Life in Barak Nufkhazid
Barak Nufkhazid is a kharadron skyport with an undetermined location, but it is most commonly found in Ulgu. This can be attributed to the fact that the skyport consists of small pieces that can all be taken apart and rebuilt at a different location. This way, the skyport can be taken down in a matter of days, and reappear in a totally new location, sometimes even in a different realm. The reason Barak Nufkhazid is regularly relocated is due to the nature of its inhabitants. The population of the Barak consists almost entirely of bandits, thieves, pirates and other folks the other Baraks consider scum. For this reason, the skyport is commonly the target of other Kharadron looking to reclaim their stolen goods or claim the money they are owed.
Yet, wandering into Barak Nufkhazid unprepared is a dangerous operation. Almost everyone in the Barak is armed to the teeth and are not scared to use weapons and bloodshed to defend the skyport. Despite so many of the population being criminals, there is little infighting within the skyport. Sure, many barfights and other beatdowns take place, but murdering a fellow pirate is forbidden by the Pirate Code. This pirate code is written by the Lords of Thievery, who lead the skyports so it may exist forever. Whilst many of the violent inhabitants used to live in poverty, and many still do, there is a large sense of brotherhood and community within the skyport. Most of the duardin who live there were banished or suffered under the capitalism that often dominates other skyports and the pirates consider eachother victims of the same system. Privateering a fellow pirates ship and murder of fellow Pirates are the worst ‘crimes’ a duardin can commit in Barak Nufkhazid, with the council and fellow pirates coming down hard on these wrongdoers. The punishment can often be banishment, or in extreme cases, execution.
Whilst the main occupation of Barak Nufkhazid is piracy, plenty of other less than code compliant dealings take place. The skyport has one of the largest black markets of any skyport and you can find the most exotic and illegal goods within these markets. Some traders of the more respected skyports attend these markets, looking to buy exotics at a good price and sell them in the respected skyports, acting as a way for the goods to get onto the common Kharadron markets. These merchants, commonly known as Washers, often risk being exiled from their skyport if they were to be found dealing with pirates, but the profits make this worth it. The pirates of Barak Nufkhazid like the Washers, on the merit of them being able to bring certain goods into the city that can normally only be found in larger Kharadron skyports, such as guns, ship parts, other technology and the much coveted Bugmans Brew.
The pirates of Barak Nufkhazid often deal with other races, but they despise Chaos and will go out of their way to thwart them, sometimes at risk of their own life. With the other races however, they get along better. It is generally frowned upon to raid and privateer settlements or ships that do not belong to Kharadron, unless they are contracted to, as they are considered innocent and not responsible for the wrongdoings of the Kharadron skyports. The black markets of Barak Nufkhazid are actually a good market for many races, being able to sell stuff as the skyport allows anyone to enter and trade, with little to no trade laws. The pirates of Barak Nufkhazid have a special relationship with the forces of destruction however. Whilst their kind normally considers them dumb brutes, Barak Nufkhazid has realized that with some, there can be negotiations. The Ogor mawtribes and certain factions of Kruleboyz are common allies, since these can be paid to do jobs, such as sieging strongholds or other work that requires muscle. Other than trading with other races, many crews also take jobs from other factions. Whatever they may be, such as smuggling supplies between cities of sigmar, assisting dawnbringer crusades in their expansions as bodyguards, or just taking out rival factions. Many pirates enjoy smuggling and transportation jobs as it reminds them of their days as more legitimate traders and contract workers.
Amongst the people of Barak Nufkhazid, there is a culture filled with myths, rumours and other superstitions that are not commonly found within Kharadron culture. The pirates have countless rituals when boarding their ship or whilst preparing to rob a merchant blind. Each crew has their own customs and rituals that are often kept secret from the other crews. Every admiral, captain and pirate has their own legend surrounding them and for the larger than life figures, it’s not always easy to separate myth from real life.
The ships and endrineers of Barak Nufkhazid
Due to its status as a pirate skyport, little new technology makes it to the skyport, so much of the technology present is dated. Yet, the endrineers of Barak Nufkhazid are experts in repairing and maintaining this ancient technology. Some endrineers even insist that the old technology is superior to all the new advancements, although some consider it a way to cope with the situation. The endrineers of Barak Nufkhazid have equal expertise in using what little they have to its fullest. Not a single bolt goes to waste and the endrineers can turn what most Kharadron would consider as trash into functioning weapons and other gadgets. They take great pride in this skill and even have a yearly competition, where the contestants are handed a bin of scrap, stolen from a different skyport and the endrineer to produce the most impressive gadget is awarded with a title and free ale for the whole year. Good endrineers are a rare commodity within Barak Nufkhazid and they are some of the most well respected and sought after crewmembers in the skyport.
Their philosophy of endrineering is carried over when it comes to the skyfleets of Barak Nufkhazid. Many ships are old models held together with scrap. Yet, these ships are highly effective for the job they fulfil, since they are often lighter and thus faster than most newer models. And as any good pirate will tell you, if your ship isn’t fast enough, you can’t catch up to other ships and you’ll never loot them then. The pirates of Barak Nufkhazid happily trade off the heavier armour for lighter, older armour in favour of speed. This means many of their ships are a lot less durable when compared to other skyfleets, but they outspeed most. The pirates of Barak Nufkhazid have adapted to these changes and have a distinct combat style when fighting better armed ships. The most common tactic is to use their speed to catch up and circle around the other ships, making it hard to line up shots for the enemy, from there, the pirates target weakspots and use boarding parties to great effect.
The Lords of Thievery
The skyport is led by a council often nicknamed The Lords of Thievery, or Lords for short. These lords consist of some of the most famed pirates around and whilst Barak Nufkhazid is the main skyport, many other ones exist, each of which is represented in the council. The council has a varying number of members, each of which has a vote in this council. The council creates the ‘rules’ of the Pirate Code. This long document states what groups are considered pirates and states how to best board and plunder a ship and that duardin bloodspill must be kept to a minimum. The code also has clauses on how much each member of the crew has to be paid and states that the Pirates have to come to the aid of any Kharadron in need. This has caused situations where a crew of pirates rescued merchant ships from skaven besiegers, just to turn around and rob them blind. Although the pirates of Barak Nufkhazid are considered scum by the other Kharadron, they themselves consider piracy a necessity to survive and follow the Pirate code as a code of honour. If there ever would be a threat to the Kharadron or the realms, the Pirates of Barak Nufkhazid fly out to help their brethren, despite how much the latter despise them.
On the council, there is one pirate who in the end makes the final call. Ynga Coldsteel. Altho she does not occupy a seat within the council, she has to approve every decision the council makes lest it be vetoed. Ynga has earned this position as the Ruler of Barak Nufkhazid through centuries of developing the skyport. This fabled pirate strikes fear into the heart of many Kharadron with just the mention of her name, let alone her deadly stare. Ynga is the oldest pirate in Barak Nufkhazid, having been there since the start of the skyport and the disaster that caused the skyport to take this turn into piracy.
Vengri’s Volunteers
The largest crew in Barak Nufkhazid is the crew known as Vengri’s Volunteers. This notorious gang of pirates has brought in the most aethergold and resources for the skyport and has earned their reputation as the most decorated pirates to come out of Barak Nufkhazid. Despite their brutality and expertise in piracy, this crew strictly follows the pirate code and if any skyport were to call for help, they would not hesitate to come to their aid. The crew are handpicked, many born in the poverty of Barak Nufkhazid, having spent their entire early years fighting to survive. This selection is done by the Captain of the crew, Vengri Steeldeck. This ruthless pirate captain rarely appears without her mask, on the account of her face being scarred. Rumour goes that she was picked up by other pirates after a long time of captivity. From there, she worked her way up the ladder and proved to be a very capable leader and pirate. Those are just rumours of course and little is actually known about the Captain.
Origins of piracy
During the early days of the age of Chaos, many skyports were being founded and unsafe, they were often besieged by many foes, most notably the daemons of Tzeentch. One such horde decided to plunder and kill a smaller skyport, whose name is now lost to time. The duardin in this port were no good fighters, engineers or merchants. These duardin were poor and defenceless. When the Daemons attacked, their leader called the nearby skyports for help, but none of them answered their call. Furious the duardin took what they had and set sail on their ship, leaving their homes behind. From that day forward, they were known as Barak Nufkhazid, or those with no home. The duardin of that city turned to piracy at first only raided the ships of the Duardin that had failed to assist them. Later on, these skyports moved or ceased existing and the pirates of Barak Nufkhazid started moving around, patrolling popular trade routes for ships that are easy pickings.
Notable figures
Vengri Steeldeck: The second most renowned pirate admiral in Barak Nufkhazid, who leads the Vengri’s Volunteers
Ynga Coldsteel: Defacto leader of the Skyport and the most renowned pirate ever from Barak Nufkhazid. On top of being the oldest, she holds the most respect within the city. Even though she doesn’t bring any input to the council, she has to approve any decision the Lords of Thievery make before it’s actually noted down in the Pirate Code.
