Zi'da 93rd, 717 - 6th Break
Foothills at the base of Scalvoris Mountains
Larena scowled as yet another merchant approached to receive her signature on his permit. She looked down at the small, fat man, but signed it anyways. After all, the Rangers took a percentage of the profits of all of these temporary stalls of food, trinkets, and other goods. And there was never enough money to go around. Larena and the other Zone Leaders had no need for the money personally, but because there was offices in Darbyton, supplies for newer recruits, money was a necessary evil. Larena personally gave her entire salary back to the people of Darbyton. She sighed. Civilization truly was a blight on this world.
She waved the fat man away, clearly ignoring his desire to converse, and looked over at one of the many representatives from the Elements. The man stood next to his Enormowl, double and triple checking the rigging to the basket it was harnessed to, all the while patting it on the neck. Larena smiled, at least the Elements didn’t completely forget what it meant to be one with the wilds and the creatures therein. She didn’t agree with the whole basket idea that many of the mounts were being paired with, but the audience would need the help to watch the competition.
And this arcly Derby was so very necessary for the Rangers’ dwindling numbers. If they even got five new recruits from this, it was worth it. Civilization drove down the need for them to exist, and yet it seemed as if the beasts were getting fiercer, and more and more Rangers died every arc. She looked over at Singhar and her eyes grew sad. The mountains seemed to be hurting the worst right now. Preparation for this arc’s Derby took a heavy toll on him, personally. His younger cousin was a second arc Ranger, and he’d been found at the bottom of a ravine, body twisted and broken on the stones. His death put a pallor over the rest of them. It was hard work, driving wild beasts back from the area, finding or building some of the obstacles, creating the path. But it was necessary.
An extravagantly clothed merchant approached her, a woman, slim of waist and ample of breast prominently on display beneath her mink furs. The Gold representative. She was the lead merchant in charge of ensuring the Gold Package Members were treated extra special, more so than those that couldn’t or wouldn’t pay for the right.
“Larena, darling, brooding as ever I see. Keep scowling like that and you’ll never be able to settle down with a man.”
Larena’s scowl only deepened at this insult. As if she needed to settle for any man. “What do you want, Cornel?”
The woman smiled sweetly, clearly pleased at getting a rise out of the Ranger, “Oh nothing, but as the face of this side of the competition, I was hoping I could get you to smile more. It makes the Gold Members feel much more relaxed and safe.”
Larena flushed red, her hands tightened into fists, and she shifted her weight low, readying herself to knock this woman out in a single hit. Then a large hand settled on her shoulder, and she relaxed. She knew that grip. “Be gone with you coinsucker. You have all of your preparations done. Leave us, who make it easy and comfortable for you, alone.” Standing behind Larena was her dearest friend, a mountain of a man, covered in scars, hair, and bursting with muscle. And he was hers. And he knew she didn’t need to settle down, didn’t need to rely on him, just as he was the same for himself.
Cornel’s eyes flashed hot for a moment, before she turned on heel, walking off with her escort of privately hired mercenaries as bodyguards. Larena rested her cheek against Varzin’s fingers, “Let’s get this started.”
Singhar gave his speech, the veteran spectators explained what it all meant to the first timers. Once he and the rest of the competitors began their hike to the starting stage, Lenara shouted over the crowds. “Those of you given a gold or silver sash, please make sure to keep it with you at all times. This is how our fliers know who goes where, how the merchants know who gets what. Please do not wander from the viewing areas as you could very well die doing so. Those without sashes, stick with the Elements, they are providing your transportation for the event.”
The hike to the first stage would take about a quarter break for the competitors. The bronze and silver people were expected to walk, but the gold members were provided the finest of horses and carts to carry them there. Of course this was an option for the others, but at a cost. It disgusted her. All these people selling their food, their furs, their trinkets. She wished she could run them all through, break all their tables. But she sighed. Civilized people wanted comfort. They didn’t want the hardships, the challenge, the true bravery it took to conquer something that seemed as simple as a mountain.
These were city folk. And city folk knew nothing.
Foothills at the base of Scalvoris Mountains
Read Me First Please
Welcome to the Spectator side of the Darbyton Derby! This introduction post is dated Dec. 1st and I will do the next reply on December 8th. This is a much more casual type of thread, focused on the social aspects of such an event. As such, the entire event will be considered Open at all times, and there are no consequences to not posting. This thread directly affects the Competition side, so Spectators should be reading and following it in order to know what is going on. Also please refer to the OOC thread I linked earlier.
As this is the Introduction post, a few things to state as well. Silver and Gold Package purchasers receive a sash in the appropriate color upon arrival to indicate the additional benefits. There are a wide variety of stalls at this point in the thread selling food, drink, trinkets and supplies for the ill-prepared, so feel free to assume some shopping if so desired.
- I will post once per stage in this thread. This means a total of 7 rounds of posting.
- Players may post in a Free-For-All fashion in each stage, meaning in any order as much as they'd like.
- The votes given by the Player Characters will directly affect the competition Make sure to include this in at least one of your posts once Round 1 begins.
- No penalties for failing to post. Thread will simply be moved on without you.
- If you join in and were not in the initial signup, please indicate which Package you're going with in your first post.
- If you are a Silver or Gold Package purchaser, please make your deduction from your ledger.
As this is the Introduction post, a few things to state as well. Silver and Gold Package purchasers receive a sash in the appropriate color upon arrival to indicate the additional benefits. There are a wide variety of stalls at this point in the thread selling food, drink, trinkets and supplies for the ill-prepared, so feel free to assume some shopping if so desired.
Larena scowled as yet another merchant approached to receive her signature on his permit. She looked down at the small, fat man, but signed it anyways. After all, the Rangers took a percentage of the profits of all of these temporary stalls of food, trinkets, and other goods. And there was never enough money to go around. Larena and the other Zone Leaders had no need for the money personally, but because there was offices in Darbyton, supplies for newer recruits, money was a necessary evil. Larena personally gave her entire salary back to the people of Darbyton. She sighed. Civilization truly was a blight on this world.
She waved the fat man away, clearly ignoring his desire to converse, and looked over at one of the many representatives from the Elements. The man stood next to his Enormowl, double and triple checking the rigging to the basket it was harnessed to, all the while patting it on the neck. Larena smiled, at least the Elements didn’t completely forget what it meant to be one with the wilds and the creatures therein. She didn’t agree with the whole basket idea that many of the mounts were being paired with, but the audience would need the help to watch the competition.
And this arcly Derby was so very necessary for the Rangers’ dwindling numbers. If they even got five new recruits from this, it was worth it. Civilization drove down the need for them to exist, and yet it seemed as if the beasts were getting fiercer, and more and more Rangers died every arc. She looked over at Singhar and her eyes grew sad. The mountains seemed to be hurting the worst right now. Preparation for this arc’s Derby took a heavy toll on him, personally. His younger cousin was a second arc Ranger, and he’d been found at the bottom of a ravine, body twisted and broken on the stones. His death put a pallor over the rest of them. It was hard work, driving wild beasts back from the area, finding or building some of the obstacles, creating the path. But it was necessary.
An extravagantly clothed merchant approached her, a woman, slim of waist and ample of breast prominently on display beneath her mink furs. The Gold representative. She was the lead merchant in charge of ensuring the Gold Package Members were treated extra special, more so than those that couldn’t or wouldn’t pay for the right.
“Larena, darling, brooding as ever I see. Keep scowling like that and you’ll never be able to settle down with a man.”
Larena’s scowl only deepened at this insult. As if she needed to settle for any man. “What do you want, Cornel?”
The woman smiled sweetly, clearly pleased at getting a rise out of the Ranger, “Oh nothing, but as the face of this side of the competition, I was hoping I could get you to smile more. It makes the Gold Members feel much more relaxed and safe.”
Larena flushed red, her hands tightened into fists, and she shifted her weight low, readying herself to knock this woman out in a single hit. Then a large hand settled on her shoulder, and she relaxed. She knew that grip. “Be gone with you coinsucker. You have all of your preparations done. Leave us, who make it easy and comfortable for you, alone.” Standing behind Larena was her dearest friend, a mountain of a man, covered in scars, hair, and bursting with muscle. And he was hers. And he knew she didn’t need to settle down, didn’t need to rely on him, just as he was the same for himself.
Cornel’s eyes flashed hot for a moment, before she turned on heel, walking off with her escort of privately hired mercenaries as bodyguards. Larena rested her cheek against Varzin’s fingers, “Let’s get this started.”
Singhar gave his speech, the veteran spectators explained what it all meant to the first timers. Once he and the rest of the competitors began their hike to the starting stage, Lenara shouted over the crowds. “Those of you given a gold or silver sash, please make sure to keep it with you at all times. This is how our fliers know who goes where, how the merchants know who gets what. Please do not wander from the viewing areas as you could very well die doing so. Those without sashes, stick with the Elements, they are providing your transportation for the event.”
The hike to the first stage would take about a quarter break for the competitors. The bronze and silver people were expected to walk, but the gold members were provided the finest of horses and carts to carry them there. Of course this was an option for the others, but at a cost. It disgusted her. All these people selling their food, their furs, their trinkets. She wished she could run them all through, break all their tables. But she sighed. Civilized people wanted comfort. They didn’t want the hardships, the challenge, the true bravery it took to conquer something that seemed as simple as a mountain.
These were city folk. And city folk knew nothing.