Zoran

Dramatis Personae (important people)
Prime Minister Queenie A. Astier: Born and raised in the capital metropolis of Aidnaro, Queenie (not to be confused with the Queen) is the youngest prime minister to date at thirty-two years of age. 
Queen Aurélie Enfeld: The current head of the Orandian royal family, situated in Nordiaa. Forty-two years old. Stern and serious, but cares deeply for her people.
King Félix Enfeld: Forty-four years old. Originally from Idonara, Félix married into the Orandian royal family twenty-two years ago. A once-lively man known for his grace and dancing skill, the death of his youngest daughter still saddens him greatly.
Crown Prince Alexander Enfeld: At twenty, carries the future of the Orandian royal family on his shoulders. Only serious because he has to be. Soon to be wed to a woman from Naiador (Ophelia). 
Princess Adora Enfeld: Sixteen years old, and cares little for the responsibilities of a princess. She puts up with the less fun parts of royal life grudgingly, but dreams of one day traveling the world and leaving her previous commitments behind.
Princess Andrea Enfeld: Would be thirteen currently, had she not died at age eleven from a heart condition. Despite her illness, which had troubled her since birth, she is remembered as an optimistic and resilient young girl.
Ophelia Kihime (soon Enfeld): Nineteen years old; a young woman from Naiador's upper crust. It is unknown whether her engagement to Alexander is for political or personal reasons, or a mix of the two, but the union will surely be beneficial in strengthening cross-cultural relations in Orandia.

April 30, 1420 AF
12:15 PM Over time
In the catacombs of an ancient Zonethos Temple
Shaman Oconostota Nideloyu was offering up a prayer to the Great Spirit in hopes that his meeting with the Varanian delegation would end with the support he needed. He knew the theocrat faction was the weakest among the four involved in the civil war, he desperately needed support should the Will of the Spirit be fulfilled.
The Spirit has warned us against straying from His Will and the country is now in turmoil because of the previous government straying from His Will. Only the Divine Shaman, the successor of Adanvdo can return the country to glory in the eyes of the Spirit.
He got up from the ground and started making his way down the halls of the catacombs in order to meet with the Varanian delegation. He knew little about the delegation but he knew they were willing to give support to his righteous cause.
As he drew closer to the meeting place within the catacombs, he could see the Varanian general waiting for him. He could tell the general was not comfortable standing in a dimly lit room surrounded by skeletons. He entered the room and held up a hand in greeting,
“It is a pleasure to have you here in general. I apologize for keeping you waiting here for as long as I did. Come, let’s go to some place a bit less...grim.” said Nideloyu.
“The pleasure is mine,” said General Ristovski, “and yes, let’s.”
General Ristovski and Shaman Nideloyu made their way through one of the many tunnels of the catacombs until they reached a staircase that leads into the temple which resides above them. This temple was ancient, abandoned long ago when Adanvdo reformed the faith. The reason it was abandoned was because it was judged to be tainted by a giant symbol of a crab, the sign of Ulagohvsgi, being etched in the middle of the temple floor. But this temple, which has been reclaimed by nature, is now the base of operations for the theocratic faction. They stopped in the most intact room in the temple that had a table and a few chairs in the center of the room.
“Please take a seat general, we have much to discuss.” said Nideloyu as he gestured towards one of the chairs. General Ristovski  nodded in gratitude and sat in the chair while Nideloyu walked over to the other side of the table to sit in the seat opposite of him.
“Ah, thank you.”
“Now might I ask why Varanius is interested in backing our most righteous cause? It seems unusual for a secular state to back a group that wishes to create a theocracy.’
“Yes, it does admittedly seem rather odd. But, we wish the best for the people of Zoran, and we think you have the best chance of making that happen.”
“We thank you for coming so far to meet with us. I would be lying if I said we didn’t need support. What kind of assistance is Varanius willing to give us? Arms? Funds? Legitimacy?”
“Funds mainly, to begin with. Arms and legitimacy may come later, depending on availability.”
“And what would you like in return from us in the future? I can imagine that something trade related is what Varanius is looking at correct?”
“Right to the point I see. Yes, well. We do actually have our eyes on those exotic plants. Things like that have so many uses after all.”
“We can do something with that when we win the war.”
Nideloyu muttered a prayer of thanks to the Great Spirit before extending his hand to General Ristovski and shaking on their deal. The future may not be so dark for the theocrats as people once believed with the support they will receive from the Varanian government.

The Gift of Light: A Tale of How The Sun Came to the South
    In the days before the Empire, even before The Prophet, The Sun lived in the Mountains. His Presence made the Mountains light and warm. Snow sparkled on the tall trees and streams glittered as they danced past their banks. Life was born of The Sun and thrived under His watchful and generous care.
    Anor, one born of The Sun, had grown tall and strong, wise and caring. He used the gifts The Sun had given him to bring The Light to others. He turned want into comfort, fear into faith, and despair into hope. Many loved Anor … but not all. A few whose hearts were dark felt threatened by The Light. They were ashamed at what The Light might reveal. Although they lived under the same Sun, to them it scolded and burned.
    One of these was Dur, a sorcerer of The Dark. With the help of the counsel of the night haunts, he devised a plot to rid the Mountains of both Anor and The Sun.
    Disguised as a poor beggar and lying along the road, he waited for Anor to come upon him. Anor greeted him warmly and carried him to his house where he bathed and clothed him, gave him good food, a warm bed, and an ear to hear his troubles … as Dur knew he would. It was then that Dur told Anor of how on his many wanderings he had met the people of the South and how these people lived in cold and dark. If only they had someone like Anor to help them. Surely one as favored as Anor could bring them not only The Light, but The Sun itself.
    Anor’s heart yearned to help the people of the South. The next day, he left the beggar in the care of a neighbor, and embracing him, thanked him for pointing his way to these people in need.
    Dur smiled to himself, for he knew what the haunts had shared with him, something that Anor did not know. At the base of the mountains, before the South, lived a great Beast that would devour both Anor and The Sun.
    To reach the South as quickly as possible, Anor rode the Great River. It carried him from slumbering lakes to crashing cataracts, from racing rivers to smoldering swamps. It was in one of these swamps, a place of heat without light, that the great Beast rose up before Anor.
    Anor Carried The Sun within him and it shone forth from him, piercing the darkness. The Beast was afraid of this man of Light, but even more afraid of The Sun within him. He must not let this man release The Sun into his swamp. He must devour the man and keep The Sun imprisoned in darkness.
    The Beast struck. With thrashing tail and grasping claws and mighty maw he struck. Anor was shoved into the Beast’s gullet, past the razor fangs. But Anor was without fear or despair. Alone, he would be finished, but he was not alone. The Sun was with him and in him and The Sun could not be contained by the darkness of the Beast. The Sun rushed into every corner of that great Beast, revealing death to this servant of dark.
    With the Beast vanquished, Anor brought The Light and The Sun to the people of the South. But although The Sun was with them, it was not gone from the Mountains. Dur had misjudged the vastness of The Sun, the illuminating Presence of The Light. Having sought to banish both he had only aided in increasing their reach.
    Anor stayed with the people of the South for a time, sharing comfort, faith, and hope. Many more were inspired to do likewise, and before long, Anor was able to return to his beloved Mountains. Light had been brought from the Mountains, down the great River to the people of the South.

So you have returned for more bone chilling tales from the mystical land of Zoran? Well this time it is nothing terrifying, but instead a tale that many people in Zoran are familiar with, the tale of Amadahy. 
Back in the days when Saint Mark ruled the land, there was a young woman named Amadahy. Amadahy was an orphan whose mother died in childbirth and whose father died in an attack of her village from Saint Mark colonists. She was raised by her tribe, just as tribal law dictated at the time. The woman taught her household skills and the men taught her how to hunt and use a bow. From the shamans she learned religious beliefs that her parents were supposed to teach her, but when the shaman of the village first saw her he said,
“This girl has the spark inside her. Truly the Spirit has something planned for her.”
Indeed, she did have a spark inside her and the Great Spirit had something grand planned for her. When she came of age, which at the time was sixteen years old, she did not know what she wanted to do with her life. It is tradition that a woman would choose her life path whether that be religious or secular whether as a mother or a member of the tribe’s workforce or sometimes both. Yet she did not know what she wanted to do. When she came to face her father and the red chief, she said that she did not know what life path she wanted to follow. Her father and the red chief were displeased and told her to leave the tribe until she decided what life path she wanted to follow. She was ashamed and walked out of the tribal village in tears going into the wild Zoranian jungle.
She walked deep into the jungle, crying the entire way, until she reached the edge of a waterfall. When she reached the edge she looked down off the edge of the waterfall, debating what she wanted to do with her life. However, shame at her inability to decide took hold over her mind and she decided to jump off the edge of the waterfall to her death. Just as she was about to jump off, she was stopped by a divine light that shone brightly in front of her. A Voraltar named Tanehewe floated in front of her, sent by the Great Spirit to stop her from ending her life.
“Ganesosgv, Amadahy. I am Tanehewe, a voraltar of the Great Spirit, Do not cast your life away to the pits of despair. You have a spark within you, a spark gifted to you by the Spirit Himself.”
Amadahy was in shock and awe at the Voraltar and fell to her knees at the edge of the waterfall before saying,
“A spark? What could I have done to deserve such a gift from the Great Spirit? I am but a simple orphan.”
“The Spirit works in ways that not even I understand. But fear not, I have come to grant you guidance.” they said, “Go to the grave where your father was laid, there you shall find the light to your spark that will help you find the path you will follow.”
Amadahy thanked Tanehewe before getting up and going to the burial ground where her father was laid to rest. Upon her arrival at the burial site, she found a large group of children gathered together with tears rolling down their cheeks. They were thin to the bone and some sat nude but all of them owned anything. They didn’t have money, food, toys, or even a family. Conflict with Saint Markian colonists have been leaving a massive number of orphans and tribes have been struggling to support all of them. These children were among those that were cast out from their tribes because of there being too many mouths to feed and not enough people to work to produce or procure food.
Amadahy was moved by the sight of these children and the spark within her was finally lit. The spark within her is known as the Spark of Giving, and at the sight of these children she felt the need to give them along with other children gifts to raise their spirits, encourage good behavior, or to help them survive. She ran to her village with haste and when she arrived people thought she had chosen her life path. While this is true, it wasn’t a traditional one. She entered the foster home that she was housed in and got to work making a large woven basket out of river cane. The Great Spirit was pleased with her dedication that he blessed the basket so that she can pull out any gift she needs. After she finished weaving her blessed basket, she ran out of the village back to the children at the burial ground and gave them food, clothing, some Zorallas, and some toys for them to play with. The children smiled and thanked her for her kindness and since then she has been giving gifts to children across Zoran for years with the help of the Great Spirit. But she only gives gifts to good boys and girls or orphaned children who are in desperate need to help and she goes from house to house or alleyway to alleyway every night to give out gifts to all children in Zoran.

So you have returned for more bone chilling tales from the mystical land of Zoran? Well this time it is nothing terrifying, but instead a tale that many people in Zoran are familiar with, the tale of Amadahy. 
Back in the days when Saint Mark ruled the land, there was a young woman named Amadahy. Amadahy was an orphan whose mother died in childbirth and whose father died in an attack of her village from Saint Mark colonists. She was raised by her tribe, just as tribal law dictated at the time. The woman taught her household skills and the men taught her how to hunt and use a bow. From the shamans she learned religious beliefs that her parents were supposed to teach her, but when the shaman of the village first saw her he said,
“This girl has the spark inside her. Truly the Spirit has something planned for her.”
Indeed, she did have a spark inside her and the Great Spirit had something grand planned for her. When she came of age, which at the time was sixteen years old, she did not know what she wanted to do with her life. It is tradition that a woman would choose her life path whether that be religious or secular whether as a mother or a member of the tribe’s workforce or sometimes both. Yet she did not know what she wanted to do. When she came to face her father and the red chief, she said that she did not know what life path she wanted to follow. Her father and the red chief were displeased and told her to leave the tribe until she decided what life path she wanted to follow. She was ashamed and walked out of the tribal village in tears going into the wild Zoranian jungle.
She walked deep into the jungle, crying the entire way, until she reached the edge of a waterfall. When she reached the edge she looked down off the edge of the waterfall, debating what she wanted to do with her life. However, shame at her inability to decide took hold over her mind and she decided to jump off the edge of the waterfall to her death. Just as she was about to jump off, she was stopped by a divine light that shone brightly in front of her. A Voraltar named Tanehewe floated in front of her, sent by the Great Spirit to stop her from ending her life.
“Ganesosgv, Amadahy. I am Tanehewe, a voraltar of the Great Spirit, Do not cast your life away to the pits of despair. You have a spark within you, a spark gifted to you by the Spirit Himself.”
Amadahy was in shock and awe at the Voraltar and fell to her knees at the edge of the waterfall before saying,
“A spark? What could I have done to deserve such a gift from the Great Spirit? I am but a simple orphan.”
“The Spirit works in ways that not even I understand. But fear not, I have come to grant you guidance.” they said, “Go to the grave where your father was laid, there you shall find the light to your spark that will help you find the path you will follow.”
Amadahy thanked Tanehewe before getting up and going to the burial ground where her father was laid to rest. Upon her arrival at the burial site, she found a large group of children gathered together with tears rolling down their cheeks. They were thin to the bone and some sat nude but all of them owned anything. They didn’t have money, food, toys, or even a family. Conflict with Saint Markian colonists have been leaving a massive number of orphans and tribes have been struggling to support all of them. These children were among those that were cast out from their tribes because of there being too many mouths to feed and not enough people to work to produce or procure food.
Amadahy was moved by the sight of these children and the spark within her was finally lit. The spark within her is known as the Spark of Giving, and at the sight of these children she felt the need to give them along with other children gifts to raise their spirits, encourage good behavior, or to help them survive. She ran to her village with haste and when she arrived people thought she had chosen her life path. While this is true, it wasn’t a traditional one. She entered the foster home that she was housed in and got to work making a large woven basket out of river cane. The Great Spirit was pleased with her dedication that he blessed the basket so that she can pull out any gift she needs. After she finished weaving her blessed basket, she ran out of the village back to the children at the burial ground and gave them food, clothing, some Zorallas, and some toys for them to play with. The children smiled and thanked her for her kindness and since then she has been giving gifts to children across Zoran for years with the help of the Great Spirit. But she only gives gifts to good boys and girls or orphaned children who are in desperate need to help and she goes from house to house or alleyway to alleyway every night to give out gifts to all children in Zoran.

*turns on the lights and brushes off some dust*
I'm back! @Dilber, you're going for a little swim!

 

President Goldberg announces waiver of Act Of Peace, allows possible Auran League accession
Today, President Paul Goldberg announced that he signed a waiver of the Act Of Peace yesterday. The Act Of Peace, though not officially included in the Santo-Dominian Constitution, wields the same power as the Constitution, and officially codifies strict, unconditional Santo-Dominian pacifist neutrality. However, this has grown increasingly unpopular as Santo-Dominians demand participation in international events and friendly diplomacy with neighbouring nations. The 2nd TWP Rugby World Cup, held a few weeks ago, made this sentiment skyrocket in popularity, and Santo-Dominians are more eager than ever to interact with the world on a greater scale never seen before.
The Federal Republic has historically remained neutral in Auran and Andolian conflicts and events, choosing to stay out and observe on the sidelines. This desire for peace and pacifism famously led to founding President Bill Mulberry's "All In Us" tourism and culture programme, which encouraged Santo-Dominians to visit their own country's attractions instead of foreign ones and experience Santo-Dominian culture instead of their neighbouring counterparts. Though the country's stance slowly softened over the years, the resurgence of the lobbying firm Santo-Dominian Neutrality Association(SDNA) led to President Goldberg's signing of the Act Of Peace, formally codifying Santo-Dominian pacifist neutrality.
However, the SDNA has since enjoyed a dramatic decline in support, with scandals and infighting plaguing its ranks and the national neutrality movement. The President, weary of public outcry against neutrality and bent on SDNA, appears to have granted the public their wish. The waiver allows the Federal Republic to bypass Sections 15B and 17A of the Act Of Peace, greatly expanding the Government's powers to conduct diplomacy and make the country participate in world events, including but not limited to sports tournaments and cultural exchanges.
But the waiver has a crucial section, one that would include permission for the Federal Republic to officially join the Auran League. Santos-Dominius has always viewed the Auran League with mistrust, and when it was first founded, Santos-Dominius refused to follow other Auran countries and join it. Instead, it watched the League with suspicion and observation for years, preferring to look at its proceedings and see if it was safe to join. However, it now looks like the Federal Republic may finally consider joining the Auran League for its benefits.
President Goldberg gave a speech about the waiver outside the National Senate Building in Friberne, saying: "This waiver is a historic moment for our Federal Republic. With this waiver, we will finally be able to interact with our neighbours, other countries and participate in international affairs, including but not limited to sports events, diplomatic talks and more. This waiver will also allow our Federal Republic to apply for membership of the Auran League and similar organisations. It is time for Santos-Dominius to learn about the world, and it is time for the world to learn about Santos-Dominius."
The move has wide political support. President Goldberg's own party, the centre-right Democratic Coalition Party(DCB), supported the bill after intense debate within its ranks. The centre-left Country Liberal Party(CLP), the main opposition party, also supported the President's decision in a rare moment of praise. Vice President Donald Verbloem expressed his personal support. The CLP's presidential ticket, Sens. Jeremy Maxson and Art Bernstein, also supported the decision. The waiver is expected to come into effect in a few days, and the President's administration is reportedly making preparations for the passage of the waiver.

Unfortunately our ambassador has retired from NS. I will be taking on the role, at least temporarily.
 
It seems not so many of our Boiling Pot editions have reached TWP's fine shores. That's a shame, and I'd like to rectify it. We've just released our 5th edition, A New Way of Cooking, which can be read here:
https://www.nationstates.net/page=dispatch/id=1474731

Our previous editions, since you did not get links to them, can be found here:

Issue 2 - https://www.nationstates.net/nation=stu_state_broadcasting/detail=factbook/id=1366146
Issue 3 - https://www.nationstates.net/nation=stu_state_broadcasting/detail=factbook/id=1391320
Issue 4 - https://www.nationstates.net/nation=stu_state_broadcasting/detail=factbook/id=1447428

Zoranian Times Live!
"Helloooooo Zoran! The finals have come and gone and we have emerged victorious! Against all odds our team managed to beat the blue shirts of Dalimbar! This is not just a victory for our nation but for all of Aura! Our team beat Dalimbar 6 to 10 in a match that can only be described as phenomenal! The Dalimbari used their infamous landmine tactic on the field but our coach had prepared for this...that is why the GDC sent some tanks with mine ploughs and mine flails to burst through the stadium wall and clear the field of landmines! This occurred mere minutes before the match started but this wasn't the only thing that led our team to victory. The Zoranian refugees, yes the same refugees that interfered with other matches, were furious at the Dalimbari for supplying landmines to the Corporate faction in the civil war and lashed out against the Dalimbari players, attacking a few Dalimbari players throughout the game! This caused some Dalimbari players to be injured during the match and it provided enough of a distraction for our team to score us a few points to take the victory in the match! We here at Zoranian Times hope this victory brings some joy to our fellow countrymen back home who are having to endure a most dreadful civil war. I am Quiyakaso and I am getting out of here before my bad luck takes effect!"
The camera then shows Quiyakaso running away towards a hotel but not before being tackled by Winotlisa Austenaco, who is still wearing a orange prison jumpsuit.
"I am the true reporter of Zoranian Times Live! Not you!" yelled Wintolisa. The two began fighting on the ground but none of the crew did anything and kept reporting the fight. Quiyakaso bit Wintolisa's hand but Wintolisa punched Quiyakaso in the face. They then rolled around on the ground for a bit and to be honest it isn't as interesting as you may think. But the fight ended when the security guards who were chasing Winotlisa for the entirety of the World Cup caught up and tackled Wintolisa onto the ground and off of Quiyakaso.

Zoranian Times Live!
"Helloooooo Zoran! The finals have come and gone and we have emerged victorious! Against all odds our team managed to beat the blue shirts of Dalimbar! This is not just a victory for our nation but for all of Aura! Our team beat Dalimbar 6 to 10 in a match that can only be described as phenomenal! The Dalimbari used their infamous landmine tactic on the field but our coach had prepared for this...that is why the GDC sent some tanks with mine ploughs and mine flails to burst through the stadium wall and clear the field of landmines! This occurred mere minutes before the match started but this wasn't the only thing that led our team to victory. The Zoranian refugees, yes the same refugees that interfered with other matches, were furious at the Dalimbari for supplying landmines to the Corporate faction in the civil war and lashed out against the Dalimbari players, attacking a few Dalimbari players throughout the game! This caused some Dalimbari players to be injured during the match and it provided enough of a distraction for our team to score us a few points to take the victory in the match! We here at Zoranian Times hope this victory brings some joy to our fellow countrymen back home who are having to endure a most dreadful civil war. I am Quiyakaso and I am getting out of here before my bad luck takes effect!"
The camera then shows Quiyakaso running away towards a hotel but not before being tackled by Winotlisa Austenaco, who is still wearing a orange prison jumpsuit.
"I am the true reporter of Zoranian Times Live! Not you!" yelled Wintolisa. The two began fighting on the ground but none of the crew did anything and kept reporting the fight. Quiyakaso bit Wintolisa's hand but Wintolisa punched Quiyakaso in the face. They then rolled around on the ground for a bit and to be honest it isn't as interesting as you may think. But the fight ended when the security guards who were chasing Winotlisa for the entirety of the World Cup caught up and tackled Wintolisa onto the ground and off of Quiyakaso.

Zoranian Times Live!
"Helloooooo Zoran! The finals have come and gone and we have emerged victorious! Against all odds our team managed to beat the blue shirts of Dalimbar! This is not just a victory for our nation but for all of Aura! Our team beat Dalimbar 6 to 10 in a match that can only be described as phenomenal! The Dalimbari used their infamous landmine tactic on the field but our coach had prepared for this...that is why the GDC sent some tanks with mine ploughs and mine flails to burst through the stadium wall and clear the field of landmines! This occurred mere minutes before the match started but this wasn't the only thing that led our team to victory. The Zoranian refugees, yes the same refugees that interfered with other matches, were furious at the Dalimbari for supplying landmines to the Corporate faction in the civil war and lashed out against the Dalimbari players, attacking a few Dalimbari players throughout the game! This caused some Dalimbari players to be injured during the match and it provided enough of a distraction for our team to score us a few points to take the victory in the match! We here at Zoranian Times hope this victory brings some joy to our fellow countrymen back home who are having to endure a most dreadful civil war. I am Quiyakaso and I am getting out of here before my bad luck takes effect!"
The camera then shows Quiyakaso running away towards a hotel but not before being tackled by Winotlisa Austenaco, who is still wearing a orange prison jumpsuit.
"I am the true reporter of Zoranian Times Live! Not you!" yelled Wintolisa. The two began fighting on the ground but none of the crew did anything and kept reporting the fight. Quiyakaso bit Wintolisa's hand but Wintolisa punched Quiyakaso in the face. They then rolled around on the ground for a bit and to be honest it isn't as interesting as you may think. But the fight ended when the security guards who were chasing Winotlisa for the entirety of the World Cup caught up and tackled Wintolisa onto the ground and off of Quiyakaso.

Sharks showed best defense ever seen in the tournament, grabs 3rd place!!
In the penultimate game of the tournament, when everything matters for the two teams playing, the United Adaikes National Rugby Team showed their best defensive game when they did not let Kurabis score against them. A try with a successful conversion was scored by the Sharks in the 17th minute when they saw an opportunity from the Kurabis defense. In the second half, with their fresh legs, Kurabis tried to get as many opportunities as they can muster but they cannot even get their drop goals in. The Sharks increased their lead in the 68th minute with another try and another successful conversion.
What was only a previously unheard nation with a team that just wants to try the feeling of playing in the international rugby scene just clinched the 3rd place in the 2nd Rugby World Cup. Many pundits, fans, and observers (sports or not) alike, will take this chance to watch this nation and monitor what they can show more in the different opportunities where they can. The pressure is also in the shoulders of United Adaikes to ensure the same or get to a higher level, not only in playing their rugby, but also in the other events in TWP.
HT: United Adaikes 7-0 Kurabis
FT: United Adaikes 14-0 Kurabis
Reporter: Ms. Raquel Lamanilao

Third-Place Game and Final
What a tournament! Congratulations to the champs, and commiserations to all those who didn't make it! That's a wrap here in Dilber, and we'll see you all... next time!

Gold Medal and Bronze Medal Round:
Away (Y/A)     Home (Z/B)  United Adaikes (51.46)   14   00   Kurabis (51.93+3)  Dalimbar (57.19) 06 10 Zoran (56.03+3) Day 8 Rankings:
Zoran - 57.66 Dalimbar - 55.56 United Adaikes - 54.15 Big Bad Badger - 53.97 Giovanniland - 53.79 Hertfordshire and Jammbo - 53.74 Saint Mark - 53.14 Taledo - 52.80 Libterraria - 52.82 Fujai - 51.44 Recuecn - 51.23 Min-Su - 51.00 Bobki - 50.29 Dilber - 50.08 Fhaengshia - 49.90 Sensorland - 49.74 Bhang Bhang Duc - 49.68 Larxia - 49.68 Kurabis - 49.24 Mediobogdum - 48.77 Cambria - 48.70 Westwind - 47.58 Darkesia - 45.41 Teralyon - 45.00 Croblade - 44.92 Nieubasria - 43.73 OMI - 43.39 Nark - 42.59 Gold medalist @Zoran
Silver medalist @Dalimbar
Bronze medalist @United Adaikes

Härtferdsierndeambeu Ragbi Junjen - Matchday 6 - Defeat
Eliminated from The West Pacific Rugby World Cup 2
Härtferdsierndeambeu Ragbi Junjen 16-22 United Adaikes Sharks
Tries: Robert Lee (52'), Ongo Vidopliassova (59')
Penalties: Jeremy Clarkson (7'), Damian Mladenov (63')
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Tonight: Nothing goes here, because we've been knocked out.
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Matchday 6 Report - Preview: Hello and welcome to the final matchday review of the entire tournament for us. Yes, you heard that right. We were defeated by a small debutant team from bloody Polaris. That damn continent again?! How much have they dominated sporting in recent memory, we wonder. It would be funny if it weren't so humiliating. This report has come late due to us really not wanting to make it, but a job's a job. So here goes nothing.
 
Matchday 6 Report - First Half: Match begins, and the 7th minute sees us immediately take the deserved lead through a penalty by Jeremy Clarkson. Hammond & May weren't petty, but we did find a mysteriously smashed drumkit after the match. That was the limit of our scoring in the first half as the Sharks inexplicably raised their defensive performance and managed to shut out the HRJ's brutal attack power. Admittedly, we were missing 3 players, one of which was a front-line player, but that is no excuse for a team once utterly dominant on the field, only to see itself yanked off it's podium by force. Yadda yadda yadda, we don't want to make this so it is half-arsed, Adaikes scored in the 17th and 37th minutes with tries, the first of which had a conversion come with the deal. Half time arrives, the HRJ were down 3-12.
 
Matchday 6 Report - Second Half: Like we said just before, this is completely half-arsed with little effort put in. The second half saw the HRJ go back to steamrolling the Sharks, placing immense pressure on their lines. They were, of course, rewarded with a 52nd minute try by captain Robert Lee and a 59th minute try by Ongo Vidopliassova. Coincidentally, both of them were two of the HRJ's best players in the first TWPRWC. Day of the veterans, almost. Adaikes responded immediately with a dubious penalty, before the Remnants responded to that response with a penalty of their own, Damian Mladenov eager to mentally break down the opponent. With that 11 minute blitz, despite the clearly incorrectly given Adaikes penalty, the HRJ were now back into the lead and quickly reasserting themselves as the superior team. It was clear to United Adaikes just why the Remnants had won the inaugural Rugby World Cup, here they were in their full glory, ready to plunge any and all hopeful adversaries into the despair of defeat, more often than not a crushing defeat. Damian's cruel tactics worked, for about 6 minutes, but when United Adaikes earned themselves a third try with added conversion bonus out of quite literally nowhere the tide turned. The brief silence of the crowds on both ends said it all really. Were United Adaikes about to pull off the shock of the tournament? The HRJ wasn't going to let that happen easily, pummeling the Adaikesian defenses with everything they could muster, including the natural randomness it held. Seriously though, have you seen this team's make-up, it is slightly ridiculous. What kind of place is Hertfordshire and Jammbo anyway?! Right, now that we are done plagiarising old reports, back to the game. Full-time struck and with it the hopes of retaining the title were torn in half. The Remnants had been defeated much to the joy of many other participants, most notably Fujai and Dalimbar who came close to actually agreeing with each other. Yeah, people really didn't want us to win a second time. They got their wish, hope they're happy because we certainly aren't. This game proved a few things. 1: No one can stay on top forever. 2: The superior team doesn't always come out the victors, shocks can and do happen. 3: Dear Lord, that Adaikesian defense were immensely good, they had to be in order to limit the HRJ to 16 points. It could have easily been something like HAJ 37-22 UAD if it weren't for them. 4: United Adaikes were the dark horse of the tournament, at least until they weren't. Full time score, 16-22 to United Adaikes. Oh cock!
 
Next Time: Back to the land of the countryside for us. Do not expect the reports to end though. A special update consisting of all the themes of the players will be coming out in the near future. A fellow Andolian nation called New Velka asked all the other nations what their teams themes were. We aim to answer that question and then some. Based on margin of loss we have finished 7th in the tournament, at least we got the lucky number position. The Sharks on the other hand suffered a low scoring 9-5 defeat to, you guessed it, Dalimbar. That's not gone well. The landmine junta could be on the way to win it all if they can get past the refugee-wielding king of judo Zoran. Beware the Floridamen. They will most likely pull out all the stops from their seemingly bottomless pit of tactics. Considering that Zoran were handily defeated by us in this same tournament, and we made light work of the Dalimbari in the first Rugby World Cup, we think Dalimbar have what it takes to win the trophy and show the barbarians what for. Now if you'll excuse us, we need to vent our frustrations at some important details. Goodbye.
 
Elsewhere: Remind us why the hell BetterBy Pharma drugs were found in the pre-match refreshments!!! That's just wrong!

Match Report - Dalimbar (52.11) vs. Giovanniland (52.27)
Although a loss is a loss, it was not a heartbreak. The Dalimbari made sure they disrupted the long planning of their opponents from Giovanniland to score enough tries to advance to the Quarterfinals. This was particularly sweet for Dalimbar as the last time they met, Giovanniland "stole" the bronze medal from Dalimbar in the first tournament.
Compared to their other matches, it was clear that the Dalimbari were slower today. The plan issued by Colonel Nursan was to hold off Giovanniland from scoring too many tries and to not overwork his side lest they falter in the real competition of the tournament, the knock-out rounds. 
Chain of command up to Marshal Markus Briand were aware of this, informed ahead of time that a small defeat is acceptable if the Dalimbari still made it to the Quarterfinals. The Marshal gave his support, speaking with Col. Nursan by phone late at night as they discussed tactics and strategies going forward. The key question both men asked one another is how to tackle the beasts of Hertfordshire & Jammbo and Fujai if the Dalimbari have to face those teams. "Explosive response" was the general idea put forward by the Marshal.
But back to today's match, two penalties in each half allowed Dalimbar to acquire 6 points compared to Giovanniland's 10. A victory in defeat.

The Dopin' Dogs are proud to announce that via our "lineup changes" that had no names change on the lineup, we were able to go back to our scoring ways.  The ditches that were built yesterday have been filled and covered up with a parking lot, and now more parking exists at the stadium.

After Libterraria's sweeping loss against Dalimbar, the member of the public from the previous post has said: "See! I told you"

Match Report - Dalimbar (54.64) vs United Adaikes (53.96)
Daaaaaaliiiiiiiimbaaarrrrr
Marshal Markus Briand was in the top box in Garrison Stadium, watching down at the impressive play from the Dalimbari squad. Although the match was in Dilber, the entire pitch of the stadium in Saint Andreisburg was turned into a television, broadcasting for the 30,000 joyous Dalimbari supporters in their temple of the sport. Outside the stadium there were multiple screens playing the match, as rugby has become an important facet of society.
 Daaaaaaliiiiiiiimbaaarrrrr
A thunder-clap erupted from the audience in both Dilber and Dalimbar. When the boys in blue entered the scrum, the thunder-clap erupted again. And again. Getting slightly faster each time from the crowd. Pushing the Dalimbari further and further down the field.
 Daaaaaaliiiiiiiimbaaarrrrr
The tie in the first half built the tension further. Going into the second half the team huddled and figured any goal was a good goal at this point. The UA team was a hefty team to push through, and if penalties were the way to go, fine. The UA squad were a respectable force, holding their line like a brick wall. 
 Daaaaaaliiiiiiiimbaaarrrrr
A final victory of 9-5 cemented Dalimbar's place in rugby history. The boys in blue came fourth in the first tournament, and now are either going to be first or second. And for the Dalimbari, gold is the only option.

Dalimbar held only to goal kicks, Sharks fail to enter championship..
When two defensive teams go at each other, we'll surely have a tight and low score line. This was proven by the United Adaikes National Rugby Team as they held the Dalimbari to scoring drop goals only. The first half sent shivers to everyone with both teams not letting the other get past their 22-meter line in the first half with the ball possession getting back and forth the field with the game full of scrums, interceptions, and short runs. The first half ended with both teams tied nil-all.
In the resumption of the game, Dalimbar scored a drop goal in the 43rd minute. The Sharks saw a glimpse of hope when they scored a try in the 52nd minute, but failed to get the conversion. That hurt them so much, as the Dalimbari scored another drop goal in the 67th minute, and a penalty goal kick in the 74th minute after a harsh high tackle from a Sharks player to a blitzing Dalimbari. Captain Miguel Gonzales apologized to the tackled player and to the Dalimbari head coach, and apologized again during the post-match conference as the game ended in favor of Dalimbar.
Coach Gallardo said, "Well, just like what we have said yesterday, we've gone far as we haven't imagined. We're grateful for the experience, and we'll surely be returning for the next tournament. As for tomorrow, we'll still plan for it as business-as-usual, but we'll leave it to the players if they want to get the 3rd place. That's how we let them played today, and we're proud of them to just let the Dalimbari kick some points, but we'll have to do more if we want to be at the podium tomorrow."
HT: Dalimbar 0-0 United Adaikes
FT: Dalimbar 9-5 United Adaikes
Reporter: Ms. Raquel Lamanilao

Semifinal Results
Game 1 Dalimbar 9–5 United Adaikes Game 2 Kurabis 3–14 Zoran Third-Place Game
United Adaikes vs Kurabis
 
TWP Rugby World Cup Final
Dalimbar vs Zoran
 

Zoranian Times Live!
"Hello Zoran! Quiyakaso here refreshed and ready for anything today! It has been a few days since I was on air but that was because I wanted to stay in my cheap hotel bed and cry for a while! Anyways these past few days have been a wild one! Last night our team beat the very skilled Fujansk team in the quarterfinal by three points! At the very beginning of the game, the Zoranian Olympic judo team ran onto the field and knocked out the referee and the two assistant referees! However, despite these actions, the Fujansk were able to get an early lead on our team and close to the middle of the game the Zoranian team were losing hope. But then the Zoranian refugees began holding onto the legs of the Fujanks players, begging them for alms. This prevented the Fujansk team from scoring or well moving much, allowing out team to catch up and win the game in the last few seconds of the game! Our team will be going up against the Kurabi rugby team tonight folks! All of Aura is cheering for us! Well probably with the exception of Dilber who is claiming their team won! Regardless, let's bring home the gold!"
Right as Quiyakaso thought he had a successful broadcast at full energy without interruption, a swarm of Dilberian seagulls that have been injected with a variety of drugs by BetterBy Pharma start attacking him and on the screen you see Quiyakaso yelling and running through the streets of Dilber City trying in vain to escape the seagulls!
"BY THE SPIRIT! WHY! WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE A SEAGULL ATTACK!" screams Quiyakaso before the NACZ logo appears.

The entire nation of Dilber believes that it was CHEATED out of a playoff spot, as we had more points than almost all of the teams in the playoffs.
 
This was mainly due to none of them understanding how groups works

Sharks dethrone the reigning champs, onward to the semi-finals!
Hertfordshire and Jammbo was the first to score with a drop goal just 7 minutes into the game. But their expectations did not go their way as the United Adaikes National Rugby Team stepped up their defense the whole game. United Adaikes scored in the 17th minute with a try and a successful conversion, and another try in the far-left goal line in the 37th minute which caused them not to get that conversion before the first half ended.
When the second half started, a scoring exchange happened between the two teams. H & J blitzed with tries in the 52nd and 59th minutes to take the lead again, 13-12, even without getting the conversion for the 2 tries. The Sharks tried to get back by scoring a drop goal in the 60th minute to take the lead again, 13-15. A drop goal from the defending champs in the 63rd minute nearly spelled doom for the Polarii side, but the Sharks responded with a surprising try no one expected 6 minutes later, getting a successful conversation to regain the lead. A couple of missed drop goals from H & J had the Adaikesian fans roared and cheered harder. Numerous opportunities were nearly exploited by H & J, but that's just it for them as the United Adaikes just couldn't believe that they've bested the ones who took the trophy home in the previous World Cup!
In the post-match press conference, coach Gallardo shared, "We were looking at their tapes, even from the games in the previous tournament. There were even small chatter that even their side accept it that they are bad in conversions. We were putting it as a third (and nearly disregarded) reminder for the team, but when we saw it with our eyes what happened in the second half, we made sure that the next tries we could muster against them should also have successful conversions. We just did one, but we'll take it." Sharks captain Miguel Gonzales added, "There was a pattern in their games that they are scoring much in the start of the second half, so the mindset going in to the game is that whenever they get a try, we respond with our own. But, if we can find a small loophole against their defense, let's take it and see what we can get from there. It showed there in our first half."
On taking on Dalimbar in the semis, and the press bringing out if there was a topic last night in their meeting that they might meet, what would they say to each other, coach Gallardo replied, "Well, they promised to crush us if we will meet in the semis. (laughs) I said, let's talk about it when we get there. Well, here we are. However, we came prepared playing for this games. Games everyday meant that we can't practice, so we'll just rest our tired bodies and legs after the games. As long as we can view the tapes of our opponents in the next game, analyze and strategize before we get to bed, putting into our minds what we need to do the whole day, then hopefully we can get the result we wanted. Personally, we've got as far as we haven't imagined, and as three teams are from Polaris, we'll have no problems with a Polarii champion. But of course, in this stage, we're hungry to get to the finals and hopefully bring the trophy home."
On an interesting note, all the other top teams in the group stage were eliminated by their opponents. Aside from Dalimbar, all the semi-finalists have just debuted in the international rugby union scene and has been upsetting their opponents. One thing's for sure, a new champion will be crowned.
HT: Hertfordshire and Jammbo 3-12 United Adaikes
FT: Hertfordshire and Jammbo 16-22 United Adaikes
Reporter: Ms. Raquel Lamanilao

Match Report - Dalimbar (50.74) vs Libterraria (56.74)
Nothing is permanent. Nothing is absolutely for certain. We may believe in one tactic only for it to fail. For a victory, we must see the whole board.
The conquest of Libterraria was swift and complete. 27-0. This was a team which earned the respect of Dalimbar for their skill and drive. They did not make it easy for the boys in blue to score. However, they were a pure defensive line with no opportunity for a dash down the field.
What made the crowd cheer the loudest was seeing the two juggernauts of rugby, H&J and Fujai, go down. Notably the eastern frontier regions of Dalimbar hold populations favourable to Fujai, so seeing that nation be ousted was a pleasant surprise for the Stavka.