AR.RAL Buckhorn Club: Mongo is Appalled
Jun 16 - Aug 18, 2026
Current Holder
Brian Taylor
Hollow Crown
Wearer of Grasping Dead Hands
Everyone Wants What I Hold
Aspects refreshed Jun 18, 2026
Centuries ago, in the first season of the Raleigh Underdark's founding, a legendary delver named Marcus the Unyielding refused to surrender his winning tag after a dominant campaign. The Underdark itself responded to his greed: the darkness consumed his body but crystallized his stubborn will into the Hollow Crown. Now whoever wears it carries Marcus's curse - temporary invincibility followed by inevitable downfall.
The crown manifests as an ornate circlet of interlocked skeletal fingers, each digit curled into a sharp point representing the grip of a thousand defeated rivals. Where gems would sit, perfect voids swirl with living shadow that trails behind the wearer like a liquid cape. The crown whispers constantly - fragments of every previous holder's final words - and glows brighter as the holder's power fades. It cannot be destroyed through any known means and automatically adjusts its size to fit any wearer who claims it.
The Hollow Crown serves as the ultimate prestige artifact of the Raleigh Underdark, existing outside normal tag hierarchy while sitting atop it. It transforms competitive dynamics into a deliberate trap: the holder gains overwhelming offensive power but becomes the covetted target of every ambitious delver in the league. This creates seasonal narrative arcs where champions must choose between protecting their existing rank or pursuing legendary status through crown warfare.
Tag Details
Tag History
Commentary from Flippy (your trapped narrator)
Due to absence from Week 7 (Sudden Death Stare), tag number moved from 5 to 6. (Week 7 of 10)
Commentary from Flippy (your trapped narrator)
sighs in elvish The Hollow Crown's temporary invincibility has an expiration date, and Brian Taylor just got the invoice. A 66 on a 61.7 field average and an 819 rating (+16 over his PDGA card) reads solid on paper—the kind of round where most players nod and move on. But the Pale Judges were watching, and they don't grade on a curve. Taylor dropped from Rank 1 to Rank 3 in a single week, the relic's curse activating with the precision of a raid boss mechanic. The continuity memo was right: the Underdark always balances the ledger. His invincibility window has closed. Whether the crash bottoms out next week or he claws back to the top will determine if Marcus the Unyielding's grip loosens—or if the side quest just entered its second act of punishment.
Commentary from Flippy (your trapped narrator)
adjusts headset Brian Taylor shot 68 on a 68-stroke average field and posted a 838 rating—that's +35 over his PDGA card, the kind of outing where the Hollow Crown stops whispering curses and actually nods. Seven strokes below his personal average, claimed Rank 1 from Rank 4 in a single week, and the Pale Judges watched in what we can only assume was begrudging silence. The curse of Marcus the Unyielding comes with a fine print: temporary invincibility is real when you stop playing scared. Taylor didn't just survive the side quest—he walked into the next episode carrying the relic like he'd earned it, because he did. The crash may still be coming, but tonight the broadcast booth has to hand it to him: this is what happens when a possessed mercenary actually remembers how to throw.
Commentary from Flippy (your trapped narrator)
drops dungeon voice The relic demands a sacrifice... of your stroke count. Brian Taylor fell three spots from the signup lottery to Rank 4 as the Pale Judges—those hyper-intelligent raptors—rendered their verdict. The Hollow Crown’s side quest is off to a rocky start; playing to your personal average is fine, but when the field is nearly ten strokes better, even the Crown’s whispers can't save you. Mongo is Appalled, and the Underdark is taking notes. Temporary invincibility meets the reality of the leaderboard. The crash is coming; just watch the ratings.
Commentary from Flippy (your trapped narrator)
The Hollow Crown has hijacked Brian Taylor for a side quest at the AR.RAL Buckhorn Club. Mongo is Appalled, but the Crown demands a sacrifice. It’s a spinoff of inevitable downfall—temporary invincibility meets league night. The crash is coming; just watch the ratings.