[[Bloc] The House Always Wins]

The House Always Wins

 

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and high rollers of all ages, gather around for a short tale of ambition, dodgeball, and, inevitably, the unforgiving laws of probability.

Picture this: the cream of the crop in Orbis dodgeball–Average Joe’s, Yetis, and Clown Punchers–all reunited in the glitzy, neon-soaked streets of Las Vegas for the ODOO annual championship tournament. Spirits were high, adrenaline was pumping, and the $50,000 grand prize was in our sights. What could possibly go wrong?

The tournament was fierce as millions of spectators from across Orbis watched us all dodge, duck, dip, dive, and dodge like never before. Fresh off the dodgeball courts, we wound our way through the Strip, all feeling like winners after our incredible performances when the odds were stacked against us.

But in a twist that would make even the most stoic poker face crack a smile, we lost it all. Every. Single. Dollar. Lost, in the tantalizing, treacherous temple of chance known as the Casino de Monte-Carlo, run by The Sword Coast and Fortune Teller Solomon Ben-David, who can count cards all day long. As the sun rose over the skies of Sin City, one single, undeniable truth became painfully clear: The House Always Wins.

Penniless, pride bruised, and with nothing left but the shirts on our backs, we realized we had but one course of action: disband ODOO and embrace the calling of The House.

In The House, the stakes are high, the players are strong, and the winnings? Well, let's just say we're feeling lucky.

With a roll of the dice, a spin of the wheel, and a shuffle of the decks, The House awaits your wager. Just don’t bet more than you can afford to lose. After all…

The House Always Wins

-------

The Orbitite Dodgeball Organization of Orbis is hereby disbanded.

The Bellagio, The Casino de Monte-Carlo, The Luxor, and The Venetian are joining forces to form The House.

1. Suits

Each signatory acknowledges the sovereignty of each other signatory and agrees not to interfere in the other signatories’ internal affairs, aiming to resolve any dispute internally and in a timely fashion. No signatory shall endorse military, espionage, or political action against another signatory.

2. All in

Each signatory shall coordinate with and defend every other signatory against all harm, military or otherwise. This obligation shall be considered optional in the event that a signatory is either attacked or executes an attack as a result of their obligations toward a non-signatory.

3. Counting cards

Each signatory agrees to share all relevant information regarding the sovereignty, political and economic interests, and general well-being of other signatories.

4. Cashing out

Each signatory has the right to cancel their participation in The House at any time, but must first provide the other signatories with a 72-hour notice of such decision. Signatories agree to be bound by all terms of the treaty during the notice period, but shall no longer be bound by them after the notice period ends.

 

TL;DR: ODOO is disbanded. TKR, Grumpy, TI, and TSC have formed a new bloc called The House.

 

Signatures:

 

Spoiler

Signed for the Bellagio

Adrienne, Queen of the Heralds

Benfro, Prince of the Heralds

BigMorf, Ghostblood Babsk

HannaH, Ghostblood Babsk

Indger, Herald of Internal Affairs

Zeotrope, Herald of War

Schirminator, Herald of Growth 

Ricky, Herald of Fabrials

 

Signed for the Casino de Monte-Carlo

Solomon Ben-David, Fortune Teller

Pubstomper, Innkeeper

Roberts, Innkeeper

Hunter, War Chieftain

Yirmiyahu, Vault Master

 

Signed for the Luxor

Lord Tyrion, The First

Latsu, Cosmic Lord

James Wilson, Primordial of Foreign Affairs

 

Signed for the Venetian

Presidential

Filou

Sweeeeet Ronny D

Aenir

[To succeed in your mission, you must have single-minded devotion to your goal.]

Happy retirement to my dear friend and fellow lawyer,@Canbec! I can't wait to see what you, Adrienne, and Benfro do leading TKR (again)!

[Have you heard of Discord? A Revolutionary Leap by TKR!]

Welcome to the twenty-first century!

[Petition to Sail and Sing]

7 hours ago, Canbec said:

@Presidential please don't let SRD prepare the blitz sheets for our top secret blitz on Singularity

I couldn't get SRD to join the coalition server this summer. I would be lucky to get him to work on a target sheet.

[[RoH] Truth and Honor]

This is the first time that I have read one of your walls of text FYI.

[[Bloc Update] ESPN8: The Ocho Presents ODOO Tournament in Hollywood]

15 minutes ago, darkblade said:

This is just Hollywood but without Guardian.

How could you forget about Oblivion like that?

[[Bloc Update] ESPN8: The Ocho Presents ODOO Tournament in Hollywood]

The boys are back! Dropkick Murphys "The Boys Are Back" (Official Music Video) - YouTube

[[DoW] LoD joins the Bday party!]

I call dibs on your offshore.

[A Very Grumpy Birthday]

Folks, if you said that we would still be alive seven years ago, we might not have believed you. But we are still around, and today marks Grumpy’s seven-year anniversary.

Seven years ago, an old geezer named Sweeeeet Ronny D thought to himself, “Oh man, taxes are the worst. Why am I paying taxes to go to nations that will just end up quitting in a few months when I know best how to spend my own money?” And with that, Grumpy Old Bastards came into existence.

Over the past seven years, we have had a lot of fun kicking everyone’s butts, and having our own butts kicked.

Thank you to our former allies: Hogwarts, The Commonwealth, Error 404, Children of the Light, The Golden Horde, The Immortals, Oblivion, and Guardian for their support and helping us become what we are today.

Thank you to our current allies: Knights Templar, The Knights Radiant, Bourbon Street, Name Withheld, Black Knights, and Mayhem for taking us in this past summer.

Also, I want to thank the many alliances that we’ve fought over the years because you guys have kept this game fun.

Thank you to our founding Grumpy members: Aenir, Hammy, Korben, Goldie, and Ajax who all took a leap of faith with SRD.

Thank you to our longstanding members: Sammy, Belisarius, Felandos, Senatorius, Inconnu, Tamer, Boysun, Malinok, Sephiroth, AkAk, Rosen, Alex, Lightside, Brumle, Hillbilly, Evulfuson, Boxcar Jim, M3, Eragon, Dark Lord, Shadows, Namukara, Alrea, Big Boy Tony, Levei, Forethought, Ketya, Whiskerz, Vasir, and Wolfy for all of your contributions.

Thank you to all of our former members: Warhawk, Master, Zig, Don Juan, Jim Beam, Printer, Blackass, Seb, Hodor, El, Verlion; Blink, and Vice who are either in other alliances or have left the game.

I am especially grateful to Fi for his contributions over the past eight months. I am also thankful for SRD, who I’ve very much enjoyed playing these dumb nation sims with and who assembled this wonderful alliance that I am proud to lead.

Here is to the next seven years!

[A Missive from the Half-Elven]

Congratulations on a very successful first year.

[Join Grumpy Old Bastards]

3 minutes ago, The Titan said:

Where do I send the $20,000,000?

I am going to have to reject you because you failed to follow the application instructions.

[Join Grumpy Old Bastards]

Are you a large nation who is sick of your alliance doing dumb stuff that gets you rolled? Sick of paying taxes only to have them go to nations that quit--or maybe even worse--to have your hard-earned money looted?

 

If you are a large, self-sufficient and well-run nation with at least 30 cities, come join Grumpy Old Bastards. If you are accepted, there's a one-time non-refundable payment of $20,000,000, and you will never be taxed again.

 

So if you are sick and tired of working with scrubs, come join Grumpy Old Bastards by contacting me, Presidential, for an interview.

[Syndicate, INC Withdraws From Business Office in Uritithu]

Best wishes to all--especially that one Executive Board member who was talking about the water.

[[DoW] A Grumpy Vacation to Florida]

1 hour ago, Kastor said:

What is your CB?

Whatever @Canbecsaid.

[[DoW] A Grumpy Vacation to Florida]

Grumpy has noticed the record number of people moving to Florida, and we've decided to take a vacation in Florida for the next few weeks to see if it would be a good place to retire.

Grumpy declares war on Florida.

Presidential

Fi

SRD

Aenir

[[DoV] Peace In Our Time!]

Well done.

[Is Eight a Luckier Number?]

It is sad that Canbec will not know who he is.

[A Critical Examination of Darkblade's Proposal against 100/100 Taxes in Politics and War]

Anyone sick of paying taxes can always apply to Grumpy and get rejected by me.

[[Bloc Update] ESPN8: The Ocho Presents- Injury in ODOO!]

We wish you all the best!

[[Bloc Update] ESPN8: The Ocho Presents ODOO Tournament in South Bend]

We are looking forward to working with you all!

[{Test Server} 186 Kennedy Avenue going strong]

Do you know this guy?

 

 

Two nations I hit:

ScoreBumper 4 for KLMCrealm (politicsandwar.com)

Rank booster 6 klmcREalm (politicsandwar.com)

[[RoH] A Ticket to Paradise]

Imagine creating a bloc named Florida, and then not allowing Grumpy to retire there.

 

Sad!

[[Treaty] The Search For Destiny]

Congratulations!

[[Bloc] Stick a fork in it!]

It has been a pleasure, and I wish everyone the best!

[A Very Grumpy Retirement]

Thank you all.

SRD has been a wonderful leader and, and I am optimistic about Grumpy's future.