A Season of Bones

[stonegod]

In the Arena

Daran raises his arms high again, turning and pumping his arms in pulse with the crowd's revelry. He fed upon it and made it stronger at the same time. PER-FECT! PER-FECT! PER-FECT! Each beat, a pump of the arm, a raise of the axe, a beat of the heart. It was... dizzying.

His smirk was wide as he was led away.

In the Rooms

Daran strides confidently into the room, nodding to the men, winking at the women. He sits where he can gaze at everyone, leaning back, smiling. He seemed happy... and he was. But he was paying attention, too. Sorta.

OOC: Streetwise to see what he knows of the other teams (18) and Insight into what they seem to be thinking (5). Rolls

 

[Vertexx69]

Being close to the wall of the arena at the end of the fight, Ja'Cart takes a step back before running and leaping off of the wall in a spinning arc. His claws splayed wide as he spins through the air high above the inner wall. The kreen sprays the first few rows of the crowd in the blood of the fallen while roaring like the predator he is before he lands back on the sandy floor of the coluseum. As he walks back toward the doors, he snaps his spiked mandibles loudly at the lurker crouched by its fallen ally. Bloody sand swirls around the beast's clawed feet seeming to follow him regardless of its presence where he walks.

He walks by Ajax without so much as a look as he heads toward his place at the food tables. He doesn't bother to wash the blood away, as he flexes the sticky, crimson fluid into the joints of his carapas.

 

[Walking Dad]

Jalaan

Jalaan has only a slight grin for the cheering crowd. One day all of them will share his pain...
But he also knows that the cheers were more for the others than himself. They saw the others fight, splattering the reptiles blood around them, while Jalaan himself only stood around, barely moving... his powers were much more subtle, like urging the big one just enough, so he could not hit Jalaan's teammate.

Going past Ajax, he drops absentmindedly his dangerous weapon (a bone staff) in his hands.

He looks around at the other gladiators, most interested in the four robed psionicists, before indulging the feast.

[sblock=OOC]


----

Immediate Interrupt: Use Intellect Fortress against first attack that hits, but would miss, if I use the power.

below assumes a short rest.

[sblock=Mini stat block]
Jalaan
Perception: 16 Insight: 11 Low-light Vision
AC 17 Fortitude 13 Reflex 15 Will 16
Initiative: +1
Hit Points: 39 / 39 Bloodied: 19
Temporary Hit Points: 0
Resist: Fire 6
Saving Throw: -
Action Points: 1 Second Wind: 1
Healing Surge:9 Surges per day: 8 / 8
At-Will Powers: Thought Projection, Dishearten, Mind Thrust, Betrayal
Encounter Powers: Infernal Wrath, Psychic Surge, Distract, Send Thoughts, 4/4 Power Points, Intellect Fortress
Daily Powers: Mental Trauma

Condition:

[/sblock][/sblock]

 

[DistractingFlare]

[sblock=Response to Daran's Streetwise]
The team of raiders were formerly slavers, before becoming embroiled in a turf war with a group of wild druids. The raiders were pushed back out of the wilds, and their slaves were freed. Upon hearing about the tournament, they decided to risk their lives in one more series of battles, hoping to regain the wealth they'd lost.

The Tyrian templars lost their high rank when they sided with King Kalak in the uprising. King Tithian had them stripped of rank and banished to the desert. They journeyed to Balic in hope of finding a way to restore their titles in a new city.

The psionicists are representatives from some kind of secret society that dwells within Balic. They aim to legitimize their order, but their suspicious modes of behavior certainly don't help.

Thrast and his crew are from all over, but they have one thing in common - they are all highly decorated gladiators, each winning his way out of bondage alone, and later coming together as a small (but notorious) mercenary unit.[/sblock]

 

[Voda Vosa]

At the arena.

Although he was happy his team won, Muzdum was pissed off. He only managed to lose a bolt in the sand and make a short sprint. Pathetic. And Wolfan used the opportunity to torment him. Grumbling, he walked near his companions, nodded and congratulated them properly, but his cheerful mood from before was evidently gone.

In the Quarters.

Muzdum takes his axe and pushed it against Ajax, violently, before taking his gauntlet and also tossing it at the quartermaster. If he was successful at killing the king, this Ajax's head would roll second. As he walks into the room, he weary eyes the rest of the assembled groups, before heading to his group's table, to eat and drink. He particularly watches Thrast. Perhaps it would be wise to become friends with the dwarf.
He decides to try. Muzdum stands, raising his mug of ale.
"To us partners, fer our Perfect victory. And To everyone assembled here, I know ye be powerful opponents, worthy and honourable. And a special toss fer me dwarven brethren there!"

Streetwise: 3
Diplomacy: 17

 

[DistractingFlare]

Thrast smiles grimly at Muzdum and raises his glass of ale.

"Aye," replies Thrast. "By the end of the festival, there'll be only one of us eating in here. As far as I'm concerned, it'll be me. 'Til then, let's have a drink! Raise your glasses warriors, cause tomorrow, another half of you is goin' in the dirt!"

Everyone in the room (except the psions, who are engrossed in their grumbling discourse) lets out a rowdy cry, and the meal starts in earnest.

[sblock=ooc]If you'd like to talk to any of the other characters, feel free.[/sblock]

 

[stonegod]

Daran raises his "glass" and then sips it as if it were fine wine, but in low whispers tells the others what he knows about the teams (see sblock above). He's right, you know. They will be the ones to beat. Best keep an eye on them. Instead, however, he kept is eye on the quiet ones, the psionicists. He elbowed the devil-man and in whispers, added, They doing anything we should be concerned about?

OOC: Wanna do an Arcana check, WD?

 

[DistractingFlare]

As the meal progresses, a stadium overseer enters the hall.

"Gladiators, the rules for tomorrow's battles have been decreed. The order of the day will be The Tyrant's Pyramid. The winner of the pyramid event and one other combatant of his choosing will receive a bye from the rest of the day's combat. The rest of you will be put into pairs for fights to the first death. Good luck. Get some rest."

[sblock=Rules: Tyrant's Pyramid]This is a King of The Hill match. The arena is filled by a pyramidal structure, which the combatants must attempt to climb. Whoever holds the top of the pyramid for two whole rounds wins. You are discouraged from killing each other, but "accidents" occasionally happen. This is a free-for-all event, although temporary alliances are encouraged.

The winner of this event and one other combatant (of the winner's choice) receive a bye for the Fights to the First Death.[/sblock]

[sblock=Rules: Fight to The First Death]You will be grouped into pairs. Two pairs will square off in the arena, battling until ONE combatant is DEAD. The match then ends, and the winning team moves on, and the remaining member of the losing team will have to battle among the other losers later.[/sblock]

You are given the rest of the night to plot strategies amongst each other, to attempt to form alliances, and to practice with your equipment in the training room.

[sblock=ooc]I'll wait for a reply from at least 3/4 before we start the next day.[/sblock]

 

[Walking Dad]

Jalaan

... He elbowed the devil-man and in whispers, added, They doing anything we should be concerned about?
...

Jalaan first looks disdainfully for the bodily contact, but the uses his supernatural senses on the psionics. Then he gives the information to Daran via telepathy.

After the feast:
Jalaan looks for interest in a team up, first asking Dran, then Muzdum and Ja'Cart last.

[sblock=OOC]

Will the DM roll 'perception' and 'knowledge' checks? I prefer it this way, but can do the rolls, too.

----



[sblock=Mini stat block]
Jalaan
Perception: 16 Insight: 11 Low-light Vision
AC 17 Fortitude 13 Reflex 15 Will 16
Initiative: +1
Hit Points: 39 / 39 Bloodied: 19
Temporary Hit Points: 0
Resist: Fire 6
Saving Throw: -
Action Points: 1 Second Wind: 1
Healing Surge:9 Surges per day: 8 / 8
At-Will Powers: Thought Projection, Dishearten, Mind Thrust, Betrayal
Encounter Powers: Infernal Wrath, Psychic Surge, Distract, Send Thoughts, 4/4 Power Points, Intellect Fortress
Daily Powers: Mental Trauma

Condition:

[/sblock][/sblock]

 

[Voda Vosa]

"Hey Ja'Cart, ye seem like me kind o' fighting partner. We should team up, deliver a couple o' punches, or ..." the dwarf addresses at the insect's appendages "... a couple o' those." perhaps the dwarf's lack of etiquette means nothing to the creature, but the shaman reminds Muzdum of his ever lacking manners.