The Realms / Tournaments of Artemis

23.12.2019

Some 17 years ago the Katasha of Grimloch presented the concept of the Huntress Guild.  10 years ago Kyntela of Rhiassa brought the concept back to life.  The Guild aimed to improve the fighting prowess and presence of female warriors within the Realms.  To that end a tournament was born to celebrate and encourage female combat, the Tournaments of Artemis. 

The Tournaments of Artemis is a team event where teams lead by a Huntress of the Guild face off against one another in team and singles combat.  A few weeks ago the eighth Tournaments of Artemis took place.  Representative Sayeh of Sapphire Isle, Squire to the Knights of Blackwood took over for the King of Blackwood's squire leading her team after her went lame just before the tournament.

Source:   The View From Valehaven

A Phoenix Amongst the Huntresses

It was an accident, the horse that Squire Rani rode lost it's footing on the ice and she was thrown from it, the horse a broken leg and Rani with a sore shoulder and concerns of trauma to her head.

The Knights of Blackwood had tasked her with organizing a team for the Huntress Tournaments that were to be held in the first week of the last month of the year. She carefully picked who would stand beside her, her Lord of Alonis, Sir Torolf, a man making his vigil of allegiance to Blackwood, Vee, and of course Lady Sayeh, also a squire of the Knights of Blackwood. Sir Tao, Duke of Clontarif would also be in attendance but only to stay at the sidelines a majority of the time due to his own injury to his shoulder.

And yet... here she was... broken and still far away. A squire of the King is a high honor, and there are few who can be an equal. To prove one's self as a huntress she has trained for this, and now mere hours before she is to lead her team to victory... she sends word for another squire to take her place and guide her team.

One can only imagine, in such a short notice, Lady Sayeh went from being a follower, a supporter, to suddenly being thrust into a role in battle. She has said, it was trial by fire, but she smiles after the fact now as she enjoys some wine.

There was a mix of feelings, nervousness and not feeling adequate enough against the other five huntresses that came to test their worth in battle. She said that the only thought in her mind was that she must do her best, that if anything, she must make Rani proud and keep her spirit strong. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses was key, knowing your opponents was too. For some Huntresses there was more style, more fun, and for some there was a desire for skill and calculated risk. On this occasion, she would be against Princess Cimone of Chimeron, who had been a Warlord for two kings before being given the title for her services. There was also Yppn, a fae folk she supposes judging by style of fighting. Aoife, a new comer from near Chimeron lands, but with great skill with swords. Charlotte from Rhiassa, though do not let her size fool you, she was not easy to fight against when you needed to have a shield. Then there was Bree, who was likely the hardest opponent of them all and bested Lady Sayeh many times.

There were many battles, some as a team, in which they were stronger, and other skills where fear and thought over ruled the thought to keep pushing. There were defeats in single combat that made things harder, and then planning and vision would prove more powerful, and victory would be found. Feeling tired was the hardest enemy of them all, a mind full of thoughts to keep going, but also wish that it was all over. They all took first place positions in challenges for combat, but in Sayeh's mind was the constant thought that this was all for Rani.

There were moments of pride, judgments and decisions Duke Tao would later tell her were not Rani's, but Sayeh's. It is still hard for her to see those these victories as her own as there is a great desire to stay humble still and not take away from Rani's honor. There is a looming question about how far would things had come if Rani had been there instead of her. Another thought also, what would have been if the members of the team had been her own choice.

In the end, Bree of Rhiassa took first, followed by Aoife, then Lady Sayeh, Princess Cimone, Charlotte, and lastly Yppn. A third place position, and at least a moment to look back and think that even this was a victory in some small way for her. Years ago, she would not have dreamed of taking third place in many things, she would have been last. She was not the best, but as always - she says - her greatest opponent is herself.


Tournament Results

Source:  View From Valehaven

The Six participating Teams:

  • Aoife leading team Crazy Cats
  • Bree leading team Ya' Gotta Eat the Whole Thing
  • Charlotte leading team Three's Company, Four's a Crowd
  • Cimone leading team Cimone's Wyverns
  • Sayeh leading team Rani's Rolling Rangers
  • Yppn leading team Team Titan

Grand Melee Winner:  Rani's Rolling Rangers

Creative Team Name Competition Three's Company, Four's a Crowd 

4v4s

  1. 1st Place:  Rani's Rolling Rangers
  2. 2nd Place:  Ya' Gotta Eat the Whole Thing
  3. 3rd Place:  Crazy Cats
  4. 4th Place: Team Titan 

Live Risk

  1. 1st Place:  Ya' Gotta Eat the Whole Thing
  2. 2nd Place:  Rani's Rolling Rangers
  3. 3rd Place:  Cimone's Wyverns
  4. 4th Place Tie:  Three's Company, Four's a Crowd, Crazy Cats 

Huntress Individuals:  

Single Short

  1. 1st Place:  Aoife
  2. 2nd Place:  Bree
  3. 3rd Place: Sayeh
  4.  4th Place:  Cimone 

Florentine

  1. 1st Place:  Bree
  2. 2nd Place:  Aoife
  3. 3rd Place:  Sayeh
  4. 4th Place:  Cimone 

Sword & Shield

  1. 1st Place:  Bree
  2. 2nd Place:  Aoife
  3. 3rd Place:  Cimone
  4. 4th Place:  Charolette 

Hand-and-a-Half

  1. 1st Place: Cimone
  2. 2nd Place: Aoife
  3. 3rd Place: Bree
  4. 4th Place: Sayeh

Single Combatant

  1. 1st Place: Aoife
  2. 2nd Place: Bree
  3. 3rd Place: Charolette
  4. 4th Place: Sayeh

Guys Being Dudes

  1. 1st Place: Cimone's Wyverns 2nd Place Tie: Ya' Gotta Eat the Whole Thing, Team Titan
  2. 3rd Place: Rani's Rolling Rangers
  3. 4th Place Tie: Crazy Cats, Three's Company, Four's a Crowd

Huntress Grand Melee Winner: Bree

Archery Range:

  1. 1st Place: Crazy Cats
  2. 2nd Place: Cimone's Wyverns
  3. 3rd Place: Rani's Rolling Rangers
  4. 4th Place: Ya' Gotta Eat the Whole Thing

Duncan's Challenge but with People

  1. 1st Place: Rani's Rolling Rangers
  2. 2nd Place: Crazy Cats
  3. 3rd Place: Ya' Gotta Eat the Whole Thing
  4. 4th Place Tie: Cimone's Wyverns, Three's Company, Four's a Crowd

Scavenger Skirmish

  1. 1st Place: Cimone's Wyverns
  2. 2nd Place: Ya' Gotta Eat the Whole Thing
  3. 3rd Place: Team Titan
  4. 4th Place: Crazy Cats

Queen of the Hill Winner: Three's Company, Four's a Crowd

Overall Placement:

  • 6th: Team Titan
  • 5th: Three's Company, Four's a Crowd
  • 4th: Cimone's Wyverns
  • 3rd: Rani's Rolling Rangers
  • 2nd: Crazy Cats 1st: Ya' Gotta Eat the Whole Thing
  • And the winner of the Tournaments of Artemis: Bree