While we know that “Gladiator” is not a race, we wanted to put together an article focusing on this unique group of characters in the Realm of Mythoss and this segment of the blog seemed like the best place to do it!
The Mercurian Coliseum
“The many legends of the Mercurian Coliseum tell of fierce battles, horrific deaths, and glorious victories”...this phrase, taken from the biography for the Black Knight Legion Builder, details the arena of battle where the gladiators of Mythoss engaged in combat. Over the course of the Mythic Legions line, there have been a number of fighters, representing many of the different races of Mythoss, who have been revealed to have fought in this Coliseum. Interestingly, however, only one “Mercurian” has been released who is a gladiator.
We previously published an article on the Mercurians of Mythoss. In that article we detailed the various figures that had been released as part of this group, including the “Mercurian legend”, Rahmulus.
Rahmulus's biography tells of his tragic story: “In an arena overflowing with epic stories, the most famous legend of all could quite possibly be the story of the twin boys who were abducted and forced from an early age to train to fight in the Mercurian Coliseum. Consistently battling side by side and defeating each and every foe who fought against them, they were undefeated until fate separated them. After his brother’s mysterious disappearance, the warrior known only as Rahmulus vowed to escape the dark walls of the Coliseum and search out his lost brother so that they might be able to fight at each other’s side once again.”
His vow to escape the bloody battle of the Coliseum would become a reality as Rahmulus would one day team up with other combatants intent on breaking free from their bonds and claiming their freedom! More on that uprising shortly.
The Champion
Released as part of the “Advent of Decay” wave, the mighty Calavius was an undefeated champion of the Mercurian Coliseum who was betrayed by those who ran the bloody games. His bio tells this story:
“Once the most decorated Mercurian gladiator in history, Calavius was promised his freedom from competition after his one hundredth straight victory. That victory came and went, but the promise was not honored. With hope lost, a fury was born in Calavius that led him to revolt.”
Once again this text tells of a fighter who longed to be free of the Coliseum and who rose up to claim that freedom.
The Rebels
“The revolt dawned, as fate would have it, when Calavius met Attlus, a recently captured gladiator. Together they led the rebellion that destroyed Mercurios’ gladiatorial games and the ancient coliseuml that housed them.”
This information, also taken from the bio for Calavius, details the fall of the Mercurian Coliseum, led by the betrayed champion and a character who would later lead one of the factions of Mythic Legions - the “barbarian king” Attlus the Conqueror from the House of the Noble Bear.
Attlus and Calavius were not alone in this uprising. It has already been mentioned that Rahmulus took part in this revolt, as did Adamonn and the Coliseum Ogre, Brontus.
According to Adamonn’s bio, he was “a perennial champion of the Mercurian Coliseum…with a winning streak only second to the legendary Calavius.” That bio goes on to state that “his brutal and effective style of combat made him a favorite of the Mercurian people. After taking part in the gladiatorial rebellion that ended the games forever, Adammon went to join Attlus and his noble clan of outcast warriors.”
The story detailed in the biography for “the legendary heroic Troll named Brontus” tells more of this story - “A mainstay of the barbarous Mercurian Coliseum, Brontus proved a formidable ally in the revolt led by Attlus and Calavius. Although he was elevated to the rank of general by Attlus, Brontus still carries a war club adorned with the skull of an ally he was forced to kill in the coliseum to remind himself of what it takes to survive in the savagely cruel and exceedingly brutal world he lives in. Born with an intelligence and eloquence that are extremely rare among Trolls, Brontus has sworn himself to the House of the Noble Bear and has vowed to defend the weak and downtrodden people of Mythoss.”
As you explore the story of the fall of the Mercurian Coliseum, you also begin to see some of the rise of the House of the Noble Bear and the forces sworn to fight alongside Attlus, many of whom had fought by his side previously when they rose up against their captors in the Mercurian Coliseum, ending those battles once and for all.
Other Combatants
In addition to the fighters who played a pivotal role in the destruction of the Coliseum, there are also other combatants who have spilled blood in that arena, and who have been released as figures in the Mythic Legions line.
Representing the stout and hardy dwarven race in the Coliseum was Halmyr Goldentooth – “Though small in stature, throughout the history of the Mercurian Coliseum, the beast-like ferocity of this Dwarven warrior grew into legendary proportions. Even the largest, toughest and mightiest of combatants understood that it was wise to always avoid the utterly devastating hammer of Halmyr Goldentooth!”
Despite the ferocity of arena combat, the blood-thirsty crowds would often demand more. This is where the “Coliseum Orcs” come in. “A brigade of these foul creatures are unleashed from deep within the bowels of the Mercurian Coliseum to heighten the insanity of carnage and bloodlust!”
Then there is the skeletal Keltuss, who was “a complete anomaly in the Mercurian Coliseum. He was the first and only fighter to meld magic with gladiatorial combat. Despised by his fellow combatants yet adored by the bloodthirsty crowds, he could spectacularly level the mightiest of foes with the mere utterance of a magical incantation.”
While it has not been revealed whether or not Keltuss joined his fellow fighters in destroying the Mercurian Coliseum, he certainly benefited from the fall of that institution, for “once he escaped the coliseum, Keltuss' fame opened many opportunities. The promise of fortune and renown ultimately lured Keltuss to join Skapular and the Sons of the Red Star.”
The final gladiator we will cover from the Mythic Legions line in this article is also one of the most mysterious. “From all across the world warriors were gathered either voluntarily, or sometimes by force, to test their mettle within the walls of the Mercurian Coliseum. One such combatant arrived from far away with a knowledge of battle never before seen in the lands of Mythoss. His speed, precision and hand to hand combat techniques were unmatched, and his enemies were quickly dispatched with a ferocious flurry of fists and feet. Whether with his hands alone, or with any weapon he was supplied, Raygorr instilled the fear of the power of his namesake - the dragon - into his opponents.”
Future Fighters
While the Mercurian Coliseum may be long gone, those who fought within its bloody walls and survived remain at large, spread across the Realm of Mythoss. We have covered a number of those fighters in this article, but rest assured that we have not met them all. Will these fighters reemerge in the future to play a role in the ongoing story of Mythic Legions? Only time will tell.
Published on 09.15.20