Sir Edwyn Rainecourt Letters

On the 13th of May of the year 2016, Sir Edwyn Rainecourt addressed the following letter to the Realms:

To the Peoples of the Realms,

You call me monster. You are not wrong. I was once what many of you still pretend to be: a good

man in polished steel. I knew banners and vows. Shared laughter in cold keeps, and the warmth of a

hand that waited for me at dusk. I put duty and honor before everything else. And because I did, and

others did not, my wife died alone.

My commander gave the order. Hold the line. I held it. Because duty demanded it. On the day my

wife died, I stood where I had been ordered to stand. My Knight Commander gave the command,

and I obeyed. I did not run to her. I did not break formation. I did not choose personal well-being

over the greater good.

You worship choice as though it were sacred. You raise your children to prize it. You tell yourselves

that freedom is what makes life beautiful. Tell me, how beautiful was her death? How beautiful is

the freedom to abandon a friend? To betray a vow? To watch a stranger suffer and decide it is not

your concern?

A hundred small freedoms colliding like blades until all that remains is blood. You worship this

chaos and call it virtue, but it is not. It is the first and oldest cruelty. It is why the powerful betray

their people, why parents bury children, and why neighbors burn one another’s homes, and why

every promise made beneath the sun eventually withers into dust. Given freedom, mortals choose

selfishness. Given power, they choose tyranny. Given fear, they choose violence. And, given grief,

they choose vengeance.

Choice is not a gift. It is a weapon handed to every coward, every tyrant, and every selfish little soul

who wishes to excuse what they have done. And I have seen what lies beyond it.

My brothers and sisters march without doubt. They do not falter. They do not betray. They do not

leave one another to die because fear whispered louder than loyalty. They have no need for freedom,

because they have something better. They have peace.

Two of our beloved order have fallen to your hands. You think this delays me. It does not. It reminds

me why I must continue. I will tear the burden of choice from this world so that no lover will again

wait for a door that will never open, and no soldier will again be ordered to choose between duty

and love. There will be no more choices. There will only be peace.

Once, no one offered me a mercy. No one asked whether I wished to stay at my post. No one told me

I could put love before obedience. No one gave me the chance to choose differently, and I will

remember that. But I am not so cruel.

So hear me now, peoples of the Realms: I will give you what I was denied. A choice to stand aside.

Lay down your banners, your crowns, your petty little freedoms. Step willingly into the stillness I

offer, and the pain ends. No more fear. No more betrayal. No more impossible decisions made in

impossible moments. You will call this tyranny at first, but every chain feels cruel to the hand that

has only ever known flailing.

Or you can resist.

Cling to your freedom. Defend it with your trembling hands and righteous speeches. And when I

break you, when your bodies rise in my ranks and your minds obey, you will finally understand

what peace costs. But at least it will have been your decision. That is more mercy than was ever

shown to me.

Either way, you will serve the same end. I do not ask for your surrender, I offer you absolution.

Soon enough, each of you will face the same question I once did. Hold the line…or break it. Only

then will you learn who you truly are. When the hour comes, and it always comes, we shall see

whether you hold the line…or whether you join it.

Sir Edwyn Rainecourt Knight of the Aberrant Gate

Two days later, on the 15th of May, he received the following response:

Unto Sir Edwyn Rainecourt of the Corrupted Court of the Knights of the Aberrant Gate,

You have suffered a terrible loss to which no one should be subjected, and I would like to offer you

my most sincere condolences. But I will not justify my moral position to you whose conscience has

been suffocated under the crushing weight of that loss, and the lust for power it has brought forth in

you.

That tragedy, and the horrors it has fueled, have carried you to a most curious destination. For

should you succeed in your conquest, one individual alone would retain the power of choice:

You.

It is thus my assertion that the act of choice, which you have framed as a burden upon us all, is in

fact a power you covet for yourself, and yourself alone. You claim that all mortals inevitably choose

selfishness and tyranny; violence and vengeance. And yet from where I sit as I pen this letter, the

one I see who has chosen these is you, Sir Edwyn. And as you have chosen these things, your ego

demands you claim that all others would make the same choice, if only given the chance. I

wholeheartedly reject this assertion on the grounds that your personal pride is insufficient evidence

upon which to indict all mortals of your own failings.

Despite the tarnish your legacy has suffered at the hands of your present actions, I concur that you

were once a good man. Perhaps I may even have once described you as a great hero. The order

whose name I carry was in part built on that legacy, and even now its weight is not lost on us.

Although the time of your service may be long past, I believe it has earned you an honorable and

dignified death befitting a true knight. And it is that death to which we shall deliver you, out of

respect for the man you once were.

Until we meet again,

Anthony Warder of Stonewood

High Priest of Arius

Squire to the Knights of the Sable Dragon

Squire to the Knights of the Aberrant Gate

Penned on behalf of the collective forces of the Realms

Shield Stories with Joseph Yang

  Organized by James "Tao" Murphy

Please physically describe your shield; style, Heraldry colors etc? 

It’s a medium sized, teardrop shield with the black and gold of Ashenmark as its colors.      

How long have you had your shield? 

I’ve had the shield since the start of this year

Is this your preferred shield style? 

While I’m not sure I prefer this style of shield over others - I do enjoy the amount of coverage it offers, especially towards the lower body as it makes defending that area significantly easier

Have you ever tried a different style of shield? 

Yes I primarily had a round/circle shield for the majority of my time in realms. Only recently did I switch to teardrops. Not sure if I can say if I have a preference for one over the other yet.

Who made it?

It was made by ANTON of Invictus and he also is the one to conduct repairs on it. In fact, it was entirely his idea to use 4mm corrugated plastic for the shield and all credit for its creation goes towards him

Have you ever had to fix/repair/refoam it since it's original creation?

Refoamed it once, was the first time I had to do it with a teardrop. Will probably need to make a new one soon though as this was ANTON’s prototype for 4mm plastic and it’s held up pretty well for the amount of abuse it takes

What is your favorite move with the shield?

I actually can’t do my favorite move with this particular shield because it’s a teardrop and not a circle/round shield - but that’s what practice is for! 

Do you have any interesting stories about the shield?

As for interesting stories, not much tbh. Only that during Sanctuary questing, due to the light weight nature of the shield - I can recall heavy winds blowing the shield in all sorts of directions and I had to handle it like a kite sometimes to keep it from blowing away

Why I Want To Go - The Wedding of Tirvanel and Margaret

Kenkilit is overwhelming.  The stolid mountainside with its structures carved in, the grandest of churches bustling with care, the sacred sky overhanging Voraniss, the marketplace and the busy streets, scents of freshly made food wafting throughout, alive with sounds of birds and music and the sweetest voices of all manner of people.  Humans, elves, animalkin, hybrids and more, all adorned in colorful raiment's, each with a kindly smile for a stranger.

Those here who serve Aurora have been especially kind, as I readjust to humanity, and life.  And I have been returning the kindness as best I can by aiding their supportive efforts.  But now, in these exciting weeks leading up to the wedding, we have been fully in the mode of preparation.

The hall is decorated, the cooks are arriving, attendants will make their way here soon, then I do hope that many of the wedding couple’s fellow adventurers will gather from far and wide to share in the festivities.

I’m told there will be forays into the craggy mountain forest for those who feel the need to battle small monstrous threats (for I have been told Kenkilit is well protected from the worst of enemies).  The food will be plentiful and lovingly served.  The ceremony itself should be a sight to behold, with all arrayed in wedding splendor.  Some court proceedings will occur to inform the masses of what we must know.  And as the moon rises high, the leaders of Voraniss itself will bring their light and wisdom to ceremonial fruition.

I eagerly anticipate being witness to every facet of this joyous occasion, but just as much, I am looking forward to meeting travelers from around the Realms, to learn of their lands, and of their travels.  Perhaps one of them will have heard of my home.  

-Rand of Firton

Meme Monday

 by the Meme Team

What You Missed - Clontarf Shuffle V

By: Nataliya "Sahder" Kostenko

This past weekend I shuffled on over to the Clontarf Shuffle V (featuring the stacked deck final) hoping to do some gambling. Thus, I brought with me gold, not armor. This will become important later. I was kinda late, so immediately upon opening the door, I could smell the very yummy food Lady Kyomi was serving up. Some excellent soup and the lamb were my particular favs. 

Also immediately upon opening the door, I heard some of the most anno–uh, interesting voices I ever heard. They belonged to Grandma Ethel and…I wanna say Alphie(?), her beloved grandchild, both part of a tiny race of people whose home was under threat from another, larger race of orc people. In my travels, I’ve seen those same dudes plague Blackwood before; they draw power from weird skulls totem pillar-thingys that they set up in “storied” places–or near “storied” groups of people, like these pixies. Gambling had to wait for now. But not for long, because a crack team featuring me, Killian, Veit, and a daring and aggressive group of younger adventurers got the pixies their home back in no time. Okay well, actually some time, because I really struggled without that armor. But eventually, Grandma Ethel (may she rest in peace) made a noble sacrifice, allowing King Orion (who had come to aid our group in our hour of need) to liberate her ancestral home, which was on the back of a large tortoise. 

Meanwhile, back inside, The Stacked Deck’s final match of the season raged on–Avendar took the grand prize in that game, with Nova finishing second. They also started up the first game of the next season.

Throughout the day, people won some marvelous prizes at the auction. I didn’t clock exactly who got what, except that Kwido took home a rather large haul of diverse items. There were quite a few tables packed into the hall, so everyone had plenty of options to fill up on cards, dice, roulette, and if they got lucky, gold. A great time all around! [The event also raised quite a lot of real, non-Realms dollars to support a charity to feed kids, and James/Tao matched that contribution with one of his own, as is his tradition.]

Why I Want To Go - Ashen Adventures III

By John “Gordon” Rescigno

Hi Everyone! This is going to be a short Why I Want to Go, because I really want to get going with entirely too much to pack! Ashenmark events are some of the most exciting that I remember going to as a newer player. They felt accessible even with minimal knowledge or even magic. Talk to people, ask questions!

They reward curiosity at every turn, and take 'Roll With It' to eleven. 

The people in Ashenmark and the events that they throw mean quite a bit to me as both a player and a character for the last decade.

One of my most vivid memories was Gordon walking into a Shrine of Gaia for the first time. I was Embraced at the time and being around so much life magic ended the spell, and he felt changed when his soul returned. That event set off Gordon's journey as a Gaian, and I am very excited to see what this new plot brings to all of us and our growth.

What's going on this weekend? Well there is a new plot surrounding a mysterious island, life energy, and a blight to explore! There's Golems, a Dryad, a Leshen, OH MY! With the open, interactable world we were given last year and the options that Camp Blanchard brings along, I am very excited to see what kind of setting they're able to provide us.

Something extra special that I'm personally excited about:

This is the questing event where the Northern Alliance emerges from the deep snows and trudges down south to quest together again. This event is perfect for our mixed playstyles, because there is something for everyone at these events

Come make some memories together!

John/Gordon

What's it do? What's it do?

In this continuing View feature, we show you a picture of a theoretical magic item. Then you go back to Facebook and in the comments, invent your idea for the powers that this item would have.

Here is this week's item:

Humanizing the Realms - Michael "Vuel" Durocher

 Humanizing the Realms with Michael Durocher, Shiba Vuel of Invictus

1. What do you do outside of the game? What would you like to be doing? (Work, school, projects, etc.)

I work for the Commonwealth of Mass's Department of Transitional Assistance as a supervisor and appeal liaison. My free time outside of work is spent with either my family or at the gym. I try to get 3-4 workouts in a week because as I've gotten older my body has steadily fallen apart on me so working out makes me feel better and allows me to keep up with my growing child. Add in practice when they resume in nice weather I'm trying to do something physical 4-5 days a week. I've been really into retro gamming with my son, introducing him to all my favorite N64 and PS1-2 games and we've been playing those together so I'm passing on the gamer mentality with him and watching him learn the frustrations of the water temple brings a tear to my eye. Outside of that I spend time playing whatever game has my attention at the time

2. What hobbies do you enjoy other than LARP?

Gym is the easy answer but I don't really enjoy it I do it because I hate myself (Kidding i have a dark sense of humor...). My primary hobby is always been gamming, either competitive card gaming like Magic or L5R, Table top games or video games. I've always had a very competitive nature so any game that can present a challenge is on my list (The except to the this is farm sims games. I love me some Harvest Moon and Stardew Valley because they're so mellow). But basically if it involves gaming or some kind of deep lore I'm into it.

3. Favorite meal, dessert, and drink?

Meal: Sourdough grilled cheese with bacon Dessert: Cookies have and always will be my greatest weakness Drink: Coffee

4. If you could go on vacation anywhere, where would it be? Would you bring anyone?

Easiest thing to answer so far. Japan. And not the big cities like Tokyo ect,. My dream is to go into the country side, visit places like the shrine of the 47, Musashi's grave and walk the various trails and visit the old temples.

5. Are you working on any life goals that you’re willing to share?

Mostly just trying to stay in shape because I have a very active child and I want to be able to keep up with him. 

I'm also in the process of getting a full Japanese body suit tattoo completed. The entire thing is being done in traditional hand poke (Tebori), Hopefully I will be able to start working on the chest and back either end of this year or start of next year. 

6. Favorite outfit other than garb?

Jeans and hoodie

7. Do you have any professional or personal skills you’d be willing to talk about?

I have a B.A in Childhood Psychology and another one in Early Childhood Education and my Masters is in Applied Developmental Psychology. I spent the early part of my career before i started working for the state working with disadvantaged youths and residential programs and in various school systems creating programs that would allow kids to stay in district for behavioral needs. As for personal skills I've been told that I'm a very create DM and plot master and able to take little things and grow them into much larger and more impactful things.

 

8. What drew you to the realms, and what keeps you there?

Honestly, combat. As I've stated I am very competitive, and I love skill based challenges. Realms was the one LARPI played that didn't rely on points or special powers to do damage. it was all skill. The more work you put in, the better you got and that's what really kept me in the early stages of my career. After that, it was the people. I met my best friends, and people who I consider closer then my actually family in this game and they're the ones who keep me here. Honestly I could not really image my life without my Invictus family and all the shenanigans and debates we get into. More importantly recently watching the growth of my squire Madison has brought me an immense amount of joy and pride. Seeing them grow f and come out of their shell, being recognized for everything they do has made a lot of the years I spent playing this game and being the background support all worth it.

9. Favorite movies/shows/books?

Movie: Greatest movie of all time is the OG Ghostbusters and if anyone says otherwise they are wrong. Show: Shogun, OG or new one Book: Jurassic Park

10. If you happened upon 3 wishes, what would they be? (Wishing for more wishes doesn’t seem to work...)

Oh dear lord....Okay lets avoid the nonsense like world peace. I would like for the world to not actively be on fire for like a year so we can all catch our breaths. On the selfish wish I would want a ton of land and the money to build a traditional Japanese castle via the Edo period on to live in for myself and my friends because of course I do. And third wish would just be the health, prosperity and safety of everyone I care about.

11. Who would you like to see interviewed next?

Cal Marsden [Editors note: Cal's article can be found here], Tom Gallagher, Madison Neil

12. Anything else you’d like to add? 

Don't be afraid to be weird. Surround yourself with the people who share your weirdness and you've found the secret to being happy. Step outside the box and try new things. You may end up playing a game for 25 years and having a lifetime of memories from it.

If you'd like to do one of these interviews, send Dani Lacasse (lilpotatogem on Discord) a message to let her know! 

Meme Monday

 by the Meme Team

Conspiracy Monthly

 By Kieran/Kyra Barry

What You Missed - A Library in Fae

by: Sky

Heroes of the Realms,

I write to you today to bring your attention to the reopening and recreation of the Great Library of Faerie. I shall keep my accounting formal, in such a way as to convey the information of what occurred there. For those who do not know, the Library is a place of history, of wonder, and of stories. Rather than books, as a mortal library would have, the Library of Faerie is filled with flowers. Each flower has a unique scent, and when watered by the adventures, would pull us into the story to witness it firsthand. Within the library were thirteen flowers, of which we had time to experience the stories of six. These stories spoke of meaningful moments throughout history. Some were meaningful to Faerie, some to the History of the Realms, and some more… personal.

((OOC: there is an ink blotch there, as Raindrop’s handwriting gets less precise and careful))

We could smell the flowers to discover the tune of the story within. The first flower we entered was one of conflict. Some of, perhaps, the darker parts of faerie. Abducted mortals and lesser fae danced to the tune of nobility, killing each other in a gruesome display of violence. This went on for some time, until Sir Tara, done with the ceaseless bloodshed, took her fae blade and slew the nobility, spilling their blood upon the ground in a display of wrath, piercing their protections. The illusion of the story shattered, and many of us were left with our wounds. We took time, then, to rally. To account for the dead. The vision conjured up some deep emotions for some of us, which are personal, and I will not speak of them here. What I will speak of is the learning that within each story, something was wrong. One of the tasks that the librarbeeans of the library tasked us with was finding the anomaly, so that we could untangle the flowers. With that, we had our goal for the day.

The second flower took us to a conflict between hags and bees, watched on by a queen who prized beauty above all else. She sought her daughter, Princess Muffin, who had run off with one of the hags. The nobility looked on as the bees and hags fought for control over land and flowers. It was… for lack of a better term… a blood bath. Eventually we identified the anomaly, a Risen Kingdoms soldier who had wandered in, and identified the end of the story, the Queen’s crown getting stolen, and then traded back by the bees for the construction of a great library. The illusion faded, and we found ourselves back in the Library, our wounds gone and some of our magics restored.

The third flower took us to an ethereal battleground. I admit, I was the anomaly here, so I understood less of what was happening, but as I played the role of a… storyteller… I was invested in learning of the story so that I could tell it. So I will recount what I had learned. A summoner of some significant strength, mourning the loss of their friends, attempted to conjure them back to the mortal realms. They tore a rift between realms, calling forth ghosts, but not the ghosts of their friends. I believe they also may have been responsible for the reanimation of Tibia? Magical Entities flooded out of the tear, locked in conflict, trying to heal the wounds in the realm. At no point was the summoner able to call back their loved ones. Through the Grace of the Duke of Knowledge, whose identity we still know not, I was able to recognize that this story wasn’t real, and push a bit harder to seem off, where I was identified by a group of three other adventurers, including Princess Cressida.

I admit to dealing with some personal matters after this flower, and know not the discussions which happened, but I know that following this we were drawn into a story of cultists following the rune Midoru, which should be lost. I was the leader of the cult, the so called Lord of Curses, as he prepared people to be sacrificed under the care of his lieutenants and second in command. At the end, using a spell I will not write down, but made use of the curse rune, the Lord of Curses ritually sacrificed a person, ending the story. It seemed as though this anomaly was a Mayflower from a ball.

The fifth story… was a trip into a village. There, a fae named… ((OOC: ink spills onto the page. There’s a break. The text below is in a different handwriting))

The fifth flower we chose to go into brought us to Storm Village, within Fae. It was a peaceful place at first, though we did experience the incursion of a single Tergum Vir which wasn't meant to be there. For those who were lucky enough to miss the Bedlam War, know that the Tergum Vir could cause you to be consumed by the darkness with a touch. Unexpected as it was and in a crowd of those unfamiliar with it, it was able to consume many before a great deal of magic was expended to remove it from the story. 

From there, I was admittedly experiencing a growing anxiety. Raindrop had warned me before we entered this flower about what the memory within likely referred to and I have some familiarity of my own with what it means to be in an unsuspecting village in the First Age with a massing army in the forest beyond. Oberon's betrayal was at the gate and my anxiety was a living thing rapidly exiting my control. 

Another interesting note were the constructs present, creations of the Inventor Gwydion. they were part of the defenses of the village. Unbeknownst to me, a drama was playing out behind me while I attempted to get my fear back under control. One of our number in the part of Raindrop's previous cycle, Crispin, had returned from scouting beyond the bounds of the village. They were telling others about what they had seen, about the blades of Wayland and the Darkness. Among those was another fae in the village, an individual named Siward. From what I recall, they were a storyteller and I will leave their connection to Raindrop for them to tell, should they wish to.

Beyond the village, the goblins continued to mass and soon broke through. Those of us who could defend ourselves took our positions to defend those behind us. Praise be to the Dukes and Duchesses, this was only an early attack and not when with the dread blades in hand, though none of us knew it. The only thing in my mind was that defense but I have been told that Siward was crafting them in clay to put in Harkel to ensure our survival. Between that and sheer desperation, we did stand, though we knew as we exited that flower that Storm Village would fall to another, future attack. I hope this helped and that this covered all the important things. Apologies for anything left unclear.

-Sir Tara

((The text returns to the original handwriting))

I’m sorry for that. I asked for help to pen the fifth flower, but I will resume the sixth. In the final flower, we ventured back into the tale of the Book of Moons. There, we explored four different stories, where adventurers ventured to repair the book and use it to delve to another realm, where we encountered the story of a Dislumina consuming the sun. I am not sure exactly what happened to end it, but with the end of that story, our time in the library came to an end, with many stories still remaining to be explored. I do hope that we can return someday, and see the remaining stories.

It is worth noting that one of the flowers had been wilted and had been corrupted by the story of bedlam that it contained. Cimone and Rekees seanced the Duchess Ophelia to ask for her advice, and she said that sometimes the best thing that can be done is wish something a better life in the next cycle. I lent them my fae blade, which was used to send the flower to its next cycle.

May this be useful, to those who read it,

Dame Raindrop Storm

With guest writing from Sir Tara Harkon

((OOC: Sky here! This was a fantastic event with references and stories of several backstories, stories of realms history, and delightful roleplaying. Eric is an excellent storyteller, and I look forward to seeing if he has plans to run another library event in the future. If he does, I cannot recommend it highly enough.))

Why I Want To Go - Clontarf Shuffle V

 By Kyra/Kieran "Omri" Barry

Good day, people of the Realms!

You may be wondering why I, a non-poker player, would want to go to a poker tournament event? Wouldn't it be one-note? Won't I be bored? Au contraire my dear readers, for as long as I've gone to Clontarf Shuffle I've never once been bored, despite not once gambling. Except for the dino races which only require a little bit of skill and mathematical skills to assess which ratios are favorable to bet on, and a whole lot of luck which King Orion sorely lacks for this as he's repeatedly lost his squire's tuition several times over. Or so he's claimed. He's certainly lost some amount of coin, for what original purpose is unknown. Tip: If he plays, bet on different dinos, his are out to get him and cost him money.

If my eyes don't deceive me, Lady Kyomi is the feastocrat! If you've had the misfortune of never attending an event where she's been in charge of the food, rectify that as soon as possible! Even a dayboard from her kitchen that's continuously supplied by delicious food instead of a full feast is not to be missed. My mouth waters thinking of previous fares she's made, and while I can hope for some returns I'll be happy to eat whatever she provides.

Food and gambling, what more could you want? Yet, somehow Sir Tao still provides! In past events there have been light questing opportunities throughout the day, giving people the opportunity to help out around Blackwood and other nearby things.

Not to eschew the gamblers, this will feature the final stacked deck table! Good luck and may fortune be in your favor.

Speaking of gambling, a non-traditional method of gambling is bidding tickets in the auction! There are a variety of fabulous items every year, and you never know if you're going to get the item you placed a ticket for. Ooo, aaah, thrilling.

Even if you don't like gambling, food, and light questing, it's an excellent opportunity to socialize. There's no great looming overhead threat, so people can just enjoy each other's company. I certainly do.

May your paths be lit,

Omri

OOC:

This is also a charity event, as it has been in past years! Coming and donating will lead to charitable gains for the End 68 hours of hunger charity, information found here https://www.end68hoursofhunger.org/. Even if you don't donate, any extra bit left over from the event will be going towards charity, so the more people show the more likely they'll have money to donate.

I genuinely have such a good time whenever I've gone. 

Tournaments of Artemis XIII - Tournament Results

 organized by Dani Lacasse

At Tournaments of Artemis this year we had a total of 12 competing teams; 

Church of Arius - Lead by Companion 

Team Corvus - Lead by Corvus

Team Princess - Lead by Princess Cressida

Team Fun - Lead by Irri

Svalborg - Lead by Hedda

Team Fern - Lead by Fern

Half of Suneicar - Lead by Crane 

Team Dunno? - Lead by Topaz

Team Shrimp - Lead by Second

Team 90 - Lead by Shandar 

Team 4 - Lead by Four

Vinya Ohtari - Lead by Lupa

Team Grand Melee

1st : Team 90  2nd: Vinya Ohtari   3rd: Team Half of Suneicar

Singles - Sword and Dagger 

1st: Half of Suneicar  2nd: Svalborg  3rd: Team Fern 

Singles - Sword and Shield

1st: Team Dunno?  2nd: Team Princess  3rd: Team Fern 

Singles - Five Foot

1st: Svalborg  2nd: 90  3rd: Vinya Ohtari 

13 Lives

1st : Team 90  2nd: Vinya Ohtari   3rd: Church of Arius

 

Pigeon Teatime

Winner: Team Dunno?   

Bear Pit

1st : Team 90   2nd: Vinya Ohtari 3rd: Team Fun

Danger Zone

*This tournament did not have time to complete, instead teams that one the first round were all given an equal amount of points.*

Winners: Team 90, Team Dunno?, Team 4. Team Princess, Team Fern, Svalborg   

Fights of Valor

1st : Team 90   2nd: Svalborg   3rd: Team Princess

Overall: 

1st: Team 90

2nd: Svalborg   

3rd: Team Dunno?

Superlatives:

Most Honorable: Vinya Ohtari

Best Energy: Team Fun

Most Tactical: Team Fern

Most Spirited: Team Shrimp

Most Resilience: Team Corvus 

Best Friendly Banter: Team Four

The Muse Award: Priona "Luna" Crescenti

Rumors around the Realms May 1026

 

Rumors around the Realms April 1026

Blackwood

Overheard at Clontarf Castle. 

Yes, Tell Sir Magnus HeavyHammer thank you very much for the coin, yes it will be in the auction, yes, I am sure it’s real. Yes, it is still worth 30 of [fades out]. 

~

There’s been some curious talk that the Crown’s little Ward has a habit of… wandering. Vanishing from for a day or two, only to turn up again safe and sound. Folk are starting to say the fae might be borrowing the little one for their own amusements.

Various Locations Throughout the Realms

Travelers speak of faint digging heard at night in places where no living hands should be working, as though unseen labor has returned to forgotten ground. In villages near old burial sites, locals whisper that the dead are not rising in force, but being quietly rearranged and accounted for...less an army being rebuilt than a process of correction unfolding, as if past failures are being methodically amended one grave at a time.

Kenkilit, Voraniss

Preparations are underway at the Church of Aurora for the wedding of Priestess Lightbringer Margaret August and Champion Sir Tirvanel Fuller. Foreign guests have slowly begun to arrive in anticipation of the event, and Templars of Arius can be seen scouting out the venue and adding their own protections to that of the Aurorans. In Mirador, money exchanges hands over the potential of an invasion or kidnapping. But in spite of these somewhat morbid bets, the atmosphere is joyous and cheerful. 

near Blackwater 

Some early crops have been withering no sooner than planted, along with trails of sickened plant life found here and there in the forests and swamps.

Chimeron

Rumors of sent letters going missing have spread, with some people wondering if they can still reliably send letters and expect them to arrive. Despite these rumors, Chimeronian officials have been unable to verify this, saying that mail audits have shown no abnormalities. 

Meme Monday

 by the Meme Team

What You Missed - Tournaments of Chocolate

by: Eric "Johan" Stegehuis

*puts down piece of chocolate cake*

We started the day in the lands of Eagle’s Rook being introduced to Avendroth fae and signing up for all of the tournaments at once, which I highly appreciate because it minimized downtime between formats. Combat began with a double elimination 2pt armor single short duel extravaganza which was quite fun, but did take a significant amount of time. Thankfully, the event staff realized this and moved to unarmored combat for the rest of the day and played with double versus single elimination until they found what I believe to be a good balance of double elim no armor with one or two fights running at a time. Side note, I am extra happy we didn’t do armor for the double dagger contest because I would like to keep my knuckles. We had a litany of marshals, many from Eagle’s Rook and one of them looking suspiciously like if Saegan had anime hair, who helped the day run very smoothly and explained the format to every combat. Everyone fought honorably (including the weather) and seemed to enjoy the fights and the rounds of snacks and food produced by the kitchen to keep us sustained.

Throughout the day, adventurers took part in the alchemy dungeon (I don’t remember its actual name) which tested your creativity and knowledge of alchemical recipes as well as magical thinking. I love these kinds of  “escape room” puzzle tourneys and look forward to seeing the next evolution of this. The other noncom tournament was due before the event started and challenged us to recall the history of Eagle’s Rook, the winning contestant of which I believe was published earlier this week.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the dog on the field. His name is Camo and he is everyone’s best friend, they might just not know it yet. He got to meet so many people and was the perfect little fluff (ignore that he’s not that little) to go cuddle with between fights. Seriously it was nice to see adventurers taking turns walking around or playing with the dog friend. I love him.

Eventually, it was time for the final tournament: any combo double elim and points are awarded based on how many kills you get before elimination, which is interesting and fun if you ask me. As for winners, I believe Shandar won most of the tournaments and so deservingly got first place overall; the reward for which was first pick of the many chocolate treats laid out by the event staff. I picked out a large piece of flourless chocolate cake made by Fern and it was absolutely delicious. Other participants took their picks and eventually everybody who wanted a treat got one. I look forward to more events hosted by Eagle’s Rook! Anyways, I gotta finish this cake.

*picks up cake again*

Oh btw did I forget the mention there was a dog?