The Cheery Man is the masked, salesman-mannered host of a lit Coliseum deep in the Abomination Vaults, running bloody gladiatorial games he calls 'the Red Holiday' [S44]. He is an ancient self-made mummy from the era the Gauntlight was active, carries an ornate jeweled crimson kukri, and claims he is 'forced to reward' victors with treasure. He is a level-10+ caster capable of flight, referred to by the party as 'bird guy' for his bird-like aspect [S45]. As arena master, he offers challengers a choice of 'good odds,' 'fair odds,' or 'dead odds,' teleports fighters to the arena center under a Victor sigil, and conjures an illusory roaring crowd. Battles are declared to the death and spectators are forbidden from interfering ('I will cut you'). He paid Venris honestly — 50 gold plus an item — after a solo win, and invited the party to return. Full-party fights are run as a best-of-three with no healing permitted between rounds [S46]. Beyond the arena, The Cheery Man carries a darker history. He tricked and imprisoned the figure Shafkim, effectively taking over an entire floor of the vaults several hundred years ago. He also appears to Doriana in dreams as the 'Motley Man,' cursing her. The party, connecting descriptions of a 'brightly/garishly dressed figure in colored rags who takes hands,' concluded he is a Denizen of Leng — a thread left open [S49]. As of [S58], The Cheery Man continues to haunt the upper vault levels as a recurring laughing presence. He appears beside the party for playful, startling entrances; his cackle has become a familiar, non-hostile sound. He mentions leaving periodically to 'replenish my stocks' and asks if the party is 'ready for another go.' He disappears when ignored — not openly hostile, but clearly operating some ongoing agenda.
No open hook is currently recorded.
No open hooks are currently recorded.
No player-visible relationships are currently recorded.