Pirates

Background

Pirates are a colourful bunch of windswept, weather-beaten, combat-hardened, death-defying, rum-drinking, timber-shivering people from all walks of life and all levels of society. They all have their own reasons for having turned their backs on established society and its restrictive rules in order to carve out their own niche in life with powder and sword. They love their freedom and will defend it tooth and nail and cutlass against anybody who threatens to take it away from them. Some of them take every possible opportunity to go “Arrr!” in a gravelly voice.

Hiring

Challenge level

A Pirate crew can hire the following number of characters from the different ranks:

1 Leader
1+ Deckhand characters
0-1 Specialist for each deckhand character
0-2 Mercenaries. A mercenary takes up a specialist’s place.

History

The first pirates were probably on Leonera before the Empire turned up. They probably kept their heads down, as you do when you’re the tactically prudent owners of some leaky tubs and a handful of rusty pistols when a flotilla of Imperial frigates has just been spotted.

But the leaky tubs turned into bigger and bigger ships, and one day the pirates were strong enough to throw the weakened empire out of the city. Since then, the pirates have been a major player on the island. They do occasionally try to establish some sort of unified government, but their love of gold, rum, and a good brawl regularly undermine any such efforts.

Appearance

Due to their colorful mix, you can expect the Pirates to have a bit of everything and to combine it enthusiastically, if not always stylishly. This goes for their clothing as well, of course, which frequently consists of whatever they could grab from dimly lit holds of boarded merchantmen during the last three raids while running past looting. The brighter the better. And anyone who wants to poke fun at the fact that the old, bullet-holed, grubby but favourite hat does not really fit the overall ensemble’s colour scheme is welcome to tell that to a pirate’s face – if they are tired of their nose being a recognisable shape. Not that “smashed to bits” isn’t a recognisable shape.

Equipment

The pirate’s weapons are also a wide and varied collection: their arsenal contains everything from throwing knives to hand-held mortars. As long as it’s effective, reliable, easy to maintain, and you can always get the parts for it. One thing can always be relied upon: whatever weapon a pirate carries, they can use them masterfully. This leaves a pirate crew with no outstanding strengths or weaknesses. One of them is always bound to have a tool or weapon for the situation at hand. Even if it is their naked fist.

Characteristics

Pirates fight well in pretty much any battlefield situation. They can dish it out properly, both at a distance and in close combat, and they can take a hit or two without immediately sitting on the ground crying like an effeminate ball player. A good captain should bear in mind, however, that the pirates’ general flexibility needs to be actively used in order to cancel out the strengths of more specialised opponents.

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The crew recommends

Seeräuber Opa Fabian

Any opponent to injure Regicide will enjoy her reaction (not). The deckhands have it all covered. From close combat to ranged combat – it’s all there. Big Jenny has the two lads Arr’chibald and the alleged heartthrob Casimir fully under control.

Leader
Regicide

Deckhands
Pirate
Tiradora/Tiradoro
Sailor
Cuchillo

Specialists
Big Jenny
Arrr’chibald
Casimir Flynn

500 doubloons