A local slaveholder was found dead on Friday at his home in the Amarr system under mysterious circumstances.
The man, Rezini Lifu, whose body had been mutilated, was found by a close friend after failing to attend a meeting. Several items of his property were also discovered missing including all of his slaves and large number of combat ready vessels, a full list has not been disclosed.
Lifu, who did not have a clone at the time of his death, was described by one source as a ‘sadistic individual’ who treated his slaves as ‘little more than animals’.
He is believed to have recently become involved in an underground Gladiatorial arena within Amarrian society after acquiring an undisclosed number of slaves from the widow of a recently deceased holder.
Apparently seeing the Gladiatorial sport as an opportunity to elevate his status within Amarrian society, Lifu is said to have invested heavily in equipping his Gladiator slaves, who are also listed among his missing property.
The ancient blood sport, which pits combatants against each other in a dual to the death for the entertainment of others, has been rekindled by a group of lesser nobles within Amarrian society. The dusty arena and melee weapons of old have however, been substituted for a small sector of space and powerful combat craft.
Traditionally these highly prized slaves, known as Gladiators, are treated exceptionally well and provided with privileges far in excess of anything their slave counterparts might hope for from their masters. After a time those Gladiators in high favour of their masters may even be given a chance to earn their freedom, usually being absorbed into the Amarrian way of life and becoming body guards or Gladiator trainers for the elite, such cases are however, very rare.