Arena – Session 5

System Resources: Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Second Edition.

Oracle Resources: Mythic Games Master Emulator second edition.

Generative Resources: Story Engine cards. Gamemaster’s Apprentice cards. Worlds Without Number worldbuilding tables.

The Caturian Church is the state religion of Sardis, a ditheistic faith that reinforces a vibrant, almost hedonistic culture through the teachings of the conflict between Arucas the Fateweaver and Danak the Dream Eater.

As a nation with a long history of artistry, it is no surprise that Arucas is depicted as a deific storyteller, a powerful entity with the ability to weave the souls of the Sardic people into magnificent existence. Over time the vitality of these woven threads will diminish, moving them inexorably towards Danak, the serpent goddess who lairs at edge of the Stillness, a void of all consuming entropy.

Standing between these two opposing forces are the thirteen muses, demigod children of the pair, who interact with the faithful, plucking at the strands of fate, filling mortal lives with purpose and vigour, thus postponing annihilation at the hands of the serpent.

“Story and Sky,” is a common greeting in Sardis, as well as the blessing, “muses find you.”

Scene 07 – Expected.

Marcus is taken to an arming chamber, where the quality of equipment on offer is significantly better than before. He selects a pair of well-balanced blades, a set of black leather armour inlaid with silver, and a plain circular steel shield. He is then made to wait for his match and is forced to watch as captives are taken throughout the morning, pitted against overwhelming odds and slaughtered mercilessly.

Q: Is Orion or Aurora forced to fight before Marcus?

A: No.

As midday approaches, the Gallacian prepares to fight. He watches as the deposed sovereign of Argallas, Cortus Aldos, is brought to the arena floor for his execution. As is the Helian tradition, Aldos is bound upright and ritualistically disembowelled before immolation upon a pyre.

Soon after the screams have abated, but whilst the fire still burns, Marcus is sent through the entrance gate. His opponent, the champion Raz-Neben, enters from the opposite side. The warriors circle the central pyre, saluting each other before dropping into a fighting stance.

Round 1 (1-in-12 chance of disturbance)

The combat starts slowly, the pair stalking each other whilst the body of Aldos smoulders nearby. Raz-Neben advances and Marcus makes a clumsy charge. The Helian champion is quick, thrusting his ornate spear at the oncoming warrior; a move that is deflected by the Gallacian’s shield only by pure luck. Marcus takes advantage and swings to the side, slicing into Raz-Neben’s bicep and drawing first blood. However, the champion is lightning fast and cuts Marcus across the thigh with his return attack, before springing back to a safe distance.

The Gallacian realises he is outmatched.

Round 2 (2-in-12 chance of disturbance)

The combat continues, opponents darting in to strike before withdrawing to slowly orbit the pyre once more. The Helian champion is faster and stronger than Marcus, cutting him across the arm, mirroring his own wound in a show of precision.

The two come apart and Marcus throws his shield to the floor, drawing the second blade. He calls out, thanking Raz-Neben for the food and supplies, and the champion raises his spear in salute.

Round 3 (3-in-12 chance of disturbance)

The Helian advances at pace, cutting deep into Marcus’ shoulder before bringing the haft of the spear up to crack against his skull. The Gallacian reels back, his ripostes easily dodged by the lithe champion, who spins and impales the sluggish warrior through the hip.

Marcus falls awkwardly.

Q: Does Raz-Neben spend time gloating before moving in for the kill?

A: No.

Round 4 (4-in-12 chance of disturbance)

The Helian watches as Marcus heaves himself upright and pulls the spear from his body. He picks up his blade and shakes the fog from his head.

Raz-Neben drops his shield, draws a short sword and advances. Their blades clash, metal upon metal ringing out as the crowd sit in grim silence. Marcus lunges but is too weak and too slow, the champion parrying with ease before plunging his blade into Marcus’ gut.

He drops to the floor, blood spraying from his mouth.

Round 5 (5-in-12 chance of disturbance)

Q: Have the operatives managed to take over the arena dungeons?

A: Yes.

Q: Have the captives managed to arm themselves?

A: Extreme Yes.

Raz-Neben retrieves his spear and stands over his opponent, who clutches his stomach as blood pools beneath him.

There is a commotion from the crowd as clay pitchers of oil are thrown into the Cortas’ Box, swiftly followed by a lit torch. Flames burst into life around the high ranking Helian dignitaries, and panicked voices cry out as chaos descends upon the arena.

Gritting his teeth, Marcus takes advantage of the distraction, thrusting his blade upwards into Raz-Neben’s unguarded torso. The champion grunts in pain and staggers back. An arrow whistles past his head, moments before a second projectile strikes him in the centre of his chest.

Aurora strides onto the arena floor, the mageslave collar gone. Her words are whispered, but the hatred and rage can clearly be read in her expression, as she weaves an incantation upon the Helian champion. Screaming, Raz-Neben takes two steps back, dropping his spear and clawing at his face as his eyelids melt into the surrounding skin, his eyes swallowed beneath waves of motile flesh.

Round 6

Fighting breaks out across the arena as the fires spread and Helian soldiers begin assaulting anyone in their way. Amongst the crowd, disguised resistance fighters throw aside their cloaks and robes and engage the confused enemy.

Captives burst out of the arena entrances and charge into the stalls, attacking their former captors.

A bellowing roar cuts through the tumultuous noise as the floor grates are wrenched open and Orion charges out onto the sand, bedecked in leather battle harness and brandishing an oversized executioner’s axe. Enraged, the Taurok lowers his head and thunders across the arena floor, goring Raz-Neben and flinging him into the air like a child’s toy. The champion crashes down onto the pyre and his clothes catch alight. Blinded and unable to crawl out, his tormented screams rise high above the noise of rioting.

Flanked by Aurora and their mysterious Cadian ally, now known to them as Phaedra, Orion picks up the badly wounded Gallacian and the group head towards the nearest exit. Phaedra kills a soldier with a well-placed arrow whilst Aurora sends a lance of cascading crimson energy through the back of another. As she retreats, the mage scoops up Raz-Neben’s spear.

Round 7

Q: Does anyone attempt to stop them?

A: Yes.

Two soldiers spot the group and move to intercept. Aurora impales one of them on another energy lance, whilst Phaedra sends two arrows towards the other, both projectiles going wide.

Round 8

The remaining soldier closes on the rogue, who fumbles with an arrow and fails to nock it before the attacker is upon her.

Aurora darts forward and thrusts her spear through the faceguard of the soldier’s helmet, slicing through his nose and up into his skull. She spits on the corpse as it falls, eyes blazing with anger.

Phaedra leads the others through the gate and into the dungeons beneath the Arena, the noise of the rioting crowd receding behind them. She tells the group of a door on the other side of the animal pens that exits out into the maze of alleyways to the southeast. From there it is a five-minute walk to a safe house.

As they work their way through the basement levels, they stumble upon a Helian patrol. He is bloodied and alone but manages to get the drop on the group.

Round 0 (Surprise)

The guard swings for the rogue, but the attack is hastily made and off balance, the blade glancing over her leather pauldron.

Round 1

Phaedra and Aurora come to their senses and engage the attacker, but their blows are deflected by the Helian’s hard carapace armour. The soldier ripostes with a strike that pierces Phaedra’s hip.

Orion gently puts Marcus down, who is now slipping in and out of consciousness, and moves towards the guard.

Round 2

Not noticing the danger until it is too late, the Helian is grappled by the Taurok, a huge hand grabbing his throat and lifting him into the air. Aurora plunges her spear into his abdomen. She grinds the weapon’s haft up and down, side to side, until the soldier falls silent and drops to the ground.

The group pushes on and approaches the animal trainers’ exit.

Q: Is the way clear?

A: Extreme No.

Phaedra leads Aurora and Orion through a short corridor that opens into a vaulted chamber. Barrels and crates of supplies are stacked around the room, which has multiple exits. However, the door they seek is guarded by two Helian soldiers in heavy armour.

There is a commotion from the corridor opposite. The group looks on in horror as the Helian Commander, one of his Captains, and two flanking escorts bustle into the chamber, obviously fleeing the chaos and conflagration above.

The Commander’s eyes go wide when he sees Marcus still alive. He points to the group and in the guttural Helian tongue screams, “kill them!”