Paths of Legend: The Azgundi Tournaments

[shadowmask]

Pryzm drops like a stone toward the gathered friends. Landing with a less than graceful *thump*, the young dragon maneuvers herself behind Odon. She speaks in an un-Pryzm-like soft, shaky voice, "I'm sorry." The young dragon is trembling enough that the others can hear the slight chiming of her scales. She drops her head toward the ground and doesn't look at anyone.

 

[crazy_monkey1956]

OOC: Experimenting with upping the pace to updating as soon as everyone gets a post in. Let me know if it ends up being too fast.

The Debate

Johen

Londa rolls her eyes before beginning her rebuttal, "My opponenent seeks to bring his backwards, rustic, foreign religion into this debate and into Azgund. Comparatively speaking, Turen is, no offense, practically destitute because they refuse to exploit the abundant resources at their fingertips. We have no such restrictions and Azgund's wealth outstrips every other nation. There is no reason to not utilize those resources. None."

Londa's rebuttal (1d20+2=14)

OOC: Score = Johen 1, Londa 1

The moderator nods to Londa and then states, "You may now make closing statements on this issue. Londa, please proceed."

Londa gives Johen a smug smirk before beginning, "My opponent would have you believe that the defense of this city should be of secondary concern to, ahem, preserving nature. Further, he would have you coddle the Quarrymen's Guild and give in to their demands, rather than simply moving the business elsewhere, which is, by far, more cost effective. If you allow the Guilds to exert such power and authority they will surely undermine the rightful rule of the nobility in this glorious nation. That simply cannot be allowed. Put them in their place or put them in the poor house. And, as far as this silly Tureni notion of preserving natural resources...they are called 'resources' for a reason. Thank you."

Londa's Closing Statements (1d20+2=8)

OOC: Johen may now make his closing statements (and another Diplomacy roll).

Muzdum

The moderator nods to Muzdum again.

OOC: Score = Muzdum 2, Durani 0

The moderator says, "You may now make closing statements. Muzdum, you may start."

OOC: Another Diplomacy check, please.

Alaric and Estelle

The serving girl, Anareesa, stares blankly at Estelle, seemingly not recognizing her, her eyes dull and glazed.

OOC: Alaric and Estelle may make Sense Motive checks. Alaric may also make a Spellcraft check.

Meanwhile, Deidrich, Alaric's opponent, looks at the moderator, "Uh, does this mean we're done?"

He drinks from his water glass...and passes out, convulsing violently before becoming still and lifeless.

The moderator gets to his feet and points at Anareesa, "Guards, arrest her!" Several guards move up to do just that. A cleric of the Healing Light, the same one that tended to Muzdum earlier, makes his way to Deidrich, "This man has been poisoned...the same toxin used against the dwarf in the archery competition I believe."

The City Gates

The guard captain nods to William, "Very well, but be aware that any mischief caused by that creature is now your responsibility, sir. Please proceed."

Odon gently lifts Pryzm into his arms, "I am sorry, too. I should not have lost patience with you." He turns to the others, "Shayuri is right, we should make haste, for Pryzm's sake as well. I fear this city is too much for her."

OOC: Unless someone posts otherwise, I'll assume with the next update that the group proceeds to the Arcane Academy.

The Candle District: The Gentle Repose

Aleera nods grimly, pulling her longsword as she leads the way to the back entrance, grumbling in Elven.

The back entrance leads to a service alley where the tavern gets deliveries and dumps its garbage. The left side of the ally is currently blocked by a pile of such garbage, leaving only the right...where four shadowy figures wait.

Aleera whispers to Renaldo, "Ever hear of the Cat and Mouse tactic? We both go after one of them, one on either side. You keep him busy while I stab him in the back. Got it?"

 

[ethandrew]

Estelle's Sense Motive check of 3.

Estelle looks at Anareesa as she's arrested and escorted out, a look of utmost betrayal lining her sad face. Once she's out of the area she looks at the body of Alaric's opponent and then at Alaric himself. "I guess I could've slapped his water out too," she says in an voice not quite there.

 

[Scott DeWar]

The Candle District: The Gentle Repose

Aleera nods grimly, pulling her longsword as she leads the way to the back entrance, grumbling in Elven.

The back entrance leads to a service alley where the tavern gets deliveries and dumps its garbage. The left side of the ally is currently blocked by a pile of such garbage, leaving only the right...where four shadowy figures wait.

Aleera whispers to Renaldo, "Ever hear of the Cat and Mouse tactic? We both go after one of them, one on either side. You keep him busy while I stab him in the back. Got it?"

He looks at her and says ,"how unsporting...but there are four of them and two of us, so unsporting it is.Renaldo will move to flank which ever one that Aleera is after,"which one dies first mi'lady?" then to the thugs he says, "you boys looking for me?"

 

[Voda Vosa]

"Well, Ah' have nothin' more to add. Ah' just want..." the dwarf turns to the crowd "... to make ye understand, tha' money 's not a bad thin', ye must be thinkin' coldly when usin' it, or ye'll be goin' to dilapidate it. Humans don't have a good grasp on money. Nothin' personal, but Ah can see that glitch in yer eyes when ye see money" The dwarf closes one eye and points to no one in particular "Money can be used wisely, or can be used with foley. Buy yerselves a good weapon, tha's a good investment. But yerselves a new hat, tha's wastin' money!" the dwarf pokes his right palm with his sturdy left middle finger. "Ye can't afford to used money unwisely, ye have not tha' much money to be using it like a king er somethin'. If ye want security, ye pay a good amount to the mercenary guild, it'll be cheapest anyway, and if ye pay them well enough, ye'll be quite sure tha' no son 'f a farmer can bet yer numbers with a few coins. Use yer resources wisely and ye'll goin' to have money to spend, but spend it good, or the rats will eat ye up. Take me as an example, I have just a few month in this town, and Ah'd amassed quite a good amount of gold working hard in my smithy. Ye know why? Because ye humans can't control yer urge to spend yer money! It's an advise, use yer money with yer head, not with yer instincts." Muzdum finishes, facing the judges again, and smiling back at the man in front of him "Yer turn lad"
Muzdum rolled a 9

 

[Arkhandus]

"Oh for cryin' out loud!!!" Alaric exclaims, stumbling back from Diedrich. He looks at the serving girl and notices her blank stare, squinting at her for a moment while he tries to figure it out.

"What the heck?!? What's with all the bloody poison!?! First Muzdum, now us?! That's it, I'm not drinking or eating anything else that I didn't get myself," he grumbles. The wizard glances at Estelle, muttering "Thanks, I guess," then looks down at Diedrich with a frown. "Damn."

After a few moments, he looks up at the judge and asks"Uh, I don't know what this means for the debate, but it's definitely a bad sign for the tourney. Someone sent poison to my friend in the archery tournament, and now they just tried to poison me and....well, did poison Diedrich."

OOC: Sense Motive of 20 and Spellcraft of 21. W00t! And so unexpected after all those cruddy rolls last week....
1d20+1=20, 1d20+5=21

 

[Helfdan]

Valen walks beside Odon as they enter the city. He throws back his hood, displaying his lean, rugged features, but the smile he directs at Pryzm is kindly. "Worry not, little one. I hail from a woodland realm myself, and have yet to feel completely comfortable in this stone-pile they call a city. But you'll do fine."

 

[Yttermayn]

Relieved that the wyrmling is safe, Aohdan just quietly follows the others toward the academy.

 

[Amaury]

Londa rolls her eyes before beginning her rebuttal, "My opponenent seeks to bring his backwards, rustic, foreign religion into this debate and into Azgund. Comparatively speaking, Turen is, no offense, practically destitute because they refuse to exploit the abundant resources at their fingertips. We have no such restrictions and Azgund's wealth outstrips every other nation. There is no reason to not utilize those resources. None."

Londa's rebuttal (1d20+2=14)

OOC: Score = Johen 1, Londa 1

The moderator nods to Londa and then states, "You may now make closing statements on this issue. Londa, please proceed."

Londa gives Johen a smug smirk before beginning, "My opponent would have you believe that the defense of this city should be of secondary concern to, ahem, preserving nature. Further, he would have you coddle the Quarrymen's Guild and give in to their demands, rather than simply moving the business elsewhere, which is, by far, more cost effective. If you allow the Guilds to exert such power and authority they will surely undermine the rightful rule of the nobility in this glorious nation. That simply cannot be allowed. Put them in their place or put them in the poor house. And, as far as this silly Tureni notion of preserving natural resources...they are called 'resources' for a reason. Thank you."

Londa's Closing Statements (1d20+2=8)

OOC: Johen may now make his closing statements (and another Diplomacy roll).

Johen replies in a quiet and soft voice: "I for one would not take advice from someone who judges neighbours or another nation so quickly and with such cynism.
I for one would not listen to someone's advice when it is to impose your will to others. This leads to conflict.
Long time and mutually benefiting solutions only happen through negotiation and through sets of rules.
Else you may as well enslave the miners, if we follow your advice.

No, the solution is the one I described: negotiate a contract signed by both parties that will ensure that the great city of Azgund gets the defences it needs and satisfies the Guild by providing them with a guaranteed income and thus ways to improve the security of its miners.
Considering the size of the contract the city of Azgund has to offer, I have no doubt its representatives will get an excellent deal from the Guild, forging lasting relations that are in the interest and the benefit of everyone.

I rest my case. Thank you.

Diplo (1d20+2=14)

 

[Voda Vosa]

The dwarf turns to see the commotion at Alaric's place. "Well, tha's a security breach if ye ask me" he says, pointing at the scene.