Contributing Authors: Buck Johansen, Jason Hawkins, Mike Connan, Jon Cary, Tom Jorgenson, Steve Hess

Development: John Curtis, Todd McGovern

Project Specific Contributions:
Series Editor: John Curtis;
Cover Art: Howard Pyle;
Interior Illustrations: Audrey Connan, Christopher Miller;
secondary use art from Art Explosion 250,000
and Dover Publications (Columbus Discovers America,
Exploration of North America, Historic Sailing Ships,
Old-Fashioned Nautical Illustrations,
Nautical and Seashore Illustrations,
Pirates & Buccaneers, Shipwrecks and Sunken Treasure);
Managing Art Director: Jessica Ney-Grimm;
Art Direction: Jason 0. Hawkins;
Pagemaking: Sherry Robinson;
Content Editor: Coleman Charlton;
ICE Staff:
President: Peter Fenlon; CEO: Bruce Neidlinger;
Managing Editor: Coleman Charlton;
Editing, Development, & Production Staff:
John Curtis, Donald Dennis, Jason Hawkins,
Jessica Ney-Grimm, Craig O' Brien,
Sherry Robinson, Katrina Smith;
Sales, Customer Service, & Operations Staff:
Steve Hardy, Heike Kubasch, THE Howard Huggins.

Copyright 1999 by Iron Crown Enterprises, Inc .... All rights reserved .... No reproductions without author's permission.
Produced and distibuted by IRON CROWN ENTERPRISES, Inc., P.O. Box 1605, Charlottesville, VA 22902
First U.S. Edition I 999 Stock #4011 ISBN 1-55806-372-2
Printed in Canada
 INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the first Run Out the Guns! jour-
nal, All Hands on Deck/
This product has been written with the help of
you, the fan. Thanks your excitement and will-
ingness to share your ideas, we have filled the
pages of this journal with some really cool new
stuff for Run Out the Guns/
Most of the material in this product is very self-
TABLE OF explanatory. You will find new character tem-
plates, new character backgrounds, new ship
CONTENTS templates, a commodities listing, a summary of
the event run at 1998's GenCon (from the per-
Introduction. ................................................................... 2 spective of one of the captains that ran ship
during the show), a poem written by a
Character Template Selection............................. 3 crewmember, an article about clearing for action,
Brethren of the Coast. ............................................... 4 a piece of fiction, and the latest "Brethren of the
Coast" rules for Run Out the Guns/
Ships Ahoy! ..................................................................... 5
Pink .................................................................................... 6
Ketch .................................................................................. 7
Yacht .................................................................................. 8
Fly-boot .............................................................................. 9

The True Tale of the Sea Turtle....................... 10

Exploits of Iron Tom. .............................................. 11

Characters................................................................. 13-22
Fop .................................................................................... 13
Deserter ..... .. . .... . .. . . .. ..... . .. . .... ... . .. .. . .. . .... .. . .. ... ..... ... ........ .... 15
Naturalist .......................................................................... 17
Former Officer ................................................................. 19
Barber-Surgeon ................................................................ 21

Character Backgrounds. .................................. 23-26

Native Son ........................................................................ 23
Stowaway ......................................................................... 24
Prisoner ............................................................................ 25
Coxswain .......................................................................... 26

Clear for Action.......................................................... 21

Fire in the Tops ........................................................... 29
Corazon de Oscuridad............................................ 31
Commodity Pricing. ................................................. 32

ALL HANDS
ON DECK
 CHARACTER
TEMPLATE SELECTION
To prevent things from "bogging" down during initial
character creation, we have discovered that it is much more
useful to simply give the players a list of available character
templates along with a short description of the template
(that way players do not get slowed down by comparing the
"numbers" on the characters).
The following is an example of what a Gamemaster can
do. Note that the new character templates are included in
this list (and this list should take precedence over older lists
if you are using the new templates).
Note: Remember that only one character may be
picked from each group!
SHIP'S MASTERS OR NAVIGATORS
Former Officer (English) - He was the officer on a
warship until he lost his command. His strength lies in his
abilities as a leader and commander.
Master's Mate (Dutch) - He was the mate to a Master
Navigator and is nearly ready to guide a ship on his own.
His strength lies in his abilities at Navigation.
Seasoned Pilot (English) - A helmsman and pilot of
some skill and experience. His strength lies in his abili-
ties at Piloting and Weather-watching.
BOATSWAINS
Bosun's Mate (English) - A master disciplinarian, he
can keep a crew in line with a glance. His strength lies in
his diversity of skills, his awareness, and his discipline.
Quartermaster (French)-An officer ofgreat ability, he
is an asset to any crew. His strength lies in his skill at
Gunnery and his leadership.
PHYSICIANS
Barber-Surgeon (Dutch) - He is a personal surgeon of
skill experience. Don't let the name fool you, this man is
as good a sawbones as you get. His strength is in his
ability at First Aid and Interrogation.
Huguenot Preacher (French)- The name says it all; he
is a Protestant minister of no small amount of zeal. His
strength is in his ability at leadership and lore.
Surgeon's Mate (English) - He is a sawbones of the
traditional type. His strength lies in his skill at Surgery.
CARPENTERS
Carpenter's Mate (French)- He can fix most anything
made from wood; coincidentally, that's what ships are
made from. His strength is in his Carpentry and speed at
making repairs.
Journeyman (Danish) - He is proficient at everything.
His strength is in his diversity of skills.
Shipwright's Apprentice (Dutch) - His father built
ships and he can repair just about anything on one. His
strength is in his ability as a Shipwright.
EXPERIENCED HANDS
Deserter (Irish) - He was once a soldier or a sailor for
nearly every power in Europe. His strength lies in his
ability at subterfuge, Sailing, and soldiery.
Old Salt (Dutch)- His is nearly a Master Mariner and can
fill in nearly anywhere on board a ship. His strength lies
in his great diversity of skills and abilities.
Smuggler (Dutch) - He is every captain's dream and
nightmare; a competent sailor with a need to make
money through subterfuge. His strength lies in his ability
at smuggling and his skill at Sailing.
PURSERS
Bookkeeper (Dutch) - He is a genius with the books and
an even better blackmailer. His strength lies in his skill at
Forgery and Administration.
Steward (English)- He is a fine cook and a good purser's
mate. His strength is his sill with cargo, including Food
Preservation and Foraging.
WARRIORS
Buccaneer (French)- He's a traditional figure on pirate
ships: a buccaneer from Hispaniola. His strength is at
hand-to-hand combat and Tracking.
Duelist (English) - A true gentleman; too bad he is
wanted back in England. His strength is in One-handed
Firearms.
Escaped Slave (Jamaican) - He's fled the plantation and
is now living as a free man and pirate. His strength is in
recruiting and his skill at Brawling.
Fop (French)- He's a master of nothing but being noble
Al.L HANDS
and superior. His strength lies in his ability at arms. ON DECK
 BRETHREN OF THE COAST
EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 1999
Welcome to the Brethren of the Coast! This article will
explain about the nationwide brotherhood of pirates that
you can participate in!
The Brethren of the Coast gather for regular play at
conventions and gamedays throughout the year, raiding
villages and sinking ships across the Caribbean. Only the
boldest of pirates will gain the treasure necessary to retire
in the style that they deserve.
At conventions around the world, Gamemasters can run
using "official" Brethren of the Coast rules for games of
Run Out the Guns.' Listed below are the general guidelines
for all events using Brethren of the Coast rules.
GENERAL RULES
All characters must confonn to the guidelines presented
in Run out the Guns.' and the Brethren of the Coast rules.
All character templates from the Run out the Guns.' boxed
set are allowed for character building, as are all back-
ground packages. In addition, all new templates and back-
grounds (published in a RotG Journal) are valid for use.
Each character can only start with one template and two
backgrounds.
Some backgrounds will be "retired" from service after a
period of usage (for reasons known only to the shadowy
and Machiavellian "governors of the rules"). Those char-
acters created with these backgrounds will still be legal, but
no new characters will be allowed to take this background.
CREATING A CHARACTER
Follow the instructions in the RotG boxed set. Choose
one character template and two background packages.
C haracters start with the equipment listed on those sheets.
You may have up to 100 PoE of personal effects and gear
purchased prior to play (any unspent money is lost). A
character may select one period-appropriate piece of non-
standard equipment (not on the equipment list in the book).
This item may not be a weapon or other piece of damage-
dealing or weapon-related equipment (e.g., a book of
hymns is okay, a book of gunpowder recipes is not).
We strongly encourage all players to build their charac-
ters in groups at a convention or similar event (as opposed
to beforehand). It is the opinion of the all-powerful gover-
nors that the group-building process makes for better (and
more realistic) pirates.
NAMING
All characters in the Brethren of the Coast should have
appropriate (historical-sounding) names. Characters with
silly, distracting, or vulgar names are not appropriate in the
spirit of the Brethren of the Coast rules.
Good Names Bad Names
Pierre LeGrande Tarara Gundiay
Jens von Weert Moonbeam
Black Pete MacArdle Shriveled Johnson
MESSES
If the GM can handle extra characters, a player may have
two "mess members" with his character. Players are re-
sponsible for keeping track of these character's vital stats
(nationality, sailing ability, special skills).
ALLHANDS
ON DECK
SmPS & CARGO
When a ship is captured, the crew decides upon who the
new captain is to be. This can be by any method agreed
upon by the crew and new officers.
The captain of a ship is responsible for keeping track of
his supplies and stores. He must keep a cargo manifest
(although his purser should do the actual bookkeeping). If
you do not have a GM assigned manifest at the beginning
of an event, you are assumed to have the minimum cargo
level as follows:
• 1 ton of extra sail & I ton of lumber
• 1 ton of repair supplies (bosun's stores)
• enough shot for each cannon to be fired IO times
• enough powder for each cannon to be fired 10 times
• enough food/water for the minimum crew size for 10 days
CONDUCT
Some nefarious and treacherous behavior is bound to
occur. Those characters who behave in an honorable fash-
ion will be reputed to be so. Those characters who behave
in a dishonorable fashion will have poor reputations.
It is expected that all players and characters behave in a
civilized manner. This includes following the Customs of
Piracy and Privateering (see below). Those persons not
behaving in an appropriate manner should be exiled from
the Brethren of the Coast event being run.
THE CUSTOMS OF PIRACY AND PRIVATEERING
All ships seized under a Letter of Marque and Reprisal
will be destroyed, disanned, and/or given to a Colonial
Governor as prize for the Crown. No privateer may take a
captured ship as his own unless his previous ship was
destroyed during the taking.
Ships seized by a pirate are traditionally disarmed and
looted. The crews must be left with their ship with food and
water or marooned. Crewmen from the looted ship may be
recruited for the pirate's crew.
If a ship is destroyed by a pirate or privateer, the crew
must be taken on as recruits, prisoners, or be marooned on
an island with fresh water and accessible food.
A ship's captain may challenge another ship's captain to
a duel. Both may option to use a champion for this duel. All
duels are to incapacitation (knocked overboard, severed
sword arm, death, etc.; this does not include critical dam-
age resulting in death). Both parties duelling must agree to
the tenns of the duel and anything may be the prize of a
duel. NPCs must have a reason to duel and something to
gain. Duels may be fought with sword (any edged weapon)
or pistol.
All females are to be treated as ladies. This rule even
extends to PCs. Lady pirates may take on traditionally male
roles and may even opt to fight their own duels although
they are expected to reciprocate this rule and treat all males
as gentlemen.
Pirates in a pirate-haven (Port-Royal, St. Thomas,
Cura~ao, and Tortuga) are expected to aid in the defense of
that place and are expected to defer to the j udgement of
their hosts (the English, Danish, Dutch, and French, re-
spectively) and their rules and laws. Pirates who engage in
treachery against other pirates in a pirate-haven will be
branded as traitors to the Brethren.
 SHIPS AHOY!
During the seventeenth century, the number of sailing
vessels increased, as the profitability of maritime com-
merce was demonstrated. Nothing personifies Dutch suc-
cess more than the Flute. This viceless ship, could carry
more cargo, with fewer crewmen, than other types of
merchant ships. It was quick and easy to build. Many
variations of its hull were produced and it was copied in
other countries. In 1636 the Dutch estimated the number of
merchant ships they possessed to be 1750, more than half
of them Flutes. This does not even include the six hundred
fishing boats that fished the North Sea. Clearly, the Dutch
were leading the world into a new era of trade.
It is difficult to estimate the number of ships coming and
going from European ports in the period. It is even more
difficult to know the numbers in the Caribbean. The ships
that we have provided in ROTG, only just begin to express
an authentic feel. Here are four new ships to add flavor to
your prize list. The Pink, Ketch, and the Fly-boot are
smaller versions of other vessels. The Yacht is provided as
a unique and rare vessel that might be owned by a Gover-
nor, perhaps of Cura9ao.
Pink (200 tons) - As Flutes became more common and
their sizes began to vary greatly, the English became
fond of a smaller type of Flute. This vessel they called a
Pink. It was even easier to build, could use cheaper
materials and smaller shipyards could make it.
The Dutch also used many Pinks in their various
concerns. They were common among all nations of
Europe. The Pink could be used as an intermediate
freight carrier, collecting small cargoes to fill the larger
ships holds. It could even make an Atlantic crossing. We
will use the tenn Pink to mean a small flute of any nation.
When rolling for a ship encounter, fifty percent of all
Flutes will be considered Pinks.
Average Measurements: Length 82' Beam 20' Laden
Draft 11'
Ketch (100 tons) - The name Ketch comes from the term
Ketch-rigged. This type of cargo ship was well built, and
had only two masts. The absence of a foremast left room
on the foredeck for larger cargoes. Mounds of fish, or
livestock could thus be stored there.
These small well-built vessels often ended up as naval
auxiliaries. These ships, along with Hoeckers, consti-
tuted one of the types of vessels that came to be called
Brigs, later in the century.
When rolling for a ship encounter, fifty percent of all
Hoeckers will be considered Ketches.
Average Measurements: Length 65' Beam 18' Laden
Draft 9'
Fly-boot (180 tons) - A Fly-boot is a small Pinnance.
Such ships were priority transports, scout vessels and
prime privateers. They would often race off with impor-
tant news or transport important people to critical loca-
tions, making very good time. However, they carried a
full ship-rig and needed a larger crew than was normal
for a ship of their size. When crewed as a warship, this
was never a problem. The tenn F ly-boot could mean a
smaller vessel, but for our purposes it will represent a
small Pinnance, and unlike a larger well-armed Pinnance
would never be called a "Frigate."
When rolling for a ship encounter, fifty percent of all
Pinnances will be considered Fly-boots.
Average Measurements: Length 78' Beam I 9' Laden
Draft 8'
Yacht (60 tons) - The Yacht had been common in
Holland for many years before it was adopted in other
countries. Yachts were very fast sailors, especially when
beating, which is a very difficult point of sailing for
square-rigged ships. They were less suitable for carrying
goods. Yet many more were used for commercial tasks
than mere pleasure. Still, a fare number were for recre-
ation only. It did not take long before a few were snapped
up during a war between the Dutch and English. The
English realized their military potential, and others were
ordered. The Yacht provided here would be a perfect
sample of the type owned by a Dutch governor or rich
Frenchman.
Yachts do not appear on the encounter list, due to their
rarity.
Average Measurements: Length 46' Beam 16' Laden
Draft 6'
1\1.L ~!ANDS
ON DECK
 Pink (200 tons) Ship Name: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Best Speed in a 1.0 Wind • : When running before the wind, the
Beating (BT) ; 3.0 knots foresails are blocked by the main sails.
Reaching (RE) ; 6.0 knots
Running (RU) ; 5.4 knots
Rowing (RW): must be towed by its boats
Towing (TW): launch may tow at 1.5 knots

General Movement Information

Sailing speed constant : 6.0 knots

Defensive Bonus
15

Rigging Hits
220

BT RE RU
10 20 25' BT RE RU
10 20 25'

BT RE RU
0 10 5

Ship's Complement
(Merchant/Warship)
Maximum Crew: 180/180
Minimum Crew : 20/40
Average Crew: 17120 Other Notes Steerage : +30
Note that maximum includes passengers Hull Hits
Flotation Hits
L$:'ra,,,a:11FJ.U,~
~ 250 ~~ 250
Ship's Boats (see equipment list for details) Shot Locker Random Armaments
16-man/8 oar skiff (not rigged) Musket/Pistol Shot (15 shots weigh I lb. and Merchant Cannons: dlO, 3 lbs. (75%) or6 lbs(25%);
d6-2 (Swivel guns)
rowing speed of 6.0 knots consume I pound of powder) Warship Cannons: d6+4, 3 lbs. (50%) or 6 lbs (50%);
6-man/4 oar jollyboat (not rigged) 3 lbs. d6 (Swivel guns)
rowing speed of 4.0 knots _ _ 61bs. Bow or stem chasers cannot be heavier than 3 lbs.
9 lbs.
Number of Guns (and Placement)
Bow

Ship's Anchors (anchoring modifier: +10)
This ship has a capstan
One 20-man standard bower anchors secured at
the bow ( +20; 1500 lbs.)
Three I 0-man stream/kedge anchors for
light aochoriog (+10; 500 lbs. ) ~
Powder Magazine
The weight of the ammunition equals the
amount of powder used to fire the gun. For
example, a 6-pound cannon uses 6 pounds of
- - ••~• SG
powder for each shot it fires.

Ship's Hold
Maximum cargo space 120 tons.
Ship's Pumps Ship is "Laden" when carrying more
(Undamaged Leaking Rate 1 Flotation/ Hour) than 60 tons (suffers a -20
One 4-man chain pumps steerage and -1.0 knot to its best
(4 flotation/minute) speed).
One 2-man suction pump A quarter-cask holds I 00 lbs.
(2 flotation//minute) A cask or bale holds 400 lbs.
At least sixteen I-man buckets 5 casks or bales weigh I ton (2000 lbs.)
(I flotation/8 minutes)
Stern
 0
J
,/.

Ketch (100 tons) Ship Name: :_ _ _ _ _ __

Best Speed in a 1.0 Wind

Beating (BT) : 3.5 knots
Reaching (RE): 7.0 knots • : Triangular mizzen sail blocks
Running (RU) : 5.6 knots the main sail when running.
Rowing (RW): 1.5 knots (with 12 oars)
Towing (TW): 24 man/ 12 oar launch may tow at
1.5 knot (two boats at 2.5 knots)

General Movement Information

Sailing speed constant : 7.0 knots

Defensive Bonus BT RE RU
15 10 25 30

BT RE RU
Steerage : +45
10 25 30·

Ship's Complement
(Merchant/Warship)
Maximum Crew: 80/1 00
Average Crew: 30/50
Minimum Crew: 20/30
Other Notes
Nole thal maximum includes passengers Flotation Hits Hull Hits
~ 125 125
Ship's Boats (see equipment list for details) Shot Locker Random Armaments
16-man/8-oar skiff(not rigged) Musket/Pistol Shot ( 15 shots weigh I lb. and Merchant Cannons: d6, (3 lbs):
rowing speed of 6.0 knots consume I pound of powder) Warship Cannons: d6, 3 lbs (75%) or 6 lbs (25%);
d6-2 (Swivel guns)
6-man/4-oar jollyboat (not rigged) 3 lbs.
Bow chaser cannot be heavier than 3 lbs.
rowing speed of 4.0 knots 6 lbs.
9 lbs.

Ship's Anchors (anchoring modifier: +25) Powder Magazine

The weight of the ammunition equals the
This ship has a capstan
amount of powder used to fire the gun. For
Two I 0-man standard bower anchors secured at
example, a 6-pound cannon uses 6 pounds of
the bow (+ I 0; 500 lbs.)
powder for each shot it fires.
Two 4-man kedge anchors for light
m choriog (+O ,.,~m: 250 l b , ~

Ship's Hold
Ship's Pumps Maximum cargo space 60 tons.
(Undamaged Leaking Rate I F1otation/ Hour) Ship is "Laden" when carrying
Two 4-man suction pumps

r
more than 50 tons (suffers a -20 • · · ·· -~ ,
(4 flotation/minute) steerage and - 1.0 knot to its best • · · ·
One I-man portable suction pump speed). -
~ .
(I flotation/minute) A quarter-cask holds 100 lbs.
At least sixteen I-man buckets A cask or bale holds 400 lbs.
(I flotation/4 minutes) 5 casks or bales weigh I ton (2000 lbs).
Stem
 t"
Yacht (60 tons) Ship Name: _ _ _ _ __ J

Best Speed in a 1.0 Wind

Beating CBn : 5.0 knots
Reaching (RE) : I 0.0 knots
Running (RU) : 7.0 knots
Rowing (RW) : 3.0 knots (with 8 oars)
Towing (TW): launch may tow at 3.0 knots

General Movement Information

Sailing speed constant: 10.0 knots

Defensive Bonus
20

Ship's Complement (Merchant/Warship) Steerage : +SO

Maximum Crew: 30/30
Average Crew: 12/20
Minimum Crew: 6/6
Note that maximum includes passengers
Flotation Hits Other Notes Hull Hits
nYd'h.·~~
80 ~ 80

Ship's Boats (see equipment list for details) Shot Locker Random Armaments
No boat is normally carried. A skiff is the Musket/Pistol Shot (15 shots weigh I lb. and Merchant: No armaments
maximum size boat that could be carried. consume I pound of powder) Warship: d6 3 lbs (75%) or Swivel guns (25%)
3 lbs.
6 lbs.

Number of Guns (and Placement)

Bow
Ship's Anchors (anchoring modifier: +O) ,/ :'."~. SG SG
This ship has no capstan* Powder Magazine
One IO-man standard bower anchors secured at The weight of the ammunition equals the
the bow (+IO; 500lbs) ~ amount of powder used to fire the gun. For
One 2-man second bower anchors example, a 6-pound cannon uses 6 pounds of
secured at the bow (-10; 150 lbs) · powder for each shot it fires.
One I-man stream/kedge anchors SG '"'"" · •-• SG
for light anchoring (-20; 50lbs)
* Needs twice the normal to raise their
anchors.
Ji:!
:i:
Ship's Hold
Maximum cargo space 30 tons.
Ship's Pumps Ship is "Laden" when carrying more than 20
(Undamaged Leaking tons (suffers a -20 steerage and -2.0 knots to its
Rate 1 Flotation/2 Hours) best speed).
One 2-man suction pump A quarter-cask holds 100 lbs.
(2 flotation/minute)
A cask or bale holds 400 lbs.
At least four I-man 5 casks or bales weigh I ton
buckets (I flotation/4 (2000 lbs).
Minutes)

Stem
Fly-boot (180 tons) Ship Name: _ _ _ _ __
Best Speed in a 1.0 Wind
Beating (BT) : 3.2 knots
Reaching (RE) : 8.0 knots
Running (RU): 5.6 knots
Rowing (RW) : must be towed by its boats
Towing (TW): 24 man/12 oar launch may tow
at I.S knot (two boats at 2.S knots)

General Movement Information • : When running before the wind, the

Sailing speed constant : 8.0 knots foresails are blocked by the main sails.

Defensive Bonus
10

Steerage Bonus
10

Steerage : +40
Ship's Complement (Merchant/Warship)
Maximum Crew: 160/180
Average Crew: 70/120
Minimum Crew: 40/50
Note that maximum includes passengers Flotation Hits Other Notes Hull Hits
200 LSY~·~-i~
~i:.,
200 ~ • I ~ -....--·
Random Armam<nls
Ship's Boats Shot Locker
Merchant Cannons: d6+2. 6 lbs. (25%) or 3 lbs. (75%):
24-man/12-oar launch (lateen rigged) Musket/Pistol Shot (IS shots weigh I lb. and d6 (Swivel guns)
rowing speed of 6.0 knots consume I pound of powder) Warship Cannons: dl0+2, 3 lbs. (25%) or6 lbs. (75%);
6-man/4-oar jollyboat (not rigged) _ _ 31bs. d6, 3 lbs.: d6 (Swivel guns)
rowing speed of 4.0 knots 6 lbs. Bow and stem chasers cannot be heavier than 3 lbs.
_ _ 9lbs.

Ship's Anchors (anchoring modifier: +O) Powder Magazine

This ship has a capstan
One 20-man emergency sheet anchor stored
below-decks (+20; 1,500 lbs)
Two 20-man standard bower anchors secured at
the bow (+20; 1,500 lbs)
Two 10-man stream/kedge anchors; ~
hghtaachori,g (+ JO, 500 lbs) ~
Ship's Pumps
(Undamaged Leaking Rate 2 Flotation/Hour)
One 8-man chain pumps
(8 flotation/minute)
The weight of the ammunition equals the
amount of powder used to fire the gun. For
example, a 6-pound cannon uses 6 pounds of
·powder for each shot it fires.
Ship 's Hold
Maximum cargo space 80 tons.
Ship is "Laden" when carrying more than 60
tons (suffers a -20 steerage and
-1.0 knot to its best speed).
A quarter-cask holds I 00 lbs.

•
Two 4-man suction pumps '
A cask or bale holds 400 lbs.
(4 flotation/minute)
S casks or bales weigh I ton
One 2-man suction pump (stored
(2000 lbs).
below-decks) (2 flotation/minute)
At least sixteen I-man buckets (I
flotation /8 minutes)
Stem
 THE TRUE TALE
OF THE SEA TURTLE
Oh, we are men of salt and blood
And laugh at Death, a true man's mate;
Sea Turtle was a glorious ship
Who ran a'reaching to her fate.
The Viceroy, a much larger craft,
Held twice our crew and bigger guns;
The Turtle flew more cloth of heart:
We two sailed forth for Spanish fun.
We caught three heavy merchant ships
And in closing found their might:
A massive Spanish ship-of-war
Turned 'round to offer up a fight.
Our Bosun, Mssr. Jean Theriault,
Near cracked his lungs of tempered steel
In calling the Viceroy to the fray,
But, dog she was, she gnawed our heel.
The winds were fair, the sun shone bright,
Without a fear we crewed the Turtle;
Who knew his hands would ne'er cease their hold?
He steered us well, did Mr. Purple.
The slave no more, our brave Zapata,
Ran out our guns with lethal aim;
We took their best, then gave them worse:
Let no pike end our Balli's fame.
The Spanish guns must needs reload:
In safety did the Viceroy take a tum.
To small effect, with musket fire,
Did our partner spray the Spanish stern.
How great a task chose Mr. Black:
The purser thought, nay, somehow knew
To man the pumps throughout the fight,
For the blows we took were not a few.
. /J
ALI. !-!ANDS
ON DECK
The Spanish could not know our heart,
For as we chased the pinnace down
We matched their course and did not yield
And rammed them, then did pikes abound!
With shouts and grappling hooks held fast,
Brave Patty and his crew attacked:
Outnumbered five to one they charged
And drove the Spanish cowards back!
Our officers were not restrained:
They led their men with deeds, not words
The surgeon, Mr. Jack, fought there,
His fury echoed by his bird.
Throughout it all shone Captain Crack,
No equal on the sea will ere be found:
Though Spanish steel struck mortal blows
His final shot brought their colors down.
The victory assured, John Crachet slumped
Onto the Spanish deck, but would not fall:
The Viceroy we had not seen nor heard
But now with treachery had come to call.
The French captain from our partner ship
Walked proud, but could not meet our eyes-
He tried his claim, but was laughed down:
All knew the pinnace was our prize!
For we are men of salt and blood,
And laugh at Death, a man's true mate.
Sea Turtle was a glorious ship
Who ran a 'reaching to her fate.
-Billy Butler, Able Seaman, Surgeon's Mess
 EXPLOITS OF IRO N TOM
A GLIMPSE OF THE GENCO N EVENT
BY TOM JORGENSON
Editor's Note: This is a narrative description ofthe
event that was run at GenCon '98. Tom Jorgenson
was the captain ofone ofthe vessles that panicipated
in the event. It was great fun for all!
Destroyed by a devastating earthquake in 1692, Port
Royal has recently become a subject of intense interest to
a nurnberofhis torians and archeologists. Excavation of the
portion of the city that sank vertically into the harbor began
~n 198 I, and continues to this day. The excerpt printed here
1s taken from a journal discovered during an underwater
dig that focused on Lime Street near its intersection with
Queen and High Streets near the center of the town.
The journal in question was discovered in the remains of
a ship that destroyed a building on Lime street at the time
of the cataclysm. Attributed to a former British naval
officer turned buccaneer named Torn Irons, it is an interest-
ing account of the life of a pirate in the mid-to-late 17th
century.
Due to the delicate condition of the journal, recovery of
the text is a slow and labor-intensiv e project. The excerpt
printed here is a short one-we will publish more of the text
as our document recovery team makes it available to us.
We took a hoeker yesterday, and it reminded me of my
start in the Brethren of the Coast. You could tell the captain
wanted to fight for his ship, but he was far outgunned by the
Red Letter2. Fourteen guns is never a match for thirty, no
matter what lies I tell when I'm drunk. I offered him a place
among my junior officers, and made him a gun captain in
the waist. We'll see how well he works out.
I remember the first Red Letter, all those years ago. I had
been cashiered over the loss of the Hennes as a result of
those damned charts and a corrupt purser who turned on me
at court. I was stuck on Hispaniola, for God's sake, in Port
Au Prince, looking for a berth. I found it on a shoddily
maintained merchant called the Barter. Ha!! The Death-
trap would have been a better name. I should have known
that any ship taking on so many new crewmen (they took
7 others besides myself) would be a problem.
The captain was a twig of a man, obsessed with building
models of ships of the line. His cannons were completely
neglected, touch holes painted shut. Lots of powder in the
magazine, but all of it spoiled. No one on board could
remember the guns ever being fired! How he ever managed
to involve himself in a grudge with a pinnance like the
Bucket O ' Blood I will never comprehend. Nor how he
managed to stay alive so long after doing so is even more
astonishing. No matter, he was dead two days after I came
aboard, the stupid fool.
Not that I killed him, mind you! I've killed a lot of men
in my day, but not that one. That honor rests entirely with
the Arawak savage the Bucket picked up on some God-
forsaken island. Killed the captain and all the officers in a
single stroke, excepting the two lieutenants on watch that
night. Poison it was!! Some horrible concoction of frogs
and native berries, no doubt. Poured it into the grog served
at the captain's table, we later found out.
So, there I was. Stuck in Port Au Prince with no officers
and a completely spooked crew. Seizing the day, I took
over and promoted new officers from among the rogues
that had come aboard with me. I explained to the two
s~rviving lieutenants that I was in charge. Angus was a
giant Scotsman with hair as red as flame-fough t with
◊'Malley a daily basis. Pearson was a fop-always show-
ing offhis hankerchiefand good manners. The ladies loved
him, but he's been dead all these years, and old Iron Tom
is still chasing girls while he's pushin up daisies.
I told them they could jump ship as soon as we got to Port
Royal, if they were interested. Both of them agreed to
reserve judgement for a couple of weeks, and damned if
they didn't serve me until their deaths. God, I miss those
lads tonite. Ifl'd had more like them, I'd be running a fleet
of pinnances instead of just the Letter.
Well, no point crying about spilt milk, as they say. With
my motley crew of bastards, we were quite the sight to
behold: Pierre, the French winemaker who could sail rings
around even the best British sailors. Monju, the Jamaican
slave who found escapees in every port we visited-I don't
think there was a plantation owner in Jamaica who didn' t
curse my name. Stefan, our surgeon- he was much better
at taking men apart with a musket than he was at sewing
them back together. Iceberg Bob-a man whose ship sank
after striking a mountain of ice off the coast of Antigua.
O' Malley, my drunken bos'n. He never did manage to take
Angus in a fight.
We ranged all over the Lesser Antilles, down to Curacao
and out to Barbados. We even ran a load of cannon shot all
the way over to Belize, in New Spain, if you can believe it.
Every now and again we'd tangle with the bloody Bucket
and have to run away again. It wasn't so much that she
outgunned us (she never had more than 20, even if lhey
were 9 pounders), but that damned ship was always full to
the scuppers of boarders, and we were always short-handed
in those days. It galled me fiercely, but I bided my time.
. On our way back from Belize, we discovered the prof-
1ta_ble aspects of rescuing Spanish nobles from their leaky
ships. Ofcourse the holes in their ships are about the same
size as my 6 lb. shot, but who worries about these things?
That was when I first met Diego De La Rosa, the son of
some high counselor to the treasury back in Old Spain.
The De La Rosas were trying to establish some new
convent in the vicinity of Merida, without telling the Pope
about it. We decided that circumventin g the Pope was an
unhealthy thing for filthy Papists to be about, so we forced
Diego and his priests to tell us where it was. We sacked the
church, and the new converts got a little restless. We fought
them all the way back to the ship, but the savages lost heart
when ◊'Malley started feeding them grapeshot.
We returned to Port Royal richer than we left it-
Spaniard churches are always full of gold. We ransomed
the brat Diego off to his father, who prompt Iy put a price on
our heads. We only asked 500 pieces of eight for the boy,
but he offered 2000 for our heads after his son was safely
returned. It shows that you can' t trust the Papists to do
anything right.
ALI. HANDS
ON DECK
 il --
~~fll!il~~~~~ ~~~~ ~1111;1~~-~':-!~~
·}~~-~-~-~--~ -~
The crew of the Kraken tried to collect on it, more than
once, and found out that Iron Tom isn't one to be trifled
with. They had more guns lhan we did, but Pierre and I
showed them a trick or two. We were getting ready to
finally decide once and for all who was to be Davie Jones'
loblolly boy, when the Bucket came barreling down out of
nowhere towards us. We made peace with Waller and his
boys in order to deal with the Bucket. Waller had taken a
page from the Bucket's book, and his hold was crammed
with boarders. Thank God we hadn' t tried to dance wilh
her- that would have been the end of Iron Tom 's
privateering.
We took the Bucket from eilher side, after having raked
her pretty hard-between us and the Kraken, we actually
outgunned her. I was using grapeshot back in those days,
especially with so many men aboard her, and the decks
were red with blood before we fini shed. Then we tied up on
her stern while the Kraken tied up on her port bow. We all
swanned aboard and tried to meet in the middle. The
Bucket put up a valiant fight, but her crew lost heart
quickly. After !hey surrendered, I sent Monroe (my sur-
geon at the time) over to save Waller's despicable life. That
treacherous dog!! While Monroe was working, we discov-
ered why the Buckets lost heart so quickly.
Their captain was apparently mad-he was still carrying
a grudge against us, even though he had killed all of the old
officers and had changed the name of the ship. He was
mortally wounded in the crossfire, and went below decks
to set lhe ship on fire. We discovered lhe fires when we
went below decks to check the magazines, and we aban-
doned her quicker than rats on a sinking flute.
As we departed, Waller showed his true colors-his
crew had loaded !heir guns with shot and cartridge after
their last volley against the Bucket. Thus they only needed
to prime and fire, while we still were sorting out the dead
from lhe mostly dead- half my Lettersjoined Davie Jones'
ranks that day. All this after we saved his God-forsaken
life! I've never sent a surgeon to help another ship ever
again. He called out for our surrender, but we sailed away
from him, once again proving Pierre's pre-eminence in the
cockpit.
Ha!! You should have seen the look on his face as we
pulled away. Waller was so angry he personally doubled
the price on my head to 4000 pieces of eight. Of course, he
never collected, or else I wouldn' t be sitting here drinking
my grog and wasting the night away with this book.
Later that year, Morgan called us all together to raid the
plate fleet. He had sacked Cartagena earlier, and the
Spaniards were trying to get what was left of the fleet out
early. Morgan wanted to damage the Spanish treasury as
much as he could, so he hatched this plan. It stirred my
heart to sail into Port Royal and see so many of my fellow
cutthroats tied up: the Mary Ann, La Santidad, the Scarlet
Rogue, the Conqueror, and scores of others.
Iron Tom was 1he life of the party !hat day! We had
recaptured Diego (the stupid little brat had come chasing us
with a ship of his own) and I gave him to Morgan as a gift.
He favored me with 4 nine pounders and a magazine full of
AI.I.HAN DS
ON D1,CK
;
Red Letter, and paired us up with the Bloody Sickle, or
Scythe or some such. The Bloody Fann Tools, we called
1hem. O'Malley and I were convinced lha1 !hey were
mad-1he whole crew was constanlly vaporing, in addition
to their archers. Archers!! They had an entire squad of
cannibals wilh bows! They shot flaming arrows at other
ships while lhe rest of us relied on cannon.
After provisioning, we set out to find lhe plate fleet.
Morgan's plan was for teams of ships to set upon the plate
fleet vessels while !hey were slrung out across the Florida
Straits. We came upon lhe Barto with only two small
escorts. We sank one, crippled the other and set upon our
prey.
It was a terrible battle-the cannon fire was deafening.
She carried at least 30cannon, all nine pounders and above,
to our combined 28 She had as many cannon on one
broadside as the Red Letter carried on both. With such
tremendous ly high decks, we couldn't affect their crews
with grape, so we exchanged one volley of regular shot
with them. Fortunately, their crews were not as good as
mine and we suffered only minor damage, but it was only
a matter of time. We then decided to set upon her from her
stem, trying to avoid those terrible hails of iron.
Pierre tied us up to her stern, and we all swarmed aboard.
The Spaniards were dropping cannonballs on us as we
scampered up her stern, killing men all around. There was
smoke and powder everywhere, men screaming and dying
in every way possible.
I was in lhe forefront, with all my Letters following up
behind. The Scythes were right behind us, and we brought
250 ravening buccaneers to the fight. My luck held again,
and I was uninjured. O'Malley got himself shot in the arse,
but otherwise my officers were unharmed.
It was touch and go for some time, but we finally beat the
Spaniards into submission. All their officers died in the
melee, which is why the bastards gave up. With other
escorts bearing down upon us, we began looking to recover
some of that hard-earned Spanish gold. Just like the Bucket
though, I went below decks and found a ship awash in
flames. They had sent all their crews above decks to fight
the boarding action, and left no-one to handle fires or
flooding.
We recovered as much gold as we could, and then
clambered back down to our ships. We laid on a full press
ofsail back towards Jamaica, trying to put as much distance
between us and the Barto as we could. After we got a
quarter mile or so, a terrible roar filled the air and the whole
ship went s1raigh1 to Hell as her magazines blew. I watched
in horror as that huge ship torn i1self into pieces no bigger
than a man's hand. It still gives me a shudder to think of it,
even after all these years.
Each of my officers took 1500 pieces ofeight that day for
his share, and my purse was certainly heavier than it had
been in many days. We had some wild times in Port Royal
that season. But those stories are for another day. The night
is almost gone, and I need some sleep.
 Fop Character Name
Nationality: French Player Name:

Background Packages
#1: .......................................... .
#2: .......................................... . Stats
t----------------1 Stat Score Bonus
Appearance Information [Ag] Agility: ................
94 ......... +7
Appearance: ........ 86 [Co] Constitution: .......
83 ......... +3
Sex:......................... Age: .............. . [Me) Memory: .............
91 ......... +5
Height:.................... Weight: .......... [Re) Reasoning: ...........
77 ......... +2
Hair: ....................... Eyes: ............. . [SD] Self Discipline: ...
62 ......... +2
Resistance Rolls [Em] Empalhy: ............ 78 ......... +2
[In] Intuition: ............... 96 ......... +8
Poison/Disease:
.,_______ .. +8
_Fear:
_ _.........
_ _ +6
__. [Pr) Presence: .............. 84 ......... +I
[Qu] Quickness: .......... 78 ......... +2
Concussion Hits: ...............
[St] Strength: ............... 94 ......... +9
0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0
0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0
Concussion Hit Recovery
0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0
per Active Watch (4 hours): ........ I
0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0
per Resting Watch (4 hours): ...... I
per Sleeping Watch (4 hours): ..... 3

Base Defensive Bonus: ............... +6

Background Information
GENERAL INFORMATION
France is a large and well-populaled nation, rising to dominate European politics.
The tone of European politics, however, is set by the Catholic Church. Currently. to
be dominant in politics, continental nations must not tolerate Protestants. Religious
unrest has sent French Huguenot colonists (Protestants) to many parts of the Carib-
bean. As a result of this, the French have thriving colonies on the western third of1he
island of Hispaniola.
In the Eastern Caribbean, Martinique and Guadeloupe are two bastions of French
power (founded by the king of France). Settlements on St. Christopher are thriving but
the English dominate that island, calling it St. Kitts. The English also control St.
Christopher's sister island, Nevis.
The French are credited for being the first "buccaneers." Many of the later settlers
of Hispaniola were French. These wildmen lived by hunting herds of wild pig and by
eating sugar and bananas. Occasional raids on the Spanish settlements supplemented
this with grains and domesticated meats.
The Frenchmen were a scattered folk until the Spanish decided to kill all the wild
game on Hispaniola in an attempt to starve the buccaneers out. However, this plan
backfired. The buccaneers gathered on the island ofTortuga(north of Hispaniola. near
the western end of the island). From there, they began a pirating campaign that brought
many of the nearby Spanish colonies to their knees. Only the strongest cities of New
Spain could stand against the buccaneers.
YOUR BACKGROUND
Your roots lie not in the Huguenot peasantry, but in the nobility. You father was a
nobleman who aided your fellow Huguenots in colonizing the New World. You lived
a life of luxury in the palaces of Marseilles. Your father's wealth allowed for your
family to have servants and live as noblemen should.
The Catholics then proceeded to ruin everything. It was only a matter of time before
you were forced to kill a few of them. Really, it was they who had crossed the Rubicon.
You were only defending the honor of your family, faith, and self. If the papists had a
problem with your beliefs, they should have been gentlemen about it. Instead, they
decided to call you names, shouting words like 'heretic,' and ' Pro1es1an1.' The foul•
humored devils even threatened to take your family to their Inquisition. Imagine the gall,
Frenchmen threatening to take you to Spanish mongrels. Imagine the horror ofexisting
beside them without a scented kerchief to fend off the the assault of their odor. Your
fat.her ordered the servantry to pack what valuable artifacts they could carry into shabby
valises and the lot of you left on a ship for Hispaniola. Your humors are still imbalanced
from traveling with the help.
The water on the voyage was intolerable. Murky, reeking of foreign oils and odd sea
creatures; with an odd green tint, making it smoolh to the touch. Your efforts to subsist
on drinking wine alone failed; your humors have not recovered since.
Your poor father never made it to Hispaniola. He was close to God and dying when you
reached Bennuda and there he drew his last breaths. With the aid of pious English
Protestants, you buried your dear father and debated the course of your tortured life.
Your father had willed the heirlooms that the servants were carrying to those same folk
(as was proper for a nobleman to do). But this left you li1tle to live on. Your father's wealth
depleted, you wen: forced with a difficult task: a task that would try your immortal soul;
a task thal was against your very nature; a task that would detennine your fate in the New
World. You must find some means of employment.
~ork was not an activity to which you were accustomed and admittedly yourwork-
e1h1c was weak at best. Planters, craftsmen. and merchants in the Caribbean were
looking for experienced workers, men with experience, skill, or a trade. You found
yourself with only one option: to return to 1he sea as a sailor.
Everyday at sea, your life was a trial. The men were surly and malodorous, the
accommodations cramped, and the food tainted. Your attempts at civilizing the crew
were ill-received and usually resulted in the Boatswain pulling the cat-of-nine-tails out
of its bag and flogging you. Flogging, as you were to find out. is a common fonn of
discipline on a ship. You, however. were unconvinced and found others who had been
singled out to be beaten amongst the crew. Together, you staged a most righteous coup
over the captain. in protest of his beatings (you had learned from your co.conspirators
1hat the captain had ordered the boatswain to flog you). You personally subdued the
captain in a duel.
The captain and officers claimed that your lot were mutineers but you knew that you
were amongst the just. You now had the ability to decide the fate of the new ship. as the
new officers counted you amongst their number. After a discussion with your new
crew mates, they revealed 10 you that they were members of a group called the Brethren of
the Coast, who sailed the seas raiding the ships of the Spanish. This had appeal for you. as
it gave you two things that appealed to you: money and revenge.
After many months with 1he pirates, the crew decided to retire their ship. In a solemn
ceremony(ofnosmallreligioussignificancc1oyou),youragingshipwasburned. You took
your share of the spoils and went to live amongst your counLrymen on the island of St.
Christopher (which the English rule under the name ofSt. Kitts). You lived in a fashion to
which you were accustomed for several seasons. But now the spoils of your revenge arc
gone and you can feel the pull of the sea.
You only hope that your already ovenaxed constitution can abide the repellent odor
of the common man again.
 Ranks Bonus Total
Fop .._. 1-H Edged ............ 3 __ ...... +55 - - ··· - -
j 1-H Firearm ......... 3 ······ +53 -- --
Special Abilities S 2-H Firearm ......... 3 _ ...... +53 __ ... _ _
• You can rationalize just about any act of kindness or 8 2-Handed ............. 0 ...... +10 -- --
unkindness and make it sound moderately reasonable Ambush ................ 2 ······+37 -- --
to the peasants around you. This is a useful skill to Boxing ................. 3 _ ...... +40 _ ... _ _
have when dealing with ordinary seamen. Brawling .............. 0 __ ...... +18 __ ... _ _
Cannon ................. 0 __ ...... +32 __ ... _ _
• With a perfumed kerchief, you may fend off any foul
odor or smell, allowing you to gaze upon scenes of Disarm Foe .......... 1 ...... +38 -- --
Polearm ................ I ······+45 _ --
death and suffering with no ill effect. Languages
Thrown ................ I _ ...... +43 _ ... _ _
• You have the skill and talent of ridicule. By insulting Spanish, spoken ... 2
another, you may reduce his ability to think straight, Spanish, written ... 2
..... Athletic Games .... 3 __ ...... +34 __ ... _ _ Danish, spoken .... 1
impairing his skills. If you spent three rounds 'ridicul- C Carousing ............. 4 ...... +27 __ _ __ Danish, written .... 0
ing' someone, you may reduce one of his skill's bonus
(your choice) by 30 as long as you continue to con-
e
~
Drinking ............... I ...... +12 _ _ __ Latin, spoken ....... 0
C Flora/FaunaLore.4 __ ...... +32 __ ... _ _ Latin, written ....... 0
stantly ridicule him. ~ Gambling ............. 0 ....... +9 __ _ _ French, spoken ..... 7
~ Hunt/Track ......... I __ ...... +20 __ ... _ _ French, written ..... 7
IN ANY FRENCH PORT ON HISPANIOLA .....
c Juggling ............... 0 __ ...... +21 __ ... _ _ Dutch, spoken ...... 3
OR ON THE ISLAND OF ST. KITTS
~ Literature ............. 4 ...... +33 __ _ __ Dutch, written ...... 2
• You may always recruit one other young gentleman of Music ................... 4 __ ...... +32 __ ... _ _ English, spoken .... 4
a like mind to yourself. He is considered a landsman Riding .................. 4 ...... +31 __ _ __ English, written .... 3
and will avoid work if at all possible, but knows his Sing/Dance ........ I __ ...... +17 __ ... _ _
way around a smallsword. TaleTelling ......... 1 __ ...... +17 __ ... _ _ Religion
• You may entreat your cousin Henri for one of the Protestant ............ 37
following each time that you visit him: A bottle of Administration ..... 4 ...... +35 - - - -
i..
passable wine (1659 Beaumont, a mediocre vintage, ~ Animal Handling . 2 _ ...... +21 _ ... _ _ YourMess
but your cousin is fond if it), a riding horse, a box of '5 Awareness ............ I ...... +22 - - --
cocoa (five pounds and very tasty) 0 Body Develop ...... 2 ...... +35 -- ---
Carpentry ............. I __ ...... +19 __ ... _ _
• Your father's gift of freedom to others has bought you
Climbing .............. I ...... +26 -- --
a certain amount of favor amongst even he poorest of
Cut Purse ............. 0 ······+27 -- ---
the Huguenots. You may stay in any Huguenot town __ ...... +33 __ ... _ _
Diplomacy ........... 4
on Hispaniola or St. Christopher for up to two weeks __ ...... +14 __ ... _ _
First Aid ............... 1
at a time for no cost. You will be fed well during this
Fishing ................. 0 ...... +15 -- --
time.
Food Preservation I ...... +19 -- --
Equipment Foraging ............... 0 ...... +15 -- --
Forgery ................ 0 --····•·+27 __ ... _ _ ....... ,........... ,..........................
• A gentleman's duelling sword (a smallsword) made of
Interrogation ........ 2 ...... +23 - - ---
fine folded steel by Auguste Reno, the famed Mapping ............... 0 __ ....... +9 __ ... _ _
swordmaker of Calais. (This gives a special bonus +5 Medical Lore ....... 3 _ _ ...... +27 _ _ ... _ _
bonus to your attacks) Navigation ........... 0 ...... +17 - - - - -
• A hardened leather scabbard for you smalls word, hung Pilot (LA) ............. 0 __ ...... +17 __ ... _ _
from a fine leather belt. These were given to you by a Pilot (GA) ............ 0 ...... +17 - - - -
beautiful Indian girl on Bermuda. Pilot (SM) ............ 0 _ _ ...... +17 - - · · · - -
• A gentleman's waistcoat of the finest black wool Rope Mastery ....... 0 ······ +14 -- --
• Dark cotton breeches
Rowing ................ 0 _ ...... +t9 _ ... _ _ Mess Notes
Sailing .................. I ...... +14 -- --
• Stockings Sea Legs ............... I ...... +20 -- --
• A fine white cotton shirt Setting Traps ........ 0 _ ...... +27 __ ... _ _
• Leather shoes (with quality brass buckles) Sewing ................. 2 ...... +24 -- --
Shipwright ........... 0 __ ...... +14 __ ... _ _
• A leather-bound copy of the King James Bible (it Signalling ............. I ...... +14 -- --
belonged to your father and is an heirloom) Smith / Coop ........ 0 __ ...... +14 _ _ ... _ _
• Four pressed white handkerchiefs (they still smell of Stalk / Hide .......... 2 __ ...... +37 __ ... _ _
perfume) Superstition .......... I ...... +II _ _ __ _

• A small bottle of perfume (it's worth I5 PoE, but it is Surgery ................ 0 ...... +15 - - - -
Swimming ............ 3 _ ...... +34 __ ... _ _
too valuable to you to sell)
Trading ................ 4 ...... +33 - -· · · --
• A wide-brimmed black hat taken from a loud-mouthed Weather Watch .... 0 __ ...... +IS __ ... _ _
Spanish captain (thinking back, you should have killed
him)
 Deserter Character Name
Nationality: Irish
Background Packages
#1: .......................................... .
#2: ...........................................
.,__ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____. Stat
Appearance Information
Appearance: ........ 26
Sex: ......................... Age: ...............
Height:.................... Weight: ..........
Hair: ....................... Eyes: ............. .
.,__ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____.
Resistance Rolls
Poison/Disease: +11 Fear: ....... +27
1--------------1
Concussion Hits: ...............
[Qu] Quickness: .......... 99 ......... +9
0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 000
0000 O 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 000
0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 000
0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 000
Player Name:
Stats
Score Bonus
(Ag] Agility: ................ 97 ......... +8
[Co] Constitution: ....... 70 ......... +I
[Me] Memory: ............. 66 ......... +O
[ReJ Reasoning: ........... 7 I ......... +I
[SD] Self Discipline: ... 94 ......... +9
[Em] Empathy: ............ 83 ......... +3
[In] Intuition: ............... 79 ......... +2
[Pr] Presence: .............. 73 ......... +!
[St] Strength: ............... 99 ........ +I I
Concussion Hit Recovery
per Active Watch (4 hours): ........ I
per Resting Watch (4 hours): ...... l
per Sleeping Watch (4 hours): ..... l

Base Defensive Bonus: ............. +27

Background Information
As a young man, you witnessed the brutality of Oliver Cromwell
and his Protestant army in Ireland. You also experienced poverty and
oppression the likes of which few people in the world will ever
remember. Yet in the spring of your nineteenth year, an opportunity
brought you into the real world.
A man who knew your father, came ashore in Dublin seeking
soldiers for His Most Catholic Majesty, Philip IV of Spain! He
promised good pay, and told tales of beautiful Spanish ladies adoring
tall Irishmen. Within a month you were aboard a ship bound for
Seville. You have never seen the sweet green fields of Ireland since.
You took with you a lucky stone (which was a gift from your father)
and the Irish ability to flourish in adversity.
When you reached Spain you were assigned to a tercio, which is
like an English regiment. As a normal soldier you gained a wonderful
uniform, and plenty of food. The King was preparing to re-conquer
Portugal, but many formations needed weapons. Then the muskets
and swords came. What joy you felt. The training began, but it was
not as convincing as you hoped. When the day came to march, not all
was ready and some of your officers were still in Madrid visiting their
lady friends. In was a pleasant enough march, but the Portuguese did
not yield before the power of Spain. The war went on. Then the pay
stopped. Weeks passed. You, and many other soldiers began borrow-
ing food from the local villagers. When that became hard to find, the
men went hungry.
One evening you and some lads captured a Portuguese soldier. He
had sailed to Ireland many times. He spoke a few different languages,
so you could understand most of what he said. He explained why he
had so much bread with him. His family had no food. Soldiers had
taken everything from then and they were starving. He added, that the
Irish should understand how his people felt about Spain ruling them.
When he mentioned Cromwell, he spit on the ground. Your men still
took his bread, but spitting at old OliverCromwell saved his life. You
still laugh when you think about it.
King Philip realized that he would need a bigger army, so he
withdrew from Portugal and recruited yet a larger army. During the
retreat, however, you and some men decided that King Philip would
never pay or feed you, and you would starve if you stayed in his
service. You abandoned the Spanish and fled to Portugal.
In Lisbon, the Portuguese recruited you to serve in one of their
regiments (ironically, this formation was equipped with English
money). However, when some other Irishmen in Portugal found
passage on a ship bound for Barbados, you went with them. The
Portuguese couldn't pay you either.
 Deserter ~ 1-HEdged ............ 3
Ranks Bonus Total
_ _ ...... +60 __ ... _ _
~ 1-H Firearm ......... I ...... +47 _ _ _ __
Special Abilities
• You may dress and pass as an Irish soldier serving
s 2-H Firearm ......... 4
0 2-Handed ............. 0
- - ······+62 - - ··· - -
_ ...... +45 _ ... _ _
Spain, Portugal, or England (though only once per port
u Ambush ................ 4 _ ...... +49_ ... _ _
without a chance of someone noticing). Boxing ................. I _ ...... +35 __ ... _ _
Brawling .............. 4 _ ...... +48_ ... _ _
• You may choose to re-roll any Drinking Vice Maneu-
ver or you may choose to make any person drinking Cannon ................. 0 -······+26 __ ... _ _
with you re-roll their Drinking Vice Maneuver. Disarm Foe ....... ... I -······+48 _ ... _ _
Polearm ................ 3 _ ...... +60 __ ... _ _
• If you are drunk while you are fighting, you can sustain Thrown ................ 3 Languages
--······+57 - - · · · - - Spanish, spoken ... 4
30 more concussion hits than normal (before being
knocked out). Spanish, written ... 2
..., Athletic Games .... 2 __ ...... +30 __ ... _ _ Dams · h, spoken ... . o
ANY MAJoR PoRT f Carousing ............. 1 ······ +24 - - - - - Danish, written .... 0
• Once, you can recruit in any one port as if the port were S Drinking•·············· 4 - - •····· +39 - - •·· - - French, spoken ..... 0
C Flora/Fauna Lore . 1 __ ....... +6 __ ... _ _ French. written ..... 0
Irish. ~ Gambling ............. 3 __ ...... +25 __ ... _ _ Dutch, spoken ...... I
• You sympathize with Portuguese independence. You ~ Hunt /Track ......... I __ ...... + 16 __ ... _ _ Dutch, written ...... 0
have a good chance ofstriking up a friendship with any ....
c Juggling ............... 0 __ ...... -30 __ ... _ _ English, spoken .... 6
Portugese you meet, while cultivating their dislike of ~ Literature ............. O __ ....... +6 __ ... _ _ English, written .... 2
the Spanish. These Portuguese may join your mess or Music ................... 2 __ ...... +22 __ ... _ _ Portugese, spoken 3
simply supply you with useful information. Riding .................. 2 ...... +24 __ ___ Portugese. written I
Sing/ Dance ........ 3 __ ...... +27 __ ... _ _ ·······························
BARBADOS ONLY
TaleTelling ......... 1 _ ...... +17 _ ... _ _ Religion
• One of your old sergeants lives in Barbados. He will Protestant ............ 37
gladly join you if the pay is good (though he must have Administration ..... 0 --·······+3 --··· - -
an advance). He will make a perfect Master-at-Anns '"'
~ Animal Handling . 2 __ ...... +24 - - ··· - - Your Mess
for any crew. The men he trains will have confidence '5 Awareness ............ 3 _ _ ...... +32 - - ·· · - -
in him and themselves. However, all Irish crewmen 0 Body Develop ...... 3 _ ...... +44 _ ... _ _
(including you) must add +15 to all Vice Maneuver Carpentry ............. 2 - -······+27 - -· · · - -
Rolls, while serving with him. Climbing .............. 2 _ ...... +40 _ ... _ _
• Ifyou are seen by the authorities of Barbados, you will Cut Purse ............. 0 - - ······+29 - - ·· · - -
be hung. An English gentleman had the misfortune of Diplomacy ........... 0 __ ....... +6 - - ··· - -
calling the toast "Confusion to the Pope!" You struck First Aid ............... 2 __ ...... +20 --···--
him dead with a chair. Fishing ................. I __ ...... +16 - -···--
Food Preservation I __ ...... +22 __ ... _ _
• To the Catholics of Barbados, you are a hero (for Foraging ............... I --······+16 --···--
slaying the English gentleman). They will aid you if Forgery ................ 4 _ ...... +41 -···--
they can. Interrogation ........ 0 ·······+6 -- ---
Equipment Mapping ............... 2 __ ...... +20 - - ··· - -
Medical Lore ....... 0 __ ....... +! -- ---
• A Portugese soldier's coat (it doesn't match all of their Navigation ........... I __ ....... +8 -- ---
soldiers, just some) Pilot (LA) ............. 0 __ ...... +!! -- --
• Good walking boots (you have used them to leave the Pilot (GA) ............ 0 __ ...... +II _ _ __
service of many a king) Pilot (SM) ............ 0 __ ...... +II _ _ _ __
• Soldier's breeches and stockings Rope Mastery....... 1 __ ...... +22 --···--
Rowing ................ 3 __ ...... +35 - - ···- -
• A black felt hat Mess Notes
Sailing .................. 3 __ ...... +25 - -···--
• A lucky stone (from a cairn in County Cork, in your Sea Legs ............... 2 __ ...... +21 __ ... _ _
homeland. If you rub it publicly, you can increase the Setting Traps ........ 0 ...... +21 -- --
superstition of your mess by +20, +40 if they are Irish) Sewing ................. 2 __ ...... +27 __ ... _ _
• A plug bayonet (you sure wish you had a musket) Shipwright ........... I ...... +22 -- --
Signalling ............. 1 - - ······· +9 __ ... _ _
• A felt wrap containing some portugese silverware Smith/ Coop ........ I ...... +22 -- --
(worth 25 PoE, don't ask where it came from) __ ...... +39 _ ... _ _
Stalk / Hide .......... 2
• A small silver cross on a chain (you wear it about your Superstition .......... 4 --······ +33 - - ···- -
neck) Surgery ................ 0 __ ....... +3 - - · ·· - -
Swimming ............ 2 ······+30 -- --
Trading ................ 1 __ ...... +I I _ _ _ __
Weather Watch .... 2 __ ...... +21 __ ... _ _
 Naturalist Character Name
Nationality: French Player Name:

Background Packages
#1: .......................................... .
#2: .......................................... . Stats
1---------------t Stat Score Bonus
Appearance Information [Ag] Agility: ................80 ......... +3
Appearance: ........ 84 [Co] Constitution: ....... 76 ......... +2
Sex: ......................... Age: ............. .. [Me] Memory: ............. 99 ......... +9
Height:.................... Weight: .......... [Re] Reasoning: ........... 94 ......... +7
Hair: ....................... Eyes: ............ .. [SD] Self Discipline: ... 7 1 ......... +3
[Em] Empathy: ............ 79 ......... +2
Resistance Rolls 9 I ......... +5
[In] Intuition: ...............
Poison/Disease: .. +7 Fear: ......... +9 [Pr] Presence: .............. 64 ......... +O
[Qu] Quickness: .......... 85 ......... +4
Concussion Hits: ...............
[St] Strength: ...............71 ......... +3
0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 00
0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 00
Concussion Hit Recovery
0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 00
per Active Watch (4 hours): ........ I
0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 00
per Resting Watch (4 hours): ...... 2
per Sleeping Watch (4 hours): ..... 4

Base Defensive Bonus: ............. + 12

Background Information
GENERAL INFORMATION In much the same way that many Catholic families gave theiryoungersons
France is a large and well-populated nation, rising to dominate European to the Church, you were dedicated to the new science of Galileo and
politics. The tone of European politics, however, is set by the Catholic Descartes and Bacon. True to the faith of your father, you did this not to mock
Church. Currently, to be dominant in politics. continental nations must not orreplace God, but to glorify His name through reason, the greatest gift given
tolerate Protestants. Religious unrest has sent French Huguenot colonists by Him to man. This philosophy, so little explored in Europe before the
(Protestants) to many parts of the Caribbean. As a result of this, the French present day, had few adherents and many opponents, particularly among the
have thriving colonies on the western third of the island of Hispaniola. Church you claimed to love. T he Pope still banned dissections and burned
In the Eastern Caribbean, Martinique and Guadeloupe are two bastions of dissenters, and a few of the more enthusiastic among His Holiness' servants
French power (founded by the king of France). Settlements on St. Christo- labeled you a heretic.
pher are thriving but the English dominate that island, calling it St. Kitts. The You fled France for the Caribbean, sadder but wiser. Gone were the lavish
English also control St. Christopher's sister island, Nevis. parties and sponsorship of the idle, curious rich. You found yourself in Port-
The French are credited for being the first "buccaneers." Many ofthe later au-Prince with a few boxes of equipment and a hemisphere of unknown flora
settlers of Hispaniola were French. These wildmen lived by hunting herds of and fauna surrounding you . The losses and regrets faded as the challenges of
wild pig and by eating sugar and bananas. Occasional raids on the Spanish this brave new world revealed themselves. How pitiful, you thought, were all
settlements supplemented this with grains and domesticated meats. the academics in Paris, buried in their musty books when Nature herself in
The Frenchmen were a scattered folk until the Spanish decided to kill all pure form stood defiant, waiting to be tamed by the scientific method.
the wild game on Hispaniola in an attempt to starve the buccaneers out. You would be the first to admit having many needs in the wilderness. More
However, this plan backfired. The buccaneers gathered on the island of and better instruments, apparatus, and laboratory help are essential to your
Tortuga (north of Hispaniola, near the western end of the island). From there, future success; a ready source offunding would make this wish a reality. You
they began a pirating campaign that brought many of the nearby Spanish have trafficked with the buccaneers before, trading them medicines and rum
colonies to their knees. Only the strongest cities of New Spain could stand for the raw materials you need. These men have a pure spirit of adventure that
against the buccaneers. you admire, and their guns could shield you from the extremist Spanish
Catholics and their Inquisition. Best of all, a voyage to the far comers of the
Y OUR BACKGROUND Caribbean would allow you to procure samples of life that would spin a
Paris is Europe's center of learning and was, until recently, the center of musty old professor's head clean around! Perhaps it is time you considered
your world. The youngest child of a noble family, your insatiable curiosity signing aboard a buccaneer's ship.. .
had gotten you into and out of trouble ever si nce childhood. Your father, an
understanding man who knew the value of knowledge, sent you to private
schools, tutors, and even the famed Sorbonne in a vain quest to satisfy your
thirst fornew ways of thinking. Your questions proved too much for even the
learned professors, so they granted you their highest degrees and bade you
not bother them again.
 Ranks Bonus Total
Naturalist ...,. 1-H Edged ............ 3 ...... +39 _ --
,2 1-H Firearm ......... 2 _ _ ...... +34 __ ... _ _
Special Abilities 8 2-H Firearm ......... O ······ +24 - - - -
• You are highly educated and accustomed to moving 8 2-Handed ............. 0 __ ...... +24 - - · · · --
among the nobility. You can easily gain access to the Ambush ................ 2 ······ +21 - - - -
highest social circles in any non-Spanish city (except Boxing ................. I __ ...... +14 - - · · · - -
Brawling .............. 0 ·······+9 - - - -
Port-au-Prince) and locate d 100+ 10 PoE in contribu-
Cannon ................. 0 ······+30 _ --
tions (only once per city). The actual amount varies
Disarm Foe .......... I ...... +24 __ _ __
according to your success at socializing, and your
Polearm ................ 0 __ ...... +24 __ ... _ _
patrons may require services from you for their contri-
Thrown ................ 2 ...... +34 __ ... _ _
Languages
butions (ranging from regular reports to first choice in Spanish, spoken ... 0
naming any new species). Generally, the more the Spanish, written ... 0
..... Athletic Games .... I ...... +13 --···-- Danish, spoken .... 0
contribution, the greater the interference.
C: Carousing ............. I __ ...... +14 - - ··· - -
• You are difficult to distract when a new specimen or
phenomenon is at hand. You can immerses yourself in
5 Drinking ............... 2 __ ...... +24 - - ··· - -
Danish, written .... 0
French, spoken ..... 7
C: Flora/Fauna Lore . 4 ······+45 _ ... _ _ French, written ..... 7
your work, accomplishing 50% more during any pe- ~ Gambling ............. 2 ...... +19 -- -- Dutch, spoken ...... 2
riod (up to 2 days in length). Immediately following ~ Hunt /Track ......... 3 _ _ ...... +32 _ ... _ _ Dutch, written ...... 3
this period, you must rest and reflect for an equal .....
c: Juggling ............... I --······ +20 --···-- English, spoken .... 3
amount of time (and all activities during this rest are at i:.:i Literature ............. I __ ...... +12 __ ... _ _ English, written .... 4
-20). Music ................... 4 ...... +45 _ -- Latin, spoken ....... 4
Riding .................. I __ ...... +12 - - ·· · - - Latin, written ....... 6
• You can compound various herbal and pharmaceutical
remedies ranging from opiates to stimulants to para- Sing I Dance ........ 0 ·······+5 - - ---
Tale Telling ......... 2 ...... +IS _ _ __
lytics. Many maneuvers might be required to get Religion
access to the proper materials (language skills, flora Catholic ............... 10
and fauna skills, trading, etc.). ...
~
Administration ..... 2
Animal Handling . 4
...... +31
--······ +38 - - ·· · -- Your Mess
• You will only recruit persons for your mess who are
' : Awareness ............ I ···· .. +J2 - - - - -
useful to your (the vast majority ofsailors would never
comprehend your work). Your maximum result on the
0 Body Develop ...... 2 __ ...... +34 - - ·· · - -
Carpentry ............. 0 _ _ ...... +JS - -···--
Recruiting Chart is 100 (and you suffer a special
Climbing .............. 3 ...... +30 -- --
modifier of -20 on the Skill Quality Chart). However,
Cut Purse ............. 0 ······+J3 -- --
you may choose the special skill of any Landsman that
Diplomacy ........... 2 __ ...... +17 - - ···- -
you recruit. First Aid ............... 3 ····.. +34 -- - -
You will (undoubtably) excite the superstitions of Fishing ................. 0 ······+l7 _ _ __
common sailors. If you are ofservice to the crew, your Food Preservation I ...... +20 - - - -
work will be seen as holy (or shamanistic) and you will Foraging ............... 3 __ ...... +32 --···- -
be treated as "good luck." Should your work arouse Forgery ................ I ...... +20 -- - -
the suspicions of the ignorant, you might find your Interrogation ........ 2 ...... +17 _ --
equipiment smashed and yourself marooned (accused Mapping ............... 3 ······+34 -- ---
of witchcraft). Good relations with a strong captain Medical Lore ....... 4 ...... +45
might help, but distilling a painkiller from those native Navigation ........... 1 ...... +26 -- ---
plant extracts (and saving a crewmember' s life during Pilot (LA) ............. 0 __ ...... +26 - - ··· - -
surgery) might go a lot further. Pilot (GA) ............ 0 __ ...... +26 __ ... _ _
Pilot (SM) ............ 0 ······ +26 - -··· - -
Equipment Rope Mastery ....... 1 ...... +20 -- --
• A set of fine glass containers and tubes, made in Venice Rowing ................ 0 __ ....... +8 - - ··· - - Mess Notes
and suitable for distillation (easily worth 250 PoE to a Sailing .................. 0 _ _ ...... +19 - - ··· - -
collector or fellow scientist). You will not sell or trade Sea Legs ............... 0 ······+17 - - ··· - -
these except in extreme circumstances. Setting Traps ........ 3 ······+20 - - ··· - -
• A superior hand magnifying lens (worth 20 PoE). Sewing ................. 0 ······+15 __ - - -
Shipwright ........... 0 ...... +21
• An excellent mechanical pen, 2 bottles of ink, drying Signalling ............. I __ ...... +23 - - ··· - -
sand, and four 100-page record books. Smith /Coop ........ 0 .. .... +IS _ _ ... _ _
• A waterproof cylindrical leather dispatch case. Stalk / Hide .......... 3 ...... +28 -- - -
• A hooded lantern ( one that will throw a narrow beam Superstition .......... 2 ...... +35 - - - -
of light if set properly). Surgery ................ 2 ...... +3 1
Swimming ............ 2 .. .... +13 -- - -
• A set of instruments that bestow a special bonus of+ I 0 Trading ................ I ....... +7
to any Flora/Fauna Lore maneuver or Surgery maneu- Weather Watch .... 2 ...... +27 -- --
ver (their main purpose is for dissection).
 Former Officer Character Name
Nationality: English Player Name:

Background Packages
#1: .......................................... .
#2: .......................................... . Stats
...,._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _...., Stat Score Bonus

Appearance Information [Ag) Agility: ................ 93 ......... +6

Appearance: ........ 70 [Co] Constitution: ....... 62 ......... +O
Sex: ......................... Age: ............. .. [Me) Memory: ............. 83 ......... +3
He ight:.................... Weight: ......... . [Re] Reasoning: ........... 92 ......... +6
Hair: ....................... E yes: .............. [SD ] Self Discipline: ... 98 ........ + 11
...,._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.. [E m] Empathy: ............ 90 ......... +5

______________..
Resistance Rolls
...,.Poison/Disease: + 11 Fear: ....... +33
[In] Intuition: ............... 60 ......... +O
[Pr ] p resence: . ... .. ........ 96 .. ....... + 8
[Qu] Quickness: .......... 68 ......... +O
Concussion Hits: ...............
[St] Strength: .............. 100 ....... +12
0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0
0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0
Concussion Hit Recovery
0000 O 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0
per Active Watch (4 hours): ........ I
0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0
per Resting Watch (4 hours): ...... I
per Sleeping Watch (4 hours): ..... 3

Base Defensive Bonus: ............... +O

Background Information
GENERAL INFORMATION
England captured Jamaica in 1655. This conquest, combined with the growth
of Barbados, Antigua, and especially Nevis as sugar-producing colonies, has
made England a major colonial power.
The English (and other powers) have ships seized by the Spanish with
increasing frequency. The Spanish crown recognizes no legal trade with its
colonies. They consider all undesirables in their waters to be smugglers or
pirates.
This however is a rational response (to defend against English pirates) for
there are more than a thousand living in the Caribbean! The French were the
first buccaneers, with most living and trading on the island of Hispaniola. Later,
the Buccaneers fortified the island of Tortuga Gust north of Hispaniola) and
began a campaign of piracy against Spain. They formed a brotherhood of sea-
going bandits in which all nationalities could join together in their pirating
crusade (called the Brethren of the Coast).
In recent years, the greatest pirate haven in the world has become the
Jamaican city of Port Royal. Port Royal is the largest English city in the New
World, rivaling even Boston in New England. English pirates are now as
numerous as French pirates. From Port Royal, these buccaneers rove the coast
of New Spain in search of their prey.
No city on Earth is as wicked as Port Royal and pirates are welcome there.
Stolen Spanish goods from as far away as distant Manila can be bought or sold
in Port Royal and the streets are lined with taverns, gambling dens, and brothels
for the entertainment of the sailors.
YOUR BACKGROUND
Your seafaring life started as a midshipman on a English warship, the
Phoebe, a 200-ton pinnace. Your father served with the captain as a lad and as
a favor, you were taken on at the age of 11. You served next on the mighty
Solomon (of 20 guns), as an assistant to the Master Navigator. For several years
you worked under him until finally you were made the Master's Mate.
You served on a number of other ships until you finally were made a
lieutenant on an armed Hoecker headed forthe New World. Your skills served
you well there. The English fleet moved to attack Jamaica. You were with the
shore party when the English flag was raised over Jamaica in 1655. You still
think of Port Royal as your own personal stomping ground.
Yourjoy and command ended when your ship, the Perseus, broke her back on
an uncharted shoal offthe coast of Eleuthera. Despite your rescue of the crew and
two launches, the Admiralty blamed you for the loss of the Perseus. You were
held personally responsible for the damage as you were unable to recover your
logbooks from the wreck.
Without your records, the court martial was quick and brutal. To further your
humiliation, your purser turned against you to hide his own graft and corruption.
Two years of hellish litigation gained you nothing but an unhealthy despise of
barristers, lawyers, and attourneys. It also deprived you of your command, your
wealth, and you r estate in the highlands of Spanish Jamaica. There are a number
of writs claiming you owe more, but you ignore them. Your career in that navy
is ended.
Under a different name you have worked on a number of acceptable ships as
an officer. In a short period your methods astonish the average merchant captain.
On several occasions, you have been attacked by pirates. Through organization
and constant training, ships under your leadership have performed well against
both the elements and pirates.
You have learned a few things about managing a crew. Topmen (who work the
yards and rigging) must be quick and enthusiastic. The captain of the tops should
report often to the officer of the watch. Gun crews must practice, even if they
merely roll the guns in and out each day. The better the captain of each gun, the
more hits a ship will score. On a proper vessel, each gun should be individually
captained (though this is rarely done outside of the navy). The Master Gunner
must be clean, sober, and orderly. He must be vigilant (almost fanatical) about
the control and prevention of fires about his guns.
Rewarding a crew section for proficiency is as important as punishing a section
for ineptitude. Those with ambition, when properly rewarded, will aid in the
training and discipline ofothers. Creating a friendly competition between the two
watch-shifts (starboard and larboard) of the ship, also insures better performance.
In discipline, once guilt on a matter is decided, the punishment must be
consistent and just. In addition, one should never flog one's own officers.
As a testimony of discipline and order, every morning at the beginning of
seventh watch (8 am}, the crews of all proper English ships scrub the deck with
great 'holy stones,' the size of catholic bibles. The surgeon of the Solomon once
told you that this cleanliness made English crews the heallhiest crews in the
world.

Former Officer ._ 1-HEdged ............ 3
j 1-H Fireann ......... 4
Special Abilities S 2-H Fireann ......... 2
• You are famil iar with the English system of training 0 2-Handed ............. I
officers and sailors. If suitable candidates are avail- u Ambush ................ I
able (typically a young man of good family between Boxing ................. 3
the ages of9 and 14), you may train them at any of a Brawling .............. 0
variety of duties. These young men (called midship- Cannon ................. 3
men) should be assigned to other competent officers Disarm Foe .......... I
for tutelage. After three months of training, the offic- Poleann ................ I
Thrown ................ I
ers of your crew may each have a midshipman who
acts like an unskj))ed mate (in addition to their current
-S
mate). One year of training allows a midshipman to Athletic Games .... 2
gain one special area of skill based on the skills of the r:: Carousing ............. 4
officer under which they learn (just like a Mate). Drinking ............... 4
Midshipmen gain one level of skill (from Ordinary r:: Flora/Fauna Lore . 2
Seamanto Able Seaman) after serving for one year S Gambling ............. 0
under an officer. t Hunt/ Track ......... 3
• You must make the proper social calls when in Port
1: Juggling ............... 0
i;;i;l Music ................... 1
Royal. Literature ............. 3
Riding .................. I
IN PORT-ROYAL OR ANY TOWN IN JAMAICA
Sing I Dance ........ 0
• Despite your change in station, you still have many
Tale Telling ......... 2
contacts in the garrison here. You may purchase
muskets, shot, and powder here at a 20% discount
Administration ..... 4
(subject to availability).
~ Awareness ............ 3
• You know the waters of Jamaica so well that you ' : Animal Handling . I
receive a special bonus of +20 to piloting skill when 0 Body Develop ...... 3
near (within sight) of Jamaica. Carpentry ............. 0
Climbing .............. 0
IN ANY ENGLISH PORT
Cut Purse ............. 0
• By donning your uniform, you may gain admittance to Diplomacy ........... 4
see a member of the Governor's Bureaucracy. This First Aid ............... I
could gain you an audience with the Governor. Fishing ................. 0
• Your training with the English Navy has brought out a Food Preservation 2
unique talent: if you are downwind ofa ship and within Foraging ............... 0
I 000', you will know by smell whether or not it is Forgery ................ 0
English. Interrogation ........ 4
Mapping ............... I
• You may recruit one Master Mariner from each port,
Medical Lore ....... I
provided that you have a station on your ship for him.
Navigation ........... 3
Use of this ability is time-consuming (you must speak
Pilot (LA) ............. I
individually with many sailors) and precludes you
Pilot (GA) ............ I
from making recruitment attempts for one week. You
Pilot (SM) ............ I
must keep such a sailor very happy with his duties.
Rope Mastery ....... I
Equipment Rowing ................ 1
Sailing .................. 3
• An officer's jacket (blue, made of fine worsted wool
Sea Legs ............... 3
with brass buttons and gold trim); gentleman's breech- Setting Traps ........ 0
pants; fine stockings (wool); fine shoes; Gentleman's Sewing ................. 3
white linen shirt (and an extra white linen shirt); Shipwright ........... I
• A fine cutlass given to you by the first Governor of Signalling ............. 4
Jamaica (contructed from fine steel, +5 bonus) Smith /Coop ........ 0
• A logbook; several quill-pens; a jar of powdered ink. Stalk / Hide .......... 0
Superstition .......... 4
• A magnifying monocle taken from an Italian captain
Surgery ................ 0
off of the Azores Swimming ............ I
• A small bottle of french perfume (purchased during a Trading ................ 3
previous voyage, you hope to give it to a fine lady) Weather Watch .... 2
• A box of navigator's tools (a lacquered wooden box
much more valuable than the components within)
• An old letter from an acquaintance in English Belize
(written to you aboard the Perseus) offering you 500
PoE to take his son to sea. His son should be of
trainable age by now.
Ranks Bonus Total
_ _ ...... +60 _ ... _ _
_ _ ...... +59 _ _ ... _ _
_ _ ...... +49 __ ... _ _
_ ...... +50 _ _ ... _ _
...... +32 _ _ _ __
_ _ ...... +45 _ _ ... _ _
__ ...... +29 _ _ ... _ _
_ _ ...... +42 _ _ ... _ _
__ ...... +34 _ _ ... _ _
...... +50 _ _ ... _ _
__ ...... +44 __ ... _ _ Languages
Spanish, spoken ... 1
Spanish, written ... 0
_ _ ...... +28 _ ... _ _
Portugese, spoken 2
...... +42 _ -- Portugese, written 0
_ ...... +42 _ ... _ _ Latin, spoken ....... 0
--······ +22 - -· · · -- Latin, written ....... 0
_ _ ...... +20 - -·· · - - French, spoken ..... 2
_ _ ...... +29 --···-- French, written ..... 0
_ _ ...... +17 --···-- Dutch, spoken ...... 2
_ _ ...... +24 - - · ·· - - Dutch, written ...... 2
_ _ ...... +28 _ ... _ _ English, spoken .... 7
English, written .... 7
- - · ·····•21 - - · · · - -
_ _ ...... +19 --··· - -
_ _ ...... +29 - - ··· - - Religion
Protestant ............ 27
__ ...... +29 - - · ·· - -
__ ...... +37 _ _ ... _ _ Your Mess
...... +21 - - - - -
_ ...... +44 _ ... _ _
-······•20 _ _ ... _ _
--······•'7 --··· - -
__ ...... +27 --··· - -
_ ...... +33 _ _ ... _ _
_ ...... +25 _ _ ... _ _
...... +14 - - - -
_ ...... +30 _ _ ... _ _
__ ...... +14 _ _ ... _ _
- ······+22 __ ... _ _
- - · ·····+33 --··· - -
_ ...... +25 _ ... _ _
...... +17 - -· · · - -
_ _ ...... +24 - - · ·· - -
_ _ ...... +14 - - ·· · - -
__ ...... +14 _ _ ... _ _
- - ······+14 - -··· - -
__ ...... +25 __ ... _ _
_ _ ...... +23 _ _ ... _ _
Mess Notes
--······•35 - - ·· · - -
_ _ ...... +29 - -· · · - -
__ ...... +22 - - ·· · - -
_ ...... +35 __ ... _ _
...... +25 - - - - -
_ _ ...... +34 - - ··· - -
_ _ ...... +20 --···- -
······+27 - - - -
_ ...... +36 __ ... _ _
....... +9 - - ---
_ ...... +23 __ ... _ _
_ ...... +28 __ ... _ _
...... +24 - - - -
 Barber-Surgeon Character Name
Nationality: Dutch Player Name:

Background Packages
#1: ···········································
#2: ·······························--··········
Stats
1--------------_, Stat Score Bonus
Appearance Information [Ag] Agility: ............... JOO ....... +10
Appearance: ........ 39 [Co] Constitution: ....... 68 ......... +O
Sex: ......................... Age: ............... [Me] Memory: ............. 76 ......... +2
Height:.................... Weight: .......... (Re] Reasoning: ........... 89 ......... +4
Hair: ....................... Eyes: .............. [SD] Self Discipline: ... 84 ......... +5
1--------------1
Resistance Rolls
[Em] Empathy: ............ 90 ......... +5
[In] Intuition: ............... 74 ......... +I
Poison/Disease: + I I Fear: ....... +33 (Pr] p resence: .............. 70 ......... + I
1---------------1
Concussion Hits: ...............
[Qu) Quickness: .......... 8 I ......... +3
[St] Strength: ............... 98 ........ + 11
0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0
0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0
Concussion Hit Recovery
0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0
per Active Watch (4 hours): ........ I
0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0000 0 0
per Resting Watch (4 hours): ...... I
per Sleeping Watch (4 hours): ..... 3

Base Defensive Bonus: ............... +9

Background Information
GENERAL INFORMATION
The Dutch are proud of their maritime traditions and the vast wealth that
they have acquired through those traditions. The other European powers are
jealous of the Dutch and their seamanship. The French constantly threaten
the borders of Holland. In the last few years, the English have levied unfair
taxes on any Dutch ship trying to trade goods in their harbors. The Spanish
remain hateful, distant, and most Catholic. Even with these difficulties, the
Dutch still smuggle goods anywhere (if the price is right) and their fishing
fleets still bring home the biggest catches.
You can still remember the dozens of short, round, jovial fishing boats
making their way to sea during all seasons. These famous ships (called
Herring-busses) still bring thousands oftons of herring into Dutch ports each
year. Some say the foundations of Amsterdam are built on mounds of herring
bone.
Dutch ships carry more goods (in tons) than all of the other countries of
Europe combined; and in the Caribbean, it is not herring that has made them
prosperous. The free port of CurafaO has become the greatest free port in the
New World. Adding to this wealth are Aruba (a haven for smugglers and
thieves), Bonaire, and booming St. Maarten (which the Dutch are adminis-
tering for the King of Denmark). Unlike Port Royal, Curafao offers stable
prices and anything can be found. Granted, the Dutch much prefer smuggled
goods over stolen pirate loot.
YOUR BACKGROUND
Of all of the ways into the world of medicine, yours is one of the most
interesting. You come from poor roots; your father worked as a stevedore on
the docks of Amsterdam, unloading ships and hauling wares to the carts of
their buyers. He was distraught when he found that he could not afford to
continue to send you to school so hoping to give you a better life than his, he
sent you to be the apprentice to the local barber. Although in an impoverished
quarter of Amsterdam, the barber was a master of his craft and saw that one
day you would be, too. You took to the trade well and soon were in demand
in the more affluent sections of the city.
Being a barber is not just cutting hair and trimming beards. It is about
grooming your client. You need to have a number of skills that many would
only associate with a doctor. These skills include knowing how to remove
blemishes, cure warts, remove boils, stitch cuts, and excise infections. In
your years as a barber, you have studied the ways of medical men and learned
from them. Your knowledge has grown to be much greater even than those
in your profession nonnally would enjoy.
This skill led you to being hired as personal barber to the Captain of the
West lndiaman Mermaid. Under orders from theGovemoroftheDutch West
India Company, he was sailing from Amsterdam to Curacao whence to
return with goods from those exotic lands. While under way, the Mennaid's
surgeon was stricken with the influenza. His mates were afraid to approach
him(lest they catch it) and did nothing to help him. You, however, knew that
he might be saved; as his fever raged over several nights you ministered care
in the form of concoctions and medicines from his own books. As the English
colony of Bermuda appeared on the horizon, the surgeon recovered.
The captain and surgeon were so impressed with your ability that they
offered to make you the surgeon's mate. This was a great honor, for it proved
that you were a man of many skills and that in the New World, a man could
rise above the station of his birth to greatness.
At your request, after the Mennaid had finished her calls in Curacao and
prepared to return to Holland, the captain granted you leave to stay in
Curacao that you might stay in the New World. Since that day, you have
worked as a sawbones: a surgeon who never attended a college or university
for medicine. The limitations of your training tell you that you have more to
learn and nowhere would be better than a warship, pirate, or privateer; where
men are wounded regularly. There, you could perfect your arts and become
the rich man that your father never was.
 Ranks Bonus Total
Barber-Surgeon ..,. 1-H Edged ............ 4 ...... +67 _ _ __

Special Abilities
i 1-H Firearm ......... 0 ...... +46 _ _ ... _ _

• Within four hours of a man being wounded, you know

s 2-H Firearm ......... I
Q 2-Handed ............. I _
...... +51 - - - -
...... +52 _ _ ... _ _
whether or not he will become infected. If you treat the
u Ambush ................ 3 _ ...... +41 _ ... _ _
infection before it becomes life-threatening, the Boxing ................. 2 ...... +42 _ ... _ _
wounded man gets a special bonus of +30 to his Brawling .............. 2 _ ...... +36 _ _ ... _ _
resistance roll versus disease for this one instance. Cannon ................. 0 ...... +30 _ _ ... _ _
Disarm Foe .......... 0 _ ....... +4 _ ... _ _
• You are a Master Barber and your grooming skills are
Polearm ................ I ...... +52 - - - -
fit for lords and ladies. Your abilities can fetch you
Thrown ................ I ...... +51
Languages
I Od IO PoE in a single day, once per week. You must Spanish, spoken ... 2

-
be in a town or village with noble or rich folk. Spanish, written ... 0
Athletic Games .... 0 ...... +21 Danish, spoken .... I
• Your hands are so steady with a suture-needle that C Carousing ............. 3 ...... +25 -- --
~
Danish, written .... 0
wounds stitched by you leave only a thin scar and S Drinking ............... 2 ...... +20 _ ... _ _ Latin, spoken ....... 0
never affect the appearance of the injured. C Flora/Fauna Lore. 4 ...... +28 -- -- Latin, written ....... 2
• You know many tricks to stop minor wounds and slow :§ Gambling ............. 2 _ _ ...... +21 - -···-- French, spoken ..... 0
bleeding. Wounds of up to 5 hits per round can be '"' Hunt /Track ......... I ...... +13 _ - - French, written ..... 0
~
stopped at a rate of one hit per round per round rS Juggling ............... 4 _ ...... +48 _ ... _ _ Dutch, spoken ...... 6
(without making a maneuver roll). The wounded may - Music ................... 2 _ _ ...... +26 _ _ ... _ _ Dutch, written ...... 4
Literature ............. 2 _ _ ...... +17 _ _ ... _ _ English, spoken .... 2
not move until treated fully at a rate of greater than I 0
English, written .... 2
feet per round.For example, it takes 5 rounds to stop a Riding .................. I ...... +25 - - - -
5 hit bleeder; the target takes 5 hits, then 4 hits, then 3 Sing/ Dance ........ 4 _ ...... +36 _ ... _ _
hits, then 2 hits, then one hit, then the bleeding stops. Tale Telling ......... 2 _ _ ...... +36 - - ··· - - Religion
• You have a strong sense of professionalism and even Protestant ............ 23
Administration ..... 2 _ _ ...... +17 - - · · · - -
your enemies will trust you to groom them without
injury. You would never injure or act against a man la.. Awareness ............ 2 _ _ ...... +25 - - · · · - -
_ _ ...... +20 _ _ ... _ _
Your Mess
.... Animal Handling . 0
who had entrusted his neck to you for a shave.
0 Body Develop ...... 2 _ _ ...... +32 _ _ ... _ _
• You have worked for a number of lords and lived Carpentry ............. 0 ...... +17_ ... _ _
amongst the servantry for a great deal of time. You can Climbing .............. 0 _ _ ...... +28 _ _ ... _ _
easily impersonate an important servant like a butler Cut Purse ............. 0 ...... +16 _ ... _ _
or chamberlain. Diplomacy ........... 4 _ _ ...... +27 _ _ ... _ _
• You are always impeccably groomed, even at the worst First Aid ............... 4 _ _ ...... +31 _ _ ... _ _
of times. Fishing ................. 0 ....... +8 -- ---
Food Preservation I ...... +22 -- - -
• You are adept at making talk with those that you are
Foraging ............... I _ _ ...... +13 _ _ ... _ _
grooming. You have a special +25 to interrogation
Forgery ................ 0 ...... +25 _ ... _ _
rolls if you attempt to question someone that you are
Interrogation ........ 4 ...... +27 - - - --
grooming. _ _ ...... +1 1 _ _ ... _ _
Mapping ............... 0
• Your skill with 1-H Edged weapons suffers a penalty Medical Lore ....... 3 ...... +23 - - - -
o f -30 unless you are using a blade less than 12" in Navigation ........... 0 _ _ ....... +7
length. Pilot (LA) ............. 0 _ _ ....... +7
Pilot (GA) ............ 0 ....... +7
Equipment Pilot (SM) ............ 0 _ _ ....... +7 - - ---
• A fine steel folding straightrazor (in a stamped leather Rope Mastery ....... 0 _ _ ...... +17 _ _ ... _ _
case); a grooming kit (brush, powder, 2 pairs of Rowing ................ 1 ...... +26 -- - -
scissors); a fine metal comb, a small (4" diameter)
Mess Notes
Sailing .................. 0 ...... +11
expensive pewter mirror (given to you upon your rise Sea Legs ............... 1 ...... +13 -- --
to mastery, you would never sell it) Setting Traps ........ 0 _ _ ...... +25 _ _ ... _ _
• 3 jars of wood alchohol to cool the shave burns on a Sewing ................. 3 ...... +32 _ - -
man's face. Shipwright ........... 0 _ ...... +17 _ ... _ _
Signalling ............. 0 _ _ ...... +11 _ _ ... _ _
• A bottle of corn liquor (for men who are about to be _ _ ...... +17 _ _ ... _ _
Smith/ Coop ........ 0
sutured) Stalk / Hide .......... 2 ...... +36 _ - -
• An expensive clay pipe (given to you by an apprecia- Superstition .......... 3 ...... +26 -- --
tive lord) Surgery ................ 2 _ _ ...... +17 _ _ ... _ _
• A pouch of tobacco from Havana Swimming ............ 3 _ _ ...... +36 _ ... _ _
Trading ................ 3 ...... +22 - - ---
• 18 PoE in a cloth bag
Weather Watch .... 0 ....... +8 - - - -
• A fine shirt with buttons and cuffs; a pairofgentleman's
breeches, a woolen waistcoat; leather shoes (for the
shore)
• A large, laquered wooden box from a patron in St
Thomas (it has a hollow bottom where you can store
a moderate-sized item, such as a book)
 R1lll rm O1U1 t 1f1he G 1U1 rm § ~
Combat Skills Other Skills
Skill Ranks Bonus Skill Ranks Bonus
1-H Edged ................. 4 +20 Administration ......... -

Native Son 1-H Firearm ............. -

2-H Firearm ............. -
t - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 2-Handed .................. 2
-

+10
Ambush ..................... 4 +20
Equipment List Boxing ..................... -
• A stone spearhead (you kept it for luck) Brawling .................. -
Cannon ..................... -
• A well-cured and tanned leather coat
Disarm Foe .............. -
(you made the leather yourself) Polearm ..................... 2 +10
• A bow (you have 6 ranks and a base +40 bonus with it, Thrown ..................... 4 +20
plus your agility (2x) and strength bonuses)
Entertainment
• 20 wooden arrows in a leather quiver; they are fletched
Skills
with the tailfeathers of crows Skill Ranks Bonus
• An herbal remedy given to you by the wise woman before Athletic Games ......... 4 +20
you left. It has 3 doses and allows you an additional Carousing ................. -
resistance roll versus one fever (only usable once Drinking .................... I +5
per fever). Flora/Fauna Lore ...... 4 +20
Gambling ................. -
• A really dark tan Hunt /Track .............. 4 +20
Juggling ................... -
Literature ................. -
Special Note Music ....................... -
• You may add the Arawak language to your language list Riding ...................... -
(you speak it at 6 ranks). Sing I Dance ............. I +5
Tale Telling .............. 4 +20
Animal Handling ...... 2
Awareness ................. 4
Body Develop ........... 2
+10
+20
+12
Carpentry .................. I +5
Climbing ................... 4 +20
Cutpurse ................... -
Diplomacy ............... -
First Aid .................... 1 +5
Fishing ...................... 2 +10
Food Preservation ..... 2 +10
Foraging .................... 4 +20
Forgery .................... -
Interrogation ............ -
Mapping ................... -
Medical Lore ........... -
Navigation ................ 1 +5
Pilot (GA) ................ -
Pilot (LA) ................. -
Pilot (SM) ................ -
Rope Mastery ........... -
Rowing ..................... 3 +15
Sailing ...................... -
Sea Legs ................... -
Setting Traps ............. 2 +IO
Sewing ..................... -
Shipwright ............... -
Signalling .................. 1 +5
Smith/ Coop ............ -
Stalk / Hide ............... 4 +20
Superstition ............... 2 +10
Surgery .................... -
Swimming ................. 4 +20
Trading ..................... 2 +10
Weather Watch ......... 2 +10

Background
Although not born of those
people, you consider yourself an
Arawak.
It was nearly eight years ago that
your ship was wrecked on the coast
of Aorida and you were cast into
the sea. As you slipped beneath the
waves, you offered a final prayerof
salvation and then all was black.
When you awoke, you came to
realize that salvation had arrived in
theformofapairofArawakdivers.
You were brought to the
Arawak village deep within a fetid
swamp. You were weak and fe-
verish and do not remember the
journey well, but the Arawaks
took you in with hospitality to
rival that of European royalty.
Weeks passed and your health
recovered. Your hosts became
your friends and soon you were
helping them about their village.
You helped the men of the vil-
lage with their fishing and they
began to teach you the ways of
the land. Your skin tanned and
your stride changed to that of a
hunter; after four moons, you
had become as the Arawak.
As the moons passed, you grew
toenjoyyournew life. You learned
to speak with your new people and
you grew contentto eat as they ate.
You learned to make tools from
stone and how to hollow logs to
make canoes. After your first sea-
son of rains, a white man came to
your village. He traded your people
rum for a barrel of fish. He looked
at you for a long time, but you
were now not very different from
the other villagers.
Five rains passed. Your people
sired a number of children and
the tribe grew. Members of the had to return to your old life, you
larger tribe began to get the starv- had to revenge yourself upon the
ing-sickness. Themenofthetribe Spanish.
began to argue and there was a You still retain your skills that
splitting; the old chief and his you learned amongst the
family gathered their belongings Arawaks, but now you have the
and left. Although the village was might of modern civilization
your home, you owed your life to behind you. Woe be to those of
them and therefore followed. the Spanish who cross your path.
You travelled north with the new
tribe until a new river was found to
fish in. There, you built new homes
and began a new village.
Your new home was not to last
long. Within a moon, white men
(Spaniards) came south from St.
Augustine and tried to convert
your tribe. When the chief re-
jected them, they shot him and
burned your village.You and the
remainder of the tribe fled, but
you knew that your new life was
over. You knew then that you
 u
Sto\Va\Vay
t - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - = = - - - - - - - - - 1 2-Handed .................. I
Equipment List
• A wide brimmed felt hat (given to you by the Bosun of that
ship, it is largely misshapen)
• One shilling on a string (it was one of those given to your father Polearm ..................... I
for your day's pay)
• A sailor's knife (it is sharp enough to cut through a line with
one stroke)
• A pair of good Sunday shoes (you shouldn't wear them aboard
the ship though, for they have no grip)
• A woolen coat
Background
You were a troublesome boy, always
playing pranks and talcing small objects.
Once, you mixed a small amount of lamp-
oil into the mayor's carnage horses' feed
bag, causing them to emit a foul vapour
during an important trip. Another time, you
and a friend traveled to the markct with your
father. While your father was nearlly con-
ducting business wi.th a vendor. you and a
friend stole apples from the vendor's cart. It
seemed like a good idea at the time, but
whenyourfathercamebacktoyourcanand
discovered you, he seemed less than proud.
Afraid of what your father was going to
do as punishment, you and your friend fled.
You ran to the town·s docks and quiet!y
slipped intothe cargo hold ofa moored ship.
Once below deck, you found a place to hide
and rested, tired from the excitement.
You slept in the cargo hold for several
how-s and were awoken by the shouting of
the men above.Curious, you and yourtiiend
peered out throughthecargohatch. The ship
was leaving! Panicked.thetwoofyou looked
for a way offof the ship. Meeting with little
success, your friend suggested .that you find
the captain and spe:lk to him. Your thought
, .. R lUllDl Olill t Tlhe GlUllDl§ ~
2-H Firearm ............. -
Ambush .................... -
Boxing ..................... -
Brawling ................... 2 +IO
Cannon ..................... -
Disarm Foe .............. -
Thrown ..................... I +5
Entertainment
was that no matter who administered it, you
were getting a beating. With simultaneous
looksofterroranddcfeat on your faces. you
eirerged from the ship's hold.
The first sailor to spot you was a swar-
thy cragfaced old sailor with a loud voice.
Despite the fact that you were as quiet as
mice, he heard the door open. You tried to
hide again, but he just turned and locked
eyes with you. 'Do I need to say it again,
lads? Into the rigging with the both of
you!! I want that topsail set in double
time, so snap-to!' Thinking quickly. the
two of you headed forthesideofthcship,
looking for the rigging. An older sailor
(about your father's age), gave you a
funny look and nodded towards a strange
rope ladderlcading upwards into the sails.
In the rigging, you had to balance
along a long timber, from which the sail
would hang. called the yard. While four
sailors below shouted instructions. you
helped lower a sail down and attach
ropes to it. Once the ropes were attached,
men below pulled on the ropes and le-
vered the yard and sail into place. Trying
to remain inconspicuous, you continued
to follow the lead of the other sailors as
they set the sails and yards of the ship.
Combat Skills
Skill Ranks Bonus
::~ :i::~·:::::::::::::·-=-
+IO
+5
+5
Skills
Skill Ranks Bonus
Athletic Games ......... 4 +20
Carousing .................. 2 +IO
Drinking .................... I +5
Flora/Fauna Lore ..... - - Pilot (SM) ................ -
Gambling .................. 2 + I0
Hunt /Track ............. - - Rowing ..................... I
Juggling .................... I +5
Literature .................. I +5
Music ........................ 1 +5
Riding ....................... 1 +5
Sing I Dance ............. 1 +5
Tale Telling .............. 4 +20
Within an hour, you were at full sail.
You continued to follow the lead of the
sailors aboard: setting and furling sails.
hauling ropes, and cleaning the ship. There
seemed to be an unending numberoftasks
aboard the ship, but as long as you worked,
no one asked you about stowing away.
During that day, you learned a great
deal about how sailors work. Time is
kept by the Bosun (revealed to be that
very loud man you first met). The Bosun
keeps a glass which measures .thirty min-
utes. Every time the glass empties, he
turns it and strikes a small brass bell.
Each time he turns the glass. he strikes
the bell one more time until he reaches
eight. After the eighth bell. he calls for a
change of the watch. Those sailors that
are working get to rest and another group
of sailors (that were previously resting)
begin to work. Even the Bosun had an
assistant (called a mate) who took over at
the shouting and timekeeping for him.
The sailors didn't treat you as a
stranger. instead they fed you and be-
haved like you were part of the crew.
During this time, you learned that you
were just crossing the harbor and were
not travelling too far from home.
Other Skills
Skill Ranks Bonus
Administration .......... I
Animal Handling ..... -
Awareness ................. 3
+5
-
+15
Body Develop ........... 2 + 12
Carpentry ................. - -
Climbing ................... 4 +20
Cutpurse .................... 1 +5
Diplomacy ................ I +5
First Aid .................... 1 +5
Fishing ...................... 2 + 10
Food Preservation ..... 3 +I5
Foraging .................... 2 + 10
Forgery .................... - -
Interrogation ............ - -
Mapping ................... - -
Medical Lore ........... - -
Navigation ............... -
Pilot (GA) ................ -
Rope Mastery ............ 2 +10
+5
Sailing ....................... 2 +JO
Sea Legs .................... 2 +10
Setting Traps ............ -
Sewing ...................... I +5
Shipwright ............... -
Signalling ................. -
Smith/ Coop ............ -
Stalk/ Hide ............... 4 +20
Superstition ............... 3 +15
Surgery .................... -
Swimming ................. 2 +10
Trading ..................... 2 +10
Weather Watch ......... 1 +5
Once you reached the far side of the
harbor, the Foremast-Jacks moored the
ship to the quay there. You came to the
side of the ship and (much to your cha-
grin) your father was there waiting. You
looked about for support and saw that the
Bosun was giving him a knowing look.
He smiled at you and said to you, 'next
time. lads, if ye want to come aboard, ye
need only ask permission.'
The Bosun gave your father a few
shillings (your pay for the day) and sent
you on your way. Long after the memory
of your father's punishment faded, you
remembered your day of adventure
aboard that ship.

Prisoner
Equipment List
• A journal detailing your stay in Cartagena
• The name of the ship captain who smuggled you out of
Cartagena
• A small dagger (it is very easy to conceal and will be the death
of the next inquisitor you see)
• A beaten silver cross on a leather thong
(you wear it about your neck)
• 8 PoE in a felt bag
• A severe black coat
Background
The goals of a man arise from the
acts of his life, much like a plot
arising from the acts of a play. The
lives of men are forged on the anvils
of hope and despair and yours has
been hammered more on the latter
than the former.
Yourtimeofdespairwasspawned
of the selfish and corrupt Spanish
Inquisition, who captured and kept
you for several months in a vain
attempt to pry a confession from you.
Your life was once (and is now) the
life of a free man; a sailor on the
Carribbean. Your captain traded with
ports along the Lesser Antilles (those
most windward islands spanningfrom
San Juan to Trinidad) and
occaisionally even made calls in
Cumana and Curacao. These trips
were very lucrative, as the Dutch and
Spanish are always looking for goods
to purchase (especially the Spanish,
who have oppressive tariffs on good
IR. 11111IB 01111 t 1rlhe
brought to their ports). The profit,
however, was not worth the price that
you eventually paid for it.
It was a clear, calm morning when
your lookout spotted a pinnance on
the horizon. She gave chase to your
laden hoecker for nearly the entire
day before she over took you.
The pinnance pulled aside your
ship and proudly unfurled a Spanish
flag. Her captain, Don Diego de la
Fuego ordered your captain to strike
his colors and accept boarders. How-
ever, your captain had no wish to
lose his ship and his freedom to the
Spanish. He roused in the crew a
fury to repel the boarders. You fought
bravely alongside the captain and
when he was struck down, your
crew's morale was broken. You tried
to bring some semblance of order
back to those who were nearby, but
your words were lost in their panic.
In their haste, they knocked you to
the deck and when your head hit the
wood, you fell unconscious.
G1111rm§ ~
Combat Skills
Skill Ranks Bonus
1-H Edged ................. 3 +15
1-H Firearm .............. 1
2-H Firearm .............. I
2-Handed .................. 1
+5
+5
+5
Ambush ..................... 2 +IO
Boxing ..................... -
Brawling ................... 4 +20
Cannon ..................... -
Disarm Foe .............. -
+5
Polearm ..................... I
Thrown ..................... I +5
Entertainment
Skills
Skill Ranks Bonus
Athletic Games ......... 1 +5
Carousing .................. I +5
Drinking .................... I +5
Flora/Fauna Lore ...... I +5
Gambling .................. I +5
Hunt/ Track ............. -
Juggling .................... I +5
Literature .................. I +5
Music ........................ 4 +20
Riding ....................... I +5
Sing/ Dance ............. 1 +5
Tale Telling .............. 4 +20
You awoke aboard Don Diego's
ship,theSantoFranciscodelaSici/i,ana.
He informed the few survivors of your
ship (his men killed many of those who
fought against them) that he would
spare you from the Inquisition if you
were to repent your sins and accept the
authority of the Catholic Pope. In ex-
change for this, he would kill you
quickly.You refused and were taken to
the Inquisition in Cartagena.
In Cartagena, the Inquisitors tried
to pry confessions from you with
hot irons and mechanical devices of
no small deviltry. Their talents in
the skills of torture were great, but
they could not cause you to refute
your own faith. Eventually, they
threw you in a cell to rot.
You lived for 153 days in that cell
until an opportunity to escape came
to you. Raiders, led by the notorious
Henry Morgan raided the village
that was home to your prison; you
were able to free yourself in the
confusion.
,...
""' ..
Other Skills
Skill Ranks Bonus
Administration ......... -
Animal Handling ..... -
Awareness ................. 4
Body Develop ........... 4
+20
+24
Carpentry .................. 2 +IO
Climbing ................... 2 +10
Cutpurse ................... -
Diplomacy ................ 2 +JO
First Aid .................... 2 +10
Fishing ...................... I +5
Food Preservation .... -
Foraging ................... -
Forgery .................... -
Interrogation ............. 4 +20
Mapping ................... -
Medical Lore ............ I +5
Navigation ............... -
Pilot (LA) ................. -
Pilot (GA) ................ -
Pilot (SM) ................ -
Rope Mastery ............ 2 +10
Rowing .................... -
Sailing ....................... 2 +IO
Sea Legs .................... 2 +JO
Setting Traps ............ -
Sewing ...................... I +5
Shipwright ............... -
Signalling ................. -
Smith / Coop ............ -
Stalk / Hide ............... 4 +20
Superstition .............. -
Surgery .................... -
Swimming ................. 2 +JO
Trading .................... -
Weather Watch ......... 1 +5
Morgan's men were long gone by
the time that you freed yourself, so
you were forced to find your own
way back to non-Spanish civiliza-
tion. Eventually, you made your way
to Bonaireand from there to Curacao.
Workingasameresailorwillnotsuit
you for long; the Spanish must pay for
what they have done to you and others
and the best way that you can do this is
to take up the bannerof the Jolly Roger
and raid Sapnish ships for all that they
carry.
 R lill rrn O lU1 t T llil e G lUl rm § ~
Combat Skills
Skill Ranks Bonus
1-H Edged ................. 4
1-H Firearm ............. -
Coxswain 2-H Firearm .............. I
2-Handed .................. 3
t-E_q_w_·_p_m_e_n_t_L_i_s_t - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 1 Ambush•············ ....... -
Boxing ..................... -
• A fine cotton shirt Brawling ................... 3
• A bi-corn hat (you save wearing it for special occasions) Cannon····················· -
Disarm Foe .............. -
• A shrill silver whistle (good for signalling your men) Polearm ..................... 4
• 14 PoE Thrown ..................... 2
• A bright blue pennon (it is destined for a mast-top) Entertainment
Skills
Skill Ranks Bonus
Athletic Games ......... 2 + I0
Carousing .................. I
Drinking .................... 4
Flora/Fauna Lore ..... -
Gambling .................. 2
Hunt / Track ............. -
Juggling .................... 2
Literature ................. -
Music ....................... -
Riding ...................... -
Sing I Dance ............. 4
Tale Telling .............. 2
Other Skills
Skill Ranks Bonus
+20 Administration ......... -
- Animal Handling ..... -
+5
+15
-
Awareness ................. 3
Body Develop ........... 2
Carpentry .................. 2
+15
+12
+10
Climbing ................... 4 +20
+15 Cutpurse ................... -
Diplomacy ................ I +5
First Aid ................... -
+20 Fishing ...................... 3 +15
+JO Food Preservation .... -
Foraging ................... -
Forgery .................... -
Interrogation ............ -
Mapping ................... -
Medical Lore ........... -
+5 Navigation ............... -
+20 Pilot (GA) ................. I +5
Pilot (LA) .................. 2 +10
+10 Pilot (SM) ................. I +5
Rope Mastery ............ 3 +15
+JO Rowing ..................... 4 +20
Sailing ....................... I +5
Sea Legs .................... 4 +20
Setting Traps ............ -
+20 Sewing ..................... -
+10 Shipwright ............... -
Signalling .................. 2
Smith/ Coop ............ -
Stalk / Hide .............. -
Superstition ............... 4 +20
Surgery .................... -
Swimming ................. I +5
Trading .................... -
Weather Watch ......... 2 +JO

Background Boats are commonly powered Boats need to be stored prop- During combat, boats should
Of all of the things that a sailor by oars. With oars, a launch can erly. Longboats should be cov- be towed astern or alongside
can be trusted with, the task of even tow a larger vessel against ered with canvas and towed be- The coxswain should person-
Coxswain is amongst the most the tide (to a point from where it hind the ship. The longboat ally pick out his launch crew and
prestigious. The Coxswain is en- can sail). Under oars, the Cox- should be hauled in for the car- train them in proper operations.
trusted with leading the ship's swain calls the beats of the penter to inspect daily. On larger When the Bosun calls 'Make
boats, or launches. Boats are dif- oarmen, which tell the oarmen vessels, launches should be ready a skiff, ' your lads should
ferent from ships in that they are when to row. A properly trained lashed to the deck amidships and be ready to put a skiff in the
not intended as primary trans- launch crew can coax much more covered with canvas (where it water in double-time.
portation and are not sea-worthy speed from the oars than a disor- can be used to store and secure
for long periods oftime; they are ganized, off-time rabble. cargo). Smaller vessels would
instead carried by (or towed be- Boats come in many sizes. be best served by towing their
hind) the larger ships. Longboats are the largest, nearly launch behind them in the fash- . - -~~~'-..·.·.~~({'i·,~ . ·,{
The launch is an important part the size ofa Tartane; they can even ion of a longboat. Skiffs should •i(t/: •, ~• ~
•I

of a ship's operation. It is used to be rigged for sailing. Launches,
transfer cargo and seamen from are also very large, can be rigged
ship to shore in places with no for sail and can be seen on almost
harbor, it is also used to transfer every large sailing ship. Skiffs and
boarders to enemy ships when jollyboats are smaller, rowboat-
engaged in combat, and it is used sized boats and can be seen even
to escape from a doomed ship. on the smallest of ships.
also be lashed amidships (at least
on smaller ships), or with one on
each side of the ship (for bal-
ance). Jollyboats should be cov-
ered and securely stowed to pre-
vent their coming loose during
./
poor weather. .:~ ; .~.::.·.·. .. \f", ..:· ..... .
 CLEAR FOR ACTION!
MUSINGS OF AN OLD SALT ON SHIPS, SAILING, AND THE SEA
Bv MICHAEL CORMAN
Ah, there was a call that sent every sailor's blood racing! The
prospect of imminent battle, the chance of prize money (if a
privateer or an English sailor), maybejust a good fight and the
roar and thunderofthe guns. Of course, it might just be a drill;
either way the captain will be standing on the quarterdeck with
his watch in his hand counting the seconds, and the bosun's
mates will be swinging their starters at anyone even perceived
to be slacking. This was the command that changed the ship
from an excessively crowded and uncomfortable mode of
transportation into a weapon of almost frightening potential.
The transfonnation from cruising ship to fighting ship took
time, but except for rare occasions, time was not a problem. A
good warship with a full, well-trained, and healthy crew could
go from washing clothes to cleared foraction in Jess than thirty
minutes; Jess than fifteen if battle had been expected and the
ship was maintained at alert. A merchant which had seen no
sail or land for several weeks might take up to an hour, but on
the time scale in which actions occurred on the high seas, this
was still a short time. Sailing was a very slow method of travel;
15 knots (ornautical miles per hour) was considered very fast,
and a good ship under excellent conditions was hard pressed
to maintain a twenty-four hour averageof6 knots. In addition,
in most weather (except fog and rain), a ship's masts and sails
could be seen easily from ten miles away and the time scale
becomes apparent. From the time you saw a ship until you
could close with it would be at least thirty minutes, and that
only if the other ship was equally willing to close with you.
More likely, one ship would be out-gunned and desperately
trying to get away. With a difference in speeds of only a few
knots, this might require a chase ofupwards often hours. Even
if the two ships were equally anned and the two captains
equally eager to come to grips, several hours of maneuvering
might elapse as each ship tried to attain the best possible for the
all-important first devastating broadside. So, although a ship
would be cleared for action as soon as the possibility of a fight
arose, the actual fight could be most of the day away.
This wasn't always the case-a surprise attack at night,
a ship suddenly emerging from within a fog bank or behind
an island, or finding that a ship you thought was friendly
had been captured by pirates who were now planning on
raiding you could mean that the ship was being cleared
while trying to fight. This is not a good thing! Due to the
danger of fire, no gunpowder or slowmatch was ever kept
on deck, and although some merchant ships kept the guns
loaded just for cases like this, if enough time had gone by
(especially in the tropics) the powder would be damp and
the guns would need to be unloaded and then reloaded
before the ship could fight. A ship starting a battle without
being cleared for action would be at a serious disadvantage.
Scrambling to get powder to the guns and matches lit, sails
trimmed and bulkheads struck down while being shot at led
to the possibility for all sorts of disastrous mistakes!
There were three major categories of tasks which were
involved in clearing the ship for action. The most obvious,
of course, was preparing the guns. Very few things could
be worse in the middle of a stonn than having a two-ton
cannon come loose and start rolling up and down the
gundeck, possibly crashing through the bulkheads and
holing the ship. Consequently, when not in use, the guns
were lashed into place with their muzzles tight against the
planking above the gun ports. Since the crew lived in small
temporary cabins between the guns (this was before the
time of hammocks, when everyone slept in the tween decks
and only ate between the guns), all of the other tackle for
the guns was removed and stowed when not in use; these
had to be reattached. All of the loading gear, including
sponges, rammers, worms, picks, match buckets, etc. had
to be brought up from the hold and set in place. Cannon-
balls were brought out of the hold and set in their ready
racks, and grape shot was brought up and hung next to the
guns. Ready ammunition in canvas sacks was brought up
from the powder room, and the gunner and his mates began
sewing up new sacks and filling them from the kegs. Slow
match was placed in the match buckets, though it was
rarely lit until just before the ship was ready to fight. Small
anns, including axes, pikes, cutlasses, pistols, and muskets
were brought out of the armory and distributed or racked
close at hand. The guns, which normally depended on their
recoil to run them in for loading, had to be muscled in by
hand to be loaded for the first broadside.
Above the gundeck, guns generally were not stowed in
firing positions. This included small guns on the waist,
forecastle, or quarterdeck. These were lashed down in the
center of the deck to keep the weight more centered in the
ship, or even stowed in the hold, and had to be carried or
pushed into position on the rails and the tackles attached.
Swivel guns were stored with the muskets in the armory,
and also had to be lifted into position. Sharpshooters
climbed into position in the fighting tops, and their weap-
ons were hoisted up to them in small-arms chests. Assum-
ing, of course, that the cap-
tain allowed firearms in the
fighting tops: even up to the
end of the seventeenth cen-
tury, the Spanish feared
the threat of fire in the
rigging so much that
they used cross-
bows instead of
muskets in the
tops.
 Preparing the weapons was only a small part of the job
of clearing for action. The majority of the actual tasks
involved preventing damage to the ship and crew. All non-
essential equipment was taking down into the hold, includ-
ing sea chests, everything in the captain's cabin, even the
galley stove. The crew' s cabins, which were temporary
structures built between and over the guns were taken apart
and the walls stowed in the hold or mounted at the rails for
extra protection from musket balls. Cabins for the mates
and most of the other seamen who rated cabins were also
dismantled and sent below, and even the captain' s cabin on
most smaller warships was taken apart. This left "a clean
sweep fore and aft" through the gun deck, with no extrane-
ous wood or gear which could turn into shrapnel if hit by a
cannon ball. There was enough trouble already with the
"splinters", usually huge jagged shards of oak which could
disembowel a man, cast up from the deck and the outside
planking of the ship. It also enabled the gun captain to keep
track of all of his guns in a single view, yelling at slackers,
sending crews to catch guns which broke from their lash-
ings, and noting which guns were out of action. All non-
combatants were also sent below the waterline, into the
orlop deck. This was actually the safest place to be on a
ship; cannonballs which hit the water were usually slowed
down enough to do no damage below the waterline. The
real hazard was catching a ball "between wind and water"
right at the waterline, where the hole would be submerged
when the ship heeled the other direction. The surgery, if the
ship was fortunate enough to have a doctor would be
located down here, as would the chaplain and any passen-
gers or prisoners.
Above decks, extra lines called preventer backstays
would be run from the deck to the top of each mast section,
doubling and sometimes tripling the number of ropes
holding up the mast. More ropes and sometimes chains
would be used to hold the yards up on the masts, in case the
normal rigging was shot through. Nets would frequently be
rigged above the deck so that if any spars were shot off
during combat, they would not come crashing down on the
gun crews on deck. Awnings, deckhouses, hencoops, goat
pens, and all of the other loose gear normally spread out on
the deck were sent down into the hold. Extra pumps were
rigged, and buckets of sand and water placed handy in case
of fire. The ships' boats were also normally cast off; the
longboat for most ships was between a third and half the
length of the ship, and was usually towed behind the ship
or stowed on spars laid across the waist during bad weather
or for very long trips out of sight of land. These were
equipped with supplies and a few men, under the command
of a bosun's mate, and set loose just before the fighting
started, where they could be used to board enemy vessels,
take their own ships under tow, transport boarding parties,
or whatever else they were called on to do. Larger launches
and barges might also be cast off at this time.
Once actually in range and the battle certain, the ship
would reduce canvas to "fighting sail". This involved
clewing up the main and fore courses, the lowest sails on
the mast, to give the captain and the gun crews better
visibility. All of the other sails on the ship, which were
normally furled (tied tightly to the yards), would either be
in use or left "hanging in their gear", ready for instant use
from the deck, without the need to send men aloft. Once
battle started and sails and yards were being shot away,
J\LL HJ\NDS
ON OF.CK
there was no telling which scrap of canvas might be the
difference between life and death if it could be set quickly
enough.
Finally the ship was clear for action, and the gun crews
would occupy the remainder of the time chipping the rust
off the cannonballs and making them as round as possible,
dancing hornpipes, or praying before battle actually started.
Most warship captains would use this opportunity to send
the men to dinner, if it looked to be a long chase and if the
galley stove had not yet been stowed. Merchant captains
would spend their time worrying.
Merchant ships were much harder to clear for action than
warships. First of all, the crew was usually not as familiar
with the job. A good warship captain would clear for action
onceaday,just for drill, even if he occasionally ignored the
requirement that his own cabin be dismantled. If the ship
was not cleared for action occasionally, the fittings for the
gun tackle tended to rust and become difficult to work, the
insides of the guns would rust, and the gunports, if not
opened for a while would swell shut. Equipment might be
piled in front of the door to the armory or the powder room,
or laid across the hatches into the hold. Also, during weeks
at sea things such as tools, clothing, spare sails or rope,
pieces ofcarvings or repair work, buckets, and other items
tended to wander from their storage space and end up
stacked across or between the guns, hanging from the rig,
or piled up on deck, unless the ship was run very tightly. All
of this had to be cleared away as well. There tended to be
more obstacles on a merchant ship which could not be
cleared away; the cabin walls were built more solidly,
important passengers' staterooms could not be touched
with impunity, and a heavily loaded merchant might have
almost as much cargo stored on the gundeck as in the hold.
Finally, compared to the number of guns they carried, the
crews of merchant ships tended to be much than the crews
of fighting ships. Warships generally carried at least the
minimum number of crew required to service each gun
(thus allowing them to use double crews on the guns when
firing only one broadside), plus somewhat more than the
minimum number of sailors required to handle the ship
while fighting, plus a crew of marines both for discipline
and ceremony and to provide small arms fire from the tops
and rails, plus a substantial number of mates, petty officers
and supernumeraries. Merchants rarely carried more than
the minimum number of crew actually required to sail the
ship, which might not be enough to man a single broadside
of a heavily armed merchant, even if all of the guns and
gunports were in working order.
Ofcourse, these are all generalities. There were fighting
merchants, especially in pirate-infested waters, who drilled
their crews almost as hard as the best of the warships. There
were many merchants during the !600's who carried a
letter of marque, and more money could sometimes be
made capturing enemy merchants than actually trading.
There were warship captains who failed to fire their guns
even once in practice, either because they were unable to
afford the powder required (most governments were noto-
riously stingy about allocating practice ammunition), or
simply were unwilling to devote the time required to train
the crew. Scariest of all, there were captains, pirate priva-
teer and naval, who disguised themselves as merchants,
pretended to be unable to carry off the simplest maneuvers,
and waited for an unwary enemy to get too close to escape
before opening up. Such are the fortunes of war.
 FIRE IN THE TOPS
FICTION BY MIKE CORMAN
"No time! No time!" he thought as he desperately hauled
his arms chest over the rail and into the top. "Where did
they come from? How had they crept up on them? How
could they move so fast?"
Edward Presser, ABS, worked frantically at the latches
of the chest as the small sloop fairly flew through the water
at his ship. He could see the heads of the pirates, so many
for such a small vessel, as they crouched behind the meager
railings, grinning at the plump Portugese flute they had so
neatly trapped. Any moment now the sloop would fall off,
presenting her small broadside to the bigger ship, which
alas, was still trying desperately to get her six-pounder
loaded and run out. One broadside, maybe two to soften
them up, then they would board the Raven, and how could
the I 5-man crew of the merchant hope to repel so many?
Especially with two men still weak and coughing from the
fever they'd picked up in Brazil, the tropical pestilence
which had cut their numbers almost in half. Their only
prayer was to drop as many of the pirates as they could, with
small arms from the tops or with the two remaining cannon.
Maybe they would break off and look for easier prey if
enough of them were hit. Ha! What could be easier prey
than a lightly armed mechantman with only half a crew?
The sloop seemed to have come out of nowhere. It must
have been hidden in a small cove on the island, it's bare
masts blending with the tree line and its hull hidden in a cut
that none of the merchant's lookouts had realized was
there. It had a very good crew; they had gotten speed up
with oars even as the sails were being set and were already
flying and very close when the lookout on the merchant had
glanced back. It was already obvious that the flute could
never outrun the smaller ship, not in this wind.
Finally the top came free. Quickly he grabbed a musket
and a cartridge belt and began to load. He glanced over the
rail again, noting the speed of the sloop's approach; he
should be able to get at least two of the muskets loaded
before the ship was in range. Long Tom, the only other man
in his top, was already lighting the matches in the firepot.
At least the matches were fresh. The last batch had been
soaked during the long haul up the coast, and the gunner's
mate had made up this batch only two days ago. Unfortu-
nately the cartridges were not as good; the first two he
opened were caked with the damp, and he had his doubts as
to the third. Bartolomeo would have been with them,
hauling up buckets of water in case of fire now, and once
the fight started loading for the two of them, but he had been
one of the first to catch the fever. A lousy shot, but he'd had
fast hands. There, two muskets loaded and Tom was
hauling up a budge-bucket of grenades. Another glance;
maybe time for a third musket?
The gun crew had finally gotten things together, Edward
noted, hearing the rumble of the trucks and noting the shift
in the balance of the ship. It couldn't have been easy with
only three of them to work the gun, but at least the pirates
were approaching from the lee. This meant that the deck
sloped towards the pirate, and the gun was run out down-
hill. Unfortunately, it also meant that the merchantman
could not flee; the captain was already sailing as close to
the wind as he could, and the sloop was sailing almost ten
degrees higher. And when they did start firing, their own
smoke would be between them and the pirates, while the
smoke from the pirate ship would be blown away from the
merchant, giving the pirates a clear view of the target. It
was a beautiful trap they were caught in!
There, three muskets loaded and Long Tom almost
finished with a fourth. The six pounder roared, but Edward
never saw the splash of the ball. As the sloop came within
musket shot, the helmsman put the tiller over smoothly,
and the light boat rolled its starboard side up to face the
flute. In perfect unison, three gun ports dropped open, three
black muzzles poked out, and the side of the pirate ship
disappeared in a cloud of gray smoke. He could hear the
scream of the balls as they passed, and a hole opened in the
sail just in front of him, but nothing else seemed to be hit.
The yawing of the sloop also revealed the presence of
musketeers in her tops; Edward and Long Tom each pulled
in on the long triggers. The priming powder hissed, then
flared and the two guns roared as one; a man fell on the
sloop, clutching his arm. Then flashes from the rail of the
pirate ship as at least twenty muskets returned their fire.
Edward grabbed for his second musket and Tom began to
reload.
The helmsman on the sloop had put the tiller back over
even as her broadside had fired, and once again the range
was beginning to shorten. A good ship then, well handled;
she had dropped off course just long enough to fire the
broadside, and was back on before the broadside could be
answered. Smiling grimly, Edward took careful aim and
pulled the trigger. The helmsman of the sloop jerked his
fingers away from the splinters which exploded next to
them, but had steadied the tiller again before the sloop
could fall off course; a close shot, but not a hit. Edward
reached for his third musket. Again the careful aim, and the
match dropped into the pan; again the flare, but the gun
failed to go off. Damn these wet cartridges! He dropped the
musket, picked up one he had already fired and reached for
another cartridge.
That was when his third musket went off. A long tongue
of fire ripped from the discarded weapon, igniting the
powder from the two discarded cartridges and the canvas
cover of the arms chest and blowing another, smaller hole
in the sail. The musket flew backwards off the top, spinning
down into the sea. Edward and Long Tom watched in
horror as the small tongues of flame whipped up the side of
the tar-soaked canvas.
"Get rid of it!" yelled Tom, waving his still unprimed
musket at the burning box. "Throw it overboard!" Edward
grabbed for the box, but with four muskets and eight
cutlasses it was a heavy, clumsy load. He hadjuststaggered
to the edge of the top when a blow like a hammer slammed
into his head. A lucky shot from the pirate ship had torn a
gash over his right ear, almost dropping him through the
lubber's hole. The arms case, now beginning to burn
fiercely, fell onto the budge-bag carrying the grenades.
Tom dropped his musket and scrambled over to help.
Dazed, Edward managed to get one end of the box up on
the rail as Long Tom scooped up the bucket of grenades. He
had tossed this into the sea and was moving to help with the
arms chest when a sickening lurch in the mast again caused
ALLHANDS
Edward to drop his load. An instant later they heard the ON DECK
 sound of the sloop's second broadside. The anns chest slid
across the top into the opposite rail, slamming hard into the
shrouds. Edward had just started towards the box for the
third time when Tom caught his shoulder.
"We've got to get out of here!" Tom yelled. "The mast
is going!" Another sickening lurch in the top showed that
the shrouds holding up the mast had parted. As if top
emphasize his words, a cartridge exploded in the arms
chest, blowing a small hole in the side of the box. Edward
and Tom scrambled through the lubber's hole, fighting
desperately for footing on the shrouds below as the fire
,)
----~.. ,._---------------,F----------------------,~ ·
/\I.I. H/\N DS
ON DECK
began spreading up the upper shrouds towards the top
mast. A larger explosion from the arms chest sent its
remains flying from the top over the side into the sea.
Faced with the weakness of his mainmast, fire in the
tops, and pirates approaching quickly to board, the captain
had no choice. Wearily he ordered the flag dropped and
turned the ship away from the wind. It was a good ship,
packed with goods which would not be easy to unload
quickly. At least if the pirates wanted their prize, there
would be plenty of hands available to fight the fire.
 CORAZON DE OSCURIDAD
ADVENTURE SEED FOR RUN OUT THE GUNS
BY STEVE
The following is an adventure seed for use with Run Out
the Guns! Players should read no further! Gamemaster
should the below and adapt the details as necessary to fit the
game he is running.
GM SET-UP
The extreme isolation of inland plantations in the Carib-
bean of the 1660's could lead to unusual, even bizarre ways
of life. In this adventure, a mingling of megalomania and
native religious and dietary practices have made an absen-
tee landlord's plantation into one man's kingdom of de-
pravity, and a privateercrew is employed to set things right.
We are evoking Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, ech-
oed by the movie "Apocalypse Now", for our atmosphere.
The characters will be hired by a rich planter to investi-
gate a property he owns on Spanish Puerto Rico. This
plantation has not sent a crop downriver in almost a year,
and its owner wishes to know why. Since his ownership is
a delicate matter, and would be forfeit if Spanish authori-
ties knew of it, the planter is sending a crew of privateers,
men who have proved themselves unafraid of a challenge.
The plantation has been largely untended, with the bulk
of the last two crops distilled into high-proof rum for the
entertainment of the workers. The overseer on site, Senor
Cortez, has turned the area around the plantation into his
own little country, with his former slaves, mostly half-
breeds, as his citizens. Only Cortez and his few Spanish
men have firearms; the rest arm themselves with bows,
knives, and makeshift pole-arms. Human heads decorate
their degenerate village, the heads of Spanish soldiers and
the bulk of the planter's first expedition to the plantation.
The entire area is a powderkeg of smouldering resentment
and repressed violence waiting to explode, as the slaves
hold Cortez in religious awe but their hatred of him grows
daily. The arrival of the privateers should provide the spark
that brings down this horrific colony.
Cortez himself is a Spanish Fop/Militia Man/Grenadier;
he carries two flintlock pistols at all times. His bodyguards
are all Spanish Smuggler/Ord. Seaman/Ord. Seaman types;
assume that they have access to no more than six matchlock
muskets and two blunderbusses. The ordinary ex-slaves
are Escaped Slave/Native Son/Ord. Seaman types with no
special abilities or property except for bows and the ability
to fire them.
Guide the crew towards Plantation Cortez with the
occasional ambush. At least two ofCortez's bodyguard are
soldiers from the first expedition sent to find the plantation
who came over to his side, and the characters will get to his
rude, shocking collection of huts without too much trouble
if they pretend the same thing. They will find suggestions
of murder, abuse, and cannibalism everywhere, and Senor
Cortez lying about his "throne" clearly in the throes of the
fever. Perhaps the best outcome a decent group of priva-
teers could arrange is to heed the words of their employer,
spill a few kegs of overproof rum about the place, and bum
it out like the cancer that it is...
HEss
CREW SET-UP
You were considering crew assignments and maybe one last
foray into Spanish territory before the winter season when Peter
Falkenberg summoned all of you to his estate. Well-known to
the Dutch Governor and one of the richest men on the island,
Falkenberg often represents the interests of the King of Den-
mark in St. Thomas. Falkenberg and his lovely young wife
Munter greet you in their opulent home overlooking the harbor.
The dinner is without equal, the wines are Italy's finest, and the
tobacco, your gift to your host, you stole from the Spanish only
a few months back. Well after dark, with the officers assembled
in Falkenberg's study, business is finally discussed.
"As you know, I own properties all over the Caribbean,"
Falkenberg says while unrolling a fine map showing the Greater
and Lesser Antilles in great detail. "I must travel constantly and
entertain many powerful and petty men with coin and product
in order to keep my little empire working. Europe's code of
nobility translates poorly to the New World, and a man without
a family name, such as myself, is always at the mercy of
penniless but powerful lords. Did you know that when I came
to Saint Thomas I had nothing but my sword?" He sweeps his
arm towards the fireplace and the fine rapier hung over it. You
have heard that Falkenberg uses it well. "All that I have, I built,
or took, with my own hands...or the hands of willing, like-
minded men such as yourselves. To freedom, a toast, and to the
Spanish, confusion!" Brandy snifters rise, and the room fills
with laughter and "aaaargh!"'s of agreement.
(The thought sweeps from mind to mind: He started out
like me, and I will be like him one day, living like a king
outside the reach of those who fancy themselves my betters.)
'1 need your services, the services of a stout crew of hard-
working men who can get a dirty job done and be counted on to
keep a promise. I have lost contact with my largest sugar
plantation. They've not sent their last two harvest's worth of
goods, and their sugar is very important to my Europe-bound
shipments. My agent in the area, a Portugee named Nascimento,
took a few local toughs to investigate two months ago and I
haven't heard from him since. I'm hiring you to go and find out
why my sugar isn't in the harbor right now."
A flourish of his arm produces a thin knife from nowhere,
and the point stabs down into the map. Wait...No, that's not-
"Problem is, the plantation is on Puerto Rico, a good thirty
miles inland in a sheltered valley south of Arecibo. Nothing but
Spaniards and jungle in every direction. That's why I need a
crew lean trust. You'll beabletotakeaskiffor a rigged longboat
upriver, or you can take a barge that's going up the Rio Grande
de Arecibo from the coast: anything larger might alert the
authorities. I believe that a crew larger than, say, ten people
might do the same.
"I still have a man in Arecibo, a corrupt little Spaniard named
Guajardo who owns a quaint dockside tavern. He'll help you,
more outoffearthan anything else, but you'll have to supply your
own guns,shot,and powder. Yourjobhastwopossibleoutcomes:
Find that my sugaris there, butshipping has been delayed, and you
can move things along; find that my sugar is going to a Spaniard,
orto a betteroffer, and you can burn the place down." Falkenberg
reaches below the table, extracts a sizeable purse, and tosses it to
your captain. "I trust that fifty is enough."
The clank of the purse as your captain catches it causes
Al.I. HANDS
an amusing reaction among the more perceptive crewmen: ON DECK
Those coins are GOLD, not silver. ..
 COMMODITY PRICING
COMMODITIES CHART
Item Cost• Notes
-Livestock
Chickens .......... 80 .............................. 40 chickens (hens)
Milk Cow ......... 400 ..... 1 cow (holsteins, etc), avg. 1200-
1300 lbs., live 10-15 years,
60 lbs. of milk per day at peak
(30 pound minimum)
Beef Cow ......... 300 ...... I beef cow (angus, highlanders,
guernsey, etc.), I200-1300 lbs.
(big ones 1800)
Steer (cattle) ..... 500 ... I fixed male beef cow (highlander
or longhorn), 1800-2200 lbs.
Goat ................. 180 ............................... 3 mid sized goats
Ox .................... 250 ..... I ox (neutered beef males),
much larger than steers
(2500-2700 lbs.)
Sheep ............... 90 ............................ 2 really pretty sheep
-Fish. .................. 25 ........................................................... .
-Fruit. ................. 50 ............................................................
Lemons ............ 45 ............................................................
Figs .................. 50 ............................................................
Plums ............... 50 ............................................................
Oranges ............ 60 .......................................................... ..
Bananas ............ 60 ............................................................
Grapefruit ........ 50 ............................................................
Shaddock ......... 45 .......... A predecessor to the grapefruit,
very fleshy.
Olives ............... 40 .......................................................... ..
Limes ............... 55 .......................................................... ..
Dates, whole .... 45 ............................................................
Mangoes .......... 60 ............................................................
-Lumber. ........... 10 ........................................................... .
Mahogany ........ 80 ........................................................... .
Teak ................. 75 ............................................................
- Cotton............... 40 ........................................................... .
-Wool. ................ 80 ........................................................... .
-Ore. ................... JOO ..........................................................
Iron .................. 100 ..........................................................
Copper ............. 90 ........................................................... .
Lead ................. 80 ........................................................... .
Tin .................... 80 ............................................................
--Slaves................ 20 ............................................................
-Rum. ................. 50 ............................................................
Cheap Rum ...... 20 ............................................................
--Sugar. ............... 30 ......................................... (processed)
Cane ................. 18 ............................................................
-Tobacco ............ 100 ...................................... (dried/cured)
Dried/uncured .. 15 .......................................................... ..
--Salt. ................... 20 .......................................................... ..
AJ.LHANDS
ON DECK
Item Cost• Notes
-Manufactured
Goods............ 300 ..........................................................
Furniture .......... 900 ..........................................................
Books ............... 600 ............................... frequently bibles
Textiles ............ 300 ..........................................................
Jewelry ............. 3000 ........................................................
Pewterware ...... 300 ......................................................... .
Glassware ........ 400 ......................................................... .
Rugs ................. 500 ........................................................ ..
- Powder. ............ 300 ...........................................................
Black Eagle ...... 25 ............................................................
French White
Letter ........ SO ............................................................
Red Letter ........ I 00 ......................................................... .
Fine Primer ...... 100 ........................................................ ..
--Shot. .................. I PoE ........................................ per pound
Iron Roundshot 400 ..........................................................
Lead Musket
balls .......... 400 ..........................................................
-Hides and Furs. 25 ........................................................... ..
--Spices. ............... 150 ...........................................................
-Wine. ................ 150 ...........................................................
Fine European .. 300 .. A fine red from the Bordeau region
Cheap
Continental .. 150 ..........................................................
Local ................ 50 ......... vile fruit wine from Guadeloupe
-Beer. ................. 80 ............................................................ .
-Foodstuffs . ....... 25 .............................................................
Pickled
Vegetables ... 20 .......................................................... ..
Dried Meat ....... 40 ............................................................
Smoked Meat ... 30 ............................................................
Salted Meat ...... 40 ............................................................
Ship's biscuit ... 10 ............................................................
Com Meal
bread ........ S .......................... It's as good as biscuit!
Butter or
Cheese .......... 30 ............................................................
Wine Vinegar... IS ............................................................
Olive Oil .......... 15 ............................................................
-Grain. ............... 50 ............................................................ .
Feed for
Livestock ..... I ..............................................................
Small grains ..... 3 ........................................ (corn, wheat)
Large grains ..... 4 ........................................ (oats, barley)
- Naval Stores. .... 150 ..........................................................
Sisal or Hemp .. 25 .. raw material, not made into rope yet
Baltic
Cordage .... 150 ..... All rolls to test the strength
of rigging are modified +20
in your favor
Pitch ................. 150 ..........................................................
*: per cask/bale (in PoE)