Tournaments
Arenas
Section titled “Arenas”
About eight of the biggest towns hold the lists: one for every seven towns, never more than eight, spread over the map. Castles hold none. On the map an arena town has a striped pavilion beside its icon, flying pennants while a tournament is proclaimed or under way. The lists open from the town’s building list on the map.
Each arena holds a tournament on two feasts: the Greening in spring and the Goddess’s Night at midwinter. The town proclaims it eight days before. That is news: it is known at once only within 2 km of the town, and spreads with the people on the roads. The almanac (J) lists every tournament.
The player, and the knights, castellans, lords and Disclanders whose seat has heard of it and lies within 20 km, nearest first, up to 16 in each event. A head jousts with Riding 2 or more and shoots with Ranged 2 or more, and everyone fights the melee. Four of the town’s own bowmen shoot in the archery. Entry is 40 silver an event.
From three days before, the heads who mean to enter ride to the arena. Only those who arrive by the feast morning enter. From three days before to the feast’s end, lords’ armies within 5 km of an arena keep a truce, unless one of them is yours.
The day
Section titled “The day”| Time | Event | How it is won |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 | Archery | Head to head, five arrows each; the better score goes through |
| 12:00 | Joust | Three passes with blunted lances; a fall puts the fallen out, else most lances broken wins |
| 15:00 | Melee | Teams drawn by lot, one to eight a side; the beaten team is out |
Each event is a knock-out, with rounds half an hour apart. Weapons are blunted: nobody is hurt or killed.
Fighting your bout
Section titled “Fighting your bout”When your bout is called and you are on the field, the heralds set it out on open ground by the town. Fight it there, or press Settle your bout at once to settle it on the screen. It settles itself if two hours pass.
- Joust: ride down your side of the tilt at the gallop and hold the attack to couch your lance. A lance that lands breaks and may throw him. Raise your shield to stay in the saddle. A lance is lent if you have none.
- Archery: hold the attack to draw, aim at the mark and let go. Drawn too short the arrow goes wild; held too long the bow shakes. Ranged skill steadies it.
- Melee: your side against theirs, on foot. Brought down, you are out of the bout, unhurt.
The ante
Section titled “The ante”Everyone fights in their own gear and stakes it: everything worn and carried but the pack, saddlebags and banner. Whoever beats you wins your gear, or you pay its worth in coin. You pick which when you enter; coin is the default, and only if your chest holds it. Gear you win goes into your train.
Prizes
Section titled “Prizes”The purse is the town’s 6 gold plus the entry fees. Each event’s champion takes a third of it. As champion you also win:
| Event | Prize |
|---|---|
| Joust | A horse |
| Melee | A fine sword |
| Archery | A fine bow |
A champion’s lord gains 15 renown, and every bout won adds 1.
Betting
Section titled “Betting”Before an event you have entered, you may bet up to 8 gold, in steps of 40 silver, on yourself to win it, at odds of 1.2 to 8 to 1 by your strength against the field. The bet pays out at the odds if you are champion.
Practice
Section titled “Practice”Any day at an arena, fight a bout of any event with the master-at-arms for 8 silver, nothing staked. Beat him and he pays 20 silver.