Located deep within the Crescent Forest, the arena at Gulg
is breathtaking to first-time spectators. Since Athasian
forests are so rare, the living, growing arenas are beyond the
imagination of most outsiders. To get to the arena, one must
travel for almost an hour deep into the forest. The structure
seems to rise from the forest floor of its own volition. The
arena structure is intertwined with trees and vines which
give it the appearance of harmony with its surroundings.
On gladiatorial days, visitors arrive at the arena via
Lalali-Puys Opulent Ascension. The immaculate
grassy byway has been cut painstakingly through the forest, and links the city to the forest arena. The walkway is
trimmed and accentuated with the most rare and exotic
flora and fauna to be found anywhere in the Crescent Forest. The soft grass path leads to a great natural archway.
The archway is the only opening in the extensively cultivated brambleweed fence that surrounds the arena.
The archway opens into the arena, which is partially
inset in the ground and surrounded by viewing stands rising into the sky. Great deciduous trees and hardy vines
intertangle and interweave to support the structure. It is
truly a forest masterpiece.
Along the sides of the arena, four entrances are visible
amid the trees and vines. The doorways are framed by
massive wooden planks. Beyond the doors is a large corridor 20 feet high and 20 feet wide, extending almost completely around the building. Spectators are free to sit
anywhere in the arena, save the templar and sorcerer
queens viewing space.
The Forest Arena of Gulg is unique. It is a long, narrow,
grassy oval 300 feet long and 80 feet wide. Over 40 rows of
wooden benches parallel the long, narrow sides of the arena.
The stadium floor itself lies in a pit 20 feet deep. The
arenas grassy floor is studded with large trees throughout
the playing field. The random placement of the trees
allows gladiators to improvise when stalking opponents.
No tree or tree limb, however, is within 20 feet of the wall,
leaving no opportunity for a gladiator to escape from the
physical arena.
Vines and mosses grow throughout the trees, enabling
combatants to climb the trees, swing from tree to tree, or
use the natural materials to their advantage. Not all of the
trees are friendly one is an ancient bramble tree covered in myriad sharp thorns. In one legendary combat, an
incredibly strong arena champion actually removed a
limb of the tree and used it to his advantage in combat.
Some of the trees in the arena bear red leaves year
round. Legend says the blood of the slain gladiators waters
the trees in arena, yielding the red leaves.
Malicious destruction of the grass or trees through physical combat or defiler magic draws immediate boos and
hisses from the crowd. If a gladiator who uses such tactics
survives, he is beaten or tortured before being allowed to
return to the arena. On a subsequent trip to the arena, such
offenders are a most certainly pitted against a superior
opponent. This is punishment for the purposeful destruction of the arena during previous gladiatorial combat.
Arena combat begins when two gladiators or gladiatorial teams enter from opposite ends of the arena. Some
gladiators or teams quickly rush their opponents, while
others take a defensive posture in the rich foliage. Wilier
combatants prefer a hide-and-seek approach, using the
terrain to advantage. They involve the crowd by taunting
the opponent or a show of bravado, lest the crowd think
the combatants are cowards and turn against them. The
crowd in Gulg hates cowardly gladiators who attempt to
hide in the greenery of the arena.
The arena grounds are maintained by over 50 slaves
who toil daily to keep the arena ready for the next games.
Failure to do ones best is rewarded by appointment as
quarry for the Red Hunt.
Alush, green place that thousands may visit is a very rare
occurrence on the world of Athas. The people of Gulg love
things that grow, and the Sorcerer-queen tacitly endorses it.
The more that people work to help the forest around Gulg
grow, the greater her base for raw power becomes.
