Free City Arena
Oeridians have been obsessed with bloodsport since before the migrations, and a common truism throughout the Flanaess holds that one can determine the influence of Oeridians upon a given city by measuring the size and resplendence of its arena. Originally built during the reign of Ponjes the Bull, when Greyhawk was considered a de facto outpost of the Great Kingdom, Greyhawk’s once-impressive arena was allowed to degenerate throughout the years, as the city swelled with autonomy and individualism. In ruins by the time the infamous Zagig Yragerne came to power, that worthy figure made improving the arena a crucial part of his early agenda.
The arena began as a joint effort between Grey College and Lord Mayor Zagig, to be used for college assemblies and events as well as entertainments for the citizens of the city. Zagig employed a cadre of architectural virtuosos to craft one of the most spectacular arenas in modern times. It proved somewhat of a bust as the latter – apparently the citizens of Greyhawk had plenty of ways to entertain themselves without the grandiose spectacles hosted by Zagig.
As a college focal point. however, the arena has been a grand success. It serves as a neutral ground for representatives of all the schools in Clerkburg, as well as self-proclaimed fraternities of students using individual tutors, to gather and face off in the endless series of games and contests these students use to amuse themselves.
After Zagig’s disappearance, the Directing Oligarchy forbade lethal combat in the arena, preferring to focus on more noble endeavours such as jousts and tournaments. In addition to these, the arena is still used by the city for those occasions when a grand celebration is required. Many holidays are commemorated with a service here. Illusionist shows, offered once or twice a year, are extremely popular. And every few years a traveling circus comes to the Free City, remaining for two or three weeks. These festive occasions are cause for nightly crowds in Clerkburg, even though they occur over Midsummer when the colleges are not in session.
Below the seats is a complex labyrinth of dressing rooms and storage halls for the equipment that is sometimes employed in the events of the arena. The arena floor itself has only two entrances, one at the east end and the other at the west end. Each of these is 20 feet wide by 16 feet high, and can be secured with massive wooden doors. The front rank of spectator seating reaches almost to the edge of this wall. The arena is used once nearly every week, except during the heart of winter, for some function or another.
In addition to jousts and tournaments, the Free City Arena sees action as a home to militia and city watch drills, countless open-air performances, musical concerts, and holiday celebrations. Spectators can enter the stadium by any one of a dozen gates spaced around its outside wall. The arena holds up to 20,000 spectators, and consists of fifteen sections situated around an ovular field of play. All the seats offer splendid views of the field, as they are not very far away. Four large gates at the east, west, and south of the arena allow larger crowds to enter and exit the structure on a timely basis. Knights and other players enter the arena from smaller gates at the east and west, which are in turn connected to a vast under-structure of caves, animal pens, and storage chambers. Seats along the northern side of the arena command greater prices, with the most expensive section being that situated just left of the western gate.
Above the western entrance rests the Grand Box, where the Lord Mayor and his honoured guests admire the competition under the shade of an elaborately columned roof. In addition to space for dozens of cronies and functionaries, the Box contains an elaborate wooden throne known as Zagig’s Seat.
Type
Arena
Parent Location
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