Encounter Key: Middle Dungeons Level 5

This level is located thirty feet below Level 4. It connects to levels 4 and 6 as well as the Yawning Staircase.


The walls on this level are pale gray stone. Except where noted otherwise, they are decorated with low relief sculpture of gladiators fighting with other gladiators, beasts, and monsters. Ceiling height is generally ten feet. This level and Level 6 were established as a gladiatorial arena for the amusement of powerful Triskelion family members. Using human prisoners and professional gladiators, they ran combat games for hundreds of years. The gladiators were chosen for their strength, agility, endurance, and fighting skill. Thus most have a bonus to damage due to a high strength score.


Surviving gladiators, prisoners, wild animals, and monsters wander the corridors of these levels. Some of the gladiators have banded together to aid their quest to survive. Thus there are five factions of gladiators on the two levels, divided based on the roles they played during the fights.


Hoplomachi: (singular hoplomachus) The hoplomachi wear a great helm with a stylized griffin crest. Their legs and their weapon bearing arm are wrapped in wool and they have metal shin guards. They carry a spear and small round metal shield.


Murmillones: (singular murmillo) The murmillones wear a great helm with a stylized fish crest. Their weapon bearing arm has a metal guard, and the opposite leg has a metal shin guard. They carry a short sword and a large curved rectangular metal shield.


Retiarii :(singular retarius) The retiarii carry a trident and a weighted net. They have no head protection. Their armor consists only of a heavy metal guard on their trident bearing arm and a wide leather belt, into which is tucked a dagger.


Secutores: (singular secutor) The great helm of the secutor has small eye holes (to avoid the trident of the retarius) and and a rounded top. The flanges about the neck are stylized to resemble the fins of a fish. Their weapon bearing arm is protected with wool and the opposite leg has a metal shin guard. They carry a short sword and a large curved rectangular metal shield. At first glance, they may easily be mistaken for a murmillo.


Thraces: (singular thraex) The thraces wear a great helm decorated with a plume and crest. Their armor is otherwise like that of hoplomachus. Their shield is small, metal and square. The short sword that they use is distinctive for its curved blade.


All of the gladiator factions are rivals, but some are especially antaganistic, due to the roles they played in the arena.


PREFERENCE TABLE

Gladiator type	Hoplomachii	Murmillones	Retiarii	Secutares	Thraces
Hoplomachii	-	H	S	S	H
Murmillones	H	-	A	T	H
Retiarii	S	A	-	H	S
Secutores	S	T	H	-	S
Thraces	H	H	S	S	-

T: The gladiator type is tolerated, under normal circumstances. There is unlikely to be conflict and cooperation is possible.
S: The group is viewed with suspicion and contempt. There is a fair chance of combat occurring when the two types mix.
A: Antipathy is felt towards the group in question. The two types will attack each other under usual circumstances. Cooperation is only possible if the two sides are faced with extinction from an outside overwhelming force, and even then, it will be temporary.
H: Hatred is present. Bloodshed is inevitable unless one side is outnumbered and flees.