"First to hit the ground loses. First to let go gets deducted and dishonored. It's a nasty sport, if you ask me. Nothing but a holdover from our darkest times."
-Duchess Swee Oceansglide
Talon Jousting is a practice in the
The Winged Woods by the
Birdfolk . It is a practiced tourney sport as well as a deadly method of combat used by the birdfolk when fighting other birdfolk.
Origins
Talon Jousting was the primary way of dueling and fighting battles during the times before the Winged King, when the Woods were just a collection of dukes, lords and barons fighting for territory or power.
Rules
Talon Jousting involves flying up to a predetermined height, locking talons, and then falling to the earth.
During the fall, both parties must lock their wings and freefall. Any flying away or slowing the fall usually results in disqualification if at a formal tourney, or dishonor during actual combat. The two parties must, during the fall, attempt to score as many points as they can by scratching the opponent with their talons, while keeping one talon locked with the opponent. In tourneys or non-lethal duels, this is done by capping over the talons with special caps that are covered in chalk. The chalk leaves marks on the opponents armor, making point tracking easier. They are also dulled so they do not harm the jousters. Once the jousters close in on the ground, the second albiet much shorter part of the joust begins.
Once a certain distance from the ground is reached (usually very close yet not too dangerously close in tourneys), both parties are allowed to unlock talons and wings and disengage with the opponent.
In modern day, it is usually the honorable thing for both parties to let go near the same time, as being the first to disengage loses the jouster many points. Some of these joust are done "To the Ground" however, and the goal of this phase becomes about slamming the opponent into the ground by wrestling them below you in the fall. These joust are rare in tourneys, yet are frequent in battle and lethal duels.
