Raven Privateers

Raven Privateers
Once they were the miners and guards to the vast tunnels and complexes that sprawled under the colony like roots of a tree, spreading further and further down, tracing the blue life blood of the colony ever downward. Then the Fall and the Mutant wars hit and that all changed. The mine had originally been built with housing the working populace close to their work site to enable rapid mobility in mind, and as such most of the miners and local security patrols families lived in the habitation complexes built into the quite literally the bedrock of the colony itself. As the mine shafts expanded into sprawling tunnels, large scale barges and patrol cutters began to become a normal sight in the mine tunnels as the works dove ever deeper into the planets crust in search of the illusive “Blue Gold”. Eventually they became a core component of the miners work, carrying the increasing amounts of Tetracite material back to the surface for processing, and assisting them in establishing deeper mining complexes and barge ports to work from as they moved kilometre by kilometre into the planet’s core. Then the fall happened as the mutant wars hit. No one is quite sure where they came from, but as the miners of the colony dove deeper some broke threw into an extensive network of catacombs and tunnels like that of a giant nest of ants, this is where the mutants came from. They soon over ran the fleeing miners and initial patrols sent to fight them. During this time the Giant ore barges and patrol cutters banded together in loss packs of squadrons, saving as many of the populace as they could and sealing themselves within where they could, and getting as many people into the central habitat as their engines would allow them to carry. This combined with the colony wide depressurisation saved thousands of lives of those in the mines, though many times this number were lost either failing to get to a safe area and being torn apart by the mutants as they overran the mines, or suffocating to death in the cold of the airless colony.

What followed is simply known as “The Troubles” for the generations that came afterwards, once the survivors had come back out of the sealed barges or habitats, a few found that those in command of the old docking ports were none too keen on sharing what little they had. This scene repeated itself throughout the mines as docking ports and squadrons of survivors broke out into inter-scene war of survival with ships raiding others and docking ports and docking ports manning the ports old defences to battle marauding squadrons of ships. For years this continued, until one day one of the surviving ports; locally known as HomeDown, found itself under attack by a raiding squadron of ships, Manning their defences they found another squadron moving in and engaging the original raiders, shielding the port from further attack and bringing the attacking group down in a hail of Scratch built cannon fire and torpedo batteries. This was the beginning of the change; this was the “Admiralty”, a group of likeminded captains of miner crewed barges and descended Security cutters that began to reconnect the ports and organise the defenders, taking Roving squadrons by negotiation or by force of fire if necessary. Soon the major surviving ports and their squadrons found they were not alone, and they could hold back the tide in the tunnels and begin again. The newly appointed Admiralty laid down the laws by which the people would live and work together, allowing the squadrons to maintain their independence that they had become accustomed to in return for their fealty as a defence force for the ports. The ports would repair and supply the squadrons and independent captains in return for them defending and protecting the ports from attack. This set of laws, known as “The Privateers Accord” set the laws by which all Raven privateers live today. This allowed for trade and organisation to become more readily available and easily sorted out, and those that would not stick to the accord soon found themselves either “Escorted” out of the mines to fend for themselves on the surface, or forced down into the depths of the mines where they would never be heard from again…

The Admiralty & The Privateer's Accord
The heads of the Raven privateers, Known to its people as “The Admiralty”, serves as the council based leadership for the civilisation. Formed of 6 admirals, each elected from the peoples of each port and the final elected from amongst the captains of the independent squadrons and ships that inhabit the tunnels of the privateer’s home territory. Each admiral serves as defacto Leader of their port of origin, or in the case of the independent ships the lead representative for those ships and squadrons. Together they form the body responsible for enforcing the Privateers’ Accord, and act as the governing body of the civilisation as a whole, serving as both civilian and military boards of inquiry, Judge, jury and executioners all rolled into one. Rarely found in one place, unless a serious matter has been brought to their attention, such as an impending mutant assault from the depths, a Rogue squadron, or a case of the Privateers fully mobilising for potential war, these 6 individuals spend their times attending to their relevant ports or ships as the case may be. Each Admiral in alignment with their role as mayor/commander may also be elected from amongst the admirals by an Admiralty vote to the position of Lord Admiral, a defacto full civilisation Leader to the entire people and ships thereof in times of great emergency, at the end of which they relinquish their position. This council is by no means a calm military driven debate, often it has been recorded to descend into full on verbal brawls and actual fights in some occasions, however this rough and ready form of leadership has been the saving grace of privateer independence as well as proving strangely popular for the people as an additional form of entertainment from time to time.

The Privateer's Accord
 * 1) No Independent Captain, or squadron shall attack a home port under pain of death
 * 2) No Independent Captain, or squadron shall attack another Ship or cutter of the Privateers under pain of death
 * 3) No Port shall refuse safe haven to those of the privateer’s ships, or those of the Admiralty allegiance under penalty of death
 * 4) None shall pirate those of the ports or of the ships for their own gain under penalty of banishment to the depths
 * 5) None shall harbour those that raid or harm us under penalty of banishment to the surface with nought but a pistol and single round…

Raven Privateer Relations
Originally the Miners and processing staff for the work shafts that stretch far below the Colony during the pre-catacysm era, today the Raven Privateers are a prospering lively people, focussed around their ports and the many ships they live upon. Their daily lives consisting of mainly personal ventures on top of any duties they carry out in the port homes or aboard the ships they serve, they are a culture always on the look out for adventure and profit, their lifestyles an expression of themselves. This does not mean however their lives have always been safe contented ones, others have often found discord with the Raven privateers way of life, and as such they have often had pause to head to war with other cultures that seek to dominate or oppress them as a people. These actions have left their mark on the privateers as well as their opinions of the cultures in question.

To Raven Privateer Relations

Raven Privateer Elections
The varying personalities and attitudes amongst the Raven privateers, alongside the grudges born amongst different ship crews and port dwellers, makes any kind of elections explosive situations to say the least. Fraying tempers and feelings of jealousy or being overlooked in the past lead to large fights breaking out amongst the participants. As such the Admiralty took control of the situation and turned the potential for conflict into an integral part of the process to also provide entertainment and to provide the victor with a clear ability to claim their new position. As such when a flotilla is assembled from amongst the crew and attached port militias, a 'Rear Admiral' is appointed from amongst the viable ship captains and Militia Lieutenants by the simple dint of Dueling. The eventual last standing participant is declared the victor and appointed to the position by stature of being the best swordsmen present. Alongside this the newly appointed Rear Admiral may then commision their selected chosen to the position of 'Fleet Steward'. This individual has control of the supply squadrons supporting the flotilla and the necessary above ground supply lines.

Rear Admiral - Elected once a year, chosen from amongst ship Captains via Duelling (Multiple Rounds until one contender remains). Has total Field command of the 1st Raven privateers Flotilla (Any additional Flotillas will require a further Rear Admiral to be appointed)

Fleet Steward - Elected once a year by the 1st Flotilla's Rear Admiral, Has total control of the flotilla's supply squadrons and overground supply lines.

The Raven Privateers 'Armada'
Built up from compliments of port militia’s, ship bound raider marines and rigger deck hands, the Black-Coat’s serve as the main armada of the raven privateers. In their home territory their ships rove the tunnels in flotillas of heavy armed retrofitted cargo barges; nicknamed brutes for their ugly appearance, escorted by fast shark cutters. On the ground, the armada’s mixture of experiences and expertise’s lends it an unpredictable temperament and adaptability to whatever situation it may find itself in when in combat. This adaptability has saved it many times during the course of its history with its riggers and raiders joking that if the armada could change any more it could masquerade as the swarm it was trying to kill.

In recent times the Privateers second army has once more flown its own flag in the winds of the tunnels. Made up of compliments of Port militia from the lower tunnel bound ports, the ‘Old Adamant’; as the rigger’s and raiders that serve in it call the army, serves as the primary ‘ground pounders’ of the raven privateers. Operating in the larger tunnels and small side paths from their retrofitted transport shuttles, nicknamed hammer heads due to their pilots favourite tactic of ramming larger mutants and rogue brutes with their heavily armoured prows, the raider marines on-board have developed a no nonsense attitude when dealing with the enemy, be that when piling out to finish off whatever raises its head from the carnage of their actions, or when fighting through the tunnels. Their stubborn refusal to back down or to be intimidated by anyone or anything has led them to be assigned the tougher duties often undertaken by the privateer’s armed forces by the admiralty.

Accordingly this has led to a bit of a rivalry developing between the Old Adamant and the Black coats, however this usually expresses itself when the two meet in terms of sword fighting competitions, drinking tournaments and bare knuckle fights to see which side is tougher. So far the ‘Old Adamant’ holds the edge in terms of number of these competitions won, but the black-coats are ahead in terms of popularity amongst the populace of the raven privateers.

Subclasses: Raiders & Riggers
Faction Bonus: Bonus to Defensive Military options during downtime

Raiders:

Naturally adept at landing their hands on what isn’t naturally theirs, raiders form the mainstay of many a barge’s or cutters boarding parties and landing crews. Leading the way for the rest of the crew they get in and get out fast, grabbing what they need before heading back to the ship. Their fine eye has spotted many a piece of useful kit that a ship crew has been thankful for. Moving fast is a mainstay for them, so they tend to keep their kit in tight order to facilitate this.

Riggers:

Rigger’s work the Barges and cutters, crewing the ship with deck hands and machine smiths. Other times they mine the abandoned tunnels for tetracite in order to power the barges engine pods and the cutters shift drives. Accordingly they have a strong tradition of crafting that they pass down to their children, using powered picks, patching machinery and weapons, all whilst wearing the heaviest of rigs with ease. Though this affinity for machinery and crafting only goes so far, the human body eludes many of them with its mysteries. They haven’t really seen much outside of the Privateers territory before now so everything will be a little new to them.

Sub class Advantages: "Raiders" Gain a bonus to Components scavenged during a downtime & "Riggers" Gain a bonus point to Gen with when they Put a point into Heavy Rigs and a melee skill

Sub class Disadvantages: "Raiders" Cannot use Heavy rigs or two handed melee weapons over worn & "Riggers" cannot take Bio-tech or Cyber tech, or make use of prototype Level kit

 Cultural Inspiration: 

Royal Navy Privateers, Post apocalypse Miners, Oil derrick settlers from mad max, Sir Francis Drake era sailors, The style of the Serenity Crew from firefly

 What the Faction is NOT: 

Pirates, Thieves or Pure Mercenaries. They live by the Accord as a set of values/morals but are not dictated by them

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