Open [Calendar Event] A Race To Remember

[Kelski]

10th of Spring, 519 A.V.

Morning dawned bright and promised good weather... which was unusual in Sunberth in any season. The city often looked and smelled like smoldering garbage that was slightly too damp to actually burn well. But today there was a light breeze, gulls were out swinging over the sea and Mudway crying their joy that winter was over. There weren't many people on the streets either, since it was early and Sunberth tended to be a late night city.

But as they drew closer to the place the races were being held - The Jolly Good Stables - the more of a crowd had gathered until they were weaving their way through a good many folks. Kelski lead Moth nervously down the street , whispering reassurances to him that were more for her benefit than for a young cart horse that had grown up pulling heavy loads through the crowds since he was old enough to wear harness.

She was in good company, walking quietly, though she wasn't sure why they had all talked each other into joining in a city event. Ebon was going to join the foot race, and Dess was along to cheer from the crowd. The only person that had stayed home was Mercy, who had promised to watch the shop as well as her young daughter Caitlyn.

Kelski was sure Anja would put in a good showing, as well as she knew Alexander could run and might give Ebon a challenge. She should be on foot because she did love to run, but Moth had seen that Tack and Maisa were going and had looked at her with his big dark eyes and she couldn't refuse him.

So she would ride.

Kelski swallowed hard.

Everyone from the Gem had turned out for the races, either to ride or run in them. Kelski hadn't even had to beg. They all seemed willing to get out into the streets and blow the dust of winter off. Even Ember was out and about for the event, sure the children's race was something she could master. For one thing, Kelski was still grateful so many people had shown up to the party she threw for the New Year. So in a way, the event was something Kelski felt obligated to participate in. Even though, truth be told, she was not a good rider and not really in any shape to compete aboard Moth. However, she was reassured that it would be a good experience, racing through the streets of the city on horseback.

The Sea Eagle had no hope of winning, and very little hope of staying alive. But the point was the experience would be good for her to learn how to stick to a running horse in a crowd and not fall off or die.

Kelski suspected she'd fall off a lot though. And she knew she'd need Ebon's salves and healing arts before the day was through. She just hoped she could keep herself and Moth from getting hurt and perhaps have a little fun in the mean time.

[Crylon Stonecraft]

10 Spring 519 Crylon was coming to find out that, by his nature, he was a morning person. Down in the tunnels the sun did not matter since it was always night in a sense. But here, above ground, the world moved by the suns grace. His eyes could see better in the dark than a human with his Isurian eyes, but still the light of the sun made work easier. And many things in the city seemed to flee the light, or the clarity it brought to non-Isur such as humans, which meant to a degree at least the city was safer by day. Like saying you were safer putting hot coals down the front of your pants than eating them, but still he would take what he could get. It was like their was a thick rind over the city, Crylon thought, and the daily light of the sun burned away the topmost film making it that little bit cleaner. Not by any means all of it, but a perceptible layer. Since he would be out and about and exercising, Crylon wore his older clothes. A simple pair of pants and boots, foregoing the shirt to let his skin breath better... And nothing else. Anything more would be an unneeded tempting of fate, and if he was to focus on the task at hand he did not need to be worrying over getting mugged for a few mizas. The Gem household was heading out early together, and Crylon of course went along. He had no idea where they were going, but followed along behind the others. All the non-Isur freakishly oversized, as all of the citizens of the human lands seemed to be. Even those who were considered short for their race in human lands tended to be taller than Crylon. It was something he would need to bear in mind when building in human lands, since everything would need to be built to their height limitations. Of course while an Isur sized home did not need to be high, vaulting ceilings and such were common, so not as big of an issue. Doorways though. Chairs. Stairs. These could be affected. For a bit Crylon had considered riding, but had taken one look at a horse and decided against. For one, he did not know how he would get on and off the thing without a ladder. For two, he had no idea how to ride, and it did not seem the time to learn when in the midst of a race. Better to trust his own feet and legs, which he was much more familiar with. When they approached their destination Crylon knew, if nothing else the number of people and the press of the crowd told him they were there or close. He felt two different people snake their hands into his pockets surreptitiously in the press, only to find nothing and move on. Knowing Sunberth there had been others, but only those two had been clumsy enough for his unskilled eye to notice them. Crylon was no runner, Isur were not particularly built for the activity in truth. At least, he self edited, not sprinting. Marathons maybe, Isur could endure and weather quite a bit of effort, and there were those who had trained their endurance and running till they could run clear from one side of the Kalean mountains to the other without stopping. Crylon was not that well trained, but in general as was common of Isur he had a well honed body. It was his life long journey to hone it even more, till it was the razor sharp implement of Izurdins will he strived for. For now if he was not a perfectly crafted razor edged blade of Isurian Steel, he was at least a passably made steel blade which had been sharpened not too long ago. Bumping up against Kelski in the press, Crylon looked up to meet her eyes. “This, is this common for Sunberth? Do often? Not been here long, not seen fore.” Before whatever race he ended up in, Crylon would make sure to stretch first, warming up his muscles to a hot buttery consistency, ready to flex and pull and move his body. WC: 704

[Vasin]

Vasin had heard of the upcoming races by word of mouth and so he wanted to be up bright and early the day of. Kelski would have found him early that day at the stables getting Tack the Mule ready. Indeed Vasin didn't need much convincing at all, and without a doubt Tack could use some exercise. Joining the races sounded fun, and while Vasin did not actually know what he was doing it couldn't hurt to try. He would learn by trying and get some formal training here and there. Plus Vasin figured it didn't matter if he won or lost. He doubted he would win a race, but that wouldn't stop him from trying! Indeed, even the slightest chance was still a chance! Leading Tack through the street by the reins he made sure not to be too pushy with the male Mule. This would be a good experience for the two of them to bond a little. After all, Tack didn't exactly know Vasin very well and no doubt the circumstances leading to their first meeting were very traumatic. Best way to build a relationship with Tack he figured was to go out a do stuff with them.

"You ready to win?" Vasin said partially jokingly to Tack whose eyes rested on him quizzically."You are probably going to do more than me. So I'll be relying on you to get us through the race." Vasin said in a soft tone not wanting to upset the mule its ears directed at him. Tack was well behaved as they brought him through the streets towards where the race was to be held."Never ridden horseback before, let alone a mule." he said knowing there would be a fair bit of trial and error involved in this. He hoped the others at the midnight gem would do well. More so he hoped they all had fun with the race. It was a good distraction overall from daily life here in Sunberth. Vasin and Tack would walk up next to Kelski."You ever been in a race before?" Vasin would ask her curious as they moved along.

"I've never been in a serious one myself." Vasin said not being much of a runner. Plus, he had never had a Mule nor a Horse before. Back then he didn't have a place to house one. Lucky for him Tack had a place at the stables at the Gem. Anja had taken good care of the Mule after they brought him up from the tunnels. Though in the back of his mind there were still many questions left unanswered about his owner. If Tack could speak, he was sure he would have many stories to tell. Vasin could see it in his eyes, or rather he thought he could. Then he noticed Crylon come up to talk to Kelski as well."Crylon! How have you been?" he asked happy to see him.

[Anja Nightwatcher]

Anja had never competed in a race before. It was kind of silly, come to think of it, that he hadn't. It wasn't as if the Drykas weren't busy testing themselves and their striders against each other in good fun...and also sometimes in less good fun and under more serious circumstances. Anja's old strider, Rivian, would have loved races. He had been an incredibly spirited show off, and a chance to test his abilities against others would have been seized with reckless enthusiasm. But Anja had impressed his wife early on without the need for showmanship, and the Spiritist had usually been busy with more domestic tasks while the young men displayed their vim and vigor. And of course, after his pavilion's death, there had been no need or interest in games.

Still, despite a nagging sense of unease, Anja had not been able to say no when the word 'race' had caused Maisa to rear onto her back legs and kick at the sky with exhilaration. Anja was more than convinced that Maisa could win any competition she wanted to if she put her clever mind and fiercely honed muscles to the task. But doing so with Anja on her back...well. The sad truth was, Drykas or no, and despite the fact that he was on Maisa's back more often than he was off of it...well, he simply wasn't that great of a rider. Part of it had to do with the fact that he rode such a willful mare; he hardly had to give her commands, and she was leading him more often than not. Anja knew no tricky maneuvers, and his skill at mounted combat was laughable. Usually he just did his best to hold on.

Still, Maisa had decided for both of them that she was running this race, and Anja suspected that if he weren't on her back then she would simply run it without him. If Maisa was so determined to run this race, than he needed to come along and be sure she didn't somehow get herself killed, stolen, or worse. He walked through the crowds beside Kelski to the racing point with Maisa trotting untethered at his heels, and while the group of Geminites waited for their races to begin, Maisa pranced back and forth and tossed her head.

Anja was happy to see Vasin as well as Crylon with the group, and while Maisa continued to work out her nervous energy, Anja moved over to join them. "I haven't heard of any races in the time I've been here in Sunberth," Anja admitted. "Nor have I participated in one myself till now." The Drykas glanced at his pacing horse with a wry smile. "Perhaps I should have before now." Anja honestly had no idea what had gotten into Maisa. She normally wasn't this competitive.