15 - Arena of Sleepless Blades

## History

The Arena of Sleepless Blades is old, no one even knows what it was originally called for Sleepless Blades is not its original name. It refers to the many restless undead that inhabit these ancient halls of battle. This arena was once used between two nations that could not afford a war and used their best warriors to represent their nation and fight to the death. These games, as this is what they were known as, would occur at least once every 50 years and when the representative of one these nations wins, it was them that would decide the fate of the other nation, not their king. What would the resource the loosing nation would give up, what they would give, how would the borders change. These were the prizes that the warrior would win for their nation. The warriors themselves would receive nothing however. The arena was harsh, for only death may exist in this arena. The looser would be buried under the fighting grounds, where as the winners would be mummified, still alive in the catacombs that honeycomb underneath these arenas. Stories of these mummified warriors would be told through both nations, the idea of being mummified was said to be an honor but many were forced to fight for their nation. Their families and friends threatened if they refused to fight, if they won they would be rewarded in the afterlife. No one knows when or why these games ended, but it was believed that these nations launched their first and only war and it was believed due to the hatred that festered during theses games, brought the downfall of these unknown nations. Now the Arena of Sleepless Blades is a ruin of untold centuries, ghosts, wights and untold other restless undead warriors that believe they are still fighting for their long dead nations, waiting for their opponent to cut them down to help them rest.

### Description

The arena is large, the fighting field itself is nearly 10 acres. The walls are of sand color stone that seem to be nigh impossible to scratch. Even the strongest magics can't even mar the magnificent symbols and statues that inhabit the alcoves of the giant walls. These statues are nearly 100 feet tall, each a representation of the gods of this world and at their feet are statues of the warriors that win for their country. The field is an example of magical ingenuity for at the command of the game master, they could have it change from a simple sand and dirt arena to a forest, a winter death trap or a lava pit with a single, crumbling platform. No one knows how it works but for many who come to this arena fail to come back except for the lucky or the now insane for what they saw.

The catacombs however are unknown, there have been so many dead winners burred underneath the arena that the original builders had to constantly expand the catacombs to be of unknown size. It is up to brave adventures to map out these catacombs and discover whatever horrors and loot maybe found.

### NPCs

**The Gamemaster:** a ghostly entity that controls the magic that makes the arena change to any landscape it sees fit. It has a great joy in torturing adventures that believes is invading its domain by changing the landscapes that it believes to bring great fear to the newest member of the games. This ghost has an ancient bastard sword which is more ceremonial and has leather armor that is gaudy at best. This armor has eagle motifs made of gold and grows upset if somehow the motifs gets dirty. If an adventurer somehow escapes the arena, it offers its congratulations and offers the price it gives all winners of the arena, mummification. If the adventurer refuses the gamemaster grows angry and will attack. The Gamemaster never has a clear image, one can not tell if it is a male or female. It is believed that the gamemaster is the embodiment of the spirit of all the gamemasters of the arena of past and only its station is clear to be seen which is its weapon and armor.