Duelling Grounds Great School of Magic
by RobinAccording to Canon as per Gaz 3 page 61-62) and GKoM it says that the arena itself is 100 by 150 feet.
The courtyard is actually varying between 130 to 55 feet wide and 120 to 150 feet, according my adjusted GSM scale of 40' per inch gaz3 GSM cover map fitting perfectly. It is still small but now functionable.
See map
This garden would consist only of flowers, low plant borders around several conifer trees...most of the area would be functional walking space (as per common socio-migration patterns by students and others in the GSM.) Some areas may have been restored with created stone (like in the Test of Darkness adventure) to close (and Hide) any cave-inns.
Anything damaged during a duel will be restored/replaced later
Duelling in the Courtyard arena
Wooden Tiers placed around the forcefield.
10 tiers high at 1.7’ variation per tier (standard in most official locations as due the average human measurements) the tiers would be standing tiers(brown/dark brown on map), but may have a seating accommodation in the exclusive ones (yellow/orange on map), which is actually nothing more than a leather covered foldable small board (just enough for the average butt). Totalling height 17'+6'for the top standing persons=26' and being 10x 2.5' thick =25' from the edge of the structures placed upon.
Administration Tower; 4 Tiers
Warehouse roof; 1 exclusive Tier with sitting accommodations + 3 Tiers
Dining Hall; 10 Tiers, Exclusive section; Tiers with sitting accommodation
Main Building; 4 or 6 tiers
Curtain Walls; 3 or 4 tiers including 1 tier exclusive
Forcefield; (pink line on the map) Antimagic wall blocking any passing magic and solid objects, however it does allow a natural storm to bring rain, cold, lightning if summoned. The forcefield is all along the courtyard and can be opened and closed on command off the Headmaster or any other appointed (agreement) Teacher. The forcefield is 150’ high and curves inward at a70 degree angle. The top is closed dome-like by the forcefield. This forcefield is a huge magical item merging several magical wall spells together (Forcefield, Anti-Magic Shell, Prismatic Wall, Mass Invisibility) making a clear magic wall blocking any magic and object from passing except weather from outside in. However Incorporeal Undead can pass too, but will be visible for a minimum of 1 day!!, becoming subject to attacks from teachers and others alike. Teleportation, Transport through..., can pass the wall too.
The forcefield is activated for 8 hours by a total of 100 gp of crystals. The average two mages battle lasts 3 hours. The average team battles last 4 hours, but may last much longer (the longest was in 1001 AC 14th felmont betwee Issu and Clement teams which lasted almost two days. As such each combattant is required to pay 50Dc in crystals to enable the forcefield to stay up for that time.
The forcefield can be cancelled by removing the crystals remaining (they eventually disintegrate. This can only be done from the outside, and is strictly controlled by the GSM headmaster or controlling duelling referee (any teacher)
Restriction; Magic Spellcasters only
Official date; 2d12 days after transferring challenge as decreed by administration
Duelling time; as chosen by challenger or challenging team
Preparation time GSM crew; 1 day setting up tribunal tiers
Preparation time combatants; 1 day (preparing items/components, etc)
Activation Antimagic forcefield; when both attendees have arrived (1 Turn before battle!!)
Cost non GSM viewers; 500 Dc/person; common places only, (these very steep prices will keep the commoners (muggles) out.
Cost GSM Personnel/Students 5Dc; common places, 100Dc exclusive places. No reservations!!
Private viewing locations around the GSM exist often (Alexander Platz Tribunes 1Dc/ tier height a person, many viewers in the canals/boardwalks nearby, roofs/nearby balconies Prices vary from 0 to 50 Dc. Though not all of the battle can be seen, it would not reduce the excitement...like football matches viewed from outside stadium...the sounds of the other viewers fill in the void. Crystal ball viewers anywhere in the nation also exist.
maximum Standing common places; Dining Hall;170 , Administration Tower;27 , Curtain Wall;9+32=41 , Main Building;33+64=97 , Warehouse; 34 = Total 369
maximum Standing Exclusive Places; Main Building 18, Dining Hall 40, Warehouse 13, = Total 71
Duelling by two mages.
Requirements; Official challenge to a duel received by opponent
Duration; until forfeited or defeat of one of the opponents
Traps; Standard but locations always vary. Pits; covered Portable Holes, Dart traps; (poison paralyzation, Petrification, sleep, weakening, to medium damage), Magic traps of Hold person, Entanglement, Web, etc.
Terrain; May be Hallucinatory changed with near to real effect by master illusionists at challenged mage wish. (Quicksand, Ice, Desert, Bushes, Forest) but it will always incorporate the normal vegetation within, making the difference between real and illusion the more difficult. Combatants (and most non-illusionists viewers) will not be able to distinguish this and may even climb illusionary objects.
Monsters; Invisible Stalker(s), Invisible large Spiders, Fairy(kin), invisible Humanoid (these are often trained or charmed to do as commanded but it is known for some to break free and act on their own (especially Fairy(kin).
Rules;
1 Non lethal finish (out of magic, KO or incapacitated as chosen by attendees) OR lethal upon acceptation both attendees
2 It is forbidden to fight in any form when no wall is raised, and then normal Laws apply which can be harsh and severe.
3 Any mage attending must have a Last Will presented and stored in the administration tower.
4 Forfeiting battle anytime possible (but having to suffer social disgrace)
5 Forfeiting battle automatically if arriving late or not at all (investigation will be incited though, and may be reason to exchange the winning title, great social disgrace, or even social banishment)
6 Opponents prepare in separate rooms. Combatants and their crew may not have contact during Preparation time; directly or indirectly—this may lead to disqualification and automatically forfeiting (investigation will be incited though, and may be reason to exchange the winning title, great social disgrace, or even social banishment)
7 If no forfeit is given and no winner, but all magic is used; physical attacks may be used (but frowned upon. The most socially disgusting battle is two mages in a fist fight or roll.
8 Attacking a forfeiting/surrendering mage or one clearly defeated is severely frowned upon, even in a lethal combat.
9 A fallen victim may not be disgraced or humiliated this equalized disqualification, but some humiliation caused by a magic attack (like a bad fall, becoming dirty, etc) will not be seen as thus. (This recent rule has been added after a male student used a Power Word Strip spell (suggestive 6th spell; instantly strip the victim of all Clothing/Armor/Jewellery) on a female victim bringing shame to a whole royal family.)
10 After the battle any victims will be relocated to the Infirmary, any fatalities will be turned to the family (NOT friends unless officially documented as being Last Will designees) to let them decide what has to be done.
11 A winner may challenge any other mage after a three week period, he may NOT challenge the loser for at least a whole year and without a good and official cause.
12 A Loser may challenge any other mage after healing AND an 8 week period. Losers may challenge the winner after healing and an 8 week period, but this chance may be only taken once a year.
13 Attendees enter circle blindfolded facing out. The forcefield is invisible and appears like a white line along the buildings on the ground.
14 In case of a tie a jury of 10 schoolmasters including headmastee decide winner
15 once a wizard surrenders others must immediately dispel ongoing attacks
16 pretend to surrender to surprise opponent is not allowed.
17 teleporting out(including leaving the Prime Plane) and later in is not allowed punishable by social rejection.
18 Outside help is not allowed and illegal, punishable by Law and social rejection.
19 Summoning unlisted items (any items brought into the field are listed and secretly marked (including clothing/Jewellry) by a special mark only for that combat) is not allowed and illegal, punishable by Law and social rejection.
20 Summoning uncontrolled monsters is not allowed and these will be dispelled within 1 round by the Teachers/headmaster and the summoner loses the battle. Summoning controlled monster will be allowed, and this can be seen by any active Detect Magic.
Duelling by up to 10 mages in two teams.
as per two mages battling with the following changes/additions.
Duelling time; as chosen by challenging team
Duration; until forfeited or defeat of one of the Teams
Activation Antimagic forcefield; when both attending teams have arrived in full (1 Turn before battle!!) or upon mutual agreement by both teams and referee if late.
Rules;
1 In a team event each incapacitated victim will cause a pause to enable the others to recuperate and the victim to be removed, and then the magic wall will be replaced. In a Lethal team event each victim will NOT be called out until the battle is over.
2 Late attendees cannot enter the combat field once battle has started and may suffer social rejection (especially from his/her team)
New Magic Item for Mystara which was hinted at in various Canon sources
Portable Hole: A portable hole is a circle of cloth spun from the webs of a phase spider interwoven with strands of ether and beams of starlight. The same technique when used to create Bags of Holding. When opened fully, a portable hole is 6 feet in diameter, but it can be folded up to be as small as a pocket handkerchief. When spread upon any surface, it causes an extradimensional space 10 feet deep to come into being. This hole can be picked up from inside or out by simply taking hold of the edges of the cloth and folding it up. Either way, the entrance disappears, but anything inside the hole remains (wwith no additional weight).
The only air in the hole is that which enters when the hole is opened. It contains enough air to supply one Medium creature or two Small creatures for 1 Turn/10 minutes. The cloth does not accumulate weight even if its hole is filled. Each portable hole opens on its own particular non-dimensional space. If a Bag of Holding is placed within a portable hole, a temporary rift to the Astral Plane is torn in that place. Both the bag and the cloth are sucked into the void and forever lost. This rift remains open for 1 round only and closes audibly with a pop. If a portable hole is placed within a Bag of Holding, it opens a gate to the Astral Plane. The hole, the bag, and any creatures within a 10-foot radius are drawn there, the portable hole and bag of holding being destroyed in the process. This hole remains open for 1d8 Minutes, unless subjected to a Dispel magic or other nullifying magic.
Weight 400cn, Price 20,000 Dc. Illegal to unlicensed persons, Licence; 150 Dc/year