World Martial Arts Tournament¶
Non-canon
The World Martial Arts Tournament belongs to the non-canon one-shot Philosopher's Fist 3.J/2: Unchainable, not to the main campaign.
The World Martial Arts Tournament (WMAT) is the quinquennial contest at the heart of the world of Philosopher's Fist, a talent pipeline for superhumans whose grand prize is a few minutes with the Philosopher's Stone.
| Type | Organization (sporting event) |
| Aliases | WMAT |
| Frequency | Every five years |
| Status | Suspended over a doping scandal, possibly to be canceled |
| First appearance | Philosopher's Fist |
Overview¶
The tournament exists because aliens, androids or similar threats attack the planet once or twice a decade. It cultivates a supply of useful superhumans who can fight them: the enormously strong, psychics, ki-blast users, wizards and pure martial artists. Tryouts are open, so some four or five hundred people make it past the initial screening. (Philosopher's Fist)
Companies sponsor fighters in exchange for a share of the prize pool, and most fighters live on fixed incomes from their sponsors. Almost every entrant wears corporate branding. Mirabeth and Derk missed the paperwork deadline, though a dog-food company had shown interest in Derk. Matches are scored out of ten for style, effectiveness and diversity of technique unless there is a TKO, in a standard bracket by weight and power class. (Philosopher's Fist)
The grand prize is access to the Philosopher's Stone for a couple of minutes, usually used in a high-efficiency hospital setting. Derk enters to resurrect Fatty Gibbs. (Philosopher's Fist)
The champion problem¶
Twice in the last forty years, a champion has taken over the world and killed the president, so the tournament is on thin ice and a matter of public controversy. Colonel Sparago says that champions usually wait until they win before turning, which is why the staff put sedatives in the victory punch, and that another dead president would end the tournament for good. The current werewolf president is moderately against the event and would not veto a ban passed by the World Congress. (Philosopher's Fist)
Groups among the entrants¶
- The Alien Faction, the largest cluster at the safety briefing, whose spokesman is Moraniel.
- Pure Human Martial Artists, who plan to ally with the authorities as the "safe" heroes.
- Wizards, a medium-sized group of psychic and magical attackers, described as dim and barely literate outside the magic curriculum because they study eighteen hours a day in their formative years.
History¶
The mandatory safety briefing takes place in a tent in the Athletes' Village with some four or five hundred sweaty entrants. Just as Sparago is about to dismiss them, an official announces that the tournament is suspended because of a doping scandal: one of the judges was found to be on steroids. The president has ordered a suspension until an investigation can be performed, so there will be no tournament for at least a few days, and it may be canceled. Mirabeth remarks that the president "was just looking for an excuse." Last year's champion Ovain then breaks down and attacks, and he later returns to attack the president's children's event. After the fight, Mirabeth tells Sparago she hopes to see him at next year's tournament, and he answers, "You know that I will." (Philosopher's Fist)
The one-shot gives two age limits: fifteen for the president's children's event and seventeen for entry in the tournament itself. (Philosopher's Fist)