So here are the brief highlights of what's happened so far with my gladiator storyline:
The newly initiated gladiators were asked to perform a reenactment of a famous battle in the Westernmark. The PCs were to be Pict raiders, complete with loin clothes, feathers, and red mud on their bodies, with the Pict shaman PC playing the role of, well, the Pict shaman, dancing in the background, making a show of calling the spirits to aid him. They were given smoke powder for the magic show, as of course they were not to use real magic.
As mentioned in an earlier post, one of the PCs is a noble of house Gilroy. The PCs were bought by Calchas Idaeus, head of the major rival to house Gilroy. So at the last minute, the PCs were told there was a change of plans with their reenactment, and that the noble was to go with the guards somewhere else. They're announced before the large arena crowd, and walk out onto the floor. Directly opposite them, they see the "Aquilonian" forces they're to face. They notice behind their opponents is a wagon. On the wagon, tied, and dressed like a woman (but dressed poorly so it's still clear who the person's identity is) is the noble. The PCs decided that fine, if the plans are changed then, they are changed and they were going to win this thing. Oh, and they want a magic show? We'll give them a magic show!
So they used real magic and won the fight, which was supposed to be a reenactment of a great victory over the Picts. Of course, their owner Calchas Idaeus was furious (although the crowd loved it).
The PCs were then asked to take a watch below the coliseum. While on their watch, the Cthulhu cultist/regressed Neanderthals attempted an invasions and there was a massive battle. After some time, the regressed were pushed back and forced to retreat.
Later, a man identifying himself only as "Tommy" stopped in to visit one of the PCs while they were training. He told him that he had evidence that backed the PC's story, that would earn his friends and him a pardon and get them out of their current situation as gladiator slaves. They had been earning quite a reputation with their antics in the arena, and all he would have to do to get the evidence was to lose a match to a gladiator he should beat. The PC accepted the deal.
Due to their antics in the reenactment gone awry and the fame they've been gaining, the PCs were invited to a party at the villa of Lord Damon Florens. Due to their valor defending the city in the battle verses the regressed beneath the coliseum, they had earned enough trust from their trainers to allow them the night out to attend. There they mingled with nobles, scored with some ladies, and more importantly made some contacts with the movers and shakers in Messantia. There was good roleplaying and a little political intrigue. A few small seeds were planted that could certainly be developed later. As the evening progressed, they were invited to the cellars for some "entertainment." There they witnessed pit matches between black slaves, to the death.
The PCs have been looking for an opportunity to escape, and I knew they'd be sorely tempted to take this prime opportunity at the party to get away, but that's why I timed it happening just after the meeting with Tommy. I knew they would also like to clear their names, so they decided not to bolt just yet. I like forcing hard choices, and this one played out pretty well as they agonized at the table over whether to attempt escape or not.
Additionally, I have two new players/PCs in the group. (Both players are new to RPGs, which I always like. They don't come in with anything preconceived, and can often provide a fresh feel to your game.) One, his backstory is he's from a family of assassins in Ophir. His father entered him into gladiator service to get him some martial training. He doesn't want to stay in the family business, but hasn't broken the news to his father yet, as he knows he won't be pleased. The player has told me he wants his PC's father to be his enemy once he finds out, and try to have him killed, as he knows too much.
The other player is a Zamorian thief. His back story is he was arrested for various unnamed crimes, and was sentenced to slavery. His owner knew of his martial prowess and acrobatic ability, and thought he'd get the most out of his investment by making him a gladiator.
The two new characters went through the gladiator initiation (dungeon crawl from DA1) with the rest of the PCs, and have since been paired with them in the arena (they were all picts in the reenactment), had guard duty together where they fought the regressed, and attended Lord Floren's party. Both new characters have selected the hindrance of "Enemy" for their characters. (A hindrance being a savage worlds mechanic where you gain other benefits by selecting hindrances. I'm not a huge fan of the enemy hindrance, as every game I've ever ran the PC's had plenty of enemies, so how is this something worthy of other perks? Everyone pretty much has this hindrance by default, right?) The ophirian has already said he wants his dad to be his enemy once he tells him. Well, he hasn't told him yet, so what he doesn't know is he already has an enemy. He was taunting the opposing "Aquilonian General" from the reenactment, and he didn't take kindly to it. Then to be defeated in a reenactment where everyone knew it was fixed for him to win, that was just embarrassing. He now hates the ophirian. (The way the rules work, if a PC's enemy dies, you simply replace him with a new enemy within a couple sessions, so I can still make his dad his enemy once this guy is out of the picture.) The gladiator is the Champion Gladiator from the stables of house Gabrio. He's already since made a challenge to the ophirian in the arena, fought him, and lost. So now his honor has taken another shot, as this new young gladiator beat him fair and square in a head to head match. I'm thinking he may challenge him yet again, only this time it won't be a fair fight. He will have the ophirian drugged ahead of time, or maybe use poison, or cheat in some other way. If the PC doesn't accept his challenge, then???
I have no idea who the enemy of the Zamorian is/will be.
I still have a few story problems I need to get ironed out before next session. The biggest is what evidence does Tommy have that could be used to clear the PCs? They still claim that they are innocent (of course), but they really were guilty. The best they can do (with out having bogus evidence) is shed enough doubt on Hadramas and his evidence, which then leads to the case being thrown out. I'm thinking evidence that he is a sorcerer (which shows he's a criminal, as practicing sorcery is illegal in Argos, plus it validates the PC's earlier statements in court), and evidence that Hadramas has in the past illegally sent free men into slavery. This doesn't actually prove that the PCs didn't murder all of Hadramas guards and steal his caravan (they did), but I would have it cast enough doubt on Hadramas and his side of the story that the case would be thrown out and the charges against them dropped.
So again, what is this evidence that Tommy has? Well, the easy fix would be he doesn't actually have any evidence. He's pulling their leg, using them to make money. After all, what can they do about it afterward? Admit they took a fall? They're not free men, after all, and they can't get to him as such. Having said that, I actually want their to be evidence to get them off the hook, as there is fertile soil for good gaming and story lines in Messantia, if they can clear their names and stick around a while. If they escape and flee, never to return, there is missed opportunity to build off of several story lines in motion. I'm not saying I'm going to railroad them into sticking around and clearing their names, but I would at least like it to be a possibility for them. So Tommy has the evidence. Of course, Tommy is going to milk it for all it's worth. After the first match, he will just give them part of the evidence, promising the rest later after they take another dive. Of course, they will first need to win several matches on their own merit before he can ask them to talk a fall again. This is going to piss off the PCs, and I fully expect them to not wait around and play Tommy's game. It would be interesting if they escape, track down Tommy, and "coax" the evidence out of him.
So again, what is this evidence exactly? I could use some help.
There is yet another problem I have: the new PCs. After all, if the PCs do get the evidence from Tommy and get acquitted, the two new PCs are still gladiator slaves. If they got acquitted by first escaping, tracking down tommy, getting the evidence, and so on, the new guys would still be escaped slaves. If so, the likely scenario is the whole party **still** leaves Argos. In the process of clearing the names of half the party, the other half would become escaped slaves and thus wanted men. Again, I'm not going to railroad them into staying in Argos, and I'm not going to create a golden bridge to free all the PCs and clear all their names, but I would like for the possibilities of these things happening to at least exist. I would like to toss out some opportunities where if the characters choose to seize them, could lead to their freedom and cleared names.
One interesting thing I'm trying to decide how to use is at the Florens party, the zamorian thief made friends with Lord Florens, and at one point even asked him if there was anyway he could help him out of his current situation (i.e. being sentenced to slavery for his crimes, ending up as a gladiator). Damon Florens said he would get back to him. Of course, if Lord Damon investigates the zamorian, he'll learn of his crimes, and maybe of his skills as a thief. Some one with those skills could have usefullness to a lord, but being a gladiator who's getting more famous with each match is something that doesn't really help his career as a rogue I'd think. Florens could buy him (and even some of his friends, but not those owned by Calchas Idaeus, who's not selling), and use him as a "specialist". He would be given a good salary, and the opportunity to buy his own freedom (and then continue working for the lord if he so wished). I'm not 100% sold on this idea though. I'm not sure why he would do this for him. Feels like a golden bridge.
The Zamorian did some more investigation that evening, and a few gather information checks later learned the identity of "Tommy", a thug who goes by Tommy the Fist, who often does "jobs" for House Gabrio. He learned (via a very good gather info check) that Tommy had recently had dealings with some smugglers who sold questionable (i.e. sorcerous) illegal goods.
Another idea I have is to keep escalating the activity of the regressed beneath the coliseum. Perhaps next time a shogoth is unleashed, or maybe a shaman summoned demon or two? Perhaps the invasion is successful this time, and there is chaos around the coliseum (leaving ample opportunity for escape)?
There are many moving pieces to the story going right now, many variables. It seems like there is a great story out there that could somehow tie most of the pieces of the puzzle together, if I could only think of it, but right now I'm having a hard time coming up with a good story to link everything together. Ideas?
