The trailrunner horse race is a three days endurance challenge with daily checkpoints. You can take whatever route you like between the checkpoints and whilst some are easy but long others are rigorous and challenging. Today, at the starting spot, there is a bit of a festival atmosphere with a small horse market having sprung up to take advantage of the concentration of riding fans along with a showcase of the yearling Torean Jennet horses (as managed by Aconite) which will be handed out as a reward for any winners. The earliest time you can depart is noon.

While not a widely famous rider, Ryhalt was still an Oathlander. He entered the race on his restive buckskin stallion, Evenstrider. The way his horse jigged as they lined up, the horse was probably not aware or did not care that there was three days of race ahead of him. Ryhalt grinned widely and stroked his horse's neck, his excitement clear. He wore sensible clothes for a lengthy time in the saddle.

Of all the places to find Mattheu Rivenshari, there's a few that would think being surrounded by the evil land beasts such as horses would be the absolute last place to find him. However, he's currently working his way around the festival grounds with a stare for each of the animals as if he's not completely sure if they can be trusted. Either way, there's a horse that is wearing bells and has a few ribbons tied within its mane that suggests he's going to give the challenge a honest attempt. Stepping along side of horse and verifying saddle is in place, he's quick to find his way to its backside.

For all intent and purpose Ann had intentionally come to this race to be a spectator. But she does love riding on a horse and so she wanted to see if she could endure this challenge. Looking excited to be a part of this trailrunner horse race. What could go wrong? Its not like she doesn't know how to ride a horse. She basically grew up on them. Amused that Mattheu has seen to want to be of this challenge to. A nod given to the Rivenshari Lord and also for the Duke as she waits for the race to start. She's already on her horse as she waits for the signal to begin.

Cillian had gotten here early taking a look at the horses and the yearling, he does not own a horse he owns Akkar. The animal fallows him around as he looks at the different stalls and such. He has the animals rains on his arm as he feeds him a chunk of carrot, "Ready my friend." he says softly to the animal patting his neck. He starts to go over him making sure his saddle is on right and everything is tight. Moving to swing a leg up to get on the animal and breath in, he is dressed in his leathers for this.

Amongst the competitors is a particularly unlikeable noblewoman with a beautiful 13h pure white horse. That horse jostles and bites at Mattheu's horse as they wait at the starting line, causing chaos and discomfort amongst the line up for some reason. According to the snobby, and very rude, Lady Karen this is absolutely Mattheu's fault. If he can't control his mangy horse he shouldn't be here. The jostling and chaos caused by this Lady and her horse almost makes it impossible to see the starting flag drop. But drop it does.

The first half day of the race is mostly pastures, farmlands, hedgerows and very light woodland. Its a bucolic and pleasant way to warm into the race proper. Even the village that promises refreshments, beds and warm stables at the end of the day is a friendly and pretty little place.

Despite the mostly open nature of the first days course, Lady Karen still manages to cut many of the riders off at least once.

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

Ryhalt checks stamina and ride at normal. Ryhalt marginally fails.

Cillian checks stamina and ride at normal. Cillian marginally fails.

Ann checks stamina and ride at normal. Ann marginally fails.

Mattheu pulls at the colored ribbons around horse and is left to stare at Lady Karen with a shake of his head. "Your beast bit first. Perhaps they are jealous of the lovely ribbons my mare has? Would you like some for yourself? Or would you prefer to be the true pride of all here and keep picking a fight with a poor and defenseless lord that only knows of the rivers? I can't possibly be that much of a threat to you." It's with that, when it's allowed to head out that Mattheu clicks with a tsk to the horse and leans forwards to offer something soft to the beast to get it to take off in a run.

There's a bit of a frown seen when Ann hears Lady Karen and how she's reacting to Matti and his horse. But they are in public. It doesn't mean Ann won't forget this face or the name of this particular lady as she waits and when she sees that flag drop off she goes. When she gets near to Matti and his horse she's doing a look over to make sure all is well. Giving him a thumbs up and she attempts to outspeed him. Giving him a cheeky smile.

Ryhalt's horse takes off like a shot, taking the bit in his mouth and charging boldly ahead like he'd go full speed for three days. For the start Ryhalt let him have his head though he'd eventually draw the stallion back to a more reasonable, sustainable pace. Even if he isn't first back on the first day, he looks content enough. Getting to ride like this wasn't a luxury he could afford every day! There's probably guards fainting and fretting somewhere over their reckless Duke.

Cillian stares at the Lady and her horse as they seem to pick Matti to start with, there is a wrinkle that comes to his face. He breaths deeply and waits for the go, once it is given there is a click of his tongue and Akkar is off. His large padded hooves galloping along. He is quick, but also seems to take his time to getting to the next check point a ride like this does not come along everyday and even though its a race he is going to enjoy it as much as he can.

Each rest stop requires that the horse be given a minimum of six hours rest and that the farrier releases you to continue. As a result getting back first is not always useful. One man in particular gets stonking drunk to celebrate his quick journey on the first day and doesn't manage to crawl out of his bed until two pm. His earlier lead utterly squandered.

Lady Karen only sniffed haughtily at Mattheu and muttered something about prodigal neonobles when he challenged her but later that day, when the farrier has to check on Mattheu's mount, she is there harassing the farrier, trying to get him to triple check every little scratch on Mattheu's horse. That doesn't stop her from pestering the other neonobles and prodigals in the race during the rest of the day. That she spreads liberally. Quite literally making her horse shoulder check Cillian's caribou at one point. Always hovering right on the edge of being unreasonable but never quite straying over the edge. Probably in good part because she never does anything except simper at the Duke and Princess and anyone else of any importance.

The second leg of the race goes through challenging hilly terrain and has a rest stop in the middle where you can water your horse and get any farrier attention you might want. A lunch is provided to the riders too. After the rest stop there is a tactical decision to make: Do you go through the ravine, traversing ground difficult for any mount, and potentially cut a couple of hours off the total travel time or do you take the easier ridges which take longer but will preserve more of your horses stamina for the last day?

Ann checks luck and ride at hard. Ann fails.

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

Ryhalt checks stamina and ride at hard. Ryhalt fails.

Cillian checks luck and ride at hard. Cillian is successful.

After showing her teasing attitude towards Matti, Ann gets a bit serious with her racing. Trying to remember how to pace herself. She took advantage of all the breaks and the meals. Even would give herself a break every now and then to stretch and walk. Every time Lady Karen looked over at the Princess, cold blue eyes are tracking the other one. Uh-oh. Ann may have words with Karen once this racing is done. Ann looks to her choices and goes for the shorter travel time which does not do her any favors because when she comes back in this time, she is tired and so is her poor horse. This means her start is likely to be lagging in the morning. But still there are sights to be seen and memories to be made. You bet your bottom dollar she's likely going to start investing in lessons again when they come back to Arx. Because apparently whatever she learned as a child? It went out the window. Oh and her muscles are going to hate her. Woe.

Ryhalt seems to be always full of smiles, but the way the Lady Karen treats the neonobles in front of him, particularly one from from the Valardin fealty, won her no smiles return to her simpering. With the route set before him for the next day and knowing the *insanity* of his mouth, he elected the ridge, though it'd be more grueling for how long it was. Still his horse wasn't built for racing, so he lags behind and it is very late when he returns on the second day. Also, the unaccustomed time in the saddle is getting to him. The Duke walks about with the distinct air of 'I am very sore' and falls heavily to sleep to awaken late.

Mattheu tends to stay close by to the horse after that *karen* has come after him, he's not too concerned about her words specifically. Though appears to have some care for the beast that he's to ride. Once spotting that the honorable Lady Karen is best to taking a shy approach to Princess Ann, he's sure to make it so the Lady really has something to complain about as he takes to offering Ann a dance whenever Karen is in eye and ear shot. Only to come back over to the farrier to offer a drink to them along with some food. Making excuses that everyone should have some rest, not just the horses. As to how he's getting to the end of the day faster than any others, he only shakes his head and is to feed the horse and any one's elses EXCEPT for Karen's some ginger cookies.

Taking on his own lunch and looking at where the directions can take them, he opts to go for the longer route. He sees what the Ravine looks like and without being able to try and guide the horse, who he's taken to calling 'stoming' upon a boat. He probably could there weren't any specifics to how to get from the points just that you were to be upon the horse. Or was it both rider and horse had to get to the end point? Either way there were some discussions with those that are riding upon carts to ensure the riders get to where they are to be. And he's decided to stick to the funny unmoving ground with beast. Taking to ridding along side of Ann and Ryhalt when possible, though also seeking to push on.

Cillian watches Karen as she brings her horse in to shoulder check Akkar and the Northern lord frowns, Akkar snorts and he pats the animals large neck reassuring the animal to keep going. His Hazel eyes watch her a fire burning in them as he gets closer to her to as they move along. Once they get to their next spot he looks like he might be making his way in Lady Karens direction, but then someone distracts him and pulls him away to get food and drink. Good thing maybe, as he finds himself rested and ready to go he chooses to pick the way out the canyon, "You got this Akkar." the animal does have good footing and they been scouting together through worse!

On the third day the terrain gets easier but it is the longest leg of them all. You will be in the saddle for twelve hours or more today. Towards the beginning the ground is still hilly but later on, as the race continues, you go back into the more groomed areas around farmland and orchards.

Mattheu's dancing has the desired effect as Lady Karen spends much of her time during the rest stop sniffing and bitching about all these prodigals calling themselves nobles and spreading their filthy habits around the compact. She's doing well in the race though and has a very good chance of winning when she leaves.

The day continues slowly. The sun low in the sky as is typical at this time of year. Your mounts tired. The finish line a mere hour or so away. After three days it feels almost close enough to taste..

Thats when it happens. That pretty white horse slips and falls, sending Lady Karen tumbling, before stumbling up to its feet and scrabbling at the edges of the ditch into which its fallen. Mud is churned up.. but its quickly obvious the horse is trapped.. and Lady Karen is wailing in the way that only those who are terribly hurt ever wail. Stopping to help them will mean you lose the race but you can't leave them.. can you?

Ryhalt checks intellect and medicine at normal. Ryhalt is successful.

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

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

Cillian checks strength and ride at hard. Cillian fails.

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

Ann at this point is making every attempt to stay with Matti. Not caring if she wins or loses. Yesterday was hard on her and this is even harder. Maybe she stays close by in case she falls off of her horse. Because twelve hours in a saddle makes for some ouch. Taking in the farmland and orchards. Really enjoying this. She's enjoying herself. There's a small boil of temper simmering from Ann when Karen keeps up with her antics. Perhaps the spirits will strike her down but when Karen falls she makes no attempt to help the lady even if there is conflict that resides in her features for it. More empathy for the horse but she's got a race to finish so instead she focuses on that. Looking over to Matti as if to see what his call will be.

Ryhalt rides along in the slump-shouldered away of someone truly exhausted. By this time he's on his horse for the sheer stubbornness than anything else. He's still along for the journey, but it seems even his horse is agreeing that this is long. So when he hears the pained shrieks of the woman, he jolts alert. He nudges his horse in that direction and, seeing the situation, heaves a sigh. "I've seen this before..." He mutters under his breath and swings down off his mount which hangs its head to rest. Looking between trapped horse and rider, he determines that the rider is in more serious, immediate condition and makes his way over to her. On goes that fixed, wicked smile he sometimes gets when he's in position to do something spiteful rather than good. Ryhalt knows next to nothing about medicine, so he is is not gentle in applying hasty measures to save the woman's life. In this case a splint for her leg which had been crushed when her horse threw her in its struggle in the mud. It's enough to get the woman onto his horse which he leads back to the end of the race, but the woman has plenty of time to consider the treatment of others who may have stopped to help her if she hadn't been such a remarkable bitch to them.

Ann is overheard praising Ryhalt.

Mattheu is riding along and stuck in his own attempts to ride to Ann's side, in each push where one is in front of the other he seeks to get back in front of her and is just completely oblivious, or that's what he'll say when he hears Lady Karen go on about needing help now. The end of the race is near by and as Duke Ryhalt is taking to the Lady that has been pain in Mattheu's side the whole race the Rivenshari lord shakes his head and pushes forwards to the end of the race with a small bounce away from the mud where the duke is with the pain of Lady Karen to make his way to the end of race.

Cillian is trying to keep up with the others, he is that kind of numb state where he is on auto piolet and lets Akkar lead the way. But then there is a shriek and his eyes look up darting around, Matti is on his horse, check, Ann is on hers, check then he spots Ryhalt and where he is going. He looks like he may continue on but he grits his teeth and turns Akkar back to move to help Ryhalt, he slides off his mount and sighs. He moves to try and help the house out of the ditch.."Its okay, shhh." he clicks his teeth trying to keep the panicked animal away from its injured rider.

Whilst the rescue of Lady Karen goes well (She is even grateful and thankful and so lovely to Ryhalt afterwards), the rescue of her pretty white horse doesn't go half as well. Cillian's shh'ing nearly gets him headbutted as the horse continues to keep scrabbling at the collapsing, soggy, dirt thats keeping it trapped in the ditch.

Cillian checks strength and ride at hard. Cillian is successful.

Cillian gets a stern voice with the animal, maybe that did it who knows. "Hey, no headbutting if you want out of here." he grumbles and growls at the animal. Moving to put a rope around its neck and he digs his feet in and starts to pull the animal up from the ditch. He is going to drink after this, he sighs as he pulls the White horse up and out. Moving to Akkar and getting back on the animal he dies the rope to his saddle to walk the animal back, "And I swear to the spirits Horse, try and bite and you go back in." yeah someone is grumpy.

Rather than bite her rescuer the white horse just stands there trembling for a bit before approaching him with a nudge of her nose. Scritches please.

There is a celebration in the village when Mattheu and Ann come over the finishing line. Hurrah for the victors! "Congratulations on winning the first Trailrunner race."

Mattheu looks both relieved and someone terrified that he's made it this far on back of the horse, only to pull at ribbons as reins and lead the horse around in a small circle to keep her settled as others come over in celebration. Looking to Cillian as the man helps the horse out of the mud, then over to Lady Karen upon back of Ryhalt's horse. "You know the one that has saved your horse is neonoble and prodigal as well." Then to slip from his horse and take to leading the animal towards a trough and some food. "My siblings are going to have mixed emotions about me being the winner here."

Ryhalt joins the celebration after he has, happily, pushed off Lady Karen upon some real healers. He smiles to Mattheu and says, "Congratulations, well ridden. I admit I'm surprised!" He nods in complete agreement that Mattheu's siblings will be surprised of the outcome here. He also smiles to Ann and says to her, "Congratulations, too."

Ann is a bit dazed that both she and Matti came in the same time. Giving smiles and waves to those that offer congratulations. Looking over at Ryhalt. "Well, done Duke!" She says that part louder for Karen's benefit then she does something very childish and sticks her tongue out as the Lady is taken away by real healers. Hey she held it in for three days. Looking over to Cillian and he's given a thumbs up as she finally gets around to getting off her horse. "Ow...ow...oww..."

Cillian sighs as he turns in his saddle letting Akkar take them back, he moves to bring the horse closer as they walk. His hand moving to gently scritch over the horses nose. "Its okay, girl." he speaks to the animal grabbing a shunk of carrot and feeds it to her. Once they are back he turns back the right way in his saddle and looks to those who comes over, "The horse needs tending too, she is cold and shaken up. Be gentle with her." once the horse is taken care of he slips off his mound. He looks to Mattheu and Ann smiling, "Congratulations!"