I was reading your blog on the history and Geography of Homeworld a few questions spring to mind.
Since this is d20 Pirates are there gunpowder weapons in this setting?, typically in our world, the golden age of pirates was in the 1600s, does this setting have similar weapons and equipment to that period in our history. Also your map shows the Old World, what about the New World? Does the New World of Homeworld have the Indian Tribes we are familiar with or similar to them? Has this world had its version of Christopher Columbus yet? Because when I think of Pirates, I get the image of Pirates of the Caribbean and the Caribbean is in the New World, and since your world has the same geography of our world, then I guess there is a Caribbean. Does the Northern Empire have colonies in the New World, gold mines there and Galleons for pirates to plunder?