Pirates

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Salladhor Saan's Crew by Nacho Molina © Fantasy Flight Games

Pirates or corsairs commit acts of robbery or criminal violence at sea, on shore, or in other major bodies of water, such as river or lakes.

Culture

Pirates make their dens upon the Stepstones and venture forth to prey on honest men.[1] Some pirates of the Free Cities and the Stepstones can be hired as sellsail companies.[2]

While the Qohorik rule the Qhoyne and the Darkwash north of Ar Noy, pirates are thickest on the rivers between Ar Noy and the Sorrows. There are pirates on Dagger Lake, which is full of islands where pirates lurk in hidden caves and secret strongholds. Pirates do not sail into the Sorrows, and the Rhoyne south of the Sarrows is held by Volantene galleys.[3]

The Basilisk Isles off Sothoryos are a base for corsairs who raid shipping in the Summer Sea for captives to sell as slaves in Meereen, Yunkai, and Astapor.[4][5] The northern coast of Sothoryos is navigable by the corsair's road.[6]

History

Older History

The Ravenry at the Citadel was the stronghold of a pirate lord during the Age of Heroes.[7]

Justin Milk-Eye was a pirate king who fought with Erich VII Durrandon over Massey's Hook.[8]

The Three Sisters have been a favorite haunt of smugglers for hundreds of years, and were pirate nests before that. The ancestors of House Borrell of Sweetsister were pirate kings until the Starks came down on them with fire and sword in the Rape of the Three Sisters.[9]

Recent History

Summer Sea Brigands by Mike Capprotti © Fantasy Flight Games

Pirates from the Stepstones attacked Cape Wrath while King Argilac Durrandon was preoccupied with Aegon's Conquest.[10] In 8 AC during the First Dornish War, a pirate king from the Stepstones transported Dornish raiders to attack the cape.[11] Pirates sacked Tall Trees Town in 19 AC.[12]

From 2930 AC, Prince Maegor Targaryen, Ser Osmund Strong, and Lord Aethan Velaryon led campaigns in the Stepstones to root out Sargoso Saan.[13]

The author of A Caution for Young Girls claims to have spent time as the plaything of a corsair queen in the Basilisk Isles.[14]

Corsairs from the Pepper Coast and pirates from the Stepstones supported Morion Martell, Prince of Dorne, in the ill-fated Fourth Dornish War in 83 AC.[15] After the Myrish Bloodbath of 9192 AC, the Archon of Tyrosh allied with pirate kings to force Myrish rogues from the Stepstones. The defeated Myrmen then established themselves as pirates on Tarth.[15]

In 96 AC, the Kingdom of the Three Daughters conquered the Stepstones and killed hundreds of pirates. Ten years later, Prince Daemon Targaryen and Lord Corlys Velaryon began their own war for the Stepstones against the Triarchy. Daemon called himself King of the Stepstones and the Narrow Sea.[16]

Racallio Ryndoon claimed the Stepstones for himself during the Daughters' War.[17] At the end of the war, Racallio fled his pirate kingdom[18] for the Basilisk Isles.[19]

Corsairs from the Basilisks captured highborn maidens from Volantis sailing to Westeros to attend King Aegon III Targaryen's Maiden's Day Cattle Show.[18]

Bellegere Otherys, the first Black Pearl of Braavos and the fourth of Aegon IV Targaryen's mistresses, was a pirate queen.[20][21]

Ironborn engaged in piracy during the era of Dagon Greyjoy, Lord of the Iron Islands.[22]

The Old Mother and Samarro Saan were pirates among the Ninepenny Kings.[23]

The Braavosi innkeeper Pynto was formerly a pirate.[24]

Recent Events

A Clash of Kings

Stannis Baratheon hires Salladhor Saan, a Lysene pirate self-styled as the Prince of the Narrow Sea, to provide him with more ships to aid in his battle for the Iron Throne.[25][26]

According to Xaro Xhoan Daxos, the Tourmaline Brotherhood of Qarth is full of pirates.[27]

A Storm of Swords

Three days before Daenerys Targaryen inspects Unsullied in Astapor, a corsair king was interested in purchasing one hundred of the slave soldiers.[28]

Ser Denys Mallister considers the ironborn to be pirates and thieves.[29]

A Feast for Crows

A corsair king has risen in the Basilisk Isles and raided Tall Trees Town in the Summer Isles.[30]

The Cinnamon Wind is attacked by pirates off the Stepstones.[31]

Aurane Waters flees King's Landing with the royal dromonds after the arrest of Queen Cersei Lannister. Grand Maester Pycelle believes that Aurane is sailing to the Stepstones to set himself up as a pirate.[32]

A Dance with Dragons

When Quentyn Martell sails incognito on the Meadowlark, pirates come aboard when the ship is anchored off the coast of the Disputed Lands; the crew fends off the pirates off at the cost of twelve lives.[33]

Two Lysene pirate ships, Goodheart and Elephant, capture free folk as slaves at Hardhome.[24]

The Winds of Winter

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Warning
This information has thus far been released in a sample chapter for The Winds of Winter, and might therefore not be in finalized form. Keep in mind that the content as described below is still subject to change.

Lady Nymella Toland tells Princess Arianne Martell that a new pirate king, calling himself Lord of the Waters, has set up on Torturer's Deep.[34]

Known Pirates

Quotes

Brothels are a much sounder investment than ships, I've found. Whores seldom sink, and when they are boarded by pirates, why, the pirates pay good coin like everyone else.[35]

When a pirate grows rich enough, they make him a prince.[26]

—thoughts of Davos Seaworth

Illyrio: Autumn is a season rife with storms, and pirates still make their dens upon the Stepstones and venture forth to prey on honest men. It would never do for my little friend to fall into such hands.

Tyrion: There are pirates on the Rhoyne as well.

Illyrio: River pirates. Cockroach captains scurrying after crumbs.[1]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 5, Tyrion II.
  2. The World of Ice & Fire, The Free Cities: The Quarrelsome Daughters: Myr, Tyrosh, and Lys.
  3. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 8, Tyrion III.
  4. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 8, Daenerys I.
  5. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 16, Daenerys III.
  6. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 56, The Iron Suitor.
  7. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 45, Samwell V.
  8. The World of Ice & Fire, The Stormlands: Andals in the Stormlands.
  9. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 9, Davos I.
  10. Fire & Blood, Aegon's Conquest.
  11. Fire & Blood, Reign of the Dragon - The Wars of King Aegon I.
  12. Fire & Blood, Three Heads Had the Dragon - Governance Under King Aegon I.
  13. Fire & Blood, The Sons of the Dragon.
  14. Fire & Blood, A Surfeit of Rulers.
  15. 15.0 15.1 Fire & Blood, The Long Reign - Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Policy, Progeny, and Pain.
  16. Fire & Blood, Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession.
  17. Fire & Blood, Under the Regents - The Hooded Hand.
  18. 18.0 18.1 Fire & Blood, Under the Regents - War and Peace and Cattle Shows.
  19. Fire & Blood, The Lysene Spring and the End of Regency.
  20. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 34, Cat Of The Canals.
  21. The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon IV.
  22. The Sworn Sword.
  23. The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys II.
  24. 24.0 24.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 45, The Blind Girl.
  25. A Clash of Kings, Prologue.
  26. 26.0 26.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 10, Davos I.
  27. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 40, Daenerys III.
  28. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 23, Daenerys II.
  29. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 78, Samwell V.
  30. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 21, The Queenmaker.
  31. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 35, Samwell IV.
  32. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 43, Cersei X.
  33. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 6, The Merchant's Man.
  34. The Winds of Winter, Arianne I
  35. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 35, Eddard IX.