The Colosseums
Overview
As old as Ogygia itself, the four great colosseums are at once a source of training, entertainment, and power. These massive arenas are neutral zones under no ruler’s jurisdiction, maintained through the ages by generations of bronze-skinned colossi. Each is named for the colossus family that maintains them: Boreas in the north, near the swamps of Lerna; Zephyrus in the west, beyond the Burning Wood; Notus in the south, in the Acheron Swamp; and Eurus in the east, at the base of the Hekaton mountain range. Anyone can participate in the colosseums, Ogygian or immigrant, voluntary or not. Battles are held as long as there are combatants to fight, with the circumstances determined by the colossi responsible for that colosseum. The victors of a fight gain power and rank and are allowed to choose the fate of the losers; most often, that fate is death. Whatever the outcome, combatants are given status and power in relation to their victories, and with time, a lowly commoner may become a king. While Ogygia’s government can also be decided on the battlefield, the colosseums are incredibly important for the endurance of Ogygian meritocracy. Without them, any sufficiently powerful tyrant could claim all of Ogygia’s resources through sheer momentum. Any assault against them or their current wardens is a capital crime.Purpose / Function
Through victories in battlefields and the colosseums, Ogygia's the warrior-rulers are granted rank and power. The colosseums are more reliable methods to confirm this status, as the contests in them are open for viewing to the public and performance is carefully weighed by the colossi to determine the victor's growth or loss of status. Even outside of the colosseums, these colossi families are responsible for cataloguing the victories and losses that occur in Ogygia where possible.
Architecture
Largely stone structures in a circular or oval configuration around a central arena. The structures themselves were originally built to manage the giant forms of the ancestral colossi, and so the hallways, doors, and rooms are all of enormous size compared to most modern humanoids. Seating to watch contests and holds for equipment have been installed in more human sizes since their original construction.
