Remodelling the Gladiator Pits in the Copper Coronet (Idea)

[lac]

Something I always thought would be interesting would be to restock the CC Pits after you liberate the slaves.
You could fight beasts there, and earn cash and reputation.  Also, you could get quests to restock the place
with things to fight.  Getting the 'subdue this wolf, don't kill him' part to work might be tricky.  There could also be
the possibility of placing bets on yourselves, or on individual party members...

There are some interesting alignment issues, and characeter issues beyond alignment as well.  Various good-aligned party
members could disagree as to whether trapping and killing animals for sport is a) good clean fun, and good training as well, plus as acceptable a way to earn money as any or b) the repulsive needless tormenting of innocent lives.  Druids might disagree over this as well, perhaps even along Druid/Shadow Druid lines.  And where does 'capturing the various intelligent, or semi-intelligent beings' fit in?  Are Gibberlings animals?  How does one execute criminals these days?  Tossing convicted criminals into a pit doesn'tseem any more inhumane than burning drow on demand.  But should you accept a quest to go find some werewolves or half-orcs for the pit?  What about undead? Is using them this way a desecration?

Evil characters may have no scruples about the morality of the whole business, but this ought not to limit the banter
possibilities, or possibilities for disagreement?  What's the best part about the Animal Pits?  The courage and skill shown
by the fighters?  Or the money that they earn?  Or that it is a lot easier to pick pocket the spectators when a fight
is on?

I think that a mod like this would open up the possibility for serious disagreement and interaction between party members,
well beyond a simple 'good vs evil' split. Here 'lawful vs chaotic' might have a greater role to play, as well as the personal
backgrounds and professions of the various NPCs.

Just an idea,
Laura

[Kulyok]

I like the idea of remodelling these pits a lot: in fact, I just heard someone was working on it. Gladiators I like, though not animals: animal fights(if it's not beholders, but wolves and small gibberlings) do smell bad.

[Jarin]

I like the idea of remodelling these pits a lot: in fact, I just heard someone was working on it. Gladiators I like, though not animals: animal fights(if it's not beholders, but wolves and small gibberlings) do smell bad.

You could actually add that in, alongside with an quest offered to you by a Druid which asks you to end it (Ala the NWN Zoo quest).

[ddv]

turning a gladiator mod into a moral dilemma over animal rights is to miss the point entirely, and waste the chance for a good mod, imo. animals don't feature in the coronet's gladitorial fights, anyway. Sure, they let you bet on dog fights, but that's something else entirely. were I to create such a mod I would focus on creating a series of good fights tied together by entertaining dialogue, a concept tried and test in Ust Natha.

[SimDing0™]

I don't think the animal issue is missing the point at all. It's just providing some depth beyond "another way to whack things". And convicts too--given the role of pit manager, it seems like a quite interesting task to decide what you're going to have fighting in there.

[Neirfane]

you could get captured and forced to fight in the pits. maybe kill hendak and end up owning the copper corornet yourself. depending on class and alignment you could keep it as is, or change it to a more goodly place. if evil you could make it even worse for greater profits and slaver contracts. maybe you have to go on a raid yourself to capture slaves for your pits or the slaver guilds in the city

[Froberg]

I've pondered this extensively.

Why is Hendak the new owner of the Copper Coronet by default?
Wouldn't he just be happy with being set free, and then be on his merry way?

I would much prefer having the PC assume control of the CC, and being able to influence it via alignment.

Goodly(I think this covers neutral, too);
Good natured "boxing" type matches, non-lethal entertainment. Think Ultimate Fighting Championships. There'd be a certain establishing cost to redo the interior of the CC, the current "pits" are just crappy looking - and facilitate a better spectacle.
I'm thinking an Arena type environment with a large central pit, and a viewing area all round. You could then have quests do go around various places and recruit known boxers/fighters for celebrity type matches, and a bigger crowd. The pit would give a weekly return, continually increasing with the number of celebrity fights you've had. (Those fights really bring in the crowds, y'know.)
Again, these fights are non-lethal - based on the "I Yield" type scenario. (Just like we've seen in Ust Natha..)
Maybe these recruited fighters would become "regulars", and thus earn part of the overall revenue, and either the backroom.. ahm.. 'love' rooms, and the cells would be turned in to private quarters to facilitate this.
It could be run kind of like with the playhouse, you have to find a competent manager, someone to announce the fights and get the crowd roaring (and betting) - and other management things like that. Once you've set up the initial things, it'll pretty much run itself and you'll get weekly revenue like with the other strongholds.

Evil;
It's obvious, to me at least, that the slavers would have a part to play in this. Basically you'd investigate the slaver compound, force your way in - pummel their leader and take command. This would be slightly more expansive than the good route, in that you don't necessarily need to destroy the slaver compound to gain control. You'd take over the Athkatla slavetrade, importing slaves to fight in the pits, Bernard would probably disagree vehemently, so there'd be a need for a suitable replacement. (Either making Bernard do a walk-out, or simply killing him - perhaps by some gruesome spectacle in the pits. Him vs. Rabid Wolves for example, getting torn a apart limb from limb.)
People would be able to bet, and would have to pay an admission fee. This would cater to high-value clientèle and be closed to the general public. Only the wealthy and powerful need apply.
Obviously this would generate a lot of wealth, both from the selling of slaves - and the freebie fighters you get by using slaves and pitting them against each other, or against various animals or other similar beasts.
Quests could be that some wealthy nobles ask you to "remove" someone they have issue with, and watch them die in the pits. Basically something like the Mind-Flayer control circlets could be used - slaver circlets, used on people - cut scene - they are in the cell area.
Obviously you'd want to profit on prostitution as well. I guess neutral characters could swing either way on the prostitution issue.
Also might be interesting to toss Anomen in the pit, and see how long he lasts

Obviously there needs to be a drawback to this, which I think might be of the "legal" nature, in that there would be undesirable attention from righteous knights and the like. Perhaps bribery of government officials, or even elimination of some would be desirable.

I feel this would fit in nicely with something like "Assasinations", to give more variety for Evil players.

That's just a rough outline, but I've certainly spent long enough typing it out if it's entirely useless as a concept.
Give me some thoughts!

Edit;

Oh yeah, both cases could certainly utilize "Fight the Bhaalspawn and win x amount of money." - whether it be to the death or not, would be a PC choice. (I.E dialogue before death and having the option of killing, or displaying mercy..)