Flint slides up to the bar “Dwarven Ale. The strong stuff.”he orders in his gravely voice “And put me in for the fights. I want to try my hand.” he slides down the bar as he waits for his drink and tries to overhear Sergeant Modesty’s discussion. How could that be her, he wonders to himself, we just left her broken and bleeding at the temple, and now she is beating up the locals in the pits?
(I'm assuming Zensiro's massive Investigation 11 wasn't sufficient to find anything dropped by the young ruffians.)
"The guards in Haven are truly a bizarre lot. Let's see if I can learn a bit more about what makes this Sergeant of ours tick."
Zensiro discreetly raises the hood of his cloak and moves to a vantage point where he can see the Sergeant and the dwarf have their discussion, assuming that's possible. If they are speaking one of his known languages, he will be able to read their lips using the Observant feat.
Dexan orders a small ale, and seems content to watch the others go about their business. He does however keep an eye out for any cutpurses or the like. Places like this are breeding grounds for petty thieves.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
Halfroc turns to Skratch. Gesturing to a barrel behind him he says "I got some slog going cheap, or I got poormans wine?" Halfroc waits, and adds, "I got expensive stuff too or ale. Just ask."
Halfroc appears confused whether you mean getting involved with Modesty and the She-Dwarf, or the fights. " Haha little goblin, you don't want any of the pit OR Modesty... She once kicked Crab halfway across the street last time he made a move on her. But if you want to bet on a fight, I'll offer you 2:1 odds on the bet against the challenger (i.e. for the challenger to win). But, it's a free world, you want to fight or try your luck with Modesty, I wish you luck. What God do you want to be dedicated too in your death? hahahaha" Halfroc continues to laugh as he walks away to serve another patron.
Poorman's Wine: looks like watered down milk. A drink made from potatoes, milk and some other kind of ingredients that you don't really want to think about. Raw and lacking in finesse and taste, it does the job it's supposed to - getting you blazing drunk... and maybe forgetting about your old ball and chain of a wife. Allows the consumer to forget one painful recent memory(in the last two weeks) for 4 hours.
2 Copper
Slog: Dark brown in appearance: This drink is taken from the waste barrel. All the leftover, half drunk, or not made correctly alcohol is thrown into the barrel to be reused; very cheap. The taste changes daily based on the most unused alcohol that night. DC 8 con save to keep the random contents down.
Flint slides up to the bar “Dwarven Ale. The strong stuff.”he orders in his gravely voice “And put me in for the fights. I want to try my hand.” he slides down the bar as he waits for his drink and tries to overhear Sergeant Modesty’s discussion. How could that be her, he wonders to himself, we just left her broken and bleeding at the temple, and now she is beating up the locals in the pits?
Stealth 5
Perception 6
While you are waiting you hear "You're here faster than I thought." Says Modesty over her shoulder before continuing; a smirk appearing in the corners of her mouth.
Halfroc slides a Milligun's Deep Stout over to Flint; 'that is a rare vintage friend, very hard to find. I got Lucky, some fell through a rift and a contact of mine secured it for me before it was claimed by Raiders who don't know the difference between swill and vintage.'
Halfroc motions you closer. ' you wouldn't last a minute against Modesty, she is the reigning champ; but a few of the guards look keen to get in the pit, and you might be a nice change, perhaps even a challenge. Your match will be one on one against a guard, no weapons, no magic, just fists and feet. Clean yourself up after your fight, I don't want to attract attention because you're stumbling from my tavern bruised and bloody. No entry fee; you get a cut of the pot if you win. That's usually about 50 gold." Halfroc smiles; " tell you what, win or lose I'll give you one twisty on the house after your fight. We haven't had new blood in the ring for a while".
Milligan's Deep Stout: Deep chocolate to black with a white frothy head in appearance. A brew hailing from one of the most revered Dwarven breweries, Milligun's is their signature brew. Even uncommon in Dwarven communities, it is rare to find in human establishments. A complex, deep, hearty flavor lingering of coffee and burnt grain with a bold body and a hint of plum. Advantage on saving throws vs. Fear for the next 1hr
1 Gold
Twisty: Looks like white yogurt on top, purplish liquid underneath. Topped in a thick layer of savory yogurt, it is both a drink and meal in one. The drink itself contains the flavours of blueberries mixed in with a helping of spirits. You feel youthful, almost as if the drink has taken you a few years back into your past. You gain +1 in Constitution for the night and also heal 1d4 in hp per drink.
Dexan orders a small ale, and seems content to watch the others go about their business. He does however keep an eye out for any cutpurses or the like. Places like this are breeding grounds for petty thieves.
Halfroc hands over an ale. It isn't much exciting; made in house from grains, and perhaps a few loaves of stale bread, the taste is what you expect from an ale in a cheap tavern.
4 copper
In turn, everyone is watching you and fingering hand crossbows, daggers and maces, waiting for you to make a move. The guards in attendance are busy watching the fights and gathering coins to place bets.
Zensiro discreetly raises the hood of his cloak and moves to a vantage point where he can see the Sergeant and the dwarf have their discussion, assuming that's possible. If they are speaking one of his known languages, he will be able to read their lips using the Observant feat.
Modesty notes your general appearance in the Tavern but isn't aware you are listening to her conversation.
(Hopefully that's enough to whet your whistle until tonight, I'll post the rest of Modesty's story and administrate the fight. Thanks for your patience.)
“Gimme two gold on big Flint over there when he goes into the ring, and pour me a Slog to watch with” Skrach pulls up a stool and gets comfortable, keeping Modesty on his eyeline, he turns to the rest of the party “Who else is gonna watch Flint kick the scrap out of something?”
..."Danarian is about where I'm from" continues Modesty
"And where is that?" the Dwarf asks
"Hell" she replies simply
"No, seriously" the woman continues to pester her.
"Born and raised" she says flatly, finishing her ale in one long draw "Somebody buy me another!" She yells out and the crowd starts cheering again.
The Dwarven woman slaps a large pouch of coins down on the table "I'll buy you all you want but I want to hear this" she snaps.
"Okay" she starts "My name is Modesty and I was born in Hell, in the ruins of the city of Danar. You've really never heard of it?"
"Wait. I remember hearing something like that as a child, about some legendary city, I think maybe that was the name. It vanished overnight a long time ago, is that it? You're saying that was real?"
"Danar was no myth. It was a very real place. It was a metropolis, a center of trade, culture and hub of power. The walls of the city encircled a harbor and three canals. It was huge and at the beginning of the Spellplague a rift opened up that swallowed Danar and left it in Avernus, the first level of Hell. Hell wasn't in great shape either that day and that section of Avernus collapsed, crashing through Dis and landing over a wide area of Minauros, the third level of Hell. Most of the population of Danar died in that fall. Less than a thousand survived and were trapped there. You can gate in or out of Avernus, but not from the lower levels of Hell. From there on, every day was a fight to survive.
"How is that even possible? Surviving in Hell?"
"First off, Danar was huge and scattered over a very large area, destroying nearly everything it landed on. The survivors, Danarians and Devils alike, scavenged the ruins of the city for whatever they could find. If you can just dig up good stuff, why fight with someone for the stuff they're digging up? The old residents and new stayed pretty much away from each other, avoiding contact with each other for years. Second, the next decade was no easier for Hell than anywhere else. Everyone was just trying to survive what was happening to Magic and the rest of the planes because of it. It was during this time that the survivors of the Fall formed into the great extended families, forming out of old neighbourhoods, guilds, religions. A few families formed around sports enthusiasts. Whatever brought them together, it was safety in numbers that kept them together. Death could come suddenly in Hell and if someone lost a spouse or one or both parents, the extended family would take care of them.
They were managing to survive, but a threat loomed over them like a death sentence. The Danarian survivors knew that there would be retaliation from Dis. Imps would fly by, offering them news and advice, always good advice in the beginning. That's how they gain your trust.
All Hell was abuzz about what Danar did to Dis. In addition to everything else Danar landed on a major warehouse of Infernal weapons. They weren't magical or inherently evil, but they were of remarkable craftsmanship and they wound up as part of the wreckage of Danar. Dispater, the ruler of Dis wanted those weapons back.
It wasn't until the fourth year after the Fall that Dis finally took action against my ancestors and what they did took the survivors by complete surprise."
"An invasion?" the Dwarven woman, Mardred, asked.
"A lawsuit" Modesty answered.
"What?!?!"
Modesty shrugged "Dis sued the Danarians in the Infernal Courts. Really, nobody could believe it at first. From stories told, Mammon nearly killed himself, kicking himself that he did not think of it first. The attorneys for Dis were asking for compensatory and punitive damages that amounted to everything the survivors possessed, including their bodies and souls."
"They have lawyers in Hell" she asked, incredulous.
As the pit is cleared, Halfroc announces Flint as the next challenger. Due to Flints newcomer status Halfroc goes over the ground rules; " okay! As a refresher to everyone , here is the run down on the rules. Fighters disarm as they enter the pit, only fists, feet and armour is allowed. The fight is won by first knockout, you are not allowed healing by magic or potion, and any wild form is an automatic disqualification. Otherwise, all is fair game. One other thing, you must stay in the pit. Leaving, or being thrown out the arena counts as a win for your opponent."
Bets are collected, and a guard enters the fighting pit. Heavily muscled, beard braided in a tight plait down the dwarf man's neck and chin, the guard looks ready. As flint enters the arena, the judge motions each competitor to their corner of the pit.
Flint, you have first move as the adjudicator raises his hands to both of you and signals for the fight to begin.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Flint places a gold piece on the bar and drains the stout. “Simple enough”he grins as he listens to the rules and enters the pit, leaving his maul and other weapons stacked outside.
He gives the guard across from him a nod and an appraising look, taking in his short, but muscular frame. Flint considers his options for a moment, then closes the distance and attempts to grapple the dwarf.
Zensiro continues to keep an eye on the conversation. At the point that Modesty mentions the lawyers, he's not sure whether he believes her or not, but he chuckles to himself at the twist in the tale, regardless of its veracity. He is keen to gather as much firsthand knowledge of the Danarian situation as possible, but lacks the charisma to naturally pry much information from the residents he's encountered thus far.
Zensiro notices Flint stepping into the ring and making his first move. He wants to keep an eye on his compatriot, but is unwilling as yet to give up his position and observation of this tale of Danar.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Dexan continues to listen, however his skepticism can be easily seen from his expression. He has heard nothing about demonic lawyers from the being in his dagger, and he was sure they would've come up in their conversations about Hel. Insight: 3
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
Flint places a gold piece on the bar and drains the stout. “Simple enough”he grins as he listens to the rules and enters the pit, leaving his maul and other weapons stacked outside.
He gives the guard across from him a nod and an appraising look, taking in his short, but muscular frame. Flint considers his options for a moment, then closes the distance and attempts to grapple the dwarf.
Athletics 13
The Dwarf meets your challenge with strength 7
However, you gain the advantage and succeed in grappling. The Dwarven guard starts hurling insults about your mother's lineage in Dwarvish as he struggles against you.
The dwarf will attempt to kick out at you 23 for 4 damage if the kick connects. The words of the Dwarf are muffled now and all you hear are deep rolled R's as the dwarf continues to try and curse your family seven generations back.
Dexan continues to listen, however his skepticism can be easily seen from his expression. He has heard nothing about demonic lawyers from the being in his dagger, and he was sure they would've come up in their conversations about Hel. Insight: 3
You believe she is telling the truth, or at least what she is saying is not a deception.
Zensiro continues to keep an eye on the conversation. At the point that Modesty mentions the lawyers, he's not sure whether he believes her or not, but he chuckles to himself at the twist in the tale, regardless of its veracity. He is keen to gather as much firsthand knowledge of the Danarian situation as possible, but lacks the charisma to naturally pry much information from the residents he's encountered thus far.
Zensiro notices Flint stepping into the ring and making his first move. He wants to keep an eye on his compatriot, but is unwilling as yet to give up his position and observation of this tale of Danar.
"Absolutely. You can make a contract with a devil Afterall, so it stands to reason they must have a grasp on laws and legal documentation, or at least professionals that do." Modesty continues; "The decisions of the Infernal Courts are final and enforceable. The problem is that there are hundreds of thousands of laws on everything and the precedents and jurisdictions can change for dozens of different reasons. The idea was to give the experts, the lawyers who work with the Infernal legal system every day an impossibility unfair advantage over those who are new to it"
Modesty turns to Zensiro " that is why it is such a bad idea to enter into a contract; even if it looks beneficial at first, it was written by beings who are versed at hidden clauses, unfair loopholes , or creative wording to rob you of any benifits while still demanding payment from the signor"
Modesty turns back to the Dwarf "One source of aid they were not expecting was from Mammon, the ruler of Minauros. He sent a large contingent of his personal attorneys to their aid"
"That's remarkably generous for an ArchDuke of Hell, isn't it?" Mardred asked
"Not so much as you might think" Modesty told her " Mammon's motivation was first to deny Dispater his victory, then sue Danar himself."
"The trial went on for weeks with the plaintiff reviewing the incredible range of damages and loss of lives. It wasn't looking good for the survivors and they likely would have lost had it not been for a obsessive compulsive Imp who just kept reading and searching till he found an obscure set of very ancient Infernal laws involving salvage. There were several laws that turned out to have precedent. The upshot was that the survivors of Danar could be considered residents of Hell Dis had no claim on the ruins of Danar because they were continuously occupied and that because the survivors didn't cause the crash, they owned whatever fell through with them and that Dis was prohibited from taking any further action."
"This was the victory Mammon had hoped for. This left a dispute between Mammon and Danar because he owned the land they occupied. For the weeks of the trial Mammon had been making his plans. He reviewed the Infernal laws he had to abide by. Since they were now considered residents he could make them an offer for the land they occupied. It had to be something they could pay, but wouldn’t want to, then he could treat them as squatters and take everything that way. Somehow he knew about a recent find by the Danarians. They had discovered the city's original Treasury and knew exactly how much was in it, over 26million gp. I told you, Danar had been a very wealthy city? Mammon figured that nobody would give up that much gold willingly.
There are many stories in Hell about Mammon and how his lust for gold got him into trouble and it turns out it was Mammon who couldn’t imagine giving up that much gold. The survivors were realizing how much gold was worth in Hell without a secure place for themselves so when Mammon made his offer, they accepted without hesitation or condition.
“Mammon was beside himself with rage but since he made the offer and it was accepted without condition, there was nothing he could do. He was stuck with them as neighbors.”
Modesty turns to the pit " Break his Grip Helewyn! If you lose I'll have the captain put you on latrine duty!"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Flint grunts as the guard's flailing legs connect on a kick to his body, but maintains his hold on the dwarf and shoves him down, holding him to the ground. (OOC: going for shove to prone position)
Flint grunts as the guard's flailing legs connect on a kick to his body, but maintains his hold on the dwarf and shoves him down, holding him to the ground. (OOC: going for shove to prone position)
Athletics (shove) 9
(Wow. really rolling great today, sigh.)
Dexterity 7
Helewyn grunts as he tries to roll out of your grip. It would seem as feeble as your shove was, it was outmatched by how portly Helewyn has become....
Flint wrestles the dwarf to the ground, pinning him in place with one hand and most of his considerable frame. With the guard immobilized, Flint raises his free hand into a fist and punches down to the dwarf's face. (OOC: Yes, I am maintaining the grapple as he is moved to prone)
Attack: 26 Damage: 5 bludgeoning
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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Flint slides up to the bar “Dwarven Ale. The strong stuff.” he orders in his gravely voice “And put me in for the fights. I want to try my hand.” he slides down the bar as he waits for his drink and tries to overhear Sergeant Modesty’s discussion. How could that be her, he wonders to himself, we just left her broken and bleeding at the temple, and now she is beating up the locals in the pits?
Stealth 5
Perception 6
20
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Malichi, Tiefling Rogue - Worlds of Pphost- The Amazing Teleportation Machine
DM Worlds of Pphost - Haven 'A Few Days at a Tavern'
Extended Signature
Malichi looks around, trying to get his bearings, looking for dangers and oppertunities
Malichi Perception: 10
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Malichi, Tiefling Rogue - Worlds of Pphost- The Amazing Teleportation Machine
DM Worlds of Pphost - Haven 'A Few Days at a Tavern'
Extended Signature
(I'm assuming Zensiro's massive Investigation 11 wasn't sufficient to find anything dropped by the young ruffians.)
"The guards in Haven are truly a bizarre lot. Let's see if I can learn a bit more about what makes this Sergeant of ours tick."
Zensiro discreetly raises the hood of his cloak and moves to a vantage point where he can see the Sergeant and the dwarf have their discussion, assuming that's possible. If they are speaking one of his known languages, he will be able to read their lips using the Observant feat.
Stealth w/advantage (Cloak of Elvenkind) 14
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Malichi slides easily into the shadows following Zensiro, discretely behind, without magic
Malichi Stealth 12
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Malichi, Tiefling Rogue - Worlds of Pphost- The Amazing Teleportation Machine
DM Worlds of Pphost - Haven 'A Few Days at a Tavern'
Extended Signature
Dexan orders a small ale, and seems content to watch the others go about their business. He does however keep an eye out for any cutpurses or the like. Places like this are breeding grounds for petty thieves.
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
Halfroc turns to Skratch. Gesturing to a barrel behind him he says "I got some slog going cheap, or I got poormans wine?" Halfroc waits, and adds, "I got expensive stuff too or ale. Just ask."
Halfroc appears confused whether you mean getting involved with Modesty and the She-Dwarf, or the fights. " Haha little goblin, you don't want any of the pit OR Modesty... She once kicked Crab halfway across the street last time he made a move on her. But if you want to bet on a fight, I'll offer you 2:1 odds on the bet against the challenger (i.e. for the challenger to win). But, it's a free world, you want to fight or try your luck with Modesty, I wish you luck. What God do you want to be dedicated too in your death? hahahaha" Halfroc continues to laugh as he walks away to serve another patron.
Poorman's Wine: looks like watered down milk. A drink made from potatoes, milk and some other kind of ingredients that you don't really want to think about. Raw and lacking in finesse and taste, it does the job it's supposed to - getting you blazing drunk... and maybe forgetting about your old ball and chain of a wife. Allows the consumer to forget one painful recent memory(in the last two weeks) for 4 hours.
2 Copper
Slog: Dark brown in appearance: This drink is taken from the waste barrel. All the leftover, half drunk, or not made correctly alcohol is thrown into the barrel to be reused; very cheap. The taste changes daily based on the most unused alcohol that night. DC 8 con save to keep the random contents down.
1 Copper
Sorry. You find a gemstone of Azurite, Hematite, Banded Agate, and Malachite worth 10 gold each.
While you are waiting you hear "You're here faster than I thought." Says Modesty over her shoulder before continuing; a smirk appearing in the corners of her mouth.
Halfroc slides a Milligun's Deep Stout over to Flint; 'that is a rare vintage friend, very hard to find. I got Lucky, some fell through a rift and a contact of mine secured it for me before it was claimed by Raiders who don't know the difference between swill and vintage.'
Halfroc motions you closer. ' you wouldn't last a minute against Modesty, she is the reigning champ; but a few of the guards look keen to get in the pit, and you might be a nice change, perhaps even a challenge. Your match will be one on one against a guard, no weapons, no magic, just fists and feet. Clean yourself up after your fight, I don't want to attract attention because you're stumbling from my tavern bruised and bloody. No entry fee; you get a cut of the pot if you win. That's usually about 50 gold." Halfroc smiles; " tell you what, win or lose I'll give you one twisty on the house after your fight. We haven't had new blood in the ring for a while".
Milligan's Deep Stout: Deep chocolate to black with a white frothy head in appearance. A brew hailing from one of the most revered Dwarven breweries, Milligun's is their signature brew. Even uncommon in Dwarven communities, it is rare to find in human establishments. A complex, deep, hearty flavor lingering of coffee and burnt grain with a bold body and a hint of plum. Advantage on saving throws vs. Fear for the next 1hr
1 Gold
Twisty: Looks like white yogurt on top, purplish liquid underneath. Topped in a thick layer of savory yogurt, it is both a drink and meal in one. The drink itself contains the flavours of blueberries mixed in with a helping of spirits. You feel youthful, almost as if the drink has taken you a few years back into your past. You gain +1 in Constitution for the night and also heal 1d4 in hp per drink.
30 Copper
Halfroc hands over an ale. It isn't much exciting; made in house from grains, and perhaps a few loaves of stale bread, the taste is what you expect from an ale in a cheap tavern.
4 copper
In turn, everyone is watching you and fingering hand crossbows, daggers and maces, waiting for you to make a move. The guards in attendance are busy watching the fights and gathering coins to place bets.
Modesty doesn't notice you.
Modesty notes your general appearance in the Tavern but isn't aware you are listening to her conversation.
(Hopefully that's enough to whet your whistle until tonight, I'll post the rest of Modesty's story and administrate the fight. Thanks for your patience.)
“Gimme two gold on big Flint over there when he goes into the ring, and pour me a Slog to watch with” Skrach pulls up a stool and gets comfortable, keeping Modesty on his eyeline, he turns to the rest of the party “Who else is gonna watch Flint kick the scrap out of something?”
Skrach / Miner
..."Danarian is about where I'm from" continues Modesty
"And where is that?" the Dwarf asks
"Hell" she replies simply
"No, seriously" the woman continues to pester her.
"Born and raised" she says flatly, finishing her ale in one long draw "Somebody buy me another!" She yells out and the crowd starts cheering again.
The Dwarven woman slaps a large pouch of coins down on the table "I'll buy you all you want but I want to hear this" she snaps.
"Okay" she starts "My name is Modesty and I was born in Hell, in the ruins of the city of Danar. You've really never heard of it?"
"Wait. I remember hearing something like that as a child, about some legendary city, I think maybe that was the name. It vanished overnight a long time ago, is that it? You're saying that was real?"
"Danar was no myth. It was a very real place. It was a metropolis, a center of trade, culture and hub of power. The walls of the city encircled a harbor and three canals. It was huge and at the beginning of the Spellplague a rift opened up that swallowed Danar and left it in Avernus, the first level of Hell. Hell wasn't in great shape either that day and that section of Avernus collapsed, crashing through Dis and landing over a wide area of Minauros, the third level of Hell. Most of the population of Danar died in that fall. Less than a thousand survived and were trapped there. You can gate in or out of Avernus, but not from the lower levels of Hell. From there on, every day was a fight to survive.
"How is that even possible? Surviving in Hell?"
"First off, Danar was huge and scattered over a very large area, destroying nearly everything it landed on. The survivors, Danarians and Devils alike, scavenged the ruins of the city for whatever they could find. If you can just dig up good stuff, why fight with someone for the stuff they're digging up? The old residents and new stayed pretty much away from each other, avoiding contact with each other for years. Second, the next decade was no easier for Hell than anywhere else. Everyone was just trying to survive what was happening to Magic and the rest of the planes because of it. It was during this time that the survivors of the Fall formed into the great extended families, forming out of old neighbourhoods, guilds, religions. A few families formed around sports enthusiasts. Whatever brought them together, it was safety in numbers that kept them together. Death could come suddenly in Hell and if someone lost a spouse or one or both parents, the extended family would take care of them.
They were managing to survive, but a threat loomed over them like a death sentence. The Danarian survivors knew that there would be retaliation from Dis. Imps would fly by, offering them news and advice, always good advice in the beginning. That's how they gain your trust.
All Hell was abuzz about what Danar did to Dis. In addition to everything else Danar landed on a major warehouse of Infernal weapons. They weren't magical or inherently evil, but they were of remarkable craftsmanship and they wound up as part of the wreckage of Danar. Dispater, the ruler of Dis wanted those weapons back.
It wasn't until the fourth year after the Fall that Dis finally took action against my ancestors and what they did took the survivors by complete surprise."
"An invasion?" the Dwarven woman, Mardred, asked.
"A lawsuit" Modesty answered.
"What?!?!"
Modesty shrugged "Dis sued the Danarians in the Infernal Courts. Really, nobody could believe it at first. From stories told, Mammon nearly killed himself, kicking himself that he did not think of it first. The attorneys for Dis were asking for compensatory and punitive damages that amounted to everything the survivors possessed, including their bodies and souls."
"They have lawyers in Hell" she asked, incredulous.
"More than you can imagine," Modesty assured her.
....does the party continue to listen?
As the pit is cleared, Halfroc announces Flint as the next challenger. Due to Flints newcomer status Halfroc goes over the ground rules; " okay! As a refresher to everyone , here is the run down on the rules. Fighters disarm as they enter the pit, only fists, feet and armour is allowed. The fight is won by first knockout, you are not allowed healing by magic or potion, and any wild form is an automatic disqualification. Otherwise, all is fair game. One other thing, you must stay in the pit. Leaving, or being thrown out the arena counts as a win for your opponent."
Bets are collected, and a guard enters the fighting pit. Heavily muscled, beard braided in a tight plait down the dwarf man's neck and chin, the guard looks ready. As flint enters the arena, the judge motions each competitor to their corner of the pit.
Flint, you have first move as the adjudicator raises his hands to both of you and signals for the fight to begin.
The dwarf inches closer as you make your move.
Flint places a gold piece on the bar and drains the stout. “Simple enough” he grins as he listens to the rules and enters the pit, leaving his maul and other weapons stacked outside.
He gives the guard across from him a nod and an appraising look, taking in his short, but muscular frame. Flint considers his options for a moment, then closes the distance and attempts to grapple the dwarf.
Athletics 8
Zensiro continues to keep an eye on the conversation. At the point that Modesty mentions the lawyers, he's not sure whether he believes her or not, but he chuckles to himself at the twist in the tale, regardless of its veracity. He is keen to gather as much firsthand knowledge of the Danarian situation as possible, but lacks the charisma to naturally pry much information from the residents he's encountered thus far.
"Lawyers, really?" Insight 11
Zensiro notices Flint stepping into the ring and making his first move. He wants to keep an eye on his compatriot, but is unwilling as yet to give up his position and observation of this tale of Danar.
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Dexan continues to listen, however his skepticism can be easily seen from his expression. He has heard nothing about demonic lawyers from the being in his dagger, and he was sure they would've come up in their conversations about Hel.
Insight: 3
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
The Dwarf meets your challenge with strength 7
However, you gain the advantage and succeed in grappling. The Dwarven guard starts hurling insults about your mother's lineage in Dwarvish as he struggles against you.
The dwarf will attempt to kick out at you 23 for 4 damage if the kick connects. The words of the Dwarf are muffled now and all you hear are deep rolled R's as the dwarf continues to try and curse your family seven generations back.
Next round.
The Dwarf has AC 16 by the way.
You believe she is telling the truth, or at least what she is saying is not a deception.
"Absolutely. You can make a contract with a devil Afterall, so it stands to reason they must have a grasp on laws and legal documentation, or at least professionals that do." Modesty continues; "The decisions of the Infernal Courts are final and enforceable. The problem is that there are hundreds of thousands of laws on everything and the precedents and jurisdictions can change for dozens of different reasons. The idea was to give the experts, the lawyers who work with the Infernal legal system every day an impossibility unfair advantage over those who are new to it"
Modesty turns to Zensiro " that is why it is such a bad idea to enter into a contract; even if it looks beneficial at first, it was written by beings who are versed at hidden clauses, unfair loopholes , or creative wording to rob you of any benifits while still demanding payment from the signor"
Modesty turns back to the Dwarf "One source of aid they were not expecting was from Mammon, the ruler of Minauros. He sent a large contingent of his personal attorneys to their aid"
"That's remarkably generous for an ArchDuke of Hell, isn't it?" Mardred asked
"Not so much as you might think" Modesty told her " Mammon's motivation was first to deny Dispater his victory, then sue Danar himself."
"The trial went on for weeks with the plaintiff reviewing the incredible range of damages and loss of lives. It wasn't looking good for the survivors and they likely would have lost had it not been for a obsessive compulsive Imp who just kept reading and searching till he found an obscure set of very ancient Infernal laws involving salvage. There were several laws that turned out to have precedent. The upshot was that the survivors of Danar could be considered residents of Hell Dis had no claim on the ruins of Danar because they were continuously occupied and that because the survivors didn't cause the crash, they owned whatever fell through with them and that Dis was prohibited from taking any further action."
"This was the victory Mammon had hoped for. This left a dispute between Mammon and Danar because he owned the land they occupied. For the weeks of the trial Mammon had been making his plans. He reviewed the Infernal laws he had to abide by. Since they were now considered residents he could make them an offer for the land they occupied. It had to be something they could pay, but wouldn’t want to, then he could treat them as squatters and take everything that way. Somehow he knew about a recent find by the Danarians. They had discovered the city's original Treasury and knew exactly how much was in it, over 26million gp. I told you, Danar had been a very wealthy city? Mammon figured that nobody would give up that much gold willingly.
There are many stories in Hell about Mammon and how his lust for gold got him into trouble and it turns out it was Mammon who couldn’t imagine giving up that much gold. The survivors were realizing how much gold was worth in Hell without a secure place for themselves so when Mammon made his offer, they accepted without hesitation or condition.
“Mammon was beside himself with rage but since he made the offer and it was accepted without condition, there was nothing he could do. He was stuck with them as neighbors.”
Modesty turns to the pit " Break his Grip Helewyn! If you lose I'll have the captain put you on latrine duty!"
Flint grunts as the guard's flailing legs connect on a kick to his body, but maintains his hold on the dwarf and shoves him down, holding him to the ground. (OOC: going for shove to prone position)
Athletics (shove) 21
(Wow. really rolling great today, sigh.)
"Get the skrag, I got gold ridin' on you Flint my son, don't lose"
Skrach pounds back his drink, feeling slightly irritated that the rules prohibit magic or wildshape as that had been his cunning plan.
Skrach / Miner
Dexterity 7
Helewyn grunts as he tries to roll out of your grip. It would seem as feeble as your shove was, it was outmatched by how portly Helewyn has become....
Helewyn is now prone (and you are pinning him?)
Next round
Halfroc asks if you would like another refill; " just added some glowglass to the barrel, so whole things glowing pale green now heh heh."
Flint wrestles the dwarf to the ground, pinning him in place with one hand and most of his considerable frame. With the guard immobilized, Flint raises his free hand into a fist and punches down to the dwarf's face. (OOC: Yes, I am maintaining the grapple as he is moved to prone)
Attack: 26 Damage: 5 bludgeoning