[the phantom]

Group B @ Weathertop

Even before Weathertop was officially named as a site host, most knew that it was coming. The stadium renovations that had been completed the year before were fantastic, and it was understood that their investment would be rewarded.

The arena could hold over 90,000 spectators, and it was a glorious blend of old Numenorean-type architecture and modern flash and convenience. This blend of styles could be seen even from a distance in the form of the rebuilt tower upon Amon Sul and the mirror image constructed of glass and metal on the hill immediately to the north. The stadium bound the two towers together, nestled in the saddle between the peaks.

The two local squads, Arnor and Eriador, would doubtless be receiving the greatest amount of support, but the large camp south of the road flying the flags of Gondolin showed that the Elves were willing to travel. There were also some Noldor in the fields to the east of Weathertop out in support of Maedhros, Fingon, and their Inter Beleriand squad. Inter would also pull in some support from the Gondolin Elves thanks to their goalkeeper, Turgon.

A few small bands of Orcs were camping in the hills to the north. Some might root for the Balrog on Inter or Gothmog of Gondolin, but they were there on the whole to support the Witch King and Eriador.

Journalists from every publication were in close proximity to cover the event, as it was simply a parade of big names that would be on display. Besides popular local figures such as Arvedui and Araphor, Arnor also had Elendil and Isildur, who were sure to attract interest of football fans in Numenor and Gondor. Inter had Turgon, Maedhros, and Fingon to provide massive appeal across Beleriand and Valinor. The dashing craftsmanship of Maeglin always drew in large numbers, while his partner Gothmog was hugely popular in the Angband and Utumno regions. Glorfindel and the Witch King would certainly drive ratings on Eriador, but Elrond was the big draw. Not only had he spearheaded the creation of team Eriador and the construction of the Weathertop arena, but he was coming off of a spectacular performance in Arda Cup 2011, where he had the best save percentage and led ALL players in Phantasy points until the finals, despite the fact that his squad had been eliminated in the quarterfinals!

Betting Note: Sports betting on Group B has been heavily in favor of Eriador, with 12 of every 15 putting their money on the host team to finish first. Gondolin has been the popular pick to finish second, with Inter receiving only a bit of support, and Arnor getting hardly any love at all.