<div class="floatleft">(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/84/43/23/844323b6685f58e5903af10d489de1f7.jpg)</div><div class="floatright">(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/f7/82/8c/f7828c17884f3c1688955f584bf17e5a.jpg)</div>"Welcome ladies, gentlemen, and eeeeverything in between to The Netherworld Amphitheater!"<br/><br/>"Tiliana Frosnael sitting here with Bulrig Pearleye welcoming you to the greatest show in all the land!"<br/><br/>A roar of approval rises from the enormous stone coliseum, packed to the brim with creatures of all species, builds, classes, and nations.  Pale skin rubs against dark against red, horns and hats and piled hair block views, gnomes upon shoulders, half-orcs half-wasted, lower nobles sniffing at their salts among the merchants while richer sit in well padded seats behind thick decorated glass.  The howls of approval and lust are what unite them, as they are united in love of the Contest.  Even now the kobolds running between posts turning cranks and offering drinks to overworked wizard-apprentice staff begin the projections, mental, astral, and illusionary so that the Contest may be viewed in as many nations as exist.  The Netherworld Amphitheater is simply not something that people don't know about, though some find the Contest quite distasteful.<br/><br/>"Tonight we've a foin treat fer ya, ye dark souled, rust spittin' sons an' whores of bitches!"<br/><br/>The two voices exchange quickly, one sultry and clipped, delighted and teasing and just oh-so-feminine, the other dark and rough with a hint of seriousness to it even as he speaks in a jolly fashion.  Tiliana and Bulrig have hosted about as many Contests as there have been, Bulrig looking steadily older and more grizzled as Tiliana simply goes along fair as ever.<br/><br/>"It's one that long-time watchers'll appreciate sure enough, bit of a classic if I do say so meself,"<br/><br/>"Oh, Bulrig, you're a classic!"<br/><br/>"Tonight our Contestants'll be climbin' up the Gritstone Mesa once again!  Ye'll remember assuredly when we 'ired that orc pack ta guard the place!"<br/><br/>In the center of the enormous coliseum raises a full on step-pyramid with stairs and turns on areas that need to be climbed on sideways.  Huge stone doors to the interior of the pyramid are carved into the sides with glowing runes all around them, a bit of spectacle for the audience.  The runes burst to light as the Gritstone Mesa, one of the more popular starting points of the Contest is mentioned.<br/><br/>"Well, we still had a bit of time on their contracts and we thought we'd spice things up just a mite...  Give a big round of applause for the Knuckled Maaaaaace!"<br/><br/><div class="floatright">(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/44/60/f7/4460f75fc7751a4bad6413bbaa693568.jpg)</div>The doors in the pyramid slowly creak open with thick plumes of green smoke billowing out of them, the sounds of drums and shouted song coming from within.  Some in the crowd join in the singing, thumping feet and hands as the orcs of the Knuckled Mace slowly come out.  There's a mess of them, at least ten orcs in various locations carefully set to ensure that both competitors will have to deal with some green-skins on the way to their prize.  The leader of the Knuckled Mace holds up a single fist, his busted beaten hand looking every bit the weapon his crew is named for.  He thumps this against his chest once and the orcs fall silent.  He looks around, disgust on his face before he speaks, his voice magically amplified, "You call us savage as you watch these games.  Let us see how you enjoy some true savagery."<br/><br/>The crowd explodes into cheers as the other orcs go back into their rhythmic orcish song, carefully taking small potions from their belts, sipping them down, and throwing them to the ground to shatter.  Slowly their bodies begin to out of vision, their clothing continuing to hang in the air as their haunting singing continues, then boot by boot, glove by glove, hide by hide they strip down and the view of them are done.<br/><br/>"With the beatin' they got last time they were 'ere, I wouldn't be surprised if they weren't lookin' fer a bit of revenge.  I wouldn't want ta be down there with those basterds.<br/><br/>"And here I was trying to figure out a way to end up in there right now... Ah well.  NOOOOOW!  NETHERWOOOOORLD AMPHITHEATEEEEER!  ARE YOU READY TO MEET YOUR CONTESTAAAANTS?!"