The Results of the Games
What a spectacle! The Xoldasoteri Games have concluded, and concluded in a most surprising and spectacular way. After the normal--though nevertheless exciting!--round of contests between major gladiators, there was the specific Xoldasoteri contests, commencing with the match between Akklaw the Drone vs. Hlri Manhunter the Kzin, recapitulating in a ceremonial way the ancient Man-Kzin Wars. But even as the two gladiators circled, testing each other with tentative jabs, there was a flash on the sandy arena floor, and suddenly a barbarian stood there, armed with his great two-handed kopis, declaring himself Lars Ghar-Rider, Scion of the First Men!
The ensuing and surprising three-way gladiatorial contest ended with Akklaw and Lars teaming up against Hlri Manhunter in a kind of manifestation of the old alliance between humans and Klackons against the Kzinti. The crowd supported this with cheers, led from the stands perhaps by Bartholomew Pettibone, a most enthusiastic observer of the Games. Unfortunately, the spoiling with Lars threw the bookies' odds completely off, and everyone who bet on this match is left in the lurch, and potentially nursing a grudge ...
Akklaw vs. Hlri Manhunter vs. Lars
An unexpected match-up, including a spoiling contender, the Scribes feel this must be accounted first. Lars at first moved to engage both combatants (perhaps egged on by friends?) and body-checked Akklaw to the ground while he exchanged sword-blows with Hlri Manhunter. When the Klackon stood up and righted herself again, however, the Kzin and Klackon continued fighting each other (their slated opponent) while throwing extra attacks from their "off-hands" against Lars.
Lars focused on Hlri Manhunter predominantly, and after the chanting of the crowd and the mounting of his own injuries, he eventually maneuvered to pincer Hlri Manhunter between himself and Akklaw so that the Klackon drone couldn't attack him directly any more. Hlri Manhunter cried out that, "You've killed me, man-thing!" and attempted to rip out Lars' throat with his fangs ... but in concert with Akklaw's spears, Lars hacked into Hlri Manhunter's body with his kopis, and the Kzin warrior fell to the sands bleeding profusely to breathe his last (for now).
Badly ripped up by the Kzin's claws and fangs, Lars backed away, with chants from the stands remembering the old alliance; and Akklaw buried her spear-butts in the sand and offered a truce. To the swelling cheers of (much) of the crowd, Lars accepted, and so the two of them were escorted from the field by attendants of Akklaw's entourage, bearing the body of Hlri Manhunter with them as part of the spoils of victory, to be ransomed back to his fighting society for a handsome fee.
- The Cut
316 xp to Lars Ghar-Rider
200 dinars (gp) to Lars Ghar-Rider as a pittance from Akklaw's spoils
an introduction for Lars to Akklaw and her entourage, placing him at "tick 1" on a relationship clock with the Klackon warrior
The Combats
The other matches, though exciting bloodsport as they are, were less sensational than that surprise match. As before, Durham was the only player-character to bet, and so his winnings (and losses) will be reported as well. The results are as follows:
- Drago v. Theriax
Both javelineers, the two faced off at a distance and exchanged missiles several times. At the last exchange before swords would have to be drawn, Drago (the only one wounded at that point), managed to nail Theriax with a debilitating leg injury. The crowd called for clemency, and it was granted.
Durham bet 100 dinars on Drago, and won +67 dn - Barshan v. Charna
Barshan the Strong and Charna closed together in a strong clinch almost immediately. The two battered at each other's armor with their swords and pushed each other around the sands with their shields before Barshan was ultimately bested by Charna slipping her sword around his guard. Barshan was badly wounded, but not killed.
Durham bet 100 dn on Barshan and lost it all - Alora v. Khaled
A second match between missile weapons, this time between archers. There was a preliminary target-shooting competition and then the two were pitted against each other directly. Unfortunately for Alora, she was hit by a life-threatening arrow quickly, and surrendered, being granted quarter by Khaled.
Durham bet 50 dn on Alora and lost it all. - Korbassh v. Ayob
Three missile-contests! These two Sakkra hurled javelins at each other from a distance before finally having to close to battle it out in melee. Ayob the Shen was ultimately able to come out victorious, successfully using his tail-mace to surprise Korbassh and lay him low.
Durham bet 100 dn on Ayob and won +133 dn - Mortu v. Idrig
Dread Mortu earned another notch on his Blade of Death in this match. Though Idrig put up a good fight, managing to wound Mortu three times, they all proved flesh wounds, and Mortu the Black was finally able to overthrow Idrig's defenses. Alas (or good, depending on one's view of spilt blood), Mortu stayed true to his reputation and slew Idrig when he yielded under the dark warrior's overbearing attack.
Durham bet 100 dn on Mortu and won +50 dn - Elam v. Shalla
In quite a different surprise, there was no victor in this combat! Elam and Shalla proved almost equals in battle, with Shalla taking one more blow than Elam. But as she loomed over Elam, and he clearly yielded for all to see, Shalla suddenly turned pale and succumbed to her wounds, passing out over her defeated opponent. The bookies declare it a draw, and a spare few who bet thus must have made a fortune.
Durham bet 50 dn on Elam and lost it all - Akklaw the Drone vs. Hlri Manhunter
results reported above--all bets refunded because of Lars' "spoiling" - Klackon phalanx and human auxiliaries v. band of Kzin warriors
Perhaps spurred on by the final friendship between Akklaw and Durham, representing the alliance that the Games commemorate, the Klackon phalanx held the day. Though the Kzinti pressed them badly, and cut down many humans and Klackons alike, the hedge of pikes presented by the Klackons--two spears per warrior!--finally took too much of a toll on the Kzinti, allowing the leonine warriors to be overrun by a last charge of the Klackons.
Avinnia Competes
The only other player-character to interact directly with the Games, Avinnia caroused and was able to participate in one of the contests.
Despite her small size, Avinnia managed to convince her way into a wrestling contest among ephebe-youths all spoiling for victory. Because of her preternatural control of self, she was able to bind and lock her opponents, one after another, and finally come out dominant. Whoever bet on that scrawny and gangly girl certainly walked away with a pretty mithqal, given that most would have bet against her.
As for Avinnia, she spent 500 dinars (perhaps on bribes to get into the contest?), earned 500 xp, and received a silver laurel of victory, worth 250 dinars.
No comments:
Post a Comment