Niklas runs up beside Jeffeth and pats the other man on the shoulder. "Anything you need, Jeffeth." Not even Sir Bayweather. "Just let me know."

Monique has left the Noble Seating.

2 House Deepwood Guards, Mortimer Ridgewattle the Third arrive, following Grady.

Acilius, 2 House Mazetti Aspirants arrive, following Valerio.

Niklas looks around as people start coming into the ground. "The duel is over." Then he sees people with bows. "Oh. Right. Other stuff is happening that has nothing to do with me." He considers this for a long moment, then shrugs and walks over to sit down in the noble seating.

Niklas has joined the Noble Seating.

Sebastian has shed the leathers of winter, sporting instead lighter clothes suitable to spring. Long strides carry him quickly across the grounds, looking somewhat drawn and tired, as if he hasn't slept -- or hasn't slept /well/. He slows in his stride long enough to secure a drink from one of the vendors in exchange for coin, and then he's headed for the noble seating.

Sebastian has joined the Noble Seating.

Daegmund, an Oakhaven Shepherd have been dismissed.

You have to hand it to the caretakers here: They certainly know how to turn over from one event to the next. The dueling pit is clean and cleared, everything is put away, and now archery targets line one entire side of the Proving Grounds. Lord Grady Deepwood, looking baffled but amiable enough, stands near the closest line of marks near the targets. Which puts him roughly in the center of the grounds. "Gentles all, welcome to the House Deepwood Archery tournament! I'm glad to see you all here today!" He's shouting to make himself heard but at least it's relatively pleasant.

"If you're planning to participate in our grand archery shoot, please make your way down to the line!" Grady makes a gesture that indicates the line he's standing on. "You'll start shooting from here and I will make sure that all rounds are counted, and then we'll continue making the range larger until we're left with a single winner. So! If you want to join the fun and let everyone 'Oooh' and 'Aaah' at your amazing talent with bow and arrow, join me!"


Shae is here, perched on a bit of railing, near the archery field but still apart from it. She's got her bow out, her hands running up the riser as she watches people arrive, competitors and watchers alike. Now and then she tests the limbs of her weapon, flexing, listening as Grady shouts directions. She hops up and moves to do as guided, tugging up her quiver. To the line.


Yessica arrives with graceful but deliberate steps, bow in hand, her eyes darting curiously back and forth between the assembling crowd of people and the area set up for the tournament. The impressed look on her face hints at it probably beeing her first visit to the Proving grounds. As she hears the call to form up on the line, a bright smile appears on her lips. "Oh well, sightseeing later then" She mumbles, before making her way towards where the other competitors seem to be forming up.

Yessica has joined the Archery Range.

Tyren has joined the Noble Seating.


Striding up to the Proving Grounds, Tyren diverts to the noble seating. He wears light silks, either of his hands gloved, with his right hand tucked against his stomach. There's a cool glance out to the field before he finds his seat, dipping his head to the others present. "Good day," he says in a reserved manner. "It looks like I've come just in time, it doesn't appear they've started yet.

Shae offers Yessica a hand, her face impassive but her gray eyes warm as she bows a bit again, this time the gesture more visible to those in the seats. "Shae Keaton," she introduces herself. "It is always a pleasure to meet another archer."

They are in fact just starting, and Grady bows to Shae and Yessica. "Welcome," he says to them both. "I'm Lord Grady Deepwood, and I hope you'll forgive my bit of surprise tonight; I was not expecting to be the host. Nonetheless, we press on. Lady Shae, well met. And you are?" He waits, an amiable smile on his face, for Yessica to introduce herself.

Settling himself near the others, Sebastian gives a welcoming nod to Tyren as he drinks. "Just in time for archery; too late for a duel, it seems," he says, wryly. He's not familiar with any of the contestants, eyes roving over them curiously as he listens to the introductions.

Having returned to practically living in his armor once more, sans helmet, Valerio strides into the proving grounds. Taking a brief pause to sweep the surroundings with his eye. Theres a quick curt nod, and then he's turning on his heel for the Noble seating. He doesn't seem to be choosy aside from being able to stretch out his legs some, and settles with a rattling thunk.

Valerio has joined the Noble Seating.

Relic, 4 Ashford House Guard arrive, following Harlan.


Yessica takes the hand before dipping her chin in a polite bow of the head, the excited expression still lingering on her face even as she starts to prepare herself. "Lady Yessica Wyrmguard, a pleasure to meet you Shae." Then she turns to Grady and offers a small curtsy, repeating the introduction. "It's a pleasure to meet you Lord Grady, I am glad to be here."

Harlan comes in, a bit late, but carring (unstrung) Stormbreaker, glittering a bit in the light. He looks around as if trying to determine where he should be going.

Shae puts a coat of Northern-dwelling winter fox fur in a leather travel pack embroidered with green linen thread.

Shae puts a small jar, filled with a sticky and oily mixture, with 'Hand cream' writen in a label in a leather travel pack embroidered with green linen thread.

Shae nods to Yessica, her grip firm but not overbearing. She turns to Grady. "Lord Grady. Also a pleasure."

2 Grayson House Guards, Elizabetta, a disapproving lady-in-waiting, Lily, an aloof lady-in-waiting, Clark, an exasperated guard arrive, following Sabella.

Sabella has joined the Noble Seating.

"Okay," Grady says. "First we have Lady Shae Keaton, and then Lady Yessica Wyrmguard. Oathlands Lady versus Oathlands Lady. We'll see who the best of the Oathlands - and perhaps the KNOWN WORLD is tonight!" He's selling this hard. Is that deliberate? "First we're going to do something so unpredictable, you'll never see it coming! That's right - a /totally standard archery shoot at close range/." He looks around. "Except blindfolded!" From a pocket somewhere he pulls blindfolds - two - and offers them to the ladies. "Closest to the center wins, and if you don't hit the target you don't get any points at all."


Shae reaches out to take a blindfold, offering it to Yessica with a small bow, but her eyebrows are drawn upward to the roots of her hair. She seems surprised but- ... "Truly?" She waves a hand at the stands. "Be sure to tell me, Lord Grady, if I aim that way? Or is that against the rules?" Shae asks in an even tone, her question completely serious as she takes the other blindfold, preparing to tie it around her head.

Anya, the cool as an ice cube Champion apprentice, Renn, the mousy, scholarly brunette, Morgan, a roguish looking gentleman arrive, following Caspian.


"Only the known world?" Yessica offers with a jovial smirk and a raised eyebrow, before accepting the blindfold and start fastening it around her head to cover the eyes. "I'll guess I'll have to settle for that for now then." Her hands go to pick up the bow from where she put it, but she knocks it over and has to bend down and search the ground for a moment with her hand before securing it. "Ah, there we go." She rises back up with a wide smile.

"Don't aim towards the sound of this voice! Aim away from it!" Sabella calls out to Shae and Yessica helpfully!

Silvio has joined the Noble Seating.

Fecundo has left the Noble Seating.

Silvio flounces into the contest and heads for the noble seating. He seems to be headed right for Grazia, to see if there's an empty seat next to her. And if not...who is in it that he can harass...

Shae checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 20, rolling 35 higher.

Shae has her blindfold checked by Grady at least twice. She too goes groping for her bow at her side, where she'd kept it propped against her leg so as not to lose it. She clears her throat and pulls an arrow from her quiver. That part is easy. She takes a deep breath and, at Sabella's helpful shout, has a better idea as far as where the targets are at. She turns and draws her bow, aims and .. holds the pose. She's waiting. Who knows what for. But eventually, she lets her arrow fly and hears the satisfying -thunk- of arrow into target.

"And we have a new contestant as well, Duke Harlan has joined us!" From another pocket, Grady pulls a blindfold. "Take your stance /first/ would be my advice to you all, and then put the blindfolds on. But I'm no archer, so I'll not tell you what to do. I will, however, make sure you're not aiming into the crowd. For safety's sake. We want excitement, not murder most foul!" He laughs at his own joke and makes room for Harlan to join them.

Yessica checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 20, rolling 22 higher.

white-tailed eagle, 2 House Riven Soldiers arrive, following Thesarin.

Thesarin makes his way toward the Proving Grounds at a slow, measured stride. Broad shoulders, balled hands, and tattoos on his wrists and neck--the man looks, as ever, like a shav out of the Grey Forest dressed up like a nobleman. He keeps away from the range, looking over the crowds of attendees to give short, curt nods to those he recognizes.


Yessica turns around to do a bow in the direction she thinks the new contestant is arriving from, whether or not it is correct is for the non-blindfolded people to estimate. "Welcome Duke Harlan, it's a pleasure to meet and comepete against you." After safely securing the blindfold and making sure that no light peaks in, Yessica reaches for her quiver and places the arrow to rest on her hand and bowstring. She pulls the string and "aims" as best as she can, correcting a bit after the words of a young lady in the stands call out at them. She steadies herself for a moment, her chest rising and falling with a deep breath before she let's the arrow fly. Her head turns to get some kind of audible confirmation on whether she hit the target or not and a bright smile forms as the well known "thud" of arrowhead piercing wood sounds out. "Well that wen't ok....I think."

Harlan checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 20, rolling 44 higher.

Silvio drops down next to Grazia and tosses one leg over the other in one elegant motion. He wiggles his fingers for a drink from a vendor and smiles serenely. "Ohhhh...I do like this. A competition with some /endurance/. Its so tragic to get everyone together and then all the action is expended in three grunting minutes. So...my dearest sister, who are we cheering for?"

Harlan chuckles and says, "Well, let's see this blindfold, then!" He looks over at the target and then nods, "I'm ready." He takes the blindfold and covers his eyes, before moving to pull back his bow -- and fires, without even looking. The arrow flies true -- apparently he remembers what he saw quite well!

"Ten points to Duke Harlan Ashford! Well shot indeed! You can take the blindfolds off now," he says to the competitors, even as he leads the crowd in a cheer for the participants. "What could possibly be next? Well, let's see! First, we're going to take a step back to this line heeeeere," he says, drawing out the word as he leads them to the next further line. "And you'll be allowed to see this time, but you'll have to shoot... STANDING ON ONE FOOT." He looks out at the crowd. "It's harder than it looks!" He demonstrates now, lifting his foot high behind him. He's unsteady at best, and he bobbles. "And that's without trying to shoot," he calls out. "Archers, take your marks and shoot at will!"

Thesarin has joined the Noble Seating.

Harlan checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 30, rolling 6 higher.

Shae checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 30, rolling 41 higher.

Yessica checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 30, rolling 46 higher.

Harlan takes his blindfold off, and gives a flourishing wave and bow to the crowd, showing off a bit. He moves back to the new line, and sights in, before swinging back one foot -- but apparently he was feeling a bit cocky here...and overcompensated when firing the arrow. He hits the target!---but not nearly sa well as some others.


Shae tugs off her blindfold, observing the score and nodding to Harlan with respect. "Very impressive," nodding to Yessica as well. At the next set of rules, she blinks at Grady. The woman moves with a limp, as ever, so it's that weaker leg she lifts and she stands on her good one, draw her bow, arrow shaft sighted down and- ... release. And it's not terrible! -thunk-


Yessica removes her blindfold as the last competitor places his shot, imidiately looking to the target. She doesn't look disappointed when Duke Harlan is called out as the winner of this forst stage, her bright smile still beaming with excitement. She looks to the two other shooters and nods in respect before taking a step back to where Grady has indicated. She makes ready to shoot again, making her aim before slowly pulling her leg up and letting her aim rest for a second more. Then she releases the arrow. Her shot hit's true with another -thud- and the smile widens slightly more. "Yus!" She gathers herself, regain her composure. For now.

"Well shot again," Grady calls out! "Ten points to Lady Yessica! Beautifully done, edging Lady Shae out by a hair's breadth really. Of course, all three are better shots than I can do myself," Grady admits pleasantly enough as he claps for all of them in turn. "Well done indeed!" Now he beckons them to the next line back, leading the way himself. "The next will be the most boring shot yet - another shot where you are standing still, but this time you get to use your eyes too... you'll just have to shoot the bow offhand. But no pressure," he says with a wry grin.

Shae checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 40, rolling 6 higher.

Yessica checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 40, rolling 1 higher.


Shae applauds Yessica. "Well done," she says, before listening to the next step in the competition. She switches her bow to her other hand then, and lifts it to aim, letting loose to hit the target. It takes more effort than she's expecting, and no matter the outcome of the others, she still winces at her result.

Harlan checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 40, rolling 9 higher.

"Ever Rising!" Jordan shouts from the noble benches. "Good shot, my Lord!"

Harlan nods towards the others, "Good shots,good shots!" He then moves to the new location and listens, then nodding, "Off hand, you say..." He takes his glittery blingy bow and shifts his body to the opposite stance, and moves to draw, saying, "Ashford Scouts train for this, so..." And he fires --- striking the target with a solid *thunk*

"Go Duke Harlan, huzzah!" Sabella shouts with loud applause!

Harlan responds, "Ever Rising!"

Grazia claps politely for Duke Harlan and his success.


Yessica bows to the crowd, applause or not, before looking to Grady as he calls out the next challenge. She blinks a few times with a blank expression but then simply shrugs as her smile returns. "Oh that sounds fun!" And potentially dangerous, but who can think of such things now. As she raises her bow to aim at the target,she seems to have trouble finding a good shoot and several long second passes. Then she apparently determines that this is as good as it's gonna get as she let's go of the string to let the arrow fly towards the target, norrowly hitting the outer edges. "Hmm, oh well, at least I hit" She offers to the two other archers.

Thesarin claps out a loud, steady applause from his spot at the noble seating, looking at the competitors with a vague scowl.

Grady cheers! "Duke Harlan for another ten points! And the final round - for fifteen points total. One more mark," he shouts, "and this is simple skill." He leads them back to the final mark, the archery targets across the Proving Grounds now. "Point and shoot, and show us that style and flair for archery I know you all have in you! This last shot for the win!"

Harlan checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 50, rolling 6 higher.

Shae checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 50, rolling 18 lower.

Harlan smiles towards everyone else and says, "Best shooting to you, everyone!" And he moves back to the spot, lines up his shot...inhales...exhales...inhales.....and FIRES! *thunk*

Yessica checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 50, rolling 19 lower.


Shae stands to the line and sights down her arrow. But there's something off, or she's hit her limit and she just .. can't ... Focus. Her arrow hits the edge of the target and shoots off beyond it. She drops her bow and stares at her misfire, hand coming up to shade her eyes as she peers down it. "Damn," she mutters, disappointed with her shot.


Tyren lifts his attention from the conversation at the stands at the next shot, his eyes narrowing out to the people on the stands. Though he seems to focus on one of the archers in particular, his eyes narrowing as Shae's shot lands beyond the target. He frowns, but then shakes his head, returning his attention to the stands with a small sigh.

Sabella jumps to her feet, clapping loudly and shouting, "Duke Harlan! Is there no shot you cannot make?!"

"It's all those trick shots throwing off your regular game," Grady murmurs to Yessica and Shae in good-natured commisseration. And then he's raising his voice. "Ladies and Gentlemen, the winner of the Deepwood Archery Tournament is... Duke Harlan Ashford! Everyone take a moment to cheer for the man of the hour, Duke Harlan! Well shot, Your Excellency!"


"To you too Lord Harlan, impressive shooting so far." Yessica offers in reply to Harlan before stepping back further to the last line of tonights competition. She is all smiles and confidence as she takes her aim and quickly lets the arrow fly. A little to quickly it seems, as the arrow merely graces the edge of the target and goes flying off. Her expression turns to one of annoyance for a moment as she gives her bow a look like it had just let her down and is to blame for the miss. "Oh well, the best man won I guess." she says as she turns to Harlan to offer her congratulations, the smile returning once more. It was an honour to compete against both of you" she then offers to Shae and Harlan in turn beofore joining the crowds cheer for Duke Harlan.

Harlan calls back towards Sabella, "Many, Princess!" He merely smiles towards Yesina and the others, "You all shot very well, though."

Saoirse has left the Noble Seating.

Dreya, an older woman in Velenosan livery have been dismissed.

2 House Velenosa Guards have been dismissed.

Ailfryd, a tall, thin man with a haugty air have been dismissed.

Harlan adds, "If i go any further back -- I likely won't make it."

"Ever Rising!" Jordan calls out again. "Well done, my Lord!"

Thesarin gives another round of applause, and fixes Harlan with a short look, giving another single sharp nod.

Thesarin is overheard praising Harlan.


Shae hooks her bow over her shoulder quiver, applauding with the others, pausing to put her fingers to her mouth to whistle. "Yes, very, very well shot, Lord Harlan," she says, and then turns to Yessica to bow. "Lady Yessica, you as well. It was an honor to compete with you."

Shae is overheard praising Yessica.

Standing for a moment, Sebastian adds to the applauds, nodding. "Well shot," he murmurs.

Grady is overheard praising Yessica.

Grady is overheard praising Shae.

Sebastian is overheard praising Harlan.

Shae is overheard praising Harlan.

Harlan is overheard praising Yessica.

Sebastian is overheard praising Yessica.

Shae is overheard praising Grady.

Sebastian is overheard praising Shae.

Grady is overheard praising Harlan: Amazing shooting!

Harlan is overheard praising Grady.

Harlan is overheard praising Shae.

Sebastian is overheard praising Grady.

Harlan pauses and grins, 'But....for the sake of argument..." And he moves to take a few more steps back. "I'm going to miss this, but .... we have to give the people a show!"

Harlan checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 55, rolling 21 lower.

Yessica is overheard praising Harlan.

Harlan fires --- and misses. He grins, "Told you."

Yessica is overheard praising Shae.

Yessica is overheard praising Grady.

Tyren is overheard praising Harlan.

Tyren is overheard praising Yessica.

Tyren is overheard praising Shae.

Tyren is overheard praising Grady.

Niklas lifts his hands in a polite applause for Duke Harlan's effort, but when the other two take their shots he stands and applauds louder. "Good show to all of you! I'd say 'certainly better than I could do', but there's no value in stating the extremely obvious."

Grady cheers at Harlan. "Good effort, good effort," he says to the Duke pleasantly. "Everyone who came to watch, thank you so much for attending! Please, enjoy the hospitality of House Deepwood before you leave - the cider is particularly fine - and I hope you enjoyed your evening here! To the competitors, well shot and thank you very much for coming!"

Shae bows to Harlan, as the winner, and again to Yessica, as a competitor. Then speaking quietly to Grady with a respectful nod to him as well.

"Well done, Lady Shae, Lady Yessica! Amazing display of archery!" Jordan calls out from the noble seating, letting out a whistle and then reclining against his seat as he speaks something at the noble seats to Sebastian and Tyren.

Thesarin stands from the noble benches, and starts with a series of slow steps toward the competitors. Harlan gets another nod, and an extended hand.


There is polite clapping for the competitors from Tyren, though he does not look overly amused by the whole ordeal. He rises from the benches and dips a nod to those he was speaking to. "A pleasure meeting you all. Unfortunate that it is so short, but I've some matters to attend to." His gaze looks cooly out over the field before he moves to leave.