This past weekend the Lords of the Pit gathered with some esteemed guests on a cool spring afternoon for the latest iteration of Middle School Marauders. While most of us were locals, some visitors hailed from the far off land of Ohio, bringing their technology to the Chicago scene.
Final Standings
Welcome to the Pit, Lord Enrique
The format has been one of the most popular for the club, with our first such tournament in January 2019. Our last Middle School event focused on the beefiest decks, but on this occasion we went back to basics and revisited some classic archetypes.
As the noon start time approached, the sweathogs gathered at our favorite establishment, Dmen Tap. The dim lighting and wobbly tables of the back room were a familiar and welcome sight. The cacophony of the outside world was replaced with the sounds of the pinball machine, the shuffling of decks, and jealous observations from any muggles who wandered over to take a look. The games began. Early chatter started about the abundance of red decks in the room. Lightning bolts and goblins were everywhere. Those prepared to deal with the fiery aggression would be well served.
Between rounds, we took a brief interlude to initiate a long time regular as a new official Lord of the Pit. Enrique has battled with us for years, more than earning his place in the club. A mage skilled in the art of black magic, his patch is well deserved.
As the games resumed we welcomed the opportunity to, for an afternoon, forget our obligations at home, unplug from the world around us, and escape from workplace stress. We were thankful for the chance to come together for the shared love of this game. And while winning was on everyone's mind, most have realized that they had already won simply by being in this room, at this time, with this group of people.
And in the end much beer was consumed, farts were abundant, and Lord Zinni emerged as the champion of the day piloting his reliable Standstill deck. Donations this time were made to the Chicago Food Pantry. And for the brief diversion into the world of goblins, elves, angels, and squirrels, I say thank you my friends.
The Vibes
The Decks
