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Ready for a Brawl

Though there is relative safety inside city-walls, and most settlements have some form of organized force they use to keep the surrounding regions under control, the truth is that Crossroads is a dangerous plane.

Ferocious beasts, both robbed from other planes and genetically modified by the old Planeswalker who did battle on its surface, are a significant percentage of the wildlife. And old war machines occasionally spring to life on their own, reliving the vestiges of a conflict which ceases centuries ago.

Thus, no matter which city one travels or hails from, there is always a scene of local fighters and athletes, pushing themselves to greater and greater heights to protect their homes and loved ones from these threats.

Even in Oplentis, where those outside the circle of nobility were made to feel powerless, there was a burgeoning underground scene of young fighters. After beating up enough thugs making trouble, Edmund himself began to participate in these event.

Rumors had it that crime organizations should use them to scout new talent, and Edmund knew more than a few people who were alleged to have taken those deals, but he was just there to let off some steam and get the blood-pumping.

At least, that’s what he told everyone. In truth, with his dad gone, the prize money from those fights was the best way for him to pay for his food. His dad was gone, and he had to rely on himself just to scrape by.

Art by Ilija Mandic.

That collaboration I got with Feng made me think about how combat sports might function in the world of Crossroads, and I think they’d fit in naturally with the world as I see it.