Ezendra Garrow's page

Braegan, I do not understand your Skill math listed on your profile. You have modifiers and OOC numbers. And your Know (nature) skill is lacking a modifier, but in the forum it is +4. If your Know (nature) roll above is correct, you know lions hunt much like a pack does, they tend to injure prey and wear them down before stealthily pouncing on them and mauling them to pieces. You're not sure if spotted lions are much different, and manticores are alien to you.

Ezendra looks to Ebenadar and quips, "You live long enough, maybe you'll be a Runner one day."

Ezendra speaks to Tolruk aside for a moment, then the call over Guttersnipe and Lt. Zayle.

She then speaks to all of you. "Crugonk brings up a valid point about the open terrain. However, neither Gutternsipe nor Zayle have ever recalled untrapped open terrain. It's possible, but not likely; too easy to catch a Runner that way. If those of you with mounts wish to draw in the lions there, we'll allow it, but we will not risk the entire team for that. We'll send Thinky, Sir Snarl, and a footmen as a satellite to aid you in harrying the beasts, Crugonk, but you'd have to break away from our group to get there-if anyone volunteers you can take one other member with you, but I am not comfortable splitting everyone up like this. You're already on Plan C, too late in the fame to change that. If the monks can jump that high in combat, I want them on higher ground as quickly as possible, preferably with ranged weapons. The rest of us stick to the plan: Tolruk and his crew drive down the middle to draw them off while the rest of us head for the central ruins with the pillars, surrounded by water. The lions cannot charge us easily there, and we can get to the tops of the pillars if it turns sour."

Tolruk pats Crugonk on the back and states, "She don't pick you and you survive, come see me. Should've stepped up sooner."

Zayle speaks up."What of this platform?" He points to the northeastern platform (I forgot to write the 10ft elevation, btw. Sorry.) with his cutlass. "Only one easy access point, and not that far of a jump down. At the least it would slow the lions from getting to the top, and it still has pillars."

Ezendra chuckles a little at Jhock's comment. None of you thought the woman could laugh.

"Jhock, if I knew that I'd have a better plan. I'd say it's safe to assume that there will be at least six lions-probably eight, likely at least two of them spotted lions. And a manticore that can't fly. We have a joint team of twenty fighters, so they may even throw more at us. Regardless, it will not be an easy fight."

Ezendra speaks to Jun Yu, loud enough for all to hear. "Based on the terrain we have a few options. With lions we do not want to split up too much, and aside from the manticore, we'll not have any ranged threats to worry over. So, we stick with our groups as much as possible so as not to get picked off until we can reach a defensible position."

"Of course, those of you going with Tulrok will follow his orders. We've agreed to head for high ground, so we'll need to figure out where to go, and what route to take once we have the maps before the match. It's likely that the high ground will be near the center of the arena. I'm going to let Zayle take his own route there, as I trust his judgement, the rest of you try not to break off unless I tell you, and yes, you'd do best to stick with a partner."

Tulrok chimes in. "Based on the crappy image on the portalview, it seems there will be lots of highground, but the two largest sections would be best. I think I saw a canyon-like ravine in one, and water surrounding the other. Both can be used to our advantage. We'll know more tomorrow. Whoever goes with me will break into two squads. One led by myself with you three, the other by Thinky and Cowboy, with the other new kids. Guttersnipe will also be his own agent. I couldn't tell him what to do if I wanted on the field. It's why I keep him around."

The other three newbies to the 'Grinders are an orc ranger called Dark Arrow, a half-orc cavalier called Sir Snarl, and a hobgoblin fighter named Arkol. They all fight pretty well, but don't seem to be anything remarkable.

Over the next two days you all train harder than most of you are used to. Ezendra proves to be a tougher leader than Tulrok in terms of her expectations, and she's obviously the keener strategist, but Tulrok's brute fighting style, dirty fighting, and guerilla tactics prove to be just as effective. The mock combats leave you all bruised, and better experienced for it.

Think Danger Room training, a la X-Men.

Zayle and Guttersnipe advocate stealth, sniping, ambushes, and speed, Ezendra preaches about group tactics and utilizing terrain to your advantage, and Tulrok insists drawing out your quarry into direct confrontation or stabbing it in the back when it is not looking is the way to go.

Regardless of the bickering, everything they have to teach you is valuable.

Ezendra turns to Vidor and says, "Varkony, right? The thing about this match is we are all on the same team. There was an oversight when the engineers put together the match generator this season. Monster Slayer matches are not supposed to be debut matches. Ever. Neither are Labyrinth matches. So, anyone that wound up with matches like that are thrown on a joint team. We're not allowed to kill each other, much as we'd like to. All attacks against our teammates, regardless of their actual team, are converted to nonlethal attacks. The Producer wants it to look like an intentional new innovation for this season, and is spinning it as such, but the truth is it's a blunder on the Arena's part."

She looks at Tolruk. "The only reason we're bothering to distinguish is so you're not taking orders from both of us. It would be too confusing. That much we agree on. Tolruk's style is more direct, while mine is more subtle."

Tolruk snarls at her a little.

As the night draws on, everyone gets acquainted with each other, and the party is brilliant.

Good food, lots of drinks, and great entertainment. In what feels like the wee hours of the morning, all of you are shown to your team bunks, and you all retire for the evening after bickering over who sleeps where.

Way too early in the morning, and most of you with hang overs, you are awakened by the sounding of a shrill bugle. In a panic, torpor, or instinctual flailing, you all wake up grumbling and grabbing at weapons. Lieutenant Zayle, the tiefling Runner of Plan C stands in the middle of the room.

As soon as he sees you are all awake, he turns heel and heads for the door, standing at its entrance, seemingly to keep watch. Then, in walks your Team Leader, Ezendra Garrow, relaxed, stern, commanding, and obviously not hungover. She snaps her fingers and a goblin porter carries in a tray with small crystal cups of amber liquid in them. He passes them around to those of you who look hungover and encourages you to drink. "Cure head pain from drink," he tells you.

"Now then," Ezendra says to you all, "The next two days are training. There are eleven of you, and we need eight for the team. No alternates. Our debut match is going to be unconventional. The Bonegrinders had a few members refuse to play, and some are out on injury... so three of you lot will be proxy players for them, as well as some greenhorns from down the hall. Of the eleven of you, regardless of whether you play for me or the 'Grinders, I will pick the best eight. Survivors usually take precedence, as a one-lifer this early in isn't much good to me."

She walks the length of the bunks and back as she speaks now, "I am trying to find out what monsters we'll be up against, but I'm certain it'll be good number based on the terrain, and some inside information I possess. Something vicious and fast, no doubt. Probably not raptors after last year's massacre in the LML."

"Those of you that make the cut will then report for Dungeon Ball training the following day. It's an important thing to train for, more than combat, and the ratings are always high when these matches show up. The network's been considering making Dungeon Ball it's own show, with leagues and everything, and taking it out of Dungeonators altogether. Personally, I'd be fine with it. While it requires a different level of skill, it detracts from fighting. that's why I'm here." She smiles her first smile, and it chills you to the bone.

"We're one of the teams that is disallowed most magic, but we tend to get a few compensations in return. We get better Sponsors and use of their featured items, we get better pay, a bit more prestige, and a handicap in a Wipe (a Wipe is a TPK, excluding the Leader). I find that these benefits tend to more than compensate for not allowing mages and their ilk on the team."

"The Bonegrinders' Leader is an orc barbarian named Tolruk. His Runner is a goblin named Gutternsipe. Guttersnipe is a versatile little bugger, and prone to taking out competition when he can, so everyone keep an eye out. The two other 'Grinders that stayed on are Cowboy the minotaur and an orc woman named Thinky. She drops ships on people when things go poorly, so do not get too close if things get bad. She's our only mage, and she will probably only directly aid the 'Grinders with her magic. The other six slots of theirs are going to be filled by three of you lot, and three newcomers from down the hall."

She looks around. "So, who's volunteering to be a Bonegrinder?

Okay everyone. Tomorrow evening, likely around 7 pm-ish EST, I'll start posting in the gameplay forum. I've not heard from many of you since recruitment.