Session 11

PCs (lvl 5): Gardain, Terric, Thana, Toruk

The ziggurat is completed, and the celebrations at the arena take place. The stadium is packed to overflowing, and all the exits are barred and guarded, as if the templars want to make sure no one leaves the arena before the end of the festivities.

The PCs fight in the initial matches before the Grand Melee, winning every battle among the cheers of the gathered crowds. When the main event begins, the most talented champions of Tyr fight for the entertainment of the sorcerer-king. The mul Rikus and his companion Neeva are gaining the upper hand, when something completely unexpected takes place.

A magical explosion dissolves whatever arcane barrier was surrounding the king's balcony, and Rikus throws his spear at Kalak. The spear, apparently a magical artifact from the Forest Ridge, pierces the king through the chest. As his half-giants bodyguards remove the king from sight, chaos spreads in the arena. Rikus and Neeva disappear from sight in the tumult.

The PCs fight to escape the arena, while trying to manage the panicked mob. To make matters worse, some sort of arcane ritual is draining the life force of those trapped inside the arena. Judging by the still present magical abilities of Kalak's templars, it's obvious that the Tyrant is still alive, and he's enacting whatever mad plan the ziggurat was the focus of.

Having fought their way through escaped beasts, templars and half-giant guards, the PCs and their entourage of slaves reach one of the main gates, barred by more templars and guards. They prepare themselves to face the magical assaults of Kalak's priests, but then suddenly the life-draining magic emanating from the ziggurat ends, as a roar of pain and anguish echoes across Tyr, as if the Dragon himself had suffered a mortal blow. The templars are unable to harness their magic, and the PCs realise that the Tyrant, wherever he may be, is dead.

Kalak's former lackeys run for their lives, and a great crowd gathers back into the arena. High Templar Tithian adresses the crowd from the king's balcony, backed by the champions of the arena and the leaders of the rebellion. He places Kalak's crown on his head, and declares himself King of Tyr.

Session 10

PCs (lvl 4): Toruk, Terric, Thana, Gardain

Work continues, as the slaves are pushed to near-death to complete the ziggurat in the shortest time. Driven to exasperation by the impossible working conditions, several slaves gather to discuss plans of escape. A few wish to fight their way to freedom the same night, but the PCs convince most of the slaves to wait for a more opportune moment.

The PCs are contacted again by Faldar, the mage of the Veiled Alliance they helped escape the pits not long before. The mage is invisible, and tells the PCs the city of Tyr has become too dangerous for him. He asks Terric and Gardain to leave the slave pits, and deliver a message to one of his contacts in Tyr. He also tells them it is vital that they return to the slave pits, as they will play an important part in whatever plan the Veiled Alliance is about to enact. Thanks to Faldar's spells, the two slaves leave the pits, deliver the message, and return as promised. As a recompense, they receive two magical amulets.

With the sacrifice of countless slaves, the ziggurat is eventually completed. The templars feed the slaves double rations, even allowing them to drink watered wine. The "feast" is the harbinger of important news: all slaves will be allowed to witness the great games in the arena to celebrate the completion of the ziggurat, and those that were free citizens before entering the pits will be granted their freedom back after the festivities.

Session 9

PCs (lvl 4): Gardain, Toruk, Terric

The PCs make new friends, and possibly new enemies, among their fellow slaves.

Gardain and Terric come to the aid of a meek half-giant named Urrgos, scaring away the nasty elves that kept making fun of him. Toruk earns the respect of Lissan the gladiator, when he helps her defeat her rival Kanla. Terric has a private meeting with a ranking templar, where he's offered an opportunity to improve his lot by becoming a spy. The sly thief accepts the offer, but keeps his secrets for himself, at least for the time being.

One night, explosions of magical energy awake the slaves. When they hurry on the scene, all that remains to be seen are the corpses of slaves, guards, and citizens. Looks like the Veiled Alliance has attacked the slave pits, for reason unknown. The PCs notice a blood trail, and when they follow it they meet Faldar, a wizard of the Veiled Alliance stuck on the wrong side of the slave pits. The PCs hide the wizard for a day while he recovers his strength, then he makes his escape with his spells. As a reward, the PCs receive a magical berry that restores their health and takes away the fatigue of the past days.

The day after, King Kalak himself visits the ziggurat together with a delegation of nobles. On a whim, he throws two nobles into the slave pits, for the amusement of the slaves. When the angered prisoners move to kill the two nobles, the PCs run to the nobles' help, killing many slaves, and scattering the rest. The King looks amused, but he still orders the PCs to kill the nobles. Unwilling to face the wrath of the sorcerer-king, the PCs do as ordered.

Their heroics earn them a place in the gladatoral pits, where they're immediately put to the test: the arena trainer pits them aganst a tembo, a monstrous creature with deadly claws and a fearsome bite capable of draining the very life force out of its victims. The fight is dangerous, and Gardain is knocked out, but eventually the PCs emerge victorious, earning the accolades of their fellow gladiators.

Session 8

PCs (lvl 4): Gardain, Thana, Terric, Toruk

The PCs endure the terrible life of a slave, working from dawn to dusk with barely any rest, and only enough food and water to keep them alive.

Terric tries to avoid work when possible, and gathers information about possible escape attempts among the slaves.

Thanks to her silver tongue and cunning, Thana manages to be "promoted" to overseer after a few days. She does her best to improve the lot of those under her supervision, but the Templars keep asking more and more of the exhausted slaves. 

Gardain befriends a human woman named Malhanda, most probably a spy for the Veiled Alliance.

Toruk gets into a fight with an overseer, and slays the man. Noticing his fighting skills and prowess, the guards decide to bring the half-giant to the master of the arena for training.

Session 7

PCs (lvl 4): Terric, Thana, Gardain

The PCs are in the city-state of Tyr, looking for opportunities. What they find is the cruelty and viciousness of the black-clad templars of  King Kalak. 

One by one, the PCs are involved in different petty crimes, but they all receive the same punishment: to become slaves at the service of the Tyrant.

Their possessions are taken from them, their heads are shaved, and they're thrown into the slaves' pits. They shall toil, starve, and eventually die to complete the mad project of king Kalak, the majestic ziggurat overseeing the gladiatorial stadium.