Titan's Game (Daquin)

The Titan's Game refers to an event in the city of Daquin hosted by Niers Astoragon, pitting his current and recently graduated students against soldiers of the Forgotten Wing Company and the Iron Vanguard led by Tulm the Mithril. It is notable for being the first official televised event in Innworld.

Overview[edit | edit source]

Considered to be one of the penultimate tests for Niers' students, the Titan's games were large scale hide-and-seek games, held semi-regularly during times of peace. It challenged his current and former students to avoid capture for an entire day, while the seekers (usually consisting of older [Strategists], his first students, or veterans), tried to find and capture them. Barring permanent bodily harm, both sides were permitted to fight with any means necessary. In addition to hiding and/or avoiding capture, victory could also be achieved through fulfilling a set objective, ranging from solving a puzzle to capturing a wild Wyvern. The reward for winning the game would be an opportunity to enter Niers Astoragon's private rooms and ask him any question in the world.

Ostensibly, the hide-and-seek games are a lesson to teach students what it was like to be cut off from their forces and to prepare them for scenarios where they are hunted by [Assassins] or an army. Originally a private event, it has evolved into a grand spectacle, drawing an audience from all over Baleros and the world. In addition to prestige and recognition, the games are an opportunity for students to showcase their abilities in front of the world.^[1]

For the game in Daquin, the main objective was to reach a ten by ten foot area in the middle of the city before sundown. In addition to the members of the Forgotten Wing Company, the guest seekers was the Iron Vanguard, led by Tulm the Mithril. Unlike previous years, the game was televised live worldwide, and was the first official coverage by Wistram News Network. For every subdued student, ten gold was awarded to the soldier or group. Niers also offered an additional prize in the form of any artifact from his vaults.^[2]

Chronology[edit | edit source]

Both sides were given time to prepare for the games, but the students were not allowed to know who their opponent would be. Once the game started, their preparation was put to the test. Most made alliances such as Tefret, a former student, that decided to charge along with seventeen other students on horseback to gain a quick victory. They were stopped by Xol before they could reach their goal though. Others prepared by hiring forces to assault the city by sea. Venaz hired Luan Khumalo to sneak past the ships blocking the harbor. Others made alliances between students and fought head on. Merrik, Peki, and four other combat-ready students from the officer-classes fought directly against a Dullahan Sergeant and the 23 Dullahans she led. They were winning the battle and even when Xol came to settle things, Peki was able to hold him off. Both sides brought in reinforcements and the officer class students were able to make a fighting retreat. Jekilt and 50 members of his company also fought through the streets and joined up with them.

As the chaos in the streets grew to a crescendo, Tulm decided to use some of his plans. He activated Screamer Dust that he'd thrown out previously and used two of his powerful skills: [Battlefield – The Cold Iron Mists] and [Legions of Steel]. These along with some rerouting of forces were enough to quash some of the threats brought by the students, but not all of them. Wil and Feshi made it to the docks and through the mist, brought an army that Wil had charge through the blockade of the harbor. He sent four warships crewed by [Storm Sailors] that were able to catch the Iron Vanguard's ships off guard. In those four warships he brought his sister, Talia Kallinad, as well as many members of her Order of Seasons, members of the personal army of House Kallinad, and members from other houses' personal armies.^[2]

Meanwhile, Umina, Marian, and Venaz found themselves with the runner that Venaz had hired in a toilet hiding from patrolling seekers. Venaz received his delivery, and Marian hired Luan to stay with them seeing his potential. Venaz's delivery ended up being a set of armor and a weapon that he used to fight off any enemies he encountered. Meanwhile, Wil used his own army to fight towards the plaza picking up any groups of students he could in order to out-Skill Tulm.

They weren't the only ones with plans though. Yerranola and Cameral teamed up with Yeranola creating a distraction by riding a cart at high speeds down into the plaza seemingly injuring a member of the Iron Vanguard in the process. That dullahan though was actually Cameral who got very close to entering the circle, but ended up coming up just short.

The other two forces got closer and closer to the plaza as well. Wil and Merrik's group had met up and charged at the Iron Vanguard only to be met once again by Xol. He personally took out both Peki and Merrik. The others managed to make it through though and eventually, Venaz, Marian, and Luan met up with Wil and his army. Realizing that the odds were still stacked against them, Feshi struck a deal with House Kallinad where in exchange for six trading caravans that would go through the gnoll plains, she would rile up the population of Daquin and lead them against the Iron Vanguard. Luan also played his part by paying children to hold off Xol for the final push.

Marian, Venaz, and Wil were the final contenders for the victory. All three of them charged forward with their army racing to the inner circle in the plaza, and on the verge of victory, Umina popped out of the ground. She had secretly gone off earlier and made a deal with a group of [Nightmen] to help dig a tunnel right underneath the circle. When everyone else was distracted, she came up and won the game.^[3]

Aftermath[edit | edit source]

With Umina's victory, the game was over and she received the right to ask a question of Niers and receive an artifact. She was not the only person rewarded though. Sillk, the rogue, was rewarded for his ability to take out enemy commanders by being offered an apprenticeship with Foliana. Venaz was given the opportunity to get personal instruction in urban warfare under General Felk. Marian was to get personal instruction by the Forgotten Wing Company's weapons master on bow usage, and Kaelma was to lead [Scouts] on patrol for two weeks to account for their lack of leadership. Peki, Merick, and Feshi were all given chances to shadow Perorn or her officers under various circumstances. On account of Wil's forethought and preparation, he did not receive extra training, though he did earn a question from Niers just like Umina.^[4]

Wil used his question to ask for help for his house, but he wanted to ask for the location of long lost treasures. Niers gave an honest answer about a sham marriage that was soon to happen between House Kallinad and the du Havrington family. Umina used hers to have a discussion on if she was special and to ask for the answer to what Tulm's question would have been which gave her enough clues to piece together the secret that there are Dragons on Izril and potentially one on Baleros. However, Niers arranged to have Foliana erase Wil's memory of the answer to the second question and gave him the list of treasures.^[5]

Using the game as a distraction, Niers was able to achieve contact with the United Nations company without drawing unwanted attention or suspicion.

Participants[edit | edit source]

Seekers:[edit | edit source]

Forgotten Wing Company
- ~1000 members
Iron Vanguard
- ~2000 members and six warships
  - Tulm the Mithril
  - Xol of Ingrilt
Samile the Watcher (Hired by the Iron Vanguard)