The Colosseum of Broken Tide

Description:

Chiseled into the bones of an ancient coastal quarry and carved directly from the stone that once fed the city’s walls, the Colosseum of Broken Tide looms over the crashing surf at the edge of Port Manai. A testament to the city's appetite for spectacle, it is part public arena, part sacred ground, and part blood-soaked theater, where warriors rise, reputations shatter, and secrets often die beneath the sand.

Named for the waves that crash into a vast, natural basin below its main fighting pit, the Colosseum is uniquely famous for its use of tide-controlled terrain—a system of arcane gates and sluices allows the arena floor to flood or drain, turning a duel into a naval skirmish or a monster fight into a drowning deathtrap.

Structure and Layouts:

• Seating: The Colosseum can seat nearly 6,000 spectators, arranged in steep, tiered marble rows around a vast central pit. The upper tiers are general access—loud, rowdy, and full of gamblers. The lower tiers are reserved for nobles, guild representatives, and high-paying patrons. Baron Vann himself has a private viewing box, shielded by enchanted glass.
• The Arena Floor:
• The pit is a circular depression of carved stone, 100 feet across, with hidden trapdoors, elevation platforms, and modular terrain built into the floor.
• At certain times of day, the Broken Tide rises through subterranean channels and floods the arena to knee- or waist-height, depending on the contest.
• Creatures from the sea or arcane menageries have been known to emerge during high-profile events.
• The Bloodgates: Giant iron portcullises on opposite ends of the arena. Combatants enter from here, flanked by guards, priests, or roaring fans. Beneath them lies a labyrinthine holding area known as The Guts, where fighters are kept before matches—many claim to hear whispers in the dark.

Notable Events & Traditions:

• The Saltsteel Tournament (Monthly): A famed melee held every full moon. Open to adventurers, pirates, mercenaries, and ex-gladiators. The prize isn’t always gold—sometimes it's a favor from the Baron, a rare weapon, or a writ of pardon.
• Duel by Honor: Nobles can invoke this ancient tradition to settle disputes without war. Champions are named. Glory or disgrace follows.
• The Flood Trials: The arena is filled chest-deep with water, and combatants must fight with limited footing—or on rafts, if they survive long enough to build them. Sea creatures are sometimes "accidentally" released.
• The Bone Bell: If rung during a match, it signals that the match has become a trial of fate—the victor may ask a boon of the city. Few ever return from Bone Bell matches unchanged

Key Figures:

• Asha Virell, the charismatic elven Arena Mistress, who announces matches with theatrical flair and runs the Colosseum with brutal efficiency. She is a former duelist who was never defeated—and wears an enchanted silver mask to hide a cursed wound she never speaks of.
• Old Crannok, a half-giant pit boss and ex-gladiator who trains young fighters. He believes every match is sacred and won't hesitate to punch out a cheat—or a noble—who breaks the code.
• The Tidecaller Priests, a neutral sect who bless the arena with salt and ash before every event. They claim the arena is built atop the bones of an ancient leviathan and that every drop of blood strengthens its slumbering soul.