Sports, Competitions, and Tournaments

This page will cover all of BTACD's custom sports, competitions, and tournaments; everything from Halgia's olympics to the wolf sport of Baobones can be found here!

All Sports

Arcadian Races

location: primarily in the Arcadian desert.
A sport invented by sol'tera nomad tribes revolving around the desert-bred Ristellan equines, the Arcadian horses. These races are conducted by riding Arcadian horses across the desert sands of varying distance; humanoid species (usually sol'tera) compete by throwing spears through rings suspended from enchanted stones that move through the air, propelled by d'jini/keht'shu enchanted clouds. The more rings that are hit, the more points are scored. The winner takes home Ristellan jewelry blessed by the pharaoh and enchanted with magic-enhancing spells.

Baobones

location: specifically the Myrlands.
A game played between two roughly even teams. Teams try to carry a long bone into a scoring zone, and touch the scoring pole set up there. The bone is not allowed to touch the ground once in play. The sport is very physical, and while no biting, magic, or other offensive attacks are allowed, it is permissible to tackle or otherwise ram into opponents.

Catcatching

location: abroad; anywhere there are bonded dragons.
Catcatching is a sport for dragons with riders, or any flying creatures strong enough to carry trusting humanoids. Riders are carried high into the air, and dive off the backs of their mounts before engaging in various feats of aerial tricks and acrobatics. The dragons/fliers then swoop in and catch their riders once they fall below a certain altitude. The unusual name is said to have come from dragonriding felris who is said to have invented the game.

Chessracing

location: abroad.
A group of six participants that act as 'pieces' guided by a single master, often called the king or queen. These pieces are presented with an obstacle course set up over greatly varying terrain, from mountain passes to flying courses, with the end goal being the other side's camp. Masters are given a wide view of the entire course, and often direct their pieces through as to not run into members of the opposing team. Piece individuals who are captured or knocked off course by the opposing team are considered out, while the remaining members are judged on how quickly they may reach the other side. The team with the quickest time wins; serious injuries or deaths disqualify a winning team.

Dragonrings

location: anywhere there are dragons and riders.
A race where dragons and their riders must compete to collect floating, bespelled rings in a certain time limit, over an aerial course. Dragons cannot touch the rings - only their riders may. Dragons can, however, push or otherwise get another dragon and rider pair away from a desired ring in any way that does not harm the dragon or rider. The rider and dragon pair with the most rings wins.

Finball

location: anywhere atlanteans or other aquatic species gather.
An underwater sport played by aquatic species (generally those with fins and/or tails) where there is one ball, two teams of ten, and two goals usually formed out of natural coral and rock structures. The ball can be designed out of anything that can be easily moved underwater, but will not sink quickly or float. Each goal is protected by one member, who may use any physical part of their body to stop the ball - magic is forbidden. The game is won by the first team to score five consecutive points.

Halgian Olympics

location: specifically the Empire of Halgia.
An assortment of sports held once yearly in Halgia to celebrate the honor and prestige of Halgian citizens. Athletes compete in wrestling, foot races, and boxing, while warriors face off against bloodless gladiator bouts against angels and Nehmean lions. Some more dangerous tournaments involve live battle-hunts against beasts captured from Anquil, their souls blessed by the priests on their way to Linath and Daama. Dragon jousting is also common, with long lances and stout ropes to ensure any participants unseated don't plummet to their deaths. Strikes against dragons lose points.

Halfling Cheese Chase

location: specifically halfling villages.
Part of the harvest festival among halflings, a wheel of cheese is rolled down a steep hill, and participants chase after it. However, fast as the cheese tends to roll, and hard as it is to not trip while running down the hill, the cheese goes to whoever manages to reach the bottom of the hill first, and cross the finish line. Anyone invited to the harvest festival is permitted to participate.

Kendo

location: specifically Kurai.
A for-fun game of skill involving demons, sometimes from multiple Kingdoms, who compete against one another in a test of skill at arms with enchanted weapons. The weapons are enchanted to do no physical damage, but to inflict an appropriate, temporary 'injury' to the victim. A wound that would be fatal with a real weapon will paralyze the victim. Usually, these are fought with enchanted swords or katanas, but other weapons are also common.

Nookooball

location: specifically in Noktureesah.
A heavy leather ball is put into play, and two teams compete to both keep the ball in play, and outscore the other. Successfully hitting the ball against the opponent's wall scores a point. Successfully knocking the ball through a stone hoop thirty feet above the court earns 50 points, and ends the game. The ball can only be struck with the foot, hip, or elbow, and must not be allowed to hit the ground more than once. Barring successfully putting the ball through one of the two stone hoops, the game ends when one team reaches the agreed-upon score.

Ryu Fireflowers

location: specifically Kurai.
A competition held by n'vaen demons in times of peace, orchestrated by the Famine-protected dragons of Proudscale Peak. With the aid of the eastern dragons, demons will construct complex, brilliant fireworks, and work towards getting the most impressive display. These tournaments are held in times of peace so that all Kingdoms may enter; the winning entry is granted free passage through any Kingdom at any time, and a golden medallion to mark what they have won.

Skydancing and Waterdancing

location: primarily Noctis, but abroad.
Usually judged sports held by Sea and Sky Kingdoms in Noctis, featuring coordinated 'dancing' via flying or swimming races. Sometimes, skydancing and waterdancing are held together in times of peace. Singular dancers, or dancing groups, will perform coordinated performances through either sky or water, and will be judged by a watching audience. Prizes are often small, but may include precious crystals or enchanted stones.

Sky Pirate's Race

location: primarily Felnova and Millirand, but anywhere that has sentient flying races.
The 'Sky Pirate's Race' is a game of flying item capturing; participants, in teams of two to six, must both fly in past an opposing team, grab the item, and make it back to their base to score a point. They must also stop the other team from doing the same. In many cases, non-lethal, defensive magic is allowed to prevent other flyers from reaching an opposing base and taking the item in question. Points are taken off if real injuries occur.

Tournaments of Honor

location: specifically Kurai.
Once a year, hosted by a single Kingdom that rotates through a four-year cycle, a tournament is held open to all so long as inter-Kingdom wars are kept out of the competition. Each Kingdom chooses a specific competition they wish to host, ranging from traditional sumo wrestling, to various martial arts such as karate, judo, and aikido. Participants will fight in honorable combat (where killing is prohibited) in a tiered system; all ends with a duel between the top two finishers, resulting in a champion. The winner will obtain a specially crafted weapon from the host Kingdom, marked in Demonic runes with their name.

Tournament of Illusions

location: in kitsune and dreameater populations.
Usually held in amicable conditions and set in a wide open area, such as a field or valley, with little to no obstacles to obstruct illusion making. Often has anywhere from two to twenty participants, judged by a selected council of older illusionary masters, who give the participants a theme and watch as they craft intricate illusions based on said theme. These illusions are judged on their realism, look and feel, distance covered, and solidarity. The best-scored illusion crafter generally wins some sort of enchanted trinket as a prize.

Zaegrim'a Maa'aa

location: specifically Ristell.
The Maa'aa is a nzani competition for those who may show interest in crafting masks as a career (though any nzani, and select few outsiders, are welcome to try out of appreciation for the culture). Each participant has a certain amount of time to craft a nzani mask of any design, material, and decor; their masks are then judged by a nzani elder, and one to two winners are selected. These winners win an apprenticeship with a respected Maskcrafter, to last until they have gained mastery in the craft.