Kulgarr vs. Struan Briggs
"Welcome, all, to the match between Kulgarr and newcomer Struan Briggs! This should be an interesting matchup, indeed! Let's get the party started. Grolsch, begin the match!"
A few seconds later, Kulgarr materializes in front of the west gate. The large, muscular, pony-tailed half-orc is clad in studded leather and wields his shortbow with pride. Mere moments later, his opponent, Struan Briggs, appears in front of the eastern gate. He is clad in breastplate and carries an air of refinement and dignity. He comes armed with his longbow, with his longsword sheathed.
Kulgarr reacts first, advancing towards his opponent and firing off an arrow. It pierces Struan's armor on the left side of his chest. The warrior bellows in obvious pain, and returns an arrow of his own. Unfortunately for him, it misses. Kulgarr continues to advance, bellowing "You will feel my sting soon, puny man!" He fires off another arrow, but narrowly misses the dodging warrior. Struan retorts, "You insolent beast! It is you that will feel the pain at my hands!" He fires off an arrow, but he too misses. Afterwards, he draws his longsword from his sheath while keeping the longbow in his other hand.
Growling (or was it laughter?)Kulgarr steps forward only a few more feet, aims his bow and fires. It bounces harmlessly off of Struan's breastplate. Struan answers by charging dead ahead to engage his swarthy opponent in melee. He swings with his sword but does not penetrate Kulgarr's armor. The half-orc steps back a few feet and fires off another arrow at close range, but again misses. Struan says, "Your orc blood surely has led to your poor aim, cretin!" He straps his longbow back up, narrows the gap, and slashes Kulgarr with his longsword. He manages to pierce the armor this time, causing the half-orc to grimace in pain. The crowd begins to cheer...
Kulgarr stumbles back in pain, feigning serious injury. Struan laughs, saying, "I know when I've got a man down, you louse!" He pulls out a small shield to better protect himself, again narrows the gap and slashes at Kulgarr. Kulgarr, obviosuly faking the seriousness of his injury, manages to avoid the blow. Again he steps back and fires another arrow from close range, but again misses. And again, Struan closes the gap, but this time strikes a mighty blow to Kulgarr's chest. "Now that is an injurious blow, man-beast!" The crowd cheers more, expecting the end is near.
Kulgarr dives low and makes a hasty run towards the southern gate. Struan, realizing that his armor may hamper his ability to narrow the distance to his enemy, decides to loose his shield as he makes his southerly approach. Kulgarr then starts to make a semi-circle approach to the south-easterly wall, and fires off another arrow. The arrow pierces Struan's right leg armor, causing some pain. A second later, Straun is overwhelmed with nausea, causing him to wretch. He feels his strength being sapped from his body. "What did you do to me, you mongrel?!" Down on one knee, Struan takes his bow back off his back and fires off an arrow, striking Kulgarr in the left leg. Kulgarr's laughter at his opponent's sudden bout of weakness is quickly silenced by his pain. The crowd is really getting into this battle, as Kulgarr refuses to give up easily!
Kulgarr runs to the south side of the pillar, taking up a defensive stance. Struan sheaths his sword and fires off another arrow, but it strikes the pillar above Kulgarr's head. Kulgarr then circles around the southeastern side around the pillar, but Struan will not be denied. He proceeds due north, and sees his half-orc nemesis peeking around the northern side of the pillar. He looses an arrow, but it banks off the pillar harmlessly. Kulgarr fires off an arrow in response (missing) before moving to the east side of the pillar. Struan moves northeasterly to have a better angle, but he too misses. "Come out and fight me, you spineless half-breed!", taunts Struan.
"You come get me, or are you too sick to fight me hand-to-hand?", laughs Kulgarr. The half-orc tries to make it seem as if he is staying on the north-northeast side of the pillar, but Struan senses otherwise. He quickly marches due south, longbow in hand, and sees the half-orc peeking around the south side of the pillar. Struan fires off an arrow at his partially covered enemy, but the arrow glances off of Kulgarr's armor.
Kulgarr then re-circles around to the north-northeast side of the pillar, so Struan returns to a northwestern location and fires off an arrow at the silouette of his enemy at the northeast corner of the pillar. It clearly misses his prey. What struan does not know is that Kulgarr had doubled back and was actually back on the south side of the pillar. Seconds later, Kulgarr jumps out from behind the pillar, moves slightly westward and fires of an arrow at his surprised northerly opponent. The arrow strikes Struan squarely in the right side of his rib cage, piercing armor and vital organs. He falls to his knees and again wretches. The crowd roars with enthusiasm at this complete turn of events! Struan looks towards Kulgarr and says, "Do the honourable thing and slay me with your rapier, like a man."
Kulgarr, shortbow raised and aimed at his opponent, responds: "You did no honour to me. I am neither man nor beast. I am Kulgarr, your executioner." He lets loose his arrow, piercing Struan's neck, striking him instantly dead. Kulgarr raises his bow over his head and smiles a big toothy smile, savouring his first gladiator victory. The crowd roars, chanting his name in recognition of the fine battle as the clerics rush to Struan's aid, in addition to tending Kulgarr's wounds.
"An long, entertaining match! Bravo, bravo!", Ultrann says, as he scans the energized crowd.
Kulgarr: 600 XP, 258 gp. Congratulations on your first victory! You are cruel and deceptive, indeed.
Struan Briggs: 500 XP, 194 gp. An excellent match! There is always a next time...