Bonding Trials

Alias: Bonding Rites, Frost Sentinel Trials, Ngorrhali Bonding
Location: Traditional trials in Ngorrhal, Ukhaalstaag, and Kela. Modern Games on Manalheim Minor. Festival Tournament on Manalheim.

The Bonding Trials are an ancient Ngorrhali rite of passage rooted in the Frost Sentinels and formalized after imperial intervention in Ngorrhal’s civil war. Two individuals enter as a Bonded Pair and undertake the trial as proof that their bond holds when the world turns hostile. The trials forge alliances through shared survival and demand absolute mutual reliance. Trials last from days to years, and the record stands at six years in Ukhaalstaag with the pair surviving, returning with surveys of paths that were not previously known to exist.

Objectives

Early practice centered on mapping unexplored or hostile mountain passes so others could follow. After formalization, the objective expanded into pushing into black zones and establishing beacons so later expeditions could anchor and extend the relay network.

Rules and Outfitting

Pairs outfit themselves based on their assessment of the route and hazards. Some prioritize heavy weapons for encounters, others carry tools for anchoring beacons, others focus on survival gear. Fauna mounts such as Greater Smilohounds and Lichengrazers have traditionally been more reliable than vehicles. Engineered individuals are banned outright, as they are from all physical competitions on Geba.

Traditional Regions and Hazards

Traditional trials occur across Ukhaalstaag’s glacial cliffs, Ngorrhal’s super peaks, and Kela’s polar shelves. Hazards include Ukhaal Walkers, Ngorrhal Ice Bears, Whitewings, wild Greater Smilohound packs, Hollowwing Bats, Gelivox Stalkers, hypothermia, avalanches, and structural collapses.

Outcomes

• Survive or Die Together: The ultimate success. The bond is proven absolute.
• Survive Alone: The ultimate shame. Partial redemption requires the survivor to return, recover the remains, and complete funeral rites until the partner is put to rest. Early-era participation is associated with three groups, and practices differ between them. Frost Sentinels prefer their dead frozen on high peaks, seated upright, near ancestors when possible. Imperials prefer entombment within palace wall structures or sanctioned structures within the capital. Jeyrhans prefer simple burial in soil, left for vegetation to take. If the partner was consumed, the survivor must track and kill what did it and recover any remains.

Historical Significance: Vaer’gidon and Tharyn’Bregun

During the Early Dominion, Prince Vaer’gidon bonded with War Chief Tharyn’Bregun in Ukhaalstaag. This is the first Bonding Trial known to bridge two cultures. As commanders, their attempt also carried leadership obligations beyond the pair itself. They died together during the trial, and their shared death permanently solidified the relationship between Frost Sentinels and imperials.

Modern Era: Bonding Games

In the modern era, the rite becomes a relay broadcast Bonding Games spectacle staged on Manalheim Minor. It is sponsored by Veykar Propulsion and controlled by a Game Master who governs pacing, tracker rules, and the start of the final phase. The tradition remains recognizable, but the pairing is no longer chosen by the participants.

Game Rules and Format

• Teams: Ten teams compete. Each team consists of two individuals. All participants are flown to the island.
• Forced Partnering: Partners are assigned and are intentionally cross continent and cross discipline. The first objective is to find the assigned partner.
• Partner Window: Teams have 200 hours to link up. A veteran strategy is to rendezvous at the highest peak. Trackers are never truly off, but after the window they become useless to players and remain active for relay backtracking and spectator coverage.
• Objectives: Teams map terrain by hand, recover the beacon components required to build and activate a functional beacon, and recover the coordinates for the only valid beacon site. The final phase cannot begin until the beacon is set at the correct location.
• Mapping and Conflict: All teams pursue the same objective set. Map theft becomes a primary tactic. Shelters are allowed to be raided. Fighting is common. Firing at another player is permitted. Killing is automatic disqualification.
• Loadout Volatility: Each individual begins with uneven weapons, objects, and equipment designed to force adaptation. Some receive heavy weapons without ammunition. Some find vehicles without fuel or maps. Some begin with food supplies and no medical aids.
• Beacon Phase: Once activated, a beacon is difficult to take offline. It emits very bright light and a constant hum, drawing rivals and predators. Teams must defend the active beacon for 200 hours. Traps and barriers are often built before erection, and some teams use predators as deterrents. Other teams commonly gang up on the beacon holding team, prolonging endgames into extended sieges.
• Disqualification: If a partner dies for any reason, the team is disqualified immediately. This applies even during the beacon phase.
• Competitive Pattern: Frost Sentinel and imperial pairings hold the most wins. Kelan and Thazvaari pairings perform the worst.
• Participation: Many athletes from the Yuvaar Hunting Games also compete here, especially those who do not run Thazvaari Ascension, since the seasons rarely overlap.

Festival Tournament

A separate Festival Tournament is held on Manalheim and hosts forty teams. Games can run longer and require six beacons to be erected. No vehicles, ammunition, or weapons are provided. Players must craft their own weapons if they choose to carry any at all. While not as massive as the Yuvaar Hunting Games, it remains a popular competition across the planet.