Black Gryphon Inn 2026

For so long Citizens of the Canton of Gryphonwald have gathered at their favorite
spot, The Black Gryphon Inn.  Well now the Inn invites you to explore the
fantastic origins of its very name.  This year the Inn celebrates Magical and
Mythical Creatures.  Come hear tales and songs of these majestic beasts.  Or
“Hunt” some for yourself as you try to spy them out around the grounds in our
Mythical Creatures Photo Hunt.

Events
Music in the Inn.  Whether provided by the “Bard in the Box” or by live acts
A Feast of Mythical Creature themed foods served at your table
The Canton of Gryphonwald’s A&S tournament
The Canton of Gryphonwald's Brewers Competition
The Barony of Settmour Swamp Bardic Champion Competition for the new Barony Bard
A Kubb Tournament
And a light Day Board prior to the Feast
A Mythical Creature “HUNT” set out around the grounds.
--
Mythical Feast Menu
Starter - Phoenix Bread - Bread with candle of seasoned butter
Salad - Elven Herb Salad - Fresh herbs with a Hazelnut Vinaigrette
Drinks - Sage water, lemonade, iced tea
Main Course
-Roast Beast or Giant sized Meat pie
-Spiced Griffin wings
-Fiery Dragon’s breath Chili (Vegetarian)
-Side of Chimera roasted Root Vegetables and Troll Rocks - Troll rocks are spiced roasted potatoes
Desert - Ambrosia or Centaur Libum - Cheese cake & Hot drinks
--
Canton A&S Competition
The Canton of Gryphonwald invites artisans from across the East Kingdom to share their love of hands-on history by showing off your Arts and Sciences projects in whatever state they might be:  in-progress or complete, first attempt or perfected technique.  Mythical creatures are the theme of the day, so bring your art and research on the dark and mysterious.  If by chance a gryphon gnawed on your tapestry or a unicorn stomped on your design, fear not!  Work your brush with the unknown into your presentation.  You would be surprised what you can blame on a yeti. 

The Arts and Sciences Competition at Black Gryphon Inn will celebrate the “Project we most want to see through.” Bring your stalled project, your practice at learning techniques, and if you are brave, your failures.

Please, do not forget to include your inspiration and research for your work.  There will be a special prize for the entry that best works in the mythical creatures theme in a creative way - either directly in the project or into the circumstances of incompleteness.  Your friends at the Black Gryphon Inn just might be gullible enough to believe it.

--
Baronial Bardic COMPETITION
By decree of the Baron and Baroness, the annual Settmour Swamp Bardic tourney returns!  Bards from every corner of the Swamp are invited to compete.  The theme for this year's contest is "Myths and Mythical Beasts"—tales of legendary creatures and the fantastical lore surrounding them.

The winner shall be crowned the Bardic Champion for Settmour Swamp for the coming year, enjoying renown and glory within and without the swamp's domain.

Round One:  The Ballad of Lore

The Challenge
Competitors must perform a ballad (a structured poem or song) that recounts the tale of a specific mythical creature or a legend.  Bonus point if it's a local Swamp legend! 

Guidelines
Length:  The performance should be between 3 and 5 minutes in length.
Creativity:  Bards are encouraged to dig beyond common creatures (like dragons or griffins) and explore obscure or unique folklore.  Bonus points for inventing a plausible Settmour Swamp beast!
Musicality/Rhythm:  The ballad must have a clear meter and rhythm, suitable for recitation or setting to music.

Round Two (if needed):  The Spontaneous Serpent’s Verse (Improvisation)

The Challenge
The three finalists will face the ultimate test of bardic wit:  spontaneous improvisation.  Each bard will be presented with a mystery prompt derived from an ancient, swamp-stained scroll.  The prompt will contain:
A Setting:  (e.g., A forgotten moss-covered grotto).
An Action/Event:  (e.g., The theft of the Moonstone Amulet).
An Unseen Beast Trait:  (e.g., The creature can only be harmed by laughter).
The bard must then instantly weave a humorous or terrifying short story incorporating all three elements, creating a tale about an unseen mythical beast.

Guidelines
Preparation:  No preparation time is allowed once the prompt is revealed.
Time:  Each bard has a maximum of 2 minutes to compose and perform their spontaneous piece.
Audience Interaction:  Bards are encouraged to interact briefly with the audience or judges to enhance the performance.
--
Proposed Timeline:
11am Troll opens
12pm A&S Comp Begins
1 pm Kubb Tournament Begins
2:30 Brewers Comp and judging for A&S
3:30 Bardic Comp
4:30 Court and Announcement of winners
5:30 Feast
7pm Site closes

Site Opens: 11:00 a.m.
Site Closes: 7:00 p.m.