Saturday: Tournaments of Artemis VI: Real Lady Hours
By Gwen
The Huntress Guild holds a special place in my heart because of its history, mission, and continued purpose in our game. For those of you who are unfamiliar with its past, it is an organization that was formed by Tanya “Katasha” Johnson in the early 2000s. Tanya has always been someone that I look up to, both in and out of the game, as an example of how fierce a woman can be. Years later, one of my best friends, Alysha “Kyntela” Metcalf was tasked with reigniting the guild, during a time period where I was interested in anything but fighting in the game. However, under her leadership, I was inspired to fight again, if only for a while. Because the Huntress Guild, at its core, supports the women of our community, inspires them, pushes them to become better, not for the sake of others, but for ourselves. Within the past few years, I had lost my way again: refusing to fight, skipping practices, and avoiding combat at all costs. However, a new chapter of the Huntress Guild has unfolded, and I have been inspired a third time to pick up my sword and try again. This inspiration comes from a strong young leader, Nataliya “Shader” Kostenko. She is making a mark on our community by acting as the First Lieutenant of the Huntress Guild and inspiring members, young and old, to get back out and fight. Having just come back from the Huntress Guild practice at UConn that she organized, I can honestly say that the high spirits and good fun that make fighting worthwhile to me will be a hallmark of this event.
In my mind, what makes this event special is that, providing you have a team, anyone can participate but the spotlight remains on the huntresses. They will be challenged to demonstrate their leadership, martial prowess, and communication skills throughout the entire event. But perhaps what I am most looking forward to this Saturday is the intention with which the tournaments have been designed. Nataliya and her staff understand that one of the best competitions in life is a competition to see who can have the most fun. It is in this spirit that the tournaments have been designed. They are unique, focused on the huntresses, and will certainly be a joy to participate in. As someone who has not fought through an entire practice for several years, tonight I found the motivation to dust off my sword, try my best, and let go of my reservations in the spirit of having fun. I have no doubt that Saturday’s event will bring those same feelings out in all of you. I hope you make it a point to attend and support an organization and EH staff that are putting in their best effort to create a space for all members of our community to enjoy combat in a positive environment.
Sunday: Trials of the Beyond
By Keith “Saegan” Cronyn
It’s not exactly a secret that I love a good fight. Between practices and tournaments, I’d say it’s common knowledge. And I’m excited for this weekend because we have a chance to participate in an installment of one of my favorite line of tournaments.
Trials of the Beyond promises to be the next in the Tournaments of the Void brand. Let me tell you, I’ve been a regular at these events from the beginning. Zack/Dygen, Chris/Jaha, and Illy/Illy have put a lot of effort into these tournaments over the years. Regularly upping the game, whether it’s by introducing innovative new tournaments, having stellar props, and non com activities for the down time, or even just taking the time to provide great food on the cheap.
Traditionally, the Tournaments of the Void brand of events has focused on Single Competitor tournaments, tracking the individuals as they eke out points from hard won fights, and giving over to them belt favors of the void, emblazoned in different colors so that they can show off the status of their individual successes.
But as we’ve progressed through these trials, it’s been revealed that the backing power behind these events are an ancient, and perhaps evil company of beings. Finally we find ourselves challenged by these beings in what is promised to be a series of small team tournaments.
Now I love small team tournaments, they offer a different sort of challenge than the single tournaments, in the element of chaos that multiple competitors brings, but also a single person can make a big change real quickly in the right circumstance. So for me, this is highly appealing. It means big challenges, and intense combat. It means high maneuverability, and traumatic changes in the anticipated outcomes of things. Personally, I’d go if only to watch because there is some potential for some truly intense fights.
Zack gave me some inside insight on the fighting. To cope with the potential balance issues that these sorts of tournaments tend to have, the event team has come up with a really interesting system of balance that has an in depth level of strategy. Each team will be given a deck of power cards, to be used at their whim, within the tournaments. Each power may only be used once, and then it’s done. But with powers ranging from weapon types and styles, and heal limb, these things can dramatically change a fight.
To top it all off, the advantage on the next fight goes to the person in last, and reversed for the team in first. This means that holding onto first place will be a constant uphill battle, and hopefully that there will be a lot of shifts in placement, which just means more competitive fights.
Lastly, I would be remiss not to talk about the prize table. In the past some of the best crafts in the game have found their way to these tables, and that's no embellishment. Zack and Illy are some of the best foamsmiths in the game, and I know for a fact they have a custom buckler on the table. The amount of work that goes into these bucklers is in the hundreds of hours, and in auction could easily go for a couple hundred dollars, and I don’t even want to think about the gold value.
I should probably be chasing you off reader, so that prize could be mine.
But hopefully, I see you on the field.
Trials of the Beyond promises to be the next in the Tournaments of the Void brand. Let me tell you, I’ve been a regular at these events from the beginning. Zack/Dygen, Chris/Jaha, and Illy/Illy have put a lot of effort into these tournaments over the years. Regularly upping the game, whether it’s by introducing innovative new tournaments, having stellar props, and non com activities for the down time, or even just taking the time to provide great food on the cheap.
Traditionally, the Tournaments of the Void brand of events has focused on Single Competitor tournaments, tracking the individuals as they eke out points from hard won fights, and giving over to them belt favors of the void, emblazoned in different colors so that they can show off the status of their individual successes.
But as we’ve progressed through these trials, it’s been revealed that the backing power behind these events are an ancient, and perhaps evil company of beings. Finally we find ourselves challenged by these beings in what is promised to be a series of small team tournaments.
Now I love small team tournaments, they offer a different sort of challenge than the single tournaments, in the element of chaos that multiple competitors brings, but also a single person can make a big change real quickly in the right circumstance. So for me, this is highly appealing. It means big challenges, and intense combat. It means high maneuverability, and traumatic changes in the anticipated outcomes of things. Personally, I’d go if only to watch because there is some potential for some truly intense fights.
Zack gave me some inside insight on the fighting. To cope with the potential balance issues that these sorts of tournaments tend to have, the event team has come up with a really interesting system of balance that has an in depth level of strategy. Each team will be given a deck of power cards, to be used at their whim, within the tournaments. Each power may only be used once, and then it’s done. But with powers ranging from weapon types and styles, and heal limb, these things can dramatically change a fight.
To top it all off, the advantage on the next fight goes to the person in last, and reversed for the team in first. This means that holding onto first place will be a constant uphill battle, and hopefully that there will be a lot of shifts in placement, which just means more competitive fights.
Lastly, I would be remiss not to talk about the prize table. In the past some of the best crafts in the game have found their way to these tables, and that's no embellishment. Zack and Illy are some of the best foamsmiths in the game, and I know for a fact they have a custom buckler on the table. The amount of work that goes into these bucklers is in the hundreds of hours, and in auction could easily go for a couple hundred dollars, and I don’t even want to think about the gold value.
I should probably be chasing you off reader, so that prize could be mine.
But hopefully, I see you on the field.