Bloodsails

Ask any pirate in Aerenal, and you’ll hear that the Bloodsails got their name from dyeing their sails with the blood of their enemies. This story is a good example of how little people know about the elves—that after thousands of years, they still don’t know that the blood on the sails is that of the elves themselves. The people of Farlnen are descended from exiles, elves driven from Aerenal in the wake of the war that destroyed the line of Vol. Although few in number, they are a force to be reckoned with. Even the Cloudreavers know better than to challenge a Bloodsail merchant, and few captains will risk their ships in Death’s Finger Channel unless accompanied by an envoy from Farlnen. Anyone who passes an hour in a tavern in Port Verge will learn that every Bloodsail ship is haunted, the waters around Farlnen are home to zombie krakens and undead serpents, Prince Shaen Tasil is merely a puppet of ancient vampire lords, and the elf merchants are primarily interested in purchasing casks of fresh blood. As wild as these tales are, almost all of them are grounded in reality. (Dragon 410)

The Bloodsail Principality, led by Prince Shaen Tasil (LE female elf cleric 7 Blood of Vol), includes a large number of elves said to be allies of the line of Vol, who were banished from Aerenal when that bloodline was exterminated. Its base of operations is Port Cairn, at the southern extreme of Farlnen Island.

Source: Player's Guide to Eberron

When the Undying Court sought to destroy the Mark of Death, all elves carrying the blood of the line were slain. But the Line of Vol had many allies beyond its blood relatives. The Undying Court allowed these elves to surrender, but there was no place for them on Aerenal, and they left to find a new home on Khorvaire. Many of these refugees found their way to the island of Farlnen, making a new home in the long shadow of the Fingerbone Mountains. Today, many elves choose to remain in isolated communities deep in the Fingerbones, but others have embraced Lhazaar culture and the life of the sea. The largest of these is the Bloodsail principality, centered in Port Cairn (a town on the central southern coast of Farlnen).

The elves brought extensive knowledge of magic, archery, and woodworking to the Principalities; Bloodsail ships are some of the finest in the Lhazaar fleets. While the elves are interested in all fields of arcane knowledge, necromancy is especially important to them; every Bloodsail captain has at least one level in wizard (necromancer) or cleric (Blood of Vol). Farlnen is a center for the worship of the Blood of Vol, and almost all of the Bloodsails follow this faith. During the war, the Bloodsails served as privateers for Karrnath. This changed when Order of the Emerald Claw, and today the Bloodsails often raid Karrnathi ships and villages. Recently, the Bloodsails have formed an alliance with the Diresharks of Port Verge.

The Bloodsails are one of the most stable principalities, and Prince Shaen Tasil has ruled for over a century. Shaen is cool and calculating; she has no interest in holding the position of high prince, but she keeps a close eye on political struggles and has often served as a mediator. The previous leader was Prince Moren; according to legend, Moren was cursed for his dark practices and now sails the Bitter Sea in a ship of bones.

The Bloodsails currently possess seven ships. Tales say that they dye their dark sails with the blood of their victims -- but this could be a story spread to inspire terror.

Source: Dragonshard Part 2

To the outside world, the Bloodsails are known as macabre elves with ghost-powered ships. Their rune-covered and red sails are said to be drenched in the blood of their defeated enemies. The truth is the elves soak their sails in their own vital essence, enriching them with ancient and shadowy magic.

Thousands of years ago, when the Undying Court exterminated the line of Vol, it offered an ultimatum to Vol’s allies – abandon their Mabaran necromancy, or exile. A consortium of powerful liches, mummies, vampires, and other intelligent undead named “The Grim” led the refugees north, landing on the barren isle of Farlnen. The living elves of Farlnen comprise the Bloodsail principality, engaging in both trade and plunder.

Despite its fearsome reputation, the Bloodsail fleet is one of the smallest of the Principalities. The Bloodsail warships rarely venture past Orthoss. Still, almost all maritime traffic must travel through Bloodsail waters to pass between the Lhazaar Sea and the Bitter Sea. Ships that venture too close to Farlnen risk an encounter with the undead sea monsters that patrol its waters.

For the majority of the Last War the Bloodsails were allied with Karrnath, picking off Aundairian, Cyran, and Thranish ships. Since Kaius III took power the Bloodsails have flipped allegiance and now almost exclusively harass Karrnathi ships, venturing west into the Bitter Sea.

The elves of the Bloodsail principality, like the elves of Aerenal, are obsessed with achieving life after death. Unlike the Undying Court, the Grim’s reliance on Mabar for continued sustenance enforces a predatory and feudal relationship with their subjects. The typical Bloodsail elf appears wildly materialistic to an outsider, but this is because immortality must be purchased from a Grim Lord. Elves well-versed in the arcane arts can attempt to achieve lichdom, but most wealthy elves become vampires. Particularly fearsome captains can have their souls bound to the skeletal sea monsters that guard Farlnen. Most elves can only afford to become haunts, binding their soul to an item. Even here wealth matters, as a haunt’s ability to manifest in the world is entirely dependent on the quality (and thus price) of the reagents used.

Outsiders might find the transformation into a haunt to be grisly, but the elves of the Bloodsail principality find it far preferable to the oblivion of Dolurrh. Haunts still get to explore the seas with their ships, and their collective power makes Bloodsail ships the most potent in all Lhazaar. Captains in times of trouble frequently consult the spirits of their ships for wisdom and guidance.