Khorvaire's National Sport [Archive] - Wizards Community

Khorvaire's National Sport [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Lancer2010
02-28-07, 07:08 PM Hey, I just had a thought.

Is there any kind of sport that is spread all throughout Khorvaire? You know, kinda like baseball or something.

If anyone has any ideas, feel free to shout it out.
Romulus LoneWolf
02-28-07, 07:55 PM I was thinking of using Jousting as a spectator sport, as in "A Knight's Tale"...
AllWillFall2Me
03-01-07, 01:55 AM I don't know if Khorvaire has one, though shifters have one. That football/capture-the-flag game. Where people come out wiht new scars. Hrazhak.
Kaizer_Ryu
03-01-07, 02:25 AM I always thought it was spelled Hazrak, but maybe not. *shrugs* Meh.

Though I'm pretty sure there's one sport every nation can agree on:

GNOMEBALL!

It's like Basketball, only interesting!

;)
Alex_
03-01-07, 03:54 AM I'd make it some kind of rugby style sport, but one with very rigidly defined rules/roles for players like passer/shooter/tackler or something to keep Orcs and Half Orcs from totally dominating, and give the races with lower speed/strength scores a better chance.
Shady314
03-01-07, 04:14 AM Hey, I just had a thought.

Is there any kind of sport that is spread all throughout Khorvaire? You know, kinda like baseball or something.

If anyone has any ideas, feel free to shout it out.

Well there's Conqueror. Sure it's most popular in Karnath NOW but I bet during the time of Galifar it was more popular throughout all 5 nations. I'm sure it's not too difficult to find a player in any decent sized population. Though it's not an athletic sport like you might be asking.

There are races like the Race of the Eight Winds in Sharn. So races of all types may be popular throughout Khorvaire especially riding in the 5N and boat races in Lhazaar.

King Boranel has his hunting forest so for the very rich there might a tradition of social hunting along the lines of fox hunting or similar.

And just to shout it out. Bare knuckle boxing. In addition to weight class there would probably be a race class though. ;)
Sereno
03-01-07, 10:05 AM I think you'd be likely to find Olympic-style contests all throughout the nations of Khorvaire; foot racing, equestrian events, archery, boxing, wrestling, weight-lifting, etc. Probably with special categories for different races, too.
Yakman
03-01-07, 10:58 AM Australian Rules Football and Finnish Rules Baseball
Lancer2010
03-01-07, 01:46 PM I think Shady has an idea close to mine. I see it as a flight based game, maybe like rugby/football. Each nation would have unique individual mounts. For example: the Talenta Halflings would have glidewings, Aundair would have Dragonhawks, and the Zil... I see them with tiny elementaly powered boats.
Yakman
03-01-07, 02:50 PM I think Shady has an idea close to mine. I see it as a flight based game, maybe like rugby/football. Each nation would have unique individual mounts. For example: the Talenta Halflings would have glidewings, Aundair would have Dragonhawks, and the Zil... I see them with tiny elementaly powered boats.
I dunno... it's pretty expensive to have a flying mount.
Lancer2010
03-01-07, 02:56 PM And that's why it's made up of national teams. Khorvaire has a national whatever association and has teams from several of the nations who compete for some kind of prize and trophy.
Yakman
03-01-07, 02:58 PM And that's why it's made up of national teams. Khorvaire has a national whatever association and has teams from several of the nations who compete for some kind of prize and trophy.
sounds a bit too much like quidditch for its own good....

and I very much doubt that a sport could've evolved in the two years since the war to a point where all the nations would play it if they hadn't played it before.

no, it has to be something established before the war--something that Galifar played, perhaps a derivative of a dhakaani or elven game.
Alex_
03-01-07, 03:06 PM Whatever sport there is, there should be national teams that compete every few years. Wars aside, this is just too good in terms of playing on the Cold War feel that currently exists in the setting.

Which gets me thinking on an adventure seed...

It's been decades since the last International Games (a sporting event started in pre-Galifar days) and the remainders of the 5 nations have been making accommodations to host a new one. For the remaining 5 nations, it's another way of waging battle against the others. For the newer nations (Eldeen Reaches, Shadow Marches, Darguun), it's a way of showing they can compete with the more established ones. Cyran refugees in New Cyre have been allowed to enter as representatives of their former nation, and many see it as a potential distraction from the recent horrors, and as a chance to create greater solidarity amongst displaced Cyrans.

The PCs can be actual participants, or more likely, tasked with security. There will undoubtedly be many organizations and individuals who would like to attack the games or competitors. There's also bound to be cheating in the use of subtle magics or alchemy (bloodspikes to improve performance), so there could be some mystery elements there too.
Yakman
03-01-07, 03:17 PM It's been decades since the last International Games (a sporting event started in pre-Galifar days) and the remainders of the 5 nations have been making accommodations to host a new one. For the remaining 5 nations, it's another way of waging battle against the others. For the newer nations (Eldeen Reaches, Shadow Marches, Darguun), it's a way of showing they can compete with the more established ones. Cyran refugees in New Cyre have been allowed to enter as representatives of their former nation, and many see it as a potential distraction from the recent horrors, and as a chance to create greater solidarity amongst displaced Cyrans.

The PCs can be actual participants, or more likely, tasked with security. There will undoubtedly be many organizations and individuals who would like to attack the games or competitors. There's also bound to be cheating in the use of subtle magics or alchemy (bloodspikes to improve performance), so there could be some mystery elements there too.
Personally, I wouldn't allow the Cyrans to play in such an event--Aurala would veto it, and Boranel would want them on his teams.

But could such an event occur? Certainly... although I wouldn't give it Galifaran roots. More like the revival of the Olympic games in 1896--such contests existed in pre-Galifaran Khorvaire, but were abandoned after the unification or the War of the Mark or some disaster or something like that. Or they had continued into the Galifaran period but some disgruntled would-be heir murdered the King during the event or a dispute over some a rule infraction led to a full scale riot, which grew out of control, and the games were abandoned by decree following the ensuing civil war.

Hold it on Thronehold, with Kaius and Krozen serving as the main sponsors. Kaius is supposed to attend but begs out at the last minute for 'health reasons'....
Lancer2010
03-01-07, 03:20 PM [QUOTE=Yakman;11630590]sounds a bit too much like quidditch for its own good....QUOTE]

Yeah, I kept comparing it to that myself.
Millenia
03-01-07, 03:21 PM I think Shady has an idea close to mine. I see it as a flight based game, maybe like rugby/football. Each nation would have unique individual mounts. For example: the Talenta Halflings would have glidewings, Aundair would have Dragonhawks, and the Zil... I see them with tiny elementaly powered boats.
.... Quidditch?
Nived
03-01-07, 03:30 PM One of my games opened with a national holiday festival in Rekkenmark, Karrnath. Part Memorial day, part Fourth of July, part Oktoberfest.

Besides the beer and drunken renditions of patriotic songs I tried to imagine a Karrnathi festival, I came to the conclusion that the beer and song would come later in the day (for most some of course get an early start). A highlight of the morning and early afternoon of this national holiday are the contests of skill that are held by pretty much every city in the nation on this day.

Olympic style contests, the classic greek style olympic games. Races, equestrian sports, javalin, discus, jumping contests, archery, obsticle courses, wrestling.

Of course the whole thing had to be ruined by an fringe Aundarian terrorist attack... but that's beside the point.
Melvin the Mediocre
03-01-07, 04:21 PM I just made this up on the spot, I'm sure it has flaws that need to be fixed. But, how about a game where the field is composed of either giant logs sticking end up out of the ground, or in bigger professional fields the stumps are replaced with levitating platforms.

Teams of 5 start up on opposite sides of the field. The objective is to get the floating ball back to your starting platform, scoring one point. The game is played to 10. Any contestant hitting the ground below is out until a point is scored at which time both teams and the ball are returned to the starting position.

Spells and psionics like telekinesis are allowed, but deadly ones like magic missile and fire ball are not. Each team also starts with 2 large leather balls (like medicine balls) which can be hurled at opponents to knock them down or completely off the platforms. There are typically two magic dead zones on the field.
Yakman
03-01-07, 06:14 PM I think something more like 'Smear the Queer' would be more appropriate--being a derivative of the Dhakaani game of 'Get 'em!'
Splendide
03-01-07, 06:39 PM I've just thought of a good gnome one.

3 defending gnomes in a small arena, vs 11 oncomers who enter the arena one at a time - defenders call out for the next gnome to enter. The objective of the game for attackers is to get your flag through the arena. The objective for defenders it to stop them, by specifically capturing the gnome carrying the flag, which is a small piece of fabric easily concealed on one's person.

Scoring

Each gnome you capture who didn't have the flag: 1 point to attackers
Each gnome you let through the arena who didn't have the flag: 1 point to defenders
Each gnome you capture who did have the flag: 3 points to the defenders, and any gnomes that hadn't run through yet are worth 1 point each to the defenders
Letting the gnome who had the flag through: 3 points for the attackers, and every gnome that hadn't run through yet is worth 1 point each for the attack.

The innings ends when either the gnome with the flag is captured, or the gnome with the flag is let through the arena. There's a total of 4 innings; each side plays defensive role twice and attacking role twice.

While there is some physical struggle involved, the real challenge is in acting like you have the flag when you don't, and acting like you don't have the flag when you do. Of course, an aggressive flag carrier can ignore the guile and make it a purely physical contest...but so can an aggressive non-flag carrier. Decisions, decisions.

This is a sport encouraged among guards and watchers; over the past hundred years it has spread outside of Zilargo, and is not an uncommon pastime for off-duty Deneith troops in the more remote outposts where there's nothing better to do.

The game has many variations in how it is played; the traditional version is played with no magical abilities allowed, but various people have codified medium- and high-magic variants.
Beleriphon
03-02-07, 12:58 AM .... Quidditch?

Harry Potter plus the power of lame produces the dorkiest sports event ever conceived. Its effectively football (soccer) on flying brooms, with extra balls and a stupid little flying thing that ends the game if found.

As for actual sports the Hazrak seems like the best bet for a formalized sporting event. Although if you really think about it football (soccer) is probably ubiquitous in terms of play among children since a making an inflattible leather ball really isn't that hard.
Splendide
03-02-07, 02:56 AM I would think the most likely sport to arise anywhere is `mugby', which at my high school involved you and your mates vs everyone else.

You got a tennis ball, which you could throw or carry, and everyone else had to try and get it off you. You scored a goal by throwing it through the pack to the field hockey goal and thus your nebulous side was credited with a goal. No umpire required, self-preservation did a lot of the legwork in that regard.

PS. Quidditch is a sport designed by someone who has never played a sport.
sooperspook
03-02-07, 04:38 AM What the heck is Finnish Baseball?
DarkWarriorKarg
03-02-07, 09:27 AM What the heck is Finnish Baseball?

Finnish baseball (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pes%C3%A4pallo)

Australian Rules Football (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_rules_football)
Nived
03-02-07, 02:19 PM There's always Australian Indoor Rules Quidditch (http://www.machall.com/index.php?strip_id=125)
fiendish_platypus
03-03-07, 12:32 PM Once me and the other players in a campaign had to travel from one side of Xen'drik to the other for sport, the first living team out won. It was quite odd now that I think about it.
goblin_pride
03-03-07, 04:39 PM Once me and the other players in a campaign had to travel from one side of Xen'drik to the other for sport, the first living team out won. It was quite odd now that I think about it.

A bit like a tropical jungle version of the Iditarod, eh?
Lancer2010
03-03-07, 04:47 PM That or it's like that story, you know, where the guy hunts people on his private island?

It's been a while since I read it, no idea what it's called.
Darth Syntax
03-03-07, 06:52 PM The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Lancer2010 02-28-07, 07:08 PM	Hey, I just had a thought. Is there any kind of sport that is spread all throughout Khorvaire? You know, kinda like baseball or something. If anyone has any ideas, feel free to shout it out.
Romulus LoneWolf 02-28-07, 07:55 PM	I was thinking of using Jousting as a spectator sport, as in "A Knight's Tale"...
AllWillFall2Me 03-01-07, 01:55 AM	I don't know if Khorvaire has one, though shifters have one. That football/capture-the-flag game. Where people come out wiht new scars. Hrazhak.
Kaizer_Ryu 03-01-07, 02:25 AM	I always thought it was spelled Hazrak, but maybe not. shrugs Meh. Though I'm pretty sure there's one sport every nation can agree on: GNOMEBALL! It's like Basketball, only interesting! ;)
Alex_ 03-01-07, 03:54 AM	I'd make it some kind of rugby style sport, but one with very rigidly defined rules/roles for players like passer/shooter/tackler or something to keep Orcs and Half Orcs from totally dominating, and give the races with lower speed/strength scores a better chance.
Shady314 03-01-07, 04:14 AM	Hey, I just had a thought. Is there any kind of sport that is spread all throughout Khorvaire? You know, kinda like baseball or something. If anyone has any ideas, feel free to shout it out. Well there's Conqueror. Sure it's most popular in Karnath NOW but I bet during the time of Galifar it was more popular throughout all 5 nations. I'm sure it's not too difficult to find a player in any decent sized population. Though it's not an athletic sport like you might be asking. There are races like the Race of the Eight Winds in Sharn. So races of all types may be popular throughout Khorvaire especially riding in the 5N and boat races in Lhazaar. King Boranel has his hunting forest so for the very rich there might a tradition of social hunting along the lines of fox hunting or similar. And just to shout it out. Bare knuckle boxing. In addition to weight class there would probably be a race class though. ;)
Sereno 03-01-07, 10:05 AM	I think you'd be likely to find Olympic-style contests all throughout the nations of Khorvaire; foot racing, equestrian events, archery, boxing, wrestling, weight-lifting, etc. Probably with special categories for different races, too.
Yakman 03-01-07, 10:58 AM	Australian Rules Football and Finnish Rules Baseball
Lancer2010 03-01-07, 01:46 PM	I think Shady has an idea close to mine. I see it as a flight based game, maybe like rugby/football. Each nation would have unique individual mounts. For example: the Talenta Halflings would have glidewings, Aundair would have Dragonhawks, and the Zil... I see them with tiny elementaly powered boats.
Yakman 03-01-07, 02:50 PM	I think Shady has an idea close to mine. I see it as a flight based game, maybe like rugby/football. Each nation would have unique individual mounts. For example: the Talenta Halflings would have glidewings, Aundair would have Dragonhawks, and the Zil... I see them with tiny elementaly powered boats. I dunno... it's pretty expensive to have a flying mount.
Lancer2010 03-01-07, 02:56 PM	And that's why it's made up of national teams. Khorvaire has a national whatever association and has teams from several of the nations who compete for some kind of prize and trophy.
Yakman 03-01-07, 02:58 PM	And that's why it's made up of national teams. Khorvaire has a national whatever association and has teams from several of the nations who compete for some kind of prize and trophy. sounds a bit too much like quidditch for its own good.... and I very much doubt that a sport could've evolved in the two years since the war to a point where all the nations would play it if they hadn't played it before. no, it has to be something established before the war--something that Galifar played, perhaps a derivative of a dhakaani or elven game.
Alex_ 03-01-07, 03:06 PM	Whatever sport there is, there should be national teams that compete every few years. Wars aside, this is just too good in terms of playing on the Cold War feel that currently exists in the setting. Which gets me thinking on an adventure seed... It's been decades since the last International Games (a sporting event started in pre-Galifar days) and the remainders of the 5 nations have been making accommodations to host a new one. For the remaining 5 nations, it's another way of waging battle against the others. For the newer nations (Eldeen Reaches, Shadow Marches, Darguun), it's a way of showing they can compete with the more established ones. Cyran refugees in New Cyre have been allowed to enter as representatives of their former nation, and many see it as a potential distraction from the recent horrors, and as a chance to create greater solidarity amongst displaced Cyrans. The PCs can be actual participants, or more likely, tasked with security. There will undoubtedly be many organizations and individuals who would like to attack the games or competitors. There's also bound to be cheating in the use of subtle magics or alchemy (bloodspikes to improve performance), so there could be some mystery elements there too.
Yakman 03-01-07, 03:17 PM	It's been decades since the last International Games (a sporting event started in pre-Galifar days) and the remainders of the 5 nations have been making accommodations to host a new one. For the remaining 5 nations, it's another way of waging battle against the others. For the newer nations (Eldeen Reaches, Shadow Marches, Darguun), it's a way of showing they can compete with the more established ones. Cyran refugees in New Cyre have been allowed to enter as representatives of their former nation, and many see it as a potential distraction from the recent horrors, and as a chance to create greater solidarity amongst displaced Cyrans. The PCs can be actual participants, or more likely, tasked with security. There will undoubtedly be many organizations and individuals who would like to attack the games or competitors. There's also bound to be cheating in the use of subtle magics or alchemy (bloodspikes to improve performance), so there could be some mystery elements there too. Personally, I wouldn't allow the Cyrans to play in such an event--Aurala would veto it, and Boranel would want them on his teams. But could such an event occur? Certainly... although I wouldn't give it Galifaran roots. More like the revival of the Olympic games in 1896--such contests existed in pre-Galifaran Khorvaire, but were abandoned after the unification or the War of the Mark or some disaster or something like that. Or they had continued into the Galifaran period but some disgruntled would-be heir murdered the King during the event or a dispute over some a rule infraction led to a full scale riot, which grew out of control, and the games were abandoned by decree following the ensuing civil war. Hold it on Thronehold, with Kaius and Krozen serving as the main sponsors. Kaius is supposed to attend but begs out at the last minute for 'health reasons'....
Lancer2010 03-01-07, 03:20 PM	[QUOTE=Yakman;11630590]sounds a bit too much like quidditch for its own good....QUOTE] Yeah, I kept comparing it to that myself.
Millenia 03-01-07, 03:21 PM	I think Shady has an idea close to mine. I see it as a flight based game, maybe like rugby/football. Each nation would have unique individual mounts. For example: the Talenta Halflings would have glidewings, Aundair would have Dragonhawks, and the Zil... I see them with tiny elementaly powered boats. .... Quidditch?
Nived 03-01-07, 03:30 PM	One of my games opened with a national holiday festival in Rekkenmark, Karrnath. Part Memorial day, part Fourth of July, part Oktoberfest. Besides the beer and drunken renditions of patriotic songs I tried to imagine a Karrnathi festival, I came to the conclusion that the beer and song would come later in the day (for most some of course get an early start). A highlight of the morning and early afternoon of this national holiday are the contests of skill that are held by pretty much every city in the nation on this day. Olympic style contests, the classic greek style olympic games. Races, equestrian sports, javalin, discus, jumping contests, archery, obsticle courses, wrestling. Of course the whole thing had to be ruined by an fringe Aundarian terrorist attack... but that's beside the point.
Melvin the Mediocre 03-01-07, 04:21 PM	I just made this up on the spot, I'm sure it has flaws that need to be fixed. But, how about a game where the field is composed of either giant logs sticking end up out of the ground, or in bigger professional fields the stumps are replaced with levitating platforms. Teams of 5 start up on opposite sides of the field. The objective is to get the floating ball back to your starting platform, scoring one point. The game is played to 10. Any contestant hitting the ground below is out until a point is scored at which time both teams and the ball are returned to the starting position. Spells and psionics like telekinesis are allowed, but deadly ones like magic missile and fire ball are not. Each team also starts with 2 large leather balls (like medicine balls) which can be hurled at opponents to knock them down or completely off the platforms. There are typically two magic dead zones on the field.
Yakman 03-01-07, 06:14 PM	I think something more like 'Smear the Queer' would be more appropriate--being a derivative of the Dhakaani game of 'Get 'em!'
Splendide 03-01-07, 06:39 PM	I've just thought of a good gnome one. 3 defending gnomes in a small arena, vs 11 oncomers who enter the arena one at a time - defenders call out for the next gnome to enter. The objective of the game for attackers is to get your flag through the arena. The objective for defenders it to stop them, by specifically capturing the gnome carrying the flag, which is a small piece of fabric easily concealed on one's person. Scoring Each gnome you capture who didn't have the flag: 1 point to attackers Each gnome you let through the arena who didn't have the flag: 1 point to defenders Each gnome you capture who did have the flag: 3 points to the defenders, and any gnomes that hadn't run through yet are worth 1 point each to the defenders Letting the gnome who had the flag through: 3 points for the attackers, and every gnome that hadn't run through yet is worth 1 point each for the attack. The innings ends when either the gnome with the flag is captured, or the gnome with the flag is let through the arena. There's a total of 4 innings; each side plays defensive role twice and attacking role twice. While there is some physical struggle involved, the real challenge is in acting like you have the flag when you don't, and acting like you don't have the flag when you do. Of course, an aggressive flag carrier can ignore the guile and make it a purely physical contest...but so can an aggressive non-flag carrier. Decisions, decisions. This is a sport encouraged among guards and watchers; over the past hundred years it has spread outside of Zilargo, and is not an uncommon pastime for off-duty Deneith troops in the more remote outposts where there's nothing better to do. The game has many variations in how it is played; the traditional version is played with no magical abilities allowed, but various people have codified medium- and high-magic variants.
Beleriphon 03-02-07, 12:58 AM	.... Quidditch? Harry Potter plus the power of lame produces the dorkiest sports event ever conceived. Its effectively football (soccer) on flying brooms, with extra balls and a stupid little flying thing that ends the game if found. As for actual sports the Hazrak seems like the best bet for a formalized sporting event. Although if you really think about it football (soccer) is probably ubiquitous in terms of play among children since a making an inflattible leather ball really isn't that hard.
Splendide 03-02-07, 02:56 AM	I would think the most likely sport to arise anywhere is `mugby', which at my high school involved you and your mates vs everyone else. You got a tennis ball, which you could throw or carry, and everyone else had to try and get it off you. You scored a goal by throwing it through the pack to the field hockey goal and thus your nebulous side was credited with a goal. No umpire required, self-preservation did a lot of the legwork in that regard. PS. Quidditch is a sport designed by someone who has never played a sport.
sooperspook 03-02-07, 04:38 AM	What the heck is Finnish Baseball?
DarkWarriorKarg 03-02-07, 09:27 AM	What the heck is Finnish Baseball? Finnish baseball (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pes%C3%A4pallo) Australian Rules Football (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_rules_football)
Nived 03-02-07, 02:19 PM	There's always Australian Indoor Rules Quidditch (http://www.machall.com/index.php?strip_id=125)
fiendish_platypus 03-03-07, 12:32 PM	Once me and the other players in a campaign had to travel from one side of Xen'drik to the other for sport, the first living team out won. It was quite odd now that I think about it.
goblin_pride 03-03-07, 04:39 PM	Once me and the other players in a campaign had to travel from one side of Xen'drik to the other for sport, the first living team out won. It was quite odd now that I think about it. A bit like a tropical jungle version of the Iditarod, eh?
Lancer2010 03-03-07, 04:47 PM	That or it's like that story, you know, where the guy hunts people on his private island? It's been a while since I read it, no idea what it's called.
Darth Syntax 03-03-07, 06:52 PM	The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell