Intro and Background - Draw Steel Pirates

Introduction

Fewer than two years old, the new Pirate Republic is on the brink of collapse. With House Tovanasca licking their wounds and being all but abandoned by other great houses, the pirates have quickly turned to infighting that threatens to end their hold on the surrounding seas. This early on in their society, not enough high captains are strong enough to hold the nation together by power alone. Power is beginning to consolidate around a few but critical cracks are present and waiting to be exploited. Pressure in the right spot at the right time would shatter any chance of lasting pirate control in the region.
You are part of the crew serving on The Dauntless. A two masted schooner built for rapid deployment of your task team. The Dauntless excels at piracy, blockade running, scouting, and raiding. Crewed by 25 and helmed by Captain “Salty” Sydney, The Dauntless could get your task team wherever they needed to be and quickly. Flying under the flag of High Captain “Planes Walker” Catherine, you have been given a set of tasks to accomplish to further her mysterious goals. You are pirates. Do the jobs however you’d like, but get them done.

Background

The Hindersfjall Rebellion

12 years ago a disgruntled distant scion of House Tovanasca, Lord Ilbryen controlled Wyke. On his way down to the docks one day, his carriage nearly ran over a young slave who was pulled out of the way by a slave elder who was well respected within the community. Feeling particularly cruel, Lord Ilbryen charged the child with “dereliction of duty” for not being run over and charged the elder with theft for stealing/preventing another slave’s work. The cruel lord then dragged both behind his carriage all the way to his galleon, Fortune’s Delight. Securing them to the prow he sailed for two days back and forth around the city.
At the beginning of the third day, the first fires were seen from the bay. Thousands of slaves turned against their elven masters. A quarter of the Tovanasca fleet at Wyke was burned with fewer than 15 ships, the Fortune’s Delight included, having escaped. The remaining fleet was commandeered by the former slaves. Hundreds of ships now controlled by those who built and crewed them for generations. Tovanasca’s fleet was primarily crewed by slaves and as word spread more and more ships mutinied and joined the rebels’ cause. For the next ten years, the bloody fires of rebellion burned. Not having the trade networks and connections to the Albion mainland of House Tovanasca, the rebels quickly turned to piracy to support themselves. Transforming a bunch of desperate slaves into a powerful naval force.

The Battle of the Phantom Isles

Two years ago, House Tovanasca and Lord Ilbryen had enough. They called in favors to other great elven houses to pacify the region in one terrible fell swoop. Grand ships flying the flag of House Tovanasca carried highly trained and well equipped soldiers of House Nagithil and were supported by archmages of House Gwathrenor. They gathered near the isles west of Wyke and off the coast of Latria. One of the largest and most powerful fleets assembled in living memory was poised to sweep the waters from the Autumnal Expanse to the Sunlit Sea. Lord Ilbryen of House Tovanasca led the navy. Lady Vianola of House Nagithil commanded the army. Patriarch Lucien of House Gwathrenor himself commanded the mages.
Before they set sail, the full host of the new pirate republic fell upon them. The elven great houses never had a true grasp on how many they had enslaved in the region. Thousands of ships and tens of thousands of people clashed on land and on sea. The elven houses were better trained, better equipped, and better led but the pirates had everything to lose. Their new power. Their new freedom. At noon on the 7th day, the Fortune’s Delight was surrounded and sunk into the sea. The two aged corpses still chained to the prow were joined by the one who put them there. For 2 weeks the forces clashed. Heroes arose, some to become great captains and others to become martyrs. Great and powerful magics from the archmages and Lucien of House Gwathrenor rent open the sky, churned the sea, and devastated the islands.
In the end, three great elven houses were defeated and the former slaves of Hindersfjall were free. The location of the great battle is now called The Phantom Isles. The results of powerful spells have left scars on the region and the ghosts of thousands of dead are forever trapped in an endless battle.

Wyke

The home of the burgeoning pirate republic. The city itself sits on a small peninsula jutting out into a large bay. The peninsula hosts a large number of sheer cliff faces resulting in many of the docks to the city being pushed towards the mainland. The city is generally believed to be impenetrable from the sea, though the slave rebellion succeeded in taking Wyke due to most of the slaves already being on the peninsula.
The Pirate Republic is led by the High Captains who hold sessions/hearings within The Seat of Grolag Dor. The fortress at the heart of Wyke on the end of the city peninsula. With various battlements, siege equipment, and infrastructure to house thousands, the thick stone and metal walls tower over the bay. Its dominating presence is inescapable once past the channel. In the renamed ‘Galley of the High Captains’ at the heart of The Seat of Grolag Dor, a lone throne sits on a raised platform untouched. A promise that if one pirate were to gain enough power and influence over Hindersfjall they could rule and rule alone as a pirate king.
High Captains in the pirate republic are neither chosen, voted for, nor born into command. The title is taken. Only when a pirate gains enough power and influence for their peers to take notice and respect them do they take the title of High Captain. Fewer than 7 true high captains exist at this time with a few dozen “lesser” high captains flowing around them. Anyone can call themselves a high captain but they alone are left to enforce their title.

This game will be a West Marches style of game. Players are provided with a map of the area noted with a number of POIs or job listings. Players choose the week before what to tackle and the DM then prepares. Each POI/listing ideally wraps up in one session; two if needed or important.

Timeline

• 150 years prior to present day.
• 50 years prior to the Doom beginning
• 12 years since the Hindersfjall rebellion began.
• 2 years since the Battle of the Phantom Isles.