Fantasy RPG Plot Hooks/Wilderness/Tournament of Poor Taste
From Create Your Own Story
Tournament of Poor Taste
The party must visit with the leader of a barbaric tribe of some monstrous humanoid race, such as orcs or gnolls. They are on a diplomatic mission of significant importance, possible brokering a peace treaty with a neighboring kingdom or negotiating passage through tribal lands for an allied army.
However, the chieftain refuses to discuss matters of import except at dinner. Before dinner can begin though, a ritual tournament must be held as part of a superstitious augury. The champion fighter of the tribe suggests the PCs join in the tourney, which the chieftain discourages but custom prevents him from forbidding anyone from entering. The chief is reluctant to discuss particulars of the tournament with outsiders, since he understands it to be impolite by civilized standards, and few other tribe members speak any language common to civilized society.
The tournament is fought nude and without weapons or tools of any kind. Each match is a one on one bout, but it's not a fight to the death. In fact the loser of the match is the one who progresses to the next round, in single elimination style. The fight is over when a competitor surrenders or falls unconscious. The losers have time between the other competitors matches to recuperate as best they can, as the tournament progresses the combatants tend to start in worse shape.
As the matches progress the fighters seem to get more and more desperate to win. Some may withdraw early in a match hoping to get an easier win in the next match. However no one ever surrenders the final match. The ultimate loser of the contest is inevitably rendered unconscious or killed by the end.
Which makes it much easier to spit roast the weakest competitor. The pathetic soul who ends up last in the tournament also ends up being on the menu for dinner. While the sacrifice cooks the tribe's soothsayer studies the smoke patterns for omens and portents to advise the chieftain in negotiations. Hopefully none of the PCs entered the tournament without getting a win.
Of course, if the PCs try to rescue the intended meal it'd be a diplomatic nightmare. And if they refuse to partake of the ritual main course, the tribe will certainly be offended.
