Ruby Phoenix

The Ruby Phoenix Tournament

The city of Goka has hosted the Ruby Phoenix Tournament for centuries. The tradition stems from the living will of the legendary sorcerer Hao Jin, also known as the Ruby Phoenix for her extraordinary powers of self-resurrection. When Hao Jin mysteriously disappeared over 300 years ago, the executors of her estate presumed her dead in accordance with her will. Her will further stipulated that Hao Jin’s countless treasures, all held in a massive vault beneath the Grand Bank of Abadar in Goka, be given away, one per decade, to whomever could claim the title of champion in a grand fighting tournament. The executors fulfilled Hao Jin’s wishes, establishing the Ruby Phoenix Tournament in her honor. Since then, teams of talented martial artists, spellcasters, and adventurers have flocked to the metropolis of Goka every 10 years, all vying for the title of Ruby Phoenix Champions.

This decade’s Ruby Phoenix Tournament follows a structure similar to that of other popular fighting tournaments. Contenders can compete either as individuals or as members of a team. Although there is no maximum number of contenders allowed on a single team, most teams include about four fighters. (A winning team must split their prize, which discourages large teams.) Teams face one another in bouts in an arena, and most of the time teams won’t know who they’re facing until the day of the fight. A team wins when they’ve knocked out all the fighters on the opposing team. Fighters can use any weapons or tactics they like—fists, blades, magic, stealth, and so on—to win their match, though showy and unique skills tend to excite the crowd and judges.

The Hao Jin Tapestry

The Ruby Phoenix Tournament held 10 years ago, in 7211 IC (Imperial Calendar, Tian Xia's official calendar; equivalent to 4711 AR), proved especially exciting. Pathfinder Society members competing in the tournament managed to defeat a team of cheating contenders funded by the Golden League, Goka’s most infamous crime syndicate, and also went on to win the grand prize. As their reward, the Pathfinders chose an artifact called the Hao Jin Tapestry. This tapestry was, in fact, an entire magical museum world. Hao Jin created it to save and store people, places, and things that she literally plucked from the Material Plane and wove into the extraplanar fabric of the tapestry. The Pathfinders’ studies on the tapestry eventually caused it to fray, and ultimately, with Hao Jin’s help, the tapestry was disassembled and the occupants of the demiplane were released to their original locations across Tian Xia.

Hao Jin's Return

This year’s competition is even more exciting than usual, because Hao Jin has returned to the Material Plane after hundreds of years in exile on the plane of Axis, the Eternal City. Rather than dismantle her tournament, Hao Jin has chosen to continue the supremely popular event. More than that, she has even asked to serve as the Ruby Phoenix Tournament’s grand judge. In this role, she will preside over every match in the grand arena of Goka.