Rithmere Games

The Rithmere Games, or simply the Games, was an annual competition held in Rithmere. Every year when the Games were held, the city was alive with festivals, games and stores. The competitors stayed in The Champion Inn for sleeping, training, and eating. Finalists were given one hundred gold coins and the grand winners one thousand.

History
Long before the Shadow Lord claimed Deltora and broke the Belt of Deltora, the town of Rithmere was invaded by bandits. The Shadow Lord planned this invasion and most of the people who lived in Rithmere were killed. Back then Fardeep owned The Champion Inn, but his family was killed and he had to flee Rithmere. The Shadow Lord created a new type of games to lure the strongest fighters of Deltora and capture them, which would become known as the Rithmere Games. The Champion Inn served a special purpose after the Games. Finalists would be captured by Grey Guards when the host or hostess offered them a secret way out of the Inn to avoid bandits.

Registration process
Each player is registered under a specific category of skills (speed, strength, agility, etc.), weighed and measured. They are given a coloured piece of cloth tied around their wrist labeled with their name, ability, height, and weight. This information is also written down in a book. The cloth acts as access cards for the Games and food and drink in The Champion Inn.

Game rules

 * No weapons allowed
 * In the anime, certified Rithmere Games weapons are allowed
 * A competitor who is knocked out of the ring is eliminated
 * A competitor who is unable to fight is eliminated
 * A competitor cannot rest until the battle is complete

Conspiracy

 * The Champion Inn and Rithmere Games originally belonged to Fardeep, but were stolen and changed by the Shadow Lord. The Shadow Lord gave this organisation to Mother Brightly.
 * The mysterious Ra-Kacharz are one of the suppliers of Rithmere Games food.
 * Most winners were known to disappear after the Games. Rumours spread that winners were unwilling to share their prize with others, but the Resistance discovered that the purpose of the Games was to identify the best fighters in Deltora and bring them to the Shadow Arena, where they would fight Vraal for sport.

Champions

 * Brianne of Lees: Year 10
 * Birdie (Jasmine): Year 11

Finalists

 * Year 11
 * Joanna
 * Orwen
 * Berry (Barda)
 * Twig (Lief)
 * Neridah
 * Glock
 * Doom
 * Birdie (Jasmine)

Anime
The only big difference in the anime is that while personal weapons are not allowed in the Rithmere Games, certified Rithmere Games weapons are, and are supplied to contestants.

Trivia

 * The Games as organised by the Shadow Lord were first held ten years before the quest for the Belt began.