The Pirate Coast of Ten

[Havard]

Ship trade is a very important part of the economy for Ten proper.




As a side note having nothing to do with the FFC but perhaps relevant to Arneson’s comments about the 3e/4e material being more “correct” than the DA material for Ten; according to the timeline (4eTFC:148) Port Dacoit is one of the first, if not the first cities in Ten, and it is founded as a haven for Pirates. Page 174 further relates that an attempted occupation by the Thonian empire served to unite “the regions formerly disparate pirates” under 10 “heroes” in what came to be known as “the Pirate Insurrection.”

To me that sounds like a very different origin narrative with Ten being a wilderness of cut throats, seadogs and thieves, not a land of refugees. Possibly that was Arneson’s original vision, that Dustin and company tried to weave in and merge with the DA storyline.

The above was taken from the Dave Arneson's Duchy of Ten thread


I never got around to commenting on this. However, I think it is worth looking at the Pirate Coast of Ten as its own unique region. I am talking here about the coastal region covering Robinsport, Port Dacoit and possiby Oktagern slightly further inland.

As Aldarron shows in the quote above, its history goes back quite a distance and the origin of those cities is not directly connected to the refugees from Thonia. I am not sure we are neccessarily talking about two contradicting origin stories for the Duchy of Ten here, but perhaps rather a more complex one with the Pirate Coast having a different history than that of the more inland holdings of Ten such as Starmorgan, Hanford, Silverbell, Southport and the Border Forts. These latter holdings have a stronger link to the noble families who fled Thonian persecution.

We also know that from its very early history, all of the Duchy of Ten was nominally controlled by the Duchy of the Peaks. OTOH, it may very well be during this time that the Pirate Coast Cities began to grow with wealth, luxury items and slaves flowing in and out of the Peaks.

I could also see these cities causing problems for Blackmoor as criminals and pirates from Thonia would always find a safe haven here.

Another question would be how these towns dealt with the Skandaharian "Raiders of the West". These Skandaharians were likely using the Firefrost Channel to access the Black Sea even before the Great Flood joined the Black Sea with the North Sea. Perhaps the Pirate Cities were for the most part able to pay off the Skandaharians to have them raid elsewhere (vestfold, Blackmoor, Glendover etc)? The Skandaharians might even have found Port Dacoit and Robinsport useful havens of refuge on their voyages, dropping off some loot in exchange for the more dubious services of the Pirate Havens?


Do you see any other benefits to regarding this coastal area as its own cultural region within the Duchy of Ten?

-Havard

[RobJN]

Wow, I never saw the Duchy of Ten as being much interest until now

The "Pirates on the Coast, nobles on the interior" gives the DM a ton of things to play with, adventure-wise.

[Havard]

Yeah, I think differentiating between the various parts of the Duchy of Ten could be useful.

PIRATE COAST
Port Dacoit
Robinsport
Oktagern


HEARTLANDS
Starmorgan
Silverbell
Brushy Fen (there might well be a village there)
Rusagern


SOUTHERN TEN
Southport
Gillian

BORDER FORTS
Ft. Sherpur (North Border)
Ft. Peiwar (North Border)
Ft. Wazir (West Border)
Ft. Khost (North Border)
Ft Jamud (South Border)
Ft. Jank (South Border)

Perhaps we can find a way to express a more distinct identity for each of the regions.

-Havard