Tournaments — They’re Not Just for Knights Anymore

RAINBOW BUTTERFLIES EXPLODE from a wizard’s sleeves while phantom music entrances the crowd—welcome to The Phantasmagoria, where magical prowess meets political intrigue. Excerpted from the comprehensive Knights of the Wood: The Duke’s Tourney, this essential Dolmenwood magic tournament supplement delivers spectacular spellcasting competitions complete with mysterious masked judges and explosive wild magic surges.

Sanctioned Magical Displays

Navigate the balance between Church oversight and guild independence in this carefully orchestrated triennial event. Guild-certified magicians demonstrate their arcane mastery while anonymous masked judges observe every casting, maintaining the facade of controlled magic use throughout the realm.

Complete Tournament Framework

The competition system simultaneously tests three crucial abilities. Intelligence measures technical spell mastery, while Constitution evaluates magical endurance. Furthermore, Charisma determines how effectively contestants impress the judges and engage their audiences.

Each round escalates dramatically in both difficulty and spectacle. First-round displays require modest 2-minute demonstrations. However, by the fifth round, competitors must deliver breathtaking 10-minute magical performances. Target Numbers escalate from 14 to 26, creating compelling story arcs where early rounds eliminate pretenders and final displays become legendary.

Wild Magic Unleashed

Experience the thrill of unpredictable magical mishaps through comprehensive wild magic surge tables. When spells go awry, the results range from whimsical enchantments to spectacular elemental chaos. Some mishaps actually enhance performances, turning potential disasters into crowd-pleasing moments. Every spell carries genuine risk, ensuring that even master magicians face uncertainty when they step into the competition circle.

Favor Points and Rewards

The Favor Point system rewards creative spellcasting and exceptional roleplay with tangible mechanical benefits. Contestants who demonstrate innovation and showmanship can mitigate the dangers of wild magic while impressing the judges. Meanwhile, escalating rewards ensure that advancing through the rounds brings increasingly significant glory—making victory genuinely worthwhile while keeping early participation meaningful.

This focused 6-page supplement delivers everything needed to run magical competitions. Perfect for Game Masters seeking to add magical spectacle to their adventures. Fully compatible with Dolmenwood and all OSR systems.

Additional Product Details

Page Count: 6 pages
Publisher: Press Perilous
Author: Malcolm Wolter with Veli-Matti Pelkonen
Compatibility: Dolmenwood RPG, OSR systems, adaptable to other fantasy RPGs
Release Date: October 2025
Product Type: Digital supplement excerpt (PDF)
Parent Product: Knights of the Wood: The Duke’s Tourney
AI-assisted Art? Hybrid (less than 50%, and that was heavily modified by the author)