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BadCatMan
Senior Scribe
Australia
401 Posts |
 Posted - 14 Aug 2016 : 02:56:03
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At the start of the 2012 Olympic Games, I started DMing a campaign set at the Thulbanian Games in Chessenta. I've run a few adventures and intrigues there. Now, during the 2016 Games, I'm still trying to finish it (play-by-post is slow). Anyway, I did a fair bit of development for it that I thought I should share. With the Olympics currently on, I figured I should post this now, or wait another four years. 
The lore, for reference:
http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Thulbanian_Games
History:
The Thulbanian Games!
They were greatest event on the Chessentan sporting calender, a festival of athletic prowess for which all wars were put on hold and the fractious city-states came together for a different kind of conflict. There, in honour of Lathander on the sacred Fields of Pryollus at the foot of Mount Thulbane in Threskel, they would compete to determine the finest athletes in Chessenta; the champions would become great heroes in their home cities, and even slaves had a chance to win freedom and fame.
Though meant to happen every two years, the last games had been in 1358 DR, the Year of Shadows. The Time of Troubles had made them a disaster that few wanted to relive. Later came war, and then the reign of dragons over Threskel, for whom all that lean flesh on display was all too tempting. There were long talks to find a new location, stalled by rivalry as each city wanted the glory and profit of the games for themselves. Finally, they agreed to share them, with a different city hosting every two years. But who would have it first?
Finally, they've decided: Mordulkin is the least objectionable city of the day, and the Games are on again. A new Thulbanian Village has been erected outside the city, as close to the Fields of Pryollus as they dare. In the Year of the Bent Blade, 1376 DR, the Games have resumed to the satisfaction of all.
This is to be a much bigger event. For the first time, cities and nations outside Chessenta are invited, to compete, to watch, and to hold demonstration events. Rules have been adjusted to allow men and women and all races to compete more fairly. For the first time, clothes are permitted. Agents went all around the Sea of Fallen Stars and other lands, offering tickets and safe passage to spectators and athletes, so that they could see, enjoy, and return to tell of Chessentan glory.
It's a time of peace and the coming together of nations. But it's a hotbed of intrigue between factions, and national rivalries have been brought to the fore. Conflict might be channelled into competition, but there are some who want to ruin this peace and use the Games to strike at their enemies or work their schemes.
Thulbanian Village:
Thulbanian Village is an entire village built from scratch, full of facilities for guests and athletes: many inns, with some exclusive for athletes and their teams; restaurants and tavernas, where healthy foods are readily available alongside the ample wine; training halls; sports fields; swimming pools; a stadium; an amphitheatre; and a temple of Lathander to whom all this is dedicated. The village bustles with people: humans, mostly Chessentan, but with Mulhorandi and Untherites and other nations represented; dwarves; orcs and half-orcs; halflings; and a sprinkling of other races.
Getting into the village involves negotiating an obstacle course worthy of inclusion in the Games themselves. Security is intense; armed guards man the gates and archers in watchtowers keep watch for incoming dragons and others who would not acknowledge the truce. Guards check and pat down the incoming spectators and athletes: concealed weapons are confiscated, others are peace-bonded. Then staring magi scrutinise each for magic, poison and drugs; performance-enhancing magic items are indexed and noted, while poisons and drugs are confiscated and their carriers taken away for questioning. Chessentans allow most things, but not cheating in the Games. Still, they want well-equipped adventurers ready and armed should the dragons come. The Luthcheq team protested the so-called foul intrusion into their privacy by wizards, and require examination by honest priests instead.
Events: (all single person events, no team sports)
* Boxing
* Traditional wrestling (greco-roman)
* Pankration (wrestling and kick-boxing)
* Weapon fighting
* Chariot-racing
* Riding
* Swimming
* Running
* Thunderstone Run (ultramarathon)
* Long jump
* Javelin throwing
* Discus
* Archery
* Chess
* Demonstrations
A new event is the Thunderstone Run, a very long distance run inspired by the heroic deeds of Ayesha Jamarthe, a Lapaliiyan monk of Ilmater, in Cormyr in 1375 DR. She ran 20 miles in 3 hours from a Sharran cult base in the Hullack Forest to the town of Thunderstone to alert the army, then back to aid her companions against the Sharrans' hobgoblin minions, and still defeated the high priest the next day with a swift kick to the head. (This all happened in play and it was awesome.  ) Local soldiers and scouts have failed to repeat the effort, and the best runners of the Games are going to give it a go.
Itinerary:
Spring Equinox, 19th Ches, Dawn: Opening Ceremony, Dedications to Lathander, Song of Dawn
28th Ches, Evening: Closing Ceremony
Opening Ceremony:
Bells rang in the small hours of the morning, rousing all to ready and attend the opening ceremony, while the sky was still dark. Sleepily, they filed into the amphitheatre and found their seats beneath a lightening night. A Lathanderite choir in pink robes emerged and sang the inspiring Song of Dawn in praise to the rising sun, full of renewal, energy, and vitality. The High Morninglord of Lathander, resplendent in golden and red robes that shone in the dawn light, spoke a prayer to the god, poured libations of water and wine and made sacrifices of food and fresh wood in a fire.
Finally, an archer — Mordulkin's champion — fired a flaming arrow in a high arcing shot into a great cauldron on the eastern lip of the amphitheatre. It struck and fire blossomed just as the sun rose over it, as if the sun had left a blazing piece of itself in that cauldron. The crowd erupted into applause and cheering for the artfulness and beauty of it, and for the bowing archer's skill.
Then came the processions of teams from each city and visiting nation. The Chessentan and Threskian cities raised oversized round shields painted with their symbols, while other nations raised standards, flags or banners, as appropriate. First was Mordulkin, the host city, bearing its scroll-and-sword symbol. Then Cimbar, with the new red dragon symbol of Tchazzar. Mad Luthcheq had a stark black-on-white disc of Entropy. The Akanax team, warriors all, had a blank shield, adopting the shield itself as its standard. Airspur, its team a mix of human, half-orc, and orc, carried the old lightning bolt of Bhaelros, or Talos. Then came Mourktar with its black gauntlet of Bane. From the other Old Empires came teams from war-torn Unther, with its oiled, bronzed, hairless warriors, and they were a kept a safe distance from their conquerors, the proud Mulhorandi. Following were smaller teams, from Reth, the Blade Kingdoms, the halfling athletics team from Ursuma, and the amazon warrior-women of Ixinos. From further afield came an Aglarondan archery team, Thayan gladiators and chess team, sea-elf swimmers, and a variety of others. There was even a Dambrathan equestrian team who remained in the saddle while others walked; the arrogant drow-bloods ran the spectrum from human, half-elf to half-drow.
Interspersed amongst these were speeches from the high priest and dignitaries from each city, each promising the integrity of the games, praising the peaceful gathering to honour physical ability and athletic skill.
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BadCatMan, B.Sc. (Hons), M.Sc.
Scientific technical editor
Head DM of the Realms of Adventure play-by-post community
Administrator of the Forgotten Realms Wiki |
Edited by - BadCatMan on 14 Aug 2016 03:23:44
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The Thulbanian Games – Olympics in the Realms!
