Gladiators of Zirnakaynin PbP (Inactive)

Game Master Feral

The PCs are slave gladiators in the famed Drow city, fighting to survive and win glory (and perhaps, eventually, freedom) in the arena, whilst becoming embroiled in the intrigues of their drow masters between bouts. Skewed a lot towards the 'Spartacus: Blood and Sand' TV show style and pseudo-Roman gladiator styles.


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The Exchange

I've been getting back into the boards for a couple of weeks now, and my PbP GM sense is twitching again. I've run a few games before, but eventually RL tends to catch up with me and I end up abandoning the hobby for a while... so I'd not promise to be around forever, but I usually give it a pretty fair whack when I get started.

Of course, even when not actively gaming I tend to have the nuggets of ideas and concepts pop into my noggin, so there's a few 'unusual' settings I wouldn't mind having a go at running a game in:

1. Warlords of Akiton: I'm a pretty big fan of Barsoom, so a game set on Golarion's sister planet would most likely skew heavily in that direction. For the PC races that'd probably be (Akiton local) elves, red-hued humans, (plus the resultant half-elves, natch), ratfolk for the Ysoki, plus red-hued nagaji and vishkanjas to represent 'reptile people' without needing too much scratch-building or including people with racial hit dice or anything. Advanced firearms rules with 'radium bullets' or something (just black powder reskinned), flying ships, vast tracks of desert with ancient abandoned cities, occassional high-tech or science weirdness, 'warrior honour' and barbarian princesses and brutal slavers and such.

2. Warlords of Azlant: an undersea setting. Gillmen, merfolk, and (amphibious) Undine PCs... although a surface race Witch with the water lung hex or some other way to breath underwater at 1st level would also be okay. Evil aboleth-run empires, sunken cities, a chance to use those weird aquatic archetypes, animal companions, or familiars dotted about all over the place.

3. Something Grimm: a setting skewed towards traditional style fairy tales - so no firearms or other 'Golarion weirdness', but enchanted forests, saving the princess, evil hags, curses, orges, talking wolves... that sort of thing. PCs in this one would likely be working for 'good King [insert name here]'. This one would essentially be more 'unusual' by being more traditional - good guys questing for good, rather than robbing the still-cooling corpses of their enemies and figuring out the best buys at the local magic shop.

4. Knights of the Air: set in the elemental plane of air (or some sub-plane or something) the characters would be members of an elite knighthood from a floating kingdom (essentially a big chunk of rock like an island floating in the air with the kingdom on the top - ripped from some material plane 'a long time ago' yet managed to survive and adapt) who get to fly around using gliders (at first) and investigate the other odds and ends ripped from other planes which drift close to the ever-drifting kingdom. That'd likely be standard PC races plus Sylphs, bird / flying animal companions and familiars, etc..

5. Gladiators of Zirnakaynin: PCs would be slave gladiators in the famed Drow city, fighting to survive and win glory (and perhaps, eventually, freedom) in the arena, whilst becoming embroiled in the intrigues of their drow masters between bouts. Skewed a lot towards the 'Spartacus: Blood and Sand' TV show style and pseudo-Roman gladiator styles, this one would probably be the hardest to role-play due to the enslaved status of the PCs (and the focus not being 'escape' but 'play the system and win') and the need to 're-tune' from the more usual 'PCs run things' style of play.

... whatever the setting I tend towards the 'role-play' side of the gaming spectrum (although I usually run a pretty tight ship rules-wise). I generally lack the time (or patience) to produce maps and stuff, but run encounters through narrative description (and dice rolls, of course)... as I said, there should be some examples of my old games banging around here somewhere if you're interested in my GMing style.

Anyway... I'm not promising anything at the moment, but just checking in to see if anyone would be interested in any of the above sorts of game ideas. When I'm running full-blast (and haven't just abandoned the whole thing...) I like to post once a day, and would expect players to be able to match that (barring RL, of course) to keep the pace going. Players who like to write imaginative descriptions, hold conversations with NPCs, think outside the box, and the like are going to be happier with me, I think, than number-crunchers (not that you can't do both, of course...).

Silver Crusade

3 and 5 interest me the most, although the others are interesting as well :3


Numbers 2 and 4 have caught my eye, in order of which I would like to see the most. I have a fondness for sea-faring games, but have not had the opportunity to play an underseas campaign. A merfolk is something I would be most interested in playing.


2, 5, and 4 interest me in that order.

Off-topic: Hey Rysky!


Choices 2 and 3 are of the most interest to me. I love old fairy tales and have wanted to play in an underwater campaign for some time now, but the opportunity has never come up.

I am not sure how well choice 5 would word, but it does sound interesting enough that I would try it to find out.

4 makes me think too much of Avatar for some reason and the logistics of traveling through air (and the result of falling) would make it too problematic for me to try it, at least at low levels.

As for 1, not that interested in trying for a Princess of Mars type game.

Silver Crusade

Yo Whacky!

*Waves*


2 definitely caught my eye, and 4 could be tons of fun.


I'll be the first to say I'd play the hell out of #1


I would.be down for 3 or 5. 5 I feel has LOTS of potiential

Silver Crusade

Odraude wrote:
I'll be the first to say I'd play the hell out of #1

Mehehe, your False Hope portfolio serves you well.


3 and 4 sound like a lot of fun. I'd especially like to put the hero back in heroing.


3 sounds like it would be fun, especially if made cliche to a point.


4 and 5 sound awesome. 4 would be a great opportunity to play a cavalier with a flying mount and 5 because drow and it reminds me of my favorite setting of all time: Dark Sun.

The Exchange

2 people marked this as a favorite.

Thanks for the quick responses and interest, guys!

At the moment it looks like 3 (fairy tales) and 4 (flying stuff) are out in front, with 2 (undersea) and 5 (gladiators) a close second, and poor 1 (red planet) bringing up the rear.

I'll check back later today to see if anyone else has chimed in, but 3 is looking like a pretty strong contender (I've got more potentially prepped for 3 and 5 than the others, and of all of them I imagine 3 will involve the least amount of 'house rules').

In case it helps any, the campaign traits I've whipped up (subject to change...) for 3 & 5 are:

Fairytale campaign traits:
Courtier / Lady-in-Waiting: Born a younger member of a noble family your social status is too great for you to stoop so low as to acquire a regular job. On the other hand you’re so far down your family’s line of succession that you’ve no chance of inheriting any real wealth or title. The solution for those in your position is to attend court, try to entertain and befriend those in power, and hope to win an advantageous marriage or position. Essentially you’re a professional friend and companion to royalty, until something better comes along. You gain a +1 trait bonus to Diplomacy checks, Knowledge (nobility) checks and to one Perform check of choice. In addition you begin play with a courtier’s outfit, 50gp worth of jewellery, and a signet ring bearing your family’s coat of arms (in the shape of a shield if you’re male, or a lozenge / diamond if you’re female) including your personal mark of cadency (to individually differentiate you from the other members of your family who bear the same arms). Between the favour of the court and a regular stipend from your family, you’re considered to be living a wealthy lifestyle (as long as you remain in favour, of course).

Honour Guard: Whether through the influence of a relative who was a guardsman, catching the eye of one of the royals in the practice yard, or your own hard work and dedicated loyalty, you’ve managed to secure a coveted position in the royal honour guard. Apart from your primary duties of protecting the royal family, you’re also expected to make them look good, and put on an impressive display as part of their entourage. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Intimidate checks against commoners and Perception checks. In addition you begin play with a masterwork suit of parade armour (in this case a suit of lightly padded leather, tailored to accentuate your physique, dyed royal blue and bearing the royal coat-of-arms, with pauldrons, vambraces, greaves and an open-faced helm all of steel polished to a mirror finish). If you have an animal companion, mount, or similar class feature, that companion also starts play with a matching set of masterwork parade armour barding suitable for its build. If you’re an arcane caster who suffers an arcane spell failure chance for casting in light armour, you can cast whilst wearing your masterwork parade armour with no chance of spell failure. If you have class features which normally only work whilst wearing no armour or non-metallic armour, they still function whilst you’re wearing your masterwork parade armour.

Magician’s Apprentice: You’re apprenticed to the royal magician and, like him, are expected to provide expertise on arcane matters, offer sage advice, and both defend and entertain the court with the arts of magic. Whilst much of your apprenticeship has involved fetching and replacing dusty old tomes, cleaning foul-smelling alchemical apparatus, and similar menial duties, you’ve learnt at least a little from the royal magician’s teachings, and recently (since his age has been showing more) he’s started to send you in his stead on various low-level official functions. If you can cast spells spontaneously you gain one non-offensive cantrip or orison known (this doesn’t have to be from your class list, but is now counted as being on your class list). If you prepare spells you can prepare an extra non-offensive cantrip or orison (as appropriate to your class) each day when you prepare spells. If you normally can’t cast cantrips or orisons you can cast prestidigitation once per day as a spell-like ability (this functions at caster level 1st or your highest caster level, if you later gain a caster level) and gain a +1 trait bonus on Sleight-of-Hand checks. In addition you start play with a suitably impressive scholar’s outfit, and a journal full of your jumbled notes that grants a +2 circumstance bonus on Knowledge (arcane) and Spellcraft checks when consulted (this takes you 1d4 minutes, but anyone else 1d4 hours).

Loyal Confessor: As an ordained (if low-ranking) member of the clergy you’re one of several Faithful who tend to the spiritual and religious needs of the royals, under the watchful eye of the archbishop. In such a rare position of trust amongst the elite you’re expected to be the soul of discretion and a sympathetic listener and advisor as well. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Knowledge (religion) and on Sense Motive checks when dealing with members of the royal household (including royalty, courtiers, and servants). In addition you start play with a set of clerical vestments. You’ve also been entrusted with a silver holy symbol of your Faith which works as a wand of cure light wounds (caster level 1st, with 30 charges remaining at the start of play): this is technically the property of the Church, but you can use it as you see fit, in service to your Faith and the royals. If you don’t have cure light wounds on your spell list, you gain a +1 trait bonus on Use Magic Device checks to activate this holy symbol as a wand, and can do so untrained if necessary.

Gladiator campaign traits:
Equipment Notes:
The basic outfit a gladiator wears just a brief loincloth and sandals, with a gladiatrix (a female gladiator) adding a simple breast band for a modicum of comfort and decorum. When presented for contest or display gladiators are often also oiled so their bare skin glistens and their physical perfection is highlighted. For some events gladiators even find themselves decorated with body paint, to better help them represent the various roles of myth their displays are meant to re-enact. Gladiators clad in such a fashion add a +2 circumstance bonus to performance combat checks, as long as they wear no more than the light gladiator armours listed below, and perhaps a few items of jewellery or decoration (as long as they don’t hinder the audience’s appreciation of the gladiator’s form), on top.

The core item of gladiator armour is the ‘balteus’: a wide, thick, leather belt (like a modern boxing or wrestling ‘championship belt’), often reinforced and decorated with metal, bone, or other hard materials, which uses the statistics of a haramaki (as such no particular proficiency is required to benefit from wearing one).

Adding a ‘manica’ (a long guard covering one arm from shoulder to wrist) as well as one or two greaves of hardened leather to the basic balteus results in the whole outfit using the statistics of leather armour.

Using a heavier manica and greaves of leather reinforced with metal, along with the basic balteus, creates an outfit which uses the statistics of studded leather armour.

A balteus with metal greaves, a manica of banded metal, and an enclosed helmet results in armour which uses the statistics of a chain shirt.

A character can choose to fight unarmoured, or in any of the above armour types. Only the provocator type is permitted to wear heavier armour, and in doing so forgoes the normal circumstance bonus to performance combat checks the above outfits grant (both because their body is more obscured, and because the crowds tend to see such well defended contestants as having something of an advantage over their more lightly armoured brethren).

Each character is assigned weapons based on his or her gladiator type, as defined by their chosen Campaign Trait (below), and is also issued a backup weapon: this is most commonly a dagger, but the character can choose to substitute a kukri or quadrens instead, as long as they’re proficient in that weapon’s use.

Additional equipment is disallowed in contests: this prohibition even includes such things as spell component pouches and alchemist’s kits (a ruling quickly introduced after rampant cheating involving carrying everything from deadly poisons to powerful potions or alchemical weapons in pouches under the guise of ‘spell components’...). The Eschew Materials feat is, as expected, popular amongst spell-casting gladiators, although some make do with spells lacking material components in the first place, or focus on long duration self-buff spells which can be cast before a match begins. Others train in the rudiarius style, particularly those planning on spell-casting more than they melee. As one might expect, less scrupulous type also simply ignore the rules and hide spell components, alchemist’s vials, or even potions or poisons, on their person when they enter the arena: both hiding such things, and using such things without being noticed by the crowd, require Sleight of Hand checks to avoid being caught cheating.

Campaign Traits (Gladiator styles):
Cestus: You fight with a cestus on each hand, delivering punishing blows to your opponents with your mighty fists. If your unarmed damage is greater than the base damage provided by the cestus you can use that damage instead, with any bonuses provided by the cestus (such as masterwork, magical, or special material) also counted. In addition, whenever you score a critical hit with a cestus you inflict an additional 2 points of non-lethal bludgeoning damage from the brutal impact of your blow.

Diamachaerus: Fighting with either a gladius in either hand, or a sica in either hand, you thrill the crowds with this popular and skilful fighting style. When neither denied your Dexterity bonus to AC, nor suffering from an armour check penalty, you reduce any two-weapon fighting penalties for wielding a gladius, shortsword or sica in either hand by an additional 1 point.

Hoplomachus: A classic gladiator type, you wear a buckler and are armed with a spear or longspear. Your intense training allows you to wield a spear or longspear in one hand as a one-handed weapon at a -2 penalty on attack rolls.

Murmillo: With more emphasis on defence than most gladiator types, you enter combat wielding a gladius in one hand and either a heavy shield or a tower shield in the other. As long as you’re not denied your Dexterity bonus to AC and have a heavy or tower shield in hand you gain a +1 deflection bonus to your AC.

Peregrinus: Presented as the embodiment of your race (as skewed by the perceptions and expectations of the locals) as a means to bring the excitement of foreign battles and adventures to the citizenry, you’re made to fight with your ‘native’ weaponry (and your gladiator armour is usually designed to echo a stereotypical image of your people as well – such as leaf patterns for a ‘surface’ elf, a dwarf’s armour painted to look like stone, or a half-orc’s armour made to look ragged and brutish and covered in skulls and bones). Choose a weapon mentioned in your race’s weapon familiarity listing as your primary weapon and fighting style. If the weapon is one-handed, you can optionally fight with a light shield or buckler as well; if it is light, you can optionally fight with a heavy shield or tower shield as well, or fight with paired versions of the weapon in question. If your race doesn’t have an associated weapon familiarity (such as if you’re human), then choose a weapon (or weapon pairing) associated with the region your ancestors hail from (such as an Aldori duelling sword if you’re from Brevoy, a scimitar if you’re from Qadira, the falcata and buckler of a rondelero duelist if you’re from Taldor, a spiked chain and barbazu beard if you hail from Cheliax, a klar and Shoanti bolas if you’re of Shoanti origin, a bladed scarf if you’re descended from Varisians, or any number of eastern style weapons if you’re Tian).

Provocator: You fight as the most heavily armoured of the gladiator styles, usually reserved for auctoratus (volunteer gladiators) who had the presence of mind to claim this style in their indenture agreement, or slave gladiators with owners keen to protect their investments. You fight in medium armour, with a gladius and either a heavy shield or tower shield. The coin invested in you means you begin the game issued with a masterwork agile breastplate, a masterwork gladius, and a (non-masterwork) heavy or tower shield.

Retiarius: Armed with a net and trident you demonstrate a fighting style designed around mobility: restricting your opponent’s as you make the best use of your own. If you’re neither denied your Dexterity bonus to AC, nor suffering from an armour check penalty, you gain a +1 dodge bonus to your AC.

Rudiarius: You’re armed with a deceptively simple-looking ‘rudem’: a wooden rod carved with mystical symbols, which counts as a club in melee (and costs 5gp). Through intense training you’ve learnt how to use the rudem to help focus your magic: whilst holding the rudem you count as having the Eschew Materials feat. You may use the hand holding your rudem for somatic components.

Scizore: Your gladiator type is named for your unusual primary weapon – a weapon you’ve striven to master. As long as you’re wearing no more than light armour, and carrying no more than a light load, you don’t suffer the usual -1 penalty on attack rolls when attacking with a scizore (although you suffer any non-proficiency, incorrect size, or other penalties as normal).

Thraex: Similar to the murmillo, but with more emphasis on attack than defence, you wield a light shield and either a shotel or a falcata. Making the best use of the chopping properties of your primary weapon, you gain a +1 trait bonus to damage whenever you hit with a shotel or falcata attack against an opponent below you (such as a smaller size category, a kneeling, sitting, or prone target, or when you’re claiming a higher ground bonus to hit). This bonus is added to your base damage and is multiplied on a critical hit.

Combat Traits:
Bounding Blow: Your charges culminate in dramatic leaps designed to add power to your blows. When making a charge attack you can attempt an Acrobatics check to jump as part of the charge action. If your check would result in vertical height equal to or greater than your target’s fighting space you can claim a higher ground bonus on your attack roll. In addition if you possess the Vital Strike feat you can use it (and any other feats derived from it) in such a charge attack.

Ludus Learning: You quickly took to your gladiator training. Choose one weapon with the performance feature: you’re considered proficient in that weapon as long as you’re wearing no armour or light armour and carrying no more than a light load. This trait counts as being proficient for the purposes of qualifying for feats or class features and the like, but whenever you lose use of the this trait, you lose the use of those feats, class features, etc. which require that proficiency until you again regain use of this trait.

No Kill Like Overkill: You have a knack at finishing your opponents off in a spectacular (and crowd-pleasing) shower of blood and gore. When you make a performance combat check as the result of vanquishing an opponent you gain a +1 trait bonus on that check for every full 5 points of damage beyond 0 you inflicted upon your vanquished foe.

Faith Traits:
Faux Fiendishness: Most slave worshippers of deities other than the demon lords tend to be worth more as sacrifices in various cruel rites than they are as potential gladiators. Against the odds you’ve managed to both survive and preserve your faith by exploiting the seemingly endless variety of fiends the Abyss produces and obfuscating your worship of an otherwise forbidden deity under the guise of an obscure (and fictional) minor demon lord. Even your holy (or unholy) symbol is a highly stylised or alternate version of your religion’s standard symbol which is near impossible to recognise. When you participate in worship of, or use class features (including spell-casting) provided by, your deity you can disguise their true nature by making a Bluff check (as part of the normal action you’re using) opposed by the observer’s Knowledge (religion) check – if your check is higher the observer assumes you’re worshipping some minor nascent demon lord they’ve never heard of. You gain a +1 trait bonus to this Bluff check, and Bluff is a class skill for you.

Hardened Hedonist: A lifetime of indulging in the demon worshipping excesses of the drow has left you jaded and unimpressed by temptations. You gain a +2 trait bonus on saving throws against charm and compulsion effects.

Spirit of a Champion: Being a gladiator is more than a job to you – it’s your true calling. The cheers of the crowd fill you with an almost religious fervour. When in performance combat, you gain a +1 trait bonus on rolls to confirm critical hits with performance weapons if the crowd’s attitude towards you is friendly, this increases to a +2 trait bonus on rolls to confirm critical hits with performance weapons if the crowd’s attitude towards you is helpful.

Magic Traits:
Concealed Components: You’ve learnt how to stash a few select spell components in various cunning hiding places in your gladiator armour or outfit (such as tucked into your balteus, or slipped beneath a greave or manica). You can make a Sleight of Hand check to retrieve and use a spell component without your cheating being spotted as part of your casting action instead of as a separate action. You gain a +1 trait bonus to Sleight of Hand checks to hide or covertly use spell components, and Sleight of Hand is a class skill for you.

Entertaining Evocations: You maximise the whiz and bang of your flashier, crowd-pleasing, spells and effects. You add the check triggering effect’s spell level (or effective spell level) as a trait bonus to performance combat checks you make for casting energy spells and effects.

Veiled Vials: Thanks to practice and preparation you can enter the arena with at least a few alchemical extracts or potions hidden about your person. You can make a Sleight of Hand check to retrieve and drink from a vial without your cheating being spotted as part of your drinking action instead of as a separate action. If you have the Poison Use class feature you can make a Sleight of Hand check to retrieve and apply a vial of poison to your weapon without your cheating being spotted as part of your action to apply the poison instead of as a separate action. You gain a +1 trait bonus to Sleight of Hand checks to hide or covertly use extracts, potions, poisons or other vials, and Sleight of Hand is a class skill for you.

Social Traits:
Go-between: You’ve learnt the value of cultivating friendships and associations with the ludus guards, and often act as a fixer or scrounger for the other slaves... for a reasonable fee, of course. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Diplomacy checks when interacting with lower-class citizens (like the guards) and can smuggle non-magical items or services (including spellcasting) worth up to a total of 50gp per month into the ludus without raising alarm (at no cost to yourself).

Scion of Slaves: Although of a surface race, you weren’t captured from the surface world, but were born to those already enslaved by the drow. You speak undercommon in place of the surface world’s common tongue. In addition your upbringing makes telling your drow ‘betters’ what they want to hear second nature: you gain a +2 trait bonus on Bluff checks against drow. This bonus increases to a +4 trait bonus on Bluff checks against drow nobles. These bonuses only apply when you’re being properly obsequious.

Sex Symbol: Gladiators are often considered the pinnacle of virility and passion and, as such, tend to attract many admirers and persons of note seeking the illicit thrill of a forbidden tryst with such a base yet desirable figure. You seem to embody this mythos, your figure resembling the sculpted statue of some classical god. When making Bluff or Diplomacy checks against persons who find you (or could find you) sexually attractive you can use your Strength modifier on the check in place of your Charisma modifier.

Race Traits:
Auctoratus: Unlike most gladiators, who are slaves captured from the surface word (or bred from such captives), you’re an ex-citizen (or city ‘guest’ from a respected race) who’s voluntarily submitted themselves to indentured servitude (for a period of at least two years) as a gladiator. For some this a last resort to pay off debts or stave off poverty, for others it’s an escape from social commitments (such as an arranged marriage, or an expectation to follow in the family business); for a few the lure of a life of combat and glory is motivation enough. Choose drow, duergar or fetchling as your race.

Bestiarius: ‘Beast people’ are popular exotic additions to the arenas of the city, usually presented in such a way as to play-up their supposed ‘feral’ or ‘animalistic’ tendencies (even if they are, in reality, as civilised as any other race). Choose catfolk, kitsune, nagaji, tengu, vanara or vishkanyas as your race.

Seminatus: Specifically bred as specialist exotic slave stock you cost your owner five times the price of any slave with a less thoroughbred bloodline, and she expects to see a return via your performance in the arena. Choose changeling, dhampir, ifrit, oread, suli, sylph, tiefling or undine as your race. Born and raised to your fate, you speak undercommon instead of the common tongue of the surface dwellers.

Regional Traits:
Aegis of Etiquette (Eirdrisseir): Caught in the endless web of internecine intrigue that is life amongst the noble houses of drow society, you soon learned that the social niceties could literally be a matter of life and death. Once per day when you make a Charisma-based skill or ability check, you can roll twice and take the better result.

Child of Chaos (Cocyrdavarin): If a normal bustling metropolis can be a dangerous place to grow up, Zirnakaynin is downright lethal, with a state of near riot in the streets being deemed business as usual. Learning to spot when someone was about to turn violent, and making sure they stayed down when you gutted them first, was the only way you managed to survive. You gain a +1 trait bonus on damage rolls with a dagger and a +1 trait bonus on Sense Motive checks. Sense Motive is a class skill for you.

Torrid Toiler (Rygirnan): You were raised toiling at one of the many forges of the lava lake of Rygirnan, and hardly even notice the heat anymore. You gain a +4 trait bonus on saving throws made to resist the effects of being in hot conditions, and a +1 saving throw against fire effects.

Religion Traits:
Cocoon of the Creeping Queen (Mazmezz): Your worship of the demon lady of bindings, driders, and vermin has granted you a bizarre ability which allows you to vomit up webbing with which you can rapidly cocoon your grappled victims. In this manner you can always use the tie up grappling action even if you don’t have any rope to hand, and the DC to escape the bonds increases by +1 (this is a trait bonus). The DC for a Strength check to break or burst your web cocoon by sudden force is 10 + ½ your character level + your Constitution modifier. Using this trait is part of the grapple check to tie up, and inflicts 1d8+1 points of damage to you (this can’t be reduced in any manner, but can be healed as normal). If attacked, the web cocoon has Hardness 0 and Hit Points equal to those you lost to create it. Your cocoon can’t prevent a creature from breathing or talking, but if you cocoon their head (it’s your option to do so or not when you use the tie up grappling action) the creature suffers a -2 penalty on Perception checks. This trait is a supernatural ability.

Silken Sinner (Socothbenoth): As a devotee to the demon lord of perversion, pride, and (breaking) taboos, you’ve indulged in activities which make most people queasy even to think about, and spend time dreaming up even worse atrocities you may like to try when opportunity presents. When you succeed on a verbal Intimidate check to demoralize an opponent who understands the language you’re speaking, you can choose to elaborate on your perverse inclinations and inflict the sickened condition in place of the normal shaken condition.

Song of the Sevenfold Swarm (Izyagna): You consider the roars of the crowd baying for blood to be sacred to the nascent demonic lady you worship, in her role as mistress of angry mobs. Whilst in performance combat, as long as the crowd’s attitude towards you is friendly or helpful, you can ignore the need for a divine focus when casting spells. While the crowd’s attitude towards you is helpful you also count as possessing the Eschew Materials feat.

... although I've got some solid ideas for 4 too, and nuggets of ideas for 2 and 1.


I would vote 5. Maaaaybe 4 if it was sky-pirates rather than sky-aristos. :)

Regardless of which way you guy, extra mad props for the gladiator traits. Those gladiator styles are epic. Would love to play a hoplomachus, diamachaerus or murmilo...

The Exchange

Oceanshieldwolf wrote:

I would vote 5. Maaaaybe 4 if it was sky-pirates rather than sky-aristos. :)

Regardless of which way you guy, extra mad props for the gladiator traits. Those gladiator styles are epic. Would love to play a hoplomachus, diamachaerus or murmilo...

LOL - thanks: the result of slow days at work... :)


5 would be the top choice. A performance combat game is something I have wanted to try for a while.

4 & 3 also sound cool.


For 5, I am liking the Auctoratus trait. Perhaps my character's family would have staged an unsuccessful coupe against another family and as one of the few survivors she had no other means of supporting herself.


I'd really like to get in on 5, if there's still room. My next choices would be 2 or 4.

The Exchange

Looks like 'gladiators' it is then! Ideally I'd like 4-6 PCs, but we'll see...

It'll be a 15pt 'standard fantasy' Ability Score buy, maximum Hit Points at first level (and average at other levels). Core races only, unless you choose a specific 'race' trait (posted above) to be allowed a different race. No need to worry too much about equipment (being slaves, the characters technically don't own anything: but success in the arena will see characters being allowed to keep a certain amount of their own property), but include stats for the arena weapons and armour your character would normally be issued based on their chosen gladiator type (and if your character has a spellbook or familiar you'll need to list the spells in it as usual). One campaign trait (gladiator type) and one other trait per character (which can be from the custom ones I posted or any of the usual trait options - the non-campaign trait doesn't have to be a custom one). Performance combat rules will be used... obviously...

Animal companions, familiars, and the like are okay - (non-Witch) familiars a character may be allowed to keep as a 'pet', animal companions would be fighting creatures held seperately from the gladiators (but characters with an AC, or similar, would tend to them and train with them as part of their daily routine). On the other hand, outside the arena, access to both weapons and spellcasting will be restricted (as far as possible) - so spellbooks and spell-holding familiars (i.e. Witch familiars) would be held seperately and access to them controlled.

Likewise, for characters with limited spells known or in books/familiars, choices should be based on their potential use in the arena, as that's what the character will have been trained towards. Spells which potentially obscure the audience's viewing pleasure (such as obscuring mist or vanish) wouldn't be allowed, and neither would most 'invisible win' save or suck type spells (such as charm person) - look to spells with flashy effects and direct arena applicability (as even utility spells may come under scrutiny if they're more likely to be useful for escape rather than combat). The crowd do, after all, love a good 'blaster' (as indicated in the performance combat rules).

Good alignments may have difficulties in this campaign (as the character's jobs are, basically, killing for entertainment) - the focus isn't on escape and putting an end to slavery, but on rising to stardom and success via the arena and helping out the characters' drow masters. Characters who openly worship deities other than the demon lords are likely to be sold for sacrifice (as they're probably worth more that way), so it's a bad idea making it public if your character does happen to have non-demonic religious tendencies.

WBL will be handled mostly through improved equipment and luxuries that make their way to successful gladiators by way of proud patrons or adoring fans... but either way, don't worry about it (besides, it's against the rules to steal things off the guys you kill in the arena: 'cos it's technically not their stuff you're stealing, but their owners'...). I'm also going to be using a Fame/Prestige system (like a faction or school) to help represent the characters' standing within the ludus: advancement based on arena success and between-bouts tasks for your masters (or mistresses, more likely, being drow and all...) and leading to improved quality of life and, eventually, freedom.

I think that's all you need for now... feel free to ask any questions. If those interested whip up characters and post them here we'll see if we can't get down to a final line-up.

Thanks again for all the interest!

Liberty's Edge

#5 definitely interested me the most. I'm glad it won!

Trogs are one of the more common slaves races in the Darklands. Any love for them?

Would skinwalker work for Bestiarius?


Alas, I do not have interest in a gladiator style game. I am bowing out. Good luck everyone!


So is this a recruitment PP? I'm definitely up for it. What classes are available? Paizo only or is 3PP possible?

Liberty's Edge

Hrm. It appears you've okayed Nagaji. Would a Nagaji reflavored as a Trog be workable?


This is the character for Joy's submission.

Lorelei is a drow sorceress who signed the contract to become a gladiator after being one of the few survivors of her house after a failed coup on another house. With no where else to go, she figured it was her best option.

I have a question as a drow, if I take the Peregrinus trait, what you say would be the drow's racial weapon? I can already imagine a costume made up to look like she is just covered in nothing but spider webs.


Yep. Definitely interested now.

Thinking up a swashbuckler for this... frankly, flavour-wise it sounds like it's tailor-made for arena combat.


An underdark Errol Flynn? :)


Or an underdark Oberyn Martell.

Hopefully it'll turn out differently than the books or the show. :)

So, with regards to the traits, we have to take one campaign trait and another trait? Can we take a drawback for an additional trait as well?

And would we need to spend feats to gain proficiencies in the more exotic gladiator weapons (e.g. trident & net, scizore, etc.)?

Liberty's Edge

I've got a number of character concepts lined up for this. I'll wait to see what others are pitching and Pott's stance on classes before I commit to something.


Think dwarven fighter is calling my name..

Sczarni

For your consideration, I present my halfling bard. (Apologies if I'm missing something; never done one of these before.)


I'm thinking an Orc Scarred Witch Doctor for this one too...

The Exchange

Okay, a few answers...

Classes: no 3rd party or 'not yet published' (the ACG isn't out yet, right? In any case, I've not read it so... no, sorry...)

Races: just the ones covered above (as they're essentially pretty balanced, and likely to be 'crowd-pleasers' - drow still have that elfy love of good-looking things!), although I always find taking a human (or half-elf or half-orc) with the Racial Heritage (race of choice) Feat or one of the Eldritch Heritage lines are good work arounds if you're after the flavour of a weird race. Trogs, though, I think would be too common to wow the drow crowds at the arena. No orcs either (but a half-orc qualifies for scarred witch doctor, as would a human or half-elf with Racial Heritage (orc)).

Drow racial weapons: those listed under the drow racial traits 'weapon familiarity' section of the ARG (i.e. hand crossbow, rapier, and short sword).

Gladiator weapons proficiencies: you don't get any extra or free weapon proficiences when you choose a gladiator style as your campaign trait, although that doesn't mean you can't choose a style which includes weapons you lack a proficiency for (it just may not be a good idea...). Trident, for example, is a martial weapon, and a net uses a touch attack to hit, so a retiarius without EWF (Net) isn't at a huge disadvantage (just chuck the net to start, then fight two-handed with the trident). Scizore is a martial weapon anyway. I also included the 'Ludus Learning' optional combat trait to help out if people wanted a fair shake at a style using a weapon they wouldn't normally be proficient in, but not wanting to sacrifice a whole Feat to be proficient.

Drawbacks: hmmmm... yes, okay, you can take a drawback for an extra trait if you want, although choose carefully as some may be harder to manage than usual, what with living the life of a slave gladiator and all...

The Exchange

Lorelei: looking good! Drow in Pathfinder don't worship Lolth (they worship demon lords instead), and speak 'elven' as oppossed to 'drow'. Apart from that, I think you just need you spells known and finishing off the numbers (skill bonuses and stuff).

Radric Hessel: nice start, but yes, you're missing quite a bit at the moment (such as skills, hit points, and spells known). Clearly open worship of Sarenrae will get the poor chap sacrificed, but what he belives in his heart is up to him!

A general note based off Radric's background: at the start of the campaign the PCs won't have actually seen any arena combat yet, they'll have just completed their initial training period and be about to face some of the ludus' 'qualified' gladiators in front of a small audience of the Mistress of the house, her family, and a few select friends (plus the guards and other gladiators, of course...) to determine if they're skilled and 'entertaining' enough to progress as gladiators (or destined to be sold to the fleshcrafters as materials for vile experiments best left unmentioned... or something else 'bad'...).

If it helps at all, generally the PCs will get to fight as a 'team' (to make it all managable). At actual arena events they'd generally be expected to fight twice: once versus 'beasts' (i.e. monsters) in the morning, and once versus other gladiators in the afternoon (after the mid-day entertainment, executions, and torture 'art' demonstrations). In fights against gladiators the PCs will usually start paired off against opponents, but there's nothing wrong with working as a team to defeat the group's enemies (in fact, doing that'll probably be the PC's edge in surviving...).


How would the crowds feel about illusion spells like silent image and the like?


Alright then. Thanks for answering!

Just going to make a couple of tweaks to my build... switching out from ACG swashbuckler to a rogue with the swashbuckler archetype.


wait, are we not allowing dwarves?


No, GM is. Core races, unless you choose a trait that allows you to pick from a more exotic race.

Liberty's Edge

I’m writing up a half-orc barbarian who is planning to dip into monk [martial artist] or brawler (depending on how long it takes us to level and if the book is out).

Fighter [Gladiator] was winning me over but I don’t like the idea of being married to a specific weapon group.

Potts, did you have some specific drow houses in mind as major players for the plot? Should we reference the wiki or just go wild?

I happen to be DMing book four of Second Darkness right now (In play by post!) so Zirnakaynin is pretty fresh in my thoughts. =P


Gotcha. Obviously I have read too much Forgotten Realms. :)


The upside of a swashbuckler rogue is that it gets a free martial weapon proficiency at 1st level. Gonna be using that for proficiency with a gladius.


Think ima go dwarven fighter. ALL dwarfness


*Gasps* He went full dwarf. Never go full dwarf.

obviously paraphrased....

And Our Lady in Shadow, Nocticula, sounds like a fun Demon Lord to worship. :)


On second thought, considering we have a couple of fighters lined up, perhaps I should stat up a healer of some sort... thinking an oracle, perhaps?

It's on the table--still need to finish my rogue up and see which one I like better.

The Exchange

Silent image: it depends if it obscures the crowd's view or not, really.

Drow houses: the ludus the PCs are at is owned by a commoner drow family (as ludi would have been in Roman times... minus the 'drow' of course...), the Mistress of the House is one 'Loscivia' - a highly matter-of-fact practical businesswoman (and ex-leader of a slave raiding squad to the surface world), and she runs the place with two of her children (the beautiful social butterfly First Daughter 'Ilvaria' and the down-to-earth dutiful son 'Pharnox'). 'The Twelve Houses' of drow nobles come into play as they each take turns sponsoring games at the arena (bread and circuses to appease the mob!), each putting their own spin on events, dedicating the games to their personal demon lord, and each trying to out-do the last House which presented games (the support of the commoner mob being, essentially, one big popularity contest). I'm thinking a monthly cycle - one big day of games per month.

Gladius and Rogues: gladius proficiency is covered by short sword proficiency, so Rogues are already covered (assuming you don't find an arcletype which gives up short sword proficiency, of course...).


I'm thinking of a male drow fighter or monk, details to follow... once I've read up on those demon lords. Those amazing traits really draw you in!


Okay, thanks for the heads up PP. I did miss that very simple instruction.

Half-orc Scarred Witch Doctor it is. I'll try to work the mask into one of hoplomachus, diamachaerus or murmilo or any of the others that strike my fancy. The peregrinus is also an intriguing option...


If you took Peregrinus, you could use your fetish mask as part of your outfit...


Okay, here's my bid:

Kyzrak Zverlokanth:

m drow fighter (possibly either a two-weapon warrior or a weapon master) 1 CN
hgt: 6’7 wgt: 120 lbs
eyes: solid red
hair: white
age: 120

STR 13
DEX 17
CON 10
INT 13
WIS 10
CHA 12

Appearance:
Long-limbed, lithe and lean, in the arena Kyzrak wears a balteus dyed a blood red that matches his eyes and stands out against his black skin, with a heavy leather manica and greaves of the same color. He saunters over the dead and dying with twin sicas in his hands, his white hair caught back in a leather tie and a sardonic smile of amusement on his lips.

Background:
Kyzrak suffers from two afflictions: he was born male among the drow, and he has a tendency to find everything quite amusing. Amazingly agile though he is, he was unable to twist his way out of having smirked at the wrong moment during his house's devotions to their demon lord. Fortunately for him, his less than serious attitude is coupled with good luck, and he was merely relegated to the arena to amuse those he had found amusing. As it turned out, it was the perfect place for him; at the low cost of having to kill anyone they set him against, he gained relatively safe room and board, and the chance at an adoring audience and great renown. Who could ask for more?

Religion:
With no particularly devoted religious leanings, Kyzrak makes offerings to whichever demon lord he feels might look favorably on his current actions; often, this is Nocticula or Andirifhku.

Languages:
Elven, Undercommon, Drow sign language

Skills:
Intimidate +5
Knowledge: dungeoneering +5
Perception +2
Sense motive +1

Traits:
Auctoratus (race)
Diamachaerus (campaign)

Feats:
Two-weapon fighting
Weapon finesse

Equipment:
balteus + hvy. leather manica
twin sicas

Liberty's Edge

Background

Segovax, simply Seg to some, is a half-orc savage born among a brutal tribe of Darklands orcs known to lair near the surface where they would strike out whenever there was a need to raid and pillage (which was often). He was born to a human mother (one of the tribe’s many slaves turned concubines) and even though he was sired by the tribe’s chieftain, he found no favor among his kind due to the glaring reminder of his lesser half – his kind, very human, eyes. As a result he grew up knowing only cruelty and quickly learned that strength was the only virtue that truly mattered.

One day he and a band were tasked with visiting Zirnakaynin for the purposes of trading some slaves that were old and worn beyond being useful and were waylaid, ironically, by dark elf slavers themselves. The orcs were no strangers to drow tactics and weaponry but the dark elves were well-prepared for their prey, armed with enchanted bolts and spells to smother the greenskins’s savage fury and, despite their great strength, the orcs were defeated. Those that were too injured to move were slain along with the most of the chattel the orcs had brought with them. Segovax and a few others were dragged away in chains.

Appearance

Segovax is a towering figure and takes after his father, possessing a massive muscular frame, honed to iron from a lifetime of physical struggle where raw muscle and endurance were the only thing between life and meaningless death. His wild dark hair is cropped short, a common choice among his savage kin, and his green-grayish skin is riddled with scars, some of which are from injuries while others were ritualistically self-inflicted. A few dark tattoos decorate his flesh alongside the scars, the most prominent being the horns of Baphomet scribed across his left pectoral. He wears little save hide leggings and a satchel to store his few belongings. He’s armed with a short curved blade and a long barbed bullhide whip.

In the arena he wears even less, putting his impressive physique and litany of scars on full display, often clad in only a loincloth held in place by his balteus.

Persona

Although he resents his capture at the hands of the dark elves, Segovax will quickly learn to appreciate the situation and the many advantages it provides. Among his own kind he was a second-class citizen at best but among the drow’s gladiators he could be a champion, provided for, adored, and lusted after. A man would kill another man for such a position. An orc would kill all them all.

Crunch

This will have to wait until I get home. Segovax will be a hateful rager barbarian with his stats focused on strength, constitution, and charisma (in that order). For traits he’ll be bred for war, fate’s favored, and a sex symbol. His first level feat is either going to be tribal scars.

There's more than one Spartacus reference in there. =P

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