[Riverfall Location] The Gideon Combat Arena

[Puck]

The Gideon Arena "Shall we, of such fragmented perceptions, be remembered as dictators and judges gazing down from marble pedestals? Nay, when our descendants look to the past, they shall see Akalak who fought for their honor." - Gideon Vayne Forty three years before the death of Riverfall's first ruler, Cauldric Chivan, the Gideon Combat Arena was constructed. Gideon Vayne, a close friend of Cauldric, designed a system that would eliminate the need for judgment by one's peers. The concept was approved by the council, and for the next decade Vayne and Chivan worked closely to bring the Gideon Combat Arena to fruition. Standing worn and weathered on Riverfall's first tier, the Gideon Combat Arena is nigh impossible to miss when entering the city. Whitewashed steps lead up to a set of pillars marching nearly thirty feet into the air, sheltering a nigh barren shaded area where crowds gather before the spectacle. Also found here is a set of bulletins announcing the schedule of fights, to allow Akalak wishing to use the arena as a training vehicle to plan appropriately. Through the Arena's tall, oaken double doors is the main foyer. Sparsely decorated in the spirit of the original design, the foyer presents little more than a series of benches and portals to other sections of the arena. To the immediate left and right one will see hallways. Continuing across the long chamber leads up a flight of stairs with two doors on either side. The left hallway is where the champions prepare for battle. Four doors line the corridor, leading into small chambers adorned with a few benches, whetstones, water basins, and various other resources are available. It is typical for Akalak to seclude themselves for a few hours prior to battle to mentally equip themselves as well as ensure every aspect of their physicality is prepared. The door at the end of the right hallway is kept locked at all times. The stairs lead to a large grandstands, making the arena an ideal location for speeches or momentous events should the need ever arise. Rings of smooth stone benches line the arena, looking down into the sandy pit below. Wide pathways run through the various aisles and rows, providing ample leeway for crowds of most sizes. To either side of the staircase one finds two oak doors which lead into the structure. Contestants enter one of the doors, traversing the narrow and dim hallways around the arena. The hallways come to an abrupt end at opposite sides of the stadium with a small antechamber. A single torch burns in the chamber, augmented by natural light filtering in through the grates. When combat is initiated, the portcullis' lift and the respective fighters are released into the sandy pit. Most fights are not to the death, but instead measured in points agreed upon by the contestants. In most cases, this number is three to keep the match short, but it is not unheard of for a match to go up to twenty one points if a contestant is trying to bank on their endurance to win. Other conditions may be set as well, such as a small break in between each match or none at all. After one contestant proves himself to be the victor, they must then negotiate a fair punishment with the council. While the wishes of the winner are usually granted, unreasonable requests are discouraged. In the event that the contestant wishes for a match to the death, they must negotiate with the council before the fight as opposed to after. Only certain crimes such as killing an infant, or inducing an abortion, will earn one a death without trial. Woredev Icarvu : Race: Akalak Age: 173 Children: None Position: Riverfall's Champion Skills: Mace 75; Dual Wielding: Mace 57; Unarmed Combat 48; Dance 48; Dagger 24 Description: Woredev Icarvu and his other half Lityis have a good working relationship. Where Woredev is a rather externally jovial sociopath, Lityis is an emotional wreck prone to violent outbreaks of rage. The latter is none too intelligent either, finding his constant subjugation, humiliation, and exploitation at Woredev's hands frustrating. The dominant half holds a vicious control over Lityis, manipulating the lesser Akalak into position and releasing his rage and frustration upon opponents. Woredev will force Lityis into submission for weeks on end, ridiculing his ignorance until breaking point. Then when the day of the fight comes, Lityis unleashes the pent up rage upon whatever happens to be available. Needless to say, between Woredev's cunning and Lityis' anger, this pair has proven to be a valuable asset to the city. Despite the dominant half's utter lack of compassion, to most others he appears to be extremely happy. Woredev has not a shred of guilt. Aerus Thre : Race: Akalak Age: 232 Children: One (Ucarek Thre) Position: Riverfall's Champion Skills: Lakan 67; Trident 56; Net 45; Dual Wield (Net & Spear) 43; Shield 40; Unarmed Combat 40 Description: Aerus and his other half Getteri are more often than not in sync. They trade on and off smoothly when in battle, allowing one to rest their nerves and observe while the other fights. Getteri is naturally more cynical and thoughtful than Aerus, and is considered the better strategic mind and calculator of the two. On the other hand, the latter is a better fighter, for Getteri manifested later in his childhood and missed much training. Even after he appeared though, most practice was done with neither half truly in control, so once more Getteri received a poor education. At first the two had many troubles, and came close to killing several of his brethren, and indeed they never truly came to a conclusion over who was dominant. Instead, over time, their personalities began to sync more as childhood dropped off and they faced their adult life as a warrior. A century ago, Aerus managed to sire his first child and attain the rank of Esteemed.