by Kelly "Fern" Perfetto
It has been seven months since the last official combat tournament in the Realms, and ten years since the first Tournaments of Artemis. As much as I, and many other people, value a good quest, we are looking to take to the field again for a nice long day of beating up our friends in round after round of war maneuvers.
Last year’s Tournaments of Artemis was a wonderful introduction to the tournament and questing season of 1022 for me, and an educational introduction to the arena of combat tournaments overall. Over the course of the day I made a good number of friends, and all the enemies I found were only temporary.
Those attending this year’s tournament should expect to be sorted into teams day of - no Queen of Hearts style preparations and planning months in advance. This team building lends itself to the fun but not frivolous atmosphere of the day, cementing the idea that we are all there to participate in tournaments, not to win them all. The day will include, of course, the war maneuvers this event is famous for, along with squad battles, one on one fights, and what has only been described thus far as ‘challenges’ that may earn a team points throughout the day. I don’t know what those are, but I’m excited to find out! Maybe a scavenger hunt.
Last year, some of the war games that stood out to me the most included old classics, and new… I’ll call them inventive tactical games, for Aeston’s sake. One of the most memorable experiences from last year was when we were playing Kill the Huntress (Kill the Queen with multiple targets) and I looked around, realizing I was somehow the only Huntress still standing. It wasn’t for lack of trying. Another favorite from that year was when Huntresses ran around among stakes driven into the ground, creating mazes out of thin rope that both teams had to make their way through, fighting all the while. One of the non-combat challenges was “Heraldry Rush” (I remember as I look to my ToA IX team award certificates), which I hope runs again so that I can compete and prove that collecting all those heraldry photos really was worth it. I look forward to seeing another tournament’s worth of these classic competitions and inventive challenges.
Last year, I missed out on much of the food, being as energetic and hopped up on adrenaline as I was. I’ll try to do better this year. Those attending the event can look forward to Sir Gwen’s cooking in the form of a late lunch. Snacks to fuel more fighting throughout the day will be provided as well. I should take advantage of those too. Might do a little better than last year, provided I actually eat, focus, and I’m not helping to prepare for a giant battle.
Though I can’t wait to get back to exploring, fighting monsters and beings from other worlds, and unlocking the mysteries of the Realms, sometimes it’s just nice to sit back, relax, and make a day of hitting your friends over and over again in late April. Come to the tenth Tournaments of Artemis, and join my team as a friend and ally, or join the other side as a temporary enemy!
