The mutilated gladiator stares at you with eyes twinkling: "I know of many things, some of which I may reveal. Topics I will gladly speak of include: athas, commands, emotes1, emotes2, guild, kalak, leaving, overseer, rules, skills, slaves, song, song2, song3, titles, and tyr." You ask the blind limbless male mul: list > The mutilated gladiator stares at you with eyes twinkling: "I know of many things, some of which I may reveal. Topics I will gladly speak of include: athas, commands, emotes1, emotes2, guild, kalak, leaving, overseer, rules, skills, slaves, song, song2, song3, titles, and tyr." > ask mul athas You ask the blind limbless male mul: athas > The mutilated Gladiator stares at you in confusion: "Athas? Why Athas is the land of the Gladiators. It is no lush paradise by any stretch of the imagination, but it has its own stark beauty. Endless tracks of magic scarred desert. The massive sea of ivory white silt. The bloated sun burning over head. Decadent city-states (except Tyr of course) only just clinging to survival. And the beasts: Twisted creatures that defy classification and can tear those of lesser lands limb from limb. Yes, Athas is truly heaven. And it is home." > ask mmul commands Who do you want to ask the question to? > ask mul emotes1 You ask the blind limbless male mul: emotes1 > ask mul emotes2 The mutilated Gladiator looks emotional: "Yes, Gladiators are an extreme sort. We have many ways to show it. A partial list follows: gadjust: Adjust armour (which piece is optional). gbite: Bite your tongue (something you carry is optional) gchallenge: Challenge others to fight (who is optional). gcrouch: Enter a fighting crouch (who is optional). gcurse: Call on Kalak to destroy (who is optional). gdare: Dare people (who is optional) to cross a line). gdefy: Shout defiantly (or defy someone specific). gdust: Shake dust from your boots (who is optional). geye: Roll up your eyes (or eye up a potential foe). ghear: Listen to death (or Kalak telling you to kill someone). glaugh: Roll your head back laughing (who is optional). glook: Look for your next foe (who is optional). ghowl: Howl for victory over a corpse, or a warcry at someone. Ask about 'emotes2' for more." > You ask the blind limbless male mul: emotes2 > ask mul commands You ask the blind limbless male mul: commands > The mutilated Gladiator looks emotional: "Yes, Gladiators are an extreme sort. We have many ways to show it. A patial list follows: grage: Explode with rage (who is optional). groar: Roar with fury (who is optional). gsalute: Salute your master Kalak (or a specific opponent). gshake: Shake blood from your hands (who is optional). gsharpen: Sharpen your combat skills, or a specific weapon. gshave: Ponder shaving, or shave with a specific weapon. gspin: Perform a combat spin, or spin a weapon around. gspit: Spit out mud (who is optional). gstance: Stand professionally (who is optional). gtooth: Spit out a tooth (who is optional). Perhaps you can suggest others?" > The mutilated Gladiator trys to look technical: "Gladiators have many special 'commands': 'berserk' or 'ber': Enter a deadly battle rage, improving physical power and bravery. 'brothers' or 'br': List those Gladiators said to be at large. 'charge ' or 'ch ': Smash into your foe with amazing force. The target is not needed if already in battle, though you can still specify it. Other abilities may appear over time as well." > ask mul guild You ask the blind limbless male mul: guild > ask mul kalak The mutilated Gladiator stiffens with pride: "The Gladiators are simply the greatest of all Warriors! No others who claim the name are as deadly or as vicious. We live for the blood of our victims, and the screams of the arena crowd. In a world without honor like Athas, we alone have a code: To strive against all obstacles, and either destroy them or die in the attempt. Even when not in battle we are great! Petty nobles scorn us for being slaves to the mighty Kalak, while all the time they secretly wish they could be one of us. We do not hide behind false masks like they, stabbing each other with pen and quill: We freely act as we please and destroy our enemies with no qualms about it. And their mates, they also admire the Gladiators. Heh." > You ask the blind limbless male mul: kalak > ask mul list You ask the blind limbless male mul: list > The old gladiator stares at you with fright in his eyes: "King Kalak, the Tyrant of Tyr, is my master, my god. When the Dragon swallowed the forests of Athas and all was chaos he stepped out of the desert to save Tyr from the other city-states. Since then, and it has been nigh unto a thousand years, he has made sure that it should never fear a threat again. It is for this reason he created his Champions, the Gladiators of Athas, and the Arena of Tyr to test them. Yes he is cruel, and unforgiving. Yes he enslaves the people to his will and allows countless numbers to die. But Athas is a harsh place, only the strong survive. Kalak knows this, and has passed the lesson to us." > The mutilated gladiator stares at you with eyes twinkling: "I know of many things, some of which I may reveal. Topics I will gladly speak of include: athas, commands, emotes1, emotes2, guild, kalak, leaving, overseer, rules, skills, slaves, song, song2, song3, titles, and tyr." > Windemere asks the blind limbless male mul something. ask mul leaving You ask the blind limbless male mul: leaving > ask mul overseer You ask the blind limbless male mul: overseer > The blind limbless male mul whispers something to Windemere. The mutilated Gladiator curses: "Scum who dislike their lot are allowed to leave the Gladiators at any time. The skills they learned within will be crushed, and they will loose their life. Good riddance to bad rubbish I say. All such wastes of flesh need do is use the command 'leave gladiator guild'. An easy way out for the weak." > The old gladiator nods grimly: "The Overseers are chosen from among the Gladiators of Athas to watch over the others, ensuring that all know their place. They are allowed to bar people from joining or training, or even to expel those who leave them with no other choice. The Lesser five do most of the 'grunt work' and are selected by the High, who watches over them and is selected by vote in the guild.. The primary duties of the Overseers include: 1) Education of new members in our ways. 2) Keeping the guild as a whole neutral to other guilds. 3) Organising arena tournaments. 4) Making the Gladiators a Brotherhood, not a collection of warring factions. 5) Serving as examples of true Warriors." > ask mul rules You ask the blind limbless male mul: rules > The mutilated gladiator stares at you coldly. "Our rules are few: For now it suffices to know the following: 1) King Kalak, tyrant of Tyr, is your master. He accepts no treason and has no mercy. Betray him at your peril. 2) Abandon the Guild of Gladiators and you will die. 3) Attack Brutus, the Guardian, and you will no longer advance. 4) Slaughter the unworthy ("newbies") and expect no support if other worldly beings seek retribution. 5) Do not attack the Templars of Tyr: They serve Kalak as well. 6) Your alignment, and that of your victims, does not matter. 7) Obey the dictates of the Overseers of the Gladiators, save when they conflict with the above. 8) The tax is 14% of your experience, use what is left wisely." > ask mul skills You ask the blind limbless male mul: skills > ask mul slaves You ask the blind limbless male mul: slaves > The mutilated gladiator smiles at some memory. "Gladiators are regarded as the deadliest warriors in any land. This is no boast. We master many skills to both attack and judge our opponent. Specifically: Appraise enemy - superior professional. Appraise object - superior journeyman. Axe - superior veteran (Superior Guru if worthy). Berserk - superior veteran (Superior Guru if worthy). Charge - superior veteran (Superior Guru if worthy). Defence - superior veteran (Superior Master if worthy). Parry - superior craftsman. Two handed combat - superior craftsman (Master if worthy). Unarmed combat - superior layman." > The mutilated Gladiator sighs: "Yes we are slaves: Slaves to the bloodlust of the arena crowds and the will of Kalak. Our lives are not our own. Some have come to this state through crime, others through debt, still others have been betrayed. And of course, some few could resist the call of blood and glory no longer and willingly threw their freedom away. Still, in many ways we are more free then others. We need not hide behind false masks. We need not keep our desires to kill or be recognised in check. When out in the land our passions can be unchecked: Why hold them in when tommorow you may be a corpse on the arena floor? Indeed, all are slaves: Others have their gods, their honor, their miserable trapped lives of endless toil. We only choose to wear our chains more openly, in part to make their miserable lives more bearable as they watch us do what they can't. And in part to scorn the lie that they believe. In slavery, we have found freedom." > ask mul song You ask the blind limbless male mul: song > The mutilated Gladiator clears his throat: "Yes I know a few songs. One goes something like ... like ... Lord of battle I pray on bended knee, conquest by the rising sun. I'll wait for thy command with flame and blood at hand, glory and a broken sword. I'm the master of the land, I've no fear of beast or man, born inside the soul of the world. Riding hard, breaking bone, with steel and stone, eternal might I was born to wield. Let us drink to the battles we've lived as we've fought, celebrate the pain and havoc we've wrought. Great heroes charge into the fight, from the north to the south in the black of the night. Fierce is my blade fierce is my hate, born to die in battle I laugh at my fate. Now pay in blood when your blood has been spilled. You're never forgiven, death is fulfilled. There is blood on my hands there is blood in my eyes, with blood in my voice I scream as you die. Thirsting for vengeance and mounds of the slain, shaking the forest onto the plain. The clash of honor calls to me stand, when others fall. Gods of War feel the power of my sword." > ask mul song1 You ask the blind limbless male mul: song1 > The blind limbless male mul peers quizzically at you. The blind limbless male mul scratches his head. The blind limbless male mul says: I never heard of such a thing. Ask Brutus maybe. > ask mul song2 You ask the blind limbless male mul: song2 > ask mul song3 You ask the blind limbless male mul: song3 > The mutilated Gladiator clears his throat: "A song? Hmmmm ... How about ... No ... OK ... I have one: From a battle I've come, to a battle I ride, blazing up to the sky. Chains of fate, hold a fiery stride. I'll see you again when I die. Heroes await me, my enemies ride fast, knowing not that this rides there last. Saddle my horse, as I drink my last ale. Bow string and steel will prevail. Kalak I await thee, your true son am I. I hail you now as they die. I pledge you my axe, and to no man I kneel. Ours is the kingdom of steel. High and mighty, alone we are kings. Whirlwinds of fire we ride. Providence brought us, the crown and the ring, covered with blood and our pride." > Thru deserts he walked, thru barrens he stepped, His eyes were blinded and his movements inept. He enters the halls, he bows to the Throne, And praises his Lord - he's no more alone! Then touch of the steel breaks his merry song: `Now you are the slave - for good and for long` The warnings were vain, the friends were away, He stood up as slave, returning to fray. The years passing by, the time cures his pain, And slashing, and killing again and again. But battles and travels by land and by sea Will never, oh never, will not set him free. The rulings of Kalak are simple and plain: Gladiators are slaves, his dogs on the chain. `If ever you wish to take a free breath, Just open the door - the door of the Death!` Some day - this day, This song - far away... It soothes - it cleans His soul - and his dreams... It's breaking the chains, it's setting him free That music, that singing, that sweet melody, The world fades to black, starts drifting away, When Midnight is coming - and that was the day... He walked thru the garden and dropping his sword, ask mul list He took tiny lute - Calliope took word... His arms and his legs he sold for a bowl, But Muses can free his mind and his soul! > You ask the blind limbless male mul: list > The mutilated gladiator stares at you with eyes twinkling: "I know of many things, some of which I may reveal. Topics I will gladly speak of include: athas, commands, emotes1, emotes2, guild, kalak, leaving, overseer, rules, skills, slaves, song, song2, song3, titles, and tyr." > ask mul titles You ask the blind limbless male mul: titles > ask mul tyr The mutilated gladiator seems unamused. "Titles are foolish and meaningless: The Gladiators of Athas are all slaves to Kalak. However they do have their uses in intimidating those outside the guild. We generally use the following titles to do so: Low Titles Middle Titles High Titles Fresh Venomous Glorious Slave Brutal Lord/Lady Trainee Deadly Renowned Blooded High Battle Hardened Apprentice Fierce Champion Lesser Famous Master/Mistress Sun Scarred True Legendary Master/Mistress Minor Powerful Imperial Master/Mistress Prized Ferocious Supreme Master/Mistress Grim Feared Always remember though: Only skill will defeat an enemy; you can not do damage with even the fanciest name." > You ask the blind limbless male mul: tyr > The mutilated Gladiator raises an eyebrow: "Tyr is the greatest city-state of Athas, the home of the Gladiators. No city is as large or as great. And no city in the region is gifted with as much metal: Indeed, Tyr is the site of the only iron mine in all of Athas. With King Kalak ruling over it, Tyr has prospered unlike any other city, being even greater then it was before the devastation of the land. What other city can boast so great an arena? So gigantic a ziggurat, worked on by the largest collection of slaves ever assembled? Indeed we are blessed."