NetherForge Lions Take on Italy Vault Tour (Florence 2026)

Just a single week after our Dutch Nationals, NetherForge Lions crew members Qanar, MotilityDragon, DonkeyForge,Harmed and LordJudo hopped on a plane to Florence, Italy to test their skills against a passionate field of Italian and international KeyForge players.

The Journey & Our Pink Villa:

Our adventure started with quite a surprise: on the very day of our flight, we found out our original Airbnb had been cancelled! Scrambling for a backup, we managed to book a charming pink Italian villa — and what a lucky turn of events that was. The incredibly hospitable owners even came to pick us up directly from the airport, and the villa was situated just a breezy 15-minute walk from the tournament venue.

Team mornings quickly fell into a cozy, winning routine: LordJudo whipped up hearty breakfasts of scrambled eggs, bacon, and warm crusty bread every morning, while Harmed took expert care of the fresh Italian coffee.

Italian Friends & Community Hospitality:

At its core, KeyForge is about making new friends, reconnecting with old ones, and experiencing the warmth of the global community. From the moment we walked in, the Italian players made us feel completely at home — putting faces to names we had previously only played against online and sharing laughs in the flesh.

A huge shoutout goes to ConteCaly, who went the extra mile to organize a fantastic dinner after Day 1 of the tournament. We gathered around tables stacked with authentic bistecca alla fiorentina, wine, and wonderful conversations in a cozy traditional restaurant (which quite shockingly caught fire the very next day :O).

Massive shoutout to all our Italian friends and competitors: EasyGallina, ConteCaly, Dorian, davidpappaianni, Dammat, Fillo,Zizzutti, Leolinci, notthebest95, crystal, and everyone else who made this trip unforgettable!

Tournament Numbers (Florence, September 25–27):

Day 1 — Sealed & An All-Lions Final:

The weekend started with Sealed, and the Lions hit the ground running. Qanar made an impressive run straight into the Top 8, while DonkeyForge and Harmed tore through their respective brackets to set up an all-NetherForge Grand Finals showdown! Harmed took the Sealed championship trophy after an intense battle.

Day 2 — Archon & The Team Clash:

Having seen Harmed hoist the Sealed trophy on Day 1, we started to have a sneaky suspicion that a double win was entirely within reach — and we secretly began to believe in the legendary triple crown, knowing Harmed’s world-class caliber and his finely tuned deck lineup.

Special shoutout to the Team AC livery shirts! Beyond being proud NetherForge Lions, Harmed, LordJudo, and DonkeyForge are also members of Team AC. Rocking the Team AC livery clearly brought immense good fortune and good vibes throughout the Archon tournament as both LordJudo and Harmed charged straight into the Top 8.

Day 2 brought 37 Archon competitors. Both Harmed and LordJudo navigated Swiss into the Top 8 cut, where fate paired them against each other in the quarterfinals. Harmed got the upper hand in a tactical masterclass, carried the momentum through the semifinals and grand finals, and captured the Archon Championship! Two down, one to go.

Day 3 — Alliance & The Historic Triple Crown:

The final day featured Alliance. LordJudo finished 3-2 in Swiss, narrowly missing the cut on strength of schedule, while DonkeyForge locked in another Top 8 finish. Meanwhile, Harmed once again proved unstoppable, slicing through the playoff bracket to win the Alliance Championship — sealing the deal just in time for us to pack our bags, sprint out the door, and head for the airport!

Going Home with History in Hand:

On the drive to the airport, MotilityDragon drove us (on his birthday!) as we sat in awe reflecting on what we had just witnessed. Harmed sweeping all three main events — Sealed, Archon, and Alliance — at a European Vault Tour is a truly historic, once-in-a-generation achievement that will not soon be reproduced by anyone in KeyForge history.