The Parley Code

The Parley Code is the unspoken law of the sea—spoken only when it must be upheld. In Aethertide, where pirates rival empires and trust is as fluid as the tide, the Code is a sacred set of principles that bind captains, crews, and entire factions to a tenuous but vital order.

Though unwritten in any official ledger, its articles are passed through ship-to-ship whispers, etched into mastheads, or invoked during duels and diplomacy alike. Breaking the Code is not just dishonor—it is an invitation for retribution from all corners of the sea.

Origins

Said to have been forged by the first pirate captains who survived the @Siren’s Spiral and emerged changed, the Code was agreed upon over blood, rum, and ghostlight. The @The Free Keys Confederacy upholds it most strongly, but even the @The Black Nine will honor it—when it suits them.

The Code is enforced in neutral havens such as:

  • @Red Sail Cay – Pirate capital where the Code is posted in every tavern

  • @Coin's End – A smuggler’s haven where deals sealed under the Code are magically bound

  • @Tidewatch City – Though not a pirate city, its neutrality makes it a common ground for parley and trade

Core Articles of the Code

While variations exist, these tenets are nearly universal:

  1. No blade in parley. Once invoked, violence is suspended until talks conclude.

  2. No ship may fire upon a flagged parley vessel.

  3. Oaths given under parley are binding. Breaking them invites divine curse or ghostly vengeance.

  4. Neutral ground must remain bloodless. Any who spill blood in a sanctuary are outlawed.

  5. Treasure maps must be honored if jointly claimed.

  6. No captain may steal a crew already sworn to another.

  7. Quarter may be given—but never demanded.

  8. Dead men keep secrets. Speak of the Code's inner rites and join them.

Rituals & Traditions

  • The Coin Drop: To invoke parley, one must drop a blackened coin onto the nearest surface and speak the words "By wind and wave, I bind my tongue."

  • The Flame of Truth: In @Red Sail Cay , a lantern in the center of the parley hall burns blue during active negotiations. If it goes out, the talks end—often in blood.

  • The Everlasting Parley: @The Tidecallers of Nami no Kuni don't directly adehere to the Parlay Code but they are in a form of constant repulsion to violence , they are indeed considered in a status of Everlasting Parley

Breaking the Code

Those who violate the Code are known as Wavetraitors. They are:

  • Hunted by bounty crews

  • Denied access to neutral ports

  • Cursed by the sea itself, according to some

In especially egregious cases, the @The Black Nine may even suspend all parley until the traitor is punished.

Common Sayings

  • “The Code is cruel, but it is fair.”

  • “Parley's not peace, just pause.”

  • “Break the Code, and the sea will break you.”

The Code holds the chaos together. And in Aethertide, even pirates need rules—if only to know when they’ve been broken.