The Monika Coliseum

The Ring of Wonders

The tale of the coliseum's creation is widespread and retold across any Ravennian tavern you visit. There was once two well regarded mages in Readsend Harbor, Mon and Vadika, well experienced and familiar with their magic studies. One day, the two dared to push each other's skill to a higher limit, and so it escalated for over a year.
Statues were crafted from simple ritual materials, magical artifacts were constructed like it was paltry magic, and Vadika broke their peak when he made an entire coliseum on the outskirts of the harbor town. Mon didn't see it as enough and convinced Vadika to work tirelessly to make it a landmark unlike any other.
Countless enchantments were applied to the interior, so many that people today have lost count. When they were finished, there stood a structure capable of altering its image by creating environments that was both real and illusion at the same time.

Semi-Annual Passtime

Even before their work was done, citizens from all over Ravenna had caught wind of these feats and gathered every day to witness this unworldly creation. Soon enough, the city had hastily purchased the coliseum from the two for a lifetime fortune, a new cultural idea swelling in the nobles' minds.
The Tourney of Champions, a week-long competition crafted by the nobles, puts every single enchantment on the coliseum to use. The most appealing factor of the coliseum's games is the ability to alter the ground's terrain. What once was a small, sand arena, can quickly become a dense forest that looks even larger than normal.
Occurring every year during the last week of The Wheat Festival, these games pit twenty different contestants against each other over a series of rounds each day. One day might hold a team battle in a mountainous arena while another is a free-for-all among ships in a sea-saturated arena.

Underhanded Dealings

Tourney Brokers

With the ever growing appeal the tourney is gathering, it is making contestants ever more desperate to achieve that fame and glory. Originally, this began as cheating during the event, but thieves and shadowed criminals took notice of this and capitalized on it.
Nowadays, it is very rare that a contestant's equipment isn't stolen from them, or that they aren't injured in some way by brokers hired by a rival competitor. The coliseum's personnel, the Cardinal Clerics, have noticed this, but anything outside the arena is outside their jurisdiction.
Many citizens who are street-smart consider the games today to be favored for the competitor who lines the most criminals' pockets. This is something Mudgard has slowly been increasingly accused of.
Sometimes, competitors wealthy enough will even pay off other contestants to sabotage another or simply drop out.

Alternative Names

The Ring of Wonders

Type

Arena

Fortitude and Clerics

The Tourney of Champions is not a walk in the park. In fact, if it weren't for the Cardinal Clerics to aid in injury (even death), the games wouldn't be as popular as they are. Many rounds consist of bloody, sinister fighting from one to another, so only the most battle-steeled contestants ever find the courage to enlist themselves into it the week before the games begin.

This place was created many centuries ago. I and many others know because there has been one-hundred and eighty seven recorded tournies.

~ Mudgard Orlain

Current Status

The Tourney of Champions still sits as Ravenna's most popular event every year. Along with this growing popularity, more and more contestants apply to compete in each one.
However, unbeknownst to the public, illegal deals and trades continue to rise knowing the popularity the games have. This includes bribery, sabotage, and very occasional assassination.

Reigning Champion

Mudgard Orlain

Mudgard has competed in the Tourney of Champions since 1547 AC. After his first tourney's loss, he has been crowned the champion of every other tournament since. This next tourney will make his third time participating.
Some speculate there is a broker under the shadows employed by him, while optimists see him as a pure symbol of determination. People normally comment on his brute strength and quick wit being the deciding factor for his victories.