Sea Princes, Hold of the

The buccaneers of the Azure Sea and Jeklea Bay grew strong and wealthy when Keoland was at the height of its power, for the eyes of its leaders were turned northward toward empire, and the sea raiders were ignored. These privateers took to calling themselves Sea Princes, after a particularly successful captain who was in fact of noble birth. Sailing unchecked from their island and mainland strongholds, these raiders were the scourge of the coasts from Gradsul to Scant, on the Pomarj, and even beyond into the Sea of Gearnat and the Tilva Strait.

When Keoland turned back from imperial expansion, her navy began to rebuild in order to check the threat of the Sea Princes, as they were now commonly known. Their numbers and strength had become so great, however, that the Keoish fleet, even with the aid of a squadron of Ulek warships, could at best deliver a sharp check to them (Battle of Jetsom Island).

This lesson caused their leaders to rethink their policies, however, and several of the wiser captains retired to mainland estates, appointing lieutenants to command their ships, not in piratical or raiding activities in the Flanaess, but on expeditions to the Amedio coast and thence to trade northward with the rare woods, spices, ivory, and gold which they wrested from the jungle savages.

Eventually, the mainland possessions of the Sea Princes amounted to more territory than their island homes, and they practiced little formal raiding. Today they probably are still the strongest sea power, but they also have a small and efficient army and are relatively peaceful traders.

If those people have a fault, it is that they allow the use of slaves in their nation, despite strong protests from the Yeomanry. It is reported that the Prince of Monmurg would abolish this practice, but his fellow nobles (the Prince of Toli, the Plar of Hool, and the Grandee of Westkeep, along with the Commodores of Jetsom, Fairwind, and Flotsom) prevent it.