(1875-11-06) Coning Tourney Combatless Challenges
Coning Tourney Combatless Challenges
Summary: Tournaments arent just about armored men and women knocking each other off horses. There are also many many other challenges ranging from the best honey to the most impressive piece of smithing.
Date: This log will be active between midnight GMT on the 1st Nov and Midnight GMT on the 11th.
Related: Coning Tourney
NPCs: None
Players:
Dertan  Elian  Elixane  Ivo  Ludovic  Luixa  Lysette  Myrana  Philippa  Rowena  

Coningburg village square
A big pavilion surrounded by merchant stalls and filled to the brim with fun things.
IC date of RP

I've always wanted to try to get the non combat aspects of a tourney represented. So heres my attempt!
There will be a number of categories available ranging from agricultural to foundry work. If you have an idea that doesn't fit in with the suggestions feel free to add it.

Instructions

Decide on the category.
For Memoir style entries
Write up your submission and post it in the relevant section.
For Log style entries
Grab another player. Make your rolls and RP it out together and then post both the log and the rolls here.
If you cant find another eligible player ask Dovi/Elian/Dertan player to get you an NPC to compete against.
Post in the relevant section.
For the food, crafts and livestock events you may have an npc show something (assume a base success of 8) off just to represent it being displayed at the faire. Just be sure to mark it non-compete and skip the rolls


Event 1: The Rigging Contest

Coning is a place full of retired sailors and shipwrights. There are some single masted boats that have their rigging all messed up. Who can fix it fastest? (Roll sailing). Log style entries only.


Ivo & Myrana:

<DICE ROLLER> Myrana rolled 4d3 <3> <2> <2> <2> + 1 = 10
<DICE ROLLER> Ivo rolled 4d3 <1> <2> <3> <2> + 2 = 10

"Oh dear god!" Myrana can't help but exclaim as she and Ivo are led up to their little boats, with the gulls wheeling merrily overhead and a crowd of onlookers behind them. "What've they done to these poor boats?!"

"Quite so, I couldn't have put it better myself," Myrana agrees with a touch to her hatbrim, bowing politely to her cousin's point and then straightening as he bows to the crowd, popping off her cap and handing it with a polite thank-you to a little girl in the front row, who is immediately transfixed by the feather. She grins at Ivo and gives the shoulders of her fiorello-style vest a jaunty little flick of her thumbs before trotting along into her boat and up into the rigging. Is she laughing? A sort of self-satisfied cackle, no doubt, at having gotten Ivo to agree to this.

"Quite so, I couldn't have put it better myself," Myrana agrees with a touch to her hatbrim, bowing politely to her cousin's point and then straightening as he bows to the crowd, popping off her cap and handing it with a polite thank-you to a little girl in the front row, who is immediately transfixed by the feather. She grins at Ivo and gives the shoulders of her fiorello-style vest a jaunty little flick of her thumbs.

"If you're both ready…?" The steward standing up on a crate before them smiles, clearly enjoying the fine weather and the more friendly atmosphere of this competition. She raises her hand and the crowd hushes momentarily, all aside from someone at the back whispering a bit loudly for Paul the get out of the way with his big fat head.

"Begin!"

Without delay Myrana trots along into her boat and climbs up into the rigging. Is she laughing? A sort of self-satisfied cackle, no doubt, at having gotten Ivo to agree to this.

As the steward settles the crowd Ivo crouches with one foot behind the other, as if he's about to sprint. Then, as the word is given, he clambers into his assigned boat and starts to try and make sense of the mess of blocks and tackle. "I swear I can heal the gulls crying," he calls over to Myrana's boat, "even they are suffering because of this. Only a landsman could commit this sacrilege!" Finding a particular block that he knows belongs up the mast he starts to untangle to ropes run through it. There are a few curses as he goes, but eventually he has it free and starts to shimmy up the mast.

Myrana has a certain fearlessness about her up in the rigging that only comes from being the size she is. There has to be an upside to being the right dimensions to be crammed into a barley sack, and this, as far as she's concerned, is it.

Showing off, she climbs up a bit higher than she needs to and accesses the problem from an angle the criminals who did this didn't expect; hanging by her knees upside-down just above it. The vest keeps her collar from getting in her mouth as she grins like a daredevil maniac, working away at the knots.

"What's more! Whoever did this must have been a pervert! How else could- whoop! Kahaha…!"

The laugh is because, despite the angle and the distance, she's caught a look of Sir Fionn's face down in the crowd as he watches the future of his extremely delicate and volatile barbarian kingdom doing this shit.

Ivo is not as lithe as his cousin, but he's a professional sailor and has the slight technical advantage as a result. Slight. With his longer reach he finds hooking up the blocks slightly easier, and then he slides down to the deck to start tensioning the ropes. "What say that once we're finished here we track down the barbarians who did this and give them what for!?"

Getting into his rhythm with hauling on the ropes he wishes he had gloves on, but it's too late now. Pushing on he moves to the larboard side of the vessel and starts trying to untangle the halyard there.

Myrana definitely has to pause more than once to puzzle out what to do. It's her competitive nature that makes this sort of challenge fun for her, though; she looks across at her cousin with a grin, nodding enthusiastically though it makes her a bit dizzy with the blood in her head. "I might need a bit of a breath first!" She shouts back.

The crowd meanwhile cheers them on, and among them are more than a few Armaz sailors who shout louder than everyone else and clearly have been enjoying the festivities for a few hours. If they escape the partying company of their family after this it will be a miracle, but most likely they'll be caught up and carried off to wine and food and carousing the instant the winner is announced.

With his halyard free Ivo ties it off at deck level then glances across to Myrana's boat, only to find her almost neck and neck with him. "Quick, look!" he yells, pointing out into the bay, hoping to use any distraction to edge ahead. He only has a couple of ropes to go now and he starts to work the last of his braces, trying to get it tied off before Myrana finishes her's.

Myrana continues in her daredevil way, taking risks purely for fun but well within the limits of her climbing ability, entertaining the crowd with her balance and showmanship as she makes progress just a bit behind Ivo's.

"IS IT PIRATES?!" she gasps, and makes a show of looking to the embarrassment of her bodyguard down below but the amusement of their relatives down below and several in the crowd, only to turn back around with a laugh and scramble to locate the next disaster that's befallen her boat. It's neck and neck, and by the time they're on their way back down in a mad scramble to be first back to the boards, her muscles are shaking with exertion and she's a little out of breath, white hair mussed up and wild and all but out of its braid.

Ivo laughs at his cousin's outburst, but doesn't spare the time to look up and see if it has slowed her down or not. Once his last rope is tied off he leaps over the gunwales of the small boat and races across the quayside to where a small bell is rigged. All that matters is reaching it first and catching sight of his cousin's hand reaching out as well he lunges in a last gasp attempt to get to it first.

He fails.

But then. So does she.

The steward looks briefly perplexed as both d'Armaz reach the bell at the same time. There's a brief moment as she confers with the rules but then shrugs and simply declares, "a hard-earnt draw!"

Myrana gapes, grasping the bell-pull at just exactly the same time as her cousin. She's so startled that she doesn't pull it, and for probably the same reason neither does he.

"A draw!" She lets go and reaches out to embrace Ivo excitedly, laughing in disbelief as the draw is announced and the crowd cheers, and their relatives come and sweep them up for some serious partying.


Elian & Rowena

On the way back to her ship, Rowena took a detour, heading towards where the rigging competition was being held. She flashed Elian a grin, before she beckoned him to come along with her, "You wouldn't happen to be a sailor, would you, Elian?"

-

Elian offers up his hands with a smile "What do my hands tell you?"

-

Rowena held up her own, which were scarred and calloused from years of working rope and sail, "That you work just as hard as I do." She continued on, nodding as she was directed to one of the ships, "So, you can either compete with me, or against me, or, you can cheer me on from the sidelines."

-

"Really?" Elian turns his own hands to consider them. "I wouldn't have said these were a working mans hands." he lets them drop away. "I'll join you." he offers. "Why not?" he looks up at the complex tangle of ropes. "Although I might need some instruction."

-

"They look like a soldier's hands to me." Rowena gave them another glance, a smile curving the edge of the left side of her mouth, before she hopped down onto the single-master she had been assigned to. "It's both easier and more difficult than it looks. The heart of it is…trying to trace a rope from one end to the other and find a way to untangle them until they lay flat as a sheet. It's a puzzle, a problem to be fixed. Don't let the fact that the puzzle is hanging on a ship intimidate you."

-

"That makes sense." Elian says "It would still help to see a finished version first though. Then again." He starts rolling up his sleeves. "That would remove half of the fun. How about a bet to make it sweeter?"

-

Rowena nodded, standing up to look down along the line, seeing if she could find one close to what they were working on, "I could probably find one that was similar, but every sailor likes to tie their knots in just their way. For some of the older ones, it's like a signature." She settled back, walking to the base of the starboard side rigging, "I do love a good bet. What shall we offer as the stakes?"

-

"Beating you would be quite a challenge." Elian is still gazing up at the rigging as he talks. "Almost impossible you could say. My prize should match that."

-

"Indeed, but that remains to be seen." Rowena indicated that he should begin at the port side rigging, before she spoke again, "So what is the prize you would ask for?"

-

Elian points at a piece of sparkle amongst Rowena's things. A ring ideally. "How about that? It seems a fair prize to me. And if I should lose, as seems likely, I will stand you a nights drinking the next time we meet."

-

Rowena glanced down to her hands, where most of her fingers sported thin gold rings, "Very well, Elian. I will accept your bet then. But be warned, I do know a thing or two about drinking."

-

"Of course." Elian smiles. "I do believe that is part of the ship captain's skill book. Right below sailing." he takes a moment to shed his own rings, secreting them all into a pouch he tucks into his shirt and then nods to her. "Shall we then?"

-

Rowena laughed, as she saw Elian divesting himself of his own jewelry, "Don't worry, you'll still have all of them when I'm finished with you." Nodding her assent, she reached out a hand to step up into the rigging, "Let's."

<DICE ROLLER> Rowena rolled 4d3 <2> <1> <2> <2> + 2 = 9
<DICE ROLLER> Elian rolled 4d3 <1> <2> <2> <2> + 0 = 7

"I'm not worried about you stealing my rings whilst i'm up in the rigging!" Elian grins back at her. "I'm worried about hanging myself from a ring." He gives the bell a tap to show he wants to compete and then moves to the start line to wait for the bell. A huff of a breath to steady himself or cover up that moment where you ask geesh what am I doing the only sign he's got any sort of uncertainty about this task at all. And when the bell goes he's quick to climb into the rigging and start unraveling things. He's not even that bad at untangling knots. Not so bad not so bad. Only the sail doesn't go that way around..

-

"Don't worry," Rowena offered with an answering grin, patting the dagger at her hip, "I promise to cut you down." Rowena hopping up onto the first rung as soon as the bell sounded, moving up past the first large tangle and starting to unravel it from the top down, in segments, as though she were combing out a knot in her hair. It was work done in sections, loosening the widest swath of rope before she moved up to the next. She moved with care, and at a slower pace than she might have, for she was both doing the task at hand and trying to learn the particular styling of knots being used.

-

Elian balances along the top of the mast, not because he has to, but because this is the sort of thing you never get to do. He stops when he makes the mistake of glancing down and promptly losing most of his balance though. Theres a soft laugh and then he lowers himself down back onto the safety of the deck and looks up at the collection of ropes and such. The bell rings for Rowena as she finishes. Why isnt it ringing for him?

-

It's slow and steady as Rowena makes her way from tangle to tangle, working her way yap towards the place where the rigging is affixed to the mast, working with a single-minded determination. When she finally makes it to the stop she just stops, looking out over the river, seeing the traffic still moving on relentlessly, before she made her way back down, going hand over hand along the last rope before she heard the bell tolling her completion, and dropping to the deck after. She did peer over at Elian's. "You did that on purpose to save your purse, Elian."

-

Elian looks back and up at his handiwork. Perplexed. "What?"

-

Rowena came over to where Elian was standing, looking up at his work, "That was well done, only the sail should be the other way around. But I'll make it up to you." She looked down at her own hands, sliding off one of the things on her thumbs, the only ones Elian would be able to wear comfortably, and reaching out for his hand to slip it on, "That can be a memento. But I'll show you to my ship now. I have a salve that will save your hands."

-

"I didn't win it." Elian vocally protects although he gives her his hand to slip it on at the same time. A glance to his hands and then he nods, smiling again. "We can pick up a bottle of Ryaltan rum on the way. That should repay my debt nicely I think."


Event 2: Livestock Displays

Prove your pet is the best possible example of its species by displaying its confomation, training and skills in a competition of two parts. The first is a crufts-like display of its physical strengths and the second a breed-suitable challenge (agility course for dogs, hunting prowess for hawks etcetc). (roll animal husbandry for both segments.) Log or memoir style entries accepted.


Philippa:

Horse: Merry, her dapple warhorse mare:
http://eternalcrusade.wdfiles.com/local--files/philippa/philippa-merry.jpg

<DICE ROLLER> Philippa rolled 4d3 <2> <3> <3> <1> + 3 = 12
<DICE ROLLER> Philippa rolled 4d3 <2> <2> <2> <2> + 3 = 11

Philippa is given a time to return to the livestock area with her horse to be judged. At the appointed time, she arrives, leading Merry into the ring.

First, she's judged on appearance, the large mare standing calmly as she is checked over by the judge, merely flicking her neatly combed tail once. Her braided mane lies just as neatly along her thick, strong neck. Her dappled grey body has been brushed and combed till her silvery hair practically gleams beneath the sunlight.

After her confirmation is judged, Philippa mounts her back and takes her through her paces around the circle at various speeds before taking her through some jumps and other means of showing her strengths and perhaps some weaknesses as well. As a warhorse, she's not quite as nimble over some jumps as the slimmer racing horses might be.


Luixa:

Elementi, Briar, female that is trained for fighting

<DICE ROLLER> Luixa rolled 4d3 <3> <2> <3> <1> + 1 = 10
<DICE ROLLER> Luixa rolled 4d3 <2> <3> <3> <2> + 1 = 11

Luixa decides at the last moment, to enter her long time friend and Elementi, Briar, into the livestock contests. The large canine follows her to sign up and get the time when they are to return.

Upon the appointed day and time, the pair return. Luixa is dressed in light armor, carrying the armor that Briar would wear. The canine listens to her Mistress, standing still as the judge takes in her size and shape, writing down notes on a parchment. Briar fidgets a little, seeming almost bored with the whole deal, often looking back to Luixa as if to say, 'Can we go yet?'

Given a brief moment to put the armor upon the Elementi, Luixa then shows off the canine's skills and training in protecting her Mistress during battle. Darting in to nip at horse's legs, to throw off an enemy's balance, watching over Luixa's back. The pair move with perfect grace and timing.

Of course, there will be times when the Elementi doesn't listen as she should to the signals and commands. That's the joy of having one such as the Elementi for a 'pet'.


Ivo:

Elementi, Tethys, young female that is still very much in training

<DICE ROLLER> Ivo rolled 4d3 <3> <2> <1> <2> + 0 = 8
<DICE ROLLER> Ivo rolled 4d3 <1> <1> <3> <2> + 0 = 7

Ivo hadn't been planning to enter Tethys in the event, but after Elian's quip after their duel he kind of had to. Going into it he doesn't expect to win, but after seeing some of the other enteries he knows for certain that he won't, but she will likely enjoy it, so he does it for her.

As the judges approach for the first round he has to mutter to her to stay still while they work, as she largely just wants to say hello and lick their faces. He's partially successful. They get all the data they want, but one of them also gets a wet face and dog hair up her nose.

For the second round he opts for the agility course, as simulating a naval battle is likely going to be hard for the judges, and that is what she is training for rather than landbased combat. It starts well, the see-saw is completed with ease, similarly the tunnel, and while she trips over her paws a little as she winds through the vertical poles she recovers well and charges towards the second or third jump. Something in the crowd distracts her as she starts her leap though, and the barrier comes down as she clips it with her hind legs. It's a mistake that's recoverable from though, or would be, were it not for the fact that a seller of roasted snacks passes through the crowd and the young dog decides that the smell of hot meat is far more enticing than finishing the course. Once it's clear he's not getting her back Ivo offers an apologetic shrug to the event steward, forfeits the round, and then hurries off to go retrieve her before she gets into too much trouble.


Rowena (non-compete)

Rowena was no breeder of horses, that was true enough. But she had the stables and staff of Sokar and the blessing of her brother, the Duke, to assist her, and so, she took the opportunity to use the tournament to display her warhorses. Though it was not a secret, it had not been well advertised that the Coning Admiral had managed to pluck some of the finest horses in the West from the siege and devastation that had cost Southern Galenthia so much in the last year's winter.

And so, in the time slotted for the display of livestock, set apart from those who were competing for prizes, Rowena, accompanied by a handful of grooms made her way to the grounds set aside for the showing. She brought with her a pair of Partharian warhorses, one a stallion of fine form, graceful and quick of foot, and a mare, slim, with sleek lines and a proud carriage. The grooms put first the male and then the female through their paces. Those who were not working the horses made themselves available to answer questions as they were posed. While they did not reveal the full number of horses that the Sokar Lady had in her stables, they did take the time to make note of those who might have been interested in the beasts for purchase or studding, the information to be passed on to Rowena at the end of the showing.


Ludovic

Ludovic brings his Elementi, Faith to the events.

<DICE ROLLER> Ludovic rolled 4d3 <1> <1> <1> <2> + 3 = 8
<DICE ROLLER> Ludovic rolled 4d3 <2> <1> <3> <3> + 3 = 12

The great grey beast is shaggy and not exactly the best example of elementi kind. Its hard to tell just exactly how much of him is fur and how much is muscle. He keeps trying to turn and lick the judges when they try to examine him until finally getting a little annoyed and sitting or lying down anytime one of the judges get near him. Outsmarted, the judges have to give up.

Whilst the grizzly bear of a hound doesn’t make the greatest show dog he is great in the second part of the event. Finally given actual working tasks to do the hound pounces on a training dummy, tearing it clean off the rack, runs up in perfect obedience and clears a fence meant to challenge a pony. All whilst wearing canine armor.

Event3: Best Food Ever

Best Pie Challenge (roll crafting or artistry) or best agricultural product (roll agriculture). Log or Memoir Style entries accepted.


Event 4: Dancing

Who are the best dancers? Take your original (roll vs diff 10 performing) or classic (roll vs diff 8 performing or politics) dances to the dance floor and show everyone how graceful you can be. The Elementi will gain extra favor for those brave enough to give it a try (roll vs diff 10 performing or politics). Winner will be determined by a combination of rolls and poses. Nothing to racy. Memoir style entries accepted for solo dances and log style entries for partner dances.


Dertan and Elixane

Dertan steps up behind Elixane and whispers quiet words into her ear. He takes her hand then, offering her a shadow of a smile that touches his eyes far more than his lips, before drawing her off towards the raised stage which dominates this particular pavilion.

-

Elixane's laughter bubbles up, as Dertan's words reached her ear, and she stepped up to follow him. Today, she had forgone even that slightest attempt at decorum. At least in her dress. Today, she was a daughter of that summer isle and her dress, all strips of flowing silk that fluttered and split as she moved would be scandalous, even by Galenthian standards and certainly by Aequorian. But in its way, it was a perfect counterpoint to the elegance of Dertan's own dress. A perfectly matched pair. She knew, just as well, what those looking on would see, and that was well. For this was the Coning Tourney, and the Baron should take centerstage.

-

Dertan takes Elixane up onto the stage and waits for the space to realise that Baron Coning and his courtesan were intending to dance. As the hush decends he bows in the traditional invitation for her to join him in the Elementi. His hand outstretched just waiting for her to take it.

-

Elixane did not take the hand immediately. She made a show of accepting, marking it for what it was.; two forces of nature coming together. For that was what lay at the heart of the elementi. But once her hand slipped into his, her chin tipped just that slight bit upward, as if to indicate that she was ready to begin.

<DICE ROLLER> Elixane rolled 4d3 <3> <3> <3> <1> + 2 = 12
<DICE ROLLER> Dertan rolled 4d3 <2> <3> <3> <1> + 1 = 10

Dertan flows into the technically challenging steps of the Elementi with the grace of someone confident in both their own body and comfortable with the ability of his dance partner. He doesn't warm the dance up from simple to deadly brilliant but instead starts in the middle, with a promenade that requires pinpoint control and more than a little bit of body contact. He's a little stiff as the dance starts but before to long has a slight curve of a smile on his mouth as he keeps his eyes fixed on his dance partner. Seemingly oblivious to their audience.

-

Elixane followed, as Dertan led, but in that way that made the Elementi both a spectacle and a challenge. It was a courting, a flirtation, an exhibition; of skill, of form, of sensual grace, and Dertan led her well. They moved in perfect harmony, knowing when to dance on the edge of scandal and when to retreat back to an almost demure courtship. And each step was perfectly timed, perfectly positioned to show the Baron off to best effect. The slightly knowing smile Elixane allowed to curve her lips was proof enough that she knew precisely that that was what she was doing.

-

Dertan knows it too. He offers a soft "Thank you." during one of the points where they are so close together that theres barely any need raise his voice above a whisper. He spins her away and its not until they are back together in the moments before the dance ends that he adds "For providing such a perfect example of what this dance should be." The music stops almost as that last word leaves his lips and he steps back to give her the formal bow that denotes the dances end.

-

Elixane met each move step for step, using every ounce of her skill in the dance and every shred of her experience to make it seem utterly elegant and entirely effortless. "I could not have danced such a dance with anyone else." As Dertan spun her away, until only his fingertips touched hers, allowing them to keep that single lingering point of contact in the falling note of the music to which they had danced, she spun, accepting his bow and offering an answering pose. The applause and murmurs of approval from the crowd she took as their due.

-

Dertan takes Elixane's hand again, kissing the back of it before gently leading her off the stage. He pauses for long enough to receive a polite compliment from the herald in charge of the tent and another polite word from one of the merchant captains who man one of the merchant companies that technically belong to Coning before excusing both himself and Elixane and drawing her off towards the manor.


Event 4: Craft Faire

Have something you can make or do? Maps or Jewelry-making? Put it on display for the best to be picked! (roll crafting and/or artistry). Log or Memoir Style entries accepted.


Lysette:

<DICE ROLLER> Lysette rolled 4d3 <3> <3> <1> <1> + 1 = 9

Example picture: https://tinyurl.com/yxrx2cue

Lysette walks, though it's more a waddle these days, into the area reserved for the crafts. Behind is a servant who carries an object draped with a light cloth. It looks a bit large and ungangly to handle, but somehow, the poor guy just barely manages it.

Finding a table empty, Lysette motions for the servant to put the item there, "Careful now. Careful.." As he eases the object down, he makes sure it's level, and not about to topple over before stepping back, "Do you wish me to uncover it, your grace?"

Lysette shoos him off, "I'll do it." Reaching to the top, she pulls the cloth off, the fabric catching here and there in a way that leaves the duchess muttering a few choice words beneath her breath. When the cloth finally comes clear, it reveals the form of an owl perched upon a branch of wood. An owl that doesn't move, doesn't blink it's strange eyes, or pays attention to anything around it. Mainly because the thing is dead, and has been stuffed by the duchess' own hands.

A duchess who's soon fussing over the thing, fingers moving to preen any feathers that might have been tugged into disarray, back into place. Once happy with how it looks, she smiles and steps back, drawing out a card with her name to hand to the waiting official who checks the taxidermied owl into the craft competition.


Philippa:

<DICE ROLLER> Philippa rolled 4d3 <2> <2> <2> <3> + 2 = 11

Standing at a table that seems loaded with various examples of weaving, Philippa might be seen to frown just a little. A bundle of cloth is unwrapped from it's protective covering to be laid out.

Predominantly in shades of golden yellow, the cashmeri cloth has bands of grey and ebon that shoots through it on the horizontal, giving it a plaid appearance. When unfolded, the cloth is the perfect size for a female to wrap about their shoulders in a triangle shaped shawl. It is buttery soft, and warm enough for those spring/fall days.

After check-in with the official that marks her entry down, pinning a number on it with other information written out on the piece of parchment, Philippa turns and leaves.



Event 5: Stealth Challenge

An event of two parts. In the morning the contestents hide in the forest from the roaming patrols. (stealth roll. Numbers over 8 represent the hours it takes to find you and points scored.) When everyones been found the teams hunt the patrols. (intrigue/hunting at 8 with the number representing how many hiders you personally find.). Log or Memoir styles accepted.


Ivo:

<DICE ROLLER> Ivo rolled 4d3 <1> <3> <3> <3> + 2 = 12

Having been tracked down across the wilderness by Myrana’s elementi only recently, Ivo figures that a chance to test his hide and sneak skills should not be dismissed out of hand. And that’s why he’s silently cursing his cousin as he stands around in the morning chill, listening to the event brief from one of the stewards.

Once they know what they’re doing and the contestants scatter, Ivo uses a few basic tips to evade the inevitable pursuit. When crossing a stream he moves upstream a little while still in the water so tracks won’t lead straight from one bank to another. He doublebacks a couple of times to confuse those on his trail. He even deliberately crosses the path of a fellow contestant to confuse things further.

After a couple of hours he hears the telltale sounds of pursuit and hauls himself up a nearby tree to see if he can spot them. Just in time too, for just as he’s getting settled in the branches a tracker appears through the undergrowth and stops by the base of his tree. Holding his breath he stays as still as he can, praying to The One that the man doesn’t look up. Thankfully though, he merely relieves himself, then hurries off again to rejoin his team. Staying up the tree for a good twenty minutes or so after things go quiet again, Ivo slowly lowers himself down to the ground and sets off once more.

The sun is almost at its zenith by the time he’s finally caught. It was a dumb mistake, but he had been starting to get cocky with his success. Doubling back across his path again as he’s been doing periodically, he goes back too far, and the hunters catch sight of him and he’s forced to bolt for it. The pursuit is short, and he almost makes it clean away, but they know the ground better than him and manage to herd him into a dead-end gully, thus ending a four hour hour evasion.

<DICE ROLLER> Ivo rolled 4d3 <3> <1> <2> <3> + 2 = 11

After a solid lunch and a brief rest it was time to head out again, as hunter this time.

Having a bit more of an idea of the lay of the land he takes it slow, taking his time to try and interpret what he’s seeing in front of him. The natural trackers amongst the competitors make a much quicker start, but he tries to think of where his prey might go and get their ahead of them, rather than simply hope he can follow a trail quicker than they can make it.

His first capture is more luck than anything else as he spots one of the targets taking refuge in a small cave, clearing hoping the pursuit will pass. Needless to say, he sticks his head in the mouth of the cave and the man gives himself up. One down.

The second comes as he pauses to wait awhile at the only fordable part of one of the streams in the game area. If fellow competitors counted he’d have two of them as well, but they move on and shortly after his patience is rewarded as the bushes on the opposite bank rustle slightly before one of the targets dashes out to try and get across before they’re seen. Two down.

His final catch is a straight pursuit. Catching sight of target in the undergrowth he tries to sneak up on them but a rustle of leaves gives him away and the chase is on. He’s faster, but the man he’s chasing knows the area, and it’s almost enough to get him clear, but Ivo has the stamina and it’s a tap tackle to the man’s ankle that finally brings him down.

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