The Erovast Codex

King’s Tourney#

King's Tourney

Summary#

The King’s Tourney is the annual tournament and festival held in the valley beneath Everdale and the Gleaming Keep. It lasts for about two weeks and draws noble houses, knights, merchants, performers, scouts, and spectators from across the Crownlands. Source: 2026.05.05.

Areas#

  • Proving Grounds: lower-tier competitions open to almost anyone who can pay the entry fee. Sponsors and scouts watch these bouts for promising talent. The fighting pit is 15 feet deep, dug straight into the earth—muddy, with craggy rocks underfoot, cheap banners overhead, and active betting rings running alongside. A noble box with a red tent sits above for scouts and midlords. Five levels of Crowd Favor are achievable; reaching Level 5 grants entry to the Grand Stage. Source: 2026.05.05, 2026.06.02.
  • Grand Stage: the main arena where top contenders, noble champions, and major bouts are held. Source: 2026.05.05.
  • Registration tent: where entrants register for the tournament. Holt handled the party’s registration. Source: 2026.05.05.

Notable Vendors and Spots#

Current Party Status#

Cassian, Aldric, Azrith, and Odine Dunmere entered the Proving Grounds as Cassian’s Crushing Crusaders, won their first bout, then completed the Crown Gauntlet (started 2026.06.23, won 2026.07.14)—the first team to clear it in over seven years. The party has since advanced to The Menagerie, a beast-arena tier, with a bout scheduled 5 PM the day after 2026.08.11, red tent, bracketed near House Wulfhelm. Sponsored by Duke Tristan Blackwood (House Blackwood) at 8%. See Compete in the King's Tourney. Source: 2026.05.05, 2026.06.02, 2026.06.11, 2026.07.14, 2026.08.11.

Tournament Tiers#

The tournament runs through ascending tiers of prestige and danger: Proving Grounds (entry-level bouts) → The Menagerie (beast-arena, judged on spectacle/daring/mastery) → Grand Stage (top contenders and noble champions). Crowd Favor levels within the Proving Grounds track toward this progression; the party’s Crown Gauntlet win pushed them into the Menagerie tier directly. Source: 2026.08.11.

Tournament Notes#

  • Team competitions are common in the Proving Grounds, usually with groups of four.
  • Magic is allowed. Higher-level competitors may use enchanted arms and armor.
  • Strong performances can attract sponsors and possibly lead to the Grand Stage.
  • The Crown Gauntlet—a ~40-ft obstacle tower over a mud pit, scored via Cheer Marks/Mud Marks—was the Proving Grounds’ obstacle-course format; the party’s team is the first to clear it in over seven years. See Compete in the King's Tourney for full mechanics.
  • The tourney’s grand prize is the King’s Cup together with a deed to the Thornwood Vale. Source: 2026.06.23.
  • An unnamed, invitation-only “pleasure house” tent behind the theater near Slug’s cookhouse is rumored to be frequented by nobles at night—identified but not yet visited by the party. Source: 2026.06.23.

Notable Houses (as confirmed)#

The three dominant houses at the tournament: House Godrin (arcane power, white armor), House Wulfhelm (militant, holds last year’s deed), House Corwyn (knowledge seekers, silver armor). Vassal houses below these include House Blackwood (vassal of Corwyn; sponsoring the party), and others. The illegitimate House Oswall also arrives annually with a throne claim—they are considered a standing joke by established nobility.

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