Treasure Islands
Contents
Characters
Ix'balam
(pronounced ish-bah-lum; means "Jaguar Woman")
Attributes
- Agility d6
- Smarts d8 (+2 for Test of Wills)
- Spirit d8 (+2 for Test of Wills)
- Strength d6
- Vigor d6
- Charisma -2 (0 among the treasure hunters)
- Pace 6" (12yrds)
- Parry 4
- Toughness 5
Skills
- Fighting d4
- Healing d4
- Intimidation d6+2
- Notice d6
- Psionics d8
- Shooting d4
- Stealth d6
- Survival d4
- Taunt d6+2
Edges
- Arcane Background (Psionics)
- Strong-Willed
Hindrances
- Curious (major; in it more for the fun and secrets than the treasure)
- Outsider (minor; daughter of two peoples, and neither know what to think of her)
- Vengeful (minor; she keeps a List and you don't want to be on it)
Powers
- Boost/Lower Trait
- Shape Change
- Summon Ally
Possessions
- Fluffy shirt, baggy breeches, goat hide sandals, feathered belt
- Bunch of gold jewelery and piercings
- Bone dice
- Dozen pieces of eight
- Cutlass (Str+d6)
- Obsidian knife (Str+d4)
- Pistol (2d6+1, 5/10/20) and 6 "apostles"
Experience
- XP: 5
- Rank: Novice
- 1st Advance: raised Spirit to d8
Kane Dredmore
Kane does not remember much of his childhood other than hunger and always fighting or running from bigger kids. His quick hands saved him on more than one encounter. Kane grew up with the street kids of a large city. Spent several stints in orphanages but always escaped or was thrown out for fighting. At the age of 13 he joined up with a gang of hoodlums that controlled the docks. He learned a lot about ships and also became an enforcer due to his natural fighting ability.
At the age of 16 Kane was pressed into the crew of a Cornish Sloop that headed to the Caribbean. Things went bad from the first day, when the ships Sergeant at Arms tried to wake Kane up. Kane knocked the Sergeant out with one punch. Things just got worse from there. It was determined that Kane would join the ships marines instead of becoming a sailor. The next 4 years was pure hell. Kane did not fit into navy life. After several floggings and uncountable disciplinary actions Kane lead the mutiny on the sloop. With his own hands he killed the Captain and took his hat. Unfortunately shortly after mutiny succeeded the ship was lost in a storm and only a few survived.
Kane ended up in Blue Bay with nothing other than his uniform (that had seen better days) the Sergeant's musket, Captain's hat and a few coins in his pouch.
- Attributes
- Agility - d10
- Smarts - d6
- Spirit - d4
- Strength - d6
- Vigor - d6
- Charisma - 0
- Pace - 6"
- Parry - 7
- Toughness - 5
- Skills
- Boating - d6
- Fighting - d10
- Notice - d6
- Shooting - d10
- Stealth - d6
- Swimming - d6
- Throwing - d4
- Edges
- Musketeer (Reload in 1 round)
- Trademark Weapon (Cornish Marine Musket - "Retribution")
- Hindrances
- Wanted (Major - Cornish Navy - Murder, Mutiny, and Desertion)
- Illiterate (Minor)
- Squanderous (Minor)
- Equipment
- Cornish Marine Musket with Bayonet
- Tattered and faded Cornish Marine Uniform
- Well used Cornish Marine crossbelt and backpack
- Cornish Ship Captain's Tricorn Hat with Feather Plume
- Cash: 12 PoE
- Experience
- XP: 5
- Rank: Novice
- 1st Advance: +1 Shooting, +1 Fighting
The Setting
The Treasure Islands are a jumble of jungle-clad isles that sprawl in the Big Brine, the world’s central ocean. They lie somewhat closer to the western continent of Suncatcher than the eastern homeland (named Sunthrower) of most of their new inhabitants.
In a tiny cove, Blue Bay, a bustling pirate town of ex-pirates and beachcombers seeks to prosper. Brawling, scheming, rum-soaked rascals, these sea scum don’t trust each other as far as they could throw a manatee. But many there, including its leaders, observe Captain M’s Twelve Point Code. They are as a result less inclined to senseless violence than the cutthroats of nearby Port Splendid, a larger rival pirate city ruled by the monstrous Mad Jake the Shark.
The islands are no longer the bustling hive of piracy that they once were. Treasure ships still run westward from the Golden Empire (=not Incas), but since its Emperor signed a treaty with Cornwall, Poitain and the Western Empire, far fewer and more heavily escorted fleets pass through the islands. Some of the pirates have packed up and gone home. Others, attached to the coves and jungle-clad hills, have turned to beach-combing, fishing and even (land-lubbers!) farming. A few brave souls have turned their attention to the weird, spookily empty ruins of the nearby jungles. Concealed by weird magic, guarded by ghost and monsters, defended with ingenious traps, most early treasure hunters perished in their clumsy expeditions. But now a class of delvers has emerged, treasure hunters, who are gaining some skill in broaching these places and prising treasures from their ingenious architects.
The world is a dangerous and even dark place but with less outright bleakness than the "real" Caribbean. The Golden Empire trades equably after a period of plunder. There are plantations, but most are farmed by settlers or impressed labour from the colonists’ own countries. The pirates are cutthroats and rogues who make their prisoners walk the plank. But there has been no smallpox, slavery or genocide.
Peoples
Cornish or Castillo (i.e. alt. Cornish, Welsh, Breton; or alt. Spanish, Portugese). Beachcombers, ex-pirates, or runaways from some dark past in their home nation. Carry hyper-Cornish or Iberian names like Barnaby Polbarrow, Jem Disney, Pedro da Silva, etc. Dress in the Jacobean fashion of Treasure Island era folk.
Natives. Low-tech tribal types who inhabit the nearby jungles. Silent empaths who tend shrines close to the Silver People (alt. Toltec, Mayan) ruins that dot the islands. More women are born than men. Many have non-violent Psionic powers.
Golden Empire folk. Fierce warriors, traders and priests of the Golden Empire (alt. Inca) to the west, which is now at peace with the newcomers after stemming their invasion. Few stray eastwards from their Empire, so those present in the islands tend to be mercenaries, heretics or criminals.
Monkeys and parrots are intelligent - almost humanly so - pets.
House Rules
One Benny start, regular refresh. Bennies can be won easily though, through role-playing (esp. to hindrances)
Common Knowledge only. The RAW Common Knowledge rule that characters use their smarts, at +2 when background is relevant, will serve universally for all knowledge rolls.
Natural skills. Most skills like climbing, stealth, throw, persuade can be attempted "unskilled" at d4 (NOT the RAW d4-2), provided the character has at least a d6 in the related attribute.
Starting gear. Adventurers start with their essential gear (clothes, simple weapons, etc.) and a dozen pieces of eight (silver pieces, 8 being worth one gold coin).
Arcane background. Local (Silver Folk) natives only can have Psionic powers.
No soak roll!
Three fails rule. Three fails earns a benny if at least one of these fails is portrayed amusingly.
New Edges
Sea Legs (Novice, Sm d6, Ag d6) This person may have lost some of their sea legs (or not quite yet gained them), but knows their way round a ship. Can use their Agility at -1 die, for Boating and Climbing rigging; and their Smarts -1 die for Notice and Repair when these skills are used for on-board activities like scanning the horizon, and tying ropes.
Digger (Novice, Sm d6, Ag d6) The character has tried their hand at exploring Toltec ruins and knows something of their lore, traps. +2 to notice, stealth and lockpicking rolls that represent interactions with ruin puzzles, traps, locks, etc.
Knows His/Her Beetles (Novice, Sm or Sp d6, Gambling d6) The character gets a free re-roll on gambling beetle races and fights, an important form of gambling among pirates and the local civilisations.
New Hindrances
Heroic, Code of Honour (major) not encouraged among pirates.
Pirates' Code (minor) This is not a complete moral code, rather it mitigates against the worst excesses of pirate behaviour. Share treasure fairly (a bit of sly pocketing aside), offer quarter but take full vengeance if refused, help a stranger once. Don’t shoot a fellow pirate in the back. Unless they are very annoying.
Rascal (minor or major) If major, the pirate cannot help but pickpocket, steal and betray whenever a good opportunity presents itself. As a lesser hindrance, they are more likely to refrain from most grievous forms of treachery if their regular allies are involved-but will still be unable to resist powerful temptations!
Treasure-Fever (minor or major) Not quite the same as greedy. The character is essentially Reckless and Curious when doubloons, jewels or other forms of riches appear to be at stake.
Superstitious (minor or major) The pirate has a superstitious fear of curses, ghost, omens and the like.
Dandy (minor) The character is obsessed by finery and spends at least a third of treasure on fine canes, hats, swords, etc. If a king’s ransom if taken, a pirate palace with liveried servants.
Spendthrift (minor) At least a third of monies disappears in the direction of grog, beetle racing, exotic dancers, and the like.
