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There are no guards in the banquet hall. Also no utensils. Just mounds of food. You note the others are all eating with their hands. The benches are soon filled by gladiators so you would need to speak in low tones of you hope not to be overheard. Fortunately they eat loudly, rowdily, and loquaciously and pay little or no attention to your group.Major Hunter scans the room. Are there any guards present? What type of eating utensils are provided? He will motion Spisarevski, Gilipollas, and Sinbar to sit with him at the other end of the table, trying to keep as far away from the other gladiators as possible. Once all are seated together he will ask in a quiet voice, while pretending to eat, "Well chaps? Any suggestions on how we go about escaping?"
A large green-mottled man with pointed ears, gang-like teeth, and tuberous growths on his nose sprouting long, curly hairs overhears at least part of Spisarevski's remarks and says, "Ha! You think to win? You are weaklings! You will never best me, for I am Feoduro and I eat newcomers as a snack between meals!""During the games would be best. Or maybe we should score a win or two first", Spisarevski offers.
"New arrivals are probably watched more closely than veterans."
Spisarevski leaves the explaining to the guy with aristocratic heritage, and turns to look at the big man. Obviously, the "reception committee" is gathering...A large green-mottled man with pointed ears, gang-like teeth, and tuberous growths on his nose sprouting long, curly hairs overhears at least part of Spisarevski's remarks and says, "Ha! You think to win? You are weaklings! You will never best me, for I am Feoduro and I eat newcomers as a snack between meals!"
There are no guards in the banquet hall. Also no utensils. Just mounds of food. You note the others are all eating with their hands. The benches are soon filled by gladiators so you would need to speak in low tones of you hope not to be overheard. Fortunately they eat loudly, rowdily, and loquaciously and pay little or no attention to your group.
"Snubbing me after all I've done for you?!" sputters Buttersocks after you leave him out of your group. "Fine! I'll just sit over here--"--he attempts to sit by Carapuerco but is brushed away by a large swarthy fighter. "I didn't want that seat anyway!" He then tried to sit on the other side but is again pushed away by a larger man. "Suits me! I wanted to sit in this corner by the wall anyway!" he says as he sits cross-legged on the floor with a bright purple fruit in one hand and the roast leg of a beast in the other.
A large green-mottled man with pointed ears, gang-like teeth, and tuberous growths on his nose sprouting long, curly hairs overhears at least part of Spisarevski's remarks and says, "Ha! You think to win? You are weaklings! You will never best me, for I am Feoduro and I eat newcomers as a snack between meals!"
Buttersocks looks up, fruit juices dripping down his beard, and says, "I don't need you! I can get by on my own!" Then he carries his food over to sit at your end of the table and says, "Your friend Spisarevski is always trying to start fights--it's a good thing we're here to save him!""Friend Buttersocks. Please, I beg your pardon. I meant no offense, nor did I intend to offer slight. You are a boon companion, and have earned a place at the table as much as any of us. Come sit by me, there's plenty of room."
"I laugh at your words," says Feoduro as he stands to his full eight-foot height and looks down at you, "but you have balls so I will not kill you today! Have you joined a gang yet? You will not be able to survive training without the support of a gang. There is always someone ready to knife your back. Two evenings ago my friend Narizgorda was assassinated in his sleep by a rival gang."Spisarevski leaves the explaining to the guy with aristocratic heritage, and turns to look at the big man. Obviously, the "reception committee" is gathering...
"You think you can defeat me?", the Earthling smiles wolfishly. "Talk is great when there are guards to stop a tussle. But if and when we meet on the arena, it's not likely to be enough!"
Spisarevski considered the idea. From one hand, a rival gang...that meant that joining one would make you a prime target for all the rivals.Buttersocks looks up, fruit juices dripping down his beard, and says, "I don't need you! I can get by on my own!" Then he carries his food over to sit at your end of the table and says, "Your friend Spisarevski is always trying to start fights--it's a good thing we're here to save him!"
"I laugh at your words," says Feoduro as he stands to his full eight-foot height and looks down at you, "but you have balls so I will not kill you today! Have you joined a gang yet? You will not be able to survive training without the support of a gang. There is always someone ready to knife your back. Two evenings ago my friend Narizgorda was assassinated in his sleep by a rival gang."
"You should eat," replies Feoduro. "You and your friends look like ragamuffins from the undercity of Shamballa!"Spisarevski considered the idea. From one hand, a rival gang...that meant that joining one would make you a prime target for all the rivals.
Not joining would make you a free - though hopefully not prime - target for all gangs...as well as everyone else.
In the end, he mused, joining a gang only means that the other members wouldn't try to assassinate you. Probably.
"Not yet, but we'll consider yours!", he assured him Feoduro politely. "As an old hand here, could you enlighten us which are the major gangs, and who are they leaders?"
Feoduro skeptically arches an eyebrow and says, "I have nothing to lose by telling you of the gangs. My gang, the Pretty Boys, is the strongest. We crush the gonads of any who dare oppose us. All other gangs are weak and run by addlepated fools like Enormuevos. I piss on him!"Major Hunter continues his meal and watches the interaction between Spisarevski and the hulking Feoduro. He is considering who might be the best option to form an alliance with.
"They started it," sulks Buttersocks with arms crossed."Steady on old Buttersocks. Let's not unnecessarily provoke people." Warns Major Hunter.
Feoduro pulls his loincloth down and to one side to demonstrate a tattoo on his right buttock. It seems to be a highly stylized representation of a male and a female copulating, in which the male is decidedly effeminate and the female is quite masculine. "The mark of the Pretty Boys," says Feoduro with pride. " You'll know who belongs to a gang by his mark. Next time we are in the baths, pay close attention to the other fighters' asses. Now eat, for soon they will escort us to our chambers."Spisarevski eats, not wasting time. He simply takes a mental note that the locals are balls-focused...or obsessed?
So it's probably better to attack them in the thighs in case of a brawl, instead of going straight for a nut-crush.
"Do gangs uear any sans?"
He swallows and repeats.
"Do gangs have any signs? Or do you have to remember who's with which gang?"
Unfortunately not. They resemble this:Spisarevski looks at the footlockers next to their beds. Are they flat enough to put the gnome to sleep on top of two of them, maybe with some blankets? If not, they'd need to request a bed from one of the eunuchs.
After determining it wouldn't work, Spisarevski waves at one of the eunuchs.Unfortunately not. They resemble this:
An especially tall and slender eunuch turns a cold eye on Spisarevski and makes a hand gesture you can only assume is negatory, if not outright rude, before he walks out of the room without a word. Meanwhile, as Spisarevski was endeavoring to acquire a bed for his little friend, Buttersocks, Gilipollas, and Sinbar claim three of the four bunks. One bunk remains for Hunter and Spisarevski.After determining it wouldn't work, Spisarevski waves at one of the eunuchs.
"Hey there, friend. Can we get a smaller bed for our friend here, as well?", he asks, pointing at the gnome. "He might be small, but his kitchen skills are not to be underestimated!"
I strongly doubt that. He's not that type.Has Shemek hiTankolel abandoned us?
"Why in the thirteen moons should I give up my bed just because you dunderheads didn't have the wherewithal to grab one?" accuses Buttersocks as he points at both of you."Buttersocks, old bean. That trunk would make a lovely bed for you. Lets open the lid and you'll be snug as a bug in a rug once your inside. Now as we say in the Regiment -'Shift it!' " Major Hunter says as he lays down in the empty bunk. "Besides, you can't expect Spisarevski to sleep on the floor, or in the trunk? Can you?"
"Most certainly a wise proverb. We have a similar rule as well", Spisarevski agreed. But the gnome was starting to get on his nerves..."Why in the thirteen moons should I give up my bed just because you dunderheads didn't have the wherewithal to grab one?" accuses Buttersocks as he points at both of you.
Feoduro backs him up: "We have a saying here, perhaps it will clarify his point: 'finders keepers, losers weepers.'"
Sinbar adds, "I have heard this saying, and it is wise."
Gilipollas says, "Perhaps you two should fight for the remaining bed if you cannot bear each other's company."
Feoduro nods and says, "Yes, I would like to see how you fight."
"You're trying to use words to trick me!" sniffs Buttersocks. "The big protecting the small has nothing to do with the small giving up beds to sleep in footlockers! You big bully!""Most certainly a wise proverb. We have a similar rule as well", Spisarevski agreed. But the gnome was starting to get on his nerves...
Still, the Earthman kept smiling.
"No doubt, that would be a wise rule to apply later as well, on the arena. You know, when each of us would need to pick an opponent to fight. Not only that, we should probably let the mighty forest lord over there have first pick from the other team! I mean, fair is fair, right?"
"Most certainly a wise proverb. We have a similar rule as well", Spisarevski agreed. But the gnome was starting to get on his nerves...
Still, the Earthman kept smiling.
"No doubt, that would be a wise rule to apply later as well, on the arena. You know, when each of us would need to pick an opponent to fight. Not only that, we should probably let the mighty forest lord over there have first pick from the other team! I mean, fair is fair, right?"
"The bigger ones should protect the smaller because the smaller ones can't, you mean. Like the case where the smaller ones can sleep in a space where the bigger ones can't fit?""You're trying to use words to trick me!" sniffs Buttersocks. "The big protecting the small has nothing to do with the small giving up beds to sleep in footlockers! You big bully!"
Why spoil the nice dialogue with dice?I should point out, Spisarevski could make a roll using an appropriate Perception skill if he wants to try to persuade the others in the room, and perhaps Buttersocks as well.
Buttersocks jams a thumb in each ear, closes his eyes, and starts to loudly proclaim in a sing-song voice, "Words words words! I'm not listening! Can't even see you!""The bigger ones should protect the smaller because the smaller ones can't, you mean. Like the case where the smaller ones can sleep in a space where the bigger ones can't fit?"
Why spoil the nice dialogue with dice?
Besides, I'm sure if the chest was too small for the gnome you would have mentioned it already...right? I mean, it's not like I can see the chest that was described, and the picture can be at any size.