Goblan slips into the thieves' den through a half-open cellar door, and the room beyond hushes at once. Smoke hangs low over rough tables, knives, dice, and old torchlight.
At the far end, the bandit captain stands on a chair, one boot on the seat, one hand raised for silence. A stained banner with a black boot hangs behind him.
The Bandit Captain
Listen up. The old teacher's last wish still binds us. Tonight, we name the contestants for the tournament.
Murmurs ripple through the den. Some faces brighten. Others harden. Goblan stays near the doorway, small and still in the gloom.
The Bandit Captain
The prize goes to the one who proves the den can still bite. No cheating, no corpse work, no excuses.
He scans the room, then stops on Goblan. His grin shows too many teeth, and his fingers drum the chair back like he is already counting coins.
The Bandit Captain
You there. Goblan. Step forward, or stay in the shadows and be known as a coward.
✓ Quest Accepted
Win the tournament
✓ Quest Accepted
Step forward to join the tournament
“I sharpen my rusty blade before stepping into the ring. Then I look for other contestants and try to understand their capabilities”
SUCCESS (Mediocre Perception, rolled +1)
Goblan drags his rusty blade along a whetstone, and the edge answers with a thin, hungry hiss. Smoke curls low over the tables as he keeps his head down and watches the ring from under his brow.
Three contenders stand out. A heavy axe fighter rolls one shoulder, a knife dancer tests her balance on the balls of her feet, and a scarred duelist keeps one hand hidden inside his cloak.
Goblan
The axe fighter is all mass. The knife dancer moves fastest. The duelist is hiding something.
The Bandit Captain
Sharp eyes, little blade. Good. The tournament prizes nerves as much as steel.
He hooks a thumb toward the ring, where the black boot banner hangs slack in the smoke-thick air. The cellar feels smaller now, every glance measuring every other throat.
Goblan finishes the last stroke, and the blade flashes cleaner than before. He has the lay of the contest now, and the room knows he is watching back.
The Bandit Captain
Step up, then. Who wants to test themselves first?
“I ask the Captain about the prize. After hear the prize slightly smile then step into the ring for first duel”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled +1)
Goblan
What is the prize?
The Bandit Captain
Gold, a cut of the wagers, and a name the cellar remembers. Win enough, and you earn a place at my table.
The captain's grin widens when Goblan's mouth tilts into a slight smile. Several heads turn as Goblan rises from the table.
He steps into the ring with his daggers low and easy, boots whispering over the packed dirt. The smoke parts around him like it knows better.
The Bandit Captain
That one first. Show us if the small blade has teeth.
The room leans in, waiting for the opening exchange, while Goblan stands alone in the ring, first to test the contest.
Quest Complete
Step forward to join the tournament
Attribute Upgrade: Perception Mediocre→Fair