Monday, March 2, 2009

Report: Lurkers and Bilgerunners at the Citadel


This live event has been pre-recorded for your convenience.

Bryag Mudrake here live at the Citadel of Azzilizza for Deathdealer excitement! The Lurkers of Azzilizza are hosting the Blackwater Bilgerunners this week, and the fan turnout is spectacular. Over Twenty-nine thousand fans, and the skaven outnumber the dark elf locals more than two to one! That's great news for the local tourism industry, but not so good for the Lurkers morale. I don't think I've ever seen such a massive difference in team ratings. Rumor has it that well over a million gold was provided to the Lurkers to bolster their chances for this match, and provide a good show to all. The teams are coming out onto the pitch now... and YES, here he is again folks! Once more, the massive Morg 'N' Thorg has been brought in to beat on the Bilgerunners! I think I'm also seeing a couple of shadowy figures trailing inconspicuously behind them. I'm not seeing their names on the roster, so I'm not sure... hang on... I just got a note that those two are in fact the legendary Horkon Heartripper, and his not-so-legendary unnamed apprentice, who will both be playing for the Lurkers. The team will also be featuring a young journeyman trying out his fortune with this squad. We wish him luck, and hope his funeral expenses will be well paid for by the league as well. Joking! Only joking!

The coin is in the air... and the skaven win the toss! Looks like they're electing to receive. Here's the kick and WHOA! Listen to those crowds roar! The skaven cheerleaders have whipped the crowd into an absolute frenzy! I can't even hear who the matron has favored! The rats are running right down the middle of the field, over the prone body of Morg 'N' Thorg! It looks like Stumptail just picked up right where he left off last game. Fivel grabs the ball and sends a perfect pass to Piddlepaw. Dark elf coverage is pressing in, and Melanissa Rampage has knocked Twinkletoes out cold! She can't catch Piddlepaw though, who sprints into the end-zone for the game's first touchdown! The roar of the crowd is deafening here, and continues all the way through the next kick! Matron favors the rats now, and even some of the elves have started joining in with the sing-along.

The kick lands in a far corner, and the dark elves spring down-field. Determined to put their agility to good use, they're sending two squads up the relatively undefended sidelines. I think the skaven have been playing strength-based teams too long, I don't know what they're thinking with this sort of coverage. Drixit Heelgrinder now has the ball, and passes it to Horkon for the handoff. O'Rattigan is charging him down! Looks like he wasn't actually on the front line, and was in perfect position to run down the runners! The blow knocks Horkon off his feet... and O'Rattigan has the ball! What on earth is he planning on doing with that? Wait, he's still moving, running back towards Twinkletoes! I think the two must have been playing "fetch" between games, because he's just given Twinkletoes the ball! The other rats are punching through the coverage... Stumptail just stunned Morg! You don't see that every day. Also I see the medical team dragging Exrit Exitwound off the pitch, looks like Notchear got a solid shot on him. Twinkletoes is running downfield, with Stumptail in hot pursuit. But Drixit is still in reach! He runs down Twinkletoes, and scoops up the ball. He turns to a long pass towards the Inafay Icyhaired, wide open in the skaven half... but Stumptail is in the way! INTERCEPTION!!! Stumptail has the ball, and races it in for another touchdown! Boy, this game is sure full of surprises!

Maybe it's not so surprising that the rain is starting to pick up. Skaven kick again to the Lurkers, and some punching is happening on the front line! Morg 'N' Thorg just knocked Brutus out cold! The Dark Elves are playing this game a little more cautiously; once again the runners are across the pitch, but this time, they're holding off on dealing with the ball. Gurglegasp has waded once again to disturb the Lurkers with his presence, but he's shoved far enough away from the runners to keep him from distracting them. Inafay just put Notchear's lights out in a quick bout of revenge! Drixit picks up the ball, and runs it up to Inafay, not wanting to risk the pass in this pouring rain, I guess. Inafay has the ball, and rushes it in for a touchdown! Great job to the Lurkers... if they keep that up, they stand a good chance at this match.

Looks like the rain is clearing up for this next kick, and a dry ball has been brought out. There isn't an awful lot of time left, but the Bilgerunners are trying this run anyways. The Lurkers kick to the Bilgerunners, and the ball lands deep into the skaven field. The medics are back again; it looks like Squeesplat badly injured Frazz Firestarter! Fivel has the ball, and fires off a flawless long pass to Piddlepaw, who is racing down-field now! Horkon catches him just before the end-zone, and punches him... He's down! That didn't look like a hard kit, but Squeesplat is out cold just before the line as the horn ending the half is blown. I think Horkon must've been carrying... because there's an awful lot of blood and unconsciousness coming from such a glancing punch.

We'll be back after the halftime show by the Lurker cheerleaders.

We're back. Apparently Lurker cheerleaders have put some heart into the crowd. Or... multiple hearts, torn from the ribs of their victims. Such delightful customs here in the jungles. We're starting the second half now, with the Bilgerunners kicking. The Lurkers are off! Looks like they caught the defense flatfooted, because they've stormed the line even before the ball came down. Horkon's apprentice and Drixit are covering the ball, and the witch-elves and their associates are once again tearing down-field. Morg and Stumptail are battling it out again... it looks like Gurglegasp has caught Shrick'kahn off guard, and knocked him out cold! What's Dingleberry doing? He's charging towards Drixit, and he leaps over Horkon's apprentice! He picks up the ball from right between the bewildered expressions of Drixit and the apprentice, he's taken the ball in his third arm, and he's dodging away! This is a beautiful display folks, not many in this league are capable of doing what we just saw. It looks like Horkon's apprentice has some skills of his own... he's right on Dingleberry's heels, and tries to stab him! The knife doesn't penetrate, but now Drixit can get a good smash on him! Dingleberry's out like a light, and Drixit has got the ball. He hurls it to a startled Krrox near center field, but he’s obviously not ready for it. Krrox fumbles the catch, and the blitzers are on him! Jenner's now got the ball, and Twinkletoes has rushed into the end-zone. Jenner passes, and it's complete! Touchdown for the Skaven! The game is now three to one, and I'll be very tough for the Lurkers to make up this point difference.

It looks like the elves have gained the Matron's favor once again, and their coaches have devised some new strategies. It doesn’t look that much different from their old strategy... but it's hard to fault success. More of the lurkers have been assigned to run up-field and cover the ball, making it that much harder for the skaven to poach the pigskin, and giving them less targets in the midfield. That's enough to give Drixit time to grab the ball, and run down it to the waiting guards. He passes to Inafay, who runs it in for a touchdown!

The elves are kicking to the Skaven now, and it'll take some serious play to tie thi... whoa! The Lurkers just blitzed! Horkon Heartripper has thrown caution two the wind, and is stabbing madly with both hands at anyone within reach! The skaven are caged in tightly, and it'll be a struggle to get out of it! Dingleberry has the ball, and is deep in the cage right now. Wait, he just leaped over several others, and passed the ball to Twinkletoes! Twinkletoes is off like a shot! He races in for the end-zone and... HE TRIPS! He's down folks, and he seems to be curled up in pain! Medics are pulling him off-field... and I don't think he'll be coming back this game. Elves and skaven are both trying to get some hold on the ball... Zanzill tries to pick up the ball, but he fumbles it! I hear another scream... looks like Jenner just hurt Shrick'kahn badly! Dingleberry is off and running for the ball, he leaps over Zanzill, and tries to pick up the... fumble! And there's the horn... leaving Dingleberry at the endzone without the ball! Perhaps a bit anticlimactic, but that was edge-of the seat play all the way to the end! A fine display by both teams, it looks like the Dark elves will be a force to be reckoned with once they recover from the injuries inflicted upon them at the start of this season, and get a little more experience in the league.

Match MVPs go to Shrick'kahn Killer of the Lurkers of Azzilizza, and Twinkletoes of the Blackwater Bilgerunners. Also of note this game were the blocking skills of Inafay, Melanissa, and Shrick'kahn, and the strong-arm tactics of Drixit Heelgrinder. Thanks for joining us here in the Jungle! I’ll be taking a little break, as our regular league commissioner will be describing the blood-curdling Farmboy action later this week as they host the Bloodsand Blasters.

No comments: