The Hardships

The Hardships is an extensive series of trials undertaken by Vasteran nobility and Bereskarns for the right to become King of Vasteras. It includes trials of physical and mental prowess, narrowing down what can be possibly hundreds or even thousands of candidates to one man. It is a system entirely reliant upon merit, and any who are found cheating are executed, their family and people disgraced for their existence. The trials include(but are not limited to) a grand melee, a series of individual duels, planning war scenarios from a battle map, listing noble houses from Vasteran nations, showing a strong understanding of foreign nations and their politics, cartography, leading a ship through harsh waters, and commanding troops through a series of formation drills. The sheer difficulty of all these trials makes it a taxing, lengthy event, one that is more suited to the nobility than the Bereskarn who participate. He who succeeds, however, is considered an able leader without any doubt. He is made King and rules with next to no opposition.