A Shocking Performance

**"A Shocking Performance" (1x16)** is the second session of the third chapter of A War On All Sides. The group earns some gold and begins making a name for themselves in Skyreach.

## **Synopsis**

The group ascended the Colosseum's left to a thunderous applause. The arena's announcer proclaimed the next team to fight: Too Hot to Trot. With House Torball and House Rammheim in attendance, another member of House Torball stood in the center of the ring, goading the group on. Then, a colossal armored 'man' and a smaller electrified one, emerged from the opposite end of the Colosseum. The floor quaked and three platforms raised from the sand and dirt mixed arena floor. Combat was under way for the 2,500gp prize.

The battle was quick, with the colossal cyclops creature charging into battle, seemingly energized by spells. It pounded Ashok and Nowun, while the electrified creation shot tentacles at Ashok, binding him in an electrical prison. The Torball mage, now ascended ten feet up on a platform, shot powerful bolts of lightening at the group below, severely injuring Crawmi and Ronwe. Ronwe placed the darkness spell around the mage, limiting his vision. Crawmi took advantage of this, and entered the darkness. From within, he was able to dispatch the mage. Outside, Ashok and Nowun took care of the electrified man. With only the hulking cyclops left, Ivantar sliced through him with expert showmanship. Though they were injured, with many needing to be resuscitated, Too Hot to Trot was inevitably victorious in their bout. In doing so, they earned the prize, and some frustrated glances from those of House Torball and Rammheim who were in attendance.

After the match, the team from the Deathsgate Adventurer's Guild, Bastion's Bastion, met the group outside of The Colosseum. Bastion, the leader, congratulated the group on their victory, though expressed frustration they never got a shot. Apparently, they never expected anyone else to win, and wanted to enjoy a show before besting the challenge themselves. They challenged Too Hot to Trot to the Trials of Talahad, an event that would occur on Kaniin. Too Hot to Trot expressed some waning interest, and left Bastion's Bastion to fume over their defeat on this day.

As the group left the Deathsgate district in search of some shops to spend their newly acquired gold, a man was seen falling from the upper districts. Halfway down, he appeared to be caught by a feather fall spell, and eventually came to find footing near the group. He was in a panicked state, expressing that his family was in danger in Upper Northgate's Crystal Bridge district. The group answered his call, and offered to help, finding his name to be Omaronim Deviir.

The group rushed to his father's home in Crystal Bridge. His father, an elf by the name of Rolen, was a capable fighter. However, according to Omaronim, these men were strong in their own right and managed to seize his body before throwing him over a bridge. It seemed they were after his sister, Felosial...

As the group came upon the house, they scouted and found no signs of invasion. However, as Omaronim entered, he saw some items unkempt, and rushed into the hall, finding the invaders. The group quickly got the jump on them, killing one, capturing another, and letting another flee. The guards showed up and took the woman away, but not before Nowun told her "The Shadow Order marks you". Prior to their arrival, Rolen was critically wounded, but luckily the group's fast action allowed them to save his life. Omaronim then accompanied his father to his cellar, where his sister, Felosial, was hiding and tending to wounds she had previously received from an unknown source. With assassins now after her, she had to fess up to the cause of her wounds. She had previously been involved with House Deloth, a group of individuals who received Aberrant Marks and were deemed outcasts. She disagreed with the leader, Baron Malachi Deloth, over the trajectory of the group and was severely beaten. However, she managed to escape. Now, it seems the group may be after her to cut off loose ends.

With the family saved for the time being, the group and Omaronim set off together to discuss their next moves in Clifftop at the Drunken Dragon.

## **Featured Characters**

### **Player Characters**

* Ivantar
* Ronwe
* Ashok
* Crawmi
* Nowun
* Omaronim

### **New**

* Rolen Deviir
* Felosial Deviir
* Bastion's Bastion

## **Quotations**

* Omaronim: "I definitely think my sister is attractive."