Kerdak Bonefist

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Kerdak Bonefist

Externally hosted image

(Person)

Titles

Captain
Pirate lord
Hurricane King (4674–4715 AR)

Alignment

Neutral evil

Ancestry/Species

Human

Class

Fighter 8 / Inner Sea Pirate 10 ✝

Gender

Male

Homeland

Port Peril, Shackles

Organization

Shackles Pirates, Free Captains, Pirate Council

Died

ca. 4715–4717 AR

Companion(s)

Hyapatia

Images of Kerdak Bonefist

Source: Faction Guide, pg(s). 46

Published sources conflict on the year when Bonefist was deposed as Hurricane King. See Talk:Kerdak Bonefist/Conflicts.

Captain Kerdak Bonefist, the 13th and previous Hurricane King, was the leader of the Free Captains and accordingly effectively the head of state of the Shackles. He earned the position in 4674 AR by virtue of possessing the strongest fleet and holding Port Peril. Despite his fearsomeness, he maintained this position only so long as he retained the confidence of the Pirate Council, and lost his title to Tessa Fairwind in 4715 AR.✝ He subsequently died.

In addition to ruling Port Peril, largest of the ports of the Shackles, he also commanded the man-o'-war Filthy Lucre, flagship of the pirate fleet. Bonefist had an obsession with firearms, and owned a magical pistol which he claimed to have used to kill over a hundred people.

He wanted to wrest control of the free port of Ilizmagorti from the Red Mantis, but as of 4709 AR he had been unable to get the other captains to agree to support such a bold venture.

His fortress home in Port Peril was known as Lucrehold. However, he prefered to spend most of his time at sea, handing over the running of the city to the joint control of Sabas Odabio, Pherias Jakar, and Tsojmin Kreidoros.

Relatives

Bonefist was the son of a promiscuous pirate navigator and a nameless man whom she met in a tavern in Port Peril.

Associates

Bonefist's first mate and chief enforcer was Tsadok Goldtooth, whom he originally purchased from a fighting pit. He was responsible for granting Tsadok his last name, and Tsadok viewed him as his second father, the first man that treated him as a person since he was originally sold into slavery.

Bonefist's consort was the lamia matriarch Hyapatia, who often appeared as an unassuming human woman on his arm. She originally approached him when disguised to seduce him and control him as her pet Hurricane King, and although he saw through her real identity, he played along with her schemes until both discovered their true feelings for each other. Hyapatia refused all of Kerdak's offers to make her his official queen, preferring to remain in the shadows ignored by the other Free Captains; only Tsadok Goldtooth knows of her true identity.

Background

At a young age, Kerdak became cabin boy on the Rock Bottom under Captain Keelhaul Thurl, eventually becoming first mate. When the Rock Bottom ran into the Naiegoul, captained by the lich sorceress Raugsmauda, Thurl and most of the crew were slain, but Kerdak managed to slip into Raugsmauda's cabin. No one knows what transpired between them, but when Kerdak left the cabin, the Naiegoul vanished and Kerdak's right hand had become fleshless bone infused with necromantic energy. He renamed his ship the Filthy Lucre and took the name Kerdak Bonefist.

Bonefist's wealth and prestige continually grew due to his combination of piratical boldness, iron discipline, and efficiency. In order to prolong his life, Bonefist intercepted two doses of sun orchid elixir originally due for Ezaliah Thrune, earning him both Ezaliah's eternal hatred and the time he needed to amass power and allies. When his predecessor Skavender Pitch was killed, Bonefist seized power and became the next Hurricane King.

In 4712 AR, after 38 years of rule during which he seemed to have not aged at all, many Free Captains speculated that his time ought to be over and new blood was needed to revitalize the Shackles. Bonefist himself became bitter and paranoid that others might be plotting against him, and often dismissed the decisions of the Pirate Council in favor of the advice of his inner circle of associates. In 4715 AR,✝ his rule came to an end and he lost his title to the Free Captain Tessa Fairwind, who became the Shackles' Hurricane Queen in his stead.

References

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.

Preceded by Skavender Pitch

13th Hurricane King of the Free Captains Kerdak Bonefist 4674 to 4715 AR

Succeeded by Tessa Fairwind