Festival of the Uncloaking

The Festival of the Uncloaking is an annual celebration that takes place in the Free City of Braavos. Traditionally it took place over the course of five days, but this was doubled by the Sealord Ulloro Zalyne is 86AA. The festival is popular amongst the Keyholders, common merchants and Sealord alike.

It is intended to remember the anniversary of Sealord Uthero’s decision to make the existence of the Free City to the world, and celebrate the successes brought by the decision.

## Format

For the duration of the festival, all participants must be masked, their identities hidden, from Sealord to guardsman, Black Pearl to merchant-sailors. Throughout the ten days duration, feasts are thrown in the streets, circling around the city itself, starting in the Silty Town at the north of the city and ending in the Purple and Ragman's Harbours.

The most popular and extravagant feasts and revelries take place on the ninth and tenth days, located in the grounds of the Sealord's Palace and the harbours of the city respectively. As the tenth day draws to a close, with the people of city lined up along the edge of the brackish waters, the Titan lets out a great uproarious cry, and all those in attendance remove their masks in unison.

Whilst the exact nature of the revelries changes between festivals, there are several common events that take place most years.

* The Bravo's Rings - A competition intended to highlight the skill and prowess of the formidable waterdancers of Braavos, the Bravo's Rings consists of a series of increasingly narrow rings of steel, towards which the competitors lunge, seeking to pass their slender blades through the target. It is customary for the First Sword of Braavos to not enter in the event, although as they too are masked, it is not uncommon for participation to take place.
* The Ribbons - As popular amongst those bound by marriage as those not, the Ribbons is a game played in two rounds, once by men, then another by woman. The competitors are split by gender, and one designated seekers, whilst the others have coloured ribbons tied around their waists. The seekers then chase down those with ribbons, taking the ribbon for their own with an embrace, the victor being the seeker with the most at the end. The game is then repeated, but the roles reversed.
* The Sweetwater Race - Starting at the south-eastern aspect of the city, where the Sweetwater River first enters the confines of Braavos, the Sweetwater Race is a contest of speed. Competitors must follow the path of the aqueduct as it weaves around the city, and the winner is whoever is first to fill a cup from the waters of the Moon Pool at its termination, and present the drink to the Sealord himself.

## Recent History

The Festival of the Uncloaking of 297AA is remembered most so with respect to a bravo called Ballio, granted the moniker of Ballio the Bold (although just as commonly referred to as Ballio the Brash).

Interrupting the revelries at the Sealord's Palace to declare loudly he would duel any and all that would stand in the way of claiming the hand of the Sealord's daughter in marriage, he agreed to combat with the First Sword, at the suggestion of the Sealord himself. Sparring upon the Moon Pool as the festivities drew to a close, Ballio proved successful in defeating the First Sword, but was greviously wounded in the process.

As he succumbed to his wounds, Ballio was granted the Sealord's blessing to marry his daughter, but alas Ballio the Bold had naught the chance to proclaim his love to his proposed.