Inner Circle (and-a-Gladiator-on-Top) test intro

[aldersprig]

This is a draft/test/idea that came to me in the shower. There are questionable things in it, but this is how it started so far.

This is the Kink Setting, by the by, not the Steam!Goats setting, this one tentatively called Inner Circle.

"Kneel, Taslin Altreka."

It was not the first thing the man had said to her; it was merely the first important thing.

He had begun, as law and conscience dictated, with the standard disclaimers and explanations. "You understand that once you take a knee, it is not something you can take back? You will be committing to ten years, or to death, or until a member of the first circle calls you to service."

Taslin had nodded. "I understand." Other cities had less rings, and thus less years of service. But she had been born in New Indapala, and her family lived here.

"You understand that one out of five who take this route die in service?"

Again, she'd nodded. "I understand."

"You understand that two out of three who do survive are maimed or crippled?"

"I understand."

"There are easier routes up the Ladder."

Taslin had finally looked the man in the eye. "I have a little sister and a little brother."

"Aah. Then we will continue." And they had. "Kneel, Taslin Altreka."

She took a knee, her head bowed. The man snipped the cord that had been around her neck since childhood, removing her ID chit. Her neck had felt empty without the light tug there.

That had lasted only a moment. Those who knelt did not wear their ID on a cord, but they wore it nonetheless.

The collar was the thinnest metal she had ever felt, jointed like mail. It moved with her, but at the same time, it pressed against her.

"Rise, Taslin Gladiator."


Thoughts: I know how the names work, at least. That's a whole post of its own.
Ten years seems ridiculous, but I wanted New Indapala (which is also a question, I need a name there, but I'm not sure how that one flows off the tongue) to be a large city, and thus a large number of rings.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

At one point the ancient Romans required something like 20 years (? maybe more) service in the imperial legions in order for a non-Roman subject to earn full Roman citizenship, including the retirement farm right. I suspect soldiers survive at a higher rate than gladiators, but still. Ten years doesn't seem so bad for a high prestige position/citizenship by comparison =)

-capriox

[aldersprig]

Okay, then, awesome! Thanks. :-D

[inventrix]

First: ten years seems completely reasonable and normal.

Second: QUESTIONS!

Is the collar a chain - i.e. does "mail" mean "chain mail"? How does it fasten? Is there a clasp? What kind? Does it lock? How big of a lock? Or is it connected by a link which is pinched shut when attached, or a link which is welded shut?

If it's not links, what does "jointed like mail" mean? I'm pretty sure plate mail is riveted to to leather underneath for the more flexible parts rather than hinged, which I don't think is the case here as it sounds like the metal is directly against her skin.

What are the benefits of being a gladiator, and how does it aid her younger siblings? Do they get paid for winning? For fighting? Who pays them? If there's a prize for winning, how much of that goes to the gladiator's owner?

What is the Ladder?

[aldersprig]

Hrrm, good question on the collar. I pictured it like articulated mail/scale mail.

yes, it locks, good question how.

They get paid for winning, less for fighting, and it's a step up the ladder
Which will be answered later.

[inventrix]

Ah! So are the scales joined by rings or are they sewn to a backing?

[aldersprig]

I... need to research scale mail. :-(

[inventrix]

Yay research! 8D

[aldersprig]

:-D

Or figure out what I actually mean and redescribe the collar.

[inventrix]

You might want to research scale mail anyway. Armor is fun! 8D

But from your description and the ensuing conversation, my guess is you were thinking of something like this?

[aldersprig]

Similar in terms of execution, at least, yes!

[aldersprig]

Short on the Ladder: It's social/economic climbing institutionalized. Symbolized and stratified by the Rings (the walls of the city); Gladiator is one of the three shortcuts.

[inventrix]

How does gladiatorial combat (presumably gladiatorial success) earn you higher social ranking? Impressing higher-level... whatever your word for "people who own gladiators and send them into the arena" is, and get bought by them? Or earn enough to buy your way up? (CAN you buy your way up the hierarchy?) How does the owner-fighter relationship make the owner's Ladder status relate to the fighter's own status? Do they have a personal ranking?

(You can tell me to stop any time. xD)

[aldersprig]

* You can buy your way up, yes.
* Owner-fighter thing is a very good question.
* Fighters are outside of the Ladder while they are fighting.

Hrrm.

* Their position on the Ladder when they retired is determined by how good of a fighter they were, how popular they were, and what patronage they gained. They *can* be rewarded quite richly.

How high up the Ladder they can get is another question, though. Like, what would it take for a Gladiator to live permanently in the Inner Circle?

[inventrix]

Ah-ha, so the social payoff is mostly after your career ends.

I imagine that a gladiator would have to a) be really good, b) form really high-ranking connections, and c) have a fantastic reputation in order to get into the Inner Circle after "retiring".

Maybe no one's ever managed it. :O

[aldersprig]

Ah, I like that!

[thnidu]

Looking forward to seeing how this setting goes. And this protagonist.

Typo: but the wore it nonetheless.
→ they

[aldersprig]

Thank you! Glad you're interested.

Want to help me figure out how the collar is actually supposed to go?

[thnidu]

Uh, if I get any ideas I'll pass them along. But I'm not strong in that area.