ECG
The laws of the Lhazaar isles vary from principality to principality, and are uniformly lax. The Principalities are a good place to disappear, since its folk ask few questions and answer even fewer.
Understanding the internal politics between the princes and their territories is important. Although movement and trade between the various principalities are unrestricted, the princes’ ongoing rivalries and feuds have a profound influence on business dealings and relationships. Say the wrong thing in the wrong harbor tavern, and you might find yourself having to swim for friendlier waters.
Beneath the sea princes, other lesser nobles claim titles such as sea baron, pirate lord, merchant king, admiral, and duke. On the isles and in the seas around them, authority depends entirely on the troops and ships at a noble’s immediate disposal. A merchant king might have no land holdings, no support from any nation, and no lineage to speak of, but if he has a fleet of warships crewed with able sailors, then he rules the seas around him—at least until a bigger, faster fleet sails over the horizon.
Dragonshard
Few laws bind all citizens of the Principalities. Despite the long history of the isles, the Lhazaar Principalities have never subscribed to a comprehensive system of laws on par with the Code of Galifar. According to Lhazaar's edicts, temporal power rests in the hands of the prince: Each lord has the right to administer justice in his domain, appointing officers as he sees fit. As a result, customs vary significantly from principality to principality. High Prince Rygar goes to great pains to maintain order in Regalport, creating a safe environment for foreign emissaries and traders. But Port Krez in Krag is a wild and dangerous place for outsiders, where street justice is the common answer to social transgressions.
The Lhazaarites are an independent folk: They serve the prince at sea, but they don't want to be ordered about on land. Most Lhazaarites have little interest in the laws of other nations. A Lhazaar proverb states "no man owns the sea," and it's this indifference that fuels the tradition of piracy; a Lhazaar captain believes that he deserves whatever he can take, and whether he acts under the legitimacy of a letter of marque is a matter of convenience. The growing naval power of Galifar forced the Lhazaarites to limit their larcenous actions, but this was a matter of pragmatism as opposed to principle: With the Five Nations weakened by war, many Lhazaar captains have returned to the ways of their forefathers. This attitude often causes trouble for Lhazaarites traveling in other lands, since few feel bound by the laws of foreign kings. Despite these chaotic tendencies, most Lhazaarites are fiercely loyal to family, friends, and other members of their own principality. If one sailor kills another in a brawl, the matter might be completely ignored. But if a foreigner kills a Lhazaarite, the entire community may rise up in outrage. Ties between the Principalities are tenuous, with alliances and feuds changing with the winds. But the princes still unite to defend a prince against an outsider. It is this loyalty that serves as a shield for raiders like Prince Mika's Cloudreavers; if one of the Five Nations actually sent a fleet into the Principalities, they would soon face an alliance of princes.
While the reins of power can shift as swiftly as the tides, much of the social hierarchy of Lhazaar society operates independently of the prince. While the prince has the power to appoint or dismiss ministers and sheriffs, it is rare for a prince to clear house in this manner; these landbound officials are in many ways a separate class, and this continuity is what allows life to continue smoothly through the frequent transitions.