MOD PLOT: NOT ALONE DO WE STAND, PART 1

[faderifting]

WHO: Anyone who wants to attend
WHAT: THE GRAND TOURNEY
WHEN: Bloomingtide 20-27
WHERE: Wycome
NOTES: We'll be rolling one or two events per day, in the order listed, and posting the results here! That's also where you can find your diplomacy or espionage assignments and their results. There will be a second log post in about five days regarding the end of the tournament, to give people a place to RP about the competitions' results once they know them and to react to some other surprise developments, so leave some room for dessert.

The Grand Tourney is one of Thedas's greatest spectacles--all the nations of the world and plenty of others besides turned out to compete in this edition of the famous test of arms. The Duke of Wycome has granted the use of a broad plain outside the city, a vast open span of grass bounded on both sides by minor forks of the Minanter making their way to the sea, and split down the center by another. Scores of the duke's men have been hard at work since the announcement, constructing stands and arenas, the rough wooden rails and benches of the commons and luxurious boxes for the more exalted spectators, lifted above the masses and shaded by awnings, draped with bunting in Wycome's brilliant purple and gold.

Between and among the competition grounds are stalls and roving vendors selling anything and everything, most popular the vast open-sided tents filled with trestle tables and benches and neverending barrels of ale and wine as tall as a qunari. Stages of various sizes dot the grounds, hosting musicians, dancers, tumblers, performers of all kinds. Others wander through the crowds, putting on impromptu shows wherever it looks like there are enough people with free coin about.

A half-dozen new wooden bridges span the central river--more like a large stream, really--and connect the competition grounds to the camping grounds. Tents in all colors and styles are arrayed in rough groups, marked out with the banners of knights, houses, mercenary companies, kingdoms. The Inquisition has sprung for new tents for its delegation to make sure they look the part, dramatic black as a backdrop to the Inquisition banners that fly atop each of them, housing two to four people each. Nearest are some Orlesians with an array of brightly-colored silk structures, and on the opposite side, a mercenary company called the the Grizzly Legion, a particularly rowdy outfit, with banners market by a giant red bear, and bonfires and revelry late into the night every night.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

The general atmosphere of the tourney is raucous and celebratory, but the rivalries inherent in the occasion seem less good-natured than they might have in past years. Nevarra seems divided into two camps rather than one, with a (not-yet-literal) line down the middle of their encampment and their crowds that's bridged only by the brave and slightly awkward few who still haven't chosen between the Pentaghasts and Van Markhams. And the Orlesians, despite rumors that the Empire is still struggling in the wake of its own civil war, seem particularly delighted to see their rivals teetering on the brink—some are even taking odds on how soon they'll be able to get Perendale back. But, of course, no one can rival Tevinter for smugness. If there was a fancy sword awarded for that, they would win it every year, and there's no sitting near their delegation without "overhearing" an unnecessarily loud conversation about the sorry state of the rest of Thedas.

Of course, not everyone is caught up in the affairs of surfacer empires: there are delegations from both Orzammar and Kal-Sharok, each apparently pretending the other does not exist, and the odd Avvar and Chasind who seems to think everyone else is being a bit ridiculous about everything. The most isolated attendees are those from the Anderfels, who stick close together and rarely speak to anyone else—not that anyone else seems much inclined even if they did want to. At the other end of the spectrum are the Free Marchers; this is the one occasion every-few-years when they look to one another as brothers, rather than distinct and often competitive nations.

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT

The Grand Tourney's official competitions are scheduled to take place over five days, culminating with the prestigious Grand Melee and awarding of the Celebrant. Before then, the tournament progresses day by day through unarmed combat, archery, armed combat, and jousting competitions, each heavily attended by delighted spectators cheering for their countrymen and any foreigner who strikes them as particularly charming, plus the odd equal-opportunity heckler. A few extra fights break out here and there when tempers flare, between both competitors and observers, and when the alcohol flows more liberally at night the chance of trouble rises. But for the most part, the competitions are fair and the mood around them is celebratory.

Away from the main grounds, a few additional staging areas have been provided for events focused on magic—these are more sparsely attended, due to their unofficial nature and the fears of much of the populace that they might catch a fireball to the face if they wander too close, but enough people's curiosity trumps fear to form a thinner, quieter crowd. The two events open to mages, combat against fade-touched creatures and a version of the melee with teams that allow mages, take place in the early mornings, when they won't be competing with the official events for attention, and are most heavily attended by Tevinter mages who are very, very certain that they can't be beat.

Comments

[coquettish_trees]

It takes the full equivalent of many years of careful training to neither roll her eyes up into her skull nor change her expression even microscopically from its current setting. Is there literally anyone outside Val Royeaux she doesn't have to back-lead through conversation?

You, she's already asked you, keep up.

Granted, he could be just that hung over. Or that sheltered from the savagery of Tevinter's power games. Perhaps he has someone the rest are fearful enough of to not cause undue trouble for him. An older sibling? No, he has the entitlement of the heir and the easy cheek of the youngest simultaneously, he's an only child. A parent, then. And not a doting one, or they'd have passed on their skill. How lonely, to be a cub left in a den of lions.

In the space of a moment, Alexandrie has actually convinced herself to soften towards the boy... which is immediately suspect. Perhaps he's very good, and that was the goal all along. Always go with that one.

"Why my lord," she says, her brows raising, her voice lightly taken aback at the suggestion that she would care for different conversation. She leans towards him just enough for the eye to register the movement, "I see no-one else here whose opinion I would care to have."

[altusimperius]

All the while Lexie's wheels are turning, Benedict's are sluggishly clicking along, debating whether or not he wants food. He's not normally this slow, at least; sometimes after a lot of drinking and a late sleep, the brain just needs to take its time.
He's doing his best.

And when more flattery comes, his expression eases, his ego blooming like a flower in the sun. "Us, then," he replies, lifting his glass and holding it as though to toast with her, "celebrate sitting in the sunshine at a marvelous event, in good company."

now i'm the one marking things read and losing them

[coquettish_trees]

Ah, c'est bon, they've made it!

Alexandrie lifts her glass in response with a bright smile, "You honor me, my lord," she says, tilting it to clink against his with the high chime of fine crystal. "I find myself much in agreement. To the warmth of both sun and fine company, and the display spread out for us," she echoes. The sip of wine following is taken while watching him over the rim, her gaze a touch more intimate than it had been, as if rather than a simple toast it was more of a secret shared.

She'll release to a lighter look once her glass is lowered again, although she'll certainly keep eye contact for as long as she's let. "What is it you wish to see most this day?"

I'm calling the police

[altusimperius]

Benedict considers as he swirls his wine around, gazing into his glass for several moments before taking another drink. "The tourney's finest," he decides, "which is to say, the various nations of Thedas scrambling pathetically to match Tevinter in both style and skill." He smirks at the woman, waiting for her to protest.

*beeps 911 into the microwave*

[coquettish_trees]

"Ah! The magic events then!" Alexandrie exclaims with a little clap of delight and absolutely no hesitation, as if perhaps taking for granted that he certainly couldn't be talking about any of the main events. "I must confess to having attended yesterday's magical combat event; it provided an excellent opportunity to personally observe such style and skill from Tevinter as I'd previously heard only whispers of."

She effects a slight pout. "A pity that only the Grand Melee remains, no?"

*x-files theme* 911 what's your emergency

[altusimperius]

Could be worse.
Could be better too, but she skated around the bait, and for that Bene has to give her a little credit. "A pity if you prefer more genteel activities," he muses, "though there are few to be found here." He sips from his wine again. "Have you kept busy?"

[coquettish_trees]

"As well as one may without the boon of more genteel activities," she replies, musing over her wine with an audible sigh. "I find the excitement of the common folk to be rather endearing, and well-trained men and women clashing into each other in such a way, so skilled at their brutality and so eager to be lauded for it, rarely fails to set the heart aflutter. Many are near beautiful in it."

Alexandrie's gaze is some mix of light curiosity and invitation to gossip. "Have you any combatants you've particularly enjoyed watching?"

[altusimperius]

"Endearing." That's one way to put it. "Maybe if they weren't so noisy." His wine is going quickly, but such is the fate of any beverage held in his hand for too long.
"I like watching the beasts," he muses, "especially when they win."

[coquettish_trees]

The commoners irritants rather than droll or unimportant, best pleased to see the beasts succeed in overpowering their opponents? Alexandrie had been giving him chances to establish himself as above; in both cases he'd picked apart. No return to lauding his countrymen, no amusement at the scurrying of the common man.

She may have been right the first time. That he had grown with little true connection to family or friend, had perhaps come to the heartlessness of the Game younger than she had. That it had not been a choice to take up that weapon so much as a matter of reflexive course.

Wheels click. She hums in response, gestures with a quirked eyebrow at the iced pitcher of wine sitting off to the side, replies lightly.

"The triumph of nature, of Tevinter engineering, or simply that there is something thrilling in knowing that beasts pull no blows?"

[altusimperius]

If Benedict seems to fluctuate between lofty elitism and snide disgust, it's nothing new, though the hangover certainly brings it out in fuller force. Caring about other people takes effort, bandwidth that he doesn't currently have, and it wars with his irritation that they don't care about him.
Perhaps this woman does, but he only just met her, and she's clearly some Orlesian tart just playing the Game. Not worth any real emotional commitment.
With a wave of his hand, Bene just gives a grunt of indifference. Whichever. He pours himself more wine.

[coquettish_trees]

A curious juncture with several choices, she thinks.

First: Continue to prattle on, which he's made his feelings perfectly clear on, lose whatever small goodwill he has, and be remembered— if indeed she were remembered at all— as a bit of brainless Orlesian court fluff. This would conveniently excuse her from further dealings.

Second: Mirror his indifference. Stop talking, continue drinking, watch people in shiny armor gallantly bruise each other en masse, see if he gets bored and goes away, or gets bored and decides to re-engage, or gets cross because he's meant to be the indifferent one (likely ultimately salvageable).

Third: Offer something unexpected. Something Real, or close enough to Real that it'll smell like blood to anyone brought up in court intrigue. Something to either mark her as exploitable or connectable to. Risky. But she's got her own tired little hangover to use, and so...

Alexandrie sighs in some relief (loud enough to be caught at it, but not loud enough to have obviously meant to be caught), her smile vague enough as to seem unconscious, and lounges a bit further into the pillows.

[altusimperius]

If Bene notices this, or cares about it, he doesn't show it-- at least not at first. He gets through a whole second glass of wine while watching the battles, and when he's pouring himself a third about twenty minutes later, he glances to the woman and lifts the pitcher as though to nonverbally ask if she wants any.

[coquettish_trees]

The woman lifts her glass from her lounge as though to nonverbally reply that absolutely she does.

[altusimperius]

Without comment, he pours her some more and relaxes back again.