Gladiator
Jakarch Arena Gladiators are fighters and performers that work in the arena of Jakar. Tada.
Gladiators are usually slaves being pushed into the job, but the prestige one can earn has attracted disgraced nobles and the extremely poor.
Most of the slaves pushed into the job are purchased POWs from the locals, as there are nearly perpetual resource wars outside the city, which leads to a decent crop of big strong lads to send into the arena for fun and profit.
The most lucrative part of this is gambling. Betting on the arena fighters is treated as part of the experience, and there have been stories of both catastrophe and miracles with family money, the last [currency] becoming a mansion in a single day's lineup or blowing every cent on a sure thing (though the stories are certainly exaggerated, they're true enough.)
Noted figures include Brotz the Undying who spent eight years in the arena and was defeated precisely once in The Final Gauntlet. (Actually, it was three times, but no one knew what happened the first two 'cos he got back up. Even he didn't know what happened.)
Slaves and the poor have used gambling on themselves in the arena a 'solid' way to get out of their situation. As upward mobility in Jakar is nearly impossible, most are usually only setting up for their children to move up, but that works. If you survive. And win. Being a freed slave in Jakar isn't exactly a great status, but it's, yanno, not being a slave so there's that.
Betting on oneself to lose is a great way to die. It's considered fixing the bet, and even if you survive the arena after you let someone that can kill you try to kill you, you'll probably end up dead afterwards when anyone that bet on you found out kicks your ass. (Bets are supposed to be confidential. Supposed to be.)
Traditionally, the weapons given to fight with are a one-handed sword and a shield. Those are all stolen from other places, so they tend to vary in size, form, condition, and in general, can't be named. Gladiuses and scimitars and short swords are the most common. The shields are usually metal (at least mostly) and steel with leather strapping, most of them are small, you rarely find anything more than torso-sized, and they're usually not in the best of condition, either. Any armor you can get and wear is allowed (Which does give the richer families an edge) and any weapons you provide for your gladiator must meet requirements but they're not strict.
Gladiators are usually slaves being pushed into the job, but the prestige one can earn has attracted disgraced nobles and the extremely poor.
Most of the slaves pushed into the job are purchased POWs from the locals, as there are nearly perpetual resource wars outside the city, which leads to a decent crop of big strong lads to send into the arena for fun and profit.
The most lucrative part of this is gambling. Betting on the arena fighters is treated as part of the experience, and there have been stories of both catastrophe and miracles with family money, the last [currency] becoming a mansion in a single day's lineup or blowing every cent on a sure thing (though the stories are certainly exaggerated, they're true enough.)
Noted figures include Brotz the Undying who spent eight years in the arena and was defeated precisely once in The Final Gauntlet. (Actually, it was three times, but no one knew what happened the first two 'cos he got back up. Even he didn't know what happened.)
Slaves and the poor have used gambling on themselves in the arena a 'solid' way to get out of their situation. As upward mobility in Jakar is nearly impossible, most are usually only setting up for their children to move up, but that works. If you survive. And win. Being a freed slave in Jakar isn't exactly a great status, but it's, yanno, not being a slave so there's that.
Betting on oneself to lose is a great way to die. It's considered fixing the bet, and even if you survive the arena after you let someone that can kill you try to kill you, you'll probably end up dead afterwards when anyone that bet on you found out kicks your ass. (Bets are supposed to be confidential. Supposed to be.)
Traditionally, the weapons given to fight with are a one-handed sword and a shield. Those are all stolen from other places, so they tend to vary in size, form, condition, and in general, can't be named. Gladiuses and scimitars and short swords are the most common. The shields are usually metal (at least mostly) and steel with leather strapping, most of them are small, you rarely find anything more than torso-sized, and they're usually not in the best of condition, either. Any armor you can get and wear is allowed (Which does give the richer families an edge) and any weapons you provide for your gladiator must meet requirements but they're not strict.
Career
Payment & Reimbursement
None
Perception
Purpose
Entertainment
Demographics
disproportionately few dwarves, but the rest of the population is about even with the environment, being mostly orc, half-orc, half-dwarf, human, minotaur, half-giants, stonefolk, and the occasional half-elf
Operations
Tools
The standard kit is usually whatever weapon the masters have lying around and whatever spare armor they have lying around. Once the gladiator is proven to be worth investing in, there is usually more effort put into gearing them up.
Workplace
The Arena of Jakar (maybe name it later.)
Dangers & Hazards
Risking life and limb, or at the very least humiliation.
Alternative Names
Fighters; arena fighters
Type
Forced Labour
Famous in the Field
Related Locations
Comments