aquire wine and 2 cups, teach rhame latin
Steveus snagged a ceramic pitcher full of wine and a couple small wooden cups, and sat next to Rhame at one of the open tables. Steveus poured some wine into each cup, and slid one across to Rhame, then pointed at it and said, "Cup."
Rhame nodded slightly and repeated, "Cup. Wine."
Steveus smiled broadly, and pointed at the guards, "Whoresons."
Rhame eyed him dubiously, but repeated it dutifully. They continued this for a moment, until one of the slave girls wandered by, and Rhame beckoned her over. She came up, a rather pretty young woman, perhaps eighteen years old, and bowed slightly. Rhame said, "You slave too? Slave like..." He mentally groped for the right word, then finally gave up and said, "Arena-warriors? Like... Us?"
She nodded noncommittally and said, "I'm only a slave because of my husband's debt to the Magister. Since I'm a debt slave, I get treated a little better for the most part. They don't lock me up or beat me really. I just can't leave when I want and have to do what they tell me. Another two years and our debt will be paid off." She shrugged.
Rhame nodded slowly, trying to digest everything she said, and finally he asked, "What is... Debt?"
Steveus cut in, saying, "Debt is like... Like, you know money right?" Steveus pointed at a coin pouch on a guard's belt, then continued, "Debt is when you borrow money. Eh..." He then pantomimed giving the slave girl a few coins, and said, "You give them money and they pay later."
Rhame nodded sharply, saying, "Oh, I see. [Usury.]"
((Rhame has progressed somewhat in his mastery of Latin and loses the -1 penalty to his SC rolls when dealing with Latin speakers. Steveus has begun learning how to teach others difficult concepts, and receives +1 to SC rolls whenever training/learning is involved.))
Go for a walk.
Ceruleaus had already dealt with people enough for one day, and strolled into the courtyard. In the courtyard, a squad of Roman soldiers were standing near the gate, conversing amongst themselves, and another pair were wandering about the yard. The pair spotted Ceruleaus, and wandered towards him, unhurriedly but with a purpose. When they came close to him, the one with a more elaborate set of armor bowed his head slightly and said, "You are one of these new gladiators, yes?"
Ceruleaus nodded warily, his eyes watching the two carefully.
The second one smiled at the other and said, "We were trying to decide which team to bet on. We've already talked to the other lanista's gladiators, but we got here too late to talk to all of you, so you'll have to do. What did you do before you were sentenced damnatii gladiatorum?"
Ceruleaus shrugged and said, "I was a blacksmith from Herculaneum for most of my life."
The first soldier nodded easily and said, "And do you have any real experience fighting?"
Ceruleaus smiled coldly and said, "It was a rough town."
The first soldier grinned and nodded at the second soldier, "This one. I'm betting on this one." He slapped Ceruleaus on the shoulder heavily and said, "The other team is mostly debtor slaves and petty criminals, none of them have any real combat experience. I think you all will do well. Although, there is that one on the other team that was formerly a soldier like us. He might give you a bit of trouble, eh?"
Ceruleaus filed away this tidbit of information for the upcoming battle...
((Ceruleaus has forewarning of next games opponents, and will receive +1 to cunning against these opponents for the first two rounds during the next combat.))
Continue trying to learn the intricacies of Latin; chat with the slave girls as they pass.
The big Thracian that Rhame had fought slid into the seat opposite Rhame, a pitcher of wine in one hand and some cups in the other. He filled the cups and slid one to Rhame, telling Rhame the name for it in Latin. Rhame already knew most basic Latin nouns by now, but was playing along so perhaps he might be underestimated. Generally people thought foreigners that didn't speak the language of the land were stupid or oblivious. It was a good distraction.
Rhame continued with the little language lesson, then stopped a serving girl as she wandered by, and asked her a few questions. A couple of the words she said, he didn't understand, but Steveus explained this 'debt' to him. Usury. One of the more favored inventions of those who lived to the northeast of his homelands, but one that was quite distasteful to his people.
These Romans and their culture were strange and foreign, but slowly he was coming to understand them.
((Rhame is schooling himself in deception and gains a one time +1 cunning bonus to a roll of his choice in the next combat/special circumstance.))
And now everyone is at peace. Busy-busy until the dawn comes again. Supposedly, we're all here to fight and die now, like a living bet in a game of trade and plunder.
But...then, our chances of surviving are greater if we're together. Do they know I can speak? Perhaps not.
Kora decided to observe her fellow gladiators, listening to their chit-chat and perhaps, holding a quick conversation with one of the slaves in private inquiring about how the place is run, and who runs the place.
That includes the arena.
Kora watched the boisterous, varied races carrying on, drinking, eating and flirting. She watched the Magister and the Centurion bantering good naturedly, and caught strains of their conversation about bets. She saw the Thracian and Egyptian learning much from one another, though the Thracian was not quite teaching the lesson he thought he was.
She observed all this closely, and then one of the serving girls tapped her gently on the shoulder and said, "Are you hungry or thirsty? I'm to make sure everyone is well fed tonight."
Kora nodded slowly, and gestured to a table in the corner. The serving girl followed her over, and asked, "What do you wish to eat?"
Kora said, "The leader, over there," She nodded toward the Magister, "Is he your king? A lord of some sort? Does he control this? Who does the day to day leading of the staff here? What are the arena battles like?"
The slave girl looked at the Magister, and said, "He is the Magister. He is the lanista of the gladiator's here, but he is also a Magister... Magister's are mid-level nobles. He controls this lotus and another estate just to the west of here." She looked back at Kora, and said, "The person in charge of running the lanista in his absence is Doctore, for the most part, and Magister Meridius's son, Flavius Sextus. And the arena battles are..." The slave girl smiled slightly, "Glorious. I love to watch the fights, and the deaths. Sometimes people try to escape, but they have some archers on the outside walls of the arena and a great many guards inside. It never works."
((Kora has learned some information about the Magister and upcoming battle, as well as keeping her ability to speak Latin mostly hidden. +1 cunning bonus for one roll next combat or next special circumstance.))
>Make sure the new weapons are sharp for the next battle.
Spurius went into his little room and started sharpening his axes. He tested the weight and balance of the throwing axes. They weren't perfect, but he found a couple small iron rings somewhere, and helped fix the balance of the axes. Next, he made sure the two pieces, the shaft and the weaponhead, were firmly connected. One axehead was a little loose, so he pulled out the nail with a small knife they'd provided for eating and hammered a new nail through the other side of the head. It wasn't a long term fix, but it would last for the next fight...
((Spurius has made his weapons more durable. He receives a one time +2 to attack next combat on an attack of his choice.))
Food! Ahahaha, of course, I couldn't win that fight because I had an empty stomach. Now, let's see about getting something to eat...
Acquire some bread and garrum, and try to speak with the brothers. Ask about some of their favorite fights, trying to earn their favor and pick up a few tips.
Kaiso grinned broadly as the serving girl came by, and he told her to bring him food. He went and sat next to the veteran gladiators as the girl served him, and he spoke to them, "Hello, I wish to know about the arena. What should I expect tomorrow? What will it be like?"
For once, the German didn't speak first. Instead, it was the scornful, quiet man who spoke, "Tomorrow we will be loaded into a wagon and carted to the arena. There we will be returned our arms and armor, and the lots will be drawn. After the lots are drawn, the fights will start. After all the normal fights are resolved, any special event will begin. Then, after that, the victors will be awarded and we will be thrown in the cart again."
Kaiso smiled as he dug into his food, and asked after a moment of eating, "What was your favorite fight?"
The quiet man smiled and said, "My favorite fight is the one that landed me here. The one in which my brother died."
The other three gladiators gave Kaiso a warning look, almost as one, and he quietly dropped the subject... But how had the man's brother died?
((Kaiso has foreknowledge of the arena system, and will receive a +1 cunning bonus next round on a roll of his choice. (pssst: SPEED))
Find something to eat and drink, preferably meat and wine, maintain weapons and armour. Get used to wearing and wielding them.
Velligus grabbed a plate full of food and a small skin filled with wine, and took them back to his room. As he worked on improving his armor and weapons where he could, he pecked at the food and sipped his wine. After he finished working on his armor and weapons, he donned them and started practicing. He kept repeating the same movements over and over. Step-jab-shield push. Jab-knee kick-headbutt. Block-block-shield bash. He kept practicing a few of the same movements, trying to imprint them on his muscle memory.
Long after he was exhausted, he finally took off his armor and weapons and collapsed onto his bunk. Velligus fell into a deep, restorative sleep almost immediately...
((Velligus gains a +2 to attack and defense on a single roll of his choice next combat.))
((So, the one time bonuses must be declared on your turn, before the attack is rolled. I cannot retroactively improve a roll. This may get very complicated, so forgive me if I look over a bonus I gave you, and instead simply PM me a reminder of the bonus so I can alter things for you as subtly as possible.))
The next day, the gladiators awoke, to a beautiful day. It was cool, but not cold. The air was crisp and the sun was shining through light, fluffy clouds that drifted lazily across the sky. The guards herded them onto the cart, and off they went. After a two hour journey, they arrived at the massive arena. A fair sized crowd wandered around the arena, some jeering at the gladiators, others simply hustling along on their business. The cart was led into a large set of double doors, where the gladiators were then led into a large armorium chamber.
As they were arming up and getting ready for their upcoming combat, a small, Roman man came into the room with a long scroll. He waited until they quieted, then said, "Rhame will face the opposing Thraex Malteus. Kora will face the Secutor Gremmus. Spurius will face the Hoplomachus Dentix. Ceruleaus will face the Pugiarius Blix. Kaiso will face Andabatus Iohanne. Steveus and Velligus will participate in a team battle against the Retiarius Jopax and the Secutor Kollanis. Please finish preparing and report to the antechamber to the arena floor." He turned smartly on his heel and walked out of the room.
As the gladiators entered the antechamber, they could hear the roar of the crowd. Hundreds of voices crying out as one. For blood, for combat.
((This next part may get a bit complicated. Post a turn that's something along the lines of 'Enter arena, size up opponent' or this post will get... Far too long for my liking.))
Player: GWG
Name: Rhame
Origin: Egypt
Former Profession: Mason
Health: 110
Inventory:
Hammer- +2 to attack
Greaves- +2 defense
Light helmet- +1 defense
Small shield- +1 defense
Skills:
Attack- +2
Defense- +4 (+5 on legs)
Speed- +1
Cunning- +1
Class: Thraex
Player: Tiruin
Name: Kora Alarai
Origin: Asia.
Profession: Medicae//Caretaker
Health: 110
Inventory:
Spear- +3 to attack
Dagger- +2 to attack
Greaves- +2 defense
Light Helmet- +1 defense
Medium Shield- +1 defense
Skills:
Attack- +3 Reach (+2 grapple)
Defense- +4 defense (+2 in grapples, +5 for legs)
Speed- +1
Cunning- +1
Class: Hoplomachus
Player: Zenzetzuken
Name: Adnalsnah et Emosewa Spurius Ovidius Sophus (Spurius for short, from now on.)
Origin: Italy
Profession: Mediterranean Pirate
Health: 110
Inventory:
Axe- +2 to attack
Throwing axes x2- Ranged attack (No bonus to attack, but is Reach weapon)
Manica/greave- +1 to defense
Medium Shield- +1 to defense
Helmet- +1 to defense
Skills:
Attack- +2
Defense- +4
Speed- N/A
Cunning- +1 (+2 versus Thraex or Hoplomachus)
Class: Myrmillo
Player: Remalle
Name: Ceruleaus
Origin: Herculaneum
Profession: Blacksmith
Health: 110
Inventory:
Gladius- +1 to attack
Heavy Helmet- +1 to defense
Manica/greaves- +2 to defense
Leather breastplate- +1 to defense
Large Shield- +2 to defense
Skills:
Attack- +1
Defense- +8
Speed- -1
Cunning- +1 (+2 for bodychecks)
Class: Andabatus
Player: Wwolin
Name: Kaiso Tacitus Dimacherus
Origin: Helvetia (present day Switzerland)
Profession: Butcher
Health: 110
Inventory:
Cestus- +2 to attack
Lightly Padded Tunic- +1 to defense
Skills:
Attack- +2 (+4 in close combat/grapples)
Defense- +1
Speed- +3
Cunning- +1.5
Class: Cestus
Player: Unholy Pariah
Name: Steveus
Origin: Thracian
Profession: Lumberjack
Health: 110
Inventory:
Axe- +2 to attack
Manica/greave- +1 to defense
Medium Shield- +1 to defense
Helmet- +1 to defense
Skills:
Attack- +2
Defense- +4
Speed- N/A
Cunning- +1 (+2 versus Thraex or Hoplomachus)
Class: Myrmillo
Player: Gamerlord
Name: Velligus
Origin: Gaul
Profession: Woodsman
Health: 110
Inventory:
Axe- +1 to attack
Heavy Helmet- +1 to defense
Manica/greaves- +2 to defense
Leather breastplate- +1 to defense
Large Shield- +2 to defense
Skills:
Attack- +1
Defense- +8
Speed- -1
Cunning- +1 (+2 for bodychecks)
Class: Andabatus
Author
Topic: You are a Gladiator: Now with RPG mechanics! (Read 19529 times)