The Arena

Introduction

The Arena in Crystal Hills embodies traditions a century old. The nobility of Ikaanos in particular enjoy spectating the blood sports that take place here.

The Arena is open to both slaves and citizens alike. Slave fights are rarely to the death, as training a slave to fight is a significant investment that no master wants to lose. As such, medical personnel are kept on hand to treat any major or life-threatening wounds.

Despite this, it is not unheard of for a slave to die. In such cases, recordings of the fight are examined and a ruling is made as to the legality of the death. If the death appears to be a genuine accident resulting from a misjudged attack or other error, no further action is taken. There are legal protections in place to prevent the Arena or the opposing slave's master from being held responsible for an accidental death, as it is viewed as part of the risk a slave-master voluntarily accepts when entering their slave in a fight.

If it appears that the deceased's opponent killed them deliberately, the dead slave's master may demand reparations from the master of the opposing slave. Such cases are usually settled via private agreements. If no agreement can be made, the masters may agree to bring the case before a private arbitrator. The arbitrator will take several days to review the evidence, during which time both sides will privately try to exert political and financial pressure to sway things in their favor. The case is usually won by whichever side has better political connections or can offer the bigger bribe.

Regardless of the outcome of any private dispute, the Arena's owners take a very dim view of any master whose slave deliberately kills an opponent. They may excuse such an incident once, especially if the master is appropriately apologetic and the slave is severely disciplined. If it happens again, however, the master risks being banned from the Arena. No master wants to send their slave up against the slave of someone who has a history of letting their slaves kill, and the Arena's reputation would suffer if no action was taken against someone who showed such callous disregard for the property and investments of others.

Fights between free citizens are somewhat different. Private citizens typically participate in more brutal, lethal fights. These pay quite well, but the real draw is the potential to earn fame and influence as a top arena fighter. A particularly successful fighter may earn a sponsorship from a member of the nobility, which in turn provides even more fame and influence, as well as a substantial amount of cash and the political connections to retire to a comfortable, cushy job working for the nobility once the gladiator is either too old or too injured to continue fighting. Of course, a fighter has to survive in order to make it that far, and survival is not guaranteed.

The arena is also used to punish criminals. Certain crimes are punished by assigning the perpetrator(s) to "One Thousand Fights." This is effectively a death sentence, as surviving one thousand fights is so rare as to be considered impossible. Only a handful of individuals have ever survived their thousand fights and won their freedom. These individuals are now considered gladiatorial legends, and several of them enjoyed life so much that they signed back on as free gladiators.

Fighting in the Arena

The player can sign up to fight in the Arena. They can sign up themselves and fight alone, or take their party of slaves and mercenaries into the arena as a team. Fighting solo pits the player against the same enemies as taking their party with them, so it's not recommended. This comes with its share of risks and rewards. Fights in the arena are deadly. Mercenaries who perish are permanently lost just as they are in regular combat, and the player and their slaves will suffer the same permanent effects for being defeated in combat. The player can choose the tier of fights to participate in, and can also choose to fight a random opponent. The player earns money for winning fights, and prestige in the form of climbing the internal ranks of the Arena. The player gains a daily amount of influence based on their rank. Arena ranks are as follows:

1. CHAMPION OF THE MASTERSPHERE: +20 influence/day
2. Immortal: +14 influence/day
3. Centurion: +6 influence/day
4. Herald: +2 influence/day
5. Veteran
6. Warrior
7. Brawler
8. Initiate
9. Unproven

The Fights

The fights in the Arena are divided into four tiers: High Tier, Medium Tier, Random, and Random (Easy). With High and Medium Tier having 9 set fights with pre-determined opponents. The list below details the opponents of the set fights and what the player can gain from them in chronological order.

Medium Tier Opponents

Name	Numbers	Level	Reward	Description
Major Darwin	4	Advanced	$700 and 30 Influence	A gang of semi-professional warriors, led by the aging, but still steady-handed, Major Darwin, who served with the Skyguard police during the 60s and 70s.
The Wilton Girls	4	Advanced	$800 and 30 Influence	Four ex-slavegirls who were sentenced to "a thousand fights" at the arena after killing their former lord, Spheremaster Godfrey Wilton. They pack a serious punch after living under sadistic conditions for many years. Their 12-streak win has also strengthened the quartette considerably, and they are now a famous attraction in Crystal Hills.
The Feltons	4	Advanced	$900 and 30 Influence	Four heavily armed raider-criminals who are famous for the huge $2 million smuggler hit made by the Skyguard back in 2485. This ended the Felton's hegemony over Westside; only local bootleg outposts remain today.
Lambar's Prisoners	4	Advanced	$1,000 and 30 Influence	Four heavily armed warriors who got caught after a failed assassination attempt against Spheremaster Took Lambar. Sentenced to "a thousand fights" last year. Have a 9-fight winning streak and are ready to advance to the top tier in a couple of months.
Almer's Champions	4	Advanced	$1,200 and 30 Influence	Four master brawlers fighting at the arena to bring glory to their karate school in Marston Avenue.
Zoltan Battalion	4	Advanced	$1,500 and 30 Influence	Four professional soldiers from the Zoltan Battalion - stationed at Fort Krishna in the northern parts of the Ikaanos Colony. They're participating for glory, money, women, and a chance to climb the ranks of the arena. Rumors say they were dismissed after not following orders during a raid against cultists.
Captain's Guard	4	Advanced	$1,500 and 30 Influence	Four elite soldiers, led by Capt. Jerry Tyler, who left his duty as Fort General in 2487. Professional and well-armored fighters who are known for their unmerciful and sometimes sadistic approach when killing off enemies.
Cock Grinders	3	Advanced	$2,200 and 230 Influence	Three vicious female ex-slaves who fight in special $50,000 Heavy DuraPlate combat armors. Renown for their savagery. What they sometimes lack in skill is made up for by their impenetrable and ruthless dedication.

High Tier Opponents

Name	Numbers	Level	Reward	Description
The Avery Brothers	2	Advanced	$1,700 and 50 Influence	A very popular duo that got exonerated after serving ten years in a prison camp for instigating a rebellion against the Mastersphere. Carries old-school weapons and armor but fights with a ferociousness that few can match.
Geza Tihany	1	Advanced	$2,000 and 50 Influence	A young nobleman-turned-fighter who has won his last six fights. A very popular newcomer with a lot of teenage fans in Crystal Hills. Carries $50,000 duraplate armor and a tuned plasma rifle.
Mizushi	2	Advanced	$2,200 and 50 Influence	Two tremendously dangerous Japanese fighters wielding power katanas and wearing special heavy leather armor. Extremely quick and deadly.
The Vicious Four	4	Advanced	$2,800 and 50 Influence	An infamous group of raider-soldiers who got assigned to the arena in exchange for a pardon. Tremendously combat-agile, using high-end weapons and thick plate armor.
Haalu's Heroes	3	Advanced	$3,100 and 50 Influence	Three ex-Space Marines claim they survived the horrors of Haalu after the infamous Haalu incident. There is no proof that the group ever was involved in that tragic event, but they put on a good show and knew how to handle their weapons.
Mr Grimm's Crew	4	Advanced	$3,500 and 50 Influence	A badass group of warriors that are renowned for their long victory streaks and many successful bounty-hunting missions. Armed with state-of-the-art weaponry and heavy armor. Formed by the notorious Lars Grimm in 2480.
The Pudding Club	4	Advanced	$6,000 and 150 Influence	One of Ikaanos most famous fighting crew. Won 144 consecutive fights between 2482-2486 and are renowned for their countless (and mostly successful) monster hunts. Founded by Marius and Novak back in 2479. Carries the best weapons and armor available.
Masters of Raana	5	Advanced	$15,000, 650 Influence, and promotion to the title of Champion of The Arena	The only crew with a spotless winning streak. Five badasses with high-tech weaponry, led by the zealous Spheremaster Telsior II Dama, also known as THE RED DRAGON. This is the final fight in the HIGH TIER category.

The Crystal Hills Arena Gladiatrix School

Slaves can be sent to the Arena's Gladiatrix School. This costs $125 per day per person enrolled, in return for which the school teaches combat skills, discipline and general fitness - and also allows participation in public performance fights. Arena fights are not mandatory, but are an excellent way for slaves to earn influence and income for the player, and to further increase their skills. A skilled slave can more than pay for the price of her combat education through fighting. Gladiatrix fights are not to the death, but combatants can be seriously wounded.

3-6 female slaves can be enrolled in "CHAGS" depending on Influence: three if the MC has enough influence to get into the Emerald City to access the Arena, a 4th at 15,000 Influence, a 5th at 50,000, and a 6th at 100,000+. A slave master can only have one of his slaves in a performance fight per day regardless of how many he has enrolled in CHAGS though.

Interaction options with slaves at CHAGS are limited. The MC can visit each slave through their "Interaction" menu to enquire how she is doing, attempt to encourage her, and request sex. He can also inspect her (to apply tendstims if she is wounded enough to impair her performance), and arrange a fight. if a slave refuses the MC's request for sex, he will not have the usual options for punishing such insolence, as the school is a public place, and making a scene would only show that he can't control his slaves.

Fights arranged for slaves play out differently than fights involving the MC. You choose the weapon the slave uses, which is equipped from your inventory, and then choose her opponent. After that, you watch the fight unfold. There is an event roll that determines if the slave gets any bonuses or penalties for the match, then another roll to determine the outcome of the fight. If the MC interacts with the slave after a fight, the options provide some different scenes. Encouraging her will comfort her if she loses, or praise her if she wins. Asking for sex can be framed as a celebration of her victory, or as a punishment for losing. The outcome of a fight can affect her chances of saying "yes" to sex as well. A slave who hates the player but likes fighting might punish herself for a loss by agreeing to sex despite not really wanting to.

Success Chance

Numerous factors come into play when determining the gladiatrix's performance. The higher her skills and attributes the more chance she has to win, but the smaller the reward. Success chance is determined as follows, Melee skill being most important (and note that these values are all cumulative, so for example a gladiatrix who started a fight with only 15 health points would have a -30 modifier from that, not -20):

Success Chance

Factor	Effect		Factor	Effect		Opponent	Effect
Melee Skill	+ Skill value		Health <50	-10		Dainara	+9
GRIMDARK difficulty mode	-10		Health <20	-20		Sofia	0
Strength <40	-10		Aesir religion, and Willpower 30+	+5		Felicia	-10
Strength 50+	+10		Red Tide religion, and Willpower 30+	+5		Linn	-20
Dexterity <40	-10		Enya	+15		Lara	-20
Dexterity 70+	+10		Stormchild	+5		Adriana	-25
Kindness 75+	-15		The ex-arena champion	+15		Radiance	-25
Willpower 40+	+15		Lovisa	-10		Firefly	-28
Willpower 80+	+5		Michelle	-10		Dark Pearl	-85
Malevolent (Pure trait value <15)	+10		Dakota	-10		Raven	-95
Pure (75+)	-15		Rebecca versus Lara	+15
Brawler (1+)	+10		Any weapon versus fists	+10
Submissive (50+)	-15		Fists versus edged weapon	-12		During match:
Pacifist (Bloodthirsty trait value <49)	-15		Anything other than powerkatana against a powerkatana/poweraxe	-10		The two moons are in your favor	+15
Bloodthirsty (51+)	+10		Sword against fists or staff	+5		Bad start	-15
Warrior (50+)	+15		Powerkatana against anything less	+15		Good start	+30

Winning

Prize Money

The following traits are the best ways to increase the chance to win without lowering the reward: Brawler, Warrior, Bloodthirsty, and Malevolent. The slave having either Red Tide or Aesir faith will also boost their chances, as will high Willpower (80+) and current Health 50+. However, the Submissive trait penalizes their chance. Raising STR, DEX, and Melee lowers the reward, while also raising win chances (except for DEX, which just lowers the prize). The reward reduction for melee skill caps at 110, but it still increases the chances to win if you raise it further (reward reduction thresholds are 25, 50, 90, and 110). If your slave fights without a weapon the reward increases, but so does the difficulty (note that currently, no weapons below power katana increase the reward, so use either that or fists).

Influence Gain

Influence is also gained per win, the amount depending on the opponent:

Opponent	Influence gain if defeated		Opponent	Influence gain if defeated
Dainara	5		Adriana	35
Sofia	10		Radiance	35
Felicia	20		Firefly	30
Linn	30		Dark Pearl	70
Lara	25		Raven	80

Losing

A gladiatrix who loses a fight will not be killed but will be reduced to just 1 Health Point. (You should visit her afterwards with some tendstims to heal her, unless you want her to likely lose her next fight too.) She will also suffer 1 point permanent reduction to one or more of Strength, Dexterity &/or Beauty. If the fight goes badly at the start she may also suffer an attribute reduction then too, regardless of whether she goes on to win the fight. So if you consistently place your gladiatrix against opponents too powerful for her so that she loses frequently, she may degrade physically rather than improving slowly during her time at CHAGS.

Opening Hours

The Arena is open all hours of day and night, and it is possible to arrange fights at any time.

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