Editing Pirates of the Baltic Sea (section)

==Åland Islands==

The main hub of the setting.

===History===

Åland was an autonomous and demilitarized region of Finland since 1920 by a decision of the League of Nations, and its only official language is Swedish. In 2100, after a growing dissatisfaction with the Finnish government’s increasing focus on the various metropolitan hubs and industry at the expense of less urban areas that were left at the mercy of corporate exploitation and ever worsening effects of climate change, Åland declared independence. The secession was peaceful. In the parliament, most of the opposition had sympathy for Åland’s concerns and voted for granting independence. And the ruling right wing coalition’s ranks broke as one large populist nationalist party voted for getting rid of the Swedish-speaking region.

Åland had, at the time, a population of around 30 000 people. With the joy and enthusiasm of their newly gained independence, those people drafted a constitution with staunch protections for the environment, civil rights and personal freedoms, and heavy regulations for the corporations, along with restrictions on their involvement in politics. Offended, the corporate cartels of the region declared that they would not be doing business in or with Åland, nor with anyone who did, placing Åland under an effective embargo.

The corporations expected to bully Åland into submission, but instead they created a hub of resistance for their activities. Not just the Ålandic people were incensed, plenty of individual people in the Baltic area threw their support behind the region. Official trade and traffic was replaced by unofficial. Embargo became impossible to enforce as individual people and crews started transporting people and goods from all over the Baltic to Åland and back. Instead, Åland became a hub for such unofficial sea traffic – some would say smuggling. The Islands also became a haven for various activist groups, especially anti-corporate ones, that experienced harassment elsewhere. 

In some regions this might have resulted in takeover by corporate bought mercenaries. But Åland has been a demilitarized zone for over two centuries, and as such is under the protection of both Swedish and Finnish armed forces. Even if any corporation saw some gain in poking that nest of trouble, they would be unlikely to find a group of mercenaries stupid enough to take the assignment.

So what followed instead was increased pirate activity. It started with both corporate-sponsored and just plain greedy pirate crews starting to prey on shipping to Åland. In response, many ships took permanent berth in Åland, and with the government’s permission, armed themselves for protection against the pirates. Soon enough the outsiders learned that the Ålandic ships were not easy prey, but the gauntlet had been thrown. With rallying from the anti-corporate activist groups, some former smugglers started raiding corporate shipping in turn. This attracted some individual pirate vessels from other regions to migrate to islands instead. Over time, more of these crews and activists took permanent residence, vastly increasing Åland’s population.

These developments received mixed reception from Ålandic people. Some had expected independence to bring them peace from foreign meddling and give the islands to them only, and were aghast to see how foreign people and ways were taking over their beautiful islands. Others were proud of the new, more cosmopolitan environment and happily welcomed the new arrivals.

And while many were happy with, or even dependent on the smuggling business, not all of them liked the fact that some of the smugglers would also raid shipping should the opportunity present itself. 

Even today, when Åland’s population is more than double than when they became independent, there is tension and a somewhat conflicting atmosphere of both unity and division. In many places, people of very different origins casually rub shoulders. In others, if you show up not looking like a native Ålander or do not speak fluent enough Swedish, the reception can be frosty, though rarely violent.

And in addition to what goes on at the sea, various entirely new services have popped up on the islands. Places for the crews to rest and relax. Businesses offering server space and anonymous communications to various activist groups and anyone else who needs such. And lots and lots of brokers and fixers. Whether for goods or services. For many crews in Åland are mercenary in nature, and when individuals, groups, or even corporations need troubleshooters in the Baltic region, Åland has become the place to look. Up to the point where even the corporations cannot afford to entirely stay away, embargo or not.

And the ship crews from Åland, whether they do the original business of fishing and transport or engage in smuggling or piracy, have got a name around the Baltic to differentiate them from other similar crews. As image of their original counterparts from the Caribbean, they are Buccaneers of the Baltic Sea. Commonly referred to just as Buccaneers.

===Demographics===

Most of the population still consists of the native Ålandic people, with Swedes and Finns being the second and third most numerous groups. Every nation on the Baltic coast, along with Norway, has a significant minority presence. But one can encounter people from any corner of the world in Åland. While Åland itself does not have a Refugee Hive from the time of the Refugee Crisis, nearly all the Baltic Sea states have a few, so people of most known ethnicities have been living in the region for a long time.

===Language===

The common language in Åland Islands remains Swedish. Even for newcomers, no matter from where they originate, it is considered to be bad manners not to learn Swedish. The language of the other neighboring country, Finnish, is also somewhat common just for the trade with Finnish mainland, although far fewer people speak it. The languages of the two most powerful countries surrounding the Baltic, German and Russian, are also often heard. Polish is the next most common, followed by Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian.

===Geography and surroundings===

90% of the population resides on the island of Fasta Åland, also the site of Mariehamn, the capital. In addition, there are a further 6 500 skerries and islands to the east. Only 60 of these used to be inhabited. Many, especially the skerries, were just too small for habitation. But modern technology and construction methods have changed that. It is not uncommon for a ship crew to have their own skerry or even a small island, with a tower-like structure as a house and a pier for mooring their vessel.

Åland archipelago is contiguous with the Finnish Archipelago Sea. You can reach the coast of Finland with always an island in sight. From Mariehamn, there is a sailing distance of about 160 kilometres (99 miles) to the city of Turku on the Finnish coast, and 135 kilometres (84 miles)  to Stockholm, the capital of Sweden.

Fasta Åland is separated from the coast of Roslagen in Sweden by only 38 kilometres (24 miles) of open water to the west. About half way, there is the lighthouse and island of Märket that used to be shared with Sweden but which Sweden gave entirely to Åland after the independence.

The Åland Islands occupy a position of strategic importance, as they command one of the entrances to the port of Stockholm, as well as the approaches to the Gulf of Bothnia, in addition to being situated near the Gulf of Finland. This naturally suits the Buccaneers well. In truth, using the Åland approach to the port of Stockholm is generally quite safe, even for corporate shipping. No matter how dependent they are of the Buccaneers, Åland’s government will not tolerate actions that would risk their relationship with Sweden and Finland, and any Buccaneer crew making a blatant strike near Stockholm would find themselves no longer welcome.

===Mariehamn===

The capital city of Åland. Founded in 1861, the town was named after the Russian empress Maria Alexandrovna, literally meaning "Marie's Port". Mariehamn was built according to a very regular scheme which is still well-preserved in the original parts but largely lost in the newer expansion. These are now referred to as Old City and New City

The Old City of Mariehamn was built on part of a peninsula and home to a bit under 12 000 people. The present day Mariehamn of 2185 holds more than 30 000 people and over half of Åland’s population. The New City has expanded to cover the entire peninsula, some of the surrounding islands, and has pushed into the mainland.

====Old City====

Most of the buildings have been replaced by newer construction, but three examples of the original architecture remain. The Lutheran church of Mariehamn, the main building of the Åland Maritime College, and the town hall. Most of the buildings and services are administrative in nature. The Old City is the center of the government of Åland. There is also a hospital, a small airport, and two ports in both eastern and western sides of the peninsula. The ports are mainly for handling cargo and passenger traffic, and for short time berthing. More permanent berths for Buccaneer vessels are available in the New City port. There are residential areas too, the most expensive in Åland. And some hotels, including Hotel Arkipelag, the oldest and most significant one in the city. These days, the hotel houses mainly foreign dignitaries, but also various representatives, including clandestine corporate ones, seeking the goods and services of Åland for their patrons. For Buccaneers to receive an invitation to a meeting in Hotel Arkipelag means that there is a lucrative – and almost certainly risky – assignment available.

Few buccaneers reside in Old City, except for some retired ones who had successful careers.

====New City====

The expansion of Mariehamn happened largely with a rule of “most money, first served”. The closer to Old City, the classier the neighborhood, whether talking about residential areas or services. Moving closer to the edges, the areas become shabbier. It never gets to actual slums, but the outer edges of the New City are certainly considered to be rough neighborhoods.

New City is more of a residential and entertainment district than Old City. And here you can find a lot more Buccaneers. New City Port offers berths for those Buccaneer vessels that do not have their own piers in the smaller islands, and even crews from surrounding islands can often be found in the New City, whether relaxing or looking for a gig. The port area also has many shops and services. It is said that nearly anything can be purchased here if you can find the right store. The services include numerous brokers and fixers who seek to connect cargoes with customers and clients with Buccaneer crews to do their jobs. There are also plenty of bars, clubs and restaurants. Classier close to the Old City, rowdier near the city limits.

===Fasta Åland===

While Mariehamn is quite cosmopolitan and the surrounding islands are homes to Buccaneer crews of various nationalities, Åland’s mainland is a stark contrast. That is where most of the Ålandic people live, and precious few others. There are various smaller towns and villages in the mainland, and while a non-Ålandic visitor would be treated cordially in regions close to the capital, farther away the reception would be much more chilly. Most of the original population who have a problem with all the foreigners who have moved in have migrated to the mainland. The coast does have bases of a few Buccaneer crews, but those crews are almost exclusively Ålandic people.

The corporate embargo withered the original economy of trade and tourism. These days, in addition to farming and fishing that continue as they have for generations, the mainland businesses produce goods for local use and sale in the Capital, and many people commute to work in Mariehamn. The goods provided include even very high end products, for Åland had a few high-profile technology companies, and embargoed out of international trade they have turned their industry into providing to the locals. Buccaneers especially are prime consumers of their various products. Mainland is also where Åland gets its power, mainly from numerous wind farms.

===The Archipelago===

Most of the islands and skerries near Fasta Åland have Buccaneer bases. Often just a single building and a pier for the vessel, but larger islands can have numerous facilities. As one moves closer to the Finnish coast, the inhabited islands become fewer in between, until one can still find pristine, uninhabited islands. Although some of those islands are reputed to have hidden stashes or entire bases.
The surface of the islands is generally rocky and the soil thin due to glacial stripping at the end of the most recent ice age. The islands also contain many meadows, and there are several natural harbors.