“*** Cult of Moon - The Rats of Pox ***

By Moon's will, the clansmen had been in Ryder's Cove for a few days already before they played their first game. It had taken them time to find a suitable place to stay, on the top floor of a tavern sitting upon the highest undulation in the cove. It gave them quite a view, and even though the tavern itself wasn't fancy it allowed them to be as close to the sky as possible. Acclimatizing to the area wasn't as easy as they thought. The team had sought a game with the Ryder's Cove Wanderers, the messengers sent of Lunaros to teach them this sport, but twice they missed their opponents. It seems that the local teams like to play in the daylight. They had found an opponent though. On arriving late for their match they found a team of humanoid rats training on the Wanderer's field. To a druidic culture such as their own such things did not surprise. Both teams agreed that they could use the practice running up to the tournament and a match was played out in good spirits. They'd heard rumors that these rat people were not to be trusted, that they sought the destruction of all man-things, but the Cult believed in their god, and their fate. Fate had brought the teams together and so they would play.

The match itself was an entertaining affair, both sides using the game to inject a bit of sharpness to their rusty play. The Moon started well, forming a good rolling drive down the line. With their position secured their inexperience told as they broke too soon. A simple pass into the end zone was foiled when a trip caused the ball to drop, and the lightning fast rats recovered and returned the ball all the way for a touchdown.
In the second half the rats received, but the Cult pulled off a superb blitz play and caught their own kick-off putting Pox under pressure. Pox did manage to free the ball, and even break free, but Abhaya's last-ditch tackle, bursting between 2 players to down the gutter rat, saved Moon a second score and allowed them to recover the ball. It was a grind from here, with possession changing hands as neither team could keep the ball in the ruck. Eventually a rat tripped and the Cult of Moon were on the front foot, able to break free for the score. The game ended 1-1 with no permanent injuries on either side, and a great build-up to the coming tournament.

The Tournament has been spoken about more in coming days, and Rakesh has seen a vision of the Shadowspire. It was the tallest mountain he had ever seen and was bathed in moonlight. If they couldn't get close to their god here, then where? The priests were both well-versed in shadow. The mists atop the mountains of Saarth were where they spoke to Lunaros. This tournament was surely their destiny. If not to win, then just to be there would be something remarkable. They must enter, they must.”