She unfurls her vast sapphire body, revealing herself to me. And I am seduced.
							Vance Danatar 2994-3064 A.C.

There is only One that  pirate-princes, poet-pirates, pirates operating as spies (see chapter 7 titled A Spyglass for Galea) and the average resident rogues & scoundrels of the Pirate Archipelagoes have all held  in the utmost highest regard. She commands their respect, their love, and their fear. She is the sea. Almost every aspect of these ‘island-towns’ centers on the love, respect, and healthy fear of this fickle and dangerous mistress. Dating as far back as 23 B.C., early seafarer’s gave the sea the name E’maralda. In deference to the sea, the pirate’s named the first major town of the Archipelagoes Emeralda in 500 A.C. Even how the pirate’s govern each “island-town”  pays tribute to their respect to the sea. The Battle Royal is used to choose a Pirate-Prince who demonstrates prowess with the blade, a strong command & trust of their crew, and excellent seamanship skills. Pirates of any ‘island-town’ have the utmost respect for any man (or woman) if he (or she) can demonstrate a mastery in  these skills by defeating their opponent while dueling on a thin plank loosely anchored between two sailing ships in extremely choppy waters.  But just who were the early inhabitants of the islands and how did they get to be a seafaring people whose preferred chosen livelihood  is piracy?. 
Much  scholarly debate exists over whether the islands had a native population that ventured into piracy or if there was a flux of inhabitants that originally came from the mainland seeking  a new way of life. There is enough  evidence to support both camps, such that one theory has emerged that is garnering much scholarly support. Broken and decorated pottery found in half-buried buildings just south of the town of Emeralda and aural stories that have passed down many a generation have told of a large number of  non-natives escaping “Vainar’s deadly breath” .  The stories and drawings suggest that there was a large exodus of people that set out to escape from a terrible curse from 300 B.C. to 290 B.C. This time frame is in direct correlation to when Vainar unleashed a terrible plague that decimated some populated areas of Shaintar.  If the stories are to be believed then the Archpelagoes was originally a safe haven where  survivor’s fled to  escape the plague known as Vainar’s Curse.  Aside from a few stories sung and broken pottery not much else is known about the daily life of the early  inhabitants. In fact, there is not a mention of the Archipelagoes in most historical records until roughly 255-250 A.C. which not surprisingly coincides with the beginnings of greater sea travel and the building of a  port at Lanthor. Then begins mention of strange ships with flags bearing skull & crossed bones. Sea travelers mention friendly encounters with Archipelago crews. Stories of which tell that the skull & crossbones flag is meant  to fool Vianar into believing it was a ghost ship so as to ward off the Curse. Trade is opened up with the Archipelagoes. The Archipelagoes also taught their superior seamanship skills. This arrangement worked well up until 463 A.C. There are many theories as to why the island inhabitants turned from a peaceful trading people to a people whose lot in life was piracy. Theories range from simple human greed to a change in work ethic, to bad encounters with the Kal Empire, to a natural disaster. It is simply not known what the catalyst was. What is known that starting in 463 A.C, the people of the Archipelagoes became the bandits of the high seas whose economy is driven by easy profit and inter-island trade of the best darn spirits that ever laid you on your backside with one sip (the stuff that makes it back to the mainland is not worth dragon spit). In 480 A.C. the mapmakers changed the name of the island chain to the Pirate Archipelagoes and so it remains so to this very day. The Pirate Archipelagoes continues to draw rogues, scoundrels, explorers, and romantics who seek high sea adventures and danger to spare.   

						Jonkeph Skein
                                                                                               Through the Spyglass