[Large posters were put up around Falkvard. A bit too many posters, many would probably say.] FOR A LONG, LONG TIME THE ARENA WAS WITHOUT ANY USE, SEEING LITTLE TO NO ACTION WHATSOEVER. NOT LONG AGO, WE WERE PROMISED THAT THE BATTLEGROUNDS OF ULDIR WOULD MAKE A RETURN. AND YET, WHAT HAS THIS 'GLORIOUS RETURN' LOOKED LIKE? PLANS FOR SPONSOSHIPS THAT FALL THROUGH, BARELY A FEW FIGHTS A YEAR, AND A HALF-ASSED TOURNAMENT DRAGGING ITS FEET THAT COULDN'T EVEN FILL OUT IT'S WHOLE ROSTER? DOES THIS MEDIOCRATITY SOUND LIKE A "GLORIOUS RETURN" TO YOU? DOES THIS SOUND LIKE THE PLACE OF WARRIORS AND ULDIR'S CHOSEN?
NAY!
WHO IS TO BLAME FOR THIS, YOU MAY ASK? NONE OTHER THAN THE ONE IN CHARGE OF THE ARENA ITSELF- DELDONU ITHILUSK. AT EVERY TURN, SHE HAS SHOT DOWN HER ADVISORS ATTEMPTS AT MAKING THE ARENA BETTER, EVEN WHEN THEY ARE SIMPLY TRYING TO CLEAN UP HER MISTAKES! SHE INTRODUCES COUNTLESS NEW 'IDEAS' WITHOUT ANY EXPLAINATION FOR HOW OR WHY THEY WOULD EVEN WORK. I TALKED TO THE FIGHTERS IN THE CROSS TOURNAMENT, AND MOST OF THEM DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT THE VICTORS ARE CHOSEN BASED ON A POINT SYSTEM! A POINT SYSTEM SHE HAS REFUSED TO EXPLAIN, BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS SHE SIMPLY DECIDES WHO WINS BASED ON WHO SHE WANTS TO WIN!
SHE DELEGATES ALL TASKS DOWN THE LINE, PUTTING FORTH NO EFFORT OF HER OWN ASIDE FROM CONJURING UP THE WORST DECISIONS POSSIBLE. I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE GOT CHOSEN AS THE NEW ARENA MASTER, BUT CLEARLY SOMEONE MADE A MISTAKE! THE SPONSORS ARE UNSATISFIED, THE TOURNAMENT FUNDERS ARE UNSATISFIED, THE ADVISORS ARE UNSATISFIED, THE FIGHTERS ARE UNSATISFIED, THE PEOPLE ARE UNSATISFIED! A PART OF ME BELIEVES SHE ISN'T A FOLLOWER OF ULDIR AT ALL, YET ANOTHER PART OF ME BELIEVES SHE MAY BE THE GREATEST FOLLOWER OF ULDIR TO EVER WALK THE LAND- SHE'S SOMEHOW MANAGED TO PISS OF JUST ABOUT EVERYONE POSSIBLE! THAT'S ONE WAY TO CAUSE CONFLICT!
BUT THE ARENA ISN'T ABOUT MAKING EVERYONE UNHAPPY AND PISSED OFF AT EACH OTHER. WE HAVE POLITICIANS FOR THAT. IT'S ABOUT SPILLING BLOOD IN GLORIOUS BATTLE FOR ULDIR! IT'S ABOUT VICTORY, IT'S ABOUT DEFEAT, IT'S ABOUT PUTTING EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT ON THE LINE! IT'S NOT ABOUT SPONSORS OR POINTS OR ANY OF THAT NONSENSE!
SO I'M ISSUING A PERSONAL CHALLENGE TO DELDONU ITHILUSK- PROVE YOURSELF TO THE PEOPLE! PROVE YOU HOLD YOUR POSITION FOR ANY REASON MORE THAN A LUCKY ROLL OF THE DICE! WE SHALL BOTH CHOOSE A CHAMPION TO PUT FORTH IN THE ARENA TO PROVE WHO KNOWS OUR FIGHTERS BEST, TO PROVE WHO TRULY HAS THE LOYALTY OF THE GLADIATORS WHO DO THE REAL WORK, TO PROVE WHO TRULY UNDERSTANDS BATTLE! OR YOU CAN COWER AWAY FROM CONFLICT, FIRE ME AND CONTINUE RUNNING THIS DISGRACE TO ULDIR YOU CALL AN ARENA INTO THE GROUND! WINNER TAKES THE TITLE OF ARENA MASTER, AND THE LOSER STEPS DOWN FROM THEIR POSITION!
SHOULD YOU ACCEPT, I WILL MEET WITH YOU TO DISCUSS THE SPECIFICS AND TERMS OF THE BATTLE. SHOULD YOU REFUSE, YOU KEEP YOUR POSITION AND SIT CONFORTABLE ON YOUR ROTTEN THRONE, PROVING YOU ARE NOT A BELIEVER IN CONFLICT, BUT OF POPULARITY AND SOCIAL STATUS!
-TYR HELLION, ARENA ADVISOR, SOON TO BE ARENA MASTER
The posters were removed by the guard.