Lua smiles slow and warm at the mention of the Old times. To the others, still in Taldarian "Our... booze?... battles ended with my bottom well below the table. All times. But a pleasant trip getting there."
She waves away the offer to join "Celebrating is for after victory, I think, for me."
*****The noise coming from Risha's table causes Jonovan to glance over.
"Are... are they having a drinking contest?" He says in consternation. "Doesn't Noro know she has a hugely important competition tomorrow?"
The sorcerer turns to Hitome. "Should we do something about this?"
"Everyone has their preparatory rituals. Perhaps this is hers. I have encountered warriors who performed at the peak while drunk." Hitome replies, looking over at the table where their companions were indulging.
The sorcerer sighs. "I sure hope she knows what she is doing."
Jonovan suddenly has an odd sense of deja vu. Hmm... it feels like not too long ago, someone said something similar to me. "Damn it Clay-Mage. I sure hope you know what you're doing."
The sorcerer looks at the other members of Risha's party, who are currently Noro's fellow competitors. "Kind of odd how so many have the exact same preparatory ritual of getting blind drunk... Although that half-elf girl, she doesn't have armor, and isn't built like a monk. Might be an arcane caster like me."
Risha laughs at Ai Lua's recollection and deference. "So you have known each other for some time. Do you have any stories of these Old Times?"
At the other end, Marthysan sips his drink with the relatively soberer of Team Petal Blade Maiden Mage. "It's nothing a bit of well-placed magical ability can't fix," he says. "Some of the heaviest drinkers I have met are those who could banish hangovers with a spell." He shrugs. "I'm not one of them, though."
He smiles and stands to stretch. "I do recommend that you get a full night's first before your first challenge in the morning, though." He points to a nearby building. "My suite is there. I won't be turning in for a while, so feel free to come inquire if you're interested. I won't be offended if you seek other accommodations, but you are most certainly welcome."
About this time, the Tian-Dtang man who you saw wrestling earlier approaches, nodding to Marthysan in acknowledgement. "Marthysan."
"Chung Po," Marthysan responds with his own nod and slight bow.
"Are these your favored champions this year?"
Marthysan smiles. "Two of them, at least."
Chung Po opens his arms in a welcoming gesture and bows lightly to Jonovan and Hitome. "Would one of you please do me the honor of accepting a one-on-one challenge to get into the spirit of tomorrow's competition? The patrons of Yon Loi's seem to have been enjoying the spectacle. I would propose a show of grappling. Nonlethal, of course."
Noro easily downs round three like it was nothing. She lets out a sigh thought these would be stronger, oh well
Round 4 goes down, You guys think you can hang with me? I won't think any less of ya dropping out now
Lua pinches the air with two fingers "Our Old Times were short, and when we were much younger." though both Noro and Lua are still quite young. "We battled, warriors surrounded by mini roars, and sadly I lost, but once again "" she squeezed the air with two fingers "By short amount."
Noro glances to Lua in between drinks, I went easy on ya since ya were new. she remarks with a grin of friendly banter
The first cracks begin to show as Darys and Mol sway slightly. Darys' words are beginning to slur. "Uhl stahp when'm good'n ready," he says. Mol lets out a sudden belch and then deflates, suggesting that perhaps everything had just caught up to him all at once. If it was possible for a half-orc to get greener, he looks like he is. Pirin just grins and taps her shot glass on the table. "More."
Risha leans back to continue chatting with Ai Lua. "I see no weapon on her. Is she a bare-knuckled brawler, then?"
Hitome tilts her head in curiosity at the invitation to a grappling exhibition. Glancing sidelong at Jonovan, she smiles slightly. To the best of her knowledge spell casters on a whole tried everything in their power to avoid an opponent laying hands on them.
"While grappling is not exactly my preferred approach to combat, I am definitely no stranger to it." she says thoughtfully. "I accept your challenge, after all, the patrons came to be entertained yes?"
The aasimar's eyes flicker with a silvery light, as she looks deep within Chung Po's life force, reading the strength and energy laying beneath the surface.
Jonovan returns Chung Po's bow with a nod. "Regrettably, I am not a wrestler, by any stretch of the imagination. So I must decline."
"But if you desire a friendly challenge, they are trying to see who can stomach the most liquor, over at the other table."
A glint dances in Lua's eyes. Since the conversation is back to being between just the two of them, she slips back into her native Tien. In response to the other woman's obvious quest for more information on them, she says "Were you a fisherwoman in your youth, Risha?" believing at least Lua's words are just as obvious.
"For making the evening enjoyable for my friend and the delightful conversation so far, I will give this one for free, but any more will require a trade, yes?" before she gets an answer, she provides the freebee "While our dear Maiden has many talents..." Lua pauses to stick her tongue out at the 'going easy on her' comment "... she does quite enjoy hitting things with her fists. And it does hurt, believe me."
As Noro takes the lead, she leans back and looks over Risha's crew again.
Her silver eyes take in the half-orc "Gorum is a roaring candle to an eager moth in the arena. Does the god of battle respond to dear Mol's devotion?" her question is laced with innocent curiosity, but based on her previous comments about trade there is no mistaking it for her own fishing for trade.
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Chung Po smiles at Hitome, joins his hands together in a sign of respect, and bows. "I am grateful for the opportunity. Come."
The warrior leads the Blade of Heaven to the makeshift stage, where he explains the rules briefly. "We do not strike to injure but will instead fight until one of us surrenders or is rendered unconscious. Do you agree?"
He backs up a few feet and strikes a stance with his eyes deeply focused.
---
Risha grins and shakes her head at the notion of being a fisherwoman.
"Your petal and blade
Are not as a rod and net
But a pair of fangs."
She looks towards the newly-swaying half-orc.
"Mol channels the steel
Of his great Lord in Iron
As we do our words."
Noro goes another round, remember the fight tomorrow
Lua's laugh is pure melody, leaning forward with her hand on her chin she thinks for a moment before replying.
"
Risha, sharp with wit
delightfully charms answers
from humble petal
"
She picks up her bowl and finishes the cooling noodle, while she waits to see what Risha will ask next.
Returning the bow with a smile, Hitome stands, stretching smoothly as she moves to the makeshift stage, very aware of the onlookers turning to see what was happening.
As Chung Po drops into a stance, Hitome draws in a deep breath, locking eyes with the man as she focuses on his energy, centering her own, and inexorably tying them together for the moment.
In a blur of motion she rushes forward, moving to slip inside of the man's guard, seeking to entangle his forward blocking arm, using her momentum to step around and behind him.
Lua finishes her bowl as Hitome takes the stage, hungry eyes tracking her just as envious eyes track Noro. Lua is lovely enough that attention is rarely a problem. Everything is a stage, drawing in, making a yearning turn to fandom, and they are all playing their part.
So far...
The lovely bard turns her smile toward the table with their remaining member and recites a poem loud enough to be heard by him and anyone else who wishes.
"Three stages fill with"
"Petal Blade Maiden and Mage."
"Words, sport, drink and... what?"
A slight goading, designed to give attention, trusting her past encounters with the sorcerer to know he can charm a lizard into the cold. If he wants.
Jonovan loses interest in the grappling match almost as quickly as it begins. He tries to make conversation with Marthysan. "I hear from rumors that during the last tournament, more than half of the contestant fatalities were due to Huyanwo. Did you face down the brine dragon?"
As the Blade of Heaven takes the first move, she just catches the smile crossing across Chung Po's face. As her arm tries to snake around his, he sways out of her way with just as much stunning agility. He kicks his back leg up in an arc to prevent himself from being caught off guard by his speedy opponent. "Ah," he says, "You are strong."
Standard: Initiate grapple
CMD 39 vs grapple
His hands snap into a form resembling a cupped jaw and he whirls around to duck around Hitome's guard and surges towards her. "Let's give them a good show, yes" he says confidently.
Chung Po momentarily interlaces fingers with Hitome before being deflected. His eyebrows rise ever so briefly and he feints to the left and right to look for an opening, finding none.
A grappled creature cannot use Stealth to hide from the creature grappling it, even if a special ability, such as hide in plain sight, would normally allow it to do so. If a grappled creature becomes invisible, through a spell or other ability, it gains a +2 circumstance bonus on its CMD to avoid being grappled, but receives no other benefit.
---
Mol rallies as he downs his fifth shot in quick succession, but Darys and Pirin both look like they're struggling. Pirin wrinkles her nose. "Worry about yourself," she says, waving off the attempt to demoralize her.
---
For every 5 by which you exceed the base DC, you will be able to ask for an additional piece of useful information.
Unlike most creatures, since dragons advance in HD and CR as they age, gaining new abilities, your base DC to know about them will only guarantee knowledge of the abilities of a newly-hatched CR 3 wyrmling (DC 13). In order to be able to know higher age category abilities, you must at least meet the DC for that age. This will give you all knowledge (that you are aware) of that a dragon could develop up through its venerable great wyrm state.
You do know the following with a base +13, however:
Although not inherently evil, brine dragons have little patience for kindness and philanthropy. As they age, they grow more and more opinionated and obsessed with power—by adult age, a brine dragon counts itself a failure if it doesn't rule over a collection of "lesser beings" such as humans, merfolk, locathah, or even sahuagin.
Marthys shakes his head and sighs at Jonovan's question. "No. And I wish the Emissary would stop sending people to their deaths to slay a dragon that hasn't harmed the island's residents since any of us have been alive. It's ridiculous."
He chuckles to himself and points Ai Lua out to Jonovan. "It seems that the Petal is trying to get your attention."
---
Marthysan waves across Yon Loi's noodle house at the poetic Ai Lua while Risha pauses to consider her next move.
"My fellows are drunk.
Yet opportunities rise
For those who abstain.
I envy them not
Their high proof battle of cups
When Petal whispers.
What does Petal seek
From the vaunted victor's vault
If victor she proves?"
Marthys shakes his head and sighs at Jonovan's question. "No. And I wish the Emissary would stop sending people to their deaths to slay a dragon that hasn't harmed the island's residents since any of us have been alive. It's ridiculous."
"Perhaps the emissary seeks to kill the dragon as a precaution for the long term?" Jonovan said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Brine Dragons tend to become increasingly obsessed with power as they age. By adulthood, they will usually seek to rule over lesser beings such as humanoids, landbound or otherwise. And Huyanwo is already... uh... actually how old is Huyanwo?"
"Ah, but I see the dilemma. The Dragon may become a tyrant in the future. Wait too long and it could become too powerful to stop. But for the moment it has not harmed anyone. Is it right to slay it?"
(Including bonus from Heroism)
"Three stages fill with"
"Petal Blade Maiden and Mage."
"Words, sport, drink and... what?"A slight goading, designed to give attention, trusting her past encounters with the sorcerer to know he can charm a lizard into the cold. If he wants.
Noro slams down the next drink, she pauses amount like she might finally break, but after few seconds she takes a breath, and set down her empty glass.
She simple smiles as her opponents hopes are crushed.
Glancing at the wrestling match going on no time for that now, bummer she thinks to herself
"As are you." Hitome responds with a grin, stepping back, eyes watching closely as her opponent tries to find an opening in her defenses. Watching his movements, she tries to determine his level of training and skill to have a better idea of what she was up against. but to no avail.
With no insight from his guarded movements, the Blade of Heaven seeks to take her opponent down, the enlightened warrior throwing herself into a forward roll, her legs shooting out halfway through to catch Chung Po around the knee and waist, using her momentum in an attempt to deliver a takedown lock.
The Blade of Heaven is a fine warrior, her form divinely blessed and then carefully honed over years of training. She might be able to take down most wrestlers. Time almost seems to slow as she comes out of her roll. With near impossible speed, Chung Po somersaults over the aasimar's expertly-timed-and-executed grapple, using her momentum and commitment against her as he grabs her springing legs and begins the process of pinning her down.
Yet Hitome refuses to let herself be taken down. With a kick and a flip, she vaults up and grabs Chung Po, looping her arm around his elbows. "I have not had this much fun all evening," he says with a boisterous laugh.
Chung Po taps his elbows together behind his back, bending his knees and sweeping his right leg behind him, hooking his ankle into Hitome's. It's just enough to break her grip and he slithers out while grasping the aasimar's hand and twisting her arm around the elbow into a counter-lock.
---
"She's a monster," Mol whispers as he finishes his next drink, grimacing.
Darys winces and wipes his mouth, seeming to be the only member of his time not to get actively worse during his shot.
Pirin gags and pounds her chest. "One more," she says, though her demeanor isn't as committed as her words.
---
"Ah, you know more than I do of brine dragons, then," Marthysan tells Jonovan. "He seems to be mostly focused on defending his territory from those sent to slay him. Let's see...the locals say that Huyanwo came to the island some 175 years ago. At the time, he did demand that the peasants of Old Harbor provide him tribute as their new ruler, and they refused. He laid waste to the village. But that was many generations ago. The only problems now are every ten years when contestants invade his home."
Lua's entire being sparkled with delight at the question. The small armored woman leans in, potentially startling the other woman depending on her definition of personal space.
"The roar..." her voice contains a luscious hunger around that word "... of the crowd" her voice loud enough to be heard be directed only at Risha. Public, but personal.
"Chanting, stomping, SCREAMING" each word growing, swelling "Yes!" her eyes drift from the other woman's down to her lips, a pause in the air, silent between the two.
Then the Petal leans back in her seat, letting her poise take over again, a slight curve on her lips. "Is all the heart needs" she finishes her poem.
Noro downs her next drink, and it seems to start to show. But she is committed.
She looks like she is about to loose, but breaks her silence with a laugh and slams down her empty glass.
Well I mush ad..admit, you make a great <burp> drink...in Partner.
She let's her opponents that wish to continue, to take another drink.
if ya want ta see the world when this, ahhh... what ya call it? Well what ever it is, I would love to have sail wit me.
Darys and Pirin both blanch at they drink their seventh shot in a row.
"Hngh," the scarred man responds. "Yootoo." Hand over his mouth, he awkwardly stands up and stumbles away. "Seeyoomorrow," he says, waving his hand as he tries (unsuccessfully) to retire with dignity.
Pirin's eyes glaze over and she glances over towards Mol, who has a stupid grin on his face at Noro's compliment. "Wake me..." she says as she lays her head down on the table and slumps.
"Yer a right fine gal, Lady Iron," Mol says unsteadily, his words slurring at the edges. He can't quite focus his eyes as he glances across the table, but he's almost flirtatious. "If ye wanna...mmmm...yeah..."
---
A bit further down the table, Risha leans away from Ai Lua and looks at her drunken companions. "I should see to them," she says. "Drunk friends need a good night's sleep." Her eyes flicker in final contemplation as she rouses Pirin's form and stands her up with grumbling. "See you tomorrow."
She elbows Mol, who lifts a fist up. "Inuhminuhri..."
As Chung Po proves his specialty with grappling, Hitome makes a mental note. If facing him in the tournament, striking and ranged attacking would definitely be the way to face him. And we this not purely exhibition she would activate her gloves.
Returning her focus to the matter at hand, Hitome tries to twist her upper body, working her hips and shoulders in an attempt to control the grapple.
Lua smiles, barely keeping it from looking like a cat who caught the canary. She has always been good at rattling people, especially since no one expects anything frightening from a person of her stature and build. This wouldn't have been frightening, but exposing even a tiny crack in such an experienced player felt gratifying.
She stands, and bows with respect, honestly saying "Thank you, Risha, and good night."
He chuckles to himself and points Ai Lua out to Jonovan. "It seems that the Petal is trying to get your attention."
"Yes, well." Jonovan shrugs. "As a wise man once said, I'm not in this world to live up to her expectations and she's not in this world to live up to mine."
"Ah, you know more than I do of brine dragons, then," Marthysan tells Jonovan. "He seems to be mostly focused on defending his territory from those sent to slay him. Let's see...the locals say that Huyanwo came to the island some 175 years ago. At the time, he did demand that the peasants of Old Harbor provide him tribute as their new ruler, and they refused. He laid waste to the village. But that was many generations ago. The only problems now are every ten years when contestants invade his home."
"Ah, that crosses a line, does it not?" Jonovan says with a nod. "I guess that in the eyes of the tournament organizers, since Huwanyo has destroyed a village, then the dragon should rightfully be slain, or at least driven off. The fact that it has survived 175 years and countless attempts merely means that its punishment has been deferred."
"Also, I take it the Old Harbor is so named, because it is no longer in use since Huwanyo destroyed it?"
"I do wonder why the dragon doesn't try to find a new home somewhere quiet. It could easily rule over some aquatic humanoids out in the ocean without interference, if it so desired." The sorcerer crosses his arms in contemplation. "Perhaps Huwanyo finds it profitable to endure the occasional would-be dragon slayer, in exchange for their loot."
Grapple maintained, Hitome Pinned
Stunning Pin, Swift Action:
Pinning Knockout
DC 17 Fort or stunned
Hitome struggles to break out of Chung Po's iron grip. With a twist of his own, the man sends her toppling to the ground and pins her there .
A pinned creature is tightly bound and can take few actions. A pinned creature cannot move and is denied its Dexterity bonus. A pinned character also takes an additional –4 penalty to his Armor Class. A pinned creature is limited in the actions that it can take. A pinned creature can always attempt to free itself, usually through a combat maneuver check or Escape Artist check. A pinned creature can take verbal and mental actions, but cannot cast any spells that require a somatic or material component. A pinned character who attempts to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability must make a concentration check (DC 10 + grappler’s CMB + spell level) or lose the spell. Pinned is a more severe version of grappled, and their effects do not stack.
Two powerful blows designed to knock the wind out of Hitome come next
A stunned creature drops everything held, can’t take actions, takes a –2 penalty to AC, and loses its Dexterity bonus to AC (if any).
It's a brutal display of power from a man who has clearly trained a long time to be able to do just this sort of thing and a reminder of the potential prowess of some of the team's opponents. Was Chung Po one of those fighting alone? Or did he have a team? Did he need a team?
---
Not far away, as Risha lifts Pirin Agramont from her semi-conscious state, Ai Lua realizes that she hadn't had Risha's full attention during their conversation. She hadn't noticed it as much before, but Risha was paying much more attention to Hitome's wrestling match with Chung Po.
And she wasn't the only one either. High above, on the second floor, another figure has focused on the match: an otherworldly, inhuman creature (horns and all) dressed in silk robes.
---
Marthysan furrows his brow at Jonovan's assessment of Huyanwo. "This is where we differ, Clay-Mage," the paladin says. "From what authority does one derive the right to slay another living creature? From Empress Nai Yan Fei? From the Archbanker of Goka's Grand Bank of Abadar? From Sifu Xho Nuo, the Emissary of the Ruby Phoenix Tournament? From the gods themselves?" He shakes his head. "When we kill, it is a decisive action that must not be taken lightly. It should not be a prize to aspire to, but a sacred duty arrived at when there are no other options available."
The paladin looks uncomfortable as he continues. "I don't mean to defend the dragon's youthful actions, merely to question the logic in repeatedly trying to punish him for something done so long ago that he may not even remember doing it. At what point does our antagonism harden a heart that could be turned to good and force a vengeful reckoning?"
He leans back, swirling the dregs of his drink in his mug. "But these are but the ramblings of an old man, I suppose, questioning his own actions over the course of a life of fighting."
---
Mol Kor lifts his eighth shot to his mouth. Only a bit of it gets down before his body involuntarily heaves. Breathing heavily, he lifts his head to see if Noro will be able to keep her eighth shot down. But as for him, he seems ready to call it a night.
Lua puffing from victory deflates in disappointment as she notices he opponent wasn't into the competition. Hollows out a win into nothing more than a checkmark. She takes up one of the discarded cups, and sips as she leans back and watches their teammate wrestle.
Her eyes catch the horned watcher, but her lowered spirits mean she doesn't much care.
"I see where you are coming from. But in this case, I also understand the Abadarian Emissary probably wishes to uphold the law. In fact, as a figure of authority, he must be seen doing so." Jonovan says with a shrug. "Suppose a young man commits murder and flees town, and the authorities put a price on his head. If he returns after 50 years, even if he is now a changed man, and even if he has managed to evade every single bounty hunter, the law usually states that his punishment should be exactly the same, despite the passage of time."
"Well, let us put this aside for now. What the Emissary chooses to do is beyond either of us."
While the powerful slam definitely hurt, it had no affect on her state of mind whatsoever, in fact Hitome's mind was racing, assessing her extremely limited options.
The stipulations of the contest, non-lethal grappling were very heavily in Chong Po's favor, the fact that he wished to engage in such likely indicating a weakness in other forms of combat. In her current pinned state, there were practically no options that wouldn't either violate the non-lethal agreement, or reveal abilities that would be a valuable surprise should the need arise in the actual tournament. Though it would not favor her team going into the first round, there was much benefit in having those witnessing this exchange underestimating her, or even attempting similar tactics when facing her, and now, she definitely understood how at leas one potential enemy fought.
Swallowing her pride, she tests the strength of the grappler's adamantine grip before letting out a breath and tapping his side, signaling her concession, and his victory.
Noro looks at her shot, looking back at her competitor, she smiles let's call it a draw. You were a good competitor. I'd me honored to have ya on my crew. Ya earned yer place by keeping up wit me.
She takes her final shot and is about to give her competitor a pat on the pack and she nearly fall flat on her face, barely catching herself before hitting the floor.
After a few moments, Lua sighs. Deciding the sulking is unbecoming, she rises and moves over to her teammate. Just in time to see her nearly collapse "Victory comes with consequences." she says, with the soft amusement of understanding. "Back to the Grace, captain?" she asks as she slips her head under the other woman's arm (after a quick tap of her wand to her hip).
She'll give a quick wave to the other two, then a tilting of her head over her one free hand, in a gesture meant to mean Bed.
Mol Kor seems grateful to have the drinking competition called a draw even after he had been so sufficiently trounced and holds a green thumb up as he stumbles away with his teammates, trying to keep the contents of his stomach in instead of out. One of the employees of Yon Loi's noodle house is following him with a bucket just in case he gets stick while still on the premises.
Chung Po accepts Hitome's concession and helps her to her feet. "You are fearsome, Blade of the Heavens. I do wish to face you once more in the Grand Pavilion should the fates align." In short order, he wanders off to go find another opponent to dominate. He approaches the bronze-skinned aasimar with long-flowing white hair who has been engaging in a drinking contest of his own with his boarish companion. The boar-man gets up and follows Chung Po to the stage, where he is swiftly placed in a headlock.
Marthysan seems grateful for Jonovan's recommendation to set aside the debate for now. As Ai Lua comes back over, he stands and bows to her, resuming conversation in Tien. "Red Petal Sharp Against the Moonlight, we did not have occasion to meet previously. I am Marthysan. The Righteous. I was just offering to your companions the use of my suite. It is far larger than what I need. I can also provide a tour of the island."
The Petal would bow to her childhood hero, but since she is acting as a prop for her teammate, doing so would be awkward at best. "All who has followed the games knows who are, honorable Marthysan" she says respectfully as she can. The prestige of being 'attached' to the former champion would be great, though Why would he be offering such a new team as they were. Picking one of teams that have been making a collective name would make sense, to gather more fame to himself, by making their win in some way his own.
Was there some tell in his face about the reason for the offer?
Either way, she knew they needed to accept. Unless there was danger? Her gaze moved to her teammate who had been talking with the man for quite awhile, who if she remembered correctly from their time together so long ago, was a little paranoid. One of her eyebrows raised in question.
"We should discuss Marthysan's offer as a team." Jonovan says to Ai Lua. By emphasizing 'team', the implication was clear. I'm prepared to follow along with the rest of you.
"Captain Noro and Hitome know of it, but have not indicated a preference one way or the other." He continues. We already have a ship.
"We should decide quickly, and get an early night. The tournament starts tomorrow, and we need our strength for a well deserved victory." The sorcerer says, as he gestures for Hitome to rejoin them. If we stay with Marthysan, I'm concerned that this might be perceived as undue influence or favor.
(Including bonus from Heroism)
A whisper of a frown forms on her lips, as the word victory makes her remember her own hollow one. She recovers quickly, and smiles at their prospective host. "The offer is unexpected and humbling, good sir. A bright lantern under a wide awning before the rolling clouds of a exciting but chaotic thunderstorm." she then looks to the others, nodding slightly, then looking for some indication of where they stand, or that they wish to step to the side and discuss. Certain they would not ask the one offering to have to awkwardly stand somewhere else while they do so.
Returning from her bout, Hitome watches as the others pass obfuscated answers back and forth, constantly focused on maneuvering, appearance and paranoia.
Sensing no deception in the noble champion's offer, she turns to Marthysan with a smile. "Are both honored and delighted to accept your generosity." she says with a small bow of gratitude.
Marthysan chuckles at Jonovan's less-than subtle message and shakes his head. "I am going to go check in with the Emissary for a few minutes." He points to the second floor, where a wizened Tian man speaks with the kuwa oni that Hitome noticed earlier. The man has long, lustrous white hair and wears an orange uniform emblazoned with phoenix symbols. "You are welcome to join me should you want to accept the offer. I will not be offended if you retain other sleeping arrangements--this I promise."
After some discussion, Team Petal Blade Maiden Mage approaches Marthysan the Righteous where he is in discussion with the Emissary and the kuwa oni. The oni seems eager to end the conversation even before catching sight of the competitors' approach, and takes the opportunity to bow her head curtly and back away. She swiftly blends into the shadows cast about the upper floor of the noodle house and disappears.
The Emissary nods as the young competitors approach. Whatever conversation he, Marthysan, and the oni were having before seems to have been maintained with the utmost secrecy. The Emissary joins his hands together in a gesture of respect. "Ah, Lady Xhai Zhia's team," he says, his voice gravelly, powerful in spite of the man's apparent age. "I hope it does not cause you nervousness, but the crowd is already excited to see your performance tomorrow. I am Sifu Xho Nuo, Emissary of the Tournament. You are welcome here."
With a few private words, Marthysan's offer of lodging is accepted. Pleasantries are exchanged and the the previous winner excuses himself to escort his charges back to the suite.
The champion's suite is at an inn adjacent to Yon Loi's Noodle House. It is well-appointed yet modest, with five private bedrooms adjoining a common area. The common area has a large wooden table surrounded by comfortable chairs, several potted plants, and a few paintings dotting the walls. One is of Marthysan the Righteous, his features about ten years younger, presumably from around the time of his win. Another is a depiction of Abadar in the Tian style (a handsome Tian-Shu man with a golden crossbow and golden robes with a light crust of muddy at the bottom). Another is of the young empress, Lady Nai Yan Fei, in the full regalia of her office. The final is of the Ruby Phoenix herself, namesake of the tournament, the sorceress Hao Jin. The painting of the Empress is clearly the newest of the four, with the paintings of Abadar and Hao Jin decades old at least.
Marthysan begins moving towards the room he has chosen for himself. "Each day will be long. I recommend that you get a full night's rest before the morning's first challenge." With that, he retires.
Jonovan raises an eyebrow at the Golden Oni's disappearing act. Of course such tricks were not unheard of, and as a matter of fact, the sorcerer could now pull off a similar stunt of his own. Still, as a fellow practitioner of sorts, he wondered where the Oni had gone...
When meeting the Emissary, Jonovan mirrors the old man's gesture of respect, by putting his hands together as well. In the many diverse cultures of Tian Xia, he found it was usually simplest to copy the other party.
Once Marthysan leaves them, the sorcerer turns to the others. "We should discuss team strategy, preferably in one of the private rooms."
Jonovan notes that the oni is quite stealthy, using the unlit portions of the upper floor to fend off visual detection and her natural skill to fool dampen her footfalls even without the use of magic. The clay-mage's high-pitched echolocation follows her for about 40 feet before the range gives out and she returns to being undetected.
About the time that Jonovan loses track of the oni, a shrill voice cries out in Tien from somewhere below, in or around Yon Loi's noodle house. "For the love of all the gods, I'm trying to sleep! SHUT UP"
It seems like at least one resident or competitor has extra-sensitive hearing.
The small Tien woman helps the giant pirate to the cushions and pulls a blanket onto her. All before turning to the wizard "If anyone is listening, the private rooms would be the first to monitor, don't you think? If we have means of blocking magical or mundane eavesdropping, we should perform them..." she crosses her arms lightly around her as she settles against something ".. otherwise, we might as well be comfortable while we chat."
After a moment or three to see if anyone chooses to cast, she continues "My petals have been painting the night red for many years, from land to land so secrecy is unnecessary for me. My magic follows that of a bard, my blade waits for the perfect moment over the brutal (but effective) hammering, and I have learned to make even those with spines of steel quiver with apprehension."
"Thought even if I shouted from the rafters, I AM SCARY, no one believes it until they are on the receiving end of my charms." The petite lovely young woman shrugs, looking like the least intimidating person in the room.
About the time that Jonovan loses track of the oni, a shrill voice cries out in Tien from somewhere below, in or around Yon Loi's noodle house. "For the love of all the gods, I'm trying to sleep! SHUT UP"
Jonovan rolls his eyes. He wasn't sure which was worse: That this person chose to sleep right next to a rowdy noodle house. Or that after choosing such a poor location, they still had the audacity to complain about the noise. Really, the nerve of some people.
"If anyone is listening, the private rooms would be the first to monitor, don't you think? If we have means of blocking magical or mundane eavesdropping, we should perform them..."
"We do have some means of foiling common eavesdropping methods. It's called Rope Trick. I even plan on sleeping in it tonight." Ever since the Storm Tigress incident, Jonovan decided it would be best to keep his team members informed of his whereabouts. "Which is why I suggested moving to a private room. Because that's where I usually set up the Rope Trick."
He pauses, and is suddenly reminded of something else. "On an unrelated note, we should probably inform the ship's crew that we are not returning tonight, least they panic and wonder where their beloved captain might be. Ai Lua, among us you seem to be the closest to Noro. Could you pen a simple letter? I will have my pseudodragon deliver it to the ship."
Once in the private room, Jonovan searches the area for anything suspicious, and also sweeps it with Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Detect Fiendish Presence, and Echolocation. Once he is satisfied that nothing is out of the ordinary, he sets up a Rope Trick and climbs inside.
Within the extradimensional space, the sorcerer suddenly asks. "That Golden Oni just now, what can you tell me about her?"
While Ai Lua is unaware of who or what the golden oni is, Hitome recognized her as a kuwa oni.
" She is a kuwa, oni who clothe themselves in human flesh. While their true forms remain typical of oni with golden skin, claws, and monstrous faces with short sharp horns, kuwa are most at home living in disguise among humans. As with most oni, they generally avoid their own kind, and instead seek positions of power in human cities, often as guard captains, guildmasters, and aristocrats. Most kuwa avoid taking on the role of a spellcaster, and most avoid positions of true authority, such as king or mayor." Hitome relates.
"Kuwa are most comfortable in the upper echelon of command, but avoid positions so important that they have too many eyes on them. To a kuwa, a position of leadership that doesn’t allow frequent abuse of that power is a waste, and by aiming for less publicly visible positions, the kuwa increases its opportunities for such abuse. Once a kuwa secures a position in a human society, the accumulation of wealth is their main concern. A kuwa wants to live a life of decadence and sensual pleasure, and like any oni, it wants to propagate its own kind. Its strength and magical powers enable it to easily dominate normal folk, allowing it to gather groups of thuggish, like-minded humans to lead in banditry and worse."