by: Nixon "Jasper" Showalter
Hello friends, foes, and otherwise,
The lands of Heminshire call to me, as I am sure they are calling to many of you as well. There are good times to be had and I can now only wait eagerly for the weekend! I saw many of you around this time last year, though at the time I was working as a bartender keeping you all hydrated and keeping spirits high, with some side work on the Western Flank (I still occasionally get dreams of Orion chasing me down through the woods with dramatic music in the background, how strange). However, getting to see first hand all of the incredible times there were to be had, I knew this year I wanted to try my hand as a competitor.
Starting off the weekend with the Fated Arena is incredibly exciting. I have only heard stories, but I can say without a doubt I am eager to experience it for myself. There is nothing like entering a competition knowing your objective is not only to win, but to survive. And for all of you wealthy benefactors out there, it seems there will be some use for all of that coin you have accumulated. If anyone wants their heraldry on display, send me a pigeon and we can work something out.
Saturday is going to be a blast, a day full of tournaments for you all to put your best skills on display. Hopefully those of you who suffered, excelled, and survived this past weekend will be recovered to put on a show like no other! This past year Blackwood hosted some of the most unique and whimsical tournaments I have seen on the field, so I know without a doubt there will be fun times to be had. Not only are we competing for placements in each tournament, but winners will also be earning points towards the champion titles of Slayer, Archmage, and Skald. These are not only impressive titles, but also come awarded with their respective relics as well.
As night approaches, the festivities do not end! Drinks will be available to keep the night young, with challenges to Beat the Bartender to keep your bar time exciting. Sir Tao will be hosting a stack deck tournament for those of you who seek to rise in the gambling ranks, and last but certainly not least, Ser Elizah will be opening the Drag Inn for adventurers to compete in some incredibly fun games. The return of Dark Deed and Stoneface are extremely exciting to hear, but for the return of my personal favorite Nay, Poxy, Nave, I cannot wait! Ending the night, the Drag Inn will be hosting their first ever Drag Show, which is so exciting and I look forward to seeing all of the incredible performances for the night!
On Sunday, breakfast will be served (and I am sure it will taste incredible after the night's festivities and with the talents of Irri and Cronin at the stove) and tournaments will continue! To end the day, awards will be presented, titles will be appointed, and we will all have great stories to share.
I cannot wait to see you all there, and I hope you are all excited for a great weekend full of fun times, exciting tournaments, delicious drinks, impressive performances, and all of the amazing things Blackwood has to offer!
Until the sun touches the sea,
Jasper Havarti Sherwood
