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Entry tags:
- abby,
- benedict quintus artemaeus,
- byerly rutyer,
- derrica,
- edgard,
- ellis,
- loki,
- loxley,
- marcus rowntree,
- petrana de cedoux,
- wysteria de foncé,
- { adrasteia },
- { allumin etsija },
- { emet-selch },
- { erik stevens },
- { gabranth },
- { james holden },
- { jone },
- { margaery tyrell },
- { sidony veranas },
- { tony stark }
OPEN | the grand tourney!
WHO: All Y'all.
WHAT: It's the Grand Tourney! Like a normal Tourney, but grand.
WHEN: August Now.
WHERE: Kirkwall.
NOTES: Sports... injuries?
WHAT: It's the Grand Tourney! Like a normal Tourney, but grand.
WHEN: August Now.
WHERE: Kirkwall.
NOTES: Sports... injuries?
Every thousand days, the Grand Tourney is organized in the Free Marches, and all the City States-- and even challengers from farther abroad-- come together to celebrate the freedom of the Marches. This year, the event was intended to take place in Tantervale.
When that, uh, fell apart, the tourney was hastily moved to the relative safety of Kirkwall.
Festivities begin early, with musicians and entertainers coming from all around to entertain lords and ladies as they set up tents. Food vendors complete the picnic atmosphere-- you may not be able to get a seat in the stands, but the hills around where the field where it all takes place makes the event easily viewed by all. Jesters, bards, troubadours, food vendors, all are happy to serve and make the event lively and lovely-- for a price.
The first event is the Joust. The announcer goes through everyone's names, their origins, the part they play, so the crowd knows who to root for and who to boo. Before the individual bouts begin, the jousters are expected to ride around the field collecting favors.
The second event is the Quintain. A similar setup to the Joust takes place, with announcements and cheering, gaining favors, etc. The major difference-- besides the content of the event itself-- is the hastily erected judge's stand, where they can view the skills of each comptetitor. Some scores are met with cheers, some with boos. Some competitors schmooze with the judges before their bout. It's all very classy.
In the intermission guests are invited to play a game of tug-of-war over two large piles of flowers and flower petals. As the loosers will discover, there's a pit of mud underneath the flowers. Hopefully you brought a second pair of clothes, or maybe you just don't care
If tug-of-war isn't your game, there's drunken archery. Darktown's very best (worst) booze has been generously donated (appropriated) for the event. One shot to begin, and more shots for every subsequent shot of your bow. Landing closer to bullseye garners more points, and prizes can be collected for high point scores. Nothing particularly valuable, it's more like carnival fare-- stuffed toys, shiny gems (they are colored glass), wood carved in various shapes (some lewd). The most expensive prize is a hangover cure potion (it does not work).
The final event is the ever-popular Melee, where several one-on-one matches take place simultaneously, until someone is either undefeated or the least defeated. As with previous events, each combatant is announced to the crowd and expected to walk around the stands, receiving favors. However, they're expected to do this between every match in the melee, as their popularity rises... or falls.
During all of this, the ever-noble Pas d'Armes event is taking place. If you wander away from the event at any time, Gabranth will be there, at a nearby bridge, judging and / or fighting anyone who wishes to pass. Of course, if you wish to pass without issue, he will accept a favor from you. At the end, he'll be crowned with a white wreath of flowers, in a 'peace offering', and that is the sign that the tourney is done.
Not counting the partying into the night. No medieval camping trip is complete without waking up half clothed in a field, right?
THE JOUST
1st Place: Tony Stark, The Iron Man (Erroneously called 'The Man of Iron' at least once by an announcer. Several people in the stands asked if he was made of iron, why he was called that, what is he doing, why.)
2nd Place: Weary Winona of Wycome (Never took off her helm, which was shaped like a woman's face and painted like she was crying.)
3rd Place: 'Sir Sullivan of Bonneville'(Who might just be Edgard in disguise, however legend has it he's actually an undead noble trying to reclaim his family's honor in the joust. This legend was started by Jone.)
Crowd Favorite: Ellis, The Bachelor (He was, at one point, mostly just a mass of favors, which may have been why he didn't rank. The crowd screamed his name repeatedly and at one point threw flowers at him while he was riding past.)
THE QUINTAIN
1st Place: Derrica, the Rivaini Raider (The chant 'carry me home' began during her bout, and continued whenever she walked near the field.)
2nd Place: Derek, Son of Derek, of the Ostwick Dereks (The 'carry me home' chant continued during his bout, as some confusion arose over whether Derrica was a distant relation of the Ostwick Dereks.)
3rd Place: Madame Noir of Hasmal (A ghostly pale woman wearing only a black gown during her match, there were rumors she'd bribed the judges with money or a low neckline.)
Crowd Favorite: Beth Greene, The Lady of the Green (Rumor has it that she was a wild woman who came from the forests just to compete. This rumor was also started by Jone.)
THE MELEE
1st Place: Pierre the Virtuous of Hambleton (On a particularly sunny day, some suspect he only won because the reflection from his bald head.)
2nd Place: 'The Dark Jaguar' (Who may be Erik Stevens in disguise. A nighttime assassin, he appears from nowhere during a fightusually with the aid of a conveniently placed piece of hanging black fabric but shhhh.)
3rd Place: Laura, Lady Nightshade (Rumor has it she threw her fight to get third place, but everybody who knows Laura knows she'd never do that... right?)
Crowd Favorite: 'The Acolyte' (A young man of roughly the same height and build as Benedict Artemaeus, the crowd really responded to how nervous, yet trying to be brave, he looked.)
Ser John 'the Anointed John' Pembroke of Tantervale
...who trained for this every day and is a professional Tourneyman, and whose win for Tantervale really lifted the spirit of the game to a high note, so how can we be bitter, really.
(Note to 1st placers in other events: this means he beat you in your event.)
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Well, for one, magic is far more widely accepted, and broader in scope besides-- not to mention the developments on the more technological side of things. It has been... an adjustment, to say the least.
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[ Something unpleasant, generally, if Loki's tone is anything to measure by. ]
They're all terrified of their mages, which is understandable I suppose. Where I'm from one doesn't simply find themselves overrun by a demon in their mind and body unless they go looking for that sort of thing.
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[look, the world can't just dangle something like that in front of a man and expect him not to be interested.]
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[ If Loki sounds a little miffed, well. He and the Provost aren't friends, and he's pretty sure he could never work there, despite his own interest. ]
If they don't have a particular subsection dedicated to the study of the Fade I would be very surprised.
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[that tone gets an evaluating look, though, mildly curious.]
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The Provost and I have a bad history, I'm afraid to say. He doesn't trust me, for reasons entirely my fault, and I doubt he'd be interested in giving me much of a chance to change his opinion.
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[but he doesn't seem put off by the admission, really, adding:]
Well, as I've yet to speak personally with the man myself-- you do have the advantage of the first word, should you care to take it.
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I tried to take over the planet he's from, is a simple enough start, for a myriad of reasons, most of them not very good ones, but there is that. I'm certain that he would tell anyone who might listen that I'm dangerous, which is true, and a megalomaniac, which is only recently untrue.
That said, I have very little against the man personally, despite his hand the undoing of my plans for Midgard. He's friends with my brother.
[ A shrug. ]
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[what empire doesn't try a takeover or two-- what sufficiently powerful person doesn't think about it, honestly? at how many points in a given world's history does someone take their shot? these things happen.]
Only recently untrue, though?
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Still. The Provost is one of a group who considers themselves 'heroes' and I was definitely the villain of that chapter.
[ He has no idea what's happened in the time since he last saw... either Tony Stark or his future version, but that's neither here nor there. ]
I can admit my failings when it will cost me very little to do so.
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So he's that sort, is he. I'll count myself better off for the forewarning.
[potentially someone to be careful around, or potentially just the type whose company he won't particularly care for; he'll judge for himself, naturally, but it helps to know going in.]
But given the wording you've used regarding that particular chapter, I assume it is also easier to admit one's failings following-- well. Failure.
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He's not going to ask. Time, place, etcetera, etcetera. ]
Failure on an epic scale, to be quite honest. [ Failure that puts one's entire life choices into perspective. ] Not just the attempt on Midgard, honestly.
[ A slight shrug. ]
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Then I suppose one in your position might find being here a sort of reprieve, if it all went so poorly. A bit of distance, a relative lack of connection to the past... unless, of course, you felt you had pressing work to do to follow up there?
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[how many of them is that true for, he has to wonder.]
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[ He would guess that most of them — those from worlds other than Thedas — would know the truth of that, even if they don't admit it. ]
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[but he says it a little flippantly, like it's really no concern of his whether it turns out well or poorly, and waves one hand.]
It isn't as though there's any changing it, at the moment.
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True enough.