The dinosaur races of Port Nyanzaru in Chult were one of that city's most famous attractions as of the late 15th century DR.[1]
Description[]
The races featured brightly painted dinosaurs ridden through the streets of Port Nyanzaru for the delight and gambling of onlookers. Racing dinosaurs were usually juveniles (as they were easier to train and manage) and usually had blunted claws and horns in addition to strong muzzles. In some cases, riders of smaller species were preferred to make smaller dinosaur runners competitive.[1] Minor usage of magic or of magic items was generally permitted during races.[2]
Races were held once each tenday,[1] and a day of races could last well into the evening. When night fell or if fog rolled in during the races, torches were set up to mark the route.[4] Each race day usually included three events: a four-legged race (dominated by ankylosaurus, triceratops, and dimetrodon racers), a two-legged race (dominated by deinonychus and hadrosaurus racers), and an "unchained" race with no entry restrictions (dominated by allosaurus and tyrannosaurus racers).[1] "Unchained" races also differed from the other events in that the dinosaurs were permitted to attack each other[5] and did not need to be muzzled nor have their claws and horns trimmed, making these events much more dangerous for the dinosaurs and their riders. However, spectators were seldom injured.[1]
Special events could also include chariots or races through the Harbor (astride plesiosaurs) or through the air (on pteranodons).[6] On occasion, small races were held within the Grand Coliseum as part of larger events: these usually featured smaller allosauruses and riders who were encouraged to taunt, trip, and attack each other as they navigated around obstacles like blockades, mud pits, and nets.[7]
Location[]
A usual racecourse started either at the Harbor or at the Tiryki Gate[8] in the Market Ward. It wound through the streets of Port Nyanzaru passed the Harbor and around all four of the city's main hills (Mount Sibasa, Yklwazi Hill, Temple Hill, and Throne Hill).[1]
The area of the Market Ward just inside the Tiryki Gate was a gathering place for bookies and gamblers.[8]
Activities[]
Racing was managed by teams, who were known to recruit from among daring adventurers as the races could be quite dangerous.[5] Such teams were usually named by a convention of combining a color with a native Chultan animal,[9] e.g., the Green Vipers.[7] Other teams were sponsored by important individuals, such as Pock-Marked Po's team, the Bladefangs.[10]
Betting was managed by bookies, who accepted wagers of as little as a single copper piece and as large as 500 gold pieces. Gamblers could bet on a given dinosaur winning, placing, showing, or doing something specific during the race, such as attacking another racer or losing its rider. This meant that bookies would accept many different bets on a single race, and winnings were paid out based on the odds. Losing bettors were expected to pay their gambling debts promptly or else be visited by a "legbreaker".[5]
History[]
As of the time of the death curse,[note 1] crowd favorites at the races included Banana Candy, Big Honker, Bonecruncher, and Ubtao's Favorite. Less popular racers included Grung Stomper, Jungle Princess, Mountain Thunder, Nasty Boy, and Scarback.[1]
During this time, the Merchant Princes of the city arranged for a massive competition called Na N'buso's Haka, which featured land, air, and sea events all in one race.[2] In the lead up to this festival, there was a suspicious uptick in longshot wins, mostly due to a number of dinosaur racers dying mysteriously.[8]
Appendix[]
See Also[]
Notes[]
- ↑ Canon material does not provide a year for the events described in Tomb of Annihilation (or its tie-in media), however it is understood to take place sometime between 1488 DR and 1492 DR. The earlier date is based on the fact that Port Nyanzaru is stated to have gained independence from Amn nine years prior to the start of the adventure (p 15), which would be 1488 DR at the earliest given the city was firmly under Amnian control as of 1479 DR (as described in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide, p 102). The later date is based on the presence of Volothamp Geddarm, who is promoting the in-universe Volo's Guide to Monsters during the adventure (p 24) but is stated to have concluded his promotional tour and begun a new book as of Waterdeep: Dragon Heist (see pp 5, 24), which is understood to be set in 1492 DR. Unless a canon source states otherwise, this wiki will use this range for events related to this sourcebook. The adventure is also assumed to take place concurrently with or slightly after the events of Storm King's Thunder based on the subplot involving frost giants in the service of Jarl Storvald (p 13).
Appearances[]
Adventures
Video Games
Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms
Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Christopher Perkins, Will Doyle, Steve Winter (September 19, 2017). Tomb of Annihilation. Edited by Michele Carter, Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 32. ISBN 978-0-7869-6610-3.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Ruty Rutenberg (2016). A Day at the Races (DDAL07-03) (PDF). D&D Adventurers League: Tomb of Annihilation (Wizards of the Coast), p. 6.
- ↑ Codename Entertainment (September 2017). Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms. Codename Entertainment.
- ↑ Will Doyle (2016). Peril at the Port (DDEP07-01) (PDF). D&D Adventurers League: Tomb of Annihilation (Wizards of the Coast), p. 6.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Christopher Perkins, Will Doyle, Steve Winter (September 19, 2017). Tomb of Annihilation. Edited by Michele Carter, Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 33. ISBN 978-0-7869-6610-3.
- ↑ Ruty Rutenberg (2016). A Day at the Races (DDAL07-03) (PDF). D&D Adventurers League: Tomb of Annihilation (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 7–9.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Rich Lescouflair (2017). A City on the Edge (DDAL07-01) (PDF). D&D Adventurers League: Tomb of Annihilation (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 16–17.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Ruty Rutenberg (2016). A Day at the Races (DDAL07-03) (PDF). D&D Adventurers League: Tomb of Annihilation (Wizards of the Coast), p. 4.
- ↑ Ruty Rutenberg (2016). A Day at the Races (DDAL07-03) (PDF). D&D Adventurers League: Tomb of Annihilation (Wizards of the Coast), p. 21.
- ↑ Rich Lescouflair (2017). A City on the Edge (DDAL07-01) (PDF). D&D Adventurers League: Tomb of Annihilation (Wizards of the Coast), p. 15.