Sky Piracy
Sky piracy is the use of skycraft, whether of traditional or titancraft nature, along with threat of arms to force another vessel to give up its cargo, to take another vessel into possession by force, or to pillage a town or settlement. Sky piracy is illegal is nearly every state of the world of Asdar and often punished by execution.
History of Sky Piracy
Sky piracy has existed in the Pallathantic since the advent of skycraft in the first millennium before Salmakhamer. Before this time, only legends of magical beasts and powerful wizards tell of any activities that could be compared to piracy. For roughly the last five centuries of the first millennium before Salmakhamer, Sky piracy consisted of little more than cattle runs against the cattle drives and herds of other chieftains ruling the neighboring high valleys of the great Shadevan Plateau. With the ever-expanding range of skycraft and the introduction of titanships in the past three hundred years, sky pirates have become cleverer and more resourceful.
2500’s
Talaqin the Moonshirker
Over the great wastes of central Weshif passed many skycraft with fine goods and passengers en route to greener skyports. These sometimes fell prey to air pirates who were willing to endure life in bleakness of the desert. Among these pirates, there arose a skyman and brigand known for his night-time forays. Talaqin the Moonshirker who became known for downing and pillaging craft on the occasion of new moons. His privations became so infamous that only well-armed skycraft captains would attempt to cross Weshif. Conversely Talaqin favored the days of the full moon.
Privateering in the late 26th Century
After the defeat of the New Kalikán Empire, privateers were commissioned by Stalcast Bijäl against the Gorcorumbese Empire. These smaller craft were not well suited to great speed of the larger, swifter titancraft vessels of Gorcorumb. During the years of 2582 to 2586, only one ship was captured and the policy of privateering against Gorcorumb was abandoned until humans acquired titancraft air vessels.
2600’s
The practice of sky piracy on Asdar more closely resembles sea piracy. A predacious vessel runs alongside the skycraft which it intends to loot, threatening the crew and passengers with death if they resist. Sky piracy was not tolerated in the Memnosian-Pallathantic Region, but flourished in the eastern Turtle Sea which became virtually governed by so called pirate lords. In the Pallathantic, the ubiquitous presence of military vessels of sea and air of the Aurician Empire, Asbardy, Ithatia, and other states made piracy a dangerous proposition and a career of piracy was certain to end shortly in execution for the perpetrators. There were frequent occurrences of Sky piracy in the Jukk Sea and the Titans Sea and over much of central Weshif. Gorcorumb’s loss of its Danonan Empire brought new opportunities to air pirates, especially in the beginning of the 27th century when the technology of titancraft air vessels was still in its infancy. Sky piracy was tolerated over the outlying regions of Jhaadi Zhumzur unless military craft and official skycraft were threatened in which case it was brutally suppressed by the Jykks.
Qahzher of Zanqir
Qahzher of Zanqir, a jykki orc, was active in the early 27th century (ca 2595 to 2619), in the Zanqir Wastes, southeastern Great Jawachi Wastes, the Jukk Sea, and the Strait of Ummak. Qahzher acquired two smaller titancraft vessels which had been abandoned by the Gorcorumbese at the end of the Fifth Geddamin, such vessels being extraordinarily rare. Qahzher through his network of air pirates and informants learned how to repair and activate the vessels and one of them became his flagship. He attacked and a boarded at least fifteen large skycraft over Danona during his career. The ruler of what became Jhaadi Zhumzur attempted to recruit Qahzher on several occasions into the jykki skyforce, but Qahzher refused and was nicknamed the king of the air pirates. He made sure to give tribute to the ruler of Jhaadi Zhumzhur to assuage any feelings of jealousy.
2700’s
Sky piracy continues to flourish in the eastern Turtle Sea. Sky piracy continues in central western Weshif, the Great Jawachi Wastes, and the Jukk Sea. Pirates are mostly of human and half-jykk heritage and bootleg illegal wares and stolen goods. Stolen titancraft parts, illegally mined panox, unlicensed and counterfeit licensed books, and illicit drugs such as euphorium are among their favored cargo.
See Also
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