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Seethyr
Master of Realmslore
USA
1151 Posts |
 Posted - 15 Dec 2017 : 00:18:25
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Are there any popular sports played anywhere in the Realms? Any unique games of athleticism that are known to exist, besides of course the daily fun involved in chopping monsters up into little pieces?
I know Maztica has a Ball Game, but are there any others? Tournaments anywhere? Gladiators aside, I'm sure there are plenty of locations for that.
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BadCatMan
Senior Scribe
Australia
401 Posts |
Posted - 15 Dec 2017 : 00:57:12
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Chessenta has a strong and popular tradition of athletics, with running, long jump, javelin and discus, boxing, wrestling, pankration, and chariot-racing. This culminates in the Thulbanian Games:
http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Thulbanian_Games |
BadCatMan, B.Sc. (Hons), M.Sc.
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Seethyr
Master of Realmslore
USA
1151 Posts |
Posted - 15 Dec 2017 : 05:59:36
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quote:
Originally posted by BadCatMan
Chessenta has a strong and popular tradition of athletics, with running, long jump, javelin and discus, boxing, wrestling, pankration, and chariot-racing. This culminates in the Thulbanian Games:
http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Thulbanian_Games
I would love to see games like that "statted" up. In other words, turn all the game rules into 5e terms. Opposing Strength (Athletics) checks for wrestling mixed with grappling rules, etc. Those games actually are pretty simple to work out as I look at them, but an intricate game like basketball would take so much more. Consider blocking shots, accuracy and range with shots, jump balls, steals, rebounds, etc. This has been fun to do with the Maztican Ball game. |
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BadCatMan
Senior Scribe
Australia
401 Posts |
Posted - 15 Dec 2017 : 11:17:44
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Old Empires, the sourcebook that introduced Chessenta, presented an adventure and some rules for the Games. They're for 2nd edition, of course, but might be adaptable.
I used it as a basis for a pair of adventures at the Games using 3.5 edition. However, the fighter PCs, being adventurers, were geared for combat and so I put them in the pankration and let them have unarmed proficiency but no items, magic or mundane, while in the ring. Though I did allow them to wear clothes, which I kind of regret (one was an Eilistraeen). 
I'd suggest using detailed rules if you want to make a big thing of the event. Say the long jump is the key event, so you'd have running, jumping, and balance for landing checks to fully explore how well the characters do and make it dramatic. You could have best of three for each athletic, have rounds of competition in which losers are knocked out. I think bell curve rolls would be more appropriate than flat rolls, so the athletes are consistent and aren't as likely to fumble as break a record. But if it's just one event among many, you could just abstract it to a single opposed check to avoid getting bogged
Martial arts (wrestling, boxing, pankration, weapons fighting) can be run using the standard combat system, but ruling it's all nonlethal and ignoring any unarmed non-proficiency penalties (sport fighting being different to actual fights to the death). At least until someone starts cheating...  |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 15 Dec 2017 : 16:40:56
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There are Gladiators in many cities/nations.
Jousting, Field Lists, Archery Contests...to name a few of the medieval sort of sports.
I know these are obviously not bloodless competitions...but still considered sporting events. |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Lord Karsus
Great Reader
USA
3736 Posts |
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eeorey
Seeker
Bulgaria
96 Posts |
Posted - 16 Dec 2017 : 01:03:15
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| I can't remember which book i saw this particular gem in, but I do remember reading something about a "halfling tossing competition". I think it might have been in that novel where Volo and some other guy traveled across the world... it's been a while. |
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moonbeast
Senior Scribe
USA
522 Posts |
Posted - 16 Dec 2017 : 04:22:36
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| I'm sure that gnome punting is popular in a few regions. |
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Zeromaru X
Great Reader
Colombia
2442 Posts |
Posted - 16 Dec 2017 : 06:24:17
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There are some elves that hunt humans for sport in Elfharrow and those places... I don't remember their technical name
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Instead of seeking change, you prefer a void, merciless abyss of a world... |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11691 Posts |
Posted - 16 Dec 2017 : 10:59:53
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| You know, it might be interesting to make up some sports that actually utilize magic (as an example Quidditch). Not sure what, but there's options. It should be something though that employs magic but doesn't require the user to be magical. Maybe a variation of basketball in which the goals also move around like the players, so one portion of the other team's people might be tackling the other team's goal. Maybe a twist on archery wherein straw constructs run around, rather than having stationary targets. Maybe a charioteering racetrack that changes its shape between rounds. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6643 Posts |
Posted - 16 Dec 2017 : 11:59:17
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Ed has this to say on his thread:
Wrestling and archery tournaments are common at moots, markets, and festival-days (with dart-throwing and arm-wrestling being the everyday indoor tavern equivalents, joined by “shields” [“slideshields” in full, the Realms name for “shove ha’penny”] as the sole athletics in most taverns).
“Swordplay” (fencing) tourneys are rare in many places, thanks to either widespread dueling or prohibitions on dueling (it can be hard to convince the local Watch that you were just fencing, and not dueling, especially if someone gets wounded - - and if people bet on the fencing bouts, that’s often the root-of-evil the anti-dueling laws were put in place to stamp out. Jousting (for commoners, on their own nags and using padded-end “blodge-poles” to buffet each other and targets), and horse-archery (gallop and fire shafts through smallish holes at targets to one side of the rider) are far more common. There are always competitions of the latter two at Shieldmeets, and in some places “swordplay” too; winners are often given a prize of a fine sword - - and offered high pay (and what we would call a “signing bonus,” but in Faerûn goes by the name of “a champion’s cloak”) to enter the service of the competition sponsor as a bodyguard, armsmaster (trainer) or guard commander (the latter two professions applying in cases when temple high priests or local rulers are the sponsors).
However, fencing and knife-throwing EXHIBITIONS (like juggling and tightrope-walking) aren’t so rare.
Very few folk make a living from competitions, but many (like a travel carnival or “feast of wonders”) do so with traveling exhibitions. Athletes are respected for their skills (and may “win a warm night” with local lasses, either young and ardent or old and desperate), but not really “adulated or adored.” And yes, some of them are travelling entertainers and seen as such, though “travelling entertainer” is NOT a term of disparagement in the Realms.
Chariot races have been (and still are, though it’s a sport declining in popularity) held in many Calishite, Tashlutan, and other Southern locales, but they are almost always point-to-point overland races, NOT “around and around an oval” affairs, and they have often involved violence between the racers (though using bows, darts, or other missile weapons has always been considered the worst sort of cheating, hence the Realmsian expression: “He’d loose an arrow as the wheels sing,” meaning he’s the worst sort of cad, as low as someone who’d use archery on competitors during a chariot race).
They are VERY rare in Amn, by the way, because too many important participants got murdered by those betting on such races, and the whole practice fell out of favour.
-- George Krashos |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11691 Posts |
Posted - 18 Jun 2020 : 16:25:06
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Cast Thread Necromancy
Hey, I'm writing up some magical sports right now, and it drew me back to this thread because I knew that we had kind of talked about this here. I'm picturing there being something roughly equivalent to quidditch (i.e. balls, goals, flying... not necessarily a seeker/snitch as that's too derivative... different types of mounts (brooms, carpets, pegasi, fly spell)... points taken away for actually touching the ball, different methods of flight.... magic allowed during the match... illusions covering the ball or "twinning" the ball, illusions to make oneself LOOK like you're part of the other team, mage hands stealing it, unseen servants and familiars getting involved). The goals would be set and a goalie involved just like quidditch (possibly even multiple goals and multiple goalies.... working in 3 dimensions mind you. So, I'm pretty much picturing a similar game, but a lot of differences.
However, the idea I wrote above for a basketball type game with moving goals I see as also interesting. A ground based soccer-type game can be just as challenging, and it could be interesting with a single goal that's possibly a construct. The goal itself may try to block balls entering it, and so part of the requirement to get a goal is to somehow stop/control the goal itself. Maybe this is the game people play when they're younger before they go onto the much more dangerous flying game.
Similarly, the idea of a roaming "hay golem" with an archery target on it that's coming AT the archer could also be interesting. This might be something used wherein the wizard's school and the warrior's guild work together to train folks for both. The game might be a kind of "tag" in which the archer is expected to put X points worth of arrows into the animated hay stack/scarecrow before it can get close enough to touch him. (as an aside, anyone seen on DM's guild a lower level version of animate objects that's or like a single small thing... figuring it could be first level... might even be possible with a cantrip EDIT: hmmm, unseen servant is a ritual and could basically fulfill this purpose, with a strength of 2 it can carry up to 30 points, so a scarecrow attached to a pole should be doable so that the archer isn't aiming at the unseen servant).
Another idea that comes to my mind is something odd like "cross country relay anvil delivery", the idea being that a wizard would run as fast as he can whilst hauling an anvil on a tenser's floating disc or somesuch. Alternative versions might just deliver piles of materials, etc... This might be considered an odd skill like the lumberjacks doing the log roll competitions, etc... It also could be a way to have an apprentice spend a half hour running someplace and back each day as basic exercise before they get stuck inside scribing a scroll. In areas with a lot of snow, if the disc had an anvil in it and the mage stopped every few rounds to "firebolt" it, they might work as something like a snowplow.
While this might seem silly, I'm looking at it from a somewhat practical viewpoint of young men often need something physical to do, even those who would become highly intelligent beings. Does any other "weird but magic might make this sport possible" idea come to mind? I don't necessarily want to go overboard with high level magic, but there's a LOT you can do with magic. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
Edited by - sleyvas on 18 Jun 2020 16:48:49 |
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Lord Karsus
Great Reader
USA
3736 Posts |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11691 Posts |
Posted - 18 Jun 2020 : 22:51:21
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quote:
Originally posted by Lord Karsus
-I can definitely see minor magics spicing up competitions like archery, jousting, and a bunch of other things, yeah.
Yeah, another thing that comes to mind is this... and its similar to the moving goals idea I noted above. Basically, tenser's floating disk is a 1st level ritual. It doesn't require concentration. It lasts an hour. It automatically follows a moving character. So you could attach a "goal" to it and the goalie could literally run (or ride) around the field and its just going to follow him. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11691 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jun 2020 : 16:51:39
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so if you look at another thread, you'll see where I'm kind of going with this in the idea of trying to develop a school for magic. I've come up with the following "competitions" / "sports" that the school might sponsor in which each "group" at the school might vie for points. Some of these are so basic as to be aimed at very young mages (i.e. magehand ball, scarecrow's revenge) and others are for those more advanced. However, I know the people here can probably come up with others or on twists to the below, so throwing out the concepts.
Competitions at Tavai Academy
Quidditch with brooms of flying, flying carpets, and flying mounts. The ball is expected to be mage handed into the enemy's goal and touching the ball physically results in a loss of points. Familiars however may be used to capture the ball. The use of unseen servants and tenser's floating discs is not uncommon, nor is the hurling of damaging effects to destroy someone else's unseen servant.
Galloping Goals: a soccer type game in which the point is for mages on the ground to get the ball into a goal. Magic is allowed to steal the ball from someone else (i.e. magehand, unseen servant, minor illusion of the ball, invisibility, illusion to look like a player on the opposing team, distracting noises, etc..)
Scarecrow's Revenge: Using an unseen servant, the servant is instructed to carry a scarecrow via a wooden pole made like a marionette. The scarecrow has an archery target on its chest. An archer must hit this moving target and score so many points before the scarecrow tags him. Failing to achieve a point minimum results in no points for the archer and points for the controlling wizard, and achieving a high score gets additional points for the archer. Meanwhile, the controlling mage is open to using mage hand to hurl hideleather wrapped around hay over a round wooden core. These balls are dipped in some medium like paint, mud, etc... such that if they hit something they leave a minor mark. If the archer is marked, points are given to the sodarch of the controlling spellcaster.
Magus Lanceboard – different teams may use different creatures. For instance, it may be animated armor/weapons, it may be skeletons/undead, it may be elemental creatures, it may be devils (its not demons or fey as they have been problems in the past).
Wheel of Spells : a competitive card game competition in which each sodarch provides a player. The purpose is to acquire cards which represent powerful spells and use them to elimate an opposing player. These spells can be used to summon creatures, create magical wards, create combat efects, etc... but all such things are purely theoretical. This is typically a method used to teach young apprentices the ideas of spellcasting without the inherent dangers of actually performing such assaults on one another. Wheel of spells decks are also variant, with different cards being placed into decks. Some cards are assigned by the judges and players are allowed to “build” their decks from a judge provided list of available cards. Points are awarded to each sodarch based on when they are eliminated from the competition, with only the final three sodarchs receiving any points.
Magehand Ball : basically the idea of baseball, but one in which the “pitcher” does so without touching the ball and the batter does so without touching the bat. Magehand can also be used to “catch” the ball and bring it to your glove.
Capture the Mythallar: Basically some variant on capture the flag. This can have some odd variants whenever one considers things like “dropping the flag into a rope trick” or some other magical method to make it much harder to simply take it. Ideas abound and there might be different teams that do this at different ages, but these teams are associated to the various sodarchs.
Defeat the summoned creature: exactly what it sounds like.
Sodarch Dueling : Once basic apprenticeship is passed, this is a controlled dueling between individuals of differing sodarchs. All spells to be cast are cast while carrying a wand of non spellcasting. This wand allows the caster to cast spells as normal, but it converts all damage inflicted to non-lethal damage.
Battle of the Sodarchs : Essentially a spell dueling championship event with a team of five members from a Sodarch challenging five members of an opposing sodarch. The five team members may be different with each competition, and actually often is, as this competition is more often than not used as a means to settle private disputes between different persons. Mercy is expected to be given to those that request it and this competition is not meant to be lethal. Oftentimes teams negotiate points at which their team members are eliminated (i.e. after the second hit, etc...). Judges prevent sodarch from choosing options beyond three hits and often help draw up the written contracts that each team will agree to before each competition. Judges are expected to step in and those that step beyond the constraints of the competition are likely to find themselves dead. Healers are to be provided when needed, and all judges and competitors are provided with potions to cure wounds.
Construct creation, repair, and combat: not limited to constructs necessarily, as crafted undead might also be tested/used against one another. This might also including learning about grafting things, etc...
Raid the Enemy's Stockpile – a traditionally dangerous competition in which each sodarch is expected to raid the resources of an enemy and bring them back to the school. This is usually performed all at the same time, and all against the same enemy. Each team consists of eight individuals, each of which is permitted one assistant (usually a mercenary bodyguard, but occasionally a rogue scout or healer is brought along). In many cases this can decimate a rival organization's power. At other times, it can end up with the death of whole teams of a given sodarch. Failure to return with any resources results in a deduction of points from their point total instead of just a lack of points, as it is seen as a waste of internal resources. This competition is usually performed with a scrying pin
Historical Trivia : Exactly what this sounds like. Sodarchs would compete in competitions about history. There might also be other types of trivia like “if you mix X and Y” what happens. The idea is a question and answer, and first answer gets the points for their sodarch. Wrong answers remove points. This might be a year round competition with multiple teams in each sodarch, possibly even separated by age.
Diviner's Delving (also known as “Find the Truth”) : a Divinatory Challenge in which all but one sodarch is told to find out hidden secrets about a target whilst protecting their own location from discovery. Usually this involves discovering the location, what wards protect it, what powers it may have. This is a part research and part magical discovery competition, with points being awarded based on set point totals for specific discoveries made an additional points awarded based on judge review. However, this is also a competitive challenge with the last sodarch, known as the obfucscators, is instructed to protect the information from discovery and to find the location of the other sodarchs. For each falsehood that the last sodarch is able to feed to each competitor, that sodarch gains point based on judge review. If the obfuscators can find the location of the competing sodarch, that team loses any and all points gained and the obfuscators gain points instead.
Leira's Leading : a lie spreading competition in which several teams are told to get certain individuals to arrive at a location within a specified amount of time. Additional points are awarded for extraneous extras like “while carrying X item” or “while wearing X article of clothing”. Teams who fail to get the individual to show up are simply awarded no points. The individuals cannot know about the competition or else the competing sodarch not only gains no points, but actually loses points equivalent to what they would have gained (thus, a sodarch who has their target arrive first, but who is aware of the competition loses the most points). This is usually a non-fatal competition, and oftentimes when the targets show up and nothing happens they are left entirely unawares as to what happened. However, there have been times in which the competition has been used to setup individuals and then another team swoops in to abduct them afterwards (at times, without the sodarch itself being made aware themselves).
Alchemical Decathalon – Each student on a ten man team is given ten different alchemical and/or herbalistic creations to make over a month long period. At least one such concoction for each person will be a minor potion of a non-healing nature, and the creation of multiple potions of healing is extremely common. In addition, each team is expected to create several potions that they themselves have researched with any additional time that they have after meeting the competitions requirements. Points are awarded based on the number of completed concoctions. This competition happens every other month, with a month spent in between each competition with each sodarch replenishing the academy's alchemical and herbal reagents by working with outside resources.
Scribes Scrollwork : This is a twenty person competition from each sodarch based on three things. The first is to create a set number of prepared scrolls of a certain list of spells. The second comes after this is complete and consists of reading a copying history texts, manuals, magical resources, and other texts. Finally, once these goals are met, apprentices from each sodarch are expected to research and scribe new spells into their spellbooks
Build the Bulwark : Twenty students, each of which is permitted a magical assistant in the form of a construct, an undead, or a summoned being, are given the instruction to build a small fortress as if it were in enemy territory with the parameters of the enemy terrain being revealed only hours before the competition starts. Additional summoned resources may be hired or acquired after the competition starts, and skilled artisans may also be transported to the site if the team feels they have the time, money, and need. They are then given a month to construct a small fortress fit for this terrain (usually consisting of 2 or 3 towers, possibly a gatehouse, and some small attendant structures. Afterward, the bulwark is tested for its ability to stand up against a summoned or created enemy (such as undead, elementals, constructs, or demons) based upon the parameters of the competition whilst the creators of the tower seek to defend their creation. This actual combat is often viewed by a surrounding structure of seats which are crafted (by the sodarch which created the bulwark, and additional points have been known to be awarded for creation of fine viewing stands and food dispensaries). These viewing stands are expected to be disassembled and transported back to the school by the competing sodarch after the competition as well, and thus can be reused in later competitions. The team that performs the most effectively is given resources and time to recreate their fortress and add further enhancements to it based on the the results of the competition. If they perform exceptionally well based upon judge review, this fortress is then magically turned into a transportable magic item similar to a Daern's Instant Fortress and provided to the winning sodarch.
Building the Business : Similar to the building the bulwark competition, but much less militant, the purpose of this competition is to establish, or sometimes repair, a place of business within the tharch. This competition is meant to build respect for Tavai Academy itself with the non-casters of the surrounding community by helping a skilled artisan get back on his or her feat after suffering some tragedy (sometimes at the hands of adventurers). Its also meant to discourage the flagrant destruction of tharch resources by overzealous spellcasters. Each team is expected to listen to the people who will run this business afterwards, and it is these individuals who will be interviewed by the judges to see how well the students performed their work. Each sodarch is expected to spend at least a week out of each month running a twenty apprentice crew, each such crew led by at least 3 accomplished spellcasters and five to ten staff artisans who help teach young spellcasters about the crafting arts. While some sodarchs see this competition as an annoyance, some truly develop a passion for it and have become highly respected by the community for their efforts.
Taming the Beast : Sending out teams to capture magical creatures, ostensibly to bring them back or breeding or study. The competition will generate a list of types of creatures wanted and “points” for each type. The competitors that come back with the most wins, but ultimately all point totals go towards each sodarchs end point total
Reagent Gathering (commonly referred to as “monster hunting”: Similar to taming the beast, but not necessarily needing to return with living creatures, but this may also include trading for gems, herbs, metals, powders, in addition to oddly useful body parts. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7968 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jun 2020 : 23:54:50
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| Kobold-punting has been a favourite pastime of many players I've known. Players - not player characters - although no doubt Realmsfolk witnessing such competitions have devised a name for this popular sport. |
[/Ayrik] |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11691 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jun 2020 : 16:14:17
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quote:
Originally posted by Ayrik
Kobold-punting has been a favourite pastime of many players I've known. Players - not player characters - although no doubt Realmsfolk witnessing such competitions have devised a name for this popular sport.
Lol, I can actually see many things like this happening in the summoning activities (i.e. 2 competitors trying to outdo each other on how far they can blast some poor summoned creature). Not saying its right, but I can see it happening. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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farinal
Learned Scribe
Turkey
270 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jun 2020 : 00:37:45
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| Halflings also have their own athletic games. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jun 2020 : 01:15:55
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quote:
Originally posted by farinal
Halflings also have their own athletic games.
Competitive eating and drinking contests.  |
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Seethyr
Master of Realmslore
USA
1151 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jun 2020 : 16:25:36
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by farinal
Halflings also have their own athletic games.
Competitive eating and drinking contests.
Ok so now Kobayashi just became my next halfling character. Thanks a lot! |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jun 2020 : 16:59:38
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quote:
Originally posted by Seethyr
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by farinal
Halflings also have their own athletic games.
Competitive eating and drinking contests.
Ok so now Kobayashi just became my next halfling character. Thanks a lot!
He is a good inspiration for such a thing. I caught a couple clips of the contests he was in, and I couldn't help but marvel at how scrawny he looked, compared to some of the others -- and yet, he kept dominating the contests. |
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TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore
USA
1289 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jun 2020 : 17:01:37
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| As part of the history of Iriaebor, I have come up with the Captain of the Chionthar contest. It happens every spring equinox at the rapids at Iriaebor. The rapids are about 1.25 miles long and the time is chosen during the spring flooding so the rapids are even more active. Typical participants are the guys running barges on the river and they use "stream boats" (essentially kayaks) to shoot the rapids in a simple race from the start of the rapids to the docks in Iriaebor. It started off as a bet between two drunk bargemen and participants were required to be drunk initially but that has been banned because of the number of deaths. Today, it is almost a festival with widespread betting. Participants are given free water breathing spells to eliminate the threat of drowning. The winner gets priority processing of his barge at the Iriaebor docks for the remainder of the trading season as well as bragging rights at all ports along the river (which may include free drinks at some inns/taverns along the river). |
"Iriaebor is a fine city. So what if you can have violence between merchant groups break out at any moment. Not every city can offer dinner AND a show."
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jun 2020 : 19:14:39
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quote:
Originally posted by TheIriaeban
As part of the history of Iriaebor, I have come up with the Captain of the Chionthar contest. It happens every spring equinox at the rapids at Iriaebor. The rapids are about 1.25 miles long and the time is chosen during the spring flooding so the rapids are even more active. Typical participants are the guys running barges on the river and they use "stream boats" (essentially kayaks) to shoot the rapids in a simple race from the start of the rapids to the docks in Iriaebor. It started off as a bet between two drunk bargemen and participants were required to be drunk initially but that has been banned because of the number of deaths. Today, it is almost a festival with widespread betting. Participants are given free water breathing spells to eliminate the threat of drowning. The winner gets priority processing of his barge at the Iriaebor docks for the remainder of the trading season as well as bragging rights at all ports along the river (which may include free drinks at some inns/taverns along the river).
I like this. Creative and flavorful.  |
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TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore
USA
1289 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jun 2020 : 23:25:35
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Oh, there is also horse racing, team pulls (kinda like a tractor pull but with various animals) at the livestock show that accompanies the yearly meeting of Athaenul's Seat. There is a bit of a real life county fair feel to it with performers and such in attendance. There are also contests like the heavy sports mentioned in the Highland Games. Various prizes are awarded to the winners (the prizes are donations from the members of Athaenul's Seat as a means to generate good will because a small amount of promotional goods can go a long way).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highland_games
Ed had the following to say about Athaenul's Seat in So Sayeth Ed (2010-2016):
"Athaenul's Seat, a gathering of livestock breeders large and small (dominated by "large") that usually assembles somewhere along the Heartlands "Throat" trade routes (linking the Sword Coast with The Sea of Fallen Stars, through Berdusk, Iriaebor, Priapurl, and other nearby settlements) to discuss prices, breeding, diseases, laws enacted by various rulers, feed crops - - and, detractors of this group insist, ways of arranging shortages so as to keep prices higher than they should be. Many noble houses of Cormyr have taken to quietly attending the Seat, not to mention Waterdhavian noble houses such as the Roaringhorns." |
"Iriaebor is a fine city. So what if you can have violence between merchant groups break out at any moment. Not every city can offer dinner AND a show."
My FR writeups - http://www.mediafire.com/folder/um3liz6tqsf5n/Documents
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11691 Posts |
Posted - 21 Feb 2021 : 21:48:03
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quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
so if you look at another thread, you'll see where I'm kind of going with this in the idea of trying to develop a school for magic. I've come up with the following "competitions" / "sports" that the school might sponsor in which each "group" at the school might vie for points. Some of these are so basic as to be aimed at very young mages (i.e. magehand ball, scarecrow's revenge) and others are for those more advanced. However, I know the people here can probably come up with others or on twists to the below, so throwing out the concepts.
Competitions at Tavai Academy
Quidditch with brooms of flying, flying carpets, and flying mounts. The ball is expected to be mage handed into the enemy's goal and touching the ball physically results in a loss of points. Familiars however may be used to capture the ball. The use of unseen servants and tenser's floating discs is not uncommon, nor is the hurling of damaging effects to destroy someone else's unseen servant.
Galloping Goals: a soccer type game in which the point is for mages on the ground to get the ball into a goal. Magic is allowed to steal the ball from someone else (i.e. magehand, unseen servant, minor illusion of the ball, invisibility, illusion to look like a player on the opposing team, distracting noises, etc..)
Scarecrow's Revenge: Using an unseen servant, the servant is instructed to carry a scarecrow via a wooden pole made like a marionette. The scarecrow has an archery target on its chest. An archer must hit this moving target and score so many points before the scarecrow tags him. Failing to achieve a point minimum results in no points for the archer and points for the controlling wizard, and achieving a high score gets additional points for the archer. Meanwhile, the controlling mage is open to using mage hand to hurl hideleather wrapped around hay over a round wooden core. These balls are dipped in some medium like paint, mud, etc... such that if they hit something they leave a minor mark. If the archer is marked, points are given to the sodarch of the controlling spellcaster.
Magus Lanceboard – different teams may use different creatures. For instance, it may be animated armor/weapons, it may be skeletons/undead, it may be elemental creatures, it may be devils (its not demons or fey as they have been problems in the past).
Wheel of Spells : a competitive card game competition in which each sodarch provides a player. The purpose is to acquire cards which represent powerful spells and use them to elimate an opposing player. These spells can be used to summon creatures, create magical wards, create combat efects, etc... but all such things are purely theoretical. This is typically a method used to teach young apprentices the ideas of spellcasting without the inherent dangers of actually performing such assaults on one another. Wheel of spells decks are also variant, with different cards being placed into decks. Some cards are assigned by the judges and players are allowed to “build” their decks from a judge provided list of available cards. Points are awarded to each sodarch based on when they are eliminated from the competition, with only the final three sodarchs receiving any points.
Magehand Ball : basically the idea of baseball, but one in which the “pitcher” does so without touching the ball and the batter does so without touching the bat. Magehand can also be used to “catch” the ball and bring it to your glove.
Capture the Mythallar: Basically some variant on capture the flag. This can have some odd variants whenever one considers things like “dropping the flag into a rope trick” or some other magical method to make it much harder to simply take it. Ideas abound and there might be different teams that do this at different ages, but these teams are associated to the various sodarchs.
Defeat the summoned creature: exactly what it sounds like.
Sodarch Dueling : Once basic apprenticeship is passed, this is a controlled dueling between individuals of differing sodarchs. All spells to be cast are cast while carrying a wand of non spellcasting. This wand allows the caster to cast spells as normal, but it converts all damage inflicted to non-lethal damage.
Battle of the Sodarchs : Essentially a spell dueling championship event with a team of five members from a Sodarch challenging five members of an opposing sodarch. The five team members may be different with each competition, and actually often is, as this competition is more often than not used as a means to settle private disputes between different persons. Mercy is expected to be given to those that request it and this competition is not meant to be lethal. Oftentimes teams negotiate points at which their team members are eliminated (i.e. after the second hit, etc...). Judges prevent sodarch from choosing options beyond three hits and often help draw up the written contracts that each team will agree to before each competition. Judges are expected to step in and those that step beyond the constraints of the competition are likely to find themselves dead. Healers are to be provided when needed, and all judges and competitors are provided with potions to cure wounds.
Construct creation, repair, and combat: not limited to constructs necessarily, as crafted undead might also be tested/used against one another. This might also including learning about grafting things, etc...
Raid the Enemy's Stockpile – a traditionally dangerous competition in which each sodarch is expected to raid the resources of an enemy and bring them back to the school. This is usually performed all at the same time, and all against the same enemy. Each team consists of eight individuals, each of which is permitted one assistant (usually a mercenary bodyguard, but occasionally a rogue scout or healer is brought along). In many cases this can decimate a rival organization's power. At other times, it can end up with the death of whole teams of a given sodarch. Failure to return with any resources results in a deduction of points from their point total instead of just a lack of points, as it is seen as a waste of internal resources. This competition is usually performed with a scrying pin
Historical Trivia : Exactly what this sounds like. Sodarchs would compete in competitions about history. There might also be other types of trivia like “if you mix X and Y” what happens. The idea is a question and answer, and first answer gets the points for their sodarch. Wrong answers remove points. This might be a year round competition with multiple teams in each sodarch, possibly even separated by age.
Diviner's Delving (also known as “Find the Truth”) : a Divinatory Challenge in which all but one sodarch is told to find out hidden secrets about a target whilst protecting their own location from discovery. Usually this involves discovering the location, what wards protect it, what powers it may have. This is a part research and part magical discovery competition, with points being awarded based on set point totals for specific discoveries made an additional points awarded based on judge review. However, this is also a competitive challenge with the last sodarch, known as the obfucscators, is instructed to protect the information from discovery and to find the location of the other sodarchs. For each falsehood that the last sodarch is able to feed to each competitor, that sodarch gains point based on judge review. If the obfuscators can find the location of the competing sodarch, that team loses any and all points gained and the obfuscators gain points instead.
Leira's Leading : a lie spreading competition in which several teams are told to get certain individuals to arrive at a location within a specified amount of time. Additional points are awarded for extraneous extras like “while carrying X item” or “while wearing X article of clothing”. Teams who fail to get the individual to show up are simply awarded no points. The individuals cannot know about the competition or else the competing sodarch not only gains no points, but actually loses points equivalent to what they would have gained (thus, a sodarch who has their target arrive first, but who is aware of the competition loses the most points). This is usually a non-fatal competition, and oftentimes when the targets show up and nothing happens they are left entirely unawares as to what happened. However, there have been times in which the competition has been used to setup individuals and then another team swoops in to abduct them afterwards (at times, without the sodarch itself being made aware themselves).
Alchemical Decathalon – Each student on a ten man team is given ten different alchemical and/or herbalistic creations to make over a month long period. At least one such concoction for each person will be a minor potion of a non-healing nature, and the creation of multiple potions of healing is extremely common. In addition, each team is expected to create several potions that they themselves have researched with any additional time that they have after meeting the competitions requirements. Points are awarded based on the number of completed concoctions. This competition happens every other month, with a month spent in between each competition with each sodarch replenishing the academy's alchemical and herbal reagents by working with outside resources.
Scribes Scrollwork : This is a twenty person competition from each sodarch based on three things. The first is to create a set number of prepared scrolls of a certain list of spells. The second comes after this is complete and consists of reading a copying history texts, manuals, magical resources, and other texts. Finally, once these goals are met, apprentices from each sodarch are expected to research and scribe new spells into their spellbooks
Build the Bulwark : Twenty students, each of which is permitted a magical assistant in the form of a construct, an undead, or a summoned being, are given the instruction to build a small fortress as if it were in enemy territory with the parameters of the enemy terrain being revealed only hours before the competition starts. Additional summoned resources may be hired or acquired after the competition starts, and skilled artisans may also be transported to the site if the team feels they have the time, money, and need. They are then given a month to construct a small fortress fit for this terrain (usually consisting of 2 or 3 towers, possibly a gatehouse, and some small attendant structures. Afterward, the bulwark is tested for its ability to stand up against a summoned or created enemy (such as undead, elementals, constructs, or demons) based upon the parameters of the competition whilst the creators of the tower seek to defend their creation. This actual combat is often viewed by a surrounding structure of seats which are crafted (by the sodarch which created the bulwark, and additional points have been known to be awarded for creation of fine viewing stands and food dispensaries). These viewing stands are expected to be disassembled and transported back to the school by the competing sodarch after the competition as well, and thus can be reused in later competitions. The team that performs the most effectively is given resources and time to recreate their fortress and add further enhancements to it based on the the results of the competition. If they perform exceptionally well based upon judge review, this fortress is then magically turned into a transportable magic item similar to a Daern's Instant Fortress and provided to the winning sodarch.
Building the Business : Similar to the building the bulwark competition, but much less militant, the purpose of this competition is to establish, or sometimes repair, a place of business within the tharch. This competition is meant to build respect for Tavai Academy itself with the non-casters of the surrounding community by helping a skilled artisan get back on his or her feat after suffering some tragedy (sometimes at the hands of adventurers). Its also meant to discourage the flagrant destruction of tharch resources by overzealous spellcasters. Each team is expected to listen to the people who will run this business afterwards, and it is these individuals who will be interviewed by the judges to see how well the students performed their work. Each sodarch is expected to spend at least a week out of each month running a twenty apprentice crew, each such crew led by at least 3 accomplished spellcasters and five to ten staff artisans who help teach young spellcasters about the crafting arts. While some sodarchs see this competition as an annoyance, some truly develop a passion for it and have become highly respected by the community for their efforts.
Taming the Beast : Sending out teams to capture magical creatures, ostensibly to bring them back or breeding or study. The competition will generate a list of types of creatures wanted and “points” for each type. The competitors that come back with the most wins, but ultimately all point totals go towards each sodarchs end point total
Reagent Gathering (commonly referred to as “monster hunting”: Similar to taming the beast, but not necessarily needing to return with living creatures, but this may also include trading for gems, herbs, metals, powders, in addition to oddly useful body parts.
THREADUS RESURRECTUS
Was thinking about this for an NPC and just wanted to come up with more games.
Necro Polo - Contestants ride upon animated skeletal horses and the game focuses around using magehand, tenser's disks, and unseen servants to move a skull that's encased in a ball of glassteel through goals. The goals are metal rings held up in the air by skeletons that run around the field moving the goal. Putting the skull ball through the goal is awarded more points if the skeleton holding the ring is still animated.
Skull Bowling - A game very much similar to our own bowling, and rumored to have been created based on the legend of the rise of the dark three. Contestants use a skull to try to knock down crawling claws. Skulls often break apart in the hurling, so the need to use the mending cantrip and the speed at which one can cast it are a significant factor. This competition is not in a lane, but rather each contestant is in a circular boundary and the crawling claws must stay within it. As a twist on this, each contestant is paired off against an opponent from the opposing team, and this opponent may use mage hand, unseen servants, or other magical means to move crawling claws.
Prismatic Goals - A game with goals set in place and contestants are expected to use a net on the end of a pole to pick up a leather wrapped ball (similar to lacrosse) and hurl it into a netted goal. The game is played with between 2 and 5 teams at a time, and there is one goal for each team in play on the field, and two balls if there are three or more teams. Each team is further assigned a color (between red, yellow, blue, black, and white). The balls can be magically made to change colors by the players on the field, as can the goals. If a ball passes through a goal, points are awarded to teams based on the color of the ball and the color of the goal (more points for the ball). |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
Edited by - sleyvas on 21 Feb 2021 22:33:32 |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7968 Posts |
Posted - 21 Feb 2021 : 23:30:20
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Let's not forget various gladiatorial sports. In some places - like the Hillsfar arena - victims fight cruel and bloody battles to the death. In more civilized places they probably amuse themselves with brawling, wrestling, sparring, and fencing events which aren't intended to be fatal.
There's apparently a lot of schools of martial arts in the Realms (judging by all the options available in the rulebooks). So there must be competitions and prizes all over the place. Bookish monks from Candlekeep might not train themselves in martial arts, but Shaolin battlemonks of Tempus would always be eager to demonstrate their abilities.
Realmslore sometimes mentions itinerant swordsmen who basically drift from town to town making a living by taking challengers and showing off their tricks. Along with tumblers, jugglers, dancers, and other performers who show off their athletic prowess.
It's not hard to imagine some of these fellows creating a sort of travelling troupe or joining some sort of travelling circus.
THO once discussed some sort of Olympics-style event in the Dales. A Shieldmeet perhaps? Apparently Ed communicated it to his players by having all the NPCs excitedly talking about nothing else, jostling each other with avid opinions about upcoming contests and favourite contenders, getting into passionate arguments about who they think will win or lose. Apparently all other considerations in the dull plodding lives of the Dalesfolk were completely derailed for this spectacular distraction. Apparently it was nominally about athletics and a "friendly" contest of national pride, but it was also a prominently economic activity with opportunistic merchants converging from as far as Thay and beyond. No doubt such a crowded and busy venue also attracted Zhentish and Harper spies galore. Alas, I can't recall enough specific details or text passages to find the scroll. |
[/Ayrik] |
Edited by - Ayrik on 21 Feb 2021 23:40:21 |
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Zeromaru X
Great Reader
Colombia
2442 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2021 : 02:26:18
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Now that I see this topic again...
quote:
Originally posted by BadCatMan
Chessenta has a strong and popular tradition of athletics, with running, long jump, javelin and discus, boxing, wrestling, pankration, and chariot-racing. This culminates in the Thulbanian Games:
http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Thulbanian_Games
One of the reasons the Chessentans have good relations with the dragonborn of Tymanther is that both cultures share their love for athletics. So, this means dragonborn should have their own competitions as well. In Whisper of Venom they have a competition of killing boars in a small pen, for instance.
Giving their origins as slaves, I also imagine the dragonborn have gladiatorial games, as well. |
Instead of seeking change, you prefer a void, merciless abyss of a world... |
Edited by - Zeromaru X on 22 Feb 2021 02:32:27 |
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LordofBones
Master of Realmslore
1477 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2021 : 02:28:16
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Kick the Kender.
Imported from another world, this involves punting small, gnomelike creatures and see how far you go. Steel-toed boots are optional.
Complainers are usually given a kender companion to adventure with for the next 24 hours to think it over. Thus far, nobody has actually made it past seven. |
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Zeromaru X
Great Reader
Colombia
2442 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2021 : 02:33:07
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| This is canon in my Realms. Since today. |
Instead of seeking change, you prefer a void, merciless abyss of a world... |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6643 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2021 : 11:25:58
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They play deathball in the Realms. See the article "A Half-Ogre and his Deathball Game" in Polyhedron #52.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11691 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2021 : 15:28:06
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quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
They play deathball in the Realms. See the article "A Half-Ogre and his Deathball Game" in Polyhedron #52.
-- George Krashos
So, this appears to be vaguely similar to American football or rugby, but including weapons, spellcasting, etc.... Whether you can pass or not, or even any details on the rules I don't see offhand. It is noted that they are wearing "cleats" though. They also show an elf drawing a dagger, he uses spiked gloves, and there's fireballs hurled.
I remember there being an old video game (it was based on a board game with minis?) based on a fantasy football game back in the 90's. It was based on warhammer and was called blood bowl. My google-fu shows that they released a blood bowl 2 video game about 5 years back and they're releasing a blood bowl 3 this year. Anyone ever play these video games? I'm just intrigued by the idea now.
HMM |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Sports in the Realms
