After your sudden teleportation, you all find yourselves in a small brick room with no doors or windows. Illuminated by a magic ball of light in the center of the room. A man in a simple tunic stands before you all. Strangely enough, the most notable about him is that he was hairless. Bald, no brows, seemingly not even on his arms or legs. He gives a bow to you all.

"Greetings gladiators, I am one of the arena's staff. I've been tasked today to explain the match that you all agreed to join." He pauses for a moment to take out a wand and point it at the wall. An image appears onto the bricks as it shows the arena once more.

"As the announcer declared, the match shall be held in the ruins arena. It's said to be one of the conquered nations that the lord Tyrant took. But that isn't important, what is important is the goal of the match. You all shall be working as a team, your goal is to gather the required materials to leave the arena. Materials may be artifacts from the ruins, like pottery or even weaponry. Said materials shall be among the ruins or even in the foes' hands. Speaking of, your foes for this match shall be," He points at the wall with his want once more.

"Goblinoids, a more savage kind. From what I know, it seems that these ones gathered for today have regressed from some kind of magical mishap they've had. They shall be coming from each of the gates, it'll be a steady flow of them to not overwhelm with numbers. And it shall be a constant flow, to press you all to find the keys for the teleportation circle. To add, anything recovered that is not a required material may stay with you. To balance out risk and reward. But the ultimate reward would be the Mercy left in the arena, Mercy lets a gladiator choose a reward, as long as it's in their tier or below."

"Now let us summarize the match, it shall be a team match against monsters. The arena itself has treasures among the ruins to plunder. Constant monsters will be coming into the arena. And there are three required items to activate the teleportation circle to escape the arena and win the match."

"The rewards for the match shall be 100 gold and choice among these four magical items. Items being, Rod of the Pact Keeper, Wand of Magic Missiles, Boots of Elvenkind, or a Periapt of Health."

"Are there any questions?"

(You may join the campaign for the match here.)

Plunder the Ruins

Are we going to know specifically what we’re looking for to activate the circle? 

Do we know how high ceiling is? Or does it open to sky?

"The items you'll need to activate the circle will be

• An ornate dagger with a silver pommel
• An intact vase of the lost civilization
• A preserved scroll in a case

The arena is open to the sky, but if it seems like you are fleeing the battle, you'll be considered disqualified."

thanks for this info.

Khazela crossed her arms, her sharp eyes flicking between the bald man and the conjured image on the wall. The rules were simple enough—hunt, retrieve, survive. The constant wave of goblinoids would complicate things, but she had spent enough time in the dark, slipping through dens of predators, to know how to turn the press of enemies into an advantage.

When the explanation ended, she tilted her head slightly, letting her gaze wander over the projection of the arena. The ruins stretched open beneath a pale sky, the crumbling remnants of conquest standing as both battlefield and prize. A dagger, a vase, a scroll. Her quills bristled. Three keys, scattered among the wreckage. It was a scavenger’s game as much as a warrior’s, rewarding those with sharp instincts and swift hands.

She turned her attention to the arena’s boundaries, looking for movement at the gate openings. Were the goblins already gathering? Were their twisted little forms peering from the shadows, waiting for the match to begin? She flexed her grip around the hilt of her lone scimitar. Whether they came soon or later, they would fall all the same.

"Shall we split up and search the nearest ruins individually before we get under pressure by the goblins?" She suggests to her impromptu companions and her view zones in to the ruins to her northeast, ready to sprint to them, hoping to search them before the first goblin arrives. 

(Few questions:

1. How is the arena ground. May Khazela make use of her burrowing speed? Specifically, she burrow through earth, soil, and sand. If so how deep is it? She is small.
2. Could you post the map again in this thread, or, perhaps better yet, in the campaign notes?
3. What do we see on the map? We are in the center now and our goal is to bring the three items there, right? Then, the structures we see there are elevated or lower ground, perhaps even below ground, or buildings? It looks like stairs lead up to them but they could be only symbolic. Do we see the fires, smoke? Are we in daylight or is there any (obvious) reason why there are fires?
4. Did the game start or do we wait for the starting signal? Should we roll initiative?
5. Can you add a scale to the map or a grid? How should we track movement?
   )

(It is a mix of packed ground near the buildings and majority of sand. It is a max depth of 50 feet before hitting solid stone. Currently all four of you are in the waiting room, you will be teleported to the center of the arena. The keys shall be need to be brought back to the center. Buildings are able to be climbed onto as difficult terrain unless character has climbing speed or ascended via stairs.

And as you are currently not in the arena yet, I cannot say what time of day it is. The fires can be seen from all angles since they are elevated.

The match shall start once there are no more questions and all the people have joined the campaign.)

Map -

(There is a grid but the ground is too light making it blend in with it. I can change it to make it more visible.)

Connor glanced towards the others for a moment and hesitantly nodded. "We could cover more ground that way but it's also possible that we could get overwhelmed if we aren't careful." As he says this he glances at his dagger. `Ten to one the dagger won't just be lying around in the ruins... but I doubt that it'd be sent out in the first wave... the vase or the scroll would probably be easier to locate.' He thought as he took a deep breath.

Thanks for the answers and the map. I'm really sorry for battering you with so many questions but since we're just waiting for others, my mind is spinning around all kind of things that may happen.

You say climbing a structure is difficult terrain but how high are they? Could we high jump and reach up with our arms to reduce the number of feet we need to climb? Khazela is 3ft tall, can jump 3 feet high and reach up with her outstretched arms for 1.5 feet more, so 7.5ft in total (which is nothing to brag about). 

Do we count every second diagonal in a turn as 10ft or just 5 ft between squares whether or not we move diagonal? 

(I forgot in the previous post that Khazela isn't proficient in common - a deliberate choice but I simply forget. The idea was that she can make use of simple language. Perhaps, she can pick up Common later, or communicate through someone who is proficient in one of her languages: Erina, Umbral and Sylvan. You should use simple language if you want that she understands. She is also proficient in understanding body language as she is used to be spoken in a language foreign to her.)

Khazela gave a small nod, her quills bristling as she considered. She held up two fingers, then pointed at the ruins, making a quick sweeping motion. “First… climb, yes? Fast. Look.” She mimed scanning the area, then clenched her fist and tapped it against her palm. “Then, together. Fight one, not many.” She flexed her grip around her scimitar, glancing at the others to make sure they understood.

She patted her empty hip where a second weapon or bow might have been, shaking her head. “No far strike. Must go close.” She pointed to her eyes, then at the tallest parts of the ruins. “Shooter go high. See. Move. Help.” She motioned a slow arc through the air, mimicking someone jumping between ledges. “One stay middle, shoot down.” Her whiskers twitched as she searched their faces, looking for understanding.

She turned to Connor, sizing him up before giving a small, approving nod. “You big. Strong.” She pointed up, then mimicked a leap with her fingers across her palm. “Jump, yes? You jump, look. I—” she pointed at herself, then made a slashing motion toward the ground. “Fight goblins. Keep busy.” She glanced at the others, then spread her hands as if to say, Who comes with me?

Quote from cyreon >>

Thanks for the answers and the map. I'm really sorry for battering you with so many questions but since we're just waiting for others, my mind is spinning around all kind of things that may happen.

You say climbing a structure is difficult terrain but how high are they? Could we high jump and reach up with our arms to reduce the number of feet we need to climb? Khazela is 3ft tall, can jump 3 feet high and reach up with her outstretched arms for 1.5 feet more, so 7.5ft in total (which is nothing to brag about). 

Do we count every second diagonal in a turn as 10ft or just 5 ft between squares whether or not we move diagonal? 

 Structures are kept at 10 feet high. It is possible to jump with a high jump with a high enough strength. And it'll be 5 feet between squares, regardless of diagonal or not.

No need for apologies, every DM operates differently so it's understandable.

Quote from cyreon>>

(I forgot in the previous post that Khazela isn't proficient in common - a deliberate choice but I simply forget. The idea was that she can make use of simple language. Perhaps, she can pick up Common later, or communicate through someone who is proficient in one of her languages: Erina, Umbral and Sylvan. You should use simple language if you want that she understands. She is also proficient in understanding body language as she is used to be spoken in a language foreign to her.)

You hear a grinding sound as the grill for the sewer is lifted and pushed aside.

"Hello folks," the horns of a reindeer folk emerge from the hole "I uh...think this was the only way out for me." She looks at her soiled hands, "I'm Quinn. I'd shakes hands or something but they're a bit dirty at the moment." she shrugs.

Quote from Wysperra >>

 

OOC: All PCs are presumed to have Common in the 2024 rules and if it not on your sheet, then just add it.

 (I didn't know that, or forgot. Thanks for pointing it out. I added the proficiency but I think I will continue to assume that she only commands the language on a basic level. She understands others but her speech is broken.)

Khazela jolted at the sound of metal grinding against stone, her fur bristling as she spun toward the sewer grate. When the reindeer-like figure climbed out, her gaze locked onto the heavy crossbow, then the powerful legs, then back to the crossbow again. "Kel vash ne’tora…?" she breathed in her own tongue, momentarily stunned. 'I name a need, and the gods send it crawling from the filth?' She narrowed her eyes at Quinn, still half-incredulous.

Her hands moved as she spoke, emphasizing each thought. She pointed at Quinn, then gestured broadly at the ruins. “You jump? Far?” She mimicked an arcing leap, then a bolt flying from an invisible bow. “You shoot?” A pause, her quills bristling as she studied the cervan. “You hear before? What I say?” She motioned between herself and Connor, then circled her hands to indicate the whole group. “We fight. Need high ground. Need strong legs. Need good aim.” She tapped her own chest, then pointed firmly at Quinn. “You come?”

Quinn nods enthusiastically. "This no place to be operating alone. "

The man raises a brow as Quinn emerges from a new sewer grate. He puts a finger to his temple and is silent for a moment. "Well...the last one has yet to come. If they don't then this applicant can take their place." He says as two grues are teleported into the room with hammers and other tools. While they head to the grate, a stack of bricks are teleported into the room. "And the arena master welcomes you, applicant, but please enter by more standard means next time." He gives a slight bow.

(Will proceed without Walpurga.)

"It has been some time so we shall proceed. Combatants, please stand back to back and raise your arm high when you are ready." The man shoos away the grues as they try to come closer to the party. He then raises his wand and waits for the party.

Quinn takes up the position.

Khazela does as it has been requested of her, she turns her spiny back towards Quinn and raises her free arm indicating that she is ready.