Pit Fighters of Veratantu

There is a new entrant in the pit: The Sapphire Seas Trading Company has finally decided to sponser a fighting team. While this venerable trading company has previously stood aloof from the new sport, a change of leadership has brought youthful vigor to bear on the ancient guild's declining fortunes.

Pit fighting was always a favored sport in Varatantu—or rather, wagering on the pit fights was. Previously, it was the lot of criminals to survive three rounds in the pit for their freedom, but the quality of fighting was typically low.

Everything changed when the Queendoms became part of Dura. The ancient city of Varatantu in the far flung province of Orn in Tīra is prospering in it's new trade with Dura. Where once it was a reasonably prosperous port city, but far from the politics and greatest welath of Tīra, now it has become a key regional hub for three Duran city-states.

One of these is Arphaq-Zhad, a great center of slave trade.

With access to the slave markets of Arphaq-Zhad, Varatantu has grown bloodthirsty. Wealthy nobles and merchants, many of them newly wealthy, purchase slaves to fight in the pit, which has become a weekly joust between the factions of Varatantu. The slaves do not earn their freedom, any longer, however. Instead they earn coin for themselves and their master.

In the old days, fights were to the death, but that would make this a very expensive pastime, even for the richest of guild merchants. Death and dismemberment still happen, but the fight goes until the Pitmaster rings the gong, which he does based on his judgment of victory.

Not all who fight are slaves, and the characters in this adventure have incurred steep gambling debts to a venerable merchant guild, the Sapphire Seas Trading Company. This is one of the oldest trading houses in Varatantu, but has until now not played the Pit-Fighting game. This and the loss of its fleet of sailing vessels, has led to a swift decline in the fortunes of the house, and the company has elected new and younger leadership: Lord Kandota. The bylaws of the Sapphire Seas Trading Company prohibits all traffick in slaves, which Kandota hopes to change in the future, but for now, he has decided to enter the games with debtors.

These adventurers have not worked together previously; they are not an existing team; but as residents of this remote part of Tīra, and early explorers of Dura, they do know of each other, in passing or by reputation.

They are not well-enough established in the community, however, to be household names.

Wrinkle 1: A rival faction (the Sat-Sarvati Guild of adventurers & "special services") has offered the party a considerable sum to get some dirt on Kandota. They don't believe he is quite what he says he is. He is too junior and from too minor a family to have risen to the top of this ancient company. Any information that can seriously discredit or compromise Kandota or the Sapphire Seas Trading Company will result in the full payment of all the party's debts. (1,000gp / person).

Wrinkle 2: Kandota has provided the party with a rechargable luck stone. This extremely rare item is not detectable by a detect magic spell when it is in an uncharged state; however, it can be charged by absorbing the magic of any 1st level-or-higher spell which is intentionally and purposefully cast at/into it. The nature of the spell does not matter. Kandota is providing a healing team of three clerics who can provide healing to the party... or recharging to the spell. Don't get caught!

This story takes place over the course of one pit-fighting evening. The adventure objective is first and foremost to survive, and begin your pit-fighting path to paying off your debts... but you may also pursue the alternative objective, or other opportunities along the way, including... more gambling!

Party members will fight up to three bouts in the evening, the first one being fought in pairs. Although clerics are on hand to help heal injured fighters, injuries that are too serious or expensive to cure will be considered a knockout for the evening. Death is also possible.

Rules of The Pit

• No weapons or armor but what is provided by the pitmaster.
• No magical items may be brought into the pit.
• Spells that are deemed too dangerous to the pit will result in disqualification; mages should inquire ahead of time.
• The pitmaster keeps track of all past fights, and chooses all opponents for an evening -- but in general, winners will match against winners, losers against losers.
• If a contestant goes undefeated for seven weeks, they are disallowed until there is another seven week winner. The winner of that must then fight an eight-week winner, etc. There is currently one eight-week winner, awaiting an opponent, and one seven week winner, also waiting for an opponent (having lost to the eight week winner). Outside those two, who are honored guests and commentators, and who are making excellent money advising the House on setting odds.
• Contestants -- or contestant sponsors -- may only place bets on their own fights if they are betting on themselves. Bets by proxy, suggesting a fight might be thrown, will result in extreme penalties on a case-by-case basis.
• The minimum wager is one gold; the maximum is on a case by case basis.

Prizes

• Round 1: 5 gp
• Round 2-W: 50 gp
• Round 2-L: 5gp
• Round 3-WW: 500 gp
• Round 3-WL: 50gp
• Round 3-LL: 5gp

For any character with a perfect record of 3 wins, and still able to fight, a 4th round with a purse of 1000gp is available.

The Characters