Caid Hooligans

Loud, obnoxious, rude, crass, that's how I'd best describe die hard Caid fans in any city I've lived in, Jayne. The sport, the scene surrounding it, the arena, the copious amount of drinking they get up to, the general air and demeanor of violence attached to the game. It becomes its own identity this time of year. Whenever the Guardians have a home game this time of year, you'd best avoid all of Railside if you can, that entire day. If you are unfortunate enough to live in Railside such as yourself....I would suggest earplugs, or perhaps seek accomodation elsewhere for the night. Elsewise you will likely find yourself swept up in the unfortunate mess of bar brawls, aggressive street rallies, or worse, if the Guardians lose, an all out riot. Oh yes, the High King himself has ordered a squadron of Iron Dragons, his own personal guard in fact, be present for the game and around the district. Can you imagine? 50 of our nation's most elite soldiers acting as elite but civilian police. Yet High King Cormac, in his wisdom, believes it a necessary precaution, and the Geata council must have agreed to it. I can't say I blame them. There is something about this sport, the devoted fans of it.....they are rabid. They are without grace, logic or reason in situations such as this. It is as if they see it all as a representation of their struggle or some such flighty fantasy. Perhaps that is it, a thought I'd never considered but now that I think of it, I've never seen any men or women of good birth stock behaving in such a manner, even those of us whom pay some sembalance of attention to the sport, having a modicum of interest such as myself. I am no fan, you understand, I'd not associate with such.....hooligan like antics, but the game itself is fascinating, and I will be quite pleased should the Guardians win the game tonight of course. But should the lose, I'll simply shrug and move on with my day. Not so with the type you'd meet in the Railside this afternoon or evening, not at all. No Jayne, I'd honestly suggest you find alternative accomdations...in fact I insist you stay here tonight. It would be uncouth of me to send a young woman in my employ into such a potentially explosive environment. You know where the guest rooms are my dear, you clean them oft enough, go prepare one for yourself."

Honorable Justice Glenda Ambrosi of the Suranthi Crown Courts to one Jayen Mayweathers, her personal estates private cleaner, the day of the now Infamous 'Impossible Moment' as the game in the Iron-born Coliseum that night would come to be known, speaking of Caid fans, the rabid, obssessed and hooligan kind that are all to common attached to the sport.

As physical and demanding as a sport Caid is, and as larger than life as it is in the various leagues across Durol, the various professional leagues have one shared cultural route. The fans have a hell of a reputation. This is due to a core group, the loud, the obnoxious, the unruly, the louder and larger than life sort of fans whom collectively are simply called 'Caid Hooligans.'

If you've ever been to a Caid game and heard some of the obnoxious, rude, downright mean, cruel, derogatory or even racist and sexist chants that start towards players on visiting teams sometimes, you've seen the tip of the iceberg that makes this sub-cultural bubble larger than life for many people. Be it the more than occasional minor riot, the plethora of bar fights and other incidents of generally rather small scale, but violent actions, or their sheer obnoxious and loud personas, puffing up their chests like peacocks, wearing branded tunic with team colors and symbols with far to much pride as if they are a part of the team, they can seem insufferable to some.

Yet to see that is to see only one side of it. It would be shocking to many how involved these same sorts of people are often in their communities. When not being locked up for drunken and disorderly behavior at their local pub after a bad night at the pub for their favorite team, be it the same night or the night after for a road game they read about the next day in the papers, they are oft doing much for their communities. Whether they be important tradespeople, working in manufacturing, resources, mining, shipping, carriage services, post services, or even in the regular military, they come from all walks of life.

Outside of this they are often the first groups to come together in a time of crisis, much like what happened after the South Rail Derailment crisis in 1561 in Geata-Iarainn. Before any official response could be organized, before hospice cares could be set up, before doctors across the city, rescue workers from the military or police, or firefighters from other districts (since the derailment had sent a metal car full of combustibles off the rails into Railsides fire station) it was local Caid fans, whom had been congregating for the first home game of the season in the district, who reacted first. Whilst many others panicked, they and rail workers alike organized and sprung into action, congregating to the scene of the accident. Water, snow, anything they could get their hands on was used to try and control what they could of the flames by some, whilst others, the braver, younger, and fitter, took the most risk, running into the buildings that were now aflame to rescue as many as they could without a second thought. Their passions may run high and hot, but so do their sense of community and it shows not just in their love of the game they get the admittedly slanderous name after, but also for their deep love and caring for the community that they live in, that their team they back lives and plays in.

So whilst perhaps fitting in some circumstances, Caid Hooligans may in fact be an undeserving moniker, given that most other cities in Suranth, and in fact across Durol, have stories of all manner of large acts of heroism or charity. From food for the poor and homeless, to raising coin for a neighbor who's home burned down, none can deny despite the poor reputation, they are a positive group upon society, despite the trouble some like to get into on game days or the night after.