The Race of Eight Winds is a sporting event that takes place in the Dura quarter of Sharn on the 23 rd day of Lharvion each year. Traditionally, the race features eight riders, each riding a flying beast representing a different area of the Dura quarter, competing on an aerial course through and around the spires of Sharn. The winner of the event receives a gold purse and some land, as well as glory for the area of the Dura quarter they represented. The race is a major cultural touchstone for the Dura quarter and brings in spectators from across Khorvaire . [1] [2] [3]
Race
Riders begin the race at a starting point in Hareth's Folly and travel a course that travels through the towers of Sharn, before ending once again in Hareth's Folly. [4]
Rules
The race is a full-contact sport. Mounts with talons and beaks can use them to attack the other competitors. Riders can also attack the other competitors, but they are only allowed to be armed with a light sporting crossbow. [1] The use of magic, as well as psionics, dragonmarks , alchemy and poisons, or magic items, are strictly prohibited, and riders discovered using these are instantly disqualified. [2] [3] However, that has not prevented riders from trying to bend or break the rules. [1]
Competitors
The Dura quarter is divided up into eight regions for the race, and each region enters one mount and rider into the race. [1] A region can donate an additional 250 gold to enter a second rider into the race, however, it is rare for a region to actually enter a second rider. [3] The creatures entered into the race as mounts become mascots of the region that enters them, and the creature's name is used colloquially to refer to residents of the region. [3]
Region | Mount | Colors | |
---|---|---|---|
Highwater | Pegasus | White and silver | |
Overlook / Daggerwatch | Hippogriff | White and gold | |
Broken Arch / Stormhold | Giant eagle | Brown and gold | |
Rattlestone / Bazaar | Giant owl | Brown and gray | |
Tumbledown / Underlook | Dire hawk | Brown and tan | |
Precarious / Oldkeep | Griffon | Brown and red | |
Gate of Gold / The Stores | Glidewing | Green and gray | |
Malleon's Gate | Gargoyle | Black and gray |
Wind Guard
Each region has a committee known as the Wind Guard that organizes the region's participation in the race. This includes paying the cost of keeping and training the mounts. Generally this cost is paid through donations from local merchants of region, but if not, the Wind Guard needs to pay for the costs themselves. Each region's Wind Guard also make a number of backroom deals with the other regions, drawing on favor networks, bribery, and alliances that can sometimes stretch back centuries to gain an edge in the race, or use their rider to gain favors for their region. [3]
Prize
The victor of the race receives a grant of land and a purse of 500 gold pieces. [2] In addition, the Wind Guard of the winning region receives the Rod of Eight Winds for the next year. [3]
Cultural Impact
The race is a major fixture in the culture of the Dura quarter, and those born in Dura are often passionate fans of the race and champions of their region's rider. [5] On race day, each region of Dura is covered in banners of that region's colors and visitors wearing the region's colors can often get discounts from local merchants and innkeepers. [1]
The race also often leads to brawls among fans, especially in districts like Callestan or Hareth's Folly in the leadup to the race. [5] Spectators entering a district wearing the wrong region's colors on race day may find themselves targets of violence. [1] The worse mob violence is restricted to riders who are caught cheating, who often are in danger of being torn apart by angry fans. [2] [3]
History
According to a popular legend, King Galifar II founded the Race of Eight Winds by using Sharn to test the suitability of different flying creatures for use as aerial cavalry and scouts. [1] [2] [3] Over the centuries the race evolved into an aerial competition of eight different magical beasts representing different regions of Dura. Most of the districts in Upper Dura are not represented because the race predates those districts. [3]
The districts of Upper Dura that do compete have the best record, with the reigning champion being the pegasus of Highwater. The creatures representing Lower Dura have a much worse track record. The griffon, for instance, has never won a race, but can usually be counted on to take out another racer. [1]
Originally the Malleon's Gate district was represented by the dire bat , but 12 years ago, they switched to the gargoyle. While the gargoyle has yet to win, its record has been better than the bat. [1] [3]
Notable Participants
- Carralag , the gargoyle representing Malleon's Gate, who competes without a rider. [1] [3]
- Hruitt , a former competitor in the race who now represents Middle Dura on the Sharn City Council . [6]
Appendix
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 Keith Baker , Jeremy Crawford , & James Wyatt (2019). Eberron: Rising from the Last War . ( Wizards of the Coast ), p. 155. ISBN 0786966890 .
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Keith Baker & James Wyatt (2004). Sharn: City of Towers . ( Wizards of the Coast ), p. 32. ISBN 0-7869-3434-4 .
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 Keith Baker (2004/12/20). The Race of Eight Winds . Dragonshards . Wizards of the Coast . Archived from the original on 2016/11/01. Retrieved on 2021/07/09.
- ↑ Keith Baker & James Wyatt (2004). Sharn: City of Towers . ( Wizards of the Coast ), p. 58. ISBN 0-7869-3434-4 .
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Keith Baker & James Wyatt (2004). Sharn: City of Towers . ( Wizards of the Coast ), p. 51. ISBN 0-7869-3434-4 .
- ↑ Keith Baker & James Wyatt (2004). Sharn: City of Towers . ( Wizards of the Coast ), p. 111. ISBN 0-7869-3434-4 .
Further Reading
- Keith Baker (2004/12/20). The Race of Eight Winds . Dragonshards . Wizards of the Coast . Archived from the original on 2016/11/01. Retrieved on 2021/07/09.