Origins of the Great Challenge
The First Void War was a wake-up call for every Fae Court. Before this, infighting amongst the Fae was commonplace. Summer warred with Winter, Autumn feuded with Spring, and relationships betwixt the Courts never fared better than tense. When the Voidborn surged into the Summer Realm it revealed to everyone, regardless of Court, that they had a common enemy. They could no longer spend their ire on one another as doing so could feed into the negative energy that fueled the Void and its Aberrations. It was finally time for a greater cause to unite them.
Yet, all the ire of the past remained, old feuds continued to drag cooperation down, and pent-up aggressions were difficult to subside. How, then, to unite the Fae against a common enemy when each Fae sees another as a threat. Karum, King of Summer, and Horus, First Obsidian Blade, strategized the answer: The Great Challenge. A grand festival that would celebrate rivalry instead of fearing it, that would promote contests instead of subdue them, and would foster unity instead of division.
Twelve days this festival would last with every Court invited to participate at Flameheart, devastated though it was. That devastation, the pair surmised, would serve as a stark reminder of the enemy they all faced now. Eleven days, at the height of Summer by ending on the Solstice, and a final day to award those of the greatest prowess. A number of games take place during the Great Challenge: drinking contests, racing, displays of magical prowess, pure athletic sport and of course, the Grand Melee.
Types of Competition
While a number of games and contests, too numerous to name, pop-up ad hoc throughout Flameheart and the surrounding regions, it is the five Court-sponsored events that draw the biggest crowds:
Drinking Contest
The drinking contest tests the endurance of its competitors. Each Court is allowed to enter four of their most hardy Fae to attempt to drink all others under the table. A large circular table, divided into quarters for each of the Courts, sits the sixteen contestants. Each round, a random beverage is selected that one participant from each Court must finish within a two-minute time period. Once that round has finished, the next begins and a new drink and new participant is chosen, and so on. Should a contestant be unable to finish their drink in the time-limit, vomit, or their head hit the table or floor at any time, they are disqualified. Last Court with Fae left drinking are considered the winners of that year's Great Drinking Challenge.
Racing Competition
Racing is the second most exciting tournament of the Great Challenge. The Summer Court puts together the Chariot Race, for each race, a selection of chariots and equally skilled draft animals. The other Courts are allowed to choose both their draft animal and chariot before Summer, this ensures the other Courts know that Summer selected equally capable equipment. Then, a specially designed racetrack in the Coliseum of Heroes becomes the setting for an exciting race where will between driver and draft animal is tested, where strategy and skill at racing are pushed to their limits, and onlookers can enjoy what often results in uproarious entertainment. There are races for foot speed in swiftness or endurance, team races and flying races for those with wings. Some races have specially designed tracks to offer different obstacles and challenges.
Magic
Perhaps the most mesmerizing of the events is the displays of magic. How each contestant answers the call to perform is unique each and every time. Some wish to display their capabilities in battle and show their strength through the obliteration of practice targets or fighting against captured beasts. Others give off beautiful displays of illusory and glamour magics. Each Court selects a judge from among their own Fae who will assign a score to each display, rating it to compare against it's fellows. During the event, a fifth judge also provided a score to each for use in the event of a tie. Any further ties and both contestants shared the victory! These are held within carefully constructed wards that keep onlookers safe from the magic brought to bear.
Athletic Prowess
Pure athletic prowess is also on display in the games, with competitions of an endless variety, from sailing in the waters beyond Flameheart’s bay, cliff climbing, jumping, javelin throwing and so much more. It is also when fae compete in raw strength in handling something, showing off agility and daring.
These are the competitions without combat that are still physically focused.
Grand Melee
Finally, the event for which many attend the Great Challenge at all, the Grand Melee. Through drawn lots, fighters from across every Court are selected to do battle with one another. There are challenges for sword, archery, jousting, etc. Uniquely, however, permanent injury was severely frowned upon and resulted in immediate disqualification. Lacking the discipline required to not hurt your fellow Fae was seen as a severe weakness at the start of the Challenge, and continued to this day. Prior to each bout a barrier shield was placed upon the combatant that would register each hit received and add to the score without permanent injury. At times reckless fae have broken their own shields to try and make a point, or aimed to break their opponents, both can result in negative points given to the participant.
Tournament style, contestants would face each other in randomly selected lots, single-elimination, until finally only two contestants remained. Each fight was also unique, with interesting twists and challenges added by a Regent that had no fighter participating in the combat. The final fight often saw both Regents without a fighter adding something, and many times, a third and fourth were added by the two Regents that did have a fighter in the match.
