Spike! Journal 15
Amazonian Temple Leagues 'By the Goddesses!'
The Amazonian Temple Leagues allow the various temple-cities from across Lustria to pit their strength and skill against one another. In ages past, Amazonian warriors would test their might and valour in ritual combat or open battle. Nowadays, things are far more civilised (well, kind of… – Ed) as these heroic contests now take place on the Blood Bowl pitch. The dedication and devotion that the Amazons put into their training moulds them into some of the most well-practiced players to grace Nuffle’s sacred game, turning their matches into thrilling spectacles for all fans of the sport.
The Jungle Bowl
This is a variation on a standard Blood Bowl league season, as described in the Blood Bowl rulebook. How the league itself is organised – number of teams, how many divisions there are, how many rounds are played, and so forth – should all be decided upon by the league commissioner based upon how many coaches wish to take part and what is best for everyone participating. The Jungle Bowl differs from a normal season, however, in a couple of key aspects.
Open to All
The Jungle Bowl is open to all comers. Coaches participating may use any team they wish and will have the usual budget of 1,000,000 gold pieces to spend to recruit their team for the season ahead.
The Lustrian Locals
Games of Blood Bowl hosted in the lush jungles of Lustria often attract plenty of attention from the local wildlife. The cacophony of strange noises created by the fans combined with the smell of freshly cooked food, and even fresher blood, is guaranteed to attract any nearby wildlife – especially the predatory kind!
The following table is used to represent the unique impact that the local inhabitants can have on Blood Bowl games in the Jungle Bowl. For the duration of the Jungle Bowl, roll a D6 at the beginning of each game and consult the table below.
| D6 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | All is quiet... for now: There is nothing quite as ominous as a quiet jungle, but all seems to be well – for the moment. There are no additional effects this game; it appears that the local wildlife is keeping its distance. |
| 2 | Scorching Salamanders: A family of Salamanders have scorched the field, turning the once lush turf into a maze of smouldering grassland! Until the end of the game, whenever a player attempts to Dodge, apply a -1 modifier to the roll as the player tries to desperately avoid tackles and open flames! |
| 3 | Razordon Volley: The pitch is covered in knife-like Razordon spines and it doesn't take a genius to put them to good use! Each coach may select one player on their team; the selected player gains the Stab trait for the duration of the game. |
| 4 | Bastiladon Buffer: Both teams have made some super lightweight, hyper durable armour from Bastiladon scales. Each coach may select one player on their team; the selected player improves their Armour Value by 1 (to a maximum of 11+) for the duration of the game. |
| 5 | Stampeding Stegadons: A herd of nearby Stegadons is causing the earth to rumble and shake, making any attempts to move quickly extremely dangerous. For the duration of the game, all players must apply a -1 modifier to the roll each time they attempt to Rush. |
| 6 | Carnivorous Connoisseur: Though the pitch medics are working overtime to staunch any bleeding, the smell of freshly spilt blood has brought a Carnivore into the area! Whenever a Casualty roll is made against one of your players, the opposing coach must roll twice on the Casualty table. You may choose which of the two results to apply, as the medics are desperately trying to clean up the clear! |
Inducements
All Inducements should be allowed in the Jungle Bowl. Additionally, if the league commissioner wishes, the following new Inducement may be added:
0-1 Ancient Artefact (50,000 Gold Pieces)
Available to Any Team: Once per game, at the start of any friendly team turn, the head coach of a team with an Ancient Artefact can attempt to harness whatever power might be stored within the treasure. They then roll a D6 and consult the chart below:
| D6 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | The item carries a curse or similarly foul incantation. Randomly select a player on your team from among those on the pitch. The selected player is immediately placed in the Knocked-out box of their team's dugout; this will not cause a turnover, even if that player has the ball. |
| 2‑5 | This item is little more than a trinket, but a seemingly lucky one at that! The team immediately gains a team re-roll until the end of the current half. |
| 6 | This artefact clearly possesses a powerful healing aura. Choose one player in either your Knocked-out box or Casualty box (with the exception of a player that is Dead or Sent-off). The chosen player immediately wakes up and is placed in the Reserves box. If there are no players in either your Knocked-out box or Casualty box, treat the roll as a 2‑5 instead. (You'd think a near-death experience would earn anyone a nice panini in the end, but Blood Bowl stars are rarely the brightest sparks! – Ed) |
Many Glorious Prizes!
Teams that manage to win a league in Lustria are well rewarded with ancient gold from long-forgotten temples, as well as a stunning trophy! The top placed teams of the Jungle Bowl are rewarded as follows:
Glittering Prizes: As usual, the teams that finish 1st, 2nd, and 3rd receive gold pieces as described in the Blood Bowl rulebook.
The Jungle Bowl Cup: In addition to their cash prize, the winner will receive the mysterious Jungle Bowl Cup. Like many relics from the continent of Lustria, its origins are long forgotten, but it is said that some who drink from the cup in celebration are gifted with swiftness and agility rivaling that of the Amazonian goddess, Rigg. The team that holds the Jungle Bowl Cup gains the following ability:
At the start of each game, randomly select a player on your team that is eligible to play in the game. The selected player gains +1 AG, to a maximum of 2+, or the Dodge skill until the end of the game.
Sweltering Jungle Weather Table
| 2D6 | Result |
|---|---|
| 2 | Tropical Storm: A typhoon has made its way into the area, bending trees and disrupting the match with a powerful gale. While this weather condition is in effect, ignore Step 2 of the Start of Drive sequence – it is not possible for a kick-off to be resolved and a touchback is automatically caused instead. Additionally, while this weather condition is in effect, no Pass actions or Throw Team-mate actions can be performed. |
| 3 | Sudden Downpour: The heavens have opened! The players are soaked to the bone and the ball is very slippery! Apply a -1 modifier every time a player makes an Agility test to catch or pick-up the ball, or to attempt to interfere with a pass. Additionally, the poor visibility means that only Quick and Short passes can be attempted. |
| 4‑10 | Cool Breeze: A gentle wind has stifled the humidity for the time being; it's perfect weather for Blood Bowl! |
| 11 | Sunny Spell: The sun is shining and it's playing havoc on the passing game! Apply a -1 modifier every time a player tests against their Passing Ability. |
| 12 | Hellish Humidity: The heat and humidity is really starting to get to some of the players; they are dropping like Halflings after a picnic! At the end of every team turn, roll a D6. On a roll of 1, a single randomly selected player on the active team succumbs to the oppressive heat and is Placed Prone. |
Temple-City Kick-off Table
| 2D6 | Result |
|---|---|
| 2 | Earthquake!: This natural phenomenon is quite common across the coastal regions of Lustria and can really cause problems for anyone unable to find shelter! The kicking team's coach rolls a D3. Both coaches then randomly select that many players on their team from among those on the pitch. All of the randomly selected players are Knocked Down. |
| 3 | Contaminated Water Supply: With the oppressive heat, the last thing you need when you've taken a particularly ferocious tackle is to not be able to have a refreshing drink! Until the next time a coach rolls on the Kick-off Event table, apply a -1 modifier to the roll whenever a player rolls to recover from being Knocked-out. |
| 4 | Terror from the Skies!: Terradons swoop overhead, dropping large rocks onto the field! Both coaches roll a D6 and add their Fan Factor to the result. The coach who rolls the lowest randomly selects a player from among those on the pitch. In the case of a tie, both coaches randomly select a player. Roll a D6 for the selected player(s). On a 6, the player manages to avoid the incoming bombardment and all is well. On any other result, the player is Placed Prone and becomes Stunned as they are struck by a heavy falling rock. |
| 5 | High Kick: Apply the High Kick result as normal. |
| 6 | Cheering Fans: Apply the Cheering Fans result as normal. |
| 7 | Brilliant Coaching: Apply the Brilliant Coaching result as normal. |
| 8 | Changing Weather: Make a new roll on the Sweltering Jungle Weather table and apply that result. If the result is 'Cool Breeze' as a result of the roll, the ball will scatter before landing. |
| 9 | Quick Snap: Apply the Quick Snap result as normal. |
| 10 | Scattered Debris: The broken, uneven ground makes it particularly punishing for any players thrown to the ground! Until the end of the drive, whenever a player is Knocked Down, apply a +1 modifier to the Armour roll. |
| 11 | Rapid Growth: Vines swiftly sprout across the field with unnatural speed and purpose, tangling up the players! All players have their MA reduced by 1 for the duration of the drive. |
| 12 | Divine Intervention: The combination of a temple-side pitch and a cracking game has clearly attracted the attention of a deity – maybe the goddess Rigg, or perhaps even the mighty Nuffle! Each coach may roll twice on the Prayers to Nuffle table, applying all of the results as described on page 38 of the Blood Bowl rulebook. |
Overgrown Jungle Blood Bowl Pitch
The majority of stadia belonging to the Amazonians are located deep within the Lustrian jungle, concealed within clearings or hidden groves. However, the jungle climate is unpredictable at best and the sweltering heat can be replaced by a torrential downpour at a moment's notice. When the rains arrive they are likely to rouse various jungle creatures, which are prone to attacking any unsuspecting Blood Bowl players that stray too close to the edge of the treeline.
Using the Overgrown Jungle Pitch in Your Blood Bowl Games
The Overgrown Jungle pitch has two sides: one depicting the pitch in fair (if somewhat humid) weather, with the jungle being relatively quiet. The other side depicts the pitch during a sudden downpour, making the jungle floor treacherous underfoot and coaxing many of the jungle critters from their hiding places. If both coaches agree, the following rules can be used to represent the unusual conditions:
Jungle Floor: At the start of the game, the jungle floor is covered in vines and undergrowth, many of which contain small jungle creatures having an afternoon nap to escape the heat. Rousing these critters can prove to be dangerous, with a large number of them being particularly venomous!
Whenever a player enters a square within two squares of a trapdoor during their activation, they must roll a D6. On a 2+, nothing happens. On a 1, the player's activation immediately ends as they try not to alarm the creatures they have just woken up.
Additionally, at the end of each drive, roll a D6. On a 5+, flip the pitch over to the Torrential Downpour side for the remainder of the game.
Torrential Downpour: The constant rain makes it hard for even the most skilled players to pick up the ball from the jungle floor. Players must apply an additional -1 modifier to their Agility test when attempting to pick up the ball.
Additionally, the heavy rain has woken many of the jungle's more deadly creatures, who now lurk in the treelines around the pitch in the hope of a mid-game snack. Add 1 to any Injury roll made for a player who is pushed into the crowd.
Amazon Balls
Crystal Skull Ball
A player that is in possession of a Crystal Skull Ball gains the Hypnotic Gaze trait while they are in possession of it. Additionally, any team that scores at least one touchdown with a Crystal Skull Ball gains an additional 10,000 gold pieces during the post-game sequence.
Snake-swallowed Ball
Whenever a player gains possession of the Snake-swallowed ball, roll a D6. On a 2+, nothing happens. On a 1, the snake lashes out and the player immediately drops them. The ball will bounce from the player that was in possession of the ball. A ball dropped in this manner will not cause a Turnover. If a player who drops the ball in this manner is in the middle of their activation, they may continue their activation as normal, even attempting to pick up the ball again if they wish.