Ladies and gentlemen, welcome!

Today, we will witness something new and unprecedented in the lands of Westeros. Following the regular season of Siege of Winterfell, with BaN securing the first position, today marks the beginning of a brand-new adventure for this type of event: the Siege of Winterfell playoffs!

The top twelve alliances of the regular season would face off, unlike in the UC of Alliance Conquest, in knockout matches until only one remains—the alliance that would be declared the strongest of the Seven Kingdoms!

The days leading up to today had been nothing short of tumultuous. Westeros was struck by an unprecedented storm, contrary to what one would expect during summer, causing various disruptions along the forests, trails, and the houses of the fighters. The arrival on the battlefield today was challenging for Neik, who personally experienced the difficulties caused by the storm that seemed to have been raging for days. Upon reuniting with his alliance members, he immediately noticed the absence of key allies such as Grombold!

The HOH fighters were perplexed, and Depravity, stepping in as the leader, quickly addressed the situation: "As you saw in the previous days, there have been major problems in Westeros due to the storm that has struck the lands. Many fighters could not reach the battlefield, so we’ll have to manage on our own!"

In addition to the uncertainty of facing a knockout match, Neik and his companions faced the absence of key warriors. Just as doubts and concerns were tightening around them, their opponents made their appearance—it was...

DUM!

The opponents, with their unprecedented ability to excel in team play, were known for their exceptional synergy. Their teamwork was the key aspect to watch out for, complemented by the strength of individual fighters like BA NA NA and STRAW BERRY, who could decide the outcome of matches with their extraordinary power.

The challenge for HOH was significant in this first playoff match of Siege of Winterfell. After all, no opponent would be easy—only the top twelve alliances of the season had qualified, and any rival could be lethal if not approached with the right focus.

One detail immediately caught Depravity’s attention: a significant number of fighters were missing from the rival alliance, almost more than from their own. Without wasting a second, and after consulting with the leadership team, they decided to unveil their strategy for the match: "We’re not sure exactly which members are absent from the rival ranks, but the numerical superiority is definitely in our favor. This time, we’ll split into just three groups: one led by me, one by Armory under Urielki, and the third by Hotsprings under Delthulu."

Urielki, known for his precision and discipline, and Delthulu, with his exceptional tactical skills, knew they would need to withstand the assaults until reinforcements arrived. The plan was to separate the enemy fighters and exploit their numerical advantage to wear them down from the very beginning.

The storm showed no signs of abating, with rain pouring down like that near a waterfall and lightning illuminating the sky incessantly. The start of the battle was imminent, and Neik was ready to give his all to ensure their alliance advanced to the second round of the tournament. He was determined to prove to everyone that their group was among the strongest in Westeros!

L'incontro ebbe inizio!

The first clashes began near Armory, against the group led by Urielki.

Both groups from each faction, decimated by the absence of key members who could have turned the tide of the battles, fought for a few minutes. As planned by HOH's leadership, their numerical superiority gave them the edge, and their strategy worked wonderfully!

Without losing a moment, under Urielki's command, they advanced towards Base 3 to secure it. This way, even if the rivals managed to capture any loot, they wouldn’t be able to use it effectively on the left side of the battlefield!

The situation was not very different on the other side of the battlefield.

At HotSprings, the clash was notably fiercer due to the greater presence of rival forces under Lann's command. Despite the crucial absence of two key members of the rival faction, BA NA NA and STRAW BERRY, Lann stepped up to do what he could with his experience in such events.

The battle was long and grueling for both sides until reinforcements from HOH, led by Depravity, arrived. Their intervention shifted the momentum of the fight, catching the rivals off guard and forcing them to retreat into the fog to avoid defeat and regroup.

The imminent availability of loot near Winterfell was in jeopardy, as the rival forces gathered in the shadows nearby, waiting to make their move. Therefore, HOH's main objective became pushing towards Base 3, the only base currently in the hands of the rivals!

Upon reaching Winterfell, Neik and his companions faced a treacherous path due to the battlefield conditions caused by the relentless rain. They found themselves clashing directly with Lann and his group.

Having withdrawn from HotSprings, Lann's team had chosen this location to regroup, but they were outnumbered nearly three to one by HOH. Unable to withstand the numerical superiority, Lann and his allies had no choice but to retreat towards Base 3, hoping to approach the rival members from behind. Neik and his companions decided to pursue them, leaving the loot at Winterfell in the secure hands of the swift T Send. By reinforcing their allies, HOH was able to maintain their numerical advantage, leading to a favorable outcome for them in the clash!

Thanks to the forced retreat of the few remaining DUM members, T Send easily escorted the loot to safety, further widening the already significant advantage for their alliance! Things were looking up for HOH; the absences and difficulties on the battlefield had a greater impact on their rivals, making the situation almost too easy for them.

As they approached the enemy base, pursuing the retreating rivals through the darkness, the clash with the few remaining opponents who were fighting to secure a favorable outcome proved to be relatively straightforward. Waiting for the rivals outside the walls, grouped together, was a strategy that worked very well given the difficulties posed by the battlefield terrain. The battle consistently favored the members of HOH!

Among the enemy ranks, Neik encountered an old ally: Vlodek!

The two had been members of the same alliance for several years and had always maintained good relations. Both were curious to see how their combat skills had developed over time, so Neik immediately proposed a duel, which Vlodek gladly accepted!

The old allies, without interference from their teammates, found themselves in a head-to-head match that had already been decided in favor of HOH. The incredible duel between them was surprising; the technical level was extremely high compared to their skills during their TAG days. Neik managed to prevail, but Vlodek's pride led him to immediately request a second round. He was confident he would perform better, and indeed, he did. Vlodek caught Neik off guard, who was overly confident after his first-round victory, and overwhelmed him with his spear skills.

“If it had been a serious duel, I would have annihilated you,” joked the HOH member.

“Perhaps one day we’ll face each other in such a battle and find out,” Vlodek replied with a challenging grin!

In the final stages of the match, during the duel between the two, the leadership of both alliances agreed to allow DUM to collect as many points as possible to secure their rewards—a gesture of sportsmanship.

The match concluded with a decisive victory for HOH!

MVP's

The best fighters of the match were:

Neik for HOH: Having faced off against a greater number of opponents for longer periods than his teammates, Neik managed to score the most points in the match!

Lann for DUM: His efforts from the very beginning were notable, but eventually, he too realized that external factors had rendered their situation hopeless.

“It’s a real shame that this match was played under these conditions. We’ve always had good relations with DUM,” Depravity said at the end of the match. Everyone was aware that a match fought without these impediments would have been very different, and almost no one was pleased to have faced an opponent under such conditions, especially Neik.

“We’ll meet to discuss it and see what can be done,” was the leadership's decision before leaving the battlefield.

An emblematic message had been left behind what did it mean? We will find out soon...