“Ah. Finally back from a refreshing beach holiday in Tilea, the team has a rich cultural experience when we find out that here in the Old World the others have ungentelskinkly played on without us, and we have been handed down a defeat against the Exiles. Well, well. Guess we don't have much chance to go to the finals this year then. But there are still reasons to fight, for example the Giant killer award and simply to improve the team in anticipation for next season. And who knows, winning both remaining matches brings us to 6 points which may, if NUFFLE wills it, be enough :)

The next opponents are some bloated Norse, but with several excellent players and a good coach. They haven't had much success so far, though, and have lost many players. Best of all, they don't have much experience with tackling, which is good news for our skinks. We also have inducements, and choose babes and a wizard, and adds the services of sneaky pro-player Hemlock to our side. He's the kind of skink you do not want to meet in the street, with his two lightning fast swords. On the field, they are exchanged for small daggers, but he is so efficient with them that low armoured players like most of the Icedragons need to watch out or find themselves gutted.

As usual, we kick first, and the fans are on the side of the Icedragons, although not too skewed. 30.000 spectators is not bad for such a match :) And then the teams are on the field, Marsh Mole kicks off, a long kick almost to the Icedragon's endzone and we are in the heat of it. It doesn't take long for the first casualty, though. Before a minute has passed, Purple Protector receives a blow from Bjolfr that shatters his skull, and has to be carried off the field. The Fraternizer and Hollow Claws are likewise pushed back onto their tails in the opening drive, and the Icedragons goes right with Steini as their ballcarrier. The team captain, Green Guardian answers by sending Storolf, the Icedragon veteran player off the field by a powerful blow to his chin, and the sauruses boxes in the Icedragons. The Icedragons try desperately to change their advance to the left flank, but fail to knock Hemlock over, and as Jarl Jarni blocks Hollow Claws, he manage to push him backwards but then falls to his mighty claws, and the first kill of the day is a fact. It will be worse (or better, depending on your point of view) as the day drags on. The 'Dragons apothecary cannot do much for his guy, and leaves the field in disgust. Initiative changes to the Scavengers who goes for the ballcarrier and Green Guardian and Marsh Mole are right there beside him as Booster, Challenger and Hemlock bowls over their men. Steini is not dispirited by this though, and fends off Guardian and dodges away from Mole and proceeds into the now wide open left side of the scavengers, where he takes time to bowl over Jungle Warrior before running like crazy for the goalline. Bjolfr and Skadi tries to give him cover. A too eager Morten tries to help as well, but stumbles and falls. The scavengers are pressed, but calmly pulls forth the wizard Arnfinn Thunderstroke, whose lightning bolt stuns Steini. Hollow Claws and Jungle Warrior covers the ball, and Hemlock brings down Bjolfr with his daggers, but when Red Shield tries to push Frodi away, he falls flat and Frodi sticks his long toe into Shield's nose, and such ungentlemanly tactics does not fail to send another saurus off the field, as their sense of smell is quite too sensitive for such an ungenerous fate... Morten now sees his chance to redeem himself, and without waiting for the rest of the team, he rises from the grass, knocks Hollow Claws over and onto the ball, which bounces the wrong way. Not to be discouraged, Morten then proceeds to pick up the ball in Jungle Warriors tacklezone and dodge away with it... only to stumble and fall flat on his nose for the second time in a few minutes. This time, scavengers manage to capitalise on the loose ball. Swamp Swimmer picks it up and receives cover from Hollow Claws and Jungle Warrior, as Marsh Mole sprints into a scoring position and the Sauruses proceeds to bowl over as many Icedragons as they can. Only two are left standing. However, the Icedragons rebounds and their troll manage to kill poor Grey Challenger. They try to block the way with Morten and Skadi, but the scavenger's skinks will not be denied. Instead of going along the sideline, Swimmer goes back into the middle and sends a spectacular pass to the eagerly waiting Marsh Mole, who catches the ball elegantly and sprints in the first TD of the day. One-nil Scavengers, but there are still time for the Icedragons to run in the equaliser.

We choose to kick the ball close to the line-of-scrimmage, and, having bought a copy of the 'Dragons playbook from a distraught fan, guess correctly as to what play they will play and can put up a Perfect Defense. The troll and Bjolfr handles their opponents on the right side of their formation, but closer to the ball, on the left side, Einarr runs into a brick wall named Fraternizer, and down he goes. This is a golden opportunity for the scavengers, and lead by the team captain, Hemlock sends Ragnar off the field with a flick of his daggers, while Booster pushes Arnbjørn away to give room for Guardian to cover the ball. The skink squad goes to work and covers the ball, and as Jungle Warrior recovers it, the scavengers are suddenly in the commanding position. They have the ball and seven players standing around it, while the Icedragons have...Steini. Desperate Icedragon players run across the field and Skadi covers the Warrior as Morten is supposed to give the Warrior the final hit, but for the third time this match, Morten fell on his nose, and this time he knocks himself out completely. Warrior sprints for the goalline, and with all the skinks covering for him and the sauruses watching the closest dragons, the opponents are helpless and can only watch as Warrior sprints in TD number two for the Scavengers.

The Scavengers thus feel quite comfortable as they enter the field for the second half. We are two goals to nothing, and each team can field ten players, and with one player killed from each team. We are also receiving, so this should work out nicely, barring ill will from the gods and other such higher beings. We don't manage to pick up the ball, however, and Bjolfr pushes Guardian out of the way and opens for Morten, and suddenly the ball is theatened by onrushing Icedragons. We try to repair by moving the skink squad into position, and Jungle Warrior manage to stun Bjolfr to give us some seconds to get our breath back, but then Hollow Claws is upended by Storolf in an attempt to free another skink, and the Icedragons are coming back with a vengeance. Skadi is pushed away by Jungle Warrior with help from two other skinks, but the Icedragons push even harder, and Arnbjørn sends Hemlock off the field with an injury, and suddenly only three skinks, Warrior, Swimmer and Mole are left to hold the fort against 8 onrushing Icedragons. It's an uphill battle, but the skinks fight valiantly. The hired Goldeagle secures the ball, but Marsh Mole is tripped by Frodi as he tries to recover the ball. Relentlessly, the Icedragon pushes one after another of the scavenger defenders away from the ball, but another piece of respite comes as Morten stumbles and falls for the fourth time in this match. Somebody should tie his shoelaces for him! It doesn't help much though, except for buying time, sa the Icedragons are all over the place now and another scavenger, valiant Jungle Warrior soon has to leave the field with a broken thumb, after a brutal meeting with the troll. Only Goldeagle is close to the ball when Frodi tries to pick it up, but he fails and Red Shield manage to give us another respite and allows Hollow Claws to get in position. However, as the Mole tries to go for the ball, he is tripped by Bjolfr while dodging away, and determined Icedragons push away all defenders. This time they WANT the ball, and will not be denied. It is Morten who picks it up and runs for the goalline, and one TD seems secured. But will there be time for another one? Scavengers have not wholly given up though, and Red Sield pushes away Skadi to allow Swamp Swimmer to run interference with Morten. Red Shield is promtply killed by Ragnar with a swift crushing of his windpipe, and Arnbjørn knocks Fraternizer off his feet. Only five scavengers are left on the field, but time is getting short. The skink squad makes a final attempt, with Swimmer blitzing Morten, while Goldeagle and Mole tries to box him in. Morten easily fends him off, and when Marsh Mole stumbles and falls, it is easy for Morten to push Swimmer away and score. But then the ref blows his wistle for the half, and we have actually won 2 to 1.

Back in the changing room it's time to survey the wreckage. Red Shield and Grey Challenger killed, and Grey Challenger had even been given the Most Valuable Player award for his entertaining death. Purple Protector must wait out the next match with a pinched nerve, but luckily his skull wasn't as crushed as first feared. Hemlock and Jungle Warrior are both injured as well. unfiortunately that does not mean we can get away from paying Hemlock :) On the plus side, Hollow Claws, Marsh Mole and Jungle Warrior get more skills and, Yeah, I almost forgot... we won :) Next game will be next to impossible though, since we have no money to replace our losses and will have to take on no less than 4 skink journeymen!

A valiant Icedragons coach had an uphill battle and his game was spoiled by Morten Windrunners untied shoelaces, as he stumbled and fell no less than four times in critical positions. Causing 5 casualties on your own does not really make up for the loss of Jarl either. ”