Pirate Archer

Splinter - ΛZMΛRÉ, the Water Splinter

Set - Reward Edition

Class - Range-attacking Scallywag

Size - A great number of ΛZMΛRÉ pirates are skilled in archery, but the ones who call themselves archers are often shorter and scrawnier than their counterparts, the raiders. Still, after a few weeks of archer training, these specialized archers have bulging upper body muscles. They can hoist the sails and haul heavy ropes; they can even often beat the raiders in tests of physical strength like arm wrestling. The training of the archers puts their bodies through some seriously transformative conditioning.

Lifespan - A pirate’s life is usually a dangerous one, and most pirates do not live long enough to settle down with families in the islands. However, the sea air and vast amounts of sunlight cause pirates to be healthier than most, and their constant exercise grants them strong immune systems, so when they are taken young, it’s always because of some adventure or battle. Among the varying degrees of hazardous pirate duties, archers are generally in less danger than raiders and captains. This is simply because archers almost always stay aboard the ship. They are defensively prepared wit their bows to pick off any invaders attempting to board.

Habitat - All pirates live aboard their ships and very few of them even call any place on land home. Some pirate ships spend most of their time sailing the Inner Sea of ΛZMΛRÉ, but they are relentlessly mocked by the crews and captains of those who sail the outers. There is a great unspoken contest among the vast brotherhood of pirates of who can sail the furthest from the Splinterlands. Although there are countless stories of faraway islands and continents, no one to this day has ever sailed far enough to discover these lands. Many pirates have become jealous of refugee people like the Khmer, who are evidence of massive seafaring civilizations who migrated from the other side of the world. The pirates of ΛZMΛRÉ have lately been pushing the limits of their vessels, which are sadly inferior to those of the Khmer. Perhaps they should just steal them.

Weapon - The pirate bow that is currently accepted as the standard for archers is a masterpiece of engineering, even in the Water Splinter with all their incredible inventions and technologies. This model, called the scoundrel 4, is much lighter and more compact than the first model (scoundrel 1). It can loose arrows further and reload more quickly than the scoundrel 2. For years, it was thought that the scoundrel 3 was the ultimate pirate bow, but then the Great Inventor of Anenon revealed the 4th model. The scoundrel 4 actually folds together and doubles as a sabre, useful in instances when enemies have successfully boarded the ship and arrows won’t cut it. When paired with the explosive arrows sold in the Anenon marketplace, the bow automatically strikes them alight just before the arrow is loosed. This is how the Pirate Archers have earned such an explosive reputation.

Diet - Pirate eating is repetitive and simple. Strangely enough, they have never been very good at fishing, a skill which is famous for the patience that it requires. Instead, pirate ships usually come ashore every few months and stock up on beans, grains and other dried goods, which they use for rudimentary cooking. Pirate cooks are known for the incredibly delicious dishes they can create from simple ingredients and a marine oven. They work very hard, so they are always willing and ready to eat heartily.

Allies - The pirates of ΛZMΛRÉ spend more time traveling around the world than anyone else in the Water Splinter, so they have made friends among other Splinters. Since the Wizards’ Veil over Praetoria was lifted, they have explored every corner of its shores and scouted locations to create traps, camps and lawless towns. Some of the most daring pirates have sailed the Primordic Sea and landed in the Giant Grasslands of Primordia. Some of those who survived that journey had the fortune of meeting and trading with both the elves and the minotaurs of Anumün. The grassland tribes were so surprised that the pirates were able to survive the journey through the sea monsters and dinosaurs that they admired the pirates’ mettle and became friends. Another spot frequented by pirates is the living city of Mortis, Beluroc. All pirates look forward to docking there, where they have built great friendships through the years. They also enjoy spending time in Beluroc for its parties, which are louder and wilder than any others in the Splinterlands (save those of the Grenadiers). Almost every pirate ship has at some point docked at Burning Lands Port of Noxia and her crew walked the Great Obsidian Bridge over the Ring of Fire. They are fascinated by the beauty and mystery of the Burning Lands, and they can trade for valuable goods in the markets of Azad.

Enemies - Every pirate ship has a list of enemies that grows longer with every year it sails the seas. The captain typically keeps this list in a water-sealed safe in their quarters and adds new enemies to it as soon as they are declared. This is so that if the ship were to sink and the crew be lost, some future generation of pirates could still discover the list of the lost ship’s enemies and justice could still be delivered. The decision to add an enemy to a ship’s list is never taken lightly or made rashly. Instead, there are usually days of deliberation among the officers and mates before the name of the new enemy is added to the captain’s list in indelible ink.

Pastimes - Pirates always work hard, but those who know their life see it as a life of relaxation and freedom. They are bound to no land and they are loyal to no masters other than their captains. Theirs is a culture of living for the present, loving treasure and seeking adventure in everything they do. They take joy in nearly everything from a stormy day at sea to a skirmish with another pirate vessel. They enjoy gambling and playing games for blood. They look for new civilizations and they always explore the reaches of the mapped world, insisting that there is multitudinous life far beyond the Splinterlands.