The Sacred Games (闘神祭, Tōshin-sai) is a regular custom held by the Queendom of Falena. The Sacred Games determine the husband of the future Queen of Falena.
Information
The Sacred Games were a fighting tournament used to decide the husband of the future Queen of Falena and as such held enormous significance towards the direction the nation would take under that administration. Adding to its significance, the winner of the Sacred Games would also become the Commander of the Queen's Knights following the new Queen's coronation.
The Sacred Games originated from writings on the first Queen of Falena in which it is stated that on the day of Falena's foundation, it was said that the Queen was to be like unto a goddess and that her companion must shield the land like a mighty god of war. The Sacred Games were established to choose a man most worthy of this duty. However, in practice, the participants in the Scared Games were mostly gladiators fighting for the noble that hired them. In fact, in the history of the Sacred Games only one non-noble was decreed to have won the competition, Ferid won the hand of Princess Arshtat Falenas in SY 433.
In SY 449, the Barows Faction pushed for the Sacred Games to take place to crown the husband of the then-10 year old Princess Lymsleia in order to try and counteract greater Godwin influence in the Senate. The attempt backfired when the Godwin gladiator, Childerich, won the tournament under dubious circumstances. In previous years, the Barows Faction had pushed for a Sacred Games to take place for the young Arshtat to establish her mother, Princess Falzrahm as the legitimate heir to the throne, feeding into what would become the Royal Family Succession Conflict.
Following the events of the Sun Rune War, the Sacred Games were abolished with Queen Lymsleia declaring that she would choose her own husband at a future date and that the Commander of the Queen's Knights would now be an office she would appoint a worthy candidate to.
References
- Genso Suikoden Kiwami Encyclopedia, page 632