GLADIATOR
How to play - a Noble
“The Grand Game”
Even though your character has specific incentives and motivations, one must always keep “The Grand Game” in mind, a political struggle between families, and characters within these families. Whether the main goal of your character is the glorification of its family’s honor, or if your character has no interest in politics, they still play a part in “The Grand Game”. Every motion, word or joke can hold a secret, a threat, or a hint for future cooperation. “The Grand Game” should always be on your mind as you play your character.
Possible actions:
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Invite a member of another house for a drink
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Publicly (or subtly) challenge the honor of another house.
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Publicly promote a business deal.
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Promote deals “under the table”.
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Make an announcement from the balcony
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To spread rumors regarding another character or family.
Family Drama
Family is everything for a noble. It is supposed to be your most loyal circle, which holds the future and ethos of all its members. However, sometimes the worst dangers may come from within the family.
Possible actions:
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Call for a family meeting
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Private conversations between family members
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Intra-familial manipulations.
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Deliberately spread malicious rumors about family members to ruin their standing
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Promote a wedding between family members and members of other prominent families.
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Intra-familial punishment.
Ordering the master-servant
The master servants of a family are generally slaves, loyal to the family and certain people within. Every family member can order a master-servant to fulfill tasks. A noble will talk to another master-servant only to give an order, but never to publicly start a conversation due to class differences between the two. There are certain tasks that are beneath the noble, such as talking to a servant or a gladiator. These are done by the master-servant. Additionally, a master-servant can inform a noble of information they may have overseen.
Possible actions to give your master-servant:
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Serve the needs of nobles: serving food, fetching a chair, etc’.
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Set up a meeting between nobles (via other master servants).
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Spy after other characters.
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Obtain/exchange information with another master-servant.
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Buy something at the market.
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Talk to a gladiator.
Gladiators
The gladiators are here to supply the nobles with entertainment, and perhaps a chance at glory for themselves or their respective houses.
Possible actions relating to gladiators:
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Happily enjoy a gladiator fight.
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Bet on a certain gladiator
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Order and pay for a fight between two gladiators. You can even give it a theme and backstory if you pay well enough.
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Buy a gladiator
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Invite a gladiator to a secret meeting, via the master-servant.
Other general actions for nobles
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Order the servants of house Trabiata that work in and around the Villa to serve you (NPCs)
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Interactions at “In-play” stations (example: signing a deal)
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Play one of many games at the Villa for your entertainment.
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Dine and celebrate
How to play - A High-Servant / Master-Servant
Service
As a master-servant, your utmost calling is - to serve. Whether you are loyal to the family down to your core, or if you are only biding your time before an upcoming betrayal, outwardly the demands of the family members are your tasks.
Possible actions:
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Relay letters between your masters and other characters.
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Present new characters to your masters
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Carry valuable objects for your masters
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Any other “serviceable” actions you have agreed upon beforehand: makeup, waiting on your noble (food), fetching a chair, cleaning their ears, etc’.
Information
Even though most of the power lies in the hands of the nobles, you have one power that they lack: the ability to obtain almost any piece of information. There are limits to what can be said between nobles officially, or even in dark rooms. That is why they have you.
Possible actions:
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Try to pry information during a conversation with other Master-Servants
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Exchange information with other master-servants.
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Serve other families, and build trust with them.
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Talk to gladiators
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Spy after other characters.
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Sell/exchange information regarding your family without their knowledge.
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Talk to house Trabiata’s servants (NPCs)
How to play - Gladiator
Fighting
whether you are here to survive after being sold into slavery, or to earn eternal honor in the hall of glory, you are here to fight and win. Every minute of training matters. Every battle is a matter of life and death.
Possible actions:
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To fight in battles you have been called to
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To practice in the yard under the watchful eye of the Doctore
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To challenge another gladiator, and fight him/her without the knowledge of the Doctore
Power struggles
Everyone can see the fights in the arena. However, there are other fateful battles that are fought out of the watchful eyes of Trabiatus - the battles for status and social domination. Sometimes, being friends with the right gladiator outside of the arena could earn you your life inside it.
Possible actions:
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Befriending gladiators new to the Ludus.
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Threatening a member of an opposing camp.
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Extortion of a member of the opposing camp.
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Attempt to convince a gladiator from the opposing camp to defect.
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Defect from one camp to the other for a good enough reason
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Spread information or misinformation regarding other gladiators
Information
There are instances when gladiators hold valuable information the nobles would like to know. These gladiators can use this information to promote themselves, bring down rivals, or act for a noble cause they hold dear.
Possible actions:
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Deliver information via a master-servant.
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Use the information to gain leverage against opposing gladiators.
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Set a secret meeting with a noble (official meetings between gladiators and nobles are strictly taboo).
The game is for educational, entertainment and pleasure purposes, based on the true history of the Kingdom of Judah, and is not a political event in any way
(I.g) Photography by: TheiaYF