Brethren of the Coast
The prisoners of La Bucca, led by the charismatic Allende, simulated an outbreak of White Plague that sent their guardians fleeing, as in canon Theah.
Allende is more of a figurehead in this world; still hugely charismatic and a skilled naval officer, he is also connected to the Rilasciare, which are dedicated to nonviolent principles. He's not a member himself, but he is sympathetic to their aims and goals. He relies much more on Alesio in dealing with the rougher aspects of pirate life.
The Brotherhood is most active against Castillian ships, as Allende is trying to weaken his brother's despotic grip on the nation.
The Hanged Man
Allende is the captain. He hopes that, by doing enough damage to Castillian shipping, he can gain the support of Leon of Montaigne. Without it, he dares not face down Sandoval, lest his brother take more permanent measures against him.
Alesio's goals are somewhat mysterious. She has great influence over Allende, but rarely exercises it. As a Fate Witch, she's thought to be a member of one of Vodacce's noble houses - but no one's sure which one, or if she's on the run from it or working for it. The casual brutality with which she recommends punishments to the bosun suggests Villanova, though.
The Sea Dogs
As the champion of the Queen of the Sea, Elaine maintains a fine navy. The Sea Dogs are her special forces, the ones she sends on personal errands, or lets loose upon the unsuspecting seas on their own recognizance. All that they do, they do to honor Queen Elaine... and Queen Maab. Sometimes the latter more than the former. Elaine, after all, remains in Caerleon, while the Dark Lady of the Deep is with them always.
The Black Dawn
Jeremiah Berek is another unfortunate man who's fallen under Elaine's spell. She smiled, once, when he presented her with a Castillian Prophets' Cross made of gold and pearls; he spent a year savaging other Castillian vessels, hoping for another trinket that would cause her to so favor him again.
Bloody Bonnie McGee has sworn herself to Macha, the battle-goddess of the Highlands. The bosun fights like a demon, and even the hardest members of the crew avoid the foredeck when she has prisoners to offer to the goddess. She bears an especial grudge against Captain Reis of the Crimson Rogers, who once escaped her makeshift altar. She considers him the property of Macha, and feels that she will be out of favor with the goddess until she gives him over to her keeping.
The Corsairs
Kheired-Din leads a small fleet of Crescent vessels, searching the seas for Syrneth relics. Like Vincenzo Caligara, Kheired-Din has had a personal experience with the ancient artifacts that drives him to seek them out. Unlike Caligara, he is not convinced that they are at all good for humanity. His broad, wide galleys provide stable floating laboratories upon which Crescent occult scholars can experiment with the artifacts, far from inhabited lands.
The galley rowers are a mix; some are Crescent prisoners, condemned to galley work for a number of years proportional to their crimes. Others are volunteers, either interested in the archaeological work being done, or else converted to Kheired-Din's idiosyncratic view of the Second Prophet and their religion.
The Strange Skies
Kheired-Din is the captain of this, his flagship vessel. An encounter with Syrneth technology has left him with a strange tattoo on his forehead and the inability to die. At the same time the tattoo was imprinted on his skin, he had a vision in a burst of light, which showed him angels of Theus and the Second Prophet doing battle in the skies above with demons armed with strange Syrneth-looking artifacts. While he is impressed with the tattoo's gift, and understands and sympathizes with Caligara's quest, the vision has made him suspicious. He wants to thoroughly understand what these artifacts mean and what they do, to better understand what it is Theus was showing him in that vision.
Edahgo is the chief rower. On the Strange Skies, all the rowers are volunteers; Kheired-Din will have no man or woman on board who does not believe in their mission. Edahgo exhorts his brethren as they work, setting the pace at his own oar and directing the beaters not to stint in keeping the rhythm should he tire.
Dalia is the reserved, bookish chief scholar who oversees the research efforts. She dresses modestly, in long, flowing garments and a veil over her hair. When the Strange Skies comes into port, or visitors come onboard, she veils her face as well.
The Northern Coastal Guard
As civil war tears at the northern islands, a dedicated group of seafarers came together to save lives. The Northern Coastal Guard, while comprised mainly of Vestenmannavnjar sailors, has sworn to protect and defend any man, woman or child of their islands in need of their aid. They patrol the slate gray seas, assisting storm-tossed fishermen or pirate-plagued merchants. Ships with marines prowl the coastal waters, darting ashore if they see a village under attack.
They will always take the defenders' side; if they cannot determine which side is which, they will stay out of the fray and simply pick up men thrown overboard. Sometimes they end up defending people who oppose their work for unity on the isles; they pray that this will change hearts and minds, rather than strengthen their enemies.
The Landvættirnar
("Guardian Spirits")
Yngvild Olafsdottir has, as in canon, suffered greatly at the hands of the Vendel. However, rather than seek revenge for her family and for herself, she turned her anger towards stopping future atrocities from afflicting other innocents. While she began her work focused on stopping Vendel from harming Vestenmannavnjar, she soon saw that brutal Vestenmannavnjar attacks on the Vendel only kept the fires of war burning. Her small fleet took a name, the Northern Coastal Guard, which suggested no allegiance to either side, or perhaps to both.
Red Thorfild is Yngvild's first mate. He was an early rescue and, to her surprise, he stayed her hand when she moved to kill a Vendel mercenary. "You have saved me," he said. "Now please, save my brother." She let the Vendel go. Yngvild, even years later, isn't sure if he was speaking literally or not. But the encounter was the one that changed her course to its current heading.
The Explorer's Society
Vincenzo Caligara has hired out several ships to search for Syrneth artifacts. They are rivals of the Corsairs, although encounters with them rarely turn bloody. Indeed, if everyone maintains a polite demeanor, the victors in their race for artifacts have been known to allow the losers a few supervised hours with the items. Even if they're only being permitted to watch while others do some preliminary experiments, it's better than nothing.
The Sea Dogs, on the other hand, are a plague. The Sea Queen apparently likes Syrneth artifacts - who knew? Society and Corsair ships are ripe targets for the Sea Dogs, who will take the loot and throw it overboard for Maab.
The Crimson Roger
Reis captains this, the Society's proudest ship. A scholar and a gentleman, he is more than capable of assessing many of the Society's finds personally. He maintains an even composure at all times, even when bantering with Bloody Bonny McGee at the end of her sword. While he has his famous scythe, he finds it most useful against Syrneth traps in the ruins - using it against another man would be entirely unsporting.
Jorn Kettle, a Vendel, serves as the first mate. Running from painful memories, he lets shipboard life absorb his attention fully.
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