#ahqevent02

– ♡ event 002. FOR FAME AND GLORY ( pt. 1 )

The Annual Highwinds Tournament is now open!

Test your mettle against the strongest, the cleverest and the swiftest Fae 

 Prove your worth to the High Courts of Astralis, and become a legend

➤ THE BASICS

The Autumn Court, in an effort to affirm their status as a powerful Court after an early blow against their people, have decided to continue with one of their oldest and most cherished traditions. The Highwinds Tournament is a yearly event hosted on their lands, where in true Autumn spirit, Fae and humans alike congregate to decide who among them is the most illustrious through a series of competitions and events. Overseen by the High Lord of Autumn, the highly-anticipated games of skill, strength, and wit are seen as the height of sportsmanship within Astralis.

Many have attributed these friendly matches to the lasting peace between the Courts, and Autumn takes great pride in its role as a mediator. However, this year’s tournament is rife with tension, and there are more than a few rumours going about that this competition will devolve into something worse. However, the lure of lucrative awards and fresh gossip have nobility and commoners alike flocking to the eastern Court, for the Highwinds Tournament is a most welcome distraction from more troubling developments elsewhere.

➤ ACTIVITIES AND AMENITIES OFFERED

Some of the amenities offered at this week-long event will include. . .

- An all-participants-welcome dueling tournament, where ambitious warriors and mages seek to put their skills to the test against Astralis’ finest. The tournament will go on the full duration of the festival, offering many opportunities for the lowborn to catch the eye of a prospective sponsor, and for nobles to establish their reputations among their kin. The prize for the winner is a substantial one- thousands of gold coins and an enchanted artifact of repute, to be presented at the conclusion of the finals.

- Competitions of all manner will be available at this event, including contests of archery, horseback-riding, hunting, magecraft, and aerial races through the steep valleys around the Highwinds Glen. Autumn officials, with representative oversight from the ally courts of Spring and Winter, will see to the fairness of these events.

- The main event of the Highwinds Tournament is known as the Trials of Oberon, allegedly named after the first High Laird of Autumn who was known as an individual of exceptional talent. This is a contest that is not for the faint of heart, for it will have participants test their might against ferocious beasts, head-scratching puzzles, and the final task: an enchanted maze where life-threatening danger lurks around every corner. Each Court has volunteered a challenge for this maze courtesy of their kingdom to test the character, wit, and strength of the champions. To win the Trials is to be considered one of the highest honors to be found in Astralis.

- Guest lodgings have all been booked out for the week, in homely inns and in sprawling estates all over Autumn. Expect loud, crowded, but hospitable lodgings and close encounters with strangers from across the Courts. Those with more amourous inclinations, however, will not find a lack of private alcoves and cabins for their leisurely use.

- The Highwinds Glen, an already vibrant and excitable city, has pulled out all the stops for this renowned tournament. City-wide feasting and full taverns are expected, and the streets will find themselves home to some of the finest buskers available. Guest may also expect to find more than a few ‘unofficial’ gambling operations throughout these taverns, particularly in the form of unsanctioned fights between commoners looking to make quick coin.

➤ CELEBRATING OUR CHAMPIONS

This is Astralis HQ’s first ever “two leg” event. At the end of the festivities, there will be a grand ball to celebrate the victors from each Court and the sportsmanship of Astralis uniting for the Highwinds Tournament. Participants from the Trials of Oberon will be given special favor from the High Rulers for surpassing and engaging in their intricate challenges. This portion of the weeklong celebration will be announced by the admins as we gear up for part two of the event. Part one is strictly for the festivities leading up to the grand ball.

➤ THE HUMAN RESISTANCE’S ROLE

The human resistance has made quite a name for themselves over the past few months, and any information leading to their capture, especially in the Autumn Court, offers a lucrative award to the informant. However, the resistance has no intention of remaining idle during such a prominent tournament. A few agents have entered as participants in the gladitorial battles, determined to prove their mettle in a public setting. However, this is mostly a ruse, for the real threat lurks among the nameless, faceless servants supporting the event. 

- ̗̀  FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

➤ CAN I CONTINUE MY NON-EVENT THREADS DURING THE EVENT?

This event is mandatory to participate in--either as a participant, a spectator, or as a representative of their Court. While the event is going on, we do ask that you only start fresh, event-related threads and make them a priority. Inclusivity is also a huge factor in propelling an event forward, so be sure you’re plotting with a wide range of muns for this event!

➤ HOW LONG WILL THE EVENT LAST FOR?

As of right now, the event is set to start on Wednesday, February 3rd, at 9 AM EST and last for approximately three weeks. The first part of the event will end on Wednesday, February 24th at 11:59 PM EST. After this, the group will go on a 4 day activity break to prepare for the second leg of this epic event, during which time the group’s next plot drop will be put into effect. The second half of the event will last from March 1st to March 15th. More information regarding start times for the second leg of this event will be posted in the coming weeks.

➤ WHAT SHOULD I BE TAGGING POSTS WITH?

As of right now, you should not be posting anything (outfits or otherwise) until the start of the event. When you begin posting outfits, starters, threads, etc., we ask that you use ahqevent2 and NOT ahqevent. Feel free to tag the @ahqstart sideblog for all open starters you post for the event, bearing in mind that the same starter rules will apply once there’s more than 4-5 open event-related starters in the tag.

➤ WHAT WILL THE TRIALS OF OBERON BE FROM SPECIFIC COURTS?

The Wild Hunt would like to remind all of the participants of the Highwinds Tournament that there are several ways to be a champion; the road to success and leadership is not always a bloody one, and its leader, the King of Wolves, Lucien Nightborne, knows this better than perhaps anyone else. When approached for a contribution to the epic Trials of Oberon, Lucien sat back, paused, and considered the ramifications of earning a championship. What did someone do in order to be a champion? Physical strength and endurance were classical definitions of a champion, but what about strength of character? Wit? Selflessness? There were several ways to be a hero, and Lucien Nightborne set to pen and paper to draft his plans for the Wild Hunt’s segment of the impressive, magical maze.

In the corner of the maze sectioned off for the Wild Hunt’s particular challenge, eager participants will be shoved inside of an immersive, magically-crafted landscape of towering trees and thick foliage. A forest, not unlike the famed Cloverwood Forest of Astralis, will be presented to the champions. The champion is left with a staff, scythe, and bow and quiver of arrows, but may only choose one to proceed. The tool selected is then used to help navigate through the forest, through thick foliage, fallen trees, and even monsters that lurk in the shadows of the woods. The deeper into the woods, the farther away from the safety of the last task.

In the heart of this terrain, in a tranquil meadow, a great dragon slumbers. Provided from the Wild Hunt’s own magical beasts, this dragon has made a home out of the peaceful clearing, filled with flowers and a small, glittering stream of water. Behind the slumbering dragon, there lies a large, wooden door, that allows the participant to slip through into the next portion of the maze. But...oh no, the door is locked. I’m afraid there’s only one way through the door: the sleeping dragon guards a large, jeweled chest, inside of which is a key that will permit the champion access to the next room and the next segment of the journey. 

The champion must obtain the treasure chest and key from the dragon before proceeding onto the next leg of the challenge. But there’s one catch: if the participant attempts to kill or maim the dragon guarding the chest, they will automatically be disqualified. The Wild Hunt’s challenge is for participants to become more attuned to the needs and desires of nature. In order to obtain the key, challengers must learn how to coax it from the dragon without killing an innocent creature in the process. 

High Lord Gabriel Beaumont’s particular brand of magic lies in the monsters made of shadows and nightmares. As the only creature in all of Astralis able to formulate complex nightmares for his victims and opponents, the High Lord of Night used his particular brand of magic to enchant a landscape space within the intricate, magical maze of the Trials of Oberon.

The first thing participants will notice entering a gap in the maze is a landscape shrouded in shadows. Frost litters the ground, darkness clinging to the grass like fresh dew drops, as an indescribable mass of darkness swirls before them. The champion will step forward and enter the Den of Shadows, where the Night Court’s magic of shadows and nightmares will manifest the champion’s own specific worst nightmare. As the solar courts all rely on hallucinations and manifestations to some degree, the Night Court’s challenge will use a combination of emotional and psychological energy to bring to life the participant’s worst nightmare. The death of a loved one; fanged monsters with long, gnarled fingers reaching for you in the night; murder; famine; isolation. Whatever the champion’s worst nightmare is will be manifested before them, and it’s up to the champion to make an imperative choice: either flee and forfeit your spot in the Trials, or turn and face your nightmare head-on.