The Lost Pirate Kingdom on Netflix

 Although I've been focusing my energy on Treasure Hunter Adventures for the Savage Worlds RPG recently, I would be remiss if I didn't mention a show that's scheduled to premiere on Netflix on March 15. This is, after all, the d20 Pirates blog. 

-Nate

Three Flags

In adventures and campaigns that involve sailing ships, flags play an important role. Previous articles have introduced numerous flags flown by the power groups throughout the Sol System; this one presents three that are used widely to convey important messages to all who can see them.

-Nate

White Flag
The flag of truce is a vital part of negotiations that bring conflicts to an end. In theory, any traveler who flies this flag should be granted safe passage to meet with foes; in practice, it is sometimes misused, and at other times not shown the deference that it should command.

Yellow Flag
This ensign is a universal symbol of infectious disease, and is flown by vessels whose crews have succumbed to some kind of pestilence.

Red Flag
Finally, a red flag is flown to convey one message: No quarter shall be asked, nor shall it be given. This guarantees that combat will be bloody, as depicted by the color of the flag.

New Galley Deck Plan for Pathfinder RPG

This post updates a galley deck plan that I drew previously, bringing it into scale with the stat block description from the Pathfinder RPG supplement Ultimate Combat. This type of vessel would be typical along the coastline of the Middle Sea on Homeworld.

-Nate

Odds and Ends

This post includes a miscellany of items and updates.

First is a Pathfinder conversion for a magical item that I originally created for Skull & Bones, the Bloody Banner.

New Magical Item: The Bloody Banner Aura strong conjuration; CL 15th Slot NA; Price NA (not available for sale); Weight 2 lbs. DESCRIPTION This ensign, which once was a flag of truce, has long since been stained into solid if blotchy red with the blood shed by enemy crews slain by those who flew it. Indeed, it has now been fused with bloodlust and gore, creating a source of violence and vigor that fuels those who fly it on their vessels. In game terms, those who serve aboard a vessel flying the bloody banner gain a +2 circumstance bonus to damage, as well as fast healing 1. In order to maintain these benefits, the members of said crew must bathe it once a month in the blood of enemies whom they've slain in battle. DESCRIPTION Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, regeneration; Cost NA (not available for sale)

Next, I've added plot hooks for use with the Sentient Nebula (see link).

Sentient Nebula


Finally, I've added more titles to my reviews of the Spelljammer novels and comics.

Spelljammer Reviews

-Nate

Sound Effects

Props go to That Other Guy, who shared this site in a post over on the RPG.Net forum. Here's a site that has all kinds of nautical sound effects.

"Age of Sail" SoundPad

-Nate

Pirates of the Caribbean Comic #1 Review

Pirate-themed comic books are something of a mixed bag. There are good ones, like the short-live El Cazador series, less thrilling ones such as the overly violent and sexual Rawbone, and eclectic ones like Pirate Eye. I watch out for them, but not with much energy since they're few and far between. That's why I was surprised to hear of a new series based on Pirates of the Caribbean. Some might think of starting a comic based on those four (and soonish to be five) films to be unusual, seeing as many found the last movie or two to be evidence the series is growing long in the tooth. It is, after all, thirteen years since the first film premiered in theaters. I was intrigued, however, and picked up the first issue. Detailed below are what I see as the strengths and weaknesses of the first issue.

Strengths

• It provides a fun blend of action and story development. 
• The plot involves Maroon renegades in Jamaica, an intriguing group of people whom I've included in numerous adventures that I've written for this blog. 
• The dialogue does a good job of capturing the spirit from the movies. When I read it, it sounds like the actors from the films are speaking it. 

Weaknesses 

• Perhaps because of that last strength, the dialogue in some of the panels is rather wordy. Although I'm a guy who loves reading, I don't want to do a lot of it when I'm reading comic books. 
• The story is set between the first and second movie, which means I know that Captain Jack Sparrow can't die. To be fair, though, this is a problem with a lot of movie tie-ins. 

All in all, I enjoyed the first issue; it has an engaging story that could provide fodder for adventures in the Skull & Bones or Pirates of the Spanish Main settings, and that's what matters most to me. We'll see if the second issue matches up to that. 

-Nate

Cape Coast Castle Revisited

For all the Savages out there, this is a link to a short PDF presenting Cape Coast Castle for use with Pirates of the Spanish Main.

Cape Coast Castle

-Nate

The Sampan

Presented here is a deck plan for use with any number of nautically-themed RPGs.

-Nate

The Sampan 

This small boat is a familiar site in the East. It has a relatively flat bottom, and can be propelled with a single sail or oars, or even with poles in shallow water. Given their small size and low profile, sampans are generally used close to land. They are commonly used for fishing as well as for transporting small groups of passengers or amounts of cargo. Sometimes the owner of a sampan erects a small shelter over part of the deck, leading to them being used as floating domiciles in certain areas. In this way the model presented can be used as something of a template for larger vessels or ones that have more elaborate structures built onto them.

The deck plan below is sized so that it can be printed and cut out for use with miniatures or other figures on the tabletop. 

Finally, here's a link to the information above presented as a single PDF. 

Sampan

Corsairs of the Mediterranean

This PDF takes previously published material regarding the corsairs of the Mediterranean Sea and adapts it for use with the Pirates of the Spanish Main RPG.

Corsairs of the Mediterranean

-Nate

People, Places and Plots in Port

This post is the first in a series that will take old d20 material and convert it for use with the Pirates of the Spanish Main RPG, providing locations that pirate player characters are likely to visit while in port. 

-Nate

The Sign of The Fortunate, Tavern and Inn

When it comes to pirate-themed adventures and campaigns, no location is more important than the tavern and inn. After all, it is here that many a sailor has been convinced to take up life on the account, and it is to here that successful scallywags return when they seek to spend the fortunes they've won. 

The Sign of the Fortunate

Refer to the map above for the following location descriptions.

1. Main Room

This broad, open area is filled from wall to wall with tables for guests. Stairs near the front door lead to the rooms on the upper level, while a long bar occupies the wall opposite. Behind the bar, another door leads back into the kitchen.

2. Kitchen

This room boasts tables for preparing food, a broad hearth, barrels of water, wine and ale, along with all of the implements necessary for its purpose.

3. Pantry

The walls of this room are filled with shelves containing all manner of foodstuffs, including sacks of flour and rice, jars of pickled meats, baskets of fresh fruits and vegetables, boxes of spices and the like. There is also a trapdoor in the floor that leads into the cellar in which the rum, wine and ale are stored.

4. Private Rooms

There are two of these areas, where guests can enjoy food and beverages with a little more privacy.

5. Upstairs Hall

The stairs in the front of the main room lead up to a landing, from which hallways lead back to the guest rooms.

6. Guest Rooms

Each of these rooms is furnished with a bed, wardrobe and storage trunk (but no lock). It's a comfortable space, if not a fancy one.

7. Double Rooms

These corner rooms are outfitted much like their smaller counterparts, except that they have two beds in them.

Kenneth Ward, Proprietor

At one time, this fellow aspired to be Captain Ward, and to pursue a career at sea. All of that changed when he undertook the maiden voyage of his ship the Fortunate. It was a disaster. The vessel ran aground on a reef during a storm and was gradually broken apart. Ward managed to escape, clinging to a piece of debris in the water—the piece of the transom that bore the ship's name. Upon returning to Port Royal, he invested his money in a tavern and inn, and used that item as the sign for it.

Kenneth Ward is a friendly, outgoing soul. While he has sworn off of a life at sea for himself, he still delights in hearing of other people's nautical adventures (and misadventures). For those reasons, he is sometimes willing to extend a bit of credit in exchange for a rousing tale.

Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6

Skills: Boating d4, Fighting d4, Knowledge d6, Notice d8, Persuasion d8, Shooting d4, Survival d4

Charisma: --, Pace: 6”, Parry: 4, Toughness: 5

Edges: Rich

Hindrances: Bad Luck

Gear: Clothing; blunderbuss (kept behind the bar)

Wealth: Equivalent of Pillage! (also kept behind the bar)

Typical Patrons—Use the stats for Citizens from page 222 of the core rulebook.

Rough Customers—Use the stats for Pirates from pages 237-8 of the core rulebook.

Pickpocket—While Mr. Ward tries to prevent such ne'er-do-wells from frequenting his establishment, there's always the chance that a pickpocket makes an appearance here; use the stats for Thieves from pages 245-6 of the core rulebook.

Plot Hooks

A few of the many ways in which the Sign of the Fortunate can become involved in adventures and campaigns are suggested below.

• First and foremost, of course, it provides a place for the heroes to meet with contacts before a voyage, as well as to recuperate and celebrate afterward.
• When business picks up here, some of the entertainments include wrestling, knife throwing, carousing and gambling. (See below to find rules for passage, a popular dice game.)
• Since members of various crews frequent this establishment, it could become a place in which to build alliances or to confront enemies.

Two More Reviews

While I've been doing a good deal of writing throughout the spring and summer involving Pirates of the Spanish Main, I've also been running a Pathfinder campaign using Green Ronin's Freeport setting. As part of that, I've made use of several published scenarios to fill in the gaps between The Lost Island, Peril in Freeport and Dark Deeds in Freeport. Here are reviews for two of those adventures.

Anyone who's interested, by the way, could follow my campaign notes over at the Piazza.

Freeport Campaign #4

-Nate


The Golden Banner
When I picked up this scenario, I was admittedly just looking for an adventure to fill up a session or two, and to let the heroes gain some experience. I was familiar with the author's work, especially his Broken Earth campaign setting, which was my introduction to Savage Worlds, so I figured I'd give it a try. It proved even better than I expected.

The premise of the adventure is that a local nobleman--or, more correctly, some of his people--has found an old relic related to a battle involving local churches; now he's trying to decide to which church to give it. That leads to conflict, of course, including a threat to the merchant's safety.

On the one hand, the players moved quickly through the investigation. That's a good thing, I think, because it's hard when investigations take up too much time at the table. That, in turn, led into solid action, first at a fancy dinner gathering and then in an old warehouse. I tailored some things to better fit the Freeport setting, and we had two fun sessions from it.

The Golden Banner


Scourge of the Steaming Isle
This is another of the Pirate Campaign Plug-Ins from Legendary Games. While intended to be used as an interlude in Paizo's Skull & Shackles adventure path, it proved a good fit here.

The premise is that the PCs have earned the enmity of Captain Sculberd Crags, a pirate who has done harm to them through their associates or property. The PCs, then can seek him out in his island lair for some comeuppance. They can come at the situation in a number of ways.

When I ran this one, the PCs came at it from an unexpected direction, leading into a running battle in which they sniped at the pirates and were eventually forced into a big confrontation. We wound up spending three sessions (with about three solid hours of play from each) in order to finish this business. Here again there was solid action, especially in the dark surrounding the pirates' camp and then between both sides' ships. I recommend this scenario, too.

Scourge of the Steaming Isle

Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged

This post wraps up the series of adventures for Pirates of the Spanish Main on which I've been working, ones that combine to form an overarching story.

Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged

-Nate

New Edges, Hindrances and Relics for Pirates of the Spanish Main

While I've been working on some adventures for Pirates of the Spanish Main, I've had some ideas for new edges, hindrances and relics. These are presented below, as a work in progress that I'll update as I can.

-Nate

----------------------------New Edges----------------------------

Heirloom

Requirements: Novice.

You possess some kind of relic that has been passed down through your family from generation to generation. This might be a weapon carried in military service, a religious artifact, or something similar. The player or GM could roll randomly using the tables from pages 205-6 of the core rulebook, or work together to choose an item that is appropriate to the hero's background story.

Note that, while this is most appropriate as a background feat, it might also be taken if the hero in question acquires the item while making a discovery about his or her own family history, or through similar circumstances.

Iron Lungs

Requirements: Novice; Swimming skill d4.

You can hold your breath for longer than normal, a number of seconds equal to ten times your Vigor score, before you begin to suffer the effects of drowning.

Pet

Requirements: Novice.

You have a useful or colorful pet, such as a dog (see page 224 of the core rulebook), horse (page 231), monkey (page 234) or parrot (page 236).

Trained Pet

Requirements: Novice, Pet edge.

Your pet is even more highly trained than normal. Choosing this edge grants the animal the benefits of a raise, either by increasing an attribute or skill, or the benefits of an edge (limited by the approval of the GM, of course).

-------------------------New Hindrances-----------------------

Secret (Minor or Major)

Unlike other hindrances, this one initially provides no particular penalty—mechanical, role playing-based or otherwise. Instead, it gives the GM the opportunity to make up an unknown background for the character in question at the most opportune (or, as the case may be, inopportune) moment.

----------------------------New Relics----------------------------

Apostles ($50): This collection of twelve cartridges provides power and bullet for pistol or musket shots. Additionally, each is inscribed with the name of Christ's apostles: Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, Hames, Thaddeus, Simon and Judas.

In game terms, each of these shots provides a +1 bonus to Shooting and damage rolls—not because of any inherent magical power, but because the user believes they have power. Each is, of course, expended when used.

  

There Is No Honor Among Thieves

This update presents yet another adventure for the Pirates of the Spanish Main RPG, one that builds off of the previous scenarios and leads toward an important and climactic event.

There Is No Honor Among Thieves

-Nate

Birds of a Feather Flock Together

Here's another scenario for Pirates of the Spanish Main; it builds upon the events of previous adventures, but also works well if run independently of them.

Birds of a Feather Flock Together

Additionally, I've update the list of resources for Savage Worlds and Pirates of the Spanish Main (see below).

-Nate

Encounters for Pirates of the Spanish Main

Presented here is a link to a short PDF with encounters for Pirates of the Spanish Main.

PotSM Encounters

-Nate

Idle Hands Do the Devil's Work

Following up on "Not All Who Wander Are Lost" is a short scenario involving a raid on a Spanish pearl fleet.

Idle Hands Do the Devil's Work

-Nate

Not All That Glitters Is Golden

Here's another Dropbox link for a Pirates of the Spanish Main adventure. It continues the series introduced in "All's Fair in Love and War" and "To the Victor Go the Spoils."

Not All That Glitters Is Golden

-Nate

To the Victor Go the Spoils

Here's a Dropbox link to another adventure for use with Pirates of the Spanish Main, but again one that can easily be converted for use with Skull & Bones. This one serves as a sequel to "All's Fair in Love and War."

To the Victor Go the Spoils

-Nate

Resources for Pirates of the Spanish Main

As I mentioned in the last post, I've been playing around with the Pirates of the Spanish Main rules. In doing so, it occurred to me that some of the deck plans I've created for Skull & Bones would work well as rough approximations for PotSM. For that reason, I've assembled a PDF of them.

PotSM Deck Plans

Additionally, I've been impressed by some of the resources that Savage Worlds fans have created. In addition to using them for Pirates of the Spanish Main, they might also be useful for players and GM's of Dungeons & Dragons and Skull & Bones.


Cap'n Greywolf's Bonepile

The Bonepile website has, among other resources, lots of great artwork.


Island Rituals

This supplement presents rules for Vodoun, Savaged by HawaiianBrian.


The Agency Star

This website has a handful of adventures along with other resources.


PotSM on Pinnacle's Website

Downloads on the official website, including templates, one-sheet adventures, maps, character sheets, pre-generated characters, and more


Savage Stuff Blog by Richard Woolcock

Lots of interesting articles, including information about converting d20 material to Savage Worlds.


-
I'll add to this last as I find more resources.

-Nate