Wrestling With Choices

The sun is beginning to set, but there's still a crowd gathered at the colosseum. Most of the watchers seem to be gathered to watch one particular man who is impressing them with feats of strength. Lifting increasingly heavy suggestions yelled out by the crowd. He sets down a massive wheel easily fifteen feet across and the people burst into applause. "Remember! I'll buy a free drink and give a surprise token to anyone that can arm wrestle me and win!"

The cheerful man is clearly of Stormguard descent. His black hair pulled back from his face and grown long. His body muscular and tall. He's shirked his shirt in honor of the heat, and glistens with the effort of having lifted so many heavy objects. One of the people in the crowd yells out, "I bet you can't lift the horse!"

The man eyes the horse in question and grins.

Percy is pumping with pride and energy with her hair tied up tight, as she walks paces circling around Auranar she practices her forms with her indeed very large and heavy blade. With each swing she is persistent and pristine with the sway of her blade she could feel it cut through air filling her confidence. "I am SO glad to be out of that dress, it was tight and so uncomfortable? Oh! No Offense! Dresses just aren't my thing, ahaha sorry Auranar?" Percy's face fell awkward and apologetic with an honest smile. She turns her attention to the crowd and cocks her head to the side, curiously. ".....w-why the horse?"

Dirk is here to catch the show! He's got a little extra coin, and he's treating himself. He sits in one of the higher-class seats, feet propped up, with a big bowl of roasted nuts in his lap, a mug of ale in one hand, and his pipe in the other. He whistles through his teeth, cheering for the strongman as he puts on that display. "Ahh, I was every bit as strong as him in me younger days!" he says to one of his neighbors. "But nowadays, I rely on me lightning reflexes an' keen senses tae get by!"

Auranar walks toward the crowd with a small smile on her face. "Dresses are not for everyone." She stops at the edge of the crowd and watches the man performing his latest feat of strength in surprise and has to admit that she's actually fairly impressed. "What do you think Percy? Do you think you could best him? I bet you could. You're always practicing with that sword of yours."

The man walks over to the horse, patting it on the nose and speaking a few calming words as he walks along its flank. He keeps contact with the animal, petting it soothingly. It doesn't seem to mind his attention. Which is just as well when he strains his muscles and - slowly - lifts the horse. The horse doesn't get a chance to be surprised before he settles it back on the ground. But the fact that he lifted it at all is an impressive feat. He spreads his arms to more applause. "Come on. Surely someone out there is willing to try!" He points to Dirk, smiling broadly at the dwarf. "Surely a man like you is willing to take on a little friendly wager and earn yourself another cup of ale!"

"Ahaha you really think so? Okay I'll give it a shot! It sounds like fun!" Her friend's words turned her cheeks pink bashfully, she swung her sword with a burning flame of her determination. It only grew with any ounce of doubt she only thought it was part of the process of getting stronger. "Ya know what they say even if I lose, to be a winner you have a lot of losing ahead first. And I can't wait!" Her smile grew, set on this challenge she called out. "I'm up for a little rumble!" Bravely she flexed with her sword showing she knows well how to use it.

Dirk leans forward, eyes getting wide as that horse gets hefted off the ground like it was nothing. When the display is completed, he hoists his mug high into the air. "WOOOO-HAH! WELL DONE!" he thunders, stomping his foot to show his appreciation. He tips back the mug and guzzles its contents, letting loose a mighty "BRAAAAAAPH!" But that challenge, however, was not something he was expecting. He boggles, looking left and right. Surely the man must be pointing at someone else! But then he looks back. "M-me, sir? Oh, I don't know..." But there's Percy to rescue him from an awkward moment. "Ho, there ye go, that's a more worthy opponent than a weary ol' duffer!" he calls, pointing with his pipe stem towards Percy.

Auranar steps to the side as Percy takes her up on her challenge, grinning from ear to ear. She's obviously pleased that her friend is taking up the effort, and she smiles even more broadly when the dwarf encourages the man to take Percy up on the challenge. "There we go! Good luck Percy!"

The man seems to think about the thought of Percy challenging him for a moment before shrugging and motioning to Percy for her to come over to a table set up for the purpose of him taking on challengers. "Alright young lady! Ready to try your luck?" He grins at her good-naturedly and motions for her to sit down before taking his own seat. He settles his elbow on the table and then offers his hand to Percy. "Good luck to you!"

Percy with her big strong smile joins the man at the table where the crowd could clearly see her. She looked at the crowd and looked at Auranar. "Just watch Auranar! There's a nice cool glass of wine with your name on it and I'm gonna get it for you!" She faced the man she placed her elbow down on the table, she nodded at him. "Good luck to you too, you just might need it!" Her feel was competitive but indeed friendly, her grip was tough and on set and ready.

Dirk leans forward in his seat, grinning around his pipe as he watches the impending arm-rasslin' with eager anticipation. "C'mon, lassie, show 'im how we do it in Alex!" he hoots, pumping his fist in the air.

Auranar takes her place in the crowd near the front so that she can watch Percy try her hand at arm-wrestling the strong man. She hopes that the woman will win. Not for the drink, but because seeing her friend succeed at such a feat would be amazing. She clasps her hands and sends a little prayer up that Percy will fare well in this endeavor.

GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+7: (16)+7: 23
GAME: Percy rolls strength: (18)+3: 21

The strongman wrestles back and forth with Percy. Clearly straining against her efforts. His muscles bulge. His brow beads with sweat. It drips down his face as he grunts and struggles to bring her arm finally, inch by inch, to the table. It finally gets there with a little clatter and he blinks at the woman before him with surprise on his features. "A fine foe, worthy of commendation! You should come and drink with me after I finish here! I'll even buy you that drink though you don't win my token _this_ time!" He grins and pulls a strange statue out of his pocket. It looks like a twisted person, and he tucks it back into his pocket after a moment. "Anyone else wish to have a go at it?"

GAME: Percy rolls CMB: (11)+5: 16

Her grin doesn't fade, far from it. A drop of sweat makes its way down her face half way through the tussle it falls, she can feel how her hand gets a little clammy with sweat doing her best she endures as much as she can for as long as she can before her grip and strength falls she utters a few words. "I'll take you up on that, hope you don't mind if I bring a friend!" Her arm finally sets and she sits up from her seat and offers a handshake. If he were to take her hand she fails to dip him however it doesn't stop her from trying to expose the little man in his pocket. "I must ask friend, but rather than testing strength, are you a wood carver in your free time? Or is that trinket the cause of your success?"

Dirk leans forward, eyes wide as he watches the match. But when it ends with Percy's defeat, he slumps back in his chair, whacking his forehead. "D'aww! I surely thought ye had 'im!" he groans sympathetically. He shakes his head, lifting his pipe to draw a steady pull. But he ends up coughing on a lungful of pipe smoke, eyes bugging out of his head as he sees that statue revealed. "Beards o' me--kaff!--beards o' me -fathers-!" he grunts, thumping his chest with a fist. The strongman now has the old dwarf's undivided attention.

Dirk is not the only one to notice the statue. Auranar also provides it with her undivided attention. "Where did he get that?" It's a murmur mostly to herself, but she's standing close enough to Dirk at this point that he could hear her if he wasn't coughing up a lung. She edges a bit closer to the pair of Percy and the strange strongman.

The strongman easily wrests himself from Percy's grasp and grants her another smile. "It's a token of good fortune, not something that makes me stronger." He shoves the figurine more fully into his pocket and then seems to think of something. "If you want, I'll let you hold onto it and give it another go. I'm not cheating - honest."

"Oh? Is that so? Sure I'd be more than happy to hold it for you pal, I don't mind another round."

Percy turns to Dirk smiling cleverly, and offers to shake his hand and it's clear there is a slip of paper that holds some writing. "Bye the way sir I'd love to shake your hand as part of thank you for helping those people and dealing with the wolves and I believe werewolves it would be an honor.”

Dirk looks a bit shaken as he sees that statue. It's something he's seen before. "Oh Blessed Lady defend us," he mutters into his beard, fidgeting in his seat. When Percy approaches him, he gets snapped out of his brooding. He looks up and takes her hand, still flicking his eyes worriedly back to the strongman and that statue. "Oh, well... just doin' what I can, ye know?" He perks a bit curiously as that scrap gets passed to him. "Ye gave it a good effort, fer certain. Ye'll get 'im next time, nay?" He reaches up to tip his tricorne. "Have a good day, miss," he says, before he sits himself down. Glancing left and right, he quickly looks over the scrap to see what's on it.

Auranar glances toward Percy, confused as to why she's talking to Dirk, so she edges a bit closer. She catches something about werewolves above the murmur of the crowd and eyes them suspiciously, but tries not to look too notable herself and draw attention to whatever the pair is up to.

GAME: Percy rolls Bluff: (17)+1: 18
GAME: Dirk rolls Bluff: (9)+1: 10

The man doesn't seem to suspect anything however though Percy's none-too-quiet words get a raised eyebrow, and he offers up the figurine to Percy before waving her to the seat again. Dirk gets a bit of a glance, curiosity however doesn't factor into arm wrestling so he settles down to arm wrestle Percy a second time.

Dirk's eyes get wide as he looks over the scrap of paper, and he looks over to Percy. Blink blink. He shakes his head furiously, making his beard wag back and forth. He's all but squirming in his seat now, he's fidgeting so hard. He knocks out his pipe and stuffs it into his hip satchel, and passes his bowl of nuts over to one of his neighbors. But the old snowbeard has a plot brewing. One can almost hear the rusty squeaks of the gears turning in his dwarven noggin.

Percy readys up with a few stretches, takes her seat and cocks an eyebrow looking cocky with a grin. "Ahaha this time I can do this with my arm behind my back. Feel free to do it yourself sir." With that she holds the lil figure in the arm behind her back waving at Dirk making sure she has his attention. As soon as the moment arrives that the ressle starts she tosses it at Dirk ready for an 'Open fire'. "With all this competition it's definitely 'flaming hot'...with all this 'hot' weather to add on top of that. Good weather to light a pipe, right?"

Auranar watches Dirk shake his head at... something, and then Percy is settling down to another arm wrestling match with the strongman. "Go Percy!" She cheers, but she knows something's up when Percy is acting cocky and it's revealed when Percy throws the figurine to Dirk. The woman's words about 'fire' only make her eyes widen and she quickly makes her way through the crowd to Dirk's side. "It won't burn!"

No time for explanations. Oh, what a mess this was! "He's going to want that back!" Whispered as quietly as she dares, but her eyes flicker toward the competition and she wrings her hands with worry that Percy's gotten herself into trouble with this one.

GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+7: (8)+7: 15
GAME: Percy rolls Strength: (2)+3: 5

The competition between Percy and the strongman remains fierce, both of them struggling to win out against the other. In the end however, as before, the strongman manages to get the upper hand. They both seem tired though, as if the first battle had taken something out of them. In the end though, Percy's hand hits the table with a solid thump and that's the end of their competition. "Nice try!" He congratulates. "Can I have my good-luck charm back now?"

Dirk's eyes get wide as the statue gets lofted his way. "Heek!" He reaches out and scrabbles his hands at the air. He -almost- misses, the statue twirling up as he bobbles the thing with his hands. But with a grunt, he snaps his hand out and catches it in a fist. He sighs with relief--but there's no time to waste. He fumbles in his hip satchel for his pocketknife, using his teeth to pull the blade out and lock it in place. Without skipping a beat, he opens a cut in his palm and hurriedly smears his blood on the statue. "Och, I surely hope this works," he mutters.

Percy smiles and thanks him for the good game and pats herself down pretending she lost the trinket. "Hmm, please spare me a moment. I have a lot of pockets, sir." still fumbling 'looking for the little man' to stay in the view of Dirk.

Auranar breathes a sigh of relief when Dirk doesn't try to set the little totem on fire, but what he does do makes her eyes widen. "What about Percy?" She whispers to the dwarf. Her friend is standing there looking through her pockets for a figurine that's about to be found to be missing. One that Percy doesn't have anymore. One that Dirk is holding and... Yep. Percy has certainly caused enough mischief this time!

The man frowns at Percy. "You didn't put it in a pocket. You were holding it in your hand." He points to her now-empty hand and looks at the crowd. "Did you pass it off to someone? You trying to rob me?" He cracks his knuckles menacingly. "Look, either you give it back, or I take the price of it out on YOU."

GAME: Percy rolls intimidate: (12)+6: 18
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+18: (15)+18: 33

Percy's eyes look up at the man away from her pockets. "Aww, for a man like you. It'd normally be safe so assume that you're a fan of the magics! Buuuut, if it's a fight you want?" She draws her sword and lets the sword make a very heavy THUD on the floor proving its weight. "Then I would be MORE than happy to comply!” The shimmer in her eyes was different this time rather than innocent and kind its heavy confidence with determination.

Dirk boggles a bit as Percy draws steel. "Great Gilead's Ghost! There's nae need fer that!" He hops to his feet, trundling over to where they're all gathered. "I apologize, sir," he says. "I just couldnae help but admire the craftsmanship on this wee statue o' yers. It'd go so nicely in me potted begonias! Please, sir, would ye be willin' tae sell it to me? I'll pay good coin fer such a finely made piece of art!" He digs into his belt pouch, bringing out a bright, shiny platinum coin. "Ten whole gold pieces! Eh? What d'ye say?"

Auranar places her head in her hand as Percy draws down on the man. It doesn't really get better when Dirk offers to buy the statuette from him Yet she has hope that they will end up with the statue safely in the hands of someone who knows its true value. She makes her way to the edge of the crowd.

"Ten gold?" The man looks incredulous at the offer. "I _know_ its worth more than that, and I want it _back_. No money can bring back those that died in the venture to retrieve that thing, and I myself am one of the few who survived!" He looks at the crowd which is beginning to thin and he bristles at the dwarf. "If you don't give it back, I'll call the watch and have them sort it out!"

Percy places her sword in place on her back with a sigh and dusts off her hands and waits for the 'oh so real statue' to be returned to him. "Oh! That's where it went. It was an honest mistake, sir. I have a tendency to cause little to quite a lot of havoc. I am very sorry, enjoy the rest of your evening."

Dirk shakes his head. "Sir, please, ye must understand... this statue is dangerous! It's... well..." He hops from foot to foot, his expression anguished. He's just no good at bullshitting. "It needs tae be kept safe. The world could verra well depend on it!" He sneaks a quick glance at the thing, now that he's blooded it. Has it changed?

The man glares at Dirk. "And it's better in your hands than mine?" He looks a little more irritated now. "Give it _back_." He looks at Percy. "Would you reason with him? He needs to give it back to me. Now."

"...." Percy gave the man a concerned look and looked back to Drik and once more at the man. "....what did you say your name was?"

Dirk shakes his head. "Laddie, ye dinnae -understand-..." He looks desperately to Auranar and Percy. Surely they've got to have -something- planned. Right?

Auranar shrugs. She has no plan. This was... well it was Percy and Dirk's show. Not hers. She would never have thought to take the totem in the first place. Or would have run off with it long before now. One of the two. She looks helplessly at Dirk and spreads her hands.

The man holds out his hand for the totem. "Zalgiman Joaki. Now. The figure." He looks pointedly at Dirk this time. Sensing a weak link in the chain.

Percy stares at the totem with a conflicted look on her face, she looks between Auranar and Dirk, her smile has faded in turn she takes down her ponytail and faces the man. "Well then Zalgiman Joaki what event where you in that caused this to reach your hands?"

Dirk throws up his hands. Being subtle has not helped. Not that subtle was ever his strong suit. "Boyo, this here statue is one o' the things keepin' Caracoroth bound an' chained," he grumbles. "An' if those lycans get ahold of 'em, then we're in fer a -world- o' shit. Ye follow?" He looks up at the man, planting his fists on his hips. "If ye know what's good fer ye, ye'll let me hie this off somewhere it'll be kept good an' safe."

"Please!" Offers Auranar from the peanut gallery. She steps forward, wringing her hands and looking at the man with hope in her eyes. "Please just let us take the item and keep it safe. I don't doubt that you could, but we know more about it than you do."

GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+24: (16)+24: 40

"I know." Zalgiman growls, tearing the totem out of Dirk's hand and shoving it into his pocket once again. He grins at the Percy, Dirk, and Auranar and turns. Leaving amid the breakup of the crowd. Now that he's not calling the city guard, the interest in this event has waned entirely. He walks away, taking the totem with him. Leaving only his name in his wake.

-End