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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Dichotomy" data-source="post: 6056711" data-attributes="member: 12941">[sblock=OOC]Ekaym has the statute, so you can't examine it right away.  But (since he's coming to see you), you get the chance later.  The statue has no magic, and Erdolliel's search turns up nothing.On the remaining competitors:Auric's warband: Auric has 5 auras, the strongest being moderate; Khellek has 6 auras, the strongest being moderate (and at least three wands are visible)Pitch Blade (two dwarves): 10 auras between them, the strongest being moderateDraconic Blood (4 sorcs): All four have the same auras: ring (faint abjuration), cloak (moderate transmutation), and wand (faint evocation)Snow Leopards (2 druids): nothingDrunken Devilry (3 halflings): nothingRegarding tactics, you learn some things, but, if you don't mind, I'll leave details until just before fights.  I don't want to spend time typing up tactics you won't need to know.[/sblock]Erdolliel spends her time eyeing the victors.  Auric and Khellek spend no time talking with the other competitors, though Auric's booming laugh can be heard almost nonstop until he and the wizard shut the door to their room.  The two dwarves of Pitch Blade are even worse.  As they return from their victory, they make straight for their room and ignore even shouts of congratulations from the other competitors.  They do, however, have time to stare daggers back at Erdolliel as she watches them, with looks filled with murder."Do you think they might suspect something?" Nethezar sarcastically inquires.Around 7:00 p.m., shortly after the evening meal, Ekaym enters the Coenoby.  As he spots the trio, a genuine grin breaks open on his face."Please, take no offense, but I never expected such a trouncing!  If the other managers are smart, they'll be advising the other teams of your prowess and tactics.  Those elven women were the odd-on favorites for your match, and you effectively eliminated them almost before the battle started!  And, Kushnak, when you," Ekaym's voice lowers to a fierce whisper, to discourage any eavesdropping, "when you… got huge…  That was impressive!"Now, I've got your considerable winnings, minus my loan for Tirra.  I can give the gold to you now, or I can hold onto it, if you need me to purchase anything for you.  I can also re-wager up to 1,000 of it, though your ratio has dropped to three-to-one, if you win the next bout."Ekaym continues, still speaking with his voice low.  "While I'm glad that you turned out to be admirable gladiators, I must admit that I had a hidden motive for entering you in the games.  You see… my sister Lahaka disappeared here last year, not long after the previous Champion's Games.  I've been looking for her for months now, but I've hit a dead end."She was a traveling entertainer, a bright joy that brought happiness to cities throughout the world.  It seems that her travels eventually brought her here, to the Free City, and more to the point, she caught Loris Raknian's eye.  I believe that they became lovers.  What I do know is that she vanished the day after the Champion's Games ended.  "I've paid for divination spells to learn more, but alas have learned little.  And so I decided to come to the games themselves.  I hoped that by entering some gladiators in the competition, I'd have a chance to explore the area, talk with Raknian, and maybe find out what happened to Lahaka.  But so far, I've found nothing.  Raknian's nearly impossible to get to, and I've uncovered no clues in the outlying buildings.  There's two places I've not been able to reach--his palace and the arena understructure.  This is where you come in, my friends.  If you can slip away from the Coenoby between battles and search the surrounding rooms for clues as to what happened to my sister, I'll turn over all of the winnings from the games to you.  What do you say?"</blockquote>

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