Life in the Stands (CGH)

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==Status Seating==
As with the rest of life on Athas, seating in the stadium is determined by power and social status. Most arenas in the Tyr region parallel the sun's path across the reddish green Athasian sky. In this configuration, one side of the stadium receives significantly more sun than the other.
Since one side of some arenas faces away from the sun, the stadium itself provides a bit of shade for spectators. The shady areas of the spectator seating is known as the
"Shade of Nobility." In such sections, local nobles, landowners, and senators are seated. The central part of this shaded area is always reserved for the king or queen and royal bodyguards. Arranged nearby are the most affluent templars. Further out, to the left and right, sit the lesser templars. Senators and minor nobility pay hand some bribes in order to sit as close to this section as possible. Although landholders/senators are thought to have power in the cities, when it comes to the arena, they have none.
The side of the stadium that receives the harsh, direct sun is sometimes known as "Ral's Eye." Spectators seated on this side of the stadium often bring mats woven of elf or giant hair to sit upon, since the stones they sit on warm considerably with the midday heat. Extreme temperatures cause tempers to flare, and frequently, hostilities erupt in this section of the stadium.
The two ends of the stadium often are the worst places to sit, since they are above the gateways to the animal pens and gladiatorial barracks. The stench in this area in the midday sun is almost unbearable.
Although the walls of the arena are steep in order to contain the monsters and gladiators within, it is ill advised to take seats near the railing of the arena. It is rare that a day of combat goes by that an innocent spectator is not killed by an errant spear or tentacle. For this reason, many nobles seat their staff directly in front of them in the lower tiers. The slaves create a blameless human shield, innocently protecting their owners from harm.
==Arena Fashion==
The garb worn to the games is as different as the people attending the games. In short: 
Slaves & Indentured Servants 
: Clothing: Drab, earth brown garb. Short tunics, shorts, halters, and loincloths. Possibly some sort of tie or gather at the waist. Net tunics are very popular. Easy and cheap to produce, they absorb sweat, keep it close to the skin to aid in evaporation, and allow breezes through.
: Headgear: Usually nothing. If lucky, a bandanna or other cloth to tie over the head to protect against the midday sun.
: Footgear: Bare feet or sandals.
Shop & Minor Land Owners
: Clothing: White linen and spun cloth. White is reflective and cool, difficult to keep clean, and more expensive due to its manufacture. Sometimes the garment will be decorated with small bands of color as a sign of stature (colored cloth being very expensive in some regions).
: Headgear: White bandanna or straw brimmed hat. Sometimes merchant women tie a strip of white cloth over their heads to protect against the midday sun.
: Footgear: Sandals, thongs, shoes.
Merchant Traders/Nobles
: Clothing: Multicolored fabrics and silks. The more expensive, the better (in some regions). Brightly colored scarves and ribbons are worn as accessories. Some women wear bright jewelry (the pieces look exquisite, but only cost a fraction of what they appear to). Upper nobles may bring their hurrum beetles to the games. (Hurrum: A flightless, brightly opalescent beetle that produces soothing humming noises and an ever so slight breeze.)
: Headgear:  White or colored turbans. A slave may hold a sun shade or fan over a noble s head.
: Footgear: Sandals, thongs, shoes.
==Concessions==
Refreshments are also limited according to class. In no aspect of life on Athas is one free from social status—not even when one seeks only to slake one's thirst or soothe a gnawing stomach.
Slaves & Indentured Servants
: Beverage:  Water.
: Food:  Red cactus grubs, sun dried kip, renks.
Land Owners & Nobles
: Beverage:  Broy, water, or wine.
: Food:  Sun dried kip or jankx meat.
Renk: Palatable slugs that contain, on the average, four ounces of water. They are a source of food and water to the masses. An average man would need to eat 16 raw renks a day to replace fluids lost at a day at the arena.
Red Cactus Grubs: Red cactus is a round succulent plant known for its red spiny thorns. Grubs make their homes in these cacti. When one is cut open, 1 to 3 dozen thumb-sized, brown headed, white, scaly grubs can be found. Some people pop the heads off, others eat the tasty grubs whole.
No concessions are sold in the arena at Raam. The sorcerer-queen, in her hysterical paranoia, fears poisoning of her templars and loyal servants. The fine for being caught selling food or water in arena stands is a one-way trip to the arena floor. It is permissible, however, to bring one s own meager goods to the arena for personal consumption.
Different arenas have different methods of providing water to the nobles during gladiatorial games. Probably the most interesting is the arena of Tyr.
In Tyr, water is carried through the lower Noble Stands in large ceramic containers. Such containers are shaped like a cistern fiend (some have never seen the creature and believe it to be only a myth, like the dragon. Others know the horrible truth). For a few ceramic pieces, patrons in the shaded stands may take a drink from the mouth of the ceramic creature to quench their thirst. The water bearers are all agent/slaves of arena templars. They are sometimes allowed to keep a few ceramic pieces if they hear information their owners/employers deem useful.
One Tyr water bearer named Cytrine is, in truth, a double agent assassin. The ceramic cistern fiend water holder that Cytnne carries is equipped with two retractable metal spikes located in the ceramic creature's eyes. If Cytrine is ordered by his templar to kill an individual in the stands, Cytrine merely offers a free drink of water. Vv hue the victim drinks, Cytrine presses a button on the device and a pair of needle fine, foot long spikes extend from the ceramic creature's eyes. The small, dart-like spikes pierce the victim's brain, striking directly through the eyes. The poison works instantly and the victim is dead before he can swallow a second mouthful of water.
Cytrine is also a member of the Veiled Alliance. He makes weekly reports on all events in the arena and the templar's home to a secret contact. If ordered to kill a member or sympathizer of the alliance, Cytrine will make the assassination attempt seem real. Cytrine will prearrange (with the help of alliance contacts) the accident and set up a getaway. The alliance will then shuttle the individual away to a safehouse and arrange for transportation out of Tyr.
==Arena Banners==
At any gladiatorial game, bright banners of solid or motley colors can be seen hanging in the stands. These banners often bear symbols, since it is illegal for the populace to know how to read and/or write. (It is rumored that the Veiled Alliance, outlawed in all city-states of Tyr, may use these arena banners as a form of communication regarding projects, movements, and meetings. Only other members of the Veiled Alliance would recognize and understand the messages.)
The banners are symbols of support brought to the arena by fans to encourage their favorite professional gladiator or arena champion. The emblems of the great trading houses may also hang in the arena. These serve multiple purposes.
First, they show that a trading house is currently sponsoring a gladiator performing at the games.
Second, in the case of a traveling trading house, the banner is to show that the trading company is currently in the city and is ready to conduct business. Families of convicts or accused individuals who are fighting for their lives in the arena may bring a banner to show support for their loved one. Likewise, victims of crime may attend with banners of their own in order to encourage the demise of the convicted or accused.
It is the ultimate honor for a gladiatorial champion to ask a fan or support group for their banner. Some combatants may exchange a broken weapon, a small bit of armor, or a piece of their clothing for the banner. Several murders have been attributed to fans fighting over gladiatorial memorabilia. A broken bone weapon from a famous gladiator may fetch as much money as a steel sword. Knowingly selling counterfeit gladiatorial memorabilia earns the swindler a personal visit to the arena floor of death.
==Chants and Cheers==
Although the words are different at each arena, fans know a series of chants and/or cheers that they use to encourage gladiatorial combatants. While some arenas may reward a gladiator with applause after a stunning blow, other arenas may cheer. Still other arenas may greet a cowardly move with a hiss in unison, while others acknowledge the move with loud, resounding boos.
The most common chants are the names of the gladiators. The arena comes alive and walls shake when the reigning champion enters the pit. The cry of his name is heard over and over again and the fans will shout until they are hoarse, or until the match begins, whichever comes first. There are even champions the crowd loves to hate. These champions would not feel at home in the arena without boos, hisses, catcalls, and jeers raining down on them from all sides. These antiheroes are, in actuality, as popular as heroes. These anti-champions survive more than their fair share of gladiatorial combats. They are almost always given reprieve or mercy at the end of the match. Smart arena managers use these individuals to focus the crowds anger and resentment by giving these people someone to hate. High-paying grudge matches can be developed to exploit this fever.
The most popular chant, of course, is the simple word die. In any language, or in any tongue, the meaning of this simple chant is obvious. When an undeserving, fallen gladiator hears the arena pick up this chant, he knows his time has come. Some arenas wave deep red strips of cloth, others scream for blood, but all will repeat this chant before the end of the gladiatorial day. Strangely enough, there is no chant of mercy that is recognizable in all the arenas.
In the arena of Tyr, the crowds raise their hands, palm open, fingers extended, in order to show their support for a fallen warrior. The open palm is generally understood as a symbol for mercy (or more simply, "I have no weapon, I yield"). In the forest arena of Gulg, green strips of cloth are waved to show support for a venerated warrior. In Balic, fans rise to their feet from their usual seated positions to show their support (many are already on their feet if it has been an extraordinary match). In the Pit of Black Death at Urik, the fans begging for mercy wave strips of black cloth. There is no mercy at Raam.
==The Sun Seats==
The Sun Seats are the notoriously dangerous upper seating sections of the Tyr stadium. Angry or bored fans will sometimes play a game called "razorwing." These rowdy and occasionally inebriated fans pick up an opposing gladiatorial fan, pass the individual overhead, hand to
hand, and toss him down to the arena floor. Although the action can be construed as murder, it is difficult to place blame when there are so many fans. The king issued an edict concerning this behavior, stating that there will be no retribution or recourse against the perpetrators as long as the "accident" does not disrupt the gladiatorial games.
==Mercy==
Because life is so harsh on Athas, mercy is as rare as rain. Almost all arena combat is fought to the death, for anything less would not fulfill the expectation of the crowd. There are, however, instances when a gladiator's life is spared. These come by hook, crook, or courage.
In the midst of combat, if a gladiator loses all weapons and is cornered by an armed opponent and is sure to die, the gladiator may ask for mercy. This is done by raising a fist to the sky. This action poses the silent question, "Am I not a worthy opponent? May I not regain my weapons so that I may fight to the best of my ability?" This question is first answered by the opposing gladiator. If the gladiator deems the other individual a worthy opponent and wishes to continue the fight (thinking, of course, that he will win) with the other gladiator armed, the gladiator will extend his weapon hand high above his head. As both gladiators stand fist and/or weapon raised, they look toward the sorcerer king or queen's stadium box. A raised arm means both opponents regain all weapons and they begin the battle anew at the center of the arena. If no raised arm is returned, the armed gladiator must dispatch the unarmed gladiator as skillfully as possible. It is, of course, the unarmed gladiator's desire to stay alive at all costs.
If a gladiator is injured and wishes mercy, he raises an open hand to the opposing gladiator rather than a clenched fist. This signals that he is "too grievously injured" to continue the battle, but is petitioning for a chance to heal and return to fight at a later date.
Often, two very popular opponents face each other in the arena. Due to their combat skills, both are great draws and crowd pleasers. If one of the combatants gains a strong upper hand over the other, and is at the point of dealing a fatal blow, the gladiator who possesses the upper hand may call for an answer from the crowd. This is the best part of attending the gladiatorial arena. Shouts of "no" and "yes" will ring out until one drowns the other out. The majority of the crowd will chant for the victim's life to be taken or spared. When the chanting hits a fever pitch, all eyes will turn toward the sorcerer king or queen, and as the chant rises, the crowd will await a ruling.
The sorcerer king will eventually rise to his feet (providing, of course, he is in attendance; otherwise this duty falls to the sorcerer king's chief templar), extend his fist, and rule on the gladiators life. The king s thumb pointed upward means the defenseless gladiator is spared and may return to do battle another day. If the thumb points downward, the victor then administers a creative killing stroke, accompanied by the excited roar of the crowd.
If a gladiator's life is spared in the arena, it is often due to the direct action of a templar. Templars are known to fix combats for personal gain. A prime example is a champion who is heavily favored against an unknown. The templar may bet on the unknown, then bribe the champion by promising him rich spoils after the combat for "taking a dive." The champion, with all of his combat and battle experience, will then go forth into the arena and put on a good fight. He may pretend to be overly aggressive or fight a wholly defensive battle, seemingly amazed at his foe's blows. Often uninjured, the gladiator will then pick a moment to stumble or fall, placing himself at the mercy of the newcomer. Having been a successful champion, and having fought a good battle, his life will almost assuredly be spared. There are exceptions, when the templar feels it necessary to fool an excellent gladiator into allowing his own death. For this reason, most champions rarely give themselves over totally to the mercy of the opponent; there is always the chance of a double cross.
This is not to say that every arena combat is predetermined. There are, however, many templars and slave owners using whatever pressure, force, or influence they may have to arrange of the outcome of the match in their favor. 
The exception to all of the above is Raam. Due to the rampant paranoia and the hidden location of the sorcerer-queens viewing box, no question is ever raised. All fights in Raam are to the death.
==Mob Rules==
Two facts are indisputable in the arenas of Athas. First, all intelligent life has some type of psionic talent (wild or otherwise). Second, a gladiator fighting for his life will use whatever means are at his disposal to survive a match.
The problem arises when 40,000 or more spectators, all with some form of psionic talent, are watching and betting on the gladiatorial games. Psionic wars could easily erupt in the stands if fans psionically intercedes on behalf of a gladiator. To prevent this, laws have been passed in every arena forbidding psionic intervention from spectators during matches. This rule includes Templars, but not the sorcerer kings and queens, who make and change laws on a whim.
Punishment awaits anyone who aids a gladiator via psionic powers before a match. Like most things on Athas, this happens frequently. However, since psionic intervention is difficult to prove, few are actually punished.
==Magic==
Within the city-states of the Tyr region, the only persons allowed to use or possess magic are the sorcerer-kings and queens, their templars, and royally appointed (minor) defiler mages. Elemental priests are tolerated in the city-states as long as they do not attempt to set up religious shrines or hold religious gatherings. Druids occasionally pass through the city-states, but seldom stay for any length of time. Druids hate defilers and the sorcerer-kings and queens in particular because of the destruction they have wrought. (Remember, the sorcerer-kings and queens fancy themselves as godlike beings, and they have little tolerance for priests and druids in their city.)
Magic use in the arena is not tolerated unless it is used by an ambassador of the sorcerer-king or queen. Druids forced into gladiatorial games often freely use their magic to defend themselves. Usually, more and more opponents are sent against the druid until the druid is dead. Priests and mages who find themselves in the arena frequently attempt to conceal their spell casting abilities through the use of the nonweapon proficiency somatic concealment
The majority of the city (this includes gladiators) know that hated defilers and Templars are spellcasters. Therefore, most residents feel that any spellcaster must be an evil defiler under the scrutiny of the sorcerer-king or queen. Gladiators know and fear their power, so spellcasters are the first targets during combat