Okay - more progress on storyline of Oenomaus.
Oenomaus was born in the wrong place, with the wrong colour skin - he was persecuted in every way - he generally didn't respond due to his naturally reserved nature.
Then that day came, the day he was given a choice by his master - Lautrec - "You can die, or you can live - bask in the glory of our arena - worm".
Oenomaus instinctively said "Yes" - His first Arena battle was against a man known as Gannicus - they traded swipe for swipe, the only thing keeping Gannicus alive was his lust for glory - Oenomaus on the other hand had nothing to live for - Lautrec had put his children - wife - and even his beloved sister to death. The battle seemed to last an age, Gannicus' onslaught was relentless - How did Oenomaus have a chance against this God of the Arena - it hardly seemed fair. Always a cunning person Oenomaus realised the arena was made of sand and the wind was coming from behind him - he ducked under the slash that would have decapitated him grasping a clump of dirt.
Gannicus now ridden with dirt in his eyes could not see Oenomaus - he had to rely on his hearing - which was distorted by the cheers of the crowd. Oenomaus slamming his hilt on the back of Gannicus' head awaited Lautrec's choice.
Death.
Refusing to put his opponent to death he was lashed 100 times - this was unpleasant but at least the man whom he now knew as Gannicus was still alive.
In those months that came to pass Gannicus and Oenomaus became comrades and good friends - Oenomaus started adapting to this gladiatorial life and started thinking about there was a chance if he was to defeat 50 more gladiators that he would be given 1000 Denarii, Enough to leave this squalor ridden place.
Unaware of the difficulties that he would come to face Oenomaus stayed reserved - he refused to use any of the female slaves - he let his feelings about Gannicus using them build up - until...
At the peak of his prowess, he was chosen to fight the most fearsome gladiator of the age, Theokoles the Shadow of Death in the city of Catarina. However, this opponent proved too much for even Oenomaus' considerable skill, and he received near mortal wounds at the giant's hands. However, he survived longer than any other opponent to face Theokoles, which the spectators counted as a victory and allowed him to live.
Oenomaus spent a year in recovery from his wounds he suffered from Theokoles in Pompeii. Before he could return to the sands, he was elevated to the position of Doctore by his master, a fact which caused the current Doctore - Opious - to challenge Oenomaus to a fight and be killed in self-defense. As he was dying, he told Oenomaus that he had taught him well.
Oenomaus was hesitant about using his whip or having a commanding presence, but would grow into the role over the course of a few months. The first Gladiator branded under his watch, Crixus, would one day become Champion of Carim.
Again there would be a match against The Shadow of Death - this time he would not be alone - Oenomaus had a choice of which gladiator to fight alongside him - he chose of course his arrogant friend Gannicus.
When they faced the giant in arena, Gannicus' arrogance leads him to be bested and wounded in nearly the same way as Doctore was, and it is only by the efforts of Oenomaus, and Gannicus' last feeble stand that the giant is killed, athough Gannicus nearly dies from his wounds.
On the eve of Lautrec's celebration for receiving patronage from Arstor Glaber, Doctore watches as the Carim guards abuse his fellow gladiators needlessly. He brings the matter to Arstor, who dismisses it. He then questions Aurelia's murder and Ashur's involvement, and Arstor dismisses that also, lying that Aurelia disobeyed his orders. Arstor then announces that those matters will soon be Doctore's responsiblity, as Arstor has prepared documents to free Doctore and hand the ludus over to him, and he calls Doctore by his real name: Oenomaus. He then leaves to give Gannicus notice that he will fight to the death with Oenomaus at Lautrec's celebration.
At the celebration, Arstor observes the deathmatch between Oenomaus and Gannicus. He notices something is off as Gannicus motions toward Oenomaus, the latter of which leaps off the shield and onto the balcony of the Villa, killing Arstor.
Oenomaus enraged chases Lautrec down to the gladiators' baths and confronts him regarding his lies about Aurelia's fate. A brief duel ensues and Oenomaus emerges victorious as Lautrec pleads for a honorable death. Granting his last wish, Doctore prepares for the killing strike just as Lautrec whips around and stabs him in the leg, fleeing immediately after. Oenomaus chases Lautrec to the courtyard, but misses him hiding under Carim corpses.
Having forsaken his title of Doctore, Oenomaus abandons the other slaves and wanders Carim in disguise, and takes to watching the continued games in the arena. However, with both the houses of Arstor and Lautrec no longer providing gladiators for the crowd to watch, the games are pathetic in comparison to those of previous years.
With nothing left to live for, he willingly returns to "the only place left for an animal without honor": The Pit. He applies the white face-paint once used to humiliate him, and begins fighting any opponent that will face him (under the alias Addonexus), hoping to be killed eventually. His first opponent - Liberius - wounds him in the shoulder, but Oenomaus is victorious. Not only is he victorious, but he requests to be pitted against more fighters. He continues to battle opponents, until one - Caratacus - nearly beats him to death with a hammer. Before he can finish Oenomaus off, however, Catatacus is killed by Lautrec, as he leaps into the arena to capture his former Doctore in his weakened condition.
After capture, Oenomaus goes through painful torture at his hands in hopes of breaking him and making him give up Gannicus' location. However, this does not work and a tired Lautrec attempts to kill Oenomaus out of frustration.
After much waiting, Oenomaus, Crixus, and Rhaskos are presented in the arena for execution, with their hands and legs chained and each armed with a single, blunt sword. They realise that the "fight" to come is but a show: they have been given inferior weapons to further remove any chance of survival.
They are shocked to discover that Gannicus has been recruited to fight among the opposing gladiators. When Rhaskos asks why Gannicus would do such a thing, Oenomaus answers by saying that he is a man without honour.
Gannicus awkwardly greets his former brother, and Oenomaus asks him if the rumors about what he has done are true. Gannicus hesistates to answer, and Oenomaus, believing this to be a yes, ferociously attacks in response, beginning the games. Gannicus and Oenomaus focus solely on each other, unaware that the other gladiators are secretly in the arena. They appear evenly matched, but Gannicus manages to overpower Oenomaus due to the latter's weakened condition and constraints. Gannicus prepares to kill Oenomaus, but at that moment, the gladiators bring down the arena, and a canopy collapses over the two.
After conflicts have subsided, Oenomaus begins to train the Germans and other rebels in the ways of the gladiator at their temple base. Eventually he and Gannicus and paired up against Crixus and Agron in a test of contest. The duo then cooperate together and easily best their opponents and thus establishing a sliver of trust and brotherhood back between the two.
When Lautrec and his men attack the gladiator rebel stronghold, Oenamaus proves a formidiable opponent in the fighting. By choice he remains at the temple while the other gladiators use guerilla tactics to weaken the Carim forces before they arrive. When the initial wave of troops breach the wall, Oenamaus fells many of them with relative ease, despite still recovering from his injuries and being without his preferred weapons. Later, when the temple is under seige by Lautrec's machines and the walls are ruined, Oenamaus finds no match in the Carims until he faces the Astoran. Armed with a single sword against the Astoran's dual daggers, the two clash for an extended period. While they appear to be evenly matched for the duration of the vicious contest, the Astoran eventually bests him by stabbing him through the hand with one of his blades, and then through the eye with a final push. Then, twisting his penetrated dagger, the Astoran rends Oenamaus' left eye, destroying it in the process. Luckily for the former Doctore, Gannicus, seeing his friend in peril, kicks the Astoran to the ground and supports the wounded Oenomaus through the tunnels and to safety. Oenomaus would later recover to the point that he can do battle.
Once again he finds himself doing battle together with his fellow brothers against Carim soldiers. Although not nearly at full strength and badly wounded from battles in the Pit, torture, the fall of the arena and his previous encounter with the Astoran, he easily kills several soldiers. Gannicus, spotting the Astoran enages him with haste. Although displaying a valiant effort he is quickly overpowered and knocked to the ground. As the Astoran motions to deal a crippling blow, Oenomaus intervenes saving Gannicus' life.
Oenomaus delivers a grave wound to the Astoran's lower abdomen and knocks him down with a powerful punch, remarking, "I owe you pain." He then hastens to the aid of Gannicus and helps him to his feet. Together they deal many more blows to the Carim warriors. The Astoran recovers and recieves two more wounds; one across the chest by Oenomaus the other in the arm by Gannicus. The Astoran parries an attack by Oenomaus knocking him aside.Gannicus attacks and recieves a fatal stab through his torso.
The Astoran, seriously wounded with a lowered guard is attacked by an enraged Oenomaus. Althouth the Astoran makes a few parries he is quickly overwhelmed and and brutally killed when Oenomaus rends apart his skull, killing him instantly.
That is the story so far now
Last edited by TehInfamousAmos on Sun Apr 29, 2012 9:20 am; edited 1 time in total
by ViralEnsign_ Sun Apr 29, 2012 8:11 am
