‘ 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐞 ? 𝐍𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭, 𝐧𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝, 𝐈 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 — 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧. ’

                    As we are now open for plotting, we created this task to move things along ! After posting your character intros in the tag, we encourage you to delve deeper, but also delve beyond your own roles. A character sheet can be found under the read more. In its last section, you are encouraged to write a collaborative headcanon with one of the characters listed in your muse's connections. This headcanon should capture something that took place in the past in their relationship, whether unresolved, earthshaking or memorable, and it needs to appear in both your tasks. Happy writing, and don't forget to tag your lovely responses with ihq:task !

Dear members — friends, Greeks, citizens — ,

We took our sweet time in writing out this message, but you all deserve a prompt response and a plan for the future. For the time being, our work here will have to be put on the back-burner. A big part of our members are on hiatuses right now, and due to an all-around decreased activity in the rpc ( thank you, miss ‘rona ! ) we simply cannot ensure the number of taken roles necessary to keep this going. It goes without saying, but this was never intended to be a small rp. It was lovely to write in this dynamic, which ultimately permitted such fantastic characters to be developed, and such subverting takes on their interpretations — we honestly can’t believe we’ll be able to read something about greek mythology anytime soon without seeing y’all’s muses. But the restrained outline simply cannot continue long-term and still remain entertaining for everyone involved. As it is, we would need far more characters essential to the plot to be thrown in. In order to do justice to the individual stories of your muses, formidable to the last one, as well as the magnitude of our plot overall, we need to await better times & clearer skies to relaunch this.

        ' 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐧—𝐰𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐬                    𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝. 𝐒𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬:           𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥. '

SECOND DAY OF THE COMPETITIONS.

If the first day of Tyndareus’s games sought to merit skill, this one shall merit savagery. Axes are cast aside, javelins are hung from pegs in the armory, blades remain dark & blunted in their scabbards. The grounds are dusted with fresh sand. As always, like vultures to the feast, spectators huddle together in their rows. Not a glint of metal can be seen on the contest field, not a single leather-band. This challenge calls for close combat, and honor prohibits all injurious thoughts, all sharpened ends. There will be no less wounds for it—but perchance there shall be less blood. Or so the King dares hope.

But matters are afoot amongst audience & contenders alike. The plumes of pride still need to be soothed after the chariot race, with its swift completion and unforeseen results. On the fringes, Achilles and Penthesilea spar with quiet insults, while Menelaus has drawn due attention, through his artful expletives if not the laurel crown. Behind him, slyer companions such as Odysseus push his clause forward. Not even a reunion with Penelope, who has seen her own share of heroes, could detract from his ambition. Strangely, the prince's petition seems to be aided by none other than Clytemnestra herself, sister to the prize-bride, who never fails to miss a moment on the dais, and often wields her wit against Theseus. At her side, Cassandra's murmurs gather in ominous warning. Meanwhile, the Gods' tempers are fraying thin. Hera, Apollo & Persephone were all glimpsed on the rooftop gardens, their eyes set black and gimlet on the flimsy silhouettes below. With so many reminders of past misdeeds alive and walking through Sparta, it is a wonder no divine battle was declared already, this time waged onto an arena no mortal could withstand.

A new week brings a new stage in the competition ! Though the word ‘day’ is used formally, about three days elapse in-game for every week in real time. In the aftermath of last week’s race, the winning faction was Sparta, having amassed most points overall. From those who enrolled in the challenge by notifying the main, Theseus led as individual front-runner, Penthesilea second, and Achilles from the Mycenae faction close behind.

To enroll your characters in the second challenge, send an IM to the main. As last time, on the 20th, midnight EST, points will be tallied and victors crowned. Should Sparta win again, this will be their second victory, giving them the right to request the release of a new role as skeleton. We take this opportunity to refer our point page, where more information about the ruling system can be found. For starters set during this new event, you can always use our locations page, or invent new places we can later add to the group canon.

                         WITH THE FIRST EVENT UNDERWAY,

               ‘ 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧, 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐬,                                                𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲'𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞. ’

the dust has settled, the horses have come to a rest, and the last of the chariot racers cross the finish line. it’s been a fine day of sportsmanship and athleticism, common soldier and would-be kings and demigods alike made equal by the dirt which was to be their battleground. valiantly they rode forth, as if going to war, the hooves of their horses creating dust clouds that seemed to envelop them all in an ember haze of promised glory. their muscles lumbering as they pushed their noble steeds to the limit, the sounds of reins sharply cracking in the wind, horses neighing against their tight bits. champion crossed champion, spoke meeting spoke. those who were less worthy were left in the dust, while those who dared separated themselves beyond the fray. 

it was the exiled THESEUS who crossed the line first, stealing a raptured gasp from the crowds, followed at close margin by the queen of amazons, PENTHESILEA. her subject's howls of victory subdued the swarm, together with the clang of javelins slamming against their sheilds. rounding up the podium is the so-called aristos achaion, great ACHILLES himself, bringing as much honor as ere he promised, while the myrmidons under his command sprung into deafening applause. in a field populated by princes from all four corners of the world, it was these three who managed to distinguish themselves from hundreds of others, winning acclaim on a stage that the whole world seemingly set eyes onto, mortal and immortal alike.

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