[Groin Redbeard]

The field in front of the contestants was strewn with irregular objects. The course was marked by a line of red flags, creating a half circle. The course consisted of four main proponents: agility, speed, accuracy, and stamina. First there was the log jumping, a stretch of land with logs of various sizes for the contestants to jump over, some of the logs were propped off of the ground. Once they made it across they would each take up a wheel barrow, each filled with one stake attached to a rope, and make a dash for a wall around two hundred yards ahead. The wall is around twelve feet high and is made out of wood (it’s really an unfinished part of a building that Lithor and his crew “borrowed” for the occasion). The players will toss the stakes over the wall to the other side were Lithor, Wilcred, and crew, will be waiting to stake them firmly in the ground. The players scramble down the other side of the wall move on to a some beams which have been elevated off the ground for the contestants to balance their way across. The next, and final task, is the sack race. This is pretty self explanatory: the contestant grabs a sack and hop their way to the finish line, one hundred feet away.

Everyone was ready now. Lithor gave a blast on his horn and all the contestants sprang forward. Eodwine made the first jump across the logs with Erbrand, both of whom were followed closely behind by Rowenna and Javan. At first all seemed to be going well for Erbrand as he pulled ahead of Eodwine, but the logs were at an uneven distance and he slipped falling sideways. Javan skipped across the logs as if he was taking a stroll, while Rowenna and Saeryn slowly jumped over each log. Eodwine made it over the last log first and grabbed his wheelbarrow, meanwhile, Harreld and Javan had passed Erbrand, who was side by side with Dan. The girls brought up the rear, with Rowenna ahead of the two.

Everything was evening out in the wheelbarrow run: Eodwine still held the lead followed closely by Harreld, who was running diligently behind his lord. Erbrand was closing distance fast, but the girls, whether by sheer determination or skill, passed Dan and Javan and where within several yards of Erbrand, who was increasing his pace.

Eodwine and Harreld reached the wall within a mere second of Erbrand, who had pulled ahead of the girls. Harreld and Erbrand stopped for a minute to catch their breath, both of them toppled to the ground with dizziness, while Eodwine tossed his stake over for Wilcred to place firmly in the ground. Eodwine had begun to climb and Harreld, along with Erbrand were just tossing their stakes over when Javan came dashing in with Saeryn, Rowenna came along with Dan a few seconds later. While everyone was tossing their stakes over Rowenna dashed for the wall, dropping her wheelbarrow she dashed for the wall and started to climb it her feet finding the right grooves to be placed in (this wasn’t really cheating since the only rule was that you had to make it across the wall).

Everyone was on the wall, Eodwine had begun to make his decent down the other side, by that time. Erbrand slipped several times and stood dangling in mid-air, while the short statures of Dan and Javan allowed them to shoot straight to the top, though not without some difficulty on Javan’s part. Dan, Rowenna and Javan were the next to make it over the wall, Dan jumped down but the other members played it safe and carefully felt their way down. Eodwine was slowly moving across the balance beams when Dan caught up to him, he virtually ran across the board without slowing his pace a bit, making it across to the sacks just before Eodwine. Rowenna made it to the balance beams next with Javan and Saeryn racing after her, both just a little bit behind the other. Exhaustion had taken its hold on Erbrand as he wearily climbed to the top of the wall, as Harreld began his decent.

The crowd was roaring now for Dan had finally pulled ahead of Eodwin in the sack race, but not by much the eorl was still not giving much ground and they were still neck and neck. Rowenna made it to the sacks without too much difficulty, but Saeryn slipped a couple times and had to make a hasty restart, while Javan went slowly, concentrating as he went with wide eyes.

Harreld finally made it half way down the wall when he lost his grip and fell, the crowd was stunned, but Harreld jumped to his feet unhindered by the blow and jogged to the balance beams. Eodwine and Dan were still battling it out by the time that Rowenna started the sack race, and at a fast pace too. Saeryn and Javan made it across the beams and quickly got into their sacks, but Rowenna was gaining too much distance too fast. Harreld wobbled and swung his body wildly when he was on the balance beam when Erbrand slowly and wearily marched across.

Dan and Eodwine where tied, neither of them could pull ahead of the other, and Rowenna was coming up faster than they were hopping. Suddenly, Dan and Eodwine collided, they both tumbled over themselves and fell flat on their faces, only four yards from the finish line. Rowenna screamed with delight as she pulled ahead and quickly crossed the finish line: she had won! Javan was quickly catching on to the whole hopping business and quickly got the gist of it and left poor Saeryn slowly hopping along.

When Dan and Eodwine had stumbled Erbrand made it across the balance beam and slipped into the sack when Harreld leapt of the beam and hastily pulled his sack on. Dan made it to his feet first, but he was so bewildered from the fall that he started jumping in the wrong direction, but he was soon corrected by the screaming crowd. This fortunate turn of events gave Eodwine the chance he needed and with long bounds he made it second across the finish line followed in turn by Javan, who was skipping across at a merry rate, and the corrected Dan. Saeryn was hopping determinedly and she crossed the finish line to the cheers of everyone, never had they seen a more dedicated effort than hers.

Harreld had made up for his past mistakes with this final leg of the course, with long leaps he caught up to Erbrand. The craftsman and the blacksmith refused to let either get the advantage, and with Erbrand’s quick hops to match Harreld’s long bounds they pulled ever closer to the finish line. Harreld laughed as they drew within ten yards but Erbrand was yelling, trying to gain the last bit of strength he had. In the end the mighty Harreld with jovial laughter propelling him on, made it across the finish line a full six bounds ahead of Erbrand.