After five minutes, some officials in striped shirts inform the party that their match is about to start. You're all escorted back onto the field. As the doors behind you shut, the ground starts shaking. The ground before you starts splitting open to reveal a very large pool of water. You all can see a large shadow in it.
"And we have our qualifying competitors here for the main event! The ones standing tall are the razorsharp Bonesaw, the Legend Killer about to prove his name, and the Trauma Bull who already has! And to test their mettle, a creature so elusive that many have never seen it, but it is here for your entertainment. It is the awesome, the amazing, the ultimate, it is Serpenterra! Now boys, you don't have to hold back in this one, because you bet your ass he won't be! HA!" With that, waves start forming in the pool and the creature rises. It has a spine-frilled neck arching up from the water like a snake ready to strike, this ship-sized serpent hisses a challenge.
Mega-Bjorkus flexes and poses for the crowd. He points towards the arena entrance and roars a challenge.
"I hope you saw that Beast because the Trauma Bull is coming for you next!"
The minotaur flexes again to work the crowd.
[dice=Perform: Promo]10+23
The crowd start chanting:" Trauma Bull! Trauma Bull! Trauma Bull!"
Opal hurriedly casts haste upon the men as they head back into the ring to face the beast.
As soon as the beast pops up, Opal tries to figure out what it is so that she can shout out suggestions to he crewmates.
Luthor's eyes light up like a kid in a candy store. "Now that is a legend begging to be killed."
He then moves up to jump into the water.
"Hold on, Luthor! We're coming!"
Zirul quaffs down his extract, his position seeming to shift between where he stands and several feet away. The images grin, and dives into the water.
Bjorkus rushes forward and dives into the water with a roar.
"Feel free to hurry the f$$~ up!" Luthor yells out, the blood rushing to his head, whatever blood wasn't pouring out of him that is.
Serpenterra crushes the Semi-Ulfen with its teeth.
Luthor's body goes limp and the creature uses its tail to pick it out of its teeth to hold for later.
Seeing Luthor gravely wounded, the Bjorki roar again and bring down their bovine fury on the Beast.
Grinning, Zirul motions for Bjorkus to try and get into flanking, while Zirul gives the crowd a thrill of Bonesaw!
And Zirul defeats the mighty Serpenterra!
"And the beast goes down after being beaten like a government mule!"
As the beast falls, it drops Luthor into the water, face down.
Bjorkus paddles forward and fishes his friend from the water before exiting the water.
He taps him with his wand a few times before posing for the crowd with one burly arm in the air.
Luthor awakens coughing up water. "Did we win?" He asks weakly.
Mega-Bjorkus stands Luthor up and raises one of his arms into the air.
"Yeah, the beast is dead. Zirul killed it. Now pose for the crowd."
"Right." Luthor shakes the cobwebs out and does his own pose for the crowd.
"Let's hear it for the champs! By gawd was that a fight!" Soon after some representatives bring out your prize. It a small chest with 10,000 gold inside.
As Luthor and Zirul check out the purse, Bjorkus makes his way back in the preparation area.
Before Bjorkus leaves, the announcer runs up to the group. He has something covered with a sheet. "I forgot, as a commemoration for the win, I present you with this." He removes the sheet and it seems to be a belt with an oversized buckle. It has an empty nameplate with gold plates inset on it. It says Serpent Slayer Champion on it. "Just take it to any jeweler on the island and you can have it engraved."
It's a Belt of Physical Might +4, Strength and Con.
Bjorkus poses for the crowd again, lays the belt across his broad shoulder, and goes in search of the lady taur.
Bjorkus will find his lady taur in the medics lounge. She is conscious, but still has horn-shaped bruises. She grins as you make your way to her. "Here to gloat?"
The Trauma Bull gestures to his oversized new belt and what was hanging beneath that.
"I'm here for my reward."
"Oh, you do deserve a reward, Champ." She slowly gets up and stretches out. "I have a room in town." She then without warning hefts the bull into her arms and makes her way there.
For the first time in his life, Bjorkus is happily carried away by a woman.
Zirul flexes for the crowd, smiling at his friends and helping hold Luthor up before he lets the strange form drop.
----
After the fight, the half-elf goes off looking for his ursine friend.
Opal congratulates her crewmates and then goes to gather up whatever winnings she got from her bets. Then she wanders off to see the other sights of the town, such as the shops and taverns.
Opal scours the shops and buys herself a fancy new outfit for the next time they host pirate lords and a couple more for just everyday wear.
Then Opal goes and buys a couple cases of excellent quality rum and searches for something suitable to prepare for a nice feast. Then continues wondering about as she thinks about what next to buy....
Zirul finds the man-bear still in the medic's lounge and sees Bjorkus being carried away by the she-taur. The bear is awake and drinking something. He hasn't noticed your presence.
Zirul grins, walking into the tent. If there are any objections, he'll show his medical credentials and continue on through. "Good showing there, V. I'm surprised I made it. You're one fierce guy in the ring."
"Not fierce enough apparently. Good job out there."
He shakes his head. "Luthor is a monster of a striker. He just happened to get you into a bit of a bottle neck. The guy took down a giant, by himself. I think just about anyone, both minotaurs included, would've had a tough time. They cleared you yet for a drink?"
"You're telling me. His fists feel like they're made of rock. They don't need to clear me, I drink when I want. Let's go, I know a place with the sweetest honey mead around."
Zirul nods with a wide grin. "Sounds good to me. I'm over the rum I've had to deal with at sea. You got a crew, by the by?" the half elf continues as they walk.
"A crew? No, of course not. Bear's don't belong in the water."
========================================
The next morning Bjorkus finds himself in the massive arms of his latest conquest. Though one could easily argue that instead he had been conquered. As he awakes, he finds her eyes fluttering open as well.
"And minotaurs do? You'd do great with our bunch. How in the seven hills did you do that electricity though? Cause bears don't typically sprout electricity."
"You have a point about that. I am a respected warrior amongst my people. My father was chieftain until he died honorably during a hunt. So my people looked to me. But before that can happen, I needed to prove myself. First I had to journey to the peak of our sacred mountain, a place forever shrouded in a storm. So I put on my father's armor and when I got there, the storm spoke to me and gave me it's power. It told me to go into the world and learn new things so my people can grow. I told the elders what I was told and left them in charge. And now I'm here, testing my mettle."
"You're not too bad", Bjorkus says with a playful rumble as he climbs out of the bed and picks up his things. "It's not often I find a woman that can keep up with me."
Pulling on his loincloth and letting his gaze linger on Aliece's enormous... horns... Bjorkus considers the future.
"If you you want more of what you got last night, we always have more room aboard the Storm. My crew and I, we're changin' the Shackles. Where do you want to be when that change comes?"
"Honestly, you did a dang good job. If Luthor hadn't caught you from behind, you'd have slaughtered me. I'd say any tribe would be lucky to have you. I'm a bit of an orphan myself. Parents died, and I was raised in a gang. I got out at the end of a gang war, and it was only by Besmara's grace that the street doctor found me alive."
He grins."You should join us, V. We're a ragtag bunch, but we watch out for each other. Heck, at the very least, whenever you go back to the tribe, you can say you stood with legends and became one yourself. At the very least, you'd get a chance to see and learn a few new tricks from Luthor and the bull and me."
"I could use a regular workout. These furless ones are no challenge for me. I'm in, now get back to bed." She leaps up and tears your loincloth from you as she pulls you in.
"Yea, he got a cheap shot on me. I would love being a legend. Count me in. And the full name is Volt, by the way. Now let's drink on it." Volt picks up his mug of honey mead and drinks it down.
==============
A few days later, you all wake up to find a tiny silver raven with a message clenched in its beak.
My friends! It pains me to darken your accomplishments, but I feel I must. Despite your triumphs of late, there remain those who do not accept you as deserving of the prize you have been awarded. If you expect to keep your isle, you’ ll need to fight for it. Even as I pen this warning, know that your old nemesis Barnabas Harrigan is bolstering his own fleet, funded through his recent spate of successes raiding the Chelish shipping lanes. And he will come for you as soon as he is ready. War is coming to the Shackles, whether Bonefist wants to admit it or not. We have a traitor, or perhaps traitors, in our midst, and when the Chelish navy sails south, it will divide us through our own greed and betrayal if we are not ready. I intend to survive this war—and to do so, I need all the help I can get. I hope to see you survive as well, but to do that, you must gather a fleet. In time, I will join my resources to yours, but for the immediate future I must retain a low profile—I fear I have drawn too much attention to my plans already. Hire mercenaries if you must, but seek out friends and allies if you can—they will serve better than those bought with coin. Bolstering your infamy can only help as well—some of the topics that came up in the council meeting seemed to me good places to start. Looting the Black Tower and recovering the sword Aiger’s Kiss from within would certainly increase your fame, and if you can track down Scags Rotgram... well, an old mate of Harrigan’s could be an invaluable ally, especially if he knows something about Harrigan’s weaknesses! Until I contact you again, keep the silver raven figurine as proof of my word. Sell it off if you wish... after that party you threw at your fortress, I suspect you might need the spare coin to help pay for the fleet you’ ll soon need!
Tessa
Bjorkus reads the note a second time and then tosses it on the table.
"That sod Harrigan has really lost it", the bull rumbles.
"I never thought he had it. You two have already started recruitment." Luthor says looking at Zirul and Bjorkus. "Let's start there."
"I could go for raiding that tower."