Alfredo

The pirates of ΛZMΛRÉ are known throughout the Splinterlands as tough opponents, rugged adventurers and ruthless risk-takers. But sometimes even they lack the skills necessary to find the treasures they seek. It is in instances like these that they will sometimes call upon a rogue islander that goes by the name of Alfredo.

Alfredo is a master of more skills and trades than can be named around a fire on the longest night of the ΛZMΛRÉ year. For a man so young, his experiences and adventures are truly a wonder that can capture the attention of any pirate who has sailed into the wide Outer Ocean. He lives alone in a cozy hut on Isdar Cumulos, one of the largest islands of the ΛZMΛRÉ Archipelago. He has eyes and ears throughout the Water Splinter, including merchants at the massive port city of Anenon and underwater spies in the Mertropolis of Poseidar. He has befriended hunters of the wild naga of the deep and has shared meals with the Axemasters who live on the edge of the jungle. Alfredo has even made a good impression upon the Magi Sphinges that guard the jungle pyramid (which he could easily infiltrate if he had such reckless desire).

The story that entangled Alfredo into Moxian Gladiator combat unfolded so suddenly that he never could have seen it coming. It was not his intention to fight as anyone's champion, nor was it ever his way to stand where he could be seen by thousands of eyes at once. He was in the midst of a job for the crew of the Polly Squidly, a well known pirate ship led by a most ambitious captain called Rondal “Four-Toes” Merriman. Captain Four-Toes earned his nickname when he lost a brutal game of dice to a band of naga on which he had bet six of his toes. Needless to say, Four-Toes was a gambler, and not a very good one.

The job for which the Polly Squidly recruited Alfredo was supposed to be a simple one, retrieving a valuable treasure from an ancient shipwreck off the coast of Praetoria. They had hired a mariner of the kulu, operator of a fancy underwater ship, and they needed Alfredo to assist in picking the locks of the irons that held the treasure chest to the wreckage. Alfredo had run jobs with this crew before, so it seemed that nothing was out of the ordinary.

After several days at sail, the Polly Squidly neared the western shores of Praetoria where the sunken shipwreck was supposed to be. But the night before the retrieval, Alfredo was double-crossed by the pirates who he thought were his friends. Four-Toes drugged his night brandy with a powerful sedative used by Merfolk in amputations, then brought the sleeping Alfredo ashore.

When Alfredo awoke the next morning, he found himself alone on a Praetorian beach with his own handmade hunting blades, a crudely-packed sack of supplies and an explanation note from Four-Toes himself.

Dearest mate:

Many apologies for the trickeries, but my crew is as good as dead unless ye play along. I lost a bet with the Dragonfolk and they demanded that I produce the likes of ye for to play in their Gladiator games. Ye're in for a year's term, but there's great riches in it if ye can win… and I know ye can!

Yours in treachery,

Four-Toes Merriman

Alfredo, not wanting the death of an entire crew of friendly pirates on his conscience (and frankly not having anything better to do), decided to go for it. He would be the best Gladiator he could be, and if his island hut was no longer there when he returned to the Archipelago, he would simply build another one.