Fighter's Guild
IS OFFLINE
20
Renown
Crescent Isles
"I only bite if you want me to, dear"
793 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Sylvari Dawnsage on Nov 2, 2023 19:00:46 GMT -5
As Sylvari sat atop her mighty steed, an otherwise ordinary-looking donkey named Daisy, she sighed, having been roped into competition again. She felt much more confident than her previous entry, however, for two reasons. Firstly, she had twice as much experience in the saddle in a racing context as before, having done this exactly one time before. Secondly, and more importantly, she knew the rules of this little race: namely that you could get away with anything as long as it pleased the crowd and caused no lasting harm. The warhammer held firmly in her right hand was proof enough of that, as the ability to have a weapon was not a widely-known provision among the newer racers. Shame I still can't keep my armor, but it would probably slow me down anyway.With the celestial radiance from within, she was not concerned about injuries, as she was certain to spend her time after the event doling out holy energy for the wounded. Sylvari was dubious about her reputation, however. Having won the previous race, the crowd was likely to be watching her with interest, and, given her and Flint's previous antics, they would be eagerly anticipating any pain she could deal out to her competitors. On the other hand, it painted a massive target on her back as one to take out early. She idly looked over the other racers, taking note of their skill and mounts. Thankfully, there was nothing so outlandish as the drake from last time, but several warhorses of fine stock gave Sylvari pause, considering her own steed. Better to keep my vampiric persuasion in reserve for later.As Sylvari's eyes swept over the assembled contestants, she noted a familiar face, mixed feelings filling her mind. There, basking in all the confident glory she remembered, was Nieven Oakenthorn, a one-time acquaintance from clearing an obstacle together out of the roadway. It'd be improper to not say hello, though I fear his perception of me may change after this race.She sallied up to the noble and gave a nonchalant greeting, dropping any of the noble etiquette she had used previously. " Nieven, pleasure to see you again. Didn't think you'd be enrolled in a local event such as this, so far from home, and on so mighty a mount." Sylvari finished her statement with an impish smile, motioning with a flick of her head towards the humble donkey upon which he sat, mirroring her own. Quest Name: Wacky Races 2
Participants: Two or more
Location: King's Valley
Post Requirements: 5 post per person, 200 words per post
Reward: +1 Renown
Description: One of the valley's favorite past times is racing, specifically on horse back, but any animal will do as long as it is exciting. If you want to make a name for yourself in the plains, winning a race is the best way to do that, but it is one of the hardest things to do, locals do not play fair. The quest is simple, get into a race with either a mount or a land vehicle. You don't have to win, but try your hardest, and keep an eye out, anything goes in these races. (If you do not own a mount, a donkey will be provided for you.)
|
|
Adventurer
IS OFFLINE
6
Renown
Crescent Isles
Practically Perfect in Every Way
140 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Nieven Oakenthorn on Nov 4, 2023 23:35:22 GMT -5
Nieven had heard of a gallant race going on in King’s Valley and he was determined to compete and show the world his skill in horseback riding. He’d grown up learning the art and was very good at it, although he didn't have an invite, who cared? He was the great Nieven Oakenthorn, he was sure if he just said his name and said please the staff wouldn’t just invite him to participate but beg him for his greatness to compete. He was staying in an inn already nearby from the race site and marched straight to the rider’s entrance with a confident look on his face. He leaned at the booth and the booth worker rolled her eyes as she asked, “Name?”.
The Sylvan Elf only chuckled in response, “You’ve probably heard of me before, no need to act all cool, I’m beautiful and gorgeous I know”.
The booth worker yelled “Nope, next”, and waved the Sylvan Elf off waiting for the next person in line.
The Sylvan Elf’s face turned to embarrassment and disgust as he lowered his head towards the worker and whispered, “Uhmf, fine entry under Nieven Oakenthorn”.
The worker looks down at her clipboard and finds his name smacking her gums loudly as she says, “Alright get in your steed has already been provided for, it’ll be on the second stable on the left, you’re racer number 24”. Nieven walked past the entrance and straight towards his stable to look for his steed and found…..A Donkey?
“Why must they be mistaken of course, how am I the great Nieven Oakenthorn supposed to ride a damned Donkey?
He was about to leave and complain to the staff when the Donkey let out a most wondrous chuckle, raising Nieven’s attention. The mule was actually kind of strong and determined the more he looked at it. After a couple of minutes of staring and observing it, his hopes were raised and he decided to win this entire competition with this nameless mule (he had a name, Nieven just didn’t care) who he was going to call, “Jomphe”.
After bonding with the little fellow, Nieven made his way to the starting line and didn’t even dare look at the competition, feeling confident he’d win easily just looking straight ahead and waiting for the signal to start.
Soon his concentration was broken as he heard a lovely familiar voice and turned around to see Sylvari, “Oh hello there Dearest Sylvari it is a pleasure to see you here as well. My participation here is simply a blessing for the participants, I’m just here to show them how it’s done. How about you though, what have you been doing since we last met?”.
|
|
Fighter's Guild
IS OFFLINE
20
Renown
Crescent Isles
"I only bite if you want me to, dear"
793 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Sylvari Dawnsage on Nov 5, 2023 2:24:42 GMT -5
Sylvari let the smirk grow on her face as she listened to Nieven's words, finding his supreme confidence as amusing as she remembered it to be. The fact that the noble was on a donkey and had likely tried to pull rank on one of the event coordinators made the humor even more potent.
"I see. Are you planning on going easy on the commoners given the disparity of skill levels?" Sylvari asked, with as straight a face she could muster, a wide grin threatening the corners of her mouth. She looked to the competitors once again, hoping to prompt the young noble to consider the worthiness of the competition.
She also looked to her erstwhile companion, noting that he didn't seem to be in the know regarding the light-handed approach to the rules in this race. Rather than say anything out loud, Sylvari cleared her throat and raised up the warhammer she held in her right hand, bringing the head of the weapon, swirling as always in a tiny snowstorm, to where Nieven could see it. She hoped he would get the indication of the usefulness of an implement to defend oneself with, without making such knowledge audible for the other racers.
|
|
Adventurer
IS OFFLINE
6
Renown
Crescent Isles
Practically Perfect in Every Way
140 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Nieven Oakenthorn on Nov 5, 2023 3:29:21 GMT -5
Nieven couldn’t help but grin as he responded to Sylvari’s question, “Why that is a most excellent question, dear Sylvari, I’ll think about it considering I’m so great and skillfully trained in the art of riding however I do think I’d be remiss if I just go easy on everyone for the sake of being nice. I’m thinking of showing everyone how it's done. Maybe they’ll use me as an example for the coming years, something to think about when my name is known and heard all across Charon, even more than it is now”.
He then glanced over at Sylvari’s hammer as he took a moment to try to understand what she was saying before realizing it.
“Ah yes, you’re worried that I’m not going to be prepared for the underhanded and malicious maneuvers that some of these scoundrels are going to pull. Worry not friend why I have my trusty lance and control over the weather. That is enough for me after all, winning against such goons will look even better for me”.
After some more chit-chatting the announcer's voice booms alerting the racers to get into position as he counts down from 10 reaching the final countdown, "…1…2…3…GO".
|
|
Fighter's Guild
IS OFFLINE
20
Renown
Crescent Isles
"I only bite if you want me to, dear"
793 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Sylvari Dawnsage on Nov 6, 2023 14:33:53 GMT -5
Less naïve than my first time. Or perhaps, he merely thinks standard social conventions don't apply in his case.
Sylvari's less charitable thoughts about the noble were cut short as the announcer counted down to the start of the race. Sylvari noted with a wry smile, and internal slight disappointment, that this fellow was quite a bit less enthusiastic than her previous emcee.
Having taken time to note proper riding techniques before returning, and now having a horse of her own, one that she deemed as too valuable to risk in such an event, Sylvari knew what to do as the race began. She cracked the reins and dug her heels into the donkey's side, prompting the beast to surge forward. It seemed this steed was just as eager as her previous one for the race, and now that Sylvari knew proper techniques, positively charged right amongst the frontrunners of the pack.
Normally, she would attempt wisdom and reserve her mount's stamina for more critical portions of the endeavor, but she knew all too well that the initial stretch of the run was fraught with danger, as she looked back to see confirmed this time as well, men and mounts in a throng of violence.
She had lost sight of Nieven in the hustle and idly hoped he hadn't taken a spill too early.
|
|
Adventurer
IS OFFLINE
6
Renown
Crescent Isles
Practically Perfect in Every Way
140 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Nieven Oakenthorn on Nov 7, 2023 15:09:05 GMT -5
Nieven steadied himself and took a long breath as he kicked the sides of his less-than noble steed causing it to rush forth as fast as it could. He knew he was at an extreme disadvantage considering his steed, others with much more appropriate mounts such as stallions or mounted exotic animals would be at a greater advantage. He cared not for this though because he trusted himself and his skill.
His steed appeared to be quite excited and ready to race thankfully so he was able to keep a steady pace to start with being in the middle of the crowd. That’s when the chaos would be and he knew it he ducked down as he heard the woosh of a weapon sweeping over his head and dug his heels into the donkey’s sides making it run even faster breaking through the crowd as they zigged and zagged away from danger.
Nieven for all his pride and vanity was a good rider; it was one of the only things he found interesting during his time growing up. He managed to steel himself into a good pace as he looked ahead at the riders in front of him. He was currently about 8th place and he saw Sylvari only a couple of feet in front of him.
|
|
Fighter's Guild
IS OFFLINE
20
Renown
Crescent Isles
"I only bite if you want me to, dear"
793 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Sylvari Dawnsage on Nov 7, 2023 16:32:19 GMT -5
Sylvari breathed a quiet sigh of relief as she looked back to see Nieven close on her heels. She flashed him a small smile of approval before looking forward again to an encroaching problem.
There were six riders in front of her, the front two sailing far ahead of the rest, on twin glistening white stallions. The other four, it seemed, deemed this to be the time they would take out a known favorite in Sylvari. With a coordination that necessitated a prearranged agreement, they descended upon her like a group of vultures on a fresh corpse, three on the right and one on the left.
A vicious smile spread across Sylvari face as she looked to the developing situation. Poor lads. I would have raced clean if they'd left alone, but I must defend myself and Daisy.
Without any indication of her casting, the ground just ahead of the lead rider was subsumed by ice [Ice Bridge]. His mount slipped on the slick surface, causing it to stumble and bowl over into the two mounts and riders just behind it, effectively taking care of the three problems to the right flank. Sylvari silently sent out a thanks to Videl for the royal gift he had given her to allow such subtle casting of her icy magics [Winter Crown].
The rider to the left was then upon her, and at an awkward angle to defend, given that Sylvari held her warhammer in her right hand. The man pulled out a metal sap and swung downward, meaning to catch Sylvari on the crown of her head. In response, the vampiress lunged up with her own weapon and laid flat back across her mount in one fluid motion, parrying the strike inches from her now-prone form. With a twist of her wrist, the head of her hammer caught on the other weapon, and Sylvari tugged, pulling it from her accoster's grasp.
She then sat upright in her saddle, quick as a bolt of lightning, and twisted to send the head of her weapon into the man's center mass. A thunderous boom erupted as magics of ice and light crackled in equal measure to accompany the physical force and sent the man flying off his steed [Spell Blade, Arcane Soul] [Celestial, Angelic Light].
|
|
Adventurer
IS OFFLINE
6
Renown
Crescent Isles
Practically Perfect in Every Way
140 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Nieven Oakenthorn on Nov 7, 2023 22:00:56 GMT -5
He looked straight forward and matched Sylvari’s smile with a large grin of his own, for all the confidence he had in himself, he did have to stop and admire the knightly woman’s ability. From helping him clear that rock obstruction to holding her own in this race of scoundrels and goons. Although he would never tell her out loud he was growing to enjoy her help and hoped to get to know her better. But for now, he was content with crushing her in this race and consoling her once he won.
He turned to the left avoiding the large piece of ice that had formed on the track conjured by Sylvari. He intended for Sylvari to do the work for him and dashingly just move forward on his noblest steed reaching second place as they neared the first turn. He held his lance up ready to strike if need be.
And need be he would since the person in first slowed down his pace to catch Nieven with a stabbing of his long golden spear. It impaled his side straight on causing him to grit his teeth, he was not going to cry as much as he wanted to at this moment. He put on his bravest face and he grabbed onto the spear with his right hand, ripped it out of the rider’s grip, and threw it behind himself as he steeled on.
|
|
Fighter's Guild
IS OFFLINE
20
Renown
Crescent Isles
"I only bite if you want me to, dear"
793 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Sylvari Dawnsage on Nov 8, 2023 12:04:52 GMT -5
Once Sylvari had dealt with her throng of violent competitors, she once again encouraged her mount to rush forward to regain some ground lost in the tussle. She was surprised to see Nieven surge forward past her, drifting off the chaos and catching the second-place rider off guard with a narrow turn, only possible given his comparatively smaller mount.
She was rather proud of the funny little noble, all things considered. These sunny thoughts were interrupted as Nieven was impaled with a spear in his side, courtesy of the frontrunner who had slowed to impede him. Sylvari gasped and frowned in shock, feeling strangely protective of her acquaintance. Deciding that she'd help, even to her own detriment, Sylvari began to channel swirling dark energy around her armored left hand as she incanted under her breath in a whisper that carried ominously on the wind, "Pain."
The murky arcana resting in the justiciar's hand shot out like a streak of dark lightning [Chaos Bolt], striking Nieven's assailant in the back and, coupled with the off-balancing of being disarmed of his weapon moments before, sent him tumbling down off his steed, directly into the path of the rider just in front of Sylvari. Thankfully, the man pulled up on his reins rather than trample his fellow competitor, allowing Sylvari to dash past to just behind Nieven as she called up to him.
"Nieven! That looked like a nasty blow! Are you going to be able to make it to the end? I can heal you if not."
|
|
Adventurer
IS OFFLINE
6
Renown
Crescent Isles
Practically Perfect in Every Way
140 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Nieven Oakenthorn on Nov 9, 2023 0:50:49 GMT -5
Nieven felt blood rise from his throat to his mouth as he coughed some up from his wound, he wanted to cry and throw up right now. The Sylvan Elf man was not used to being hurt in his life, he was the one who had other people get hurt instead of him. He faints at the sight of his blood but he refuses to let the painful wound be for naught.
He smirked as he heard his familiar accomplice’s voice behind him raising his voice as he did so, “Don’t worry dearest Sylvari, I am completely fine, the embassy of health right now. I greatly appreciate your concern and kind-heartedness especially since you got rid of mister impaler back there”.
“I will finish this race on my own merits, without the help of anybody for now, I know I come off as a foolish stubborn dashing prince but it is what I must do. I will take you up on that offer for immediate medical attention after I win though because I am indeed in a grievous amount of pain, and my dear someone this beautiful cannot be in pain. Let’s finish this Sylvari may the best racer win”.
He surges forth with renewed vigor as his noble steed the donkey barrels forth although thorology exhausted, determined to prove himself as a powerful steed against everyone else. He manages to see the finish line in sight only a couple of feet away; he digs his heels into his steed and they both go speedy through tripping and crashing over the line as they do so.
|
|
Fighter's Guild
IS OFFLINE
20
Renown
Crescent Isles
"I only bite if you want me to, dear"
793 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Sylvari Dawnsage on Nov 9, 2023 11:09:19 GMT -5
Sylvari grimaced in sympathy at Nieven's words, craning her neck to see where the finish line laid. Though the young noble was assuredly not fine, his wound being a serious one for even the most seasoned fighter, Sylvari couldn't bring herself to deny his wishes. She saw in him, in that moment, that same brash warrior's pride that she had idolized in her father all her life. There was a desire to persevere against struggles and to emerge victorious regardless of cost.
In the interest of protecting that sentiment, she rode close to him, serving twin objectives of making the race feel competitive and being in position to catch Nieven should he fall out of the saddle. She also dealt with a few closing threats in rival racers with a quick spell that hampered their progress. "Shadow sting." The yelling and slowed hoofbeats behind them assured Sylvari her scorpion minions had done their work [Scorpion Swarm].
As Nieven and his admirable little mount crossed the finish line, Sylvari was ready there as a close second to catch him as he fell, swiftly dismounting her donkey and carrying the elf to the sideline, where she laid him down gently. She smiled down at him, her heart full of compassion.
"Easy now champ. I'll get you patched up." She placed both hands over Nieven's wound and incanted in the way Ellyria had shown her, as kaleidoscopic coronas of radiant light filled the ambient environment with Sylvari's outpouring of positive energy. She marveled as the first time she wielded this power, watching as her friend's rent flesh knitted back together under her warm touch, until there was no evidence of having been there at all [Celestial, Holy Gifts (Massive Healing)].
"There, doesn't that feel better?"
|
|
Adventurer
IS OFFLINE
6
Renown
Crescent Isles
Practically Perfect in Every Way
140 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Nieven Oakenthorn on Nov 10, 2023 11:20:52 GMT -5
As Nieven crashed through the air his steed and him exhausted from their performance in the race he looked down and glanced at the dirt floor below. He grimaced for a second as his face was about to make contact with the floor before having a look of relief as he felt someone catch him and carry him. He glanced up at his noble hero as they carried the most beautiful person here in their arms. It was Sylvari the dearest knight woman who had been there for him this entire race doing all of the hard work of fending off those pesky goons. She was the one who allowed him to win and even now was tending to his wound, “You really are the best aren't you?”, he says outloud in his dazed state.
He looked down at his wound before Sylvari healed it and grimaced at the sight of such blood, “Ew my garments were soiled by that crimson color”, he exclaimed before immediately fainting once more at the sign of his blood.
He woke up as he felt his entire body feel refreshed and refocused looking up at his hero once more with a soft smile.
“Thank you, thank you my dear that feels so much better”, he says sitting up and looking at his wound now holy patched up as it was before this whole thing started. Although he did sneer as he saw his precious handmade spider silk coat get bloodied, “Oh no looks like I’ll have to send this to Bnunir Hufen to get this cleaned”.
|
|
Fighter's Guild
IS OFFLINE
20
Renown
Crescent Isles
"I only bite if you want me to, dear"
793 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Sylvari Dawnsage on Nov 10, 2023 16:49:47 GMT -5
Sylvari laughed at Nieven's exclamations, hoping fervently the most he would ever have to worry about is blood-stained clothing from a friendly event.
"It is my pleasure, Nieven. Congratulations on the win. Speaking of, I believe you can go and claim your prize at the announcer's booth. As for me," Sylvari trailed off looking at the sorry state of their ex-competitors limping over the finish line. "There are more injured that I must tend to. Really, how do they allow these kinds of events without a healer on standby?"
Sylvari shook her head and sighed good-naturedly as she got to her feet and smiled down at her companion. "Pleasure seeing you as always, dear. Mayhaps our next joining could be more in the vein of the first. I rather prefer your blood inside where it ought to be." As she said this, Sylvari unconsciously licked a bit of blood that had gotten on her wrist from when she had carried the young noble.
"Interesting flavor..."
The justiciar promptly collected her armor and moved to assist the other injured releasing the same overwhelming blasts of positive energy on whoever she ministered to, regardless of injury. Once her work was completed, she swiftly donned her armor and made an unceremonious effort, glad Nieven would be the one to be stormed by an adoring fan base this time.
|
|