Umatoko's Secrets

Edited by Pyrranha

by holyflpncows

After four more days of uneasy travel, we reach Ulaanbaatar.

This time though, things are being moved around, people are at work, and new buildings are being constructed. A ridiculously diverse population now fills the streets. Hundreds of people moving about trying to stay focused on their work as we pass through to the town hall. These must be Umatoko's people. How had he not managed to muscle out Carnassa?
We ask around the town hall and find that these are indeed Umatoko’s people; he is currently away, settling an issue at the quarry. With not much else to do, we make for the inn to grab drinks and let Ptili gain his own feet again. I grimace at the new name for the inn written on the side; The Dead Admiral. It seems a little too celebratory to me considering the circumstances behind Admiral Jin's demise.
The inn has a much better atmosphere with the blood mist gone. Feng Da and Arslan arrange drinks for everyone, though Shen Po refuses his. Most of the group engage Ptili in further conversation, prodding at what he'll do now. I sip on my airag, doing my best to avoid the conversation. But my ears pick up his announcement that in a few days he'll make his way back to his Earthguard outpost. He retires to a rented room shortly after. Good; hopefully I won't see him again.
A while into our idleness, a large figure opens the door. A large goliath, imposing in all black studded leather and four swords strapped to his back, comes purposefully striding toward us.
“I’m Constable Ono,” he announces. Are four swords really necessary for a constable? Admirals in the Fleet hardly bothered with two. “We don’t get many travelers, and by that I mean no one would be here unless they had prior knowledge that this place exists.”
“Yeah, we cleaned out the Blood Plague,” Wen answers.
“Sure,” Ono says.
“Is there a way for us to talk to Umatoko?” Wen asks the constable.
“Yeah, when he gets here.” Ono looks us up and down. “So who do you work for currently, if anyone?”
“Carnassa,” Wen says.
“Why?”
Some uncertain looks and shrugs go around the table. What a great way for us to instill our competence and convince him we did—in fact—clear the plague out. “She got to us first,” I state.
“But we’re working for her on behalf of bringing everyone back together,” Wen adds in quickly.
“That makes sense to me.” Ono nods at us. “But really only because she was the first to talk to you?”
“She offered us a seat,” Shen Po says.
“Ha!” Ono laughs. “That’s funny. Is—is that your driving motive?”
“A seat at the Rusty Spear, yeah,” Shen Po clarifies.
“Alright,” he snorts.
“Something amusing about that?” Shen Po snaps.
“Yeah. Carnassa can’t offer it to you. It’s not hers. It’s the Horselord’s, and I don’t know if you noticed but there’s three of them right now,” Ono retorts.

---

After at least two hours of debating the validity of Carnassa's offer and Ono's revelation, the constable returns to inform us that Umatoko will see us in the morning. We rent rooms for the night and waste the evening away.
In the morning, we scarf down breakfast and set out to find Umatoko. The faster we settle this Horselord mess, the faster we can get to the Rusty Spear—and to my more pressing matters. The amount of people in the streets thickens as we near the apothecary building. A crowd is gathered around a figure standing in front of the building, listening to his Elvish speech. His plain face is decorated with a pointed goatee, a cloth covering his head with long strips of yellow diamond pattern material running down the length of his arms. He wears no shirt, letting his hairless chest stand bare before everyone.
He notices our approach and motions for the gathered crowd to part. They move and reveal not a man but a centaur, his right front leg a rod of metal from the knee down. Umatoko—presumably—nods to the crowd in dismissal and asks us to take a walk with him.
"Thar noresh lor," he says. Elvish. Burning sands, this is going to be a hassle. Do any of us even know Elvish?
Thankfully, Shen Po and Feng Da have some knowledge of the language and work to translate Umatoko’s Elvish to Eastern Common for the rest of us. "Why are you here?"
"We're here on behalf of Carnassa, seeking peace between the Horselords," Feng Da says with Shen Po supplying a few pronunciation corrections.
"Hmmm," he broods. "I find that difficult to believe. My previous interactions with her have been quite unkind."
"Times change, people change," Shen Po says.
Umatoko sighs. "I have no true interest in leading and I, too, want peace. But," he stops and stares us down. "I will not allow an incompetent ruler to lead my people." I think back to Carnassa's town, barely functional. Are we supporting the right person in this struggle? "I will pass my leadership to Carnassa if you representatives can pass my trials."
We head back to the inn to rest and prepare for what the trials could hold. While eating breakfast, Ono sits with us to give us a little insight on the trials. We only need to succeed in four of the six trials. Our choices are between the Trial of Might, Trial of Speed, Trial of Endurance, Trial of Knowledge, Trial of Insight, and Trial of Passion. Ono leaves, and we debate which trials we were most likely to succeed in. Feng Da doesn't give the option of not choosing the Endurance one, as it's a drinking contest. I'm not so sure how he'll succeed against a centaur, but he leaves no room for opinions. The next easiest decision is to immediately exclude the Trial of Knowledge, and I wholeheartedly agree; none of us harbor a breadth of knowledge. Insight, on the other hand, we feel Shen Po can tackle. He doesn't agree—especially as there was little information given about this trial, but doesn't decline or argue further. Might? Speed? Passion? Ono didn't know what the Trial of Passion involves, and no one in the inn does either. So do we nix that one? What about the Trial of Speed? Can any of us outrun a centaur? Spark expresses interest in giving that a shot. So then Might or Passion? Wen speaks up, offering himself to attempt the latter. Endurance, Speed, Insight, and Passion then. Skies above, I hope we can actually succeed in these and avoid the trials of Might and Knowledge.

---

We head out for the Trial of Endurance. Feng Da steps forward to greet Umatoko in a clearing in the street. A large smile breaks over Feng Da’s face as a medium sized keg and two ceremonial mugs are brought forth. I don't feel as confident. How much can a centaur drink? Feng Da and Umatoko sit opposite each other and the tankards are filled. They drink a mouthful each, set down the mugs on the stone slab placed before them, and stare at each other. They lift the mugs again and drink, and the effect of the drink is apparent on both their faces. Umatoko wavers. Feng Da wobbles. Mugs are defiantly slammed down. Tense silence fills the air. And then, they take another gulp. Feng Da goes from wobbling to swaying, dangerously close to falling. But Umatoko beats him to the ground, collapsing. The crowd roars. But... Umatoko lost. Perhaps this is the most entertainment they've seen in a while.
Umatoko’s drunkenmess is cleansed for the next trial to begin. Spark steps forward for the Trial of Speed. Ono explains and outlines the track for the race, then motions for it to begin. Umatoko's people roar with excited cheering. Then, my jaw drops—as do many others—as Spark almost immediately overtakes Umatoko, feline agility and monk training surpassing the centaur. She keeps ahead the entire run, but Umatoko doesn't let up, even despite his prosthetic limb. In fact, it doesn't seem to hinder him in the slightest. Spark blows past the finish line, Umatoko not all that far behind, and the the toll it takes on Spark is obvious. She collapses, exhausted, and Shen Po sees to her. Umatoko heaves mouthfuls of air but is otherwise fine and heads to the next trial area.
Six barrels are ready and waiting when we arrive at the town hall. Shen Po steps forth for the Trial of Insight. Umatoko explains that only one of the barrels is real, and it must determine which one that is, without touching them. Whoever strikes the true barrel with an arrow wins. Umatoko approaches the barrels and begins to gesture his good hoof around each of them. Shen Po stands where he is, looks over all the barrels, then keeps his gaze on Umatoko. Umatoko returns next to Shen Po, takes a bow from Ono, and fires. It goes through his chosen barrel. Shen Po raises his gauntlet and a small line of flames begins burning the correct barrel. More cheers erupt from the gathered crowd. I look at them, confused. Umatoko's lost every challenge so far, and yet they still rally behind him. Will they even accept Umatoko's passing of power to Carnassa? That's something I can worry about later. There's still one more trial for us before we find out.
Umatoko informs us the last trial we’ve elected to challenge must wait until nightfall. Oh? Is the passion more literal than we thought?
Several hours pass and when Umatoko arrives at the inn, and Wen still steps forth. Shen Po remains stiff as Wen mounts up on a horse and takes off with Umatoko. Most of us retire for the night, except for Shen Po who waits by the window until dawn.