From Ghetto to Academy

Altdorf Strangers is a newborn elven team. Well, in elven terms newborn means it has no more than a houndred years. All its members are young, from Salenor Swift - the coach - to adulescent Fille Treasul. Team's results vary much from opponent to opponent. In their exploit, Chaos thugs couldn't stand against their fast pass. Anyway, things were to change: if Khemri Mummies still had trouble with them, that is not Orc's situation. In the former match, Altdorf Strangers lost by only one point. They ran a lot passing the ball to each other, but without finding space to break through. Vice versa, in their last match with Wood Elves from Athel Loren, they met harsh opponents, that scored 4 points squeezing and dodging in and out. The latter match marks an important moment for Altdorf Strangers' President: he is going to test whether the money spent on his team were worth the effort. Still, Altdorf Strangers remain the "case of the year" among their own city's people.
Our man Albrecht Kalevala went to their Boot Camp to have an interview with their Coach.

So, Altdorf Strangers, uh? Dear Mr. Swift, tell us the origin of such a peculiar name.

Such things are easily explained, dear Albrecht. As everybody knows, Altdorf's elven population saw a great growth in last 150 years. They are mostly merchants on their own, or workers in the well-known Imperial Administrative System, but after last financial breakdown they found themselves at commoners' same level, trying to make a living with any mean possible. That meant the birth of Elven Ghetto, also known as "Little Ulthuan". If any of the readers heard of it, he should recall the slimy streets, the ruined houses and the general poverty that rules everyday life... Looking at previous Blood'n'Bowl Marienburg experiences, we thought sport could become an important element in Altdorf's elven rebirth, since being our homeland far away, young lads find hard to stuck together while gaining at the same time experiencing their very elven identity. In short terms, we looked for a new way to provide the poorest lads with elven self-consciousness and a chance to get out from the Ghetto's way of life.

I'm puzzled, Salenor: who are those "we" you're talking about?

Well, I'm speaking of his "highness" the President and me.

His "highness" the President? From your broad smile I can only guess it is a kind of a joke or something similar...

Yes, it is. The President calls himself like that, in conscious spite of the fact "highness" is not a title usually held by - well - Halflings.

So the mistery is revealed at least. Founds, structures and organization come from an Halfling freeholder! BUt how did it come that an Halfling took interest in an Elven team? Isn't the Moot well furnished with Bowling guys?

Surely it is, dear Albrecht, but President Dago Lerini isn't a Moot-dweller at all! He's pure Tilean-blooded Hafling and - let me tell it in confidence - it is a blood of the worst kind. "What does it take for a man to be a good merchant? To be born on a street, to lie and to be half and a feet". That means: to be both a Tilean and a Hafling. Dont' think that, saying so, I'm offending him: I'm very grateful to him, because thanks to his proficiencies we found money to fund our team, players willingly to play and a staff of great experience. He's always been very fond of BB, but in Tilea Snotball is so widespread that building a BB team there is not worth the effort, considering the weakness of Tilean BB League.

Ha-ha. You hit the point... But let me ask you how you dare to include yourself in such a "staff of great experience".

Well, why not? We set up the team together with Mr Lerini's guidance only because of our deep involvement in BB environment. I'm telling it straight: I wished to do something for al those poor Altdorf elven citizens and the very thing I knew is Blood and Bowl. No lie in telling I've been All-Star player in 125 years ago ranked imperiale league. I was trained in Marienburg by coach Krefi Johnosn, a demi-Orc that was hired by "Marienburg Sailors" team in order to - well - improve players' body-response to extended efforts. He taught me everything, from the very basics to the sharpest tricks. I honour his memory, because only from a man whose birth was so cross-linked with sorrowful events that it could come a great experience in life and sport. Anyway, it's been a while (100 years - n.d.r.) since I left BB fields. I took up coaching only to make a living and then I met Mr. Lerini and melted his wish for a team with elven social needs. I asked him the best men in the field: he tried his best and came out with Tryllian Roland Gallifel, my actual best-boy. He's a tiny demi-elf, but Caledor kills me if he's not the toughest trainer in the whole Old world. I saw people spitting blood after one-hour practice with him. That's why we built a "rose" (a team - n.d.r.) from our best young players. We wanted this team to succeed in order to fund and support all the neighborhood initiatives that take place in the Ghetto. I mean: while the best guys fight their way in the Academy Division, a lot of weekly afternoon events take place in order to distract boys and girls from a life of poverty and crime. Teaching them sport means teaching them how to deal with life.

Sorry if I interrupt you. Could you tell us more about the other members of the staff?

Sure! Well, there is a woman, Priselides Natellion that is trying to build up a group of cheerleaders to raise our players' morale when it touches the ground. She is still at her first BB experience, but we hope her precedent career skills will help her obtaining what she wants (she used to be a prostitute - n.d.r.). We hired also a human physician that saved a lot of people. We are sorry for Sinedar Stifeelian, but we ran out of chemical reagents just after the first three hits.

Your first match meant yout first death. How did you deal with that obstacle? Isn't death something that cancel all the good impression coming from your social networking?

We don't speak of him as an unlucky dead Elf, but as an hero. It's been a real sacrifice. When Chaos Cult raised from northen part of Altdorf we weren't good enough to face the incoming match, but we tried it anyway just because players were wllingly to kick their asses. They dared to come during night time just to destroy our main building, but we woke up and discovered them. Instead of fighting Chaos, we chose to play - a wise choice indeed. Kicking back them to darkness was the least we could do in order not to let them rule the Ghetto. It's been a war of defense, not a free walk at the Imperial House.

Then, if my data are right, you've been disturbed by undead beings?

I should thank Estalian Explorers for having brought Khemri "Wonders" Exposition to Altdorf. I'm sure the Emperor Karl Franz was likely to see all those things explorers found in South-Eastern desert, but guards should have been more careful. They let mummies slip out from their coffins and wander around the Ghetto. They raised their players and started playing on our very field. That was an offense and a sin we ought to wash. So the second match came - unrequested. They passed their time forgetting the ball and kicking our players. The arbiter was blind, except for the last three expulsions. Anyway we lost an Elf - Tuwinol Lowendal - he became an undead himself. How dreadful! No excuse can be found for imperial carlessness.

Now let's talk about the future. Is Altdorf Strangers' project going to continue?

It is. Last match showed only we had been lucky and not worth of merit in our first times. Chaos and Mummy winnings disappear in front of last 4-1. Feanor missed all his passages - and still he tells me he had practiced a lot. Blitzer are growing wiser, and I thank gods for the experience they previously gained. We are also setting up schemes and tactics - now I have some ideas to work, hoping to gain the best from some new strategies. President is still happy with us because he thinks we are all doing a good work, even if we met a few failures.

A last word on your own view about BB...

Well, what can I say? For me BB had always been style and quick moves, but in my whole life I realized it requires a perfect body. If you could accomplish the horrible aim of joining Elves and Orcs getting their best and dropping their worst, I bet you got the best team in the world. Luckily, it doesn't exist, so I hope to train those lads making them work on their talent in order to correct their mistakes.

Thanks a lot and see you soon, Mr. Swift.