Ministry of Public Information & Customs: Public News Releases


The Ministry of Public Information & Customs has provided this page as a way for the general public of Vexillium and the Kingdom to get the latest news happening within the Realm. For your convenience, we have also archived all of the Eastern Zartanian news announcements since May 298. All news listed below is arranged by month, with the most recent month and news release always listed first. For multiple news releases on the same day, international news is listed first, followed by national news, sports news, and then other news. We hope you enjoy this archive of news. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please feel free to contact the Minister of Public Information & Customs.
Nov. 298 --- Oct. 298 --- Sept. 298 --- Aug. 298 --- July 298 --- June 298 --- May 298

November 298
  • 11/9/298:
  • 11/8/298:
  • 11/7/298:
  • 11/5/298:
  • 11/4/298:
  • 11/3/298:
    October 298
  • 10/31/298:
      Sports
      Hello to all KTZ National Soccer Fans from here in Christiana!
      Later today, October 31, our National Team goes onto the field to battle against the team from Billa. Our team has already been blooded, been tested, in the Tom Koh Trophy Tournament, and they have proven their worth against two of best teams of Vexillium. Today we look to continue this still-young tradition and this extension of our national pride and glory. The Kingdom of Billa and its soccer team are an unknown factor to us. Little is known about their style of play. Keeping this in mind, our game strategy is to begin in typical offensive style using a 5-2-3 setup. Should Billa's team, however, show more determination and present more of a challenge than we anticipate, this setup can be easily adjusted to a more conservative 4-3-3 setup in order to better contain offensive thrusts by the other team. After watching our team in practice this past week, I believe that this setup, with Jenkins in the goal again, should provide us a road to victory. Jenkins will be assisted in the backfield by defenders Duvall, Rees, and Shelton: a combination proven to work in our previous games. Our offensive striking capability will be left in the proven hands of Faulkner, with help from fellow forwards McBride, Fouberg, Henrickson, and Wilson. Midfielders Staton and du Cron will be charged with most of the work, either supporting the strikes or falling back to help cover the goal. With this setup I, and the entire team, feel confident that we will win today against Billa. We expect a good, challenging game from our opponents, and hope to bring more honor upon our Kingdom and our King. We arrived here on Wednesday night, and have been practicing these past two days in Christiana in order to get a feel for the climate and terrain, and we feel that we are ready for the challenge before us. With a victory today, we take the first step toward establishing ourselves in the Vex Cup. And we hope that everyone in the Kingdom and around the world will be watching! For the Greater Glory of the Kingdom!! -Coach Mik Seusa
  • 10/27/298:
      Sports
      Last night, at Royal Crown Stadium in Imperial City, the first ever TFZ Champion was crowned before an 82,000-strong crowd and royal eyes. This historic game featured the North Conference Champion Alfacron Planets facing the South Conference Champion Madisonia Eagles. Both teams came into the game on an unbelievable high after smashing through their respective conferences. The odds-makers across Eastern Zartania, seeing the closeness between these two teams, placed 2:1 odds on both Alfacron and Madisonia. So it was a dead even match going into the game. With Her Royal Majesty and Her Royal Highness attending the game, both teams came out striking, attempting to impress the royals on hand. But due to some excellent defensive work, led by KTZ National player Tom Cross, the Planets were able to fend off an early attack by Madisonia. Alfacron launched their own attack, ending in a goal kick by Madisonia goalie Stev Johannsen. Twice more before the half the momentum of attack switched between the two teams. Going into the locker rooms at halftime, Madisonia and Alfacron were tied at 0-0. The second half opened with an aggressive show by Alfacron resulting in three successive shots on goal and a corner kick, none of which resulted in the sought-after goal. With those misses, Madisonia took control of the game again and, with midfielder James du Cron (the Queen's brother) leading the attack, tried to use brute force to get the goal they needed. Again, excellent defensive work by Cross and company blunted the Eagles' strike and allowed Alfacron goalie Rache Devilya to make an easy save. With ten minutes left in the game, and the score still 0-0, both teams launched all-out attacks which left their respective sides undefended at times. Still, no goal was scored. As the clock about the Royal Council Chambers struck 12:30AM, the game time ended with a 0-0 tie. The two teams then launched into a 10-minute overtime, with Madisonia taking the kickoff. The overtime turned out to follow the pattern of the first two halves of the game, with both teams trading several shots but unable to put the ball in the net. Then, with two minutes left in the overtime, Alfacron midfielder Hermann Racine put an arching pass in front of forward Kristoff Genrhal who charged toward the goal. Madisonia defender Logan North tried to cut off Genrhal, but slipped, allowing Genrhal a one-on-one with Madisonia's goalie, which the forward easily capitalized on. On the kickoff, Madisonia tried to emulate Alfacron's stunning play, but time ran out. With the final gun ending the game, the Alfacron Planets became the first ever TFZ Champions by a score of 1-0 in overtime. Following the game, TFZ Commissioner Karl Muskal presented the Planets with the TFZ Trophy, and both teams were honored by the Royals.
      Now, all ten teams enter the off-season to attempt to fix their problems and polish their play, while the KTZ National Team prepares to enter the Vex Cup this weekend. The team will depart the Kingdom by airplane tomorrow night to arrive in Christiana in time to practice some before their first game and to be on hand to watch the opening game Friday between Davenport and Maryport. For all the latest on the TFZ, the KTZ National Team, and all other sports, be sure to visit the Eastern Zartanian sports page! Congratulations to a wonderful (though short) inaugural TFZ season, and especially to the Alfacron Planets!! -Karl Muskal, TFZ Commissioner
  • 10/26/298:
      Sports
      This weekend saw some exciting happenings within the TFZ here in Eastern Zartania. On Friday, October 23, the two conference championship games were played, paving the way for tonight's TFZ Championship game. Following those two exhilarating games, KTZ National Team coach Mik Seusa announced the four newest additions to the KTZ National Team roster. These four additions will be the final additions to the team prior to the Vex Cup, which begins coming weekend.
      In the first of Friday's games, the #1 Thornbush Dragons hosted the #2 Alfacron Planets for the North Conference Championship. The game was delayed for an hour and a half due to a severe thunderstorm in the area. When the game finally began, it was clear that it would be a mud-slogging event, as KFU Warrior Field at King Fredrik University was turned into a mud pit. By halftime, the score was tied at 1 a piece. It is unclear exactly what was said in the locker rooms during halftime, but the Planets came out fighting in the second half, scoring their second goal of the game within the first 5 minutes of second half play. The Dragons tried to come back, but the Planets seemed to be in their element in the mud, and used it to their advantage slipping and sliding past the defending Dragons to make the score 3-1. With 10 minutes left in the game, it became a free-for-all as everyone tried to score as quickly as they could. This careless, rough play, combined with the muddy and slippery field surface, contributed to a collision between Alfacron Defender Joshua Kinsik and Thornbush Forward Damion Garrett that left both players with broken bones. Kinsik sustained 2 broken ribs, while Garrett was forced to be transported by ambulance to the KFU Medical Center with a shattered cheek bone, concussion, and broken nose. Though unconscious when he left the field, Garrett's condition is stable and good according to authorities at the hospital. He is expected to make a complete recovery following surgery over the weekend. Following that collision, the game calmed down for the final minutes, and Alfacron took the North Conference Championship Crown with a 3-1 upset of the favorite Thornbush Dragons. Thornbush ends their season at 9-4-1, while Alfacron moves on to play in the TFZ Championship game tonight.
      Friday evening, following the conclusion of the North Conference Championship game, the #1 Madisonia Eagles hosted the #2 Kasrall Lightning for the South Conference Championship. In a game billed to be possibly the biggest of the season, Eddie Dean Field at Booster Park in Madisonia had its largest crowd ever: 54,783. The two teams were marked at even coming into the game, but Madisonia very quickly showed its dominance by striking out to an early 2-0 lead. Kasrall struck back in the final seconds of the first half, sending the teams to halftime with a score of 2-1. Kasrall, knowing they needed a quick strike to victory from the jaws of defeat, gambled on the opening kickoff of the second half with a lightning jab at the goal (no pun intended). Madisonia's goalie, caught completely unawares, was focusing on the wrong part of the field and never even saw the header off Henrickson that tied the game at 2-2. That was Kasrall's last gasp, however, as Madisonia's powering offense took control of the game at that point, scoring 4 unanswered points in the second half. Kasrall's goalie (and KTZ National Team starting goalie) Jenkins did his best to stop the onslaught on Eagle shots, but with little defensive support and a seemingly unorganized team, the effort was in vain. With a final score of 6-2, Kasrall's hopes for a post-season comeback were shattered. The Lightning finish the season at 9-2-3, and will use the off-season to try to address their late-season problems. The Madisonia Eagles now advance to play the Alfacron Planets in tonight's TFZ Championship game at Royal Crown Stadium in Imperial City. Kickoff tonight is at 10:30, under the lights, and several prominent individuals are rumored to be attending. The rumored guest list includes Rudolf Yuvan (C-in-C Royal Armed Forces), Kestra Andrev (Interior Minister), Randall Young (Foreign Minister), and Her Royal Majesty Queen Sophia with Her Royal Highness Princess El'Lyra, who is celebrating her 10th birthday today.
      Saturday, KTZ National Team coach Mik Seusa announced the final four additions to the national soccer team, thus bringing the roster up to the IVEFA standard 22 players. The team of 22 will hold its first practice session as a finalized squad tomorrow, preparing for this coming Saturday's Vex Cup opener against Billa. The final four players are:
      wearing #19, a midfielder from the Madisonia Eagles and brother of Her Royal Majesty the Queen, James du Cron;
      wearing #20, a midfielder from the Kasrall Lightning and recent graduate of Kasrall City College, Willem Pattie;
      wearing #21, a fullback/defender from the Cazniev Troopers with 36 tackles this season, Steven Wright;
      and wearing #22, a midfielder from the Nomar Serpents who turned down an offer to be head coach of the Lake Nomar University men's soccer team in order to play professionally, Roy Gordon.
      To see the latest in the world of TFZ soccer, including standings and scores, please stop by the Eastern Zartanian sports page. And for the latest information about the KTZ National Team, including the updates rosters and jerseys, see the National Team homepage. Good luck to the teams in tonight's game, and to everyone on the KTZ National Team! I hope to see everyone at the game! -Karl Muskal, TFZ Commissioner
  • 10/20/298:
      Sports
      The inaugural regular season of the TFZ ended this afternoon with two very exciting games. The path is now set for the coming conference championships and the final TFZ Championship on Friday and Monday respectively.
      Early this afternoon the Imperial City Crowns hosted North Conference #1 Thornbush. The Crowns, with no hope of continuing on into the post-season, decided to end on a high note, and battled their way to a 6-5 win over the Dragons, who appeared in the second half to have their minds more on the coming championship than the game at hand. With the victory, the Crowns close out their inaugural season #4 in the North Conference with a record of 5-8-0 overall and 4-4-0 in the conference. The 9-3-1 Thornbush Dragons now return home to rest for two days before hosting #2 Alfacron for the North Conference Championship. Alfacron today, played host to interconference rival Madisonia in a game where both the Planets and Eagles had already clinched playoff positions in their respective conferences. In an active, stunning display of offensive prowess, the Planets dominated Madisonia 5-3, ending their regular season at 7-4-2 overall, ranked 2nd in the North Conference. Madisonia, meanwhile, finishes the regular season with a 7-3-3 overall record and 5-1-2 in the conference. The Eagles now return home to host the South Conference #2 Kasrall Lightning on Friday.
      Now, let's take a look at the coming conference championship matchups. In the North Conference on Friday, the Thornbush Dragons will be hosting the Alfacron Planets at KFU Warrior Field at King Fredrik University. This will be the third time this season that these two teams have met. The first two matchups ended in a tie and a win for Thornbush respectively, so Thornbush has a sizable advantage when coupled with the homefield advantage. But don't discount the Planets yet: they won their last game of the season today, while the Dragons gave up a hard fought one to Imperial City. The going odds as quoted by the Nomar Casino Board are 4:1 in favor of Thornbush. In the South Conference, the #1 Madisonia Eagles host the #2 Kasrall Lightning at Eddie Dean Field, Booster Park, in Madisonia. As with the North Conference matchup, the Eagles and Lightning have faced each other twice before, ending in a tie and a win for Kasrall respectively, giving the Lightning a slight advantage. That advantage, though, appears to be nullified by Madisonia's homefield advantage, thus making it an even match. The odds on the Eagle-Lightning game are currently posted at 2:1 in favor of Kasrall. On Friday we'll find out whether the Nomar odds makers know what they're talking about. -Karl Muskal, TFZ Commissioner
  • 10/19/298:
      International
      (speech before the UNV Assembly)
      On behalf of His Royal Majesty, King Bruno II, I bid greetings to the United Nations of Vexillium.
      As you will all recall, a resolution was introduced to the UNV Assembly last week to fully sanction the investigative teams sent to Ordland and the Free Confederacy to investigate alleged espionage activities. Following a week of voting, we are ready to place the voting results before you. By a vote of 8 for, 2 against, and 19 abstaining, the resolution before the Assembly is hereby passed. Therefore,
      Be it hereby resolved by this Assembly of United Nations of Vexillium, that the investigative teams currently dispatched to the Republic of Ordland and the Free Confederacy of Lendian Republics to examine the alleged acts of espionage are fully sanctioned by the said United Nations, and are charged with the full investigation of charges of acts of espionage between Ordland and the Free Confederacy, are similarly charged with the complete examination of the wreckage of the Rian spacecraft in order to determine the exact cause of the destruction, and are charged with the delivery to this Assembly of a full and joint report of the results of the investigations, including all evidence uncovered.
      With the passage of this resolution, the Eastern Zartanian, Whitlamite, and Christianan investigative teams already in Ordland will be reconstituted as the UNV Investigative Task Force (UNV-ITF). Following the completion of the investigations, the UNV-ITF will deliver a complete report to the Assembly. We hope that this act of international cooperation and UNV action will go toward the creation of a better future for us all.
      May Honor and Glory grace the United Nations of Vexillium for Eternity.
      Lord Mikeil Varishnikov
      KTZ Ambassador to the UNV
      on behalf of His Royal Majesty, King Bruno II vun Q'Leist

      Sports
      Yesterday, October 18, the final game of the Tom Koh Trophy Tournament was played in Kikikira, Westermarc, between the home Westermarc team and the visiting Whitlam Dragons. In an exciting and action-packed game, Westermarc defeated Whitlam 4-3. With that victory, the first annual Tom Koh Trophy went to the Eastern Zartanian National Team. With the Eastern Zartanian team on hand for the game, and about 150 Eastern Zartanian fans who had made the long trip, the trophy was presented after the game. After the presentation of the engraved gold trophy with its white marble base, the three teams that participated in the tournament took a victory lap around the sold-out stadium. The Eastern Zartanian team, holding their trophy high and slapping each other on the back, shook hands with the Whitlamite and Westermarcian teams, bowed to the crowd one last time, and departed. Despite their loss of the trophy, the citizens of Westermarc were ecstatic over both their victory and the conclusion of the tournament. The Eastern Zartanian team made a quick stop at their hotel in downtown Kikikira to pick up their gear, and headed to the airport for their flight back to Imperial City. Arriving last night just before midnight, the KTZ National Team stepped off their airliner to the cheers and clapping of over 700 fans who had gathered at Imperial City International Airport despite the late hour. Coach Seusa, first off the plane, hoisted the trophy high amid the flashing cameras. There were flag-waving crowds along the streets from the airport to Royal Crown Stadium, where the team stored their gear before heading to bed at the Throneroom Hotel. Today, the KTZ National Team was honored by being invited to a joint session of the Royal Council and Royal Stek Assembly. During the session, the trophy resting beside His Royal Majesty's chair, the Councillors and Assemblymen praised the team for the great efforts in promoting our Kingdom throughout the world, and in raising the prestige of the Kingdom among the other nations of the Old Continent. HRM then made a brief speech to the assembled crowd, saying:
      "This past weekend, our KTZ National players brought a great honor to our fine Kingdom. In doing so, they have brought us fully onto the world sports stage and into the spotlight. This makes their job in the coming Vex Cup that much harder as our coming opponents know of our team's prowess on the field. But in the end, that will just make our victories that much sweeter! The KTZ National Team, in taking the Tom Koh Trophy, defeated Westermarc and tied Whitlam, two excellent-playing gentlemanly teams. In our moment of triumph, we need to remember these two teams as well, and to praise them for their superb play and their exemplary attitudes! In commemoration of this tournament and these three wonderful teams, I have instructed that the flagpoles atop the Imperial Palace fly the flags of Eastern Zartania, Whitlam, and Westermarc for the rest of this week. Now, I would like everyone to join with me in saying "T'Fvilah!!" and three cheers to Whitlam and Westermarc! To our KTZ National players, thank you for the honor that you have bestowed upon your Kingdom. We are grateful and indebted to you, and look forward to your even greater coming accomplishments!"
      With the end of the tournament, the players go back to their respective TFZ teams to finish out the regular season. Coach Seusa, after HRM's speech, announced that after the end of their team's respective seasons, four more players will be added to the National Team roster to bring the total number of players up to 22 as per IVEFA standards. The Tom Koh Trophy will be housed in the lobby of Royal Legislative Chambers on the east side of King Fredrik Plaza in Imperial City. It will be on display and open to the public from now until May of next year.

      Today in TFZ soccer saw several teams finish up their inaugural season as the games originally scheduled for last Friday were played today. There are now only two regular season games left to finish out TFZ's 1st season of play, and those will be played tomorrow afternoon. With the results from today's game, the stage is now set for the TFZ Championship series, as the results of tomorrow's games cannot mathematically change the standings. Now, the results of today's four games.
      The first game was played this afternoon at Royal Crown Stadium in Imperial City, as the Crowns took on North Conference rival Cazniev Troopers. Despite a rather sparse crowd due to the on-going celebration of the KTZ National Team's Tom Koh Trophy victory, both teams played their finest. In the end, 3rd-ranked Cazniev defeated the Crowns 7-3. The Cazniev Troopers end their inaugural season at 5-5-3 overall and 4-3-1 in the conference. Imperial City finishes up their season tomorrow hosting the North Conference #1 Thornbush Dragons. The second game this afternoon was played at Alfacron's Planetarium Field where the Planets hosted the Castle Axanar Wolves. In an outcome that could hardly be described as stunning, Alfacron defeated 5th ranked Castle Axanar by a score of 3-1. With the defeat, the Wolves end out their first season 2-10-1 overall, and 1-6-1 in the conference. #2 Alfacron moves on to host interconference rival Madisonia tomorrow afternoon. Moving today's South Conference games, the Nomar Serpents hosted the Claw Anchorage Men-of-War in a game for last place in the conference. In a surprisingly strong showing by both teams, Nomar defeated Claw Anchorage 4-2 to finish 4th in the conference with an overall record of 5-7-1 and 2-5-1 in the conference. Claw Anchorage, meanwhile, ends their season in 5th place in the South Conference with a dismal 1-11-1 overall record and 1-7-0 against its fellow South Conference teams. Both teams will now try to rebuild in the off-season to prepare for the TFZ's second season. And in the final game of the day, #3 Eastharbor played host to the #2 Kasrall Lightning. In a game which seemed to typify the Lightning's slide since losing to Nomar, the Sharks and Lightning ended in a 5-5 tie. This tie smashed Kasrall's hopes of regaining 1st place in the South Conference, and relegating them to #2 with a 9-1-3 overall record, and 4-1-3 in the conference. The Eastharbor Sharks finish out their inaugural season at #3 in the South Conference at 5-3-5 overall and 3-1-4 in the conference.
      With the conference rankings now mathematically set, the stage is set for the Championship Tournament. In the tournament, the #1 and #2 teams from each conference will play each other to see who gets to proceed to the Championship Game. Originally planned as a 3-game series for each conference and for the overall championship, TFZ Commissioner Karl Muskal has decided to reduce it to just one game a piece in order to complete the tournament before the beginning of the Vex Cup. Therefore, on Friday, October 23, the #1 Thornbush Dragons will host the #2 Alfacron Planets for the North Conference Championship, while the #1 Madisonia Eagles host the #2 Kasrall Lightning for the South Conference Championship. The two winners will play each other on Monday, October 26 at Royal Crown Stadium to see who will be the first-ever TFZ Champion. To see all the current TFZ standings, please visit the official Sports page of the Kingdom. -Karl Muskal, TFZ Commissioner

  • 10/17/298:
      Sports
      Hello to all KTZ National Soccer fans!
      Yesterday's game against Whitlam was the first of our international experience, and it showed. We rode into Gough with hopes high, ready to start off our season with a win, but came away with a rather dissatisfying tie. In large part, we must give the Whitlam Dragons their due. They played an excellent game of containment against our offensive lunges. Another large part of our problem appears to be a lack of teamwork. Today, we intend to correct those problems, and to get our first-ever victory the way we were meant to: at home in front of our own citizens! This evening we host Westermarc at Royal Crown Stadium in Imperial City. This evening, we will take our first win, and prove to the world that we are a team to be reckoned with. To win today we're planning on running a variation on yesterday's pattern. We'll be running a 5-2-3 today by removing the center midfielder (who usually tends to hang back some anyway), and adding another defender. This set-up should give us more defensive containing ability without seriously diminishing our overall offensive capabilities. I have also instructed the players that I expect to see a much more orderly game today than yesterday's free-for-all: less shoving, more passing, and above all more teamwork. We play as a team, we win as a team. Once again, Jenkins will be starting in the goal, using his sheer size to dominate the box. With help from starting defenders Duvall, Rees, and Shelton, Jenkins should have a relatively easy time of it. Yesterday's starting forwards will remain in today, and will be supported by Ayress and Jung. This game is an extremely important one, not only for the future of our team, but for the pride of our Kingdom. As the game is being played in Imperial City, it has been confirmed that Their Royal Majesties, King Bruno II and Queen Sophia, will be attending the game! With Their Majesties present at this home opener, we expect the stadium to be filled with screaming, cheering, flag-waving Eastern Zartanian fans, so that we may take our victory as we are meant to! For the Glory of the Kingdom!! -Coach Mik Seusa

      The Royal News Service wishes to remind everyone that today's home opener against Westermarc will be broadcast live on all RNS radio and TV stations. We are expecting a sell-out crowd here in Imperial City today. As everyone knows from the earlier statement released by Coach Seusa, the Royal Family has declared that it will be in attendance at today's game. When asked what helped him arrive at this decision, His Royal Majesty replied, "This game is for the prestige of the Kingdom and its people. How could I not attend? Besides, I was very impressed after watching yesterday's game against Whitlam on television." Several fans have already started lining up outside Royal Crown Stadium for today's game, and vendors are selling lots of memorabilia, including progams, banners, Westermarc and KTZ flags, and caps. We got a chance to talk to some of the fans about their expectations for today's game.
      Sergei Gostov (Nomar, KTZ): "My family and I are really looking forward to this game! We've been attending the home games of the Nomar Serpents all season, and now we want to see the best of the Kingdom beat the best of Westermarc!"
      Garish Likta (Kikikira, Westermarc): "My college friends and I have travelled up here to watch our team take on Eastern Zartania. Especially Fang. He's from my hometown, and I've been following his career for a while now. We're here to see a big win for Westermarc!!"
      Duraq Murian (Drazforal, Skylands): "I got up at 3:00 this morning to get here from Drazforal, but it's worth it! I can't wait to get into that stadium and watch this game! Racine is my man, and I hope he gets to play today. I've brought all my flags to help cheer on the team!"
      It looks like it's going to be a big game, so if you have tickets, be sure to get to the stadium early. Anyone in Imperial City today for any reason should try to avoid the northeast sector of the city, as the Department of Transportation (Ministry of the Interior) is predicting heavy traffic jams all day. That's all from Imperial City.

      (Royal News Service television broadcast, post-game from Imperial City)
      Hello again to our listeners from here at Royal Crown Stadium in Imperial City. I'm Lee Jouette.
      We have witnessed a truly awesome match here today. It had everything: intense offensives, extremely talented containment play by Westermarc, some theatrics from the players, a royal audience, and a crowd so excited you could feel the electricity! The KTZ team today redeemed itself after yesterday's tie with Whitlam, which seemed to have left a slightly sour taste in everyone's mouth. With today's win over Westermarc, especially with their great containment play against Eastern Zartania's thrusting offense, I believe the team, and the nation, finally feels justified, and feels as though they truly belong on the world stage. Though coming away scoreless from today's game, the Westermarc team obviously earned the respect of the home crowd with their skillful play, as their was a rousing round of applause for the Westermarc team as they left the field at the end of the game. The celebrations are still going on throughout the city, and the entire Kingdom, and will probably continue for most of the night. Following the game, His Royal Majesty paused to make an impromptu speech to the crowd and the press:
      "Today we witnessed a great moment in our Kingdom's history, as we take our place on the world stage of international sports. I extend my most heart-felt congratulations to our team and our fine players, truly the best our Kingdom has to offer! You have brought great prestige to your nation today, and have restored both our pride and faith in you. Thank you, and congratulations! At the same time, we must not forget the outstanding performances by the teams from both Whitlam and Westermarc. Their absolutely skillful plays and outstanding players have given our team the challenge we required, set the standards by which we must attempt to aspire, and have earned the respect and admiration of myself and the whole of our Kingdom. On behalf of all the Zartanian people, I extend my congratulations and best wishes to the Whitlamite and Westermarcian teams! You are the finest of players, and you have honored us with your outstanding play. Tomorrow is the final match of the Tom Koh Trophy Tournament. I know I will be watching attently, and I wish the best of luck to all three teams in the tournament. Whatever the outcome, everyone has played exemplary games, and brought honor to their homelands! Thank you, and good luck to all!"
      With that, Their Majesties waved to the crowd and disappeared in a sea of security guards. We at RNS would like to echo His Majesty's words. We have been extremely impressed by the level of professionalism displayed by all the involved teams in this tournament. While we are sorry to see Westermarc eliminated from contention for the Trophy, we hope to see a very exciting and agressive game tomorrow. With the Vex Cup only weeks away, the Championship Tournament of the TFZ's inaugural season this coming week, and the end of the Tom Koh Trophy Tournament tomorrow, the Kingdom is indeed excited and behind its team whole-heartedly! Coach Seusa has said that he's very pleased with the way the KTZ team played today, and looks forward to even more improvement before the beginning of the Vex Cup. So, from Royal Crown Stadium, the KTZ National Team advances its record to 1-0-1 with a 2-0 victory over Westermarc in a superbly played game. Our congratulations to all three teams in the tournament, and best of luck in tomorrow's game when the Whitlam Dragons travel to Kikikira to take on Westermarc in the final game of the tournament! With that said, we're going to go join the celebrations here in Imperial City. Thanks for tuning in, and good evening to everyone.
      [View switches from Jouette to King Fredrik Plaza in the center of Imperial City. The 100 flag poles around the plaza are empty except for the three in front of the Imperial Palace displaying the flags of Whitlam, Eastern Zartania, and Westermarc below the Westrian flag. Fade to black.]

  • 10/16/298:
      National
      On behalf of His Royal Majesty, King Bruno II, and the Kingdom of Eastern Zartania, greetings are extended to the Nations of Vexillium.
      At midnight tonight, approximately one hour ago, His Royal Majesty issued a Royal Decree instituting a change in the Kingdom's flags. This change has been brought on by the passing of resolutions in the Royal Stek Assembly and the Royal Council recommending that the old Government Triblade symbol (seen in the upper white band of the old flag) be discarded in favor of a new symbol denoting the power of the monarchy. In accordance with these resolutions, HRM has officially discarded the old Triblade symbol. The new national flag images are attached to this message, both a large and small version. Replacing the Triblade in the national flag is now a gold crown, symbol of royal authority. In accordance with the decree, the naval ensign, merchant ensign, and army battleflag have been changed as well. To see the new flags resulting from the decree, please visit our flags page. If there are any questions, comments, or concerns about this change in flags, please contact your local Eastern Zartanian diplomatic personnel or contact the Ministry of Public Information & Customs. Thank you.
      May Honor and Glory grace the Nations of Vexillium for Eternity.
      Ministry of Public Information & Customs Press Release

      Sports
      Due to the international soccer games today and tomorrow for the Tom Koh Trophy, the last two days of regular season TFZ games have been postponed to Monday and Tuesday of next week, the 19th and 20th. This is being done to allow for the players on the KTZ National Team to play their debut games while still finishing out the season with their TFZ teams, and to insure that Royal Crown Stadium in Imperial City will be free for tomorrow's game against Westermarc. The regular season will finish on Tuesday, to be followed by the Championship Tournament. We trust that all fans of TFZ soccer will bear with us through this postponement. Thank you. -Karl Muskal, TFZ Commissioner

  • 10/15/298:
      Sports
      Hello to all KTZ National Soccer fans!
      Tomorrow the Kingdom of Eastern Zartania takes its first step onto the world soccer stage when we travel to Whitlam to play the first game of the Tom Koh Trophy Tournament. More than just a friendly match between neighbors and former-Terramarc nations, this single game will determine the future of our team and our season of international play. A win will put us on track toward a strong showing the upcoming Vex Cup, and will bring us the well-deserved respect of the established teams of Vexillium. A loss could result in the premature dismissal of our strong team from Vex Cup contention by more established teams. Above all, this game is one for morale. A clear victory against our neighboring team, on their home field, will give us the edge we need to make this inaugural season the best. That's why we need as many of our fans that can make it to come cheer us on tomorrow against Whitlam. For this inaugural game, we've developed a strategy that should take us to victory. We plan to follow the motto that has brought victory to our armies for centuries: "Take the battle to the enemy!" Tomorrow, we'll be striking hard, fast, and deep against Whitlam, trying to control the ball as much as possible and keep them off-balance. You can expect to see lots of striking and flanking moves, as we attempt to capitalize off the traditional soccer upbringing our players have had. To that end we'll be running a 5-3-2-1 pattern: 5 forwards, 3 midfielders, 2 defenders, and our goalie. With the constant offensive we have planned, and with Jenkins starting in the goal, our two defenders (Duvall and Shelton) should be able to handle any brief attacks mounted by Whitlam. We'll be trusting our offensive strategy and coordination to center forward Johan Faulkner, along with Wilson and McBride on the right, and Henrickson and Fouberg on the left. Midfielders Ayers, Staton, and Jung will be the real workhorses of the team, providing support wherever it's needed. All-in-all, we feel we have an excellent chance to win tomorrow's game, and we want to see lots of Eastern Zartanians there to support us. Be sure to bring your flags with you, and we'll see you at the game!! -Coach Mik Seusa
  • 10/13/298:
      International
      (presented by Lord Mikeil Varishnikov, KTZ ambassador to the UNV)
      On behalf of His Royal Majesty, King Bruno II, I bid greetings to the members of the United Nations of Vexillium.
      Recently, following the acceptance of the Ordlandic proposal for UNV investigative teams to explore Ordland's alleged espionage activity, the Free Confederacy of Lendian Republics has stated that they believe the investigative teams sent to Ordland should have be given official sanction by the UNV. The Kingdom of Eastern Zartania agrees fully with this proposal by the FCLR. Before continuing, I would like to personally thank the FCLR representative for bringing this to our attention and forcing the issue. Therefore, in accordance with the FCLR's suggestion, the Kingdom of Eastern Zartania hereby formally introduces to the UNV Assembly a resolution to fully sanction the dispatch of investigative teams from member-states to the Republic of Ordland and the Free Confederacy of Lendian Republics for the purposes of investigating the alleged espionage activities of Ordland, and to investigate the alleged destruction of Rian spacecraft in Ordland. As a corollary, the teams currently working in Ordland will be reconstituted as the UNV Investigative Task Force, granted full authority to act on behalf of the UNV, and will be directed to issue a full report to the UNV Assembly following the conclusion of the investigations. I propose a voting period of one week, ending on Wednesday, October 21, 298, at midnight. At the end of the voting period, the votes will be tallied (with those not voting marked as "abstained"), and the resolution will be either passed or defeated. If there is no discussion on the subject, I move that the voting period be opened immediately.
      As such, the Kingdom of Eastern Zartania hereby officially casts it vote in favor of the resolution. We hope that the other member-states of the UNV will see the immense benefits to be derived from this official granting of sanction to the investigative teams, and hope they will vote in favor of the resolution. We look forward to the results of the voting in one week.
      May Honor and Glory grace the United Nations of Vexillium for Eternity.
      Lord Mikeil Varishnikov
      KTZ Ambassador to the UNV
      on behalf of His Royal Majesty, King Bruno II vun Q'Leist
  • 10/9/298:
      International
      On behalf of His Royal Majesty, King Bruno II, I bid greetings to the Nations of Vexillium.
      At approximately 00:55 ZST, about one hour ago, the Imperial Zartanian Navy conducted a test in the waters off the Kingdom. Any foreign ships in the area may have picked up on radar an object appearing to be a missile or similar aircraft proceeding at high speed on a heading of NNE. This was indeed a missile: the Kingdom's new MH-6 SB-Ram anti-ship missile. The missile was launched from the guided missile destroyer HMIS East Zartania (D-5), part of the Black Fleet currently on maneuvers in the area. The launch took place approximately 78 nautical miles NNE of the city of Darenall, Desdarca stek. After being successfully launched, the missile proceeded at an altitude of 65 feet on a preprogrammed course, terminating on impact with the target vessel TV-276. The resulting explosion ripped the target in half, sinking in less than 10 minutes. The full details of the test, of course, cannot be released at this time, as further tests are pending. The SB-Ram missile ("Sea Borne-Rapid assault missile") is a variant of the AL-Ram air launched ballistic missile. Both Rams are design for variable payload warheads, including chemical or (should we develop the technology) nuclear weapons delivery. The SB-Ram is capable of carrying warheads up to 400 pounds. Following the completion of scheduled tests, the SB-Ram will become a standard part of the Imperial Navy's arsenal, to be used by submarines, destroyers, frigates, and certain aircraft. All other information is currently classified. All foreign vessels near the area in which the Black and Red Fleets are currently drilling are warned to keep their distance from the fleet, especially during future tests. All future inquiries into these tests or the missile itself should be directed to either the Commander-in-Chief, Royal Armed Forces, Rudolf Yuvan; or the Admiral of the Fleet, Mikhail Indurii.
      Gr. Adm. H. Gen. Rudolf Yuvan
      Commander-in-Chief, Royal Armed Forces
      on behalf of His Royal Majesty, King Bruno II vun Q'Leist

      Sports
      It's been an exciting week in the TFZ as we approach the final week of this inaugural season. There has been severe jockeying for position within the two conferences as teams prepare for the postseason. Current conference standings can be viewed from the official Sports page off the main Eastern Zartanian page.
      On Sunday, October 4, the Alfacron Planets traveled to the South Conference Eastharbor Sharks, who hoped to close in on first-place Kasrall. In a very tight, well-played game in which the defenses were seemed to be equally tired, the two teams played to a 5-5 tie. Also on Sunday, the Cazniev Troopers played host to the South Conference leaders, the Kasrall Lightning. In a thrilling game, coming down to the last 5 minutes of play, Kasrall continued their undefeated streak with a 7-6 victory. Later that day, the Imperial City Crowns, who started the season so hopefully, traveled to Nomar to play the Serpents. In an impressive show of force, Nomar earned their first win of the season with a 6-1 romp over the Crowns.
      Monday, October 5, brought the Castle Axanar Wolves into play in Madisonia against the 2-1-3 Eagles. Madisonia proved decisively why they are ranked #2 in the South Conference while the Wolves are still last in the North Conference, shattering Castle Axanar 8-4! That same evening, Claw Anchorage traveled to Kasrall to try to redeem their season-opening loss to the Lightning. In a game practically paralleling the first one, Kasrall ran to a 9-6 win over the Men-of-War, setting a record for the highest-scoring game in TFZ history.
      Tuesday, October 6, delivered more amazing soccer action to the fans, as the 3-2-2 Alfacron Planets hosted conference rival Imperial City. In one of the closest, best-played games of the season, Alfacron moved into a position to begin challenging Cazniev and Thornbush by defeating the Crowns 2-1. The Troopers of Cazniev, meanwhile, traveled to Nomar in an attempt to keep ahead of the fast-closing Planets, but ended up only extending their losing streak to two games, giving the Serpents their second win of the season in as many games. North Conference-leading Thornbush played host to Eastharbor, as the Dragons and Sharks met for the first time. The result of the game between such excellent teams was Thornbush improving its record to 5-2-1 in a stunning 4-2 victory over the Sharks, who took their first loss of the season.
      Wednesday, October 7, saw what could be the most important game of the season in the South Conference, as #1 Kasrall Lightning hosted #2 Madisonia Eagles. In a game in which neither side seemed to ruled the field, Kasrall proved once and for all that they are the dominant force in the South Conference, handing Madisonia a heartbreaking 1-0 defeat. In the only other game of the day, the Claw Anchorage Men-of-War suffered their 6th straight loss, defeated 2-1 by the 2-5-1 Castle Axanar Wolves.
      Yesterday, October 8, brought four exciting games, helping teams get into position for the coming postseason tournament. In today's early game, the Imperial City Crowns hosted the recently defeated Men-of-War, and handed them yet another loss, 4-0, allowing Claw Anchorage only 3 shots on goal the entire game. Played simultaneously in Alfacron, the Planets hosted the Cazniev Troopers, hoping to take the #2 spot away from the faltering Troopers. In what seems to be the typical no-defense game of late for Cazniev, the Planets soundly defeated the Troopers 7-5 to take possession of the #2 place in the North Conference, setting their sites on #1 Thornbush. The Dragons, meanwhile, hosted the 2-5-1 Nomar Serpents, hoping to pick up their third straight win of the season against an overall weak North Conference. Instead, Thornbush strengthened their position, utterly destroying the Serpents 7-3. And in yet another game for the ultimate position in the South Conference, #2 Madisonia hosted #3 Eastharbor for the second position and a possible shot at #1 Kasrall. The Eagles, with the home crowd behind them, took the lead early in the 1st half, and never looked back, ending in a 6-3 victory over the Sharks, and cementing their place behind Kasrall.
      The 5-2-2 Alfacron Planets next travel to Kasrall to face the still-undefeated Lightning in an interconference match-up on October 10. Castle Axanar, meanwhile, hosts Imperial City this afternoon (October 9), in a game of the two last-ranked teams in the North Conference. On Saturday the 10th, the Cazniev Troopers will head to Eastharbor, in Subaria, to take on the 3-2-4 Sharks and to try and stop their 3-game losing streak. On the same day, the Thornbush Dragons will once again attempt to demonstrate their dominance when they take on the 1-7-1 Claw Anchorage Men-of-War in Thornbush, Black Water. The Madisonia Eagles, meanwhile, get a 4-day rest period, playing their next game again Claw Anchorage on the 12th. Likewise, the Nomar Serpents get a 3-day rest, taking on the Castle Axanar Wolves on the 11th to open their final week of regular season play. A reminder to all interested TFZ fans: the regular season ends on Saturday, October 17. At that time, the top two teams from each conference will play each other for the conference championship, the winners to play each other for the TFZ Trophy. The conference championships will be played on the 21st and 22nd, and the TFZ championship will be played on the 25th, 26th, and 27th (if needed). -Karl Muskal, Commissioner of the TFZ

  • 10/8/298:
      International
      On behalf of His Royal Majesty, King Bruno II, I bid greetings to the Nations of the UNV.
      As you all know, yesterday our Kingdom, in conjunction with the Kingdom of Christiana, accepted the invitation of the Republic of Ordland to send inspectors to their country to investigate international claims of espionage and to investigate the destruction of the Rian spacecraft. We have also received an invitation from the Free Confederacy of Lendian Republics to send our team to their nation after completing their mission in Ordland. We accept. Therefore, this afternoon at 17:00 ZST, we will be dispatching a team of 4 inspectors (2 civilian and 2 military) to Ordland by way of Royal Air Force transport plane. This plane is completely unarmed, and is clearly marked as Eastern Zartanian. Expected ETA in Newton is 8.5 hours. Upon arrival, we will begin coordinating our efforts with the Christiana inspectors and the local Ordlandic authorities. Following the conclusion of our investigation in Ordland, our 4 inspectors will proceed to the FCLR to conduct an investigation there. After the conclusion of both investigations, the Eastern Zartanian and Christianan teams will release a joint report to the UNV Assembly. We look forward to cooperating with all local and international authorities, and hope that this investigation may put a rest to the current situation that is spreading such ill-will between two of the UNV's valued members.
      May Honor and Glory grace the United Nations of Vexillium for Eternity.
      Lord Mikeil Varishnikov
      KTZ Ambassador to the UNV
      on behalf of His Royal Majesty, King Bruno II vun Q'Leist

      On behalf of His Royal Majesty and the Kingdom of Eastern Zartania, I bid greetings to the Federal Republic of Whitlam, and the Nations of Vexillium.
      Prime Minister Shane Armstrong of Whitlam wrote:
      Pending approval by the concerned parties, the Federal Republic of Whitlam would also like to send observers on the Zartanian plane, on the mission to Ordland in order to bring some more numbers and objectivity to the current situation. This choice was made when Christianian observers were being sent. We voted to send men (if possible) in the name of objectivity for the FCLR. Whilst not accusing Christiana of bias against the FCLR in a seemingly simple area, we do not wish for the current diplomatic troubles between Christiana and the FCLR to spill over into a third country. To this end, we wish to send 4 observers, 2 from the Government, 1 from our Air Force and 1 from our Armed Forces to investigate claims. This is done to protect both Christiana and the FCLR. May Christiana not be accused of bias against the FCLR, just as the FCLR will surely be glad of more neutral representation on the issue as insurance. Our men will await approval in Zartania. If permitted on the plane, we will travel.
      It is with a great joy that we received your message, Your Excellency. The departure of our transport has been delayed until the arrival of your team. They will be met at the Eastern Zartania-Whitlam border by a Royal Police escort (for security purposes), and will be taken to the Claw Anchorage Naval Base where the plane is waiting. The Kingdom also extends an invitation to all other nations in the area who wish to send observers to travel aboard our transport. We will delay the departure to await any other teams, but please inform us soon. Projected departure time is now midnight, allowing time for the Whitlamite team to get together, cross the border and arrive in Claw Anchorage. Again, we extend our deepest gratitude to the Federal Republic of Whitlam for your support in this matter, and we look forward to the coming flight and operation with your people.
      May Honor and Glory grace the Federal Republic of Whitlam for Eternity, as the other Nations of Vexillium.
      Lord Mikeil Varishnikov
      KTZ Ambassador to the UNV
      on behalf of His Royal Majesty, King Bruno II vun Q'Leist

  • 10/6/298:
      International
      (statement before the UNV Assembly by Lord Mikeil Varishnikov, KTZ ambassador to the UNV)
      The Republic of Ordland having made a motion before the UNV Assembly to dispatch a team of UNV observers to Ordland to conduct an oversight investigation to dispel international fears of espionage, the Kingdom of Eastern Zartania hereby seconds this motion, with the following amendment:
      The team of UNV observers to be sent to Ordland will also be charged with gathering and examining evidence concerning the destruction of the Rian spacecraft to dispel international fears of propaganda.
      With this amendment, Eastern Zartania fully endorses the Ordlandic motion, and volunteers to dispatch its own team of two observers with the permission of the Ordlandic government. We also encourage all other UNV members to send their observers to coordinate their efforts with ours, and especially encourage the ANNV to participate and provide a neutral view of the situation. With that said, we await the response of the rest of the UNV Assembly.
      May Honor and Glory grace the United Nations of Vexillium for Eternity.
      Lord Mikeil Varishnikov
      KTZ Ambassador to the UNV
      on behalf of His Royal Majesty, King Bruno II vun Q'Leist
  • 10/4/298:
      Sports
      On behalf of the Kingdom of Eastern Zartania, I bid greetings to the IVEFA and to Vexillium as a whole.
      In accordance with the discussions we had earlier with unofficial representatives of the IVEFA, the Kingdom of Eastern Zartania wishes to be included in the line-up for the Vex Cup and for international play overall. All pertinent information concerning our national team may be found on the Sports homepage off of our main homepage. If any other information is required, please feel free to contact the TFZ. Thank you.
      May Honor and Glory grace the IVEFA and the Nations of Vexillium for Eternity.
      Karl Muskat
      Commissioner, Trilats Federaztu vun Zeok'Tu (Zartanian Soccer Federation)
  • 10/3/298:
      International
      On behalf of His Royal Majesty, King Bruno II, and the Kingdom of Eastern Zartania, I bid greetings to the Nations of Vexillium.
      Our Kingdom has been observing with great interest the on-going discussion between the Republic of Ordland and the Free Confederacy of Lendian Republics concerning the status of spies and espionage within their respective countries. While our Kingdom respects the right of each country to develop its own regulations concerning the treatment of espionage, we feel that this is an opportune time to enlighten the nations of the world as to our government's policy concerning spies and acts of espionage.
      By act of Royal Decree dated June 23, 1286 Zart. Cal. (222 A.P.), it is strictly and completely illegal to engage in acts of espionage within the Kingdom of Eastern Zartania or upon any property of the Kingdom. Any persons suspected of engaging in such acts will be apprehended by the Royal Police and charged with espionage. For any citizens of the Kingdom charged with engaging in acts of espionage on behalf of a foreign government, a conviction carries a mandatory death sentence as the charge of high treason against the Crown is automatically added for such people. Foreign citizens apprehended on charges of espionage will be tried in a court under Eastern Zartanian law, as their crimes are committed under such law. A conviction of espionage for a foreign citizen carries a minimum sentence of life imprisonment, hard labor, and may only be commuted by act of His Royal Majesty. We wish to make perfectly clear to all nations of the world that our Kingdom will not tolerate acts of espionage against us, either through foreign or domestic means. We still realize that some nations will attempt to engage in such acts anyway, but we have warned you of the consequences. Espionage is a crime of grave importance within the Kingdom, and we do not take it lightly. Thank you for you attention, and we hope that this announcement has helped to enlighten the world concerning our policies.
      May Honor and Glory grace the Nations of Vexillium for Eternity.
      Melissa Rust
      Deputy Foreign Minister, KTZ
      on behalf of His Royal Majesty, King Bruno II vun Q'Leist
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