Shackles Politics

The Shackles is a chaotic region, there is no consistent law, no elections and no outright leader. Just various power groups who have found ways to tolerate each other - most of the time. Cheating and bending the rules is part of the game. However …

The Free Captains of the Shackles operate like a massive rogues guild on steroids. They are, by far, the largest, most influential and feared of all the power groups, and control many of the ‘best’ islands. However, they are a collection of smaller, often ambitious, power groups who feud and vie for power and wealth. They have a simple hierarchy, and few rules and often vie with each other for prestige and position.

• The Hurricane King – Top Pirate who rules Port Peril.
• Pirate Lords – The Hurricane King’s Council of Advisors. The more powerful Pirate Lords rule independent cities and have the loyalty of quite large fleets - and are almost as powerful as the Hurricane King. Others might just control a town or a few ships in their fleet.
• Free Captains – Many associate themselves with Pirate Lords, forming the cliques and internal power groups within the Shackles Pirate organisation (If you can call it that). Other lead an independent life, travelling from port to port as they make their name and fortune. Influential Free Captains might command a small fleet of pirate vessels, others might just have a single vessel. However, all are semi ‘protected’ by the Shackles Flag, that doesn't mean to say they don't go after each other, there are plenty of examples of feuds between Free Captains and even Pirate Lords. It just means they don't go after each other without some sort of reason.

Other Pirates can live in some sort of harmony with the Shackles Pirates, but you need to be strong to survive. There aren't any rules about attacking pirates from another group. They are all fair game, it just means they aren't all hunted down as one group tries to take control.

Some 'Pirate Lordships' exist independently of the Hurricane King’s tentative control. For example, the Sublime Shogunate of Ushinawa on The Ushinawa Isles, Queen Bes on the Island of Besmara’s Throne, and the Shenchu Bay settlements all control significant fleets of their own.

The Bandu Fleet, a group of exiled hobgoblins who roam the high seas and offer their services as naval mercenaries to those who can afford them. They function as a mercenary navy for hire, willing to work for or with anyone who can pay them,

Independent Pirate Vessels, and their Captains, without the protection of one of the larger players, are seen as fair game by other pirates in the area – unless they are strong enough to hold their own, but then, other pirates are rarely worth it - it will probably be a tough fight for little reward. There is no ‘Brotherhood of the Sea’.

Other Lords, who aren’t necessarily pirates, rule islands as well. These include: The elven port of Alendruan Harbor ruled by “Queen Kaala of the Veil” and Sai Riang's Refuge where a monastery hosts pirates who have grown weary of their pirate lives. Again, they aren't worth attacking in force, although they may well be raided occasionally. And there are others.

Other powerful groups and individuals exist too. The Viridian Cartel is a group of unscrupulous merchants based out of Port Peril in the pirate islands of the Shackles. Led by the Katapeshi merchant Zeru Faizel, the Viridian Cartel is powerful enough to be able to negotiate directly with the Hurricane King. The great red dragon1 Aashaq is a priestess of the draconic god Dahak, and makes her home on the island of Dahak's Teeth in the Shackles. And there are others.

Humanoids, such as Goblins, Cyclopes, Cannibals and Harpies control many 'uninhabited' islands - and they are always good for raiding, although you might not get much from them.