The Scholars

It's a big day today, Sidri and I were finally granted acess to the backrooms of the Colosseum to catalogue the rich culture behind the scenes!

Personally, I'm interested in the strange politics of the place, Sidri however...

"Sidri, are you sure you want to try reviewing the actual combatants? Talking to the attendants would be much safer." I said to my writing partner, whom looked at me with an offended expression.

"Of course I do Amon! Every single one of them must have a story to tell! Tragic, juicy stories! Doesn't the prospect make your mouth water!?" Sidri said, her eyes filled with a perverted curiosity, lips quite literally dripping with drool.

"Yes, fine I get it! So wipe your mouth and get back to preparing the cataloguing tools!" I said, trying to get us back on track.

Honestly, I understand that as a scholar goblin she has a obsession with gaining as many stories as she can, but she could show some restraint!

"Everything is already set! Who are you most excited to interview? I wanna interview that dark elf, Thurston The Deserter!" said Sidri, now ticking me off even more. than normal.

Thurston The Deserter is a dark elf like myself, and in our culture it's highly frowned upon to abandon your comrades in battle. To the point that if you did so in a dark elf cities territory you could be executed for it. Thurston betrayed his comrades as the leader of a private army for a small time baron, by joining up with a bandit group that the private army was supposed to subjugate.

Why she wants to interview such filth, I have no clue in the world. The fact he was sold into slavery is a fitting end, but I'm unhappy about him getting to live large in the colosseum as a gladiator, but oh well. After a bit more preparation, Sidri and I headed out, bound for the colosseum.

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"Amon, Amon! Look!" Said Sidri, bouncing up and down like an excited child at a fair.

"Yes Sidri, I see the colosseum, but do you see our guide?" I said, trying to be patient.

It was quite an ordeal getting a backstage pass to the colosseum, after all they are very secretive even amongst each other. Forming the cliques know as blocks and engage in ruthless internal politics, competing against one another as if they were actually the ones in the arena. A fascinating culture, and we get to catalogue it! Although like I mentioned, they're very difficult when it comes to letting people backstage, we just barely got permission from C block to enter their area, the other blocks wouldn't even speak with us!

"Welcome, Scholars! I hope you weren't waiting for me very long?" A burly man in robes with a painted face approached us, a gleeful look on his face and a welcoming tone in his voice as he walked towards us with open arms.

This man was the leader of C Block, Muman. As well as the only colosseum attendant to even speak with us regarding our scholarly duties. Despite his appearances, Muman is actually quite the gentleman, due to being descended from a desert tribe that found hospitality to others to be important as ones own children. Muman himself told me so, and was happy to speak about his tribes customs, which included a permanent face painting at the age of 14 as a rite of passage to adulthood.

"Not long at all Muman, we'd love to start anytime." I said, hoping to hurry things along, so we can actually do what we came to do, instead of standing around, being polite.

"Yes, yes of course. Let's begin the tour!" said Muman, ushering us along into the colosseum, through a door that ordinary citizens were banned from entering normally.

"Unfortunately, I can only show you the C block areas, as the other blocks are too stuck up too be as hospitable as the rest of us." Muman said, no small amount of disdain in his voice.

"Actually, that's one of the things i wanted to ask you about, how come the politics are so fierce within the colosseum blocks?" I asked, having to drag along Sidri like a child, as she got excited about every little thing she saw.

"Ah, you ask an interesting question right off the bat, well I can tell you it's nothing grand. It's quite petty actually." Muman went on to explain.

"First of all, the blocks initially didn't exist, and the colosseum workers made events in tandem. But after awhile cliques formed around the different viewpoints and after a few hundred years, it's become muddy with petty and ignorant actions. The cliques mostly formed around the types of events and the participants of said events. A Block wanted only for there to be civil duels between humans, and adamantly refuse to manage any non human combatants. B Block has similar ideas, about dueling, but they wish to include all civilized races, not just humans." Muman said, still speaking as Sidri and I both started writing down his words.

"C Block and D Block are essentially the same, in that we wish to host duels, executions and all manner of violence for entertainment. However, D Block is trash in my eyes personally, they treat their combatants like garbage. Even of they are just slaves and beasts, they still have emotions and basic needs. I also believe in rewarding well behaved combatants, who show their worth. D Block does not share such sentiments."

"Oh so you believe in treating your slaves civilly?" Sidri asked, finally piping up into the conversation.

"Oh yes, they're our responsibility after all, I treat the slaves I manage like my own children." Said Muman, actually sounding a bit surprised we asked.

"Well, treating slaves kindly isn't exactly common practice, especially not so in an arena where deathmatches are held.." I said, pondering his behavior.

"I suppose...Ah! How about we visit the combatant area so you can do some interviews and see the conditions C Block keeps our combatants in." Muman said, excitedly leading us down another large corridor.

"Oh, here's one of my rising stars now!" Muman gestured to a caged area separate from the rest.

"Dear gods.." I couldn't help but curse aloud in bewilderment, Sidri shivering next to me, holding onto my robes as we stare at the beast.

What we saw in that cage like room was a massive pile of muscle, sitting in the floor with its legs crossed, tearing into an Iron Horn Deer with the massive blade like teeth protruding from its never closing maw. The creatures powerful body covered in pulsing veins and constantly flexing muscles. Holding its meal with those humongous hands on its long, barrel thick arms, it turned its head to us, it spoke.

"Erm, hello." The beast gave a surprised, but polite greeting, that guttural, echoing voice grating our ears and sending chills down our spines.

"Quite intimidating, isn't he?" Muman said, his voice filled with prideful glee.

"Q-Quite so, yes.." I stuttered staring at the beast.

Gods help me, I have to interview this thing...