ICYMI
This week
We get to meet our Sĉīld of Jeiore
Jenwah Pits
Expected Scene: Fight night at The Pits
Altered Scene- Increased Activity
🎲 escape investment
🎲 hopelessly broken
Plot Twist: 🎲 necessary escape
I've got ideas for this but my first question is do O'Thwo and Anbrah know each other prior to this meeting? I think it is rather unlikely. Our Chaos Factor is 8 so still pretty good chance of a yes. Let's roll some dice! 🎲 6,7 + 4 - 2 =15 yes they do. Let's roll on some meaning tables and see how 🤔
Rolling on the backgrounds and description tables we get
20 combat 70 outsider
73 Nicely 93 stylish
So fellow fighters in the Jenwah Pits. Second Question are they on good terms? I think at best neutral and mutual respect for each other at worst O'Thwo hates Anbrah 😔 so Unlikely. Dice 4,4 +4-1= 11 yes they are on good terms since we rolled Doubles we get a
Random Event
19 New npc
23 continue 62 obscurity
Since we rolled continue obscurity we won't name this NPC but we will give them an Alias.
Alright let's roll up who this NPC is.
Character: 55 intense 8 beautiful
Identity: 59 mediator 75 Protector
Description: 56 Joyfully 47 Important
Sounds like a mysterious benefactor of some sort.
OK so I think this plays nicely into what I have in mind. This is no ordinary fight Night at the Pits no this is an Execution. For his offense O'Thwo has been sentenced to death by Scarab Bout, An endless on slaught of foes, for the entertainment of the masses.
Let's get into it.
The night air was bristling with excitement as the crowd gathered in the Jenwah Pits. It had been some time since I'd ventured into these parts of the Baask. Thankfully the excitement for this evenings bout was top of mind for all present, a much welcome change to the constant looks of disgust. I pulled my hood lower as I reread the card. It'd been addressed directly to The Lodge and had only two lines.
“Loathesome one you are formally invited to the Scarab Bout. Remember the pits care only for coin, not the bonds made .”
-Gilded Kudu
The Gilded Kudu1, a Kudu was a notoriously tricky bettle of the sands known for its camouflage. Whoever, posted this at Missive Square was sending a message, make like a Kudu. One I hadn't heard or seen since my time fighting in the Pits.
“Oi, Loathesome, that you right?” A voice asked from behind snapping me from my thoughts.
My hand instinctively moved to my belt as I turned. The ale girl gave me a look of disappointment, “Really? Think someones gonna stick you ‘ere?” She shook her head and put two mugs on the table,”I s’pose title suits you then, don't it?” She said.
I had no time to get a word in before she walked off, not like telling her why I was on edge was going to make a difference. I reread the card one last time and grabbed the mugs. One sloshed and spilled ale as I slid it to me the other had a bag in it. Opening it my heart skipped a beat, a small fortune! I looked around trying to see if someone was watching me. Was this a trap, a gift, or payment for services rendered? I hate being in the dark. When I locked eyes with the only other figure that seemed out of place.2 A tall elegant figure sat on the other side of the Pit, face obscured by a mask, they wore robes that were just a bit too fine for the occasion and moved with far too much grace.
We stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, when the horns sounded announcing the start of the nights festivities. The figure motioned for me to look down, walking out chained, and bare was O'Thwo, an old friend. The crowd booed and began throwing things at him. My blood started to boil and when I looked for the figure again they were gone. The Pitboss, Iriskha a thin auburn scaled Eftman, came sauntering out calming the crowd with a raise of his hand before he spoke.
“Djozies, and Vol! Welcome to the Pit! This night the scarabs feast! O'Thwo the Vile, stands to account for his sins against you fine patrons of Jenwah! He has defiled our hallowed grounds with treachery and lies. This pit covered in the blood and viscera of you laymen, he has spat upon. Spat upon you, your honor, and the tenets upon which we built this Temple of Just Savagery. There is truth in blood, honesty in pain, and surety strife. In this our lowly Cathedral of Violence, O'Thwo violated all we stand for when he stepped into the pit weilding more than his fist! So place your bets, what round shall the dog fall? Get them in and we'll begin shortly!” Irshka gave a clap of his hands and people clamored to make their bets.
I stared at the mug with the coin and jewels. It was probably enough to clear any bets lost in the match he was blamed for cheating. I didn't need to count it to know that. I looked again for the figure only to see nothing. I waited, going to a bookie wouldn't help right now, I needed Iriskha to bite. As he walked out to the sounds of rolling drums I knew it was my chance as I leapt from the balcony into the pit.
The Pit fell quiet as guards pulled their swords. I stood coin bag in one hand my other raised in surrender. “I come to buy the bout!”
Iriskha scoffed, “looks like the dog still has some loyalist! You come hooded shucking our traditions and want to set the dog free, with no retribution? Who claims such sway?”
I pulled back my hood, “Of course,” he spat, “ it'd be, you, Loathesome.”
Turning to the crowd I stepped into the center of the arena. “Aye, tis I Anbrah, The Loathesome, slayer of the Rector, Defiler of Graves. But the Pits turn away no fair bet, no fair challenge, by your own ethos surety in conflict, truth in blood, honesty in Pain. I've laid down challenge!” I turned to Iriskha once again, “You want a fight I'll give you that and more. But O'Thwo is mine, what say you?” tossing the coin bag at his feet.3
I looked over his shoulder at my friend awaiting his response. O'Thwo simply gave a subtle nod. Cries for the entertainment to continue rose higher as Iriskha stared daggers at me. Reluctantly, he raised a hand, “this evenings bout has been bought! As is custom the Loathesome may dictates this evenings stipulations. However, a fight promised is a fight owed is it not? Djozies, Vol, this night we witness The Dry of Jeiore Face off Against the Dog of Jenwah!” He smiled a devious look in his eye.
“You brought this on yourself, Annbrah.” He said lowly, “You even think about backing out, or pulling your punches, I'll have both your heads.” He slapped my shoulder returning to his showmans’ facade as he passed me.
“Let the fight begin!”
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This will be a clash roll Anbrah vs O'Thwo.
Anbrah has no intentions of pulling her punches. She has fought in the Pits in the past [+1] however she is not exactly the Strongest of Fighters. Unlike O'Thwo who has been making his way in the Pits[+2] for sometime and he has a size advantage[+2] on Anbrah, from his heavy and muscular traits. We will dip into our wordbank and pull on the Word wall [+1] here. While Anbrah might not be strong, she is tough and can take a beating. So this Clash is going to be Anbrah trying to whittle O'Thwo down until she can get a clean strike. No Magic, no weapons just hands. A tall order either way. For Unlikely [-1] odds.
Bringing our clash odds to -3
Can Anbrah whittle O'Thwo down? 🎲 10,8-3=15 yes!
Next Clash question Can I knock him out or is it a drag out slug fest? 50/50 odds and O'Thwo is still one Tough dog[+1]. 🎲 3,7-2=8 No. This is a drawn out slugfest As such we will take a wound from this Clash. Let's see how it plays out in the fictoin.
The crowd roared in excitement as I hit the sand blood spattering those standing. My world was spinning from the uppercut O'Thwo hit me with, my knuckles where bruised and I could barely close my fist but with gritted teeth I snorted blood from my nostril and rose again. I forgot what it felt like, the rush of Blood, the cry of the crowd. The thrusting of energy through your veins, it was exhilarating in its own right. But the pain was setting in.
“COME ON! THAT ALL YOU GOT!” O'Thwo roared fist raised as the crowd echoed his cry. I stood trembling, he was tired too. He could only raise the one fist thanks to the couple of broken ribs I gave him. His chest was heaving with the effort, even the hardest stone can be worn to a pebble. It had taken nearly every thing I had each time I laid into his ribs. I could only throw a few more punches like that before breaking my hand. I inched forward knowing O'Thwo was wary of me trying to bite into his ribs again.
“You, fight like a child. Hit me like a man!” I said egging him forward. I couldn't take more hard shots like the last one, even if I kept just working my way in to his ribs I'd get hit eventually. But broken Fangs don't bite, I hoped O'Thwo wouldn't hate me for this. As he swung I slammed my foot into his heel as hard as I could. I grabbed his elbow and wrist and torqued with everything I had. There was a loud pop as we hit the floor. I knew better than to hold on, else he lose a shoulder too. His scream of pain was all I needed. One arm out of commission.
We broke away from each other rolling to opposite sides of the arena. He held his arm limply at his side. A smile creeping across his face.
“See being out the Pits ain't keep you from learning a thing or two.” He said.
“Aye, can't survive otherwise. You're as tough as ever…” I trailed off for a second my mind going to the Note I'd gotten,”…So did you do it Wo?” I asked him.
His smile faded his eyes Hardened, “Are you demanding by virtue of your purchase that I answer that?”
“No, I'm asking as a friend.”
He shrugged his shouldersand rushed me, “If I did would it matter?!” I was able to duck under his first strike only to be hit by his second. Regrouping I blocked his next blow and grind another hard fist into his exposed ribs, I could feel the bones breaking as I tried to dig even deeper into his side. O'Thwo smacked me away with another cry of pain.
“You know… It…it..i.ii..it'd mater to me.” I stammered. My vision was getting blurry and the sound of the crowd had long since faded to noise. I got back to my feet, I was tired. “I…i need someone willing to do… what needs doing. So… did you do it?”
I met his gaze, the both of us broken and battered, and he nodded. I grinned wide, gave me exactly what I needed to end this.
“Thank you. Then by virtue of my purchase, grit your teeth friend, cause, this is going to hurt. Also Welcome to Jeiore.”
I gathered the power of the Snarl, that familiar surge of power coursing through my veins. I pulled at the spark of tempest calling forth its power as a bolt of cacophony streaked from my hands and erupted in a roar of lighting against O'Thwo's chest slamming him against the arena rails. I slumped to the ground exhausted, he was going to be pissed when he woke up. But I'd deal with that after Irshka.
Breakdown & Bookkeeping
That is where we will end it this week. I do hope you all enjoyed it! Anbrah is one Tough Dry! She held her own against what is supposed to be our resident Bruiser Tank character, this week in a one on one. Which was a rather fitting and spectacular set of rolls. But let's talk a bit about some of what happened. Our last roll was she couldn't knock out O'Thwo so I opted for her to utilize her one time stipulation towards the end of the match. She wasn't going to be able to end things by traditional physical means and thus she resorted to magic. In effect cheating the rules, a deserved end for O'Thwo I think.
Threads
I do think I will add a thread involving Iriskha I think Anbrah last move there in the Pits may have steered up tension.
Jenwah Tensions
Characters
We will add two new characters to our list
Iriskha the Pitboss
Gilded Kudu the mysterious benefactor
Removal
Nothing to remove so we will bump our Chaos Factor down this week since Anbrah was absolutely on Fire!
[CF]:7
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Next week
We will jump to meeting Our Rineel Naar Kolfa!
Thank you again for taking the time out to Brave the Sands of Aamsk with me. If you care to join the world of Wyze, and contribute to the Reader Lodge, make your character, HERE! Drop the results in the comments below.
Another quick update! Be on the look out for my newest Audio Project The Bone Brew where I'll be posting Audio versions of the news letter, worldbuilding, Duo games and more!
Fellowship
If you enjoy this format of game I highly recommend checking out the amazing The Peoplz & Dragons YT channel. The director recently started a new Play by Video Campaign where you can watch your character come to life.
Don't forget to check out my fellow compatriots on the Stack!
If you are in need of some levity in your fantasy
the writer of will have you rolling! There is also a treat from yours truly in his Audio version of his newsletter. I had so much fun recording for him, make sure you give it a listen! writer of has his Proper Villians game underway do yourself a favor and check it out.If you enjoy the world of Stonetop,
the writer of has begun his own story and I must say it is such a captivating tale!Is this Alias Familar to Anbrah in any way? NI -4,CF:8, 🎲[10,4]+4-4=15 yes
Skill check: Can I see anyone? 🎲[2,10]+2=14 yes
Does Iriskha take the offer? UL -1, CF: 8, 🎲 [7,3]+3= 13 yes