The life & times of Gladiators in Rome

[Primarch]

I am looking to start an RP based around Gladiator schools and the various characters typical to such an RP. The Gladiators themselves, the Ludus owning families, other slaves etc. While these RPs often revolve around a single Ludus, ideally I would like to set this RP across three different Ludus. This will open us to playing out the contest of Gladiatorial combat, and given multiple players access to an archtype in the setting that might be otherwise limited to just one (such as the Lanista). This is of course depending on how many players are interested in taking part or how many characters players are interested in taking on. This is intended to be a long term game designed for players interested in world-building, plot development and collaborating on a larger narrative.

Will you be 'GMing' the story?
Yes & no. This is a collaborative narrative and anyone who wishes to participate will be expected to contribute to the overall experience. I will set up a Discord chat everyone will be required to join, we will use it to keep in contact, plot events, organise and world build but but ideally my GMing will be limited so I can also enjoy the RP. Preferable I will be more of a first among equals who might nudge things along or take the lead as we get started. If others wish to come forward and volunteer to help manage the game, it would be appreciated.

Who are the character options?
The varied residents of a Ludus. The Lanista & his family, the varied slaves they own (Gladiators, Bodyslaves, the Doctore etc). If we establish a healthy roster that makes the main purpose of the RP viable, we could open up other options.     

Do I need to be a history expert on Rome or Gladiators?
No. I'm certainly not an academic historian and I don't expect anyone else to be to take part. As is often the case in an RP like this, TV series such as Spartacus & Rome are points of inspiration. If you've seen either you likely know enough. At most this should be considered in the tone of a historic-drama aiming to be a fun RP over an exercise in flexing historic knowledge. That being said we will ideally avoid blatant anachronisms.     

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Character Sheet template to be posted after sufficient interest expressed.
Questions, Comments & suggestions are welcome.

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[xPeachyPuff]

Hey there! I would be interested in playing a Ludus slave of some sort, should this take off and should you not be too concerned with me being a bit slow at the moment c: I try my best to post at least once a week, and I'm a keen character, world and connections builder :D

[Primarch]

Hey there! I would be interested in playing a Ludus slave of some sort, should this take off and should you not be too concerned with me being a bit slow at the moment c: I try my best to post at least once a week, and I'm a keen character, world and connections builder :D

All sounds ideal to me~!

[Cute Bunny]

I'm very interested in joining! I would be most interested in playing the Lanista's wife, or a female bodyslave.

[Primarch]

I'm very interested in joining! I would be most interested in playing the Lanista's wife, or a female bodyslave.

With an avatar like that I can believe you might be interested, yes.

Okay so that will potentially give us a Domina & a slave, or two slaves. I'm likely to take on the Lanista for one Ludus & a Gladiator in another. We'll see what further bites we get.

[Andronica]

I have a few bodies I can throw at this game! Thinking a female noblewoman (lanista's daughter/sister if required) and perhaps a body slave for her.

Would some sort of gladiatrix be allowed, or a concession for a female slave who isn't entirely domestic in her duties so much as a bodyguard or curio?

[Primarch]

Also posting interest, thinking on my pc.

Cool stuff.

I have a few bodies I can throw at this game! Thinking a female noblewoman (lanista's daughter/sister if required) and perhaps a body slave for her.

Would some sort of gladiatrix be allowed, or a concession for a female slave who isn't entirely domestic in her duties so much as a bodyguard or curio?

No issues on my part. If you want to do a Gladiatrix go for it.

[xPeachyPuff]

Hey Bunny, Cynicism & Andronica! It's great to see this gathering more interest c: I would totally be open to character connections before we dig deep into character creation, maybe siblings etc? I'd also love some gladiator/slave romance, as I'm sure a lot of people would! Though that will come with the story, I'm sure c: I'm just happy to see more people here!

[Vergil Tanner]

I would LOVE to join as a Gladiator, assuming that one or more of the Noblewomen / owner's wife are interested in having a hunky Gladiator running around for them to abuse their authority over ;) Gladiator x Owner / Gladiator x Fellow Slave is a huge kink of mine after all :P

@Bunny I'm especially interested in playing a Gladiator who is the lover / plaything of the Lanista's wife, if you're up for that ;)
Not exclusively, of course, this is Elliquiy so it's share and share alike! But you know what I'm thinking :P :P

If there's interest in that, I would love to play a manly, ripplingly muscular Gladiator eyecandy for the ladies ;) :P

[Vergil Tanner]

For context, my current options for FCs:

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

I'm leaning towards the last one, Beto Malfacini. ;)

Beto

[xPeachyPuff]

Hey Vergil! Those are some great face claims right there! :D I'm excited to see what you come up with!

[Vergil Tanner]

Hey, Peachy! Thank you, I do my best ^o^ If anybody is having trouble finding FCs, lemme know, I have a HUGE archive of them. Like, 900+ or something xD
What are you considering playing, Peachy? ^_^

[xPeachyPuff]

Hey, Peachy! Thank you, I do my best ^o^ If anybody is having trouble finding FCs, lemme know, I have a HUGE archive of them. Like, 900+ or something xD
What are you considering playing, Peachy? ^_^

I'm thinking a Ludus slave. Gladiator/Slave forbidden romance is one of my favourite things in this setting :D

[Vergil Tanner]

Yours and many others', I imagine xD Female or male slave? And what kind of slave? :D

[Primarch]

We've got a decent crew coming together. I'll get the character sheet template & discord set up later today 

[Vergil Tanner]

So can I ask...is this gonna be set in Rome, or in a fictional analogue? Like, are we gonna be doing Historical Fiction in that it uses the real life place as a setting, or are we gonna largely be making up our own setting that obeys laws that we create?

If it's set in Ancient Rome, is it gonna be Republican Rome (Pre-Julius Ceasar) like in Spartacus, or Imperial Rome a la Gladiator (the Russel Crowe movie)?

Personally I think Republican Rome might be better, since we can get more into the politics and wheeling dealing, since if it's Imperial Rome...well, a lot of the impetus for political storytelling is gone since no matter how important a Senator you are, you always answer to the Emperor. Technically. But then, if we don't wanna do much in the way of political storytelling, Imperial Rome might be better in that they're jockeying for the Emperor's favour. *Thinky Face*

[Can you tell I'm a History / Ancient History graduate? xD ]

[Cute Bunny]

@Bunny I'm especially interested in playing a Gladiator who is the lover / plaything of the Lanista's wife, if you're up for that ;)
Not exclusively, of course, this is Elliquiy so it's share and share alike! But you know what I'm thinking :P :P

That sounds good to me! I'm thinking of playing a character who definitely wouldn't be able to resist playing around with a gruff and well-built man.

[Vergil Tanner]

Exxxxxcellent! I haven't been able to scratch my "Big Buff Gladiator Who Is Most Definitely Not The One In Charge" itch for a while. xD I'll be interested no matter what you play, but I must confess a particular fondness for Gladiator x Owner. :P Of course once characters are built, we'd need to discuss the specifics of what that dynamic looks like so we don't cross any lines, but that is simple enough.

Since I'm still humming and haaing over options, are there any men in my suggestions that pique your interest over the others? I'm still leaning towards Beto Malfacini, but I could be swayed to one of the others :P

[Cute Bunny]

Beto looks good to me!  :-)

[Vergil Tanner]

Beto it is, then ;)
I'm thinking...Gaullic, probably captured in a raid or in a battle...resentful of being defeated, but seeing this as his chance to win glory by combat and prove himself superior. Probably has a kind of "I hate that I lost, but I lost, and might makes right" mentality. Doesn't really do "social niceties," so is a bit gruff and blunt and "uncouth" by Roman standards. The specifics will depend on whether this is Imperial or Republican Rome. *Thinky Face*

Did anybody else have any considerations on their characters / appearances? I'm interested to know what people are thinking! :D

[Andronica]

I may nab Imogen Poots a la Centurion for a body slave, a model I have yet to find the name of for a domina/noblewoman... And depending on how the cast develops, a gladiatrix or some sort of female bodyguard/curio to a lanista.

[Vergil Tanner]

Wow, you're going all in! Are these characters you'll be pitching at the same time, or ones you'll be introducing piecemeal? :O

I think Cute Bunny wants to play the "Head Female Of The House," as it were, if that makes a difference to your plans!

As for the model, I can't find her name. I think she's a pretty anonymous model that was only used on one site, "Erica Elizabeth Designs" for floral crown modelling. So no luck there. I did find a full length picture, though. She has a few other poses, but they're all variants of that pose.

[Andronica]

Primarch mentioned a few houses would be involved rather than one ludus, so I'm aiming for my Roman noblewoman to be the sister or daughter from another lanista. That wouldn't have an impact on Bunny's plans at all, I think.

I have my Roman and a slave ready to go. Though I'll pitch them or make changes based on who else joins up and what we need before starting, ex more gladiators.

[Vergil Tanner]

Oh, did he? I got the impression that the game would largely be revolving around a single household. I might have misread that bit, then xD Either way, I'm just excited to see what everybody else has in mind ^o^

And of course if your Noblewoman wants to partake in the slaves, I'm certainly amenable to that too ;) :P :P

[Cute Bunny]

For what it's worth, I'm heavily interested in collaborating with people who are interested in their character being a part of my character's household. If somebody wants to play my character's husband, family members, or slaves, that is all super fun!