🎲 GM Quick Reference

Essential tables for running swashbuckling campaigns. When you need a pirate name, port rumor, or plunder on the spot - roll or choose instantly.

👤 Pirate & Sailor Names (d100)

Names for pirates, privateers, sailors, and sea dogs

1-25

  1. Captain "Blackheart" Morgan
  2. Anne Bonny
  3. Quartermaster Flint
  4. Isabella de la Cruz
  5. "Bloody" Bill Hawkins
  6. Grace O'Malley
  7. Long John Silver
  8. Catalina Cortez
  9. "Red" Jack Rackham
  10. Mary Read
  11. Cutlass McGraw
  12. Doña Elena Valdez
  13. Barnacle Pete
  14. Jacqueline "Storm" Dubois
  15. One-Eye O'Brien
  16. Carmen Santiago
  17. Shark-Tooth Sam
  18. Margarethe von Klaus
  19. Bootstrap Bill
  20. Lucia Bellini
  21. Gunpowder Jones
  22. Rosalind "Black Rose" Thorn
  23. Pegleg Morrison
  24. Arabella Swift
  25. Cannonball Charlie

26-50

  1. Beatrice "Cutthroat" Caine
  2. Peg-Leg Jenkins
  3. Celestina Drake
  4. Rum-Runner Rick
  5. Violetta "The Viper" Ricci
  6. Scurvy Dan
  7. Genevieve LaFitte
  8. Powder Monkey Tom
  9. Miranda "Sea Witch" Cross
  10. Hook-Hand Harry
  11. Angelica Navarro
  12. Dead-Eye Dave
  13. Seraphina Storm
  14. Jolly Roger Blake
  15. Constanza "Iron Lady" Ferro
  16. Salty Dog Sullivan
  17. Theodora "Thunderbolt" Grey
  18. Kraken Kelly
  19. Esmeralda Reyes
  20. Davey Jones
  21. Octavia "The Octopus" Orsini
  22. Timber Tom
  23. Francesca di Medici
  24. Sharkbait Steve
  25. Veronica "Venom" Vega

51-75

  1. Commodore Blackwell
  2. Adelina "The Siren" Santos
  3. Ironside Isaac
  4. Portia Pembroke
  5. Mutiny Mike
  6. Caterina "Catspaw" Costa
  7. Bosun Barnes
  8. Delphine Dupont
  9. Ripper Roberts
  10. Marguerite "Meg the Knife" Moreau
  11. Sea-Dog Smith
  12. Valentina Vargas
  13. Gallows Jack
  14. Adriana "Raven" Ramirez
  15. Rope-Burn Roy
  16. Elisabetta "The Eel" Este
  17. Maelstrom Max
  18. Sophia "Silvertongue" Silva
  19. Anchor Al
  20. Diamante "Diamond" Diaz
  21. Whirlpool Wilson
  22. Frederica "The Falcon" Fischer
  23. Rigging Rick
  24. Gabriella "The Ghost" Grimaldi
  25. Tidewater Ted

76-100

  1. Juliette "The Jewel" Jardine
  2. Squall Seamus
  3. Kassandra "The Kraken" Knox
  4. Barnacle Bill
  5. Lucinda "Lucky Lou" Laurent
  6. Pistol Paul
  7. Nicoletta "The Nightshade" Nero
  8. Cutlass Carl
  9. Ophelia "The Oracle" O'Connor
  10. Hurricane Hugh
  11. Paloma "Pale Death" Paz
  12. Yardarm Yates
  13. Quintessa "The Queen" Quinn
  14. Windward Will
  15. Rafaela "Rapier" Ruiz
  16. Broadside Ben
  17. Scarlett "Scourge" Sinclair
  18. Gale-Force Garrett
  19. Tatiana "The Tempest" Torres
  20. Keelhaul Ken
  21. Ursula "The Undertow" Uribe
  22. Mariner Marcus
  23. Vivienne "The Vortex" Villeneuve
  24. Capstan Cooper
  25. Xena "The Executioner" Xavier

🗣️ Port Rumors (d20)

What sailors hear in taverns, on docks, and in harbors

d20 Rumor
1"Spanish galleon went down in the hurricane. Carrying Aztec gold from New Spain. Problem is - sailors swear they saw it go down in calm seas. And it was flying British colors."
2"Ghost ship spotted near Devil's Triangle. Same ship that sank thirty years ago. Crew still aboard. Still manning stations. Don't respond to hails. Don't need wind to sail."
3"New governor's offering pardons to pirates. Full amnesty. Too good to be true? Last three captains who accepted turned up hanged anyway. 'Clerical error' they said."
4"Mermaid sighting off Jamaica. Singing to ships. Three vessels ran aground following the voice. Crews found alive but... changed. Won't stop humming the song."
5"Pirate haven in the Tortugas. New captain seized control. Enforcing actual laws. Property rights. Fair trials. Pirates are terrified. Civilization's worse than navy."
6"East India Company hiring privateers for 'special cargo runs.' Paying triple standard rate. Cargo manifest sealed. Previous crews quit mid-voyage. Those who didn't vanished."
7"Kraken spotted in deep water. Bigger than any ship afloat. Dragged French frigate under. Three hundred hands lost. Navy says it's myth. Survivors disagree."
8"Treasure map for sale. Previous owner died mysteriously. Five owners back, all dead. Map shows island that's not on any chart. Buyer beware. Seriously."
9"Witch in Port Royal reading fortunes. Knows things she shouldn't. Told Morgan exactly where navy ambush would be. Morgan survived. Witch won't read for free anymore."
10"Davy Jones' Locker is real. Captain came back from it. Says he made a deal. Won't say what he traded. Crew noticed he has no reflection in calm water."
11"Dutch merchant vessel carrying unusual cargo. Slaves who shouldn't be slaves. Nobles. Educated. They speak old languages. They know things about ancient treasures."
12"New island appeared after earthquake. Wasn't there last month. Charts show nothing. But it has ruins. Old ruins. Pre-Columbian. With fresh footprints around them."
13"Flying Dutchman's been sighted. Storm-cloud ship. Doomed crew. Sailors who see it die within a month. Three crews saw it last week. Avoiding them's good policy."
14"Blackbeard's treasure chest found. Empty except for a compass that points to what you want most. Problem is, it's pointing different directions for each person. And moving."
15"Privateer Letters of Marque being sold by corrupt official. Legitimate documents. Not legitimate authorization. Three captains hanged for 'piracy' despite letters. Buyer beware."
16"Cursed pearls from Pacific. Beautiful. Flawless. Every diver who brought them up drowned within a week. In their beds. Miles from water. Lungs full of seawater."
17"Mutiny on HMS Endeavour. Crew overthrew captain. Set him adrift. Now the crew's dying one by one. Same way every time. Caught in rigging. At neck level."
18"Portuguese navigator selling charts to Northwest Passage. Says he found it. Says he sailed it. Says he'll never sail it again. Won't say why. Charts are bloodstained."
19"Sunken city discovered by pearl divers. Perfectly preserved. Streets, buildings, people. All underwater for centuries. Problem is - lights are still burning down there."
20"Fountain of Youth located. Ponce de León was close. Island's real. Water works. Spanish expedition returned looking twenty years younger. All died within a month. Age caught up violently."

🔍 What's in the Cargo Hold? (d20)

Found in captured ships, looted vessels, or smuggler holds

d20 Item Found
1Spanish doubloons (300). Authentic. Except they're dated 1723. It's currently 1718. Mint marks match coins that don't exist yet.
2Chest of silks and spices. East Indies origin. Valuable. Also containing journal of previous owner. Details curse. "Do not open after midnight." It's 11:58 PM.
3Naval charts showing safe passages through reefs. Accurate and current. Problem: they show your current location. Marked with X and "ambush here."
4Sealed diplomatic pouch. Royal seal. Contains treaty documents. Very valuable to right buyer. Very deadly to wrong one. Can't tell which is which.
5Barrel of rum. 50 gallons. High quality. Also containing sealed glass bottles at bottom. Messages inside. All saying "help us" in different handwriting.
6Aztec gold idol. Solid gold. Priceless. Every previous owner died within a week. Violently. You're now the owner. Clock's ticking.
7Weapons cache. Pistols, cutlasses, boarding pikes. All marked with skull symbol. Previous pirate crew's weapons. Previous crew all died mysteriously. Armed is good though.
8Passenger's belongings. Noble's luggage. Fine clothes, jewelry, papers. Also letters proving noble is actually spy. For which nation? Both sides want this information.
9Medical supplies. Laudanum, bandages, surgical tools. Valuable on frontier. Also contains unknown substance in unmarked bottles. Smells wrong. Might be valuable. Might be poison.
10Mermaid in a barrel. Actually alive. Actually a mermaid. Previous crew was transporting her to collector. She's offering deal for freedom. Mermaids always keep their word. Right?
11Treasure map tattooed on deceased sailor's back. Authentic. Detailed. Problem: three other crews have identical maps. All pointing to same island. Someone's lying.
12Compass that doesn't point north. Points to nearest treasure. Actually works. Has led you to three significant finds. Also pointed directly at crew member yesterday. Concerning.
13Shipwright tools and materials. Enough to repair any damage. Also containing plans for experimental ship design. Design shouldn't work. But calculations say it would. Revolutionary.
14Religious artifacts. Catholic. Being smuggled to Protestant country or vice versa. Extremely valuable to faithful. Extremely dangerous to possess. Someone will kill for these.
15Slaves in hold. Find them during raid. Legally property. Morally complicated. Freeing them means poverty for them in port. Selling them means becoming slavers. No good choices.
16Gunpowder (500 pounds). High quality. Dry. Valuable. Also unstable. Ship's been in combat. Powder kegs are sweating. Might want to offload this. Carefully. Now.
17East India Company manifest. Details shipping routes, cargo values, guard schedules. Worth fortune to pirates. Worth your life to Company. They'll hunt you for this.
18Naturalist's collection. Specimens from New World. Exotic birds, rare plants, unusual creatures. One cage is empty. Lock broken from inside. Crew hearing noises below decks.
19Love letters between governor's daughter and pirate captain. Scandalous. Incriminating. Blackmail material. Also genuine romance. Do you profit from love or protect it? Character defining moment.
20Davy Jones' chest. Actual chest. Contains beating heart. Not human. Too big. Still beating. Wet. Compass points to it. Destroying it means something. Keeping it means something else. Choose wisely.

🎭 NPC Personality Quirks (d20)

Quick traits for pirates, sailors, and sea dogs

d20 Personality Quirk
1Superstitious to extreme. Won't sail on Friday. Knocks on wood constantly. Sees omens everywhere. Annoying but... often right about danger.
2Former navy. Went pirate after witnessing atrocity. Still follows naval discipline. Ranks, schedules, regulations. "We're pirates, not savages."
3Gentleman pirate. Educated. Well-mannered. Quotes Shakespeare mid-raid. "Proper behavior costs nothing." Will still kill you. Politely.
4Sea witch. Actually has powers. Minor ones. Weather sense, curse breaking, fortune telling. Crew terrified of her. Also won't sail without her.
5Mutineer. Overthrew three captains. Not cruel, just... particular about leadership. "Bad captains kill crews." Has trust issues. For good reason.
6Mute. Lost tongue to navy interrogator. Communicates via signs and written notes. Best navigator on seven seas. Knows things. Can't say how.
7Drunk. Functional drunk. Never fully sober. Never fully impaired. "Rum is food." Best shot with pistol you've ever seen. While swaying.
8Storyteller. Knows every legend, every myth. Half are true. Problem is figuring out which half. "Let me tell you about..." Knows something useful. Eventually.
9Former slave. Escaped bondage. Freed by pirates. Loyal to death. Will do anything for freedom. Anything. "Nobody chains me again."
10Deserter. Left navy during battle. Coward? Or saw what was coming? Alive now, others aren't. "Smart beats brave." Runs from fights. Wins wars.
11Native guide. Knows every island, reef, current. Indispensable. Also has agenda. Helping you helps their people. Or hurts their enemies. Using you skillfully.
12Poet. Terrible poet. Writes ballads about crew's exploits. Awful ballads. Won't stop reading them. But makes crew immortal. In terrible verse. They love it.
13Gambling addict. Will bet on anything. Dice, cards, which seabird lands first. Lost everything twice. Won it back three times. "Just one more hand."
14Ship's cook. Guards galley like fortress. Food is sacred. Terrible cook. Nobody complains. Last person who complained wasn't seen again. Food improved though.
15Preacher gone pirate. Still believes. Reconciles faith and piracy creatively. "God understands necessity." Might be right. Might be mad. Comforting either way.
16Surgeon. Trained in Edinburgh. Only job available was pirate ship. Surprisingly good at amputation. "I've had practice." You don't ask details.
17Romantic. Believes in true love. On pirate ship. Constantly writing letters to distant beloved. "She's waiting for me." Treasure's for her. Actually sweet.
18Paranoid. Convinced someone's after them. Sleeps in shifts. Checks food for poison. Changes hammock locations. Actually being hunted. By three different groups.
19Treasure hunter. Obsessed with finding "the big one." Every map, every rumor. Has system for determining authenticity. System is terrible. Optimism undeterred.
20Cursed. Actually cursed. Can't die. Can be killed but won't stay dead. Wakes up next morning. Crew finds it convenient. They use it. "I'll volunteer." They always do.

⚠️ Naval Complications (d12)

When things are going too smoothly, roll for obstacles

d12 Complication
1Becalmed: Wind died completely. Dead calm. Ship motionless. Supplies running low. Destination still days away. Rowing impossible. Waiting could mean death.
2Hurricane: Storm on horizon. Massive. Moving fast. Can't outrun it. Need to prepare or find shelter. Neither option good. Storm hitting in hours.
3Man Overboard: Crew member fell. Strong current. Sharks circling. Save them or maintain course? Delay means missing tide. Missing tide means missing rendezvous.
4Reef Damage: Hull struck reef. Taking on water. Can be repaired but need to beach ship. Nearest island controlled by enemies. Or worse - nobody.
5Navy Patrol: Frigate on intercept course. Flying British colors. Outgunned. Can run but they're faster. Can fight but they're stronger. Can surrender but... gallows.
6Sickness Aboard: Scurvy. Dysentery. Plague. Spreading through crew. Medicine low. Nearest port quarantined against exactly this. Choices bad. Options worse.
7Mutiny Threat: Crew grumbling. Questions about treasure shares. Leadership. Direction. Not open mutiny yet. But close. Need to address it. Carefully. Violently. Somehow.
8Rival Pirates: Another pirate ship spotted prize first. Both want it. Both claim right. Can't share. Won't back down. Fight each other or race for prize? Either way, navy's probably watching.
9Running Aground: Tide going out. Caught in shallows. Ship grounding. Hours until next tide. Sitting duck. Visible for miles. Someone will notice. Someone always does.
10Powder Wet: Gunpowder stores compromised. Water damage. Most powder useless. Combat capability crippled. Can't fight. Must run. Or bluff. Hope nobody calls it.
11Desertion: Crew members missing. Took longboat during night. Probably heading to navy for pardon. Definitely know your plans. Definitely will talk. Need new plan. Fast.
12Supernatural: Something wrong. Compass spinning. Birds fleeing. Water wrong color. Crew terrified. Old sailor says "I've seen this before. Turn back." Last time he saw it, entire fleet vanished.

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