a huge spotted dog named Fury arrives, following Aksel.

At some point in the last ten years or so that Pasquale has been living in Arx he happened to learn about an old quarry site close enough to the city that a few wagons and horses could get people out here for a bit of casual fun. The rock face itself is clearly ancient. Well worn and crumbling in places. Slips of skree criss-crossing the shallower parts. Various boulders scattered around the base. And atop that rockface there are three pretty little flags fluttering in the breeze.

Pasquale moves to a spot within the clearing created for this gathering. His expression typically dour. His clothing typically well made. "I was sitting at home thinking and realised that it would be rather entertaining to watch you all climb up that slope over there. You clearly agree." he gestures to the wall "So find your places and when I say start - bring me one of those flags."

Eirene has doffed her coat so she has greater mobility, but still wears her gloves for superior grip. Three children, two pre teens and a younger boy, follow behind to watch mommy "fall on her ass" as she tells them. She takes up a position at the bottom and grins. .

Neilda, probably, shouldn't wear her overly ostentatious hat today -- with the peacock plumes practically flicking back in her face, but she has. In some effort at practicality, she is wearing gloves -- at least. At least there's that.

Gloriel arrives, following Ian.

Not that it's obvious for anyone who doesn't know him, but for anyone who does, Ian's in a better mood than usual. There's a little more energy to the way he moves, a little more expressiveness in the cant of his head and the cast of his features. He raises his eyebrows to Pasquale, a quick smile flickering across his face. "That's your pitch for this thing? Really?"

"He has SUCH a way with words," Neilda comments with an utterly unbidden cackle.

Cillian road his own mount out, slidding off Akkar he pats the animals neck and leaves him where he is. His yes looking around then spotting those he knows nodding to him, "Well this should be fun." he smirks looking at the rock face.

Gloriel bats her way through the forest foliage until she finds the congregation. She brushes herself down and looks upon those around her with a decided grin. "Word got around that there was something going on... Who am I to resist a good challenge?"

How long Aksel has been here? Who know's he's been sitting on a rock for a bit, one leg propped up as we watches people come to the event. His green gold flecked eyes watching and waiting for when it's time to compete.

Eirene says, "Ready to watch my scrawny arms fail at the most necessary time?" She grins at Ian. "I'm not the most athletic ,but the kids wanted to see me try, so..." The twins and Jace give Ian a wave hello. Eirene bows to the competing and says, "I brought splints, in case anyone breaks a leg."

The look Pasquale casts in Ian's direction is almost amused. "It is a beautiful day. There is a prize. There is challenge and competition. I barely needed a pitch at all." he gestures lightly towards Gloriel as if she just proved his point. "On three." He says. Louder now. "Two. Fifty thousand for the pink flag. Climb."

Eirene checks dexterity and athletics at normal. Botch! Eirene fails completely.

Neilda checks stamina and athletics at normal. Neilda fails.

Ian checks stamina and athletics at normal. Ian marginally fails.

Cillian checks dexterity and athletics at normal. Cillian is successful.

Gloriel checks stamina and athletics at normal. Gloriel is successful.

Aksel checks dexterity and athletics at normal. Aksel marginally fails.

"Beautiful day? It's blasted humid," Ian gripes to Pasquale, with just enough of a glitter of mischief in his eyes to convey a hint of playfulness about his words. As he starts to turn his attention towards the slope, he notices Gloriel. There's a hint of surprise there, but not unpleasant surprise. "Lady Gloriel." With all of these distractions, he's only sorta kinda trying for the prize, and any forward progress he makes it on the scree of the slope is lost when the ground shifts under his feet, and he slides back down. Thankfully not losing his balance completely, so that he's able to make up some of the progress he lost. He slips his cane into a loop on his belt that's clearly designed for holding it and takes off his heavy gloves.

"That was very thoughtful of you, Eirene, considering there's a decent chance of such truly occurring," Neilda shuts up on hearing the count and she mentally prepares herself -- to fall with style. It starts with those ridiculous peacock plumes, naturally, and the feathers tickling her nose. She starts to twitch her nose and she's so distracted that she slides down, struggles, and skids down back to the ground. "Oof." Ass is teakettle. "It's very pretty when it rains."

Eirene isn't able to get a single handhold. Not a one. She doesn't even make it off the ground. "Ha ha, mom, you suck," Idris yells. Iris just sniggers. Jace looks dubious, frowning. It's clear these are her kids, by look and attitude.

Well. That could have gone better for Aksel. But even for a man his size, he is decent at climbing up the face of the cliff. Upwards the Northman goes setting his own pace. Not really worrying about those infront of him are doing, only focused upon his own path. As Ian starts to slide past him, Aksel pauses and is about to reach out and grab him, but the other is able to hold on and not slide all the way to the bottom. Even as Ian draws closer, and practically even he says nothing, instead plotting his own course of action.

Eirene checks dexterity and athletics at normal. Eirene is successful.

Ian checks stamina and athletics at normal. Ian is successful.

Aksel checks strength and athletics at normal. Critical Success! Aksel is spectacularly successful.

Cillian rolls his shoulders and makes sure he had his leather gloves on, when the word is given Cillian is quick! He grabs on and starts to pull himself up, the Northern Lord starts to humm to himself as he pulls himself up the rock.

Like a greyhound, Gloriel bolts towards the hill and began climbing. Her hands, calaised from the many hours of training with a sword, scrambled to hold onto... Well, anything they could. She called out, "Ian, it's been a long tim-" with that, she watched him slope downwards slightly. "Unlucky!" She continued up, making it about a third of the way upwards.

Cillian checks dexterity and athletics at normal. Cillian fails.

Neilda checks dexterity and athletics at normal. Botch! Neilda fails completely.

Gloriel checks stamina and athletics at normal. Gloriel is successful.

Neilda attempts to climb. She skids, and she's -- fWuMp! Back to the ground. Only, now, she's laughing. Cheering the others on.

Ian casts his gaze up the slope for a moment before he starts to climb. His strong, calloused hands are serving him well, given that he relies almost entirely on pulling himself up, only using his feet to sometimes steady his progress. Even then, every time he gets a foot settled on a nook in the rock, he has to look down to make sure that it's stable before putting any weight on it. This makes his progress slow but steady, with only one pause about halfway, to admire, while hanging by his fingertips, the way that Aksel just streaks right on past him.

How the hell did Aksel lose his shirt? One minute it's on the next it's torn to shreds with the strength that he exhibits as he uses those strong arms and legs of him to powerfully propel himself upwards. But in reality his shirt got caught on a rock and the thin material tore. But the first narrative looks better. Use your imagination.

"You only suck if you don't try at all," Eirene says, motherly advise given. "I may be bad, but I'm at least giving it a shot." She finds that handhold and slowly starts pulling herself up. "You okay," she asks Neilda.

Ian hangs by his fingertips and admires the way that a bare-chested Aksel streaks right on past him, the remains of his shirt fluttering behind him in the wind.

Cillian was doing so good till he isn't, he is starting to struggle a little and his humming has stopped when he spots Aksel pass him with Gloriel. There is a bit of a grunt, "Show off." he yells up to the other Northman.

"No problem here," Neilda chirps to Eirene, unerringly mirthful, and she touches a couple of fingers to her hat brim. "Only a few bruises that a good, long soak in hot water can cure - like - way later --" She stops, glances up, and just about swoons. "Did you SEE that? He tore his shirt off -- who is that? Just plain tore it off and went up like an arrow shot. Damn, he's swift."

Scrambles up the slope, just trying to keep going and keep moving. A small bit of gravel comes loose and for a moment she thinks it might be curtains! Then like a cat, she immediately raises her arm and grabs deep into the dirt. Pulling herself up. She looks down for a moment, raising an eyebrow and a smirk as she watched Askel's shirt flutter to the ground. She then carries on, desperate to maintain her position.

Neilda checks strength and athletics at normal. Neilda is successful.

Aksel checks strength and athletics at normal. Aksel is successful.

Eirene checks dexterity and athletics at normal. Critical Success! Eirene is spectacularly successful.

Ian checks stamina and athletics at normal. Ian is successful.

Cillian checks dexterity and athletics at normal. Cillian is successful.

Gloriel checks strength and athletics at normal. Gloriel is successful.

Eirene has a burst of speed at the end, enough to put her a hair's breadth behind Cillian. "See, I didn't entirely suck," she says to her kids from her handhold, glancing behind. "Also, your mom isn't afraid of heights either. "Nice job," she calls upward to the victors.

Neilda's not even attempting the third time, although, for a moment -- her hat does look stunning, doesn't it? Least, to herself, it sure does. With a lift of her eyes, squinting, she spies the trio that summits the top of the quarry. Fingers set to her mouth, she whistles and calls out: "You three did amazing!"

Bouldering when you have no feeling below the knees has some pitfalls, and things get dicey for Ian as he climbs, just for a moment. Thinking that he's got one foot in a steady perch, he shifts his weight onto that leg, only to discover that he did not, in fact, have the support there that he thought he did. He's left hanging from one hand, and there's a little bit of scrambling while he tries to get purchase. He has failed to lose his shirt by the time he reaches the top, but the sun, and effort, plus the humidity that he complained about at the start have made his shirt stick to his skin enough to hint at the extensive, disfiguring scarring that covers his entire left arm. So it's probably for the better that his clothing is built of sturdier linen than Aksel's is.

with a scurry and a clamber, Gloriel finally reaches the top and grabs the pink flag. She pushes the stray hairs from her face and then raises it in the air triumphantly. "Still got it, ain't lost it!" She grinned to herself "And without losing any items of clothing, it would seem!" She pants for a moment, catching her breath. "Well done, all of you! A gallant effort had by all!" She then peered down. "Now we've just got to get down again without breaking out necks!"

"Congratulations!" Pasquale calls up as the first climber crests the hill. "Come right and you'll find a nice gentle slope back to me - And the wine."

It's a game of chase. Aksel is hot on the heals of Gloriel who is a bit a head. The muscles in his back flex and strain as he mostly uses his strong arms and legs to propel himself upwards. The scars of war on his back glisten, faded some over time, but his sun touched skin taking on the slightly bronze color in the summer, highlights the whiteness of those scars. Even though he makes a last push to beat Gloriel, he knows he is beat, he doesn't give up, but once Gloriel stakes her claim on the flag she wants, Aksel makes his choice and focuses on that one. The yellow one in this case. He turns towards Gloriel and shrugs his shoulders.

Akkar have been dismissed.

Dodger, a black-and-tan terrier have been dismissed.

2 Blackwood trained guards have been dismissed.

She picks herself up from the ground, dusting off her sides and back, strolling in the direction of Pasquale. "That cane-wielding mastermind," Neilda comments beneath her breath, feeling a laugh bubble out of her, and she leans in to offer a half-bow to Pasquale. "What fun, Pas. Thank you for your quick mind that works on ways to entertain us all on a fine summer day."

Ian isn't in a particular hurry to take the remaining flag. He slides his cane out of the place it was hanging and brushes off his pants for a moment, then ambles over and grabs it, plucking at the left sleeve of his shirt while he goes in a vain effort to get it to stop sticking.

shuffles from the platform and slides down the slope towards the bottom. "A great game, what fun! I must congratulate you, Pasquale!" She grinned, laughing. "I suppose, the next challenge will be mine to set. It's only fair, after all!" She shrugged, looking towards the wine set out. "For now though, a toast to us all... Especially to Askel's shirt!" She raises her glass.

Pasquale laughs a little as Neilda calls him a cane-wielding mastermind. "I'm never, ever, going to live that one down am I? Next time Neilda. You should bet the hat. The threat of losing it will make you soar like a tree-cat." he looks to the others "I hope you all had some fun here today. We don't get enough opportunities to just relax." he gestures to Ian. "And its really not that humid." The flag Ian retrieved is trades out for a rare bottle of Nilanzan 'Stormborn' whiskey. Rare because its almost never exported.

Finding himself with a bottle of whiskey in his hands, somehow, again, Ian looks up and raises his eyebrows, then lifts the bottle slightly. "I guess drinks are on me."

Aksel's flag is traded out for a bottle of this years Nilanzan Red and a pouch of coin.

"-- mm, no, never Pasquale." Neilda's head barely shakes, and her hand lifts, absentmindedly - touching a plume on her hat. Her smile is a quick, sneaky thing. She tsks, "Never leaving this hat behind. Mostly, because? My curly hair is tangled like an inner Saffron jungle currently beneath it." A placid blink, a sunny smile. "Especially in this humidity." She holds her cup out, toward Ian. "If you're offering, my lord --"

The trio who made it to the top totally look like super heros. It's only for a moment as the sun shines upon them at the top. Then Aksel turns on his heals and heads down the path muttering something about just taking that way instead of climbing to the top. He gives a nod of his head in respect to Pasquale and looks down at the bottle of red then at the coins then the red. And oddly he hands the coins back. "Donate it." he simply says before turning on his heals and heading shirtless back towards the city. Not the first time he has stumbled back without his shirt and booze.

Pasquale gives Aksel a curious look when he attempts to give the coins back. "If you wish although I would argue that it would be better if you donated it yourself." When Aksel starts walking away from the gathering he looks to Ian and Neilda instead. "That is the strongest whiskey i've ever encountered. Be cautious with it."

Neilda's cup jostles at the empty air. "Even more reason to have some," she opines.

a huge spotted dog named Fury leaves, following Aksel.

"A good whiskey's meant to be drunk." Ian leans his cane against his leg and, both hands freed up, opens the bottle and pours some into Neilda's cup. "That sounds more like a challenge than a warning," the Kennex says to Pasquale with a quirked brow.

finishes the wine and places the glass down. "It's been a delight, although I fear I should slink back to the manor. I've not long since returned and fear I am expected to socialise." She looks to those around her. "This is much more my my kind of event. Pasquale, thank you for a worthy contest." She then turns to everyone else. "Ian, Neilda, Eirene. Thanks for the fun! Until next time!"

"Sure does," Neilda agrees, toasting Ian for his generosity in the pour, taking a drink.

Neilda checks stamina at hard. Neilda is successful.

Moonshine drunk out of a fancy wine glass while sweating under the summer sun. Ian's ready to get classy. He pours some out for himself, and then looks to Eirene and Pasquale.

Another sip. Her eyelids flutter. This -- whiskey -- hits hard. Hard hits. Indeed, it does. However, she remains standing. Neilda nods, smile small and crooked, "This is not the whiskey I was expecting."

Pasquale shakes his head when Ian offers him the drink. "I'm not sure i'm well enough for that Ian." he fiddles with his gloves for a few moments and starts drifting towards the rockface. Temptation written in the lines of every movement.

"Go --" Neilda encourages Pasquale onward, gesturing with her empty glass. Her silence only seems thoughtful. It's because she's drunk and staying still is easy.

Ian takes a sip from the wine glass and then looks down at it with a flicker of surprise. He looks up at Pasquale, openly skeptical at the reason for his turning down the drink. "It'll be waiting for you after you get to the top," he says. The second sip is more careful than the first, now that he knows what he's dealing with.

Carissa, a Southport bodyguard have been dismissed.

Planchet the Lycene maggiordome have been dismissed.