Pirate Principalities

Unlike the Scale Kingdoms, the Pirate Principalities are entirely aptly named. The region was originally occupied by bofyrn tribes, above the basalt terraces, and by water Genasi on the rugged coast. After the founding of the Free Kingdoms and Scale Kingdoms by successive waves of refugees, a number of violent criminals were expelled from these colonies and made their way to the first harbour that would have them, the genasi settlement of Aiomyth.
A group of the newcomers tried to take control of Aiomyth, but were driven off and wrecked along the coast to the east. This, however, gave the genasi a taste for action, and the local population absorbed the remaining criminals with the goal of charting new horizons in piracy. The new, united society developed Aiomyth into a thriving port. It is a dangerous place, a haven of pirates and other criminals, but an unrivalled market for mercenaries, drugs, and goods of questionable title. Along the coast to the east, the wrecked flotilla of expelled would-be conquerors did as their parents or grandparents had done and built a town from the remains of their vessels. A later wave of transportees bypassed Aiomyth altogether and established the hulk city of Plunderage to the west. After a period of competition, the three cities entered into a tentative alliance.
When Anur-tek fell, the bofyrn of the river plateau sent a huge force to protect Anur-ket. When that force was wiped out, the captains' councils of the Pirate Cities saw their chance to expand. The bofyrn were pushed back into the city of Issihn, in the fork of the Iss and the Ihn, allowing the coast-dwellers to occupy the other settlements of the terraces. The old captions' councils are long defunct, replaced by hereditary councils of so-called Pirate Princes. These princes are the heads of the wealthiest pirate dynasties, each controlling dozens of ships, many of which are now merchant vessels instead of dedicated privateers. These dynasties also own land, property and businesses in the coastal cities, on the coastal plain, and on the plateau.
The plateau farmland south of the confluence is divided into the estates of the coastal dynasties. The bofyrn city of Koreka-ke. he (fortress on the cliff) has become the city of Humble, seat of the Governor of the Terraces. This is a highly sought after appointment with huge potential for personal and familial advancement, but the responsibility of organising a constant watch to prevent the bofyrn of Issihn reclaiming their old fields. While the population of the coastal cities is largely human, petri and genasi, the plateau also has a large number of bofyrn and aneft, including some who have achieved significant status in Humble society.

Type

Alliance, Generic