Only one of you can be King of the Pirates, but which will it be? A wager is made that the first to reach the distant isle of Nippur with the greatest amount of fold wins the crown. But beware! These are treacherous seas and many dangers await you. Powerful adversaries are ranged against you and at times your only choice is to kill or be killed!
INTRODUCTION
You are the captain of the pirate vessel Banshee. Together with your band of seasoned cut-throats, you must scourge the lands of the Inland Sea, searching for gold and slaves in a race against your greatest rival, Abdul the Butcher. The two of you have cut a swath of infamy across the civilized world, and are recognized as the two greatest pirate captains in existence. Now, however, you must contest to discover who is the greatest.
But before you can begin your journey, you must determine the strength and weaknesses of yourself and your crew.
Your Crew
Roll one die. (6). Add 6 to the result. Enter this total under the CREW STRIKE section of the Adventure Sheet. This value will be used when you engage in large-scale battles using your crew (e.g. whenever fighting enemy shipping.)
Roll 2 dice. (5,5=10.) Add 6 to the result. Enter this total in the CREW STRENGTH section of the Adventure Sheet. This score represents the manning level on board the Banshee and is used to determine how efficiently you sail. You will lose points from your CREW STRENGTH when you engage in large-scale battles. Certain actions will allow you to recover lost CREW STRENGTH points, but you may never exceed the Initial score. If your CREW STRENGTH ever reaches zero, then you and your crew have been wiped out.
Roll 2 dice. (5,5=10.) Add 6 to the result. Enter this total in the CREW STRENGTH section of the Adventure Sheet. This score represents the manning level on board the Banshee and is used to determine how efficiently you sail. You will lose points from your CREW STRENGTH when you engage in large-scale battles. Certain actions will allow you to recover lost CREW STRENGTH points, but you may never exceed the Initial score. If your CREW STRENGTH ever reaches zero, then you and your crew have been wiped out.
Your Abilities
Your ability to fight, withstand damage and escape from tricky situations is determined by your SKILL, STAMINA and LUCK. On your Adventure Sheet you will see sections where these attributes are to be recorded. They are derived as follows:
Roll one die. (6.) Add 6 to the result. This is your SKILL score.
Roll two dice. (4,3=7.) Add 12 points to the result. This is your STAMINA score.
Roll one die. (4.) Add 6 to the result. This is your LUCK score.
Roll one die. (6.) Add 6 to the result. This is your SKILL score.
Roll two dice. (4,3=7.) Add 12 points to the result. This is your STAMINA score.
Roll one die. (4.) Add 6 to the result. This is your LUCK score.
Using Luck
On occasion, you will be called upon to Test your Luck. When this occurs, roll two dice. If the result equals or is less than your LUCK, you are successful. If the result exceeds your LUCK, you are unsuccessful. Each time you Test your Luck, reduce your LUCK score by 1 point. Thus, the more often you use your LUCK, the riskier it becomes. LUCK points may sometimes be recovered, but you may never exceed your Initial score.
Individual combat is conducted just as in other Fighting Fantasy books. If you are already familiar with this system (we are) you can skip this part of the rules (we will.)
Large-scale Battles
Whenever the book says that your crew must fight, or when the opponent has STRIKE and STRENGTH values instead of SKILL and STAMINA, then the rules for large-scale combats must be used. They are as follows:
1. Combat in large-scale battles is simultaneous and conducted in a very similar manner to individual combat. It is a series of rounds in which one force in the battle will inflict damage upon the other.
2. Roll two dice. Add your opponents' STRIKE score to the roll. The total is your opponents' Attack Strength.
3. Roll two dice. Add your CREW STRIKE score to the roll. The total is your crew's Attack Strength.
4. If your opponents' Attack Strength is higher than your crew's, they have inflicted damage upon your crew - deduct 2 points from your CREW STRENGTH.
5. If your crew's Attack Strength is higher than your opponents', your crew have inflicted damage upon your opponents - deduct 2 points from your opponents' STRENGTH.
6. If your crew have inflicted damage upon your opponent and the option of escaping is given in the book, then you may escape. Note, however, that this has a penalty: whenever you choose to escape, you automatically lose 2 points of CREW STRENGTH.
7. If both Attack Strengths are equal, both attacks are unsuccessful. Start the next Attack Round from step 2 above.
8. Continue this combat until either your opponents' or your crew's STRENGTH has been reduced to zero (unless you escape, of course). Whichever side is reduced to zero first has lost.
2. Roll two dice. Add your opponents' STRIKE score to the roll. The total is your opponents' Attack Strength.
3. Roll two dice. Add your CREW STRIKE score to the roll. The total is your crew's Attack Strength.
4. If your opponents' Attack Strength is higher than your crew's, they have inflicted damage upon your crew - deduct 2 points from your CREW STRENGTH.
5. If your crew's Attack Strength is higher than your opponents', your crew have inflicted damage upon your opponents - deduct 2 points from your opponents' STRENGTH.
6. If your crew have inflicted damage upon your opponent and the option of escaping is given in the book, then you may escape. Note, however, that this has a penalty: whenever you choose to escape, you automatically lose 2 points of CREW STRENGTH.
7. If both Attack Strengths are equal, both attacks are unsuccessful. Start the next Attack Round from step 2 above.
8. Continue this combat until either your opponents' or your crew's STRENGTH has been reduced to zero (unless you escape, of course). Whichever side is reduced to zero first has lost.
Your LOG records how long you have been traveling. You should keep record of your LOG as instructed in various passages of the book. You only have a limited amount of time in which to complete your journey; the LOG will allow you to see how you are progressing.
Restoring Stamina
If you become involved in any individual combat, you will almost certainly lose some points of STAMINA. There is only one way to recover these - other than the occasional instruction in the book - and that is by resting. For every day that you add to your LOG, you will be able to recover 1 point of STAMINA. Note, however, that your STAMINA score can never exceed its Initial value. Of course, the more time you spend resting, the slower you will travel towards your destination - so, beware!
During the course of your adventure, you will almost certainly capture some gold and slaves. This is Booty. There is a section on the Adventure Sheet in which this can be recorded. You start the adventure with only 20 Gold Pieces.
The Map
The area in which you will be traveling is covered by the map opposite below. It would pay you to become familiar with the names and places on this map, as there are quite frequent references to them in the book.
The city of Tak, at the northern end of the Inland Sea, is the greatest den of thieves, criminals and cut-throats the civilized world has ever seen. Every form of vice and illicit activity is not only permitted, but even encouraged, in this city of scum. This, your home town, is where your adventure begins.
Of the numerous pirates drawn to Tak, you and Abdul the Butcher are recognized by all as being the kings in daring and greed. However, neither of you are particularly wealthy, as your love of gambling consumes all the riches that you bring back from your journeys against the enemy cities of Lagash, Marad and Kish.
The infamy that the two of you have bred is also the source of a great rivalry; you each try to outdo the other in increasingly dangerous but breathtakingly successful raids. Your goal - the title of King of Pirates, the Sacker of Cities, which is never bequeathed, but only earned.
One evening, while dicing against each other in one of Tak's gambling pits, somebody suggests that the two of you should have a contest to determine, once and for all, who is the greatest pirate. The idea appeals instantly to your audacious spirits. "Yes," says Abdul, "let us have a race of speed and treasure."
You agree upon the terms of the contest. Each will take only one ship and, sailing from Tak on an appointed day, will head for the distant isle of Nippur, which lies deep in the great Southern Sea. The journey must be completed within fifty days and, at the end, whoever has the greatest amount of gold wins the bet.
With shaking of hands all round and much toasting, the deal is sealed. Your journey is about to begin.
Of the numerous pirates drawn to Tak, you and Abdul the Butcher are recognized by all as being the kings in daring and greed. However, neither of you are particularly wealthy, as your love of gambling consumes all the riches that you bring back from your journeys against the enemy cities of Lagash, Marad and Kish.
The infamy that the two of you have bred is also the source of a great rivalry; you each try to outdo the other in increasingly dangerous but breathtakingly successful raids. Your goal - the title of King of Pirates, the Sacker of Cities, which is never bequeathed, but only earned.
One evening, while dicing against each other in one of Tak's gambling pits, somebody suggests that the two of you should have a contest to determine, once and for all, who is the greatest pirate. The idea appeals instantly to your audacious spirits. "Yes," says Abdul, "let us have a race of speed and treasure."
You agree upon the terms of the contest. Each will take only one ship and, sailing from Tak on an appointed day, will head for the distant isle of Nippur, which lies deep in the great Southern Sea. The journey must be completed within fifty days and, at the end, whoever has the greatest amount of gold wins the bet.
With shaking of hands all round and much toasting, the deal is sealed. Your journey is about to begin.
On the day appointed for the beginning of the race, you take the Banshee out of the towering granite bay of Tak and into the Inland Sea, Abdul the Butcher's Haveldar cuts quietly through the water beside you. Far to the east is the hostile but rich port of Lagash; to the west is the Scythera Desert, across which the caravan routes to the cities of Kish, Calah and Assur run. To the south is the mountainous isle of Enraki. Will you:
Head towards Lagash for a dangerous but daring raid against its coastal shipping?
Travel to the Scythera Desert to plunder the rich desert caravans?
Patrol the Inland Sea via the isle of Enraki?
Adventure Sheet
Captain Leeroy Jenkins
SKILL 12/12
STAMINA 19/19
LUCK 10/10
LOG 0/50
The Banshee
C. STRIKE 12/12
C. STRENGTH 16/16
Booty:
20 Gold Pieces
EDIT: added Corsair's suggestion for name.
