Many of you have likely played a gladiator, arena game. Make a character, fight up the ladder, no story, just combat. Fun in principle for that new build you've been itching to try but it gets boring fast. After all, if you want a game with no roleplaying, why play DnD? First of all, this game will have a story. That may not make a lot of sense without context, but bear with me: Each player will begin as a Dominus; a budding slavemaster who buys gladiators and profits off of their victories. How you come to this position is up to you, but you do need some sort of backstory. You will have an estate and a set amount of wealth, as well as your choice of "Dominus traits" which I will design that give bonuses to your income, your estate or your gladiators. Each in-game week, the slavemarket will get new slaves: characters I will design. All the players will bid on the slaves, and then outfit them. They will fight, possibly die, and the victor will earn experience, and a profit for their master. You, their Dominus, will be able to guide their leveling process, but your estate will need to be sufficiently equipped to multiclass or retrain your gladiators. But the game does not end in the arena. There will be political nuances, the chance for espionage and sabotage, and towards the end of the game, a slave uprising which your gladiators may or may not join depending on your treatment of them. Who among you will pursue glorious fortune upon the bloody sands of the Colosseum?
