Capitals: Monmurg, Toll, Hool, Westkeep, Jetsom, Fairwind, Flotsam (ave pop 14,000)
Population: 100,000+, including few demi-humans, some humanoids (esp. from the Amedio Jungle and the seas). The majority of the populous are Rhenee or immigrants and refugees (or their descendents) from various other parts of Oerth, esp. the western countries
Resources: foodstuffs, sea-related resources
• Tey-uwani Rezit, cut-throat,
professional, necromancers, fast
• Hedgemi, cut-throat,
unpredictable, small ships (Fairwind??)
• Arja Mosvèil,
enlightened, good, small number of ships, entertainment, sell to other
sailors
The buccaneers of the Azure Sea and Jerlea Bay grew strong and wealthy when Keoland was at the height of its power, for the eyes of its leaders were turned northwards towards empire, and the sea raiders were ignored. These privateers took to calling themselves Sea Princes, after a particularly successful captain who was in fact of noble birth. Sailing unchecked from their island and mainland strongholds, these raiders were the scourge of the coasts from Gradsul to Scant, on the Pomarj, and even beyond into the Sea of Gernat and the Tilva Straight. When Keoland turned back from imperial expansion, her navy began to rebuild in order to check the threat of the Sea Princes--as they were now commonly known. Their numbers and strength had become so great, however, that the Keoish fleet, even with the aid of a squadron of Ulek warships, could at best deliver a sharp check to them (Battle of Jetsom Island).
The region is now 'ruled' by seven of the so called Sea Princes. The seven Sea Princes range from good to evil and can be male or female. Usually they are fighters or thieves or both. One is half-elivsh, and some elves serve him. One knows aquatic elves. Each has a palace, but there is no king. The area is chaotic, with each serving as a pirate king, but the title passes to a named successor, not through familial inheritance. Some have treaties, each has a cloud ship. One has a ship that can cast spells. Each has his or her own fleet and loyalists. While they tend to be based out of one city or another, each of the Sea Princes have loyalists and holdings in each of the major towns and ports.
Princes are really rich and give favors to captains. A Sea Prince will have boat captains who are loyal. If profits on the seas are good then the captain is permitted a healthy and comfortable retirement. Generally half the treasure goes to the crew, a quarter to the captain, and a quarter to the prince. Ships receive free repairs in dock and are provided with supplies.
How each one of the Sea Princes rules varies from Prince to Prince. Most are senior members of the Salvage Guild (the largets thieves guild in the Hold, or are their own Guildmasters). Some of the wealthy captains appoint lieutenants to command their ships, not in piratical or raiding activities in the Flanaess, but on expeditions to the Amedio Coasts and thence to trade northwards with the rare woods, spices, ivory, and gold which they wrested from the jungle savages. A few different groups of Sea Princes are often at war with merpeople. Sea Princes often steal huge gems and ruby scepters from merfolk. Any clerics in the area are pagan clerics, especially to gods of luck, or worship elemental water. The people are very superstitious.
Sailors overtaken by another Sea Prince who convert go into dry dock for a month then are considered loyal to the new ruler. Many sailors get tattooed when they work on a ship, sometimes with magical tattoos that grant flight or something else. When the Hold of the Sea Princes captures an outside ship, they take the sailors prisoner and ransom or kill the rest of the people.
Today the Sea Princes are still probably the strongest sea power, but they also have a small and efficient, if not peaceful, army. They do allow the use of slaves in their nation, despite strong protests from the Yeomanry. It is reported that the Princess of Monmurg would abolish this practice, but her fellow nobles (the Prince of Toll, the Plar of Hool, and the Grandee of Westkeep, along with the Commodores of Jetsom, Fairwind, and Flotsom) prevent it.
At the advent of the Dark Times, when the Keoish crown was stolen and many Keoish refugees were taking to the seas, the orcs of the Pomarj (and beyond) hired the Hold to deliver their armies and destroy the Keoish fleet stuck in drydock because of the stolen crown. With the destruction of the Keoish fleet, the Hold now reigns supreme over most of the Azure Sea. Only the warships of Gilgamesh of Nyrond or those of Thrommel of Furyondy give any challenge to the Sea Princes' ships and they are rarely south of the Relmor Bay or the Sea of Gernat.