integrating | MISSION HYRYPIA: STAGE ONE

PILGRIMAGE: STAGE ONE

On DAY :012 (August 6th-8th) after the meal, one of those long sonorous horns blasts a note across the processional camp. In each dining tent, e member of the Basittia family rises to welcome the guests to the Great Flats and to congratulate them on their diligence learning to master the Elin. Tomorrow, say the members of Basittia House, a friendly competition will be staged to test your skills. A glass is raised. "A toast to our good fortune, to cleverness and skill - may they serve us well for what we will face."

There's some suggestion that this is one of a few upcoming 'event' days, culminating in some kind of ultimate test (though it's unclear what that test might be). This post will be updated to reflect the stages of the competition and the details of the final event.

Please be aware that to participate in the final event, characters must have competed and earned enough points in at least one of the five earlier events that takes place either on DAY :013 or DAY :016.

What this means OOCly is that to have your character participate in the finale of the Pilgrimage's first stage is that you must sign them up for an event and complete at least one thread pertaining to it in an event log prior to the beginning of the final competition. This thread doesn't have to be an action thread (it can be preparation or the aftermath - but please be aware that in a team event if you all decide to do a big group thread that others will be relying on your participation!), but it must in some way be directly tied to the event the character has signed up for. Anyone who does this can assume their character earned enough points to qualify for the final event.

RIDING PROWESS - DAY :013

There will be three different mounted challenges. Every event has limited space for participation and most diplomatic envoys select only a few of their number to represent them in each round.

EVENT ONE - The first event is meant to test skills in herding, wrangling, and roping - abilities key in managing the Gryer that have helped assure the success and survival of the Hyrypians for countless centuries. This event involves small teams of three individuals working together to separate and wrangle simple mechanical facsimiles of Gryer. Each member will start from one of three entrances of a large fenced arena filled with metal Gryer milling about in the center. After a short period three of the automaton Gryer will light up to signal the ones which need to be cut from the herd and wrangled into a small pen on one end of the arena. Competitors will have access to rope as well as the long crooked sticks used to herd Gryer forward. They will have to work together to get the targets out of the herd and into the pens as quickly as possible.

EVENT TWO - The second event tests speed, accuracy, and balance. It positions teams of four individuals staged along different points of a relay race. Each team will be responsible for a scroll which must be carried by a single individual along the length of a course, filled with obstacles and jumps before they pass it to the next member of the team, who will then carry it through their portion of the course. The scroll will be passed along like this until it gets to the last member who will carry the scroll the last quarter of the course to the finish line.

EVENT THREE - The third and final mounted skill event is also the most difficult and the most dangerous. It's also the only solo event worth the most individual points. It takes place at the face of the cliffs on the 'safe' side of the technomagical barrier in a single canyon pocket separated from the rest of the Finger Maze. It is a relatively narrow passage surrounded on either side by the breathtakingly tall cliffs that tower over the Graze and filled with the bone-like coral growth that is endemic of the Finger Maze. This long stretch of canyon has a number of pitfalls including narrow bridges across shallow gulches, fallen coral formations, and low overhangings of stone which will need to be jumped, dodged, and ducked under for any rider passing through. All of the competitors will begin at the comparatively wide entrance of the canyon. With a horn signal, they will race each other approximately 3 miles through the route studded with obstacles to a clearing at the end of the pocket canyon. If the riders are lucky or skilled, this can be done in approximately ten minutes. Points will be awarded based on finishing position.

MOUNTED HUNTING - DAY :016

There will be two different hunting challenges. Every event has limited space for participation and most diplomatic envoys select only a few of their number to represent them in each round.

EVENT ONE - The first of the two events divides the riders into large teams with a healthy mix between the envoys; it's perfectly possible to be working alongside non-Carbauschians. --Maybe even a few of the riders you snubbed or sabotaged a few days ago (whoops). Riders will be equipped with spears and slings and expected to work together to take down technomnaced Gryer substitutes in a large herd. Points are only allocated for striking the marked targets and there's an elaborate point system depending on the positioning of the hit. (ooc note: while these hunting parties are oocly meant to be from six to ten individuals, we encourage you to be selective about how many players you fold into a single thread simply to reduce the possibility of dropped or very slow threads)

EVENT TWO - The second event of the day individually based. Mounted hunters return to the same canyon pocket as the third event from the previous competition day. Today the canyon pocket contains a number of technomanced targets of varying size and speed (anywhere from a wandering Gryer and bulky boar-like Marbils to rabbit sized Ilons). The targets are designed to go into a standby mode if struck. Each hunter must track and 'kill' one of these technomanced targets be considered successful. Individuals may work together, but be aware that you must have captured a technomanced creature to score points in this event.... and that there are significantly fewer 'animals' than there are competitors.

THE BARITHIAN HUNTERS - DAY :018

"Ranged in the order a great hunt should have,
They soon between the trunks espy the cave."
- Unknown

ON DAY :017, A MESSENGER ARRIVES at the tent housing each qualifying participants from the previous days' competitions. They carry a formal invitation to join tomorrow's hunt. Hunting what? one might be forgiven of asking. "For the barithian of the finger maze. My mistress," says the messenger, likely referring to the head of House Basittia. "Wants to be clear that it may be a dangerous undertaking and that there's no shame in declining the invitation."

THE HORN WAILS BEFORE DAWN to stir the encampment from sleep on this, the final day of bloodletting. All qualifying participants of the previous days' competitions are fed light, energizing breakfasts and asked to meet down the Elin string. There they're greeted by the Elinmaster and a number of assistants, clearly kitted out for the day's work. For the first time, a handful of Hrypians from the Major Houses are there as well - young, able bodied, and (perhaps pointedly) not the immediate offspring of anyone incredibly important. The Elinmaster warns those in attendance that the barithian is dangerous by day and fatal by night and stresses the importance of following direction during the hunt. If you doubt yourself, stay here. If your courage fails in the Finger Maze, fall back. And don't be caught near the barithian's head.

"I look forward to celebrating with you after this," says the Elinmaster as he climbs onto the back of his mount.

"Don't worry," cheerfully remarks a Meradan under as she swings her Elin around. "I'm sure this is perfectly safe unless we do something terribly wrong."

Lavellan will not return from the Finger Maze alive.

A log will be posted for each of these competition days. There are are seven comment threads below, one for each of the events with available slots. Events which are not yet posted will have sign-up details when they are. You must post to a thread to sign up for the competition it is linked to. Everyone who wishes to sign up for the finale event when it becomes available must have signed up for at least one of the previous six events.

Questions? If they're specific to the events here, ask them in the Questions thread below. If they're concerning wider reaching Mission: Hyrypia details, please ask them HERE.

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MISSION HYRYPIA: STAGE ONE

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