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Nogrod · 07-05-2013, 07:59 PM

Menegroth is Menegroth:exquisite, lavish, exuberant… and also beautiful, uplifting and hallowed. Unless you are from Valinor when the first part of the list doesn’t apply, or from the most backwards recesses of Hithlum or Breeland when the latter doesn’t. But to most fans gathering for games of group C of the Arda Cup 2013 it was both – and even more. To many it was the fulfilment of years of savings and a dream come true.

Overall football is a democratic sport in as the stadiums hold reasonably big crowds and the tickets are very much affordable. But with some teams and some venues it is different. And Menegroth Stadium, or “the Cave” of Doriath is one of them. Despite it’s nickname there is nothing prosaic, lowbrow or underground in it culturally. It is as far from real punk as Green Day has ever been.

But if you can afford the tickets – or are enthusiastic enough to save for them – well it is a footballing heaven and a multi-sensuous experience, well a kind of gesamtskunstwerk one might admire even if his tastes were different. It is one of the greatest venues football has ever been been played and one of the most controversial, just because of all that.

This year the lifting of the Girdle of Melian has brought in to the Thousand Caves a host of visitors from the great houses of Bëor and Haleth and other early tribes of men. A decently large following has also come after the team Shire-Bree, even if it is times smaller the one of the early men. A few random football fanatics from all over Arda have also been buying tickets according to the AFA stats, ranging from singular easterling lords with their entourages to bands of enthusiastic Númenorean Elwing- and Dior-fans.

A few Balrogs and Nazgûls were also allowed to enter as guests, but they needed to pay a ransom aforehead – which would be returned to them if they behaved.

The greatest band of visitors were in no need of Melian opening the girdle as it only bans persons lesser than her to enter. Led by Tulkas and the other Valar of team Real Valinor the great host of Westerners; Valar, Maiar and Elves across-the-sea came in an exuberant parade filling the spectators on the road with awe and hallow.

Those men, hobbits and common elves of the ME who knew history enough to understand who they were drinking the exquisite wines and eating extravagant pastries for free with inside Menegroth were cherishing the moment as the highlight of their lives – less educated ones were just struck with the grace and splendour of the Westerners – and would tell the story to their granchildren as well.

The Breelanders soon learned they had been reserved the part of the statists – as long as the general attitude of the media and the other spectators went. Theirs would be the team everyone just needed to win to have better chance of qualifying. And soon they started to feel themselves looked down upon in general – even if only a few of them were hobbits.

The early houses of men and the elves had cordial relationships – as always – but there was some chill in the air as team Hithlum was fighting for the qualification with some seriousness, but the hosts were having the same mind-set. And Real Valinor sure looked intimidating to both of them.

On top of that the visitors from the Undying Lands acted annoyingly self-confident in the eyes of all the Middle-Earthers only adding to the tension underneath the polite and amiable behaviour everyone kept up.

Most fans gathering into the Thousand Caves were only too aware of the fact that this was one of the groups of death this year. But as all the major publicity continued around Real Valinor, Hithlum and Doriath, the Shire-Bree fans became even more jumpy: so when it was reported that Gandalf had met Nienna and fallen to his knees to salute her many were ready to believe the games were pre-arranged.

But the group-lottery had made most of the crowds looking after other things than Gandalf's bows.

First matches will be played at the “The Cave” aka. Menegroth Stadium, Doriath.

6pm. Hithlum vs. Real Valinor
9pm. Doriath vs. Shire-Bree United

The homecrowds sure wait for the “Night-match”, but all the footballing-world will look forwards to the afternoon game!

07-05-2013, 07:59 PM	#65
Nogrod Flame of the Ainulindalë Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Wearing rat's coat, crowskin, crossed staves in a field behaving as the wind behaves Posts: 9,308	The AKM report from group C @ Doriath Menegroth is Menegroth:exquisite, lavish, exuberant… and also beautiful, uplifting and hallowed. Unless you are from Valinor when the first part of the list doesn’t apply, or from the most backwards recesses of Hithlum or Breeland when the latter doesn’t. But to most fans gathering for games of group C of the Arda Cup 2013 it was both – and even more. To many it was the fulfilment of years of savings and a dream come true. Overall football is a democratic sport in as the stadiums hold reasonably big crowds and the tickets are very much affordable. But with some teams and some venues it is different. And Menegroth Stadium, or “the Cave” of Doriath is one of them. Despite it’s nickname there is nothing prosaic, lowbrow or underground in it culturally. It is as far from real punk as Green Day has ever been. But if you can afford the tickets – or are enthusiastic enough to save for them – well it is a footballing heaven and a multi-sensuous experience, well a kind of gesamtskunstwerk one might admire even if his tastes were different. It is one of the greatest venues football has ever been been played and one of the most controversial, just because of all that. This year the lifting of the Girdle of Melian has brought in to the Thousand Caves a host of visitors from the great houses of Bëor and Haleth and other early tribes of men. A decently large following has also come after the team Shire-Bree, even if it is times smaller the one of the early men. A few random football fanatics from all over Arda have also been buying tickets according to the AFA stats, ranging from singular easterling lords with their entourages to bands of enthusiastic Númenorean Elwing- and Dior-fans. A few Balrogs and Nazgûls were also allowed to enter as guests, but they needed to pay a ransom aforehead – which would be returned to them if they behaved. The greatest band of visitors were in no need of Melian opening the girdle as it only bans persons lesser than her to enter. Led by Tulkas and the other Valar of team Real Valinor the great host of Westerners; Valar, Maiar and Elves across-the-sea came in an exuberant parade filling the spectators on the road with awe and hallow. Those men, hobbits and common elves of the ME who knew history enough to understand who they were drinking the exquisite wines and eating extravagant pastries for free with inside Menegroth were cherishing the moment as the highlight of their lives – less educated ones were just struck with the grace and splendour of the Westerners – and would tell the story to their granchildren as well. The Breelanders soon learned they had been reserved the part of the statists – as long as the general attitude of the media and the other spectators went. Theirs would be the team everyone just needed to win to have better chance of qualifying. And soon they started to feel themselves looked down upon in general – even if only a few of them were hobbits. The early houses of men and the elves had cordial relationships – as always – but there was some chill in the air as team Hithlum was fighting for the qualification with some seriousness, but the hosts were having the same mind-set. And Real Valinor sure looked intimidating to both of them. On top of that the visitors from the Undying Lands acted annoyingly self-confident in the eyes of all the Middle-Earthers only adding to the tension underneath the polite and amiable behaviour everyone kept up. Most fans gathering into the Thousand Caves were only too aware of the fact that this was one of the groups of death this year. But as all the major publicity continued around Real Valinor, Hithlum and Doriath, the Shire-Bree fans became even more jumpy: so when it was reported that Gandalf had met Nienna and fallen to his knees to salute her many were ready to believe the games were pre-arranged. But the group-lottery had made most of the crowds looking after other things than Gandalf's bows. First matches will be played at the “The Cave” aka. Menegroth Stadium, Doriath. 6pm. Hithlum vs. Real Valinor 9pm. Doriath vs. Shire-Bree United The homecrowds sure wait for the “Night-match”, but all the footballing-world will look forwards to the afternoon game! __________________ Upon the hearth the fire is red Beneath the roof there is a bed; But not yet weary are our feet...