Bonding Trials

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 to prove that their bond holds under hostile conditions. The trials forge alliances through shared survival and demand absolute mutual reliance. A trial can last from days to years. The record stands at six years in Ukhaalstaag, where the pair survived and returned 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 to pushing into black zones and establishing beacons so later expeditions could anchor and extend the relay network.

Outfitting and Mounts

Pairs outfit themselves based on their own assessment of the route and its hazards. Some prioritize heavy weapons for encounters, some carry tools for anchoring beacons, and some 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 every physical competition on Geba except the Emperor's Night March.

Regions and Hazards

Traditional trials take place across Ukhaalstaag's glacial cliffs, Ngorrhal's super peaks, and Kela's polar shelves. Pairs face Ukhaal Walkers, Ngorrhal Ice Bears, Whitewings, wild Greater Smilohound packs, Hollowwing Bats, and Gelivox Stalkers, along with hypothermia, avalanches, and structural collapses.

Outcomes and Funeral Rites

A pair that survives together or dies together has achieved the ultimate success: the bond is proven absolute. A partner who survives alone carries the ultimate shame. Partial redemption requires the survivor to return, recover the remains, and complete funeral rites until the partner is put to rest. If the partner was consumed, the survivor must track and kill what did it and recover any remains.

Early-era participation is associated with three groups, and their funeral practices differ. Frost Sentinels prefer their dead frozen on high peaks, seated upright, near their 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.

Vaer'gidon and Tharyn'Bregun

During the Early Dominion, Prince Vaer'gidon bonded with War Chief Tharyn'Bregun in Ukhaalstaag, the first Bonding Trial known to bridge two cultures. Because both were 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 the Frost Sentinels and the imperials.

Bonding Games

In the modern era the rite becomes the Bonding Games, a relay-broadcast spectacle staged on Manalheim Minor. The Games are 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 participants no longer choose their partners.

Ten teams of two individuals compete, and every participant is flown to the island. Partners are assigned, and the pairings are intentionally cross-continent and cross-discipline, so the first objective is to find the assigned partner. Teams have 200 hours to link up, and a veteran strategy is to rendezvous at the highest peak. Trackers are never truly off, but once the window closes they become useless to players and remain active for relay backtracking and spectator coverage.

Mapping, Theft, and Loadouts

Teams map the terrain by hand, recover the 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. Every team pursues the same objectives, which makes map theft a primary tactic. Shelters may be raided and fighting is common. Firing at another player is permitted; killing one is automatic disqualification.

Each individual begins with an uneven set of weapons, objects, and equipment designed to force adaptation. Some receive heavy weapons without ammunition. Some find vehicles without fuel or maps. Others begin with food supplies and no medical aids.

Beacon Phase

Once activated, a beacon is difficult to take offline. It emits a very bright light and a constant hum that draw rivals and predators, and the team must defend it for 200 hours. Teams often build traps and barriers before erecting the beacon, and some use predators as deterrents. Other teams commonly gang up on the team holding the beacon, drawing the endgame out into an extended siege. If a partner dies for any reason, the team is disqualified immediately, and this applies during the beacon phase as well.

Winners and Athletes

Frost Sentinel and imperial pairings hold the most wins, while Kelan and Thazvaari pairings perform the worst. Many athletes from the Yuvaar Hunting Games also compete in the Bonding Games, 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. Its games can run longer and require six beacons to be erected. No vehicles, ammunition, or weapons are provided, and players who want to carry weapons must craft their own. It is smaller than the Yuvaar Hunting Games but remains a popular competition across the planet.