Session 01
General Summary
And so it begins. It begins in a large hall deep within the gladiator complex, in the city of
Zara, Rodinia. The date is 1st of the Crow, 675 AR. Assembled in the hall are some 40 people, of
many different races and backgrounds, though predominantly human and from across the huge
Empire of Rodinia. Until recently, they were all slaves. Some had been captured only days
beforehand, others had been born into a lifetime of slavery. Each had some spark of potential
which had brought them to the attention of the Temple of Erathis, one of the most powerful
institutions in the Empire. Amongst its many interests, the Temple maintains a large number of
gladiators, which battle regularly in arenas and stadia throughout the Empire for the entertainment
of the general populace.
A robed figure addresses the trainee gladiators. Her name is Sister Valerius, a priestess of Erathis,
and she is in charge of all the gladiators in Zara. She tells them of the training which lies
ahead. She demands obedience to the Temple and loyalty to one's team-mates. She warns them
that death awaits the slow, the unskilled and the unlucky. She promises great riches and freedom
for the best amongst them. But first they must undertake trials. Stewards move around the room,
forming the trainees into groups of five, clearly not at random. The members of one such group
are Argus, Varro, Shinobi, Nemesis and Mika. They have never met before. Each group is led
from the hall by a steward, to begin their trials.
The gladiator complex is a sprawling maze of rooms and corridors and has clearly grown
haphazardly over time. It fills the space between the two most important buildings in Zara
� the Temple of Erathis and the Coliseum. Within its walls are barracks, kitchens, dining halls,
baths, weaponsmiths, armouries, an infirmary, a library and much more. Passing through it gives a
palpable sense of what a huge organisation it is, all geared to supporting the gladiators themselves.
The steward mentions some names as they traverse the complex � High Priestess Cordius holds
the highest rank in the Temple, Sister Litorius knows about enchanting and crafting magical items,
Sister Florens runs the infirmary and Sister Aponius runs the library. There are many more priests
and staff than that of course.
It is time for the first trial. A large, rectangular arena is featureless but for five small piles of
possessions in the centre. The trainees are told to enter, equip themselves, acquaint themselves
with one another and await the first trial. They have a quarter of an hour to prepare themselves.
Their banter appears relaxed but they know they could be dead within a few minutes. Howling and
snarling animal noises echo from four metal gates around the arena walls. Shadowy observers are
on balconies above. The gates open and wild canines charge in � wolves and hyenas. Using pack
tactics they pair up on their targets, trying to pull them to the ground and savagely rend with their
teeth. Despite their diverse backgrounds and trainings, these trainees react together with
discipline, co-ordination and focus. The beasts are dead within seconds. A most impressive
display. Not all the trainees have fared so well...
A gate opens and the steward returns. He brings some potions as a reward. The first trial was
passed with flying colours. The second trial awaits, fighting another new gladiator team calling
themselves Ensigns. But what will be the name of this team?
Report Date
10 Apr 2024
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