Wardens of Heroes Gate

The Frozenfar Fray – Ice Pit Riots

] The three of you, along with Shent and Rivereye, are early to arrive in the small town of Good Mead – along with hundreds of others – to participate in, or spectate the second event of the Frozenfar Fray Games – The Ice Pit Riots. Two days ago you were in Dougans Hole for the first event – Skirmish in the Stones. The serial killer you had been chasing, Sephek Kaltro, summoned a Frost Giant named Skenscarn from another plane – right into the middle of the event. Nearly 70 people lost their lives in the chaos that he created, especially after transforming into a scaled and spiked land dragon (a Razordon). Sephek cast a powerful rune spell and turned the rampaging giant into a massive ice statue and, you suspect, absorbed its transforming power somehow. Sephek was praised by the crowd for saving all of Tentowns – but you know the truth no one seems to want to hear, he was behind the chaos. Sephek has not been seen since as far as you know.

] The five of you spent the following day in Fireshear, resting on Shents vessel, Kirn Kuldihr, and resupplying your needs in town. Thanks to his portal magic, you were able to avoid the now-crowded town of Easthaven and spend some down time preparing for the next event. Dawndra – you spent time in meditation and flow practice on the docks overlooking the cold ocean waters south of Fireshear. Rivereye magically grants both of you what she calls a ‘Battle Blessing’ (3d4 Temp HP).

] As you arrive at the event location just north of Good Mead along Redwaters Lake, you see a large arena – three round shallow pits with sheer walls. They are each about 5 feet deep and 25 feet wide with ice coating the surface and walls, in fact you see workers spraying a thin layer of water from Redwaters over the surface and smoothing it out as it freezes over. In the center of the fighting pits is a large wooden platform. Shent points and tells you Dawndra that there is where the tag-bearers stand, and when he is selected for a ring, he will stand along the edge to signal you to enter into the fighting pit. Around the outer circle of the arenas is a rising bank made of snow and ice so that spectators can easily view the action.

] Rivereye “I just overheard someone saying that there are more competitors for the Ice Pit Riots than ever before… a lot more. It is going to be a long day Kildar. ”

Kildar] “It must be due to the judges, like, awarding everyone a win in that last round. Gladly we each only need like one win today.”

Dawndra] “I am ready.”

Mo Ka Bu] “I’ve seen pit fights before, but this arena is something new. Let’s just hope the crowd doesn’t get a fireball to the face.”

] Shent “Oh that can’t happen… they raise barrier shields around the pits. In the stones, the barrier would not let anyone or anything enter the arena…”

Kildar] “Except Frost Giants from some totally odd plane of existence.”

] Shent “Excepting them of course… In the Ice Pits, no one and nothing leaves the pit until the third horn sounds.”

Dawndra] “I see more healers from The Winter Palace here today. I am grateful for their services – I have no wish to kill someone for the sake of a game.”

Mo Ka Bu] “I think I shall place a few gold on you to win anyway.”

Kildar] “You are betting on the games?”

Mo Ka Bu] “Technically yes. It is not my stake however… Hocus is the gambler… He wanted to be here today. Told me he was going to win big on you Dawndra… he had one of his ‘feelings’ about it. Too bad business is keeping him busy.”

Dawndra] “Have you known Hocus long?”

Mo Ka Bu] “Not too long. We have been traveling together for the better part of a year. He pays me for protection services he says, but I think he only keeps me around for someone to tell his stories to. Thankfully, his stories are usually worth hearing a few times over.” I laugh to myself.

Kildar] “He does seem to be a character. What is his business?”

Mo Ka Bu] “Thievery. He would call it something else of course… Artifact Acquistion is his favorite description. He has also referred to himself as ‘The Finder’, and truth is, he really does excel at finding things. Folks who are looking for specific artifacts hire him. Often these artifacts were stolen and Hocus is hired to merely steal them back. Other times we have chased after legendary weapons or armor – things hidden for hundreds of years. That is how I first met him – he hired me and several others as protection as he delved beneath the Obsidian Chapel searching for some legendary halberd – enchanted by Loviatar herself.”

Dawndra] “This is why Hocus was meeting with Nim Bragos I wager.”

Mo Ka Bu] “The Calishite halfling? Yes, we have done a few jobs for him. And…” I catch myself and realize I have probably shared more details than I should. “and he seems a good fellow. And how about that Tronk! What a beast of a bugbear!”

Kildar] “Tronk nearly took me like… totally out in the last event! Strong, fast and fierce! Surely I would prefer to call him friend than foe.”

Dawndra] “Well let’s hope your friend Hocus makes a big winning on his gambles.”

Mo Ka Bu] “He usually does.”

] The crowd grows thick around the arena and soon Shent and Rivereye go to join the other tag-bearers. Judges take the platform and explain the rules of the event. Three competitors will enter each pit with the first sounded horn. With the second, the fighting begins. The third horn will not sound until there is a single victor in each pit. The competitors are chosen by random lot. The tag-bearers with their numbered flags all gather on the far side of the arena and the Ice Pit Riots event is officially commenced.

] Nine tag-bearer are selected from the group to stand on the platform. Shent and Rivereye are not among the first group. You watch as they toss lots and are assigned to one of the three fighting pits. On the platform is a familiar gnomish face – Sabyss Dapplenick. The first horn sounds and the competitors jump down into the arenas. In the closest arena, you see Saarvin there pitted against two local Reghedmen of differing tribes. Around the platform, the tag-bearers each announce their competitor by name and origin while raising their flag. The tension inside the pit grows, waiting for the announcing to circle all three arenas, waiting for the second horn to blow.

] Saarvin has his bow in hand, an arrow loosely nocked. His posture appears calm but you can tell his eyes are intensely focused on every twitch of his opponents. Shent lets out a cheering cry just before the horn sounds. Within a blink, Saarvin has released two arrows. The first is just a little high, as though he were going for a headshot. The arrow bounces off of the invisible barrier and does not even fall to the ground before the second arrow thunks into the chest of the other Reghed warrior.

] Shent “Watch – they are going to team against Saarvin first.”

] As if on queue, they both charge towards Saarvin. You can see they have claws built into their boots to prevent slipping on the ice, but they are slowed by them. Saarvin has time to release two more arrows before dropping his bow and pulling handaxes. Both arrows find barbarian flesh. Steel clangs a second later and blood is splashed from the gold dragonborn. He responds by diving to the side and as he roll-slides back to his feet, he releases a cone of flame from his breath which envelops both Reghedmen. One emerges with a battle cry, his clothing still afire but the other has dropped to the ground and is frantic in flames. Saarvin takes another damaging blow from his opponents blade and appears to faulter for a moment but then slams his foot down on his opponents foot, digging his clamp-on boot claws into the ice. Saarvin spins to the outside and flanks the barbarian. His axes whirl and cut the smoking man down before he can regain his footing, Saarvin begins to skate his way to the far side of the pit to await the next horn.

] Shent leaps in celebration “Woo! Saarvin!”

] You hear many others in the crowd also cheering Saarvin’s name. The third sounding sends healers into each of the pits to undo the damage just done in the name of the Fray Games. Minutes later, more tag-bearers are called onto the platform and another fight ensues, and another and another. Nearly an hour of fighting passes before you see Rivereye step up onto the platform. She tosses lots and stands on the edge of the platform on the far side.

Kildar] “Roog! It looks to be my turn to  bloody and bleed.” I race to the pit and leap down in.

Dawndra] “Luck go with you Kildar!” I shout as he leaves.

] As you jump down into the pit, you see the lots have already choosen one of your opponents… The crowds cheer wildly for the famed dwarf – Gornrik Snowguster. He leaps down into the pit and you notice he is small for a dwarf – perhaps only two thirds the height of Shent. He wears thick hide armor and carries a battleaxe that appears too large, too heavy for him to possibly yield.

Kildar] I make eye contact with the dwarf and give a welcoming smile.

] Gornrik gives a slight nod and goes back to testing his footing on the slick ice. The lots choose your second opponent. You see a male half-elf take position next to Rivereye and moments later a familiar face stands at the edge of the ice pit. It is the young half-elf girl you encountered in the Skirmish two days ago. She is dressed in furs dyed with crimsom and gold. She looks to be trying to figure out how best to get down into the pit.

Kildar] I slide over to where the half-elf girl stands on the edge and lift my hand to her. “Can I give you aid girlie?”

] She reaches for your hand but then recognition sweeps over her face. There is flush of anger as she withdraws

] Half-elf “You! You’re the one who treated me like a ragdoll!”

Kildar] “Yes girlie, and I will say it was a good bit of fun. Also I am like, glad, you didn’t get like, seriously hurt. We are about to clash again… but until that horn sounds, we are friends in my eye. My name is Kildar Dalar.”

] Alyrora “I am Alyrora Neri…” She reaches back out for your hand. “and I always welcome the aid of a friend.”

Kildar] I help her down into the pit. “Good then. I wondered about you… and hoped I would get to see you fight in this event. Didn’t expect to be in the pit with you… but I suspected you would be fully-formidible today.”

] Alyrora “It appears I will need to be.” She thanks you and takes a place on along the wall across from you and Gornrik to await the horn.

] From the platform, the tag-bearers are announcing their competitors. “Gornrik Snowguster” Yells a hardy female dwarf, “of Pelvuria!” and the crowd again escalates its praise and adoration – so much that you cannot hear the young half-elf announce his competitor… “Alyrora Neri of Crimmor!”

] Rivereye “Kildar Dalar of Icewind Dale!” she yells proudly

Dawndra] I cheer Kildar’s name loudly in support.

Mo Ka Bu] I am worried about the bet I placed on Kildar… Gornrik Snowguster is famous for slaying giants… Kildar may be in trouble, and so might be my purse.

Kildar] This hardly appears a fair fight, I think to myself… a young girl and tiny dwarf. Still I best not underestimate either of them. “Ready friends?” I yell across to them as I prepare for the horn. I artificially build up the rage inside as my mata has taught me. I consider that, given my size, I may be teamed-on. Should I start with offense or defense? And if I go with offense first, should I target the mini-dwarf or the girlie? The spectators are still shouting the dwarfs name… surely he is the greater threat.

] The second horn sounds. Roll for initiative.

Kildar] At the last second, I decide on defense. I rage and take the Dodge action and wait for my opponents to act.

] Gornrik advances on you, keeping the young girl in his peripheral. He is surprisingly adept with traversing the slicked ice. With a battlecry louder than you might ever muster, he swings his axe at you [()] but you easily dodge. You risk a glance over at the half-elf but you can barely see her behind the 9-foot figure running at you. She is a giant of a woman with long gold-colored  hair and glimmering crimson skin. Her large eyes appear the very texture of fire. Muscular and agile – she traverses the ice like it were a well-paved roadway. She leaps into the air – an impossible height – and is falling down upon you with a weaponized knee [()] which hits you hard in the chest (12 blg dmg). The woman gentles down on both feet and delivers a side-kick to Gornrik [()] who hardly needs to duck to avoid the attack.

Kildar] “Whoa girlie! Who’s your beautious friend here?” I attack back with an overhead hammer-blow

] The crimson-skinned woman just reaches for your maul as it comes down. Effortlessly she touches the side of Titans Tooth and redirects the angle of your blow, smashing the ice at her feet. You notice her face remains expressionless the entire time – her nostrils do not even flare and you wonder if she has ever drawn a breath.

] Gornrik sees an advantage and attacks the strange beauty of a construct from behind [()] slicing heavy into her back but she does not bleed… she does not even wince at the cleaving blow but you think you hear Alyrora yelp from the other side of the pit. The giant spins with another knee attack [()] hitting Gornrik square in the face and as he faulters backwards, she drives a bare heel straight forward [()] crushing into his chest. Gornrik flies across the ice on his back, slowing about 15 feet away. She turns back to face you.

Kildar] “Roog!” I yell in excited amazement. “That is some deft it is!”

] You swing your maul sideways this time but the crimson woman again reaches out for the weapon with her hands. Using Titans Tooth as a ground she does a tremendous cartwheel over your blow. You barely feel her weight on the end of your weapon and suddenly it’s momentum threatens to unfoot you, but you wrestle back control. You hear the spectators go crazy at the display.

Kildar] “No way! What are you?”

] Gornrik has decided on a different tact. He has gotten back to his feet and is charging Alyrora directly who is still against the ice wall. [()] She almost escapes but his battleaxe finds her flesh beneath the furs. She makes a somatic motion which you notice is mirrored precisely by the crimson woman in front of you. Three glowing darts leap from the finger tips of the construct and fly to assault Gornrik.

Kildar] “Let’s try this again…” I swing upwards this time, putting all of my weight recklessly into it

] Titans Tooth smashes square into the torso of the crimson giant and she dissolves into faint mist. You hear Alyrora cry out and fall to the ice as the mist of the crimson construct retracts back into her body.

Kildar] Enough defense, I think to myself. I hurl myself recklessly across the ice to attack Gornrik

] Gornrik begins charging you as are raging towards him. Your wind-up is timed perfectly with your approach and let yourself slide into range as Titans Tooth sweeps upward into the face of Gornrik. The mini-sized dwarf is airborn, rolling ass over tit in flight and landing on his belly. The crowd gasps…. But Gornrik is not done-in. He smoothly snatches his battleaxe to hand as he charges back towards you [()] swiping your midsection and nearly spilling your guts (16 sls dmg).

Kildar] “Ouch! You Pizzle-tit!” I use a bonus action to cast Frostvine to increase my AC and add TmHP. Wispy vines of magical ice snake from the ground and cover my body. I again deploy Titans Tooth  recklessly. I hammer-down like I was wanting to drive the little guy into the ground like a post.

] Still a bit dazed from your last blow, Gornrik is slow to evade and Titans Tooth pounds the top of his skull squarely. Blood sprays in all directions and you realize you more than crushed his skull. The third horn begins to sounds even before his tiny body finishes folding to the ground.

Kildar] “Oh Troll Spit! What did I do!?” I scoop up his body and look for where the healers are. I snatch up Alyrora as well and rush them both over for healing. “Can you heal them!?! Please hurry!”

] The white-clad priests of Auril seem hardly concerned. They cast Regenerate on both Alyrora and Gornrik. You watch as the ooze of brain and skull fragments are knitted back together. Alyrora is already conscious but struggles to climb to her feet through the daze of the magical awakening. Gornrik remains unconscious even as the healers walk away. Several other race in to carry him somewhere to rest.

Kildar] “I’m sorry I killed you.” I say to Gornrik as they carry him away.

] Alyrora thinks you are talking to her “That’s okay hulk-boy, I would have done the same to you.”

Kildar] “You, Little Roog…. are fantastic! Wow what a power-walloper! See, I knew you to be a formidible one.”

] She smiles at you and then runs into the crowd to find her tag-bearer. Rivereye is suddenly by your side, and already casting a healing spell on you. (10 HP + 3d4=9 TempHP)

] Rivereye “Well done Kildar. You only needed one win, and you snagged it right off.”

Kildar] “It could have gone quite differently… had they committed to team against me… but done is done.”

] Your party gathers back together in the crowd. Several more rounds of fights go by. The sun is in its crux when you see a familiar figure enter one of the fighting pits… Ellerika! She is armored in an expensive looking breastplate and has her chain weapon draped over her shoulders.

Dawndra] “Look! It’s Ellerika!”

Kildar] “So she is alive! She might be more surprised to see us… since she left us for dead!”

Dawndra] “We don’t know that. We don’t know what happened to her… but she obviously escaped Fastpaws Mantle.”

] Another competitor leaps lithely down into the ice pit. A vaguely familiar drow woman with long white hair and dressed in black leathers. She carries a simple looking bow made of blackwood. When Ellerika turns to see her, you notice her demeanor change. The drow knows her too – she is staring daggers into in Ellerika. They exchange some words you cannot overhear but the tension between them is obvious.

Kildar] “Heh! Maybe she left that drow for dead once too!”

Dawndra] “You are going to side with the drow?”

Mo Ka Bu] “She is not fully drow. Surely a half-elf… Rare sight… a half-drow… Most never survive to birth. The drow will not accept them – and are just as likely to kill them on sight just for being mixed. The half-elf communities won’t accept them either, nevermind human cities… they are about as outcast as one can get. Even with her peculiar beauty, I would guess she has had a hard way in the realms.”

Dawndra] “Ellerika surely seems afraid of her, doesn’t she? I wish we could hear what they said. Lets get closer?” We move up to a closer spot.

] A third contestant has dropped down into the ring. A human in full plate wielding a greatsword. He is announced by his tag-bearer as The Paladin Marsden Ilvastarr of Waterdeep. The half-drow is announced by a young human boy as Koza of Far Someplace. A Reghed tribe member announces Ellerika Riganeg. Koza is still shooting hate-daggers with her eyes and you hear Ellerika say “What do you want Koza?”

] Koza “I want my chain back. Oh, and I want to see your blood… all of it!”

] The second horn sounds and Koza releases an arrow high into the air, nearly straight up. A second arrow is released, plunging into Ellerika’s thigh just above the knee, hobbling her movement speed. The paladin charges towards Koza but is ill-practiced on the ice. He swings the massive greatsword with such strength that, when it misses Koza entirely, it spins him sideways on the slick pit base. Ellerika howls a warcry, snaps the arrow in her leg and begins swinging her chain weapon.

] Seconds later, a vortex of black mist shoots down upon Ellerika, engulfing her in darkness. Koza has moved twenty feet away from Marsden. She stops with a controlled slide and fires two more arrows into the black cloud that conceals Ellerika. You hear both arrows sink into her armor. Ellerika cries out in apparent terror. Marsden chases after Koza – again with little control. Without even looking at her oncoming attacker, Koza perfectly times a tight crouch and rolls into the legs of Marsden, his gangly momentum causing him to tumble forward. His greatsword is loosed from his hands and scatters across the ice as he falls hard. Ellerika emerges from the black cloud, swinging her chain this way and that. She is apparently blind and panic’d. Blood runs, mixed with piss, down both of her legs.

] Koza retrieves the greatsword and hurls it to the far side of the arena. She says to Ellerika, loudly… “Your father should be the one to repay your treachery Ellerika! But since you left him to die, the task now falls to my anger.” She runs and leaps into the air, planting a flying sidekick into the back of Ellerika head. She staggers forward, weeping now and bleeding excessively. She switches back to anger and blindly lashes out where Koza had just been – the chain in her hand flashing magical power – but hits only air.

Kildar] “I told you! She left us for dead, just like she did her own father!”

Mo Ka Bu] “I should have known to put gold down on the half-drow. She is peerless in this fight! So controlled… so devised…”

] Marsden finally makes it over to his weapon and turns to locate his opponent. Koza has positioned herself on the far side of Ellerika from Marsden – as if tempting him to cut Ellerika down to get to her. She has another arrow nocked, but appears to be waiting. Ellerika is still obviously blinded and swinging her chain overhead, waiting for a clue where to strike. Marsden takes a few seconds to clue into the game Koza is playing with him… Will he strike down Ellerika? It appears he has decided yes. Koza lets a smile appear on her face as Marsden rushes Ellerika. His sword thrusts into her gut and out of her back. Ellerika falls.

] Koza shoots her nocked arrow again straight up into the sky, but only after she saw Marsden look down to withdraw his blade from the corpse of Ellerika. He has no idea of the magical arrow somewhere above him. She nocks another and aims on Marsden but holds.

] Koza “I think the judges will allow you to play dead, will they not?”

] Marsden “It is no wonder you drow are so hated across the realms!” He advances on Koza, but appears to have learned a lesson and does so with slower controlled steps.

] Koza “Trust me… the drow hate me more than you ever will.”

] She waits, locking her eyes to Marsdens as he approaches. The arrow in flight returns and Marsden is wrapped in the black vortex. Koza releases and begins to circle the magical darkness. She fires another arrow and another arrow – only one of which misses its target, flying out the other side of the cloud. Marsden emerges as Ellerika previously did – blinded and in a panic. He swings his weapon in front of him, feeling for something to hit. Meanwhile Koza and retrieved the chain weapon and symbolically beats the corpse of Ellerika a few times with it. She then drops her bow and begins what looks like a forms practice with the chain – deftly swinging it with both hands in intricate air-figures.

] Koza “Your eyes will soon return human. I will wait.” she keeps practicing while keeping at least 20 feet between her and Marsden.

Dawndra] “She is skilled in forms. But what monastery would accept a drow? Do they have monastery’s in the underdark?”

Mo Ka Bu] “Not likely… if there were – she would sooner be accepted into the Family Ilvastarr of Waterdeep.”

] The other two pit arenas have one standing winner as Marsden shakes off the blinding effects of the magical blackstorm. Koza seems to be unaware of the crowds watching. She taunts Marsden further – obviously trying to remove whatever edge he might have left. He doesn’t bite. In fact he seems settled and calm as he grips the hilt of his blade with both hands and advances slowly on Koza, controlling his footing and his emotions. His attack is swift and for the first time he appears more than a clod with a cleaver. It is not enough – the chain Koza holds in both hands blocks each attack. Koza narrowly escapes a powerful thrust for her face by bending backwards and rolling away. As she does, she somehow managed to wrap Marsdens ankle with her chain. She yanks on it with her full body weight and forces the heavily armored noble into splits which he has obviously never practiced. Before he can recover, her heel has broken his nose – both ways. She relents again and goes back to forms practice with the white chain, nearly turning away while Marsden picks himself up. This time it is a ruse, before he can reset his thinking, she is on the offense, her chain wrapping around his blocking sword to strike ribs and spine repeatedly on either side. With another maneuver, she wraps the greatsword and from an awkward angle rips it from Marsdens hands. The heavy metal once again clangs across the ice. A second later, the chain is around his throat. Lighting sparks through the white chain and the body of Marsden seizes and falls limp. The third horn sounds and the crowd grows intense. Koza walks over to the pool of quickly freezing blood which contains Ellerikas body. She gives it a symbolic kick, picks up her bow and then gracefully leaps the 5 foot pit wall and disappears into the cheering spectators.

Kildar] “Wowz! Am I ever glad I didn’t have to fight against her!”

Dawndra] “Her technique appears flawless. I should like to be her student for a time…”

Mo Ka Bu] “I wouldn’t mind spending some time with her either.” I smile with a little unhidden mischief.

] The healers restore both Ellerika and Marsden to life, though only Marsden is able to walk and leave the pit without being carried. A small crew with barrels of waters resurface the ice pit floors and within ten minutes, the bloody mess is a mere shadow under fresh ice. The tag-bearer platform fills and several more fighting rounds go by. You have seen several competitors fight more than once now. Yazga lost a match to Reghedmen from the Elk Tribe and then returned a round later to take a win from a dragonborn and a member of the Good Mead guard.

] Last Shadow is only a few hours away and the crowds have thinned around the arena – some having left to find warmth, most to find drinks in the Mead Hall. The platform is again filled with tag-bearers and the lots are thrown. Two halfling women enter the near pit and they appear to be waiting on a third contestant. The tag-bearer, an older human, is now yelling “Warlen! Warlen where are you son!”. Before long, he is removed and another tag-bearer is called. Shent steps up on the platform.

Dawndra] “Really? They are going to pair me with two halflings?”

Kildar] “Go step on them Dawndra!”

] Shent announces you. “Dawndra Norlandr of Treyvigg Monastery!”

] The young halflings are announced… “Jixana Leafwhirly of Black Raven Monastery!” is unarmed and wears simple black robes beneath a fur-lined cloak which she casts to the ledge of the pit. She has long strawberry blonde hair wrapped into braid. “Linli Wallberry of Memnon City!” is a busty halfling who could be mistaken for a dwarf. She stands about a foot taller than Jixana and is dressed in well-fitted leathers and large black boots. She draws two curved short swords from her sides and does a little warm-up dance with them.

Dawndra] I remove my robes and jump down into the fighting pit. My ice pin remains in my hair. I offer a short bow… “Ladies”

] Neither seem the slightest bit intimidated by your size and the blonde named Jixana even seems pleased to be seeing your naked form. As the second horn sounds, you see Melthor run up to the fighting pit and flag you down. He looks urgent and out of breath.

Dawndra] I wave to Melthor quickly and return my attention to the moment.

[Roll for Initiative]

Dawndra] I fully expect they will team up against me – it is the wise tactic after all… so I ready Freezing Burst to be triggered when both are within 10 feet of me.

] You correctly anticipate their first moves – both charge you but the monk is significantly quicker and, like you, appears quite at home on the slick surface. [()] Her fist strikes are quick and she lands one of three attacks against your mid-section. You notice there is something powerful about the blow – it is not just a punch, it is accompanied by force damage. Linli enters into 10 feet range as Jix attempts a 3rd blow.

Dawndra] I case Freezing Burst

[()]

] Cold Damage radiates out from the Frostspawn Ramstone. Linli is visibly jolted by the effects and halts her progression to process the pain. You hear Jix say something under her breath but does not appear to be as damaged.

Dawndra] I release an attack series on Jix, kick, knee, hammer-fist

] The radiant halfling ducks your kick but is surprised by the speed with which you deliver your follow-up blows. Your pounding fist staggers her but she springs back to action. [()] Driving from her legs, she gets you in the gut with a double-fisted bash. Her two follow-up attacks miss as you block with a knee. Linli slashes at your backside [()] both of her blades cutting into your bare skin (dmg 12 sl)

Dawndra] “Dretch balls!” I pull my hair pin as I circle to keep both halflings in sight. I need to drop one of them quickly – I cannot defend my backside being flanked like that. I decided to focus on Jix first.

] You pierce Jix with your ice pike and spin to place her between yourself and Linli. As you pull back on the massive needle, she is dragged towards you. You step and snap a sidekick hard to her face, clearing her from the end of your weapon and sending her flying into Linli who [()] falls prone under the now lifeless body of Jix.

Dawndra] I take the opportunity to distance myself and regroup on the far side of the pit.

] Linli gets to her feet, strengthens her resolve, and advances towards you.

Dawndra] I take a ready stance and the Dodge action.

] Linli gains speed and apparent confidence – a second later her curved blades are trying to find a way around your defenses [()]

Dawndra]

] You successfully dismiss one of her attacks but fail your reaction as the other blade slices into your leg

Dawndra] “Memnon city eh? You must hate the cold up here.” I say, trying to distract her as I release another series of attacks

] You attempt a straight thrust which Linli easily parrys with both of her blades but then you step out and spin, bringing the edge of your weapon all the way around with skilled speed to strike Linli hard in the spine. As she jolts forward you skewer her body and pin her to the ice – finishing the match with a win. Moments later the horn sounds and the healers revive the daring halflings. You feel a warm flood of magic as your own vitality is restored by the priests of Winter Palace. Shent cheers for you from the platform as you are announced as winner.

Dawndra] I search the crowd for Melthor.

] You quickly find him along the edge of the fighting pit. He is applauding you for the win but carries a worried look. As you exit the arena he approaches you.

] Melthor “I am so glad I found you. Samsam is in trouble!”