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The Pirate King

The high ruler and absolute monarch of Osk 91 and its inhabitants. His will is law, and is therefore beyond contestation. To this date, no system of succession is in place; the Pirate King simply is.

The High-Lords of the Osk Company

-The Pirate King’s lieutenants, reserved for those who hold command over the Company in the King’s absence, and those that have proven themselves beyond question to be loyal to the Cause. Created by the Pirate King himself.

The Pirate Lords and Ladies of the Osk Company

-This title is granted to Captains and Freelancers of the Osk Company who have proven themselves to be loyal servants of the Pirate King and true to the ideals of the Osk Company. Created by the King or by his High-Lords.

The Pirate Barons of the Osk Company

-This is the lowest title of the Osk peerage, granted to members of the Osk Company that have in some way distinguished themselves from the rest of the King’s subjects. Created by the King or by his High-Lords.


A Note:

The titles of this peerage are not to be misconstrued as ranks, although they may accompany both ranks and/or positions, depending on the circumstance. They are instead to be considered physical manifestations of prestige garnered in service to the Company, additional titles used to distinguish those who have proven themselves above and beyond the norm. They may be granted for specific reasons, or for none at all. They have no structure outside the progression of the peerage, and even that is highly flexible. For example, an individual may be granted the title of Pirate Baron, and then raised to the subsequent titles, or he or she may simply be granted the higher title to begin with. In the end, the Peerage of the Osk Company, in reflection of the Company itself, has no laws or rules outside of the Pirate King’s will.

Quote:"Corsair's Bounty" [CB] - Awarded to the most noteworthy participants of an extremely successful and profitable pirating endeavor, this is the highest officialized award that an Osk-fella can hold.  From the wreckage of the battle, bits of the target's hull are acquired and polished to soothe the edges.  This scrap is then embossed with the Osk symbol, the recipient's name, and the date of the battle and finally employed as a medallion upon a ribbon draped around the neck of it's valiant pirate.

"Order of the Gilded Cutlass" [OGC] - Not an award per se, but an honorary title of sorts.  Informally, those whom have been declared of this order by the Pirate King are given some of the first picks of plunder after the captain, regardless of their rank or position within the crew.  In the extremely rare cases of Osk formal events, the member would be addressed by the following means: "{Rank} {Name} of the Gilded Cutlass." Only the Pirate King knows for sure why this title is granted, although some suspect it's at his own personal whims and fancies.  Some holders of this title may actually go out of the way to commission an actual gilded cutlass, but such a thing is not an effective weapon, and simply left on display.

"Carouser's Swag" [CS] - Awarded to the few that manage to impress the Pirate King himself.  Usually accompanied by far too many rounds than recommended by seven out of five doctors, followed by a massive hangover.

"Osk Doubloon" [OD] - Much to the dismay of several archaeologists, the Osk Company has set a claim to what a cache of "buried treasure" one might say; more specifically, a vault of many coins of unknown origin and metal, most likely from a previous civilization long lost.  The coin is first defaced by carving the figurehead into a skull and the reverse stamped with the Osk symbol, then used to reward the Prospectives whom shine above the rest. A hole is usually punched through the coin and it is worn around the neck on twine.

"Scallywag's Plunder" [SP] - Awarded at the end of each heavy raid or operation (aka. each major story line) to the Osker who shows the epitome of what it means to "live the life" of the company. Typically the Pirate King or a designated other will evaluate the contributions made to the operation and award a choice piece of plunder or loot.  As such, there is no real designation of what this award may actually be. If the plunder is stolen, the Pirate King considers it an insult to his own judgment and the offender is usually in store for a horrific death.

"Knave's Spirit" [KS] - Awarded typically by Captains to their Underthings, the Knave's Spirit is actually an ornate mug filled with a strong drink of the Pirate King's secret brew when first awarded.  Afterward, most Oskers tend to keep the mug tied to their belt or bandoleer, as one truly never knows when an opportunity will present itself to drink.