Once again, a son of the Starkes seeks to earn himself the crown of the Mire. Yet this occasion seems considerably less amicable than the first time it had happened.

The echoing cry finds Hadiya still awake and working in her den, the passage of day into the night largely ignored by the seeress. She does not need light from either the sun or moon to recognize the herbs she sorted through, their scents and shapes more than enough to tell her what she needs to know. She knows, for instance, that the brittle, frost-touched leaves that crackle beneath her touch are no longer of any use to her, and so she gathers them into a haphazard pile to be discarded.

Are withered plants the only things that will be discarded this night?

Though she'd put her herbs aside, it takes the seeress some time to arrive. A great many lions have to come to see this challenge, a cluster of different scents swirling in the night air alongside a sharp, electric tension. The sensation prickles at her fur, a chill running down her spine like the tip of a claw, though Hadiya cannot say exactly why. Curiosity outweighs uncertainty however, and the sightless woman would press in a little closer, nostrils flaring to try to make sense of the upset. There's been no battle just yet, she can tell by the distinct lack of blood in the air.

Oh! It was him again. The boy that her sister had been gifted so long ago, before fate had pulled them all on different paths.

Lennard!

Er, wait, no, @Luther ♔, that was it.

She inhales deeply of the tangled scents, wondering now if Mazel might have returned alongside the once-Heir. Maybe her meeting with Khadija had been a sign of further reunions to come. But alas, Hadiya is left breathe out a sigh of disappointed acceptance. Another day, perhaps.

"اكشف لي ، يا كون ، من هو الأكثر جدارة لحكم هذا المكان. ألق نورك عليها حتى تتوهج بشكل ساطع مثل النجوم." She intones in her father's tongue, lifting her foggy eyes up towards the sky. "Present yourself to the stars, so that they may judge you fairly." To impress the forces of the universe was to control fate itself. Maybe Luther was capable of it. Maybe he was not.

Medic:
+10 Attend a challenge to assess the wounds (x2)
+10 Clean out your herb stores (x2)
Cleric:
+20 Cast a curse or blessing on a character/group (x2)

---

1. Reveal to me, oh universe, who is most worthy to rule this place. Cast your light upon them so that they might glow as brightly as the stars.

ART COPYRIGHT ERA / CODE COPYRIGHT ANALESE

The Saxe knew this was coming, had informed those important to him of his new friend. Renfri was made aware of the details, the support the Saxe would offer to the Rike upon his day of reckoning to his family. Aeistrios had been giddy, like a cub bragging about getting his first friend, when he had told her. In the end, it was optional for the Saxe to show upon the soils today; the only call Aeistrios roused from the Oasis had been one in departing, summoning whoever was up and awake to come participate in great schemes with him. He'd inform them along the way of who they were supporting - a beast of white fur - and why. How this alliance was to strengthen them, secure them - better their future. They were to attack any of the old mire who seemed displeased at Luther's challenge. If any of his kids came along... he didn't not deny them. Let them live the life of Saxe, too. When Aeistrios finally did arrive to the Mire, the crowd had already begun to grow. Nightfall was overhead, and scents swarm him with each step forward. The devil prowls, his purple eyes alight with pure mischief. Gaze lands on @Luther ♔ , a supportive and knowing nod given, before his attention searches for his target. He does not look for a Brook member, though, who had been his usual prey in the past - he does not even search for a Summit member, nor a Plains - instead his eyes greedily finds his friend's 'father' who so stupidly banished him out. Now look what you have created, @Alaric - a monster. A mess. All for Aeistrios' enjoyment, of course. The Saxe was always very determined to make good on his word and show to the Rike he wasn't like the rest in the land. Who preach their aid but act helpless when shit actually hits the fan - or sit along the side and just watch. No one was even fighting yet, not blood was spilt in the grand glory of things. A curl of his lip upwards, and Aeistrios decides it is time to change that. "It is too bad, I like your Rike son better than you." The mischievous taunt leaves his lips as he walks closer to him then, weaving through any bodies in a casual way if they stood in his path to the wheat male. "Just like you seemed to like Violarum better than me?" A tilt of his head, musing on the thought, before he shook it with fangs bared. None of that mattered, what mattered was Alaric was the enemy - for many reasons beyond just Luther - and Aeistrios was ready to indulge. He wasn't even completely healed, but he was able to walk - move, and that meant he could cause chaos in the wake of Luther's ascension. Let there be blood spilled. Aeistrios charges for Alaric then, colossal frame aiming to barrel into the brute head-on, a paw rising to attempt and hook unsheathe claws in the Ecrosian's side, hoping to spill the first blood upon the Mire land tonight. Aeistrios vs @Alaric for minor maim 1/4 Hits: Rolling 8d20: 16 + 19 + 1 + 18 + 8 + 13 + 6 + 5 Dodges: Rolling 3d20: 8 + 13 + 17 Luck: Rolling 5d20: 1 + 13 + 9 + 16 + 8

art by era

i am the storm / and im coming for you

manon wasn't going anywhere with faustine here, but so couldn't she. indeed, if someone was to fight her then she would have an excuse, even if it meant leaving her younger sister to the care of another relative or wolfbron pridemate. protecting her sister faustine would say if anyone dared to question her action. however. faustine herself could not start the fight and that alone made her annoyed, trapped. a crocodilian hiss left her mouth as she surveyed her surroundings, eager for a chance to spot someone she could focus on. manon was her responsibility, but the excited crowd was infecting her too.

faustine's tail twitched and her ears cupped forward when a familiar voice called to her. robin (@Evren). she had not spoken to the boy for a while now, but she had seen him around the bluffs. good. he hadn't left. she heard him speak to her mother and grandmother, pleased with how subservient he was to the queens. robin, you're awfully late she teased, though there was no smile on her face.

CODE BY DAANYEN + ART BY HUSH

@Eris was quick to retort with an answer of her own, once laced with a snapping undertone meant to mock the Deity. Runa's mismatched eyes shot back at her pale granddaughter, teeth grinding together in irritation that she couldn't teach the ignorant little girl a lesson here and now. Apparently, there were bigger things afoot she had to worry about. Like Luther's return and evidently, she had to stand and support him, even though she had zero clue what the hell was happening.

More and more strangers began to flood onto the scene, and she felt her hairs stand on edge. However, that wariness, that anxiety of being surrounded shifted into annoyance again when @Emory had the backbone to mock her in tandem with Eris, and Runa's lip peeled in a display of elongated fangs. Didn't she? Of course not! Those damn children, how could Luther not tell her, out of all of them? You are but a girl, a child in his eyes. How could she forget? Rike men did not view them as anything but expendable. If only she had balls between her limbs, if only she could wear Emory's skin for a day -

It no longer matters. None of this matters.

She felt as small and as insignificant as a bug underneath everyone's foot, all their gazes directed at her. All judging. All mocking. Sneering. But they are children! And so is she. And so are you. In your feeble, fickle little girl suit. Ripe fruit for the taking. Damn them all. Damn them all to the depths of hell. "Vorsicht, Junge. Eines Tages könnten die Rollen vertauscht sein." "Careful, boy. One day the roles will be reversed. " She spoke with a venomous tone to her pink-shaded sibling. "Eines Tages werde ich vielleicht deine Haut tragen." "One day I may wear your skin." Her words were heavy, far more than a threat. It was a curse. A truth in the making -

And she - its maker.

@Alaric's pale shape caught her attention next, pulling her away from her dark desires. He spoke to Luther, anger evident in his expression. What happened? She feels on the edge of her seat, annoyed that she knew so little. It was like failing to remember the word that hung on the tip of her tongue. It taunted her so. And then a plum-furred man arrived, approaching Alaric. Speaking his words in support of Luther.

She felt the hairs on her back bristle again.

It was instinctual. The moment Aeistrios lunged for Alaric, she wanted to jump in and take the brunt of the attack. No. She fought the feeling. She fought it so hard, in fact, that she sought another distraction. She sought to go against it in the only way she knew.

By tooth and claw.

She stood, glancing one last time at her siblings. "So be it," she muttered, as if triumphant. "Let me show you what war looks like, kinder," her lips curled in a smirk. "Will you stand by while I outshine you again, bruder?" The word was odd on her tongue. Foreign. It was so easy to forget that her vessel was the duo's sibling. She wanted to see if Emory would take the bait, but by that time she would be painting the Mire red.

The largest group by far was that of Wolfbron. She had never liked to familiarize herself with the matriarchal family, but Alaric had chosen to ally with them in the beginning. It was in order to gain his footing, that much she understood. Still, that did not mean she liked the wenches. There was something pompous about them, and their men lacked the balls to stand for themselves. It was quite honestly a giant turn-off.

And so she charged toward the cannibals, picking out a target that would match her size. @Faustine was this vessel's age, and so Runa rushed toward the girl, trying to approach her from the back since she was sandwiched between her kin. Her front paws attempted to wrap around the girl's haunches, while her teeth tried to snap and bury themselves deep into the base of the girl's tail.

Runa vs. @Faustine
for Major Maim (tail)
Round 1 / 4
Hits:

Rolling 5d20: 13 + 4 + 20 + 17 + 6

Dodges:

Rolling 3d20: 15 + 7 + 8

Luck:

Rolling 7d20: 18 + 7 + 1 + 13 + 6 + 2 + 9

Lead Scout Perk: +1 luck to all pride-mates when fighting on their pride territory (must be present prior to the start of the fight).

coded by flea + art by runandwine

He was late, unconventionally late for his usual wolfhound duties. The reason was simple - he was out obsessively hunting for a certain prey during the night time. A prey that had slipped from his grasp like a slimy little fish. By this point, Apollinaire was not having any fun anymore. He was like a pouting child unable to find his buddy during a hide-and-seek game, and he was starting to throw a tantrum so his buddy could finally come out and he could tag him. Unfortunately, Anthonius was not showing up.

He must have a pretty dam good place of hiding. Or perhaps... some of the prides were shielding the runaway. How terrible for whoever was his partner in crime.

With bloodshot eyes he arrives at the swampland, glad that the place was snowed in and he didn't have to ruin his wonderful hairdo with mud and various unclean debris. It seems he arrived just in time to see @Faustine getting attacked from the back and... was that @Manon between her feet?

He sprang into action like a well-oiled machine, swooping in to try and grab @Manon by the scruff and haul her a few steps away from the Heiress and the oncoming attacker - a girl from the Mire, no less. He felt his heart thump against his ribs from the sudden exertion, glancing at @Amara questioningly who now stood with @Evren. Was the Mire not their ally? He sought to put @Manon between his feet, gently with a kind smile as if the Heiress wasn't being chomped on a few steps away from them. "Est-ce que ça va, mon doux petit canard?" "Are you okay, my sweet little duckling?"

olympia was more than happy to have a companion as she made her way, collecting all that this pride had to offer. she lingered mostly amongst the dark and in between unaware bodies of the onlookers, keen to not be found by the mire lions until she was able to get away. olympia only stopped when a lorien lioness came to talk to her, @Haven, whom she had never communicated with in the past.

this? this is normal olympia said and chuckled. just another normal day in amaryllis. she giggled like she made a joke, but what she told haven was true, after all. challenges for prides were common and were almost part of amaryllis culture. if she had been more ambitious, olympia would have tried to take a crown as well. alas, she was but a simple medic.

her ears pricked and her face snapped towards one lion. olympia had to blink four times in rapid succession just to make sure who she saw was the right one. oh no...i'm gonna, i'm gonna-- her thoughts were dismantled just as she remembered haven was there. see that big dark one? yeah, i'm gonna slap him real good after he gets off of his fight. olympia said to haven only. she didn't bother explaining why.

ART BY YUMPY, CODE BY LARS

No, no no no. This couldn't be happening.

She'd heard the call echo about the territory and at first thought it nothing more than a bad dream. Long had she begun to show signs of early pregnancy, but they'd been far more subtle, far kinder. Her nausea did not keep her from being able to eat for days on end, the tiredness did not keep her fettered to her den. It was a mercy, given that the disappearance of one of her daughters had sent her into a flurry of anxiety and restlessness. She had not stopped searching until she'd turned Ecrosia Mire completely upside down, but there was no trace of Melusina. It were as if she'd never existed.

And now, he was here.

Shock and horror kept her at first fettered to her den in the far-flung corner of the Mire, but the sickening realization that he was calling for the crown quickly stirred her from her hiding spot. She had children to think about, and she was certain that if the Mire was lost to Luther, they would be in danger. Quickly she rushed toward the scene, and arrived just in time to see her step son awaiting Bruno's defense, just in time to see @Aeistrios throw himself at @Alaric, while @Magdalena watched in horror just nearby. Instinctively, the healer threw herself in the direction of her daughter, attempting to place her body between Magdalena and the warring brutes. Eyes flung wide, wet with tears, as she cried out: Alaric!

This can't be happening. This can't be happening.

Art by AleTie, table by cala

The colossal woman made no moves to hide her arrival as she moves through the growing hum of bodies pushed together into the swamp of the Mire to observe the challenge that would be taking place. It was dark and night had enveloped them all, though Sybil couldn't help but feel alone without the presence of Tiny on her shoulders. She had decidedly left her dormouse back at home, if only to protect her in case things got even more hostile than the other challenges they had previously attended. This one felt different as soon as she arrived, her ruby gaze landing on the challenger curiously. However, what was even more curious was that the fight hadn't even started; instead, there were other fights breaking out on the sidelines. Two yearlings go toe to toe, meanwhile yet again she spies @Aeistrios in the crowd going after another gentleman, likely someone representing the Mire if she had a guess. Judging by the way one woman calls out to him, it seemed like that fight might be even more tenuous than the actual challenge itself. The woman stands stoically, watching and waiting, assessing each fighter for any injuries that would need tending to after everything was said and done. She was a humble servant of the healing arts, and if she could assist, she would.

*Sybil is observing and open to interactions

medic exp/doubled
+10 - Attend a challenge to assess the wounds (Luther v. Bruno for EM)
+10 - Attend a challenge to assess the wounds (Runa v. Faustine)
+10 - Attend a challenge to assess the wounds (Aeistrios v. Alaric)

code

By the time Vulferam arrives there is already quite the crowd. Coal eyes peer from a distance, behind the safety of thick brush. Seeing the arrival of one of his half brothers challenging the golden child would almost bring a smug grin to his lips - almost. Wolf didn’t know too much about Luther, only the whispers and rumors he’d heard flitting through the Mire air. All he knew about the man was he reeked of narcissism and brutality, and the Prince wasn’t sure he liked the latter. His tail flicks behind him as he contemplates showing himself, but as his eyes look over the crowd, he spots is lovely sibling and decides to make a beeline toward him.

“Sounds like someone is jealous,” comes his taunt to Hubert’s words, giving his brother a playful shove with his shoulder. But in reality, Vulferam had much to lose just like his brother here. They would be stripped of their titles if Luther won, and the glutton knew that was something he did not want to happen. Jaw tightens as he looks around again, his ears and eyes catching sight of other fights erupting - one including their father. Eyes narrow on the plum brute who charges toward Alaric, watching the two of them for several moments before his gaze shifts over toward his cousin starting her own fight. “ Denken Sie, wir sollten eigene Kämpfe herausfinden?” Think we should find our own fights? He speaks to @Hubert in a low tone, an ear flicking while he feels his muscles begin to tense. Should they make themselves useful or should they stand around like the bystander Wolf instead wanted to be?

ART & CODE BY LARS, MODIFIED BY GUNNER
*DO NOT USE WITHOUT PERMISSION!!*

She was alone for a short while before @Colsun came to sit beside her. The red giant would rumble a soft sound of greeting to the darker colossal as her gaze turned towards the main event. Before the young Mire king could make an appearance, she watched as fights started to break out. "We should give some space ..". She murmured to the dark lion. As Kireena got to her feet to turn and get some distance so she wasn't caught in the fray, she spotted @Sybil and with a gentle nudge to the dark lion would work her way to come stand beside the other red lioness.

Slowly, Kireena would shift in an attempt to nudge her shoulder against Sybils in what she hoped was a gesture of comfort. The woman spotted @Aeistrios and snorted. "Not surprised he's in the middle of this..". There was no love lost in her tone as she spoke to the woman..and perhaps the other dark lion she supposed might join.

ART BY VASILIA, CODE BY LARS