NationStates Jolt Archive

Hockey in Cotenshire has always been a sport popular among the lower classes. It was despised by the upper classes, who preferred sports such as hunting, falconry, and horsemanship. This is about to change, however, due to the efforts of Lord Erik Knytling. Seeing the popularity of professional hockey in other countries, the wealthy and enthusiastic Lord Knytling set out to create his own league…



The International Hockey League

I, Lord Erik Knytling of Ajaelland, proclaim the formation of the International Hockey League. The League is intended for hockey clubs from around the world to compete in glorious contests on the ice. As a spectator sport, it will also be a chance for countries and communities to rally around the teams and come together in a way they otherwise would not.

It is for these reasons that I urge sports clubs worldwide to contribute a team to the International Hockey League. To contact me for setting up a team, you may email me at erik_knytling@ihl.org. Currently, I have set up two teams in Cotenshire, one based in Adolphsvall, and another in Vasterlanda. One limitation I am setting for now is that there shall only be a maximum of four teams per country. More will be admitted when the league becomes more organized.

I have yet to lay out the rules and regulations, so if you have any questions or suggestions, please let me know at the aforementioned email address. Let us join together and spread the joy of sportsmanship throughout our communities.

Lord Erik Knytling



Current Teams:
Adolphsvall (Cotenshire)
Amber Crown Spartans (Oslea)
Vasterlanda (Cotenshire)

Today Lord Knytling created offices to help govern those teams of the league that will be within Cotenshire. The responsibilities of these offices are to procure venues for games and maintain equipment, among other duties.

(OOC: Anyone want to join this?)

OOC: I think this goes into NationStates, not II.

(OOC: No, sports threads can go in II. Sports threads are just more common in NS.)

An exhibition game for the league was held today on a frozen lake outside of Vasterlanda. Many bleachers, tables, and sitting areas were moved out on to the ice for spectators. Due to the widespread reporting on the league in Cotenshire newspapers, there was a large turnout and every seat was filled.

The previous night, as travelers moved into the various inns from Adolphsvall, the city from which the opposing team hailed, several small scale riots had broken out and four Adolphsvallians were killed. It was for this reason that most travelers spent the night camped outside the walls of the city.

On the day of the game, there were several incidents of violence towards both teams, and the Vasterlanda team had to move between several buildings constantly due to the threat of attack from angry Adolphsvallians. Once fans were admitted to the seats of the arena, however, they seemed more interested in fighting each other than fighting the players. Before the game started, and throughout the earlier stages of the game, there was constant fighting in different parts of the bleachers, with knives and even occasionally guns being pulled out.

Once the two teams skated into the arena, four players from the Adolphsvall team defected to the other team. After the coaches agreed on terms, the game began. Players generally acted more civilized than the fans, but fights did break out occasionally, which resulted in several players going out injured due to being beaten with sticks. One Adolphsvall player stabbed a player of the opposing team after he scored a goal with a knife he had brought.

After the first few hours of the game (which was agreed to be played until sunset), the atmosphere cooled down. There was not as much fighting between the fans as each side separated themselves from each other. One incident occurred involving a man operating a chainsaw in the bleachers and damaging them, although this was taken care of after another fan fatally shot him.

The event was to be filmed, but the cameraman ran off about three quarters of the way through the game for no apparent reason.

At the end of the game, which Vasterlanda won by a score of 38 to 15, the fans dispersed only to riot in the city that night. The game was considered a success, and Lord Erik Knytling was quick to point out afterwards that only 17 had died before, during, and after the game, which was excellent for a sporting event in Cotenshire, where normally more than a hundred could expect to be killed per game due to fan violence.

The worst sporting disaster in Cotenshire history in terms of loss of life occurred due to a game played not far away from this one, in which the Danish city of Rangerhus played in a game of football against the Norman city of Hasterleigh. These two cities have a history of violence with each other, with no less than 25 wars being fought between them since the founding of both cities.

On the night before the game, a division of royal troops was called in to restore order after riots broke out between fans in Rangerhus (the city in which the game was being played) resulted in the deaths of over 2200 people. The next day, during the game, after the first few minutes of play, Rangerhus fans killed the guards and stormed the field, maiming every Hasterleigh player and fan that they could get their hands on. The heads of the killed were impaled on pikes and paraded around the city.

Only a week after the game, citizens of Hasterleigh attacked the city of Rangerhus in retaliation. The attacking army laid siege to Rangerhus, which held out valiantly despite numerous attempts made by the attackers to assault the walls of the town. Rangerhus was able to hold out so well because it was receiving supplies by ships that had come across the Ajaelland sound.

Forces from Hasterleigh were loaded on to boats and attempted to break into the harbor of Rangerhus, but the superior naval tactics and seamanship of the Rangerhusians enabled them to fight the attackers off. Militias from Rangerhus, with their knowledge of the surrounding land, were able to intercept and cut off fuel supplies to the Hasterleigh ships, which mainly consisted of motorboats and fishers.

Unable to penetrate the walls of the city, the Hasterleigh army broke off after four months and ravaged the surrounding countryside, burning every field they found. The resulting starvation killed over 38,000 Rangerhusians.

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OHLPA Communique

Greetings! We are interested in letting a team's players join your league. For now, the players of the Amber Crown Spartans are interested in joining. Since right now there is a lockout in the OHL we believe it is in our best interests to let them participate this season in the IHL.

OOC: 38-15? Wow... Isn't that kinda high o.O

To the OHLPA,

We would be honoured to have your players participate in the International Hockey League. I will enter them as "Ambercrown Spartans". If you would like the team to be called something else, please tell me.

As a particpant in the league, you will have a seat on the league's governing board. I have yet to coordinate schedules for games between the league's teams, but until then we can play unofficial friendly matches.

If you have any other questions or concerns, let me know.

Lord Erik Knytling

(OOC: The high score for that game is because of its length, which was from about noon to sunset, and because several scores were made in ways that would be illegal in most real life leagues.

And by the way, this is still open for anyone to join.)