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The Louvainian Affair is an espionage thriller roleplay set in the fictional country of the Democratic Republic of Louvain.

Created and designed by Fernando Miguel Lofranco and Tristan Medina, the Louvainian Affair promised to provide a deeply immersive and intricate world with a realized system for characters to experiment and have fun roleplaying.

Lore Primer

Selected News Articles

Statement of the Louvain News Alliance on Intimidation of Press

On August 22 last year, President Jean-Pierre Risaou delivered a speech publicly ordering for no political statements in the press. Any violators of this order are to be arrested without trial or warning. In the past 8 months, 21 members of the press have either died or gone missing.

The Louvain News Alliance strongly condemns the actions of those who attempted to silence and intimidate the press for exercising our constitutionally-guaranteed right to free speech.

As members of the press, we must commit to the mandate of every journalist: to speak truth to power and facilitate critical discourse for positive social change.

While we have remained complicit in the hopes of the conflict resolving peacefully, we have finally decided to take action. The Louvain News Alliance have decentralized our news dissemination for the safety of those who speak out against the administration.

We urge the public to use the tools we provide to be informed of the national situation. Speak out against injustice and demand the best from our nation's leaders.

There is no power more independent and free than journalism. We will continue to hold the line.

Louvain currently dominates West Carthago both economically and politically. Getting around can sometimes be a little tough, and it’s certainly a challenging destination for first-timers to Carthago, but you shouldn’t believe all the scare stories about the country. Along the south, Pointe-Blanche shows itself as one of the most extravagant cities in Carthago. Along the north-west, the old kingdoms continue their long-lasting traditions. And in the east, the darling sands of the desert stretch out with memories of trade routes long gone.

Gallic influence and control displaced local kingdoms in the latter half of the 19th century. The World Wars weakened Gallia’s grip on the region, resulting in her gradual independence until the past decade. Gallia eventually granted Louvain independence in 1954, and has transitioned peacefully to a successful democratic form of government. As of now, its main focus is containing regional tensions in the eastern part of Louvain.

Louvain is a country of extremes. Great wealth and great poverty sit side by side as tensions between different communities can boil over into civil strife. While admittedly, there are parts of the country that remain problematic, the vast majority is warmer and more welcoming to visitors than anywhere else in Carthago. Challenging yet exuberant, this is Carthago in the raw and there’s nowhere quite like it on the continent.

Panic as Tanker Explodes in Beauharnais Outskirts

According to eyewitnesses, a tanker carrying 33,000 liters of diesel exploded on the highway from Saint-Just to Beauharnais. Road users and residents scampered for safety that afternoon.

"Two cars were coming from the opposite direction because they were using one lane," told a witness, "They didn't have a head-on collision but what happened is that the trailer hit the other truck, causing the content to spill as a result of the clash."

The weather was already hot and when the two trucks clashed, it sparked light and when the diesel spilled, it ignited fire which resulted in an inferno.

Mr. Osondu, an official from the fire department, gave the following statement.

"We hurriedly moved our truck to the scene. We went with one of the trucks with 60,000 liters of water. When we were going back to refill, we met with an angry mob. Before we knew what was happening, they had already started hauling stones at us."

The firemen managed to flee from the rampaging crowd and came back with a bigger truck.

The Case For Louvainian Unity

Transcript of the press conference that President Jean-Pierre Risaou held earlier today:

Fellow countrymen,

The topic of this press conference is to enlighten the public on the last meeting of military leaders and to tell the nation where we go from here.

There are five main issues which the government will deal with the course of national reconstruction. The first is the reorganization and long-term re-integration of the Louvainian Army. The second is the implementation of a nationally coordinated resettlement and rehabilitation program for displaced persons. The third is the preparation of the Second National Development Plan. The fourth is to continue the fight against corruption in public life. And the fifth is the preparation of a new Constitution for the country.

I am concerned that people continue to talk of this new society of Chinedu as a solution to the nation's problems. I am sure that if this country were allowed to fall apart, it will disintegrate into more than two hundred regions. Without an effective central authority to hold the country together, the minorities in each region will definitely force their right to self-determination.

We are all aware, however, that Louvain's troubles started from bitter political strife and inordinate ambition for personal power. We must therefore avoid such bitterness and selfish maneuvers in our approach to national problems. We must discourage any attempt to revive tribal consciousness and worsen regional animosities.

I am fully aware that what the business community and the Louvainian masses want is the maintenance of peaceful conditions in which they can go about their daily business and improve their standards of living. The Government will continue its efforts to repair the temporary setbacks in our economic life.

Long live the Democratic Republic of Louvain.

Heirs of Pirouz is a swashbuckling adventure and noir mystery set in the island of Pirouz.

Players could be corporate detectives, trying to uncover the ugly truths lying under the grand spectacles and shining treasures, or they could can be a pirate fighting off the island's organized crime and stealing the treasures from them.

Location Guide | Selected Excerpts

The Vibrasoul Tower

Vibrasoul Tower is the corporate headquarters of the company bearing its namesake. Standing at a height of 133 meters, the Green Star at the top of the spire is a point of reference for many travelers as it is seen from far beyond the island’s shoreline.

On the 30th floor, diners of the Revolving Restaurant can enjoy a diverse menu of seafood dishes and an unobstructed view of the entire fair grounds. A nexus of machinery constantly rotates the floor so that all tables have a dynamic visual experience to go along with their gastronomic fulfillment.

The Hall of Miracles on the 8th Floor houses an interactive exhibit that showcases the important inventions and developments that made Vibrasoul what it is today. From early prototypes of the radio, the creation of smaller and faster boats for courier services, to the groundbreaking telephone, guests can look and touch each of these milestones.

Visitor's Center

Most attendees of the World Fair make the Visitor’s Center their first stop. They are graciously welcomed with open arms and presented with complementary drinks based on their individual preference.

This facility houses a monumental 1:200 scale model of the fairgrounds. The staff are more than happy to provide a detailed map upon request. Almost all of the amenities scattered around the World Fair can be contacted directly from the reception desk, where telephone operators are always at the ready to help visitors book and reserve services in advance.

The Pirousi Emergency Services (PES) assigned to the World Fair are also stationed in this building for ease of access to attendees. They can frequently be found doing administrative tasks or assisting with patrons during peak hours.

Experience the Vichayak District

Wandering the colorful streets of the Vichayak district, one can see the surfeit of creativity on display. Pedestrians are adorned in the latest in high fashion, musicians can be heard rehearsing their riveting performances, and artists litter the streets surveying the landscape for the perfect muse. A whole host of unique and eye-catching trinkets and apparel are sold here, so be careful not to shop until you drop.

The Vibrasoul District

The host of the World Fair, Vibrasoul honors the achievements of the entire Al-Fawner region by conducting this major event. Many flock to the small island, drumming up business for all involved. However, there seems to be trouble stirring in the different districts. Don‘t be afraid to approach the local Pirousi Emergency Services (PES). They are always willing to help!

Varghu Trazom de Iscariote is character written for the fantasy roleplay, Through the Pages II. He is a vampyr alchemist, who presents himself as a well-mannered gentleman.

His arc throughout the story is about his attempts to attain perfection even at his own mental and physical detriment. It dealt with themes of perfectionism, anorexia, and drug use and ended with a romantic partnership that helped him learn to let go of perfection.

Selected Story Excerpts

🜖 | Oil of Vitriol

As a child, I was fascinated by how much my siblings could eat. I used to sit across the table and watch them scarf down helpings of crab and rice and chocolate cake. Still, none of them seemed to gain any weight.

Every time I visited them, they were smaller. I watched their appetite wane in a matter of weeks, as though they were making up for lost time. This is to be expected; father died just a month ago. I still think about the days they took chocolate bars and kept them under their pillows for a midnight snack.

Cooking was a celebration. I remember being enlisted into the food rush and started learning that cooking was more about trust than the food itself. Last year, I was even assigned responsibility over some of the dishes myself, a sign that I was a good enough cook to entrust the chocolate cake to.

My father was the best cook in the family. When I think of him, I could picture him coming home early from work, stirring a pot or taking a tray of baked goods out the oven with the smell of warm food in the air. You could get full from the smell alone.

I took a strange sense of pride in my metabolism. Relatives, when they were still alive, would pinch my shoulder and remark on how thin I was. I was always told that I needed to eat more. And yet, they sounded pleased and even envious, as if longing for the days when they mindlessly consumed and thought nothing of their softness.

That was how I learned that some bodies were to be preferred over others. That was the only thing my siblings could not take from me. They were already better than me in every other way imaginable. I absolutely loathed the thought.

I never asked to be the useless child.

So I made them all chocolate cake.

There is a part of me that feels a petty sense of triumph as I watched the rest of my siblings consume all the calories I worked so hard to avoid. When they all began to lick their plates clean of the chocolate syrup, my gut churns in disgust.

I could never forget the scene.

Swollen eyes gnawed forward into the distance as their mouths and throats began to burn and swell. They made several attempts to let out their pain and suffering but by that moment, the sulfuric acid『 🜖 』gained access to the trachea. The fatal amount is at least half a tablespoon. Zero calories.

I clicked my tongue as I put my hardly touched plate into the sink with the rest of the food-stained dishes. The local Pretas had a feast. I went to bed hungry.

🜋 | Ascetic Acid

For breakfast, I had 71 calories: one large egg with the simplest recipe that I know. It went without thinking, even before I took my first taste of coffee. Black. No sugar. Two calories.

I learned the secret to making the perfect poached eggs is a splash of vinegar『🜋』. Exactly one tablespoon. No more. A splash is already 3 calories. Easy to misportion and letting the vinegar『🜋』 stand for several minutes does the trick well enough. The vinegar『🜋』 helps keep the egg white together.

In an evaporation dish, I amalgamated a tablespoon of vinegar『🜋』with one-third of a teaspoon of capsaicin for a kick. This was a holdover from when I was younger and couldn't stand the taste of eggs; it was the only way I could be persuaded to eat. The habit stuck. Anyway, there are only two calories in a one-third teaspoon of paprika, and the spice tricks the body into feeling fuller than it actually is.

Cooking is simple.

Eating is a different story.

On bad days, I ensured there was no leftover material yet I would still feel... insufficient. There was always the temptation to poach yet another egg, or slice of toast, or piece of ham, or just simply a glass of milk. This is only a matter of willpower: a rumbling stomach can be easily silenced by recalculating how many calories each morsel would entail. 71 calories. 75 calories. 123 calories. 103 calories. I said these numbers like a mantra over my finished plate. I tried to remember that I am stronger than this flesh.

I needed to keep going to reach perfection.

No one will ever love me if I stop now.