Piracy in Tosgiv

For generations, the waters of Tosgiv have been a hotbed for smuggling, piracy, and other illicit activity. While most piracy occurs in the lawless regions further into the Feroz archipelago and offshore the Border Zone of Belar, the coasts of Abfall and Belar are far from safe. Criminal organizations from different cities frequently do business at sea, and have been known to bribe Imperial Navy officials to discreetly alter patrol routes. On rare occasions, rival organizations have been known to strike ports of coastal towns and cities in order to cripple or remove key assets from their adversaries.

In the far reaches of Feroz, piracy is far less organized and more of a free-for-all between various bands of outlaws banished from the Empire’s core territories, elements within the Imperial Navy, and groups aligned with the Ferozi resistance. Smuggling arms and supplies is a particularly lucrative business in this area for anyone willing to risk a confrontation with the Imperial Inquisition, as many leaders of upstart Ferozi communities are keen to pay good sums of money or resources for anything that can aid them in their struggle for independence. Many tribal leaders or even governors of Imperial colonies will let pirate vessels come and go freely, knowing there are benefits in keeping them on friendly terms. Many a tavern is packed with these individuals at night, where recruitment takes place and business is talked with a mug of Ferozi Rum in hand.

Offshore the Border Zone, the most popular activity for pirates is by far participating in the slave trade. While the Artesian town of Port Mallister is frequently attacked by mercenary forces paid for by the office of the Emperor themselves, frequent raids on Zattarian settlements near the coastline are orchestrated by individual slaving companies that have no problem aligning themselves with known outlaws or pirates to get the job done. Captured slaves are often transferred at sea to ships that have no troubling legally bringing their morally questionable goods into the main ports of Abfall, where most auction houses are situated.