Talisman Servant, Gladiator

These terrifying servants are created by a sadistic mage of at least 18th level. Crafted from stone, leather, and either iron or bronze, this murderous construct appears as a burly humanoid dressed as a barbarian or a pit fighter. Its head resembles a grotesque helmet with eyes that glow with malevolent fury when activated. The oversized jaws and fangs are capable of engulfing a victim's head. A gladiator servants forearms and paws are sheathed in spike-studded bracers and tipped with razor-sharp claws. The talisman most often associated with this type of servant is a dagger, bracer, medallion, or spiked glove bearing the symbol of a violent power such as Bane, Tempus, Loviatar, or Malar.

Combat: With an effective Strength of 20 and the reflexes of a seasoned brawler, gladiator servants exist to slaughter for their masters' amusement. When attacking a man-sized or smaller opponent, a gladiator can trap its victim in a bear hug on a natural roll of 19 or 20. From that point, the servant cannot attack with its arms but gains a +3 attack roll bonus when biting its victim. If an opponent is too strong for a gladiator to take head-on, the servant resorts to the unsavory tactic of wearing its victim down by throwing whatever or whomever it can grab. On occasion (10% per round), the gladiator servant actually slips into a berserker rage. While berserk, the servant can attack at twice the normal rate and keeps attacking until all living things within 20' are dead or its master can regain control. For the master to regain control, he must roll 6d10 and score lower than the total of his Intelligence and Wisdom scores.

As with its mortal counterpart, a gladiator servant pauses just before it delivers the coup de grace to observe a wellknown point of arena etiquette: it looks to its master for the classic hand signal of life and death. If the master decides to spare the victim, the servant will withdraw but if the master decides to have the victim killed, the gladiator complies with a triumphant roar and gruesome results. A berserking gladiator does not pause for this ritual.

A gladiator servant is immune to all mind-affecting magic and can be harmed only by a +2 or greater weapon. In addition, its bracers act as shields +3. As long as the master holds the talisman, the servant will not attack him, even in its berserker state. However, to prevent his servant from going berserk, a wizard must focus all his attention on the gladiator. Thus, spellcasting is impossible, and a wizard's Dexterity falls by two points for the duration of the melee. If someone should manage to steal a gladiators talisman when it goes berserk, one of the following events occurs:

A neglected gladiator servant is likely to self activate (75%/day left unattended) especially if placed in an area where violence has recently been committed, such as on a battlefield. A self-activated gladiator embarks on a killing spree until it is destroyed or its master can regain control. Stories of rampaging gladiators decimating entire villages or savaging entire battalions are common in bardic lore.

Habitat/Society: In ancient Netheril, a gladiator servant could be found anywhere but was most often encountered on the blood-soaked sands of sporting arenas or serving as the backbone of a unit of a wizard's shocktroopers. In modern times, a functioning gladiator servant might be found in the dungeons of a long-buried fortress or city (e.g., Spellgard). Due to its berserker tendencies, this type of talisman servant must be closely monitored by its master.

Ecology: As created beings, gladiator servants have no need for food, drink, rest, or air. However, an active gladiator seems to revel in the devastation it wreaks upon its environs. The bracers of a destroyed gladiator are non-magical, but they can removed and refitted for a human-sized warrior.