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Svetlana takes silence as consent "I will use my divinations to determine you speak true, and are what you say you are"
She raises a finger as if to silence the Paladin. She drops her strange Wayfinder embossed with a silver dragon on the table and watches the needle, meditates a moment, says a short prayer, then looks back up - "You may speak"
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"Callistrian temples? The savoured sting is such a popular distraction it seems, nevertheless you go here and seem in one piece"
Daedîn smiles at the Hellknight. ”Aye, m’Lady, a popular distraction indeed…but it seems they took offense when I tried to…uh…‘sting’…and leave…so my duration there was longer than anticipated…”
When the champion arrived, the Elf eyed him warily but let the Hellknight do the talking as she seemed much more capable than he…
Marthysan's silence is consent, in this case, and he simply nods as Svetlana makes her preparations. He glances down at the Wayfinder and his eyebrows raise. He turns to glance in the direction of the arrow and grunts thoughtfully before turning back to Svetlana.
"No, I'm not a competitor. You're not allowed to participate again once you become a champion. Though, of course, if you don't win, you're allowed to try as many times as you like," he looks around at the gathered crowd. "In fact, there are a few familiar faces here."
He leans forward, not conspiratorial but in a friendly manner. "As to why I am approaching you to provide my services to you rather than the others. Well some ARE familiar faces, so I know they don't need my services and wouldn't provide them, in any case. Others I know by reputation, which is also how I know you. And, between your reputation for ability and for doing good, I believe you are most deserving of assistance. Both the Pathfinder Society and you personally are known for being effective advocates for good."
He meets each of your gazes with an earnest look. "If anyone is going to be able to select a priceless, potentially extremely powerful artifact from Hao Jin's Vault, I would like it to be you."
He is telling no lies.
Casting Detect Chaos while next to Kal'Ryon is like trying to find stars when the sun is up, but there's almost literally no glow coming from Marthysan.
"As I said, I can provide you answers and serve as a guide around the island. It would be improper for you to help you directly in the tournament, of course but I can give you advice," he says with a nod when it seems he has passed the test.
"Additionally, as champion, I have been provided with a suite of rooms at the adjacent inn. I am a single person so I don't need as so much space. You are free to use the unoccupied space. It will be free and, likely, one of the most secure places on the island," he explains.
Marthysan sighs and frowns. "I wish I didn't have to mention the last part. This was an honorable tournament at one time. No one would have dared try to interfere with it. But after the last one...I just don't know. It is frowned upon to kill during matches but it's not an impossibility. Now, I fear it is much more likely contestants will die outside the matches than in them."
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"A very generous offer. I don't particularly trust the inns and the coming and going of ill-intentioned strangers, so a bit more security would be for the best - and avoid any incidents"
"I also have little faith in the conduct of the tournament as it seems even in your match some rampant foul play by one of your fellow competitors went right through to almost the very end"
"So if the current crop, who concerns you the most? Any early signs of chicanery?"
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"Additionally, as champion, I have been provided with a suite of rooms at the adjacent inn. I am a single person so I don't need as so much space. You are free to use the unoccupied space. It will be free and, likely, one of the most secure places on the island," he explains.
”Dibs on the room closest to the hot baths!”
"I cannot deny the truth of that, though the foul play during my tournament was the worst on record. I hope that it was a single bad actor...well, two bad actors and not the beginning of a trend."
He looks around. "Nothing definitive yet. The man who approached you before me is Gomwai. Though he has done nothing more to any of the other contestants than what he did to you, rumors hold that he holds some rather shady affiliations."
"Well, I will leave you to your meal, then. Come find me when you're ready to adjourn for the night," Marthysan says.
It seems that the challenges before the Challenges are not quite through though, as a few minutes after Marthysan takes his leave, another man approaches.
Shirtless, his torso ripples with lean muscles and a long, ebony braid hangs down his back. He bows respectfully, if briefly when he comes adjacent to you.
"I bid you greetings. My name is Chung Po. It is my honor to be a contestant in this Ruby Phoenix Tournament. In the spirit of friendly competition, I would like to challenge any of you who are willing to a one-on-one wrestling match," he says.
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"What is it with all these people coming out of the woodwork to challenge us to nonsensical things? I appreciate a good-natured, spontaneous, contest of strength... but shouldn't you be saving your energy for the tournament? Besides. No one here actually wants to wrestle a dragon." As he speaks, a small trickle of smoke slips through his lips, and is danced about by an invisible wind.
"But no. I am not interested in proving my strength here."
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Rassmussen had been lost in his thoughts, noodling on his lute about peace and noodles, but suddenly seems to come back into the present moment. He seems momentarily surprised to see a new face above him.
"Oh." he says.
He looks around the table uncomfortably, then looks up at Chung Po again.
"Want to play checkers?" he offers.
Chung Po bows again with a good natured expression at each of Svetlana and Kal'Ryon's denials of his challenge.
At Rasmussen's question, his brow furrows and he looks around. "Why yes, I would," he says and gestures for the man to follow him to a table in the corner.
The table top is decorated with a 6 pointed star made of of tiny craters carved into the wood. While the middle is unpainted, each of the points of the stars is painted a different color and ten marbles of matching colors fill the divots of the same color.
"Please, choose your color," he says, waiting for Rasmussen to take a seat before he takes the color opposite.
When you are ready to depart for the night Marthysan escorts you to his suite. As promised, your portion of the chambers are ample enough for you all to relax and sleep in comfort and, perhaps more importantly, there is a good lock on the sturdy door.
When morning arrives, it seems as if all of New Harbor wakes before dawn. Even as the dull orange sun creeps slowly over the eastern horizon, the fishermen have already crowded into their boats. They move swiftly, like blackened silhouettes dancing against dawn’s watercolor pallet, eerily silent except for the shuffling of ropes and oars, and the caws of their trained cormorants.
"Good morning," Marthysan says as you awaken. "We must move quickly if you don't want to be late for the opening exhibition."
Finding your way to the Grand Pavilion poses no challenge, as you find a steady stream of boats carrying contestants and observers who can afford passage across the bay to the seaside arena, while droves of locals follow the coastal path to the pavilion (and Marthysan shows you the way, as well.)
The Grand Pavilion and surrounding fairgrounds lie deep within the cove, and feature a massive and elaborate combat arena specifically constructed for the tournament. Scores of colorful tents cram the grounds spreading from the wood almost to the water. A line of spectators stretches from the Grand Pavilion, waiting to enter the arena. Contestants are given priority, and red- and orange-clad monks usher the eclectic collection of warriors and battlemages into the arena to stand before the Emissary.
Before you are allowed to enter the Grand Pavilion, however, you must sign an entrance contract before an Abadaran cleric. On the contract, you must write you team name, and the name of each member of the team.
You must also each sign your names to the contests’ six simple rules, which are:
• The commands of the Emissary and his agents are to be obeyed at all times, and the Emissary's word is final. None shall take violent action against the Emissary or his agents.
• No contestant may leave Xielan Island until the conclusion of the tournament for any reason.
• Once a round has begun, no contestant may receive any aid, be it magical or mundane, from anyone not participating in the round as a contestant.
• Should any contestant yield to a foe and forfeit the battle, failure of other contestants to honor that forfeit will result in immediate disqualification.
• No contestant shall loot the body of a fallen foe.
• All contestants agree that there shall be no ties; only one team may be named the champions.
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"Please, choose your color," he says, waiting for Rasmussen to take a seat before he takes the color opposite.
Rassmussen takes a bit longer than he probably to decide on a color, perhaps for fear of offending the colors he doesn’t choose, but eventually he chooses the green marbles.
As this is a different version of checkers than he is used to, the tall man asks a few clarifying rules questions before sitting down to begin playing.
*****
The next morning when presented with the contract, Rasmussen signs it without comment. He renews his Life-link with his team-mates and then spends the next few minutes feeding breadcrumbs to sparrows and pigeons.
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• Once a round has begun, no contestant may receive any aid, be it magical or mundane, from anyone not participating in the round as a contestant.
"Does this include summoned creatures? Does this stop clerics and wizards from summoning creatures in combat? What about indirect aid? If a passerby does something and we can take advantage of that third party's actions, then could we be disqualified? I would hate for someone to be disqualified for commandeering a passing fishing raft"
• No contestant shall loot the body of a fallen foe.
"Just the body? If they were disarmed of an object but not yet fallen it seems we could pick it up, does this continue to be the case once they are knocked out?"
• Should any contestant yield to a foe and forfeit the battle, failure of other contestants to honor that forfeit will result in immediate disqualification.
"If they are unconscious are they considered 'out', or may we stab the fallen to ensure they can't be revived to continue fighting - they may have the ability to return to combat and have not yielded - at what point are they 'out' for that tournament round? Perhaps their team mates may yield on their behalf to ensure I don't eliminate potential threats in ways you may not be comfortable with"
"Other than that, when is our first match?"
"How manyh matches can we anticipate each day?"
"Does this include summoned creatures? Does this stop clerics and wizards from summoning creatures in combat? What about indirect aid? If a passerby does something and we can take advantage of that third party's actions, then could we be disqualified? I would hate for someone to be disqualified for commandeering a passing fishing raft"
"Summoned creatures are allowed," the Abadaran monk replies. "All official competitions will take place within the arena so there will be no way for a passerby to do anything to influence the matches. During exhibition matches, you may take advantage of any resources that you can acquire."
"Just the body? If they were disarmed of an object but not yet fallen it seems we could pick it up, does this continue to be the case once they are knocked out?"
"All non-consumable equipment shall be returned to its original owner at the end of a match or deposited with its corpse so that we may properly disseminate it to the appropriate next of kin. Contestants will not be responsible for compensating an opponent for the cost of any consumable item used by an opponent during a match."
"If they are unconscious are they considered 'out', or may we stab the fallen to ensure they can't be revived to continue fighting - they may have the ability to return to combat and have not yielded - at what point are they 'out' for that tournament round? Perhaps their team mates may yield on their behalf to ensure I don't eliminate potential threats in ways you may not be comfortable with"
"A fallen foe has not forfeited and, if you believe that your safety or victory is threatened by leaving an opponent alive you are allowed to slay them. A person may not forfeit for another individual but if those who remain capable of forfeiting do so, the entire team has forfeited and all members, including those who are unconcious but have not forfeited are considered to have forfeited," the official says. Far from being irritated by the detailed questioning, he seems pleased to find someone so thorough and willing to discuss the nuances of the rules.
"Other than that, when is our first match?"
"Everyone's first match will be today, though I do not have the exact schedule and, due to the nature of the competition, an exact time for your match would be impossible to give."
"How manyh matches can we anticipate each day?"
"You will have one match each day. There will also be a single test which you may participate in and most, if not all days will include an invitation to participate in an exhibition of some sort."
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The Ganzi just smiles at Svetlana, as she discusses the finer points of rules lawyering with the official.
"Knock them out, before they knock us out. Seems simple enough for me"
Kal takes quick inventory of his supplies, including his rod of extending, potions, and other various things.
"How much time will we have from being alerted until the contest? Will there be opportunities to use some magics prior to the start of our bouts?"
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"Indeed, as I assume many of our foes will have means to recover when knocked unconscious, I don't think we have the luxury of showing mercy. As a matter of fact, I don't believe it is against the rules to kill our opponents. I certainly don't expect them to refrain from killing us. This is the tournament of a decade."
"Yes, fatalities are to be expected. While it is assumed that you will not be purposefully killing your foes it is also assumed that you will not be going out of your way to avoid it," the administrator says.
You join with the other contestants coming in through the two paths on the south side of the arena. There are small alcoves along the cool shady area underneath the arena for you to prepare before each fight.
In the grandstands, a tenuous hush falls upon the immense and eager crowd. Moments later, the curtains part, revealing the Emissary (on Slide 1) flanked by an oni the familiar previous Ruby Phoenix Champion, the half-elf paladin Marthysan the Righteous. Behind the Emissary, like motionless statues, stand no less than a dozen qinggong monks. As all watch rapt, the Emissary rises and addresses the crowd.
“I am Sifu Xho Nuo—Emissary of the Ruby Phoenix Tournament and guardian of the legacy of Hao Jin, the once immortal sorceress in whose name you are gathered here to battle. To honor the Grandmaster’s legacy, I stand before you to carry out her final will: the thirty-first decennial Ruby Phoenix Tournament. Without further delay, we begin our first round of the contest. May the worthiest win!”
Upon his final words, the crowd erupts into clamorous applause, and the contestants scatter for their respective seats or positions throughout
the pavilion. Before you can go to a seat, you are escorted by a group
of silent usher monks and directed to the center of the fight stage to face their first opponents, the most skilled martial artists of the famed Monastery of the Enduring Spirit in Quain.
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As she moves towards the middle of the area the glammer surrounding Svetlana fades away slowly, revealing her to be dressed not in quality silks but finely decorated and ornate Hellknight Plate of blackened steel - featuring dozens of tiny leering imps of cold iron worked into the metal - closer inspection notes all of the Imps wings are razor sharp. On her breastplate is the seal showing the same Infernal eye staring out of a vortex, and also the seal of the House of Thrune.
She wields a bardiche with a wickedly keen blade of silversheen, the haft of the weapon providing extra grip by way of the myriad of carvings of human faces screaming in terror. She grips the weapon with a certain reverence and tenderness - as though a surgeon about to make the first incision.
"Do these monks speak the Common tongue?" she loudly enquires of the referee "Or should I be preparing magics to understand their pleas for clemency? I would hate for there to be any misunderstandings" - she draws a wand of Comprehend Languages in anticipation - on the side of the wand is engraved For the confessions of heretics.
***
Prep:
Detect Chaos on the Monks (unlikely but who knows).
Svetlana has Combat Reflexes (and a 16 Dex) with a 10' reach.
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Kal bristles with excited energy as they advance toward the stage- chaotic energy flowing off of his skin and weapons. He goes through a series of preparations, with a marble rod in his hand, before stowing it away in a small pocket of his cloak.
Prep:
1. Shield (+4 Shield, 10 mins)
2. Mirror Image ( )
3. Extended Iron Skin (Natural armor +5, 22 rounds)
4. Extended Enlarge person (Large, 22 rounds)
Rage (last moment of last action)
Ablative Barrier, 50 hp
Images 3
AC 29
Enlarged; reach 10ft, Polearm 20 ft
"No, they don't understand your language," the referee replies to Svetlana.
As before, the most chaotic aura is right next to her but none of the monks are showing any signs of such a nature.
There is a hubbub from the crowd as preparations begin, people discussing the upcoming match and the preparations.
A hush falls as though everyone knows the moment the fight is going to begin before it does.
"Begin," Sifu says quietly, though it somehow echoes throughout the arena.
No doubt because they have been training for this very moment, the monks get the jump on their opponents.
One, armed with what looks like some sort of combat oriented shovel moves in to attack Kal'Ryon.
But misses.
Another, armed with an enormous hammer comes after Svetlana.
But also misses.
The third, also armed with an odd combat shovel, comes in at Diazepane.
And demonstrates the Way of the Inaccurate Weapon, as well.
Leaving only the last monk, armed with a strange sword with seven branching blades to attack Daedin.
And shows his true mastery of missing.
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UMD - Comp Languages -
Triggers - Deathwatch
***
AOO vs Red
Human Bane/Silversheen
Attack
Damage
Crit?
Add Damage
AOO vs Orange
Human Bane/Silversheen
Attack
Damage
Svetlana steps, and strikes!
vs Orange
Human Bane/Silversheen/PA/Furious
Attack
Damage
Crit?
Damage
+Intimidate to Demoralise (shaken) vs 10+HD+WisMod
Attack
Damage
+Intimidate to Demoralise (shaken) vs 10+HD+WisMod
Svetlana steps, and strikes!
Attack
Damage
+Intimidate to Demoralise (shaken) vs 10+HD+WisMod
Svetlana's first blow goes to Red, landing before he can even strike.
Her 2nd and 3rd down the Orange monk.
She then redirects her attacks back to Red, finishing him with one more stroke.
Rassmussen proves his worth by giving the green monk bad luck.
Kal'Ryon redirects all his attacks at his secondary foe dropping him with a polearm strike and bite before lashing a claw out at the remaining monk.
While Daedin gets some room before sinking an arrow into him.
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Diazepane takes his time sipping reduce person and shield extracts, boosting his defenses. He puts his nose in the extract vials, to breathe the aromatics. Good nose, he remarks, congratulating himself on a successful brew. However, midway through the first sip, he notices the extracts that he prepared this morning have a somewhat bitter aftertaste, no doubt due to the hardness of water from this region. Swirling the fluids in their containers, he watches the liquids cling to the sides of the glass, analyzing their complex shapes for ...
WHAT? WE'RE UNDER ATTACK?!
Diazepane quickly gulps down the remainder of the extracts, and whips a vial.
WHERE DID THEY ALL GO?!
He steps back and unleashes two undersized, but fully potent, bombs at Green.
vs touch
plus DC 24 Fortitude vs staggered
vs touch
plus DC 24 Fortitude vs staggered
A cheer goes up from the crowd as the final monk manages to sidestep both of Diazepane's bombs, though his orange colored clothing is turned pale with frost from the splash. Everyone loves an underdog.
They cheer even more as he starts expertly wielding his monk's spade against Kal'Ryon.
Or not so expertly...
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"I suppose you may as well keep fighting when yu know you wont die - a demonstration of bravery, but bravado supported by a safety net"
She slashes away at the monk.
vs Green
Human Bane/Silversheen/PA/Furious
Attack
Damage
+Intimidate to Demoralise (shaken) vs 10+HD+WisMod
Attack
Damage
+Intimidate to Demoralise (shaken) vs 10+HD+WisMod
Attack
Damage
+Intimidate to Demoralise (shaken) vs 10+HD+WisMod
A hush falls over the crowd as Svetlana quickly downs the last monk with a single sword stroke.
Then, there is a roar of applause as they realize that the Pathfinders have won their victory in less than 10 seconds.
Rassmussen finds that he is too late for some of the monks, including the last one that was standing, the final blow against them lethal.
The Pathfinders are given Sifu's congratulation and then ushered out of the pavilion, back to the tunnels. The other contestants give you various looks of fear, respect and disdain though lean more toward the former two than the latter after that display than before it.
Speaking of displays...the Emissary’s monks need time to set up the elaborate fight stage between matches. He amuses the crowd during these intermissions by hosting tests of skill, strength, fortitude, and will.
In this challenge, items of various hardnesses are placed on stone pedestals positioned about the arena. Competitors must race about the ring, and using their bare hands, feet, and heads, smash as many of the objects as possible. Objects must be broken with a single attack, and objects that are damaged but not broken are replaced with new materials after each attempt.
As you just completed a match, you are not allowed out on this round, though a familiar figure saunters past.
"Good job beating down the staff. Let me know when you've been in an actual fight," the hobgoblin Gomwai says as he goes out to break some things.
When the expedition is done, and it's time for the next match, you recognize one of the contestants as Risha, the curious lady from the ferry ride. She and her Aspsis Consortium team deal with their opponents almost as handily as you did your own.
And then, you are welcome to participate in the day's Test.
The objects and the way you have to break them are:
Coconut - Hands
Ice Block - Arms
Metal Bar - Head
Quarterstaff - Feet
River Stone - Fingers
Stacked Boards - Hands
Stacked Bricks - Hands
Stacked Clay Tiles - Hands
Failing to break an object does damage to the person attacking it.
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Rassmussen finds that he is too late for some of the monks, including the last one that was standing, the final blow against them lethal.
The oracle looks quite sad to find some of the monks no longer breathing. Once the combat is over, he revives any of them who are still alive with some channeled healing energy, and offers his services to raise their dead companions if they can arrange the costs of the materials.
Afterward he seems pensive and uncomfortable. He evinces no interest in the object smashing competition.
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Diazepane would participate in the object smashing competition, but he is spectacularly awful at smashing objects.
He can offer extracts, though - a Channel Vigor can give a +6 to Fortitude saves, and if, uh, shenangigans are appreciated, he has a potion of stone shape that he can use to bend the earthy things.
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At the offer of the contest, Kal gently hands his polearm over to Rassmussen- letting it go before the man has fully committed to holding it for him.
Kal casually strolls up to the first of the items- the coconuts.
"Looks to be about a lb of coconut..."
With a sudden roar, heat shimmers erupt from his body, and he flings his sharpened nails and snaps his jaws on down the line.
The first claws easily produce two empty haves of cocconuts, to be later collected by knights, and the ice evaporates under the glowing heat of his nails. Repositioning, Kal chomps down on the metal bar, sundering it in two before making quick work of the quarterstaff, stone, and board.
Finally, with almost ease, he brings his hands down onto the bricks and clay tiles with a quick and efficient strike.
As soon as the final tiles fall, the shimmering stops and Kal just turns and disinterestedly walks away.
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Svetlana leaves it to the expert - he's doing brilliantly, let that stand as a spectacular demonstration.
"Very talented, I liked the shimmering bit too, added just the crrect level of street theatre to avoid this being just a bunch of broken bricks and turned it into a proper spectacle. They'll be talking about that at every tavern tonight I assure you" Svetlana seems rather positive and upbeat about it all.
The crowd cheers, each time the whoops and shouts growing louder with each previous success Kal'Ryon has.
There is an audible "aaawww" of disappointment as he fails to break the bricks, but they applaud again as he finishes with shattering the stacked tiles.