"I want to win this tournament more than anything. But doing it in an honorable way matters to me. I've seen cheating here before, and I don't want a part in that. I say everyone should be warned."
"Openness is indeed the best way to fight evil," Asha says flatly.
Poog shrugs. "Am fine with me. Am thinking it's silly, but you am doing what you want to be doing anyway."
"As we just spared a dragon, I'm inclined to agree with Asha and Zarina to win this honorably and without assassinating humans. With one exception, there is a man on this island that I will slay when I meet him, and no words will hold my hand from removing his head. Come on Poog, let's find a way to identify those other items, maybe that little blue marble is a cold shell holding a massive fire inside?"
"Oooh! You think?" Poog takes a closer look at the marble, trying to spot some fire inside, even shaking it.
"Am we telling everyone we am beating dragon? Am that not letting Golden League and Aspises know we am biggest threat (if they am not smart enough to know it already)?"
Back in town, Poog will try to find someone to identify the remaining items or who might have an identify scroll he can buy.
"They've already tried to murder us," Simon says, shrugging. "Who cares at this point?"
Asha glances sideways at Zak, listening to his stated intention to murder someone, but says nothing for the moment. Instead, she takes the coins she was given from the dragon's hoard and drops them into Poog's hands. "Thank you," she says quietly. In a somewhat louder tone, she goes on, "I don't know how we would keep such a thing quiet anyway, short of outright lies and false confessions of cowardice. We were not discreet about our plans in coming here, so our return will invite questions." She pauses, thinking. "In fact, we will need to be wary - it seems likely that the Golden League, the Aspis Consortium or even both might try to take advantage of our relative isolation as we return..."
"I still have those scrolls of invisibility," Simon says. "And Zakarras has his smoke bottle and powers of flight. As long as we keep our eyes open for ambushes, we should be alright."
The goblin nods as Asha gives him more coins, tucking them in one of his pouches.
"Poog am daring them to attack us. Poog am happy to kill more of them if they try to kill Poog."
With that, however, the little witch promptly turns invisible.
"You all am ready now?" his exasperated voice calls out.
Zak concurs, then floats back into the air and is enveloped in a cloud of smoke.
"I'm ready. Let's get back and announce our findings."
You march back to the Tournament grounds, where you see that The Heroes of the Amaranthine Golem have fallen to the elven samurai. The gnome and his eidolon look particularly sullen. "If we'd won, I'm sure our stories would have been told far and wide," you hear him say in passing. "Now nobody will ever hear of me!"
The monks are in the middle of arranging the fight stage for the final bout for today, between the hobgoblin monk Gomwai and a man in scholar's robes, heavily tattooed with strange runes that glow with power. As they prepare the stage, you note that a number of iron maidens have been wheeled into the arena. You hear a muffled cry come from one of them, where a pair of monks have slid the tenth in a series of ten knives into slots in the device. The padlock is removed, and a bloodied Mol Kor emerges, raising his fists in triumph.
"You have done well, Mol Kor," The Emissary says. "You have shown the crowd your training has allowed you to withstand incredible hardship. Take this in recognition of your achievement." Kiang Zhen teleports next to the half-orc, and hands him a vial with a bubbling liquid inside. As she does, The Emissary notes your arrival, and looks to you with great interest.
"We have defeated your monster, Emissary. It learned the error of attacking a devout holy warrior."
"Oy!" Simon calls out to the Heroes of the Amaranthine Golem. "Don't leave just yet, neighbours. We have discovered something during the battle with the dragon that concerns all contestants, both present and future. If you ever want to try your hand at this Tournament again and value good things, please wait for the announcement."
When the group has the Emissary's attention, Simon gives him a curt nod.
"The dragon was, indeed, defeated by a heroic effort," he says in a loud, carrying voice. "It revealed certain facts to us, however, which are of concern to all who participate in the Ruby Phoenix Tournament! We wish to speak to the gathered contestants, right now if possible!"
Asha smiles approvingly at Simon's grandstanding.
Poog waits, keeping an eye out for any attacks.
"Yea", Zak chimes in, "it took us 20 seconds, how long has that dragon been plaguing this island? There's still a heap of coins in the lair under water, just in case any of you want to get some of your tribute back, we'll tell you where the lair is right after Simon divulges the Important Facts we need to share with all of you."
The Emissary's eyes open wide at Zarina's response, and silence falls over the Tournament grounds at Simon's request. All eyes fall to the Emissary, who leans in to whisper something Marythsan. The knight nods in response, and begins descending the ziggurat. As he does, The Emissary rises to speak. "The menace that has plagued Xielan Bay for almost two hundred years has fallen! Accept our thanks, Warriors of the Five Elements, for you have succeeded where countless others have fallen. For this, we honor you with our sincerest thanks." The aging man then bows deeply from atop the ziggurat, a gesture that is reciprocated by the audience and attending monks. After a few moments of grateful silence, The Emissary speaks again. "People of New Harbor, give a cheer for these men and women!"
The noise that comes from the crowd is as deafening as it is heartfelt.
Marythsan finishes climbing down the steps, and leans in close. He has to nearly shout to be heard over the din of the crowd. "WHAT HAVE YOU DISCOVERED?", he cries. "HOW DOES THIS AFFECT THE TOURNAMENT?"
Asha smiles more widely at the expressions of relief and gratitude from the people - the grin begins to look almost as draconic as the group's recently-chastised foe. It dims, however, at Marthysan's question. "IT IS NOT JUST THE GOLDEN LEAGUE WE MUST CONTEND WITH," she shouts back. "THE DRAGON CLAIMED THE ASPIS CONSORTIUM IS ALSO PLANNING TO TRY TO CORRUPT THE TOURNAMENT TO THEIR OWN DESIGN, AND EVEN APPROACHED HIM ABOUT AN ALLIANCE TO THAT END."
Marythsan's eyebrows raise when Asha mentions the Consortium. "THE ASPIS? HERE?", he asks incredulously. "WHAT'S THEIR GAME? DO YOU KNOW?"
Marythsan blinks a few times, and looks around suspiciously.
"THE ASPIS LEAGUE'S GAME WAS TO BE KIDNAPPING!" Simon shouts. "THEY APPROACHED THE DRAGON TO ASSIST THEM! THE GOLDEN LEAGUE HAS ALREADY ATTEMPTED - AND POSSIBLY EVEN COMMITTED - MURDER DURING THIS TOURNAMENT!"
Marythsan's face grows grim as you explain the broad details of the plot, and gestures for you to attend him in one of the preparatory alcoves for the contestants. Here, the noise is less deafening, though the noise shows little sign of lessening. During the short walk, he has composed himself and he speaks with restraint, though you detect a righteous fury behind his words.
"You've confirmed our worst fears," the paladin says solemnly. "Whatever the Golden League and the Aspis Consortium are planning can't be allowed to succeed. That they're working together is bad enough. The fact that they went to the trouble to secure Huyanwo's assistance indicates they've got some greater plan in play. You've come closer to rooting out the corruptive influences at work here by accident than I have in nearly three days of dedicated investigation. Normally, tournament by-laws would require me to take your statements and do the investigations myself, but I'm not about to look a valuable resource when I see one. I can't authorize you to look into this, but if you've got a plan, my status as the current Ruby Phoenix Champion can legitimize any solid information you present. What have you got?"
Poog shrugs.
"Poog think they am learning not to attack him if they am wanting to live."
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"Just to start with, I have a suggestion for you," Simon says. "Many contestants are going home brokenhearted because they feel they will not be part of the Ruby Phoenix's legend because they were defeated. Organize them. Offer them a minor title, 'Defender of the Ruby' or somesuch, and get them as auxiliary personnel to safeguard the tournament and the nation's dignitaries. These are powerful, skilled people; it is better to use them than wave them off and find ourselves outnumbered by those filthy criminals."
"Very clever, Simon. Assuming these defeated opponents are not in on the scheme between those two dastardly organizations."
Simon shrugs. "Even so, we will have a better grasp on where they are and who they are. How say you, Marthysan?"
Impressed with the wisdom of Simon, Zak nods in approval, hoping that Marythsan concurs with the brilliant idea.
Asha too nods her approval at Simon's suggestion. "I would be happy to volunteer to help interview them, and we could perhaps hire a priest to apply certain magics to verify their good intentions if needed?" she adds.
Poog scowls as he waits for Mathysan to respond.
Marythsan nods in approval of Simon's suggestion. "I'll have to run it past the Emissary, but I think it's a splendid idea as well. I'll take it up with him this evening, and that title should be created by morning. That should take care of any lingering distaste in the mouths of the honest competitors."
"As for the dishonest ones, I have strict laws I must follow, but your hands are less bound. For instance, I can't accept your assistance in interrogating the remaining teams. That would suggest a bias towards your group by tournament officials, which is entirely true in at least one case. You'd have to participate in a less official capacity, I'm afraid."
Asha nods her understanding of the complexities Marthysan is facing. "We will continue our own... unorthodox... approach, then," she winks.
"So now what we do? We am searcing more for these people that am trying to take Poog's prize or waiting until our next match tomorrow?"
"We don't want to disqualify ourselves from the tournament, so whatever actions we take we must be sure they don't violate the rules. These nefarious groups will use the law of the island against us if they can, they'll use any means possible. I say we show the people where the lair resides so they can reclaim their stolen coins and we win the favor of the island while also keeping those coins from the hands of the devious groups. That goodwill might also help our investigation."
"That sounds acceptable to me, Zakarras. Let them have their coin back. That might win a few ears to our side."
Zak leads the people to the shore's edge and points to where the underwater lair can be found. "Good people of this island, reclaim your lost coins, and don't forget your neighbors, spread the little wealth that can be reclaimed after Huyanwo stole it from you! After you've claimed what you can, please come speak to us, the pretty Paladin wants to hear your stories!" His seed planted, Zak returns to the noodle house for a hot meal and mug of spirits.
Poog waits and watches as the villagers learn of their coins.
Turning aside with a shrug, he heads back to the inn to wait for whatever comes next. This prize is so close; let them just try to stop me from getting it...
Marythsan looks impressed as Zak suggests giving the coinage to the people of New Harbor. "That's...actually a very good solution. I'll get a few monks to help with retrieval, as I don't want someone's greed to outweigh their ability to swim. And I'd also request you wait until the end of the day to make this announcement. The Emissary would be...displeased if there were a mass exodus out of the Grand Pavilion before all of today's bouts had taken place."
He turns to leave to make the arrangements, and stops at the alcove. "The Emissary will want to know if you are planning to do any of the Tests of Iron Body. You might have seen those iron maidens around the fight stage. They're to demonstrate your resistance to pain that you've built up through training. You get locked in one of them and subjected to the trials particular to that iron maiden. You just need to remain conscious for the entirety of the trial. There's five of them. The Drowning Idol tests your lung capacity, as you're completely submerged in water for four full minutes. The Fiery Idol tests your resistance to fire, as the casket is set upon a blazing pyre for ten minutes. The Pain Idol tests your tolerance to pain as twenty knives are stuck into the slots. The Poison Idol tests your natural constitution, as you are forced to breathe in toxic incense for a full minute. Finally, the Winter Idol is the polar opposite of the Fiery Idol - no pun intended - as it is placed in an ice water bath for ten minutes. You each can do any and all of them, and should you remain conscious at the end of the trials, you'll receive the rewards. Do you wish to participate in this?"
"I, for one, shall decline," Simon says with a rueful chuckle. "Mayhap Poog feels drawn to the Fire Idol...?"
Zarina volunteers for the fire challenge, hoping her resistance to the element should serve her well. "Are spells allowed," wondering if a resist energy spell might permitted as well.
"There's nothing in the by-laws about it, Zarina. I'll go inform the Emissary of your intent to participate. Anyone else?"
"I will attempt the Toxic Idol," Asha says, pondering.
"I shall attempt the test of the Drowning Idol." Zak steps forward, ready to win the favor of the crowd.
Poog heaves a deep sigh.
They am better not being ruining their chances of fighting. We am needing to win prize!
"You am better not being ruining your chances of fighting. We am needing to win prize!" he says with a scowl.
It growls, possibly in agreement, possibly in reproach.