Rhansmarc the Cruel

The Good Ladies say they worship Tephratigo, who is the god of storms. They think from their little fortress on the Mariana they can act like police, taking tribute from the islands. When was the last time a Good Lady visited the Calypso, eh? Ten years? Twenty? How do you fight a famine or a hurricane with your pretty boats, Captain Veena? My people know Tephratigo. We know he is not a thing to be worshiped.

Rhansmarc the Cruel

Rhansmarc is a terror of the Merrivale Islands, having pilfered his way to fame and riches when he was but a penniless boy eking out a pitiful existence on unknown islands in the Outer Rim. The legendary Captain Black took Rhansmarc under his wing when he was known as Esteban of the Calypso, but ultimately Rhansmarc betrayed his surrogate father and returned to the Outer Rim.

Rhansmarc always dreamed of conquering both Mariana Bay and the high seas. He is completely merciless, and his crew, the Black Banner pirates, are made up of some of the most dishonorable criminals and vagabonds the world has ever seen.

Adventure Hook

Rhansmarc and Captain Veena have beef that goes back decades. After Rhansmarc defeated Captain Black, Captain Veena took command of the Dauntless and inherited the supernautical airforce that is the Prim Rose Buccaneers.

Weaving the party's ambitions into the feud between these two captains can be done either by tying their story hooks into the struggle between Mariana Bay and the Outer Rim, or by creating a vested interest in the outcome of either party's goals. Teaming up with Captain Veena means bringing Rhansmarc to justice; teaming up with Rhansmarc the Cruel means undermining Veena's authority on the White Sea.

The most important thing to remember, however, is that the series of adventures that culminate in these two facing off can't center on the conflict between Rhansmarc and Veena, as they're merely NPCs. Use these sessions to get the PCs invested in the people of the Merrivale Islands, whether that be the lawless but free inhabitants of the Outer Rim, or the noble Prim Rose Buccaneers who wish to bring peace to the whole of Merrivale.