The Sceptre of the Night guild tournament

The EBONY gem belongs to Mephisto, god of the night and tradition holds it to be quested in the combative Guild Tournament SCEPTREQUEST format. This, in short, is a multi-week ongoing contest where each guild brave enough to compete joins a combat league. Points come from winning fights, number of points for a win decided by "fightworth" of killer and slain and how many points the one killed has gained. More points gained means worth more when killed, gain less when slaying. Less points gained means worth fewer but gain more for kills achieved.

It is thus a combat meritocracy and the winner of the EBONY gem must come from the winning guild. He or she is decided by the guild itself (usually the Guildmaster chooses). He or she gains the EBONY powers and right to join the contenders list for the next Ordination (see HELP CONTENDERS). This is not all, however: the entire guild and all its members benefit for at least four Avalon years as the guildhouse acquires the Sceptre of Night. The Sceptre is placed at the victors' entrance and allows all members to use a range of unique powers described in HELP SCEPTRE.

THE SCEPTRE OF NIGHT

The EBONY became linked to the Sceptre of Night quest many hundreds of Avalon years ago. In the year 1081 rumours of an ancient artifact surfaced and by harvest-time had become real as an enormous sceptre edifice appeared at the Meeting Place. The monolith had a strange attraction for all fighting Avalonians and seemed to heighten the natural affinity between members of the same guild...

SCEPTREQUEST GUILD-COMBAT TOURNAMENT: PREPARATION

The contest for the Sceptre of Night - known as SCEPTREQUEST - begins with the "preparation" stage when the Sceptre of Night appears at the Meeting Place.

Guildmasters and Guildmistresses may then commit their members to compete for the prize by touching the sceptre. No underling or deputy has authority. From the moment the sceptre is touched, the guild is part of the tournament. As soon as just two guilds are competing the SCEPTREQUEST goes from preparation to "active" stage.

SCEPTREQUEST GUILD-COMBAT TOURNAMENT: ACTIVE

Each death of a guild-member is noted by the SCEPTREQUEST; each slay by a member of a guild competing likewise records points. Tallies are held judging worth of kill and cost of being slain in points applied to the guild's total. The Gods decide how long the contest runs. Usually the SCEPTREQUEST has no restrictions or rules and is played out in open Avalon conditions for one Avalon year (two weeks in "real" time).

Syntax: GUILDLEAGUE.

Shows you the current points tallied by each competing guild with current members at hand (to be targeted) alongside their points worth when slain.

SCEPTREQUEST GUILD-COMBAT TOURNAMENT: VICTORY

The guild with the most points tallied is the winner of the SCEPTREQUEST. It is as simple as that. If tied to an EBONY gemquest, the guild's nominated contender will be declared victorious and acquire the gem powers and right to contend in the next Ordination.

In honour of this most accomplished of guilds, the Sceptre of Night will manifest its presence at the entrance of the winning guildhouse. It will remain there for at least four Avalon years and give its powers to ALL that guild's members. Once in place, the Sceptre will also distribute various continuous benefits to the guildfolk and cannot be felled by any envious rival.

AFTER THE FOUR AVALON YEARS

After the four Avalon yeas have elapsed the Sceptre becomes less rooted to the winning guild and must then be guarded by those guild-members, if they wish it not to be wrested away by envious rivals (and thus be deprived of its powers and benefits).

Syntax: DOMINATE SCEPTRE

Rivals, to wrest away the Sceptre's power, must DOMINATE it unchallenged by defending guild members (i..e. unslain and not dislodged from standing directly before the Sceptre of Night with total focus).

If the Sceptre is dominated to the extent it loses its roots at the winning guildhouse it will relinquish its position, withdraw its benefits and no longer allow the guild-members to use its powers. The Sceptre will vanish from Avalon for a time; until divine will or providence sets in motion its appearance at the Meeting Place once again, to start the "preparation" of a new SCEPTREQUEST guild competition.

SCEPTREQUEST command summary:

GUILDLEAGUE      Shows the league table of the guild tournament.

TOUCH SCEPTRE    Guildmasters may enter a guild into the tournament.

DOMINATE SCEPTRE To begin the arduous process of sceptre domination.

SCEPTREWHO       Does a WHO but only for those in the SCEPTREQUEST.

SCEPTRE          Tells you current status of the SCEPTREQUEST tournament.

Did you want to find info on the ebony onyx and the black or white totem quest? The Black Curse or the White Blessing? Check out HELP TOTEMS.