behind this qualifying group only made this particular day matter even more. 1st-place, 3rd-seeded Aleirave would play 3rd-place, 1st-seeded StrayaRoos while 4th-place, 2nd-seeded Vdara hosted 2nd-place newcomers Pomachetti. Everything was on the line, and the order of these 4 teams would very much be determined by the results in Aleirave and Vdara.

The Seagulls weren’t coming into this match fully unprepared, as even though StrayaRoos were the toughest opponents in this group, their first matchup had been kept to a scoreless draw away from home. Surely, with their upcoming match being at the Old Grounds, they could do even better and “maybe actually score this time”, as Haulafo put it jokingly.

Form also seemed to be on the Seagulls’ side as, while they sat on a 5 game winning streak, StrayaRoos were in the midst of a 2-2-2 skid. Sure, one of those wins was against Pomachetti, but dropping points to Estorvipa and Estorpiva and Maritaine back to back earlier on seemed to leave them in a tough funk.

These recent stretches of form immediately manifested themselves on the pitch, as the momentum pretty quickly shifted to being in the Seagulls’ favor. The Emus just weren’t able to make as many opportunities for themselves, while Aleiravan players were consistently able to put themselves into good scoring positions. By the end of the first half, three goals had been put past Ryan Reuqa, while Tatyana Yusenika kept up a clean sheet.

Scoring did slow down in the second as the StrayaRoosian side got some of their flow back, but it still wasn’t enough to bring the score any closer. Instead it would be Oleg Vorstyn, coming off the bench in the 78th, potting in one last goal for the Seagulls to bring the score to 4-0.

The match happening alongside this one in Vdara would end on the same score, in fact, with the home team putting up 4 unanswered goals. Aleirave’s closest opposition being held back helped separate them from the rest, but the race for every spot behind them was thrown into even more question as the Martians picked up 3 points against Megistos:

Group 2                              Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Aleirave                           13   10   1   2    33   15  +18    31
 2 Vdara                              13    7   4   2    37   21  +16    25
 3 Pomachetti                         13    7   3   3    31   27   +4    24
 4 StrayaRoos                         13    6   4   3    25   15  +10    22
 5 the Martian Independent Republic   13    6   2   5    17   19   −2    20
 6 Estorvipa and Estorpiva            13    4   3   6    16   21   −5    15
 7 Megistos                           13    4   2   7    33   35   −2    14
 8 Maritaine                          13    3   3   7    15   26  −11    12
 9 Haltoria                           13    2   3   8    19   31  −12     9
10 New Montreal States                13    2   3   8    15   31  −16     9

Advancing to Playoffs at worst
Cannot qualify directly

That’s right, Aleirave’s in light green now, since Estorvipa and Estorpiva’s scoreless match in Maritaine guaranteed that the Seagulls would be headed to at least the playoffs. “That’s halfway to our goal,” Haulafo said about this, “but of course we can’t just be satisfied with getting to the playoffs… our ultimate goal is the World Cup, and if we can make that happen before the playoffs, we’re gonna make it happen.”

Matchday 14 had a completely different vibe to MD13 before it, since all of the top 5 teams would be playing the bottom 5 teams: the Seagulls would be in Megistos, Vdara traveled to the New Montreal States, Pomachetti were hosting Maritaine, StrayaRoos welcomed Haltoria, and the Martians would visit Estorvipa and Estorpiva. While MD13 was defined by two grudge matches at the top, MD14 was all about not dropping points to the teams you didn’t want taking your spot in the playoffs.

Aleirave’s win against Megistos at home on MD5 was just a little bit too close for comfort, and the Islanders really didn’t want a repeat of that, especially with the venue being changed to Paix. “This team is definitely capable of some crazy surprises,” their manager said before the match,
“as would any other team fielding a literal octopus, really. We just have to adapt to the surprises as they come.”

The first half of the match was spent getting a feel for how their opponents played. Not spending that time to play a little more defensively and probe their opponents’ defensive holes nearly ended up costing them in the end. As it slowly became clear how they could approach a team that took a few too many suggestions from artificial intelligence, they figured out ways to exploit its… oddities.

The heavy press formation that Kosta Varon had been employing took a heavy toll on the Dolphins, and Haulafo knew that. As a complete contrast, Seagull-ball was very loose and free-flowing, allowing Aleirave to keep on going at peak for longer and start punching holes in the Megistos defense.

Aleiravans, surrounded by the ocean for longer than written history, knew how to deal with octopi… octopuses? Octopodes. Furthermore, Octavius’ specific species of octopus was native to the South Pacific, the region where the Klysevian players on the team traced their seafaring roots to. Their legends told stories of their ancestors harpooning Octavius’ ancestors. Surely, if any 11 footballers in the multiverse could see through Idolsoft’s eight-armed antics, it would be these Seagulls right here.

However, it quickly became apparent that Octavius was no normal octopus, and the usual Aleiravan octopus-hunting traditions just weren’t going to work. This octopus was trained specifically to be the multiverse’s most unique keeper, and getting goals in on him was going to be the multiverse’s most unique challenge.

One thing the team did realize rather quickly, however, was Octavius’ tendency to lash out. Perhaps, if he lashed out at something other than the ball… the ball could slip by unnoticed? But who was going to be the sacrificial lamb? Whoever chose to make Octavius hate them would certainly be risking being the first Aleiravan on-pitch fatality. Unfortunately, it looked like the target wouldn’t end up choosing…

In the 68th minute, Fyodor Veshchik’s shot hit Octavius right in the eye. While the octopus would ultimately be alright, it did get worked into an absolute frenzy. The ball, ricocheting off of the creature, ended up getting to Neraveke Ho’uminalu, who took her opportunity to put the ball past the damn thing while it was worked up.

“RUN FYODOR! GET OUT OF THERE AS FAST AS YOU CAN!” Valeri Tyonko yelled, hoping his teammate could get out of dodge in time. Octavius swiped at him, but he was just able to duck under it. The officials were frankly too stunlocked by the situation as a whole to even hand the octopus a red card for this obvious strike.

“Well, I suppose I wouldn’t be the first Veshchik to be mauled by an os’minog,” Fyodor commented before play restarted, “and I’ll probably be far from the last, even.”

With the defense crumbling from wear and tear and the keeper’s conditioning starting to wear off thanks to Fyodor’s shot, Pavel Rasteniuk was able to slip a second goal past the beast in the 80th minute, bringing the score to its final tally: Megistos 0, Aleirave 2.

“That was certainly a chaotic match,” Haulafo said in the post-game press conference, “but I’m glad that everything ended up working out in the end. I’m especially proud of Fyodor’s quick thinking with that shot, that was an excellent way to deal with it!”

Fyodor could do nothing but wear a fake smile and act like it was all planned. None of it was planned. Of course it wasn’t planned. That shot was supposed to go into the net, dammit!

Predictably, none of the other top 5 teams dropped points playing their weaker opponents, so nothing really changed between them. On the bright side, points will of course change any magic numbers in play:

Group 2                              Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Aleirave                           14   11   1   2    35   15  +20    34
 2 Vdara                              14    8   4   2    40   21  +19    28
 3 Pomachetti                         14    8   3   3    34   27   +7    27
 4 StrayaRoos                         14    7   4   3    27   15  +12    25
 5 the Martian Independent Republic   14    7   2   5    22   23   −1    23
 6 Estorvipa and Estorpiva            14    4   3   7    20   26   −6    15
 7 Megistos                           14    4   2   8    33   37   −4    14
 8 Maritaine                          14    3   3   8    15   29  −14    12
 9 Haltoria                           14    2   3   9    19   33  −14     9
10 New Montreal States                14    2   3   9    15   34  −19     9

Advancing to Playoffs at worst
Cannot qualify directly
Eliminated

Aleirave’s magic number to finish top 2 and head straight to the World Cup was 6. Between these matches they’d be playing 6th, 9th, and 10th places, along with a 6 pointer in Pomachetti. First stop: Lahaira, to play host to Estorvipa and Estorpiva. “We’re at an important point in the campaign,” Haulafo said, “and we can’t let ourselves slip up for a second. We know we can bring this home, so it’s time to get it done.”

As this match played out in Lahaira, fans would also be keeping a close eye on Mars, where Pomachetti would be visiting the Spiders. If the Martians could pick up points, that would go a long way to reducing the risk involved on MD16, when the Seagulls’ trip to Pomachetti would mark the final matchup the Islanders had against another top team.

by **Aphrilia** » Sun May 17, 2026 9:41 pm

MY CHANCE TO RETIRE
Oliver Ingrid looks at the pitch, Aphrilia's players all training for the next few matches of their qualifying campaign.

The Anchors had officially secured qualification to the World Cup, despite their upset defeat against Libesia. With Bonusia dropping points to Katzeburg and Beal an Mhuirthead while HUElavia was also upset by Warkus, Aphrilia were now atop Group 14 with thirty six points. Consistency has allowed this team to focus on what was important.

And that consistency comes from rigorous and disciplined training. Being the trainer for The Anchors wasn't as easy of a task as some would imagine. Certain players followed specific diets that tailored to their nutritional needs, some had a specific amount of training that had to be completed, each individual required to have a tailor-made training program, among many other things. Oliver's job was to ensure that every single player on the Aphrilian National Team had those requirements met for their fitness and health.

Being a former footballer himself, Oliver was certainly aware of the many aspects that determined a player's fitness and health. He was often injured during his active career, but came back stronger every time because he took care of his body. When it came to his diet, he was always careful and made sure not to eat more than necessary.

Being an ohia makes you experience different things, including taste. As a foxian, he benefitted more from a diverse diet. Some subspecies such as wolfin may prefer meat based diets more, just one of the natural things that can occur. Of course, it isn't mandatory, but it certainly helps. This helps him do his job, and it is something he enjoys doing.

However, lately, he doesn't really feel like travelling across the multiverse all that much anymore.

Of course, many would be excited at the notion of travelling to so many different nations. Experiencing different cultures, traditions, meeting new people... It did amaze him in the beginning. However, by this point, it was just a common occurrence in his line of work. Oliver was sort of exhausted, afterall, this has been his job for over sixty years. Being the trainer for football teams and clubs within Aphrilia, and now for it's national team. Truthfully, perhaps he wants to just finally hang up the checklist.

It's not he has family at home, no. Oliver is just tired, that is his genuine reason. Perhaps a change of pace would be nice, a job that is perhaps more grounded to home, rather than constantly going here and there as he accompanies The Anchors across the multiverse whenever they play away games. It would certainly lighten up his mood.

He wants The Anchors to be as successful as they can. He's been part of the team since the very beginning, during Christopher Vermont's reign and stayed during the transition to Leonardo Bianchi's era of management. Though if Oliver wishes to retire, he'd have to find a successor. It was indeed something that he thought about, whoever replaced him needed to be trustable by the team. Someone who is familiar with how The Anchors operate. At first, he thought such replacement would be hard to find.

But then came the announcement from Amelia Haze, stating that she would retire from active football and transition to a management role.

She quite literally ticked all of the necessary requirements. Trusted by the team, someone who is familiar with how management operates, and an even better fit because she is a former player. Oliver understands that Amelia's future early retirement is coincidental, but it does feel like perfect timing. This was his opportunity to finally retire from the team.

"Hey Oliver, how's team training going?" The ohia heard. Turning around, Leonardo Bianchi himself walked to the sidelines of the field. "Things are going well, team should be ready for the remaining matches." He responded. Bianchi nodded, and the two men continued to watch over the players. The forwards were doing shooting drills. Phillip Karnwell was partnered with Kevin Lacey and Theresa Villa, while Kyra Von Kachel was partnered up with Ines Forrestal and Hendrick Meyer-Bertrand.

All of the midfielders were now doing passing drills and tempo control, each taking turns being the "Anchor" to give out orders. The defenders were doing a variety of practices, with some more intense than others. One of those who was taking it lightly was Amelia. As the two watched her, Oliver spoke. "I'm thinking about retirement."

Bianchi nodded, responding in the only way he knew how to. "I know, Oliver. And I believe we know who will replace you when the time comes."

by **Indusse** » Mon May 18, 2026 12:07 am

Tit for Tat?

As the qualification stage is slowly coming to an end, the race to the World Cup is also getting tighter. As Indusse won a bunch of matches successively they ended up reaching the top of the table with the victory against Sernet. The Flocking Blues would be thankful to Drawkland that day since they defeating Flavovespia made Indusse's way to the table's top. With high hopes and bunch of goals in their name, Indusse goes forward for their next matches.

But the next two weren't the ones that the team hoped for. After the draws in the first half, both Eriadni and Choppyhausen wanted a win to complete their qualification against Indusse. Meanwhile Indusse who is superior to both the teams in ranking wanted to make sure they had the wins since they wanted to keep the first spot on. In both the matches, Indusse had to accept their defeat for one goal which could be called unfortunate. Preetham Singh who had replaced Jahangir Shehzad has now got his time and is now expected to be benched again making way for Shehzad's return. Tsang Po who had replaced Adhaan will probably continue to be in the squad since Adhaan is still recovering from a minor injury during Practice.

As there is four more matches left for the qualification and that against Afanc Strait, Flavovespia, Drawkland and United States of Alpha, Indusse is in hopes to secure safe wins against each of its opponents. Indusse's gap to Flavovespia is currently just three points away and if Flavovespia continues to struggle with their matches then Indusse could have an easy takeover. With Paulson retiring this season, it is expected that players like Mersiás and Grundjee may also step down in the upcoming seasons. In order to tackle that situation, the team is hoping to recruit more players to the national camp.

Kharakia 4–5 Indusse
Playing XI: Preetham Singh (GK), Cyrus, Paulson, Tsang Po, Bhattacharya (All Defenders), O'Shaughnessy , Grundjee, Djetson (All Midfielders), Mersiás (c), Rahul, Djenkzo (All Attackers)
Substitutions: Rahul ⏷ Vineeth ⏶
Goals: Rahul (32'), Djetson (57'), Djenkzo (71'), Grundjee (88')
Indusse 3–1 Sernet
Playing XI: Preetham Singh (GK), Cyrus, Paulson, Tsang Po, Bhattacharya (All Defenders), O'Shaughnessy , Grundjee, Djetson (All Midfielders), Mersiás (c), Rahul, Djenkzo (All Attackers)
Substitutions: None
Goals: Grundjee (33'), Rahul (55'), Djenkzo (61')

Eriadni 4–3 Indusse
Playing XI: Preetham Singh (GK), Cyrus, Paulson, Tsang Po, Bhattacharya (All Defenders), O'Shaughnessy , Grundjee, Djetson (All Midfielders), Mersiás (c), Rahul, Djenkzo (All Attackers)
Substitutions: Djenkzo ⏷ Vineeth ⏶
Goals: Djenkzo (13', 41'), Vineeth (63')
Indusse 4–5 Choppyhausen
Playing XI: Preetham Singh (GK), Cyrus, Paulson, Tsang Po, Bhattacharya (All Defenders), O'Shaughnessy , Grundjee, Djetson (All Midfielders), Mersiás (c), Rahul, Djenkzo (All Attackers)
Substitutions: None
Goals: Rahul (31'), Mersiás (44', 67'), O'Shaughnessy (73')

by **Dantopia** » Mon May 18, 2026 1:07 am

VOL. 46,159

LION CITY, DANTOPIA

MONDAY 18TH MAY, 2026

₵100

Lions Bounce Back Against Ten Men Xanneria

Shorthanded Xanneria Not Enough For Rampant Dantopians Who Grab Fifth Win In Qualifying

By SAUL ARNSTEIN

National Team Stadium (NTS)
Dantopia2-0Xanneria
Half Time: 1-0
Adeyemi 36'
Kealoha 79'
Reynolds 29'

See also... MD1 | MD2 | MD3 | MD4 | MD5 | MD6 | MD7 | MD8

LION CITY, DANTOPIA — Dantopia recorded their fifth win of qualifying with a straight-forward 2-0 victory over Xanneria at the National Team Stadium. Goals in a half each from Adebayo Adeyemi and Johnny Kealoha were enough to give the Lions the three points, as they performed confidently in front of their home crowd, following a spell of two away matches. The visitors were reduced to 10 men with less than 30 minutes of football played, when Aurora Reynolds was dismissed for a mistimed challenge on Dalton O'Higgins. A national team debut for Joshua Te Rito, towards the end of the match, capped off another enjoyable evening in the capital.

Manager Rick Bishop had rotated the squad once more for this fixture, but unlike the previous outing against Saperetia, the manager opted to start Johnny Kealoha, though retained the services of Omari Opetaia as well, who had deputised so well for the 30-year-old with his set-piece against 'the Crimson'. This would mark the first game where Kai Watanabe would be available for selection again following his red card, but off the back of a solid prior performance, Opetaia was again favoured — Watanabe not even making the bench.

The Lions looked to start the contest off on the front foot. Elleby Young glided through the midfield, and slid in Zeke Edwards, whose shot edged over the angle of the post and crossbar, with barely thirty seconds on the clock. Dantopia continued in the ascendancy for the opening period, with Opetaia setting his sights from distance, with a first effort blocked and deflected back into the path of Kealoha, who uncharacteristically scuffed his chance. The ball would find Opetaia again, who would fire from range once more, drawing a terrific diving save out of Matt Cooper.

Xanneria responded with a clever move of their own, Roslyn Caldwell clipping a ball over the top to Houston Rutherford to volley towards goal. Winston Akana was able to produce a stop to the low-driven effort, however. Braxler Hutton and Wayne Brady drew blocks from the Dantopian defence, with a pair of efforts from outside the box. The hosts' defenders were in the thick of it again, mopping up after a particularly dangerous cross from Effridge-Galles nearly found Rutherford.

Maverick Johnson and Johnny Kealoha each went close in quick succession, in moves built down the left-hand side of the pitch through solid interplay between the pair — both efforts flashing past either upright. Approaching the half-hour mark of the match, the Lions continued to enjoy more of the possession, and the game took on a new dynamic when Aurora Reynolds received a straight red card for a late tackle from behind on Dalton O'Higgins. The full-back, who was darting down the line, was able to soldier on after getting some treatment on the pitch for a couple of minutes. The early dismissal resulted in a reshuffling of the pack from 'the Maroons', as manager Myrone Rhule ushered on Kareem Slater to fill the void at right-back. Instead, the Xannerians would be without an additional midfielder, as Wayne Brady had to make way.

Adebayo Adeyemi

It wouldn't take long for the Lions to make the man advantage count. With less than ten minutes of the half remaining, a well-orchestrated Dantopian set-piece would be the undoing of the 10-men Xannerians. Kealoha played it low towards Omari Opetaia just in front of the near post, whose flick caught out the Maroon defence to find Adebayo Adeyemi free near the penalty spot. The Grenadiers winger was able to cooly guide the ball home with his left foot, through the crowd of players in the box. Tyson Taylor could have made it two just moments later, when another corner found the head of the 20-year-old defender. Only an acrobatic save from Cooper kept the effort at bay, and Cooper would be busy again, having to take the ball off the toes of an onrushing Maverick Johnson in stoppage-time, as the Lions entered the interval with a deserved one-goal lead.

Dantopia picked up where they left off following the restart, and had the net bulging again within five minutes, but Johnson's finish was ruled off-side, following a cross from the goalscorer, Adeyemi. Opetaia hit the target again from distance, albeit without causing much trouble for the goalkeeper, whilst Zeke Edwards had a shot blocked well from inside the area, and Longwood-Quinn would flash one just past the post at the other end of the pitch. Despite this, the chances were breaking the way of the Dantopians much more than the Xannerians.

Dalton O'Higgins had an opportunity to shoot after a corner was cleared into his path, but his effort was well blocked by Jurickson Cincinatticus, before Johnson had the ball in the back of the net again, but the linesman once more ruled the winger off-side, frustrating the Lion City FC player immensely. He would be hooked by the manager on the hour mark, it clearly not being his day, to be replaced by Jeremiah Jackson Jr.

Johnny Kealoha

The Lions continued to ooze confidence — the National Team Stadium enjoyed a trivela cross from Kealoha down the right, and tricky interplay between Edwards and Young. Edwards' size in the box was apparent all game long but hadn't been properly utilised until a delightfully whipped in Lacroix cross narrowly evaded the Waiakea Warriors forward. Fortunately, Johnny Kealoha had ghosted in behind the striker and converted on the delivery for the Lions' second of the evening. The ball had bounced ideally for the onrushing Kealoha at the back post, and nothing could be done by Matt Cooper to prevent the Kyethas Rivermen midfielder from converting at close distance.

Edwards nearly made it three a few moments later, with a first-time strike sailing just over the bar, after being teed up nicely by Jackson Jr. Rick Bishop opted to make a triple change for the closing portion of the match, bringing on Joshua Te Rito, Alex St. James and Negan Nakoa. Adeyemi would be next to make way in stoppage-time, the captain for the day opting to give his armband to Kealoha before he exited the pitch. There was still time for a final Dantopian chance, as Nakoa headed straight towards the goalkeeper with the last touch of the match, before the referee brought an end to the Lions' fifth triumph in Group 4.

xg.unit
1d

Dantopia (2.12) 2-0 (0.55) Xanneria #DANvsXAN #WorldCup101 #Qualifying #Group4

Information for Xanneria's squad taken from their most recent appearance at the Cup of Harmony, last cycle.

OOC DISCLAIMER: The likenesses of players and managers have been created with the help of generative AI. Every other image in this RP was completely hand-made.

by **Dantopia** » Mon May 18, 2026 3:09 am

VOL. 46,160

LION CITY, DANTOPIA

MONDAY 18TH MAY, 2026

₵100

Back-To-Back Victories Keep Lions On Top

Another 2-0 Win — Against Allamunnic States — Secures First For Dantopia, For Now

By SAUL ARNSTEIN

Bank of Dantopia Stadium
Dantopia2-0Allamunnic States
Half Time: 2-0
Hughes 7'
Edwards 30'

See also... MD1 | MD2 | MD3 | MD4 | MD5 | MD6 | MD7 | MD8 | MD9

DARTFORD, DANTOPIA — The Dantopian national team recorded a second consecutive 2-0 home win in the second fixture against the Allamunnic States. The match-day ten game provided 27-year-old centre back Joshua Te Rito his first start for the Lions, following his debut as a substitute against Xanneria, and he would mark the occasion with a clean sheet — as would first time debutant Rigobert Moses, between the sticks. Sam Hughes opened the scoring early for the hosts, with a tidy finish, which was added to on the half-hour mark when Zeke Edwards poked home his fifth goal in qualifying, and sixth overall for the national team. These two efforts proved sufficient to gift the Lions all three points on the evening, although both goalkeepers were kept busy at times.

The visitors raced out of the block with all the vigour of a side needing to scrap for every point they can in Group 4, and they were buoyed by a a very vocal away end at the Bank of Dantopia Stadium. They looked to have created an opening when their winger found the striker in the middle with less than five minutes gone, but the latter fluffed his lines, with the former being judged offside in any case. The spirited away support and the rapid start could have very easily unsettled the Dantopians, but instead, just seven minutes were required to dampen the mood of the visitors.

Sam Hughes

Adebayo Adeyemi expertly picked out Sam Hughes, arriving late into the box, with a crafty delivery from the right-hand side. The Dartford Oilers midfielder was able to calmly control the ball inside a crowded penalty area with his left, before dispatching a low-driven shot with his right, that evaded the grasp of the goalkeeper. His effort opened the Lions' account for the evening and marked his first goal for the national team. In amongst the flurry of early action, chances for Adeyemi and Thomas both drew saves from the Allamunnic goalkeeper but showed the Dantopians weren't happy with just one goal.

However, neither of these chances would come as close as Johnny Kealoha's wicked strike which was gunning towards the top-right corner of the goal. Somehow it was acrobatically tipped onto the bar by the goalie, before the rebound was nodded back by Adeyemi just too far ahead of Thomas at the far post to tap in. Instead, the visiting defence would be able to clear their lines and quell the Dantopian attack for the time being.

Zeke Edwards

The Lions didn't dwell on the missed opportunity for too long though, making some relentless attacking pressure pay off just on the half-hour mark of the match. DeAnthony Moorhouse launched a dangerous cross towards the 'Blue Thunder' box, which met the head of one of the centre-backs first, only to be directed into the path of Zeke Edwards. The Waiakea Warriors forward didn't need a second invitation to tuck the chance home, having notched two goals against Saperetia in match-day eight. His strong performances for the national team will be giving manager Rick Bishop some thought, with star striker Bradini Brunson typically ahead of the 21-year-old in the pecking order. Perhaps a two-striker system could be employed at some point during qualifying.

So dominant had Bishop's men been that the Allamunnic head coach felt it necessary to withdraw one of their forwards for an additional defender, in a rare, first-half tactical substitution. This did provide the Blue Thunder with some extra stability, and they used it as a platform to launch a few attacks of their own. However, a strong diving save from debutant Rigobert Moses, and a confident high claim moments later settled things down.

Rigobert Moses

The Dartford City keeper was almost called into action in stoppage-time when the visitors were awarded a penalty for a foul from Dwight Krol, but the video assistant referee rightly overturned the decision when it was judged that the attacker had dived in the box, as Krol had not made any contact whatsoever. The Dantopians would instead head into the interval with their two-goal cushion very much intact.

There was another potential penalty scare at the midway point of the second half, when one of the wingers went down in the Lions box after squeezing past Will Cross and Joshua Te Rito, but the Grenadiers pair were able to breathe a sigh of relief when the referee waved it away, again, judged to be simulation, which the offender would receive a yellow card for. Dantopia were less assertive at the beginning of the second half, with passes going astray and shots flying wide. Kealoha particularly wasn't having one of his better games.

The two first half goals had put the Lions in a great position despite impetus perhaps lacking on the other side of half-time. However, there was a hint of tension to the Bank of Dantopia Stadium crowd that only a third goal for the hosts could truly address. This wasn't helped when the visiting substitute striker was just inches away from a cross from the right-hand side, which flashed across the Dantopian goalmouth. Once again, Rick Bishop's side emerged from the attack unscathed.

Substitute Alexander Apeti looked to have created an opening of his own when he tirelessly chased a long ball over the top from Rigobert Moses. However, a picture-perfect sliding tackle from the full-back put a stop to the Mansanduni Union man's marauding run. The tricky winger looked to have bounced back sharply when the crowd believed he'd turned the ball in at the far post following a corner. However, it had actually flashed wide of said post, hitting the side netting instead.

Group 4 World Cup 101 Qualifying Round
POSNATIONPWDLGFGAGDPTS
1  Dantopia          10   6   4   0   25   11   +14   22
2  Eshialand         10   7   0   3   24   14   +10   21
3  Tanirinthia       10   6   2   2   26   19   +7   20
4  Lisander          10   5   0   5   21   20   +1   15
5  Sudilia           10   5   0   5   16   17   -1   15
6  Auprussia         10   4   2   4   17   12   +5   14
7  Xanneria          10   3   1   6   14   27   -13   10
8  Saperetia         10   2   3   5   12   16   -4   9
9  Gwarkos           10   2   3   5   8   17   -9   9
10  Allamunnic States 10   2   1   7   12   22   -10   7

Following the effort off target, the visitors gave it one final go in the remaining few minutes of the second half, aiming to salvage something, anything, from the match. The left winger had a clear shot on goal after an incisive run from outside to in, but Moses stood firm and denied the effort, before rising well and collecting the ball moments later to calm any late nerves for the hosts.

The Lions were undoubtedly stronger in the first period than they had been in the second, but it was still enough to claim all three points on the night, with Moses ensuring he marked his national team debut with a strong and assured performance, and a clean sheet to show for it. The win extends Dantopia's unbeaten streak to ten matches in qualifying — Rick Bishop's side winning six and drawing four. This places them at the top of the table, a point above Eshialand, and two above Tanirinthia.

"We've got ourselves into a really good position just after the half-way mark..." Bishop stated, in his post-match interview. "I know that everyone is talking about going unbeaten, and that is a fantastic achievement for the boys, but the important thing is just for us to keep our momentum and consistency going." When asked about the team's chances to qualify, Bishop opined... "We have created a solid foundation which we have built on, but the work isn't over. We all want to qualify for this World Cup, automatically if possible, and we know we can do so." The Lions face Sudilia away from home next, before a capital-based affair against Lisander at Dantopian Airways Stadium.

xg.unit
1d

Dantopia (2.08) 2-0 (0.84) Allamunnic States #DANvsALS #WorldCup101 #Qualifying #Group4

Expected Line-up — MD15 @ Eshialand:

Starting Eleven:
GKP: 1. Winston Akana
DEF: 2. Sam Robinson-Tate — 5. Makaio Cruz-Richards — 4. Keegan Foster — 3. Kaleb Kahananui
MID: 8. Ezra Cunningham (C) — 6. Kai Watanabe — 10. Johnny Kealoha
FWD: 11. Nico Hollins — 9. Bradini Brunson — 7. Jeremaia Taramaia
Available Substitutes:
13. Rigobert Moses — 12. Raphael Lacroix — 14. Tyson Taylor — 16. Dalton O'Higgins — 18. Omari Opetaia — 20. Bradley Bing — 17. Adebayo Adeyemi — 19. Zeke Edwards — 15. Zaïre Thomas

Expected Line-up — MD16 vs. Tanirinthia:

Starting Eleven:
GKP: 1. Winston Akana
DEF: 2. Sam Robinson-Tate — 5. Makaio Cruz-Richards — 4. Keegan Foster — 3. Kaleb Kahananui
MID: 8. Ezra Cunningham (C) — 6. Kai Watanabe — 10. Johnny Kealoha
FWD: 11. Nico Hollins — 9. Bradini Brunson — 7. Jeremaia Taramaia
Available Substitutes:
13. Marty Gartner — 12. Raphael Lacroix — 14. Tyson Taylor — 16. Dalton O'Higgins — 18. Omari Opetaia — 20. Bradley Bing — 17. Adebayo Adeyemi — 19. Zeke Edwards — 15. Zaïre Thomas

OOC DISCLAIMER: The likenesses of players and managers have been created with the help of generative AI. Every other image in this RP was completely hand-made.

by **Bhumi Matawis Empire** » Mon May 18, 2026 6:59 am

A few days after the funeral of Emperor Mangkualam Haryadiputro, the coronation ceremony of his successor was held. Despite the throne was challenged by the eldest son of the late Emperor, the coronation stayed on schedule as most of the senior members of the Royal Family agreed with Prince Suryo Mustiko, the Crown Prince, as the rightful successor to the throne. The claimed made by Prince Suryo Harnoto, the eldest son was finally drop in mid-2026. The decision was made by the Prince after a series of reconciliation meetings between both parties. In one speech, Prince Suryo Harnoto finally support his brother's leadership as the Emperor, Co-Emperor to be precise. That speech ultimately ended the silent crisis which lasted for 5 months. The crisis was not as dramatic as the previous one but it's sill is a succession crisis.

"I'm glad this time the crisis went so smooth. Nothing big. No drama. No police involved. No banned. It doesn't feel like we are in a crisis," comment Shellomita as she enters her office.
"Isn't it great, ma'am? Our fear that this crisis will escalate and create instability had been proven wrong," says Piambudi.
"True. But what is the intelligence report?" ask Shellomita.
"Their last report is that Mastari has approach the other leaders. Including Galiyao," answer Piambudi.
"That is dangerous. How's their chance?" ask Shellomita again.
"Quite high, I believe," Piambudi give the report file to Shellomita.
Shellomita open the file and read it. "So, Kieraha and Southeast Islands are the most possible to join this new entity," Shellomita make a conslusion.
Piambudi nod. "We do now that separatist is already there in Kieraha. And their government is cornered with them. The separatist hold two third of the state and more than half of their population. There's no reason for Kieraha to back down the idea of the new union," he explain.
"And Southeast Islands? I thought they are loyal to the Empire," wonders Shellomita.
"They were. But base on investigation, it seems that they are attracted to the old nostalgia. They feel attach to the idea of a new eastern entity," Piambudi speaks.
"We still have Tomini then. We can pressure their government to reject the secession plan," says Shellomita. "Can they push for a referendum?" she end it with a question.
"They could if they got the support they need. There are 5 states in the eastern region. They need 3 of them to deliver the self-determination motion in front of the Graha Pawongan. And currently, they already have enough," answer Piambudi.
"This is dangerous," comment Shellomita.
"Indeed. But isn't this what you really want too?" ask Piambudi.
"I do. But I feel anxious. I'm afraid something might happen. And we must prepare for the worst," Shellomita speaks.
"What do you want to do, ma'am? Remember we can't go against Mr. Darmowijoyo," remind Piambudi.
"That's the hardest one. But for now increased the intelligence in Tomini and Galiyao. I think Mastari wants to take all leaders into his wings. The new eastern entity will be consist of all of them," command Shellomita.
"Will do, ma'am," says Piambudi before he left the room.

Shellomita look at the report file once again. With the current situation, she's only afraid one thing. That this can escalate into an open war. Despite the eastern states can call for referendum, Shellomita believe the western MPs won't make it happen. Despite the disparity between the government and opposition parties, a breaking Empire will be something that unite them. Both parties don't want this country to break. But then, if the referendum fail, the worst possibility is war.

by **Kimi-Suomi** » Mon May 18, 2026 7:48 am

After taking the expected L, the Huuhkajat now knew of the journey that was ahead of them. 6 points off 2nd, 2 off 3rd and 6 games left to play, the conditions had been set for a battle to get into that Top 3 and, maybe, try and challenge the Top 2 in some way. This sort of reset of goals is needed, simply because that having a goal in mind at this late of a stage in the campaign will certainly help us focus our minds on what is to come. Esko Laaksonen knows all too well that being complacent will lead to disaster...and so, with all that in mind, we have to go on the attack. We have 6 games to either get back to the WC or get a double bye in the Playoffs. Because that way may be the only way we get in, considering the chaos that has already happened. So with all of that in mind...let's go to work.

We drew 0-0 with Bharatamandala on MD4, the first match that made everyone quickly realise that repeating previous magic of the Pitkä Tie Takaisin wasn't going to be that simple. Now, many games later, the Blues were in Pesä looking to try and stump us once again, especially with the hosts hungry for revenge. The game that ended up being played between Esko and Keshav Lal Sharma was certainly chaotic, a repeat of the Doychnya game in terms of the scoreline, but with a different feeling entirly. The first half ended at 1-1, with an early shock by Antony Rodriguez countered by Jason Jenner-Pokka, while the second would see us push forward more and get better end results, thanks to Enni Pajari on both occasions. R. Laxminarayanam did get one back late on to make things a bit nervy, but we managd to hold on to the 3-2 win...and just like that, we were back up to 3rd.

Then came the nervous away trip for so many cultural and political reasons - the trip to Venäjän Imperiumi EPL. With thanks to our Russian counterparts and to authorities on both sides, both the Suomen team and our fans managed to safely make this game and come back home, which goes to show that working with a cultural enemy on the simpliest of matters is still possible in this angry and changing world. In terms of the on-the-pitch action, this game was unfortunatly nothing to write home about as for 90 minutes, we just couldn't break down the imperial columns at the gates of Moscow and thus, it ended in a stalemate. You'd think that this would see us crash down to earth...but apparently not. Pyazhnaya drew as well and Hanalinen lost...so even though we lost points in this game, we didn't suffer any concequences.

The gap remains at 6 points, though this next window will be the one to change that no matter what. Pyazhnaya will be the final opponent to enter the Galaktien Colosseum and with everything on the line, Lumikukkulat will be ready for all out war no matter what. After that, Länsi-Vdara welcomes us to the Grand Amphitheater of the Proletariat as we look to add more points to the total even if the previous game doesn't go too well.

Seitsemän pakkomielteisen kansakunnan kohdalla tämä aika kuluu rukoillen kuuden puolesta.
PYAZHNAYA! TUO SE!
NOSTA KUIN HUUHKAJAT!

SCHEDULE/AJOITTAA (Group 1)
MD1: @Andso Mangis (188) W 3-1
MD2: @Doychnya (395) W 1-0 (2nd)
----------------------------------------------------------------
MD3: vs Ääniorjainen [Audioslavia] (8) - The Nest [Pesä], Kimi Kaupunki L 0-1 (3rd)
MD4: @Bharatamandala (325) D 0-0 (3rd)
----------------------------------------------------------------
MD5: vs Venäjän Imperiumi EPL [Russian Empire EHA] (343) - The Nest [Pesä], Kimi Kaupunki W 3-1 (2nd)
MD6: @Pyazhnaya (30) - Krasnograd Dome, Krasnograd L 0-3 (3rd)
----------------------------------------------------------------
MD7: vs Länsi-Vdara [West Vdara] (70) - Galaktien Colosseum (Colosseum of the Galaxies), Lumikukkulat D 1-1 (4th)
MD8: @Abanhfleft (83) L 1-2 (4th)
----------------------------------------------------------------
MD9: vs Hanalinen [Hanalia] (91) - Galaktien Colosseum (Colosseum of the Galaxies), Lumikukkulat W 2-0 (4th)
MD10: vs Andso Mangis (188) - Galaktien Colosseum (Colosseum of the Galaxies), Lumikukkulat W 3-0 (3rd)
----------------------------------------------------------------
MD11: vs Doychnya (395) - The Nest [Pesä], Kimi Kaupunki W 3-2 (3rd)
MD12: @Ääniorjainen [Audioslavia] (8) - The Beltzarga, Glassbridge, Cathair L 0-2 (4th)
----------------------------------------------------------------
MD13: vs Bharatamandala (325) - The Nest [Pesä], Kimi Kaupunki W 3-2 (3rd)
MD14: @Venäjän Imperiumi EPL [Russian Empire EHA] (343) D 0-0 (3rd)
----------------------------------------------------------------
MD15: vs Pyazhnaya (30) - Galaktien Colosseum (Colosseum of the Galaxies), Lumikukkulat
MD16: @Länsi-Vdara [West Vdara] (70) - Grand Amphitheater of the Proletariat, Agios Stavros
----------------------------------------------------------------
MD17: vs Abanhfleft (83) - The Nest [Pesä], Kimi Kaupunki
MD18: @Hanalinen [Hanalia] (91) - National Stadium, Hanalia(?)

by **Yangchenia** » Mon May 18, 2026 7:51 am

The City of Contrasts
Chapter 14

It was shortly after midnight, Sunday morning when Yuko pulled into Raijugang Station. The brightly lit facades of the city greatly contrasted with daily life in Kanazawa—a monotony of silence and darkness as most families could not afford to keep the lights on all the time. The large digital clock displayed from one of the buildings read 1:39AM, yet even in this late hour, the city still felt alive. The streets, though emptier than the peak hours, were still crowded with a decent amount of people, bars and nightclubs packed with patrons having a night out for the weekend. At the end of the road was the entrance to the Raijugang Strip, bright and colorful casino buildings glimmering in the distance, where wealthy patrons placed bets larger than Tanaka's entire net worth.

Here, in the city, Yuko felt like an outcast. It was like a nomad from the steppe seeing modern urban life for the very first time. He found himself in the wealthy part of town, people walking by dressed in the finest clothes, many kept up with the latest fashion trends. Yuko was, by contrast, still wearing an outfit that was almost a decade behind in Raijun fashion. In Kanazawa, where one was not even sure where their next meal or paycheck would come from, fashion was the least of anyone’s worries. Yet here, he gazed upon a massive billboard plastered on the side of a forty-story building, featuring Sofia Alezaria in a light dress, promoting what seemed to be a designer clothing line. He didn't really know. This was Koverla Street, one of the many commercial districts of Raijugang, yet still considered relatively tame and modest compared to the lavish lifestyle in its wealthiest districts. In the distance, the towering silhouette of the Ykha Volcano dominated the remote skyline, its glowing lava lakes complementing the lights of the city, a subtle, elegant balance between the lights of man and the lights of nature.

As he walked down the sidewalks, he couldn't help but take in the completely different world here in Raijugang. The streets were cold, but every building was kept at a nice room temperature, whereas nights in Kanazawa were always cold and brutal. He entered the strip next, the world-renowned gām louh, the Golden Road. Koverla Street already felt like a different world. This was a different universe entirely. Casinos dotted the streets, red carpets leading into a world of excess and vice. The smell of cigarette smoke mixed in with the frosty air, the laughter of patrons inside audible even from outside, sometimes interrupted by the occasional screams of someone who had lost everything.

He was passing outside of the Belvedere, the largest casino on the strip. It glittered in the night sky, its exterior painted in bright gold, its entrance grand and imposing—balustrades of ruby and sapphire holding up an elegant archway with the words “Spring of Heavenly Fortune” written above in local Cantonese. Outside, a large fountain with an intricately carved statue of the Fairy of Fortune greeted guests as they entered, a sight reminiscent of that of a royal palace.

As he walked past these abodes of excess, he was only left wondering. “If it is possible to have such fortune on this island, then why must the rest of the islanders squirm in poverty? Maybe Zao Medong was right after all.”

He stopped by a newspaper stand. There you could read the local news for free, so long as you didn't take one with you. Plastered on the front page was the headline: YANGCHENIA 2-1 SREDNJACI—YEHENARA, YANGCHENIA.

Below the headline was another image of Sofia Alezaria, dressed in her red and blue jersey, the seal of the Blazing Dragons of Yangchenia embroidered over her heart. Football was one of those rare moments when life’s struggles seemed to ease for a moment for Yuko, when they and his father could relax, even for a brief moment, to watch the national team compete on the international stage. They didn't always win, yet the team had its great moments, especially as once they stood second place overall in their bracket.

And among the players, there was no question that Sofia Alezaria was the pride of Raijugang. She was, after all, the MVP of the Ykha Raijugang team, and the most prominent player to come from the city. It was to the point that some people in Raijugang only tuned in to the national sports channel broadcasting the World Cup to watch Alezaria play. She is a huge part of the city’s cultural identity. He remembered his father used to have a signed jersey from her, way back in 2014 when she had won the Zodiac League, the continent’s premier football organization, for Raijugang—yet it had been sold long ago to pay his massive debts. Unbeknownst to many, she hailed from Kanazawa, the very place most Raijuns called a “backwards society”, where rumors spread of its citizens cannibalizing each other due to starvation. Most of them are oblivious to the fact that from the outside perspective, Raijugang itself is a backwards society—a place utterly corrupted by wealth and power.

by **Auprussia** » Mon May 18, 2026 8:13 am

Vascon Names and Origins

Just like before I picked Vascon names with some interesting origins and some with historical significance. Once they unite with the Basonic tribes it gets a bit hazy because both cultures take on each other's naming conventions and cultural norms. It also does not help that both cultures are not only extremely old but extremely interconnected in the modern day.

Aethamien:
Aethamien was the chieftain of the Vascon tribes during their migration to Basonia. A subject of both tall tales passed down from people's ancestors to the records kept by Lorentine and Pied scribes details about Aethamien are very hazy to say the least. We know this much: he grew up in Chagris and had battled the Lorres, Ostroges, and even had encounters with Teolanders and Pied tribes as well. At the time he was a battle tested and respected commander by the time he led the Vascons away from Chagris. We also know shortly after their arrival the Basonic tribes migrated near the same places as the Vascons and war erupted as a result. Aethamien had two children: Luceran (who defeated the Basonic tribes and established terms and borders with them) and Massaria who disappeared from history entirely after her 18th birthday. Other than that it's hard to trace any other descendants. Luceran died with no children after all.

Octavien:
Octavien was the envoy who brokered the unification of both the Basonic and Vascon tribes in the face of the Bervic threat. The story goes that Octavien went day and night between the two tribes constantly for half a year, running messages to both leaders and finally getting them to meet each other in a diplomatic negotiation that lasted 5 days. It stands to reason from a historic standpoint that Octavien had ties to both Vascons and Basonics. Some records refer to him as both a Basonic noble and a Vascon elite and that's when I started to think: What if he was both? So I looked back on all the research and sourcing on the matter. From that I can definitively conclude: he was both...somehow. Octavien's parents are never outright stated but a lot of sources at the time said he was "a product of an illegal union"...Yeah I wont go further on that. Regardless he was instrumental in the founding of the Kingdom of Basony in 15 ASE.

Caisoux:
Caisoux is an interesting case. His full name is Caisoux De Varanux (610 ASE-668 ASE) and was a prolific scluptor, artist, and inventor in Rechlan Ostissia (Or Kingdom of Ostissia). This was way after the Kingdom of Basony fell after years of war against the Osts. Caisoux started out with paintings depicting the events of the war or at least, what he could acceptably get away with. He then moved on to sculpting and was behind some of the most famous sculptures found in Ostissia, in particular his sculpture depicting the King of Ostissia at the time Almerandt De Vinzeur has been the subject of much praise and some far off conspiracy theories. In the latter half of his life he started to become more unhinged with his creations and in the year 668 ASE he fell from his balcony. There is a conspiracy theory surrounding this, that the royal family had him thrown off the balcony but sources from this time only mention that he leapt silently.

Antonine:
Antonine De Gallicaux (705-763 ASE) was the leader of a conspiracy to overthrow the Ostissian king Ballent De Vinzeur and install a Vascon king instead. She had actually been partly successful too. Ballent De Vinzeur had abdicated due to unrest at court and he had no real heirs. Antonine however did not expect that a Basonic man who lived in the Northeast Peninsula to take up the throne. The man was named Lothrain De Valence-Arander (720-794 ASE) and he was the King's nephew. Antonine herself had allegedly said "The King of Light was displeased enough to not make me fail utterly. In fact he played me for a fool, thinking that I could change this kingdom's fate like that". After Lothrain took the throne it took no time to find out who had caused all the problems at court and banished her. Antonine then in one of the most improbable turns of fate ever found out about an invasion and returned to the King's good graces by warning him of an invasion of Sassen tribes (The invasion of Southern Auprussia by those same tribes occurred shortly before this). This results in one of Auprussia's most famous battles, where the newly renamed and reformed Kingdom of Basony destroyed the Sassen fleet at the Battle of Lensaix (754 ASE).

by **IA3x** » Mon May 18, 2026 8:41 am

Pascallyn Kalcazette was currently situated in the cafeteria of Atheara's government building. They really should get a name for it.

The heirs and everyone else who worked here had given it the unofficial nickname of "The Courthouse" largely because... Actually, Pascallyn doesn't really know where they got the nickname from. Seriously, she doesn't remember anyone suggesting "The Courthouse" as a name. Maybe a few people just started calling this place as that and it was the name that eventually stuck with everyone. Anyways, she was drinking tea in the cafeteria, accompanied by her beloved butler in Mr. Khravante.

"Are you perhaps done drinking at this time, my lady?" He asked. Pascallyn shook her head, giving back the cup. "I would like a refill, please." Mr. Khravante merely nods before proceeding to head to the kitchen. Pascallyn liked her tea made in a very specific manner. It was a certain brand, with exactly one spoon of sugar, and a few other specific steps.

"Perhaps I should play the piano once home." Pascallyn comments, no one around to hear. She sees a few government workers walking down the hallway, likely going back to their work stations. The Courthouse is mostly empty hallways during this time of the... Was it day or night? One of the cons of living in a floating city that closed upon itself was the lack of natural sunlight. It was difficult to tell what time of the hour it was, and there was no clock in the cafeteria. Pascallyn sighs, waiting for her tea.

After some waiting, Mr. Khravante returns with a newly filled cup of tea. "Thank you, Khravante. What would I ever do without you?" Pascallyn remarks.

"Unfortunately not much, my lady." He responded. She started drinking the tea again. This peace was quite enjoyable, admittedly. Belcari was overseeing a hearing today according to the group chat, while Cecilia was visiting another school for a meet and greet. Mugel, the oldest of the heirs was managing the football team and likely wasn't open for visits.

As much as the peace was enjoyable, she did like having the company of people other than her butler. Pascallyn knew Khravante since she was young, meeting for the first time after she had been discharged from hospital. It was only after the revelation that she would struggle to walk again, and he dedicated himself to caring for her.

"Do you think Mom and Dad would be proud of what I've done?" Pascallyn asked. Playing an important role in the development of The Second Republic she did, just like the other heirs. The preservation of Athearan culture and history, along with protecting local customs... That was Pascallyn, or at least part of her doing. She had influence in Atheara's Department of Culture and Customs, but wasn't as big of a voice compared to the other heirs. Taking another sip of tea, her butler responded at last.

"I believe they would not only be proud, but happy that you are living, my lady." Pascallyn looks at him hearing the response, contemplating, before nodding.

Pascallyn was an only child, but she did have cousins who were also part of the House of Kalcazette. But she and her butler were the only survivors of the catastrophe that swallowed The First Republic. She remembers the first few months, despite helping with the founding of The Second Republic, Pascallyn spent a lot of time crying in her room. A ight unbefitting for a woman of her stature, but bottling it in was not an option. "Of course. Thank you." Pascallyn responded, with Khravante nodding back at her.

Finishing up her cup of tea, Khravante went to the kitchen to wash the cutlery. It had been some time ever since she remembered the time around the founding of The Second Republic. Though she accepts what happened did occur, her feelings were never quite addressed as well as they could have been. Perhaps that's what she shall do once she was home.

Mayhaps a song for the piano, a song that would set her feelings about this all straight. To compose the closure of her personal chapter.

by **Valanora** » Mon May 18, 2026 8:57 am

The odds of it happening had been slim and was going to need a lot of different results to go their way and yet after the last international window, the Marauders sat with another pair of victories as well as having clinched their qualification to the Finals. Fourteen points ahead of third placed Sarzonia and with only twelve left on offer, that gap being extended in large part because of the side being able to hold off a spirited challenge from their region mates in the Hatire Memorial in the first game of the weekend. With Sarzonia then going on to lose at home against Sajnur in the second match of the weekend, it left the side completely clear at the top and with four games left on the fixture schedule to experiment with line ups as the squad now prepares for the second part of the tournament and how to achieve their next set of goals. Regardless of their rank, fourth in the world according to the last update of the WCC prior to the start of the qualifiers, getting out of their group at the Finals will be the next immediate goal. The squad has hopefully learned their lesson in not looking forward too much and focusing on what it is front of them that they take each match like it is a knockout one.

The Stars came to the Empire with the smallest hope of trying to reel the Marauders into a three way battle for the two qualification spots with themselves and Milchama, the Empire still having to play the Warriors later in the campaign. It was a match where Sarzonia seemed liked they wanted to congest the middle of the park and force the side to attempt to play the long ball rather than play through the middle or via the wings. The pressing did fairly well in the first half of the game as it clearly frustrated the players as they were trying to get balls through passing lanes only to see them deflected or intercepted. The second half saw Hawk drop even further back and create an almost four man midfield which seemed to unlock the passing a tad as well as cause the wingers to get free a bit more. This resulted in first goal for the side in the fifty-second when Hawk was able to play some clever passes to get Haaland behind the defense. Laine Nelsen would equalize eleven minutes later for Sarzonia as they tried to at least take a split of the points, but Hawk would put it to bed with a twenty yard free kick in the seventy-seventh that curled inside the near post. A spirited effort by the visitors but it came up short all the same.

Traveling to Nueva Compostela a few days later and the Marauders seemed to be a bit in cruise control, peppering the opposition net from the early of portions of the game and simply looking like the better side basically since the opening kick off. Credit has to go to Emillano Mojuntin, the opposition's goalkeeper, for doing the best to keep their side in it during the opening exchanges but one can not withstand a prolonged siege without a bit of support. Olaf Myrhe would get the opening goal in the twenty-ninth as he found a bit of open space around the penalty spot and Haaland made a clever pass to allow the midfield to aim for a mostly wide open net. Six minutes into the second half and Drake Rinaldi would grab a goal off a header, having been substituted in at the half. Rinaldi would get another good look to extend the lead in the sixty-fourth but that effort would go off the post and a third attempt the seventy-third would be saved. The Marauders would finish with twelve shots on goal but thanks to the good keeping of Mojuntin, only put two on the scoreboard, though keeping a clean sheet was enough for a comfortable victory in the end.

With four games left to go and theoretically nothing left on the table for the side to play for, joining Audioslavia, Tikariot, and Aphrilia in being the first nations to punch their ticket to the Finals, it will be interesting to see the line ups deployed in the remaining games. There is a fine balance in attempt to test out the reserves and blood the new call ups to the team while maintaining chemistry in it. Players like Drake Rinaldi, Chell Meadows, and Viljar Valen will want the opportunity to prove that they should be on the final twenty-six person roster that is making the trip to the Finals. Hosting Milchama in the first half of the upcoming window, there will probably be more of a mixed team as the side will want to try and grab a victory over a Milchama side that has been a bit of a thorn in their side in recent years, especially after the lone dropped points of the campaign so far coming at their place. Heading to Frayston afterwards, that seems like an ideal place where Ellzidan could likely afford to play a fully rotated side and see what she has to offer, with the hosts sitting in eighth and not having much to offer. If the rotated in players can dominate an away game like that, it would definitely cause good selection headaches for the manager and her staff.

by **Valentine Z** » Mon May 18, 2026 9:33 am

Part 2 – We paid for Eveline’s Time Travel Tourism as a form of celebration. The package we took was “Surprise Me!”

Sammie Arif Raihan Bin Mohamamad Andika: Another job well done for us. After 14 games in the qualis, we have 10 victories in our name, with only 1 draw and 3 losses. That’s a pretty good number, especially considering that out of the 10 teams, we have placed ourselves second. It naturally called for a celebration and I thought to myself, why not try Eveline’s Time Travel Tourism once again? I mean, Valentine Z is also nice in other parts of this year, but that’s what a lot of Valentians tend to go for, and I can see why. It’s not so much that peace is boring, it’s just that there are millions of other systems and universes, so why not go give them a see if Eveline allows such things?

I brought along Daina Allison Leela Phon Seng Sreynuon, Iraj Alexander Soroosh Homayoun Hashempour, and Vanuza Poliane Elaine Castro dos Reis with me. So that’s four of us, and we headed straight to the headquarters of the Time Travel Tourism. Located in Valentine Z’s Birmingham is a quaint little shophouse. It’s quite unassuming, perhaps save for that big as heck neon sign that promotes the service. “Eveline’s Time Travel Tourism! Many options also available! Come on in!” It’s not the first time that we have been to one, but it’s still something that we must get a little bit adjusted to. First thing we noticed was as to who greeted us. None other than Eveline Gwen T. Allison Hepburn herself in flesh and blood. The unacquainted might ask “Hey, don’t you have Valentine Z to run?” or “Why is the Founder herself giving us a tour?” To which it is, simply because it’s Eveline, and so she has all the time in the world. Dressed in her iconic blue dress, coupled with the air-conditioned environment that is equally as relaxing, Eveline greeted us with that familiar and welcoming smile. “Hello, and welcome to Time Travel Tourism, lovelies! Despite the name, we also do all sorts of travels and packages, of course.” After her usual dialogue, she gave us a wink, “Ahhh, Valentian Kittens! Just the four of you? Lovely! I saw you all kicking quite a lot of arse, today, hehe. So, what can I do for you guys and girls today? I mean, you are definitely all familiar, but I am just saying, there are certainly a lot of options!” We took a look at the pamphlet, and one of them stood out quite hugely above the rest.

Daina was the first to speak out about it, “This one, you are certain that you will bring us back and unharmed throughout and after our time?” Eveline gave a confident nod, “Of course! Just like with every single incursion that I’ve done, I guarantee safe return, in this timeline.” For the others, that’s as good as any other. Eveline has not let us down, after all. With the decision ultimately on me, I said hey why not? Eveline clapped her hands once, “Excellent!” she said, “Now then, let’s get going with the usual contracts and signing – of course, just to have traces of paperwork. I mean, being able to travel back is good, but why bother with that extra work when I have the papers? Alright loves, please read through the contract carefully and sign here and … here!” I looked at the contract. It’s not exactly a waiver, moreso that Eveline will take full responsibility. “I, this name here and there, went for Eveline’s Time Travel Tourism, and in the event that something did happen, she will do her best to get us out of a mess. With that said, we signed up to go for this, so it’s not that we are being forced to.” This one was a little bit more evaluative than the others, and for a good reason. Still, I trust Eveline, and so did the other three. This one was not our first rodeo like I said, but it did have a bit more edge to it, if you know what I’m saying. The four of us signed it promptly.

Eveline smiled once again, now in her blue metal armour. “Oh, it’s more just for show, of course you know how it is. I can just do it with my dress, but with this? *Tsk.* Much nicer, hehe.” It would be a spectacle for those who don’t know about her, but for us, it’s a Tuesday. “Okay, now, guys and girls – this is a pretty cool package and I’m glad that you all signed for this. As mentioned, and to repeat once again: You will be well taken care of, and any events that might results in death or even injury, I will do my best to make sure it will not happen. I will also pick the destinations that are tamer. Maybe bizarre, sure, but you won’t get into any trouble as much. Do we understand each other here?” All of us replied with confident positivity. “Wonderful! Now then, as per the nature of this package, here’s your complementary orange juice. It’s not spiked or alcoholic, really!” The four of us gave cheers and drank it.

Next moment, the four of us found ourselves at a rather interesting place. It was a bit overwhelming at first, but I am not going to lie. I can see why people go for this sort of thing. “Ehh? Where are we?” Daina squeaked out, four of us trying to make sense of the place. We were standing on a rock, so there’s that. “I think we are up at some mountain,” Iraj replied to her, “But I cannot see much beyond this thick fog.” I tinkered around with the GNSS watch that I was wearing, to which Daina noticed, “I’m not sure how much that will help though.” To which I will admit, I don’t even know if this place has the GNSS. If we are still on Earth, or in that time period with satellites. Daina added a suggestion, “Wait wait- try the barometer!” Of course! I panned through the settings and came across the barometer setting. It should display the altimeter, to which it did after some calibration. “1000 meters?” I exclaimed softly, not wanting to disturb anything around the place. “Yeap, it’s a mountain,” Daina confirmed. Nothing much so far that would speak extraordinary, just that we seemed to be up a mountain, and thankfully it was not the conditions of being cold or lacking oxygen. Vanuza was taking a couple of pictures with her camera, to which then she asked if we should walk and look around. “Yeah but let’s not split up,” I suggested. Everyone thankfully agreed to that one.

Our current position was a small hill of sorts, isolated from the main parts of the mountain a few meters away. The path towards it was a series of stones, which we slowly and carefully trekked and stepped on to get to the main part. It was quite nerve-wracking to say the least, with poor Iraj having quite a bit of time to coax and to reassure that we are not going to trip and fall. After a tedious few minutes, we reached a more solid part of the mountain, along with a base camp. So that was good news, the fact that there are people there. Neutral news being, they did not seem to be tourists like us. As in, I did not mean just tourists from other parts of the universe which they might not even know about. Rather, no tourists at all. This lead to the unfortunate bad news, though not that bad. Iraj approached them and greeted them, only for him to confide to us, a little bit confused. “What, what did they say?” Vanuza asked a little meekly, to which Iraj replied back, “That’s the thing. I have no idea. They are- I can make out some words, but they are speaking a weird mix of Persian, Pashto, and Arabic.” I added in a bit as well, “I mean, maybe it’s just a creole language.” Iraj said again, “That’s the weird part, man. There are a lot of words I don’t know. It’s like-” Just as he was about to say something, he was interrupted by a radio PA system of the base camp.

[NOTE: The Non-English version is translated with aid of AI. The original as written fully by me is presented as it is.]
“1 Rabi‘ al-Akhar 1398h — Badshah Abu Khan Sewom e‘lam wakr che haga ba da khpal taj-o-takht na iste‘fa wernakri. ‘Ha’ula ar-ra‘a der garm bad khabare kai,’ haga wayil, ‘In kufr wa bid‘at tahammul nakhwahid shod—’”
Original: "1st Rabi Al-Akhar, 1398h – King Abu Khan III has released a statement that he will not resign from his position as a monarch. "The rabbles talk too much hot air," he said, "The heresy shall not be tolerated-"

The radio cut off with some static, before coming back to life, uttering the same that seemed gibberish to me, minus the Arabic parts. “Yeah, I- I am not getting it. Something about a King? I got the year part down a bit. I think. 1979 or something along that line.” Vanuza and Daina simply exchanged shrugs, unfortunately out of their element. Not that we blamed them, of course. Iraj and I tried to figure out what to do, including taking out our phones. Iraj quickly stopped me, “Ehh, bro, might not want to do that. You know, 1979.” I complied, showing my hands freely. “They have no reason to think we are hostile, right?” I said, “Tourists? I don’t know if they know of such things.” He gave me a bit of a smile, the one that says “Let me try my best”, and then walked towards the residents of this mountain. A few more minutes passed, though it was not as tense as I was worried about. The locals seemed quite well-meaning and were happy to assist, and the only problem being that there was a very big language barrier. Iraj resorted to writing out our intention (which is basically to explore this place around) in Farsi, only for the locals to confuse even him and us even further. He simply came to us with a face that is equal worry and fascination. “I can’t read this, guys. Shit… Sorry. Can you?” he showed it to me. Even with hasty penmanship, I was awed by it. It is more than obvious that I cannot read it either, but looking at it – the calligraphy, the strokes, the way the words are formed – it looked pretty. Sadly, pretty does not get us anywhere. “Well, shit sia.” And then, Vanuza had an idea.

“It’s stupid but… let me give it a shot,” she said, to which Iraj handed her a new sheet on the notepad. She started drawing and doodling on the notepad, to which then I passed it to the people. It was a series of stickmen, one that showed us going around the mountain and exploring. Vanuza put emphasis on the fact that the base camp won’t be harmed and that we are simply sightseeing. That got the point across, to which the tension was finally off. With more cheers, and what I believed are them telling us good luck and all that, it seemed like we were able to continue exploring through this unusual place. “Vanuza, you’re a genius!” Iraj said, followed by Daina and myself, to which she blushed a bit, “Haha, at least they didn’t take the smiley as a rude gesture.” Just as we were about to head off, however, we got stopped one last time. A middle-aged man, coming out of the tent to hand us a small painting.

It looked quite lifelike, depicting a mosque on the mountains with fog surrounding it. The mosque, however, has an interesting feature that I noticed. For us in Valentine Z too, we are all familiar with the Star and Crescent, yes? The one that most (not all, of course) accepts as the symbol of Islam. Here, the Star has too many points instead of five, and the Cresent itself is a little filled up. I didn’t think much of it, since it’s clear that we are in an alternate world. Still, it’s a point of interest. Just as I looked away from the small painting, one of the man pointed towards a direction, diagonally up. “That’s likely where this mosque is. Good chance we can walk up this mountain and see?” I asked the rest of the group, to which they all agreed, “Something to do, I suppose!” Daina added on. And with that, we were finally off, walking away from the base camp and towards the start of the path: slope with a chain fence.

The slope went around the entire mountain, so we thankfully did not need to go with any climbing equipment, which we don’t have. That’s one thing that I suddenly thought about as we were walking. Those people at a base camp. How were they so relaxed with the fact that there were four people with no climbing equipment and whatsoever? Sure, we do have our backpacks, but we did not have any means to scale a cliff, let alone an entire mountain. “I’ll hazard a guess that maybe their mountains are like that?” Iraj suggested, “With clearly defined slopes and all, more accessible to everyone!” That might be it, really. Still, as long as they didn’t mean any harm, we could simply go up and that was what we did. After 30 minutes of walking (and resting), we reached one of the smaller summits and with it, that mosque that the base camp talked about. While a bit small, it was definitely a sight to see, and surprisingly clear too, given all of the fog and mist that were getting a bit oppressive. All four of us were in awe, taking photos of the place and of the immediate surrounding, as well as taking photos of each other. It was fun!

However, there was a bit of a small problem once again. The mosque was situated on another summit, and as far as the four of us can see, there was no way to go there. Well, except for one method. There was a strong rope being tied between the two summits, with their points of origin once again unknown because of the fog. All we could see was that rope, with another rope. The idea was simple, already suggested by the simple design of it: One needs to swing from where we are, to the cliff face just a little below that mosque. “Well, who’s first?” Iraj said dejectedly, not very willing to move forward. I was a bit hesitant too, hoping that it would not result in one of us falling to our doom. Still, Eveline would help us, right? She would do her space-time magic and then we will be safe and sound, recalling the fun times we have had. After some deliberation, Daina decided to go first, gripping tightly on the rope while saying a few words of her own. She swung carefully, using whatever she had at that moment to make sure that she didn’t go too fast or too slow. Three of could only watch in anticipation, hoping that she would make it.

Just as she was about to hit the mountain face, Daina managed to bend her knees and did a rappelling motion. I could see her holding the rope tightly, her hands likely going red with the intensity. After composing herself and getting her footing, Daina climbed up the face, finally reaching the base of the mosque. She gave a thumbs up as she looked around, releasing the rope so that the rest of us can have a turn with it. Iraj did it flawlessly and so did Vanuza and myself. Essentially, we made it to the mosque and was prepared to enter it. There was a bit of damage on the roof, so much so that some snow and rain – if it is possible here – may ingress into the place. Other than that, it was a relatively normal mosque as far as I am concerned. At least, it was normal for the people here. As we entered the mosque, which so far was devoid of people, we noticed that the elements of Islam looked a little bit different here and there. It’s not so much that it’s offensive, just that the differences were clear for those who follows or has studied the religion. “Interesting,” I heard Iraj saying to himself, “Subtle differences, yet quite a lot of implications.” Four of us took an hour or two to explore the place, simply taking it all in. Daina and Vanuza were impressed with it, taking a lot more photos of the interior. Iraj and I took photos too, but we were more interested in how much this place differed from a local mosque in Valentine Z. Eventually, with not much, we decided to leave, which is either by calling Eveline on an interdimensional line, or simply finishing up the 12 hours that she allocated.

Though there was nothing too crazy out of it. A good surprise as any other though. As we stepped out of the portal back to Valentine Z, specifically to the Time Travel Tourism place, Eveline was there to debrief us. Looking at the clock on the wall, only five minutes have passed, her having done the time manipulation. With a soft glee, Eveline approached us, asking us if we have interacted with the locals. “A fair bit but not to the point that we showed them current technology. Had a bit of trouble going back to forth though because of the language barrier.” Eveline thought about it for a moment, or a long time, we will never know for sure. “That’s quite all right. I don’t mind some interaction here and there, it’s just something I have to be strict on face value. You probably have a lot of idea on what people would do to change the past, present, future, everything in-between. So the interaction, yeah all good. All four of you are accounted for, no lasting injuries – from what I can see, at least… okay! You are all good to go! Thank you for your time, and hey, do come back again another time! Who knows what and where the next place may be!” The four of us then headed to a local fast food restaurant for lunch before heading back for World Cup. “Today was certainly something,” Vanuza remarked, “We should try that again with the others, and other places!”

by **Kelssek** » Mon May 18, 2026 9:51 am

The shock of two consecutive defeats meant a torrent of venting on SportsInfo Radio.

“First of all, it’s a shameful lack of discipline – as the captain, too – that you lose the ball and then hotheadly just go lunging in like that. Please, folks, it’s not even arguable, that’s a straight red any day, any where. So Titan Pogbacar should lose the captaincy. I’ve never been convinced he’s the right choice... I’d give it to Tessier or Obident personally.”

“Good to hear from you Jane. Markus on line four, what’s your reaction?”

“Ryan Potter has got to stop with these constant tactical changes... He’s so busy trying to show that he’s a clever coach but if I can’t tell what formation they’re playing, then how could the players possibly figure it out?”

“You don’t think professional football players can understand what’s going on a bit better than you, Markus?”

“...now I’m not saying it’s time to panic, but this experiment has clearly failed, what Potter is trying to do. We need to start thinking about who can replace him before we fall out of contention.”

“Ryan Potter’s the most successful manager in Kelssek football... Who is more proven that you’re thinking of? And don’t say Romain Dupuis, he’s well retired.”

“Well, that’s the problem, he’s complacent with all that success, right? We need some young and hungry manager willing to do what it takes to prove themselves.”

“Okay, so you’d like a less experienced coach to be made Kelssek manager. That’s an interesting one to think about. Thanks for your call. Emus Are Evil in Lancshill, that’s your real name I suppose, you’re on SportsInfo Radio...”

“This is finally waking people up to the problem we’ve had in youth development, where clubs are chasing short-term glory so hard they’re not giving younger players a chance, so we’re running the veterans into the ground and throwing youngsters into a meat grinder with no chance to ever find their way before we blame them for bad results and destroy their careers.”

“Hold on there, Emus. If you’re talking about Artemois Ostend, Romy Métisser, these players are on the Kelssek team because they’ve been a core part of a title-winning Saint-Rémy team. They’re not literal children, they’ve proven their ability haven’t they?”

“That’s another thing. Parenting these days has just gotten so permissive. I can’t believe some of the things I see...”

“Bad parenting is behind Kelssek losing two in a row this international break, with defeats against The Kytler Peninsuale and Srednjaci setting us up for high stakes situations in the last four matches of the World Cup qualifiers. We’ll take more of your calls after break on SportsInfo Radio.”

by **Pyazhnaya** » Mon May 18, 2026 9:52 am

Beating Hanalia away should probably have felt more dramatic than it did. Not because it wasn't important — it absolutely was. A brutal, tense 1–0 decided by Lina ghosting into space in the eighty-third minute like she'd materialized out of fog itself, but because by now the team exists in such a permanent state of controlled absurdity that even hugely important victories feel strangely normal. The draw against Andso Magnis, meanwhile, feels like being force-fed drywall. One-one, as sobering as the cold rain of Krasnograd that evening, and about as exciting as reading a press release by Simona Zubova. Yeah, it really was THIS dire.

Thirty-seven crosses into absolutely nowhere, one shot from distance that nearly killed a pigeon, you get the picture. Everyone, and I mean absolutely everyone left the stadium irritated. Which means, naturally, team morale somehow improves, because, yeah, I have no idea why, but somehow this irritation seems to give the squad purpose. And purpose gives the Danilas ideas (yes, I realize that I am kind of third-personing myself here, deal with it). This is dangerous. Very dangerous.

The table now looks like this:
Audioslavia comfortably first, ten points before us in second, then Kimi-Suomi third, six points back. Kimi-Suomi, our next opponent, making that away match enormous. Win it and we're a ginormous step closer to direct qualification, depending on how Abanhfleft and Hanalia are doing in their games, obviously, who, coincidentally are playing each other on MD15, which can, hopefully, fully play into our cards. If we lose it, well, suddenly everything becomes uncomfortable again.

Coach Agratova sent us into a training camp out near Cherniy Zamok, you know, that set of islands made from basalt and black soil. Sounds grim, looks grim, IS grim. She said that our training camp should be tense and focused. Well, I can confirm that it's tense. Focused... eehhhhh, debatable. I'd rather describe it as a traveling theatre troupe suffering mild collective brain damage. Snow falls heavily outside the lodge while tactical meetings alternate with increasingly stupid debates.

Kimi-Suomi are disciplined. Aggressive in transition. Excellent on set pieces. Which somehow leads to Danila standing beside a whiteboard drawing angry reindeer formations.

"I'm telling you," he insists, "their midfield presses like an elk defending territory."

Naira pinches the bridge of her nose. "Please explain how that helps us."

"Psychological visualization."

"You're making up words again."

Coach Agratova, to everyone's surprise, doesn't shut it down immediately. Instead she squints at the drawing. "...Actually the wide pressing trigger isn't entirely wrong."

"HE'S EVOLVING!" Sonya yells.

The coach points threateningly at all of us. "Don't make me regret engaging with the wildlife analogies."

Too late, the damage is done.

By evening the tactical board contains:

"Moose-like defensive spacing"
"Aggressive swan pressing"
"Fox mentality in transition"

A drawing of Zubova as an owl labeled ANTI-FUN PREDATOR somehow makes its way onto the whiteboard as well, nobody claims responsibility, but Lina quietly adds little snowflakes around it while nobody notices.

The buildup to Kimi-Suomi takes on a weirdly energetic atmosphere. Focused, yes, but almost playful. The team isn't tense anymore before big matches. We've managed to replace that with hunger to give the people what they want, something fun, something to identify with. And because the internet has permanently poisoned our brains, someone, and with that I mean Danila, proposes another video.

"Cinema," he says reverently.

"Oh no," Naira sighs immediately.

The concept is simple.

The first half is titled:

PYAZHNAYA: THE WAY WE DO THINGS

The video opens dramatically. Snow-covered training grounds. Music swelling. Drone shots sweeping over frozen forests and floodlit pitches. Then immediate chaos.

Me and Danila sliding into training on the icy path and crashing into a snowbank. Lina calmly continuing dribbling drills while everyone else loses footing around her like baby deer. Maksimilian trying to motivate everyone with a serious speech while wearing a ridiculous fur hat that looks like he stuffed a dead animal on his head. Naira conducting tactical analysis while Sonya slowly replaces her magnets on the tactics board with tiny duck stickers.

Quick cuts, laughter, fun. Hard tackles in training trading spaces with snowball fights. Team dinners and recovery sessions. Coach Agratova staring with exhausted disappointment while Danila attempts to explain why "vibes-based momentum" is a legitimate tactical phenomenon.

Then the tone shifts slightly and the music becomes more cinematic, epic, as if building up to something profound. Which it is. Lina practicing free kicks alone under snowfall. Naira watching match footage at two in the morning. Players helping local kids shovel snow outside the lodge. Maksimilian staying behind after training to work on headers until dark.

The final line appears on screen:

WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT FOOTBALL. WE JUST DON'T HATE OURSELVES.

The video reaches ten million views in under twenty-four hours. This, on its own is already disastrous enough for the hardliners to digest.

But then comes part two. Because Danila, possessed by whatever ancient demon fuels his existence, releases the second video the following evening.

Black-and-white filter. Funeral music. The title:

PYAZHNAYA FOOTBALL UNDER ALTERNATIVE MANAGEMENT

The opening shot is me sitting silently at a table in a completely grey room wearing a suit. No expression. No movement. Just staring directly into the camera.

Text appears:

EMOTIONAL EXPRESSION DETECTED
PENALTY PENDING

Cut.

Lina attempts a smile during training. A whistle immediately blows.

Cut again.

Maksimilian tries to high-five someone.

A federation official appears from nowhere and hands him a document labeled:

FORMAL WARNING

Cut.

Naira gives a tactical explanation using actual useful detail.

A giant red stamp appears over the screen:

TOO CREATIVE

By this point even Coach Agratova is crying laughing behind the camera.

Then comes the masterpiece.

Danila walks into frame holding a football.

"Hello everyone. Today I will discuss personal happiness."

Instant smash cut. Alarm sirens. Black screen.

Text:

ACCOUNT TERMINATED FOR VIBES-BASED ACTIVITY

The internet ceases functioning normally for approximately twelve hours even neutral fans from other countries start sharing clips. Somebody edits Zubova into a dystopian propaganda poster.

A newspaper in Kimi-Suomi publishes an editorial titled:

"Pyazhnaya Are Either Revolutionizing Football Culture Or Losing Their Minds."

The answer, frankly, is probably both.

Which brings us to Audioslavia (do not question this quantum leap in logic, just follow). The best team in the qualifiers. Undefeated. Elegant. Terrifying.

The buildup to this game feels completely different. We're not afraid, because why would we? Because nobody expects anything. Audioslavia dismantled everybody else, including us in the first game. Clinical, ruthless coldly brilliant. And weirdly, that's freeing. We feel zero pressure, even playing in front of our own fans, because if we lose, it's expected. We don't have to protect our dignity (which, quite frankly, some people have questioned way before) or cling to some delusional hope that we could still catch them in first place.

"Morituri te salutant." Those who are about to die salute you. When we think about that game, there's calm. Not before the storm, but just calm. No livestreams tonight. No tactical ducks. Just the team.

Maksimilian stares out at the pitch.

"You know what's funny?" he says quietly. "I think this is the least nervous I've ever been."

Naira nods slowly. "Because if we lose, everyone shrugs."

"And if we don't?" Lina asks.

Nobody answers immediately. Danila eventually leans back against the bench with a grin. "Then it'll be the funniest thing we've ever done."

Final line:

LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

For once, even the internet goes quiet.

by **Pasarga** » Mon May 18, 2026 10:09 am

Queen Azra was attending a formal engagement in Stilinkeep, her brother was hosting a ball at the old keep in what was the de facto capital of Peynol to celebrate his engagement to that of a Princess from Banija. The two had been dating for near on two years now and a few months ago he had stopped by the palace on a return trip from Banija and asked if she had any recommendations for jewelers that might help him pick out an engagement ring. She had to say that she was pleased with herself, having pushed her little brother to take the trip to Banija a little over two years ago when an invitation had been sent for them to attend a football match with the royal family there. There had been the smallest of hopes that Iskander would hit it off with one of the princess, as she had been informed beforehand that two of them would be present for the occasion. Now here they were celebrating the official engagement, with the wedding scheduled for the early fall to have a bit of a colorful wedding with the changing of the leaves and it not being too hot nor too cold, in case the couple decided they wanted an outdoor venue for the occasion.

She was about to go and speak with some of the heads of certain influential families when she felt a slight tug at her dress and shoulder, spinning around to see one of her security detail looking professional but clearly wanting to speak with her in private. "Your highness, there is a bit of a situation that needs your attention." The words were spoken calmly yet firmly and he motioned towards a door that lead to a currently unused study where two more of her security detail were standing outside of. "Very well, I do hope this is a matter of urgency to pull me away from my brother's engagement party." She said with a bit of a huffiness to it, as she had wanted this to be a night of merriment and relaxation, maybe with a bit of rubbing elbows with a few notables to get a bit more political capital to spend on some projects she had in mind in the near future. Placing her half empty champagne flute on a nearby table, she glided across the room towards where her security detail was waiting and entered into the study, only to see the Minister of the Exterior also having been pulled from the festivities. "Your highness." he said, giving a small bow as she entered the room.

"Clearly there is something going on if you have pulled both of us here, what is so urgent that it need pull us from the celebration?" She asked and took a seat, the rest of the room following her example as the minister as well as the head of her security detail sat with her. Reading the body language of the pair, neither looked exceptionally nervous so she surmised that whatever the situation was, it was not so terrible as they needed to be worried. That both took some of the edge off but also annoyed her slightly as it made her feel that whatever it might be could have waited for the morning when they were headed back to Torgos rather than taking them away from the party.

"Approximately three hours ago, there was a message received at a monitoring station that creates a bit of concern." The security detail pulled out a pair of copies for the transcribed message that had been received, sliding it across the table to the two members of the who were going to be the most effected but what was in the message. "It appears that very shortly the entire nation, landmass and all, of Chromatika will be appearing in the Rushmori waters."

"Chromatika, aren't they in Anaia?" the minister asked a bit quizzical, still trying to read the message while the security spoke.

"Apparently some sort of magic or something happened a few years ago that actually had them misplaced and now they appear to be coming out of whatever that event was here in Rushmore." The eyes of both the Queen and the minister went a tad wide as they both began to process what that would entail and what new opportunities would come available from this development. They also both knew that the parliament was going to be quite conflicted on what the right approach to this situation was going to be and they looked at each other as if reading each others mind, as if they already knew that they would have to spend the next day hashing out an united front to present, increase the odds of actually sorting out what their response was going to be rather than letting it be debated ad nauseam in parliament.

"Keep this quiet for the time being Nevitz, we will inform parliament tomorrow when we arrive back in Torgos." Azra said, frowning a little knowing that she was going to be distracted the rest of the evening thinking about this rather than enjoying the merriment that was supposed to be the party. Heavy was the head that wore the crown though and she knew situations like this would arise from time to time where she had to put the nation in front of her own desires and wants.

by **Crpostran** » Mon May 18, 2026 10:28 am

by **Solgavden** » Mon May 18, 2026 10:38 am

(en.rkt.com.sg/sport/articles/XsB1qjjhW4)

 RKT Sport

"...Just What the Hell is Going on With Solgavish Football?"
Taking a look into the Solgavish National Team's horrid performance in World Cup qualifiers, and if they can hope to turn it around

By: Karolin Krogh

The question above was reportedly asked by none other than Queen Sophia, during her recent meeting with the Council of State. The ministers present shared the same level of confusion as her, and the group spent at least twenty minutes discussing the sorry state of Solgavish football before going back on topic. If even Sophia (Sovereign of the Solgavish Realm, Queen of the Solgavs, Duchess of Lysborg, and about a dozen other titles I’ll save you from having to read), has lost faith in the national team, then what does that say about the average Solgavish fan that has to watch this team night in and night out? It seems that a level of melancholy has set in the sports-loving nation, as the premier sports team meant to represent them has fallen flat on their face time and time again.

Where has it gone wrong for De Rega Röda? After all, many readers will remember the team’s unlikely run during the previous World Cup’s qualification campaign, finishing in third place of Group 10 with 37 points, just one behind #9 ranked Farfadillis’ 38 (who were admittedly having a down year). Many will remember Oskar Rosendahl’s drug-induced hat-trick to beat Farfadillis, the park-the-bus tactics having Sig Halvorsan line up as a center-back to draw Kanzlia 0-0, and goalkeeper Frederik Voll stepping up as a hero when Gunny Kristoffersan went down to an injury. The Solgavish National Team seemed unstoppable, able to stand toe to toe with any nation and come out on top more often than not. The feeling of good vibes continued well into the subsequent Cup of Harmony, as Solgavden would reach the quarterfinals of a tournament for the first time, losing to Saterun 3-0.

The last tournament the National Team played in before the World Cup was the Independents Association Championship, and despite all of their group stage games being held at their own stadium, cracks were beginning to show within the structure of the team. After a slightly underwhelming draw in their opening match, De Rega Röda picked up a loss that instantly put them in jeopardy of missing the knockout stage entirely, with a desperate win in the final match being enough to just barely squeak by to the Round of 32, where Solgavden fell to eventual winners Reçueçn on penalties. During the IAC, the offense struggled to string more than two passes together, let alone score goals. The defense, which was historically the team’s weak point, now had to pick up the slack, and they could only do so much before they began to buckle as well. That takes us to the current World Cup, where it has seemed like these problems have not only continued, but developed into a serious issue.

Group 7                   Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 The Kytler Peninsulae   14   11   3   0    35    9  +26    36  Automatic Qualification
 2 Kelssek                 14    8   3   3    24   16   +8    27  Automatic Qualification
 3 Bostopia                14    8   2   4    22   15   +7    26  Playoff Third Round
 4 Yangchenia              14    8   2   4    24   19   +5    26  Playoff Second Round
 5 Atheara                 14    7   1   6    17   18   −1    22  Playoff First Round
 6 Srednjaci               14    5   3   6    25   27   −2    18
 7 Solgavden               14    4   3   7    16   21   −5    15  *record scratch* *freeze frame* Yep, that's us
 8 Mytanija                14    3   2   9    19   31  −12    11
 9 Raspotochje             14    2   3   9    21   29   −8     9
10 Olastor                 14    2   2  10     9   27  −18     8

A look at the current standings in Group 7 makes for dreadful reading, as Solgavden sits in seventh place, twelve points away from automatically qualifying in second place, and seven points away from a chance of qualification through a playoff spot. With three out of their last four games having them set to face teams already well within the playoffs, including group leaders Kytler Peninsulae and Kelssek, then Solgavden’s chances of making a playoff spot are virtually zero. Although that fact was only apparent to us recently, the team has played like they were eliminated from the very start, as a string of uninspiring performances prove that they’re playing with no heart. Solgavden has lost games against teams we were expecting to lose to, such as 2-0 against Kelssek, lost games against teams they could’ve hoped to draw, like the 2-0 game against Atheara, and lost to teams they definitely should’ve beaten, like the recent 3-1 defeat to Mytanija. No matter what caliber of team they face, Solgavden has the potential to play down to their competition, and let their opponents stay in the match no matter what. So, who’s at fault for this uncategorical shitshow? Let’s take a look at key players who have done…well not much of anything so far.

Johan Lind: It seems like in recent years, Lind has transformed from “gentle giant that is a beast on defense” to “gentle giant that is also soft on the field”. Lind is 6’ 5” and built like a cement truck, yet instead of laying down the heavy tackles that made him selected to the National Team in the first place, he has opted for showing more finesse, a technique used by shorter defenders like Roenfeldt and Björkstrand. Despite his lack of aggression on the pitch, Lind is somehow still the team’s most carded player, being easily drawn into fouls that more often than not lead to set pieces, which more often than not lead to goals.
Frederik Voll: Voll was heavily hyped before his first full tournament as Solgavden’s starting goalkeeper, with even the retiring Gunny Kristoffersan handing over his #1 shirt to him over dinner. The excitement was understandable, as Voll has been far and away the Kongensliga’s best goalkeeper for the past few years, serving as the last line of defense for a Vennesberg United team that recently won the title. Voll earned the Kistner Memorial Trophy (best player award) for his efforts, being the first goalkeeper to do so in decades. Of course, the team in front of him isn’t doing too hot, but Voll can not be letting in some of the goals that he has conceded, especially if you’re being touted as the best goalkeeper of a generation.
Sig Halvorsan: The Captain, the Man of Tomorrow, undoubtedly the best Solgavish player since the death of Kistner, arguably the greatest Solgavish player even including Kistner. Halvorsan suffers from a lot of the same problems that Voll has, as after shattering the Kongensliga season goal record by scoring 44, he has expectations that might be impossible to fulfill. Halvorsan has done an admirable job, scoring about half of Solgavden’s goals so far, and still being the team’s biggest threat on the field at age 39. “So how has he underperformed?”, well Halvorsan's job isn’t just on the pitch, it extends way beyond into the mainstream of Solgavish culture. He is the face of the National Team, and the face of Solgavish football as a whole, so his most important duty is to be a leader of men to players he’s supposed to lead into battle. He sets the tone, a lot of the players grew up watching him, so wherever he goes, they will follow. Yet ever since this World Cup campaign began, he has been mirthless in the way he’s approached the game, which has surely rubbed off on the rest of the squad. Maybe it’s age, maybe it’s the double heartbreak of choking away a league title and Cup victory, or maybe the rift between Strömberg and him has grown beyond repair, but Halvorsan needs to remove his head from his ass, and lead the men meant to represent our great nation.

It’s no secret now that manager Peter Strömberg is set to retire at the end of the cycle, with the RSFF quietly beginning their search for his replacement. Strömberg has accomplished all there is to accomplish as a player, and has done the same as a coach on the domestic side of the sport, set to become of the few individuals inducted to the Solgavish Sports Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach. Yet, as manager of the Solgavish national team, there isn’t much he has actually won, except for the Football Kelssek Inner Peace Prize…whatever that’s worth. This has surely ate at him, as the teams he put out onto the pitch and tactics he devised has been good on paper, yet the team has uncategorically failed to deliver time and time again, especially during this World Cup campaign. What made Strömberg so great is his unyielding level of excellence he expects from his players at all facets of the game, from their training, to their diet, to even the way they sleep. While some players and fans hate him with all their heart (Halvorsan being a poignant example), there are none that can challenge his effectiveness at turning a group of players into winners. His reputation speaks for itself, and has given him a lot of leeway within the RSFF and the rest of society, but his replacement will not be granted the same latitude, and we can only hope that this team will get their act together before that comes to pass.

World Cup 81/82/83/84

The Commonwealth of Baker Park National Team may have let their chance to win Group 3 slip away with a 1-1 draw at home against Andossa Se Mitrin Vega on matchday 14, but remain in the driver's seat for the second automatic qualifying spot, provided they can navigate an away trip to slumping Equestria and a home contest against Qasden at the BBP National Stadium on the penultimate international window of World Cup 101 Qualifying.

With twelve points left to play for, BP are 11 back of Valanora but 12 clear of ASMV who currently hold down fifth place in the table which brings with it the last playoff berth. Milchama sit three points behind the Bees in third while Sarzonia have slipped to fourth, five points from second.

by **Eshialand** » Mon May 18, 2026 11:42 am

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“Frankly, I’m just disappointed. There’s no other way I can describe it… things have just gone off the deep end.”

In the blink of an eye, a team that had been contending for first for over half this campaign was stuck multiple matches behind second place with little hope of improving things. A difficult home loss to Saperetia (one which was previously reported on after MD4 due to a clerical mistake, now manifested months later), immediately followed by losing the critical match in Tanirinthia, dealt a one-two punch that killed Eshian expectations for this campaign. All of a sudden, this wasn’t about qualifying for the World Cup directly… this was about not getting bounced out of a playoff spot entirely.

The Owls now found themselves just as close to 7th place as they were to 2nd. Practically, this meant that despite their crippled morale, they would have to fight for every single point to not get passed by all of these mid-table teams nipping at their tails. With their next match being the critical home tie against Dantopia, a team which trounced them 5-1 earlier in the campaign, there was absolutely zero question that they would have to do far, far better than they had been.

“If we want to get to the World Cup,” Mel Carey said at the post-match press conference in Tanirinthia, “a lot of changes need to be made and a lot of hard decisions need to be made along with them. We can’t be taking any chances now, especially with the Dantopia match coming up. This is going to be the single most important match when it comes to getting back to the final 48. We need to be fully ready for this one, no ifs ands or buts.”

The good news was that, after this match, things would get significantly easier, with the final 3 matches being Xanneria away, Allamunnic States home, Sudilia away. Sudilia had been on a second-half push showing some decent results, but it wasn’t nearly as dangerous of a match as playing the top two teams in the group back to back.

“To all the doubters,” the manager continued, “this looks bad right now, but I promise the worst of it is almost over. We can get past this speed bump, and I know the team has what it takes to punch their ticket to the World Cup. Things have just been a little slower than expected, that’s all. Never count us out.”

“I’m so glad you made it here so quickly!” the king said as he welcomed Governor Olayeva to his office. “I was honestly expecting the trip from Aleirave to take a little longer.”
“You know it’s a lot faster than it used to be, Aleirave needs to be more connected with Anaia and the world and improving ferry speeds is a huge part of that. Anyway, we should be getting down to business.”
“Of course, right, take a seat.” Will said, sitting down behind his desk and firing up his computer. “So first of all, the obvious question’s obvious. You’ve made sure this transcript is real, right?”

“It’s exactly what I remember happening in that courtroom. Down to every whisper to Alex Daniels. Honestly, I’m impressed at how the stenographer was able to capture that much, I’ve never been able to type at the speed of speech like that. Hell, not even half the speed!”

“Surely having that specialized keyboard helps, no?”
“Wait, that’s how they do it?”
“Yeah, have you ever seen one up close? It’s really a sight to behold. Anyway, we’re getting off-track again. Who gets sent these things after the trial is over?”
“Traditionally just the judge and attorneys, although sometimes the jurors will get them to help with deliberations… but the jury wasn’t even selected, so officially there were no jurors.”
“So only the attorneys?”
“I guess so? And Alex Daniels would never be the mole since he swore to Haulafo to respect his wishes.”
“Why the heck did you even come here then if you already knew the only person who could possibly be the mole was Lana Garber?”
“I… uh…”

Katya didn’t really have a good response to this question. She really did just waste a trip to the king’s office just to answer a question she could’ve solved with some critical thinking skills and two minutes in the shower.

“I don’t know how to contact her, and certainly don’t have a way to access mainlander records from the island, so in a way I was gonna have to come here anyway.” she replied, trying to save a little bit of face. “You wouldn’t happen to be able to get a hold of her, would you?”

“I mean I can try,” he replied as he dialed, “but I doubt I’ll get any sort of re—”
“Hello?” Lana asked as she picked up the phone. “Who is this?”

“Hi, yes, I’m William…” he cut himself off, realizing that revealing his true identity probably wasn’t going to be the smartest idea. “...Davidson? From the EIS. Special Investigator Davidson, yes.”

“Why are you impersonating an EIS agent???” Katya whispered, worried that they’d get in way too much trouble over a phone call that probably wasn’t that big of a deal.
“Relax, I’ve done way crazier shit, we’ll be fine.”

“Oh, sure Mr. Davidson, what are you calling about?”
“I was just wondering if you had any ties to one Daniella Frith, have you heard of her?”
“Heard of her? Everyone in the country has at this point, that’s a dumb question.”
“Okay but what about the ties?”
“No, never. She’s a total blowhard, I don’t interact with people like… that. Everything she says is tailor-made to piss somebody off.”
“Did you ever email it to anyone?”
“No sir, never.”

Technically, she wasn’t lying here. She did show Mark Monley the transcript, but she did so in person at EIS Headquarters. She never sent an email containing the transcript to anyone, Mark scanned up the physical copy. Still, that didn’t stop her from sweating bullets, since she knew this investigator was on her case.

“Uhh, alright then,” the king said, not really sure how to proceed. “We’ll take note of that and might ask you some follow-up questions later. Thanks for chatting with us!”

click!

“That’s it???” Katya asked. “Nothing else? 0 followup questions after she just said no to everything like a robot??”
“I’m sorry, I was never trained in this shit! Do you think I know anything about how to investigate?!”
“THEN WHY DID YOU CALL HER??” she yelled, clearly fed up with this.
“I thought she might fold if I told her I was somebody she couldn’t lie to.”
“Dear Margaret… it’s fine, whatever, we’ll keep digging. Just let me take the lead on all the phone calls next time, okay?”

“Oh my god, that was close…” Lana sighed after the “investigator” hung up on her.

Of course, she was a little suspicious about that phone call. Who was this investigator? How had he caught up to her that quickly? Luckily, she had a contact who could help sort all of this out lickety-split.

ring! ring!

“Mark? Are you there?” she asked the EIS director.
“Yeah, what’s—”
“Someone at the EIS is already onto us. Or at least, he claimed to be EIS.”
“You mean you don’t know if he was one of my guys?”
“Can you see if you have anybody working there by the name of William Davidson?”
“The name doesn’t ring a bell, but sure…” he said, as he typed the name into his computer. “No matches. Whoever called you is a fraud.”
“That’s kinda what I thought, the call was incredibly weird. Is this something you can investigate?”
“Impersonating an officer of the law is a major offense, so I should be able to. There just… need to not be any words as to why I’m investigating.”
“Isn’t it as easy as ‘you received a tip about someone strange acting like an EIS investigator on the phone’?”
“I just don’t want a ton of questions.”
“Everything we’re doing involves a ton of questions, there’s no changing that.” Lana told him. “Anyway, I’ll be off since you probably have more important work to do. Hope you have a great Monday!”

click!

“There’s no such thing as a great Monday, especially not when I’m dealing with shit like this…”

by **Snestar** » Mon May 18, 2026 11:43 am

(AI generated image in the background)

WC101 Matchday 13: Snestar 0-1 Kamijiro
Goalscorers (Kamijiro):
9’ Keigo Nakaji
Player of the Match: Keigo Nakaji

(AI generated image in the background)

WC101 Matchday 14: United Adaikes 1-2 Snestar
Goalscorers (United Adaikes):
23’ [unknown]
Goalscorers (Snestar):
78’ Amos Castronovo
83’ Veronica Lodigiani
Player of the Match: Federico Calvaresi

Snestar loses against Kamijiro: thanks to Ko-oren, the Viola remains five points above third place, but direct qualification seems unlikely

Matchdays 13 and 14 were, for the first time, an underwhelming display of football coming from the Snestaryan National Team. From controversial refereeing decisions, to late comebacks against rosterless teams, the Viola is in complete chaos right now: will Edoardo di Palma manage to keep the players united, and maintain a level of cohesion within the team?

Snestar 0-1 Kamijiro: Match Summary

At the Lavenya Stadium in Lavenya, everyone at the stadium, full to the brim with Snestaryan fans, hoped for another miracle. But this time, no one could have thought that the one to destroy their chances of securing a nil-nil draw and getting even closer to direct qualification would be… the Farfadillis referee officiating the stadium, along with their VAR squad. Throughout the whole match (which was fairly boring), the Viola found itself locked in place, with Keigo Nakaji scoring an early goal in the 9th minute and helping Kamijiro maintain a one goal lead during the remaining eighty minutes. Still, the Viola did manage to defend themselves somewhat decently, though, with Garnati and Cavaliere putting in extra work to prevent Calvaresi from finding himself in un-saveable situation, while Barami and Finamore remained underwhelming. However, in the 86th minute, a failed corner kick from Kamijiro brought the ball directly towards Malavoglia, who then promptly passed it to a Giacomo Martinelli, fired up and ready to face the alone Akinari Akaminai, the last obstacle before Ichi Asumi. Before the defense could reconstruct itself, Martin de Roux came to the rescue, and after being handed the ball right in front of the keeper, De Roux smashed the ball through the keeper’s legs, bringing the long awaited equalizer to the Lavenya Stadium… But the keeper ruled it offside! Sensing something fishy, the Snestaryans protested vividly, calling for a VAR check, which confirmed the Farf referee’s decision, causing Snestar to end up losing the match by one goal. Both the players and the Snestaryan media were furious: later checks revealed that, although the distance between Akaminai’s foot and the ball was millimetrical, there was indeed no offside, and the goal should have been allowed, but Kamijiro still brought home immensely important three points stained with dirt.

United Adaikes 1-2 Snestar: Match Summary

After suffering an immense injustice in their previous match against Kamijiro, the Viola seemed more demoralized than ever. During the entire flight to United Adaikes, players started blaming each other for their defeats throughout the qualification campaign, with Barami and Baldriga taking most of the criticism for, quoting Garnati, “ruining the national team’s purity”. After this utterly revolting sentence by the Snestaryan defender was said, all of the Snestaryan female players chose to strike against the National Team, ready to outright refuse to play for the Viola. As chaos ensued, the technical team proceeded to calm Garnati down, and the FSC chose to give him a warning for his comments, worrying that it might harm the reputation of the nation. Still, despite everything, Di Palma allowed Garnati to keep playing in the match against United Aidakes, which might not have been the brightest of ideas: once again (hopefully this won’t become the norm), the Snestaryan team played in a disjointed manner, with Federico Calvaresi saving shots like his life depends on it, keeping the Viola afloat throughout the 90 minutes. Still, as the first half ended with Snestar down by one goal, Di Palma finally snapped: he benched Garnati, then threw in Amos Castronovo, Nicola Ragusa, and Veronica Lodigani, transitioning to a 3-5-2 formation (which is not the typical strategy used by Di Palma). Still, this strange decision seemed to have worked out in Snestar’s favor: Castronovo and Lodigiani helped make Viola’s comeback true, scoring two goals in quick succession and earning themselves the title of “super-sub couple” by Snestaryan media, who capitalized on the two players being both 21 years old to tease them about a potential romance. Both Lodigiani and Castronovo, however, have denied the claims for now, though from their interviews they seemed to have not completely ruled out.

Matchday 15 vs Biyambi
5-4-1 Formation
GK 1 Federico Calvaresi (C)
LB 5 Riccardo Cavaliere
CB 23 Fabio de Rossi
CB 4 Vittorio Gallerani
CB 28 Riccardo Finamore
RB 13 Marta Camilla Barami
LM 10 Martin de Roux
CDM 6 Davide Scognamiglio
CDM 26 Angelica Malavoglia
RM 20 Fabio De Filippi
ST 9 Giacomo Martinelli
(Matchday 15 will be played at the Savij Stadium, a 31000 seater in Grenna, home to Club Grenna 1883. Snestaryan clubs are very original when it comes to naming: almost all of the first three divisions have clubs which are referred to exclusively by the city they’re based in (e.g. Lavenya, Edervina, Vulperya, Sverardinya, Bolenya, Bellamora, etc.))

Matchday 16 vs Brusselstein
4-3-3 Formation
GK 12 Renato Splendore
LB 5 Riccardo Cavaliere
CB 3 Valentino Garnati
CB 28 Riccardo Finamore
RB 13 Marta Camilla Barami
CM 10 Martin de Roux
CDM 6 Davide Scognamiglio
CDM 26 Angelica Malavoglia
LW 17 Federico Marchesi
ST 9 Giacomo Martinelli
RW 19 Matteo Gagliardi

World Cup 101 - The Roleplays

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