Titus has joined the Field.

2 Prodigal reavers arrives, following Odin.

Odin has joined the Field.

Judge, Kessi, a big-eared, fuzzy fennec fox, 7 House Deepwood Guards arrive, following Samantha.

It's a late summer afternoon, the type of ones where the sun still hangs low and that heat can be felt on your face. The tournament grounds are rather bare and empty as there's no tournaments happening currently but there is a particular large section cornered off. You can see that there's a jousting area, a very large gauntlet of obstacles and finally a large ringed section. Three spots, three very different trials.

There's horses lined up and held by strappers, ready for their riders to mount. A few Mercies too are nearly, talking to one another as perhaps it's a sign that folks can be hurt. Titus though is near the jousting area, talking to a few knights and other folks about what's happening. The dead voice of the Warmonger speaks.

"Gather around. While the great tournament being planned isn't happening this afternoon, what is happening is training. Training now may assist you doing better at the actual tournament, and even if you're choosing to battle near Bastion or other places. So if you're willing to give it your all this afternoon, please raise a hand, declare your name and house you represent and step forward."

Vitalis enters afoot, leading a small gray horse. Small compared to those that will compete in the joust with heavily armored riders. He is watching those gathered with a keen look. Studying opponents? He pats the horse's neck and hands the reins off to a nearby attendant before answering the call, a hand lifted, "Vitalis Clement, for House Clement."

Confining himself to the stands, Angelo finds a seat to which he relaxes comfortably. Legs crossed at the knee, he observes with a somberness written, full lips pursed. Silent, on the sidelines and easily overlooked, Angelo merely exists, observing from far with an occasional blink resgistered."

Vitalis has joined the Field.

Ian turns up with Angelo in tow, his head bowed, his attention fixed on his feet as he paces over the uneven ground of the tourney field. He's not dressed like someone who's here to compete.

It has been some time since the Conscience of the Peers has walked among the people of Arx. While a jousting tournament may be an odd place for her to make her reapperance to society, those that know Samantha will realize that it is not at all that unusual. Picking her way carefully among those that have gathered to participate or to watch, she finds a small corner in the viewing stand to slip into, and she settles in to watch the proceedings.

No Eswynd proper would ever deny the chance to showcase their mettle. Thus, Odin is here, cracking his neck with a big smile on his face as he takes to the field. "Let's have a damn good party! What is the first challenge? I'll tackle it head on!

Sorrel's jousting horse is not particularly large either, but she is sorrel in color, which likely amuses the princess. She's singing a song to the mare as she leads her up to the fields for the practice tourney, and it seems to be some sort of playful drinking song from the Oathlands: not too raucous, not too drunk. Though she herself seems quite sober and in fairly good spirits.

Maerigan walks in and sticks to the outer perimeter, watching the training. She's dressed in plain and simple black clothing. Unremarkable and plain. Her coal black eyes survery the field and she takes up a seat on a bench nearby to watch.

Titus gives a salute and bow of his head to Odin, Sorrel and Vitalis coming on to the field. "For those without a mount, the Vaevici have brought some for you to use." A myrmidon of Titus comes over with a helmet upside down and you can see coloured ribbons in it. "Everyone desiring to participate reach in and we'll draw lots as to who we will first go up against. Once you're knocked off the mount you can watch from the side until the next stage. As we are jousting, this is training but remember Gloria above watches to see whether we are honourable in any challenge so do your best and we are all better for stepping here to put on a good display for those watching. Draw your lots."

Jason, a valet have been dismissed.

Ian has joined the General Seating.

Angelo has joined the General Seating.

Vitalis looks to the other entrants, thusfar, "Princess Thrax, Lord Eswyn." He bows his head and looks to their host, "Lord Vaevici." At the mention of drawing lots he steps forward and takes his, matching it against the others. "Lord Eswynd, see you on the list." He grins at Sorrel, teeth flashing, "See you next round." He turns and goes off to mount up, thanking the groom that held Rocker in the mean. Rocker blinks calmly, and swishes his tail. No fiery battlecharger, he. Vitalis doesn't need a mount, but he does need a lance and trots over to accept one from another groom and take his place at the end of the list.

Sorrel has joined the Field.

Ian takes a seat in the peanut gallery, a.k.a general seating, high enough in the stands to get a good view of the field. He leans forward, elbows on knees, and watches the event with the sharp interest of a trained eye.

Samantha has joined the General Seating.

Moving among the few scatterd audience members, Samantha finds a good vantage point from which to observe the goings on. She folds her hands and places them within her lap, attention fixed upon the combatants as they prepare to do battle.

Odin's name is called! "Finally, let's get to work." He turns to Sorrel and he gives them a soft nod. "Battle well." he says with a smile, though the event in question makes him laugh. "Horses hate me, but this should be exciting."

Seated, silent and observatory, Angelo largely pays attention to the field. Occasionally he rustles his hair in thought, colorful gaze burning with an intensity to which is rather perceptive, noting each and every individual on the field from equipment to body posture."

"Ah, jousting with an animal that dislikes you is often a poor idea," Sorrel says with a little shake of her head, but she grins nonetheless. "And don't tell me that ships don't have personalities, for they certainly seem to, despite not being alive. But a horse has the advantage of a warm velvety nose and gratitude when given fruit slices."

Titus has called for a check of strength and huge wpn at easy.
Critical Success! Vitalis is inhumanly successful in a way that defies expectations.
Odin is successful.

Odin checks stamina and ride at easy. Odin marginally fails.

BOOM!

The horses run, lances held aloft...and Sorrel's lance bashes into Odin's armor, knocking him clean from his horse and knocking him right on his back. "Damn horse.... Damn me." Odin growls as he works his way back to his feet. "Hell's..."

At first a gasp slips forth from Samantha, but ethen she applauds the hit from her seat in the viewing stand, once she has seen that Odin rises.

Where Odin and his mount are perhaps at odds, Vitalis and Rocker are a unit. The two square up and Vitalis doesn't even have to dig heels in before the horse is surging forward, the both of them keenly focused on dropping the lance and setting it and ... CRACK, the lance bends and splits, force telegraphed through the limb, twisting Vitalis in his seat, in his saddle, the force of it shed to the side, fragments dropped, he wheels, drawing a blade prepared to fight it out afoot.

Titus watches the two men charge and the crashing of an excellent tip by Vitalis against Odin, unseating the warrior who crashes a few trots off the clash. "Well done, both of you." he says as he's mounting up on his own horse and making his way towards one end as one can hear the names of the next competitors being called out.

"Princess Sorrel and Lord Titus!"

Titus gives a lift of his lance that he grabs and a salute before dropping the visor and preparing to charge.

Titus has called for a check of strength and huge wpn at easy.
Sorrel is successful.
Titus is marginally successful.

Ian watches Odin go down with a shake of his head. He braces on his cane and pushes himself to his feet, something that takes him a couple of tries, then goes to the edge of the tournament grounds to have a brief word with the Eswynd lord and justify that train from earlier.

Titus checks stamina and ride at easy. Titus is successful.

Seated off in the viewing bleachers, Samantha watches the jousting continue. Her gaze follows along one rider or the other, without a trained idea to really follow the entirety of the joust itself.

Titus charges forward on his mount, and while he's able to bring the tip of his lance against Sorrel, she's able to lean more in and hit him harder which he lets the shield he holds block her from unseating him. He trots to the other end and picks up a fresh lance and signals he's ready to his opponent.

Wholely unresponsive beyond a mere arch of an eyebrow, a twitch of a lip, a slow blink procured, Angelo observes with an inquisitive interest glinting in his gray-green eyes, taking note of each individual in the act as it be.

Sorrel rides like she enjoys riding, charging cheerfully at Titus with a grin on her face. Her red hair ribbon and a few loose midnight curls trail behind her as she kicks her horse Cupridium into motion. The mare's tack is all made of the metal, too. She moves to get a second lance herself.

Titus has called for a check of strength and huge wpn at easy.
Titus is successful.
Sorrel is successful.

Sorrel checks stamina and ride at easy. Critical Success! Sorrel is spectacularly successful.

Titus checks stamina and ride at normal. Titus is successful.

That cheerful smile on Sorrel is easily seen the closer one gets to the charging princess and Titus has a front row seat. CRASH! There's a mighty slam and splintering of lances that shatter into a million pieces and a hard jolt can be seen move the Warmonger but still, he remains seated! Titus trots back to the end and claims a fresh lance. There's a deep breath taken in before he offers a salute and readies to charge.

Leta has joined the General Seating.

Mirari makes her entrance into the tourney grounds to observe the commotion at hand. The Corsetina stalks past a few of the bystanders and chooses to sit herself somewhere she is not bumping shoulders with the more excited watchers of the sport, green eyes taking in the scene. As usual her face does not emote much beyond curiosity, even when the lances of the two nobles clash and break, and there is a chance one of them might fall off their horses. Comfortable, Mirari crosses her legs and observes the proceedings, seemingly paying attention to the spectacle, taking in every minute detail with ease. She seems surprised at Titus tenacity, eyebrows arching and lips curling into a smirk. She nods to herself and keeps staring.

Mirari has joined the General Seating.

Vitalis offers Odin a hand up and the two make their way to the side, mounts gathered by grooms. Vitalis turns to watch the next tilt, whistling and clapping for Sorrel, unabashedly picking a rider in this tilt.

Angelo has to afk temporarily as his dogs require some personal treatment. Just treat him like the introvert in the stands he is.

Ian talks with (well, mostly to) Odin for the course of the next couple of passes between Titus and Sorrel. About midway through, he holds his cane more like a sword (and really, that's not hard to do, because the top of his cane, near the head, looks an awful lot like a sword hilt) and uses it to illustrate some concept or another that he's explaining, first showing a strike, and then later, a parry. It's only as the third pass is underway that he gives Odin a pat on the should and withdraws when Vitalis comes by to lead him off elsewhere.

Sorrel checks stamina and ride at normal. Sorrel is successful.

Titus has called for a check of strength and huge wpn at easy.
Sorrel is successful.
Titus marginally fails.

Titus checks stamina and ride at hard. Titus is successful.

Leta jingles softly with every step, gleaming mail and armor clinking, bejeweled fingers laying heavy on the pommel of the sword at her side. She drums along the hilt as she wanders through with a polite bow of her head, until she finds herself a seat to slump into with a soft grunt, setting down a small pack on the seat at her side. She rolls her shoulders and leans forward, hands on the rubicund caps over her knees, to stare at the field and the proceedings in something akin to idle curiosity for the time being. Almost contemplative.

There's a third tilt called for and so Sorrel and Titus ride towards each other hard as the thunderous hoofs of the horses speed across the field and close the distance for the wicked lances. And once more, Sorrel is able to tilt victory her way and her lance shatters against the breastplate of Titus, sending shards of wood a thousand different ways with a huge SLAM, his own lance glances off her shield. And while that was one impressively sounding slam, still the Vaevici remains on his horse and isn't unseated. He trots down the line and catches his breath, lifting the visor up to say "I salute my opponent and victor, princess Sorrel." Off he goes from the jousting area as the final two names of the joust are called.

"Vitalis, Sorrel!"

Eyes focused on the combatants, Samantha seems engrossed in following the activities. She is careful to wait until the defeated rider rises up before applauding any victories, but seems more than content to cheer for whomever is victorius. She appears either to support everyone generally, or simply does not have a preferred contestant.

Ian sits back down, easing his weight off of his feet with a certain amount of gratitude, and rearranges his cane such that nobody's likely to trip over it without being close enough to him to trip over HIM. He slides a flask out of an inner pocket of his coat, and watches with interest as the joust continues.

When the call goes up for his ride against Sorrel, Vitalis leaves off watching Ian's instruction of Odin after their tilt and clears his throat, looking intent. "Remember me to Adalyn," he grins at Sorrel, sketching a salute to her before mounting up. He bows his head, accepts the lance and rides to the starting position. His lips move in silent words, a prayer. A symbol gestured over his heart and his head comes up, eyes forward, ready to face off against the Bladesong.

Angelo snaps back into reality!

The mighty clashes of lance and the thunderous horses now settle down as Vitalis is marked as the victor for the first stage. Horses are taken by strappers, squires come to help those off the horses and out of their heavy jousting armour to now prepare for the Gauntlet. For those who are spectating, they can see a whole bunch of different obstacles set in a battlefield setting with fires now being lit and grim warriors taking a stand at a narrow section which is a bridge. There's three main parts the competitors must get through a wall net climb to overcome the defenses, a run and attack on a bridge with pugil sticks and finally, holding on and sliding down a long rope as other warriors hold heavy leather balls to drop or throw trying to knock them down.

Titus checks dexterity and athletics at normal. Titus is successful.

Odin checks dexterity and athletics at normal. Odin is successful.

Vitalis checks dexterity and athletics at normal. Vitalis is successful.

Titus waits for the signal and when it's given, off Titus runs across the field towards where there's a Shav'arvani defensive wall that our forces have thrown ropes and grapplings over to pull a net ladder. Up Titus climbs quickly, throwing himself with a slide over the wall to land on his feet in a crouch before he checks that the rest are coming and off he runs towards the next section.

Finally back in the game! Odin has a chance to redeem himself following his swift loss to Vitalis, so he's going to make it count. The net climb is first, and Odin climbs up there with no difficulty once that signal is given, and he's admirably keeping up! He drops down and doesn't look back, he moves immediately to the next section in a dead sprint.

Vitalis sends Rocker off with a strapper and a fond pat, a salute for Sorrel for their match. "I've seen her ride before. She took it easy on me, I think." He remarks to Ian as they pass. He studies the course before them and cinches various fastenings and straps, girding himself for the challenge ahead. He sprints off, keeping just behind Odin and Titus, letting them take the teeth of the challenge that he can learn from, having not seen the course before. He's up and over in a flash, right on their heels.

Titus checks strength and brawl at hard. Titus fails.

Odin checks strength and brawl at hard. Odin is successful.

Vitalis checks strength and brawl at hard. Vitalis is successful.

Titus runs over some obstacles and then straight up the wooden bridge. Grabbing a pugil stick, he rushes towards the defender but with some terrific skill the defender dodges Titus and sends him down to the ground with a clash, because there's no water here. Ouch. Titus falls, rolling to his side and lifts himself up to keep running with purpose to catch up.

Titus checks 'unconsciousness save' at easy. Titus is successful.

Titus remains capable of fighting.

Ian has a general demeanor of All Business, his expression slack and eyes alert, but Vitalis' comment as he passes is enough to briefly shake him out of that. It gets a grin out of him, and the glitter in his eyes becomes less cold, mirth rather than calculation. "She might be hoping for a return of the favor," he calls after the other man.

Vitalis scrambles up the plank bridge and balances with the stick in hand, a feint left, he dodges a swipe and siezes the opportunity to jab his opponent's midsection, tripping them as they go down and he springs past to move on, a glance for Titus clambering out of the water. Eyes ahead!

"Huzzah!" Odin calls out as he swings his pugilist stick, managing to hit a couple people, and as he scrambled across the bridge, his eyes remain firmly ahead. He refuses to slow down! He even practically ran over a defender!

Titus checks luck and dodge at daunting. Titus fails.

Vitalis checks luck and dodge at hard. Vitalis marginally fails.

Titus checks 'unconsciousness save' at easy. Titus is successful.

Titus remains capable of fighting.

Perhaps it was foolish to come and watch a martial tournament, after all. Samantha rises up from her spot in the viewing stand and heads towards the exit.

Samantha has left the General Seating.

Titus climbs up the platform to where the pillars are at. Heck. His own men are up there and it doesn't take eagle sight to s ee they're grinning at the potential to inflict harm on Titus. A huge barrage of leather balls full of rocks are thrown and while Titus may dodge some and get to the second pillar, he just gets slammed by the 'boulders' and falls to the ground with a smash.

A few more boulders are sent to slam into him, just to make sure he stays down. Oof.

Odin checks luck and dodge at daunting. Odin fails.

Tovell trails in late, and has soon joined with those who occupy the stands.

Tovell has joined the General Seating.

BOOM! Odin was moving from pillar to pillar with relative ease, but with those balls being thrown, Odin is eventually struck off course! He keeps moving, but he's not doing the best!

Odin wields Blackheart.

Titus wields The Flame of Sangris.

Vitalis has left the Field.

Judge, Kessi, a big-eared, fuzzy fennec fox, 7 House Deepwood Guards leave, following Samantha.

a blue and gold macaw, Rocker, Renard arrive, following Vitalis.

Vitalis has joined the Field.

a blue and gold macaw have been dismissed.

Renard have been dismissed.

a large speckled egg have been dismissed.

Vitalis hops from pillar to pillar and times one jump poorly for the leather 'boulder' being tossed and slips at the end, scrambling up, with a dark oath on his lips. He dusts and orders himself on the way to the arena and the final bout: Grand Melee.

2 Prodigal reavers have been dismissed.

Mirari has left the General Seating.

And so the competitors are brought to the ring of epic coolness where the battle royale will take place. The sun is setting, giving a glow to the field of battle while myrmidons come over with bright torches to keep the ring in light as the flames make the weapons and armour of the fighters sparkle and shine. "Competitors, honour each other with honourable combat. Gloria is not here to ask you win, but that you give your all. There are no losers here in this field of honour, only spirits who will grow stronger in this fire. When you are ready, begin!"

A fight has broken out here. Use @spectate_combat to watch, or +fight to join.

Rocker have been dismissed.

A fight has broken out here. Use @spectate_combat to watch, or +fight to join.

Titus moves to close the distance with Vitalis first, approaching the halberd wielding lord with a bit of respect because it's a bloody big weapon. There's a few attempts to find an opportunity but Vitalis blocks those attempts and so Titus turns to face Odin. Titus lifts his war shield up to block from Vitalis, and swings his own weapon against Odin.

Vitalis steps into the fighting ground, bows his head and murmurs a prayer to Gloria, salutes each of the combatants and then slips into a ready stance. As the call to begin echoes off of the stands, he surges forward, a testing swipe at Titus, who is carrying a wound from earlier in the testing. It becomes clear very quickly, that Titus and Odin are teaming up against him and he switches to a defensive posture evading and deflecting their blows - a mix of taking the swings on the haft of his halberd and simply not being where the blows fall. How long can he hold out against the two of them combined. His eyes light, intent, "Vaevici is-" hnngh, he deflects one of those strikes, "-wounded, Eswynd."

Something about the way the exchange is turning out gets, just for a moment, another grin out of Ian. There's no lessening of his focus, ESPECIALLY now that the swords have come out, but he grins.

The battle begins! The three warriors charge one another, and Odin is moving like a ghost. Some strikes barely touch him and graze against his armor, though Odin rolls to his feet as a blade barely whiffs by his head multiple times, though he tries to attack Vitalis and Titus multiple times, but to no avail. "Come on, lads....let's have a battle!" The call from Vitalis seems to get his attention. "So it would seem." And he turns towards Titus, only to wink at him.

Titus gets winked at. A wink!

Titus checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Titus is successful.

Despite the terrible damage, Titus does not take a permanent wound.

Titus checks 'unconsciousness save' at hard. Titus is successful.

Titus remains capable of fighting.

Titus has left the Field.

The wink from Odin gets the Warmonger's attention as both Odin and Vitalis team up for a moment against Titus. Titus for his part manages to deflect the blow from Vitalis and the halberd but it leaves a perfect moment for Odin and once Odin attacks, Titus drops to a knee and lifts a gauntleted hand as he says "I yield, you have fought valiantly."

A fight has broken out here. Use @spectate_combat to watch, or +fight to join.

Eztli, a small gila monster arrives, following Calla.

Leta has left the General Seating.

What? Angelo is here? That appears to be the case to anyone who cares. He sits in the general stands, seated posture impeccable. Afterall, there are other eyes. Beyond mere etiquette, Angelo observes with a passively somber expression - a few blinks registered here and there. His primary focus is upon the ongoing events, though he does glance and offer a polite GHOST of a smile to any joining the stands, likely not near him.

Maybe it was the smell of blood in the air that drew the Baroness of Sangris. You couldn't really be sure, but she arrives unceremoniously and without any fanfare. Wearing a long, white cotton dress with long sleeves and an open back, she makes her way toward the general seating area to see what's going on. When she spies those she knows, they get a finger wave and a smile. She does join the stands nearish to Angelo. "Ah Lord DiFidante. Nice to see you again." Calla's attention is then drawn to the field where she sees Odin. Again she lifts her hand to greet him. Hopefully not distracting him too much.

Calla has joined the General Seating.

Vitalis bides his time after Titus yields, breaking away and circling Odin at a remove, studying him intently. He strikes, dodges, hisses when only his armor saves him from taking a wound, regroups to strike again. They dance like this for rounds, until Vitalis sees his opening...

Almost casually, if a response didn't demand an action whilst Angelo rips his attention off the ongoing events noting Calla. "Baronesss Calla." The tone is a touch surprised. "I didn't expect you here, but I remain pleasantly surprised."

Titus is overheard praising Vitalis: An epic story. Thunder boomed with lances and shields shattering as the lord crossed the battlefield of challenge and then in combat won.

Sorrel had intended to fight. She really did. Except then she got distracted by some sort of message. She leans against her horse, reading it, glancing up occasionally to check on the progress of the fight.

Odin and Vitalis battle after Titus yields the battle. Yet, the pair of them continue, neither of them able to land a strike on the other for what feels like entire battles. Odin swings his greatsword, but fails to find it's purchase. He dodges swings from Vitalis's own blade. Though Odin studies his opponent, he strikes in only a way that his blade fails to pierce Titus's armor. Instead, Vitalis strikes at him, and draws the first blood, opening a gash in his side, which causes Odin to roll backwards and rise up to his feet. Though noticing the wound, and seeing no need to drag this out to more...lethal damage, odin simply salutes Vitalis with his weapon. "I yield."

Ian was absolutely focused on the fight for as long as it lasted -- he leans forward, elbows on knees, hands loosely clasped together, and just watches with those intense, fast moving eyes. Once Odin yields, however, he uses his cane to push himself to his feet and goes over to greet the three fighters once again. Also he's got a mostly full flask of vodka in his coat pocket that he's taking out, and it's probably not for him to drink.

The final fight concluded, Titus enters the field and gives a salute towards Odin and then puts a. rather bloody fist on Vitalis' shoulder to pat it down. "While this was but a training tournament to prepare for the real one, you all were excellent competitors and the glory of this moment is yours, lord Vitalis. May that feeling inside you be of humility and yet pride. Well fought, well won!"

And to those watching, the bloody Warmonger says in that dead voice, "Our world is besieged. Across a thousand places, we fight for our survival. Those who would tear down what the Compact stands for are legion in numbers. Our forces are few, our enemies many. There is no respite, no mercy as a dark hour appraoches with forgotten evils awakening to break us. But as you see here, there are champions. We must not falter, for we are the wrath of the gods upon the evils let loose. In battle the gods offer our redemption, our faith is our armour. I look forward to seeing you all at the great tournament in a few months with significant prizes to be one."

Titus is overheard praising Sorrel.

Titus is overheard praising Odin.

"I tend to show up in places where I am not expected very often." Calla reassures Angelo and offers the others in he general seating a nod. That is, Ian and Tovell. "Greetings." And then back to the fight where Odin yields. "A shame to have missed it. It looks like I missed an interesting match." Titus has her attention just then, and when she overhears something about a tournament she asks, "There is to be a Tournament?"