“Dear Vanyar,

It brings me no great pleasure to say that this communication will be brief, for recalling it delivers me great anxiety!

Once again we faced the most evil force in the Freeworld, Rise of Akallabeth, and once again their peculiar manner of play was rewarded with grand fortune.

Their first blitz resulted in our star Dragon Warrior being carried from the field, and many more badly hurt players were soon to follow.

It was a Halflings Chef’s recipe for destruction:

Beat 1 Dragon Warrior half to death.
Forget about the ball, we’ll use that later… maybe.
Add two badly hurt Lion Warriors and One Lineman from the store cupboard.
Mix well with a half a dozen of KOs and sprinkle with some stuns.
Cooking time, one quarter, serves Mordor!

Leave to set for the duration whilst you clean up the mess; if you still have the ball, use it… maybe.

…

…

… Hmm, perhaps we’re spending too much time with our Gravy Train comrades?

Back to point.

They neglected the ball, as they often do, and when taken from them it was left to Idgar, our most agile player to mishandle an easy pickup that could have been a pass to glory.

Their reliance on their stupid Ogre was also ill invested, a “rare” failure by the Ogre left Rise of Akallabeth as dumb founded as he, leaving them exposed… but alas, trying to capitalise once again only led to immediate failure as our would be blitz assistant failed to dodge away.

It was soon enough a painful 1 – 0.

We began the second half with but 4 or 5 men, and did our best, falling just short a score as Rise of Akallabeth sent half of their men to mark our floor assassin… an odd move indeed given we were too few, and too incapable, of felling one of these gruesome beasts, nonetheless, even with the game won and us still battling for the Freeworld to claim a ring in the coming weeks, Rise of Akallabeth, still persisted in trying to foul our men.

When we finally retaliated they soon relented with their cowardly deeds and opted to finish the battle!

2 – 0

After the game, Karim lay exhausted and weak, a clear sign that our greatest ever player is finally succumbing to age, an affliction that few Elf thinks he will ever yield to.

All in all, it was a bad day… and these Humans that bathe in the pools of fortune and hinder their fellow Freeworlder will soon need to be taught the way of the righteous!

The only blessing in disguise is that we have been spared further indignity at the hands of Corsairs of Umbar. Instead we shall contest for the Ring of Water, against yet an unknown opponent… glory may still be ours!

Regards,
Tarius

===========

After losing my blitzer on the first blitz, this line from Borup perhaps sums up his style of play well:
“Don’t worry; your opponent may roll lots of 1s”. :D

Borup is without doubt my nemesis in Freeworld, and the single most effective route of my team trimming! I was fortunate that of the five CAS I suffered that 4 were BH, else I’d be in amazing trouble for the ring game.
That said, with Karim now st2, and my other Lion Warrior a niggler, I could be without an effective blitzer for the ring game. :(

Borup may have claimed a spot for the rings, but at what price… at what price? :P

GG Borup!
”