Sartosa (city)

The Decadent Pirate Principality of Sartosa, also The Free City of Sartosa or simply the City of Pirates, is an anarchic pirate island-stronghold located within the southern reaches of war-torn Tilea, off the coast of the Tilean city-state of Luccini. This island is a notorious haven for criminals, harbouring all manner of pirates, brigands, lawless mercenaries and anyone wanting to avoid the various legitimate powers of the Old World.

It is a tremendously dangerous place, where drunken pirates press-gang unsuspecting individuals, brawls and duels are an hourly occurrence, and thieves ply the dirty, crowded docks looking for easy marks. Despite the risks, however, it is a place where someone with the toughness and willpower to survive can not only live but thrive, far from the yoke of unfair taxes, overbearing noblemen, and stringent laws. From Sartosa to Araby in the south, the Border Princes to the East, and the mainland past the Great Ocean, exotic lands await. In short, Sartosa is a perfect place for finding fame, plunder and endless adventure.

Geography
The Island of Sartosa is a craggy, rocky rise of land formed long ago by a now (mostly) dormant volcano, called Mount Ertinia. This island is constantly buffeted by trade winds that sweep in from the west, creating swift currents prized by the pirates calling the place home. There are few beaches and shoals to the island since most of the landmass is uplifted above the sea by limestone cliffs which rises from dozens to hundreds of feet into the air. These walls are riddled with untold numbers of caves, tunnels, and hollows, many of which are accessible from the water, making them particularly sought after by Pirates who wished to make a Pirate base outside the borders of the city itself. Only a few of the largest caves relatively close to the city of Sartosa have been explored with any thoroughness. Sailors tell of several caves that have yet to be explored and rumours and tall tales abound of what treasures, monsters, and forbidden things can be found inside.

Thanks to Mount Ertinia, the soil of Sartosa Island is very fertile, but the abundance of rocks and small stones makes farming an arduous process. Most farms are close to the city, with several more scattered about the island; they primarily grow grapes, olives, and wheat. The relatively small size of these farms mean that most food must be imported to support the Sartosan inhabitants. Farmers typically fall under the “protection” of one or more Pirate Lord, who take a hefty portion of the crops for themselves, but keep them from falling under the predations of brigands on the prowl to stock their ships’ larders.

The waters around Sartosa overflow with seafood of all kinds—fish, squid, oysters, and clams are pulled from the water with little effort. This bounty from the sea is the primary food source for the inhabitants of Sartosa, as few legitimate businessmen sail to the island to do trade. The shallow waters around the city and to the northwest of the island also boast abundant pearl beds. Indeed, its fine-quality pearls are one of Sartosa’s main exports. Pearl harvesting, already dangerous, is made doubly so by pirates looking for easy scores. For this reason, most of the pearl divers begrudgingly accept the protection of various pirates and criminal factions to keep their businesses alive.

City of Sartosa
The City of Sartosa sits on a rocky island just south of the Tilean peninsula. Since Sartosa is the most important thing on this island, most travellers refer to the island and the city by the same name. Given the distance from the rest of the Tilean city-states, Sartosa is free from most of the political posturing that happens on the mainland. Although distance is something of a boon, it, and the city’s unsavoury character, makes the city less attractive to any kind of settler outside of the pirates that come to port.

Despite being a city, Sartosa actually has a small native population, only swelling to numbers in keeping with other cities when pirates stop for a month or so to spend their lucre. It is a patchwork city, cobbled together from many different cultures and races over countless centuries. The houses that line the streets are a riot of different styles, colours, and shapes, from fine stucco villas with red tiled roofs to shanties cobbled together from driftwood and old sailcloth. In the oldest portion of the city, some buildings are ancient beyond compare, built from solid stone and seemingly designed by no human mind. No one knows who crafted these strange buildings or what was their original purpose.

The people of Sartosa are just as varied and mixed as the architecture. Tileans rub elbows with Norseman mercenaries and people of the Empire haggle and fight with Bretonnians. Even more exotic people with bizarre accents from far away lands walk the streets as well.

The Rock of Jack O’ The Seas
A strange site awaits the ships that enter into Pirates Bay, Sartosa’s port. A rough hewn statue of Jack O’ The Seas sits on top of a tiny outcropping of rock in the middle of the bay, looking out towards the horizon to the north. The 20-foot-tall statue is of a man holding a large bag. No one is certain who created the statue and it’s been there for as long as anyone can remember. The craftsmanship is crude and the features are difficult to discern up close. In addition, strange markings are carved on the front and back of the statue—no one has been able to determine what they mean. The statue is beloved by the pirates and inhabitants of the city and sailors are known to take a skiff to the rock and leave offerings at the base before embarking on a voyage.

Every few years, tales go about the taverns that the statue is more than it seems—a treasure is buried underneath, the strange writing is a map, or the statue comes to life on certain days. Because of this, some misguided fools sometimes head out to the rock and try to dig underneath the statue to reveal anything that might be there. So far, they haven’t had any luck and anyone caught do so is usually beaten or worse, as the general populace considers the statue their city’s mascot and protector.

The Cliff
Sartosa is a vertical city, built along the shore of a cliff wall that rises nearly a hundred feet into the air. In order to reach the top of the cliff, the citizens of Sartosa have built a bewildering maze of bridges and scaffolding directly into the rock. Several houses cling to the side of the Cliff on this mass of planks, poles, and timbers. Some Sartosans carve out their homes directly from the porous limestone of the cliff itself. Most of these residences are squalid hellholes, but a few, typically the oldest, are opulent and well-appointed.

The traffic on these scaffolds is thick during the day and potentially dangerous as drovers drive cows and horses up the narrow planks. The constant wind that blows from the sea sometimes whips up into a fierce gale, making travel even more hazardous. Despite these dangers, the people of Sartosa accept their plight and laugh at newcomers that must climb the dizzying height on the rickety planks. Over the centuries, a series of ropes, nets, and other safety measures have been added to the walkways. Once a person makes his way to the top of the Cliff, the rest of Sartosa sprawls out among the low, rocky hills. The city is much less crowded on top of the Cliff and the finer houses, villas, and mansions of the Pirate Lords can be found here.

Peg Street
Sartosa’s main road is known as Peg Street and forms a “district” of sorts. It is a wandering, meandering avenue that follows the contours of the cliff face defining the lower portion of the city’s edge. Peg Street is lined with ramshackle houses, tanners, fishmongers, weaponsmiths, and dozens of taverns and inns. Food vendors line the streets, hawking meals of a questionable nature, and jugglers and entertainers try to eke out a living whilst avoiding the blows from drunken pirates that may not care for their act.

The Hole In By The Hill
The Hole In By The Hill is a notoriously dangerous tavern that caters to the pirates of Sartosa. It is the place to go to hook up with a crew or to conduct illicit business of all kinds. The Hole In By The Hill sits inside a natural cave within the limestone cliff above Peg Street. During the day, there is little to differentiate it from any other residence or building, but at night, torches and lanterns line the catwalks and illuminate the tarps and awnings that adorn the front. A blind man competes with drunken sea shanties to provide music, whilst bar wenches dance to the delight of the customers.

The Docks
Sartosa is riddled with numerous docks and ports which pirate ships, merchant vessels, and fishing boats call home. The docks are a constant buzz of activity all year round, day and night, as crews come and go, stevedores load supplies, and fishermen prepare for the next day of work or unload the bounty from the previous day. Though some docks are better than others, none are particularly safe for the unprepared or naïve. Only a fool would wander the docks without at least a knife and most people openly display their weapons to dissuade any trouble.

The docks are divided into several clusters, each with its own unique flavour, requirements, and owners. Ship captains who dock at Sartosa for the first time run the risk of landing at the “wrong” dock, subjecting themselves to unfair inspections, harassment, and steep docking fees from the thugs controlling that particular pier. Ownership of these docks is in constant flux and captains who are used to dealing with one brand of scum may find a new minder when they return the next time.

Deadman’s Docks
Easily considered the worst of the worst, the Deadman’s Docks are where captains of the lowest rank berth their ships. In addition to pirates and other scum, the Deadman’s Docks are the home of the poorest fishermen, pearl divers, and other hardscrabble cases that have to work hard to get not very far in life. Only the hardest or most desperate walk the tattered planks of Deadman’s Docks, but, ironically, it’s one of the easiest places in the city to find work.

The Deadman’s Docks have four large piers, each of questionable condition. These piers are of sufficient size to accommodate the largest of ships, although most captains that possess such vessels can afford to avoid the Deadman’s Docks. These docks are under the protection of a brutal Tilean named Donato Buccina. He tends to ignore the poorest and most pathetic of fishermen and ferrymen, although his thugs occasionally rough them up to enforce his dominance of the piers.

The end of each pier serves as a sort of meeting ground where anyone can go to find work from the various ships, stevedore services, and other businesses that work here. The available work is terrible and backbreaking, but for the destitute, it’s a way to get a few clanks for their next meal. In addition to legitimate work, pirate captains are on the prowl for new crewmembers and press gangs are an all too common sight. Although slavery is technically frowned up here “indentured servants” bustle about on the Deadman’s Docks, hurriedly performing chores and tasks for their masters, along with young crewmen and other servants.

Regina Bacini
Located on the far northern reach of the city, the Regina Bacini are the finest docks that Sartosa has to offer—which isn’t saying all that much. The largest ships owned by the wealthiest pirate lords dock here, and several have their own private berths. The piers are in much better repair than most of those found throughout Sartosa. Only complete fools would attempt to try any trouble at these docks, as the crews of the most successful pirate ships wander these docks at all times of the day.

Smithy’s
Smithy’s is the largest and most boisterous tavern on the Regina Bacini. Smithy prefers people from the Empire to come into his bar and gives a cold shoulder to Tileans, Estalians, and Bretonnians. This racism often turns to violence when some unsuspecting sailor comes in for a drink and finds nothing but hard stares and racial slurs. Smithy’s is famous for its squid soup and powerful beer from Reikland. The place is filled day and night with drinking songs of the Empire and this revelry often spills out onto the docks where the inevitable brawl ensues.

The Ox Head
The Ox Head is one of the nicest restaurants in Sartosa. It specializes in beef and pork, which are in great demand on the island. Pirate Lords consider it crucial to stop in and have an enormous meal here after a particularly large haul. The food is surprisingly good and often served with rare wines, beer, and vodka from all over the Old World. The pirates that come to eat there consider the Ox Head “neutral ground”—no weapons are allowed inside and the patrons take this very seriously. Violators are tossed out and beaten, sometimes to death. Repeat offenders are denied entrance and can expect a loaded pistol shoved in their face (the guards are the only ones allowed to carry them).

Noblemen from the city-states of Tilea come here to meet with pirate captains and discuss employing them as privateers. In order to avoid the possibility of being spotted by other nobles or potential enemies, it’s a common practice for outsiders to wear masks while conducting business. If a person does not have a mask, the owner provides one.

The Blackfish Docks
Long ago, the piers of the Blackfish Docks were devastated by a tidal wave. During the reconstruction, there was great confusion and bickering about how they were to be rebuilt, resulting in a confusing, twisting mass of docks and buildings. These docks are used by the “middle class” of Sartosa—average pirate captains, fishing businesses, and the like. Many of the Blackfish’s businesses are located directly on the piers, meaning a sailor doesn’t even have to leave to get all the services he requires.

The Blackfish Docks have several inns, taverns, food shops, and brothels lining their cramped piers. These business teeter on tall pilings rising several stories into the air. Ropes are slung from building to building and numerous flags and banners wave in the wind. It’s considered good luck to drape the flag or banner of a looted ship on these ropes—some banners are ancient beyond compare. The Blackfish Docks are famous for the hawkers that line the streets, selling all manner of baubles from all over the Old World. Most of these items are worthless, although there are times when a seller has something of true value. Buyers should beware, however, as thugs often target those who flaunt their wealth, robbing them and returning the item they purchased to the hawker.

Fitzmann’s Firearms Edit
Fitzmann’s Firearms is the largest dealer in gunpowder weapons in Sartosa. Although Fitzmann does manufacture some weapons, he’s primarily a broker and buys most of his weapons from pirates after successful campaigns. As a result, a buyer can find guns from all over the Old World, but the quality varies wildly. Fitzmann typically pays less than half for weapons, but full price for gunpowder, which is always in high demand in Sartosa. He often tests weapons by firing them out into the water.

A year ago, to prove the accuracy of his pistol, a drunken sailor fired off a shot, which hit a barrel of powder. Half of the building blew up, although the fire was quickly extinguished and the business saved. Fitzmann hasn’t completed the repairs and employs two Tilean bodyguards to ensure that no one breaks in during the evening.