[Nogrod]

Here's The AKM's short report from Valinor as the AKM is going to cover two games from there live as the games take place.

It is going to be a footballing nirvana in Valinor – after the ban of last year a total of three games of the eight first round matches will be played on sacred soil. Three group-winners from eight groups is a serious show by which Valinor challenges even Beleriand for the highest quality of football on Arda.



Real Valinor would be playing in Valmar at Tulkas’ and Nessa’s home stadium – well at their home to be precise. As everyone familiar with the Book of Lost Tales knows, under the tower of bronze and wide arcade of pillars of copper Tulkas has a court for visitors to play and rival each other in feats. During the time it was enlarged into a stadium for all kinds of competitions from pankration to javelin throwing and running – and finally to suit also football with a capacity of forty-five thousand specatators.

As one can gather, it is not the greatest stadium in size but it has history of thousands of years as a ground for feats – where young Fëanor showed his might as well as all the Maiar and some of the Valar who took part in the famous games of Tulkas. It was here Eönwë had shown his might the first time forcing the great Oromë himself into a draw in wrestling, it was here Nessa had outran Arien in the famous duel days long past… and it was called plainly “the Court”.

Now some called it “the court of Tulkas”, some called it “the court of laughter” or “the court of strength” – and some even called it “the court of fallen heroes”, referring to the games lost by even the greatest heroes on that stand facing even greater heroes… but everyone knows it with the name “the Court”.

The MESPN has already reported on the problems at Valmar’s Grand Stadium and it’s environment – where Manwë’s Valimar will be playing their first play-off game – so we need not delve into that. We only feel it decent to report that a few Wights did dare to venture to the outskirts of the great city but seeing Tulkas’ guards around his homestead they made the wise decision to retreat. Manwë might have his rule but Tulkas is not known to be lenient against anyone he thought was not deserving it.




While team Tirion would be playing against Real Valinor in neighbouring city of Valmar, their joint stadium at the city of Tirion upon Túna would be occupied by the city’s other Arda Cup team FC Valinor playing against the Misty Mountains from the Middle Earth.

The stadium is called “The Terrace of Túna” – or TT among the locals. It was built at the lowest terrace of the inner city towards the sea, under the shadow of Mindon Eldaliéva and it’s famous silver lantern shining to the sea and not far from the great square where the White tree used to flourish.

The stadium itself doesn’t boast the history of Tulkas’ Court or the grandeur of Manwë’s Grand Stadium at Valmar, but especially to the Noldor that is their stadium – and during winter-season both Tirion United and Tirion City play on that field. So it is the heart of Noldorian football – and with space up to almost sixty-thousand spectators – it is also spacious enough to host even bigger games.

As MESPN reported, Finwë had received a permission from Manwë to be able to enforce some tougher rules on vandalism and general ill-behaviour in the city. Now he would not be looking after them personally and Ingwë would also be playing at Valmar, but the brothers Curufin and Celegorm have promised publicly to look after the general safety of the city – with the reaction that Manwë has appointed Eönwë and Argon to act as lieutenants to the brothers with their own orders straight from him. And it is also rumoured that the high numbers of the Great Eagles coming to the city on the eve of the games is a part of the package Manwë and Yavanna had made with Thorondor.

Be that as it may, it looks like any rebel-rousers from the Misty Mts. fan-club might meet a stiffer and quicker justice the Wights faced at Valmar during the group stage.