The arena at Narconia dates back hundreds of years before Verex. It had fallen into disrepair during his reign. Occasionally it became a summer flea market, or a place where young lovers could rendezvous at midnight, but no one had died a violent death in the arena for 32 years.
Narconia
Merit, it appears, was in a rush to reopen the arena. He had the contests underway before repair crews cleared the scaffold obscuring the exterior of the venue. Much of the scaffold remains tonight.
Inside the exclusive and luxurious chamber, situated for a perfect view of the action, Merit takes in the entertainment with friends and sycophants. Among those in his company are: Rorik, Guard Captain at Occubo; The almond eyed foreign warrior Ryuichi Hosokaya; Not last, Tayne Tsaridian, Regenia and Merit's own cousin, recently exiled from the queen's royal court.
Thus far, the matches between captured warriors and various beasts have been uninspiring. The crowd percolates with anticipation for the “prize match”; a contest between two willing combatants -- to the death. The victor takes home a 2000 gold piece purse.
There is, however, one more contest before the prize match.
Four Teutons, a bear, and a lion, lie dead in the arena. The corpses are left as obstacles. One of the arena walls opens and three men drag out a large stone and what looks like a piece of lumber on a skid cart. The men unload the stone and the large club in the center of the arena and exit behind the wall.
A man dressed in red approaches a platform across the arena from Merit's luxury box and the crowed falls silent. He yells into a cone,
Ladies and gentlemen, citizens of Tessera, tonight, just for you, we bring a coupling of curiosities: From beyond the western sea! a woman warrior teamed with a hooven man, he pauses to build tension, versus a giant from Tessera's northern hills!!!
The crowd explodes.
Merit looks at his company and casually says, This might be good.
A false floor opens only 40 feet from Merits luxury box. An Amazon woman and a young Satyr rise into view as if emerging from the underworld. The Satyr's arms are wrapped around a half dozen spears. Simultaneously, on the opposite end of the arena, about 120 feet away, a 10 and ½ foot tall creature emerges, also from a false floor. The giant is petrified by the arena and the deafening din of the crowd -- now reaching a crescendo. His fear turns to rage. The creature’s gaze turns on the Amazon and the Satyr. The giant roars and sprints toward the stone.
Actions from SlyFox and Pulpatoon!