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Sizeman21 · 02-13-2018, 03:23 PM

The Elyrian Baseball League

Map of the island of Elyria with team locations

Elyria is an environmentally stunning and socially progressive nation located south of the equator and to the east of the Republic of Brahmann and to the northwest of the United Commonwealth of The Tarim Islands and South Winchester. It has a well-earned reputation as a pristine gem of nature, seemingly untouched by the human hand. The undulating white-capped mountains and emerald green forests seem to extend all the way to the internationally-famous golden beaches and swaying palm trees at which the Southern Ashington Sea laps.

The truth is more complex. Commuter trains carefully connect the massive population of the country to the hub of the country, Clayton, whose sleek metal and glass towers rise like mountains. The population, while environmentally conscious, has also managed to carve out a chunk of the land for its own advancement. It is from the capital that the nation's resources, information, and trends flow to the rest of the country. But despite the seeming air of indifference given to organized sports by most, there exists an unquenchable spirit to compete, to succeed, to become legend.

From the golden beaches to the mountains, this spirit has been heard in the crack of wood upon leather, from professional teams to two kids who desire to achieve their dreams. At last, the government has decided to fund a national baseball league, the nation's favorite pastime, to compete in international competitions. Without further ado, introducing Elyria!

Most of the largest cities in Elyria only have one team, except for East Winslow, with both the Stags and Buccaneers playing in the Continental League. They have a ferocious inter-city rivalry that has no equal in any other sports rivalry in the country. This will test the limits of those players' tolerance for each other on this team.

The Alameda Outlaws, Soulard Apache, and Tamarac Unforgiven are all part of the Continental League North. The New Charleroi Vipers, Oakdale Park Ravens and Melrose Park Centaurs are all part of the Continental League South. The final few teams, the Elyria Continentals, Emmaus Pelicans, Old Town Thugs are a part of the National League, along with the Ladue Ducks, Clayton Crows and Leyden Seals.

Elyria is best described as an island nation. However, most Elyrians live on the largest island, which is referred to by locals as the mainland, due to its size and role as a population and commercial center for the country.

The mainland is mostly flat grassland and plains, though forests and hilly areas exist and are generally scattered throughout the island. Running north to south are the Harmony Mountains, named for Mt. Harmony near the capital city of Clayton. There is a smaller range on the east side of the island called the Soulard Mountains named after the only city around them. The mountain range squishes all the cities into the central and southern half of the mainland into central and southern geographic regions, and was once home to dozens of active volcanoes. However, no eruption has occurred in the Harmony Mountains in over 800 years, and the range is believed to be inactive. The ancient volcanic activity on the mainland (and on many of Elyria’s smaller islands, as well) resulted in mineral deposits from which Elyrian miners have extracted gold, silver, and other valuable materials for export.

Two notable exceptions to the mainland's grassy majority are the Greentree Forest and Western Desert. The Greentree Forest is more of a jungle than a temperate forest, and is widely considered the most dangerous region in Elyria due to its large numbers of wild carnivorous species, some of which would be considered "mythical" by foreigners. Within the Greentree Forest is the city of Melrose, located along the banks of the Magali River and home to the largest population of non-human in the nation. A number of more typical temperate forests surround the Greentree Forest itself.

The Western Desert is (as one might expect) a dry region located in a small pocket of flat land surrounded by the Harmony Mountains near the Western coast. The only major population center in the Western Desert is the small city of Tamarac, located in what could be considered by some as a cooler oasis.

But where things begin to get weird for the average tourist is Elyria’s weather. Due to the magical nature of many of its inhabitants, Eyrians are fully capable of creating, manipulating, and otherwise controlling the clouds and weather. This gives them the ability to determine where and when in rains, snows, hails, or any other. Elyria’s government is very actively involved in coordinating the pegasai of the country to generate and control weather patterns favorable to Elyrian inhabitants (and its many farmers, in particular). As such, the odds of an Elyrian weatherghoul giving an incorrect forecast are almost nonexistent, unless you happen to be in the Everfree Forest (the only region of Elyria where the weather is practically impossible to control due to a prevalence of wild magic).

Travel

Travelling to Elyria is generally easy, as most methods of interregional travel are available to visitors from outside the Rachana Lands. Most international flights to Elyria arrive at Tamarac’s Harmony International Airport, but other regularly-used airports such as Clayton’s Royal International and Ladue’s Friendship Heights International are easy to find flights to. However, it should be noted that pilots flying to and from Elyria internationally must receive additional certification due to the nature of Elyria and much of the Rachana Lands. Because of this additional requirement for pilots, some airlines do charge extra to cover the training fees.

Another common way of reaching the island is via sea. Emmaus’s seaport is among the most active in the Rachana Lands, and isn't located far from the heart of Elyria’s largest city.

Once in Elyria, there are many other options for travel. Rental cars, taxis, and busses are easy to find in the larger cities such as Bonhomme, Elyria, and Melrose, though one might notice that most vehicles are electric-powered. But while cars and busses are regularly used in some cities, there are also several in which their use is limited to emergency services (most notably in Alameda and Oakdale’s Old City district) or is totally banned (as is the case in Soulard).

However, the limited use of automobiles is balanced out by the proliferation of trains for travel between and within cities. Some of the more prominent and historical lines (such as the East Winslow-Clayton Express) still use steam-powered engines or high-speed trains designed to mimic the classical appearance of an Elyrian train. Subways are also a common feature in Elyrian cities, spreading underground to connect many places of interest for foreign tourists. Soulard is the only city where buses, and trains/subways are unavailable.

But in the end, the most common method of travel in Elyria is one's own two feet (or whatever you have to walk on). Few Elyrians drive or use public transportation unless they have to, preferring to take in the clean air on their way from place-to-place.

Culture & Society

Language

Traditionally, Elyrians have spoken in their native Elyritongue which is common throughout the Rachana Lands. However, since the emergence of Elyria into the international community, laws have been passed requiring citizens to be capable of speaking multiple languages. The most common non-Elyrian language is easily English, which is spoken by approximately two-thirds of the population. It should be noted that some English words have been altered by Elyrians to better fit the equine majority, as the use of "everyelyri", "anyelyri", "baseball", and other such words are modifications of the more standard English words. Mastery of many different languages is especially common among Unicorns, and as they are generally the ones more involved in business, are easy enough to find for foreign visitors. Numerous translating services exist throughout Elyria, and airport bookstores generally contain a plethora of multilingual dictionaries for purchase.

Food

As one might expect from a nation dominated by a species of herbivores, many traditional Elyrian dishes are vegetarian in nature. The proliferation of such food is also furthered by the general lack of agriculture for the purpose of raising up animals for the slaughter. To hurt another living creature is, to many Elyrians, simply unthinkable. However, Elyria is not only inhabited by humans, but also by griffons, dragons, and equines (among others). Restaurants do exist to cater to these non-human species, and do serve a wide variety of meats imported from outside of the region. That being said, it would be unwise to be seen in public eating a hamburger made from beef or any other meat product as many Elyrians are disgusted by such foods. This can make finding food difficult in smaller cities and in the nicer areas of the larger ones. A general tip would be: if your waiter looks like a herbivore, don't ask them for a cheeseburger or steak. Elyrian cafes are fairly creative with what they can do with non-meat products, and the bread and pastries are oftentimes better than what you might find in other nations.

Drink in Elyria also differs significantly from other nations around the multiverse, as the most common alcoholic beverage is hard cider, which can be found at virtually every bar, pub, and restaurant. Ponies generally refrain from drinking too heavily, but other non-human sapients such as griffons are known to consume vast quantities of alcohol in a single sitting. We advise our human readers to graciously decline any drinking challenges offered, as one is unlikely to win, and drunk griffons can be notoriously temperamental. Beer is a distant second to cider, in terms of both popularity and availability, though bars and eateries which cater to human tourists will often keep domestic Elyrian brands in stock.

Teams

Alameda Outlaws

Stadium
Official name: Edmund Wallace Stadium
Capacity: 15,300
est. 2157
Operators: Alameda Outlaws

Bonhomme Raiders

Stadium
Official name: Bonhomme City Grounds
Capacity: 14,000
est. 2157
Operators: Bonhomme Raiders

Clayton Crows

Stadium
Official name: Sizemore Park
Capacity: 14,000
est. 2157
Operators: Clayton Crows

East Winslow Buccaneers

Stadium
Official name: J.P. Mech Field
Capacity: 12,600
est. 2157
Operators: East Winslow Buccaneers

East Winslow Stags

Stadium
Official name: Ballpark of East Winslow
Capacity: 10,200
est. 2157
Operators: East Winslow Stags

Elyria Continentals

Stadium
Official name: Continentals Ballpark
Capacity: 15,300
est. 2157
Operators: Elyria Continentals

Emmaus Pelicans

Stadium
Official name: Pelicans Ballpark
Capacity: 14,000
est. 2157
Operators: Emmaus Pelicans

Ladue Ducks

Stadium
Official name: Webster & Mitchell Ballpark
Capacity: 14,100
est. 2157
Operators: Ladue Ducks

Leyden Seals

Stadium
Official name: Owens Park
Capacity: 11,500
est. 2157
Operators: Leyden Seals

Melrose Park Centaurs

Stadium
Official name: Park of Centaurs
Capacity: 14,000
est. 2157
Operators: Melrose Park Centaurs

New Charleroi Vipers

Stadium
Official name: Matzen Park
Capacity: 10,000
est. 2157
Operators: New Charleroi Vipers

Oakdale Park Ravens

Stadium
Official name: Gardner Fields
Capacity: 15,300
est. 2157
Operators: Oakdale Park Ravens

Old Town Thugs

Stadium
Official name: Evann Morganstein Stadium
Capacity: 12,800
est. 2157
Operators: Old Town Thugs

Soulard Apache

Stadium
Official name: Soulard Coliseum
Capacity: 12,800
est. 2157
Operators: Soulard Apache

Tamarac Unforgiven

Stadium
Official name: Schmidt & Marrah Ballpark
Capacity: 10,100
est. 2157
Operators: Tamarac Unforgiven

Trinidad City Jets

Stadium
Official name: Field of the Jets
Capacity: 11,500
est. 2157
Operators: Trinidad City Jets

A little bit about the league and the rules:

-
As well as the EBL, there are AAA,AA,A minors and a small independent league I might cover from time to time
-
The National League has a DH
-
27 man roster
-
Rule 5 draft enabled
-
Trading set to average
-
Amateur draft ON
-
162 game season, with wildcard teams
-
All Star Game is on
-
Player ratings relative to the EBL

I'll start off with preseason and spring training news and more in next post!

02-13-2018, 03:23 PM	#1
Sizeman21 Major Leagues Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: The bleachers of Sportsman's Park Posts: 435	Elyrian Baseball League The Elyrian Baseball League Map of the island of Elyria with team locations Elyria is an environmentally stunning and socially progressive nation located south of the equator and to the east of the Republic of Brahmann and to the northwest of the United Commonwealth of The Tarim Islands and South Winchester. It has a well-earned reputation as a pristine gem of nature, seemingly untouched by the human hand. The undulating white-capped mountains and emerald green forests seem to extend all the way to the internationally-famous golden beaches and swaying palm trees at which the Southern Ashington Sea laps. The truth is more complex. Commuter trains carefully connect the massive population of the country to the hub of the country, Clayton, whose sleek metal and glass towers rise like mountains. The population, while environmentally conscious, has also managed to carve out a chunk of the land for its own advancement. It is from the capital that the nation's resources, information, and trends flow to the rest of the country. But despite the seeming air of indifference given to organized sports by most, there exists an unquenchable spirit to compete, to succeed, to become legend. From the golden beaches to the mountains, this spirit has been heard in the crack of wood upon leather, from professional teams to two kids who desire to achieve their dreams. At last, the government has decided to fund a national baseball league, the nation's favorite pastime, to compete in international competitions. Without further ado, introducing Elyria! Most of the largest cities in Elyria only have one team, except for East Winslow, with both the Stags and Buccaneers playing in the Continental League. They have a ferocious inter-city rivalry that has no equal in any other sports rivalry in the country. This will test the limits of those players' tolerance for each other on this team. The Alameda Outlaws, Soulard Apache, and Tamarac Unforgiven are all part of the Continental League North. The New Charleroi Vipers, Oakdale Park Ravens and Melrose Park Centaurs are all part of the Continental League South. The final few teams, the Elyria Continentals, Emmaus Pelicans, Old Town Thugs are a part of the National League, along with the Ladue Ducks, Clayton Crows and Leyden Seals. Elyria is best described as an island nation. However, most Elyrians live on the largest island, which is referred to by locals as the mainland, due to its size and role as a population and commercial center for the country. The mainland is mostly flat grassland and plains, though forests and hilly areas exist and are generally scattered throughout the island. Running north to south are the Harmony Mountains, named for Mt. Harmony near the capital city of Clayton. There is a smaller range on the east side of the island called the Soulard Mountains named after the only city around them. The mountain range squishes all the cities into the central and southern half of the mainland into central and southern geographic regions, and was once home to dozens of active volcanoes. However, no eruption has occurred in the Harmony Mountains in over 800 years, and the range is believed to be inactive. The ancient volcanic activity on the mainland (and on many of Elyria’s smaller islands, as well) resulted in mineral deposits from which Elyrian miners have extracted gold, silver, and other valuable materials for export. Two notable exceptions to the mainland's grassy majority are the Greentree Forest and Western Desert. The Greentree Forest is more of a jungle than a temperate forest, and is widely considered the most dangerous region in Elyria due to its large numbers of wild carnivorous species, some of which would be considered "mythical" by foreigners. Within the Greentree Forest is the city of Melrose, located along the banks of the Magali River and home to the largest population of non-human in the nation. A number of more typical temperate forests surround the Greentree Forest itself. The Western Desert is (as one might expect) a dry region located in a small pocket of flat land surrounded by the Harmony Mountains near the Western coast. The only major population center in the Western Desert is the small city of Tamarac, located in what could be considered by some as a cooler oasis. But where things begin to get weird for the average tourist is Elyria’s weather. Due to the magical nature of many of its inhabitants, Eyrians are fully capable of creating, manipulating, and otherwise controlling the clouds and weather. This gives them the ability to determine where and when in rains, snows, hails, or any other. Elyria’s government is very actively involved in coordinating the pegasai of the country to generate and control weather patterns favorable to Elyrian inhabitants (and its many farmers, in particular). As such, the odds of an Elyrian weatherghoul giving an incorrect forecast are almost nonexistent, unless you happen to be in the Everfree Forest (the only region of Elyria where the weather is practically impossible to control due to a prevalence of wild magic). Travel Travelling to Elyria is generally easy, as most methods of interregional travel are available to visitors from outside the Rachana Lands. Most international flights to Elyria arrive at Tamarac’s Harmony International Airport, but other regularly-used airports such as Clayton’s Royal International and Ladue’s Friendship Heights International are easy to find flights to. However, it should be noted that pilots flying to and from Elyria internationally must receive additional certification due to the nature of Elyria and much of the Rachana Lands. Because of this additional requirement for pilots, some airlines do charge extra to cover the training fees. Another common way of reaching the island is via sea. Emmaus’s seaport is among the most active in the Rachana Lands, and isn't located far from the heart of Elyria’s largest city. Once in Elyria, there are many other options for travel. Rental cars, taxis, and busses are easy to find in the larger cities such as Bonhomme, Elyria, and Melrose, though one might notice that most vehicles are electric-powered. But while cars and busses are regularly used in some cities, there are also several in which their use is limited to emergency services (most notably in Alameda and Oakdale’s Old City district) or is totally banned (as is the case in Soulard). However, the limited use of automobiles is balanced out by the proliferation of trains for travel between and within cities. Some of the more prominent and historical lines (such as the East Winslow-Clayton Express) still use steam-powered engines or high-speed trains designed to mimic the classical appearance of an Elyrian train. Subways are also a common feature in Elyrian cities, spreading underground to connect many places of interest for foreign tourists. Soulard is the only city where buses, and trains/subways are unavailable. But in the end, the most common method of travel in Elyria is one's own two feet (or whatever you have to walk on). Few Elyrians drive or use public transportation unless they have to, preferring to take in the clean air on their way from place-to-place. Culture & Society Language Traditionally, Elyrians have spoken in their native Elyritongue which is common throughout the Rachana Lands. However, since the emergence of Elyria into the international community, laws have been passed requiring citizens to be capable of speaking multiple languages. The most common non-Elyrian language is easily English, which is spoken by approximately two-thirds of the population. It should be noted that some English words have been altered by Elyrians to better fit the equine majority, as the use of "everyelyri", "anyelyri", "baseball", and other such words are modifications of the more standard English words. Mastery of many different languages is especially common among Unicorns, and as they are generally the ones more involved in business, are easy enough to find for foreign visitors. Numerous translating services exist throughout Elyria, and airport bookstores generally contain a plethora of multilingual dictionaries for purchase. Food As one might expect from a nation dominated by a species of herbivores, many traditional Elyrian dishes are vegetarian in nature. The proliferation of such food is also furthered by the general lack of agriculture for the purpose of raising up animals for the slaughter. To hurt another living creature is, to many Elyrians, simply unthinkable. However, Elyria is not only inhabited by humans, but also by griffons, dragons, and equines (among others). Restaurants do exist to cater to these non-human species, and do serve a wide variety of meats imported from outside of the region. That being said, it would be unwise to be seen in public eating a hamburger made from beef or any other meat product as many Elyrians are disgusted by such foods. This can make finding food difficult in smaller cities and in the nicer areas of the larger ones. A general tip would be: if your waiter looks like a herbivore, don't ask them for a cheeseburger or steak. Elyrian cafes are fairly creative with what they can do with non-meat products, and the bread and pastries are oftentimes better than what you might find in other nations. Drink in Elyria also differs significantly from other nations around the multiverse, as the most common alcoholic beverage is hard cider, which can be found at virtually every bar, pub, and restaurant. Ponies generally refrain from drinking too heavily, but other non-human sapients such as griffons are known to consume vast quantities of alcohol in a single sitting. We advise our human readers to graciously decline any drinking challenges offered, as one is unlikely to win, and drunk griffons can be notoriously temperamental. Beer is a distant second to cider, in terms of both popularity and availability, though bars and eateries which cater to human tourists will often keep domestic Elyrian brands in stock. Teams Alameda Outlaws Stadium Official name: Edmund Wallace Stadium Capacity: 15,300 est. 2157 Operators: Alameda Outlaws Bonhomme Raiders Stadium Official name: Bonhomme City Grounds Capacity: 14,000 est. 2157 Operators: Bonhomme Raiders Clayton Crows Stadium Official name: Sizemore Park Capacity: 14,000 est. 2157 Operators: Clayton Crows East Winslow Buccaneers Stadium Official name: J.P. Mech Field Capacity: 12,600 est. 2157 Operators: East Winslow Buccaneers East Winslow Stags Stadium Official name: Ballpark of East Winslow Capacity: 10,200 est. 2157 Operators: East Winslow Stags Elyria Continentals Stadium Official name: Continentals Ballpark Capacity: 15,300 est. 2157 Operators: Elyria Continentals Emmaus Pelicans Stadium Official name: Pelicans Ballpark Capacity: 14,000 est. 2157 Operators: Emmaus Pelicans Ladue Ducks Stadium Official name: Webster & Mitchell Ballpark Capacity: 14,100 est. 2157 Operators: Ladue Ducks Leyden Seals Stadium Official name: Owens Park Capacity: 11,500 est. 2157 Operators: Leyden Seals Melrose Park Centaurs Stadium Official name: Park of Centaurs Capacity: 14,000 est. 2157 Operators: Melrose Park Centaurs New Charleroi Vipers Stadium Official name: Matzen Park Capacity: 10,000 est. 2157 Operators: New Charleroi Vipers Oakdale Park Ravens Stadium Official name: Gardner Fields Capacity: 15,300 est. 2157 Operators: Oakdale Park Ravens Old Town Thugs Stadium Official name: Evann Morganstein Stadium Capacity: 12,800 est. 2157 Operators: Old Town Thugs Soulard Apache Stadium Official name: Soulard Coliseum Capacity: 12,800 est. 2157 Operators: Soulard Apache Tamarac Unforgiven Stadium Official name: Schmidt & Marrah Ballpark Capacity: 10,100 est. 2157 Operators: Tamarac Unforgiven Trinidad City Jets Stadium Official name: Field of the Jets Capacity: 11,500 est. 2157 Operators: Trinidad City Jets A little bit about the league and the rules: - As well as the EBL, there are AAA,AA,A minors and a small independent league I might cover from time to time - The National League has a DH - 27 man roster - Rule 5 draft enabled - Trading set to average - Amateur draft ON - 162 game season, with wildcard teams - All Star Game is on - Player ratings relative to the EBL I'll start off with preseason and spring training news and more in next post!