[Location] Tall Johnny's Casino & Cage Fights

[Liminal]

Everyone in Sunberth knew Tall Johnny.

He was a hard person to miss, to be sure -- an elegantly-dressed human, with a carefully waxed mustache. He was tall, thin, and spoke with a charming accent of uncertain origin. He was the sort of person who infallibly came to the aid of the elderly, bought toys for small children, and opened doors for people carrying packages.

Of course, this was Sunberth, and so that wasn't the only side to Tall Johnny's character. He was also the owner and proprietor of Tall Johnny's Casino & Cage Fights, Sunberth's premier establishment for dissipation and gambling. It was a well-kept building with a brick exterior, and a pair of double doors that were flanked by a pair of unsmiling Akalak. There was no charge to enter the building, but their job was to ensure that no one got out of hand.

Inside it was dark, smoky, noisy, and crowded. The right-hand side of the building held the games. There were cards, dice, and a game that involved pouring marbles of various colors into a basin marked with numbers. Muscular men and scantily-clad women smiled and ran the games, while waiters ran back and forth bringing drinks to the gamers. This was where Tall Johnny often was to be found, mingling with the crowds and keeping an eye on the cards.

The entire left side of the building was taken up by a sort of arena. The floor area was a square perhaps fifteen feet on each side, surfaced with hard-packed dirt. It was set below the level of the building, and completely surrounded with a metal fence that was ten feet high. This "cage" was in turn surrounded by rows of ampitheatre-style seating, so that the spectators could look down at the action.

There was only one practical use for such a setup: blood sport. And indeed, that was the purpose. Fights of various kinds were constantly arranged, and occurred several times daily. They weren't always to the death, but they were invariably brutal, and even when it wasn't the goal, fatality was a common side effect among the participants. It was free to watch, but betting was encouraged, and staff members roamed through the seats taking wagers.