[center][h1][color=00aeef]Marthysan [img]https://i.imgur.com/qBbayHh.png[/img] the Righteous[/color][/h1][/center][hr]
At Ming's question, Marthysan smiled warmly. "As the previous winner, I was given the opportunity to help pick this year's competitors. I heard about your valiant efforts against the oni, and researched some information about all of you. Although I do not often work with those with an affinity to negative energy, I have faith that you have good in your heart. Some of your companions were a little harder to get information from, but I believe you have the best chance to win this tournament."

Marthysan took a seat on one of the comfortable chairs in the sitting room, motioning for the others to join him. "Although I cannot give you information on the other contestants, I can provide crucial information about the previous games. If you were not aware, there were a handful of cheaters that nearly destroyed the reputation of the games, and I worry that they may be trying to weasel their way back into this competition, even after a decade."

As the group settled in, Marthysan began to share the tale of the Ruby Phoenix Tournament. The sorceress Hao Jin left an indelible mark upon the land of Tian Xia. Throughout her centuries-long life, Hao Jin—a devout follower of Abadar, god of contracts, wealth, and order—set out to amass her own First Vault, a collection of those items she deemed most perfect or wondrous in all the world.

Among the many Abadaran pacts and contracts that dictated Hao Jin’s life was her carefully contracted agreement with the temple of Abadar in Goka regarding the fate of her collection in the event of her eventual death. Fearful that her treasures would fall into the wrong hands or simply be lost to history, Hao Jin left strict instructions that were she not to set foot within the temple for 10 years and a day, on the 10 year anniversary of that occasion, an epic competition of martial arts was to be held, overseen by the city’s Abadaran clergy; the winning team would be allowed to choose a single item as a prize for their victory. Not only would this prevent the collection from immediately being broken up, but it also ensured her life’s work would attain its own legendary immortality through the prestige the contest would bring.

During her lifetime, many who knew of her will attempted to end her life prematurely, and many succeeded. But Hao Jin had contingencies in place to such a degree that even her most cunning and careful would-be assassins underestimated her ability to return from the dead. Each time an enemy killed her, she miraculously emerged unscathed days later, her red hair a shade more vibrant than before her death. Her ability to overcome death and the resemblance her hair soon had to an animated, flickering flame earned Hao Jin the nickname Ruby Phoenix, and over the centuries of her life, many believed her to be truly immortal.

Yet in 6891 IC (Imperial Calendar; 4391 AR), a recordkeeper at Goka’s Grand Bank of Abadar informed the archbanker that a decade and a day had passed since the Ruby Phoenix last visited the temple. The conditions of her will had been met. As no one had seen nor heard from the sorceress for several years, she was assumed to have finally met her end, and the preparations were made to conduct the first Ruby Phoenix Tournament 10 years later. That tournament also established the office of the Emissary, an Abadaran official appointed for life to run the proceedings.

Each decennial since, the greatest champions from across Golarion have vied for the victors’ spot, and most contestants have competed honorably and passionately. A decade ago, however, the Ruby Phoenix Tournament was the subject of a terrible scandal that resulted in the first disqualification of a contestant in over a century.

In the last Ruby Phoenix Tournament, a sorceress from Lingshen was disqualified just prior to the final round for cheating. She swore vengeance upon her competitor, the de facto victor Marthysan the Righteous. While some believe she may strike soon, the event happened a decade ago, and many believe the sorceress has forgotten about the perceived slight or moved on.

More than 30 of the 128 entrants in the thirtieth tournament perished in unrelated accidents, or exhibition combats not covered by the tournament’s strictures on ethics, honor, and safety. More than half of these deaths were attributed to the dragon Huyanwo, whose defeat has long been the ambition of Ruby Phoenix contestants hoping to make a name for themselves outside the arena. 

The 7201 tournament’s legacy was further clouded by a surprising number of gambling-related murders in Goka, attributed to a spike in organized criminal activities surrounding the games. Some believe the Golden League, one of the most influential criminal organizations in Tian Xia, has its sights set on ensuring this year’s tournament provides it even higher returns on its gambling books.

The shamed competitor was the earth sorceress Wu Dizhen, who was caught callously and repeatedly cheating and had to be ejected from the contest. Among the most egregious of her crimes were employing her identical twin, Wu Jufeng, as a body double (which allowed her to leave the island for healing and aid), using Wu Jufeng as outside aid during contests, and not sparing foes who forfeited bouts. Wu Dizhen’s crimes were discovered only moments prior to her entry into the final round of the contest, and her disqualification resulted in the automatic victory of her competitor, the Iomedaean paladin Marthysan the Righteous. 

Now the twins—conjoined at birth and now distinguishable from one another only by which side of their body bears the scar of their separation—have set their sights on disrupting this year’s Ruby Phoenix Tournament and attaining victory over the contest by destroying the centuries-old institution entirely. To aid them in this endeavor, they have allegedly allied with the sinister Golden League, an organized crime syndicate based in mainland Goka. For their part, the masters of the Golden League likely hope that they can use the twins’ meddling to ensure their champion wins the contest, guaranteeing that their gambling racket brings in the highest profits possible.

Marthysan leaned back in his chair, his tale seemingly come to an end. "As you can see, not only do I not truly deserve this suite, as I only won due to technicalities, I would also like to employ your aid in helping keep me safe. I believe the Sisters Wu and their cohorts the Golden League will do everything they can to not only win this Tournament, but also to kill me. In return for your aid, I will allow you to stay here and provide what information I can, as well as an extra body outside the arena. What say you?"