The Pillar of War & Justice

Not only was the Crucible Arena a training ground for the best warriors of Mizar, it was also a site for spectacle. Viewers could behold competitions and athletic events as well as lethal games of death against other warriors, vicious wild animals, and even monstrosities mutated by the wicked magik of the Forsaken Lands.

Voah Sahnsuur endured her own trials in such a spectacle. As was the custom and tradition of the land, any Aspect of Vastad, could challenge the reigning champion. Voah had earned the right to hold the blade after the last Holy Sword was slain. She sought out the witch responsible, Evanora Frost, and recovered the sword, but... the people of Vastad would tell you that it is not enough to simply defeat one enemy and inherit a title. A champion must show that they embody the virtues and disciplines of the God of War and Justice. It was a delayed challenge, but this was a chance for Voah to prove herself in front of everyone.

A festive event was held in Vastad in the fashion of a grand tournament, where the champion and contenders would compete for the Holy Sword. While the main event was being constructed within the Crucible Arena, there were several other venues hosting intense trials of not only strength and martial prowess, but agility, endurance, alertness, and quick thinking presided over, by the high council of Vastad.

The options presented before Voah were: a) forfeit her title of the Holy Sword and choose a new champion from the contenders or b) defend her title. To her, there was only one option.

She competed in somewhat standard albeit dangerous events spanning days, meant to weed out the growing number of contenders, until only four remained. Her only real weaknesses were in strength challenges, archery and spear fighting, but she made up for her lack of skill by using other improvised methods.

The final event was a grueling race through a labyrinth mound of high walls, narrow corridors, ramps, stairs, ladders, ropes, poles, mud pits, fires, moats, gates, tunnels, balance beams, unsteady platforms, and pitfalls. The center of the maze culminated into a monstrous, tiered mountain of wooden platforms, steel juts, and webs of rope towered high into the arena.

Terracotta soldiers wielding other weapons encircled the second highest tier. Perched atop the highest platform of the jagged Pillar was the Holy Sword, held in an honorable bequeathing pose in the hands of a statue that resembled the God of War.

One might consider the Aspects who failed to make this main event the lucky ones, for only one victor could emerge from the labyrinthine tower known as the Pillar of War and Justice, The Holy Sword, champion of Vastad.