Trials

Nicholas Kerensky set forth six Trials to cover all situations in which combat would be permitted. The Trials established the Clans' ritualistic approach to combat and avoided the devastation of ongoing warfare. Hallowed by ritual and overseen by the Clan Councils and the Grand Council, Trials vary little between Clans.

Common to many Trials is the Circle of Equals, developed from the Batchall tradition in which the challenger chooses the time and place of combat. Because the Batchall implies respect, all contending warriors are potential equals. The battlefield referred to as a Circle of equals has boundaries that no contestant might cross until the combat is over or one combatant disengages (an act that brings a severe loss of honor). A Circle of Equals is far more common in personal combat than in larger-scale engagements. Clan Teams are encouraged however, to use all of these Trials, or a variation of the non-mandatory ones, to “flesh out” their Teams.

Help Support our League and this Site! Donate to the League Upkeep Fund!