Royal Imbolc Tournament of Kantoc

Imbolc martial competitions existed in some form in this region since well before the time of Vladimir the Conqueror though the Imbolc tournamnets of yesteryear were much less formal and much more bloody.

The winners of the archery contest and melee win a large gold prize whereas the winner of the jousting tournament receives a huge gold prize.   Winners of any contest also get trophies and medals and bragging rights for the rest of their life. Winning the jousting touranment, or even making it to the Elite Eight is also a key to social mobility for the knights who are likely to be offered new titles and honors for years to come.

Knights and free lance knights have to register weeks in advance to participate in the Royal Imbolc Tournament. Any high born Kantoca can attend as a spectator, but they aren't guaranteed a good seat.   Lowborn Kantoca and foreign dignitaries need an invitation to be able to attend. Foreign knightly champions need special permission to participate in the actual tournament, but this is usually a simple formality as the king and his vassals usually find it exciting and prestigious to have foreign knights involved.

The event starts a few days before the day of Imbolc. Knights and free riders have to double check their registration than present themselves to the king (and other other dignitaries with the king).   The jousting tournament typically has well over a hundred competitiors who are paired off in one-on-one best of three round matches.   The schedulers will try to arrange the initial rounds to favor some challengers over others. For instance, In the first round, celebrated veterans are usually paired with relative unknowns.   The first actual jousts occur on Imbolc itself, but the tournament tends to last a few days.   The archery contest takes place over a single day and provides an intermission of the elimination jousting tournament.   After the jousting tournament is decided, there is a feast for the nobles, a two day intermission, and then the melee, where knights have their weapons magically tempered with Wrath theurgy to make the combat considerably less lethal. The melee is essentially a free-for-all of armored knights wailing on each other with magically blunted blades and morningstars. Anyone who hits the ground for any reason is eliminated.