Festival of the Burning Fields (IC)

In the last year Before the Founding of Pendor the future King Cavalas won many battles against the last coalition resisting his rule. The Battle of the Burning Fields has long been considered proof of the future king's creative brilliance. At a village about half-way between Avendor and Sarleon the army of Cavalas met a large force of the eastern lords. Cavalas had split his forces, and was outnumbered. Unknown to the Lords of the East, Cavalas had arrived first. During the battle the fields were set aflame, and Cavalas destroyed his enemies.

The Festival of the Burning Fields is usually a small affair each year. Local villagers and a handful of nobles or merchants attend a day of feasting and mock battles, all paid for by those same nobles or merchants. This year, at the 500th anniversary, the Crown has funded the festivities. Large numbers of Knights have flocked to the site, hoping to win favor with the greater lords who are also expected to attend.

Many tents have been set up in the fields that have gone unused this season. Most house the lords and ladies, or large groups of commoners. Some, however, hold merchants' wares, fruits, meats, and other delicacies, and as well as games and exhibitions from across Pendor.

OOC: Feel free to arrive and meet the other knights. Get into a drunken brawl, purchase a horse, etc.

While reluctant at first, Gilaver had arrived to the festivities with a small group of Griffons to represent their order in this historical event. He wasn't much into the games, but some of the exhibitions were capable of holding his interest. History from the times of Cavalas was scarcely known and any tidbits about the first great king intrigued Gilaver. No ordinary man was capable of uniting a split Pendor after all.

However, those could only old his interest for so long, and he had started to follow the mock fights that were held all around. For the most part, they were rather disappointing, but the current duel showed promise: a fight with sword and shield by two other knights. It was bound to be of passable quality.

It was Aelos' Sangendal heritage that brought him to celebrate a victory in Pendor. This had nothing to do with the north and the knights he brought felt nothing for it, but they enjoyed the village women, the ale and the mockfights.
Especially Alm thought he could beat any of those weak Pendorians in the fights and being a formerly outstanding Drake, outfought only by his future captain, he beat many to pulp with his shield.

Aelos watched with the other four dragons as Alm challenged yet another of Avendor's knights, when he noticed a Griffon stop at the improvised dueling ring. Having only ever read about the Griffons and the Sangendals that fought under their banner, he was curious to what this man might know and approached him as Alm unleashed the first of his massive blows on his opponent's shield.

"Greetings, Knight of the Griffon. If you're a betting man, Sir Alm hasn't lost a fight all day."

Gilaver wasn't really interested in what the man had to say. He briefly looked at the Dragon's armour but didn't even turn to look at him properly, instead opting to follow the fight.

"Greetings Sir-Dragon. Unfortunately, I don't gamble, and I can think of numerous better uses for the denars."

The men in the north were used to unfriendly folk, especially now lots of denars started attracted an equal amount of thiefs and beggars. But Aelos' father taught him that the mannerism at the court in Sarleon was much less direct than this Griffon showed him. It annoyed him slightly and he caught his left hand touching the silver dragon on his longsword.

"The fight won't take long, may I ask for your name? Sir knight." he asked.

Sure enough, the shield carried by the Avendor knight splintered under the force of Alm's heavy blows and he lost serious ground while trying to parry everything that Alm swung his way. He had only one option left, defend.

A man armored in the plate of a Lion Knight, but wearing a red hood low over his face, sneered at the defeated Avendor knights. He seemed to stare at the Griffon and the Dragon for a moment, though his eyes couldn't be seen. After that moment, he walked away without a word, followed by five similarly attired knights.


Attracting almost as much interest as the Dragon duels was the Veccavian woman, or at least dressed as one and flanked by two presumed eunuchs also dressed in the Veccavi style, who had begun an archery contest and was busy splitting the arrows of every man challenging her. "It's that weight between your legs that throws of your balance, Pendorian."

"Indeed the fight is won't last long. As for my name... They have taken to calling me Gilaver Gregale, or as I prefer 'That Fucker'."

Gilaver briefly looked at the man's sword and the arm reaching for it. Strangely enough, he seemed to convulse for a second after seeing it but regained his composure nearly immediately.

It took a few moments before Aelos spoke, as Alm knocked the Avendor knight unconscious with a mighty blow. Despite some admiring voices, most people looked at Alm with angry eyes. They were so close to Avendor that most villagers cheered for its knights, rather than the massive northerner and eventually Wulven had to step in and set the crowd at ease.
Aelos smiled as he turned around.

"It's a pleasure, Sir Gregale. I am Aelos Odheas and I must confess my curiosity to your preferred name. And perhaps, something of a more personal nature."

"Likewise... Sir Aelos."

Gilaver pondered over the name, it seemed familiar somehow.

"Well, it took a bunch of squires, a hill and boulders to achieve that one. They will probaby resent me for the rest of their lives..."

Gilaver seemed to be very fond of the memory he was talking about, at least if the smile on his face was anything to go by. Suddenly something clicked in his mind.

"Say, you wouldn't by chance happen to know the 'Flying Griffon'?"

The name visibly suprised Aelos and he knew denying it was now impossible.

"Yes, you could say I've heard of him before."

Gilaver wasn't exactly surprised at that.

"Ah, would you care to expand upon that, Sir Aelos?"

Gilaver still hadn't turned to look at Aelos, but he was clearly giving his full attention.

"Sir Haegon of Sangendal, if I remember correctly. Pendor's affairs were better known to the north during the time of the Unifying King Mordred and Grandmaster Mastifus. I'm afraid I can't remember much else than that he died during the noble wars."

Aelos looked at the dueling ring as he said it and watched how his knights eyed the Griffon curiously, but they kept their distance and pretended to drink their ales.

Gilaver stayed silent for a few seconds, pondering over his next response.

"According to the records the man had two sons. One Matarys, and Aelos who shares his namesake with you. The latter was killed by a Dawn grandmaster and the former disappeared. You are in possession of the sword they carried, although I can't exactly say how."

Aelos tried his best to conceal his suprise, but it took a moment before he could form a sentence. Sir Wulven, with his keen eyes noticed it and signalled the others to watch more closely.

"This is a sword of the north, Sir Gregale. If you look carefully there is a dragon encrusted on it, not a Griffon. Though I am curious why you think you can recognize a man's sword 120 years after his death."

Gilaver didn't apear to care about the man's surprise or the Dragons nearby.

"The sword of Sangendal. There is a very detailed illustration and background for it in the 'Book of Ruth'. I could be wrong, though, which would make this conversation extremely awkward."

"Then I am afraid you must be wrong."

Aelos' left hand went back to the sword and its fingers quickly found the silver dragon. It gave him strength as he remembered the sword's history.

"But, I wonder where I can find this book and the one who wrote it. Surely it must have been a Griffon?"

"No, we have not reached any kind of conclusion regarding the authenticity. That would need a proper research."

Gilaver then appeared to be in thought.

"The Book of Ruth is a collection of texts gathered by Sir Hett Ruth. The man is long dead, but Griffons still take care of the book out of respect for his great service within the order."

"There will be no research done on my longsword. It is called Icebreath and that's that."

His words had a hint of sudden anger and it triggered the five dragon knights to cross the empty dueling ring. Perhaps there was more Sangendal in him than he'd ever felt in the cold north.

"However, if you can defeat me in a duel I'd not object to let it be compared to the Sangendal sword."

"The prospect of research wasn't a suggestion, more of a note."

Gilaver grinned very widely at the prospect of duel.

"A duel it is then. It is dull to just watch everyone else have fun, don't you think? But I am not interested in doing any research, just so you would know."

"Good." Aelos said with a grin.

He then walked into the dueling ring and spoke to his knights, "surround the ring and let no one interfere. Alm, we'll need those blunted blades and shields. preferably not those you splintered already."

Having said that he took the sheathed sword from his belt and gave it to Karstan, before taking the safer weapons Alm had quickly brought and then turned to face the Griffon.

"Give him whatever weapons he prefers."

Gilaver moved to the arena with graceful steps, not appearing to be in a hurry. By now, ac ouple of other Griffons had noticed the event and had come to follow as 'That Fucker' would duel.

"I believe sword and shield woud be a proper equipment for this."


OOC: Do we do this with or without our armors? And would Isabel mind acting as the referee to our match?

"Aye, i'd think so."

Aelos swung the blunt sword a couple of times, just to get used to its weight. He had duelled before, but it was a while back he did it without Icebreath.

ooc: Izzy has no experience with the combat system, so she says. It's a celebration, so lets assume we didn't come in armor. She can roll or dice or something..

Ravys entered the festival with a weary heart. He'd rode through the night from Singal to get to the Festival, and had barely gotten any sleep the night before. Then again, he rarely ever slept now.

Nothing seemed to catch his interest, but eventually, his eyes perked up when he saw the Vecavvian woman's archery contest. He walked up and bowed his head slightly.

"May I participate in this contest of yours?"

Nearly every single onlooker watching the duel agreed that the first contact was rather horrible for the skill levels of the knights. It started with Gilaver's sudden lunge at Aelos in an attempt to get a stab. The stalwart Dragon had however anticipated something like this and easily blocked the strike.