DnD 3.5 Tournament of Ages Preliminary IC

[Duskranger]

It is us. We are here with information. You hear the answer, it is clear now that the one speaking is Endion and he is getting a little bit impatient, as he is waiting for a little while.

[Deathslayer7]

Adam opens the door and motions the man. Come in. Come in. he says. Excuse my manners. I didn't expect anyone this early, none of us did.

[Duskranger]

That's one of the reasons we came here. What we have to tell you is highly confidential and should stay a secret. Now as most of the other fighters are still asleep we can talk more freely. I hope you do not mind this. We have taken the liberty to bring you breakfast. Ibex says, while putting down a big basket with food. Behind him a guy looks at the room, shyly his eyes move from one side of the room to another.
Please sit down, so that we can talk. Ibex motions to you all to sit around the table. Endion closes the door.

Your room has now four extra people in it, Endion, Ibex, a female and the shy boy/girl.

[Deathslayer7]

Adam looks in surprise at the man but says nothing. He picks the basket up and rifles through it, starting to hand out breakfast to the others. He looks back at Ibex. Have you four eaten? he asks, holding out a plate.

[Kurai]

There is a wry smile around Baghira's mouth as he raises himself back up. I can take a compliment when I see one. Stretching his arms over his head, tilting his body left and right, he loosens his fingers and heads over to the dwarf. Giving the buckles and belts and plates a wary look, the ex-slave does as the smaller man asked. "Then let's see what you can teach me. And, just for future reference, it's Baghira, not boy." He eases his words with another short, quirky smile.

While helping with the armor donning, Baghira sents Adam a thankful nod in return for the food. Then he points his chin in the direction of the new arrival, a hint of confusion on his young face.
"So who's the new guy? And what exactly is going on? Looks like I missed the note while I was forced to take my beauty sleep."

[Duskranger]

Ibex and the others thank you for sharing your food, and the boy, shies away even more.

You missed a part of the fight yesterday, I think it's best to bring you up to speed. It became an unfair battle when someone butted in in the middle of the fight. Sadly Aster, which is my friend, destroyed him, and thereby also stopped the battle, we were afraid though, after examining that the battle would have meant the death, for we checked the weapons and they were protected against the magic we use to take care no one gets killed. As most of you have felt yesterday, the pain is still real, but the damage is lessened to a point of retrieval. The guy that tries to hide himself in my robes is called Tendor, he's a student of my, and will be because one of you wanted to leave, he did not feel this tournament was wat he thought it would be, your sixth teammember. I hope you can make him feel home. And she, Ibex says while pointing at the stunning elven female that stands behind him, but before he can say anything more the lady herself starts talking.

Call me Morana. I'm one of the high judges here. We are concerned enough to confide in you. Don't disappoint us. Endion, check the wounds of the ones that gotten them it makes talking easier if they feel well. Morana says. Endion gives a nod and moves to everyone. Though the wounds are healed, he still looks at Adam.
The shuriken did more damage than expected. I will expect you in the healers office two hours after this meeting to see if I can restore the musscles a bit there. Wouldn't want you to become handicapped.

[RaggedAngel]

Deriac checks his armor, twisting and moving carefully. Finding everything to his liking, he thanks Baghira. He then turns to the newcomers. "Right, then. You're concerned that someone's messing up your tournament and such, correct? Then I propose we keep the tournament running on schedule. First of all, you don't want them to know that they're gettin' to you. Secondly, you may draw out more of the cowards like the one that butted in yesterday. So, when is the next fight?"

[Demons_eye]

Donner groans awake with people talking. Thunder was perched on the bedpost and noticed this, hopping down onto his masters head. This was bad enough for the man but then Thunder started to peak at him attempting to wake him up. The pain that shot through him with every tap reminded him of his first night drinking, well the morning after really. The pain in his body reminded him of the night he and Uncle Ogon went Ice Troll hunt on his mothers mountain.

"Talking, is that all you people do? The next fight will be to soon is what I can tell you! Could wake the dead with all the damn talking you're doing...."

Slowly Donner gets up and surveys the room to see whose left and notices everyone besides the that one man was left. Well him and that strange bow guy. This was going to be fun.....

[Duskranger]

If that's what you want to know. This afternoon. The team you will fight against will be announced at noon precise. Than you will have 1 hour to find out who you battle. The battles, who and when is not ours to control but is randomly picked. Tendor will be out of this game, hopefully seeing some of you fight, and able to pick up some way to be of help. He will sleep with you in this room. Ibex says.

Endion checks Donner and smiles.
You can shout and nag as much as you want, but there is not a single wound I could heal. Except for your broken pride you are okay. Endion says while smiling at him.

We are not concerned someone is messing up the tournament we know someone is doing this. For now he follows the rules, but as soon as that's over who know what he does. Be carefull, for he is a powerfull force. But for that you need to know the history. If interested I could tell it to you. But for now heed my warning everyone you fight can be one of his lackeys, ordered to win. If he wins believe me he will destroy us all. Morana turns gracefully around and within a blink of an eye she's gone.

[Mysterious_A]

Not having said a single world through all of this and keeping himself to just a bite of the food brought, Kot finishes his preparations and finally addresses the visitors.

"I will say I care very little for this so-called conspiracy of yours. I do not see how it alters my actions in any way. I will take your words into consideration, however. As I do not plan to lose I can assure you: these 'lackeys' will find no mercy on my blade."

That said Kot heads for the door. With a nod to Endion and Ibex he leaves and looks for somewhere where he can practice his forms. Unless interrupted he does so right up until the moment of the announcement...

[RaggedAngel]

Deriac, likewise, lets out a huff. "These rule-breaking backstabbers can be as powerful as they like. In the end they'll face my axe and my shield, and my god will make me as immoble as the heart of the world." He turns to the others. "We've only just met, and I've clashed with a few of you, but I'd rather have you at my back then no one. My fighting style is solid and steady, but I cannot shift my position as well as you nimble types. I can, however, take more punishment than you can imagine before falling, and I will take the blades meant for you if you'll aid me in return."

[Deathslayer7]

Adam speaks up. We came here to fight battles in the tournament, not fight spiders and assassins hiding in the shadows we cannot see. What makes you think we will succeed? Surely we can't be the best you have. Adam asks, his curiosity getting the better of him.

[COLOR="rgb(139, 0, 0)"]And to those of you who think fighting words with swords works, it only takes a drop of poison to kill. Remember that well.[/COLOR]

[Kurai]

Biting into a juicy apple, Baghira listens quietly and chews in silence. After a few bites he plops down on a bed and lays his right ankle across his left knee.

"Well, looks like we'll be having fun soon. Oh, and the name's Baghira, by the way. I'll be fighting at your side, whether you want me to or not." He grins cheekily. "If we are a team, we are a team. I think I'll be doing the same as the frog buddy and go train my stiff muscles into a shape. I hate being stuck in a room."

Nodding at everyone, also the new addition on the side, Tendor, and carries his lithe body and the apple out of the room.

[RaggedAngel]

The dwarf raises his eyebrow, and smiles. "We are allies now. It will be the first time I fight beside anyone by my brethren, but I look forward to protecting the lot of you while serving my god. I am Deriac Stonebrow, as it is said in Common. I come from an ancient line of dwarven warriors, and I bear the might of Moradin as well as his glory. I concur that training seems a good way to pass the time." He, likewise, finds enough open space to practice the surprisingly flowing movements of his martial maneuvers.

[Duskranger]

Everyone is doing what he wants to do untill noon, at that time a big group of very diverse creatures are assembled. You see some humand, but also some more dwarfs, elves and strange enough even the creatures like devils and angels or the strangest creatures which you would not know a name or. Everyone is waiting for what's happening untill and the stage Morana, Endion and Ibex appear.

Welcome and congratulations, you all are chosen to fight in this tournament. The rules are simply, try to win. You can use most means, but a couple of things are forbidden.
Rule 1: Never leave the Arena Ground of a battle.
Rule 2: Mercy must be given if asked for, but only if it's sincere and the first time.
Rule 3: Killing and death is an option, but no maiming of the bodies afterwards.
Those simple rules have a reason, we do not wish any of you to die, but certainly not to be completely destroyed. Death though I repeat is an viable option in this tournament. I wish you all luck and we will now draw the teams that will fight each other and the arena's they will battle in.

Morana picks up a bowl, makes a movement and you see the papers in the bowl moving, than she picks up another bowl and makes the same movement, to let the balls in that one move.

After a while she picks up two papers and one ball, from the bowl, all the while speaking the teams that will battle in the arena which is randomly chosen. There seem to be a lot of teams and finally they shout your team.

The team of room G will be fighting the team in room M in the swamp-arena. Prepare, for your battle will begin in about one hour. Good luck all.

[RaggedAngel]

Deriac shifts in his armor a bit and his hand moves to the haft of his axe almost unconciously. He smiles a bit, but it barely shows past his beard. "I like these rules. They promote honor and upright competition, as opposed to backstabbing treason, treachery, or cowardice." When the announcement is made about the first fight, however, his smile vanishes. "I believe that is us, comrades. And I believe they intend to force me into a swamp." He grimices. "I am a dwarf, not some tree-hugging moss-munching elf. I have no place in a swamp."

[Kurai]

Ruffling a hand through his hair, Baghira looks thoughtful. "Yes, I like the rules. A stab in the back is just awfully gutless.. at least, if it happens in a fair tournament."

Then he frowns a bit, scratching his chin. "I don't believe I've been in a swamp yet. Heard stories about it, but that's it. But I guess having quick feet and light reflexes won't hurt much in a place where every step might be the wrong one." He grins a bit and claps Deriac's armored shoulder in a friendly jest. "'Cause one doesn't have to be a flimsy elf for that."

[RaggedAngel]

Deriac lets out a grunt of acknowledgment. "The damn elves will love the swamp, I bet. And remember, Baghira, the elves and my people have our longrunning, er, competition because we respect each other. I may have some things to say about those tree-snogging pansies, but they can fight like a storm if they have to." He smiles and pats his shield. "However, even the most deadly storm will break when it reaches the mountains. We are an adamantine people, hewn from the bare rock by our god. Just as I have always done, I will find a firm place and plant myself. I can retain some mobility if I need to, but that is far better suited to a fighter such as yourself. If I can get close to someone, I can lock them down, which should be exactly what you need to strike them swiftly and then pull back."

[Kurai]

"I respect your people, Deriac. The dwarves are a strong-hearted and steadfast folk... they never flogged the slaves or put us in cages too tiny to move your bodies even an inch." A dark cloud settles over his face as he speaks on, showing deep creases a young man like him isn't supposed to have at his age. "But I doubt even a dwarf will make me love a mountain or the deep stones ever again."

Shaking his head free of dark thoughts, Baghira shifts his stance and rubs the scarred skin of his knuckles with a raised eyebrow. "But I agree with your battle plan. We fight as a group and we should use that to our advantage. While it would be even better if we were all familiar with each other's style of fighting, maybe we'll compensate for that by sticking in pairs of two or three to rain destruction our enemies."

Throwing a look over his shoulders, the dark-skinned man glances at the rest of their team. "What do you guys say to that?"

[Duskranger]

OOC:

Spoiler

Show

Sorry for the late post, I am afraid Real Live is coming up. Still hoping to be able to post more than possible, but fearing it won't be that way.

Tendor looks around and nods.
I will be out of the combat, but checking up on you from the audience. The arena's will be a big place as far as I have heared, but they have putted markers where the boundaries are. The audience will check the battle with a lot of magic. Some kind of scrying devised by Morana. I do think that we could have pulled out a better arena, knowing a bit of the fighting style of you sir Dwarf. He speaks a bit shyly, but still trying to analyse the situation as he sees it.

[RaggedAngel]

Deriac shrugs, resettling his armor as he does so. "It's true, the martial powers that Moradin inspires in me are far, far more effective when I'm planted on the ground. I can alter the maneuvers that I use a bit, but my power is still mostly drawn from the rock and stone. Mud works, as does sand, and even solid wood, I think, but leafy mush and water simply don't work."

[Mysterious_A]

Kot stands slightly apart from the others, listening intently right until the moment the matches are called. A grunt is his only response. He as well had never been to a swamp, but in comparison to the ever-changing Limbo no battlefield on any one measly plane could be truly considered a challenge...

As Baghira speaks Kot is already anticipating the battle. His muscles crave action and his axe hungers for blood...

"I agree with the scrawny one.", he says without addressing anyone in particular, "Leave that one to guard the wizard.", he points at Adam, "And you two with that dwarf-fortress plan of yours.", he says to Deriac and Baghira.

Kot looks around for a moment gazing at the strange assembly. Somewhere out there the opponents he was about to face...

"As for me, I'll... move around.", he continues, "See where I'm needed. Maybe they have a wizard I can charge..."

[Demons_eye]

"I'm not a wizard. Those shriveled old men wish they had half the natural talent I have in my pointy hat." Donner says in reply, clearly offended. "I also don't need a body guard. Its not every day I fight a twelve foot monster that swings a bloody tree trunk with some sharp metal at the end."

[Duskranger]

Tendor interrupts a bit more direct and less shyly.

Besides that it was allready discussed that I and Adam would be out of combat for the duration. I do suggest you prepare yourself at this moment and try to find out what kind of opponent you will be fighting.

[Mysterious_A]

By this point Kot's attentions have already drifted off. To both Donner's indignant remarks and Tendor's reason-based ones he pays no mind, still looking around himself for the ones that would be his prey...

After a moment Kot just starts to walk away, "...yeah. You are all absolutely correct in what you just said. Good chat."

Kot of Burning Rock steels himself in the anticipation of the fight. And, of course, the associated hunt. Neraphim hold fighting and hunting as almost indistinguishable, and so it is that Kot makes to seek out the "team of room M", or whatever it is he can learn about them...

[Kurai]

"Huh," Baghira mumbles, looking after the retreating Neraph with raised eyebrows. "Now that's a strange one."

Turning back to the others, he folds his hands at the back of his neck and stands easily. "Then I'll guess you are either with me and the immovable wall over there, or on your own," he says to Donner, then adds with an insolent smile, "Mr. wizard."

He turns to Tendor with a question on his eyes. "So where can we get more juicy stuff about our opponents? You're such a fountain of information, surely you know where team G is at." Baghira looks confused for a second. "Or is it team M? Which team are we?"

[Duskranger]

The room said we are Team M. It's at the top of everyones door. But further wish I could help you. I was never told anything off the workings. Maybe looking around will help the most. I am going to take care of my friend but I will be in time for the combat. If I find some info I will leave a letter or seek you out. Tendor says before moving away. His eyes still partially shying away from the other people around him.

[RaggedAngel]

Deriac lets out a small laugh. "We would be team 'M', wouldn't we be? I don't know what gods you all venerate, but Moradin will have his hand over you so long as you stand at my side. My god is the lord and maker of the dwarves, but he will grant strength and courage to any who have steel in their hearts and stone in their will. Look after your friend, Tendor, and I look forward to seeing you and fighting beside you."

[Deathslayer7]

Adam gets up and starts walking to the door. I'll see what I can dig up for you guys. I'll meet you in the on the tournament floor 5 minutes prior to your battle. With that, he walks out the door, not wasting a minute.

ooc: I'm not sure what rolls you would have me make, and if possible, if I am not fighting, would it be possible as we leveled up to retrain my chosen blasts?

Also back from finals and reno.

[Duskranger]

DM only:

Spoiler

Show

(1d20+2)[21]

Adam moves around through the hallways untill he sees some people grouped around talking about the coming matches. He does not catch much but he thinks that these people can maybe give him some information, especially since they seem to know a lot about the matches.

After some time speaking with them Adam's wits are victorious over the others and he learns that the opponents consist out of what his informers say are monsters. They fought the battle untill a stalemate was reached. Still they say that the arena is probably better than most others. If they would have pulled out the rock arena for example they think Team M would have been killed from a distance.

The team consists out of:
1 long range beamlike thing shooter,
one guy with four arms, a tail and beastlike features,
one guy that uses the shadows and darkness to attack unseen,
one guy in armor that seemed to absorb the damage and smile at almost all hits,
A magic slinger
And last a strange guy which did not seem to have any specialty, but still fought on par with the others.

The game was ended when after 4 hours there was no winner. Who would be fighting against Team M in the match they did not know, they did know though that it was better them than the team of the guys standing there.