We have our season 1 PEBBL Champions!
The Dhar Triumphant by Spelledaren have handed the haughty Rodent Nobility their first ever defeat!
Spelledaren will get to design a star player for next season.
https://fumbbl.com/p/match?id=4582967
Recap Below:
The game started as all good games do, in knee deep mud mid torrential downpour. As the Rodents take the field, thin lines in the mud from their dragging tails, the Dhar masters begin the process of summoning and binding their demonic teammates.
It’s a fitting matchup. Both of these teams feature real star power in their ranks. The Dhar team captain and league MVP, Morger Erturatar was only outscored by the Offensive Player of the Year on the other team, Kyler Kalan. The rivalry wasn’t just on the offensive side of the ball though! The monstrous demon known as “The Shan” with his half-meter long claws has been ripping through players all season and won our Defensive Player of the Year award. This award, as you all know, is given to the player that inflicts the most damage with his hits, because the best defense is not just a good offense, but a lethal one. Shockingly though, The Shan did not win the award cleanly. There was a tie with the Feral Wererat Eric Woolf on the side of the Rodent Nobility. The commission ultimately decided to give the award to The Shan in order to appease whichever Chaotic entity championed this terrifying demon. These three players will be invited back as future stars in return for a lucrative paycheck.
Speaking of stars, here comes the most popular star of the season! Jack Doublecross has taken the field! Back in his day as a player, Jack was famous for his shootouts with Gloriel Summerbloom, each could launch the ball nearly the length of the field with incredible precision. Unfortunately, Jack’s drinking habit forced him from the public eye. That, or the eye that he removed from the public official with the broken beer bottle he typically carries onto the pitch. He can be seen getting good and fully drunk on the bench of the Dhar Triumphant, completely oblivious to the rain soaked demons eyeing him for a meal.
With that, we are set for the coin toss. Team captains Kyler and Morger take the center field. The size difference between the two really highlight how we expect the matchup to go. The sorcerer stands a hulking 2.5 meters tall, his powerful frame covered in sorcerous flames in a show of force. Kyler does not appeal impressed. His time as a courier in the Rat Kingdom is expected to be beneficial in this downpour, as the mail never stops for weather.
Whether through luck or portent the sorcerer has won the toss and elected to receive. The chaotic energies on the field have not quite settled down as demons bound to the Dhar are still shimmering in and out of reality. The kicking team will have to adjust to the new spots where the demons reappear. The ball was easily fielded by Morger and with a clenching fist, he orders the Shan to start the attack.
Both of these teams enjoy a good midfield scrum. The Rodent Nobility with their skills as pikemen are excellent at not giving up a single step while defending an attack, but the sheer size of the demonic force may be enough to push through. Even the Lesser Beings on the Dhar are at the size of man and the bile they spit hisses on the turf.
Eventually Morger and his assistant Maradan push through the rat line and with a scoff they set out on their own, content to leave the demons to the task of pest control. Seeing the scoring threat, the Rat King issues a command to fall back and reinforce the goal line. A mad dash in the mud ensues and the rats are able to catch Morger. Eric Woolf lets out a terriying sqeak and throws his immense bulk into Morger- but oh a stiff arm for the ages! Morger isn’t save yet though as he fully surrounded! Yet it seems he does not care about the threat of his opponents? He simply runs through Audrey’s attempted tackles and carries her into the endzone. TOUCHDOWN DHAR!
This early score might come back to haunt the Dhar as the Rodents are able to score lightning fast and have enough time to equalize before halftime.
And sure enough, the Rodent’s execute the side cage phalanx they are so known for. With the looming threat of the frenzied wererats and the nigh unmovable King’s Paws, any defenders risk being introduced to our rabid crowd if they attempt to stop this sideline threat.
But Morger steps up to remind us all why he is our Most Valuable Player! A bonecrunching blindside hit to Eric takes him out of the game. The deflated squeaks of the skaven fan in attendance is drowned out by the cacophony of madness inducing sounds from the summoned demonic audience. We aren’t sure if they are here voluntarily or if they have been bound to the Dhar in service solely for the purpose of cheering.
The Rodent Nobilty are undeterred at the sight of their broken champion and are able to move down and score just before the sound of the halftime cannon.
With the teams at an even 1-1 tie, and the Nobility receiving in the second half, it seems like the advantage is in the court of ratkind. The betting odds prior to the start of the game, which were already solidly in the Rodent’s favor have swelled to -400. But lets see what sorcerous tricks the Dhar can pull off in the second half!
An excellent kick as, once again, the demons of the Dhar are snapping in and out of existence. Ah this appears to be a part of the strategy of the Dhar coach. He has ensorcelled his team to teleport as soon as the ball has been kicked! Amazing strategy! The shock of the rapidly approaching forces causes Audry to commit a very rare turnover for the Rodents, dropping the wet ball in the mud with an audible splat.
The rats quickly adjust to the sudden surge in the opposition. Confident in their ability to score quickly, they leave the ball near their own endzone and commit to establishing a shield wall near the sideline. They are attempting to lure the Dhar into their favorite trap again!
The Dhar appear wise to this strategy though as they are content to let The Shan go to work attempting to rip the Noblity Rat Ogre in half. The Ogre is able to avoid evisceration, narrowly, but its only a matter of time.
Someone from the crowd has started chanting “Jack sucks ass”, taunting the fallen legend. Oh goodness, the chant has been taken up by both sides. It appears to have affected him as he chugs the rest of the bottle in hand, smashes over the head of the nearest demon and races downfield, eyes locked on the Rodent captain. Kyler appears ready to sidestep the tackle attempt, but as he braces for impact, Jack lunges with the broken bottle and catches Kyler below the ribs! The chanting stops instantly as the Rodent Courier lies bleeding on the turf and Jack gives both sidelines the finger as he begins unlacing his breeches for the insult on the injury.
With the injury to their star ball carrier, the Rodent elect to try to get some offensive pressure and finally draw the Dhar into their trap. But Audrey continues her streak of being uncharacteristically awful and trips in the mud. Maybe her focus was shaken by Jack pissing on the body of her fellow courier as she ran past?
With contemptuous ease Morger steps over the bodies of skaven that are starting to pile up and picks the ball up. It looks bad for the rodents as they are losing bodies and very few players have been able to take Morger down this season.
Audrey continues to fail to impress as she trips over her own feet again, this time landing badly and appears unable to rise. This all but spells the end of the Nobility’s chances in this one. Once both couriers are out, there isn’t a lot of depth for ball carrying.
Morger is able to summon refreshments for himself and his teammates as he waits for the rounds to tick down and walks into the endzone with very little threat.
The rodents do have time to run a single play before the end of the game, but oh they drop the ball *again* and the game is over.
Dhar win, Dhar win, Dhar win!
