The Pit, By Lungo, ----4 STAR----

The Pit

Contestants: 1v1 to 3 v 3 or Free for all up to 8 characters ideal; any amount is plausible.

Description: A massive arena set deep within the ground with seats all around for viewers to watch. Sand covers the base of the arena except for several grated openings scattered across the large field, the grains stained by the blood of fallen warriors and monsters alike. Eight gates line the edge of the arena, two at opposite ends for the different challengers or teams, and the rest for allowing monsters and various creatures entrance when their time is called or the crowd is bored of the match. Rows of weapons exist on the 15 foot high walls from dead fish to razor-sharp katanas, though one would be wise not to try and attack those in the stands; an unbreakable magic barrier protects the watchers, and the consequences are dire if this rule is broken. Roars can be heard from every angle as the warriors fight, the monsters having clear view of those they would soon be ripping to shreds. The emperor seats himself at one end, watching the warriors fight to the death for his own enjoyment.

Character Limitations: Everyone who comes here is Warrior with minor abilities of another class due to magic bands secured firmly to their wrists. Assume that all combatants are about 3000 posts in strength.

Special Rules:
1. The Objective of The Pit is to destroy your opponent by any means necessary. Though there will undoubtedly be other obstacles, the match will not end until one or both parties are slain. Because you are both evenly matched, and because of the obstacles, you are not only being tested on your ability to fight an opponent using strategy and perhaps guile; your ability to react to unexpected peril is being tested as well. In addition to this, since the Emperor is watching and will summon more monsters into the field if he isn't pleased, you are also charged with entertaining the crowd, mostly him. Good luck.

2. You may not fly or escape The Pit by any means once you are in there except when your opponent is slaughtered. Attempts made against the watchers are punished by the appearance of the Hydra. Discretion is advised.

3. There is nothing that says you can't work with your opponent to kill secondary threats. "Nothing says you can't kill each other in the process, either."

4. Monsters are not withdrawn after your opponent is dead. "Ya gotta kill 'em to leave. Good luck w/ that Hydra."

5. In 1 v 1 battles, a Familiar dragon is allowed. Please note that if participants use these dragons, the number of monsters summoned into The Pit double. "Make note of that before you call your pet in to die with you."

Events:

---After the first 4 (or whenever the crowd gets bored) posts, a pride of lions emerges from the four corners of the arena. They are extremely hungry, vicious, and cannot wait to rip out your entrails to get at your delicious flesh.

---Every 3 posts (or whenever the crowd/emperor gets bored) after the lions appear, a new breed of monster will appear at random. Generally though, they go from lions to Minotaur, to Chimaera, to Wyverns. If you're still not dead, the Hydra will come finish both contestants off in 9 posts after the Wyverns come. Basically, you've got 25 posts until the Hydra pops up... so try to kill your opponent really fast!

---At random intervals when the crowd is impressed by a feat of skill (or a particularly bloody assualt), they might throw you a little aid in the form of healing potions, high quality weapons, or food. Sadly, they might end up killing you with any one of these, or that molotov cocktail might burn you alive when you try to run away from the lions. And if you do really bad, they have a tendency to shoot arrows and intentionally throw sharp objects at your skulls. "Oh well; it's your own fault if you don't see it coming."

---If you're feeling particularly stupid, stray near the grates. They open up after about 6 posts, and giant squid and kraken reside within. They will grab you and probably slam you into the grate until they kill you. So while you try to kill everything else that comes out of the gates at the ends of the Pit, these things will try to choke the blood out of your body. "Yeah, the emperor's mean. Cry to mommy when you see her in hell."

Monsters: The following are usually sent out in sets, except for the Hydra (for obvious reasons).

----Lions: Your average, run of the mill lions. Starved nearly to death, and while they should be weak, they're actually going to run at you much faster to get to your delicious entrails and meat. There are about 4 that appear for 1v1, and for every 2 other contestants that number is doubled. "You'd do well to work together and yada yada yada. Just kill them before they rake you to death and you're good."

----Bears: Sometimes, these things get released instead of the lions. They are moderately fast, larger than the average human while standing on both legs, and have large claws for stabbing you in the gut and dragging you along the ground, or ripping parts of your face off. If they're feeling particularly mean, they might eat you piece by piece, as they've been trained to do by head Druid of the empire's Pit team. They are smarter than the average bear.... literally. "They do not run away, they only pursue and maul."

-----Minotaur: "You're really S.O.L. if you see these things coming." They are generally about 8 feet tall, have legs of a goat, and an incredibly muscular upper body. Their faces are that of the bull, and their horns are huge and pointy. As if that weren't frightening enough, they are typically of the kind to carry around large axes and maces...

-----Chimaera: "I can't honestly tell you what these things look like. They're all generally made different... some have the heads of snakes, others the head of eagles. Some have the legs of goats, the others the body of lions. Whatever you do, do not let them spit on you... it's like acid. How do you know it's a chimaera? When it tries to talk to you or breathe an element onto you. And if you cast spells on them, they're likely to cast it right back at you, retard. So don't fucking do it!... or, be ready for an even larger version of your spell. It's your funeral."

-----Wyverns: These things are very similar to dragons. They're larger than the average human (generally about 9 feet tall, or taller), are scaly, have sharp teeth, and breathe elements. So what's the difference? They are incredibly vicious, do not fly, and run really, really fast. Surprisingly fast for their large size. They have wings which they use to knock opponents off their feet by flapping them to create gusts of wind. "Plus, their bodies are covered in spikes n' shit. So just... pray they aren't actually called on you."

-----Hydra/Orochi: One of the worst things, aside from a dragon, that can approach you in The Pit. It is 12 feet tall, not counting the head which splits when cut off or when a deep cut is made. It is resistant to magic. It is resistant to alchemy. It has a really dense hide. It is unrelenting, and is usually a match ender. Worst of all, somebody magicked this thing to also breathe fire. The Orochi, which is green instead of the standard blue, is even worse: It is a couple feet shorter but moves much faster, and its heads split even more times than the Hydra. "Do you see why I told you to kill your opponent before these things let loose?! You'll die!"

-----Giant Squid/Kraken: "You're better off trying to avoid these things instead of trying to kill 'em. They stay under the water in the grates, and their tentacles are pretty long. They hide until you go towards the grates, which is good... but once you get grappled by 'em, it's really hard to escape. They might help you kill some of the smaller monsters like the Lions, Bears, Chimaera and Minotaur... But you can't kill these, they're a bit out of reach. Just take my word for it."

----Other: "The Emperor and his fans have a really sick imagination. They have assembled a wide assortment of other beasts for you to kill... but these are the most often seen of the beasts."