So I was watching the Olympics and started thinking about an adventure centering around a competition akin to the event in Golarion. Is there something like this in the world? I didn't notice any notation of it. Has anyone else considered something like this?
I believe (not at home can't check) that Jamerlay has something similar though I believe its only the martial arts schools that compete.
That sounds like exactly the sort of thing that the church of Kurgess would do. He was a runner that was killed when his opponents decided to sabotage him. He saw it coming too, but he sacrificed himself because others would die if he didn't. From what I recall Cayden Cailean and Desna raised him as a demigod,and now he's basically the god of sportsmanship and competition. I can very much see his church organizing some sort of international sporting competition like the Olympics, but I don't think the competitors would really be representing anything but themselves.
The Test of the Starstone? :)
More seriously, isn't The Ruby Phoenix Tournament module something like that? Of course, that's in Tian Xia, not Avistan/Garund.
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The Ruby Phoenix Tournament? The Sargava Cup? That thing in Lastwall's capital commemorating that one knight who decided to actively prove how faulty her superior's defenses were? I honestly don't think there is anything of the sort. It probably requires international cooperation on the sort of scale Golarion fiercely lacks. Most of Avistan hates one another, and much of Garund is wild and none too crazy 'bout their weirdo northern neighbors (and their clingy, grabby eastern neighbors), and Tian Xia is too cut off...sooooooo...
From Pathfinder Wiki:
The prowess of their martial artists is renowned across entire continents with the so called Houses of Perfection (the Monastery of Untwisting Iron, the Monastery of Unfolding Wind and the Monastery of Unblinking Flame) the most sought-after monasteries of the Inner Sea region. To qualify for training at one of the Houses of Perfection the potential applicant must race a Djinni that is a swift as the wind, wrestle with a stony Shaitan and out wit an cunning Efreeti. The monks of these monasteries compete in one of the most gruelling challenges on Golarion, the Challenge of Sky and Heaven competing to be named Champions of Sky and Heaven.
The Challenge of Sky and Heaven is a contest held every ten years by Jalmeray’s three Houses of Perfection. It includes tests of knowledge, cunning, speed, martial arts, and skill. Kharswan, the nominal ruler of Jalmeray, also sponsors many additional events, including the Solemn Sky Duel of Masters.
The Challenge is also open to any others who venerate Irori, and the winners receive a steel medallion of Sky and Heaven.
The reigning champions are the Monastery of Untwisting Iron, who have won the last two Challenges.
The Sargava Chalice?
(Apologies if this ends up triple-posted, but the response keeps timing out.)
Isn't there a Greek-inspired city-state/region on the coast of Casmaron somewhere, called Iblydos (spelling?)?
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Qadira has a huge horse race, the Histaqen, although I'm not sure exactly how prevalent it is, or if other competitions occur.
The Shoanti have a bunch of competitive events during their tribal gatherings, IIRC. Being Shoanti, I imagine many of them are dangerous...
Taldor seems the sort of place to have competitive everything, including sailing regattas.
Somewhere in the River Kingdoms is a smallish city-state with a strong focus on gladiatorial competitions. (Forget the name.)
In my head, the Prophets of the Kalistocracy sometimes settle disputes via alternate means to the usual financial shenanigans, by hiring extravagantly expensive professional duelists to resolve their differences. As with so many Druman things, the one with the most money is expected to win, as that Prophet can afford the best trained (highest level) best equipped and most (in)famous duelist, with the most wins to their name. Hiring conjurers, summoners or gunslingers to resolve disputes in these sorts of duels would be less traditional, but perhaps popular among the 'nouveau riche' among the Kalistocrats. In a land where extravagant displays are a way of establishing oneself, financing large competitions of swordsmen, etc. every couple of years, and building fancy competition arenas for these events, would likely be a way to 'get seen' among the up-and-coming Prophets.
Somewhere in the River Kingdoms is a smallish city-state with a strong focus on gladiatorial competitions. (Forget the name.)
(One of the most anti-Razmir of the River Kingdoms, and pretty much holding off the fake "Living God" by itself and his ex-Riverkingdom country by himself.)
EDIT: Well, not exactly "by itself", but pretty much it's the River Kingdom that's fighting Razmir. The others just give a little support every once in a while.
