The Hallowfest of the Autumn Knight

The Hallowfest of the Autumn Knight was the tournamnet and festival of souls and stories devised to celebrate the end of the Primacy of Kazakh.

A brief selection from the final days of the tournament is included to demonstrate some of the flavours of the culture of Kazakh and the Omsk.

Roleplay from Lorelai Chamberlain

The Hallowfest of the Autumn Knight

Day broke over the dripping murk of the marshes of Gadlock.... diffuse light doing little to lift the damp from the air.

As firmer lands were found under foot, the light remained dim, now because of the smoky fog that belched from braziers that burned night and day on the walls and towers of the Stronghold City of Kazakh. Hanging lanterns with dim yellow flames were a guide for the crowds who clamoured toward the gates where the 'Twisted sister' a pair of conjoined twins sang a haunting duet that told the stories of the death of some long forgotten Queen.

Guards were replaced with a group of warriors, whose bodies were crooked with a contorsion of height and emaciated frailty that made arms appear too long and hands overlarge and clawlike. The fact that they capered in an overtly slow sway as you approach was both intriguing as well as disturbing.

As the twisted sister dropped her voice describing the loneliness of defeat the doors swing inwards revealing the open street bedecked with torches and tattered banners of families long dead.

The twisted sister gripped the battlements, looking at you with a steady gaze from all four eyes that seem to peel back skin and examine your soul. Releasing a maniacal laugh, she lunged forward.

"Be welcome to the Hallowsfest of Kazakh! - May you represent your families names with pride and honor.... if not let us hope your nights are tortured by the Autumn Knight!"

Purple smoke thickens around the woman and she is gone from sight.

Roleplay from Vladimir Von Igelfeld

"My Lord?" Chauncey gently taps Vlad's unresponsive shoulder.

Closing his mouth which had been ajar for some time, but with eyes still wide open, "DID YOU JUST SEE THAT!! Royal Doranthir just stood on his horse, hit the target, and jumped the sandbag! Landing right back in the saddle! ... wow, I am gobsmacked... never in all my life... have I seen something like that."

Looking around Vlad locks eyes with a lower noble in official looking dress, "Bookmaker! Stop talking and take my money!"

Roleplay from Lorelai Chamberlain

Message sent to everyone at the tournament grounds in Kazakh (38 recipients) - 2021-11-05 21:37:48

The Hallowfest of the Autumn Knight

The Twisted Sister raised her voices once more in a discordant scale that echoed across the city amplified as it was through the great hollow dragons horn that stood atop the highest peal tower. The locals of the city simply dropped whatever they were doing and gathered at the base of the tower.

Bards seems to appear at various venues, as one raising a baleful tune on lute, lyre and pipes. The sister scanned the crowds as she allowed her voices to rise in song:

   "Now, gather around and hear my cry,
   On what happens outside when night is nigh,
   As clock hands creep the ghosts and beasts,
   Get together for their night of feasts.

   There's ghosts with horns and bleeding eyes,
   And some with fangs of enormous size.
   Some short and fat, some tall and thin,
   And some in bloodied tattered skin.
   We warn you now of these baleful sights,
   So you hold all you love close this night.

   As tortured souls and victims ride,
   The wave before the Autumn Tide.
   The ghosts are a most fearful sight
   but worse again is the Autumn Knight.

   The leaves will turn and the crops will rot,
   His every footstep ill begot,
   Children in their cribs will ail,
   When mothers see his visage pale,
   Daimons see his wake and fly,
   They won't return until day is nigh,
   For there is no creature escapes the dread,
   Of the Autumn Knight As he seeks a head.

   So close all the shutters and bar the doors,
   Unless you're wise, he'll come for you and yours.
   He likes them small and he likes them big,
   Man woman or child, or even in a wig,
   Blonde, grey or even red,
   The Autumn Knight takes any head.

   With a creaking step and scraping blade,
   He spreads blight and death what's made unmade,
   So don't stop to figure out a plan,
   You can't make pact with a long damned man,
   Gather close and keep fires bright,
   Lest you fall victim to the Autumn Knight."

As her words fell to silence, the menagerie set torches to bonfires in every plaza and atop every tower in the city. Pyrotechnics were released and the crowds cheered in awed wonder.

Roleplay from Lorelai Chamberlain

The Hallowfest of the Autumn Knight

As the last flash and bang of the pyrotechnics settled she took her place on the peal tower behind the dragons horn. Aurelian and Nylucia stood in her wake dressed as a pair of imps. The bonfires made parts of the city as bright as day and from her vantage she could see the throng of brightly coloured and masked people of the Omsk.

She raised her voice: "It is an honour to see so many nobles from across the continent in our city for this Hallowfest tournament. With so many talented blades, the people of Kazakh can surely sleep well this night.

These games are not simply to celebrate the Hallowfest of the Omsk, but also to commemorate the end of this years Primacy of Kazakh. In the coming days we will welcome the beginning of the Primacy if Westmoor, when the horselords will govern the agenda for the Free Cities.

Tomorrow you will face one another on the fields of battle. You will represent yourselves and your realms in honourable combat, and you will show the best that you can be.

I wish you all good fortune and fair fate, and hope that you will join us all for the victor's ball tomorrow evening. Tonight, drink deep and spend lots of money! And should you see a certain Duke of Eleador on the field in the morning, I would consider it a boon to the hostess to send him from the field and to the arms of his loving wife quickly in the morning."

Tournament Report

message to everyone at the tournament grounds in Kazakh - 2021-11-06 05:18:58

Welcome to the tournament in Kazakh. 32 nobles from 7 realms paid their 0 gold entrance fee and visit the tournament grounds today to claim the winner's honours and 1000 (gold) for swordfighting (500 for second place swordfighting) and 1000 (gold) for jousting (500 for second place jousting).

This is a tournament of both, jousting and swordfight. Let's begin with the swords:

Round 1, 32 participants: Eisenritter from Eponllyn -beats- Lucius from Eponllyn Tsingu from Perdan -beats- Arnold from Perdan Lekdomiram from Eponllyn -beats- Vladimir Von from Eponllyn Vidran from Perdan -beats- June from Yssrgard Ambrose from Perdan -beats- Periurium from Sirion Ubin from Sirion -beats- Tharan from Alexandria Maremma from Perleone -beats- Moxie from Yssrgard Maximilian from Shadowdale -beats- Jacques from Eponllyn Ulric from Perdan -beats- Richard from Perdan Seaglass from Perdan -beats- Callius Augustus from Yssrgard Doranthir from Sirion -beats- Flavia from Shadowdale Fredrick from Yssrgard -beats- Alarin from Shadowdale Isana from Perdan -beats- Hendrik Renodin from Perdan Delphine from Perdan -beats- Guy from Eponllyn Latínã from Alexandria -beats- Guldor from Eponllyn Julian from Eponllyn -beats- Gavin from Shadowdale

Round 2, 16 participants: Ubin from Sirion -beats- Maremma from Perleone Fredrick from Yssrgard -beats- Maximilian from Shadowdale Vidran from Perdan -beats- Doranthir from Sirion Eisenritter from Eponllyn -beats- Ulric from Perdan Latínã from Alexandria -beats- Ambrose from Perdan Tsingu from Perdan -beats- Isana from Perdan Delphine from Perdan -beats- Julian from Eponllyn Seaglass from Perdan -beats- Lekdomiram from Eponllyn

Round 3, 8 participants: Vidran from Perdan -beats- Latínã from Alexandria Eisenritter from Eponllyn -beats- Seaglass from Perdan Fredrick from Yssrgard -beats- Tsingu from Perdan Ubin from Sirion -beats- Delphine from Perdan

Semifinal round: Fredrick from Yssrgard -beats- Vidran from Perdan Eisenritter from Eponllyn -beats- Ubin from Sirion

Final Round: Eisenritter from Eponllyn -beats- Fredrick from Yssrgard Winner: Eisenritter

In the second part of the tournament, the traditional jousting contest is being held:

Round 1, 32 participants: Ambrose from Perdan -beats- Latínã from Alexandria 3 to 0 Guy from Eponllyn -beats- Tsingu from Perdan 3 to 0 Hendrik Renodin from Perdan -beats- Isana from Perdan 3 to 0 Periurium from Sirion -beats- Vidran from Perdan 3 to 0 Julian from Eponllyn -beats- Seaglass from Perdan 3 to 0 Alarin from Shadowdale -beats- Lekdomiram from Eponllyn 3 to 0 Flavia from Shadowdale -beats- Delphine from Perdan 3 to 0 Moxie from Yssrgard -beats- Richard from Perdan 2 to 1 Tharan from Alexandria -beats- Fredrick from Yssrgard 3 to 0 Eisenritter from Eponllyn -beats- June from Yssrgard 3 to 0 Gavin from Shadowdale -beats- Doranthir from Sirion 2 to 1 Ubin from Sirion -beats- Jacques from Eponllyn 3 to 0 Lucius from Eponllyn -beats- Vladimir Von from Eponllyn 3 to 0 Maximilian from Shadowdale -beats- Guldor from Eponllyn 3 to 0 Ulric from Perdan -beats- Arnold from Perdan 3 to 0 Callius Augustus from Yssrgard -beats- Maremma from Perleone 3 to 0

Round 2, 16 participants: Eisenritter from Eponllyn -beats- Guy from Eponllyn 2 to 1 Maximilian from Shadowdale -beats- Ulric from Perdan 3 to 0 Ubin from Sirion -beats- Moxie from Yssrgard 3 to 0 Alarin from Shadowdale -beats- Callius Augustus from Yssrgard 2 to 1 Hendrik Renodin from Perdan -beats- Julian from Eponllyn 3 to 0 Ambrose from Perdan -beats- Tharan from Alexandria 3 to 0 Flavia from Shadowdale -beats- Gavin from Shadowdale 3 to 0 Periurium from Sirion -beats- Lucius from Eponllyn 3 to 0

Round 3, 8 participants: Alarin from Shadowdale -beats- Maximilian from Shadowdale 2 to 1 Ubin from Sirion -beats- Flavia from Shadowdale 2 to 1 Eisenritter from Eponllyn -beats- Hendrik Renodin from Perdan 2 to 1 Ambrose from Perdan -beats- Periurium from Sirion 2 to 1

Semifinal round: Alarin from Shadowdale -beats- Ambrose from Perdan 3 to 0 Eisenritter from Eponllyn -beats- Ubin from Sirion 3 to 0

Final Round: Eisenritter from Eponllyn -beats- Alarin from Shadowdale 3 to 0 Winner: Eisenritter

That was the tournament in Kazakh. Congratulations to the winners and to all participants.