The Kalaskroun

The Kalaskroun (lit. Kovast for "call to combat") is a single day tournament event announced and organised by the High King of the Krovandir to select his Leidahuscarl. Its trials involve tests of combat prowess, strength, endurance and guile.

History

King Malgeir Hakon conceived of the Kalaskroun in the decade following the Samrungrin as a way to placate the fractious Jarls of the newly established provinces. Each Jarl was allowed to send one contender to the King's Court to partake in the trails that Malgeir had set, with the winner being awarded a seat on the Council of Wisdom. Though great honour was bestowed upon the winner and his lord, it was the extra political power that the seat afforded that the Jarl's coveted. The first winner was Asvaldur Knutursson from the Gaettleng province, who came from third place to win outright in the last round.
In the centuries following, and with the increase of further Jarls through the more formal establishment of a feudal society in Krovandir, the prize of a Council Seat became more of a contentious issue, and in AF28 it was decreed that the winner would instead become part of the High King's personal retinue, with the title of Leidahuscarl.

Execution

The Tournament

The Kalaskroun is traditionally held one week after the summer solistice, but is usually announced up to half a year beforehand to allow all of Krovandir to hear of the contest and have the time to travel to the King's Court to participate. On the year's it is held the day of the Kalaskroun becomes a holiday across all of Krovandir with many smaller local contests taking place to celebrate the main event.
Anyone of any rank, age or gender is permitted to enter the Kalaskroun including thralls, though they must seek permission from their master to participate.

The Events

All competitors must complete the following before sundown on the day of the tournament, and the events can be completed in any order the competitors chooses. Where an opponent is needed, a fellow competitor is selected by the King's Men if available; if none is available then a King's Man acts in their stead.

Wrestling

The competitor must throw their opponent off his feet, or lift them clear and then drop them onto any body part except the feet. Each match is the best of five rounds and three different opponents must be defeated to complete the event.

Axe Throwing

Five consecutive strikes, with the axe thrown from a marked line, against a target of a bossed shield mounted on a frame or post; several shields are mounted at differing distances from the throwing line with strikes against the further targets considered of higher importance. Up to ten axes (or ten attempts with the same axe, in less well equipped settlements) may be thrown with only axes holding in the target shield being considered a strike.

Swimming

The competitor must swim out to nominated island (or for more inland settlements - swim a designated length of a river), touch the flag placed there, and swim back. The arduous journey must be completed twice within the day for the event to be completed overall. The King's Court overlooks the vast Sturbla Ocean and has just offshore numerous jagged islands for the High King to pick as his competitor's target.

Combat

With their choice of blunted weapon, the unarmoured competitor must record at least one strike either to the head or the chest of a King's Man, whilst avoiding their opponent drawing blood with their sharp blade. The event is complete when a strike has been recorded against three different King's Men. A strike to the head is considered more important than one to the chest and as such can be used to break ties.

The Thurle's Riddle

The High King's Thurle proclaims his riddle to all the competitors shortly after the event is opened by the High King at sunrise. All are given until sundown to think upon the problem, and any that are still standing and have completed all other events at the time the sun sets are called up one-by-one to give their answer.

Observance

The tournament is traditionally held in the week after the summer solistice, ensuring the longest hours of daylight for the actual day of the competition.