Corsair Wars

A Mbe'ke dwarf.

Flag of the Shackles.

The Corsair Wars are series of wars between the Mbe'ke dwarves and the Shackles Pirates. As of 4721 AR, the Third Corsair War was ongoing.

History

First Corsair War (4607–4611 AR)

The Corsair Wars started with the First Corsair War, which lasted from 4607–4611 AR, just after the beginning of the Age of Lost Omens. The urbanized and industrial Mbe'ke culture traded wool, food, fine finished goods, and raw minerals such as gold along Garund's western coast. In return, the Mbe'ke received coin, rare hardwoods, textiles, and spices and silk from as far afield as Jalmeray and the anadi nation of Nurvatchta.

This wealth had always drawn the eyes of pirates, but the expansion of piracy in the Shackles soon changed these raids from isolated attacks into full-blown naval skirmishes. Pirate fleets descended on Mbe'ke merchant vessels to capture and pillage them, then escaped before cloud dragon allies of the Mbe'ke could come to the dwarves' aid.

Second Corsair War (4695–4699 AR)

During the Second Corsair War, which lasted from 4695–4699 AR, these skirmishes escalated twice into full naval battles, with both the Mbe'ke and the Shackles Pirates losing dozens of ships each.

Third Corsair War (4718 AR—)

The Third Corsair War, which began in 4718 AR and as of 4721 AR continued to rage, is set to be the bloodiest of the conflicts yet. Some amongst the Mbe'ke pushing to wipe the pirates off of the map once and for all.

It was hoped that the death of Hurricane King Kerdak Bonefist in 4715 AR would finally bring an end to this raiding, but when the former Chelaxian colony of Sargava underwent another revolution and became the free nation of Vidrian in 4717 AR, the Shackles Pirates lost a major source of income.

The pirates had long protected Sargava from the navy of Cheliax, which was eager to reclaim their rebellious colony, but their protection did not come cheaply. The people of Vidrian refused to pay the extortionate amounts that the pirates demanded and instead turned to Senghor for naval protection.

With their protection racket suddenly gone, the pirates who once grew fat off it became hungry for spoils again, starting the Third Corsair War with the Mbe'ke in 4718 AR.