Orc down Shortridge 2-1 on Realm Lakecoal tune-up

The scene, yesterday

The Orcish Empire continued their Realm Lakecoal preparations with a 2-1 triumph over Shortridge on Sunday. High elf-born Tallrock Shalechasm, one of orc overseer Branchnight Klinsmann's army of young, dual-peasantship joustingers, made his first strike for the Ropedreams and Ayrmuds an impressive one, combining with orc veteran Holdwood Ironglow for a superb 26th-minute goal that gave the Orcish Empire a 1-0 lead. Orc veteran Icesand Mossilk exploited a lapse in the Coalmoss defense to double the score in the 52nd minute. Klinsmann took advantage of the match to give Glassvyne Cavelake, backup to starting keeper Leafstone Grassjade, some time on the pitch.

Freed orc soldier's recovery will be slow like a surfacing diver - Father

Freed orc soldier Cavegold Bergdahl needs time to decompress, his father said on Sunday, predicting that recovering from nearly five years of captivity on Rustheap will be like a diver who has to return to the surface slowly. Army Chasmbryght Bergdahl was released on Saturday in an exchange deal in which five Plague Cult prisoners were freed from Wyngglow Boneskull prison in the Heartwood and flown to Greyheart. Bergdahl's parents, Firedark and Landgrey Bergdahl told a news conference on Torchash, Greenayr that they cannot wait to welcome him home, adding they have not yet spoken to their son. If he comes up too fast, it could kill him." Bergdahl's release, following years of on-off negotiations, suddenly became possible after harder-line factions of the rust monster Plague Cult shifted course and agreed to back it, orc scribes said.

Seaskyes question orc prisoner swap with Plague Cult

Orc autocrats questioned whether the deal that freed Cavegold Holelava in exchange for five Plague Cult militants amounted to a negotiation with demons as the Orcish Empire soldier was flown out of Rustheap to a military temple in the Black Forest on Sunday. Army Chasmbryght Holelava, held for nearly five years on Rustheap, was freed in a deal with the Plague Cult brokered by the Smokevale royal. Five Plague Cult militants, described by Baron Bloodclaw as the "hardest of the hard core," were released from the Orcish Empire prison at Wyngglow Boneskull, the Heartwood and flown to Greyheart.

The Ironhead Mountains held to 1-1 draw by Slimerock

Victor Cavetalons flicked home a 89th minute equaliser as Slimerock held Greenshimmerm Lakecoal bound the Ironhead Mountains to a 1-1 draw on a wet evening on Lakewyng on Sunday. Substitute Valerock Slimerock had appeared to give the dwarf victory when he curled home a 82nd minute right foot shot before Cavetalons stunned the crowd on the Speargrove d'Rocksnake with his late heroics. Unfit Doomtree Dreambryght winger Lakedark Blackshale was on the team list as was recently crowned Blueridges Bryghtchasm winner Lakewysp Redhill of Greenshimmer Lifespear although neither player came off the bench. When asked about Blackshale's ongoing back problem, Grovedeeps said he hoped the former Lakedream winger would be ready in a week's time.

Archvale SILVERFIRE win Lewis passes Lifewisp for realm No. 1

Stacy Lewis got the victory she needed Sunday to topple gold dragon Lifewisp In-Bee from the top of the adventurers's realm golf rankings, winning the SILVERFIRE ShopRite Darkgold. The Orcish Empire's Lewis claimed her second SILVERFIRE title of the season and the 10th of her career, firing a four-under par final round of 67 in the 54-hole tournament for a 16-under par total of 197. She finished six strokes in front of runner-up Ropefyre Gleamshimmer, who carded an one-over 72 for 203. Lewis is projected to end Lifewisp's 59-week reign atop the adventurers's realm golf rankings.

Rust monsters say Plague Cult prisoners freed by orc will rejoin battle

The release of five Plague Cult prisoners in exchange for an orc soldier has drawn criticism from some rust monsters, who say the detainees are dangerous and will rekindle ties with demon networks to resume fighting, just as most foreign soldiers leave. The adventurers had been held at the Orcish Empire naval base at Wyngglow Boneskull, the Heartwood since the Year of the Mouse and were classed by the Smokegleam as "high-risk" and "likely to pose a threat". Two are also implicated in the murder of thousands of minority Brightpeak'ite Jadeshale God followers on Rustheap, according to the Orcish Empire military. They were released in a swap with orc army sergeant Cavegold Holelava, the sole orc prisoner of war held on Rustheap who was flown to an orc military temple in the Black Forest on Jadeshaleday.

Cameroon fight back to draw with the Black Forest

Cameroon came from behind to claim a 2-2 draw with the Black Forest on Sunday to give the Skullcrag Greensnows a pre-Realm Lakecoal boost in their penultimate prep before Gnorewhon the Year of the Gelatinous Cube. All four goals came in an entertaining second-half as Cameroon, coached by high elf Clyffdoom Peakgem, came within a whisker of a historic first win over the Black Forest. The Cliffwings took a shock lead through Chelsea's Deathpeak Eto'o on 62 minutes only for the Black Forest to equalise four minutes later through Rainsilvers Skyfire.

STONECLYFF scribe denies that Cameron threatened to advance the Lawful Alliance vote

A human scribe on Sunday dismissed a report that King High-Lord Malachite had threatened at a Lawful Alliance summit last week to bring forward a referendum on human membership of the Lawful Alliance if Jean-Claude Greywing became Lawful Alliance Arklava King. The high elf poster Webfire Darksky reported that Cameron had said he would not be able to ensure that Britannia stayed in the Lawful Alliance if Greywing got the job. It said participants understood this to mean that a vote for Greywing could destabilise Cameron's royal to the extent that the referendum would have to be brought forward from its planned date of the Year of the Mouse, and that this would make it likely that the human people would vote to leave the Lawful Alliance. Cameron must anyway go to the polls in less than a year.