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Pirate

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JollyRoger-2e

A Jolly Roger

A Pirate is, by definition, anyone who robs passing ships or commits "illegal" violence in wildspace.[1] They are opportunistic predators who prowl the spacelanes, attacking and capturing spelljamming vessels for any loot onboard.[2] Known among the more fastidious as "freebooting" or "swashbuckling", piracy is a relatively common occupation among space crews, and there are as many cities whose economy is based on piracy as there are based on trade (they are, of course, made of the same coin, and a pirate one day may be a trader the next).[3]

"Where people are moral, laws are unnecessary; where people are immoral, laws are broken."
- excerpt from Memoirs of a Far-Ranger by Justin Moot.[4]

Piracy[]

While the idea of pirates in the vastness of wildspace may seem somewhat ludicrous, existing trade routes make the practice much more feasible. As merchants strive to make their lives easier by establishing set schedules and ship movements, they also make themselves targets for spelljamming pirates. Successful pirates know just where to find the ships that are likely to be loaded with resalable booty, as well as those that are the furthest from immediate aid. Merchant guards do what they can to keep pirates in check, but there are still quite a few pirate groups active along various routes.

More commonly, pirates hide within inhabited asteroid belts, preying on the unwary. Such belts have few established trade routes because the next port is only a few million miles away, less than a day's trip for many spelljamming craft. This means that there are no "protected" places where traders can travel. They must instead rely on hired swords for protection, which cuts down on their cargo space. Greedy merchants have tried to "speed run" through pirate infested areas, relying on sheer swiftness to get them through. Because pirates have developed traps and tactics specifically to deal with these "fat purses", such runs rarely succeed.

The most effective pirates are those of the goblinoid races, who seem to strike at random. The goblinoids have taken up residence in the more remote areas of many asteroid belts, using their stealth and skill at maneuvering to avoid law enforcement and bounty hunters alike. Human pirates aren't rare, either. Some prefer to work from within the system, hiring on as mercenaries aboard a merchant ship, then "liberating" it after the vessel is well out into wildspace. Such tactics are even sanctioned by various governments and these "privateers" are granted charters to prey upon the vessels of enemy nations.[5]

The best of the pirates cut a swath across the stars, attacking neogi, beholders, or enemy nations;[2] legendary heroes who are kind to the weak and dangerous to the strong. The worst are the marauders and reavers, who leave a trail of blood floating in the void. Both are hunted by whatever local authorities exist, but the reavers are shown no mercy.[3]

Pirate flags[]

A black flag emblazoned with a red neogi skull, also known as the "neogi skull", is a near universal symbol used by space pirates,[6][7] though the traditional "skull and crossbones", also known as the "Jolly Roger", remains a favorite with pirates everywhere.[8] A red flag, also known as the "bloody flag", is flown if "no quarter" is to be given, meaning that no prisoners will be taken.[9]

Official pirates[]

While the terms "pirate", "privateer", and "corsair" are used interchangeably by most folk, there is a significant difference between the three: pirates are essentially criminals who attack shipping when the opportunity presents itself, whereas privateers and corsairs are semi-legitimate raiders that are commissioned by governments to attack certain targets within their sphere of influence.[1] Where privateers are agents of war and intrigue, corsairs are agents of the law.[10]

Privateer[]

"Pirate or privateer: what's the difference? To the victim, none whatsoever."
- from a conversation with Virth Blackhand.[11]

A Privateer is a free agent hired or commissioned by a government to attack or harass enemy ships.[3][12] A privateer, then, is an official instrument of national policy, given authority by documents called "letters of marque" to act as a pirate... but only against enemy vessels. A privateer will usually hoist their employer's flag while in action, whereas a pirate may sail under false colors long enough to get close to their target.[1]

Apart from the official niceties, however, there are few differences between pirates and privateers... particularly if your ship happens to be their selected prey.[1] During wartime, being a privateer can be particularly profitable, and many shipowners offer their services as commerce raiders to one side or the other. These privateer captains are hardly more than pirates seeking some legitimization of their trade,[12] and showing little concern for details, have been known to "accidentally" attack friendly ships.[3]

Despite their role, privateers are not always law-abiding. They pursue their enemies (who may merely be flying the flag of a rival nation}, capture their ships and treasure, and return a portion (sometimes a small portion} to their home nations. Their "letters of marque" lose significance the further they get from their home ports, and generally speaking, a privateer's right to intercept other vessels terminates at the edge of their home sphere. (In spheres with multiple spacefaring civilizations, the zone of control may be even smaller.) Some privateers, particularly those who operate as pirates on the side, do not stop at their official borders.[13]

A privateer has the right, under "letters of marque", to legally stop any ship within their home port's sphere of control. "Home port" need not be a planet; it could be a fixed base or even a fleet flagship. Within the sphere of control, the privateer may legally stop vessels, board them, assess customs duties, and seize contraband. Privateers are paid by the cargo seized and taxes collected, keeping l0% of the contraband and duties collected to pay expenses and reward the crew. The privateer must return to their home port regularly (at least every six months) to report on their activities, and of course to surrender 90% of the value of the cargoes and ships they may have seized. Many privateers withhold more than 10% of their loot, risking discovery and prosecution.[14]

Corsair[]

"FREEZE! Don't move! I'm here to check your ship for contraband, and by all the gods, we're going to take your ship apart to the last board and nail to find it."
- Jullett Friessander, the Mad Corsair.[15]

"Good day, gentlemen. I'm here to check you ship for contraband. I'm in a hurry, though, so if you could show me where it is, we can get on with this."
- Astonin Werfman, the Lazy Corsair.[16]

A Corsair is a free agent hired or commissioned by a government to attack and board suspicious or known criminal vessels within their sphere of influence. A corsair is therefore a semi-official agent of the law, authorized under "letters of marque" to seek out pirates and other criminals and bring them to justice (all the while profiteering off their booty). Corsairs are essentially free-lance customs agents, border patrol and the first line of defense for many spacefaring communities.

A corsair has the right, under "letters of marque", to legally stop any ship within their home port's sphere of control. "Home port" need not be a planet; it could be a fixed base or even a fleet flagship. Within their sphere of control, the corsair may legally stop vessels, board them, assess customs duties, and seize contraband. Contraband may be any item that is illegal to import or export, or an item for which the proper taxes have not been paid. Corsairs are paid by the cargo seized and taxes collected, keeping l0% of the contraband and duties collected to pay expenses and reward the crew.

The corsair must return to their home port regularly (at least every six months} to report on their activities, and of course to surrender 90% of the value of cargoes and ships they have seized. In addition, the corsair may be sent on a particular mission. The cost of mounting the mission (including paying their crew] is borne by the corsair, though as with all of their other activities they may keep 10% of what they capture. Finally, a corsair is obligated to defend their home port, which can be something of a chore if the neogi show up, and the corsair would much prefer to head for safer regions.[13]

Appendix[]

See also[]

External Links[]

References[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Nigel D. Findley, SJA2 Skull & Crossbows, 1990, (TSR Inc.), chapter 1: Pirates & Corsairs, page 6
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Curtis M. Scott, CGR1 The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook, 1992, (TSR Inc.), chapter 8: Campaign Design, page 99
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Jeff Grubb, AD&D Adventures in Space, Lorebook of the Void, 1989, (TSR Inc.), chapter 1: Campaigns in Space, page 10
  4. ↑ Nigel D. Findley, SJR6 Greyspace, 1992, (TSR Inc.), sidebar, page 35
  5. ↑ Sam Witt, The Astromundi Cluster, The Celestial Almanac, 1993, (TSR Inc.), Trade And Piracy chapter, pages 12-13
  6. ↑ Nigel D. Findley, The Cloakmaster Cycle, Into the Void, 1991, (TSR Inc.), page 17
  7. ↑ Nigel D. Findley, SJA2 Skull & Crossbows, 1990, (TSR Inc.), chapter 1: Pirates & Corsairs, page 9
  8. ↑ Dale "Slade" Henson, War Captain's Companion, War Captain's Guide, 1992, (TSR Inc.), Signal Flags sidebar, page 9
  9. ↑ Dale "Slade" Henson, War Captain's Companion, War Captain's Guide, 1992, (TSR Inc.), Signal Flags sidebar, page 8
  10. ↑ Curtis M. Scott, CGR1 The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook, 1992, (TSR Inc.), chapter 3: Spacefaring Kits, page 54
  11. ↑ Nigel D. Findley, SJR6 Greyspace, 1992, (TSR Inc.), sidebar, page 17
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Richard Baker, SJR5 Rock of Bral, 1992, (TSR Inc), part 1: The Crossroads of Wildspace, page 30
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Curtis M. Scott, CGR1 The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook, 1992, (TSR Inc.), chapter 3: Spacefaring Kits, pages 30-31
  14. ↑ Curtis M. Scott, CGR1 The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook, 1992, (TSR Inc.), chapter 3: Spacefaring Kits, pages 54-55
  15. ↑ Curtis M. Scott, CGR1 The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook, 1992, (TSR Inc.), sidebar, page 29
  16. ↑ Curtis M. Scott, CGR1 The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook, 1992, (TSR Inc.), sidebar, page 30
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