The latest update from Ossian Studios has been posted on the official forums. The latest article contains more of the lore of Westgate, this time centering on "The Quivering Thumb".

The newest addition to Westgate's parade of novelties is a gladiatorial enterprise named the Quivering Thumb, which fled from the collapse of Unther to the city whose rulers would pay the best for bloody circuses. The new sandpit arena is popular with nobility, merchants, commoners, and even with slaves, because the Thumb promises freedom and a thousand gold pieces to any slave who can survive a year in the pit.

Of greatest interest to those who pride themselves on their fighting ability are the two most prestigious events run in the arena: the Individual and Group competitions. Both can offer princely rewards to those chosen few with the prowess to rise up and climb the rankings.

The current champion of the Individual competition is a mysterious armored knight who never speaks and chooses only to fight under a night sky. Many arrogant adventurers have tested his mettle in the belief they can usurp his position. Despite the permanent restorative enchantments covering the pit that ensure most prestige fights are non-fatal to the combatants involved, more than one of these would-be champions has met their end on the point of the dark knight's vicious sword, its wicked blade dealing wounds that even the arena's magic cannot mend in time...

The reigning champions of the Group competition are a veteran group of adventurers calling themselves the Dukes of Daggerford. Rumor has it that these heroes are fresh from an incredible adventure in the town of their chosen moniker, where they put paid to a nefarious Zhentarim plot and banished an ancient devil. While the exact details of the adventure are scarce, it seems to have forged them into a formidable unit to rival the Knights of Myth Drannor, and perhaps one day even compare to the legendary adventuring company known as The Nine.

The entire enterprise is presided over by Benevolent Kalim, a corpulent man whose passion for his violent business is rivaled only by his loathing of his wife, who he would dearly love to throw in the pit; something he's not shy of telling anyone who'll listen. Still, he waves this behavior away as an amusing character quirk... and in truth, he's no worse than most that make their living on the spilled blood of others.

Developer Questions
Luke Scull, Lead Designer (aka Alazander): No questions have been submitted.

Next Spotlight: Rinara's Travel Guide

As always, an excellent read. Thanks to Ossian!