In comes Caspian, with a sway in his stride, walking on over to the commoner's stand with a wave given to those he knows - which is basically almost everyone. He gets around. "Good luck Jeffeth! Dismas! Have a good fight and win or lose, do it with style!" He calls out to them, thrusting his fist into the air.

Elgana enters arm-in-arm with Bliss, that retinue trailing after them as she pauses and then heads to the noble stands, finding them a good spot to sit.

Duarte makes his way to the commoner stands like the noble in denial he is.

Lord Pancake, the adventurous puppy arrives, following Verity.

Elgana has joined the Noble Seating.

Verity has joined the Noble Seating.

Arriving in the Proving Grounds with one Lys de Lire at his side, Theo Velenosa casts a glance around the field. "I don't know the Champion which Sir Jeffeth is to fight, but I cannot help but fear for him. Sir Bayweather is so very... large." The Lycene prince draws his flask up to his lips for a drink. "Have you found a Champion yet, by the way? Or are you too busy quaking in your boots at the prospect of my inevitable victory?"

Ender, a Silver Gyrfalcon, Ursa arrive, following Marian.

Marian has joined the Noble Seating.

Barric has joined the Noble Seating.

Coral, a dour formal thrall arrives, following Karadoc.

Bliss follows along happily into the noble stands with Elgana, the Whisper turning as she does so to whistle out playfully to the fighters. "Put on a good show, you two! she says with a laugh, and then hearing Theo, she says, "It's not really the size of the man that matters in a duel, your highness, but how well he wields his sword." There's a sparkle of mischief in her eyes as she sits.

Jeffeth checked dexterity at difficulty 15, rolling 3 higher.

Bliss has joined the Noble Seating.

Karadoc has joined the Noble Seating.

Dismas arrives as right-on-time as one can be for this sort of thing, while the crowd's still settling in, well-after his opponent's made his appearance and had time to set the timbre. A rather relaxed tone, it would seem, which has the dark-haired man descending into the ring grinning with wide amusement. "Planning on staying there?" he asks of Jeffeth with a high arch of one brow. "Might make you easier to hit." Maybe. He's not sure.


Entering with a bounce in her step, Cosette is grinning from ear to ear and looking about. She spies the two who will soon challenge one another, and she lifts her right hand to send a feverish wave towards Jeffeth, even if he doesn't happen to catch it or be looking to the crowd as she does. The young woman gives a backward glance to a guard who travels with there, making sure she didn't lose him in her hurry to arrive, and then she is moving toward the seating area to find a perfect viewing spot.

Cosette has joined the Noble Seating.

Marian arrives at the event, dressed warm for the event. She takes a seat in the noble stands just as things are getting on their way. She eyes the champions making their way to the field, giving a polite nod to those around her. She motions to Cosette as she makes her way up the stands that she's welcome to sit with her.

Sasha arrives to the tourney with excitement echoing in her eyes and the event hasn't even started yet. Her steps easily leading her over to the noble seating and slipping into a seat closer to the front.

Sasha has joined the Noble Seating.

Pressing into the grass, Jeffeth slowly pushes himself up to his knees. Then pushing off his knees the man lumbers to his full height. Once up, he stretches, rotating his torso this way then that with a light grin on his features as Dismas calls out to him. The big man tucks his foot up under the blade. And with a flick of his leg and ankle the blade goes flying up to his hand. Jeffeth /just/ catches it, but catches it all the same. Pushing the warhammer off with one foot, he starts moving forward in the circle towards Dismas. "Dismas Scratch!" Jeffeth bellows out with a bright smile, before bowing deeply to his opponent. "May we honor Gloria and may we both keep all of our pieces mostly intact."

Iseulet meanders in with her hands clasped behind her back and greets everyone with a little nod of the head and a smile, heading to noble seating to chatter as the fight seemingly begins.

Iseulet has joined the Noble Seating.

Karadoc, unhurried, meanders up to the stands from the general direction of the Lyceum ward. Slouch-shouldered, hands in the pockets of his overcoat, smiling a tiny little smile to himself as though he'd heard a killer joke just moments before. He takes a few steps into the stands, chooses a seat and settles in to watch.

Jordan nods to both duelists, grabbing a bottle of wine from his bag, uncorking it and unceremoniously sipping from the bottle as he reclines against his seat at the bench, lazily. "Probably we might see warhammer versus sword today. Granted, I don't want to /think/ about what it takes to make someone bleed with an unspiked blunt weapon." The knight grimaces, shakes his head, and drinks from his bottle again to clear the thought.

"The bigger they are the harder they fall." says Lys dryly to Theo as she walks with him. A glance is given toward the grass, eyes shifting over Jeffeth. "I bet if Scratch tripped him Jeffeth would fall like a tree." Her gaze scans those in the area and she says, "Oh look, there's Lady Iseulet. Shall we go sit with her?"

Lys has joined the Noble Seating.

Arriving into the proving grounds in his normal silks and leathers, Barric plucks at his vest and hmms to himself as he makes his way through the crowds over towards the noble seating area. Climbing up into the stands there he ends up finding a seat next to Marian and he smiles at her. "Princess. It has been far to long." He grins wryly, "Especially if we're going to work on getting you back into fighting shape." He chuckles and then offers a polite nod and smile to the rest he knows before he looks down towards the fighting.

Pasquale slips through the crowd, muttering a few "Excuse me"s and "Pardon me"s as he gets himself a seat among the nobility. Tightening his cloak around his shoulders as he goes, against the autumn weather. Whatever his annoyance at the crowd and the weather, though, his eyes are bright with interest for the duel.

Pasquale has joined the Noble Seating.

Jordan has joined the Commoner Stands.


As she scoots past some who have already sat down, Cosette spies Marian and gives her a cheerful smile and excited wave. She gathers her dress and lifts it just a smidge more so she can hurry over to Marian, and once close enough she lowers down to sit at the other side of the woman. She glances to Barric with a smile, then murmurs to Marian, "Isn't this exciting?" She giggles, looking back over the event.

Iseulet has left the Noble Seating.

Alsandair, The Fabulous have been dismissed.

Crom, the butcher puppy have been dismissed.

"A lesson I'd do well to remember, I'm sure," Theo replies dryly to Bliss as he and Lys make their way up into the stands. He passes his flask--filled with pear moonshine--over to Lys as they ascend into the stands, the thin Lycene prince leading them to a seat with an unobstructed view.

Dismas is not a short man by any measure. Really, Jeffeth's only got a few inches on him. It's a matter of breadth and bearing, really, the way the dual-wielding knight seems to tower over his slenderer sword-wielding competitor. Not that this seems to trouble the--slightly--shorter man at all, his crooked smile effortless, easy, even as he turns it toward the crowd. Voice raised, he calls out, "It's the underdog's story today, folks! Don't let his size and confidence fool you." Drawing his longsword, he reacquaints himself with its weight as the blade's drawn in a figure-eight, as he settles himself into a proper combative stance and tells Jeffeth--and the crowd--"The day will be mine."

Theo has joined the Noble Seating.

Jeffeth wields simple steel longsword.

Dismas wields a nameless blade.

A fight has broken out here. Use @spectate_combat to watch, or +fight to join.

"No sparkly red shirt today, Sir Bayweather?!" Duarte bellows from the commoner seats out between cupped hands to amplify his voice. He grins.

Delia has joined the Noble Seating.

With the warhammer cast out into the grass, Jeffeth moves forward with just his simple steel longsword, holding it one handed as he appraoches Dismas. There's a slow grin that works up his lips at Dismas' words. "As you say, Scratch." And then, they're on each other. With his very first lunge, Jeffeth's sword tings against Dismas breastplate before the big man sidesteps Dismas' counter. No damage is done, just a loud sound. And Jeffeth grins toothily at the other man. A few more exchanges, easy parries, working out of the way on either party. After three of these exchanges Jeffeth swings his blade up, not really in a strike but more to bat away Dismas' blade, giving him an opening. With the opening given, the larger man steps in and delivers a headbutt, dome to dome. There's a crack as a skull smashes against a skull and Jeffeth is quickly disengaging.

Kit, the grey fox have been dismissed.

1 Greenmarch Guard have been dismissed.

Sir Rodrick, a Valardin Knight have been dismissed.

Kuhn, the Knowledgable Knave have been dismissed.

Emma, the Educated Examiner have been dismissed.

Dismas proves a fairly studious combatant, watching the way Jeffeth moves with every intention of avoiding another clatter of sword-to-breastplate. Parry after parry has him vaguely suspicious, like he's expecting more from the bigger man and is waiting for the charge. It's just, ya know, that he didn't foresee it coming at him in the shape of that vicious headbutt. While he's busy righting his blade to swing it in at Jeffeth again, he finds himself suddenly seeing stars and stumbling backwards, blinking. Sword held up defensively, he brings a hand to his face to check for blood--still clear--and sputters out a deep, genuine laugh. Before shaking his head to refocus on Jeffeth. "That how it is, then?" With a nod, he squares up and charges back in.

Monique arrives, quietly and entirely unobtrusively, finding a place in the stands to watch the fight from.

Monique has joined the Noble Seating.

Bashira has joined the Commoner Stands.

Dandy, the red fox arrives, following Etienne.

After the love tap Jeffeth gives Dismas, the two are disengaging, circling, and there are definitely no red heads running in to throw themselves in the middle of the duel. There are a few more exchanges, strike, parry, riposte, dodge. Jeffeth as always, is a grappler when he fights. The blade is more out there to defend himself, while his free hand (and head sometimes) is going out to do the real work. Shoving, sometimes elbows, a grab of Dismas' breastplate to throw off his momentum. It's a very up close and personal style of fighting. Warm and cozy. Jeffeth is able to graze Dismas with an elbow, followed up by a full on shoulder-bash of the large man into Scratch's chest. There's no blood yet, but it appears the biggun is trying to gradually wear Dismas down with these shots.

Karadoc has left the Noble Seating.

Coral, a dour formal thrall leaves, following Karadoc.

Bashira was late for this particular party! She heads across to the commoners seating, while giving a look over Jeffeth and Dismas in the ring. Once in the stands there's a smile to her brother and a few whispered words to him.

2 Grayson Guardsmen, Elizabetta, a disapproving lady-in-waiting, Valor, a small brown and white corgi puppy, Lily, an aloof lady-in-waiting, Clark, an exasperated guard arrive, following Sabella.

Sabella has joined the Noble Seating.

Percephon has joined the Archery Range.

Dismas doesn't wear down easy. Gonna take more than a cheap crack to the skull and a shoulder shove to get him down. He seems at ease with this close quarters combat, as if it might be more familiar to him, but that doesn't make him any more successful at landing a worthwhile blow against the decidedly larger target. It's like he can't quite get his feet beneath him, kept on the defensive, every shove and, yes, kick meant only to put distance between them, to earn himself a moment to resituate, to find an opening. But that ain't happening. With a shift of his sword in his hand to what must be an uncomfortable underhanded hold for such a long blade, he sets to making some opportunity for himself.

Percephon's late, ruddy and bundled up against the weather. So many days in a row he has been running tardy to an event, really, it's becoming a record. He hangs back, away from the rather intimidating crowd gathered in the noble seating, in favor of leaning against a practice dummy some ways away in the archery range. The view's certainly more spacious from this vantage that he seems to agree with.

Etienne slips in with a few other spectators, pausing along the ground to observe the combat, the surroundings and indeed the audience before slipping up into the seats.

Etienne has joined the Noble Seating.

Sabella drops down behind Barric and presumably Cosette, giving Elgana a wave and big smiles to everyone she knows, "Whew, there was a flower emergency where they didnt think they'd have enough peonies and I wanted extra to decorate the throne room for no reason at all and--right, fighting. Paying attention to that. And also, congratulations, Barrick! I haven't seen you since the announcement!" she beams at him.

As Dismas tries to get his feet under him, and prepare for his attack, Jeffeth sets his feet, and waits for it. As Dismas slides forward, Jeffeth steps to the side, actually crouching down and going under the strike. With a fast motion, Jeffeth is bobbing down and back up, his blade swinging upward in an uppercut like drag, tearing through both cloth and flesh on Dismas' arm and sending a crimson spray into the grass, the blade sliding along Dismas' arm.

With the strike made, and blood flying off of it, Jeffeth is quickly falling back, backpedalling. The big man holds his blade up to Dismas, to show him the blood, then holds it at his side. His free hand thumps against his chest as he bows deeply. "Well fought, Master Scratch."

Theo has left the Noble Seating.

Lys has left the Noble Seating.

Aubergine, the delectable pygmy goat kid, Arienne, the snarky d'Lire Steward leave, following Lys.

2 House Velenosa Guards, Renault, the mustachioed Lycene, Lys leave, following Theo.

Aubergine, the delectable pygmy goat kid, Arienne, the snarky d'Lire Steward arrive, following Lys.

2 House Velenosa Guards, Renault, the mustachioed Lycene, Lys arrive, following Theo.

Aubergine, the delectable pygmy goat kid, Arienne, the snarky d'Lire Steward leave, following Lys.

2 House Velenosa Guards, Renault, the mustachioed Lycene, Lys leave, following Theo.

Bliss is overheard praising Jeffeth for: First blood!

Caspian is overheard praising Dismas for: He fought well against a tough opponent and hung in there!

Elgana is overheard praising Jeffeth.

Elgana is overheard praising Dismas.

"Well done, Scratch! Congratulations on your win, Sir Bayweather." Jordan drinks from his bottle once he gets over the initial wince for the headbutt. Tete-a-tete never is pretty.

It's not for lack of effort that Dismas doesn't land one godsdamned solid blow on Jeffeth. When the crooked-nosed oathlander lets his frustration get the better of him and takes that impassioned, underhanded swing at his opponent, aiming to crack some of that armor open with the pointed pommel of his sword, well. Most of what he accomplishes is leaving himself open for that well-timed dip-and-swing. A wordless hiss accompanies his swift wheeling around to keep his sights on his competitor, and one might be given to wonder if he even notices he's bleeding at first, nevermind the sanguine arc that's splashed onto the grass, determined as those green eyes seem when they set upon Jeffeth again. It takes a second for the details to register: sword up, blood. His blood.

Straightening, Dismas adjusts his hold on his sword and looks down to his arm, shirt swiftly staining red. And he grins. "Well shit," comes with a shake of his head. "Thought I'd at least clock you once." Slipping his blade away, he bows to Jeffeth then moves to offers his hand. "You better take it all, yeah?"

Verity claps for Jeffeth and Dismas, "A great fight requires more than one great fighter. Well done!"

Dismas is overheard praising Jeffeth for: As unforgiving in the ring as he is gracious outside of it.

Barric claps loudly at the end of the duel and he calls out, "Good fight! Honor to Gloria!" Before speaking at the stands to some of the people there. Once done he starts down out of the stands and over towards the training center himself.

Delia has left the Noble Seating.

Duchess Scone, a prissy white puppy leaves, following Delia.

"Good job you two!" Caspian shouts from the commoner's stand, hands cupping over his mouth. He rises to his feet, saying to the crowd, "With this, Sir Jeffeth and Sparte will fight in the semi-finals! And because Adalyn has not been able to meet Joslyn to fight, Joslyn wins her match by default, and her and Dismas will fight in the losers bracket! Ether one of them can still make it to the final round!"

Giving Dismas a warm smile, the big man crosses the grass to Dismas' side, placing one hand on his shoulder, turning to the crowd. He gives a bow to the crowd and then motions to Dismas. "A fine combatant, Dismas Scratch!" Jeffeth bellows heartily before turning to the crowd once more. "Your Highnesses, My Lords and Ladis, Friends of the Compact, thank you for coming!" The big man booms out before heading over to where he left his stuff, grabbing a rage to clean his blade.

Bashira claps for both of the fighters, "Well fought!" she calls out. She then gives a look over to her brother when he rises to his feet and does his announcement, a bit of a smile on his face.

Elgana rises from her seat in applause. "Well fought!" she calls and then she looks to Bliss and gives the slightest teeny tiniest pout. "Should be social for a bit. Would do us both some good." She nudges the Whisper with a wink. "I haven't watch some good spars in a while and it seems Prince Barric is going to be putting someone through their paces. Or he through his. I didn't pay too much attention."

Barric has left the Noble Seating.

Bliss just rolls her eyes with amusement at Elgana's pout, laughing and turning to the sands to offer her own applause, cheers and whistles being interspersed with her clappong. "Alright, alright, we can go watch some spars," she says with a lack of any serious complaint, bumping the Princess with her hip. "Let's be social a little. Not my fault you spent the morning reading, though!"

Pasquale has left the Noble Seating.

Pasquale offers a firm and projected, "Well fought!" as the duel winds to a close. Then, he stands, and slips out of the seating and back the way he came.

Dismas takes another bow, this turned toward the crowd, when the victor draws attention his way. "Good to see so many of you coming out." There's a nod to Caspian for the future bouts announced, a sidelong look turned toward Jeffeth. "Rematch in a few weeks then?" Like he's gonna rise up from the losers' bracket and come back for this punishment again. With that, though, he's heading to the edge of the ring to give a look at the injury to his arm, yet bleeding and probably in need of wrapping up before blood loss gets the better of him.

Monique cheers on the combatants and their well-fought duel before turning back to the conversation in the stands, though her eyes linger a little elsewhere first.

"I know. It's my fault entirely," Elgana says as she takes the Whisper by the arm and leads her from the stands toward the training center. "I'm developing some terrible habits these days."

Elgana has left the Noble Seating.

Bliss has left the Noble Seating.

Jared, an overworked-looking, nervous Apprentice Whisper leaves, following Bliss.

Chantilly, the demure companion, Lille, the dauntless companion, 2 Crimson Blades Private, Bliss leave, following Elgana.