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Zoran

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  1. Like
    Zoran got a reaction from Arifiyyah in World Cup of Football III [rosters, roleplays, results]   
    Transcript:
    Video shows Noya Priscan and Quiyakaso Gohalitsve, still in his disco clothes, walking out of the Ryxtylopian police station
    Noya: You owe me for this!
    Quiyakaso: I know...but at the same time I had them right where I wanted them!
    Noya: Oh? Pray tell, how were you in control of that situation?
    Quiyakaso: I was this close to getting the police captain to accept my Disco Duel challenge!
    Noya: Quiyakaso, you were in there for five days! It took forever for us to negotiate your release!
    Quiyakaso: ...I still had everything under control.
    Noya slaps Quiyakaso
    Noya: Just shut up, I spent my own personal money to get you out of there. The least you could do is thank me.
    Quiyakaso looks surprised for a moment
    Quiyakaso: Really? You did that for me?
    Noya: Yes! It was either continue the show without you or pay the small...bail and get you out!
    Quiyakaso: Oh...so it wasn't because we are fr-
    Noya: No. 
    Quiyakaso: Oh...
    Noya: Now could we please just do the report of the last match?
    Quiyakaso: Fine, I guess we can.
    Quiyakaso pulls out his phone to check the results
    Quiyakaso:  Hellooooooo, Zoran! In the last match, the Zoranian team lost in a series of penalty kicks against Arifiyyah, 2-3. Tonight, our team is going up against Dalimbar, a formidable foe to be sure.
    Noya: That's right! Let's see if our team ca-
    Quiyakaso begins patting around his pockets
    Quiyakaso: Hey! Where did my courtship flute go!?
    Noya: What? You had one on you? Why?
    Quiyakaso: Yes I did! Every Zoranian man knows to carry one around in case you see someone you find hot.
    Noya: I thought that was a dying practice in our country? 
    Quiyakaso: No way! It is still popularly used by men in the country, really helps us express feelings that are limited by language!
    Noya: Huh, well that is news to me.
    Quiayakso: The more you know!...NOW WHERE IS MY FLUTE!? 
    Noya: Let's go back inside and see if they kept it.
    Quiyakaso: ...right after I bring up how warm and friendly the newly promoted Dalimbari guy looks!
    Noya:...What?
    Quiyakaso: Come on, look at him! Doesn't he look like the kind of guy you can trust?
    Noya: ...Can we just go back inside and get your flute?
    Quiyakaso: Ok...
     
  2. Like
    Zoran reacted to Peourouin in World Cup of Football III [rosters, roleplays, results]   
    Metropolitan cities of Drir and Aibuz opening secession talks: What it entails for Helmaamoi and the representatives in the national Budynok Narodu
    Julia Katerines, Reporter

    The island archipelago of Zolhan and Drir are separated from the mainland by the Viatic Ocean and Ersan Channel. Despite the founding of the ancient era of Peouroun people beginning on the island of Drir, it and the island of Zolhan have always been estranged states when in the union with the other states.
    Drir, the first to ratify the current constitution, was an avid player in uniting the Peouroun people from the grips of numerous cliques and smaller republics that tried to consolidate regional power through force. Along the way, another amicable entity was Aibuz (Zolhan), who joined Drir in their efforts to put our peoples under one flag.

    Map of Peourouin's cities
    By 1340, much of the modern-day borders were official. With differences settled with Sekiya with the establishment of autonomous regions in both countries, each piece was settling into place to have the first republic established under Peouroun authority.
    Feziklyr was the capital of the then republic and was monumental in situating Peourouin into the international light at the time. The city slowly grew to an overbearing 1.3 million in the spaces between the river Myv and river Fransoissignant, an area of barely 150 km2 (smaller than D.C.) by 1353. The eventual sprawl of the city kicked off by 1354 growing west and southwest into the current municipalities of Roshtimal, Uksuralya, and Misto Feziklyrsouts. These municipalities drew in major island and immigrant populations for its inexpensive land, cost of living, and influence they could have in national politics.
    By 1357, the city more than doubled its population of 1343 to just under 3.0 million and reached north of the river Fransoi. to the border of state of Baoken. The city was on its frills during its breakneck pace of expansion and population growth taking a toll on the infrastructure and essential services being provided by the city. Two major accidents instilled the fear of Feziklyr as the massive, "Frankensteined" layout of the city.
    The first accident occurred on 3 March 1365 where a freight truck carrying ammonium nitrate collided with a fuel tanker on the inner ring expressway along the river Myv. The accident sparked a massive explosion in the heart of the city, causing >1,000 deaths and >15,000 injuries in the nearby vacinity. Residential blocks, highrises, and historical buildings were extensively damaged, if not already demolished by the shockwave it sent throughout the city. Damage figures were estimated to be as high as 15 billion Ńeupyturs (adjusted for inflation).
    The second accident occurred on Peourouin Ratification Day, 12 April 1378 where the rail bridge connecting Feros'--an exurb of Misto Feziklyrsouts--to Feziklyr Central Station was shut down after reports of the ride across the section became hazardous. The long distance train from Wropens, however, did not receive the discretion to reroute north of the original route and continued in the direction of the shut down section of track. Making a stop at Logdyshch, the train intended to pick up servicemen and women from training bringing them back home for the remembrance of the lives laid down for the good of the country. The arrival of the train was late, so the conductor increased the speed of the train to at least minimize the delay of the train, but approaching the section of track the train began to encounter track unevenness until the train derailed off the bridge. 239 passengers were on that train, 190 perished and 45 were injured.
    These accidents sparked the opinion that the fragility of the city did not make it feasible to name Feziklyr the capital of the country. Though, the states of Drir and Zolhan strongly argued against the switch to a new capital claiming that the representation of the island states would be glossed over. Knowing that the majority of the country would be in favor, the states staged a collaboration party that pushed for the islands to gain independence during the election season of 1404. Though it initially did not gain traction, the past election year, 1422 saw the first time the opposition party (Independence for the Islands Party) ran directly against the highly popular People First Party of current President Aleks Humatiy. And earlier this week, the first official secession talks were held.
    The situation is novel, and we will bring the latest from Drir and Zolhan as soon as our reporters in those states gain any information.
    (STATEMENT: Peourouin Today is not affiliated with the Peouroun government, Budynok Narodu, or the Supreme Court of Peourouin. We are an independent journal whose goal is to provide the nation and Esferos with the independent, with facts news and coverage through the lens of Peourouin.)
    Matchday 3: Peourouin's Perilous Loss Against United Adaikes, Home Boys Enraged as Team Has "Put Shame" on Peouroun Legacy in Football
    Brandon Trella, Junior Correspondent

    United Peourouin Sports Authority Logo (логотип Союзні Перуен Спорт Авторитет)
    The United Peourouin Sports Authority proudly represents Team Peourouin at the World Cup of Football.
    For the third match in a row, the United Peourouin Sports Authority team representing Peourouin at the WCF3 has lost against its opponents from Cambria, the game with 7 scored goals, a record for the WCF3 at this point in time, Teralyon with a 2-0 score on Peourouin, and this past match with United Adaikes with a 1-0 score.
    Supporters in Feziklyr--the most avid of supporters--have been nonstop talking about the previous three matches, but some have taken their frustrations out on the streets. Some blame the aging coach, some believe the games are a simulation, both coming from fringe supporters.
    The team has been working diligently to put up their best defenses against attack-focused compositions and tactics, but to no avail. We were again able to speak with Head Coach Nikolas Saprots and one of the managers, Mikhail Ascerbiv, on the recent games.
    We spoke to Head Coach Saprots right after the game:
    B. Trella "We've seen major work being done on the field, and with your expertise, it's no wonder the team has been kicking and screaming at every game."
    HC Nikolas Saprots "I certainly agree with your assessment of the team, they've put tooth and nail into every pass, corner, and attempt. These guys are impressive to say the least."
    B. Trella "How have you and the team stayed positive in light of the loss after loss? 
    HC N. Saprots "The team has gone through a deep introspection into themselves before putting themselves on the field. Because what happens on the field stays on the field. You can't change the world while playing UA's team, Tera's team, or Cambria's team. And considering they're going on 6 days of matches and practices, they're exhausting their batteries and they need to recharge.
    B. Trella "Peourouin is up against Sekiya next, our southern neighbor; how do you suspect the game progresses as allies and opponents simultaneously?"
    HC N. Saprots "Sekiya as friends, it will always be. Whatever people say, they've been our most outspoken relationship our two nations have had. While they have had a good run, time can only tell if they worked up to the 4th match."
    HC Saprots was still optimistic, sanguine about the abilities the team was able to perform and exercise during regulation.
    Manager Mikhail Ascerbiv reached out to Peourouin Today to inform us about the matches in Ryxtylopia, the state of the team, and the business PM Olaysiy Udemmiena has coming along with the team.
    B. Trella
    "You are the manager of the players, what is the stadium schedule looking like?"
    TM M. Ascerbiv "Right so MD1 and MD2 were at Istadio Gral. Tavara Diparti, against Cambria and Teralyon; MD3 is at Istadio Raquivas, which required the team to travel basically across the territory and was against United Adaikes; MD4 is back at Istadio Gral. Tavara Diparti and will be against Sekiya; and MD5 I do not remember. I apologize."
    B. Trella "No worries, we will get that info after the next Matchday. So given the circumstances the team has experienced, what has been the state of the team lately?"
    TM M. Ascerbiv
    "Nothing major, we did have Sasha Vedmyyds--a defense reserve--leave to go back to Peourouin, no word to me about his reason but did notify the team that it was urgent. No significant injuries or fatigues (or inbalances of bile)."
    B. Trella
    "That's good to hear, and what about the PM's intention of attending the WCF3?"
    TM M. Ascerbiv
    "Interesting question, but no real motive but just a woman needing a holiday and some fun. I don't blame her; the food, culture, atmosphere, and the energy emanating from all of the fans is invigorating. It's a shame the President didn't also visit!"
    Team manager Ascerbiv was also optimistic about the match later this week. The team has seen nothing but losses, but every match hews our knife's edge, making the team sharper than ever and ready to take on its next opponent.
    (STATEMENT FROM EDITOR: Please remain calm. There is an increase in coverage of the possibility of two states seceding from the Allied States of Peourouin. We must take the utmost caution when approaching the topic, but we also want to inform you of the latest, unfiltered news unfolding in the core of the country.)
  3. Like
    Zoran reacted to Bran Astor in World Cup of Football III [rosters, roleplays, results]   
    The Coming of Tamar
    In the age of ancient mists, when shadows played upon the tapestry of time, there strode forth a warrior queen named Tamar, a colossus with tresses of chestnut, flowing like the russet leaves of autumn, and a countenance kissed by the ancient sun, imbuing her with olive-hued radiance. Her eyes, a vibrant green adorned with flecks of precious gold, mirrored the fires that blazed within her spirit.
    From the bosom of her ancestral lands, Tamar marched northward, a formidable procession of ten thousand warriors marching to the cadence of destiny. The People of the River, in their hour of need, had dispatched emissaries, invoking Tamar's aid against the marauding Berganisk tribesmen. The thundering war drums of desperation had resounded through the ages, reaching her ears.
    With a visage etched in determination and a sword clasped to her side, Tamar, akin to a tempest given flesh, led her mighty host through the craggy expanses of the northern realms. The very air seemed to hum with the echoes of their march, a prelude to the saga unfolding in the chronicles of antiquity.
    As Tamar approached the field of strife, where the clash of arms and the lamentations of the oppressed composed a haunting symphony, she beheld the vast theater of conflict. The Berganisk tribesmen, fierce and unyielding, loomed like an insurmountable tempest. Yet, Tamar stood undaunted, a radiant beacon in the gathering storm.
    The battle erupted, a dance of blades meeting blades, and the earth quivered beneath the weight of fate. Tamar, with the grace of a hunting falcon and the ferocity of a she-wolf guarding her progeny, wove through the chaos, her sword singing a ballad of liberation. Her warriors, inspired by her valor, fought as if each stroke of their weapons was a stanza in an ageless hymn.
    Amidst the ebb and flow of conflict, Tamar's prowess proved unmatched. She carved a path through the ranks of the Berganisk tribesmen, her sword a divine implement of justice. The rivers of crimson flowed, and the very soil seemed to groan beneath the tumult of the confrontation.
    In the heart of battle, Tamar confronted the chieftain of the Berganisk, a formidable adversary with eyes reflecting the storms of the northern seas. The clash of their weapons resonated like thunder, and sparks ascended like celestial embers. Tamar, resolute and unyielding, emerged triumphant, and the chieftain's surrender echoed through the battlefield like a zephyr.
    With the Berganisk chieftain kneeling in submission, Tamar, her voice resonating with the authority of ancient times, proclaimed terms of peace. The invading hordes were subdued, and the People of the River, rescued from the encroaching darkness, hailed Tamar as their deliverer and queen.
    The saga of Tamar, the ancient warrior queen, inscribed itself upon the scrolls of time, a tale of valor, sacrifice, and the indomitable spirit that rises to meet the challenges of a bygone era. Her name, a radiant luminary in the tapestry of history, stood as a testament to the enduring might of those who brandish the sword in the pursuit of justice and salvation.
  4. Like
    Zoran reacted to Giovanniland in World Cup of Football III [rosters, roleplays, results]   
    Team Giovanniland's International Records
    in the Esferiad and World Cup
    Tournament Stage Match Scorer(s) I Summer Esferiad,
    Saint-Josalyn, Cambria
    Group
    Stage GIO 2-1 HEJ Alberta Verdi (50', 76') GIO 1-1 KCM
    (2-2 at extra time,
    3-2 penalties) Lorentio Santo-Ferraro (24') Matteo Divendomare (102') Penalty scorers: Manuella Giakobo,
    Lorentio Santo-Ferraro
    and Farlina Benaventura
    GIO 1-0 IRA Farlina Benaventura (78') Semifinal GIO 2-1 FJA Pietro Takeda (49') Gustavo Zapata (70') Final GIO 3-6 NIU Alberta Verdi (5') Pietro Takeda (32') Gustavo Zapata (81') 1st World Cup of Football,
    United Adaikes
    Group
    Stage
    GIO 1-1 FHA Jurandire Lianzo (4o') GIO 0-0 PAL   GIO 1-3 LXA Gustavo Zapata (15') GIO 2-0 DAL Klementine de Abreo-Florine (7') Augusto Uprino-Antenore (40') GIO 1-1 LTR Katia Ovinaria-Taspena (22') Round of 16 GIO 1-3 IRA Gustavo Zapata (10') II Summer Esferiad,
    Quoriv & Kharventhin,
    Giovanniland & Blue Bubble
    Group
    Stage
    GIO 2-0 ARF Arabella Viaria-Nyima (35') Lorentio Santo-Ferraro (66') GIO 0-1 FJA    GIO 3-0 TUP Matteo Divendomare (9', 21') Arabella Viaria-Nyima (58') GIO 3-1 UAD Augusto Uprino-Antenore (29') Gustavo Zapata (45'+2') Klementine de Abreo-Florine (77') Quarterfinal GIO 1-0 DIL Gustavo Zapata (10') Semifinal GIO 2-2 NIU
    (2-2 at extra time,
    5-4 penalties) Pietro Takeda (21') Manuello Karventine-Devalle (90'+3') Penalty scorers: Teodoro Sonserina,
    Gabriella Orfeo, Pietro Takeda, 
    Klementine de Abreo-Florine,
    and Gustavo Zapata
    Final GIO 0-1 KCM   2nd World Cup of Football,
    Hertfordshire and Jammbo Group
    Stage GIO 1-0 ALC Ortensia Anvera-Floreverde (30') GIO 1-0 KUR Matteo Divendomare (89') GIO 1-3 KCM Giovanni Oliverde-Lastrilla (52') GIO 3-3 FJA Matteo Divendomare (17', 65') Lorentio Santo-Ferraro (38') GIO 4-1 RSY Augusto Uprine-Antenore (4') Gustavo Zapata (45'+1', 61') Pietro Takeda (80') Round of 16 GIO 1-3 LXA Pietro Takeda (39') 3rd World Cup of Football,
    Ryxtylopia Group
    Stage GIO 1-0 TRL Gustavo Zapata (67') GIO 0-2 RSY   GIO 2-4 KCM Vittoria Oriastella (23') Matteo Divendomare (35') GIO ??? UAD ??? GIO ??? APR ??? Leaderboard:
    Name Goals Scored Rank Gustavo Zapata 9 #1 Matteo Divendomare 7 #2 Pietro Takeda 5 #3 Lorentio Santo-Ferraro 3 #4 Alberta Verdi Arabella Viaria-Nyima 2 #6 Augusto Uprino-Antenore Klementine de Abreo-Florine Farlina Benaventura 1 #9 Giovanni Oliverde-Lastrilla Jurandire Lianzo Katia Ovinaria-Taspena Manuello Karventine-Devalle Ortensia Anvera-Floreverde Vittoria Oriastella (Note: These lists do not include other international matches played by Giovanniland.)
  5. Haha
    Zoran got a reaction from Giovanniland in World Cup of Football III [rosters, roleplays, results]   
    Transcript:
    Video shows Noya Priscan and Quiyakaso Gohalitsve, still in his disco clothes, walking out of the Ryxtylopian police station
    Noya: You owe me for this!
    Quiyakaso: I know...but at the same time I had them right where I wanted them!
    Noya: Oh? Pray tell, how were you in control of that situation?
    Quiyakaso: I was this close to getting the police captain to accept my Disco Duel challenge!
    Noya: Quiyakaso, you were in there for five days! It took forever for us to negotiate your release!
    Quiyakaso: ...I still had everything under control.
    Noya slaps Quiyakaso
    Noya: Just shut up, I spent my own personal money to get you out of there. The least you could do is thank me.
    Quiyakaso looks surprised for a moment
    Quiyakaso: Really? You did that for me?
    Noya: Yes! It was either continue the show without you or pay the small...bail and get you out!
    Quiyakaso: Oh...so it wasn't because we are fr-
    Noya: No. 
    Quiyakaso: Oh...
    Noya: Now could we please just do the report of the last match?
    Quiyakaso: Fine, I guess we can.
    Quiyakaso pulls out his phone to check the results
    Quiyakaso:  Hellooooooo, Zoran! In the last match, the Zoranian team lost in a series of penalty kicks against Arifiyyah, 2-3. Tonight, our team is going up against Dalimbar, a formidable foe to be sure.
    Noya: That's right! Let's see if our team ca-
    Quiyakaso begins patting around his pockets
    Quiyakaso: Hey! Where did my courtship flute go!?
    Noya: What? You had one on you? Why?
    Quiyakaso: Yes I did! Every Zoranian man knows to carry one around in case you see someone you find hot.
    Noya: I thought that was a dying practice in our country? 
    Quiyakaso: No way! It is still popularly used by men in the country, really helps us express feelings that are limited by language!
    Noya: Huh, well that is news to me.
    Quiayakso: The more you know!...NOW WHERE IS MY FLUTE!? 
    Noya: Let's go back inside and see if they kept it.
    Quiyakaso: ...right after I bring up how warm and friendly the newly promoted Dalimbari guy looks!
    Noya:...What?
    Quiyakaso: Come on, look at him! Doesn't he look like the kind of guy you can trust?
    Noya: ...Can we just go back inside and get your flute?
    Quiyakaso: Ok...
     
  6. Like
    Zoran reacted to Aelitia in World Cup of Football III [rosters, roleplays, results]   
    STATEMENT: Common Trust for Generic Medicines (CTGM) Responds to Legal Action by Woolrey-Arnold Pharmaceutical
    Clarenton, November 25, 1423
    In response to recent developments and the legal action initiated by Woolrey-Arnold Pharmaceutical, the Common Trust for Generic Medicines (CTGM) would like to address the allegations made against our organization. We firmly believe in transparency and wish to provide clarity to the public regarding the ongoing situation.
    CTGM categorically denies any involvement in the alleged espionage or unauthorized access to trade secrets as claimed by Woolrey-Arnold Pharmaceutical. Our organization operates with the utmost integrity, adhering strictly to ethical practices and legal standards. We respect intellectual property rights and have always championed competition within the international pharmaceutical industry.
    CTGM has a long-standing commitment to advancing public health through the development and accessibility of generic medicines. Our initiatives aim to ensure that high-quality, affordable medications are available to the wider population. The allegations against CTGM run counter to our mission and the principles we uphold in serving the greater good.
    As a Common Estate corporation, CTGM operates under the strict oversight of the Hier, and is under the direct oversight of the Hierminister responsible for Common Trust for Generic Medicines along with the professional infrastructure of the Ancient Trade Company of Salters and Chemists. CTGM complies with all relevant regulations and investigations commenced by the Hierminister. Our actions are guided by the principles of transparency, accountability, and adherence to the law. We maintain a cooperative relationship with regulatory authorities to uphold the highest standards in the pharmaceutical sector.
    CTGM welcomes any impartial investigation into the allegations raised by Woolrey-Arnold Pharmaceutical. We are confident that such an inquiry will vindicate our organization, reaffirming our commitment to ethical conduct and responsible corporate citizenship.
    It is crucial to recognize that the pharmaceutical industry plays a pivotal role in the well-being of our society. CTGM remains dedicated to the protection of Basrian interests, fostering innovation, and contributing to the overall health and prosperity of our nation and beyond.
    CTGM believes in the judicial process as a fair and objective means of resolving disputes. We trust that a thorough examination of the facts will demonstrate our commitment to ethical practices and the advancement of public health.
    For further inquiries, please contact:
    Public Relations Department
    Common Trust for Generic Medicines
    pr@ctgm.nb
    About CTGM:
    The Common Trust for Generic Medicines (CTGM) is a Common Estate corporation committed to ensuring the availability of high-quality generic medicines for the Basrian public. We operate under strict regulatory oversight, upholding transparency and ethical standards in all our endeavors.
    Disclaimer: This press release contains forward-looking statements based on current expectations and beliefs. These statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. CTGM undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
    In the post-toddler bedtime calm of her home, Judge Esq. Tamar Gedridh reclined in her living room, ensconced in pillows and the glow of a television playing the latest episode of the docuseries Covington. The credits roll and the quietly intense credit music was joined by the shrill ring of her business phone. She hesitated, as she would not commonly get phone calls at this hour. She then reached for the device, glancing at the display to find an unknown number glaring back at her.
    With a wary squint, she allowed the voicemail to answer. As he unknown caller spoke, a text readout simultaneously unfolded on the screen, each word tightening the already wary squint. 
    "Judge Esquire Gedridh, we are happy you have been assigned to the CTGM case. Dismiss it. The reasons will reveal themselves, and you will find yourself on the short list of recommendations to the Prince for the Standing Quorum on Judicial Commissions and Tenure. Choose wisely, Judge."
    Tamar held her glass of wine tight to her chest, she thought this case may be fraught with its connections to government but was not expecting this...
  7. Like
    Zoran got a reaction from Dalimbar in World Cup of Football III [rosters, roleplays, results]   
    Transcript:
    Video shows Noya Priscan and a Quiyakaso Gohalitsve walking down the streets of the Ryxtylopian slums
    Producer: Guys, I am not sure it is safe for us to be here. We should turn back and-
    Quiyakaso: Don't worry about it, it will be fiiiiiiiiine. We are almost to the taco place.
    Noya: Quiyakaso, are you sure you know where you are going?
    Quiyakaso: Oh yeah, we just have to turn the corner up ahead and we will be there.
    Producer: Seriously, I do believe that a police officer started following us a while back. We really should not be here.
    Quiyakaso: We will be fine, don't worry. If the po-po comes around, I have a plan.
    Noya: ...If your plan is to run I will kill you.
    Quiyakaso: Nah, running wouldn't work. I have a plan, that is all you need to know.
    Noya: turns to camera "Are you at least recording all of this?”
    camera moves up and down in a nod
    Quiyakaso: Here it is! The taco place!
    Camera pans to a small but very busy taqueria 
    Noya: ...Are you sure it is safe to eat here? 
    Quiyakaso: Oh absolutely, do you see all the people gathered here? If the locals eat it then it must be safe.
    Noya: I suppose. Well, let's go ma-
    Policeman walks into frame
    Policeman: Press, e nono film stret aehere-
    Noya: Oh sugar. Well, Quiyakaso, time for this 'genius' plan of yours.
    Quiyakaso: I've got this!!
    Quiyakaso walks up to officer and rips open his button up shirt to reveal the disco clothes he wore in Dalimbar
    Noya: Turns to camera crew and producer, Yeah no, let's get out of here before he gets arrested.
    Quiyakaso: I challenge you!...To a Disco Duel!
    Locals: awkwardly staring
    Policeman says something into their radio mic, assumingely calling for backup
    Policeman: e, go way! Nono film stret!
    Quiyakaso: Dance battle me, you coward!
    As more officers appear on the scene, the crew and Noya begin to run away, leaving Quiyakaso behind but as they round the corner the camera looks back to see Quiyakaso get put into a police car all the while yelling about “Demanding satisfaction,” in the form of a Disco Duel.
    Later when the crew is out of the slums:
    Noya: Of course that fool had to get arrested. Sorry folks, but we won't be exploring the local cuisine in the slums today. But, in terms of sports, the Zoranian Thunderbirds won their match against Pedandria, 3-1. They are going up against Arifiyyah next and that is the match to see! Keep on cheering our team from home!
    Producer: Yeah, just got off the phone with the Zoranian embassy. They say it is on us or the network to pay for Quiyakaso's release.
    Noya: I will pay for it, despite how stupid he acts this would be quite dull without him. 
    Producer: Aww, you two are bo-
    Noya: Another word and I will forward that embarrasing love confession email you had me proofread to Meli.
    Producer: ...
    Noya: That's what I thought.
    OOC Note: Thank you to @Federation of Inner Ryxtylopia for his help with this post

  8. Like
    Zoran reacted to Dalimbar in World Cup of Football III [rosters, roleplays, results]   
    УКАЗ
    Ставка Фреистат Далимбар
    231125-01
    О заместителе председателя Ставка
    Ставка Фреистат Далимбар:
    1. Принимает отставку адмирала Миховил Крешко с поста заместителя председателя Ставка и членство в Ставка;
    ...A. Награждение Героем Фреистат (первой степени) за образцовые героические заслуги перед Фреистат.
    ...Б. Начисление выходного пособия и пенсионного обеспечения в соответствии с УКАЗ-091026-02
    ...В. Далее присуждает госдачу в Районе 8 для его исключительного и частного использования
    2. Назначает генерала армии ФС Иосип Франк заместителем председателя Ставка;
    ...A. Продолжает исполнять обязанности полевого командира Дальневосточной зоны
    От имени Ставка,
    Маршал Маркус Брианд
    Председатель Ставка
    Маршал Фреистат Далимбар
    On the Vice Chairmanship of Stavka
    Stavka of the Free State of Dalimbar:
    1. Accepts the resignation of Adm. Mihovil Kresco as Vice Chairman of Stavka and membership in Stavka;
    ...A. Awards the "Hero of the Free State (First Class)" for exemplary heroic services to the Free State 
    ...B. Awards severance and retirement package in accordance with UKAZ-091026-02
    ...C. Further awards a gosdacha in District 8 for his exclusive and private use
    2. Appoints Gen. Iosip Franc of FS Army as Vice Chairman of Stavka;
    ...A. Continues his duties as Field Commander of the Far-Eastern Control Zone
     
    On behalf of Stavka,
    Mar. Markus Briand,
    Chairman of Stavka
    Marshal of the Free State of Dalimbar
  9. Like
    Zoran reacted to Federation of Inner Ryxtylopia in World Cup of Football III [rosters, roleplays, results]   
    Steady and Secure
     
    The Ryxtylopia-Overthinkers match was the most intense one yet, probably in all the world cup, while it ended in a draw it saw several intense moments, as the hosts and the leaders of the group clashed, in the end the match ended with a draw.
    The match started with Ryxtylopia kicking off, and playing rather cautiously at the start, no advances were made as posession was kept in the first 3 minutes before loosing the ball.
    In the 15th minute Milatacha slide tackled one of the OT players, being too uncautious he earned himself a yellow card conceding a free kick for OT, whoose team was able to take advantage of the free kick and getting the ball into the Box, where an attempt towards goal was made, however, Rivas got and blocked the attempt (An attempt Arvaldí would've probably not been able to block due to the heading) allowing the defense to clear the ball.
    For the 24th minute Ryxtylopia made their first shot towards goal, after Farris passed to Fydó around 3/4 of the field, Fydó however got stuck in OT's defense allowing more players to advance and once he attempted to cross to Vilaní the ball was intercepted.
    In the 33rd minute Ryxtylopia managed another attempt at goal, however Overthinkers team was adapted towards playing defensivley making the Ryxtylopian's team strategy of counter-attacking sorta akward to carry out, and in something that became a common occurance in this match OT's defense absorbed the attack.
    Finally in the first time in the 40th minute Ryxtylopia made a final attempt at goal, this time a cross from Arvaléz that Vilaní actually headed... into the post, the ball bounced off harmlessly and it was cleared, after another fight for possetion in and around the midfield, the ref blew the whilstle with the score still 0-0.
    During the break, a brief chant battle happened in the stands between the Ryxtylopians and the Overthinkers, both separated into zones by a fence, as both fans chanted about how one or the other was better, some throwing stuff over the fence, having an advantage in numbers the Ryxtylopian chants were more audible however this moment was still something pretty funny that happened during HT.
    However it was now time for the second time to commence, it was more intense than the first, with the "battle for the midfield" in full swing, both sides gaining and loosing possetion, this continued for some time.
    Ryxtylopia made a shot on goal on the 67th minute but it was deflected by OT's GK, and the match continued on as normal, however this wouldn't last long.
    In the 70th minute, Ryxtylopia made another attack, however they lost possetion in the box, and here the Ovethinkers team was able to pull a really successful counter attack, passing the ball all the way into Ryxtylopia's box, were when Vilaña tried clearing it he slipped and Arvaldí's gloves went short of the ball, which landed in the net making the score 1-0 in favor of Overthinkers.
     

     
    With the crowd going silent, OT's team felt much safer with the one nil lead, and began to be slightly less defensive searching for another goal, however in the 74th minute they would miss a chance as it went over the top post.
    Ryxtylopia would respond not long after, when Farris got into the box, and shot, having his attempt blocked and OT's defense pushed back, however it was here when substitute Terado Armandí, (who had taken Vilanís position) retook possetion and was left alone against OT's GK, successfully sending the ball into the net to a sea of celebration.
    After this both sides went defensive as the match ended in a 1-1 draw.
     

  10. Like
    Zoran reacted to Fujai in World Cup of Football III [rosters, roleplays, results]   
    —and the Landslag’s next match comes tomorrow against Hertfordia, ranked 11. Until then, keep it cool!
    Midday sunlight bathed the small apartment in Eidanger as Ylva switched the radio off. Thankfully their windows faced south to catch what little sun came this time of year. The light glinted off rooftops, the last of the leaves were falling from the trees, flurries blew through the air. It was peaceful.
    Anyway, back to work it was.
    Ylva turned back to their desk and sat down, staring at the teleplay in front of them...

    “Hmm, really some could use work on this scene...” thought Ylva, and pressed on.
  11. Haha
    Zoran reacted to Clarkov in World Cup of Football III [rosters, roleplays, results]   
    Due to May being an imbecile and wandering into the Ryxtylopian slums, he ended up meeting with the Tsar while Clarkson and Hammond are searching for him within the slums...
    J. Clarkson: Where's he gone?
    R. Hammond: I don't know, but it doesn't look very friendly around here.
    J. Clarkson: It feels like we're going to get rocks thrown at us just for being here.
    R. Hammond: The last thing I need is to get chased out of Ryxtylopia by an angry mob.
    J. Clarkson: You'd put Operation Bugger Off into action, I'm guessing.
    R. Hammond: Well, yeah.
    J. Clarkson: So would I. But if we can't, then...
    [Clarkson brandishes a hammer and gives Hammond some scissors.]
    R. Hammond: You do know you're just going to make us bigger targets.
    J. Clarkson: Well, if we are attacked by irate Ryxtylopians then I can hit them in the middle of their face and you can insert those scissors into their eyes.
    R. Hammond: Okay.
    J. Clarkson: Anyway, what were we doing?
    R. Hammond: Looking for James, he's probably made his way to Dalimbar by now.
    J. Clarkson: Can you imagine the Dalimbari dealing with James May's pre-flight checks? 
    R. Hammond: I don't see how they'd tolera- oh, bugger. He's over there in the car with the Frozen Crown symbol on it.
    J. Clarkson: Oh... hang on, is that Tsar Mecislavs?
    R. Hammond: Yeah. This can't be good.
    [The Tsar and his bodyguards - Svetoslav, Larysa, Liben and Vanya - drop May off to where Clarkson and Hammond are looking for him.]
    Tsar Mecislavs I: I believe this is yours.
    J. May: Thanks very much.
    J. Clarkson: James, what was that?
    J. May: Err, I can explain.
    Liben V.: Hopefully not.
    R. Hammond: What have you done?!
    J. May: Wait, what do you mean?
    Tsar Mecislavs I: I'll explain. When I and my security found James, we had to navigate our way through Ryxtylopian slums.
    R. Hammond: Slums that the government here denied the existence of.
    Tsar Mecislavs I: Exactly.
    J. Clarkson: That's actually quite serious.
    J. May: I heard a few murmurings in the slums about how unhappy the people in it were at the Football World Cup taking place currently.
    Tsar Mecislavs I: That's right.
    Larysa O.: I can attest to that. My partners were in earshot of discussions about some protest crackdowns.
    Tsar Mecislavs I: I can't just reveal that Ryxtylopia's government have been hiding these conditions from the world.
    Liben V.: That is true. I mean, who's going to believe the absolute monarch of some isolated frozen nowhere land with less than 10 people/km2?
    R. Hammond: Well, no one without video evidence.
    J. May: Ah ha. You cannot even begin to comprehend the bounds of my forthcoming genius.
    J. Clarkson: That's my line!
    [May reveals a secret camera hidden in his tie.]
    J. May: Ta da! I used this to film the slums while I was being, well, lost in them.
    Tsar Mecislavs I: You had that this whole time?
    J. May: Actually I almost forgot it.
    J. Clarkson: Tell the Tsar why you almost forgot it.
    J. May: ...okay, I did go overboard with the pre-flight checks and that's how.
    Svetoslav S.: Such business has no need to take upwards of three hours.
    R. Hammond: That's what I kept trying to tell him.
    J. May: You have to admit, it is quite fun.
    R. Hammond: You are joking! That's about as fun as watching The Genesis lose 2-1 at the last minute to Nieubasria or watching a bear play as goalkeeper.
    J. Clarkson: Let's not get bogged down with who is so old that he calls Andoliaville the Andolian Territories of Giovanniland.
    R. Hammond: Don't forget that he thinks they should belong to Varanius.
    J. Clarkson: Well we'll gloss over that and get to a point I've been wanting to make. Did you nick James' identity details?
    Vanya P.: Yeah...
    J. May: Hang on, a top level bodyguard for the monarch of Hertfordshire and Jammbo thought it would be funny to use her access to royal accounts to impersonate me?
    Vanya P.: Who said bodyguards are no fun?
    Tsar Mecislavs I: Vanya has a point. That's kind of why I didn't stop her.
    J. Clarkson: Yes, but what fascinates me is that she had a choice. She could have been Adsila Ani-Wah, or Marcarius.
    R. Hammond: Yeah, you can look around the world, anybody. 'I wanna be Marshall Briand. Cool. Powerful. No, wait a minute! I want to live in Great Parndon and have a folding bicycle, so that one day, I can walk out of my house and say "Look at me, behold! I have become James May... and now I will organise your paper clips, have you got a pie?"'.
    [Clarkson, Vanya, Mecislavs and Larysa can't help but burst into varied degrees of laughter.]
    J. Clarkson: Well th- n- the good thing James, is we can guarantee this will never happen to you again. Becau-
    J. May: Can you...
    J. Clarkson: Yes, because we have come up with a new name for you.
    R. Hammond: Yeah. You are now... Dingleberry Handpump. That is your name, a new identity.
    J. Clarkson: Nobody's gonna steal that because nobody's going to enter a mobile phone shop and say 'I'd like to set up an account please, my name is Dingleberry Handpump'. You're completely safe, it's just that that's now your name.
    Vanya P.: I wouldn't steal that name.
    R. Hammond: Our case rests.
    Dingleberry Handpump: I appreciate that.
    Svetoslav S.: I implore that we should leave these slums as soon as possible. I'm not sticking around for when another protest begins.
    Tsar Mecislavs I: Good point. We're leaving this place.
    [Mecislavs and his security/bodyguards Svetoslav, Larysa, Liben and Vanya get back into the royal limo, not before Vanya smiled at and waved goodbye to Handpump May.]
    Tsar Mecislavs I: By the way, Handpump.
    D. Handpump: Yes...
    Tsar Mecislavs I: Could you send me your filming of the Ryxtylopian slums? No one else knows about what we've been doing here, so it should be fine.
    D. Handpump: Yeah, I can arrange that.
    Tsar Mecislavs I: Thanks.
    [Mecislavs and his security embark back to the lounge they're staying in, which is the same one as The Genesis.]
    R. Hammond: Don't Slow run the place where the Tsar is staying? No wonder James likes it.
    J. Clarkson: Them and IceHotel. The same place The Genesis are staying. 
    D. Handpump: IceHotel originally started out in 1389 as a sort of breakaway art gallery and grew into a hotel and bar group from there. As you'd expect, it's an independent thing run by a group of artists with the intent of expressing their own take on the world, each of them giving their own spin to the hotel made of ice and snow. They apparently took inspiration from the River Brandon which they use for material all year rou-
    J. Clarkson: Okay, that's enough Handpump. Sadly we haven't got time for your lecture on all of IceHotel's history.
    [Handpump rolls his eyes.]
    R. Hammond: The ads we made are ready, right?
    D. Handpump: Yeah.
    R. Hammond: Very good. So, anyone who's watching or does watch this, there you are. Jeremy made the first one, I made the second and Handpump made the third one.
    J. Clarkson: Can we do Operation Bugger Off now?
    D. Handpump: Yeah.
    R. Hammond: Let's.



                                      
    | 𐑣𐑸'𐑘𐑱 𐑛𐑰 𐑤𐑨𐑛𐑟! (Ha'wei Di Ladz!) |
    | Ha'way The Lads! |
    | Придъ'няпредванеи На Младеч! (Pride'napredvanei Na Mladezh!) |
  12. Like
    Zoran reacted to Candeluian Minister in World Cup of Football III [rosters, roleplays, results]   
    CANDELU' DRAWS AGAINST SAINT MARK!




    After 90 minutes of match, the whistle was heared in the stadium, and it was official. With the score of 0-0, Saint Mark and Candelù had tied in yesterday's event.
    We've interviewed some candeluian fans, and the general thought is that everyone hopes in a win against the next team, which is Ionia's.
    Sadly we don't have the recordings, as our interviewer is currently unreachable... and we still need to find out why.
    More informations for the next match will come out in the future days, so stay tuned football fans!
    And as always, Keep Fanning, Football fans!







    Lunga Vià al 'emperator!
  13. Like
    Zoran reacted to Arifiyyah in World Cup of Football III [rosters, roleplays, results]   
    "OOO,ORANGUTAN RANGERS,OOO"
     
    Good day to all Arifians,hope you're having a good day. Another good news for all of us, Arifiyyah won 2-1 over Zoran after Harry Kane successfully completed the penalty kick in the 84th minute. The penalty kick was awarded after a handball by Zoran's player in the penalty box. However, sad news also after the physiologists have confirmed that Lee Jian Xing has been diagnosed with an ACL injury and has been removed from the roster. We pray for Jian Xing's speedy recovery. 

     
     
    POST MATCH INTERVIEW
    Reporter: How do you rate the performance of your players in this match?
    Mikel: Good, even though we only win 1 goal ahead in three consecutive games, but a win is a win. I hope they will continue their excellent performance until the final.
    Reporter: Can you comment on Lee Jian Xing's injury?
    Mikel: Pretty bad, but that's fate. The depth of our squad is high, so there is no need to worry. All I can say is that Jian Xing is in the process of being sent back to his homeland to receive further treatment, we pray for his speedy recovery. The young Saliba was also good earlier, I have already seen Jian Xing's replacement.
    Reporter: We are also with Jian Xing. For the next match coach, what is your comment? Mikel: The main goal and hope is victory, of course,hoping for a goal fest, and a clean sheet is also obtained. The mood of the players is very positive after three wins, so my players must be confident that they will show their best performance. However as always, may the best win.

     
    MATCHDAY 4 PREVIEW

    We're predicting some rotation might be done by Artery. William Saliba will replace the injured Jian Xing at the back,maybe Hansel Woodwork will get another chance to play,he did pretty well against Dalimbar. 
     
     

     
    ARFSPORTS @ ARIFIYYAH'S TIMES 
     
  14. Like
    Zoran reacted to Candeluian Minister in World Cup of Football III [rosters, roleplays, results]   
    UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL AD - Made with PosterMyWall.mp4 Welcome back to the sports section of Tiveronia 'i Zuja!
    We have been able to reach our reporter, he's safe and back to his hotel room, from which he'll give us all the info's that we'll need.
    So, Gabri, what's the Fans' prediction for the game, do they think Candelù will come out victorious?

    "Heeeeeeeeeeeeey Nico! The fans here think there's a high chance of us winning, looking at Ionia's team results, and i gotta say, i'm pretty hopefull too!"

    That's amazing then, what can you say about their team?

    "Honestly nothing! i only know they come from that nation in Nur, you know?"

    Yeah, how about something that isn't stated already in their name?

    "i got nothing, we only know that like Candelù, it's their first time partecipating!"

    So, Candelù might pass the group stages, right?

    "eh, maybe, but probably not! the team will have to go against last year's 1st place next!"

    ...Don't be so negative! You'll make us lose fan views.... I'm sure they'll pass!
    With this i'll end the sports section for today, and as always, tune with us in 2 days to see the match LIVE! The link can be found in the banner on top of this article. As always, Keep Fannin', Football fans!









    Lunga Vià al 'emperator!
  15. Like
    Zoran reacted to Giovanniland in World Cup of Football III [rosters, roleplays, results]   
    Hello everyone! Numerio Dellio-Oliverde here to share the latest news about the 3rd World Cup of Football and how well the Giovannilandian team is faring so far. In this report we'll go over the Matchday 3 and also host a special interview with striker Matteo Divendomare.
    Matchday 3 - Giovanniland 2-4 Cambria (Halftime: 2-1)
    Goals: Vittoria Oriastella (23'), Matteo Divendomare (35')
    A lively match happened last Tuesday in the Istadio Rio Blanco, even if ultimately it didn't go our way. The first scoring attempt of the match was from Giovanniland's striker Gustavo Zapata, but it was well defended by the goalkeeper Andrew Meredith. Cambria opened the match in the 15th minute, after many attempts from both sides, but eight minutes after our player Vittoria Oriastella scored to bring the match to a draw again.
    The score then continued equal for the next twelve minutes and there were plenty of chances for both teams, until Matteo Divendomare found the right angle from outside the Cambrian defending area and dealt a powerful shot towards the goal that made it in! With perhaps one of the most beautiful goals of the tournament Giovanniland took the lead, a score that held during halftime.
    Unfortunately, things went south during the second half. Three minutes after the teams resumed the match (48'), Cambria found their way to their second goal and made the score once more level. On the 70th minute, with the match still at 2-2, Giovanniland's center back Manuella Giakobo committed a grave foul on a Cambrian striker inside the defending area. Therefore, she received a red card and the Cambrians were awarded a penalty, which they promptly converted.
    Then, despite being one player down, the Giovannilandian players continued seeking for another goal so that they could rescue a draw, but sadly that was unsuccessful. In the stoppage time of the match, Cambria managed their fourth goal, and the score finished as Giovanniland 2-4 Cambria. Both coaches, Èttore Ottavio-Linnare and Elia Lastrilla, praised the performance of the team against a higher-ranked opponent and hope that Giovanniland can get some points in the last two matches in order to qualify.
    This result puts our team at fifth in the group, a position that would lead to elimination if the group stage ended right now. Luckily our team still has two matches, against United Adaikes and then Peourouin, and our opponents Teralyon and Sekiya are not that far ahead, both with four points in comparison to Giovanniland's three points. Now, we'll have the second segment of this report, which is an interview with Matteo Divendomare! We're establishing contact right now with our main correspondent in Ryxtylopia, Giulia Ranio-Margavio, who will be interviewing him.
    Numerio: Hello Giulia!
    Giulia: Greetings to you and to everyone watching the Football Report! Today we will be interviewing one of the main strikers in the Giovannilandian team. First, feel free to introduce yourself and talk about your history, Matteo!
    Matteo: Thank you for the opportunity, I'm glad to be here. My first contact with football was when I was still a very small child, I got interest from watching others play and then began to play with friends in my neighborhood. Some years later, I signed up for the school's football team and due to my prominence there, scouts started to approach me during my teenager years! Eventually, this led me to play in the younger categories of my home city's most famous team, the Araras de Andoliavilla, and thereafter the main squad when the time came.
    Giulia: That's a great story! What are some of your famous achievements in your team?
    Matteo: During my early years in the under-18 team, our team was one of the strongests in the national under-18 league, a very exciting tournament even if it's lesser known than the main Prima or Sekunda Liga, as well as other events. Then I was promoted to the main team in 1420 after my 18th anniversary, that year the Araras got a strong 2nd place finish in the Prima Liga, which was a great improvement in comparison to previous years!
    Of course, I was still learning the ropes of the main team and had more of a supporting role—instead I consider the 1421 tournament a greater success for me when our team won the Prima Liga and I was one of the key players! In the last two years, our performance has slightly dropped with a 3rd and 4th place respectively, however I have faith the Araras are one of the strongest teams in all the country and will for sure attain more championships in the future.
    Giulia: Thanks for the answer, I agree that the Araras are a very solid team and one of the mainstays of the Prima Liga. Moving on to international football, what have been your experiences in this different sphere and what do you think of the current WCF?
    Matteo: Still during my teenage years I was called a few times for the Giovanniland under-18 team to participate in international competitions, which was also my first chance to visit other countries in the world since my family preferred to do local travel. I had a great experience and football matches!
    Now, my first appearance in the main Team Giovanniland was in the I Summer Esferiad of Saint-Josalyn. We went unbeaten through the group stage, defeating Hertfordia 2-1, Cambria (on penalties, after an 1-1 draw) and then Irador 1-0! Afterwards, we proceeded towards the final after winning 2-1 against Fujai on the semifinals, and eventually earned the silver medal after a well fought duel with Nieubasria—one of the most exciting scores for an international game I've ever seen, 6-3. A great finish overall for my first ever international tournament as part of the main team!
    It was also a pleasure to play in home soil during the II Summer Esferiad of Quoriv-Kharventhin, the football matches were held in various stadiums in northern Giovaura. That time, in group stage we won 2-0 against Arifiyyah, lost 0-1 to Fujai, and then rebounded with 3-0 and 3-1 wins against Tupmonia and United Adaikes respectively. The knockout stage saw a 1-0 win vs. Dilber and a highly exciting semifinal against our previous opponents Nieubasria, that resulted in a 2-2 draw in regular time and we advanced in penalties. In the final, with a 0-1 defeat to Cambria we repeated our previous placement, and I still hold these two silver medals in my heart.
    As for the World Cups of Football, I started representing Giovanniland in the second edition, which happened last year in Hertfordia. Our team had a good group stage last time, winning three matches, drawing one, and also losing one, but unfortunately we had an early exit after losing 1-3 to Larxia in the Round of 16. Now, the situation looks more difficult this year, but I hope that we can still qualify nevertheless.
    Giulia: A very detailed answer indeed! Speaking of that, for the last question, which reasons do you think there are for Giovanniland's different histories in Esferiad football and the World Cups so far?
    Matteo: That's a difficult question! I honestly don't know for sure, maybe it's the differing atmospheres of each event, for the former it's only one of many events and we are just a few athletes among all the Giovannilandians representing our nation, while in the latter all the world's eyes are set on our team. There's also been differences in the coaches, staff and players, and their skills changing over time, so really it's a different team each international tournament we take part in.
    Giulia: I agree, indeed it's a very hard question so thank you for sharing your opinion about it. It's been great to have you here for the interview, so a big thank you once more and good luck both to you on your football career and to Team Giovanniland in the upcoming matches!
    Matteo: Of course! Thanks for the invite once more.
    Numerio: And with that, we finish the Football Report for today. Make sure to tune in Saturday to watch the Matchday 4 games and listen to another edition of our report afterwards, I'll see you then! 
  16. Like
    Zoran reacted to Sekiya in World Cup of Football III [rosters, roleplays, results]   
    Typhoon Ling: Over, or not?
    Typhoon Ling, the strongest storm to hit Sekiya in 23 years, has finally run its course and dissipated off the coast of Zigang. Ling left a trail of death and destruction in its path. Before the instruments were damaged by the storm, Fuzhou Weather Station measured winds of around 250km/h, leaving thousands of toppled trees and debris littering the area. The storm also brought torrential rain and several storm surges, that have left large parts of coastal towns destroyed, and some still in 2 metres of water.
    Fuzhou, Sekiya's 4th largest city, was hit the hardest by the storm. Whilst weather-proof architecture helped to keep many buildings up, the Port of Fuzhou have claimed the storm has disabled the port's functions for the next few months whilst repairs to the flood walls are made.
    Around 8,000 in Fuzhou have lost their lives, with an estimated 700,000 without power, and many without access to fresh water. Nearby cities of Mingyue and Mingde have also been left without power and fresh water, with around 400,000 across both cities without access to power.
    Acording to Fuzhou State's administration, the storm has affected approximately four million people, with many forced from their homes into public buildings and makeshift camps. A worldwide appeal has been made for aid to reach those affected by the storm. The situation has begun to allow for disease to spread in the area, and all leisure travel to Fuzhou has been completely restricted.
    The Sekiyan Government have issued a state of emergency to Fuzhou State and have sent in the Coast Guard and some Army elements to assist with the relief. The Starist Church has also started a donation pool within temples across the country, to raise money for the relief effort.
    Nánwén implores you, the reader, to reach out to your nearest Starist church and give anything that you can to help the relief efforts.
     

    Advertisement
    Recap: WCFIII Sekiya vs Teralyon
    In other news, Sekiya and Teralyon played out a thrilling, but disappointing game, drawing 1-1. Sekiya, who had just beaten Giovanniland 2-0 earlier in the week, starting with an early goal in the first half. However, it didn't take long for Teralyon to equalise before the end of the first half. Both sides failed to make an effective attack in the second half, and the game ended after 5 minutes of ET. The result leaves Sekiya in a promising place in the table, ahead of their game against Peourouin on Saturday Night.
     

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  17. Like
    Zoran reacted to Overthinkers in World Cup of Football III [rosters, roleplays, results]   
    Simulcast live Monday morning on SPOT 3 and 97.3 The Coach FM
    [The Reagan Ronald Show comes back from a commercial break. The show is shot in a tiny studio in Exvia. The room is littered with audio equipment and sports paraphernalia. The desk in the center of the room does not have a square inch of free space on it.]
    [Huddled behind the desk is a mountain of a man, basically the size of the desk. He has a full, bushy beard and a shaved head. Reagan played in the TRY RL for several years and was a B-level star for the Exvian team, but “retired” after his third suspension from the league for doping. If anything, Reagan has only gotten larger since he started as a broadcaster, and his studio has only gotten smaller, as SPOT continues to gradually reduce his visibility within the network. His voice sounds like an entire gravel truck, and is about as subtle.]
    Reagan: Welcome back to The Reagan Ronald Show. The topic of the day? Football. It’s World Cup time and that means that everyone suddenly becomes twice as patriotic. Except for, apparently, the people actually hosting the World Cup, in Ryxtopia. But, let’s make like the national police and shove these protesters out of the way for what’s really important here. Boom!
    [He pauses for his catchphrase to take effect. It doesn’t. He moves on.]
    Reagan: The Overthinkers team is putting on a good show. We maybe aren’t a Cambria, a Nieubasra, or an Airfiyah, but we can play. Let me be clear, I frickin’ love Coach Luigi’s playstyle. We had that one moment of weakness against Ryxtopia, but we’re clearly running Group A. Larxia ain’t even showed up.
    Reagan: Everybody wants to talk about the kids in the front, but I always say defense wins championships. And we have a hell of a defense. Ryan and Elle are clearly the only good thing ever to come out of Brunnes. And can’t leave Emmy Barker out of this either. If these people get past our backfield, they ain’t getting past her.
    Reagan: It looks like the only thing that can slip through our fingers now is Lucille Lyons. Boom!
    [Another inordinately long pause.]
    Reagan: In fact, let’s actually take a look at our forwards. Lukas, no notes. My kind of kid. He plays the World Cup like his schoolyard. I have nothing to say that hasn’t already been said.
    Reagan: Our reserves maybe aren’t as good. Kyle Gerano hasn’t had a shot on goal in international play yet. He’s kinda just there, running interference. Joy Bering? I’ve said this before, I don’t buy the Highland hype. She plays adequate football in the SOFA.1 I don’t think she has what it takes in the World Cup.
    Reagan: And maybe these softer reserves are why we’re stuck with Jeri Anders as a starter. Again, she’s from Highland, and Highland wasn’t crap till this last season. She’s played two seasons total with a team that hasn’t even made the playoffs. Now, you could’ve said the same for Lukas last World Cup, but Lukas proved he can actually play. Anders hasn’t shown us anything yet.
    Reagan: ‘Course, I have my own theories on why they let Jeri play, but I can’t say those on air. But if you subscribe to my podcast, I’ll tell all in the next episode. “Full Contact with Reagan Ronald”, available on all your favorite podcast services.
    Reagan: And speaking of promotion, it’s time for our sponsored segment.
    [Through the magic of television, everything on the desk is replaced with fitness and protein products. The camera never cut away, so you’re not sure when or how it happened.]
    Reagan: Men, let’s talk about your workout routine. After I go to the gym, I always refuel with Dark Horse products…”
    1The Select Overthinkers Football Association.
  18. Like
    Zoran reacted to United Adaikes in World Cup of Football III [rosters, roleplays, results]   
    Results of the 3rd Match Day of the Group Stage
    Group A Larxia 4–2 Kalmach Overthinkers 1–1 Ryxtylopia Alchera (NPC) 0–0 Rivalfiume Group A Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts 1 Overthinkers 3 2 1 0 4 1 +3 7 2 Ryxtylopia 3 1 2 0 4 3 +1 5 3 Larxia 3 1 1 1 6 5 +1 4 4 Alchera (NPC) 3 0 2 1 1 2 −1 2 5 Kalmach 3 0 2 1 4 6 −2 2 6 Rivalfiume 3 0 2 1 1 3 −2 2 Group B United Adaikes 1–0 Peourouin Giovanniland 2–4 Cambria Teralyon 1–1 Sekiya Group B Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts 1 Cambria 3 3 0 0 10 5 +5 9 2 United Adaikes 3 2 0 1 2 2 0 6 3 Sekiya 3 1 1 1 3 2 +1 4 Teralyon 3 1 1 1 3 2 +1 4 5 Giovanniland 3 1 0 2 3 6 −3 3 6 Peourouin 3 0 0 3 3 7 −4 0 Group C Fujai 1–0 Ionia Hertfordshire and Jammbo 1–2 Nieubasria Saint Mark 0–0 Candelu Group C Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts 1 Nieubasria 3 3 0 0 7 1 +6 9 2 Fujai 3 2 0 1 2 1 +1 6 3 Saint Mark 3 1 2 0 4 0 +4 5 4 Candelu 3 1 1 1 2 2 0 4 5 Hertfordshire and Jammbo 3 0 1 2 2 4 −2 1 6 Ionia 3 0 0 3 0 9 −9 0 Group D Dalimbar 1–1 Aukera Zoran 1–2 Arifiyyah Libterraria (NPC) 2–0 Pedandria Group D Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts 1 Arifiyyah 3 3 0 0 5 2 +3 9 2 Zoran 3 2 0 1 6 4 +2 6 3 Aukera 3 1 1 1 4 4 0 4 4 Dalimbar 3 1 1 1 3 3 0 4 5 Libterraria (NPC) 3 1 0 2 5 5 0 3 6 Pedandria 3 0 0 3 1 6 −5 0  
  19. Like
    Zoran reacted to Clarkov in World Cup of Football III [rosters, roleplays, results]   
    When Clarkson, Hammond and May all convened with the rest of The Genesis, they spent an idle time driving about. Hammond then told the other two to go away...
    Jokichi Y.: Hey! I brought that camera you asked for.
    Lyubomyr D.: Just put it over there, yeah?
    Enrico P.: Yes. The others will sort it out.
    Rashad G.: Hey, you need any help?
    Ozen I.: That won't be necessary.
    Kanako Y.: Let's hurry up here, we don't exactly have time to be lazing about.
    Nia H.: This feels like a scene from an anime.
    [Reimu yawns excessively, refusing to move from the strenuous activity of drinking sake on the floor with a glorified pillow for comfort]
    Reimu H.: Do I have to? This is hardly important.
    Clarkov S.: ...Really?
    Rashad G.: You're not exempt from this, Reimu.
    Yuri M.: Look over here. Now would you come and help please?
    [Reimu reluctantly gets up and helps the others set up the equipment, Hammond then enters the room.]
    R. Hammond: Thanks guys. You've been a real help today.
    Rashad G.: No problem, Richard. You said you wanted it done quickly.
    R. Hammond: Yeah, I got something I want to show.
    Seiko S.: Well, let's clear the area and let Richard get to it.
    [Hammond prepares to address the viewers tuning in to the live session while the others leave the room.]
    Seiko S.: Hey, did you know Richard always ad-libs his videos?
    Naho S.: I think we all knew that. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to be looking for someone.
    Info-C.: Still searching for Kou, I see.
    Naho S.: Who else? Lain, make sure Seiko doesn't follow me. I'm not sure I can bear her.
    Lain V.: Yeah, no problem.
    [Lain grabs Seiko by the arm and drags her along with him, Naho diverts in search of her mentor and Hammond turns on the camera to begin filming.]
    R. Hammond: Hello. This is rather impromptu from me, but you'll soon see why. Now, I'm known to have a lot of people back in Hertfordshire & Jammbo... mainly teenage girls and a few teenage boys... that think I'm the most handsome person this side of Oliver.
    J. May: Oliver...!
    [May holds back laughter in the distance.]
    R. Hammond: Ignore that, it's just a spaniel. Anyway, I was reading some of those comments underneath the videos of us three and thought to myself, 'what if anyone wants to pretend to be us'. Weird thought, I know, but to solve that I came up with this.
    [Hammond holds up a shoddy title card.]



    [Because James is slow and lost, we couldn't get his part done in time. Sorry. - Richard Hammond]
    R. Hammond: Hang on, I've just received word that The Genesis were beaten 2-1 by Candelu and because of that we are now fifth in our group.
    [Clarkson enters the room from behind Hammond.]
    J. Clarkson: It gets worse, I'm afraid. We're up against Nieubasria next.
    R. Hammond: We may be screwed... anyway, have you managed to get a hold of James?
    J. Clarkson: Sadly, I couldn't tell where James had gone, because he's an imbecile.
    [Clarkson shows Hammond a photo of James having become lost in a very strange area of Ryxtylopia.]
    Clarkson told Hammond about Gwyn's good performances in the central midfield position that Hammond would be taking back starting with the upcoming match. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to everyone...
    Tsar Mecislavs I: Right then. I'm ready. Are you all ready to go?
    Svetoslav S.: We're ready and waiting for the all clear.
    Tsar Mecislavs I: Good job. I know I can count on all of you.
    Larysa O.: We'll scan any potential threats on our journey. If we are breached, you already know how to fight.
    Tsar Mecislavs I: You know me well. I didn't just spend my time as an Esferiad athlete doing my chosen sports after all. A good monarch is always prepared. Now then, time to enter the slums. Let's see what's really going on here.
    [Somewhere not far from where the Tsar is, May is only just realising that he's lost. Not for the first time this trip.]
    J. May: Erm... chaps....

                                      
    | 𐑣𐑸'𐑘𐑱 𐑛𐑰 𐑤𐑨𐑛𐑟! (Ha'wei Di Ladz!) |
    | Ha'way The Lads! |
    | Придъ'няпредванеи На Младеч! (Pride'napredvanei Na Mladezh!) |
  20. Like
    Zoran reacted to Peourouin in World Cup of Football III [rosters, roleplays, results]   
    Upset in the streets, and at home. Matchday 2's defeat against Teralyon causes stir with team and fans everywhere.
    Brandon Trella, Junior Correspondent

    United Peourouin Sports Authority Logo (логотип Союзні Перуен Спорт Авторитет)
    The United Peourouin Sports Authority proudly represents Team Peourouin at the World Cup of Football.
    The final score on MD2 came as a disappointment as the Peourouin team fell short, with the score being TRL 2-0 APR.
    We were able to reach Coach Nikolas Saprots earlier today and get his perspective on the team's standing. Saprots stated "Teralyon's composition was more sophisticated and nuanced than we were expecting, however, the athletes are resting and we're hoping that MD3's game against United Adaikes picks up. It'll for sure be an interesting game to tune into." He was optimistic and appreciated the team and thanked PM Udemmiena for attending the games.
    PM Udemmiena witnessed both faulters of the United Peourouin Sports Authority team in the stands. We asked for her opinion on the state of sports and its effects on international appearance, she hasn't responded, however, she praised the team's strong effort in the matches.
    (STATEMENT: Peourouin Today is not affiliated with the Peouroun government, Budynok Narodu, or the Supreme Court of Peourouin. We are an independent journal whose goal is to provide the nation and Esferos with the independent, with facts news and coverage through the lens of Peourouin.)
     
  21. Like
    Zoran reacted to Nox in World Cup of Football III [rosters, roleplays, results]   
    Ryxtylopia, more recently...
    The speaker was stirring. His speech was grand and encapsulating. It assuaged all the worries of the gathered press, and bade them record Ryxtylopia's wealth and status for all the world to see.
    The trouble was, the speaker was just a figure in the distance and largely inaudible. In the gathered audience, in the dusty heat, Arkilo fen Jeik shifted impatiently and craned his neck to see.
    The assembly had been gathered in a square north of the Diportyvo di Ryxenia. It was just after midday, and the sun was at its zenith, scorching the high rises and yards of the city. Though the high walls around the square offered some shade, the air was oven dry and stiflingly hot. There was a breeze, but even that was heated like exhaust vapour, and it did nothing but stir up fine grit in the air. Powder dust was everywhere. Jeik's throat was as arid as a river bed in drought. Around him, people in the crowd coughed and sneezed.
    The crowd was largely reporters. Many of them, like Jeik, had been granted their first permit to the city, at long last, so they could attend. If this was what he had been waiting for, Jeik thought, they could keep it. Standing in a crowded kiln while some old fart made incoherent noises in the background.
    Most seemed to share his mood. They were hot and despondent. Jeik saw no smiles on the faces of the invited press, just hard, drawn looks of forbearance. They were simply, wearily, enduring the indignity of this showmanship. From time to time, they clapped in a desultory manner, but only when stirred to do so by the speaker's attendees.
    His mind wandered. He looked up at the high walls around them, geometric edifices against the blue sky, baked pink in the sunlight, or smoke black where shadows slanted. Far beyond the walls, he knew the true living spaces of the city were in less attractive repair, aged plasterwork hanging off like shed snakeskin, missing windows like blinded eyes.
    To the south of the gathering, the arena stood on station, in wait for the coming game.
    A burst of clapping made him jump. The speaker had apparently said something gripping, and his people were stirring up the crowd in response. Jeik slapped his sweaty hands together a few times obediently.
    He was sick of it. He knew he couldn't bear to stand there much longer.
    He took one last look at the stage. The man was rambling on, well into his fiftieth minute.
    Jeik turned away, and began to push his way out through the inflexible crowd. He headed towards the rear of the square.
    Local police had been stationed around the hem of the crowd as a precaution. They had been required to wear dress uniform, and they were so overheated that their sweaty cheeks were blanched a sickly green-white.
    One of them noticed Jeik moving out through the thinnest part of the audience, and came over to him.
    "Where are you going, sir?” he asked.
    “I’m dying of thirst.” Jeik replied.
    “There will be refreshments, I'm told, after the presentation,” the policeman said. His voice caught on the word 'refreshments' and Jeik knew there would be none for the common men.
    “Well, I've had enough.” Jeik said.
    “It's not over.”
    “I've had enough.”
    The policeman frowned. Perspiration beaded at the bridge of his nose, just beneath the rim of his cap. His throat and jowls were flushed and sheened with sweat.
    “I can't allow you to wander away. Movement is supposed to be restricted to approved areas.”
    Jeik grinned wickedly. “And I thought you were here to keep trouble out, not keep us in.”
    The policeman didn't find that funny, or even ironic. "We're here to keep you safe, sir.” he said. “I'd like to see your permit.”
    Jeik took out his papers. They were an untidy, crumpled bundle, warm and damp from his trouser pocket. Jeik waited, faintly embarrassed, while the man studied them. He had never liked barking up against authority, especially not in front of people, though the back of the crowd didn't seem to be at all interested in the exchange.
    “You're an Aukeran?” the policeman asked.
    “Yes. The Crimson Standard.” Jeik added before the inevitable second question got asked.
    The policeman looked up from the papers into Jeik's face, as if searching for some essential characteristic of Aukeran-ness that might be discerned there, comparable to a cat's ears or perhaps a Dalimbari's serial tattoo. He'd likely never seen an Aukeran before, which was all right, because Jeik had never seen a Ryxtylopian before.
    “You should stay here, sir.” the policeman said, handing the papers back to Jeik.
    “But this is pointless.” Jeik said. “I have been sent to make a memorial of these events. I can't get close to anything. I can't even hear properly what that fool's got to say. Can you imagine the wrong-headedness of this? This isn't even relevant to the games. He's just another kind of presenter. I've been allowed here to report on his reporting, and I can't even do that properly. I'm so far removed from the things I should be engaging with, I might as well have stayed in Ior Aria and made do with a telescope.”
    The policeman shrugged. He'd lost the thread of Jeik's speech early on. “You should stay here, sir. For your own safety.”
    “I was told the city had been made safe.” Jeik said. “We're only a day from the game, aren't we?”
    The policeman leaned forward discreetly, so close that Jeik could smell the stale odour the heat was infusing into his breath. “Just between us, that's the
    official line, but there has been trouble. Insurgents. Protestors. You always get it for stuff like this. The back streets are not secure.”
    “Really?”
    They're saying rioters, but it's just discontent, if you ask me. These bastards have nothing, and they're not happy about it.”
    Jeik nodded. “Thanks for the tip.” he said, and turned back to rejoin the crowd.
    Five minutes later, with the speaker still droning on and Jeik close to despair, an elderly woman in the crowd fainted, and there was a small commotion. The police hurried in to take charge of the situation and carry her into the shade.
    When his new friend's back was turned, Jeik took himself off out of the square and into the streets beyond.
     
     
    He walked for a while through empty courts and high-walled streets where shadows pooled like water. The day's heat was still pitiless, but moving around made it more bearable. Periodic breezes gusted down alley ways, but they were not at all relieving. Most were so full of sand and grit that Jeik had to turn his back to them and close his eyes until they abated.
    The streets were vacant, except for an occasional figure hunched in the shadows of a doorway, or half-visible behind broken shutters. He wondered if anybody would respond if he approached them, but felt reluctant to try. The silence was penetrating, and to break it would have felt as improper as disturbing a mourning vigil.
    He was alone, properly alone for the first time in over a year, and master of his own actions. It felt tremendously liberating. He could go where he pleased, and quickly began to exercise that privilege, taking street turns at random, walking where his feet took him. For a while, he kept the arena in sight, as a point of reference, but it was soon eclipsed by towers and high roofs, so he resigned himself to getting lost. Getting lost would be liberating too. There were always the great skyscrapers in the distance. He could follow those back to their roots if necessary.
    Protest and police had ravaged many parts of the slum he passed through. Shanty buildings had toppled into dusty heaps of splinters, or been reduced to their foundations. Others were roofless, or burned out, or wounded in their structures, or simply rendered into facades, their innards blown out, standing like the wooden flats of stage scenery.
    Holes pock-marked certain walls, or the surfaces of paved roads, sometimes forming strange rows and patterns, as if their arrangement was deliberate, or concealed, by some secret code, great truths of life and death. There was a smell in the dry, hot air, like burning or blood or ordure, yet none of those things. A mingled scent, an afterscent. It wasn't burning he could smell, it was things burnt. It wasn't blood, it was dry residue. It wasn't ordure, it was the seeping consequence of sewer systems long broken.
    Many streets had stacks of belongings piled up along the pavements. Cheap furniture, bundles of clothing, kitchen-ware. A great deal of it was in disrepair, and had evidently been recovered from ruined dwellings. Other piles seemed more intact, the items carefully organised, some packed in coffers. People were intending to quit the city, he realised. They had piled up their scant possessions in readiness while they tried to procure transportation, or perhaps the relevant permission from the authorities.
    Almost every street and yard bore some slogan or other notice upon its walls. All were hand written, in a great variety of styles and degrees of calligraphic skill. Some were daubed in pitch, others paint or dye, others chalk or charcoal - the latter, Jeik reasoned, marks made by the employment of burnt sticks and splinters taken from one of the open fires. Many were indecipherable, or unfathomable. Many were bold, angry graffiti, splenetically cursing the authorities or defiantly announcing a spark of resistance. They called for death, for uprising, for revenge.
    Others were lists, carefully recording the names of the citizens who had died or gone missing from that place, or plaintive requests for news about the missing loved ones listed below. Others were agonised statements of lament, or minutely and delicately transcribed texts of some significance.
    Jeik found himself increasingly captivated by them, by the variation and contrast of them, and the emotions they conveyed. For the first time, the first true and proper time since he'd left Aukera, he felt the writer in him respond. This feeling excited him. He had begun to fear that he might have accidentally left his spark behind in Ior Aria in his hurry to embark, or at least that it malingered, folded and unpacked, in his hotel like a least favourite shirt.
    He felt the muse return, and it made him smile, despite the heat and the mummification of his throat. It seemed apt, after all, that it should be words that brought words back into his mind.
    He took out his notebook and his pen. He was a man of traditional inclinations, believing that no great piece could ever be composed on the screen of an abacus, a point of variance that had almost got him into a fist fight with Vera ret Nekhs, the other Aukeran amongst the media group. That had been near the start of their trip, during one of the informal dinners held to allow global reporters to get to know one another. He would have won the fight, if it had come to it. He was fairly sure of that. Even though Nekhs was an especially large and fierce woman.
    Jeik favoured notebooks of thick, cream paper, and at the start of his long, feted career, had sourced a supplier in a mountain town on the Spine, who specialised in antique methods of paper manufacture. The firm was called Landers, and it offered a particularly pleasing book of fifty leaves, bound in a case of soft, black leather. The Landers Number 16. Jeik, a sallow, rawheaded youth back then, had paid a significant proportion of his first gratuity for an order of two hundred. The volumes had come, packed head to toe, in a waxed box lined with tissue paper, which had smelled, to him at least, of genius and potential. He had used the books sparingly, leaving not one precious page unfilled before starting a new one. As his editorial fame grew, and his earnings soared, he had often thought about ordering another box, but always stopped when he realised he had over half the original shipment still to use up. All his great works had been drafted upon the pages of Landers Number 16's. His report on the Morean crisis, all eleven of his Kalmachian Cantos, his Ostronian travels, even the meritorious and much referenced infiltration of the Black Wyrm Cult, written in his thirtieth year, which had secured his reputation and won him the Solar Laureate.
    The month before his retirement from field reporting, after what had been, in all fairness, a long span of unproductive doldrums that had seen him living off his reputation, he had decided to rejuvenate his muse by placing an order for another box. He had then been dismayed to discover that Landers had ceased operation.
    Arkilo fen Jeik had nine unused volumes left in his possession. He had brought them all with him on every trip. But for an idiot scribble or two, their pages were unmarked.
    On a blazing, dusty street corner in the broken slum, he at last took the book out of his coat pocket, and slid off the strap. He found his pen - an antique, for his traditionalist tastes applied as much to the means of marking as what should be marked - and began to write.
    The heat had almost congealed the ink in his nib, but he wrote anyway, copying out such pieces of wall writing as affected him, sometimes attempting to duplicate the manner and form of their delineation.
    He recorded one or two at first, as he moved from street to street, and then became more inclusive, and began to mark down almost every slogan he saw. It gave him satisfaction and delight to do this. He could feel, quite definitely, a piece beginning to form, taking shape from the words he read and recorded. It would be superlative. After years of absence, the spirit had flown back into him as if it had never been away.
    He realised he had lost track of time. Though it was still stifling hot and bright, the hour was late, and the blazing sun had worked its way over, lower in the sky. He had filled almost twenty pages, almost half his book.
    He felt a sudden pang. What if he had only nine volumes of genius left in him? What if that box of Landers Number 16's, delivered so long ago, represented the limits of his career?
    He shuddered, chilled despite the clinging heat, and put his book and pen away. He was standing on a lonely, scabbed street-corner, persecuted by the sun, unable to fathom which direction to turn.
    For the first time since escaping the accursed presentation, Jeik felt afraid. He felt that eyes were watching him from the blind abodes.
    He began to retrace his steps, slouching through gritty shadow and dusty light. Only once or twice did a new graffito persuade him to stop and take out his book again.
    He'd been walking for some time, in circles probably, for all the streets had begun to look the same, when he found the eating house. It occupied the ground floor and basement of a large wooden tenement, and bore no sign, but the smell of cooking announced its purpose. Door-shutters had been opened onto the street, and there was a handful of tables set out. For the first time, he saw people in numbers. Locals, as unresponsive and indolent as the few souls he had glimpsed in doorways. They were sitting at the tables under a tattered awning, alone or in small, silent groups, drinking thimble glasses of liquor or eating food from wooden bowls.
    Jeik remembered the state of his throat, and his belly remembered itself with a groan.
    He walked inside, into the shade, nodding politely to the patrons. None responded.
    In the cold gloom, he found a wooden bar with a dresser behind it, laden with glassware and spouted bottles. The hostel keeper, an old woman in a khaki dress, eyed him suspiciously from behind the serving counter.
    “Hello.” he said.
    She frowned back.
    “Do you understand me?” He asked.
    She nodded slowly.
    “That's good, very good. I figure most everyone understands Common these days, but there are still some accent and dialect differences that…” He trailed off.
    The old woman said something that might have been 'What?' or might have been any number of curses or interrogatives.
    “You have food?” he asked. Then he mimed eating.
    She continued to stare at him.
    “Food?” he asked.
    She replied with a flurry of words, none of which he could make out. Either she didn't have food, or was unwilling to serve him, or she didn't have any food for the likes of him.
    “Something to drink then?” he asked.
    No response.
    He mimed drinking, and when that brought nothing, pointed at the bottles behind her.
    She turned and took down one of the glass containers, selecting one as if he had indicated it directly instead of generally. It was three-quarters full of a clear fluid that roiled in the gloom. She thumped it onto the counter, and then put a thimble glass beside it.
    “Very good.” he smiled. “Very, very good. Well done. Is this local? Ah ha! Of course it is, of course it is. A local speciality? You're not going to tell me, are you? Because you have no idea what I'm actually saying, have you?”
    She stared blankly at him.
    He picked up the bottle and poured a measure into the glass. The liquor flowed as slowly and heavily through the spout as his ink had done from his pen in the street. He put the bottle down and lifted the glass, toasting her.
    “To your health.” he said brightly, “and to the prosperity of your home. I know things are hard now, but trust me, it will be all for the best. All for the very best.”
    He swigged the drink. It tasted of licorice and went down very well, heating his dry gullet and lighting a buzz in his gut.
    “Excellent.” he said, and poured himself a second. Very good indeed. You're not going to answer me, are you? I could ask your name and your lineage and anything at all, and you would just stand there like a statue, wouldn't you? Like that stadium?”
    He sank the second glass and poured a third. He felt very good about himself now, better than he had done for hours, better even than when the muse had flown back to him in the streets. In truth, drink had always been a more welcome companion to Arkilo fen Jeik than any muse, though he would never have been willing to admit it, or to admit the fact that his affection for drink had long weighed down his career, like rocks in a sack. Drink and his muse, both beloved of him, each pulling in opposite directions.
    He drank his third glass, and tipped out a fourth. Warmth infused him, a biological warmth much more welcome than the brutal heat of the day. It made him smile. It revealed to him how extraordinary this nation was, how complex and intoxicating. He felt love for it, and pity, and tremendous goodwill. This land, this place, this hostelry, would not be forgotten.
    Suddenly remembering something else, he apologised to the old woman, who had remained facing him across the counter like a fugued stone, and reached into his pocket. He had currency - Aukeran coin and Ryxtylopian bills. He made a pile of them on the stained and glossy bartop.
    “Some claria,” he said, “but you'll take that. I mean, you've clearly no room to be picky. Gold, you don't know what I'm saying, do you? How much do I owe you?”
    No answer.
    He sipped his fourth drink and pushed the pile of cash towards her. “You decide, then. You tell me. Take for the whole bottle.” He tapped his finger against the side of the flask. “The whole bottle? How much?”
    He grinned and nodded at the money. The old woman looked at the heap, reached out a bony hand and picked up a five piece. She studied it for a moment, then spat on it and threw it at Jeik. The coin bounced off his belly and fell onto the floor.
    Jeik blinked and then laughed. The laughter boomed out of him, hard and joyous, and he was quite unable to keep it in. The old woman stared at him. Her eyes widened ever so slightly.
    Jeik lifted up the bottle and the glass. 'I tell you what,” he said. “Keep it all. All of it.”
    He walked away and found an empty table in the corner of the place. He sat down and poured another drink, looking about him. Some of the silent patrons were staring at him. He nodded back, cheerfully.
    “How foolish is mankind?' Jeik laughed, enjoying the way his words broke the silence. “How desperate and flailing? Is it that some simply need so much to lock others away in places like this?”
    He fell silent, considering the point he had raised to himself, and stood up suddenly. The muse had abruptly jostled the pleasure of drink out of the summit of his mind. He bowed to the old woman as he collected up his glass and two thirds empty bottle, and said, “My thanks, madam.”
    Then he teetered back out into the sunlight.
    He found a vacant lot a few streets away that had been levelled to rubble, and perched himself on a chunk of concrete. Setting down the bottle and the glass carefully, he took out his half-filled Landers Number 16 and began to write again, forming the first few paragraphs of an article that owed much to the writings on the walls and the insight had garnered in the hostelry. It flowed well for a while, and then dried up.
    He took another drink, trying to restart his inner voice. Tiny black ants milled industriously in the rubble around him, as if trying to rebuild their own miniature ruins. He had to brush one off the open page of his book. Others raced exploratively over the toe-caps of his boots in a frenetic expedition.
    He stood up, imagining itches, and decided this wasn't a place to sit. He gathered up his bottle and his glass, taking another sip once he'd fished out the ant floating in it with his finger.
    Jeik wobbled down a few streets, away from the lot, and heard a rushing, scouring noise. He discovered a team of policemen, stripped to the waist, using a high pressure hose to erase anti-government slogans from a wall. They had evidently been working their way down the street, for all the walls displayed stains of water and runny medium.
    “Don't do that.” he said.
    The police turned and looked at him, their hose spitting. From his garments and demeanour, he was unmistakably not a local.
    “Don't do that.” he said again.
    “Orders, sir.” said one.
    “What are you doing out here?” asked another.
    Jeik shook his head and left them alone. He trudged through narrow alleys and open courts, sipping from the spout of the bottle.
    He found another vacant lot very similar to the one he had sat down in before, and placed his rump upon a flat block of wood. He took out his book and ran through the drafts he had written.
    They were terrible.
    He groaned as he read them, then became angry and tore the precious pages out. He balled the thick, cream paper up and tossed it away into the rubble.
    Jeik suddenly became aware that eyes were staring at him from the shadows of doorways and windows. He could barely make out their shapes, but knew full well that locals were watching him.
    He got up, and quickly retrieved the balls of crumpled paper he had discarded, feeling that he had no right to add in any way to the mess. He began to hurry down the street, as thin boys emerged from hiding to lob stones and jeers after him.
    He found himself, unexpectedly, in the street of the hostelry again. It was uninhabited, but he was pleased to have found it as his bottle had become unaccountably empty.
    He went into the gloom. There was no one around. Even the old woman had disappeared. His pile of mixed currency lay where he had left it on the counter.
    Seeing it, he felt authorised to help himself to another bottle from behind the bar. Clutching the bottle in his hand, he very carefully sat down at one of the tables and poured another drink.
     
    He had been sitting there for an indefinite amount of time when a voice asked him if he was all right.
    Arkilo fen Jeik blinked and looked up. The gang of policemen who had been washing clean the walls of the slum had entered the hostelry, and the old woman had reappeared to fetch them drinks and food.
    The officer looked down at Jeik as his men took their seats.
    "Are you all right, sir?" he asked.
    "Yes. Yes, yes, yes." Jeik slurred.
    "You don't look all right, pardon me for saying. Should you be out here?"
    Jeik nodded furiously, tucking into his pocket for his permit. It wasn't there. "I'm meant to be here." he said, instead. "Meant to. Was ordered to come. To hear the Fallopian... Shit, no, that's wrong... To hear the Ryxtylopian government announce their plans for reconstruction? For the slums. That's why I'm here. I'm meant to be."
    The officer regarded him cautiously. "If you say so, sir. They've drawn up a wonderful scheme for aid work here."
    "Oh yes, quite wonderful." Jeik replied, reaching for his bottle and missing. "Quite bloody wonderful. Finally getting onto the right track..."
    "Sir?"
    "It won't last." Jeik said. "No, no. It won't last. It can't. Nothing like that'll last here. You look like a wise man to me, friend, what do you think?"
    "I think you should be on your way, sir." the officer said gently.
    "No, no, no... about the city! The people! That plan won't last a day after the cup ends. To the dust, all those things return. Empty platitudes, as far as I can see."
    "Sir, I think-"
    "No, you don't." Jeik said, shaking his head. "You don't, and not one of you does. Knock it down, rob them blind, promise to build it back up, take even more. It'll happen again, and again. Soon it'll happen to you, too!"
    "Sir-"
    "Your masters' greed will make you all fall apart, eventually. You mark my words. This little town, your city..."
    "Sir, you-"
    Jeik rose to his feet, blinking and wagging a finger. "Don't 'sir' me! This Federation will fall asunder as fast as you breathe! You mark my words! It's as inevitable as-"
    Pain abruptly splintered Jeik's face, and he fell down, bewildered. He registered a frenzy of shouting and movement, then felt boots and fists slamming into him, over and over again. 
    Enraged by his words, the other policemen had fallen upon him. Shouting, the officer tried to pull them off.
    Bones snapped. Blood spurted from Jeik's nostrils.
    "Mark my words!" he coughed. "Nothing you build will last forever! You ask these bloody locals!"
    A bootcap cracked into his sternum. Bloody fluid washed into his mouth.
    "Get off him! Get off him!" the officer was yelling, trying to rein in his provoked and angry men.
    By the time he managed to do so, Arkilo fen Jeik was no longer pontificating.
    Or breathing.
  22. Like
    Zoran reacted to Federation of Inner Ryxtylopia in World Cup of Football III [rosters, roleplays, results]   
    The "Band" is here!
    5 Chants to look out for in the Ryxtylopia-Overthinkers match!
     
    The "Band" is Ryxtylopia's supporter base, clubs in Ryxtylopia have their own "Bands" but all of theese come togheter when the nation plays, this can create a vibrant and exciting atmosphere, ocationally the ammount of singing can intimidate opponents, with some stadiums shaking after goal celebrations, however the band is probably most known for their chants.
    In this segment we present to you some of the chants you should expect in the upcomming match between Ryxtylopia and Overthinkers!
     
    We’re going to start the party:
     
    Nai importa lo qui ditxa!
    La Polixia Fideral!
    Yo ti alinto todás pairtes!
    Cada vez ti quiro más!
     
    Ryxtylopia, patrí itirna
    Hoy vaimo a poner la fixsta
    Ninca ti dijaremos di alintar
    Extá bandá ninca si callaira.
     
    I don’t care whatever they say
    The Federal Police
    I cheer for you everywhere
    Every time i love you more
     
    Ryxtylopia, eternal fatherland
    Today we’re going to start the party
    We’ll never stop cheering you on
    This band will never stop
     
     
    We’ll set the continent on fire:
     
    Nai me importá lo qui digas.
    A todí continente li vamó a quimar.
    Y tu vaí correir.
     
    Nai me importá lo qui digas.
    Ryxtylopia é presenté en i campó.
    É nai me importa lo qui diga la polixia.
    Y al oponente, vamó a matair, lo vamó a matair, lo vamó a matair.
     
    Y ti voy a siguir.
    La Banda causá la grada timblar.
    Y ti voy a siguir.
    Pro qui así é tu genté.
    Pro qui así é la bandá.
    Pro qui así é il Biutrie.
    É nadxie si callia.
     
    I don’t care whatever you say.
    We’ll set the entire continent on fire.
    And you’ll run.
     
    I don’t care whatever you say.
    Ryxtylopia is present in the field.
    And i don’t care whatever the police says.
    We’re going to murder the oponent, murder the oponent, murder the oponent.
     
    And ill follow you.
    The band causes the stadium to tremble.
    And ill follow you.
    Because your people are like that.
    Because the band is like that.
    Because the vulture is like that.
    And nobody will ever shut up.

     
    Go Ryxtylopia!:
     
    La bandá e lixta la bandá e lixta.
    Y vamói a cantair, vamói a alintar.
    Hay qui ganair, hay qui ganair.
    Pro qui tu bandá ti vai a alintar.
     
    Ohhhhhh vamói Ryxtylopia!
    Vamói Ryxtylopia! Vamói Ryxtylopia!
    Aí qui ganair, aí qui vincér, aí qui juigar.
    Ohhhhhh vamói Ryxtylopia!
    Vamói Ryxtylopia! Vamói Ryxtylopia!
    Ti dibes aguaintair.
    Ohhhhhh vamói Ryxtylopia!
    Vamói Ryxtylopia! Vamói Ryxtylopia!
    Ti dibes ganair.
     
    The band is ready, the band is ready.
    And we’re going to sing we’re going encourage.
    We need to win, we need to win.
    Because your band will cheer for you.
     
    Ohhhhhhh go Ryxtylopia!
    Go Ryxtylopia! Go Ryxtylopia!
    We need to win, we need to beat, we need to play.
    Ohhhhhhh go Ryxtylopia!
    Go Ryxtylopia! Go Ryxtylopia!
    You need to hold.
    Ohhhhhhh go Ryxtylopia!
    Go Ryxtylopia! Go Ryxtylopia!
    You need to win.

     
    The Police are a bunch of [___]:
     
    La Polixia é un monton di idiotxas!
    La Polixia é un monton di bastirdos!
    Oh por favoir! No me arrestí a mí.
    Por que en mai casa lo vain a lynchair.
     
    Aí vigilantes i todas partés.
    Aí soplaxes aí é aíllai.
    Pro nai importxa mais.
    La bandá ponei huivo, di emoxion, di paxión.
     
    Oh por favoir! No me arrestí a mí.
    Pro quíe sinxeramente ni me importará!
     
    The Police are a bunch of idiots!
    The Police are a bunch of bastards!
    Oh and please! Don’t arrest me.
    Beacause at my home you’re gonna get lynched.
     
    There are vigilantes everywhere.
    Snitches here and there.
    But that doesn’t matter.
    Because the band lays an egg, one of emotion, one of passion.
     
    Oh and please! Don't arrest me.
    Beacause sincereley i wont care.

     
    The band is crazy.:
     
    Aquí nai aí riglxas.
    Aquí si salta por todos laidos.
    Se fuima, se tomá’.
    La bandá é un monton di locos.
     
    Vamo bandá! Canté y saltié maís!
    Tí quixro y te veo e todais partes.
    Cantó y grixto e todais partes.
    Di local o vixitante vamo a grixtar.
     
    Vamó bandá!
    Vamó Ryxtylopia!
    Ti estxas loca…
    …Y yo tambxien!
     
    Here there aren’t rules.
    Here we jump everywhere.
    Here we smoke and we drink.
    The band is crazy.
     
    Go band! Sing and Jump more!
    I love you and i follow you everywhere.
    I sing and I shout everywhere.
    Either home or away we’re going to scream.
     
    Go Band!
    Go Ryxtylopia!
    You are crazy!
    And me too!
  23. Like
    Zoran reacted to Giovanniland in World Cup of Football III [rosters, roleplays, results]   
    Nuntias Diarias de Giovanniterra - Daily News of Giovanniland
    Lavender Festival Preparations
    Uryde, Lidoborio Province, Giovanniland - Preparations are currently in full force for the end-of-year Lavender Festival, an important celebration in Giovannilandian culture. This event is one of the most important Giovannilandian holidays, along with others like Violet Carnival (no fixed date), with influence from Violetism as well as popular culture; Empire Day (January 16th) about the founding of the Giovannian Empire; Kingdom Day (June 15th) about the transition from the Empire to the modern-day Kingdom; Abrentan Day (August 29th) about the arrival of the Abrentan people in Lavender Island from Saint Mark; and Constitution Day (October 30th) about the nation's current constitution.
    The Lavender Festival happens during the week before New Year, starting from December 25th, a reason it's also often considered together with New Year composing its final day. It dates back to the age of the Lavandulan Empire, and archaeological records point to the first edition of this celebration being held around 1100 BF during the reign of Emperor Tsering II. The capital Uryde, at the time known as Lavandula, had prominent lavender fields around it and was thus chosen as the main location for the event. The tradition has passed down generation to generation ever since, from the days of the Lavandulan Empire, then the post-imperial Duchy of Quorivo, and continues to the present day. 
    In Giovanniland, the lavender is a symbol of renewal and prosperity, hence the festival's date just before the New Year. However, the date has been changed a number of times because the modern-day calendar of Giovanniland has its origins in the Giovannian Empire and its antecessors in the Abrentan civilization, differing from earlier calendar used in the island. During the Imperial days the celebration was expanded beyond the city of Uryde and started to happen all across the nation, a status then enshrined into law via the Holidays Act of 1253.
    The nation celebrates the holiday through various events, such as the planting of lavenders in home gardens some time before December so they can be fully grown by the time of the event, and decoration of houses with lavender bunches and perfumes. Food recipes featuring lavender are also common, such as the famous lavender pasta, cupcakes, tea, and lemonade, among others. Images of a beautiful lavender field and various lavender products made in Giovanniland are shown below.



    One Win and One Loss for Giovanniland
    Ryxenia, Ryxtylopia - The Giovannilandian National Football Team (Squadra Nationala Giovanniterrana de Pedesfera, in Giovannese) has achieved mixed results so far in the 3rd World Cup of Football. The team started strong with a 1-0 win against Teralyon, featuring a goal from striker and captain Gustavo Zapata, and good performances from other players like fellow striker Matteo Divendomare and midfielder Augusto Uprino-Antenore, although the latter got injured near the end of the match.
    The tables turned on the second matchday when the Giovannilandian side lost 2-0 to the Sekiyans, who got their revenge from the previous edition where our side dealt them a 4-1 win. Augusto's absence affected the midfield and hampered the quality of the team's attack so that threats were not as effective, although luckily he will now return for the match against Cambria.
    The coach Elia Lastrilla has emphasized the need for further alternate plans when key players are missing in the field and increased training in that direction, although only time will tell if her plans will be effective. Team Giovanniland's remaining opponents are Cambria, United Adaikes and Peourouin, and another loss could put the squad in a dire situation, so the fans are hopeful the team wins at least some of these duels.
  24. Like
    Zoran reacted to Federation of Inner Ryxtylopia in World Cup of Football III [rosters, roleplays, results]   
    Readying Up
     
    It was the third day of the world cup, and Ryxtylopia would face off against the current lead of Group A - Overthinkers, who had won the previous two matches and led the group with 6 points, Ryxtylopia comming in second place with 4, Kalmach trailing in third with 2...
    In theory the toughest match was against Larxia, but the Vultures got through that match, and studying the opponent side, they played a bit more defensivley than others, so perhaps more enphasis on the backline would be necessary to minimize any mistakes that could lead to disaster.
     
    Mid-Day, Tsalapaní, Istadio Ciudad Tsalapaní
    The Vultures arrived early opening the stadium early for a few fans to watch them train, they wanted to be ready for the match, as well as this Garravez considered taking some of the less experienced players off for more experience, that would be needed in this match, mainly in defending, as he intended to use one of the lineups with 4 defenses.
    He thought and eventually settled on the 4-1-3-2, it would be similar to the Larxia match but it would have more offensive power, whilst retaining the 4 players on the backline, as Garravez altered the backline, switching a few players on and off:
     
    🔽 Ernysto Guivéz, No. 5, Age 23.
    🔼 Ravaido Hiltica, No. 2, Age 28.
     
     
     🔽 Rauíl Dipartí, No. 7, Age 29.
    🔼 Franco Lividarra, No. 19, Age 30.
     

     
    As he did this the players trained, Arvaldí practiced dealing with free kicks, Vilaña and Rivas practiced their handling with Larista and Milatachá, Arvaléz his passes, and Vilaní and Fydó took turns making shots at Arvaldí, all seemed fine as the recently subbed off Guivéz and Dipartí headed to the bench, they had been subbed off for players in the reserve and hadn't been put on the bench so they would have to watch the match either in the stadium or at home, which wasn't bad it gave both players time to rest, and to sit and have a chat.
     
    [Guivéz]: Glad this cup was here, the good thing about being the host is that you're usually the favorite to win, i think Garravez is doing a good job with the team.
    [Dipartí]: Im glad ill get to see my mother, she's at the hospital.
    [Guivéz]: Oh dear, what happened to her? You didn't tell me.
    [Dipartí]: Well she was going home from shopping as usual, and she had to cross a street, unfortunatley it had turned into a warzone since we live next to Trivixas, and whilst crossing she got hit by something, knocking her down on the street, im pretty worried for her.
    [Guivéz]: Oh no, hope she's ok...
    [Dipartí]: She's an old lady, but i love her very much, also she's been through riots before in her younger years, its not the first time something like this has happened to her, but this incident that happened with an old lady makes me question if this world cup is really worth all the trouble its brung.
    [Guivéz]: Trouble?
    [Dipartí]: Oh right, you probably only heard a rumor about the stuff, but its been pretty bad, Trivixas went up in flames with riots a few days back since people are angry at the tournament even happening here.
    As the two chatted, fellow player Enrico Jilian joined on the conversation.
    [Jilian]: Hope i dont interrupt to much but i did also hear of the riots, my older brother who works in Vynitiná told me he got his car pebbled during one.
    [Guivéz]: Oh shoot, hope he's ok.
    [Jilian]: He's fine, it was parked while he was on a dentist visit.
    [Dipartí]: Well great, so the state doesn't know what to do and they're not telling us.
    [Jilian]: They are not allowing reporters to report on the situation.
    [Dipartí]: I know, i know, old news move o-
    [Guivéz]: Wait what, i didn't know about this.
    (Take into account Guivéz plays in another nation's league, meaning he lives abroad)
    [Dipartí]: Oh right you dont live here, but i think its still pretty common knowledge to most of us.
    [Guivéz]: Well, we never owned a tv or radio in my younger years and my dad was too busy chopping down trees to read the news, i had to help him a lot or found myself playing soccer, before getting into the local league and getting snatched by a team at 17, moving abroad not long after.
    [Jilian]: Huh, interesting story.
    [Dipartí]: Well its something the state has been doing for a while now.
    [Guivéz]: Oh...
    [Dipartí]: Yeah, well ill need to get ready to catch a bus back to Ryxenia, it isn't far away from here, i just came to see if Garravez picked me for the match, but since not i need to see my mother, hopefully ill see you two back on the pitch sooner or later.
    [Jilian and Guivéz]: Bye Dipartí! Hope your mother is ok.
    [Jilian]: Well, im pretty worried by the situation, but i need to get to training; Garravez told me he'll most likley sub me on after half-time.
    [Guivéz]: Alright, ill stay here for the match!
     
    As Jilian left Guivéz thought that leaving Ryxtylopia might have been for the best, but he still wondered why was it this way, not having an understanding of politics back home after several years of being away didn't help, especially considering he had dropped out of school after elementary to help his father with work after his uncle passed away from an infection, result of an accident during work.
    He continued thinking as after a while of training Garravez called everybody back to the whiteboard he had on the side of the pitch to talk about strategy for the OT game, despite not going to play in the game Guivéz still went to watch the team talk.
     

     
    [Garravez]: Alright, not much to say here, same strategy as last time, just that this time with a bit more of attack, Farris you support Fydó and Vilaní, Larista you bring the ball up, everybody else stays in the area, tho if possible i want you Milatacha and Arvaléz to accompany Fydó and Vilaní up to roughly three quarters of the pitch, so you can cover their backs in case they need more passing options.
    [Garravez]: Am i understood?
    Everybody nodded.
    [Garravez]: We are the locals, we'll have the band cheering for us, if that doesn't intimidate the opponents enough we'll still them a good run for their money, Ryxtylopia doesn't GIVE UP AND RYXTYLOPIA WILL WIN THE MATCH, WE'RE GOING FOR FIRST IN THE GROUP! ADILENTÍ RYXTYLOPIA!
     
    There's a cheer in the players and the few people watching from the stands, as everybody heads back to train, whilst Guivéz packed and left the stadium, still thinking about what Dipartí and Jilian had told him.
  25. Like
    Zoran reacted to Bran Astor in World Cup of Football III [rosters, roleplays, results]   
    Palace Intrigue is the Result of a Multi-Year Revamp
    A centuries-old structure in Cambria's foothill region stands out thanks to a thoughtful, thorough restoration
    by Katja Venere
    In the heart of Olinapol, the White City of Cambria, lies the recently restored Palatine 2150 Boutique Hotel & Spa—a project destined to be. Design visionaries, Kaspar Lind and Riho Kannel, founders of Saint-Josalyn-based X Living, unexpectedly found themselves captivated by the allure of a 11th-century red palace during a leisurely visit to the Adana region. "We were immediately drawn to the potential of the centuries-old gem," shares Lind. "It was unthinkable not to make it a hotel; it really is just too beautiful to stay hidden."
    Over a meticulous three-year period, the former Cambrian palace, once home to the city's inaugural mayor and various other historical figures, underwent a revival. Traditional handcrafted techniques, infused with a touch of modern flair, breathed new life into every nook and cranny. A nod to Tamaric Red, a prestigious status symbol in the 18th century, graced an entire façade, standing as a testament to the wealth of that era amidst Olinapol's iconic whitewashed structures.
    The restoration journey revealed daily surprises, from fireplaces and stone vaults to frescoes dating back to the 1000s. The careful resurrection of smaller details, like a 11th-century cloister-style wooden door, hinted at the building's past as a possible convent.
    While blending the old with the new presented its challenges, such as the meticulous restoration of the entire roof, the effort was rewarded. Each of the hotel's 12 guestrooms, named after gemstones, boasts a unique identity, adorned with treasures sourced from antique fairs, shops, and markets worldwide. "The main inspiration was to create exquisite design in every detail with beautiful energy while also preserving and celebrating the history of the building," explains Kannel.
    Bistro 2150, nestled in a centuries-old vaulted stone room, opens onto a transformed traditional oil mill. The terrace extends to the swimming pool and garden, adorned with herbs and an pear orchard. Bar 2150 and the lounge, centered around a nearly 30-foot-long stone counter clad in antique Varanian tin plates, beckon guests with muted colors, inscribed eyes, and soft elements.
    A hidden gem lies 23 feet underground—the hotel's spa, housed in an ancient water cistern. This luxurious escape features a hydromassage basin, steam bath, spa shower with chromotherapy, and a relaxing lounge adorned with Nieubasrian salt walls.
    "We wanted to create something that didn't already exist, a hotel that is truly a one-off and that offers well-traveled guests an authentic Adanan experience," adds Lind. "A home away from home, if you will."
    The Palatine 2150 is a harmonious blend of history, luxury, and Cambrian design ingenuity.
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