Eye In the Crowd – Gladiatorial Events Draw More Than Just Blood

by JOSHUASIGEP44, Staff Writer
Last Updated: Palast, Deepkolt 27, 2006

Palanthas - The beginning of the professional Gladiatorial seasonhas started and that can be felt even here in Palanthas. Gladiator fights have long been a highly popular form of entertainment in cities across eastern Ansalon.

The blood sports beginning can be traced back thousand of years to its originators, Mintoaurs. In times past slaves or prisoners would be pitted against each other, or wild animals in front of huge crowds. These fights were a part of events called "the games". The games were often held in gigantic open-air buildings called amphitheatres. At the end of a gladiator fight the mintoaur emperor would often give a "thumbs up" or a "thumbs down" signal that meant life or death for whoever lost a fight.

The fights, while still brutal, and deadly in nature, have changed. In theme and concept the gladiator fights remain the same, but now the only participants are either professionals or someone who enters willingly to settle a grudge, feud, or matter of honor and very few gladiators actually lose their lives. With these changes the sport has gained many ardent supports and die-hard fans, even in Palanthas. Changes withstanding, not everyone supports the gladiator fights. Anti-gladiatorial protests have begun to spring up at the onset of every match. With the city divided the Eye in the crowd wants to know:

"Do you support or oppose gladiator events?"

Jerrold Steward, traveling merchant – "I look forward to these matches all year. My youngest boy, and I make it round to many of them. It's nice you known, spending time with the boy this way. Wish my dad had taken the time to bring me to something like this, Mishakal only knows that man could've used it. Sure they can be bloody, but them healers are always on hand and quick to patch the up the loser anyway. What's the big deal?"

Darvey Pickens, Seasonal trapper – "It ain't like them are slaves in them there arenas. I don't recall seeing anyone being bound, gagged, and drugged inside to fight to the death. Those folks go in there to fight under their own free will and accord. Sometimes it ain't even about the steel or the glory. Some of them that's fight'en are only doing so cause their family or honor has been insulted. I tell ya' if some stinking gully dwarf of a man dishonored my family I'd make sure to schedule an honor bout. These protestors need to get a life, or a job. Isn't nobody making them watch or even attend the matches. Hell, we don't want'em there anyway."

Penelope Tarish, University student – "It is appalling that things like these blood sports still exist on Krynn today. I'm glad that the City Senate has turned down every effort to build an arena. Violent sporting events such as these matches are brutish to say the least, and serve no purpose. For the life of me I cannot see what could be so entertaining about teams of gladiators facing off for blood."

Eye In the Crowd – Gladiatorial Events Draw More Than Just Blood

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