Patizamo had always had quick hands - it was what had made him such a good thief on the streets. As long as you were patient and waited for just the right moment...
Patizamo's hands came together perfectly, trapping the water strider in a specimen jar before it even knew what had happened.
While the others talk and investigate, Baldrek treats his wounds and those of the others.
With Patizamo catching the water striders so easily, Baldrek finds himself without anything to do. However, when the people gather around expecting a performance, he decides to do something for them. He hasn't brought his lyre with him, since he had not anticipated its need, so he had to improvise.
He grabbed his spear and began something that was the mixture of a dance and a combat practice. From time to time, he spins his spear and calls to the power of the wind, creating gale blasts that would burst pebbles away...
The crowd cheers and applauds Baldrek's fine performance! As the applause dies down, a finely dressed member of the crowd steps to the edge of the canal and introduces himself in a clear voice.
"Well done! I am Asanda! Please, accept a token of my gratitude." He deftly folds a blank ledger page into a paper boat, places a chest feather token into it, and pushes it across the canal toward you.
Baldrek bows in thanks and respect. "Nice to meet you, Lord Asanda. I feel honored that my simple dance amused you. I was not expecting a gift, though I thank you nevertheless."
To the others, he explains. "That man is one of the eleven magistrate-mayors of Nantambu."
Patizamo applauds Baldrek's performance - it was truly inspired, a brilliant demonstration of combat skill and form. As Asanda pushes the boat across the canal to them, Patizamo recognizes them. His eyes widen and he whispers to Baldrek, "Asanda is one of the eleven Magistrate-Mayors who govern Nantambu. A fortuitous meeting, and a good one to make an impression on."
"You are welcome!" Asanda calls. "You new students of the Magaambya, yes? Will you be out here performing often?"
"Yes we are! We are still on our perquisite period." Baldrek explains, not remembering if the perquisite was something well known outside of the Magaambya.
"I have just recently purchase a lyre, though I'm still not very good with it. In fact, I must confess my recent performance relied more on luck than talent." Baldrek was enjoying the attention, but he felt it would be rude and misleading to let Asanda think of himself as a performer. "When and if I become good with it, I promise to perform here for the people of Nantambu."
"I shall look forward to your next potential show, then!" Asanda calls back. He waves to you before departing. The rest of the crowd disperses in short order after that.
When you return to Koride’s office with all the insect samples you’ve collected, Koride is impatient for a report. Hearing of the insects’ strange behavior, Koride’s face pulls into an increasingly serious frown. "Hmm. Your findings might indicate a larger problem—one that I will look into, rest assured. Thank you for your help. Put the insects into those terrariums over there, then you are free to go."
Patizamo releases the water strider into the correct terrarium, then, once they've departed, says, "The behaviors of these insects were quite strange. I'm not sure what could have caused this." He thinks a moment. "That pugwampi said that they would have their revenge. Do any of you know if pugwampi or something similar that would ally with them can control insects?"
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Mokhasi listened quietly as Baldrek performed.
When Asanda asked about further performances, Mokhasi waited for Baldrek to respond, watching the fighter, then himself turned to Asanda. He gestured with an open hand, ”for my part - I must practice my storytelling - would a neophyte in this task be welcome here?”
Mokhasi notes to Koride, ”you may wish to search for more runes made by other creatures. It is not necessarily the case that only these beetles were carving them. If the runes were inscribed within the Magaambya- it may allow our foes easy access to the University - after all, the runes may be used as anchors for teleportation, if my identification is to be believed.” He inclines his head respectfully, and Muto does the same.
"Of course! The people of Nantambu appreciate any and all shows you might be willing to put on," Asanda says to Mokhasi.
As the others leave, Raknar hangs behind. ”Teacher, my apologies if I am being direct, but I was hoping perhaps you had an open spot for a student in your classes? I have a deep love of the jungles and wilds, and hoped perhaps to learn from your expertise.”
"Hmm? Yes, alright," Koride says with a dismissive wave. "Whatever you want to do."
You return to your studies over the next few days. One night, Haibram asks for your assistance. He has built a new, compact hang glider, and he needs to get as much height as he can to try it out. He knows the Soaring Spire permits impossible leaps from the ground, but he has a plan to go even higher.
"So, one of you will leap to the peak of the Soaring Spire and balance there with your fingers interlocked.," the dwarf explains. "Then, I'm going to leap into your hands, and then jump up again! If it works, I'll be up over 100 feet from the ground! It'll be awesome!"
Patizamo, who had been considering trying the Soaring Spire, takes a deep breath and says, "I will try to do so, Haibram. I also have a spell prepared that can create a blast of wind, if you'd like a boost from that as well. Mokhasi, could you cast a cantrip on me to aid my balance?"
He will then leap up into the air with the Soaring Spire, balancing on the peak before bracing himself to boost Haibram.
Haibram straps on his hang glider and rushes to the base of the Soaring Spire. The magic propels him up to where Patizamo is waiting for him. The dwarf lands on the magus's hands, crouches, and leaps again as Patizamo hurls him high up into the air! A blast of wind magic propels Haibram even higher, and the dwarf whoops and yells excitedly as he glides around the dormitory building!
"Woo hoo! Alright, Patizamo! You're the man!" Haibram laughs. He glides around for several minutes before finally coming back to the ground. He runs over to Patizamo and gives him a crushing bear hug.
"That was amazing! Thank you!"
A couple of weeks later, notices are posted around the Magaambya campus, including in your dormitory:
Monthly Sparring Tournament this Starday at the Leshy Gardens
Initiates and Attendants Only—All Skill Levels Welcome
Single Elimination Brackets, Winner Receives Prize
Attendance Strongly Encouraged!
Asking around about the tournament, you learn that it is put on by one of the most famous teachers currently on campus. Mafika Ayuwari is a young Tempest Sun-Mage teacher who believes everyone must be prepared for a physical fight, no matter how great their magical prowess. He recently returned from Tian Xia, where his team fought in the fabled Ruby Phoenix Tournament. They didn’t win but did well enough to earn international acclaim and no small amount of celebrity on campus.
When the day of the tournament comes, a throng of students crowds around the edge of the cleared sparring space near the Leshy Gardens. Chizire waves from an open spot near the front. “You haven’t been to one of these yet, have you? Fft, you’re in for quite the treat.” He flashes a bright grin.
A tall young woman wearing the simple wooden mask of an attendant waits in the middle of the clearing, staff at the ready. A loud rustle blows through the surrounding trees. Stepping out from behind the hedge is a 10-foot-tall construct made of branches woven into a humanoid frame. It holds a wooden sparring sword in one hand and a large wooden shield in the other. Within the construct, plainly in control, a smiling leaf leshy gives a brief wave. The construct bows to the attendant and adopts a defensive stance.
“Signing up is easy,” Chizire purrs helpfully. “It can be quite fun, really. You just need to step forward.” Within the sparring ground, the attendant has already been knocked flat on her back, looking up in surprise and fear at the wooden blade aimed down at her throat. The construct sheathes the sword with a flourish and offers a hand up. From the hedge erupts a chorus of cheers from several leshys relaxing amid the leaves. Teacher Ayuwari chuckles and calls the name of the next combatant.
Haibram, Esi and Mariama have formed a team together and are waiting in the wings for their chance to fight. Esi smiles and waves at you. "Hello! Are you guys planning to fight, too?"
Patizamo grins. "Yes, I think I would enjoy doing so - I have some combat training, and testing myself against the shield-forged constructs sounds like it would be enjoyable." Looking at the others, he said, "What do you think? Should we sign up as a team?"
"I'm also willing to try my luck." Baldrek says to Patizamo and the others, before turning to Chizire and Esi. "What are the rules about equipment and magic?"
"You are free to use any and all means at your disposal in the fight," Esi says. "Give it your all!"
"Is there any downtime between bouts for each team, or do they continue happening successively, with little breathing time between each?"
"You'll have a few minutes to catch your breath, but not much," Chizire says.
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Mokhasi blanches a bit when others ask him about the sparring tournament. To the others, when asked if they would go as a team, he becomes contemplative, but then agrees, ”yes - I have been working on scribing old tales from crumbling books for some time. My hand is almost like I claw. For my own health I think I should join you three - but -“ He wiggles his arms, ineffectually ”you all know well I am hardly a bruiser. It may be that I will be a liability. What do you all think?” His grey eyes sparkle a bit as he calmly turns to his younger student companions.
"I think, perhaps, you should work with Baldrek. I believe he would be quite capable in keeping you from being attacked, and you can provide magical support to him. What do you think, Baldrek?"
"Raknar, you and I can team up with a focus on bringing them down quickly. We should each focus on taking the same one out - hopefully we can do so without taking too many hits."
Baldrek nods to Patizamo. "That is a good plan." He then turns to Mokhasi. "Are you ready? We could go first..."
Raknar had been staring at the thing intently, watching its movements, when Patizamo asked him to park up with him. Raknar turned his head towards him and nodded once before resuming his studying of the thing.
As you are discussing strategy, Haibram, Esi, and Mariama take their turn. They do well in the first bout, but they don’t last past the second bout—due to a spot of poor luck, one of Mariama’s strikes causes the construct to implode in a burst of branches that knock her and Haibram unconscious (leaving the startled and exposed leshy to rush back into the bushes)!
Esi sighs and shakes her head. "Poor Mariama! She always has the wildest luck!"
Soon, it is your turn to step forward. Baldrek and Mokhasi enter the fighting area for their first bout. A single leshy-piloted construct steps forward to face them, wielding a sword and shield!
Baldrek moves in front of Mokhasi to protect him before pointing his ranseur at the constructs, unleashing an arc of lightning at them.
The lightning scorches the wooden construct. The leshy piloting it grits their teeth and urges it forward, swinging its sword at Baldrek and raising its shield! It scores a critical hit!
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Mokhasi watches ineffectually as Baldrek is nearly knocked off of his feet. He touches the fighter on the shoulder, and a small green gem seems to be assembled from component elements on the ground hovering in place until it is complete, and then revolving around Baldrek in an erratic orbit. He then whispers to the fighter, ”the blessing of Yuelral on you.”
Baldrek misses with his power attack, but his efforts to patch up his wound are successful, leaving him good as new. And just in time, as the construct attacks him again! He dodges the first swing, but the second strike catches up along the arm. The construct raises its shield once more.
"We'll have to move, Mokhasi!" Baldrek says as he strikes at the construct and then steps away, forcing it to move as well.
The leshy winces but resists Mokhasi's spell. The construct blocks Baldrek's attack then steps up to pursue him, bypassing the gem and scoring another critical hit! It keeps its shield raised.
Baldrek keeps stabbing and moving...
Things finally turn around for your team! Mokhasi hurls a ball of flame at the wooden construct, setting it ablaze! Then Baldrek delivers a powerful strike that causes the whole thing to fall apart! The leshy inside scrambles free of the broken construct as the crowd cheers!
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Baldrek moves away from the construct as Mokhasi helps the leshy, inspecting his wounds. "It was more challenging, and painful, than I had anticipated." He confesses then looks at Esi and Haibram. "Perhaps I should spare with Haibram some more, to keep my body in a good shape. Exercising the mind, and the heart, was not that useful against that wooden guardian."
"Go Mokhasi! Go Baldrek! You can do it!" Patizamo cheered them on from outside the ring. He didn't have much else to contribute without being in the ring, but he cheered for his friends to do well.
Once the fight was over, he said, "Well done, you two! That's the first bout finished. Raknar and I should hopefully be able to finish the next one quickly."
After five minutes, Teacher Ayuwari calls Patizamo and Raknar forward. The second bout is against a shieldbearer construct and a smaller sicklehand construct that has a leaner build and curved wooden blades for hands. The leshys inside grin as the battle begins!
The larger construct raises its shield as it moves up next to Raknar, smacking him with its wooden sword. The smaller construct circles around behind Patizamo and tries to trip him, but he dodges aside!
Patizamo dances past the sickle construct's trip attempt. "Well, these two seem a bit quicker than the other one. Let's see what we can do about that."
Patizamo begins weaving a spell into his blade, flames shooting off of it as he strikes out at the Sickle Construct.
As the he strikes, he draws some of the flames off, causing them to linger in his blade and dance off of him.
Patizamo slices and scorches the sicklehand construct, then a slice from Raknar's blade takes it down! As the leshy inside pouts, the ranger turns to the other construct, marking it and attacking.
The shield takes most of the strike's force. The construct retaliates, attacking Raknar twice and scoring one hit.
Patizamo moves to flank the construct with Raknar, then strikes at the construct's back. "Let's finish this one off quickly, then, Raknar!" Once he strikes, he quickly focuses and calls on further reserves of magic, preparing himself to strike again.
Both Patizamo and Raknar land good hits, leaving the construct damaged. It turns on the magus, scoring a hit.
Patizamo grits his teeth and cries out as the construct strikes him. Keeping his focus up, he once again weaves fire into his blade and strikes out against it again.
His first attack missing, he strikes yet again, hoping that if he misses again Raknar can finish it before it finishes him.