Twilight Quest: King of the Ring 2023

[Tippletoe]

Duel of Swords Presents: King of the Ring
Friday August 4th, 8:15PM ET at #twilight_isle

Welcome to the 2023 King of the Ring Tournament! As part of the Twilight Guild Quest this tournament will be hosted on Twilight Isle. With the permission of Archmage Harker, the tournament will occur within the Celestial Keeper's Unique Ring: Olympus.


Prizes
The following prizes will be offered in order of tournament placement, starting with first place!

Citadel Grace-Breaker Challenge Grant

Regardless of rank, the winner of this grant may challenge any current Baron even if they are under a grace period. You are not required to use your challenge rights with this grant. All other "Universal Terms of Challenge" apply. This grant expires at the end of the Summer Cycle.


Cloak of Stars

This Cloak of Stars of blue silk seems to move to match the mood of their wearer. Experts say that for one who can bond with the cloak they will have greater protection at night.


Guided Tour of the Citadel of Stars

A one-hour tour of the Archmage's Citadel of Stars. The tour must occur prior to the next Archmage Challenge.
*Art by Timi Honkanen. Used as an inspirational reference, it does not depict canon imagery for the Citadel.



Twilight Market Gift Certificate
A 200 Noble gift certificate, valid at any store located within the Twilight Market



Participation Gift

Each participant will receive a box containing two-dozen of Max's special decorated sugar cookies.

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Sign Ups
You can sign up on this thread by adding your name to the list. Please sign up below as sign ups will be limited to the first 16 participants. Not in the top 16? Sign up anyway and I'll put you on the stand-by list should one of the 16 not show.

Arriving On Time
King of the Ring starts promptly at 8:15pm ET. You must arrive by 8:00pm to keep your spot, otherwise, we will begin filling from the standby list. There are NO exceptions.

Achievement
The KotR tournament winner may claim the King of the Ring Tournament Champion Achievement.

OOC Note: As always, these tournaments do not happen in isolation! My sincere thanks to Max and Maggie for supporting these ideas, and a special thanks to Gatito for taking the lead on the forthcoming menu. Any questions can be directed to myself, Tippletoe Timbers.

[Tippletoe]

The OOC Details

Sign-Ups
Early Seeding Sign-Up goes until August 4th at 11pm ET. Seeding goes strictly by sign-up (First Come, First Serve). The tournament cap is 16 people. If we hit 16 sign ups, then you can put yourself on the stand-by list/walk-in and we will fill no-shows in that order.


Arriving On Time
The King of the Ring starts promptly at 8:15pm ET. You must arrive by 8:00pm to keep your spot, otherwise we will begin filling from the standby list. There are NO exceptions.


The Seeding Order
The order set before the Melee will determine the order in which the moves are considered to have been performed. The first round will go 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8, the second will go 2-3-4-5-6-7-8-1, etc. This will determine, in the case of more than one person attacking a single dueler, who swings first in the round.


Submitting Your Moves
Each player will send in two moves: one primary move and one secondary move. The primary move must have a name (the target) attached --this is the person the move will be directed against.
Format: [move against target] [target] / [secondary move]
Example: HC Tippletoe / LP

What moves can I use?
Offensive or defensive moves can be used as either primary or secondary maneuvers.

How often can I repeat a move?
After a move is selected as the primary move, one more must be used before it can be selected again as the primary move. After a move is selected as the secondary move, you must wait one full round before it can be used as either a primary OR secondary.

Example:
Round 1: Thrust/High Cut
For Round 2, you can choose Thrust as the secondary, but High Cut is unavailable for BOTH move sets.
Round 2: Low Cut/Thrust
For Round 3, you can choose Low Cut as the Secondary, High Cut as Primary OR Secondary, but Thrust is unavailable for BOTH move sets.
Round 3: Slash / High Cut
For Round 4, you can choose Slash as the Secondary, Low Cut as Primary OR Secondary, but High Cut is unavailable for BOTH move sets.

Note: This means that a round consists of two moves. The only exception to this is that a disengage may be used multiple times in a row, as often as you want, just not as both moves simultaneously (you can’t disengage as both primary and secondary).


Modifiers (Fancies)
Everyone starts with 2 (two) fancies, bursts of adrenaline for the character. As a little added incentive, a player can receive an additional Fancy for every character they eliminate. This means that the player must perform the finishing move (see below) to receive credit for the elimination. Only one person (first in the order) will receive credit for each elimination.


Scoring
Rounds are ALWAYS resolved in Turn Order. Turn Order is important. Everyone starts with 8 stamina, which goes down to 0.

• If two fighters select each other with their target primary moves those moves are compared against each other first like a normal duel using the DoS Matrix.
• If a different fighter than the target attacks the fighter, the secondary move is used on that second duelist. This means that even if you fight someone Primary vs Primary (or 1v1), you still have a secondary move (your ‘reflex’ move).
• Any other attacks or Fancy maneuvers on that dueler (working down the turn order) work automatically, as it is assumed that the attackers are coming in from too many angles for the target to stop them all. Normal defenses, however, do not auto-hit. A LP vs. nothing is ineffective, a FLP vs. nothing scores a point. To limit the effect of ganging up, no dueler's stamina can be reduced by more than 3 points a round. If you would drop down by 3.5, you only go down by 3.

Sample Fight: Round 1
Players- Cletus, Bode, Ramsus, Chris, Jake
1. Cletus- TH (Chris)/SH
2. Bode - LP (Chris)/CP
3. Ramsus- TH (Cletus)/LC
4. Chris- HC (Jake)/LC
5. Jake - LP (Chris)/TH

Chris goes after Jake, but Jake is ready with a timely defense {HC vs LP, Chris -.5 HP). Cletus and Bode both set their sights on Chris. Cletus' TH sails over Chris LC {TH vs. LC, Chris -1 HP}, hitting and leaving Chris wide open, but Bode just stands there ready to defend {LP vs Nothing, no change}. Ramsus turns around and finds Cletus open to attack but his thrust gets caught up in his stop hit {TH vs SH, -1 Ramsus}.

Remaining Health: (Cletus-8, Chris-6.5, Ramsus-7, Bode-8, Jake-8)

Sample Fight: Round 2
Players- Cletus, Bode, Ramsus, Chris, Jake
2. Bode - LC (Ramsus)/LP
3. Ramsus- HC (Bode)/TH
4. Chris- TH (Ramsus)/HC
5. Jake - LC (Chris)/LP
1. Cletus- FCP (Ramsus)/TH

Bode and Ramsus go for each other, Bode attacks Low and Ramsus High {LC vs HC, Bode -1, Ramsus -1}. Chris also goes for Ramsus, and they trade violent thrusts {TH vs. TH, Chris -1, Ramsus -1}. Jake has his eyes still set on Chris, swinging low with his axe, but Chris is ready to return the blow {LC vs. HC, -1 Jake, -1 Chris}. The Ramsus Gang-Up continues, with Cletus taking an offensive strike that Ramsus cannot defend {FCP vs Nothing, Ramsus -1}.

Remaining Health: (Cletus-8, Chris-4.5, Ramsus-4, Bode-7, Jake-7)


Health and Elimination
Each character will have 8 stamina, and starts at 8 points*. Offensive moves and Fancy maneuvers score full points, normal defenses score half a point to a maximum of 3 (three) per round. Once a character is down to 0 points they are worn down enough to be taken out of the fight! The next hit does NOT automatically knock a dueler from the ring.

**Characters cannot reach 0 points AND be eliminated in the same round. Thus, if a character reaches their 0 points in round ten they cannot be eliminated until round eleven.**

There are certain ways to eject someone from the ring- Stop Hit (SH), Thrust (TH), Slash (SL), by scoring a point with a Fancy Maneuver (offensive or defensive), or by using two successful defenses in a row against them. Matching elimination strikes (TH/TH, FHC/FLC) will not throw the intended target out of the ring.

Once the fight gets down to the final two duelers they will only submit one move. Rules for eliminating your opponent remain the same.

Examples of Elimination Moves and Final Fight
Round Ten
Cletus: FLC Jake / TH
Jake: HC Cletus / SS
Chris: CP Cletus / LC

Cletus vs. Jake, FLC vs HC. Jake is eliminated by the FLC. Cletus is not eliminated by the regular HC.
Chris vs. Cletus, CP vs TH. Chris has one successful defense.

Round Eleven, Final Two
Cletus: HC
Chris: LP

Chris vs. Cletus, LP vs HC. Chris successfully defends twice in a row. Cletus is eliminated.


Time Limit
You will have sixty seconds to decide your move for the next round and send it in. This rule will be enforced as well as possible. This isn't a round-to-round fight, per se, where the fighters hit, reset, hit, etc. This is a battle of pure kinetic energy, where everyone is pretty much in motion for the whole duel; to take five minutes between moves would slow the Melee to a complete crawl, especially considering that it will take the caller a few minutes to tally up the scores and start the call, plus the time involved in the opening round(s) of action.

*Starting health may change at the discretion of the tournament officiator based on the number of entrants, to a minimum of five.

==========
History: King of the Ring started as a Tournament for Dockside in 2006. It was hosted once more in 2009 and has been an annual event since the King of the Ring Water Tournament in 2020.

Do you have questions or want clarification on the rules or the tournament style? DM me at Anne Ellis#0253.

[Tippletoe]

Sign Ups:

Early Seeding Sign-Up goes until August 2nd at 11:59pm ET. Seeding goes strictly by sign-up (First Come, First Serve). The tournament cap is 16 people. If we hit 16 sign ups, then you can put yourself on the stand-by list/walk-in and we will fill no-shows in that order.
1. Ebon Ilnaren
2. Maggie Harker
3. Rachael Blackthorne
4. Anubis Karos
5. Szuzak Mos
6. Kruger
7. Wendu
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.

Standby:

1.
2.
3.
4.

[Partly Cloudy]

Twilight Quest: King of the Ring Menu



Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomato Arancini
panko-crusted balls of spinach & sun-dried tomato risotto stuffed with mozzarella
served with spicy marinara sauce for dipping


Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp Bites
tender jumbo shrimp wrapped in bacon & glazed with sticky honey-garlic sauce
served with honey-lime sauce for dipping


Firecracker Meatballs
spicy, garlicky meatballs made with ground chicken, parmesan & panko
& glazed with savory, sweet & spicy firecracker sauce
served with extra firecracker sauce for dipping


Savory Cheesecake Bites
airy phyllo cups filled with caramelized onion & fig goat cheese cheesecake filling
topped with fig jam & balsamic caramelized onions


Whipped Feta Dip
salty feta & creamy goat cheese blended with Greek yogurt, roasted garlic & fresh herbs
topped with herb-infused olive oil, fresh herbs, toasted sesame seeds & fresh lemon


Herbed White Bean Dip
cannellini beans blended with roasted garlic, tahini, lemon juice & fresh herbs
topped with herb-infused olive oil, red pepper flakes & fresh herbs


The dips are served with magic wand- & sword-shaped soft sourdough pretzels,
shield-shaped rosemary crackers & fresh crudités.





Celestial Croquembouche
a luxurious tower of choux pastry puffs that have been filled
with dark chocolate & orange-vanilla pastry cream & coated in crunchy caramel
finished with golden spun sugar & edible gold leafing





Moscato Sangria
moscato wine, Gran Gala, Aperol, fresh orange juice & citrus sparkling water
with sliced blood & cara cara oranges

Strawberry-Basil Lemonade Fizz
fresh lemon juice, homemade strawberry-basil syrup & citrus sparkling water
with sliced strawberries, lemon & fresh basil

The chocolate-filled puffs in the croquembouche have been made using Celestial Chocolate, which is safe for those who are allergic or otherwise sensitive to regular chocolate, and this has been clearly noted with a marker by the display.

[Ebon Ilnaren]

I will give this a shot.

Ebon Ilnaren

[Mairead Harker]

Barring complications, I'm in.

Maggie

[Rachael Blackthorne]

Barring duties that will prevent mon participation, I will enter this event.


--Rachael Blackthorne

[Anubis Karos]

I think that my vacation away from the bloodsport has lingered on long enough. I shall enter.

~Anubis Karos

[Szuzak Mos]

I.... have some.... new ideas... that need some.... tampering with....

This could.... provide me worthwhile...... data...

Or not.............


...

Hmm...

[Kruger]

Please pencil The Anvil in for this. (Hopefully life won't bite me this time!)

[Wendu]

Sign Ups:

Early Seeding Sign-Up goes until August 2nd at 11:59pm ET. Seeding goes strictly by sign-up (First Come, First Serve). The tournament cap is 16 people. If we hit 16 sign ups, then you can put yourself on the stand-by list/walk-in and we will fill no-shows in that order.
1. Ebon Ilnaren
2. Maggie Harker
3. Rachael Blackthorne
4. Anubis Karos
5. Szuzak Mos
6. Kruger
7. Wendu
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.

Standby:

1.
2.
3.
4.

[Tippletoe]

Twilight Quest - King of the Ring Tournament Results

On Friday, August 4th we had five contestants for the King of the Ring: Twilight Quest! Archmage Harker, Darkgaze Rachael Steelblade, Ebnor Tenacity, Wiley Wendu, and Anubis Jackaldeath of the Million Dogs.

Wiley Wendu performed admirably for his first tournament, but fell to Rachael’s Steelblade! In the next round, Anubis of the Million Dogs also succumbed to Rachael’s Darkgaze. After several rounds of tight combat, Everkeeper Rachael was eliminated by the Tenacious Talon - Ebon! For eight rounds the Archmage and former Governor fought back and forth, forth and back, before calling it a tie at the end of the 22nd round!

Congratulations to Tenacious Ebon, a King of the Ring; and Archmage Harker, a Queen of the Ring! Tied for first and second.


Prizes

Ebon: Cloak of Stars

Maggie: Twilight Market Gift Certificate

Rachael: Citadel Grace-Breaker Challenge Grant

Anubis: Guided Tour of the Citadel of Stars. (The tour must occur prior to the next Archmage Challenge.)