The Dread Reavers
Brief Overview
The Dread Reavers are one of if not the most feared pirate crews in the Arashi Depths and Greycroft Sea, operating out of Reaper’s Port on the western coast of Granheim. Founded in 439 AEL by Orlann "Black Tide" Veskar at the age of 23, the crew started small but quickly became notorious for their ruthlessness, cunning, and absolute loyalty to Veskar, enforced through fear and calculated brutality. Over the last 35 years, the Dread Reavers have expanded into a fleet-spanning network, controlling trade routes, running smuggling operations, and extorting coastal settlements. They are not just pirates—they are an empire at sea, bound by terror and profit.
Structure
Notable Crew Members
High Command (The Dread Lords)
Orlann "Black Tide" Veskar – Founder & Captain
Supreme leader of the Dread Reavers, ruling through fear, manipulation, and iron-clad authority.
First Mate Kaelor "The Hollow Man" Drayne (Human)
Once a naval officer, now Orlann’s most trusted enforcer. Pale-eyed and emotionless, he executes orders without hesitation.
Has a reputation for never speaking a single unnecessary word, which makes his rare threats all the more chilling.
Quartermaster Raina "Iron Grin" Fenn (Tiefling)
A former mercenary turned pirate, handles all logistics and discipline aboard the fleet.
She personally collects "tribute" from businesses in Reaper’s Port, ensuring everyone pays their due.
Navigator Salk "Starblind" Ardent (Nightshade Elf)
A master of celestial navigation and forbidden charts, rumored to have studied under eldritch entities.
His nickname comes from sacrificing his natural darkvision in a ritual to gain unerring night navigation skills.
"Surgeon" Morvech Veil (Flesh-Maker) (Unknown)
A gruesome figure known for "fixing" the crew—whether that means patching wounds or stitching together horrors from lost sailors.
Whispers claim he’s not human, or that he was once a corpse himself.
Elite Operatives (The Undertow)
Rascal & Rip (Goblin Twins) – Infamous saboteurs and infiltrators.
Caldris "Bloodwake" Vane (Velgares - Sharkborn) – Leads brutal boarding parties.
Grett "Two-Deaths" Holloway (Human) – A duelist with two matching pistols, one said to be cursed.
Organization Structure
Captain (Orlann Veskar) – Absolute authority, ruling through fear, wealth, and strategy.
The Dread Lords (Senior Officers) – Control various aspects of the crew, each a specialist in their field.
The Undertow (Elite Operatives) – Spies, assassins, and specialists who carry out high-risk missions.
The Black Crews (Captains & Fleet Leaders) – Command ships under Veskar’s banner.
Deckhands & Reavers (Standard Crew) – Ruthless pirates who carry out orders.
Notably, unlike Cassian Stormfall’s democratic Tidesworn, the Dread Reavers are held together by fear, wealth, and the promise of power. Any sign of weakness is a death sentence.
Culture
Brutality Above All – Mercy is weakness; intimidation is law.
Loyalty Through Fear – Anyone who betrays the Reavers faces The Drowning, a ritual execution where they are tied to a shattered mast and sent to the depths.
Superstition Runs Deep – Many believe Veskar made a pact with something ancient and that the sea itself bends to his will.
Trophies of the Fallen – High-ranking Reavers wear items taken from those they’ve slain—a naval captain’s hat, a noble’s signet ring, etc.
Public Agenda
Rule the Western Seas – They have turned piracy into an empire, and they seek to control every major trade route from Granheim to Nidira.
Strangle Trade for Power – Many merchants and captains pay Veskar a “Sea Tax” in exchange for safe passage—those who don’t are never heard from again.
Keep Reaper’s Port Under Their Heel – Veskar’s grip on the pirate haven ensures it remains a den of crime under his rule.
Assets
The Dread Fleet of the Black Tide – At least two dozen ships under his direct command, with hundreds of affiliated vessels swearing fealty.
Reaper’s Port – A lawless haven where they control protection fees, smuggling rings, and ship repairs.
The Crows – Orlann’s spy network of trained orphans who gather intel in every major port.
The Maw’s Vault – A hidden treasury where Veskar hoards plundered gold, artifacts, and blackmail material.
History
439 AEL - The Birth of the Dread Reavers
At just 23 years old, Orlann seizes command of a failing pirate crew after slitting the throat of its captain in open water.
Renames the crew The Dread Reavers and paints the hull of his new flagship pitch black—the birth of the Night’s Embrace.
442 AEL - The Slaughter of Daxin Quay
The coastal town of Valen in southern Granheim refuses to pay Orlann’s “Sea Tax”.
The Dread Reavers raze the port overnight, leaving no survivors.
This establishes Veskar’s brutal reputation, ensuring most merchants comply without question.
448 AEL - Betrayal at the Valoran Ring
Captain Hesk "The Ragged" Tryn (one of Orlann’s first officers) attempts to break away from the Reavers.
Orlann lures him to the Valoran Ring of Islands, where his ship vanishes without a trace.
Superstitious sailors still hear screams echoing from those waters at night.
456 AEL - The Arashi Blockade
The Hekkeran Empire sends four warships to end Orlann’s control over the Arashi Depths.
Using storm magic stolen from Kozukan sorcerers, Veskar sinks two ships and captures the other two.
The surviving admiral is left adrift in a rowboat, his tongue cut out, as a warning.
472 AEL - The Betrayed Armada
A faction of Reaver captains conspires to kill Veskar and claim his fleet.
Veskar plays them against each other, causing a deadly mutiny.
In the aftermath, he executes seven captains personally, solidifying his undisputed rule.
Current Status (474 AEL)
The Dread Reavers are stronger than ever, with trade routes under their control and Veskar’s name feared across the seas.
Tensions with Cassian Stormfall’s Tidesworn are rising—rumors suggest Orlann wants Anchor Port burned to the waterline.
A new naval force from the Dominion of Kafka is rumored to be hunting Veskar, but no one knows if it’s a true threat—or another doomed fool’s errand.
"The Tide Takes All."
Founding Date
439
Type
Illicit, Pirate Crew
Alternative Names
Veskar’s Shadow
Leader
Leader Title
Founders
Subsidiary Organizations
Location
Notable Members
