Victory Pit

Located in the center of the Pentamarket of Zadash, this two-leveled circular arena and forum-like stone structure, although having been empty and closed in weeks leading up to the Harvest Close Festival, it served as the staging ground for a fighting tournament during the festivities.

Layout
Beyond the central archway that served as the main entryway, was a shaded receiving area where on a pedestal a barker directed spectators to follow a path either on the left or right where openings lead to seats. Located 10 feet behind the barker was a wooden door that lead through a slight hallway into a comfortably furnished lounge area.

Lounge Area
Lowly lit by the firelight of a few torches, this room had windows that looked out on to the main battle area.

Serving as a mingling room for persons of import within the Empire and beyond, this lounge, furnished with cushioned couches, was where merchants, diplomats, and politician could meet with the fighting groups and discuss business among each other.

Holding Area
Located in a lower chamber from the lounge area below some of the arena stands, this area served as the place where the competing fight groups would wait before being called upon during a round, and as was where these groups had a chance to recuperate between rounds.

This chamber had two windowed doors that lead into the central tournament arena. The interior was outfitted with around three dozen simple stools, and contained a few tables containing cornucopias of fruits and meats that that were left for the fighters to enjoy.

Fighting Pit
Consisting of a large open circular sand pit, the space had small wall-like structures that break up the interior, as well as several pillars that could provided some cover during the tournament.

The circumference of the pit contained several large doors out of which creatures would be revealed. To keep the fighting groups on their toes the door out of which a creature would emerge out of was kept a surprise.

Staff

 * Barker. A very old looking human male in his late 50's who wore long dark gray and brown set of robes. He had a comb-over of thinning hair and a broom-like gray mustache that was poorly colored with dark wax.
 * Servants. Carrying trays of food and drink trays, these individuals wearing brown silk robes wandered between guests in the lounge area and tended to their needs.
 * Yadaka Brigman. Guildhead of the Filigree House, he was the organizer of the harvest close tournament. In his early 60s he had graying slicked back, thinning hair and a well groomed goatee that came to an accentuated curve up underneath his chin. He wore a finely tailored dark blue festival suit.
 * Clerics of The Platinum Dragon. Stationed from The Platinum House of Bahamut these clerics were on hand should a group fall in battle. Waited on the sidelines of the holding area they ensured that no actual fatalities occurred to those competing in the tournament. It was claimed that during the history the tournament, from 815-835 P.D., that only one death had occurred under their watch.
 * Page. This young human served served as a messenger for the crown. Having long blond hair, he wore a very bright gold and red outfit and carried a satchel over one shoulder.
 * Crownsguard. Stationed throughout the Victory Pit and lounge area, the guards kept the peace should any incident erupt.
 * Beast Handlers. These individuals were responsible for holding and releasing creatures into the fighting arena, and were the responsible to clear out the pit and drag a creatures corpse out slain.

Guests of Honor
Among the hundreds of people that came to watch the tournament were several figures of import, including Crown appointees, the elite of the Tri-Spires, and the following:
 * Starosta Wyatt. A very well-dressed halfling with a curled mass of brown hair up top that was graying and white on the sides.
 * Lawmaster Orentha Stormgrasp.
 * Dolan Thrym. In a place of honer two seats from the lawmaster.
 * Oremid Hass. They sat in a row behind and to the left of the lawmaster.
 * Trent Ikithon. Sat in a seat beside Ormid Hass.

Fighting Groups

 * The Mighty Nein from "everywhere"
 * The Stubborn Stock from the Menagerie Coast
 * The Mountain Makers from Grimgolir
 * The Last Line from Bladegarden. They were the first group called upon to fight in the tournament.

Champions

 * Jermai Kull
 * The Mighty Nein
 * The Stubborn Stock

Rules
Groups of five to eight fighters wishing to participate in the tournament had to register and pay an entry fee of 20gp per fighter ahead of time.

Selected at random, a fighting group would face off against and try to defeat one of the creature encounters presented to them. Surviving a round would earn a group 200gp, while falling in battle during a round resulted in a groups elimination from the tournament. Successful in their round a group was given a limited chance to recuperate, consisting of only the time that it took for following groups to completed their challenge in the round.

The tournament consisting of progressively more challenging rounds, the tournament would continue until either end of third round where those groups that remained would split among themselves 2000gp, or at an earlier point if it happened that all but one group was left standing in either the first or second round, in which case the prize-winning would all go to them.

Groups were allowed to use whatever tools, equipment, and weapons they had brought with them in preparation to fight in the arena.

Monsters
Allegedly found wandering the ranges of Xhorhas or terrorizing the local countryside, several creatures had been acquired and caged by the Righteous Brand, to be kept under secret guard until revealed as challenges for fighting groups competing in the tournament.
 * Otyugh. Fought by the Mighty Nein in their first round.
 * Winter Wolves. Fought by the Mighty Nein in their second round.
 * Hill Giant. Fought by the Mighty Nein in their third round.
 * Giant Crocodile. Fought by the Stubborn Stock in their first round.
 * Displacer Beasts. Fought by the Stubborn Stock in their second round.
 * Wyvern. Fought by the Stubborn Stock in their third round.
 * Banderhobb. Fought by the Last Line in their first round.
 * Minotaurs. Fought by the Last Line in their second and final round.
 * Trolls. Fought by the Mountain Makers in their first round.
 * Owlbears. Fought by the Mountain Makers in their second and final round.

The Mighty Nein registered to fighting in the fighting pit on the 3rd of Fessuran 835 PD.. Having already registered ahead of time the Mighty Nein shared the arena with three other groups; The Mountain Makers, The Last Line, and The Stubborn Stock.

Before the tournament had officially gotten underway a sweating page from the crown rushed into the lounge area, and in a private conversation, he informed Starosta Wyatt and other important individuals present of the recent developments on the border with Xhorhas and that the Empire was now mobilizing for full out war.

First Round
Introduced as being from "everywhere", the Mighty Nein were the second group to be called upon to fight in the first round of the tournament, where they fought and defeated an otyugh.**