Outlaw Isles

The Outlaw Isles are a chain of islands located at the eastern mouth of the Seuibe River, to is east is the Sea of Storms, its south the Wild Isles, its west is the continent of Runedastil and Seldori Range, and to its north is the continent of Undras and the Atarsid Isles.

Geography

The Outlaw Isles are a group of rugged, mountainous, and inhospitable islands that are located in the midst of a treacherous sea. The islands are characterised by steep peaks and cliffs, which rise up from the sea, creating a formidable natural barrier against would-be invaders. The islands are also home to dense forests, which provide cover and concealment for the inhabitants of the Outlaw Isles.The waters of the Isles run though in deep fjords. The coastlines are rugged and rocky, with many small bays, coves, and treacherous reefs that provide shelter for ships.
The islands are covered in dense forests of pine and oak, with thick underbrush that makes it difficult to navigate. The forests are home to a variety of dangerous animals, including bears, wolves, and wild boars. The islands are also home to many reptiles, such as snakes and lizards, as well as a variety of birds, including eagles, hawks, and seagulls.
The climate of the Outlaw Isles is harsh, with strong winds and heavy rains that can make sailing treacherous. The islands are also prone to storms, with fierce winds and heavy seas that can make landing difficult. The waters around the islands are also home to many dangerous creatures, including sharks, giant squids, and sea monsters.
Despite the harshness of the environment, the Outlaw Isles are also home to a variety of natural resources, such as timber, fish, and minerals. These resources are highly valued by the factions that control the islands, and are often the source of conflict between them.

Factions and Factionalism

The Isles lingered in obscurity and irrelevancy until recent history and the Age of Contempt, where they have been hotbed of criminals and pirates and a bane of the Kingdom of Thaxnoria, the Republic of Valantia, Kasari Dominion, and any trader unlucky enough to travel through it.
The Outlaw Isles is a hostile area where pirates, bandits, and mercenary pillage trade routes and make war upon one another. The most powerful of the factions within the Isles are the Corsairs of the Stormy Seas, who are a loosely aligned group of individual pirates and raiders, and the Kings of Wrecks and Driftwood, a powerful alliance of seven pirate kings and queens, who vie for control of the Isles. There are, however, other factions that make their home on the isles including; The Smugglers' Guild, Black Flags, Seafarers Union, Bloodhunters, and Kraken's Children all of whom vie for power, wealth, and control. The Isles are a hotbed of conflict between these factions, the trade routes they pounder, and even internal conflicts within factions.

Kingdoms

No kingdoms are capable of projecting their power upon the Isles, although the Kingdom of Thaxnoria, Kingdom of Legvaren, andthe Republic of Valantia have all attempted and all failed. The only rulers of the Isles are criminals and pirates broadly under the flag of the Corsairs of the Stormy Seas.

History

For most of its known history the Outlaw Isles lacked stable and permanent inhabitants. This was the result of an inhospitable climate, with bitter storms, waves, winds, and arid lands. Peoples have at various times attempted to settle the Isles as their ruins scatter the Isles; older ruins likewise scatter the Isles, including those of the High Empire of the Dragons and underwater ruins.

Age of Contempt

Selderite Restoration 42-182:Contempt. The prospects of the Isles were inadvertently improved by the Selderite Restoration; the works of magic nearby unintentionally improved the fertility of the Isles.
Colonisation of the Isles 70-100: Contempt. The Kingdom of Valantia (now the Republic of Valantia) was the first to see the value in the colonisation of the Isles, in order to control the eastern mouth of the Seiube River. Between 70:Contempt and 78:Contempt Valantia built outposts and regularly shipped in supplies for them; in 78:Contempt, after a series of heavy storms, it was discovered that all the colonists and marines had all disappeared without explanation. The outposts were battered, windows and doors shattered and water everywhere. Valantia once again attempted to claim the Isles between 81:Contempt and 82:Contempt, Valantia created a small military outpost stocked with marines; by the end of 82:Contempt, after heavy storms, it was discovered abandoned and in the same state as the previous lost colony. Valantia abandoned its efforts to take control of the Isles after its second failed effort. Between 85:Contempt and 115:Contempt Corth, the Copperlands (now known as the Crown lands), and the Kingdom of Legvaren attempted small-scale colonisation efforts of the Isles. Almost all met with failure, and in the same mysterious disappearances. By 115:Contempt the powers that surrounded the Isles abandoned their efforts at colonisation due to the difficulties the Isles posed.
Emergence of the Outlaw Isles 150-170:Contempt. Where the efforts of Kingdoms were met with failure the efforts of individuals and organisations succeeded. Throughout the 150s:Contempt and 160s:Contempt pirates and outlaws established themselves on the Isles. The pirates and outlaws of the Isles were marred with disorder and conflict with one another. This activity is what led to the now common name of the Outlaw Isles.
First Pirate King 174-237:Contempt. The infighting of the Isles changed when Avery Cole united a great deal of the outlaws of the Isles and became a Pirate King in 174: Contempt. Pirate King Avery created a petty kingdom of his own, he discovered the Seadrift Throne and erected the town of the same name. The Half Elf Pirate King Avery’s leadership was defined by prosperity, more settlements, outposts, and safe havens were constructed, whilst the ships of the Isles pillaged shipping lanes and raided coasts of Corth, the Kingdom of Legvaren, Copperlands, and Wild Isles. This ended in 237:Contempt when Avery disappeared and was assumed murdered, after the death of the Avery the kingdom he held together collapsed into in fighting
Brethren of Nine 277-311:Contempt. Another force rose to dominate the Isles in 277:Contempt, the Brethren of Nine. The Nine were a group of powerful pirate captains who banded together to take control of all others in the Isles; they were made up of:
The White Mistress (Pale Wyrm): The enigmatic White Mistress, an albino Drow Elf and a sorcerer of notorious repute. Commanding the Pale Wyrm, her ship became a feared entity on the high seas, striking terror into the hearts of those who dared cross her path.
Bar Saltjaw, "The Great Tusk" (Fury’s Foe): Known by the moniker "The Great Tusk," Bar Saltjaw, an Orc captain, led the Fury's Foe with an iron grip. His brutal tactics and iron fist solidified his dominance at sea.
Gael Cousteau, "The Fallen Rose" (Rose Kiss): Born of the Ardenese nobility, Gael Cousteau, also known as "The Fallen Rose," took a darker path. Fleeing his aristocratic origins after committing a heinous act, he turned to piracy, captaining the Rose Kiss.
Osrich Mooncall (Anaria’s Shadow): Hailing from the Anvea Isle in the Wild Isles, Osrich Mooncall captained the ethereal Anaria’s Shadow, a vessel crewed only by a menagerie of untamed creatures. His connection with the natural world made him an unpredictable force on the seas.
Udra, "The Iron Drake" (Sea Dragon): A Kobold augmented with metal, Udra, or "The Iron Drake," instilled fear with the Sea Dragon. The metallic enhancements to body and ship alike made Udra an imposing figure, and their ruthlessness was matched only by their cunning.
Sin'or (Sea Devil): Hailing from the depths, Sin'or, a sahuagin, commanded the Sea Devil and a diverse crew of surface-dwelling humanoids. The alliance between the underwater and above-water realms under Sin'or's leadership made the Sea Devil a force to be reckoned with.
Maelys Wavespeaker (The Sea's Voice): A Human with an unnaturally youthful appearance and strange magical powers. His strength of will, magic, and at arms made him a force to be feared.
Softspeaking Tom, "The Cleaver in the Copperlands" (Butcher's Knife): Originating as a vicious mercenary captain, Softspeaking Tom, or "The Cleaver of the Copperlands," transitioned seamlessly into a pirate's life. His cunning strategies and ruthless demeanour made him a key player among the Brethren.
Zaid Rezza, Merchant Prince: Zaid Rezza, hailed from the Atarsid Isle City-States as a merchant prince. His ambition brought him into the fold of the Nine and greatly expanded his wealth and power during his time in the Nine.
Nine established their dominance over the Outlaw Isles and the pirates that operated within and around them. Under the Nine’s leadership piracy became more organised and effective, as they pillaged trade routes, the Kingdom of Thaxnoria, Infernal-Draconic Ascendancy, the Wild Isles. Both Thaxnoria and the Ascendancy launched expeditions to put an end to the plague of pirates, but met with abject failure. In 299:Contempt the Purple Sails of Valantia sailed their Purple Armada to the Isles, when they arrived the White Mistress sailed her Pale Wyrm to treat with them; it is not known what was discussed, however, the White Mistress betrayed the Brethren of Nine and provided Valantia with information on the strength of the Isles and the locations of hidden safe havens. With the betrayal the days of the Nine were over, after they sent many of the best ships of the Nine beneath the waves all of the Nine save the White Mistress and Zaid Rezza were dead, the former of which disappeared from the pages of history and the latter of escape to the Atarsid Isles. From 299:Contempt to 311:Contempt the Purple Armada scoured the Isles and burnt down any remnants of the Nine and the pirates that so long dominated the Isles, this included throwing the Seadrift Throne into the sea; after significant loses, in terms of ships and marines, the Purple Armada brought an end to involvement in the Isles after they believed their perpetual victory secured.
Colonisation of the Outlaw Isles 330s-360s:Contempt. Throughout the 330s-360s:Contempt sparse settlements and outposts were established by the Kingdom of Thaxnoria and Infernal-Draconic Ascendancy. The Revolt of 371:Contempt. In 371:Contempt the Commandant of the Thaxnorian military outpost in the Isles, Human Commandant Benjamin Hurt, revolted and turned the outpost to a life of banditry. This act destabilised the region and marked the return to the banditry and piracy of the Isles.
Second Pirate King 389-397:Contempt. Benjamin Hurt discovered the Seadrift Throne washed ashore in 389:Contempt and used the omen to declare himself Pirate King. Whilst Pirate King Hurt never gained control over the majority of the outlaws within the Isles his ships plague shipping lanes and the lands surrounding the Isles. Pirate King Hurt paid particular attention to raids upon the Kingdom of Legvaren. This focus did not go unnoticed, in 397:Contempt Legvaren assembled a fleet and went to war with the Pirate King. Legvaren’s fleet tore through the Pirate King’s and headed straight to the Seadrift Throne where, with a particularly fierce battle, Legvaren’s forced beheaded the Pirate King and all those who maintained loyalty to him, before they left their heads on spikes and quit the Isles.
The Time of Treachery 389-422:Contempt. In the power vacuum that emerged after the death of the Second Pirate King all the factions of the Isles erupted into conflict with one another as countless captains sought the title of Pirate King for themselves; further alliances and faction broke down as crewmates and captains betrayed one another to sit the Seadrift Throne. In this period a further seventeen Pirate Kings were declared, but none lasted long.
The Wolf’s Prowl at Sea 430-462:Contempt. To bring order to the sea off the coast the Kingdom of Thaxnoria launched a military campaign to bring the High King’s law to the Isles. The campaign was led by the First Lord of Corth Jon Forbrook the Sea Wolf. Jon Forbrook led his campaign from the front of his ship and the vanguard of his forces, to Initially, great success as half the Isles were brought under Thaxnorian rule within the year. Jon Forbrook led his forces to take control of the rest of the Isles by end of 392:Contempt and throw the Seadrift Throne back into the sea; the worst of the The Wolf’s Prowl at Sea was yet to come, as pirates were quick retreat and surrender territory but so easily extinguished, as centuries of hiding and fighting in the Isles left countless hidden safe havens for outlaws. Almost immediately after he declared the territory conquered, rebellions, brigandry, and privacy began to plague First Lord Forbrook as his campaign was bogged down in long and costly conflict which seemed as at the time it would never end. Over thirty years of conflict wore on, supply lines were stretched to the point of breaking, Forbrook’s men were weary, and the goal of the campaign seemed as far away as possible; then in 462:Contempt the Second Thaxnorian Civil War broke out. Forbrook was filled with rage and despair, he shut himself away for two days as he decided what action to take, continue his campaign or return to Thaxnoria to participate in the War. When Forbrook’s commanders and servants finally worked up the courage to enter his private chamber they found him murdered; none know if it was assassins from the Isles or a mutinous man from Forbrook’s own forces. Instead of investigating the death of Forbrook, some of his forces quit the Isles whilst the other mutinied and became outlaws themselves.
Golden Age of Raiding 494-522:Contempt. After a time of stabilisation that followed The Wolf’s Prowl at Sea the notorious raids and piracy from the Isles once again plagued the surrounding regions.
Valantine Punitive Armada 522-523:Contempt. In 522:Contempt the Republic of Valantia launched an Armada which arrived at the Isles and spent several months there to sink pirate and privateer ships alike. After treating with countless representatives an agreement was reached; Valantine ships were to be unmolested by the pirates, privateers, and outlaws of the Isles, and any captain who breached the agreement would become a target of all the captain of the Isles and if justice was not delivered Valantia would send another punitive armada.
Pillaging of the Wild Isles 527:Contempt -. The Pirates of the Outlaw Isles turned to pillaging the countless settlements throughout the Wild Isles; they raped, reaved, looted, and slaved across the shoars of the Wild Isles.
Crystalline Convergence 533:Contempt. The Crystalline Convergence caused chaos within the Isles, as it did much of Runetalras. The Convergence vastly increased the danger that the manipulation of magic poses as allowed Weave Aberrations to enter into the Prime Material Plane. It also introduced Corestone and Arcane Tempests into Runetalras, both of which are incredibly disruptive and dangerous forces. Within the Outlaw Isles, captains were required to bring in line any crew who posed a threat, whilst those with magic were able to keep practicing so long as there were no complications; generally it was brought under control by violence or coercion.

Type

Archipelago

Runetalras

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