The Wildemount Irregulars (2020)

Doteya Arrac, delighted to meet  you master Silent.  See you tomorrow.  She gives an encouraging little wave as you leave the shop.

You stand outside the music shop, which is on a small side street that leads of Alt'afi Avenue, one of the four main streets of the city of Feolinn which all meet in a big square in the centre.  Around you, you see sports theaters, bathhouses, gambling halls, and other places of entertainment.  Where would you like to go next?

Magnum, you said you wanted to make some coin, right? Got any bright ideas here? We got two days to kill... could be worth looking up those mercs, eh?

(OOC: Based on surrounding conversations is it possible to gather any information about the types of sports being played? Wondering if we can determine if this is like gladiatorial stuff or more recreational/friendly competition.)

I usually offer my services as a craftsman. Occasionally, blacksmiths can use a helper that doesn’t tire easily, or sleep, and brings his own tools. I’ve never fought for money. Is that lucrative?

Silent, make a Perception check.

Perception 14   

Smithing sounds a hell of a lot safer. Done a bit of pit fighting but never found much success. Can be a great way to find skilled swordsmen, though...

Perhaps we could take my, shall we call it, atypical form and use that to make some money.  I could be a sort of battle automaton that you challenge people to fight.  I mean, it's not a lie. 

You spend a half hour wandering up and down the street, looking at the various establishments and listening to people as they talk.  You get the sense that fighting and sports are well-organised in the city, and somewhat regulated.  There's fighting of all types, including wrestling, pit fighting, gladiator combat - whatever you like - for the ticket-buying spectator.  However, for an out-of-towner like you, with no reputation, no licence, no background check, no sponsor... options for participation are probably limited to pit fighting in taverns.

Hmmm, we've got some experience beating up mercs from this town so hell, if you're down for some tavern brawling I am too. And if we get our arses kicked...well we can spend time tomorrow looking for blacksmiths who might pay for your skills. 

Perhaps if we put on a good show, we could interest a sponsor. I am, as the meat people say, down.

You'll need to look around to find a place where you might be able to fight.  There are a few approaches to this - you can ask people, you can try to find an establishment that fits the bill, or something else.  Let me know how you're approaching it, and make an appropriate check - something like persuasion, perception or investigation, depending on how you're going about it.  Either one of you with advantage, or both making separate rolls.

Silent will attempt to scan the crowd for any rough-looking folks who carry themselves with a fighter's demeanour - if he finds any such individuals he'll try to strike up a conversation (not sure if this will be Perception-based to find someone or Persuasion-based to talk to them). 

We'll go with Persuasion.

(OOC: Do feel free to roll the check that you think is most appropriate when you're not sure.  If I disagree, I can always just lift the d20 roll and apply the modifiers for a different skill.)

(Magnum is proficient with Persuasion. Can he help with the roll for advantage?) 

Sure. :)

Persuasion 8 

You learn of two options; one is a tavern called Wendaray's Pride which has a good reputation as a place new fighters can get their first few serious bouts in.  The other is a more hard-core pit fighting scene, not quite an illegal club, not quite the kind of thing the city authorities approve of, but probably more profitable - it's called the Iron Chain.

Dunno about you but I reckon if we're gonna do this we should go all in - this Iron Chain sounds good to me. 

Magnum agrees. 

There's a plain wooden door in a side alley.  No sign.  Just a man standing at the door, watching people as they pass the alley's entrance on the main street.   His eyes narrow as  you approach.  He looks you over, nods, and motions for you to enter.  As you get closer you hear noise coming from inside:  shouts, cheers and jeers.

Inside is a hallway, and at it end a large room, benches all round the side, and a fight underway between a half-elf and a halfling, both wielding daggers and with a few cuts here and there.  It's clearly not a fight to the death, but the crowd of around thirty patrons is loving it, clearly supporting the half-elf and insulting the halfling at every opportunity.

It's all very makeshift, seedy and pretty filthy.  In one corner, there's a bar of sorts, serving drinks.  You see a man who might be organising the fights, talking briefly to two humans dressed for combat, perhaps the next fighters for today.  And there are customers of many shapes and sizes.  The place stinks of sweat and cheap alcohol, but the mood is cheerful and, in a strange way, welcoming.

What would you like to do here?

Perhaps you should do the talking, Silent.  I will play the role of...thing what hits other things.