The Snark

Later, on the trip back to Veehra... "You didn't mention your suspicions about the Basu-Rahman Group." "After that definitely-not-a-threat lecture I got just for mentioning the Bironian affair? Damn right I didn't. I'm tactless, not stupid. The Biarbu are friendly with BRG, I'm not about to start talking about how their buddy might be the guy I'm after." "Besides... I don't really like Basu-Rahman as a suspect. They've got means and motive, I guess. Knowing exactly when and where to be in order to grab Chancellor Eydis is right up their alley; they wanted information on the Elder Blood - sure, Basu-Rahman loves its esoteric secrets - plus ships, which they can't build themselves because they don't have access to military-grade shipyards. Problem is... I don't know, it just doesn't feel like their style to me? Holding a head of state ransom is a hell of a risk, and what do a bunch of corporate suits want with a navy?" "Defend themselves against all the people looking to bomb their holdings?" "The timing's all wrong, this started years before the Soom-clan torched the Mraza broadcast station." "Maybe they saw it coming. Or just didn't want to be left at the mercy of forty-plus nations with shiny new Imperial warships." "Eh. Maybe. Sometimes you've gotta go with your gut, 99, and mine says it's not BRG. I can't rule them out completely, which is why I'm not subcontracting anything out to this. Maybe I'm wrong and our mystery culprit will hit Eucrus or the Soom next. Maybe they're paying BRG for info - I'd find that a lot easier to believe. But they're not my prime suspect."

Castaways of the Loop Capital: The Great Western Waste (Region 62) The Group of Seventeen D10 | M6 | E10 | F2 | I4 Round Seven Actions [Diplomacy] Create Orbital Habitat [Diplomacy] Attend the First Pan-Tekhum Mageball Competition Sub-actions: Donate 5 treasure to EMP for Extraordinary Research Grant Approvals Gift Shrewd Business and [tech name] to WTU to repay favors [Military] Recruit Commander [Economy] Invent Technology [Economy?] Non-Actions Designate a new non-dynastic heir, the Group of Twenty-Three, and turn over next round Resist and hinder all unsupported buyouts Resist and hinder all unsupported conversions Decline the merge from Fascination to Soul's Fascination The Biarbu practice of observation and interpretation of Fate has gained some traction among the traditionally secular Loop-born in the last few years. Soul's Expression has not, however, and most greet the news that the two faiths have merged with bemusement; one Todd is regrettably quoted in the media as saying he "doesn't see the point in all this woo-woo hamster self-help book stuff". News and Rumors Additional Notes Treasure: 5/5 Spent this round: Passive Treasure Income: 2/round Military Units: 5/9 Anyport Home Defense Militia, led by Cdr. Rhonda 28417 (ground) Orid-clan mercenaries, led by Amun Orid Sakar-clan mercenaries, led by Keti Sakar Orochon defense militias Drone flagship First to Fly, helmed by Cpt. Jeremy 25114 (space) Organizations EMP: Reputation 0, 0 favors WTU: Reputation 2, -2 favors BRG: Reputation 1, 0 favors Renown 2

The pair exchange another brief glance. "It's not urgent. The trail's gone cold after New Kildora anyway. We're just here to... what's that saying you have? 'Sometimes Fate needs a little push?' That's us. When these guys make their next move, you'll remember this conversation, and maybe then it'll be the right time to start looking." Todd shrugs. "Or maybe not. Who can say? But I think I like the future where you know what to look for better than the one where you're blindsided." "You might also think of it as an insurance policy. Our investigation at New Kildora wasn't a secret; if whoever is behind this decides to silence us... best we share what we know first. We've shared our suspicions with our own people too, of course, but they'll be expecting that. They won't necessarily be expecting you." "Right, yeah, if we both fall down a flight of stairs under suspicious circumstances, that's pretty good evidence right there." OOC I don't have actions to spare on Investigation anytime soon either; this is just opening up a line of dialogue, basically. Though if/when you get around to it, I suspect your Intrigue will be considerably higher than mine...

The long burn from Mekhala to Veehra passes smoothly. With the asteroids out of the way, there's not much for Gerald to do other than sit behind the wheel, and catch up with the latest broadcasts out of B.I.R.B., Heliotrope and Snake News. Just like driving a truck back home, but not as bumpy. He's got running water, a decent bed, a month's worth of pre-packaged meals... if not for the gravity, it'd be a perfect little getaway, really. He barely needs to touch the controls, aside from flipping the ship around and beginning to decelerate around the halfway point. The course the eggheads back home have plotted for him will burn off a little speed via orbital slingshot... but since he needs to make landfall to pick up his prize, he's going to have to slow most of the way down the old-fashioned way. Mons Orochos is the tallest mountain on Veehra; tallest in all of Tekhum, unless there's something hidden in the outer orbits where astronomers can't see it. The atmosphere at its peak is far too thin to be breathable, allowing Gerald's ship to come in far hotter than would be safe under other circumstances. If everything goes as planned, there should be a pit crew waiting for him on the lip of the caldera, with a canister of dust ready to go... "Dude! Todd! Have you seen that new magic engine the House of Brimstone pulled out for this?" "Yeah, they've been here and gone already." "Oh yeah, I figured that might happen, the way they took off from the starting line. But check this out: some of our guys talked to some of the guys from Kish, and we've got schematics for those engines!" "Oh yeah?" "So I thought, you know, maybe you could take a look and see if you can soup up my ride?" "..." "Like right now. Kind of in the middle of a race here, my guy." "Gerald. We've known each other for, what, ten years?" "Sounds right." "In that time, have I somehow managed to give you the impression that I'm a goddamn space wizard?" "No, but you're an engine guy, and this is engine stuff! Engine wizardry. That's kind of your thing." "I'm a metaphorical engine wizard. This is literal engine wizardry." "So is that a no?" "Just to be clear what you're asking. You want me to take a look at the Archmage's volatile prototype magical nuclear reactor - two fields, I have to stress, that I am not remotely qualified in - and see if I can jury-rig one for your ship... using spare parts and igneous rocks... in the two hours it'll take you to refuel and resupply?" "Basically, yeah." "... gimme the schematics. I'll see what I can do." "You're the best!" Four hours later, Gerald's ship takes off again, now equipped with something Todd 52776 calls a leyline ramjet; in his words, "it might give you a boost if you can follow in the Archmake's wake closely enough, and I'm almost certain it won't explode and kill you." Gerald is pretty sure he won't be beating the Archmage of Kish back to Mekhala, but that's no reason to give up. The race to al-Miraiya is on!

Twelve years ago, the Group of Seventeen had deemed the Mekhala Mad Dash too dangerous - and too frivolous - to risk one of their Imperial engines on. But after more than a decade, the drive cores are... not commonplace, exactly, but the Logistics and Rationing Group no longer controls them quite so strictly. A group of Geralds has put together an entry, drawing lots to see which of them gets to be at the wheel. Castaways ships are typically modular in design: a narrow superstructure contains the engine and power source (typically a fusion reactor or solar panels), while crew quarters, cargo space, combat drones, and other ancillary systems are housed in interchangeable modules. By swapping the modules in use, it is a relatively simple matter to refit a cargo ship into a long-distance survey vessel, a diplomatic escort, or a passenger liner, and vice versa. However, these ships are not built for speed; the attachment points limit how swiftly they can safely accelerate, decelerate, or turn. As such, Gerald's racing vessel is custom-built. It is inelegant in its simplicity: a large, blocky rectangle with an engine on one end. But what it lacks in aesthetics... and maneuverability... and probably raw speed, if we're being painfully honest... it'll hopefully make up for in reliability. Gerald 48223 isn't really expecting to win this race, but he's damn well going to finish it. As the GO light flashes green, Gerald hits the thrust. His engine flares to life, propelling his ship forward... at nearly a ninety-degree angle to the other racers. Rather than gunning straight for Veehra, Gerald's planned trajectory will take him out of Mekhala's ecliptic plane, at which point he can reorient and make a beeline for the planet without having to waste time and fuel avoiding asteroids (or other racers). Roll notes First leg: 2d6+4 (half Econ) = 13 Pickup: 2d6+5 (half Diplomacy, visiting Gerald's native region) = 16 Las leg: 2d6+4 (half Econ, +1 for Thaumonuclear Reactor technology, -1 for not being Mekhalan) = 9

The two Loop-born exchange a brief glance as the conversation turns to the Bironian civil war and the new Treasurer. Todd nods slowly, absorbing what the Biarbu is saying (and pointedly not saying) and deciding to leave that topic well alone for now. "Follow the money. Oldest trick in the book," he says. "Or, as I suspect is the case here, the lack of money. Consider: our first confirmed sighting" - Rhonda makes a disgruntled noise, and he corrects - "our first well-supported sighting is the Fiorid affair. Nabbing a prisoner from whatever's left over of the Grigialfheim insurgents is... well, I'm not gonna say it's easy, but I think the hard part is knowing exactly when and where to hit them. Someone who was well-informed - or just lucky - wouldn't need a lot of money or guns to get their hands on Eydis. And I think it's telling that they demanded military vessels equipped with Imperial engines. It suggests that's not something they have access to on their own - which is to say, not Elect." "Once our ransomers have their prize, boom! They're in business. Spend money to make money... or spaceships, in this case. Lotta Kildoran yachts were hijacked in that raid, which sounds harmless if you don't know that Kildoran sorcerers like their leisure yachts more heavily armed than a kanmarra bodybuilder." "As for what our mystery actor wants... well. That's the big question, isn't it? I don't have any theories on that; it's hard to make a pattern out of just two data points. If I'm right, they started off with secrecy and good intel as their only real assets, and now they're bootstrapping up to bigger things. Which means they're probably just hitting targets of opportunity, rather than going after their enemies, but who knows? I'm keeping an eye out for any further signs, but as far as I can tell they've been lying low the last couple of years."

"Elder Ben Ying. Thank you for seeing us. Time is valuable and we're honored to be considered worthy of yours." Should she bow? Probably not, they're sitting down and there's not that much room in the booth. She settles for a deep nod. "As you've correctly surmised, I am Rhonda 49199, and this is my colleague, Todd 49186." "It's the gravity," Todd says, attempting to sit up straighter. "Imperial standard G is hell on my posture." Rhonda resists the urge to roll her eyes at him. "I'm told you're already familiar with our investigation into the raid on New Kildora, Elder Ying? Our business today is related to that. We understand you like to keep abreast of current events, both those reported in the mainstream media and those... a little more off the beaten track. The Kildoran incident is just the latest in a pattern we've been looking into." Todd picks up on the thread. "It's the perfect frame job, if you think about it. Who's going to bother digging deeper when the obvious suspect is a known axe murderer? Except it's out of character for the Reign of Blood to deny responsibility; normally the Bloodlord would just say 'yep, we did it, come at us if you think you're hard enough'. And sure enough, when we start poking around, the evidence doesn't really fit. Whoever was behind the attack didn't have access to real sanguimancers - which is damn near unheard of for a Khylokian raiding fleet. But that leaves the question: if it wasn't the Reign of Blood, who was it?" "There are between forty and forty-three Elect active in Tekhum, depending on how you reckon it. There's also the Pan-Tekhum Worker's and Trader's Union and the Basu-Rahman Group, who are influential enough to contend on the same playing field despite not having the Emperor's official stamp of approval. And of course, there's the Empire itself. I've gone through them all, and while there's some I can't rule out for sure... I believe there's another player in the game." He lays a tablet out on the table, scrolling rapidly through news articles, photographs, and other documents. "2039. Eydis dei Fiori is captured; the Fiorid press blames Grigialfheim insurgents, but the Velafloan defense coalition surrenders without any reference to the events. Over a year later, a ransom demand comes from a third party, demanding military hardware and state secrets - the former of which is paid with ships sourced from the Khylokian Reign of Blood. The link is clear." "From here on out, the trail gets murkier. There's a possible connection to the old Veehran Triangle conspiracy - this was before my time, but the Todds who debunked that story found triangle iconography at a number of sites spread out across the planet, suggesting a common cause. We haven't seen anything further on that front, but I'm keeping an eye out for the insignia." "Lastly, I've marked the Bironian Civil War as a potential point of interference: it's tough to find reliable info on that period, but between Yanji Argon's assassination, his 'miraculous' return from the depths of Badal," Todd is absolutely the kind of guy to deploy finger quotes, "and the death or disappearance of nearly every Bironian leader over the next few years, it's clear there was a lot of shady business going on. Some of these are solved cases now: Kazi of Sodium ended up wearing the Black Butterfly, and I'd bet good money that Treasure Boyin was offed on Alchire's orders. You probably know more about this than we do; maybe you can shed some light on it." "So how 'bout it, Mister Ying? What's your professional opinion on all this?" "We'd welcome a fresh perspective."

"By all means," Rhonda says, before Todd can muster any kind of response. "We're pleased to accept your hospitality. Should your employer happen to have a spare moment in their schedule, we'd be honored to speak with them in person." As the Biarbu leads them towards a booth, the two share a brief wordless conversation: raised-eyebrow-meaningful-glance-grimace-nod-eyeroll-shrug. Todd falls back half a step to let his partner lead the way.

A blocky Veehran ship disgorges just two Castaways onto the docking ports of Shiwa Yun. The man is dressed in an aurochs-leather jacket that's seen better days, the woman in a long tweed coat; both seem positively drab amidst the flashing lights and colorful plumage of the Biarbu city. The pair are, technically, an official delegation. Though the Group of Seventeen saw little point in sending government officials to a casino on a faraway planet, certain consultants they employ spotted an opportunity. "Well," says Todd 49186, lighting up a shock-cigar, "here we are." "Remind me what we're doing here again?" Rhonda 49199 hasn't forgotten anything. In fact, Rhonda 49199 has a near-photographic memory. But her partner in crime-solving has been annoyingly tight-lipped about this trip, and he does love his exposition. "We're here to see a bird about a man, Rhonda." A faint scent of Shoku Baotsi begins to permeate the air as Todd takes a long drag of his cigar, along with a staticky tingle. "Probably shouldn't call them that." "What, birds?" "Yeah. Bit like walking into a human city and talking about monkeys." "We are monkeys." "Sure, but that won't stop people from thinking you're an asshole if you go around calling them that." Todd sighs. "It's really annoying when you're right. Fine, I'll try and think of a better one-liner before we get to the hotel." "Not the casino?" "Nope. We're checking into the Silver Hotel, and then we want to talk to the manager."

Castaways of the Loop Capital: The Great Western Waste (Region 62) The Group of Seventeen D10 | M6 | E8 | F2 | I4 Round Six Actions [Diplomacy] Attend the Mekhala-Veehra Dash of 2050 Sub-actions: Accept 1 treasure and Thaumonuclear Reactor Core technology from HOB. Accept 1 treasure and Android Industrialization from CAS. Gift them Aclaustrophobic Psychiatry, In Vivo Modification, and Xenolinguistic Cataloguing in return. Accept Badalian Megadirigibles from CUS. Accept Pseudogravity Engineering and Shrewd Business from ARK. Sign onto the Arkhive's charter as a visiting member. [Economy] Buyout TP 104.2 (Solar Panels) (spending 1 treasure; TN 12, result 13Economy 8, +1 from spending treasure, +1 from Union Central's bonus to Buyouts, -2 distance penalty, success) Portable, cheap, and endlessly renewable, solar panels are the perfect power source for a colony that doesn't yet have fusion reactors up and running. [Economy] Buyout TP 16.2 (Senkar Medicae) (spending 1 treasure; TN 12, result 12Economy 8, +1 from spending treasure, +2 from UHS support, -2 distance penalty, success) Senescence is a foe not even the scientist-sages of Ophon have managed to defeat... but the homogeneous nature of the Loop-born population presents an opportunity of sorts. They know exactly which chronic illnesses and genetic predispositions will assail them as they grow old; rather than struggling to cure a thousand subtly different strains of cancer, medical researchers can focus their efforts on the exact type that Carl or Meredith is prone to. As older Loop-born generations enter their fading years, the Group of Seventeen reaches out to far-off Senkar, famed across Tekhum for its medical expertise, and arranges to import specialists to develop treatment regimens for the Seventeen. [Economy] Impress Merchants in Region 63 with Charmed Textiles (spending 1 treasure; TN 12, result 18Economy 8, +1 from spending treasure, success) The Castaways make good on their promises to the people of the Orochon Shieldplains, importing trade goods the Orochons can't find or manufacture in their homeland: exotic foodstuffs, delicate electronics, and large quantities of furs and enchanted embroidery from distant Sansar. [Economy] Prospect Colony in Region 60? (TN 12, result 11Economy 8, failure) The ancient terraforming machinery beneath the Empty Sea represents a golden opportunity, even if it's never used as its builders intended. There is a veritable treasure trove of pre-War technology buried in the labyrinthine bunker complex, much of it shockingly intact. Loop-born scientists and archaeologists mine the tunnels eagerly - not for scrap metal or components, but for knowledge. The control bunker's databanks were all wiped, but are there secondary repositories? Can any of the devices be replicated or repurposed? Care is taken to ensure they don't destroy any of the machinery in their efforts to reverse-engineer it; they're here to understand what the ancients left here, not pillage it. Non-Actions Send an informal delegation to the Grand Opening of the Golden Phoenix Support BRB's conversion to Fascination in Region 62 The Biarbu practices of observation find a ready audience among Todds and other secularly-minded Loop-born, who have little use for the mysticism espoused by the Cult of the Mother Serpent and other Veehran faiths and appreciate a more pragmatic outlook. Resist and hinder all unsupported buyouts Resist and hinder all unsupported conversions Request that the WTU construct an Interplanetary Guildhall in Region 63 (-2 favors, -1 Rep) Determined to end the threat of food scarcity once and for all, the Group of Seventeen draws up plans for an immense greenhouse complex on the southern slopes of Mons Orochos. They request Union assistance in construction, promising favorable access to the harvests once the project is complete. The People Want Action Any attempt to reform the institution of corvee labor must consider the Demigod-King En-Sha-Nerrat and his peers, who presently hold it their divine right to command the work of their subjects' hands. Enacting any kind of meaningful change without their support will be difficult. Though some might argue that it would be best to remove the problem at the source, the Castaways of the Loop feel that even if unseating the Demigod-King were feasible - no small feat, given his legendary prowess in battle and the political backing of New Kildora's sorcerers - doing so would cause irreparable damage to the Union's reputation, as other rulers worry that they might be the next target, and move to curtail the Union's influence. Therefore, it is critical to acquire En-Sha-Nerrat's backing for the project. Several other parties have presented promising ideas for economic reform; the Castaways's proposal will focus on the diplomatic side instead, offering a number of suggestions to ensure that the plan does not challenge the Demigod-King's authority or contravene his establish dogma. Some plans are more easily adjusted than others, of course. An ideal proposal would allow the Demigod-Kings to grow wealthy off taxation and trade while their subjects flourish. If the plan selected does not offer such immediately tangible benefits, it may be prudent to resort to outright bribery to smooth things over with the local powers-that-be - a short-term solution, and an expensive one, but perhaps necessary if the project is to succeed. News and Rumors The confirmation of pre-War terraforming machinery in Region 60 sparks a spirited debate among the Castaways. Many feel that activating the ancient device is clearly the right thing to do: why not transform a barren wasteland into a paradise? Had the Loop-born emerged into fertile farmland rather than desert, how many of the thousands who starved might still be alive? How much easier would their lives be without storms and drought hanging over their head? But the decision proves more controversial than first expected. Terraforming would destroy the native desert ecosystems; Rasha in particular is outspoken in her opposition to the plan, with one elder stating that "it is the height of arrogance to believe that the planet exists to be reshaped for our convenience", and many of the Castaways who have found meaning in the cult of the Mother Serpent find themselves uneasy at the prospect. The Orid- and Sakar-clans are equally divided: those who look at the greenlanders with envious eyes see opportunity, but others fear that without the desert, their ancestral traditions and way of life will be destroyed in a few short generations. A few point out that this choice is not wholly theirs to make. Terraforming could have effects that extend well beyond the Castaways' borders. And so the Group of Seventeen sends emissaries abroad: to their neighbors in Vesper and the Union first, then the Peludo, the Soom-clan, Narsai, and every polity that claims land in the desert. Information is shared, on the terraforming machine's current capabilities and its hypothesized future applications. What should be done with this technology? Governmental reform continues to be a hot topic among the Castaways. The Group of Seventeen now lays claim to a vast swathe of territory, stretching all the way from Mons Orochos in the north to what is becoming known as the Empty Sea in the south. At least three - possibly as many as seven - distinct cultures make their homes in this region... and yet, only the Loop-born are represented on the ruling council. Some argue that since the Loop-born were singled out by the Emperor when he raised them to the Elect, it's only right that they stand above the others - but this argument proves extremely distasteful to the Loop-born themselves, who reject the idea that the Emperor's whim makes them any more worthy than their neighbors. At long last, the Group of Seventeen breaks their silence on the topic: they do not intend to mirror Ophon's distant neglect. Their neighbors and allies will be given a voice, to ensure their wants and needs are not overlooked. However, change will take time. The Castaways' ramshackle government does not have established processes for reform; they must decide not only what changes to make, but how to make them and who can be trusted to carry them out... Additional Notes Treasure: 3/5 Spent this round: 3 Passive Treasure Income: 3/round Military Units: 5/9 Anyport Home Defense Militia, led by Cdr. Rhonda 28417 (ground) Orid-clan mercenaries, led by Amun Orid Sakar-clan mercenaries, led by Keti Sakar Orochon defense militias Drone flagship First to Fly, helmed by Cpt. Jeremy 25114 (space) Organizations EMP: Reputation 0, 0 favors WTU: Reputation 3, 0 favors BRG: Reputation 1, 0 favors Renown 2

Once again, Pugilarch's muscular bulk proves useless against the power of bullets. He stands upright for a few moments, then topples to the ground with a thunderous crash. The arena's microphones zoom in to catch one last, almost plaintive "destroy..." before the giant goes still. VIP Box "No! Not my beautiful creation! You philistines!" The doctor is too distracted to answer Guyineber's question, and may in fact have forgotten she exists.

"It's not bad," the Jy'mar says, sounding distracted as he peers down at the arena. "I admit I'm a tad disappointed by the prevalence of ranged weaponry here, it seems somehow unsporting; if I wanted to watch people gun each other down I could just turn on the news. Originally this iteration of Pugilarch was going to have subcutaneous armor, you know, but I couldn't get it to play nicely with the muscular reconfiguration system, and of course I prioritized the latter because it's far more interesting... From a tactical perspective it seems to have been a mistake, though. I'll have to give bullets some thought. I understand they're something of an unsolved problem when it comes to military hardware, but I'm sure a genius of my caliber can work something out." He blinks as the rest of the llort's comment finally registers. "Hang on, son? What are you blathering about?" Out in the arena, Pugilarch recollects himself, the shock of his injury slowly giving way to adrenaline-fueled rage. His body emits a disquieting series of squelching and cracking sounds as he stands upright, casting about for the next enemy. By unlikely happenstance, his eye fixates on the smallest target possible: Prisca Calpurnius. Mustering all his cunning and restraint, Pugliarch refrains from shouting his customary cry of "DESTROY!" until the very last second, moments before he attempts to squash the Jy'mar Console...! Mechanics Rolling to determine a target, you know the drill by now. 1=Keon Nnight, 2=Prisca, 3=Belu Attacking Prisca with a 10

Pugilarch's inhuman musculature proves useless against an enemy he can't reach. The first shot halts him in his tracks; the second blows one of his arms clean off. For a moment, the giant simply stands there, berserk rage forgotten as he stares dumbly at the stump where his limb used to be. "Destroy...?" Then his flesh contorts around the shoulder, and the spray of blood cuts off abruptly. In the VIP box, Doctor Sardonicus lets out a high-pitched cheer. "Yes! The auto-cauterization lattice appears to be performing within expected parameters. Don't count Pugilarch out of this yet, my friends!"

"DESTROY!" Pugilarch barely seems to notice as the injured Yihan makes his (temporary) escape, bellowing with incoherent fury as he slams blow after savage blow... the floor? Sometimes air? It's possible that whatever unholy concoction the doctor used to spur his creation into a berserk rage has side effects. Nevertheless, after a little the giant notices that he no longer has an enemy to pummel. Snorting, he turns laboriously about, muscles literally rippling under his skin as his body reconfigures itself to be lower to the ground. The first gladiator his gaze falls on is... Seraphine! Badalian monstrosity meets Veehran as the giant charges on all fours like a gorilla. Mechanics Pugilarch is uninjured and rolls at +3. Rolling a d2 to determine target (1=Eighbris, 2=Seraphine)... Attacking Seraphine with a result of 12.

In the VIP box, Doctor Sardonicus smirks, his floating hoverchair affording him equal height with the apefolk. "Go forth, my creation! Wreak destruction on these hapless fools who know not my genius!" A tiny finger stabs down on a red button. In the arena, a transceiver buried in Pugilarch's flesh activates, flooding the creature's bloodstream with a cocktail of hormones designed to dial up stress and aggression. The placid titan's face screws into a scowl, and for the first time he turns to look at his fellow combatants, beady eyes searching for his first victim... "DESTROY!" His gaze falls on his fellow Badalian. The Bironian gladiator Yihan finds himself staring up at a descending fist larger than his head! Mechanics Pugilarch: Mil 3, both 'weapons' available Rolling a single d6 to determine target (1=Aki, 2=Keon Nnight, 3=Prisca, 4=Yihan, 5=Belu, 6=Doom)... Attacking Yihan!