Bloodlust: A Gladiator's Tale

by C. P. D. Harris

  "Valaran...," The Chosen’s voice is powerful, as if his words carry the weight of the mountain underneath them. "My little experiment is nearing its end. You may rise"

  "Yes my lord," Valaran replies, relieved to be allowed to stand. "Soon I will take my place among the Chosen."

  "Will you?" The Chosen's eyes focus on Valaran. The Gladiator nearly falls to his knees under that weighty gaze.

  "Have I displeased you my lord?" Valaran fights to keep a tremor from his voice.

  "I created you Valaran; you can hide nothing from me."

  Valaran waits uncertainly. He cannot think of anything he has done to upset his master; he has always been very careful to stay in the Chosen’s favour.

  The Chosen tilts his head, regarding Valaran as a man might regard a disobedient pet. Valaran knows that the Chosen can annihilate him with a thought. The Deliberative cannot protect him here; the Grey-Robes of Volcanus are Moltar’s now.

  "You have jeopardized my plans with your desire for a woman!" Moltar’s voice is grim and sombre, like that of a judge repeating the most repulsive of crimes. "Thoughts of love makes you weak; it jeopardizes my plan."

  Valaran closes his eyes, realizing his mistake. Moltar would not look upon his passion for Sadira Lacivia favourably; he should have known this. He considers begging for his life, but decides against it. He waits.

  "You do not deny this?" The Chosen says after some time has passed.

  "No, Master, I do not. I desire her above all things," he waits for the end.

  "I am not an indulgent lord, Valaran. The servant does not place his desires above the master's. Happily for you, I have received information that has shed a positive light upon your little obsession. I will allow you to pursue your little infatuation…"

  Valaran wants to know why, but he knows better than to question the Chosen. Instead he ask, "How shall I do so, Master? She has already rejected my advances."

  Moltar is silent for some time. When his voice comes, it is so thick with malice that Valaran shivers for the second time that day.

  "Corrupt her friends;... destroy her lover;... make her yours… To get what you want is the only true measure of power, Valaran."

  Glossary (with Author Comments)

  AR: [After Reckoning]. In the Domains time is measured from the end of the Reckoning.

  Appeal to the crowd: [Show thumbs, Judgement of the Crowd] The appeal to the crowd has several uses in the arena, and is regarded as a sacred tradition among fans of the Great Games. The root of the action is a symbolic appeal to the people. The spectators vote for each side, often by showing their thumbs. A single spectator can vote for all sides if they wish. The side with the most "positives", with "negatives" cancelling one thumbs up each, wins the appeal. Ties and Deathmatch executions are almost always resolved in this manner. The Appeal is one of the reasons that popularity is very important to a Gladiator.

  Armodon: Armodons are a race that have Rhinoceros features. They are much larger than humans and have thick, tough skin and a single prominent horn. Some Armodons have thick, bristly hair on their heads, although this is not the case with Omodo. Armodons, like Minotaurs, are a "beast race" created during the Reckoning and they frequently suffer from prejudice because of this.

  Armour. objectification, and bloodlust: [Commentary] Gladiator armour exposes a great deal more flesh than would be purely practical for armour. With the fabrication techniques available in the Domains even light armour class Gladiators could cover their entire bodies in strong, light metal alloys and enduring fabrics. Yet even the strongest heavy class Gladiators must expose at least a third of their body surface in the arena. Part of this is to make the fight more exciting, the crowds do not want to see nigh invulnerable steel clad behemoths bashing each other around to little effect; they want to see blood, and having exposed flesh is a near guarantee of red on the sand. In many of the ancient cultures that existed before the Domains, one on one combat was emphasized over mass melee, and wearing less armour was considered a sign of courage. Finally and most importantly Gladiator armour is about individual style, and some fighters will opt for sexier armour for various reasons, including increasing their popularity with the arena-going crowds. Both male and female Gladiators are heavily objectified in the Domains, and the portrayal of some characters as scantily clad and concerned about appearances is absolutely purposeful. Some schools are as concerned with aesthetics as they are with fighting. Body-sculpting is part of this objectification as well, akin to cosmetic surgery in some ways. This is all intentional, but I will not further address it here.

  Armour Class/Weight Class: [Light, Medium, Heavy] During their early training Gladiators choose an armour class in which to specialize. This is occasionally referred to as weight class. The term is somewhat misleading because it refers to the weight and coverage of the armour, not that of the Gladiator. It is therefore possible to have a Quickling heavy armour class and an Ogre light armour class. Armour class is also a shout out to D&D, a game that kindled my love of Fantasy. (see Light/Medium/Heavy for specifics)

  Artifice: A form of magic developed after the Reckoning. Artifice deals with machines and other devices. The "artifice revolution" has greatly increased quality of life in the Domains through technological advancement. Artificers are rarely seen as Gladiators. Artifice is seen as a more modern, measurable, and rational approach to magic by most people in the Domains. (Artifice is similar to what some Steampunk writers call Cognomancy, but I shy away from using that term because it is too close to Cogimancy.)

  Attuning/Attunement: A Person must attune to a rune or enchanted item to make full use of the magic within. This is a relatively quick process for a Gifted.

  Basic Training: [Training] A Gladiator's basic training consists of conditioning, armour class, magic class, and training class. Training also includes live weapons and fully powered spells and is considered overly brutal by some citizens of the Domains.

  Battle Magic: [Remedial Magic, sub of magic class] Some Gladiators take to conditioning too well and develop a difficulty weaving spells that affect others. They are even more physically honed than most Gladiators but a little lacking in magical prowess. They are trained in a general array of relatively simple spells, and must work extra hard if they wish to push further into magical studies as they advance in ranks.

  Bloodlust, the Game: [Commentary] Bloodlust began as a tabletop role-playing game that I wrote. The nature of the Great Games made it easier to deal with players and characters moving in and out of each play session and also seemed a more natural fit for encounter style play.

  Capitals, use of: [Commentary] I use capital letters in a way that some people regard as poor English. When I write Gladiator instead of Gladiator or Training Class instead of training class I am simply trying to convey that these are seen as titles by the people of the Domains. Training Class would be the equivalent of a BA or BSC in many ways. The Great Games are steeped in ritual and the use of capitals is one way I attempt to convey this.

  Charger: [Aggressor, sub of Training Class] Young Gladiators with aggressive personalities and offensively oriented mindsets are trained as Chargers. Chargers take the fight to the enemy and win by attacking, pure and simple.

  Channel/Channelling: Channelling is the description for how Gifted draw upon power to energize their magic. The power accumulates over time until the amount required to cast the spell is reached. More experienced Gifted can draw upon power faster and have a higher maximum capacity. Gladiators are trained to do this more or less unconsciously so that they can still fight while channelling. Most channelling in the book draws from some internal source but some Gladiators are able to tap into the energy of a supportive audience; if you read closely, I call this out now and again.

  Chosen: The Chosen are the rulers of the Domains. They are immensely powerful Gifted who have full use of their magic. Some of them, referred to as the Elder Chosen, have been around since before the Reckoning. Every Chosen that has been added since
the Reckoning has been a Champion of the Arena (There might be an exception or two to this; I am undecided). All of the Chosen have sworn the Oath of the Covenant. Originally the Chosen were limited in number to 100 and new Chosen were only added when the old ones died (or disappeared fro long periods). Because the Domains are expanding, and Gladiators become more rebellious if regular championships are not held, new Chosen have been added at least every 50 years starting with AR 1000.

  Clockwork: Any mechanical automaton in the Domains is called a clockwork, often erroneously.

  Cogimancy: Cogimancy is the discipline of magic that deals with thought processes and the brain. Gladiators use Cogimancy for quick mental communication and coordination between team-mates. In fact, as a reader, you could assume that much of what the characters are saying to other members of their team in a match is mental communication and not speech. Cogimancy spells can be used to enhance personal focus, cause headaches and confusion, create hallucinations, read emotions and thoughts, and attack with potent mental blasts. Presumably Cogimancy can be used therapeutically to cure all sorts of mental illnesses, but that does not really fall under the purview of a Gladiator. (As an aside Steampunk writers occasionally use the term Cognomancy to refer to a kind of mechanical magic, which I call artifice in Bloodlust.)

  Conditioning: [part of Basic Training] Gifted who choose the path of the Gladiator are subject to harsh physical and mental conditioning. They take up a regimen of athletic exercise that would destroy a normal person, forcing them to turn their magic inwards to enhance their physique to supernatural levels. They are injured in every way possible, to teach their bodies to heal and their minds to overcome pain. They are even killed and brought back to life with the Keystone, so that they do not flinch from death. Some feel this training is monstrous, especially since it begins during childhood, while others feel it is the only ordeal that can make a responsible Chosen.

  Covenant, the: The basic set of laws that governs magic, the Chosen, and the Gifted in the Domains. The Covenant was drawn up by the people of Krass, led by Ezuis, during the Reckoning. The Chosen are forced to swear a magical oath to uphold and abide by the Covenant.

  Deathmatch: A Deathmatch is an arena match where one or more of the fighters faces death. In a Deathmatch the Gladiator/Gifted/Chosen who accepts the Deathmatch condition does not attune to the Keystone. Deathmatches must be sanctioned by the Deliberative, which ensures that they are as fair as possible, and the Gladiators must agree to the fight publicly, in front of the crowd before the fight begins. Deathmatches are often used to execute Heretics. Two things are important to note in Deathmatches; firstly the risk is not always equal, in some Deathmatches only one side or participant risks death; secondly, most Deathmatches end in an appeal to the crowd in which mercy is often shown to the loser if they fought well.

  Defender: [sub of Training Class] Young Gladiators who are oriented toward protecting others or lacking in direct aggression are trained as defenders. Defenders concentrate on outlasting their enemies and protecting their friends. Defenders frequently use shields. They are the least popular of the Training Classes.

  Deliberative, the: The Deliberative is the body that overseas magic and the Gifted in the Domains. Many of the Officers of the Deliberative are Gifted, even former Gladiators. The Deliberative is not under the control of the Chosen, but rather upholds the Covenant. It takes a unified act of the People's Assembly and the Council of the Chosen to over-rule the Deliberative. The Deliberative has a strained relationship with some of the Chosen, who see it as intrusive.

  Dirty Fighting: [Schools] This school of fighting codifies every mean, nasty dirty trick imaginable that can be used in the arena. It is very popular among Skirmishers.

  Domain: A Domain is the personal territory of a Chosen. It is analogous in many ways to a province or state. Quite a few Domains have their own people's assemblies and act relatively democratically while a small minority are rather despotic. At least one Domain is more akin to a nature preserve.

  Domains of The Chosen: [The Domains] The Domains of the Chosen refers to the collective of all of the Domains, the free holds, captured territories, and Krass.

  Druidic Magic/Druidism: Magic dealing with nature, instinct, and life-force. Druidic spells can be used for physical enhancement, healing, growth, and so on. Plant magics often fall under this discipline, but Scholars often debate that they should be considered an aligned category rather than a sub-category.

  Dwarf: A fairly typical take on fantasy Dwarves (so far, I may develop them further. I am also toying with a purely Dwarven fantasy series), aside from their use of magic. Dwarves were the originators of Artifice magic and Rune-smithing. They were fairly isolationist prior to the Reckoning but have now integrated into the Domains. Dwarves tend to specialize by nature and are driven to master a single craft or skill throughout their lives. Since Gladiators are pretty obsessive to begin with this does not really come up often in the book.

  Elementalism: A school of magic based on the idea that the four elements (air, earth, fire, water) are the building blocks of reality. Elementalism has a wide variety of spells and numerous sub-disciplines, like Pyromancy. In the arena Elementalism is a crowd favourite due to its spectacular, impressive attack spells.

  Execution: Most Deathmatches are supposed to end with an execution. The Gladiator subdues his or her opponent and then makes an appeal to the crowd. The winning Gladiator can actually encourage the audience to vote one way or another, if they wish.

  Ezuis: [The Founder, Blessed Ezuis, The First Champion of the People] Ezuis was the man who suggested that the surviving Gifted be allowed to enter Krass if they swore to follow the Covenant. He is the prophet and father figure of the Domains, and many people pray to him for guidance and regard him in a spiritual manner. He was Ungifted, but profoundly knowledgeable, old and wise by the time the Reckoning ended. There is some evidence that he was the one who ordered the walls of Krass reinforced in preparation for the great storms at the end of the Reckoning. The official story is that he retired to the Isles of the Dawn and lived a monastic life before dying of natural causes.

  Factions: [The Blues, The Reds, The Greens, The Orange] The popular factions are basically political parties that arose naturally out of the interaction of the Great Games and the popular assemblies. They are somewhat more pervasive than modern political parties. Imagine if politics, entertainment, and sports intermingled more than they do in present day. The Factions are loosely based off Byzantine groups as well as modern politics.

  Faultless Blade, the: [School] This complex school teaches that self-mastery, understanding, and discipline are the true path of a Gladiator.

  Gifted: Those who develop the full "gift" of magic are called the Gifted. Most people in the Domains can use simple, formulaic magic with great effort. The Gifted can sense magic, allowing them to Channel power and weave spell-patterns with ease. The Gifted can perform great feats of magic, and can improve their skills over time, with some of them approaching Godlike power. Their magic also makes them far more resilient and long lived than the Ungifted. The Gift is not hereditary and cannot be detected until after early childhood.

  Gladiator: Gladiators in the Domains are Gifted who have chosen to try to win their freedom in the arena. A Gladiator can choose to retire at any time to undergo the sundering and become a Vassal. Gladiators who achieve Master Rank can become champions, retire to teach, or retire to service as a Warbound. Other options exist (possibly as secret operatives of the Deliberative or some form of Retainer), but are not widely known. A male Gladiator is called a Gladiator. Mixed groups of Gladiators are called Gladiators.

  Gladiatrix: A female Gladiator is called a Gladiatrix. I just like the way it sounds. The plural is Gladiatrices which is a bit awkward but I still like it.

  Glamour: Glamour is a minor form of magic that instantly applies cosmetic effects. It is used by characters in the book to create hair and make-up effects as well as exotic, but temporary appearance
alterations like shiny skin. It is also used to freshen up quickly, cleaning a person as if they had just washed.

  Grey-Robe: Common slang term for officers of the Deliberative. They are called Grey-Robes because they always wear grey, and their dress uniform is a robe.

  Heavy: [sub of Armour Class] A Heavy Gladiator wears armour that covers 40-66% percent of their body surface and weights between 33-75% of their body weight. Heavy Gladiators are trained to take advantage of the additional protection of their armour by positioning the armoured parts of their bodies to take an impact. They are also trained to use the additional weight the armour gives them to great advantage when charging or holding position.

  Heretic: Any Gifted who breaks the Covenant is called a Heretic.

  Honoured Gladiator/Honoured Gladiatrix: Gladiator is an official title in the Domains but when more respect needs to be shown people use an ancient honorific which is designated as "Honoured Gladiator" in the book because I have yet to have the time/skill/desire to make up a language like some of the masters of the genre.

  Enduring Bulwark School: [Iron Bulwark, School] The Enduring Bulwark School teaches advanced shield use and defensive positioning.

  Image: see armour, objectification, and bloodlust,