Backstory
He was just a boy from Cyrodiil when his father, a proud Legionnaire, was killed in the Great War. His mother, a devoted worshiper of Talos, kept the memory of his father's honor alive, but this defiance would come at a terrible cost. The Thalmor, in their smug arrogance, came for her, executing her in the streets for all to see. To add to the cruelty, they defiled his father's grave, spitting on the memory of the man who died serving the very Empire they now controlled. This brutal act of vengeance drove the boy and his brothers into hiding. To survive, he was forced into the brutal, underground fighting pits of Cyrodiil. He was no pampered champion; every fight was a desperate struggle for survival, a chance to channel his grief and rage into a blade. The fighting rings were his home, and his brothers were his only remaining family. But even this refuge was not safe. One of his brothers was killed in a rigged match, his life stolen for the entertainment of wealthy merchants and Thalmor agents. Realizing they couldn't stay, the remaining brothers fled north, seeking a new life in Skyrim where they could fight for the Empire against rebellious Nords. Their journey was cut short by a Stormcloak patrol, who saw only Imperial traitors and slaughtered them without a second thought. He was the sole survivor, left to bear the unbearable weight of his family’s memory. His life is now a weapon, honed in the fighting pits and forged in loss. He harbors a burning hatred for the Thalmor and the Stormcloaks. He will join the Imperial Legion, not out of blind loyalty, but to ensure his enemies pay in blood for what they have done.
ROLEPLAY
In the early stages of his time in Skyrim, he is a man consumed by his trauma. The weight of his family's deaths—his father to the war, his mother to the Thalmor, his brothers to the Stormcloaks—has left him broken. He fights with a brutal fury, channeling his pain into every swing of his weapon, but off the battlefield, he is haunted by his memories, turning to skooma and alcohol to dull the constant ache. Driven by a desperate need for power and a deep-seated contempt for a world that has failed him, he will seek out the darkest corners of Skyrim. His early life in the fighting pits taught him to survive by any means necessary, and he will carry that mentality with him. He will join the Thieves Guild to gain wealth and influence, and he will embrace the path of the assassin by joining the Dark Brotherhood. To him, these are not acts of pure evil, but simply pragmatic ways to gain the power he needs to enact his vengeance against the Thalmor and the Stormcloaks. His life is a weapon, and he will use any tool to sharpen it. This dark path culminates with the assassination of the Emperor. The sheer scale and cold brutality of the act will be a turning point. Standing over the body of the ruler of the Empire he once swore to serve, he will have a profound realization. He has become a monster, no better than the ones who destroyed his family. The act of regicide will force him to confront the darkness within himself. This moment of clarity will be the catalyst for his redemption. He will abandon his wicked ways and his reliance on skooma and alcohol. He will begin to seek atonement for his actions, taking on quests to help the people of Skyrim and to right the wrongs he has committed. He will seek out the Divines, his faith expanding beyond Talos to a broader respect for the gods. The once-vengeful gladiator will evolve into a true hero, understanding that his destiny is not just to avenge his family, but to save the world they died for.
QUESTS/CHARACTER ARC
Early Game: The Broken Gladiator
In this stage, the Gladiator is driven by pure hatred. His goal is to become powerful enough to destroy his enemies, and he will use any means necessary to achieve it.
Civil War: He joins the Imperial Legion without hesitation, seeing every battle against the Stormcloaks as a chance to avenge his brothers.
The Dark Path: He will join the Thieves Guild and the Dark Brotherhood for the power and influence they offer. These quests are a reflection of his willingness to use any means to an end.
Mid-Game: The Catalyst for Change
This is the turning point for the Gladiator. His actions catch up to him, forcing a moment of profound introspection.
The Dark Brotherhood Questline: This path culminates with the assassination of the Emperor, a brutal act that will be his breaking point. This is the moment he realizes he has become a monster.
Personal Atonement: After this event, he will abandon his addictions and begin to seek a new purpose. He will start to take on quests for the common people as a way to atone for his past actions.
Late Game: The Redeemed Hero
The Gladiator is no longer driven by hatred, but by a sense of duty and a greater purpose. He will embrace his destiny as the Dragonborn and seek to save the world.
Main Questline: He will dedicate himself to stopping Alduin, viewing it as the ultimate act of heroism and a way to protect the world his family died for.
The Companions: He will join the Companions to find a new brotherhood, a family built on honor and loyalty.
Divine Quests: He will begin to seek out and complete quests related to the Divines, his faith expanding beyond Talos as he seeks to truly understand his place in the world. He will become a champion of the Aedra, fighting against the forces of darkness and Daedra.
At this point he wants to find more meaning in his destiny as Dragonborn and help others.
GEAR
GRAND CHAMPION'S HELM
HIDE ARMOR
HIDE BRACERS
IMPERIAL LIGHT BOOTS
IMPERIAL DRAGON SHIELD
DRAGON'S OATH
This loadout is based on the Murmillo Roman Gladiator, which was one of the most popular Gladiator classes in Rome. It was based on how a Roman Soldier fought and used the same type of weapons, so in this build I tried to make the most historically accurate Gladiator build possible.
STATS/RACE/STANDING STONE
- RACE: IMPERIAL
- ONE HANDED: 5 in Armsman, 3 in Bladesman, Fighting Stance, Savage Strike, Critical Charge, and Paralyzing Strike
- BLOCK: You want everything in this skill
- LIGHT ARMOR: 5 in Agile Defender, but that's all because we're using heavy armor for a helmet and shield, if you have a better way to go about this please share.
- HEAVY ARMOR: 5 in Juggernaut
- SMITHING: For this skill you'll want to get your points up to one hundred, that way you can upgrade your gear to legendary, but as for perks you'll want: Steel Smithing, Dwarven Smithing, Orcish Smithing, Arcane Blacksmith, Elven Smithing, and Advanced Armors
- STANDING STONE: Lord Stone
- HEALTH/STAMINA/MAGIKA, RATIO: Put half in stamina and half in health, magic is for the weak!
GAMEPLAY
The Gladiator is a close quarters fighter, who comes charging into his enemies with his scutum (roman shield) raised and hacks them with his sword, leave archery and magic to those too weak to fight like a real man. Shield bash a lot and slash with your Gladius (roman sword) relentlessly. If you would like you could bring a follower along, but I don't use one for this build, and as for shouts unrelenting force is my favorite for this build. Something like the fire shout would work but aside from that be creative Im not your boss!
And that's the Gladiator for ya! I hope you enjoyed it! It's a lot of fun to play.
If you have any feedback or questions, or anything else you would like to share please do!
Replies
Nice work. Id recommend youd work on the formatting. Some od your header text appears to run together
Thanks! but I don't see where the headers run together, it may be intentional. But I apreaciate it!