(1874-03-08) The Grand Four Corners Steeplechase
The Grand Four Corners Steeplechase.
Summary: The 1st Annual Four Corners Grand Steeplechase happens. Horses are ridden. Prizes of great wealth and worth are awarded. Furtwangler, Etienne, 'Munch', and the wretched Balty make an appearance.
Date: 1875-03-08
Related: None.
NPCs: {$npc}
Players:
Philippa  Ludovic  Valeria  Stanislaus  

A field beyond the walls of the City of Four Corners.
A lush field with a course laid out upon it.
1875-03-08

Having arrived accordingly, mounts in tow, those riders and watchers witness the portly and wild-haired Commissary clomp up atop a dais and loudly proclaim the very event people have come to see, "Welcome! Welcome one and all to the Four Corners' Grand Steeplechase of Eighteen Sheventy Five!" Sir Stanislaus' voice booms as he addresses the riders and the baying crowds. Within the crowd coin is being wagered and will likely be wagered all the way through the race until the end with differing odds and gains fluctuating alongside the cunning minds of the Four Corners' citizens who hold sway over the gambling within the cheering crowd. The cheers continue and so does Sir Stanislaus, "I welcome you to the Grand Four Corners Shteeplechashe!" Spit flecks from his lips like rain at that particular word, "We have our ridersssss! We have the coursh laid out before us, and only one shall leave with a prize of a masshterwork shaddle from Four Corners' own Leatherworkers Guild! And a purse of twenty five gold doves! That and a title they shall be proud to hold! Riders!" The word barked as he turns his gaze to those beside their horses, "So those of you taking part! Move to the line and make ready!"

The 'line' is indeed just that, a thick chalk line laid upon the ground with the course and its obstacles laid out ahead.

—-

Just another of the riders here to prove herself is Philippa Aseno, the slight young woman leading a grey horse to the line when the race is called to order. A glance to the commissionar as her looking back again before turning to her horse to pet the mare's neck. To the line she will move, to mount there upon the animal's back. She wears the colors of her House, tight leather breeches that fit her bottom half paired with a white shirt and a yellow vest. Her hair for the day has been tightly braided and lies down her back out of her face.

—-

Ludovic is mounted on a black stallion with a tall, slender, frame not all that much unlike that you might see on a greyhound and a shine to its coat not that unlike the shine you'll find on a sidhe steel weapon. Despite the horses lean lines it looks comfortable with Ludovic in the saddle and Ludovic looks both comfortable and extremely confident as he nudges the eager horse forward to the chalk line. "Good luck to you all!" he calls to the other opponents.

—-

Valeria has found herself a small, sleep mare, but even sitting on that, the things seems a monster in comparison to her size. She wore comfortable, and extremely common clothes, but they were in shades of black and blue, as she settled into place at the line, awaiting her turn to try the obstacles. She did offer her own well-wishes to the gathered riders, though, as well as a dip of her head in respect to the Commissary.

—-

The 1st stretch is good firm ground, it is here the horses will build their speed and thunder towards the first obstacle in the distance. The grass beneath is a rich and verdant green, while lining the course are bales of hay, enticing to the horses no doubt, though somewhat more practical to the riders in that they pretty much show the line of the course. A sweeping vista of Four Corners countryside, beautiful lands unravaged by war, a sight unseen by a good few for a while. No dead bodies, no torn up ground ruined by battle. Just beautiful land as far as the eye can see, unless one looks behind in which case its a sprawling walled city of canals (recently dredged of their dead bodies too bloated to recognise, for it is after all far better to dredge the canals before the summer, as the heat has them popping up all over the place. Sometimes explosively) and a mix of wealth and poverty like none other. With a step forward, Stanislaus raises his hand to the gathered riders and grins oh so toothily, "On the line! Prepare yourshelves! And…" From behind there's a loud shot as a wirey looking Greycloak fires off a handcannon into the air. BLAM! "GO!"

—-

As soon as Valeria heard the order to begin, she spurred the mare into motion, the swift animal taking off at a charge, as she guided the mare towards the first obstacles, her weight seeming to work to advantage, as she sped across the ground, the field of riders fanning out according to skill, or in some cases, such as Valeria's, probably luck. For herself, she seemed to settle into a race of sorts with one of the riders, a man whom she did not know, but who just getting up there on too large to be allowed.

—-

With a jerk of surprise Ludovic's horse dives away from the surprising sound of the shot. For a moment it seems as if the horse might loose itself in a full blown bolt but Ludovic shifts his seat and quickly brings the animal back from the threshold. As he settles the stallion stretches out his stride and proves to be almost as fast as his frame would suggest and when the first marker is passed the black stallion and valeria's mare are practically neck and neck with Philippa's mount only a few paces behind.

—-

If there is anything that Philippa has learned in her years of raising horses, it's not to explode right out of the gate or off the line when first starting a race. Let others do that. Save yourself a little energy for later on in the course where you might need it. That doesn't say be absolutely last off the mark either! And so, leaned over her mare's neck, she is not too terribly far behind those that break away first, the young woman keeping her eye on the obstacles to come.

—-

Coming up on a thick and rather unforgiving hedge, it is perhaps a trifle daunting a sight for some. There's no view of what is on the other side, though the riders will soon find having jumped, the ground is a jarring touch lower on the other side as it dips down towards the next obstacle a good distance away. All along the course the crowds cheer and also jeer in equal measure, wolf whistles galore for tight riding breeches, and howls of appreciation for the adrenalin rush that is the thunderous race! While some of the richer sorts sit atop carriages and coaches, sipping wine and picking at foor, the poorer sorts swill beer sold amongst them by enterprising souls, some often laden with trays bearing decidedly unedifying items that are apparently food. Rat? Canal-dredged cat? Pidgeon? Who knows, but people buy it, eat it, and cheer with their meat-stuffed mouths all too full! Food flecks everywhere! WOoooooOOoooOoo!

—-

Sidhe's ears flick forwards as the hedge rapidly approaches, his pace adjusting with an ease that speaks both of a horse well suited to the jump and a rider who knows just how to adjust to the impending leap. For a moment the pair are airborne, clearing the hedge with air to spare, and then hooves retouch the earth and its back to the gallop. Ludovic glances over to Valeria a few paces later and tosses her the sort of quick grin that suggests he's really enjoying himself.

—-

Valeria did feel a decided bit of trepidation, as she actually saw the height of the hedge she's supposed to let this mare jump over. And perhaps there's quite a bit of that in the hands that hold the reins, as the mare, knowing better than her rider what she's meant to do, does manage to clear the hedge, despite the involuntary tug that makes her hooves only just pass over the hedge, an set her down on the other side. But that victory comes with it's own loss, as the horses of the riders who had much more confidence in their skills sail past her as they hit the ground.

—-

"Come on, Mist.." Encouragement called out to her mare as the pair begin to edge up on the two leaders. With the hedge coming quick, Philippa tightens her hold upon the mare slightly as she stretches out and leaps clean over it, nary a touch at all made between mare and hedge, the pair to land upon the lower side without a stumble. The young woman is grinning just a little now that the adrenaline of the race starts to hit after the first clean jump! She doesn't bother with a look behind, still looking forwards.

—-

Looming up ahead as the thundering of hooves brings the riders ever closer is a rather neatly coiffed hedge, with the ever present threat of a murkily flooded ditch on the other side. The ground is churned, the hooves thunder onward! All the way cheers erupt, fists are pumped with a few cheers erupting on the wind!

"FASTER LASS!", directed at Valeria, "I gots gold on…" But the words vanish into the wind. Not to mention a "THAT'S THAT LUUUUUDOOOHVIIIC FELLA! AIN'T HE BIG?", soon followed by a bawdy, "That's what she said!", and of course a rather hearty, "OY OY!" Directed at Philippa.

—-

Concentrating on the obstacle ahead of her, Philippa murmurs to her mare as she pulls up next to Ludovic. She might be seen to give the big guy a nod of her head a moment before her dear Mist sails like a leaf on the wind, right on over that ugly hedge, landing light on her hooves on the other side of the hidden ditch without breaking her stride. Never one to look back, Philippa's attention is already on whatever will come ahead as she gives the mare her head. Three obstacles down, just a couple more left to finish!

—-

At this point in the competition, two obstacles it, it looked as though the mare was preparing to buck her useless rider, as Valeria once again failed to work with her horse and no against her as the mare's hooves dug into the muddy earth of the ditch only just managing to keep her own balance and not pitch Valeria off. They'd lost more ground, and at least in this, the rider knew as well as the mare. But the horse, at least still had enough spirit to continue on, following in the wake of the others of her kind.

—-

A snatch of words from the crowd half caught make him look that way and then he commits the fatal flaw of shifting in his seat so that he can look over at the stands and wave. The horse, distracted by this movement, and for that brief moment completely under its own authority changes its lead, as is proper, and then leaps just a moment to early. A leg clips the fence, just enough to put the horse off its game, and when the pair land theres a harrowing moment where the horse seems to have entirely too many legs for its little brain to handle. The stumble costs him dearly in terms of his lead and Ludovic refocuses his attention on the race almost immediately, soothing words offered to the horse as he urges it back into a run.

—-

A good ways ahead, on the final curve of the course, three jumps ensure the final grouping of obstacles before the finish line, the first being relatively low, while the second rises sharply after a good few bounds with a dip on the other side, before a final hedge a good three feet tall and wider than the others stands before the riders and the final hundred or so yards to the finishing line. More cheers erupt, with a few jeers at the masterful Ludovic. Likely from those losing coin at that last jump, while in equal measure for all there's a healthy amount of cheering. Beer is flowing, peasant bread and dead meat of questionable provenance is being consumed by the bucket, and from upon their perches the wealthy occasionally let slip a heated cheer or a somewhat tight-lipped grumble!

—-

Valeria had no better luck now than she had in the last event, though, at least, her horse did not crash into the fence. Instead, she shied away from it, Valeria tilting dangerously in the saddle, before she drew the mare back around and began to gallop forward, managing to continue on, but now at a severe, and likely impossible to overcome disadvantage.

—-

Can't get too sure of yourself because when you do, then little things happen. Take the next hedge and the pair of Philippa and Mist. So far, the two have been sailing over those hedges without issue. This time, perhaps it is the sound of the crowds responding to the other racers now behind her, that has the horse faltering just a little when she lands on the other side. Not enough to be an issue, but enough that has Philippa frowning just a little while she speaks with the mare. "Come on, girl.. you can do it.."

—-

Sidhe, when faced with the hardest fence yet, just cant shake his memories of the previous stumble. The stallion's ears go back, Ludovic starts trying to soothe it into the jump, and then the black horse slams on the breaks. Somehow Ludovic stays seated. Somehow. But that one act of refusal has probably lost him the race. For a moment Ludovic stares after the other horses, patting at his horses neck, and then he brings the stallion back around and coaxes it back into the jump. This time it goes over, albeit with some difficulties in its landing, and they start trying to make up for the lost time.

—-

And now with those last few obstacles out of the way, there's just that final stretch. That last hundred yards or so. That giddy end to a heroic effort of horse and rider. The obstacles, those damned barriers to success and glory are behind the riders now! Just open ground, firm ground, oh so beautifully green ground! And up ahead, the finish line. That beautiful line of chalk on the ground. Cheers erupt louder than ever before. Hearty cheers, beer-fuelled cheers, cheers of every accent imagineable! A veritable roar for the riders!

—-

The encouragment is all that Mist needs to put hooves to the grass. The grey mare flies over the last of the ground towards the finish mark, her rider skillfully leaned forwards over her neck. It's not till they are churning up the chalk that Philippa will finally sit up and pay attention, turning her dancing mare to see who may be coming in behind her. Waaait.. she was first?!

—-

If ever a horse could look happy, it was now, with the clear grass ahead and the end of the road in sight. And, quite possibly the removal of the useless lump on her back. And so the mare stretches her legs, making up some of the distance she was behind the other horses, showing herself, now that she had her head, to best effect and managing to end up not so far behind the clear winner on the grey horse, of her erstwhile opponent on the black.

—-

Ludovic leans low over his horses neck and urges the horse into the final gallop. Sidhe quickly closes the ground between Mist and himself, his long neck outstretched and hooves thundering, but even this turn of speed cant rescue them from the disasterous results of the last fence. In the end the finish line comes up before Ludovic's even closed within a length of Philippa and her horse.

—-

Commissary Sir Stanislaus Strauss stands at a raised dais awaiting the arrival of those plucky riders, his portly frame straining at the heavy leather belt about his waist, while his glorious array of teeth, enough teeth to truly put the horses into a fit of envy, beam brightly if somewhat discoloured at the array of riders and horses, "I'm pleashed to announsh!" The words bellowed broadly over the multitude of cheers and jeers that erupts amidst the crowd who have watched and either won or lost a goodly amount of coin. Liver-spotted hands raised, the bouffant-haired Commissary adorned in the finery of a Greycloak of standing and rank, and likely more than a few coin procured through less than legal means, "I am pleashed to shtate that…" And there he pauses, saliva flecks flung far and wide from his warm of slightly moist words, "… we have truly witnesshed a fine shhow from those who shought to massster the coursh!" Gesturing to the riders, Stanislaus beams proudly as he clasps his hands against his gut, "Would the first three across the line come forth!"

—-

Ludovic swings down from his stallion and hands it off to the ever-present form of his squire before starting over towards Stanislaus. He turns his head to examine both of the women in turn, his cheerful smile never faultering. Not even in the face of Stanislaus' smile.

Valeria was clearly not two of the top three, and in a show of respect for their superior performances, she allowed the other two to precede her to the place where the Commissary was standing, a hand reaching down to rub the mare's neck, as much soothing as apologizing to the horse for her rider's poor skill. Still, there was some joy in her expression. Once she'd approached level with the other two, she slipped down from the mare, landing hard with a bit of distance to go, and with no squire to lead the horse away, she simply kept the mare beside her.

—-

Sliding off Mist's back, Philippa hands off her reins to one of her stablehands that came with her from home. It's only then that she will make her way forwards to take up a position besides the other two that crossed the line first. Looking up at Stanislaus, she politely dips her head to the man, showing respect to the Commissary.

—-

"The winner is Lady Philippa Asheno, whom I proudly proclaim as the Four Corners Misshtressh of Horsh." Stanislaus states loudly, evidently full of vim and vigor, "I present you with this mashterwork shaddle! Crafted by the fine hands of the Honourable Guild of Leatherworkers!"

A gangly and weaselly looking Greycloak approaches, albeit with a little difficulty for he is laden under the weight of a fine masterwork saddle, such comfort and craftsmanship truly something to be proud of. And there the saddle-laden Greycloak teeters, exhaling ragged breath after breath as he waits for the damn thing to be taken off of him. Which it isn't. So he teeters and shows it off to Philippa and the crowd, while muttering under his breath about his back.

Beside the gangly looking and almost overbalanced Greycloak walks a particularly lithe and nimble figure of a female, likewise clad in the uniform of the Greycloaks, all buckles and adornments polished to a fine sheen, with her dark hair tucked beneath her helm. The decidedly cold gaze and utterly unimpressed demeanour is likely warmed (or perhaps not) by the grey silk purse she carries containing a gold horseshoe worth approximately twenty five gold crowns. And then Stan's gaze drifts to Ludovic and Valeria. The teeth too, they drift with the gaze.

—-

Ludovic tells Philippa. "Congratulations Lady Aseno. You handled that course with rare skill. I'm impressed."

—-

"I have rarely seen such riding." Which was both a compliment and a truth. Such races were not something she was accustomed to. "That seems a kingly gift," she offered, as she saw the saddle. Even she could appreciate how masterfully crafted it was.

—-

Philippa steps forwards, blushing a bit, her hair slightly curled about her face where it's escaped her braid after such a wild ride. "Thank you, Commissary!" She won't take the saddle, but motions to another of her stablehands to relieve the poor greycloak of his burden as she steps forwards to accept the purse from the second one, "Thank you." Glancing aside, she is beaming at Ludovic, "Thank you as well. You didn't do too badly yourself." Not that she saw what happened to keep him from beating her, "Started off strong."

—-

Stanislaus looks to Ludovic and grins a bright and yellowed grin, all teeth, rosey cheeks and apparent warmth and good heart, which is likely something the Commissary really doesn't have, "To uuh…" A brief montage of politics drifts through Stan's mind before he settles on, "…we'll settle for the valiant Ludovic of Hellsmouth! A great Lord! We present you with…" And at that a hulking male clad in the same Greycloak uniform as the others approaches and dumps a sack of apples before Ludovic. A grunt is offered from the male, who nods at having completed his take and walks off towards a purveyor of odd meats. Apples. Horses like apples right? Yeah. Lots of apples. Four Corners really rewards coming second.

—-

Ludovic cant restrain an amused chuckle at Stanislaus' choice of title and then another one for the apples. Being a good sport he picks one of them up and raises it up high just like a trophy, a rather playful overtone to gesture and words. "My thanks for this wonderful prize!"

—-

Philippa stands holding her small purse with both hands - not going to let any of it get away from her! - as another Greycloak steps forwards to deliver Ludovic's price for second place. She may look just a /little/ confused when all that is presented is the sack of apples to him. Politely does she give a clap, or more a jingle of coins.

—-

Valeria laughed, honest amusement in her voice as she watched the second prize being awarded, "That is a kingly gift indeed, good sir. More than a fine reward for that stallion." her face brightened as she awaited her own prize, clearly interested to see what it wold be. There was something to be said for taking joy in small amusements.

—-

A decidedly wretched looking male staggers towards Valeria bearing a sack. A slightly steaming sack. It definately appears horse related. Stanislaus looks to Valeria and grins all the brighter, "A fine showing Sir Valeria of Oxbridge!" If ever anyone could look even more wretched than the man who passes off the saddle to Philippa's stablehands, it is this man, decidedly Aequorian and perhaps part rat if his features are anything to go by. Either way he too looks encumbered as he drops the sack before Valeria. When prizes squish slightly, it is perhaps a sign that coming third is generally something to be avoided. The wretched rat-faced man hurks softly beneath his breath, paws at his grey tunic and staggers off. Stanislaus eyes Valeria's prize for the moment and exclaims in all seriousness, "It's good for the garden! Courtesy of the Stablehands Guild, a sack often reserved for the gardeners of great estates all over Tirth! Balty will see it delivered it where ever you need it!" Horse dung! Yup. Damned fine for the garden! A sack of the finest dung the wealthiest stables of Four Corners can produce! Upon hearing he's the designated deliverer, Balty mutters and moves back to reclaim the sack ready for delivering. Stepping forth, Stanislaus raises his hands and smiles that beautiful tooth-dominated smile of his, "And that concludes this years Great Shteeple-chash! Go and eat, drink, and be merry!"

—-

Ludovic takes a bite out of his apple as he watches, with interest, to discover what Valeria will receive. He chuckles again at the delivery then, his aequorian routes showing, he offers Stanislaus a polite bow. "My thanks to the host." The two women who placed along with him he gives another smile "You're both invited to join me for the evening meal at the d'Korbina estate." And then, with his more practical roots showing, he hefts his apple sack and sets it across his shoulder, starts up a jaunty whistle, and then heads for the stables.

—-

When her own prize was delivered, Valeria's laughter only seemed to redouble, as she looked up to the Commissary, "This is truly a kingly gift, Commissary! If it does so well in my own fields as it has in your gardens, I will without a doubt reap a most magnificent crop. I thank you!" She offered a grin to both Phillipa and Ludovic, before her hands rose in a clap and her voice in a cheer for Philippa.

—-

Still flushed is Philippa who is chuckling as she spies Valeria's prize. Like the others, she bows to the Commissary, "Again, thank you for such a wonderful race!" As others hail her, she ducks her head, unable to help smiling a little more. With quick words to her trusted stablehands, she will see to her saddle and mare to be taken back, and it's to one of her guards that the purse will be eventually passed to, leaving her free to accept the offer of food, "I'd love to attend.." And so it's with a hand raised and a few waves given to those that call her name, that Pippa will follow after the larger Ludovic.

—-

Valeria offered a sympathetic smile to the Greycloak who had brought in her prize, "If you please, could you deliver that to the al'Morena manse? I would very much appreciate it." He would not, of course, but there you are. Turning to hear Ludovic's invitation, she offered a smile, "It would be my honour, good sir."

—-

Balty eyes Valeria, nods, inhales and immediately regrets that rash action, before moving off and away into the city proper with a sack of horse poop, and a warm aroma of horse following in his wake. And thoughts of what his life could have been had Stan not found him and pulled him half-dead from the canal. Well for one he wouldn't be holding a sack of shite… oh for the sweet embrace of the murky canal waters.

—-

Dice Rolls per Stretch of the course
Rider Position Dice Rolls Difficulty Assigned Total
Ludovic 1st 11 0 11
Philippa 3rd 10 0 10
Valeria 1st 11 0 11
Rider Position Dice Rolls Difficulty Assigned Total
Ludovic 1st 12 8 15
Philippa 2nd 12 8 14
Valeria 3rd 9 8 12
Rider Position Dice Rolls Difficulty Assigned Total
Ludovic 2nd 8 9 14
Philippa 1st 12 9 17
Valeria 3rd 8 9 11
Rider Position Dice Rolls Difficulty Assigned Total
Ludovic 2nd 7 11 10
Philippa 1st 10 11 16
Valeria 3rd 6 11 6
Rider Position Dice Rolls Difficulty Assigned Total
Ludovic 2nd 12 0 22
Philippa 1st 10 0 26
Valeria 3rd 11 0 17
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