Privateer's Fort

Summary

The Privateers are a gang of bandits, brigands, and outlaws, their presence a never-ending thorn in the side of the law. Traveling merchants and refugees are their preferred prey but their presence makes any travel outside of patrolled highways a dangerous prospect. Only loosely organized, their leadership congregates at a hidden fort deep in the Sharahan Woods. Initially dubbed the "Sand Castle" by its privateer founders for its flimsy construction and meager defenses, the fort has long outgrown its tongue-in-cheek moniker; decades of reinforcement to its wooden palisades, trap-setting, and strategic defense preparation have made the fort a formidable power base.

Rumors suggest that underground tunnels linked to the fort give the Privateers' easy access to many a secret cache and hideout.

Origin/History

It is said the Privateers' gang was initially formed in the wake of Sundren City's ascent to the skies during the Second Sundering. Those who were abandoned by the city had few options: most became refugees and fled to the various cities of the valley. Those who chose to remain could but turn to banditry. Eventually, these daring outlaws formed a loose collective (more out of desperation than any sense of cooperation). It was almost a surprising revelation that with cooperation came the ability to take on bigger targets, assail wealthier caravans, and plan more ambitious heists.

The fort itself was first used as a waystation and rest spot for smuggling operations up and down the Sharahan River. As the years passed and with the advent of organizations like the Vanitium, the Privateers' found a need for a more defensible headquarters. Hidden from unwanted eyes by nature itself, the Privateers have managed to fortify the location into a redoubtable stronghold in the years since the Second Sundering.

Some rumors suggest the Family are in some way affiliated with the Privateers but none have definitely proved a connection. What is certain, however, is that certain transports and shipments are never the subject of Privateer targeting.

Districts/Areas

• The Privateers' Lodge
• The Smuggler's Tunnels
• The Docks

Prominent Residents/Organizations

• Privateer Leadership

The gang's leadership has gone through so many names, they're almost too numerous to recount. A collection of outlaws is ill-suited to heed any one person's leadership for long; most are eventually overthrown in violent fashion. Thus, each Privateer leader's reign ranges from a week on the shorter end to a year on the longer. Even the most renowned of the Privateer Captains, Jessa Gowrawn - made infamous for her theft of an entire cache of Devin Altairese paintings - managed only to cling to leadership for six months before throwing in the towel, fearful she was about to be assassinated.

The gang's current captaincy rests in an uneasy stalemate between three candidates, each vying for supremacy over the others. A half-elf by the name of Moreau commands a lion's share of the smuggling operations while Tansie Wickett has the most heists under her belt. The third is known only as the Gutter, but whether that is because he was found in a gutter or because he enjoys gutting his enemies is unclear.