Gala of Heroes

In the Agasi Kingdom every five years is held an elaborate celebration in honor of the champions of the ages. Many events are spoken of in exuberant tones and with fond memories as the people prepare for the next celebration. Among the festivities are showy fights, jousting, archery contests, festivals, contests of crews - the greatest of these being the royal Gala of Heroes, held in the capital city. The entire city is decorated and covered in festive fashion. One might think that it is all for show, and perhaps to a degree it is a show of power and status on many individual’s parts, but for most it is actually a celebration they believe in, look immensely forward to, and would defend to their last if someone spoke out against it. Agasi takes their heroes seriously, and their champions are lofted as idols of power and majesty. Most cities large enough have at least one statue of their local hero, and even the smaller and more money-tight towns typically have at least a little shrine in the town center. People pray for and to their heroes, and tell tales about them endlessly. There is little else that would please a crowd in an Agasi tavern so much as a bard singing praise of the local favorite.   The royal Gala of Heroes is a special affair in its own right, and features great competitions of fighters - followed by an elaborate performance of music and magic to feast the eyes and the ears upon. Bards must prove their worth by gaining popular favor enough to catch the eye of one of the king’s aids specifically sent out to find such candidates, which is followed by an intense battle of song and art before the king himself. A show so large and dramatic must have a number of people working on it however, so bards must apply in multitalented groups if they have any hope of being able to perform. There is always a lineup of several of these groups, with the one winner above them all taking top spot and getting a solo performance of just their group with any backup performers they require. It is considered the greatest honor a performer can achieve in Agasi and many aspire to reach it someday.