Royal tournement invite help

[Lightlawbliss]

(Warning: This thread holds spoilers for a game I am DMing)
I am currently trying to write a formal invite my players will (assuming the players do nothing unexpected) soon receive. This invite is meant to be a rather generic invite to a very large (everyone who's anyone attends and/or participates) tournament and is from a king they have helped in the past.

I am trying to figure out two things:
1. What kind of wording should I use or avoid
2. What kinds of events should I have.

I already have in mind the following events:
large brawl and 1v1 fights (seporate for magic/non-magic) with the goal of 1v1 being convincing commoners you are more powerful without killing the other guy.
joust
archery contest
craft contests

[Gildedragon]

Well in honor of what is the tournament being held
what sorts of people are being allowed to participate
and are the PCs expected to come

Typically participation for these things would be personal invitations, public statements (at a wedding, at a feast, etc), or by word of mouth within certain social circles.

for a general wording:

As part of the festivities in honor of (cause), King (full title), is hosting a paegant of steel and sorcery, of martial and magical might: a grand tourney to last (period of time no less than a fortnight), from the (date) to (date).
This tourney is open to (who is it open to), skilled in combat by sword or spell, be it in melee or single combat.
Song and praise, honors and glory, all are to be bestowed upon the worthy.

In the name of (gods), and king (full title).

or

With motive and in honor of (cause), king (full title), hereby does officially invite all warriors, of good breeding and standing, to a tourney to be held as part of the festivities during (dates). Be it by spell or steel, alone or in group, the fights shall be true tests of prowess and chivalry. Honors and glory shall be heaped upon the victors, and songs and praised rained from on high.
In the name of (king's formal address)
(deity related blessing)

note: the word Hassilitude can be used instead of tourney

additional possible invitations

Attention Champions of [area]:
King [full title], convokes all those of you of good breeding and standing to the hassilitudes being held in honor of [cause] during [dates] at [place].
Attend and know true glory and honor.
[formal closing]

[Lightlawbliss]

Well in honor of what is the tournament being held

anniversary of the founding of the nation


what sorts of people are being allowed to participate

anyone rich enough to pay the entry fee for a contest may participate in it


and are the PCs expected to come

let's go with "advised"


...(period of time no less than a fortnight)...
why no less then a fortnight?

[Gildedragon]

the fortnight is out of extravagance and time.
So, logistically, only so many different events can be held in a day, and probably no more than one at a time (to avoid slights). A fair bit of time for the whole ordeal ought be alotted.

Second, and perhaps more importantly, the tourney is a way for the king to show their magnificence. It is a political statement. The guests are probably provided for in a number of ways (some free armor and weapons, free healing, free lodgings, probably free food... at least a couple of times)
if the event is too brief it feels rushed, and it backfires. The king ends up looking cheap. Like the guy that invites you to a fancy restaurant, but then urges you to get just a salad ("they are really big") and orders no wine.
A fortnight is a reasonable amount of time for this.

New invite:

Champions of [land], citizens and sojourners alike
King [full title] invites you all of good birth and standing, to attend the festivities in honor of [mythic event that starts the foundation of the kingdom] on the auspicious date of [date].
A grand tourney of martial and arcane skill is to be held in conmemoration of the founding of [nation].
Come and be rewarded with honors, praise and glory; and bring glory, honors, and praise upon your name, your king, and your land!
Signed
[king full title OR important chancellor that handles these things]

[Vogonjeltz]

Hear ye hear ye!

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Grassholm, his magnificence, lord of light and protector of the eastern shoals, King Ludwig Von Lillysburg has decreed that in one months time a grand tourney shall be held at the royal pavilions.

All manner grand spectacles shall be engaged in, and to the winner a prize befitting any grand champion of the realm!

These contests are hereby opened to any of stout heart and body. Come one, come all!

An entry fee of no less that 100 pieces of gold is due upon arrival of any prospective competitors which shall go towards provisions of good food, lodging and the upkeep of the grounds.


*is that along the lines of what you were thinking?

Complete Warrior has rules for just such a tournament. Including: Archery contest, Wrestling, Jousting, Trial of Wit, Hunting, Athletics, and finally single elimination (till one combatant yields or dies).

Other possibilities: foot races, race to recover a flag from a high tower or peak.

[Gildedragon]

100 gp is mighty high. 1 pp might be a more reasonable entry fee.
or even less. Some quick resarch shows the patrons pay a fee, but not the participants (which makes sense. the whole thing is a show of magnificence)

[Vogonjeltz]

100 gp is mighty high. 1 pp might be a more reasonable entry fee.
or even less. Some quick resarch shows the patrons pay a fee, but not the participants (which makes sense. the whole thing is a show of magnificence)

Hrm, I suppose. I suppose the entry fee would scale depending on the level of competition (ie for 1st level characters 10gp is a somewhat expensive sum, but for 6th-10th, it's nothing.)

The other concern would be: wouldn't everyone and their brother sign up unless there's something to reduce the total number of entrants? I suppose fee isn't the only method, but it's the easiest to explain. (Why don't we have 4000 entrants in a kingdom of 50,000? Oh because it's not dirt cheap to enter?)

Which is all to say, if we want to have a limiting factor, it still needs to plausibly explain the presence of the players characters. Unless they are all Knights, which would traditionally be the competitors.

[Gildedragon]

Hrm, I suppose. I suppose the entry fee would scale depending on the level of competition (ie for 1st level characters 10gp is a somewhat expensive sum, but for 6th-10th, it's nothing.)

The other concern would be: wouldn't everyone and their brother sign up unless there's something to reduce the total number of entrants? I suppose fee isn't the only method, but it's the easiest to explain. (Why don't we have 4000 entrants in a kingdom of 50,000? Oh because it's not dirt cheap to enter?)

Which is all to say, if we want to have a limiting factor, it still needs to plausibly explain the presence of the players characters. Unless they are all Knights, which would traditionally be the competitors.

Because not just anyone can sign up. At least historically. My invitation drafts include "good breeding and standing" which essentially means: you gotta have title and reknown to participate.
the breeding thing might be a formality, but reknown can be a big element. If you ain't known in the right circles, or you don't have proof of lineage, then you can't participate. PCs (and their ilk) might be common blooded but their deeds have brought them into good standing, and Lord Nobody von Noonesville can participate because he's got the lineage to walk in, though he is not known.
Mister Lord Blackguard d'Evilston would not be elegible because he is not in good standing.... unless his lineage is particularly strong.

[Vogonjeltz]

Therein lies the rub, the PCs are typically not of good breeding or of any reknown until past 10th level (legend lore)

[Gildedragon]

They've performed services for the king as per the OP; they've got good standing

[Anlashok]

Therein lies the rub, the PCs are typically not of good breeding or of any reknown until past 10th level (legend lore)

Er. "Legend Lore" mentions that at that level your characters are "Legendary". There's a lot of room between having some reknown in a kingdom and being a living legend. Probably looking closer to level 5 here.

[Vogonjeltz]

Eh it doesn't really matter so long as you can plausibly explain why the PCs are there plus however many competitors you want and no more.

This is a good opportunity for Evil NPCs (and PCs if they think of it) to engage in shenanigans to take down the competition. Nice side quest to discover who is doing it