Blade Verbena

The Blade Verbena is an annual sword duel festival where the greatest swordsmen from all across the Empire of the Isles demonstrate their skill in a tournament which is hosted in Karnaca.

Tournament
The Blade Verbena is a prestigious event that attracts visitors and participants from all over the Empire of the Isles. An entire festival surrounds the annual event, with wooden stalls erected weeks ahead of time, merchants hawk local delicacies, and dances and feasts are organized all around the city.

Anyone is permitted to enter the competition, including warriors, royalty, naval commanders, and even renowned brigands. Elite fighters from esteemed military families make a point to enter the tournament at least once in their lives. And those who come from nothing also make their way across the Empire to take part in the event. During the tournament, participants advance through a series of one-on-one duels until eventually the victor of the final duel is announced the winner and is awarded a trophy for their achievement. The Grand Serkonan Guard keeps an eye on proceedings, and a victory in the competition is enough for even a working class person to win a junior officer rank in the Guard. Some other winners go on to join prestigious units across the Isles.

Trivia

 * Corvo Attano won the Blade Verbena in 1814, becoming a working-class hero of the entire Empire. His trophy is located within his abandoned home in the Dust District and is one of Dishonored 2's collectible souvenirs.
 * According to Meagan Foster, the Grand Inventor Kirin Jindosh entered his Clockwork Soldiers into the tournament and won.