Corran Fougeé
The growth in shipping around the islands of Arthea during the 1400's has been huge. So much so that a new industry has formed, that of stealing the cargoes of the traders who pass that way. One of the foremost pirates of these times is Corran Fougeé, who has been running the ship 'Velenicia' which is registered in Port Epinum in Cerlain. The ship, of course, hasn't been to her home port for years, and the pirates hide off the western seas, out of sight of Arthea but close to the heaviest shipping lanes which run from Barrash Port and Obsecum in the former Empire to Cellam and Callenhall in Ticetia.
While Arthea's commercial fleet is large and capable, its military fleet is still small. There seems to be a focus on building ships that meet the money-making plans of those in the former Empire rather than satisfying the King's need to defend the lands. The shipping lanes are, therefore, something of an easy target.
Corran Fougeé has been exploiting this. His raids are infrequent but his pickings are high. His stolen goods have been known to appear in many diverse ports around the lands, and his infamy has grown with each ship he's raided. His tactics are pretty straightforward; his crew bring his ship across the bow or along the side of the often heavier and slower commercial luggers, driving them towards the coastline before lashing on and having his fierce crew crawling aboard and taking over. Often only the cargo has been taken, but on occasion the victim's ship has been scuppered and the crew left in the waters.
Where the pirates go between such raids is the subject of many a tale. There are suggestions that they often drop anchor on the south of Teprus Island, and it's thought that they also have a couple of places they wait on the southern coastline of Ticetia Bay. The strangest of rumours even suggest that the pirates hide out at a string of islands away to the west that are not well known to the authorities and traders of Arthea.