Episode 2

Games at the Circle of the Valiants
(midday and early afternoon)

Much of the city leaves the track and moves directly across the river, back to the city, and to the game arena - The Circle of the Valiants!

For those who have been to the games in Pylos or Kortella, this venue is not up to that caliber, but it is still quite a setting, show, and event.

There are some quick races and feats of strength and athleticism going on as the crowd gathers. Discus throwing, javelin throwing, archery trick shooting, rope climbing, and obstacle jumping acrobats.

The formal events start with a display of exotic animals: lions, mountain cats, bears, camels, ostriches, giant lizards called drakes, and even some giant spiders, about the size of sheep. These last scare the crowd as a few escape and start to dash for the walls to climb them. Several of them are killed by expert archers. The crowd is frightened but then excited and claps (Ivor knows that this "escape of the spiders" was a planned part of the act).

Then there are some wrestling and boxing matches. They get the crowd going a little bit.

Then things ramp up when a stampede of dwarves (OOC: real life little people, not fantasy D&D race dwarves) charge out into the circle. Two opposing armies of a dozen on each side, run into battle attacking one another with wanton abandon. One group wears yellow robes, the other purple robes. They wack at each other with hammers, maces, and clubs. The only rule is that they can't bash an opponent in the head with a weapon if he is on the ground. The crowd loves it, laughing and cheering. The Yellows end up winning. About a third of the little fighters have to be carried off on stretchers. It looks like one or two of them were killed by severe head injuries.

Next are professional stick fighters. Expert weapon masters square off against one another, using staffs and thin hardwood clubs. They display incredible speed and technique, putting on quite a show. Some of it is clearly theatrical, but no one can deny that the hits are real. Winners and losers alike are bruised and bloody at the end of every match. Most of the competitors in this section seem to be Bishtus, rugged men of the desert.

Next are some slave fighters who face off against some of the deadly animals displayed earlier. There are fatalities, bears and lions ripping apart thin men wearing only loincloths and armed with spears and knives. After a time, heroic looking armored men come in with bows, shields, swords and a couple of chariots. They dispatch the rogue animals with great dramatics, gaining enthusiastic cheers from the crowd.



Finally the main event: a series of full gladiator death matches. A few of them are paid fighters, making money as masters of facing and dealing death. Most though are slaves trained to fight, and either kill or die. Some other notables are a newer group, criminals sentenced to death in the arena. They can fight until they are killed, or after a certain number of fights, they "get the spears" and are executed by a large group of armed arena managers.

The gladiator matches

A bold Arkkadi slave named Bekhmuzi takes the day, slaying opponents one after another with a heavy bronze axe. He becomes the champion of the final event.

Another pop from the crowd comes from the villain, the criminal everyone loves to hate: San-San the Murderer. Now the expert secutor, the beefy helmeted Heshbaan killer faces off against three retiariuses in succession. Time after time he dodges and deflects their nets and then chops them down with his sword. The second one to die at his hand is Mamdouh the big Arkkadi.

The crowd jeers at the criminal as he provokes their scorn, raising his hands and making signals of insult. But still the crowd drinks up the bloody display that the convicted criminal delivers.

Traveling to "The Rise" and the Garden Palace of the Sar

As the afternoon wanes and the evening approaches, everyone departs within their groups, all bound for the magnificent Garden Palace in Sarcoma.

After passing through the inner gate and the fine exterior buildings in Sarcoma, everyone arrives at a small pier where boats must carry incoming visitors across a beautiful canal and over to the reception landing on the south side of the Palace Compound. Traveling by gondola across the smooth and clean waters, everyone gets a stunning view of the colossal structure. Its artwork elaborate. Its structure magnificent. The amount of wealth and labor needed to build something like this one could only imagine.

Entering the Gala

As everyone steps off of the boat at the south landing, they see that the palaces continues to stretch even further than expected.

Being led by servants, the groups merge into the ongoing party already underway.

The amount of wealth and indulgence is unbelievable. There is not just one party going on, instead it seems like nearly a dozen, all in different rooms of varied decor, but all huge spacious and luxurious. Entertainers of all sorts drift about - singers, dancers, players of a variety of instruments. Food and drink is everywhere, hardly a dozen paces away from wherever one might be standing at any given time. Party attendees are drifting around everywhere in colorful robes and fine silks, fashionable sandals -- some wearing headdresses, wreath crowns, and even some with elaborate paint and makeup on their faces.

It is truly an overwhelming barrage on the senses - a complete immersion in luxury.

Rules at the Gala


Weapons are not really seen as necessary, but if one insists then the sponsors can gain permission to let each man pass with either a knife or a club if they look presentable as part of a retainer uniform. No armor. No shields. No helmets.

The Holy Gilded Armsmen are in full force, and they are expected to provide full security for the event.

You guys can try to smuggle things in if you feel like you want to go that way, but security is pretty tight. You just know it is going to be a risky gamble.

"The whole party meets in a tavern..." (sort of)

All of the guests remain with the sponsors for a time. Everyone meets many people.

Eventually, after an hour or so of drifting through the scenes, you end up consolidating gradually with a medium size crowd in a side sitting room that has a motif of mythological creatures. Paintings, pottery, statues, and even furniture present imagery and busts of griffons, hippogriffs, giant eagles, and winged lions.

Palla Ba and Lok have made contact with the Honorable Balanser and have brought Kray, Thorn, Ivor, Bryn, and Gibon to this room which features a full service tea station manned by none other than Ra u nak and his staff. Trece is there too.

Gibon says, "There is the one called Thirteen," pointing at Trece. "He is very brave and impressive indeed!"
Gibon, dressed in a new robe and hair washed and slicked back, is beaming with pride as he is again taken further and further into the realms of wealth and privilege.

Soon after, Palla Ba introduces Nasi Talel and Market Housemaster Shalanum, who join in at this side room scene. In their entourage are both Sizhen and Yashub, both of whom Ivor recognizes. Soon everyone is talking with one another.

Everyone catches up with one another, joining conversation alongside translators, common friends, and benefactors. It is quite an exchange, because everyone in the group is very interesting, and can tell the same about all of the others. With the tea, wine, smokable dried leaves, and fine music, it is quite an enjoyable gathering.

While parading the grounds in Nasi Talel's entourage, Sizhen strikes up a conversation with his shadow, who he has learned goes by the name Yashub. He will discuss mundane matters of climate and architecture, but inserts subtle gestures of another kind of communication between the lines, testing the waters to see if Yashub is familiar with Thieves' Cant.

Master Shalanum has a tough go making an appeal to the guards about the dual knives being carried in by his guest. The guard even brings up that knives have been killing too many people lately, weapons of assassins, so he doesn't want to hear about what knives aren't aren't dangerous.

To that, Shalanum counters that this was in fact the man who captured and help kill the Stabber yesterday, and that Sizhen was thanked by the Armsman officer on site, and was even praised by Nasi Ariav Talel.

Sizhen is able to assist though and explain that it is a cultural dress. The guard finally relents and lets Sizhen pass with an exception to the weapons policy.

Bryn successfully smuggles in an extra weapon and his specialty tinker tools.