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The Black Banner

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The Black Banner thrives in discord. It is not a fleet; it is an idea—and ideas cannot be sunk.
—Captain Veena of the Prim ROse Battalion, from Memoirs of an Open Sea

The Black Banner pirates are the scourge of the Outer Rim, a vast network of raiders, smugglers, and cutthroats united by little more than the infamous banner they sail under. Though thousands of ships claim allegiance to the Black Banner, their unity is more symbolic than structural; each captain operates independently, driven by personal ambition, greed, and the allure of freedom. Despite this anarchic structure, the Black Banner remains a formidable force, capable of spreading chaos across the seas and challenging even the mighty Prim Rose buccaneers.

At the helm of the Black Banner is Rhansmarc the Cruel, a ruthless leader whose name is feared everywhere in the White Sea. Rhansmarc’s personal fortress on the isle of Calypso serves as the closest thing the Black Banner has to a headquarters. From there, he coordinates raids to diminish the wealth and influence of Mariana Bay, targeting nobility who align with the Good Ladies. His cruelty is matched only by his cunning, and his ability to inspire loyalty among the Banner’s disparate captains ensures that his commands are heeded when it matters most.

While the Black Banner is primarily a maritime menace, its informal ties to the Dread Legion of Mordaine hint at a broader network of anti-establishment forces. This alignment has provided the pirates with weapons, supplies, and intelligence that make them a persistent thorn in the side of the Prim Rose. For the Black Banner, plunder is the means, and anarchy is the end.

The Banner’s strength lies in its adaptability. Without a rigid hierarchy, it is nearly impossible to eliminate entirely; for every ship sunk, another raises its flag. This decentralized nature also makes the Black Banner unpredictable, its captains operating as both allies and rivals to one another, driven by the tide of opportunity.

Adventure Hook

The Black Banner Pirates can be antagonists to the party or the basis of one. Did the Queen Who Lives find salvation among cutthroats? A high seas adventure can work, even if Rhansmarc the Cruel is their first introduction to power dynamics in the realm.

This campaign-spanning hook could set up a series of adventures for a pirate party. A charismatic Black Banner captain (a PC on the party, or a trusted NPC) seeks to unify the pirates under their command, challenging Rhansmarc’s authority. The party must decide whether to support this captain’s ambitions, aiding them in rallying the scattered fleet, or undermine their efforts to prevent a unified Black Banner from becoming an unstoppable force.

How might the captain’s vision for the Black Banner differ from Rhansmarc’s, and what implications does this have for the party’s decision?
What rivalries and betrayals within the Banner complicate the captain’s plans?
Could the party leverage the disunity of the Banner to weaken its power, or would that only create more chaos?

Tags: Regimes

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