ORIGINALLY POSTED:
By - Xedanis
On - 11 SEP 2016
By Xedanis Sykonra
This article has also been submitted on the Necropolis and Port Luna.
Competition and the ability to prove oneself in the eyes of one's peers, betters and so on has always been a driving force for every species and race on this Earth. Vampires are no exception to this rule, and neither are our equally-reclusive mythical kin. Whether you are nosferatu, lycan, fae, human or something else entirely there will always exist in your blood the drive to become greater than what you are. Deny it all you like - it's still there - and sometimes, it needs to be let out.
So how are these impulses acted upon? That depends on taste, you might argue. Some expend their coin, energy and bile in the cause of destroying enemies, either in wars or in personal vendetta; others promote creative outlets, and still others embrace the more carnal options for venting one's spleen (and other organs.)
One tradition however has held true for several years: The Duel Tournament.
Port Luna Live is hosting the triumphant return of this much-missed city-wide event this year, and like all things of its caliber we felt that the event needs a little clarification and historical context. There is a lot of new blood in this city of ours, as well as we old farts that have forgotten almost as much as we have learned. The point is, the story of this illustrious gladiatorial contest may be as murky as the depths of the tavern cellars. It's time to bring it to light! So, if you'll forgive any clerical or factual errors due to my abominable memory and the precious few publicly available sources of information, let's dive in.
Where did it all Begin?!
The first recorded duel this humble writer discovered in city history was that between the legendary Lucius and evilive_inc. This was in the dim and distant past of 2006. Prior to that, the closest thing to an actual duelling tournament was in 2004, invented by Mooncalf and dubbed "Scroll at Ten Paces." This tournament did not use the Holy Water weaponry rule that the more popular successor events did in 2012 and 2013. A tournament was planned for 2014 but unfortunately never came to fruition, leaving the two-time winner of the tournaments prior - King Lestat - unchallenged until he was arguably stripped of the title in 2015.
Structured, Holy-water duels were always a popular passtime but their evolution into a tournament occurred in fits and starts, in fact it's difficult to nail down the exact first publicly-announced (and spectated) tournament at all because of the sheer number of news publications and gathering spots that have sprung up, existed, then died on their arse in this fair city of ours.
After some research, I was able to find evidence supporting the first ever "official" tournament to have taken place in the dim days of 2012. This was back when the Ravenblack Times and the Bite were still in full operation. Even the original threads remain intact. Since then various attempts have been made to revive the competition that have thus far failed - until this year, when Kains Son announced the 2016 championship with Port Luna Live presenting.
The Perks
Even as a spectator, there were many benefits to the tournaments. Activity in the city experienced an obvious uptick, whether from onlookers rallying behind competitors as though they were favored sports teams or from the competitors themselves doling out the trash talk. The main perk, though, was the ability to indulge in this sort of behavior without the added incendiary risks of war (because let's face it, wars in this town can and HAVE been started over someone looking at someone else funny and saying "Hey you, let's fight!" ) and obvious expenditure. But what else benefits wise comes from a tournament?
Let's start with bragging rights. The unequivocal right to call yourself the very best the city has to offer in combat prowess. Yes, there have been accusations laid down regarding steroids, combat additives and whatnot. Port Luna's version of the event swears all competitors off using steroids and such, at risk of forfeiting their entry fee. But beyond that, it's the ability to know that you climbed to the top of the heap, or at least learned a thing or two - because it's true that both Fledges and Seasoned veterans compete and increase their own experience and skill - and had a blast while you did it.
That, and of course the prize pot. This has changed over the years. The most extravagant perhaps was the 2013 tournament hosted by the RB Times and administrated by Penny, which sought donations to the prize pot from such parties as the RoR, Yggdrasil, and individuals including Sartori and Sheyrena. Each contribution was nothing to sniff at - 125000 coins apiece! This year is a similar model in that entrants are required to pay a fee of 25000 coins, or seek sponsorship to allow entry. However this year's tournament will be the first to offer favors from Raven Black himself, in the form of 35 donation credits spread among the first, second and third placed contestants.
Revival or Continuation?
All of this historical data is well and good, even the tie ins with similarities for prizes etc, but the real question remains: is the 2016 tournament a true continuation of the tradition or a total reboot? We leave that to you, for there's evidence on both sides of the table. One may argue that the different format (namely the use of groups in a similar fashion to world tournaments in soccer, hockey and other sports) makes it a total restart ignorant of the event's past, while it may also be determined to be a revival or continuation as it is not the first tournament of its kind. Which do you believe? If someone challenges that belief, would you have the drive to answer that challenge on the duelling ground? If so, Enter Now!
Historical Sources:
Ravenblack Bite
Ravenblack Times
Ravenblack City Wiki
RBC Nitty Gritty
