Pirates
Pirates live by a variety of nefarious means – most through traditional piracy, plundering airships, barges and tribes; some work as smugglers, moving goods to the Bargefolk; some are slavers, transporting their unfortunate cargoes to work on terraced farms or in the households of the wealthy; and one crew has even been reported to stoop as low as to supplement their income by forming a mime troupe, although this terrible practice is only referred to in whispers.
Airship pirate crews usually also have a shtick – a non-pirate means of income.
Pirate Codes
Pirates don’t go in much for rules, but even they realise that sometimes agreements have to be made or else nothing would get done. There are ships and pirate sky cities where the only rules are those of the biggest bully – but unless that bully is truly fearsome, they don’t last too long. So many pirate Skyloft cities and individual pirate ships subscribe to a pirate code, which varies in detail from ship to ship and city to city. At the allegiance ceremony (where candidates might pledge over a pair of crossed cutlasses or steampistols; a bowl of blood; or a human skull), it’s made clear what happens to those that break the code – invariably something very unpleasant. Aside from execution (“walking the plank”) or other grim punishments (such as being “swung around the ship/platform”), marooning is a common punishment for serious crimes. Marooning consists of being set down in the wilderness with a flask of rum, a hunk of bread, a steampistol, and a single bullet.A typical pirate agreement
- Every pirate has a vote in the running of things.
- Every pirate has the right to food and strong liquor, unless scarcity forces a vote to forbid it.
- Each pirate has a right to a share of the booty, as agreed.
- If any pirate steals the common booty they shall be marooned in a deserted place.
- If any pirate steals from another he shall be cut with a blade and let off at the nearest pirate port.
- Every pirate must keep their weapons in good order.
- Desertion in battle shall be punished by death or marooning.
- No fighting aloft. Any quarrel between crew-mates to be settled on land with cutlass and steampistol.
The Details
An individual airship crew might have their own extra clauses. For instance, they might agree that no-one should leave the company until everyone has earned 1,000 He; the company should be all-male or all-female; everyone must obey the orders of their captain, first-mate, etc.; no music on a Wednesday; no smoking below-decks; all punishments to be decided by the captain and a majority crew vote, etc.Rewards
The pirate code in a home city might demand a share of booty from returning ships – used by the city to buy helium, pay a carpenter to patch up holes in the city floor, etc. In other words, a tax. The pirate code on an individual airship will probably lay out who is entitled to what share of the booty – the captain might get two shares; the master gunner, quartermaster, etc., one and a half shares; while the rest of the crew get one share each. If there is no booty, there is no pay. The captain isn’t responsible for paying the crew a wage, but if they aren’t given the chance to earn some booty every now and again, they will no doubt look for a new captain – it’s in everyone’s interests to get on and do some plundering. Plundering isn’t the only road to riches for airship pirates. Most pirates have a shtick. The chances are that it will be the Adventurers who are the most important members of such a group, and earnings from performances, festivals, trade enterprises and the like will be shared in the same way as booty.
Type
Illicit, Rebel
Parent Organization
Related Ranks & Titles
Notable Members
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