Gladiators Wanted

The Myste-Hass Calender

27/02/24

Tom's code - 61768

Late in the evening, the clouds roll in. A group heads to The Arena to watch a bout. There are two individuals on the sand - The Maul and Altes

Priests run out to heal The Maul. Dissatisfaction runs in the crowd because the odds were against Altes, forty to one.

Morning comes, the group thinking about the match and head to The Dregs for breakfast. Cao explains that he is looking for strong fighters to win in The Arena.

Tanis admits he was one of the dragonborn to attack Myste-Hass, when Morthel took the city.

Lishaan recently fought on an island nearby where he killed many undead in the name of lady luck.

The group heads to Cao's training ground. Abar and Benane are fist fighting on the sands. Westio is engaged in a heated conversation with a robed individual, grey robes, who is not normally here.

Cao gives Lishaan a longsword from the rack and Tanis moves in with his own battleaxe and shield, the pair heading onto the sand.

Cao finds the cat, Tartan, joining Bellatrix on the balcony to watch the fight between the two new dragonborns.

Father Howell speaks with Kado whilst they heal Lishaan after he is taken down by Tanis's fire breath. Kado seems fascinated by violence and violent crimes. Father Howell is encouraging him to get involved in the militia.

The combative man is shouting something, and Westio says that he wanted the individual to leave. The visitor, Indulan, says he's been making a bunch of bespoke training automatons which can be used to fight without suffering the pain of a real opponent. He doesn't make them, just markets them. He claims there are two in the wagon outside - easy mode or hard mode. Cao claims they'll test both.

When the individual returns, there are two figures about ten-twelve feet high. They move in stiffly.

Frank has the safe word 'Jelly Bean', he's the larger and easier one. The second brute is tougher and called Clay with the safe word set as 'Hailbert'. He murmurs a few words before the safe words to set them.

The man says that if the three of them manage to fight Clay and win, the contract will be binding.

The first individual is a huge figure - a flesh golem. Clay is slightly smaller, a mound of clay.

The fighters head in, Father Howell watching intently from the sidelines. The creature was immobile before Talis struck it.

During the fight, both of the creatures start shaking and freaking out and Indulan begins screaming 'Jelly Bean' to no avail. When faced with fire, the creature starts to freak out.

After Frank is taken down, Bealltrix is thrown from the sand by Clay, then Cao kills him.

Lishaan heals a point to Frank, but Indulan runs in and calls 'Jelly Bean', the command word working this time.

Indulan offers a rental agreement that includes regular upkeep. He claims he can have Frank fixed and ready again by the afternoon. The cost is one-hundred gold per month, with repairs twice a day it would cost one-hundred and thirty gold pieces a month. Cao agrees for the one-hundred gold contract, with fifty percent now and fifty percent later.

Indulan takes them off into the designated storage area to begin the repairs, promising to make them even more of a challenge next time.

After the fight, the group heads to the Temple of Imogen in order to rest up, get massages, oil rubs and a good meal. Father Howell makes his spiced-plum tarts with aphrodisiac cherries, in addition to the peach cobbler he made that morning.

Engaro introduces himself to all of the group, particularly Bellatrix. Engaro and Father Howell talk about Geoffrey. Apparently, he last came in about two weeks before he resigned, praying for his wife.

Cao talks with the group before they set out again, informing them of the orc threat.

Talis admits he left Morthel's army, because he agrees with war but not wanton destruction. In this conversation, Engaro admits that he has done terrible things, some of which were not his choices. But, now he welcomes almost anyone who comes through his door. Today he makes his choices. Engaro claims that he knows a lot about hatred.

Engaro gives the group some special oils to increase the impact of the fight. Bellatrix discusses possibly converting.

Father Howell leaves one of the tarts for Tatiana.

Cao admits to Father Howell that its the gods themselves, not organised religion, that he has a problem with. Father Howell tries to get him to tell the story, but he says maybe at a later date.

Tonight, The Arena has fights with names such as: Raven Lord, Black Tooth, Green Doom, The Beast, The Decapitator and a special openings for opponents to face the Steel Bull - who is first. The Decapitator is fighting Red Sand, the final fight of the night.

Ithrell is in charge of bookings. He is an Equillian who immediately spots The Hurricane. He claims that things are changed, new management, council backing and Cao can't just come in at a superior bought.

The Green Doom is an orc savage, brought in by Ithrell's man Hobart who captured him in the wilds.

Herb is put on the door, so the group can speak with Ithrell in private, because he keeps lying about The Beast.

He pitches a match between the dragons and The Beast, their stage name being Fire and Ice.

He pitches Bellatrix, The Dominator, against the Raven Lord. He can fly. His backstory is that he was cursed by a witch so that a thousand ravens fly in his blood. They are set up for a weigh-in, but the Raven Lord refuses to speak with her before.

The Decapitator offers to throw off his match, on one condition. He will fight you after he defeats the Steel Bull. If he defeats Hurricane, he will then face Red Sand.

The group get ready for the fight, applying the Imogen oil to their bodies - giving them a plus one to their ac.

Kado turns up and joins Father Howell. Sophca does a lot of the oratory. Dooraz is at the box. Sophca introduces Hurricane, with a slight insult on his age. Cao plays it as he's old, hobbling in with a stick. A baguette is thrown at him, but he does a role and someone shouts "Bring the Thunder" causing a ripple of excitement.

Father Howell has bet two gold on all of his friends, and twenty gold on Cao's final match with odds of ten to one. He casts death ward and warding bond on Cao as the mechanical bull launches himself at The Hurricane.

Cao destroys the Steel Bull in a matter of moments.

Talis and Lishaan head into the arena against The Beast, escorted by their lanista, Cao. The creature appears, his neck chained by two handlers. He puts on a show of attempting attacking the handlers.

Lishaan is brought down during the fight, but Father Howell picks him up with a very subtle channel divinity. The Beast takes down both dragons, then pulling him out of The Arena. Priests run in healing the fallen dragonborn.

The Beast came over later and is really kind, he offers a drink later but claims he has to go shout at some kids first.

Cao escorts Bellatrix - The Dominator - out. [{The Raven Lord]] is painted completely black, with costume horns that look almost tiefling-like. As he extends his arms, his wings flare. He caws and runs at Bellatrix, frightening Bellatrix. He has serrated claws. She shrugs off the fear.

When he is cut, he has red skin beneath his outfit. He is struggling to get the crowd to react to him, even when he flares his wings dramatically.

Bellatrix cuts him down and the crowd begins cheering The Dominator.

The Raven Lord comes to see Bellatrix. He is a red-faced teifling. He tells her Bellatrix to fuck off.

Cao fights The Decapitator, who is lethal. But, after a ruthless fight, Hurricane takes the man down, just as Bellatrix runs into the crowd and seizes a individual holding a holy symbol who was clearly healing himself.