Pirates of The Archipelago

The smugglers, thieves, extortionists and other criminal sailors who sails in The Emerald Archipelago are universally known as the Pirates of the Archipelago. They are known for their ferocity against those who do not surrender to their boarding and pillaging but for those who do, they often remain unharmed. The pirates themselves are in uneasy alliances at best, banding together to protect themselves from the navy and under the threat of no mercy should any of them dare to attack a ship that one of the more notorious pirates such as Whitescar have announced is under their flag.
The ships used by the pirates comes in almost every type one could imagine but the ones most favored are mid-sized ships that strikes a balance between maneuverability & speed and the longer range & cargo space of larger ships.

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While information is hard to gain on the pirates outside of those the navy captured, it is widely known that they lack any single true headquarter due to their loose nature and instead many smaller locations can be found throughout the Merifell islands.
The pirates welcome almost anyone among their ranks including the crews of captured ships. These pirates usually serve one captain or another as little mercy is shown to those who try to pity gold out of others. That is not to say that all of them do work on ships, as that would make their various locations impossible to maintain, but many do. The only three kinds of people who has notable amounts of respect from the pirates are barkeeps, infamous captains and those who prove their strength.

Pirate's Code

Every ship needs order and pirates are no exception. Each crew has a different code, some benefitting the crew more than others. The one below is one such code, used by the notorious pirate Whitescar
Code

• Every member of the crew gets an equal share of treasure. Anyone caught taking more than his fair share of loot, or refusing to report its discovery in a timely manner, shall be marooned. The captain receives extra shares of any treasure, as do shipwrights, carpenters, and officers to lesser degrees.
• Every member of the crew must tend to his own weapons and keep them ready for battle.
• Anyone who shows cowardice in the face of the enemy or deserts in battle shall have his throat cut or be marooned.
• No crew member shall hide his abilities from the crew. A sailor who can perform magic shall use his abilities on behalf of the ship.
• No crew member shall take a position on a new ship or talk of leaving until each crew member has acquired at least 1,000 gp worth of treasure through his labors.
• No fighting is allowed between crewmates. Quarrels shall be set aside until shore leave, at which point grievances may be settled with violence on shore.
• All crew members must obey the captain and his officers.
• Any pirate found stealing from crewmates shall take 30 lashes and be put ashore at port.
• The person who spots a sail shall have first pick of its loot.
• Any crew member who loses a limb in service to the ship shall be paid 800 gp for its loss.
• Every sailor has an equal right to vote in decisions put to the crew by the captain

Other crews might have similar rules but every ship with order will have a set of rules, even if they are the most ragtag bunch of pirates.

Shipboard Conduct

Most ships follow a code of conduct to ensure that they can efficiently work or are evn common sense. Below is a list of those rules that are enforced on pirate, military and merchant vessels alike.
Conduct

• Any sailor caught below deck with open flame, magical or mundane, will suffer 10 lashes. All candles and lanterns are to be extinguished at sunset.
• No sailor is to play cards or dice for money while onboard, nor use such things to take advantage of his crewmates on shore.
• No sailor is to bring aboard a husband, wife, child, person of ill virtue, or any passenger unbeknownst to the captain. Both sailor and passenger face marooning.
• Every sailor must do his fair share of work, and neither shirk his duty nor pass off work to another, lest he face 20 lashes. A ship’s bard may rest 1 day per week, but must stand ready to entertain on all others.
• Every sailor receives an equal share of food and drink, and 1 ration of liquor every day.
• Any sailor found drunk on duty shall face 10 lashes. Any sailor too drunk to function effectively during battle shall be thrown overboard.
• A sailor who suspects a hazard, be it storm cloud, sea monster, or enemy ship, must raise the alarm immediately. Any sailor who sees an unfamiliar sea creature must inform the captain immediately.
• A sailor shall not speak to any creature of the sea without the captain’s permission.
• A sailor must not speak ill of the dead lest they summon restless spirits to the ship.

Type

Illicit, Pirate Crew

Location

The Emerald Archipelago