Dragon Flight Races

I cannot tell if the Kredasene are insistent on acting out this barbaric foolery for reverent re-enactment, as they claim, or to rile their Raskvaerii superiors into hanging their head in abject shame. To think that any human would take pride in dressing themselves in such ridiculous costumes, and dare to call it 'culture'...

— Viktor Marais, tutor, to his brother in Khinask

The second week in Seventhmonth is the annual High Summer Festival across Kredashmi. In the Vuurfelde (The Firefields), the four days of festivities include an informal race through the streets of the city of Alahnis, out onto the Regtersroad, and across the moorland to Draakskaduwee. This town lies at the base of Draakhohen Castle, the ancestral home of the Chief Judge, Ludwig Dunheuvelin. The route is roughly 4.4 miles in length, and takes an average of one and a half hours to complete - if you are not feeling particularly competative. There is often a wild atmosphere, with music, dancing, frivolity and heavy drinking.

Rules

The rules of the Dragon Flight Races are simple:

• Entrants must form part of a team of at least two, although groups as large as ten have been known to enter.

• Entrants must have a 'vehicle' or 'steed' that must be decorated to look like a dragon.

• At least one entrant must be aboard/astride the 'dragon' at all times, while racing. Pausing to switch riders is permitted.

• Entrants must not sabotage dragons belonging to any other group. This includes stealing, hiding, smashing, burning, or submerging. Entrants who participate in such behaviour will be disqualified.

• Entrants will also be disqulaified for incapacitating, abducting, maiming or killing of other competitors.

• Entrants who are discovered to have repeatedly hazed other groups, or forced them off the race course, will be similarly disqualified.

The Dragons

...And while his wife thanked the competitors, Ludwig Dunheuvelin stood by her side and watched - with that damn cockerel perched on his shoulder. Saints save me, but it wore a bejewelled hood (like that of a falcon), with tiny gilt horns and the muzzle of a dragon. When the time came for Faustine Anaïs to hand out the prize of a fine medal to a most hideously-dressed wheelbarrow, the beast screeched and reared up, flapping its wings. Dunheuvelin hushed the bird and commented that Laisren clearly felt it should have won best dragon.

— Stepan Chernoff to his uncle, the Raskvaerii Ambassador to Kredashmi

Permitted vehicles can include: wheelbarrows, handcarts, wagons, horses, donkies, mules, hobby horses, rocking horses (with additional wheels), and stage horse costumes. There is a prize awarded for the best dragon, often presented by a member of the Dunheuvelin family.
Over the past decade, it has become commonplace for entrants to dress as dragons themselves and to wear tiny doll-riders on their backs. This has led to the development of more lavish decorations for the vehicles, including castles, ships, cities, etc.

The Course

Across the moorland between Alahnis and Draakskaduwee, the racecourse is split into two parrallel tracks. There is the easier, leisurely track (advised for animals), and a second track complete with obstacles. These can include:

• Haybale jumping;

• Crossing the river without a bridge;

• Mud pits;

• A steep wooden ramp.

All of these obstacles are optional, and marshalls are posted at each one to ensure inappropriate steeds can be rescued from the mayhem. Musicians are now formally advised not to attempt the obstacles with their instruments.

by Brinsmead

History

These moors were onced kissed by the shadows of dragon wings. The wailing of the wind is the mourning of the Vuurfeld itself.

The High Summer Festival was once a time when young dragonriders (based at Draakhohen Castle for their training) were allowed time off for relaxation and merriment. The third day of the festival would draw huge crowds out onto the moorland to watch flying displays from more senior riders and their dragons, with demonstrations of aerial acrobatics and fire shows.
It is said that the route out of Alahnis into the moorlands is the one traditionally taken by spectators of the show. The route to Draakskaduwee is that taken by the dragons returning to the Dunheuvelin stronghold.

Placeholder Skeleton by Brinsmead