"You show up on Tournamnet day, say who you want to fight, of you are going solo or a group fight, then the fights are based off of your requests. The only set battle is the Grand Champion's fight. It's the last one of the day. If you want to fight them as a group, the next top contestants are matched for a good fight."

"What of the rules?  What techniques are allowed or forbidden?  And what are the victory conditions?  To the death?  To unconsciousness?  Until somebody cries yield?.  And if they don't, can we kill them then?"

"It is to the death, no holds barred. Pure, unadulterated dirty fighting."

"Strange customs, in that case, and this may surprise you", Isala begins, "I say we abandon intrigue, fight as a group against the best this hamlet has to throw at us, and thoroughly  raze this city afterwards.  We need to know each other's capabilities, and upon whom we can count in a scrap.  If we cannot beat this little town, we have little hope for greater ambitions."

"Besides, there is no need for subtlety, for reputation, when there are no survivors to spread it."

"Of course, if we can spin the catatstrophe that hits this town into something to benefit Aodh's growing influence, so much the better."

"Alright. All in agreement of winning?"

I'm in! I thought to consider though, If I was a hero in charge of the town, this tournament might be a good way to identify trouble makers. 

Aodh was somewhat disappointed, but the majority of them prefer simply wiping this place off as the world's map. Aodh liked a slaughter as much as the next being, but it was looking forward to the long-term schemes. Oh well. Aodh might still try to play a few hands of its own in this. After all, spreading rumors of a powerful group of monsters may prove interesting...

"Then it is decided. When shall we proceed with this?"

"Let's go win, I like winning," says Lyssma, ready to head out. "How long before we can burn the city to the ground, after we win?"

"The winners will enjoy a lavish dinner with the heroes, then a week long parade to the victors. After that, everything will go back to normal, but we can take action before then."

After a while, the activity in the bar winds down, until it is just you 5 and the barman, and the singer. 

"If you want to stay the night, you'll have to buy a room." the Orc says as he walks towards your table.

"Wait...the heroes are not in the competition, but are from the audience presiding over fights to the death?"

"Yes."

"That doesn't sound very heroic. Maybe we need two parties. One to fight, one the other to try to take out one or two of the heroes, while they are distracted." 

"Then I must withdraw my previous suggestion.  Slaughtering the village without first dealing with the heroes is cruelty without purpose.  Dealing with fodder provides the heroes knowledge of our abilities without recompense at best, and weakens us for a counterattack at worst.   I may still be willing to compete, but we must have an endgame past dancing on strings in front of their crowd."

Isala turns to the mostly-silent priest.  "Aodh, you have been making inroads with the populace.  Might this tournament offer you an opportunity to further those plans?"

"I apologize for their rudeness", Aodh said to the Orc. "They tend to focus too much on work at times. Perhaps you can allow us a room for the night? One night of generosity is likely to bring blessings from any god."

Persuasion: 24

"I agree with Isala, this tournament might be fun, but holds no tactical sense." Gorgox says. Lets takes a room for the night, and sleep on it and then taje a vote in the morning. 

Once the orcish proprietor is out of earshot, Lyssma smiles, and her teeth grow sharp—ever so slightly. "Cruelty without purpose is my favorite! But I suppose we need some sort of end game."

Lyssma's smile widens. "How do you think the townsfolk would react to an outbreak of lycanthropy?"

"Mostly badly. A stroke of vampirism ran through here a few years back, and the people have been on guard since. So, you'd most likely be dead before three people had been turned."

"You may have a room for the night, holy man. But I'm afraid the others must pay. 1 Gold a night."

Lyssma approaches the Orc. "Perhaps you would be willing to hire a worker for room and board? I could clean and do others tasks for you in exchange for food and a place to sleep."