Steyis

Steyis, also called the Iron Citadel, is the name of the citadel that the Bloody Hand makes his home and base of operations. It sits at Andarra’s easternmost point, about a hundred miles east of Fang Wood. It also marks the center of the Bloody Hand’s ever-expanding domain. Life in Steyis is much like life everywhere else the Hand has made his mark: harsh and brutal. The Bloody Fingers, as the Hand’s men are called, are trained here, and they police the citadel with their lord’s iron fist. Steyis has no major exports, though they import food and weapons from Tirdana and Mithril Gate, respectively. When the Hand is in residence, most of the residents live in fear, for the Hand is not known to be compassionate when dealing with suspected traitors or spies.

The Maw

The Maw is a grand coliseum in the heart of Steyis, seat of the Bloody Hand. The central arena is ringed with tall, curved alabaster spires shaped like long fangs reaching toward the sky, giving the Maw its distinct appearance and its name.
The coliseum houses three arenas, called Arena Sinister, Arena Magnus, and Arena Dexter. The two side arenas, Sinister (west of Magnus) and Dexter (east of Magnus), are much smaller, about half the size of Magnus. Sinister and Magnus are used as training areas for gladiators when fights are not happening. They each seat about a thousand. Bouts between lesser-known gladiators are held in Dexter and Sinister and, by the Editor's law, are non-lethal. Magnus, the main arena, can hold about five thousand spectators, and often packs more into the stands for main events between well-known gladiators. Death is permitted (and encouraged against criminals) in Magnus. Each arena is ringed by several gates at the eight cardinal directions through which gladiators enter the arenas.
There are two types of gladiators who fight in the Maw: career gladiators who enter the profession by choice, and criminals. The glory and fame of winning matches in Magnus, not to mention the prizes awarded to winners, draw warriors from all over to win fame and glory. Career gladiators sign contracts with a lanista on behalf of a wealthy patron, usually a noble house or merchant-prince. They fight in the name of their patron and are equipped, housed, trained, and fed by their patrons through the lanista. A lanista might handle one or more gladiators. By law, willing gladiators have one legal right: the right to free themselves by making a payment called a libertas to the lanista who hired them. The libertas must be outlined in the gladiator's contract and is usually a hefty sum - 10 to 15 farhaegs on average. They are otherwise considered indentured servants to their patrons.
Much of a gladiator's daily life is spent training. Though practices vary by lanista, gladiators usually rise before the sun, eat a large breakfast, train all day with a break for a midday meal, and retire to their quarters for an evening meal after training ends at sunset. In most cases, gladiators are given one day to themselves to enjoy how they see fit, with the caveat that the next day's training must not be jeopardized by any debauchery they might particpate in. Training is done usually in Sinister and Dexter, both of which are open for that purpose when not being used for matches. Some lanistae have their own training areas for their gladiators; this is seen as a sign of status. Two rival lanistae might train their gladiators in separate arenas to avoid pre-bout conflict. Most lanistae employ a medicus - a skilled physician trained specifically to see to the needs of gladiators.
Fighting for sport in the Maw can be very lucrative. The winner or winners of any official bout - that is, one presided over by an Editor - receive a prize based on which arena the bout took place in. In Dexter or Sinister, this prize is usually 8 bhars, while in Magnus it is usually 2 farhaegs. An Editor, at his discretion, may raise or lower the prize. In addition, a well-entertained crowd will throw nits and bhars onto the sand after a bout; these funds go to the winner. Finally, gladiators are paid a stipend based on the success of the stable managed by their lanista. In particularly powerful houses, this can be up to 5 farhaegs each month.
It is common for rivalries between lanistae or even individual gladiators to play out in the Arena. The most well-known rivalries have begun in Dexter bouts and continue through Magnus matches. These bouts are some of the most popular spectacles in the Maw.
Career gladiators can expect a modicum of respect from most citizens of Steyis, considering their occupation. Particularly successful gladiators enjoy a fair bit of celebrity within the city. Gladiators are identified by a "blade-name" - a name taken upon signing a contract with a lanista - and their patron, whose name is preceded by the word 'lamina' when addressing a gladiator by his full name. For example, the famed gladiator known as Beast lamina Darkblade is a member of Clan Darkblade's stable. A gladiator on parade or at a social function might wear the livery of his patron, so many gladiators are known only by their patrons; it is acceptable to address these as 'Gladius' before the standard 'lamina' ending. The effect is similar to saying 'sir knight'.
Lanistae are a tough bunch. Most current lanistae are former Fingers of the Bloody Hand. They carry their brutal training methods from their time serving the Hand to the gladiators in their employ. They serve as representatives of their various patrons to the gladiators in their stables. They train, manage, feed, house, and pay the gladiators in their stables. They draft contracts for new gladiators and arrange fights.
Within the arena walls are cells where criminals are held. In Steyis, there is one punishment for any crime, and that is to be sent to the Maw. The severity of the crime dictates the number of fights (and which arena) the criminal must face before he is freed. Petty theft might incur one fight in Dexter while a murderer might be sentenced to a lifetime of fights in Magnus. Criminals are equipped minimally during fights while career gladiators have their choice of armament. In fact, during these ordeals, a criminal must equip and arm himself during battle with whatever gets thrown down to him by the Editor of whichever arena the criminal finds himself fighting in. Career gladiators who commit crimes outside of the arena are stripped of their patronage and housed with the other criminals. It is entirely too common for a gladiator who falls from grace this way to wind up as the next feature bout in Magnus.
The Editors of each arena meet daily to decide which fights to showcase on any particular evening. On the first day of the week, the most anticipated fights are run. There are seven fights in Magnus and three each in Dexter and Sinister. On the third day of the week, there are no fights at all. On every other day, there are three fights in Magnus and only one each in Dexter and Sinister. Lanistae submit names of their battle-ready gladiators to the Editor before noon, and the bouts are supposedly drawn at random; in truth, most fights are arranged to draw the biggest crowds, especially for the Magnus bouts.
The rules of combat in the Maw are very few. In fact, only one holds common for all bouts: no magic or magical weapons are allowed. In Dexter and Sinister, bouts to the death are prohibited. In certain special matches, other rules might be imposed, such as the combatants being required to wield certain weapons (provided by the Editor, of course) or being required to fight with one arm bound to the opponent's. Other special matches (common in the case of criminals) feature beasts or wild animals. Of particular note is a creature known only as the Slave. The Slave is an undead monstrosity who is the creation of Adelmar, a notorious necromancer formerly in service to the Hand. The Slave is the frequent opponent of criminals sentenced to fight in Magnus. As an undead creature, it does not feel pain, nor does it tire. The weapon most commonly tossed to a criminal doomed to face it is a flail - difficult to use, and much less effective than a sword would be at stopping it. Only once has the Slave been defeated, and that criminal was offered a contract by Darkblade's lanista.
The economy of Steyis has come to depend on the success and popularity of the Maw. Much of the city's commerce is centered around the Maw, with the foundries that once produced weapons for war now doing so for gladiators, carpenters and masons who once built ever-expanding barracks now housing lanistae and their gladiators. The security of the city is also provided for by the gladiators; each month, a lottery of gladiators is drawn, and thirty of them are drafted into the guard; gladiators on guard duty are exempt from training and matches and are paid a small wage for their service. Finally, some lanistae hire out their gladiators as sellswords, with the top gladiators commanding the highest rates.