THE TOURNEY OF THE OLIVE BOUGH

☩

A crisp parchment pinned to a noticeboard, its seal bearing the twin eagles of the Exilic Duchy of the Adrians. Another copy hangs from the tavern beam, fluttering in the breeze beside the scent of fresh bread. Some say a page rode through the night, tacking the message to every gate and chapel door from the Kingdom of Norland to the Duchy of Alba. Wherever you stand in the realm, the words find you, plain and bold: 

With the clash of war fading to silence, and the olive bough raised high in thanks, a call echoes across the realm. 

The Exilic Duke of the Adrians has declared a grand tourney to be held upon the Franciscan Fields. Knights, nobles, and honored guests are summoned not for conquest, but for celebration.

At the heart of the gathering lies the joust, a contest of horse and lance in tribute to peace and the countless lives spared in the waning days of war. Riders from across Adria and beyond are invited to compete with bright banners and sharpened skill, meeting one another in friendly tilt beneath the gaze of the Duke.

The lists will open with the morning light. Heralds will call names to the field while the crowd gathers on the banks, eager to see honor proven through sport.

Feasting will follow throughout the day. Tables will be set with bread and roast, fruits of the orchard, meat from the hunt, and barrels of ale and wine. None shall go hungry, and none shall go without cheer.

For those not called to the lists, games of strength, wit, and skill will fill the fields. Archery, wrestling, riddles, races, and contests of dice will be open to all who wish to take part.

As dusk approaches, the fields will fill with the sound of music and laughter. Dancers and bards will entertain guests beneath the torchlight. A quiet vigil will follow as night falls, where lanterns will be lit and raised in memory of those who did not return. No names will be forgotten.

This is a day for peace, for gratitude, and for kinship among all who call themselves Adrian. 

For this occasion, we invite all Canondom. The winner shall be given 300 Mina.

(Friday 25th 3 PM EST in Adria, Coordinates: 600 / 150 / 300)

signed,

Josef Euler, Chancellor of the Adrians

[Attend the Tourney]   [Send a Champion in My Place]   [Grumble about the expense of peace]

It was late in the eve on an otherwise unremarkable day, in an ordinary year, some weeks into the month of Horen’s Calling. As night fell, silence settled over Beznov, turning the normally quiet town into something almost spectral. A thick fog rolled lazily across the hilly Adrian landscape, weaving between rooftops and obscuring the cobbled streets. Yet, beneath the lantern glow, figures moved with purpose, and the steady clanking of tools echoed through the mist-shrouded air.

Where once lay an untouched field, serene in its natural splendor, now churned a pit of upturned earth; scarred and trodden as though a great host had stormed through. Grass and wildflowers had been uprooted, their roots exposed to the night, leaving behind only mud, footprints, and the marks of industry.

In the days that followed, wagons laden with wood, fabric, and all manner of construction materials wound their way through Beznov’s narrow streets. Each bundle was carefully placed by the freshly dug pit, just across from the famed Duma Hall. Slowly, a transformation took shape. Timber was raised, canvas stretched, and in the midst of it all, a jousting ground began to emerge.

What had been a lifeless expanse of disturbed soil became something new. The dirt paths formed bustling streets between brightly colored stalls and towering tents. Stages rose, carriages parked, and circles were marked for contests of skill and merriment. What once stood as a quiet field, untouched in its natural beauty, had been reborn; no longer a place of stillness, but a hub of celebration, anticipation, and gathering.

Surely, something grand was on the horizon. Why else would time and coin be poured into such an endeavor? Something was coming. BEZNOV STIRRED.

( Build and images by JakubMaybe )