Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
ShortQuests -- Pocket Sized Adventures! An all-new collection of digest-sized D&D adventures designed for 1-2 game sessions.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Carlo-One" data-source="post: 7816386" data-attributes="member: 7015827">Deaths at the Quivering ThumbThe group returned to the Gatereach guest house, Aerikoth arriving about an hour later than the others. Plans were made for attending the Quivering Thumb arena games that evening, with discussion centering around Rahnee and what she should wear to have the most impact. Marik commented that he had other business to attend to and said he would be back later. Rahnee, Jokull, and Aerikoth made their way to the arena, located in the Harbor Loop district. Brok-Tul, meanwhile, had been focused on a new "war fan" project for Rahnee, forgetting about the arena, and was forced to catch up. On entering the Quivering Thumb, which had a sizable crowd present, they were asked by an arena employee to pay 5 gold per head as an entry fee. The employee explained the rules of the arena: no magic; fights were either to the death or first blood; and betting could be conducted with the official oddsmaker. Stanslav, the proprietor, announced the start of the fights. Gladiators were slaves, criminals, and the occasional volunteer. Slaves and criminals would earn their freedom and a rich reward if they lasted through a year’s cycle in the pits; the current favorite Gagh, a half-orc fighter, was two-thirds of the way through his time.The group made their way to the arena’s corner, where Rahnee placed a 50 gold bet (the limit for common customers) with the gnomish oddsmaker Drugo on the third match, taking the favorite Gagh. Nearby were two Sembians engaged in conversation: Senthur, a younger man with expensive clothes; and Gord, an older man with a patch over one eye. Rahnee encountered Palla the Light, head of the Mercenaries Guild, who was at the arena with Sehlmari Ssemm, guild quartermaster and morale officer. Palla placed a large series of bets with Drugo, totaling several hundred gold.The group found seats on the benches around the arena as the matches began, the Sembians sitting to their right. The first match announced by Stanslav was the barbarian gladiator Ru'allah versus a jungle panther, which a bloodied Ru'allah managed to finish off in front of the cheering crowd. The second match was to first blood and featured gladiators Boran and Leonariams, the latter sporting a horned helmet. The two circled each other for a time, exchanging taunts and insults, until Leonariams lept forward and slashed Boran with his axe, Boran wounding Leonariams in turn. Stanslav ruled that Leonariams had drawn first blood and was the winner, earning the privilege to face half- orcish champion Gagh in the final match, after healing was applied.During the break between the second and third matches, Aerikoth approached the Sembians and held a conversation with Gord in one corner of the arena, while the others discussed current events and talked with the Mercenaries Guild members. In the final match, Leonariams and Gagh began by exchanging insults, of which Gagh got the better, then they fell to blows. The two fought savagely, with Leonariams using his axe deftly while Gagh wielded a huge sword. Gagh, although dripping with blood, in the end was the last one standing.Rahnee collected her winnings from the oddsmaker. An argument then ensued with Sehlmari Ssemm over some philosophical points on death and the arena, ending when Palla came over and indicated to Sehlmari that it was time to depart. (The practice of arena fighting seems bloody and brutal, with little to recommend it to civilized persons. I wonder what position Rahnee took on the matter? The others, it appears, were sanguine about the evening's entertainment. --C). The party soon followed suit, with Jokull hanging back to talk with an arena employee at the entrance. Of note, the sellsword Khair was spotted at the arena, departing shortly before the party.</blockquote>

Verification