Arena Events

The bottom of the barrel in Central Nevia have two choices. Become a Paramite, or become an Arena fighter. Both require a fair amount of bloodlust.

An expensive leisure activity originating from Central Nevia. It sprouted from an intrigue in other species- Central Nevians had never seen anything like them, so it became common to show off, eventually evolving into structured competition. Even now, pure Nevians rarely compete in events, preferring to watch.
The most famous arena, and one of the first ever built, is the Bolt arena, lying in Central Nevia. It is known for having far stricter regulations than most regarding violence, and the lack of bloodshed makes it a popular destination for family outings. The area around the arena is a bustling hive of stalls and markets, all capitalizing off the massive crowds that are drawn in by the events.
Almost every arena has a core three of events- High-speed racing, Variety racing, and Free-for-all fights. Each event attracts a very different roster, valuing different species and traits, and the standard arena field has three parts, one for each event.

Shimmers

Each arena player is given a ticket, of sorts, that they can use to get in the arena- called a Shimmer, they take the form of shiny golden tokens. Many have small, intricate details carved into the metal, as a means of identification.
These Shimmers are the only handheld item allowed in an Arena event. They are an Arcenien creation- the only item that can naturally hold more than one charm at once. Strategy in the Arena centres around what properties to charm them with, making the most of the limited space available. High-speed racers often enchant theirs with speed boosts, for example, while fighters can transform theirs into deadly weapons.
Shimmers are an incredibly valuable resource, and are very expensive. A set of pre-loaded ones is kept by most arenas to loan to poorer competitors, but the interest rates are high, and one might soon find themselves in debt to the arena forever.

High-speed races

Taking place on a long stretch of land that runs through the centre of the field, high-speed sprints are similar to drag races- though instead of a vehicle, competitors have only themselves. To make competition a bit fairer, there are two leagues, one for winged competitors, and one for any species. Winged competitors can technically compete in the second league, but the lack of prestige compared to the winged competition and the judgement faced for being unsportsmanlike makes it usually not worth it.

Species roster-

Wasplings excel in high-speed racing, due to their light builds and hummingbird-like wings. Talrathi with lighter builds are also a solid bet, though their acceleration isn’t as good. Their wings give them a huge advantage over other competitors, as long as they have enough room to take off.
Wingless species usually don't perform as well as winged species. In the wingless league, species vary widely, and Shimmers can become more important than individual skill.

Enhancements/Shimmers-

In high-speed racing, enhancements are very common, and focus on strengthening the legs, wings and lungs to push more speed. Endurance is of secondary importance, as the track itself isn’t long, so almost all grafts are only meant to be used for short amounts of time. This, along with the more violent competition there, is why High-speed racers rarely cross into Variety racing. Shimmers are not often used, as they cost precious milliseconds to trigger, but when they are, they have only one focus- speed. Shields, weapons, or anything else is unnecessary due to the strict rules against fighting during the races.

Variety racing-

An odd mix between a free-for-all and a race, variety racing has one key difference from high-speed racing- competitors are allowed to win by any means. This includes by knocking other competitors off the track, or rendering them unable to continue. Because of this, variety racing is seen as a less classy event than high-speed racing, and it can get a lot more violent. Some rules are usually in place to stop extreme injury, but it's no guarantee that guards get to the scuffle fast enough, and there's no guards at all outside of the arena...
Another difference is that the track for variety races is much longer than the one for high-speed races, going around the perimeter of the field rather than through the middle. And the track isn’t clear at all- more like an obstacle course, with various structures to jump over and through (Or bash your enemies against)

Species roster-

Wasplings, though they excel at high-speed racing, don't go so well here. Their small builds render them too fragile, and they are targeted early on the races before they can pull ahead. Talrathi have a much better balance of strength and speed, but if they’re not careful, someone’s bound to try and take out their wings, rendering them useless.

Enhancements/Shimmers-

Variety racing needs a balance of speed, strength and endurance- it’s a fight as well as a race, and anyone that looks to be pulling ahead quickly gets mobbed. Having shields and weapons readily available helps in the inevitable combat

Free-for-all

Commonly nicknamed bloodbaths, competitors in a free-for-all simply fight it out until only one is left standing. Most arenas have some extra rules to make it more interesting- changing the terrain, or adding teams, but some illegal arenas do the exact opposite- dump the contestants in a pit, see who gets out alive. This event is the most likely to get bloody, (though variety racing takes the cake in deaths due to collision) and guards are never far away to break up fights. It is also the event most likely to have competitors who were forced to fight, or otherwise bribed into acting as cannon fodder. It pulls its fair share of crowds, but of a more unsavoury sort.

Species roster-

Free-for-alls are pretty diverse as far as events go, with a definite focus on strength and durability. Species with particular weak spots- Talrathi and Waspling wings, Nemurian outer lungs- are a lot rarer than others. Luminieans and other deep-dwellers make up the brunt of competition due to their natural toughness, though their sensitive eyes can cause problems.

Enhancements/Shimmers-

Enhancements in free-for-all events are most likely to be cheap and shoddily-done- sometimes even malfunctioning during the event. The most common by far are extensions of the claws and teeth, or armoured exoskeletons. Shimmers that can transform into weapons are a staple of free-for-alls, and often are the trademark of competitors. Offensive spells and projectiles are also common, as are shields. Shimmers that temporarily disable pain signals or increase strength and regeneration are banned in most arenas due to their permanent effects on competitors mental and physical health

Prizes

So, with all the promises of blood and injury, why the hell would anyone choose to fight in the Arenas? Well, not everyone has a choice. At the very least, fighting in the arena guarantees you a bed and shelter. And while the events themselves give no prizes other than trophies, if you manage to impress the audience enough the promise of glory and sponsorships is enough to entice many others.

Sponsoring

A popular pastime (and way to flex their wealth and power) for the rich in Nevia is to sponsor arena competitors. Winning an event is enough to have the rich clamoring over you, and even just impressing the audience can net you a decent sponsorship. Competitors usually don’t get far without them- good Shimmers and enhancements cost a fortune, and not having them is an instant disadvantage.
You might just get used for advertising, but oh well. Gotta pay the bills somehow, right?