Born Free: The Arena
"To be born is to be free, to be man is to be free, to live to be free, and to die is have been free."
You have been captured. It doesn't matter from where, it doesn't matter why or how. You have been shipped to the Imperial City to be trained, outfitted, and forced to fight in the Arena, a grand stadium where gladiators have been fighting to the death for centuries.
Will you rise and become Arena Champion? Or will you die and your name be forever forgotten as your blood seeps deep into the sands?
Your characters - if they live - can continue on in the next Born Free, 'Freedom', which occurs after this one finishes. If your character does not survive, or you wish to play as someone else, a new character is acceptable, however I extremely prefer you to use the one you use in The Arena.
History: Scipius was once a ruthless, feared, ambitious, and very capable general in the Empire's Legions. He alone conquered the northeastern regions above the Tyrese River while his rival, Decius, conquered the northwest. Scipius was to be offered immense power and Consulship, the highest military position available. Unfortunately, Scipius was severely injured in a disastrous and humiliating battle that decimated his forces and forever damaged his position in the senate. Scipius was relieved of duty, being disabled to continue on any further campaigns. He resorted to a life of the common man, where he decided to purchase gladiators to fight in his very own arena in hopes to make more money and eventually buy himself an army.
In truth, Decius and his father - who was a senator at the time - culminated a plan to send Scipius into dangerous and uncharted territory to die. At first, the senate disagreed, but Decius managed to bribe them with money his father stole from the treasury. Decius' father made up a plan to withdraw a portion of Scipius' army to weaken it. Afterwards, Scipius was ordered to attack a worthless village deep into enemy territory, or forever lose his position as General. Having no other choice, Scipius marched forth, and it was here that Decius' secret allies sprang a trap and decimated Scipius' army and severely injured him. Scipius was completely oblivious to who planned this.
With Scipius now relieved of duty, Decius was promoted to Consul and gained immense power. Scipius began to buy gladiators to fight for glory in an arena using money he borrowed from Decius - who 'vows' to protect his 'old friend', promising them freedom and their family if they survive; Scipius, however, murders the families. Meanwhile, Decius hires assassins to kill Scipius, but Scipius is protected by his gladiators. After failing to pay his debt, Scipius becomes the slave of Decius, who then proceeds to kill his own family and then forces him to fight in the Arena against his own gladiators, all now property of Decius.
Scipius rallies the gladiators in a coup and storm Decius' villa, where they kill him and break out. They then try to head north to free country but are chased by Legions.
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