Giant stood, his palms almost sweating as he stood on the rocky outcrop in front of his camp. In front of him, a throng of Offtopicans stood, with varying levels of interest to what he was about to say. He’d always wondered why it was said you should imagine people in their undergarments when speaking publicly. Perhaps that was just meant as a joke, or whoever thought of it was quite mad. He took a deep breath. “Citizens of Offtopic!” He boomed, having to raise his voice without the use of a megaphone. “I have gathered you here today to unveil a project I have been working on!” He paused a moment, as if attempting to formulate his next words. “As you all are aware- well, as some of you [i]might[/i] be aware, which is understandable, considering the Virus and the recent regime change, I have been working up here, in the mountains, on a secret project! What that project is, uh, I will unveil to you.” He clenched his hands and muttered under his breath at his lack of eloquence. “I call it [i]Project Gladiator[/i]. It’s purpose is to equip Offtopicans with the tools and skills they need to survive against the ever-present threats that continually plague Offtopic, and to serve as a vigil for more distant and mystical threats.” He held up a finger. “However, this is [i]not[/i] a charity. Neither is this a business of any sort. Everything that is handed to you [i][b]will be earned.[/i][/b] How will you do that? By proving yourself worthy.” Giant pointed down towards the distant Arena in Offtopic’s eastern land. “Those wishing to wield these weapons of power must prove themselves in the Arena, in a tournament that I myself will set up and oversee. This tournament will have you face your peers in battle, but will also include special challenges that test your abilities beyond the field of combat. The situations will vary, and sometimes, the entire battlefield will change.” He started to smile, finally getting into rhythm with his speech. “In addition, those who do well in the Arena will be granted access here, for more advanced challenges.” He walked up to the circular pattern in the middle of the clearing and thrust his battleaxe into the midst of it. The pattern started to glow a bright amber, and a deep rumbling resounded through the mountains. The crowd gasped in awe as a colossal stone fortress rose from the ground, growing like a tree from its sapling. Towers shot up here and there, walls were erected connecting them, and a singular, towering spire rose as the fortress’ Keep. Giant walked out from what was now the Courtyard of the castle, wearing a large grin on his metal face. “Dawn’s Forge will be waiting for you, and so will I.” [spoiler]RP starts here, where people in the crowd may raise questions like in a press conference. The next bit is an epilogue and takes place directly after the “Press conference” is over.[/spoiler] ——————————————————— After the crowd had dispersed, Giant made his way to the newly-formed central Keep of the fortress. Although this place sprang up mere moments ago, he knew it almost by heart already. He knew exactly where the secret passageways were that led to the Core of the Fortress. Once he was there, he placed the head of his axe onto a small indentation on the floor, where it stood, still shimmering with an amber glow. The warrior looked up at the large crystal that floated in the center of the Core. He relaxed, releasing the tension that had builded during his speech. “For the record, I thought you spoke rather well.” A voice said from behind him. Giant shook his head and laughed. “You and I both know that’s a lie.” “No, I meant it,” the voice continued. “You struggled at the start, but you managed to regain your composure and let your words flow. Confidence is a speaker’s greatest trait, you know.” “Speaking never really was my cup of tea. I prefer actions to words.” Giant crossed his arms. “Sometimes, words can speak louder than actions,” countered the Voice. “If the right ones are chosen.” “Still isn’t as effective.” Giant inclined his head. “Or fun.” “Perhaps.” A figure behind Giant nodded. He emitted a radiant amber glow. “What do you intend to do now?” “Well, I can’t quite use the Arena for Project Gladiator until this season of Doubles matches is over. Which is just fine. Gives me more time to prepare.” “My apologies, but I wasn’t referring to that.” “Hmm? Oh, yeah. Don’t worry old friend. If you build it, they will come.” “And what will you do when they get here?” To this, the broad warrior grinned. “We’ll throw a housewarming party.”