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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

1. Establish the Reason: Who is hosting? What does the winner receive? Prizes may include Glory, a marriage proposal, a horse, or rare armor.
2. The Procession: Let the players describe how their knights appear during the opening ceremonies. Include heralds, banners, and crowd reactions.
3. Pairings and Matchups: Assign jousting opponents or melee teams. Consider matching rivals or secret lovers to push storylines forward.
4. 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.
5. 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.

• 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.

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.

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