TribesRoleplayers - The most complete collection of Tribes and Starsiege Universe materials on the planet.

RITUAL AND COMPETITION

Preparation
An event such as the Firetruce requires intense preparation for months prior to the arrival of the tribal delegations. Emissaries from the major tribes meet with the Children of Phoenix to prepare the site. Though the Children maintain control over the site and oversee the work, the other Great Tribes and even some of the leading independents have opportunities to suggest changes or particular features.

Opening Rites
The official opening of the Firetruce comes with a lighting of the Truce Flame by a representative of the tribe that won the previous Firetruce's Grand Duel. The Children nurture the Flame in the years between Firetruces. Thereafter, the attending tribes present themselves to the Phoenix Prime and the other tribal leaders in an extended martial parade called the Salute.

The Firetruce typically lasts ninety standard days. Since the event occurs so infrequently, the Children have traditionally set aside a large bloc of time for it.

Unity Speech
The Phoenix Prime offers the first speech of the Firetruce, speaking to the assembled hosts with the Firetruce Council arrayed behind him/her. The speech describes the common history of the tribes and argues point by point for a new unity in the wilderzone. This speech often highlights the personal charisma of the Phoenix Prime and also offers the Children a unique forum for their views. Political subcontext usually riddles the Unity Speech, such that other tribes pay close attention, as the focus of the speech heralds the tone for the rest of the event.

Other Speeches
Following the Phoenix Prime, delegates sent by the other Great Tribes each offer a speech. There is also a speech by a leader purportedly selected by the independents, but more often than not, this individual only speaks for a dozen or so of the smaller tribes. On occasions when the Imperial legate attends, he or she may offer a short speech on behalf of the Empire. The legate has attended the Fifth and Sixth Firetruces.

THE COUNCIL
Without doubt, the heart of the Firetruce is the Council, a collection of tribal representatives, principally from the Great Tribes, that meets to discuss the prospects for unity, negotiate over holdings, settle grievances, and make adjustments to the Tenets of Harabec. Each tribe sends a delegation made up of leading officers and other influential figures important in tribal politics. The Phoenix Prime always attends, and occasionally the Great Eagle and a member of the Diamond Sword Triad will make an appearance. The independents have a small group, easily outnumbered by the representatives of the Great Tribes. The Imperial Legate may also attend, either in person or through an agent, though the Imperial is not allowed to vote and may be excluded from deliberations through a simple vote.

Much political maneuvering goes on during the Council, often accompanied by a range of clandestine effort to influence the voting blocs for various issues. Economic concessions and political threats are the most common means of affecting votes, though blackmail, personal threats, and even slander are not uncommon (though unsanctioned). Much intra-tribal power-brokering goes on during these Councils, with only the Children showing much unity. The Diamond Sword are not immune to such struggles, though their politics are a cipher to outsiders.

THE CONTESTS
These are the true draw for the average tribal, and competitions of all varieties rage throughout the Firetruce, from races, duels, and contests of strength and technical proficiency to gambling, drinking, and art. The prizes for victors range from custom weaponry to cases of Imperial cognac. Incredible gambling accompanies the contests, and intrigues aimed at manipulating results are common. The tribes are particularly vindictive toward anyone caught trying to blackmail or unfairly influence the outcomes of contests. Nevertheless, these efforts continue.

The Phoenix Prime behind the First Firetruce, Quinn Istvan, was well aware of the warrior culture of the tribes, and he refused to try to change it. "Unity," he reportedly said, "does not require us to forget who we are, or how our ancestors fought their way to triumph during the Cybrid Wars. The Blessed Harabec is a soldier, and he has died countless times in battle for us. We must not forget, and so although some say the Grand Duel is barbaric, I say it is a celebration."

Races
Races range from unassisted footraces to armor races to vehicle contests. Some races are purely speed and maneuvering, such as the Snake Race, whereas others such as Morningstar's Run require participants to move through a gauntlet of obstacles and even live weapons fire.

Combat
Again, drawing parallels to the ancient Olympics, contests of martial and physical prowess are a highlight of this festival. Hand-to-hand combat is most popular, as are competitions involving marksmanship. "Traditional" events, such as feats of strength and displays of agility are supplemented with competitions as to who can reassemble a chaingun the fastest.

Team events, such as "capture the flag," are very popular and last the entire month of the Firetruce - though they do not use real weaponry for fear of igniting blood feuds and disruptive battles in the midst of the Firetruce. Instead, low-powered weapons with links to a central computer are used to simulate a true battle. Some versions use no weapons but permit virtually unlimited physical contact. The tribe that wins the overall team competition gains great glory and enhances their combat reputation tremendously.

The duels are the most popular event, however, as well as the most frowned upon by tribal peacemakers. Although duels also use low-powered weaponry and computer-linked judging, the intensity of the average duelist leads to incredibly violent competition. The Grand Duel, for example, is close combat, typically unarmed (though some Grand Duels have involved knives or even plasmafax). Nevertheless, the Grand Duel is invariably the most violent officially-sanctioned event of the Firetruce, with several deaths among the contestants a regular occurrence. It is also the most popular and the most prestigious, so the Children believe it serves a cathartic function, even for their own warriors.

Blood Feuds and the Sandtraps
Though dedicated to peace, the Firetruce does not escape the tribal predilection for feuding. Old feuds and new feuds alike lead to numerous encounters during the various events, most of which are broken up by tribal peacekeepers. Nevertheless, persistent warriors can find an outlet in the underworld that springs up like mushrooms around each Firetruce. These "sandtraps," named for their traditional sandy floors, are clandestine arenas that permit betting and live weapons for duelists. They are mostly used by the bloodthirsty, the desperate, or the vengeance-oriented. To keep the peacekeepers quiet, heavy weapons are not used. Most sandtraps allow the use of melee weapons and powered armors. Some of the better-concealed locations may even permit blaster use. Betting on sandtrap duels is fierce, the more so if a genuine blood feud is involved. The winners receive a healthy share of the purse, and the word spreads. Performance in the sandtraps can either boost or kill a warrior's reputation.

The Grand Duel
The centerpiece of the Firetruce competitions, the Grand Duel is a one-on-one close-combat contest that culminates on the last week of the Firetruce. It is the most popular event of the Firetruce, and tales of the finals become legend for many years after.

The rules are single-elimination, with the contestants fighting until one drops or yields. The warrior who wins the Grand Duel earns lifelong fame, as well as bragging rights for his or her tribe. Grand Duels often become personality contests by the final rounds, and grudge matches between participants are common.

At times, depending on the contestants and the whims of the judges, blades or plasmafax are permitted the contestants. Usually, such weapons are only demanded where the fighters have declared blood feud against each other. These bloodmatches are usually short, brutal, and even more well-attended.

The Jewel of Glory
The winner of the Grand Duel receives as prize the Jewel of Glory, a singular artifact crafted for each Firetruce by the finest crafters in the Children of Phoenix. Each jewel has a unique name and setting, and families that wear a Jewel to the Firetruce are treated like celebrities, though they are expected to be able to tell the tale of how their ancestor won the Jewel--and tell it well.

Kailoh Plays and Street Theater
Entertainment is an important part of the Firetruce. The Children of Phoenix have troupes putting on plays that detail the rich history of the Tribes of Man, especially the deeds of the Immortals. These plays are called "Kailoh Plays," after the stylized masks used by the actors. It is an old style dating from the 31st century, and very popular among the tribes, especially the Children of Phoenix, who consider Kailoh a mark of culture. Imperial visitors, however, consider tribal versions quaint and unsophisticated.

The fraytown that always grows around a Firetruce offers a counterpoint to the formal styles of the Kailoh. Various street shows bubble up amid the bazaar and in the taverns and around the tribal cantonments. Some shows are more artistic, whereas others are burlesque or satirical. The shows of the Fourth Firetruce were noted for their biting attacks on the Blood Eagle.

The Great Bazaar
The Firetruces are also well known for substantial trade markets that spring up around arenas and amphitheaters. Tribes circulate and trade. "Weaponsmith" tribes such as the Forge of Hephaestus or the Blood Eagle's Sabot-Styx are very popular.

Everything is for sale at the Bazaar: weapons, neosilks, thralls, light tattoos, food, art, music, exotic drugs, and secrets. Minstrels play the latest ballads, mercenaries solicit contracts, and itinerant grievers sell salvage and read fortunes. Imperial merchants descend on the Firetruce in great numbers, and occasionally bring advanced devices with unusual capabilities. Anything is for sale here.

Parties and Celebrations
Tribal intermarriages are also common at this time. Younger tribesmen and women often indulge in bacchanalian activities and these lead to the founding of long-term relationships. Liasons between members of rival tribes, however, tend to be fleeting at best. Still, even the Eagle can lie down with the Wolf, so to speak, though the results may prove disastrous.

Konovalev and Cloudchaser
The Sixth Firetruce marked the first meeting of Alexandre Konovalev and Freya Cloudchaser. Konovalev was a young Blood Eagle prodigy, said to be a brilliant tactician and determined warrior. He had risen to the rank of Talon Prime in the Incarnate Vengeance Talon of the Marathon Pennant. Cloudchaser was a renowned duelist from the Starwolf's Girru Bandai Pack, daughter of the Pack High Chieftain. The two are said to have met while on opposite sides of a tribal brawl. Another story says they met while fighting one another in a sandtrap, and later slipped away to share a bottle of Tirnathian froth brandy. Whatever the truth, the attraction between the two was clear, and they began a liason that continued beyond the Firetruce itself.

When Alexandre became Great Eagle in 3904, he proposed marriage to Freya as a way of bringing peace to the two rival tribes. The records of Alexandre's communications leave no doubt as to his love of Freya, but they also hint at the madness that would later consume their relationship. Ironically, this gesture of reconciliation would provide the fuel for an even more terrible conflict between the Blood Eagle and the Starwolf. Had Konovalev not married Cloudchaser, it is possible the Children's efforts to mediate would have succeeded, and the fate of the wilderzone would not have rested in the hearts of star-crossed lovers.