The Black River Barrel Run

Organiser: Aloycious Fenwick who comes from a well-to-do family in the Corvis region.  The Fenwicks have several businesses including logging, warehousing, and a large brewery.

Description:
The Black River Barrel Run recreates a 40 year old rivalry between the Fenwick brewery and a long forgotten competitor.  Contestants must ply their riverboats down the Black River 20 miles to the tiny hamlet of Fenwick (home of the Fenwick family) and unload 12 barrels of Fenwick ale at the docks.  After unloading the boat captains must turn their boats around for the final leg of the race--getting back upriver to Corvis.  The winner is  the first boat that arrives back in Corvis.

Agenda:  
Beginning at sunrise, residents of Corvis make their way to the docks to find a space to see the start of the race.  At nine a.m., several city dignitaries arrive (including the mayor, other prominent politicians, and Cygnaran military officers) and start the race with salvo of cannon fire. 

Many prominent businesses and citizens of Corvis enjoy parties up on the rooftops of the various warehouses and shops along the docks. Those who have sponsored an entrant have especially grand events.

About three hours later, the boats begin to arrive in Fenwick to an appreciative crowd of farmers, dock workers, and swampies. Upon delivery of the cargo of Ale, the residents of Fenwick enjoy a long afternoon and evening drinking "Fenwicks Finest."

Late in the afternoon the riverboats finally start filtering back into the city, each to rowdy appreciation from the crowd. The winning crew is recognized with a good-sized cash purse, along with other gifts from the many businesses of Corvis.

Social crowd: Along the docks one can see a wide variety of people, from the most common of dockworkers to curious Gobbers gazing admiringly at the shiny, fresh paint of Corvis' finest steamboats.  Up on the rooftops and in reserved grandstands the upper class of Corvis watch the boats leave, and then return to their seats later in the afternoon for the big finish.

By: Alan "Mingo" Bengs

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