Approximately two years ago, twenty-four people were collected from their origin universes by an alien race for a series of televised gladiatorial games. From the very first arena, the show was a breakout hit. There were initial kinks in both the games and the housing to be worked through as the show continued. Disastrous experiences with the third arena saw the introduction of new safety measures and the inclusion of more fighters meant an expansion of the original training facility first into a single island large island then later into an archipelago of five islands total.

Each month, a new arena is designed, and the game is broadcast for all to see. These games usually involve competition and violence, although safety features ensure that participants cannot be truly killed. The arenas themselves are styled after locations and challenges that captives may have faced in their own origin worlds. A second set of specialized games allowing for lethal combat have been created as a complement to the nonlethal monthly games. These special events are for the viewer willing to pay to see the real action.

Of course, these potential combatants are a valuable commodity, especially if they develop a fan base. To protect their investment, the aliens made the archipelago, a self-contained group of floating islands. Safety protocols and a protective field prevent the kidnapped fighters from escaping or from killing each other between arenas. There are, however, monsters and dangers on three of the islands so weapons and special abilities are no longer restricted as they once were though some dampeners still remain in effect.

Participation in the arenas is not without its rewards and the islands themselves offer both luxuries and excitements for those looking for either or both. As long as the fighters abide by the rules and fight when they're told to, life can be quite good. However, if they act out, they can be sent to a separate prison facility where no dampeners will protect them. Attempts to harm their captors or escape from the islands or the arena have all ended in failure so far but the aliens have finally started to break their silence and all may not be as it seems.