Piracy in Tor'Saarn

Summary

The viability, difficulty and commonality of piracy varies across Tor'Saarn, typically being more common in the east or north and extremely rare in the west.

West Coast

Pirates are rare in the western coastal regions of Tor'Saarn due to the powerful navies of Tiorath and Sethir, and piracy in this region is typically seen in the region between the powers of the west and the far west well away from the coast. Pirates who are capable of setting up shop in this area are feared and respected for their ability to avoid the Ship Hunters of the west coast, and are just as likely to earn themselves an offer to join the naval forces of whichever power they harass as they are to meet an early grave

East Coast

Pirates are somewhat common along the North east coast, and a brave few even attack the coasts of Felsaed to the south. They are dangerous due to their numbers but do not share the expertise of their western counterparts. They are viewed mostly as a nuisance in Felsaed, and are romanticized in Kessofare. These pirates are often based in the isolation of the far north or the isles of the Stranded Easts.

Stranded Easts

The few cultures of the Stranded Easts seldom build along the coasts due to the threat of the pirates who use the isles as a base for assaulting Felsaed and Kessofare. They wield as much power as the natives, and are common even in Bevrasten. They are feared and hated by the native Kiari, who had not faced major conflict until the arrival of the first pirate bands.
Pirates are strongest here, and maintain an active slave trade with criminal elements in Kessofare and criminal elements throughout Felsaed. These slaves are typically made up of J'a-goroan and Kiari, but are occasionally bolstered by Grolsaan.

Tiorath

Their haven't been successful pirates in Tiorath since the first age, as the naval might of The Tiorath Hierarchy and constant presence of it's millitary make attempts at piracy nightmarish in difficulty. The very idea of Piracy is laughed at in Tiorath, and even fleets that leave their waters are seldom hit due to the difficulty in capturing such expertly designed and crewed ships. However pirates have some relevancy in Tiorath as some captains choose to abandon the Tiorathan navy and join the pirates of the west, or even migrate through the north or south to east Felsaed. Pirates from Tiorath are feared, as their sailors are the best in the world.

Northern Coasts

Their are much fewer targets in the north than the east, and pirates here typically do not attack northern ships in the region. Instead the north acts as a form of safe haven, where few pirates are wanted by the law and the barren hills are filled with pirate havens. Pirates are heavily romanticized here as most citizens only see them as rich, well paying customers with fantastic tales from foreign lands, and are not subject to the hellish raids they perform in the east.