Tournaments, Jousts and Pas de Armes
Tournaments, Jousts and Pas de Armes, represent the display of martial skill in a Chivalric setting. They are an important arena for showing an individual's noble or gentle bearing, honorable nature and knightly prowess. These events can be run under a White Shield. The White Shield acknowledges that the event is designed to challenge the participants to the utmost without resorting to the full scale attack witnessed in battle.
The use of tournament grade weapons is generally used. These weapons are blunted to minimize the danger of injury, yet allow a full demonstration of skill with the weapons. Lances used are designed to break upon a good clean contact, again to demonstrate skill without causing undue harm to the participants. Now, combat is not basket weaving and even under these favorable conditions, injury and even death can occur. Such is the danger of being a knight in Tar Shakan.
On some occasions, due to worldly circumstances, private pledges of a most serious nature or a significant emphasis, moral high ground or other considerations, it can become necessary to elevate this level of risk. It is believed by some that this elevation of risk will add additional honor and gravity to the proceedings. Under a Black Shield, there is no buffer. Edged weapons, sharp lances and focused injurious intent are the guideposts to behavior.
Injuries and death are common under the Black Shield. Since participation in an event is an agreement to the terms, there is no loss of honor for refusing to engage in a Black Shield event. That being said, many knights say that even though society will not give reproach, their own internal code will not allow them to walk away. That choice is up to each one alone.