Darnassian posters in Night Elf settlements invite people to come together in Feathermoon for a night of Pankration, a night elven sparring sport.
Date: 4th June 2020
Time: 20:00 Game Time
Location: Feathermoon training grounds, Feralas
Argent Archives: https://www.argentarchives.org/node/241873
Contact: OOC Acrona, IC Priestess Hidani Stardew
‘The Pankration is a Night Elven sparring and athletic practice adopted by various groups during the Long Vigil as a way of exercising, having fun, and keeping the warrior traditions of the Kaldorei alive.’
Event details:
The purpose of the sparring event is to help people roleplaying night elf characters come together and connect outside bigger events. The language of the event is primarily Darnassian, though should also worgen be in attendance, then the use of Common is recommended.
Credits to Thornroot who originally wrote this headcanon sport for his guild and welcomed other night elf roleplayers to use it too! The original Pankration page by Thornroot: https://www.argentarchives.org/node/170489
The Pankration is a Night Elven sparring and athletic practice adopted by various groups during the Long Vigil as a way of exercising, having fun, and keeping the warrior traditions of the Kaldorei alive during peace time.
Based on a blend of boxing and wrestling, Pankration matches can appear to outsiders as having no rules at all. There is also much variation between versions of the sport and the context in which it is practiced - sometimes weapons are involved, sometimes not, and the criteria for winning varies between practitioners and events. Unifying them all is an emphasis on ferocity and agility and un-armoured combat.
The game consists of a contest of strength and skill centred on grapples, throws, locks, and kicks, until one combatant yields. Sometimes a blade is involved - a simple knife or 3-bladed glaive - placed in the centre of the field for combatants to fight over; in these cases the game usually ends when first blood is drawn. There are no hard rules banning certain moves or tricks but gratuitous violence is frowned upon and any competitors not respecting their opponents or the spirit of the game bring dishonour on themselves in the eyes of the Kaldorei. Magic of any kind is not allowed.
Combatants compete in varying states of undress, wearing anything from loosely fitting cloths and hides to simple loincloths. They only weapons allowed in the Pankration are those placed there as part of the game - in matches with blades some form of bracers as wrist protection are always worn.
Matches are presided over by a referee and combatants are usually segregated by gender. Pankration between Night Elf women are considered the most skilled and ferocious and are often more bloody than matches between their male counterparts. The referee’s role is to split up fights that go too far and ensure competitors respect each other properly throughout the event.
Due to its emphasis on ferocity and agility Pankration events are popular around festivals dedicated to Goldrinn, the Wolf Ancient. During these the referee will usually be a Druid and will bless combatants before they begin and dedicate the fight in the Ancient’s honour.
Rules
1 x Open Space
2 x Combatants (lightly armoured, matched by gender. In cross-racial contests size categories are considered)
Optional: A dagger or 3-bladed glaive
Fighters take up positions at either end of the open space and the weapon, if being used, is placed by the referee equidistant between them.
Combat begins after the referee has explained the parameters of the contest (what armour, what weapons, yield vs first blood, etc) and announced they may begin. Combatants can then attack as they see fit.
Free emotes are used to represent the cut-and-thrust of combat, with a system of consecutive rolls determining the winner. Each time contact is made (a hold attempted, a hit launched, control of the blade challenged) both combatants roll; the winner of the roll comes out on top as a result of the exchange and emotes accordingly. Repeat until one competitor yields willingly or until one combatant wins 3 consecutive rolls.
Skilled competitors make the best use of their environment and their opponents weaknesses, and the bloodiest no-holds-barred games can leave combatants with broken or dislocated bones and deep cuts. Variations in weapons put down can lead to a host of different tactics; fights without a blade can look very different to a fight around a dagger, which itself will look very different to a fight around a glaive. Some variations of the game - found mostly between Sentinels - equip combatants with light armour and a short bow, placing a single arrow on the ground between them. What ensues is a fast-paced contest of skill and ingenuity and spectacular feats of close-quarters archery.
You beat me to it.