If It Happens…

The morning of the tournament dawned with noise and color. Inside the Broken Fang Tavern, the Uninvited — Kilijan, Weneon, Greg, and Manasa — pressed Siena for answers about the sudden flood of Uninvited merchandise spreading through Gossamer. Siena, coy and unapologetic, brushed off their questions. Greg, ever the cynic, muttered suspicions of poor craftsmanship and even slave labor behind the cheap trinkets. From the tavern window, they watched the crowd pour in from all corners of the realm, the streets bursting with laughter, shouting, and anticipation for the Fighting Tournament of Gossamer. Manasa, never shy of spectacle, convinced one of the Broken Fang’s burly guards to carry him aloft through the throng toward the Arena. Meanwhile, Kilijan encountered a young elf named Jarred, who was looking for work as a shieldbearer. Though Kilijan’s attention strayed quickly to the fighters arriving in the city, Jarred eagerly described two of them: the formidable Galrog and the haughty Vilana. Kilijan tried to approach Vilana directly, but she dismissed him with arrogance. Yet, ironically, she warmed immediately to Jarred and offered him the position of her shieldbearer — a twist that left Kilijan both frustrated and wary. Elsewhere, Weneon and their companion Moash — who had gone all in on Uninvited merchandise, his outfit nearly a walking banner — vaulted over rooftops to make their way toward the Arena. Their path was interrupted by Max, a feline rogue who challenged them to a race. The contest ended in a near-disaster when Weneon and Moash almost plunged from the heights, only to be saved by Max’s quick reflexes. The trio celebrated their survival not with words of gratitude, but with greasy corn dogs at a street vendor’s stall outside the Arena. Greg, stumbling through the festive crowds with wine in hand, crossed paths with Kuur, a towering half-giant who immediately took a liking to him. With a bellowing laugh, Kuur used a gusting fist of wind magic to push back the crowd, carving a clear path toward the Arena. The spell, however, caught Kilijan mid-leap as he bounded over people’s heads, sending him tumbling unceremoniously to the ground.

Despite these chaotic detours, the Uninvited regrouped at the Arena gates. The press of hopefuls and spectators made the entryway nearly impassable, but they finally reached the registration desk. There they witnessed a heated exchange: a human man named Berso argued with Stana, the gnome administrator of the tournament, who refused to let him register until his entire team arrived. Frustrated, Berso allowed the Uninvited to step ahead in line. While Stana took a break, Berso turned to the party in desperation. He asked if they had the means to locate his missing companions. Greg agreed, producing his crystal ball and casting Scrying. The vision was grim: Berso’s teammates lay slaughtered in the north, cut down by a band of harengon. When Greg relayed the sight, Berso collapsed into despair. In his grief, he warned them of the tournament’s “murky rules” — death was officially forbidden, but in practice, “if it happens, it happens.”

When Stana returned, she completed the Uninvited’s registration, both as a team and as solo fighters, allowing them to compete in multiple ways. They spent the waiting hours watching other groups register. Among the notables: The Owlbears – five hulking bugbears who swaggered in together. The Koopas – four turtlefolk with outlandish hairstyles. Crne Ovce – a band of eccentric misfits, equal parts bizarre and intimidating. The Rangers – a squad of masked fighters, each clad in a different color. But then Kilijan’s eyes fell on a team whose name turned his blood to ice: The Five Teeth of Garresh. The same group responsible for murdering his mother in his childhood. Kilijan recognized them instantly, though they seemed not to remember him. He froze, unable to move as memories surged. Greg noticed the shock in his friend’s expression and quietly drew him aside. When Kilijan confessed what he had seen, Greg placed a steadying hand on his shoulder and reminded him of the rules: “Remember, no killing in the tournament. But if it happens…”