The Pirate Isles
The Pirate Isles are a number of small islands in the South Sea where pirates and bandits, most in The Commoner's League , have created numerous nomadic settlements that move and shift with the tides. Many islands are too small to sustain life and don't even have water, but there's always a rumor that buried treasure is hidden somewhere out on the isles. Given that occasionally an odd monster is found 'guarding' an island, that rumor is likely true.
The water itself is also a source of plunder, with many sunken ships of the civil war shattered on the shore or beneath the waves. For the people who live here, diving for treasure to sell for trade is a common source of income.
History
Rumors and Tales:
• These islands often attract people of all sorts to sign up on pirate crews. From desperate peasants to the children of entitled nobles, many people come out to this land of adventure. There are many who realize they are not cut out for this kind of life, though. Some pirate crews won't let these landlubbers leave for home for fear of them selling out their crew to the port authorities and military groups.
• Many pirate ships travel in disguise, hiding their flags any obvious signs of them being pirates. They use this to travel further west to raid ships traveling through Dread Crossing without getting caught before reaching their prospective plunder place.
• Every pirate knows a story or two about Captain Eloain Vyrlynn Howl, the most famous pirate ever to live. Her tenacity, cunning, and sheer boldness inspired so many ship captains and crews that she was named the First and Only Pirate Queen. Though she eventually was killed in a fierce naval battle, she is highly revered and statues and shrines are erected to her across the Pirate
Islands. No other person has ever been named Pirate King or Queen, as everyone agrees that none can or should ever be compared to Captain Howl.
• For obvious reasons, Steyfano is widely worshiped in this region. People even say that Captain Howl was Steyfano's own daughter, if not an avatar of the god himself. Superstitious (or wise) pirate captains set aside a portion of their plunder as offering to Steyfano on every voyage with the hopes that he will show favor and luck upon them.
• They say there's treasure everywhere. In the shallows, crab, lobster, pearls, and oysters can be easily caught. In the deeper areas, lost treasure can be found in the bowels of sunken ships, though these are often guarded by monsters, animals, or other ocean-dwelling denizens.
• Though most settlements move about, the greatest permanent pirate town known as New-Nasseau is built upon an island with lush greenery and plenty of fresh water. Magic is used to hide it from scrying, and many landlubbers share all kinds of rumors about it. Weird and outlandish tales, like claiming the town is built on the back of a giant turtle, that the current pirate-admiral is actually a stupendously powerful wizard, and all kinds of similar stories.