“CIBBL+ Y1, Spring - BWM4: round 3:

After last game's loss, the Archivists pleaded with their coach for a more intensive training schedule. After all, hopping around the field with all that armour requires some fit elves! Lyndon the Seafarer, the Archivists' coach, heard his team's plea with an absent mind. Two weeks they had been spending in this town and still no clue worth mentioning. He had spent most of his days at the harbour, paying rounds of foaming ale and brimming stout to any incoming sailors and seamen. But none had anything to mention about a wandering sea serpent...

Lyndon decided he needed a break for a moment and finally took his other duty, that of his role as a bloodbowl coach, at heart. For days on end he instructed his team on the passing game, the screened offense, the pillar defense, the essentials of clock control and some other basics of the game. Some of his novice recruits even started picking up some of the shared ideas.

Eventually the day of the sea elves' third game arrived. Even though it was only spring, the day announced itself as hot as any summer day in Araby. Not ideal with all that armour on! But Lyndon insisted that his elves carry it anyway and so they did. The opposition was a mercenary team from Tilea. They had even managed to recruit an elf somehow! Just a confused brute from the coasts of Cothique, no doubt. Why any Asur would join a team of the uncivilized races was beyond Lyndon's understanding.

The game started with confusion in the Tilean ranks, allowing the Archivists to reposition before the kick-off. Lyndon urged his team towards the line of scrimmage, putting his trust in solid elven armor. He couldn't suppress a smirk when the Tilean elf clumsily failed to pick up the ball. The Archivists reacted by knocking out a catcher and andvanced slowly towards the ball. Next turn the Tileans picked up the ball and started forming a screen when another mercenary hit the dust after failing a dodge. Only two turns in the game and the Archivists already outnumbered their opponents by two. "Keep up the good work!", Lyndon shouted at his colleague on the opposition's bench.

Realizing they would not outblock the sturdy sea elves, the Tileans tried to find an opening somewhere. They left a hole in their own defense though, allowing Caoran to move in and blitz Venaldo, taking him down and freeing the ball. Aerys followed and picked it up. He wasn't safe yet though. Next turn he survived a block. Then Aron Summer, the opposition's blitzer tried to free himself from Korvan's attention. The human blitzer failed his dodge though, removing himself from the pitch and the game. Nuffle was definitely on the Archivist's side. For the remainder of the first half, the sea elves controlled the pitch and stalled until turn 8 before running in the opening touchdown: 1-0 at halftime.

The second half saw the return of the Tilean catcher. Much worse, it started with a Blitz! Completely taken by surprise, the Archivists saw the Tileans move before the game had even started! "Treachery!", Lyndon exclaimed from the sidelines. "How much did you pay the ref for this move?", he addressed his rival on the opposite bench. But there was no time to lose in useless conversation here. The elves had lost the ball and needed to recover it. Aerys managed to take down the ballcarrying catcher, but went down himself in the process. Luckily the ball ended up in Eldain's hands. Not for long though, as next turn Eldain was blitzed, got knocked out and lost the ball. The opposition ran away with the ball. Ethandril ran after the ballcarrier, but failed to cut the ball loose. Next turn the equalizer followed: 1-1 with six turns to go.

This time there were no surprises at kick-off. The Archivists advanced slowly but steadily, while the Tileans tried to slow them down. This pattern continued for a few turns until Artulf, the halfling, failed a dodge and broke his arm in the process. The defense lost their discipline and the elves saw an opening to exploit. Rhulan moved dangerously close to the sideline though, and was about to discover the risk of doing so, but fortunately for him Ramiro miscalculated his moves and failed a GFI. "Ha!", the voice of Lyndon bursted. "Trying to surf us, eh", he murmured to himself. "Looks like he got a taste of his own medicine there!", he continued. In any case, the road to the Tilean endzone was wide open now.

Nevertheless, in their youthful enthusiasm, the Archivists neglected their position. Venaldo showed his name's potential and acrobatically surfed Taeron Silvershell into the crowd, along with the ball. The crowd threw it back in, luckily for the elves still within reach. The Tileans tried to protect it though, but were blocked away. Eldain picked up the ball and ran in the winning touchdown in turn eight: 2-1. The Tileans showed great creativity and against all odds almost managed a one-turner against the inexperienced elves. Almost, but not quite. The score didn't change anymore.

First win for the Archivists!”