<strong>Emerald City</strong><br/><br/>"Of course it has to do with the Games." The priestess replied, "They are a... novelty here in the Union. Our policy for a long time was that they were a distraction from worship. But now, there are some who think that it can be used to glorify the Goddess and bring our peoples even closer, and especially closer to your kind."<br/><br/>She smiled, her fangs seeming to disappear under her lips as she did, "It has always been the High Priestess' wish that our people and the humans and elves and dwarves would finally set aside their differences and count eachother as kinsmen." Saree eyed Jarek out of the corner of her vision, "You will be paid, I assure you. I believe the practice for this tournament is for you to pay in and then the winners will receive a financial reward. It is... a wager on oneself, no?"<br/><br/>"Sounds like a gladiatorial." The paladin beside her said, and the orc priestess shot him a sideways glance as well, "Well..." She continued, "My lady has already handled that. So you'll be competing for free. We don't really need to win... that is just a cover. You'll be paid for... behind the scenes work. Though... you all being proper adventuring types does help the deception out, eh?"<br/><br/>"My lady should be speaking with the high priestess as well." She turned to Ange, "Oh, they share the name Naiyu-hama. So don't be confused if someone refers to them both by that name." The priestess smiled, "I pray it is not too troublesome. ...Shall we?"<br/><br/>She offered her hand to the grand doorway, where two guards waited with halberds and gleaming gold and white armor. One reached for the handle and stood ready for them to continue, "Unless... there was anything else?" Saree whispered.<br/><br/><strong>Kingsfall</strong><br/><br/>"Ah, well-" The gnome began, when suddenly his servant announced their other guest at the top of the stairwell overlooking the laboratory. "Ah, lady de Siles. Yes, yes, of course..."<br/><br/>He looked over at his desk, "Here we are. I do have some spares." The gnome said with a smile, "Well... as I was about to say, you will all be testing this for me. There shouldn't be any real danger... it's all like a dream, yes? And as I said, things will generally follow a set... uh, scene, as it happened in actuality. Except, well, your minds will fill in the blanks, sometimes. It happened purely by accident when I first designed this contraption, but I don't think it would have ever worked without it!"<br/><br/>"So... consider it an elaborate illusion. It is illusionary magic, with a bit of enchantment as well."<br/><br/>"If all goes according to plan, well then..." The aged elf said with a smile, "You're in for a treat. This particular adventure was never scryed. You'd be the first ones to see it in a looong time."<br/><br/>"It would be a treat for us all!" Grimmun enthusiastically said, "Imagine... every child wants to be an adventurer. They watch the Games and then go out slaying imaginary dragons with wooden swords in the streets. With your help, they could live to experience it themselves!"<br/><br/>He sat there, smiling and marveling at himself for a while before looking about and then dragging a chair out for each of them, "Please. Make yourselves comfortable. When I activate the machine, it will be as if you have entered a deep slumber."