Learn: Narrative, Quests and Battles of The Grand Gathering

00:00:01.960] Jordan: All right, welcome to the Hynafol Zoom call on the game document for 2025. Um, we have it all prepared for you. We’re very excited about it. I’m going to share it with you and walk you through it, uh, step by step.

[00:00:17.639] Jordan: So, here we go. Uh, this is, uh, chapter 18, rise of the courts. Um, let some people in. All right, so the call beneath the storm. Uh, for 3 years, the skies have known no dawn, thunder has become the heartbeat of the world, and rain, the breath that keeps it alive. The fields are drowned, the mountains whisper, and the seas roar with a hunger older than time itself. Beneath it all, chained in the heart of the storm, something vast and terrible dreams of freedom.

[00:00:46.619] Jordan: The devourer, once bound by the great mage king of the age before Arthur, stirs again, its chains groan with the weight of centuries, and the world trembles as each one begins to strain. The scholars of the archives say the storm has lasted too long, that its pulse has begun to echo with the same rhythm as a living heart. From this endless tempest, through the mists comes a single sound, the call to the grand gathering.

[00:01:11.709] Jordan: Excuse me. So once more the mist part over the known world to allow the denizens to cross to Hynafol, the sacred meeting place of kingdoms and faiths. Side note, if you’re new, you won’t see uh Hynafol on the map. That’s cause you can only get there through the mists. The rest of this section.

[00:01:31.290] Jordan: Describes the different courts, which you already know about if you’ve been in our previous calls. Um, so the grand gathering is called once again, the denizens of the known world march toward the storm, drawn by prophecy, loyalty, or simple curiosity.

[00:01:45.940] Jordan: All know that the end of this gathering will shape the ages to come. The devourer’s chains are weakening, and with them the balance of all realms. Those who answer the call will decide not only the creature’s fate, but the fate of every world its shadow touches. So the horns sound through the rain, the camps rise in the valleys, and the storm, patient and watching, begins to breathe faster. The rise of the courts has begun. Will you answer the call?

[00:02:15.660] Jordan: So, your first stop in your journey of Hynafol is the opening ceremony. So, this is um where we give you um the narrative for the week. We kind of bring you up to speed with what has happened previously, so that if you are new, you have some context of um what has come before, and then we launch you out into what is to come.

[00:02:39.570] Jordan: Your second step will be walking through the mist. Um, we are changing it very slightly this year, um, but it will still be very epic, and I think you will quite enjoy what we have prepared for you. But once the opening ceremony concludes, all denizens will divide and gather beneath the banners of their chosen court, valor, ambition, knowledge, power, or chaos, and that is where you will take your first steps through the mist.

[00:03:05.639] Jordan: Once that is completed, that marks the beginning of uh the grand gathering. So that’s when the game starts.

[00:03:15.529] Jordan: And you will go out, um, as denizens of Hynafol, ready to serve your court, kingdom, house, and shape the events to come. Um, don’t miss the opening ceremony. If you can possibly avoid it, if you’re coming on the weekend, then so be it, we’ll catch you up when you get there, um, but you want to be at the opening ceremony and walk through the mist.

[00:03:37.660] Jordan: And then we have some longer descriptions of each court, which I will let you read for yourselves, and uh the most important part is the description of each court’s quest. So each one has a quest, um,

[00:03:54.220] Jordan: And uh the court of Valor will seek out the runes of the scabbard, so you’re going to seek the lost runes once etched upon Excalibur’s scabbard, and restore its full power. Only with the scabbard reforged, can the blade strike true on the battlefield once more. Oops, I was trying to let somebody in, not click edit. Uh, the chord and Ambition, uh, their quest is the mask of the wolf.

[00:04:18.829] Jordan: There it is. Collect and reforge the broken pieces of the wolf mask, a symbol of Mordred’s reign and dominance. With it complete, Mordred may finally step onto the field with his full power.

[00:04:30.730] Jordan: The Court of Knowledge will embark on the return of the archmage’s magic, gather the ancient runes and items needed to restore Merlin to his magic. Only through his guidance can his magic come back, and may he enter the battlefield once more. The court of Power is uh going to seek out the jewel of ascension, uh, recover the sacred jewel tied to the lady’s old form, scattered across Hynafol lands. Only with them can she rise in full power and step onto the battlefield.

[00:05:00.809] Jordan: And then the chord of chaos will seek out the shards of Tali Singer’s song, recover the lost shards of an ancient fay melody said to open the way between worlds and the harp to play it. When the song is whole once more, Morgana will stand in Hynafol at the height of her power, her might available on the battlefield again.

[00:05:22.359] Jordan: So those are some descriptions of the quests. Then we move into the three big battles of the Grand Gathering. Um, so, they are going to be, uh, very fun and have lots of awesome, uh, rewards. So this is the area on the map. The two sides will be the Orient versus the Imperium.

[00:05:45.489] Jordan: And the stakes are quite high. So the first battle is a massive golden vein has been uncovered in the borderlands between the Orient and the Imperium. The gates of an ancient mining fortress once belonging to the Cathar of flame, mark the edge of this contested.

[00:06:01.130] Jordan: Territory. The Imperium claims the gold as its rightful claim. The Aurea declares its reparations for the dragon egg, once stolen from their vaults as war banners rise, both sides converge upon the fortified gate that guards the mine’s heart.

[00:06:17.290] Jordan: So we have um a description of the battle here, which you can dive into. I’ll scroll down cause the map will make it a bit easier to see. So this is a gate fight for battle number one, it shall be glorious.

[00:06:33.309] Jordan: And then what you probably want to know is what are the rewards. Um, there they are, they are large and gigantic, and Adam has something that he wants to add.

[00:06:43.869] Adam: Adam, go for it. What’s up guys? Um, so, uh, let me get my camera on as well. Um, thanks, Jordan. Yeah, so, um, the, the, the big two sides this year, as Jordan mentioned, is the Kingdom of the Oriat and they’re going against the Imperium. The, the summary is we spoke to, to the king, um, he truly believes that he’s got a tiny little settlement on the edge of the Imperium’s lands, and they’re concerned that the Imperium might try and take out that settlement. And so they’re gonna hit him back first.

[00:07:09.809] Adam: And what they’re doing is they have discovered through various adventurers and explorers that there are massive gold deposits in between their kingdoms and that there is also an abandoned, um, mage circle, or sorry, magic circle and a mage tower. And so these three territories that are marked in the different colors are what each battle’s about. So the, um, both the Imperium.

[00:07:35.420] Adam: And uh the Kingdom of Oa are gonna be trying to recruit as many people through payment or bribe or coercion or allegiance to help them fight because the loser is gonna end up losing a chunk of land. And as Jordan mentioned, uh, I, in fact I’m just gonna tell you what happened behind the scenes. Jordan went through last minute and increased the rewards on everything to make this huge. So I’ll give away all my secrets.

[00:08:00.649] Adam: This is, this is massive. Um, when we’re on the 2nd battle, Jordan, I wanna describe a point, but, but. So that is battle number 1. Go for it, Adam.

[00:08:10.040] Adam: Alright, so battle number 2, this is the, the shattered circle of embers. This is the mage circle. This one has a really cool dynamic that is gonna mess you up if you don’t think it through. So across the windswept orange plains between the Oriat and the Imperium lies a field of cracked stone and flickering runs, the remnants of a magical circle. When the miners struck deep veins of gold beneath its foundation, the ritual wards fractured. This is an unstable magic circle that you will be fighting over. So the way it works is there are 3 objectives on the map.

[00:08:39.908] Adam: But the center one is an arcane circle that has to be controlled and stabilized. But after you stabilize it for 1 minute, it becomes unstable and kills everybody within a 10 ft radius.

[00:08:57.640] Adam: So this objective you have to hold and let go of and rehold and let go of. And it scores itself at the top of the minute. So it’s not controlling it for 1 minute, it’s like at minute 1 you have an opportunity to control it until minute 2, and at minute 2 you have an opportunity to control it until minute 3. Let’s just say for example, as I’ve got in my document.

[00:09:20.859] Adam: If you gain control of it at say 53 seconds and you hold it for 1 minute until 1 minute, um, oh sorry, actually that should take 2 minutes. Ah there you go, there’s an error there, Jordan, I’m gonna have to fix that one. That should say 2 minutes, look at that error. So from 53 seconds to 2 minutes and 1 2nd, I gotta edit that. Um, uh, anyway, it would score a point. Oh, I suppose that’s correct, that would not score. No, no, that is accurate, whatever, I’m gonna add another one.

[00:09:43.070] Adam: Um, sorry guys, I’m tweaking my own document. Uh, anyway, if you control it for one full minute from the top of the minute to the bottom of the minute, it’s scored, but when it hits the next minute, it becomes dangerous for a minute.

[00:09:53.700] Adam: That means you’re gonna need time management, you’re gonna need communication, um, but that central objective is worth a lot more, a lot more points than the other two on the other side of the battlefield.

[00:10:03.849] Adam: That’s the factor.

[00:10:06.969] Adam: There’s the battlefield.

[00:10:09.330] Adam: And the rewards.

[00:10:13.669] Adam: And then you want to cover the third one? Yeah, sure. Uh, so this is the Tower of Gilded Veins, um, this one’s a simple one if you guys have played before, um, but you’ve got two ways to score, this one you’re actually taking the gold from the center objective and moving it to the objective closest to you, but.

[00:10:29.429] Adam: The objective closest to you isn’t worth as much as the objective your opponent is holding. So there’s a lot to manage on this battlefield. You get gold sacks which are worth points. The objective closest to you is where you store your gold sacks, but it’s worth less points to control it.

[00:10:46.349] Adam: But your opponent’s objective is worth double to you because that’s where they’re gonna bring their gold sacks. So there’s a lot of battlefield management on this one and you really have to think about who’s who’s doing what. Um, and the sense clock of course is where all the gold sacks start, so.

[00:11:02.979] Jordan: There’s the map. That’s it. There’s the rewards, dude, it’s huge, it’s 2 crowns. And then the points accumulate over the cross of the, it’s not just 2 crowns, you get a gold bar. Oh, and a gold bar, that’s so funny.

[00:11:18.340] Jordan: Uh, you accumulate and then

[00:11:23.890] Jordan: You get, uh, if you win, you get all this.

[00:11:28.090] Jordan: So whoever gets the most points against all three battles gets a bonus of all these rewards. This is one of the biggest, uh, rewards that we’ve done, and it’s looking like that’s what we want to be doing for the big battle, whoever leads the fronts, um, at the Grand Gathering, these will be the biggest rewards you can get in the year. All right, questions, Hayden.

[00:11:48.950] Audience Member 1: Do we have an ETA on whenever this will become public for us to look over, um, as a guild and not just over Zoom?

[00:11:48.950] Jordan: As soon as this meeting is over.

[00:12:01.929] Jordan: And I make that woman, which I’m gonna. Thank you. Mhm.

[00:12:06.710] Mike: Mike,

[00:12:09.080] Audience Member 2: Is the mercenary rule gonna be in effect for these battles?

[00:12:09.080] Jordan: We will cover that in another call, but it will be amended greatly.

[00:12:19.640] Jordan: OK.

[00:12:21.919] Jordan: Plus, the mercenary rule only applied to skirmishes, not to battles.

[00:12:27.630] Jordan: Different set of things.

[00:12:31.359] Jordan: OK.

[00:12:33.090] Jordan: Then we’re onto the roundtable quest. Um, so there are 13 paths to arrive at the roundtable. So, the, the big idea, if you missed previous calls, is that the point of the grand gathering is to come together for all kinds of things, but the main thing is that a vote will happen at the roundtable, uh, by 13 knights of the roundtable. I don’t know why that seemed like a good idea for 13, but it’s not, it’s only 3, but it will be 13.

[00:13:03.580] Jordan: And um there will be um 13 ways to get there, 9 of which, well, which I will let you guys read this over, um, but there will be 9, paths that are done via quest, and 4 that will be done via tournaments. Um, so we will have the 4 tournaments will be baseball, gladiator.

[00:13:27.559] Jordan: Arrow tag and a 6 v6 armored battle tournament. Um, so the way that it will work.

[00:13:36.270] Jordan: All who seek to aid in the struggle against the devour must begin their journey the same way by stepping before the archives and accepting their first trial. From that single choice, the paths diverge. Each decision, each ally, each act of courage or deceit will guide you toward one of the many nightly paths once walked by the heroes of the Roundtable. There are 13 paths in all, but only 9 can be reached through quests. 4 more sealed within the tournaments of the Grand Gathering, 1 through victory.

[00:14:03.179] Jordan: Those who walk the quests paths will begin at the archives, and upon finishing their quests will receive a ribbon marking the name of the path they have ventured down. That ribbon is both your proof and your compass. Return with it to the archives to receive the next clue, puzzle, or challenge that lies ahead on your path. Your choices will determine where your story branches and which night steps you follow.

[00:14:25.585] Jordan: The path leads toward an ending, some bright, some tragic, all worthy. You may walk the roads again to uncover new endings and stories, but you may only claim a knighting scroll from a path once. And remember, the soul may carry but one knighting scroll of the Round Table. Should you win another, you may not take it. Simply take the reward from the quest and continue on.

[00:14:48.349] Jordan: So the idea being that if you are one of the first people, if you are not one of, if you are the first person to finish one of these 9 quests, which the descriptions are all here for you to ponder what they might be like, um, then you will become a Knight of the Round Table.

[00:15:04.070] Jordan: And then similarly for the tournaments, um, we have 3 of the 4 are team tournaments. So the team that wins must choose a captain or a representative to be their knight that sits on the round table and makes the boat.

[00:15:23.409] Jordan: When we will have a full tournament document coming out very soon with all of the rules on exactly how each one will win. Most of these we have done before, and we think that you will quite enjoy them. And then, uh, the roundtable vote will happen, so the 13 knights, um, are found, and the knight seats were claimed. The table shall be whole once again. Those who bear the knighting rules will gather before the storm to cast their votes and decide the devourer’s fate.

[00:15:47.020] Jordan: Should it be brought to heel. Each knight carries a voice, each voice carries the weight of legend, which night path will you take?

[00:15:55.750] Jordan: Questions on that.

[00:15:59.570] Jordan: I will continue on.

[00:16:02.159] Jordan: Right.

[00:16:03.590] Jordan: All right, so, the knighting ceremonies and the roundtable vote. So, when the trials of the Roundtable quests have ended, and the champions of both quest and tournament have proven their worth, the chosen will receive a knighting scroll bearing the seal of the archives. These scrolls mark the highest honor of the gathering, a summons to take one’s place among the 13, whether earned through wit, courage, strategy, or triumph in the arena. Each recipient is called to represent their peers and their court in the most sacred of.

[00:16:29.835] Jordan: knighting ceremony will take place just before the roundtable vote, before gathered courts, the newly risen knights will be sworn in beneath the land’s watchful eye. When the final name is spoken and the 13 stand united, the roundtable will once again be whole, and the fate of the world will hang in balance.

[00:16:47.010] Jordan: Um, at the close of the gathering, the 13 knights will be called to their table. They’ll cast their vote. Each chair around the table amplifies its bear’s voice, carrying their choice through the storm itself. This vote decides not merely opinion, but destiny. Whichever court receives the greatest number of votes will see its vision for the world made manifest for their court’s sacred weapon.

[00:17:06.760] Jordan: Will be the one to awaken with the Round Table’s true power. When the vote concludes, the air will still, the storm will listen, the decision made by the Knights of Round Table will resound through Hafal, and the fate of the devourer will be decided.

[00:17:20.930] Jordan: And then, as always, as is tradition in Hynafol, we shall have a night battle.

[00:17:25.780] Jordan: And this is where the will of the people shall be made manifest. So, as darkness falls upon Hynafol, the storm gathers its final strength. The air hums with the echoes of the Round Table’s decision, and the ground itself seems to hold its breath. The votes have been cast, the course chosen by the will of the people and their representative knights. From the 13 knights rises a blinding surge of energy.

[00:17:45.625] Jordan: Through the ley lines of the world, flowing through every banner, every heart, and into the hands of the chosen court. Their weapon ignites in radiant power, now carrying the fate of the realm. The other four weapons fall dim, their light fading to silence. The table has made its choice. No other weapon will cause harm, or there will upon the devourer, only the court’s chosen. Side note, we have totally awesome weapons. I can’t wait for you guys to see them.

[00:18:09.839] Jordan: They’re dope. Uh, and then the final battle will happen.

[00:18:13.989] Jordan: And then, um, here’s what happened. In the heat of battle, the chosen weapon, the prevailing court must reach the devourer. It must strike at a single time to enact the will of the people, to weaken the creature and bring it crashing to its knees. No other weapon can harm it. It will fall only when the chosen weapon touches its form, its strength broken, and its body subdued. From there, the devourer will be brought.

[00:18:34.545] Jordan: Before all of Heinefall, it’s weakened form revealed for the final judgment before the gathered courts, its fate will be shown, the result of the Roundtable’s will, and the people’s choice. It is up to the denizens of Heinefal to protect the weapon and its bearer, to carve a path through the horde and ensure that single fateful strike lands true. The moment will decide not only the devour’s destiny, but the future of Heinefal itself. All may fight, all may bleed, but only the weapon of the victorious court carries the authority of the Round Table’s vote.

[00:19:00.680] Jordan: A champion may be chosen to bear this weapon if the court leader so commands a trusted hand to carry the will of the people into the storm, but once the battle begins, there are no certainties, no scripts, and no rails to follow, only chaos, courage, and conviction.

[00:19:17.310] Jordan: So,

[00:19:18.869] Jordan: The devour will not fall easily. Um, the storm’s corruption seeps into every heart it touches, twisting the will of even the purest soul. There are whispers that its last defense is not its claws, but its voice, that it can tempt the brave and turn them against their own. Those who enter this battle do so knowing the storm is watching. Whether the people of Hynafol will uphold their decision or crumble beneath the weight of doubt, will determine not only devours’s fate, but their own.

[00:19:45.270] Jordan: The ground shakes, the mists ignite, the final battle begins. Um, we have a safety note in here, so, um, essentially, this is a night battle. It is inherently slightly more, uh, dangerous than a normal battle. Um, you know, all combat at hi and fall, um, carries with it risk, and so you need to be, uh, very aware of what you’re getting yourself into and make sure that you are physically capable and mentally sound enough to handle it.

[00:20:12.359] Jordan: Um, this is happening happening at night on the last day, and um, we want to make sure that only surefooted fighters who are alert, sober.

[00:20:21.750] Jordan: And capable of combat should enter the battlefield. So those who have surrendered too deeply to their cup, also known as drank too much alcohol in their revelry, um, should enjoy the spectacle from the sidelines. Um, and then prior to this battle, we will have a safety briefing to make sure that everybody is safe, knows where they should fight, where they should not, and follows the rules as closely as humanly possible. And then, of course, we may balance the sides just to make sure that it is excellent and fun.

[00:20:49.060] Jordan: Um, we have our normal safety briefing here. I will take a second to remind you that while we do knock each other around and slap each other with foam-covered sticks, any kind of physical violence is forbidden, so you may not touch, touch, push, put your hands on somebody, or their weapon, or their clothing at any time. That is not allowed.

[00:21:09.260] Jordan: Um, and that we do always, always, always recommend eye protection. Uh, your eyes are the most likely thing to get injured, um, at Hafall, and we want to make sure that you know full well that you should wear, uh, some kind of safety eye protection. It does not need to be decorum. It can be just simple, uh, plastic safety glasses. It is totally fine, and there is no problem with it, and it is not some kind of badge of honor to not wear it and have your eyes get poked out.

[00:21:36.959] Jordan: OK. And then after that, we’ll have the closing ceremony where the fate of the devourer is decided. So, the closing ceremony reveals the outcome of the roundtable vote to everyone. Um, we’ll make sure that everyone can hear it. So the will of the people and the vision chosen for the future of Hynafol, before the gathered courts, after the victorious weapon has struck its mark.

[00:21:55.410] Jordan: The final fate of the devourer will unfold before their eyes. Will the creature be destroyed, contained, purified, freed, or claimed? The answer belongs to you, the people of Hynafol, and your choice will shape the next age. So stand witness as the mists rise one last time, and the storm gives way to whatever dawn you have made.

[00:22:19.020] Jordan: All right, um, there’s a note in here, uh, from the archives about the mage king. I will leave that for you to, uh, read and ponder another time, um, later, as soon as this meeting is over. Um, we have a few notes in here about skirmishes, um, so we will have lots of skirmishes this year. Oh, I don’t know how that just happened, but.

[00:22:45.290] Jordan: You should get rid of that.

[00:22:50.099] Jordan: Um,

[00:22:52.609] Jordan: So, uh, the devour’s reach does not end at the edge of the battlefield. Its corruption seeps into the soil, the rivers, and the hearts of men. Across the known world, reports have poured into the archives of creatures twisted by the storm, devourers spawn, manifestations of the beasts will give in crude, terrible form. They are drawn to magic, blood, and sound. They multiply where fear lingers too long. Each one is a fragment of the devourer’s hunger, a living echo of its desire to consume all that resists it. Left unchecked.

[00:23:21.530] Jordan: They spawn, gather in nests and swarms, devouring resources, choking trade routes, and spreading sickness through both magic and flash. Their presence strengthens the devour itself, feeding its bond to the storm and making the final battle ever more perilous. So, the courts have issued an open summon to all denizens, join the skirmish.

[00:23:41.650] Jordan: So each day, banners will be raised across the realm, calling for volunteers to take up arms against the devour spawn. Some will fight in wild forests, others in ruined keeps or burned out fields. Wherever the storm’s influence festers, the courts will send their soldiers. Every victory weakens the devourer’s hold. Every defeat makes it stronger.

[00:24:02.339] Jordan: So the results of these smaller wars will ripple outward, determining how powerful the creature will be when it rises for the final confrontation during the binding of the five. Fight bravely, fight wisely, and know that every swing of your blade may decide the fate of the world. So how do you join? Uh, for those wishing to experience the other side of the storm.

[00:24:23.010] Jordan: Uh, serving briefly as a devour’s forces, you are welcome to step into the fray as part of the environmental cast, report directly to the battlefield of the scheduled skirmish before the encounter begins to be outfitted and briefed, the balance of sides will determine, be determined on site to ensure an exciting fight for all participants. So this is your choice, your chance to, um, jump in, essentially play an NPC role for just a battle. There are no consequences for your character, and have a lot of fun and give people a good time.

[00:24:51.939] Jordan: Um, and then, of course, everybody who participates will be paid in coin and resource, and there’s no, no, nothing to sign up for. And then, um, we are bringing back the big castle siege, um, so this is what that is about.

[00:25:08.640] Jordan: Um, so, uh, before dawn, a chill mist rolls over the ruined stronghold known as the Black Castle. Its walls twist and pulse as if alive, veins of sickly purple light crawling through the stone atop the battlements, as silhouette moves, the unmistakable mind-warping presence of the devourer.

[00:25:27.569] Jordan: So I’ll let you read through its fun proclamation, but I do want to walk you through a couple of things. Um, so this is the battle into the castle. So you start outside, there are archers up on top of the castle, you have to go through a winding hallway, there’s trickery in that hallway, and then you have to burst into the main stronghold and confront a.

[00:25:50.586] Jordan: horde of monsters inside. It is intense, it is difficult, um, and, uh, dare I say it is nearly impossible to complete. But the challenge is issued, it is out there, and it is a ton of fun. If you ask people that were there last year, it was amazing, but it is intense combat. The, um, it does require that.

[00:26:13.602] Jordan: All players either have safety goggles of some kind or a helmet slash mask with eye protection. You should not take part in this battle scenario unless you are willing to take part in more intense combat. Nobody’s going to hit you harder, but it is very narrow, very, um, small, uh, confines, and there are arrows flying everywhere. They come from everywhere. It does make it very fun.

[00:26:36.750] Jordan: Um, but if you are not up for it, uh, you should not feel bad and you should not push yourself. Um, and then, um, this is a fight against NPCs and monsters. So the scenario has a defending force of monsters, NPCs, and special characters. These characters may have more hit points than you would expect.

[00:26:54.380] Jordan: Be able to self-heal or other special abilities and powers. The monsters and NPCs know their own unique abilities. Do not interrupt the gameplay to discuss or argue with the opposing team about their abilities or hit points. So this is your opportunity to fight against all of the wild and crazy right in a real castle. It is very fun.

[00:27:12.300] Jordan: And then, um, our last bit here is that the attackers are at a huge disadvantage in this game or this scenario. Um, the chance of the attackers winning is low, so we’re being upfront with you right away. Uh, the game is designed this way, only take part in the scenario if you’re comfortable with intense combat and a high likelihood of failure. If the attackers win the scenario, it is a feat worthy of celebrating.

[00:27:32.522] Jordan: So there’s some game rules here. We’ll run it 4 times for 30 minutes with a max player base of 50 players per battle, obviously not including the NPCs. Um, in order to win, the attacking team must kill the enemy general who will deploy and stay at the X on the map until he is attacked by the defending team, at which point they can move freely, and there are no.

[00:27:52.745] Jordan: spawn points. So you get one life and that is it. You will start outside the castle, and then obviously if you’re an NPC you will deploy inside and upon the castle right up to the entrance. Um, so your objective is to eliminate the opposing team’s general, and if they are killed before the time limit, the attackers win. So that’s it. Get in there, kill all the monsters.

[00:28:13.319] Jordan: And then the defenders obviously is to keep their general alive the entire 30 minutes. Um, so there are no respawns. Once the player is eliminated, they cannot re-enter the game unless they are healed by um another mean.

[00:28:25.439] Jordan: And then, um, one small note, do not stand on the furniture or climb on the furniture. Uh, the great hall inside Sherwood is really, really nice, and, um, it is not, uh, an obstacle course. So keep your feet firmly planted on the ground and have a good time. So here’s a small map of the castle, you’ll enter into here. Um, the gate size is greatly exaggerated for the record, but it is a good representation, and then you will get inside and have to defeat the general inside the castle.

[00:28:56.010] Jordan: Any questions on that?

[00:28:58.510] Jordan: Castle Battle, right, Dylan.

[00:29:01.589] Garrett: Garrett, it’s so funny. It was um, how many times an individual can do either the monster side of the castle battle or the player side of the castle battle. It’s really hard for me to understand you, but I think you asked how many times can you do the castle battle? Think so? Yes.

[00:29:20.020] Jordan: Oh yeah. OK. Um, so what we will do is we’ll take the 1st 50. I think it would be good form that if you’ve gone once to let other people go. Um, this is not based on kingdom or house or court or anything like that. It’s just who is there and who wants to go. Um, it would be good form to let other people go that have gone, and then you can, if there is room, then you can go again.

[00:29:40.810] Jordan: Um, we don’t really have a way, a good way to adjudicate it. Ideally, you would walk out after you finish your round, and there will be a, we’ll have a queue waiting of 50 people, and you hand them your armbands so that they can go in the next round, and then we’ll get them right in and go again.

[00:29:56.550] Jordan: Hopefully that makes sense.

[00:29:58.510] Adam: Adam?

[00:30:01.599] Jordan: Yeah, the, uh, I, I heard the other question he asked, which was, can you do it over and over again if you’re a monster, and the answer is yes. That’s the, that’s the other question. I missed that part. Great. No problem.

[00:30:11.250] Avery: Avery,

[00:30:13.239] Jordan: I have kind of, can you hear me? Yep. I have kind of the opposite question. If you’re a monster, can you only do a certain number if you so choose, or do you have to stay the whole time? No, you can do one and we’ll psych you in. Last year people really wanted to play the monsters in this scenario. I don’t think that we’ll have a hard time filling it up and making it a good fight for everybody. So if you want to do it once and then bow out, it should be no problem.

[00:30:37.339] Jordan: Cool.

[00:30:38.680] Sam: Sam?

[00:30:44.880] Audience Member 3: Can you hear me now?

[00:30:44.880] Jordan: Oh, OK. So, um, I have a question from earlier because I didn’t, I didn’t reach the raised hand in time. So the quest for, well, is it the

[00:31:01.290] Jordan: I think there’s 4 different ways to get to the, to be a knight of the roundtable. Am I understanding that you can do a quest to get to the round table and not have to fight? Yes, that’s correct. So there are 9 quests to become a knight of the roundtable, and then 4 tournaments that you can win. So there are 13 total seats, and 9 of them are quests that do not do not require you to win a tournament.

[00:31:28.300] Jordan: OK, so how do you, cause this is my first Gigi, how do you know to start a quest or where to get quest information? How does that part work? So you will go to the archives on Wednesday morning, first thing, 9:00 a.m. and they will have them ready, and you can read the descriptions and then embark on whichever you choose. Oh, OK, great. Thank you. Mhm, no problem.

[00:31:54.349] Jordan: No problem. Alright, Jordan, I don’t know if you’ve got it. I’ve got a video of the um the the quest last time. I don’t know if you wanna screen share it for people who’ve never seen it. The um, the, the battle, the castle entry battle. Sure, let’s do it at the end. That sounds perfect, works for me. Yeah. Pull it up.

[00:32:14.660] Jordan: OK. And then, it’s a little guide here on what are your first steps in how to fall. So I wanted to put together a quick guide. So if you’re new, this is how you do it. So step one, before you enter the gates, uh, you’re gonna choose your court. So you must choose which of the five courts you will stand with. Each has its own virtues, goals, and methods.

[00:32:34.449] Jordan: So the court of Valor are champions of honor and justice, Court of ambition are realists who believe the world is too harsh for Camelot’s illusions, Court of Knowledge, scholars who safeguard the realm through knowledge and magic, Court of Power, seekers of hidden knowledge who dare to grasp.

[00:32:51.010] Jordan: What others fear to touch, and the court of chaos are harbingers of change who follow ancient untamed laws beyond mortal rule. So your court will be your home, your allies, and your cause. You may find your place among them immediately or discover it, um, as the weekend, or not the weekend, I should say as the week unfolds.

[00:33:12.689] Jordan: Um, but as the time unfolds. And then step 2, you’re going to visit the archives. So once you’re inside the grounds, make your way to the archives. There you will receive your passport quest, which is a self-guided adventure that will take you across the heart of Hafall. It is the perfect way to learn the grounds, meet houses, guilds, kingdoms, and earn your first rewards, complete it at your own pace, and return to the archives when finished to collect your prize. So, that is our way of helping.

[00:33:37.739] Jordan: You, if you are new, get out there, meet people, um, and start learning your way around. Um, people will be very helpful with that. And then step 3, when your passport is stamped and your feet are ready to go, then you can start your roundtable quests. Um, and then there are also court quests, which are a collaborative narrative that connects you with others who share your allegiance. Together, you will advance your court’s goals, earn its trust, and write your place in the storm.

[00:34:03.380] Jordan: Some quests will test your mind, others, your courage, but all will lead you deeper into the world of Hynafol. So we ask that you explore, ask, and join. So if you ever feel lost, the members of the archives, uh, the player liaisons, or your court attendants are there to guide you.

[00:34:21.050] Jordan: Uh, follow the sounds of laughter, the glint of banners, and the rhythm of drums wherever you go. You will find adventure waiting for you. So these are kind of our three places that if you are new, um, you can always feel free to go and ask for help. So the archives is very, uh, very accessible. Um, it is often busy, but there are going to be lots and lots of attendance in there this year, um, to help answer things. We will have a player liaison tent, so this will be a big, bright.

[00:34:47.583] Jordan: Orange and green tents set up very near, um, the central, um, area of the village. So up by the, what we’re calling the Hall of houses or the trip to Jerusalem. It’s also where our town square is, and there will be people in there that are friendly, helpful, and they are all volunteers. So they are there to, um, answer your questions. They will have lots of information, whether you just need a friendly ear or you’re like, man, I’m kind of confused. I don’t know where to go next. I don’t know what to do, or

[00:35:14.115] Jordan: If you have something to report, those people are all there to help you, and they will be, um, there for the vast majority of the lighted hours of the day. So from about 10:00 a.m. till 6 p.m. every day. And then, of course, there will be some court attendants, so every court will have a liaison and one or two other people, um, that will be around. You will be introduced to them at your, um, walking through the mist, uh, ceremony, like as you get started in your adventures, so you’ll know them, you’ll know what they look like.

[00:35:40.909] Jordan: And you will be able to um ask them questions at any time. That’s what they’re there for. And then, of course, as you go along, you’re going to meet people in houses, you’re going to meet people in kingdoms. Um, we’ve already covered guilds, so if you join a guild, there will be people from all across Hynafol in that guild with you, and you will go on adventures with them. And, um, essentially, as it says, the first steps into the mists are never easy, and you will not walk alone.

[00:36:07.050] Jordan: And then we also have some opportunities for cast characters. Lots of people have been asking, so we have um lots and lots of opportunities uh for you to join in on the narrative, if you want to help us bring Hynafol to life. So I will let you guys read over that once you get it. Um, there are very easy directions here on how to get started.

[00:36:29.090] Jordan: And then, of course, we have repeated our safety notice. We do want things to be safe. Um, we want to make sure that you have a good time, but we want you to remember that, um, none of that is possible if every person doesn’t also participate in keeping other people safe. So, make sure that you remember that all of your actions, um,

[00:36:49.639] Jordan: Echo out into the community. So, if you are going to fight or role play or anything else, make sure that you do so with others in mind. Put them first, give good fun away, play a beautiful game, die a beautiful death, and have an amazing time at the Grand Gathering. So, we’re gonna post that document, um, right on uh Discord, and we will email it out, um, but that is the game document for this year. Questions.

[00:37:17.159] Jordan: About that, or anything else in general except for what about this Carter update, which will come out as soon as humanly possible, I promise.

[00:37:26.820] Emily: Emily,

[00:37:29.169] Jordan: Yes, um, I’ve already filled out my Google form to pledge my allegiance to a court and, and, and, uh, give information about myself, but

[00:37:39.070] Jordan: I’m, I’m excited to read more of this document and learn more about some of the other courts, because I think I might be leaning more towards another. Um, if I wanted to change, do I just fill that form out again, or do I need to contact somebody to update the one I’ve already submitted? Fill it out again. Cool, can do.

[00:37:59.760] Jordan: Easy peasy. Thanks. Mhm.

[00:38:06.790] Jordan: Anyone else? Is there any other questions, that was great. You did so, you did it so well, Jordan, no one’s got questions. Nailed it.

[00:38:14.709] Jordan: I went to public school. I can read out loud. It’s pretty good.

[00:38:19.520] Jordan: There is, there’s, there’s people talking about the courts in the chat that some, I’m sure someone’s got a court question they wanna ask. Pretty sure.

[00:38:29.750] Jordan: This is your time, guys.

[00:38:32.580] Jordan: I don’t need to stare at myself anymore.

[00:38:34.590] Torna: Torna.

[00:38:37.489] Jordan: And I’m know people aren’t gonna ask it, so I’m just gonna do it, um.

[00:38:43.250] Audience Member 4: When it comes to the courts and alignment of the courts, can you please tell everybody how it works, please, and how you choose the courts?

[00:38:43.250] Jordan: Absolutely. So we have a form, you fill out the form that aligns you to your court, if you want to do it in person.

[00:39:00.000] Jordan: You can do it at the archives, not a problem.

[00:39:03.320] Jordan: Uh, so individuals choose their court, houses choose whatever they want. They’re not forced to do anything. Kingdoms make, uh, a, what was the word we’re looking for, a declaration for a court, and that’s how it works.

[00:39:18.570] Audience Member 5: Is there more pieces, more questions, more clarification?

[00:39:23.209] Jordan: But that’s, you don’t have to follow the kingdom’s choice, the kingdom will declare, however.

[00:39:31.120] Jordan: There may be

[00:39:33.399] Jordan: Issues down the line in game, if you choose to not.

[00:39:38.669] Jordan: But that’s a secret, we can’t go further.

[00:39:42.570] Jordan: Recommended you go with the kingdom.

[00:39:45.239] Jordan: What you do is up to you.

[00:39:48.300] Jordan: OK.

[00:39:51.639] Hayden: Hayden,

[00:40:00.620] Jordan: It’s a good question while we’re waiting for Hayden, Jordan. The couples, do they fill a form each or one form for two? One form is enough.

[00:40:12.860] Jordan: All right, Hayden, we’ll go to Kenneth.

[00:40:21.010] Jordan: Hello there, good evening. Uh, my, my question is about again, uh, guild couples, me and my wife have got it. Um, I sent in my forms, but I didn’t get any sort of anything back to say they’ve gone through. So should I just fill them out again, or? Nope, we’ve probably got it, um, I think that I forgot to turn on the automatic response that says, hey, we got your form.

[00:40:42.570] Jordan: So I will uh be sending everybody a response that’s filled out those forms, um, very shortly. Yeah, I just don’t want to be sleeping on the ground again that you won’t, you will not sleep on the ground. We will be ready for you, for sure. Thank you very much. Bye bye. Mhm. No problem.

[00:40:58.320] Jordan: Oops, uh, Randy.

[00:41:04.070] Jordan: So, let me try to make sure I’m in the right boat here. So if I come down, I’m declaring um what court to be in, but if I haven’t joined the guild as of yet,

[00:41:15.780] Jordan: That really doesn’t play one way or the other. I mean, I’m declaring for a court, but not to a guild until after I go through the mist.

[00:41:24.860] Jordan: So by guilt, do you mean house like that is formed by players, or do you mean like assassin, thief, guardian, guilt? No, Ashley through the house itself of, mhm, yeah, so everybody declares for a court, um, and then you are free to join a house after that or at any time.

[00:41:46.540] Jordan: So you don’t have to, you know, there are, there are going to be houses with people that have different declarations, and are going to have different, you know, court alignments.

[00:41:57.360] Jordan: And that’s part of the, the role play of figuring that out.

[00:42:01.820] Jordan: Awesome, thank you. Sure.

[00:42:07.209] Jordan: All right, Hayden, I’ve clicked unmute several times. It’s working now. There we go, kept crashing earlier. I don’t know why. Um, do the court artifacts, are those important for the court quests, or can you like, cause I know those said a thing about the quest from the October event.

[00:42:26.679] Jordan: Taylor most important one.

[00:42:30.600] Jordan: Or can you do the quest without them, or do you need them for the quest? Can you for

[00:42:36.169] Jordan: I don’t understand the question. What court artifacts do you currently have?

[00:42:41.699] Jordan: Oh, I don’t have one, but someone said something about there being.

[00:42:47.379] Jordan: Ah, it’s fine, we’ll figure it out later. Life goes on. No, it’s OK, we’re happy. No, it’s OK. I’m just, I just, I wanna answer your question correctly. Someone said that they got an artifact and it had something to do with Merlin and something about a quest to bring Merlin to power. So I’m wondering if that has anything to do with the thing and if we need that for the quest, but that’s something I can figure out at Gigi.

[00:43:12.300] Jordan: Yeah, you’re totally good. I have not put any of those items into the game yet, so they, they will all be found and gathered at GG altogether.

[00:43:20.760] Jordan: OK, good to know.

[00:43:23.550] Jordan: Sweet.

[00:43:26.580] Banger: Banger

[00:43:31.959] Jordan: Hello? Yeah.

[00:43:34.300] Jordan: Yes, sir. Yeah, I had a question about the, the knighting stuff, um.

[00:43:39.229] Audience Member 6: If you’re trying to do the round court, I understand one of the paths to doing it or ways of doing it, is like winning a tournament. So let’s say you win a tournament. I mean, is it like you’re just, you’re doing it to be qualified as a knight, or is it you win a tournament and you’re going to be a knight?

[00:43:39.229] Jordan: So there are those 4 tournaments that we listed in the document.

[00:43:59.129] Audience Member 7: If you win one of those 4 tournaments, you will be a knight of the Roundtable. So just for clarity’s sake, um, kingdoms can make knights. A knight of the Round Table sits at the round table and makes a vote on a decision that is put before everybody, right?

[00:43:59.129] Jordan: So in this case, what are we doing with the devour? And every court has a motivation, and then

[00:44:23.550] Jordan: Uh, people put forward their vote on which direction they want it to go. And as a reminder, there are only 4 tournaments that qualify you to be a knight, uh, knight of the Round Table. They are baseball.

[00:44:36.320] Jordan: The 6 on 6 battle, the combat archery, and the gladiator tournament where you fight in armor, sword, shield, uh, or spear, whatever weapon you want, and, um, 3 of those are team games, so the team will choose who the captain of the team is, that will be the night.

[00:44:55.909] Jordan: But once you win, that’s how 4 of the knights are founded.

[00:45:01.830] Jordan: And if you complete a quest, and you get a scroll, and then you go on to win one of those tournaments, you can’t have two. Gonna have to give it to somebody else on your team.

[00:45:10.959] Jordan: That makes sense? Understood. Badger. Yes, sir. Cool.

[00:45:14.860] Jordan: All right.

[00:45:16.800] Jordan: Kill him.

[00:45:21.810] Jordan: Yes, sir. Um,

[00:45:23.780] Jordan: I wanted to ask, is it too late for me to send my, uh, specs for the religious artifact? I’ve already sent the email to you guys.

[00:45:35.370] Jordan: Um, today, I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t too late. We will review it and get back to you as soon as we can. Thank you, sir. Mhm. No problem.

[00:45:47.270] Jordan: All righty. Any other questions? Going once.

[00:45:51.889] Jordan: Going twice.

[00:45:54.840] Jordan: Sold. Thanks for being here. We will do breakout rooms after this. So if you want to stay and socialize, I will hang out right here in this room. So if you want to ask me questions, uh, feel free, and I will answer them one by 10, Mike coming in, sliding in last.

[00:46:12.129] Jordan: Oh

[00:46:14.090] Audience Member 8: Is the Carter thing being postponed again?

[00:46:14.090] Jordan: No.

[00:46:18.810] Jordan: It’s not. I thought that was tonight. Am I wrong? It was, but we finished this and we needed to get this out, and the card is not ready. We’re still taking feedback and making changes.

[00:46:29.409] Jordan: O

[00:46:31.429] Jordan: Thanks, Mike.

[00:46:33.340] Jordan: All righty, everyone, thank you so much for being here. Thank you for your patience. We are working as diligently as we can, taking all of your feedback into consideration. When it’s all done, we really hope that you’ll love it and we’re very excited to see you in just a couple of weeks.