The Pirates are a rogue splinter group of Couriers that have loaded their ships with weapons and taken to a quite different way of life.

They attack any ship they think they can take in a fight or by subterfuge. They occasionally pillage the farmers and fishermen of the region.

They're rumored to have a few Modron submarines, but no one has confirmed this. They can easily be found in the area around the Modron Cube and have been seen using Modron-designed weaponry, so they definitely have some form of business relationship with them, which is odd, since the Modrons are supposed to be the embodiment of Law itself and pirates are law-breakers by nature.

Several of their ships have battle mages aboard that specialize in fire spells, useful for burning ships and sails. Others have been known to master water magic, so as to use the ocean itself against their targets.

It's possible to book passage on a pirate ship, but this is a dangerous thing to do unless they fear you.

Women, especially those with good looks, should never travel alone aboard their ships, as they are likely to be kidnapped and never seen again. From time to time, they've been sold as slaves to the highest bidder. It is unknown what happens to the rest of them.

The pirates are actually composed of several sub-groups that war against and raid each other in addition to everyone else. Ship captains usually have the loyalty of just one ship, but there are a few small fleets of pirates.

When threatened by an outside force (such as the Law Keepers), the Pirates tend to set aside their own petty differences in order to work together. This normally lasts just long enough to split the loot afterward and then they go their separate ways. When next they meet, they're enemies again.

One of the most prominent groups among the pirates is the Black Corsairs. The crews of these ships are mostly undead, but there are a few of the living, usually acting in leadership roles.

Their leader is rumored to be a powerful skeletal wizard, possibly a Lich.