Ludus Brutus: Sons of Mars

The Prologue!
Greetings and felicitations, and welcome to the Ludis Scutum Quercu, the Oakenshield Gladiator Training school.  It is I, the slave Dubious, who shall be your guide to the goings on...

 The three brothers who set up this Ludis are the Biggus boys.  Biggus Brutus is the owner, but in reality he is just a front man for the Senator Naughtius Maximus.

 His brothers are Biblius and Burpus.  Table manners are not in vogue round the Biggus place! Elder brother Biggus Dikkus has not been seen in some time, but it is believed he is somewhere near Capua, running the Ludis Dikkus.

 As a house slave I, Dubious, was unsuitable as a Gladiator.on the grounds of incontinence alone...  

 I accompanied Biggus Brutus to the Slave markets.  Here he seemed to want to buy Dwarves.  The Senator Naughtius Maximus apparently delights in gladiator fights involving dwarves and women...  makes you wonder.

 Gossip is that his daughter Erotica has... well perhaps later...

 Takes all sorts!

 Our purchases at Quintus Slave Mart were:


Thorinus a Thracian, a dwarf nicknamed Primus since he is the founding gladiator of our Oakenshield school. Born in Ostia his father is a ship builder near the port. Thorinus has been a gladiator fan since childhood and is living the dream...

 Calls himself the Prince of Dwarves

 "Regis Minimus."

 The scandal is that he is not actually a dwarf, just a very wee fellow...

 At this point he still needs a dip.  30 coins for him, his armour and weapons.


Balinus. A Secutor, too old to be a gladiator? His nickname is Magna Spiritum (loud breath or Wheezer)
Cousin to Thorinus and he too may not actually be a dwarf!

30 coins for him, his weapons and armour



Sinister the left handed Retarius.  A narcisist, at home with dirty tricks, that mainly consist of his unfair left handedness.
Unkind observers have noted that the net smells slightly fishy...
30 coins for him, his weapons armour and net.
Unkind observers have also pointed out how very Irregular he is...


The Ludis has also paid a retainer to Gratia Bibendum (Grace Jones) who will be our first female gladiator... an Ethiope sold to the school by her former owner who had become frightened of her...  I haven't painted this figure, because I'm slightly scared of her...


Ruppertus, the trained bear.  This is a nice big model.  I forsee going through several generations and bear related humour with this guy.

 Does Ruppertus sh*t in the woods?  No in his cage actually...








Senator Naughtius Maximus as the behind the scenes owner keeps the slave "Dubious" as his go between with the school.  Dubious loves a good gossip and as "the camp slave," delivers the prologue before each match of the Ludis Scutum Quercu.  
Dubious is a notoriously incontinent gossip, and lover of salacious detail.  I'm going to scratch build a Lurkio-esque figure for this.  Just because...


Finally  the rival Gladiator school in Ostia is the Ludis Rudis, named for the wooden sword won by former Gladiator Fartakiss.  Their current champion is the Thracian Breslaw, a German brute with a high pitched voice, and an odd looking shield...
Ludus Brutus

Ludus: , Ludis Scutum Quercu, Ostia
Latest update: nones, Augustus, 218 AD

Lanista: Brutus Biggus
Ludus size: Basic (3 Gladiators, no beasts, no specialists, no upgrades)
Funds: 20 coin

Gladiator: Thorinus, Secutor
Matches: 1
Wins: 1
Losses: 0
Injuries: 0
Abilities: Parry, Shield Breaker, Dirty Tricks, Charismatic
Experience points: 2

Gladiator: Balinus, Thraex
Matches: 1
Wins: 1
Losses: 0
Injuries: 0
Abilities: Parry, Shield Breaker, Dirty Tricks, Charismatic
Experience points: 2

Gladiator: Symeon, Retiarius
Matches: 0
Wins: 0
Losses: 0
Injuries: 0
Abilities: Long, Disarm, Entangle, Trip
Experience points: 0


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