The afternoon is quiet. Despite the violence of the morning there's an oddly collegial mood, with fighters strolling the arena in small groups, and gathering around the drinking trough to compare scar tissue and fighting techniques and trade tall tales, shaggy dog stories and outright lies.
Zarko sees to the watches, which turn out to be fairly informal since the recruits are just hanging out anyway. The silent amazon Muruzabal tinkers with her spinning body cage. One Eye Malone smokes cigars pensively and swears like a dockworker -- which is, after all, his trade. The klengons glower and grumble at Wiggy Plop's clowning. Schleppy the Tote-Golem organizes a few of his numberless pockets, withdrawing objects a few at a time -- a plaster model of the Dog Moon; a ten gallon hat; a pink t-shirt; a checkered flag; a packet of Instant Sea Monster mix ("Turns out they're just brine shrimp," he shrugs.)1 -- and then stowing them again according to some private system.
As they come back from trips to the water trough the recruits pass along the fight news. The largest camps seem to be those of the mutant Pegasus Lad and Richard the Bold, both well-known heels on the Vanthian wrestling circuit. A psi-witch known as Starshine Moonchilde, practitioner of something called Recumbent Kung Fu, has so far defeated all challengers and refused all alliances; many suspect him of secretly using his psychic powers. And Creature too has earned a bit of a reputation -- his brutal beatdown of the goons has not gone unnoticed in the arena.
There are also a lot of rumors about the crane incident. It's speculated that the warlock responsible was either a cannibal sorcerer from Citadel Carcosa or a saboteur bankrolled by one of God City's crime families. The biggest buzz, however, is that Bigby himself is fighting in the brawl incognito, in hopes of finding a successor to run his company. Most greet this notion with derision but it's nonetheless the talk of the day.
wulfgar
Just curious, how big is this arena? I've been picturing something the size of a basketball court in my head, or are we talking football field or larger?
Max
[The latter is, uh, in the ballpark . It's very big: roughly 360x360 (about 3 acres) surrounded by a wooden palisade 3-4 stories high. No bleachers; any on-site spectators watch camera/scrying feed in tents out front. There were hundreds of fighters at the start of the Brawl.]
wulfgar
Yeah, I know. Things were very crowded in my basketball sized imagination :)
Max
[Heh. Bigby Small's Drivetime Brawl: Watch as hundreds of commuters crammed into tiny subway cars erupt in brutal mayhem! See the Green Line Gouger in action! Hear the wails of those left at the station!]
wulfgar
Any new guys join up with our posse?
Max
Not so far.
Rondo
Buck's thoughts turn to Darryl's condition...."Well, gentlemen....We need to find out about Darryl...." Buck starts looking around the arena for a paramedic in order to ask some questions.
Max
During the afternoon Buck flags down one of the goblin apothecaries.
"Darryl who now? Lizard, hunh?" the goblin shrugs. "Look, there's more'n a hunnert fighters down below, in ever' state of re-pair. You wanna send'm flowers an' a bou-quet you gonna have to do it your own self, chum. Retreat chutes there, there, an' there," he points.
Rondo
Buck returns to the party, "Guys, I'm heading to the 'retreat chutes' to check on Daryl...Zarko, Creature...one of you wanna go with me?"
Coffee
"Will we be able to get back in?" Zarko asks. "'Cause I don't wanna leave our boy here if it means we can't come back."
wulfgar
Does Buck have a phone or communicator or some such device? If he does, can't he just call Darryl's mom? Or if he doesn't maybe one of our guys 'on the outside' (the hobling pimp or Quarzan) could get to a phone.
Rondo
"Hmm...good point, Zarko" (problem with the phone thing: what are we gonna tell her? I want to go physically talk to the kid)...."I'll go alone and risk not getting back in....ain't much left to do here anyhow...." He waits to see Zarko's and Creature's response...
Max
[Zarko is right, Buck, if you leave the arena there's no getting back in. And sadly I don't think you have a phone on your equipment list.]
Rondo
(Alright....screw it....enough about Darryl...it's obvious there's a separatin' technique at work here ;) ...I won't push it any farther)
"Well, okeedokee...I give up...you guys are right I suppose, we'll have to take our chances that Darryl ends up on the okay side of things."
wulfgar
[Hmmm, well if we win the brawl and Darryl ends up dead, I don't think we'll be able to enjoy our winnings much. So perhaps bailing out and tracking down Darryl does make the most sense. Creature is willing to follow Buck's lead.]
Rondo
(Well, you guys might be right too...I mean, it depends on if you trust what's going on with the scene behind the scene. I tend to err on the side of distrust and caution, but you guys are probably right...he's probably being taken care of...the problem as I see it is what happens if mom finds out we let him die or any other fill in the blank situation....is the idea here to be the last fighter standing? If so, let's get it on, and then get out of here...that's my vote anyhow)
Max
[Truly your mewlings are piteous ;). Here's a pair of flashbacks to make of what you will:]
Max
The [chief apothecary] goblin stares at Buck like he was looking at puppy that just peed on the rug. "Maglubiyet!...We ain't runnin' a research hospital here, pal. But we know a thing or two about patching up fighters...."
A commotion from the center of the arena interrupts the apothecary. "Of all the...this is fan-yarking-tastic....If you want to help your friend, help me guard the rest. Chief Ball-tard sent in the Goon Squad."
Max
The apothecary squad sets about their business, spraying groggy fighters with smelling salts and scooting them toward the ramp. The unconscious and lame are rolled onto stretchers.
Annoyed at the stink eye from Buck and Creature the chief apothecary....glares a moment, daring a cross word from anyone. After a moment he sighs, "Look, fellas, your lizard buddy will be fine in a day or two. We're carting him off now. Nothin' fancy, but three hots and a cot'll do him wonders. Now get your heads back in the Brawl and let us do our job. You're trouble, all of ya. Bad luck. Run off, before you bring the damn sky crashing in. Eh?"
Rondo
:) (smart ass medic types don't impress me)
My 'mewlings' are based on the fact that it was rather evident that lizard mom can pretty much wax our entire party in a single breath....call me paranoid, but if we screw things up in any way with this kid, then we can all kiss our butts goodbye!..
Max
Creature's feeling quite a bit better when the sun sinks below the western wall. A crowd begins to gather at the far end of the arena, where a trapdoor opens and a stage ringed with barbed wire rises from the floor. A trio of pantheroids tune up their instruments, and the Tenmen begin to play.As the Tenmen fire up a snarling surf-raga medley several of your crew ask to check it out. The afternoon's informal truce seems to hold among the crowd watching the band. As if in response, a pair of harnessed goons rolls out a half-dozen barrels of dwarven grog and cheap wine.
[Creature heals 9 hp, back up to 10 overall.]
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1 Random Item Generator made for Schleppy, sourced by Googling random object list.
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