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Message: <blockquote data-quote="stonegod" data-source="post: 5108285" data-attributes="member: 36973">Race DayThe day dawns cold and damp, winter in Sharn. Crush and Bellegon see Rikka sneak out early with a quick word that she'll meet them at the Wake.The druid's vigil rewarded her with a view of contestants arriving on the scene. But, she also saw some other men decorated in bluish cloaks deliver several large crates with a gorgon-headed symbol on the side to the large open area at the back of the wake. A few guards–warforged–keep an eye on the proceedings.The others awake back and the inn and break fast in order to quickly make it to the Wake. Rikka joins them when they arrive, melting out of the crowd. Various human guards in some noble house's livery direct the throng, keeping them in line within the large common room and out in front while some sort of preparations are made. After about a half-an-hour, the doors to the back are opened. The back of the Bloody Wake (which is actually a large door cut in the "ship's" stern) opens into a bowl like area between several towers. The side of the towers are carved to simulate the bottom of the ocean, with fake coral or stone fish showing on the sides of the stone structures. Rope has been tied in small squares all over the yard, with signs hanging from each. It becomes soon obvious the signs are divided up by team name.Once the teams are assembled—there are may be a score in total—an older man takes the stage flanked by some human guards. Everyone can now see the crates Rikka saw earlier in the back of the fishbowl, opened by their contents still hidden. Contestants! I am Lord Staforth ir'Haran, patron of these games. I want to welcome you all to these, the first Race of the Five Horns! Applause, naturally.Before we begin, let me first go over the rules. Rule first, no killing. This is a competition, not some bloody skirmish. While there will be some simulated combat, no magics deadly or sharpened blades should be brought to bare. The penalty is disqualification and an appointment with the Watch. There is both laughter and disappointed grunts at this.Rule second, the only other, is to follow the instructions given to you at each stage exactly. They should be self-explainator. Keep within the lines and all that. Murmuring.Staforth adjusts his glasses as some servants in livery (most likely of his house) begin delivering folded papers to the teams. This first stage is simple: You must race! But not on foot, not yet! During the Attack on Aruldusk, the reason Lord Dornal had such surprise was how he infiltrated the city. Born in Sharn, he knew of the crafty magics that allowed us to soar the skies, so he too took to the winds by adapting the simple soarsled to keep low and drop down on the garrison with narry a warning. You too will do the same. He turns to the blue-cloaked men in front of the crates. Gentleman!The men open up the crate to reveal stacks of green-blue soarsleds, magical disks that allow the bearer to fly. Ryk's stomach almost sinks at the sight.Vok quickly glances at the paper. It lists five marks one must make during the race, essentially instructions to the next stage. How one gets between said marks is left entirely up to the team.Welcome to the Race of the Five Horns![I'll pause for any IC or OOC questions before we begin the first skill challenge.]</blockquote>

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