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Isis's ire rises as another would dare intrude on their company...
Know (local)
...but her face softens as she realizes who the speaker is.
Oh my...another soon-to-be admirer of mine. He must be taken by my beauty.
I'll use my feminine charms to lure more information out of him.
Isis gives the newcomer a yellow teethed smile and a 'seductive' wink.
Diplomacy
"I'm so glad you came over, Marthysan. You were last year's winner, were you not? Tell me about your victory. Did you get everything you wanted after you won?"
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"Would you like of my elixirs?", asks Gerri while he reaches into his satchel and retrieves a small handful of purple vial.
"Glorious Gerri, what are the properties of the purple vial?"
Pad will gladly accept an invisibility potion but has no need of a freedom of movement potion. He will express his gratitude and suggests it would be more beneficial to another companion.
After Princess Isis strange attempt to impress Mathysan he just smiles, and then immediately turns to Dora, who really seems to have impressed him. He pulls up a chair at your table and sits down.
"You know why I have picket you out from the many contestnats? I really hope you will be champions this year, because I have heard of your martial prowess and I want to see someone worthy take the title from me!" He pauses for a moment and looks at all of you. "If you want a better pacae to stay, more comfortable and able to recover better after each competition - I can offer you a room in my suite in the adjacent inn. I get a better quarter as the previous champion and have more space than I need for myself. Are you up for it, and," he adds, "I know quite a bit about the island, so you know you way around here, and for sure about the tournament previous tournament and the story of Hao Jin and the Ruby Phoenix Tournament’s founding."
ooc: he is not evil, and seems absolutely sincere, no hidden agenda
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Gerri will continue watching the golden skinned humanoid woman, and listening to the conversation with Marthysan.
When time permits, we will explain the properties of Alchemical Allocation, indicating that he normally prepares up to 3 such extracts each day.
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Isis shoots Dora a murderous look as Dora tries to move in on her man.
"Oh, we should be close together, Marthysan. The Inn sounds lovely. Maybe our rooms could adjoin..." Isis suggests, knowing Marthysan's intent to the deepest part of her soul.
Isis repeats her question, certain that it will be a tale that they might all learn from.
"Tell me about your victory. Did you get everything you wanted after you won?"
The only thing Gerri notices, that the golden skinned humanoid woman seems to observe the Noodle House.
"It was quite hectic after my victory. Suddenly you become famous and a lot of people want to talk to you. But I would have preferred to fight my final opponent instead of just being declared victorious. But what can you do? She was disqualified just prior to the final round for cheating. Don't know if she is here, haven't seen her yet, but she swore vengeance upon me. Maybe she forgot about it, as time has passed by."
She still stands at the railing looking down on the amassed crowd, silently observing. The townsfolk keep their distance from her.
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Isis snorks some nose rundown up her face and out of the way...just like a lady would.
Know (Local)
"Ooh...what kind of cheating did she do? What are the rules of the tournament?" Isis gives Ward a look, as if he would be the one most likely to cheat.
Always the ones you least expect.
"What about magic or poison use?"
"You nkow, you have to sign a certain contraact, before entering the tournament asthat you may not leave Xielan Island until the conclusion of the tournament for any reason. Also, once a round has begun, no contestant may receive any aid, be it magical or mundane, from anyone not
participating in the round as a contestant - and she had helpers et up to do this. Additionally you sign that if any contestant should yield to a foe and forfeit the battle, failure of other contestants to honor that forfeit will result in immediate disqualification. And - no contestant shall loot the body of a fallen foe - she tried that too.And th final part of the contract - all contestants agree that there shall be no ties; only one team may be named the champions. He explains. "For poison use, not clearly forbidden, it is frowned upon. If there would be a winner who used poison, I guess he would carry a very bad reputation as a bad sports. And the victory would be tainted. And I guess, most would view it as cheating."
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"We have been dispatched to win, not preserve our reputations. Combat is combat whether it is done for profit or fun."
Savage thinks for a moment then continues
" We need to utilize any advantages that are not illegal, this is a tournament after all. We should not hinder ourselves with pride, ego, and morals."
Savage returns to eating his fish noodles, contemplating his only retreat against some hobgoblins early in his career as a Pathfinder agent.
"Normalkly everyone gets fully healed, when a new round starts. Also, as you are entering as a team, you can each heal each other."
At this moment another man appears at your table. "Greting fellows, may I have your ear for a moment," the tall man, clothed in monk's clothing asks. "May I introduce myself, I am Chung Po, and with the upcoming tournament, I want to challlenge one of you to a one-on-one wrestling match to get us in the spirit of the following day’s competition. And I also guess, the patrons visitng the Noodle Houdse would enjoy it. We would just fight in a nonlethal grappling contest that would last until one competitor surrenders or is knocked unconscious. Anyone of you up for it?" he asks.
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Of course he wants to roll around with me. Again, my beauty attracts so many suitors.
Princess Isis bats her eyelashes (only slightly green crusted) at the newcomer, Chung Po.
"Ooh...I'm sure you'd like to roll around with me...but I'm afraid I'm spoken for," Isis gives a wink to Mathysan. "Maybe one of these savages," Isis points to the savage Savage, "...would like the honor. I must refuse."
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Isis returns her attention to Marthysan.
"So...Marthysan, will we possibly be facing you in the finale, if we make it that far? Are you part of the tourney?" Isis asks with batted lashes. "If not, how did you win your final battle before the finale? What did you face? Might it be someone who will try again to win?"
Chung Po bows, once in the center of the noodle house crowds are gathered around. Chung Po adopts a stance low to the ground as if a turtle ready to grab at a moments notice with his queue wrapped around itself.
Marthysan turns to Isis, "no you won't befacing me in the finals, I am not participating. I can for sure tell you a bit more about last year's tounrament. You know that more than 30 of the 128 entrants in the thirtieth tournament perished in unrelated accidents, or exhibition
combats not covered by the tournament’s strictures on ethics, honor, and safety. More than half of these deaths were attributed to the dragon Huyanwo, whose defeat has long been the ambition of Ruby Phoenix contestants hoping to make a name for themselves outside the arena.
Also the 7201 tournament’s legacy was further clouded by a surprising number of gambling-related murders in Goka, attributed to a spike in organized criminal activities surrounding the games. Some believe the Golden League, one of the most influential criminal organizations in Tian Xia, has its sights set on ensuring this year’s tournament provides it even higher returns on its gambling books."
ooc: Hasn't gone yet, so cannot take his AoO, I guess, but still a miss.
Then Chung tries to grapple Savage:
and tries to pin him:
and Fort save from Savage
Sense motive checks from all except Savage
Savage's turn
Ward and gerri notices that the golden skinned woman and Risha, who is among the crowd pay close attention to Savage's skills.
As Savage fails to break free, Chung starts to punish him.
Maintain (move action):
Try to inflict damage
amage
ooc: for sure he realizes it. But grapple is his special ability - very few stand a chance in a one-to-one grapple contest with a tetori
The monk releases Savage, turns and bows, "you fought very well!" he honours him. His bow shows his respect for Savage. "Let's have sake on me!"
ooc: non-lethal, so after 1h all damge is gone
Someone put him in to humilate players, I play a tetori in PFS, if it gets to grappling, they are ace
"You are right" Marthysan adds, "you need a clear head and a good nights sleep for tomorrow!"
ooc: I enjoyed it. With all the monk discussion on the boards, they can do something, and if it is just slowly crush their opponents
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Sense Motive
Isis watches Savage get ravaged with a look of disgust on her face (not that it's pretty usually, but with an additional hint of stinkface). Turning away from the slapfest, Isis pursues the discussion with Marthysan.
"Ooh, this is sounding more and more interesting. Are you suggesting that the games outside the ring play an equal or greater roll than within? However did you survive all the politics and gambling?" Isis pries.
"And what about this dragon, Huyanwo? Is taking on the dragon forbidden by the contract? Why would the beast stay nearby if when there are so many potential dragonslayers around? Or could it be that it comes just for the buffet of champions? Hmm..."
Know (History) - Huyanwo
"The dragon, hm, he is a menace, living near the Ridge of Graves. Ad you should not take him on, unless he is made part of the tournament. There are combats, but also other competitions, so you should be prepared for everything! But no, only the arena and official competitions count.
Survive the politics and everything? You know, as a righteous person, I was often tempted, but never failed. I stayed true to Iomedae."
And Isis can recall that the Ridge of Graves is on the island
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Isis' eyes glisten with greed as Marthysan describes the dragon...and what surely must be a glorious treasure horde with so many heroes and champions fallen prey to it.
"This dragon might have quite a stash of treasures to it, no? I only ask for Pathfinder purposes, of course," Isis lies poorly, definitely more interested in magical trinkets more than Pathfinder finds. "I have yet to meet a dragon that could best me...no doubt my capable companions might even assist." Isis ponders aloud.
"How many rounds of combat are there, Marthysan? Do many of them end in death?"
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Gerri thinks for a moment and says, "Princess Isis, my undeserving life has encountered two dragons and have lived another day to have the sun grace my humble eyes."
"The first was a young white dragon, that laired near the Crown of the World. While only the size of a large mastiff, the draconic wonder could breath a cone of freezing breath that nearly brought two of our party to an icy death. We learned that this type of dragon was vulnerable to fire, and my humble bombs help bring us through the battle."
"The second creature of draconic mighty was encountered in a dream of my future self at a much younger age. I am not yet sure of how this will come to be, but I am sure it has something to do with this very tournament."
"The second dragon was know as an Underworld Imperial Dragon. While my dream has been spoiled by the fog of forgetfulness, I do remember defeating the dragon by giving it what it wanted, treasures that we carried that our party did not use any more. We feed the creatures greed."