Players injured in attack

LAKE TOWN - What started out as a quiet fishing trip on Long Lake, turned out to be a life-and-death struggle for several players. In the end, it cost at least two of them their 2010 seasons and could wind up in dashing a Hall of Fame career. Gilgrin Filmaldur, reliever for the Lake Town Archers, asked several players to join him in a retreat near Dale during the off-season. It was a chance to unwind after a long 2009 campaign. Gorgoroth's Dawndarlene Babbleon, Bucklebury's Anthony Healy, Misty Mountain's Bagwurz Bloodaxe, Lothlorien's Glodunter Beadriel, and Rohan's Lifur Anvildelver accepted Filmaldur's invitation and made the trip.

Sometime during the vacation, the party was attacked. While details vary, witnesses agree that at least one very large creature, perhaps more, fell upon the players' encampment during the night. Two members of the entourage were killed in the incident and all of the players received severe injuries. Babbleon has a torn calf muscle and will not pitch this season. Healy fractured his knee and is expected to be out for 9-10 weeks. Bloodaxe, the Hops' All-Star catcher, managed to rupture a medial collateral ligament so severely that he will miss the entire season. Beadriel will miss 15-16 weeks with a torn abdominal muscle. Anvildelver tore a hamstring, and the promising rookie will be out for the year. And the host, Filmaldur, is out 10 weeks with a torn abdominal muscle.

Local officials have not confirmed the number or species of the attackers. However, most witnesses agree that it was one or more dragons, lured to the camp by the smell of food. It has been a rough winter on the Lonely Mountain for the relatives of Smaug. With game scarce and civilization encroaching on dragon habitat, more of these kind of incidents may be forthcoming.

Posted at September 22, 2005 06:17 PM | more from League News