Zaroum Al-Saryak is the calculating captain of the pirate ship Emerald Eye, one of three vessels using Jahaka Anchorage as a hidden base of operations. He is a male Calishite human bandit captain with a distinctive appearance and a taste for wealth and brutality.
Appearance and Personality
Al-Saryak has a special fondness for gemstones, wearing a coat with glittering gems sewn into it (worth 750 gp) and carrying a scimitar with gemstones embedded in the hilt (worth 1,250 gp). His ship’s cabins are decorated like rooms in a Calishite pasha’s palace. A long-ago injury cost him his left eye and left a large X-shaped scar across his face. He is known for his brutal practice of chopping off the heads of those who displease him and dangling them from his ship’s mermaid figurehead.
Magical Abilities
Al-Saryak’s ruined left eye socket now holds a magical gem that allows him to discern ghostly pathways leading to treasure. This gem works for no one else, giving him a unique advantage in locating valuable plunder.
Role in the Pirate Alliance
Al-Saryak is one of three pirate captains who have forged tenuous alliances with each other and with Liara Portyr of Fort Beluarian. He holds the sending stone matched to Liara Portyr’s, making him the primary point of contact for their arrangement. Through this connection, Liara provides the pirates with information about vessels sailing into and out of Port Nyanzaru via the sending stone, as well as intelligence about upcoming naval patrols from mainland nations. In exchange, the pirates avoid attacking ships flying the flag of Baldur’s Gate and share a portion of their profits with her.
Crew
The Emerald Eye’s crew consists of:
- First mate: Voltan (CE male Calishite human berserker)
- Twelve Calishite bandits
- Two Calishite thugs
- Five Chultan tribal warriors
Operational Security
Al-Saryak and the other pirates are fiercely protective of Jahaka Anchorage’s secret location. Every pirate must swear a blood oath to protect it, and any ship that sails within visual distance is attacked and chased if necessary. The pirates maintain a convincing front, claiming the anchorage is a trading post or exploratory base if strangers stumble upon it, then attempt to kill or capture them to maintain secrecy.