Rodney Briggs

"Rowdy" Rodney Briggs is a retired gladiator and current owner of the Coliseum Maximus as well as the representative from the Colieum District to the Council of Surket. He holds the current world record for most wins in gladiatorial combat at 934 before retiring and is one of only five people to have successfully defended the title of World Champion more than five times. His retirement match, the Battle of the Century between himself and Drax "the Destroyer" Stormaxe, was broadcast by magic to over 100 locations worldwide and at least 3 dimensional planes.

Rowdy Rodney is often credited with bringing gladiator battles back from their near 800 year decline in popularity since the collapse of the Aquian Empire. He is often called the Father of the Modern Gladiator and his rise to fame is used to mark the beginning of the Gladiator Renaissance that has been happening for the last 30 years or so. Some things that he did which made him so influential was public relations and outreach, visiting sick children and signing autographs and having meet ups with fans, donating a lot of his money, and the now famous grudge match, where gladiators would publicly call out the other and generate a sort of manufactured drama between the two.

He retired in 1487 and started the Briggs Gladiator School, the largest facility of its kind in the world. He also traveled the Veridian Sea promoting the construction of new coliseums and sport fighting in all the places he would visit. In 1496, the Coliseum Maxima was facing bankruptcy, so Rodney bought it outright in a deal to give the bank 10% of its profits until the money owed was payed off. The Bank of Surket agreed, and Rodney has since amped up the promotion of the Coliseum significantly.

Rodney Briggs remains the owner of the Coliseum and still owns the Briggs Gladiator School, though he has taken a very hands off approach to managing both, instead acting as a public face for both and helping to generate support for both.