Honor on the Field: Tournaments in Pendragon
Tournaments in Pendragon are moments when reputations shift, when courtly eyes take notice, and when rivalries deepen. The battlefield is formal, but the stakes remain real.
These events offer the Game Master a flexible toolset. They work well between military campaigns or during times of political tension, allowing for pageantry and risk in equal measure.
Why Tournaments Matter
Tournaments serve several purposes in a Pendragon campaign. They:
Provide Glory to victorious knights.=
Offer a chance to impress nobility or forge alliances
Help fill the space between years of war with personal stories
Reflect on Arthur’s attempt to bring order to a violent age
Tournaments can shift a character’s standing. They may lead to marriage offers, noble favor, or whispered gossip that shapes future encounters.
Common Types of Events
The Grand Melee
This is a large-group combat involving multiple knights on each side, fighting with blunted weapons. It can be run using the same system as mass combat, but on a smaller scale.
Divide knights into teams, assign objectives or victory conditions, and roll initiative. Encourage squires to retrieve weapons, drag wounded from the field, or carry messages mid-fight. Add narrative beats, such as a knight losing their helm, a rival saving a downed opponent, to add texture.
The Joust
Each knight rides against another, lance in hand. This is the most formalized combat in Arthurian tournaments.
Use the jousting rules found in the Game Master’s Handbook. Rolls are often opposed. On a successful hit, compare damage and note whether a knight is unhorsed or injured. Include heralds, cheering crowds, and honor challenges for atmosphere.
Tests of Skill and Wit
Events such as falconry, riddles, or mounted games allow knights with different strengths to take part. Use opposed Skill rolls: Falconry, Horsemanship, or Gaming as appropriate. These events can reinforce character traits or deepen rivalries.
Courtly Contests
These include poetic duels, games of courtesy, or attempts to win a favor.
Resolve with Compose, Courtesy, Orate, or Recognize. The outcome might lead to courtly Glory, a romantic match, or a public embarrassment. These events offer excellent moments for role-playing or solo spotlight scenes.
Structuring a Tournament
Establish the Reason: Who is hosting? What does the winner receive? Prizes may include Glory, a marriage proposal, a horse, or rare armor.
The Procession: Let the players describe how their knights appear during the opening ceremonies. Include heralds, banners, and crowd reactions.
Pairings and Matchups: Assign jousting opponents or melee teams. Consider matching rivals or secret lovers to push storylines forward.
The Events: Run each contest with either full mechanics or summarized rolls. Let key matchups play out fully. Others can be abstracted to save time.
Aftermath and Reputation: Once the dust settles, award Glory based on performance and crowd reactions. Consider who was injured, broke the rules, or captured public attention.
Game Mastering Advice
Use tournaments to introduce new NPCs. A recurring rival who bends the rules. A foreign knight who fights with unusual weapons. A noble is watching from the sidelines with political interest.
Keep the pace varied. Speed through early rounds or less significant matches. Focus on pivotal moments, especially those with emotional or social weight.
Track Glory gains, injuries, and changes in reputation. What happens off the field is often more important than the score.
Let consequences linger. A knight who cheats might win the day, but lose a future alliance. One who loses gracefully might gain more admiration than the victor.
Legacy and Glory
Some knights win their greatest Glory in war. Others find it on the tournament field, before a watching crowd. Whether the moment is a lance breaking clean or a poem offered in full view of the court, tournaments give players a place to test ideals and ambitions. They are milestones, not sideshows.
Next Steps
Learn how to create a player-knight
Get the Starter Set on Quest Portal's Marketplace
Join our Discord to talk Pendragon in #chaosium
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