History

Due to the prevalence of seaborne trade, piracy is quite common along the Hammerhead Coast. Privateering was a common practice back before peace and trade relationships between Rosaria and Thalmiria were officially established, but many such privateers elected to ignore the new treaty and continued the very profitable business venture they had come to rely on. Many military vessels patrol the Breheiman coastlines, but expert captains manage to weave their way between their routes and avoid detection, with the boldest among them even tackling these frigates head-on. Slavers, smugglers and pirates – especially those with enough money for an occasional bribe – have found Thalm Sashari a surprisingly hospitable place to do dark dealings under the table.

Although there has been open conflict between the two in the past, Rosaria and Thalmiria currently maintain a state of peace. However, a brutal attack that destroyed the holy city of Lharsam – a site of worship for the god Soliman – has amped up tensions significantly. Nobody has claimed the attack so far, but rumours saying it was politically motivated have begun to circulate. Others merely wonder what entity, political or otherwise, could possibly reduce an entire city to a smoking crater.

Half a century ago, an attack from the eastern empire of Kharkhorin was launched on Rosaria’s coast hoping to overthrow its then capital at The Perch. The fleet of ships – headed by powerful sorcerers – overwhelmed all defences in the bay of beasts and barrelled upstream towards the city. They were finally halted and beaten back by a strong counteroffensive in a long, bloody slog that polluted the land with magic and reduced the once verdant woods to foul marshland. An accord was eventually established, but magic remains feared and mistrusted in the eastern side of the continent to this day.