Vex
Lord Paramount
what is this
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Post by Vex on Jan 17, 2017 14:07:33 GMT
"To think that a year ago, all of us here were using each other as target practice," she told Belric with a slight smile to show him her support of the event; she perceived it as something that had the potential to bring the riverlords together rather than cause further divide.
"Good luck, cousin," she told Aelison before moving to position.
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Post by Tim of Raventree on Jan 17, 2017 18:25:36 GMT
"I am glad to hear that." Willem replied. "He was not well loved but deserved better treatment than he was given by most of his kin. It pleases me to know he died knowing he had friends left. As for Hoster he murdered my mother and left me to fend for myself as a child. If I were not sworn to your brothers service I would kill him and do so happily." He looked to violet with sympathy after finishing his venemous speech. "I apologize if that is too violent for your sensibilities, my lady. But it is what I feel." She was a little shocked by his declaration but then she remembered Edmure and the circumstances that had forced her hand, not to mention the terror she had experienced at the time, and she could not bring herself to speak against Willem. "We cannot help our feelings. I know you will serve Belric to the best of your ability and that's what matters. What happens between you and Uncle Hoster is for the future to decide." She started to make another remark then realised the competitors were getting into place. "Oh look, it's starting! Excuse me, I had better go find the ladies and sit with them."
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Post by Lucas of Brindlewood on Jan 17, 2017 18:52:53 GMT
"Well put, my lady." Willem replied, as she made to depart. "Thank you for your company."
He in turn made his way to a lower section of the stand and seated himself.
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Post by Lord Belric Blackfort on Jan 17, 2017 23:20:27 GMT
Belric let out a chuckle following Dacey's jest. "Speaking of target practice, I've watched you drop a rider from fifty yards at a full gallop. Simple game shouldn't present much of a challenge." He gave her sly grin, his expectations were obviously high.
He put a hand on both of their shoulders, offering a bit of endearment. "Whatever happens out there, win or lose, you have both made me very proud."
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Bret
Peasant
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Post by Bret on Jan 18, 2017 0:01:30 GMT
Aelison also laughed at Dacey's statement and wished her will, but as Belric she know her cousin didn't need it. She smiled at Belric wth a nod.
"Glad to hear that", she chuckled.
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The Gambler
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Post by The Gambler on Jan 18, 2017 0:16:51 GMT
The Steward of Games cleared his throat, before speaking in a clear voice that carried so the contestants and spectators could both hear.
"This will be a test of accuracy and speed with a bow, both skills required for true mastery," the two lordly competitors both gave a hard glance at Jormun, who was the only one armed with a crossbow, viewed among nobles as a peasant weapon not fit for such competitions. But as the Steward of Games had not disqualified the Master of Hunt, they did not press the issue. "The first round is a baseline to make sure all competitors have the inherent skill for the contest. 8 ravens will be released as targets, one for each competitor. Any competitor that misses his raven will be eliminated from the competition."
"In subsequent rounds, one less raven will be released than the number of competitors that remain, anyone that fails to hit a target eliminated, until two are left. The champion will be decided between the last two in a final exhibition of skill."
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The Gambler
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Post by The Gambler on Jan 18, 2017 0:57:56 GMT
Round 1: 8 Ravens are released, 100+ required to hit one
After the competitors were in position, the gamemaster made his way over to a group of cages containing the carrion birds, throwing one open to release eight. The ravens took flight, black wings outstretched as they soared towards the sun, climbing as quickly as they could towards safety.
Aelison drew first blood, raising her bow and firing a snapshot into the mass of black feathers, striking one from the sky. Both Mallister arrows struck true, their practice the day prior clearly having paid off. Much to the annoyance of the noble competitors, Jormun struck a bird from the sky with a well-aimed bold. Lord Blackwood and Ser Randall picked off the namesakes of their old unit without any difficulty. Even Hoster Shoreham, the least experience archer among them, brought down a bird. Oddly, it was the Blackfort favorite that seemed to struggle. Whether biding her time to show off or momentarily terrified by the group of ravens in the air, Dacey hesitated until the last bird was almost out of range before releasing the shot. Had Bloodraven's old bow been strung with a lighter string, it was unlikely it the arrow would have reached its target, but luckily the it cut through the air and skewered the final raven as freedom was only a few wingflaps away.
"All competitors have passed the qualifying round and will continue to the competition proper!" the gamemaster announced.
(+2 Crossbows for Jormun, +3 Bows for Aelison. Dacey rolled a 7, managing to just barely make it to the next round.)
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The Gambler
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Post by The Gambler on Jan 18, 2017 3:47:43 GMT
Round 2: 7 ravens are released. 100+ still required to hit one, but the lowest roller is also eliminated.
The gamemaster released seven more ravens into the air. Dacey and Joanna were the quickest, raising their bows and releasing in unison, each striking a bird at the same instant. The two high lords followed suit in quick procession, as the ground became littered with avian corpses. To Ser Randall's extreme annoyance, Jormun managed to down a bird a moment before he shot his own from the sky, the Master of Hunt seeming to have uncanny luck with that crossbow. Aelison's arrow took the last raven, leaving the object of her affection slack-jawed. Hoster Shoreham had not even gotten off a shot, his arrow still notched on the bowstring, all the quarry seeming to have vanished before he could even draw a bead.
"Hoster Shoreham is eliminated," the gamemaster annunced, as if it were not obvious. "All other contestants proceed to the next round."
(+3 Crossbow for Jormun, +1 Bows for Aelison)
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The Gambler
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Post by The Gambler on Jan 18, 2017 4:06:15 GMT
Round 3: 6 Ravens are released. 100+ still required to hit one, but the lowest roller is also eliminated.
As six ravens were released, Fisk and Blackwood both slew their ravens with blinding speed, each making it clear they had certainly earned their weirwood bows. Dacey hit her bird next, earning the barest nod of respect from the Lord of Raventree Hall. Aelison was the first of those without weirwood bows to take down a raven. Joseth and Joanna Mallister each took aim at the same raven, letting arrows fly. The daughter's struck true, with her father's going wide and sailing off deep into the massive godswood. This elicited a smirk from Joanna, to which Joseth could only beam at pride at being bested by the apple of his eye. Jormun's luck finally ran out, his bolt sailing low, allowing a single bird to escape into the wild blue yonder.
"Lord Joseth Mallister and Jormun Rivers are eliminated," the Steward of the Games intoned.
(Aelison gains +2 to Bows)
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The Gambler
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Post by The Gambler on Jan 18, 2017 4:26:36 GMT
Round 4: 4 Ravens are released. 100+ still required to hit one, but the lowest roller is also eliminated.
With two contestants eliminated the previous round, the gamemaster released four ravens. Ser Randall was again fastest on the draw, his arrow pinning a raven to a nearby tree like a wanted notice as it flew from its cage. Joanna Mallister, who had not been favored to make it this far, once again dismayed many of the betters by skillfully downing a bird. Dacey downed the next, leaving one between Aelison and Lord Blackwood. Seth actually lowered his bow, allowing Aelison to take the first shot, though it was hard to tell if it was an act of chivalry or confidence. Aelison released her arrow, but the wind picked up, the gust making it pass just under her target's wing. Seeing her miss, Blackwood took a moment to gauge the wind, raised his bow, took careful aim at the lone raven, and struck it form the sky like the hand of god.
"Aelison Blackfort is eliminated," the gamemaster announced.
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The Gambler
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Post by The Gambler on Jan 18, 2017 4:39:11 GMT
Round 5: 3 Ravens are released. 100+ still required to hit one, but the lowest roller is also eliminated.
The four remaining contestants readied their bows and the gamemaster released trio of raptors. Apparently deciding to show he could be quick after proving last round he could be accurate, Seth shot the first bird to escape the cage through the eye, nearly taking its head off in the process. The two remaining birds circled one another in their desperate ascent as the three remaining archers took aim. Ser Randall caught the second in the breast, leaving the two noblewomen to fight over the last. They raised their bows and fired, Dacey a hair faster than the heir to Seagard, striking it from the sky.
"Joanna Malister is eliminated," the Steward of Games intoned.
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The Gambler
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Post by The Gambler on Jan 18, 2017 4:58:08 GMT
Round 6: 2 Ravens are released. 100+ still required to hit one, but the lowest roller is also eliminated.
Three archers with weirwood bows had entered the contest and three remained on the field. There was a hush in the crowd as three of the most famed archers of the war nocked their arrows and waited, moments like this what tourney fanatics waited their whole lives to see. Then the cage opened and the pair of ravens took flight. Dacey, who up until this point had barely skated by in the competition, brought her A game now, perhaps inspired to prove she was worthy of wielding the bow of the man who had commanded her two opponents. Her arrow flew true and a raven fell, leaving two Raven's Teeth to battle over the remainder. The two former allies took aim and fired, Lord Blackwood's shot brushing by the bird so close that the arrowhead sent a few black feathers fluttering in the air. In an upset, Ser Randall struck true, triumphing over his former superior. Lord Seth clapped the man on the back in congratulations, wishing both remaining contestants luck in the final round.
"Lord Seth Blackwood is eliminated," the gamemaster announced, the crowd going wild, with a number of gamblers groaning as the Lord of Raventree Hall had been favored to win the event. "For the final round, a great swarm of ravens will be released and each contestant will be provided with ten arrows. Whomever downs the most birds will be crowned victor."
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The Gambler
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Post by The Gambler on Jan 18, 2017 5:25:06 GMT
Final Round (unless there's a tie): A multitude of ravens are released. Each contestant has 10 arrows, with the prize going to whoever downs the most birds.
Silence once again fell over the crowd as a large bell was rolled out by the great weirwood, where countless ravens perched, the massive conspiracy making the tree appear to have black leaves. Dacey Blackfort and Ser Randall Fisk took their positions, quivers full of arrows, former enemies turned competitors and technically allies as they both served the High Lordship of the God's Eye now.
The gamemaster rang the bell, breaking the silence, the ringing overshadowed by the ear-piercing cry of the dark cloud of ravens as they took flight. The contestants raised their bows and let arrows fill the sky, bowstrings on their weirwood bows singing as they fired shot after shot, black feathers falling like snow to coat the ground as ravens dropped from the sky.
When their quivers were empty, the gamemaster gingerly walked the field, inspecting the arrows in the birds and tallying the score for each contestant. Fisk's arrows were easy to spot among the sea of black, his arrows maple and his fletchings white dove feathers. When the gamemaster was done, he addressed the crowd and remaining competitors.
"Ser Randall Fisk downed a total of nine ravens," he announced, the crowd going wild, enthusiastically cheering the renown member of the Raven's Teeth. The gamemaster had to raise a hand to silence them. "Lady Dacey Blackfort downed a total of ten." There was a moment of stunned silence, before the crowd erupted into applause, causing more ravens to take flight form the nearby trees. "Lady Dacey Blackfort is champion of The Bohort!" the gamemaster added, though this redundant information was drowned out by the cheering.
(Dacey wins the archery contest. She receives +5 bows and a sizable purse that she may use to upgrade her armor from leather to chain OR donate it for +1 Wealth to the house. She also gains 2 Personal Disposition levels with Lord Seth Blackwood)
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Bret
Peasant
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Post by Bret on Jan 18, 2017 5:31:12 GMT
Aelison cheered and clapped for her cousin with a wide smile. She never had a doubt against Dacey, even though it looked like she had a rocky start.
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Post by Lord Belric Blackfort on Jan 18, 2017 5:31:58 GMT
Belric nearly fell out of his seat from all of the excitement. Up until this point he had tried to keep his composure, thinking Dacey was out of sorts with her meager performance. But now he saw through it, she was simply playing into the crowd. Unable to keep himself together anymore, he hotted and hollered, shoving his fingers in his mouth to let out a deafening whistle.
"Did you see that?" He asked Saesha, with a boys eagerness. "I could hardly keep count as she fired!"
He jumped from his seat and stomped his foot against the stands, apparently thinking the most appropriate action was to make as much noise as possible. Belric had never been so happy to part with gold.
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