The Arena

In front of the fortress of Virkin, an arena was constructed within a natural depression approximately ten meters deep. Around the edge of the sinkhole, an additional wall was built—five meters high and two meters thick—to ensure that no creature can escape from within. There are no stands or seating areas inside the arena, as the danger to spectators would be far too great. Instead, external stairways lead up to the top of the wall, allowing interested onlookers to stand or sit along its edge. Spectator gatherings are rare; the arena is not meant for entertainment, but solely for training purposes.   Within the arena, small squads face off against captured beasts of the ice to hone their combat skills under real conditions. The structure measures roughly 200 meters in length and 70 meters in width at the top of the wall. The ground slopes steeply downward toward the center, a gradient shaped after construction, where the arena narrows to 180 meters long and 50 meters wide.   At the lowest point of the depression, several passageways lead underground to the barracks located a short distance from the arena. These subterranean routes allow fighters to enter the arena without requiring gates or openings in the wall. Most of the beasts intended for combat are also housed underground. Adjacent barracks serve as storage for feed—sometimes even live feed—as well as equipment and supplies. A small medical station is available for rapid treatment of injuries.   Responsibility for the arena and the beasts kept there currently lies with Visla Wolfsfang, the Beastmaster. Together with a group of rune warriors, she ensures the safe containment and care of the creatures. Though it is extremely rare, Visla has successfully bred offspring from some of the beasts—since capturing and transporting live specimens is significantly more difficult than simply killing them.   Due to the limited number of available beasts, only select squads or particularly outstanding units are permitted to participate in beast combat. Entry requires navigating a bureaucratic process; spontaneous fights are not allowed.   Rumors persist within the fortress about a separate section in the underground kennels, said to house especially strange creatures. Although this has never been officially confirmed, the rumor remains stubbornly alive.