Encounters and Adventures at the Pit

Impoverished PCs may be forced to seek their fortune at the Pit. The monies which may be won depend on the type of bout to be fought. As suggestions, wrestling bouts bring in a purse of only 1d4 gp; nonlethal combat with another warrior will bring in 1d8 gp; combat with a monster, or lethal combat with a warrior, bring in significantly more (1d10 x 5 gp or even more in special combats). A gladiator who is friendly with the boys and halflings who run around the gladiatorium cleaning it up between bouts can also pick up 1d10 cp, 1d10 sp, and (monster/lethal combats only) 1d10 gp equivalent in lesser coinage as a share of what the crowd threw down in the way of appreciation. The DM should feel free to adjust these values to fit individual campaign needs, but the rewards available should never be high. This place is for the desperate!

A second possibility for involving the PCs here is that they are hired to capture an escaped monster-alive-before the City Watch can find and kill it. Replacing a rarity such as an owlbear or Oscar the manticore could cost hundreds of gp or more, and Pietain would be desperate to get all the help he could, should one such beast escape. This is a cue for a cheerful fast-action whirl around the streets of Greyhawk, and an excellent way of introducing PCs to the sights and sounds.

PCs could also be commissioned to go out and hunt a monster for the Pit (or Pietain could let it be known that he is interested in considering any purchase offered to him, within reason and the laws of the city). Lizard men, aaracokra, mongrelmen, verbeeg, and similar humanoids would be very acceptable, as well as reasonably sized and aggressive monsters which can be kept safely in the beast pens (banderlogs, giant lizards, great cats, etc.). Of course, Pietain will not buy any such creature if it is not reasonably healthy and capable of fighting. Trolls (and other regenerating monsters) always command a premium price, since these creatures can literally be dismembered and still recover in time for the next day's show.

Andrade Mirrius can be seen at the Pit only rarely, and then only if a lethal combat is taking place. He smiles unpleasantly at the sight of plenty of blood, and loves to watch the killing blow. He does not entertain guests in his private box, and he will not agree to meet the PCs here, although it may be a good location at which simply to see him. Other NPCs who may be met here will typically be those of non-good alignments whose descriptions suggest that they bore easily, or that they have rather unpleasant tastes in entertainment.