What follows are some details about Torn’s realm, its functions, and clarifications about certain aspects of his temple’s rules. Also, there will be background information for the Dream Arena, and how each leg of the gauntlet works.
ANGELS:
There are several types of angels to be found throughout Musalia, which I will now tell you about.
Valkyries: Based off northern folklore and given the same name, these angels are warrior-maidens, and keepers of the Dream Arena. They prevent unauthorized personnel from entering the arena, answer the calls of Torn’s priests on Revaliir to help them in battle, maintain the armoury, and make an aesthetically pleasing sight by most accounts, tough and fierce though they are.
Muses: Angels of art and inspiration, the muses maintain the Bards’ Halls and preside over the Bard’s Gauntlet, among other things. As opposed to the valkyries, muses come in both male and female forms, always wearing a toga and sandals. Minor muses also do a lot of the chores in the Chambers of Mystery, mostly because they are able to shift from labour to entertainment at a moment’s notice. Several muses can also be found throughout Musalia, ensuring that there is always good music to be heard.
Fallen: Spirits of fallen heroes, usually dormant within their corresponding statues on the Walk of Glory - or in some other deathly domain. They only appear on special occasions, for example when Torn hosts an extraordinary event in the Dream Arena, or if the arena should fall under attack.
SERVANTS:
There are a number of non-clergy servants in Musalia, mostly running the host aspect of the realm. The taverns, brawling pits, and race tracks are all run by mortals, given permission to stay in Musalia in exchange for a solemn vow to always keep things interesting. Temporary leave to stay in Musalia can also be granted, should you have something to offer. Furthermore, there are those whose only ambition is to support the Prince of Epics in his everlasting quest to make Revaliir interesting, and who do basic chores in various places around the city.
LAWS OF MUSALIA:
It’s important to understand that Musalia isn’t lawless, although it could appear that way at times. However, the laws of Musalia are very strict at some points that aren't even mentioned in mortal law, and surprisingly lenient otherwise.
In Musalia, it is illegal to sing for the rest of the day if you are booed at by a crowd. Similarly, you can be permanently banned from the realm if you heckle an artist at work.
Reckless activity such as racing through the streets, brawling in the streets, or even prostitution are perfectly acceptable. In fact, people’s rights to do risky or demeaning things (of their own volition) is protected harshly by law, and anyone challenging that right is subject to expulsion, bans, or in the most extreme cases, death.
While theft is technically illegal in Musalia, it is very sloppily enforced because stolen goods cannot leave the realm while in the thief’s possession. And if a thief somehow manages to find a workaround, they are not branded as criminals upon their return: in fact, you’re likely to be praised for your ingenuity.
Sexual harassment is legal in Musalia, but men and women have the right to assault (and kill) anyone who doesn’t cease harassing or voyeuristic behaviour when told to stop. If the guilty party is a group, valkyries will join the fight to even the odds.
Insulting the Prince of Epics is illegal, and can lead to expulsion - but only if it isn’t funny!
Assaulting or harassing a resident angel in any way is grounds for immediate expulsion, with bans in place for repeat offenders. Physically assaulting a muse is punishable by death by valkyrie. Physically assaulting a valkyrie is also punishable by death by valkyrie - though in a more personal sense.
Cheating in a gauntlet doesn’t exist. All forms of deception and subterfuge successfully employed during said gauntlets is protected by law, as craftiness is never punished. When not actively undergoing a gauntlet (between fights, for example), physically harming an opponent is grounds for immediate disqualification - but sabotage is legal, and mildly encouraged.
Any wrongdoing committed against a child in Musalia, for any reason, is subject to the harshest punishment possible in its respective legal category. Any wrongdoing against a child otherwise considered legal is subject to expulsion and a permanent ban from the realm. Physical assault of children will result in being chased by the Valkyrie Executors - and offenders will be unable to leave the realm.
MISCELLANEOUS FACILITIES:
While the Dream Arena and the Walk of Glory are Musalia’s primary features, there are a number of other facilities that visitors can make use of.
Race tracks: Dog racing, horse racing, sprint, hurdles, swimming, climbing, regattas, and even turtle racing is hosted at various halls throughout the city. One large facility is the Charioteer’s Crucible, where extremely dangerous and highly entertaining chariot races find place. Some of these races even feature combat, and is the most popular entertainment facility in Musalia, not counting the Dream Arena.
Fighting and arms contests: Brawling pits are commonplace in the city, many with their own specialties. Some feature sparring matches with blunt weapons, other feature sparring rings for a particular martial practise, and some feature special conditions, like mud or cages. Archery ranges, magic theatres, and jousting arenas can also be found.
Taverns: Taverns for food, taverns for wine, taverns for beer, taverns for beds, taverns for a mix of them, taverns that permit fighting, taverns that don’t, taverns with public seating, taverns with booths… You get the idea. Taverns for any taste! There are even taverns for people who don’t drink, featuring milkshakes, iced tea, coffee, and other options.
Amphitheatres: Stages for musicians and actors to perform. Admittance and booking time are both free, though the audience is expected to throw tributary coins at performers they enjoy.
Brothels: Less savoury forms of entertainment can also be found for those who want it.
Bath houses: Public baths, both segregated and unisex, dot the city. Angels make use of these facilities as well, which allows for rare chances to talk to them in a more private setting. Some of these bathhouses allow nudity as well, but not all.
Sports arenas: There are a few halls for non-racing related sports around the city, though due to a lack of athletes, these are rarer than racing. People who want to watch or practise other sports can do so here - there is even a sports hall called the House of Mind-sparring for intellectual competitions such as chess and math duels.
Shopping district: Though prices are slightly elevated, one can find any number of goods in this place. A discerning eye may also spot fences, which makes it possible to fence stolen goods in the realm.
Pilgrim’s Gate: A small temple-like structure allows people undertaking the Bard’s Pilgrimage a shortcut, by providing them with a means to teleport to the major cities on the path. To use it, however, you need three favours from the same city, provided by noble people, or a tribute of no less than seventy-seven silver coins. This means that only the particularly clever, hardworking, or talented may use it.
Gauntlets:
Both the Warrior’s Gauntlet and the Bard’s Gauntlet carry over several stages. The rules that apply to each of these will here be described in greater detail.
Warrior’s Gauntlet:
Anyone who wishes to do so can challenge the Warrior’s Gauntlet. To earn the privilege to fight in the arena, you must first go through a qualifier. After that, some special rules apply. If you die in the arena, you will wake up, alive and well, at the statue that transported you to Musalia in the first place. If a fight ends before you die, you will be healed. Either event results in you having to retake the arena challenge, but if you reached stage two, you may skip the qualifier. However, if you have died in the arena once, you will not get a third chance; Die in the arena a second time, and you will not be revived.
Qualifier: In the qualifier, you have to fight a few animals to qualify for arena fighting. This usually takes place in a designated fighting pit a few minutes’ walk from the Dream Arena. This challenge scales with the party, so while a single contestant just has to fight a pair of wolves or a relatively small bear, a party of five might have to fight a whole pack of direwolves or an elephant. If the animal is unsummoned (in which case it will dissipate in an instant), rather than banished (in which case it will fade out) you lose. This usually happens when the animal is about to deal a lethal blow to one of the participants.
Stage One: Stage one can take two different forms; if there are a lot of people who have qualified to this stage at one time, you may have to survive a free-for-all. Otherwise, you will be pitted against an opponent in the same challenger class as you - challenger class in this case meaning a team of the same size. You and your opponent will meet before the fight, giving you a chance to measure one another and agree to special rules - such as disallowing magic, making it a mounted fight, or limit the size of the ring. Both contestants have to agree to any special rules, but the Battlemistress (the valkyrie functioning as a referee) may enforce some if she deems the fight unfair in some way. She also has the ability to morph the arena, and will sometimes include environmental hazards or other augmentations to the fight, though to do so in a stage one fight is rare.
Before stage one, you are given a week to prepare. If you want to move into another challenger class, you can find people to team up with during this time.
Stage Two: Stage two of the warrior’s gauntlet functions more or less exactly like stage one, except no more participants may join your team, if you’re in one. Stage two fights feature proven fighters, and will sometimes feature arena hazards as well, if the Battlemistress deems it appropriate. Arena hazards may involve wild beasts, traps, a shrinking ring, or waist-high water.
Stage Three: Featuring fighters that have bested two opponents already, stage three will usually feature some specific condition. It is not uncommon for a team of valkyries to join the fight on both sides at this stage - the battle-maidens do enjoy the limelight from time to time. Participants have the right to deny them this, though it is seldom done, as valkyries on a contestant’s side will remove them from the fight before they die if they fall, making stage three the least lethal, statistically.
Final Stage: The final stage features a truly awe-inspiring fight, pitting a would-be champion against a monster (hydra, cyclops, minotaur). The monster is usually chosen specifically to target a contestant’s weakness, but do not despair - single contestants are often held back to wait for other prospective champions to join them, to even the odds a little. In this case, the fight is not over once the monster is slain - the remainder must fight until there is only one champion standing.
At this stage of the tournament, valkyries will watch over the contestants. Champions who win the audience’s favour will be protected from death at this stage, though the valkyries may not always be able to act in time!
If a team manages to reach this stage, they do not have to fight one another once the battle is over - people who complete the gauntlet as a team will be allowed to meet the prince of Epics as one.
The Bard’s Gauntlet:
The Bard’s Gauntlet is all about the audience and the judges. Win their favour and you move on. Fail to impress, and you’ll be booed off. Simple. Right?
Groups of bards can take the challenge together. They must form their team before stage one, and all members must have made the full pilgrimage. Teams of entertainers can use the same favour from a given location, provided they all contributed to its acquisition.
Fail the gauntlet, and you must take the qualifier from scratch to challenge it again.
Qualifier: To qualify for the Bard’s Gauntlet, you must first win a favour (token) from a noble in each of the following cities: Adeluna, Arri, and Egjora. Bards must reach far and wide, and cater to diverse audiences, in order to impress the Prince of Epics. However, clever bards will figure out that a favour doesn’t have to be won by music! Any favour earned from entertainment will work, including jesting, song, poetry, painting, or indeed bedplay. Once you can present three favour to the Custodians of Sponsorship (a group of muses with special abilities), you are allowed to enter. Counterfeit favours or favours not properly earned will be identified, however, and can cause all favours presented to be deemed invalid.
Stage One: In stage one, you must first impress the audience and the Seven Judges with your skill. This preliminary act does not have to be poetic, and many bards use this as a test of their secondary abilities. It is perfectly fine to have used this routine before, and it doesn’t even have to be original, as long as it is entertaining. After this, you will meet one of the current challengers of the Bard’s Gauntlet - at any given time there can be twelve, one for each two-hour entertainment bracket. In this part of the first stage, each of you must perform an original piece of poetry or music. The Seven Judges, influenced of course by the audience, will then declare a winner. The winner gets a victory to their name, and proceeds to wait for the next challenger. Since this can take some time, if there isn’t a challenger once your time bracket rolls around, you must perform for the audience once again, and gain their approval, in order to not be disqualified.
Stage Two: Once another bard comes to challenge the gauntlet, you must repeat the process in stage one - performing an original piece, different from the first, and be declared the finer entertainer. Since the challenger goes first, you’ll have a slight advantage, knowing what you have to overcome.
Stage Three: Read stage two.
Final concert: Succeed in stage three, and you must immediately perform a concert and impress the audience and the Seven Judges. The standard for success here depends on your success in previous stages - you have to outperform your previous performances in order to win this stage! If you do, and you get the audience to give you a standing ovation, you will have won the gauntlet.
