The annual tourney at the Kren'poltar Arena is an all-out magical combat competition. All teams must be sponsored by a major corporation. Teams can be designed such that some players are benched for a set. The prize is an audience with the Three Goddesses of Magic.

I would like this to be an opportunity to explore styles of magic-use not yet explored. The following are examples of styles not yet used: manadrawing, heartdrawing, soulbonding, heartbonding, bloodbonding, sacrificial, scarcasting, spellbonding, magical alchemy, bloodcasting, spellcutting, spelldancing, sealcasting

The sport of magical dueling/combat is complicated by the fact that there are hundreds of ways to duel. Here are the most common features:

• Teams are always in multiples of eleven; no more than eleven players on a field at a time. If less than eleven are on the field, it should be a multiple of three.
• Rules for each duel are determined before each duel. If rules are not agreed upon, the duel is illegal. For this reason, teams often sign binding contracts before each fight.
• The most common rule is "no killing," but it is not a necessary rule. In the actual tournament, there is no rule against killing.
• Some duels allow for style points, as judged by a panel. Every fight has a moderator; if a spell harms the moderator, the team responsible loses automatically.
• A fight without a moderator is illegal in most places.
• Magical tools are allowed unless decided against by the contract.
• Void (anti-magic energy) is strictly prohibited. Other forms of esoterica are prohibited unless decided for in the contract.
• Preparation before a fight is allowed unless prohbited by the contract. A fight without preparation is called a Naked Bout.
• Magical arenas are a series of thaumaturgical circles, interlaced and bonded, but any thaumaturgical circle can work as a proper dueling field.
• Wild talents' powers are technically magic, and therefore, allowed unless specified against by contract.
• Unless forbidden by contract, teams can set up a backlash-eater, a living thing that absorbs all backlash and weariness for them. Most people use a strong plant.

Common strategies for Magic Dueling:

• Prepare defensive wards before the fight. Wards should be broad (mental shield, physical shield, emotional shield, metaphysical shield).
• Faster mages should create specific defenses at the start of the fight. They should work to protect the slower mages, who should work to effect the stronger spells. I.e., sorcerers should protect ceremonial mages.
• Magical parrying is possible, and it is most effective with opposite spheres (Caldonumian vs. Srisian, etc.).
• Different styles of magic cannot be combined into a single spell, but there's a way around this. You can always have someone cast to improve another's power or to add mana into the general vicinity.
• Targeted blue zones (areas where magic is unstable and spells go awry) are dangerous tactics, but they can be used effectively if someone has the strength to control one.
• A proper magical arena creates its own minor leys just by existing as a magical field. Mages can take great advantage of this. Positioning is important.

Sessions:
1. Patronage:
The players would create characters together and already be on a team trying to get into the tourney. The first session would be them competing for a patronage from one of the major corporations.

PCs:

2. Scrimmage:
The company that patrons the players' team has them go to a few media events, then arranges a scrimmage between them and another team in order to raise funds and promote the team.

PCs:

3. Qualifiying:
The company sends the team to the qualifying rounds of the tourney against one of the best teams in the world.

PCs:

4. The Tourney:
The day of the tourney arrives. The final 64 teams face off in a series of bouts until a winner is chosen. Only PCs from one of the three previous sessions will be playable here.

PCs:

NPCs:
Patronage:
Cogliostro Simon, head of the Arena's magical staff
Miss Nina, Teloxiq Tech's head irritotechnician
Dr. Kazuman Earl, Teloxiq Tech's head irritologist
Katya Nikolaev, representative of the Divine Courts of Pentacles, Wands, and Ankhs for the Arena

Scrimmage:
Netevya Ipsen, wereraven sacrificial mage on a rival team
Pauxiq Solgheraq, lesser athak assassin
Donat de Lesange, Galdish heartbonder mage on a rival team

Qualifying:
Ofrem Zell, werejaguar manadrawing mage on a rival team
Ulisse Battisto, w. talent wild mage on a rival team
Shikoba Bantam, spellcaster on a rival team

The Tourney:

Settling Ruiz | Project Corona | Magitech Tourney | The Sword Game | The Card Game | Referendum 84848 | Urbanization | Watching the Detectives | Unforged Bonds | The Heretics | War Beneath | Seam-Hack | Setting | Ruiz