The Shivering Isles looked even more chaotic than usual as a result of the game selected for Mehrunus Dagon's challenge. After the fracas of Hermaeus' challenge, it was decided that the challenger had to agree to a game after hearing the rules, or the challenged had to pick a new game. After the third selected game, however, the challenger had to agree to one of the offered games, as long as they were significantly different. Upon hearing the rules of the first game Discord offered, however, Dagon had agreed to it immediately. The notion of a game in which a single word could create or destroy with impunity appealed to Dagon immensely.
The game was Materialization Shiritori. The basic rules were simple: each player said a word that began with the last letter of the previous player's word. If the thing thus stated existed, it was temporarily shunted into zero-sum until the end of the game. If it did not exist, it was brought into existence. Each player had exactly one minute to come up with their word, or they forfeited. The game ended when one player proved unable to speak a valid word within the time limit. Repeat words were forbidden...though repeat items or concepts were allowed if a different word or variant of the word were utilized. In addition, multi-word descriptions of items described in two or more words were allowed, as long as it described a single thing.
Given the nature of Daedra, certain additional rules were created. First, they could not use each other's names or their dominions as words, and thus directly erase their opponent for the required time period. Second, a specific language alphabet was agreed upon in advance that they used, and words were only valid if they could be written in that alphabet. Third, no outside assistance. Of course, Discord still proved to have an advantage over Dagon since he seemed to have knowledge of things that did not exist within Aurbis' sphere. The hydrogen bomb that was his first usage, for example. Dagon still had no idea what that was.
"Fur," Discord offered calmly as it came to his turn again, and fur vanished from his Savior's Hide, from his own hide, and every creature and garment in the area.
Dagon glanced around, trying to come up with something...and spotted one of the creatures summoned. "Rhino!" he barked out, and a nearby rhinoceros vanished.
Discord clicked his tongue chidingly. "I'm not sure if that should count as outside interference or not," he offered thoughtfully. "After all, it's only because Jyggorath called it a rhino when I summoned it that you knew the word."
"He's obviously on your side!" Dagon barked back.
"Point," Discord concluded. "Old bag!"
Namira vanished into zero-sum, causing Sanguine to burst into laughter and give Discord a high five.
"For some reason, I feel immensely pleased with myself," Meridia observed idly.
Dagon searched his brain for a word to use. "...Granola!" he shouted out desperately.
As granola began to rain from the sky, Discord shook his head sadly. "And now you lose."
"What do you mean?" Dagon demanded angrily.
"Because I can use a valid word that I can exist without, but you can't," he allowed simply. As Dagon's eyes widened in shock and fear, Discord barked out, "AURBIS!"
When reality returned a minute later with the end of the game, Discord accepted Mehrunus Dagon's sincere - if disgruntled - oath of fealty.
Discord stared across the table at Mephala as she glared at him in hatred. "So...that's the game you've chosen to accept?"
Mephala snarled angrily, but subsided. "Yes...of the three you've suggested, that's one I will...accept."
Discord chuckled. "Alright. As agreed, you have one hour to succeed." As he spoke, Vaermina moved up to stand beside him. "See if you can show me something Vaermina hasn't."
Mephala chuckled darkly. "Shouldn't be too hard-"
"I asked Sanguine for pointers on how to keep things fresh," Vaermina interrupted, enjoying the sight of Mephala paling.
"Time's started, Mephala," Discord spoke up. "You reign over lies, sex, murder, secrets, and plots. Surely you can be creative." His eyes narrowed. "What are you waiting for? Seduce me!"
One humiliating hour later, Mephala had regretfully sworn fealty to Discord, and Vaermina gave Sanguine a Hood of Dreamweave which would let him peer into mortals' dreams to observe their most debaucherous fantasies as payment for his tutelage.
Molag Bal stared at the board in disbelief. It had been going so well. Discord had offered a game that was all about conquest, which seemed right up Bal's alley. The cards and dice had seemed constantly in his favor, and he'd conquered most of the board before too long, with Discord letting him roam free. It seemed it was all coming to an end as Discord seemed trapped in one corner of the board, gaining a pittance of forces each turn as Bal amassed a seemingly unstoppable horde.
Then Discord had begun flipping that coin each time he rolled his dice. Molag Bal then watched in disbelief as his troops were eaten away to nothing, leaving him - after his overconfidence - with only one troop in each territory. Discord had then let him build again the next turn, only to meet the same fate. And the next. And the next.
And then Discord had moved. Dividing his forces, he swept from his corner across the entire board, devouring the world chunk by chunk until Bal's last troop was wiped out, leaving him beaten. "It's...it's impossible..." he groaned disbelievingly.
Discord chuckled softly. "What did you expect...from a game called Risk?"