Hand-of-Omega wrote:
> Richard Clayton wrote:
>
>>I'm not a fan of professional wrestling, but it occurs to me that it
>>would be a natural for the setting of Exalted. The flamboyant
>>personalities and stunts fit right in. And, of course, all the "special
>>moves" could be real Combos instead of, you know, fake.
>> In-setting, this would be a good tactic for some little city-state in
>>the Hundred Kingdoms area looking to draw more commerce to the area--
>>and, of course, having a few dozen Princes of the Earth around is useful
>>on many levels. Would YOU want to invade a city with a per capita ratio
>>of Exalted rivaling Lookshy or the Realm?
>>--
>
> It *does* have the benefits of gaining the Exalts $$$ while actually
> being *safe*...But just about any Exalt can make waaay more money by
> doing the real thing.
True, but some people love publicity and fanfare... and I think
non-lethal matches and readily available magical healing would sway
more. This doesn't have to attract even a significant fraction of the
Chosen-- just enough to keep the crowds entertained.
> Now, I could see Heroic Mortals and God-Blooded
> doing this...
Taken as a whole, the gladiators would mostly be mortals. Extras, even.
Exalted and other divine beings are simply too rare, and a large number
of the mortals are simply slaves thrown into the ring to add color and
to keep the crowd amused between the big events. A large fraction would
consist of "mortals-plus" (minor god-blooded, thaumaturges, maybe a
mortal or two a powerful artifacts like ashigaru armor). Most of the
rest are Outcastes, with maybe a few disaffected Dynasts, and one
Immaculate monk who is there simply because he likes to kill people.
There are a handful of Celestials, but not many; perhaps half a dozen
total, including an Abyssal, and one Sidereal who fights under a
resplendent destiny. (What, the Ninja Jedi Men in Black of Heaven can't
have guilty pleasures?) There is also one native of the city who Exalted
as either a Solar or Lunar (I haven't decided yet) who took the Second
Breath while fighting in the ring, and the publicity wonks are making
much of that. "YOU could be the next [guy-who-exalted-in-the-ring]!"
There would definitely be several "leagues," based on individual power
level. It's simply not good business to send a powerful and popular
mortal into the ring to be crushed by an elder Terrestrial. Further,
most fights are technically nonlethal. The occasional accidental death
does occur, but deliberately killing a big draw is a reliable way to get
yourself run out of town (or worse). Battles to the death are allowed
only one night per month, and they are milked for all they're worth,
showcasing the end of long-running (and sometimes staged) rivalries or
feuds between personalities.
> Actually, if he gets enough Exalted under his control, I could also see
> the Perfect doing this for his city...^^
Naw. I think the Perfect is too much in love with order and discipline
to welcome such vulgar displays of power.[1]
Can you tell I have been thinking about this a lot? My running game is
likely suspended until January, due to holiday travel and celebrations,
so meanwhile I think I will write this city-state up and post it to a.g.ww.
--
[The address listed is a spam trap. To reply, take off every zig.]
Richard Clayton
"During wars laws are silent." -- Cicero
[1] SPOT THE QUOTE'S SOURCE AND WIN A LUTEFISKMALK!
>> Stay informed about: Random Thought: Exalted and Pro Wrestling 
FAQ
Search
Profile
Private Messages
Log in/Register/Password
