• Graded • [Scalv-enger Hunt] And the winner is.......

[Yeva]

90 Ashan 720

"Wine?"

Yeva had been studying the variety of people who had shown for the evening's festivities, but looked over at the sound of Darius' voice to find a woman carrying a tray of drink, "Yes, please," she beamed at her friend, thanking him once given the wine and took shy sips as butterflies raged in her stomach, "Oh, they're about to announce. Gah, I can't wait...." It seemed that they had arrived right on time and she gently tugged the sailor towards a pair of open chairs, waving to all the familiar faces. Excitement stifled nerves and she shuffled restlessly once seated.

Small prizes were announced first, two categories she swept. Shock made her nearly choke on a drink of wine and she quickly covered her mouth, coughing as the first prizes were dispensed and embarrassment flushed her cheeks. It was short lived, however, when both Balthazar and Darius were announced as well. She quickly wiped her mouth and reached out to grab her friend, "Congrats," she whispered, offering a gesture of good faith.

She smiled at those who brought forth the first round of prizes, some wrapped in colorful paper, others, placed directly in her hand. Each time, she felt overwhelmed by the sheer opulence of some of the gifts and offered deep and gratifying 'thank you's', "Fate's breath," she whispered, leaning towards Darius with a disbelieving smile, "This is much more than I thought... I don't know if I can accept all this," she drank more wine, stacking her winnings, admiring others and then looked over with curious happiness, "What'd you win?"

The woman had no idea what was in store.

The Scholar's Nook roared with applause, and the categories continued. Yeva clapped for a woman named Ari'sora, and of course, Devin Thorn, whom she recognized from university. Had he gotten her letter? She hoped so. At last, the overall winners were to be announced, and her stomach suddenly felt full of electric eels! Biting her lip, Yeva rushed to finish her class and took her companion's hand, her other fingers crossed, eyes pinched closed and she whispered quick prayers to Illaren and squeezed, "Please, please, please!"

"AND THE WINNERS ARE....."

There was a beat of silence and she held her breath.

"FIRST PLACE: Darius & Yeva!"

Yeva screamed in delight and shot up from her chair, jumping up in down, then, realizing she could share the moment with her friend, she threw her arms around the blonde, "We won! I've never won anything before tonight! I can't believe we won!"

Second and third place followed, and as they were directed to collect their biggest and final prizes, Yeva tugged on Darius' sleeve, eager as ever and practically skipping. Men and women she hadn't met personally paused to congratulate them both, offerings pats and hugs which she accepted without thought. By the time they made it to the stage, it felt like something out of a dream and she watched in awe as the crowd cheered for them. Was this what it was like to be famous? "Speech! Speech! Speech!"

She laughed, half smiling as Devin took the opening. He might have come in last, but he accepted his defeat rather graciously, first thanking his hosts and sharing his interest in the prizes. Yeva looked up, caught by surprise, "Wait, we're getting a mount?" In her Rharnian excitement, she must have missed exactly what she had won. A modest blush took her to her cheeks, but she still beamed. An after party sounded like a blast; she would certainly be celebrating tonight!

Ari'sora went next, less experienced in public speaking. Yeva felt a warm affection towards the shy woman, understanding her feelings completely, but with her rush of adrenaline, she hadn't quite connected the dots that she would soon be in the same boat. Balthazar next, his words were riddled with mispronunciations and hiccups. He must have been drunk, and she hoped it was because of the celebrations and not because of his recently broken heart.

Eyes watched and waited expectantly and she rocked back and forth on her feet. Smiling, she saw someone from the crowd motioning at her and then she seemed to jolt, "Oh! It's my turn? Or-" she looked back to Darius, who... didn't seem eager in the slightest for this part. She cleared her throat, whispering once more, "Do you want go first?" Was he hesitant?

Eventually, she brightened with a turn, outstretching her arms towards the crowd, "Wow!" Exhilaration and nerves caused the young woman to laugh unexpectedly, the sound bubbling up and spilling out. The playful noise was infectious to some and they laughed in response, and she searched for the right words, "Of course, thank you! To all of you! Caz, Flea, Maz... The University, Friell, the children at Luna's Dream, ah, Lyari... Whit... .All the Elements... Truly- this has been..." her mind blanked the more heads she counted and she just shook her head, smiling dumbly, "Just... amazing. I've met so many great people, I've learned so much" she leaned forward, waving to those she knew, her legs feeling more like jelly with every passing trill, her heartbeat suddenly a burden, "And-I didn't expect this at all. And..." Tears had sprung to her eyes, her heart bursting with thanksgiving. She took a deep breath, nerves making her shuffle back and forth, "It's been a rough arc, and being away from my family. But.. um... I'm just really happy. Thank you for believing in me."

Darius! She gasped, blushing in remembrance.

"Thank you for believing in us!"

► Show Spoiler

Small Prizes

Category: First Bonus Points
Chosen Prize: 2nd place prize, Week 4: Two skill kits (Tier 10).

• Culinary Kit (Tier 10)

• Artist's Kit (Tier 10)

Category: Most Timely
Chosen Prize: 2nd place prize, Week 3: Small gem with 2 charges of favored ability.
Yithanai | Diagnosis: With a touch, the user can determine the name, severity, effects, and transmission method of a sickness or poison currently effecting one person. Curiously, this ability can also tell the general health of an individual and the state of their internal consistency.

Honorable Mentions

Category: Most Enjoyed Collaborative Thread
Chosen Prize: 3rd place prize, Week 5: 2 bespoke items

• Deck of Hand Painted Tarot Cards in Carved Box

• TBD

Category: Most Intriguing Solo Thread
Chosen Prize: 3rd place prize, Week 1: Encyclopedia Set of 5 books regarding Ancient Civilization, Language and History.

Weekly Prizes

Week 1: Culinary Encyclopedia (20 books)
Week 2: 30 renown
Week 3: Small gem with 3 charges of favored ability.
Xypha | Intuitive Linguist : With this ability, the Xypha can choose any one EASY language and rank up to Fluent for free. This language may be denoted with an [XY] in the list, and may exceed the language cap imposed by the character's Linguistics skill.
Midway Prize: Item with 3 charges of adored ability.
Sevrath | Divine Grace: This is a powerful healing ability, able to stop all ailments and heal the character or individual from fatal wounds almost instantly.
Week 4: Two Tier 10 Kits: Chemistry Kit & Surgery Kit
Week 5: Two Bespoke Items: Land Mount Armor (Hafrein) & Air Mount Armor (Scalv-wing)
Week 6: 2 Golden Tickets
Week 7: N/A

First Place Prizes

1. Tier 10 property: Description to be written.
2. Scalvoris Air Mount: Scalv-Wing
3. 15 WP

[Darius Baer]

Darius grinned as Yeva took a glass of wine, and he had barely managed to ask the waitress for a glass of whiskey before he was ushered over to a nearby table, and he sat down next to his friend just in time for Caz to begin the awards ceremony. He was enjoying himself at first, because who didn't enjoy a bit of friendly competition, and seeing some familiar faces win prizes? The whiskey didn't hurt, either.

He almost spat it out when Yeva choked on her wine. The young woman's reaction caused a chuckle to rumble through his body, and once he'd swallowed his mouthful, he managed a smile.

"Aye, and to you too, of course," he offered when she congratulated him on the small prize he won alongside Balthazar.

Darius' grin began to fade ever so slightly, slowly becoming replaced by an expression of amazement as the prizes were announced. They all seemed so lavish, and he soon realised that Yeva felt the same way.

"This is too much," he whispered back in agreement, though as he pointed out his winnings to the redhead, he wasn't sure that he could bring himself to refuse any of them.

With a second glass of whiskey, the seafarer was more easily able to take in what was happening with a sense of mirth. Devin was gracious when he took the stage, expressing his gratitude to the organisers and the other competitors, and even extending an invitation to join him at the Shrine of Delroth to celebrate later. As he clapped his hands, Darius sent Yeva a curious glance, for he had never seen her display vanity or greed - qualities Delroth was known for - and he offered a shrug of his shoulders at the suggestion that they might go, but a shared shake of the head followed instead.

Ari'sora, too, thanked Caz and Flea, though she seemed eager to leave the stage.

Balthazar gave something resembling a speech, though Darius cocked an eyebrow at the man's lack of sobriety. They had shared a small prize earlier, and the bearded blond would have sworn that man had not had a drink. And yet, half of his words were interrupted by hiccups! With a good-humoured laugh, he clapped the fellow on his back as he passed by. Darius was about to lean across to the other table as Balthazar fell back into his seat, with the intention of voicing his congratulations, when he felt something warm enclosing over his hand.

He turned back and looked down, seeing Yeva's slender fingers wrapped gently around his own. He returned the squeeze, reflecting on the fact that the same hand had given him a split lip only a handful of trials earlier. Remembering the pain was probably the only thing that kept a blush from forming beneath his beard.

This brief distraction was shattered when he heard his and Yeva's names announced loudly, and the room erupted in applause. His friend was suddenly out of her seat, then hugging him, then tugging at his sleeve. The next thing he knew, he was gulping down the last of his whiskey as he was led across the room, each step feeling the weight of what was to come.

"Did somebody say something about a speech?" he asked, half to Yeva and half to himself.

The cheering and applause grew, and by the time his feet had to face the challenge of climbing the stairs by the stage, he had been hugged and received countless handshakes and pats on the back. His feet were heavy, and his stomach twisted into a knot as his redheaded companion took the lead. He could only manage a hurried shake of the head when she offered to let him go first.

Yeva was next to make a speech. Darius could see her lips moving and her arms waving, but he didn't take in any of her words. When she turned to face him, her eyes glistening with tears, he knew it was his time to join her. He managed to climb up the stairs and onto the stage, but it felt like he was wading through thick mud. And when he looked back over the crowded room, he froze in place. His feet seemed to be anchored to the ground, and his throat was dry, so that when he opened his mouth to speak, no words came out, and all he could manage was a fearful and helpless glance back to his friend.

► Show Spoiler

Weekly Prizes
Week 1: Acrobatics Encyclopedia (claimed here).
Week 2: N/A
Week 3: Small gem with 1 charge of favoured ability. (Cassion | Sojourn | Safe Camp: When one takes camp in the wilderness, they take risk. Dangers lurk when the traveler is in stasis and many expeditions have ended with ambush in the dark of night. Safe Camp is an ability Cassion allows his followers during such a time to avoid some of the worst of what untamed Idalos has to offer. Any camp can be deemed, ‘safe’, but only a single camp for a trial. The Sojourner marks the edges of the camp with drops of his own blood, naturally warding away predators and creatures who might prowl through the night. Marking an entrance, a Sojourner opens a door to a comfortable extra-dimensional space with a warm roaring fire in the hearth that will burn all eve if willed to. This room often changes depending on the area the Sojourner is in, naturally blending with local customs of comfort and style. No object from this room can be taken from the inside as it exists only as a respite for the weary. This ability is only available if the Sojourner takes the time to set up camp, and cannot be used instantly in a combat situation to avoid harm or escape to an extra-dimensional space. This space, while comfortable and roomy enough for a traveler, a few companions, and even their mount, holds no food or other comforts save those that they might need to enjoy a restful evening. A side effect of the ability is that it naturally draws non-aggressive travelers to the location, a beacon for any and all who walk the road to their own ends, but do not seek the end of others they may meet. A Sojourner is not permitted to refused entrance or rest to any who come, even if that means they must sleep on the hard floor outside. Any outsiders seeking to enter the extra-dimensional space for a hostile or aggressive purpose will find themselves in the material space taken up by the camp, not allowed into the space created by the Sojourner. Should the entrance to the space be discovered and destroyed, the Sojourner and all interred companions are transported back to the material space occupied by the Camp.)
Week 4: Three Tier 10 Kits: Climbing Kit, Seafaring Kit, and Woodworking Kit (claimed here).
Week 5: Three Bespoke Items: Barding for his Mergala Equestor; longsword; personal armour.
Week 6: 6 Golden Tickets
Week 7: N/A

Small Prizes
Category: Most Bonus Points
Chosen Prize: 2nd place prize, Week 4: Two Tier 10 Kits: Gambling Kit and Strength Kit

Honorary Mentions
Category: Most Intriguing Collaborative Thread
Chosen Prize: 3rd place prize, Week 1: Leadership Encyclopedia

Category: Most Enjoyed Collaborative Thread
Chosen Prize: 3rd place prize, Week 3: Small gem with 1 charge of favoured ability. (Qylios | Celarion | Hold The Line: The Favoured is able to bolster the morale of any who stand with them. The call rings out and dispels fear in the defenders, whether mundane or magical. Those affected by the shout gain a small boost in stamina and the use of a shield. The effects of this ability last for ten bits, and can only overcome magical fear effects from other Marks of the same tier or lower. Any fear effects caused by Domain Magic can be overcome as follows: Favoured can overcome Magic at a Competent level or lower, Adored can overcome Expert level or lower, and Exalted can overcome Master level or lower.)

First Place Prizes
1. Tier 10 ship: Brig.
2. Land/Sea Mount: Mergala Equestor.
3. 15 WP

[Yeva]

90 Ashan 720

Yeva was looking out across the crowd, to each of the many faces. Some looked familiar, most were smiles among many strangers. She waved, dabbing at her eyes and looking over at Darius expectantly as she started her way down the stage steps so he could have his five bits of fame, "Dari?" she loudly whispered, cupping her mouth. He was just standing there, frozen and fixated on the crowd, which was beginning to quiet in expectation. Guests were beginning to look at one another, someone cleared their throat. Another patron coughed.

He glanced at her and she thought she could feel the fear in his own seeking gaze. He was choking. Hypothetically, but Yeva related to the panic nonetheless.

Yeva rushed to return onto the stage, her skirt swishing as she rejoined her friend with a beaming smile. Slipping her hand behind his back to give him a reassuring pat on the back, she lowered her voice so just he could hear her, "Just start with thank you. It's alright," It was hard doing something you didn't want to, especially when nervous. She wanted to offer something more to encourage him and then remembered one of their more recent endeavors together. An inside joke, Yeva hoped to help him relax, even smile and tapped his chest gently, right where his diaphragm was located beneath the cloth of his fine clothes. He just had to keep fighting. The easy way or the hard way, "Buzz buzz, remember?"

She stepped back, thinking she caught a small nod before Darius found his voice. Yeva clapped in encouragement and the room followed.

[Darius Baer]

Darius' tongue felt as though it was swollen. He could feel the tightness of his jaw as it refused to move, and his stomach ached with a rumbling of words that resisted his attempts to come forth. He could hear his own breathing as the room fell silent, and it was as someone broke the silence with an awkward cough that he was grateful that his father hadn't come along to the awards ceremony.

His cheeks were flushed and his dark grey eyes widened as he looked to Yeva, for he was convinced that he could trust her more than anyone else in the room, and before long, the redheaded maiden was coming to his rescue. A gentle sigh of relief ran through him as he felt her hand on his back, and he nodded in understanding when she whispered to him, their secret conversation playing out in plain sight.

He forced himself to look somewhere other than at his own feet, turning to catch her honey brown gaze just as she whispered her joke, and he let out a quiet snort at her humour. Immediately, he felt himself beginning to relax, his shoulders lowering, and his breathing beginning to calm. His heart was still racing, but that would slow in time, he was sure.

And then he opened his mouth and tried again.

"Th-thank you."

The words were quiet, forcing him to clear his throat and project his voice more.

"Thank you," he went again, offering a slender grin of gratitude in Yeva's direction. "This is...somewhat overwhelming."

A gentle titter of laughter rippled through the room as he stated a fact that was all too obvious. His words were broken by pauses in some places, as he tried to form the right sentences in his mind, and they were rushed in others, as he tried to find the ends of them all too quickly.

"Thank you to Caz and Flea," he went on, "for such a fine competition...and to all the other competitors, of course. You have all been...wonderful. And thank you to Yeva, most of all...for being a fine friend."

Darius scanned the room, wondering if there was anything more for him to say, and realising not only that there probably was, but that he couldn't think of it in that moment. And so he turned to face his freckled friend and his smile widened briefly before he offered a slight bow to the crowd and a gentle wave before departing the stage, glad that the ordeal was finally over.

[Pegasus]

The Review

I'm so sorry for the delay on this - I got overwhelmed with Fire Forged, but now that's done, it's a review a day.! I very much enjoyed this event, it was great fun! I've listed the prizes you've got - some of you have already chosen what they'll be specifically, but I thought it best that you get a modly note saying exactly what you have. Thank you all for your participation - you are very appreciated and make the job of modding a lot of fun. Please refer back to this post in your CS as needed. Thanks again!

!	Message from: Small Awards
	Everyone who posted in this thread gets: XP: 20 Renown: 20 You may take up to 8 non-skill knowledge on the place, the event etc. You may take up to 10 non-skill knowledge on the people (n)PCs etc.

Yeva

Review

Oh, I love Yeva. I think what I enjoy most about her is that she's so strong and yet so adorable! Her own nerves were high, here, but she was busy helping Darius at the same time, to overcome his. Thank you for your participation in the event, your enthusiasm is appreciated.

Prizes

• Week 1Yeva - you get a large set of encyclopaedia from the Scholar's Nook. It can be specialised (on a topic of your choice) and must be used in RP to gain any knowledge. There are 20 books and you can access obscure knowledge in this set.
• Week 2 Yeva gains +30 renown for all the mentions of her name throughout Scalv from her participation in this event!
• Week 3 You have been given a small gem with three charges of one favoured ability from an immortal mark of your choice. Please include this in a thread (either being given it, or talking about having been given it) and Peg will mod-note for the reviewer to confirm
• Week 4 You are awarded two Tier 10 tool kits for skills of your choice. These contain the best quality goods, tools, and supplies for you to be able to carry out that skill to your best ability. Everything is masterwork quality and it's even stored in a beautiful way (of your choice).
• Week 5 You have been awarded 2 x bespoke crafted Items of your choice. These may include weapons, armour, jewelry, woodworking, etc - and may be made from any available Tier 10 base material. These will be made to Masterwork level and will fit your specification. However, these are individual items and so can't be things like .. a house. Please let me know in PM what you'll be choosing.
• Week 6 You have been awarded 2 x Scalvoris Golden Tickets . Please claim them in the linked thread and enjoy their use!
• First To Earn Bonus Points choice of 1 of the 2nd Place prizes from any of the weeks
• Most Timely choice of 1 of the 2nd Place prizes from any of the weeks
• Most enjoyed Collaborative thread choice of 1 of the 3rd Place prizes from any of the weeks
• Intriguing solo Thread choice of 1 of the 3rd Place prizes from any of the weeks
• first place prizes
  First place: You have won three items:
  1. You may choose one of the following: A property from the Scalvoris listing or bespoke boat & up to 10 NPC crew (both of these options may be up to Tier 10).
  2. You also get awarded your choice of land, sea or air mount from those available (have a chat with me if you're not sure).
  3. 15 WP to spend in the Shoppe (or hoard) as you see fit.

Knowledge

Cosmetology x 3
Etiquette x 3
Rhetoric x 2
Resistance x 2
Caregiving x 2

Darius

Review

Oh my goodness, Darius did great! I really enjoyed how you wrote him in this thread, it was great to see his nerves, his delight, and he really did seem to be feeling like it was too much! Thank you for your participation in this event, your enthusiasm is very appreciated.

Prizes

• Week 1you get a small set of encyclopaedia from the Scholar's Nook. It can be specialised (on a topic of your choice) and must be used in RP to gain any knowledge. There are 5 books and you can access basic knowledge in this set.
• Week 3 You have been given a small gem with one charge of one favoured ability from an immortal mark of your choice. Please include this in a thread (either being given it, or talking about having been given it) and Peg will mod-note for the reviewer to confirm
• Week 4 You are awarded three Tier 10 tool kits for skills of your choice. These contain the best quality goods, tools, and supplies for you to be able to carry out that skill to your best ability. Everything is masterwork quality and it's even stored in a beautiful way (of your choice).
• Week 5 You have been awarded 3 x bespoke crafted Items of your choice. These may include weapons, armour, jewelry, woodworking, etc - and may be made from any available Tier 10 base material. These will be made to Masterwork level and will fit your specification. However, these are individual items and so can't be things like .. a house. Please let me know in PM what you'll be choosing.
• Week 6 You have been awarded 6 x Scalvoris Golden Tickets . Please claim them in the linked thread and enjoy their use!
• Most Bonus Points choice of 1 of the 2nd Place prizes from any of the weeks
• Most enjoyed Collaborative thread choice of 1 of the 3rd Place prizes from any of the weeks
• most intriguing collab thread choice of 1 of the 3rd Place prizes from any of the weeks
• first place prizes
  First place: You have won three items:
  1. You may choose one of the following: A property from the Scalvoris listing or bespoke boat & up to 10 NPC crew (both of these options may be up to Tier 10).
  2. You also get awarded your choice of land, sea or air mount from those available (have a chat with me if you're not sure).
  3. 15 WP to spend in the Shoppe (or hoard) as you see fit.

Knowledge

Cosmetology x 2
Etiquette x 2
Rhetoric x 2
Resistance x 2
Socialisation x 2

Ari'sora

Review

Oh, she is such a fun pc! I could see her, there, totally engrossed in her book and genuinely surprised and shocked as she realised that she had to go up there and make a speech. Love it! Thank you for taking part in this event - you've been a real team player, and it's appreciated.

Prizes

• Week 3 You have been given a small gem with two charges of one favoured ability from an immortal mark of your choice. Please include this in a thread (either being given it, or talking about having been given it) and Peg will mod-note for the reviewer to confirm
• Week 4 You are awarded one Tier 10 tool kit for a skill of your choice. This contains the best quality goods, tools, and supplies for you to be able to carry out that skill to your best ability. Everything is masterwork quality and it's even stored in a beautiful way (of your choice). DevinFor persistently maintaining at these challenges, you are awarded your choice of one of the previous weeks third prizes. Please let Peg know.
• Week 6 You have been awarded 4 x Scalvoris Golden Tickets . Please claim them in the linked thread and enjoy their use!
• Item Dev Award choice of 1 of the 3rd Place prizes from any of the weeks
• most intriguing collab thread choice of 1 of the 3rd Place prizes from any of the weeks
• Dev Award choice of 1 of the 3rd Place prizes from any of the weeks
• second place prizes
  Second place: You have won two items:
  1. A land, sea, or air mount of your choice from those available.
  2. 10 WP to spend in the Shoppe (or hoard) as you see fit.

Knowledge

Cosmetology x 2
Etiquette x 2
Rhetoric x 3
Socialisation x2

Balthazar

Review

You play drunk really well!! And yes, that is exactly when the hiccups would strike, of course. I loved your portrayal of Balth here, and I hope you enjoyed the event. Thank you so much for taking part in it!!

Prizes

• Week 1Balthazar - you get a medium set of encyclopaedia from the Scholar's Nook. It can be specialised (on a topic of your choice) and must be used in RP to gain any knowledge. There are 10 books and you can access little-known knowledge in this set.
• Week 2 Balthazar gains +10 renown for all the mentions of his name throughout Scalv from his participation in this event!
• Week 4 You are awarded one Tier 10 tool kit for a skill of your choice. This contains the best quality goods, tools, and supplies for you to be able to carry out that skill to your best ability. Everything is masterwork quality and it's even stored in a beautiful way (of your choice).
• Week 5 You have been awarded 2 x bespoke crafted Items of your choice. These may include weapons, armour, jewelry, woodworking, etc - and may be made from any available Tier 10 base material. These will be made to Masterwork level and will fit your specification. However, these are individual items and so can't be things like .. a house. Please let me know in PM what you'll be choosing.
• Week 6 You have been awarded 2 x Scalvoris Golden Tickets . Please claim them in the linked thread and enjoy their use!
• Most Bonus Points choice of 1 of the 2nd Place prizes from any of the weeks
• most intriguing collab thread choice of 1 of the 3rd Place prizes from any of the weeks
• second place prizes
  Second place: You have won two items:
  1. A land, sea, or air mount of your choice from those available.
  2. 10 WP to spend in the Shoppe (or hoard) as you see fit.

Knowledge

Resistence x 4
Etiquette x 2
Rhetoric x 2
Socialisation x 2

Devin

Review

He was cheated out of first place, so he was! Devin is such a funny pc and I loved how you played him here. I really am glad you took part in this event - your contribution is very appreciated! Enjoy the rewards.

Prizes

• Week 4For persistently maintaining at these challenges, you are awarded your choice of one of the previous weeks third prizes. Please let Peg know.
  third place prizes

  Third place: You have won two items.
  1. A land, sea, or air mount of your choice from those available.
  2. 5 WP to spend in the Shoppe (or hoard) as you see fit.

Knowledge

Cosmetology x 2
Etiquette x2
Rhetoric x 3
Socialisation x 3