With conflicts between the East Blackwood Company and the Coterie of the Iron Daggers and, the suggestion of Ceallach of the O'Anni, East Blackwood ventured north for Lunorth's Summer Solstice festival.  In these dark times the festival proved a fine respite.  A plethora of tournaments were hosted from both host and guest alike of which Makø Tock of Nova Bretonia and East Blackwood and William Klatch of the Embassy Guard won the One Pot Cook-off, Lordas Champion of the Guard won the Mage's Duel "without magic!," and East Blackwood took second in the 3 v 3 arena duels.

With large festivals like these one can always expect dignitaries, merchants and persons of interest and likewise business and diplomacy can be practiced.  The Summer Solstice was no exception. 

Contents:

1. Gift of Wine to the Family of the Lord Protector of Lunorth
2. Lady Anne meets the Archon of the North
3. Lord Protector Darius
4. The New Lord of the Three Sisters of Lunorth
5. Partying in Lunorth
6. An Altercation Ending in Violence
7. Trade Negotiations with the Lord of the Three Sisters
8. East Blackwood Company Pays the Iron Daggers
9. Trade Negotiations with Father Kettle
10. Tournaments
11. New Members
    

1. Presentation of a Gift of Wine

3. Lord Protector Darius, General of the Northern Army

During the evening after the second to last day of the Summer Solstice in Lunorth, Sir Dagger, with the Fae Jinx, attended a birthday celebration for Agnes of the Iron Daggers where Lord Protector Darius was also present. There in a humorous chat, Lord Darius's ears were insulted and Dagger was forced to write a poem about them later. That poem has yet to be presented.

Lord Protector Darius offered to have Lady Anne train with him and his people a day later. Lord Sir Raven of the Iron Daggers also joined Lady Anne and Lord Darius for the training providing his own tutelage as well.       

During the length of the festivities, Sir Dagger and Lord Protector Darius talked again and again about matters of diplomacy and opinion. At one point Lord Protector Darius and Sir Dagger even ventured out into a dangerous wood together twice in search of someone thought to have been in danger and later a member of the Embassy Guard who had gone missing, Logaan.

4. Lord Captain Ravn Ulfsson, Lord of the Three Sisters and Noble of Lunorth

Ceallach of the O'Annid, as a then honored guest of East Blackwood, invited and spoke with the Lord to be of the Three Sisters, Captain Ravn Ulfsson at the East Blackwood camp. During this meeting Sir Dagger was dealing with another matter however after Ceallach informed Dagger that they were invited to dine at the high table with the new lord at his longhouse later during the festival.

Sir Dagger and Makø Tok worked a trade deal to pay for a gift for the new lord, an amber necklace and the crate it came in. Once the trade deal was done, Sir Dagger asked Lordas, the new Champion of the Embassy Guard, to inform Lady Anne that the formal gathering at the longhouse appeared to be about to begin. With members of the Embassy Guard, the gift was transported to the Long House and they made their way inside, Lady Anne following just behind.

Once inside and Sir Dagger and Lady Anne were seated with Lord Protector Darius, a speech was given by Lord Protector Viktor Kettle and Lord Ravn was sworn in as the new Lord of the Three Sisters. It was after that speech that Sir Dagger and Lady Anne presented the new lord with his gift. Later that night, Lady Anne also had the opportunity to speak with the new Lord.

5. Paryting with Iron Daggers, Fae, Lunorth and Others

The East Blackwood camp was host to gatherings for the first couple nights of the festival.  The one thing East Blackwood and Ceallach of the O'Annid had plenty of to offer its guests was alcohol.  Everything from Mead, Spirits to Beer... so much beer.  Many of the guests were all too happy to accept the hospitality often drinking with East Blackwood late into the night.

Following one such party, one of the Iron Daggers had promised to fight alongside East Blackwood in the next day's tournaments to the displeasure of his comrades.  Still, half drunk and hardly awake, the Iron Dagger took the field alongside East Blackwood to honor his promise.  

The resulting comradeship at these parties earned Lady Anne and East Blackwood invites to all of their gatherings especially the Name-day Celebration of Agnes a member of the Corterie. The night before the last of the festival, Lady Anne, Bødvar and Logaan, at least, of the Embassy Guard presented Agnes with a gift they had made for her.  She was reported to have been overjoyed receiving it.

6. The Altercation

After the Tournament to decide the new Champion of the Guard, Ceallach of the O'Annid was offered to remain in the East Blackwood camp as an honored guest.  Several days later, there was an argument between Sir Dagger of Blackwood and War-master Ceallach of the O'Annid the escalated until Ceallach ran a knife across the Ambassador's, Sir Dagger's, throat.  Jinx, a fae from the Eastern Seal, healed Dagger and Dagger instructed Lordas, Champion of the Guard, to inform Ceallach that he was no longer welcome in the East Blackwood camp.

Shortly after, Sir Dagger spoke with Grand Inquisitor, First Lady of Lunorth, Eva De'Andre asking her for her advice in dealing with the matter. He followed her advice as best he could as a result of the conversation.  Sir Dagger attended the Iron Dagger's birthday celebration for Agnes rather than pursue justice that night.

During the final day of the festivities, Sir Dagger and Logaan requested the aid of the Advocate's Guild in mediating a conversation between Ceallach of the O'Annid and Sir Dagger of Blackwood.  After three hours of talking the two came to an unsteady resolution, the advocates were paid and thanked for their services and those present returned to the festivities for the time being.

7. Trade Negotiations with Lord Ravn of the Three Sisters

After the new lord of the Three Sisters officially swore his vows, Sir Dagger and Lady Anne presented the new lord with a gift on behalf of East Blackwood. After this Lord Ravn and Sir Dagger talked potential trade agreements and assistance with one another.

8. Payment Agreed and Made

9. Trade Negotiations with Father Kettle

Among matters concerning a request form Nova Bretonia, trade was negotiated with the Kettles for shipments of horses. The deal has yet to be finalized.

10. Tournaments

Champion of the Guard Tournament

Every year in the summer, Sir Dagger of Blackwood hosts the Champion of the Guard tournament.  This year, the tournament took place at the Summer Solstice Festival in Lunorth.  Five soldiers of the Guard took part:  Wiliam, Falk, Logaan, Lordas, and Bødvar leaving the acting champion to watch.  The final fight was between Logaan of Nova Bretonia and Lordas Palatinus. Lordas defeated Logaan and Ceallach of the O'Annid challenged him to a fight.  The two fought and in the end gifts were given to the exiting champion to honor his service over the past year.

Lordas Palatinus is the new Champion of the Guard.

3 vs 3

The new Champion of the Guard insisted that both East Blackwood represent themselves in the tournaments and that Sir Dagger himself fight along side them. The East Blackwood fighters in the three on three tournament were Sir Dagger, Lordas and Logaan.

Poetry (Sort of)

Late on the first night of the Festival, Eva "suggested" that Dagger take part in the poetry tournament on the following day. Dagger took part in the poetry tournament the following day. The poetry entailed a rousing-Ignis oriented speech for the soldiers of the Northern Seal followed by a speech about Magika.  All participants performed well but the winner was clear to all, Jack of the Order of the Black Sun.

One Pot Cook Off

Makø Tock and William Klatch of the Embassy Guard entered the One Pot Cook Off with a recipe from William and they won.  William later gave his recipe to the hostess of the event.

Mage's Duel (Battle of Wits)

After the winning the Champion's Tournament and participating in all of the combat events, Lordas also found himself participating in the Mage's Duel.  Lordas, however, has no command of magic so, we were curious to see what exactly the tournament was.  As it turns out, the Mage's Duel was a battle of wits where the challenger and challenged make rules for each other to follow.  In the Final, once such rule exchange was as follows:

Challenged Rule 1:  Both Challenged and Challenger must must get a cup of the same size with the same amount and same type of water, whoever drinks it first may win.

Challenger Rule 2:  The cup must be the Challenger's cup which is a unique cup.

Challenged Rule 3:  Both must start in the middle of the arena with one hand on the cup.

Lordas and the Challenger fought for a bit but ultimately Lordas got the cup and was able to drink its contents.  Champion of the Guard, a warrior of cold steel, won the tournament after succeeding in a final set of challenge rules.

Auction and Shadow Shield Gambling

The Pommern hosted an Auction during the Summer Solstice Festival.  At the auction Makø made herself present and known as someone willing to be a lot of both her betrothed, Bødvar's coin and that of a friend on things she wanted. One such thing she wanted was a free pass to the finals of the Shadow Shield gambling tournament.  She won her coin to enter and later at the conclusion of the festival she competed in the event at the final table yet came up short just before the end.