The war with the orcs has ended. Now even humans can compete in the tournament for the title of Swordmaster, so it’s time to teach those tusked monsters a lesson!
How to Become a Swordmaster
The Empire of Orcs was one of the mightiest because it was ruled by true warriors! And it wasn’t just about the emperor’s retinue – each city was governed by a prince capable of fighting like an entire squad of the most experienced men. There was no place for the weak in the Empire of Orcs!
Only a Swordmaster could become a prince. Achieving this great title was not easy – it was awarded to the winner of a special tournament who proved their superiority over the others. Anyone could participate after paying a mandatory entry fee – neither more nor less than exactly one thousand gold pieces! This was a safeguard against riffraff. Otherwise, an entire city would come to fight for the title of Swordmaster…
Pay Up and Grab Your Favorite Weapon!
Only wealthy orcs could afford to pay the thousand gold entry fee. Therefore, the princely title was a privilege of the aristocracy or, at the very least, affluent merchants.
Combat was permitted with any weapons except ranged ones. Of course, orcs could shoot bows and crossbows, but using them without necessity was considered a sign of weakness. A Swordmaster had the full right to bash their opponent with a club, split their skull with a hammer, or bludgeon them with a flail… oh, orc gods, even stab with a dagger or chop with an axe!
Wizards Too, But Very Cautiously…
Shamans were allowed to use magic, of course, referring to orc spells.
Elven and human magic was strictly forbidden, as was any other type. During the war, anything goes, even magic created by the enemy, but in the tournament, such tricks would simply get you expelled from the arena.
Deadly Duel
Those wishing to compete for the title of Swordmaster fought one-on-one. Before the first round, participants drew lots to determine who would face whom.
The winners then advanced one step up the tournament ladder. Only the two strongest warriors could reach the finals.
No Mercy, Only Victory
Formally, each fight continued until a request for mercy was made, but usually, judges stopped the battle when one of the warriors lost consciousness or died from a fatal wound. Pleading for one’s life was deemed cowardly.
The winner of the final round was declared the Swordmaster. The mightiest warrior was awarded a certificate, armor, and a ring with which they were to seal decrees. The champion with a title became the ruler of the city.
Humans Can Participate Too…
The newly minted prince was given full power, limited only by the emperor’s will. Additionally, their reward included gold from the city budget.
When the orcs ended the war with humans, they were also allowed to participate in the tournaments. Of course, this was a sort of joke, as it is rare for a human to defeat a simple orc in one-on-one combat. Experienced warriors were another matter entirely.
Authorities Say No, But the Gold Is All Yours
However, the orcs wisely instituted a law prohibiting humans from becoming princes in their cities. The lucky winner could keep the rest of the reward – sturdy battle armor and mountains of gold. The ring with the seal was not meant for them, and who needs it, anyway, if a human will never sit on the princely throne?
By the way, no human has ever reached the finals. Maybe you could be the first? Of course, the princely title will remain out of reach, but gold and armor worth a fortune await their owner. Join the tournament for the title of Swordmaster, and may luck be on your side!
2 Wild 2 Die Demo 
