The Darkbridge Tournament

AK510-31 Low Spring Start Week 3
[Charon Watching, Shale Watching, Cycles Ruling]
(Festival of The Scythe: Cycles, Life and Death)

Charday (Festival of The Scythe)
Ranger Charmers attention is firmly fixed on the Tournaments being held outside of the town. He convinces Tanner, with his new acolyte in tow, to accompany him to the archery lists. The Swarm notices that they are being followed through the crowded streets. Tanner spots a couple of suspicious looking thugs following on the street while another two are keeping pace ahead. The bees point out another two on the rooftops.
Unconcerned the trio continue through the northern bastion out into the open fields.
An ambush is sprung. Six would be thieves fire crossbows at them from behind some weathered roadside bushes. The trio manage to dodge the bolts and press forward the attack. In a few short moments the thieves are defeated and Vedic Tanner is demanding to know who has the audacity to attack a member of the church. The sole survivor is cowed into submission.
The acoltye is sent to summon the town guard. They take the prisoner into custody and remove the corpses for burial. The Vedics robes along with the thieves notoriety, pursuade the guard not to ask too many questions about the violence or the fact that the bodies are stripped of all valuables.

Charmer enters the archery contest. The first prize is rumoured to be a pair of magical gauntlets, blessed in honour of Seilig. The prize was donated by Uthuu himself. The Vedic and the ranger offer up several prayers to Seilig before the tournament begins, other contestants offer their own prayers and a small few are blessed by other clerics. Charmer makes the first cut with ease and scores well. In the second round as the targets are set to move back and forth he shoots very badly and only a serious error on the part of his nearest rival keeps him in the event. In the final round however when there are only three contestants and the pressure is on, his five shots at the distant moving targets are all well taken and one hits the bull. The other contestants are unable to match his accuracy and end up sending several shots wide of the target.
A convincing victory in the end. The Magical Gauntlet is presented to Bob Charmer by Ulthuu Poten with a hearty congratulations and a two hour quick chat.

Sir Eagon Del Fuego who was still in the guise of The Golden Champion had also entered the tournament. As the day progressed he adavnced through the lists with the goal of avenging the slight on the church by the Knights of Winter.
As dusk was approaching Sir Eagon had unhorsed all of the Knights of Winter of than the leader, Sir Barristan Martin The Red Death. He was tired and battered as an ageing knight should be after a ferocious day of jousting, but he sat tall in his saddle, the power of The Chosen was with him. Tanner and Charmer arrived just in time to see the two knights charge. Sir Barristan tilted his lance and angled his shield to take advantage of a flaw in Sir Eagons posture. The crowd held its breath as the two closed. Sir Eagons mount leapt at his foe despite the great weight he bore and Sir Barristans lance flew wide. Sir Eagon smiled as his lance smashed into Sir Barristans breastplate and splitered, sending the Read Death sprawling to the ground. The Red Death took his defeat gracefully and they both proclaimed that the issue of the slight on the church was now resolved. However the look in his eyes proclaimed something quite different.

Vedic Tanner then paid a bard to sing of his exploits and those of his companions and about the wonders of Woodhaven the Safe haven. The Bards was of reasonable talent and agreed to compse and sing the composition throughout Strormwatch and Darkbridge.

Sunday
Ulthuu had informed Charmer that there was a reward to be had for ridding nearby Axlethorpe of a pack of Slevokor hunting cats that were preying on the cattle and folk of the settlement. The reward of too hundred gold pieces would hire four more bards for the glory of Woodhaven.
Charmer and the Vedic and The Bees tracked the Slevokor, to a small wood. They were sleeping on the low branches of some oak trees. Their green and black tiger stripe camouflage a stark contrast to the bark but hding thm well amongst the leaves.
Vedic Tanner flew into the air and called on the ring of maces. Charmer used the power of Naduir to Charm on of the hunting cats. He sent the Bees to Swarm at another. When they awoke he loosed a volley of allows at them. Tanner called forth a spiritual weapon which hunted a fleeign cat. One of the cats leapt at Charmer and sent him flying out of the tree. He managed to catch a branch as he fell but the cat was on top of him. Tanner slew it with her mace. Suddenly it was all over. They butchered the cats and returned to Darkbridge to hire more bards.