The Free Republic of Skaisles

The Free Republic of Skaisles is a loose union of independent jungle islands, each under the rule of an ancient metallic dragon. These local lords attempt to impose order on a lawless sea, but face fierce opposition from pirate fleets helmed by their chromatic cousins. Trade and fishing are the lifeblood of the region, but piracy is a constant as well.
Far beneath the waves, small villages and settlements of sea elves, triton, locathah, grung, water genasi, and even some vedalken are rife for trade—or for plunder—by the overseas sailors. Some of these cities, however, are guarded by fearsome gem dragons...
Our Jewel of the Brighter Tides is the largest local undersea city, built in the shallow trenches beside a desert island on which surface-dwellers can do simple trade with denizens of the deep. A large population of tortles live in peaceful villages on the topside island’s beaches, protected by the depths occupied by gem dragonborn and triton. Many vedalken act as go-betweens.
Many of the republic’s citizens are dragonborn of a hue matching their local draconic ruler. That said, the Free Republic is perhaps the most cosmopolitan region of the Brights overall, as people of all walks, races, ethnicities, and backgrounds can find a place so long as they know how to work.
The seas of the Skaisles are ravaged by roiling storms and waves flooding out from the center of Kazja's Eye, a massive and eternal storm off the northeastern coast of Dhulwin. Few ships have delved into the storm and survived.

Map of the Skaisles

The Lost Starstone

Long ago, the ancient empires that once controlled the Skaisles rose with the power of the Sapphire, a Starstone possessing legendary power. Wars were waged and cities were born from the light of the stone's Ancient magic.
And then, one day, during the height of Thanarian civilization... the Starstone vanished. No records remain of what happened to it.
In the modern day, nobody remembers exactly what the Sapphire was capable of doing. Some rumors say it could turn worthless stone into gold, while others whisper of an undead captain of the seas that uses it to command his ship of bone. Many a brash captain has followed a map purporting to lead to the location of the Sapphire, but none have succeeded in finding it... yet.

The Dragon Rulers

The Skaisles are controlled by a coalition of ancient metallic dragons, each of whom controls a part of the region's lands and waters.
Sun Wu, an ancient gold dragon, is the master of Gold Mountain. Built upon the last remnants of Thanar’s empire, deep within the jungles of the Skaisles, Gold Mountain is fierce, strong, and righteous, with a proud population of tabaxi and many lizardfolk settlements within its purview, serviced and governed by Sun Wu’s dragonborn guard.
Ao Lie, an ancient silver dragon, is the master of the Singing Isles—a beautiful, isolated sanctuary home to many air genasi, eladrin, elves, and the occasional human. Ao Lie is reclusive and seeks to keep her lands safe and protected from corruption and brigandry.
La Almirante, an ancient bronze dragon, commands the Stormcaller Coalition and is the master of Sancta Clara. From there, her militant fleet leaders direct their ships in coordinated attacks on the lawless corsairs that roam the seas, seeking to expand their power and impose united order on the Skaisles. The Stormcallers are mostly dragonborn, but many hobgoblins, leonin, minotaurs, and humans are present as well.
Sha, an ancient brass dragon, is the master of Hundred-Docks—a floating pirate haven constructed entirely of unmoored docking. Hundred-Docks is a universal port-of-call with almost no long-term citizens but many people passing through. It is famously lax in regulation but for one rule: Hundred-Docks is a safe haven. No fighting within its borders.
Xuanzang, an ancient copper dragon, is the master of Port Jinxing—the settlement with the largest human population in the Skaisles, predominantly based on the largest island to the far west and Dhulwin’s most frequent trading partner in the region. The port is rough-and-tumble, but much less dangerous than most other areas in the Skaisles.
These metallic lords are not alone, however. They are matched in ambition by Carmen, the Pirate Queen, an ancient red dragon in human form and the self-declared master of the lawless fleets of the Skaisles. She and her Blackcoat Fleet control Washwither, an illegal pirate city built on the edge of Kazja’s Eye, in a cove encircled by stone ridges with only one way in or out, constantly whipped by battering storms that protect it from Stormcaller incursion. Any manner of business can be done here, but every transaction pays the Pirate Queen.

Ships and Fleets

The Skaisles are home to many a crew looking to make a name for themselves. Some of the most powerful and numerous are detailed below...
The Stormcaller Coalition: Under the command of La Almirante, the Stormcaller Coalition imposes military order on Sancta Clara and surrounding islands, escorting trading vessels to ensure safe passage and conducting operations in attempts to eliminate all other fleets that threaten peace and control in the Skaisles.
The Blackcoat Fleet: Blackcoaters consider themselves the personal crew of the Pirate Queen. They maintain order in Washwither and adhere to a code that emphasizes loyalty, ruthlessness, efficiency, and cunning.
Jessan’s Keelhaulers: A lawless fleet named for their deceased founder who spend almost as much time brawling with each other as they do pillaging any ship within cannon distance.
The Children of Kenzo: A young organization founded and led by Neith, an earth genasi woman, and Ghesh, a sapphire dragonborn man, who believe that precious jewels belong to their god. They attack and destroy pirate and merchant ships and offer the precious goods they claim in tribute to Kenzo.

Making Money, Digging Gold

As the prime sea-passage between Dhulwin and Threshold/Ilkatu, the Skaisles enjoy a great deal of kickback from trade—primarily carrying things to Dhulwin, since that kingdom’s Starstone makes outward trade much easier than inward. The majority of the population are dockworkers or sailors, though the undersea is largely pastoral fisherds.
This also means a great deal of opportunity for intrepid pillagers to make a fortune on the high seas by preying on lonely merchant ships, as well as for black market goods to pass hand-to-hand. Almost all folk in the Skaisles have at least one finger in an illegal pie.
Not all raiding in the Skaisles is done to the living, however. Short of some regions of the Gloom, the jungles of the Skaisles boast perhaps the largest density of Ancient remnants and ruins. Even the cities left behind by the Yezec hold wealth yet to be discovered, and the high density of dragon lairs means that hoard-hunting is a popular (if short-lived) occupation among the most capable... or the most foolhardy.

“They call it tha’ ‘cuz it’s a bastization of the word ‘skulls’, innit?”
“You clod. It’s a portmanteau of ‘scales’ and ‘isles’—for the dragons.”
“Well, I think it’s because the sky is real pretty.”

Type

Island