These games are held every four years following the summer equinox. Held at the Covenant of Cyllene, the mountain that is the birthplace of Hermes. Full of pagan trappings, this event causes tensions between the Hellenes and those Christian mages who feel such displays are totally inappropriate. Still the Hellene faction maintains its power and the formalities are upheld.
The Tribunal holds the games in celebration of the Order's patron, Hermes, and of the greatness and antiquity that the Order embodies. Even more important it is a time of pageantry and social interaction among magi who otherwise do not see each other.
The game starts with a great procession of athletes and magi. They fill the days with the events, while the nights are for political discussion and socialization. These events are the only official Tribunal meetings, and all business happens here. While the magi in the Theban Tribunal meet more often then their sodales in other Tribunals, they never seem to get much more accomplished.
The winner of each event is awarded with a laurel wreath, a symbol of greatness. Even more important is the prestige winning brings to the covenant. A covenant with many victories will find votes lining up behind it, and will find their views better received. A covenant with a poor showing will have a hard time finding anyone to listen to them. Victory wins friends. While there are no prizes of vis, many covenants and individual magi bet heavily on various events, especially the chariot races.
The games include various footraces, of about 200, 400 and 4,800 meters and even a race in armor. The equestrian events, horse and chariot races, are very popular. The covenant is considered the entrant for these events, in keeping with the ancient tradition and owing to the fact horseflesh is so expensive.
There is a pentathlon - discus throw, javelin throw (which uses a throwing thong), long jump (using hand-held weights), footrace (of 200 meters) and wrestling. A progressive elimination of competitors declares the winners who wrestle each other in the final event.
Wrestling, boxing and the pankration, a combination of the two, are all dominated by big athletes. In these events byes were allotted if there are an odd number of entrants, and a competitor might have to face an opponent who had sat out a round. In the pankration punching, kicking, choking, finger breaking and blows to the genitals are allowed; only biting and eye gouging are prohibited. Light leather gloves designed to protect the hands of the fighter are allowed. Wrestling matches are decided by falls, but boxing and pankration bouts continue until one athlete gives up or is incapacitated. Deaths are uncommon, but occasionally one happens accidently.
Covenants are allowed three entries in all events but the chariot races, where there is usually one entry representing each covenant. While the ancient games were open to all, this is a reasonable compromise so that the older and richer covenants are not able to overwhelm the younger and smaller.
Given the nature of the games it is only natural that the magi involved would wish magically to aid their athletes. Tradition has grown up that only augmentations of the athletes themselves are allowed. That no magic may be used in any way to harm other athletes. All magic used must be of a permanent nature. It should be noted that some powerful magi have a habit of casting powerful Perdo Vim spells on contestants so instantaneous spells often are best. The athletes must be human in form.
For Magi there are also several games. The most important is a certamen bout, which draws the best certamen masters throughout the Tribunal. There are several addenda to the Peripheral Code for these games, most important being that these do not count as a challenge, there are no terms, and they allow no final spell. They frequently run other events, but change with the whims of the Praeco and other important magi.
House Quaesitor is involved with the judging of the games. This serves as a training exercise in responsibility and fairness for the apprentices of the House.
The torch and flame are modern inventions. The rings are a modern invention. The idea of amateur athletes is one of modern invention. The Greeks do not even have a word for amateur.