SeaWing Servitude
SurgeWings began their existence in the Sea Kingdom. They were conquered by the SeaWings before even the Scorching occurred, and kept as servants and labourers for generations. While it was not an ideal life, the SurgeWings tolerated the rule of the SeaWings until Queen Reef rose to power; she was a brutal, militaristic leader, who thought little of her subjects and even less of the SurgeWings.
So, one night, a group of twelve servants attempted to assassinate Queen Reef, sneaking into her quarters in the dead of night. They brutally wounded her and left her to die, but, after weeks of careful treatment, Reef recovered. She ordered that all the SurgeWing servants in the palace be imprisoned and the culprits killed; though more than twelve SurgeWings died in her investigation. Reef ordered attacks on SurgeWing villages, determined to stomp out resistance to her - she only succeeded in driving them away.
Rumour had begun to circulate of a haven from SeaWing rule, an island chain as far away from the Kingdom of the Sea as one could get, and as the years went by these rumours grew stronger, as SurgeWings fled from their homes towards a place where they could be safe.
That place was the Blessed Isles.
So, one night, a group of twelve servants attempted to assassinate Queen Reef, sneaking into her quarters in the dead of night. They brutally wounded her and left her to die, but, after weeks of careful treatment, Reef recovered. She ordered that all the SurgeWing servants in the palace be imprisoned and the culprits killed; though more than twelve SurgeWings died in her investigation. Reef ordered attacks on SurgeWing villages, determined to stomp out resistance to her - she only succeeded in driving them away.
Rumour had begun to circulate of a haven from SeaWing rule, an island chain as far away from the Kingdom of the Sea as one could get, and as the years went by these rumours grew stronger, as SurgeWings fled from their homes towards a place where they could be safe.
That place was the Blessed Isles.
Arrival - The First Pirate Queen
The dragon who would become the first Pirate Queen was not born a hero; rather, Aleutian was a criminal, a pirate captain long before Queen Reef was nearly assassinated. She found the Blessed Isles while searching for a good place to hide the goods she stole, and set up a small, discreet village on what would later be known as the Surge Isles. She used it for years, and, when Reef almost died, planned to use the chaos to her advantage.
Her perspective changed after she witnessed the Queen order the near annihilation of a number of largely SurgeWing villages. Aleutian rescued those she could and spread word of the Isles, becoming known as the 'Pirate Queen of the SurgeWings' because of it.
Aleutian became the obvious leader of the SurgeWings once they'd settled in to their new home, and under her guidance they began to recover and find their own identity. When Aleutian died at the age of 74AS, the SurgeWings had no idea what to do next.
Her perspective changed after she witnessed the Queen order the near annihilation of a number of largely SurgeWing villages. Aleutian rescued those she could and spread word of the Isles, becoming known as the 'Pirate Queen of the SurgeWings' because of it.
Aleutian became the obvious leader of the SurgeWings once they'd settled in to their new home, and under her guidance they began to recover and find their own identity. When Aleutian died at the age of 74AS, the SurgeWings had no idea what to do next.
Thirty-Year-Struggle
Following the death of the first Pirate Queen, the Surge Isles entered a period of complete lawlessness and anarchy. Local leaders and warlords emerged, some just trying to get by while others wanted to take up Aleutian's mantle. Pirates raided not only the shores of other tribes, but other SurgeWings as well.
Records of this time are very poor, however. All we know is that at the end of the Thirty-Year-Struggle, a new Pirate Queen emerged; Mindanao.
Records of this time are very poor, however. All we know is that at the end of the Thirty-Year-Struggle, a new Pirate Queen emerged; Mindanao.
Rise of the Sirens
Mindanao's first action as Pirate Queen was to create the Sirens, a group of assassins and highly-trained guards designed to keep her in power, and, during periods without a Pirate Queen, to rule over and maintain order in the Surge Isles. Their first use was to kill off any remaining rivals from the Thirty-Year-Struggle, something they accomplished within two years.
Their first Muse was Mindanao's brother, Benguela. He worked closely with his sister for many years, but as she aged, she began to grow more and more paranoid, and started to push her brother away. Eventually Mindanao orchestrated an uprising from the newer members of the Sirens, killing off the majority of the old leadership; Benguela himself barely avoided this fate, faking his death and going into hiding. The new Sirens were content for a decade or so, but then began to realize that the fast-aging Mindanao might do the same thing to them.
Mindanao's paranoia would lead to her death... but she was not killed by the Sirens.
Their first Muse was Mindanao's brother, Benguela. He worked closely with his sister for many years, but as she aged, she began to grow more and more paranoid, and started to push her brother away. Eventually Mindanao orchestrated an uprising from the newer members of the Sirens, killing off the majority of the old leadership; Benguela himself barely avoided this fate, faking his death and going into hiding. The new Sirens were content for a decade or so, but then began to realize that the fast-aging Mindanao might do the same thing to them.
Mindanao's paranoia would lead to her death... but she was not killed by the Sirens.
Death of Mindanao
Mindanao was recorded as being a poor mother, who imprisoned her legitimate dragonets in an isolated palace and left their care to hired help. Those who seemed too ambitious, too talented, or anything that she decided was a challenge to her authority, 'disappeared' from the palace, never to be seen again. In the last years of her life, she became obsessed with her children, and visited often, though at this time she had gone blind from cataracts in her eyes and relied on her guards to tell her what was going on around her.
She became most interested in one of her children, Okhotsk. The dragonet was quiet, stuttered a lot, and seemed to Mindanao just about the least threatening thing she'd ever met.
Okhotsk was invited to her mother's ship, to spend a night aboard and meet some of Mindanao's favourite Captains. Later that night, she killed her mother, and with the help of her half-siblings Azores and Agulhas, escaped the guards and vanished.
She became most interested in one of her children, Okhotsk. The dragonet was quiet, stuttered a lot, and seemed to Mindanao just about the least threatening thing she'd ever met.
Okhotsk was invited to her mother's ship, to spend a night aboard and meet some of Mindanao's favourite Captains. Later that night, she killed her mother, and with the help of her half-siblings Azores and Agulhas, escaped the guards and vanished.
Attack on Glass Island
After the GlassWings finally settled their revolution and the dragonet, Nibiru, became their leader, two Captains decided that the Island was weak enough that they would be able to get away with taking over an entire province. They invaded the Ashdrift Province and captured a large city, and declared that the entire Province was theirs - and, soon, the entire Island.
They believed that the GlassWings would be too weak and disunited to stand a chance against them. Unfortunately, they were wrong. The GlassWings flocked against a new, common enemy, eager to prove that they were not weakened and, in fact, more united than ever before. Within a week, and with few causalities, the GlassWings drove out the two Captains and reclaimed the captured city.
When Pirate Queen Meridian heard what happened, she immediately exiled the two Captains, since they had tired to conquer another Island without even consulting her beforehand.
She then contacted the GlassWings and arranged an alliance between them and the SurgeWings... as a way to further show her displeasure, or does Meridian have a greater plan in mind?
They believed that the GlassWings would be too weak and disunited to stand a chance against them. Unfortunately, they were wrong. The GlassWings flocked against a new, common enemy, eager to prove that they were not weakened and, in fact, more united than ever before. Within a week, and with few causalities, the GlassWings drove out the two Captains and reclaimed the captured city.
When Pirate Queen Meridian heard what happened, she immediately exiled the two Captains, since they had tired to conquer another Island without even consulting her beforehand.
She then contacted the GlassWings and arranged an alliance between them and the SurgeWings... as a way to further show her displeasure, or does Meridian have a greater plan in mind?