The Dell, Western Wilds.

1st of Kielat, First month of Summer.

2139 years since the new gods came.

Of the 9 teams competing, there are only four 'real' contenders: The Traditionalists, The Reformation, The Melioration, and the Orthodox. The others are: Peace Brother, Fire and Brimstone, Quiet Prayer, Moon "Cult", Disenfranchised. Weird names.

Everyone plays each other once. It's a 'Round the Barn' tournament, with points awarded: 2 for a win, 1 for a tie, and 0 for a loss.

Apparently the top four teams need to have a 'Playoff', and then, finally a championship game. Teams are allowed to 'tie' except in the playoff and championship games, where 'overtime' and 'double overtime' are used to score more. After that is 'final death', first point is winner. Final death I approve of, but it's still Stupid.

There are 9 teams competing in the tournament, and 4 games a day. Sooo...36 games divide by 4...9 days of games. Plus another 4 days for the 'playoff' and championship games... almost 2 weeks of games. Holy Hells, this is going to take forever. The 14th will be the day of the championship, just to give people the chance to recover.

I'm being pestered for the running scores. Might as well write them here too.

Day 3 running score:

3

(bye)

-

Fire and Brimstone

0

0

-

0

3

The Orthodox

-

The Reformation

4/2

2

-

0

3

The Melioration

-

Quiet Prayer

4/3

2

-

0

3

Peace Brother

-

The Traditionalists

3/2

2

-

0

3

Moon "Cult"

-

Disenfranchised

2/1

2

-

0

The Traditionalists =3

The Reformation =3

The Melioration =5

The Orthodox =5

Peace Brother =6

Fire and Brimstone =0

Quiet Prayer =3

Moon "Cult" =5

Disenfranchised =0

2nd of Kielat,

No grievous injuries today. Betting is evening out. Granny had a tower made, and is commenting on the games from the top of it. She is getting cheers. And I'm getting booed at.

Day 4 running score:

4

(bye)

-

Peace Brother

0

-

4

Moon "Cult"

-

The Melioration

2/3

0

-

2

4

Disenfranchised

-

The Orthodox

2/3

0

-

2

4

The Traditionalists

-

Fire and Brimstone

4/2

2

-

0

4

Quiet Prayer

-

The Reformation

4/2

2

-

0

The Traditionalists =5

The Reformation =3

The Melioration =5

The Orthodox =7

Peace Brother =6

Fire and Brimstone =0

Quiet Prayer =5

Moon "Cult" =7

Disenfranchised =0

3rd Kielat,

Lightning storm washed out the games today. One of my out buildings sank a bit and a goat is now standing on the wall. It's an 87* angle, I measured. How do they do that?

4th of Kielat,

More goats are on the wall now. What the hell? And who let them out of the pen? Threw a rock at a cat in the chicken coop. I'm getting worried that we are going to have to have a bracket tournament.

People from the local villages have come to see the games. There are stalls opening up everywhere. It's kinda like a festival now.

More scores.

5

(bye)

-

The Traditionalists

0

-

5

Quiet Prayer

-

Disenfranchised

1/1

1

-

1

5

The Reformation

-

Moon "Cult"

2/3

0

-

2

5

Fire and Brimstone

-

Peace Brother

4/2

2

-

0

5

The Orthodox

-

The Melioration

4/2

2

-

0

The Traditionalists =5

The Reformation =5

The Melioration =5

The Orthodox =9

Peace Brother =6

Fire and Brimstone =2

Quiet Prayer =6

Moon "Cult" =7

Disenfranchised =1

5th of Kielat,

Day 6 of the religious battle. More civilized than some, I suppose. Someone in the crowd broke their nose, sticking it in where it didn't belong.

A large flock of turkeys have arrived in the Dell. This will help with the food shortage.

6

(bye)

-

The Reformation

0

-

6

Fire and Brimstone

-

Quiet Prayer

1/4

0

-

2

6

The Orthodox

-

The Traditionalists

4/4

1

-

1

6

The Melioration

-

Disenfranchised

4/1

2

-

0

6

Peace Brother

-

Moon "Cult"

3/1

2

-

0

The Traditionalists =6

The Reformation =5

The Melioration =7

The Orthodox =10

Peace Brother =8

Fire and Brimstone =2

Quiet Prayer =8

Moon "Cult" =7

Disenfranchised =1

6th of Kielat,

Day 7. The crowds are getting a bit rowdy now that someone...several someones, are selling beer. I would rather be marching to my death in the army again. 'Sports Fans', Meh. Someone tried to rob The Men of Repute. Didn't go well. The bodies were buried south of the Dell.

7

(bye)

-

Quiet Prayer

0

-

7

The Reformation

-

The Traditionalists

4/3

2

-

0

7

Fire and Brimstone

-

Disenfranchised

3/3

1

-

1

7

The Orthodox

-

Moon "Cult"

2/2

1

-

1

7

The Melioration

-

Peace Brother

2/2

1

-

1

The Traditionalists =6

The Reformation =7

The Melioration =8

The Orthodox =11

Peace Brother =9

Fire and Brimstone =3

Quiet Prayer =8

Moon "Cult" =8

Disenfranchised =2

7th of Kielat,

Fight on the field. Peace Brother/Reformation match. Someone decided to run across the field naked. Granny called it “Showing off his shortcomings”. He got jumped by both sides, and beaten nearly to death. Religious people can be scary.

8

(bye)

-

The Orthodox

0

-

8

The Melioration

-

Fire and Brimstone

4/1

2

-

0

8

Peace Brother

-

The Reformation

1/1

1

-

1

8

Moon "Cult"

-

Quiet Prayer

1/3

0

-

2

8

Disenfranchised

-

The Traditionalists

2/4

0

-

2

The Traditionalists =8

The Reformation =8

The Melioration =10

The Orthodox =11

Peace Brother =10

Fire and Brimstone =3

Quiet Prayer =10

Moon "Cult" =8

Disenfranchised =2

8th of Kielat,

Today was the last day of the tournament. I am NEVER going to do this again. EVER. Tomorrow is a day off for everyone. Maybe I'll even find some time to sleep. Peace Brother is in the lead, and going to the semi-finals, Orthodox is also in. Traditionalists, Melioration, and Quiet Prayer are going to have a round the barn to see who gets spot 3 and 4.

9

(bye)

-

The Melioration

0

-

9

Peace Brother

-

The Orthodox

2/1

2

-

0

9

Moon "Cult"

-

Fire and Brimstone

1/4

0

-

2

9

Disenfranchised

-

The Reformation

4/2

2

-

0

9

The Traditionalists

-

Quiet Prayer

1/2

0

-

2

The final win/tie points.

The Traditionalists =10

The Reformation =8

The Melioration =10

The Orthodox =11

Peace Brother =12

Fire and Brimstone =5

Quiet Prayer =10

Moon "Cult" =8

Disenfranchised =4

10th of Kielat,

Spent yesterday sleeping and fishing. Today was the round the barn for third and fourth spots. Traditionalists and Melioration took the day. Tomorrow Peace Brother and The Traditionalists face off in the morning, and The Orthodox Vs/ The Melioration in the afternoon.

I can't wait for this horror show to be over. I'm beginning to want to shoot people.

11th of Kielat,

I hate the stands we have now. Unsafe for kids. And adults. Going to make new ones in the morning.

Orthodox and Traditionalists are in the finals.

- - -

“This is granny, announcing again from the high tower!” A quick breath, “This morning's match between Peace Brother and The Traditionalists will be a good one! Peace is taking the north side, while Tradition is taking the south. And now, The Heretic is taking the field!”

Maxwell raises another loud stone on a stick, “Alright, you religious idiots, lets do this right. You have 30 minutes to do your thing, before we take a piss break, and change side. Don't kill each other, and if you F around, you will find out why I'm called The Heretic.” He stepped back and dropped the rock. “GO!”

The crown went wild, and the teams attacked. In the first five minutes, Max was forced to throw a player into the penalty box for a five minute time out, complete with sucking on a binky. Then a pair of players crashed into each other hard enough that a time had to be called to clear the field. “I hate my job” was muttered loud enough for the crowd to hear it. After that play was fast fierce.

The Traditionalists won in overtime, 1 – 0. The crowd screamed.

A break for lunch was had, the quickly erected bleachers for the nearly thousand fans who came early to get seats, were checked, reinforced, and checked again. Max ran around much as a headless chicken does. Finally he had a 'meat on a bun' thing, and headed back out to the pitch for the second match.

“Granny? I hate you, and this job.” He yelled to the tower.

“Listen here, young one, you just run around and do your job.” Gran replied.

A very muffled 'asshole' was heard from the pitch.

“This is Granny again! Yelling all the plays by the boys and girls on the field! The Orthodox have decided to start on the South today, leaving The Melioration on the south! Now we go down to the increasingly angry Maxwell on the pitch!”

“I'm tired of this crap. I will break legs if you cross me today. Do your job, don't die.” Max walked away from the pitch, throwing the rock behind him at the players.

An almost instant stick fight began, but since none of the strikes were high, Max let it run it's course for a while before having Brandywine throw them into timeout. He stood and watched the rest of the game, absently yelling at people to “Hit the f-ing rock, so I can go home!” The crown ate it all up. Mid game the teams were tied, 1 – 1. Ten minutes later, the glass was started again for the second half. No brawls broke out, but a net minder for Melioration broke his stick after letting a stone through. The game ended 2 – 1, The Orthodox.

Max walked out onto the pitch after the game to make an announcement. “As I don't like the seats we have, tomorrow will be a day off for the rest of you. I'm going to fix things here. Now piss off home, the lot of you.

- - -

12th of Kielat,

I fixed the seats.

13th of Kielat,

Someone won. Someone lost. I'm going to bed.

- - -

People stood and stared. The pitch had been surrounded by a dark barrier the day before, and no one had been able to see what was going on. Today the barrier was gone, and people just looked. Before them stood an oval arena. Stone walls. Bench seating for more than a thousand. 30' drop to the pitch itself, which was covered in thick, short grass. 4 entrances, an equal distance around the walls, made of intricately carved stone arches. Places to 'rest' if you ate or drank too much dotted the stands. Wide halls under the seating for vendors to hawk their wares. The crowning achievement was a tower at the center of the oval, with plenty of room for someone to sit and see everything.

What normal people didn't see was the access tunnels and rooms under the whole thing for the teams to relax and change; or supplies to be shuttled around; and for other things to be worked on. Max had worked hard, and had needed to call in a couple favors. Sarah and Bjorn had been intrigued at the idea, and would have helped even without the favors. They even stayed for the match.

- - -

“Granny here! Everyone give some applause for Maxwell, for this new place to play!” The crowd broke several noise ordinances. “Annnd Now for the moment you have all been waiting for! In the north, the one, the only, The Orthodox!” Cheering ensued.

“And in the South, The brave, the bold, it's The Melioration!” Granny yelled into the stone. More cheering ensued. “And now down to the field, where The Heretic is making his speech!”

“Alright you little snow blowers. Wave to your frost covered snow man over there, and lets get this farce done.” Max yelled over the noise of the crowd. “I expect you to have a proper game. I also expect you to cheat and fight.” He held up the stone. “Now GO!” He dropped the stone, and jumped back from the already swinging sticks.

The action had Max rinning back and for the across the pitch for the full half hour of the first match. He didn't have to break up any fights, but he did have to call a timeout due to a player running into one of the stone walls, and knocking himself out.

Halftime was called with a score of 1 – 0 Orthodox, and the Bards of Rio did several numbers while everyone got food and sundries in the 'under' as people were calling it. Several people asked about using the Under after the games were over as a shopping district. Max muttered to himself, but did grudgingly say 'yes'.

The second half started with a net for the Orthodox. Followed by a quick pair from the Melioration. About halfway through the round, the grass started to ice over, and players started to slip. Maxwell called a game break, and yelled at the sky until the snowman came to life. There was an argument on the field, snow and ice was thrown, and a pair of disheveled individuals walked off the field whie it properly iced over.

Overtime, then Double overtime came and went, the score tied at 2 – 2. Sudden death was in the air. Maxwell yelled at the players to get it over with. On the ice, the sticks and rock began to blur. The rock bounced off of a wall, ricocheting off a wall towards the Melioration net. The net keeper took the stone to the left thigh, and kept going. The rock went spinning past a pair of players, both of whom tried to stop it, but their sticks broke on contact. The rock sped on. An Orthodox leapt on the stone, and stopped it, but earned a penalty box trip from Brandywine.

Finally, after much racing, sliding, and falling the Orthodox center swung her stick, breaking it in half, and whipping the stone across the ice towards the Melioration. The net keeper's left leg went out from under him, and the stone flew into, and through, the net. A horn was blown. Sudden death was over. The Orthodox had won.

Wax gave the winning team a cup, told them to 'piss off, and don't wake me up.' and went home.

The actual score tracking page I used for this: https://tournamentscheduler.net/schedule/MTMyNjI0MTg2ODE?auth=yOjvuAZtwUhG