(IC) Festival of Heroes - Main

[EdgeGrinder]

Main action thread for Festival of Heroes.

[Wolfykins]

Spoiler: Common knowledge about Juvelnord: Knowledge (local) DC 10, may roll untrained

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Juvelnord, "Jewel of the North", is a prosperous principality, currently ruled by Princess Geiravor. The nation is bordered by the ocean to the north, the east and west edges of the realm's beaches marked by tall stone lighthouses capped by enchanted crystals. The laws of the land are fairly standard laws with nothing standing out as especially strange. The nation has open borders, but travel papers are required to enter the capital, Juvelnord City. Juvelnord has a reputation as a safe nation with minimal crime, largely due to a robust system of support for the less fortunate of its citizens. It's a theocratic principality, but does not require its citizens to follow the principality's patron deity, Freya. The most popular attraction in the nation is the enormous, oval coliseum in Juvelnord City. The Grand Temple of Freya, also in Juvelnord City, is also a popular place to journey to while on religious pilgrimages.

Spoiler: More info, including rumors and local traditions: Knowledge (local) DC 15

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Juvelnord's wealth comes primarily from the export of various precious gems and rare metals mined from the mountains. They are one of the world's largest exporters of Ioun Stones. Other valuable exports include blood crystals, dreamstone, starstone, and even the dangerous hellstone, as well as popular rare metals such as adamantine and mithral. They also have extensive gold and silver mines and their mints are famous for producing exceptionally pure coins.
The crystals of Juvelnord's famous Crystal Lighthouses are enchanted to absorb and store the light of the sun and then cast a beam out over the sea only when it is dark. The enchantment saves them the need to have someone at the towers to maintain the lights every night. They receive monthly maintenance from one of the magic guilds in the capital.
Juvelnord is fairly well-known for the grand Festival of Heroes it hosts every two years to honor all the world's greatest heroes. Only those heroes with exceptional reputations and proven skills ever receive a coveted invitation to participate in the festival's Hero's Tourney. The capital city floods with people during the week-long festival. It is rumored that despite the increased guard presence and the numerous visiting heroes, crime spikes in Juvelnord during the festival due to the influx of foreign tourists. Juvelnord has attempted to rectify this in the past decade by greatly cracking down on entry to the capital city without travel papers.
Another popular tradition in Juvelnord is polo. It's by far the nation's most popular sport. Their biggest competitor is the centaur polo team from Kopuklukum.
There's also a rumor that crime is not as nonexistent in Juvelnord as the ruling class wants outsiders to believe. Supposedly there is a thriving underground world of organized crime seething beneath the capital city.
Another rumor going around lately is that the reason you don't see many panhandlers is not because they're taken care of by the state, but instead, they've been disappearing. No one really credits that rumor, and almost everyone you would talk to could tell you tales of being propelled into a life of relative comfort thanks to the intelligent execution of education and employment programs and a fair minimum wage.

Spoiler: Even more info, including hidden organizations, leaders and secret locations: Knowledge (local) DC 20

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There is definitely more to the capital city than meets the eye. The local Thieve's Guild is not simply a Thieve's Guild. They run a thriving black market that includes overseas smuggling, both import and export. They have eyes and influence all over Juvelnord, but they tend to focus on the capital city. The current leader of the Thieve's Guild is a solid black catfolk with green eyes, who calls herself Bast. It's unknown if that's her real name, but probably not.
Another secretive organization in the capital city is basically the opposite of the Thieve's Guild. They call themselves Divine Enforcers, and are a semi-eclectic group of people who follow LG deities rather fanatically. They tolerate each other's differences in faith because they share the goal to eradicate all evil and chaos. Many of them have scars or minor disfigurements from inflicting punishments upon themselves for acts they've done that they perceived as evil or chaotic, penance for succumbing to temptation. They don't have a unified leader and operate with a rotating committee. They've bogged themselves down with so much bureaucracy and rules and self-policing that they're not actually very effective at accomplishing their goal.
Lastly, Juvelnord is home to a nationwide organization (loosely speaking) of people who call themselves "Freedom Fighters". Most of them are good or neutral, and they all swing towards chaotic most of the time. They're pretty basic anarchists and atheists, who object to a theocratic rule. Or, really, any rule. Their lack of organization is truly their downfall, as their acts are so sporadic, random and uncoordinated that few people actually realize they're connected or have any actual goals. They can be found in almost every town in the nation though, and their refusal to hold down regular jobs means they're pretty easy to hire as mercenaries and flunkies, as long as their employer doesn't try to impose too many rules and restrictions on them. They don't have a leader, obviously.
There are many secret spots around Juvelnord. One of the princess's top advisor's has a workshop in the basement of the Mage Tower next to the castle. The castle itself sports a secret accelerated crafting lab. Only those with good reputations are permitted to rent space in it for crafting.
There's a hidden dwarven embassy at the base of a mountain, not far from the capital city. The elves have a hidden embassy in the forest at the southern edge of the principality. The gnomes have a hidden embassy in the basement of the largest inventor's lab in Nordale, the 2nd-largest city after Juvelnord City. The halflings put a hidden embassy halfway between the elven embassy and the capital city as a joke, but once done, they couldn't go back on it.
There's a secret basement under the coliseum that's home to an ultra-exclusive nightclub whose patrons are almost exclusively nobles from all over the world.

9:00 AM, Day 1 - 3 days before the start of the Festival of Heroes
Today's Weather: It's a normal spring day. There's a slight breeze blowing up from the south. What few clouds there are are pale and fluffy. It's about 74°F in the sun, and feels cooler in the breeze.

Spoiler: Predict tomorrow's weather: Surival, DC 15

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Tomorrow, Day 2, should be much the same as today.

Spoiler: Next Day: Survival DC 20

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Day 3 might have an unseasonable cold snap. Expect temps to drop to the 50's at the warmest.

Spoiler: Next Day: Survival DC 25

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Day 4 might have a thunderstorm! Expect heavy rains and high winds, with possible lightning strikes.

Spoiler: Next Day: Survival DC 30

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Day 5 the weather is likely to return to normal spring weather and temperatures. Expect temps to climb back into the 70's range, with clear skies.

Spoiler: Next Day: Survival DC 35

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Day 6 the weather might have an unseasonable cold snap. Expect temps to drop to the 50's at the warmest.

Spoiler: Next Day: Survival DC 40

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Day 7 the weather is likely to return to normal spring weather and temperatures. Expect temps to climb back into the 70's range, with clear skies.

At the invitation of Princess Geiravor, heroes from all over the world were traveling to Juvelnord City from their homelands. For many, the journey was a long one. But they started the day off fresh after a rest at the last inn before approaching the capital city. Depending on what direction they're coming from, the heroes approach one of the captial's three main gates. But no matter which gate they approach, there is a noticeable increase in guard presence and strict checking of travel papers. Even the heroes, who were invited to the city, are expected to have travel papers! To the right of each gate is a table under an awning, manned by a guard and a clerk. Anyone without travel papers is redirected to get in line at the table so they can be issued their paperwork, if they qualify for it. Roll a d2. Even, you have your papers and you pass through the gate unhindered. Odd, you don't have your papers! Roll bluff/diplomacy/intimidate at a -10 penalty against DC 30 to get the guards to let you through the gate without your papers. If you fail, or choose not to try that, you get in line.

Spoiler: If you're entering the West Gate.

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The West Gate is the least crowded of the three gates, yet the line to get travel papers is surprisingly long. Anyone in line at this gate has a 3 minute wait before being seen. In addition to the guard helping at the table, there are two more on either side of the gate, which is open.
Past the gate, it's clear this side of town is a quiet area. There are nice houses with well-maintained yards and gardens and the occasional water feature. Traffic is sparse in this area, despite the line at the table. The road is wide, and split by a three-foot wide median lines by curved white bricks. Every few feet in the median are ornamental trees of various colors. Their blooms are all beginning to wilt and brown at the edges. At the base of each tree is a riotous spray of color from flowers and blooming shrubs that, unlike the trees, show no signs of being near the end of their bloom. The grass between the flowers around the trees is dark and lush.
The larger intersections in this area sport large fountains of various size, shape and feature. The corners of these large intersections are home to shops that cater to people living in this area who don't want to travel all the way to the Market District for things they want or need. There's a bakery here, a barber there, a florist or two, a few upscale clothing boutiques, swanky cafes, and other similar shops.
When someone waiting in line finally reaches the table, the clerk looks up.
"Name?" she asked flatly, looking and sounding rather bored. "Purpose in coming to the city?" By her tone, she thinks the procedural question is silly, because the reason anyone would be coming to Juvelnord this time of year is pretty obvious.

Spoiler: If you're entering the South Gate

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The South Gate is by far the busiest, being the largest and most popular of the three gates. Despite the crowds and the long line, things are moving along at a brisk pace. Anyone in line at this gate has a 3 minute wait before being seen. This gate includes an extra table, which is helping to keep things moving. In addition to the two guards at the tables, there are eight guards flanking the gate, which is open.
Past the gate, it's clear this area is a bustle of activity. Close to the city wall are rows of warehouses, storage yards and granaries. People are coming and going from these buildings, many carrying boxes.
Past the storage buildings is the beginning of the Market District. The main road from the gate is very wide; large enough for 4 wagons to travel, with space for people to walk between them. Smaller roads branch out from the main road and make slow curves northward. Along these smaller roads are various shops. The shops at the edge of the Market District are large shops of high quality stonework and tile roofs. Many are painted with scenes depicting the crafting process of the items they sell within. Most of them are only one story and lack living quarters, indicating the owners are wealthy enough to afford their own homes elsewhere and can commute and pay employees to commute. The closer to the center of the Market district one goes, the smaller the shops get, with most of the small shops having living quarters for their owners either above or to the side, until finally at the center is a large, open-air market filled with colorful stalls and kiosks.
The whole district is shaped rather like a giant U, and the reason for the missing chunk is really obvious even from the gate: the coliseum. The enormous oval coliseum towers over the one- and two-story buildings that make up the Market District. And towering over the coliseum is the royal castle at the center of town.
When someone waiting in line finally reaches the table, the clerk looks up.
"Hello!" he said cheerfully. "Please state your name and purpose for coming to Juvelnord City! Though I bet I can guess; the festival, right?!" He beamed, seeming as excited as the crowd.

Spoiler: If you're entering the East Gate

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The East Gate was moderately busy. There was a steady stream of traffic entering the gate, but the line at the paperwork table was fairly short. Anyone waiting in line at this gate has a 2 minute wait before being seen. In addition to the guard at the table, there are six guards at the gate itself, which is open.
It's difficult to see far in this section of town. The streets are winding and mostly narrow, except the main street from the gate. The buildings here are not what you'd call shabby, by any means, but it was clear they were made of mostly inexpensive materials and had received a lot of heavy maintenance and repainting over the years. A lot of the buildings are pretty obviously moderate sized apartments and densely populated tenements. Many of the other buildings are difficult to get a sense of their purpose. They look like they're likely workshops, or possibly craft guild halls, but few of them bear signs, indicating they're not intended for public access. Anything crafted in those buildings is likely hauled to the Market District for sale. There were also several inns and pubs and similar entertainment buildings in the area, many of which were playing boisterous music. Thankfully, they were far enough away from each other that the music mostly didn't clash.
When someone waiting in line finally reaches the table, the clerk looks up.
"I need you to state your name and purpose for visiting the capital today," he said brusquely, seemingly very business-like and prioritizing efficiency.

No matter what gate one enters, it would be about a four or five hour walk at a casual walking pace to reach the castle. Luckily, enterprising drivers and horsemen are offering rides around town, a few even sporting banners claiming their services are magically enhanced and can get a traveler from gate to castle in an hour.
You can walk around the city and arrive at the castle in your own time if you like, or you can pay 3 gp to get a magically enhanced ride to the castle in an hour.

[Darius Vibrtrar]

Luckily, Umbear has his paperwork as the HUGE sized OGRE approaches the City. Unlike most ogres, he wears a variety of clothes, armor and equipment, making him stand out even more than the fact that he is 50%-75% larger than any ogre ever seen. While waiting in line at the West Gate he has a conversation internally with his Tunic and Pauldrons. Reminding them that they will be entering a City. That a City is a place filled with People they Hate. That they will not be able to attack or deal with Spellcasters, or Fanatics until they are in the Tournament. By the time he had finished the discussion he had gotten to the front of the line. He sat down on the ground, so he would be able to see under the covering, and see the person at the table.

"I am Umbear. I am here for the Festival Tournament."

[Andrew Markham]

Aurix Kornari, a tall human carrying a stave, entered the East Gate of Juvelnord City. His golden-scaled skin glistened in the sunlight. He smiled enthusiastically at people as he flowed through the crowd. On his way towards the castle, Aurix stopped to catch up with people he had met on previous trips here. He hoped to get a feel for the pulse of the city right now, and pick up rumors of any shady happenings before they caught up with him. It was best, Aurix knew, to be ready.

Diplomacy to gather information: (1d20+49)[59]

[Wolfykins]

The clerk did a double-take as she registered the site of the giant sitting in front of her.
"Uh... huh... Umbear?" she murmured, skimming over her list for a moment. Then she looked back up at the well-dressed ogre. "You're on the list for those who received travel papers in advance. Did you lose yours? I can issue you a new set if you've lost them, but there's a fee of 5 silver to re-issue travel papers," she said.

[Darius Vibrtrar]

Umbear stops and looks to the left and to the Right, then Down at his Chest.

"No... I have my papers..."

He pulls them out, presenting them.

"There was a line... Do I need more to enter the city? or is this enough?"

[Wolfykins]

The woman looked upward and sighed slightly.
"No, these are the correct papers and you don't need anything else. This line is supposed to be for people who didn't obtain travel papers ahead of time. Show your papers to the guards at the gate and they'll let you pass," she said, looking down at her list while pointing towards the gate with her quill pen.
"Next!" she said loudly, tone flat.

The guard next to the clerk came around the table and smiled at Umbear sympathetically.
"Don't mind her, she's just bored. She'd rather be gardening," he said, gesturing towards the gate with his arm, offering to escort the ogre into the city. "Enjoy the festival! I hope I'm off duty when for your tournament match! I bet that'll be a good one!" he said with a broad grin.

[Andrew Markham]

On his way to the castle, Aurix keeps an ear out for rumors. Realizing he has gone without, Aurix begins casting on himself to stay prepared. Perhaps the underlying tension in the city is what reminds him...

Spoiler: Buffs cast

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Mage Armor- +4 to Armor AC, protection from Magic Missiles- 20 hours
Ablative Barrier- turns first 5 points of lethal into nonlethal damage for 10 attacks- 20 hours
Greater False Life- gives (2d10+20)[33] temporary HP- 20 hours
Grand Destiny- +4 competence bonus can be applied 3 times during duration of spell- 200 minutes
Mind Blank- +8 vs enchantments and immune to scrying or divination (detect spells too)- 24 hours
Moment of Prescience- can give +20 to a roll or to AC vs an attack once- 20 hours

[Darius Vibrtrar]

Umbear rises up.

"Thank you for the Clarification Miss."

He looks down to the knight and nods.

"Im sure some will gain some entertainment out of it. I wonder If they have book keepers and gambling for the Tournament."

He pondered outloud to the Guard as he was escorted in.

[Wolfykins]

The guard chuckled. "Oh, the big gaming halls always put up the brackets and lay odds. But there's a lot of new heroes in the tournament this year. A lot of older heroes retired since the last Festival of Heroes, and a lot of new up-and-comers, like yourself, have received invitations. Anytime that happens, the halls won't lay odds until the second round of the tournament. They need to see how the competitors perform first."
"That doesn't stop the spectators in the arena from making bets with the people in seats next to them based on their thoughts on how the competitors look, but any good gambler knows that's a poor way to pick a winner. If you do place bets outside of a gambling hall though, be careful. Don't make bets with anyone bearing a black tattoo shaped like the outline of the ears, back and tail of a cat."
"They would be in the Thieve's Guild and will either try to con you, or see how high you'll roll to get an idea of how rich you are so the guild can target you later," the guard bowed politely as he finished his warning to the ogre, and then retreated back to his post by the paper distribution table.

[Andrew Markham]

Aurix is disturbed by what he hears, but needs to know more. He moves through the street until he begins seeing symbols of the god Erastil. Aurix follows those symbols until he finds a temple. He approaches the altar, if he can, and waits to be acknowledged.

[Wolfykins]

A priest of Erastil and a pair of acolytes were tending the alter, laying out baskets of fresh spring crops. A magically sedated fawn lay quietly in front of the altar. The priest looked up as the tall, golden man approached. He smiled and turned to face Aurix, pressing his palms together in front of his chest and bowing slightly.
"Welcome, traveler. Are you in need of the services of a cleric today, or have you come to pray and witness a ritual sacrifice? I'm afraid you're quite early if it's the latter. We'll be performing the ritual at sunset," the aging priest said.

[Darius Vibrtrar]

Umbear nods and continues into the city. He moves slowly as to not trample anyone. He moves with purpose.



Most People come up to his knees, or upper shins, so he is usually looking down, but always making sure to look up to not hit any signs or any cross street construction. He does his best to make his way to the Gambling hall, whenever he sees a guard he asks for directions to head that way.

[Wolfykins]

The nearest gambling hall was a bit of a distance from where Umbear started. He had to circle the east side of the Market District to the edge of the Western Residential District. The walk took (1d2)[2] hours. The gambling hall here was the largest in the city, due to its proximity to the coliseum. It was a two-story building, wider than it was tall, much like a barn. The bottom third of the building was stone, and the rest wood. The stone was various shades of white and sandy browns, and the wood was a varnished cherry, oddly. The large, whitewashed double doors were about 18' tall, easily accommodating large guests, but much too small for Umbear at his current size. On either side of the door were large picture windows stretching from the stone facade all the way up to the second floor. They were about twice as wide as normal windows. On the second floor, smaller windows bracketed the top portion of the large windows.
There was no traffic in or out of the hall at this hour of the morning, but through the large windows it was easy to see that the lights were on and there was a small handful of people inside.

[Andrew Markham]

"I am a follower, newly arrived in the city. After only an hour, I have heard unanswered cries for help and can not bear to stand idle. I hoped for guidance. I hear many whispers of people's loved ones disappearing, and they are being dismissed due to the festival. Can you ask Erastil to guide me to where I can do the most good?"

[Darius Vibrtrar]

Umbear looked inside the upper windows to see that there were lights on inside. He sighed as he looked at the door. He begins working his hands in the air before him as he speaks almost in a sing song spell form.

"Take this form from me, make me much smaller, like a flea"

As he speaks the words his size begins to lessen until he is only about 14 feet tall. He moves to stand before the cherry colored doors and knocks on them.

[Wolfykins]

The priest raised his eyebrows in surprise and glanced over at the two acolytes. He looked back at the golden man and spread his hands.
"Are you talking about the rumors of beggars disappearing?" he asked. "There have been more whispers and rumors about that in the past couple of weeks, but there's been no evidence of anything sinister going on that I have heard about. The people who have supposedly disappeared have largely been homeless beggars with no friends or family in the city."
"Juvelnord offers aid to people in such straights, so, if a beggar disappears, the most likely reason is that they received aid and no longer need to beg. Panhandling is not actually allowed in the city, so guards would ask them to either seek help or go elsewhere. If their pride stops them from seeking help, then it's likely they would move on."
"As a follower of Erastil, you know he would not approve of beggars breaking the city's laws to panhandle, nor would he think highly of one choosing pride or laziness over hard work. But still, if you wish to speak with Erastil, there is a way," the priest said. He turned and made a beckoning gesture towards a curtain that blocked off a hallway to the temple's living quarters.

A stag archon stepped out from behind the curtain, head tilted sideways to keep his antlers from catching. The deer-headed outsider stepped towards Aurix and pressed his palms together and bowed. When he spoke, his voice was soft and deep, and there seemed to be a sort of faint echo to his words, as if he were speaking two languages at once. The faint echo of the other language was not distracting to listen to unless one focused on it. Aurix got the sense that the other language was celestial, but he wasn't certain.
"Greetings, Erastil's Dragon," he said. "If you would like aid in communing with our god, you may follow me back into one of our private retreat rooms and I will perform the magic for you."

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From inside the gaming hall came a disgruntled shout. "It's unlocked! Come in if you want, but we're not running any games until 2 pm!"

[Andrew Markham]

"I hope you are right, good priest, but I would like to be sure. Something feels... off. I accept your aid, celestial one, and am honored to be uniquely known in Erastil's eyes." Auric rises, nods, and follows the archon.

[Darius Vibrtrar]

Umbear gently pushes in the door, making sure that when he entered the building he wouldnt be hitting his head on anything. He began looking around for the voice that called out.

"Im one of the fighters for the tournament. I wanted to see what the situation with registering for gambling on brackets, Ive been told some information, but I wanted it from the source. Rumors being what they are"

[Wolfykins]

The outsider led Aurix down a corridor with several curtained-off rooms. He stopped before one of them and held the curtain open for Aurix to pass, and then followed him inside. The room was small, about 20x20, with one window on the wall opposite of the doorway. The walls were painted white and the floor was covered with plush, green cushions. The window was an opaque stained glass depicting a scene of a hunter spearing a boar. Since the window let in very little light, there was a glowing crystal orb cupped between a pair of antlers hanging down from the ceiling. The archon settled onto one of the cushions and gestured for Aurix to take a seat across from him.

"The high priest could have performed a 'Commune' himself, but for me it works differently. I do not have so many questions as the priest, but I will be channeling Erastil directly. Normally, one casting a 'Commune' would ask a limited number of yes or no questions, and would not be able to discuss the answers or further questions with anyone else while the spell was ongoing, so it's really more useful for the caster's own questions rather than a petitioner's," the archon explained. "But I will be acting as a direct conduit to Erastil, so you will be asking the questions."
"You may ask three yes or no questions. But our god is busy, so do not spend undue time thinking of your next question. If you delay long, he will break our connection and leave, and I will be unable to contact him again until I have spent a few hours in rest."

The archon closed his eyes and lowered his head for a moment and murmured a quiet prayer. When he lifted his head, a golden light shone from his eyes.
"Speak." The light also shone from the outsider's mouth as he spoke in a voice that was not his own. The voice was a rich baritone, and lacked the echo of the archon's speech.

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The inside of the gaming hall was typical of establishments of its type, if generally cleaner and more expensively decorated. The floors were hardwood and the tables and chairs were all bolted to the floor so they couldn't be thrown in a losing patron's rage. There was a standard array of billiards tables, dart boards, and tables for various card or dice games, as well as a large roulette wheel near the back. In the middle of the room was a U-shaped bar, and suspended over it was a chalkboard divided into three columns. The first column was blank, the second had a ranked list of names of what looked likely to be racehorses, and the last had a ranked list of numeric sequences that Umbear wasn't sure the meaning of.

There was one man behind the bar, two people sat on stools at the bar, one person in an apron was mopping the floor, and three other people sat at the table furthest from the bar. The man behind the bar was a tall, brutish looking fellow who looked like he was probably part orc.

"You're one of the heroes, eh?" the barkeep said, looking Umbear up and down and raising an eyebrow. "I guess you'd have to be or they wouldn't'a let ya in town, hm? Not many of th' heroes are in town yet. Heard tell there's a centaur at the castle now, but I dunno how many of t'other new faces goin' in the castle are heroes. We'll be gettin' advanced copies o'the roster once you're all registered for th' tourney, but that won't be for another two days. Can't put up brackets if I dunno who's goin' on 'em, y'know? An' we prolly won't be takin' bets on round one cuz there's too many new faces. Like yours."
"We don' like to lay odds based on who looks like they'd prolly beat the snot outta somebody. Else we'd probably put you as the clear favorite! At leas' so far, anyway. I s'pose a more intimidatin' hero could show up, but I'm not sure I wanna imagine them," he said with a toothy grin.
"Come back after your firs' match and we'll have the odds set up and start takin' bets. Though I mus' admit, havin' one of the competitors askin' about bettin' on the matches is not a common thing. I'm not sayin' it never happens, cuz it does sometimes, but it's not the norm."

[Darius Vibrtrar]

Umbear looked around, seeing the familiar sights of a Gambling Hall, While he was not a specialist in gambling. He knew he could always bet on himself. He looks down to the... larger than average man.

"Hey now... I am going to win this tournament. I can guarentee it. Not because Im big... because I shrank myself to come inside. Not because im Strong. Because I am the Strongest coming. If you like I can give a Demonstration. As a way for you to make another Bracket worth of Money."

He smiled a larger smile.

[Andrew Markham]

Aurix raises a finger, reconsiders, then reconsiders again. Finally he says, "I hear people in Juvelnord City speaking about beggars disappearing, and I sense something unsettling beneath the surface. Are these disappearances a malicious event?"

[Wolfykins]

"Not by intent." Erastil spoke through the archon.

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The barkeep raised his eyebrows and looked slightly alarmed.
"No, no, you don't need to demonstrate your strength. I'm quite sure the bolts holdin' the furniture down won't withstand ya! But I'm thinkin' maybe you don't know how gamblin' works, if y'think proving you'll win will make me money."
"If you're the favorite to win an' I put odds on ya at, say, 2:1, then I'd only make money if ya lost. On th' other hand, if ya seemed like you'd lose an' I put odds on ya at, say, 100:1, an' ya surprised everyone by winnin', then there'd be a buncha people who bet against ya who'd lose as a result, an' that would make me money."
"If you present yourself as a sure-thing, then I'd only make money on ya if ya threw the match, especially if your opponent was one with bad odds. But I don' like fixin' bets like that, even if it would make me money once. I make more by bein' a respectable and convenient establishment than I'd make by trickin' folks outta their gold, cuz people eventually catch on t'that sorta thing!" the barkeep said, shaking his head.

[Darius Vibrtrar]

Umbear nods his head.

"I see. I dont like being Dishonest. Well see who they give me... maybe theyll just give me someone flashier to fight, so people think I wont beat them in the second Bracket. "

He turns to head toward the Door.

"Sorry for Bothering you. Ill be back for betting, and my winnings Tripling my Money is always good policy"

[Andrew Markham]

"Is there anything happening- now or in the near future- that threatens Juvelnord or its people that you would like me, specifically, to work to prevent?"

[Wolfykins]

"Unclear." Erastil answered, sounding regretful.

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"You're no bother t'me," the barkeep assured the ogre. "My advice for makin' the most money off yourself would be t'be real humble-like and downplay your skills. That way people won't think y'have so much chance o'winning and won't bet in your favor. Also not a bad strategy against your opponents, cuz if they underestimate ya, ya have a chance o'catchin' 'em off-guard!"

[Andrew Markham]

"Is your ability to see into this situation being clouded by a god of evil?"

[Darius Vibrtrar]

Umbear looks around the Gambling hall and nods.

"Would you mind If I do some preparations in here, they are a bit flashy, but I can hide them afterward. Would only take a minute or less. That way... I look less threatening, and you might stand to make more money. It wouldnt be too.... disruptive. "

[Wolfykins]

"Yes!" Erastil said, voice booming. As the god's voice faded, so too did the light coming from the archon's eyes and mouth. The deer-headed outsider slumped slightly against the cushion and looked tired.

"I hope the answers you received were of some help you to you," he said. "You may come back anytime, but future services here will have a cost as is usually the case. This time was free because of your status as a hero and devout follower, and this is how I thank you for doing Erastil's work where us Guardians cannot go. We are holding a ceremony of sacrifice this evening, and again on Solstice morn, if you wish to attend. It is customary to bring the last of spring blooms to the Solstice morn ceremony. I know there will be an exit parade for you heroes on Solstice, but our ceremony is at sunrise and the parade not for a few hours hence, so you should have time," the archon said with a small smile, his soft brown eyes friendly as he regarded Aurix.

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"Do whatever y'need, so long's it doesn't damage anything," the barkeep said with a friendly half-smile.

[Andrew Markham]

Aurix bites his lip. "I am greatly disturbed by what I have learned," Aurix says. "I thank you for your generosity. I most certainly shall return, if I am able. May I ask a boon of you and the clergy here?" Aurix continues, "There is one other purpose I can think of for beggars to disappear. I entreat you to give shelter to any such people you meet in the coming days, lest they be used to increase the influence of an evil god who opposes Erastil. May you be well." Aurix bows deeply and leaves the temple.