Queen of Hearts XXXI: Knave of Hearts - Tournament Results

 

War Maneuvers

Field Battle - Team Diamond and Team Club

Folkestone Challenge - Team Heart and Team Club

Bridge Battle - Team Spade and Team Club

Castle Battle - Team Spade and Team Heart

Wizard War - Team Spade and Team Diamond

Hadrian's Wall - Team Spade and Team Club

Monster Chess - Team Spade and Team Heart

Rock Assault - Team Spade and Team Diamond

Grand Teamwork - Team Heart and Team Diamond

Bridge Battle Limited - Team Heart and Team Club

Folkestone Challenge Limited - Team Heart and Team Diamond

Castle Battle Limited - Team Spade and Team Heart

Knave's War - Team Heart and Team Club

Weapon Styles Showcase

Single Short Individual - Jasper, representing Team Heart and Club

Single Short Squad - Azimuth, Daekara, and Veit, representing Team Spade and Diamond

Mixed Florentine Individual - Daekara, representing Team Spade and Diamond

Mixed Florentine Squad - Luke John, Jasper, and Torolf, representing Team Heart and Club

Sword and Shield Individual - Torolf, representing Team Heart and Club

Sword and Shield Squad - Jasper, Fern, and Luke John representing Team Heart and Club

Hand and a Half Individual - Luke John representing Team Heart and Club

Hand and a Half Squad - Fern, Corvus, and Jasper representing Team Heart and Club

Oops All Ranged Individual - Bogen representing Team Spade and Diamond

Oops All Ranged Squad - Grazen, Bogen, and Azimuth representing Team Spade and Diamond

Five on Five Tournaments

Five on Five Lines - Team Spade and Team Club

Five on Five Bear Pit - Team Spade and Team Club

Five on Five Jugging - Team Heart and Team Diamond

Arcane Artisan

Armament - Grazen representing Team Spade and Kalashai representing Team Heart

And the winner of Knave of Hearts was: Team Heart led by the Knave of Hearts, Johan!

Why I Want To Go - Queen of Hearts XXXI Knave of Hearts

 By: Adrian Cronin 

This year is my ten year anniversary in the realms. Queen of Hearts was my second event and by far the most intense crash course the realms has to offer. My friends and I found the game through a simple google search and decided to give it a shot. We had pvc weapons, no armor and got our asses handed to us all day long. There were four teams back then, rushing back and forth across the field with an intensity I could never have anticipated. My memory of that event is so vivid. We met the friends who would become my church, and my nation. I wrote a song on site and won the bardic tourney, only for my trophy to get handed to the wrong person and never be seen again. I got piked in the face. I got yelled at. It was legendary.

Coming back to the event over the years, it has faced multiple evolutions to survive the times while still managing to retain the same staples we all love and enjoy. Like jilted lovers, we complain to Sir Aeston and he takes it in stride. Managing to create something interesting for us all to enjoy. I have high hopes for this year.

With no predetermined teams, we have an opportunity for balance. We can take things down a notch in regards to the intensity. Make the game a bit more approachable, especially with such a large community of players with different desires and expectations regarding what we do.

Ten years ago, the Broken Spears just showed up. And now that’s all we’re asking you to do. Just show up, fight your ass off, call your shots, watch your blow strength and stay hydrated. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate humility, which is a core value of the Broken Spears Free Company than to compete on equal ground with all of you. That field has a lot of history. Plenty of ghosts and at least a few angels. The eyes of the warriors who came before us are upon us. Act accordingly, and do honor to yourself and to them.

When night falls, the most hyped night quest in quite some time will be taking place. So save a bit of steam.

I’ll be honest, I would have loved to have run my team this year. To celebrate Broken Spears on their tenth year and bring the hype of my team's progress to proper conclusion. However I am taking this extra year as an opportunity. To mend broken bonds and prepare the community for the greatest battle the realms has ever seen. 

For next year, Cronin Barbaria will face off against Margaret August. Margaret and I are both committed to putting past strifes behind us and are holding our teams to the highest standards. 

We’ve got a year. My sigil may be a bull but that doesn’t mean I can’t squash beef. Let it end.

Praise Vandor.

-Cronin Barbaria

Conspiracy Monthly

By Kieran//Kyra Barry

Knave of Hearts - Complete Event Information

 

What is Knave of Hearts?

Knave of Hearts is an alternate version of Queen of Hearts Tournaments and War Maneuvers that will run on odd-numbered event years.

The overall mission of Knave of Hearts is to design an experience that is in many ways similar to the traditional norms of Queen of Hearts but to create a version where players can simply ‘show up and play’ without the need to coordinate teams or prepare the many roles that are required for those teams.

Knave of Hearts puts fighting in War Maneuvers all day as the principle focus with some individual combat, some small-group combat, and some crafting tournaments sprinkled in. 

Please read on below to have a full understanding of what to expect at this year’s Knave of Hearts.

Showing Up and Playing at Knave of Hearts

There are no premade teams for Knave of Hearts. You do not have to find a team to join or coordinate with anyone ahead of time at all. To play at Knave of Hearts just bring all of your gear and get ready to spend the day in a wide array of large group fights.

People will be sorted onto four different teams once tournaments begin on Saturday. Those teams will be named for the four different card suits (spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs). Each team will have a single Knave that is leading them that will be determined as those teams are made.

In virtually all war maneuvers two of the teams will face off against the two other teams on a rotation, meaning that every team will fight alongside and against every other team multiple times throughout the day. Each team will accrue points for winning war maneuvers independently of one another.

Many war maneuvers will be unlimited. Some will be ‘Queen of Hearts Limited’. See the description on the Queen of Hearts War Maneuvers page for a full description of ‘Queen of Hearts Limited’

We will be having an individual (and 3-person) weapon-style showcase at the conclusion of the daytime on Saturday. In these tournaments each of the four teams will be represented separately. 

There will be some small-group combat (specifically 5-person) tournaments on Sunday morning. In these tournaments each of the four teams will be represented separately. 

The very last tournament of the day on Sunday will be Knave’s War which will pit all four teams against one another in a spectacle that’s not entirely unlike Queen’s War but with some exciting new twists!

Knave of Hearts Tournament Information

This is a mostly-complete list of tournaments and war maneuvers we plan on running throughout the weekend. Things may get cut from this list, rearranged, or even be added based on time considerations for the event and the pace we follow.

Below are very brief descriptions of the tournaments. The standard Queen of Hearts tournaments will run very similarly to normal (with some slight deviations) and players may refer back to the Queen of Hearts pages on rhiassa.com to learn more about how they work. Some other tournaments that are returning classics will probably require a bit more explanation but complete descriptions are forthcoming.

War Maneuvers (Saturday and Sunday). Every War Maneuver that is won will bestow ten (10) points to both of the teams that were on the winning side. Winning a War Maneuver (and only War Maneuvers) will result in both teams getting a Knave Card.

• Field Battle (Unlimited and QoH Limited)

You fight. In a field. 

• Bridge Battle (Unlimited and QoH Limited)

You fight. On a bridge. There will be a time limit. When the time limit is reached in the Unlimited version of this tournament it automatically switches to QoH Limited.

• Folkestone Challenge (Unlimited and QoH Limited)

A classic tournament! You fight. In a field. That field is full of obstacles that you have to fight around or over or under or through while you are facing your opponents.

• Castle Battle (Unlimited and QoH Limited)

You fight. In a castle. Teams will take turns attacking and defending. There will be a time limit. When the time limit is reached in the Unlimited version of this tournament it automatically switches to QoH Limited.

• Monster Chess (Special armor and magic rules)

A classic tournament! It works a lot like Rhiassan Live Chess but all the pieces are different monsters with different special abilities (the Queen is troll twins!).

• Hadrian’s Wall (Unlimited)

Fight an opposing team on the opposite side of a wall, raising flags for point control. As per normal Queen of Hearts rules.

• Wizard War (Super Duper Unlimited)

A classic tournament! If you are a spell caster you automatically get an extra path of spells (circles 1-5). Then you may also choose either another extra path of spells (circles 2-6) or a bump up in your weapon restriction. If that bump up in weapon restriction takes you from light restriction to no restriction you may also wear two points of armor.

• Luck of the Draw (QoH Limited)

A classic tournament! Your team gets sorted into very small squads. Squads get called into the melee in a randomly determined order as the fight builds to its final form.

• Rock Assault (non-com)

Throw bean bags (rocks) across a maze-filled field to score points in the opposing goal. As per normal Queen of Hearts rules.

• Grand Teamwork (non-com)

Participate in a physical and mental challenge as a team that will test your ability to plan and coordinate. As per normal Queen of Hearts rules.

• Challenge Race (non-com)

Run through this obstacle course as a team completing challenges of skill and chance along the way. As per normal Queen of Hearts rules.

• Knaves War (QoH Limited)

The culmination of the weekend. See more information below.

Individual Showcase (Saturday Afternoon). Winning an individual or 3-person tournament will bestow five (5) points to the team that those competitors represent.

Each individual on your team may fight in one individual tournament and one 3-person squad tournament. They may not both be the same weapon style. All of these fights are true limited and casters can break restriction to enter them.

• Single Short Individual
• Single Short 3-person Squad

• Mixed Florentine - Individual
• Mixed Florentine - 3-person Squad

• Sword and Shield - Individual
• Sword and Shield - 3-person Squad

• Hand and a Half - Individual
• Hand and a Half - 3-person Squad

• Oops all Ranged - Individual
• Oops all Ranged - 3-person Squad

5-person Squads (Sunday Morning). Winning a 5-person battle will bestow ten (10) points to the single team that emerged victorious. 

• 5 on 5 Lines

You fight. In a Line. With 5 people on a side. As per normal Queen of Hearts rules.

• 5 on 5 Bear Pit

Each side sends in one competitor a time, the winner stays in the pit to fight the next opponent. As per normal Queen of Hearts rules.

• 5 on 5 Jugging

Jugging (or Jugger) is a boffer sport that transcends Realms (there are international rules and leagues) though it certainly has a history in Realms as well with our own adaptations that better fit our game rules. Each side has one ball carrier (the Qwik), one true-florentine wielder, one sword-and-shield wielder, one hand-and-a-half wielder, and one Ball and Chain wielder. Only the Quik can score points by placing the ball (actually a skull) onto the goal on the opponents side. The Ball and Chain weapon will be provided by the event.

The Crafting Competition at Knave of Hearts

(The Arcane Artisan Competition)

Crafting is an important part of the fabric of Queen of Hearts and therefore Knave of Hearts must honor that aspect of our community as well, though it will do so through a fundamentally different method.

The crafting tournament at Knave of Hearts will be known as The Arcane Artisan Competition, and it is essentially a tournament about crafting create-your-own magic items.

Any individual who is attending Knave of Hearts may make a single entry to this crafting tournament. Since there are no pre-made teams there is no way to know who else will be on your team the day of the event and a single team may end up with many entries overall.

You may choose only one of the following categories from which to make your magic item

• Armaments (weapons, shields, armor, thrown spell props)
• Apparel (clothing, cloaks, hats, shoes, etc)
• Artifacts (jewelry, accessories, wands, other spell props, etc)

You may employ whatever crafting materials or methods you choose to make your entry to this competition. The item must be brand new and completely crafted by the artisan that is submitting the entry.

All items must have a significant amount of blue on them, though they do not have to be completely blue or even mostly blue. They should all be particularly ornate and come across as giving the impression of looking magical in some way. This is of course in the eye of the beholder, but it is the vibe you should aim for.

You must make up a power for your item and have it printed/written out on a piece of paper that you will submit with your item. Magic weapons can swing magic along with having one very minor power. All other items may have a power that is roughly equivalent to the power of a 3rd circle spell.

At any point after teams have been sorted, each Artisan should place their crafting entry on the tables upstairs in the tavern. The top floor of the tavern will be set up as an Artisan gallery. There will be blank placards on which you will write the following information

• Your proposed name for the item. This name must begin with “The Knave’s…”
• The suit of the team you were sorted on to.
• You must NOT put your name on the placard. The goal is for all entries to be anonymous.

Throughout the entirety of the day on Saturday the crafting entries will be on display in the gallery. Over dinner break the judges will determine the winners.

• There will be up to three (3) winners from each of the categories for a total of up to (9) winners.
• There is no detailed rubric for judging this competition. The winning entries will be the ones that are the most impressive both visually and in the quality of their construction.
• Each winning entry will earn five (5) points for the team they are on. A team can have more than one winner in the same category.
• The winning entries will become magic items for one calendar year. The staff reserves the right to modify the item’s powers before granting it the status of becoming a magic item.

Nightquest

After dinner break there will be a significant nightquest by a major plot team. More info coming soon.

Knave’s War

The final culmination tournament of Knave of Hearts will be Knave’s War. You’ll see that Knave’s War is in many ways inspired by Queen’s War to create a similar experience, ending the event in grand fashion, though there are many differences as well.

Throughout the course of the weekend, teams have earned Knave Cards for winning war maneuvers. These cards have no rank or suit, they are all equally “Knaves”. The Knave Cards that your team has earned will give you a subtle advantage in Knaves War.

The four teams will each compete separate from one another, forming four queues that create a square shape on the tournament field. The left side of each of those lines (looking from the middle of the field) is where players will enter the fighting area. Everyone in every line starts the tournament by “standing” (to use the Queen’s War parlance), there are no people sitting initially. 

Teams may give the Knave Cards to whichever players on their team they choose to. These are essentially ‘wild cards’.

Every member of your team that does not have a Knave Card will be given a standard playing card by the marshaling staff. These will be passed out in such a way that your team will end up with roughly the same number of cards of each suit.

Your team will then arrange its standing line in this order

1. All players with Knave Cards
2. All players with Spade Cards
3. All players with Hearts Cards
4. All players with Diamond Cards
5. All players with Club Cards

When it is time for combat to begin, the head marshal will pull one card from a shuffled deck and call out what suit it is. When that suit is called out your team will send in either:

• The first person in the queue that has been assigned that suit or
• The Knave player that is at the front of the line.

Equipping some of your strongest players with Knave cards and being able to choose when they enter the fray is the advantage that comes from having won those cards throughout the day.

Once the suit is called out by the marshal they will start a 5-count. By the end of the 5-count if your team hasn’t sent in a Knave Card they must send in the matching suit.

Out of the four players that enter the arena only one will be the winner. The three players that lose will start or join the sitting line for their teams, sitting in front of the standing line in the order that they died. Suit order does not matter in the sitting line.

The winner of that fight gets back into the line, at the back of the group that matches their suit (or at the back of the Knaves if they have a Knave Card). They also take the person at the front of the sitting line and have them rejoin the standing line at the back of the group that matches their suit.

Play will continue in this way, with the marshal drawing a card and calling out that suit to enter the arena. If a suit is called and you no longer have anyone who can enter the arena from that suit, you must send in a Knave Card to replace them. If you also do not have any Knave Cards your team forfeits that turn.

Play continues in this fashion until only one team has standing players.

The winning team of Knave’s war receives 25 points.

Prizes and the End of the Event

Prizes to commemorate Queen of Hearts are an important part of the experience and Knave of Hearts will keep that tradition alive. 

After Knave’s War has concluded we will gather together to give out awards for the War Maneuvers, squads, individuals, and crafting tournaments. We will also recognize this year’s winning Knave of Hearts.

(All of the information in this article is archived at http://rhiassa.com/qoh/knave.html)

Announcement: Queen of Hearts XXXI: Knave of Hearts

 

Hello people of the Realms,

I’m here today to make a rather major announcement about the future of The Queen of Hearts Tournaments and War Maneuvers.

It’s kind of a long walk to where we’re going but my intent is to be open and transparent, so please read on.

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Here’s the tldr; Queen of Hearts this year will be fundamentally different than usual, will not have premade teams, and will overall have a less formal but still very fun composition overall. This event will be subtitled Knave of Hearts.

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It is probably helpful if I put this in the context of some more recent history. Since the pandemic, it has sometimes been a struggle to find two teams that are both willing to invest the incredible amount of effort it takes to organize and execute everything that’s necessary to make Queen of Hearts happen.

Not always, of course. Multiple years we have had two teams that from day one were enthusiastic and energized and carried that all the way through August. Other times, however, it did not come together easily.

This year in particular, no one initially stepped forward with a solid desire to run a team. Sometimes that happens, and in response I start to ask around and try to inspire people to step up. It’s not uncommon at all. This year we had one team, The Broken Spears, who fully embraced the challenge. I also had several other potential teams that expressed a true desire to put something together and take the field but simply had too many conflicts to make it happen in time for this summer.

I think the reality of the situation is this, compared to the early 2000s and 2010s, especially since the pandemic, the Realms is a smaller community that is overall less focused on tournament fighting than it has been in the past.

After some deep thought, honest conversations with my team, and contemplation about the event and the role it holds in the community, what’s become clear is there is probably just enough inspiration and energy in the Realms to put together a formal, fully traditional Queen of Hearts every other year.

So what do we do with that? Well, there is another old and sporadic Rhiassan tradition that we’ve sometimes visited called Knave of Hearts. These events have been uncommon, the last one was over a decade ago, but their intent has always been to create a place to just run our standard slate of war maneuvers without the formality of making teams and keeping score, and all the other aspects of the event that consume a lot of time, money, and energy. 

So beginning this year we will absorb the Knave of Hearts style, with an array of updates, into the normal Queen of Hearts framework. On odd numbered years, like this one coming up, we will hold Knave of Hearts events. On even numbered years we will run the traditional Queen of Hearts style like we have for the three decades prior.

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So this year’s event, Queen of Hearts XXXI, will deviate from its last 30 years of tradition and instead officially be known as:

Rhiassa Presents: Queen of Hearts XXXI, Knave of Hearts

What does this mean? Well, I don’t 100% exactly know all of that yet, but I will tell you what we do know.

• There will be no premade teams. We will sort all of the combatants into two teams in some way that is fun and interesting but also mixes things up a little bit.
• The event will largely feature war maneuvers. The Queen of Hearts favorites will all be there, Live Chess, Hadrian’s Wall, Castle Battles, etc. We will also have a chance to try out some new experimental war maneuvers and bring back some classics that have been retired for a while (Folkestone Challenge???)
• There will be an assortment of non-combat war maneuvers as well, such as Targetball.
• There will be some amount of individual and small-group fighting.
• There will be an awesome night quest by a big production team that takes full advantage of the whole site, some parts of which some of you have never seen.
• There will still be cards to keep score, still be lots of prizes, still be lots of lifting one another up and celebration of everyone on the field. 

There are questions that have yet to be answered of course. We’ve gotta figure out exactly how all this looks. Our event holding team will be getting together soon to figure out everything you will need to know and to publish that information.

But in reality all you need to know is this; show up, bring all your weapons, and prepare to spend a fun weekend fighting it out on Rhiassa’s war maneuver fields. 

All are welcome; there’s no need to wait to be invited to a team and no one to have to pre-coordinate with. 

Let’s fill up the event site with everyone who loves big fighting tournaments and have a great time together as a community.

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Now for a couple remaining details.

Everything that was planned for Queen of Hearts this year will be pushed forward to 2027 for Queen of Hearts XXXII.

Chimeron will still be the guest marshaling staff. The non-com categories and rubrics will remain as we’ve already announced them. Thank you for Chimeron for your cooperation so far this year and we look forward to working with you next year to make your ideas come to life.

The Broken Spears remain on the roster as one of the two established teams. All of you have my deepest gratitude for stepping up this year and trying to keep with our normal traditions. I know for some of you who have already begun preparations this might be disappointing news. Please instead try to think of it as an extra year to prepare and to make even more grandiose plans and crafting entries. We’re sincerely looking forward to seeing your team on the field next year.

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I’ve said a lot at this point, but I’ll leave off with some personal thoughts that have come to mind as I’ve contemplated all of these things the past few days, which, believe me, has not been easy.

Rhiassa holds in trust two of the Realms oldest traditions between Queen of Hearts and Feast of the Leviathan. In my tenure as lord of Rhiassa I’ve always expressed a maxim to my team; evolve or die.

These events have stood the test of time because we’ve been willing to update them and acclimate them to the changing eras of our community. An event format and norms that the Realms found fun in 1996 would feel widely out of place in 2026, and I’ve taken a lot of pride in the fact that we constantly reflect deeply on how to make our events better, adopt new things, and put aside things when their time has passed. The fact that all of you still trust us with these event traditions after all these years is not one that I take lightly.

This kind of change to Queen of Hearts has probably been a long time coming and if I’m honest with myself I have most likely been a lot more stubborn than I should have been in seeing it. I owe a lot of gratitude to the people around me who have been gently encouraging this change for the last few years while also giving me the space to make that decision for myself.

This is not a retreat from our ideals about event holding, we’re not going to approach Knave of Hearts like it does not matter as much or think of those years as the years where we get to lay back. You’ll have our full commitment to making these years as engaging, interesting, competitive, and fun as we possibly can. This is the evolution the event needs to push forward into this next chapter. I think it's a positive one that will let us try a lot of new and exciting ideas.

As always, thank you to everyone who has supported us and our events over all these years. We look forward to seeing you in August. We look forward to your help in writing the story of what Knave of Hearts will become.

In service,

Jason Rosa

Queen of Hearts XXXI - Aces, Crafting and Performance Rubrics

Hello all,

August seems like a long way off but planning for Queen of Hearts is well underway for our exceptional staff of marshals and contributors. This year Rhiassa has teemed up with the Kingdom of Chimeron, inviting them to put their own unique touches on this historic event series.

One of their suggestions was the importance of publishing all of the crafting and performance rubrics well ahead of the event so that entrants to those tournaments can have a greater understanding of how to best score points. So that's what you'll see below.

First, however, I'd like to announce this year's Ace's Categories.

Ace of Spades - Champion Ace

Ace of Hearts - Mage Ace

Ace of Diamonds - Bard Ace

Ace of Clubs - Ranger Ace

Some reminders of how we structure the Aces Tournament (from last year's Queen of Hearts website)

Aces is a 4-person "Champion" team. The four Aces are each trying to earn their own points while also helping one another earn points through various fights and competitions.

The Aces tournament is in three parts:

War Maneuver Showcases: Most Aces will be able to fight with their teams in most of the war maneuvers most of the time. In some cases, before the war maneuver takes place, all Aces will be called out to the center of the field and compete 4 on 4 (or less if some Aces are called away for something individual). These 4 on 4 fights are meant to be, in a sense, miniature versions of the war maneuver about to be fought. Although all available Aces will be fighting in these fights, there will be a random and rotating system that determines which Ace suit(s) the points will be applied towards.

Ace Individual Challenges: These competitions involve the two aces of the same suit competing against each other in combat and in other challenges that specifically relate to the theme of their Ace suit as listed above.

Ace Group Challenges: Some Ace competitions will involve multiple Aces from your team working together against the Aces from the other team in things such as multi-person combat or other challenges.

Now moving on to the non-com rubrics. The categories for this year were announced several weeks ago, but these rubrics will show you how those categories and overall these fit into the scoring that we will use. First, a review of the categories that we announced at the beginning of March:

Performance Competition:

A partner dance

Crafting Categories:

The theme for this year is “The four seasons”. Each of the four traditional seasons (summer, autumn, winter, spring) must be represented across the four of your team’s crafting entries. How you interpret these themes is up to the crafters on your team.

• Foamsmith Competition: a hand-and-a-half blunt weapon with a special emphasis on being “otherworldly”.

• Armourer Competition: a set of pauldrons with a special emphasis on being made of mixed media (at least three).

• Garb Competition: a doublet with sleeves with a special emphasis on being reversible.

• Artificer Competition: a source of light with a special emphasis on the incorporation of movement.

And now here are each of the rubrics we'll be using at Queen of Hearts XXXI

As always, the crafting and performance tournaments are an important and enduring part of the fabric of Queen of Hearts dating all the way back to the origin of the event. We look forward to the amazing contributions in these categories that our teams make every single year.

In service,

Jason and the Queen of Hearts Staff

Announcing the Queen of Hearts XXXI Crafting Categories

 

The crafting and performance categories for Queen of Hearts XXXI are as follows

Performance Competition:

A partner dance

Crafting Categories:

The theme for this year is “The four seasons”. Each of the four traditional seasons (summer, autumn, winter, spring) must be represented across the four of your team’s crafting entries. How you interpret these themes is up to the crafters on your team.

• Foamsmith Competition: a hand-and-a-half blunt weapon with a special emphasis on being “otherworldly”.

• Armourer Competition: a set of pauldrons with a special emphasis on being made of mixed media (at least three).

• Garb Competition: a doublet with sleeves with a special emphasis on being reversible.

• Artificer Competition: a source of light with a special emphasis on the incorporation of movement.

Additionally within the next month or so we will be releasing the rubrics we will be using to judge the above competitions.

What You Missed - Queen of Hearts XXX

By Commander Ryu Goldscale

As an avid reader of Conspiracy Monthy, I must mention how intrigued I was for what this event had in store for the participants. Sadly, the most “risqué” thing about this event was the new safety requirements for pikes enforced this year. This Queen of Hearts continued to be a spectacular competitive event rated E for everyone, and honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way! Despite this only being my second time attending, I would describe QoH XXX as the best QoH I have ever been to, and the most fun I have had in a while. I quite liked many of the changes that were made this year, including adding “non com” components to some of the combat tournaments, the ace tournaments, and the addition of Siege weapons in the Art of War tournament. All around, I was thoroughly impressed by the Event Organizers, Marshals, my fellow teammates, and the participants on the opposite team. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for next year! Now, onto the play by play.

The two teams this year were Team Cressida and Team Sindri. Both teams came armed with an impressive collection of true supporters and Aces. Team Cressida boasted the talents of Shader as General, Evie as Seneshal, and Me as Provost. In addition, we employed the skills of Jasper as our Warrior Ace, Styx as our Mage Ace, Kalashai as our Ace of all Trades, and Bogen as our RAT Ace (rogue assassin thief). Team Sindri, likewise, had an equally formidable lineup of true supporters. Highlord Temorse as General, Kwido as Seneshal, and Graham as Provost. It was obvious Queen Sindri came to win, as they brought Killian as Warrior Ace, Kaelkatar as Mage Ace, Grindin as Ace of all Trades, and someone so mysterious and secretive they were never uncovered as RAT Ace. With such a lineup, the title of Queen of Hearts was quite literally anyone’s to claim. 

As always, the event kicked off with all of the major war maneuvers; Kill the Queen, field battle, the incredibly lengthy and excessive Art of War bracket, and of course, Hadrian’s Wall. While Team Cressida fought incredibly well and showed incredible tenacity during the bridge battle, the experience and tactics of Team Sindri overcame us, and once again proved why Highlord Temorse is often asked to be a General each year. I however, will never forget the shock on Lord Aeston’s face, when we proved just how portable a Ballista can be and put it in the tower of our castle.

At various points during the war maneuvers, combatants were pulled aside for the individual and pair tournments such as, closed fighter, open fighter, mixed pair, Duncan's challenge, knight and squire, and newbie. For a full list of the individual tournaments and their winners, I will direct you to this View Article. I do want to say, that the level of skill and sportsmanship on display among all combatants was off the charts. For all the newer players that participated in this year’s Queen of Hearts, I am so incredibly impressed by you and I am so excited to see where you go from here. I know you are going to move on to do amazing things. You all embodied the phrase “do honor to yourself and the Realms” and I would fight beside you anytime. 

After the classic war manuvers, we moved into what I like to call “non com war maneuvers”. Technically, they don’t require combat, but they certainly required a level of athleticism and projectiles that I wouldn’t want to participate in as a true noncombatant as per the omnibus. Regardless, this encapsulates tournaments like Rock Assault, a magic missile bonanza that went on for far too much time and included far too many rocks. Despite the many missiles to the face, we all escaped mostly unscathed, and maturely let Aeston know ways he could improve the tournament. I’m kidding, we all immediately turned on him and helped him collect the scattered missiles by lobbing them in his general direction. 

There were many more tournaments, both combat and non combat, that ran Saturday. So many that I wasn’t able to keep track of them. I will once again direct you to the full list of Tournaments and Victors that was posted on the View recently. If you participated in these tournaments that I didn’t mention, you kicked ass, regardless of if you won. I am so happy that you came and gave 110%.

Saturday ended with the Weapon Showcases, a series of one on ones and squad battles that showcased individual combos. I had luckily found a Tambourine in my box of things, and took advantage of the situation to cheer louder than the other team and boost our spirits. While every participant in the showcase was incredible, I want to give a particular shout out to the sword and shield three man squad participants. That was a battle that will go down in the history books.

Night fell with the promise of the crafting presentations and a party. Both teams participated in the opening ceremony to light the bonfire, and despite how it looked, the rest of site was kept fire free. A few people were invited to share some words about Queen of Hearts and the order of the Magi surprised us by inducting Merrix into their ranks. I was further surprised by the Knights of the Lunar Aegis when they called me up to promote me from an Initiate to an Elite, the second step on my journey towards becoming a Knight of the Lunar Aegis. The evening ended with the presentation of all the crafting competitions. As always, we crafters went all out and put our best foot forward. All of the projects were stunning and true works of Art. I am sure the judges had a tough time determining the winners of each category. 

Sunday rolled around with the 5 man and 10 man battles. For an extra boost of morale, team Cressida dressed to impress in Hawaiian and Tropical shirts, a tradition I hope will continue in the future. At this point, the scoreboards was looking pretty tight, I truly believe this was the closest competition I’ve seen at Queen of Hearts. Even though we were all exhausted from the day before, Luke John apparently didn’t get that memo and completely swept the five man bear pit. Where did he get that energy from??? 

There were a few more tournaments on Sunday, but let’s be honest, you’re all just here to read about Queens War. For the sake of my audience (and because I can’t remember which tournaments were on which days) I’ll skip ahead. Queens War, as always, is the highlight of the event, at least for me. A series of limited 1v1s that always impress and dazzle. This year was no exception. Everyone brought their A game, even those that normally don’t fight. Some notable moments I remember include an amazing Javelin catch by Rosetta, some matrix level projectile dodging from Voutia, and a fierce attempt by Makhta to defeat a 6’6 with double daggers! As always, though, Queens War had to end and despite an incredible showing by Griffin, Team Sindri took the victory. 

After was the awards ceremony. This year, the awards were custom, laser etched wooden swords with the name of the tournament on them, and similar mason jars filled with nicknacks and candy. I completely agree with Shader that these awards were “not mid”. I would even go so far as to call them “peak”. Omri also presented some custom awards, hand drawn and completely free of bias. I was delighted by these awards personally. At the end, of course, a Queen of Hearts had to be crowned. The competition was close, but Team Sindri cinched the win! Many accolades to Queen Sindri! May you have a long and prosperous reign (until the next Queen is crowned).

This year really renewed my interest in Queen of Hearts. Previously, I felt I could take it or leave it, but this year made me feel as if I would be missing out by not attending. For my first time being a True Supporter, I had so much fun and really got to see in real time how much I’ve improved. I want to shout out the amazing photographers, YPNN, Orion, Margaret, Rowan, Toah, and Cyrus. There was truly not a moment of this event that wasn’t photographed and every picture is just stunning. Thank you all so much for your dedication to documenting everyone’s best moments. To the staff and marshals, THANK YOU! I cannot say thank you enough! To my friends and Teammates on Team Cressida, you all rock. You brought my dreams of what a Queen of Hearts team could be to life and I will forever be thankful to you all. To the opposing members of Team Sindri, congratulations on the win and thank you for bringing your all. Despite the gap in the team size and experience, you all were willing to roll with the punches and did everything you could to help keep the teams as balanced as possible. Thank you to those who switched teams halfway through, and especially thank you for not pulling any punches. I hope Queen of Hearts XXX will be remembered for a long time, I know I certainly will, and no matter what the future of Queen of Hearts holds, I will see you all on the battlefield!

All Hail Queen Sindri!

Cmd Ryu

PS: Their RAT was Kwido. It was very obvious. 

[Tambourine of Victory!]

What You Missed - Queen of Hearts XXX - Photos

Photos courtesy of Dustin "Toah" Mack

 

 

Queen Sindri

 

Queen Cressida

 

Ashenmark on the move

 

Team Cressida's siege weapon

 

Rock Assault got pretty wild

Live Chess anyone?

I wonder what their cookin' up?

 

The Order of the Magi induct new member Merrix

Ryu gets promoted to Elite status in the Order of the Lunar Aegis 

 

Double Daggers!

Dodge this!

 

One of many, many fights in Queen's War

 

This year's winner, Queen Sindri

Queen of Hearts XXX Official Results

Below are the results from the 30th Queen of Hearts Tournaments and War Maneuvers presented by Rhiassa.

War Maneuvers

• Castle Battle - Team Sindri
• Bridge Battle - Team Sindri
• Antonine Wall - Team Sindri
• Field Battle - Team Sindri
• Live Chess - Team Sindri
• Hadrian's Wall - Team Sindi
• Squad Grand Melee - Team Sindri
• Grand Teamwork - Team Cressida
• Rock Assault - Team Sindri
• Snatch n' Dodge - Team Sindri
• Queen's War - Team Sindri

Five and Ten Persons

• Five Person Field Battle - Team Sindri
• Five Person Bear Pit - Team Sindri
• Ten Person Field Battle - Team Cressida
• Ten Person Bear Pit - Team Sindri

Individual Combat Tournaments

• Open Fighter - Luke John from Team Sindri
• Closed Fighter - Omri from Team Cressida
• Mixed Pair - Ryu and Griffin from Team Cressida
• Light Caster - Grindin from Team Sindri
• Heavy Caster - Malaki from Team Sindri
• Young Blood - Margaret from Team Cressida
• Newbie - Nestra from Team Cressida
• Knight & Squire - Malaki and Cronyn (and sometimes Kwido) from Team Sindri
• Spirit & Steel - Osric and Anton from Team Sindri
• Boff Archery - Potato from Team Sindri
• Duncan's Challenge - Graham from Team Sindri

Weapons Styles Showcase

• Single Short Individual - Jasper from Team Cressida
• Single Short Squad - Caleal, Grindin, and Killian from Team Sindri 
• Florentine Individual - Killian from Team Sindri
• Florentine Squad - Bogan, Voutia, and Omri from Tram Cressida
• Sword and Shield Individual - Shader from Team Cressida
• Sword and Shield Squad - Orion, Jasper, and Griffin from Team Cressida
• Hand and a Half Individual - Grindin from Team Sindri
• Hand and a Half Squad - Osric, Temorse, and Kaelkatar from Team Sindri

Non Combat and Crafting Tournaments

• Marksman - Raynor from Team Sindri
• Athlete - Luke John from Team Sindri
• Gambler - Avendar from Team Sindri
• Strategist - Ypnn from Team Cressida
• Loremaster - Raynor from Team Sindri
• Scavenger - Voutia from Team Cressida
• Banner & Heraldry - Tarnisha, Omri, Bogen, and Ryu from Team Cressida
• Foamsmith - Nestra from Team Cressida
• Armourer - Ryu from Team Cressida
• Garb - Aranel and Corvus from Team Cressida
• Engineer - Shader and Styx from Team Cressida
• Performance - Cressida from Team Cressida
• Cutthroat Cleaved - Potato and Ragnar from Team Sindri
• Jester - Cressida

Honorifics

• Team Cressida's Inspirational - Gael
• Team Cressida's Tactician - Voutia and Styx
• Team Cressida's MVP - Nestra

• Team Sindri's Inspirational - Will of Creathorne
• Team Sindri's Tactician - Caleal
• Team Sindri's MVP - Luke John 

• Team Pageantry - Team Cressida
• Team Camaraderie - Team Sindri
• Team Spirit - Team Cressida

• Best Provost - Ryu from Team Cressida
• Best Senechal - Evitta from Team Cressida
• Best General - Temorse from Team Sindri

Aces

• Ace of Spades - Killian from Team Sindri
• Ace of Hearts - Styx from Team Cressida
• Ace of Diamonds - Kwido from Team Sindri
• Ace of Clubs - Grindin from Team Sindri

And the Thirtieth Queen of Hearts title was bestowed upon

Sindri of Team Sindri

Meme Monday

 by the Meme Team

Why You Should Go - Queen of Hearts XXX

Organized by Dani Lacasse with contributions by various noted authors.

Resisting the urge to fully play into the “XXX” being the reason I want to go, there are specific moments in the Realms where you can feel the weight of history and the magic of legacy. This weekend, Queen of Hearts turns 30, and for three decades, this large-scale tournament event has served as a forge of honor, competition, and connection. Evolving alongside the game itself while maintaining the beating heart of its mission: to challenge, to celebrate, and to unite, and if you've ever wondered why you should go, now’s the time to find out.

“Queen of Hearts was always the pinnacle of a team competition in Realms, year in year out. The sheer amount of work that goes into running a team is staggering. I have many fond memories of this event, from being asked to General a team 3 months into the game, fighting against doctor's (and wife's) wishes (I do not advise anyone to be as stupid as me) to the time a drow army showed up and stopped the event with "plot" (It was quite the scandal at the time). I have been on both sides of tight contests and blow outs, and have always had a great time. I refer to this event as "The Superbowl of the Realms". Jason, Seth, Stephen and obviously everyone else involved, thank you for 30 years of Queen of Hearts. - Jon “Trent” Jessop

From its origins in the mid-1990s under Steve & Amy Johnson, to the modern day powerhouse it’s become, QoH has grown into an epic weekend of competition, all playing into the unique card based scoring system that determines who will be crowned Queen at the end of it all. [Chief’s Note: Click here to read: The History of Queen of Hearts through Card Backs]

“Queen of Hearts evolved from a very similar event called Duke of Glendale that was held by Shannon Slate at his family farm in the early years of the Realms. This event was designed to encourage the highest levels of competition, sportsmanship, crafting, and a not insignificant amount of backstabbing. When Shannon pulled back from Realms, Rhiassa came forward to continue the tradition with their own version of this event. 

For thirty years QoH has hosted an event that has been the centerpiece of the season. Showcasing the finest combatants in individual and group competitions, the most learned and clever of mages, the wiliest of basketweavers, and the evolving skills of the performers and craftspeople of the Realms to support their leader’s claim to the honorific Queen of Hearts. The event has tested the individual excellence of champions, teamwork and endurance during field maneuvers and bridge battles, and a wide range of spheres of knowledge of those claiming to be wise. The drama culminates in the finale of Queen’s War which can be an all or nothing contest where the combatants fight on the biggest stage the Realms has to offer. 

The event staff has challenged themselves to provide a demanding, fair, and evolving event as the rules of the game and group politics have been ever changing. Their dedication has ensured that the event goes on shine or rain or hurricane.” - Neil “Eldritch” Kusleika

And while maybe it hasn’t always been, now it's more than just war maneuvers and one v ones, it’s a full-deck weekend of battle, artistry, grit, and companionship. It’s also a testament to the incredible people who keep it alive: the marshals, the volunteers, the players, and Jason & Jen Rosa, Lani Jones and the entire staff, who have continued to raise the bar with every passing year. 

"Jason is one of those people who has a presence throughout the Realms. He takes on big projects that have become community staples, to my knowledge without interruption, and yet none of them are made to be about him. Leviathan and Queen of Hearts are two of the biggest feast and tournament events, respectively, in the entire Realms. Personally, he's always been really supportive of my endeavors when he has had a say about them. He encouraged the continuation of Conspiracy MONTHLY past the first edition, and even now will give ideas when I need it. Affable and approachable, I think of Jaeston as a pillar of the community." - Kieran/Kyra “Omri” Barry

And it’s with his presence that QoH has continued to live on and has become a sort of rite of passage. For many, it’s the first time they have or will ever fight in a castle siege or on a bridge battle, perform on stage, present their carefully crafted projects, or stand shoulder-to-shoulder with a team that feels more like family by the end of the weekend.

“Queen of Hearts turns 30, holy moly.

It’s both a beautiful and humbling sentence that made my knees and back hurt all at once.

My first Queen of Hearts was over 20 years ago in 2004. I fought on team Folkestone and did their newbie entry. I was happy to sweep the fighting parts of the competition but quickly realized I should have done more prep studying more than Grimloch and Folkestone or at least practice throwing live steel.  My QoH debut may have come up a little short but the impact this event had on me has lasted a life time.

When I first started playing there were three big war maneuver events. Over time, Queen of hearts has outlasted the changes this game has seen. As people shift, so does Queen of Hearts each year to keep things fresh and compelling. The priority of the martial side of the game was once very tournament heavy but, shifted to a more complete LARP experience with people gravitating to more Quest style events and less tournament style ones. Which happens over time, but, the remarkable thing is  the Queen of Hearts staffs adaptability. Like I said ever evolving to make sure their players stay interested while still providing the same level of presentation and grandeur that it has showcased throughout the years.

I have so many memorable moments at Queen of Hearts, from hysterical bardics I have participated in to winning Champion and then later winning the Title Queen itself. If I am not mistaken I may still have the record for Spirit and Steel victories, although Vuel was not far behind so he very well could have surpassed me.  Each special moment comes with some fantastic stories so please if you see me at an event don’t hesitate to ask.

But, in recent years the past 10 or so I have had the privilege of helping staff and marshal the war maneuvers. Being a player that was so invested in the combat aspect that our LARP provides it has always been a great joy of mine in watching the intense action. I am particularly fond of Castle Sieges, live chest, and my personal favorite Kill the Queen.

I can go on and on about QoH but I will close with this. Queen Hearts is and I hope forever will be a cornerstone and a staple of the Realms.” - Cal “Syruss” Marsden

Why is this year so special? Well truth be told, even with all of the evolution that we’ve seen over the years, any event series that survives for three decades is seriously impressive and there are some players who have waited for this perfect moment to field a team.

“I have wanted to run a Queen of Hearts team for a very long time. I originally planned on running a team for 2020, and we all know what happened that year… So when I realized the 30th Queen of Hearts was coming up I knew I had to be part of such a momentous occasion! This event is special; it feels like the best way to show off the incredible hard work of so many artists, engineers, fighters, and other gifted and talented folk from many backgrounds. I am excited to field a team primarily of first time competitors to the large variety of competitions and to focus on building a team not by nation lines, but by people who might not otherwise get the chance to shine on the usual Queen of Hearts team. This event is a cornerstone in our game and a highlight of the year for many in our community. I for one, cannot wait to see what Jason and his dedicated and wonderful team will put together for this milestone event and for the party Saturday night! I look forward to being part of the grand history and tradition that is Queen of Hearts and leaving my mark as one of her Queens.” - Crystal “Cressida” Welch

And that’s what makes Queen of Hearts so timeless; it grows with its players. It challenges the old guard, welcomes the new, and reminds everyone why they fell in love with the game in the first place.

“Ahhh, Queen of Hearts. 30 years of competition, laser etched cups, and tactical innovation. I can’t think of another event series that has offered me such a wide range of highs and lows: From winning my first ever boff archery tournament, to getting absolutely dumped on by a hurricane… After all these years, I’ll offer up my best piece of advice: I never go to QoH for the strict purpose of winning. Don’t get me wrong, I give it my all every year, but to me, what makes Queen of Hearts different is to showcase the best of our community: the camaraderie, sportsmanship, skill, tenacity, and brilliance. Sure, tempers can flare, but the fact that this event has persisted throughout the decades shows that love and respect always come first. 

To anyone who has never been to Queen of Hearts, you are missing out on the best the Realms has to offer, from crafting to combat. To everyone who has been to Queen of Hearts, you know that Aeston will surely have some surprises as it enters its third decade. 

To my teammates, I cannot wait to sweat, laugh, and fight with you. To my opponents, I cannot wait to sweat, laugh, and fight with you. To everyone who makes Queen of Hearts happen: My sincerest respect and appreciation. May it be the best year yet.” - Paul “Grindin” Tilton

Whether you’ve fought for the crown, helped coordinate a team, marshaled the battles, crafted the perfect piece, or stood on the sidelines marveling at the whirlwind of chaos & camaraderie, Queen of Hearts has likely left its mark on you. And still, you may be asking yourself Why should I go?

Go because it's one of the biggest & boldest tournament events.

Go for the stories you’ll tell for years to come.

Go because your teammates are waiting to fight beside you.

Go for the competition. 

Go because you'll cheer, build, break, lose, win, and laugh harder than you thought possible.

Go because it's the 30th anniversary of something truly special.

Go because this is what makes what we do unforgettable.

Pack your armor, polish your performances, finish your crafts, hydrate, and get ready to be dealt some cards.

See you on the field, 

Dani “Elizah” Lacasse 

The History of Queen of Hearts through Card Backs

Collected by Jason "Aeston" Rosa

Queen of Hearts has existed since the mid 1990s, first ran by Steve "Duncan" and Amy "Fallon" Johnson, the creators of the event series and Rhiassa itself. 

I became a permanent part of the Queen of Hearts staff around the year 2000 or so and during the years where Steve was in charge and following that during the years where Seth "Da'oud" Flag was the leader of Rhiassa and the EH of the event, I served in various capacities including, eventually, head war marshal for quite a few years.

Much of this was long before I was a Rhiassan. 

My wife (Jen "Areni") and I joined Rhiassa in 2008 and after a couple of years serving as the Warmarke I was promoted to the lordship in 2010. It was at that time that Queen of Hearts was officially passed on to me. So its since that time that I have been in charge of producing the yearly card deck that defines the scoring of the event.

For those of you who don't know, Queen of Hearts is scored using a deck of cards. Generally speaking the face cards, won in war maneuvers, are worth ten points and the numbered cards, won in individual tournaments, are worth five. Winning tournaments earns you a card which you then use to enter the culminating event Sunday afternoon, Queens War. 

The cards, themselves, are important keepsakes for the winners of those tournaments.

The Queen of Hearts scoring guide for 2025, from the Rhiassa website

From almost the very beginning, the card decks distributed at Queen if Hearts have featured custom artwork on the back. These days thats a product that's very easy and affordable to produce, however in the 90s it was certainly a more arduous task for Steve to make happen. Those card backs from the 90s and early 2000s probably exist in a digital format somewhere and it would be great if we could collect them all together someday.

What I can share with you now, however, is every deck back that was used since the event was passed to me in 2010.

These cards tell the history of the event and the history of the Realms to some extent. For most years the card back was a featured scene taken from the previous year's Queen of Hearts, though sometimes we tried to capture iconic moments from year's past. But no matter what the subject was, there are lots of interesting things to be learned or reflected upon through seeing them.

Lets take a look.

 

2010 - Queen of Hearts XVII

This is a scene from Folkestone Challenge, a war maneuver where various obstacles to go over and around were set up on the field. In this case you can see the castle towers were used along with a picnic table to make this particular choke point. 

2011 - Queen of Hearts XVIII

This year the card back featured an important historical event of that year, the coronation of Alexander Cecil. Specifically the moment when Rhiassa presented him with Majesty's Reach as a coronation gift.

2012 - Queen of Hearts XIX

A picture of most of the true supporters of Team Keela (on the far right), also known as Team Dolphin Moon Sparkle Hearts. 

2013 - Queen of Hearts XX

Another photograph of a historically important event to Rhiassa, the marriage of Aeston and Areni that had happened at Feast of the Leviathan in the preceding January.

2014 - Queen of Hearts XXI

At Queen of Hearts XX, the previous year, Rhiassa unveiled a new Queen of Hearts tournament fixture that would remain a part of the event for many years, a 12' wide by 24' long wooden bridge with actual water on the sides shooting from sprinkler hoses and pooled on tarps. The card this year featured that new tradition.

2015 - Queen of Hearts XXII

A photograph of team Iawen engaged in the Field Battle, the heraldry of the team can be partially seen on Vawn's tabard.

2016 - Queen of Hearts XXIII

A victorious moment was featured on this card as it was announced that Kara was the winning Queen from the year before.

2017 - Queen of Hearts XXIV

This year's card featured team Eris marching across the bridge.

2018 - Queen of Hearts XXV

At Queen of Hearts XXIV several major systematic changes were implemented. One of those was the introduction of the four non-com war maneuvers. This card features the teams playing Targetball, a dodgeball-like game that was a tournament for many years.

2019 - Queen of Hearts XXVI

Live Chess has been a staple of Queen of Hearts since the very beginning of the event series. In this photo the queen piece from Team Salt Queen fights toward Team Arryn's side of the board.

2022 - Queen of Hearts XXVII

During the pandemic we missed two summers of eventing, and 2000 and 2021 went by with no Queen of Hearts. We got back to it in 2022 and this picture from Queen of Hearts XXVI was from the Challenge Race, one of the most consistently hilarious of the non-com war maneuvers. For some reason I chose to put the event name and date on this card back then probably forgot to ever do it again.

2023 - Queen of Hearts XXVIII

Clearly we already had featured Targetball on the card back from a couple years prior but Saka looks so poetic moments away from pegging an armless, legless Elwin that I couldn't resist using this image.

2024 - Queen of Hearts XXIX

Probably my favorite Queen of Hearts picture of all time, this is a drone photograph taken by Paul Tilton of the infamous 2 hour long castle battle from the first year we tried the Art of War series of war maneuvers.

I hope you enjoying this stroll through the past looking at the backs of the Queen of Hearts card decks. I'm particularly happy with our picture choice for this year's deck as well. Hopefully we'll see you on the field this year at the event and you'll be able to win a card or two for yourself.