TEXT: G4
  NEW DIMENSION
  GAMES
  Official Game Gazetteer
  100
  BY: MATT DEMILLE
  OF THE
  TM
  HELLISH HAVENS
  
  For  John  Rhys-Davies,
       guide  to  the  world . . .
  Credits
  Designer:  Matthew  deMille
  Cover:  Howard  Pyle  (historical  picture)
  Editing,  Graphic  Design,  Typography:  Matthew  deMille
  Producer:  James  deMille
  This  work  is  protected  under  the  copyright  laws  of  the  United  States  of  America  COPYRIGHT  2008
  
  ENHANCING   AN   ADVENTURE
  2
  The  safest  port  be  the  most  unsafe  one,  says  I.  In
  the  great  ports  o’ call  where  mariners  swell  their
  ships  with  riches  there  be  no  safe  haven  fer  a  fair
  man  on  the  account.  No  laddie,  if  ye  be  seekin’ a
  fair  trial,  an  honest  merchantile  or  a  taverne  where
  ye  be  served  rum  rather  than  irons,  then  ye’d  best
  be  lookin’ ta  the  harbors  where  there  ain’t  no  trials
  an’ merchants  be  monsters,  an’ the  taverne  already
  has  half  its  patrons  dead  when  ye  walk  in  through
  the  door.  If  a  pirate’s  life  ya  lead,  then  there  ain’t
  no  heaven ‘cept  in  Hell,  says  I . . .
  PRONOUN  NOTE:  The  male  pronouns  (‘he’,
  ‘him’,  ‘his’)  are  used  throughout  this  ‘ere  book.
  Though  women  may  be  bad  luck  at  sea,  they’re
  right  fine  for  this  ‘ere  game,  and  we’re  not  be
  tryin’  to  exclude  ‘em,  nor  even  imply  their
  exclusion.  Centuries  of  use  have  made  these  ‘ere
  pronouns  neutral,  and  they’re  use  provides  for  clear
  and  concise  written  next—nothing  else  does.
  ABOUT  THIS  BOOK:  What  is  in  this  booklet?
  Indeed,  just  what  is  an  adventure  gazetteer?  The
  pre-made  Adventures  of  the  game  can  be  enhanced
  in  many  ways,  and  thus,  different  gazetteers  serve
  different  functions.  This  particular  booklet  provides
  the  Game  Captain  with  both  historical  facts  about
  the  greatest  pirate  cities  and  popular  legends  about
  them,  all  translated  into  game  terms  and  to  useful
  adventure  material.
  What  is  in  this  book:  Within  these  pages,  great  if
  not  the  greatest  pirate  cities  are  detailed  in  many
  different  ways,  all  to  enhance  their  use  in  a  game
  of  high  adventure!  Historical  facts  and  footnotes
  about  the  most  legendary,  infamous  and  all-around
  useful  pirate  havens  of  all  are  herein  abbreviated
  and  translated  into  useful  gaming  material.
  Using  this  book:  Though  with  a  first  glance  this
  booklet  may  appear  simplistic  in  design,  there  is,
  just  as  with  running  any  adventure,  a  technique  to
  employing  this  material.  First  and  foremost,  it  is
  necessary  to  recognize  that  this  booklet  does  not  in
  any  way  provide  ready-made  Adventures,  but  rather
  it  merely  provides  a  setting,  details  that  should  be
  useful  to  bringing  current  Adventures  to  life  when
  the  party  makes  port.
  Each  Chapter  is  dedicated  to  one  great  pirate
  port.  Each  entry  has  rich  characters,  expanded  rules
  and  details  of  its  history  which  can  be  used  to  add
  to  any  game’s  ongoing  story.
  Each  Chapter  begins  with  an  overview,  a  sort
  of  ‘welcoming’  to  the  city.  This  will  provide  basic
  information,  including  history,  governmental  views,
  religious  practices,  etc.  Indeed,  this  will  provide  the
  Players  and  Game  Captain  alike  with  a  good  idea
  of  what  they  can  expect  to  find  there.
  Noteworthy  characters  are  to  follow,  individual
  NPCs  of  varying  degree  of  detail,  which  could  end
  up  as  pirates  themselves,  posses  useful  information,
  or  even  be  the  hook  to  an  Adventure.  Not  all  are
  historical  figures,  as  a  few  rouges  of  fiction  have
  managed  to  skulk  their  way  into  these  pages.
  Tavernes  and  commons  provide  the  names  and
  details  of  the  better  known  or  more  profitable  dens
  and  havens  for  pirates  and  other  ilk.  These  are  at
  best  the  beginnings  of  Adventures  and  the  products
  of  too  many  tales.  Yet  can  drunks  and  those  who
  chase  ghosts  even  tell  the  difference?  What  does  it
  matter  in  the  dim  light  of  the  taverne,  anyway?
  Merchantiles  offer  diverse  prices  on  equipment,
  unique  items  not  found  in  the  core  rules,  and  some
  other  surprises  for  those  willing  to  take  the  time  to
  browse  through  their  wares.
  The  legacy  of  a  town  is  what’s  considered  last
  for  it  summarizes  the  pirate  haven  as  a  whole.  The
  testimony  of  history  or  future  events  that  will  thus
  become  history  provide  the  best  guide  for  running
  any  game  in  any  port.  Dead  men  tell  all  tales . . .
  Summing  it  all  up:  There  be  a  lot  of  long  words
  in  that  text  above,  eh  matey?  Ye  be  not  more  than
  a  humble  pirate,  says  you?  Then  ta  say  it  plainly,
  this ‘ere  book  be  full  o’ details  about  twelve  pirate
  havens  ta  use  as  ya  see  fit.
  COVER   NOTE:   The  numerical  code  found  in  the
  upper  left  cover  corner  of  most  products  counts  the
  total  Encounters  in  that  adventure,  thus  presenting
  one  way  to  at  least  anticipate  the  challenge  that  is
  provided  therein.  However,  as  this  product  has  no
  such  entries  to  count,  that  code  has  been  replaced
  with  the  total  of  master  headings  and  charts  (and
  there  actually  be  more  than  100,  says  I,  fer  truth  it
  be  that  someone  chiseled  away  part  o’ me  profits).
  
  ENHANCING   AN   ADVENTURE
  3
  RANDOM  DETAILS:   No  matter  where  the  party
  sails  in  the  world,  no  matter  where  they  take  their
  refuge,  there  are  some  things  they  may  find  to  be,
  really,  anywhere.
  Tavernes  and  brothels:  There  are  countless  tavernes,
  brothels  and  other  establishments  of  every  sin  one
  could  imagine  in  any  given  pirate  town.  However,
  a  few  are  better  known  than  others,  for  one  reason
  or  another.  In  any  town,  a  carousing  crew  gets  one
  roll  on  the  following  chart  to  see  if  they  find  one
  of  those  ‘famous  establishments’,  which  offers  them
  a  modifier  to  both  Tables  25  and  26.  The  Game
  Captain  should  not  disclose  these  modifiers.
  Tavernes   And   Brothels
  Roll
  Establishment
  Table  25
  Table  26
  12
  Black  Dog
  -2
  +1
  11
  Blue  Anchor
  +0
  +2
  10
  Cheshire  Cheese
  -1
  +1
  9
  Green  Dragon
  -3
  +2
  8
  Jamaica  Arms
  +1
  -1
  7
  King’s  Arms
  +0
  +1
  6
  The  Salutation
  +2
  +0
  5
  Sign  of  Bacchus
  +1
  +3
  4
  Sin  of  the  Mermaid
  +3
  -1
  3
  Sugar  Loaf
  +1
  -1
  2
  Three  Crowns
  -2
  +1
  1
  Three  Mariners
  +0
  -2
  Captains  and  ships:  Though  using  the  random  rules
  in  the  core  rules  is  fine,  the  following  charts  add
  more  detail  to  randomly  encountered  ships.
  Captains   Of   The   World
  Roll
  Name
  Nationality
  12
  Hans  Alderdam
  Dutch
  11
  Carlos  Bonito
  Spanish
  10
  Cranby
  English
  9
  Ducasse
  French
  8
  René  Duguay-Trouin
  French
  7
  Thomas  Hollander
  Dutch
  6
  William  Knight
  English
  5
  Louis  Laffite-Pierre
  French
  4
  Carlos  Sanchez
  Spanish
  3
  Edward  Stanley
  English
  2
  Francis  Townley
  English
  1
  Juan  Vasquez
  Spanish
  Ships   Of   The   Caribbean
  Roll
  Name
  Design
  12
  Amity
  Sloop
  11
  Bonito
  Navy  snow
  10
  Buck
  Sloop
  9
  Good  Fortune
  Brigantine
  8
  H.M.S.  Hector
  Brigantine
  7
  Heureux
  Man-o-war
  6
  Lost  Abyss
  Galleon
  5
  H.M.S.  Poole
  Barque
  4
  Renegade  Angel
  Sloop
  3
  H.M.S.  Scarborough
  Frigate
  2
  Shark  of  Holland
  Barque
  1
  H.M.S.  Winchelsea
  Man-o-war
  Ships   Of   The   Mediterranean
  Roll
  Name
  Design
  12
  Argossal
  Galliot
  11
  Fateh  Muhammed
  Barque
  10
  Good  Fortune
  Brigantine
  9
  H.M.S.  Hector
  Brigantine
  8
  Herostratus
  Galley
  7
  Heureux
  Man-o-war
  6
  Lost  Abyss
  Galleon
  5
  Orion’s  Trader
  Argos
  4
  Poseidonsbane
  Galley
  3
  Renegade  Angel
  Sloop
  2
  Shark  of  Holland
  Barque
  1
  H.M.S.  Winchelsea
  Man-o-war
  Ships   Of   The   Open   Seas
  Roll
  Name
  Design
  12
  Baltimore  Sunrise
  Privateer
  11
  Bonito
  Navy  snow
  10
  H.M.S.  Cassandra
  Indiaman
  9
  Delicia
  Indiaman
  8
  Good  Fortune
  Brigantine
  7
  H.M.S.  Hector
  Brigantine
  6
  Heureux
  Man-o-war
  5
  Lost  Abyss
  Galleon
  4
  H.M.S.  Milford
  Frigate
  3
  Renegade  Angel
  Sloop
  2
  Shark  of  Holland
  Barque
  1
  H.M.S.  Winchelsea
  Man-o-war
  
  BERMUDA
  4
  Avast  there!  Ye  come  seekin’ refuge  with  salty  ol’
  pirates,  eh?  Then  yer’ve  come  ta  the  proper  place.
  Keep  a  weather-eye  open  mate,  there  be  shoals  an’
  spirits  ahead,  guardin’ the  gate  into  these  blue  an’
  emerald  waters  o’ paradise.
  WELCOME   TO   BERMUDA:   This  city  forms  a
  sort  of  entry  point  to  the  Caribbean,  a  gateway  for
  pirates  and  an  unofficial  northeastern  corner  of  the
  Spanish  Main’s  many  maps.  As  isolated  as  can  be,
  and  yet  so  centrally  located  to  raid  not  only  in  the
  Caribbean  but  to  prepare  for  passage  to  other  seas,
  there  are  always  pirates  here.  A  map  of  the  islands
  are  provided  as  Handout  1.
  Sourcebook:
  Caribbean
  Existence:
  1640  and  on
  Location:
  30N  65W
  Level:
  2
  Population:
  800
  Nationality:
  Variable
  Fortifications:
  3
  Merchantiles:
  -0
  A  history  of  Bermuda:  This  isolated  speck  on  the
  globe  was  originally  discovered  by  Spanish  explorer
  ‘Juan  de Bermudez’,  and  served  as  a  resting  place
  for  both  Spanish  and  Portuguese  mariners,  but  the
  storms  and  haunting  sounds  from  the  inland  forced
  them  out  with  fear,  and  it  first  appeared  on  charts
  in  1511  as  a  place  to  be  avoided.  And  perhaps  for
  good  reason,  as  this  strange  place  is  surrounded  by
  treacherous  reefs  and  wild,  unpredictable  weather.  It
  is  as  much  Hell  as  it  is  Heaven  for  all  vessels.  As
  such,  both  the  Spanish  and  Portuguese  abandoned
  it  within  a  few  short  years.
  Nearly  a  century  later,  in  1609,  the  English,  in
  an  attempt  to  colonize  anywhere  that  they  can,
  discovered  the  island  anew  when  the  ‘Sea  Venture’
  wrecked  on  its  reefs.  After  several  difficult  years,
  in  1612  there  was  finally  a  colony  established.
  Instead  of  being  a  true  island,  this  is  actually
  a  collection  of  over  a  hundred  tiny  islands  bound
  together  by  coral  reefs.  Consequently,  placenames
  overlapped  and  were  used  multiple  times,  out  of
  both  confusion  in  this  maze  as  well  as  a  lack  of
  imagination  by  the  businessmen  funding  the  colony.
  Soon  enough,  it  was  seen  as  a  chaotic  place  unfit
  for  decent  folk.  This  was  worsened  by  the  failed
  attempt  to  build  an  economy  on  tobacco.  Timber
  and  shipbuilding  took  over  as  the  island’s  principal
  exports,  but  even  rich  cedar  and  crafty  shipwrights
  could  not  save  what  is  seen  as  a  cursed  colony.
  The  colony  struggled,  plagued  by  misfortunate
  most  attest  to  the  evil  spirits  which  drove  out  the
  Spanish  a  century  prior.  Shipwrecks  were  common,
  with  the  survivors  establishing  camps  all  over  the
  island,  and  beginning  shanty  towns  with  the  caches
  dug,  piers  built  and  supplies  left  by  earlier  settlers,
  both  Spanish  and  English  alike.
  Pirates  are  soon  drawn  here  as  well.  They  too
  encounter  the  haunts,  but  while  some  dismiss  them
  only  as  birds  in  the  night,  others  welcome  ghosts
  to  Spanish  prisons,  and  so  most  pirates  who  land
  (or  swim)  here  manage  to  eke  out  an  existence  in
  a  compromise  with  fate.  Out  of  a  sheer  need  for
  commerce,  the  English  governors  welcome  pirates,
  and  soon  encourage  their  presence  with  privateering
  licenses  and  other  enticements.
  In  the  end,  it  seems  the  restless  haunts  here
  work  their  evil—no  colony  save  one  of  villainy  is
  to  prosper.  The  name  given  to  this  haven  by  most
  official  mariners,  ‘The  Devil’s  Island’,  is  actually
  encouraged  by  its  pirates  and  even  its  government,
  for  it  helps  keep  the  island  safe  from  enemy  navy
  vessels  and  other  interlopers.
  Government  and  law:  There  is  only  a  very  token
  amount  of  government  here,  a  holdover  of  earlier
  attempts  to  colonize  everywhere  in  the  Caribbean
  and  the  Americas  alike.  Indeed,  the  offices  are  but
  little  more  than  decoration  to  divert  attention  away
  from  their  only  real  function—management  of  the
  privateering  that  plagues  the  Spanish  in  ways  that
  the  Royal  Navy  economically  or  politically  cannot.
  Eleven  Islands:  Though  the  ‘island’  of  Bermuda  is
  composed  of  hundreds  of  small  isles  and  reefs,  the
  English  government  has  nonetheless  defined  it  with
  eleven  main  areas;  ‘Devonshire’,  ‘The  Gold  Cove’,
  ‘Hamilton’,  ‘Paget’,  ‘Pembroke’,  ‘The  Silver  Cove’,
  ‘St. George’s’,  ‘Sandy’,  ‘Smiths’,  ‘Southampton’  and
  ‘Warwick’.  Pirates  who  refer  to  these  names  as  a
  port  of  call  are  almost  universally  referring  not  to
  their  original  namesakes  in  Britain,  but  to  all  these
  new  parishes  in  Bermuda.
  
  BERMUDA
  5
  NOTEWORTHY   CHARACTERS:   Given  such  a
  central  location  in  the  colonization,  wars  and  other
  events  of  the  world  throughout  the  17th and  18th
  Centuries,  this  island  has  many  characters  who  may
  cross  paths  or  even  swords  with  pirates  and  other
  adventurers  out  on  the  account.
  Thomas  Tew:  A  man  from  the  Americas,  he  starts
  his  pirating  career  in  Bermuda  in  1692  by  attaining
  a  letter  of  marque.  While  his  exploits  develop  into
  legend,  his  frequent  returns  to  this  island  are  never
  mentioned,  for  when  he  does  return  here,  it  is  not
  necessarily  to  recruit  men  or  divide  plunder,  but  to
  continue  a  life-long  search  for  a  ‘secret’  buried  by
  the  first  Spanish  settlers.  What  this  secret  may  be
  and  what  its  true  value  is  no  one  knows.
  Nathanial  Butler:  An  English  privateer  by  trade,  he
  gives  up  the  sea  to  settle  in  Bermuda  at  the  dawn
  of  the  17th Century,  acting  as  a  liaison  between  the
  government  and  pirates.  He  fulfills  the  undesirable
  duty  of  governor  for  most  of  the  island’s  difficult
  years  of  development,  building  up  the  towns  with
  a  severely  limited  budget  and  cunning  alone.  For
  example,  he  salvages  cannons  from  the  shipwrecks
  around  the  island,  using  them  to  arm  the  forts.  In
  1639,  the  call  of  the  sea  finally  proves  too  strong
  for  him,  and  he  sets  out  privateering  again,  only  to
  return  after  only  a  year.
  Brody  Benchley:  This  is  a  humble  author  who  has
  a  dream:  He  holds  the  key  to  a  sunken  chest,  that
  he  calls  a  ‘treasure-box’,  which  lies  on  the  bottom
  of  one  of  the  island’s  many  coves.  However,  the
  shallow  waters  are  swarming  with  sharks,  and  he
  cannot  figure  out  how  to  avoid  them.  He  will  not
  kill  them,  for  personal  reasons.  Since  nobody  ever
  suggests  any  other  method,  he  remains  a  popular
  figure  in  the  island’s  imagination,  and  a  favorite  of
  tales  told  at  seafront  tavernes.  Indeed,  many  laugh,
  but  few  do  not  believe  in  or  dream  of  the  riches
  laying  not  but  a  few  miles  away  under  the  waves.
  He  remains  an  enigma,  seldom  seen  save  by  those
  who  call  at  his  harborfront  house,  only  to  be  given
  a  flat  refusal  to  their  tried-and-disdained  ideas  for
  attaining  the  treasure.  He’s  even  seldom  recognized
  when  he  does  go  into  town,  for  the  stories  which
  surround  him  have  painted  a  false  picture  indeed.
  TAVERNES   AND   COMMONS:   Throughout  the
  island  there  are  many  shady  tavernes  and  seedy  if
  not  outright  dangerous  grog  parlors,  ale  houses  and
  other  watering  holes.
  Parlor  Of  Three:  Most  of  the  tavernes  here  are  the
  only  buildings  apart  from  tents  and  shanty-shacks,
  but  this  one  is  unique,  being  both  a  structure  that
  was  planned  but  seemingly  smaller  than  most  tents
  up  and  down  the  beaches.  It  has  only  three  tables,
  each  separated  by  heavy  timber  walls.  This  is  not
  only  to  ensure  security  but  also  safety,  as  the  few
  pirates  who  can  gather  here  can  be  easily  subdued
  if  things  between  them  get  out  of  hand.
  Dead  Man’s  Cay:  Just  outside  the  harbor  there  is  a
  narrow  reef  which  used  to  trap  many  ships,  until  a
  series  of  beach  cairns  were  built  to  guide  ships  in
  safely.  The  wreckage  of  dozens  of  earlier  Spanish
  and  some  English  vessels  form  a  forest  of  rotting,
  barnacle-crusted  timbers  along  this  cay,  which  has
  been  regarded  as  haunted.  That  said,  many  sailors
  prefer  to  take  their  ease  here,  despite  the  lack  of  a
  soft  beach,  indeed  preferring  the  presence  of  ghosts
  made  from  men  rather  than  the  unknown  monsters
  whose  noises  echo  from  the  jungles  of  the  island.
  There  are  so  many  camps  here  that  a  regular  ‘inn’
  has  been  built  from  the  wreckage,  taking  its  name
  from  the  reef  itself.
  The  Bloody  Bayou:  Established  by  survivors  of,  as
  they  call  it,  ‘a  cursed  venture  into  Florida’,  this  is
  a  taverne  they  are  using  to  rebuild  the  fortune  that
  was  lost  on  that  doomed  voyage  of  which  they  are
  so  quick  to  speak.  The  building  itself  is  designed
  to  resemble  the  bayou,  which  is  legendary  to  most
  sailors,  having  never  seen  it.  Whether  for  the  dark
  light,  tokens  brought  from  their  voyage,  or  simply
  their  skilled  storytelling,  pirates  of  all  nations  and
  religions  come  here  to  gather  rumors  and  ‘wisdom’
  for  their  own  ventures  into  the  murky  swamps  that
  make  up  Florida’s  southern  reaches,  searching  for
  everything  from  the  Fountain  of  Youth  to  long  lost
  relatives.  The  more  level-headed  sailors  believe  that
  most  legends  which  give  shape  to  Florida’s  ghosts
  take  shape  right  here,  in  the  ghost  stories  served  in
  the  same  readiness  as  ‘spirits’  and  other  drinks.
  
  BERMUDA
  6
  MERCHANTILES:   There  aren’t  many  merchants
  in  Bermuda,  and  most  trade  is  done  either  through
  West  India  Company  supply  fleets  (when  England
  is  tolerant  of  pirates),  or  simple  ship-to-ship  trade
  (when  England  is  actively  hunting  pirates).
  Coin   Values
  Type  of  coin
  Nation
  Value
  Crowns
  Britain
  +3
  Daalders
  Holland
  -1
  Doubloons
  Spain
  +0
  Ducats
  Holland
  -1
  Guineas
  Britain
  +3
  Louis  d’ors
  France
  -1
  Nine  deniers
  France
  -1
  Pieces  of  eight
  Spain
  +1
  Services
  Service
  Cost  of  service
  Appraisal
  2  gold  per  gem  or  jewelry  piece
  Bank
  6%  of  treasure  being  kept
  Doctor
  14  gold  per  Damage  treated
  Inn  room
  2  gold  per  person  (includes  food)
  Proper  burial
  30-80  gold
  Tailor
  8  gold  per  set  of  clothes
  Translator
  6  gold  per  page
  Barbados  water:  Another  name  for  rum,  and  this  is
  a  style  sold  in  slightly  smaller  bottles  than  normal
  rum,  and  is  not  as  potent,  either.  Each  bottle  will
  negate  -1  penalty  worth  of  wounds  for  1-6  hours.
  Bermuda-rigging:  Given  the  abundance  of  wood  on
  the  island  coupled  with  its  maze-like  coves,  there
  are  many  skilled  shipwrights  who  can  convert  most
  small  vessels  into  ‘Bermuda  sloops’.  This  requires
  replacing  the  much  of  the  masts  and  rigging  with
  unique  design.  A  schooner,  naval  sloop,  navy  snow
  or  sloop  is  able  to  take  on  this  change,  adding  a
  +2  bonus  to  its  speed.  This  does  not  count  against
  the  vessel’s  finite  amount  of  possible  modifications.
  Cedar  crate:  The  protective  wood  found  here  makes
  for  crates  and  other  containers  which  are  in  many
  ways  far  more  valuable  than  their  contents.  Every
  ‘crate’  keeps  100  days  worth  of  food  safe  against
  spoiling.  If  a  ship’s  entire  food  supply  is  sealed  in
  such  crates  and  barrels,  low  rolls  for  daily  travel
  which  call  for  a  loss  of  food  are  negated  and  the
  day  passes  without  incident.
  Chain-arm:  This  weapon  is  a  retractable  chain  that
  fixes  to  the  end  of  one’s  arm,  thereby  giving  it  a
  greater  accuracy  than  a  normal  chain.  These  were
  initially  developed  to  keep  slaves  in  line,  giving  +1
  to  Initiative  against  anyone  using  a  melee  weapon.
  Clean  bill  of  health:  This  is  an  official  government
  document  ‘proving’  that  the  ship  and  crew  are  free
  of  disease  so  that  they  cannot  be  rejected  from  any
  port  on  such  grounds  (whether  this  is  true  or  not
  doesn’t  matter—it’s  official,  after  all).
  Equipment
  Item
  Found
  Cost
  Weight
  Barbados  water
  11
  1
  8
  Ghost-paint
  1
  33
  3
  Grog  (1  bottle)
  9
  5
  10
  Talisman
  12
  7
  1
  Ghost-paint:  Some  pirates  live  deep  in  the  island’s
  jungles,  encouraging  belief  in  ghosts  by  wearing  a
  body  paint  which  glows  in  the  moonlight.  Finding
  its  makers  is  difficult,  but  once  acquired  (it  is  sold
  in  a  hollowed-out  bone),  it  has  3  uses  (which  can’t
  be  doubled-up).  Each  use  gives  one  a  bonus  to  his
  Defense  Score  for  a  night  depending  on  his  enemy.
  The  bonus  is  +3  against  Spaniards,  +2  against  all
  natives,  and  +1  against  all  other  people.  Its  price
  cannot  be  bartered  in  any  way:  The  makers  sell  it
  ‘for  a  price  in  gold  equal  to  the  number  of  years
  Jesus  lived  to  protect  the  wearer  from  the  spirits’.
  Grog:  This  is  rum,  watered  down  and  given  taste
  by  vegetables  and  citrus.  When  consumed  in  full,
  one  makes  an  Endurance  Check.  Success  means  he
  is  able  to  heal  1  penalty  worth  of  his  wounds,  but
  failure  means  he  not  only  gains  an  additional  -1
  penalty  (but  stands  no  chance  of  dying  from  this),
  he  will  also  fall  unconscious  for  1-12  hours.
  Marlinspike:  While  designed  for  aid  in  fixing  ropes
  and  rigging,  primarily  with  separating  tangles,  such
  spikes  are  equally  effective  at  separating  sinews  in
  one’s  enemies,  giving  the  user  a  bonus  of  +1  with
  its  Attack  Rolls  when  made  aboard  ships.
  
  BERMUDA
  7
  Musketoon:  A  shorter  version  of  the  blunderbuss,  a
  little  less  accurate  but  stronger  than  a  musket,  this
  is  designed  for  close-quarters  combat,  offering  the
  user  a  bonus  of  +2  with  Attack  Rolls  aboard  ships.
  Pistol-blade:  This  is  a  normal  flint-lock  pistol  with
  a  dagger  cunningly  worked  into  its  design,  and  can
  thus  be  used  normally  as  either  weapon.  However,
  if  either  weapon  breaks  in  its  use,  it  breaks  both.
  The  Damage  listed  is  for  pistol/dagger  respectively.
  Special   Weapons
  Weapon
  Found
  Cost
  Weight
  Damage
  Chain-arm
  7
  6
  10
  2
  Marlinspike
  11
  2
  7
  3
  Musketoon
  5
  16
  11
  8
  Pistol-blade
  9
  24
  6
  6 / 3
  Shaman-spear
  4
  30
  8
  4
  Shaman-spear:  Originally  made  for  defense  against
  the  evil  spirits  of  the  island’s  jungles,  these  spears
  are  effective  against  all  manner  of  spirits,  giving
  their  wielder  a  +1  bonus  to  both  his  Attack  Rolls
  and  Initiative  Rolls  against  any  and  all  Ghosts.
  Talisman:  Given  the  haunting  cries  which  echo  in
  the  island’s  jungles  at  night,  talismans  to  secure  a
  living  soul  against  them  are  common.  These  give  a
  wearer  a  +1  bonus  to  dealing  with  a  Fear  at  night.
  This  bonus  cannot  be  raised  by  multiple  talismans.
  Purchasing   Ships
  Ship
  Found
  Cost
  Sparrow
  11
  200
  Schooner
  10
  1000
  Naval  sloop
  7
  1600
  Navy  snow
  6
  2000
  Sloop
  9
  3000
  Dutch  fluyt
  5
  5000
  Barque
  10
  5500
  Brigantine
  9
  8000
  Mariner
  5
  12000
  Merchantman
  4
  16000
  Square-rigger
  4
  22000
  Frigate
  3
  30000
  Man-o-war
  2
  36000
  Galleon
  1
  40000
  Spanish  galleon
  1
  50000
  Provisions
  Provision
  Found
  Cost
  Size
  Anchor
  10
  30
  50
  Bermuda-rigging
  10
  1000
  0
  Cannon  (1  gun)
  5
  80
  50
  Cannonballs  (1  salvo)
  8
  6
  5
  Cedar  crate
  12
  10
  0
  Charts
  9
  500
  0
  Clean  bill  of  health
  11
  500
  0
  Flag,  Dutch
  8
  70
  10
  Flag,  English
  10
  30
  10
  Flag,  French
  6
  80
  10
  Flag,  Spanish
  5
  100
  10
  Flag,  foreign  sea
  4
  150
  10
  Flag  (pirate)
  6
  100
  10
  Food  (20  days,  1  man)
  12
  3
  1
  Longboat
  11
  60
  350
  Oars  (full  ship)
  5
  120
  100
  Spare  sails
  11
  100
  300
  Weapons*
  8
  800
  200
  Trading   Goods
  Price
  Nature  of  the  goods
  Time
  +3
  Clothing,  cotton  or  silk
  1-6  weeks
  +3
  Glass
  1-12  weeks
  +3
  Medicine
  1-3  months
  +3
  Rare  plants
  1-6  weeks
  +2
  Tea
  1-3  weeks
  +2
  Sugar  or  flour
  1-3  months
  +2
  Books
  1-6  weeks
  +1
  Tobacco
  1  month
  +1
  Rare  animals
  1-6  weeks
  +1
  Spices
  2  weeks
  +0
  Rum,  ale,  beer  or  brandy
  1  week
  +0
  Hides
  1  month
  LEGACY:   The  city  of  ‘Bermuda’  tells  this  tale:  It
  is  possible  to  establish  a  pirate  haven  anywhere  in
  the  world,  even  in  the  most  remote  or  unlikely  of
  places.  Bermuda  is  such  a  place,  both  remote  and
  unlikely.  And  ideal.  If  nothing  else,  after  all  of  the
  failed  colonies  and  commerce,  this  island  tells  the
  governments,  navies  and  wealthy  elite  that  they  can
  never  forget  that  one  man’s  trash  is  another  man’s
  treasure.  The  pirates  of  Bermuda  are  rather  proud
  of  their  island  being  discovered  and  discarded  by  a
  world  that  has  discarded  them  in  turn,  providing  an
  ideal  port  from  which  to  strike  shipping  lanes.
  
  CURAQAO
  8
  Ye  be  seekin’ safe  harbor,  a  good  place  ta  sell  all
  them  barrels  unknown,  or  just  an  escape  from  the
  Spanish,  matey?  Then  ye’ll  be  wantin’ ta  drop  yer
  anchor  here.  Here  a  man  be  measured  not  by  the
  size  o’ his  heart,  but  the  size  o’ his  purse.
  WELCOME   TO   CURAQAO:   This  island,  which
  lies  right  along  the  Spanish  Main,  serves  as  a  very
  important  trade  center  for  the  Dutch  throughout  the
  majority  of  piracy  in  the  Caribbean.  A  map  of  the
  island  is  provided  as  Handout  2.
  Sourcebook:
  Caribbean
  Existence:
  1634  and  on
  Location:
  12N  69W
  Level:
  8
  Population:
  2500
  Nationality:
  Dutch
  Fortifications:
  5
  Merchantiles:
  -0
  A  history  of  Curaqao:  The  tale  of  this  island  is  as
  old  as  the  civilization  in  the  Caribbean  itself.  The
  Spanish  explorer  ‘Alonso  de Ojeda’  landed  here  in
  1499  while  searching  for  the  legendary  ‘El Dorado’.
  Finding  no  gold,  he  men  settled  cattle  farms  along
  the  southern  coast  of  the  island.  The  native  tribes,
  known  as  the  ‘Arawak’,  were  easily  subdued  by  a
  combination  gunpowder  or  disease.
  In  1634,  with  Spanish  power  dwindling,  Dutch
  merchants  fund  a  trade  center  in  the  natural  harbor,
  creating  the  ‘city’  of  Curaqao.  Various  names  for
  the  new  city,  like  ‘Willemstad’  (a  prominent  backer
  of  the  enterprise)  and  ‘Schottegat’  (the  name  of  the
  harbor  itself)  are  debated,  but  as  ‘curacao’  holds  a
  double-meaning  (‘land  of  the  giants’  in  Spanish,  in
  reference  to  the  tall  natives,  ‘heart’  in  Portuguese,
  in  reference  to  it  being  a  center  for  trading),  the
  appeal  of  a  name  in  multiple  languages  (and  thusly
  as  many  merchants  as  possible)  just  makes  good
  business,  and  so  makes  good  sense,  and  ‘Curaqao’
  becomes  synonymous  with  island  and  city.
  Due  to  the  arid  land  here,  agriculture  isn’t  at
  all  profitable,  so  the  pioneers  (most  of  them  Jewish
  families  from  Amsterdam  and  Brazil)  begin  trading
  in  cotton,  indigo,  tobacco  and  slaves.  This  island-
  city  quickly  rises  to  prominence  as  a  major  center
  for  trade.  The  Dutch  West  India  Company  makes
  it  their  unofficial  base  of  operations  throughout  the
  New  World,  employing  all  manner  of  good  sense
  (and  business  tactics)  to  secure  their  place.
  The  slave  trade  becomes  the  island-city’s  most
  profitable  trade,  peaking  in  1662.  Not  only  are  the
  natives  sold  here,  but  slaves  imported  from  Africa
  are  brought  here  for  their  distribution  throughout
  the  Caribbean  to  friendly  colonies.  It  is  not  long
  before  European  rebels  suffer  the  same  fate  in  the
  city’s  hastily  dug  dungeons.  Strangely,  only  pirates
  remain  exempt.  Strange,  at  least,  to  the  rest  of  the
  world,  who  doesn’t  face  the  constant  threat  of  the
  Spanish  turning  one  wrong  ledger  into  a  declaration
  of  war—plentiful  pirates  keep  the  city  fortified  as
  well  as  draw  Spanish  ships  away  to  pursue  them.
  Government  and  law:  The  city  is  run  by  tradesmen
  first  and  foremost,  whether  officially  or  not.  Laws
  can  be  changed  as  easily  as  figures  on  an  invoice,
  if  it’s  what  is  best  for  business.  The  Dutch  West
  India  Company  holds  all  the  true  power  here.
  NOTEWORTHY   CHARACTERS:   There  are  few
  figures  of  any  importance  here.  Businessmen  come
  and  go,  as  do  pirates.  Nobody  remains  here  a  long
  time,  preferring  to  do  business  and  get  out  before
  making  enemies  or  even  friends,  which  have  little
  difference  when  it  comes  to  money.
  TAVERNES   AND   COMMONS:   Given  the  very
  high  ideal  this  city  sets  for  itself,  dens  of  sodomy,
  squalor  and  sin  are  generally  not  long  to  last,  for
  a  pirate  can  enjoy  richer,  more  luxurious,  open-air
  hostels  and  brothels  that  the  city  will  clean  up,  but
  there  are  a  few  preferred  pirate  destinations  none-
  the-less,  which  the  city  makes  no  effort  to  change.
  Hato  Cave:  Named  for  the  legendary  caves  on  the
  far  side  of  the  island,  this  is  a  dark,  dingy  taverne
  where  men  are  little  more  than  ghosts  haunting
  tidal  pools  of  so  many  spilled  drinks.
  Arawak  Plank:  Mocking  the  native  people  with  the
  statue  of  their  last  king  walking  a  plank  above  the
  front  door,  the  government  secretly  funds  this  den
  of  thieves  and  cutthroats  because  it  helps  them  all
  feel  superior  to  the  slaughtered  savages,  and  eases
  guilt—it’s  easy  to  blame  ‘pirates’  for  native  losses.
  
  CURAQAO
  9
  MERCHANTILES:  The  following  charts  supersede
  those  in  Chapter  5  of  the  core  rules.  Note  that  the
  Availability  of  items  can  be  increased  by  1  for
  every  100  gold  paid  to  the  government.
  Coin   Values
  Type  of  coin
  Nation
  Value
  Crowns
  Britain
  +0
  Daalders
  Holland
  +3
  Doubloons
  Spain
  +1
  Ducats
  Holland
  +3
  Guineas
  Britain
  +1
  Louis  d’ors
  France
  +0
  Nine  deniers
  France
  +0
  Pieces  of  eight
  Spain
  +2
  Services
  Service
  Cost  of  service
  Appraisal
  1  gold  for  every  3  pieces
  Bank
  4%  of  treasure  being  kept
  Translator
  6  gold  per  page
  Whore
  3-15  gold  per  person  per  night
  Clean  bill  of  health:  This  is  an  official  government
  document  ‘proving’  that  the  ship  and  crew  are  free
  of  disease  so  that  they  cannot  be  rejected  from  any
  port  on  such  grounds  (whether  this  is  true  or  not
  doesn’t  matter—it’s  official,  after  all).
  Fireworks:  Imported  from  China,  these  devices  are
  used  to  either  light  up  an  enemy  vessel  at  night  or
  simply  confuse  them.  One  box  lasts  for  one  battle.
  It  will  provide  a  +1  bonus  to  Initiative  for  a  ship,
  provided  the  battle  is  at  night.  Multiple  fireworks
  boxes  cannot  be  used  to  gain  a  greater  bonus.
  Equipment
  Item
  Found
  Cost
  Weight
  Kilduijvel  (1  bottle)
  6
  6
  12
  Pardon  tube
  4
  12
  4
  Kilduijvel:  This  rum  is  the  forerunner  of  the  more
  popular  ‘Killdevil’.  Originally  mixed  in  a  cannon’s
  barrel,  drinking  it  requires  an  Endurance  Check.  If
  successful,  one  will  be  able  to  ignore  -1  penalty
  worth  of  wounds  until  it  heals,  but  if  he  fails  he
  adds  -2  penalty  worth  of  wounds.
  Pardon  tube:  This  is  a  fancy  scroll  case  made  only
  to  mimic  the  current  style  of  those  containing  the
  ‘Royal  Pardons’  carried  around  by  Naval  officers.
  Of  course,  this  tube  contains  nothing  of  true  value.
  It  can,  however,  give  one  a  chance  to  bluff  their
  way  into  any  town  by  making  a  Charisma  Check,
  penalized  by  that  town’s  Hostility  Modifier.  Such  a
  tube  becomes  worthless  after  1  year,  as  their  styles
  in  official  circles  change  so  often.
  Purchasing   Ships
  Ship
  Found
  Cost
  Dutch  fluyt
  10
  3000
  Barque
  11
  4000
  Merchantman
  8
  10000
  Spanish  galleon
  5
  30000
  Provisions
  Provision
  Found
  Cost
  Size
  Cannon  (1  gun)
  10
  100
  50
  Cannonballs  (1  salvo)
  8
  10
  5
  Charts
  9
  300
  0
  Clean  bill  of  health
  5
  800
  0
  Fireworks
  3
  600
  20
  Flag,  Dutch
  11
  30
  10
  Flag,  foreign
  7
  80
  10
  Flag,  pirate
  5
  100
  10
  Weapons*
  8
  800
  200
  Trading   Goods
  Price
  Nature  of  the  goods
  Time
  +8
  Tobacco
  1-4  weeks
  +7
  Rare  plants
  1-6  weeks
  +5
  Clothing,  cotton  or  silk
  1-3  weeks
  +5
  Hides
  1  month
  +4
  Tea
  1-3  weeks
  +4
  Medicine
  1-12  weeks
  +3
  Sugar  or  flour
  1-3  months
  +3
  Books
  1-12  weeks
  +2
  Glass
  1  month
  +2
  Rare  animals
  1-12  weeks
  +2
  Spices
  2  weeks
  +2
  Rum,  ale,  beer  or  brandy
  1  week
  LEGACY:   The  city  of  ‘Curaqao’  tells  this  tale:  If
  it’s  good  for  business,  it’s  good  for  Curaqao.  If  a
  West  India  Company  of  any  nation  has  a  home,  it
  is  this  island.  Simple  as  that.
  
  DERNA
  10
  Foul  be  the  winds  that  blow  a  man  towards  a  port
  where  his  best  purchase  therein  be  his  life.  Ill  says
  I  be  the  winds  o’ fate  that  bring  any  man  into  the
  dark  streets  o’ this  city.  Of  course,  then  there  be’in
  nobody  what  will  come  seekin’ ya  there.
  WELCOME   TO   DERNA:   An  anchorage  for  all
  corsairs,  pirates  and  refugees  from  both  the  Roman
  Catholic  Empire  and  the  Ottoman  Turkish  Empire
  alike,  this  desert  port  is  a  den  of  shadows  wherein
  thieves  of  all  ilk  count  their  money  and  divide  it,
  then  prepare  their  next  voyage.  They  do  not  spend
  it  here,  at  least  not  much.  A  map  of  the  coast  is
  provided  as  Handout  3.
  Sourcebook:
  Mediterranean
  Existence:
  1486  and  on
  Location:
  33N  22E
  Level:
  6
  Population:
  3600
  Nationality:
  All
  Fortifications:
  4
  Merchantiles:
  -1
  A  history  of  Derna:  Founded  on  the  ruins  of  a  far
  older  settlement,  this  begins  as  an  encampment  for
  several  corsair  crews  in  the  late  15th Century,  but  it
  quickly  grows  into  a  large  city.  It  is  frequented  by
  caravans  coming  from  and  returning  to  the  dreaded
  Sarah  Desert,  and  it  is  their  business  which  swells
  the  streets  into  tent-covered  bazaars,  giving  pirates
  no  end  of  opportunity  to  squander  their  newly  won
  treasure,  but  the  greater  business  is  actually  by  the
  flip  side  of  that  coin,  as  caravans  purchase  supplies
  in  this  town,  brought  from  raided  ships,  and  thusly
  most  corsairs  leave  town  with  more  gold  they  had
  when  they  arrived.  It  is  this  good  trade  for  which
  a  common,  unwritten  law  takes  hold  amongst  all
  pirate  crews—not  to  attack  this  city,  easily  enough
  though  they  could—they  need  a  safe  harbor  and  so
  let  the  city  thrive,  which  it  does  quite  well.
  Government  and  law:  Though  a  Bey  officially  rules
  the  town,  he  knows  he  has  no  real  power,  and  is
  content  to  take  what  criminals  are  turned  over  to
  him  by  their  own  shipmates  and  send  them  off  to
  higher  authorities,  maintaining  the  illusion  of  law.
  The  true  laws  here  are  strictly  of  faith  and  sword.
  Entering  the  city:  With  the  majority  of  the  town  of
  Islamic  faith,  non-Muslims  cannot  enter  unless  they
  pay  a  toll  of  6  philips  or  10  of  any  other  coin.
  Religion:  The  vast  majority  of  people  here,  whether
  citizens  or  corsairs,  are  of  Islamic  faith.  Differing
  religions  are  tolerated,  simply  because  corsairs  and
  pirates  can  respect  each  other  enough,  or  at  least
  long  enough,  to  count  and  divide  gold.  However,
  in  order  to  maintain  the  town’s  proper  appearance
  to  spies  of  the  Sultan,  no  temples  besides  those  of
  Islam  are  allowed  to  be  built  here.
  NOTEWORTHY   CHARACTERS:   There  are  few
  figures  of  any  importance  here.  Businessmen  are
  rare,  as  are  officials.  Nobody  remains  here  a  long
  time,  preferring  to  do  business  and  get  out  before
  making  enemies  or  even  friends,  which  have  little
  difference  when  it  comes  to  money.
  TAVERNES   AND   COMMONS:   Every  corner
  of  this  city  is  a  taverne  in  practice,  but  in  order  to
  maintain  the  illusion  of  Ottoman  rule,  none  are  so
  bold  as  to  allow  their  reputation  to  get  too  visible.
  MERCHANTILES:   Most  merchants  here  deal  in
  open  air  markets  or  ‘bazaars’,  where  anything  can
  be  got  for  a  price.  Note  that  the  Availability  of
  items  has  not  been  recalculated  like  the  rest  of  the
  scores,  so  the  port’s  normal  penalty  of  -1  must
  still  apply  to  such  rolls.
  Services
  Service
  Cost  of  service
  Carriage
  9  gold  for  5  leagues  of  distance
  Doctor
  15  gold  per  Damage  treated
  Guide
  2  gold  per  day  (includes  food)
  Inn  room
  2  gold  per  person  (includes  food)
  Marriage
  20-130  gold
  Porter
  5  gold  per  week  (includes  food)
  Proper  burial
  10-120  gold
  Tailor
  4  gold  per  set  of  clothes
  Translator
  6  gold  per  page
  Barbados  water:  Another  name  for  rum,  and  this  is
  a  style  sold  in  slightly  smaller  bottles  than  normal
  rum,  and  is  not  as  potent,  either.  Each  bottle  will
  negate  -1  penalty  worth  of  wounds  for  1-6  hours.
  
  DERNA
  11
  Fireworks:  Imported  from  China,  these  devices  are
  used  to  either  light  up  an  enemy  vessel  at  night  or
  simply  confuse  them.  One  box  lasts  for  one  battle.
  It  will  provide  a  +1  bonus  to  Initiative  for  a  ship,
  provided  the  battle  is  at  night.  Multiple  fireworks
  boxes  cannot  be  used  to  gain  a  greater  bonus.
  Equipment
  Item
  Found
  Cost
  Weight
  Barbados  water
  8
  4
  8
  Holy  water
  7
  15
  5
  Religious  survival  pack
  6
  25
  3
  Holy  water:  Blessed  by  whatever  god  one  prays  to,
  this  strengthens  faith  if  not  true  power,  granting  a
  bonus  of  +1  to  a  single  Prayer,  whether  one  drinks
  or  splashes  or  uses  this  water  in  some  other  way.
  Only  a  single  flask  can  affect  a  single  Prayer  Roll.
  Religious  survival  pack:  This  is  a  collection  of  all
  the  symbols  and  other  accessories  one  would  need
  to  give  convincing  proof  of  his  turn  to  whatever
  religion  he  needs  be  to  save  his  hide.  It  does  not
  work  every  time,  but  it  does  offer  one  a  +1  bonus
  to  his  Charisma  Check  to  convince  anyone  of  his
  supposed  recent  conversion.
  Special   Weapons
  Weapon
  Found
  Cost
  Weight
  Damage
  Saracen
  8
  20
  15
  8
  Scimitar
  9
  12
  10
  7
  Triblade
  6
  16
  9
  5
  Saracen:  This  is  a  monstrous  scimitar.  What  more
  needs  be  said?  It’s  good  for  chopping  people,  ships
  and  unholy  temples  in  half!
  Scimitar:  A  true  Arabian  scimitar,  in  the  hands  of
  anyone  with  blood  born  of  the  desert  lands,  gains
  a  bonus  of  +1  to  his  Attack  Rolls  when  using  this
  godly-given  weapon.
  Triblade:  Also  known  as  a  ‘weaponbreaker’,  this  is
  a  dagger-like  blade  designed  to  catch  and  snap  all
  other  blades.  Its  user  can,  if  he  rolls  a  Critical  Hit
  or  his  opponent  a  Critical  Miss,  choose  the  critical
  result  to  be  the  breaking  of  his  enemy’s  weapon,
  provided  it  is  a  blade.
  Purchasing   Ships
  Ship
  Found
  Cost
  Argos
  8
  600
  Schooner
  9
  1000
  Galliot
  10
  2500
  Naval  sloop
  4
  3000
  Sloop
  2
  4000
  Barque
  5
  5500
  Brigantine
  6
  6500
  Galley
  10
  7500
  Mariner
  3
  10000
  Merchantman
  3
  13000
  Provisions
  Provision
  Found
  Cost
  Size
  Anchor
  9
  80
  50
  Cannon  (1  gun)
  5
  100
  50
  Cannonballs  (1  salvo)
  9
  5
  5
  Charts
  5
  600
  0
  Fireworks
  1
  500
  20
  Flag,  Ottoman
  12
  20
  10
  Flag,  any  other
  6
  60
  10
  Food  (8  days,  1  man)
  12
  1
  1
  Longboat
  10
  60
  350
  Oars  (full  ship)
  9
  40
  100
  Spare  sails
  10
  100
  300
  Weapons*
  9
  500
  200
  Trading   Goods
  Price
  Nature  of  the  goods
  Time
  +4
  Rum,  ale,  beer  or  brandy
  1  week
  +4
  Medicine
  1  month
  +3
  Rare  plants
  1-6  months
  +3
  Tobacco
  1-12  weeks
  +2
  Sugar  or  flour
  1-4  months
  +2
  Clothing,  cotton  or  silk
  1-3  weeks
  +2
  Tea
  1-12  weeks
  +1
  Glass
  1  month
  +1
  Rare  animals
  1-6  weeks
  +1
  Spices
  1-12  weeks
  +0
  Books
  1-4  months
  +0
  Hides
  1  month
  LEGACY:   The  city  of  ‘Derna’  tells  this  tale:  With
  the  increasing  hostilities  between  the  Catholics  and
  the  Muslims,  men  persecuted  by  both  are  bound  to
  form  an  alliance  of  their  own,  and  nowhere  is  that
  truth  stronger  than  in  this  corsair  haven.
  
  ELEUTHERA
  12
  The  Bahamas  be  a  strange  paradise,  matey,  Heaven
  with  hidden  gates  ta  Hell.  Them  who  come  seekin’
  pirates  are  wont  ta  find ‘em,  methinks.  They  all  be
  hidden  out  here,  where  no  gov’ner,  king  or  country
  has  any  more  power  than  the  sharks  an’ devils  o’
  the  deep,  says  I.  An’ that  town  what  mean  call  the
  ‘city  o’ freedom’  be  the  taverne  where  the  lost  an’
  the  dead  wash  ashore  ta  plan  their  next  voyage.
  WELCOME   TO   ELEUTHERA:   A  remote  town
  often  mistaken  for  or  overlooked  due  to  the  nearby
  haven  of  Nassau,  this  out-of-the-way  island  colony
  is  relatively  unknown  by  both  pirates  and  the  navy
  alike,  and  the  few  who  use  it  as  a  base  prefer  to
  keep  it  that  way.  A  map  of  the  island  is  provided
  as  Handout  4.
  Sourcebook:
  Caribbean
  Existence:
  Always
  Location:
  26N  76W
  Level:
  2
  Population:
  700
  Nationality:
  English
  Fortifications:
  1
  Merchantiles:
  -0
  A  history  of  Eleuthera:  Over  12  leagues  in  length
  yet  barely  1  in  breadth  on  average,  this  is  a  grand
  reef  bursting  with  luscious  jungles  and  freshwater
  springs.  But  20  leagues  east  of  Nassau,  its  bounty
  is  all  but  overlooked  for  centuries,  even  as  it  in
  turn  overlooks  others.  With  hills  reaching  as  high
  as  a  good  100  feet,  much  higher  than  other  islands
  in  the  Bahamas,  its  inhabitants  manage  to  keep  it
  obscure  by  spotting  approaching  ships  and  dousing
  fires  until  they  have  passed.
  Still,  secrecy  should  be  impossible,  for  no  less
  a  legend  than  Columbus  himself  once  came  here.
  Subsequent  Spanish  expeditions  enslaved  the  native
  Arawak  indians  throughout  the  first  half  of  the  16th
  Century.  However,  once  the  island’s  use  to  Spain
  was  over,  it  disappeared  from  charts.
  Since  the  dawn  of  piracy  in  the  Caribbean,  a
  few  camps  have  always  been  here,  building  smaller
  towns  on  the  old  Spanish  foundations.  The  soil  is
  rocky  and  not  easy  to  cultivate,  so  commerce  relies
  on  seagoing  trade,  thus  keeping  this  remote  island’s
  colonies  small  indeed.
  The  few  maps  which  include  the  island  almost
  always  have  a  different  name  for  it,  as  each  fall  to
  the  false  notion  that  they  discovered  it;  It  has  been
  called  ‘Alabaster’  (based  on  the  presumption  of  the
  isle  being  rich  in  commodities),  ‘Lucayous  Island’
  (misconceptions  of  Columbus  thinking  he  found  the
  East  Indies),  ‘Cigateo’  (a  perversion  of  the  native
  Arawak’s  name  for  it),  and  later  ‘Harbour  Island’.
  It  remains  a  and  relatively  unknown  anchorage  for
  pirates  for  almost  a  hundred  years.
  Finally,  in  1648,  William  Sayle,  a  priest  and  a
  former  governor  of  Bermuda  leaves  that  island  in  a
  desperate  search  for  religious  freedom.  His  vessel
  wrecks  on  the  treacherous  reefs  which  surround  the
  island  he  would  come  to  champion.  Quickly  rising
  in  favor  with  the  locals  and  pirates  alike,  they  pick
  him  for  selecting  a  definitive  name.  His  choice  is
  ‘Eleuthera’,  which  in  Greek  means  ‘freedom’,  and
  he’s  intent  on  making  it  a  free  colony.
  The  island,  however,  has  by  this  time  become
  a  forgotten  place  at  best  by  the  English,  and  fallen
  out  of  favor  with  those  who  know  of  it.  None-the-
  less,  in  1654,  Sayle  petitions  Parliament  to  actively
  settle  the  island  with  a  proper  colony.  He  turns  out
  to  be  successful  and  even  gets  the  commission  as
  governor  here,  but  remains  in  London  and  chooses
  to  send  his  sons  to  govern  in  his  stead.
  Altogether,  throughout  its  history,  there  is  little
  pirate  activity  on  the  island.  Most  buccaneers  seek
  out  Nassau,  or  simply  do  not  know  of  this  island’s
  existence.  For  those  who  drop  anchor  here,  it  is  a
  haven  due  to  its  obscurity,  that  nobody  thinks  to
  look  for  pirates  here,  and  even  if  the  Royal  Navy
  detects  them  they  assume  that  the  pirates  are  here
  for  clemency  and  thus  are  no  longer  a  concern  of
  theirs.  After  all,  who  would  be  foolish  enough  to
  hide  in  plain  sight?
  Quite  a  few  pirates,  actually . . .
  Government  and  law:  There  are  no  governors  and
  thusly  no  enforced  laws  until  1655.  After  capturing
  the  island  of  Jamaica  from  Spain,  the  English  start
  an  aggressive  campaign  of  controlling  the  whole  of
  the  West  Indies.  William  Sayle’s  commission  for  a
  colony  here  is  thus  granted,  and  his  sons  bring  to
  Eleuthera  the  Common  Law  of  England  along  with
  a  generous  supply  of  paper  and  ink  for  drawing  up
  privateering  ‘letters  of  marque’.
  
  ELEUTHERA
  13
  Harbour  Island:  A  popular  spot  just  offshore,  this
  is  the  primary  gathering  place  for  pirates,  and  even
  more  so  after  the  institution  of  English  government
  on  the  island  proper  in  1655,  of  which  they  are
  welcome,  but  wary.
  The  Devil’s  Backbone:  A  long  reef  off  the  north
  of  the  island.  English  ships  are  instructed  to  avoid
  it  and  sail  around  to  the  south.  All  other  vessels,
  however,  are  left  to  their  fate,  their  floating  cargo
  to  be  claimed  later  by  right  of  salvage.  The  more
  ruthless  officials  (and  pirates)  often  hang  lanterns
  on  donkeys  and  walk  them  along  the  reef  at  night
  in  order  to  simulate  ships,  thereby  drawing  unwary
  (and  thus  enemy)  vessels  to  their  doom  here.
  Hatchet  Bay  Caves:  These  mazes  of  tunnels  are  the
  ancient  hiding  place  of  the  Arawak  indians,  where
  they  took  refuge  from  slavers.  Listening  to  legends,
  pirates  often  hide  here  as  well.  The  centuries  have
  left  a  riddling  network  of  native  warnings,  curses
  and  treasures  mixed  with  pirate  codes  and  caches,
  and  booby-traps  left  by  both.  Those  who  dare  the
  caves,  even  if  they’ve  been  inside  before,  take  the
  chance  of  making  one  wrong  turn  into  a  previously
  unexplored  area  that  will  claim  their  life  and  add
  to  the  reputation  of  this  ‘gateway  to  Hell’.
  A  shallow  harbor:  Given  the  shallow  depth  of  the
  main  harbor,  no  ship  larger  than  Value  3  can  enter
  it,  and  as  the  water  remains  shallow  for  miles  out
  to  sea,  no  ship  larger  than  Value  5  can  approach
  within  10  miles  of  town.
  NOTEWORTHY   CHARACTERS:   Few  are  those
  who  do  anything  more  to  enhance  Eleuthera’s  fame
  or  fortune  than  conduct  the  same  simple  business
  that  everyone  else  does.
  The  Sayle  family:  In  1648,  William  Sayle,  a  priest
  and  governor  in  Bermuda,  flees  religious  prejudice
  and  persecution  there,  arriving  in  Eleuthera  by  the
  fate  of  shipwreck.  Giving  the  island  its  name,  his
  efforts  turn  it  into  an  English  colony  in  1655,  but
  it  is  his  family,  specifically  his  sons  who  govern
  in  his  place.  Theirs  becomes  a  legacy  of  religious
  but  fair  rule,  encouraging  Christian  faith  but  openly
  helping  anyone  of  any  faith  or  race  with  asylum.
  Nicholas  Trott:  A  corrupt  governor  throughout  the
  1690s,  he  is  known  for  revoking  letters  of  marque
  when  a  privateer  returns  to  collect  due  money,  his
  justification  for  such  actions  always  the  law  of  the
  king,  which  in  his  time  has  a  habit  of  changing
  the  rules  without  informing  anyone.  However,  most
  unlike  his  contemporaries  in  New  York,  Charleston
  and  even  London,  he  can  ‘forget’  the  changes  and
  hold  true  to  a  privateering  agreement  long  enough
  for  the  captain  and  his  crew  to  leave  port,  that  is,
  if  he  is  too  busy  counting  additional  moneys . . .
  TAVERNES   AND   COMMONS:   Pirates  on  this
  island  tend  to  keep  a  low  profile,  despite  the  lack
  of  laws.  Foremost,  they  do  not  wish  their  paradise
  to  be  found  by  and  filled  with  other  pirates.  Thus
  are  their  favorite  watering  holes  obscure  and  nearly
  invisible  to  most  casual  visitors  to  the  town  and  to
  common  mariners  alike.
  Well  of  Redemption:  The  town’s  original  well  has
  long  since  dried  up,  been  filled  with  earth,  and  is
  now  the  central  firepit  of  this  taverne.  Yet  before
  it  dried,  a  church  was  built  up  around  it,  and  that
  has  since  been  abandoned  when  the  newer,  larger
  church  was  built  by  the  Sayle  family.  This  ruin  is
  now  a  pirate  taverne  whom  the  priests  don’t  at  all
  mind  using,  as  they  feel  more  Godly  in  offering  a
  sanctuary  to  men  of  all  faiths  and  fortunes.  Drinks
  here  are  served  in  oversized  tankards,  and  the  most
  popular  serving  is  sacramental  wine,  donated  rather
  generously  by  the  wealthy  Sayle  family.
  Preacher’s  Cave:  Found  only  a  few  miles  from  the
  main  harbor,  people  often  come  here  to  hide,  both
  outlaws  of  government  and  those  most  involved  in
  government—spies—alike.  Yet  with  the  proliferation
  of  privateering,  the  outlaw  and  agent  have  become
  nigh  inseparable,  leaving  all  previous  names  of  this
  cave  forgotten  in  favor  of  the  priests  running  the
  town  who  deny  guards  to  come  here,  and  even  go
  so  far  as  to  divert  Royal  Navy  from  it,  giving  the
  pirate  hunters  false  information  to  give  the  cave  as
  wide  a  berth  as  possible.  Yet  there  is  another  good
  reason  why  the  priests  steer  the  law  away  from  it,
  and  that  is  due  to  the  gratitude  of  so  many  pirates,
  the  church  of  Eleuthera  has  a  great  deal  of  money
  to  hide,  and  they  hide  it  deep  within  these  tunnels.
  
  ELEUTHERA
  14
  MERCHANTILES:   All  the  business  done  on  this
  island  relies  on  shipping,  as  its  chief  products  are
  of  little  value  to  the  islanders  themselves.  Thus,  it
  is  incumbent  on  merchants  to  encourage  the  return
  of  tradeships  with  promises  of  goods  and  prices  if
  they  cannot  meet  the  current  demand.  As  a  result,
  the  Availability  of  any  item  in  Eleuthera  can  be
  re-rolled  at  the  cost  of  10  gold.  Furthermore,  any
  item’s  chance  of  Availability  can  be  increased  by  1
  if  30  gold  is  paid  outright  (before  the  roll).
  Coin   Values
  Type  of  coin
  Nation
  Value
  Crowns
  Britain
  +1
  Daalders
  Holland
  +0
  Doubloons
  Spain
  +0
  Ducats
  Holland
  -1
  Guineas
  Britain
  +1
  Louis  d’ors
  France
  -2
  Nine  deniers
  France
  -2
  Pieces  of  eight
  Spain
  +1
  Services
  Service
  Cost  of  service
  Appraisal
  2  gold  per  gem  or  jewelry  piece
  Bank
  8%  of  treasure  being  kept
  Carriage
  5  gold  for  3  leagues  of  distance
  Doctor
  30  gold  per  Damage  treated
  Guide
  1  gold  per  day  (includes  food)
  Inn  room
  2  gold  per  person  (includes  food)
  Marriage
  10-70*  gold
  Porter
  7  gold  per  week  (includes  food)
  Proper  burial
  20-70  gold
  Tailor
  8  gold  per  set  of  clothes
  Translator
  1-12  gold  per  page
  Whore
  0-9  (one  roll  -3)  gold  per  person
  per  night
  Barbados  water:  Another  name  for  rum,  and  this  is
  a  style  sold  in  slightly  smaller  bottles  than  normal
  rum,  and  is  not  as  potent,  either.  Each  bottle  will
  negate  -1  penalty  worth  of  wounds  for  1-6  hours.
  Coconut  rum:  Sweeter  and  in  some  ways  stronger
  than  normal  rum,  each  bottle  will  negate  -2  penalty
  worth  of  wounds  for  1-12  hours,  and  then  -1  for
  the  next  1-12.  If  one  is  not  wounded  at  all,  a  full
  bottle  of  this  gives  him  +1  to  his  next  roll.
  Equipment
  Item
  Found
  Cost
  Weight
  Barbados  water
  11
  1
  8
  Coconut  rum  (1  bottle)
  11
  3
  10
  Grog  (1  bottle)
  12
  4
  10
  Pleasure-glove
  2
  50
  0
  Tribunal
  5
  30
  2
  Zanzibar  Rum
  10
  3
  10
  Grog:  This  is  rum,  watered  down  and  given  taste
  by  vegetables  and  citrus.  When  consumed  in  full,
  one  makes  an  Endurance  Check.  Success  means  he
  is  able  to  heal  1  penalty  worth  of  his  wounds,  but
  failure  means  he  not  only  gains  an  additional  -1
  penalty  (but  stands  no  chance  of  dying  from  this),
  he  will  also  fall  unconscious  for  1-12  hours.
  Gully:  A  large  knife  normally  used  for  cutting  the
  ropes  aboard  ship.  As  there  is  no  hilt  it  is  hard  to
  parry  with,  lowering  a  user’s  Defense  Score  by  -1.
  Musketoon:  A  shorter  version  of  the  blunderbuss,  a
  little  less  accurate  but  stronger  than  a  musket,  this
  is  designed  for  close-quarters  combat,  offering  the
  user  a  bonus  of  +2  with  Attack  Rolls  aboard  ships.
  Pleasure-glove:  The  intestine  of  an  animal  used  for
  practicing  ‘safe-sex’,  this  will  negate  rolls  of  ‘2-4’
  on  Table  25.  However,  if  a  natural  ‘1’  is  rolled  on
  it,  the  intestine  breaks,  and  the  result  of  Table  25
  must  be  re-rolled.  Nothing  less  than  such  a  roll  is
  cause  for  these  ‘gloves’  to  break—they  are  sturdy
  indeed,  and  can  be  re-used  any  number  of  times.
  Sea  turtle:  This  is  a  living  turtle  left  to  roam  free
  on  the  deck,  and  butchered  when  it  is  to  be  eaten,
  giving  the  crew  fresh  meat.  One  turtle  will  provide
  enough  food  to  equal  1  day  for  120  men.  If  this
  fresh  meat  is  enjoyed  by  the  crew  on  a  single  day
  (no  leftovers),  and  everyone  gets  their  share,  it  will
  increase  Morale  by  +1.
  Special   Weapons
  Weapon
  Found
  Cost
  Weight
  Damage
  Gully
  10
  3
  6
  5
  Musketoon
  4
  16
  11
  8
  Sounder-fire
  2
  30
  8
  10
  Triblade
  6
  16
  9
  5
  
  ELEUTHERA
  15
  Sounder-fire:  Originally  developed  to  guard  the  gate
  to  Nassau  harbor,  this  is  a  grenade-like  bomb  on  a
  sounding  line  with  a  small  anchor,  more  of  a  hook
  than  a  weight,  which  a  man  fixes  to  the  seabed  by
  hand.  In  order  to  keep  them  disguised  as  a  shell
  or  similar  flotsam,  they  couldn’t  pack  enough  blast-
  powder  to  damage  a  ship.  However,  they  are  very
  useful  for  leaving  floating  in  shallow  water  when  a
  pirate  is  being  pursued  by  men  on  foot  or  horses.
  Passing  such  a  bomb  requires  an  Intuition  Check
  to  avoid  an  automatic  hit  (one  Check  for  each  and
  every  bomb  left  floating  in  one’s  wake).  They  use
  a  long  fuse  on  a  mechanism  which  can  ‘collapse’
  if  bumped  into,  setting  the  sparks  directly  into  the
  powder,  thus  triggering  the  explosion,  or  waiting  a
  good  hour  before  running  out  of  fuse  and  thereby
  exploding  anyway.
  Triblade:  Also  known  as  a  ‘weaponbreaker’,  this  is
  a  dagger-like  blade  designed  to  catch  and  snap  all
  other  blades.  Its  user  can,  if  he  rolls  a  Critical  Hit
  or  his  opponent  a  Critical  Miss,  choose  the  critical
  result  to  be  the  breaking  of  his  enemy’s  weapon,
  provided  it  is  a  blade.
  Tribunal:  There  are  strange,  poisonous  insects  that
  flock  around  certain  fruits  on  the  island.  Pirates  are
  not  afraid  of  them  like  islanders,  and  trap  them  in
  fruit-based  drinks,  effectively  making  a  poison.  This
  is  harmless  unless  it  is  in  someone’s  blood  at  the
  same  time  as  exotic  spices,  such  as  only  gentlemen
  can  afford.  Thus,  a  pirate  will  poison  an  aristocrat,
  then  wait  for  the  poison  to  work  at  his  dinner,  and
  then  offer  him  the  antidote  (the  same  bugs  he  used
  to  make  it)  for  a  ransom.  Unless  cured  within  24
  hours,  it  effects  a  normal  poison.  Pirates  call  this
  one-use-juice  the  ‘tribunal’  because  it  is  little  pests,
  like  pirates,  passing  judgment  of  death  on  ‘lords’.
  Zanzibar  Rum:  Brewed  by  a  priest  who  had  never
  been  to  Zanzibar  and  was  only  cashing  in  on  the
  remote  port’s  fame,  this  is  no  different  normal  rum
  found  in  any  port,  except  how  common  it  is:  With
  the  scam  exposed,  thousands  of  bottles  now  lie  in
  a  cache,  bought  only  by  the  curious.  But  far  more
  curious  still  is  its  hallucinatory  effect:  When  drunk,
  this  rum  will  make  one  immune  to  torture’s  effects
  for  a  duration  of  1-3  days.
  Purchasing   Ships
  Ship
  Found
  Cost
  Sparrow
  11
  400
  Schooner
  11
  1400
  Naval  sloop
  5
  2500
  Navy  snow
  5
  2800
  Sloop
  7
  3500
  Dutch  fluyt
  5
  4500
  Brigantine
  6
  6000
  Provisions
  Provision
  Found
  Cost
  Size
  Anchor
  11
  50
  50
  Cannon  (1  gun)
  8
  120
  50
  Cannonballs  (1  salvo)
  7
  8
  5
  Charts
  6
  500
  0
  Food  (15  days,  1  man)
  12
  1
  1
  Longboat
  11
  70
  350
  Oars  (full  ship)
  8
  100
  100
  Sea  turtle
  2
  25
  10
  Spare  sails
  9
  250
  300
  Weapons*
  6
  600
  200
  Trading   Goods
  Price
  Nature  of  the  goods
  Time
  +3
  Medicine
  1  month
  +2
  Tobacco
  1-3  weeks
  +2
  Tea
  1-3  weeks
  +2
  Rare  plants
  1-12  weeks
  +2
  Sugar  or  flour
  3  months
  +1
  Clothing,  cotton  or  silk
  1-6  weeks
  +1
  Books
  1-4  weeks
  +1
  Glass
  1  month
  +0
  Rare  animals
  1-12  weeks
  +0
  Spices
  2  weeks
  +0
  Rum,  ale,  beer  or  brandy
  1  week
  +0
  Hides
  1  month
  LEGACY:   The  city  of  ‘Eleuthera’  tells  this  tale:  It
  is  possible  to  overlook  not  only  pirates  and  their
  treasures,  but  also  their  importance  and  humanity.
  As  one  very  hostile  pirate  operating  from  this  tiny
  island  said  to  his  defiant  victim  “I  have  as  much
  authority  to  make  war  on  the  world  as  he  who  has
  a  hundred  sail  of  ships  on  the  sea  and  an  army  of
  a  hundred  thousand  men  in  the  field!”
  
  MESSINA
  16
  Welcome,  matey,  ta  the  center  o’ the  world.  Least,
  that  be  the  name  o’ this  city.  The  Med’ itself  bein’
  ta  mean  the  middle  o’ the  world,  all  roads  cross  in
  these  ancient  streets,  says  I.
  WELCOME   TO   MESSINA:   A  port  on  the  far
  northeastern  tip  of  Sicily,  this  town  serves  as  the
  gateway  to  Italy  and  thus  to  Europe.  A  map  of  the
  coast  is  provided  as  Handout  5.
  Sourcebook:
  Mediterranean
  Existence:
  Always
  Location:
  38N  15E
  Level:
  1
  Population:
  900
  Nationality:
  Spanish
  Fortifications:
  4
  Merchantiles:
  -2
  A  history  of  Messina:  With  a  history  reaching  back
  thousands  of  years,  this  major  port  for  all  flags  in
  the  Mediterranean  changes  drastically  in  the  era  of
  piracy.  Having  gained  a  reputation  for  being  where
  the  Black  Death  entered  Europe  in  the  14th Century,
  it  begins  this  age  as  an  all  but  forsaken  ruin,  even
  if  a  centrally  located  one.  Pirates,  never  fearing  or
  critical  of  their  options,  begin  to  use  the  harbor  to
  their  advantage,  bringing  with  them  both  business
  and  protection,  and  in  turn  receiving  a  ready-made
  base  of  operations  as  well  as  dark,  useful  infamy.
  “Ghosts  of  pirates”  are  what  men  are  called  whose
  vessels  drop  anchor  in  this  plague-storied  city  and
  who  haunt  its  zigzagging  streets.
  At  first,  pirates  simply  enjoy  how  few  bother
  to  pursue  them  here,  but  as  tensions  rise  between
  Catholics,  Muslims  and  pirates  caught  in-between,
  they  begin  to  actively  enhance  the  reputation  that
  ghosts  dwell  here,  using  everything  from  theatrics
  in  their  raids  to  leaving  bodies  dangling  from  the
  crumbled  walls  of  the  old  forts  in  the  harbor.  The
  port’s  ancient  name  of  ‘Zancie’  is  even  used  by  a
  few,  both  to  disguise  mention  of  their  port’s  true
  location,  as  well  as  strike  fear  into  those  who  are
  aware  of  its  meaning—‘scythe’,  as  its  location  in
  the  Mediterranean  allows  pirates  here  to  cut  a  path
  through  both  Catholic  and  Ottoman  shipping  lanes.
  The  reputation  of  nigh  supernatural  men  from  the
  cursed  city  holds  and  helps,  at  least  for  a  while.
  Curses  draw  men  of  faith  like  flies  to  a  dead
  body,  and  so  it  is  in  1548  that  Jesuits  come  here
  and  establish  a  strong  presence  in  the  island’s  port.
  Even  if  the  pirates  truly  had  the  power  to  turn  the
  priests  back,  they  recognize  a  change  in  the  winds
  and  again  turn  the  situation  to  their  advantage.  For
  the  priests  are  funded  by  Catholic  Spain,  which  is
  wealthy  beyond  measure  due  to  its  empire  in  the
  New  World.  Thus  this  port  becomes  a  religiously
  funded  stronghold  in  the  endless  war  against  the
  Ottoman  Empire,  and  pirates  are  just  as  welcome
  here  as  merchants  and  missionaries.  Even  Muslims
  who  are  outlawed  by  the  Sultan  are  welcomed  in
  the  newly  fortified  harbor.  Indeed,  anyone  to  whom
  the  Sultan  is  an  enemy  can  find  refuge  here.
  Government  and  law:  Prior  to  1548  there  isn’t  any
  government  strong  enough  to  enforce  any  laws,  and
  so,  like  most  pirate  camps,  it  comes  down  to  the
  only  laws  which  really  matter—what  a  man  can  do
  and  what  a  man  can’t  do,  by  sword,  fist,  or  guile.
  However,  following  the  influx  of  Jesuits  in  the  mid
  16th Century,  the  common  laws  of  Roman  Catholic
  states  are  put  into  full  effect.
  NOTEWORTHY   CHARACTERS:   There  are  few
  people  fated  to  get  involved  with  pirates  during  the
  city’s  heyday,  though  some  do  indeed  have  a  tale
  to  tell  or  to  entwine  adventurous  men  within.
  Antonello  da Messina:  A  Sicilian  painter  of  the  mid
  15th Century,  he  often  filters  the  customers  for  his
  father,  who  dabbles  in  the  shipping  business.  Some
  whisper  that  they  transport  illegal  cargo,  including
  refugees,  and  that  Antonello  helps  disguise  pirate
  maps  on  the  back  of  his  paintings—being  mostly
  religious  works,  nobody  ever  dares  to  disturb  them,
  except  for  pirates,  who  will  dare  to  defile  anything.
  It  is  seen  as  no  coincidence  that  in  the  late  15th
  Century,  Antonello  moves  to  Venice,  a  haven  for
  pirates  all  the  world  over.
  Francesco  Maurolico:  Born  in  the  late  15th Century,
  when  he  comes  of  age  he  takes  holy  orders  and  in
  1550  becomes  a  monk,  who  is  the  only  way  for
  anyone  outside  the  Mission  to  speak  to  his  father,
  who  runs  the  Messina  mint . . .
  
  MESSINA
  17
  Mario  Pantoliono:  This  is  an  Italian  corsair  with  a
  reputation  for  sinking  every  ship  he  sails  aboard,  a
  true  plague  coming  from  Messina  harbor,  and  who
  resorts  to  disguise  to  join  new  crews.  However,  as
  he  has  been  ‘killed’  many  times,  most  believe  that
  the  name  is  simply  used  by  saboteurs.  Though  why
  anyone  would  use  a  high-profile  name  that  draws
  nearly  instant  hatred  remains  a  mystery  to  all.
  TAVERNES   AND   COMMONS:   There  are  too
  few  pirates  and  too  many  priests  here  for  there  to
  be  any  gathering  places  aside  of  the  normal  bars
  and  other  drinking  holes.  Most  pirates  keep  to  the
  shadows,  maintaining  their  reputation  of  being  little
  more  than  ghosts  even  inside  the  .cursed  city’.
  MERCHANTILES:   Most  merchants  in  town  hold
  to  the  common  prices  of  goods  and  services  simply
  to  avoid  driving  away  vital  business.  Note  that  the
  Availability  of  items  has  not  been  recalculated  like
  the  rest  of  the  scores,  so  the  port’s  normal  penalty
  of  -2  must  still  apply  to  such  rolls.
  Services
  Service
  Cost  of  service
  Doctor
  10  gold  per  Damage  treated
  Marriage
  10-60*  gold
  Proper  burial
  10-40  gold
  Tailor
  7  gold  per  set  of  clothes
  Equipment
  Item
  Found
  Cost
  Weight
  Barbados  water
  7
  5
  8
  Ghost-makup
  3
  20
  1
  Barbados  water:  Another  name  for  rum,  and  this  is
  a  style  sold  in  slightly  smaller  bottles  than  normal
  rum,  and  is  not  as  potent,  either.  Each  bottle  will
  negate  -1  penalty  worth  of  wounds  for  1-6  hours.
  Ghost-makeup:  Given  the  practice  of  masquerading
  as  dead  men,  make-up  is  relatively  common  and  is
  even  sold  according  to  formula.  One  such  ‘kit’  has
  1  use  (which  can’t  be  doubled-up).  Each  use  gives
  one  a  bonus  to  his  Defense  Score  for  one  battle
  depending  on  his  enemy.  The  bonus  is  +3  against
  Muslims,  +2  against  all  Europeans,  and  +1  against
  other  pirates.
  Malta  blade:  The  small  isle  of  Malta  amidst  a  vast
  and  bloody  sea  of  religious  war,  the  small  force  of
  the  Malta  Knights  caught  in  the  middle  of  zealous
  empires,  they  hold  their  own.  This  is  reflected  best
  in  their  unique  weapon.  This  longsword  is  designed
  to  counter  the  weapons  of  the  Mediterranean  most
  of  all,  giving  its  wielder  a  bonus  of  +1  to  Attack
  Rolls  and  Defense  Score  alike  when  used  against
  Saracen  swords,  scimitars,  and  stilettos.
  Special   Weapons
  Weapon
  Found
  Cost
  Weight
  Damage
  Malta  blade
  8
  10
  9
  5
  Scimitar
  6
  15
  10
  7
  Stiletto
  8
  6
  4
  3
  Scimitar:  A  true  Arabian  scimitar,  in  the  hands  of
  anyone  with  blood  born  of  the  desert  lands,  gains
  a  bonus  of  +1  to  his  Attack  Rolls  when  using  this
  godly-given  weapon.
  Stiletto:  This  is  a  long,  narrow  blade  which  adds
  +1  to  Attack  Rolls  on  the  first  Round  it  is  used  in
  each  and  every  fight.
  Purchasing   Ships
  Ship
  Found
  Cost
  Argos
  8
  800
  Schooner
  8
  1200
  Sloop
  2
  2600
  Galliot
  9
  3400
  Barque
  4
  4500
  Brigantine
  5
  6000
  Galley
  7
  7000
  Provisions
  Provision
  Found
  Cost
  Size
  Charts
  10
  650
  0
  Oars  (full  ship)
  5
  130
  100
  Spare  sails
  11
  260
  300
  Weapons*
  10
  450
  200
  LEGACY:   The  city  of  ‘Messina’  tells  this  tale:  A
  spirit  is  free,  whether  the  body  be  alive  or  dead.
  A  city,  a  body,  a  message,  a  meaning,  a  purpose,
  or  a  pirate  can  come  back  from  the  dead.  Fear  is
  the  legacy  of  Messina,  but  hope  is  its  truth.
  
  NASSAU
  18
  Arrrr,  there  be  no  place  like  Nassau,  matey!  There,
  truth  be  told,  be  a  paradise  fer  a  fellow  buccaneer,
  says  I.  No  man  out  on  the  account  shall  sail  far
  or  for  long  without  the  compass  o’ heart  pointin’
  toward  New  Providence  island.
  WELCOME   TO   NASSAU:   Established  from  the
  beginning  as  a  pirate  anchorage,  the  shallow  harbor
  and  surrounding  reefs  keep  the  Royal  Navy  at  bay,
  allowing  all  brethren  of  the  coast  a  semi-permanent
  base  on  the  white  sand  beaches  of  this  island,  rich
  with  bubbling  freshwater  springs  and  fresh  food,  a
  pirate  paradise  if  ever  God  gave  them  one.  A  map
  of  the  island  is  provided  as  Handout  6.
  Sourcebook:
  Caribbean
  Existence:
  Always
  Location:
  25N  77W
  Level:
  1
  Population:
  700
  Nationality:
  Variable
  Fortifications:
  1
  Merchantiles:
  -0
  A  note  about  the  name:  The  town  of  ‘Nassau’  is
  sometimes  referred  to  as  ‘New  Providence’,  which
  is  the  island  it  is  built  on,  or  ‘Charles  Town’,  the
  first  but  forgotten  name  of  the  settlement  here.  The
  preference  of  using  ‘New  Providence’  is  due  to  a
  pride  in  the  island  itself,  which  can  at  times  easily
  overshadow  a  single  port.  However,  throughout  this
  book,  whenever  any  reference  is  made  to  the  town
  proper,  it  shall  be  referred  to  only  as  ‘Nassau’,  the
  name  of  the  town  and  island  in  its  heyday.
  A  history  of  Nassau:  The  island  named  by  English
  merchants  as  ‘New  Providence’  is  60-square  miles
  of  tropical  paradise,  which  is  why  it  is  overlooked
  by  both  the  English  and  Spanish.  The  very  shallow
  harbors  and  lack  of  native  tribes  are  not  good  for
  business—the  large  merchant  vessels  needed  for  an
  Atlantic  crossing  cannot  drop  anchor  here  and  there
  are  no  people  to  enslave  anyway.  Thusly,  there  is
  only  a  token  colony  established,  ‘Charles  Town’,  a
  name  seldom  used  as  people  prefer  to  name  their
  home  ‘New  Providence’,  meaning  the  island  itself.
  The  town  is  poor  and  its  main  income  is  from  the
  pirate  ships  that  come  here  for  the  island’s  bounty.
  Though  there  has  always  been  some  sort  of  a
  pirate  camp  here,  it  has  constantly  gone  unnoticed
  by  the  Royal  Navy,  perhaps  because  even  they  are
  aware  how  necessary  it  is  for  survival  of  their  own
  colony.  Yet,  like  a  leak  in  a  ship,  it  remains,  and
  does  so  long  enough  to  become  a  haven  for  pirates
  far  and  wide.  Still,  despite  its  wonderful  offerings
  to  pirate  crews,  few  make  this  their  anchorage.
  It  is  in  the  late  17th Century  that  pirates  begin
  to  come  here  in  large  numbers.  Having  been  either
  driven  out  of  other  havens  such  as  Port  Royal  and
  Tortuga  or  fleeing  their  native  seas  far  away,  word
  spreads  like  wildfire  of  New  Providence  as  a  truly
  ideal  pirate  port.  The  shallow  harbor  is  perfect  for
  the  small,  swift  pirate  craft  with  no  need  to  cross
  the  Atlantic,  not  when  they  can  prey  on  so  many
  trade  routes  close  by.  The  high  coral  which  rings
  the  harbor  makes  for  a  natural  fort,  and  commands
  a  far  ranging  view  of  the  surrounding  seas  for  all
  manner  of  enemy  vessels.  The  goods  which  pirates
  the  world  over  bring  into  port  are  traded  for  fish,
  lobster,  turtles,  pigs,  pigeons,  fruit  and  fresh  water.
  This  business  quickly  turns  the  shanty  town  into  a
  booming,  rollicking  pirate  port.  And,  despite  being
  a  nest  of  pirates,  the  town  itself  soon  swells  with
  hundreds  of  families  migrating  from  many  failing
  colonies  throughout  the  Bahamas,  buttressing  the
  town  and  giving  pirates  all  the  more  business.
  Trying  to  strike  any  blow  in  the  name  of  their
  dying  empire  in  the  New  World,  the  Spanish  burn
  the  town  in  1684,  but  it  is  a  feeble  blow,  for  the
  town  is  swiftly  rebuilt  and  named  ‘Nassau’  in  1695
  in  honor  of  King  William  III  (of  Orange-Nassau),
  a  sign  that  the  pirates  are  siding  with  the  English
  against  the  Spanish  in  the  rising  tensions  leading  to
  the  War  of  Spanish  Succession.  The  new  town  is
  quick  to  spread  out  over  its  old  foundations,  onto
  the  white  sand  beaches  and  the  coral  outcroppings
  which  enclose  the  harbor,  now  a  lagoon  of  pirate
  vessels  and  dozens  of  prize  ships  left  mouldering
  in  the  shallows,  plundered  for  parts  to  repair  more
  seaworthy  craft.
  Nassau,  both  town  and  island  alike,  are  all  but
  forgotten  by  English  government  in  1704  while  the
  War  of  Spanish  Succession  rages.  It  becomes  the
  first  official  pirate  city,  with  as  close  to  a  pirate
  government  as  ever  exists.  The  brethren  enjoy  both
  profit  as  privateers,  serving  the  English  who  send  a
  
  NASSAU
  19
  governor  here  only  to  provide  letters  of  marque  in
  the  war  against  the  Spanish,  and  as  pirates  for
  those  whom  such  a  commission  is  left  wanting.  It
  is  soon  said  throughout  the  Caribbean  that  “Royal
  Navy  dream  of,  when  dying  in  battle,  that  they  go
  to  Heaven,  but  pirates  dream  of  dying  and  going
  to  New  Providence”.
  When  the  War  ends  in  1713,  it  is  a  double-
  blessing  for  Nassau,  for  not  only  are  pirates  now
  forced  (some  say  ‘free’)  to  raid  without  restriction,
  the  English  officially  abandon  the  colony,  giving  it
  over  fully  to  pirate  control.  A  few  golden  years  of
  piracy  follow,  attracting  some  of  the  most  infamous
  names  of  the  sweet  trade,  such  as  Charles  Vane,
  Ed  ‘Blackbeard’  Teach,  and  Bartholomew  Roberts.
  It  is  in  these  years,  from  1713  to  1718,  that  the
  tropical  port  of  Nassau  is  the  greatest  pirate  haven
  in  all  the  world.
  Finally,  in  1718  the  English  privateer  ‘Woodes
  Rogers’,  legendary  for  a  round-the-world  campaign
  from  1708  to  1711,  comes  to  Nassau  to  issue  a
  royal  pardon  for  any  pirate  willing  to  give  up  his
  ways.  Some  accept,  others  do  not.  What  it  little
  known  or  at  least  suspected  is  the  skill  and  sheer
  determination  of  Rogers,  who  soon  returns  to  start
  a  successful  blockade  of  the  harbor,  systematically
  destroying  the  remaining  pirates  one-by-one.  After
  this  highly  successful  campaign,  he  becomes  the
  governor  of  the  Bahamas  from  1718  to  1721,  takes
  leave  to  hunt  pirates  for  eight  years,  then  returns
  to  govern  from  1729  to  1732.
  Government  and  law:  For  most  of  its  existence,  in
  Nassau  there  are  no  real  laws,  not  even  an  official
  governor.  The  laws  of  pistol,  sword  and  fist  rule
  the  island  until  the  appointment  of  Woodes  Rogers
  in  1718.  As  a  port  whose  chief  business  is  piracy,
  the  unwritten  laws  of  honor  among  thieves  tend  to
  keep  the  pirate  crews  relatively  peaceful  with  each
  other,  as  they  all  need  this  haven,  so  they  do  not
  cause  each  other  trouble  while  here.
  Paradise  Island:  Near  to  Nassau  is  a  small  isle  that
  is  rife  with  superstitious  fear.  There  are  ruins  upon
  it,  thought  to  be  a  remnant  of  the  lost  civilization
  of  Atlantis.  Many  speak  of  unworldly  powers  and
  strange  creatures  to  be  found  there,  though  few  are
  brave  enough  to  dare  the  legends  and  see  for  sure.
  Hog’s  Head  Island:  The  main  harbor  of  Nassau  has
  its  entrance  split  by  a  small  island  of  coral  reefs
  that  look  like  they  shipwrecked  together,  and  it  is
  named  ‘Hog’s  Head’.  In  some  times  a  fort  is  both
  repaired  and  supplied  here,  to  guard  the  harbor,  but
  in  most  years  it  quickly  returns  to  the  abandoned,
  weather-beaten  ruin  it  is  destined  to  be.
  A  shallow  harbor:  Given  the  shallow  depth  of  the
  main  harbor,  no  ship  larger  than  Value  4  can  enter
  it,  and  in  the  surrounding  coves  for  miles  around,
  no  ship  larger  than  Value  2.
  Hiring  crew:  When  acquiring  new  crew  in  Nassau,
  each  roll  that  is  ‘9’  or  higher  constitutes  a  bonus
  roll.  Theoretically,  one  can  acquire  hundreds  more
  men,  since  there  are  so  many  pirates  here  at  any
  time,  not  counted  amongst  the  normal  population.
  NOTEWORTHY   CHARACTERS:   Aside  from  a
  rouge’s  gallery  of  famous  pirates,  there  are  endless
  characters  who  play  a  part  in  the  buccaneer  history
  of  Nassau.  Some  of  the  better  known  faces  are  to
  be  found  below.
  Thomas  Barrow:  The  effective  governor  of  Nassau,
  he’s  a  pirate  captain  rather  than  an  English  official.
  However,  the  respect  he  has  from  pirates  and  the
  power  he  wields  through  his  own  crew  gives  him
  far  more  authority  than  the  token  governors  whom
  are  assigned  to  work  here.  He  rules  Nassau  from
  the  years  1706  to  1718,  sometimes  delegating  duty
  to  Benjamin  Hornigold.
  Benjamin  Hornigold:  The  mentor  of  the  infamous
  ‘Blackbeard’,  he  is  the  most  famous  pirate  to  take
  the  offer  of  Woodes  Rogers  in  1718  and  retire  a
  free  man,  staying  on  as  an  official  working  in  the
  offices  of  the  governor.
  Captain  Henry  Jennings:  This  pirate  ‘discovers’  the
  island  of  New  Providence  in  1700,  although  there
  has  always  been  a  town  here.  However,  it  is  this
  ambitious  captain  who  sees  its  practical  use  for  all
  pirates  and,  with  his  hold  burstin’ with  swag,  drops
  anchor  here,  effectively  putting  an  exclamation  on
  the  island’s  credibility  as  a  pirate  haven—if  Henry
  Jennings  will  divide  the  plunder  here,  then  it  has
  
  NASSAU
  20
  to  be  a  great  place—thus  begins  the  massive  influx
  of  pirates  coming  to  these  white  sand  beaches  and
  shallow  harbors.  In  1719,  Captain  Jennings  runs  the
  island  as  lieutenant  governor.
  Cadwallader  Jones:  The  Welsh  governor  of  all  the
  Bahamas  officially  in  office  from  1690  to  1693  but
  realistically  until  the  turn  of  the  century,  he  highly
  prizes  those  pirates  who  come  to  the  island  and  to
  Nassau  in  particular.  He  keeps  the  populace  in  just
  a  little  better  state  than  outright  slavery,  preferring
  to  appease  pirates  at  any  cost.  He  often  disagrees
  with  his  more  lawful  council,  so  much  that  he  is
  wont  at  times  to  have  his  son  turn  the  guns  of  his
  own  ship  on  the  Council  Chamber . . .
  Byron  Jones:  An  elderly  shipbuilder,  he  always  has
  a  trick  or  two  which  can  improve  ships.  Provided
  that  a  ship  is  purchased  here,  and  the  captain  gets
  Byron’s  business  with  a  Charisma  Check,  that  new
  vessel  can  gain  1  additional  modification  above  its
  normal  limit  by  Value.
  King  Charles:  Where  this  scraggly  bearded  vagrant
  who  haunts  the  harbor  came  from  nobody  knows,
  but  he  claims  to  be  heir  to  the  throne  of  England,
  and  has  no  shortage  of  stories  that  tell  of  his  past
  and  ancestry.  According  to  him,  his  lineage  can  be
  traced  all  the  way  back  to  William  the  Conqueror.
  Most  dismiss  him  as  a  madman.  However,  he  has
  no  lack  of  interest  in  stories,  lore,  and  sailors  yarn
  of  any  length,  and  so  he  can  repeat  legends  like  a
  priest  can  quote  the  Bible.  If  approached  to  weigh
  the  value  of  rumors,  legends  or  tales  of  any  kind,
  this  man  will  add  a  bonus  of  +1  to  each  roll  that
  he  is  paid  3  gold  for  (he  can  only  add  +1  to  any
  roll,  no  matter  how  much  he  is  paid).
  Edward  Teach:  Otherwise  known  as  ‘Blackbeard’,
  and  one  of  the  most  infamous  pirates  of  his  day,
  he  often  returns  to  this  harbor.  He  doesn’t  remain
  long  with  any  one  shore  leave,  though  he  is  ‘fond’
  enough  of  Nassau  to  set  himself  up  as  unofficial
  magistrate  here,  from  1716  to  1718,  requiring  that
  all  official  documents  (including  letters  of  marque)
  pay  a  tribute  to  him,  whether  or  not  he  is  present
  to  collect  it  (he  can  always  collect  it  from  officials
  when  he  returns).
  TAVERNES   AND   COMMONS:   There  are  few
  places  busier  than  the  beach  itself,  which  is  just  a
  single,  large,  open-air  taverne.  However,  there  are  a
  few  drinking  holes  in  port  that  attract  the  far  more
  adventurous  pirates  of  the  lot.  Through  the  tattered
  sails  of  tents  and  wreckage  of  ships  on  the  beach
  they  pass,  until  they  reach  these  places.
  Hog’s  Head:  When  the  fort  on  Hog’s  Head  Island
  is  not  being  maintained,  it  is  used  by  pirates  as  a
  taverne,  of  sorts.  The  worst  brewed  or  spoiled  grog
  and  other  drinks  from  the  harbor  is  given  over  to
  the  fort  to  burn  as  signal  fires,  but  the  guards  are
  prone  to  drink  much  of  it.  They  also  charge  petty
  fees  to  others,  providing  drink  for  the  poorest  of
  the  poor  who  cannot  get  drunk  anywhere  else  and
  who  often  have  to  swim  out  to  the  island,  a  short
  distance  that  is  none-the-less  hazardous  due  to  their
  weak  state,  or  at  risk  of  being  run  over  by  ships.
  Some  less  selective  crews  can  get  new  recruits  this
  way,  literally  fishing  a  drunk  out  from  the  harbor.
  The  Fountain  of  Youth:  With  a  magnificent  marble
  fountain  gracing  the  courtyard  of  this  old  Spanish
  villa,  it  is  the  highest  class  drinking  house  or  inn
  anywhere  on  the  island.  Tales  of  Ponce  DeLeon’s
  quest  for  the  ‘fountain’  are  favorites  here,  so  much
  that  the  establishment  has  been  renamed  for  them.
  Most  sailors  drink  as  freely  from  its  rum  as  they
  would  from  the  very  waters  of  life,  with  much  the
  same  effect—total  bliss.
  Angels  on  a  Yardarm:  Long  ago,  three  women  that
  a  pirate  crew  were  convinced  to  be  angels  were  in
  town  tried  and  convicted  for  stealing  from  the  poor
  box  in  a  distant  colony’s  church,  and  hung  from  a
  yardarm  for  all  the  pirate-crowded  beach  to  watch.
  It  was  one  of  the  few  times  that  the  law  enforced
  any  anti-piracy  policy,  probably  due  more  to  those
  womens’ defense  by  pirates  being  seen  as  an  act  of
  blasphemy.  Regardless,  the  three  dead  women  were
  soon  avenged,  when  the  pirates  exercised  their  own
  power  in  turn,  attacking  the  ship  upon  which  these
  women  were  hung,  scuttling  it,  and  salvaging  only
  its  bowsprit  and  the  bodies.  These  were  all  brought
  back  to  Nassau  and  prominently  hung  in  a  quickly
  but  costly  built  taverne  right  across  the  street  from
  the  government’s  offices—the  pirates  used  cannons
  
  NASSAU
  21
  to  level  a  church  which  stood  in  place  of  the  new
  inn.  Motivated  by  superstition  as  sailors  can  have
  in  greater  abundance  than  lust  for  gold,  this  was  a
  clear  demonstration  of  their  respect  for  angels  and
  all  supernatural  powers,  no  matter  their  doubts.  It
  was  certainly  enough  to  cause  the  religious-based
  town  council  to  back  off  and  no  longer  challenge
  the  pirates  in  any  way.  The  three  angels’ skeletons
  were  sewn  together  so  that  they  would  never  fall
  apart,  and  continue  to  hang  from  the  yardarm  even
  to  this  day,  which  protrudes  out  above  the  streets,
  casting  a  sword-like  shadow  over  the  front  window
  of  the  governor’s  office.  Inside  the  taverne,  pirates
  of  all  faiths  gather  to  drink  spirits  and  hear  priests
  offer  up  sermons  to  those  too  drunk  from  the  night
  before  to  stagger  over  to  church  to  hear.  This  inn
  and  taverne  is  also  where  seafaring  priests  can  stay
  and  usually  prefer  to,  even  more  than  the  church.
  The  Head  of  Columbus:  Supposedly  built  in  honor
  of  the  ‘great  navigator’,  a  bust  of  his  head  proudly
  flies  atop  the  peak  of  the  roof.  But  inside,  wherein
  few  government  officials  ever  go  or  emerge  sober,
  dozens  of  other  copies  of  the  head  are  displayed  in
  an  endless  variety  of  mockery—there  are  some  that
  are  hollowed  out  to  be  used  as  bowls,  large  knobs
  with  lengthy  protruding  tongues  used  to  turn  spits
  for  roasting  boar  over  fires,  even  true  ‘heads’  that
  a  man  can  use  to  crap  into  the  legend’s  mouth.  It
  is  a  rious,  rollicking  taverne  where  men  take  pride
  in  their  debauchery  and  in  their  ability  to  be  fouler
  than  the  rest.
  The  Blow  Hole:  Built  along  a  low  cliff  which  the
  best  view  of  a  blow-hole  just  a  few  dozen  yards
  offshore,  men  here  like  to  emulate  the  sprays  from
  the  sea  by  spewing  their  drinks  high  into  the  foul
  air  of  the  taverne.  The  barkeepers  often  darken  the
  drinks  so  that  a  collective  spray,  such  as  when  an
  entire  crew  spews  up  at  once  in  some  celebration,
  is  enough  to  disguise  anyone  performing  some  act
  of  skullduggery,  such  as  pilfering  someone,  signing
  a  cunning  deal,  poisoning  someone’s  drink,  and  so
  forth.  Indeed,  the  very  ‘popular’  practice  of  crowds
  or  even  individuals  spewing  their  drinks  is  always
  done  to  maintain  a  tradition  that  allows  pirates  to
  constantly  provide  opportunities  to  betray  others.  It
  is  truly  a  case  of  living  and  dying  by  the  sword.
  Sandfort:  Running  along  the  beach  is  the  tumbling
  foundation  of  a  century-old  Spanish  fort.  Little  still
  stands  higher  than  a  man’s  waist,  and  so  the  wall
  serves  as  the  brace  for  countless  logs  of  driftwood
  supporting  sail-tents.  However,  the  one  tower  that’s
  still  relatively  intact—a  whole  story—serves  as  the
  bar  for  a  taverne  which  runs  a  hundred  feet  down
  the  beach  in  either  direction,  with  more  colourful
  tents  purchased  by  their  overflowing  sales  of  drinks
  of  all  kinds.  Pirates  from  different  crews  mingle  on
  ‘the  line’,  sitting  on  the  ruined  wall  watching  the
  surf,  or  leaning  against  it  for  shade,  or  enjoying  a
  lazy  lounge  in  the  shade  provided  by  the  taverne’s
  tent-row.  The  ruins  nearly  lost  beneath  the  beach’s
  white  sands,  the  entire  length  of  the  taverne  is  by
  all  pirates  formally  called  ‘Sandfort’.
  Ten  Skulls:  Initially,  the  proprietor  here  was  going
  to  use  the  name  ‘Ten  Bells’,  but  a  friend  warned
  him  there  was  a  haunted  pub  with  that  name  back
  in  London.  Fearing  the  misfortune  of  using  a  name
  twice,  he  changed  it.  Ten  skulls  of  better  known
  pirates  grace  the  hearth,  each  one  a  lamp  glowing
  with  a  majority  of  the  light  offered  to  the  dim  but
  comfortable  common-room.  Mostly  townsfolk  gather
  here.  The  few  pirates  whom  walk  the  distance  of
  town  to  reach  it  usually  do  so  only  for  a  reason.
  Honest  Ned’s:  Actually  called  ‘Honest  Ed’s’,  there
  is  a  large  ‘N’  burned  in  front  of  ‘Ed’s’,  for  when
  it  first  opened,  prices  were  so  high  that  pirates  felt
  they  were  being  cheated.  Some  were  kinder  than
  others—the  sign  may  still  be  there,  but  ‘Ed’  is  not,
  having  been  buried  somewhere  out  beyond  the  bay
  in  deep  water.  The  new  owners  kept  the  sign  and
  played  it  up  for  humor—they  encourage  only  the
  most  vile  and  cutthroat  men  to  come  here,  with  an
  understanding  that  to  simply  walk  through  the  front
  door  is  to  invite  foul  play,  from  being  cheated  at
  poker  to  being  outright  murdered  for  no  reason.  As
  for  the  owners  themselves,  they  are  former  pirates
  and  quite  capable  of  defending  their  bodies,  with  a
  collection  of  weapons  visible  above  the  counter,  a
  pair  of  swivel  guns  hidden  under  the  counter,  and
  explosives  they  constantly  repack  beneath  the  floor
  with  long  fuses  ending  in  hidden  spots  throughout
  the  common-room  which  they  can  easily  light  with
  any  man’s  pipe  or  pistol  shot.
  
  NASSAU
  22
  MERCHANTILES:   Virtually  every  merchant  here
  is  a  pirate,  leaving  prices  either  much  higher  or  far
  lower  than  is  usual.  Note  that  the  Availability  of
  any  item  in  Nassau  can  be  re-rolled  at  the  cost  of
  20  gold  (bribes,  etc).
  Coin   Values
  Type  of  coin
  Nation
  Value
  Crowns
  Britain
  +1
  Daalders
  Holland
  +0
  Doubloons
  Spain
  +2
  Ducats
  Holland
  +2
  Guineas
  Britain
  +0
  Louis  d’ors
  France
  +0
  Nine  deniers
  France
  +0
  Pieces  of  eight
  Spain
  +3
  Services
  Service
  Cost  of  service
  Appraisal
  2  gold  per  gem  or  jewelry  piece
  Bank
  6%  of  treasure  being  kept
  Carriage
  5  gold  for  4  leagues  of  distance
  Doctor
  20  gold  per  Damage  treated
  Guide
  2  gold  per  day  (includes  food)
  Inn  room
  5  gold  per  dozen  (includes  food)
  Marriage
  10-120  gold
  Porter
  7  gold  per  week  (includes  food)
  Proper  burial
  10-120  gold
  Tailor
  4  gold  per  set  of  clothes
  Translator
  12  gold  per  page
  Cards:  These  are  marked  playing  cards,  giving  one
  a  bonus  of  +2  with  his  rolls  in  card  games.  But
  even  in  winning  one  may  lose,  for  his  opponent  is
  always  given  a  chance  to  make  an  Intuition  Check
  to  notice  this  deck’s  design.
  Grog:  This  is  rum,  watered  down  and  given  taste
  by  vegetables  and  citrus.  When  consumed  in  full,
  one  makes  an  Endurance  Check.  Success  means  he
  is  able  to  heal  1  penalty  worth  of  his  wounds,  but
  failure  means  he  not  only  gains  an  additional  -1
  penalty  (but  stands  no  chance  of  dying  from  this),
  he  will  also  fall  unconscious  for  1-12  hours.
  Gully:  A  large  knife  normally  used  for  cutting  the
  ropes  aboard  ship.  As  there  is  no  hilt  it  is  hard  to
  parry  with,  lowering  a  user’s  Defense  Score  by  -1.
  Equipment
  Item
  Found
  Cost
  Weight
  Cards
  2
  35
  1
  Grog  (1  bottle)
  10
  4
  10
  Killdevil  Rum  (1  bottle)
  7
  5
  12
  Nelson’s  Blood
  10
  1
  8
  Killdevil  Rum:  This  rum  is  said  to  be  so  strong
  that  the  devil  himself  cannot  drink  it.  Often  mixed
  with  gunpowder,  drinking  it  requires  an  Endurance
  Check.  If  successful,  one  will  be  able  to  ignore  -1
  penalty  worth  of  wounds  until  it  heals,  but  if  he
  fails  he  adds  -2  penalty  worth  of  wounds.
  Marlinspike:  While  designed  for  aid  in  fixing  ropes
  and  rigging,  primarily  with  separating  tangles,  such
  spikes  are  equally  effective  at  separating  sinews  in
  one’s  enemies,  giving  the  user  a  bonus  of  +1  with
  its  Attack  Rolls  when  made  aboard  ships.
  Musical  instruments:  This  collection  will  serve  two
  purposes  aboard  ship.  First,  they  offer  a  means  of
  entertainment  during  a  voyage,  reducing  any  loss
  of  Morale  for  lack  of  speed  by  1.  Second,  during
  battle  they  can  inspire  a  crew’s  attack  or  be  played
  dramatically  to  demoralize  one’s  enemy,  either  way
  requiring  3  crew  to  be  effective  but  giving  a  +1
  bonus  to  Initiative  until  Initiative  is  lost.  Multiple
  ‘bands’  cannot  be  used  to  gain  a  greater  bonus.
  Nelson’s  Blood:  Another  name  for  rum,  and  this  is
  a  style  sold  in  slightly  smaller  bottles  than  normal
  rum,  and  is  not  as  potent,  either.  Each  bottle  will
  negate  -1  penalty  worth  of  wounds  for  1-6  hours.
  Sea  turtle:  This  is  a  living  turtle  left  to  roam  free
  on  the  deck,  and  butchered  when  it  is  to  be  eaten,
  giving  the  crew  fresh  meat.  One  turtle  will  provide
  enough  food  to  equal  1  day  for  120  men.  If  this
  fresh  meat  is  enjoyed  by  the  crew  on  a  single  day
  (no  leftovers),  and  everyone  gets  their  share,  it  will
  increase  Morale  by  +1.
  Special   Weapons
  Weapon
  Found
  Cost
  Weight
  Damage
  Gully
  10
  3
  6
  5
  Marlinspike
  11
  2
  7
  3
  Sounder-fire
  4
  20
  8
  10
  
  NASSAU
  23
  Smoking  lamp:  Smoking  is  forbidden  on  so  many
  pirate  ships  that  these  have  been  invented.  Hanging
  somewhere  on  the  forecastle,  smoke  is  blown  into
  it,  thereby  eliminating  any  chance  of  shipboard  fire.
  Having  one  on  board  will  improve  Morale  by  +1
  when  the  vessel  leaves  port,  but  at  the  cost  of  an
  additional  5  gold  each  time  due  to  maintaining  it.
  Sounder-fire:  Originally  developed  to  guard  the  gate
  to  Nassau  harbor,  this  is  a  grenade-like  bomb  on  a
  sounding  line  with  a  small  anchor,  more  of  a  hook
  than  a  weight,  which  a  man  fixes  to  the  seabed  by
  hand.  In  order  to  keep  them  disguised  as  a  shell
  or  similar  flotsam,  they  couldn’t  pack  enough  blast-
  powder  to  damage  a  ship.  However,  they  are  very
  useful  for  leaving  floating  in  shallow  water  when  a
  pirate  is  being  pursued  by  men  on  foot  or  horses.
  Passing  such  a  bomb  requires  an  Intuition  Check
  to  avoid  an  automatic  hit  (one  Check  for  each  and
  every  bomb  left  floating  in  one’s  wake).  They  use
  a  long  fuse  on  a  mechanism  which  can  ‘collapse’
  if  bumped  into,  setting  the  sparks  directly  into  the
  powder,  thus  triggering  the  explosion,  or  waiting  a
  good  hour  before  running  out  of  fuse  and  thereby
  exploding  anyway.
  Torture  chest:  A  large  box  or  barrel  converted  into
  a  chest  with  heavy  locks,  it  contains  several  spikes
  that  slide  in  and  out  from  the  outside.  A  man  may
  spare  himself  marooning  or  keel-hauling  by  opting
  for  an  hour  in  ‘the  boo-box’,  wherein  he  endures
  the  random  spearing  of  dull  irons  by  pirates  on  the
  outside.  To  survive  requires  enduring  a  blow  of  10
  Base  Damage.  However,  if  one  emerges  alive,  he’s
  no  longer  guilty  of  any  charges  aboard  ship.  Such
  a  chest  increases  base  Morale  by  +4.
  Purchasing   Ships
  Ship
  Found
  Cost
  Sparrow
  12
  200
  Schooner
  10
  1000
  Naval  sloop
  4
  1500
  Navy  snow
  4
  2000
  Sloop
  7
  2500
  Barque
  8
  4000
  Dutch  fluyt
  5
  6000
  Brigantine
  8
  7000
  Mariner
  5
  9000
  Provisions
  Provision
  Found
  Cost
  Size
  Anchor
  11
  25
  50
  Cannon  (1  gun)
  6
  75
  50
  Cannonballs  (1  salvo)
  7
  5
  5
  Charts
  10
  700
  0
  Flag,  English
  10
  50
  10
  Flag,  foreign
  8
  90
  10
  Flag,  pirate
  6
  40
  10
  Musical  instruments
  5
  400
  100
  Oars  (full  ship)
  6
  90
  100
  Sea  turtle
  2
  15
  10
  Smoking  lamp
  8
  12
  0
  Spare  sails
  10
  240
  300
  Torture  chest
  6
  400
  100
  Weapons*
  11
  600
  200
  Trading   Goods
  Price
  Nature  of  the  goods
  Time
  +4
  Rum,  ale,  beer  or  brandy
  1  week
  +4
  Medicine
  1-3  months
  +3
  Tobacco
  1-4  weeks
  +3
  Rare  plants
  1-6  weeks
  +3
  Sugar  or  flour
  1-4  months
  +2
  Clothing,  cotton  or  silk
  1-4  weeks
  +2
  Books
  1  month
  +2
  Glass
  2  months
  +1
  Rare  animals
  1-6  weeks
  +1
  Spices
  1-6  weeks
  +0
  Tea
  1-4  weeks
  +0
  Hides
  1-4  weeks
  LEGACY:   The  city  of  ‘Nassau’  tells  this  tale:  The
  pirate  is  king.  It  is  simply  a  matter  of  whether  the
  rest  of  the  world  accepts  it  or  not.  For  the  pirates
  of  New  Providence  live  as  gods  upon  earth,  living
  by  their  own  terms  and  taking  what  they  want,  a
  perfect  arrangement  in  which  they  were  answerable
  only  unto  themselves.  The  legacy  of  this  paradise
  is  one  of  blood,  rum,  and  freedom.  Governors  see
  it  is  no  less  an  evil  than  Madagascar  or  Jamaica.
  Pirates  see  it  as  heaven  on  earth.  What  the  world
  and  history  will  tell  of  these  free  men  in  time  is
  of  concern  only  to  a  demented  few  of  them.  What
  matters  is  today,  and  this  island  is  the  center  of  a
  living  world,  in  which  every  sailor  is  a  king,  and
  every  captain  a  god.
  
  PORT   ROYAL
  24
  Ye  be  putin’ in  ta  Port  Royal,  are  ya  matey?  Well,
  there  be  no  better  a  place  fer  a  pirate  ta  spend  his
  gold  or  meet  his  end  than ‘ere.  Ye’ll  never  find  a
  more  wretched  hive  o’ scum  an’ villainy,  says  I.
  WELCOME   TO   PORT   ROYAL:   The  city  that
  forms  the  central  anchor  of  the  Caribbean  is  a  hub
  for  pirates  throughout  its  long  and  troubled  history.
  There  are  many  glorious  triumphs  and  unimaginable
  disasters  for  this  city  throughout  the  17th Century,  a
  rocking,  rollicking  era  for  pirates  in  an  equally  odd
  and  unpredictable  city.  If  there  is  a  city  that  is  the
  heart  of  pirates  in  the  Caribbean,  it  is  this  one.  A
  map  of  the  island  is  provided  as  Handout  7.
  Sourcebook:
  Caribbean
  Existence:
  1655  to  1692
  Location:
  18N  77W
  Level:
  7
  Population:
  7000
  Nationality:
  English
  Fortifications:
  6
  Merchantiles:
  -5
  A  note  about  the  name:  The  name  of  ‘Port  Royal’
  is  sometimes  spelled  either  ‘Port  Royale’  or  ‘Porte
  Royal’.  This  is  due  to  the  ever-changing  language
  common  in  the  Caribbean,  with  French  and  Dutch
  influences,  and  sometimes  even  the  city  governor’s
  preferences  alone.  Any  version  of  the  name  is,  in
  its  own  way,  ‘correct’,  though  throughout  this  book
  it  shall  be  referred  to  only  as  ‘Port  Royal’.
  A  history  of  Port  Royal:  First  established  by  Spain
  under  the  name  of  ‘Santiago  Vega’,  this  port  town
  is  captured  by  the  English  in  the  year  1655  in  the
  desperate  hope  of  finally  gaining  a  foothold  in  the
  Caribbean.  With  Spanish  power  in  the  New  World
  dwindling,  and  no  settlements  of  significant  size  or
  strength  anywhere  on  Jamaica  to  challenge  English
  suppression,  this  port  quickly  becomes  the  center
  of  British  government  and  trade  in  the  Caribbean,
  beginning  an  infamous  legacy  if  pirates.
  With  little  true  power  to  fight  the  strength  of
  the  Spanish  empire  in  the  New  World,  the  earliest
  governors  are  quick  to  use  the  raw  naval  might  of
  pirates,  issuing  ‘letters  of  marque’  for  the  least  of
  official  reasons,  indeed  licensing  for  privateering
  nearly  every  captain  with  a  ship.  This  is  a  very
  welcome  arrangement  for  both  parties—the  English
  strike  serious  blows  to  Spanish  commerce  through
  pirate  raids  they  can  easily  dodge  in  court,  and  the
  pirates  themselves  finally  have  a  safe  port  of  call.
  This  continues  for  several  decades.
  The  most  famous  privateer  operating  here  is
  Henry  Morgan.  In  1671  however,  he  leads  a  very
  underwhelming  attack  on  Panama.  Though  he  sacks
  the  great  city  of  legendary  riches,  the  treasure  is  a
  paltry  sum  compared  to  what  it  should  have  been,
  and  each  man’s  share  is  considerably  less  than  he
  is  happy  with.  Fleeing  back  to  Port  Royal,  he  is  in
  fact  knighted,  quickly  disperses  his  crew,  and  then
  becomes  a  ‘gentleman’.  This  marks  a  decided  turn
  in  the  operations  and  legacy  of  Port  Royal  as  far
  as  all  pirates  are  concerned,  as  their  greatest  ally
  is  soon  to  become  their  greatest  enemy.
  Sir  Henry  Morgan  becomes  the  official  face  of
  anti-piracy  policy  in  Jamaica.  For  years  the  Spanish
  have  been  dwindling  and  the  English  increasing  in
  power,  and  finally  there  is  no  longer  any  need  for
  the  privateers.  Sir  Morgan  enables  the  English  to
  turn  brother  against  brother  so-to-speak,  as  Morgan
  now  uses  his  knowledge  of  piracy  to  help  hunt  the
  lawless  men  and  bring  them  back  to  Port  Royal  to
  either  hang  or  become  law-abiding  men.  The  city
  that  was  for  a  brief  period  the  Heaven  of  pirates
  quickly  becomes  their  Hell.
  Yet  whether  a  town  of  pirates  or  privateers,  a
  port  of  lawless  men  or  law-abiding  sailors,  the  city
  known  as  Port  Royal  is  always  a  booming  port  in
  which  all  manner  of  vices  can  be  found  for  a  fair
  price.  Every  sin  is  indulged  here,  whether  the  eye
  of  the  law  or  church  turns  blind  to  it  or  not.  It  is
  said  by  one  governor,  just  in  reference  to  the  sheer
  debauchery  of  his  own  citizens,  that  “the  Spaniards
  wondered  much  at  the  sickness  of  our  people,  until
  they  knew  the  strength  of  our  drinks,  but  then
  wondered  more  that  we  were  not  all  dead”.
  Yet  whether  it  was  sinful  early  or  later,  if  the
  valiant  pirate  or  corrupt  privateer  was  to  blame,  it
  is  the  sin  of  Port  Royal  that  becomes  it  doom,  as
  the  world  will  come  to  believe.  For  on  June  7th in
  the  year  1692,  there  is  a  great  earthquake  which  in
  a  few  short  hours  destroys  the  harbor  and  swallows
  a  third  of  the  city.  Those  who  survive  are  forced
  to  re-establish  the  city,  soon  to  be  known  as  the
  
  PORT   ROYAL
  25
  port  of  ‘Kingston’,  in  the  hills  overlooking  a  now
  drastically  reshaped  harbor.  Thousands  of  lives  are
  lost  in  the  cataclysm,  which  is  seen  as  nothing  less
  than  the  wrath  of  God  being  cast  down  upon  the
  ‘wickedest  city  on  earth’.
  Government  and  law:  This  city  has  a  history  that
  is  twofold.  From  1655  to  1670,  it  is  a  haven  for
  pirates  who  can  do  pretty  much  as  they  wish,  thus
  earning  its  infamous  reputation  forever  more  as
  ‘the  wickedest  city  on  Earth’.  However,  from  1670
  to  its  destruction  in  1692,  the  English  government
  of  this  city  is  especially  harsh  and  cruel  to  pirates,
  hanging  them  on  the  wharfs  as  a  warning  to  other
  sailors  and  selling  the  rest  as  slaves  to  work  either
  in  the  sugar  cane  plantation  or  in  the  mines.  The
  government  supports  all  these  activities  throughout
  its  history,  always  with  a  mind  for  ‘good  business’.
  Entering  the  city:  Throughout  its  existence,  there  is
  a  levy  which  must  be  paid  by  anyone  not  part  of
  a  privateer’s  crew  to  enter  the  city.  The  amount
  changes,  usually  averaging  10  gold,  but  never  any
  higher  than  20.
  Guards:  There  are  extenuating  circumstances  in  this
  city,  from  poorly  trained  to  desperate  men,  thereby
  resulting  in  guards  slightly  different  than  the  usual
  English  sentries.  They  travel  in  groups,  usually  of
  1-12,  and  they  each  have  DS  7,  G  6,  MOVE  100’,
  each  has  a  longsword  and  a  pistol  and  a  bonus  of
  +2  to  use  both.  Each  man  is  Level  1.
  Religion:  Though  established  by  the  English,  which
  is  mostly  Protestant,  the  loose-living  nature  of  this
  port  welcomes  almost  all  religions.  There  are  many
  different  churches  and  even  a  synagogue,  as  pirates
  are  usually  God-fearing  men  and  are  ever  playing
  with  the  fantasy  of  redemption.  Furthermore,  with  a
  very  real  menace  like  Spain  ever  ready  to  reclaim
  ‘their’  island,  the  governor  can  ill  afford  to  harass
  his  citizens  (and  thus  deplete  his  naval  might)  over
  more  medieval  concerns  such  as  religion.
  A  unique  harbor:  The  main  city  is  built  on  a  sand-
  bar  which  curves  around  a  spacious,  natural  harbor,
  allowing  for  protection  of  forts  perched  high  upon
  the  cliffs.  The  flat,  sea-level  sand  that  is  the  city’s
  foundation  helps  it  prosper,  as  it  has  little  need  for
  complex  docks  or  places  to  unload—cargo  can  be
  easily  rolled  on  or  from  a  ship.
  Hiring  crew:  When  acquiring  new  crew  in  Jamaica,
  each  roll  that  is  ‘10’  or  higher  constitutes  a  bonus
  roll.  Theoretically,  one  can  acquire  hundreds  more
  men,  since  there  are  so  many  pirates  here  at  any
  time,  not  counted  amongst  the  normal  population.
  NOTEWORTHY   CHARACTERS:   Port  Royal  is,
  if  nothing  else,  a  den  of  thieves,  a  rouge’s  gallery.
  There  are  many  colourful  characters  roaming  the
  maze-like  streets  who  might  cross  the  party’s  path,
  from  the  socially  elite  to  the  most  unsuspecting  of
  wanton  wenches.  This  gallery  includes  faces  just  as
  variable  as  the  pirates  themselves.
  Sir  Henry  Morgan:  The  most  famous  privateer  of
  them  all,  he  becomes  a  ‘gentleman’  in  1673,  even
  though  he  hardly  fits  the  title.  If  not  trading  tales
  with  his  old  pirate  friends  at  wharf  tavernes,  he’s
  hosting  lavish  parties  at  home,  inviting  the  same
  rascals,  scoundrels,  villains  and  knaves  to  visit.  He
  eventually  dies  of  drinking  in  the  year  1688.
  Sir  Thomas  Modyford:  Governor  of  the  city  from
  1661  to  1667,  he  is  notorious  for  both  condemning
  and  secretly  funding  piracy,  not  privateering,  as  he
  always  likes  to  claim  unofficial  wealth  for  his  own
  ends,  which  transcend  those  of  ruling  such  a  poxy
  little  island  like  Jamaica.  When  he  finally  retires
  his  commission,  he  simply  disappears,  but  is  never
  to  turn  up  in  England  nor  any  grander  court  than
  the  one  he  leaves  behind  in  Jamaica.  Rumors  about
  his  turning  pirate,  going  into  hiding  with  his  great
  wealth,  or  being  murdered  for  the  same  become  a
  favorite  tale  in  dockside  tavernes.
  Mary  Carleton:  The  best  known  whore  in  the  city,
  she’s  likened  to  a  chair—no  sooner  is  one  man  out
  than  another  is  in.  Still,  those  who  pay  her  double-
  fee  (of  2-24  gold,  always  depending  on  her  mood)
  get  a  bonus  of  +4  to  their  roll  on  Table  25.  Also
  known  as  ‘The  German  Princess’  for  a  play  which
  was  written  for  her  and  in  which  she  performed,
  she  is  both  beautiful  and  cunning  enough  to  live
  up  to  her  title.
  
  PORT   ROYAL
  26
  Diablo  Sangre:  His  name  means  ‘devil  blood’  to  a
  Spaniard.  To  all  others  it  means  fear.  This  captain
  of  thirteen  highly  successful  raids  on  the  Spanish
  Main  is  now  retired,  but  funds  new  pirate  ventures,
  so  long  as  they  meet  three  requirements:  A  profit
  of  ten  percent  of  the  investment  in  a  year’s  time
  (or  he  dispatches  his  own  ships  to  hunt  down  the
  ‘thieves’),  a  handshake  made  in  blood,  and  a  solid
  bit  of  proof  that  the  voyage  has  no  alliance  in  any
  way  with  any  Spanish.
  Marquis  di Biase:  A  famous  financier  of  countless
  privateering  ventures  during  the  1650s,  the  Marquis
  has  now  become  a  minister,  preaching  the  word  of
  God  to  heathens  in  this  wicked  city,  while  at  the
  same  time  secretly  funding  voyages  for  those  who
  wage  war  on  Heaven’s  enemies  (usually  the  empire
  of  Catholic  Spain).  A  very  close  friend  of  Baron
  Helmsley  of  Tortuga,  throughout  the  1660s  the  two
  of  them  finance  over  a  hundred  individual  captains
  who  attack  many  cities  along  the  Spanish  Main.  It
  is  later  seen  by  many  as  punishment  for  his  great
  hypocrisy  that  he  dies  in  the  1692  earthquake.
  Simmon  Benning:  A  well  known  pewtermaker,  he’s
  a  family  man  who  holds  secret  wealth  and  does  a
  good  trade  in  unofficial  banking  for  pirates—those
  who  seek  to  entrust  their  money  to  him  must  make
  a  Charisma  Check  to  do  so,  but  if  successful,  they
  can  leave  any  amount  in  his  secret  coffers  and  for
  up  to  one  year  return  to  find  it  untouched.  After  a
  year  however,  it  is  in  the  agreement  that  the  one
  whose  money  he  holds  is  considered  dead,  and  the
  ‘banker’  claims  the  money  for  himself.  If  he’s  ever
  threatened  over  this,  many  pirate  captains  from  the
  surrounding  shadows  will  appear  and  defend  him,
  sometimes  even  directly  rather  than  using  their  men
  alone,  given  the  importance  of  Benning’s  survival.
  Rama-jumoggin:  A  madman  who  claims  to  be  the
  greatest  captain  ever  but  has  never  been  on  a  ship,
  he  patrols  the  streets  like  they  were  his  own  deck,
  giving  orders  which  are  veiled  codes  to  pirates  to
  help  avoid  the  law.  With  smoking  ganja  woven  in
  his  dreadlocks,  he  is  always  ‘inspired’  for  his  odd
  behavior  and  also  given  a  fierce  look  to  help  in  it.
  The  law  writes  him  off  as  a  madman,  while  more
  experienced  captains  know  and  listen  to  his  codes.
  TAVERNES   AND   COMMONS:   Though  there’s
  as  many  tavernes  are  there  are  churches  in  town,  a
  noteworthy  few  attract  the  greatest  captains  and  the
  greatest  troublemakers  alike.
  John  Starr’s:  One  of  the  better  known  brothels,  the
  number  of  prostitutes  here  is  always  a  few  dozen
  more  than  any  other  establishment.  Secret  doors  are
  everywhere,  allowing  for  quick  access  into  all  the
  rooms,  or  escape  therefrom.  Best  of  all  for  pirates,
  the  proprietor  is  a  money-changer  outside  the  law.
  The  Bucket  O’ Blood:  This  taverne  stands  upon  the
  end  of  the  wharf,  the  first  one  seen  by  men  just
  getting  off  a  ship.  It  has  a  spacious  and  very  dark
  common-room,  where  all  kinds  of  shady  deals  are
  struck  in  the  flickering  lantern-light.  The  barmaids
  are  known  whores,  thieves  congregate  here,  and  the
  guards  turn  a  blind  eye  to  it  (especially  since  there
  are  so  many  guards,  or  friends  of  officials,  or  even
  officials  themselves  who  partake  of  the  prostitution
  and  other  vices  offered  here).  It  is  said  that  there
  are  so  many  brawls  here,  the  wooden  tables,  floor
  and  ceiling  aren’t  darkened  from  lantern  smoke . . .
  The  Gibbet:  Old  cages  discarded  from  the  wharfs
  adorn  the  walls  of  this  dark  pub,  still  with  remains
  inside  them.  Sailors  suffering  great  misfortune  drink
  up  here,  eventually  talking  to  the  skeletons.  Many
  like  to  believe  that  the  dead  are  their  lost  mates,  a
  fate  better  than  being  in  Davy  Jones’ Locker.
  Barre’s  Taverne:  Owned  by  ‘Charles  de la Barre’,
  the  secretary  to  Governor  Lynch,  this  is  a  higher-
  class  establishment,  where  officials  meet  to  discuss
  merchanting  matters  and  Royal  Naval  officers  come
  to  ease  themselves  after  (or  before)  a  voyage.  This
  taverne  is  frequented  by  Henry  Morgan,  particularly
  in  his  years  of  decline  as  a  gentleman.  Altogether,
  this  clean  and  busy  bar  is  the  unofficial  meeting
  hall  for  the  city  councilmen,  and  during  the  year
  1680,  it  is  transformed  into  the  harborfront  offices
  of  the  East  India  Company.
  The  Golden  Crow:  This  taverne  overlooks  the  bay
  and  often  has  upper  class  customers  such  as  naval
  officers  or  rich  merchant  captains  making  deals  at
  their  tables.  As  a  result,  there  are  more  guards  in
  
  PORT   ROYAL
  27
  close  call  of  this  establishment.  In  addition,  this  is
  the  favorite  meeting  spot  of  Henry  Morgan  himself,
  both  during  his  privateering  career  and  in  his  later
  days  as  a  drunken  nobleman..
  The  Jolly  Rogue:  The  largest  and  oldest  taverne  in
  the  city,  it  dominates  the  wharf  at  the  end  of  the
  sandbar  which  encircles  the  harbor  and  supports  the
  majority  of  the  city-proper.  Originally,  this  was  the
  Spanish  harbor  offices,  and  like  most  things  built
  by  their  Empire  is  as  much  a  fortress  as  it  is  any-
  thing  else.  When  the  Spanish  were  driven  out,  this
  building  was  converted  into  a  seedy  pirate  taverne,
  even  going  so  far  as  to  fly  their  black  flags  above
  the  town—the  harbor  forts  cannot  fire  on  their  own
  city,  and  the  building  can  withstand  a  siege  by  the
  guards—the  governors  always  prefer  to  leave  this
  haven  of  evil  men  self-contained,  and  so  they  just
  leave  it  be.  Inside  its  dark  corridors,  all  manner  of
  illegal  activities  take  place,  but  none  more  so  than
  deals  between  pirates  and  government  officials  who
  meet  in  secret  rooms  rented  for  just  such  purposes.
  The  owner,  indeed  the  ‘captain’  of  this  taverne,  the
  former  Admiral  Jeffery  Conners  of  Belfast,  keeps
  the  scales  of  illegal  activity  and  legal  action  well
  balanced,  almost  as  well  as  the  scales  in  which  he
  counts  his  own  gold,  protecting  pirates  unless  they
  force  the  governor’s  hand.
  Maggotbread:  The  owner  of  this  ‘taverne’  collects
  the  food  thrown  out  from  other  tavernes,  soaks  it
  in  a  cheap  rum  broth,  and  sells  it  to  starving  men
  for  whatever  money  they  have  left.  While  the  sign
  is  supposed  to  read  ‘Masthead’,  pirates  have  a  lot
  of  fun  in  defacing  it  with  ‘Maggotbread’,  and  then
  waiting  for  it  to  be  replaced  so  they  can  rename  it
  ‘properly’  yet  again.
  MERCHANTILES:   The  countless  merchantiles  in
  port  offer  a  variety  of  goods,  services  and  prices
  as  to  be  found  nowhere  else  in  the  Caribbean  and
  perhaps  the  entire  world.  Note  that  the  Availability
  of  items  has  not  been  recalculated  like  the  rest  of
  the  scores,  so  the  port’s  normal  penalty  of  -5  must
  still  apply  to  such  rolls,  though  it  can  be  reduced
  by  1  for  every  100  gold  paid  to  the  harbor
  officials  or  even  the  governor  himself  (not  to  be
  raised  above  +0).
  Coin   Values
  Type  of  coin
  Nation
  Value
  Crowns
  Britain
  +3
  Daalders
  Holland
  +0
  Doubloons
  Spain
  +1
  Ducats
  Holland
  +1
  Guineas
  Britain
  +3
  Louis  d’ors
  France
  +0
  Nine  deniers
  France
  +0
  Pieces  of  eight
  Spain
  +3
  Services
  Service
  Cost  of  service
  Bank
  5%  of  treasure  being  kept
  Doctor
  15  gold  per  Damage  treated
  Guide
  2  gold  per  day  (includes  food)
  Marriage
  10-90*  gold
  Porter
  6  gold  per  week  (includes  food)
  Proper  burial
  20-70  gold
  Tailor
  7  gold  per  set  of  clothes
  Translator
  8  gold  per  page
  Cards:  These  are  marked  playing  cards,  giving  one
  a  bonus  of  +3  with  his  rolls  in  card  games.  But
  even  in  winning  one  may  lose,  for  his  opponent  is
  always  given  a  chance  to  make  an  Intuition  Check
  to  notice  this  deck’s  design.
  Chain-arm:  This  weapon  is  a  retractable  chain  that
  fixes  to  the  end  of  one’s  arm,  thereby  giving  it  a
  greater  accuracy  than  a  normal  chain.  These  were
  initially  developed  to  keep  slaves  in  line,  giving  +1
  to  Initiative  against  anyone  using  a  melee  weapon.
  Clean  bill  of  health:  This  is  an  official  government
  document  ‘proving’  that  the  ship  and  crew  are  free
  of  disease  so  that  they  cannot  be  rejected  from  any
  port  on  such  grounds  (whether  this  is  true  or  not
  doesn’t  matter—it’s  official,  after  all).
  Coconut  rum:  Sweeter  and  in  some  ways  stronger
  than  normal  rum,  each  bottle  will  negate  -2  penalty
  worth  of  wounds  for  1-12  hours,  and  then  -1  for
  the  next  1-12.  If  one  is  not  wounded  at  all,  a  full
  bottle  of  this  gives  him  +1  to  his  next  roll.
  Fireworks:  Imported  from  China,  these  devices  are
  used  to  either  light  up  an  enemy  vessel  at  night  or
  
  PORT   ROYAL
  28
  simply  confuse  them.  One  box  lasts  for  one  battle.
  It  will  provide  a  +1  bonus  to  Initiative  for  a  ship,
  provided  the  battle  is  at  night.  Multiple  fireworks
  boxes  cannot  be  used  to  gain  a  greater  bonus.
  Equipment
  Item
  Found
  Cost
  Weight
  Cards
  4
  24
  1
  Coconut  rum  (1  bottle)
  11
  3
  10
  Ganja  (1  dose)
  8
  10
  1
  Grog  (1  bottle)
  12
  4
  10
  Killdevil  Rum  (1  bottle)
  10
  6
  12
  Nelson’s  Blood
  12
  1
  8
  Pardon  tube
  4
  12
  4
  Pleasure-glove
  2
  50
  0
  Sugar  loaf
  11
  1
  10
  Ganja  (1  dose):  Cannabis,  hemp,  marijuana . . . this
  plant  has  many  names.  Both  abundant  and  enjoyed
  in  Jamaica,  it  is  a  favorite  of  both  piratical  and
  political  men  alike.  Smoking  it  takes  1-12  Rounds,
  and  when  it  takes  hold,  the  individual  under  its
  influence  has  a  penalty  with  all  his  rolls,  but  a
  bonus  to  both  his  Girth  rolls  to  avoid  death  and
  rolls  to  resist  torture—the  penalty,  and  the  bonus’
  alike  for  all  three  of  these  things  are  equal  to  the
  amount  of  ‘doses’  the  individual  has  smoked.  This
  is  also  the  number  of  hours  it  takes  to  wear  off.
  Ganja  (1  sack):  This  smoking-herb  serves  as  both  a
  help  and  hindrance  to  a  crew.  When  the  sack  is
  used,  it  boosts  crew  Morale  by  +1-4,  but  will  also
  induce  an  equal  penalty  to  the  crew’s  rolls  during
  any  and  all  battles  that  occur  within  the  next  day.
  Grog:  This  is  rum,  watered  down  and  given  taste
  by  vegetables  and  citrus.  When  consumed  in  full,
  one  makes  an  Endurance  Check.  Success  means  he
  is  able  to  heal  1  penalty  worth  of  his  wounds,  but
  failure  means  he  not  only  gains  an  additional  -1
  penalty  (but  stands  no  chance  of  dying  from  this),
  he  will  also  fall  unconscious  for  1-12  hours.
  Killdevil  Rum:  This  rum  is  said  to  be  so  strong
  that  the  devil  himself  cannot  drink  it.  Often  mixed
  with  gunpowder,  drinking  it  requires  an  Endurance
  Check.  If  successful,  one  will  be  able  to  ignore  -2
  penalty  worth  of  wounds  until  it  heals,  but  if  he
  fails  he  adds  -2  penalty  worth  of  wounds.  Worse,
  if  his  Endurance  Check  rolls  a  natural  ‘1’,  then  he
  permanently  loses  1  Girth  Point.
  Marlinspike:  While  designed  for  aid  in  fixing  ropes
  and  rigging,  primarily  with  separating  tangles,  such
  spikes  are  equally  effective  at  separating  sinews  in
  one’s  enemies,  giving  the  user  a  bonus  of  +1  with
  its  Attack  Rolls  when  made  aboard  ships.
  Musical  instruments:  This  collection  will  serve  two
  purposes  aboard  ship.  First,  they  offer  a  means  of
  entertainment  during  a  voyage,  reducing  any  loss
  of  Morale  for  lack  of  speed  by  1.  Second,  during
  battle  they  can  inspire  a  crew’s  attack  or  be  played
  dramatically  to  demoralize  one’s  enemy,  either  way
  requiring  3  crew  to  be  effective  but  giving  a  +1
  bonus  to  Initiative  until  Initiative  is  lost.  Multiple
  ‘bands’  cannot  be  used  to  gain  a  greater  bonus.
  Special   Weapons
  Weapon
  Found
  Cost
  Weight
  Damage
  Chain-arm
  8
  4
  10
  2
  Marlinspike
  12
  2
  7
  3
  Musketoon
  4
  16
  11
  8
  Pocket-pistol
  10
  18
  2
  4
  Triblade
  6
  16
  9
  5
  Musketoon:  A  shorter  version  of  the  blunderbuss,  a
  little  less  accurate  but  stronger  than  a  musket,  this
  is  designed  for  close-quarters  combat,  offering  the
  user  a  bonus  of  +2  with  Attack  Rolls  aboard  ships.
  Nelson’s  Blood:  Another  name  for  rum,  and  this  is
  a  style  sold  in  slightly  smaller  bottles  than  normal
  rum,  and  is  not  as  potent,  either.  Each  bottle  will
  negate  -1  penalty  worth  of  wounds  for  1-6  hours.
  Pardon  tube:  This  is  a  fancy  scroll  case  made  only
  to  mimic  the  current  style  of  those  containing  the
  ‘Royal  Pardons’  carried  around  by  Naval  officers.
  Of  course,  this  tube  contains  nothing  of  true  value.
  It  can,  however,  give  one  a  chance  to  bluff  their
  way  into  any  town  by  making  a  Charisma  Check,
  penalized  by  that  town’s  Hostility  Modifier.  Such  a
  tube  becomes  worthless  after  1  year,  as  their  styles
  in  official  circles  change  so  often.
  
  PORT   ROYAL
  29
  Pleasure-glove:  The  intestine  of  an  animal  used  for
  practicing  ‘safe-sex’,  this  will  negate  rolls  of  ‘2-4’
  on  Table  25.  However,  if  a  natural  ‘1’  is  rolled  on
  it,  the  intestine  breaks,  and  the  result  of  Table  25
  must  be  re-rolled.  Nothing  less  than  such  a  roll  is
  cause  for  these  ‘gloves’  to  break—they  are  sturdy
  indeed,  and  can  be  re-used  any  number  of  times.
  Pocket-pistol:  This  pistol  is  small,  designed  to  hide
  well  in  a  pocket,  hence  its  name.  It’s  box-locked,
  meaning  the  hammer  is  fitted  centrally  rather  than
  to  one  side,  thus  making  it  easier  to  carry  but  less
  accurate  as  one  cannot  look  down  the  barrel.  This
  causes  a  penalty  of  -1  to  all  Attack  Rolls  made  at
  a  distance  (beyond  an  arm’s  length),  however,  its
  small  size  gives  it  a  +2  bonus  to  Initiative  when  it
  is  first  produced.
  Sugar  loaf:  Made  from  the  sugar  cane  extensive  all
  around  the  island,  this  is  not  good  as  food  in  itself
  but,  if  consumed,  will  give  one  a  increase  of  +20’
  to  his  Movement  Rate  until  he  either  falls  asleep
  or  fails  an  Ability  Check.
  Triblade:  Also  known  as  a  ‘weaponbreaker’,  this  is
  a  dagger-like  blade  designed  to  catch  and  snap  all
  other  blades.  Its  user  can,  if  he  rolls  a  Critical  Hit
  or  his  opponent  a  Critical  Miss,  choose  the  critical
  result  to  be  the  breaking  of  his  enemy’s  weapon,
  provided  it  is  a  blade.
  Purchasing   Ships
  Ship
  Found
  Cost
  Sparrow
  12
  200
  Schooner
  11
  900
  Naval  sloop
  6
  1500
  Navy  snow
  7
  2200
  Sloop
  8
  2500
  Barque
  9
  4000
  Dutch  fluyt
  3
  4500
  Brigantine
  10
  5000
  Mariner
  7
  8000
  Merchantman
  6
  12000
  Square-rigger
  5
  16000
  Frigate
  4
  21000
  Man-o-war
  2
  24000
  Galleon
  2
  30000
  Spanish  galleon
  1
  50000
  Provisions
  Provision
  Found
  Cost
  Size
  Anchor
  11
  40
  50
  Cannon  (1  gun)
  6
  60
  50
  Cannonballs  (1  salvo)
  7
  5
  5
  Charts
  10
  600
  0
  Clean  bill  of  health
  7
  400
  0
  Fireworks
  3
  500
  20
  Flag,  English
  10
  25
  10
  Flag,  foreign
  8
  40
  10
  Flag,  pirate
  6
  60
  10
  Ganja  (1  sack)
  4
  200
  1
  Longboat
  12
  65
  350
  Musical  instruments
  7
  300
  100
  Oars  (full  ship)
  5
  150
  100
  Spare  sails
  11
  300
  300
  Weapons*
  10
  900
  200
  Trading   Goods
  Price
  Nature  of  the  goods
  Time
  +6
  Rare  plants
  2-24  weeks
  +5
  Medicine
  1  month
  +5
  Tobacco
  1-4  weeks
  +2
  Clothing,  cotton  or  silk
  1-12  weeks
  +2
  Books
  1-4  weeks
  +2
  Tea
  1-3  weeks
  +1
  Sugar  or  flour
  1-6  months
  +1
  Glass
  1  month
  +1
  Rare  animals
  1-6  weeks
  +1
  Spices
  1-3  weeks
  +0
  Rum,  ale,  beer  or  brandy
  1  week
  +0
  Hides
  1  month
  LEGACY:   The  city  of  ‘Port  Royal’  tells  this  tale:
  The  largest  city  in  the  New  World  if  one  weighs  a
  population  by  the  amount  of  gold  in  their  purse,  it
  is  a  city  rife  with  sin,  debauchery,  and  treasure.
  One  of  every  four  buildings  is  a  brothel,  gambling
  parlor,  or  taverne.  The  streets  are  filled  with  folks
  so  vile  and  wretched  that  priests  turn  away  to  seek
  other  ports,  giving  up  hope  that  these  people  can
  ever  be  saved  or  even  civilized.  During  its  heyday,
  this  harbor,  called  ‘The  Sodom  of  the  New  World’,
  is  the  greatest  pirate  city  of  them  all.
  
  SAINT   MARIE
  30
  Psst!  Ye  be  needin’ a  new  port  o’ call,  eh  matey?
  An  island  close  ta  rich  plunder  where  nobody’ll  be
  out  lookin’ fer  ya?  Then  yer’ve  come  ta  the  proper
  place,  says  I.  Welcome  ta  paradise,  in  the  middle
  o’ nowhere,  an’ the  middle  o’ rich  shippin’ lanes.
  WELCOME   TO   SAINT   MARIE:   Just  off  the
  eastern  shores  of  the  great  pirate  land  Madagascar
  is  this  tiny  island,  rich  with  fruit,  wildlife,  timber
  and  fresh  water.  It  is  ideally  situated  to  intercept
  ships  coming  and  going  from  the  Indian  Ocean  and
  even  the  Far  East.  Here,  pirates  lounge  like  kings
  and  barely  have  to  sail  out  of  sight  of  their  newest
  paradise  to  take  a  ship  when  their  gold  runs  low.
  A  map  of  the  island  is  provided  as  Handout  8.
  Sourcebook:
  Open  Seas
  Existence:
  1691  and  on
  Location:
  17S  48E
  Level:
  3
  Population:
  1200
  Nationality:
  English,  Dutch
  Fortifications:
  3
  Merchantiles:
  -0
  A  note  about  the  name:  The  name  of  ‘Saint  Marie’
  is  also  used  as  ‘St. Mary’s  Island’,  ‘Isla  Marie’,  or
  ‘Isle  Sainte-Marie’.  Any  version  of  the  name  is,  in
  its  own  way,  ‘correct’,  though  throughout  this  book
  it  shall  be  referred  to  only  as  ‘Saint  Marie’.
  A  history  of  Saint  Marie:  This  6-league  long  island
  paradise  lies  just  off  the  east  coast  of  Madagascar.
  It  is  used  as  a  pirate  haven  from  late  in  the  17th
  Century  until  well  into  the  18th Century,  or  so  it  is
  said.  In  truth,  there  are  many  islands  named  for  a
  myth,  ‘Saint  Mary’  indeed,  but  it  is  not  until  1691
  that  an  actual  town  is  given  this  name  officially,  a
  pirate  town  built  with  the  aid  of  privateers,  and  it
  enjoys  decades  of  support  from  unofficial  backing,
  drawing  both  privateers  and  pirates  alike.  However,
  in  1722,  the  British  East  India  Company  makes  the
  trade  of  piracy  a  dangerous  one  all  throughout  the
  Indian  Ocean,  and  so  business  drops  off,  leaving
  the  island  a  shell  of  its  former  self,  with  plenty  of
  unused  beach  and  empty  huts.  The  pirates  that  are
  keen  to  continue  using  such  an  anchorage  are  the
  bravest  and  hardiest  of  their  kind,  and  so  while  far
  fewer  pirates  are  here  during  its  declining  years,
  the  overall  strength  of  the  haven  of  Saint  Marie
  remains  consistent  throughout  the  years.
  Government  and  law:  Being  a  pirate  port  with  only
  financiers  keeping  an  unofficial  presence  here,  there
  is  no  enforced  law  save  that  of  sword  and  pistol.
  Fort  Victory:  The  first  colonists  of  this  tiny  island
  were  actually  French,  and  they  built  this  fort  back
  in  1647.  However,  slow  trade  led  to  a  decline  in
  the  colony,  and  it  was  abandoned  in  1674.  As  the
  pirates  who  come  here  a  few  decades  later  have
  little  interest  or  ability  in  repairing  the  fort,  it  thus
  becomes  a  steadily  crumbling  ruin,  gambling  parlor
  and  anchorage  for  deeper-drafted  ships.
  Hiring  crew:  When  acquiring  new  crew  in  Saint
  Marie,  each  roll  that  is  ‘11-12’  constitutes  a  bonus
  roll.  Theoretically,  one  can  acquire  hundreds  more
  men,  since  there  are  so  many  pirates  here  at  any
  time,  not  counted  amongst  the  normal  population.
  NOTEWORTHY   CHARACTERS:   Though  many
  a  great  pirate  learned  his  trade  here,  few  are  truly
  important  during  their  stay  on  this  tiny  island.
  Olivier  Levasseur:  A  famous  French  pirate,  he  is  at
  all  times  barely  able  to  contain  his  disdain  for  how
  France’s  influence  in  the  world  at  large  is  failing.
  Given  that  Saint  Marie  was  originally  settled  by  a
  French  colony,  and  that  there  are  no  captains  in
  the  tiny  port  who  can  overpower  him,  this  paragon
  of  piracy  uses  this  as  his  base,  constantly  boasting
  about  France’s  greatness  and  throwing  around  both
  his  weight  and  his  ill-gotten  gold  (usually  taken  off
  other  pirate  ships).  Nobody  here  likes  him,  but  the
  wealth  he  acquires  is  enough  to  maintain  a  steady
  and  sizable  crew.  No  one  dares  to  challenge  him.
  Robert  Culliford:  When  he  comes  to  Saint  Marie,
  this  pirate  is  first  mate  to  the  already  well  known
  William  Kidd.  In  1692,  while  on  the  Indian  Ocean
  searching  for  pirates  and  coming  up  empty  handed
  and  desperate,  Kidd  contemplates  turning  to  piracy
  in  order  to  placate  his  very  restless  crew.  Unable
  to  decide,  Culliford  makes  up  his  mind  for  him  by
  leading  a  mutiny  and  taking  his  ship,  the  ‘Blessed
  
  SAINT   MARIE
  31
  William’.  However,  Culliford  suffers  a  mutiny  him-
  self  in  1696  and  is  marooned,  only  to  be  rescued
  by  the  ‘Mocha’  soon  thereafter,  and  he  is  able  to
  quickly  acquire  its  captaincy.  On  returning  to  Saint
  Marie  in  1698,  Culliford  meets  up  again  with  Kidd
  and  makes  amends  before  setting  off  once  again  on
  the  account,  using  this  port  as  his  new  base.  He  is
  always  looking  for  new  crewmen,  as  his  reputation
  is  starting  to  work  against  him.  In  1699  he  joins
  his  forces  with  those  of  Dirk  Chivers  and  together
  they  take  the  ‘Great  Mohammed’  in  the  Red  Sea.
  Yet  it’s  not  to  last,  as  Culliford’s  storied  history  of
  treachery  will  overtake  him  before  the  year  and  the
  century  end:  He  is  pardoned  by  the  English  and,
  believing  that  he  can  enter  greater  harbors  safely,
  is  soon  jailed  with  his  pardon  ruled  invalid  by  a
  tribunal.  He  is  able  to  escape  and  return  to  pirate
  these  waters  but  only  as  a  sailor—no  crew  ever
  trusts  him  with  a  captaincy  ever  again.
  Willem  Janszoon:  A  Dutch  officer,  he  was  the  first
  to  chart  the  Australian  coast  and  meet  the  natives
  there.  His  vessel,  the  ‘Duyfken’,  weighs  anchor  in
  Saint  Marie,  where  he  settled  shortly  after  the  port
  raised  its  first  flag  in  the  late  17th Century.  He  is  a
  great  navigator  well  into  his  declining  years,  and  is
  the  port’s  chief  mapmaker.  He  has  charts  and  maps
  of  all  kinds,  almost  like  a  wizard  of  ancient  myth.
  The  tales  he  tells  of  strange  lands  beyond  borders
  of  maps  and  Bibles  alike  adds  to  his  mystique.
  TAVERNES   AND   COMMONS:   No  town  ever
  survives  without  bars,  brothels  and  other  commons,
  and  Saint  Marie  is  no  exception.  There  are  just  as
  many  tavernes  as  there  are  merchantiles  here.  Most
  are  known  pirate  hangouts,  with  some  of  them  far
  more  preferable,  and  infamous,  than  others.
  The  Rusty  Skull:  For  some  reason,  a  pirate  forged
  a  skull  of  iron  and  kept  it  in  his  shoppe  (a  rigging
  and  tackle  merchantile).  Many  speculate  it  was  the
  first  of  an  intended  series  of  skull-like  cannonballs.
  Whatever  the  truth,  the  merchant  went  under  as  if
  barraged  with  iron  cannonade  and  the  shoppe  was
  turned  into  a  taverne.  The  original  skull  now  rests
  above  the  fireplace,  and  though  rusted  red,  it  has
  gained  a  sinister  reputation  for  getting  hot  only  if
  a  man  in  the  taverne  will  die  that  same  night.
  Thunder  Rum:  Though  its  sign  actually  reads  ‘The
  Isle  of  Thunder’,  all  sailors  call  this  establishment
  ‘Thunder  Rum’  or  ‘Thunderum’,  for  its  drinks  are
  so  strong  that  they  will  cause  thunder  in  one’s  ass.
  The  Bloody  Cay:  When  the  French  first  built  this
  taverne,  it  featured  a  magnificent  harpsichord,  but
  during  a  brawl  in  1666,  several  men  died  and  their
  blood  spilled  over  it.  The  taverne  closed,  and  the
  harpsichord  remained,  as  all  feared  to  take  it  lest  it
  be  haunted.  The  dwindling  villagers  called  the  old,
  boarded-up  building  the  ‘bloody  keys’.  But  when  it
  was  reopened  by  pirates  in  1691,  they  fancied  they
  legend  and  kept  the  name.  Yet  countless  unsettling
  events  stoked  the  fires  of  fear  and  superstition,  and
  soon  the  term  ‘bloody  keys’  became  ‘bloody  cay’,
  much  as  the  language  itself  worldwide  was  turning
  ‘keys’  (as  in  a  harbor)  to  ‘cays’.  And  indeed,  the
  old  harpsichord  sits  like  a  reef  or  island  out  in  the
  midst  of  the  common-room,  never  played  on  again.
  The  Manger:  Playing  perhaps  too  much  on  an  idea
  of  the  island’s  namesake,  a  financier  built  mangers
  like  those  Jesus  was  born  in  for  pirates  to  sleep  in
  at  very  low  cost.  Few  now  remain,  a  small  amount
  clustered  together  and  referred  to  as  one  instead  of
  many.  The  more  pious  sailors  sleep  here,  accepting
  meager  food  and  water  from  priests  whose  church
  is  across  the  street.  Their  greed,  however,  is  not  to
  be  mistaken  for  piety  by  any  of  the  townsfolk.
  Dagger’s  Cross:  What  was  once  the  town  square
  and  the  site  of  a  sizable  church  (considering  the
  lack  of  money  the  town  had  to  build  it)  is  now  a
  very  different  place—the  church  is  gone,  and  all  to
  remain  of  it  is  a  large,  wooden  cross  rising  in  the
  midst  of  a  sprawling  taverne,  one  whose  wings  are
  layered  over  the  old  streets  like  the  tentacles  of  an
  octopus  over  the  rocks.  The  cross  is  textured  with
  countless  stab  marks,  for  pirates  gouge  daggers  into
  it  for  various  superstitious  reasons.  The  ‘cross  for
  daggers’  eventually  gave  the  large  taverne  its  name
  and  its  symbol—hanging  above  each  door  (as  there
  are  many)  is  a  pair  of  non-functional  and  slightly
  oversized  daggers  crossed  like  a  medieval  coat-of-
  arms.  Somehow,  the  original  cross  remains  almost
  new  in  appearance  despite  years  out  in  the  weather
  and  countless  stabbings  by  all  manner  of  blades.
  
  SAINT   MARIE
  32
  MERCHANTILES:   The  merchants  of  Saint  Marie
  are  unique,  being  comprised  almost  entirely  either
  of  priests  or  thieves.  Few  indeed  are  legitimate  or
  official  suppliers  of  wares  with  a  ship  or  contract.
  This  makes  for  a  marketplace  scattered  around  port
  with  a  wide  variety  of  wares  and  prices.
  Coin   Values
  Type  of  coin
  Nation
  Value
  Crowns
  Britain
  +1
  Daalders
  Holland
  -1
  Doubloons
  Spain
  -2
  Ducats
  Holland
  -1
  Guineas
  Britain
  +1
  Louis  d’ors
  France
  +1
  Nine  deniers
  France
  +1
  Pieces  of  eight
  Spain
  +0
  Services
  Service
  Cost  of  service
  Carriage
  4  gold  for  5  leagues  of  distance
  Doctor
  12  gold  per  Damage  treated
  Guide
  1  gold  per  day  (includes  food)
  Marriage
  10-90*  gold
  Porter
  8  gold  per  week  (includes  food)
  Proper  burial
  30-80  gold
  Tailor
  7  gold  per  set  of  clothes
  Translator
  6  gold  per  page
  Whore
  2-13  gold  per  person  per  night
  Chain-arm:  This  weapon  is  a  retractable  chain  that
  fixes  to  the  end  of  one’s  arm,  thereby  giving  it  a
  greater  accuracy  than  a  normal  chain.  These  were
  initially  developed  to  keep  plantation  slaves  in  line
  in  the  Caribbean  but  here  they  have  been  improved
  to  deal  greater  damage  but  retain  their  accuracy  of
  +1  to  Initiative  against  one  using  a  melee  weapon.
  Devil’s  claws:  These  are  small,  metal  hooks  forged
  onto  glove-like  devices  fitted  over  hands  or  feet,  to
  give  a  man  a  much  better  grip  to  rigging  or  other
  parts  of  a  vessel  in  a  storm.  They  are  effective  to
  the  point  of  giving  a  bonus  of  +1  to  all  of  one’s
  roll  for  saving  himself  in  every  way  from  being
  washed  overboard,  but  they  are  unwieldy  in  other
  matters,  disallowing  one  the  use  of  any  weapons
  so  long  as  he  wears  them.
  Fireworks:  Imported  from  China,  these  devices  are
  used  to  either  light  up  an  enemy  vessel  at  night  or
  simply  confuse  them.  One  box  lasts  for  one  battle.
  It  will  provide  a  +1  bonus  to  Initiative  for  a  ship,
  provided  the  battle  is  at  night.  Multiple  fireworks
  boxes  cannot  be  used  to  gain  a  greater  bonus.
  Equipment
  Item
  Found
  Cost
  Weight
  Devil’s  claws
  6
  30
  3
  Grog  (1  bottle)
  9
  4
  10
  Holy  symbol
  7
  10
  1
  Pieces  of  fate
  1
  8
  1
  Satan’s  Blood
  6
  30
  2
  Spirit-glass
  2
  70
  7
  Grog:  This  is  rum,  watered  down  and  given  taste
  by  vegetables  and  citrus.  When  consumed  in  full,
  one  makes  an  Endurance  Check.  Success  means  he
  is  able  to  heal  1  penalty  worth  of  his  wounds,  but
  failure  means  he  not  only  gains  an  additional  -1
  penalty  (but  stands  no  chance  of  dying  from  this),
  he  will  also  fall  unconscious  for  1-12  hours.
  Gully:  A  large  knife  normally  used  for  cutting  the
  ropes  aboard  ship.  As  there  is  no  hilt  it  is  hard  to
  parry  with,  lowering  a  user’s  Defense  Score  by  -1.
  Holy  symbol:  The  priests  and  jewelers  of  this  port
  specialize  in  very  fancy,  even  gaudy  holy  symbols.
  Any  such  symbol,  no  matter  its  faith,  will  give  the
  wearer  a  +1  bonus  to  dealing  with  a  Fear  at  night.
  This  bonus  cannot  be  raised  by  multiple  symbols.
  Special   Weapons
  Weapon
  Found
  Cost
  Weight
  Damage
  Chain-arm
  5
  12
  10
  5
  Gully
  10
  6
  6
  5
  Marlinspike
  12
  3
  7
  3
  Musketoon
  4
  18
  11
  8
  Triblade
  3
  17
  9
  5
  Marlinspike:  While  designed  for  aid  in  fixing  ropes
  and  rigging,  primarily  with  separating  tangles,  such
  spikes  are  equally  effective  at  separating  sinews  in
  one’s  enemies,  giving  the  user  a  bonus  of  +1  with
  its  Attack  Rolls  when  made  aboard  ships.
  
  SAINT   MARIE
  33
  Musical  instruments:  This  collection  will  serve  two
  purposes  aboard  ship.  First,  they  offer  a  means  of
  entertainment  during  a  voyage,  reducing  any  loss
  of  Morale  for  lack  of  speed  by  1.  Second,  during
  battle  they  can  inspire  a  crew’s  attack  or  be  played
  dramatically  to  demoralize  one’s  enemy,  either  way
  requiring  3  crew  to  be  effective  but  giving  a  +1
  bonus  to  Initiative  until  Initiative  is  lost.  Multiple
  ‘bands’  cannot  be  used  to  gain  a  greater  bonus.
  Musketoon:  A  shorter  version  of  the  blunderbuss,  a
  little  less  accurate  but  stronger  than  a  musket,  this
  is  designed  for  close-quarters  combat,  offering  the
  user  a  bonus  of  +2  with  Attack  Rolls  aboard  ships.
  Pieces  of  fate:  A  collection  of  broken  jewels,  coins
  with  unique  crests  or  some  form  of  semi-valuable
  talismans  kept  in  a  pouch,  they  bring  good  luck  to
  whoever  wears  them,  a  +1  to  all  Luck  Checks  and
  Saving  Throws,  until  any  such  Check  results  in  a
  natural  ‘1’,  then  his  luck  turns,  suffering  a  penalty
  instead  of  bonus  until  he  can  trade  his  current  (and
  bad)  pieces  for  new  ones  here  in  Saint  Marie.
  Satan’s  Blood:  This  is  a  small  phial  of  some  evil
  concoction  known  only  to  the  natives.  Pirates  just
  refer  to  it  as  ‘blood  of  the  devil’  or  ‘Satan’s  bile’,
  amongst  other  names.  Its  strange  properties  affect  a
  man  differently  every  time.  Indeed,  for  paying  30
  pieces  of  silver  (or  gold),  one  buys  a  potion  from
  Table  98,  or  poison.  A  single  dice  roll  is  made  at
  the  time  the  potion  is  consumed.  A  roll  of  ‘7-12’
  gets  one  of  the  magical  potions  (‘7’  is  ‘sleep’,  ‘8’
  is  ‘love’  and  so  on  up).  However,  a  roll  of  ‘1-6’
  means  that  the  potion  is  actually  poison  of  a  level
  equal  to  what  was  just  rolled.
  Spirit-glass:  A  spyglass  which  is  said  to  be  able  to
  see  ghosts  and  other  spirits,  this  gives  the  user  a
  bonus  of  +1  to  his  Intuition  Checks  and  Searching
  Checks  alike  where  the  supernatural  are  involved.
  Triblade:  Also  known  as  a  ‘weaponbreaker’,  this  is
  a  dagger-like  blade  designed  to  catch  and  snap  all
  other  blades.  Its  user  can,  if  he  rolls  a  Critical  Hit
  or  his  opponent  a  Critical  Miss,  choose  the  critical
  result  to  be  the  breaking  of  his  enemy’s  weapon,
  provided  it  is  a  blade.
  Purchasing   Ships
  Ship
  Found
  Cost
  Schooner
  11
  1000
  Naval  sloop
  7
  1700
  Navy  snow
  7
  2500
  Sloop
  10
  3700
  Privateer
  5
  4500
  Barque
  7
  5500
  Dutch  fluyt
  9
  6500
  Brigantine
  8
  8500
  Mariner
  7
  10000
  Merchantman
  6
  13000
  Indiaman
  10
  18000
  Frigate
  4
  25000
  Provisions
  Provision
  Found
  Cost
  Size
  Anchor
  9
  40
  50
  Cannon  (1  gun)
  6
  90
  50
  Cannonballs  (1  salvo)
  6
  4
  5
  Charts
  7
  340
  0
  Fireworks
  4
  400
  20
  Flag,  any  nation
  7
  50
  10
  Flag  (pirate)
  10
  30
  10
  Longboat
  12
  55
  350
  Musical  instruments
  4
  700
  100
  Oars  (full  ship)
  5
  170
  100
  Spare  sails
  9
  250
  300
  Weapons*
  8
  700
  200
  Trading   Goods
  Price
  Nature  of  the  goods
  Time
  +4
  Medicine
  1  month
  +4
  Tobacco
  1  week
  +3
  Tea
  1-4  weeks
  +3
  Rare  plants
  1-6  weeks
  +3
  Sugar  or  flour
  1-3  months
  +2
  Clothing,  cotton  or  silk
  1-4  weeks
  +2
  Books
  1-3  weeks
  +2
  Glass
  1-6  weeks
  +1
  Rare  animals
  1-4  weeks
  +1
  Spices
  1-3  weeks
  +1
  Rum,  ale,  beer  or  brandy
  1  week
  +1
  Hides
  1  month
  LEGACY:   The  city  of  ‘Saint  Marie’  tells  this  tale:
  Gold  is  heaven  on  earth.
  
  SINGAPORE
  34
  Be  ye  a  king  or  his  men,  thieves  or  beggars,  or  a
  pirate  on  a  quest  casually  whisperin’ words  o’ how
  gods  are  felled  or  kings  be  made,  all  vessels  find
  this  harbor,  says  I,  whether  before  or  after  they  are
  sunk.  Fer  this ‘ere  city  shouldn’t  even  be  here,  a
  city  fulla  myths  drinkin’ an’ discussin’ voyages  inta
  the  spirit  worlds  where  angels  fear  ta  tread,  a  port
  unknown  ta  those  who  know  not  a  legend  ta  lead
  ‘em  here.  It  is  a  haven  on  the  edge  o’ the  world.
  WELCOME   TO   SINGAPORE:   In  all  the  Far
  East  there  is  no  city  so  fabled  or  any  harbor  more
  visited  than  that  of  Singapore.  A  maze  of  temples,
  ruins,  huts,  homes,  alleyways  and  waterways,  there
  are  countless  crews,  factions  and  families  which
  lurk  in  what  is  little  more  than  a  man-made  jungle
  where  knives  await  the  unwary  in  every  shadow.  A
  map  of  the  islands  are  provided  as  Handout  9.
  Sourcebook:
  Open  Seas
  Existence:
  Always
  Location:
  1N  104E
  Level:
  9
  Population:
  5000
  Nationality:
  English,  Oriental
  Fortifications:
  5
  Merchantiles:
  -0
  A  history  of  Singapore:  On  the  most  southeastern
  tip  of  Asia  there  is  this  harbor  which  has  remained
  undetected  by  colonial  governments  and  companies
  for  centuries,  a  pirate  haven  that  is  almost  mystical
  in  its  commodities,  its  characters,  and  its  ability  to
  remain  unknown  to  anyone  aside  from  those  who
  sign  their  name  to  a  ship’s  articles.
  There  is  a  magic  about  Singapore.  Although  it
  is  primarily  Asian  in  populace,  there  is  undeniably
  a  sense  of  spirits  from  the  world  over  hiding  in  all
  the  shadows.  Whether  by  way  of  nigh  supernatural
  powers  which  weave  cultures  seamlessly  together  or
  simply  the  deliberate  efforts  of  pirates  from  around
  the  world  bringing  things  with  them,  one  can  see  a
  bit  of  every  culture  here.  The  kampong  houses  on
  stilts  and  boats  remind  Europeans  of  Venice,  while
  the  liberal  brothels  and  government  polices  seem  to
  echo  Port  Royal,  and  the  bamboo  furniture  and  the
  rattan  shades  act  as  a  veil  of  strictly  Asian  culture
  barely  hiding  these  clues  of  a   pirate  port.
  Stories  circulate  throughout  the  world  that  the
  legendary  name  of  Singapore  is  tied  to,  stories  that
  seek  to  use  its  fame  to  enhance  other  agendas,  and
  the  stories  are  vast  and  varied  indeed.  Some  of  the
  more  popular  and  widespread  tales  include  the  city
  actually  being  part  of  a  Sultan’s  realm,  while  other
  years  find  that  the  Portuguese  have  burned  it  to
  the  ground,  again  and  again.  Perhaps  Sultans  have
  power  of  fear  over  nearby  harbors,  or  even  other
  pirates  in  the  service  of  Portugal  burn  towns  along
  the  Orient,  but  none  are  the  true  Singapore.
  At  the  dawn  of  the  19th Century  however,  the
  English  and  Dutch  finally  lay  claim  to  this  harbor.
  The  British  East  India  Company  in  particular  builds
  a  fort  here,  and  goes  so  far  as  to  claim  to  all  the
  world  that  they  settled  the  city,  as  if  it  had  never
  existed  before  their  arrival.
  Government  and  law:  Throughout  the  centuries,  the
  pirates  of  the  Orient  have  maintained  a  very  strong
  self-government,  with  all  captains  serving  the  same
  duties  as  government  officials,  both  on  sea  and  on
  land  as  well.  Nowhere  is  this  more  apparent  than
  in  Singapore,  where  the  pirate  lords  of  the  various
  crews,  clans  and  guilds  rule  their  sections  of  the
  city  without  question.  Their  laws  are  each  unique
  unto  themselves,  and  outsiders  may  have  a  difficult
  time  recognizing  the  borders  between  territories  in
  this  maze-like  city  of  huts  and  waterways.
  Guards:  From  the  beginning  of  the  19th Century  to
  the  end  of  pirate  days,  there  are  guards  from  both
  the  English  and  Dutch  East  India  Companies  which
  maintain  their  laws  in  this  pirate  city.  Funded  and
  trained  in  unison  with  the  two  Companies,  all  such
  guards  are  for  all  intents  and  piratical  purposes  the
  same.  They  travel  in  groups,  usually  of  1-12,  and
  they  each  have  DS  7,  G  6,  MOVE  100’,  each  has
  a  longsword  and  a  pistol  and  a  bonus  of  +2  to
  use  both.  Each  man  is  Level  1.
  Hiring  crew:  When  seeking  to  acquire  specifically
  Asian  crew  in  Singapore,  each  roll  that  is  ‘10’  or
  higher  constitutes  a  bonus  roll.  Theoretically,  one
  can  acquire  hundreds  more  men,  since  there  are  so
  many  Asian  pirates  here  at  any  time,  not  counted
  amongst  the  normal  population.  However,  if  a  crew
  was  previously  a  majority  non-Asian,  this  changing
  
  SINGAPORE
  35
  of  balance  will  stir  racial  tensions,  lowering  Morale
  an  indefinite  amount:  The  captain  rolls  one  dice  to
  determine  the  Morale  loss,  but  if  the  loss  is  ‘1-4’,
  he  must  roll  again,  and  heap  the  new  loss  into  the
  previous  amount.  This  will  continue  until  he  either
  rolls  a  ‘5’  or  better  (factoring  in  the  final  loss),  or
  Morale  hits  0  an  thus  results  in  a  mutiny.
  NOTEWORTHY   CHARACTERS:   The  pirates  of
  Singapore  are  a  secretive  lot,  and  those  few  whose
  names  are  known  are  too  strong  to  fear  anyone.
  Ching  Yih:  Son  of  famous  Chinese  pirates,  in  1801
  he  breaks  ranks  and  takes  his  large  fleet  of  junks
  ‘on  the  account’,  as  some  of  his  English  shipmates
  term  it.  Sailing  first  to  Lantao  Island,  Ching  Yih  is
  quick  to  gain  control  of  the  coast  there,  extorting
  from  many  trading  vessels  and  destroying  others  as
  he  pleases.  Eventually  he  has  command  of  a  good
  six  hundred  junks  and  thirty-thousand  men.  And  it
  is  at  this  point  he  enters  legend.  Dividing  his  ships
  into  smaller  fleets  or  ‘lines’,  each  designated  by  a
  different  colour,  he  supposedly  sails  under  the  red
  flag  but  in  truth  he  sails  with  the  black,  leaving  a
  decoy  to  command  the  red  fleet  so  that  he  can  sail
  south,  leaving  behind  both  his  family  and  the  civil
  war  they  think  is  so  important,  but  is  not  at  all
  important  to  him.  Ching  Yih  establishes  himself  in
  Singapore  as  a  pirate  lord  while  his  decoy  dies  in
  1807,  effectively  severing  all  his  ties  to  all  worldly
  cares  and  even  his  chief  enemies  (politicians).
  Cheng  Yih  Sao:  The  wife  of  Ching  Yih,  when  his
  decoy  dies  in  1807,  she  takes  control  of  what  was
  the  ‘red  fleet’  and  makes  it  her  own  (and  with  her
  husband’s  bi-sexual  male-lover  acting  as  first  mate).
  The  fleet  under  the  command  of  Cheng  Yih  Sao  is
  far  bolder  and  more  aggressive  than  her  husband’s
  red  fleet  was,  dominating  the  coast  and  engaging
  in  many  fierce  battles  with  the  British  Royal  Navy.
  And,  while  based  in  Lantao  Island,  Cheng  Yih  Sao
  herself  occasionally  ventures  in  secret  with  a  small
  crew  to  Singapore,  there  to  search  the  truth  of  the
  legends  as  to  whether  her  husband  actually  died  or
  not.  She  never  finds  him,  at  least  as  far  as  legend
  tells,  and  in  1810  officially  accepts  a  Royal  pardon
  (even  though  she  continues  to  run  illegal  operations
  for  another  thirty  years).
  TAVERNES   AND   COMMONS:   The  maze-like
  streets  and  waterways  of  Singapore  are  riddled  with
  tea  bars,  drinking  holes  and  bath  houses.  Any  one
  of  these  can  be  a  meeting  or  resting  place  for  the
  pirates  of  the  city.  Some  are  more  frequented  and
  preferred  than  others,  especially  when  natives  meet
  with  foreigners  in  their  city.
  The  Grotto:  This  has  many  names  in  many  varied
  languages,  so  pirates  commonly  refer  to  it  simply
  as  ‘the  grotto’.  It  is  actually  a  tea  bar,  just  cast  in
  dim  light  to  hide  secret  transactions  and  encourage
  whispering  above  the  ruckus  of  a  normal  taverne.
  The  cups  are  meant  to  be  broken  on  the  ground,  a
  practice  which  has  already  begun  to  spread  through
  the  city  as  a  tradition,  but  a  practice  which,  in  this
  establishment  at  least,  was  begun  and  encouraged
  to  further  disguise  treacherous  behavior  (someone  is
  to  wait  for  the  breaking  of  a  cup  to  muffle  a  cry
  or  groan  from  a  backstab . . .)
  Lotus  Garden:  There  are  many  ponds  in  this  island
  and  city  where  lotus  flowers  are  abundant,  but  this
  particular  garden  is  larger  than  the  rest,  and  a  bar
  has  encircled  it.  Guests  sit  on  the  edge  of  the  dark
  pond,  thus  remaining  visible  to  everyone  else.  The
  more  cautious  pirates  meet  here  as  it  is  far  more
  difficult  to  disguise  any  acts  of  treachery.
  Fang’s  Bath:  Named  after  the  greatest  pirate  lord
  to  ever  use  this  as  his  preferred  meeting  place,  this
  is  a  large  bath  house  where  men  and  women  sit  in
  pools  of  boiling  water,  fed  from  fires  in  a  dungeon
  below.  Bellows  go  night  and  day,  and  the  steam  is
  like  a  barrier  between  the  worlds  of  the  living  and
  the  dead.  Furthering  this  illusion  are  some  of  those
  pirates  which  relax  here,  their  skin  encrusted  either
  with  filth  from  too  much  time  in  a  tub,  or  from  a
  curse  picked  up  like  a  disease  in  any  of  the  ruins
  or  haunted  seas  frequented  by  pirates  venturing  out
  from  this  city.  Indeed,  the  living,  dead,  undead  and
  unliving  mingle  so  seamlessly  in  this  bath  house  it
  has  become  the  preferred  meeting  place  for  pirates
  whose  voyage  is  one  involving  the  supernatural  or
  worse,  while  pirates  whose  venture  is  strictly  one
  of  earthly  matters  avoid  this  establishment  like  the
  plague,  fearing  its  reputation.
  
  SINGAPORE
  36
  MERCHANTILES:   There  is  no  order  to  this  city,
  Merchants  are  mixed  in  amongst  all  the  houses  and
  offices.  There  are  more  merchants  along  the  stone
  walkways  which  descend  to  line  the  waterways,  but
  seeking  for  any  goods  is  a  search  in  and  of  itself.
  Coin   Values
  Type  of  coin
  Nation
  Value
  Crowns
  Britain
  +3
  Daalders
  Holland
  +1
  Doubloons
  Spain
  -1
  Ducats
  Holland
  +0
  Guineas
  Britain
  +1
  Louis  d’ors
  France
  -1
  Nine  deniers
  France
  -1
  Pieces  of  eight
  Spain
  -2
  Services
  Service
  Cost  of  service
  Appraisal
  2  gold  per  gem  or  jewelry  piece
  Bank
  13%  of  treasure  being  kept
  Carriage
  9  gold  for  2  leagues  of  distance
  Doctor
  6  gold  per  Damage  treated
  Guide
  2  gold  per  day  (includes  food)
  Inn  room
  2  gold  per  person  (includes  food)
  Marriage
  30-150  gold
  Porter
  4  gold  per  week  (includes  food)
  Proper  burial
  10-120  gold
  Tailor
  6  gold  per  set  of  clothes
  Translator
  5  gold  per  page
  Whore
  2-13  gold  per  person  per  night
  Wizard
  10  gold  per  ‘Save’  of  the  spell
  or  prayer  to  be  removed
  Concubines:  Since  ship’s  articles  and  superstitions
  almost  always  prohibit  prostitutes  being  aboard  (and
  most  wouldn’t  go  anyway),  these  women  offer  the
  same  service,  but  better.  Slim  enough  to  have  their
  food  be  negligible,  encouraged  culturally  and  given
  an  aura  defying  superstitions,  they  circumvent  both
  rules  and  fears,  staying  aboard  ship  only  to  please
  the  crew.  Having  such  a  group  aboard  increases  a
  crew’s  Morale  by  1-12.  Additional  groups  can’t  be
  acquired  for  any  one  ship  as  it  is  against  the  ways
  of  these  women.  Their  ‘price’  must  be  repaid  once
  every  month  as  well  as  whenever  the  ship  puts  in
  to  any  Oriental  port.  Keeping  concubines  on  board
  against  their  will  or  without  payment  is  one  of  the
  most  heinous  acts  in  this  culture  and  automatically
  turns  Asian  pirates  against  the  ship  in  all  situations
  (including  crew—they  will  mutiny  at  once  if  their
  captain  commits  such  a  crime).  When  any  group  of
  concubines  leave  a  ship,  it  lowers  Morale  by  1-6.
  Diver:  This  is  a  woman  trained  to  dive  for  pearls
  and  other  valuables  in  the  sea.  Wile  not  an  active
  part  of  the  crew,  each  such  woman  aboard  gives  a
  collective  1  in  12  chance  of  recovering  any  single
  item  up  to  a  depth  equal  to  the  captain’s  Charisma
  multiplied  by  a  factor  of  20.  While  the  depth  of
  the  true  ocean  is  usually  too  great,  anywhere  that
  is  within  sight  of  shore  or  near  a  reef  will  have  a
  random  depth  of  30-360’.  Such  women  are  flawless
  in  their  ability  to  avoid  sharks,  negotiate  currents
  and  otherwise  accomplish  what  Characters  cannot.
  They  consume  food  like  any  crew  member,  but  are
  ‘part  of  the  ship’  and  need  only  be  paid  once  until
  the  voyage  is  over  (when  the  treasure  is  divided),
  and  then  they  are  free  to  go.
  Food:  The  food  known  to  sailors  the  world  over  is
  hard  to  find  here,  and  ‘Asian’  food  is  much  more
  common.  If  a  majority  of  the  crew  are  not  Asian,
  using  this  as  their  daily  food  constitutes  a  penalty
  to  all  crew  rolls  as  if  Morale  is  20  lower  than  it
  currently  is  (though  Morale  does  not  actually  drop).
  Fireworks:  Imported  from  China,  these  devices  are
  used  to  either  light  up  an  enemy  vessel  at  night  or
  simply  confuse  them.  One  box  lasts  for  one  battle.
  It  will  provide  a  +1  bonus  to  Initiative  for  a  ship,
  provided  the  battle  is  at  night.  Multiple  fireworks
  boxes  cannot  be  used  to  gain  a  greater  bonus.
  Flash  powder:  A  small  bag  of  powder  which,  when
  lit,  is  thrown  at  the  enemy  (a  normal  Attack  Roll
  is  required,  and  if  in  a  group,  always  targets  the
  highest  of  the  enemy  Defense  Scores),  creating  an
  explosion  that  is  harmless  but  disorienting  enough
  to  penalize  that  entire  group’s  Initiative  Rolls  by  -1
  for  the  rest  of  the  fight.  If  used  on  an  individual,
  the  penalty  is  -2.  Once  such  powder  is  used  in  a
  fight  (whether  successfully  or  not)  it  can’t  be  used
  a  second  time  on  anyone  during  that  same  battle,
  for  its  first  uses  makes  everyone  involved  wise  to
  its  effects.
  
  SINGAPORE
  37
  Special   Weapons
  Weapon
  Found
  Cost
  Weight
  Damage
  Flash  powder
  4
  4
  1
  0
  Katana
  9
  50
  6
  5
  Pocket-pistol
  5
  24
  2
  4
  Poison  pack
  2
  6
  0
  0
  Katana:  More  elegant  and  refined  than  the  normal
  longsword  the  world  over,  these  blades  originated
  in  Japan  but  have  found  their  way  throughout  the
  Orient  due  to  their  efficiency,  gaining  a  +1  bonus
  to  Attack  Rolls,  though  they  are  literally  a  double-
  edged  sword,  suffering  the  wielder  a  -1  penalty  to
  roll  the  result  of  each  and  every  Critical  Miss.  A
  similar  katana  design  is  simply  the  equivalent  of  a
  normal  ‘longsword’.
  Pocket-pistol:  This  pistol  is  small,  designed  to  hide
  well  in  a  pocket,  hence  its  name.  It’s  box-locked,
  meaning  the  hammer  is  fitted  centrally  rather  than
  to  one  side,  thus  making  it  easier  to  carry  but  less
  accurate  as  one  cannot  look  down  the  barrel.  This
  causes  a  penalty  of  -1  to  all  Attack  Rolls  made  at
  a  distance  (beyond  an  arm’s  length),  however,  its
  small  size  gives  it  a  +2  bonus  to  Initiative  when  it
  is  first  produced.
  Poison  pack:  This  is  a  small  pack  of  powder  that
  is  highly  poisonous  (level  5).  Thrown  at  an  enemy
  (a  normal  Attack  Roll  is  required),  they  breathe  it
  in  rather  than  needing  to  be  slashed  or  taste  of  it
  to  risk  its  potency  affecting  them.
  Purchasing   Ships
  Ship
  Found
  Cost
  Schooner
  11
  1200
  Naval  sloop
  8
  1800
  Navy  snow
  6
  2400
  Junk
  10
  3000
  Sloop
  9
  4000
  Dutch  fluyt
  9
  6000
  Privateer
  6
  8000
  Barque
  6
  10000
  Indiaman
  7
  12000
  Brigantine
  4
  15000
  Mariner
  4
  20000
  Merchantman
  3
  30000
  Provisions
  Provision
  Found
  Cost
  Size
  Anchor
  7
  60
  50
  Cannon  (1  gun)
  4
  200
  50
  Cannonballs  (1  salvo)
  5
  10
  5
  Charts
  10
  400
  0
  Concubines
  8
  100
  100
  Diver
  4
  80
  0
  Fireworks
  9
  200
  20
  Flag
  10
  50
  10
  Food,  Asian  (10  days)
  12
  1
  1
  Food  (10  days,  1  man)
  10
  2
  1
  Longboat
  11
  50
  350
  Oars  (full  ship)
  9
  100
  100
  Spare  sails
  6
  250
  300
  Weapons*
  9
  600
  200
  Trading   Goods
  Price
  Nature  of  the  goods
  Time
  +4
  Tea
  1  week
  +3
  Rare  plants
  1-3  weeks
  +3
  Medicine
  1  month
  +3
  Spices
  1  week
  +2
  Rare  animals
  1-6  weeks
  +2
  Tobacco
  1-3  weeks
  +2
  Sugar  or  flour
  1-6  months
  +1
  Clothing,  cotton  or  silk
  1-4  weeks
  +1
  Books
  1-4  weeks
  +1
  Glass
  1-3  months
  +0
  Rum,  ale,  beer  or  brandy
  1  month
  +0
  Hides
  1-6  months
  LEGACY:   The  city  of  ‘Singapore’  tells  this  tale:  If
  there  is  a  mystical  truth  to  the  world,  the  outcasts
  will  find  it  first.  If  there  is  a  magical  city  in  the
  world,  it  is  Singapore,  pirate  stronghold  of  Asia.
  Try  though  they  might,  the  Companies  of  England
  and  other  nations  are  hard  pressed  to  overthrow  the
  empire  of  stilted  huts  and  dark  dens  of  pirates.  For
  here,  the  power  of  both  military  might  and  even
  bribery  is  all  but  impotent.  Here,  the  richest  of  all
  commodities  are  wisdom,  cunning,  and  respect.  The
  pirates  value  their  last  great  refuge  too  much  for
  anyone  to  sell  it  out,  and  whatever  magic  prevails
  here,  it  is  too  strong  to  be  overcome  by  musket  or
  cannon.  It  is  not  until  the  pirates  dwindle  of  their
  own  accord  that  Singapore  joins  with  ‘civilization’.
  
  TORTUGA
  38
  Weigh  anchor  now,  ya  swabbies!  Be  ye  seekin’ an
  easy  consort,  spongin’ fer  rum  or  after  gold  spillin’
  outta  ships,  then  yer’ve  come  ta  the  proper  place.
  WELCOME   TO   TORTUGA:   The  ‘sea  turtle’  is
  an  island  which  is  nothing  less  than  pirate  heaven.
  Centrally  located  to  raid  Spanish,  English  and  even
  Dutch  shipping,  with  friendly  governors  who  both
  welcome  and  help  hide  pirates,  it  is  said  that  the
  harbor  is  filled  with  rum,  the  fountains  filled  with
  grog,  and  the  whores’ pockets  filled  with  the  gold
  and  silver  of  the  Spanish  Empire.  A  map  of  the
  island  is  provided  as  Handout  10.
  Sourcebook:
  Caribbean
  Existence:
  1620  and  on
  Location:
  20N  73W
  Level:
  5
  Population:
  1500
  Nationality:
  French
  Fortifications:
  4
  Merchantiles:
  -0
  A  history  of  Tortuga:  This  island  off  the  northwest
  corner  of  Hispaniola  resembles  a  turtle  shell  rising
  from  the  sea,  so  it  is  named  ‘Tortuga  del Mar’  by
  the  Spanish,  indeed  ‘turtle  island’.  They  established
  a  colony  here  in  relative  peace,  but  that  peace  was
  not  to  last.  For  the  French  in  Santo  Domingo  to
  the  southeast  were  driven  out  by  the  Spanish,  and
  soon  found  this  8  league-wide  island  as  a  natural
  haven,  for  being  highly  mountainous  it  is  highly
  defensible,  and  centered  along  trade  routes  allowing
  for  rich  piracy.  The  French  buccaneers  drive  out
  the  Spanish  and  establish  the  first  town  in  1620.
  Throughout  the  next  ten  years,  the  island  will
  trade  hands  many  times  between  France  and  Spain.
  Finally  the  French  win  out,  and  the  main  city  that
  rests  on  the  gentle  slopes  of  the  island’s  southern
  shore  and  natural  harbor,  initially  named  ‘Cayona’,
  is  renamed  ‘Tortuga’.
  Against  the  common  enemy  of  Spain,  this  port
  becomes  an  unofficial  partner  with  Jamaica  and  the
  English  haven  there  of  Port  Royal.  Thus  begins  a
  legacy  of  French  governors  who  turn  a  blind  eye
  to  piracy,  as  easy-going  officials  welcome  the  rich
  and  powerful  vessels  of  buccaneers,  creating  a  city
  where  easy  wealth  consorts  with  easy  virtue.
  Over  the  next  few  decades,  the  governors  do
  all  they  can  to  encourage  the  pirates  to  stay  here,
  given  the  ever-changing  tides  of  war  and  safe  ports
  in  the  Caribbean.  They  import  many  prostitutes  to
  reduce  sodomy,  rape  and  buggering  amongst  crews.
  They  offer  free  currency  exchange.  And  finally,  to
  follow  Port  Royal’s  example,  they  begin  offering  a
  commission  with  letters  of  marque.
  As  the  17th Century  wears  on,  endless  raids  by
  the  Spanish  drive  most  of  the  buccaneers  out  from
  this  island,  who  seek  new  havens  in  Petit  Goave
  and  Port  Royal.  Finally,  in  1684,  new  laws  and  in
  particular  the  ‘Treaty  of  Ratisbon’  outlaw  piracy  in
  the  French  Caribbean,  and  Tortuga  in  particular.  As
  before  in  many  other  ports,  once  the  pirates’ use  is
  no  more  they’re  scattered  to  the  winds.  This  time,
  most  of  the  brethren  find  a  new  haven  in  Nassau.
  Government  and  law:  The  town’s  unofficial  yet  all
  the  same  profitable  endorsement  of  piracy  is  also  a
  double-edged  sword—funding  from  the  government
  must  be  kept  secret,  and  so  necessities  like  guards
  are  a  gamble  as  much  as  any  game  played  in  a
  pirate  taverne.  On  average,  the  guards  here  are  an
  undertrained,  unmotivated  lot.  They  travel  in  groups
  of  1-6,  and  each  has  DS  5,  G  5,  MOVE  90’,  each
  has  a  rapier  and  a  pistol  and  a  bonus  of  +1  to
  use  both.  Each  man  is  Level  1.
  The  Four  Corners:  The  southern  island,  by  far  the
  most  populated  area,  is  divided  into  four  ‘corners’,
  much  like  shires  or  parishes;  The  city  itself  is  still
  sometimes  referred  to  as  ‘Cayona’,  the  farms  and
  tobacco  plantations  are  collectively  known  as  the
  ‘Middle  Plantation’,  the  western  reaches  are  called
  the  ‘Ringot’,  and  finally  the  ‘Mountain’  dominates
  the  center  of  the  island,  dividing  civilization  from
  dense  and  dangerous  jungle.
  Jungle  towns:  While  many  pirate  cities  are  nothing
  more  than  shanty  towns  along  a  beautiful  beach,  in
  Tortuga,  most  pirate  encampments  are  made  inside
  the  jungle  to  avoid  the  eyes  of  Spanish  ships  that
  frequently  patrol  the  west,  north,  and  east  coasts  of
  the  island,  while  their  ships  remain  safely  anchored
  in  the  fortified  harbor  of  the  town  proper,  paying  a
  light  fee  to  the  harbormaster.
  
  TORTUGA
  39
  Hiring  crew:  When  acquiring  new  crew  in  Tortuga,
  each  roll  that  is  ‘8’  or  higher  constitutes  a  bonus
  roll.  Theoretically,  one  can  acquire  hundreds  more
  men,  since  there  are  so  many  pirates  here  at  any
  time,  not  counted  amongst  the  normal  population.
  NOTEWORTHY   CHARACTERS:   The  haven  of
  Tortuga  always  has  a  rouge’s  gallery  around  every
  corner  and  in  every  taverne.  However,  there  are  a
  good  many  characters  who  have  made  this  a  base
  of  operations  and  can  usually  be  found  here.
  Baron  Helmsley:  A  nobleman  of  great  lineage  who
  served  as  a  privateer  throughout  the  1650s,  fighting
  both  for  the  French  against  the  English  and  later
  with  the  English  against  the  French,  he  now  lives
  in  contented  retirement  in  a  large  mansion  adorned
  with  fine  art  and  statuary.  His  close  friend  Marquis
  di Biase  of  Port  Royal  often  visits.  Together,  they
  enjoy  stories  from  new  pirates,  but  only  those  who
  are  the  most  daring.  Those  who  aren’t  are  usually
  put  to  death.  Those  who  are  usually  get  financing.
  Baggywrinkle:  This  old  man  takes  frayed  ropes  and
  uses  them  to  make  ‘chafing  gear’  for  ships  not  to
  bump  into  each  other  in  port.  While  his  name  has
  become  synonymous  with  this  trade,  he’s  also  kept
  busy  at  finding  new  uses  for  ropes,  and,  in  secret,
  sells  all  manner  of  small  torture  devices.
  TAVERNES   AND   COMMONS:   In  the  mazes,
  alleyways  and  tent-towns  of  Tortuga,  one  can  just
  as  easily  find  a  drinking  hole  as  he  can  a  watering
  hole.  One  might  stumble  into  the  back  of  a  shoppe
  and  find  it  converted  to  a  grog  house,  or  make  a
  wrong  turn  in  town  and  find  a  financier’s  office  is
  now  a  den  of  thieves.  But  for  all  the  hangouts  of
  pirates  which  come  and  go  like  their  ships,  a  few
  better  known  gathering  places  can  always  be  found.
  The  Sea-Wolf:  This  is  an  old  galleon,  derelict,  that
  is  run  aground  in  the  harbor  and  has  been  turned
  into  a  ‘floating  taverne’.  The  fact  that  it  no  longer
  actually  floats  doesn’t  matter  to  patrons,  and  makes
  maintaining  it  that  much  easier.  The  most  common
  higher-profile  customers  are  captains  of  ships  laying
  at  anchor  in  the  harbor,  here  on  neutral  ground  to
  discuss  partnerships,  treasure  division  and  the  like.
  The  Slush  Fund:  Each  and  every  pirate  ship  makes
  more  than  a  little  money  off  the  grease,  fats  and
  crust  that  hardens  on  the  side  of  barrels,  called  a
  ‘slush  fund’  because  it’s  sold  to  shipyards  which
  use  it  for  ship  maintenance,  but,  it’s  often  difficult
  to  sell,  as  it’s  a  buyer  here,  a  buyer  there,  etc.  So
  this  shoppe  buys  it  whole  from  ships  and  sells  it
  to  regular  customers.  The  total  number  of  men  on
  board  any  vessel  (and  thus  the  more  food  that  they
  have  eaten)  is  the  number  of  gold  a  ship  may  gain
  from  selling  here.  The  chance  of  the  ‘slush’  being
  foul  enough  is  1  in  6  for  each  month  the  vessel
  has  been  at  sea  (since  its  last  port  of  call,  when  it
  is  standard  procedure  to  otherwise  clean  the  slush
  out  and  acquire  new  barrels).
  Pieces  Of  Eight:  This  moneychanger  is  one  of  the
  oldest  establishments  on  the  island.  Their  principal
  business  is  changing  coins  into  jewelry,  normally  a
  practice  frowned  upon  by  pirates,  but  given  Spain’s
  laws  of  the  century,  this  is  a  valuable  service.  For
  Spanish  Common  Law  dictates  that  anything  which
  comes  into  their  port  can  be  taxed,  except  for  that
  which  a  sailor  wears  on  his  person  (save  for  coins)
  that  he  can  take  off  ship  in  a  single  trip,  or  rather
  step  from  ship  to  shore  with.  Hence,  this  business
  takes  in  coins  and  gives  good  value  in  return  with
  gold  chains,  earrings,  gold  teeth,  and  so  forth.  The
  business  earns  its  name  as  a  mockery  of  Spanish
  trade  and  wealth.  The  name  has  also  come  to  have
  a  secondary  meaning,  because  they  have  established
  a  flawless  means  of  minting  pieces  of  eight,  thusly
  able  to  tip  the  scales  of  trade  by  turning  any  gold
  into  perfect  Spanish  currency,  undetectable  for  its
  French-pirate  origins.
  Sparrow’s:  This  is  a  taverne  where  rum  flows  like
  water  from  the  Fountain  of  Youth.  It  is  popularly
  believed  that  the  first  bar  here  was  nothing  more
  than  an  overturned  ‘sparrow’  boat,  and  grew  from
  there.  It  is  even  more  preferable  to  the  beliefs  of
  drunkards  and  pirates  that  the  original  proprietor,  a
  pirate  himself,  hid  exotic  treasures  throughout  this
  establishment,  though  none  have  ever  been  found.
  Still,  legends  die  hard,  and  it’s  just  as  common  for
  a  brawl  to  begin  over  poker  as  it  is  from  one  to
  be  staged  in  order  to  disguise  someone  prying  up
  floorboards  in  search  of  ‘buried  treasure’.
  
  TORTUGA
  40
  MERCHANTILES:   There  are  few  streets  in  this
  city,  and  instead  one  shoppe  opens  into  another,  or
  the  marketplace  is  more  of  a  tent-town  just  outside
  the  harbor.  In  any  event,  navigating  these  mazes  of
  merchants  often  leads  to  unexpected  treasure.  Note
  that  the  Availability  of  any  item  in  Tortuga  can  be
  re-rolled  at  the  cost  of  10  gold  (bribes,  etc).
  Coin   Values
  Type  of  coin
  Nation
  Value
  Crowns
  Britain
  +0
  Daalders
  Holland
  -1
  Doubloons
  Spain
  -2
  Ducats
  Holland
  -1
  Guineas
  Britain
  -1
  Louis  d’ors
  France
  +3
  Nine  deniers
  France
  +3
  Pieces  of  eight
  Spain
  +0
  Services
  Service
  Cost  of  service
  Bank
  4%  of  treasure  being  kept
  Doctor
  9  gold  per  Damage  treated
  Guide
  2  gold  per  day  (includes  food)
  Marriage
  5-60  gold
  Porter
  12  gold  per  week  (includes  food)
  Proper  burial
  20-70  gold
  Tailor
  8  gold  per  set  of  clothes
  Whore
  1-6  gold  per  person  per  night
  Baggywrinkles:  These  are  bundles  of  old  ropes  that
  are  used  to  prevent  ships  from  bumping  into  each
  other  in  port.  Having  these,  in  any  amount,  gives  a
  ship  a  bonus  of  +2  Morale  when  leaving  port  after
  3  or  more  days,  as  it  there  is  less  work  than  usual
  to  repair  and  clean  the  vessel  due  to  its  relatively
  smooth  stay  in  the  harbor.
  Boucan  knife:  This  is  a  short,  curved  blade  that  is
  normally  used  for  cutting  up  wild  animals  such  as
  boar  and  oxen.  When  used  aboard  ship,  in  a  jungle
  or  indoors,  it  adds  a  +1  bonus  to  one’s  rolls  to
  determine  the  effect  of  a  Critical  Hit.
  Charqui  jerky:  Jerky  from  boucan  houses,  these  are
  sold  in  bundles  providing  enough  food  to  equal  10
  days  for  1  man.  Unlike  normal  rations,  it  does  not
  spoil  under  any  circumstances.  If  enough  is  bought
  to  actually  feed  an  entire  ship’s  crew  it  will  negate
  any  low  roll  for  a  day’s  travel,  thus  resulting  in
  an  uneventful  day  (with  no  loss  of  provisions).
  Equipment
  Item
  Found
  Cost
  Weight
  Charqui  jerky  (10  days)
  10
  3
  20
  Coconut  rum  (1  bottle)
  11
  4
  10
  Grog  (1  bottle)
  10
  5
  10
  Rosary  of  pain
  4
  30
  1
  Pardon  tube
  4
  12
  4
  Coconut  rum:  Sweeter  and  in  some  ways  stronger
  than  normal  rum,  each  bottle  will  negate  -2  penalty
  worth  of  wounds  for  1-12  hours,  and  then  -1  for
  the  next  1-12.  If  one  is  not  wounded  at  all,  a  full
  bottle  of  this  gives  him  +1  to  his  next  roll.
  Grog:  This  is  rum,  watered  down  and  given  taste
  by  vegetables  and  citrus.  When  consumed  in  full,
  one  makes  an  Endurance  Check.  Success  means  he
  is  able  to  heal  1  penalty  worth  of  his  wounds,  but
  failure  means  he  not  only  gains  an  additional  -1
  penalty  (but  stands  no  chance  of  dying  from  this),
  he  will  also  fall  unconscious  for  1-12  hours.
  Special   Weapons
  Weapon
  Found
  Cost
  Weight
  Damage
  Boucan  knife
  10
  3
  6
  3
  Marlinspike
  11
  3
  7
  3
  Musketoon
  3
  20
  11
  8
  Pole-axe
  5
  5
  30
  10
  Marlinspike:  While  designed  for  aid  in  fixing  ropes
  and  rigging,  primarily  with  separating  tangles,  such
  spikes  are  equally  effective  at  separating  sinews  in
  one’s  enemies,  giving  the  user  a  bonus  of  +1  with
  its  Attack  Rolls  when  made  aboard  ships.
  Pardon  tube:  This  is  a  fancy  scroll  case  made  only
  to  mimic  the  current  style  of  those  containing  the
  ‘Royal  Pardons’  carried  around  by  Naval  officers.
  Of  course,  this  tube  contains  nothing  of  true  value.
  It  can,  however,  give  one  a  chance  to  bluff  their
  way  into  any  town  by  making  a  Charisma  Check,
  penalized  by  that  town’s  Hostility  Modifier.  Such  a
  tube  becomes  worthless  after  1  year,  as  their  styles
  in  official  circles  change  so  often.
  
  TORTUGA
  41
  Pole-axe:  A  large  mallet  with  many  random  spikes
  protruding  from  its  end,  these  are  normally  used  to
  hunt  cattle  and  cut  jungle,  but  are  also  effective  at
  hunting  and  cutting  people.  Unfortunately,  they  are
  unwieldy  in  battle,  inflicting  a  penalty  of  -3  to  all
  Attack  Rolls  made  with  them.
  Rosary  of  pain:  A  cunningly  woven  length  of  rope
  designed  to  screw  a  man’s  eyes  out  of  his  head,  it
  will  penalize  one’s  rolls  to  resist  torture  by  -1.  Its
  use  also  increases  Morale  by  +1  if  the  victim  does
  confess,  but  if  not,  penalizes  Morale  by  -1-6,  as  it
  is  unnecessarily  brutal  and  difficult  to  watch,  even
  among  some  pirates.
  Sea  turtle:  This  is  a  living  turtle  left  to  roam  free
  on  the  deck,  and  butchered  when  it  is  to  be  eaten,
  giving  the  crew  fresh  meat.  One  turtle  will  provide
  enough  food  to  equal  1  day  for  120  men.  If  this
  fresh  meat  is  enjoyed  by  the  crew  on  a  single  day
  (no  leftovers),  and  everyone  gets  their  share,  it  will
  increase  Morale  by  +1.
  Smoking  lamp:  Smoking  is  forbidden  on  so  many
  pirate  ships  that  these  have  been  invented.  Hanging
  somewhere  on  the  forecastle,  smoke  is  blown  into
  it,  thereby  eliminating  any  chance  of  shipboard  fire.
  Having  one  on  board  will  improve  Morale  by  +1
  when  the  vessel  leaves  port,  but  at  the  cost  of  an
  additional  5  gold  each  time  due  to  maintaining  it.
  Purchasing   Ships
  Ship
  Found
  Cost
  Sparrow
  12
  250
  Schooner
  9
  900
  Naval  sloop
  5
  1600
  Navy  snow
  4
  1800
  Sloop
  10
  2500
  Barque
  11
  3500
  Dutch  fluyt
  2
  4500
  Brigantine
  7
  6000
  Mariner
  5
  8000
  Merchantman
  3
  14000
  Square-rigger
  5
  22000
  Frigate
  2
  28000
  Man-o-war
  2
  36000
  Galleon
  1
  40000
  Spanish  galleon
  2
  60000
  Provisions
  Provision
  Found
  Cost
  Size
  Anchor
  9
  40
  50
  Baggywrinkles
  10
  50
  0
  Cannon  (1  gun)
  6
  90
  50
  Cannonballs  (1  salvo)
  6
  6
  5
  Charts
  10
  450
  0
  Flag,  French
  10
  20
  10
  Flag,  foreign
  5
  60
  10
  Flag,  pirate
  7
  60
  10
  Food  (20  days,  1  man)
  12
  1
  2
  Longboat
  11
  60
  350
  Oars  (full  ship)
  6
  90
  100
  Sea  turtle
  2
  25
  10
  Smoking  lamp
  9
  10
  0
  Spare  sails
  11
  150
  300
  Weapons*
  8
  500
  200
  Trading   Goods
  Price
  Nature  of  the  goods
  Time
  +5
  Tobacco
  1  week
  +4
  Medicine
  1-3  months
  +4
  Clothing,  cotton  or  silk
  1-4  weeks
  +3
  Rum,  ale,  beer  or  brandy
  1  week
  +3
  Rare  plants
  1-4  weeks
  +2
  Hides
  1-3  weeks
  +2
  Sugar  or  flour
  1-3  months
  +2
  Tea
  1-6  weeks
  +1
  Books
  1-4  months
  +1
  Glass
  1  month
  +1
  Rare  animals
  1-6  weeks
  +1
  Spices
  1  week
  LEGACY:   The  city  of  ‘Tortuga’  tells  this  tale:  The
  legacy  of  pirate  towns  is  moving  from  one  to  the
  next  as  the  previous  haven  falls  either  to  politics,
  weather,  or  simply  being  drained  dry  by  the  pirates
  themselves.  Tortuga  is  perhaps  the  definitive  town
  of  the  latter.  Unable  to  be  touched  by  rival  Navies,
  never  doomed  to  suffer  such  a  cataclysmic  fate  as
  Port  Royal,  this  pirate  port  would  endure  forever,
  if  it  is  less  successful—the  sheer  number  of  pirates
  taking  refuge  here  disrupt  shipping  lanes  to  such  a
  degree  that  soon  all  that  is  left  for  them  to  prey
  upon  is  each  other,  eventually  making  them  easier
  targets  for  Royal  Naval  pirate  hunters.  Tortuga  is
  perhaps  the  pinnacle  and  ultimate  moral  lesson  in
  the  legacy  of  pirates.
  
  VENICE
  42
  Ahhhh,  the  winds  o’ destiny  have  carried  ye  ta  the
  city  o’ sails,  matey?  Mark  well  me  words,  there  be
  no  greater  harbor  fer  men  seekin’ adventure  in  the
  ancient  world,  says  I.  The  city  o’ sails  awaits  ye.
  WELCOME   TO   VENICE:   Built  on  a  collection
  of  small  islands,  this  city  is  so  vast  that  there  is
  no  visible  land  left—the  streets  are  waterways,  the
  perfect  setting  for  the  maritime  merchants  to  whom
  this  is  the  true  center  of  the  world.  A  map  of  the
  islands  are  provided  as  Handout  11.
  Sourcebook:
  Mediterranean
  Existence:
  Always
  Location:
  45N  12E
  Level:
  11
  Population:
  8800
  Nationality:
  All
  Fortifications:
  2
  Merchantiles:
  -1
  A  history  of  Venice:  Established  centuries  after  the
  fall  of  the  Roman  Empire  but  still  nigh  a  thousand
  years  ago,  this  seafaring  center  grows  in  swiftly  in
  both  wealth  and  power  during  the  holy  wars  of  the
  15th and  16th Centuries,  until  finally  it  becomes  the
  merchant  capital  of  the  Old  World.
  The  fall  of  Constantinople  in  1453  leads  to  a
  decline  of  seafaring  trade  in  the  eastern  regions  of
  the  Mediterranean.  Either  new  trade  routes  must  be
  found,  or  the  commerce  needs  to  be  revived  some
  other  way.  Enter  pirates.  Having  a  common  rival
  in  the  Ottoman  Empire,  the  pirate  and  corsair  ships
  that  begin  to  use  Venice  as  a  base  are  welcomed
  by  the  merchant-lords  of  the  city.  Their  plunder  is
  enough  to  bring  the  city  back  to  its  true  economic
  strength,  and  even  more.
  Though  officially  at  peace  with  the  Ottoman
  Empire,  finally  the  Venetian  people  are  forced  to
  side  against  it  in  the  late  16th Century.  This  leads
  to  an  increase  of  pirates  using  the  city  as  a  central
  base  of  operations,  causing  the  decline  of  its  proud
  artistic  reputation  into  something  just  above  a  ruin
  crawling  with  pirates,  prostitutes,  cutthroats  and  all
  manner  of  foul  folk.  The  truth  is  rather  a  different
  story,  as  the  city  retains  its  majesty,  and  all  of  its
  pirates  are  but  the  minority  of  its  populace,  sailors
  who  just  happen  to  be  best  for  business.
  Government  and  law:  The  city  is  governed,  but  not
  officially  ‘ruled’,  by  the  so-called  ‘Council  of  Ten’,
  a  group  of  elected  men  who  operate  mostly  in  the
  shadows  or  behind  the  marble  walls  of  their  great
  Doge’s  Palace.  Their  minds  are  to  govern  what  is
  best  for  business,  and  most  of  the  secrecy  allows
  them  to  circumvent  the  official  laws  of  the  Roman
  Catholic  Empire  to  which  the  city  belongs.  Still,  in
  spite  of  the  religious  wars,  Venice  manages  to  hold
  and  uphold  laws  unique  to  themselves,  by  far  the
  most  notable  of  which  is  their  abolishment  of  slave
  labor  in  galleys.  In  Venice,  oarsmen  for  any  vessel
  must  be  volunteers  who  are  paid,  which  is  usually
  those  working  off  debt.
  Religion:  Though  it  is  officially  part  of  the  Roman
  Catholic  Empire,  this  city  enjoys  a  great  amount  of
  religious  freedom,  with  its  rather  excessive  (some
  say  greedy)  ways  being  only  occasionally  punished
  by  the  Pope,  usually  its  tolerance  of  heathens.
  The  Arsenal:  This  is  the  main  stronghold  of  a  vast
  military  proportional  to  the  size  of  the  city,  usually
  several  thousand  men.  With  their  chief  activity  the
  design  and  building  and  improving  of  vessels  both
  coastal  and  oceanic,  it  is  said  they  produce  on  an
  average  one  new  ship  each  and  every  day.  As  it  is
  they  can  certainly  repair  ships  better  than  any  other
  city,  reducing  both  the  cost  and  time  by  a  factor
  of  1-10;  if  ‘11’  or  ‘12’  is  rolled,  roll  again  for  a
  new  range  of  ‘1-10’,  adding  the  factor  into  that  of
  the  previous  roll(s),  so  a  ship  might  conceivably  be
  repaired  at  1/30th the  cost  and  time.  In  addition,  the
  craftsmen  build  argos,  galiots  and  galleys  with  such
  skill  that  any  such  ship  purchased  here  shall  have
  the  potential  for  2  modifications  beyond  the  normal
  limit  imposed  by  its  Value.
  Doge’s  Palace:  The  central  government  offices  off
  St. Mark’s  Square,  the  great  gothic  architecture  and
  marble  edifice  are  a  daily  reminder  of  the  intellect
  and  wealth  of  the  city.  However,  the  building  also
  casts  an  invisible  shadow,  seen  only  by  those  who
  have  cause  to  fear  the  government  or  the  merchant
  elite  of  the  city,  and  whispers  of  what  really  goes
  on  inside  is  enough  to  maintain  peace  without  the
  need  for  any  constables.  In  truth,  the  first  floor  is
  a  collection  of  offices  for  lawyers,  naval  officers,
  
  VENICE
  43
  and  merchants.  The  second  floor  houses  the  Grand
  Council  Chamber.  And  finally,  the  third  floor  holds
  the  prisons  and  meeting  places  for  the  legendary
  ‘Council  of  Ten’,  the  mysterious  high  leaders  of
  Venice.  Altogether,  the  entire  palace  is  a  labyrinth
  of  passages,  secret  doors,  traps  and  prison  cells,
  designed  to  prevent  anyone  breaking  in  as  much  as
  breaking  out.  Most  political  prisoners  are  held  here.
  NOTEWORTHY   CHARACTERS:   There  are  few
  individuals  in  Venice  who  stand  out  enough  to  be
  of  notice  to  pirates.  Instead,  much  like  the  throngs
  of  people  who  crowd  the  few  paved  streets  or  the
  ships  which  crowd  the  harbor  and  waterways,  the
  most  prominent  people  of  the  merchant  city  both
  remain  visible  and  operate  as  groups.
  The  Council  of  Ten:  No  more  important,  influential
  or  mysterious  a  group  exists  than  this  office  of  ten
  powerful  officials,  the  effective  rulers  of  the  city.
  Though  invisible  to  most  citizens,  they  often  invite
  pirates  into  their  midst,  who  carry  out  their  more
  clandestine  missions.  Begun  in  1310  as  a  defense
  against  ‘the  Doge’,  the  name  given  to  the  rulers  of
  Venice  since  its  beginning,  this  council  was  voted
  emergency  powers  and  have  retained  them  in  full
  force  ever  since.  Still,  though  their  operations  are
  unknown,  the  people  generally  regard  them  as  fair.
  The  State  Inquisitors:  Established  by  the  Council  of
  Ten  in  1539  to  deal  directly  with  matters  of  city
  security,  these  three  men  act  as  judges  who  preside
  over  all  breakers  of  the  city’s  laws  from  this  year
  on,  both  foreign  and  domestic.  They  create  a  vast
  network  of  spies  and  informants  who  operate  both
  inside  Venice  and  abroad.  It  is  their  ruthless  tactics
  which  eventually  lead  to  the  people’s  distrust  and
  soon  thereafter  the  fall  of  the  Council  of  Ten.
  The  Doge:  Historically  the  rulers  and  owners  of  all
  the  city,  they  were  overthrown  in  1310  and  remain
  a  token  government,  visible  to  appease  the  Pope  in
  world  politics,  but  with  no  real  power  within  the
  city  itself.  Secretly,  those  who  hold  ‘doge’  offices
  spend  more  time  protecting  pirates  and  financing  a
  good  many  illegal  activities,  since  their  government
  work  is  of  no  consequence.  They  wish  to  return  to
  power  one  day  and  will  do  anything  to  get  there.
  TAVERNES   AND   COMMONS:   In  a  city  built
  on  art  and  architecture,  places  where  pirates  can  be
  comfortable  or  at  least  made  welcome  are  rare,  and
  they  tend  to  blend  into  the  crowds  of  seafarers  or
  merchants,  thus  remaining  unseen  to  the  eyes  of  all
  Royal  Navy  or  Vatican  spies.
  The  Grand  Canal:  There  are  countless  small  houses
  of  drink,  whores  and  gambling  along  this,  the  main
  river  which  winds  through  the  city.
  St. Mark’s  Square:  The  hub  of  the  city,  surrounded
  by  government  offices  and  the  greatest  merchants
  shoppes,  any  pirate  can  easily  blend  into  the  crowd
  here,  for  a  bazaar  is  almost  always  in  place.
  Mermaid’s  Hall:  Nobody  is  certain  who  built  this
  establishment,  or  even  who  owns  it.  Most  assume
  that  its  extensive  fountains  (even  for  Venice)  and
  quality  food  must  have  some  secret  backing,  but  to
  pirates  it’s  all  the  same—government  eyes  watching
  them  are  just  as  likely  to  offer  secret  commissions
  than  they  are  to  capture  anyone.  Surrounded  by  a
  good  number  of  statues  resembling  sea  gods  of  the
  ancient  world,  served  by  saucy  wenches  and  above
  all  treated  like  royalty,  pirates,  corsairs  and  thieves
  of  all  sorts  congregate  here,  enjoying  the  extensive
  hospitality  regardless  of  who  is  funding  it.  A  less
  savvy  pirate  would  fail  to  understand  that  the  price
  for  such  debauchery  of  a  hundred  men  is  relatively
  insignificant  compared  to  the  profits  made  by  even
  one  who  completes  a  mission  that  cheats  the  law.
  Campo  San  Polo:  Originally  a  field  where  livestock
  were  taken  for  grazing,  this  place,  eventually  like
  the  rest  of  the  city,  is  paved  over  and  surrounded
  with  walls.  In  1493  it  becomes  a  courtyard,  where
  one  of  the  few  water  wells  can  be  found  in  all  the
  city,  and  where  all  manner  of  entertainment  begins
  to  find  a  regular  home—bullfights,  mass  sermons
  and  masque  balls  are  just  a  few  of  the  events  that
  regularly  fill  this  plaza.  However,  most  of  its  time,
  the  walls  are  filled  with  the  colourful  tents  of  the
  merchants  who  cannot  afford  a  spot  in  St. Mark’s
  Square,  thus  attracting  many  pirates  who  take  their
  ease  for  days  at  a  time,  with  as  little  worry  of  the
  world  outside  the  plaza  walls  as  if  they  are  sitting
  on  the  white  sand  beaches  of  a  Caribbean  paradise.
  
  VENICE
  44
  MERCHANTILES:   The  countless  merchantiles  in
  port  offer  a  variety  of  goods,  services  and  prices
  as  to  be  found  nowhere  else  in  the  Mediterranean’s
  many  seas.  Note  that  the  Availability  of  items  has
  not  been  recalculated  like  the  rest  of  the  scores,  so
  the  port’s  normal  penalty  of  -1  must  still  apply  to
  such  rolls,  though  it  can  be  reduced  by  1  for  each
  levy  of  80  gold  paid  to  the  merchants  or  even  the
  Council  of  Ten  itself  (not  to  be  raised  above  +3).
  Services
  Service
  Cost  of  service
  Bank
  2%  of  treasure  being  kept
  Boat  (taxi)
  1  gold  to  go  anywhere  in  town
  Doctor
  7  gold  per  Damage  treated
  Guide
  4  gold  per  day  (includes  food)
  Marriage
  10-90*  gold
  Porter
  12  gold  per  week  (includes  food)
  Proper  burial
  40-150  gold
  Tailor
  3  gold  per  set  of  clothes
  Translator
  5  gold  per  page
  Whore
  2-13  gold  per  person  per  night
  Barbados  water:  Another  name  for  rum,  and  this  is
  a  style  sold  in  slightly  smaller  bottles  than  normal
  rum,  and  is  not  as  potent,  either.  Each  bottle  will
  negate  -1  penalty  worth  of  wounds  for  1-6  hours.
  Clean  bill  of  health:  This  is  an  official  government
  document  ‘proving’  that  the  ship  and  crew  are  free
  of  disease  so  that  they  cannot  be  rejected  from  any
  non-Muslim  port  on  such  grounds  (whether  this  is
  true  or  not  doesn’t  matter—it’s  official,  sanctioned
  by  representatives  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church).
  Holy  water:  Blessed  by  whatever  god  one  prays  to,
  this  strengthens  faith  if  not  true  power,  granting  a
  bonus  of  +1  to  a  single  Prayer,  whether  one  drinks
  or  splashes  or  uses  this  water  in  some  other  way.
  Only  a  single  flask  can  affect  a  single  Prayer  Roll.
  Equipment
  Item
  Found
  Cost
  Weight
  Barbados  water
  5
  6
  8
  Holy  water
  8
  15
  5
  Potion
  4
  60
  3
  Religious  survival  pack
  7
  20
  3
  Spice  rations  (10  days)
  5
  5
  10
  Jewelry-knife:  Concealed  somewhere  in  a  collection
  of  jewelry  is  a  knife.  If  used  on  the  first  Round
  in  a  fight  it  gains  a  +2  bonus  to  its  Attack  Roll.
  Malta  blade:  The  small  isle  of  Malta  amidst  a  vast
  and  bloody  sea  of  religious  war,  the  small  force  of
  the  Malta  Knights  caught  in  the  middle  of  zealous
  empires,  they  hold  their  own.  This  is  reflected  best
  in  their  unique  weapon.  This  longsword  is  designed
  to  counter  the  weapons  of  the  Mediterranean  most
  of  all,  giving  its  wielder  a  bonus  of  +1  to  Attack
  Rolls  and  Defense  Score  alike  when  used  against
  Saracen  swords,  scimitars,  and  stilettos.
  Musical  instruments:  This  collection  will  serve  two
  purposes  aboard  ship.  First,  they  offer  a  means  of
  entertainment  during  a  voyage,  reducing  any  loss
  of  Morale  for  lack  of  speed  by  1.  Second,  during
  battle  they  can  inspire  a  crew’s  attack  or  be  played
  dramatically  to  demoralize  one’s  enemy,  either  way
  requiring  3  crew  to  be  effective  but  giving  a  +1
  bonus  to  Initiative  until  Initiative  is  lost.  Multiple
  ‘bands’  cannot  be  used  to  gain  a  greater  bonus.
  Potion:  The  alchemists,  exotic  travelers  and  strange
  characters  that  gather  in  Venice  bring  with  them  a
  collection  of  secrets  from  all  over  the  world,  and
  it  is  not  uncommon  for  potions  to  be  available  in
  the  bazaar.  Such  a  potion  is  the  same  as  any  from
  Table  98,  though  they  do  not  always  work.  Once  a
  potion  such  as  this  is  consumed,  the  individual  has
  to  make  an  Ability  Check  to  see  if  it  takes  effect.
  Detailed  below  are  the  Ability  Checks  necessary  to
  make  each  type  of  potion  work,  along  with  the  ill
  effect  that  occurs  when  any  such  Check  fails.
  Berzerker  requires  an  Brawn  Check,  which  if
  failed  causes  the  individual  to  attack  with  these
  bonus’ but  against  random  allies  for  the  next  1-12
  Rounds,  and  then  the  entire  potion  wears  off.
  Blood  requires  a  Girth  Check,  with  if  failed  is
  enough  to  permanently  lower  his  Girth  Score  -2.
  Courage  requires  an  Intuition  Check,  which  if
  failed  gives  one  moments  of  madness  for  1-6  days,
  during  which  time  all  penalties  from  Fears  and  any
  exotic  influences  are  doubled  in  their  effects.
  Love  requires  a  Wits  Check,  which  if  failed  is
  to  have  the  reverse  effect,  making  the  drinker  fall
  in  lust  with  members  of  the  same  gender  for  the
  
  VENICE
  45
  entirety  of  its  duration,  so  much  that  any  of  them
  can  tell  him  what  to  do  with  a  Charisma  Check,
  but  if  it  fails,  instantly  ends  the  potion’s  effects.
  Sleep  requires  an  Endurance  Check,  which  if
  failed  makes  one  unable  to  fall  asleep  for  the  next
  1-3  days,  which  is  disturbing  enough  to  the  mind
  to  cost  him  10-120  Experience  Points  at  the  end.
  Truth  requires  a  Luck  Check,  which  if  failed
  makes  one  ill,  effectively  wounding  him  -1  against
  which  there  is  no  Girth  roll  nor  a  chance  of  death.
  Religious  survival  pack:  This  is  a  collection  of  all
  the  symbols  and  other  accessories  one  would  need
  to  give  convincing  proof  of  his  turn  to  whatever
  religion  he  needs  be  to  save  his  hide.  It  does  not
  work  every  time,  but  it  does  offer  one  a  +1  bonus
  to  his  Charisma  Check  to  convince  anyone  of  his
  supposed  recent  conversion.
  Special   Weapons
  Weapon
  Found
  Cost
  Weight
  Damage
  Jewelry-knife
  2
  30
  1
  3
  Malta  blade
  1
  20
  9
  5
  Saracen
  7
  8
  15
  8
  Scimitar
  5
  10
  10
  7
  Venetian  ring
  3
  6
  4
  2
  Saracen:  This  is  a  monstrous  scimitar.  What  more
  needs  be  said?  It’s  good  for  chopping  people,  ships
  and  unholy  temples  in  half!
  Scimitar:  A  true  Arabian  scimitar,  in  the  hands  of
  anyone  with  blood  born  of  the  desert  lands,  gains
  a  bonus  of  +1  to  his  Attack  Rolls  when  using  this
  godly-given  weapon.
  Spice  rations:  This  is  normal  food  enriched  with  a
  liberal  helping  of  the  stronger  spices  available  here.
  Each  day  it  is  eaten,  these  tasty  treats  will  give  +1
  to  one’s  Prime  Requisite,  but  no  more  than  that,
  no  matter  how  much  one  decides  to  eat.
  Venetian  ring:  This  is  a  circular  piece  of  sharpened
  metal,  about  a  foot  in  diameter  and  hollow  in  the
  center,  used  for  throwing  at  enemies.  Its  range  is
  equal  to  the  thrower’s  Brawn  multiplied  by  10.  To
  hit  by  a  margin  of  3  or  more  results  in  a  return
  to  the  thrower  like  a  boomerang.
  Purchasing   Ships
  Ship
  Found
  Cost
  Argos
  12
  500
  Schooner
  10
  800
  Naval  sloop
  2
  1200
  Navy  snow
  3
  1500
  Sloop
  1
  2500
  Galliot
  11
  3000
  Dutch  fluyt
  2
  4000
  Barque
  3
  5000
  Brigantine
  5
  6000
  Galley
  11
  7000
  Mariner
  3
  8000
  Merchantman
  5
  10000
  Frigate
  1
  15000
  Man-o-war
  1
  20000
  Galleon
  2
  30000
  Provisions
  Provision
  Found
  Cost
  Size
  Cannon  (1  gun)
  5
  70
  50
  Cannonballs  (1  salvo)
  7
  5
  5
  Charts
  11
  300
  0
  Clean  bill  of  health
  7
  400
  0
  Longboat
  12
  40
  350
  Musical  instruments
  5
  400
  100
  Oars  (full  ship)
  8
  70
  100
  Spare  sails
  12
  100
  300
  Trading   Goods
  Price
  Nature  of  the  goods
  Time
  +7
  Spices
  1  week
  +7
  Medicine
  1-4  weeks
  +5
  Clothing,  cotton  or  silk
  1-3  weeks
  +5
  Books
  1-4  weeks
  +4
  Glass
  1-6  weeks
  +4
  Tea
  1-3  months
  +3
  Rare  plants
  1  month
  +3
  Sugar  or  flour
  3  months
  +2
  Rare  animals
  1-6  months
  +2
  Tobacco
  1-4  months
  +1
  Rum,  ale,  beer  or  brandy
  1-3  weeks
  +1
  Hides
  2  months
  LEGACY:   The  city  of  ‘Venice’  tells  this  tale:  It  is
  no  god  nor  church  which  rules  the  world,  but  gold
  will.  There  is  no  loyalty  save  to  greed.  And  there
  is  no  paradise  save  that  which  gold  can  build.
  
  ZANZIBAR
  46
  Avast  there!  Be  ya  seekin’ the  world’s  end,  matey?
  Or  are  ye  just  weighin’ anchor  here  fer  a  spell?  O’
  this ‘ere  port  be  the  last  nest  o’ pyrates  in  the  far
  seas,  an’ there  ain’t  no  better  harbor  fer  anyone  on
  the  account,  says  I.
  WELCOME   TO   ZANZIBAR:   This  collection  of
  islands  off  the  eastern  coast  of  Africa  provides  the
  best  natural  harbor  for  smaller  pirate  vessels  in  all
  the  Indian  Ocean,  and  the  countless  isles,  reefs  and
  keys  are  dotted  with  tents  and  shanties,  forming  no
  less  than  a  small  pirate  city.  A  map  of  the  islands
  are  provided  as  Handout  12.
  Sourcebook:
  Open  Seas
  Existence:
  Always
  Location:
  6S  39E
  Level:
  4
  Population:
  600
  Nationality:
  All
  Fortifications:
  6
  Merchantiles
  -0
  A  history  of  Zanzibar:  Originally  settled  centuries
  ago  by  natives  and  Arabs  who  used  the  monsoons
  of  the  Indian  Ocean  for  speedy  trade,  they  relished
  their  return  to  this  place’s  shallow,  safe  coves  that
  kept  the  weather  at  bay.  However,  when  Europeans
  enter  these  waters,  pirates  find  these  coves  safe  for
  different  reasons—Royal  Navy—and  establish  many
  small  shanty  towns  here.  These  soon  rise  to  form
  a  single,  small  city  scattered  across  all  of  the  tiny
  isles  and  inlets.
  Officially  colonized  by  the  Portuguese  in  1503,
  and  controlled  by  them  until  1698,  but  this  is  just
  on  paper—the  majority  of  the  inhabitants  here  are
  pirates,  and  ships  of  Portugal  find  safe  harbor  here
  simply  because  it’s  good  for  business.
  Rich  in  spices  such  as  cloves,  pepper,  nutmeg
  and  cinnamon,  these  islands  are  also  named  as  the
  ‘Spice  Islands’,  especially  by  East  India  Companies
  who  do  not  like  to  admit  to  there  being  a  pirate
  port  they  can  neither  control  nor  destroy.
  Throughout  the  heyday  of  pirates  in  the  Indian
  Ocean,  no  end  of  buccaneers  from  all  nations  and
  religions  find  safe  refuge  here,  adding  to  the  ever
  swelling  size  of  the  world’s  largest  shanty  town.  It
  is  a  backwater  haven  for  thieves  of  all  sorts.
  Government  and  law:  There  really  is  no  operating
  government  here.  Portugal  maintains  harbor  offices
  as  a  formality  for  their  ledgers  and  logs  throughout
  the  world,  but  they  stay  well  out  of  the  way  of  all
  the  pirates  here.  The  true  laws  here  are  those  of  a
  man’s  sweat  and  sword.
  NOTEWORTHY   CHARACTERS:   While  most  of
  the  denizens  of  this  thieves  den  come  and  go  with
  such  frequency  or  just  keep  to  the  shadows,  there
  are  a  few  to  whom  this  is  home,  and  whose  very
  names  bolster  their  town’s  sense  of  pirating  pride.
  Marcus  Hollinsworth:  Marcus  is,  or  was,  an  official
  for  the  English  East  India  Company  who  was  both
  captured  and  set  free  in  town.  Indeed,  he  buys  a
  new  life  of  freedom  with  knowledge  of  the  English
  business  and  government.  He  since  abandons  both
  country  and  company  and  set  up  shoppe  as  a  sort
  of  advisor  to  pirates,  selling  them  loopholes  in  the
  Company  policies  and  laws  of  as  many  nations  as
  he  can  study.  For  example,  he  clues  in  the  pirates
  here  to  avoid  Spanish  tax  by  wearing  ear-rings,  as
  jewelry  cannot  be  taxed  under  Spanish  law.  He  is
  a  ‘pirate  lawyer’  after  a  fashion,  selling  information
  on  how  not  to  circumnavigate  a  globe,  but  how  to
  circumvent  the  shoals  and  storms  in  a  sea  of  laws.
  Robert  Cutlass:  This  mad  pirate  captain  frequently
  returns  here  for  recruiting.  He  is  known  for  taking
  the  heads  of  all  who  die  aboard  his  ship,  hanging
  them  from  his  yardarm  which  is  just  ahead  of  the
  sterncastle,  and  letting  their  dribbled  blood  create  a
  clear  line  of  stained  blood  on  the  deck.  His  rule  is
  that  to  challenge  him  one  must  cross  the  line  to
  approach  him,  and  by  doing  so,  signify  this  intent.
  Matuszak:  A  giant  of  a  man,  his  real  name  is  long
  forgotten  and  he  goes  by  ‘Matuszak’  because  some
  forgotten  pirate  suggested  it.  As  deformed  as  he  is
  huge,  he  works  the  docks,  but  never  signs  aboard
  a  ship  because  nobody  will  have  him  out  of  fear
  that  he  will  ‘unsteady’  the  ship  or  crew—he  does
  not  know  his  own  strength  and  may  tie  lines  too
  strong  for  anyone  else  to  untie,  or  he  may  eat  far
  too  much  food,  etc.  He  is,  however,  a  gentle  giant
  and  always  enjoys  company  on  the  maze  of  docks
  around  the  town’s  many  shallow  harbors.
  
  ZANZIBAR
  47
  TAVERNES   AND   COMMONS:   There  are  not
  any  clean  or  decent  places  in  Zanzibar—all  of  the
  tavernes,  brothels,  innes  and  markets  are  owned  or
  operated  by  pirates.  There  are,  however,  a  few  that
  stand  out  either  for  their  prominence,  or  for  their
  very  strange  reputation.
  Fifty  Cards:  The  two  jokers  in  a  deck  of  cards  did
  not  exist  until  the  middle  of  the  19th Century,  and
  hence  the  name  of  this  gambling  den.  Card  games
  of  all  sorts  are  played  here  all  day  and  night,  with
  a  lot  of  money  changing  hands.  One  can  earn  as
  much  gold  as  his  Charisma  Score  multiplied  by  10
  before  nobody  trusts  their  chances  against  him  any
  longer.  This  maximum  is  increased  by  10  for  each
  Gambling  Skill  Level  one  has.
  Potter’s  Hill:  High  upon  a  rocky  crag  overlooking
  the  chief  harbor  is  a  cemetery,  with  an  inne  built
  in  the  dead  center  of  all,  inside  its  old  mausoleum.
  A  labyrinth  of  uneven  stairs,  crumbled  terraces  and
  wicked  trees  converge  like  an  army  of  the  damned
  on  the  stone  ediface  atop  the  cliff,  overlooking  the
  sea  from  whence  all  evil  came,  and  of  which  that
  inne  is  still  captain.
  Shaka’s  Shack:  Though  run  by  British  men  (Shaka
  himself  is  a  Scotsman  who  wears  a  heavy  wooden
  cannibal  mask  and  body  paint  when  he  needs  make
  any  appearance),  for  the  most  part  the  customers  in
  this  taverne  are  Africans  and  other  natives,  indeed
  those  unwelcome  in  other  drinking  holes  about  the
  islands.  To  enhance  the  base  ‘headhunter’  mystique
  of  the  establishment,  the  men  who  run  it  are  ever
  collecting  exotic-looking  things,  paying  handsomely
  for  new  ones  all  the  time.  The  overall  superstitious
  atmosphere  tends  to  keep  most  pirates  away,  and
  that  is  the  way  that  the  black  customers  prefer  it.
  The  Black  Queen:  This  marketplace  is  built  on  a
  collection  of  derelict  ships—all  those  which  tried  to
  sail  up  the  legendary  ‘haunted  river’  on  the  coast
  of  Africa,  only  to  turn  back  when  their  crew  either
  began  getting  taken  by  unseen  enemies  or  simply
  going  mad.  Named  for  the  greatest  ship  to  attempt
  this,  captained  by  a  piratess  known  as  the  ‘Black
  Queen’,  it  is  truly  a  black  market.  For  here  in  this
  bazaar  are  bizarre  wares  from  all  over  the  world.
  MERCHANTILES:   Most  merchants  in  town  are
  other  pirates.  This  leads  to  limited  availability  for
  more  common  goods  as  well  as  seemingly  random
  prices,  both  high  and  low.  Generally  though,  prices
  are  higher  due  to  the  lack  of  a  true  town  to  farm,
  encourage  commerce,  or  do  legitimate  business.
  Coin   Values
  Type  of  coin
  Nation
  Value
  Crowns
  Britain
  +1
  Daalders
  Holland
  +1
  Doubloons
  Spain
  +2
  Ducats
  Holland
  +0
  Guineas
  Britain
  +0
  Louis  d’ors
  France
  +0
  Nine  deniers
  France
  +0
  Pieces  of  eight
  Spain
  +2
  Services
  Service
  Cost  of  service
  Appraisal
  2  gold  per  gem  or  jewelry  piece
  Bank
  15%  of  treasure  being  kept
  Carriage
  10  gold  for  5  leagues  of  distance
  Doctor
  14  gold  per  Damage  treated
  Guide
  2  gold  per  day  (includes  food)
  Tailor
  6  gold  per  set  of  clothes
  Translator
  12  gold  per  page
  Whore
  2-13  gold  per  person  per  night
  Witch-doctor
  10  gold  per  ‘Save’  of  the  spell
  or  prayer  to  be  removed
  Cards:  These  are  marked  playing  cards,  giving  one
  a  bonus  of  +2  with  his  rolls  in  card  games.  But
  even  in  winning  one  may  lose,  for  his  opponent  is
  always  given  a  chance  to  make  an  Intuition  Check
  to  notice  this  deck’s  design.
  Grog:  This  is  rum,  watered  down  and  given  taste
  by  vegetables  and  citrus.  When  consumed  in  full,
  one  makes  an  Endurance  Check.  Success  means  he
  is  able  to  heal  1  penalty  worth  of  his  wounds,  but
  failure  means  he  not  only  gains  an  additional  -1
  penalty  (but  stands  no  chance  of  dying  from  this),
  he  will  also  fall  unconscious  for  1-12  hours.
  Head-bomb:  This  is  a  grenade  made  not  from  any
  iron  ball,  but  a  hollowed  shrunken  head  found  on
  the  African  mainland.  The  gruesome  nature  of  it  is
  
  ZANZIBAR
  48
  enough  to  disorient  a  target  as  it  comes  flying  at
  him,  doing  +1  Damage  because  he  won’t  move  as
  far  or  as  fast  as  he  otherwise  should  (thus  its  total
  Damage  is  either  2-13  or  2-7).
  Equipment
  Item
  Found
  Cost
  Weight
  Cards
  3
  28
  1
  Grog  (1  bottle)
  11
  3
  10
  Killdevil  Rum  (1  bottle)
  7
  5
  12
  Spice  rations  (10  days)
  10
  5
  10
  War-paint
  3
  13
  1
  Killdevil  Rum:  This  rum  is  said  to  be  so  strong
  that  the  devil  himself  cannot  drink  it.  Often  mixed
  with  gunpowder,  drinking  it  requires  an  Endurance
  Check.  If  successful,  one  will  be  able  to  ignore  -1
  penalty  worth  of  wounds  until  it  heals,  but  if  he
  fails  he  adds  -2  penalty  worth  of  wounds.
  Marlinspike:  While  designed  for  aid  in  fixing  ropes
  and  rigging,  primarily  with  separating  tangles,  such
  spikes  are  equally  effective  at  separating  sinews  in
  one’s  enemies,  giving  the  user  a  bonus  of  +1  with
  its  Attack  Rolls  when  made  aboard  ships.
  Special   Weapons
  Weapon
  Found
  Cost
  Weight
  Damage
  Head-bomb
  1
  24
  13
  Variable
  Marlinspike
  12
  3
  7
  3
  Musketoon
  5
  18
  11
  8
  Musketoon:  A  shorter  version  of  the  blunderbuss,  a
  little  less  accurate  but  stronger  than  a  musket,  this
  is  designed  for  close-quarters  combat,  offering  the
  user  a  bonus  of  +2  with  Attack  Rolls  aboard  ships.
  Spice  rations:  This  is  normal  food  enriched  with  a
  liberal  helping  of  the  spices  available  here  (such  as
  nutmeg  and  cinnamon).  Each  day  it  is  eaten,  these
  tasty  treats  will  give  +1  to  one’s  Prime  Requisite,
  but  no  more  than  that,  no  matter  how  much  one
  decides  to  eat.
  War-paint:  Learned  from  the  savages  on  the  nearby
  mainland  of  Africa,  this  is  one  use  worth  of  such
  paint,  giving  the  wearer  +1  to  his  Attack  Rolls  for
  the  duration  of  his  next  fight.
  Purchasing   Ships
  Ship
  Found
  Cost
  Schooner
  12
  1500
  Naval  sloop
  6
  2600
  Navy  snow
  5
  3300
  Sloop
  10
  4200
  Privateer
  6
  4800
  Dutch  fluyt
  7
  5500
  Barque
  9
  6000
  Brigantine
  10
  8500
  Mariner
  8
  9500
  Junk
  4
  12000
  Merchantman
  6
  16000
  Indiaman
  9
  24000
  Frigate
  4
  35000
  Man-o-war
  3
  45000
  Provisions
  Provision
  Found
  Cost
  Size
  Anchor
  10
  40
  50
  Cannon  (1  gun)
  5
  90
  50
  Cannonballs  (1  salvo)
  5
  6
  5
  Charts
  9
  1200
  0
  Flag
  10
  30
  10
  Food  (10  days,  1  man)
  12
  2
  1
  Longboat
  10
  100
  350
  Oars  (full  ship)
  6
  100
  100
  Spare  sails
  9
  150
  300
  Weapons*
  8
  900
  200
  Trading   Goods
  Price
  Nature  of  the  goods
  Time
  +4
  Spices
  1  week
  +4
  Medicine
  1  month
  +3
  Tobacco
  1-3  weeks
  +3
  Rare  animals
  1-6  months
  +3
  Rare  plants
  1-6  weeks
  +3
  Sugar  or  flour
  3  months
  +2
  Clothing,  cotton  or  silk
  1-6  weeks
  +2
  Books
  1-4  weeks
  +1
  Glass
  1  month
  +1
  Tea
  1-6  weeks
  +0
  Rum,  ale,  beer  or  brandy
  1  week
  +0
  Hides
  1-3  months
  LEGACY:   The  city  of  ‘Zanzibar’  tells  this  tale:  If
  the  world  neglects  a  town  along  trade  routes,  pirate
  trade  will  use  the  wharfs,  shoppes  and  farms.
  
  HANDOUT 1
  Bermuda
  Atlantic Ocean
  The Caribbean Sea
  the Caribbean gateway
  Saint George’s
  Hamilton
  Silver
  Cove
  The Gold Cove
  Dead Man’s
  Cay
  Castle
  Harbor
  Devonshire
  Pembroke
  Smith’s
  Paget
  Warwick
  Southampton
  Sandy
  1 league
  
  HANDOUT 2
  Curaqao
  The Caribbean Sea
  colony of Holland
  Port
  Port
  Saint Willibrordus Cove
  Hato Cave
  Saint Anna Boai
  Saint Jorisboai
  Cove
  Caracasboai
  Cove
  Main
  Port
  1 league
  
  HANDOUT 3
  Derna
  The Mediterranean Sea
  port of the Sahara
  Port
  Shoals of
  Lost Ships
  Neptune’s
  Abyss
  Bazaar Isles
  The Black Reef
  Crete
  Port
  Main
  Port
  10 leagues
  
  HANDOUT 4
  Eleuthera
  The Caribbean Sea
  Atlantic Ocean
  in the Bahamas Islands
  Port
  Princess
  Cay
  Rocky Sound
  Tarpum Bay
  Governor’s
  Harbor
  Hatchet
  Bay
  Main
  Port
  Harbor
  Island
  The
  Bluff
  The Royal
  Islands
  Preacher’s Cave
  Hatchet Bay Caves
  The Devil’s Backbone
  Port
  Port
  1 league
  
  HANDOUT 5
  Messina
  The Mediterranean Sea
  on Most Ancient Sicily
  Port
  Port
  Port
  Main
  Port
  Port
  1 league
  
  HANDOUT 6
  Nassau
  Atlantic Ocean
  The Caribbean Sea
  on New Providence
  Mount
  Pleasant
  Lake
  Killarneyh
  Lake
  Cunning
  Yamacraw
  Beach
  South
  Beach
  Main
  Port
  Balmoral
  Island
  Port
  Port
  Port
  Long Cay
  Hog’s Head Island
  Silver Cay
  Sandfort
  Black
  Beards
  Tower
  Paradise
  Island
  1 league
  
  HANDOUT 7
  Port Royal
  The Caribbean Sea
  The Caribbean Sea
  on Jamaica
  Port
  Port
  Port
  Off island merchant
  vessel gathering reefs
  Main
  Port
  Port
  Native
  highlands
  Traitor’s Jungle
  Devil’s
  Levvy
  Reef
  10 leagues
  
  HANDOUT 8
  Saint Marie
  Indian Ocean
  or the Isla Marie
  Port
  Main Port
  Fort Victory
  Port
  Isle of
  Devils
  Port
  1 league
  
  HANDOUT 9
  Singapore
  Indian Ocean
  The South China Sea
  in the South China Sea
  Port
  Port
  Port
  Southern
  Islands
  Main
  Port
  Johor
  Rivers
  Pulau Ubin
  Island
  1 league
  
  HANDOUT 10
  Tortuga
  The Caribbean Sea
  The Caribbean Sea
  off the Hispaniola
  Port
  Channel
  de la Tortue
  The Middle
  Plantation
  Ringot
  The
  Mountain
  Port de Paix
  Main
  Port
  Cayona
  Inlet
  Port
  1 league
  
  HANDOUT 11
  Venice
  The Mediterranean Sea
  of Eastern Italy
  Port
  Port
  Port
  Port
  Main
  Port
  Old
  Prison
  Main
  Port
  Bazaar
  Port
  Port
  1 league
  
  HANDOUT 12
  Zanzibar
  off the African Coast
  Port
  Port
  Pemba Island
  or the
  Devil’s Skull
  Potter’s
  Hill
  Chumbe
  Island
  Forbidden
  Mountain
  Zanzibar Channel
  30 leagues between islands
  Drowned Skulls Channel
  20 leagues between islands
  Main
  Port
  Skull Island
  Tumbatu
  Island
  Port
  Mafia Island
  or the
  Knife’s Edge
  1 league
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Pirates/Pirates G4 Pirates of the Hellish Havens {NDG2104}.pdf