Dread Pirate Stanley was the de facto ruler and emperor of Regna during the events of Might and Magic VIII: Day of the Destroyer. Although holding no formal title, unlike most of his predecessors (e.g. Hareck I, Lord of Regna and Emperor of the Endless Ocean), Stanley had full command of the Regnan fleet as well as trust and favor of most Pirates (this is evidenced by most Regnan NPCs giving a favorable opinion of him).
Throughout his career as a pirate, Stanley used influence and cunning to try and establish a foothold in the Jadamean mainland. He made an alliance with an ogre leader, Zog the Jackal, and used the leader of Warerat smugglers, Arion Hunter as an informant who would provide him with ship schedules for Ravenshore.
Stanley had also acquired huge amounts of gold and jewelry that he hid in several treasure chests in southern Ravage Roaming. Among the gold and jewels was the oldest and one of the most notable Regnan artifacts: the Judicious Measure, a cutlass sword used by the creator of The Empire of the Endless Ocean, Hareck I in his invasion of the Regna island that resulted in a major victory for the pirates, and the banishment of native Trolls to Murmurwoods.
Stanley's plans for invading the Jadamean mainland (the city of Ravenshore in particular) ultimately failed as the Hero of Jadame's party used the Regnans' own experimental Cannonball of Dominion to sink their anchored fleet.