Hastiludes and Tournaments

Ritualized martial games, popular throughout Bedouar and Faerie, celebrating chivalrous combat and martial skill.

History

Hastiludes began in the late days of the Remusan Empire, with mock fights and cavalry exercises being used training regimens. Observing these mock combats became a popular past-time for locals, continuing as the Empire slowly fell. In Kernev, for example, the City of Ys held a grand and highly ritualized tournament-like festival every year until the city's destruction. Organized tournaments fell into obscurity as the old Imperial connections gave way to the constant warfare between petty kingdoms.
The first modern Hastilude was organized in 750 SI, when Geoffroi de Preulli, the Baron of Tours in the Duchy of Anjou, organized a mock combat to celebrate the victory of his liege over Saumur. The Tournament of Tours was a massive success, and it remains the oldest and most prestigious Tournament in Bedouar into the present, attracting all manner of Challengers in its long history.
The practice spread to neighboring Breizh , Normaundie, Aquitaine and Gallia. Foreign knights and nobles would often travel to compete in or watch the event, some from as far away as Logres and Iram. A popular tournament often would be a major economic boon to its host.
Despite this popularity, Tournaments were occasionally banned by the Southern Church during the Crusades, as it felt the mock combat distracted the nobility from the "holy" work of the Crusades. Sovereign leaders would also occasionally ban the events from their realms, or place arbitrary fees that eroded any interest in attending. Still, the tradition remains strong in Bedouar.
With the increased popularity of Courtly Love, noncombatant noblewomen have taken a larger role, and the tournaments are often held in their honor, with increasingly elaborate and symbolic displays of fealty and romance. The pageantry of tgese events, and the jockeying of the noblewomen to attract the attention of champions to favour have become unofficial events in their own right, and are largely expected in current tournaments.

Execution

[uThe Events of a Hastilude] The events begin with the arrival of the knights, either individually or as part of companies to encampments at the designated field. Often, feasts are held in the encampments and castle of the hosting Lord or Bishop for persons of distinction in attendance. Bards, jesters and troubadours entertain the revelers with stories of bravery in combat, in preparation of the following day's events.

• The Tournament and the Behourd (Melee)

Perhaps the largest, but not always the central event as a Hastilude, the Tournament is a grand spectacle of mock combat between two sides of knights. It has become a vernacular synonym for a Hastilude and often used in its place in conversation. The event proceeds as follows:
1. A preliminary joust (vespers) to show off individual talents begins the event. These are often informal and are usually reserved for novice knights. Often these are used as a way for knights to show off and gauge the skill of each other. 2. The Tournament formally opens with regers, a ceremonial parade in which banners are unfurled and war cries are given. It is often an elaborate spectacle, with lavish costumes and grand displays of courtly love or praises for a liege. 3. Two rencs of knights on horseback are formed, preparing for the estor (charge). At the signal, each renc begins its charge at the other, lances leveled to dismount their opponents. Knights who remain upright pivot quickly, returning to their line, where a squire has (up to 3) spare lances. With this in hand, they search the field for other mounted opponents and repeat the process until all knights are dismounted or out of lances. 4. The organized lines descend into the chaos of a melee, with running battles progressing until an enemy line breaks or night falls. The purpose of this event is the capture knights for ransom. This is usually a token amount, but can be quite lucrative (as many nobles seek high ransoms for themselves to illustrate their economic largess when their combat skills leave something to be desired.) 5. A lavish banquet is held by the host and prizes are awarded to knights of exceptional merit. Songs are often sung of their victory with significant embellishment.

• The Joust

A single combat between two mounted knights, armed with lances and the intent of knocking the other off their horse. Initially a "sideshow" to prelude the main tournament, these events became popular in their own right, perhaps more than the Tournament itself, as displays of chivalry and individual merit. Jousts take place over several days in an "elimination" format. Jousts are held for both knights and squires. The jousts follow a precise ritual. 1. Each knight rides out onto the list in a personal reger, illustrating his colours and asking for a token of favour from a noble lady and saluting the host. 2. Each knight is offered a choice between two lances. The Lance of Peace is lighter and blunted with a round socket, while the Lance of War, capped with a heavy metal piercing tip, is considerably more dangerous and lethal. Selecting the lance of War is considered bad form and unchivalrous, usually indicating some major grievance between the two combatants outside of the event itself. 3. Exploiting an advantage is considered unchivalrous and knights will often compete to place themselves against the odds, placing handicaps or challenges on themselves. 4. Each joust consists of 3 passes. Killing an opponent is considered dishonourable, and the loser is expected to graciously yield to the dominant fighter. This is not always done in practice, but a proper yield will often increase a knight's reputation for chivalrous behaviour. 5. Occasionally the mounted tilt was followed by "3 blows of ax, sword and dagger", with a round dedicated to each. These are carried out on foot, often when the tilt ended without a clear winner.

• Quintaine

- Technically a board or mannequin, often outfitted with a shield, helmet and a weapon, typically a lance, flail or bag of sand. Bladders of water, easily ruptured, are also common. When the shield was struck, it would rotate quickly, its weapon "attacking" the rider. Used in training for the proper joust, it is nevertheless a popular side attraction, especially among squires.

Papegai - Shooting contests are open to all comers and are used as a method to ensure that local populations can defend their towns from the walls until reinforcements arrive. In Letha, these are typically held around Gouel Eost, where a wooden parrot is raised atop a pole as the target.

Pas d'Armes - An unofficial, but common display of chivalry, at least in theory. A knight or group of knights (Tenans/holders) will take positions on a key crossing into tournament grounds, such as a bridge or city gate and demand that any who wish to cross (Venans/Comers) must fight in single combat or pass in disgrace. If they did not have their own, a horse or arms would be provided to the traveler. If they chose not to fight, they must leave their spurs or some other token as a sign of disgrace. Unescorted women were to leave a scarf or glove, which would be "rescued" and returned to them by a future champion, a practice that has been met with skepticism by the female knights of Briezh and Tolosa travelling to tournaments elsewhere. Other times, combat would be replaced by some other challenge or quest. This has made the even popular among the Korrigan, who emulate the practice on bridges and roads in their territory.

• Tupinaire

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• Water Joust

A regional variant of the joust, developed in Tolosa. Adversaries, armed with only a lance and shield, stand on a platform at the bow of a boat, propelled by oarsmen. The loser falls into the water, the winner maintaining balance. This has begun to spread to other regions, such as Aquitaine, Gallia and Breizh, where it is practiced on rivers.

Components and tools

For the most part, weapons used in the events should be blunted to avoid excessive injuries and fatalities. Armor is often highly decorative, and can border on impractical for less seasoned nobles.

Observance

Tournaments can be held at any time of the year except specific holy periods of the Southern Church. Often times, they are held to mark special occasions, such as royal births, coronations and marriages, or historical events, real or imagined)
The location of a Tournament ground is announced a fortnight before it is held, although the general details are known well in advance to allow travel time.
Occasionally, a hastilude will have a thematic element, such as all participants dressing as legendary figures or mythological creatures to stage some elaborate playact in the combat, with predetermined storylines and outcomes.