The final qualifying rounds prior to the principal duels were conducted in a bracket form, there were twenty total contenders and six forfeitures. The remaining engagements proceeded without delay. I fought each in sequence.
There is a rhythm to consecutive combat that differs from isolated duels. Fatigue accumulates not only in the body, but in the precision of thought. I accounted for this. Opponents varied in discipline and style; one, an orc of considerable strength, favored overwhelming force over measured technique. Predictable. He fell accordingly.
During one exchange, I executed a Xeresian guard—clean, exact, and without hesitation. The reaction from the crowd was immediate and divided. Some recognized the form and acknowledged the skill, others responded with visible disdain. That may have been an error.
By the conclusion of the bracket, attention had shifted. My identity remains intact, but there are suggestions that certain Houses are no longer observing us as simple curiosities.
Following the matches, House Maelthrumm delivered a collection of rewards. Among the items was a bow of obvious enchantment. I accepted it as one accepts all such gifts: with awareness of both its utility and its implication. Nothing given in Conscriptus is without expectation.
NOTE: Kessaria approached the group shortly thereafter, delivering unspecified items before departing. Enoch accompanied her. Observations of their interaction suggest romantic familiarity.
NOTE: Charles reports an encounter with an individual identifying himself as Gracious, an imposing figure, approximately nine feet in height, bearing six fingers. He claimed affiliation with House Lysandra under the pretense of diplomatic outreach from Karsus Folly. Subsequent interaction between Charles and this individual extended into sexual overtures. By morning, Gracious had departed without trace. Charles experienced a sudden and overwhelming compulsion to locate his wife, accompanied by physiological distress.
I encountered Charles and this individual briefly alongside Marrion. The interaction was… unremarkable on the surface. In retrospect, that may be the most concerning detail.
The compulsion was identified via magical means as arcane in origin. The timing of this intrusion is not coincidental. Influence exerted at the threshold of the final duels suggests intent to destabilize before critical engagements. Whether Gracious acted independently or as an extension of a larger design remains unknown. Marrion facilitated its removal with efficiency but effort during the morning interval.
Sal prepared coffee. It was, as expected, volatile.
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