24. The Pit of Nulb

The Pit of Nulb is the most infamous fighting arena in the village, a hellish ground where brutality, bloodshed, and suffering fuel the darkest appetites of Nulb’s denizens. Nestled beside The Iron Lash Slave Dungeon, Gladiator Pit, and Brothel, this death pit is more than mere entertainment—it is an institution of suffering, a meat grinder for the desperate, and a lucrative venture for Nulb’s most ruthless slavers, crime lords, and cultists. Varkus the Crimson Maw, a sadistic half-orc slaver with a thirst for carnage, oversees the pit with an iron will, while his monstrous Verbeeg enforcers ensure that the spectacle never ceases.
A crucible of violence, the Pit serves as both a proving ground for warriors and a grave for the weak. It is a place where gamblers revel, pirates drink, and the enslaved are ground into dust beneath the weight of roaring crowds and flashing blades. Lady Nysera Krivaltis, the self-proclaimed “Baroness of Nulb,” keeps a close eye on the Pit, as it remains a valuable tool for controlling the rabble and maintaining her grip on the town’s lawless economy.

The Arena of Carnage

• Dimensions: The Pit is a 60-foot diameter, 20-foot deep circular depression, its steep dirt walls lined with rusted iron spikes angled downward to deter escape.
• Walls and Structure: The stands above are hastily assembled wooden bleachers that shake ominously when packed with drunken spectators. Flickering torches cast jagged shadows, adding to the nightmare.
• Blood-Soaked Ground: The dirt floor is layered in dried gore, and the stench of old blood never truly fades.
• Barriers and Hazards: Broken wooden stakes, shattered chains, and jagged stones serve as both environmental hazards and weapons for desperate combatants.

The Pit’s Purpose

The Pit exists purely for violence and profit. Weekly fights pit enslaved individuals and captured monsters against one another for the amusement of Nulb’s inhabitants and the enrichment of its criminal leaders. The event also functions as a hub for gambling, drawing revenue from villagers and visiting pirates alike.

• Weekly Fights: The highlight of Nulb’s grim calendar, where the enslaved battle for survival.
• Gambling: Villagers wager on outcomes, adding tension and stakes to the brutal spectacle.
• Profit: All proceeds from the fights, food, and drinks are split between the gnomish brothers.

"The Pit does more than amuse. It weeds out the weak—and enriches the strong." - Gnomish Brother (Gininbog)

The Barracks Beneath

Beneath the Pit, the air thickens with the despair of the enslaved gladiators who await their turn in the arena. The underground barracks are a maze of filth-crusted cages, iron-reinforced cells, and torchlit corridors where screams never fully fade.

• Living Conditions: Fighters are housed in cramped, disease-ridden chambers, where the only sustenance is gruel and stale water.
• Training Yards: Select slaves are permitted to train in the dimly lit yard, honed into weapons for the amusement of the elite.
• Weapon Storage: A guarded stockpile of weapons stands locked away, its contents meted out only at Varkus’ discretion.
• Escape Attempts: Those who have tried to flee are crucified along the Pit’s walls, a brutal warning to any who would defy their captors.

The Power Players

Varkus the Crimson Maw – The Pit’s Overseer

A half-orc of legendary cruelty, Varkus the Crimson Maw earned his moniker from his habit of biting out the throats of his enemies in the arena long before he took control. Once a champion of the Pit, he fought his way to power through sheer brutality, eventually carving out his place as the arena’s master. Towering and heavily scarred, he wears armor stitched together from the hides of fallen foes and carries a wicked saw-toothed glaive said to have tasted the blood of hundreds.

• Mannerisms: Smirks at suffering, relishes the fear in a fighter’s eyes before the kill.
• Tactics: Believes in crushing hope; those who resist are made into examples.
• Temple Ties: Varkus secretly trains warriors for the Temple of Elemental Evil, supplying them with the most savage recruits from the Pit’s bloodstained sands.
• Ambitions: While content with his rule over the Pit, Varkus eyes greater dominance in Nulb, keen to expand his influence into the slave trade and piracy.

"No matter how strong they think they are, the dirt in the Pit drinks the blood of all."

The Verbeeg Guards

Varkus employs five hulking Verbeeg giants as his personal guards. Each stands over ten feet tall, clad in mismatched armor, wielding brutal weapons scavenged from fallen fighters. These hulking brutes serve as guards for the arena, barracks, and surrounding structures. Occasionally, they themselves participate in fights, much to the crowd’s delight.
Key Verbeeg Guards:

• Hcoma: A fierce enforcer, armed with a magical broadsword.
• Kalzog: A stoic warrior who oversees the barracks.
• Bluukeg: Known for his brutal combat style and prized Ring of Protection.

"Get back in line, worm, or I’ll toss you into the Pit myself!" - Kalzog (a Verbeeg guard)

Life in the Barracks

The barracks beneath the Brothel are grim and claustrophobic. Slaves live in constant fear, awaiting their turn in the arena.

• Conditions: Overcrowded, filthy, and dark.
• Equipment: All weapons and armor are locked away until just before a fight.
• Morale: Despair dominates, though a few slaves cling to hope.

Population and Conditions

• Murwag maintains a rotating stock of at least 30 slaves at any given time.
• Most slaves are grimy peasants with no combat training or hope of survival beyond their first fight.
• A few hardened individuals have adapted to the life of the Pit, carving out a grim existence as survivors.
• Occasionally, Murwag manages to capture and break non-human creatures, including ogres and other monstrous beings, into servitude.

Daily Routine

• Slaves live in cramped quarters beneath the brothel, within dimly lit tunnels that reek of sweat, filth, and despair.
• They receive minimal food and water, just enough to keep them alive for the fights.
• Slaves are often forced to spar with one another to entertain the guards or prepare for upcoming battles.
• Murwag monitors the training and punishes any signs of rebellion with ruthless efficiency.

Weapon and Armor Policies

• Slaves are not allowed to keep weapons or armor inside the barracks.
• Before a fight, slaves are issued equipment based on their importance or the show Murwag wishes to stage.
• Survivors must return all weapons and armor after their matches.

Stockpile of Equipment

A locked cage in the barracks contains a variety of weapons and armor, including:

• Armor: 12 suits of leather, 5 suits of ring mail, 2 suits of chain mail, 1 suit of elfin chain, 2 suits of banded armor, and 10 shields.
• Weapons: 14 daggers, 8 spears, 1 glaive-guisarme, 6 hand axes, 4 battle axes, 10 longswords, 4 short swords, 2 bastard swords, 1 war hammer, 1 whip, 4 nets, 1 bardiche, 2 maces, and 1 morning star.

The Pit’s Economy and Operations

The Pit is not just a bloodbath—it is a lucrative venture, drawing in gold from every corner of Nulb.

• Gambling Den: The Pit thrives on wagers, with criminals, pirates, and mercenaries betting on the bloodshed.
• Slave Auctions: Many of the fighters do not enter the Pit willingly. Auctions occur weekly, with fresh captives dragged from The Iron Lash Slave Dungeon to be purchased by the highest bidder.
• Deals with the Temple: Varkus ensures that the Pit remains stocked with both fighters and spectators. Those who prove particularly bloodthirsty are recruited into the Temple’s ranks.
• Bribes and Payoffs: To keep operations running, Varkus ensures that Lady Nysera Krivaltis, Lorveth “The Broker” Thrask, and Captain Tolub's River Pirates receive their cut.

Relationship with Nulb’s Factions

Lady Nysera Krivaltis

Though not directly involved, Nysera permits the Pit’s operations in exchange for influence and gold. She ensures that her Iron Talons enforce order when needed, and she uses the Pit as a place to dispose of troublesome rivals.

Lorveth “The Broker” Thrask and The Iron Lash

The Pit is an extension of Lorveth’s dominion, providing both profits and a steady supply of suffering. He ensures that the best fighters are properly trained, and those who displease him meet their end in the arena.

The Temple of Elemental Evil

The Temple sees the Pit as both a recruitment center and a testing ground. Those who prove themselves savage enough are inducted into the cult’s military arm, while the rest serve as sacrifices to the Elder Elemental God.

Captain Marad Vesrek and the Crimson Reaver

Captain Marad Vesrek, known as The Crimson Trader, is a key supplier of slaves to the Pit. Operating from his fearsome ship, The Crimson Reaver, Vesrek conducts ruthless river raids along The Wild Coast, capturing prisoners and selling them to Varkus and the slavers of Nulb. His deep ties to the Slave Lords and rumored affiliations with the Scarlet Brotherhood make him an invaluable but dangerous ally. While he and Varkus have a lucrative arrangement, both are wary of each other’s growing ambitions. Vesrek ensures a steady influx of new blood into the arena, keeping the Pit’s brutal spectacle alive.

Final Words

The Pit of Nulb is a crucible of horror, a place where the strong thrive and the weak perish. It is a test of will, blade, and survival—a monument to Nulb’s cruelty, and a temptation to all who hunger for power and bloodshed.

DM-Only Section

Show spoiler

Secrets of the Pit

• Hademar’s Plot: The champion secretly conspires with Gerlachwyn to escape, though their trust in each other is tenuous.
• Temple Infiltration: The Temple has begun planting agents among the spectators and slaves to manipulate the Pit’s operations.
• Hidden Chamber: Murwag has a concealed room beneath the barracks where he keeps personal treasures and incriminating ledgers.

"Steel sings louder than screams, but in the Pit, we hear both." - Hademar

Potential Outcomes

• Collapse of the Pit: A revolt could destabilize Nulb’s fragile economy and disrupt its power structure.
• Temple Control: If the Temple gains influence, it may turn the Pit into a more sinister operation.
• Player Reputation: Depending on their actions, adventurers could become heroes to the oppressed or enemies of Nulb’s elite.

Verbeeg Guards of the Pit by 3orcs

"Bring out the big one! I paid my coin for a proper fight, not some peasant with a stick!" - Drunken Spectator

A Blood-Stained Arena of Death and Depravity

The Verbeeg Guards

Hcoma (Verbeeg)

• AC: 3 (shield) | HD: 5+5 | HP: 35 | #AT: 2 (+3) | D: By weapon +6 | AL: NE
• Items: Broadsword +2, 3 spears, 250 gp, 5 sp, 96 cp, amethyst (100 gp), fur cloak (50 gp).
• Special: Magic sword bonus (+2 to hit/damage) not included above.

Kalzog (Verbeeg)

• AC: 4 | HD: 5+5 | HP: 27 | #AT: 2 (+2) | D: By weapon +5 | AL: NE
• Items: Broadsword, 3 spears, 5 gp, 42 ep, 20 cp.

Bluukeg (Verbeeg)

• AC: 2 | HD: 5+5 | HP: 30 | #AT: 2 (+2) | D: By weapon +5 | AL: NE
• Items: Ring of Protection +2, spears, flail, 9 sp, 33 cp.
• Special: Ring grants +2 AC bonus included in the stat block.

The Gladiators of the Pit

The Pit is home to a rotating cast of doomed souls, each forced to fight for their lives. Some have adapted, becoming champions of the bloodsport; others are fodder for the blades of more ruthless warriors.

Hademar: The Champion

A feral and fearsome human slave, Hademar has earned his place as the current champion of the Pit.

• AC 7; HP 35; #AT (+1) 1; Damage 1d8 longsword; AL CN.
• Motivation: Survive, fight, and dominate.

Gerlachwyn: The Elf

A cunning and graceful elf, Gerlachwyn plots his escape while reluctantly fighting to survive.

• Personality: Determined and resourceful.
• AC 9; HP 16; #AT (+0) 1; Damage 1d6 shortsword; AL CG.

Adoman: The Barbarian

A towering, savage barbarian near-mythical figure rumored to have giant blood.

• Personality: Brutish, with a violent temper.
• AC 5; HP 78; #AT (+2) 1; Damage 2d4 + 4 broadsword; AL CN.

Elma Vee: The Thief

A disfigured human woman with a dark past, Elma Vee continues to defy the odds by surviving the Pit’s horrors.

• Personality: Bitter, cunning, and resilient.
• AC 7; HP 13; #AT (+0) 1; Damage 1d6 shortsword; AL CE.

Old Bag: The Ogress

A tragic figure who has become a twisted mascot of the Pit, Old Bag protects the younger ogre slaves while fighting for her life.

• Personality: Maternal, yet savage when provoked
• AC 6; HP 21; #AT (+0) 1; Damage 2d4; AL CE.

Ogre Children (8)

Small ogres forced into combat, pitiful and doomed.

• AC 6; HP 1–7; #AT (+0) 1; Damage 1d4; AL CE.

Typical Slave (24)

Grimy peasants with little chance of survival.

• AC 10; HP 1–6; #AT (+0) 1; Damage by weapon; AL N.

Type

Arena

Parent Location

Nulb

Owner

Murwag

The Pit of Nulb by 3orcs

Gavrin Veyne by 3orcs

Gerlachwyn by 3orcs

Hademar by 3orcs