Orhan 2 Day 2 TE 6063

This time, wedding! Or jail! One of those seems likely...

Tatiana starts attacking the psychlims... "Father wouldn't be happy to hear that you trifled with me and then abandoned me."

Kyrik thinks perhaps patience is called for... Tatiana is sure that she could be patient once they were married.

After a few more minutes of discussion, Kyrik reveals he's a minion and prays to Valris for guidance.

Suddenly the glade is aflame in the glow emitted by the happy couple. They are mind melded, and Kyrik perceives her as a phoenix trapped in a cage. She perceives him and then sits back and says "I understand..." when the light fades. There is another glittering, and suddenly Kyrik feels a direct question from Valris, "DO YOU?" and Kyrik says "I do." Tatiana looks up and also says "I do." Then a great voice from above says "SO BE IT." Huh. It appears that Kyrik and Tatiana are married. By the divine will of Valris.

Tatiana glows and says, "I understand. We shall keep our joining secret until the time is right." Kyrik sweeps her into his arms. It's very sweet.

"Father will be busy tonight, let us fly." Kyrik and Tatiana teleport away.

Elsewhere in the city, the Emporer of Rakhan is getting a tour. Alynna is no where near there on skyship guarding duty. Near the end of her shift she gets a note for "supplemental guard duty" at the Black Velvet. (The premiere high end institution for nocturnal activities in SelKai.) She shows up after her shift. After a bit, a poor traveller arrives. Yadda yadda yadda. A period of roleplaying later, they do what's expected. Poor Emporer.

Suddenly, the Empress arrives. Alynna quickly changes the Emporer to and elf and they bluff it out. The Empress leaves, but the Emporer must then flee back to the palace.

Arisia later reports that the Empress blew up at the Emporer in the palace but had no proof. It seems unlikely the Emporer will have any more "excursions" this trip.

Kyrik returns Tatiana to the palace and they promise to keep their marriage a secret for now.

Alynna her evening ruined calls down to the front office of the Black Velvet and says "I'm a 42 year old elf who has travelled around the world multiple times. Send me up something I haven't seen before." They send up a pair of contortionists and a bard. The three of them keep her happy for the rest of the evening.

Orhan 2 Day 3 TE 6063

Imre goes shopping for magic items.

Oathar encourages Kyrik to give the Amulet of Invisibility to Tatiana as a token of his love. He arranges to have it smuggled in. She impressed by the undying symbol of their love.

Orhan 2 Day 6 TE 6063

Kyrik sneaks in to the palace to visit his wife. As soon as they touch, Kyrik must make a resistance roll against channeling. He thinks he made it though. He has the strange theory that he's being watched, so one kiss and then he flees.

Orhan 2 Day 8 TE 6063

The imperial party returns to Rhakhaan.

Orhan 2 Day 15 TE 6063

The Temple of Cay announces the Tournament of the Ages!!! Everyone is welcome to come. A huge stone circle is set up and the loser is the first person to either conceed, fall unconscious or get tossed out of the circle. Alynna is signed up to participate on behalf of the Changramai. The High Priest of the Temple of Cay is the chief referee. Minions notice that sitting on the top of the temple roof is a transparent figure. Yeah, that's Laia, a demigoddess of Cay.

Alynna wins her first round against Tiger Claw (MA strikes do slash crits) pretty handily.

The Leaping Crane (Always has intiative) style of her next opponent gives her a lot of trouble as she's just not used to going second. But she eventually gets his timing and levels him with an elbow to the gut.

There's 1 round of healing after each match. Luckily Imre has a pile of powerful healing spells.

She then fights a member of the Iron Head (attack his head at full OB but AT 20, or attack his body at AT 1 but serious OB penalties) style. She goes for the head AT20/DB100. Eventually one of her sweeps throws him out of the ring.

In round four she faces an initiate of the Bear Paw (grapple crits but loses initiative). She breaks his arm. Ouchy.

Alynna advances to the final round where she faces the Master of Drunken Monkey Style (OB and DB range from 1 to 400 randomly every round). Huh. The healers all tense and prepare to cature Alynna's soul in case things go poorly. In the first strike MDM's OB=258 and DB=179. Alynna is only DB=186. She takes a 16C strike and mostly survives it while boppin ghim on the nose. His second strike comes in at OB=197, DB=217. Alynna mostly flails uselessly, but her 186DB still lets through a 19D strike. His thrid strike has a OB=255, and DB=284. Alynna wisely chose this moment for a full parry which enables her to stay up with her wounded leg. MDM then stumbles and gets OB=52, DB=363. She can't touch him, but neither does he touch her. He recovers with OB=102, and DB=348. The fight continues with OB=199, DB=71. Seeing her chance, Alynna strikes! Her 46EstrikeDcrush unbalances him and does a fair bit of damage, but he stays up. He retaliates with an OB=111, and DB=157. Alynna returns with a miss, from her round of stun. He then lands a crushing blow at OB=292, but with only DB=65. Alynna, with the last of her strength returns a 82EstrikeDcrushCstrikeBcrush as she takes a 21 Dstrike breaking her collarbone, but Alynna cripples him with her signature knee strike and then knocks him out.

With a broken collarbone, the referee can not lift Alynna's hand over her head, but declares her the winner anyways. Then the demigoddes Laia the Warrior materializes on the platform next to Alynna. She acknowledges Alynna's victory and proclaims Alynna a minion of Cay. "Father gives you His blessings."

A whole bunch of doobie monks from various temples rush up to Alynna and fall to their knees begging her to take them as her students. She demurs "I already have an apprentice." but perhaps Ara can teach some of the new desciples. Alynna now has a group of follower monks who will eventually become a small military unit under Alynna's command.

We get further reports that Stroane is marching north. They are being funded by the Order of the Word. We find this totally unaceptable.