The Arena of Teeth tournament is a annual competition held during the summer solstice festival in
Baldur's Gate. It is meant as a tribute to the god
Bahamut, who presides over fair war, but has transformed over the years into an elaborate day of showmanship and glory by defeat of monsters of the sea, representing Bahamut's distaste for
Shaeth, an exiled god associated with the ocean.
Arena Setup
The tournament takes place in the city's large bay port, which is cleared of ships during the solstice. The docks are lined with wooden stands meant to hold observers, and is typically surrounded by privately-owned pleasure crafts with their own stands. The oceanside length of the bay is enclosed in a reinforced net during this time.
Five wooden platforms are anchored to the center of the bay in a checkerboard pattern, on which battles primarily take place. If these platforms are broken during a fight, they are replaced for the next competing team.
Rules
Any group of three to five contestants may register as a team at any tavern the day before the tournament. Registration costs 10 gold pieces.
Challenge Round
Each group is endures one fight in the bay arena throughout the course of the day and is judged by an elected council of three. This council scores each fight based on both battle prowess and entertainment value.
Points
| Kill creature without it harming the combatants |
10 points |
| Kill creature using something other than a weapon |
5 points |
| Time bonus |
(10 - minutes to completion) points |
| Entertainment bonus |
Up to 30 points at judges' discretion |
Penalties
| Use a potion |
-3 points each |
| Combatant is knocked out |
-5 points each |
| Combatant is killed |
-10 points each |
The team with the most points at the end of their arena battle is deemed the challenge round winner and is given 3,500 gold pieces. However, to be named champion, the winning team must win the champion round.
Champion Round
The challenge round winners are given the opportunity to claim the title 'Arena Champion' by winning a final battle. If the team decides not to fight, the team with the next challenge round score is invited to fight instead, though this rarely happens. Winning the champion round also earns the team free invitations to the
Baldur's Gate Solstice Ball hosted by
Lyle Silvershield. Combatants are fully restored before the champion fight.
The champion round is a battle to the death. It usually features a single large aquatic monster, oftentimes purchased for the purpose from
The Drowned Fleet. In good years, the arena provides a creature sourced from
Shaethon, the plane of water itself.
Trivia
- Verinos Valancia of Marsember, along with his three body guards, Reya Cholla, Peza Cholla, and Troy Cholla, hold the record as the longest-standing arena champions, winning the tournament six years in a row. They were finally defeated by Yuan-ton, Eieb Dreago, Rickemash, Narcissa Crow, and Anteries Solander in year 130 PU.
- Traditionally, favor for a combatant's performance is signaled from the audience by throwing yellow roses into the arena.
