CharmingCavalier 1723 Share Posted January 20, 2023 Spoiler IT'S FOLKBALL FRIDAY!!!!!!!! Heartland Folkball League Championships X 1908 Heartland Folkball League in the Ruins of Vuillermoz Brought to you by The Miller’s Mark, Good for whatever ales you! Introducing Four New Teams! In recent moons the popularity of Folkball has swelled, and swept across lands outside of its traditional home, the Heartlands. Although still the preferred sport of Heartlanders, the dunes of the south and the miniature towns of the halflings now are dotted with Folkball pitches. With this added attention the Heartland Folkball League (HFL) is proud to announce the inclusion of four new teams. Their details can be found at the end of this handbill, including their rosters. 1908 Bracket With another year comes another championship tournament of the Heartland Folkball League! Although things might be getting dicey, take a moment to relax and root for your favorite HFL team. No matter where you are in Almaris, there is always time to enjoy a bit of sport. If you so enjoy it, perhaps you will try it with your neighbors and enjoy the communal affair that is Folkball (rules here). But if not, let us delight your sensations with the detailing of this Tenth Annual Championship tournament in the Heartlands of man. This tenth tournament is held in the ruins of Vuillermoz in the Grenz, the home turf of the Hurlers. Although warm summer days have been an essential part of any tournament in the last years, winds and rains blustered about during many of the matches this year. Luckily, the sand fared better than the dirt paths connecting the playfields. It wasn’t long before vendors and sightseers were knee-deep in the Grenzy brew! But, without further adieu, the lots were drawn by the teams. This is the first tournament with eight teams, so there will be double the number of matches as in past contests. To the loser’s despair, though, this tournament will likely remain single elimination for the foreseeable future. Time constraints, especially social conflict brewing on multiple fronts, have caused many veteran HFL players and staff to prepare for hiatuses. Yet, we must play on! Game 1 Grenz Hurlers vs Florentine Bulls In the first match of the 1908 tournament, the Grenz Hurlers took on the Florentine Bulls. Not only were the Grenz on their home turf, but the Bulls have been languishing in each tournament. Unable to progress past the first round for the past four years, most describe them as the worst team in the HFL. However, Roberto il Toro was let off the bench during this match and replaced Giuseppe il Muro as the shielder. Within the first few minutes of the game, Giuseppe the Wall had already gotten himself ejected for bashing Hurler’s netkeeper, Andrik Lothar, several times in the neck and head. He had to be removed from the field by several strongmen and his teammates. Whatever plan they had that involved the Wall ended then and there. Throughout the rest of the game, the Hurlers dominated once again. Heinrik Rarehird threw four goals from great length, and the Bulls netters were helpless. Although Francesco Falcone scored a singular goal, it was not enough to stop the onslaught of the Hurlers. So, with their home fans cheering loudly, the final bell rang, and the Hurlers walked away victorious. After the match, Filippo Jacoson declared that the Bulls were looking for a new home because of the lack of talent in the fields of Florentine. Although he did not confirm which offers are circulating, speculation exists that the Bulls may soon be packing bags for the fields of Sedan and renaming themselves the Goats! Game 2 Atrus Stars vs Adrian Black Barons In our first matchup of the new expansion teams, the Atrus Stars faced off against the Adrian Black Barons from the tents of Velec. Both teams were relatively shaky on their feet for the first half of the game but found their footing in the latter half. Despite a halftime draw of nil to nil, Baron’s shielder, Hugh Heffher, managed to roll out the Star’s shielder, Alekos Georgopoulos, several times. This allowed Baron’s Leo Pold to score two goals in quick succession. However, a third attempt ended up flying over the net and scoring the Stars their first-ever defensive point. The Star’s all-star halfback, known only as the Bianc Cavaliere, managed to march back down the field to score an impressive two goals, but it was not enough to render a victory for Atrus. When the last bell rang and the first day’s games were finished, the white knight humbly handed over his team’s shield to the Baron’s coach, Rikhein Ingrid, as an honorable gesture, the Stars accepting their defeat. Game 3 Bywater Hedgehogs vs Petran Suns The following day the storm clouds were brewing from the south, but the rain did not yet soak the fields of Vuillermoz. It nicely framed the thunderous applause of the crowds as the Bywater Hedgehogs entered their inaugural match against the Petran Suns. The Suns, runner-ups to the 1907 tournament, were surprised to discover what came next. Right out of the gate, Coach Flanagan Greenwhistle’s Hedgehogs were impossible to catch. For Obidiah Longfoot, the shielder for the Hedgehogs, it was a personal match against his old team. Petra’s shielder, Craig Gregerson, was no match for the leg chops of Longfoot and had to retire toward the end of the game as he could no longer stand. Yet, despite both teams focusing on the rough-housing, the halflings could not score. Getting the folkball up and over the barricade and into the net made for a real challenge for the short-statured halffolk. However, it was eventually a mistake by Sun’s halfback, Roger Norton, that ended the game well into overtime. Norton caught a pass from the netters and shot but overestimated the angle. With a clink off the net’s top bar, it rolled over the net and into the adoring fans behind. That lone mistake meant the Hedgehogs won the sudden-death match by a single defensive point. Game 4 Minitz Mootgoers vs New Vienne Upstreeters Despite the Mootgoers pulling a decent lot, they ended up against the champions of the last tournament, the New Vienne Upstreeters. Although some may have shown mercy to the newcomers, Charles ‘the Fish’ Fisherman of the Upstreeters seemed to use the opportunity to practice outlandish tosses, some of which found their mark. By the affair’s end, Charles had racked up six total goals, the most of any single player since records began in 1907. The defensive formations of the Mootgoers seemed rickety at best. Although mimicking effective battlefield shield walls, the formidable expertise and movement of the Upstreeters made them ineffective on the pitch. The only attempts on goal came from Minitz’s Halfbert Pocke, with two caught throws by an expectedly effective Merrett the Brown Knight. To the delight of long-traveling Minitiz fans, Coach Franz Bauerbecken stated that this was a great learning experience for the Mootgoers. He explained that next year, the team will train for longer hours and with more intense drilling on formations. Vowing to never let the team be shut out again, fans have taken to calling it the Bauerbecken Vow! Semi-Finals 1 Grenz Hurlers vs Adrian Black Barons On the third day of the tournament, the sun was barely visible, and a fog had rolled into the ruins of Vuillermoz that persisted for the entire day. Yet, the play had to continue, and the Grenz Hurlers took to the field against the upstart Adrian Black Barons. Both teams are known for their aggressive play, so the affair was rumored to be bloody, and they did not disappoint. Mid-way through the first half, Baron’s halfback, Leo Pold, got into an altercation with Hurler’s half, Willem Steav. Both players were ejected for violations as the brawl turned into a face-bashing, head-smashing rumpus that took both teams stopping play to break up. Without Pold to lead the Black Baron’s offense, they were sadly neutered for the remaining time. Although Velec netter, Alec Ratiborison, was able to stop several plays by the legendary Hurler Heinrik Rarehird, they ultimately squeaked by with two goals that the Barons could not answer. When the final bell was rung, the Barons ended up with only a single defensive point but held the Hurlers to two. For their first showing in the HFL, it was not a disappointment. Semi-Finals 2 Bywater Hedgehogs vs New Vienne Upstreeters By mid-day, the clouds had lifted a little for the semi-final match of the Bywater Hedgehogs versus the New Vienne Upstreeters. Bookies heavily favored the Upstreeters, but the succeeding contest was hardly a rout! The dynamic halfback duo of Richard Longstride and Tegan Smoothhands for the Hedgehogs managed to drastically overturn expectations. With five goals between the two, Longstride’s throwing with Smoothand’s catching made such a powerful combination that even veteran Vienne shielder, Jaremy Smith, commented after the game. He said, “those two can throw and catch better than most heartlanders! I would ask them to join us if they weren’t on the Hedgehogs! Damn short devils be dancing around out there!” The nickname, the Dancing Devils, has stuck with some Hedgehog fans. Even while the two were repetitively scoring, Upstreeter’s famous half, Charles ‘the Fish’ Fisherman, managed to rack up another five nets for his team. That brought his tournament total to eleven, an astronomical level unseen in HFL history. If the Fish doesn’t end up going down as one of the best players of all time, something went terribly wrong! In the end, though, an off-step attempt by Simon Bishop, Vienne’s other half, was deflected by Jerry Applebuck and his enlarged buckethelm. Going over the net, a defensive point was given to the Hedgehogs. That managed to hold them over until the final bell rang out, letting them advance to face the Hurlers in the championship match scheduled for the tournament’s fourth day. Championship Grenz Hurlers vs Bywater Hedgehogs So the fourth day came, and the rain that had been daintily edging around the ruins finally poured. Yet, per regulations, play must continue regardless of the weather. So as the morning sun rose and the blustering winds pushed the rain sideways, the Hurlers and halfling Hedgehogs made their way to the pitch with fans huddling in tents or awe-stricken under covered overhangs. Regardless, the weather nicely framed the ensuing showdown. The aggression of the Hurlers was funneled nicely by Obidiah Longfoot and forced them into making several poor plays early on, allowing for three defensive points. This brought the Hedgehogs out to an early one-and-a-half-point lead over the Hurlers. However, the coverage on renowned duo Richard Longstride and Tegan Smoothhands was intense, and the netters could not compensate for the rest of the game, limiting the Hedgehogs to solely defensive points with the assistance of the buckethelmed netter Jerry Applebuck. Although an early detraction from their usual domineering personality, the Hurlers marched back. Heinrik Rarehird, one the best throwing halfs in the league, managed to score a goal that was quickly followed by several denied Bywater pushes, courtesy of Grenz netter Andrik Lothar. Lothar even managed to force a defensive point by Longfoot, which tied the game. In the final minutes on the rain-drenched pitch, Rarehird managed to scoot around the shield of Obidiah Longfoot and get off an excellent curved attempt. As it sailed through the ferocious gale, it found a home in the net, past the grip of Applebuck. With that, the final minutes were filled with desperate attempts by the Dancing Devil Duo to generate a tying net, but it was for naught. So, as the sun set and the wind subsided, the victory went to the Hurlers. Yet, the teams shook hands following the game and delighted in the fifth-day festivities that included outstanding brews by The Miller’s Mark and plenty of greasy meat to please the palate. Rumor has it that the exceptional halfs, Heinrik Rarehird and Charles Fisherman, shared a large cup of specialty sweet wine jointly gifted to them by the HFL officers for the best player in the tournament. Some even speculate that this cup will become a common trend in HFL tournaments, awarded to the most valuable folk! Congratulations to the Winners! of the Heartland Folkball League Championships X THE GRENZ HURLERS! Past Champions 1899……… Petran Suns 1900……… New Vienne Upstreeters 1901……… Florentine Bulls 1902……… Florentine Bulls 1903……… Florentine Bulls 1904……… Grenz Hurlers 1905……… Petran Suns 1906……… New Vienne Upstreeters 1907……… New Vienne Upstreeters 1908……… Grenz Hurlers (This Year) Most Valuable Folk 1908 (Joint MVF)……… Heinrik Rarehird (Grenz Hurlers) 1908 (Joint MVF)……… Charles Fisherman (New Vienne Upstreeters) Details of the Four New Teams The Bywater Hedgehogs Named after the famed amateur league bucketball team, the Honeyhill Hedgehogs, the Bywater team was founded in late 1907 by enthusiastic halflings and the ex-Petran Suns player Obidiah Longfoot. Although short in stature and more easily broken by a kick or hit, they make up for it in experienced rough-housing and exceptional dodging abilities. It is rumored that halflings play the sport daily after day labor in the field ceases. If so, that makes them the most avid and well-trained team in the HFL. ROSTER: Shielder - Obidiah Longfoot Halfback - Richard Longstride Halfback - Tegan Smoothhands Netkeeper - Linel Hogbrush Netkeeper - Jerry Applebuck Bench - Falfer Hillbutt Bench - Welly Mistbelly Bench - Lamon Softbaugh Coach - Flanagan Greenwhistle The Adrian Black Barons The Adrian Black Barons were founded by Heinrik Otto Sarkozic, Duke of Adria, in 1908. The Duke’s intense fascination with the Heartland sport encouraged his people to band together and form a team. Although sometimes referred to as the Velec Vixens, this was never an official name. The team is widely acknowledged as the most aggressive of the 1908 expansion teams. ROSTER: Shielder - Hugh Heffher Halfback - Leo Pold Halfback - Heinrik Franzoc Netkeeper - Alec Ratiborison Netkeeper - Andrik Lethen Bench - Dzho Bydin Bench - Aleksei Vakera Bench - Boris Bydin Coach - Rikhein Ingrid The Atrus Stars The Atrus Stars were founded in 1908 after interest in the Folkball revival reached the southern lands following the 1907 championships. Named after the star of Saint Lothar, the Stars are known to pray before each match and usually have a few Canonist clergy praying during a match. Their play style relies on fast-moving, lightly armored players as they are more accustomed to playing in the arid southern dunes. ROSTER: Shielder - Alekos Georgopoulos Halfback - The Bianc Cavaliere Halfback - Alfredo Canto Netkeeper - Tahir Omer Netkeeper - Rafail Moor Bench - Bertando di Atrus Bench - Uloco il Veca Bench - Celiso Longo Coach - Kaream Jabar The Minitz Mootgoers The last of the 1908 expansion teams, the Minitz Mootgoers, were founded after the fourth Leonite Moot by the Reinmaren tribes, with their interests piqued by the 1907 Minitz-based tournament. Although many initially favored calling the team the Minitz Boars, some believed it too similar to the now-defunct Helena Hogs. Primarily recognized as the Barclays' team, the Minitz Mootgoers are defensively-minded and tend to use their halfbacks and shielders in a wall formation. ROSTER: Shielder - Reinhart Wilhelm Halfback - Gither von Volburg Halfback - Halfbert Pocke Netkeeper - Conrad Drerad Netkeeper - Angela Ziegler Bench - Stam Urher Bench - Gebhard von Minitz Bench - Pul Memstein Coach - Franz Bauerbecken 15 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlemishSupremacy 4930 Share Posted January 20, 2023 Spoiler cool stuff, i missed the basketball stuff... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodGuyMatt 7062 Share Posted January 20, 2023 "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" screamed the Herzog of Minitz as the first team of Minitz lost the preliminaries. He was devastated, this was worse than the news of schism. He then goes to beat up the coach Franz Bauerbecken 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddywilson2 2116 Share Posted January 20, 2023 "I want a word with the Petrans Suns roster" muttered the Archduke, seething over their first round exit. The two time champions had been knocked out in the first around. What a disgrace. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibn Khaldun 7729 Share Posted January 20, 2023 Odoacer is a free agent and looking to dance in the end zone. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beamon4 1647 Share Posted January 20, 2023 “God Damn it! We l-lost to who!?!” The Duke of Adria ranted towards a courtier bringing him an account of the Semi-Finals. Heinrik, now relatively overweight was swiftly injected with OyashimaMD lest he risk another cardiac event. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeawithFrisket 2627 Share Posted January 20, 2023 Spoiler This is the best post I seen yet, I love medival sport leuges. Lmk if you want an extra hand or some insperation Charming! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
.thumb.jpg.948830a75769676ae0e2bb42ef640979.jpg)
Recommended Posts