Festival of Festivals

There is no pre-registration, but you must have an approved and uploaded Rider in order to participate. The Rider must be your own.

If you are a New Player and have yet to obtain your own horse, you may apply for one from the Adoption Centre. Alternatively you may borrow one of the Group Starter Horses. Please note the group to request a Starter Horse to use for the duration of the event with the Subject "Starter Horse Lease". 

No training or ranks are required to participate in the Festival.

You may enter the event with all your riders, but they will each need their own separate entries to earn awards. You may depict other characters in your entries for story purposes.

All entries should have the following information in the artist comments:

Link to Rider Import: link

Link to Mount Import: link (if applicable)

By participating in the Main Prompts, you are eligible to win 1st, 2nd or 3rd place and receive the according prize. 

The first few to wander through this area of the grounds are faced with a long track boldly outlined in thick crimson paint. Most agree (without discussing it amongst themselves) that this is a staging area for races and the like. 

That is, until the targets go up. Bales of hay crudely formed in the shape of humans take up their positions at the end of the track, large support beams hold targets far above the heads of onlookers, and a state-of-the-art pulley system imported from Mastay even moves targets back and forth along the edges of the track. 

It is clear now that this is no ordinary race track.

As the festival takes shape, the true purpose of the track becomes clear. “Archery!” A woman calls in a golden, sing-song voice, “Mounted archery! Test your aim! Is your horse swift? Sure-footed? Why not test your luck?” She flashes a grin and a little wink to the crowd that hangs on her every word. “All it takes is your name on the little dotted line.”

And your entry fee in hand.

On the easternmost edge of the festival, a sizeable crowd has gathered underneath the shade of two broad-leafed poplar trees. Women dressed in robes of green and yellow sit on the grass while children roam in packs, keeping each other occupied by playing all manner of games. The trees listen to shrieks of laughter spiralling up between their branches. In the center of the crowd, two young boys are busy re-marking the edges of a sandy circular arena with white chalk.

“Step right up! I said step right up and place your bets, folks! We got a great lineup tonight! Your favourites from Mastay, Kestrana, Haspar - you name ‘em we got ‘em!” A young woman with bright red tassels in her hair stands on top of an ornate wooden table, shouting details of today’s matches. Tacked to the tree next to her, a long sheaf of parchment shows the names of several dozen would-be wrestlers already. 

“Do you have what it takes? Are you the next Champion of Eclein? Put your name in the lists and you just might be in with a chance! And it’s adults-only after nightfall, folks!” She winks at the gathering crowd. “We want good, clean fights! Step right up and sign your name… yes, on the dotted line..!”

To the west of the hub of festivities, in the middle of a grassy field marked by small flags alternating blue and red, stand four mounted horses - two of them positioned side-by-side, shoulder to flank, so that their riders meet facing one another at the very center of the field. Gripped tightly between them in their clenched fists is a straw-stuffed corn husk bag crudely fashioned to resemble the form of a medium-sized, quadrupedal creature - possibly a sheep or a goat, although no one is really quite certain.

The third and fourth mounted players are positioned at their teammate’s back, a few paces behind, between the players in possession of the bag and their respective goals - two large, woven baskets sporting red and blue flags respectively, occupying either end of the playing field.

The game is set, and the referee raises the horn to their lips.

• Mounted tug-o-war is played in teams of two (4 players total).

• Each game is 30 minutes long.

• The objective of the game is for players to wrestle the corn husk bag away from the opposing team and run it down the field to place it into the opponent’s goal.

• A goal is scored each time a player places the corn husk bag in their opponent’s goal.

• If the bag is dropped, players have 30 seconds to retrieve it and resume play before the game is considered over and the team with the most points wins.
  Dropping the bag and actively preventing its retrieval may be used as a tactic to end the game before the 30 minutes is up (most often to secure an otherwise dubious win, or to throw the game early if the score is beginning to weigh too heavily to an opponent’s side to curb embarrassment) however this is considered a dishonorable maneuver that, if observed, may incur ramification to one’s social standing and reputability.

• A player’s mount stepping outside the field perimeter, or a player falling off their horse (or their feet are otherwise observed touching the ground) forfeits the game.

By participating in the Side Prompts, you will receive an item roll for each prompt and therefore in-game items.

Once all the festivities at the fairgrounds subside and the moon hangs high in the sky, the streets of Eclein come alive with exotic sights and sounds. Merchants from around the globe flood the streets with densely packed stalls, each one beckoning eager festival-goers to get a closer look. An entire world's worth of goods are on display, from food to exotic animals, incense to fine silks and cloth; all of it yearning to be discovered and, of course, bought. 

In the humming throng comes a hushed whisper, one that speaks of mage hunters presiding over the festivities with a cold grasp. The market's energy can easily be viewed as manic if one looks below the surface. Eyes dart from side to side, eyeing each blur of a person as they pass. Are they looking for a sign of magic, or simply begging not to be caught? Who could say? 

Merchants press their partners behind them as customers draw close. Young children peek from behind the legs of their parents, their little eyes drinking in as much information as they can. 

How does your character enjoy their time at the market? Do they gawk at expensive wares? Do they even give up some of their precious Valyut for some shining trinket? Perhaps they’re more caught up in the rumor of mage hunters waiting in the wings and are driven to help or hinder their efforts.

When sporting events didn’t fill the central tent of the fair with raucous sounds and competitors, the air seemed to shift, and a more whimsical form of entertainment took its place. Acrobats, fire dancers, strongmen, and women, all moved in to take up residence in the tent, performing for the enjoyment and Valyut of amazed onlookers.

In here, feats once thought to be impossible now seem to be commonplace. One can’t help but perhaps think that if there truly were mage hunters then…of course, they’d be looking in here. Despite the looming anxiety, trick riders rode their horses as if gravity held no power over them, as a man seemed to be able to swallow a sword without even flinching. The tent was a rainbow of different costumes and masks, each performer more colourful than the next. 

Does your character get caught in the glitz and glamor of the circus performers? Is there an act they’re especially captivated by? Are they inspired, perhaps, to try their hand at performing? Are they too distracted by the looming threat of mage hunters to enjoy their time to the fullest?

[This prompt may change as the event progresses.]

From the start of the festival, there is a whisper, a flurry of excitement around the rumor that someone has managed to cage fire and light and turn it into a creature to do their bidding. On the first night of the festival, there was to be a grand display; the inventor of this mythical thing would put on a show, a display for all that doubted them. 

In a clearing, many yards from the rather flammable tent, a crowd was gathered under cover of night, dim red lanterns lighting the path to the leveled earth. The crowd was wound tight, everyone seeming to hold their breath momentarily as they waited to see what exactly this display would be. Silence spread across the crowd, the soft shuffle of onlookers' feet seeming to be amplified in the darkness. 

Then, as if summoned by the guardians themselves, a loud whistle filled the air, and then CRACK,  there was a puff of smoke and then a rain of brilliant purple sparks. The crowd was alight with activity. Amazement, fear, confusion, all the emotions churned together before quickly being blotted out as another whistle filled the air and another, and soon the sky was alight with color and light. 

Is your character lured in by the display? Do they attend or watch on from somewhere else in Eclein? What do they think of the display? Is it magic, a gift from the guardians, or simply a trick of engineering? 

[Continuation of Fireworks]

A scream cuts through the cool night air. For a moment, it’s almost easy to believe that perhaps it was just a teen trying to start a fuss, or the sound of one of the fireworks whizzing overhead being morphed by the wind. Oh, how simple things might be if that were truly the case. The crowd comes to a standstill, as if everyone was holding their breath, frozen in horror as a frenzied column of fire lights up the night sky. The sounds of unmistakeable struggle fills the previously calm night. 

It is unclear where the call sprung up from, but soon the entire field is alight with whispers. The Mage Hunters, the ones so often mentioned in hushed voices, are finally here.
It only takes mere moments for the fireworks show to turn into a stampede of activity. Horses and people move move in different directions, some closer to the struggle, some fleeing as fast as their feet--or their horses feet--can carry them.
By the end of this flurry of activity, the idyllic field appears more like the site of some fresh disaster. Large patches of grass are still smouldering from the mage's fire, and in other areas lie trodden flat, or churned into mud from the hooves of panicked animals. Still others are dashed with deep crimson. 

The city watch pulls a woman away in cuffs, wild blonde hair billowing around her face, almost hidden entirely by a mask…
The firework-maker, on the other hand, is not lucky enough to be taken away in handcuffs. May they walk with Aslene always.

The air around Eclein morphs with the chaos that has overtaken the festival. A deep gloom has sunken over the merry crowd. No-one wants to openly speak of what happened.
Sooner than expected, perhaps, merchants are seen packing their carts, performers bidding a fond farewell to adoring fans, and travellers trickling away in groups of twos and threes. Perhaps it is simply easier to move on, than confront what happened. 

Depict how your rider reacts to this event. Did they suspect something like this would happen or are they taken by surprise? Are they fleeing from the scene like so many others or do they stay to investigate and ask around? Or perhaps they are not at the immediate point of action and are now confused at the sudden chaos? 

• Rider and mount are required for Mounted Tug O' War and Archery. Wrestling is an event for riders alone.

• Archery should be completed one rider at a time as to minimise risk of accidents and injury.

• For Mounted Tug O' War and Wrestling, you may pick a specific partner/team OR sign up to be randomly paired. This can also be completed solo if you prefer that. In this case simply do not depict another rider in the event.

• You should not depict a clear winner.

• Art must be your own, and made specifically for the event. Commissioned work, tracing, or pre-made linearts is not allowed.

• Images must be full-body, coloured and have a background. (Creative perspective will be taken into consideration.) 

• Chibis or oversimplified works will not be counted.

• Literature entries must be 1,400 words minimum. 

• Up to 2 rider and horse pairs are allowed per entry. 

• Collaborations must clearly state who did which parts. One entry may contain up to 2 collaborators. 

• Literature collaborations require a minimum of 700 words per participant. 

• Images must depict at least 75 % of the rider. The image must have a background scene. Shading is optional.

• Literature entries must be 1,000 words minimum. 

• Up to 3 rider (and mount) pairs are allowed per entry.

• Collaborations must clearly state who did which parts. One entry may contain up to 3 collaborators.

• Literature collaborations require a minimum of 500 words per participant.

• It is optional to include a mount. If you include a mount, your art can be rolled for up to 5 items instead of 3. 

Users completing at least one Main Prompt are eligible to win one of the main prizes. The user with the highest score will receive 1st Place. The user with the second highest score will receive 2nd Place. The user with the third highest score will receive 3rd place. 

Each user may only win one predesign. In case of collab partners winning a predesign, only one person may claim ownership of the mount. We will try to figure out compensation so both partners end up with a prize. 

You may decide the gender and height of your new mount as well as change the name. 

Among all participants a variety of prizes will be raffled. Each user will be added to the raffle pool once, no matter how many Prompts they complete. The raffle will be held after the completion of the Festival over in our Discord channel. Each user may win only one participation prize and we will begin raffling with the rarest prize first and make our way towards the bottom. 

Users completing at least one Prompt (no matter Main or Side Prompt) are eligible to win the People's Choice prize. At the end of the Festival, a Google Form will be released where the userbase may vote for their favourite entry. This may be the story you enjoyed the most or the artwork that blew your mind. Please choose the entry that left the most impact on you. 

Main Prizes

Participation Raffle

People's Choice