Pirates of the Sea of Shards

Career

Qualifications

Becoming a pirate is far more of a way of life, but if there is anything that makes a pirate its the desire for freedom. Pirates are a natural evolution of the Neflia Navy as their restrictive laws have put many into positions that force them to piracy.

Career Progression

Work and reputation are what elevates a pirate. It's a common courtesy among pirates that the ones with the highest bounty are generally more feared. Either its through brutality or wit.
Some pirates will go off on their own, at the grace of their captain to start a new crew and gain more renown. This is how the Mark of a Pirate can be spread among several pirate crews.
Some pirates will have multiple ships that are commanded by the leader of that group of pirates. There are even some pirate empires that have cropped up where pirate groups will cannibalize each other to increase their forces.

Payment & Reimbursement

Pirates are paid by their captain after a haul has been made. Generally, a captain will have a Quartermaster who will handle the actual payment. The more money the pirates bring in, the more they get paid. Some of the money will be used toward maintaining the ship.

Other Benefits

Aside from pay, the biggest benefit that a pirate receives will be their reputation. Pirates are known to defend each other so the threat of attacking a lone pirate could come with the consequence of retaliation. This is weighed against the fact that pirates are wanted criminals.

Perception

Social Status

Pirates exist outside the social heirarchy but still influence society as a whole. Many places controlled by Neflia or Southern Noshotan are quite hostile to pirates. There are pirate havens in which the entire port town is controlled by pirates. Several groups are actually supportive of pirates because of their protection and lack of governance over territories they do control.
This has brought strange standing of Pirate Hunters within society. They are vigilantes that hunt down pirates in exchange for a reward. Like pirates, they are both liked and despised by different groups.

History

Long ago, piracy on the Sea of Shards was generally unknown. It was when one pirate stood up against the colonial nature of the Neflia Navy that piracy truly became widespread. This so-called King of Pirates brought waves of piracy to the seas, a cultural uprising against Neflia. 
When the Neflia Navy finally caught him and sentenced him to death it only spurred on the revolution harder. Rumors spread of a secret hideout where he kept his treasure, but those are only rumors. Empires of pirates rose to take his place, but none have collectively captured the influence he had over all pirates.

Operations

Tools

Every pirate crew needs a ship and weapons. Without either, they will likely fail on their missions. A ship gives the crew a center of operations that is also mobile. A pirate at port is a vulnerable pirate. Without weapons, they cannot take goods from cargo ships or defend themselves from the monsters of the sea.

Type

Illicit

Legality

Pirates are outlawed by most governments. Piracy in the Sea of Shards is punishable by death by the Neflia Navy.