The Silly Games

I may not be able to give you all bread and circuses, but I have plenty of cabbage and silly games!

—  Leon de Caceres

Quite a nice tradition, in my opinion, and one much beloved by the people of Sol Meridia. A farmer's life is hard, while wealthy elites enjoy the lives of luxury and comfort. Would it not be fair for them to struggle while you get to sit back and enjoy the show, at least a few days a year?
And this is exactly what happens during the Silly Games. It is a tournament for those who rule the island by holding a seat in the Benevolent Council. Scions of wealthy families get to compete in a number of different challenges, silly yet serious at the same time. All the while the common folk gets to sit back and enjoy the show.

History

In a way, the Games were one of many attempts by the newly-formed Benevolent Council to gain trust among the island's population following the Gollanhad's Pact. The times were harsh back then, and social tensions were rising amidst increasing hunger. A few families in the Benevolent Council decided to offer enterntainment to the people, and show that they are not that different. Many carts of cabbage were given out as alms to the viewers (better than nothing I guess), which probably helped it popularity. The popularity of its organisers/participants as well, which is why soon every family was eager to participate.

Execution

It is the people that decide what kind of competitions they want to see this year. New ideas can be suggested if enough locals support them, to be ruled on and designed by a special committee consisting of past winners of the Silly Games. Every challenge gets their own funny name, and at the start of the new Council's term there is a island-wide vote. Every settler (kids included) gets 3 pieces of specially-marked paper, on which they write the names of their favourite challenges.
Once the votes are cast, they are gathered and counted. Any challenge that gathers more than 1% of all votes gets included in this year's Silly Games. These are often fan-loved challenges that have been running for decades, and some even since the very start of the Games! Other ones only happen every few years, or have periods of popularity that eventually dies out. This however means that you can never fully prepare for all possible challenges, as the list of options goes well in the thousands. Only the true Silly Games experts could even remember all of them!
Any new arenas and preparations, if necessary, are naturally sponsored by the participating families. It is also an old tradition that every family must give alms to the people throughout the Games, whatever they may have - usually food, traditionally cabbage. It might be just the rich competiting who has more money to throw around, but does anyone really mind getting free things because of it? After all, the prizes are not even that great - this really is more of a way for the elites to give back to the communities.

Participants

Some would say that the fact that only a small group of wealthy families get to participate in the Games to be, well, a bit unfair. Most people do not mind that though, for participants more often than not make complete fools of themselves to the process. It is generally more fun to laugh at someone than to get laughed at. Still, for young and ambitious the Games are a good way to prove themselves - after all, they are the Silly Games and not Serious Games.
Every family who holds a seat in the Benevolent Council this year is legally obliged to send in a contestant for each of the competitions (yes, they actually passed a law about that). Paticipants do not necessarily have to be members of the family by blood, which obviously leads to families often sending their trusted servants or even hiring people specifically to participate in the Games. Obviously you cannot just do that for every tournament - only up to 5 "outsider champions" are allowed per family.

Primary Related Location

Sol Meridia

Related Organizations

• Benevolent Council