Bay 12 Games Forum

It is halfway between "do no harm but take no shit" and "The only good enemy is a dead enemy." 

Hedonists, as you would expect, strongly embrace freedom and pleasure, and insist very firmly upon those natural rights. They are motivated by passion about others so as to ensure their opportunity to seek pleasure. When someone or something imposes upon those, they seek tound erstand its cause before stopping or removing the ability. If a Hedonist decides that you don't deserve mercy, it is more than likely that someone is going to pay. 

Yes. In some cases, it is more like Tai Chi than Kung Fu Monks, but with that particular flavor of power use, learning how to manipulate the energies of your body is important.

You can always buy healing in advance. The Temple is already putting in 4 HP of credit per fight for you, and unlike you, they have a fixed rate and a legitimate contract. It won't be too long before they start charging you more for treatment based on your income.

You do. You can earn yourself a level in general or specific crafting. This does include alchemy and medicine, in case you're curious. Yes, there is overlap between Weaponsmith and Weapon Specialist.

By this point, you think you have enough of a feel for the crowd and enough skill at fighting to regard yourself as an actual Gladiator. [+3 HP / +1 MP] There's a certain thrill you get from having the audience cheering for you, after all, and you've proven yourself capable of defeating a superior opponent. Barely. You rub the aching scar on your side, then set out towards getting a better room. Although you certainly don't have anything against the regular slave quarters, you're also fully aware that you're more or less incapable of keeping possessions there. Also, it's not particularly comfortable, and a good night's sleep sounds wonderful.

After wandering around between the Slave Canton, Temple Canton, Arena Canton, and the Low Market Canton, you find yourself with a housing option for each.
a) 30 g/month, Slave Canton: A room with a solidly locked door in a mostly intact wood/stone manor fallen into disrepair. Other low-level Gladiators frequently live here. (MP regen: 2 / 15 minutes)
b) 10 g/month, Liagoran Monastery: Monastic cell. Must live by strict rules. (MP Regen: 3/15 minutes, +3d4 Monk XP per day)
c) 100 g/month, Arena Canon Outskirts: Very similar to the current Slave Quarters, but owned and ran by free gladiator veterans of Chaotic faith. (3d10 Fighter, Brawler, Weapon Specialist, or Reflector XP per day)
d) 80 g/month, Low Market Tavern: You're not worried about being robbed here, because it's owned by a thief-priest. (MP Regen: 2 / 15 minutes, Access to Black Market District

While at the Temple, you deposit 75 gold in the collection bowl as a thank-you.

While in the Low Market, you inquire with the Catpriest (Ingram Priest 5/???) about banking rates. He names the official rate of a tenth of a percent per month for your legal status and implies he'd give you a half percent per month per 100 gold you leave with him. Incidentally, he has good taste in drinks - although you're not especially fond of alcohol, the almost-kefir he gives you has an interesting flavor to accent the rice alcohol he introduced.

Lastly, you return back to the Slave District and speak to Mean, son of Bitch. After suggesting that you would like to begin paying off your Contract, he holds up a hand and demands 100g for the right to begin paying. You're not sure whether to object until he cites specific law in a tired voice and suggests that you can take it up with him in the Arena if you don't like it. You don't think it's a good idea to do so.

Assuming you do give over the money, after counting, he grunts and asks what exactly you happen to be looking for.

a) Buying the right to join the Official Gladiator List and receive 1 gold subsidy per fight for 50
b) Buying the right to obtain half a percent of all bets placed upon your victory for 100
c) Buying the right of partial individual sponsorship (max: 2g per sponsor) for 150
d) Buying the right of partial organizational sponsorship (max: 5g per sponsor) for 200
e) Freedom of passage to within 500 meters of the City Walls for 300
f) Freedom of passage to the Slave Army Canton for 100
g) Freedom of passage to the South Fork Market District for 100
h) Freedom of passage to the Factory District for 10

You wait for him to explain the significance of the passage, but he doesn't, and starts tapping his fingers impatiently.

On favor (and Liagora)

Gaining favor will increase your religious rank (NOT necessarily your actual level)  and give you access to additional resources and gifts from your God and their allies. You also become a more valuable target to members of rival cults. Gaining favor is possible in several ways, depending on the deity. All deities grant favor in return for sacrifices or tithes at their altars, although they're more likely to pay attention to their followers.  Killing members of other cults (or in some religions, your own) can provide favor with your God. Killing a member of a cult your God hates will grant favor; the higher your target's rank in their own cult, the more favor you gain. Losing favor is possible by performing actions a God disapproves of; in general, killing your fellow cultists, or members of cults a power is friendly towards, will cause a loss of favor. Favor can be negative. You can lose favor with Powers you have not devoted yourself to, becoming an infamous enemy and very rewarding target. Often, you will lose favor with other deities as you gain favor with your own.


Liagora: Liagora, commonly called the Huntress, is followed by bounty hunters, lycanthropes, and some of the more good barbarians. She is allied with both her brother in law Mingan (Blood/Chaos/Undeath)  and her husband Shin (War/Death/Destruction) , as well as respecting her niece Bree (Hedonism/Justice/Weapons), her child Timeus (Water/Victory/Fear). Liagora approves of a family structure as well and dislikes those who harm the young, and is friendly with Yupoli ( (Laughter, Wisdom, Education).  Her strongest ally is Shin, and soldiers claim to have seen the two gods have mock duels amidst large-scale battles, fighting in the favor of their own armies. It's also rumored that the greatest generals in history - and even a few minor gods and demi-gods - are the offspring of these two.

She has little time for Coranthiir (Righteousness, Purity, Order),  Camille (Alchemy, Technology, Plants), and Illeni's Illeni, (Healing, Law, Protection) emphasis on order - although the cults will work together for mutual interest. She cannot understand Chelan Godking's neutrality(Balance, Neutrality, Transcendence), and cares little for Radan a(Courtship, Diplomacy, Parenting) and Malu(Time, Space, Forge). She fervently hates Darshendros(Darkness, Evil, Unholy) , Sa'ada(Vengeance, Lust, Envy), and Sanoci(Pride, Violence, Individualism) (despite Mingan's dealings with them), although her biggest rivial is Aphilam (Beauty, Anger, Manipulation)

Liagora, (Honor, Strength, Revenge) (War, Necromancy, Metamorphosis)
Virtues:
Bravery
Loyalty
Dicipline
Vengeance
Self-Reliance
Strength
Love

Sins:
Dishonesty
Infidelity
Sloth
Harm to children
Cowardice
Mercy
Slaughter of the innocent

You are buying rights. Freedom of movement in the city, the ability to get sponsors both public and private, getting a cut of the bets made on you, so on. If you make enough, you can buy your own contract out and become a free gladiator, which will eventually lead to nobility, so on. You can't take revenge at the bottom of the totem pole. As far as costs? They go up with level, because the owners don't particularly WANT you to be free.

Getting a better room has a few effects. First of all, you'll actually be able to see your inventory and be able to store more than a few items. It's a more secure place to keep coin than carrying it (thieves exist here.) It raises your MP regeneration rate (getting 3 between battles instead of 2, to start off) and will save on medical care expenses for serious wonds. It influences your sponsors and will lead to more plot opportunities.

As far as levels in Gladiator go, I basically tell people "Think of any skill that you can reasonably connect with the concept of 'gladiator' in your mind, and assume you're better at it." You're not going to be as good with a sword as a swordsman but you'll know how to use it well enough against a variety of enemies. You're similar to a fighter, but can gain effects from working the crowd. So on.