Deathbowl:
The moon was only just breaching the horizon as a pair of travelers came into the fortified town of Brusseldorf two guards in the colours of Nordland barred their way. The first guard was a man in his forties of medium build and height with an ugly scar stretching from his temple to the corner of his mouth, while his companion was a young man he was very tall and well built but looked like a fresh recruit. The older guard stepped forward and his gravelly voice was like gravel across a chalk board "What can I do you for young sirs?" the lead traveler threw back his hood to reveal a young man most likely a farmer and said in a calm steady voice "Me and my friend are here for the streetbowl tournament." The two guards grinned and started with a rousing chorus of "here we go, here we go, here we go." And let the travelers through, the second traveler threw back his hood "This better be worth it Eirik." The traveler known as Eirik grinned "You worry too much Sven, I'm telling you right now we will start playing streetbowl and eventually make the big time and then we will go on to win the bloodbowl as the two greatest players of all time I mean you as a blitzer are untouchable." Sven grinned at that "And your throwing skills make that happen." And with that the two friends walked to the Inn.
Eirik sat at a table in the bar looking into his beer, he wouldn't let Sven know it but the tryouts tomorrow had him nervous. Sven was currently showing the other patrons of the bar how to arm wrestle, he was still unbeaten. Sven walked over and slumped into his chair a huge grin spread across his face, "Hey why aren't you up there showing these idiots how its done, that thrower arm would put me to shame?" he said and Eirik grinned at that "I really don't want to embarrass them." He pitched his voice so that the bar patrons all heard and soon there were two lineups at their table and they were putting men through tables with just flicks of their wrists. It was late when they finally retired to their room and they were pissed on whiskey. They stumbled into their room and flopped onto their respective beds.
The next morning they arose to splitting head aches. They went down for breakfast which was a grand affair of sausage and bacon. Eirik and Sven walked to the market square where the first of the teams were taking sign ups for potential recruits, There was the Brusseldorf Bagels who were sponsored by the local bakers guild and the Brusseldorf Hammers sponsored by the blacksmith guild. Eirik and Sven both looked at each other and went to join the line at the Hammers' sign on table. The man at the desk was a giant of a man with arms the size of most mens legs and his face was like cracked granite. The man grinned at them "Well boys you interested in playing for The Hammers huh?" he asked his voice sounded like distant thunder. "Aye we are sir." Answered Eirik, the mans grin broadened "Well I'll need names and positions." Eirik responded first "Eirik, and I'm a thrower." Then Sven stepped up "Sven and I'm a blitzer." The man looked each of them over "Well I'm Coach Smith and we will have tryouts this afternoon at Blacksmiths field."
Sven and Eirik stood in a line of twenty two recruits all wanted a place with the Hammers but only eleven would be selected. Eirik looked up the line noticing they weren't all men of the empire, there were a couple of Brettonians, A black orc even a few skaven and Eirik could swear there was a snotling. Then Coach Smith walked up "Alright this will be simple I will split you into two teams and we will play a full game, the players that impress me the most will be on the team so play hard." Eirik looked at Sven and nodded confidence starting to warm him up. The coach started to yell "Alright team one lineup when I say your name, Eirik, Sven, SKullkrak, Queeck, Albrecht, Simmonds, Hals, Pavren, Kai, De Loungeville and Berringer your all team one the rest of you are team two now get on that field Ill allow ten minutes for huddles."
Sven and Eirik lined up with their team it was them the black orc a skaven a brettonian and six other men of the empire. Eirik stepped into the middle of the huddle "Hi guys I'm Eirik and I'm a thrower we need to know positions alright so we can set up a play, all coach told me was we were receiving first." The black orc stepped up "I'm Skullkrak and I'm a Blitza'" he grunted out, the skaven followed "I be Queek Queek and I run run." The brettonian stepped up "I am Loungeville and I am catcher." His voice sounding very refined, the rest introduced themselves as linesmen.
The sun beat down on them as the kick off came and Eirik skillfully plucked it from the air. The game started the linesmen clobbering each other "Skullkrak get in front of Queek and clear him a path!" Eirik yelled, Skullkrak nodded and Queek fell in behind him and they ran up the field smashing aside futile tackles, Eirik swiveled around and saw Sven "Sven Blitz their catchers!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. He saw Queek now alone almost at the endzone, Skullkrak was pummeling a lone catcher who tried to tackle him. Eirik suddenly realized a blitzer was coming towards him, He juked to the left and sent a rocket pass to Queek and dropped his shoulder into the oncoming blitzer leaving him out flat. Suddenly a whistle blew and Eirik looked up to see Queek dancing in the endzone with the ball. Eirik pumped his arm in the air, this was already shaping up to be a good game.
The sun was low and all the prospects were tired, it had been a hell of a game and team one had won 3-1 and the coach had surprisingly made a lot of compliments to the players. Coach Smith walked out of his tent and greeted the players well you all played well but team one played the best so I would like to congratulate them on joining the Hammers. As for team two don't be discouraged there are still many teams recruiting so don't give up." The players who'd been chosen cheered and slapped each other on the back and shook hands with those who weren't. All the players chosen were issued with jerseys and given a match schedule and were taken to sign their contracts. Eirik was over the moon about being paid fifty gold a game. Their first game was in two days against the team sponsored by the local cobblers The Brusseldorf Kickers. Eirik couldn't wait…
The game was about to start Eirik stood deep in his own half awaiting kick off the commentators voice blared over the Preternatural Announcement system "Welcome sports fans to the first game of our local Brusseldorf Cup today we have the Hammers versus the Kickers. All the players you see before you are fresh new recruits and they are itching to get underway so let's play blood bowl!" Eirik jogged to the centre of the field where the referee and the Kicker's captain were and awaited the toss. The Hammers were tipped as the away team so they got to call, Eirik stepped up to the referee as he flipped the coin and called "Eagles!" the coin landed on the grass and showed up the likeness of an imperial eagle, "Eagles it is. Will you kick off or receive?" the ref asked. "I think we'll receive and let the Kickers kick." Eirik said flashing a grin at the red faced Kickers captain, which was surprising considering the dwarf was already red faced to begin with and jogging back into position.
Eirik caught the kick off and brought the ball to his chest. He looked for an open receiver, there were none. The Kickers had decided that Eiriks' little quip was a grave insult to their honour and were pounding the hammers linesmen with a passion. Skullkrak was doing his best to stay on top but even his prodigious strength as a black orc was not enough to overcome three players. Sven was in a position just as bad as Skullkrak and even little Queek was being battered by the dwarf captain of the Kickers. Eirik made up his mind and ran over to Queek and slammed his spiked gauntlet into the dwarfs face. "Thanks." Squeaked Queek as he spat out a tooth, "No problem, here fall in behind me." Said Eirik as he gave Queek the ball. Eirik ran as fast as he could his legs pumping like overcharged pistons punching and kicking to clear Queeks' path, "Alright you run for the endzone I'm gonna help Skullkrak!" he yelled and flung his fist into a nearby Kicker. Skullkrak was still fighting admirably but even so he was losing. Eirik smashed his knee into one Kickers temple and drove his fist into another's stomach. Skullkrak dropped the last one who did not move and nodded his thanks "Eirik you're my bestest mate!" the orc said a grin showing that he still had all his teeth quite an accomplishment considering the fight he'd just been in. Eirik slapped him on the back and ran to help Sven driving a shoulder into one of the Kickers who was hitting Sven and then driving a foot into the others kneecap with a resounding, satisfying crack that was only overshadowed by the mans scream. Just as Sven and Eirik high fived each other a whistle blew and they whipped around to see Queek in the endzone and spiking the ball into a goblin in a kickers uniform. The crowd went nuts, "There is a skillful play by Queek "the Bullet" who was set up by Eirik "the playmaker" Hetman." Sven grinned "the playmaker?" Eirik grinned to "Looks like I got a nickname already."
The rest of the first half passed with the Hammers scoring twice more and the Kickers scored once. The second half started with Pavren being taken off with broken ribs. Loungeville then proceeded to catch the kick off and run the full field for a touchdown. "What a touchdown sports fans, by De Loungeville "the Gazelle" I don't think I've ever seen that before!" Eirik was loving the good commentary on his team it was driving the Kickers to even greater acts of rage. The Hammers kicked off and ran at the Kickers Sven and Eirik pealed off to one of their catchers and bodily threw him into the crowd where the fans played wishbone with the mans legs. Then a whistle blew and Eirik looked there had been no touchdown but the crowd was booing and he realized why when he saw the Kickers coach waving a white flag. The Kickers had forfeited and the Hammers had won their first game, which meant they were going to the next round.
Disclaimer: no I don't own blood bowl either games workshop does.
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