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After 6 seasons, it has become apparent to me that the Cup of the North is different to any other competition I have found myself competing in. Once a round begins I'm hooked like no other event. I'd be sat at home, checking the group, realising I'm waiting with baited breath for the matches to begin. When they did I'd be itching for the commentaries to commence and the madness to materialise. I have yet to be dissapointed.
My suspicions were aroused in season one, when a game which ended up 3 - 3 at the final whistle proceeded to extra time only to finish 8 - 4 with both teams having 3 unused Bribes. I knew something special was happening. But what?
Whilst playing Blood Bowl there is always a feeling that you are being watched. That there is an overbearing deity looking down on you and the dice, wanting them to fail at the most impromptu time. Any coach will correctly tell you the hardest roll in the game is that second rush to score. Pretty sure, regardless of the actual odds, that second rush is a 50/50 roll. Its either a pass or fail, no nuance or subtlety. The odds change, warped by the board and the coaches sweaty mitts. Thats just Blood Bowl.
But the Cup seems different. As the games progressed more and more amazing things happened. Such as A Dark Elf on a losing Renegades Team, casually dodging through and past a full two thirds of the opposing team to one dice cas a stalling blodge Gutter Runner. The ball bounces into the crowd, who go super human and launch the ball the full roll down the pitch making sure it lands in the only place the Underworld coach couldn't get to, before going on to score and win 1-0. Or for example in a Wood Elves vs Owa game where the Woodies go 2-0 up by half time. OWA, before the 2025 glow up, bring it back to 2-2 with the help of a time out kick off event giving an extra turn. Extra time Woodies go up 3-2, but again the OWA fight back to go to 3-3 before sealing the come back an win on Penalties! Or the last ditch attempt by the Human catcher to two dice uphill a Hobgoblin, where they get 2 pows, dodging off a tackle Chorf to pick the ball up and double rush to score and take it to extra time. These are just a handful of examples of the stories brought to us by the 179 games that have so far been played in the Cup. There's a story from every game.
It began to itch my fragile little mind. I couldn't figure out what it is that makes it hit this way. But it feels like, rather than someone wanting your dice to fail for their amusement and pleasure. Someone (or something) wants those mad last ditch plays to succeed. To take it to extra time or just give the spectators something to cheer along to. Research was needed.....
Before Season 7 was but a twinkle in a Cup coachs eye i found myself going on a quest. Through valleys, forests and mountain passes i did not trek, but my research began.
After days of searching, getting distracted, finding things I'd been looking for for months making me go "ooo, thats where that was.", remembering my purpose, procrastinating further, fixing that wobbly shelf, finding books I haven't read in ages, reading chapter one, remembering again what I was supposed to be doing, eating a pack of biscuits, I finally stumbled across a scroll. The old parchment was covered in dust and the back was festooned with ornate cup symbols. The words on the front seemed to glow black on the page.
It was hard reading at first, the words seemed to be sucking the colour from my eyes, making everything black and white. But even as my mind was being slowly sucked through my eyeballs, I managed to read enough to discover what was causing my brain itch.
Cthotn!
Cthotn!
What the Fumblerooskie is a Cthotn I hear you ask?
Well, as it turns out, back when the game was new Nuffle had a not well known rival. Where Nuffle felt pain and suffering was the only true sign of divinity, Cthotn believed glory and spectacle was the true ambrosia. The differing of opinions lead to a divine war. The battle lasted for millenia. Nuffle finally triumphed and sealed Cthotn away. Never to be seen or heard from again. Until now.
The forming of the Cup, with it's commentaries, community and craziness has weakened the seals holding Cthotn captive. Slowly and silently their influence has seeped through causing truly ridiculous outcomes and matches to become more frequent and sought after. The commentaries from the Cup Coaches feed the lost celestial beings power, replenishing and reinvigorated the starved god. The tenser, crazier or fantastically ridiculous the better for Cthotn. Instilling the mantra "You have to try it, for the dice to succeed."
Season 7 is now so close, with over thirty coaches ready to take on the new 2025 rules and to gorge on the glory only The Cup of the North can bring.
TheCowDaddy
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