KATAGIAN PIT FIGHTER
If the first fight at the dawn of time was to the death, it’s probable that the second fight was a wagering proposition—with the survivor of the first fight as the favorite. As a Katagian pit fighter, you’re part of that tradition: gladiators who risk life and limb for entertainment and wagering.
Some gladiator arenas are thinly disguised execution chambers, with criminals and the poor herded to their death for sport. But the “pits” of the city-state of Katagia are more sporting than most, with well trained combatants that often survive the match even if they lose. You are one of those gladiators, capable of fighting man or beast for the cheering masses and winning or losing in crowd-pleasing fashion.
Not every arena in Katagia is a pit, but many of the largest are, so the name sticks. Nor are all in Katagia; enterprising promoters have taken their gladiatorial shows on the road, and now most major cities have at least one Katagian-style pit, as do towns within a few weeks’ travel of Katagia.
Spellcasting is against the rules for combatants in the Katagian pits, so this narrative is better for bar- barians, fighters, rogues, and other classes with melee prowess. Archers tend to fare poorly because they can only loose a few arrows before the other gladiator is upon them.
Key Identity: Atlantean, human, halfling, barbarian, fighter, monk, rogue.
PIT FIGHTER BENEFITS
When you’re a pit fighter, you get accustomed to dirty fighting quite early, and over time you gain an appreciation for the fighting styles prevalent across the continent of Thule. Unlike the grim warriors that blanket Thule from one end to the other, you can project a demeanor that gets the crowd on your side—or “turn heel” and cultivate an air of menace.
Your most important ability, however, is the ability to protect yourself so that you don’t die when you get clobbered in the pit. The Katagian pits keep healing magic on hand, but it’s not powerful enough to raise the dead. You can cover your vitals and cling to life better than most, even if they have to drag you out of the pit by your heels. When your manager orders you to take a dive for betting reasons, this ability comes in particularly handy.
PIT FIGHTERS IN THE WORLD
Everyone loves rooting for a pit fighter, but few want to share a meal with one. People who have heard of you—or seen you fight firsthand—tend to be a little scared of you, and they might underestimate your intelligence. For better and for worse, the world sees you as a trained killer.
Your biggest rivals are other pit fighters, especially ones in the employ of other managers. Sometimes the two sides will collude on a match for betting reasons, but in most cases, the two (or more) pit fighters are genuinely trying to win ... and the other pit fighters take it personally when you’re standing between them and a purse full of coin. Partnerships exist in the world of pit fighting but they’re rare and transient things. Rivalries, though—those’ll burn for decades.
PERSONALIZING THE PIT FIGHTER
As a pit fighter, you probably have a manager (or owner) who arranges matches and makes sure you don’t get fleeced by the many factions who want a cut of the prize money. Here are three examples of man- agers, but hundreds of other managers ply the trade across Thule at any given time.
Ugrak of Katagia: Specializing in “talent” from the hinterlands of Thule, Ugrak has a stable of gladiators heavy on barbarians and fighters with exotic weapon styles. He’s harsh with all but his best fighters, but he tends to keep his gladiators safe throughout their career. Many of his gladiators retire, and that’s relatively rare among Katagian pit fighters in general.
Silivia: A former beast-tamer with no small amount of magic skill, Silivia specializes in pit fighter vs. beast battles. She has a separate crew devoted to capturing dangerous monsters to set loose in the pits, and sometimes her gladiators help in those captures.
Bronak the Bald: One of Katagia’s wealthiest fight promoters, Bronak has nearly a hundred Katagian pit fighters under contract at a given time. An entrepreneur first and a trainer second, Bronak lets his low-level gladiators fight against each other, figuring that the stronger will survive and the weaker was a bad investment anyway. Bronak has multiple gladiator troupes traveling circuits throughout southern Thule at any given time, and sometimes Bronak grows weary of life in Katagia and leads a troupe personally.
KATAGIAN PIT FIGHTER
You are the product of relentless, occasionally lethal combat training in the gladiator pits of Katagia (or sim- ilar arenas in other city-states). There isn’t a dirty trick you haven’t seen, and win or lose, you have a knack for living to fight before the crowds another day.
Skill Bonuses (1st level): You gain a background of Katagian Pit Fighter at +2 that you can use for a variety of checks if you can reasonably tap into the gossip you hear from other gladiators. Examples include:
History checks about far-off lands; many gladiators are captives or slaves brought from "exotic" locales
Checks to determine where a swordsman was trained
Checks to find out who's been hiring no-questions-asked muscle
Intimidation involving unbelievable vulgar taunts that would only make sense to a local.
Pugilist’s Reserves (4th level): When you roll recovery dice, add your level to the hit points you heal.
Expert Trainer (8th level): You’ve started to attract would-be gladiators who want to fight like you do. You start with 1d6 + 6 thugs as guard followers. Choose a “home pit” where you can find these thugs whenever you need them. Your trainees handle their own upkeep, and they hang on your every word, doing whatever you say unless it’s obviously suicidal. You gain 1d6 + 2 more followers each time you reach a new level.
Adventurer Feat, Resuscitation: Once per day you can regain 1 hit point when you start your turn at or below 0 hit points, but you are hampered until the end of your turn.