Generating Rumors

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Whenever the party enters safe port, or catches up with friends from a neutral or allied faction, they hear rumors. These may or may not blossom into full adventures; only those the party actively pursues should be expanded upon. This system should not replace any quest ideas the GM might have that don’t neatly fit into this system, of course; this should serve as a fallback to procedurally fill out the world with opportunities for piratical adventure.

Unlike random encounters, these quest threads should be level-appropriate for the party.

These quest threads require the GM to have a list of both hostile and friendly factions to reference; use any method you like to randomly determine which faction(s) are associated with each quest thread.

Goal

Use this simple table to generate three rumors every time the party enters safe port, and one when they rendezvous with friendly parties at sea. Map placement should be reasonable for the rumor, at the GM’s discretion. For example, trade ships usually keep to colonial waters, whereas ruins are far more prevalent in uncharted waters. Placement for time-sensitive rumors should be within reasonable distance for the party to follow up on; else, why should they listen to the rumor at all?

Parties shouldn’t be able to follow up on every rumor they hear. Other pirates will descend upon untouched ruins, claim unclaimed bounties, and hit vulnerable trade ships in the party’s absence.

1d4:

1. Collect a Bounty
   • Generate name(s) of the target.
   • Roll to determine the target’s hostile faction.
   • Place the target’s last known location on the world map.
2. Hit a Trade Ship
   • Roll for the trade ship’s hostile faction.
   • Specify when and where it will be on the world map.
3. Investigate a Ruin
   • Place in an appropriate location on the map
   • Minor ruins should be designed as “5-room dungeons”. Depending on the pacing of a campaign, a major, multilevel dungeon location can be used from time to time.
4. Rescue a Right Bastard
   • Generate name(s) of the target
   • Roll for the target’s friendly faction, and for the hostile faction imprisoning them
   • Place the target’s location on the map

Complication Table

For each quest thread pursued by the party, you can choose to roll one dramatic complication. This complication is unknown to the party when they undertake the quest.

Roll 2d4, or 1d4 for a Ruin:

1. Mirage! The ruin is dramatically different in form and function than it appears…
2. IT’S A TRAP! An appropriate hostile faction expects the PCs to show up.
3. Race to the Prize! Another rival (affectionate) crew is competing with the PCs. (Give a chance to discover this early on).
4. Lone Wolf and Cub! The PCs come into guardianship of a noncombatant (child, pet, etc.) for much of the quest’s duration.
5. In Another Castle! The target is not as it first seems. It’s just one step ahead, as if it knows the PCs are after it…
6. Deal with the Devil! Another hostile faction is secretly bankrolling the quest!
7. Sympathy for the Devil! The target is in some way innocent, framed, or doesn’t deserve being robbed; or, in the case of a rescue, the target actually deserved what they got.
8. For the Hoard! The PCs are rewarded with a higher-than-expected payout—or the location of one, at least!

Flourish Table

Once the party begins pursuing a quest thread, you can roll on the following table based on where the quest is placed: 1d6 for Colonial Waters, 2d6 for Friendly Waters, or 3d6 for Uncharted Waters. This flourish occurs whenever you deem appropriate.

These are intended to be light “flavor” added to quests; none of them should complicate the central conflict of the quest (which is the function of the Complication table), but should be worked in as unique events leading to light roleplay, another Quest thread, or at most a single combat encounter.

An Omen is, per the random encounter rules, an indication of a possible encounter, presented early enough the party can freely choose to pursue or avoid it.

1. Tarrifs: An overzealous tax-collector from a nearby colonial port insists on inspecting the party’s cargo (and taking their requisite fee, of course).
2. Hunted: (Omen) One of the Pirate Hunters (or Privateeer Hunters) has picked up the party’s scent—either they or one of their lieutenants (whichever is most level-appropriate) is nearby.
3. Adoring Fan: Someone recognizes a member of the party, and they really want an autograph…
4. Abandoned Cargo: Casks of abandoned cargo float beside the ship, most of it undamaged. It might be food, water, trade goods, or even rum!
5. Cormorant: A crewmember spots a cormorant, a bird said to bring good luck! Everyone is in good spirits, and one crewman says they might know the spirit who became the lucky bird.
6. Friendly Merchant: A ship captained by a friendly bastard honest businessman hails the party. They’re willing to offer trade goods, rumors (quest threads!), and top up stores of food and water, all for a fair price. Of course, you’d best size up how well guarded their inventory is…
7. Stowaway: A plucky young up-and-comer was discovered hiding among the cargo. They’re far too young to really learn the ropes, but you’re already a day’s sail from port at least.
8. Beware the Curse: A crewmember insists a piece of loot from a previous job is cursed. It’s not, but the rumor is spreading among the crew—how to deal with it?
9. Castaway: A ragged ne’er-do-well floating on some flotsam calls out for help. Roll a d8. On 1-4, they have a quest thread corresponding to the Goal table. Either way, they’re grateful for any help getting back to safe port.
10. Message in a Bottle: Roll a d8. On 1-4, the message sparks a quest thread corresponding to the Goal table. Otherwise, it’s a saucy love letter (5-6) or a naive travelogue (7-8).
11. Ghost Ship: One of the lookouts on night watch observes a ghostly ship silently passing. Roll another quest thread if the party successfully tracks down the Ghost’s shipwreck.
12. Albatross: A crewmember has accidentally killed a rare albatross—a sure sign of bad luck to come. The crew knows this, and they’re starting to panic…
13. Rivals: (Omen) Another pirate crew is spotted on the horizon. Will they be friends? Foes? This far from port, who can say?
14. Fey Mark: Evidence of the fair folk is hinted at; a fairy ring, disappearing leprechaun gold, woven Brid crosses (good luck charms) left in exchange for food, etc.
15. Megafauna: (Omen) A large beast of the sea has left an unmistakable mark—a Dragon, a Kraken, or the like. Best steer clear, Captain—or you can prove your daring (or foolishness) and become legendary.
16. Minifauna: Seems you’ve got a stowaway, a cute critter the crew immediately falls in love with! Of course, the critter’s diet might present a challenge; what they eat is either quite rare, or your ship is made of it.
17. Whirlpool: You’ve come upon the terror of every sailor, a natural whirlpool that would send you all to the deeps. Of course, if your lookout spotted it early, a well-equipped crew might plumb its dangerous depths for lost treasure…
18. Mystic: You have a strange encounter with a seer, someone who claims they can peer into your future. But they speak in riddles, in nonsense. And can you even trust what little you do understand…?