Rings of Honor

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Myria Graziano won the 2017 Madness Tournament and was award the right to challenge the Overlord free of intercession. Typically a warlord tournament prize, the Winter tourney had been canceled and so this right found its way to Myria's hand. There was a bit of banter between Myria and Overlady Jewell, which makes one wonder if that's why Jewell had stepped in again Lacey when she challenged Vael. (Lacey's challenge was via a grant bestowed by Myria and both appear to be associated with the old Wrecking Crew team). When the two met they did so in best of three format; Jewell claiming no honors or colors while Myria dueled below the Crew's blue and grey, but similarly claimed no honors. Sadie, who officiated the challenge, declared herself both their lady of honor and called for seconds from the crowd, but none were accepted. In the first of the duels Jewell demonstrated the skill that had already carried here through 5 defenses and controlled the pace from start to finish. A 10th round low cut won it for her 5-3. In the second duel it was Myria who would be the one demonstrating how she got to this point; it takes more than a little bit of luck to come out on top in the annual DoS Madness tourney. It was 3-0 before Jewell landed a high cut to narrow the gap, but in the end My would take this one 5-3.5 after 11. Riding her momentum from the second duel, My took the first point in the final duel by countering Jewell's aggressive opener. The Overlady returned to that move two rounds later though and caught My in the wrong posture to even the score 2-2. My edged into the lead once again, but was never able to get too far out in front before Jewell would come back once more. In the 7th round they found themselves tied at 4 points each and the mantle on the line. Jewell parried and Myria took advantage of it, a low duck and counter to wrap up the match and win 5-4. By virtue of winning duels two and three, Myria parlayed a DoS Madness championship into the Overlord Mantle. (Details)

My didn't have long to wait before her first challenge same along. Jenny Chae won cycle Warlord Tournament and claimed the intercession free prize to set up a show down between "best Chae" and the Wrecking Crew's current standard bearer. My picked a best of three format for her first title defense, but wouldn't need all three to make it happen. JC didn't go down as easy as that sounds though, forcing Sudden Death in the 2nd of the duels. My overcame to get the win though and continue her reign. (Details)

The 2nd challenge to Myria's reign came from Harris D'Artainian. Harris simply couldn't believe that it was Myria, not Maria, who held the title and wanted to rectify this anomaly in his world view. She was the wrong Crew member and the wrong Graziano woman. Harris issued his challenge and Myria accepted, meeting up in the Arena a couple of weeks later. The Overlady, dueling below the banner of the Wrecking Crew and in honor of Mama Graziano, looked to her second, Lacey Tamarez, to face Harris first in the Test of Worthiness. In the crowd was loyal (at the time) baron Kalamere Ar'Din. There's no official record of what he was offered, but pursuant to a conversation with Harris, the half-elf declared himself renegade to the Overlady and took to the ring to face Lacey in the Right to Challenge fight. Lacey lead for most of the fight but not quite enough to keep Kal out of contention. Two quick strikes in the 11th and 12th rounds took the win for the baron and cleared the path for Harris to face off against Myria.

The main event saw Harris fighting below a blue on blue on blue banner with Seirichi his lady of honor and Maria Graziano named as second, though neither was present at the time (and it is likely debatable that Maria would have agreed to this if she had been). He took the opening round with a sidestep. The lead was short lived, however, as the Overlady took points in the 2nd and 3rd to go up 2-0.5. There'd be no recovering for Harris from the set back. A scoring thrust and a cut trade in the 7th and 8th had Myria up 4-2.5. The winner came in the 11th round when the Overlady ducked and countered an errant high cut from the challenger and completed a 5-3.5 defense. (Details)

Rachael Douglas was the runner-up of the Summer Cycle Warlord Tournament and awarded the intercession free challenge to try removing the mantle from Myria. Not unusual for a WTL winner challenge, there was little drama around the fight and the pair faced off in Best of Three format a couple weeks later. Myria fought below the blue and grey Wrecking Crew banner with her squire, Lacey Tamarez, as her second while naming no honors. The challenger fought for the honor of her husband, Ian, and named David Hamato-Harada as second. A panther and wolf adorned her black and gold banner.

The first duel went to Myria in an 11 round contest and ended with a pair of stellar defenses. The second was somewhat shorter, at 8 rounds, but had a nearly identical result. Myria took an early lead before giving up a few points, but brought it to a close in the 8th with an expert sidestep and counter to win by score of 5-3. Having won two bouts, the third was unnecessary and left Myria as Overlord. (Details)

The 4th challenge to Myria's reign came from "Baby Baron", Mairead Harker. In fairness, Maggie wasn't really a baby so much any more, having officially reached her tweens. Anubis came out of the woodwork, which made for an interesting dynamic of Overlady and challenger finding common cause. It was fairly light fair though. The pair met with Apple calling on the 6th of October and fought this one in single duel format. Myria stuck with her typical colors and Maggie stood below a banner of midnight snow and symbols of her heritage, with her squire Doran as second and her parents, Dennis and Rhiannon, as her honors.

The duel was a close back and forth affair. The baroness was first on the board with a high cut, then Overlady Myria scored twice to take the lead for herself in the 3rd. Maggie took the next two and acheieved a new lead, 3-2, with a pair of cuts in the 4th and 5th. My caught up and then a trade of cuts in the 7th set this up for a sudden death 8th round. Maggie looked to defend high, but Myria danced around the parry and struck the winning blow in the 8th round to win 5-4. (Details)