Daily life in the pens drags by with dreary brutality. Just before dawn, slaves line up to receive water rations: any slave who cannot get to the water station or who arrives late must survive that day without water. The overseers gather their crews, beating and whipping any who are slow to assemble. Meanwhile, clean-up crews scour the pens, removing the bodies of dead slaves and applying savage punishment to stragglers. Slaves too weak to work are killed.
The crews work until sundown, with only two short breaks during the day. Each overseer drives his slaves hard to meet near-impossible quotas. If he fails, the overseer loses his rank and returns to the pens, where he can expect little love from his former crew. The overseers are, thus, merciless in their duties. Any malingering is rewarded with the whip.
Little passes unseen by the eyes of the guards, though they are mainly concerned with staying out of the sun and halting escape. Occasionally guards enter the pens to stop large fights or prevent riots, operating in groups of eight to ten: guards never leave their necks or weapons unprotected when in the company of slaves.
Sometimes even able-bodied slaves are killed: a man goes mad under the burning sun; a brute attacks an overseer or templar; a laborer soils the ziggurat with his sweat or blood. On other occasions, though, a slave attracts the notice of the Master of the Games and is sent to the gladiator pits. Improved treatment little compensates gladiators for their high mortality rate.
At night, slaves return to the pits and overseers go to special quarters. The daily meal-a worm-infested gruel-is served along with another ration of water. Those who do not reach the kitchen in time are not fed. After the meal, slaves sleep where they can. The strongest and their followers claim the few huts and shelters; all others sleep outside. You've managed to secure a tent, though it clearly makes you a target for the ire of the others stuck outside.
Eventually, the desire for Freedom becomes so great that the situation simply can't stand.
What you need is an opportunity. Unfortunately, those are very hard to come by in the slave pits.
A Day in the Slave Pits of Tyr
As you grab your equipment for the day, something about the hot winds feels different. Mayhaps it's an omen for the day. Today you're assigned to the Ziggarut.
An odd din rises over the caterwauling of the overseers and you raise your sun-scorched brow toward the disturbance. A crowd of slaves quickly clusters around the source of the sound, packed in elbow-to-elbow. As you crane your neck to watch, a stinging hail of grit assails the clustered slaves, who scramble for safety. At the center of the ring, a slouching half giant whirls about, swiping massive hands at the nimble elves who are tormenting him.
Six elves tease a clumsy half-giant, using speed and agility to slip his grasp. The elves shout cruel taunts while the half-giant swipes at them or slings huge fistfuls of sand in their direction.
Hey Urrgos! you can pretend to be me! [Chorus of -no, me-no me- from the other elves.)
I get it! You're impersonating a kank, right?
He's a rock! No - rocks move faster than him.
he half-giant's retorts are sad and pitiable.
You go away! You just leave alone!
Urrgos not want be like you, little bug."
Yes.
Deetz isn't a big proponent of picking on people for the sake of it. He's also acutely aware of his physical stature, and knows subterfuge is a better choice.
He gets to the edge of the spectacle, maneuvering inside the throng, until he gets a good vantage point. He waits, patiently, for one of the elves to get too close, then casually trips the tormentor, trying to let the half-giant get his hands on the hapless elf.
Not combat.... yet. Letting the others pick a stance:
Deetz: Tripping an elf
Graff: Go
Quorin: Go
Linnad: Go
Strangeways: Go
Lorem: Go
Kollash: Go
Graff gets a little closer and looks on the ground for some decent rocks. He scoops up at least 2-3. He starts to pull his sling out...
Quorin sighs, knowing he's about to get himself into trouble.
"Hey, leave him alone," he shouts at the elves, stepping forward. "We're all just trying to survive here, so at least save your energy for someone who actually wronged you. Like an overseer."
His hand doesn't stray far from his club. He knows what happens next.
Strangewayes is not handling this well. He's slowly going mad.
Between his crushing need to see the future, to hope and to plan,
(because he's a slave now) and his Elven cultural and biological imperative to live Now are at war. Complicating matters is this is how he found preserving magic... His recognition that living in the moment will one day kill the Elves, and everyone else. Oh... And the claustrophobic conditions. Working the Ziggurat is actually keeping him alive because at least it's outdoors.
And he can't nerd out about magic without his equipment, which was the only thing that provided any sort of focus point to balance between the contradictions.
He begins spell research on the walls and in the dirt, from memory, as best he can. His area becomes filled with equations and runes.
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Strangewayes observes the Elves tormenting the giant. He's conflicted. His tribe is a tribe of heroes, but he's not in the best shape and with the madness seeping in he is having a hard time seeing anything as not hilarious. But the Now is here. And now... Okay, those are Elves, but they're not the right kind of Elves. And now, it's irritating. If those Elves were properly thinking of NOW, they'd be using that energy trying to free themselves, not rough up Gigantor (that's a sweet name I shall call him Gigantor).
I wonder if... Could I? Never tried it...
Strangewayes focuses his slowly fracturing mind and tries to use his wild psionic talent to Contact as many of the Elves as he can.
Deetz: Tripping an elf
Graff: Prep a sling
Quorin: Intervene
Linnad: Go
Strangeways: Contact Elves
Lorem: Go
Kollash: Go
As Lorem makes his way onto the grounds around the ziggurat, his eyes dart all around, surveying the area and people there.
Too many overseers. Too many guards. No clear escape routes. This place is insufferable. We need more help if we're to escape this place.
At the sound of the din, Lorem makes his way over with the others. Seeing the altercation and the others moves to action, Lorem loosens the wrap around his forearm and readies his sling, scooping up a few rocks from the ground.
Fools. Do they have nothing better to do than torment that oaf? Even so, helping the big one might indebt him to us. His strength could prove useful in the future.
With so much attention focused on the fight, Lorem finds a spot out of sight, ready to throw when the opportunity arises.
Linnad will move around to where Graff is and prep a sling.
The slave gang fans out, taking different approaches to the elven bullies.
They don't take it well....
Deetz: Tripping an elf
Graff: Prep a sling
Quorin: Intervene
Linnad: Hiding near Graff
Strangeways: Contact Elves
Lorem: Hiding
Kollash: Between the fight
-----
I just learned that I need to do each mind individually. I'll choose the elf that looks like he's leading the others. The Alpha Dog.
Contact:
Success! How many HD? I loathe to ask such things but that tells me how many points to spend on the initial contact.
3 HD. You feel your mind connect with the elf wearing the green scarf.
The situation deteriorates very quickly.
The elves immediately resort to daggers as the party executes a variety of tactics.
Deetz:
Graff:
Quorin:
Linnad:
Strangeways:
Lorem:
Kollash:
Elves: SF 2
Half-Giant: SF 0
From the shadows, Lorem launches a sling stone at the closest elf.
SF 6
Graff loops his sling once around his head and lets fly!
Thaco 20, +1 to hit from an Air granted power
Attack roll
Deetz wastes no time drawing forth the club he fashioned from a broken cart axle some time back. He swings at Red, who may or may not have tripped from Deetz's earlier action.
Strangeways uses his mind to plant an Aversion into that Elf's mind, an aversion to the Half Giant he was tormenting.
Aversion: Vs. Power Score 9
Failure. I'll spend the points and maintain the contact.
The elves are no stranger to violence, and immediately opt for daggers.
hits 8
hits 9
miss
miss
hits
hits 3 for
Strangeways tries to implant an emotion into the elf's mind, but can't leave it there.
Graff nails the elf with the purple headband
Round 1:
Kollash: Go (punch)
Elves: ATK
Deetz: Go (club)
Quorin: Go (club)
Strangeways: Fail
Graff: Hit
Lorem: Go (Sling)
Linnad: Go (TBD)
Purple: 4
Deetz ducks and feints, looking for an opening versus the nearest bullying elf.
Deetz scores a glancing blow!
Round 1: First to last
Kollash: Go (punch)
Elves: ATK
Deetz: Hit
Quorin: Go (club)
Strangeways: Fail
Graff: Hit
Lorem: Go (Sling)
Linnad: Go (TBD)
Purple: 4
Red: 1
Lorem takes a step forward and sends a sling stone flying at one of the elves(yellow) swarming Kollash.
Quorin swings his club, cursing his amoral kin.
Lorem's stone strikes the elf, giving him a good egg on the forehead. Unfortunately Quorin and Kollash miss by rather a lot.
Round 1: First to last
Kollash: Miss
Elves: ATK
Deetz: Hit
Quorin: Miss
Strangeways: Fail
Graff: Hit
Lorem: hit
Linnad: Go (TBD)
Purple: 4
Red: 1
Yellow: 2
Linnad takes a step back and looses a sling stone at the elf(orange).
Linnad's stone strikes the elf as yet another begins to bleed.
Not expecting a defense of the half-giant, the elves disband before the overseers catch the combat. Once gone, the child-like half giant approaches,
"I am Urrgos. You helped me, but I am stranger to you. You have my thanks and my muscles. I do not forget."
You've now earned an Ally Urrgos the Half-Giant!
The next few days are quiet. Laborious, painful, but quiet. During the mid-morning water break you're approached by a dejected looking mul.
"So, that son-of-an-mix Verrasi got you too." It's only then that you recognize him. It's the fruit vender that started this all off. "If you hadn't been there, I'd not be in this mess. I'll tell you what though. If Verrasi ever finds himself downwind of a summer's heat..." He spits, a truly intense gesture. "I'm Hammash. I won't save you from getting yourselves killed in a brawl like you had the other day, but I'll help kick that Templar bastard when the time comes. If it comes."
We should see if we can guide fate to such an end. And to that end, what do you know of Verrasi? I need to know as much as I can. Any information can be useful.
"I don't know anything. I'm just saying if there's a window, I'm taking it..."
As the man walks away a narrow-cheeked templar and two half-giant guards happen by. The half giants examine the work, but the templar examines you. After approving of the product, the templar turns to the overseer and says, "King Kalak demands more from his laborers. From today on, your work quota is doubled." The dinner gong sounds. "Since you were just talking to that slave, no meal, tonight. Work until the quota is met." With that the templar leaves, his head cast back in self-satisfaction.
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Fortunately for you, the next day draws a serious amount of luck. You spot a familiar face in the mess line. It's the woman you protected to the best of your ability. She seems to be trying to work the line to make sure she gets either Deetz, Quorin, or Strangeways, but it's tricky to pull off....
Deetz, adept at slipping in and out of spots, counts similarly and manages to make his way behind a pair of grousing muls while, with a barely noticed nod toward the woman, he adeptly maneuvers Quorin and Strangeways ahead of several of the elves the party overcame a while back to time them correctly, if separate.
Deetz struggles to either snake his way or talk his way forward. He looks at the other two...