Age of Conan's Armsman Tavern Presents

"The Arena"

Who doesn't like a little back room action, eh? This stuff is what made the barbaric times glamorous and how heroes were born of everyday folk. You don't have to be built like a God, or as sly as a lion, you simply have to have the need to fight and win so that perhaps you might also win your place in a drunken tavern tale.

If you haven't had the joy of stumbling upon this little gem buried within the hub-bub of The Noble District's busiest tavern, then you are completely missing out. The Arena has everything a player could want: good experience, a solid challenge, and very worthwhile reward. Curious? That's what we are here for! Savanja of Ten Ton Hammer took her chances (she's a brave one, she is!) to bring to you this small glimpse into the backroom fights of The Arena.

First off, The Arena is tucked away within the Armsman Tavern, found in the Marketplace area of Tarantia Noble District. This is a level 40-50+ zone, so don't even bother trying to get in here until you've hit 40, and still yet, The Arena may not be of much use to you until your mid 40s. You'll want to plan on return trips back to get in on all the action as these fights will span into your mid 50s as well.

Now that your in Armsman Tavern, you'll find that gaining access is nearly as rough as making your way to the tavern! Not just anyone can get in to this secret backroom sport. You have to pass through Luco the Bouncer first and he has a task for you to prove that you are ready. Taken from our Noble District Quest Guide:

"Obtaining the Noble Arena Key" - Luco the Bouncer: This quest comes from the Armsman Tavern. First find Aquilus (he roams the tavern) and prove yourself, this is an easy task. You get some change, but more importantly, you get access to the arena which has amazing loot.

Aquilus can be found anywhere from the front door to the far rooms of the second floor. He's an easy fight and you don't even need to embarass him too badly to make your point. You've now proven your worth and now you are ready to get down and dirty!

The Arena offers two types of encounters. One set of fights you can complete while playing solo, then another set that gives more challenging opponents that will require a group. Regardless of which you choose, the song and dance is pretty much the same. You'll speak with the Announcer, he will give you a quest for the enemy you are to be fighting.

The quests have minimum levels, so if the fight is beyond your skill, you will not get the quest from the Announcer. The quests range in level from level 40 up to 56, and the encounters will be pretty on par for the minimum level requirements.

To initiate the fight, you step into the arena and hit the gong that is off to the right just inside the arena. The fight doesn't start until you do this, but once you've hit the gong, there is no going back. Your exit will be sealed and the opponent will be sent out.

If you defeat your foe, when you return to the Announcer, you will be rewarded with experience, coin, and occasionally your choice of gear pieces. The more difficult the encounter, the better the reward!

If you should fail, you will die and leave behind a stone. The quest stays in your journal until it's been completed or you delete it, so if you need another go at it, you simply need to head back into the arena and hit the gong again.

These are all pretty straight forward fights, so as long as you've eaten your Wheaties, have a couple of potions on hand, and are at the appropriate level, none of these encounters should prove to be too challenging. Just remember to prepare before every fight before you smack that gong!

Now not ALL of the fights will give you sweet gear in return for your effort, but several do! Here are a few that you can whet your appetite with while you are planning your next trip out to The Noble District to check out this very cool zone.

The Tiger	The Leopard	The Gorilla

Enjoy, have some fun, and good luck to you and yours when you step foot in The Arena!