World of Kralis

Pirates

Through out the world there are individuals that thrive off the wealth of others: thieves, beggars, cutpurses, burglars, bandits but there is none greater than those that hunt the great seas and the vast openness of the sky, and the blackness of the void: pirates. Piracy is of course the robbing of ships (sea-going, air-going and void traveling vessels) or attacking villages,cities or in the case of the void - voidstations

The Omniverse and its worlds are awash in piracy. ON the world of Kralis there are numerous seas, both inner and outer, and the wide open sky above the land. Each of the various seas (Sea of Ithangar, The Blood Sea, Sea of Tarn, Sea of Tears, Sea of Magnara, Dhunadin Sea) are home to many pirates. The most notorious islands, the Isles of Morghal, (in the Sea of Ithangar) are the most well known by those that hunt pirates and those that seek to become a part of their ilk. Another well known piracy alcove are the Isles of Dread in the Bay of Sorrows in the Sea of Tears.

While piracy deals with robbery of vessels or attack of land-based, or void-based locations, there are, however, several different definitions of piracy. There are three types of "pirates". There are the "true" pirates that rob ships for personal gain, they are infamous for robbing ships, sinking them and hoarding the valuables that they have plundered. They move their ill-gotten goods through thieves guilds and other fences at various ports. These types of pirates are often cold hearted killers, killing all those aboard, or making them "walk the plank". Very few will allow sailors of "conquered" ships to live, those that do are often sold it slavery or forced into working on the pirate ships.

There are pirate-raiders that attack and terrorize coastal villages and cities, plundering them quickly while the city guard is at a disadvantage, and fleeing to sea. They rely on strong, able bodied warriors more than competent sailors. Often these ships are a part of a pirate-lords armada. They kill, ravage, and raze their targets spreading fear amongst all the cities and towns of the various coasts.

Finally, there are the "honorable" pirates, these are privateers that raid on the request of one government or another. They generally target pirate coves or targets owned by other governments. Privateers are considered "legal" when they are in the home waters (those waters that can be protected by the nation's own ships) and pirates beyond these waters. Most privateers posses letters of marque indicating their legitimacy within home home waters. As long as these "privateers" do the bidding of their chosen monarch, then they enjoy the protection of that government. If they attack the shipping of their national government or fail to provide the country with a share of their profits, then all legal protection under the letters of marque are removed, and they are declared pirates that find themselves with a price on their head and are denied access to the various ports that they use to sell their plunder.

Privateering is governed by an internationally recognized set of rules, which means at least in theory that if they are caught by other nations, performing acts of piracy, they are considered enemy combatants rather than a pirate. This include Empire of Resha, Duchy of Mashrapur, Empire of Rinsha Adynshra, Barony of Michan, and the Kingdom of Nazhryn. Yet, the Duchy of Mashrapur, the States of Kraz Nal Tyr and the Haaran Empire of western Ta Los and the Kingdom of Nashatras, and Lathia of eastern Kralis do not observe these "niceties", treating any one that behaves like a pirate as a pirate.

Runnin' A Pirate Ship

There is a great deal to running a ship in general and this is the same as running a pirate ship. Most privateer and illegal pirate ships tend to arrive by night, leave by night and load or unload their holds during the night as well.

Once a pirate or privateer ships has set sail the captain will make for a small inlet or such in order to put forth the laws and formalities of the ship.

First the "presumed" captain will call forth for a vote of confidence in himself as captain of the vessel. It is at this time and no other a "presumed" captain maybe challenged for the position by another member of fit quality and has the backing of the rest of the crew. This is not considered a mutiny. The "presumed" captain and the challenger may each then state their cases as to why they should be the captain for the voyage. In general, these are settled with a vote by the crew, and tends to go the way of the "presumed" captain as he or she tends to be the person that has gathered the officers, is using his own ship and has somehow paid for all the supplies for the voyage. Challengers are generally voted down and left as a crewhand, but many times especially vengeful captains may have the interloper and challenger left a drift near an island with pistol with one shot and a cask of rum, other times they are through overboard, and still others they are keelhauled.

Second, the newly voted captain states the rules of the voyage (see below). These tend to be the usual rules at and an aye vote is called for.

Thirdly, the captain then explains the division of the booty.

Finally, the captain makes his speech of his and the crews intentions upon the voyage, which tend to always be to raid, plunder, and leave no foe alive or capture all foes for a bounty to be paid by slavers, kings, or governors of port cities or colonies.

Pirate Code

While nearly all pirates have a small personal code that they follow, there is a unifying Pirate's Code, as written by the Court of Pirates, and was authored by Sweeney and Teach hundreds of years ago. Since then it has been adopted by every pirate, and often privateers.

It is a long list of rules on how pirates are expected to behave and is meant to promote limited cooperation among pirates and to protect the acts of piracy in general. It is based on agreements and the running of the business of piracy.

• All adherents of the Code pledge to be bound together as a brotherhood of pirates, sharing alike in one's fortunes and troubles. Every member shall have an equal vote in the affairs of the moment and equal share of the provisions or strong liqueurs.
• Every pirate shall obey the Code. Anyone who fails shall be marooned on a desert island, and left ashore with a loaf of bread or hardtack, a bottle of water, and a pistol with one load.
• The captain of a ship is to be elected by a majority vote of its crew. If any time a crew, with sufficient evidence, finds their captain to be lacking in ability or offensive in nature, a new captain may be freely elected amongst the ship's members. The captain shall be made aware of the situation and will graciously step aside, assuming another position on the crew. Failure to follow this procedure will be deemed mutiny.
• Any pirate who has suffered an injury from pillaging, plundering, hijacking, swashbuckling, or other pirate duties shall receive compensation for the wound from common stock.
• Every pirate shall obey civil Command; the Captain shall have one full share and a half in all Prizes; the Master, Carpenter, Boatswain and Gunner shall have one Share and quarter.
• If any pirate shall offer to run away, or keep any Secret from the Company, he shall be marooned with one Bottle of Powder, one Bottle of Water, one small Arm and shot.
• Every member shall have an equal share of fresh provisions, however they may be acquired, and may take pleasure in such provisions at will, except in times of scarcity. Until said scarcity is voted over, it is necessary for the common good of the crew to adhere to rations. Anyone who takes more than his equal share of provisions at any time shall be marooned. Any Pirate susceptible of eating any foodstuff rendered pernicious shall see the ship surgeon post haste.
• Each man shall keep his weapon, whether it be a cutlass, sword, pistol, or other piece, clean at all times and ready for action.
• If a pirate is the first to locate a prize and should find among this plunder a weapon that is better than his own, he may take it as his own. The rest of the items will be chosen in turn with the captain first, master second, and so forth in seniority. Ship's musicians may lay claim to any instruments found among the spoils.
• No pirate shall strike another while on board the ship. In the event of such an occurrence, the quarrel shall be resolved on the shore by a pistol, sword, or in another agreed upon manner as deemed by the captain. Limbs or other body parts lost in duel are not to be compensated as those lost in battle.
• Lights and candles must be snuffed out of eight o'clock. If any man desires to drink after such time, he shall do so on the open deck without lights.
• Every member of the crew shall be allowed a shift of clothes. These may be obtained by plundering, stealing, or borrowing.
• If a pirate is captured by an enemy ship, he has the right to declare parlay, or temporary protection, until he may have an audience with the enemy captain. At this point, he cannot be harmed. Parlay is not considered concluded until said captives and captains have completed negotiations.
• The captain shall have 13 shares of a prize. The quartermaster shall have seven shares. The ship healer shall have one-and-one-half shares. The master gunner, carpenter, sailmaker, and boatswain shall receive one-and-one-quarter shares. All others shall have one share each. The company may vote to temporarily withhold the cook's share should his food kill a shipmate.
• He who falls behind shall be left behind.
• •Take what you can, give nothing back.
• Compensation shall be as follows, in pieces of silver:
  • Loss of right arm: 600
  • Loss of left arm: 500
  • Loss of right leg: 400
  • Loss of left leg: 300
  • Loss of right foot: 200
  • Loss of left foot: 150
  • Loss of eye: 200
  • Loss of ear: 30
  • Loss of finger: 50
  • Trigger finger: 100
  • Little finger: Life be cruel, mate
  • Head: A watery place to rest at the most.

In the event of the loss of a limb, the ship healer, engineer or carpenter may be able to restore lost appendages with what is laying around. Spare planks, iron rods or other miscellaneous items found on board may be rigged as a makeshift prosthetic. If injury is debilitating to the point of preventing a pirate from performing his duties as an able-bodied seaman, the quartermaster will provide a new assignment. Replacement limbs lost on duty should be compensated at no less than half-cost of natural limbs.