Kasper was on "duty", he wore his uniform and walked the festival streets. He hoped @faylin would be okay with the Governor and his people, but he knew the woman could handle herself. He didn't hesitate to eat as he patrolled because these Coheed women could cook! He saw the sign ups as he held a large hock of ham in one hand and he couldn't help but make a direct cut through the crowd toward it: they had three series of competitions. Eyes were turning to watch him as he approached the sign ups for the beast battles.

"ah little soldier are you lost?" the large tattooed man behind the stacked wooden crates greeted Kasper with a sarcastic smile, Kasper grinned back at him, "No sir, I want to compete in this beast battle," Kasper said enthusiastically and the man was surprised, "Nevermere soldier?"

"Sergeant Kasper Van Zant, yes sir," Kasper answered proudly.

The man waved his hands, "No more sirs please, I call you Kaspera and you call me Boros, deal?"

Kasper smirked with a nod, "Deal si-Boros, but I still want to compete in the beast battle."

Boros looked Kasper over, he had lived many years and ran the beast battles since he was about this boys age. No Nevermere man had competed against some of the creatures he wrested, he saw some of the strongest Coheedsmen fall savagely and brutally in the pits. He picked up the charcoal chunk and with his eyes he looked at the parchment, "just out your name there Kasper," and with his left Kasper took the charcoal and scribbled his name down, "Good luck friend," Kasper took two fingers touched his forehead and gave a little salute, "Thanks Boros."


(Kasper has signed up for the beast battle)

Though Catrin was expected to join the Chieftain at the main table for the feast, she made sure to stop by the stand to sign up for the day's festivities. Even as the man sneered down at her, she would dutifully ignore him as she had her name listed for both the one on one, and the beast battle.

And then with a small smirk of her own at the man, she added herself, @miriel, and Imani to the list for the group fights. The first time a full Parabolti group would participate in the festival. She'd then leave the grumbling man behind, heading to gather Miriel and be on their way to fill their stomachs.

[Catrin has signed up for the one versus one AND the beast battle. Catrin, Miriel, and Imani are signed up for the group battle]

There was nothing wrong with tradition, Leander knew. The old ways of life had kept Coheed strong for generations and would continue to do so if the new generations of Coheedsmen would only let them, rather than allow Nevermere to pollute their minds and bring their kingdom to its knees. Ozias Sorenson had taught him that, and these Ver Games were a clear symptom of the underlying problem.

Men did not compete against females.

A competition implied the possibility of equality between competitors, where either party could rise superior to the other. That was simply untrue. There was no competition against the lesser sex, and to even allow the suggestion of equality between men and females was to admit to the weakness that plagued Coheed. The latter ought never have been allowed to form their wannabe-warrior group in the first place. It put the wrong ideas in their little heads, made them think that they could exist for any other reason than the pleasure of their betters and the production of strong sons. Nevermere was to blame for planting that seed, but Kaalim and Rian had watered and nursed it to life. Now, a traditional festival to honor the warriors of Coheed included not only Nevermerean soldiers but also females. The infection had spread far and wide and made fools of everyone.

Almost everyone. Leander was no fool. He knew his strengths, but more importantly, he recognized his weaknesses. His wife and daughters were safely sequestered away where no Coheedsmen could think to claim them, but he had brought his young son, Koe, with him to the festivities. The boy walked beside him, wide-eyed and full of energy as he tugged at the hand his father kept tightly held with his own. The night before, he had wanted Leander to test his strength against an array of wild beasts, but the warrior in question knew better than to invite such ridicule. Not every man’s strength lay so literally in sheer size and power. Some had to be clever and quick. Koe would see. Probably.

After a quick scan of the competition, Leander ignored the sneering Coheedsman by the parchment and added his name to list.

[Leander Calderson has signed up for the games of varying strengths]

Kasper hung around the sign up area for the games seeing who all signed up, it wasn't bad to peak the competition but still he had been the only Nevermeren so far to sign up. He listened to @ladrik and @leander with their children as they signed up, as @ladrik began to walk away he decided to spark a conversation, "These games sir, they seem pretty fucking intense, I signed up for the beast battles myself," he had finished his hock of ham earlier so he extended a hand, "Sergeant Kasper Van Zant..."

"I'd say we're pretty close in age Iadrik yeah, don't let my size fool you but I'm a bit of a beast myself," he seemed to have stood a bit taller as he spoke shrugging, "Use to hunt with my pa, wild boar once or twice and a Bob cat when I was seven and killed my first bear when I was nine with just a spear," he did shrug, "of course that's on the field of stealth and hunting, ain't never had to face a wild creature when it knew I was hunting it...so it'll be a neat learning curve, you ever heard of betting?"