The Forgotten God (Table 2) (Inactive)

Game Master Rednal

Movement speed is halved until you leave Room 15.

"Is that what you call it? It's always just been there for me." Rogziel said, shrugging. "The Talon only reacted to people who had this sort of power, and it's rare enough as it is, so I got drafted to be the one training to use the thing." He didn't seem to think any part of this was special - it was just the way things were for him as he slogged out of the chamber and into the hallway.

That only takes a few rounds of walking even at Rogziel's speed

"Hmm...interesting. Most aren't always privy to it, even those born mythic are only able to unlock its power after meeting some conditions." Sevia mused, wondering what might have possibly led to his ascension. Given his heritage, she supposed he could've been born to a minor god, or perhaps more likely an Empyreal Lord. But he should've had to learn of his divine parentage if he was to unlock his mythic power. "Time will reveal more to you, I'm sure of it. Anyone with such a spark of divinity is always drawn to a greater destiny." Sevia said with a shrug.

Finally reaching the hallway and shutting the door, Sevia proceeds down towards room 11 and uses her Scroll of Read Magic to look at the arcane glyphs and see what they mean.

"We should get back to the sanctum, the others are probably wondering why we've been gone so long." Sevia said, snorting a little. She hadn't expected this tomb to be such an obstacle to overcome.

Sevia and Rogziel head back to base

The glyphs in the eleventh room of the chamber are revealed by the Read Magic spell to be fairly simple and straightforward - low-level spells suitable for copying into any kind of spellbook, but not of much use to you, since your magical powers are more innate than that.

The return trip does take quite a few hours - it's no easy walk just to get back to Maheto, and the sanctum is quite a few hours away from the city. Rogziel looks distinctly tired by the time you arrive, and with a brief farewell, heads back towards his chamber - the others crowd around you, led by Auguinare.

"Hrm, I knew you'd make it back! I take it your journey was successful?" he asked, looking at the things you'd retrieved.

"Of course. There were quite a few undead that needed to be destroyed." Sevia nodded back to Auguinare. "Rogziel was also quite helpful." she said as she watched the man retreated back towards his sleeping quarters, some new found respect for the boy. As he walked off to get some rest, Sevia couldn't help but agree with the sentiment.

After staying to answer some of the other's questions, Sevia will excuse herself to her room, intent of finding some rest and sleeping off the excursion's hardships.

It doesn't take long to sleep once you've reached your bed - frantic exertions followed by long hikes will tire out most people, even those as healthy as you, and welcome blackness claims you.

As you rest, a seven-pointed star appears in your dreams, slowly spinning clockwise. One of its points is lit, and two more glow dimly. Illuminated an angry red is a point you recognize as representing pride - one of your greatest drawbacks, and a sin that has stopped you from displaying the virtue of humility. The fist dimly illuminated point is a friendlier green - you seem to be well on the path to illuminating zeal as a counter to sloth, as demonstrated by your willingness to push onwards even after having your vitality sucked away. The second dim point seems to recognize greed - many treasures were put into tombs for the sake of others, and seizing them for yourself is questionable at best (hence apparently moving along the road to greed, though you haven't solidly moved that way).

There is no speaking or communication - the knowledge is simply present within your mind. Goodness does not allow for a balance between vice and virtue - it's not enough to be righteously zealous if you are also filled with sinful pride, for then you could only be called neutral, harming the world just as much as you help it. As a god, you are bound to significantly tighter standards than a mortal, and a change in your ethical alignment must, by necessity, include a true commitment to the advancement of good. Humility seems to be barred to you - but charity, temperance, generosity, love, zeal, and kindness are virtues that you can still display, and an honest commitment to two of them - or three, if your greed continues to grow - will be enough to push you into the realm of good.

This is not a path that can be forced upon you - as with all good, it only matters if willingly chosen. Yet it may be your surest route to taking a place within the pantheon of good - and aspects of virtue like the kindness of death, gently welcoming those who have suffered in life before sending them to a better place may actually match you quite well. Virtues - like vice - often have a degree of personal interpretation within them.

Yet one thing in your dream is clear - you will never be good unless you truly choose to be.

You have reached Level 3! As before, please fill note your upgrades in the discussion thread for review. If you commit to two or more virtues before you wake (feel free to add a note on how they apply to your character - personal interpretation does count as long as it's reasonable), you level as Lawful Good. Otherwise, you level as Lawful Neutral. You are at 6500/9000 XP.

Sevia pondered her dream - the first lucid dream she'd yet had. She felt herself floating in front of the strange seven pointed star, and knew immediately what it represented. Her dreams always seemed significant now a days; perhaps due to her mortal coil. She'd not spoken much with Desna, but the lack of control over her subconscious seemed to produce a more meaningful - if yet harder to decipher, dreamscape.

Was she necessarily greedy? Had she not taken the treasures within the tomb, they'd simply be buried in sand or wasting away, forgotten by time. She of all people knew how little these possessions mattered now that their occupants had finally moved on to the next life. It did not feel like something she should necessarily be overly concerned of. Looking to the other virtues, she pondered them; Kindness had been something she'd expressed often in her past life - though some found it odd that death could be called a kindness. Of all the virtues, she felt she struggled most with love, it had always felt alien to her despite Sheyln's gentle guidance...and her mixed feelings regarding Gorum always annoyed her.

As Sevia finally awoke once more in her bed, having slept rather late, she tried to clear her mind. Sitting down to the floor and practicing her old meditations, she couldn't help but notice how rejuvenated she'd felt. A long rest, and much inner exploration, had her feeling more relaxed, and filled with purpose, than she'd felt in a long time.

She chuckled a little as she pondered her new changes. A long time ago she was a flighty God, and would've regarded such change with derision. Still, she did not regard herself as identical to the Goddess Iomedae. Their Codes might be similar, but Sevia often found herself concerned more with results than methods, and ironically thought that both Gorum and Iomadae were more alike in some regards than they might realize.

Sevia will spend some time meditating before looking to her recently acquired magic items. Casting Identify she'll try to make them out, while also expending some Mythic power to cast Crafter's Fortune, anticipating some more free time in her future.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 9 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 9 + 10 = 38 Dagger
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 9 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 9 + 10 = 21 Ring

And appraise on the necklace and mask I took, detect magic and spellcraft on it if it's also magical

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 9 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 9 + 10 = 25 Jackal Mask
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 9 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 9 + 10 = 20 Necklace

Sevia will then finally leave her room and seek out Auginaire, casting Detect Evil before she left and curiously sweeping it around secretly as she walked.

The dagger is a +2 ghost touch dagger, made of sturdy iron and clearly a potent weapon against spirits, allowing them to be slashed through much easier. It's also quite probably one of the most valuable items from the tomb, all things considered.

The ring is definitely magical, but your examination isn't enough to decipher its secrets.

The mask is revealed to be the Death Mask of King Toth Nekamek, buried with him when he died. When worn, it grants a +1 deflection bonus to AC and a +2 competence bonus on Sense Motive and Perception checks - though it does look just a bit odd and out of place with your current getup. Your estimate of its worth places it at around 200 GP for a collector.

The necklace isn't magical, and it seems to be worth around 650 GP.

As you leave, your newfound ability to detect evil is functioning quite well. Probably. You're not finding any outright evil within the building, though the members still seem at least a bit... unusual. Auguinare is fairly easy to find - he and a number of the others are gathered in the main hall, where Rogziel is waiting with a pack on his back. You're able to catch a few snippets of the conversation as you approach.

"You're leaving now? But, the door is-"

"I've already made my decision." the Aasimar said calmly - though he doesn't seem to have noticed you yet. "I'm sure you and the Raven Queen can manage it without me."

Sevia raised an eyebrow with intrigue as she approached. She hadn't expected that certainly. She wondered why he'd made such a decision. "Where will you go?" Sevia asked as she stopped nearby, making her presence known. She avoided asking the more obvious question, feeling it was probably more private. Though she guessed it might have something to do with losing his sense of purpose.

Rogziel turns as you speak up, then considers for a few moments. "Probably Absalom." he finally said. "I've heard some good things about the scholars there, and I think I'd like to learn more of the world. And..." he smiles slightly. "Well, there's always work for an Aasimar. It shouldn't be too hard to get by in a city of merchants."

Sevia smirked, "Well, you shouldn't have any want for knowledge there. It's undoubtedly the grandest city in Golarion." she pointed out, remembering at the moment when Aroden first built the city. "It'll be a shame to see someone so skilled go though." Sevia lamented slightly, sure that he could've eventually become a Grandmaster in his own right - who knows? It wasn't impossible that he wouldn't come back. Or maybe it was, mythic heroes were always destined to do great things.

Bidding Rogziel farewell, Sevia will turn towards Auguinare. "I'm afraid to say I'll also be leaving as well. I'll be gone soon, bound for southern Taldor, looking for something called 'The Belt of Grace.' So I'll leave things here to you until I get back." Sevia told her second in command quite bluntly.

"Ah... um... before you go, er-" Auguinare began as Rogziel headed for the exit - only to be elbowed sharply by the woman you saw training the apprentices before.

"There's a door we can't pass through over where the Talon used to be. It showed up last night." she said, jerking a thumb towards the ceremonial hall. "You might want to check that out at some point. It's... making people nervous." Strange things happening in poorly-understood demiplanes could do that, especially to people who had relatively little arcane training in their own right. Unlike most people, however, she didn't seem all that bothered by it - after all, doors were only a problem if other problems were coming through them, right?

"A door you say? Interesting, demi-planes are full of surprises I suppose. I'll give it a look before I go." Sevia said, giving the woman a wayward glance as she took her leave. She seemed to have quite a more level head than Auguinare. To be frank she couldn't imagine a man like him as Grandmaster.

Returning to her room, Sevia dons her gear, paying attention to her new pieces of equipment - the mask and dagger she'd picked up. At least now she'd have nothing to fear from incorporeal, she debated whether to sell the dagger - but for now it was the only magic weapon she had, so she'd keep it.

After finishing her preparations, including giving her staff another charge, Sevia will proceed towards the ceremonial hall - now rather empty that the cult lacked the Talon which to worship - to examine the newly appeared door, and then try to open said door.

The door easily opens at your touch - it's standing right in the middle of the chamber, apparently having displaced the pedestal, and simply... well... existing. The overall construction is sturdy wood, but as you move through, the cultists behind you simply stop. No matter how hard they try, they're unable to move past the threshold of the door.

Ahead of you is a long hallway, but there does seem to be a room of some kind in the distance. Of course, whether or not you go there is entirely up to you.

'...Interesting' Sevia thought, plodding forward through the door into the hallway. 'Nothing ventured nothing gained.' She figured, determined to see what might be at the end of the room, Sevia continued onward.

Still, better safe than sorry, so she drew her sword and dagger, casting Detect Evil ahead of herself.

There's no sign of evil as you push forward, eventually emerging into a small, comfortable room. In the middle of the chamber is a large desk, with lines etched into it to create a large 3x3 grid. A chair has been placed in front of it. The walls of the room seem to be made entirely of some sort of wood, with the boards pressed together so thoroughly that they almost seem like one solid object.

However, none of this is as interesting as the figure sitting in a chair across from the desk. He's dressed in thick robes that cover his body - all except for his face, upon which you can see a mask. One side of the mask is smiling while the other seems angry, and he's slowly shufflig a deck of cards. Detect Evil still fails to pick up any signs of abyssal power from him. "What an interesting guest. I must confess, I wasn't really expecting to see you here, Keeper of Souls. Please, take a seat." he gestured to the open chair.

Sevia could help but think what an odd room this was, but she was more surprised - pleasantly so, by the figure occupying the room. Specifically, someone who actually knew who she was. "You know who I am." Sevia observed, sheathing her weapons and striding forward. "I admit I was starting to become frustrated trying to find someone who remembered me. Who are you?" she asked, slowly taking a seat, her elbows resting on the armchairs and both arms coming up to steeple before her.

The figure twists his head to the side, showing more of the smiling side of the mask. "Perhaps I'm a helpful guide here to show you your path, or a foul trickster seeking your undoing before you become a threat. I could be nothing more than the dream of a plant awaiting spring, or an undigested bit of dinner playing with your mind as you tumble through a void. Reality is what you make of it - I am whoever you want me to be." He stopped shuffling the cards, then set them down on the side of the table, just beyond the markings engraved into its rich top. "Still, I'm quite content to watch the world instead of interfering with it. All I have here is an offer for the Dreaded Death - a reading of the Harrow for you in exchange for the right to observe your future actions without interfering in them. And before you ask, the only answers I have for your greatest questions are those the cards give me." He straightened his face, waiting patiently for your reply.

"If you know me, then you know I don't answer to that name anymore." Sevia frowned in annoyance, rather displeased to be reminded of that sore spot. Closing her eyes, she pondered his offer - she'd never had her own future divined to her, as the Goddess of Fate she'd often been on the reverse, though who was to say how accurate it could be?

"Very well, I accept." Sevia said, opening her eyes and lowering her hands.

"Names, too, only have the meanings we care to give them." the man said. He lightly tapped the desk, and the top cards of the harrow deck shot into their positions, face-down. "I believe you value your dexterity and agility the most... and your recent changes have made both law and goodness paramount in your life, so let us use those." he mused.

Stat: 1d6 ⇒ 5 and Card: 1d9 ⇒ 3
Stat: 1d6 ⇒ 4 and Card: 1d9 ⇒ 8
Stat: 1d6 ⇒ 6 and Card: 1d9 ⇒ 7
Stat: 1d6 ⇒ 3 and Card: 1d9 ⇒ 4
Stat: 1d6 ⇒ 3 and Card: 1d9 ⇒ 1
Stat: 1d6 ⇒ 2 and Card: 1d9 ⇒ 3
Stat: 1d6 ⇒ 3 and Card: 1d9 ⇒ 6
Stat: 1d6 ⇒ 1 and Card: 1d9 ⇒ 4
Stat: 1d6 ⇒ 4 and Card: 1d9 ⇒ 2

The first thing examined was the spread of alignments, a key to how the rest of the spread would be read.

CG - NE - LE
LN - LG - CG
CN - LN - NG

At the same time, the cards themselves were revealed, forming a pattern on the table.

The Publican - The Idiot - The Tyrant
The Brass Dwarf - The Trumpet - The Juggler
The Mountain Man - The Forge - The Wanderer

"Very interesting." the man mused, peering at the cards before him. "Three cards are misaligned, one as an opposite match, and one card as a true match. There is one line here." He looked up slightly.

"The positive aspect of your past is the Publican, representing fellowship and camaraderie. Your time with Fhanys was well-spent, I think... as was your time with your sister. The uncertainty of your past is a true match - and a very curious one it is, for the Brass Dward represents immunity to certain peril. Yet its place in the center suggests that a peril you thought overcome may not have been, and you would be wise to avoid thinking all your past victories as certain things. A true match is a major telling - do not ignore this card. The negative part of your past is the Mountain Man, who represents an external physical power. It speaks of your fall from glory, but it is in the past, and should not be worried about."

His hand moved to the center column. "The Idiot here is misaligned - and it means a clever feigning of idiocy for success. Consider the actions of those around you - but remember that though they may be acting with deception, their actions are ultimately beneficial to you, and it may not be worth prying too deeply. The uncertainty in your present is the Trumpet, standing for a declaration of power. It is unclear whether proclaiming your divinity now is the best course - consider your options when speaking to others. Your negative present is the Forge - it represents strength through diversity. However, a negative placement means that diversity is not your friend, and spreading your skills too wide will not bring you rewards. Now..."

He tapped the last column. "The Tyrant is an opposite match, as far from its rightful place as possible. This is fortunate for you, for its placement means a momentous reward in the future. It stands for a dark influence being overruled - you will face great darkness, but I believe you will ultimately triumph over it. Your uncertain future is the only card of your attribute in this spread, and such a curious note it is. The meaning of the card is that fate is on your side - but this could easily stop being the case, especially as long as you lack your power. The very last card is your negative future - and this is an ill omen, as it is your only alignment card in the spread. A misaligned wanderer stands for the inability to see value - in both people and things. You will suffer a great loss because of your failure to see the truth."

His hand moved back to the very first card, then came down in a diagonal. "Lines are powerful things in a spread of the Harrow. Here, we see the positive aspects of fellowship leading to a declaration of your power, then the inability to see the value of what you have done. No, I do not believe proclaiming your divinity now will turn out as a good result for you."

Finally, his hand moved back to the last column. "This isn't a true line, but your future has an opposite match, your only alignment card, and your only attribute card in its squares. Yes, your future is worth watching." He left the cards on the table for a moment, then trapped it once more and allowed the cards to fly back into his deck. "That is all the knowledge I see within your cards."

Sevia watched as the man lay out her cards, listening intently as he spoke. She raised an eyebrow as he spoke of the young girl she'd befriended. Part of her wondered how the young thing was doing. As she looked at the set of cards, she paid close attention to The Trumpet, the Tyrant, and The Wanderer - especially what was said about them.

As he finished, she closed her eyes and steeped her hands again, taking a moment to think all this through. It seemed as though fate was telling her that she would overcome a great obstacle, yet see just as grand a loss as a gain from it, which seemed right in line with what she should expect from prophetic foretelling. And there were the other things to consider, such as fellowship and declaration. It seemed to represent the close bond she was making towards the mortals around her, but she also knew that she was almost as mortal as they were - and pressing her true yet incomplete identity too soon could easily have negative consequences.

"That is a lot to think about." Sevia finally said, "Though, I wonder how substantive one can think of it, I've been told fate is not nearly as certain as it once was with the passing of Aroden." she posed, though somewhat facetiously - it was not an accident she was here she believed, and dismissing this was not a wise course. "It's a funny thing really, so often I have seen mortals in the past ensure their fates through prophecy due to sheer expectation. Perhaps this might be no different." she said with a smile, tapping the arm of her chair before standing up.

"Before I leave though, will you tell me your name? If you have one I suppose." Sevia said, looking down at the curious figure.

"Who I am is what I am." He said, turning the smiling half of his mask towards you again. "Perhaps you will find my name one day, or perhaps you'll simply give me a name within your thoughts as I become no more than a distant memory. Either one would be equally right... because the only names that matter are those we give to others." The atmosphere within the room lifts slightly, and it seems that you're welcome to head back the way you came. "It was a pleasure reading your cards, Raven Queen."

"Hmph, so you say. Goodbye, for now." Sevia said wryly, leaving the strange being to his cards. She imagined the door to this place would disappear when she left - or maybe not. He seemed like an unpredictable fellow. Finally reaching the ceremonial hall, Sevia reemerged to her followers and closed the door behind her.

"You needn't worry about the door. It's harmless." Sevia told them, purposefully obtuse about what she'd seen. To be honest, it was a little hard to explain anyways.

The members still in the room just nodded slowly, looking a bit more relieved than they had before you entered the door. Having someone else take care of a job was always at least a little relieving, even to the members of one of the world's smallest cults.

"Ahem, well, I suppose everything's going fine, then." Auguinare said, attempting to take charge of the situation. "All right, you lot! The Raven Queen says it's nothing to worry about, so get back to your studies!" He quickly began ushering them out the doors.

Watching as the others moved outside of the doors, Sevia turned to Auguinare. "Well, it certainly looks like you've got a handle on things. I trust you'll be able to do so until I return, it might be some time, I'm not sure how long it takes to travel to southern Taldor, and I could be occupied with my search for some time." She explained, stroking her chin thoughtfully. If at all possible, she'd like to return within a few months at most, but she was probably going to take her time heading south. Maybe she could catch a rive boat? Though frankly, she wasn't sure just how far south she'd need to go. It might help to stop in Oppara if the library there might help her track it down, either that or rumors.

"Is there anything else you need before I leave?" she asked thoughtfully.

"One thing we're proud of is our self-sufficiency." Auguinare said confidently. "We can watch things here. Do be careful if you're heading down that way, though. The nobles..." he frowned a bit. "...Well, them and the bureaucrats. It's really not safe for anyone down that way, especially when the slave catchers are going through." Taldor was a country with many problems, and its own government was at the very top of that list.

Sevia almost smirked, "Can't be any worse than undead or demons." she said with a shrug, clearly unfazed at the thought of having to deal with ordinary humans. Hell, she hoped to run into some slaver scum, they'd be rather easy to deal with. Still, she was glad he seemed to think things would be under control here. "Take care, oh and remember, be careful around Maheto - they're still wary." Sevia said, patting his shoulder before moving on.

Heading back to her room, Sevia will retrieve the last of her belongings - which did amount to enough weight for her to spend some mythic power on an Ant Haul spell, before heading out. Leaving the compound, Sevia first set her sights on Maheto, intent on buying some supplies.

Arriving back at the city, Sevia ruefully imagined it would be quite some time before she'd be back. First things first, aiming to sell off the gems and jewelry she'd collected - deliberately holding off on selling the jewelry she'd collected figuring it would seem a plausible alibi for herself that she was heading south to find a collector to purchase them, then get more crafting supplies. In addition, decided to ask about river travel. Looking to see if it were possible to get a boat on the Verduran Fork down to Cassomir, and from there to Oppara. And, just in case, keep an ear out for rumors about the death cult in the area.

Sell:
Valuables 242gp
Composite Longbow 50gp
4x Cold Iron Daggers 2gp
Wakizashi 17.5gp

311.5gp

Buy:
Grappling Arrow 1gp
Scroll Case 1gp
Scroll Read Magic 12.5gp
Scroll Comprehend Languages 25gp
Crafting Supplies-
3x Tanglefoot Bags 50gp
Mithral Wakizashi 535/3 - 178.5gp
Wyroot Hilt 1000/3 - 333.5gp
4x MW Cold Iron Starknives 1296/3 - 464gp

1015.5gp

+311.5gp
-1015.5gp
+947gp
243gp total

It doesn't take long to confirm that boats do travel down the river - and it's a journey of about a hundred miles straight north to reach the Falling River, which flows into the Fork and down towards the Capital from there. The only major settlement along the way is Faldamont, but it does have the virtues of being both connected by road and a place to restock on food and other supplies. Either way, people who want to walk are certainly able to do so, and alternative transportation - mostly wagons hauling trade goods toward the river - is available.

There don't seem to be many rumors about the death cults... though you do hear your own likeness mentioned in a positive light. The people you saved at the tomb sound like they're quite grateful, and haven't hesitated to talk about what happened to them.

Honestly, though she seriously considered the convenience of traveling that distance to take the rest of her journey by boat, if she put up with double the distance going South, she could probably reach Karakuru and then Oppara in much less time. It just seemed too counter intuitive to travel so long in the opposite direction of her destination to take such a roundabout way there.

Setting out for the evening, Sevia decided to make for Dalaston first to take on more foodstuffs, then around the World's Edge Mountains from there to Karakuru. Though she'd used up too much time that day, Sevia spent the next crafting for 8 hours in the morning, and traveling 6 hours in the evening, sleeping for 8 hours at night - determined to complete some of her crafting work during her traveling. Taking time to craft, and set up for the night and day, took some time out of her traveling, but not much, and she was averaging 32 miles a day.

Each day she casts Ant Haul to speed herself up. Sevia takes 10 on craft bow, and increase the DC check by +10 to craft fast. She should have her MW composite bow and the adamantine arrows done in a week or so of traveling. She'll also recharge her staff once each day.

The trip to Dalaston takes about three days - your natural walking speed is about twice what a normal person could manage, after all, and that does nicely cut down on the time it takes to reach any given destination. Another six days or so takes you to Karakuru, where it's likely you'll have the tools you need to craft more metallic gear... after all, anvils and forges aren't generally available on the road.

Once in Karakuru, Sevia will rent a place to stay for a week, intent on at least seeing the blade of her new sword finished, though the hilt would take longer. Eventually booking a passage on a riverboat down to the docks in Oppara, where she spent her time finishing some of her alchemical crafting. While on board, Sevia did spend some time above deck meditating.

Sevia takes a week to complete her mithral sword - without the wyroot handle. She'll then take a ship to Oppara, spending the few days on ship to complete her alchemical creations, using her mythic power to cast Craft Fortune during the trip

As expected, ships do have their fees - but 10 GP suffices to pay your package down to Oppara, the glorious capital city of Taldor. The most important question, of course, is what you want to do in this sprawling city and how long you plan to stay...

Sevia will ask around for directions towards any kind of library in the city, intent on heading there immediately. She didn't plan on staying here any longer than she had to, just long enough to look through a library long enough for any references to something called the Belt of Grace. It might also be worth it she supposed to head down to Oppara's "Sixteenth District" and search around for any rumors related to the belt.

Also assume I've been spellcrafting that ring since Maheto, so - what is it?

Finding information on the Belt of Grace isn't very difficult - a tournament is being hosted in the city of Ortalaca, south-east of Oppara, and this belt is reputed to be one of the prizes of the event. It sounds like quite a few warriors will be present and fighting for the reward... but if you fail to win it now, it could be a long time before you hear word of it again. If you set out tomorrow, you should be able to make it to the tournament grounds with a few days to spare before the event begins.

The libraries themselves don't have much on the topic, save for several notes in one tome indicating that the belt's supposed benefits are both intermittent and incredibly difficult to analyze.

It's a weaker version of the Ring of the Ram - 3/10 charges.

I assume that the selling price is 3/10 of what it normally is?

Sevia was quite happy actually that the information on the belt was quite readily available. Though she probably had the coincidence of the tournament to thank for that. She might not have arrived soon enough to participate if she'd come any later.

While here, she figured she might as well sell the jewelry she'd kept since Maheto.

Sell:
Valuables worth 1450gp

+1450
+233
1683 total

After which, she made straight across the Grand Bridge towards Ortalaca. If it was indeed a fragment of her soul as she suspected, she'd need to acquire it then and there. Normally she'd consider thievery beneath her, but as a last resort she'd definitely steal it. Hopefully it wouldn't come to that.

Sevia is going to craft the hilt on her blade as she travels, it'll take just under two week, not sure if I get there before then

600 GP total - 200 per charge remaining in the ring.

Even on foot, it's only four or five days to reach Ortalaca at your normal rate of travel. It seems you won't quite have enough time to finish every tool before you arrive for the event - but the world isn't always so convenient as to wait for you, despite your status as a true divine.

As you arrive in the city, you're greeted by the sight of the largest fighting arena you've ever seen. The entire area is surrounded by merchants who have flocked to the area for the event, and that's not counting the permanent salesmen of the area... or the many people who have come to take part. There seems to be more than two hundred contestants entering, and once the event gets underway, it appears there will be two fights each day - morning and afternoon - for each entrant until the victor is decided. No clear favorite has emerged yet, but a number of known contestants are heading in that direction.

However, despite the energy of the place, there are a few dark undercurrents. One section you pass through is clearly a slave market, with dealers trying to sell capable combatants that could go far in the event and win plenty of money on bets. A few unusual beings seem to have been locked up as well, and there are a surprisingly high number of magical items for sale at extremely well-guarded stalls. If there's anything you want that's within your budget, it may be worth taking a look. Or, of course, you could just start looking for lodging...

How many hours between both fights?

Sevia was somewhat disappointed she wouldn't be able to complete her hilt, but she doubted it would make the world of difference in the fights to come. She was somewhat surprised by the number of contestants, and the number of fights, two a day would see almost everybody signed up eliminated in the first day out of sheer numbers. She of course didn't plan to be one of them.

First things first, she of course went to find out where she could sign up and do so - paying any fees required, and inquire about the rules for the fights. She was of course interested in what was disallowed, from magic to weapons. Depending on the rules, she might purchase a few potions or a scroll if they were allowed, anything else was firmly out of her price range.

At the end of the day, Sevia will seek some lodging, and begin some work on one of her daggers. The tournament wasn't tomorrow, so she could at least finish one or two of her starknives over the next few days. Of course, she was also eager to take a look around at her competition in her spare time as well.

About four hours.

The terms for the fights are relatively straightforward - no killing, no permanent injuries, no mind-affecting magic, no invisibility, no mid-fight healing, and no "patently boring" acts. That last one seems to be a general clause from the people running the tournament - after all, part of the purpose of the event is to give a good show to the members of the audience, many of whom have come from quite a ways to watch. A wizard who could snap his fingers and drop any foe or bind them in some kind of plant-based prison might win very reliably... but it would be dreadfully boring for the audience to watch after the first few times. Any actions judged as being against the spirit of the tournament are grounds for immediate disqualification.

The competition seems to run the entire spectrum, from barbarian warriors almost certainly brought down from the far north to quieter, more secretive types... but the ones everyone actually knows are staying out of sight, probably to stop others from learning too much about their styles and strategies.

There are several types of lodging available - starting with simply sleeping on a bedroll in a common area (a surprisingly safe plan - so many people present means thieves would have no chance of acting without being seen by someone) to dingy inns to three finer lodging choices for people with money to spare. One of these is located very close to the arena itself, a second seems to be a trading post for richer slave owners seeking exotic wares, and the last is actually a temporary building that seems to have been set up just for this event, but offers quite luxurious accommodations regardless.

Is using familiars legal? Also, how close do combatants start to each other and how large is the fighting area? Also, exactly how many days is it until the start of the tournament? I might be able to finish the hilt in time for some of the later fights

Sevia did seem somewhat concerned mostly over the rule of no invisibility. That meant acting first would personally be a huge advantage for her, since her opponent would simply bleed out until they collapsed. She also inquired about what could happen to accidental deaths - certainly it wasn't impossible that a warrior with a vicious weapon could accidentally cleave someone's head off.

Personally, being secretive herself and also valuing her privacy, Sevia decided to find lodging at an inn, and not close to the arena if she could help - given she expected contestants would want to sleep closer. Not to mention, just from the viewpoint of a woman, she was not fond of the idea of sleeping in a common area surrounded by men.

After paying her coin, Sevia will head to bed, intent to spend some time in the morning crafting, and then sniff around the crowds to find out who were the favorites. The warriors people thought were most likely to win.

Diplomacy to gather information

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12 Hours: 1d4 ⇒ 3
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25 Hours: 1d4 ⇒ 1

Familiars don't seem to be welcome in one-on-one matches - at least, that's what the person behind the registration counter explains. Contestants begin the matches thirty feet apart, within an arena that's about two hundred feet wide in any given direction. The tournament begins in three days.

Accidental deaths also mean disqualification - though quite a few healers are on standby to try and ensure such things don't happen. Nevertheless, anyone who isn't skilled enough to control their blades and make sure they don't kill their opponent is apparently not welcome in the tournament. Not helping this matter is a small note you see towards the bottom of the list - competitors can wear physical armor or use one protective magic spell like Mage Armor, but not both. It seems to be an attempt on behalf of the organizers to limit the wealthy from simply using so much magic and protective gear that their entrant would be nigh-invincible... though it's unclear how effective this will be in practice.

Confidence in the favorites remains somewhat low, as people are still signing up, but a few figures of note do have rumors swirling around. There seems to be at least one Hell Knight entering the event, as well as a talented Aldori Swordlord who disappeared from tournaments for a time, but seems to have recently reappeared. Both seem like fairly serious contenders, as does a massive ifrit that people saw sign up late last night. Nobody's entirely sure how he fights, but given his race, it's probably going to be at least a bit explosive. At least a few casters have also signed up - and the general consensus is that while they're probably not as good in an arena setting as warriors are, magic is highly unpredictable and they could run the entire range from 'totally worthless' to 'surprisingly dangerous'. The bar on "patently boring" acts (which probably includes things like Sleep spells or anything else that would make an opponent utterly unable to move or fight) does reduce the versatility of magic, though... so the entrants will likely have to be at least a little more direct.

So you can't have Mage Armor and Shield up?

While she wouldn't be able to complete her sword for the first day of the tournament, she figured it would probably be worthwhile to work on it anyways, given that she could have it ready by the third day. She didn't expect serious contenders for the first few days of elimination matches anyways, given most of the contestants were likely fodder. She also made sure to ask about the tournament prizes - what was the grand prize, did second or third place receive anything? As well as pricing for seats in the arena.

The Hell Knight was interesting, she hoped he'd be her final match, or anyone evil her final match - considering she'd fare much better against them than any others.

Aside from continuing to keep an eye out for any strong opponents, Sevia also decided to buy a couple of cheap Starknives. They wouldn't be as good as the ones she could make, but they'd have to do since you couldn't stab with a lump of cold iron.

buy:
2x Starknives 48gp

-48
+1683
1635 total

Aside from that, Sevia simply waited out the last three days to her first fight.

Nope. +8 to AC would be a bit much here.

The area around the arena grows increasingly crowded until the opening ceremonies finally begin - and it takes nearly three hours just to get through all the speeches, announcements, admonishments, explanations, and everything else involved with such an event. Finally, about a third of the way into the event, your number is called... your first attempt at a chance to win the Belt of Grace, or at least a lesser prize like some fine armor or simply a bag of gold.

The crowd cheers as you under the arena - and a woman enters the stage across from you. She's quite clearly a gladiator of some kind, dressed in a sturdy-looking breastplate and armed with a trident in one hand and a spiked steel shield in the other. It's not an unusual setup for someone in these types of events... but many people choose it because, quite frankly, it's rather effective.

"No hard feelings either way, yeah?" the woman said, a friendly smile on her face as she braced herself, taking up a defensive position. After counting off ten seconds - enough time for a caster to apply one spell to themselves - the referee signals the start of the match.

Initiative (Opponent): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
Initiative (You): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25

Sevia doesn't have her Haramaki on for the battle

Sevia was certainly quite ready for her fight by the end of the droll pre-fight functions that she could barely stand to sit through, but listened in on anyways just in case something important were said. She spent the time honing her blades with a whetstone.

Walking into the arena in simple clothes, Sevia stood opposite of her opponent, two starknives in hand - her primary weapons at her waist. She wished she'd be able to use a Shield spell as well, but Mage Armor would have to do...

Face hidden impassively behind her mask, Sevia simply gave the woman a single bow of the head. "I don't plan on losing so early." She said, neither menacingly or friendly.

As the referee counted down, Sevia cast Mage Armor on herself.

Sevia was quicker, both knives flew out of her hands the split second the referee was finished, taking a step back.

Attack: 1d20 + 8 - 2 ⇒ (6) + 8 - 2 = 12 vs FF /miss
Attack: 1d20 + 8 - 2 ⇒ (10) + 8 - 2 = 16 vs FF Damage: 1d4 + 2d6 + 8 ⇒ (3) + (3, 4) + 8 = 18 +2Bleed

On my next round

Neither was particularly well thrown, and Sevia tsk'd as she took a step back. Drawing her sword and dagger and trying to make a feint as she did.

Bluff: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18 vs 10+BAB+WIS

Let's see... I believe your AC is 25 for the battle?

The knives in question darted out, only to be smoothly deflected by the shield. The gladiator's head twisted slightly - apparently checking to be sure they wouldn't fly back at her - before she darted forward and stopped ten feet away, using the extended reach of her trident to give her a bit of extra room to maneuver.

Attack Roll: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29 for Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Critical Confirm: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22 Don't think so.

The first stab of the trident is a solid blow, though your mage armor deflects just enough of the strike to stop it from turning into a truly critical attack. On the bright side, your following feint appears to have been successful, though its usefulness does depend on your ability to land an attack afterwards... and the gladiator stabbed out again, carefully working to position herself at the range she wanted to be and stepping carefully to get there.

Attack Roll: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

Yes. HP:53

Sevia winced as the trident came in and gave her side a good nick, however, she noticed her distracted opponent and slipped forward into the woman's reach - swinging both her dagger and her wakizashi at her blind spots.

Attack: 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (11) + 9 - 2 = 18 vs FF Damage: 3d6 + 8 ⇒ (2, 3, 6) + 8 = 19 +2Bleed
Attack: 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 10 - 2 = 16 vs AC Damage: 1d4 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

Both the dagger and the wakizashi were pushed back by the shield that the gladiator woman was using... despite the feint, it seems like that alone isn't enough to get through the defenses of an experienced gladiator. Without hesitation, the warrior maneuvered back to her desired range and unleashed a pair of darting thrusts with her trident, aiming to skewer you before you can move around too far.

Attack Roll: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26 for Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Attack Roll: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

The second strike doesn't quite seem like enough to do damage, but the first hit pushes past your manifested armor for a darting strike into your shoulder, two of its three prongs sinking into flesh. "Feeling a bit slow, there?" she asked, keeping her shield raised and ready.

HP:44

Sevia was in a bit of a bind here, she didn't want to go all out just yet, frankly she wasn't even close to defeat yet. But this was not a very promising start. She needed to find a chink in the woman's armor.

Reeling back from the next blow, Sevia moved in low, feinting another attack from her sword and holding her dagger back behind. She'd need to go for a very precise strike indeed.

Another feint, step up, and as a move action will detect evil on her, next turn step up with a single attack with the dagger. Turn after that, step up full attack. Am I able to tell what kind of armor she's wearing?

Bluff: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23

Attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21 vs FF Damage: 1d4 + 2d6 + 9 ⇒ (1) + (1, 5) + 9 = 16 +2bleed If this really doesn't hit, Sevia will use mythic surge

Attack: 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (6) + 9 - 2 = 13 vs AC Damage: 1d6 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9
Attack: 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 10 - 2 = 25 vs AC Damage: 1d4 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12

Considering it's a big breastplate... yes, you can most certainly tell the type of armor.

Your second bluff is quite successful, even as the gladiator carefully continued to move backwards - or to the side, occasionally - in order to ensure she had plenty of room to maneuver. Following the feint came a quick pair of thrusts...

Attack Roll: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28 for Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Attack Roll: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

...and one of them was another solid blow. Your counterattack, on the other hand, just barely managed to get through the gladiator's guard and inflict a bleeding strike on her. She staggered back slightly, expression growing far more serious, then continued her steady, vicious assault.

Attack Roll: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
Attack Roll: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Neither of the strikes were effective, however, and the second attack of your following flurry managed to bite deep into her. Blood continued to seep out of her earlier wound as her weapon came in again, a bit more desperate than before.

Attack Roll: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20
Attack Roll: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18

Still, she was hardly some sniveling novice - and it would take at least a few more blows to bring her down.

HP:35

Sevia smiled as she finally landed a solid blow into the gladiator, now knowing this was merely a a fight of whittling the woman down until she bled out. While avoiding that trident long enough for it to happen.

For a little while, she decided to go on the defensive, not particularly eager to feel that trident again. Time was on her side now.

Sevia is Fighting Defensively. All attacks -4, +3 dodge to AC. She steps up each round.

Attack: 1d20 + 9 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (10) + 9 - 2 - 4 = 13 /miss
Attack: 1d20 + 9 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (7) + 9 - 2 - 4 = 10 /miss

Attack: 1d20 + 9 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (9) + 9 - 2 - 4 = 12 /miss
Attack: 1d20 + 10 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (19) + 10 - 2 - 4 = 23 vs AC Damage: 1d4 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
Crit Confirm: 1d20 + 10 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (8) + 10 - 2 - 4 = 12

Attack: 1d20 + 9 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (14) + 9 - 2 - 4 = 17 /miss
Attack: 1d20 + 10 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (8) + 10 - 2 - 4 = 12 /miss

As you fight, several things become clear - including the fact that the woman's defenses are clearly top-notch, as your series of defensive strikes fail to land any blows. The woman also continues bleeding, but it doesn't seem like she's going to drop from that anytime soon... and meanwhile, you do have to contend with her own series of brutal trident thrusts.

Attack Roll: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29 for Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Attack Roll: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Attack Roll: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
Attack Roll: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
Attack Roll: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
Attack Roll: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
Crit Confirm: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

"Come on, are you too afraid to fight?" the gladiator asks - though she does seem a bit frustrated at how difficult you can be to strike. "The crowd won't be excited if all you do is protect yourself!"

HP:26 Is it possible to determine class/character level from knowledge nature/local?

Sevia hadn't really expected her blows to land, she'd mostly just been trying to avoid damage herself. It was clear by now that the other woman had the offensive edge, but her attacks were not up to par with hers - whereas she'd gotten less attacks in, hers hurt much worse.

"Fight smarter not harder." Sevia chuckled at the woman's obvious frustration, though it wasn't like she wasn't doing better than Sevia'd expected. "I'm not here for the crowd, but if you want to see what I can do, I'll be happy to oblidge!" Sevia shouted, apparently rising to the woman's taunt. In truth, she just really hoped she could end this before she'd take too many hits.

Sevia burns 2 ki points for extra attacks with her daggers, not fighting defensively.

Attack: 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 9 - 2 = 15
Attack: 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 10 - 2 = 21 Damage: 1d4 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
Attack: 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 10 - 2 = 16

Attack: 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 9 - 2 = 8
Attack: 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 10 - 2 = 12
Attack: 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (12) + 10 - 2 = 20 Damage: 1d4 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

Attack: 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (2) + 9 - 2 = 9
Attack: 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 10 - 2 = 28 Damage: 1d4 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
Crit Confirm: 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 10 - 2 = 28 Damage: 1d4 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

Christ why are so many of my rolls so s++#? This is going to be embarrassing if I lose on my first fight.