Merak

- Commentator, host of most intra-Clan tournaments and Warriors' Way (see below)
- Has a naturally large and booming voice

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NO UNAUTHORISED BRAWLS OR BITING
It doesn’t matter if you have a long and storied history with that particular dragon/clan/group over there. And we don’t care if you were just facing off in a major dispute a fortnight ago. Keep your paws, claws, teeth, flames, weapons, innate magics, scroll magics, divine prayers, tail whips, stomps, etc to yourselves if you aren’t in a match.³

UNAUTHORISED “SPARRING” IS ALSO PROHIBITED
Legal minds and scholars from Light, Arcane and Lightning are just waiting to hear why your specific unauthorized brawl was just harmless “sparring.” (See the FIGHT FAIR section below.) If you wish to spar with a member of your clan or group, you may do so in the Practice Pens.

FIGHT FAIR
No cheating, no killing.⁴ Laurel is in charge of the rules, she's the obsidian-coloured Skydancer with glowing lightning streaks on her body at the Information Counter. If you have queries about the rules or any loopholes you spot, ask her about it.⁵

Breaking any rules will cause you to suffer through Laurel's idea of justice - also known as a "Bolt of Divine Retribution" plus a "Mountain of Compulsory Legal Paperwork". By "Compulsory", we mean COMPULSORY.


COMMUNAL MEALS
Participants can find the mess tents behind the battlefield. Food is available to participating warriors at all times throughout the course of the event.⁶ Any allergies or dietary requirements must be communicated in your sign-up form beforehand.

LODGINGS
Dragons are organised by Clan, with alliances and rivalries taken into account. This is to prevent unauthorized fighting and “accidents.” Starting at your mess tents, follow the path lined with gold flags and ribbons, then follow the signs with your names on it. You will find a variety of accommodations suitable for dragons of all types.⁷

WARRIORS' WAY PLAZA
Warriors' Way welcomes crafters, merchants, weapons and metalsmiths to sell and trade their wares in the Plaza, located between the entrance, Practice Pens, and battlefield.⁸ You can’t miss it. You literally have to walk through it to go anywhere else.

Warriors seeking to upgrade or acquire new weaponry or defensive items may visit the Plaza at any time after sunrise until sundown. As dragons are able to freely mix in this area, please see the rules on the first page of this pamphlet for more information on the expected conduct while you browse and buy.

SPECIAL REWARDS FOR THE VALIANT
Soldier’s Supply chests can be found or won in battles or preparations for those battles. These crates contain memories from your time here at the contest!⁹


If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to any Warriors' Way event staff, as identified by their lanyard, for more information. In particular, Merak (the one giving you this pamphlet) will be stationed at the Information Counter along with Laurel, and he'll be handling all issues that are not about the rules. Don't cut the queue or harass any of the staff, or we will call security on you. Everyone in Zenith's Light is armed. Yes, even the librarian. Especially the librarian. The name Polaris Everwinter might ring a few bells.

Thank you for participating in the first annual Warriors' Way! We hope you enjoy your time here with us!

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¹No copyright infringement intended. Besides, it's technically a different name. The apostrophe is somewhere else. Get a better pair of glasses.

²With more funding, we could offer even better accommodations and prizes. Part of the Champion’s duties is securing future funds via promotional tours, “training” other interested warriors, and acting in a manner consistent with such a prestigious (if new!) title. Travel costs, accommodations, and a moderate stipend are included with your duties as Champion. Your participation in Warriors' Way is your binding agreement to perform these duties should you win, until the next Warriors' Way title holder is named.

³ The budget is SPENT and if you destroy it, you bought it. You’ll also be disqualified and ejected from Warriors' Way. If you disagree with this rule, please do feel free to take it up with Hikari, who is also our accountant. She’s the medium-sized and well-armed white Skydancer with the greatsword. Hikari will be more than happy to explain our budget constraints to you in... painful... detail.

⁴ Look, we’re all here for the same reason—with the elemental upheaval across Sornieth and the matter of Luminax wreaking havoc, civilian and military leadership for dragons have bigger concerns at the moment than territorial disputes. If you want to fight, you do it here and you do it for prizes and the chance to have a sanctioned smackdown. Or, in simpler terms, you are being offered a chance to beat up each other completely consequence-free. Just don’t cause loss of life. All of the Sunbeam Ruins is watching. IWe hope…

⁵ Yes, loopholes are allowed. In fact, they are intended: fighting is also about wits, not just brawn. If your opponent uses a technicality in the rules against you, don't complain. Instead, use the rules against them first. Just don't disqualify them unfairly or sabotage them in a way that goes directly against the rules. For example: Tying an almost invisible string to make them trip and fall when they enter the arena is OKAY as long as it doesn't affect anyone else (you don't want to be on the receiving end of complaints that you tripped a frailer dragon and put them in a coma). However, putting Citrus Lionfish into their food to give them a stomach ache is NOT - that is attempted murder, so don't do it. For mild laxatives and indigestion-causing foods... quantity, quality, LD₅₀ and type matter, so we'll be reviewing it on a case by case basis. Then again, why would you admit to sabotage? Because if you do, maybe we'll let you off lighter if you confess. We'll know if you're guilty or not, anyway.

⁶ In case you were wondering what happened to the budget.

⁷ Through a generous donation from the Oculus of the Eleven and Starfall Academia, spell scrolls to simulate the sensation of sleeping underwater or in a lava pit etc are available through Polaris, who can be found in the library, for any dragon who needs it. Custom arrangements can be made.

⁸ For a deposit of 75000 treasure, 150 gems, and a 15% cut of all sales made during the event. No exceptions. Complaints should be directed to Hikari.

⁹ As already noted in footnote 2, maybe next year and with a bigger budget we could even get a merchant like Joxar and his Festive Favors stall! All depends on you and how this year goes...so follow the rules, fight fair, and act like you’re already Champion of the Sunbeam Ruins. Thank you for your understanding, and for your cooperation in this matter.

—Regards,
Elio Blazelight Shadowbane I
King, Zenith's Light

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Pamphlet written by Polaris Everwinter, proofread by Amalia Blazelight and Regina Blazelight
Budget organised and spent by Hikari Caspia
Rulebook by Laurel Papaver
Site set up by various dragons of Zenith's Light
Special accomodations provided by Polaris Everwinter
Food prepared by various dragons of Zenith's Light
Security organised by Ava Starling. Yes, that Ava Starling. Respect the rules, or you can decide between Laurel's and Ava's... very different ideas of justice yourself. I don't care if you're in rival mafia groups, Ava is acting as one of our Clan's warriors and not the boss of her mafia, so any attack on her will be constituted as an unauthorised brawl.