Eleasis 21, 151 Varlam Nikitovich, Chk, Tuur Office of the Herald, Pissing Crone Inn, Barak-Tor Regard Complaint by Faenor Rollo Stoneshield

I am investigating a complaint by the Faenor on the situation at the Arena on the 21rst of Eleasis. Rollo Stoneshield maintains he was assaulted as he entered the Arena to protect the life of Tuur during or after a duel.

I expect Secretary Nikitovich will confirm if the duel was officially concluded and if Tuur's life was clearly in danger necessitating Rollo Stoneshield's rapid entry into the Arena.

I hope to see reports from Tuur and Chk indicating the terms of both their duels coupled with responses to the allegations leveled by Faenor Rollo Stoneshield and in light of the announcement by Secretary Nikitovich.

I desire to see these reports within one week. Failure to provide reports will result in being the Watch apprehending any party involved without a report on file for failure to cooperate with an investigation. Further resistance in cooperation to this final measure will result in arrest.

Filed Private Barrister Fawkes

Enc: Copy of Complaint (Only the initial letter, any responses are not included.) Copy of Nikitovich's Statement

[A slightly sloppy response is sent]

Fawkes,

The duel occurred after the Thane of the Stouthearts belittled duergar craftsmanship, including clan Grunstubhle, and when I matched his insults with of himself, a small argument began and at the end he claimed "if insults that prove your dark heart are how you measure craftsmanship, then yes". As such, we made our way to the arena in a bout of honor and steel.

The first match, I was notified by a priest that the stoutheart was given blessings of his god, so when I arrived at the arena, when the herald officer offered dispellings, I allowed him to keep them to prove a point. He dispelled me, and we began the fight, which was over quickly. The terms were "The armor and honor of the other", if he lost I would get his armor, and if he one, he would get mine.

After the duel, I asked for a second duel against him, without the aid of his gods this time, in a bought that lasted a good while. As I was attacking him, the druid of stoutheart and the thane were heckling, as I spoke with dwarf I was fighting about the history of my race. As we fought, I cornered him against a wall, which he soon evaded, and when the dwarf stated it would be easier for him if I did not have a shield, I casted mine aside and continued to fight him with just my hammer. Near the end of the bout, I struck him upside the head, and he slumped against the wall of the arena. Worried he was gathering his strength for more, I gave him two clean blows to the head.

As this was occurring, the thane and druid screamed I was "Killing him" or some such nonsense, and rushed to the arena, weapons drawn, openly hostile and intent on brining me down. The thane began casting on -himself- various blessings of his gods, Tuur a good twenty feet from him, myself perhaps 10, so I turned and struck him before he had the chance to attack me from behind.

The allegations that he was saving his kin's life is a horrible lie, as he casted on himself before making his way to his kin in hopes to heal him to prevent a death which would not have occurred anyway, and I believe to be the result of his hatred for my race. I am a merchant, not a murderer, despite what many may think of me and my kin.

Afterwards, the druid summoned a lizard and spider, and the four of them eventually brought me down after many minutes of me defending myself. I then made my way to the Office to proclaim my victory, as many individuals watching the second fight left because of the length, and was met with the thane hurling insults.

Officer Nicktovich informed me to halt, and I did so, leaving the office. He presented me with his draft of the report, and allowed me to review it so that it was acceptable to allow me chance to see I was not being victimized.

Should you wish a witness, seek out "Wendall Hood", a man in a purple shirt and dark vest, who was claimed by the thane "An enemy of clan stoutheart" after he voiced his opinion of their beating of me after I won the duel.

Sorry if it caused any inconvenience, and I shall speak with you in person more in-depth if you wish. -Chkthel, of Tel Enterprises.

Greetings, Private Barrister Fawkes,

As per your request, here is my report concerning the events that led up to the duel, and the duel itself.

I encountered my Thane, together with another of my kin, arguing with a duergar, just as I set foot outside the Rock Bottom Inn. They talked about past crimes, argued about things that I've never had a chance to hear about. Histories of our and their people.

You see, I've spent my entire youth as a slave. The drow slavers that held me captive never really saw a need to educate the slaves about any of that. All they needed us to do was step into the gladiator arena (much like the Arena in Sanctuary) and kill or be killed.

I have no love for the duergar, but I do not hate them. So I remained quiet as the insults were exchanged. The duergar persisted, though.

Shortly after I joined in the “conversation”, as even I have my limits, the duergar challenged me to a duel. From the tone of his voice it was clear that the insults would not stop until one of us fought him. It was probably for the best that he challenged me, as this would have ended far worse if both sides had naught but hate for each other.

At the arena, I could barely focus my thoughts. Images of the countless battles for the amusement of the drow had raced through my mind for the first time in Sanctuary. I was blessed by the Thane before the battle. A human named Tor-Sutekh felt the duergar must be told of any outside aid. He was right, it was only fair. It was all made clear when we stepped into the pit. The duergar had someone remove his blessings, so I said that mine should also be removed. The duergar disagreed. He would fight me and the powers watching over me. The duergar said the victor will have the other's armour and honour. There's no honour to be found or defended in the gladiator pits, but I agreed. I agreed because I still feel that if he had to fight any of us, it had to be me.

The fight was not to the death, of course. We were to stop when it was clear the other was unable to fight anymore. On the count of five, we were to engage.

During the first bout, I managed to aim my flail so that it knocked the duergar down. Then another hit ended it, and I stopped there. I wasn't sure if the duergar was still able to fight or not, but I ceased my attacks. The cries from the crowd overwhelmed and shocked me. I didn't care what they said, but for a moment I saw nothing but dark elves, yelling at the top of their lungs. I should have stopped right there, but the duergar got up and demanded one more bout. Not thinking clearly, I accepted. This time my blessings were removed.

When we did battle this time, the duergar had changed his style of combat, all his energy was focused on avoiding my attacks and striking when I could do little to defend myself.

I'm not a trained warrior. When we were thrown in the pits for the first time we had never held a weapon in our hands. We had to learn from each battle we were lucky to survive, our only real teacher was instinct.

I never encountered a fighting style such as the one he used in that bout. So after a lengthy battle, I was exhausted and he managed to strike me down. I fell, but since I was close to a wall, it supported me for awhile more. My attacks had ceased by then, though, and his didn't. I could not even block any further attacks.

I heard the duergar yell louder, again about past crimes. After each hit the yells were louder and then deafened down, turned into ringing in my ears, as his hammer hit again. It was clear to me that he intended to do more harm to me at this point as he no longer fought cautiously. Now, when I was down, he went on the offensive, driven with anger.

The sustained hits to my head, together with the now clear images of savage drow yelling in the audience caused me to pass out.

I opened my eyes, and through a red mist I could see my Thane yelling to me and telling me to leave the arena. I saw him and my good friend Mydur come to my aid and try to make the duergar cease his attacks. Confused, I stumbled out of the arena.

What transpired after, I do not know. I was unable to focus. All I know is that I was taken to our Barak Tor, and then I rested.

Tuur.