Location - the gladiatorial pits of Earling

[Kahuna Burger]

Establishing a location for my next adventure, and a bit of flavor to the gladiator skill and PrC I've been working on.

Two hundred years ago, the gladiatorial pits of Earling were a place of carnage and brutality, where slaves fought to the death against each other or against pain crazed beasts for the sport of those both highborn and common. It was a place of hopelessness, where being alive at the end of the day bought a slave only another night of filth and squalor and another chance to face death the next morning. The slaves who fought there were despised prisoners of war, condemned criminals and slaves who had proven themselves too fractious for any other use – the dregs of the slave market, lives bought cheaply and spent just as casually.

In some ways, the Pits are very much the same today – fights still occur every day, sometimes between gladiators and sometimes against beasts. The betting offices and informal pools still do a brisk business and both highborn and common still watch the matches from their stratified viewing areas. But at the same time, everything has changed. When the ruling family was torn apart in a bloody internal feud and the former king’s elven advisor quietly put the pieces back together, one of the things that changed in Earling was the very nature of slavery. Now more properly defined as indentured servants, slaves have rights, including the right to earn or buy their way out of slavery, and cannot be killed purely for sport.

Unable to buy or sell the lives of gladiators cheaply, the owners of the Pits changed the entertainment they sold from slaughter to art, paying top gold for skilled and charismatic fighters, and making sure that in most cases the loser survived to fight again. While the gladiators are still slaves, many have deliberately sold themselves into the life for the chance at glory and in some cases even riches. A skilled fighter can ‘sell’ himself for quite a bit of money to support his family then work it off over the years, only to sell himself again. Those with both martial talent and a flair for performance find themselves living well off of the gifts of fans, and while many gladiators are still owned by the Pit owners themselves, others are sponsored by minor nobility and wealthy merchants who show off their “champions” as they would a fine racehorse.

 

[El Jefe]

I like it.

The idea of repeatedly selling oneself into debt for material gain is so...contemporary.

This could definitely be the setting, or at least a scene in, adventure after adventure. Just throw in the concept of particularly talented gladiators being made available for more difficult (and dangerous) work outside the arena, and for a higher fee, and you're off to the races.

 

[Kahuna Burger]

I like it.

The idea of repeatedly selling oneself into debt for material gain is so...contemporary.

This could definitely be the setting, or at least a scene in, adventure after adventure. Just throw in the concept of particularly talented gladiators being made available for more difficult (and dangerous) work outside the arena, and for a higher fee, and you're off to the races.

I like the idea of gladiators occupying a socio-economic space somewhere between pro ball players and champion racehorses.

Since they can periodicly "reup" their servitude,there is also plenty of excuse for gladiators to adventure. Sara, for instance, is adventuring to build up experience and skills so that she can sell herself well when she gets back to the pits.

 

[Manzanita]

This is a cool idea, and I'm glad you're putting it out there. I don't know that you actually need any sort of formal approval if you're using it in your own adventure as DM. But making it public would allow other DMs to use it, and I think some would.

I wonder if you want to put any restrictions on its use by others. I would think most PCs wouldn't be interested in becoming a gladiator. I'd like to see some entrapped somehow into doing so. Perhaps certain forms of slavery could be legal, where these slaves could be made to fight. I think it would be cooler if this were the case, as it would make it easier to put the PCs in there.

 

[Kahuna Burger]

This is a cool idea, and I'm glad you're putting it out there. I don't know that you actually need any sort of formal approval if you're using it in your own adventure as DM. But making it public would allow other DMs to use it, and I think some would.

I wonder if you want to put any restrictions on its use by others. I would think most PCs wouldn't be interested in becoming a gladiator. I'd like to see some entrapped somehow into doing so. Perhaps certain forms of slavery could be legal, where these slaves could be made to fight. I think it would be cooler if this were the case, as it would make it easier to put the PCs in there.

well, presumedly prisoners of war and criminals can still be made slaves, but as with those who sell themselves they would have certain rights and the chance to earn their freedom. Such slaves could easily find their way to the pits, and would be kept under a somewhat higher level of security than those who had voluntarily sold themselves.

 

[fuzzy]

What would the rules on magic and magic items be for the "stars". A wizard could certainly be an entetaining gladiator, but only with all the spells available. For PCs, would there be events where anyone, gladiator or not, can enter? That would have some wierd fights.

 

[Kahuna Burger]

What would the rules on magic and magic items be for the "stars". A wizard could certainly be an entetaining gladiator, but only with all the spells available. For PCs, would there be events where anyone, gladiator or not, can enter? That would have some wierd fights.

The fights opperate at several levels (sort of like different "weights" in boxing) and enchanted weapons are used in the higher ones. Some spell users are allowed at lower levels, but they have to be entertaining as well as effective - wizard casts sleep = boring fight. magic duels, as well as special unarmed combats (monks vs druids and beasts = way cool) may be arranged when audience interest is shown.

There would definitely be special events during which non gladiators could enter the ring. In these situations, and in some of the fights held to appeal to the squeamishly violent (the kind who would rather play SoulCalibur than Mortal Combat ) the fighters wear "gladiator rings" which change the damage of any weapon they hold to subdual.

 

[Bront]

I like the dynamics of this place. Sounds like a good place for an adventure. You might want to flesh out the town a bit more though, perhaps even the region.

 

[Manzanita]

OK. This proposal has met with very positive responses. I vote Yes.

Given that you are able to create most anything you want w/in the context of your own adventure as DM, I assume you're making this area public, for use by any DM, KB.

 

[orsal]

This definitely has interesting potential both for characters and adventures.

Hey, I'm enjoying my newly acquired power! Yes! Yes! Yes to this proposal too!

One of these days I'll meet up with an opportunity to say No, just to prove I can, but this seems not to be that day.