Rings of Honor

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The Druid Warlord opened his challenge to Dalamar ArD'aumon with a poem in his tribute, as befit the Overlord's incredible reign. When his actual challenge came, he very nearly had to face intercession from Baron Sartan, but Baron Seamus stepped in on the Warlord's behalf and defended his right to challenge. Eros's match against Dalamar went an incredible twenty-eight rounds before the Warlord low cut the ducking Dalamar for a 9.5-8 victory which made him the 29th Overlord of the Duel of Swords.

Eros's reign began just before the twenty-four challenge-free days that lead into a Warlord Tourney. When that safety time ended, however, not one but two challenges awaited the Overlord. Eric Siadek, second-place prizewinner from the Tourney, had taken the right to challenge as his prize. But also challenging was Baron Adonai Uziel, banished to Renegade by the Overlord when Eros demanded apology for what he felt was an insult to his wife's honor. The Baron, who had been one of several laughing over comments made by another dueler, refused. Adonai was banished on the first day of the Tourney, technically not part of the safety time as those are the twenty-four days before the Tourney, and so issued challenge that night.

The two pending challenges created a quandry, for by the rules of the sport neither challenge could be refused for any reason, and both superceded any other challenge. After some discussion the Supervisor, Goldendust Evermeadow, ruled that Adonai's challenge should take precidence, and Eric should face the winner of that match. All concerned parties found this acceptable, and Eros further declared that should he defeat Adonai, he would face Eric immediately after.

Eros apologized for banishing Adonai before the match, and stated he would not subject the Baron to a Test of Worthiness. A best-of-three match was fought, and in the first, though Adonai kept the score close throughout, the Overlord took the lead early and maintained it, to win 5-3 in ten rounds. After a brief rest, Baron and Overlord met again. This match proved much harder than the first, an extreme test of skill and endurance that stretched a full thirteen rounds. This time Adonai was the first to take the lead, but the Overlord was far from spent. Eros tied score with the Baron, and in the end a fast strike gave him the victory by 5-4.

Another brief respite, and Eros took to the ring again, this time opposite Warlord Eric Siadek. He faced Eric in a best-of-three match as well, and despite the long duels before, defeated his challenger 5-1 in seven rounds the first duel, 5-3 in eight rounds the second. By these unprecidented four victories in a row, Eros defended his title of Overlord against both challengers.

Renegade Baron of the Fifth, Vercentrix Favre, brought forth Eros's third challenge. He claimed no malice to the Overlord, simply a belief it was his time to lead. This belief proved in error, however, for the Overlord took the first and second match of the best-of-three by 5-2 in the seventh and ninth rounds respecively.

Unlike Baron Rix, Cristian de Oro, Baron of the First, had issue in abundance with the Overlord and his behavior in the rings. No sooner had Rix been defeated than Cris, standing as Rix's second, informed Eros of his intent to challenge. The official challenge came immediately upon the official posting of the results of Rix's challenge, and Eros accepted quickly. Only five days after his third defense, the Overlord entered the ring once more for a best-of-three match.

Cristian began the first match with the lead, but as it stretched into eleven rounds, Eros was able to overcome the deficit and win 5-4. The second match proved the hardest Eros had fought since he took the crown, a bloody thirteen rounds with a final score of 7-5.5. But this match was different in one respect from any previous fought by Eros for the crown; he lost. After a brief rest, both men took to the ring for their final bout.

Tired and seeking a quick end now, the Baron and Overlord rained blow after blow upon each other, keeping the duel tied for most of the six rounds. But a sudden recourse to defense gave the challenger the victory, 5-4, and a new Overlord reigned. Eros, now Baron of the First, immediately declared himself Loyal to his defeator.