Following the magic trials were the craft competitions reminiscent of an enormous county fair involving all works of craftmanship one could think of before the excitement of two days of beast hunter trials. These trials gave the lesser beast hunters a chance to show off their capabilities within a secured arena against various captured beasts. This arena was set up by the various geomancers and apotropaic (protection) mages to prevent any harm from coming to the crowd of onlookers. Participants in these combats could improve in rank allowing them to attempt to earn a larger share of the hunts and get an earlier pick of the cores of the defeated beasts. Gaining rank also meant invitations to more difficult beast hunts or being allowed to hunt closer to a rift which provides for a greater chance of better cores.
Performing these exhibitions allowed the guild's members to show off their skills and beast items, not to mention their riches as even the most common beast cores were worth ten gold regals. This also served as a method of luring new blood and ideas into the beast hunter hall from those which hoped to strike it rich, thus helping to replace those members who retired or met their end to one of the beasts.
The festival concluded with a jubilant celebration with both arenas transformed into a festive scene with feasting, music, and dancing. The highlight of this celebration was the giving away of a Vrak core to everyone present for the festival.
Vraks were creatures from the rifts which looked like grotesque vultures standing about seven feet tall with course black feathers covering their bodies. Unlike a vulture, besides legs, they also have two powerful arms which end in vicious talons capable of tearing through ordinary leather armor and many low-tier beast armors. Their beaks are said to be sharp and hooked, reminiscent of a bird of prey. They were said to have a wingspan of roughly ten feet allowing them to fly and make swift diving attacks on unsuspecting prey rending them with both their fore talons and leg talons. Tales of more powerful vraks say there are those surrounded by a malevolent aura capable of inducing panic in those hunters who get too close to the foul demons and these more powerful versions are alleged to be resistant to many elemental spells.
Vrak cores are often used in beast gauntlets. These gauntlets are said to increase the strength of the wearer, especially their grip. These gauntlets are often made utilizing the talons of the vrak to further add to the overall strength of the gauntlets and adding making it less likely to be damaged when struck by a weapon. Occasionally, they will be made into saddles or horseshoes to increase the strength of a beast, however, the most desired use of vrak cores, along with the vrak's feathers, is to make cloaks which give the user a limited ability to fly for a short period of time. These are quite rare due to the number of feathers needed from the same vrak as the core.
For nearly every person present at the festivities, receiving a single vrak core would be a life-changing windfall. A single vrak core was considered the same as 10,000 gold regals, enough to purchase a fair-sized farm and stock it in almost all of the barony of Gozd. An average person would find it to be enough coins to move to the capital to live for a year or more. With the coin of day-to-day transactions here in Milltown being the silver hawk, one could live a lifetime. In Gozf, many small items or meals can be purchased for copper nobs or even iron bits, but for most transactions silver is used. With the possibility of becoming instantly rich, everyone waited anxiously for the event to begin.
As a show of illusion created fireworks and other wonders filled the sky, people stared in awe. Although this was an incredible distraction, everyone knew the vrak core would be given away after the last image faded. Following it, a master agnomancer would cast a spell delivering the core to some random individual known to no one until it happened. Agnomancers specialized in chaos magic, instilling guaranteed randomness into gambling items such as wheels of chance or magical card shufflers. In battle they will often target the gear or siege machines of the enemy hoping to instill enough chaos into them they will break or their aim to be untrue. Tonight's agnomancer would create a shimmering ball which would fly into the air and choose someone at random among all those within line of sight of the keep's highest tower. Once chosen, the ball would fly to its recipient and land in their outstretched hand where it would dissipate depositing the core as it faded away. Most of those present had seen such an event before, but this time, instead of a common beast core from a corrupted bat, rabbit, shrew or other small beast who had little power, due to the presence of the king, the hunter's guild had donated an actual demon core from a common tier demon. Being a thousand times more valuable, the usual reward, this giveaway held everyone's attention, even high-ranking knights and wizards weren't exempt from the lure of this reward.
The illusionary fireworks finally end with a grand finale of lights and colors lighting the sky for miles. Upon fading, darkness overtakes everything, dimming the lanterns and lights. When the darkness has made it nearly impossible to see, atop the highest tower of the keep, a swirling ball of chaos materialized, an ephemeral dance of vivid colors and untamed energies. It hovered and twirled with an otherworldly grace, defying the laws of nature. The chaos within seemed to manifest as unpredictable patterns, both mesmerizing and unsettling.
As the ethereal sphere traversed the air, it surveyed the surroundings with an almost sentient awareness. It moved with purpose, as if guided by an unseen force which understood the threads of destiny. Arcane energies crackled and sizzled within the chaotic maelstrom touching upon the dark heart within. These energies gave birth to fleeting images across the surface of the globe.
The ball of chaos glided over the landscape, pausing momentarily above potential recipients. It hovered over outstretched hands, assessing the essence of each individual it encountered. The air quivered with a heightened sense of anticipation as the ball weaved through the air, almost as if it contemplated the very essence of those it touched.
Finally, the swirling chaos chose its designated recipient. With an abrupt yet graceful descent, it landed gently in the chosen hand. At the point of contact, a surge of mystical energy coursed through the recipient, a connection to the chaotic forces that birthed the swirling ball. The recipient's hand was bathed in an otherworldly glow as the chaos melded with their aura.
As quickly as it arrived, the swirling ball of chaos began to fade away, its vibrant colors diminishing into wisps of ethereal mist. In its wake, a dark gem emerged, about three inches in diameter. The gem shone with an inner darkness, capturing the essence of the vile creature it was once a part of. This artifact, a conduit of power lying within the heart of the mystical sphere had a new owner. The chosen bearer who was none other than Monica Cooper, Von's best friend.
Seated nearby in his wooden wheelchair, Von who was hardly enjoying the festivities due to his limitations, was instantly filled with jubilation once more for his best friend. Not only was she to be enrolled into the kingdom's greatest academy, but she was already rich before ever leaving Milltown. If only he could walk, he would go to her and hug her. Not only would she and her family be moving to the capital with him, but they would also arrive and not have to fear for making a living.
Beside him, on the other side, King Garret was looking at Monica with admiration. For someone so young to display such luck was impressive. Further away, looking at the group sitting near the king, Godfrey and Jayr stood in silence looking at the young girl. The older man's hand was on the younger man's shoulder while the younger looked completely amazed. A seven-year-old girl was somehow able to subconsciously warp the spell of a veteran master agnomancer to cause a significant windfall to land literally in her hand.
I wonder how powerful she will become with proper training? The younger man thought. Are we even certain it is wise to train someone who already has the ability to overpower the spell of a 6th rank agnomancer.
Solemnly, the older man thought back, Imagine what could happen if she wasn't trained. She could be thinking about living in a lakeside house, and a nearby river could overflow its banks tearing down countless houses and leaving a large pool of water in what was previously the cellars of those houses just so she could have a lake. Misfortune could descend like a relentless tempest to those who make her angry. Structures that have withstood the test of time could crumble as a single chip starts a devastating crack to occur. Prosperous crops could wilt, and fertile lands turn barren because she didn't like the taste of something. In the blink of an eye, fortunes amassed over generations could vanish overnight, while the destitute find unexpected windfalls because of a desire to help one of the latter. All these things without her knowing she was the cause.
With a nod, Jayr, looked at his elder, I guess we have no choice.
The festival ended with a sense of triumph and unity. Von, in his elaborate wooden wheelchair, had not merely observed the festivities and trials, but sitting next to the king, he had become an integral part of the grand event, earning unexpected fame and leaving an indelible mark on the minds of those who witnessed his camaraderie with not only the king, but the king's sponsored student as well. Neither he nor Monica imagined an ordinary festival day, much like any other, would suddenly cause the winds of chance to blow in their favor, casting them both into the dazzling world of public attention.
Strangers had already begun to approach them asking their thoughts or if they could introduce them to the king. Von suddenly, amid the glamour of these last two weeks, started finding himself grappling with the loss of anonymity and the pressure to live up to the expectations of a curious and sometimes fickle public who saw him as the boy who sat at the right hand of the king. Neither child realized how much this unexpected fame would propel them into a world where they would suddenly transform into people with the ear of the king.