Resultados Escenario 3

Piracy is illegal in all of the Iron Kingdoms. Those captured for the crime of piracy are usually hanged on an execution dock by members of the naval authority, their bodies displayed in gibbets lining the docksides of major port cities. Though piracy is against the law in every mainland kingdom, there is a nebulous classification of sea robbery that falls entirely within the purview of law: privateering. A privateer is an armed private—that is, non-military—vessel that sets out to commit piracy, or “take prizes,” of legal targets. The nature of these targets is determined by a letter of marque and applies only to the governing body that issues it. A hazy distinction exists between pirate and privateer in western Immoren. A number of wanted pirates call themselves privateers, and some produce convincingly forged letters of marque. Equally common, authorized privateers often dabble in a little lucrative piracy and try to disguise these misdeeds by selling their stolen booty on the black markets.

The distinction between labels carries significant legal repercussions. A legitimate privateer captain bears a letter of marque, also known as a “reprisal and privateering commission,” that authorizes him to conduct acts of aggression against vessels of hostile foreign powers, including seizure of ships and their cargoes. Privateers captured by enemy navies can expect treatment as prisoners of war rather than immediate hanging as pirates. When interacting with authorities of Khador, Ord, or Cygnar, privateers have better odds of survival and greater opportunities to plead for freedom, though the Protectorate of Menoth and Cryx afford few such opportunities to privateers captured in their waters.

Ownership of a legitimate letter of marque does not guarantee safety, depending on the political climate. Some privateers find themselves cut loose during the transition from one sovereign to another.

The authority given to certain trading houses blurs the line between pirate and privateer even further. The trading houses are given a number of letters of marque that bear the official seals of their nation, and the traders are given authority to dispense them to whomever they please. On occasion, a naval officer will capture a pirate ship only to discover that it and its crew bear the full legal authority of his nation and by law must be let go.

cygnar

As the jewel of the Iron Kingdoms, Cygnar tries to maintain an air of legitimacy when dealing with privateers while simultaneously maintaining some of the strictest laws against piracy in western Immoren. By the letter of the law, the distinction between privateer and pirate is clear: only those captains and vessels issued an official letter of marque may legally seize, detain, and confiscate items from a ship suspected to be an enemy of the Crown and her interests. This is also true for privateers in the service of the Mercarian League, and any ship attempting such activities without official sanction is considered to be crewed by criminals and is subject to penalties under the law.

Nevertheless, in reality, this line can become blurred, as it is common practice for alleged pirate ships to be hired by the Royal Navy and Mercarian League as mercenaries for individual missions. Furthermore, certain disreputable ships receive pardons or even a letter of marque through the use of backroom deals and promises, but such corruption is difficult to trace and even harder to prove in a court of law. Cygnar’s seas abound with sailors who live in the uncertain space between legitimate privateers who serve the interests of king and country and miscreant pirates who prey on their countrymen as often as the ships of rival nations.

The letter of marque stands as one of the most honored traditions in the Cygnaran military, going as far back as the founding of the Royal Navy. This honor, bestowed upon only the most proven and trusted ships, is seen as both a sign of favor from the Crown as well as a major responsibility to uphold. While any ship can apply for this commission, only proven vessels are truly considered for acceptance. The competition for Cygnaran vessels to earn their marque is fierce, with many ships volunteering for dangerous patrols alongside navy scouting vessels or to protect shipments that must venture close to known Cryxian waters.

The ways a ship can serve the Crown are many, but nothing can guarantee an eventual letter of marque; it is not unheard of for ship captains to spend years trying to gain favor, only to have their ships and crews to end up at the bottom of the Meredius for all their trouble. The Naval Auxiliary Board, led by Vice Admiral Cassandra Mormont, oversees both the issuing of marques and the handling of all privateer affairs from its headquarters in Mercir.

Once a ship receives a letter of marque, its captain and crew become commissioned privateers and are considered members of the naval auxiliary, subject to all protections and obligations therein, as well as receiving the privilege of attacking and seizing enemy vessels and their cargoes for sale and profit. Officially, Cygnar prides itself on strict oversight of its privateers, holding them to a high standard. Any privateers abusing their commission may have their marques rescinded and face possible jail time. It is not easy keeping track of all privateer activities, however, as Cygnar boasts the largest stretch of coastal shores in western Immoren. Many crews, far from the oversight of the

navy, gradually resort to outright piracy. Some are driven by desperation when lacking legitimate targets, but others choose to cross into piracy out of simple greed.

Privateering for the Mercarian League may be the single most lucrative venture for any crew as well as the most dangerous. League ships present tempting targets for Cryxian and Ordic pirates and rival Cygnaran shipping companies alike, and escort ships face frequent engagements. To balance out this danger with equal reward, the Mercarian League includes a sizeable stipend as well as salvage rights for their ships. While the Mercarian League only officially recognizes privateers with a current and legitimate letter of marque from the Cygnaran Navy, they are known to be flexible, particularly when working with well-performing vessels or skilled crews. It is an open secret that the League is not above employing known pirate vessels, and those who serve the League’s interests may well find themselves pardoned by the government for minor or hard to prove crimes, even occasionally receiving an actual letter of marque from the navy. Such examples of graft and corruption from the Mercarian League and ranking naval officials are far more common than the military cares to admit, and on the rare case that proof is available, convictions have been known to happen.

In Cygnar, the penalties for piracy and privateers who abuse their commission are among the most severe in all of the Iron Kingdoms. In many cases, those only accused of piracy are subject to flogging, branding, and other abuses while awaiting trial, though the courts take a dim view of prisoner mistreatment at such a level.

Privateers who break the law not only have their commissions revoked but may be retroactively branded as pirates, facing the appropriate sentence of execution by drowning, hanging, or gibbeting. While the death sentence is usually reserved for the captain, first mate, and senior officers, it is not unheard of for an entire crew to be put to death, if their actions merit such severe punishment. Additionally, the Mercarian League is ruthless to those who cross them, placing some of the largest bounties in all of western Immoren on crews who betray or threaten their interests.

These bounties can become so large some captains find it difficult to gain protection in any port. Even in the relative safety of ports that cater to pirate crews, the allure of an immense bounty can turn pirate against pirate. For the worst offenders, the Mercarian League can even offer barristers to represent the crews of pirate ships who apprehend a notorious target, though such offers are extremely rare. One of the largest outstanding Cygnaran bounties is for the infamous Khadoran pirate “Mad” Ivan Ushkunik, who has not set foot off of his ship, the Broken Cutlass, for nearly thirty years.