On with the tournament

You welcome your brother and sister in law and signal for your party to catch up. Based on the last message that Butrexx sent the dragon-kin expected to get on with the leadership challenge straight away. However, you inform them that you have decided to host a tournament based at Arca and that you have already sent messages to members of your court and the other Clutch leaders. You should have just enough time setting things up before all the challengers get here.

In times gone by, Arxkesttelgdn had been a vast kingdom and It would have taken almost a year to gather all the leaders. This was why it was a tradition for challengers to tour the kingdoms as a separate test of strength and endurance.However, over the years with countless fighting and dwindling resources, the clutches had been **** to relinquish most of their lands and move their capitals closer together. All the kingdoms were now within two weeks ride of each other making it easier for challengers to the throne to take over which made the situation worse. Aid from Itheria and a more stable leadership would allow the empire to regain some but not all its former glory.

You tell Butrexx's siblings that the tournament will bring in the much-needed supplies and money; as you have invited guests and tournament organizers from your kingdom who will bring money to spend and commodities to sell. The organizers and champions should arrive in the next two weeks then you shall give the organizers and champions two weeks to prepare. This will also allow time for your guests to arrive from all around Itheria.

As you approach the city of Arca you can see it is not in the as good condition as you would expect a capital city to be in. It appears that some time ago someone lay siege to it breaking holes in the walls and the holes had not been repaired and the rubble left just piled up to double the height of a humanoid and moss and grass had started to grow in the cracks. It appears that the Dragon-kin are in more dire need than you thought if even there capital has insufficient funds or leadership to repair a wall

"My dear, Why are the walls in disrepair?" You ask

"The Brown Clutch are the best stone masters in Arxkesttelgdn but they refuse to repair anything outside their own kingdom. My father was too week to win them over or persuade High Warlord Gyrsh to **** them to." Butrexx replied. You pick up on some spite for her father in her tone of voice. You signal for the rest of your group to follow you as you enter the city.

Your party takes residence in the castle. It was built before the fall of the empire and has many spare rooms the dragon-kin don't use.