Iconoclast -- New Aurora Guide
Pumped Up
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Sports has never really grabbed hold of New Aurora like it did in other cities. We don't have a football team. We don't have a hockey team. And baseball? What's that? But for the die-hard iron-pumping sports fanatic, there are still a couple body shrines around town where you can strip down, suit up and get smacked around by people who are bigger than you. There's also a few sports places in town. (That's a joke son.) Anyway, here y'are.
CHROME'S GYM (300 West Amber, near Umbrae; 503/555-7867). Though it's hard to get in (the waiting list is bigger than some of the beasts that work out in this place), the wait is worth it. Chrome's Gym is one of several success stories that started right here during the days of NA's infancy. Now, the little gym that could has 25 locations Corp-wide, and they've even begun to look to the other side of the Rim! This is still the best of them all, of course, featuring cutting-edge workout equipment that nobody else has, personalized training programs, and ex-army special forces (ragers) as instructors. What doesn't kill you can only make you stronger, they say, but at the end of a good workout, you may wish you were dead. It hurts SO good.
LAZER VORTEX (1 Remington Boulevard, near Stryker; 503/555-5277). Some have called this the nail in the coffin for the New Aurora Arena (see below), but the truth is the arena was already dead when LV came along. Just a few hundred feet away as the crow flies, Lazer Vortex has been packing customers in since day one, which just goes to show you that location isn't as important as marketing. The game? Quite simple. Buy some gear, or rent it, and run around through a dark maze while beating the hell out of your opponents. Shocking that such senseless violence would be popular in New Aurora, isn't it?
GOLDEN LOTUS MARTIAL ARTS STUDIO (6 Waite Road, near West Caduceus; no phone ). This little studio's fairly new to our fair city, but it's already struck quite a blow. The sensei's a tenth degree blackbelt in Shotokan, and holds high ranking belts in at least seven other disciplines. NOT a guy you'd wanna meet in a dark alley at night, but in a classroom there's nobody you'd rather have teaching you. Classes are full right now, but there's openings all the time, with day-, week-, month- and year-long programs available.
THE R-CAYD (Concrete Plaza, off Phantasm Drive; 503/555-5263). Featuring a mix of old and new technology, the R-Cayd is a popular hangout for the younger crowd, who like to skateboard outside before heading in for a few games of Deadly Kombat 4. You'll find the newer games upstairs, including a fully equipped virtual arena. Sure, it's loud and bright. But that's what you want, isn't it?
Deflated
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Yeah. We all know about the arena. Did you know they used to play hockey there? Maybe. But did you know they still use it? Yeah--New Aurora's got a professional lacrosse team. Although since the press won't touch it, not many people go to the games. It's the same story all over the city--great little holes in the wall that are the perfect place to engage in physical activity, or watch other people do it for you. They may not be big, and they may not be crowded, but that's part of the charm, ainnit?
BOBBY'S BILLIARDS (331 Phantasm Drive, near Rainbow Plaza; 503/555-7665). OK, it's not a world class establishment. But you have to admit it's quaint, despite the crooked tables and bad lighting. The atmosphere is so thick you could cut it with a knife, if you could see to do it. There's almost always a crowd here shooting pool, but it's never so busy that you can't enjoy a solo game if you want. If only they could get rid of the smell.
NEW AURORA MEMORIAL ARENA (1 Colt Road, near Stryker; no phone ). OK, no BS here. The Arena isn't referred to as "NAM" for nothin'. After the brief blaze of glory that was the NA Phoenixes two seasons in the NHL, the Arena fell to bits. The team pulled up and left town, leaving the city with a construction bill it couldn't afford. Too much to mothball, and too much to knock down, the arena lay vacant, infested by homeless and bums. Until a few years ago, that is, when an as yet unidentified owner bought the place, cleaned it up a bit and managed to buy a lacrosse team. Granted, the arena certainly doesn't pack 'em in to capacity, but it's profitable. And the many vending opportunities have allowed a few "independent businessmen" to make a profit. Good entertainment, good business... what else is there?
JUDD'S MASSAGE PARLOR (22 Judd Alley, near New Bourbon Street; 503/555-6457). Yes, it's in the very heart of the Red Light District. No, it's not what you expect. Sure, you can get a rubdown, but you're not getting anything else. Unless, of course, what you're looking for is to take your aggressions out on some robotic boxing dummies. It's mid-21st century technology wrapped in cutting edge holograms, allowing you to beat the hell out of whoever's annoying you, over and over again. If you've got pent up frustration, you'll find what you're looking for at Judd's.
