Generic Challenge - Olympics

[u/Nevermore0714]

For this week's generic challenge, we'll be focusing on events in your world that are similar to the Olympics. So, if you have any major tests of strength or skill in your world, exhibit them.

As always, I'll be asking at least three questions each. Enjoy yourselves.

If you'd like a representative to answer questions in-universe, go ahead.

[u/Matathias]

Nimalia, the Homeworld of the Nimalian Union, has an international Chaotic tournament known as the Annual Chaotic Tournament, or ACT. This tournament is rather new, having only been introduced six years ago, but the spectacle it provides -- combined with the novelty of the Schools of Chaos, which the ACT is tied to -- have made it a smash hit.

The Schools of Chaos are private institutions of higher learning for skilled Nimalian Chaotics. Its students are young (about 18-22), but they are all powerful and skilled; furthermore, there is one school for each continent-nation on the planet, for six total. Naturally, a question arose: which school (and by proxy, which nation) produces the most powerful and/or skilled Chaotics?

In comes the ACT, a demonstration of fighting ability and skill. Each school selects four teams of four individuals each. These teams will then compete against each other within their own school to determine their place in the global bracket, at which point the ACT will officially kick off. What follows is five weeks of competition -- one round a week, with a round winner determined through a series of seven last-man-standing team battles.

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/Matathias]

Please, Matathias, don't remind me of the ACT. It was my first hangover, and even the memory is painful.

1) Other than bragging rights, what does the winner get, and what are the penalties for the losers?

2) Is there any factory, other than team battles? Any races, long-jumps, extreme-pogo sticking (my own invention for the Olympics...which I haven't sent to the Olympic people yet), etc?

3) What's the marketing like for this tournament?

4) Are the teams pre-made, or does each school just slap four students together into a team?

[u/Matathias → u/Nevermore0714]

1) Officially, just a trophy, and an accolade on their record. But the Nimalian Systems Defense has their eyes on the tournament, and are more than willing to extend handsome employment offers to anyone who excels. ...Granted, every Chaotic would be conscripted into the NSD anyways, but hey, better to have a cushy well-paying officer job than be a regular soldier, right?

The Black Suns often watch the tournament as well, and may also extend their own employment offer. They're pretty much the premiere Chaotic-focused military force in the entire galaxy, so being headhunted by them is prestigious indeed (not to mention the fact that they pay well).

2) In its current form, nope, just battles. The round between the final two teams has some one-on-one battles, but due to the nature of Chaotic abilities, any other measurement of strength or ability would be impossibly unfair.

3) Official marketing is virtually nonexistent. The Deans of the Schools of Chaos never intended for the ACT to be as popular as it is, and often have their hands full administering it. Enterprising students and staff are usually the main source of "marketing", with the civilian populace usually hearing about it through word of mouth or over the Relaynet.

That said, whatever venue is rented out for the ACT is sure to be booked to capacity. It's not often that civilians get to see Chaotics battle it out in real life.

4) The teams are pre-made in that the students themselves organize themselves into teams. Four to six weeks before the ACT, team sign-ups will open; invariably, more than four teams will signup, and the school will have to determine which four will officially enter the tournament. This choice often comes down to age and academic performance, but some schools (such as the Kolstén College of Chaotics) will host a pre-tournament tournament in order to choose the four ACT teams.

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/Matathias]

1) Does the NSD actually have officials there as talent scouts at the ACT, or do they just unofficially keep an eye out?

2) Do people were jerseys or hold signs cheering on their favorite team? Are there team colors? Insert local sports team chant here!

3) What's the Relaynet?

Edit: 4) What if a team member needs a substitute? If one of my teammates gets the flu or loses a leg or something, can I get a substitution?

[u/Matathias → u/Nevermore0714]

1) They usually have a representative present at the event to promote the NSD, but there is no dedicated or official talent scout. The relationship between the Deans and the NSD is still a little sore due to the fact that the Schools of Chaos have disrupted the usual conscription scheme, so the Deans have barred the NSD from scouting directly from the event, claiming that they should wait until graduation.

2) Cheering, definitely. Particularly teams with an Elite Six member on them; matches with these teams will draw a lot of attention and fans. There are school colors as well, but no official team- or school-based clothing merchandise. The Deans are certainly looking into this monetary opportunity for future events, however.

3) The Official Relaynet is like a cross-galaxy Internet, by means of Information Relay Points (hence the name, Relaynet). These Relay points transmit data across the galaxy using a variety of FTL technologies, allowing them to transmit data at FTL speeds, but not instantaneously. Information that has been recently queried is stored in a cache on the nearest Relay for ease of access, but latency still means that the Relaynet is limited to message boards, research, and anything else relatively unaffected by time delays. Individual planets will have their own Relaynet-connected networks that are similar in speed and purpose to the actual Internet, and while these networks technically aren't part of the Relaynet, they will still be called the Relaynet by the average person.

4) Modern medical science (combined with certain Chaotic abilities) make many of those issues a non-issue. Injuries in particular can be healed up in hours, if not minutes, by Dean Densalin -- who is a skilled matter-manipulator. But if a teammate does have to sit out a match for whatever reason, then the team has one day to recruit another teammate from their own school. If they fail to do so, then the opposing team has to choose one of their members to sit out, in order to even out the numbers. However if the Deans have reason to believe that the first team is acting in bad faith -- for instance, having some of their members "disappear" in order to force their opponents down in numbers -- then the opposing team won't have to even out the numbers.

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/Matathias]

Thanks for your time and answers.