Rashif Iqbal Champion Wrestler

Rashif is 33 years old, 6'4" tall, 430 lbs., with a shaved head and a bound top knot. Rashif has black hair and eyes. and the deeply tanned skin of his native Tusmit; his huge build is directly attributable to his former "career" as head eunuch to the Pasha of that land. Exactly why he left this trusted job, and what brought him to Greyhawk, Rashif does not say. In his wrestling bouts he adopts the persona of "The Sun Pasha," strutting arrogantly around the ring pnor to the start of the bout in a costume of yellow and gold cloth accompanied by two scantily clad hand maidens.

Rashif is a great favorite with the crowd and an important member of Pietain 's staff. He is Pietam's eyes and ears among the gladiators and arranges the fixing of wrestling matches. He helps look after the denizens of the beast pens below the Pit-he can even wrestle the owlbear into submission. He also explains to young or new gladiators the need for not killing expensive monsters, trains newcomers in unarmed combat, and takes a fairly benevolent interest in the welfare of those who survive more than a couple of lethal (or highly dangerous) combats. Rashif keeps strict discipline, however, and accepts no nonsense or fooling around from his gladiator minions.

To a certain extent, the fights are only a part of the entertainment at the Pit. This is a noisy, boisterous place. and the three tiers and private boxes that overlook the arena are packed with people from all parts of the Free City. The shouts and cries of spectators (such as "Killin's too good fer 'im!" and the legendary "Come on, you've still got one leg left!") mingle with the groans and screams of the combatants and the frantic calling of odds by the bookmakers.

Gambling is a major activity here and is controlled exclusively by the Foreign Quarter Thieves' Guild (see Chapter 5). These bookmakers take up stations around the lower tier, signaling changes of odds to their companions with a special and secret sign language because of the noise, while their apprentice thieves clamber from tier to tier collecting the bets. Visitors should take special care to keep a tight hold on their purses and valuables! Monies placed as bets are exchanged for colored tickets that serve as receipts, and after each bout, winning bettors wave their tickets and scream for their winnings. Since most bookmakers are aware of the fixing of certain bouts (and those not in the know soon find out by observing the odds others are offering), they make a fair living, and do not cheat customers by refusing to pay on winning tickets.

A special health hazard here is presented by the piemen, who patrol the gladiatorium between bouts and throw warm pies wrapped in brown paper to customers who flick silver coins to them for their wares. These pies are known simply as meat pies-if anyone knows exactly what kind of meat they contain, he isn't saying. As in most cases in the seedier parts of the city, let the buyer beware.

AC 10; MV 9 (due to excess bulk): F8: hp 78; THAC0 11; #AT3/2; Dmg 1d2 +4 (fist Str 18/89, Dex 9, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 13. Cha 14; AL N.