TEXT: FFU
  URRRRYY PPIIRRAATTEESS
  Swashbuckling Adventure in the Furry Age of Piracy
  Swashbuckling Adventure in the Furry Age of Piracy
  by Lise Breakey and Bruce Thomas
  by Lise Breakey and Bruce Thomas
  
  Credits
  2
  CREDITS
  Author
  Lise Breakey
  Halogen System Design
  Bruce Thomas
  Publisher
  John Nephew
  Editing & Project Development
  Jeff Tidball
  Cover Art
  Terrie Smith
  Interior Art
  Eric Hotz and Terrie Smith
  Cartography
  Eric Hotz and Bruce Thomas
  Layout & Graphic Design
  John Nephew and Jeff Tidball
  Ship Designs
  Bruce Thomas
  Playtesting
  Ailene Bonner, Christopher McAllister,
  Lori McAllister, Annette Pschirrer,
  Terrie Smith, Curt Werner, and
  Susan Woolard
  Furry Games Edition 
  Lise Breakey, Christopher McAllister,
  Annette Pschirrer, Bruce Thomas,
  Susan Woolard, and Glen Wooten
  Special Thanks
  Lee Herholdt
  Atlas Games Would Like to Thank
  Bob Brynildson, Jerry Corrick, and
  Kenneth Hite.
  Atlas Games
  PO Box 131233
  Roseville, MN  55113
  Phone: 651-638-0077
  Fax: 651-638-0084
  E-Mail: info@atlas-games.com
  Web: www.atlas-games.com
  ©1999 Trident, Inc. d/b/a Atlas Games. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this work by any means without written permis-
  sion from the publisher, except short excerpts for the purpose of reviews, is expressly prohibited. 
  DIGITAL EDITION VERSION 1.0 • AUGUST 2002 • Stock No. AG3100PDF
  Furry Games
  3552 38th Street
  San Diego, CA  92105
  E-Mail: furrypirates@furrygames.com
  Web: www.furrygames.com
  
  Table of Contents
  3
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  Introductory Bits . . . . . . . 5
  Welcome to Furry Pirates! . . . . . . . . 5
  Roleplaying Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
  The Halogen System . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
  Dice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
  Furry Outlaws? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
  A Brief Interlude from the Developer . 6
  1: Creating the Player
  Character . . . . . . . . . . 7
  Character Development . . . 7
  Player Characters On Board. . . . . . . 7
  Species . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
  A Note on Sex, Reproduction, and
  Social Consequences . . . . . . . . 11
  Nationality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
  Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
  Profession. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
  Character Description . . . . . . . . . . 13
  History: Making the Character Real 13
  Abilities . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
  Determining Ability Scores. . . . . . . 14
  Attack Abilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
  Defense Abilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
  Descriptive Abilities. . . . . . . . . . . . 15
  Overall Level. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
  Primary Attack/Defense Scores . . . . 17
  Choosing Skills . . . . . . . 17
  Attack Scores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
  Defense Scores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
  The Character’s Equipment 20
  Golden Age Currency . . . . . . . . . . 20
  Stuff to Wear (Males). . . . . . . . . . . 20
  Stuff to Wear (Females) . . . . . . . . . 22
  Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
  Weapon Prices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
  Magickal Components. . . . . . . . . . 25
  Navigation Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
  Alchemical Equipment. . . . . . . . . . 25
  Thief’s Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
  Encumbrance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
  Sample Character Sheet . . 26
  Character Advancement . . 28
  Raising Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
  Acquiring New Skills . . . . . . . . . . . 28
  Skill Descriptions . . . . . . 29
  Fighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
  Thievery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
  Hunting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
  Alchemy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
  Seamanship. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
  Gunnery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
  Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
  Crafts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
  Magick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
  Skills Not Listed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
  2: How to Play the
  Game . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
  Basic Mechanics. . . . . . . 49
  Success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
  Failure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
  Fumbles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
  Difficulty Factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
  Active Defense Scores . . . . . . . . . . 50
  Non-Level Skill Attacks . . . . . . . . . 50
  Working Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
  Don’t Depend on the Dice . . . . . . 50
  Fate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
  Sailing Mechanics. . . . . . 51
  Wind Direction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
  Vessel Direction Relative to the Wind 51
  Sailing Speed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
  Turning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
  Tacking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
  Shortening or Lengthening Sail. . . . 52
  Rough Weather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
  Ship Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
  Crew Morale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
  Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
  Melee Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
  How Badly is the Character Hurt? . 56
  Distance Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
  Magickal Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
  Mounted Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
  Aerial Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
  Ship-to-Ship Combat . . . . 62
  Initiative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
  Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
  Attacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
  Attack Modifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
  Success With Cannon . . . . . . . . . . 64
  Double and Triple Effect . . . . . . . . 64
  Beyond Triple Effect . . . . . . . . . . . 64
  Failure With Cannon. . . . . . . . . . . 65
  Roleplaying Artillery Attacks . . . . . 65
  Success With Magick. . . . . . . . . . . 66
  How Badly Damaged is the Ship? . . 66
  Gestalt Combat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
  Recovery. . . . . . . . . . . . 67
  Recovery from Stunning Damage . . 67
  Recovering from Real Damage . . . . 67
  Getting Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
  Ships and Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
  3: The Pirate Ship. . 69
  Vessel Statistics . . . . . . . 69
  The Vessel Stat Sheets . . . 70
  Vessel Equipment . . . . . . 70
  The Vessels . . . . . . . . . . 71
  East Indian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
  Warship, First Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
  Warship, Second Rate . . . . . . . . . . 74
  Warship, Third Rate. . . . . . . . . . . . 75
  Warship, Fourth Rate. . . . . . . . . . . 76
  Brig . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
  Brigantine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
  Corvette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
  Dhow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
  Flute. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
  Frigate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
  Galley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
  Junk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
  Prao . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
  Schooner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
  Sloop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
  Xebec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
  Lugger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
  Yawl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
  4: Overview of the
  World . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
  Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
  Climate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
  Organization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
  Economics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
  Species . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
  Traditions of Magick . . . . . . . . . . . 94
  History. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
  Important Tables
  Species Size Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
  Social Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
  Standard Adjust Table . . . . . . . . . 16
  Primary Stats Table . . . . . . . . . . . 17
  Skill List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
  Attack Table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
  Defense Table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
  Weapon Damage/Stunning &
  Initiative Table. . . . . . . . . . . 24
  Mana Cost/Die Table . . . . . . . . . 29
  Body Area Table. . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
  Modifiers by Range . . . . . . . . . . 58
  Cannon Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
  Maps
  The New World . . . . . . Inside Front
  The Mediterranean . . . . . . . . . . . 68
  The World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92-93
  Bermuda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
  Santiago del Tortuga . . . . . . . . . 161
  The Chapter House. . . . . . . . . . 165
  
  Table of Contents
  4
  (Some Pirate Customs). . . . . . . . . . 94
  England . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
  France . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
  Dutch Republic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
  Spain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
  Portugal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
  Austria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
  Russia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
  The Ottoman Empire . . . . . . . . . . 97
  (The Pirates’ Code) . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
  Others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
  The North America Colonies 98
  Climate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
  Organization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
  Economics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
  Species . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
  Traditions of Magick . . . . . . . . . . . 99
  History. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
  New France. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
  Newfoundland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
  Acadia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
  New England. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
  Iriquois Nation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
  New York and New Jersey . . . . . . 100
  Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
  Virginia and Maryland . . . . . . . . . 101
  The Carolinas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
  The Caribbean . . . . . . . 101
  Climate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
  Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
  Economics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
  Species . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
  Traditions of Magick . . . . . . . . . . 103
  History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
  The Bahamas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
  Cuba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
  Hispaniola and Saint-Domingue . . 104
  Jamaica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
  Puerto Rico. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
  Lesser Antilles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
  The Spanish Mainland . . 105
  Climate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
  Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
  Economics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
  Species . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
  Traditions of Magick . . . . . . . . . . 105
  History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
  New Spain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
  Guatemala. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
  Panama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
  New Grenada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
  Venezuela . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
  Peru107
  Brazil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
  Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
  Climate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
  Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
  Economics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
  Species . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
  Traditions of Magick . . . . . . . . . . 109
  History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
  Morocco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
  Guinea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
  The Congo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
  Angola . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
  South Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
  Mozambique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
  Madagascar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
  East African City States . . . . . . . . 111
  Abyssinia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
  Arabia, Persia, and India 112
  Climate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
  Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
  Economics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
  Species . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
  Traditions of Magick . . . . . . . . . . 112
  History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
  Arabia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
  Oman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
  Persia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
  India. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
  Ceylon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
  Southeast Asia . . . . . . . 115
  Climate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
  Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
  Economics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
  Species . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
  Traditions of Magick . . . . . . . . . . 116
  History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
  Burma. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
  Siam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
  Viet Nam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
  Cambodia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
  Malaysia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
  Sumatra. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
  Java 118
  Borneo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
  Sulawesi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
  Lesser Sundas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
  Moluccas (Spice Islands). . . . . . . . 119
  The Philippines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
  The Far East . . . . . . . . 120
  Climate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
  Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
  Economics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
  Species . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
  Traditions of Magick . . . . . . . . . . 122
  History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
  China . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
  Japan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
  Korea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
  Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . 124
  5: Notes for the Game
  Master. . . . . . . . . . . 129
  Metaphysical Conventions 129
  The Astral Plane . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
  Combat on the Astral . . . . . . . . . 130
  Initiative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
  Attacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
  Magick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
  Impossible Maneuvers . . . . . . . . . 130
  Damage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
  Hazards to Soul and Sanity. . . . . . 131
  The Powers That Be. . . . 131
  The Ancient Ring of the Druidic
  Tradition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
  The Avianry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
  The Bourbons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
  The Cabbalistic Brotherhood . . . . 133
  The Ch’ing Dynasty. . . . . . . . . . . 133
  The Cohong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
  Colonial Governors . . . . . . . . . . . 134
  Dutch East India Company . . . . . 135
  Dutch Navy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
  English East India Company. . . . . 136
  English Navy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
  French Navy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
  Grand Order of the Masonic Lodge. 138
  The Hanoverians . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
  The Hapsburgs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
  The Holy Order of St. Morgan . . . 140
  The House of Orange . . . . . . . . . 140
  The Jacobites. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
  The Koprulus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
  The Marathas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
  The Mathers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
  The Moghuls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
  The Mystic Order of the Rosy Cross . 143
  Narai I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
  Pirates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
  The Romanovs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
  The Safavids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
  The Society of Jesus . . . . . . . . . . . 149
  Soldiers of the World (Common) . 149
  Soldiers of the World (Elite) . . . . . 150
  The Stuarts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
  The Temple of Jerusalem . . . . . . . 152
  The Tokugawas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
  The Undead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
  Warriors of the World . . . . . . . . . 154
  6: The Island of
  Santiago del Tortuga 155
  Background. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
  Encountering the Adroit: Scenario A . 155
  Encountering the Adroit: Scenario B . 157
  Boarding the Adroit. . . . . . . . . . . 157
  Welcome to Bermuda. . . . . . . . . . 158
  The Devil’s Island . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
  The Sorcerer Skulks . . . . . . . . . . . 160
  What the Characters Can Do . . . . 160
  Arriving at Santiago del Tortuga . . 161
  The Graveyard of Ships . . . . . . . . 162
  Shore Party Follies . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
  The Temple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
  The Fort: Scenario A . . . . . . . . . . 164
  The Fort: Scenario B . . . . . . . . . . 164
  The Chapter House . . . . . . . . . . . 165
  If the Characters Fail . . . . . . . . . . 166
  Non-Player Characters in Order of
  Appearance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
  Vessel Stat Sheet: Lorcha. . . . . . . . 169
  Sample Characters. . . . . 170
  Tom “Redcoat” Ursing . . . . . . . . . 170
  Nathaniel Roe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
  Jack Malleck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
  Bonnie McLeod. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
  Character Record Sheet . 174
  
  Introduction
  5
  Welcome to Furry Pirates!
  Welcome to Furry Pirates! Furry
  Pirates is a roleplaying game set in the
  Furry version of the Golden Age of
  Piracy (1690-1720). The action takes
  place on the high seas in wooden sailing
  ships. 
  The player characters choose their
  profession: out-and-out pirates, privateers
  attacking the enemies of their native
  land, blockade-runners trying to get des-
  perately needed goods into harbor dur-
  ing a war, smugglers carrying out illegal
  trade in peacetime, or pirate-hunters try-
  ing to put an end to any or all of these
  activities.  They may be a mercenary
  crew prepared to carry out any of these
  dangerous missions as the occasion war-
  rants.  They may be motivated by
  money, power, revenge, patriotism, a
  slightly warped sense of justice, econom-
  ic necessity, or the thrill of adventure.
  The world of Furry Pirates is
  inhabited by intelligent anthropomor-
  phized animals known as Furries who
  possess human characteristics such as
  opposing thumbs, erect posture, use of
  tools, and so forth.  Furries in Furry
  Pirates evolved from various species of
  animal, just as man in the real world
  evolved from lower primates.  Just as
  there are still primates in the real world,
  there are still ordinary animals in the
  Furry world. 
  The ways in which Furry Pirates
  differs from the time of Louis XIV in the
  human world are caused by two factors.
  The first is the variety of Furry types,
  causing a civilization in which (though
  to a lesser extent than was true in previ-
  ous centuries) species determines one’s
  place in society.  The second is that
  Magick works, and wars have been
  fought over whether or not it should be
  practiced, and by whom.  
  In other ways, the time of Furry
  Pirates is quite similar to our own late
  seventeenth and early eighteenth centu-
  ry.  Political and economic circum-
  stances send thousands of desperate
  Furries swooping down on the sea lanes
  of the world.  Pirates plunder shipping
  to the point where the entire economies
  of some countries are threatened; they
  have raided the coasts of North and
  South America to the point that no mer-
  chant vessel can consider itself safe with-
  out an armed escort.  The Caribbean has
  became a pirate lake and the Bahamas, a
  pirate kingdom.  In the Mediterranean,
  wars 
  waged 
  between 
  Islam 
  and
  Christendom have given legitimacy to
  the activities of Algerian corsairs and
  Sicilian freebooters, while in the north,
  wars drawn along economic as well as
  religious lines do the same for English,
  Dutch, and French privateers.  Around
  the coast of Africa, the island of
  Madagascar is ruled by pirates, a base
  from which their ships sail to loot
  Arabian fleets and galleons belonging to
  the Moghul of India.  Farther east, local
  pirates ravage the spice trade, sometimes
  daring to attack the huge and well-armed
  ships of the East India companies.  In
  the seas of the Far East, a Chinese or
  Japanese pirate admiral might command
  a fleet of several hundred junks. 
  The plunder taken during the
  Golden Age has never been calculated,
  but it was certainly enough to pay the
  debts of nations. In Furry Pirates,
  you’ll claim your portion of that loot, as
  well as your fair share of  intrigue,
  romance, swashbuckling, and adventure!
  A roleplaying game (also known as
  an RPG) occurs when a group of other-
  wise normal human beings sit down
  together with pencils and paper and dice
  and tell a story together.
  There are two sorts of players
  involved, really. Game Masters (GMs)
  create the background and situations
  and take on the roles of the story’s
  antagonists and minor characters. There
  is usually only one GM at a time. The
  other players (cleverly called “players”)
  each take on the role of one of the
  story’s heroes.
  The end result is a tale in which the
  player characters (that is, the characters
  controlled by players) are the protago-
  nists, acting on a stage created by the
  GM and interacting with supporting
  characters controlled by the GM. As the
  tale progresses, the GM adjudicates the
  characters’ actions, determing the out-
  comes for all involved.
  Dice are used by both players and
  the GM to determine random results
  (“Does my character successfully swing
  on the rigging across to the enemy ves-
  sel, or does he wind up in the drink?”)
  and the rules of the game provide a
  framework for what can realistically
  occur.  However, neither the dice nor
  the rules can ultimately make the story
  happen.  In many situations, the GM
  will fall back on common sense and the
  power, used judiciously, of arbitrary deci-
  sions.  The GM’s position can be the
  most rewarding, but it also requires the
  most work.
  A given story can be complete with-
  in itself, or it can be part of an ongoing
  campaign. In a campaign, the same
  group of player characters moves from
  one story to the next. As a campaign
  progresses, characters will gain in experi-
  ence and ability.  
  Winning is not the point of an
  RPG, although there are always some
  objectives within the story that are pro-
  vided by the GM for the player charac-
  ters to attain, by which a certain amount
  of success can be measured.  Although
  an RPG can be played competitively, the
  best results are produced when the play-
  ers, through their characters, cooperate
  toward a common goal. 
  The most important object of an
  RPG is roleplaying — the assumption of
  a role.  Roleplaying allows the player to
  become anyone or anything he wants to
  be (within the definitions provided by
  the GM and the world in which the
  story takes place, of course).  Success in
  an RPG, therefore, is best measured by
  how well a player portrays his or her
  character, whether it is a medieval
  knight, a space-going brigand, a sophisti-
  cated British spy, a disreputable 20th
  century urban magician — or a Furry
  pirate.
  For the GM, the point of the game
  is a little different: she must supply the
  story’s raw material and invent the chal-
  lenges that will be offered to the player
  characters.  In the course of an adven-
  ture, the GM describes the situations the
  characters are facing, and the players
  describe their characters’ reactions.
  Taking that into account, the GM
  describes new outcomes, etc., ad infini-
  tum. The GM’s most important charge
  is to tell a good story, and to keep the
  players involved and excited.
  But enough of this exposition! The
  best way to learn is to jump right in! On
  with Furry Pirates!
  Roleplaying Games
  
  “Are you madmen? A game about
  anthromorphic animal pirates?!?”
  They’ve questioned our sanity
  before and I imagine they’ll do it again.
  I, too, was skeptical when Atlas Games
  President John Nephew asked me what
  I thought about publishing Furry
  Pirates. Save a brief bout with Teenage
  Mutant Ninja Turtles in junior high
  school, the anthropomorphic genre has
  hardly been a driving passion of mine.
  As I worked on this project, how-
  ever, the raw potential of the swash-
  buckling genre for roleplaying and the
  freedom to step just outside the histor-
  ical box (I’m used to working rigorous-
  ly within it on Ars Magica projects,
  where you’ll find no talking flying
  squirrels with opposable thumbs, thank
  you very much) absolutely enchanted
  me.
  Yes, there are those who will think
  we’ve taken leave of our senses with this
  project, but Lunch Money’s 180
  degree departure from Once Upon A
  Time turned out to be a mammoth
  success, and our dissimilar lines like Ars
  Magica, Over the Edge, and
  Unknown Armies have all stood the
  test of what makes an Atlas game: qual-
  ity and fun.
  I hope that Furry Pirates exceeds
  your expectations the way it exceeded
  mine.
  —Jeff Tidball
  March, 1999
  Introduction
  6
  The Halogen system is a system for
  roleplaying designed for use with any
  genre of roleplaying campaign.  It is
  based on the assumption that any
  action attempted by a character has
  something going for it — an attack
  score — and something going against it
  — a defense score.  Two numbers added
  together (one associated with attack
  and one with defense) and one die roll
  determine the outcome of the event.
  Attack and defense scores are deter-
  mined in advance of the game, while
  creating characters, to avoid the bother
  of looking them up or calculating them
  during play.  A character’s attack and
  defense scores are based on ability
  scores and skill levels, which quantify
  the character’s innate aptitude and the
  ability gained from experience, respec-
  tively.  Passive defense scores determine
  the difficulty of tasks which don’t
  involve an opponent (such as climbing
  rigging, swinging on a rope, piloting a
  ship, or charting a course for
  Madagascar), are determined by the
  GM, and are called difficulty factors.
  Because of its basic simplicity, this
  system can used in any roleplaying con-
  text.  Appropriate skills may be added
  or taken away from one campaign to
  another, but the basic framework of
  Halogen remains the same.  The tables
  and skill lists provide non-intrusive
  backup for the GM, but leave enough
  flexibility for storyline, common sense,
  and the imagination of GM and players
  to dictate the outcome of the adven-
  ture.  As it should be.
  If you’re already familiar with
  Furry Outlaws (see “Furry Outlaws?”,
  below) it may not be necessary for you
  to read all of Chapter Two, which
  describes the mechanics of the system.
  You will want to read the Sailing
  Mechanics and Ship-to-Ship Combat
  sections, and note that the section on
  Aerial Combat has been updated.  Also
  note that some of the Magick skills in
  Chapter One have been modified from
  the Furry Outlaws version to better
  suit the Furry Pirates genre.
  The Halogen System
  This section explains how dice are
  used in Furry Pirates. If you’re famil-
  iar with roleplaying, you’ve heard all
  this before. Move along.
  To play Furry Pirates, you’ll need
  six different kinds of dice: four-sided,
  six-sided, eight-sided, ten-sided, twelve-
  sided, and twenty-sided. You might not
  use them all very often, but you’ll need
  each type from time to time.
  The best way to learn dice lingo is
  by example. When the rules ask you to
  roll a “d6,” you’ll roll a single six-sided
  die. If it asks for “3d6,” you’ll roll three
  six-sided dice and add the results
  together for a total (so, if you rolled a
  1, 3, and 5, you’d have a 9). 2d4 is the
  sum of two four-sided dice, d8 is a sin-
  gle eight-sided die, and so on.
  There are three weird bits. First,
  the ten-sided die you bought at your
  local game store is probably numbered
  0-9. Read the 0 as a 10. Second, you
  might occasionally have to roll some-
  thing bizarre like a d3. Since such geo-
  metric monstronsities don’t exist, roll a
  six-sided die and divide by two (round-
  ing up). Rolling a d5 follows the same
  procedure, but with a ten-sided die.
  Third, you’ll come across rules that
  want you to roll d100 (also known as
  percentile dice). The procedure for this
  is easy: roll two ten-sided dice, counting
  the first as the tens digit and the sec-
  ond as the ones digit. A 7 and 9 are 79,
  a 1 and 5 are 15, a 0 and 5 are simply
  5 (a zero really is a zero in percentile
  dice) and 00 is 100 (which is the only
  time a zero is not really a zero in per-
  centile dice). Make sure you designate
  one of the two dice as the tens digit
  before you roll, or your companions
  will accuse you of cheating and throw
  you overboard.
  Dice
  Furry Outlaws?
  A Brief Interlude from the Developer
  You’ll find references to a game
  called Furry Outlaws in this book.
  Furry Outlaws is a roleplaying game
  similar to Furry Pirates, but it is set in
  the middle ages — the time of Robin
  Hood, Richard the Lionheart, Saxon
  rebels, and the like. Just like Furry
  Pirates, it uses the Halogen mechani-
  cal system.
  Furry Outlaws was published
  (much as Furry Pirates was originally
  published, before Atlas Games got its
  paws on it) in a small-press format in
  1994. It is still available in that format,
  though not, at this time, from Atlas
  Games. Atlas Games may someday pub-
  lish Furry Outlaws, or other Halogen
  games in the Furry genre. We’ll just all
  have to wait and see what happens.
  In the meantime, if you’re interest-
  ed in obtaining Furry Outlaws, you
  should contact Furry Games at
  www.furrygames.com or 3552 38th
  Street, San Diego, CA, 92105.
  
  7
  B
  efore players actually create char-
  acters, they might want to read
  this chapter all the way through
  and skim Chapter Four to get an idea
  of what options are available in regard
  to skills and cultural background.  After
  that, take some time to daydream.
  What do you want to be? Who is your
  character? What motivated him to
  become a pirate, and what kind of
  pirate is he? A blank character sheet,
  which may be photocopied for person-
  al use, is included at the end of this
  book.
  The character Maximillian
  Lazarus is used as an example
  player character throughout
  this section.  Max’s character
  sheet, fully filled out for
  demonstration purposes, is on
  pages 26-27.
  Player
  Characters On
  Board
  The Furry Pirates genre assumes
  that the player characters will all be
  together on the same vessel and that
  they will be more or less cooperating
  toward the same, or similar, ends.  Since
  the player characters are the heroes of
  the story, it makes sense that they will
  be occupying the most important posi-
  tions on the vessel.  There is a large, but
  not unlimited, number of useful slots to
  fill in order to maintain the ship’s func-
  tions.  For maximum effectiveness as a
  crew, the PC group should be diverse in
  abilities and skills, but unified in their
  agreement of what the ship’s mission is
  to be (though cooperation need not be
  taken to extremes — inter-character con-
  flict and intrigue can really heighten
  the dramatic tension).
  There are several subcatagories of
  saltwater thief, and the players as a
  group should decide before creating
  characters what sort they want to play
  and what their general mission is to be.
  A pirate ship is one that will
  attack any tempting and/or vulnerable
  vessel, regardless of its national origin.
  Pirates are criminals in every sense and
  can expect to hang if they are ever
  caught — but if they aren’t, at least they
  can keep all the loot they acquire.
  A privateer is a civilian vessel
  commissioned by a sovereign govern-
  ment in wartime to harass and prey
  upon the merchant ships of the enemy.
  Privateer crews will be punished, usual-
  ly by imprisonment or enslavement,
  only if they are captured by the enemy.
  Furries of their own nationality can be
  expected to give them safe harbor.
  Privateers are expected to give thirty
  percent of their loot to their backers
  and ten percent to the Crown which
  commissioned them.
  There’s a fine line between priva-
  teering and piracy.  Long after the war
  is over, a privateer may go right on raid-
  ing enemy shipping, pretending not to
  have heard the news.  Or a privateer
  crew may turn to outright piracy, prey-
  ing even on vessels from their own
  shores.  Crews which have been pirates
  right from the beginning often carry
  letters of marque, whether real or
  forged, so that they can claim to be pri-
  Character Development
  CHAPTER ONE
  CREATING THE PLAYER CHARACTER
  Furry Pirates — No bull.
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  8
  vateers if they are captured.  There are
  also groups of pirates/privateers who
  lack an officially recognized govern-
  ment, but who have a sense of national
  identity strong enough to allow them to
  claim their deeds are acts of war, not
  piracy.
  A blockade-runner is a small
  cargo vessel which delivers badly need-
  ed goods at extremely high prices to
  ports which are blockaded by enemy
  ships.   There are frequent confronta-
  tions between blockade-runners and
  privateers (and regular Navy).  This
  causes all sorts of interesting diplomat-
  ic incidents, as a blockade-runner may
  well be from a completely neutral coun-
  try which insists on its right to go on
  trading with both sides during the war.
  Captured blockade-runners can expect
  any treatment, from being hanged on
  the spot, to being released with a slap
  on the wrist — plus the confiscation of
  ship and cargo of course.
  A smuggler is a vessel that engages
  in illegal trade in peacetime.  They are
  often colonials who are not engaged in
  lawlessness merely for profit, but who
  are trying to supply the colonies with
  necessary products denied them by the
  mother country through restrictions on
  legal trade.  Smugglers are considered
  criminals, since they lack the excuse of
  being at war, and can expect imprison-
  ment or death if they are caught.
  Finally there are the pirate-
  hunters.  These may be small warships
  commissioned to rid the sea lanes of
  threats to commerce or merchants fed
  up with losing money at every voyage
  who have sacrificed some of their valu-
  able cargo-space to carry artillery.  They
  may also be former pirates, such as the
  Canine Sir Henry Morgan, on the the-
  ory of setting a thief to catch a thief.
  There is generally no attempt made to
  restore stolen property to its original
  owner.  The pirate-hunter has to give a
  substantial cut — sometimes as much as
  seventy-five percent — to the Crown
  and his backers, but he is allowed to
  keep the rest as a reward for ridding the
  seas of pirates.
  The players in the campaign in
  which example character Max
  Lazarus was played decided
  that they would officially be
  English privateers out to raid
  French shipping during the
  War 
  of 
  the 
  League 
  of
  Augsberg, and would carry let-
  ters of marque as such.  It was,
  however, stipulated that any
  other vessel not of British ori-
  gin would be considered fair
  game if it looked like they
  could get away with attacking
  it.
  Species
  This is one of the first decisions a
  player should make about his character:
  what type of Furry is he? In early and
  medieval Furry society (as in Furry
  Outlaws), status was dependent on
  species.  Carnivores were the warrior
  elite, while the peasant class was mostly
  herbivorous.  The ranks in between,
  especially those requiring intelligence,
  education, and adaptability, were filled
  by omnivores.  These rules don’t quite
  hold true in the seventeenth century.
  It’s no longer important, in an age of
  gunpowder and ship-of-the-line tactics,
  to be the largest, strongest, most aggres-
  sive fighter, though it can be important
  Furry Sapiens (left to right): Avian, Canine, Chiroptera, Feline, Lapine, Marsupial
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  9
  to pirates, who still use the older grap-
  ple-and-board tactics.
  A player character, therefore, can
  be of any species and still come from
  nearly any walk of life.  Racial prejudice
  keeps most of the “lower” species in
  their place — for example, you won’t
  find any Rodents in Parliament — but
  player characters are designed to be
  exceptions to the rule.  It only requires
  that the player come up with a good
  story as to how his character became an
  exception.
  Players will also want to choose
  species that would make good pirate
  material.  The only bad choices from
  this standpoint are the extra-large spec-
  imens of Reptile, Ungulate, or Ursoid.
  Though they all make good fighters,
  they’re too big to be efficient sailors.
  One of the better choices for a pirate
  character is a Mustelid type, as they
  pack quite a bit of fighting ability into
  a pretty small frame, as do the Felines.
  However, fighting ability isn’t every-
  thing.  In every group of PCs, there
  should be one Magick-using character
  and several specialists in the arts of sea-
  manship, navigation, and gunnery.
  Avians small enough to fly are also very
  useful.  See the species size chart above.
  All Furries are vertebrates — that is,
  possessing a backbone.  No annelids
  (worms), arthropods (insects), or any-
  thing without a central spinal cord pro-
  tected by bone is possible.  Creatures
  that spend a majority of time underwa-
  ter are not part of this genre; however
  intelligent they may be, they have not
  evolved into tool-users.  To save the
  GM headaches in regard to physics,
  Furries are not too large (over 500
  pounds) or too small (under 20
  pounds).  Finally, there are no primates
  in Furry Pirates, aside from the
  Prosimians of Madagascar (see p. 111).
  All Furries have the following char-
  acteristics in common: a backbone,
  four limbs, upright posture, stereoscop-
  ic vision (eyes facing front), and hands
  with two to three fingers and an oppos-
  ing thumb.  Furries who evolved from
  hoofed animals have a slightly clumsier
  arrangement of fingers.  Animals pos-
  sessing claws still have them as evolved
  Furries.  Most Furries have better than
  human hearing, due to larger, more
  flexible ears, but their sense of smell is
  no longer much keener than a human’s.
  Some species have a digitigrade leg con-
  figuration and walk on the balls of their
  feet.  Many Furries also have tails
  which, added to ear and facial move-
  ments, provide a wide range of person-
  al expression.
  Each species in Furry Pirates
  breeds true, and there are no hybridized
  offspring, except among different sub-
  species of Canine.  The twelve types of
  Furry Sapiens are described below.  All
  information is stereotypical and varies
  by individual.
  Avian
  Bird “Furries” have evolved small
  hands with two fingers and a thumb on
  the joint of their wings, which can be
  folded flat inside the feathers during
  flight or extended to grasp a light
  weapon.  Avians come in three sizes:
  small, light, and average.  Only those of
  small and light build can fly, and the
  small ones are better at it.  Avians of
  average build are large, flightless birds.
  Avians are valuable in military recon-
  naissance and as messengers.  Socially,
  they can be of any rank.  Predatory
  birds often belong to the highest ranks.
  The common types make up a large
  portion of the urban poor inhabiting
  most major European cities at this time.
  Canine
  Canines range from light (small
  dogs and foxes) through average (larger
  dogs) to heavy (really big dogs and
  wolves).  The various sub-species of
  Canine can interbreed; thus they have a
  wide 
  range 
  of 
  mates 
  available.
  Intelligent, adaptable, and socially
  skilled, Canines can be found in every
  profession from the highest to the low-
  est.  Quite a large number of Canines
  go to sea, giving rise to the term
  “seadog” (especially among disparaging
  Felines).
  Species Size Chart
  SIZES
  FURRY
  Small
  Light
  Average
  Heavy
  Extra Large
  SPECIES
  (3-4’ 20-45 lb.)
  (4-5’ 45-90 lb.)
  (5-6’ 90-180 lb.)
  (6-7’ 180-300 lb.) (7’+ 300-500 lb.)
  Avian
  Canine
  Chiroptera
  Feline
  Lapine
  Marsupial
  Mustalidae
  Prosimian
  Reptile
  Rodentia
  Ungulate
  Ursoid
  -6 Strength
  -3 Strength
  No
  +3 Strength
  +6 Strength
  +6 Agility
  +3 Agility
  Modifier
  -3 Agility
  -6 Agility
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  10
  Chiroptera
  Bat Furries come in small and light
  sizes, and possess hands and flying abil-
  ity similar to those of Avians.  Evolved
  bat Furries have lost their sonar, no
  longer requiring it to locate prey.
  Chiroptera are shy and reclusive, regard-
  ed with suspicion by many other
  Furries, and are not numerous.  They
  are often found in professions that
  don’t require a lot of social contact,
  such as Magickal, scientific, or theolog-
  ical research.
  Feline
  Like Canines, Felines range from
  light (domestic cats) through average
  (bobcats, puma, lynx, etc.) to heavy
  (lions and tigers).  Felines hate hard
  work, so they are most often found
  either at the top of the social ladder, or
  at the very bottom of it.  The oldest
  noble families, in Europe and several
  other places, are large Felines, but they
  are starting to see a decline in their pres-
  tige and power as the merchant class
  comes into its own.
  Lapines
  Rabbits and hares come in small,
  light, and average sizes.  These Furries
  are the backbone of middle manage-
  ment and organization in all profes-
  sions, whether capitalist, military, reli-
  gious, political, or Magickal.  They also
  do well as independent shopkeepers
  and small business owners.  They are
  intelligent and adaptable, and tend to
  belong to the bourgeoisie.
  Marsupials
  These range from light (wallabies)
  to heavy (large kangaroos).  Marsupials
  are found on Australia, New Guinea,
  and New Zealand, all of which are
  recently discovered and largely unex-
  plored.  Players will need good back-
  ground stories to explain what
  Marsupial characters are doing outside
  their native lands.  Marsupials are
  hunters and gatherers or tribal farmers;
  they also make good fighters or
  Magick-users.
  Mustalidae
  Mustalids (weasels, stoats, otters,
  minks, etc.) come in small, light, and
  average sizes.  These Furries are ener-
  getic, even hyperactive, and are good
  fighters for their size.  They tend to be
  of the lower and middle classes, though
  there are exceptions.  Many of them
  look for military careers, though they
  lack the endurance to be regular
  infantry.  They also go in for piracy and
  highway robbery, being an adventurous
  and underemployed group.
  Prosimians
  These strange and beautiful crea-
  tures come in small (shrews, aye-ayes),
  light (marmosets), and average (lemurs)
  sizes.  They are found only on the
  island of Madagascar, save for a few
  taken as curiosities or slaves by Arabic
  traders.   As members of the Malagasy
  tribes, they are mostly skilled in hunt-
  ing, gathering, agriculture, cattle raid-
  ing, handicrafts, fighting, and Magick.
  As with the Marsupials, players need an
  explanation of how they became pirates
  to have this species as characters.
  Furry Sapiens (left to right): Mustalid, Prosimian, Reptile, Rodent, Ungulate, Ursoid
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  11
  Reptile
  These “Furries” can be any size.
  Evolved reptiles are warm-blooded and
  thus can survive in a temperate climate.
  Lacking fur, they are an easy target of
  racial prejudice and tend to stick
  together.  A great many of them can be
  found in heavy industry, or in the ranks
  of the Army and Navy.  They are often
  experts with artillery because they don’t
  have fur to catch sparks in.
  Rodentia
  These Furries are small (mice and
  rats), light (larger rats and squirrels), and
  average (beavers).  They are intelligent,
  adaptable, and very fertile, but they are
  kept by extreme prejudice at the very
  bottom of the social ladder (especially
  rats and mice).  They form the bulk of
  the criminal class in large urban centers,
  sometimes hand-in-hand with small
  Avians.  They are the usual candidates
  for being forcibly recruited into the
  English Navy, which often leads to
  piratical careers.
  Ungulates
  Hoofed Furries range from light
  (gazelles, dik-diks) through average
  (pigs, goats, sheep, ponies, deer) and
  heavy (cattle, horses, elk, moose) to
  extra-large (Clydesdale horses, rhinos).
  Though pigs are clever enough to
  belong to the middle class, and horses
  are sometimes found in the highest
  ranks, most ungulates are agricultural or
  cottage industry workers.
  Ursoids
  Light and average-sized Ursoids
  (raccoons) are native to North America,
  but heavy and extra-large family mem-
  bers (different sizes of bear) are com-
  mon everywhere.  They are intelligent as
  well as strong, fierce, and intimidating,
  so wherever they are, they are usually in
  charge — industry owners, merchant
  captains, military officers, etc.  Not all
  of them can be that lucky, though, and
  many are common laborers.
  Max Lazarus is a Wolf, which
  puts him into the “heavy”
  build category of Canines.
  A Note on Sex,
  Reproduction,
  and Social
  Consequences
  Each species in Furry Pirates
  breeds true, and there are no hybridized
  offspring, except among the different
  varieties of canine.  In a modern society
  of Furries, interspecies marriage might
  be acceptable, although a couple would
  have to resort to adoption or artificial
  insemination to have young.  In eigh-
  teenth-century Furry society, inter-
  species marriage is Not Done.  Thus, in
  addition to considerations of rank,
  wealth, and political concerns, a mar-
  riage partner must be of the same
  species, which leads to several conse-
  quences.
  •
  Alliances are made between houses
  of the same species, i.e., two fami-
  lies of Felines join against a Canine
  enemy.  This is why one species
  eventually ends up forming most
  of the upper class of any given
  area.
  •
  Racial prejudices are added to the
  myriad of reasons (religion, power,
  money, land) why one group of
  Furries might go to war against
  another group.
  •
  As appropriate mates are scarce,
  social standing within a particular
  species is less important.  Two male
  lynxes, though different in wealth,
  rank and power, have equal right (if
  above a Social score of 18) to court
  a lynx lady.
  •
  Incest is also more acceptable.
  Brother-sister 
  or 
  parent-child
  matches are still forbidden, but
  marriage between first cousins
  happens all the time.
  This is not to say interspecies mat-
  ing does not take place; of course it
  does.  Libertines of both sexes often
  take only lovers of another species
  because it avoids the danger of preg-
  nancy.   Sadly, members of different
  species still fall in love.  Many are the
  Shakespearean tragedies written about
  such fatal affairs: Romeo was a fox and
  Juliet, a Siamese cat.
  Nationality
  Player character nationality is slant-
  ed toward the British in this genre.  A
  majority of pirates are from the British
  Isles or the North American Colonies.
  Other likely choices include French,
  Dutch, 
  Scandinavian, 
  Portuguese,
  Spanish, any of the Mediterranean
  nationalities, coastal African, Native
  American, Caribbean Islander, Middle
  Easterner, East Indian, or Asian.
  A player character is not generally
  restricted to those species which, in the
  real world, are native to whatever area
  he comes from.  From its earliest ori-
  gins, H. sapiens has wandered all over
  the place and there is no reason intelli-
  gent Furries wouldn’t do the same.  The
  differences between the Furry popula-
  tions of Asia, Africa, Europe, and the
  Middle East are cultural rather than
  racial.  However, there are species of
  Furry that developed in geographical
  isolation, such as the small Ursoids of
  North America, or the Marsupials of
  the Australian continent.  Characters
  who are of such species would necessar-
  ily be native to those areas, or very
  recently emigrated.
  Max Lazarus is an English
  Wolf.
  Position
  Most vessels, pirate, privateer, or
  otherwise, need the following positions
  filled: Captain, First Mate, Second
  Mate, Navigator, Pilot, Master Gunner,
  Bosun, Quartermaster, Ship’s Wizard,
  Ship’s Doctor, and Aerial Scout.  The
  Captain is in command of the ship.
  The First or Second Mate may com-
  mand in his absence, or coordinate ship
  defense, or lead a boarding party, or
  whatever is needed.  The Master
  Gunner is in charge of the gun crew,
  while the Bosun directs the crew who
  handle the sails, and the Quartermaster
  is in charge of supplies and dividing the
  loot.  If there are only a few player char-
  acters, the players can opt to combine
  some roles (such as Ship’s Wizard and
  Ship’s Doctor), or the GM might
  decide to create NPCs to fill the extra
  roles. In any case, it helps if all three
  senior officers were able to fill the Pilot
  and the Navigator positions as neces-
  sary.  If players are unable to agree
  which characters should fill the various
  positions, use random methods.
  å
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  12
  The players in this example
  decided to use a combination
  of consensus and random
  choice to assign positions to
  their characters.  First, a cap-
  tain was elected from among
  the players, who figured that a
  captain whom the others did-
  n’t want to follow would not
  last long.  After that was taken
  care of, the rest of the players
  rolled dice to find out in what
  order they could choose the
  positions they wanted.  When
  it was Max’s player’s turn, she
  chose “Master Gunner” as the
  position best suited to his tem-
  perament.
  Profession
  Another decision to be made early
  is: what does this character do? What is
  he good at? There are several broad cat-
  egories, which can overlap to a certain
  extent.  A player character should spe-
  cialize in one of these categories, then
  consider whether or not a few skills
  from one or two other areas would be
  appropriate.  The extra skills require
  GM approval and should make sense,
  given the character’s background.
  Magick skills are not available to char-
  acters who do not specialize in Magick.
  Individual skills are described in
  detail later in this chapter.  It should be
  noted that, with the exception of the
  ship’s wizard, the doctor, possibly the
  gunner and one or two other specialist
  types, all pirates need to be at least rea-
  sonably good sailors (see Seamanship,
  below).
  Some categories of skills have min-
  imum ability score requirements. Any
  character who wishes to take extra skills
  outside his profession must meet the
  minimum ability score requirements for
  those categories as well, unless the
  required ability is Social.
  Fighting
  An obvious and useful choice.  A
  high Dexterity score and a reasonably
  good Strength and Agility are recom-
  mended.  Sailors and especially pirates
  tend to specialize in short but vicious
  melee weapons and small firearms.
  Long weapons such as spears and pikes
  are awkward to use on the tossing
  decks.  Bows and crossbows, which
  have ease of reloading and a relatively
  rapid fire rate to make up for the low
  damage they inflict, are good choices,
  but they tend to disintegrate quickly in
  the salt air.  A character’s choice of
  weapons may also be influenced by his
  cultural background.   Unarmed com-
  bat is common among Furries, using
  either claws or fists.  Biting can inflict
  some nasty damage on an opponent
  and is a favored tactic of pirates.
  Magick
  To be a Magick-user, the character
  must have a Reason score of at least 24
  and a Social score of at least 18.  A high
  Ego score is also recommended.  Most
  of vessels in the world of Furry Pirates
  carry at least one Magick-user.  Wizards
  who can influence the weather are heav-
  ily recruited; also welcome is one who
  can inflict serious damage on an enemy
  vessel, or protect his own ship from
  similar attack.
  In the late seventeenth and early
  eighteenth century, the art of Magick is
  usually taught by and to Furries who
  are members of a religious organization,
  or of a society such as the Freemasons.
  These various Orders are secretive, jeal-
  ous of their power, and usually profes-
  sional rivals if not mortal enemies of
  each other.  As long as a character has
  aptitude for Magick and sufficient edu-
  cation (as reflected by the Reason and
  Social score requirements), it is not dif-
  ficult to get into one of these organiza-
  tions; they all have a constant need for
  new recruits.  There are even religious
  orders and societies wherein female
  Furries can acquire training in the Arts
  Magickal.  Any character not of
  European origin will probably have
  learned Magick through a tradition
  native to his or her own culture.
  Players interested in Magick-using char-
  acters should read the appropriate
  “Traditions of Magick” sections in
  Chapter Four.  Magick-using characters
  should be aware there are religious
  extremists who view all Magick as the
  tool of evil.  Practicing Magick can be
  dangerous in areas where these opinions
  hold sway.  Sorcerers must be very cau-
  tious in New England.  Also dangerous
  are the Scottish Lowlands and certain
  areas of Northern and Eastern Europe.
  Gunnery
  Artillery dominates naval tactics of
  this period.  A Furry who knows how
  to maintain, load, aim, and fire naval
  cannon is essential to the success of a
  pirate or any other vessel.  A high
  Reason score and reasonably good
  Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution
  scores are recommended.  It is also a
  good idea for a gunner to be of steady
  temperament, or no one will trust him
  with the gunpowder.
  Seamanship
  The guns are no good if the ship
  can’t maneuver them into play.
  Characters who understand how the
  interaction of wind, water, wood, sails,
  rope, and Furry muscle make a ship go
  where it needs to go, and as fast as pos-
  sible, 
  are 
  absolutely 
  required.
  Navigational skills (knowing how to
  read, write, make calculations, draw and
  interpret maps and starcharts, and use
  the compass and the sextant), are
  required to make certain a vessel gets
  from point A to point B on the globe.
  Reason is very important to a character
  specializing in Seamanship, as are
  Strength and Agility.
  Alchemy
  Scientists of the late seventeenth
  and early eighteenth century are not
  specialists.  Alchemy is a catchall area
  that includes chemistry, biology, and
  medicine.  A Furry on shipboard with
  most of his skills in the Alchemy area is
  likely to be a doctor by profession, but
  he may also know such useful things as
  how to mix gunpowder, how to make
  concoctions of turpentine, lye, and
  alcohol to keep borers away from the
  ship, and how to make drugs or poisons
  from local plant life.  A high Reason
  and a Social score of at least 19 are
  required.
  Thievery
  A light-fingered character can be
  very useful.  A high Dexterity score and
  reasonably high Reason and Agility
  scores are recommended.  The art of
  the thief in the seventeenth century is
  not difficult in a technical sense and
  can be learned in any East London
  rookery or Continental equivalent.
  Thievery skills include sleight-of-hand
  for picking pockets and cutting purses,
  knowledge of the right tools for picking
  locks, and the ability to leap around in
  the rigging (or wherever) to make your
  pursuing opponents look like clumsy
  idiots.
  Hunting
  Not very useful while at sea, but it
  can make the difference between life
  and death when the ship is out of sup-
  plies and fetched up on some godfor-
  saken rock of an uninhabited island.  A
  high Strength and a good Reason score
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  13
  are recommended; it also helps to have
  a good Constitution score.
  Crafts
  The ship is going to need repairs;
  that’s a given.  A pirate vessel can’t
  always go into port to get them.  Thus
  it is that carpenters and shipwrights are
  always welcome aboard.  So are cooks,
  musicians, sailmakers, and weapon-
  smiths.  Other craft skills may be use-
  ful, but not in any immediately obvious
  way to the piratical eye.  Characters spe-
  cializing in one of these areas should
  take skills from one or two other areas
  as well.  Craft skills, while valuable, are
  not very exciting in a gaming situation.
  Education
  Knowing how to read and write,
  speak other languages, and understand
  history and current events can be very
  useful, even to pirates.  A high Reason
  score is a good idea.  A high Social
  score is likely, but not required if the
  character specializes in this area.
  Max’s background (see below)
  and his position (Master
  Gunner) were best suited to a
  combination of Gunnery and
  Fighting skills.  He also took
  Seamanship, though he is not
  as good at it as most other
  PCs, plus two Education
  skills.
  Character
  Description
  At this point, or later if preferred,
  the player can determine matters of per-
  sonal preference about his Furry: age,
  height, weight, fur color, hair color, eye
  color, and so forth. Age can be related
  to level — no one is likely to reach 8
  th level before age 30.  Refer to the
  Species Size Chart on page 9 to help
  with height and weight.  Fur color
  should be restricted to whatever is nat-
  ural to the character’s species.  Hair and
  eye color can be anything natural to
  planet Earth, including human shades.
  History: Making
  the Character
  Real
  The most memorable characters
  are sometimes defined by a single event.
  How did your character become a
  pirate (or whatever)? Answering that
  question in detail can tell you more
  about him than his mother knows.  It
  enables the player to fill in such details
  as where the character came from, what
  his motivations are, who his friends and
  enemies are, and how he’s likely to react
  in a given situation.  It will also help to
  inspire the GM for adventures that
  specifically involve that character.
  Some players may wish to write a one
  or two page narration of the event.
  Others may prefer to tell the GM about
  it.  Do whatever it takes to make it, and
  the character, real to you.  Several or all
  of the PCs may end up becoming
  pirates at the same time, by the same
  event.  Others may join up later.  The
  GM can try to fit the PCs’ individual
  stories together so that they all end up
  on the same ship.  Alternately, the GM
  might use the “becoming pirates” sce-
  nario as the basis for the first adventure
  of the campaign, in which case the play-
  ers need to figure out why their charac-
  ters have gone to sea in pursuit of hon-
  est careers.  If you completely lack
  inspiration, don’t worry about this part
  just yet.  Go on to the next section to
  figure out the character’s abilities and
  skills, which may help you become bet-
  ter acquainted with him.
  Sample Events to
  Become a Pirate,
  Privateer, or
  Whatever
  1.
  The crew of a merchant or mili-
  tary vessel pull off a successful
  mutiny and turn to piracy (might
  as well be hanged for pirates as
  for mutineers).
  2.
  Some of the crew of a vessel cap-
  tured by pirates are offered a
  chance to join up, or are forced
  to join.  The offer is usually
  A new batch of Furry Pirates gets their first taste of booty.
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  14
  made to Furries of middle rank
  with special skills, but also to
  common sailors if the pirate ship
  has lost a lot of crew.  Captains
  and high-ranking officers are not
  welcome.
  3.
  Some of the crew of a vessel cap-
  tured by pirates are offered the
  chance to go pirating on their
  own ship, in company with some
  of the original pirate crew, and
  under the command of the pirate
  captain on the other vessel.
  Pirates ships usually fill up quick-
  ly, and this is one way to relieve
  the overcrowding.
  4.
  One or more Furry sailors —
  deserters, escaped prisoners, or
  shipwreck survivors — are picked
  up by a pirate crew and demon-
  strate that they have what it takes
  to be pirates.
  5.
  The captain and crew of a civil-
  ian vessel are commissioned by
  the King/Queen/Governor/what-
  ever of (fill in the blank) to
  attack merchant vessels of (fill in
  the blank) origin and seize their
  goods.  Whether or not these pri-
  vateers turn to outright piracy
  remains to be seen.
  6.
  A Magick-using Furry who does
  not want to pay for his education
  with a lifetime of unquestioning
  service to his Order runs away to
  sea; whether he intended to join
  a pirate ship is probably moot.
  7.
  The captain and crew of a small
  and weatherly craft discover how
  much money there is to be made
  in running supplies to a blockad-
  ed harbor.
  8.
  The captain and crew of a colo-
  nial vessel discover how much
  profit there is to be made smug-
  gling desperately needed goods
  from somewhere other than the
  motherland.
  Now it’s time to find out who
  Maximillian 
  Lazarus 
  is.
  Lazarus is not his real name; it
  is the name he gave when he
  was rescued from the brig of a
  French warship by the other
  PCs’ privateer brigantine, the
  Vengeance, on its first mission.
  Max is a Furry of rank, knight-
  ed by William III.  This is a
  fact he wants to keep from the
  other privateers lest they
  decide to turn full-fledged
  pirate and possibly toss him
  overboard.  He and his family
  were bound for a post in
  Virginia when the French ship
  caught his brig, the Lioness
  Anne, and blew her out of the
  water.  Max was one of a few
  survivors left clinging to the
  wreckage, and was picked up
  by the enemy ship because her
  officers wished to interrogate
  the important-looking English
  Furry.  Max’s mate and several
  cubs perished with the ill-fated
  Lioness Anne.  After being res-
  cued by the privateers, Max
  signed on with them, prepared
  to disregard and even partici-
  pate in acts of piracy, so long
  as the French were their pri-
  mary target.  He shortly there-
  after proved himself worthy of
  the Master Gunner’s position.
  This history gives the GM
  several possible adventure
  hooks for Max.  First of all,
  he’s motivated by revenge, so
  whenever there is a French
  ship in the offing, the GM
  can be sure he will vote to
  attack it.  It’s also interesting
  that he wants to keep his real
  name and rank a secret from
  his fellows.  It could cause
  some good roleplaying to have
  him recognized by someone
  from his former life, and
  might cause serious trouble if
  that someone denounced Max
  as a pirate.  Finally, suppose
  one of Max’s cubs actually
  survived and was rescued by
  some other ship?  To what
  lengths might Max go to find
  his offspring, were he to learn
  this fact?
  Ability scores are the measure of
  how strong, smart, fast, healthy, and so
  forth your character is.  They form the
  base of the probability that the charac-
  ter can do something in particular, like
  aim and fire a gun, climb up a line, pick
  a pocket, or whatever.  They also help
  determine whether or not someone else
  can do something to him.  There are
  nine abilities; three of them are consid-
  ered attack abilities, three are defense
  abilities, and three are more or less just
  descriptive.  Abilities fall within a range
  of 3 to 30, with two size-related excep-
  tions: Strength and Agility can reach 36.
  See the Species Size Chart on page 9.
  Determining
  Ability Scores
  The GM must decide if ability
  scores for player characters should be
  chosen (with restrictions) by each play-
  er, or rolled completely at random, or
  determined by a combination of these
  methods.  However, if a player has a
  profession in mind, for instance a thief,
  it will be very frustrating if he or she
  rolls a 4 for Dexterity.  Listed below are
  a few possible methods for generating
  ability scores.
  Scoring
  GM: Assign each PC 216 points to
  divide among the nine abilities.  This
  gives an average of 24, which is appro-
  priate for characters designed to be
  heroes.  (Mathematical average for the
  general population would be 16.5,
  though if survival-of-the-fittest is taken
  into account, it’s probably closer to 18
  or 20.)   If you want to run a campaign
  in which the PCs are definite under-
  dogs, and are required to think more
  often than fight, consider giving out
  fewer points — 180, making an average
  of 20.  This would be appropriate for a
  campaign in which the PCs are
  teenagers, or even younger.
  Random
  Players: Roll 3d10 once for each
  score, in order.  Discard if the results
  make an unworkable character and start
  over.  Repeat until a satisfactory combi-
  nation emerges, or until bug-eyed from
  reading dice.  Alternately, roll 3d10 nine
  times and arrange these scores as
  Abilities
  ´
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  15
  desired.  Or roll 4d10 once for each
  score, discarding the lowest die.
  Attack Abilities
  Note: Abilities are not exclusively
  attack or defense scores.  In particular,
  some defense abilities are used to deter-
  mine attack scores in passive situations.
  The categorizations made here are gen-
  erally applicable, though, and are those
  used in combat situations.
  Dexterity
  This is the character’s hand-eye
  coordination, primarily a measure of
  his ability to hit something.  It also
  helps determine whether or not he can
  pick a pocket, do embroidery, juggle, or
  anything else requiring fine motor
  skills.  A score of 3 in this ability indi-
  cates the coordination of a newborn
  cub (none at all).  A score of 30 would
  be appropriate for the Furry With No
  Name.
  Ego
  Not necessarily how stuck up your
  character is (though it may be an indi-
  cation) but a measure of his or her
  strength of will.  This ability determines
  success in spellcasting.  Someone with
  an ego of 3 would have absolutely no
  sense of self, whereas the villain in an
  adventure movie always seems to have a
  score of 30.
  Strength
  A straightforward ability measuring
  how much damage the character does
  when he hits something, and how much
  stuff he can carry.  It also covers short-
  term endurance, measuring how long a
  character can keep up any grueling
  activity.  This is a size-related ability.
  Furries of Small and Light build sub-
  tract six and three points from their
  Strength scores, respectively.  Likewise,
  Heavy Furries add three, and Extra-
  Large ones add six.
  Defense Abilities
  Agility
  This measures the character’s abili-
  ty to block, duck, or get out of the way
  when someone else is trying to hit him.
  It can also help a character avoid dam-
  age by landing correctly when falling
  out of the rigging, or whatever.  It is
  closely related to Dexterity, and the two
  may seem to overlap in many areas.
  The main difference is this: one is an
  attack ability, the other is a defense abil-
  ity.  This is also a size-related ability.
  Furries of Small and Light build add six
  and three points to their Agility scores,
  respectively.  Likewise, Heavy Furries
  subtract three, and Extra-Large ones
  subtract six.
  Reason
  A combination of a character’s
  basic intelligence and the wisdom
  gained from experience.  This ability
  forms the character’s defense against
  Magick, including Magick with a direct
  physical effect.  This ability is generally
  important for everyone, but especially
  for Magick-using types.  This ability is
  also an attack score in regard to intel-
  lectual activities such as trying to deci-
  pher a tome of ancient lore, make a
  potion, or learn a new language.  
  Constitution
  This stat measures how healthy the
  character is generally, as well as how
  long it takes him to recover (if at all)
  from an injury or illness.  It forms the
  base of the character’s defense score
  against a poison or drug.  It also covers
  long term endurance, measuring how
  long a character can go without food,
  water, or sleep.
  Descriptive
  Abilities
  Appearance
  Attempts to measure how physical-
  ly attractive the character is without tak-
  ing into account the eye of the behold-
  er.
  Luck
  When all else fails, the GM deter-
  mines the outcome by random meth-
  ods, and a character’s Luck score helps
  her do it.  Luck is also used as the char-
  acter’s defense score when, for whatever
  reason, nothing else can be used.  A
  character who doesn’t know he’s about
  to be stabbed in the back cannot use
  his Agility score as a defense, so Luck is
  used instead.
  Social
  This stat determines a character’s
  place in society, his wealth, and how
  much education he has received.  For
  instance, a character must have a Social
  score of 18 to be literate, unless he has
  the skill of Linguistics. The meaning of
  this ability varies widely with the setting
  of the campaign.  What  any given
  Social score means in Furry Pirates is
  listed on the next page. The professions
  given are examples, not absolutes.
  The GM of the campaign
  Max will be played in has
  allotted players 216 points to
  be distributed among the nine
  abilities.  Max is of Heavy
  build, so he can have at most
  a 27 Agility, but up to a 33
  Strength.  Dexterity, Strength,
  Reason, and Constitution are
  all important in his area of
  expertise.  We also know his
  Social score can hardly be less
  than 24.  After juggling fig-
  ures, Max ends up with these
  Ability scores: Strength, 25;
  Constitution, 25; Dexterity,
  30; Agility, 22; Ego, 24;
  Reason, 24; Appearance, 24;
  Not your typical birdbrain.
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  16
  Luck, 18; and Social, 24.
  Despite his Social score, the
  circumstances under which
  Max became a pirate have left
  him penniless, although the
  GM could rule that in his for-
  mer identity, he has the rolled
  amount 
  in 
  a 
  bank 
  in
  Amsterdam, for all the good it
  can do him.
  Overall Level
  Overall Level is a term used to
  describe a Furry’s general competence
  and capability at dealing with life.
  Mature Furries are at least 3rd level
  overall.  At 5th level overall, a Furry is
  considered competent at whatever his
  area of expertise is.  A Furry at 8th level
  is considered a master of his art; at 10th
  level, a legend. 
  The GM should determine what
  overall level the PCs will be at the start
  of the campaign.  This will provide level
  modifiers for primary attack and
  defense scores, plus indicate the initial
  experience points to be distributed
  among individual skills.  If a player has
  a character of higher level from a previ-
  ous campaign, it is up to the GM
  whether or not she will allow it in hers. 
  Refer to the Standard Adjust Table
  below to determine the experience
  points needed to be a given level.  Note
  that the numbers in the second col-
  umn, labeled “Adjust/Skill Points” are
  the experience points required to be a
  given level in an individual skill.  (It is
  possible, for example, for a Furry who
  is 3rd level overall to be more or less
  competent at a given skill — he might
  be 2nd level at it, or 4th level at it, or
  any other level.)  To get the number of
  experience points required to be a given
  level overall, refer to the third column.
  The second column provides the level
  modifier, or standard adjust used with
  ability scores to determine attack and
  defense scores.   The same numbers are
  the experience points required to be the
  indicated level in an individual skill. 
  The GM rules that the player
  characters should start the
  campaign at 6th level.  This is
  good for Max, who was
  dreamed up as a battle-experi-
  enced campaigner.  Checking
  the Standard Adjust Table, we
  find that 6th level overall gives
  210 overall experience points
  to be distributed among Max’s
  skills, and a level modifier, or
  standard adjust, of 21.
  Standard Adjust Table
  Level
  Adjust / Skill Points
  Overall Points
  1
  1
  10
  2
  3
  30
  3
  6
  60
  4
  10
  100
  5
  15
  150
  6
  21
  210
  7
  28
  280
  8
  36
  360
  9
  45
  450
  10
  55
  550
  11
  66
  660
  12
  78
  780
  Social Table
  Social
  Status
  Wealth (C)
  3
  Slave, indentured servant, or other “property.”
  -0-
  4-6
  Beggar, homeless street dweller, or rural vagabond.
  1d4
  7-12
  Laborer, cottager, apprentice, menial servant.
  1d8
  13-18
  Small farmer or freeholder, common soldier or sailor, or an important servant.
  1d10
  19-21
  Struggling artisan, crafter, shopkeeper, merchant, etc. 
  5d10
  Or professional — clergy, doctor, lawyer, Magick-user, scientist.
  22-23
  Established — as above, but successful.
  10d10
  24-25
  Lesser noble, military officer; or very successful merchant or professional.
  10d10 x5
  26-28
  Extremely successful merchant or professional; or lesser noble with a lot
  10d10 x10
  of money.
  29
  Great noble, senior military officer.
  10d10 x20
  30
  Great noble connected to royal family.
  10d10 x50
  This table indicates the PC’s social position prior to becoming a pirate.  Any titles may be forfeit if his new profession
  becomes known.  Wealth is in units of currency (C) for the character’s nation of origin, whether pounds, francs,
  florins, guilders, marks, lira, rubles, reals, cruzados, oban, taels, or whatever, and is rolled using the indicated die.
  Wealth indicates what the character has with him or can lay paws on when the campaign starts.  It may also represent
  the character’s annual income before he became a pirate.
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  17
  After the GM has assigned overall
  level and experience points, and the
  character’s primary attack and defense
  scores have been figured out, it’s time
  for the player to select appropriate indi-
  vidual skills for the character and assign
  experience points to them to determine
  skill levels.  The Standard Adjust Table’s
  second column indicates how many
  experience points it takes to be a given
  level in an individual skill.
  Players may choose any skill from
  among those that fall within the char-
  acter’s 
  area 
  of 
  expertise 
  (see
  “Profession” on page 12).  They may
  also take a few skills from other profes-
  sions so long as these make sense given
  the character’s background, abilities,
  and social standing — that is, as long as
  the player can justify to the GM why
  the character should have these skills.
  This is another means to force the play-
  er to think about his Furry’s history.
  Unless the character’s profession
  only has a few skills in it you won’t
  want to take every available skill, espe-
  cially in an area like Crafts, which con-
  tains everything outside the other
  major professions that a Furry might
  make a living at.  If your Furry is spe-
  cializing in an area with very few skills,
  such as Gunnery, he should also take a
  few skills from one or two other areas.
  For pirate characters, some professions
  go hand in hand, Fighting and
  Seamanship being the most obvious
  example.  Education and Magick go
  well together, as do Education and
  Alchemy.
  If your Furry is a professional
  fighter, think about his weapons of
  choice, and take those skills.  To cover
  all your bases, take at least one skill
  each from Melee, Unarmed, and
  Distance Combat.  Traditional pirate
  Primary
  Attack/Defense
  Scores
  Primary attack and defense scores
  are determined using the standard
  adjust of the character’s overall level.
  They are used when skill-related attack
  and defense scores do not apply.
  Base Defense (BD)
  The character’s Luck score, or 10,
  whichever is higher.  This is the defense
  score used when the character cannot
  defend himself for some reason, such as
  being sound asleep, chained to a wall,
  or unaware that he’s about to be
  attacked.
  Unarmed Defense
  (UD)
  The character’s Agility score added
  to his standard adjust.  This is the
  defense score used when the character
  has no weapon (or unarmed combat
  skill) available to parry an attack, or is
  being attacked from a distance by some-
  one with a missile or projectile weapon.
  The character is free and aware of being
  attacked, but can do nothing except try
  to dodge.
  Magick Defense
  (MD)
  The character’s Reason score added
  to his standard adjust.  Magick-users
  (that is, those who
  have 
  selected
  “Magick-user” as their
  Profession) add 10
  points.  This is the
  defense score used
  when being attacked
  by magical means.
  Though 
  some
  Magicks produce a
  direct, physical effect,
  the magic-user must
  roll against the vic-
  tim’s Magic Defense
  to succeed in casting
  the spell. 
  Poison
  Defense
  (PD)
  The character’s Constitution score,
  or 10, whichever is higher.  This is the
  score used for defense against drugs or
  poison.
  Healing Attack (HA)
  The character’s Constitution score
  subtracted from 50.  A wounded char-
  acter can roll to heal for each full 12
  hours of rest taken.
  Hit Points (HP)
  The 
  character’s 
  Strength,
  Constitution, and Agility scores added
  together, then divided by 3 (round nat-
  urally).  Hit points are the measure of
  how much damage a character can take
  before being stunned, wounded, inca-
  pacitated, or killed.
  Mana Points (MP)
  The character’s Reason score added
  to his standard adjust.  Only magic-
  using characters use mana points.  They
  determine how many spells the charac-
  ter can cast before needing rest.
  Max started out at 6th level
  overall, so his Adjust was 21.
  He ended up with BD, 18;
  UD, 43; MD, 45; PD, 25; HA,
  25; HP, 24.  Since he is not a
  Magick-user, we didn’t bother
  figuring out Mana Points for
  him, but if we had, he’d have
  45.
  Primary Stats Table
  BD:
  Luck, or 10 (whichever is higher)
  UD:
  Agility plus Adjust.
  MD:
  Reason plus Adjust (Magic-users add
  10 points).
  PD:
  Constitution, or 10 (whichever is
  higher).
  HA:
  50 minus Constitution.
  HP:
  Average of Strength, Constitution,
  and Agility (rounded).
  MP:
  Reason plus Adjust.
  Choosing Skills
  π
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  18
  weapons include the cutlass, the rapier,
  the dagger, and the flintlock pistol.
  Consider however, your Furry’s species,
  background, and national origin and
  choose weapons he or she would be
  familiar with.
  Magick-users in the world of Furry
  Pirates are traditionally taught one
  Circle of Magick at a time (see the list
  of Magick skills above) and must learn
  every skill in that Circle before moving
  on to the next one.  Individual Orders
  of Magick-users often only have knowl-
  edge of two or three Circles of Magick.
  Pirate characters however, whose histo-
  ry can often be described as “colorful,”
  or “checkered,” may have had a more
  haphazard education and learned a few
  Skill List 
  Bold indicates a category of skill (that is, the Profession it is associated with), Roman (normal text) indicates a single
  skill, and Italics indicates a Proficiency option.
  Skills
  Attack/Defense
  Skills
  Attack/Defense
  Skills
  Attack/Defense
  Fighting: Melee Combat (p. 29)
  Education (p. 35)
  Magick: Circle of Abjuration (p. 37)
  Single Weapon
  Dex/Agl
  Linguistics:
  Rea/
  Binding
  Ego/
  Dagger
  Lore
  Rea/
  Expulsion
  Ego/
  Sword
  Current Events
  Protection
  Ego/
  Two-Handed
  Geography 
  Warding
  Ego/
  Bladed Pole
  History
  Magick: Circle of Alteration (p. 38)
  Thrusting
  Mathematics
  Ability
  Ego/
  Pole
  Occult
  Chance
  Ego/
  Weighted
  Ship
  Flight
  Ego/
  Other
  Theology
  Force
  Ego/
  Double Weapon
  Dex/Agl
  Value
  Invulnerability
  Ego/
  Dagger
  Crafts (p. 35)
  Light
  Ego/
  Sword
  Actor
  Ego/
  Shape
  Ego/
  Bladed Pole
  Architect
  Rea/
  Speech
  Ego/
  Pole
  Blacksmith
  Dex/
  Visibility
  Ego/
  Weighted
  Brewer
  Rea/
  Magick: Circle of Astral (p. 40)
  Combination
  Bureaucrat
  Ego/
  Projection
  Ego/
  Other
  Carpenter
  Dex/
  Magick: Circle of Divination (p. 40)
  Fighting: Unarmed Combat: (p. 30)
  Clerk
  Rea/
  Aura
  Ego/
  Hands/Fists
  Dex/Agl
  Cook
  Rea/
  Clairvoyance
  Ego/
  Feet/Talons
  Dex/Agl
  Courtesan
  Ego/
  Consultation
  Ego/
  Throws
  Dex/Agl
  Dancer
  Ego/
  Magick: Circle of Domination (p. 41)
  Teeth
  Dex/Agl
  Dyer
  Rea/
  Charming Animals
  Ego/
  Fighting: Distance Combat (p. 31)
  Engineer
  Rea/
  Charming Intelligent
  Ego/
  Thrown Weapon
  Dex/
  Farmer
  Rea/
  Charming Plants
  Ego/
  Bow
  Dex/
  Fisher
  Rea/
  Charming Undead
  Ego/
  Trigger
  Dex/
  Gunsmith
  Dex/
  Possession
  Ego/
  Fighting: Other (p. 31)
  Haberdasher
  Dex/
  Magick: Circle of Elemental (p. 42)
  Horsemanship
  Dex/Agl
  Hosteler
  Rea/
  Earth
  Ego/
  Dogfighting
  Dex/Agl
  Jeweler
  Dex/
  Fire
  Ego/
  Thievery (p. 32)
  Juggler
  Dex/
  Lightning
  Ego/
  Acrobat
  Dex/Agl
  Leather worker
  Rea/
  Water
  Ego/
  Ambush
  Dex/Rea
  Mechanic
  Rea/
  Wind
  Ego/
  Lock-picking
  Dex/
  Merchant
  Rea/
  Magick: Circle of Enchantment (p. 44)
  Sleight-of-Hand
  Dex/
  Miller
  Rea/
  Conjunction
  Ego/
  Hunting (p. 32)
  Miner
  Dex/
  Storage
  Ego/
  Athletic
  Str/
  Musician
  Ego/
  Magick: Circle of Illusion (p. 45)
  Gathering
  Rea/
  Painter
  Dex/
  Illusion
  Ego/
  Tracking
  Rea/Rea
  Printer
  Dex/
  Magick: Circle of Necromancy (p. 46)
  Alchemy (p. 33)
  Prostitute
  Ego/
  Healing
  Ego/
  Chemistry
  Rea/
  Sculptor
  Dex/
  Harming
  Ego/
  Herbal
  Rea/
  Seamstress
  Dex/
  Growth
  Ego/
  Medicine
  Rea/
  Shipwright
  Dex/
  Magick: Circle of Summoning (p. 47)
  Poison
  Rea/
  Spinner
  Dex/
  Summoning
  Ego/
  Seamanship (p. 34)
  Stonemason
  Dex/
  Sailor
  Dex/
  Tavern-keeper
  Dex/
  Navigation
  Rea/
  Wainwright
  Dex/
  Gunnery (p. 34)
  Weaver
  Dex/
  Gunner
  Rea/
  Writer
  Ego/
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  19
  skills from several different Circles.  It’s
  best to read the descriptions of the
  Magick skills later in this chapter before
  choosing them, to make certain they fit
  with your Furry’s background, especial-
  ly as a few of them are unknown or ille-
  gal in some parts of the world.
  If she wishes, the GM may rule
  that Magick and Fighting are mutually
  exclusive.  In playtesting Furry Pirates,
  it’s been noted that the character with
  both heavy combat and Magick-using
  skills has an unfair advantage over the
  other PCs.  A confident GM and expe-
  rienced players whose character origin
  stories explain how their Furries man-
  aged to learn both professions might
  enjoy a campaign that allows both.
  Also, since the literacy level is higher
  than it was in the Middle Ages, and
  since it doesn’t take quite so long to
  learn how to fight as it used to, the
  Fighter/Magick-user character might be
  a little more common than it was in
  Furry Outlaws.  However, if the GM
  prefers to disallow this sort of character,
  one possible rationale follows.
  Iron is a substance which, accord-
  ing to legend, disrupts Magickal energy
  and is harmful to magickal creatures.  If
  the GM wishes to adopt a natural law
  to help restrict Fighter/Magick-user
  PCs, she can rule that iron and steel
  drain Magickal energy and become
  superhot in the process.  Therefore,
  Magick will not work when cast by
  someone who is in contact with more
  than an ounce of ferrous metal, and if
  he tries it anyway, he’s likely to be badly
  burned.  This law allows Magick-users
  to use weapons that contain no iron,
  which are usually less effective than the
  ones that do.  It also provides a way for
  captured Magick-users to be neutralized
  (iron shackles).  Damage caused by
  touching iron while spellcasting is equal
  to the mana cost of the spell.
  The Skill List is on page 18.
  Detailed descriptions of skills start on
  page 29.  Once skills are chosen, expe-
  rience points can be distributed among
  them according to the Standard Adjust
  Table.
  Naturally, Max takes Gunner,
  the only skill under the head-
  ing Gunnery.  As behooves a
  Furry of his rank, he also
  knows how to fight with
  Single Weapon: Sword, and
  Single Weapon: Dagger, plus
  all four Unarmed Combat
  skills 
  and 
  Trigger 
  under
  Distance Combat.  His social
  position also indicates levels
  in Horsemanship (though this
  might not ever be useful in his
  career as a pirate), Linguistics
  and Lore: Current Events.
  Because he has served on the
  Vengeance for a few months,
  the GM allows him the skill of
  Sailor.  Also, because most
  characters are crippled with-
  out them, she allows him the
  skills of Athletic and Ambush,
  making for a total of fourteen
  skills.
  Attack Scores
  An Attack score is the sum of the
  ability score and the standard adjust for
  the skill level, subtracted from 50.  The
  Attack Table on the next page may be
  used to find the score using the appro-
  priate ability and skill level.  
  Defense Scores
  A Defense score is the sum of the
  ability score and the standard adjust for
  the skill level added to 10.  The Defense
  Table on page 21 may be used to find
  the score using the appropriate ability
  and skill level.
  A Very Important Note: You
  want your Defense scores to be as high
  as possible, while your Attack scores
  should be as low as possible.  Your
  Attack score is added to your oppo-
  nent’s Defense score in combat, giving
  the number you must beat on per-
  centile dice to be successful.
  Max’s player had 210 points to
  spend among fourteen skills,
  which meant Max could be
  5th level in every skill, with
  nothing left over.  However,
  since he had not been a sailor
  very long, the player dropped
  that skill down to 3rd level,
  freeing up 9 points.  Likewise,
  because they are not very use-
  ful while at sea, she dropped
  Linguistics and Lore: Current
  Events down to 3rd level, mak-
  ing a total of 27 extra points.
  Adding 13 of those points to
  Gunner made Max 7th level in
  his most important skill.
  Adding 6 points each to
  Trigger and Sword made him
  6th level in these fighting
  skills, while the extra 2 points
  were put under Dagger so that
  this skill level can be raised
  later.  Max’s player then
  checked each of his chosen
  skills on the Skill List to
  determine which ability is
  used to figure out its attack
  and defense scores.  For
  most 
  Combat 
  skills,
  Dexterity and Agility are
  used, but the other skills
  use various different abili-
  ties.  The attack and
  defense scores for each skill
  can then be looked up on
  the Attack and Defense
  Tables by skill level and
  ability score, making it
  unnecessary to consult the
  Standard Adjust Table or
  use a calculator.
  Though it’s known as the crow’s nest, other birds can go there, too.
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  20
  Unless the character was waylaid,
  impressed and sent to sea, or became a
  pirate under circumstances similar to
  those of Max Lazarus, he had time to
  pack before setting off.  Exactly what
  sort of equipment is available to each
  PC is something the GM and the play-
  er will need to work out.  The GM
  should allow any contemporary, mun-
  dane equipment that seems reasonable,
  given the PC’s history and resources.
  If you prefer to do this according
  to some kind of system, refer to the
  Social Status Table on page 16.
  Determine the character’s starting
  wealth; this is the amount of cold cash
  he has on hand when the campaign
  starts.   Refer to the list of equipment
  and prices below and purchase the char-
  acter’s stuff using that figure.
  The circumstances under
  which Max became a privateer
  did not allow him to use his
  Social score to determine what
  equipment he had.  However,
  since the campaign started
  after the characters had been
  privateering for awhile, the
  GM ruled that Max had
  picked up whatever he wanted
  in the way of clothes and
  weapons from the loot the pri-
  vateers had acquired.
  Golden Age
  Currency
  Currency (C) is simply the main
  unit of exchange for whatever country
  the campaign happens to start in.  For
  gaming purposes, think of one unit of
  currency as having the purchasing
  power of twenty modern American dol-
  lars.  This is nowhere even close to his-
  torical accuracy, but it may make unlist-
  ed prices easier to set.  “P” represents
  the lowest unit of exchange, whether
  pennies, centimes, pfennig, kopeks, or
  whatever.  There are 100 P to one C.
  The GM may change prices at any time
  during the campaign according to
  region, availability of various items, and
  economic fluctuations.  Whenever a
  horde of Furry pirates descend on a
  port with their pockets full of gold,
  prices skyrocket.
  Stuff to Wear
  (Males)
  The existence of fur does not make
  nudity acceptable among the inhabi-
  tants of Europe, though Furries living in
  warmer climes might not bother with
  clothing.
  Attack Table
  Ability
  Skill Level
  Score
  I
  II
  III
  IV
  V
  VI
  VII
  VIII
  IX
  X
  XI
  XII
  9
  40
  38
  35
  31
  26
  20
  13
  5
  -4
  -14
  -25
  -37
  10
  39
  37
  34
  30
  25
  19
  12
  4
  -5
  -15
  -26
  -38
  11
  38
  36
  33
  29
  24
  18
  11
  3
  -6
  -16
  -27
  -39
  12
  37
  35
  32
  28
  23
  17
  10
  2
  -7
  -17
  -28
  -40
  13
  36
  34
  31
  27
  22
  16
  9
  1
  -8
  -18
  -29
  -41
  14
  35
  33
  30
  26
  21
  15
  8
  0
  -9
  -19
  -30
  -42
  15
  34
  32
  29
  25
  20
  14
  7
  -1
  -10
  -20
  -31
  -43
  16
  33
  31
  28
  24
  19
  13
  6
  -2
  -11
  -21
  -32
  -44
  17
  32
  30
  27
  23
  18
  12
  5
  -3
  -12
  -22
  -33
  -45
  18
  31
  29
  26
  22
  17
  11
  4
  -4
  -13
  -23
  -34
  -46
  19
  30
  28
  25
  21
  16
  10
  3
  -5
  -14
  -24
  -35
  -47
  20
  29
  27
  24
  20
  15
  9
  2
  -6
  -15
  -25
  -36
  -48
  21
  28
  26
  23
  19
  14
  8
  1
  -7
  -16
  -26
  -37
  -49
  22
  27
  25
  22
  18
  13
  7
  0
  -8
  -17
  -27
  -38
  -50
  23
  26
  24
  21
  17
  12
  6
  -1
  -9
  -18
  -28
  -39
  -51
  24
  25
  23
  20
  16
  11
  5
  -2
  -10
  -19
  -29
  -40
  -52
  25
  24
  22
  19
  15
  10
  4
  -3
  -11
  -20
  -30
  -41
  -53
  26
  23
  21
  18
  14
  9
  3
  -4
  -12
  -21
  -31
  -42
  -54
  27
  22
  20
  17
  13
  8
  2
  -5
  -13
  -22
  -32
  -43
  -55
  28
  21
  19
  16
  12
  7
  1
  -6
  -14
  -23
  -33
  -44
  -56
  29
  20
  18
  15
  11
  6
  0
  -7
  -15
  -24
  -34
  -45
  -57
  30
  19
  17
  14
  10
  5
  -1
  -8
  -16
  -25
  -35
  -46
  -58
  31
  18
  16
  13
  9
  4
  -2
  -9
  -17
  -26
  -36
  -47
  -59
  32
  17
  15
  12
  8
  3
  -3
  -10
  -18
  -27
  -37
  -48
  -60
  33
  16
  14
  11
  7
  2
  -4
  -11
  -19
  -28
  -38
  -49
  -61
  34
  15
  13
  10
  6
  1
  -5
  -12
  -20
  -29
  -39
  -50
  -62
  35
  14
  12
  9
  5
  0
  -6
  -13
  -21
  -30
  -40
  -51
  -63
  36
  13
  11
  8
  4
  -1
  -7
  -14
  -22
  -31
  -41
  -52
  -64
  The Character’s Equipment
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  21
  Coarse clothes: For commoners, a peas-
  ant’s smock, or a singlet (a white
  shirt or blouse), jerkin and breech-
  es of wool, leather, or cotton, dark-
  colored, plain and hard-wearing,
  probably not washed as often as
  would be desirable.  The shirt and
  breeches alone are good for run-
  ning around on deck; anything
  more might trip you up.  1C.
  Fine clothes: The singlet and knee
  breeches with stockings, garters,
  and a long or short-sleeved doublet
  made of finer wool, cotton, or
  linen, and a coat or cape over all
  that.  The singlet in this case is usu-
  ally linen, and one can tell what
  class the wearer belongs to by how
  clean the collar and cravat are.
  Color varies according to wealth,
  social class, religion, and/or
  national origin.  5C.
  Rich clothes: Same ensemble as above,
  except made of silk, satin, velvet,
  furs, embroidery, or whatever, and
  with more accouterments (listed
  below).  Be warned: staying in fash-
  ion during the reign of the Sun
  King requires a character to look
  utterly ridiculous by twentieth-cen-
  tury standards.  10-50C or more.
  Uniforms: The age of gunpowder
  brought the military uniform into
  existence as it became necessary to
  identify ones’ own soldiers and
  sailors to avoid firing on them.
  Thus uniforms of the seventeenth
  and eighteenth centuries are color-
  ful and easy to spot.  They are oth-
  erwise much like the clothes listed
  above (only with a military cut),
  and with the same gradations in
  rank.  1-10C.
  Footwear: Furries go barefoot more
  often than humans do.  If they
  wear shoes or boots, it’s usually in
  cold or wet weather, or while on
  horseback.  Footwear is especially
  uncomfortable for Furries with
  canted legs.  1-20C.
  Wigs: A wig, with holes cut for the ears,
  is de rigeur for every European
  male Furry with a Social score of
  22 or higher, unless he is a Puritan.
  Fashionable wigs of the late seven-
  teenth century are long and curly,
  parted in the middle and spilling
  down the shoulders (if the Furry’s
  hair does this naturally, he may get
  away with not wearing one).  In the
  eighteenth, they are pulled straight
  back into a ponytail or worn in a
  variety of other styles, and are also
  worn by the middle classes (Social
  of 19 or higher).  2-10C.  Of
  course, no one insists that a pirate
  be fashionable.
  Accouterments: Velvet doublets thickly
  embroidered with gold thread.  A
  broad, floppy hat or a tricorne
  with a band, ribbons, feathers,
  plumes, or whatever.  Lace spilling
  frothily from one’s throat and
  wrists.  Slits in the sleeves of the
  doublet.  Huge rosettes or bows
  attached to the fastenings of one’s
  stockings.  Absurdly high-heeled
  shoes (especially for digitigrade
  legs).  Breeches covered with rib-
  bons.  Rings, jewels, ribbons,
  rosettes or other ornaments for
  one’s tail.  Powder for one’s wig or
  hair. You name it, it’s happening in
  the reign of Louis XIV.
  Defense Table
  Ability
  Skill
  Level
  Score
  I
  II
  III
  IV
  V
  VI
  VII
  VIII
  IX
  X
  XI
  XII
  9
  20
  22
  25
  29
  34
  40
  47
  55
  64
  74
  85
  97
  10
  21
  23
  26
  30
  35
  41
  48
  56
  65
  75
  86
  98
  11
  22
  24
  27
  31
  36
  42
  49
  57
  66
  76
  87
  99
  12
  23
  25
  28
  32
  37
  43
  50
  58
  67
  77
  88
  100
  13
  24
  26
  29
  33
  38
  44
  51
  59
  68
  78
  89
  101
  14
  25
  27
  30
  34
  39
  45
  52
  60
  69
  79
  90
  102
  15
  26
  28
  31
  35
  40
  46
  53
  61
  70
  80
  91
  103
  16
  27
  29
  32
  36
  41
  47
  54
  62
  71
  81
  92
  104
  17
  28
  30
  33
  37
  42
  48
  55
  63
  72
  82
  93
  105
  18
  29
  31
  34
  38
  43
  49
  56
  64
  73
  83
  94
  106
  19
  30
  32
  35
  39
  44
  50
  57
  65
  74
  84
  95
  107
  20
  31
  33
  36
  40
  45
  51
  58
  66
  75
  85
  96
  108
  21
  32
  34
  37
  41
  46
  52
  59
  67
  76
  86
  97
  109
  22
  33
  35
  38
  42
  47
  53
  60
  68
  77
  87
  98
  110
  23
  34
  36
  39
  43
  48
  54
  61
  69
  78
  88
  99
  111
  24
  35
  37
  40
  44
  49
  55
  62
  70
  79
  89
  100
  112
  25
  36
  38
  41
  45
  50
  56
  63
  71
  80
  90
  101
  113
  26
  37
  39
  42
  46
  51
  57
  64
  72
  81
  91
  102
  114
  27
  38
  40
  43
  47
  52
  58
  65
  73
  82
  92
  103
  115
  28
  39
  41
  44
  48
  53
  59
  66
  74
  83
  93
  104
  116
  29
  40
  42
  45
  49
  54
  60
  67
  75
  84
  94
  105
  117
  30
  41
  43
  46
  50
  55
  61
  68
  76
  85
  95
  106
  118
  31
  42
  44
  47
  51
  56
  62
  69
  77
  86
  96
  107
  119
  32
  43
  45
  48
  52
  57
  63
  70
  78
  87
  97
  108
  120
  33
  44
  46
  49
  53
  58
  64
  71
  79
  88
  98
  109
  121
  34
  45
  47
  50
  54
  59
  65
  72
  80
  89
  99
  110
  122
  35
  46
  48
  51
  55
  60
  66
  73
  81
  90
  100
  111
  123
  36
  47
  49
  52
  56
  61
  67
  74
  82
  91
  101
  112
  124
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  22
  Stuff to Wear
  (Females)
  This is one of the very few points
  in history when female fashion is not
  more complicated than male fashion.
  Coarse clothes: A long smicket or
  chemise which fulfills the same
  function as the male’s singlet, a sin-
  gle petticoat, a plain dark woolen
  gown, an apron, and a head cover-
  ing of some sort, either a shawl
  worn over the head, or a white cap
  (both of which cover the ears) or a
  straw “chip” bonnet (which is nar-
  row enough to be worn between
  the ears).  2C.
  Fine clothes: As above, but made out of
  finer wool, cotton, or linen, with
  extra petticoats and more color.
  Also includes a bodice with stays
  to keep a tight waist.  The gown’s
  sleeves generally come down to the
  elbow, and the white sleeves of the
  under-gown a bit lower.  No shawl,
  but the white cap or the bonnet,
  fastened with ribbons, is required.
  10C.
  Rich clothes: Variations on fine clothes
  made of richer and more colorful
  materials, a simple “scoop” neck-
  line that reveals a lot of shoulder,
  sleeves, a skirt cut or fastened to
  reveal equally colorful petticoats.
  Still wearing the white cap, or pos-
  sibly some fancy variation.  10-
  80C.
  Footwear: Shoes, if worn at all, are
  much the same as they are for
  males, only daintier, more slipper-
  like, and without the high heels.  2-
  20C.
  Accouterments: Wigs are available, but
  not yet required for females of the
  upper class.  Otherwise, females go
  in for lace, ribbons, bows, rosettes,
  sleeve slits, etc. quite as much as
  the males do.  Females running
  away to sea might do well to con-
  sider male clothing as a disguise
  and a convenience (if you consider
  “petticoat breeches” a conve-
  nience).
  Armor
  Metal armor went out of style a
  century before the time of Furry
  Pirates.  It’s too heavy, too awkward,
  takes up too much room on shipboard,
  it rusts, and it’s useless against small
  arms fire.  Leather armor is also not
  used because salt water degrades it faster
  than you can say “Yo ho ho.”
  Weapon Prices
  These prices are for standard, ordi-
  nary, well made but unadorned
  weapons.
  Melee Weapons
  Dagger:  Any blade under 12" in length,
  with or without balance for throw-
  ing purposes.   It’s possible for
  Magick-users to find ones made of
  bronze or silver at double the cost.
  1C.
  Small Sword: Any blade from 12" to
  24", from the short, straight dirk to
  the wide, curved cutlass.  10C.
  Powdered wigs: Manly clothing for manly Furries.
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  23
  Medium Sword: Any blade from 24" to
  36", from a saber to a katana.
  15C.
  Two-handed Sword: Any blade from 36"
  to 48", usually requiring both
  hands to wield.  25C.
  Large Two-handed Sword: Any blade
  over 48", definitely requiring both
  hands to wield.  30C.
  Small Bladed Pole: This means a hatch-
  et.  1C.
  Medium Bladed Pole: An ax, which may
  be balanced for throwing.  5C.
  Large Bladed Pole: An edged blade
  attached to a pole six or eight feet
  long.   Mostly obsolete, except in
  the East, although they are useful
  for disabling enemy sails at close
  quarters.   5C.  Some made in the
  Middle East have muskets built
  into them; 12C.
  Thrusting:  A bayonet for the end of
  one’s musket or rifle.  2C.
  Large Thrusting: A spear, pike, or lance,
  usually 6' to 7'.  4C.
  Small Pole: A stick 24" to 36" long, such
  as a nightstick.  10P
  Medium Pole: A stick, 36" to 60".  20P
  Large Pole: A stick over 60", a quarter-
  staff.  30P.
  Small Weighted: A small club or an
  unloaded pistol: anything about 5
  pounds, heavy on one end.  A club
  usually doesn’t cost anything; see
  under Firearms for pistol prices.
  Medium Weighted: a larger club, a
  mace, a morningstar, or a dis-
  charged musket; anything about 10
  pounds, heavy on one end.  A
  mace or morningstar costs 1C.
  Large Weighted: A larger, heavier mace
  or morningstar, say 20 pounds,
  costs 2C.
  Distance Weapons
  Small Streamlined: A dart.  20P for a
  dozen.
  Large Streamlined: A spear, pike, or
  lance, usually 6' to 7'.  4C.
  Small Tumbling Blunt: Pebbles are free;
  half-pound shot costs 25P per
  dozen.
  Medium Tumbling Blunt: Rocks are
  free; one pound shot costs 25P per
  dozen.
  Large Tumbling Blunt: Same thing.
  Two to six pound shot costs 30P
  per dozen.
  Small Tumbling Spiked: Shuriken or
  caltrops.  25P.
  Medium Tumbling Spiked: See Dagger
  or Small Bladed Pole.
  Large Tumbling Spiked: An ax, bal-
  anced for throwing.  5C.
  Extension: A slingshot, cheap and easy
  to make, about 20P.  Pick up peb-
  bles for nothing, or try small shot
  for  5P per dozen.
  Large 
  Extension: 
  An 
  atlatl, 
  or
  spearchucker.  40P.
  Small Bow: 5C.  Arrows, 30P per dozen.
  Longbow: 15C.  Arrows ditto.
  Crossbow: 5C.  Bolts, 50P per dozen.
  Large Crossbow: 8C.  Bolts ditto.
  Firearms
  Small Caliber Pistol (.20 to .45): The
  small flintlock pistol, called a trav-
  eling pistol, is used for personal
  protection, but is also a favorite of
  pirates because it’s easy to carry
  several of them.  Locks and stocks
  can be made tiny enough even for
  Furries of small build (.20 caliber),
  but the barrel has to be at least
  nine inches long or all accuracy is
  lost (so they look like short mus-
  The fashions of the Age of Piracy: Swashbuckling accouterments for female Furries.
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  24
  Weapon Damage/Stunning & Initiative Table
  Strength
  Melee Weapons
  7-12
  13-18
  19-24
  25-30
  31-36
  Initiative
  Encumbrance
  Dagger
  4/1
  5/1
  6/2
  6/3
  6/4
  4
  1
  Sm Sword
  6/2
  8/3
  10/4
  10/5
  6
  2
  Med Sword
  10/4
  10/5
  12/6
  8
  4
  Two-Handed
  12/6
  15/6
  10
  6
  Lg Two-Handed
  15/8
  20/8
  12
  8
  Sm Bladed Pole
  3/2
  4/3
  5/4
  6/4
  8/5
  4
  1
  Med Bladed Pole
  8/6
  8/8
  10/8
  8
  2
  Lg Bladed Pole
  12/10
  15/10
  10
  4
  Thrusting
  8/2
  10/3
  12/4
  6
  2
  Lg Thrusting
  10/4
  12/5
  15/6
  8
  4
  Sm Pole
  2/3
  3/4
  4/4
  5/6
  6/8
  4
  1
  Med Pole
  4/6
  6/8
  8/10
  8/12
  6
  2
  Lg Pole
  8/10
  10/12
  12/15
  8
  3
  Sm Weighted
  4/5
  6/6
  6/8
  8/10
  10/12
  6
  2
  Med Weighted
  8/8
  10/10
  12/12
  10
  4
  Lg Weighted
  12/12
  15/15
  12
  8
  Hands
  1/2
  2/3
  3/4
  4/5
  5/6
  4
  —
  Feet
  3/5
  4/8
  5/10
  6/12
  8/12
  8
  —
  Talons
  3/0
  4/1
  5/3
  6/4
  8/6
  6
  —
  Teeth
  1/0
  2/0
  3/0
  4/0
  5/0
  4
  —
  Double Daggers
  4/1
  4/2
  5/2
  5/3
  6
  2
  Double Sm Swords
  5/3
  6/3
  6/4
  8
  4
  Double Med Swords
  8/4
  8/5
  10
  8
  Double Sm Bladed Pole
  4/4
  5/5
  6/6
  6
  2
  Double Med Bladed Pole
  6/8
  8/8
  10
  4
  Double Sm Poles
  2/4
  3/5
  4/6
  4/8
  6
  2
  Double Med Poles
  5/6
  6/8
  8/10
  8
  4
  Double Sm Weighted
  5/6
  6/8
  8/10
  8
  4
  Double Med Weighted
  8/10
  10/12
  12
  8
  Sm Shield Blunt
  2/4
  3/5
  4/6
  6
  4
  Sm Shield Spiked
  4/4
  5/5
  6/6
  6
  5
  Distance Weapons
  Sm Streamlined
  3/0
  3/0
  4/0
  5/0
  6/0
  4
  1/dox.
  Lg Streamlined
  6/0
  8/0
  10/0
  12/0
  6
  2
  Sm Tumbling Blunt
  1/1
  2/2
  3/4
  4/5
  4/6
  4
  1
  Med Tumbling Blunt
  5/6
  6/8
  8/8
  10/10
  6
  2
  Lg Tumbling Blunt
  10/12
  12/15
  10
  3
  Sm Tumbling Spiked
  1/1
  2/1
  4/2
  5/2
  6/2
  4
  2/dox.
  Med Tumbling Spiked
  6/2
  8/3
  10/3
  12/3
  6
  1
  Lg Tumbling Spiked
  12/4
  15/4
  10
  2
  Extension
  2/3
  3/3
  4/3
  4/4
  5/4
  4
  1/2
  Lg Extension
  5/0
  6/0
  8/0
  8/0
  6
  1
  Sm Bow
  6/0
  6/0
  8/0
  8/0
  6
  2
  Longbow
  8/0
  10/0
  12/0
  8
  4
  Crossbow
  8/0
  8/0
  8/0
  8/0
  8/0
  6 (loaded)
  6
  Lg Crossbow
  12/0
  12/0
  12/0
  6 (loaded)
  8
  Firearms
  Sm Caliber (.20-.45)
  12/0
  12/0
  12/0
  12/0
  12/0
  6 (loaded)
  3
  Lg Caliber (.50-.80)
  20/0
  20/0
  20/0
  20/0
  6 (loaded)
  6
  Blunderbuss
  24/0
  24/0
  24/0
  6 (loaded)
  5
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  25
  kets in the paws of Rodents).
  Including accessories such as pow-
  der horn and ramrod, 5C.
  Large Caliber Pistol (.50 to .75): The
  weapon of officers and cavalry.
  The standard pistol of the English
  Army has a caliber of .65 and a bar-
  rel length of 12 inches.  8C with
  accessories.
  Musket (Large Caliber):
  Standard
  infantry weapon, the smoothbore,
  single-shot, muzzle-loaded flint-
  lock.  Usually a .75 caliber weapon
  with a barrel length between 40"
  and 48".  They are made more
  cheaply than pistols and are more
  prone to misfiring.  With acces-
  sories, 5C.
  Rifle (Large Caliber): The weapon of
  choice for hunters because its effec-
  tive range is three times that of a
  musket, but seldom used by the
  military or pirates due to its slow
  rate of fire.  Not being military
  weapons, rifles are not standard-
  ized and can have a total length
  from 4' to 7.5'.  15C.
  Blunderbuss:  Wide-mouthed musket
  that fires scatter shot, the 17th cen-
  tury equivalent of a shotgun.  5C.
  Ammunition
  Solid shot: Lead balls cost 10P per
  dozen.
  Scatter shot: 5P for a dozen “charges”
  of lead or scrap iron.
  Cartridges:  Paper packet with the ball
  and the right amount of gunpow-
  der inside – saves you having to
  measure the powder yourself and
  provides paper for wadding.  30P
  per dozen.
  Gunpowder: 10P for a dozen charges
  large enough to fire a pistol, mus-
  ket, or rifle. 
  Magick
  Components
  Crystals, jewels: To determine the price
  of a given mineral or gemstone,
  find out what it’s worth in the pre-
  sent day and multiply by twenty to
  find its cost in C.  Think in terms
  of thousands of C for diamonds,
  rubies, sapphires, or emeralds; hun-
  dreds of C for turquoise, pearls, or
  jade; and tens of C for quartz, mag-
  netite, or malachite, although it
  varies greatly by region. 
  Divinatory materials: Tarot cards, 3C.
  Dice, 5P.  Runestones, casting
  bones, 1C.  Ouija boards, 3C.
  Crystal balls, 25C.
  Drawing materials: Charcoal, free.
  Chalk, 1P.  Ink, 30P.  Paints, 50P
  per color. Paper, 5P per sheet.
  Spellbooks: Almost priceless.  Each
  Order guards its spellbooks zeal-
  ously and keeps all outsiders away
  from them.  Even initiates are
  allowed to study them only under
  the supervision of their superiors.
  If a spellbook is offered for sale, it’s
  almost certainly been stolen, and
  the price will be anything the thief
  thinks he can get away with
  demanding, starting at around
  5000C.
  Navigational
  Tools
  Compass: 5C.
  Octant: 10C.
  Rutters:  A rutter is a journal kept by
  the pilot or navigator of a ship,
  recording where the ship has been
  and how it got there.  For a pilot
  venturing in unfamiliar waters, a
  rutter written by someone who has
  been there before can make the dif-
  ference between life and death.
  Common rutters describing well-
  known waters, such as those
  around Europe, cost 20C.  Rare
  ones, describing the coasts of
  Africa, Asia, or the New World,
  start at 100C.  Often such rutters
  are national or corporate secrets,
  with the death penalty proscribed
  for any traitor Furry who sells
  them, which raises the price to
  whatever the market will bear.  A
  one-of-kind 
  rutter, 
  describing
  someplace no one else has ever
  been, is almost priceless.
  Charts:  Maps are drawn by the pilot or
  navigator who first visits a place,
  and improved upon by subsequent
  pilots and cartographers.  As with
  rutters, their rarity dictates price:
  5C for a common chart, 30C for
  an uncommon one, 100C or more
  for a unique or proscribed one.
  Alchemical
  Equipment
  Herbs: Common European herbs go
  for 10P per gram.
  Spices: Imported all the way from India
  or Indonesia, spices are worth 2C
  per gram.
  Potions: A potion can be purchased for
  a number of C equal to the
  potion’s mana cost on the Mana
  Cost/Die Table (second column)
  per dose (enough to affect one
  creature).  See the skill of Potions
  under Alchemy in Chapter Two for
  some idea of what kind of potions
  can be bought. 
  Salves: See Potions.  The same statistics
  apply.
  Poisons: As Potions, but more danger-
  ous to purchase, since it indicates
  criminal intent.  Generally, it will
  take a bribe in addition to the cost
  of the Potion to procure.
  Thief’s Tools
  The most difficult items for a thief
  to get a hold of, assuming he’s not a
  locksmith, are skeleton keys.  You’ll
  have to commission these from a smith
  you think you can trust, or steal them.
  Picks can be made from any strong,
  thin piece of metal.  Leaving aside the
  possibility of Magickal wards or traps
  for the unwary burglar, eighteenth-cen-
  tury security is a primitive art.  In the
  case of a prisoner never intended to be
  released, shackles are often welded on.
  Therefore, it’s a good idea for the full-
  service cracksman to possess a file, a
  hammer, a chisel, and a crowbar.   15C
  for the whole kit.
  Encumbrance
  Encumbrance points are deduct-
  ed from the character’s combat defense
  scores and certain attack scores (as stat-
  ed in skill descriptions).  This is because
  it’s easier to hit someone who’s weight-
  ed down with a lot of equipment.  Any
  character can carry a number of pounds
  equal to his or her Strength score with-
  out being encumbered.  After that, one
  pound equals one encumbrance point.
  GMs might consider allowing that
  weapons be excepted from the rules of
  encumbrance, unless someone tries car-
  rying an absurd number of them.  This
  will probably allow the GM to dispense
  with encumbrance altogether, as pirates
  seldom carry much other than weapons
  — they have a ship to hold everything
  else.
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  26
  FURRY PIRATES
  Character Record Sheet
  Name: ____________________
  Species:__________________
  Build:
  __________
  Nationality:
  __________
  Position:
  __________
  Profession:
  __________
  Gender:
  ______
  Height:
  ______
  Weight:
  ______
  Eye Color:
  ______
  Hair Color:
  ______
  Age:
  ______
  Strength:
  ____
  Constitution: ____
  Agility:
  ____
  Dexterity:
  ____
  Ego:
  ____
  Reason:
  ____
  Luck:
  ____
  Appearance:
  ____
  Social:
  ____
  Overall Level:
  ____
  Experience Points:
  ____
  Base Defense:
  ____
  Unarmed Defense:
  ____
  Magic Defense:
  ____
  Poison Defense:
  ____
  Healing Attack:
  ____
  Hit Points:
  ____
  Mana Points:
  ____
  Damage
  Indicate damage with an X and stunning with a /.
  Skill
  Points
  Level
  Att/Def
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  Magic Reference 
  Level
  Mana
  Die
  1
  1
  10
  2
  3
  20
  3
  6
  30
  4
  10
  50
  5
  15
  100
  6
  21
  200
  7
  28
  300
  8
  36
  400
  9
  45
  500
  10
  55
  600
  11
  66
  800
  12
  78
  1000
  Maximillian Lazarus
  Heavy
  English
  Master Gunner
  Gunner
  25
  25
  22
  30
  24
  24
  18
  24
  24
  6
  210
  18
  43
  45
  25
  25
  24
  n/a
  Male
  6 ft, 2 in
  195 lbs
  Brown
  Black, Grey Fur
  32
  Gunner
  28
  7
  -2/
  Single Weapon: Sword
  21
  6
  -1/53
  Single Weapon:Dagger
  17
  5
  5/47
  Hands
  15
  5
  5/47
  Feet
  15
  5
  5/47
  Throws
  15
  5
  5/47
  Trigger
  21
  6
  -1
  Horsemanship
  15
  5
  5/47
  Linguistics: French
  6
  3
  20/
  Lore: Current Events
  6
  3
  20/
  Sailor
  6
  3
  14/
  Athletic
  15
  5
  10/
  Ambush
  15
  5
  5/49
  Wolf
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  27
  Weapon
  Damage
  Stunning
  Initiative
  ________________________
  ______
  ______
  ______
  ________________________
  ______
  ______
  ______
  ________________________
  ______
  ______
  ______
  ________________________
  ______
  ______
  ______
  ________________________
  ______
  ______
  ______
  ________________________
  ______
  ______
  ______
  ________________________
  ______
  ______
  ______
  ________________________
  ______
  ______
  ______
  ________________________
  ______
  ______
  ______
  Equipment
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  __________________
  __________________
  __________________
  __________________
  __________________
  __________________
  Background, Personality, Relationships, & Notes
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  Currency
  C:
  ____
  P:
  ____
  Encumbrance
  ____
  Character Illustration
  Sword
  d10
  d5
  d6
  Dagger
  d6
  d3
  d3
  Pistol
  d12
  n/a
  d5
  Hands
  d4
  d5
  d3
  Feet
  d6
  d12
  d6
  Teeth
  d4
  n/a
  d3
  Real Name: Sir Maxwell Greycoat
  Bound for Virginia, his family was killed and he was captured by the French,
  who sank his ship, theLioness Anne. He was rescued from the French
  warship’s brig by privateers. He was knighted by William III, but has not yet
  revealed this to the privateers.
  two pistols, saber, dagger, locket containing
  portraits of his wife and child, sash, sword
  belt, leather vest, pants
  25
  60
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  28
  Raising Levels
  The GM will award experience
  points whenever she feels it is appro-
  priate, whether in the course of game
  play, at the end of a gaming session, or
  at the end of an adventure scenario
  which could take several gaming ses-
  sions.  Experience points should be
  given for solving the problems present-
  ed in the game, for remaining faithful
  to one’s character concept (that is, for
  good roleplaying), or best yet, for solv-
  ing the problems while remaining faith-
  ful to character concept.  It’s recom-
  mended that between four and eight
  experience points be awarded for each
  gaming session per player.
  Experience points can be used to
  advance a character’s level in any skill
  he already possesses.  At the same time,
  they advance the character’s overall
  level, though slowly.  Refer to the
  Standard Adjustment Table when dis-
  tributing experience points to deter-
  mine new levels achieved, and adjust
  Attack and Defense scores for
  those skills (or overall level)
  accordingly.  For example, if a
  player is 5th level in a skill
  then it takes six points to go to
  sixth level in that skill. Thus,
  If the player goes from fifth to
  sixth in a skill then the attack
  score will drop six points and
  the defense will rise six.
  Acquiring
  New Skills
  A new skill can be taught
  by anyone who is at least 5th
  level in the desired skill.  To
  learn a new skill, a character
  needs to find someone,
  whether a PC or NPC, of the
  appropriate level and ask to
  be taught.  If an NPC is
  asked, the GM must deter-
  mine if that Furry is will-
  ing to teach the PC and
  what he might demand in
  return, whether money, a
  specific 
  favor, 
  an
  exchange of teaching, or
  whether he will simply do it
  for friendship’s sake.  Also
  possible is a master-appren-
  tice relationship, where the
  character
  works for
  a master for
  a previously
  stated
  amount of time in exchange for being
  taught the secrets of a craft.
  Once a teacher has been found, the
  PC will then spend the majority of his
  time learning the new skill, either with
  the teacher, or in individual practice.
  All skills take at least a month (game
  time, not real-life time) to acquire.
  Each month, the PC should be allowed
  a Reason roll (an attack score based on
  the ability only, with no skill level mod-
  ifier, vs. a difficulty factor assigned by
  the GM).  When he succeeds, he will
  need to sacrifice two experience points,
  which are permanently removed from
  his overall experience score.  At that
  time, he may take the new skill at 1st
  level, requiring another experience
  point (though this one is not removed
  from the overall points).
  New Magick skills are more diffi-
  cult to get.  A Furry must be function-
  ally literate before he can learn any
  Magick at all (which requires a Social
  score of at least 18, or being 3rd level in
  Linguistics for the appropriate lan-
  guage).  Magick cannot be compre-
  hended by any Furry with a Reason
  score less than 24.  A PC wizard may be
  willing to teach a neophyte, but the
  odds are against a non-wizard PC being
  allowed to join a sorcerous Order, even
  if he has the requisite Social and Reason
  score, simply because he is a pirate.
  Also, to acquire the first Magick skill, a
  non-wizard character will have to study
  much longer than usual, and will only
  be allowed a Reason roll every year
  (game time) to determine if he’s picked
  it up yet, though for subsequent skills,
  the roll can be made every month.  A
  character who already knows some
  Magick will find it easier to learn new
  Magick skills.  A teacher is not required
  if the Magick-using Furry can find a
  spellbook for the skill he wants.  These
  are, of course, extremely rare and valu-
  able.  A spellbook is usually an ancient,
  fragile, leather-bound grimoire of deli-
  cate parchment, about a foot high, ten
  inches wide, and four inches thick —
  and that’s just for one skill.  With a
  spellbook, the Magick-using character
  can make a Reason roll every month
  just as if he had a teacher to determine
  if he’s learned the new skill yet.  Once
  the skill is learned, it’s no longer neces-
  sary to cart the spellbook around, for-
  tunately.
  Character Advancement
  Romeo and Juliet: forbidden love
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  29
  The following sections describe the
  skills available to characters in Furry
  Pirates.
  Some skills cover extremely broad
  areas. In these cases, the character must
  choose a proficiency — a single sub-
  area that is the character’s specialty.
  Skills that require a proficiency selec-
  tion are called Proficiency skills. The
  character can operate in other areas
  encompassed by the same skill, but at a
  10 point penalty on both attack and
  defense scores.  If the player wants the
  character to be proficient with more
  than one of the proficiency areas, he
  will have to take the skill twice and
  spend the extra experience points. 
  For example, the Proficiency skill
  Single Weapon covers anything a Furry
  can swing, from a sword to a two-by-
  four.  When choosing Single Weapon,
  the character must choose a proficiency
  (some examples for Single Weapon
  include 
  Dagger, 
  Two-handed, 
  or
  Thrusting). If a character chose Dagger,
  he would be at a 10 point penalty when
  swinging a Two-handed sword, unless he
  spent the extra experience points to
  purchase that proficiency as well.
  Some skill descriptions describe
  what happens if the character scores
  double or triple effect, which means
  rolling 20 or 50 points, respectively,
  above what was needed to accomplish a
  given task.
  Certain Magick skills, especially
  those which cause damage, use the
  Mana Cost/Die Table, found on this
  page, to determine what sort of die is
  rolled when a spell is cast at a given
  level.  This table also provides the mana
  point cost of each level of spell.  For
  example, if a Furry sorcerer casts
  Elemental: Lightning at 6th level, it will
  cost him 21 mana points and cause
  d200 worth of damage to whatever hap-
  less creature or object he throws it at.
  (When rolling dice above 100, it’s best
  to use percentiles and multiply by 2, 3,
  or whatever.)
  Mana Cost / Die Table
  Level
  Mana Cost
  Die Rolled
  1
  1
  10
  2
  3
  20
  3
  6
  30
  4
  10
  50
  5
  15
  100
  6
  21
  200
  7
  28
  300
  8
  36
  400
  9
  45
  500
  10
  55
  600
  11
  66
  800
  12
  78
  1000
  Fighting
  In most cases, scoring double or
  triple effect in combat means inflicting
  double or triple damage on your oppo-
  nent. However, there are other options.
  See the Combat Rules in Chapter Two.
  Melee Combat
  Single Weapon
  Attack Ability: Dexterity
  Defense Ability: Agility
  This is the skill of fighting with a
  single one- or two-handed weapon.  It is
  a Proficiency skill, therefore the player
  must choose a weapon to be proficient
  in.  The character can use a weapon
  outside his proficiency at a 10 point
  penalty on Attack and Defense scores.
  Note that this skill does not include
  throwing the weapons described.  (See
  “Thrown Weapon” under Distance
  Combat.) These weapons are subject to
  strength limitations listed on the
  Weapon 
  Damage/Stunning 
  and
  Initiative table.
  Dagger: This is a blade under 12" in
  length.
  Sword: This is a flat-edged blade, either
  curved or straight, 12" to 36" in
  length.
  Rapier: This is a long lightweight blade
  with a sharp point but little edge,
  such as a rapier, foil, or epée.
  Two-handed: This is a flat-edged blade
  long and heavy enough to require
  both hands to wield (usually over
  36").
  Edged Pole: Any weapon consisting of
  an edged blade attached to a han-
  dle or pole, such as an ax or
  polearm.
  Thrusting: This is a weapon with a
  sharp point but little cutting edge,
  such as a lance or bayonet.
  Pole: A balanced blunt weapon ranging
  in size from a nightstick to a quar-
  terstaff.
  Weighted: A pole with a weight on one
  end, like a mace, a club, or a bat.
  It also includes weapons with a
  weight at the end of a chain such
  as a flail or morning star.
  Other: Any melee weapon which is not
  described (such as a whip) requires
  its own proficiency category.  
  Double Weapon
  Attack Ability: Dexterity
  Defense Ability: Agility
  This is the skill of fighting with a
  pair of weapons.  The ability to use two
  weapons requires a Dexterity score of
  24.  It is a Proficiency skill, therefore
  the player must choose which weapons
  he is proficient in.  The character can
  use a weapon outside his proficiency at
  a 10 point penalty on Attack and
  Defense scores.  Note that this skill
  does not include throwing the weapons
  described.  (See “Thrown Weapon”
  under 
  Distance 
  Combat.) 
  These
  weapons are very much subject to
  strength limitations.  They also do less
  damage and have a higher die roll for
  initiative.
  Dagger: A pair of blades under 12" in
  length.
  Sword: A pair of flat edged blades from
  12" to 36" in length.
  Rapier: A pair of long lightweight
  blades with a point but little edge.
  Edged Pole: A pair of weapons consist-
  ing of an edged blade attached to a
  handle or pole which are under 4',
  or a single pole over 4' with a blade
  at each end.
  Pole: A pair of balanced blunt weapons
  under 4'.
  Weighted: A pair of poles or chains
  with weight on one end under 4',
  or a single weapon over 4' consist-
  ing of two weights attached by a
  pole or a chain or cord.
  Combination: Any combination of the
  above as long as your Strength
  score allows it.
  Other: Any melee weapon combination
  not described requires its own pro-
  ficiency category.  Use common
  Skill Descriptions
  ç
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  30
  sense here: some weapons can’t be
  used together.
  Unarmed Combat
  Don’t confuse a defense score in
  an 
  unarmed 
  combat 
  skill 
  with
  “Unarmed Defense.” A character’s
  Unarmed Defense is used when he can’t
  do anything about an attack except try
  to get out of the way.  A defense score
  in an unarmed combat skill means the
  character is capable of blocking an
  unarmed or melee attack as well as any-
  one with a melee combat skill.
  Hands/Fists
  Attack Ability: Dexterity
  Defense Ability: Agility
  This is the skill of beating up other
  Furries 
  with 
  your 
  bare 
  hands.
  Depending on cultural orientation, the
  character may be using claws, open
  hands, clenched fists, second knuckles,
  poking fingers, or whatever. This is a
  double weapon skill, thus it uses two
  initiative dice.
  Feet
  Attack Ability: Dexterity
  Defense Ability: Agility
  Similarly, this is the skill of kicking
  other Furries.  This is a double weapon
  skill, thus it uses two initiative dice.
  Avian characters may find this skill par-
  ticularly helpful in aerial combat
  because they won’t have to carry a
  weapon and try to use it while flying.
  Throws
  Attack Ability: Dexterity
  Defense Ability: Agility
  This is the art of throwing other
  Furries.  When someone charges or oth-
  erwise attacks you, overextending him-
  self, you duck or step out of the way
  and help him along.  Note that the
  character needs both hands free.  An
  attempt to throw with one hand will be
  performed at a one effect penalty (dou-
  ble effect will do single, triple will do
  double).  This skill does no damage per
  se, but depending on how successful
  the attack roll was, it may do one of the
  following:
  Single Effect: The character has pre-
  vented his opponent from making
  his attack, though the opponent is
  still on his feet and can attack in
  the next combat round.
  Double Effect: The character has thrown
  his opponent, who loses both this
  attack and the next, spending the
  time to get up.
  Triple Effect: The character has thrown
  his opponent in the direction of
  his choice, causing the opponent
  to lose both this attack and the
  next one, and possibly to take
  damage from the environment
  (depending on what’s available, the
  opponent might be thrown over-
  board, into a wall, into quicksand,
  or nothing worse than cow pies).
  If the attempt to throw was not
  successful, the opponent may carry
  through with his attack against the
  character’s defense in Throws.
  “Arr! You sank my battleship! Prepare to die!”
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  31
  Teeth
  Attack Ability: Dexterity
  Defense Ability: Agility
  Sometimes, you’ve got to revert to
  the basics.  Biting your fellow Furries is
  uncouth, but heck, you’re a pirate,
  right? Achieving single effect means
  you’ve inflicted a simple puncture
  wound; double and triple effect indicat-
  ed extra damage achieved by tearing.
  Distance Combat
  Thrown Weapon
  Attack Ability: Dexterity
  Defense Ability: N/A
  Goes Against: Unarmed Defense
  This skill makes you good at
  throwing balanced objects at your
  opponent, subject to strength limita-
  tions.  While throwing something, you
  will be using your Unarmed Defense
  against attackers, because you can’t con-
  centrate on blocking at the same time
  (besides, you’re throwing away the thing
  you could block with).  This is a
  Proficiency skill; therefore choose an
  area to be proficient in, taking a 10
  point penalty in attack score for the
  others.
  Streamlined: A weapon that flies
  straight through the air, like a dart
  or a spear.
  Tumbling: A weapon that tumbles in
  flight, like a dagger, a shuriken, an
  ax, a rock, etc.
  Extension: A weapon that extends your
  throwing arm, like a sling or an
  atlatl (a spearchucker).
  Bow
  Attack Ability: Dexterity
  Defense Ability: N/A
  Goes Against: Unarmed Defense
  This skill makes you a marksman
  with that nearly obsolete weapon, the
  bow.  It is subject to strength limita-
  tions; also, a Furry of small build can
  only use a short bow.  While shooting,
  you will be using your Unarmed
  Defense against attackers, because you
  can’t concentrate on blocking at the
  same time.  Note that to be able to
  fight effectively with a bow as if it were
  a quarterstaff, you need the skill of
  Single Weapon (Pole).
  The longbow is not to be dis-
  dained, even in the eighteenth century.
  Its range, accuracy, and rate of fire are
  superior to the firearms of the day.  The
  flintlock pistol’s advantage, aside from
  doing more damage with each shot, is
  that it can penetrate metal armor.  Of
  course, since all Furries are carrying
  flintlocks these days, nobody bothers
  to wear armor anymore…
  Trigger
  Attack Ability: Dexterity
  Defense Ability: N/A
  Goes Against: Unarmed Defense
  This skill makes you proficient
  with a hand-held trigger weapon.  In
  Furry Pirates, that means either a
  crossbow or a flintlock pistol, musket,
  or rifle.  This is a Proficiency skill, so
  the character must choose one of these
  four to be proficient with.  While
  shooting, you will be using your
  Unarmed Defense against attackers,
  because you can’t concentrate on
  blocking at the same time.  If you want
  to bash someone over the head with
  your gun or crossbow you should have
  the skill of Single Weapon (Weighted).  
  It takes eight to ten seconds (three
  rounds) to reload a crossbow.  It takes
  an expert fifteen to twenty seconds (six
  rounds) to reload a flintlock pistol or
  musket.  A rifle requires a full minute
  (twenty rounds).  Usually in a melee sit-
  uation, these weapons are only good for
  one shot, unless the character doesn’t
  mind exposing himself to attack while
  reloading.  However, both guns and
  crossbows can be kept loaded indefi-
  nitely, which may give a better initiative
  for that first shot.
  Other Combat
  Fighting from horseback probably
  won’t occur very often in Furry
  Pirates, but if it does, here’s the skill.
  Horsemanship
  Attack Ability: Dexterity
  Defense Ability: Agility
  By itself, this is merely the skill of
  training and riding horses.  In combi-
  nation with combat skills, it becomes
  devastating.  A single weapon used
  while on a charging horse will score for
  higher damage (one step up in effect;
  see Combat Rules) because of the
  horse’s momentum.  The same applies
  to thrown weapons.  The horse must
  going at a gallop; lower speeds have
  insufficient momentum for extra dam-
  age.  Firearms and crossbows can be
  used but score only ordinary damage.
  Double weapons can be used on horse-
  back, but the character must roll dou-
  ble effect in Horsemanship to be able
  to attack with both.  A mounted com-
  bat attack requires two rolls: one to
  control the horse and get into position
  and one to hit.  Note that a character
  on a charging horse will also take the
  same extra damage if he runs into any-
  thing sharp and firmly planted to
  receive his charge, such as a bayonet or
  a pike or other polearm.
  Aerial Combat
  Avians cannot fly while encum-
  bered.  They may be able to glide for
  awhile with a small amount (no more
  than 10 encumbrance points worth), if
  it does not restrict their wings.  If any
  Avian tries to engage in aerial combat
  while encumbered, the usual penalty
  should be doubled and applied not
  only to combat defenses, but also to
  dogfighting and attack rolls.
  As an Avian’s hands are positioned
  along his wings, he cannot use any sin-
  gle weapon that requires both hands,
  although he can use lightweight double
  weapons or his talons as per Feet in
  Unarmed Combat.  Avians also have
  trouble using any but the very smallest
  firearms in flight (.20 caliber).  The
  recoil of a heavier gun is apt to send an
  Avian tumbling or even snap a delicate
  wing bone.  This rule does not apply to
  Furries using Alteration Flight, who can
  use any weapon they normally manage,
  as long as they stay within their weight
  limit (10% of body weight).
  Dogfighting
  Attack Ability: Reason
  Defense Ability: Agility
  This is the skill used to outmaneu-
  ver an aerial opponent, whether in
  melee or distance combat.  Any Avian
  who wants to engage in aerial combat
  should take this as well as a weapon
  skill.  A combatant who gains the
  advantage using Dogfighting in a round
  of aerial combat will incur a penalty on
  his opponent’s attack and defense
  scores, and he may be able to attack
  without fear of retaliation if his
  Dogfighting roll is high enough.
  Details of aerial combat are described
  in the Combat Rules in Chapter Four.
  It should be noted here that Avians of
  Small build have a slight advantage in
  aerial combat; not only do they have
  the usual Agility bonus, but they can
  dive faster than any of the large-winged
  heavy birds.
  å
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  32
  Thievery
  Acrobat
  Attack Ability: Dexterity
  Defense Ability: Agility
  Goes Against: Assigned Difficulty Factor
  This is the skill used by the thieves
  and scoundrels of movie legend (Zorro,
  D’Artagnan, the Thief of Baghdad,
  Philippe the Mouse, and Aladdin, just
  to name a few) to leap around in trees
  and rigging, evade pursuers, fall from
  great heights without getting hurt, and
  generally make the bad guys look like
  complete klutzes.  Not only is this fun
  in chase scenarios, it allows the charac-
  ter to use an acrobatic defense in com-
  bat, much as a character with an
  unarmed combat skill.  As usual, this
  does not apply if you’re being shot at
  from a distance.
  The success of this skill greatly
  depends on what sort of environment
  it’s being used in.  Utilization of full
  acrobatic defense requires a fair number
  of objects (or Furries) to dodge behind,
  jump on top of, or tumble down from.
  It also helps if there are ropes, vines, or
  curtains to swing on.  Good places to
  use your Acrobat skill are tavern interi-
  ors, ballrooms with chandeliers, large
  trees, densely-packed urban areas, ships
  with lots of rigging, etc.  If you are out
  in an open field or cornered against a
  blank wall, the GM will probably have
  your attackers roll against your
  Unarmed Defense (unless they are so
  numerous and stupid that they get in
  each other’s way — then you can use
  them to dodge around or duck behind).
  Note that this skill is not useful for
  inflicting damage on your opponents.
  If you’re trying to trip your adversary,
  or dodge at the right moment to make
  him tumble off a roof, or duck just in
  time for two opponents to hit each
  other, you need Throws (see Unarmed
  Combat).  However, if your opponent
  fumbles his attack roll, one of those
  events might just occur anyway.
  Normally, you will use only your
  defense score in these situations, but if
  you want to try a specific maneuver, the
  GM will have you roll for success.
  Also, if you jump or fall off something,
  you can roll an acrobatic attack to
  avoid damage by landing correctly.
  Furries weighted down by a lot of
  stuff will receive a penalty on both
  attack and defense in these maneuvers
  (see “Encumbrance Adjustment” under
  Equipment).
  Ambush
  Attack Ability: Dexterity
  Defense Ability: Reason
  Goes Against: Opponent’s ambush
  defense or Reason (whichever is
  higher)
  This is the skill used for any
  stealthy maneuver: sneaking, hiding,
  shadowing, or attacking by surprise.
  Under normal circumstances, the attack
  is rolled versus the opponent’s ambush
  defense, if any.  The GM will also take
  into account factors such as terrain,
  lighting, number of adversaries, number
  of innocent bystanders, noise level,
  what you are wearing, and so on.
  Success means your opponent is
  unaware of you or of what you are
  attempting to do, and you may choose
  to attack versus his Base Defense.  If
  you fail, your opponent may simply be
  aware that something is going on, he
  may have spotted you and/or realized
  what you’re about to do, or he may
  have initiated a successful counter-sneak
  and now has the drop on you.
  An Ambush attack roll is generally
  required before trying anything you
  don’t want your mark to notice, such as
  picking his pocket or poisoning his
  drink.  Note if you fumble, you may
  think you’re perfectly safe in trying this
  — until the mark grabs your hand with
  his purse in it.
  This skill is appropriate to many
  pirate character-concepts, not just
  thieves.  It is also recommended for
  hunters.  Furries carrying a lot of heavy
  stuff will receive encumbrance point
  penalties on both attack and defense in
  Ambush.
  Lockpicking
  Attack Ability: Dexterity
  Defense Ability: N/A
  Goes Against: Assigned difficulty factor
  Metal-warded locks, first made by
  the Romans, were common in Europe
  by the 13th century.  The wards are
  obstructions inside the lock, which the
  key must be made to bypass in order to
  turn the bolt.  Sometimes these locks
  were combined with springs to hold the
  bolt shut.  Skeleton keys could be made
  to open a variety of warded locks.
  Warded locks, though more sophisticat-
  ed than they were in medieval times, are
  still in use in the late 17th century.  The
  next step toward modern security, the
  tumbler lock, will not be invented until
  later in the 18th century.
  The skill of lockpicking consists
  mostly of having the right equipment
  and knowing how to use it.  A skilled
  cracksman (5th level or higher) might
  be able to open some locks with a
  makeshift pick, if it’s long, thin and
  strong enough not to break in the lock.
  In general, a cracksman should be
  allowed three attempts (rolls) to pick a
  given lock, each of which takes a full
  minute.  After that, the character must
  assume that he does not have the right
  sort of pick or skeleton key, or (if he
  fumbled one or more attempts) that the
  lock is damaged beyond any possibility
  of opening.
  Sleight-of-hand
  Attack Ability: Dexterity
  Defense Ability: N/A
  Goes Against: Assigned difficulty factor
  After successfully making his
  Ambush roll, the thief has the oppor-
  tunity to exercise this noble art.  This
  skill covers any maneuver from juggling
  to cutting a purse to making a pigeon
  disappear.  The roll is made versus the
  difficulty level of the task (determined
  by the GM).  Failing this roll usually
  means you simply failed.  Your mark
  already had his chance to notice you
  when you rolled Ambush.  However, if
  you fumble, the GM might decide to
  make you an important turning point
  in the game...
  Hunting
  Athletic
  Attack Ability: Strength
  Goes Against: Assigned difficulty factor
  This skill covers uncomplicated
  physical exertions such as running,
  swimming, climbing, jumping, lifting,
  and (in the case of winged creatures)
  flying.  Under ordinary circumstances,
  the difficulty factor is low, but goes up
  in harsh terrain or rough seas, or when
  fatigue begins to tell.  This skill is most-
  ly used to determine if one character is
  doing something faster or better than
  the one next to him, which of them will
  be able to do it for the longest time, or
  in the case of something very difficult
  (like climbing a sheer cliff) whether
  they can do it at all.  This is a profi-
  ciency skill; the character should
  choose an area to specialize in, receiv-
  ing a 10-point penalty for other areas.
  Furries carrying a lot of stuff will
  receive an encumbrance point penalty
  to the attack roll when using this skill.
  The GM may opt to raise this penalty
  when appropriate, especially in swim-
  ming or flying.
  
  Gathering
  Attack Ability: Reason
  Goes Against: Assigned Difficulty Factor
  This is the skill of locating, identi-
  fying, and collecting edible plants
  and/or medicinal herbs in the wild.
  The difficulty factor of this skill
  depends on the fertility of the area
  being searched and on the time of year.
  The character is allowed to roll once for
  each hour of active searching.  Success
  depends on what effect is achieved: sin-
  gle effect means a small amount of
  rather boring food has been found,
  double means a lot has been found,
  some of it yummy or useful, triple
  means a lot of very yummy and/or use-
  ful plants have been found.  Note that
  finding medicinal herbs doesn’t mean
  knowing what to do with them after-
  ward (see Herbal and Medicine skills,
  under Alchemy).
  Tracking
  Attack Ability: Reason
  Defense Ability: Reason
  Goes Against: Assigned difficulty fac-
  tor or Tracking defense
  This skill enables a character to fol-
  low the sign or spoor of either animals
  or Furries.  The attempt is rolled versus
  the prey’s tracking defense if applicable
  (if the prey also has a tracking skill).
  Otherwise it is rolled versus an assigned
  difficulty factor, which the GM will cal-
  culate based on variables like how old
  the trail is, how crafty the prey is, pre-
  vailing weather conditions, and so on.
  Unless the hunt is a plot device, or part
  of a search for something/someone in
  particular, the GM probably won’t go
  into much detail describing the
  results.  If a character is simply
  hunting for food, he should be
  allowed one roll for every two
  hours to determine success,
  and the GM should take
  game proliferation factors
  into account.  The skill of
  tracking includes knowledge
  of animal habits and hunting
  tactics such as camouflage, masking
  scent, the use of dogs, beaters, etc.  It
  does not include actually sneaking up
  on the prey (see Ambush, under
  Thievery skills).
  Alchemy
  Alchemy includes the art of mak-
  ing herbal drugs, medicines, poisons,
  and other contemporary chemical com-
  pounds.  A character with one of these
  skills will know how to acquire the
  ingredients of these compounds.  It is
  up to the GM to determine how long
  and how difficult the task of making a
  given concoction is.  Generally, the
  higher level a concoction is, the harder
  its components will be to come by.  A
  character who is 2nd level in an
  Alchemy skill is likely to have the com-
  ponents for a 1st level concoction
  already, and to know how to acquire
  the components of a 2nd level one.
  Once components are assembled, one
  hour should be enough time to make
  the stuff, though it can vary by quite a
  bit.  Note that the skill of making a
  drug or poison does not include the
  skill of delivering it to the victim (see
  Ambush or Sleight-of-hand).  The attack
  roll is not made until the potion is actu-
  ally delivered to the target, because the
  alchemist will not know for certain
  whether or not he got it right until
  then.
  Chemistry
  Attack Ability: Reason
  Goes Against: Assigned difficulty factor
  This is the skill of making com-
  pounds known in the late 17th to early
  18th century, from fleapowder to gun-
  powder, which don’t fall into the other
  categories listed below.  The level an
  alchemist needs to be in order to know
  how to make something in particular
  depends on the complexity of the com-
  pound.  Making gunpowder requires
  the alchemist to be a mere 3rd level, as
  the formula is simple: “18 partes refined
  Saltpetre, 2 partes Brimstone, and 3
  partes Cole made from clean twigs of a
  filbert tree.” (78% saltpeter, 9% sul-
  phur, 13% charcoal).  For other com-
  pounds, the GM will have to make a
  judgment call on the level required and
  the difficulty factor faced.
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  33
  Please remain seated until your ship is ready for boarding.
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  34
  Herbal
  Attack Ability: Reason
  Defense Ability: N/A
  Goes Against: Poison Defense
  This is the art of making drugs or
  potions.  These include sleep draughts,
  painkillers, hallucinogens, stimulants,
  aphrodisiacs, etc.  The character can
  only make a potion at the same level he
  is in Herbalism, or less.  Since potions
  don’t cause either damage or healing,
  the Mana Cost/Die Table doesn’t
  apply.  The GM will have to determine
  the exact effects of a potion of a given
  level.  Level should affect the potion’s
  strength, the speed with which it takes
  effect, and its duration.
  Strength: Weak, average, strong, or very
  strong.
  Speed: Slow, average, fast-acting, or very
  fast-acting.
  Duration: Short, average, long, or very
  long.
  A 1st level potion is weak, slow,
  and short.  A step up in any one cate-
  gory requires another level.  Thus, a
  very strong, very fast-acting, and very
  long-lasting potion is a 10th level con-
  coction.  The herbalist must determine
  in advance whether the stuff needs to
  be injected, ingested, or inhaled.  The
  potion may have greater or lesser effect,
  depending on the herbalist’s Attack
  roll:
  Single Effect: The victim feels the effect,
  but realizes it is not natural and
  can fight it.  The GM should deter-
  mine whether or not the victim
  takes a penalty on attack rolls while
  under the influence.
  Double Effect: The victim is fully affect-
  ed, to whatever extent the herbalist
  anticipated.
  Triple Effect: The potion works better
  than the herbalist expected it to.
  This can be a drawback if he meant
  it to be a mild aphrodisiac...
  Medicine
  Attack Ability: Reason
  Goes Against: Patient’s Healing Attack
  This is primarily the skill of mak-
  ing and applying healing salves, but it
  includes doctoring skills such as pre-
  venting (or incurring) blood loss, clean-
  ing and bandaging wounds, splinting
  broken bones, surgery to extract bullets
  or remove gangrenous limbs, keeping
  patients warm and dry, etc.  Like poi-
  sons, healing salves are classified by
  level to determine how strong they are.
  Although the skill in non-magickal, the
  mana cost column is used for the
  amount healed.  See the Mana Cost/
  Die Table at the start of this chapter.
  The character can only make a salve at
  the same level he is in Medicine, or less.
  If successful, the amount in hit points
  healed equals the mana cost (in addi-
  tion to any natural healing that took
  place).
  The character’s Medicine attack
  roll is not made until twelve hours after
  the salve is applied to the wound
  because he will not know whether or
  not he got it right until it takes effect.
  In game terms, this means the patient
  must get a full twelve hours of rest
  before any healing will occur.
  Poison
  Attack Ability: Reason
  Defense Ability: N/A
  Goes Against: Poison Defense
  This is the art of making poisons,
  which are classified by skill level to
  determine how strong they are.  See the
  Mana Cost/Die Table at the start of
  this chapter.  If the poisoner’s Attack
  roll is successful, then the amount in
  hit points of damage equals the mana
  cost.  If the character rolls double or
  triple effect, the poison will inflict dou-
  ble or triple damage.  The character can
  only make a poison at the same level he
  is in Poison, or less.  The player must
  also determine in advance if the damage
  inflicted by the poison occurs immedi-
  ately and all at once, or later and slow-
  ly.  He also must determine if the poi-
  son must be injected, ingested, or
  inhaled.
  A character that knows how to
  make poisons may also know how to
  counteract them.  Antidotes can be
  made the same way poisons are, but at
  a 10 point minus on the attack roll
  because it’s always easier to kill than to
  cure.
  Seamanship
  Sailor
  Attack Ability: Reason
  Goes Against: Assigned Difficulty Factor
  All aspects of the sailor’s craft,
  other than long-range navigation, are
  covered by this skill.  Any maneuver a
  vessel undertakes, whether in combat or
  in ordinary sailing, will require a roll by
  whichever character is giving the orders
  (or in case of a small vessel, doing it all
  himself).   Thus the character with this
  skill will know the basic points of sail-
  ing and the variations on each.  In addi-
  tion to piloting, the character will be
  able to distinguish different kinds of
  vessels and the strong and weak points
  of each.  The skill also covers the main-
  tenance of the vessel; the character will
  know when it needs careening, recaulk-
  ing, repairing, or replacing.
  Navigation
  Attack Ability: Reason
  Goes Against: Assigned Difficulty Factor
  This skill covers the use of the
  magnetic compass and the octant in
  determining position: knowing how to
  make calculations, draw and interpret
  maps and starcharts, figure out where
  best currents and tradewinds are, and
  generally making sure the vessel is going
  where it’s supposed to be.  Charting
  and following a course requires a char-
  acter to make a navigation roll once a
  day in open water, again whenever dri-
  ven off-course, and also when confront-
  ed by a landmark.  Navigational skills
  are hampered when the weather is over-
  cast (unless combined with Divination),
  and pretty much useless in a storm.
  Gunnery
  Artillery dominates the tactics of
  the 17th and 18th century sea fight,
  being more effective than the older
  grapple-and-board tactics, and more
  reliable than the ship’s wizard.  How
  much the cannon get used in a fight
  depends partly on whom the vessel is
  attacking, and what the purpose of the
  attack is.  Warships and pirate-hunters
  get the most use out of their ordnance
  because their aim is to destroy the
  enemy.  Pirates and privateers whose
  primary aim is to acquire loot (and pos-
  sibly another ship) will use cannon to
  disable the prey rather than sink her.  If
  the prey is a weakly-armed ship, they
  usually close and board it, using the
  cannon mostly for intimidation.  If
  caught by a warship, a pirate, privateer,
  smuggler, or blockade-runner uses can-
  non for the very compelling purpose of
  self-defense.
  The fact that Magick works has
  had a profound effect on the science of
  gunnery, especially its safety considera-
  tions.  There is always the possibility
  that the wizard on the enemy ship will
  have the skill of Elemental: Fire or
  Elemental: Lightning.  Every conscien-
  tious Furry gunner stores gunpowder in
  unmixed form — the charcoal separated
  from the saltpetre and sulphur mixture
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  35
  — until it has to be used.  When prepar-
  ing to fire, the gunner will keep the
  port hatch closed until the last possible
  second to avoid making the loaded gun
  the target of an explosive spell.  And
  every good gunner — and captain —
  keeps himself aware of the effective
  range of the ship’s ordnance, balanced
  against the effective range of spellcast-
  ing (as well as that of the enemy’s guns).
  Gunnery
  Attack Ability: Reason
  Goes Against: Assigned Difficulty Factor
  Although it can take as many as
  fourteen Furries to run the heaviest
  naval cannon, only one of them really
  needs to know what he is doing: that
  Furry is the gunner.  This skill enables
  the character to maintain, load, aim,
  and fire all types of ordnance, mix and
  maintain gunpowder, and make car-
  tridges out parchment or cloth with the
  appropriate amount of powder.  It gives
  him knowledge of different kinds of
  guns and the strength, windage, range,
  battering power, and recoil of each.  It
  also gives him knowledge of different
  kinds of shot, some of which are effec-
  tive against the enemy’s hull, some of
  which is designed to spread and hit
  Furries on the opposing deck, and
  some of which is designed to take out
  rigging and sails.  See the “Ship to Ship
  Combat” section in Chapter Two for
  more information.
  Education
  Linguistics
  Attack Ability: Reason
  Goes Against: Assigned difficulty factor
  This is not a Proficiency skill.  You
  must choose one language per skill, and
  acquire another Linguistics skill for
  each new language.  First level in this
  skill allows the character to speak the
  language well enough to be understood.
  Second level allows him to read and
  write it, assuming he knew how to read
  and write his native language in the first
  place.  Third level allows him to speak
  it like a native, or read and write if he
  didn’t already know how.  Fifth level
  allows him to write sonnets.
  Alternately, a non-literate character
  (Social of less than 18) can take
  Linguistics with his own language.  In
  this case, the character will know how
  to read by 3rd level.
  Lore
  Attack Ability: Reason
  Goes Against: Assigned difficulty factor
  A skill level in this gives a charac-
  ter a chance to be aware of some fact he
  might not otherwise know.  This is a
  Proficiency skill, so the character must
  choose an area to be proficient in, tak-
  ing a 10 point penalty in other areas.
  Some of the areas to choose from
  include:
  Current Events: You keep up with things.
  You know how the current war is
  going, who is marrying whom,
  what alliances are being formed
  (openly or under the table), cur-
  rent scandals, and so on.
  Geography: Knowledge of how the land
  lies and an ability to read and draw
  maps.  This is very valuable for a
  navigator.
  History: Study of more or less factual
  accounts of the past.
  Mathematics: Abstract math, beyond
  the mere fundamentals every clerk
  knows.  Very useful to architects
  and engineers; also a good bizarre
  method for a spell casting using
  Divination.  
  Occult: Knowledge of the various
  Magick-using Orders of Europe
  and elsewhere, their practices, ritu-
  als, initiations, etc.; also gives a
  chance to identify unusual or mag-
  ickal objects.
  Theology: Makes it possible for a char-
  acter to debate religious theory, or
  formulate some of his own.
  Value: This is a merchant’s skill, giving
  a character a fair idea how much
  any given object is worth.  It’s
  helpful when someone is trying to
  cheat you.
  Crafts
  Common skills fall into this cate-
  gory.  In general, they include anything
  a character can make a living at.  Most
  of them require some sort of perma-
  nent establishment and the right tools
  to practice, plus a clientele.  A character
  should be 5th level in a craft before he
  is considered good enough to work on
  his own.  Below 5th level, the character
  is either an apprentice or a struggling
  independent.  This is not a comprehen-
  sive list.  Attack abilities for these skills
  are usually Dexterity, Ego, or Reason, as
  noted.  Defense scores are not required
  for these skills.
  Actor: (Ego) You don’t need a perma-
  nent establishment for this, just a
  troupe to travel with and an ability
  to duck rotten vegetables and
  worse items.  Consider taking
  “Acrobat” and other thieving skills
  as well.
  Architect: (Rea) You must be educated
  for this, with a Social score of at
  least 18.  You won’t get paid until
  you’re 5th level; you won’t get rich
  until you’re 8th level.
  Banker: (Rea) Someone who produces
  nothing except money, and pro-
  vides no service except advice on
  what to do with it.  The first stock
  exchange has been set up in
  Amsterdam.  Social of at least 18.
  Blacksmith: (Dex) All-purpose metal-
  working; requires good Strength,
  Constitution, and Dexterity scores,
  plus a tough hide and the right
  tools.  It pays well if you are skilled
  enough to attract rich customers.
  Social of at least 13.
  Brewer: (Rea) This means beer.  Social
  of at least 13.
  Bureaucrat: (Ego) Government is start-
  ing to get complicated and it needs
  more and more warm bodies to be
  in charge of things without neces-
  sarily doing anything about them.
  Social of at least 18.
  Carpenter: (Dex) All-purpose wood-
  worker.  Social of at least 13.
  Clerk: (Rea) Someone who can read,
  write, and keep accounts.  There is
  a great demand for them in gov-
  ernment, in private enterprise, on
  land, and at sea.  Social of 18.
  Cook: (Rea) Self-explanatory.  Pay varies
  with level.  Social of at least 13.
  Courtesan: (Ego) Kept mistress of the
  rich and powerful.  Social of at
  least 13, and a decent Appearance
  score.
  Dancer: (Ego) See Actor.  Also requires
  a good Agility and Appearance
  score.
  Dyer: (Rea) A lot of Furries can now
  afford dyed cloth.  Social of at least
  13.
  Engineer: (Rea) Designs and constructs
  complicated 
  works, 
  especially
  machines.  Social of at least 18.
  Farmer: (Rea) 70-85% of the population
  still does agricultural work, and
  even rural-dwelling lords have this
  skill, which includes animal hus-
  bandry.  Social of at least 7.
  Fisher: (Dex) Your success depends on
  your level and on how big a boat
  you own.  Social anywhere from 7
  to 18.
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  36
  Gunsmith: (Dex) Blacksmith specializ-
  ing in casting guns, whether hand-
  held flintlock pistols or fifteen-
  foot mounted culverins.  Social of
  at least 15.
  Haberdasher: (Dex) Fashion designer
  specializing in accessories — hats,
  wigs, veils, collars, cravats, gloves,
  etc.  Social of at least 18.
  Hosteler: (Rea) Owner of an inn.  Social
  of at least 18.
  Jeweler: (Dex) Working in precious met-
  als and stones, either for personal
  adornment or to ornament other
  objects.  Social of at least 18.
  Juggler: (Dex) See Actor.
  Leatherworker: (Dex) Tanning hides,
  making saddles, tack, aprons, etc.
  Social of at 13.
  Mechanic: (Rea) The repair of the era’s
  machinery.  Social of at least 13.
  Merchant: (Rea) The general buying
  and selling of goods, having noth-
  ing to do with making them.  A
  profession that’s gotten both com-
  plicated and lucrative.  Social of at
  least 18.
  Miller: (Rea) Grinding grain using a
  wind or water mill.  Social of at
  least 13.
  Miner: (Dex) Not a healthy profession,
  nor well-paying.
  Musician: (Ego) See Actor.
  Painter: (Dex) Portraits in Baroque and
  Rococo style are the big thing now.
  Expect to starve without a patron.
  Social of at least 13.
  Printer: (Dex) Running a printing press.
  Social of at least 18.
  Prostitute: (Ego) A streetwalker or
  bagnio wench, as opposed to a
  kept mistress.
  Sculptor: (Dex) See painter.
  Seamstress: (Dex) Making and repairing
  all sorts of clothing.  Social of at
  least 13.
  Shipwright: (Dex) The construction and
  repair of ships in every aspect.
  Social of at least 13.
  Spinner: (Dex) Turning carded wool
  into thread to be woven, a very
  common cottage industry.  Social
  of at least 7.
  Stonemason: (Dex) Construction and
  repair of stone or brick buildings.
  Social of at least 15.
  Tavern-Keeper: (Ego) Owner of an eating
  and/or drinking establishment,
  whether a pub or a coffeehouse.
  May be combined with Hosteler.
  Social of at least 18.
  Wainwright: (Dex) A wagon-maker.
  Social of at least 13.
  Weaver: (Dex) Producing cloth out of
  spun thread, another very com-
  mon cottage industry.  Social of at
  least 7.
  Writer: (Rea) Historian, poet, theoreti-
  cian (science or Magick), theolo-
  gian, fiction writer.  Social of at
  least 18.
  Magick
  The following sections describe the
  various Circles of Magick and the vari-
  ous skills that fall thereunder.
  All Magick-users expend mana
  points in spell casting.  The number of
  mana points required to cast a given
  spell depends on the level of the spell.
  The Mana Cost/Die Table on page 21
  shows mana cost in the second column
  by level.  When a Magick-user gets low
  on mana, he becomes groggy, develops
  a splitting headache, and has trouble
  concentrating.  If he goes below zero
  mana, he’ll pass out and suffer hit point
  damage equal to the amount he went
  below zero.  Thus, a caster can still
  muster a third level spell even when
  down to only two mana points.  It just
  means that the ten point spell will
  knock him unconscious and inflict
  eight points of damage.  After a full
  night of sleep (8 hours), the Magick-
  user regains all mana points lost.  It is
  up to the GM’s discretion to determine
  if a few mana points can be regained by
  catnapping, but generally it requires
  deep sleep.
  All spell-casting attacks are rolled
  vs. the victim’s magick defense (MD),
  or 10, depending on the skill.  Objects
  which are in the current possession of a
  specific individual have the magick
  defense of that individual; thus a ship
  will have the magick defense of its cap-
  tain (or owner, if that individual is on
  board).  The caster’s attack score is
  added to the victim’s MD and that
  becomes the number the caster must
  roll over to succeed.  Sometimes the
  victim is not yet determined when the
  spell is cast.  In this case, the roll is
  noted down and compared against the
  victim’s MD when appropriate.  See the
  individual skill descriptions for further
  information on particular spells.  Note
  that, in general, double and triple effect
  do not apply to Magickal attacks; a
  spell either works as planned or it
  doesn’t. See individual descriptions.
  The Magick-user must be able to
  concentrate while casting a spell.
  During spell casting, the mage can only
  use his base defense (BD) against phys-
  ical attacks.  If the Magick-user takes
  damage while casting a spell, his chance
  for success drops 5 points for every hit
  point of damage taken.  Going without
  food or sleep, ingesting alcohol or
  drugs, or being wounded already may
  also affect a magick attack roll.  Mana
  points are lost even if a spell is
  interrupted or fails.
  Casting time varies by individual
  magick skill.  Casting time can be
  halved (rounded up) by doubling the
  cost in mana points, down to a casting
  time of 1 point in an initiative round
  (about a quarter-second), assuming the
  caster has sufficient mana.
  Duration of a spell, where appro-
  priate, varies with the individual skill.
  Duration can be doubled by doubling
  the mana cost, up to the limit of the
  mana available to the caster.
  Both casting time and duration can
  be doubled and re-doubled, as long as
  the caster is willing to pay the expo-
  nential mana costs.
  If a skill description does not
  include spell range, then for combat
  purposes, it is line-of-sight, meaning
  that if the Magick-user can see someone
  or something, he can cast a spell at it.
  This means a Magick-user can start cast-
  ing spells at an enemy ship when he is
  3,000 feet away from it, in clear weath-
  er.  However, the Magick-user’s ship
  and the enemy ship must be within 800
  feet of each other before he can start
  targeting individual Furries.  If a spell’s
  intended victim is not in sight, then the
  caster must be able to identify him in
  the spell by means of his name or a
  unique characteristic.
  A victim is defined as any creature
  or thing the spell is meant to affect.  All
  spells are cast versus the victim’s magick
  defense or 10, whichever is higher.  The
  victim may choose to waive his magick
  defense if the spell is beneficial (in
  which case he is referred to as the
  recipient).  If the spell’s effect is not
  beneficial, the victim’s full magick
  defense applies, even if he doesn’t want
  it to.  A victim’s possessions (anything
  he is carrying, wearing, or riding) are
  considered part of the victim and share
  his magick defense. A ship has the mag-
  ick defense of its captain.
  Any spell can be dispelled by
  another Magick-user with the same skill.
  To do this, he must overcome the orig-
  inal caster’s magick defense with a spell
  of the same or greater level. In some
  cases (like with, say, with Elemental:
  Lightning), timing is also an issue, as
  the caster can’t dispel the spell’s effects
  after the magic is gone and only the
  damage remains.  If two Magick-users
  start their spells in the same round, the
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  37
  GM should give them an initiative roll;
  otherwise, the one who started first will
  finish first, unless extra mana is used to
  speed things up.
  Circle of Abjuration
  This is considered the most profes-
  sional of the types of Magick.  The cast-
  er creates a finite circular area and
  defines Magickal “laws” which affect
  that area.  All Abjuration spells have a
  casting time of one minute, not includ-
  ing the time it takes to draw a near-per-
  fect circle and its attending symbols,
  which depends on how large the circle
  needs to be, and what sort of surface (it
  has to be horizontal and reasonably
  smooth) it’s being drawn on.  A differ-
  ent kind of circle must be drawn for
  each type of spell (you can’t use one cir-
  cle for multiple purposes).  However,
  circles can be compounded (one drawn
  inside another) which can create some
  very nasty effects.  Once the circle is
  drawn, the casting method consists of a
  spoken incantation and ritual gestures.
  An Abjuration has no fixed duration: it
  lasts until it is dispelled, or until the
  circle is disturbed.  To be considered
  disturbed, a circle must be erased at
  least in one place.  The circle cannot be
  disturbed by the victim of the spell, but
  it can be disturbed by other Furries or
  worn away by forces of nature.
  (Wizards often have permanent circles
  carved or inlaid into the floor of a
  dwelling or workshop).  An Abjuration
  can be dispelled by another Magick-user
  with the same skill, even if he is the vic-
  tim, if he succeeds in an attack roll ver-
  sus the caster’s magick defense.
  However, the Magick-user casting the
  dispel must be present at the circle to
  unlock its inner workings (Abjuration
  spells and dispels cannot be cast from a
  distance).  Anyone other than the spec-
  ified victim of the Abjuration can pass
  through the circle without detrimental
  effect.  Abjurations can be cast upon
  locations or objects such as buildings,
  ships, treasure chests or even small
  pieces of jewelry, and made permanent
  by 
  combining 
  them 
  with 
  an
  Enchantment spell (see Enchantment
  below).
  Mana points for most Abjurations
  are expended per victim.  However, the
  victim(s) must be specified in the spell
  by their definite physical characteristics.
  The victim cannot be identified by atti-
  tude, philosophy, intent, or any other
  noncorporeal qualities.  Thus a protec-
  tion circle can be drawn against all
  demons, or all astral spirits, or all
  ursoids, or all Furries, but not against
  all enemies, or all assassins, or all evil
  Furries, or everyone whose name begins
  with “Q.” The circle can be defined to
  keep out specific substances, such as
  iron, or gunpowder, and it will then
  affect anyone in possession of the sub-
  stance (in a measurable quantity).  It
  can also be cast to protect against the
  effects of a spell, but the spell has to be
  identified by the name of the skill.
  Abjurations are used by every liter-
  ate culture from South America to
  China.  In Europe, it is practiced by
  nearly all secular and religious orders.
  The symbols and the rituals used vary;
  Catholic Orders use the Latin style,
  while the Freemason and Rosicrucian
  Orders prefer the far older Egyptian ver-
  sion, and the Cabbalists use their own
  Hebraic/Arabic method. Professionally,
  Abjurations are practiced by demon- or
  undead- hunting Orders, or, in combi-
  nation with Enchantment, by private
  magicians who like to make a lot of
  money — because every important
  Furry wants his house and property
  protected or warded.
  Magic of the Circle of Abjuration
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  38
  Binding
  Attack Ability: Ego
  Defense Ability: Reason
  This skill enables the caster to bind
  a victim within the confines of the cir-
  cle.  (Of course, you have to put him
  there first).  Once the spell is cast, the
  victim is trapped in the circle, assuming
  you have overcome his magick defense,
  until the spell is broken or the circle is
  disturbed.  Bindings are done using a
  circle large enough to hold the victim,
  with appropriate symbols drawn around
  the edge on the inside.  The physical
  effect on a victim who tries to get out
  is not harmful — it feels like running
  into a spongy, progressively resistant
  force field.
  Expulsion
  Attack Ability: Ego
  Defense Ability: Reason
  This skill enables the caster to
  expel a specified creature, thing, or sub-
  stance from the drawn circle.  This is
  useful in cases of disease, poisoning, or
  demonic possession, as it forces the dis-
  ease, the poison, or the demon out of a
  creature placed in the circle.  Demons
  usually require a binding to keep the
  possessed creature in as well as an
  expulsion to drive the demon out.  For
  purposes of figuring the level of the
  spell, count either the number of
  demons (or whatever) being driven out,
  or the number of Furries that the poi-
  son (or whatever) is being driven out of,
  whichever 
  is 
  most 
  appropriate.
  Expulsions are performed using a dou-
  ble circle with symbols drawn on the
  outside edge of the inner circle.
  The effects of Expulsion are not
  always successful or pretty.  If a disease
  is caught too late, a Furry may well die
  anyway, due to the violence with which
  the millions of organisms are driven out
  of his body.  Poison is usually a safe bet
  — the poisoned Furry will vomit or
  sweat it out without much additional
  damage.  A demon in spirit-form will
  vacate without doing any harm, but a
  demon with a physical presence will
  probably tear his way out of the Furry’s
  body.  A proper diagnosis is essential
  before using this skill.
  Protection
  Attack Ability: Ego
  Defense Ability: Reason
  This type of Abjuration keeps spec-
  ified creatures or things out of the cir-
  cle, which the caster usually draws
  around himself or whomever he wants
  to protect.  Unlike the other Abjuration
  skills, the level of a Protection spell is
  figured by the number of creatures
  being protected (one per level).  After
  all, if you cast a protection spell to keep
  out vampires, how are you supposed to
  know how many vampires are going to
  try crossing the line? When you roll
  your attack for this spell, write down
  the number you get.  This will be com-
  pared to the magick defense of every
  vampire (or whatever) that makes an
  attempt to get into the circle; if one
  beats it, he gets in.  Again, no one
  attempting to cross the line will feel any
  harmful effects.  Protections are cast
  using a circle with the symbols around
  the outside edge.
  Warding
  Attack Ability: Ego
  Defense Ability: Reason
  This skill is used in combination
  with other Magick skills from the cate-
  gories of Alteration, Elemental, or
  Illusion.  The caster must have the skill
  he wants to use.  The selected spell is
  woven into the Warding circle, and
  when a defined someone or something
  attempts to cross the circle, whether
  from the inside or the outside, the spell
  goes off, assuming the caster’s original
  attack roll beats the victim’s MD.
  Essentially, a Warding is the trigger of a
  booby trap.
  The spell used should be some-
  thing that affects the victim directly,
  such as Alteration Ability, Alteration
  Light, or Elemental: Lightning.  The
  level of a Warding spell does not
  depend on how many creatures attempt
  to cross it, nor how many creatures are
  protected by it.  It is based on the num-
  ber of levels of the spell(s) woven into
  it.  A fifth level Alteration requires a
  fifth level Warding.  So do five first-
  level Alterations.  You can put more
  than one type of spell into a Warding,
  and you can put in as many spells as
  you have mana points for (keeping in
  mind that the Warding costs mana
  points too).  The spells will go off, one
  at a time, in the order in which they
  were cast, every time the defined victim
  crosses the circle, until they are used
  up.  Additionally, every time the victim
  crosses the line, an alarm bell will ring
  in the caster’s mind.  The bell will con-
  tinue to alert the caster even after the
  spells are used up, until the Warding is
  dispelled or the circle is disturbed.  If
  you want to cast a Warding with only
  the bell, it’s a mere first-level spell.  A
  Warding is cast by drawing a circle with
  symbols drawn around both the inside
  and outside edge.
  Circle of Alteration
  This type of Magick is the most
  valuable in combat situations, being
  fast acting, short-lived, and showy.  All
  Alteration skills have a casting time of a
  few seconds (an initiative of d12).  The
  casting method for an Alteration con-
  sists of a quick incantation spoken in a
  commanding voice (don’t try to be sub-
  tle or sneaky with this) plus dramatic
  gestures.  Therefore the caster must be
  free to speak and move.  Unless the skill
  description says otherwise, the duration
  of an Alteration spell is one minute.
  Mana points for these spells are expend-
  ed per victim, unless stated otherwise in
  the skill description.  You can use a
  fifth level spell to affect one victim, or
  you can use a fifth level to affect five
  victims with the effect of a first level
  spell.  It costs less mana to cast five first
  level spells than one fifth level spell,
  but each one requires a d12 initiative
  (probably taking a full combat round).
  All Alterations are reversible, either by
  the caster himself, or by another
  Magick-user who knows the same skill if
  he succeeds in an attack roll versus the
  caster’s magick defense.  Many
  Alterations make use of the Mana
  Cost/Die Table on page 21.
  Alteration Magick, being easier to
  learn than most other forms, is often
  the first circle to be taught to appren-
  tices.  Adventurous, relatively young
  wizards practice Alteration Magick.  It
  is common in all parts of the world.
  Alteration:  Ability
  Attack Ability: Ego
  Defense Ability: Reason
  This skill allows the caster to
  change the Dexterity, Agility, Strength,
  or Constitution scores of the victim(s).
  This is not a proficiency skill; you can
  choose only one ability to affect, and if
  you want the others, you must take
  each one as a separate skill.  The
  amount added to or subtracted from
  each ability is equal to the mana cost,
  based on the level of the spell.  A vic-
  tim’s score cannot be dropped below 1
  or raised above 42; therefore when you
  become high level in this skill, it’s a
  good idea to use it on multiple victims.
  Alteration: Chance
  Attack Ability: Ego
  Defense Ability: Reason
  This skill allows the caster to
  increase or decrease the chance that a
  particular event will occur.  In a given
  situation, the caster makes himself
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  39
  aware of all possible outcomes of an
  event in the immediate future and
  selects one outcome to become more
  probable.  The caster requires a focus,
  such as one specific event occurring
  within the minute of the spell’s dura-
  tion, or one specific Furry’s efforts at a
  single task for that one minute.  The
  spell can be attached to an object, like
  a sword or a bullet, giving it a higher or
  lower probability to hit.  The amount
  of increase or decrease of probability
  goes up equal to the mana cost accord-
  ing to the level of the spell cast.  This
  spell only affects an outcome that has
  at least a 1% chance of occurring all by
  itself (the skill does not allow you to
  rain meteors on your opponent’s head!)
  Note that Alteration Chance does not
  change any outcome that does not
  involve a dice roll (that is, free will is
  not affected).
  Alteration: Flight
  Attack Ability: Ego
  Defense Ability: Reason
  This skill allows the caster to
  bestow the power of flight on the recip-
  ient.  While affected, the recipient can
  fly by will alone with the speed and
  maneuverability of an Avian of light
  build (see Aerial Combat in Chapter
  Two).  Spell recipients are not under the
  control of the caster (unlike Alteration
  Force).  The spell affects one creature
  per level.  Those affected can carry
  about 10% of their own weight while
  flying.  Those other than the Magick-
  user who are affected by this spell need
  to be told what they can now do (it
  takes an act of will).
  Alteration: Force
  Attack Ability: Ego
  Defense Ability: Reason
  This skill allows the caster to tele-
  kinetically move objects.  In terms of
  maneuverability, velocity, and fine
  manipulation, this is just as if the
  Magick-user had a single long-distance
  invisible hand.  Keep in mind however,
  that delicate tasks require the caster to
  see what he is doing.  For instance, to
  telekinetically load a musket, the
  Magick-user would have to be almost as
  close as if he were doing it with his own
  paws, and have some idea how to do it
  (skill of Trigger).  He’d also have to cast
  the spell at 2nd level, as loading a flint-
  lock requires two hands.  To use this
  skill in combat, the spell-caster must
  definitely be able to clearly see the crea-
  ture he is attacking.  To use this skill
  effectively in combat, the spell-caster
  needs to know how to use the weapon
  — that is, he must possess the skill of
  Single Weapon, or whatever. His attack
  score is figured out just as if he were
  fighting personally, except that the
  Strength and Dexterity scores for this
  long-distance hand are equivalent to the
  spell-caster’s Ego score.  The spell-caster
  has to learn these combat skills the
  hard way, just like everyone else.
  The spell-caster can generate as
  many hands as he has mana points to
  spend (one hand per level of the spell)
  in as many different locations as he
  likes, within range.  However, he can
  only effectively use one hand, or one
  pair of hands working together, at a
  time, unless all hands are performing
  the same task, such as lifting something
  really heavy, or throwing things in the
  same direction.  (It’s as if you have mul-
  tiple remote-control cars but only one
  remote controller).  It takes no time for
  the caster to shift his attention to
  another pair (no extra initiative
  required).  The GM should keep in
  mind what tasks require two hands,
  such as drawing a bow, lifting or carry-
  ing something heavy, firing a rifle, etc.  
  The term “hand” is used only as an
  analogy.  This Alteration produces a
  non-corporeal force, so if anyone tries
  to grab it, there isn’t anything there to
  be grabbed.
  Alteration:
  Invulnerability
  Attack Ability: Ego
  Defense Ability: Reason
  This provides the spell caster or
  whomever or whatever he casts the spell
  on with the equivalent of glowing, non-
  encumbering armor.  The degree of
  invulnerability depends on the level
  cast.   The amount of damage subtract-
  ed from a hit is equal to the amount of
  mana cost, so a 4th level spell will
  enable the spell caster to take 10 points
  of damage off any hit from a weapon
  for the duration of the Alteration.  For
  the purposes of casting invulnerability
  on objects, assume one level of spell
  casting for each item — unless the item
  is huge, such as a ship — then see below.
  Unlike the case with metal armor,
  Invulnerability will protect against bul-
  lets and from direct magical damage
  such as lightning bolts, but not against
  Abjurations (a caster will still trigger a
  warding while invulnerable), Possession,
  or Illusions. 
  In ship-to-ship combat the magick-
  user can cast Invulnerability on a ship
  at a cost of one level for every 100 Hull
  Points (or Sail Points but not Crew
  Points).  Therefore, a 4th level spell on
  a ship with 400 Hull Points would cost
  28 mana points (7th level equivalent).
  Ten structural points would be deduct-
  ed from each hit to the hull during the
  one-minute spell duration.  Fractional
  parts of a ship cannot be made invul-
  nerable — it’s all or nothing.
  Alteration: Light
  Attack Ability: Ego
  Defense Ability: Reason
  A magick-user can create and
  manipulate light with this skill.  A first
  level spell creates (or removes) an
  amount of light equivalent to a 100
  watt incandescent bulb, and this
  increases with the mana cost (a 6th
  level spell would create 2100 watts).  At
  the time the spell is cast, the light
  source can be spread around an area
  (the caster’s line-of-sight is the effective
  range) or concentrated at any point.
  Normally, the light will stay there until
  the spell’s duration is up, but it can be
  anchored to an object, which can then
  be carried around like a lantern.  The
  duration for light is ten times longer
  than other Alterations — i.e., ten min-
  utes per level.  This is purely a light
  source; no heat is generated.
  The caster can also create a sudden
  flash in a victim’s face.  This will tem-
  porarily blind the Furry (it is consid-
  ered an attack and must be cast vs. the
  victim’s magick defense).  The victim
  will remain blinded for ten seconds
  (about three combat rounds).  Each
  additional Furry attacked this way will
  require another spell level.
  Alteration: Shape
  Attack Ability: Ego
  Defense Ability: Reason
  The caster chooses a particular
  creature when learning this skill.  It can
  be any ordinary animal or Furry he has
  ever seen.  This is what he can turn him-
  self (or someone else) into for the dura-
  tion of the spell.  If you want another
  shape, you must take the skill twice.
  While in the alternate shape, the caster’s
  Ego, Reason, and Luck scores remain
  the same; the other scores will corre-
  spond to the type of creature he’s
  become.  As the caster, you will have its
  instinctive abilities of movement
  (including flying, if applicable) and bal-
  ance.  Others who are turned into this
  shape for the first time will be disori-
  ented for at least ten seconds.  To fight
  with any success in an animal shape,
  you will have to acquire new skills
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  40
  (Teeth, Claws) unless the GM is merci-
  ful enough to allow your Unarmed
  Combat skills (if any) to apply.  The
  GM should make this ruling based on
  how different your new shape is from
  the old one — and keep in mind you
  don’t have much time to learn from
  experience, as Alteration spells are of
  limited duration.
  Note: Religious European Orders
  view Alteration Shape as one of the
  black arts and they are forbidden to
  teach it (though some have ignored this
  injunction).  Secular European Orders
  (other than the Druidic Temple) view it
  with distaste.  It is widely practiced by
  Native 
  Americans, 
  Africans, 
  and
  Australians.
  Alteration: Speech
  Attack Ability: Ego
  Defense Ability: Reason
  This skill enables the recipient to
  speak and understand another specified
  language for the duration of the spell,
  at a cost of one spell level per recipient.
  As well as languages spoken by other
  Furries 
  (French, 
  Latin, 
  Arabic,
  Mandarin, etc.), these include languages
  spoken by animals (divided by species:
  Dog, Weasel, Dolphin, etc.) GMs
  should note, however, that animals sel-
  dom have anything to say that is rele-
  vant to anyone but another animal.
  Their talk only concerns what they are
  interested in, and their long-term mem-
  ories (except those associated by smell)
  are poor.  The reverse of this spell can
  be used to render the victim’s speech
  unintelligible to anyone.
  Alteration: Visibility
  Attack Ability: Ego
  Defense Ability: Reason
  This skill lets you turn yourself, or
  someone or something else, invisible.
  As is usual with Alterations, the amount
  of time or the number of Furries goes
  up with the level of the spell cast.  As
  with Alteration: Invulnerability, when
  casting this spell on the ship, one level
  is required for every 100 Hull and Sail
  Points.  Invisible Furries can’t see them-
  selves, but they can see normally other-
  wise.  This spell is cast versus an MD of
  10, unless the recipient chooses to use
  his magick defense against the spell.
  However, anyone with a magick defense
  higher than the caster rolled will be able
  to see the invisible creature or thing.
  Circle of Astral
  This circle has only one skill, but it
  has a variety of uses.  Several European
  Orders and most other traditions prac-
  tice this type of Magick, though it can
  be very hazardous.
  Projection
  Attack Ability: Ego
  This skill allows the caster to leave
  his body and travel the astral plane.
  (GMs: Travel and combat on the astral
  plane is described in Chapter Five).
  Astral Projection takes one minute to
  cast.  The casting method is a simple
  meditative chant, but it can only be
  used in a quiet, comfortable, seated or
  lying down position.  The duration of
  the spell is technically unlimited.
  However, while the caster is away from
  his body, it is helpless and appears (to
  the casual observer) to be dead.  The
  body can stay in this coma-like state for
  a number of hours equal to the caster’s
  Constitution score without detrimental
  effect.  After that, for every hour spent
  away, the caster loses one hit point.  
  A first-level spell only takes the
  caster out of his body, but with each
  additional level, he can take another
  Furry.  However, unless the other Furry
  also has the skill of Astral Projection,
  his spirit must stay in contact with the
  projectionist’s.  This is because only the
  projectionist knows how to move about
  on the astral plane.  Others will drift
  helplessly, or be drawn back into their
  bodies.  An attempt to take someone to
  the astral plane against his will must be
  rolled versus that Furry’s magick
  defense.  Also the caster must be touch-
  ing the Furry he wants to take along
  while he is casting the spell (if there are
  more than two, all must hold hands).
  The main advantage of Projection
  is the opportunity it gives to spy.  The
  caster is incorporeal, thus can pass
  through mundane walls, and is inaudi-
  ble and invisible to all Furries on the
  material plane, save those using the skill
  of Aura. 
  Another advantage is that the astral
  is the plane through which Magick
  operates; thus most spells cast in this
  state get a 10 point bonus on attack
  rolls.  However, there are some spells
  which cannot affect the material world
  when cast from the astral. Necromancy,
  for example, requires the caster to
  touch the victim, which he cannot do if
  he is on the astral while the victim is on
  the material. Enchantment spells
  require the caster to touch the object
  being enchanted. Abjuration spells
  require a circle to be drawn on the
  material plane, so they cannot be cast
  while on the astral plane. Domination
  spells (except Possession) can only be
  cast on other astral creatures when the
  caster is on the astral, because these
  spells require eye contact with the vic-
  tim. Possession only works when there
  is a physical body to possess. Other
  than these, spells can be cast either to
  affect the astral directly, or to affect the
  material plane from the astral.
  The magickal energy of spells cast
  from either the astral or the material
  can be seen in the astral plane.  The
  aura given off by all living or inanimate
  things on the material world can also
  be seen from the astral, but the Magick-
  user will not be able to interpret these
  without the skill of Aura (see
  Divination).
  The disadvantage of Projection,
  other than one’s deteriorating health, is
  that other Magick-users are aware of the
  danger to them from someone on the
  astral plane.  Many of them create bar-
  riers and set traps for projectionists,
  using Abjuration skills.  But other
  mages are not the only hazard of astral
  travel.  The astral plane is also full of
  ghosts, demons, animistic spirits, and
  other supernatural nasties who can
  cause any number of problems, from
  annoyance to insanity to death.
  Circle of Divination
  These skills enable the caster to
  gain information by supernatural
  means.  The more complicated the
  information is, the more powerful the
  spell must be.  Divinations take one
  minute to cast, but are of varying dura-
  tion.  Range is not usually a considera-
  tion in Divination, but the GM may
  introduce a difficulty factor (added to
  the victim’s defense) if a victim is on
  another plane of existence.  The
  method for casting Divinatory Magicks
  is different for each skill, but each
  requires enough peace and quiet to
  allow the caster to concentrate.
  The caster may have in mind a spe-
  cific supernatural entity or entities from
  whom he is receiving information, or
  he may simply learn it by means unfath-
  omable.  This decision is best left up to
  the player, but it should be consistent
  with everything else known about the
  PC and his culture of origin.  If the
  player chooses a specific entity, the GM
  will then have to determine how much
  that entity knows, how he knows it,
  whether or not he is likely to tell the
  character, and if he might be inclined to
  tell more than the character asked for
  (especially if the character can offer him
  something he wants).
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  41
  Many Orders in Europe, as well as
  most other traditions around the world,
  use Divination, but each has its own
  preferred method.
  Aura
  Attack Ability: Ego
  The skill of Aura enables the caster
  to see onto the astral plane.  All things,
  animate or otherwise, have auras, and
  this skill allows the caster to see them,
  as well as to interpret what he sees.  An
  aura will generally demonstrate a
  Furry’s strongest current emotion, and
  the state of his mental and/or spiritual
  health.  An aura will often reveal
  whether or not someone is deceiving
  you.  It will also tell you whether or not
  a creature has magickal power, or
  potential for magickal power, as such
  auras tend to be brighter.  Magickal
  energy can also be seen imbued in an
  object, though you can’t tell exactly
  what sort of magickal energy it is.
  This skill is hazardous in that the
  Furry using it will not necessarily see
  what is physically present.  Though all
  things have auras, those of inanimate,
  nonmagickal objects are weak and diffi-
  cult to see, thus easy to trip over.  On
  the positive side, the skill allows the
  caster to see things that are present only
  on the astral plane, and other Magick-
  users who are using Alteration Visibility.
  The spell lasts for one minute per
  level used.  It requires a full minute of
  concentration aided by a meditative
  chant to cast, after which the caster will
  be able to see the aura of everything
  within range except those whose mag-
  ick defense he failed to overcome.
  These last will appear as gray blurs,
  unless they are using Aura to disguise
  themselves (see below).  
  The range of aura vision is difficult
  to define, as the astral plane is misty
  place of shifting impressions.  Much
  depends on the eye of the beholder, on
  current astral conditions, and especially
  on the strength of a given aura.  Under
  typical conditions, an ordinary Furry’s
  aura would be visible at fifty feet, while
  a major supernatural manifestation
  could be seen from five miles off.  One
  way to consider it is as the distance at
  which one Furry would recognize
  another using ordinary sight.  Thus, the
  aura of someone familiar to the caster
  would be easier to distinguish than that
  of a stranger.
  The caster can also use this skill to
  disguise his own aura, giving off an
  entirely different impression of who and
  what he is to anyone looking.  This also
  requires one minute to cast, and lasts
  for one minute per level of the spell.
  For the sake of good role-playing, the
  player should specify exactly what
  impression his character is trying to
  project.
  If actually on the astral plane, a
  Magick-user with Aura will be able to
  see and interpret auras without casting
  the spell.
  Clairvoyance
  Attack Ability: Ego
  This skill allows the caster to see
  and hear what is going on outside of
  normal sight and hearing.  The spell
  requires a focus, usually someone the
  caster has met or seen before, who is
  present at the scene.  The spell takes
  one minute to cast and lasts for one
  minute per level used.  Clairvoyance
  can only pick up what is going on in
  present time.  The spell is cast against
  the Furry with the highest magick
  defense in attendance.  The spell-caster
  needs something to see visions in, such
  as a crystal, a pool of water, or smoke.  
  Consultation
  Attack Ability: Ego
  This skill enables the caster to ask
  specific questions and receive more or
  less specific answers.  Spell level
  depends on how complicated the ques-
  tion is.  If it can be answered with a yes
  or a no, it’s first level.  If it’s a multiple-
  choice question, with all choices speci-
  fied in advance by the caster, it’s a sec-
  ond level spell.  Single-item answers (a
  noun phrase) require third level spells.
  Questions that can be answered with
  one sentence require fourth-level spells;
  with one paragraph, fifth-level spells,
  and so forth.  If a question cannot be
  answered the way it is worded (for
  example, a multiple-choice question in
  which the answer is none of the above)
  the caster will lose the mana points
  spent on the spell and receive no
  answer.  As with most Divinations, this
  takes one minute to cast.
  Casting methods for this skill
  varies, but all include asking the ques-
  tion out loud, and the use of some kind
  of prop.  The most common ones for
  specific questions are Tarot cards, dice,
  runes, casting bones, Ouija boards, and
  other items involving chance and sym-
  bolism.  Consultation can be per-
  formed, if the Magick-user is also a nav-
  igator, using a magnetic compass and
  an octant.  This is excellent for deter-
  mining one’s position in overcast
  weather, and can also answer questions
  unrelated to direction using astrological
  symbols.  For vaguer but possibly more
  informative answers, crystal balls, bowls
  of water, smoke, or flames are good
  bets.
  The information garnered through
  Consultation is probably reliable, but it
  does not have to be. The “powers that
  be” from whom all this information
  flows are non-player characters, even if
  poorly defined ones, controlled by the
  GM. The GM may have good reason
  not to tell the PC what he wants to
  know. Thus, these NPCs may be knowl-
  edgeable or ignorant, truthful or dis-
  honest, cooperative or capricious.
  Information about the future is partic-
  ularly undependable. Caveat emptor!
  Circle of Domination
  These are the Magicks used to get
  other Furries to do what the caster
  wants.  They are fast-acting and short-
  lived, taking one minute to cast, and
  affecting the victim for ten minutes
  afterward (you can extend the duration
  by casting the spell a level higher, of
  course).  Mana points for these spells
  are expended per victim: one victim per
  level of the spell.  The casting method
  entails a series of hypnotic gestures or
  movements, accompanied by low inton-
  ing.  The range of Domination Magicks
  is limited because the caster must get
  the victim’s attention at the beginning
  of the spell: either he must hear the
  spell, or the caster must make eye con-
  tact with him.  This is when the caster
  makes his Attack roll.  If it succeeds,
  the victim is hypnotized for the minute
  during which the caster gives instruc-
  tions, unless he is distracted by some-
  thing that demands attention (a very
  loud yell in the ear, or being stabbed in
  the back, for instance).  After this, the
  victim will be under the caster’s control
  while the spell lasts, to an extent deter-
  mined by the degree of effect achieved.
  Single Effect: Intellectual control.  The
  victim will listen to the caster’s sug-
  gestions and agree with them
  unless they run strongly counter to
  the victim’s emotional desires.
  Even so, the victim will not direct-
  ly oppose the caster.  At the very
  least, he will be too confused to do
  anything.
  Double Effect: Emotional control.  The
  caster can induce any emotional
  state in the victim, lending power
  to his suggestions.  In this state,
  the victim will do anything the
  caster requires, unless it is so repug-
  nant to him that under ordinary
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  42
  circumstances he’d rather commit
  suicide.  In this case, the victim
  will be paralyzed with indecision.
  The caster may implant post-hyp-
  notic suggestions, but these will
  only carry the weight of single
  effect.
  Triple Effect: Physical control.  The vic-
  tim’s entire psyche has been tem-
  porarily swept out of the way and
  the caster controls him like a pup-
  pet.  This effect also allows the
  caster to implant post-hypnotic
  suggestions, carrying the weight of
  double effect.
  These spells are difficult to cast in
  combat situations (because both the
  caster and the victim are liable to be
  distracted), but it is sometimes possible.
  The GM should determine how much
  of a penalty is required, based on the
  exact circumstances.
  In 
  many 
  areas 
  of 
  Europe,
  Domination Magicks are restricted or
  illegal.  The penalty depends on which
  country the crime is committed in.
  Several religious and a few secular
  Orders secretly practice Dominations.
  They are also practiced in other parts of
  the world, though they may be restrict-
  ed in some areas.
  Charming Animals
  Attack Ability: Ego
  This skill, which entails the domi-
  nation of non-intelligent sentient crea-
  tures, differs in two ways from the gen-
  eral description of Domination.  It is
  not possible to obtain intellectual con-
  trol of a creature with no intellect, so
  single effect achieves emotional/instinc-
  tual control, and double and triple
  effect both achieve physical control.
  Also it is not possible to plant a post-
  hypnotic suggestion into an animal’s
  mind.  However, an animal who has a
  pleasant experience being charmed is
  likely to remember the caster as a
  friend.  Animals with a natural disposi-
  tion for loyalty (dogs, horses, etc.) will
  probably bond permanently with a cast-
  er who treats them well.  Consider that
  animals have a magick defense of 10,
  unless they are already charmed by
  another Magick-user, in which case his
  magick defense applies.  The GM may
  also give a higher magick defense to
  intelligent sea-going mammals, such as
  dolphins and whales.
  Charming Intelligent
  Attack Ability: Ego
  This is the basic skill of dominat-
  ing your fellow Furries, as described in
  the introduction to Domination.
  Charming Plants
  Attack Ability: Ego
  This spell causes plants to do what
  they ordinarily would not: move.
  Affecting one plant per level of spell,
  the caster can cause trees to break up
  the ground they are rooted in, vines to
  wrap, branches to strike, and roots to
  trip.  He cannot cause a tree to uproot
  itself and walk.  The spell’s effects are
  limited to what the plant can do on its
  own, only it makes them faster.  On the
  sea, it can be used to make sea-plants, if
  any are available, impede the progress
  of an enemy ship (it’s not a myth in a
  world where Magick works).  Like ani-
  mals, plants have a Magick Defense of
  10, unless already under the control of
  another caster.
  Charming Undead
  Attack Ability: Ego
  This skill actually only works on
  those shambling, mindless types of
  undead that have little or no will of
  their own, except the desire to rip the
  insides out of the living.  Those who
  come through the horrific process of
  becoming undead with a relatively
  whole mind (vampires, for instance) are
  more likely to be affected by Charming
  Intelligent, but expect to roll against a
  high magick defense.  Non-corporeal
  undead (ghosts) cannot be affected.
  The average mindless undead has a
  magick defense of 10, unless it is already
  controlled by another Magick-user, in
  which case his magick defense applies.
  The spell controls one undead creature
  per level cast, as usual.
  Since the undead affected by this
  skill have no minds, any degree of suc-
  cess will give the caster triple effect —
  complete physical control.  The draw-
  back is that they will take his instruc-
  tions very literally.  If he doesn’t per-
  sonally direct them at all times, they
  can foul up even the simplest task.
  Post-hypnotic suggestions work well on
  undead, but they must not be compli-
  cated.  Also, they have poor long-term
  memories, so the charm will have to be
  reapplied frequently (like once a day).
  Otherwise they may forget who is in
  charge and try to tear the caster’s throat
  out.
  This skill is generally illegal in
  Europe except as practiced by certain
  Orders who have devoted themselves to
  hunting down and destroying undead.
  Nonetheless, the necromancers who
  create such creatures more often use it.
  It is heavily practiced in Africa and the
  Caribbean.
  Possession
  Attack Ability: Ego
  This skill differs from the others in
  that the caster actually leaves his own
  body behind in order to occupy vic-
  tim’s body.  This gives the caster
  absolute control over the victim, but it
  has two drawbacks: only one victim can
  be possessed at a time, and while the
  caster is gone, his body is defenseless
  and appears to be dead to the casual
  observer (see Astral Projection).  Any
  living creature can be possessed.  The
  possessor will experience a moment of
  disorientation in a new body, especially
  if it is very different from his own.  The
  possessor will not be able to use the vic-
  tim’s skills while in the new body, and
  his own skills may suffer a penalty on
  attack and/or defense, at the GM’s dis-
  cretion — especially fighting or other
  skills that require physical coordina-
  tion.  Although the possessor and the
  victim will be vaguely aware of each
  other, they will not be able to commu-
  nicate telepathically.
  Circle of Elemental
  These skills extend control of the
  elements to the Magick-user.  All
  Elemental spells take one minute to cast
  and all of them require an invocation
  spoken in a commanding voice, plus
  ritual gestures, so the caster must be
  free to speak and move.  Elemental
  spells that cause damage have a one-
  shot effect.  Those that are subtler last
  for ten minutes, during which the spell-
  caster can manipulate the various
  effects.
  Though these spells take too long
  to be helpful in personal combat, they
  are very useful in naval warfare, and also
  in massive land battles and sieges.  For
  this reason, many shipboard wizards, as
  well as those in the employ of powerful
  nations or individuals, possess these
  skills, both to use against enemies, and
  to counteract when used by enemies.
  As with all Magicks, the target of
  an Elemental spell must either be in
  sight (within 800 feet), or identifiable
  by name or distinguishing characteris-
  tic.  The target has to be identified
  while the spell is being cast; the Magick-
  user cannot cast the spell and then
  choose the target.
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  43
  In 
  Europe, 
  the 
  Druidic
  Brotherhood, the Freemasons, and the
  Knights 
  Templar 
  practice 
  these
  Magicks.  They are also used by many
  other traditions around the world,
  though the casting methods are very
  different for some.  Native Americans
  are quite good at them.
  Element: Earth
  Attack Ability: Ego
  This skill enables the caster to
  manipulate earth, metal, and stone,
  allowing the Magick-user to disrupt any
  piece of ground within sight as if by an
  earthquake.  The caster can cause dam-
  age equivalent to the level of the spell
  on the Mana Cost/Die Table.  As
  fortresses and earthworks have a lot of
  structural hit points, this skill is not
  very effective until the caster reaches
  the upper levels (this is why most
  English castles are still standing, even
  after being “slighted” by Cromwell’s
  forces).  This spell can also be used in
  reverse, reinforcing a wall, for example,
  with additional earth and stone, by
  adding hit points rolled on the Mana
  Cost/Die Table.  Once the spell expires,
  the extra stone and earth will follow
  gravity’s course.  Unless the caster also
  has the craft of engineering, his work
  may collapse under its own weight.
  Element: Fire
  Attack Ability: Ego
  The caster picks a target and caus-
  es it to burst into flame, or warp, or
  melt, as the case may be for whatever
  material it’s made of.  Damage caused
  by this spell goes up by level on the
  Mana Cost/Die Table.  If multiple tar-
  gets are chosen, the damage should be
  divided among them in whatever pro-
  portion the caster chooses.  This spell
  can be used in reverse, to put out a fire
  already present, or to counteract a fire
  spell as it is being cast.
  Element: Lightning
  Attack Ability: Ego
  As with Element: Fire, the spell has
  a single effect: the casting of a bolt of
  lightning at a chosen target or targets.
  The level of spell on the Mana
  Cost/Die Table determines damage
  caused.  Again, the damage must be
  divided among multiple targets.
  Element: Water
  Attack Ability: Ego
  This skill allows the caster to
  manipulate water, which has two possi-
  ble uses.  First of all, the caster can pre-
  cipitate fresh water out of the air, out of
  the ground, or from seawater into a
  container.  The number of gallons a
  mage can get this way is equal to the
  mana cost of the spell.  This is very
  helpful on shipboard when the fresh
  water’s running out, especially since
  water gotten this way is of a guaranteed
  purity.  Conversely, the spell-caster can
  use this spell to evaporate the same
  amount of water.  If this application is
  used on a living creature and its magic
  defense is overcome, then the damage
  done is equal to the die rolled from the
  Mana Cost/Die Table.
  The other use this spell has is to
  manipulate water already present.  The
  caster can create a wave equal in height
  (in feet) to the amount of mana spent;
  thus a fourth level spell would create a
  ten-foot wave.  This may not seem very
  devastating, but at tenth level the caster
  can create a virtual tsunami.
  Like rats from a sinking ship...
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  44
  After succeeding in casting the
  spell, the caster will have to make an
  additional attack roll (using Reason and
  the standard adjust of the level of the
  spell to determine the attack score, vs.
  a difficulty factor the GM thinks is
  appropriate) to direct the wave at its tar-
  get.  See “Magick in Ship-to-Ship
  Combat” in Chapter Two.  This spell
  has a “one-shot” effect.
  Element: Wind
  Attack Ability: Ego
  This skill allows the caster to
  change wind direction and speed for
  the duration of the spell (ten minutes,
  or ten ship-to-ship combat rounds).
  The spell can raise or lower a ship’s
  speed by one step on its windspeed
  chart (see the Vessel Stat Sheets in
  Chapter Three) per level of the spell.
  This is subject to the direction the wind
  is already going.  If the spell is increas-
  ing the wind in the direction it is
  already going (and the ship’s sails are
  set to take advantage of it), it raises the
  ship’s speed by one step for each level
  of the spell.  If the spell changes the
  wind up to 90 degrees away from its ini-
  tial direction, then the spell cancels the
  original wind and starts one up in the
  new direction from a dead calm.  If the
  spell tries to reverse the wind, between
  90 and 180 degrees from its initial direc-
  tion, then one step of ship’s speed is
  subtracted for every level of the spell,
  until it reaches a dead calm.  Then the
  wind begins to blow in the desired
  direction, moving the ship at one step
  per additional level of the spell.
  Thus, to simply increase a wind
  from a slight-breeze to a strong-wind in
  the direction it’s already going requires
  a 4th level spell.  To change the slight
  breeze up to 90 degrees and take it to a
  strong-wind requires a 5th level spell.  If
  the wind is a slight breeze in one direc-
  tion and the caster wants a strong wind
  in the opposite direction, it requires a
  6th level spell.
  The area of effect for this spell is
  only large enough to encompass one
  ship.  To affect two ships, the spell
  must be cast at one level higher.
  However, the spell can be divided so
  that the spell-caster’s ship cruises with a
  strong wind abaft the beam, and yet the
  enemy vessel going the same direction
  is forced to tack into a headwind.
  It is a good idea for any Magick-
  user with Elemental: Wind to know
  something about sailing, or else be pre-
  pared to follow the captain’s instruc-
  tions to the letter.  Otherwise, his ship
  may be in more trouble than the
  enemy’s.  Read the “Sailing Mechanics”
  and “Ship-to-Ship Combat” sections in
  Chapter Two for more information.
  Circle of
  Enchantment
  Most spells have temporary effects
  and require time to cast.  Enchantment
  is the method by which certain spell
  effects can be set into objects (magick
  items) and made permanent.  It also
  includes the skill of storing spells into
  objects, to be used almost instantly
  (d12 initiative in combat) and with no
  mana cost (it’s expended when the spell
  is stored).
  Now the bad news.  To make a
  magick item, the Magick-user does not
  merely take a ready-made object and
  enchant it.  He has to be there to weave
  his spell into it during every stage of its
  manufacture.  All objects destined to be
  magick items must be of the very high-
  est quality, thus expensive.  The
  Magick-user needs time, he needs
  money, and he has to know someone
  (or be someone) of at least 8th level in
  the necessary craft.  He also needs a
  well-stocked laboratory: the prepara-
  tions and paraphernalia required are
  extensive.  An object intended for stor-
  ing spells must be made in a similar
  fashion, though once created it can be
  used over and over again.
  In other words, it will be difficult
  for a pirate character to practice this
  type of Magick.  Assuming that expense
  is not a problem, there’s still the diffi-
  culty of finding a craftsman, preferably
  in a port where the caster is not a want-
  ed criminal.  Also, if a PC is working on
  a magick item, he is essentially out of
  game play for the time it takes.
  Enchantment is practiced by
  Cabbalists and Freemasons, especially
  reputable wizards with a lot of capital
  who build themselves an establishment
  in a good-sized town and stay put.
  They are protected and respected by
  local governments because they pro-
  duce useful consumer goods and pay a
  lot of tax.  Enchantment is also widely
  practiced in the Middle East, India, and
  China.
  Conjunction
  Attack Ability: Ego
  This is the art of making objects
  with permanent spell effects (magick
  items).  It is not a proficiency skill.  It
  can be used with any Magick skill listed
  below that the character has (with
  exceptions as noted).  Conjunction
  used with any spell costs as much mana
  again as the spell itself does.
  Abjuration: Enchantment will work
  with any Abjuration.  It essentially
  makes an Abjuration portable.  A
  Binding, Expulsion, Protection, or
  Warding glyph is inscribed on a
  small object, which then affects the
  person who carries it accordingly.
  It can also be used on the lids of
  boxes or the door of a dwelling, or
  on any part of a ship.  Inscribed on
  a keystone, it will affect a whole
  building.  Multiple glyphs can be
  used on the same object, but of
  course this requires the appropriate
  spells to be cast.  The object used
  should be appropriate to the pur-
  pose.  A Binding cast on some-
  thing means that the person wear-
  ing it will not be able to take it off;
  this is more usefully cast on shack-
  les than on jewelry.  Protection or
  Warding, however, would be very
  appropriate on jewelry.  See these
  Abjuration skills for each of their
  effects.
  Alteration Chance: This is the standard
  method of making magick items.
  Combined with Enchantment, it
  can be used to make any given
  object more effective for its intend-
  ed use.  A sword imbued by
  Enchantment with a 3rd level
  Alteration Chance will give its
  wielder +6 to his attack roll in
  sword fighting (or -6, if the sorcer-
  er wants to put a curse on it
  instead).  See Alteration Chance for
  the adjustment per level.  Despite
  restrictions, if any, on casting
  Magick while touching iron,
  Enchantments can be effectively
  cast on iron and steel objects.
  They will still get hot, but wizards
  need only take a few safety precau-
  tions to avoid being burned.
  Alteration Shape: This Enchantment is
  cast on the skin (tanned with the
  fur still on it) of the specific ani-
  mal or Furry the mage wants to
  turn into.  The character puts the
  skin on to turn into the animal
  and takes it off again to turn back
  into himself.  An effective curse on
  an enemy is to also put a Binding
  spell into the skin, so that it can’t
  be taken off.  No other Alterations
  can be used with Conjunction, but
  they can be used with Storage
  (below).
  Divination Aura: This Enchantment is
  cast on a lens or on a large, flaw-
  less transparent gem, through
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  45
  which the astral plane can be
  viewed.  Ground and polished glass
  is a little easier to come by than a
  large, flawless gem.  Other
  Divination spells vary so much
  according to circumstance (who
  you’re going to spy on, what spe-
  cific question you have) that it’s
  not really possible to make a mag-
  ick item to work the spell for you.  
  Domination: Not possible — these skills
  rely too much on the spell-caster’s
  personal ability to fascinate others.
  Elemental: These spells can be stored
  (see Storage, below) but they do
  not make useful permanent magick
  items and cannot be used with
  Conjunction.
  Illusion: Not possible — these skills rely
  too much on the individual spell-
  caster’s imagination.
  Necromancy: When combined with
  Enchantment, 
  Healing 
  truly
  becomes Necromancy, because it
  repairs and animates the dead.  The
  process takes only the ten minutes
  that Healing requires anyway,
  though a laboratory is needed for
  advance preparation of the cadaver.
  The GM will have to ascertain
  what level of Healing spell any
  given corpse requires in order to be
  animated.  It depends partly on
  what the spell-caster wants the
  undead to look like.  A fresh
  corpse, completely healed, will
  look just as it did when alive —
  only its behavior will give it away —
  and will probably not be hard to
  do.  A pile of bones, on the other
  hand, would require a 15th level
  spell to restore it to what it was in
  life.  However, if the spell-caster
  simply wants the bones to be
  joined together with enough ten-
  don to make the skeleton function,
  it will take no more than a 5th or
  6th level spell.  Undead created by
  this method are the mindless zom-
  bie type shambling around accord-
  ing to echoes still lingering in their
  brains — these will usually be vio-
  lent.  Creating an undead does not
  give the spell-caster control over it
  (see Charming Undead, under
  Domination).  In addition to these
  little safety tips, please note that
  mindless undead are ripe candi-
  dates for possession by demons or
  other astral creatures.  Finally, the
  creation of undead is completely
  illegal in most parts of the world.
  Necromancers are usually hanged,
  if they survive being caught.  This
  Enchantment is practiced by small,
  secretive Orders, by mad or rene-
  gade members of established
  Orders, and by individual sorcerers
  in remote parts of the world, espe-
  cially the Caribbean.
  Storage
  Attack Ability: Ego
  This is the skill by which spells
  possessed by the Magick-user can be
  stored in an object, to be used when
  required.  As in other Enchantments,
  the Magick-user must work with the
  craftsman making the object to prepare
  it to receive spells.  A separate object is
  required for each type of spell (that is,
  for each skill) the Magick-user wants to
  store.  The level of Enchantment
  required for the initial manufacture of
  the object is equal to the highest level
  of spell the caster wants to be able to
  store.  If he is 5th level in both
  Alteration Ability (for example) and
  Storage, then a 5th level Enchantment
  will allow him to store 5th level
  Alterations in the object.  If he’s 5th
  level in the Alteration, but only 4th
  level in Storage, he’ll have to settle for
  storing 4th level Alterations.   
  The object used must be of the
  very highest quality, and it should be
  appropriate to the type of spell to be
  stored.  It should be made of some
  material that the spell won’t damage
  (do not, for instance, store Elemental:
  Fire spells in a wooden staff), and that
  won’t impede the spell (don’t put
  Lightning spells in something not con-
  ductive).
  Storing a spell costs twice as much
  mana as simply casting it does.  The
  points are expended while storing the
  spell, thus are not deducted when it is
  used.  A stored spell works almost
  instantly (d12 initiative in combat).  A
  given object will hold as many spells as
  a Magick-user can put into it in the
  course of one day (before sleeping to
  regain mana), but no more.
  Abjuration: Any Abjuration can be
  stored, but the spell-caster will still
  have to draw the appropriate circle
  before activating the spell.
  Alteration: There’s not much point in
  storing Alteration spells just to save
  time, as Alterations already have a
  d12 initiative, but it will help the
  character conserve mana points for
  that important battle.  Any
  Alteration can be stored, though of
  course you need a different object
  for each type of Alteration.
  Astral Projection: No problem.  This is
  a simple spell.  However, the caster
  must touch anyone he wants to
  take into the astral plane with him.
  Divination: The Enchantment must be
  cast on the object(s) generally used
  by the spell-caster for divinatory
  purposes.  This may save mana, but
  it won’t save time, as the caster still
  has to define the question to be
  asked at the time he wants to ask it.
  (Exception: Aura spells can be
  stored with no problem).
  Domination: The best place to store
  these spells is within a crystal or
  other light-reflecting object that
  can be used to hypnotize the vic-
  tim.  Although victims can be
  Dominated quickly, the Magick-
  user must still give instructions.
  The GM will have to determine
  how long that takes.
  Elemental: This is the most devastating
  use of Enchantment that can be
  devised.  These are simple spells
  and can be stored with no prob-
  lem.
  Illusion: Most of an Illusion spell con-
  sists of describing what the illusion
  should look like, so the spell-caster
  will not be able to save time by
  storing these, unless he describes
  them in advance.
  Necromancy: These spells cannot be
  stored.  They make use of too
  much matter-altering energy — no
  object can contain them.
  Circle of Illusion
  Illusion has only one skill.  It is
  practiced 
  by 
  the 
  Druids, 
  the
  Rosicrucians, the Templars, and a wide
  variety of lesser Orders and outcast sor-
  cerers, especially those connected to
  Gypsy bands, theatre troupes, or travel-
  ing shows.  It is very popular in the Far
  East.
  Illusion
  Attack Ability: Ego
  This skill allows the caster to create
  special effects and phantasms that are
  real to every sense except touch.
  Illusions can take from ten seconds up
  to a couple of hours to cast.  The spell
  consists mostly of describing what
  effects should occur, so the casting time
  depends on how complicated they are,
  especially if they are mobile.  The cast-
  ing method consists of gestures, often
  dance-like, or reminiscent of an orches-
  tra conductor, and words, sometimes
  spoken, sometimes sung.  The spell lasts
  for the number, in minutes, equal to
  the mana spent.
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  46
  When casting the spell, the
  Magick-user must describe in detail
  what will occur, and when.  It’s compa-
  rable to animation, or a computer
  graphics program: you set it up and let
  it run.  If the caster wants to alter the
  spell’s “program” while it’s running, he
  will have to cast another spell at the
  same level.
  Lacking tactile effects, an illusion
  can’t hurt anyone, though it can trick
  someone into hurting himself — by cov-
  ering a gaping pit with a carpet of grass,
  for instance.  Or it can be extremely
  unpleasant, even distracting — especial-
  ly the olfactory effects.  It should be
  noted that other Magick-users and
  many mundane Furries will recognize
  an illusion, especially if it’s of some-
  thing obviously impossible, because
  they have seen them before as enter-
  tainment.
  Circle of
  Necromancy
  The term “necromancy” is used to
  cover all Magickal skills that deal with
  what might more accurately be called
  “life sciences.” This type is considered
  the subtlest, the most dangerous, and
  the most significant of all Magicks.
  Necromancy skills have a casting time
  of ten minutes, but the casting method
  is simple.  Intoning the spell in a low
  voice, the Magick-user passes into a
  trance, during which life-altering power
  flows through him into the recipient or
  victim.  The Magick-user must be
  touching the victim throughout the
  spell.  The effects of the spell are slow,
  but they are permanent (unless altered
  by another Magick-user with the same
  skill).  Mana points for these skills are
  expended per victim.
  Necromancy was forbidden by the
  Church, except to high-ranking clergy,
  during the Middle Ages.  In the eigh-
  teenth century, it is legal, but practiced
  only by the Morganites, the Jesuits, and
  the Cabbalists, who keep these spells as
  closely guarded secrets.  The Church
  was assiduous in its efforts to stamp out
  Necromancy, and burned books as well
  as practitioners, so it is very difficult to
  learn Necromantic skills without
  belonging to one of these Orders.  A
  European player character with any of
  these skills needs an origin story that
  explains how he learned them.  Magick-
  users from other parts of the world,
  however, have their own traditions of
  Necromancy.
  Healing
  Attack Ability: Ego
  This is the power to reverse
  entropy in living organisms.  The
  Magick-user with this skill can see the
  pattern (we use this term for lack of a
  better one) of a living creature he is
  touching, and if it is damaged, he can
  apply the energy needed to put it back
  the way it was.  In terms of hit points,
  the amount equals the mana spent.
  The spell is cast versus an MD of 10,
  unless for some reason a wounded char-
  acter wants to invoke his magick
  defense.
  Healing is very powerful, but it has
  limits.  The Magick-user could (if he has
  enough mana) restore a severed limb,
  but could not grow himself an extra
  one, since his basic pattern only allows
  four of them.  He can retard the aging
  process (this would be a fifth-level spell
  and would need to be cast at least once
  a month) but cannot reverse it — the
  pattern of youth is no longer visible in
  an adult.  He can heal the damage
  caused by a poison, but cannot rid the
  body of the poison itself.  The Magick-
  user also cannot restore the dead.  He
  can completely heal the body, but if the
  soul is gone, it cannot be recalled (at
  least not by Healing alone).
  Harming
  Attack Ability: Ego
  This is the reverse of Healing: the
  power to speed up entropy, using ener-
  gy to shatter the pattern of a living
  thing.  As with Healing, the amount of
  damage is equal to the amount of mana
  spent.  The way in which the victim is
  damaged can be almost anything the
  Magick-user chooses: an injury, an
  apparent effect of aging, or of poison,
  or even of disease (though the victim
  won’t actually have the disease).  The
  victim may or may not heal with time,
  depending on what effect is chosen.
  This spell allows for some really horrif-
  ic effects, but is a very inefficient way of
  dealing with an enemy.  Considering
  the amount of time it takes to cast the
  spell, and the fact that only someone
  ignorant, paralyzed, or tied down would
  hold still for it, a gun is much more
  practical.
  Growth
  Attack Ability: Ego
  A variation on Healing, Growth is
  used primarily on plants, as they have a
  sufficiently rapid natural growth for the
  effects to be noticed.  For every level of
  the spell cast, the affected organism,
  whatever it is, will experience three
  months worth of growth within the ten
  minutes of casting time, up to the max-
  imum amount that is natural to that
  Never trust a necro-bat.
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  47
  organism.  Continued acceleration after
  that point will not stimulate any more
  growth, nor cause the organism to dete-
  riorate.  Note that Growth does not
  affect mental processes, which only
  develop with experience.  A newborn
  accelerated to the age of two will be a
  larger newborn, both mentally and in
  terms of motor skills.
  Circle of Summoning
  This has only one skill.  The
  Cabbalists and the Jesuits and possibly
  other little known and ill-intentioned
  Orders practice it in secret.  Since the
  popular concept of Summoning is of
  evil necromancers calling up demons
  from the pits of Hell, this skill is
  restricted or illegal in Europe, the New
  World Colonies, the Middle East, and
  most of Asia.
  Summoning
  Attack Ability: Ego
  This is the skill of summoning a
  specified creature or thing into a drawn
  circle or pentagram instantaneously.
  Like Abjuration, the spell takes one
  minute to cast, not counting the time
  required to draw the Summoning circle,
  set up the candles and so forth.  Unlike
  Abjuration, the creature or thing sum-
  moned must be identified individually,
  by name or by a unique feature.  If it is
  a sentient being, it must be someone
  you can name and describe: “my cousin
  Fred,” or “the demon Calibraxis.” If it
  is an object, you must define its nature
  and its current location: “the ham sand-
  wich on the Earl of Rochester’s bedside
  table.” If it’s been moved since you saw
  it there, you’re out of luck.  Substances
  of which there is an indefinite quantity
  must be defined either by a container
  or a specified amount: “the rum in the
  bottle by Tom Cat’s elbow,” or “six
  bushels of grain from the Ladybird’s
  hold.”
  Summoning has one other use:
  you can summon yourself and anyone
  with you to a previously drawn sum-
  moning circle in a known location.
  This can be very useful for getting out
  of a tight situation.  However, you can-
  not send anyone or anything to a circle
  without going along yourself, nor can
  you summon anyone who isn’t with
  you to a circle you’re not present at.  
  Summoning costs mana per sen-
  tient creature or item or type of indefi-
  nite substance (like water or grain); you
  can summon one per level of the spell.
  Don’t try for anything unlimited like
  “Loch Ness.” Though it’s identifiable
  by name, a lake has very inexact bound-
  aries.  Besides, what you summon has
  to fit inside the circle you’ve drawn.
  The type of circle or pentagram (or
  other enclosing glyph) is different for
  every type of creature or thing you’re
  trying to summon, so it will have to be
  redrawn for every spell.
  Summoning has no range limit.
  However, if you are trying to summon
  a being from another plane, the GM
  may rule that it costs more mana or
  requires a higher attack roll than usual.
  Skills Not
  Listed
  There are a number of possible
  skills which can’t be easily quantified
  because success or failure in them
  depends more on the player’s ability
  than on the character’s.  Some exam-
  ples are the skills of Seduction,
  Interrogation, Diplomacy, and Tactics.
  A level in Seduction might indicate
  whether or not a PC could have his way
  with an NPC, but suppose the intend-
  ed victim is another PC? The GM can
  assign the victim a “Seduction Defense”
  and have the seducer roll, but that’s a
  cop-out, and rather unfair: a player
  should be allowed to decide whether or
  not his character finds another charac-
  ter attractive.  It’s best if issues like this
  are settled by roleplaying, not by dice
  rolling.
  Similarly, 
  consider 
  Tactics.
  Suppose the PCs’ ship is leaking like a
  sieve, the ammunition is all gone, the
  enemy ship is closing in for the kill, and
  a player says, “My character is 11th level
  in Tactics, so he’s going to think of
  something clever to save us all.” “Like
  what?” the GM asks, to which the play-
  er responds, “I don’t know anything
  about this stuff, it’s my character who’s
  11th level.” Then the GM herself has to
  come up with something they can do,
  or arbitrarily allow them to escape, or
  admit that she doesn’t know anything
  about Tactics either; three options
  which are all examples of remarkably
  poor roleplaying.  
  The GM should be prepared to
  reward the players if they do think of
  something clever to save the situation,
  especially if they demonstrate quality
  roleplaying in the process.  If they only
  escape with their lives, they should at
  least be awarded more experience
  points.  In real life, experience is what
  you get when you don’t get anything
  else.
  Max Lazarus
  
  Chapter One: Creating the Player Character
  48
  
  49
  T
  his section describes how to tell
  if a character succeeds or fails at
  the various tasks he attempts,
  and how to judge the outcome of any
  general situation.  The special rules for
  combat are described in the next sec-
  tion.
  Whenever a player character tries
  to do something, the GM’s most likely
  response will be “Roll percentile dice,”
  unless the character is attempting some-
  thing that is either automatic, or com-
  pletely impossible.  An automatic
  action would be an expert rider getting
  on the back of a calm horse — no point
  in rolling.  An impossible action would
  be a mundane levitating onto the back
  of a horse — no point there either.  A
  roll is made when you’re an inexperi-
  enced rider climbing onto a nervous
  horse, possibly under fire.
  Success
  When you roll percentile dice, the
  GM compares the roll to a previously
  determined number.  If your roll beats
  that number, you have succeeded, more
  or less, at what you were attempting.  If
  your roll beats that number by 20
  points, you have achieved double
  effect; if you beat it by 50 or more
  points, you have triple effect.  What
  that means exactly depends on what
  you were trying to accomplish.  The
  non-combat skills in Chapter Two have
  double and triple effect described,
  where applicable.  The result of double
  and triple effect in combat situations is
  described in the combat rules.
  The GM doesn’t have to tell you
  what number you are rolling against,
  nor whether you have achieved double
  or triple effect (though she probably
  will in a combat situation; it saves
  time).  The GM only needs to tell you
  the outcome of your action, or anyone
  else’s, as your character perceives it.
  Failure
  If your roll is equal or less than
  that number, you have failed.  The
  greater the difference between the num-
  bers, the worse your failure, as deter-
  mined by the GM.  If you roll between
  01 and 05, you have fumbled.  Not only
  have you failed, but something bad
  happens — again, determined by the
  GM.
  Fumbles
  The 01-05 rule actually applies only
  to 
  characters 
  under 
  5th 
  level.
  Characters with higher overall levels
  fumble less often — 01-04 at 5th level,
  01-03 at 8th, and 01-02 at 10th.  The
  GM can have this rule apply to specif-
  ic skills, or merely to overall level, as she
  prefers.  Example fumbles follow.
  Fighting: See combat rules.
  Magick-use: Possible options: The spell
  failed completely and drained twice
  its usual cost in mana points.  The
  spell failed completely and drained
  all remaining mana points.  The
  spell had the opposite effect to
  what was intended.  It depends on
  how nasty the GM wants to get.
  Magick is a very unpredictable art.
  Gunnery: See Ship-to-Ship combat
  rules.
  Seamanship: See Sailing Mechanics.
  Alchemy: Spoiled or useless compo-
  nents were used.  The potion might
  completely fail, or it might work
  and have a nasty side effect, or it
  might have the opposite effect to
  what was intended.
  Thieving: The thief gets caught, natural-
  ly.  Or perhaps he trips and hurts
  himself going out the window.
  Difficulty
  Factors
  When the character is rolling
  against a passive force, the GM assigns
  a passive defense score, or difficulty fac-
  tor, and adds the character’s attack
  score in the appropriate skill to come
  up with the number the player must
  roll against.  The harder the task is, the
  higher the difficulty factor will be.  An
  almost automatic task, such as hitting a
  dartboard at close range, would have a
  difficulty factor of 0.  Something easy,
  like casting a spell on someone who has
  CHAPTER TWO
  HOW TO PLAY THE GAME
  Basic Mechanics
  My name is Inigo Montoya...
  
  Chapter Two: How to Play the Game
  50
  waived his magic defense, or sailing a
  ship in open seas and fair weather
  would have a factor of 10.  A moderate
  task would get 25, a hard task would get
  50, a really difficult task would get a 75,
  and a “pack it in” task would get 100,
  125, or even higher.
  Active Defense
  Scores
  When a character is working
  against an active opponent, the GM
  adds the character’s attack score in the
  appropriate skill to the opponent’s
  defense score to come up with the
  number the roll has to beat.  If the
  opponent also has the skill, or one that
  can counter the character’s attack just
  as well, the defense score is determined
  just as a PC’s defense score is, using
  ability scores and standard level adjust-
  ments.  If the opponent does not have
  a skill to counter the attack with, he
  may use his ability score (see below).  If
  the character’s attempt has nothing to
  do with a quantifiable skill (for
  instance, trying to negotiate with,
  impress, or seduce an NPC), the GM
  should determine the odds as if using a
  difficulty factor, based on her knowl-
  edge of both characters.  (Ego and
  Reason scores can be used to formulate
  attack and defense in personal manipu-
  lation, if appropriate or helpful).  If a
  PC is trying to impress or seduce anoth-
  er PC, the GM may act as an arbiter,
  but should restrain herself and the dice
  from dictating the outcome.
  Non-Level Skill
  Attacks
  Just because a character doesn’t
  have a particular skill doesn’t mean he
  has no chance of success in attempting
  it — that is, unless it’s something the
  average creature definitely can’t do (like
  a magical, alchemical, or other “techni-
  cal” endeavor).  The character may try,
  using attacks calculated with only the
  appropriate ability score subtracted
  from 50, with a 10-point penalty on the
  roll due to lack of proficiency.
  Working
  Together
  Characters can sometimes improve
  their chances of success by cooperating.
  It depends on the type of task.
  If it is something several Furries
  can do simultaneously without hamper-
  ing each other, the players should take
  the average of their attack scores to
  come up with a group attack score.
  Then they should all roll dice and add
  the results together. For example, if two
  Furries with Atletic scores of 5 and 15,
  respectively, try to lift something large
  and heavy, their group attack score is
  10. The GM rules that this task has a
  difficulty factor of 80, so their rolls
  need to add up to 90 to succeed
  (though a fumble may mean a character
  has dropped the object on his paw in
  the process).
  If the task allows Furries to work
  together reasonably well, but does not
  allow a cumulative effect, all characters
  should roll and the highest roll should
  be used to determine the outcome.
  This improves the odds for the group,
  if not for the individuals.  For instance,
  if two characters who read contempo-
  rary English come across a book written
  in Old English, they have a better
  chance of deciphering it between them
  than either would have on his own.  
  Characters may also split a task
  between them in such a way that only
  one of them (determined randomly) has
  a chance to succeed.  In that case, the
  GM should determine with a secret roll
  which of them it is, then have them all
  try, but only take the selected charac-
  ter’s roll into account.
  In a situation in which one charac-
  ter is better at a cooperative task than
  the others, and those others are taking
  orders from him, that player should be
  the one to roll.  This method should be
  used to maneuver a ship or fire a can-
  non. 
  Sometimes several characters will
  attempt something that really should be
  left only to those who are good at it.  In
  this case, all players roll, but the worst
  roll is used to decide the situation.  For
  example, a group of characters set an
  ambush on board an apparent ghost
  ship for a group of enemy pirates, but
  one of the characters does not have
  Ambush as a skill.  He rolls too low to
  succeed and the GM rules that he
  sneezed at a critical moment.  The
  other characters were perfectly silent,
  but the enemy is nonetheless alerted.
  Don’t Depend on
  the Dice
  The die roll is used to answer the
  question “What happens?”  If common
  sense, or the GM’s decision, makes the
  answer obvious, don’t bother to roll.
  Also, keep in mind that the dice only
  determine degrees of success or failure.
  The specific results are left to the imag-
  ination of the GM and the players,
  which is what roleplaying is all about.
  In the final analysis, the operation of
  the adventure depends on the GM’s
  ability to decide what happens in
  ambiguous situations, and on the play-
  ers’ acceptance of the GM’s decisions.
  Without these, the campaign will quick-
  ly fall apart.  Support your GM; she
  does the most work of anyone in the
  game.  GMs, be fair.  You may have
  godlike power in this game, but unlike
  real-world situations, your players have
  the option of walking away if they don’t
  like it.  Everyone should keep in mind
  that roleplaying, not winning, is the
  point of the game, and that the story is
  more important than anybody’s ego.
  Fate
  Occasionally, the GM will want to
  randomly determine conditions that
  have nothing to do with anybody’s
  skill, for instance, the weather.  The
  GM does not have to do this random-
  ly; if it befits the story that it’s raining
  cats and dogs, then it’s raining cats and
  dogs.  If the GM decides to give the
  advantage of strong winds to the larger
  of two vessels, such is her prerogative.
  If however, the GM decides to roll,
  then the Luck score of whichever char-
  acter has the most at stake (for instance,
  the captain of the vessel in a fight)
  should be used as the basis for a
  defense score.  Luck scores can also be
  taken into account when an unavoid-
  able fate is about to befall one of a
  number of characters, for instance, an
  Elemental: Lightning spell from an
  enemy sorcerer (unless he has reason to
  attack one PC over the others).
  
  Chapter Two: How to Play the Game
  51
  There are three factors that deter-
  mine the speed at which a sailing craft
  can move under optimum conditions:
  the force of the wind, the type of ves-
  sel, and the direction the vessel is mov-
  ing relative to the wind.  The type of
  vessel should be known, the direction
  of the vessel is (more or less) the char-
  acters’ decision, and the force of the
  wind, if the GM doesn’t determine it in
  advance as a plot device, can be rolled
  randomly:
  Wind Force Table
  Roll
  Condition
  01-02
  Dead calm
  03-17
  Slight breeze
  18-32
  Light breeze
  33-68
  Gentle wind
  67-83
  Moderate wind
  84-98
  Strong wind
  99-100
  Gale
  Wind Direction
  Compasses of the period do not
  use degrees of arc.  Instead they use
  thirty-two points, each of which is 11.25
  degrees.   Two compasses are used here:
  one divides absolute direction into thir-
  ty-two, using magnetic north as a start-
  ing point; the other uses the direction
  that the wind is coming from as zero,
  and goes up to sixteen, the direction
  the wind is going.  If it’s necessary to
  randomly decide which direction the
  wind is coming from, roll a d4 to deter-
  mine the quadrant (1 being northeast, 2
  being southeast, etc.), then a d8 to nar-
  row it down further (1 being true north,
  2 being north by east, and so on).
  Vessel Direction
  Relative to the
  Wind
  Running: 14 to 16 points off the wind.
  Sailing with the wind coming from
  dead astern.  In other words, if the
  vessel is pointing at 12 o’clock, the
  wind is coming from between 5
  and 7 o’clock.  In still other words,
  if the wind is an easterly (that is,
  coming from the east), then the
  vessel will be Running when she is
  pointed due west.
  Quartering: 10 to 13 points off the
  wind.  Sailing with the wind com-
  ing from abaft the beam.  If the
  vessel is pointing at 12 o’clock, the
  wind is blowing from approximate-
  ly 4 or 8 o’clock.  If the wind is an
  easterly, 
  the 
  vessel 
  will 
  be
  Quartering when she is pointed
  north-west, south-west, or there-
  abouts.
  Reaching: 7 to 9 points off the wind.
  Sailing with the wind abeam.   The
  wind is coming from either 3 or 9
  o’clock.  With an easterly wind, a
  vessel will be Reaching when she is
  sailing due north or south.
  Beating: 5 to 6 points off.  Sailing with
  the wind coming from slightly for-
  ward of the beam.  The wind is
  coming from not quite 2 or 10
  o’clock.  With an easterly, the ves-
  sel will be Beating when sailing
  north-northeast, or south-south-
  east.
  Hauling: 4 points off.  Sailing pointed
  as far into the wind as possible
  while still maintaining momentum.
  If the vessel is pointed is 12
  o’clock, the wind is coming from 2
  or 10 o’clock.  If the wind is an
  easterly, the craft will be Hauling
  when sailing northeast or south-
  east.  Only fore-and-aft, lateen, lug,
  or junk-rigged vessels can sail close-
  hauled.  Square-rigged ships, if they
  try this, will go straight to Dead.
  Dead: Or Disabled, Drifting, or what-
  ever you want to call it, meaning
  that the ship has turned too far
  into the wind, or has lost its
  sailpower.  The speed values given
  in the Vessel Stat Sheets (see
  Chapter Three) for Dead refer to
  the ship speed as it drifts in the
  direction the wind is pushing it
  (except for ships equipped with
  oars — they move normally).
  Sailing Speed
  A Stat Sheet is provided in Chapter
  Three for each type of vessel.  It
  includes a table indicating how fast the
  vessel can move under the different
  conditions of wind force and direction.
  Speed is given in knots (nautical miles
  per hour), which can be roughly con-
  verted into feet per minute by multiply-
  ing by 100.  The numbers provided
  assume that the character who is giving
  the orders has gotten single effect on
  his Sailing attack roll.  If a character
  gets double effect, the ship’s speed
  should increase by one step in wind
  force, unless the wind is already Strong,
  in which case it should be raised one
  knot.  If triple effect is achieved, speed
  is raised either two steps or two knots,
  or one step and one knot, as appropri-
  ate.   Double and triple effect do not
  apply when the ship is in a dead calm
  or in a gale.  With no wind, it doesn’t
  matter how good a sailor anyone is, and
  in a gale, all sails are taken down lest
  the ship be torn apart.
  If the character rolls a simple fail-
  ure, the vessel’s speed drops one step in
  wind force.  If the character fumbles,
  orders may be misinterpreted, or the
  ship may drift too far to leeward and go
  off course, or turn too far into the wind
  and come to a stop, or heel over and
  pitch unlucky crewmembers into the
  drink, or whatever else the GM may
  think is amusing.  
  Sailing attack rolls should be made
  whenever conditions change or new
  orders are given.  If nothing else is
  going on, one roll per watch should suf-
  fice (a watch is six hours).  When deter-
  mining the difficulty factor for sailing,
  the GM should take the weather and
  the experience of the crew into
  account.  In the worst possible condi-
  tions with a green or insufficient crew,
  the difficulty factor can be raised all the
  way up to “pack it in.”
  Turning
  Turning orders are given to the
  helm in points, such as “Three points
  to starboard!”  (See “Wind Direction”
  above).  Each Vessel Stat Sheet includes
  its turning rate in points per minute.
  Generally, the big square-rigged ships
  can only turn one point per minute,
  while the medium-sized ones, 3rd to 6th
  rate, can turn two.  Vessels with partial
  fore-and-aft or lateen rigging, such as
  brigantines and xebecs, can turn three
  points per minute.  Those that are com-
  pletely fore-and-aft, lateen, lug, or junk-
  rigged can turn four.  
  Sailing Mechanics
  
  Chapter Two: How to Play the Game
  52
  Tacking
  When you absolutely have to go in
  the exact direction the wind is coming
  from, you have to zigzag; this is called
  tacking.  It’s a slow, tedious, and crew-
  power consuming process, Hauling or
  Beating on first one tack, then the
  other, with a brief slack period in
  between when the ship is pointed
  straight into the wind.
  Shortening or
  Lengthening Sail
  Battles at sea usually take place
  under shortened or “fighting” sail.
  Characters may opt to fight under full
  sail, but all attack rolls with Magick,
  cannon, swivel guns, or personal
  weapons will receive a one-effect penal-
  ty due to the pitching motion of a fast-
  moving ship.  It takes an experienced
  crew one minute (one ship-to-ship com-
  bat round) to change from full sail to
  fighting sail, or vice-versa. See “Ship-to-
  Ship Combat” on page 62 for more
  details.
  Rough Weather
  When the GM determines that a
  gale is brewing, she will need to figure
  out how bad it’s going to be.  If a ran-
  dom method is preferred, roll percentile
  dice figuring that 01 to 75 is just what
  it says on the vessel’s Sailing Speed
  Chart — annoying, but not too danger-
  ous.  A roll of 76-95 indicates that the
  ship is being pitched around hard
  enough to strain it, and the GM should
  take 10 to 50 points off its Hull Points
  until it can be repaired.  A roll of 96-99
  indicates the ship is also in danger from
  solid hazards such as rocks or coral
  reefs, and some PC had better make a
  good Sailing attack roll to save the ves-
  My antlers have been caught in the rigging there, and there, and there...
  ∫
  
  Chapter Two: How to Play the Game
  53
  sel from taking serious damage, 50 to
  500+.  A roll of 00 indicates a hurricane
  or typhoon that even the sturdiest ship
  with the most experienced pilot is very
  unlikely to survive.  However, we sug-
  gest the GM avoid shipwrecking the
  PCs except as a plot device.   
  Vessels attempting to fight in a gale
  of the 01-75 variety should suffer a one
  effect penalty (-20) on all attack rolls,
  whether for firing cannon, personal
  combat, spell casting, or whatever.
  Anyone idiotic enough to fight in a 76-
  00 gale will suffer a two effect penalty
  (–50) and must roll on an Acrobatic
  skill or on his Agility or Luck score in
  every ship-to-ship combat round to
  avoid being pitched overboard (if up on
  deck).
  Ship
  Maintenance
  Under normal conditions, a ship
  sailing in cold waters will need to be
  beached once a year to have the barna-
  cles scraped off and the worm-eaten
  planks replaced.  A ship that spends
  most of its time in warm waters will
  need to do this at least twice a year.  If
  it doesn’t happen, the GM can start
  taking off Hull Points (see “Ship-to-
  Ship Combat”) at a rate of 25 per week
  until the ship is taken care of, or sinks.
  The sails will also need repairs, especial-
  ly after rough weather, but these can
  usually be taken care of while at sea.
  Crew Morale
  If the PCs are pirates, they have a
  crew that expects to be treated as
  equals, with full shares of the loot and
  an equal vote in affairs of the moment
  (except in combat, when the captain
  commands absolutely).  If they don’t
  get the respect they are entitled to, they
  will mutiny.  After all, as pirates already,
  they have nothing to lose.
  If the PCs are privateers or other
  legitimate ship officers, the crew
  expects to be treated like pond scum —
  but there is a limit to the abuse they
  will take.  If the PCs treat them with
  extreme harshness or blatant unfairness,
  they will mutiny, fight halfheartedly, or
  surrender en masse next time the ship
  gets into a fight.  The GM will have to
  play it by ear.
  The general rules of play can be re-
  interpreted or disregarded as necessary
  for the sake of good action, or the
  smooth functioning of the campaign.
  In combat, however, where your char-
  acter’s life is on the line, you will want
  hard and fast rules. They’re provided
  below.
  Melee Combat
  In a melee engagement, the com-
  batants are on the ground or the deck,
  up close and personal, trying to hit
  each other with various objects or their
  bare hands.
  Rolling Initiative
  In a straightforward melee engage-
  ment, initiative must be rolled before
  the fight starts to determine who gets
  to strike first.  Each player rolls the ini-
  tiative die appropriate to the weapon he
  wants to use or for the action he
  intends to attempt.  The GM will roll
  initiative for all NPCs, either individu-
  ally or with one roll for a group,
  whichever is preferred.  Important
  NPCs should get their own rolls, but
  “cannon fodder” NPCs can be rolled en
  masse, especially if they are attacking as
  an organized group.  The GM takes
  note of the characters from the lowest
  roll to the highest.  This is the order in
  which they will attack or otherwise act
  in the first round.
  It is important to take note of the
  highest die being rolled, because it
  determines how long the combat round
  will last.  If someone is rolling a d12,
  then the round will end on 12 (regard-
  less of what the roll was).  This means
  that someone with a lower initiative die
  may get to attack more than once in
  the round.  If the round ends on 12,
  and another player is rolling a d4, he
  will get to roll initiative and attack three
  times in that round, once between 1
  and 4, once between 5 and 8, and once
  between 9 and 12.  A d5 will attack at
  least twice, and possibly a third time if
  the third die roll is 2 or less.  A d6 will
  attack twice, a d8 twice if the second
  roll is 4 or less, a d10 twice if the sec-
  ond roll is 2 or less.
  A character using a double-weapon
  skill will roll his initiative die twice,
  once for each weapon as listed in the
  Damage/Stunning and Speed Table
  under Double Weapon.  Using two dag-
  gers, for example, a player rolls a d6
  twice, coming up with 2 for the first
  weapon and 5 for the other, thus going
  both at 2 and at 5 in the combat round.
  Using a sword and a dagger, the player
  rolls d8 for the sword and d6 for the
  dagger, coming up with a pair of 3s —
  thus uses both weapons simultaneously.
  The character can attack again with
  either weapon or both weapons if their
  initiative dice fit into the combat round
  (see above).
  The GM calls on each player in
  turn, depending on their initiative rolls,
  the players respond by describing their
  actions, and attack rolls are made to
  determine the outcome of each (see
  below).  The GM will also describe the
  actions of the various NPCs in their
  turn, and the results of their attack
  rolls.
  Weapon initiative dice are listed on
  the Damage/Stunning and Speed Table
  in Chapter One.  Magick spells used in
  combat are usually Alterations, which
  have an initiative of d12, although the
  Magick-using character may opt to cut
  his initiative in half or a quarter  or
  even an eighth (rounded up) by expend-
  ing more mana points (see “Magick
  Skills” in the skill list in Chapter One).
  Other spells started in melee combat
  are not likely to be finished before the
  melee is over.  Alternately, a character
  may choose to do any other action that
  would take a few seconds, such as close
  with an opponent, run away, change
  weapons, prevent someone from bleed-
  ing to death, shout instructions to
  another character, or whatever.  Actions
  such as these use an initiative roll of d6.
  If a character tries to do too much, the
  GM may require a higher die to be
  rolled, or rule that the character can
  only perform part of the intended
  action in one round.  For instance, it
  takes three average-length rounds to
  reload a crossbow, six to reload a pistol
  or musket, and twenty to reload a rifle.
  Combat
  
  Chapter Two: How to Play the Game
  54
  Smaller, lighter weapons get better
  initiative because they are easier to
  maneuver than heavy, cumbersome bat-
  tle-axes and things.  It also helps the
  balance of the game for weapons that
  do less damage to have better initiative.
  Not Rolling Initiative
  In some situations, it’s obvious
  who gets to attack first, at least in the
  first round of combat.  First of all,
  something has to get the fight started.
  In a successful ambush, the ambushing
  party gets automatic initiative.  In a
  brawl between total strangers, someone
  decides to throw the first punch.  Thus
  the character who initiates combat has
  initiative in the first round.  He takes
  his shot (or they take theirs), then
  everyone rolls initiative for the second
  round.  Of course there are situations
  when it’s obvious to everyone that
  there’s going to be a fight (or in which
  honor requires that no blow be struck
  until both opponents are ready), in
  which case all initiatives should be
  rolled.
  Secondly, certain weapons will get
  initiative automatically in the right cir-
  cumstances, no matter what the
  Damage/Stunning and Speed Table says
  about die rolls.  A loaded gun held
  ready will get it unless the Furry hold-
  ing it has been successfully ambushed.
  A charging cavalry soldier will get ini-
  tiative over a foot soldier, unless the lat-
  ter has a polearm firmly planted to
  receive the charge (or a loaded gun, of
  course).  
  Finally, a character with initiative
  may choose to wait until later in the
  round to attack.  In this case, the play-
  er simply interrupts when he is ready to
  take his turn.  By holding his action, a
  player can coordinate a simultaneous
  attack with another player.
  Again, roll the dice only when you
  can’t tell in advance what’s going to
  happen.
  Combat Rounds
  A round is supposed to last long
  enough for each character to perform at
  least one simple action; that way every-
  body stays involved.  The actual
  amount of time that passes in a round
  varies.  An expert exchange of rapier
  swipes in a duel might take a second or
  less.  In ship-to-ship combat, which will
  be described later, an exchange might
  take as long as half an hour.  In melee
  combat, the best way to think about it
  is that each number, from one to the
  highest number possible for that round,
  represents the tick of a clock.  There are
  four “ticks” in a second.  Thus, if a
  round goes as high as 12, there are three
  seconds in that round.  Don’t bother to
  calculate this unless you need to know.
  Movement
  For closing with an opponent, for
  running away, or just for getting from
  one point to another, you’ll want to
  know how long it takes.  The speeds
  listed below presuppose a three-second
  round.
  Crawling: 4 feet per round (1 mile per
  hour)
  Walking: 12 feet per round (3 miles per
  hour)
  Jogging: 36 feet per round (8 miles per
  hour)
  Running: 48 feet per round (11 miles
  per hour)
  Sprinting: 66 feet per round (15 miles
  per hour)
  No ordinary Furry with eight or
  more points of encumbrance will be
  able to go faster than running speed.
  No one with sixteen or more encum-
  brance points can move faster than a
  jog.  Twenty-four or more encumbrance
  points will keep you at a walk.
  However, a Strength score over 30 will
  move you up one notch.  Note that 15
  miles per hour is a 4-minute mile.  Not
  very many biped creatures can run that
  fast for that long, even unencumbered.
  Attacking
  When it’s your turn, tell the GM
  exactly what your character is attempt-
  ing to do, including what effect you
  hope it will have.  Be as specific and as
  graphic as you can; it’s part of roleplay-
  ing.  When the GM is certain she
  understands what you are trying, and
  what the odds are, she’ll tell you to roll.
  Your attack score will be added to your
  opponent’s defense score for the num-
  ber your roll has to beat.
  Modifiers
  GMs: It is an optional rule in com-
  bat to take factors other than the com-
  batants’ attack and defense scores into
  account.  Common advantages one
  character might have over another are a
  higher-quality weapon (sharper, lighter,
  less likely to break), a superior reach, a
  better position (on higher ground,
  behind an opponent, on top of him,
  etc.), a psychological edge (due to repu-
  tation, or innate ferocity, or fighting for
  something you believe in), or anything
  else you can think of.  These factors
  should not sway the odds by more than
  10 points either way.
  Players: Tell the GM if you think
  you have an advantage that modifies
  your attack score — but don’t argue if
  she disagrees, or is not interested in
  using a rule which may slow combat
  down.
  Full Attack
  In any given melee combat round,
  a character may choose to go all out.
  This means the character attacks so furi-
  ously that he neglects his defense.
  During the round in which the charac-
  ter is going all out, the standard adjust-
  ment for his weapon skill is removed
  from his defense score and subtracted
  from his attack score.  (That may not
  make much sense, but remember you
  want your defense score high and your
  attack score low).  For example, Max
  Lazarus finally confronts the French
  captain responsible for blowing up the
  Lioness Anne and attacks in a blind
  rage.  Max is 6th level in swordplay,
  which gives him a standard adjust of 21.
  Those 21 points are deducted from his
  attack score, giving him a good chance
  of disemboweling his opponent in that
  round.  However, those points are also
  deducted from his defense score, leav-
  ing him wide open for the captain’s
  retaliation.
  Note that the full skill adjustment
  is deducted, even if it drops the charac-
  ter below his Unarmed Defense score.
  The point is, the character is so deter-
  mined to nail his opponent that he
  doesn’t care about getting hurt.   Full
  attack cannot be used in distance com-
  bat, though it can be used in mounted
  or aerial combat.
  Defending
  In melee combat, a character uses
  the defense score of his chosen weapon
  skill.  If he is being attacked by a mis-
  sile weapon at a distance, or if he has
  no weapon or unarmed combat skill to
  parry a melee attack, he uses his
  Unarmed Defense score; this signifies
  an attempt to duck or dodge.  If he is
  being attacked with surprise, or is
  unable to dodge for whatever reason, he
  uses his Base Defense score.
  Modifiers
  Outnumbered: In melee, a combatant
  can defend normally against one
  
  Chapter Two: How to Play the Game
  55
  attacker for every two levels he has
  in whatever fighting skill he’s using
  (starting at first level, jumping to
  third, and so forth).  Every addi-
  tional opponent attacks versus the
  character’s 
  Unarmed 
  Defense
  score.  The defending character
  gets to choose which opponents he
  will defend against.
  More Than Six: Even in an open field,
  a normal-sized Furry cannot be
  attacked by more than six normal-
  sized creatures at once.  If more
  than six attack, they should suffer
  penalties to their attack rolls as
  they trip each other up.
  Wounded: A character who is badly
  hurt may take a defense penalty —
  but on the other hand, being badly
  hurt may give him a surge of des-
  perate adrenaline to counteract the
  penalty.  The GM will have to play
  this one by ear.  However there are
  specific wounds that will definitely
  affect a character’s defense score
  (see “How Badly is the Character
  Hurt?” below).
  Other: Fighting left-handed when you
  are right-handed (if your Dexterity
  is under 24), half-blinded by glare,
  completely blind (50 point penalty
  at least!), or anything else the GM
  can think of and wishes to include.
  Full Defense
  A character who opts not to attack
  in a given combat round may use his
  skill level attack modifier to improve
  his defense score.  If Max finds himself
  in a duel with a friend or a shipmate
  whom he doesn’t want to kill, he could
  use full defense, add 21 points to his
  defense score, and buy enough time to
  find out what the problem is.  
  Full defense cannot be used in dis-
  tance combat, though it can be used in
  mounted or aerial combat.
  Success in Combat
  This is rarely total.  It depends
  partly what you’re trying to do.  The
  most common thing anyone tries to do
  in combat is hit his opponent anywhere
  he can for as much damage as possible.
  This is easy and can be achieved with a
  simple hit — single effect.  Roll the dam-
  age listed for your weapon and Strength
  score on the Damage/Stunning and
  Speed table.  GMs, roll the location of
  the hit on the character’s body on the
  Body Area table below.  The damage is
  removed from the character’s hit
  points, and if it is a single effect hit, it’s
  considered a flesh wound.  It usually
  takes a few of these to kill or even slow
  down a Furry Pirate combatant.
  Double and Triple
  Effect
  Assuming that the entire purpose
  of the character’s attack is to hurt his
  opponent as much as possible, if he
  scores double effect (rolling at least 20
  points over what’s required to hit), then
  he scores twice normal weapon damage
  and inflicts a crippling wound.  See
  what this means under “How Badly Is
  The Character Hurt?”
  Triple effect requires the character
  to roll at least 50 points above what is
  needed to hit.  A triple-effect hit does
  triple normal damage and scores a
  lethal wound.  A lethal wound may not
  be instantly fatal — it depends on the
  location of the hit, on how much dam-
  age was taken, and on the GM’s imagi-
  nation and medical knowledge — but
  without help, the character will die
  eventually.  See “How Badly Is The
  Character Hurt?” below for more infor-
  mation.
  Special Attacks
  When a character tries to do some-
  thing to his opponent other than dam-
  aging him (or in addition to damaging
  him), the attack roll is made as usual,
  but the effect is dropped one step in
  damage.  If, for example, you want to
  position your opponent (so his back is
  to a cliff edge, or so the sun is in his
  eyes, or whatever), you will succeed on
  a normal (single effect) roll, without
  doing him any damage.  You will suc-
  ceed and do your opponent normal
  damage on a double effect roll, or suc-
  ceed and do your opponent double
  damage on a triple effect roll.  (Though
  you don’t have to damage him at all —
  you can opt to position him only).
  Special attacks include positioning,
  tackling, disarming, knocking your
  opponent down, pinning or otherwise
  immobilizing him, etc.  The GM
  should feel free to make any of these
  maneuvers more difficult.  Disarming
  your opponent, for example, should
  require a double effect roll just to suc-
  ceed.
  When a special attack succeeds, the
  GM will need to figure out what differ-
  ence it makes to the victim’s attacks
  and defenses.  A pinned character is
  probably reduced to his Base Defense,
  possibly with a slight bonus for squirm-
  ing or for having a weapon still in his
  hand.  The effect on his attack depends
  on whether his hands specifically are
  being held.  (These penalties only apply
  while he’s pinned; his next move will
  probably be an attempt to get loose).  A
  character with the sun in his eyes might
  have a 5 or 10 point penalty on attacks
  and defenses.  A disarmed opponent is
  reduced to his Unarmed Defense and
  Body Area Table
  Body Area (d8)
  Location Within (d6)
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  1  Head
  Face 
  Neck
  Left Side
  Right Side
  Top
  Back
  2  Left Arm
  Shoulder
  Upper Arm
  Elbow
  Forearm
  Wrist
  Hand
  3  Right Arm
  Shoulder
  Upper Arm
  Elbow
  Forearm
  Wrist
  Hand
  4  Upper Torso
  Front Center
  Front Left
  Front Right
  Back Center
  Back Left
  Back Right
  5  Lower Torso
  Front Center
  Front Left
  Front Right
  Back Center
  Back Left
  Back Right
  6  Groin/Buttocks
  Front Center
  Front Left
  Front Right
  Back Center
  Back Left
  Back Right
  7  Left Leg
  Upper Thigh
  Lower Thigh
  Knee
  Calf
  Ankle
  Foot
  8  Right Leg
  Upper Thigh
  Lower Thigh
  Knee
  Calf
  Ankle
  Foot
  
  Chapter Two: How to Play the Game
  56
  no attack to speak of, unless he has an
  Unarmed Combat skill.
  Another special attack is an
  attempt to hit more than one opponent
  at once.  With a double effect roll, you
  can do single damage to two oppo-
  nents, assuming there are two within
  reach.  With a triple effect roll, you can
  hit three opponents for single damage,
  or one for double and another for sin-
  gle.
  A character can also opt to strike
  his opponent in a specific area rather
  than a randomly rolled one — this also
  requires a double effect roll to do single
  damage, etc.  Most special attacks can
  only be used in melee combat,
  although you can choose to hit your
  opponent in a specific area using a dis-
  tance weapon.
  Hitting to Stun
  A character may opt to hit for
  stunning damage — meaning he is
  pulling his punches, hitting with the
  flat of the blade, or whatever is appro-
  priate for the weapon.  Stunning dam-
  age for each weapon is listed on the
  Weapon Damage/Stunning and Speed
  table.  Some weapons are better suited
  for stunning than others — firearms are
  not at all appropriate.
  Failure in Melee
  Combat
  A failed attack roll usually means a
  deflected blow or a clean miss.
  However, if a character rolls a fumble,
  the consequences can be more dire.
  Melee Combat Fumbles
  05: Stumbled, overextended, or other-
  wise went off balance.  Opponents
  get a free (outside initiative) attack
  vs. 
  the 
  character’s 
  Unarmed
  Defense.
  04: Tripped, overextended, or other-
  wise went extremely off balance.
  Opponents get a free attack vs. the
  character’s Base Defense.
  03: Stumbled and dropped weapon;
  opponents get a free attack vs.
  Unarmed Defense; all further
  attacks will be vs. Unarmed
  Defense 
  until 
  the 
  character
  retrieves his weapon or switches to
  another one.
  02: Tripped and dropped weapon;
  opponents get a free attack vs. Base
  Defense; all further attacks will be
  vs. Unarmed Defense as 03.
  01: Struck an ally, if available, for 1/2
  normal rolled damage; plus penalty
  listed under 05.
  These are only suggestions; the
  GM should feel free to make up any
  event that works for the story.  
  How Badly is
  the Character
  Hurt?
  Flesh wound
  The character has been hit for sin-
  gle effect, and the rolled damage was
  not enough to stun him, so he has a
  flesh wound.  The wound is neither
  lethal, nor incapacitating.  Damage,
  whether real or stunning, is merely sub-
  tracted from his hit points.
  Stunned
  Regardless of what effect was
  rolled, if a character loses half or more
  of his current hit points from one
  blow, he is stunned for the duration of
  that combat round and the next one.
  It doesn’t matter whether the blow was
  for stunning damage or real damage (see
  below).  While stunned, the character
  can use only his Base Defense against
  all combat attacks.  During the next
  round, the character is recovering from
  the stun — the GM can rule that he is
  dazed and staggering, or was knocked
  down and is now getting up, or what-
  ever.  It may help for the GM to require
  the character to make an ability roll
  using his Strength, Constitution, or
  Ego score as she deems appropriate.
  The GM can use this roll to decide if
  the character can use his Base,
  Unarmed, or weapon defense score dur-
  ing the round in which he is recovering.
  By the second round from taking the
  stunning damage, the character should
  be able to attack and defend normally,
  unless the GM rules a penalty for dam-
  age taken, or unless he was stunned
  again (or worse) while recovering.
  Crippling wound
  If a character takes a double dam-
  age hit, he has a crippling wound.  Even
  if the character only takes two points of
  damage, it’s still a crippling wound.
  What exactly this means depends on
  the location of the hit, on the weapon
  that inflicted it, and the imagination of
  the GM.
  Lethal wound
  If a character takes damage from a
  triple damage hit, he has a lethal
  wound.  He may not die immediately —
  he may even continue to fight for the
  duration of the combat — but he’s def-
  initely in trouble.  A lethal wound usu-
  ally means that major organs have been
  pierced or major blood vessels severed.
  Even three points of damage, if the area
  rolled is the head, can mean a sliced
  jugular vein.  If a lot of damage is
  rolled, it may mean multiple compound
  fractures, massive trauma, internal
  bleeding, and shock.
  Cages are for the birds.
  ¬
  
  Chapter Two: How to Play the Game
  57
  More on Double
  Damage
  Suppose a character takes two
  points of damage from a crippling blow
  — and the GM rolls that the wound is
  in the area of the left foot.  What does
  that mean? Well, two points of damage
  is enough to sever the Achilles tendon,
  and a Furry isn’t going to be able to
  walk if that happens.  If the GM wishes
  to be merciful, she may rule that some
  of the less important muscles and ten-
  dons on top of the foot have been cut
  (or bruised), and the character is mere-
  ly limping.  If a fair amount of damage
  has gotten through, it probably means
  the character has a broken bone.
  In any event, a double damage hit
  to any given limb usually means that it
  is useless for the duration of that com-
  bat.  If hit in the arm, the character
  won’t be able to attack with it; if hit in
  the hand, a weapon will likely be
  dropped.  Using a d6 initiative, the
  character can switch hands and go on
  fighting.   The GM may or may not
  assess an attack penalty for using the
  wrong hand, but if a character has a
  Dexterity score of 24 or more, there
  should be no penalty (except for loss of
  initiative bonus for double weapons,
  etc., where applicable).  If hit in the leg
  for double damage, a penalty should
  certainly be applied to both weapon
  and Unarmed defense scores, as the
  character will have trouble dodging.
  We recommend 20 points for one use-
  less leg, 50 points if both are useless.
  Movement should also be reduced,
  probably to a jog at best for one crip-
  pled leg, or to a crawl for both.
  A double damage hit to the head
  can mean the character has a concus-
  sion, or has been blinded either by
  blood or by actual damage to the eyes,
  has had his windpipe struck, or any of
  a number of nasty events.  Double dam-
  age in the torso might mean character
  has had the wind knocked out of him,
  has a broken rib or three, has been hit
  in the groin or the solar plexus, etc.
  During combat, these effects should
  mostly be treated as being stunned for
  two combat rounds (see above) in terms
  of defense scores and recovery (though
  being blinded can make things much
  worse).  After the combat is over, the
  GM can determine what the long-term
  effects are.
  If the character was struck for
  stunning damage only, there will be no
  long-term effects.  Nothing has been
  cut or permanently damaged, only
  bruised or numbed into uselessness.
  More on Triple
  Damage
  If the character has hit points over
  0, he’s still capable of fighting, though
  if he’s taken half or more of his current
  hit points in damage, he will be stunned
  (see above).  The GM will have to assess
  further problems for the character
  based on the location of the wound,
  nature of the weapon, and hit point
  loss.  A hit to a limb with a sharp
  weapon probably means an important
  blood vessel has been severed, with a
  blunt object, that several blood vessels
  have been crushed, while a gunshot
  may mean either or both.  If the dam-
  age is severe, then the limb may also
  have one or more breaks, and “crip-
  pling wound” penalties will apply.  If
  the character is bleeding heavily, further
  hit point loss will accrue until the
  bleeding is stopped.  (We recommend
  no more than one hit point per round
  be lost — less, if no major arteries are
  damaged).  Damage sufficient to
  instantly drop a character from being
  reasonably healthy to zero hit points or
  less may mean the limb has been
  crushed or removed.
  If the character has been struck in
  the head or torso for triple damage, but
  is still above zero, treat the injury as
  “stunning” (see above), and assess fur-
  ther problems as required.  Injuries that
  won’t kill you immediately include seri-
  ous concussions, punctured lungs (from
  the weapon itself, or from a splintered
  rib), gut wounds, internal bleeding, etc.
  If the character has been dropped
  below 0 hit points by the damage taken
  from a single blow, he may have had his
  skull penetrated or crushed, throat cut,
  heart pierced, spine shattered, or any of
  several horrible fates.
  If a character is struck for stunning
  damage only, then a triple damage hit is
  an instant knockout.  Go ahead and roll
  the damage, but only to find out if the
  character takes so much that he’s in a
  coma (See “Beyond Help” below).
  Otherwise, the character will have a
  headache when he wakes up, but he’ll
  live.
  We are giving GMs a lot of leeway
  in determining just how lethal a “lethal
  wound” is so that you can take it easy
  on your players if they fall prey to lousy
  die rolls or rampant carelessness.  The
  injuries listed above are worst-case sce-
  narios; there are any number of in-
  between wounds from which a PC
  might recover with decent care, or
  shrug off with Magickal healing.
  Out of it
  When a character has been reduced
  to 0 or fewer hit points, he is out of the
  fight.  This can mean several things,
  depending on how far below 0 he is,
  and what kind of injury put him there.
  If he was struck for stunning damage
  only, a character is dazed and helpless
  at 0 hit points, at Base Defense, and
  generally incapable of putting up any
  resistance.
  Someone put below 0 by multiple
  flesh wounds is probably weakened by
  blood loss, in shock, demoralized, and
  semi-conscious.  He is usually stable
  however, and should not lose any more
  hit points immediately, unless an enemy
  takes an opportunity to finish him off.
  Given time and the help of friends, he
  should recover completely.
  If put below 0 by one or more crip-
  pling wounds, a character is most likely
  traumatized and in severe pain.  He
  may be unconscious from a head
  injury, or passed out from heavy bleed-
  ing and shock.  The GM may require a
  roll be made using the character’s
  Constitution or Ego score, against a dif-
  ficulty factor based on the severity of
  the injury to determine whether or not
  he remains conscious.  Even if con-
  scious, the injured character is com-
  pletely helpless and may die eventually
  from shock, blood loss, or exposure if
  he is not given assistance.  The GM may
  assess further hit point loss as appro-
  priate.  One point per hour is probably
  sufficient.
  Lethal wounds leave a character
  below 0 helpless, in severe shock, bleed-
  ing, and dying.  Immediate assistance
  will be required to save him.  Even if
  the character’s wounds do not indicate
  rapid blood loss, the GM should assess
  a rate at which he is losing hit points.
  One per round should be the maxi-
  mum, and only in the instance of arte-
  rial bleeding.  One per minute is prob-
  ably an acceptable rate in most cases
  (though some fatal injuries can take
  days to kill you).
  When a character is out of the
  fight, even if he’s still conscious, he is
  not capable of any combat action or
  use of Magick.  The GM may rule that
  someone below 0 due to mere flesh
  wounds is capable of crawling away
  from the scene, but that’s about it.
  
  Chapter Two: How to Play the Game
  58
  Beyond Help
  A character dies when he has taken
  twice as many points of damage as he
  has hit points.  Thus a character with 24
  hit points dropped to -24 is either dead
  or dying.  At the halfway point between
  0 hit points and death (-12, in this
  example), the character cannot be saved
  by any mundane means available in the
  18th century.  Only Magickal healing
  will bring him back.
  A character dropped to the halfway
  point by stunning damage is uncon-
  scious and likely to remain so for quite
  awhile; see “Recovery” on page 67.  If
  put down to the point at which real
  damage would kill him, he has suffered
  a more severe injury than his attacker
  intended and may be in a coma.
  Beyond Triple Effect
  It is just barely possible in an
  extremely uneven combat that a char-
  acter will roll 100 points above what is
  needed to hit.  Assuming the character’s
  intent is to hurt his unfortunate oppo-
  nent as much as possible, roll quadru-
  ple weapon damage and assess a lethal
  wound, as if for a triple damage hit.
  Distance Combat
  This occurs when characters,
  whether on foot, mounted, or in the
  air, are at a distance shooting or throw-
  ing things at each other.
  Initiative
  Initiative is rolled in distance com-
  bat to see who goes first if both sides
  have distance weapons, or to see if a
  character without a distance weapon
  can do something else (like dive into
  cover or cast a spell) before being fired
  upon.  This is assuming both parties are
  aware of each other; a successful
  ambush will get initiative in the first
  round.  Characters use initiative dice
  appropriate to the weapon being used
  (see Weapon Damage/Stunning and
  Initiative Table) or to the action being
  taken (the GM’s call, but a d6 suffices
  for any simple action).  Note that it
  requires three three-second rounds to
  reload a crossbow, six rounds to reload
  a pistol or musket, and twenty rounds
  (one minute) to reload a rifle.
  Attack Modifiers
  Aside from the fact that distance
  weapons are used against the defender’s
  unarmed defense score, the main fac-
  tors in determining the odds of hitting
  an opponent are range, and cover.
  Range
  Normal attack scores assume point
  blank, or, in the case of a long bow or
  rifle, close range.   Modifiers for dis-
  tance are listed in the table below.
  Note that a defender without a distance
  weapon who is less than eight feet away
  may roll initiative to attack first and
  turn the fight into melee combat
  (unless the attacker has a loaded gun,
  crossbow, or nocked arrow held ready).
  If the GM prefers, she can add or sub-
  tract fewer points in borderline situa-
  tions.  For instance, a Furry firing a pis-
  tol at someone 203 feet away might get
  a mere 30 point penalty rather than
  going straight to 50 just because of a
  three-foot difference.
  Cover
  If characters are firing through a
  tangle of sails, masts, and rigging, a
  smoke-filled battlefield, a wooded area,
  a collection of buildings, or whatever,
  modifiers are used due to cover.
  Partial light cover: 10 point penalty
  Partial heavy cover: One effect penalty
  (-20)
  Full light cover: One effect penalty (-20)
  Full heavy cover vs. Firearm: Two effect
  penalty (-50)
  Full heavy cover vs. Other: Can’t be
  done
  “Light cover” means smoke, twigs,
  leaves, grass, or other items which
  shield a character from sight, but which
  cannot physically stop a shot.   “Heavy
  cover” means walls, masts, trees, rocks,
  other Furries, or anything that could
  prevent a missile from getting through
  to the defender.  “Partial cover” means
  some part of the character can be seen
  (enough for the attacker to have a good
  idea where he is, anyway).  “Full cover”
  means the character is completely out
  of sight and the only way an attacker
  might know where to aim is by sound,
  by deduction, or by some Magickal
  means (like Aura).  
  As a rule of thumb, any character
  who can shoot back at his attacker is
  only under partial cover, at least for the
  duration of any round in which he is
  shooting, unless the cover is a stockade
  with loopholes for muskets.  If a char-
  acter’s cover falls somewhere between
  partial and full, the GM can modify the
  penalty as needed.
  Note that use of Aura will negate
  light cover, whether partial or full, but
  the entire penalty still applies to heavy
  cover.  Invisible characters should be
  treated as if under full light cover,
  Modifiers by Range
  Point Blank
  Close
  Medium
  Long
  Extreme
  Weapon
  0-50
  51-200
  201-800
  801-2000
  2001-3000
  Balanced Item (ax, knife, spear, etc)
  0
  -20
  —
  —
  —
  Unbalanced Item (sword, frying pan)
  -20
  -50
  —
  —
  —
  Extended Weapon (sling, atlatl)
  0
  -20
  -50
  —
  —
  Short Bow
  0
  -20
  -50
  -100
  —
  Long Bow
  0
  0
  -20
  -50
  -100
  Crossbow
  0
  -20
  -50
  -100
  —
  Pistol
  0
  -20
  -50
  -100
  —
  Musket
  0
  -20
  -50
  -100
  —
  Rifle
  0
  0
  -20
  -50
  -100
  Blunderbuss
  0
  -20
  —
  —
  —
  
  Chapter Two: How to Play the Game
  59
  assuming the enemy is even aware of
  their presence.
  The GM will have to judge,
  depending on what type of weapon is
  being used, whether an obstacle consti-
  tutes light or heavy cover.  A canvas sail,
  as an example, will stop a thrown object
  but not a gunshot.  Similarly, in the
  instance of heavy cover vs. a firearm,
  the GM will have to judge whether or
  not there’s any chance the ball could
  reach the defender.  If the obstacle
  between attacker and defender is a thin
  wooden wall, then yes.  If it’s solid rock,
  put it in the “Can’t be done” category.
  Failure in Distance
  Combat
  Usually a failed roll means a
  deflected shot or a clean miss.  A fum-
  ble (01-05) can have more dire conse-
  quences.
  Distance Combat
  Fumbles 
  05: Exposed self; opponents get a free
  attack (outside initiative).
  04: Exposed self to unseen opponent,
  who gets a free attack vs. Base
  Defense.
  03: Damaged weapon (pistol jams,
  string snapped, knife hits a rock,
  etc.), which is now useless until it
  can be repaired.
  02: Damaged weapon as in 03, plus
  penalty listed under 05.
  01: Ricochet struck ally or self for 1/2
  normal rolled damage, plus penalty
  listed under 05.
  Magickal
  Combat
  This section summarizes and reiter-
  ates all that has already been said about
  the use of Magick in combat.  Only
  Alterations are of much use in personal
  combat, since other Magicks take too
  long to cast.  However, some spells cast
  before combat begins can be extremely
  helpful, while others cast during pro-
  longed ship-to-ship or massive land-
  engagement battles often make the dif-
  ference.
  Initiative
  Alterations normally use a d12 ini-
  tiative.  This can be halved by doubling
  the spell’s mana cost, quartered by qua-
  drupling it, etc.  If a longer spell is fin-
  ished while the fight is still going on,
  the GM can have the Magick-user roll a
  d12 to determine when in the current
  combat round it will take effect, or arbi-
  trarily have it happen at a particularly
  dramatic point.
  Attacking
  If the spell has a particular target
  or victim, the attack is rolled versus the
  victim’s magick defense.  If the spell has
  a beneficial effect, or is cast upon the
  Magick-user himself, the recipient’s
  magick defense may be waived and the
  attack is rolled versus a difficulty factor
  of 10.  If the Magick-user is attacking an
  inanimate object, it has the magick
  defense of whoever is currently in pos-
  session of it, or 10 if no one owns it.  If
  the target is an enemy ship, then the
  attack roll is made versus the magick
  defense of either the captain or the
  legal owner (if he is aboard) of the ship.
  If neither is aboard, or if they have been
  killed, the ship has the magick defense
  of the officer next in command.  The
  victim or recipient of the spell’s effect
  must either be within sight of the cast-
  er, or within 800 feet, provided the cast-
  er can identify him or it by name or by
  some distinguishing characteristic.
  Magick needs to know what it is affect-
  ing, or the results can be very disturb-
  ing (see Failure in Spell-Casting, below).
  Mana cost is determined by the level of
  the spell on the Mana Cost/Die Table.
  As a Magick-user expends mana, he
  becomes groggy and unable to concen-
  trate; when he goes below zero mana,
  he passes out and takes hit point dam-
  age equal to the amount below zero.
  Attack Modifiers
  If the caster is injured during the
  round in which he is attempting a spell,
  he receives a 5 point penalty on his
  attack roll for every hit point of damage
  taken.  GMs may penalize the attack
  roll for previous injuries if she rules
  they are debilitating or painful enough
  to distract the spell-caster.  A lethal
  wound should probably incur a one
  effect penalty.  The GM may also penal-
  ize the Magick-user for going without
  food or sleep or for ingesting excess
  alcohol or drugs.
  Defending
  A Magick-user can only use his
  base defense against physical attacks
  while he is casting a spell.  Versus other
  Magickal attacks, he uses his magick
  defense.  Between spells, the Magick-
  user may use his unarmed defense, or
  weapon skill defense if available.
  Modifiers due to circumstances should
  be used as appropriate.
  Success in Spell-
  Casting
  If the roll succeeds, the spell works
  — if it is a straightforward attack spell,
  such as Alteration Light used to blind
  somebody.  If it is a spell which affects
  the caster himself, things may be more
  complicated.  In Alteration Visibility,
  for instance, the caster may succeed in
  a general sense, but a character with a
  high magick defense may still be able to
  see him.  The player should write down
  the roll he got so that it can be com-
  pared to his attack score plus the mag-
  ick defense of whatever opponent is in
  question, to see if it is high enough to
  render his character invisible to that
  opponent.  Also, some spells produce
  an effect that must be rolled for all by
  itself.  A character who succeeds in an
  Alteration Force spell must still roll his
  attacks if he is using it in combat.
  When a spell succeeds, the GM
  must determine what effect it has on
  the combat and for how long.  Spell
  descriptions are given in the skill list in
  Chapter One.  Double and triple effect
  only apply to those Magick skills where
  it is referred to.
  Failure in Spell-
  Casting
  If the roll fails, the spell does not
  work, though it still drains the mana
  required to cast it.  If the caster rolls a
  fumble, or fails to identify the target of
  the spell, the GM can get as imaginative
  as the story permits in describing the
  results.  The spell may drain twice as
  much mana, all mana, rebound on the
  caster, his allies, on other Furries cho-
  sen at random, or any other result that
  seems appropriate.
  Mounted
  Combat
  Before making any attack roll, a
  mounted character must roll to control
  his horse.  When determining the diffi-
  culty factor for this roll, the GM should
  keep in mind what sort of horse it is,
  how well-trained it is, how good the ter-
  rain is (horses hate bad footing), and
  
  Chapter Two: How to Play the Game
  60
  whether or not there is a lot of unnerv-
  ing motion and noise in the given situ-
  ation (as in mass combat there is likely
  to be).
  A fully trained, combat experi-
  enced warhorse can be controlled in
  almost any battle situation with a diffi-
  culty factor of 10.  A trained warhorse
  without any actual combat experience
  can usually be controlled with a diffi-
  culty factor of 25 (but assess further
  penalties if its first fight is especially
  unnerving, with a lot of gunfire or the
  sound of other horses screaming).  An
  ordinary, well-broken riding horse will
  be hard to control in a fight — difficul-
  ty factor of 50.  For a horse not fully
  broken, give a difficulty factor of at
  least 75.  If any horse is under a
  Domination to make it calm, drop the
  difficulty factor to 10.
  If characters are using double
  weapons while on horseback, add 20
  points to the difficulty factor for their
  Horsemanship roll.  
  Initiative
  Controlling one’s horse does not
  normally take any time away from com-
  bat — that is, the character can roll his
  weapon initiative and proceed with his
  attack as if on foot, assuming that his
  roll to control the horse was successful.
  A failed roll usually means a spooked
  horse, which shies and bucks, requiring
  the rider to make another roll to calm
  it — which necessitates a d6 initiative
  roll.  The rider will be able to attack
  that round only if the roll to calm the
  horse succeeds, and if his weapon ini-
  tiative roll fits into what’s left of the
  round.
  Movement
  If a mounted character’s opponent
  has a late initiative roll, the GM may
  want to consider how fast the horse is
  moving to determine whether the
  opponent will have time to attack at all.
  This table presupposes a three-second
  round.
  Walking: 18 feet per round (4 miles per
  hour)
  Trotting: 40 feet per round (9 miles per
  hour)
  Cantering: 53 feet per round (12 miles
  per hour)
  Galloping: 110 feet per round (25 miles
  per hour)
  This is for an average-sized and rel-
  atively unencumbered Furry on an ordi-
  nary riding horse.  A horse bred for rac-
  ing with a skilled, lightweight rider can
  reach speeds up to 175 feet per round
  (40 miles per hour).  Note that it takes
  a d6 initiative for a horse to “shift
  gears,” that is, go from one speed to the
  next.  Thus it takes about two rounds
  for a horse to reach a gallop from a
  standing start.  Note also that horses
  tire quickly, especially at a gallop.
  Success in Mounted
  Combat
  When a mounted rider charges a
  stationary target, a mounted character
  charging at him, or a character fleeing
  on foot, and succeeds in both the
  Horsemanship and the attack roll, he
  achieves one step up in effect (if attack-
  ing for damage) with a melee, thrusting,
  or thrown weapon.  If he attacks anoth-
  er character fleeing on horseback, the
  relative speed of the target will cancel
  out the momentum bonus.  A charging
  horse must move at a gallop, which
  takes two rounds from a standing start.
  Note that if a character on a charging
  horse is struck by a melee or thrusting
  weapon in a frontal assault, he will also
  take the extra damage of the next step
  up in effect.
  Failure in Mounted
  Combat
  If the rider fails three attempts to
  control the horse in a row, or fumbles
  any one roll, the horse is most likely
  panicked.  If you’re a really inexperi-
  enced rider, the GM may rule that the
  horse is calm, but you fell off anyway.
  A panicked horse may throw its rider,
  run away, charge straight at the enemy,
  put its hoof down a hole and break its
  leg, or anything else the GM can think
  of.  Damage to the horse or to the rider
  may ensue.
  Aerial Combat
  Avians cannot fly while encum-
  bered.  They may be able to glide for a
  little while with a small amount (no
  more than 10 points worth), if it does
  not restrict their wings.  If any Avian
  tries to engage in aerial combat while
  encumbered, the usual penalty should
  be doubled and applied not only to
  combat defenses, but also to dogfight-
  ing and attack rolls.  Also, they can use
  only their talons, lightweight weapons
  that can be wielded with one hand, or
  the very smallest crossbows or .20 cal-
  iber firearms  (which cannot be
  reloaded during flight) in aerial com-
  bat.  Furries using Alteration Flight
  Dogfighting: “I’ll get you yet, Red Baron!”
  
  Chapter Two: How to Play the Game
  61
  should be treated as if they are Avians
  of Light Build for speed, maneuverabil-
  ity, initiative, etc.  However, since they
  are flying by willpower, not wing mus-
  cle, they may use any weapon within
  their weight limit (10% of body weight
  total).
  Initiative
  Unless using distance weapons,
  Avians do not roll weapon initiative
  because, unlike mounted combatants,
  they can’t stop in midair to continue a
  fight.  A melee round between Avians
  consists of one attack for each of them,
  made virtually at the same time, before
  they must disengage and recover.  This
  holds unless one of them achieves such
  a superior position (above and behind)
  that he can continue attacking while
  the defender can do nothing but try to
  shake him off (see “Dogfighting”
  below).  Instead of weapon initiative,
  each combatant rolls a d12 and both
  attacks occur on the lowest roll.
  However, the combatant who gets ini-
  tiative (by rolling lowest) may make a
  dogfighting roll versus his opponent’s
  defense in dogfighting (or against his
  unarmed defense if he doesn’t have the
  skill) to get the better position.
  Movement
  An Avian engaged in aerial combat
  with another Avian will vary his speed
  by quite a bit (slowing before a strike to
  avoid a collision, speeding up to get
  away from an attack, etc.), but will gen-
  erally be in the “Working at it” catego-
  ry.  An Avian in a full dive at someone
  on the ground will need to make a
  Dogfighting roll to pull up in time.
  Magick-users using Alteration Flight are
  in the “Working at it” category, but can
  reach 70 miles per hour by diving.  This
  table presupposes a three-second round.
  Gliding: 90 feet per round (20 miles per
  hour) 
  Steady flight: 130 feet per round (30
  miles per hour) 
  Working at it: 175 feet per round (40
  miles per hour) 
  Dive: 210 feet per round (70 miles per
  hour) 
  Full dive: 650 feet per round (150 miles
  per hour) (Small build only).
  Dogfighting
  The Avian with initiative gets to
  make the first maneuver.  If his roll
  beats his Dogfighting attack score plus
  his opponent’s defense score, he has
  gotten the better position.  He may
  choose to apply a single effect bonus to
  either his attack or his defense; that is,
  he can get double damage on a single
  effect attack roll, or he can require his
  opponent to roll double effect just to
  hit him.  If he rolls a double effect for
  Dogfighting, the single effect bonus
  applies to both his attack and defense
  scores.  If he rolls a triple effect, he has
  gotten right behind and above his
  opponent, where he can attack with a
  single effect bonus while his opponent
  cannot attack him at all.  On a simple
  failure (not a fumble; see below), the
  combatants roll their weapon skill
  attacks with no advantage to either side.
  If the Avian with initiative rolls a
  simple failure, or a first or second effect
  success in Dogfighting, then the two
  aerial combatants pass each other after
  the engagement, recover, and decide
  what to do next.  They may opt to run
  away, switch to distance combat, or re-
  engage in melee.  If they re-engage, they
  roll d12 initiative again to see which of
  them can try for the position advantage
  in the next round.
  If the Avian with initiative rolls for
  triple effect in Dogfighting, and is
  therefore stuck on his opponent’s back
  like grim death, then in the next round,
  his opponent has to win initiative and
  succeed 
  in 
  a 
  roll 
  against 
  his
  Dogfighting defense to shake him off.
  If he succeeds, combat continues as in
  the paragraph above.  If he fails either
  roll, the Avian with the advantage can
  attack in that round with impunity,
  without needing to make another
  Dogfighting roll.
  The exception to this rule is for
  Avians of Small build being pursued by
  Avians of Light build; the smaller of the
  two can go into a full dive (see
  Movement, above) and be out of reach
  in the next round, altitude permitting.
  Dogfighting can also be used in
  distance combat, but in that case, ini-
  tiative dice will depend on what action
  each Avian is taking.  An Avian who
  chooses to try for superior position
  before firing rolls a d12 initiative, and
  makes both the Dogfighting attack roll
  and his weapon attack roll on that
  instant.  An Avian who simply fires
  without trying for position uses the
  weapon initiative die, so if he gets ini-
  tiative (quite possible, since he’s proba-
  bly rolling a d6 or less) he’ll shoot
  before his opponent gets to roll for
  position advantage.
  If combat takes place between a
  diving Avian and a Furry with a melee
  weapon on the ground, the Avian rolls
  a d12 while the Furry rolls his weapon
  initiative.  If the Avian gets initiative, he
  can attack and escape before his
  groundslogging opponent can retaliate.
  If the Furry gets initiative, then he is
  prepared for the attack and can retali-
  ate, although both attacks will actually
  occur on the Avian’s initiative roll.  In
  either case, the Avian must make a
  Dogfighting roll to escape; if he fails it,
  then he and the Furry roll initiative
  again to see if the Furry can attack
  before the Avian can get airborne (and
  if he fumbles it…yuck!) If the Furry has
  a friend in the Avian’s flightpath, the
  GM might rule that he can take a swipe
  at the flyer, and of course anyone with
  a distance weapon may fire on his or
  her weapon initiative as usual.
  Defense Modifiers
  In distance combat, an airborne
  Avian gets a standard defense bonus of
  one effect for being a rapidly moving
  target.  This is in addition to whatever
  range factors may apply.
  Double and Triple
  Effect
  Despite their speed, Avians do not
  get the extra damage bonus given to
  characters on charging mounts.  They
  simply don’t weigh enough to seriously
  hurt anyone they crash into — they’re
  much more likely to get hurt them-
  selves.  Double and triple effect are as
  in melee combat.
  Failure in Aerial
  Combat
  A simple failure in a Dogfighting
  roll means that combat takes place in
  that round with neither side having the
  advantage of position.  A simple failure
  in an attack roll has the usual melee or
  distance combat consequences — a
  blocked attack or a clean miss.
  A fumble in Dogfighting may
  mean that the Avian has stalled and is
  falling, requiring a roll to recover and
  giving his opponent initiative automati-
  cally in the next round.  It may also
  mean the two opponents are tangled
  together and falling, or have collided
  for whatever damage the GM deems
  appropriate.  These consequences may
  also apply to weapon attack rolls, in
  addition to the usual consequences of
  fumbling in melee or distance combat.
  
  Chapter Two: How to Play the Game
  62
  If there are dedicated wargamers in
  your group, or if you would like to use
  visual aids to help everyone compre-
  hend what’s going on, it might be a
  good idea to acquire a large, flat sur-
  face, a ruler, and some models or coun-
  ters at 1/1200 scale to represent ships.
  At 1/1200 scale, one inch equals 100
  feet, so a counter representing a ship
  making ten knots will travel approxi-
  mately ten inches in a ship-to-ship
  combat round (which is one minute). 
  You should also make sure you des-
  ignate north and the wind direction on
  the table, so everyone can see them.
  You can photocopy and cut out the
  compass on page 70 and lay it on the
  table for this.
  When two ships that are likely to
  get into a fight encounter each other,
  the first thing the GM needs to deter-
  mine is what the weather is like, espe-
  cially the force and direction of the
  wind and the visibility conditions.  See
  “Sailing Mechanics” on page 51.  The
  second thing to determine is the posi-
  tion of the vessels relative to each other
  and to land features in the vicinity, if
  there are any.  The third thing is to
  determine which ship spots the other
  first, and at what distance.  In clear
  weather, it’s possible to see a sail from
  several miles away.  If the GM doesn’t
  care to decide arbitrarily whether one
  vessel spotted the other first, then a
  Luck roll, a Seamanship roll, or even an
  Ambush roll can be made the deciding
  factor.  What happens after that
  depends on what the involved charac-
  ters decide to do, and how far apart
  they are.
  Past Extreme Range
  (3000+ feet/30+ inches)
  Scan: With spyglass or with naked eye,
  the Furry captain studies the
  strange vessel to determine its type,
  origin, nationality, armament,
  strong sailing points, vulnerabili-
  ties, number of crew, likely cargo,
  etc.  A Seamanship roll can be
  made to help determine how much
  he learns about the enemy.  The
  ship’s aerial scout can do a flyover,
  if he isn’t afraid of being shot at,
  bespelled, or getting into a fight
  with the other ship’s scout. 
  Stalk:  Follow the ship at a distance.
  Pirates have been known to stalk
  their prey for days trying to break
  down the morale of the other crew.
  This will also give you time to find
  out more about your potential
  enemy.
  Hide: If you are a smuggler or a block-
  ade-runner, the last thing you need
  is a confrontation.  A familiar
  coastline, especially one with lots
  of inlets, is your best bet for hid-
  ing.  Out on the open ocean, odds
  are you’ll be spotted quickly.
  Run/Chase: When a vessel is being
  chased, she can usually maneuver
  to sail on her best point and out-
  run the pursuer, unless the enemy
  is faster in the prevailing weather,
  or some peculiarity of position
  cuts the pursued vessel off from
  the courses on which she can sail
  fastest.   Consult your Vessel Stat
  Sheet to find out what direction
  it’s best to run in.
  Fake-Out: Hoist the flag of the country
  that is your worst enemy.  If the
  other vessel is of that country, she
  may well hoist it too, thinking you
  are friendly.  Or pretend to be a
  neutral, or anyone other than who
  you really are.  Or hoist the flag
  that says you have plague aboard,
  or the one that says you want to
  parley.
  Gain the Weather Gauge: Gaining the
  weather gauge means getting to
  windward of the enemy.  A vessel
  with the wind behind her can
  move in a wide arc in almost any
  direction, and her opponent will
  be at a tactical disadvantage.  See
  “Sailing Mechanics” on page 51 for
  basic maneuvers.
  Cast Spells: Although the other ship is
  out of range for attack-type spells,
  this might be a good time for cast-
  ing Divinatory spells on it, or
  defense or preparatory spells on
  your own ship or yourself.
  Extreme Range
  (2000-3000 feet/20-30 inches)
  Re-Evaluate: Take another look at the
  other ship.  Check to see if it
  appears to be damaged, low in the
  water, or barnacle-ridden.  If either
  ship tried a fake-out earlier, this is
  the time to figure out whether or
  not it’s working.
  Fire Solid Shot: It is possible for the
  larger cannon to fire solid shot this
  far, though the odds of hitting the
  hull are not great.  See the Cannon
  Table on page 64 or the Stat Sheet
  for your ship.
  Personal Weapons: It is technically pos-
  sible for a rifle or long bow to hurl
  a projectile this far, but unless
  you’re Hawkeye from The Last of
  the Mohicans, you’ll just be wast-
  ing ammunition.  See “Modifiers
  by Range” on page 58.
  Cast Spells: If the Magick-user has
  attack-type spells, he is now in
  range to use them on the enemy
  hull or sails, but he cannot pick
  out enough detail to target indi-
  vidual Furries.
  Long Range
  (800-2000 feet/8-20 inches)
  Re-Evaluate: How many crew are on
  deck, and how lively do they seem
  to be?  Is it possible those gun-
  ports are painted on?
  Intimidate: If your vessel is the more
  formidable of the two, closing may
  be a good option...unless you are
  afraid of the possible ace up the
  enemy’s sleeve; that is, the Magick-
  user.  Hoist your colors and put a
  shot across the other vessel’s bow.
  If you have a fearsome reputation,
  that may be all that is required.
  Fire Solid Shot: The odds of hitting
  something have improved some-
  what.
  Personal Weapons: Rifles and long
  bows can be fired at a penalty, pis-
  tols, muskets, crossbows, and short
  bows at an extreme penalty.
  Medium Range
  (200-800 feet/2-8 inches)
  Shorten Sail: If you haven’t switched to
  fighting sail yet, now might be the
  time to do it, especially if you’re
  going fast enough to collide with
  the other ship.
  Re-Evaluate: Check one more time.  Are
  you sure you want to do this?  If
  either ship tried to intimidate the
  Ship-to-Ship Combat
  
  Chapter Two: How to Play the Game
  63
  other earlier, this is the time to
  determine if the weaker of the two
  is going to surrender, assuming it
  can’t run.
  Talk: If hoisting the flag of truce was
  not a fake-out and you really want
  to talk (or make threats and
  demand the other ship’s surrender)
  you are now within shouting dis-
  tance, assuming there isn’t a gale
  blowing.
  Broadside: You are now within effective
  range for cannon.  You may target
  the hull using solid shot, or the
  sails using chain or crossbar shot.
  They will be firing back at you, but
  you made sure you had them out-
  gunned before pulling this move,
  right?
  Other Tack: After letting them have it
  with one broadside, try to maneu-
  ver to pound them with the other,
  while the first side is reloading.
  This may be difficult if you don’t
  have the weather gauge.
  Personal Weapons: Pistols, muskets,
  crossbows and short bows can be
  fired at a penalty to hit, rifles and
  long bows at a slight penalty.
  Cast Spells: The Magick-user may now
  target individual Furries with his
  attack spells.  Individual Furries
  may now also target the Magick-
  user, if he can be identified.  (Gee,
  is he the one up on the quarter-
  deck waving his arms around?)
  Close Range
  (50-200 feet/0.5-2 inches)
  Broadside: In addition to pounding the
  hull and sails, you may now fire at
  the enemy crew using canister, lan-
  geril, or grapeshot.
  Swivel Guns: You may also fire the
  deck-mounted swivel guns at the
  enemy crew.
  Personal Weapons: Most distance
  weapons can be used effectively at
  this range.
  Point Blank Range
  (0-50 feet/0-0.5 inches)
  Broadside: At this range you can only
  target the hull with cannon or the
  enemy crew with deck-mounted
  swivel guns, but at least it’s diffi-
  cult to miss.
  Personal Weapons: In addition to bows
  and firearms, thrown weapons are
  effective at this range.
  Grapple: Snag the enemy with grap-
  pling hooks and draw her along-
  side, swing across, and board her.
  They meanwhile will be trying to
  repel you with musket-fire and
  scatter-shot from the deck-mount-
  ed swivel guns.
  Ram: Deliberately run your prow into
  the enemy’s side.  Damage to both
  vessels will result, but it will be
  pretty tough for them to get away.
  Board: Once the two ships are fouled
  (stuck together), or the crew of one
  has boarded the other, the fight
  becomes melee or regular distance
  combat.
  Initiative
  A round in ship-to-ship combat is
  one minute: the time it takes to reload
  a cannon, shorten or lengthen sail, or
  change course as much as your vessel’s
  turning rate allows.   The appropriate
  PCs and NPCs (captains, master gun-
  ners, whomever is giving orders) should
  each roll a d20 to determine in what
  order these events occur in each round.
  More than one action can be undertak-
  en during the round, provided there are
  sufficient crew to carry orders out.
  (Each Vessel Stat Sheet in Chapter
  Three lists the number of crew required
  to run the ship or fire a given cannon).
  However, some actions will not be prac-
  tical to carry out simultaneously, such
  as firing cannon at the enemy ship in
  the same round you’re boarding her.
  It’s also possible, since both ships are
  moving, that the target will not present
  itself to be fired at in every round. 
  If some characters are firing per-
  sonal weapons while the ships are
  engaged, then regular distance combat
  and ship-to-ship combat are occurring
  simultaneously.  There are 20 regular
  combat rounds (assuming they are
  three seconds long) in a ship-to-ship
  combat round.  This means it’s possible
  to fire a short bow 40 times or a long
  bow 30 times in a ship-to-ship combat
  round.  However, counting reloading
  time, a crossbow can only be fired
  seven times, a pistol or musket three
  times, or a rifle once.  A swivel gun can
  be fired six times if there are two
  Furries operating it and are plenty of
  previously loaded breech chambers on
  hand; otherwise it can only be fired
  once.  If the PCs are just firing at
  whomever they can hit (cannon-fodder
  NPCs), the GM can save time by hav-
  ing them roll only once each ship-to-
  ship combat round, and figure out how
  many enemy crew have been killed or
  wounded by gestalt methods (detailed
  below).  If they are trying to target spe-
  cific individuals (officer-class NPCs),
  the GM can either make them roll for
  every shot, or give them only one
  attempt in each ship-to-ship combat
  round by making it difficult to distin-
  guish that individual from the rest of
  the enemy crew.
  A Magick-using character should
  roll a d20 to determine when in a ship-
  to-ship combat round he is commenc-
  ing or completing any spell, other than
  an Alteration.  As Alterations have a
  regular combat initiative of d12, twenty
  of them can be attempted in a ship-to-
  ship combat round.  Since such a prof-
  ligate use of Magick will run the sor-
  cerer out of mana very quickly, the GM
  probably won’t need to resort to gestalt
  combat (described below) to save time,
  but can have the player roll attack dice
  for every spell.
  Movement
  During any ship-to-ship combat
  round in which a vessel is turning, it
  loses 0.3 knots (30 feet or 0.3 of an inch
  per round) of speed for every compass
  point it turns.  A 4th rate warship that
  is quartering in a moderate wind will
  normally travel 3.2 knots (320 feet or
  3.2 inches per round) under fighting
  sail.  If it executes its full turning capac-
  ity of 2 points in a round, it will drop
  to 2.9 knots (290 feet or 2.9 inches per
  round).  
  In the round after executing a turn,
  the ship will reach the full speed possi-
  ble for its new direction.  Each time a
  ship changes course (or the wind
  changes direction), refer to the speed
  chart on its Vessel Stat Sheet to find
  out how fast it’s now going, then plot
  where it will be at the end of the com-
  bat round.  Ship-to-ship combat should
  take place under fighting sail, meaning
  the sails are partially rolled up, slowing
  the vessel.  Vessels may fight under full
  sail (see Sailing Mechanics, on page 51),
  but will receive a one-effect penalty (-
  20) on attack rolls with cannon, deck-
  mounted swivel guns, or personal
  firearms, due to the pitching motion of
  a relatively fast-moving vessel.
  
  Chapter Two: How to Play the Game
  64
  Attacking
  Attacks with personal weapons or
  Magick should be made vs. the intend-
  ed target’s appropriate defense score as
  usual.  However, because cannon are
  grossly inaccurate, especially on the
  pitching ocean, gunners target broad
  areas such as the hull, the sails and rig-
  ging, or concentrations of enemy crew.
  Therefore, the GM should use difficul-
  ty factors rather than defense scores to
  determine the odds of hitting the tar-
  get.  There is little cover out on the
  ocean, so the main factors to take into
  account are the size of the cannon and
  the range of the target.  Difficulty fac-
  tors for each type of cannon a ship car-
  ries at various ranges are listed on each
  sample Vessel Stat Sheet.  Difficulty fac-
  tors for all types of cannon at various
  ranges are listed below.  Note that the
  size of the cannon is determined by the
  weight (poundage) of shot that it
  throws.
  Everyone should keep in mind that
  only the cannon on the side of the ship
  facing the enemy can hit it.
  Attack
  Modifiers
  A one-effect penalty (-20) applies to
  attacks with cannon, personal weapons,
  or Magick if the vessel is under full sail.
  The GM may opt to make it a two-
  effect penalty (-50) if the seas are espe-
  cially rough.
  Success With
  Cannon
  Every ship described in the Vessel
  Stat Sheets in Chapter Three includes a
  Hull Point value, a Sail Point value, and
  a Crew Point value to represent how
  much damage the enemy can take
  before losing speed and maneuverabili-
  ty through taking on water or losing
  too much sail or crew power, or before
  sinking.  Hull and Sail Points refer to
  the amount of structural damage each
  can take before being rendered useless.
  Crew Points refer to the actual number
  of crew.  Thus when a 50-pounder does
  7 points of damage to the hull, it is
  weakened or possibly even breached.
  When it does 7 points damage to the
  sails, they are torn and will work less
  efficiently.  When it does 7 points dam-
  age to the crew, then 7 crew members
  have been taken out of the fight.  The
  GM can figure a 50-50 split between
  killed and wounded.
  Each type of cannon listed in the
  table below has a flat rate of damage it
  does to the enemy hull, sail, or crew
  (the third column) when it hits.
  Different types of shot are used against
  these three targets.  Solid shot is best
  used against the hull, for it is heavy
  enough to damage it and will travel far-
  ther than other types of shot; however
  it will only put a small hole through a
  sail, or kill only the one very unfortu-
  nate crew member it happens to hit.
  Sails are best targeted with chain or
  crossbar shot, which expands and
  rotates through the air, doing maxi-
  mum tearing damage.  These types of
  shot will not travel as far as solid shot
  and will not hurt the hull or crew as
  much (figure half normal damage).
  Enemy crew are best taken out with
  canister, langeril, or grape shot, which
  spreads out as it is fired and kills its
  maximum number of Furries piecemeal.
  These types of shot will not hurt the
  hull or sails much at all, and can only
  be fired at close or point blank range.
  Double and
  Triple Effect
  When a gunner scores double
  effect with a cannon shot, one Crew
  Point is removed in addition to whatev-
  er normal damage has been achieved
  against the hull, sails, or crew.  If the
  hull or sails were targeted, it is assumed
  this Furry was taken out by shrapnel or
  by something heavy falling on him.  If
  a gunner scores triple effect, then that
  Furry was either an important NPC
  officer type, or (if the gunner is an
  enemy), one of the player characters.
  GMs, if you roll randomly to see which
  one it was, be sure to take the PCs’ var-
  ious Luck scores into account.  In any
  case, the PC or NPC is not necessarily
  killed outright, but takes d20 points of
  damage.
  Beyond Triple
  Effect
  If by some miracle a character rolls
  100 points above what is needed to hit
  with a cannon, then he has taken out
  one of the three extremely vulnerable
  parts of a ship: the rudder, the mast, or
  the powder room (assuming the enemy
  gunner keeps powder mixed).  See
  “How Badly Damaged is the Ship” on
  page 66.
  Cannon Table
  Cannon
  Difficulty Factor By Range
  Shot
  Optimal
  Ship
  Point Blank
  Close
  Medium
  Long
  Extreme
  Poundage
  Crew
  Damage
  0 - 50
  50 - 200
  200 - 800
  800 - 2000
  2000 - 3000
  1 - 1.5 (swivel)
  2
  1
  20
  70
  120
  -
  -
  2 - 6
  4
  2
  10
  50
  70
  100
  -
  8 - 12
  6
  3
  10
  40
  60
  80
  100
  14 - 20
  8
  4
  10
  30
  50
  60
  90
  22 - 28
  10
  5
  10
  20
  40
  50
  80
  30 - 40
  12
  6
  10
  20
  30
  40
  70
  45 - 50
  14
  7
  10
  20
  30
  40
  60
  Crew (swivel)
  Hull, Sail,
  Hull or
  Hull
  Hull
  Hull (cannon)
  Crew
  Sail
  ß
  
  Chapter Two: How to Play the Game
  65
  Failure With
  Cannon
  A simple failure means a clean miss
  or a low hit in which the shot’s momen-
  tum was absorbed by the water.  If an
  02-05 fumble is rolled, the gun com-
  pletely fails to discharge.  If an 01 is
  rolled, the gunner should roll percentile
  dice once more.  On a second 02-05
  fumble, the gun discharges or recoils in
  such a way that it does damage to the
  ship or to the gun crew (d20 to the hull
  or d20 each to a crewmember or three).
  If a second 01 is rolled, the gun will
  burst and severely injure or kill every-
  one within a twenty-foot radius (d50
  damage each plus d20 damage to the
  hull).  On an 06-00 roll, the gunner will
  realize there is a problem with the gun
  before firing it and he will have to take
  an extra minute (one ship-to-ship com-
  bat round) to correct it.
  Roleplaying
  Artillery Attacks
  GMs: to add color and drama to
  your ship-to-ship combat, stress the low
  ceilings, the pitching motion, the bil-
  lows of smoke, the screams of the
  wounded, the blood on the floor, and
  the acrid smell of black powder on the
  gun deck during a fight.  Players,
  though your characters may be undisci-
  plined pirate-types, you can spice up
  your combat by giving orders like mili-
  tary gunners. 
  1.
  “Silence!” The gun crew is to shut
  up and pay attention.
  2.
  “Cast loose the guns.” Unstrap the
  guns from where they’re lashed
  down, and gather the other instru-
  ments needed to load them.  A gun
  must be mounted on a slide car-
  riage or otherwise restrained to
  keep it from recoiling too far or in
  the wrong direction.
  3.
  “Take 
  out 
  your 
  tompions.”
  Tompions are the wooden plugs
  blocking the muzzle of each piece.
  4.
  “Point your guns.” Adjust the can-
  non’s elevation according to previ-
  ous instructions given by the mas-
  ter gunner.
  5.
  “Load with cartridge.” The package
  of powder is stuck in the muzzle,
  seam downward, and a wad after it,
  and both are rammed home with
  the rammer.
  6.
  “Shot your guns.” Put the shot and
  another wad in the muzzle.
  7.
  “Ram home shot and wad.” After
  pushing the shot and wad down to
  the cartridge, the rammer should
  give it two more good, solid
  shoves.
  8.
  “Prime.” Pierce the cartridge with a
  piece of wire down the vent, then
  fill the vent and pan with fine-
  grained priming powder from the
  powder horn, then hang up the
  horn back out of reach of any stray
  sparks.
  9.
  “Run out your guns!” Open the
  hatch and shove the muzzle of the
  cannon out.  This order is given
  last before firing, so that the can-
  non will only be exposed to the
  “Did we hit him?”
  §
  
  Chapter Two: How to Play the Game
  66
  sight of an enemy Magick-user
  when it’s ready to go off anyway.
  10. “Fire!” A lighted taper is placed on
  the priming powder above the
  vent.  Take into account the
  motion of the ship when giving
  this order.  If firing on the up-roll,
  the shot is more likely to hit enemy
  rigging; if on the down-roll it’s
  more likely to hit the hull.  Keep in
  mind also, it may be a full second
  after the gun is touched off that it
  discharges.
  11. “Close the hatches!” This is after
  the guns have recoiled, and should
  be done immediately, unless they
  fall closed by themselves.
  12. “Worm and sponge.” Remove
  unburned bits of wadding and car-
  tridge, then ram the wet sponge
  down the barrel and twist it to
  extinguish any traces of fire — oth-
  erwise you’ll get an unpleasant sur-
  prise when loading the next car-
  tridge.  Repeat orders 5 through 12
  as necessary. 
  Success With
  Magick
  Magick-users must also target the
  broad areas of hull, sail, or crew.  If the
  Magick-user is targeting the enemy
  ship’s hull or sail, the amount of dam-
  age to them in terms of Hull or Sail
  Points is the same as when he is attack-
  ing a single Furry opponent, rolled on
  the standard die table.  Thus an 8th
  level Elemental: Lightning spell which
  normally does d400 damage to whatev-
  er hapless creature it’s being thrown at
  will do d400 Hull or Sail Points worth
  of damage when fired at the hull or
  sails.  However, an 8th level Lightning
  spell cast at the enemy crew will not
  take out d400 of them.  The Magick-
  user will have to choose multiple targets
  and divide hit point damage among
  them as usual.  Magick generally works
  better on inanimate objects than on liv-
  ing creatures.  Also remember that the
  enemy ship has the magick defense of
  the Furry in command.  The GM will
  probably want to give cannon fodder
  NPCs the same defense rather than fig-
  ure it out on an individual basis for all
  several hundred of them.  Double and
  triple effect do not apply to Magickal
  attacks.
  How Badly
  Damaged is the
  Ship?
  The Hull
  When under attack by cannon or
  Elemental Magick, a vessel will main-
  tain its integrity and sailing ability until
  at least half of the Hull Points have
  been lost.  Additional points lost after
  the halfway mark indicate damage
  below the waterline, or close enough
  that water is getting in.  The crew of the
  damaged ship will have to work the
  pumps or else lose 25% of their sailing
  speed.  When three-quarters of the Hull
  Points are lost, the ship’s sailing speed
  will drop 50% unless the crew works
  the pumps (though it will not drop
  below its Drifting speed).  When all
  Hull Points are lost, water is coming in
  too fast for pumping to help.  The ship
  drops to half its Drifting speed and will
  sink anywhere from five minutes to
  eight hours later (GM’s fiat).
  If the hull is damaged by underwa-
  ter hazards such as rocks or coral reefs,
  the ship’s speed will drop proportional-
  ly to the amount of damage taken.  If
  the ship has lost half it’s Hull Points,
  it’s moving at half its normal sailing
  speed, unless the pumps are being used.
  The Sails
  The ship’s speed and maneuver-
  ability drop in direct proportion to the
  percentage of Sail Points lost.   Thus a
  schooner, which has a top speed of 11.8
  knots (1180 feet or 11.8 inches per
  minute) and a turning rate of 4 points
  per minute, will drop to 5.9 knots
  (round up) and 2 points per minute
  when it has lost half of its Sail Points.
  Sailing speed will not drop below the
  ship’s Drifting rate due to sail damage,
  nor below 1 point per minute in its
  turning rate (unless the rudder has also
  been destroyed).  Rather than refigure
  the ship’s sailing speed every time the
  sails take damage, the GM should do it
  in 25% increments.
  The Crew
  The minimum number of crew
  required to run the ship and the can-
  non are listed on each Vessel Stat Sheet.
  If there are insufficient crew to run all
  cannon, then some of them will not be
  fired every round.  Since most of the
  Furries crewing a cannon are needed to
  push it back into place after it recoils, it
  is possible to do a staggered firing, set-
  ting off each gun every other round.
  This requires at least two Furries per
  cannon to reload it, plus the minimum
  number of Furries needed to push the
  ship’s single heaviest cannon back into
  place, who run from gunport to gun-
  port.  After that, for every two Furries
  lost from the gun crew, one more can-
  non becomes as useful as a giant paper-
  weight.
  If the number of crew up on deck
  drops below the minimum required to
  make the ship move and maneuver at
  the speeds listed on each Vessel Stat
  Sheet, the ship’s maneuverability will
  drop proportionately.  A schooner,
  which requires ten crew to make it turn
  at 4 points per minute, will drop to 2
  points per minute if there are only five.
  If it drops below a quarter of the mini-
  mum number required, the ship will
  continue on the course and speed it was
  last on until the wind conditions
  change or it collides with something.
  If the hull is damaged enough to
  require some crew to go down below
  and work the pumps, these Furries will
  have to be removed from the number
  firing cannon, handling the sails, or
  performing other tasks.  Each Vessel
  Stat Sheet includes the number of crew
  needed for pumping in case of a hull
  breach.
  Special Damage
  If a gunner has rolled 100 points
  above what was needed to hit, he has
  achieved quadruple effect and taken
  out the rudder or one of the masts or
  the powder room.  If the rudder is
  gone, then the ship loses half it’s nor-
  mal turning rate, which can drop to
  zero if there is already 50% sail damage.
  Losing a mast means that the ship has
  lost all, half, or a third of it’s current
  Sail Points, depending on how many
  masts it carries.  If a shot hits the pow-
  der room, and the enemy stores gun-
  power in ready-mixed form, the explo-
  sion will possibly remove all remaining
  Hull Points and kill or incapacitate up
  to 75% of the crew (the GM should
  play this one by ear, since it depends on
  how much powder there was).
  Gestalt Combat
  In ship-to-ship combat as well as in
  massive land engagements, there are so
  many factors to take into account that
  on some occasions the GM will simply
  
  Chapter Two: How to Play the Game
  67
  have to make a judgement call.  For
  example, when the ships are ponder-
  ously closing with each other and a PC
  who has nothing better to do is taking
  shots at random enemy crew with a
  crossbow, have him roll just once in the
  ship-to-ship combat round, then make
  your best guess at how many of them
  he has killed or wounded, if any.  A
  crossbow can be fired seven times in a
  minute, the average cannon-fodder
  NPC sailor has an Unarmed Defense of
  25, and we’ll say the PC’s attack score
  with Trigger is 0.  At point blank range
  he has a 75% chance of hitting each
  one he fires at, so if he rolls well, you
  can figure he killed or wounded five of
  them, although since it’s only a cross-
  bow, some of the wounded may still be
  capable of fighting.  (If these sailors are
  smart, they’re taking cover, so next
  round it may not be so easy for him).
  It’s not necessary even to figure things
  this closely.  If a fight is not exciting or
  vital enough to play out round by
  round, roll some dice, look them over,
  think about what you know about the
  characters’ abilities and skills, and fake
  it — and get on with the game.
  When the fight is over, characters
  have to pick up the pieces and try to fit
  them back together.
  Recovering from
  Stunning Damage 
  If at 0 or more hit points, a char-
  acter who is at rest should recover one
  point per minute.  The GM can stretch
  this time out if the character immedi-
  ately gets up and goes about his usual
  routine.  Most characters will feel up to
  their normal level of activity in fifteen
  or twenty minutes, possibly less in an
  emergency situation.  If put below 0 by
  stunning damage, a character recovers
  one point per hour, until he reaches 0.
  Recovering from
  Real Damage
  For each twelve hours of complete
  rest, the character can make a roll using
  his Healing Attack vs. the difficulty fac-
  tor the GM comes up with, based on
  the severity of his injuries and the kind
  of care he is receiving.  If a character
  has suffered only flesh wounds and is
  being kept clean, warm, dry, fed, and
  reasonably undisturbed, the difficulty
  factor should be around 10.  If the same
  circumstances apply, the difficulty fac-
  tor for crippling and lethal wounds
  should be 25 and 50, respectively.  If a
  character is not being well cared for,
  especially aboard a crowded, unsanitary
  ship, the GM may apply a 20 point
  penalty.  If the character is being treat-
  ed by an ignorant “doctor” — all too
  common, in this period — a 50 point
  penalty may apply, especially if the
  patient is being bled.  (This might help
  a character with flesh or crippling
  wounds, but could kill a seriously hurt
  Furry).  If the character succeeds in his
  roll, he will get a d3 for hit point recov-
  ery.  Double effect will give him a d6,
  triple effect a d10.
  If the character rolls a fumble for
  an attempt to heal, his wounds have
  become infected.  In this case, the char-
  acter will begin to lose one d3 hit points
  per twelve hours, regardless of what he
  rolls later, unless he gets help from a
  Furry who knows what he’s doing.
  Getting Help
  Although antiseptics are unavail-
  able, a character with the skill of
  Medicine will at least know how to keep
  a wound clean and apply hot com-
  presses, etc.  If he succeeds in his
  Medicine roll, he will be able to return
  a character with infected wounds to his
  normal healing rate, unless the wound-
  ed character rolls another fumble.  If a
  Furry with infected wounds reaches 0
  hit points before getting help, only
  Magickal healing or excision (removal
  of gangrenous and surrounding healthy
  tissue) will save his life.
  A character with the Medicine skill
  can also make salves that will speed
  healing.  See the skill “Medicine” under
  Alchemy in the skill list in Chapter
  One.  Magickal healing, of course, will
  take care of any character who isn’t
  already dead.  See “Healing” under
  Necromancy, in Chapter One.
  Ships and Repair
  The Hull
  If the ship has taken less than 50%
  hull damage from cannon or Elemental
  Magick attacks, it can be repaired while
  still at sea, out of the materials the ship
  normally carries.  (If it’s the second or
  third time the characters have had to do
  this, the GM may rule that those sup-
  plies are exhausted).  If the ship has
  taken 50% or more from attack, or 25%
  or more from underwater hazards, it
  needs to be beached for repairs.  The
  characters will have to patch things up
  and limp into port or to some forested
  island as best they can.  It is the GM’s
  prerogative to decide how long repairs
  take, whether a matter of hours, days,
  or weeks.  Shortening the time or
  stretching it out is a good plot device
  to use if the GM wants to hold an
  adventure for the PCs while they are in
  port.  If excuses are needed, there’s
  availability of materials, tools, or crew
  power, cooperation or lack thereof
  from local officials, or simple bad luck
  to take into account.
  The Sails
  If the sails have taken less than
  50% damage, they can be patched or
  stitched up.  If they’ve taken 50% or
  more, they need to be replaced.  A ship
  normally carries one spare set of sails
  plus miscellaneous pieces of canvas.  If
  the spare set has already been used, it
  will be necessary to go into port to get
  a new one.  Realistically, it’s not possi-
  ble to stretch out the repair of sails
  longer than a couple of days.
  The Crew
  See the Recovery sections above to
  get an idea of how many of the wound-
  ed crew are going to survive and how
  long it will take.  Find out if the PCs are
  giving the crew any help and take that
  into account.  If they aren’t giving the
  crew any help, see “Crew Morale” on
  page 53.  If the crew has dropped sig-
  nificantly enough to affect the outcome
  of the next fight, or to keep the ship
  from operating at peak efficiency, the
  PCs will want to go into port to acquire
  new Furry sailors, or possibly press cap-
  tured enemy crew into service.  The
  quality of sailors they get depends great-
  ly on what part of the world they’re in.
  Recovery
  
  Chapter Two: How to Play the Game
  68
  CASTILE
  Poitiers
  GRENADA
  PORTURAL
  Lisbon
  ARAGON
  ITALY
  ALGERIA
  ALGERIA
  TUNSIA
  TUNSIA
  EGYPT
  EGYPT
  TURKEY
  TURKEY
  OTTOMAN EMPIRE
  OTTOMAN EMPIRE
  SICILY
  SARDINIA
  CYPRUS
  CRETE
  MOROCCO
  Atlantic Ocean
  Mediterranean Sea
  Genoa
  Venice
  Pisa
  Naples
  Jerba
  Agadir
  Malaga
  Valencia
  Barcelona
  Toulouse
  Madrid
  Ceuta
  Palerino
  Barqa
  Alexandria
  Jerusalem
  Jerusalem
  Jerusalem
  Sale
  Cairo
  Cairo
  Cairo
  Algiers
  Algiers
  Algiers
  Mahdia
  Tunis
  Istanbul
  Istanbul
  Istanbul
  Marseilles
  Constantine
  Constantine
  Constantine
  Tangiers
  0
  250
  500
  Scale  in  Miles
  125
  
  69
  T
  his chapter includes descriptions
  and statistics for various types of
  vessels in the Golden Age of
  Piracy.  Vessel Stat Sheets, which may be
  photocopied for personal use, are pro-
  vided for each type.  The player whose
  character is in command should keep
  the pirates’ Vessel Stat Sheet.  This
  chapter is not comprehensive, but it
  does include many of the vessels a
  European Furry is likely to use or
  encounter.
  How the characters acquire their
  vessel depends on who they are and
  what they want to do, and what kind of
  origin story they, individually, as a
  group, or in cooperation with the GM,
  come up with.  Players and GM may
  select and equip the vessel together,
  under the assumption that the charac-
  ters are already in possession of it.
  Alternately, if the GM wants to use a
  “becoming pirates” scenario as the first
  adventure of the campaign, she can
  choose the vessel herself, or arbitrarily
  assign them one as an adventure hook.
  (“Since you have the fastest known
  sloop on the seven seas, every Furry
  captain in the civilized world is out to
  challenge you,” or “Since your brig is a
  leaky tub infested with borers and dry
  rot, you’ve got to capture another ship
  before she sinks.”)
  Would-be pirates often get their
  first vessel by mutinying against its orig-
  inal masters, or by joining other pirates
  who have captured the vessel they were
  serving on.  Smugglers or blockade-run-
  ners may be given a vessel for the pur-
  pose, with the understanding that the
  vessel and whatever profit it makes
  belongs to the original owner, who will
  pay captain and crew a certain percent-
  age.  If there is a player character with a
  sufficient Social score (22 is a good
  minimum), the vessel may belong to
  him already.  Privateers and pirate-
  hunters may likewise already own a ves-
  sel. If not, they may be given one of His
  or Her Majesty’s ships when they are
  commissioned under the same terms as
  above.
  Some generalities to consider when
  choosing a vessel type: Merchant vessels
  are valued by how much cargo they can
  carry and warships by how many guns
  they mount.  For vessels engaged in
  dubious or illegal activities, speed,
  weatherliness, and shallow draft are the
  most important criteria, and other con-
  siderations are sacrificed to them.  It’s
  difficult to define what constitutes a
  fast ship, as different vessels perform
  differently under various conditions.
  Usually a vessel that performs well on
  at least two of the three basic points of
  sailing is considered fast.
  Square-rigged vessels catch more
  wind and have better propulsion out on
  the high seas.  However, they require
  large crews, since Furries have to go
  aloft and climb out on the yard to
  shorten or let out each sail.  Fore-and-
  aft rigged vessels are more weatherly,
  meaning they can point more nearly
  into the wind and still maintain speed,
  than square-rigged ships.  Weatherly
  craft have a greater range of courses
  available than the less weatherly, and
  greater ability to work up narrow chan-
  nels and handle in confined areas.
  They are also quicker to maneuver, and
  don’t require so large a crew since even
  the big fore-and-aft sails can be hoisted
  or lowered from the deck.
  In light winds, small vessels are
  slightly faster than large ones, but in
  stronger winds, large vessels are faster
  because an increase in size gives an
  increase in stability, which allows the
  large ship to carry more sail.  This is
  especially true in a gale, when the large
  vessel has the advantage over the small
  on nearly all points of sailing.  Large
  ships also have the advantage of being
  able to take more punishment than
  small ones.
  Pirates, privateers, and pirate-
  hunters sometimes prefer large vessels,
  which are more intimidating, carry
  more fighting Furries, and mount more
  guns.  Smugglers and blockade-runners
  however, in addition to being fast, must
  also be able to maneuver in shallow
  waters, snug harbors, and up rivers,
  besides which large ships attract too
  much attention in port, and are too
  expensive to risk losing.  They tend to
  prefer smaller craft built to be as fast as
  possible.
  The more guns (or other cargo) a
  vessel carries, the more sluggish it
  becomes.  Pirates are generally better
  armed than merchants, but not as well-
  armed as warships.  This is because it’s
  not worthwhile getting into a fight with
  a warship, which seldom carries any-
  thing of interest to a pirate.  It’s best to
  be fast enough to get away from war-
  ships, and well armed enough to force
  merchant ships to surrender.
  Vessel
  Statistics
  Draft: This is the minimum water depth
  required to keep the vessel afloat.
  One fathom equals six feet.
  Description: The main points that dis-
  tinguish this type of vessel from
  the other types listed.
  Crew Minimum: The lowest number of
  Furries required to make the vessel
  move and maneuver at the speeds
  listed on the Vessel Stat Sheet.  The
  ship should carry at least three
  times this number so that the crew
  doesn’t die of exhaustion over
  time.  It does not include the num-
  ber of Furries required to crew the
  vessel’s cannon.
  Crew Capacity: Maximum number of
  crew a vessel can carry, not includ-
  ing player characters or officer
  NPCs.  The number can be dou-
  bled if all nonessential cargo space
  is sacrificed.
  Gunports: How many cannon the ves-
  sel can carry (excluding deck-
  mounted swivel guns), not how
  many it actually has.
  Cannon Maximum: Optimum amount
  of cannon poundage a vessel can
  carry.  (A cannon is classified by
  CHAPTER THREE
  THE PIRATE SHIP
  
  Chapter Three: The Pirate Ship
  70
  the poundage of shot it throws).
  Characters may opt for any combi-
  nation of types of cannon, so long
  as the total number does not
  exceed the number of gunports,
  and the total poundage does not
  exceed the cannon maximum.
  Hull Points: How much damage the
  vessel can take before sinking.  It
  can be incapacitated by less; see
  Ship to Ship Combat in Chapter
  Two.
  Sail Points: How much damage the sails
  can take before the ship is dead in
  the water.  If half the sail points
  remain then the ship can only
  travel at half the speed listed, down
  to its “Dead” speed.
  Crew Points: How many crewmembers
  there are on the ship.  Each point
  represents one crewmember.  A
  loss of ten crew points indicates
  that ten crewmembers were killed
  or incapacitated (GMs: figure a
  50/50 split of wounded to dead).
  If the crew points drop below a
  quarter of the minimum number,
  the ship is adrift and can no longer
  be handled.  Note that each can-
  non requires Furries to crew it in
  addition to the minimum required
  to crew the ship.  Fewer crewmem-
  bers mean fewer cannon can be
  fired.
  Pump Requirement: The number of
  crew needed to operate the vessel’s
  pumps to keep it from sinking
  when there is a hull breach below
  the waterline.
  Turning Rate: Compasses of the period
  do not use degrees of arc.  Instead
  they use thirty-two points, each of
  which is 11.25 degrees (eight points
  for every 90). This statistic is the
  number of points per minute the
  ship can turn.
  Sailing Speed
  Charts
  These provide the speeds at which
  each type of vessel can move, given the
  force of the wind and the direction the
  vessel is moving relative to the wind,
  both under full sail and under fighting
  sail.  These numbers assume that the
  character giving the orders has gotten
  single effect on his Sailing attack roll.
  See “Sailing Mechanics” in Chapter
  Two.
  Guns
  Only the cannon on the side of
  the vessel facing the enemy can fire at
  it.  Swivel guns can fire in any direction,
  but since they are only effective at close
  range, they are used to repel boarders or
  to soften up the enemy prior to board-
  ing.  The PCs’ vessel should have the
  types of guns on each side listed, and
  how many of each, along with the dam-
  age they do (see the Cannon Table on
  page 64).  It is also a good idea to know
  how many Furries it takes to crew each
  of these guns, and the optimum range
  at which it should be fired.
  The Vessel
  Stat Sheets
  The vessels described in the follow-
  ing sheets are samples.  Modifications
  can be made to them with the under-
  standing that improving one aspect of a
  vessel’s function means sacrificing
  another.  If more gunports and cannon
  are added, a vessel will become more
  sluggish.  If sail is added to make the
  vessel faster, it will become less stable
  and prone to capsizing.  If the draft is
  deepened to provide more stability, the
  vessel is more likely to run aground in
  shallow water.
  Compass
  The compass represents what sail-
  ing condition the ship is in relative to
  the wind.  With a top view of the ship
  pointed straight up on top of the com-
  pass, the wind direction can be used to
  see whether the ship is Running,
  Quartering, Reaching, Beating, Hauling,
  or Dead.  For example, if the wind is
  blowing seven points off of port then
  the ship is Reaching.
  Vessel
  Equipment
  Guns
  Prior to 1689, different types of
  artillery were designated by names such
  as minions, falcons, sakers, demi-cul-
  verins, culverins, demi-cannons, and
  cannons.  It was a romantic system, but
  it created a lot of confusion, because
  guns of different bores often had the
  same name.  Colonial nations were the
  first to indicate different guns by the
  weight of the solid shot which they
  fired; thus a gun throwing a four-pound
  ball ceased to be a minion or a falcon,
  and became a four-pounder.  The dam-
  age each type of gun inflicts is the same
  whatever type of shot is being used;
  however, some types of shot are intend-
  ed to damage the hull, others to tear up
  the rigging, and still others to wound or
  kill enemy crew.  Shot that is effective
  for one task may not be for another; see
  “Types of Shot” below.  All cannon can
  be reloaded and fired in one minute,
  assuming there is a Gunner and suffi-
  cient crew present.  A single Gunner
  can, in two minutes, load and fire any
  cannon once, but will not be able to
  move it back into position after it
  recoils (unless he has a strength over
  30).
  Swivel Guns
  These are small, breech loading
  anti-personnel weapons mounted on a
  yoke and swivel up on the deck of the
  ship.  They fire half-pound to one-
  pound solid shot, though they are more
  often loaded with scatter-shot.  Each is
  equipped with a separate breech cham-
  ber shaped like a beer mug with a
  touchhole at the base.  If extra cham-
  bers are kept ready-loaded with powder,
  two Furries can fire every ten seconds
  (six times in a ship-to-ship combat
  round).  If they have to repack the
  chambers, they can only fire once per
  minute.
  
  Chapter Three: The Pirate Ship
  71
  Prices for
  Cannon
  On average, cannon cost 5C for
  every pound of shot they throw, so a
  one-pounder swivel gun will cost 5C
  and a 50-pounder cannon will cost
  250C.  Assume that the price of each
  gun includes the cost of its various
  accouterments, such as the rammer,
  worm, sponge, priming wire, etc.  These
  prices are supplied to help PCs supple-
  ment or replace the guns their vessel
  may already have (assuming the GM is
  generous).
  Types of Shot
  Prices are for 25-pound shot.
  Variations may exist based on caliber.
  Canister: Sheet metal cylinder filled
  with small lead or iron balls,
  designed to break apart and scatter.
  Effective versus enemy crew.  50P
  per dozen.
  Chain: Solid shot cut in half and the
  two parts connected by a chain;
  designed to turn on its axis as it
  flies.  Effective versus enemy crew
  and rigging.  1C per dozen.
  Crossbar: Two cannon balls joined by a
  bar; variations include expanding
  crossbar and jointed crossbar.
  Effective versus crew, rigging, and
  hull.  1C per dozen.
  Grape shot: A group of iron balls clus-
  tered around a wooden spindle and
  held together by canvas and lash-
  ings; intended to break apart and
  scatter.  Effective versus enemy
  crew.  50P per dozen.
  Langeril: Any collection of scrap iron
  tied in a bag or put loosely into
  the bore.   Effective versus enemy
  crew.  3P per load.
  Solid shot: Basic iron cannon ball.
  Effective versus the hull.  This is
  the only type of shot that can be
  used at Long or Extreme range.
  50P per dozen.
  Powder
  If bought in bulk, gunpowder costs
  1P for each pound of shot being fired.
  At that rate, it costs the British Crown
  the equivalent of $800 each time one of
  its 1st rate warships fires off every one
  of its cannon, which is very cheap com-
  pared to today’s military expenditure.
  The Crew
  If you are paying your crew a stan-
  dard wage, instead of dividing loot
  among them according to the Pirate’s
  Code in Chapter Four, common sailors
  get around 2C a month on top of room
  and board.  Middle-management types
  like the quartermaster, bosun, and
  bosun’s mate require 10C; important
  professionals like the Master Gunner,
  Pilot, and Navigator get 30C; senior
  officers and really important profes-
  sionals like the Ship’s Wizard start at
  50C but can often insist on more.
  Ship’s Stores
  The ship’s stores include dried, salt-
  ed, and indigestible food, barrels of
  water, extra fittings, sails, rope, tackle,
  grappling hooks, planking, blankets,
  rum, candles, lanterns, oil, weapons,
  powder, medical supplies — you get the
  idea.  The Quartermaster should figure
  an operating budget of about 1C per
  crew member per month, with 5C per
  month for middle ranks, and 20C for
  senior officers (except among pirates,
  who are relentlessly democratic), plus
  50C for ship maintenance.  Prices may
  skyrocket in foreign ports, especially if
  you suddenly have a lot of money and
  really need supplies.
  Basic Ship Plan
  Great Cabin
  Magazine Lightroom
  Magazine
  Provisions
  Ship's Pumps
  Shot
  Water Casks
  Ship's Stores
  Capstan
  Ship's Galley
  Quarter-Deck
  Upper Deck
  Fo'c's'le Deck
  First-Mate's Cabin
  Lower Deck
  
  Chapter Three: The Pirate Ship
  72
  Ship’s Name:
  Size:
  Very Large
  Draft:
  4 fathoms
  Crew Minimum:
  22
  Crew Capacity:
  500
  Description:
  Three masts, square rigged
  Sail Points:
  450
  Hull Points:
  1200
  Current Crew Points: 
  Pump Requirement:
  40
  Gunports:
  54 on two decks (24 each side, 6 aft)
  Cannon Maximum:
  1,600 total poundage
  Turning Rate:
  1 point per minute
  Notes:
  Ferrying wealth of the Orient, this is the ultimate prize. Speeds given are for when the
  ship is fully loaded; if empty, use speed chart and draft for a 4th rate warship.
  Vessel Stat Sheet
  EAST INDIAN
  East Indian: Typical Appearance
  Speed
  Wind
  Running
  Quartering
  Reaching
  Beating
  Hauling
  Dead
  Slight Breeze
  1.6 / 0.7
  2.1 / 0.9
  1.6 / 0.7
  1.1 / 0.4
  -0.1 / -0.1
  -0.1 / -0.1
  Light Breeze
  3.3 / 1.3
  4.0 / 1.6
  2.9 / 1.1
  1.4 / 0.5
  -0.3 / -0.3
  -0.3 / -0.3
  Gentle Wind
  4.5 / 1.8
  5.5 / 2.2
  4.0 / 1.6
  2.5 / 1.0
  -0.4 / -0.5
  -0.5 / -0.5
  Moderate Wind
  5.5 / 2.2
  10.0 / 4.0
  7.0 / 2.8
  3.5 / 1.4
  -0.6 / -0.6
  -0.6 / -0.6
  Strong Wind
  9.1 / 3.6
  12.2 / 4.9
  9.5 / 3.8
  5.0 / 2.0
  -0.8 / -0.8
  -0.8 / -0.8
  Gale
  4.8 / 1.9
  6.0 / 2.4
  2.7 / 1.8
  3.0 / 1.2
  -0.5 / -0.5
  -0.5 / -0.5
  The numbers before the slashes are speed under full sail, and the numbers after them are speed under fighting sail.
  Speed is in knots. Multiply by one hundred for approximate feet per minute.
  Guns
  Cannon
  Number
  Cannon
  Damage
  Crew
  Difficulty Factor By Range
  Type
  of Cannon Placement
  (each)
  (each/total)
  Point Blank Close Medium
  Long
  Extreme
  30 pounder
  10
  Port
  6
  12 / 120
  10
  20
  30
  40
  70
  45 pounder
  10
  Port
  7
  14 / 140
  10
  20
  30
  40
  60
  30 pounder
  10
  Starboard
  6
  12 / 120
  10
  20
  30
  40
  70
  45 pounder
  10
  Starboard
  7
  14 / 140
  10
  20
  30
  40
  60
  10 pounder
  6
  Aft
  3
  6 / 36
  10
  40
  60
  80
  100
  Swivel
  12
  Deck
  1
  2 / 24
  20
  70
  120
  —
  —
  Gun Ranges Reference
  Range
  Feet
  Available Target
  Very Close
  0 – 50
  Hull (cannon) or Crew (swivel)
  Close
  50 – 200
  Hull, Sail, or Crew
  Medium
  200 – 800
  Hull or Sail
  Long
  800 – 2000
  Hull only
  Extreme
  2000 – 3000
  Hull only
  
  Chapter Three: The Pirate Ship
  73
  Name:
  Size:
  Very Large
  Draft:
  5 fathoms
  Crew Minimum:
  22
  Crew Capacity:
  800
  Description:
  Three masts, square rigged
  Sail Points:
  500
  Hull Points:
  1500
  Crew Points:
  Pump Requirement: 
  40
  Gunports:
  100 on three decks (44 each side, 12 aft)
  Cannon Maximum:
  3,000 total poundage
  Turning Rate:
  1 point per minute
  Notes:
  Used for prestige as flagships, these ships are very intimidating, but sluggish and top-
  heavy.
  Vessel Stat Sheet
  WARSHIP, FIRST RATE
  Warship, First Rate: Typical Appearance
  Speed
  Wind
  Running
  Quartering
  Reaching
  Beating
  Hauling
  Dead
  Slight Breeze
  1.5 / 0.6
  2.0 / 0.8
  1.5 / 0.6
  1.0 / 0.4
  -0.1 / -0.1
  -0.1 / -0.1
  Light Breeze
  3.3 / 1.3
  4.0 / 1.6
  3.0 / 1.2
  1.5 / 0.6
  -0.3 / -0.3
  -0.3 / -0.3
  Gentle Wind
  4.5 / 1.8
  5.5 / 2.2
  4.0 / 1.6
  2.5 / 1.0
  -0.4 / -0.4
  -0.4 / -0.4
  Moderate Wind
  5.5 / 2.2
  9.8 / 3.9
  7.0 / 2.8
  3.5 / 1.4
  -0.5 / -0.5
  -0.5 / -0.5
  Strong Wind
  8.0 / 3.2
  11.8 / 4.7
  9.5 / 3.8
  5.0 / 2.0
  -0.7 / -0.7
  -0.7 / -0.7
  Gale
  4.8 / 1.9
  6.0 / 2.4
  2.7 / 1.8
  3.0 / 1.2
  -0.5 / -0.5
  -0.5 / -0.5
  The numbers before the slashes are speed under full sail, and the numbers after them are speed under fighting sail.
  Speed is in knots. Multiply by one hundred for approximate feet per minute.
  Guns
  Cannon
  Number
  Cannon
  Damage
  Crew
  Difficulty Factor By Range
  Type
  of Cannon Placement
  (each)
  (each/total)
  Point Blank Close Medium
  Long
  Extreme
  30 pounder
  20
  Port
  6
  12/ 240
  10
  20
  30
  40
  70
  45 pounder
  24
  Port
  7
  14/ 336
  10
  20
  30
  40
  60
  30 pounder
  20
  Starboard
  6
  12/ 240
  10
  20
  30
  40
  70
  45 pounder
  24
  Starboard
  7
  14/ 336
  10
  20
  30
  40
  60
  20 pounder
  12
  Aft
  4
  8/ 96
  10
  30
  50
  60
  90
  Swivel
  20
  Deck
  1
  2/ 40
  20
  70
  120
  —
  —
  Gun Ranges Reference
  Range
  Feet
  Available Target
  Very Close
  0 – 50
  Hull (cannon) or Crew (swivel)
  Close
  50 – 200
  Hull, Sail, or Crew
  Medium
  200 – 800
  Hull or Sail
  Long
  800 – 2000
  Hull only
  Extreme
  2000 – 3000
  Hull only
  
  Chapter Three: The Pirate Ship
  74
  Name:
  Size:
  Very Large
  Draft:
  4.5 fathoms
  Crew Minimum:
  22
  Crew Capacity:
  700
  Description:
  Three masts, square rigged
  Sail Points:
  500
  Hull Points:
  1500
  Crew Points:
  Pump Requirement:
  40
  Gunports:
  84 on two decks (36 each side, 12 aft)
  Cannon Maximum:
  2,600 total poundage
  Turning Rate:
  1 point per minute
  Notes:
  Like 1st rates, these ships are impressive, but sluggish.
  Vessel Stat Sheet
  WARSHIP, SECOND RATE
  Warship, Second Rate: Typical Appearance
  Speed
  Wind
  Running
  Quartering
  Reaching
  Beating
  Hauling
  Dead
  Slight Breeze
  1.6 / 0.7
  2.1 / 0.9
  1.6 / 0.7
  1.1 / 0.4
  -0.2 / -0.2
  -0.2 / -0.2
  Light Breeze
  3.4 / 1.4
  4.1 / 1.7
  3.1 / 1.2
  1.5 / 0.6
  -0.3 / -0.3
  -0.3 / -0.3
  Gentle Wind
  4.6 / 1.9
  5.6 / 2.3
  4.1 / 1.6
  2.5 / 1.0
  -0.4 / -0.4
  -0.4 / -0.4
  Moderate Wind
  5.6 / 2.3
  10.0 / 4.0
  7.3 / 2.9
  3.5 / 1.4
  -0.5 / -0.5
  -0.5 / -0.5
  Strong Wind
  9.1 / 3.6
  12.0 / 4.8
  9.5 / 3.8
  5.0 / 2.0
  -0.8 / -0.8
  -0.8 / -0.8
  Gale
  4.8 / 1.9
  6.0 / 2.4
  2.7 / 1.8
  3.0 / 1.2
  -0.5 / -0.5
  -0.5 / -0.5
  The numbers before the slashes are speed under full sail, and the numbers after them are speed under fighting sail.
  Speed is in knots. Multiply by one hundred for approximate feet per minute.
  Guns
  Cannon
  Number
  Cannon
  Damage
  Crew
  Difficulty Factor By Range
  Type
  of Cannon Placement
  (each)
  (each/total)
  Point Blank Close Medium
  Long
  Extreme
  30 pounder
  18
  Port
  6
  12/ 216
  10
  20
  30
  40
  70
  45 pounder
  18
  Port
  7
  14/ 252
  10
  20
  30
  40
  60
  30 pounder
  18
  Starboard
  6
  12/ 216
  10
  20
  30
  40
  70
  45 pounder
  18
  Starboard
  7
  14/ 252
  10
  20
  30
  40
  60
  20 pounder
  12
  Aft
  4
  8/ 96
  10
  30
  50
  60
  90
  Swivel
  16
  Deck
  1
  2/ 32
  20
  70
  120
  —
  —
  Gun Ranges Reference
  Range
  Feet
  Available Target
  Very Close
  0 – 50
  Hull (cannon) or Crew (swivel)
  Close
  50 – 200
  Hull, Sail, or Crew
  Medium
  200 – 800
  Hull or Sail
  Long
  800 – 2000
  Hull only
  Extreme
  2000 – 3000
  Hull only
  
  Chapter Three: The Pirate Ship
  75
  Name:
  Size:
  Large
  Draft:
  4 fathoms
  Crew Minimum:
  22
  Crew Capacity:
  600
  Description:
  Three masts, square rigged
  Sail Points:
  400
  Hull Points:
  1200
  Crew Points:
  Pump Requirement:
  35
  Gunports:
  74 on two decks (34 each side, 6 aft)
  Cannon Maximum:
  2,200 total poundage
  Turning Rate:
  2 points per minute
  Notes:
  The most numerous and most effective type of ship-of-the-line.  Definitely something to
  run away from.  These belong mostly to the big powers of Europe, Britain and France.
  Vessel Stat Sheet
  WARSHIP, THIRD RATE
  Warship, Third Rate: Typical Appearance
  Speed
  Wind
  Running
  Quartering
  Reaching
  Beating
  Hauling
  Dead
  Slight Breeze
  1.8 / 0.7
  2.3 / 0.9
  2.0 / 0.8
  1.0 / 0.4
  -0.2 / -0.2
  -0.2 / -0.2
  Light Breeze
  3.5 / 1.4
  4.5 / 1.8
  3.8 / 1.3
  2.3 / 0.9
  -0.4 / -0.4
  -0.4 / -0.4
  Gentle Wind
  4.8 / 1.9
  6.0 / 2.4
  5.0 / 1.8
  3.0 / 1.2
  -0.5 / -0.5
  -0.5 / -0.5
  Moderate Wind
  6.0 / 2.4
  10.5 / 4.2
  7.5 / 3.0
  3.8 / 1.5
  -0.6 / -0.6
  -0.6 / -0.6
  Strong Wind
  10.2 / 4.1
  12.8 / 5.1
  9.3 / 3.7
  5.3 / 2.1
  -1.0 / -1.0
  -1.0 / -1.0
  Gale
  4.8 / 1.9
  6.0 / 2.4
  4.5 / 1.8
  3.0 / 1.2
  -0.5 / -0.5
  -0.5 / -0.5
  The numbers before the slashes are speed under full sail, and the numbers after them are speed under fighting sail.
  Speed is in knots. Multiply by one hundred for approximate feet per minute.
  Guns
  Cannon
  Number
  Cannon
  Damage
  Crew
  Difficulty Factor By Range
  Type
  of Cannon Placement
  (each)
  (each/total)
  Point Blank Close Medium
  Long
  Extreme
  25 pounder
  14
  Port
  5
  10/ 140
  10
  20
  40
  50
  80
  30 pounder
  20
  Port
  6
  12/ 240
  10
  20
  30
  40
  70
  25 pounder
  14
  Starboard
  5
  10/ 140
  10
  20
  40
  50
  80
  30 pounder
  20
  Starboard
  6
  12/ 240
  10
  20
  30
  40
  70
  20 pounder
  6
  Aft
  4
  8/ 48
  10
  30
  50
  60
  90
  Swivel
  14
  Deck
  1
  2/ 28
  20
  70
  120
  —
  —
  Gun Ranges Reference
  Range
  Feet
  Available Target
  Very Close
  0 – 50
  Hull (cannon) or Crew (swivel)
  Close
  50 – 200
  Hull, Sail, or Crew
  Medium
  200 – 800
  Hull or Sail
  Long
  800 – 2000
  Hull only
  Extreme
  2000 – 3000
  Hull only
  
  Chapter Three: The Pirate Ship
  76
  Name:
  Size:
  Large
  Draft:
  3 fathoms
  Crew Minimum:
  22
  Crew Capacity:
  400
  Description:
  Three masts, square rigged
  Sail Points:
  400
  Hull Points:
  1000
  Crew Points:
  Pump Requirement:
  35
  Gunports:
  60 on two decks (28 each side, 4 aft)
  Cannon Maximum:
  1,800 total poundage
  Turning Rate:
  2 points per minute
  Notes:
  Faster than a 3rd Rate and almost as well armed, so look out.  These are the ships most
  commonly used by the Dutch Republic.
  Vessel Stat Sheet
  WARSHIP, FOURTH RATE
  Warship, Fourth Rate: Typical Appearance
  Speed
  Wind
  Running
  Quartering
  Reaching
  Beating
  Hauling
  Dead
  Slight Breeze
  2.0 / 0.8
  2.5 / 1.0
  2.0 / 0.8
  1.3 / 0.5
  0.2 / 0.2
  0.2 / 0.2
  Light Breeze
  4.0 / 1.6
  5.0 / 2.0
  3.8 / 1.5
  2.5 / 1.0
  0.4 / 0.4
  0.4 / 0.4
  Gentle Wind
  5.0 / 2.0
  6.5 / 2.6
  5.0 / 2.0
  3.3 / 1.3
  0.5 / 0.5
  0.5 / 0.5
  Moderate Wind
  6.3 / 2.5
  8.0 / 3.2
  6.0 / 2.4
  4.0 / 1.6
  0.6 / 0.6
  0.6 / 0.6
  Strong Wind
  8.8 / 3.5
  11.0 / 4.4
  8.3 / 3.3
  5.5 / 2.2
  0.9 / 0.9
  0.9 / 0.9
  Gale
  4.5 / 1.8
  5.5 / 2.2
  4.3 / 1.7
  3.3 / 1.3
  0.4 / 0.4
  0.4 / 0.4
  The numbers before the slashes are speed under full sail, and the numbers after them are speed under fighting sail.
  Speed is in knots. Multiply by one hundred for approximate feet per minute.
  Guns
  Cannon
  Number
  Cannon
  Damage
  Crew
  Difficulty Factor By Range
  Type
  of Cannon Placement
  (each)
  (each/total)
  Point Blank Close Medium
  Long
  Extreme
  20 pounder
  16
  Port
  4
  8/ 128
  10
  30
  50
  60
  90
  25 pounder
  12
  Port
  5
  10/ 120
  10
  20
  40
  50
  80
  20 pounder
  16
  Starboard
  4
  8/ 128
  10
  30
  50
  60
  90
  25 pounder
  12
  Starboard
  5
  10/ 120
  10
  20
  40
  50
  80
  10 pounder
  4
  Aft
  3
  6/ 24
  10
  40
  60
  80
  100
  Swivel
  10
  Deck
  1
  2/ 20
  20
  70
  120
  —
  —
  Gun Ranges Reference
  Range
  Feet
  Available Target
  Very Close
  0 – 50
  Hull (cannon) or Crew (swivel)
  Close
  50 – 200
  Hull, Sail, or Crew
  Medium
  200 – 800
  Hull or Sail
  Long
  800 – 2000
  Hull only
  Extreme
  2000 – 3000
  Hull only
  
  Chapter Three: The Pirate Ship
  77
  Name:
  Size:
  Medium
  Draft:
  2 fathoms
  Crew Minimum:
  15
  Crew Capacity:
  300
  Description:
  Two masts, fore and main, square rigged
  Sail Points:
  300
  Hull Points:
  700
  Crew Points:
  Pump Requirement:
  30
  Gunports:
  18 on one deck (8 each side, 2 aft)
  Cannon Maximum:
  540 total poundage
  Turning Rate:
  2 points per minute
  Notes:
  A coastal trading vessel, a stout workhorse, but not a great combat ship.  Used by all
  the major European countries, they are commonly found in Atlantic waters.
  Vessel Stat Sheet
  BRIG
  Brig: Typical Appearance
  Speed
  Wind
  Running
  Quartering
  Reaching
  Beating
  Hauling
  Dead
  Slight Breeze
  1.8 / 0.7
  2.3 / 0.9
  1.8 / 0.7
  1.3 / 0.5
  -0.4 / -0.4
  -0.4 / -0.4
  Light Breeze
  2.5 / 1.0
  3.0 / 1.2
  2.3 / 0.9
  1.5 / 0.6
  -0.5 / -0.5
  -0.5 / -0.5
  Gentle Wind
  4.0 / 1.6
  5.0 / 2.0
  3.8 / 1.5
  2.5 / 1.0
  -0.4 / -0.4
  -0.4 / -0.4
  Moderate Wind
  5.5 / 2.2
  8.0 / 3.2
  6.0 / 2.4
  3.5 / 1.4
  -1.0 / -1.0
  -1.0 / -1.0
  Strong Wind
  10.0 / 4.0
  10.5 / 4.2
  8.0 / 3.2
  5.0 / 2.0
  -1.2 / -1.2
  -1.2 / -1.2
  Gale
  1.5 / 0.6
  2.0 / 0.8
  1.5 / 0.6
  1.0 / 0.4
  -0.5 / -0.5
  -0.5 / -0.5
  The numbers before the slashes are speed under full sail, and the numbers after them are speed under fighting sail.
  Speed is in knots. Multiply by one hundred for approximate feet per minute.
  Guns
  Cannon
  Number
  Cannon
  Damage
  Crew
  Difficulty Factor By Range
  Type
  of Cannon Placement
  (each)
  (each/total)
  Point Blank Close Medium
  Long
  Extreme
  20 pounder
  8
  Port
  4
  8/ 64
  10
  30
  50
  60
  90
  20 pounder
  8
  Starboard
  4
  8/ 64
  10
  30
  50
  60
  90
  20 pounder
  2
  Aft
  4
  8/ 16
  10
  30
  50
  60
  90
  Swivel
  8
  Deck
  1
  2/ 16
  20
  70
  120
  —
  —
  Gun Ranges Reference
  Range
  Feet
  Available Target
  Very Close
  0 – 50
  Hull (cannon) or Crew (swivel)
  Close
  50 – 200
  Hull, Sail, or Crew
  Medium
  200 – 800
  Hull or Sail
  Long
  800 – 2000
  Hull only
  Extreme
  2000 – 3000
  Hull only
  
  Chapter Three: The Pirate Ship
  78
  Name:
  Size:
  Medium
  Draft:
  2 fathoms
  Crew Minimum:
  12
  Crew Capacity:
  300
  Description:
  Two masts, fore square rig, main fore & aft
  Sail Points:
  300
  Hull Points:
  700
  Crew Points:
  Pump Requirement:
  30
  Gunports:
  24 on one deck (10 each side, 4 aft)
  Cannon Maximum:
  700 total poundage
  Turning Rate:
  3 points per minute
  Notes:
  “Brigantine” was originally the name given to any vessel used by brigands.  It is a ver-
  satile combat craft often used by pirates or privateers.
  Vessel Stat Sheet
  BRIGANTINE
  Brigantine: Typical Appearance
  Speed
  Wind
  Running
  Quartering
  Reaching
  Beating
  Hauling
  Dead
  Slight Breeze
  3.2 / 1.3
  4.2 / 1.6
  3.5 / 1.4
  2.3 / 0.9
  1.5 / 0.6
  -0.4 / -0.4
  Light Breeze
  4.3 / 1.6
  5.6 / 2.2
  4.5 / 1.8
  3.0 / 1.2
  2.0 / 0.8
  -0.5 / -0.5
  Gentle Wind
  6.2 / 3.0
  9.5 / 3.8
  7.4 / 3.0
  5.0 / 2.0
  3.0 / 1.2
  -0.8 / -0.8
  Moderate Wind
  8.0 / 3.6
  12.3 / 5.0
  9.5 / 3.8
  5.6 / 2.2
  3.3 / 1.3
  -1.1 / -1.1
  Strong Wind
  9.5 / 3.8
  11.5 / 4.6
  8.9 / 3.5
  6.8 / 2.7
  3.8 / 1.5
  -1.0 / -1.0
  Gale
  4.3 / 1.5
  5.3 / 2.0
  4.0 / 1.6
  2.8 / 1.1
  2.0 / 0.8
  -0.5 / -0.4
  The numbers before the slashes are speed under full sail, and the numbers after them are speed under fighting sail.
  Speed is in knots. Multiply by one hundred for approximate feet per minute.
  Guns
  Cannon
  Number
  Cannon
  Damage
  Crew
  Difficulty Factor By Range
  Type
  of Cannon Placement
  (each)
  (each/total)
  Point Blank Close Medium
  Long
  Extreme
  25 pounder
  10
  Port
  5
  10/ 100
  10
  20
  40
  50
  80
  25 pounder
  10
  Starboard
  5
  10/ 100
  10
  20
  40
  50
  80
  20 pounder
  4
  Aft
  4
  8/ 32
  10
  30
  50
  60
  90
  Swivel
  8
  Deck
  1
  2/ 16
  20
  70
  120
  —
  —
  Gun Ranges Reference
  Range
  Feet
  Available Target
  Very Close
  0 – 50
  Hull (cannon) or Crew (swivel)
  Close
  50 – 200
  Hull, Sail, or Crew
  Medium
  200 – 800
  Hull or Sail
  Long
  800 – 2000
  Hull only
  Extreme
  2000 – 3000
  Hull only
  
  Chapter Three: The Pirate Ship
  79
  Name:
  Size:
  Medium
  Draft:
  2.5 fathoms
  Crew Minimum:
  20
  Crew Capacity:
  300
  Description:
  Three masts, square rigged
  Sail Points:
  350
  Hull Points:
  700
  Crew Points:
  Pump Requirement:
  30
  Gunports:
  32 on one deck (14 each side, 4 aft)
  Cannon Maximum:
  960 total poundage
  Turning Rate:
  2 points per minute
  Notes:
  A Corvette is a 6th Rate warship, ranked below a frigate, used for scouting, escort duty,
  engaging privateers, and pirate-hunting.
  Vessel Stat Sheet
  CORVETTE
  Corvette: Typical Appearance
  Speed
  Wind
  Running
  Quartering
  Reaching
  Beating
  Hauling
  Dead
  Slight Breeze
  4.0 / 1.6
  5.0 / 2.0
  3.8 / 1.5
  2.5 / 1.0
  -0.4 / -0.4
  -0.4 / -0.4
  Light Breeze
  4.8 / 1.9
  6.0 / 2.4
  4.5 / 1.8
  3.0 / 1.1
  -0.5 / -0.5
  -0.5 / -0.5
  Gentle Wind
  6.8 / 2.7
  8.5 / 3.4
  6.5 / 2.6
  4.3 / 1.7
  -0.7 / -0.7
  -0.7 / -0.7
  Moderate Wind
  8.5 / 3.4
  10.8 / 4.3
  8.0 / 3.2
  5.5 / 2.2
  -0.9 / -0.9
  -0.9 / -0.9
  Strong Wind
  10.0 / 4.0
  12.5 / 5.0
  9.0 / 3.6
  6.5 / 2.6
  -1.1 / -1.1
  -1.1 / -1.1
  Gale
  4.8 / 1.9
  6.0 / 2.4
  4.5 / 1.8
  3.0 / 1.2
  -0.5 / -0.5
  -0.5 / -0.5
  The numbers before the slashes are speed under full sail, and the numbers after them are speed under fighting sail.
  Speed is in knots. Multiply by one hundred for approximate feet per minute.
  Guns
  Cannon
  Number
  Cannon
  Damage
  Crew
  Difficulty Factor By Range
  Type
  of Cannon Placement
  (each)
  (each/total)
  Point Blank Close Medium
  Long
  Extreme
  25 pounder
  14
  Port
  5
  10/ 140
  10
  20
  40
  50
  80
  25 pounder
  14
  Starboard
  5
  10/ 140
  10
  20
  40
  50
  80
  20 pounder
  4
  Aft
  4
  8/ 32
  10
  30
  50
  60
  90
  Swivel
  8
  Deck
  1
  2/ 16
  20
  70
  120
  —
  —
  Gun Ranges Reference
  Range
  Feet
  Available Target
  Very Close
  0 – 50
  Hull (cannon) or Crew (swivel)
  Close
  50 – 200
  Hull, Sail, or Crew
  Medium
  200 – 800
  Hull or Sail
  Long
  800 – 2000
  Hull only
  Extreme
  2000 – 3000
  Hull only
  
  Chapter Three: The Pirate Ship
  80
  Name:
  Size:
  Medium
  Draft:
  2 fathoms
  Crew Minimum:
  10
  Crew Capacity:
  300
  Description:
  Two masts, main and mizzen, lateen rigged
  Sail Points:
  200
  Hull Points:
  700
  Crew Points:
  Pump Requirement:
  30
  Gunports:
  12 on one deck (6 each side)
  Cannon Maximum:
  360 total poundage
  Turning Rate:
  4 points per minute
  Notes:
  Furries of the Middle East call their trade vessels by a variety of names, but Europeans
  call them all Dhows.
  Vessel Stat Sheet
  DHOW
  Dhow: Typical Appearance
  Speed
  Wind
  Running
  Quartering
  Reaching
  Beating
  Hauling
  Dead
  Slight Breeze
  4.3 / 1.7
  5.3 / 2.1
  4.0 / 1.6
  2.8 / 1.1
  2.0 / 0.8
  -0.4 / -0.4
  Light Breeze
  5.8 / 2.3
  7.3 / 2.9
  5.5 / 2.2
  4.0 / 1.6
  2.8 / 1.1
  -0.5 / -0.5
  Gentle Wind
  6.8 / 2.7
  8.5 / 3.4
  6.5 / 2.6
  4.3 / 1.7
  3.3 / 1.3
  -0.7 / -0.7
  Moderate Wind
  7.8 / 3.1
  10.3 / 4.1
  7.5 / 3.0
  5.0 / 2.0
  3.5 / 1.4
  -0.8 / -0.8
  Strong Wind
  9.3 / 3.7
  11.8 / 4.7
  9.0 / 3.6
  7.0 / 2.8
  4.3 / 1.7
  -1.0 / -1.0
  Gale
  3.5 / 1.4
  4.5 / 1.8
  3.5 / 1.4
  2.3 / 0.9
  1.8 / 0.7
  -0.4 / -0.4
  The numbers before the slashes are speed under full sail, and the numbers after them are speed under fighting sail.
  Speed is in knots. Multiply by one hundred for approximate feet per minute.
  Guns
  Cannon
  Number
  Cannon
  Damage
  Crew
  Difficulty Factor By Range
  Type
  of Cannon Placement
  (each)
  (each/total)
  Point Blank Close Medium
  Long
  Extreme
  25 pounder
  6
  Port
  5
  10/ 60
  10
  20
  40
  50
  80
  25 pounder
  6
  Starboard
  5
  10/ 60
  10
  20
  40
  50
  80
  Swivel
  4
  Deck
  1
  2/ 8
  20
  70
  120
  —
  —
  Gun Ranges Reference
  Range
  Feet
  Available Target
  Very Close
  0 – 50
  Hull (cannon) or Crew (swivel)
  Close
  50 – 200
  Hull, Sail, or Crew
  Medium
  200 – 800
  Hull or Sail
  Long
  800 – 2000
  Hull only
  Extreme
  2000 – 3000
  Hull only
  
  Chapter Three: The Pirate Ship
  81
  Name:
  Size:
  Medium
  Draft:
  1.5 fathoms
  Crew Minimum:
  15
  Crew Capacity:
  250
  Description:
  Three masts, simplified square rig
  Sail Points:
  300
  Hull Points:
  500
  Crew Points:
  Pump Requirement:
  30
  Gunports:
  14 on one deck (6 each side, 2 aft)
  Cannon Maximum:
  420 total poundage
  Turning Rate:
  2 points per minute
  Notes:
  A flat-bottomed Dutch merchant vessel renowned for its cargo capacity, cheap to make
  and easy to crew.
  Vessel Stat Sheet
  FLUTE
  Flute: Typical Appearance
  Speed
  Wind
  Running
  Quartering
  Reaching
  Beating
  Hauling
  Dead
  Slight Breeze
  2.9 / 1.2
  3.7 / 1.5
  1.8 / 0.7
  1.3 / 0.5
  -0.4 / -0.4
  -0.4 / -0.4
  Light Breeze
  3.7 / 1.5
  4.5 / 1.8
  2.9 / 1.1
  2.0 / 0.8
  -0.5 / -0.5
  -0.5 / -0.5
  Gentle Wind
  5.1 / 2.0
  7.2 / 2.9
  5.0 / 2.0
  2.5 / 1.0
  -0.8 / -0.8
  -0.8 / -0.8
  Moderate Wind
  6.6 / 2.6
  9.0 / 3.6
  5.3 / 2.1
  3.5 / 1.4
  -1.2 / -1.2
  -1.2 / -1.2
  Strong Wind
  9.0 / 3.6
  10.0 / 4.0
  7.5 / 3.0
  4.8 / 1.9
  -1.5 / -1.5
  -1.5 / -1.5
  Gale
  1.5 / 0.6
  2.0 / 0.8
  1.5 / 0.6
  1.0 / 0.4
  -0.2 / -0.2
  -0.2 / -0.2
  The numbers before the slashes are speed under full sail, and the numbers after them are speed under fighting sail.
  Speed is in knots. Multiply by one hundred for approximate feet per minute.
  Guns
  Cannon
  Number
  Cannon
  Damage
  Crew
  Difficulty Factor By Range
  Type
  of Cannon Placement
  (each)
  (each/total)
  Point Blank Close Medium
  Long
  Extreme
  20 pounder
  6
  Port
  4
  8/ 48
  10
  30
  50
  60
  90
  20 pounder
  6
  Starboard
  4
  8/ 48
  10
  30
  50
  60
  90
  10 pounder
  2
  Aft
  3
  6/ 12
  10
  40
  60
  80
  100
  Swivel
  4
  Deck
  1
  2/ 8
  20
  70
  120
  —
  —
  Gun Ranges Reference
  Range
  Feet
  Available Target
  Very Close
  0 – 50
  Hull (cannon) or Crew (swivel)
  Close
  50 – 200
  Hull, Sail, or Crew
  Medium
  200 – 800
  Hull or Sail
  Long
  800 – 2000
  Hull only
  Extreme
  2000 – 3000
  Hull only
  
  Chapter Three: The Pirate Ship
  82
  Name:
  Size:
  Medium
  Draft:
  3 fathoms
  Crew Minimum:
  20
  Crew Capacity:
  300
  Description:
  Three masts, square rigged
  Sail Points:
  350
  Hull Points:
  800
  Crew Points:
  Pump Requirement:
  30
  Gunports:
  38 on one deck (16 each side, 6 aft)
  Cannon Maximum:
  1,100 total poundage
  Turning Rate:
  2 points per minute
  Notes:
  A Frigate is a 5th rate warship, ranked just below a ship-of-the-line, used for scouting,
  escort duty, engaging privateers, and pirate-hunting.
  Vessel Stat Sheet
  FRIGATE
  Frigate: Typical Appearance
  Speed
  Wind
  Running
  Quartering
  Reaching
  Beating
  Hauling
  Dead
  Slight Breeze
  3.8 / 1.5
  4.8 / 1.9
  3.4 / 1.5
  2.5 / 1.0
  -0.4 / -0.4
  -0.4 / -0.4
  Light Breeze
  4.6 / 1.9
  5.8 / 2.3
  4.4 / 1.8
  2.8 / 1.1
  -0.5 / -0.5
  -0.5 / -0.5
  Gentle Wind
  6.8 / 2.7
  8.5 / 3.4
  6.5 / 2.6
  4.3 / 1.7
  -0.8 / -0.7
  -0.8 / -0.7
  Moderate Wind
  8.5 / 3.4
  10.8 / 4.3
  8.0 / 3.2
  5.5 / 2.2
  -0.9 / -0.9
  -0.9 / -0.9
  Strong Wind
  10.2 / 4.1
  12.6 / 5.0
  9.1 / 3.6
  6.5 / 2.6
  -1.1 / -1.1
  -1.1 / -1.1
  Gale
  4.8 / 1.9
  6.0 / 2.4
  4.5 / 1.8
  3.0 / 1.2
  -0.5 / -0.5
  -0.5 / -0.5
  The numbers before the slashes are speed under full sail, and the numbers after them are speed under fighting sail.
  Speed is in knots. Multiply by one hundred for approximate feet per minute.
  Guns
  Cannon
  Number
  Cannon
  Damage
  Crew
  Difficulty Factor By Range
  Type
  of Cannon Placement
  (each)
  (each/total)
  Point Blank Close Medium
  Long
  Extreme
  25 pounder
  16
  Port
  5
  10/ 160
  10
  20
  40
  50
  80
  25 pounder
  16
  Starboard
  5
  10/ 160
  10
  20
  40
  50
  80
  20 pounder
  6
  Aft
  4
  8/ 48
  10
  30
  50
  60
  90
  Swivel
  8
  Deck
  1
  2/ 16
  20
  70
  120
  —
  —
  Gun Ranges Reference
  Range
  Feet
  Available Target
  Very Close
  0 – 50
  Hull (cannon) or Crew (swivel)
  Close
  50 – 200
  Hull, Sail, or Crew
  Medium
  200 – 800
  Hull or Sail
  Long
  800 – 2000
  Hull only
  Extreme
  2000 – 3000
  Hull only
  
  Chapter Three: The Pirate Ship
  83
  Name:
  Size:
  Medium
  Draft:
  1.5 fathoms
  Crew Minimum:
  15 (90 with oars)
  Crew Capacity:
  300
  Description:
  Two masts, fore & main, lateen rig, plus oars
  Sail Points:
  300
  Hull Points:
  700
  Crew Points:
  Pump Requirement:
  30
  Gunports:
  14 on one deck (6 each side, 2 aft)
  Cannon Maximum:
  420 total poundage
  Turning Rate:
  4 points per minute
  Notes:
  A good blockade-runner; easy to maneuver in tight places and will move whether there’s
  a wind or not.  Assume a speed of 2 knots if there is no wind.
  Vessel Stat Sheet
  GALLEY
  Galley: Typical Appearance
  Speed
  Wind
  Running
  Quartering
  Reaching
  Beating
  Hauling
  Dead
  Slight Breeze
  2.0 / 2.0
  2.3 / 2.0
  2.0 / 2.0
  2.0 / 2.0
  2.0 / 2.0
  2.0 / 2.0
  Light Breeze
  2.5 / 2.0
  3.0 / 2.0
  2.3 / 2.0
  2.0 / 2.0
  2.0 / 2.0
  2.0 / 2.0
  Gentle Wind
  4.0 / 2.0
  5.0 / 2.0
  3.8 / 2.0
  2.5 / 2.0
  2.0 / 2.0
  1.8 / 1.8
  Moderate Wind
  5.5 / 2.2
  7.5 / 3.0
  5.8 / 2.3
  3.5 / 2.0
  2.5 / 2.0
  1.7 / 1.7
  Strong Wind
  8.0 / 3.2
  10.5 / 4.2
  8.0 / 3.2
  5.0 / 2.0
  2.8 / 2.0
  1.0 / 1.0
  Gale
  3.0 / 2.2
  2.3 / 2.0
  2.0 / 2.0
  2.0 / 2.0
  2.0 / 2.0
  0.5 / 0.5
  The numbers before the slashes are speed under full sail, and the numbers after them are speed under fighting sail.
  Speed is in knots. Multiply by one hundred for approximate feet per minute.
  Guns
  Cannon
  Number
  Cannon
  Damage
  Crew
  Difficulty Factor By Range
  Type
  of Cannon Placement
  (each)
  (each/total)
  Point Blank Close Medium
  Long
  Extreme
  25 pounder
  6
  Port
  5
  10/ 60
  10
  20
  40
  50
  80
  25 pounder
  6
  Starboard
  5
  10/ 60
  10
  20
  40
  50
  80
  25 pounder
  2
  Aft
  5
  10/ 20
  10
  20
  40
  50
  80
  Swivel
  8
  Deck
  1
  2/ 16
  20
  70
  120
  —
  —
  Gun Ranges Reference
  Range
  Feet
  Available Target
  Very Close
  0 – 50
  Hull (cannon) or Crew (swivel)
  Close
  50 – 200
  Hull, Sail, or Crew
  Medium
  200 – 800
  Hull or Sail
  Long
  800 – 2000
  Hull only
  Extreme
  2000 – 3000
  Hull only
  
  Chapter Three: The Pirate Ship
  84
  Name:
  Size:
  Medium
  Draft:
  2 fathoms
  Crew Minimum:
  15
  Crew Capacity:
  300
  Description:
  Three masts, junk-rigged
  Sail Points:
  300
  Hull Points:
  600
  Crew Points:
  Pump Requirement:
  30
  Gunports:
  10 on one deck (4 each side, 2 aft)
  Cannon Maximum:
  300 total poundage
  Turning Rate:
  4 points per minute
  Notes:
  Chinese vessel.  Sails are horizontal battens.  Eyes are painted on the bow so the junk
  can see where it’s going.
  Vessel Stat Sheet
  JUNK
  Junk: Typical Appearance
  Speed
  Wind
  Running
  Quartering
  Reaching
  Beating
  Hauling
  Dead
  Slight Breeze
  4.2 / 1.7
  5.3 / 2.1
  4.0 / 1.6
  2.8 / 1.1
  2.0 / 0.8
  -0.4 / -0.4
  Light Breeze
  5.8 / 2.3
  7.3 / 2.9
  5.4 / 2.2
  3.8 / 1.5
  2.8 / 1.1
  -0.5 / -0.5
  Gentle Wind
  6.8 / 2.7
  8.5 / 3.4
  6.5 / 2.6
  4.3 / 1.7
  3.3 / 1.3
  -0.7 / -0.7
  Moderate Wind
  7.8 / 3.1
  10.0 / 4.0
  7.5 / 3.0
  5.0 / 2.0
  3.5 / 1.4
  -0.8 / -0.8
  Strong Wind
  9.3 / 3.7
  11.8 / 4.7
  9.0 / 3.6
  7.0 / 2.8
  4.3 / 1.7
  -1.0 / -1.0
  Gale
  3.5 / 1.4
  4.5 / 1.8
  3.5 / 1.4
  2.3 / 0.9
  1.8 / 0.7
  -0.4 / -0.4
  The numbers before the slashes are speed under full sail, and the numbers after them are speed under fighting sail.
  Speed is in knots. Multiply by one hundred for approximate feet per minute.
  Guns
  Cannon
  Number
  Cannon
  Damage
  Crew
  Difficulty Factor By Range
  Type
  of Cannon Placement
  (each)
  (each/total)
  Point Blank Close Medium
  Long
  Extreme
  25 pounder
  4
  Port
  5
  10/ 40
  10
  20
  40
  50
  80
  25 pounder
  4
  Starboard
  5
  10/ 40
  10
  20
  40
  50
  80
  25 pounder
  2
  Aft
  5
  10/ 20
  10
  20
  40
  50
  80
  Gun Ranges Reference
  Range
  Feet
  Available Target
  Very Close
  0 – 50
  Hull (cannon) or Crew (swivel)
  Close
  50 – 200
  Hull, Sail, or Crew
  Medium
  200 – 800
  Hull or Sail
  Long
  800 – 2000
  Hull only
  Extreme
  2000 – 3000
  Hull only
  
  Chapter Three: The Pirate Ship
  85
  Name:
  Size:
  Medium
  Draft:
  2 fathoms
  Crew Minimum:
  15 (90 with oars)
  Crew Capacity:
  300
  Description:
  Two masts, main & mizzen, lateen-rig, oars
  Sail Points:
  200
  Hull Points:
  600
  Crew Points:
  Pump Requirement:
  30
  Gunports:
  14 on one deck (7 each side)
  Cannon Maximum:
  420 total poundage
  Turning Rate:
  4 points per minute
  Notes:
  The Flying Prao is used by Malaysian Pirates.  The sails are made of rattan on bamboo
  masts.
  Vessel Stat Sheet
  PRAO
  Prao: Typical Appearance
  Speed
  Wind
  Running
  Quartering
  Reaching
  Beating
  Hauling
  Dead
  Slight Breeze
  4.4 / 2.0
  5.5 / 2.2
  4.2 / 2.0
  3.0 / 2.0
  2.5 / 2.0
  2.0 / 2.0
  Light Breeze
  6.0 / 2.4
  7.3 / 2.9
  5.5 / 2.2
  4.0 / 2.0
  3.0 / 2.0
  2.0 / 2.0
  Gentle Wind
  6.8 / 2.7
  8.5 / 3.4
  6.5 / 2.6
  4.3 / 2.0
  3.3 / 2.0
  1.8 / 1.8
  Moderate Wind
  7.8 / 3.1
  10.0 / 4.0
  7.5 / 3.0
  5.2 / 2.1
  3.4 / 2.0
  1.7 / 1.7
  Strong Wind
  9.3 / 3.7
  11.8 / 4.7
  9.0 / 3.6
  7.0 / 2.8
  4.5 / 2.0
  1.5 / 1.5
  Gale
  3.5 / 2.0
  4.5 / 2.0
  3.5 / 2.0
  2.3 / 2.0
  2.0 / 2.0
  0.5 / 0.5
  The numbers before the slashes are speed under full sail, and the numbers after them are speed under fighting sail.
  Speed is in knots. Multiply by one hundred for approximate feet per minute.
  Guns
  Cannon
  Number
  Cannon
  Damage
  Crew
  Difficulty Factor By Range
  Type
  of Cannon Placement
  (each)
  (each/total)
  Point Blank Close Medium
  Long
  Extreme
  25 pounder
  5
  Port
  5
  10/ 40
  10
  20
  40
  50
  80
  30 pounder
  2
  Port
  6
  12/ 24
  10
  20
  30
  40
  70
  25 pounder
  5
  Starboard
  5
  10/ 40
  10
  20
  40
  50
  80
  30 pounder
  2
  Starboard
  6
  12/ 24
  10
  20
  30
  40
  70
  Swivel
  4
  Deck
  1
  2/ 8
  20
  70
  120
  —
  —
  Gun Ranges Reference
  Range
  Feet
  Available Target
  Very Close
  0 – 50
  Hull (cannon) or Crew (swivel)
  Close
  50 – 200
  Hull, Sail, or Crew
  Medium
  200 – 800
  Hull or Sail
  Long
  800 – 2000
  Hull only
  Extreme
  2000 – 3000
  Hull only
  
  Chapter Three: The Pirate Ship
  86
  Name:
  Size:
  Medium
  Draft:
  1.5 fathoms
  Crew Minimum:
  10
  Crew Capacity:
  300
  Description:
  Two masts, fore & main, fore/aft rigged
  Sail Points:
  200
  Hull Points:
  500
  Crew Points:
  Pump Requirement:
  30
  Gunports:
  24 on one deck (10 each side, 4 aft)
  Cannon Maximum:
  720 total poundage
  Turning Rate:
  4 points per minute
  Notes:
  Valued for speed, weatherliness, and shallow draft. A good smuggler or blockade-run-
  ner.  The foresail can include a square-rigged topsail.
  Vessel Stat Sheet
  SCHOONER
  Schooner: Typical Appearance
  Speed
  Wind
  Running
  Quartering
  Reaching
  Beating
  Hauling
  Dead
  Slight Breeze
  4.5 / 1.8
  5.4 / 2.2
  4.0 / 1.6
  2.9 / 1.2
  2.0 / 0.8
  -0.4 / -0.4
  Light Breeze
  5.8 / 2.3
  7.3 / 2.9
  5.6 / 2.2
  4.0 / 1.6
  2.8 / 1.1
  -0.5 / -0.5
  Gentle Wind
  6.8 / 2.7
  8.5 / 3.4
  6.5 / 2.6
  4.3 / 1.7
  3.3 / 1.3
  -0.7 / -0.7
  Moderate Wind
  7.8 / 3.1
  10.0 / 4.0
  7.5 / 3.0
  5.0 / 2.0
  3.5 / 1.4
  -0.8 / -0.8
  Strong Wind
  9.3 / 3.7
  11.8 / 4.7
  9.0 / 3.6
  7.0 / 2.8
  4.3 / 1.7
  -1.0 / -1.0
  Gale
  3.5 / 1.4
  4.5 / 1.8
  3.5 / 1.4
  2.3 / 0.9
  1.8 / 0.7
  -0.6 / -0.6
  The numbers before the slashes are speed under full sail, and the numbers after them are speed under fighting sail.
  Speed is in knots. Multiply by one hundred for approximate feet per minute.
  Guns
  Cannon
  Number
  Cannon
  Damage
  Crew
  Difficulty Factor By Range
  Type
  of Cannon Placement
  (each)
  (each/total)
  Point Blank Close Medium
  Long
  Extreme
  25 pounder
  10
  Port
  5
  10/ 100
  10
  20
  40
  50
  80
  25 pounder
  10
  Starboard
  5
  10/ 100
  10
  20
  40
  50
  80
  20 pounder
  4
  Aft
  4
  8/ 32
  10
  30
  50
  60
  90
  Swivel
  4
  Deck
  1
  2/ 8
  20
  70
  120
  —
  —
  Gun Ranges Reference
  Range
  Feet
  Available Target
  Very Close
  0 – 50
  Hull (cannon) or Crew (swivel)
  Close
  50 – 200
  Hull, Sail, or Crew
  Medium
  200 – 800
  Hull or Sail
  Long
  800 – 2000
  Hull only
  Extreme
  2000 – 3000
  Hull only
  
  Chapter Three: The Pirate Ship
  87
  Name:
  Size:
  Medium
  Draft:
  2 fathoms
  Crew Minimum:
  10
  Crew Capacity:
  300
  Description:
  One mast, fore & aft, long bowsprit
  Sail Points:
  200
  Hull Points:
  600
  Crew Points:
  Pump Requirement:
  30
  Gunports:
  18 on one deck (8 each side, 2 aft)
  Cannon Maximum:
  540 total poundage
  Turning Rate:
  4 points per minute
  Notes:
  Colonial smugglers use sloops to trade grain and lumber in the Caribbean for sugar
  and rum needed in the North American Colonies.  Though fast, they are treacherous
  and liable to capsize in a gale.
  Vessel Stat Sheet
  SLOOP
  Sloop: Typical Appearance
  Speed
  Wind
  Running
  Quartering
  Reaching
  Beating
  Hauling
  Dead
  Slight Breeze
  4.3 / 1.7
  5.3 / 2.1
  4.0 / 1.6
  2.8 / 1.1
  2.3 / 0.9
  -0.4 / -0.4
  Light Breeze
  5.8 / 2.3
  7.3 / 2.9
  5.5 / 2.2
  3.8 / 1.5
  2.8 / 1.1
  -0.5 / -0.5
  Gentle Wind
  6.8 / 2.7
  8.5 / 3.4
  6.5 / 2.6
  4.3 / 1.7
  3.3 / 1.3
  -0.7 / -0.7
  Moderate Wind
  7.8 / 3.1
  10.0 / 4.0
  7.5 / 3.0
  5.0 / 2.0
  3.6 / 1.4
  -0.8 / -0.8
  Strong Wind
  9.3 / 3.7
  11.8 / 4.7
  9.0 / 3.6
  7.0 / 2.8
  4.3 / 1.7
  -1.0 / -1.0
  Gale
  3.5 / 1.4
  4.5 / 1.8
  3.5 / 1.4
  2.3 / 0.9
  1.8 / 0.7
  -0.4 / -0.4
  The numbers before the slashes are speed under full sail, and the numbers after them are speed under fighting sail.
  Speed is in knots. Multiply by one hundred for approximate feet per minute.
  Guns
  Cannon
  Number
  Cannon
  Damage
  Crew
  Difficulty Factor By Range
  Type
  of Cannon Placement
  (each)
  (each/total)
  Point Blank Close Medium
  Long
  Extreme
  20 pounder
  8
  Port
  4
  8/ 64
  10
  30
  50
  60
  90
  20 pounder
  8
  Starboard
  4
  8/ 64
  10
  30
  50
  60
  90
  20 pounder
  2
  Aft
  4
  8/ 16
  10
  30
  50
  60
  90
  Swivel
  6
  Deck
  1
  2/ 12
  20
  70
  120
  —
  —
  Gun Ranges Reference
  Range
  Feet
  Available Target
  Very Close
  0 – 50
  Hull (cannon) or Crew (swivel)
  Close
  50 – 200
  Hull, Sail, or Crew
  Medium
  200 – 800
  Hull or Sail
  Long
  800 – 2000
  Hull only
  Extreme
  2000 – 3000
  Hull only
  
  Chapter Three: The Pirate Ship
  88
  Name:
  Size:
  Medium
  Draft:
  2 fathoms
  Crew Minimum:
  10
  Crew Capacity:
  300
  Description:
  Two masts, square-rig fore, lateen-rig main
  Sail Points:
  300
  Hull Points:
  700
  Crew Points:
  Pump Requirement:
  30
  Gunports:
  20 on one deck (10 each side)
  Cannon Maximum:
  600 total poundage
  Turning Rate:
  3 points per minute
  Notes:
  A classic pirate vessel, used by Algerian corsairs throughout the Mediterranean.
  Vessel Stat Sheet
  XEBEC
  Xebec: Typical Appearance
  Speed
  Wind
  Running
  Quartering
  Reaching
  Beating
  Hauling
  Dead
  Slight Breeze
  3.5 / 1.4
  4.5 / 1.8
  3.5 / 1.4
  2.3 / 0.9
  1.5 / 0.6
  -0.4 / -0.4
  Light Breeze
  4.8 / 1.9
  6.0 / 2.4
  4.5 / 1.8
  3.0 / 1.2
  2.0 / 0.8
  -0.5 / -0.5
  Gentle Wind
  6.8 / 3.1
  10.0 / 4.0
  7.5 / 3.0
  5.0 / 2.0
  3.0 / 1.2
  -0.8 / -0.8
  Moderate Wind
  8.1 / 3.2
  12.2 / 4.9
  9.5 / 3.8
  5.6 / 2.2
  3.3 / 1.3
  -1.1 / -1.1
  Strong Wind
  9.5 / 3.8
  11.5 / 4.6
  9.0 / 3.6
  6.8 / 2.7
  3.8 / 1.5
  -1.0 / -1.0
  Gale
  4.3 / 1.7
  5.3 / 2.1
  4.0 / 1.6
  2.8 / 1.1
  2.0 / 0.8
  -0.4 / -0.4
  The numbers before the slashes are speed under full sail, and the numbers after them are speed under fighting sail.
  Speed is in knots. Multiply by one hundred for approximate feet per minute.
  Guns
  Cannon
  Number
  Cannon
  Damage
  Crew
  Difficulty Factor By Range
  Type
  of Cannon Placement
  (each)
  (each/total)
  Point Blank Close Medium
  Long
  Extreme
  20 pounder
  10
  Port
  4
  8/ 80
  10
  30
  50
  60
  90
  20 pounder
  10
  Starboard
  4
  8/ 80
  10
  30
  50
  60
  90
  Swivel
  8
  Deck
  1
  2/ 16
  20
  70
  120
  —
  —
  Gun Ranges Reference
  Range
  Feet
  Available Target
  Very Close
  0 – 50
  Hull (cannon) or Crew (swivel)
  Close
  50 – 200
  Hull, Sail, or Crew
  Medium
  200 – 800
  Hull or Sail
  Long
  800 – 2000
  Hull only
  Extreme
  2000 – 3000
  Hull only
  
  Chapter Three: The Pirate Ship
  89
  Name:
  Size:
  Small
  Draft:
  2 fathoms
  Crew Minimum:
  6
  Crew Capacity:
  100
  Description:
  Two masts, fore & main, lug-rigged
  Sail Points:
  200
  Hull Points:
  400
  Crew Points:
  Pump Requirement:
  20
  Gunports:
  10 on one deck (4 each side, 2 aft)
  Cannon Maximum:
  300 total poundage
  Turning Rate:
  4 points per minute
  Notes:
  A popular fishing vessel, also used for life saving and for hauling or salvage jobs.
  Requires few crew, due to ease of handling lugsails.
  Vessel Stat Sheet
  LUGGER
  Lugger: Typical Appearance
  Speed
  Wind
  Running
  Quartering
  Reaching
  Beating
  Hauling
  Dead
  Slight Breeze
  4.1 / 1.6
  5.2 / 2.0
  3.9 / 1.6
  2.6 / 1.0
  2.0 / 0.8
  -0.4 / -0.4
  Light Breeze
  5.6 / 2.2
  7.0 / 2.8
  5.3 / 2.1
  3.6 / 1.4
  2.6 / 1.0
  -0.5 / -0.5
  Gentle Wind
  6.8 / 2.7
  8.5 / 3.4
  6.5 / 2.6
  4.3 / 1.7
  3.3 / 1.3
  -0.6 / -0.6
  Moderate Wind
  7.5 / 3.0
  9.5 / 3.8
  7.3 / 2.9
  4.7 / 1.9
  3.0 / 1.2
  -0.8 / -0.8
  Strong Wind
  8.8 / 3.5
  11.0 / 4.4
  8.5 / 3.4
  6.5 / 2.6
  3.9 / 1.6
  -0.9 / -0.9
  Gale
  3.5 / 1.4
  4.5 / 1.8
  3.5 / 1.4
  2.3 / 0.9
  1.8 / 0.7
  -0.4 / -0.4
  The numbers before the slashes are speed under full sail, and the numbers after them are speed under fighting sail.
  Speed is in knots. Multiply by one hundred for approximate feet per minute.
  Guns
  Cannon
  Number
  Cannon
  Damage
  Crew
  Difficulty Factor By Range
  Type
  of Cannon Placement
  (each)
  (each/total)
  Point Blank Close Medium
  Long
  Extreme
  15 pounder
  4
  Port
  4
  8/ 32
  10
  30
  50
  60
  90
  15 pounder
  4
  Starboard
  4
  8/ 32
  10
  30
  50
  60
  90
  10 pounder
  2
  Aft
  3
  6/ 12
  10
  40
  60
  80
  100
  Swivel
  2
  Deck
  1
  2/ 4
  20
  70
  120
  —
  —
  Gun Ranges Reference
  Range
  Feet
  Available Target
  Very Close
  0 – 50
  Hull (cannon) or Crew (swivel)
  Close
  50 – 200
  Hull, Sail, or Crew
  Medium
  200 – 800
  Hull or Sail
  Long
  800 – 2000
  Hull only
  Extreme
  2000 – 3000
  Hull only
  
  Chapter Three: The Pirate Ship
  90
  Name:
  Size:
  Small
  Draft:
  1.5 fathoms
  Crew Minimum:
  5
  Crew Capacity:
  100
  Description:
  One mast, fore & aft rigged
  Sail Points:
  150
  Hull Points:
  300
  Crew Points:
  Pump Requirement:
  20
  Gunports:
  8 on one deck (4 each side)
  Cannon Maximum:
  240 total poundage
  Turning Rate:
  4 points per minute
  Notes:
  A small boat used as a coastal trader, for fishing, or as a pleasure vessel.  Doesn’t nor-
  mally carry cannon; the information below is for the rare occasions in which it does.
  Vessel Stat Sheet
  YAWL
  Yawl: Typical Appearance
  Speed
  Wind
  Running
  Quartering
  Reaching
  Beating
  Hauling
  Dead
  Slight Breeze
  4.5 / 1.8
  5.4 / 2.2
  4.2 / 1.7
  3.0 / 1.2
  2.3 / 0.9
  -0.4 / -0.4
  Light Breeze
  6.0 / 2.4
  7.9 / 3.0
  5.6 / 2.2
  4.0 / 1.6
  3.0 / 1.2
  -0.5 / -0.5
  Gentle Wind
  6.8 / 2.7
  8.5 / 3.4
  6.5 / 2.6
  4.3 / 1.7
  3.3 / 1.3
  -0.6 / -0.6
  Moderate Wind
  7.6 / 3.0
  9.7 / 3.9
  7.2 / 2.9
  4.8 / 1.9
  3.2 / 1.3
  -0.7 / -0.7
  Strong Wind
  9.0 / 3.6
  11.5 / 4.6
  8.8 / 3.5
  6.8 / 2.7
  4.0 / 1.6
  -0.8 / -0.8
  Gale
  3.5 / 1.4
  4.5 / 1.8
  3.5 / 1.4
  2.3 / 0.9
  1.8 / 0.7
  -0.4 / -0.4
  The numbers before the slashes are speed under full sail, and the numbers after them are speed under fighting sail.
  Speed is in knots. Multiply by one hundred for approximate feet per minute.
  Guns
  Cannon
  Number
  Cannon
  Damage
  Crew
  Difficulty Factor By Range
  Type
  of Cannon Placement
  (each)
  (each/total)
  Point Blank Close Medium
  Long
  Extreme
  15 pounder
  2
  Port
  4
  8/ 16
  10
  30
  50
  60
  90
  10 pounder
  2
  Port
  3
  6/ 12
  10
  40
  60
  80
  100
  15 pounder
  2
  Starboard
  4
  8/ 16
  10
  30
  50
  60
  90
  10 pounder
  2
  Starboard
  3
  6/ 12
  10
  40
  60
  80
  100
  Swivel
  2
  Deck
  1
  2/ 4
  20
  70
  120
  -
  -
  Gun Ranges Reference
  Range
  Feet
  Available Target
  Very Close
  0 – 50
  Hull (cannon) or Crew (swivel)
  Close
  50 – 200
  Hull, Sail, or Crew
  Medium
  200 – 800
  Hull or Sail
  Long
  800 – 2000
  Hull only
  Extreme
  2000 – 3000
  Hull only
  
  91
  D
  amn ye, you are a
  sneaking puppy,
  and so are all
  those who will submit to be
  governed by laws which rich
  knaves have made for their
  own security, for the cow-
  ardly whelps have not the
  courage otherwise to defend
  what they get by their
  thievery.  They vilify us, the
  scoundrels do, though there
  is only this difference, they
  rob the poor under the cover
  of law and we plunder the
  rich under the protection of
  our own courage.
   Charles Bellamy,
  Pirate Captain
  This chapter describes a pirate’s life
  and code of ethics (if any), plus parts of
  the world which would draw the atten-
  tion of a pirate, privateer, smuggler,
  blockade-runner, or pirate-hunter.
  Europe
  Besides being home to many play-
  er characters, Europe has a big impact
  on the rest of the world.  Wars started
  in Europe end up involving all the
  antagonists’ colonies, affect commerce
  in most major oceans, and provide
  license to go privateering anywhere the
  enemy can be found.  
  Climate
  In the extreme north, along the
  Scandinavian coastline, Europe is
  tipped with Arctic tundra.  South and
  inland of this is a band of coniferous
  forest, then a wider temperate zone,
  mostly forest but with vast expanses of
  grassland to the east.  A lot of this for-
  est has been cut down over the cen-
  turies.  A long range of mountains, also
  with coniferous forest, extends with a
  few interruptions from the northwest-
  ern corner of the Iberian Peninsula to
  the Black Sea.  South of these are the
  dryer Mediterranean lands.
  Organization
  Europe is a patchwork of theoreti-
  cally equal states, each continually
  fighting to gain an advantage over the
  others.  With some exceptions, these
  states are each governed by a king, usu-
  ally a Lion, who believes in his divine
  right to do whatever he damn well
  pleases.  By playing the new middle
  class off against the old nobility, these
  Lion kings have gained unprecedented
  control over their respective countries.
  Exceptions are in states which have no
  middle class, or in which the middle
  class is so strong that it has weakened
  the king or thrown him out altogether.
  When a king goes to war these days, he
  goes with the whole force of the state
  behind him.  Wars are usually fought to
  expand the territory a king has control
  over, to prevent another king from gain-
  ing control over too much territory, or
  to gain control over an economic
  advantage, such as a monopoly or a
  trade route.
  Economics
  Every powerful nation is a trade
  nation.  Countries where geography or
  social backwardness make trade diffi-
  cult are stagnating.  Trade depends on
  colonies to supply raw materials, indus-
  try to turn them into finished products,
  and consumer nations — such as
  colonies — to provide a market for
  them.  Trade requires social mobility so
  that middle-class Furries will be moti-
  vated to engage in it.  It also needs
  effective navies to protect it from
  pirates and keep it from being under-
  mined by smugglers.
  Species
  Furries in Europe exist in a mix-
  ture, with no one species dominating a
  large area.  There are pockets of con-
  centration, such as the arid plateaus of
  Spain where herds of herbivorous peas-
  ants wander trying to find food, or the
  Gypsy tribes consisting of one species,
  Calico Jack
  CHAPTER FOUR
  OVERVIEW OF THE WORLD
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  92
  Atlantic Ocean
  Labrador Sea
  Davis Strait
  Baffin Island
  Foxe 
  Basin
  Hudson 
  Bay
  Hudson 
  Strait
  James Bay
  Gulf of Lawernce
  Gulf of 
  Maine
  Great Lakes
  Chesapeake Bay
  Straits of 
  Florida
  Gulf of 
  Mexico
  Gulf of 
  Honuras
  Caribbean  Sea
  Mouths of the 
         Amazon
  Mouth of the Plata
  Strait 
  of 
  Magellan
  Gulf of Corcovado
  Gulf of Panama
  Sea of 
  California
  South Sea
  Iceland
  Greenland
  Newfoundland
  New France
  New England
  New York
  Pennsylvania
  Virginia
  Carolina
  Florida
  New 
  Spain
  Guatamala
  Panama
  The Bahamas
  Cuba
  Jamaica
  Hispaniola
  Puerto Rico
  Lesser Antilles
  New Grenada
  Venezuela
  Peru
  Brazil
  La Plata
  Tierr del Fuego
  California
  Unexplored Territory
  Baltic Sea
  North 
  Sea
  Bay of Biscay
  Mediterranean Sea
  Gulf of Guinea
  Sweden
  Norway
  Denmark
  Dutch 
  Republic
  Belgium
  France
  Great Britain 
  & Ireland
  Austrian 
  Empire
  Prussia
  Hungary
  Poland
  Guinea
  Congo
  Angola
  Capetown
  0
  2400
  600
  1200
  Scale  in  Miles
  Acadia
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  93
  Black Sea
  Caspian Sea
  Indian Ocean
  Red Sea
  Gulf of Aden
  Persian Gulf
  Arabian 
  Sea
  Bay of 
  Bengal
  South 
  China 
  Sea
  Arafura Sea
  Coral Sea
  Philippine 
  Sea
  East 
  China 
  Sea
  Sea 
  of 
  Japan
  Sea of 
  Okhotsk
  Bering 
  Sea
  Artic Ocean
  Finland
  Ottoman 
  Empire
  Russia
  Mozambique
  Madagascar
  East 
  African 
  City-
  States
  Abyssina
  Arabia
  Oman
  Persian Empire
  Mogul Empire
  Bengal
  Maratha
  Ceylon
  Burma
  Laos
  Siam
  Malaysia
  Sumatra
  Java
  Lesser 
  Sundas
  Borneo
  Sulawesi
  Spice Island
  Philippines
  New Guinea
  Australia
  China
  Mongolia
  Korea
  Japan
  Siberia
  Gulf of 
  Siam
  Straits of Malacca
  Banda Sea
  Cambodia
  Viet Nam
  0
  2400
  600
  1200
  Scale  in  Miles
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  94
  but overall, Europe’s population is het-
  erogeneous.  Large Felines make up
  much of the uppermost class, though
  in the east, Canines and Ursoids are
  also dominant.
  Traditions of
  Magick
  Furry Europe’s two medieval
  Magickal organizations, the Church
  and the Guild, have fragmented into
  dozens of Orders, each with its own
  goals, methods, and rituals, and with
  different (though often overlapping)
  Circles of Magick to teach.  Each Order
  guards its secrets jealously, and works to
  discover the secrets of the others.  Thus
  the Orders are often rivals, and some-
  times bitter enemies; however they can
  be cooperative in the face of an outside
  threat — such as an attempt to forbid
  the practice of Magick altogether.
  There are strict and often lethal pun-
  ishments dealt out to members who
  betray their Order.  Betrayal means join-
  ing another Order, giving secrets to
  another Order, putting fellow members
  in danger, or generally behaving con-
  trary to the interests of the Order.  All
  Orders with Divination use Aura to
  screen their initiates, and the rest use
  long-term observation or a series of tri-
  als to test their loyalty.  The seven most
  powerful Orders in Europe are the
  Cabbalistic Brotherhood, the Ancient
  Ring of the Druidic Tradition, the
  Grand Order of the Masonic Lodge, the
  Society of Jesus, the Holy Order of St.
  Morgan, the Mystic Order of the Rosy
  Cross, and the Temple of Jerusalem.
  These Orders are individually described
  in Chapter Five, but they share a simi-
  lar organization: a supreme council of
  two or more Grandmasters between 8th
  and 12th level overall, a middle-man-
  agement layer of Masters between 5th
  and 8th level, and a large group of
  Initiates under 5th level.  Numerous
  less powerful Orders abound in Furry
  Europe.  Some are exclusively female,
  such as the various secret Dianic tradi-
  tions.  Others are composed of single-
  species groups, such as the Gypsies.
  None them have knowledge of more
  than three Circles of Magick.  Players
  can invent their own sorcerous Orders
  and choose Circles for them with the
  GM’s approval.
  History
  The Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648)
  was an effort by the powerful Hapsburg
  Lion kings to unite the German
  provinces under Austria, crush the
  northern Wolf princes, stamp out
  Protestantism, and bring the Magickal
  Arts back under the control of the
  Church.  The long, bloody conflict
  drew in nearly all the states of Europe,
  from Spain to Muscovy.  When it was
  over, though a lot of territory was
  rearranged, it was clear that the German
  provinces would remain separate, that
  Protestantism was going to survive, and
  that the Art Magick was irrevocably in
  the paws of those of whom the Church
  did not approve.  After that, major wars
  were seldom fought over questions of
  religion or Magickal practice, but over
  territory and economic advantages.
  During this period, the pre-emi-
  nent trade nation of the world was the
  tiny Dutch Republic, engaged in taking
  over the vast trading empire of the
  Portuguese.  The latter half of the sev-
  enteenth century saw the Dutch strug-
  gling to maintain their position as other
  nations modernized their economies
  and began to compete.  England, once
  recovered from its Civil War, fought
  three major wars with the Dutch over
  trade supremacy.  France, after settling
  its own internal difficulties and ending
  a war with Spain, began to reform the
  economy and the government under
  Louis XIV.  However, the Sun King is
  more interested in conquest than in
  trade, and his aggressive border policies
  started making the Dutch, among oth-
  ers, very nervous.  France is the
  strongest military power of the period,
  while the Dutch have only a moderate-
  ly strong navy and a very small army.
  Some Pirate Customs
  Getting Drunk: When a pirate crew captures a store of liquor, they throw a party, dipping cans, tankards and bowls into
  opened hogsheads to drink out of, throwing buckets of alcohol at each other, and washing the deck with whatever
  is left.  If there are bottled spirits, they don’t bother to draw the corks, but strike the necks off with a sword, by
  which method one in three bottles is broken.
  Marooning: A pirate who violates the code or displays cowardice in battle is most often punished by being left behind
  on a small island where survival is uncertain.
  Mock Trial: To relieve tension and the fear of getting caught, and for amusement, pirates hold mock trials in a sham
  court, playing the parts of accused, prosecutor, judge, lawyers, jurors, jailer, and hangman.  Usually this is all in fun,
  with the pirates making jokes, insulting each other, and mocking what they fear most, but sometimes they get car-
  ried away and actually hang someone, or let the pantomime end in a free-for-all riot.
  Music: Every pirate ship wants to have its own band, and captured musicians are always pressed into service.  Not only
  do these Furries provide entertainment by playing jigs and hornpipes at parties, but they help strike terror into the
  hearts of the prey by playing aggressive war tunes during a fight.
  Salmagundi: Take the entire contents of a captured larder, including turtle meat, fish, pork, chicken, corned beef, ham,
  duck, and pigeon, roast the meat, chop it into chunks and marinate it in spiced wine.  Combine with cabbage,
  anchovies, pickled herring, mangoes, hard-boiled eggs (shells still on), palm hearts, onions, olives, grapes, and any
  pickled vegetables available, and stew it slowly together.  Season heavily with garlic, salt, pepper, mustard seed, oil
  and vinegar and serve with drafts of beer and rum.
  Torturing Prisoners: If the crew is really bored, they are free, if no charismatic captain or other officer intervenes, to act
  on any wild or sadistic thought that enters their heads.
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  95
  In 1672, France and England were
  about to carve a cowering Dutch
  Republic into flanksteaks when along
  came William of Orange, the 21-year-
  old stadholder of the Republic.  This
  young Lion rallied the Dutch, signed a
  favorable peace with the English, and
  forced the French troops out.  When
  the next war with France broke out in
  1689, the Dutch had the English as
  allies.  The alliance was firmly cement-
  ed when William of Orange became
  William III of England.
  In the Baltic, preparations are
  underway for a showdown between
  Sweden and Russia for control of trade
  through this sea.  The North Sea is
  dominated by Dutch, English, and
  French warships.  England controls the
  waters around herself.  The Atlantic
  from Europe to the tip of Africa repre-
  sents trade territory initially carved out
  by the Portuguese, but now pursued
  mostly by the Dutch, followed by the
  English.  In the Mediterranean, a cen-
  turies-old fight between Christianity
  and Islam, currently in the form of the
  Ottoman Empire, continues to be
  waged.  The western Mediterranean is
  also a theatre for the war being waged
  against France by England and the
  Dutch Republic, called the War of the
  League of Augsberg, or King William’s
  War.
  England
  The events which got William of
  Orange crowned King of England were
  as follows:  In 1649, after a bloody civil
  war, the Stuart Lion king Charles I was
  beheaded by the Puritan Badger Oliver
  Cromwell.  Cromwell represented only
  one of several groups that opposed the
  king.  His opinions on government
  reform and what sort of Church
  England should have were held by a
  minority, and by the time of his death,
  he ruled England only because he con-
  trolled the army.  The Lion Monarchy
  and Stuart dynasty were brought back
  in 1660 and Charles II ruled over the
  turbulent Restoration period.  His suc-
  cessor, James II (1685-1688), was unpop-
  ular due to his Roman Catholicism and
  the Glorious Revolution of 1688 caused
  him to flee the country.  The crown was
  offered jointly to James’ oldest cub
  Mary and her husband William of
  Orange, 
  who 
  spearheaded 
  the
  Revolution.  James II fled to the court
  of Louis XIV, who supports him to stir
  up trouble in England, while William is
  ready to exploit England’s resources in
  his struggle against France.
  England is governed by the king as
  executive and Parliament as the legisla-
  tive body.  Members of the House of
  Commons are elected by land-owning
  male Furries (Social score of 18), while
  members of the House of Lords are
  appointed by the king.  The king is
  assisted by his Cabinet, which also acts
  as a mediator between the Crown and
  Parliament.  Most of the actions a king
  takes have to be approved by
  Parliament, and only Parliament can
  make new laws and approve expendi-
  tures.  Despite this bureaucracy,
  William III has become an effective
  ruler by playing the two parties of
  Parliament, the Whigs and the Tories,
  off each other.
  The official religion is Anglican,
  however, the Toleration Act of 1690
  allows most other faiths to be practiced,
  though their adherents are forbidden to
  hold public office.  This Act also allows
  the practice of Magick by any Order, so
  long as it is practiced within the restric-
  tions of the law.  Sorcery in England is
  considered an important service, held
  in the same regard as the law or medi-
  cine.
  England is emerging as a dominant
  sea power and trade nation.  Legal
  maneuverings by Parliament, such as
  the Navigation Act, have undermined
  the Dutch monopoly of shipping.
  English trading ships now go as far as
  China.  Monopolies on new regions are
  granted to single companies; thus the
  East India Company has the exclusive
  right to trade for England in India and
  parts east, while the West India
  Company has the same right in the
  Colonies 
  and 
  the 
  Caribbean.
  Smuggling is the only way to get
  around these monopolies.
  France
  L’e´tat, c’est moi!
   Louis XIV
  Inspired by the Sun King, France is
  flexing its mighty military and industri-
  al muscles in dreams of expansion.  If
  the Dutch Republic could be made a
  vassal state, her trade would belong to
  France.  If a member of the French
  royal family could be gotten onto the
  throne of Spain, all her vast overseas
  possessions would make the French
  rich.  If the Hungarians could be
  encouraged to rebel against the
  Austrians, the haughty Hapsburg Lions
  would topple and threaten France’s bor-
  ders no more.  And if James II of
  England could take back his kingdom
  with French assistance, William III
  would cease to be a threat.  Suffice it to
  say that the French Lion king has his
  paws in a lot of European pies.  Louis
  XIV rules France as an absolute
  monarch, supported by the common
  Furries who have had enough of the
  strife that overran the country earlier in
  the seventeenth century.  He has
  supreme executive, legislative, and judi-
  cial powers, and can levy taxes and
  spend revenue as he pleases.  His min-
  isters are all middle class or lesser
  nobles who, having no importance of
  their own, work all the harder for him.
  Catholicism is the state religion.
  Protestants were kicked out of France in
  the 1685 revocation of the Edict of
  Nantes.  Jewish Furries are regularly per-
  secuted and exiled.  Free thought is
  controlled by royal censorship.  In sor-
  cerous matters, as in everything, the
  king is master.  His patronage has made
  the careers of many sorcerers, and his
  displeasure has ended several others.
  France’s military might depends on
  her economic strength. Thus, the king’s
  ministers have instituted a mercantile
  program which has made France nearly
  the equal of England.  Industry has
  been encouraged with subsidies and the
  importation 
  of 
  foreign 
  experts.
  Workers are forbidden to leave the
  country and beggars are regularly
  rounded up and forced to learn a trade.
  French products dominate the markets,
  and French taste has begun to accumu-
  late that renown which it will never
  lose.  
  Dutch Republic
  Amsterdam is a great town
  where apart from myself
  there dwells no one who is
  not engaged in trade.
   Descartes
  Unique in a world of monarchies,
  this tiny country has been a republic
  since winning her independence from
  Spain (1609).  Surrounded by unified
  states, she is a federation of seven
  provinces.  Resisting the vogue for cen-
  tralization, she promotes local self-gov-
  ernment.  Avoiding the services of
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  96
  career bureaucrats, she is governed by
  amateurs taking time away from busi-
  ness.  Where other countries have huge
  rural agrarian populations, the Dutch
  are city-dwellers engaged in manufactur-
  ing.  Her elite are merchants and
  bankers.  Her common Furries are craft-
  workers and sailors.  Where other states
  amass armies and engage in aggression,
  the Dutch Republic relies on her Navy
  and fights defensively.  When other
  states drive out religious minorities or
  dissenting intellectuals, the Dutch
  Republic welcomes them and puts their
  talents to work.
  The Republic is governed by a leg-
  islative body called the States-General,
  whose members come from among the
  legislative body of each province, called
  the Provincial Estates, whose members
  in turn come from among the town
  corporations.  A town corporation is an
  autonomous body of twenty to forty
  members who hold office for life.  The
  States-General is notorious for taking
  forever to decide anything.  Policy-mak-
  ing would take even longer if the Dutch
  had not built up a two-party system,
  gathered around the Stipendiary
  Counselor (head of the delegation from
  Amsterdam) and the Stadholder (com-
  mander of the armed forces).  The posi-
  tion of Stadholder is hereditary, belong-
  ing to the Prince of Orange, but there
  have been times when the Dutch did
  without it.
  Moderate Calvinism is the official
  religion.  Militant Calvinists are ignored
  because persecution is bad for trade.
  Many other faiths flourish in the
  Republic’s 
  oasis 
  of 
  tolerance.
  Education in sorcery, as well as in the
  arts and sciences, is the finest available
  in Europe, and sorcery is a respected
  moneymaking profession.
  Despite competition from France
  and England, the Dutch Republic is
  still holding her own as the top trade
  nation.  Half the goods of Europe, the
  Far East, and the New World are carried
  in Dutch ships.  Amsterdam has the
  world’s first stock exchange.  It is the
  headquarters for banking, loan raising,
  and insurance for all Europe.  Thanks
  to Dutch Furries, the medieval concept
  of handcrafted quality items has been
  replaced by the more efficient, more
  profitable idea of cheap mass-produced
  consumer goods.  The Dutch, by the
  way, are even more uptight about their
  monopolies than the English.  They
  also possess one of the three great mod-
  ern naval forces of the world (the other
  two are English and French). 
  Spain
  The dominant power of Europe in
  the sixteenth century, by the end of the
  seventeenth, Spain is in sad shape.
  Drowning in a river of silver and gold
  from the New World, she used it to buy
  everything from other countries and
  produced nothing herself. When the
  river dried up, so did Spain.  From 1621
  to 1665 Spain waged disastrous wars
  against just about everybody, losing
  nearly all her European territory.
  Spain’s commerce is lost to the Dutch,
  her economy is in collapse, her com-
  mon Furries are hungry and plague-rid-
  den, and her natural resources are
  almost exhausted.  Despite these prob-
  lems, Spain has managed to hold onto
  rich possessions in the New World,
  which other kings of Europe are eyeing
  hungrily as the sickly Hapsburg Lion
  king, Carlos II, approaches his
  deathbed without having sired any
  cubs.
  Spanish Furries are devoutly
  Catholic.  The Inquisition deals with
  heresy.  Sorcerers not of Jesuit,
  Morganite, Templar, or other Orders
  controlled by the Church are also sub-
  ject to the Inquisition.  The king has no
  sorcerers who are not also priests, nor
  any that are loyal to him alone.
  Every second year, the Spanish
  fleet comes out of the Caribbean head-
  ed for Seville laden down with silver
  and gold (though only a fraction of
  what it used to carry), and guarded by
  Spain’s few remaining warships.  It
  would take a whole pirate fleet, or six to
  ten ships-of-the-line to take a prize like
  this, but PCs can dream, right?
  Portugal
  Santiago e a elles!
   Portuguese war-cry
  This tiny country managed to unite
  and kick its Moslem conquerors out a
  full century before Spain did, getting a
  head start on a worldwide trade empire.
  Tough, skillful sailors driven by greed,
  curiosity, and religious fervor, the
  Portuguese Furries pioneered the first
  trade route around Africa to the vast
  riches of the East, sidestepping the
  Ottoman Empire’s hegemony in the
  Mediterranean and the Italian monop-
  oly on trade with the Ottomans.
  Establishing a long string of coastal
  forts from which they either traded or
  took by force the goods they wanted,
  the Portuguese at the height of their
  empire dominated world trade from
  Japan to Brazil.  Ultimately, Portugal
  had insufficient resources at home to
  hold onto her empire, especially with
  her best young Furries dying by the
  thousands of tropical diseases in the
  east.  When the Portuguese Crown was
  united with the Spanish Crown in 1580,
  the Dutch used their rebellion against
  Spain as an excuse to war against the
  Portuguese in their overseas colonies.
  By 1640, when Portugal became inde-
  pendent again, the Dutch had won
  their Asian Empire and fought them to
  a draw in Africa.
  The Dutch advance scared the
  English almost as much as it scared the
  Portuguese, so England and Portugal
  have been allies since 1640, even
  though the Dutch are now English
  allies as well.  The Portuguese navy is
  proficient but stuck with antique ship
  designs, still using sixteenth century
  galleons in some cases.  Portugal makes
  its living by trade in Brazilian sugar and
  African slaves and by fruit, wine, and
  salt production.  The nation imports
  more than it exports and is yearly grow-
  ing poorer.
  Furries in Portugal, as in Spain, are
  devout Catholics, make use of the
  Inquisition, etc.  However, sorcerers are
  not required to belong to a Catholic
  Order, though they are required to be
  Catholics.  Some of the best Furry sor-
  cerers in Europe, especially in the
  Divination Circle, come from Portugal.
  Austria
  If the creatures who run
  this country are not trai-
  tors, assuredly they are the
  biggest asses I have ever seen
  in my life.
   Prince Eugen,
  Austrian Field Commander
  The Austrian Hapsburg monarchy
  has been busy trying to make a unified
  state out of a vast collection of
  provinces.  These include Bohemia,
  Hungary, Moravia, Silesia, Transylvania,
  Croatia, Slavonia, and Dalmatia.  The
  current Lion emperor, Leopold I, has
  succeeded in bringing these lands under
  control, except for Hungary, which is
  constantly in revolt and menaced from
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  97
  the east by the Ottoman Empire.  In
  the west, Austria is threatened by the
  expansionist policies of France.  Like
  Louis XIV, Leopold has his eye on the
  Spanish throne.  However, Austria has
  to spend most of its time fighting the
  Ottoman Turks, who were attacking the
  capital, Vienna, as late as 1683.
  Though Leopold I is an absolutist
  Lion king, his institutions are riddled
  with bureaucracy and special interests.
  The government of Austria is usually
  several steps behind any situation it is
  attempting to control.  Constantly
  broke, the Hapsburg regime finances
  wars with subsidies from the Pope, the
  Dutch, or the English.  Austrian armies
  win astonishing victories in spite of, not
  because of, central planning in Vienna.
  Austria 
  has 
  introduced 
  the
  Counter-Reformation movement led by
  the Society of Jesus.  Commissions of
  Jesuits control the press, and the
  schools and universities, and make lists
  of heretics.  These are given religious
  instruction and a choice between con-
  version and exile.  Individual sorcerers
  are tolerated as long as they are out-
  wardly Catholic, and several under-
  ground Orders manage to go unno-
  ticed, notably the Freemasons.
  Austria is a commercial backwater.
  She has Mediterranean ports, but few
  merchant ships and a tiny Navy.  She
  suffers from a lack of skilled labor and
  an enterprising middle class.  PCs are
  unlikely to take any rich prizes of
  Austrian origin.
  Russia
  Under the Romanov dynasty of
  Ursoid Tsars, the principality of
  Muscovy began to gather the various
  Russian lands under itself, while
  repelling Polish, Lithuanian, Turkish,
  and Swedish invasions.  By means of
  the Treaty of 1686 with Poland, Russia
  managed to define her northern, west-
  ern, and southern borders and enter
  European politics as a heavy-hitter.
  Settlers are slowly pushing back the vast
  eastern frontier toward the Pacific, and
  in 1689, a border treaty was signed with
  China.
  Under the young and energetic
  Ursoid Peter I, the Russians are begin-
  ning to drive their borders outward in
  various directions.  Peter is also engaged
  in a mass reformation of the govern-
  ment and military, dragging all the
  nobility into direct service to the
  Crown.  Meanwhile, the peasants are
  having the shackles of serfdom clamped
  tighter on them.
  The Russian Orthodox Church has
  great power over the extremely supersti-
  tious 
  common 
  Russian 
  Furries.
  Sorcerers, who are fewer than in other
  European states thanks to lower stan-
  dards of education, are treated with
  extreme reverence and fear.
  The Ottoman
  Empire
  In the Mediterranean, an almost
  continual state of war exists between
  the European states and the Ottoman
  Empire, involving Christian freebooters
  and Moslem Corsairs in widespread
  looting and pillaging.  Begun in the
  eleventh century by Islamic Turks
  pushed west by the Mongol invasions,
  the Ottoman Empire now controls ter-
  ritory in south-eastern Europe, Asia
  Minor, the Arabian peninsula, Egypt
  and North Africa, plus the islands of
  the 
  eastern 
  Mediterranean. 
  The
  Ottomans are allied with France against
  The Pirates’ Code
  As provided by Captain Bartholomew Roberts, better known as Black Bart
  1.
  Every Furry shall have an equal vote in affairs of the moment.  He shall have an equal title to the fresh provisions
  or strong liquors at any time seized, and shall use them at pleasure unless a scarcity may make it necessary for the
  common good that a retrenchment may be voted.
  2.
  Every Furry shall be called fairly in turn by the list on board of prizes, because over and above their proper share,
  they are allowed one shift of clothes.  But if they defraud the company to value of even one dollar in plate, jewels,
  or money, they shall be marooned.  If any Furry rob another, he shall have his nose and ears slit and be put ashore
  where he shall be sure to encounter hardships.
  3.
  None shall game for money either with dice or cards.  (This is the one most often violated.)
  4.
  The lights and candles shall be put out at eight at night, and if any of the crew desire to drink after that hour, they
  shall sit upon the open deck without lights.
  5.
  Each Furry shall keep his piece, cutlass, and pistols at all times clean and ready for action.
  6.
  No young or female to be allowed amongst them.  If any shall be found seducing any of the latter sex and carry-
  ing her to sea in disguise, he shall suffer death.  (There have been exceptions to this rule.)
  7.
  He that shall desert the ship or his quarters in time of battle shall be punished by death or marooning.
  8.
  None shall strike another on board the ship, but every Furry’s quarrel shall be ended on shore by sword and pistol
  in this manner.  At the word of command from the quartermaster, each Furry being previously placed back to back,
  shall turn and fire immediately.  If any Furry do not, the quartermaster shall knock the piece out of his hand.  If
  both miss their aim they shall take to their cutlasses, and he that draweth first blood shall be declared the victor.
  9.
  No Furry shall talk of breaking up their way of living till each has a share of 1000C.  Every one who shall become
  a cripple or lose a limb shall have 800C from the common stock and for lesser hurts proportionately.
  10. The captain and the quartermaster shall each receive two shares of a prize, the master gunner, bosun, and Sorcerer
  one and one half shares, all other officers one and one quarter, and private Furries of fortune one share each.  (Note
  the elevated status of the quartermaster on a pirate ship.  Except in battle, he is considered to have as much author-
  ity as the captain does.)
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  98
  their ancient enemies, the Hapsburgs of
  Austria and Spain, and are at war with
  Russia over trade and territory in and
  around the Black and Caspian Seas.
  They also battle any European nation
  who dares to trade or raid in the Red
  Sea or the Indian Ocean, meaning the
  Dutch Republic and England.
  Before the Portuguese acquired
  their trade route around Africa, the
  Ottoman Empire enjoyed a monopoly
  on trade between Europe and the Far
  East.  The decline of Ottoman wealth
  since that time has made it difficult for
  the government to even maintain itself
  across such a huge empire.  Corruption
  is rife and poorly paid soldiers and offi-
  cials are happy to grab provincial land
  and divert revenue for their own bene-
  fit.  Meanwhile, the new European
  powers are pushing back the Empire’s
  borders.
  The official religion is Sunni Islam,
  but Shi’ites, Sufis, Christians, and Jews
  are 
  tolerated 
  in 
  the 
  conquered
  provinces.  Conversion to Islam is a
  requirement for any political advance-
  ment or commercial success, though
  sorcerers 
  may 
  be 
  non-Moslems.
  Sorcery is a highly respected art, often
  practiced by high-ranking government
  officials.  It is a practical alternative to
  military training for any wellborn
  young male Furry, or even for talented
  slaves.
  Most of the Ottoman navy is
  deployed in the Mediterranean, the rest
  of it in the Red Sea, clustering in Port
  Said and Suez.  It consists of xebecs,
  dhows, and captured European war-
  ships.
  Algeria, the Ottomans’ western-
  most province, pays tribute and lip ser-
  vice to Istanbul, but is politically inde-
  pendent.  Algeria is a notorious den of
  the Furry corsairs who make the
  Mediterranean 
  so 
  dangerous 
  to
  European commerce.  Any Christian
  ship is considered fair game to be seized
  and looted, its crew ransomed or sold
  into slavery.  Corsairs are also called
  Barbary pirates, after the fox Barbarosa,
  who captured Algiers in 1529 and made
  piracy its national policy.  In fairness to
  the Algerians, it should be noted that
  the ports of Sicily, Sardinia, and
  Corsica are safehavens for Christian
  freebooters who prey on Moslem ship-
  ping.  Algiers is a highly fortified city
  on the coast of North Africa, with an
  enclosed harbor, very Turkish in design
  (sort of a miniature Istanbul) and diffi-
  cult to take by sea.
  Others
  European countries which fall into
  the second rank of powers include
  Sweden, which currently controls most
  trade on the Baltic Sea, and Poland and
  Prussia, which have enough weight to
  sway the outcome of a land war in
  Eastern Europe.  Italy and the
  Mediterranean islands are impoverished
  and being fought over by the Spanish,
  French, 
  English, 
  Austrians, 
  and
  Ottomans.  Sweden, Russia, and the
  Dutch 
  Republic 
  dominate 
  the
  Scandinavian countries.
  The North
  American
  Colonies
  Ports in the North Atlantic are a
  pirate’s best bet for disposing of stolen
  goods, banking loot, and refitting for
  that next adventure.  The colonists are
  in constant need of luxuries, preferably
  import duty free, and are not inclined
  to ask questions as to origin.
  Smuggling is also lucrative in this area.
  Climate
  The North American colonies gen-
  erally fall within the temperate zone,
  but temperatures differ from Quebec,
  where the Gulf of St. Lawrence is frozen
  over for five months of the year, to the
  Carolinas where it never snows.  Thick
  temperate forest covers most of land
  except where the colonists (and before
  them, the Indians) have cleared it out.
  Organization
  England and France have colonies
  in North America.  Wars between
  England and France, which are long,
  bloody, and frequent, are fought
  between their colonies at a level of fron-
  tier attacks by Indian allies, battles
  between privateer vessels, and attempts
  by New England to take New France by
  sea.  A governor appointed by the king,
  and a council, which may have been
  selected by the governor or elected by
  the most important colonists, runs
  each colony.  Since communication
  with the mother country is difficult,
  the colonies have an autonomy that
  leads to trouble.
  The Northeastern Indian tribes are
  divided by language into two major
  groups: the Algonquins and the
  Iroquois.  The Algonquins are a loosely
  related collection of tribes ranging
  along the Eastern Seaboard from
  Acadia to Chesapeake Bay.  Disunited
  and recently defeated by the New
  Englanders in King Phillip’s War (1675-
  1677), the Algonquin tribes are eco-
  nomic dependents slowly being forced
  onto reservations.  The Iroquois tribes
  are concentrated in the Mohawk Valley
  from Lake Champlain to Lake Erie.  In
  political organization and fighting
  power, they are superior to the
  Algonquins, and control the most
  important crossroads of communica-
  tion and trade of the northern frontier.
  Economics
  Colonies are dependent on the
  mother country for manufactured
  goods.  Tobacco, lumber, grain, fish,
  and beaver fur for use in felting are
  their principal exports.  The fur trade is
  very valuable and hotly disputed
  between the French and the English.
  The French have the advantage of a nat-
  ural system of waterways, from the Gulf
  of St. Lawrance to the Great Lakes, and
  down the Mississippi to the Gulf of
  Mexico, which allows them to penetrate
  the interior of the continent in search
  of the dwindling supply.  The English,
  though hampered by geography (the
  Appalachian Mountains prevent easy
  access to the interior) have superior
  trade goods and lighter taxes.  This
  allows them to offer better prices to the
  Iroquois who supply them.
  Acts of Parliament forbid the
  English colonies to import goods from
  anywhere except England, or to export
  in ships not of English origin.  High
  prices and scarcity have driven the
  colonists into a clandestine trade with
  the Caribbean: grain and lumber for
  sugar, molasses, and rum.  Risks are
  high for smugglers, but so are profits.
  Species
  When colonies in the New World
  were first being planned, the colonists
  took into account the isolation they
  were likely to experience.  To ensure
  there would be enough mates available,
  the first ships brought over groups of
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  99
  one or at most two species.  Plymouth
  was founded by Lapines, Jamestown by
  a mixture of Mustalids and Ungulates.
  Other 
  colonies, 
  such 
  as 
  New
  Amsterdam (New York), which was at
  first a tradepost rather than a settle-
  ment, were more haphazard.  Later
  ships brought over a variety of species,
  but there are still towns in New
  England and Pennsylvania inhabited by
  a single type of Furry.
  The Indians are a heterogeneous
  population, but are missing a few
  species found in Europe.  There are no
  Heavy varieties of Feline, nor any of the
  domestic species of Ungulates.  There
  are smaller Ursoids, such as raccoons
  and ringtails, which are unique to
  America, plus a large population of
  beaver Furries.
  Traditions of
  Magick
  The colonies have fewer sorcerers
  in their population than the mother
  countries.  In New France, any of the
  European traditions of Magick are
  accepted, though except for small
  groups of Jesuits and Ursulines, there
  are very few.
  Only the Freemason and Puritan
  traditions of Magick are tolerated in
  New England (Puritans practice only
  Abjuration, a tool granted by God to
  fight the Devil).  All others are sup-
  pressed, and “black Magick” is pun-
  ished by hanging or pressing to death.
  New Englanders apply this law to the
  Algonquin Indian tribes under their
  power.  New York has a Dutch
  Rosicrucian Order, and there are a few
  Druids 
  living 
  in 
  the 
  wilds 
  of
  Pennsylvania.  Otherwise, the sorcerous
  population of the English colonies is
  entirely Freemason.
  The Furry Indians have their own
  traditions of Magick, practiced by trib-
  al shamans without the restrictions
  Europeans impose on themselves.
  Though they have their own rituals,
  names, and conceptions of what the
  Europeans call the Circles of Magick, in
  gaming terms, they practice all of them
  except Abjuration and Alteration.  They
  are especially good at Elemental Magick
  because they treat the elements as pow-
  erful spirits, whereas the Europeans
  regard them as impersonal forces.
  History
  During the sixteenth century, the
  east coast of North America was
  explored by French, English, and Dutch
  ships trying to find the fabled
  Northwest Passage to the East Indies,
  getting around Spanish hegemony in
  the southern waters.  All the attempts
  by Furry sailors to break through the
  northern ice and all the attempts by
  Furry sorcerers to divine the where-
  abouts of the Passage failed.  A hundred
  years passed before anything more inter-
  esting than fish was brought back from
  the north Atlantic waters.  Eventually,
  the frustrated energy of the explorers
  rebounded onto the continent in the
  way, while the decline of Spanish
  seapower allowed their settlements to
  endure.  French, English, and Dutch
  colonies sprang up in the early 1600s,
  and European demand for tobacco and
  fur kept them alive.
  New France
  Cold, harsh, and forbidding, the
  miracle of New France is that it exists at
  all.  Established in 1608, ravaged by
  Iroquois raids, lost to English privateers
  in 1628, regained by France in 1632,
  nearly abandoned during the 1630s, by
  1663 the colony had 2,500 inhabitants
  — to compare with New England’s
  40,000.  In 1665, Louis XIV brought the
  colony under royal control by sending a
  governor and a regiment of regular
  troops to defend against the Iroquois.
  Over the next thirty years, a program of
  state-aided immigration and subsidized
  industrial development stabilized the
  colony and quadrupled its population.
  New France is now ruled by a Sovereign
  Council composed of the governor, a
  bishop, the intendant, and four local
  residents.  Besides deciding military,
  civil, and religious matters, this council
  grants fur-trading charters to companies
  that are willing and able to pay the
  twenty-five percent tax.
  Most of the Furries of New France
  live along the St. Lawrence River
  between 
  Quebec 
  and 
  Montreal.
  Quebec, guarding the point at which
  the Gulf of St. Lawrence turns into the
  St. Lawrence River, is a well-fortified
  town with a seminary, churches, parks,
  docks, warehouses, substantial public
  buildings, and a social elitism nearly as
  refined as that of Paris.  Montreal,
  established on an island as far up the
  river as ships are able to sail, is a fur-
  trading post.  The land in between is
  divided into strips of land granted to
  seigneurs in exchange for pledges of
  fealty to the King, military service, and
  the clearing of the land.  Each seigneur
  sublets the land to twelve or fifteen
  habitants.  These strips are further
  divided among the habitant’s offspring,
  so that the St. Lawrence looks like a
  miles-long straggling village street, with
  farmland, pastures, and woodlands
  marked at intervals by squat white-
  washed houses.  
  Southwest of Montreal, Fort
  Frontenac guards the opening of the St.
  Lawrence into Lake Ontario.  On the
  southern bank of the lake, guarding the
  route to Lake Erie, stands Fort Niagara.
  Both are garrisoned by professional
  troops.  In addition to the chartered fur
  traders of Montreal, there are several
  hundred coureurs-de-bois.  These are
  outlaw fur traders gone native, living
  among the Indians, penetrating the
  continent via the rivers and the Great
  Lakes in search of beaver, avoiding
  taxes, and trading to whomever they
  can, even the English.
  Beaver pelts shipped out of the
  Gulf of St. Lawrence, or further north
  out of the Hudson Bay, make privateer-
  ing in the North Atlantic reasonably
  profitable.  Aside from a few privateers,
  the French Canadians have no military
  seapower.  Be warned, the Gulf is
  treacherous sailing if you don’t have a
  pilot well acquainted with the area.
  Newfoundland
  A rocky, fog-swept island guarding
  the north side of the Gulf of St.
  Lawrence, Newfoundland is disputed
  territory.  Its few settlements are fishing
  villages, and cod is its main food source
  and principal export.  The French and
  English colonists squabble over it, but
  these fights take place between poorly
  armed fishing boats and don’t attract
  the attention of the heavy hitters.  The
  English Furries have the advantage of
  numbers.
  Acadia
  Also known as Nova Scotia, this
  sparsely inhabited peninsula forms the
  southern barrier of the Gulf of St.
  Lawrence.  Acadia serves as a buffer for
  Quebec against the incursions of the
  New Englanders, much to the annoy-
  ance of the 400-odd French Furries who
  live there.  The largest town, Port Royal,
  is a safe harbor for French privateers.
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  100
  The fort at Port Royal is so decrepit
  that it has changed hands between the
  English and the French no less than
  four times.  The Acadians’ principal
  means of support is fishing.
  New England
  Eat, drink, and be Merrie,
  for Tomorrow we may be in
  Massachusetts.
   Nathaniel Harris,
  Puritan turned Privateer
  From the founding of Plymouth in
  1620, English settlements multiplied
  along the eastern seaboard and pushed
  their way inland.  In 1630, a Puritan
  invasion 
  began, 
  bringing 
  16,000
  colonists in ten years.  A number of
  these, dissatisfied with opportunities in
  the Boston area, migrated inland to
  Connecticut.  Religious controversy in
  the Bay Colony ended in the founding
  of a new, “heretical” settlement on
  Rhode Island.  New Hampshire and
  Maine were first settled by fishers and
  fur traders, but the lumbering industry
  soon became the driving force in these
  colonies.  By 1657 the Massachusetts
  Bay Colony had jurisdiction over New
  Hampshire and Maine as well as
  Connecticut.
  When English Furries first settled
  Massachusetts, they bought the land
  from the Algonquin tribes and were
  dependent on their good will for sur-
  vival.  Later, as it became clear that fur
  trading would keep the colony solvent,
  the settlers continued, in theory, to
  treat the Indians well.  Differing views
  of land ownership led to trouble, as did
  English favoritism.  Algonquin tribes
  frequently warred with each other, and
  the English found it to their advantage
  to trade guns only to tribes that sup-
  ported them.  The Algonquins became
  dependent on manufactured products,
  while the furs they traded for them
  became scarce.  Algonquin sachems
  became resentful when the English
  insisted the Indians convert to
  Christianity and obey colony law.  In
  1675, caught between the expanding
  English and the dreaded Iroquois to the
  west, several tribes began King Phillip’s
  War, hoping to drive the settlers back
  into the sea.  By 1677, though thou-
  sands of colonists had died and the
  western settlements destroyed, the
  Algonquins were defeated and starving.
  Following the war, the settlers were dis-
  inclined to pay for land they claimed by
  right of conquest.  The entire strip of
  territory east of the Appalachians, with
  well over 100,000 English inhabitants,
  became New England.  Though they
  have a numerical advantage over the
  French, the New Englanders have no
  regular troops, nor any fortifications.
  Massachusetts 
  controls 
  New
  England, and the Puritans control
  Massachusetts.  New England is a
  theocracy, with officials chosen by the
  Church Fathers.  The Massachusetts
  Bay Company is dedicated to making
  New England a combined refuge and
  laboratory of strict Puritan living.  All
  threats to the holy experiment are dealt
  with severely.  New settlements are only
  allowed to groups of twenty or more
  families of compatible species and
  orthodox views who pledge to build
  their town according to regulations and
  acquire a minister to be their spiritual
  leader.  Life in New England towns is
  tightly controlled with punishments for
  the slightest immorality.  These harsh
  conditions extend to English inden-
  tured servants, and the smaller group of
  African slaves.
  New Englanders are not always
  pleased to see outsiders.  But they are
  pleased to see trade goods, however
  bloodstained they may be. Pirates and
  smugglers are advised to be discreet.
  Cut loose just once and you’ll find
  yourself in the stocks for public inde-
  cency.
  Iroquois Nation
  The Iroquois are called the Five
  Nations: Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga,
  Cayuga, and Seneca.  Far inland as the
  Five Nations are, seafaring PCs are
  unlikely to encounter them, but they
  are a powerful factor in frontier politics.
  Not only are they a unified fighting
  force, but they control other tribes in
  an area far exceeding their own territo-
  ry.  The Iroquois initially traded with
  the Dutch to acquire guns with which
  to fight their traditional enemies, the
  Hurons and the Algonquins, who were
  being supplied with guns by the French.
  Running out of beaver in their own
  lands south of Lake Ontario, the
  Iroquois wrested the Hurons’ north
  shore territory away from them in the
  mid-1600s and continued to trade with
  the Dutch, and later the English, who
  could offer them the best prices.  The
  French were reduced to trading with
  lesser Indian nations and scheming
  ways to disrupt the Anglo-Iroquois
  alliance.  In the 1689 outbreak of hos-
  tilities (King William’s War as the New
  Englanders call it), the Iroquois are
  English allies.
  New York and
  New Jersey
  The Dutch West India Company
  used the island of Manhattan as a stop-
  ping point until 1626, when the settle-
  ment of New Amsterdam was officially
  planted.  Dutch Furries, more interest-
  ed in trade than in farming, did not
  arrive in the flood that New England
  experienced.  Settlements were concen-
  trated on Manhattan, the surrounding
  bay area, and up the Hudson to
  Albany, where a fur-trading post was
  established in 1614.  England seized
  New Amsterdam in the second Anglo-
  Dutch War, town and colony being
  renamed New York.  Except for a brief
  occupation during the third Anglo-
  Dutch war (1673), it has remained in
  English paws, though over half the pop-
  ulation is of Dutch origin.
  Albany is the hottest fur-trading
  center in the English colonies, being sit-
  uated right where the Mohawk River
  cuts from Iroquois territory through
  the Appalachian Mountain Range, and
  the Hudson makes it easy to take furs
  down to the port of New York.  The
  French Canadians covet the whole
  colony of New York, especially its ice-
  free harbor, for this reason.
  The port of New York City on
  Manhattan Island is a well-known pirate
  haven.  With the excuse of King
  William’s War, the governor is willing
  to issue letters of marque to generous
  Furry mariners to go privateering in the
  Gulf of St. Lawrence.  If furs and liquor
  do not appeal as booty, it’s easy to slip
  off to the Indian Ocean, the friendly
  island of Madagascar, and the incredi-
  ble treasure of the East Indies.  When
  you return, the hospitable New Yorkers
  will be happy to take the loot off your
  paws and supply a debauch such as you
  are unlikely to find elsewhere, as well as
  the necessities for your next voyage.
  New York, in common with the other
  English colonies, does not even have
  the right under Admiralty law to try
  pirates, so your safety is all but assured.
  Many pirates are themselves New
  Yorkers, and several legitimate New
  York traders sail to Madagascar to buy
  spices, silks, porcelains and rich bro-
  cades from pirates right at the source,
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  101
  in what is called the Red Sea Trade.
  There is also an illegal trade between
  the New Yorkers and the Dutch, whose
  ships are more frequent than the
  English, and whose goods are cheaper.
  New Jersey was William Penn’s first
  attempt at a colony, but it has grown
  up to find more in common with New
  York.
  Pennsylvania
  Established in 1682, the colony of
  William Penn has grown rapidly inland
  from Philadelphia, welcoming Furries
  of any species or national origin with
  cheap land and political rights.  The set-
  tlers are mostly Quakers with firm
  intentions to treat the Indians as broth-
  ers, occupy land only with their per-
  mission, and pay them for it.  The
  Indians are the Delaware tribe appoint-
  ed “peacemakers” by the Iroquois
  Nation.  Thus there has (so far) been
  less strife in Pennsylvania than in any
  other colony.  The Quakers also object
  to slavery (though not indentured servi-
  tude), so there are few African slaves in
  this colony.  Pennsylvania has enraged
  the other colonies by refusing to par-
  ticipate in war with the French or the
  Indians, other than by donating money
  and pious advice.
  With rich soil and a moderate cli-
  mate, Pennsylvania produces the most
  food of any colony.  Philadelphia con-
  ducts a lucrative grain smuggling trade
  with the French and Spanish colonies
  in the Caribbean, which in time of
  famine would starve without it.
  Philadelphians, like New Yorkers, have
  been 
  known 
  to 
  harbor 
  pirates.
  Philadelphia is a prosperous, growing
  port situated where the Schuykill River
  meets the narrow Delaware Bay — hard
  to reach without favorable winds.
  Virginia and
  Maryland
  Established in 1607, Virginia
  became a royal colony in 1625.  The
  Virginians probably suffered more from
  plague, starvation, and Indian attacks
  than any other colonists, and might
  have abandoned the colony but for the
  growing 
  popularity 
  of 
  tobacco.
  Virginia’s English population is scat-
  tered among plantations rather than
  concentrated in towns, and as there are
  no restrictions on how much land a sin-
  gle Furry can own, the differences
  between rich and poor are pronounced.
  Virginia has a number of Feline country
  aristocrats, since many Royalists fled to
  Virginia after the execution of Charles I
  in 1649.  The official Church is
  Anglican, 
  though 
  Catholics 
  and
  Puritans are tolerated.
  The colonists’ relationship with the
  Indians has suffered from inconsistent
  policy.  Sometimes the English tried to
  civilize the Algonquins, sometimes to
  lock them up on reservations and have
  nothing to do with them, and other
  times to wipe them all out of existence.
  In 1675, war broke out between the
  English and the Susquehannock nation,
  but even this was inconsistently man-
  aged.  The governor, possibly under the
  sorcerous 
  influence 
  of 
  Furry
  Susquehannock shamans, tried to fight
  defensively and wait it out.  A band of
  colonists attacked the Susquehannocks
  in defiance of the governor’s orders,
  and extended the war against all Indian
  tribes who would not fight for the
  English.  This led to Bacon’s Rebellion
  and civil war in Virginia, ending with
  the governor hanging most of the
  rebels in spite of the King’s pardon.
  Virginia is run by the King’s
  appointed governor and a General
  Assembly of elected landowners.
  Taxation, especially on exported tobac-
  co, is heavy.  The colony’s population is
  about 50,000 strong, including 15,000
  indentured servants and 3,000 African
  slaves.  Jamestown, on the James River
  up from Chesapeake Bay, is the capital
  and main port.  Virginians are not hos-
  pitable to pirates, preferring to confis-
  cate their loot and send them to
  England for trial.
  Maryland shares Chesapeake Bay
  with Virginia, and its colonists have
  many interests in common with
  Virginians.
  The Carolinas
  In 1663, a group of English lords
  known collectively as the Carolina
  Proprietors were given a charter for a
  large grant of land in the New World
  from King Charles II.  This grant
  extended from the 29th to the 36th par-
  allels of north latitude and theoretical-
  ly, from the Atlantic to the Pacific.  The
  Proprietors, whose concern in the
  Carolinas was almost entirely econom-
  ic, offered land to settlers who could
  establish themselves without cost to
  them.  The settlers were promised rep-
  resentation in a colonial assembly and
  freedom of conscience.  The first settle-
  ments were made up of excess Furries
  from Virginia, who planted tobacco as
  they were used to doing.  Farther south,
  an expedition from England established
  itself at Charlestown, where rice became
  the main staple.
  The Carolinas have suffered from
  economic deprivation, Indian attacks,
  and incursions by the Spanish and the
  French.  Although the colonists have
  several 
  times 
  appealed 
  to 
  the
  Proprietors for help, none has been
  forthcoming because the enterprise is
  proving unprofitable.
  The
  Caribbean
  At certain stages in its history, this
  island chain has been virtually run by
  pirates, or buccaneers as they are called
  in the region.  These islands overlay the
  route taken by the Spanish silver fleet,
  one of the most tempting prizes in a
  pirate’s world.  The buccaneers are so
  numerous that they form a political
  force.  No French or English governor
  has been able to do his job without
  employing them or fencing loot for
  them.
  Climate
  The Caribbean is in a tropical
  zone, but kept at moderate tempera-
  tures all year round by the trade winds.
  Torrential rain and hurricanes occur
  from June to September.  Tropical dis-
  eases, especially malaria, take a heavy
  toll on European immigrants.
  Organization
  The Caribbean island chain, also
  called the West Indies, from northwest
  to southeast consists of the Bahamas
  Archipelago; the Greater Antilles group
  of Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and
  Puerto Rico; and the Lesser Antilles, an
  arc of smaller islands extending from
  Puerto Rico to the South American
  mainland.  Four different nations,
  Spain, France, England, and the Dutch
  Republic, possess Caribbean colonies,
  which constantly attack each other and
  change ownership.  The Bahamas are
  claimed by the English, but they are
  sparsely populated and swarming with
  pirates.  Cuba and Puerto Rico belong
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  102
  to Spain.  Jamaica was taken from Spain
  by the English, and Spanish Hispaniola
  has lost its western third to the French,
  who renamed the territory Saint-
  Domingue.  The Lesser Antilles are
  divided among the European powers.  
  Economics
  The three most important words in
  summing up the economy of the
  Caribbean are piracy, slavery, and sugar.
  Piracy has existed since the Spanish first
  started hauling silver and gold out of
  the Gulf of Mexico in the sixteenth
  century.  Piracy supported the entire
  island of Jamaica during its first twenty
  years of English control, and is still sig-
  nificant in French Saint-Domingue.
  Piracy in the Caribbean means attacks
  on coastal cities as well as on ships, and
  it has been immensely profitable.
  Slavery and sugar go together.
  There is an insatiable demand for sugar
  in Europe, and it is becoming the only
  crop produced by the French and
  English colonies.  Sugar cane, which is
  Not all colonists were volunteers.
  ∆
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  103
  highly perishable, requires a factory to
  process, and a lot of acreage to keep the
  factory supplied.  Sugar is therefore the
  crop of the large plantation owner who
  relies on slave labor.  Slaves are brought
  from the West Coast of Africa in
  Dutch, Portuguese, English, and French
  ships.  Each of these nationalities strives
  to maintain a monopoly on the slave
  trade to its own colonies, and to acquire
  a share of the Spanish trade (for Spain
  no longer has the capital or the ships to
  do it herself).  Wars have been fought
  over the asiento, as the Spanish slave
  trade is called.
  In the Spanish Caribbean, sugar is
  only one crop among many.  Cuba and
  Hispaniola also produce tobacco, indi-
  go, leather, beef, and cotton.  Salt, an
  important commodity to the Dutch, is
  found in the southernmost islands of
  the Lesser Antilles.
  Species
  The first Spanish in the area did
  not come as settlers intending to dig
  roots and raise families, but as adven-
  turers looking for loot and the easy life.
  They took females from among the
  Arawak Indians.  Later, after permanent
  settlements were established and the
  Arawak died out, it became necessary to
  make up the lack.  There never were
  enough Spanish females of any species
  to go around, so the males married or
  mated with mainland Indians or
  African slaves.  Thus the Spanish
  colonies hold a heterogeneous popula-
  tion both in species and in nationality.
  As in Europe, species has much to do
  with a Furry’s place in society.
  French and English colonies were
  more carefully planned and included
  more female Furries; however, a labor
  shortage (in the early years before mass
  importation of African slaves began)
  made it necessary to ship indentured
  servants, convicts, and prisoners of war
  regardless of species.  The planter class-
  es 
  of 
  Jamaica, 
  Saint-Domingue,
  Barbadoes and Martinque are mostly
  Feline with scattered Avians, Canines,
  Equines, Lapines, and Ursoids.  The
  lower classes are a completely mixed lot.
  In the African population, certain
  species are considered more desirable as
  slaves than others.  Canines, Lapines,
  Reptiles, Rodents, and Ungulates make
  up the bulk of them.  Marginally
  acceptable are Avians (clipped), Felines
  (declawed), Mustalids, and Ursoids,
  whose strength and endurance compen-
  sate for their temperament.
  Traditions of
  Magick
  Africans dragged to the Caribbean
  brought their own traditions of Magick
  with them.  Though slaves are forbid-
  den to practice on pain of death, there
  are large groups of escapees, called
  Maroons or cimarrones, in the moun-
  tains of the larger islands.  The various
  African traditions in the Caribbean,
  both Magickal and religious, are being
  boiled down into one, called Voudon,
  which has a virulent form of
  Necromancy as a hallmark.
  Any European style of Magick can
  be found in the Caribbean.   Sorcerers
  are in heavy demand due to the wars,
  pirate raids, slave rebellions, earth-
  quakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, and out-
  breaks of disease that plague the area.
  Except in the Spanish colonies, where,
  as in Spain, practitioners must be con-
  nected to a Catholic Order, the laws
  governing Magickal practice are fast,
  loose, and often disregarded in emer-
  gencies.
  History
  In Columbus’ time, the peaceful
  Arawak occupied the Bahamas and the
  Greater Antilles except for Puerto Rico,
  which, along with the Lesser Antilles,
  was inhabited by the fierce Caribs.
  Columbus’ second expedition estab-
  lished 
  the 
  settlement 
  of 
  Santo
  Domingo on the southern coast of
  Hispaniola and enslaved the Taino
  tribe.  Within ten years the Tainos died
  off, killed by overwork, malnutrition,
  suicide, or European diseases to which
  they had no immunity.  The Spaniards
  did well by cattle ranching and washing
  for gold in the streams, but had to start
  raiding other islands for slaves, who
  fared no better.  As more Spanish set-
  tlers 
  and 
  adventurers 
  arrived,
  Hispaniola became a base for further
  exploration and settlement of the
  Greater Antilles and the mainland.  The
  Caribs of the Lesser Antilles offered
  more formidable resistance than the
  Arawaks, so these islands were passed
  over by the Spanish.  As the Arawaks
  died out, the Spanish began to import
  African slaves.
  After the conquests of Mexico and
  Peru, and the discovery of their vast
  deposits of silver, the Caribbean Islands
  became unimportant to the Spanish
  Crown, except as a strategic part of the
  route by which the silver ships came to
  Spain.  The best way out of the Gulf of
  Mexico is to beat east from Vera Cruz,
  then take the Gulf Stream through the
  Straits of Florida and catch the trade
  winds from the Carolinas to Spain.
  Thus French, Dutch, and English Furry
  privateers throughout the sixteenth and
  seventeenth centuries lurked in the
  Bahamas hoping to catch the silver
  ships.  To protect the treasure, Spain
  required all ships to gather in Havana
  each year and travel in convoy.
  Protection for the fleet did not extend
  to the settlements themselves, and the
  privateers, during several wars with the
  Spanish, pillaged and burned most of
  the coastal towns at one time or anoth-
  er.  In the 1590s the Spanish began a
  program of fortification for Caribbean
  bases.
  In the 1600s, beginning with the
  Dutch who had already crippled
  Spanish 
  seapower, 
  the 
  northern
  European powers settled those islands
  among the Lesser Antilles that the
  Spanish had ignored.  The Dutch
  Furries took only small islands that
  could be used as trade depots, while the
  French and the English went in for per-
  manent settlements.  In 1655, an
  English expedition that was supposed
  to take Santo Domingo succeeded in
  capturing Jamaica instead.  The Dutch,
  wanting to encourage the English and
  French to produce a crop which could
  be sold in Europe at a profit, put them
  in the way of growing sugar-cane.  This
  in turn led to the plantation system, the
  dispossession of small proprietors, and
  the mass importation of slave labor.
  The Greater Antilles islands sup-
  port vast herds of feral pigs and cattle,
  and communities of landless Furries —
  dispossessed 
  farmers, 
  shipwrecked
  sailors, deserters, escaped convicts, and
  runaway servants or slaves — survive by
  hunting them.  These Furries are called
  boucaniers (boucan means the process
  of curing meat), and they alternate their
  living by robbery on land or sea.
  Attempts by the Spanish colonial gov-
  ernment to round them up or starve
  them out have driven them into out-
  right piracy.  In wartime, the French
  and the English have employed them
  against the Spanish as virtually the only
  fighting force available.  In times of
  peace, 
  pirate-hunters 
  patrol 
  the
  Caribbean to keep them from embar-
  rassing the home government.
  £
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  104
  The Bahamas
  I do not dream of going to
  Heaven; I dream of return-
  ing to New Providence.
   Pirate saying
  After the Arawak died out in the
  1520s, these islands were uninhabited
  until the seventeenth century, when the
  island of Bermuda became an English
  colony of about two thousand fishers
  and tobacco-growers.  Other small com-
  munities sprang up on various islands
  after 1650.  Agriculture never prospered
  in the arid climate and thin soil of the
  Bahamas.  However, the islands are
  strategically placed next to the Florida
  Strait and the Windward Passage.  Also,
  the waters around them are shallow and
  treacherous, giving the advantage to the
  vessel with shallow draft and to the
  pilot with detailed knowledge.  
  Nassau, on the island of New
  Providence, is a haven where pirates
  swarm in the thousands, a seamy tent
  town festering on the white sand beach
  where the numerous taverns are the
  only permanent buildings.  The waters
  of its snug harbor are a perfect depth:
  too shallow for warships, but deep
  enough for the shallow-draft vessels
  favored by pirates.  Both wild game and
  fresh water are abundant on the island.
  Overlooking the harbor is a crumbling
  limestone fort, relic of a failed English
  settlement, with a few small cannons.
  The Bahamas are ruled by incom-
  petent and corrupt governors who hap-
  pily sell letters of marque for shares of
  the loot, while the sparse and poverty-
  stricken colonists are hospitable to
  pirates for the sake of the goods they
  bring.  Treasure hunting is a common
  pastime here, as there have been
  Spanish ships wrecked by accident as
  well as design.
  Cuba
  A large, fertile island with its own
  mountain range, vast forests, and plenty
  of fresh water, Cuba is the most impor-
  tant island in the Spanish West Indies.
  Havana, the main port city, is vital in
  protecting La Flota (the fleet from Vera
  Cruz carrying Mexican silver) and Los
  Galleons (the fleet from Porto Bello
  carrying Peruvian silver).  The harbor at
  Havana is one of the best in the world,
  with deep, spacious anchorage and a
  promontory along one side of the har-
  bor mouth with excellent defensive for-
  tifications.  Havana is one of the very
  few Spanish New World coastal cities
  which has not been sacked, burned, or
  held for ransom by French or English
  pirates.  Being the assembly point for all
  silver ships in the annual convoy to
  Spain, Havana has made Cuba the most
  prosperous of the islands.
  Most industry and agriculture is
  concentrated near Havana, or on the
  coast.  Cuban crops are not produced
  by the plantation system; thus the
  island has relatively few slaves.  Cuba
  produces a small amount of sugar and
  a very superior variety of tobacco.  In
  the eastern part of the island, non-pirat-
  ical buccaneers survive by hunting wild
  cattle and pigs and trading meat and
  hides to passing ships.
  Hispaniola and
  Saint-Domingue
  The first New World colony estab-
  lished by Spain, Hispaniola lost trade
  and prestige to Cuba after the route
  through the Florida Strait was discov-
  ered.  For a long time it made up the
  lack by illegal trade with the Dutch.  To
  discourage this trade, the northwest
  coast of Hispaniola was forcibly depop-
  ulated in 1605, and the settlers there
  moved to the south coast, near the gov-
  ernmental control of Santo Domingo.
  The vacuum was filled by buccaneers of
  many nations.  Eventually French buc-
  caneers came to dominate the region,
  renaming it Saint-Domingue.
  The city of Santo Domingo is still
  the administrative center of the Spanish
  West Indies, though it lacks commercial
  importance.  It is impressively laid out
  with stone buildings and spacious
  streets and plazas.  It is also well-forti-
  fied and protected by professional
  troops.  Only the great English admiral
  Sir Francis Drake succeeded in captur-
  ing it for ransom, in 1585. (“El Draque”
  is still a name to frighten Spanish cubs).
  Spain has not officially recognized
  the existence of Saint-Domingue.
  However, in 1665 the French Lion king
  attempted to organize this nest of
  pirates into a colony by sending a gov-
  ernor and a group of settlers.  The gov-
  ernor succeeded in removing the buc-
  caneers to the island of Tortuga, main-
  taining good relations with them by
  employing them as mercenaries and
  fencing their stolen goods.  Saint-
  Domingue became a respectable settle-
  ment, planting maize, tobacco, and
  cacao for sale, often to the buccaneers.
  Tortuga is a small, rocky island off
  the northwestern coast of Hispaniola.
  It has been an international haunt of
  Furry 
  buccaneers 
  since 
  1635.
  Protestant refugees from the French
  colony of Saint-Christophe fortified
  and organized it into a semi-official
  outpost dominated by French bucca-
  neers, elbowing out the English who
  were the other significant population.
  Currently the island supports about
  2000 Furry pirates.  Meanwhile, the
  English pirates started making their
  headquarters at Port Royal, Jamaica
  (not to be confused with Port Royal,
  Acadia), and on New Providence in the
  Bahamas.
  Jamaica
  The Spanish on Jamaica numbered
  only 1500 and lived by keeping or hunt-
  ing cattle when the forces of the
  English Commonwealth took the
  island in 1655.  Cuba was then being
  decimated by an epidemic, and Spain
  had just lost a fleet at Santa Cruz, so
  the English Furries had time to consol-
  idate their position.  Jamaica was never
  settled to the extent that Barbados has
  been.  Its prosperity was based from the
  beginning on piracy.  There were early
  attempts to drive the buccaneers out
  and establish trade with the Spanish
  colonies, but these failed because the
  Spanish had no faith in the English,
  and because buccaneers pushed out of
  Port Royal simply moved to Tortuga
  and kept raiding.  In the second Anglo-
  Dutch war, the Jamaican governor tried
  to use the buccaneers as mercenaries,
  but this backfired because the bucca-
  neers only wanted to raid the Spanish,
  with whom England was then at peace.
  However, the buccaneers, especially the
  wolf Sir Henry Morgan, brought so
  much plunder to Jamaica that they had
  to be forgiven.  In 1670, Spain finally
  acknowledged England’s holdings in
  the Caribbean, and since then serious
  efforts have been made to curb the buc-
  caneers, even setting Morgan (who was
  made lieutenant governor) to hunting
  them.  Most English buccaneers have
  moved to New Providence in the
  Bahamas, or headed out to Madagascar
  to try the Red Sea trade.  With the
  pirates gone, Jamaica is being taken
  over by slave-owners and sugar planta-
  tions.
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  105
  Puerto Rico
  The poorest of the Greater Antilles
  islands, Puerto Rico is under Spanish
  control, but is ignored by the Spanish
  crown.  Sugar plantations were aban-
  doned in 1600 when ships stopped
  coming to the island because of the
  Havana convoy system.  Puerto Rico’s
  few thousand Furry inhabitants live on
  the open range raising cattle and grow-
  ing subsistence crops.  Outside the fort
  of San Juan with its Spanish garrison,
  intermarriage has erased the distinc-
  tions between the Spanish, African and
  Indian populations.
  Lesser Antilles
  The Lesser Antilles islands did not
  develop a tradition of buccaneering.
  Except in wartime, or during slave
  revolts, these islands are secure and
  prospering in the sugar trade.  The
  most important islands are Martinique
  (French), Barbados (English), and
  Curacao (Dutch).  Curacao, off the
  coast of Venezuela, is a small outpost
  that exists to exploit the saltpans on the
  island and its two neighbors, Aruba and
  Bonaire.  Martinique and Barbados are
  thoroughly colonized and covered with
  sugar-cane plantations.  The 20,000
  English inhabitants of Barbados include
  some of the richest individuals in
  America.  They are outnumbered three
  to one by African slaves.  The other
  islands in this group include the Virgin
  Islands, 
  St. 
  Kitts-Nevis, 
  Antigua,
  Guadeloupe, Dominica, St. Eustatius,
  St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and Grenada.
  During the frequent wars between the
  mother countries, the colonists raid
  and capture each other’s islands.  St.
  Eustatius, a tiny scrub-covered rock
  made into a free port by the Dutch,
  changed flags ten times between 1664
  and 1674.  Usually, the peace treaties re-
  establish the status quo.
  The Spanish
  Mainland 
  It is not strictly necessary to wait
  for the Spanish silver fleet to come to
  you.  By attacking, sacking, and holding
  for ransom the poorly-defended ports
  on the mainland coast, a Furry pirate or
  privateer may acquire enough loot to
  take an early retirement — or blow on a
  single debauch in Jamaica or New York
  City.
  Climate
  Unhealthy.  The desert and tem-
  perate regions of New Spain (Mexico)
  and the highlands of Peru are all right,
  but if you want to live a long, healthy
  life, stay away from the isthmus region
  of Central America.  The sodden heat
  and the raging diseases of the equatori-
  al belt will do you in.
  Organization
  Spanish control of the mainland
  extends from Baja California to Chile,
  interrupted only by the tiny English set-
  tlement of Belize on the north shore of
  the Gulf of Honduras, Dutch and
  French encroachments in Venezuela,
  and the Portuguese colony of Brazil.
  Spanish territory is divided into two
  viceroyalties: New Spain (Mexico),
  which controls all North American ter-
  ritory plus the Central American king-
  dom of Guatemala, and Peru, which
  includes all Spanish South America and
  Panama.  Each viceroyal, a single indi-
  vidual appointed to act for the King of
  Spain, is supposed to have sovereign
  power over all protectorates, but diffi-
  cult geography and tricky politics have
  made the local audencia governments
  autonomous.
  Economics
  The Indians are free subjects
  of the Crown who should
  work voluntarily for the
  Spaniards for fair wages...
  The chief problem is to com-
  pel them to do so.
   Emperor Charles V
  With a stabile and mostly-subjugat-
  ed Indian population, there are fewer
  African slaves on the mainland than in
  the Caribbean.  The Indians are forced
  to give tribute and work without pay
  for the Spanish through oppressive sys-
  tems such as the encomienda.  The
  Spanish Crown has made attempts to
  reform these systems and treat the
  Furry Indians fairly, but local Spaniards,
  from the viceroyals on down, have
  ignored and evaded the new laws.  The
  fertile and well-developed mainland
  produces enough food for its inhabi-
  tants, but its main attraction to the
  Spanish (and everyone else) is the silver
  mines of New Spain and Peru.  Other
  valuable exports include cacao, indigo,
  sugar, and brazilwood, from which dye
  can be extracted.
  Species
  As in the Caribbean islands, the
  mainland was conquered and settled by
  adventurers looking for quick profit.
  Where they did not find it in mineral
  wealth, they took it by the exploitation
  of 
  land 
  and 
  Indian 
  labor.
  Heterogeneous in species and lacking
  Spanish females, they took Indian
  mates.  Some Spanish females have
  arrived to complete the process of col-
  onization, but there are never enough.
  The Indians are also a heteroge-
  neous lot, lacking some species found
  in the Old World, but with several oth-
  ers — such as Llamas, Average-sized
  Rodents, some interesting varieties of
  Reptiles, 
  and 
  Heavy-sized 
  Feline
  cougars and jaguars — which are found
  nowhere else.  The number of mates
  available is small, which helps legitimize
  those cross-cultural same-species mat-
  ings that do occur.  Legitimate off-
  spring of Spanish and Indian marriages
  are considered free Spanish citizens,
  though cubs produced by concubinage
  form a half-caste neither Spanish nor
  Indian.  Also of indistinct (low) status
  are cubs born of African-Indian mar-
  riage or mating.  Since it is difficult to
  tell at a glance the nationality of a par-
  ticular Furry, many of these half-castes
  pass themselves off as Spanish or half-
  Spanish.
  Traditions of
  Magick
  The subjugated Indians are forbid-
  den to practice their native Magicks,
  and after two centuries of Spanish dom-
  ination they have forgotten them.  They
  are never taught any European Magicks
  either, as higher education is not avail-
  able to them.  However, there are
  unsubjugated Mosquito tribes on the
  Caribbean side of Guatemala, who prac-
  tice Alterations, Astral, Divination,
  Domination, 
  Elemental, 
  and
  Summoning.  Opposing these Indians
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  106
  are small groups of Knights Templar,
  who make periodic attempts to wipe
  them out with fire and spell and sword.
  The Spanish authorities in Guatemala
  tolerate the Templars, even if they are
  foreigners, because they need all the
  help they can get against the
  Mosquitoes and the buccaneers.  There
  are also many tribes in South America,
  unmolested 
  and 
  unknown 
  to
  Europeans, with Magicks of their own.
  Furry Jesuits practice all through the
  Spanish Main, but the largest group of
  Magick-users are the Dominican Order,
  a compassionate collection of priests
  who are outspoken in their defense of
  the Indians.  They practice Abjuration
  and Necromancy.
  History
  Using their Caribbean islands as a
  base, the Spanish Furries sent expedi-
  tions to explore the mainland in the
  early 1500s.  They were astonished to
  find stone cities and huge Indian popu-
  lations with a high standard of civiliza-
  tion and a fiercer disposition than the
  Arawaks.  Balboa, the first European to
  get a look at the Pacific Ocean, estab-
  lished a colony in Panama.  Repulsed
  by the Mayas of the Yucatan, other
  Spaniards turned to Mexico, were wel-
  comed by the overawed Aztecs, and pre-
  pared an invasion in 1518.  It was led by
  that charming and glory-hungry Feline,
  Hernan Cortes.  Taking advantage of
  Reptilian Moctezuma’s vacillation, the
  hostility of subjugated tribes to their
  Aztec rulers, and being mistaken for the
  jaguar god Tezcatlipoca, Cortes cap-
  tured the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan
  and added New Spain to the Spanish
  Empire in 1521.  Between New Spain
  and Panama, the Mayan isthmus region
  separating them was pacified by 1540,
  except for the Mosquito Coast, estab-
  lishing the Kingdom of Guatamala.
  Meanwhile, though the Inca Empire
  was politically stronger and more cen-
  tralized than the Aztec, it fell to the
  ambitious Equine Francisco Pizarro in
  1534.  Pizarro took advantage of hostil-
  ity between two rivals for the Incan
  throne, then executed both and ruled
  through their younger brother.  Bitter
  quarrels between Pizarro and the other
  leaders of the expedition led to the
  assassination of Pizarro and a civil war
  that lasted until an appointed governor
  arrived from Spain with his army.  The
  Pacific side of the continent was settled
  as far south as Chile, as far east as the
  Andes, and farther inland along the
  Plata River.  Pearl fishers and slave
  hunters had already explored the north
  coast of South America, and in 1538
  the colony of New Grenada was estab-
  lished by three converging groups of
  conquistidores.  Other Spanish explor-
  ers visited Florida, or pushed their way
  north from the Rio Grande and west to
  the California coast in search of a king-
  dom of gold.
  The mainland colonies were settled
  using the encomienda system, by which
  selected colonists exacted tribute and
  labor from the Indians in exchange for
  teaching them the Christian religion,
  supplying them with necessities, and
  protecting their elementary personal
  rights.  The protests of Dominican fri-
  ars, along with the lesson learned in the
  Caribbean regarding mortality rates
  among Arawak, led the Spanish to treat
  their Indian labor force with more con-
  sideration on the mainland.  However,
  the population was decimated by small-
  pox and other European diseases, and
  did not stabilize until after 1650.
  Though against the law, many Indians
  were and still are enslaved to work in
  the silver mines, with an appalling loss
  of life.  Furry Indians are kept segregat-
  ed in their own towns under their own
  chiefs, though this has not prevented
  the mixture of nationalities.
  Ports along the Gulf of Mexico,
  the Gulf of Honduras, the isthmus, and
  the coasts of New Grenada and
  Venezuela are vulnerable to buccaneers.
  The hapless colonists have been raided
  so often that their automatic reaction
  on seeing a foreign sail is to retreat
  inland with all valuables and prepare to
  negotiate a ransom to get the pirates to
  leave.
  New Spain
  While Spain declines into squalid
  poverty, the colony of New Spain is a
  thriving, well-populated center of peace
  and prosperity.  Mexico City, founded
  on the ruins of Tenochtitlan, is one of
  the richest, cleanest, and most beautiful
  cities in the world, with shops well-
  stocked with goods from Europe and
  the Far East (in defiance of laws against
  foreign trade; smugglers take note).
  There is a university, a theatre, and sev-
  eral excellent libraries in Mexico City,
  making it the intellectual capital of
  Spanish America.  The rest of Mexico is
  dotted with peaceful towns, monaster-
  ies, estates, and Indian villages, where
  apart from encomienda labor and con-
  version to Christianity, the locals are
  free to run their own affairs.  In more
  remote areas there are Indian commu-
  nities where, so long as tribute is paid,
  the conquering Spanish are never seen.
  In the silver mines, however, conditions
  are so bad that conscripted Indians
  often don’t survive six months.
  Vera Cruz is the port out of which
  the Mexican silver fleet, loaded up via
  mule train, departs for Havana and
  thence for Spain.  Vera Cruz is also the
  foremost port for all the commerce of
  the Spanish Main, and almost as rich,
  beautiful, and well-populated as Mexico
  City, though not nearly so peaceful,
  having been sacked by some of the best
  pirates in the business.  Another impor-
  tant port city is Acapulco, which carries
  on trade with the Philippines across the
  Pacific.
  Guatemala
  Colonial Guatemala includes the
  provinces of Honduras, El Salvador,
  Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.  This isth-
  mus region is not very important to the
  Spanish Empire.  The Caribbean side is
  almost uninhabitable because of the
  thick jungle, the unhealthy climate, and
  Hernan Cortez
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  107
  the fierce Indians of the Mosquito
  Coast.  On the Pacific side, although
  the climate is drier and the Indians
  thoroughly subjugated, there are no
  natural harbors.  While these condi-
  tions protect the settlements from buc-
  caneers, they also prevent access to
  trade with the other colonies and Spain.
  Poor roads and hazardous geography
  have prevented the unification of the
  provinces, leaving each in isolation.
  Spanish control of the Caribbean side
  is limited to a narrow strip of coastal
  ports which are strategically important
  to Los Galleons plying the Porto Bello
  - Havana route.  Since Spanish female
  colonists would rather live in New
  Spain if they can manage it, there are
  plenty of cross-cultural matings and a
  high number of half-castes.
  The Spanish population exists by
  agriculture: land-ownership along with
  forced Indian labor is the basis of
  wealth.  Cacao was the principal export
  during the sixteenth century, but
  Venezuela, with its easy coastal access,
  has taken over that trade.  Indigo has
  become the main export of the seven-
  teenth century.  Honduras has
  untapped veins of silver, but lack of
  capital, labor, and equipment has pre-
  vented their exploitation.  Guatemala is
  so cash-starved that cacao beans are
  used as currency.
  In the 1660s, English Furry bucca-
  neers settled the mouth of the Belize
  River on the northern side of the Gulf
  of Honduras, using it as a base for raid-
  ing.  From Belize, buccaneers can strike
  against silver ships heading to Havana
  from either Vera Cruz or Porto Bello
  and escape easily.  The coast of Belize is
  as if created for piracy, with coral reefs
  and sandbars everywhere providing pro-
  tection for shallow-draft vessels against
  pursuing warships.  When business is
  slow, the buccaneers survive by cutting
  brazilwood, a source of crimson dye
  which is in great demand in Europe.
  Unacknowledged by Spain, Belize is
  loosely controlled by the governor of
  English Jamaica and run by magistrates
  elected at annual town meetings.  The
  English, who number about a thou-
  sand, also support Mosquito raids
  against the Guatemalans.
  Panama
  Panama is one of the world’s great
  strategic points, being the link between
  the Atlantic and the Pacific.  A depen-
  dency of the viceroyalty of Peru,
  Panama began receiving by sea the fab-
  ulous wealth of Peruvian silver mines in
  1543.  Each year, or lately every other
  year, the Armada del Sur brings silver
  from Peru to Panama City on the west
  coast. Overland transport from Panama
  City to Porto Bello on the east coast
  requires an enormous assemblage of
  mules and a whole network of forts
  along the route.  Then from Porto
  Bello, Los Galleons depart for Havana
  to meet up with the fleet from Vera
  Cruz.
  Life in Panama thus consists of
  eleven months of tropical lassitude fol-
  lowed by thirty days of spectacular hus-
  tle and bustle.  Living conditions are
  not good in Panama.  Excessive heat
  and humidity coupled with sickness
  make for a high death rate.  There is
  also danger from earthquakes, fire, and
  tribes of runaway African-Indian cim-
  marones in the impenetrable Darien
  jungle to the south.  The entire popu-
  lation of Panama is about 15,000, over
  half of which lives in Panama City,
  while Porto Bello has about 2,000.
  Panama has more African slaves than
  the other mainland colonies, as most of
  the Furry Indians have been wiped out
  by disease.  The main function of the
  slaves is to provide labor for the trajin,
  the overland passage of silver and other
  goods across the narrow part of the
  isthmus.  Transport is the mainstay of
  Panama’s economy, and it has made the
  upper class of slave and mule owners
  immensely rich.
  Both Porto Bello and Panama City
  are attractive targets to buccaneers.
  Panama City is protected by the isth-
  mus itself, but in 1671, the wolf Henry
  Morgan crossed it to sack the city.
  There are fortifications with mounted
  guns on the port itself, along with a few
  hundred troops, but the rest of the city
  lies open and unprotected.  Porto Bello
  has a strong fort with a garrison of pro-
  fessional troops, but it has been seized
  and ransacked more than once.
  New Grenada
  The area originally called Bogota
  was occupied by Chibcha Indians, who
  had mastered agriculture and gold-min-
  ing.  In 1538, these talents drew three
  different groups of conquistadores to
  converge on the Chibcha through some
  of the toughest geography in South
  America.  New Grenada was made a
  royal colony under the jurisdiction of
  the Viceroyal of Peru.  Furry Spanish
  immigrants arrived steadily to grab
  land, encomiendas, and mining rights,
  using both Indians and African slaves
  on the plantations and in the gold-
  mines.  Little has changed except the
  decrease in the Indian population
  thanks to harsh work, disease, and inter-
  marriage with Spaniards and Africans.
  Mines in New Grenada produce
  emeralds as well as gold.  Los Galleons
  stop in the main ports of Cartagena
  and Santa Marta on their way to Porto
  Bello to pick up the royal share of this
  treasure.  Another important crop is
  tobacco, which does not require planta-
  tion labor to be profitable, and thus is
  grown mostly by free Furries of Spanish
  or Spanish-Indian descent.  A quick way
  to get rich is by tomb robbing, for the
  ancient Furry Chibchas filled the graves
  of their chiefs with jewelry and gold
  objects.  (But beware of Abjuration
  curses left behind).
  Venezuela
  Spanish settlement of the northern
  coast of South America was preceded
  by visits from the Caribbean Islands by
  pearl fishers, slave-hunters, and mission-
  aries.  Carib Indian resistance and sev-
  eral disasters brought on by their
  Elemental sorcery prevented extensive
  settlement until 1569.  From then on,
  Spanish colonists spread inland, reset-
  tling Indians by the thousands in
  encomiendas.  Venezuela has remained
  prosperous through the export of
  cacao, in which it has displaced not
  only Guatemala, but New Spain.  Even
  so, Venezuela is an unimportant
  province, subordinate to Peru and New
  Grenada.  Many Indian tribes to the
  south and west remain free and even
  unknown to the Spanish Venezuelans.
  Venezuela is vulnerable to sea raids,
  partly because of the neglect of fortifi-
  cations, even at the capital of Caracas,
  but also because the great river
  Orinoco allows penetration inland,
  even by large warships. 
  Peru
  If Spaniards go to Heaven,
  then we would rather not.
   Peruvian Furry Indians
  to a missionary
  The viceroyalty of Peru includes
  territory on both sides of the Andes
  Mountains as far south as Chile.  It has
  jurisdiction over the provinces of
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  108
  Panama, New Grenada, Venezuela, and
  La Plata, an inland agricultural settle-
  ment far to the south.  Peru has been
  thoroughly colonized, its capital of
  Cuzco rebuilt as a Spanish city, the sec-
  ond capital of Lima built on the coast
  along with the other cities, Quito and
  Trujillo, Incan temples converted into
  Christian churches, and encomiendas
  of land and Indian labor distributed
  among the conquerors.  
  Lima, the clearing-house for
  exporting Peruvian riches to Spain, is a
  multi-ethnic and cosmopolitan city.
  Pizarro’s forces included Greek, Italian,
  and African Furries, whose descendants
  live in Lima even now.  A recent census
  even found Filipino and Japanese
  Furries living in the city.  Currently it
  has a total population of around
  35,000, nearly half Africans both free
  and enslaved, Spaniards about forty per-
  cent, and the rest Indians or mixed-
  bloods.  Many types of industry, espe-
  cially textiles, flourish in Lima, created
  by Incan craftsmanship, Spanish
  demand for luxury, and various foreign
  influences.  Like Mexico City, Lima has
  its cafes and theatres, and even a uni-
  versity, including a school of Magick
  for Jesuits and Dominicans.  Lima,
  along with the other coastal cities, lives
  in fear of pirates, but as the buccaneers
  have to sail clear around South America
  through the Strait of Magellan to reach
  them, raids are not frequent.
  Most of the Indian population
  lives inland, in the valleys or up in the
  highlands.  Exploitation of Furry
  Indians has reached a new level of cru-
  elty in Peru.  In contrast to New Spain
  and Guatemala, the clergy who settled
  here were more interested in serving the
  Spaniards than in converting the
  Indians.  Although this allowed the
  Indians to hold onto their native rituals
  and customs longer, it removed the pro-
  tection of the Church from them.
  Corruption among the Spanish offi-
  cials, who buy their offices from the
  king of Spain, has made things worse.
  Farm labor is not too bad, but the sil-
  ver mines usually kill two out of every
  three of the workers dragged from their
  homes in chains.  Even worse are the
  mercury mines (mercury is used to sep-
  arate silver from its ore), where death
  from poisoning is almost certain.
  The amount of treasure found in
  Peru (the Incan ruler gave 13,000
  pounds of gold and 26,000 pounds of
  silver trying to ransom himself during
  the Conquest) was staggering.  A virtu-
  al mountain of high-grade silver ore was
  discovered in 1545.  In the seventeenth
  century, the supply is in decline, but
  every other year, the Armada del Sur
  leaves for Panama City groaning under
  the weight of refined silver.
  Brazil
  In 1494, Portugal got Spain to
  agree to a demarcation line which gave
  the Portuguese all lands in the New
  World east of those discovered by
  Columbus.  At the time the Spanish
  were unaware of the South American
  continent sprawling south and east of
  the Caribbean, though the Portuguese,
  famed for their sorcerous and naviga-
  tional ability, were not.  Except for a
  few settlements on the coast, Brazil was
  neglected during the sixteenth century
  by the Portuguese, who were busy with
  their African and Oriental trade empire.
  When the French began to encroach on
  trade and to attack the settlements, and
  when the region’s potential for sugar
  production was realized, the Portuguese
  made determined efforts to colonize.
  From 1580 to 1640, Portugal was uni-
  fied with Spain, and during this time
  lost her Asiatic empire to the Dutch.
  When independence was again won,
  Brazil was her most important remain-
  ing colony.  Settlement spread inland,
  displacing and enslaving the natives,
  who had no developed societies such as
  the Aztec or Inca.  The Portuguese set-
  tled Brazil well beyond the line of
  demarcation, for the Spanish had little
  interest in the South American interior
  and offered no opposition.  There is
  plenty of unexplored rainforest further
  inland, where tribes and runaway slaves
  carry on without European interfer-
  ence.
  Little provision was made for mis-
  sionary work in Brazil, and without the
  protection such as the Dominicans pro-
  vide in New Spain, the Indians of east-
  ern Brazil are badly mistreated.  Indian
  and African slaves provide the work-
  force in Brazil, which now has its econ-
  omy based on sugar plantations and
  cattle ranches.  These establishments are
  self-sufficient, importing only slaves,
  wine, and fine textiles.  Cultural and
  religious life is poor, as is the quality of
  sorcerous education.  Few Portuguese
  females have come to Brazil, and the
  largest part of the population are the
  mixed bloods.  The “pure” Portuguese
  are the landowners, merchants, clergy,
  government and military officials.
  French and Dutch privateers may
  raid Brazilian ports with impunity as far
  as the home government is concerned.
  However, since 1640, Portugal has been
  allied with England; thus any attack by
  English buccaneers will be considered
  piracy.
  Africa
  European Furries know nothing
  about the interior of Africa.  Their
  imaginations fill the void with moun-
  tains of gold and hordes of savage can-
  nibals.  The African coast is of interest
  to pirates as a source of gold and ivory,
  exported in Dutch, English, French,
  and Portuguese ships.  The most exten-
  sive African export is slaves.  Idealistic
  Furry pirates may attempt to hinder this
  vile trade.
  Climate
  Africa is roughly divided into
  bands of terrain consisting of, from
  north to south, a narrow strip of
  Mediterranean coastal grass and wood-
  land, the wide band of the Sahara
  Desert, the sudanic belt of grass and
  woodland, and a dense region of sub-
  tropical to tropical forest, interrupted
  in places by grassland and dry steppe.
  Only the Ethiopian Highlands reach
  above ten thousand feet in elevation,
  but there are many areas of plateau over
  three thousand.
  Organization
  North Africa is part of the
  Ottoman Empire (see “Europe,” p. 91).
  The kingdoms of West Africa are inde-
  pendent, resisting European attempts to
  colonize, except in Angola.  South
  Africa is mostly unvisited and uninhab-
  ited by Europeans, except for a Dutch
  settlement on the Cape of Good Hope.
  On the eastern side, the Portuguese
  hold the colony of Mozambique.  The
  civilized Moslem city-states further
  north are throwing off the yoke of the
  Portuguese, but are falling under the
  influence of Oman, a kingdom in
  south-eastern Arabia.  The island of
  Madagascar, abode of the Malagasy
  Furries, is a supply depot and retire-
  ment home for pirates.  Abyssinia, land
  of the mythical Prester John, is an inde-
  pendent Christian kingdom.  The Red
  Sea between Egypt and Arabia is an
  Ottoman lake.
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  109
  Economics
  Africa is self-sufficient.  Thousands
  of slaves are exported every year, but
  the goods received in exchange — aside
  from guns and ammunition — are of lit-
  tle value in their countries of origin,
  consisting of metal bars, enamel bowls,
  knives, liquor, cloth, mirrors, and cheap
  jewelry.  These are hoarded by coastal
  rulers and used to purchase local prod-
  ucts, services, and political influence.
  The exodus of labor caused by the slave
  trade has had an appalling effect on
  some areas of Africa, especially Angola.
  There is a trans-Sahara trade between
  North Africa and the Sudan (central
  region) consisting of Mediterranean
  products, salt, and horses being
  exchanged for slaves, gold, ivory,
  ostrich feathers, kola nuts, gum, and
  metalwork.  East African coastal cities
  engage in trade with Arabia and India,
  but this trade is in the paws of
  Ottoman, Omani, and European mer-
  chants who make a profit at both ends.
  Species
  Africans are a mixture of species.
  Racially, there is no difference between
  European and African Furries; the same
  species are found on both continents.
  Northern 
  states 
  where 
  enslaving
  Europeans has been outlawed have had
  to find other excuses besides alleged
  racial superiority to justify keeping
  Africans in perpetual servitude.  Felines
  make up most of the ruling class in the
  northern half of Africa.  In the south,
  few tribes are politically evolved
  enough to have a ruling class.
  Traditions of
  Magick
  African societies that have been
  influenced by contact with Islam are
  gifted with knowledge of all the Circles
  of Magick.  In South Africa and the
  more remote inland areas, Abjuration
  “Dr. Livingstone...?” Into the Heart of Furry Darkness.
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  110
  and Alteration are unknown.  Magick is
  practiced by a single family or group of
  families within each kingdom, which
  guards its knowledge to pass down
  through the generations.
  History
  The most advanced native Furries
  of the Americas were merely New Stone
  Age cultivators forced into an empire
  by a dominant tribe when the
  Europeans ran across them.  The
  African Furries of the same period were
  farmers equipped with iron tools, much
  more numerous than the Furry Indians.
  The northern third of Africa belongs to
  the civilization of Islam, but even in the
  southern two-thirds of the continent,
  many of the African Furries are orga-
  nized into kingdoms powerful enough
  to stop invaders.  When the Portuguese
  found their way around Africa during
  the fifteenth century, they confined
  their small colonies to offshore islands
  or coastal ports, paying rent to the local
  rulers.  After reaching the Gold Coast
  in 1471, the Portuguese built a series of
  forts, but these were to keep back
  European competitors, not to intimi-
  date the locals.  
  During the sixteenth century,
  Africa had little to interest the
  Europeans other than gold and ivory,
  for the labor demands of the East
  Indies had not reached the fever pitch
  of the seventeenth century.  The
  Portuguese concentrated their efforts
  on the Gold Coast of Guinea and the
  gold-exporting ports of Mozambique.
  Aside from setting up diplomatic rela-
  tions with the powerful kingdom of the
  Congo and attempting to convert its
  Furries to Christianity, the Portuguese
  virtually ignored the rest of the western
  side of the continent, passing it by on
  their way to the riches of India.  In East
  Africa, north of Mozambique they
  established fortified trading settlements
  in the port cities of Malindi, Mombasa,
  and Kilwa, and the island of Zanzibar.
  They also intervened to prevent an
  Islamic invasion of the Coptic
  Christian nation of Abyssinia, though
  they were unsuccessful at converting
  the Furries there to Catholicism.
  There was slavery in every part of
  Africa long before the Portuguese
  began to export slaves overseas.  Before
  the plantation system came into vogue,
  slavery was not quite such a harsh fate,
  except for Furries sent to the mines or
  the galleys.  Though the demand for
  eunuchs was a brutal aspect of the
  trade, it was possible for a slave to earn
  his freedom, even attain a position of
  power and wealth.  When the Spanish
  demanded Africans to replace the
  Indians as their workforce, and when
  the plantation system was developed to
  produce New World crops on a large
  scale, the worst aspects of slavery came
  into being.
  In the late sixteenth century,
  European demand for slaves out-
  stripped what the West African king-
  doms were willing to supply, and the
  Portuguese took matters into their own
  paws.  They trained and armed bands of
  local “allies” to make war on Furries all
  around the slowly expanding frontier of
  their colonies, supplying captives for
  the slave trade.  This was most success-
  ful in the Congo and Angola.  The East
  African 
  Portuguese 
  colony 
  of
  Mozambique was based on gold rather
  than slaves, so was a shade less bloody.
  In the seventeenth century, the
  efficient Dutch fell upon the poorly-
  defended Portuguese settlements.  By
  1642, most Portuguese bases and
  colonies on the West African mainland
  were in Dutch paws, though the
  Portuguese managed to regain Angola.
  The Dutch also discovered the sweep-
  ing trade winds that allowed them to
  turn the Cape of Good Hope into a
  supply depot rather than a storm-tossed
  hazard to ships.
  Morocco
  This Islamic nation managed to
  halt the expansion of the Ottoman
  Empire at the border of Algeria and
  remain independent.  A mixture of
  Berber and Arabic Furries of various
  species inhabits Morocco.  Although
  much of its overseas trade is in the paws
  of the Spanish and Portuguese, who
  dominate the port cities of Ceuta,
  Tangier, Casablanca, and so forth, the
  Moroccans maintain trade caravans
  across the Sahara with Guinea and the
  Sudan kingdoms in Africa’s interior.
  The Lion Sultan, Moulay Ismail, has
  managed to reconquer some of his
  ports, kicking the Spanish and
  Portuguese out.  Moroccans are fortu-
  nate in having both Atlantic and
  Mediterranean ports, and opportunities
  to learn from both European and
  Islamic traditions.  Morocco is defend-
  ed by an army of janissaries, mostly
  slaves from Guinea and the Sudan.
  Guinea
  Guinea is the name given by the
  Portuguese to the coastal region of
  West Africa between latitudes 15
  degrees north and 5 degrees south.
  Guinea is divided into stretches of
  coastline named for their chief items of
  trade: the Grain Coast (for grains of
  pepper, valued by the Portuguese before
  India produced a superior supply), the
  Ivory Coast, the Gold Coast, and the
  Slave Coast.  The Portuguese built
  many forts along the Gold Coast,
  notably on the island of Elmina, but
  these are now Dutch possessions.
  Behind the coast is the area of cen-
  tral Africa known as the Sudan.  The
  political unit of this region is the king-
  dom.  One Furry, appointed by the
  established laws of succession, with the
  advice of his principal officers, rules an
  area containing the settlements of his
  tribe.  The history of the Sudan is one
  of the rise and fall of successive
  empires, as various of these kingdoms
  grow ambitious and come to imperial
  power.  Coastal rulers, who are careful
  not to let the Europeans come inland
  to deal directly at the source for slaves,
  jealously guard control of trade.
  A majority of West Africans believe
  in a pantheon of deities, gods of the
  sky, earth, and local sites.  Their rulers
  possess varying degrees of divinity
  through descent from deified ancestors.
  There are also a large number of
  Moslems in the region, who go about
  their devotions unmolested.  Some of
  them enjoy great influence as sorcerers
  or advisors to non-Moslem rulers.
  The Congo 
  The Portuguese discovered the
  mouth of the mighty Congo River in
  1483 and established friendly relations
  with the Manicongo kingdom, sending
  missionaries and providing technical
  and economic aid.  Soon there were
  enough converted Christians in the
  Congo to get their own diocese, with a
  cathedral in the capital of Sao Salvador,
  where the court of the Manicongo ruler
  was modeled on the Portuguese down
  to details of dress and mannerisms.
  However, when the slave trade became
  more profitable than friendly relations,
  aid from Portugal dried up, and
  Portuguese 
  agents 
  subverted 
  the
  Manicongo state by fomenting internal
  rivalries.  Manicongo rulers, many of
  them devout Catholics, appealed to the
  Pope for intervention, but Portugal
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  111
  claimed to be unable to control its
  colonists.  When the Dutch captured
  Angola in 1641 (see below), the Furries
  of the Congo were their willing allies.
  In 1665, a Portuguese army smashed
  Congo resistance, and the kingdom dis-
  integrated into a collection of chief-
  doms.
  Angola
  The 
  Portuguese 
  who 
  helped
  destroy the Manicongo kingdom were
  settled further south in Angola, named
  for the Ngola kingdom which the
  Portuguese conquered in a long and
  bloody campaign to get the colony.
  Unable to find any gold or silver along
  the rivers of Angola, the colonists
  resorted to large-scale slave trading.
  Their control of Angola was broken
  only by the Dutch conquest which last-
  ed from 1641 to 1648.  By 1675, the
  Portuguese and their allies had subdued
  the major native kingdoms within 150
  miles of their main settlement of
  Luanda.  The perimeter of the colony
  has become a depopulated wilderness,
  while war rages between various inland
  kingdoms.  Luanda is now the supply
  port for the slave trade with Brazil —
  around 15,000 Furries a year.
  South Africa
  The Dutch settled Cape Town at
  the tip of Africa in 1652.  They had no
  intention of making a colony, but sim-
  ply a halfway station for their merchant
  ships in need of supply and repair.
  Since 1688 they have been receiving
  more settlers, mostly Protestant refugees
  from Germany and France, and these
  have been seeking farmland in the inte-
  rior.  This has brought them into con-
  tact with Hottentot Furries, but as yet
  they have had little trouble with these
  sparse, nomadic hunting tribes.
  The Dutch at Cape Town fiercely
  deny their aid or resources to their ene-
  mies. This usually means the Portuguese
  and the Spanish, but has included the
  English during the various Anglo-
  Dutch wars, and currently includes the
  French.  During one of the frequent,
  horrific storms around the Cape of
  Good Hope, denial of shelter at Cape
  Town can be tantamount to a death
  sentence.
  Mozambique
  By 1520 the Portuguese had seized
  the gold-exporting coastal towns of
  southern 
  East 
  Africa, 
  notably
  Quelimane, Sofala, and Mozambique,
  away from the Arabic traders who dom-
  inated the region earlier.  Penetrating to
  the interior by means of the Zambezi
  River, Portuguese adventurers began to
  make their fortunes by allying with the
  Monomotapa, overlord of the Shona.
  This monarch gave them grants of land
  just as he did with his African vassals,
  outside of Portuguese sovereignty.  On
  his holding, the Portuguese Furry was
  absolute master, taking the powers of
  an African chief and expanding them
  according to European concepts of pri-
  vate property and forced labor.  To get
  control of the colony, the Portuguese
  Crown recognized the validity of these
  grants and tried to get their holders to
  cultivate the land according to
  European 
  methods 
  and 
  marry
  Portuguese females.  This had little
  effect, and the prazeiros, as they are
  called, have become very powerful, con-
  trolling the land behind the coast, over-
  shadowing even the Monomotapa.
  They have also become very rich, as the
  gold from mines further inland passes
  through their territory on its way to the
  coastal ports.  Despite interference from
  the Dutch, English, French, and Arabs,
  the Portuguese have managed to hold
  onto the colony of Mozambique.
  Madagascar
  The main place of refuge for Red
  Sea pirates is Madagascar, fourth largest
  island in the world, off the coast of
  Mozambique.  The island has innumer-
  able bays and inlets for concealment,
  and offers ample supplies of meat, fruit,
  and water, plus long, sloping beaches
  suitable for careening and repairing
  ships.  There is no European power
  established in Madagascar, while the
  local Furries offer no serious threat to
  well-armed pirates.  They are usually
  willing to trade or seek assistance in
  local clan wars.  Not a few pirates have
  retired here, rich as sultans, ensconced
  in their own barbaric courts and sur-
  rounded by harems of beautiful native
  females.
  The 
  Malagasy 
  Furries 
  of
  Madagascar include a few types that are
  unique to the island, including the
  Prosimian species, Large varieties of
  flightless Avians (dodos and aepyorni),
  and some very colorful Reptiles.  The
  Malagasy are organized into small clans
  and live by hunting, farming, and rais-
  ing cattle.  Wars among them are fre-
  quent and provoked by kidnapping and
  cattle-raiding.  Arab traders, who call it
  the Island of the Moon, have been
  stopping by Madagascar for several
  hundred years, exchanging tools, cloth,
  glass, and porcelain for food, slaves, tor-
  toise shells, and beeswax.
  East of Madagascar are the islands
  of Reunion and Mauritius.  Formerly
  outposts of the Dutch trade empire,
  these have been abandoned and make
  reasonable stopping or hiding places for
  pirates.
  East African
  City States
  Traditional Arabic history claims
  that Moslem refugees from Arabia and
  Persia, seeking to trade with the inland
  kingdoms, founded the coastal cities of
  East Africa.  A rich mixture of African
  and Arabic culture flourishes here, with
  Swahili its principle language and Islam
  the accepted religion.  The most impor-
  tant cities are Kilwa, Zanzibar (a coastal
  island), Mombasa, and Malindi.  When
  the Portuguese appeared in the Indian
  Ocean, they easily defeated the sultans
  of these various cities. However, they
  have since controlled the area in a spas-
  modic fashion, since no East African
  port without gold was as important to
  them as the riches of India.  The city of
  Mombasa is continually in rebellion
  against the Portuguese.  Stories are told
  of the Mombasa Sultan Yusef, who
  slaughtered hundreds of Portuguese
  after the governor seized his favorite
  concubine, a Cat named Fatinini.  After
  Yusef’s death in 1638, the Portuguese
  put down the rebellion of the coast by
  drowning it in the blood of the rebels.
  The Mombasans invited the Omani to
  come kick their oppressors out, and war
  between the Portuguese and Oman has
  raged ever since.  Mombasa and the
  other coastal cities are glad to see
  Dutch or English ships come, as they
  hope, to chase the Portuguese out of
  the Indian Ocean altogether.
  Abyssinia
  In twelfth-century Europe, legends
  were told about a fabulously wealthy
  Christian country in the east, strategi-
  cally placed to help the Europeans
  destroy Islam.  It was said to be a land
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  112
  of exotic Furries and bizarre animals,
  free of war and crime, ruled by the pow-
  erful, devout, and immortal sorcerer-
  king, Prester John.  Indeed, a piece of
  East Africa along the Red Sea is the
  land of Coptic Christian Furries whose
  Cat rulers claim descent from King
  Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, but
  the rest of it is a lot of hooey.  Since the
  eight century, Abyssinia has been sur-
  rounded by Moslem-occupied lands
  and cut off from the rest of
  Christendom.  In 1535, having been
  conquered by Islamic tribes from the
  Horn of Africa, united in a jihad under
  a Jackal named Ahmad ibn Ibriham al-
  Ghazi, the Abyssinian emperor sent a
  plea for help to Europe.  The
  Portuguese responded, and by 1541 had
  reached the long-sought land of Prester
  John, landing 400 musketeers on the
  coast.  A new Abyssinian army was
  raised and trained in European tactics.
  Ahmad appealed to the Ottoman
  Empire, which already hated the pres-
  ence of the Portuguese in the Indian
  Ocean.  Despite the intervention of two
  superpowers, Abyssinia defeated the
  invaders and survived in one piece.
  Portuguese and Spanish Jesuits
  made insistent attempts to convert the
  Abyssinians to Roman Catholicism
  until, in 1632, Cat Emperor Fasilidas
  booted them out of the country.  Since
  that time, Abyssinia has experienced an
  economic revival by exporting coffee, a
  new luxury in demand in Europe.  The
  capital of Gonder, situated in the
  mountains above Lake Tana with a pop-
  ulation of 70,000, is experiencing a
  commercial, artistic, and religious
  renaissance.  
  Arabia,
  Persia, and
  India
  The hunting grounds for Red Sea
  pirates are the Bab el Mandeb Straits at
  the entrance to the Red Sea, the
  Arabian Sea, and the Malabar Coast of
  India.  The prey are merchant dhows
  from Arabia, Persia, and India.  The
  enemy are the big, well-armed ships of
  the English East India Company who,
  in response to complaints from their
  suppliers, are trying to clear the Indian
  Ocean of scurvy flea-bitten sea-dogs like
  the player characters.
  Climate
  The Arabian Peninsula is a contin-
  uation of the Sahara Desert, one of the
  hottest, driest places in the world, with
  vast expanses of sand-dune desert and
  rocky steppe, and few areas suitable for
  cultivation.  A similar sandy belt
  extends through Persia and northwest-
  ern India.  South of the desert and east
  of the Aravalli Hills in India, the vast
  alluvial Ganges Plain opens out, some
  300,000 square miles of flat, fertile,
  humid country.  South of the plain, the
  Deccan uplands trail into the peninsu-
  la, covered with jungle.
  Organization
  Arabia’s few urban centers are all
  along the coastal regions and mostly
  under the dominion of the Ottoman
  Empire, except for Oman and some
  other territory on the southern coast.
  Inland is the territory of the nomadic
  tribes of Bedouin Furries.  Persia is an
  independent kingdom under the con-
  trol of the Hawk Safavid dynasty of
  Shi’ite Moslem shahs.  The Tiger
  Moghul, whose great-grandfather invad-
  ed from Persia in 1525, rules over all of
  India except the Western Ghats and the
  small European trade enclaves on the
  coast.  Ceylon, the large island off the
  eastern side of India’s tip, is now a
  Dutch holding.
  Economics
  Arabia doesn’t produce much
  food, so its Furries survive by 1) being
  tough enough not to need much, 2)
  exporting surplus Furries to conquer
  other lands, 3) being the religious cen-
  ter of the Moslem world, attracting mil-
  lions of tour— uh, pilgrims, and 4)
  occupying the commercial middle
  ground 
  between 
  India 
  and 
  the
  Ottoman Empire.  The Persians are
  well-known manufacturers of luxury
  goods such as silk, porcelain, and car-
  pets, which are carried to Europe by the
  English East India Company.  The vast
  Indian subcontinent has its own econo-
  my, but its main export is cotton cloth,
  which is in great demand in the Spice
  Islands and elsewhere.  Also of interest
  to Europeans is the city of Calicut, cen-
  ter of trade with the Spice Islands of
  Indonesia, and the Malabar Coast,
  which produces pepper and cardamom.
  Species
  There are no species unique to the
  Indian Ocean area, but the desert
  regions have a predominance of Furry
  types adapted to the climate, especially
  Reptiles, 
  Large 
  Felines, 
  Equines,
  Vultures, Hyenas, and of course,
  Camels.  Felines and predatory Avians
  make up most of the upper class in
  Arabia and Persia.  In India, among the
  Hindus, species are rigidly separated
  from each other by the caste system.
  The highest caste are Bovines.  The con-
  quering Moghuls are a Feline dynasty.
  Traditions of
  Magick
  All the Circles of Magick are
  known to the sorcerers of the Middle
  East and India.  In fact most of them
  were 
  developed 
  here, 
  notably
  Abjuration, which was the discovery of
  King Solomon in his quest to bind the
  wild Djinn.  The secrecy and paranoia
  which mark most European sorcerous
  Orders does not exist in Arabia.
  Universities of Magick are set up in
  cities wherein any Furry Moslem with
  money and talent is welcome to learn
  any Circle he and his teachers agree
  upon.  Sorcery is considered a gift of
  Allah to those who are worthy of it.
  Sorcerers are highly respected, not only
  as powers in themselves, but as chosen
  by God.  The ideal leader in the eyes of
  the Arabs is one who combines great
  wisdom with sorcerous ability and
  fighting prowess; such a blessed Furry
  can become an Imam (teacher-sorcerer-
  ruler) of a city or kingdom.  The same
  holds true in Persia, except that one
  must be a Shi’ite Moslem, not a Sunni
  or Sufi.  In India, Magick is the
  province of the Moghul conquerors
  and of the Ungulate Brahmins, the
  highest caste among the Hindus.
  It should be noted that important
  Arabic, Persian, and Indian dhows, far
  outgunned by European ships, carry
  several Magick-users to help compen-
  sate.  European ships are often lucky to
  have one Magick-user.  This is one of
  the reasons no single nation controls
  the Indian Ocean at this time.
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  113
  History
  A power vacuum existed in the
  Indian Ocean at the end of the fif-
  teenth century, when Vasco da Gama
  rounded the Cape of Good Hope and
  brought the beginning of Portuguese
  rule.  Ming Chinese warships, which
  had exacted tribute along all the coasts
  from Malaya to Africa, withdrew from
  the region in the 1430s.  Trade was in
  the paws of Arab merchants, but no
  major navy plied the waters or tried to
  control commerce until the Portuguese
  showed up.  In 1505, the Portuguese
  defeated a combined Arabian and
  Indian fleet.  Over the next several
  years, they captured the strategic
  approaches to the Indian Ocean: key
  points along the East African coast, the
  island of Socotra, and the coastal town
  of Aden, which control the entrance to
  the Red Sea, Hormuz, which guards the
  Persian Gulf, and the eastern bottleneck
  leading to the Spice Islands, namely the
  Straits of Malacca.  They also captured
  and settled the island of Goa on the
  west coast of India, making it the head-
  quarters of their maritime empire and
  the seat of the viceroyal.  European
  competitors were kept back by force
  and Arab and Indian merchant ships
  had to be licensed by Portuguese
  authorities.  The Ottoman Empire’s
  navy 
  was 
  deployed 
  in 
  the
  Mediterranean, leaving only a small
  force to fight the Portuguese in the Red
  and Arabian Seas.  The Moghul Empire,
  advancing over India since 1525, was a
  land power with no interest in maritime
  trade.  For a century, no other power
  was strong enough to think of chal-
  lenging Portuguese supremacy.
  The Portuguese controlled the
  coastal routes, so when the Dutch East
  India Company entered the Indian
  Ocean in 1595, they sailed straight
  across it to Java, where they set up their
  headquarters and began to oust the
  Portuguese from Indonesia, the island
  of Ceylon, and the Malabar Coast.  The
  English East India Company entered
  the picture in 1601, though their first
  efforts were modest compared to the
  Dutch.  Portugal became an English
  ally in 1640, and benefited by their
  assistance against the Dutch during the
  three Anglo-Dutch wars of the later sev-
  enteenth century.  In 1672, the French
  East India Company made a belated
  appearance.  Currently there is no sin-
  gle supreme navy in the Indian Ocean,
  just a lot of healthy competition.
  Arabia
  Our business is to make
  raids on the enemy, on our
  neighbor, and on our own
  brother if we can find none
  to raid but a brother.
   al-Qutami,
  Bedouin poet
  The Portuguese did not managed
  to hold onto Socotra or Aden at the
  entrance to the Red Sea for long; these
  were retaken by the Ottoman Empire
  around 1538.  Though the Portuguese
  disrupted the spice trade and the ferry-
  ing of pilgrims in the Red Sea for sev-
  eral decades, in the seventeenth century
  it is back under Ottoman control.
  Arabian and Turkish dhows passing
  through the Straits of Bab el Mandeb
  are prime targets for pirates, whether
  they are carrying silver bullion to
  Calicut, or pepper, cloves, cinnamon,
  nutmeg, and ginger back from it.
  The most important coastal cities
  are Aden, on the Strait of Bab el
  Mandeb, and Juddah, about halfway up
  the west coast.  Besides being a strategic
  port, Aden has al-Yaman, the largest fer-
  tile area of Arabia, as hinterland.
  Coffee introduced from Abyssinia
  flourishes here, along with wheat, bar-
  ley, dates, pomegranates, and almonds.
  Al-Yaman is only partially under the
  control of the Ottomans and has its
  own Imam.  Juddah, in southern al-
  Hijaz, is the port at which pilgrims
  crossing the Red Sea disembark to pro-
  ceed to Mecca, birthplace of the
  Prophet, some fifty miles inland.
  Another sacred city is Medina, adopted
  city of the Prophet, a couple hundred
  miles north and inland from Mecca.
  Al-Hijaz is rich in dates, which is the
  main staple of the Arabians, especially
  the Bedouin.  Arabia in general is
  renowned for its superb breed of horse,
  the kuhaylan.
  The cities of western Arabia are
  mostly under Ottoman control, but the
  inland territory of the Bedouin remains
  free.  A majority of Arabian Furries are
  nomadic Bedouin tribes who travel
  from pasturage to pasturage, grazing
  their livestock, living in tents of camel
  hair, and surviving on dates, roasted
  locusts, and camel’s milk.  The Bedouin
  lifestyle has changed very little since
  ancient times.  Raiding, sheep and
  camel raising, raiding, horse-breeding,
  raiding, hunting, and raiding are the
  only occupations worthy of them.
  Bedouins are strict about observing the
  sacred duty of hospitality.  No matter
  how poor a nomad is, once he has
  accepted you as a guest he will share his
  last drop of water with you.
  Oman
  The south-eastern chunk of Arabia
  is an independent tribal state, unified in
  the eleventh century under an Imam
  nominated by the elders of the commu-
  nity.  Religious authority resolved sharp
  division between the nomadic and the
  settled populations.  The Imamship has
  become hereditary, controlled by the Bu
  Sa’id dynasty, from the capital city of
  Muscat.  Since the Portuguese have
  already been kicked out of the Persian
  Gulf, Oman’s primary concern is to
  drive them out of East Africa and estab-
  lish their own trade empire.  Steps taken
  in that direction have already added to
  Oman’s prosperity.
  Coastal regions north of Oman,
  along the Persian Gulf and the Tigris
  River, are under Ottoman control.
  Persia
  Ottoman power reaches roughly
  100 miles east of the Tigris River. East
  of this line and south of the Caspian
  Sea, the Persian Empire extends almost
  to the Indus River, halted by the
  Moghul Empire.  Persia owes its unity
  to the Tiger Genghis Khan, who in the
  thirteenth century conquered the
  region along with a lot of Asia and the
  East European steppes, then divided
  this vast empire among his four cubs.
  The descendants of Genghis fought
  among themselves for control of his
  legacy, until several large, independent
  and hostile Mongol states emerged, one
  of which was Persia, under the Ilkhan
  regime.   Although the Mongols’ first
  impact on Persia amounted to a centu-
  ry of holocaust, they were later
  absorbed into Persian culture and lan-
  guage, and converted to Islam.  A gold-
  en age began after the reign of Timur,
  but shortly disintegrated into tribal
  rivalries.  These were swept up by the
  militant Safavid movement, which
  brought a new dynasty to the throne
  and the Shi’ite faith to the land.  The
  Safavids have been struggling for cen-
  turies to bring centralized administra-
  tion to this diverse tribal region.
  Though guilty of religious persecution
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  114
  of non-Shi’ite Moslems as well as Jews,
  Christians, and Zoroastrians in the
  region, they have brought prosperity to
  Persia by stimulating silk production
  and trade.
  Hormuz, an island at the entrance
  of the Persian Gulf, is vital to trade
  between Persia and India.  Once inde-
  pendent and incredibly rich, it fell to
  the Portuguese in 1515.  Through it
  they controlled all shipping into or out
  of the Gulf, and it became one of their
  most important bases, ruled through a
  puppet Shah.  Out of deference to the
  Persians, whom even the Portuguese
  were careful not to offend, Moslems
  were tolerated on Hormuz as nowhere
  else in the Portuguese Empire.  With
  Portuguese power in the Indian Ocean
  waning, the Persians seized Hormuz in
  1622 with the help of six East Indian
  ships and many expert gunners provid-
  ed by the English.  The Persians have
  held it ever since, and the English East
  India Company has been rewarded with
  a monopoly on Persian goods carried
  to Europe around Africa (distinct from
  those carried by Arabic vessels through
  the Red Sea).  Hormuz is a barren rock,
  without value except for its strategic
  position, but its wealth is evident in the
  splendid architecture of the port city.
  India
  When the Portuguese arrived,
  northern India was divided among the
  Sultanates of (from west to east)
  Gujurat, Rajput, Delhi, and Bengal.
  Southern India was a Hindu Empire of
  several kingdoms that acknowledged
  the supremacy of Vijayanagar.  Between
  North and South, the Deccan plateau
  region was split into five Moslem states
  (west to east): Bijapur, Ahmadnagar,
  Bidar, Berar, and Golconda.  The
  Hindu Empire was thriving with wealth
  flowing in from the coastal cities, and
  occupied with playing one hated
  Moslem Sultanate off another by mak-
  ing temporary alliances.
  The Zamorin of Calicut was the
  first Indian potentate to host the
  Portuguese, and as it happened, his ter-
  ritory included the rich spice strip of
  the Malabar Coast.  Control of traffic
  in spices enriched not only the
  Zamorin and his Vijayanagar overlord,
  but the merchants of Persia, Arabia, and
  the Ottomans, especially Egypt.  The
  Sultan of Egypt sent some xebecs to the
  aid of the pitiful Calicut navy, but
  failed to keep the Portuguese from tak-
  ing the small port of Cochin as their
  first base, followed by Goa in Bijapur
  and Diu in Gujarat in 1510.  The
  Malabar spice trade was thus controlled
  at the source.  As the Portuguese did
  not show any inland territorial ambi-
  tions, and since Indian policy was that
  “wars at sea are the province of mer-
  chants, no concern of a ruler,” their
  presence was tolerated, even cultivated
  for the sake of trade and military assis-
  tance.
  Goa, an island in a harbor former-
  ly belonging to the province of Bijapur,
  is the capital of the Portuguese empire
  in the Orient, and the seat of the
  viceroyal and the archbishop.  It has a
  hospital, weapons depot, trading facto-
  ries, and facilities to cast guns and build
  and repair ships.  The Portuguese inter-
  married with local Furry females and
  began a hybrid community of Roman
  Catholic Goans.  In the first few
  decades of their rule, the Portuguese
  did not do any proselytizing, but in
  1560, the Inquisition was set up on Goa
  to persecute non-conforming Christians
  and any Hindus or Moslems within
  reach.  This contributed substantially to
  their downfall, as it made the local
  Furries eager to welcome the Dutch and
  the English.  Goa, among other long-
  established settlements, has had a sig-
  nificant increase in deaths from dysen-
  tery and malaria.
  India was invaded from Persia in
  1525 by the Moghul Dynasty, which
  claimed descent from Genghis Khan.
  Through the succeeding generations,
  the Moghuls conquered more and more
  of India, until their Empire reached its
  zenith under the fifth Moghul,
  Aurangzeb.  This Tiger rules the whole
  subcontinent except the Marathan raj
  of the western Ghat Mountains, which
  wages guerrilla war against India’s con-
  querors, both on land and at sea.  The
  Moghul regime is Moslem and encour-
  ages conversion to Islam.  Some Hindus
  among the lower castes have converted,
  attracted by Islam’s aggressive egalitari-
  anism.
  The rest of the Emperor’s Hindu
  subjects, ruled by Moslems but admin-
  istered by their own Brahmans and
  Ksatriyas, display passive resistance to
  Islam, despite the high poll tax on non-
  Moslem subjects.  Hindu species are
  divided from each other by caste: the
  Brahman priests are Bovines, the
  Ksatriya warriors are predatory Avians,
  Canines, Equines, and Felines, the
  Shudra peasants are Reptiles and
  Rodents, and the Vaishya farmers, mer-
  chants and general middle-class are
  everything else.  The Hindu religion is
  practiced by a majority of East Indian
  Furries, though Buddhists, Jains, and
  Christians are a significant minority.
  The Dutch, who established their
  first base in Java and worked their way
  northwest dispossessing the Portuguese,
  captured their Malabar Coast ports in
  1663.  By this time the English had
  acquired a foothold in the Gujarat port
  of Surat and several other small trading
  posts along the west coast.  Also by this
  time, the Portuguese were English allies,
  handing over to them the island of
  Bombay, which became the East India
  Company’s headquarters.  In return the
  English protected the Portuguese some-
  what against the Dutch, helping them
  to hold onto their main settlement at
  Goa.  In 1674 the French East India
  Company finally arrived and acquired
  its first settlement, Pondicherry, on the
  east coast.  The main English strong-
  hold on the east coast is at Madras.
  For the first eighty years of trade in
  the region, the English East India
  Company abided by the words of their
  patron, the Ungulate Sir Thomas Roe:
  “A war and trade are incompatible.  By
  my consent, you shall no way engage
  yourselves in a land war.”  In 1685 how-
  ever, the Company was foolish enough
  to challenge the authority of the
  Moghul Aurangzeb.  The war lasted
  until 1688, during which time many
  adventurers entered the Indian Ocean.
  They came as privateers, but stayed
  afterwards to become pirates, preying
  on all Moslem and some Christian
  shipping.  The East India Company,
  smarting at having to apologize to the
  Moghul but unwilling to jeopardize
  future relations, is engaged in hunting
  them down.  Meanwhile, the Moghul
  has granted the Company another trade
  settlement in Bengal, called Calcutta.
  Ceylon
  The Sinhalese, mostly Furry
  Hindus and Buddhists, including some
  refugees from the Moghul Empire,
  inhabit this island.  The lowlands of
  Ceylon produce the finest cinnamon in
  the world, worth three times the price
  of any other variety.  The Portuguese
  were quick to establish a base,
  Columbo, here, and to convert several
  thousand of the surrounding Furries to
  Christianity.  The Dutch arrived in
  1656 to make repeated attacks and
  blockades until Columbo at last fell to
  a combined Dutch/Sinhalese force in
  1663, when the Portuguese were half-
  starved.  The Dutch quarreled with
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  115
  their allies and ended up in possession
  of all of Ceylon’s ports and cinnamon-
  producing lands.  The Sinhalese, under
  a Leopard Rajah named Sinha, have
  withdrawn to the interior, from which
  they subject the Dutch settlements to
  raids.  The Dutch have been a destruc-
  tive force on the island, laying waste to
  plantations for fear of over-production
  of cinnamon, and persecuting Roman
  Catholic locals.
  Southest Asia
  Do you believe that God,
  who created the world that
  all should have the enjoy-
  ment thereof, has reserved
  these islands, so far away
  from the place of your
  nation, for your trade alone?
   Sultan Hasanuddin
  of Makassar to the Dutch
  Furry pirates both local and
  European thrive on the coasts of
  Indochina, especially the Bengal delta,
  the Gulf of Martaban, and the coasts of
  Malaysia.  In the Spice Islands of
  Indonesia, war has been raging for
  decades between the locals and the
  Portuguese, between the locals and the
  Dutch, between the Portuguese and the
  Dutch, and between the Dutch and the
  English.  The Dutch have forbidden all
  spice trade except theirs, whether by
  locals or foreign competitors.  Thus, by
  their lights, every ship not of Dutch
  origin is a potential pirate.
  A note about the spice trade:
  although carnivorous Furries prefer
  fresh meat without seasoning, spices are
  still about the most valuable commodi-
  ty in Europe.  There is no refrigeration,
  and livestock must be slaughtered in
  the fall because there is nothing to feed
  them during the winter.  Most of the
  year, the meat available is dry, stringy,
  and tasteless if not actually rotten.
  Only spices can preserve it and make it
  palatable.
  Climate
  Southeast Asia is hot, wet, emerald-
  green, breathtakingly beautiful and
  prone to hurricanes, typhoons, and
  insidious tropical diseases.  The main-
  land receives 10 to 20 inches of rain dur-
  ing the dry season (November to April)
  and over 40 during the wet.  The islands
  get well over 100 inches annually.
  Organization
  Indochina is the peninsula between
  India and the Chinese coast, consisting
  of Burma, Siam, Laos, Viet Nam,
  Cambodia, and Malaysia.  Aside from
  Malaysia, these states are powerful
  enough to resist control by European
  powers.  The strongest state is Siam.
  Malaysia is dominated, though not
  directly controlled, by the Dutch who
  occupy the strategic port of Malacca.
  There are approximately 3000
  islands of decent size in the archipelago
  of Indonesia.  The largest of them are
  Sumatra, Java, Borneo, and Sulawesi.
  Island groups of importance are the
  Lesser Sundas and the spice-producing
  Moluccas.  Sumatra is politically inde-
  pendent, at least one of its kingdoms
  fiercely resisting both the Portuguese
  and the Dutch, though the latter have a
  few trade depots along on the west
  coast.  There are Spanish, Portuguese,
  Dutch, and English trading depots on
  the coasts of Borneo, but most of the
  island, with its rugged geography and
  impenetrable rainforest, is left to the
  locals.  The Dutch dominate Java
  through a puppet king and control
  most of its seaports.  Macassar, the
  most important kingdom of Sulawesi,
  was captured by the Dutch in 1668.
  The Lesser Sundas, fortunate in having
  no spices, are ignored by the
  Europeans.  The Dutch have dislodged
  the Portuguese, Spanish, and English
  from the Moluccas and launched
  reprisals against the locals, acquiring
  some islands and leaving others com-
  pletely devastated.
  The Philippines to the north and
  east include over 7100 islands, though
  only 450 have more than a square mile
  of area.  This archipelago is under the
  control of the Spanish, who arrived in
  1521 across the South Sea from the
  Straits of Magellan, and settled Manila
  in 1571.
  To the south and east, New Guinea
  and Australia are recently discovered
  and largely unexplored.
  Economics
  A 
  majority 
  of 
  Indochinese,
  Indonesians, and Filippinos live by wet
  rice cultivation, though there are Furry
  tribes in remoter areas who survive by
  hunting and gathering.  Before the
  Portuguese arrived, the Southeast
  Asians were successful merchants, trad-
  ing their pepper, nutmeg, cloves, cam-
  phor, sandalwood, gold, pearls, and rhi-
  noceros horns to China for coins, silk,
  pottery, and porcelain, and to India and
  Persia for cotton, slaves, gold, and pre-
  cious stones, plus opium, horses,
  incense, and gunpowder from Arabia,
  and European manufactured goods
  from Venice.  Sumatra and Malaysia
  also profited by control of sea routes
  between China and India.  The
  Portuguese did not stop this trade, but
  acquired enough of it to yield the most
  profit to themselves.  Before the
  Portuguese intrusion, trade in the arch-
  ipelago was peaceful, aside from piracy,
  but the Portuguese arrival, with an
  aggressive spirit backed by superior fire-
  power, put an end to peace.  The
  Dutch, who resorted to mass destruc-
  tion of spice plantations to eliminate
  competition, have forced many locals
  into smuggling and piracy.  The
  Philippines were stagnant before the
  Spanish arrived.  Aside from slow and
  difficult exchanges with occasional
  Chinese junks, these islands lay outside
  all trade routes.  Spanish rule has made
  them the center of trade in Chinese silk
  and Mexican silver from Acapulco.
  The silver Mex (Mexican dollar) has
  become a common unit of exchange in
  Southeast Asia, along with the
  Portuguese gold cruzado.
  Species
  Most Southeastern Asians belong
  to the heterogeneous African/Eurasian
  group of Furry species, meaning they
  can be almost anything.  A struggle for
  class supremacy is still taking place in
  Indochina between Felines and Reptiles,
  with Pandas a strong lesser presence.
  The struggle has religious overtones, as
  Buddhism prohibits the consumption
  of meat, and herbivorous species argue
  that carnivores cannot be allowed as
  rulers.  
  Indonesians and Filippinos have
  the same mix of species, but sometime
  back in the dawn of history, a migra-
  tion from Australia took place, estab-
  lishing a group of Marsupials in the
  southeastern islands.  Buddhism never
  gained much of a foothold in the
  islands, so there is no religious objec-
  tion to Feline rulers, though there are
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  116
  still Bovine holdovers from the days
  when Hinduism was supreme.
  Traditions of
  Magick
  Influenced by both Chinese and
  Middle Eastern developments in the
  Art Magick, the Indochinese and
  Indonesians can potentially use any of
  the Circles.  Abjuration, the province of
  Islamic schools, is rare, as so many
  Indonesian Moslem sorcerers have been
  killed in the wars of the last century,
  and as so many Indochinese traditions
  are Buddhist.  In the Philippines, local
  traditions are forbidden and only the
  ruling Spanish are allowed to practice
  Magick.  The best local sorcerers of
  Southeast Asia come from the island of
  Bali, in the Lesser Sundas, where
  Magick, especially Alteration, has
  grown into a high art and is taught to
  any local Furry with talent, regardless of
  background.
  History
  Early Chinese records describe
  Indochina and Indonesia as wilderness
  areas, with numerous wild animals and
  Furries who wore no clothing, lived by
  hunting and fishing, and used poisoned
  arrows and blowguns.  They also prac-
  ticed agriculture and cast bronze arrow-
  heads.  Chinese records also tell of a
  feudal system of government with small
  communities of villages, and of Furries
  that chewed betel-nut to blacken their
  teeth and practiced ancestor-worship.
  In the remoter parts of Indochina and
  Indonesia, isolated from foreign influ-
  ences, there are still Furry clans who
  live this way.  The Philippines, lying
  outside major trade routes, maintained
  a similar culture all the way up to the
  arrival of the Spanish.
  Buddhism is the most prevalent
  faith in Indochina.  In Indonesia, Islam
  has gained ascendancy over Hinduism,
  Buddhism, and older local traditions.
  Like 
  Hinduism, 
  Islam 
  came 
  to
  Indonesia along with merchandise from
  India, and helped to organize clans into
  communities, and communities into
  kingdoms.  In its purest form, Sufi
  Islam is practiced by the merchant
  class, while the royal courts practice an
  Islam influenced by Hindu mysticism,
  and the masses mix it with their ancient
  tradition of ancestor-worship.  In the
  1400s, Indonesian immigrants brought
  Islam to the southern-most Philippine
  islands, which the Spanish have left
  alone. 
   
  The 
  Spanish-occupied
  Philippines are a mixture of pagan and
  Catholic, with Catholicism in the
  ascendant, though it is mixed with
  many purely Filipino elements.
  Burma dominated Indochina when
  the Portuguese established their power
  in the Bay of Bengal with a series of
  trade depots backed up by protective
  forts along the east coast of India.  One
  symptom of the decline of Portuguese
  power was the proliferation of military
  escapades on the part of Portuguese
  traders and soldiers in defiance of the
  viceroyal at Goa.  Convulsive warfare
  ripped the Burmese empire apart dur-
  ing the sixteenth century, assisted by
  these adventurers who took mercenary
  service with either side or turned to
  piracy on their own account.  By the
  seventeenth century, Siam emerged as
  the strongest power, while Burma was
  left in a shambles, no longer an attrac-
  tive port of call for overseas trade.  The
  other countries of Indochina have been
  too occupied with political collapse,
  civil war, or fighting each other to chal-
  lenge Siam’s supremacy.  Siam has
  encouraged foreign trade, keeping con-
  trol by playing the Dutch, English, and
  French off each other (the Portuguese
  were expelled in 1624).
  The city of Malacca, controlling
  the Straits of Malacca from the
  Malaysian side, was the center of
  Indonesian trade when the Portuguese
  arrived.  Most Indonesian goods came
  to Malacca to be traded to the outside
  world for goods which would then be
  distributed from Malacca to the islands.
  Malacca was founded and controlled,
  not by Malaysians, who have been con-
  quered by one group after another, but
  by Sumatran and Javanese renegades.
  Some 250 languages are spoken in
  Indonesia, but in Malacca, a simplified
  Malaysian 
  dialect 
  influenced 
  by
  Javanese became the lingua franca,
  spreading to all parts of Southeast Asia.
  In 1511, at the peak of Malacca’s pros-
  perity, a small band of daring
  Portuguese Furries, led by the Cheetah
  Alfonso d’Albuquerque, captured the
  city.  The Portuguese realized that all
  stages of the world’s spice trade —
  Javanese, Gujerati Indian, Arab, and
  Venetian — could be intercepted at
  Malacca, from which they extended
  direct control of the spice islands.  The
  Indonesians soon grew to hate the
  Portuguese, who insisted on reserving
  all spice trade for themselves.  Denied
  access to spices, Indian and Chinese
  merchants disposed of their goods else-
  where, while the merchants of the spice-
  producing islands suffered bankruptcy.
  Although other products are still peace-
  fully exchanged between the islands,
  smuggling and piracy of spice cargoes
  have become the only profitable alter-
  natives.
  When Portugal was united with
  Spain in 1580, the Spanish king denied
  the Dutch access to the spices available
  in Lisbon, leaving the Dutch with no
  option but to acquire their own supply.
  Dutch fleets were in Indonesia by 1595,
  establishing trade headquarters at
  Bantam in Java, and extending contacts
  from Ceylon to Japan.  War immediate-
  ly broke out between the Dutch, who
  had English allies, and the Portuguese,
  who were assisted by Spanish forces
  from the Philippines.  The Dutch had
  control over the Java Sea by 1602 and
  the Molucca Spice Islands by 1608.
  England made peace with Spain in 1604
  and thereafter English spice traders
  stayed neutral, until Anglo-Dutch rela-
  tions degenerated into open war from
  1618-1620, and in the trade wars of the
  second half of the seventeenth century.
  Finally the Dutch captured Malacca in
  1641, and the last Spanish-Portuguese
  forces abandoned the Spice Islands in
  1663.
  Contacts between the Phillipines
  and the rest of Southeast Asia have
  been few and cultural transmissions
  have been secondhand and superficial.
  Political institutions were rudimentary
  and religion was confined to the wor-
  ship of ancestral and nature spirits,
  except in the southernmost islands
  where Islam had penetrated.  The
  Spanish unified the islands for the first
  time, carrying out the conquest with
  relatively little violence.  The Spanish
  colony in Manila survives through
  lucrative trade contacts with China and
  Mexico.  Manila has been repeatedly
  attacked or blockaded by the Dutch,
  without success.
  Burma
  Burma’s early history is mostly of
  war between the indigent Mons (a
  Reptilian ruling class) and the invading
  Tibetan-Burmans (a Feline ruling class).
  The Burmans came out on top, but
  honored the Mons’ more civilized cus-
  toms and granted them equal status.
  Though it was the most powerful land
  state in Southeast Asia, Burma pos-
  sessed little seapower, thus was no
  threat to the Portuguese when they
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  117
  arrived.  War with Siam occupied most
  of the attention of the Toungoo
  dynasty of Burmese kings until 1600.
  War then broke out between two broth-
  ers of the king, who was incapable of
  controlling them, and tore the country
  apart, aided by Portuguese mercenary
  adventurers on both sides.  The Siamese
  moved in, but were not strong enough
  to capture Toungoo and were forced to
  withdraw by the Arakan fleet (see
  below).  The king was captured and exe-
  cuted.  The Burmese returned to a feu-
  dal structure of government, with a
  king of greatly reduced powers ruling at
  the new capital, Ava.  The reigns of
  these kings have been short and punc-
  tuated by palace intrigues and mass exe-
  cution of rival princes.  Many northern
  Burmese fiefs have become vassals of
  the Manchu regime in China.  
  Thanks to Portuguese adventurers,
  the Burmese were quick to pick up on
  the value of European mercenaries,
  especially expert gunners.  Burmese
  princes, in common with other
  Indochinese potentates, have a standing
  reward for the capture of Europeans.
  These Furries, whether taken captive in
  war or shipwrecked on the coast, are
  taken inland, married to Burmese
  females, and incorporated into the local
  army as an elite artillery corps.
  Siam
  After regaining independence from
  Burma, the Siamese Cat kings were
  eager to establish commercial relations
  with the outside world, perhaps because
  of the royal monopoly on all foreign
  exchange items, whether imported or
  exported.  Portuguese, Dutch, and
  English ships were welcomed, and there
  was a revival of trade with Japan.  In the
  1620s, the Dutch crowded out their
  rivals by a trade war with the English
  and by setting the Portuguese up to be
  kicked out by the Siamese king.  The
  Dutch also took over trade between
  Siam and Japan when the Japanese
  closed their ports to all but the Dutch.
  In the 1660s, King Narai became fed up
  with Dutch control and invited the
  English back to become a counter-
  weight.  The Dutch struck back by
  blockading the Menam River leading to
  the capital city, forcing more trade con-
  cessions out of Siam.  The English East
  India Company refused to be drawn
  into the conflict, so the king invited the
  French to begin diplomatic and com-
  mercial relations with Siam.  French
  Jesuits were granted land and assistance
  in building a church in the capital —
  they had hopes of converting the
  Buddhist king, unaware he had just
  given the same privilege to Persian
  Moslems.  The French East India
  Company arrived in 1680 and has
  fought a few skirmishes with the Dutch,
  but the Siamese in general do not trust
  them or their request to occupy and
  fortify Bangkok.
  The country of Laos, landlocked
  and impoverished, spends most of its
  time in vassalage to one or another of
  its neighbors.  Currently, allegiance is
  given to Siam.  Laotian Furries live
  along the Mekong River Valley, fishing
  and cultivating rice paddies.  The king
  is little more than a Siamese tax collec-
  tor.
  Viet Nam
  Seventeenth-century Viet Nam has
  been torn by fifty years of civil war
  between the Feline Trinh in the north
  and the Reptilian Nguyen in the south,
  though the titular authority is the
  declining Panda Le dynasty.  The Trinh,
  stronger in resources and numbers, were
  backed by Manchu China, while the
  Nguyen, along with the advantage of
  fighting on their home turf, had the
  assistance of Ming Chinese refugees.
  The Trinh made seven invasion
  attempts from 1627 to 1674.  The third
  campaign had assistance from Dutch
  warships, but was no more successful
  than the others.  This was partially
  because the Nguyen were trading with
  the Portuguese for cannon, firearms,
  lead, and gunpowder.  The Dutch wise-
  ly decided to stay out of Viet Nam’s
  future conflicts, but the Portuguese fol-
  lowed up their trade with Jesuit mis-
  sionaries.  There is a prohibition against
  missionary work in Viet Nam, which
  follows its ancient traditions of ances-
  tor-worship with Buddhist, Taoist, and
  Confucian overtones.  However,
  artillery was so badly needed that the
  law was not enforced.  After the 1674
  campaign failed, North Viet Nam gave
  up and concentrated on trying to cap-
  ture long-suffering Laos away from
  Siam.  South Viet Nam also began war-
  ring with Siam over control of
  Cambodia and trying to suppress the
  Cham pirates of the Mekong delta.  In
  North Viet Nam foreign trade is dead,
  but South Viet Nam, still somewhat
  open to missionary effort, has begun
  trade with the French.
  Cambodia
  This country had its heyday back
  in the eleventh century, when it con-
  trolled much of the Southeast Asian
  peninsula.  Its greatness can be seen in
  the city of Angkor, formerly the capital,
  now part of the Siamese kingdom, with
  its vast palaces and towers and temples
  with long-winded inscriptions in
  Sanskrit.  The Cambodian domain cur-
  rently occupies the small area south of
  the Great Lake and west of the Mekong
  River, the rest of the former kingdom
  having been divided between Siam and
  Viet Nam.  Trade is controlled by immi-
  grant Chinese merchants who found
  rice abundant, females available, and
  commerce easy to control.  Cham
  pirates from the Mekong River delta
  constantly harass traders.
  Malaysia
  Politically, Malaysia is divided into
  three parts: the long, narrow northern
  isthmus, the coast of the wider south-
  ern part, and the main inland mass.
  The isthmus is almost always under the
  sovereignty of either Siam or Burma.
  Currently Siam, which thereby controls
  the Gulf of Siam, rules over it.  The
  coastal cities and towns of the south are
  the provinces of foreign merchants and
  local pirates.  Inland is the region of
  Malaysian tribes who still live by hunt-
  ing, gathering, cultivating rice, and
  using poisoned-dart blowguns in war.
  They are usually in vassalage to Siam,
  Malacca, or Acheh, a Sultanate on the
  northern end of Sumatra.
  The Straits of Malacca, which run
  between Malaysia and Sumatra, were for
  centuries overrun by Malaysian pirates,
  making a severe hazard out of the most
  convenient route of trade between
  China and India, Ceylon, and the
  Middle East.  The port of Malacca, sit-
  uated at the narrowest part of the strait,
  was at that time an obscure fishing vil-
  lage and pirate lair in vassalage to Siam.
  A Sumatran adventurer who had man-
  aged to make powerful enemies of both
  Siam and Java led his refugee Furries to
  this port in 1401 and built it into fledg-
  ling city-state.  Luckily, a Ming Chinese
  fleet happened to be visiting, with the
  object of reopening the straits to trade.
  The Malaccans struck a deal with them,
  promising to police the straits and give
  the Chinese favored trading status.  In
  return, the Chinese made Siam back
  down from its attempt to reassert con-
  trol.  In the 1430s, Chinese protection
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  118
  was withdrawn, but by then Malacca, a
  thriving entrepôt, was strong enough to
  take care of itself.
  The ruler of Malacca established
  important links with India and Middle
  East by converting to Islam.  Rich
  Moslem merchants from Gujerat,
  Bengal, Persia, and Arabia moved their
  trade headquarters from Pasai in north-
  ern Sumatra to Malacca.  The hostility
  of Java to Malacca disappeared over
  time as Javanese spice merchants also
  established headquarters there.  Soon it
  came to pass that all vessels using the
  straits called at Malacca.  Piracy contin-
  ued, committed by locals, by Bugis (sea-
  faring Rodent gypsies with whole clans
  living on shipboard), and by the
  Achehnese of northern Sumatra, but it
  was greatly reduced.  Malacca con-
  quered and held much of southern
  Malaysia and a couple pieces of
  Sumatra on the other side of the strait.
  The Portuguese captured Malacca
  in 1511, conveniently provoked by
  Sultan Mahmud, an arrogant, muddle-
  headed opium addict who destroyed
  two Portuguese ships and kidnapped
  twenty of their Furries.  Preparations for
  defense were ineffectual, and China was
  not in the mood to assist her one-time
  vassal.  Although the city resisted fierce-
  ly with artillery, matchlocks, Turkish
  mercenaries provided by Gujarat, and
  20,000 Malaysian locals armed with
  blowguns and poisoned darts, Malacca
  fell within five months.  The city was
  looted and all captured Moslem Furries
  were executed, though the Javanese,
  Hindus, and Chinese were spared.  The
  Sultan escaped to his Sumatran holdings
  and continued to harass the Portuguese,
  though not very effectively.  In 1513 the
  Javanese tried to recapture the city, but
  of the one hundred ships sent to block-
  ade the harbor, only seven survived.
  Sporadic war between Portuguese
  Malacca and its Malaysian and
  Sumatran neighbors continued through
  the sixteenth century.
  The Portuguese fortified Malacca
  and controlled its trade, but were
  demoralized and in danger of being
  ousted by attrition.  No more than six
  hundred Portuguese Furries ever lived
  in Malacca at one time, and tropical
  diseases were constantly thinning their
  ranks.  Agriculturally, Malacca is very
  poor and dependent on food supplies
  imported from Java, Sumatra, or
  Arakan.  Despite these disadvantages, it
  took the Dutch thirty years of naval
  interference, several failed attacks, and a
  final ten-year siege before they captured
  the city away from the Portuguese.
  They finally accomplished it in 1641 by
  buying all the surplus rice in Southeast
  Asia, denying it to the famine-stricken
  port.  Malacca operates at a chronic
  deficit under the Dutch, who so devas-
  tated the city during the siege that the
  former population of 20,000 was
  reduced to 1600.  Many East Indian and
  Asian traders have concluded that the
  conveniences of the Straits of Malacca
  no longer outweigh the hazards.
  European ships other than the English
  are required to pay heavy tolls for use of
  the Straits.
  Sumatra
  This island is divided among a
  number of Moslem Sultanates, the
  most important of which is warlike
  Acheh on the northern end.  Acheh has
  long been a contender for control of
  the Straits of Malacca, and has managed
  to market its pepper without using the
  Malaccan entrepôt, mostly by trading
  directly with China.  Acheh was almost
  continually at war with the Portuguese
  during the sixteenth century, harassing
  them wherever they could be found.
  Having learned about European tactics
  from the fall of Malacca, the Achehnese
  Sultan sent missions to the Ottoman
  Empire to buy artillery and hire instruc-
  tors.  The Ottomans also sent troops to
  Acheh’s aid.  Portuguese attempts to
  take Acheh’s port cities of Pasai and
  Pedir were foiled in 1529.  Attempts
  were made by the Achehnese to capture
  Malacca in 1537, 1548, 1568, and 1574.  
  In 1587 Acheh made peace with
  the Portuguese and concentrated on
  subduing the rest of Sumatra instead.
  When the Dutch and the English
  arrived in Indonesia, they found the
  Sultan of Acheh in control of the entire
  Sumatran coast and a large portion of
  the Malaysian coast, Malacca an impor-
  tant exception.  Acheh controlled the
  Gujerati cloth trade and required per-
  mits for pepper trading of all foreign
  ships.  During their prolonged and
  intermittent war on Malacca, the Dutch
  had little choice but to stay on good
  terms with Acheh, but after acquiring
  the city, their superior naval power
  soon made it clear who was in control
  of the Straits.  By allying themselves
  with rebellious tribes and kingdoms,
  the Dutch cleared Sumatra’s west coast
  of the haughty Achehnese and acquired
  monopoly rights to much of Sumatra’s
  pepper trade.
  Java
  This island was unified in the late
  1200s under the Kertanagara dynasty of
  Pandas whose claim to fame was that
  they repelled a Mongol-Chinese fleet
  sent by the Tiger Kublai Khan.  The
  Kertanagara dynasty set up its throne in
  the city of Majapahit and proceeded to
  make vassals out of Java’s neighbors on
  Bali, the Sundas, Sulawesi, southern
  Borneo, and lower Sumatra.  At this
  time, Java was mostly Hindu, though
  Buddhism was tolerated and the ancient
  rites of ancestor-worship showed
  through the Hindu trappings.  Javanese
  merchants controlled the first leg of the
  spice trade, exchanging rice in the
  Moluccas for nutmeg, mace, cloves, and
  pepper, which were then picked up in
  north Javan ports by Indian cloth mer-
  chants.  When the cloth trade went to
  Malacca in the early 1400s, Javan mer-
  chants perforce began to take their
  spices there, where they were also
  exposed to Islam.  Differences both reli-
  gious and political between the port
  cities of Java and the interior Majapahit
  kingdom led to the decline of the latter.
  By the time the Dutch arrived in the
  1590s, Java was Islamicized and divided
  into a number of Sultanates.
  The Portuguese never had the
  forces to spare for controlling Java, so
  on land the Dutch were opposed only
  by the locals.  The most prosperous
  Javan port of call in the early 1600s was
  Bantam, a city-state on the western end
  of the island which dealt in pepper.
  Bantam was and still is a notorious den
  of thieves run by a corrupt Sultan and
  infested with Chinese predators who
  promote their business by theft, arson,
  kidnapping, assault and blackmail.  The
  Dutch established a fortified trading
  center in western Java independent of
  Bantam in 1618, called Batavia, just in
  time to escape the fall of Bantam to
  Mataram, the most powerful inland
  Sultanate.  Mataram continued to be
  the major power on Java for the next
  fifty years, but all its attempts to dis-
  lodge the Dutch failed.  
  The opportunity to take control of
  Java came in 1674, when civil war broke
  out and the Panda Sultan Amangkurat
  I of Mataram begged for Dutch assis-
  tance.  Help came too late to save the
  Sultan, but the Dutch were able to put
  his cub, Amangkurat II, on the throne
  as a puppet ruler.  The Dutch also
  acquired Mataram’s forts and sea bases
  and monopoly control of Java’s rice
  surpluses.  Internal dissension in the
  lesser Javan Sultanates gave the Dutch
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  119
  easy victories over them as well.  In
  1682, they acquired exclusive trading
  rights at Bantam, with the expulsion of
  all non-Dutch European Furries.  The
  English traders moved their headquar-
  ters from Bantam to Benkulen on the
  west coast of Sumatra.  The Dutch have
  also controlled the Sea of Java since
  defeating a Portuguese fleet in 1602.
  The Dutch company requires all
  Indonesian vessels to carry a Dutch
  Company passport describing the cargo
  and destination of every trip, on pain
  of enslavement or outright extermina-
  tion of the crew.  Only Dutch and
  English ships may traverse the Java Sea
  with impunity.
  Borneo
  Vast and wild and beautiful, most
  of this island, the third largest in the
  world, has never been seen by European
  Furries.  Dense rainforest, swamps, and
  jagged uplands and mountain ranges
  make up most of its geography.  The
  majority of the population, which is
  not large, is comprised of the indige-
  nous Dayak tribes, wild Furries who live
  by hunting and gathering, and many of
  whom indulge in headhunting.  Most
  Dayak chieftains are two-horned
  Rhinoceri, with the temperament one
  would expect.
  Along the coasts are small king-
  doms settled by Arab, Chinese, and
  Malaysian Furries who live by trading,
  fishing, agriculture, and growing rub-
  ber.  Spanish Furries from the
  Philippines set up small trade depots on
  the west coast in 1600, only to be dis-
  placed by the Dutch.  Bornean trade
  has never been considered very impor-
  tant and most of these depots exist for
  strategic reasons.  In 1609, the English
  East India Company set up a trade
  depot in Banjarmasin on the south
  coast.  Banjarmasin is also home to
  Furry refugees from Macassar, who have
  used it as a pirate base since 1667.
  Sulawesi
  This starfish-shaped island was
  dominated by the Sultanate of Macassar
  until 1667.  With a long naval tradition,
  the Furries of Macassar defied the
  Portuguese by carrying spices of East
  Indonesia in their own ships to India.
  For the most part, the Portuguese
  lacked the forces to stop them.
  Macassar also encouraged free trade and
  welcomed ships of any nation in its
  port.  In 1609, the Dutch were given
  permission to build a fortified depot in
  Macassar, but nine years later the per-
  mit expired and thereafter relations
  between the Dutch and Macassar were
  strained.  In 1655, the Dutch East India
  Company demanded that the Feline
  Sultan Hasnuddin prevent both his sub-
  jects and visiting foreigners (other than
  the Dutch) from sailing to the Spice
  Islands east of Sulawesi.  The Sultan
  replied that it was unheard of that any-
  one should be forbidden to sail the
  seas.  War broke out in 1660, and again
  in 1667.  Although Macassar was amply
  supplied with cannon by its other
  European visitors, the Dutch captured
  the city after grievous losses and a four-
  month siege, assisted by Bugis, who had
  been persecuted by the Sultan.  The
  Dutch took over the main fort, razed
  the others, collected a huge indemnity,
  and assumed monopoly control over
  the trade of the port, installing a Dutch
  governor in 1668.  Many of the refugee
  merchant marines of Macassar turned
  to piracy or mercenary work, especially
  against the Dutch.
  Lesser Sundas
  Consisting of Bali, Lombok,
  Sumbawa, Sumba, Flores, Timor, and a
  handful of smaller islands, the Lesser
  Sundas are overlooked by Europeans
  because they lack spices.  These islands
  have mostly been independent for their
  entire history, though sometimes forced
  to send tribute to Java.  Islam has not
  penetrated to them, and their popula-
  tions retain a Hinduism heavily influ-
  enced by ancestor worship.  Each island
  is a kingdom organized along Hindu
  lines, with a carnivorous Ksatriya king,
  a number of Bovine Brahmin advisors
  with a lot of influence, a warrior caste,
  a large peasant caste, and a small (com-
  pared to other Indonesian islands) mer-
  chant caste.  These islands, especially
  Bali, are famed for the skill and power
  of their Magick-users, whose Tantric
  methods of Alteration have no equal.
  Moluccas (Spice
  Islands)
  These small islands are at the cen-
  ter of all controversy and war in
  Indonesia, for they are the richest
  sources of nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon,
  and other spices in the world.  The
  main islands are Morotai, Halmahera,
  Bacan, Obi, Buru, and Ceram.
  However, three of the smallest islands,
  Ternate, Tidore, and Amboina, have
  been the major pieces on the political
  board.
  For centuries, the Moluccans have
  survived by exporting spices in
  exchange for rice and other necessities.
  Islam came to the Moluccas via trade
  with Malacca and Java, making small
  Sultanates out of numerous local tribes.
  When the Portuguese came, they estab-
  lished forts on Ternate, Tidore, and
  Amboina from which to control spice
  trade.  Spanish ships came to dispute
  Portugal’s claim to the Moluccas in the
  1520s, following Magellan’s ill-fated
  expedition, but were forced to with-
  draw.  A second Spanish intrusion in
  1542 established a claim to Tidore,
  which was strengthened after they
  founded Manila in the Philippines in
  1570.  The Portuguese were driven out
  of Ternate in 1574 when the governor
  killed the local Sultan, and the Spanish
  gained a foothold on the island.  The
  Portuguese then took back Tidore in
  1578.  In 1580, when Spain and
  Portugal were united under one crown,
  Phillip II ruled that the Moluccas were
  the province of Portugal alone.
  Portuguese 
  control 
  over 
  the
  Moluccas had the effect of enriching
  the rulers of these islands, but impover-
  ishing most of the locals.  The
  Malaccan and Javanese traders who pre-
  viously dealt with them had paid for
  their goods with rice, which was eaten
  by the common Furries.  The
  Portuguese paid for spices with gold
  and cotton cloth, which went into the
  Sultan’s treasury, and the average
  Moluccan diet lapsed back to unpalat-
  able sago flour.  The Portuguese also
  took only as much spice as could be
  sold without glutting the European
  market and destroyed the surplus rather
  than letting it be shipped by their com-
  petitors.  Portuguese authority in the
  Moluccas was slipping even before the
  Dutch arrived in 1600, by reason of
  increasing hatred on the part of abused
  Furry locals.
  The Dutch ousted the Portuguese
  from Ternate, Tidore, and Amboina by
  1614.  An attempt by the English to
  undercut the Dutch by offering more
  gold for spices led the Dutch to launch
  reprisals on the Moluccans and declare
  war on the English from 1618 to 1620.
  The Dutch quickly had the better of
  the contest and forced a harsh treaty on
  the English.  On Amboina in 1623, the
  Dutch massacred two-thirds of the
  English traders on alleged charges of
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  120
  conspiracy, an incident that helped pro-
  voke the first Anglo-Dutch war, and
  thereafter the English stayed out of the
  Moluccas.
  The Moluccan Furries have borne
  the brunt of ruthless Dutch control as
  few others were forced to do.  Whole
  populations of islands that refused
  Dutch rule were exterminated or sold
  into slavery on Java.  On islands con-
  trolled by the Dutch East India
  Company, surplus spice is destroyed.
  On islands they can’t control, the entire
  crop is regularly torched, leaving the
  islanders with no source of income.
  The Philippines
  The largest islands are Luzon,
  Mindoro, 
  Samar, 
  Panay, 
  Negros,
  Palawan, and Mindanao.  Scattered
  among them are several thousand other
  small islands.  Most Filippinos are
  immigrants from Indonesia, arriving in
  outrigger canoes over the last millenni-
  um.  Though the Philippines lay out-
  side most trade routes, they received
  occasional infusions of culture from
  Indonesia and China.  Chinese junks
  carried out trade, but it was slow and
  difficult, the Chinese traders having to
  wait eight or nine months before being
  paid for their goods by the Filippinos.
  Commercial contacts with China intro-
  duced knowledge of metallurgy and
  gunpowder.
  Although the Spanish under
  Magellan first visited the Philippines in
  1521, they did not establish a base there
  until 1571.  There was no central gov-
  ernment in the Philippines when the
  Spanish arrived, every village or island
  being a separate political entity.  The
  Spanish occupation was commenced in
  the militant spirit of Catholic revival,
  though the conquest itself was carried
  out with a minimum of violence.
  Spanish missionaries were determined
  to avoid the brutality that marred the
  Christianization of the New World, and
  the Filipino Furries were incapable of
  organizing sustained resistance.  The
  encomendero system used to settle the
  islands was hampered by elaborate pre-
  cautions instituted by the clergy to pre-
  vent abuse of power.  As in the New
  World it is illegal to enslave locals who
  have converted to Christianity, but in
  the Philippines the law is actually
  enforced.
  Spanish control of the Philippines
  was contested first by the Moro, Furries
  from the southern islands of Mindanao
  and Palawan who were unified by Islam,
  and second by a fleet of Chinese junks.
  Both were defeated and the Chinese
  have established trade relations, though
  Moro pirates continue to be a nuisance,
  and the Spanish have yet to subdue
  either of the southernmost large
  islands.  Since then, the capital and
  main port of Manila has several times
  suffered blockade and attack by the
  Dutch, but has never fallen.  Spanish
  and Chinese shipping in the area is also
  threatened by Furry pirates, called
  wako, from Japan and China.
  Although the islands produce little
  worth exporting, and the poverty-strick-
  en locals do not constitute a market for
  Spanish goods, Manila has become a
  center of trade wherein Chinese junks
  bring silk to be exchanged for silver
  from New Spain.  The Chinese junks
  also bring manufactured goods needed
  by the Spanish settlers, usually at extor-
  tionate prices.  The Chinese junks also
  bring Chinese Furries, who have settled
  Manila to such an extent that there are
  now 60,000 of them, to be compared
  with about a thousand Spanish in the
  city, and three-quarters of a million
  Filippinos in the entire archipelago.
  Though these Chinese include craft-
  workers of all kinds, whom the Spanish
  cannot do without, they are in danger
  of being swamped by them.  Violence
  has broken out on several occasions,
  including an attack by several hundred
  irregular Chinese war junks in 1593,
  and riots in 1639 and 1662.  None of
  these attacks were sanctioned or sup-
  ported by either the Ming or the
  Ch’ing Dynasty.  The Chinese believe
  that any Furries foolish enough to
  abandon the Middle Kingdom to live
  elsewhere deserve whatever happens to
  them.  Thus far, Spanish artillery has
  kept the threat at bay.  After each rebel-
  lion, the Chinese are permitted to
  return to Manila, where they are learn-
  ing to appreciate the temporal benefits
  of being Christian (marriage opportu-
  nities, residence privileges, and lower
  taxes), often converting in disturbingly
  large groups.
  The trade between Manila and
  Acapulco, New Spain, is carried out in
  vessels owned by the Crown of Spain.
  It operates under rules in which all
  Spanish residents in Manila are sup-
  posed to share the profits, but the sys-
  tem encourages all kinds of fraud and
  graft.  The voyage from Acapulco is fair-
  ly simple: two ships leave around
  March, loaded with silver and a few lux-
  ury goods like chocolate, and take
  about three months with the trade
  winds to reach Manila.  The return jour-
  ney, begun in June, piled high with
  Chinese silks, takes between eight and
  twelve months and is a complete mis-
  ery.  Pirates are a severe hazard as the
  ships are passing through the Cebu
  Straits or the Visayan Sea, as are the
  hurricanes that occur between July and
  October.  Many are the Spanish Furries
  shipwrecked in Korea, or in Japan
  where they are promptly executed as
  interlopers.
  The Far East
  The seas of the Far East are hunt-
  ing grounds for wako, pirates of both
  Chinese and Japanese origin, who prey
  on shipping of all nationalities and raid
  the coastlines of the Philippines, China,
  Japan, and Korea.  Although the poor-
  ly armed junks used by these pirates are
  no match for European ships in one-on-
  one combat, their sheer numbers make
  them dangerous.  Some wako admirals
  command fleets of several hundred or
  even a thousand vessels.
  Climate
  Cold and wet in the northern
  areas, hot and wet in the south, though
  mild compared to the torrential year-
  round downpour of Indonesia.  One
  thing predictable about the climate is
  the wind: in the summer, it always
  blows from the southwest; in winter,
  from the northeast.  For best results,
  voyages should be timed accordingly.
  Watch out for the tai-fung (supreme
  winds) of late summer and early
  autumn.  If they catch you outside a
  safe harbor, you’re a goner.  In Japan,
  beware also of earthquakes, volcanoes,
  and tidal waves.
  Organization
  Aside from a few influential Jesuits
  at court in Peking, Europeans have no
  control in the affairs of China, Japan,
  or Korea.  Peking was taken by the
  Manchus, a powerful Ursoid tribe from
  north of the Great Wall, in 1645.  By
  1683, the Manchu Ch’ing Dynasty con-
  trolled all of mainland China and the
  islands of Hainan and Taiwan.  Japan
  has been united under the control of
  the Fox Tokugawa Shogunate since
  1616, and isolated from all foreign influ-
  ence since 1638.  Korea is governed by
  the declining Feline Yi Dynasty, and
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  121
  hopelessly dominated by Manchu
  China.
  Economics
  China has what everyone wants:
  the finest quality silk and porcelain in
  the world, plus the newly popular drink
  called tea.  There is nothing the outside
  world has that China wants, aside from
  jade and silver bullion.  Hence, any
  Furry who wants to trade with China
  has to go there and deal with a complex
  hierarchy of bureaucratic officials who
  maintain a favorable balance of trade
  for China, raise prices on Chinese
  goods whenever they feel like it, and
  take “squeeze” wherever they can get it.
  The Chinese refer to any outsider’s
  trade goods as “tribute,” reflecting their
  belief that their Emperor is sole ruler of
  the world or at least all of it that mat-
  ters.  Whatever goods they offer in
  exchange for “tribute” are referred to as
  “gifts.”  Only a limited number of “trib-
  ute missions” are allowed per year, and
  only a limited number of English and
  Portuguese Furries have the cunning or
  the patience to put up with what they
  entail.  Within itself, China is prosper-
  ous, with a low starvation rate even
  among the poorest of the common
  Furries.
  Japan is even less interested in what
  European Furries have to offer.  Japan’s
  ports have been closed to all outsiders
  since 1638, with the exception of
  Nagasaki, which allows a small number
  of Dutch Furries, with a depot on the
  tiny island of Deshima, to come in and
  trade.  Trade between China and Japan,
  who are not on speaking terms at the
  moment, is carried by Dutch ships,
  exchanging Chinese silk for Japanese sil-
  ver.  Japan is self-sufficient, but only
  just.  Recurrent natural disasters, espe-
  cially earthquakes, fires, floods, and
  typhoons, make for poor harvests and
  general suffering.
  Korea is also very insular.  Having
  been devastated by two invasions from
  Japan and another by the Manchus,
  Korea is trying to avoid getting
  involved with either of her powerful
  neighbors.  Recently, the Koreans
  destroyed all the vegetation along their
  own coast, hoping to make the coun-
  tryside look so uninviting that the
  crews of passing ships would not be
  tempted to land.  So far, this has
  worked very well on Europeans. 
  Species
  Aside from a larger percentage of
  Pandas in the population, the Far East
  has the same mix of species as anywhere
  else on the Eurasian continent.
  However, China is almost unique in
  that a Furry’s role and status in society
  has little to do with his species.  The
  Chinese believe that their Emperor
  rules by divine authority, but they also
  believe that this authority can be with-
  drawn and transferred to another Furry,
  even the humblest Rodent.  Whoever
  receives the mandate of Heaven not
  only has the right to rebel and take the
  throne, but a positive duty to do so.  If
  the rebellion succeeds and a new
  dynasty is established, this is proof that
  the Furry has been given the mandate.
  Moreover, under the system introduced
  by the Porcupine Confucius, any
  Chinese Furry is eligible for civil ser-
  vice, no matter what his rank, wealth, or
  species, so long as he passes the civil
  service exam.  (This in itself is a hellish
  A capitalist running-dog plies his trade on the rivers of pre-communist China.
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  122
  obstacle, but the only advantage a
  wealthy Furry has is more leisure to
  study beforehand).  The Koreans use a
  similar system of examination, but
  restrict it to the hereditary upper class-
  es, called Yangban (Two Groups), of car-
  nivorous military families and Bovine
  civil service families.
  In Japan, the ruling class of samu-
  rai is almost all carnivorous species,
  though there are a few exceptions.  The
  other classes consist of priests, farmers,
  craftworkers, merchants, entertainers,
  and untouchables, in the order in
  which they are considered useful to
  society.  These can be of any species,
  but are seldom carnivorous.  Buddhism
  is a powerful influence on Japan, but
  the samurai reign supreme, with the
  power of life and death over all other
  Furries if provoked by even the slightest
  lack of courtesy.
  Traditions of
  Magick
  Evolving the most advanced civi-
  lization of the world in near isolation,
  China developed a completely different
  system of Magick from the western
  world.  In particular, the Chinese use a
  method of channeling Magickal energy
  (chi) which, although slow, is more effi-
  cient and less exhausting to the caster.
  Chinese spells take twice as long, but
  cost half as much mana as the
  European ones.  An exception is the cir-
  cle of Alteration spells, which the
  Chinese prefer to do quickly and at the
  usual cost.  Naturally, the Chinese have
  their own distinct methods of casting
  spells: 
  Chinese 
  ideograms 
  for
  Abjurations, I Ching
  sticks for
  Divinations, and so forth.  The
  Japanese and Korean Furries learned
  Magick along with most civilized arts
  from the Chinese.
  Magick is practiced by the scholar-
  ly class in China and Korea, and is
  organized and regulated like most other
  trades, with a Confucian examination
  system similar to that used by the civil
  service.  Every three years, some five or
  six thousand Furry candidates are
  locked into separate cubicles in the Hall
  of Examinations in Peking, where each
  is furnished with a table, stool, and
  materials for the written final exam.
  They are not let out for three days even
  if, as sometimes happens, one goes
  mad, dies, or commits suicide.  Those
  who pass are qualified to practice
  Magick independently or in govern-
  ment service.  Magick is also practiced
  in Buddhist temples and to a lesser
  extent by the followers of the Otter Lao
  Tzu.  It is also practiced illegally by
  members of the various Secret Societies
  (tongs) whose purpose is the downfall
  of the Manchu regime.
  In Japan the practice of Magick is
  restricted to the Emperor, his family,
  those in his court to whom he gives  his
  permission, and Shinto or Buddhist
  priests and the most powerful feudal
  lords (daimyo) and their most trusted
  advisors (hatamoto).  No one else is
  permitted to practice on penalty of
  death.
  History
  The Chinese believe that the ideal
  society was achieved in the dynasties
  that ruled before the Tiger Genghis
  Khan’s invasion in the thirteenth cen-
  tury.  Whatever is wrong with the pre-
  sent, it is because the Mongol barbar-
  ians disturbed the harmony and stabili-
  ty that existed in the Golden Age.  The
  aim of Chinese society is always to get
  back to the original ideal, and Chinese
  Furries see time as proceeding down-
  ward and backward, not forward and
  upward.  The Chinese equate all for-
  eigners with the wild Furry barbarians
  of the north, which colors their rela-
  tionships with the Furries of the West.
  Korea also had centuries of peace and
  prosperity shattered by the Mongols’
  savage conquest.  In Japan the invasions
  failed, but the Japanese lived in terror
  thereafter, and the cost of maintaining
  their defenses ruined the economy and
  broke down the central government.
  When the Mongol kingdoms were
  brought down a century later, the
  resulting power vacuum allowed the
  Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans to
  bring in new regimes and institute a
  renaissance of peace, prosperity, art,
  and good government.  Since then
  these regimes have declined, except in
  Japan which pulled itself out of a tail-
  spin with the Tokugawa Shogunate.
  China
  The Chinese call their country the
  Middle Kingdom, or All Under Heaven,
  which gives other Furries some idea
  what they think of the outside world.
  A century after the invasion, the
  Mongol regime lost control in China,
  its leaders squabbling among them-
  selves while rebellions and civil wars
  raged in the provinces.  It was then that
  a Pig named Chu Yuan-Chang rose
  from humble origins to become Hung
  Wu, the founder of the Ming dynasty.
  The Mings ruled from 1368 to 1645,
  modeling themselves on renowned
  dynasties of the past.  They pushed the
  Mongols back behind the Great Wall
  and beyond, uniting the Middle
  Kingdom again within her traditional
  boundaries, built Peking on the ruins of
  Khanbaligh, sent fleets of ships explor-
  ing and exacting tribute all the way to
  east Africa, reformed the government,
  restored the Great Wall, and assembled
  a 12,000 volume encyclopedia of every-
  thing of value that had been written on
  any subject up to the end of the four-
  teenth century.
  The Portuguese reached the city of
  Canton on the south coast of China in
  1514 and found the Chinese friendly
  and helpful.  However, a second
  Portuguese expedition in 1517 turned
  its guns on the city, plundered its
  shops, and carried off Chinese cubs as
  slaves.  In 1522, the Emperor issued an
  edict forbidding the Yang Kuei-tze
  (Ocean Devils) from landing anywhere
  in China.  In 1557 the Chinese relented
  and allowed the Portuguese to settle the
  town of Macao and carry on a limited
  trade from there, in exchange for using
  their guns to defend the Chinese coast
  from Japanese wako.  (There are at least
  as many Chinese among these pirates,
  but China finds it convenient to claim
  they are Japanese).  The Chinese were
  not interested in European goods, but
  they allowed the Portuguese to carry
  trade from Indonesia.  The Spanish
  never acquired a post on the Chinese
  coast, but carried on trade in Manila.
  For a brief period they occupied the
  island of Taiwan, but were removed by
  the Dutch, who held it as their trade
  center with China until it was taken by
  a Chinese Fox of a pirate named
  Koxinga in 1661.
  Missionary efforts on the part of
  the Portuguese met with less success.
  No foreigners were allowed inside
  China, especially not for proselytizing.
  The official code of conduct for the
  Chinese (you can’t really call it a reli-
  gion, since it has no concern for the
  afterlife) was Confucian, followed by
  the ever-popular Buddhism and the
  Tao.  The Jesuits finally hit upon the
  idea of discussing Western science, espe-
  cially mathematics, astronomy, geogra-
  phy and artillery with Chinese scholars
  and so worming their way into the
  Emperor’s favor, and physically into the
  court at Peking.  By the mid-seven-
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  123
  teenth century, there were a quarter mil-
  lion Christian Chinese, though this is
  actually a very small percentage of the
  total population.
  In the seventeenth century the
  Ming Dynasty went into decline,
  brought down in part by the network
  of eunuchs which had grown from mere
  servants of the Imperial harem to influ-
  ential counselors and corrupt secret
  police, controlling all public funds
  including those of the armed forces,
  and generally ruining the country.  In
  the reign of the last Ming Emperor,
  these eunuchs were arrested and execut-
  ed, but it was too late.  In desperate
  times, thousands of Furries — unpaid
  soldiers, farmers taxed into ruin, and
  fugitives from the law — took to the
  hills to become bandits.  When a leader,
  the Equine Li Tzu-Ch’eng, rose among
  them, they conquered much of central
  China, then marched on Peking.  Most
  of the Imperial army was stationed at
  the Great Wall, holding back the north-
  ern barbarians which had united under
  the Manchu tribe, and Li Tzu-Ch’eng
  easily took the city.  The last Ming
  Emperor sent his young out of the city
  disguised as peasants, then hanged him-
  self.  However, the general of the
  Chinese army at the Great Wall took
  exception to Li Tzu-Ch’eng’s appropri-
  ation of his favorite concubine and
  invited the Manchus to join him in the
  conquest of China.  The Manchus
  agreed but made it clear they would be
  the new rulers.  The Manchus made
  every effort to appear as liberators
  rather than conquerors, allowing the
  culture and traditions of the Ming
  Dynasty to flow uninterrupted into
  their own.  They crowned their cub-
  king as Shun Chih, first Emperor of the
  Ch’ing Dynasty, in 1645.  In 1683,
  Koxinga’s cubs handed over the last
  holdout, the island of Taiwan, to them,
  though on terms which allowed them
  to continue their piratical activities.
  Also in the 1680s, the Emperor K’ang-
  hsi allowed the English East India
  Company to begin trading at Canton.
  Japan
  ...haughty and exacting
  nation...
   Dutch merchants
  In Japan, it has never been possible
  for the Emperor to be overthrown: the
  same Feline dynasty, descended from
  the Sun Goddess, has reigned since AD
  600 or so.  However, since 1185, the
  Emperor has had no real power and
  control over the country has either
  been exercised by a Shogun (General)
  or left in the paws of the feudal daimyo
  (great names).  The first hereditary
  Shogunate, the Canine Kakamura,
  fought off two Mongol invasions,
  assisted by the kamikaze (divine wind)
  raised by Buddhist sorcerers which
  wrecked 
  the 
  invaders’ 
  ships.
  Unfortunately the wars bankrupted
  Japan and led to the downfall of the
  Shogunate.  In 1392, after sixty years of
  war and intrigue among the daimyo,
  the Mustelid Ashikaga Shogunate came
  to power, though they never had the
  control over Japan enjoyed by their pre-
  decessors.  During the Ashikaga, Japan
  refined its culture, which had been
  heavily influenced by China, into some-
  thing uniquely Japanese, with an
  emphasis on austerity.  Zen Buddhism,
  closer in feeling to the nature- and
  ancestor-worshipping Shinto religion
  than other Buddhist sects, became very
  popular.  
  The Ashikaga Shogunate disinte-
  grated under a complicated series of
  civil wars during the sixteenth century,
  and three Furries in turn came to
  power.  In 1568, the Feline Nobunaga
  officially became Vice-Shogun under
  the last Ashikaga, but actually master of
  most of Japan.  After his death in 1582,
  Nobunaga’s best general, a Lapine
  named Hideyoshi, the only commoner
  ever to rise to the highest power in
  Japan, became taiko.  (Taiko means dic-
  tator — Hideyoshi could not be called
  Shogun because of his low birth).
  Hideyoshi united Japan, but then made
  the mistake of deciding to conquer
  China, invading by way of Korea.  Two
  attempts on Korea were thrown back;
  the second might have dragged on for
  years were it not for Hideyoshi’s death.
  His best general, the Fox Tokugawa
  Ieyasu, became Shogun after defeating
  Hideyoshi’s heir in 1603.  Ieyasu was
  determined to build a central govern-
  ment that even the strongest combina-
  tion of daimyos could not challenge.
  By introducing Confucianism, with its
  emphasis on loyalty and fixed relation-
  ships, Ieyasu laid a strong foundation
  for the Tokugawa Shogunate, which has
  endured since.
  In 1542, the first Portuguese set
  foot in Japan, blown off course on their
  way to Macao in a Chinese ship, and
  were hospitably received.  The curious
  Japanese were so intrigued by their mus-
  kets that copies were being made
  almost before the ship went on its way.
  Portuguese merchants and Jesuits were
  quick to follow and explore this new
  world to compete for Japanese cus-
  tomers and converts.  The latter were at
  first very numerous, but the Japanese
  rulers came to realize that Christianity
  was a danger to them.  In 1587, Taiko
  Hideyoshi ordered all Christian mis-
  sionaries out of Japan.  Ten years later,
  when there were some 300,000 Japanese
  Christians, ten European missionaries
  and seventeen converts were executed.
  Shogun Ieyasu was more tolerant, but
  after his death the persecution was ever
  more ruthless until in 1638, 30,000
  Christians were massacred in Nagasaki.
  That year also marked Japan’s with-
  drawal from the world.  Only the
  Dutch are now allowed to trade, one
  cargo ship per year permitted.  The
  Dutch merchants are confined to the
  tiny island of Deshima off Nagasaki,
  except for one occasion per year when
  they present gifts under escort to the
  Shogun in Edo (later called Tokyo).
  The Japanese too are forbidden to leave
  Japan.  Even Japanese pirate ships are
  no longer welcome, their crews forced
  to find other sanctuaries and allow
  themselves to be dominated by the
  ever-increasing Chinese pirates.
  Korea
  This peninsula has long been the
  bridge, and often the battleground,
  between China and Japan.  It was from
  Korea that the Mongols launched their
  attempted invasions of Japan, and
  through Korea that the Japanese sought
  to invade China.  However, Korea has
  not always been a battlefield: its rugged
  terrain has been some protection, and
  there have been long intervals of peace
  in which the Koreans built up a civi-
  lization to equal China’s.  The Mongols
  destroyed most of this, and imposed
  impossible demands for Korean ships
  and sailors for their invasions of Japan.
  Large-scale Japanese pirate raids added
  to the general misery.  After the fall of
  Mongols in China, a Feline named Yi
  Song-Gye rebelled against both the pro-
  Mongol royal family of Korea, and the
  new Ming Dynasty which tried to
  impose their rule.  In 1392 he took the
  throne and established the Yi Dynasty,
  instituting wide scale government
  reforms and redistribution of land.  As
  in contemporary Ming China and
  Ashikaga Japan, there was a cultural
  renaissance that in Korea took the form
  of a literary outpouring.  History, phi-
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  124
  losophy, literature, encyclopedias, and
  the Chinese Classics were all printed,
  using movable metal type a full half-
  century before it was used in Europe.
  For the next century, Korea led the
  world in printing.
  The Yi Dynasty started on a pro-
  longed period of decline in the late six-
  teenth century, mostly because of fac-
  tional disputes between nobles of the
  Yangban, but also because of disaster
  from outside.  The first Japanese inva-
  sion did not do much damage because
  it was thrown back in a sea battle
  involving the world’s first ironclad ves-
  sel.  The Chinese, in their desperate
  resistance to Japanese pirates, were
  experimenting with a curved wooded
  roof, like a turtle shell, above the main
  decks of their junks.  The Korean admi-
  ral, Yi Sun-Sin, carried this idea further
  by covering the wooden shell with sheet
  iron, leaving only portholes through
  which fire arrows could be shot, plus
  spikes to discourage boarders and metal
  to reinforce the bow and stern for ram-
  ming.  It should be noted that this
  worked because neither side had any
  artillery; Far Eastern ships then were
  open and unarmed, relying on the
  ferocity of crews armed with swords,
  bows, and a few muskets in combat.
  However, the Turtle Ships, as they were
  called, did incredible damage to the
  Japanese fleet.  The second invasion was
  more successful because Yi Sun-Sin’s
  glory had aroused such jealously at the
  Korean court that he was replaced by
  an incompetent.  The Japanese armies
  landed and were met by Korean and
  Chinese troops.  Korea was laid waste,
  its villages destroyed, crops burned,
  fighting Furries killed or fleeing, and
  general population starving.  Chinese
  troops added to the mess by looting.
  War-torn Korea was thus helpless when
  the Manchus, wanting to secure their
  flank before taking China, invaded.
  The invasion was brief, but did its dam-
  age.  Since then, Korea has been with-
  drawn into itself, licking its wounds.
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  125
  Europe
  1600: English East India Company
  founded.
  1609: Dutch Republic wins indepen-
  dence from Spain.
  1615: First flintlock musket invented. 
  1618: Thirty Years’ War begins.
  1621: First cannon used (by the
  Swedes against Poland).
  1640: Portugal regains independence
  from Spain; forms alliance with
  England.
  The Americas
  1605: Northwest shore of Hispaniola
  forcibly depopulated. 
  1607: Jamestown established.
  1608: Quebec established.
  1620: Plymouth founded.
  1625: Virginia becomes a royal colony. 
  1626: New Amsterdam planted on
  Island of Manhattan. 
  1628: Quebec captured by New
  England. Dutch captain Piet
  Heyn captures New Spain's silver
  fleet. 
  1632: Quebec restored to France.
  1635: Tortuga established as French
  buccaneer headquarters.
  Africa and the East
  1602: Dutch defeat Portuguese fleet in
  Sea of Java. 
  1603: Tokugawa Shogunate estab-
  lished.
  1606: Australia discovered.
  1608: Dutch capture Molucca island
  bases. 
  1609: English East India Company
  establishes trade post at
  Banjarmasin, Borneo. Dutch
  establish trade post at Macassar.
  1614: All Portuguese ousted from
  Moluccas.
  1616: Tokugawa Iesayu captures Osaka
  Castle. 
  1618: War between English and Dutch
  East India Companies begins.
  Dutch establish trade post of
  Batavia in Java.
  1620: War between English and Dutch
  East India Companies ends.
  Dutch crowd English out of
  Siam.
  1622: Persians capture island of
  Hormuz from the Portuguese.
  1623: Amboina massacre. 
  1624: Portuguese expelled from Siam.
  1627: War between North and South
  Viet Nam begins. 
  1632: Emperor of Abyssinia expels
  Jesuits from his kingdom.
  1638: Portuguese put down rebellion
  of East African city-states.
  Nagasaki massacre of Christians;
  ports closed and all foreigners
  expelled from Japan except the
  Dutch.
  1641: Dutch capture Angola and
  Malacca from Portuguese.
  1642: Dutch control most West
  African bases established by the
  Portuguese. New Zealand discov-
  ered.
  1645: Manchus capture Peking.
  1648: Portuguese recapture Angola.
  Timeline
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  126
  Europe
  1648: Treaty of Westphalia ends Thirty
  Years’ War. 
  1649: English civil war ends; Oliver
  Cromwell rules.
  1652: First Anglo-Dutch war begins. 
  1654: First Anglo-Dutch war ends.
  1658: Leopold I becomes Holy Roman
  Emperor.
  1660: Louis XIV captures Orange.
  Cromwell deposed; Restoration
  brings Charles II to English
  throne. 
  1663: Staple Act requires all English
  colonies to import only from
  England.
  1665: Second Anglo-Dutch war begins.
  Great Plague kills one out of
  every four in London. 
  1666:Fire of London. 
  1667: Second Anglo-Dutch war ends. 
  1668: English Royal West Africa
  Company chartered to carry
  slaves.
  1670: Stenka Razin leads peasant
  revolt in Russia. 
  1672: Third Anglo-Dutch war begins. 
  1674: Third Anglo-Dutch war ends.
  1676: Kara Mustapha, Grand Vizier of
  Turkey, dominates Ottoman
  Empire.
  1682: Giant comet seen around the
  world. 
  1683: Siege of Vienna by Ottoman
  Turks fails.
  The Americas
  1655: English forces capture Jamaica
  from the Spanish. English bucca-
  neers abandon Tortuga for
  Jamaica. 
  1657: Massachusetts Bay Company
  gets control of New England.
  1660: Navigation Act eliminates all
  foreign carriers from English
  trade. English buccaneers settle
  colony of Belize. 
  1663: Carolinas established as colony. 
  1664: English capture New
  Amsterdam, renamed New York.
  1665: Saint-Domingue becomes offi-
  cial French colony. 
  1667: New York officially ceded to
  England. 
  1668: Henry Morgan sacks Porto
  Bello.
  1670: Spain recognizes English hold-
  ings in the Caribbean. 
  1671: Henry Morgan sacks and burns
  Panama City. 
  1674: Henry Morgan knighted and
  made Lieutenant Governor of
  Jamaica.
  1675: Algonquins and New Englanders
  start King Phillip’s War. War
  between Virginia and
  Susquehannock Nation. 
  1676: Bacon’s Rebellion in Virginia. 
  1677: New Englanders defeat
  Algonquins, ending King Phillip's
  War.
  1681: William Penn granted colony of
  Pennsylvania.
  Africa and the East
  1652: Oman declares war on
  Portuguese in the Indian Ocean.
  Dutch establish Cape Town on
  the Cape of Good Hope.
  1658: Aurangzeb becomes Moghul of
  India.
  1661: Koxinga captures Taiwan from
  the Dutch. 
  1662: Rioting Chinese in Manila put
  down by artillery.
  1663: Dutch capture island of Ceylon
  and Malabar Coast ports from
  the Portuguese. 
  1664: King Narai invites English East
  India Company back to Siam,
  provoking a blockade of the
  Menam River by the Dutch.
  1665: Portuguese army smashes
  Manicongo kingdom. 
  1667: Dutch capture Macassar.
  1668: Portuguese give English East
  India Company the island of
  Bombay. French East India
  Company acquires Pondicherry.
  1674: War between North and South
  Viet Nam ends. Dutch gain con-
  trol over Java through puppet
  ruler Amangkurat II.
  1680: French East India Company
  establishes relations with Siam. 
  1682: Dutch expel all other European
  traders from Java. 
  1683: Manchus finish subduing China
  and acquire Taiwan.
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  127
  Europe
  1685: Revocation of the Edict of
  Nantes in France; persecution of
  Huegenots. Death of Charles II;
  James II becomes King of
  England. 
  1686: Treaty with Poland defines
  Russia's northern and western
  borders. 
  1688: Glorious Revolution deposes
  James II of England. War of the
  League of Augsberg begins:
  England and Dutch Republic vs.
  France. 
  1689: William of Orange becomes
  William III of England. Peter the
  Great becomes Tsar of Russia.
  1690: Toleration Act allows various
  Christian faiths to survive in
  England. 
  1692: Battle of La Hogue. 
  1693: Guerre de course, a strategy of
  privateering, enacted by France. 
  1694: Bank of England established to
  help fund the War of the League
  of Augsberg.
  1695: Captain Kidd commissioned to
  hunt pirates in the Indian Ocean. 
  1697: Peace of Ryswick ends War of
  the League of Augsberg.
  1700: Great Northern War begins
  between Russia and Sweden.
  Carlos II of Spain dies without
  heirs. Grandcub of Louis XIV pro-
  claims himself Phillip V of Spain. 
  1701: War of Spanish Succession
  begins: England, Austria, the
  Dutch Republic and Portugal vs.
  France and Spain.
  The Americas
  1685: Cotton Mather commences
  tenure as preacher at Boston's
  North Church. 
  1688: Death of Sir Henry Morgan. 
  1689: Count Frontenac becomes gov-
  ernor of New France. England
  and Spain make peace; England
  makes its first serious efforts to
  put down buccaneering.
  1690: Benjamin Fletcher becomes gov-
  ernor of New York. Port Royal,
  Jamaica destroyed by earthquake. 
  1692: Sir William Phips becomes gov-
  ernor of New England. Salem
  witchcraft scare. 
  1694: Success of Captain Tew’s first
  Red Sea voyage prompts hundreds
  of American Furries to try their
  luck at the Pirate Round.
  1695: Pro-pirate governors Fletcher
  and Phips replaced by anti-pirate
  Lord Bellomont. Gold discovered
  in Brazil. 
  1697: King William’s War ends.  Many
  privateers turn to piracy. 
  1698: De Callieres becomes governor
  of New France. 
  1699: Captain Kidd arrested in
  Boston.
  1700: Admiralty Act gives English
  colonies the right to try and hang
  pirates. 
  1701: Many pirates turn to privateer-
  ing.
  Africa and the East
  1685: Adam Baldridge sets up pirate
  kingdom on St. Mary's. English
  East India Company declares war
  on India. 
  1688: Husayn I becomes Shah of
  Persia. English East India
  Company accepts Moghul's terms
  for peace; begins efforts to
  remove English pirates from
  Indian Ocean. English East India
  Company acquires Calcutta. 
  1689: China and Russia sign first bor-
  der treaty.
  1692: Captain Tew captures merchant
  ship belong to the Great Moghul
  of India.
  1695: Captain Tew killed on second
  Red Sea venture. Captain Every
  captures the Moghul's personal
  treasure ship.  The English East
  India Company starts offering
  rewards for pirates. 
  1696: Local pirate Kanhoji Angria
  begins plundering the Malabar
  Coast. 
  1697: Baldridge forced to flee St.
  Mary’s by angered locals. Captain
  Kidd arrives in the Indian Ocean.
  1701: Royal Navy ships arrive at
  Madagascar, forcing pirates to
  flee.
  1690: Furry Pirates Campaign Begins
  
  Chapter Four: Overview of the World
  128
  Europe
  1701 (cont.): Act of Settlement in
  England recognizes the
  Hanoverian dynasty. Captain
  Kidd hanged on Execution Dock
  at Wapping. 
  1702: William III dies; Anne I
  becomes Queen of England. 
  1704: Archduke Charles Hapsberg pro-
  claims himself Charles III of
  Spain. English capture Gibraltar.
  1705: Leopold I of Austria dies; suc-
  ceeded by Joseph I. 
  1707: Scotland joins England to form
  the United Kingdom.
  1710: England withdraws support from
  Charles III of Spain. 
  1711: Joseph I of Austria dies; Charles
  III of Spain becomes Charles VI
  of Austria; Phillip V rules Spain. 
  1713: Treaty of Utrecht officially ends
  War of Spanish Succession.
  England wins Spanish asiento
  (right to carry slave trade). 
  1714: Fighting in War of Spanish
  Succession actually ends. Anne I
  dies; George I becomes King of
  England.
  1715: Death of Louis XIV; ascension
  of Louis XV.
  1720: Charles VI of Austria (formerly
  Charles III of Spain) recognizes
  Phillip V of Spain. 
  1721: Great Northern War ends.
  The Americas
  1712: North and South Carolina
  become separate colonies.
  1716: Blackbeard commences his
  career. 
  1718: Blackbeard blockades
  Charleston, South Carolina.
  Blackbeard killed in Ocracoke
  Inlet. Woodes Rogers becomes
  governor of the Bahamas, smashes
  piracy at New Providence. 
  1719: Calico Jack and Anne Bonny
  flee New Providence to take up
  piracy.
  1720: Calico Jack, Anne Bonny, and
  Mary Read captured. 
  1721: Captain Roberts brings
  Caribbean shipping almost to a
  halt.
  Africa and the East
  1719: Captain Roberts commences his
  career.
  1720: John Plantain sets up pirate
  kingdom on Madagascar. 
  1722: Captain Roberts killed at Cape
  Lopez.
  
  129
  The Golden Age of Piracy is also
  the age of Decartes and Voltaire, the age
  of reason, and the era in which super-
  stition began to recede in favor of sci-
  ence.  Even Magick, the ultimate irra-
  tionality, has been codified and turned
  into a practical, reasonably reliable sci-
  ence, just like gunnery or chemistry.
  The Magickal creatures that roamed the
  world of Furry Outlaws in the 12th
  century are hardly ever seen.   Angels
  and demons are much harder to sum-
  mon than they used to be, and dragons
  are extinct.  Faeries are extremely rare,
  though still glimpsed in rural Europe.
  These days, extremes of good and evil
  are found embodied in the Furry race
  rather than in supernatural beings.  The
  most feared of these creatures left in the
  Furry world are the undead.  They show
  no signs of declining.  See “The
  Undead” (p. 153).
  The Astral Plane
  One of the more accepted explana-
  tions for the decline of the supernatur-
  al is that all the different dimensions
  are drawing away from each other in the
  astral plane.  The astral plane is the
  nearest dimension to the material plane,
  and it is the place wherein spirits travel.
  The astral plane is a causal plane.
  Events that occur there determine (or at
  least influence) events occurring on the
  material.  Magick is the manipulation
  of the astral, or, more specifically,
  manipulation of the material via the
  astral.
  From reading the description of
  Astral Projection in the Chapter One
  (p. 40) a player may get the impression
  that the astral plane is a sort of blurry,
  desolidified version of the material
  plane, with objects and sentients glow-
  ing brighter or dimmer depending on
  how much Magickal energy or life force
  they have.  It will probably look that
  way to an experienced astral projection-
  ist.  Truly, though, the astral plane is
  whatever any given character expects it
  to be.  It is not perceived through the
  physical senses, and the mortal mind
  can only interpret what it perceives by
  using familiar analogies.  Those who are
  familiar with it have learned to distin-
  guish and process what they perceive,
  resolving hazy and chaotic sensations
  into “landscapes” that closely resemble
  the real world.  To those who have
  never visited before, the place is utterly
  incomprehensible, consisting only of
  vague and often frightening sensations
  they will have trouble recalling later.
  Although everything in the materi-
  al plane has some corresponding exis-
  tence in the astral, only projectionists
  who have visited frequently can find
  their way through the astral to a given
  point that corresponds with the mater-
  ial — and then only in areas of the mate-
  rial world they are familiar with.
  Divinations can be helpful in finding
  they way to an unknown point, but it’s
  still easy for a projectionist to get lost.
  Astral projectionists are usually aware
  that they must stay “close” to the mate-
  rial plane in order to maintain their per-
  ception of the astral as a version of the
  material which they can deal with.  If
  they lose their concentration, they may
  find themselves somewhere that has
  nothing to do with “reality.”
  A GM can have a projecting PC
  roll every hour or so to see if he is man-
  aging to keep “close,” if she wants to
  send the character off on a weird astral
  adventure, or not require a roll at all if
  she wants to get on with things in the
  real world.  Note that if someone gets
  “lost” on the astral plane, what he has
  lost is not any spatially-based sense of
  direction, but his own perception that
  things on the astral exist in a particular
  spatial relationship, or indeed, a tempo-
  ral relationship.  If a character gets
  “lost,” days may seem to pass on one
  plane while minutes go by on the other.
  This can be very dangerous, as an unin-
  habited body may die through neglect
  or be possessed by some other spirit.
  However, any projectionist, experienced
  or not, can find his way back to his
  body instinctively, unless he is trapped
  or being lured or distracted by someone
  or something.
  When a PC gets “lost” or deliber-
  ately goes off course (for instance, try-
  ing to find the spirit of a departed
  loved one), he will continue to interpret
  what he’s perceiving in a way he can
  deal with.  He will use analogies which,
  even if they don’t represent the real
  world (as they would if he’d stayed
  “close”), will still be familiar to him.  If
  your Furry Pirates characters come
  from similar cultural backgrounds, the
  GM can have them all perceive the
  astral the same way.  Pirate characters,
  especially if they have been at their
  careers for a long time, may find the
  astral plane a very unpleasant place,
  with rotting hulk-ships struggling
  through Sargasso seas, manned by the
  corpses of Furries they’ve murdered, or
  hellish courtrooms in which they are
  brought to trial for their crimes by their
  victims.  (A pirate’s bravado usually
  covers his inner conviction, sustained
  by his entire culture, that he is damned,
  and this belief tends to show up in the
  astral).  Characters who are Native
  American, African, or Asian will proba-
  bly have very different experiences on
  the astral from those characters with a
  European mindset.
  Any Furry will show up in the
  astral plane looking the way he sees
  himself.  Newcomers will be too con-
  fused to project much of an image,
  showing up at best as a pale, hazy
  ghost-shapes.  As a character gets used
  to the place, he will resolve into a ver-
  sion of what he looks like in the real
  world, possibly bigger or more impres-
  sive if he has a high Ego score, or less
  Metaphysical Conventions
  CHAPTER FIVE
  NOTES FOR THE GAME MASTER
  This chapter is for the GM’s eyes only.
  
  Chapter Five: Notes for the Game Master
  130
  impressive if the reverse is true.  By that
  time, the character’s equipment (that
  which he perceives he has with him)
  will probably correspond to what he
  carries normally.  Magickal objects have
  a strong presence on the astral, even in
  the hands of a neophyte.
  There is a carefully concealed
  secret about the astral plane: it really is
  whatever its inhabitants make of it.
  Magick, being the ultimate expression
  of one’s will over the universe, is the
  natural way of things in the Astral
  plane. Magick-users must use spells to
  direct this force, but those who have
  dwelt on the astral for centuries or
  more know how to manipulate reality
  by force of will alone.  If PCs end up
  spending a lot of time there, they may
  come to realize this, much as a dream-
  er comes to know he is dreaming — and
  has more control over his dream than
  he thought.
  As the dimensions that border on
  the astral draw farther from each other,
  traffic on the astral from other planes is
  thinning out.  The most common spir-
  its found on the astral near the materi-
  al are the ghosts of Furries who don’t
  want to leave.  It is still possible to find
  demons who find the opportunity to
  create havoc on the material plane
  worth the long trip through the astral,
  but they are less common than they
  used to be.  To find angels, unicorns, or
  other benign creatures, it’s necessary to
  travel very far, risking the death of
  one’s body while away.  
  Combat on the
  Astral
  Projecting characters can be
  attacked Magickally or “physically” on
  the astral plane.  Many of the less intel-
  ligent demons will attack projecting
  spirits simply for the sake of causing
  pain and suffering and mayhem.  More
  intelligent demons will leave a spirit
  alone and try to follow its mystic silver
  cord back to harm or possess its physi-
  cal body.  Particularly disturbed ghosts
  may attack projecting spirits for their
  own inexplicable reasons, or in sheer
  insane frustration at not being able to
  affect the material world.  Other astral
  creatures may fight to defend them-
  selves, or if they are powerful or experi-
  enced enough in manipulating the
  aster, they may shove the projectionists
  back into the material, or simply disap-
  pear, or if they have been truly offend-
  ed, they may exact some sort of pay-
  ment or suffering out of the impudent
  mortal spirits.
  In general, the best way to handle
  combat on the astral plane is to pretend
  it’s happening in the material world.
  Characters perceive the astral plane the
  way they expect it to be, and they will
  expect combat to occur in the form
  they are most familiar with.  Some
  modifiers apply, however.
  Initiative
  Unless it’s important to the players
  or to the image of the characters, GMs
  may wish to dispense with regular ini-
  tiative on the astral plane and simply
  have each character to roll a d12 to see
  who goes first (lowest to highest).
  Weapons on the astral plane don’t actu-
  ally weigh anything, although they
  might if their wielders are newcomers,
  or are having self-esteem problems.
  Attacking
  The character’s strength of will is
  what counts most in astral combat.
  The GM should require players to recal-
  culate their attack and defense scores
  using Ego and Reason in place of
  Dexterity and Agility.  The GM may
  also give a bonus to characters who are
  attacking with a psychological edge.
  Fighting for what you believe in, fight-
  ing to defend something or someone
  you care about, somehow convincing
  your opponent that he/she/it has less
  chance of beating you than Blackbeard
  has of being canonized — these advan-
  tages may give as much as a 50 point
  bonus if the GM thinks the character is
  deserving.  On the other hand, astral-
  dwelling creatures are far more likely to
  have the advantage over player charac-
  ters in this regard because they know
  how the rules work on the astral plane.
  Besides this, the character who believes
  he has a disadvantage — for being hurt,
  for being outnumbered, for being a
  lousy fighter in the first place — will
  find that these disadvantages do apply
  in the astral plane and may even be
  magnified by his belief in them.
  Magick
  Magickal attacks receive a 10 point
  bonus when cast on the astral plane,
  since the astral has less resistance to
  magical energy than the material.  Some
  Magicks, however, cannot be cast at all
  on the astral plane because they require
  a 
  connection 
  to 
  the 
  material.
  Abjurations affect the astral, but must
  be cast in the material (Abjuration
  Magick is one of the few advantages
  mortals possess over the spirit world).
  Divinations other than Aura will only
  work if the caster is experienced enough
  on the astral plane to perceive that he
  has his divinatory props with him.
  Possession only works if there is a phys-
  ical body to possess, so naturally it only
  affects 
  material-plane 
  creatures.
  Enchantment is cast upon a physical
  object while it is being made, and
  requires the mage to touch it.  Similarly,
  the Circle of Necromancy requires
  physical contact, although these spells
  can be used on astral spirits if the spell-
  caster sees any point to it (see
  “Damage” below).  Certain other spells
  work on the astral, but can’t be cast
  from the astral to affect the material —
  Domination magics, for example,
  require the caster to make eye contact
  with the victim.  Additionally, a magic-
  user can only cast spells from the astral
  plane to affect the material plane if he
  is managing to keep “close” to the
  material (that is, maintaining his per-
  ception of the material).   Abjuration is
  the only Circle of Magick that can be
  cast from the material to affect the
  astral, although other spells used with a
  Warding circle can affect the astral.
  Protections and Bindings usually show
  up on the astral as solid walls to those
  whom the spell is meant to affect, and
  as shimmering transparent curtains to
  others.  However, if the GM does not
  want PCs to be able to summon spirits
  from the astral plane, she can keep in
  mind that to powerful astral creatures,
  Summoning is only a call, which they
  can answer or not, as they choose.
  Demonic creatures are quite likely to
  answer, if only for the opportunity to
  wreak havoc on the material plane.
  Impossible
  Maneuvers
  If the characters end up spending a
  lot of time in the astral plane, they may
  come to realize that, just as in dream-
  ing, they have some control over events
  that occur there.  They may find that
  not only do impossible things happen
  to them, but they can make impossible
  things happen — such as firing a pistol
  far beyond its normal range (distance
  means very little there anyway), or scal-
  ing a mast just as if gravity means noth-
  
  Chapter Five: Notes for the Game Master
  131
  ing (which it does).  The GM should
  remember, however, that beings living
  on the astral are already aware of what
  they can do, and the PCs are not.  The
  first several times they venture onto the
  astral, things should not go well for
  them at all.
  Damage
  Roll damage normally and describe
  the results to the players as directed by
  “How Badly is the Character Hurt?” in
  Chapter Two (p. 56) — but let your
  fancy wander.  Get as graphic as you
  like, be as nasty as you’ve always want-
  ed to be, because it doesn’t matter.
  Souls can’t die, and souls are all the
  PCs are on the astral plane.  Someone
  or something “killed” on the astral
  plane has only had his consciousness
  dispersed for a time.  If that someone is
  mortal, and his body is still in good
  shape, he’ll most likely wake up back in
  the material world with nothing more
  than the shakes from having gone
  through such a horrific nightmare.  The
  only problem is whatever quest he was
  on in the astral plane has failed and he
  has to start over.  If the being “killed”
  was an astral creature, then as its con-
  sciousness disperses, its image will dete-
  riorate and disappear (PCs may see this
  as rapid decomposition, vanishing in a
  puff of flame or burst of light, or what-
  ever), but it will reassemble itself hours
  or perhaps years later.  If an angel or
  demon, it will be sent back to its plane
  of origin, just like the PCs.  This is not
  to say that everything the PCs
  encounter on the astral plane is harm-
  less, but the dangerous things are likely
  to be subtle...
  Hazards to Soul
  and Sanity
  There are all manner of hazards on
  the Astral plane: Magickal traps that
  prevent a soul from getting back to its
  body,  demons that follow a soul’s “sil-
  ver cord” back to its body to possess or
  destroy it while the soul’s away, and
  Succubi that lure souls away from being
  “close” to the material are only a few.
  Threats to a character’s sense of self,
  sense of normality, his sanity, or his
  soul are far more likely than actual
  harm to life and limb.
  In particular, a GM should make
  use of Abjuration to keep astral projec-
  tionists under control.  To 17th century
  Furries, danger from evil spirits and
  rival sorcerers is very real.  Most impor-
  tant buildings will have Protections or
  Wardings against demonic threats.
  Paranoid sorcerers (and most of them
  are paranoid by definition) often use
  Protection to keep out all disembodied
  spirits.  Others attempt to lure them in
  and trap them.  A particularly nasty
  trap consists of a Binding concealed by
  a Warding that incorporates the illusion
  that the Binding isn’t there.  The
  unwary projectionist is caught and held
  while his body slowly dies.
  The dangers of Possession have
  already been covered adequately.  In
  general, it is not easy for an astral crea-
  ture to prevent a mortal Furry from
  returning to his body if he really wants
  to, but by deceit or use of Domination,
  the spirit can keep the Furry from want-
  ing to.  Succubi, incubi, and Faerie crea-
  tures are quite likely to try this, and to
  reinforce the allure of the place with
  Illusions (which on the astral are pretty
  close to reality) of whatever the charac-
  ter might like to experience.  The pur-
  pose for demons is to keep the mortal
  Furry unaware of time passing, so that
  his body will weaken and die.  Faerie
  might have this same purpose or one of
  their own — for amusement, for a whim,
  or to keep an attractive soul around as
  a servant or pet.
  This section describes significant,
  powerful, or influential individuals,
  dynasties, trade companies, Magickal or
  religious Orders, military forces, and
  other organizations of the world of
  Furry Pirates.  Stats are provided for
  those NPCs the player characters are
  likely to encounter and interact with,
  while those who remain behind the
  scenes are only described.
  The Ancient
  Ring of the
  Druidic
  Tradition
  Brief: Order of sorcerers who follow the
  traditions of the ancient druids.
  Species: Any, but favor herbivores.
  Resources: The Druids are the least
  powerful of the seven major
  Orders of Europe.  What influence
  they possess is usually confined to
  schools and universities, where sev-
  eral members hold important
  posts.
  Though they claim to be an even
  older Order than the Cabbalists, few of
  the original Druids of Britain and Gaul
  survived past the end of the Roman
  Empire.  Contemporary Druids are a
  splinter group of the medieval Guild
  who rediscovered the secrets of Furry
  Celtic sorcerers through the study of
  Stonehenge and other ancient sanctuar-
  ies.  Despite their belief in animistic
  nature, the Druids are also at least out-
  wardly Christian.   Candidates for initi-
  ation can be either sex and nearly any
  religion as long as they are willing to
  accept the teachings of the Druids.
  Druids teach the Circles of Astral,
  Divination, Elemental, and Illusion.
  Because of these skills, they are always
  welcome on shipboard, and many of
  them find a spirit in the sea to equal
  that found in the land by their compa-
  triots.  These latter are found in
  England, Ireland, Wales, and Brittany
  among the sacred groves or stone cir-
  cles.  Druids stay out of politics, and
  their primary goal is the acquisition of
  wisdom.
  Story Ideas: A Druid PC recognizes
  a fellow lodge member who has been
  captured by the pirates.  Will the PC
  help him escape, to the detriment of his
  companions?
  The Avianry
  Brief: 
  Fifth branch of any army,
  along 
  with 
  cavalry, 
  infantry,
  artillery, and engineering & supply.
  Species: Avian
  Resources: The Avianry is held in high-
  er regard than the infantry, but is
  less select than the cavalry. Money
  is spent accordingly.
  The Powers That Be 
  
  Chapter Five: Notes for the Game Master
  132
  Aerial scouts have an important
  role in all the world’s armed forces.
  They are naturally the best possible
  choice for reconnaissance, the back-
  bone of any communication system,
  and also function as light shock troops,
  hurling small spears, grenades, or other
  missiles down on the enemy, or engag-
  ing each other in aerial combat.
  Individuals are usually assigned to tasks
  they are most suited for: passenger
  pigeons, for instance, will carry mes-
  sages long-distance, while swallows
  carry messages that have to get through
  enemy lines ASAP, and raptors are cho-
  sen for recon, intercept, and attack.
  The Avianry, particularly the raptors,
  are elitist and filled with esprit de
  corps, looking down upon groundslog-
  ging branches of the service, and con-
  stantly trying to one-up each other in
  performance and number of “kills.”
  Story Ideas: Aerial scouts are vital
  on the high seas to scout out enemy
  vessels, to search for landfalls and safe
  harbors, or to carry messages between
  the ships of a fleet.  A scout escaping
  from a prize ship may bring back seri-
  ous trouble for the PCs if they fail to
  intercept him.
  The Bourbons
  Brief: Royal dynasty of France and later,
  Spain.  Currently the most domi-
  nant family of Europe.
  Species: Lions
  Resources: Wealth, absolute power,
  state-of-the-art army and navy, the
  best sorcerers money can buy.
  Louis XIV
  (rules France 1652-1715)
  I never trembled like this
  before 
  Your 
  Majesty’s
  enemies.
   A French general 
  If not every inch a lion king, Louis
  XIV (“the Sun King”) is certainly able
  to put up a passable imitation with a
  haughty, secretive manner that manages
  to be both charming and awe-inspiring.
  He rules France as an absolute
  monarch, refusing to share power with
  any parliaments, estates, military offi-
  cials, sorcerers, the Church, or any rep-
  resentatives of the common Furries.
  His ministers, of whom there are six, are
  all Furries of relatively low rank who are
  not in a position to get ambitious, and
  are worked half to death.
  It is the Sun King’s decided opin-
  ion that attack is the best form of
  defense.  Thanks to his strong rule,
  France now has the initiative against its
  enemies, the powerful Hapsburg houses
  of Austria and Spain.  Louis XIV used it
  first to round off his borders, but from
  1667 on, his foreign policy has been
  conducted in pursuit of the throne of
  Spain.  Louis’ lioness queen is the eldest
  cub of King Phillip IV of Spain, and he
  is only waiting for the death of her
  brother Carlos II before pressing his
  claim.  In the meantime, he has
  devoured 
  slices 
  of 
  the 
  Spanish
  Netherlands (Belgium), Flanders, and
  Alsace-Lorraine; threatened the very
  existence of the Dutch Republic; car-
  ried on an almost continual border skir-
  mish with Austria in concert with his
  ally, the Ottoman Empire; and financed
  Hungarian rebellions against the
  Austrian throne.  He also provided the
  armed forces for James II’s attempt to
  regain the English throne in 1690.  His
  imperial aggressions give employment
  to privateers of many nations.
  Although he has not often agreed
  with papal authority, Louis XIV is a mil-
  itant Catholic.  Under the influence of
  the Jesuits, he increasingly persecuted
  the Huguenots (Protestants) until 1685,
  when he revoked the Edict of Nantes.
  This edict was enacted in the late six-
  teenth century and was a sort of “don’t
  ask, don’t tell” policy regarding religion
  that allowed the Protestants to coexist
  with the Catholics.  After its revoca-
  tion, churches were demolished and tor-
  ture, rape, and murder caused some
  800,000 Protestant Furries to seek
  refuge abroad, in England and the
  Dutch Republic.
  Louis XV
  (rules France 1715-)
  A young, amiable, good-looking
  cub, but lacking his sire’s rigor and
  industry.  Bored by the daily tedium of
  government, he is easily swayed into
  unwise decisions by Furries he is fond
  of.  As, by the time of his accession,
  France is nearly bankrupted by the Sun
  King’s foreign wars, his reign only con-
  firms a period of uneasy peace.
  Phillip V
  (rules Spain 1711-)
  Spain, in desperate need of leader-
  ship to bring about economic recovery
  and military and governmental reform
  at the end of the War of Spanish
  Succession, instead is stuck with a
  melancholy hypochondriac, the grand-
  cub of the Sun King.  Phillip V is a stu-
  pid and indolent lion king who spends
  days in bed staring into space and
  months in the same clothes, stinking to
  high heaven.  He is enslaved by his
  mate, the lioness Elizabeth, who pro-
  vides a force in the government but
  wields it only on behalf of her cubs.  A
  lot of Spanish blood has been wasted
  trying to win territory for them to
  inherit when the throne of Spain goes
  to Phillip’s cub by an earlier mate.
  Story Ideas: Though unlikely, it’s
  just possible the PCs might meet one of
  these potentates in the fur.  Any one of
  them would be a highly valuable cap-
  tive for ransom, although afterwards
  the PCs would be hounded into early
  graves.
  The Sun King
  ƒ
  
  Chapter Five: Notes for the Game Master
  133
  The Cabbalistic
  Brotherhood
  Brief: Oldest Order of sorcerers in
  Europe.
  Species: Any, but favor omnivores
  Resources: A lot of money, but little
  political power.
  A very old tradition with roots in
  Jewish mysticism, the Cabbalists were a
  practicing Order even before the Guild
  came into being.  Outlawed during the
  Middle Ages, the scattered Cabbalists
  survived in secrecy and exile, passing
  their traditions down from father to
  son.  They are still subject to occasion-
  al persecution.  A candidate must be
  male and of good reputation, and be
  willing to swear an oath of seven years
  service to his mentor, and lifelong loy-
  alty to the Order.  Cabbalists teach the
  Circles 
  of 
  Abjuration, 
  Astral,
  Divination, 
  Enchantment, 
  and
  Summoning.  Some among them also
  possess the secrets of Necromancy, but
  are not willing to teach them to any but
  the most loyal and gifted students.
  Cabbalists can be found in small
  groups almost anywhere in Europe.
  Their primary goal is to survive and
  pass their teachings on.
  Story Ideas: A wizened Reptilian
  Cabbalist collects many strange items
  and knows many secrets.  Among other
  things, an ancient treasure map has fall-
  en into his paws.  Too old to search for
  the treasure himself, can he trust the
  PCs to find it and share?  Or will it be
  necessary for him to lay his curse on
  them?
  The Ch’ing
  Dynasty
  Brief: Imperial family of China
  Species: Sun Bears
  Resources: More than anyone likes to
  think about.
  By coming to the throne of China,
  an Emperor becomes more than Furry:
  he becomes the Son of Heaven, the
  symbolic center of the known world
  and the mediator between heaven and
  earth.  Ruling over 150 million Chinese
  Furries, the Ch’ing Emperor collects
  taxes and tribute that make Louis XIV’s
  budget look like loose change.  An effi-
  cient Confucian bureaucracy allows
  him to extend control over even the
  remotest part of his domain.  The
  Emperor lives in the palaces of the
  Forbidden City near Peking, surround-
  ed by high walls and guarded by hun-
  dreds of sorcerers and tens of thousands
  of troops.  The standing army numbers
  in the hundreds of thousands, and most
  of China’s sorcerers work within the
  government bureaucracy.  The Ch’ing
  Dynasty fails only as a maritime power.
  K’ang-hsi
  (rules China 1661-1722)
  After capturing Peking in 1644, the
  Ch’ing Dynasty joined an unbroken
  sequence of emperors stretching back
  for 1800 years.  K’ang-hsi is the second
  and probably the best of the Ch’ings.
  A very common-sensical and paws-on
  sort of ruler, he manages to be impos-
  ing and awe-inspiring without being car-
  ried away by his own importance.
  K’ang-hsi is proud of his tough Manchu
  heritage and spends much leisure time
  ranging, with his male cubs and guard
  officers, over the hills north of the
  Great Wall, hunting anything that
  moves with bow or gun.  Yet he is very
  mindful of his duty to the common
  Chinese Furries, taking an interest in
  every aspect of ruling and performing it
  to the best of his ability.  He is espe-
  cially aware of when it is best to be
  harsh and when it is best to show com-
  passion.  One of K’ang-hsi’s most
  notable qualities is an exuberant curios-
  ity.  The Jesuits found a place in his
  court because he admired their sorcer-
  ous, mathematical, medical, and astro-
  nomical knowledge.  In the same spirit
  of investigation, he allowed the English
  East India Company to begin trading at
  Canton in the 1680s.
  Story Ideas: Emperor K’ang-hsi is
  interested in suppressing pirates,
  whether wako or foreign devils.  One of
  his methods for doing so is to person-
  ally question captured pirates about
  their bases, tactics, numbers, strengths,
  and weaknesses.  PCs captured by the
  Chinese may find themselves in for a
  privilege heretofore reserved for the
  Jesuits alone among European Furries:
  that of conversing with the Emperor of
  China.  If he finds them trustworthy,
  he may employ them against other
  pirates; otherwise they will most likely
  be executed.
  The Cohong
  Brief: A guild of Chinese merchants
  empowered to deal with foreign
  traders in Macao and Canton.
  Species: Any
  Resources: Individuals within the
  Cohong are unbelievably rich due
  to the fees they extort from foreign
  traders.  Though lacking official
  power, their influence in China is
  considerable.  Some of them are
  sorcerers, and those who are not
  employ them when necessary,
  along with any mercenary riffraff
  that suits their current purposes.
  The purpose of the Cohong is to
  maximize profits for the Chinese and
  to minimize contact between the main-
  land Chinese population and the “for-
  eign devils.”  The guild is headed by the
  Emperor’s personal merchant, called
  hai kwan pu, or “the Hoppo” by the
  English.  Like most Chinese mandarins,
  members of the Cohong make it clear
  they are not of the working class by
  dressing in rich silks and brocades and
  letting their claws or nails grow to
  absurd lengths, protecting them with
  jeweled sheaths.  When it comes to
  dealing with foreign devils, the Cohong
  are totally unscrupulous.  There is
  almost nothing they will not stoop to
  in order to increase profits.  Blackmail,
  extortion, arson, theft, piracy, and assas-
  sination are all legitimate means to this
  end.  Their main tactic is to demand
  outrageous fees and “presents” from
  foreign merchants in exchange for
  allowing them to trade.  The Cohong
  are careful not to go so far that the for-
  eign devils decide never to come back.
  Naturally they pay massive kickbacks to
  the local officials and the Emperor’s
  agents to be allowed to continue at
  their positions.
  Story Ideas: To protect themselves
  from discovery, the Cohong may hire
  other foreign devils, such as pirate PCs,
  to do their dirty work — then sell them
  out afterwards and make a profit at
  both ends.
  π
  
  Chapter Five: Notes for the Game Master
  134
  Colonial
  Governors
  Brief: The main source of authority and
  law in Europe’s overseas posses-
  sions.
  Species: Varies
  Resources: Whatever his titular authori-
  ty, a governor’s actual power
  depends on how much support he
  gets from the mother country, and
  how popular he is with the leading
  colonists.  Colonial governors are
  usually scrambling desperately for
  money, troops, and sorcerers.
  Knowing what sort of Furry is in
  charge will help the GM establish what
  kind of welcome PC pirates are likely
  get in port.  Following are descriptions
  of a few better-known governors and
  their tenure.  The GM may wish to
  invent any others the PCs might
  encounter, in colonies not listed below.
  Story Ideas: A crafty GM might
  have the PCs sail out under the aus-
  pices of a pro-pirate governor, then
  return laden down with loot to discov-
  er too late that someone else is in
  charge now.
  Lord Bellomont
  (governs New England and New
  York 1695-1701)
  A Feline Irish Peer with a powerful
  sense of duty, the Earl of Bellomont
  was appointed governor by William III
  under pressure from the East India
  Company to replace Fletcher and
  Phips, who were notorious for dealings
  with Red Sea pirates.  Lord Bellomont
  was given the task of smothering piracy
  on the American coast from Maine to
  New Jersey.  The degree of corruption
  among local officials, who like most
  New Yorkers favor pirates, made his job
  very difficult.  However, he did succeed
  in arresting Captain Kidd.
  De Callieres
  (governs New France 1699-1703)
  A staunch Equine of an old sol-
  dier, de Callieres was governor of
  Montreal until, at the death of
  Frontenac, he became governor of all
  New France.  Most of his efforts and
  resources go to battling the Iroquois
  over land and repelling the occasional
  invasion from New England by sea.
  Short on ships other than fishing boats,
  there is very little he can do to stop
  piracy in the Gulf of St. Lawrance.
  Fortunately, most pirates prefer warmer
  waters and richer pickings.  French pri-
  vateers are, of course, welcome.
  Charles Eden
  (governs North Carolina 1717-
  1722)
  Although by 1718, most North
  American colonies had turned against
  piracy in favor of legitimate business,
  North Carolina was poor, neglected by
  its Lord Proprietors, and without any
  appreciable export trade.  Governor
  Eden made it clear they, especially the
  terrible Blackbeard, were welcome.  He
  even offered pardons, under a parlia-
  mentary Act of Grace, in exchange for
  shares of loot.  A Leopard appointed by
  Queen Anne, Eden is outwardly a very
  religious Furry, dedicating a lot of
  money and sanctimonious hypocrisy to
  the Church of England.  Although the
  scandal of his involvement with
  Blackbeard did not die down after the
  pirate’s death, Eden managed to con-
  vince a Board of Inquiry of his inno-
  cence and remained in office until his
  death of yellow fever.
  Benjamin Fletcher
  (governs New York 1690-1695)
  This not especially intelligent Eagle
  cooperated so openly with pirates that
  he was eventually recalled in disgrace.
  When Captain Tew arrived in New York
  after his first successful Red Sea voyage,
  Fletcher dined and feted him and his
  family, glittering in the jewels and silks
  the pirate had brought back from the
  Orient.  He also sold Tew a privateering
  commission for his second voyage for
  300 pounds.  Governor Fletcher might
  be quite as hospitable to other pirates,
  including PCs.  
  Count Frontenac
  (governs New France 1689-1698)
  This brave, intelligent, but elderly
  Lynx is typical of the French noblesse
  d’epee.  Born in 1620, he spent most of
  his young adulthood fighting in the
  Thirty Years War.  With a tendency to
  live beyond his means, he racked up
  debt and accepted the position as
  Governor of New France as much to
  escape his creditors and restore his for-
  tune as to serve king and country.
  Frontenac governed New France from
  1672 to 1682 with fair success, bringing
  rebellious Montreal under control and
  negotiating peace with the Iroquois.  In
  1689 he was again dispatched by Louis
  XIV to assume governorship during
  France’s war with England, probably
  because he was a more competent sol-
  dier than the incumbent.  Frontenac
  lacked the forces for an invasion of
  New York and New England, though
  several were planned.  Instead he carried
  out guerrilla war against the English
  outposts with Indian assistance.  Like
  his successor, de Callieres, he has no
  naval force to help against pirates, but
  he does not welcome them unless they
  are French, have privateering commis-
  sions, and are willing to help him fight
  the English.  Personally, Frontenac is
  rather arrogant and dresses to the hilt.
  William Penn
  (governs Pennsylvania 1699-1701)
  The famous Quaker, imprisoned
  once for his beliefs and again for his
  friendship with James II, Penn is an
  Equine with strong features and deep,
  melting brown eyes.  He runs
  Pennsylvania, which was granted him by
  Charles II as payment of a debt owed to
  his sire, as a holy experiment in Quaker
  living (sort of a kinder, gentler New
  England).  Penn tries to suppress piracy,
  but it flourishes in his frequent
  absences, no matter whom he appoints
  as lieutenant governor.
  Sir William Phips
  (governs New England 1692-1694)
  Phips is a brave, adventurous, but
  absurd and vainglorious Otter.  Born a
  New England farmhand, he managed to
  marry a wealthy widow and acquire
  command of a ship from the English
  government to go treasure-hunting.  By
  sheer luck and one of the earliest uses
  of a diving bell, he located a sunken
  Spanish treasure ship in the Bahamas.
  After handing the booty over to the
  Crown, he received his knighthood and
  a large enough share to establish him-
  self as a Furry of substance and influ-
  ence in Boston. 
  When King William’s War broke
  out, the notables of Massachusettes
  selected him to lead New England’s
  fleet in an attempt to capture Quebec.
  However, Phips decided to attack
  sparsely-populated Acadia first, ceremo-
  niously planting the English flag on
  every stretch of deserted coastline he
  could find, and forcing Port Royal,
  which had less than 100 defenders and
  no mounted cannon, to surrender.
  When he finally got up the St.
  Lawrance 
  to 
  Quebec, 
  Governor
  Frontenac had had plenty of time to
  prepare its defense.  While cold and
  smallpox took its toll of the troops
  
  Chapter Five: Notes for the Game Master
  135
  Phips landed to fight, the fleet fired
  away all its ammunition without hurt-
  ing Quebec, and Phips had to withdraw
  shortly afterwards.  After this failure, he
  sailed for England to request reinforce-
  ments, and was appointed governor
  with the support of Increase Mather
  (see “The Mathers,” p. 141).
  Phips returned to Boston at the
  height of the Salem witchcraft scare.
  Bemused by the furor for awhile, he
  finally investigated it and put an end to
  the persecutions.  Phips supported free
  trade and often connived with pirates.
  During his tenure as governor he made
  a lot of enemies and eventually was
  ordered to England to answer charges,
  while Lord Bellomont was appointed in
  his place.
  Woodes Rogers
  (governs the Bahamas 1718-1721)
  When 
  the 
  War 
  of 
  Spanish
  Succession came to an end, the
  Caribbean once more was flooded with
  unemployed privateers going in for pira-
  cy.  To combat this scourge, the British
  crown appointed an experienced, steady
  seafaring Terrier named Rogers as
  “Captain-General and Governor-in-
  Chief in and over our Bahama Islands
  in America,” giving him 100 troops and
  a Navy escort of two corvettes and two
  frigates.  Rogers was also given several
  hundred tracts from the Society for
  Promoting Christian Affinity with
  which to convert pirates from their
  wicked ways.
  Hearing news of Roger’s expedi-
  tion, the most hard-core pirates, includ-
  ing Blackbeard, abandoned their base at
  New Providence for other sanctuaries.
  Most of the rest, about 1000 ragged,
  drunken, unkempt seadogs, proved will-
  ing to forswear piracy in exchange for
  the king’s pardon.  Waverers were given
  free S.P.C.A. tracts.  Rogers managed to
  attain something like control over his
  reformed but not especially reliable
  colonists before the fleet of Navy ships
  went on its way by using pardoned
  pirate captains as privateer commanders
  to protect his waters.  Rogers did an
  excellent job as governor, considering
  that he had to pay the garrison and
  New Providence’s food bill with his
  own money.  For his entire tenure, he
  was never given a salary, funds, supplies,
  or reinforcements — not even when the
  Spanish invaded.
  Alexander Spotswood
  (governs Virginia, 1710-1722)
  A feisty Manx Feline, Governor
  Spotswood was ferociously anti-pirate.
  He avenged a score of Virginian ships
  by dispatching Lt. Maynard and his
  naval force to destroy Blackbeard in the
  Carolinas.  Spotswood paid for the
  expedition out of his own pocket when
  his adversarial legislature wasted time
  arguing over an appropriation.  For fear
  of Blackbeard getting wind of what was
  up (“there being in this country an
  unaccountable inclination to favor
  pirates,” the Governor remarked)
  Spotswood did not even let his own
  Council know what he was planning
  with the Navy.  The rest of his time he
  spent working to protect the Colony
  from hostile Indians.
  Dutch East India
  Company
  (Verenigde Oost-Indische
  Compagnie)
  Brief: Company holding monopoly
  over trade between the Dutch
  Republic and all ports east of
  Africa.
  Species: Any
  Resources: In capital, in trade interests,
  and in merchandise, the VOC
  appears to be the wealthiest entity
  in the Western Hemisphere.  Thirty
  to forty VOC ships sail to the
  Orient every year, employing up to
  100 sailors and one 6th to 8th level
  sorcerer each.  The VOC’s influ-
  ence in Dutch politics is tremen-
  dous.  It has the right to raise and
  maintain its own armed forces.
  Several islands in Indonesia,
  including Java and Sulawesi, are
  under its iron rule.
  The primary goal of the VOC is to
  acquire and maintain monopolies, espe-
  cially over spices.  Toward that end, the
  company has gone to war with its
  English and French competitors, even
  when the concerned countries were at
  peace with the Dutch Republic.  They
  have also launched reprisals against
  locals in the Spice Islands who refused
  to grant monopolies on their products,
  or who dared sell to the competition
  after having a treaty guaranteeing the
  monopoly shoved down their throats.
  These reprisals ranged from razing
  crops to wholesale massacre of local
  inhabitants.  The only reason Eastern
  Furries might prefer the Dutch is that,
  unlike the Portuguese, they carry no
  missionaries and do no proselytizing.
  By 1700, the VOC’s policy of
  acquiring territory and guarding against
  competition began to get it into trou-
  ble.  Capital expenditures on ships,
  forts, and armed forces obliterated prof-
  it, despite the fact that spices sold in
  Europe for three times their cost in the
  East.  Complicating the problem was
  corruption.  Merchants, administrators,
  captains, and even common Furry
  sailors took every opportunity to make
  profit on their own account by smug-
  gling, extortion, or speculation with
  company funds.  Additionally, the com-
  pany failed to take advantage of the
  Chinese tea market, leaving it to the
  English East India Company.  So far,
  only the VOC directors know that the
  company is in the red.  They are still
  able to pay dividends out of cash
  reserves and borrowed money.
  To acquire recruits to crew their
  ships, the VOC uses a process called
  “crimping.”  Prospective sailors, usually
  drunks, derelicts, unemployed slum
  dwellers, and peasants from miles
  around, are recruited by “soul sellers”
  who offer the chance of a berth on an
  East Indian plus board and lodging
  until the next sailing of the fleet.
  Hesitant Furries are regaled with stories
  of wonderful adventures at sea and the
  riches of the East to be won.  All the
  soul sellers ask in return is an IOU for
  an amount equivalent to one-third of
  the common sailor’s pay for the next
  five years.  Once they agree to the pro-
  posal, the recruits are hurried off to
  poor lodgings, where they are kept
  under lock and key until the date of
  departure.
  Story Ideas: In their desperation to
  save the company, the VOC directors
  might secretly undertake to finance
  smugglers, privateers, or even pirates for
  a share of the profits, or hire PCs to
  undermine the English East India
  Company’s position in China or India.
  Corrupt VOC officials in the East
  might hire the PCs to smuggle private
  goods for them.
  Dutch Navy
  Brief: One of the three great naval
  forces of the world.
  Species: Any
  Resources: The Dutch Republic is will-
  ing to spend whatever it takes to
  
  Chapter Five: Notes for the Game Master
  136
  efficiently build and maintain a
  fleet of at least 100 warships of 30-
  60 guns each, with sufficient crews,
  specialists, and sorcerers.
  The Dutch Navy as it stands in
  1690 is the end product of the first two
  Anglo-Dutch wars, which were fought
  almost entirely at sea, and in which the
  17th century warship was perfected, and
  line-of-battle tactics were invented.
  Dutch warships are quite fast, but small-
  er and less stable than English or
  French warships, seldom mounting
  more than 50 guns.  This gives a mili-
  tary disadvantage, since the small ships
  can’t take as much punishment.  A
  Dutch fleet often has trouble perform-
  ing concerted actions because it is made
  up of seven smaller fleets, each with its
  own Admiral, one from each Dutch
  province.  It takes a talented and charis-
  matic commander-in-chief to coordi-
  nate them; fortunately there have been
  several of these.
  Because the Dutch Navy pays its
  common sailors regularly, at least in
  time of war, it has no problem attract-
  ing and keeping recruits.  Many of these
  are foreigners, especially Germans and
  English.  Dutch sailors average 4th level
  and are generally superior to the
  Average Seadogs described under the
  English Navy (p. 137).  English sailors
  have fought for the Dutch even against
  their own country.  In peacetime, the
  Dutch Navy does convoy escort of
  VOC ships through European waters. 
  English East
  India Company
  Brief: Company which monopolizes
  trade between England and all
  ports east of Africa.
  Species: Any
  Resources: The Honorable Company
  occupies a place in British com-
  merce second only to the Bank of
  England.  It maintains a fleet of 30
  ships (a number which will climb
  above 100 by 1720), and employs
  up to 3500 sailors and 50 sorcerers
  (5th to 8th level) at any given time.
  The value of its imports is six times
  greater than its exports, so profits
  are never lacking.  The Company
  has great influence in Parliament,
  distributing thousands of pounds
  worth of bribes every year to main-
  tain its monopoly.
  Unlike its counterpart the VOC,
  the Honorable East India Company of
  England is doing just fine.  Having
  been mostly excluded from the spice
  trade by the Dutch in the earlier part of
  the century, the English Company con-
  centrates on textiles from India and tea,
  silk, and porcelain from China.  Tea is
  especially profitable, as English Furries
  have taken to it with great enthusiasm.
  English Furries have established the
  best possible relationship with the rapa-
  cious Cohong in Canton, and have
  learned some of the tricks necessary for
  dealing with them.  The Chinese refuse
  to take any payment for tea other than
  silver bullion, but some enterprising
  merchants of the Company have found
  a way around this problem.  Opium,
  though forbidden in China, can always
  find a market.  Company ships smuggle
  it in from Bengal and sell it to corrupt
  merchants of the Cohong for silver,
  which is then officially exchanged for
  tea.
  The East India Company’s success
  naturally arouses jealousy among
  English merchants excluded from the
  trade, and the protection of its monop-
  oly is less than total.  Whenever
  Parliament raises duties on tea, whole
  fleets of smugglers sail for France and
  the Dutch Republic, where tea can be
  acquired more cheaply than legally.
  Guilds of excluded London merchants
  regularly lobby for the formation of a
  new joint-stock company to sail east.
  Between them and the Honorable
  Company’s bribes to maintain their
  monopoly, William III is almost getting
  his war against France paid for.
  Story Ideas: Aside from being hunt-
  ed as pirates, or being hired to hunt
  pirates, PCs may get involved in a
  number of Company intrigues.  To
  avoid reprisals from the Chinese gov-
  ernment, the Company often hires
  independent ships to smuggle opium
  for them, a risky proposition.  Or PCs
  may attempt to circumvent the
  Company’s monopoly by smuggling tea
  from France, or even from China itself.
  Phaulkon might hire them as pirates,
  smugglers, or privateers to defend Siam
  against attack.  They may also be hired
  by enemies of Phaulkon’s in a scheme
  to kidnap, discredit, or assassinate him.
  Sir Josiah Child
  (runs East India Company 1690-
  1699)
  Chairing the Board of Directors,
  this unscrupulous Wolverine runs the
  Honorable Company as if it were his
  own private business rather than a joint-
  stock venture.  He has powerful influ-
  ence in Parliament, and also in the
  English settlements in India, where his
  brother Sir John Child is Governor.
  Any PC who angers him may well be
  squashed like a bug.
  Constantine
  Phaulkon
  This Greek Avian is a sorcerer and
  a former interpreter for the East India
  Company.  Phaulkon made a great
  impression on Narai, the King of Siam
  while negotiating with that potentate
  for trade relations, and was offered a
  position at court.  He soon became
  Minister of Foreign Trade, forcing the
  three main East India Companies to
  compete for his favor.  The French were
  willing to play the game, but the Dutch
  responded by blockading Siam’s main
  port of Bangkok, forcing King Narai to
  come to an agreement, and the English
  decided to forget the whole thing and
  trade elsewhere.  Phaulkon stirred up
  considerable trouble for the English
  company by sponsoring the piratical
  activities of former Company ships in
  the Bay of Bengal.  This worsened
  English relations with the Moghul of
  India and caused the Honorable
  Company to consider declaring war on
  Siam.  In addition to the Honorable
  Company, Phaulkon had many enemies
  at the Court of Siam, as the King’s
  favor stirred up jealousy.  When Narai’s
  health began to fail in the later ‘90s,
  leading figures at court arranged his
  execution.
  Level: 8, Skill Attack: -11, BD: 25,
  UD: 59, MD: 71, PD: 18, HP: 20, MP:
  61, Skills: Unarmed Combat, Ambush,
  Sleight-of-Hand, 
  Athletic: 
  Flying,
  Abjuration, Alteration, Divination,
  Domination, Linguistics, Lore: Current
  Events. 
  ´
  
  Chapter Five: Notes for the Game Master
  137
  English Navy
  There is hardly one ship
  coming in or going out from
  this island that is not plun-
  dered . . . This in great mea-
  sure I impute to the neglect
  of the Commanders of His
  Majesty’s ships of war.
   the Governor of
  Jamaica, 1717
  Brief: Another of the three great navies
  of the world, and the most formi-
  dable foe a pirate is likely to face.
  Species: Any
  Resources: 100 ships-of-the-line (fourth
  rate and up), plus numerous
  corvettes and frigates.  Money for
  maintaining these ships can only
  be allotted by Parliament, so in
  peacetime, up to half of them may
  be in dry-dock.
  Like its Dutch counterpart, the
  English Navy came into its own during
  the first two Anglo-Dutch wars, and in
  between them when an energetic Lapine
  named Samuel Pepys became Clerk of
  the Acts for the Navy Board.  Pepys
  eliminated much (but not all) of the
  graft and corruption that plagued the
  Navy, from the administration on
  down.  He also instituted a code of rig-
  orous training that eventually made
  English Naval officers into an elite and
  expert band.  Though Naval commis-
  sions could still be bought and sold,
  experience was now also required in
  officer candidates.  Pepys did not suc-
  ceed in getting the Navy into the black.
  Its debt, thanks mostly to the time-hon-
  ored tradition of stealing from the
  Crown, stands at one million pounds.
  He also did not manage to stop the
  practice of pressing Furries into service.
  The English Navy has so long left its
  crews unpaid that it cannot and does
  not expect any volunteers.  Recruits are
  acquired by press gangs that waylay,
  sap, and abduct hapless able-bodied
  Furries, who don’t wake up until the
  ship is out at sea.  Since desertion is
  punishable by hanging, this fate is as
  good as an undeserved prison sentence.
  Sometimes the Navy is effective
  against pirates and sometimes, due to
  incapacity or corruption, it is not.  In
  1717, when the Governor of Jamaica
  complained to the King about his
  Commanders’ neglect, the Navy was
  not coping with pirates in part because
  of being chronically undercrewed, but
  also because the noble captains had
  learned how to profit from piracy.  By
  Admiralty law, a Navy commander is
  allowed to charge 12.5% of the value of
  the cargo he is escorting on convoy
  duty.  When a merchant complains
  about freight charges, the commander
  offers to transport the goods on his
  own ship and charge less than the cargo
  vessels he would otherwise be escorting.
  This is illegal, but profitable to all con-
  cerned.  The pirates stay away from the
  Navy convoys and the Navy refrains
  from attacking the pirates, who are free
  to go after unprotected shipping.  The
  only ones who don’t win are the cargo
  ships losing business and the honest
  merchants who still pay high rates but
  receive no protection.
  It’s one thing to have a map; it’s quite another to figure out where you are.
  
  Chapter Five: Notes for the Game Master
  138
  Lt. Robert Maynard
  A valiant and honest Equine, and
  Lieutenant aboard the H.M.S. Pearl, a
  third-rate warship.  He and his crew are
  credited with killing Blackbeard in one
  of the strangest naval battles in pirate
  history (see “Edward Teach” under
  “Pirates,” p. 147)  
  Level: 6, Skill Attack: 4, BD: 26,
  UD: 46, MD: 41, PD: 24, HP: 27, Skills:
  Sword, Unarmed Combat, Trigger,
  Athletic, Ambush, Navigator, Sailor.
  Admiral Sir
  Hovenden Walker
  Walker is a stubborn, hot-tem-
  pered, and quarrelsome Great Dane
  whose high-handed impatience gets him
  into as much trouble as anyone else.  In
  1711 he was put in command of an
  expedition against Quebec, leading ten
  warships and thirty transports with a
  total of 5,000 troops.  It should have
  been easy to take Quebec with this
  force, but Walker had no pilots who
  were familiar with the Gulf of St.
  Lawrance.  His solution was to kidnap
  French pilots from Acadia and attempt
  to force them to direct his fleet safely
  up the channel.  He then refused to lis-
  ten to their advice not to try for
  Quebec in the current harsh weather
  conditions and lost half of his fleet to
  shipwreck.  The remainder was forced
  to withdraw.
  Level: 8, Skill Attack: -3, BD: 15,
  UD: 54, MD: 53, PD: 25, HP: 24, Skills:
  Sword, 
  Trigger, 
  Horsemanship,
  Tracking, Linguistics: French, Lore:
  History.
  Average Seadog
  No Creature will be a sailor
  who has contrivance enough
  to get himself into jail.
   Dr. Samuel Johnson
  Furry sailors are a sorry, scrawny,
  whipscarred, fleabitten lot whose only
  worth as fighters is the fact that their
  opponents are no better.  The life of the
  average seadog is very harsh.  A wood-
  en sailing ship is a dark, damp, chilly
  place, with lower decks awash during
  heavy weather. The crew suffers cold
  made worse by ceaseless labor and fur
  that never seems to dry.  It’s not unusu-
  al for half of them to die of disease dur-
  ing a long voyage, although they do
  their best to combat it by washing the
  decks with vinegar and fumigating with
  brimstone.  Garbage collects in the bot-
  tom of the hull and breeds vermin by
  the horde.  The food is atrocious and
  best left undescribed.  Discipline
  includes flogging, keelhauling, and
  being forced to swallow live roaches.  
  Level: 3, Skill Attack: 20, BD: 18,
  UD: 25, MD: 18, PD: 20, HP: 20, Skills:
  Dagger, Sword, Trigger, Sailor.
  Story Ideas: Any PC subjected to
  these horrors will turn to piracy in a
  snap.  When PCs who are already
  pirates refuse to go ashore for fear of
  being identified, the GM should start
  playing up the worst aspects of ship-
  board life.
  French Navy
  Brief: The other great navy of the world
  Species: Any
  Resources: Around 150 well-maintained
  ships-of-the-line with appropriate
  crews and sorcerers prior to the
  Battle of La Hogue (1692), 90-100
  indifferently kept thereafter.
  The French Navy was modeled on
  the English and the Dutch, following
  their rapid development in the Anglo-
  Dutch wars.  By copying English train-
  ing methods, Dutch solvency in regard
  to payment of crews, and ship designs
  from both of their neighbors, and also
  through having more money for mili-
  tary expenditures, the French ended up
  with a fleet superior to either of them.
  However, the French have never been
  terribly comfortable with wars fought at
  sea.  Following the Battle of La Hogue,
  in which Louis XIV and James II saw
  most of their ships fall to a combined
  Dutch and English fleet, the French
  eschewed fleet engagements in favor of
  guerre de course.  This is a strategy of
  mass privateering designed to commer-
  cially weaken England and the Dutch
  Republic, and wear them down into a
  fit state to have terms dictated to them
  by the Sun King.
  French  Average Seadogs are com-
  parable to the English.
  Grand Order of
  the Masonic
  Lodge
  Brief: Secretive Order of sorcerers dedi-
  cated to guiding all European
  nations from behind the scenes.
  Species: Any except Rodents
  Resources: A network of over 30,000
  members, many of them rich, pow-
  erful or influential individuals, plus
  a substantial treasury accumulated
  through sponsorship of merchant
  ventures and other investments.
  Once merely a guild of stone work-
  ers, the Freemasons have become the
  most numerous, influential, and politi-
  cally active Order in Furry Europe.
  Their doors are open to almost any free
  Christian male Furry of social standing
  (18) 
  and 
  sponsorship. 
   
  Most
  Freemasons are mundanes, initiated
  into the lesser ranks and participating
  in the open rituals.  Only Masons who
  learn Magick can achieve the highest
  ranks within the Order. 
  Freemason membership is for life.
  Though absolute obedience to ones’
  superiors is not required, holding to the
  Mason tenets of charity, democracy,
  and solidarity is expected.  Freemasons
  teach the Circles of Abjuration,
  Alteration, 
  Elemental, 
  and
  Enchantment.  The Order is strongest
  in England, France, the Dutch
  Republic, 
  Austria, 
  and 
  various
  provinces in Germany.  Freemason sor-
  cerers are often found in the Navy and
  the merchant marines. 
  The Masons’ goal is to gain power
  for the good of all, but especially them-
  selves.  They operate through the “old
  boys network,” but some ambitious
  members have used criminal methods,
  bribery, blackmail, or forbidden sorcery
  such as traffic with demons.  Many
  important NPCs listed in this chapter,
  especially governors or company direc-
  tors, may well be Freemasons.
  Story Ideas: Standing as they claim
  to do for decency, stability, trade, and
  social order, Freemasons are the sorcer-
  ous organization most likely to oppose
  piracy and hunt pirates as a matter of
  official policy.  They will be particular-
  ly incensed if one of their membership
  becomes a known pirate and offer a
  substantial reward for his capture (or
  double one already standing).
  ¡
  
  Chapter Five: Notes for the Game Master
  139
  The Hanoverians 
  Brief: Royal dynasty which comes to
  power in England after the death
  of Anne I (see “The Stuarts,” p.
  151), by the 1701 Act of
  Settlement.
  Species: Lions
  Resources: The King of England is chief
  executive of the country, but aside
  from his personal resources, he can
  get money only from Parliament.
  George I also rules Hanover, a
  mederately wealthy German princi-
  pality.
  George I
  (rules England 1714-1727)
  In his early life, this German prince
  distinguished himself at the Siege of
  Vienna and in the War of the League of
  Augsberg, demonstrating both military
  knowledge and personal courage.  He
  was popular at Hanover, reserved, fru-
  gal, punctual, equitable in administra-
  tion, a Lion of business, but spent a lot
  of time with his numerous mistresses.
  He married a German Lioness, Sophia
  Dorothea, by whom he had two cubs,
  male and female, named after their par-
  ents.  Later he divorced his mate on sus-
  picion of treason and infidelity, and
  developed a hatred for his male cub
  (George II) for his regard for her.
  George abstained from intervention in
  English affairs until the death of Queen
  Anne put him on the throne of
  England.  George packed Parliament
  with Whigs and ruled with their sup-
  port, driving more Tories into the camp
  of the Jacobites.  He was profoundly
  unpopular with his subjects, both in
  the belle monde and among the com-
  mon Furries, especially as he never
  bothered to learn English, but fear of a
  Jacobite insurrection kept them loyal.
  “His whole being was commonplace,”
  said one observer, “his countenance
  inexpressive, though handsome, his
  address awkward, his general manner
  dry and cold.”
  The Hapsburgs
  Trust no one, listen to every-
  one, decide alone.
   Charles V’s advice
  to his successors
  Brief:: Royal dynasty of Austria and
  Spain which once dominated
  Europe.
  Species: Lions
  Resources: Once the wealthiest house in
  Europe, for a hundred years the
  Hapsburgs have been spending
  more than they have.  With a large
  assortment of territory under their
  control, they are constantly scram-
  bling for the money and the armed
  forces to take care of it.
  The house of Hapsburg reached its
  peak in the sixteenth century under
  Charles V, who ruled both Austria and
  Spain, 
  plus 
  all 
  their 
  subsidiary
  European lands and New World
  colonies.  Since then it has been divid-
  ed and declining, partly because of hav-
  ing bitten off more than it could chew,
  and partly due to inbreeding.
  Carlos II
  (rules Spain 1665-1700)
  This pathetic Lion is the king with
  whom the Spanish branch of the
  Hapsburg stream finally ran into the
  sand.  At the age of six, he could not
  walk by himself, and as he grew, became
  subject to fevers, giddiness, discharges,
  mange, impotence, and other disorders
  which made it clear he would die young
  — and without an heir.  Since this event
  will lead to the partitioning of the
  Spanish Empire and a large-scale war,
  the diplomats of Europe pay close
  attention to his declining health.
  Meanwhile power in Madrid is held by
  factions and favorites, and sought by
  the king’s bastard brother, the much
  healthier Don John of Austria, in two
  failed military coups.
  Story Ideas: Carlos’ death in 1700
  kicked off the War of Spanish
  Succession in which Louis XIV and
  Leopold I battled over which of their
  houses would claim the throne of
  Spain.  Carlos’ various wills aimed at
  keeping the Spanish possessions intact.
  Louis and Leopold both wanted the
  whole thing, but since each was
  opposed to the other getting it all, and
  since the rest of Europe was not pre-
  pared to stomach Spain joined whole to
  either France or Austria, war was
  inevitable.  Carlos’ final will named the
  French candidate, Phillip V, so the
  other European powers came in on the
  side of the Austrians at first.
  Opportunities for privateering or block-
  ade-running abound.
  Leopold I
  (rules Austria 1658-1705)
  Austrian monarch and Holy
  Roman Emperor.  A lion who has inher-
  ited the Hapsburg features in exaggerat-
  ed form: a long, narrow feline face, large
  eyes, and a protruding lower lip.  Like
  Louis XIV, his mate is a Spanish
  princess, thus he hopes for his line to
  inherit the Spanish throne and reunite
  the Hapsburg possessions as they stood
  in the days of Charles V.  Leopold, a
  younger cub, was intended for the
  Church before his older brother’s death
  made him heir, and is still supported by
  a mystical belief in God’s providence.
  Though he listens to priests, he has no
  favorites and makes his own decisions,
  but often takes too long over them.
  Leopold never has the luxury of
  fighting on one front at a time.  His
  armies are constantly engaged with the
  French at the Rhine and with the
  Ottomans advancing up the Danube.
  If he concentrates on one, he can be
  sure of being stabbed in the back by
  the other, but he lacks the resources to
  tackle both at once.  He also has to
  contend with rebellion in his provinces,
  especially Hungary.  During the early
  part of his reign, he gave the most
  attention to the Ottomans and was
  forced to accept French gains in the
  west.  Only after 1697 was he able to
  play a vigorous part in halting Louis
  XIV’s ambitions.
  Joseph 
  (rules Austria 1705-1711)
  Leopold’s oldest cub, a vigorous
  and handsome lion who got more plea-
  sure out of the life than the average
  monarch.  He served Austria well by
  backing governmental reform, but was
  unfortunately cut down by smallpox in
  the prime of life.
  Charles VI
  (“rules” Spain 1704-1711; rules
  Austria 1711-)
  Leopold’s 
  younger 
  cub, 
  this
  Austrian candidate for the throne of
  Spain is a cold and haughty young lion
  with an exaggerated idea of his own
  importance, somewhat out of touch
  with reality.  In 1704 he became the self-
  styled Charles III of Spain, controlling
  the province of Catalonia, supported
  by the English navy.  When his brother
  died in 1711, he became the Austrian
  Emperor and the English, who did not
  want Austria and Spain joined, aban-
  doned him.  Charles returned to
  
  Chapter Five: Notes for the Game Master
  140
  Austria but continued fighting Phillip
  V of Spain for another year after the
  peace accords were signed.
  The Holy Order
  of St. Morgan
  Brief: An Order of religious sorcerers
  dedicated to healing and good
  works.
  Species: Any
  Resources: The donations and goodwill
  of a grateful populace.
  These monks are followers of
  Morgan of Northumberland, a 12th
  century saint.  They are a wandering
  Order, often found in the wake of a
  conquering army, helping its victims in
  whatever way possible.  The Morganites
  are an all-male Order, but have a sister
  Order called the Ursulines.  Female ini-
  tiates are taught the same skills and
  given the same responsibilities.  Anyone
  with the talent for sorcery and the
  desire to help fellow Furries is welcome
  in these Orders.  There is no penalty for
  leaving the Order, though Morganite
  abbots are expert at making anyone
  who does feel incredibly guilty.
  Morganites teach the Circles of
  Abjuration, Astral, and Necromancy.
  More powerful Orders within the
  Church have jealously kept them from
  learning 
  anything 
  more. 
   
  The
  Morganites can be found anywhere in
  Europe. 
  Story Ideas: Any pirate crew would
  give their eyeteeth to have a Morganite
  on board.  Since the oath of the Order
  requires him to help any sick or injured
  Furry if possible, his presence will cut
  the death rate in half.  However, the
  PCs may find he is more trouble than
  he is worth when their fellow pirates
  begin to repent and seek salvation in
  guilt-ridden hordes.
  The House of
  Orange
  Brief: The closest thing the Dutch
  Republic has to a royal dynasty.
  Species: Lions
  Resources: Traditionally, the Prince of
  Orange 
  holds 
  the 
  title 
  of
  Stadholder, the commander-in-
  chief of all Dutch military forces,
  and the power to make military
  appointments.  However, as he is
  not allowed to raise armies or taxes
  himself, he cannot make war with-
  out the consent of the Estates-
  General.  In its landed estates, the
  House of Orange has wealth and
  prestige well above most other
  minor principalities.  William III is
  not only Stadholder but King of
  England, though again must have
  support from Parliament to raise
  money or make war.
  William III
  (rules England 1689-1702)
  He hath such a mind to
  France that it would incline
  a Creature to think he took
  England only in his way.
   Marquis of Halifax
  This courageous young lion was
  made Stadholder in the midst of a bru-
  tal French invasion by land and an
  assault by the English at sea (the third
  Anglo-Dutch war), by a panicking mob
  of Dutch Furries who forced the
  Estates-General to vote him in.  After
  making a separate peace with his uncle,
  Charles II of England, whose anti-
  French Parliament refused to give him
  any more money for war with the
  Dutch, William went on to drive the
  French out of the Republic and to be
  nominated Commanding General of
  the European coalition against France.
  A few years later, the French were again
  in a position to seriously threaten the
  Republic, and William cemented his
  relationship with England by marrying
  Princess Mary (see “The Stuarts,” p.
  151).  After his father-in-law James II
  antagonized all England by his pig-
  headedness and Roman Catholicism,
  William was invited by the leading
  Furries of the aristocracy and the
  Church of England to come and “save
  the kingdom.”  Believing a revolution
  was inevitable, William felt that if he
  did not lead it, England would proba-
  bly become what it had been under
  Oliver Cromwell — a threat to the
  Dutch Republic.  After William’s land-
  ing in England, James II fled the coun-
  try for France.  William’s march from
  landing to entry into London was no
  more 
  difficult 
  than 
  a 
  parade.
  Parliament, using the excuse that James’
  flight showed that he had abdicated,
  made William sovereign jointly with
  Mary.  James II and Louis XIV then
  handed him an excuse to bring England
  into his war against France by invading
  Ireland as a step toward retaking the
  throne.  The King of Spain and the
  Austrian Emperor, appalled by the Sun
  King’s ambition, recognized William as
  King of England and joined the alliance
  against France, beginning the War of
  the League of Augsberg.
  William shows the character of a
  lion only on the battlefield or while
  hunting.  Short and thin, with an asth-
  matic cough and a slight stoop, he is
  reserved and quiet, with a chillingly for-
  mal manner.  Unlike his mortal enemy,
  Louis XIV, he has no fashion sense,
  dresses conservatively, and prefers his
  own thick brown mane to the almost
  de rigeur long curly wig.  
  Story Ideas: English privateers
  receive Letters of Marque from King
  William, allowing them legally to cap-
  ture French prizes. If they behave like
  Captain Kidd, a terrible example may
  be made of them.
  The Jacobites
  Brief: Supporters of the exiled Stuart
  king, James II, and his descendants.
  Species: Any
  Resources: A number of wellborn
  Anglican Tories, a veritable army
  of Roman Catholics, and the
  financial support (in moderation)
  of Louis XIV.
  James II’s court in exile is fre-
  quented by disgruntled English officers
  and politicians called Jacobites.  In
  Britain itself, the movement has sup-
  port in Scotland and Wales (for dynas-
  tic reasons) and in Ireland (for religious
  reasons).  Many Tories, whose party was
  originally the party of support for the
  Stuart king Charles I, have doubts
  about the legality of William III’s suc-
  cession and reasons of their own (polit-
  ical or monetary) to support James II.
  Most Catholics in Britain support
  James II as their liberator against
  Protestant oppression.  The most seri-
  ous attempt by the Jacobites was the
  Fifteen Rebellion.  By this time (1715),
  James II was dead and the movement
  was supporting his cub, James III.  One
  John Erskine, Earl of Mar, raised an
  army in the northeast of England and
  marched on Perth, but after an incon-
  clusive battle with the Duke of Argyll,
  his support melted away.  James III
  arrived too late to do anything but res-
  
  Chapter Five: Notes for the Game Master
  141
  cue his chief supporters and bring them
  to France.
  The Koprulus 
  Brief: Dynasty of Grand Viziers of the
  Ottoman Empire, the real power
  behind the Sultan.
  Species: Reptiles
  Resources: The support of the college of
  Ottoman viziers, most of whom are
  sorcerers, the right to order most
  affairs of the Ottoman Empire in
  the Sultan’s name, plenty of rev-
  enue from taxes and tribute.
  The Ottoman Empire is controlled
  from Istanbul by a central state bureau-
  cracy headed by a Grand Vizier of the
  powerful Reptilian Koprulu family.
  The Feline Sultan has been removed
  from direct control of state affairs by
  the practice of confining young princes
  to the harem, so that each heir emerges
  into rulership with no experience of the
  political world.  
  Fazil Mustafa Pasa
  Koprulu
  (Grand Vizier 1689-1691)
  Second cub of the Grand Vizier
  Mehmed Pasa Koprulu, Fazil Mustafa
  got a religious and sorcerous education,
  but spent most of his young adulthood
  in military service with his brother Fazil
  Ahmed, the next Grand Vizier.  After
  his brother’s death in 1676, his brother-
  in-law, 
  Kara 
  Mustapha 
  Koprulu,
  became Grand Vizier.  However, Kara
  Mustapha was executed by Sultan
  Mehmed IV for his failure to capture
  Vienna in the siege of 1683.  Mehmed’s
  action came too late to save himself
  from an angry populace and he was
  deposed with the connivance of Fazil
  Mustapha.  The rebels soon turned
  against Fazil Mustapha, but he man-
  aged to save himself with the protection
  of the new Sultan, Suleyman II, who
  made him Grand Vizier.  Fazil
  Mustapha was a Reptile with a gift for
  the intrigues and schemings of the
  Ottoman court, but he was killed on a
  battlefield in Eastern Europe.
  The Marathas
  Brief: Hindu guerrilla warriors of the
  Maratha kingdom, scattered across
  southern India, in rebellion against
  the Great Moghul.
  Species: Any
  Resources: The Marathas have wide
  popular support in southern India,
  but are running their revolution on
  a shoestring.
  The Maratha kingdom established
  by Shivaji resisted annexation by the
  Moghul’s armies until 1680, when it
  finally fell.  Being located in extremely
  rough, treacherous Ghat Mountains,
  however, the Marathans found it easy
  to continue resistance as guerrilla fight-
  ers.  Marathan territory can be consid-
  ered to run from Bombay to Goa along
  the west coast of India, and inland
  about twenty miles.  As well as carrying
  out raids on Moghul towns and strong-
  holds, the Marathans maintain a fleet
  of 
  privateer 
  ships 
  modeled 
  on
  European designs.
  Shivaji
  (led the Marathan Confederacy
  1674-)
  The Marathas were led by a
  Mongoose named Shivaji, called the
  Grand Rebel by the English and the
  Mountain Rat by the Moghul.  Shivaji,
  whose ancestral estates were located in
  the realm of the Bijapur sultans (prior
  to the Moghul’s conquest of that area),
  found Moslem oppression and religious
  persecution of his fellow Hindus so
  intolerable that he convinced himself
  that he was the divinely appointed
  instrument of the cause of Hindu free-
  dom. 
  As a young Mustalid, he collected
  a band of followers and began to seize
  the weaker Bijapur outposts.  His dar-
  ing and military skill soon won him the
  hearts of the common Hindu Furries,
  and his depredations became more
  audacious.  In 1659 he defeated an army
  of 20,000 sent against him by the
  Sultan of Bijapur, capturing its horses,
  guns, and ammunition, and became a
  formidable warlord.  He then provoked
  the Great Moghul by attacking the rich
  coastal town of Surat, taking immense
  booty.  Aurangzeb sent out an army of
  100,000 and compelled Shivaji to sur-
  render.  He was imprisoned, but
  escaped in 1666 by smuggling himself
  past the guards in a basket of sweets to
  be distributed to the poor.  His follow-
  ers welcomed him and within two years,
  he won back all his old territory and
  more.  Taking a lesson from the
  Portuguese and English traders at
  Bombay and Goa, he began building a
  naval force to defend himself at sea as
  well as on land.  In 1674, he had him-
  self enthroned as King of Maratha,
  though he had to connive with
  Brahmins to acquire Ksatriya status
  before his kingship could be legitimate.
  Shivaji respected the religious
  beliefs of all his subjects and had a
  number of Moslems in his service.  He
  also forged an alliance with the south-
  ern Moslem sultans, which held back
  the Moghul’s grand design to spread his
  rule over the entire subcontinent until
  1689, when the kingdom of Maratha
  was broken and its fighting force scat-
  tered and forced to resort to guerrilla
  tactics.
  The Mathers
  Better for a guilty witch
  to escape than for an inno-
  cent Creature to die.
   Increase Mather
  Brief: Prominent family of New
  England preachers and sorcerers
  Species: Lapines
  Resources: Considerable political influ-
  ence in New England.
  Increase Mather
  (1639-1723)
  A Puritan ecclesiast in the Second
  Church of Boston and President of
  Harvard College, this highly respected
  Rabbit acquired immense political
  power in 1689 by being in the right
  place at the right time.  Arriving in
  England to complain of the unpopular
  royal governor appointed by James II
  (in defiance of New England’s charter,
  which gave prominent colonists the
  right to elect this official), Increase was
  just in time to witness the Glorious
  Revolution.  William III was hardly in
  London before the colonial emissary
  obtained an audience with him.
  Although William III insisted on his
  right to appoint all colonial governors,
  he confirmed several other liberties of
  New Englanders that had never been
  officially sanctioned before.  More dra-
  matically, the king gave Mather the
  privilege of nominating the new gover-
  nor and all other officers to be appoint-
  å
  
  Chapter Five: Notes for the Game Master
  142
  ed for the next year.  Possibly feeling he
  could control the Otter, who was a dis-
  ciple of sorts, Mather nominated Sir
  William 
  Phips 
  (see 
  “Colonial
  Governors,” p. 134).
  The outbreak of suspected witch-
  craft in Salem occurred while Increase
  Mather was in England, and when he
  landed in Boston in 1692, a lot of reput-
  ed agents of the Devil were under arrest.
  As a Puritan ecclesiast, Mather prac-
  ticed only Abjuration Magicks, though
  he condoned the Alteration, Elemental,
  and Enchantment Circles taught by the
  Freemasons.  “Witchcraft” in 17th cen-
  tury New England meant either
  Magicks other than the accepted
  Circles 
  (Abjuration, 
  Alteration,
  Elemental, and Enchantment), or
  Magick practiced by any Furry who had
  no legal right or had received no offi-
  cial training in the Art (since obviously,
  such a Furry must be receiving his or
  her power from the Devil).  The court
  appointed to try these witches gave the
  “spectral evidence” produced by young
  female Furries of Salem more weight
  than Mather believed to be just, though
  he made no public protest for months.
  Since no legitimate sorcerer of New
  England practiced Divination, there was
  no way to confirm what these young
  Furries claimed they saw.  It is possible
  there was an outbreak of black Magick
  and demonic possession in Salem that
  year, but the witch-hunting craze that
  followed did at least as much damage.
  Increase Mather’s prestige declined
  after 1692, when the new charter and
  Governor Sir William Phips, both of
  which he was committed to support,
  proved unpopular.  Aside from champi-
  oning the highly suspect procedure of
  inoculation for smallpox, he did very
  little else in his life.
  Cotton Mather
  (1662-1727)
  Increase Mather’s eldest, Cotton
  had the distinction of being the
  youngest Furry ever to enter Harvard, at
  the age of 12.  While his sire was away
  in England, he had the responsibility of
  running the Second Church.  He was a
  ringleader when open rebellion broke
  out against the royal governor, Sir
  Andros, in 1690.  When the Salem
  witchcraft trials began, Cotton decided
  it was his duty to investigate and com-
  bat reported cases of demonic posses-
  sion.  His Abjuration skills proved
  equal to curing some young Furries,
  but were useless in several other cases.
  Whether this was because some demons
  are stronger than others, or because
  these cases of demonic possession were
  actually cases of nervous hysteria can-
  not be proved.  Though like his sire, he
  doubted justice was being done in the
  witchcraft trials, he made no public
  protest until a couple of years after-
  wards.  Cotton remained a leader in the
  Church, but his political influence
  waned with that of his sire, much to his
  disappointment.  For all his piety, this
  Rabbit was rather self-seeking.
  Level: 7, Skill Attack: -8, BD: 18,
  UD: 46, MD: 68, PD: 18, HP: 18, MP:
  58, Skills: Unarmed Combat, Herbal,
  Medicine, 
  Poison, 
  Abjuration,
  Linguistics, Lore: Current Events,
  History, Mythology, Preacher, Writer.
  Story Ideas: PCs who arrive in
  Massachusetts during the witchcraft
  scare, if they are exotic or foreign-look-
  ing, may find themselves accused by
  hysterical young Furries of torturing
  them from the astral plane.  Also, both
  Mathers preached strongly against pira-
  cy.  PCs would do well to tread lightly
  around them.
  The Moghuls 
  Brief: Invading dynasty of Moslem
  rulers of India, claiming descent
  from Genghis Khan.
  Species: Tigers
  Resources: All-powerful and filthy rich.
  The Moghul armies of mailed cav-
  alry have conquered the entire sub-
  continent except for the Western
  Ghat 
  mountains 
  where 
  the
  Marathas lurk.  And although the
  sorcerers of India are not — as in
  China — directly dependent on the
  government, the Moghul still has
  the best of them that money and
  patronage can buy.
  The first Tiger Moghul, claiming
  descent from Genghis Khan, invaded
  from Persia in 1525 and established a
  northern Indian kingdom.  It was sub-
  stantially extended by his grandcub,
  who conquered all the northern and
  some of the central Indian Sultanates,
  turning them into provinces.  The
  Empire reached its zenith under the
  fifth Moghul, Aurangzeb.  The Empire
  is governed by the Moghul through a
  bureaucracy of skilled Persian-writing
  Furries, Hindu as well as Moslem, who
  dispense imperial justice, keep records
  of rights, and collect land revenues in
  silver rupees.
  Story Ideas: Europe has no
  monarch whose treasure can compare
  with the Great Moghul’s.  The Peacock
  Throne is completely covered with
  rubies, diamonds, pearls, and emeralds
  which represent a small part of the
  Moghul’s total collection of gems.  The
  largest, the Great Moghul Diamond,
  weighs 280 carats.  To Moslems, jewels
  symbolize the entrapment of light with-
  in matter, which the Moghuls them-
  selves, as descendants of Genghis Khan,
  embody.  Any ship belonging to the
  Moghul is a prize most pirates can only
  dream of.
  Aurangzeb I
  (ruled India 1658-1707)
  This Tiger was a harsh and bloody-
  minded tyrant who succeeded to the
  Peacock Throne by beheading two
  brothers and imprisoning his sire and
  several of his own cubs.  He displayed
  ruthless determination, tactical and
  strategic military skill, and great powers
  of dissimulation in accomplishing his
  coup.  In the first part of his reign,
  until about 1680, Aurangzeb was dis-
  liked, but respected as a monarch of
  vigor and skill.  During that period, he
  was occupied safeguarding his north-
  west border from the Persians and
  Central Asian Turks.  After that, he
  started having his greatest problems
  with Shivaji and the Marathan
  Confederation of western and central
  India.  Aurangzeb became fanatically
  concerned with the Mountain Rat, and
  marked the Marathas for annexation
  rather than containment.  He became a
  militant orthodox Moslem ruler,
  destroying many Hindu idols and
  shrines.  For the first time, Hindus
  became subordinates rather than col-
  leagues, as the reimposition of the poll
  tax on non-Moslems in 1679 demon-
  strated.  Hindu rebellions, supported by
  Aurangzeb’s own cubs, broke out.
  Although the Hindu kingdoms, includ-
  ing the Marathas, were smashed, their
  warriors simply adopted guerrilla tactics
  and spread out over southern India
  amid a sympathetic population.  The
  rest of Aurangzeb’s life was spent in
  laborious sieges of forts in the difficult
  Marathan hill country.
  Following his death, India was
  ruled by a series of weak and short-lived
  Moghuls, and his great Empire began
  to disintegrate into its component king-
  doms.  At Bombay, Madras, and
  Calcutta, the English East India
  Company recruited mercenary armies
  of local Furries to defend English prop-
  
  Chapter Five: Notes for the Game Master
  143
  erty.  This eventually led to Company
  officials acquiring political control of
  the provinces where they were sta-
  tioned.
  The Mystic
  Order of the
  Rosy Cross
  Brief: Mysterious Order of sorcerers
  Species: Any
  Resources: A wide following, but with
  poor 
  organization 
  and 
  little
  money, though individual mem-
  bers may be rich.
  The newest and weirdest Order in
  Europe, the Rosicrucians use a combi-
  nation of Christian mysticism, ancient
  philosophy, scientific method, and
  Magickal technique to investigate the
  workings of the Universe.  The more
  bizarre a theory is, the more they like it.
  Currently, they are testing the possibili-
  ty that they are all reincarnations of the
  ancient Pharaohs.  Although very secre-
  tive about their meeting places and
  memberships, they like to announce
  their intentions and their findings by
  nailing manifestos up in public places.
  They are not well organized and often
  publish items that contradict each
  other.  Some Furries believe that the
  entire Rosicrucian movement is run by
  university students and is a joke being
  played on everyone on the Continent.
  Others denounce them as dangerous
  and seditious.  The Rosicrucians will
  accept anyone, male or female, with sor-
  cerous talent and a Social score of 18.
  They teach the Circles of Abjuration,
  Alteration, Astral, Divination, and
  Illusion.  They are most prevalent in the
  Dutch Republic and the northern
  German provinces, with smaller, secre-
  tive chapters in France, England,
  Austria, and Russia.
  Story Ideas: A rich and eccentric
  Rosicrucian Furry gets the whimsical
  notion that the recently discovered con-
  tinent of Australia is actually Atlantis re-
  emerged from the sea after having drift-
  ed a long way from its original position.
  To prove this theory, and to acquire the
  vast wealth and the trove of Magickal
  knowledge that may have survived, he
  hires the PCs’ ship to take him there.
  Narai I
  (rules Siam 1656-1698)
  Brief: Most powerful monarch of
  Indochina.
  Species: Siamese Cat
  Resources: Substantial revenue from
  taxes and duties, a loyal army, an
  impregnable capital city, control
  over the Buddhist colleges of sor-
  cerers.
  Narai came to the throne of Siam
  after violent upheavals cut short the
  reigns of his uncle and elder brother.
  He quickly established himself as an
  effective ruler and dealt successfully
  with Siam’s Southeast Asian rivals, espe-
  cially Burma.  He was fond of lofty
  titles and of traveling by elephant caval-
  cade or gilded barge procession.  His
  court was full of petty intrigues and
  general debauchery.  He himself was
  among the craftiest schemers in the
  place.  He was known to appoint for-
  eigners to important posts, knowing
  they would be dependent on his pro-
  tection against his jealous courtiers.  
  His greatest concern in foreign pol-
  icy was to break the domination of the
  Dutch East India Company over Siam’s
  external trade.  Toward that end, he
  courted the English and the French.
  However, the English proved unwilling
  to compete, and Narai had to commit
  to the French.  In this he was influ-
  enced by his Minister of Foreign Trade,
  Constantine Phaulkon (see “English
  East India Company,” p. 136), who
  encouraged the French to hope for ter-
  ritorial concessions and even Narai’s
  conversion 
  from 
  Buddhism 
  to
  Christianity (not bloody likely).  Narai
  was forced to accept a French occupa-
  tion of Bangkok.  Anti-French senti-
  ment ran high in court and among the
  common Furries of Siam, and after the
  deaths of Phaulkon and Narai, the
  French were expelled.
  King Narai ruled from Ayuthia, a
  walled city located within a loop of the
  Menam River.  The site was made into
  an island by digging a canal between
  the bases of the loop.  Numerous other
  canals pierce the city.  Foreigners are
  required to leave their firearms outside
  the city, at the trade commissary estab-
  lished downriver at Bangkok.  The
  Siamese population of Ayuthia is aug-
  mented by numerous Furry Chinese
  immigrants.  Religious buildings in
  Ayuthia include some massively impres-
  sive Buddhist temples, one Catholic
  church, and a couple of mosques.  
  Pirates
  I am a Free Prince, and I
  have as much authority to
  make war on the whole
  World as he who has a hun-
  dred sail of ships at sea and
  an army of 100,000 crea-
  tures in the field.
   A pirate captain
  Brief: Freebooters who will attack any
  tempting and/or vulnerable ship,
  regardless of its national origin.
  Species: Absolutely any
  Resources: A vessel, some cannon, and
  a large and desperate crew of cut-
  throats is usually the minimum.  A
  successful pirate captain is one
  who has enough money to guaran-
  tee his safety when visiting a port
  with corrupt officials.
  Following are profiles of some of
  the most notorious pirates of the
  Golden Age.  The GM may include
  some, all, or none of these NPCs in her
  campaign, depending on whether or
  not she wants to send the PCs on the
  adventures attributed to them.
  Kanhoji Angria
  (active 1690-1729)
  Native pirates have infested the
  Indian Ocean and Red Sea since mar-
  itime commerce began, but most of
  them were only smalltime brigands
  until Kanhoji Angria established his
  fearsome dynasty of freebooters.  The
  wily Weasel began plundering shipping
  along the Malabar Coast in the 1690s.
  By 1715, he ruled a chain of 26 forts on
  the coast south of Bombay, from which
  his fleet of mixed native and captured
  European vessels preyed on the cargo
  carriers of the various East India com-
  panies.  Just one of these island forts
  mounts 50 cannon.  As he attacks most-
  ly European ships, the potentates of
  India are content to leave him alone,
  forcing the East India companies to
  fend for themselves.  Kanhoji may be a
  Maratha, or in league with them, but if
  so, his support is mostly financial.
  Kanhoji has sired an entire Mustalid
  clan to carry out his bidding, and
  employs hundreds of local mercenaries,
  including sorcerers exiled from the
  
  Chapter Five: Notes for the Game Master
  144
  Moghul’s court for treachery.  His
  eldest offspring Tulaji is his heir.
  Kanhoji is arrogant and touchy, just as
  likely to attack European pirates as he is
  European merchants.  Much of his suc-
  cess can be traced to his superior skill
  as a sorcerer.
  Level: 9, Skill Attack: -20, BD: 25,
  UD: 70, MD: 80, PD: 20, HP: 21, MP:
  70, Skills: Unarmed Combat, Ambush,
  Abjuration, Divination, Elemental,
  Linguistics: 
  Dutch 
  and 
  English,
  Gunner, Navigator, Sailor.
  Story Ideas: If the PCs are pirate
  hunters, Angria is the very pirate the
  East India Company would hire them
  to go after.
  Adam Baldridge
  (active 1685-1697)
  Less a pirate than a trader, this
  canny Reptile established a base for
  pirates on St. Mary’s isle, off the east
  coast of Madagascar.  He makes a hand-
  some living by supplying pirate vessels
  with food, ammunition, liquor, and
  female company, mostly from among
  the Malagasy of the main island.  He
  acquires cattle and island produce from
  local chiefs who are grateful for his help
  in their incessant tribal wars.  These he
  trades to the pirates for their plunder,
  then exchanges that for manufactured
  goods — rum, guns, gunpowder, tools —
  sent directly to him from New York in
  American merchant ships.  (Rum
  bought for two shillings a gallon in
  New York can be sold to pirates for
  three pounds per gallon, a trade the
  New Yorkers are quick to take advan-
  tage of).  Baldridge is filthy rich, his
  warehouses piled to the roof with luxu-
  ry goods.  He has an immense castle-
  like mansion on top of a hill, behind a
  stockade with a battery of 40 guns over-
  looking the warehouses.  St. Mary’s bot-
  tleneck harbor is a superbly defensible
  anchorage, and the fort can easily pro-
  tect ships from attack. At any given
  time there may be as many as 1500
  pirates on St. Mary’s enjoying its
  delights.  Baldridge is absolute master
  on the island, and the Malagasy refer to
  him as King of the Pirates.  In 1697,
  when he had sold a few too many of
  their compatriots into slavery, they
  became less enchanted with him, and
  drove him off the island.
  Level: 7, Skill Attack: -4, BD: 26,
  UD: 48, MD: 52, PD: 24, HP: 23, Skills:
  Sword, Unarmed Combat, Trigger,
  Ambush, Athletic, Tracking, Linguistics:
  Malagasy, Gunner, Sailor, Merchant.
  Story Ideas: While the PCs are
  carousing in St. Mary’s Bay, a Malagasy
  chieftain’s beautiful daughter falls in
  love with one of them and slips aboard
  to be with him.  Next morning, the
  ship is surrounded by outrigger canoes
  full of indignant and heavily armed
  locals.
  PCs wanting supplies, news, or a
  job, are likely to find them all on St.
  Mary’s.  As for trouble, there’s no end
  of possibilities, from attacks by other
  pirates or the East India Company’s
  haphazard naval force to cattle-raiding
  among the Malagasy.
  Anne Bonny
  (active 1719-1720)
  This Irish hellcat is the illegitimate
  kitten of a wealthy lawyer settled in
  Charleston, South Carolina.  Anne
  grew up wild, fierce-tempered, good
  with a knife, and spoiled rotten to
  marry a penniless vagabond named
  James Bonny, who whisked her off to
  the pirates’ lair on New Providence.
  There she met the swaggering Calico
  Jack Rackam (below).  After Governor
  A Brace of Hellcats
  
  Chapter Five: Notes for the Game Master
  145
  Rogers arrived to clean up the island,
  Anne ran away with Calico Jack to go
  a-pirating.  Though merely a tabby cat,
  she proved herself a lioness in battle.
  Anne and Jack were, if not the scourge
  of the Caribbean, at least a major nui-
  sance, especially after they were joined
  by another fighting cat, “Mark Read,”
  who turned out to be Mary Read (also
  below).  In 1720, Rackam’s sloop was
  ambushed by a Navy ship.  Though the
  male pirates were too drunk to resist,
  Anne and Mary flew at the Navy forces
  like furies and fought until captured.
  On trial in Jamaica, Anne informed the
  judge she was pregnant.  English law
  forbids the killing of an unborn cub, so
  Anne won a stay of execution, and her
  sire later bought her release.
  Level: 6, Skill Attack: -1, BD: 25,
  UD: 51, MD: 41, PD: 25, HP: 26, Skills:
  SW: Dagger, Sword, Bladed Pole, DW:
  Daggers, Unarmed Combat, Thrown
  Weapon, Trigger, Acrobat, Ambush,
  Athletic, Sailor.
  Story Ideas: Anne is a fickle Feline,
  prone to bestowing her heart upon
  handsome rascals.  If she falls for a PC
  and he returns her attentions, he will
  have to deal with the jealousy of Calico
  Jack.  If he does not, he may have deal
  with Anne’s spite and vengeance.
  Henry Every
  (active 1694-1696)
  The most famous pirate in his life-
  time, stories about this pudgy Lapine
  are one of the main reasons that the
  Eastern Seas are considered a pirate’s El
  Dorado.  According to pamphlets pub-
  lished in London, he has offered to pay
  off the national debt in exchange for a
  pardon; according to others he has mar-
  ried the Moghul’s beautiful daughter (a
  tigress and a rabbit?) and settled down
  on Madagascar in great royalty and
  state.  The truth is slightly less roman-
  tic.  Every began his career by hijacking
  the Charles II, an English ship char-
  tered by the Spanish government as a
  privateer, renaming it the Fancy and
  taking it off to the Indian Ocean.  For
  the next two years, Every and his crew,
  including a powerful sorcerer with
  Elemental Magick, burned, broadsided,
  boarded, plundered, and ravaged for all
  they were worth.  Every went to the top
  of the English most-wanted list and
  became one of the few Furries specifi-
  cally declared outside the various Acts
  of Grace proclaimed from time to time
  by the English government as a means
  of getting rid of pirates by pardoning
  them.  In August 1695, Every’s 46-gun
  Fancy captured the Gang-i-Sawai, a huge
  dhow carrying 62 guns and 500 muske-
  teers, as well as 600 passengers includ-
  ing some high-ranking officials of the
  Great Moghul’s court returning from a
  pilgrimage to Mecca, and 500,000 gold
  and silver pieces.  The Furries aboard
  the Gang-i-Sawai were treated with extra-
  ordinary savagery.  Among them was an
  aged female relative of the Great
  Moghul; probably the inspiration for
  the tale of the beautiful daughter.  His
  fortune made, Every left the Indian
  Ocean for the Bahamas, where he was
  welcomed with open arms by the gov-
  ernor.  After that, he slipped off home
  to England, where he dropped out of
  sight, though most of his crew were
  caught.
  Every is “middle-sized, inclinable
  to be fat, and of a jolly disposition.”
  His sense of humor is well known at the
  Portuguese island of Sao Tome, where
  he once put in for provisions, paying
  for them with the seventeenth century
  version of a rubber check: a Bill of
  Exchange drawn on the Bank of
  Aldgate Pump, witnessed by John-a-
  Noakes and signed by Timothy
  Tugmutton and Simon Whifflepin.
  Every claims he has not nor will ever
  harm any English or Dutch unless
  forced to by the desperation of a hun-
  gry crew.
  Level: 10, Skill Attack: -30, BD: 22,
  UD: 75, MD: 80, PD: 22, HP: 20, Skills:
  Dagger, Sword, Unarmed Combat,
  Trigger, Acrobat, Ambush, Lock-pick-
  ing, Sleight-of-Hand, Lore: Current
  Events, Gunner, Navigator, Sailor.
  Story Ideas: The capture of the
  Gang-i-Sawai so infuriated the Moghul
  that the East India Company’s officers,
  the only English he could get his claws
  on, were arrested and thrown in jail,
  where many of them died.  No sooner
  were the rest released than the
  Company offered 1000 pounds each for
  the capture of Every’s crew, and 500
  pounds for the capture of any pirate.  If
  the PCs are Red Sea pirates, this is
  cause for alarm.  If they are pirate-
  hunters, this is their chance.
  William Kidd
  (active 1695-1699)
  Our Trusty and well-beloved
  Captain . . .
   William III (from Kidd’s
  privateering commission)
  No Furry pirate ever had a worse
  reputation with less reason than the
  confused 
  and 
  unfortunate 
  Ram,
  Captain Kidd, who spilled less blood
  and captured fewer prizes than any
  other pirate of the time.  His career and
  subsequent execution were at least part-
  ly due to the intrigues of four English
  nobles, all Whigs and close friends of
  King William.  Piracy was a hot politi-
  cal topic in 1695, and these lords were
  anxious to prove they could do some-
  thing about it, but England’s war with
  France meant there were no warships to
  spare for chasing pirates.  Thus Captain
  Kidd, a respected merchant of New
  York, was dispatched as a privateer to
  the Indian Ocean, with commissions to
  attack the French and pirates, and with
  a specially built vessel, the Adventure
  Galley.  The first ten percent of any
  booty was to go to the Crown, as cus-
  tomary, but the rest was to be divided
  up so that most of it would go to the
  venture’s noble backers, to recoup their
  investment.  The crew would only get
  about twenty percent, not the sixty per-
  cent that was usual for a privateering
  haul.
  On his way down the Thames,
  Kidd failed to salute a Navy ship and
  was boarded by a press gang who car-
  ried off his crew — reliable handpicked
  Furries guaranteed not to mutiny —
  replacing them with a motley collection
  of Navy rejects.  Once in the Indian
  Ocean, Kidd sailed for so long without
  finding any legitimate prey that he was
  not even slightly surprised when his
  new crew insisted they take a prize,
  nationality be damned.  Kidd soon
  decided that the lowly rodents and
  seadogs who shared his crowded ship
  were more of a threat than great lords
  half a world away.  His luck as a pirate
  was almost as abysmal as his luck as a
  privateer, but he managed to catch a
  few prizes, among them the Quedah
  Merchant, with a cargo of silk, sugar,
  iron, guns, saltpeter, and gold coins.
  This was shared out among the crew,
  ignoring the articles under which the
  ship had sailed, though Kidd took forty
  shares as would be usual under priva-
  teering rules.  After that, he fell afoul of
  ç
  
  Chapter Five: Notes for the Game Master
  146
  another pirate, one Captain Culliford,
  to whom most of his crew deserted,
  stripping the Adventure Galley of its
  guns and supplies to help arm
  Culliford’s Mocha Frigate.  Kidd had to
  recruit another crew and go home in
  the bulky Quedah Merchant.  By this
  time, word of his activities reached
  England, where his sponsors disavowed
  him and the Admiralty dispatched let-
  ters to all governors of American
  colonies, ordering them to apprehend
  him.  A political scandal erupted as
  Tory politicians tore into the Whig
  Lords who sent Kidd off.  Kidd was
  found guilty in the eyes of the govern-
  ment, the press, and the general public
  before he so much as set a hoof ashore.
  Arrested in Boston, he spent a year in
  Stone Prison in New York and another
  year in Newgate Prison in London
  before his trial, where he was swiftly
  condemned to hang.  Before the trial,
  he was called before the House of
  Commons, where the Tories hoped he
  would star in their impeachment pro-
  ceedings against the Whig lords who
  backed him, but Kidd lacked the polit-
  ical savvy to realize he could save him-
  self by implicating them.
  Level: 5, Skill Attack: 10, BD: 12,
  UD: 35, MD: 35, PD: 25, HP: 23, Skills:
  Sword, Weighted, Thrown Weapon,
  Trigger, Lore: Value, Navigator, Sailor,
  Merchant.
  Story Ideas: What noble English
  lords did to Captain Kidd they could as
  easily do to the PCs.  If the characters
  start out without a ship or money of
  their own, the GM should have an idea
  what sort of Furry financed their ven-
  ture, or actually owns the ship they are
  using and what his reaction might be if
  they go a-pirating.
  Before his arrest, Kidd hid his trea-
  sure in various places along the Eastern
  Seaboard.  Though much of it was
  recovered, it may be that some still
  waits to be found on some tiny islet
  between New Jersey and Maine.
  Jack Rackam
  (active 1719-1720)
  Jack, darlin’ 
   if ye’d
  fought like a Cat, you need
  not have been hanged like a
  Dog.
   Anne Bonny
  Calico Jack Rackam, named for his
  species as well as his clothes, is a minor
  pirate, more noteworthy for his
  romance with Anne Bonny than his
  bloody career.  Having suspended his
  piratical activities in exchange for a
  royal pardon from Governor Rogers of
  New Providence, he went back on his
  word, ran away with her and resumed
  the life.  Prone to jealousy, he attempt-
  ed to kill “Mark Read” before Anne
  told him “he” was female.   Along with
  his mates, Rackam was too drunk to
  defend himself when his ship was cap-
  tured by an English Navy corvette, and
  ended up tried and executed in Jamaica.
  Level: 6, Skill Attack: 0, BD: 17,
  UD: 45, MD: 37, PD: 24, HP: 24, Skills:
  SW: Dagger, Sword, DW: Swords,
  Unarmed Combat, Trigger, Ambush,
  Navigator, Sailor.
  Mary “Mark” Read
  (active 1719-1720)
  A Siamese Feline, Mary, like Anne,
  was born out of wedlock.  Her mother
  dressed her up in the clothes of her
  recently deceased male kitten to deceive
  her relatives.  Mary perpetuated the
  fraud, serving as cabin cub aboard a
  warship, then went on to fighting as a
  common soldier in the War of Spanish
  Succession.  She fell in love with her
  tentmate, married him and set up
  housekeeping in the Dutch Republic,
  but after he died suddenly of a fever,
  returned to male clothing and signed
  aboard a Dutch ship.  When the vessel
  was captured by Calico Jack, she signed
  the pirate articles and cast her lot with
  the brigands.  Mary has more stability
  than Anne, and is capable of great loy-
  alty.  Falling in love with a young sailor
  whom Rackam forced into his crew,
  Mary took up a sword to kill a fellow
  pirate who challenged her lover to a
  duel.  Being pregnant at her capture,
  she was spared execution, but died of a
  fever in a Jamaican prison.
  Level: 8, Skill Attack: -14, BD: 18,
  UD: 64, MD: 46, HP: 25, Skills: Sword,
  Bladed 
  Pole, 
  Thrusting, 
  Thrown
  Weapon, Trigger, Ambush, Lore:
  Current Events, Sailor.
  Story Ideas: Should any PC meet
  and admire Mary, she could be a good
  subject for a jailbreak.
  Bartholomew Roberts
  (active 1719-1722)
  The Welsh Labrador known as
  Black Bart was a superlative master
  mariner and the greatest pirate who ever
  sailed.  In three years, he captured a
  staggering total of 400 ships.  Roberts
  was third mate aboard the slaver
  Princess when it was captured off the
  Guinea coast of Africa by a pirate ship
  called the Royal Rover.  Because he was
  an expert sailor, Roberts was forced to
  join the pirate crew.  He was averse to
  the life at first, but after the Rover’s
  captain was killed in a Portuguese
  ambush on Princes Island, the crew
  elected him their new captain.  Though
  a ship’s officer, Roberts’ working-class
  origins prevented him from getting a
  command of his own in legitimate ser-
  vice, which helped persuade him to
  accept the position when offered by
  pirates.
  Roberts lost no time in making his
  name known and feared.  After ravaging
  Princes Island to avenge the previous
  captain’s death, he sailed for Brazil,
  where he boarded and plundered the
  richest Portuguese ship out of a fleet of
  42 merchants escorted by two warships.
  In Newfoundland, he caught 22 mer-
  chant ships at anchor in Trepassi Bay
  and plundered them at his leisure, sink-
  ing a number of fishing ships that tried
  to interfere.  Off Newfoundland Banks,
  he captured another half-dozen prizes,
  all French.  Returning to the
  Caribbean, he took fifteen ships in the
  Lesser Antilles, mostly from French
  Martinique and English Barbados.  By
  1721, he brought Caribbean shipping
  almost to a halt.  Returning to the
  Guinea coast to dispose of his loot,
  Roberts plundered a dozen more ships
  belonging to the Royal African
  Company, but accidentally ran into an
  English warship, the H.M.S. Swallow.
  Mistaking the Swallow for a merchant
  ship (an easy thing to do at a distance),
  he ordered one ship of his fleet, the
  Great Ranger to pursue it.  The Swallow
  cleverly fled out of range of the sound
  of gunfire before allowing the Great
  Ranger to catch up and be surprised by
  the sight of a 60-gun warship.  An hour
  later, the Great Ranger was so badly
  shot up she could no longer run or
  fight, and struck her colors.  The
  Swallow
  then returned to attack
  Roberts’ flagship, the Royal Fortune, at
  anchor at Cape Lopez.  Roberts intend-
  ed to flee, for his crew was hungover
  and unfit for fighting, but set course
  straight toward the Swallow to test her
  firepower before running.  When the
  Navy guns delivered their first broad-
  side, the black Lab’s throat was torn
  open by grapeshot and he died instant-
  ly.  Without their charismatic captain,
  the crew of the Royal Fortune had little
  heart for fighting and asked for quarter
  after a few hours of haphazard battle.
  About half were acquitted as forced
  
  Chapter Five: Notes for the Game Master
  147
  creatures, the rest condemned to death
  or hard labor.  The commander of the
  Swallow, a Raptor named Captain Ogle,
  became rich off of Roberts’ personal
  treasure and later rose to the rank of
  Admiral.
  Roberts was a short but strong,
  good-looking and well-dressed Canine
  with some of the manners and affecta-
  tions of wellborn Naval officers.  He
  had a natural flair for leadership and
  more control over his crew than most
  pirate captains, having forced them to
  swear obedience to his articles and him-
  self.  He had a dislike for the alcoholic
  excesses pirates are prone to, as it
  impaired the efficiency of his ship, and
  discouraged his crew from overindul-
  gence.  However, he lacked total author-
  ity: a slave ship which refused to sur-
  render was once set on fire against his
  orders and 80 African Furries shackled
  on board died in the flames.
  Level: 10, Skill Attack: -35, BD: 20,
  UD: 80, MD: 80, PD: 24, HP: 26, Skills:
  Dagger, Sword, Unarmed Combat,
  Bow, Trigger, Ambush, Athletic, Lore:
  Geography, Gunner, Navigator, Sailor.
  Edward Teach
  (active 1716-1718)
  If I do not now and then
  kill one of my crew, they
  will forget who I am.
   Blackbeard
  Blackbeard was the pirate supreme.
  Though he captured less loot than
  Roberts or Every, he became the terror
  of the American coast.  After learning
  the skills of the trade on an English pri-
  vateer during the War of Spanish
  Succession, he drifted into piracy
  around 1713.  He acquired command of
  his own 40-gun ship, the Queen Anne’s
  Revenge, in 1716, sailing out of Nassau
  and into legend just before the arrival
  of Governor Rogers put an end to pira-
  cy there.  In eighteen months,
  Blackbeard captured twenty-odd prizes
  along the American coast from Virginia
  to Honduras.  In 1718, he blockaded
  Charleston, South Carolina, and cap-
  tured nine ships sailing in or out of the
  harbor.  He disposed of his loot in
  North Carolina, the only colony of the
  time which still favored pirates.  He and
  his crew began to outstay their welcome
  in the eyes of most Carolina Furries,
  but Governor Eden took no action.
  However, Governor Spotswood of
  Virginia dispatched two shallow-draft
  sloops, commanded by Lieutenant
  Maynard and crewed by regular Navy,
  to catch Blackbeard where he sat at
  anchor in Ocracoke Inlet.  Blackbeard,
  well-supplied with intelligence, was not
  surprised to see them, but made the
  mistake of drinking and carousing the
  night before the fight. The battle in
  such shallow waters was like an infantry
  engagement in a swamp: the vessels
  kept grounding on sandbars and having
  to be worked free.  After tearing up
  both Navy sloops with small shot and
  hand grenades, Blackbeard boarded
  Maynard’s vessel and the two crews
  fought it out hand-to-hand.  Because he
  was sozzled, Blackbeard’s shot at
  Maynard missed.  Maynard shot him,
  but to no apparent effect.  Blackbeard
  broke Maynard’s cutlass and kept fight-
  ing even as he was hacked down by the
  Navy crew.  Examining his corpse later,
  Maynard found twenty-five wounds on
  him, five of them from pistol shots.
  With their leader dead, the rest of the
  pirates surrendered.
  Teach was a black Bear, and a nat-
  ural pirate leader: enormously tough,
  strong, wild and brave.  He was also
  impetuous and competitive, determined
  to win at everything.  His unpredictable
  violence kept his crew in total subjuga-
  tion.  Teach had very long and shaggy
  facial fur plaited into tails decorated
  with ribbons or, when in battle, lighted
  matches.  He also stuck matches (long,
  slow-burning pieces of hemp dipped in
  saltpeter and limewater) under his hat.
  With his fierce eyes and matted fur, the
  smoke wreathing his head made him
  look like a demon.
  Level: 9, Skill Attack: -20, BD: 25,
  UD: 70, MD: 65, PD: 30, HP: 30, Skills:
  Two-Handed Sword, Bladed Pole,
  Weighted, Unarmed Combat, Thrown
  Weapon, Trigger, Ambush, Lock-pick-
  ing, Athletic, Gunner, Navigator, Sailor.
  Story Ideas: Blackbeard is one even
  for other pirates to avoid.  If the PCs
  encounter him, they will find no honor
  among thieves: he will force them to
  work for him, or try to destroy them.
  Either way, it’s their treasure he’s after.
  Blackbeard
  
  Chapter Five: Notes for the Game Master
  148
  Thomas Tew
  (active 1692-1694)
  This gangly Rat was one of the first
  truly successful Red Sea pirates, and his
  first voyage was an example to all who
  followed him.  In the early ‘90s, piracy
  in the eastern seas was not considered
  much of a crime, since the East India
  Company had yet to start complaining
  about it, and since it was no sin to rob
  infidels.  Thus Tew, an experienced pri-
  vateer, had no trouble recruiting a like-
  minded crew when he prepared to sail
  from Bermuda in his small sloop, the
  Amity.  His privateering commission
  authorized him to attack the French in
  West Africa, but since that would not
  be very profitable, he persuaded his
  crew to head for the Indian Ocean.  In
  his months there, Tew only ran across
  one prize, but it was enough — a dhow
  belonging to the Great Moghul carry-
  ing 100,000 English pounds worth of
  gold and silver, plus a king’s ransom in
  ivory, spices, jewels, and silk.  Despite
  carrying 300 Indian soldiers, the dhow
  offered no resistance and not a single
  pirate was killed in the engagement.
  Tew careened his ship and shared out
  the wealth at St. Mary’s, then headed
  for his native Newport, Rhode Island.
  He got a hero’s welcome there and in
  New York, then caused a wave of hyste-
  ria as he began to outfit the Amity for
  a second voyage.  Every footloose
  young Furry raced to sign up, while the
  leading merchants of Newport, Boston,
  New York and Philadelphia eagerly
  bankrolled him and the other captains
  who began springing up in every port.
  Tew again took the precaution of buy-
  ing a privateering commission from
  New York’s corrupt governor Fletcher.
  Tew was not so lucky on his second
  voyage: while attempting to board
  another Indian merchant ship, a heavy
  shot carried away his bowels.
  Level: 7, Skill Attack: -3, BD: 15,
  UD: 53, MD: 50, PD: 25, HP: 23, Skills:
  Rapier, Unarmed Combat, Trigger,
  Ambush, Navigator, Sailor.
  The Romanovs 
  Brief: Royal dynasty of Russian Tsars.
  Species: Ursoid
  Resources: Poor in liquid assets and
  industry, but rich in land and in
  the absolute obedience of the
  masses.
  Peter I
  (rules Russia 1689-)
  The state of Russia in the 17th cen-
  tury could be described in three words:
  Peter the Great.  This huge young Bear,
  only 17 in 1690, drove the Russian fron-
  tier outward in all directions.  During
  his entire reign, there was only one year
  of peace in Russia.  War was waged
  mainly against Persia, the Ottoman
  Empire, and Sweden — and sometimes
  against all three at once.  These wars
  were directed at ports on the Black,
  Caspian, and Baltic Seas, since Peter was
  trying to acquire the commercial bases
  so essential to international power.
  Three-quarters of the taxes he collected
  were spent on making war.  Peter used
  the autocratic authority of a Tsar to its
  fullest extent by making all the land-
  holding nobility dependent on service
  to him, putting two-thirds into the
  army and the rest into civil service.
  Even the Russian Orthodox Church
  came under Peter’s control, becoming
  hardly distinguishable from the rest of
  the bureaucracy.  Sorcerers both secular
  and religious were drafted along with
  everyone else into government service.  
  In a fit of fascination with all
  things Western, Peter often visited the
  Dutch Republic and England to learn
  navigation, shipbuilding, and mercantil-
  ism.  He hoped to make Russia into a
  trade nation, but lacking an emancipat-
  ed middle class, he could not succeed
  in his lifetime.
  The Safavids
  Brief: Shi’ite Moslem royal dynasty of
  Persia
  Species: Hawks
  Resources: Persia is in a period of
  decline, its armies rebelling or
  deserting, and money scarce at
  best.  The Safavids’ main strength
  comes from their awesome sorcer-
  ous ability.
  Safavid Shahs are Imams, claiming
  to be descended from the Prophet, the
  shadow of God on earth and the Mahdi
  (messiah).  Whether or not any given
  Shah is a supreme Magick-user, he is
  backed by enough other Safavid sorcer-
  ers to make it seem that he is.  The tal-
  ent runs strong in the family, whose
  members are bred carefully and trained
  extensively to ensure that they will
  always be the most powerful in Persia.
  The Safavids belong to the Shi’ite form
  of Islam, and have embarked on a pro-
  gram to eliminate, by whatever means
  possible, the other forms: Sunni and
  Sufi Islam.  Some of the best sorcerers
  in Persia, aside from the Safavids, are
  Ad Majorem Gloriam Dei
  
  Chapter Five: Notes for the Game Master
  149
  Sufis, thus they are depriving their
  country of the best and brightest, as
  well as eliminating competition.
  Husayn I
  (ruled Persia 1694-1722)
  The current Hawk Shah was raised
  in the harem and came to the throne
  with no knowledge of state affairs.
  Although a halfway-decent sorcerer, he
  had no talent for ruling.  He depleted
  the treasury for personal expenses and
  allowed his relatives and the mullahs
  (clergy) to run the government and
  squabble over it.  Russia and the
  Ottoman Empire took advantage of
  Husayn’s weakness to carve out slices of
  Persian border territory.  Despite these
  losses, Husayn ruled in relative peace
  for twenty years, maintaining good rela-
  tions with the English East India
  Company.  However, the country
  declined into poverty and rebellion
  until, near the end of his reign, Husayn
  was faced with numerous tribal revolts
  and 
  a 
  full-scale 
  invasion 
  from
  Afghanistan.  After a seven-month siege
  of his capital city, Husayn surrendered
  and abdicated, putting an effective end
  to the Safavid Dynasty.
  The Society of
  Jesus
  Brief: Powerful Order of religious sor-
  cerers.
  Species: Any except Rodents
  Resources: Immense power and wealth
  in Catholic countries
  The shock troops of religious
  orthodoxy, the Jesuits are the most
  powerful Order in the service of the
  Church.  They have the advantage of a
  comprehensive library of sorcerous
  tomes locked in a special vault under
  the Papal City.  The Jesuits are an all-
  male Order and choose candidates with
  a Social score of 22 or more.  Potential
  initiates must devote years of service as
  novices to prove their loyalty and abili-
  ty before being allowed to start learning
  the Art Magick.  Lifelong service and
  absolute obedience is expected from
  the initiate thereafter.  Leaving the
  Order after learning its Magickal secrets
  is treasonous and punishable by death.
  The Jesuits know all Circles of Magick
  except Elemental, though few individu-
  als master more than four or five.
  Domination is required learning for all
  initiates.  The Order is strongest in
  Austria, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, with
  a lesser presence in France.  They are
  also found in the New World and Far
  East, wherever Spanish or Portuguese
  settlements have been established.
  Some of them are even at the court of
  the Chinese Emperor, where they have
  influence: the border treaty between
  China and Russia, for example, was
  negotiated by Jesuits.  Their goals are
  the conversion of the heathen, the
  redemption of the heretic, and the
  greater glory of God.
  Story Ideas: Jesuits are bad enemies
  to have.  Should PCs prey on ships car-
  rying them or their goods, they may
  find an expedition, including some of
  the most powerful and ruthless sorcer-
  ers in the business sent after them.
  Soldiers of the
  World
  (Common)
  Brief: Cannon fodder for all the wars of
  the world.
  Species: Varies
  Resources: None
  Common Furry soldiers aren’t
  treated any better than their sea-going
  counterparts.  Poor pay, lousy food,
  hard work, forced marches, exposure to
  extremes of weather, and rigorous pun-
  ishments for the smallest offenses are
  their lot in life.  Seventeenth-century
  battle tactics, in which opposing sides
  most often stand in lines or march in
  columns shooting at each other, make
  these Furries better at being killed than
  at killing.  
  Austrian Soldiers
  Under excellent leadership, but
  indifferently equipped and fed, these
  troops are just as likely to riot over not
  being paid as to fight.  Regular troops
  are armed with muskets and bayonets,
  but there are units which specialize in
  (for instance) throwing grenades.  Any
  individual of at least Light size is
  accepted.
  Level: 3
  Skill Attack: 20, BD:
  18, UD: 25, MD: 25, PD: 20, HP: 20,
  Skills: Unarmed Combat, Trigger,
  Thrusting, Tumbling.
  British Redcoats
  Better paid, fed, equipped, and dis-
  ciplined than most of their Continental
  counterparts.  Any species is accepted,
  as long as the individual is at least of
  Light size.  Armed with the “Brown
  Bess” musket with bayonet. 
  Level: 3, Skill Attack: 20, BD: 18,
  UD: 25, MD: 25, PD: 20, HP: 20, Skills:
  Unarmed Combat, Trigger, Thrusting,
  Tumbling
  Carignan Salieres
  These are elite French regular
  troops stationed in Quebec and
  Montreal, and defending the forts to
  the south.  Well-drilled in European
  battle tactics involving lines and
  columns.  All are sturdy individuals of
  Average or greater size, armed with mus-
  kets and bayonets.
  Level: 4, Skill Attack: 15, BD: 18,
  UD: 30, MD: 30, PD: 20, HP: 20, Skills:
  Unarmed Combat, Trigger, Thrusting,
  Tumbling, Ambush.
  Chinese Soldiers
  Most of the Chinese army is made
  up of conscripted peasants.  They are
  not well-trained, fed, or equipped, nor
  enthusiastic about fighting for their
  Manchu conquerors.  Their main
  advantage is their vast numbers.
  They’re armed with swords, spears,
  bows, and the occasional firearm.  Any
  species of Light size or better.
  Level: 3, Skill Attack: 20, BD: 18,
  UD: 25, MD: 25, PD: 20, HP: 20, Skills:
  Unarmed Combat, any Single Weapon
  skill, any Distance Weapon skill.
  Dutch Soldiers
  Pretty comparable to British red-
  coats, but not very numerous.  The
  Dutch Republic prefers to spend
  money on the Navy.  Light size or bet-
  ter.
  Level: 3, Skill Attack: 20, BD: 18,
  UD: 25, MD: 25, PD: 20, HP: 20, Skills:
  Unarmed Combat, Trigger, Thrusting,
  Tumbling
  French Bluecoats
  The French army is currently the
  strongest, most numerous, and best
  equipped in Europe.  Selection and
  training of recruits is no different from
  any other European power, but more
  money is spent on it.  Furry for Furry,
  the French are the same as the English
  or Dutch soldiers.
  Level: 3, Skill Attack: 20, BD: 18,
  UD: 25, MD: 25, PD: 20, HP: 20, Skills:
  Unarmed Combat, Trigger, Thrusting,
  Tumbling
  
  Chapter Five: Notes for the Game Master
  150
  Janissaries
  The Ottoman army consists of elite
  slave-soldiers, called janissaries.  Males
  of carnivorous species and at least
  Average size are purchased at the age of
  ten, converted to Islam, raised in bar-
  racks, and trained in the military arts,
  especially the cavalry charge.
  Level: 4, Skill Attack: 15, Skill
  Attack: 15, BD: 18, UD: 30, MD: 30,
  PD: 20, HP: 20, Skills: Single Weapon,
  Trigger, 
  Thrusting, 
  Horsemanship,
  Ambush.
  Ksatriya
  The Moghul Empire practices war-
  fare based on artillery and mailed caval-
  ry.  The nobles of the Empire, whether
  Hindu or Moslem, are responsible for
  the recruitment of cavalry.  These are all
  of carnivorous species and at least
  Average size.  They wear body armor in
  combinations of chain and plate mail
  and are armed with bows plus a sword,
  mace, or battle ax, and sometimes a
  lance.
  Level: 4, Skill Attack: 15, BD: 18,
  UD: 30, MD: 30, PD: 20, HP: 20, Skills:
  Single Weapon,  Extension, Trigger,
  Thrusting, Horsemanship, Ambush.
  Persian Soldiers
  Like the Moghul and the Ottoman
  Empires, Persia uses armored cavalry in
  concert with artillery.  These may be of
  any species but are at least Average in
  size.
  Level: 4, Skill Attack: 15, BD: 18,
  UD: 30, MD: 30, PD: 20, HP: 20, Skills:
  Single Weapon,  Extension, Trigger,
  Thrusting, Horsemanship, Ambush
  Portuguese Soldiers
  In desperation to hang onto what
  territory remains to the country, the
  Portuguese army recruits anyone it can
  get, even cubs no older than ten if
  that’s what it takes to fill a quota.
  Level: 2
  Skill Attack: 25, BD:
  18, UD: 25, MD: 25, PD: 20, HP: 18,
  Skills: Unarmed Combat, Trigger,
  Thrusting, Tumbling.
  Russian Solders
  Common soldiers are conscripted
  by force from the masses, who go to
  desperate lengths to avoid call-up, some
  having to be dragged to the depot in
  chains.  They make indifferent soldiers,
  especially as size and species is not a
  factor.  Russia’s best defense is her
  extreme geography and climate.
  Level: 3, Skill Attack: 20, BD: 18,
  UD: 25, MD: 25, PD: 20, HP: 20, Skills:
  Unarmed Combat, Trigger, Thrusting,
  Tumbling
  Spanish Soldiers
  Pretty much the same as any other
  European army, but demoralized and
  underpaid.  Any species, as long as each
  individual is at least of Light size.
  Level: 3, Skill Attack: 20, BD: 18,
  UD: 25, MD: 25, PD: 20, HP: 20, Skills:
  Unarmed Combat, Trigger, Thrusting,
  Tumbling
  Soldiers of the
  World (Elite)
  I don’t know if they will
  frighten the enemy, but
  they certainly terrify me.
   The Duke of Wellington,
  about his senior officers
  Brief: The noble class of landbased
  combatants.
  Species: Any, but tend to be carnivores
  or large, fierce herbivores.
  Resources: Varies by individual’s Social
  score.
  These are the officers of various
  armies who, if sometimes only by virtue
  of being better fed, are more effective
  fighters than the troops they com-
  mand.
  Boyars
  The feudal lords of Russia have
  become, by Peter the Great’s time, ser-
  vice-nobility whose very lives are con-
  trolled by the Tsar.  Two-thirds of them
  are delegated to officer positions in the
  army.  Some bring aptitude to the job
  and some don’t.  Like most European
  upper class, they fight with pistols and
  swords, and are excellent riders.
  Level: 5, Skill Attack: 10, BD: 20,
  UD: 35, MD: 35, PD: 20, HP: 20, Skills:
  Single Weapon, Trigger, Horsemanship,
  Ambush, Tracking.
  British Officers
  England’s excess gentility and
  younger cubs are packed into the Army
  in droves.  Rank has almost nothing to
  do with merit.  Since commissions are
  purchased from the Crown, any wealthy
  idiot can get one.  The Army has had
  no Samuel Pepys (see p. 137) to insist
  that officers should know their jobs.
  Level: 4, Skill Attack: 15, BD: 20,
  UD: 30, MD: 30, PD: 20, HP: 20, Skills:
  Single Weapon, Trigger, Horsemanship,
  Ambush, Tracking.
  Caballeros
  These are the middle layer of
  Spanish nobility, below the grandees
  but above hidalgos and the estado gen-
  eral.  Military virtues are of supreme
  importance to them, and they are brave
  and skillful, though sometimes fool-
  hardy fighters.
  Level: 5, Skill Attack: 10, BD: 20,
  UD: 35, MD: 35, PD: 20, HP: 20, Skills:
  Single Weapon, Trigger, Horsemanship,
  Ambush, Tracking
  Dutch Officers
  These have the advantage that their
  service is not conscripted, nor are their
  commissions bought.  Merit as well as
  rank is recognized, and an officer who
  seriously screws up, no matter his social
  position, will lose his commission.
  Level: 5, Skill Attack: 10, BD: 20,
  UD: 35, MD: 35, PD: 20, HP: 20, Skills:
  Single Weapon, Trigger, Horsemanship,
  Ambush, Tracking
  Fidalgos
  Portuguese nobility, like the
  Spanish, are brave, dedicated, and skill-
  ful on an individual level.  Unlike the
  Spanish, they have no concepts of con-
  temporary military methods and prac-
  tice no tactics other than a ragged
  charge to the cry of “Saint James and at
  them!”
  Level: 5, Skill Attack: 10, BD: 20,
  UD: 35, MD: 35, PD: 20, HP: 20, Skills:
  Single Weapon, Trigger, Horsemanship,
  Ambush, Tracking
  Janissaries (high
  rank)
  The most talented among the
  Ottoman slave-soldiers are given com-
  missions or even positions of power at
  Court in Byzantium, despite their slave
  status.  
  Level: 6, Skill Attack: 5, BD: 20,
  UD: 40, MD: 40, PD: 20, HP: 20, Skills:
  Single Weapon, Trigger, Horsemanship,
  Amush, Tracking.
  Ksatriya (high rank)
  Nobles of the Moghul Empire are
  ranked in the army according to how
  
  Chapter Five: Notes for the Game Master
  151
  many cavalry they can raise.  They can
  be either Moslem or Hindu (and actu-
  ally only the Hindu are called ksatriya)
  so long as they are loyal to the
  Emperor.  Like their troops, they are
  armored in plate and chain mail. 
  Level: 5, Skill Attack: 10, BD: 20,
  UD: 35, MD: 35, PD: 20, HP: 20, Skills:
  Single Weapon, Trigger, Extension,
  Horsemanship, Ambush, Tracking.
  Manchu Soldiers
  The elite Imperial troops of the
  Ch’ing Dynasty’s army are all Manchus:
  Chinese are not allowed into these reg-
  iments.  They receive the best training
  and equipment and are mostly carni-
  vores of Average or better size.
  Level: 5, Skill Attack: 10, BD: 20,
  UD: 35, MD: 35, PD: 20, HP: 20, Skills:
  Single Weapon, Trigger, Horsemanship,
  Ambush, Tracking
  Noblesse d’epee
  French gentry are divided into
  nobles of the sword and nobles of the
  robe (who are high-ranking bureau-
  crats).  Those of the sword often
  oppose, or wish they could oppose, the
  will of the king, but still take their
  duties very seriously.  They are given
  high military posts, but only on a three-
  year tenure, to keep them from getting
  too ambitious.
  Level: 5, Skill Attack: 10, BD: 20,
  UD: 35, MD: 35, PD: 20, HP: 20, Skills:
  Single Weapon, Trigger, Horsemanship,
  Ambush, Tracking
  Samurai
  In Japan, all Furries of the warrior
  class are nobility.  With a life filled
  from cradle to grave with harsh disci-
  pline and constant practice, even the
  lowliest foot-soldiers are among the best
  fighters in the world.  Samurai are
  almost always carnivores.  Their pre-
  ferred weapons are paired swords, but
  they are also trained in many others.  A
  few have experimented with firearms,
  but they are considered dishonorable.
  Level: 7, Skill Attack: 0, BD: 18,
  UD: 50, MD: 48, PD: 20, HP: 24, Skills:
  Sword, DW: Sword, Unarmed Combat,
  Thrusting, Tumbling, Streamlined, Bow,
  Ambush, 
  Athletic, 
  Tracking,
  Horsemanship, Lore: Mythology.
  The Stuarts
  Brief: Former royal dynasty of England,
  removed 
  by 
  the 
  Glorious
  Revolution of 1688.
  Species: Lions
  Resources: The dethroned Stuarts have
  some personal wealth left to them,
  but are dependent on Louis XIV
  for income and armed forces.
  Anne I, the last Stuart on the
  throne, has the same resources as
  George I.
  James II
  (ruled England 1685-1688)
  My brother will lose his
  kingdom by his bigotry.
   Charles II
  James came to the throne after his
  brother, Charles II, died of a stroke.
  The entire country was wary at his
  accession, for James was a Roman
  Catholic like those kings and queens of
  the fifteenth and sixteenth century who
  were known for drenching England in
  the blood of Protestants.  James’ atti-
  tude was at first moderate and reassur-
  ing, but an idiotic rebellion by the Earl
  of Monmouth, an illegitimate cub of
  Charles II, handed him an excuse to
  pack the army, Parliament, the judicia-
  ry, and his Privy Council with
  Catholics, and to imprison prominent
  Protestants.  The last straw came when
  James’ first male cub, James III, was
  born in 1688, usurping the Protestant
  heiress-apparent, 
  Princess 
  Mary.
  Almost immediately it was rumored
  that the new Prince was not his moth-
  er’s cub, but a changeling smuggled in
  as a result of a Jesuit plot.  Several lead-
  ing members of the aristocracy and the
  Church of England went to Holland to
  invite the Prince of Orange to come
  save the country.  With all England
  enthusiastically welcoming the invader,
  James’ nerve broke and he first sent his
  mate and cub to France, then fled there
  himself.
  Louis XIV welcomed him and gave
  him lavish support for his attempt to
  retake the throne by first invading
  Ireland and establishing a power base
  there.  But the Irish were not interested
  in helping an English lion king back to
  his throne, seeing James only as a
  Catholic deliverer from the hated
  English Protestants.  William led the
  English army against the French and
  Irish supporters of James and defeated
  them at the Battle of the Boyne.  James
  and Louis experienced another serious
  setback at the sea battle of La Hogue.
  After that, though the War of the
  League of Augsberg dragged on several
  more years, French assistance for an
  invasion of England dried up.  James
  remained at Louis’ court, a symbol for
  Jacobite resistance to William and
  Mary.
  A lion in his fifties, James was tall
  and well-built with a long face framed
  in a blond wig.  He was not particular-
  ly intelligent, had no sense of humor,
  and was obstinate to the point of pig-
  headedness, believing that firm and
  bold displays of power were the only
  hallmarks of a king.
  Mary
  (rules England 1689-1694)
  James II’s oldest cub, Mary was
  wed to William of Orange at the age of
  fifteen and came to love her mate
  enough to give him wholehearted sup-
  port when he went to war against her
  sire.  She also refused the throne of
  England when it was offered to her
  alone, saying she would not be placed
  ahead of William.  Having been made
  sovereign jointly with William, she left
  as much government as possible to
  him.  When William went to war, as he
  frequently did, she ruled alone and was
  much better at it than anyone expected
  her to be.  William was shattered when
  she died young of smallpox.  Mary was
  a strong, lovely and statuesque young
  lioness, with a simple dignity that
  becomes a Queen.
  Anne I
  (rules England 1702-1714)
  In the settlement under which
  William and Mary jointly occupied the
  throne, Mary’s younger sister Anne was
  heiress-apparent so long as the royal
  couple had no cubs.  Anne’s mate, the
  Prince of Denmark, was not considered
  in line as William had been, so Anne
  ascended alone after William’s death,
  kicking off her reign with a warlike anti-
  French speech to Parliament.  Anne
  liked to think of herself as a second
  Queen Elizabeth, but had nowhere near
  the strength of will of that Lioness.  She
  was affectionate and highly susceptible
  to the influence of her friends (who for-
  tunately had the interests of England
  mostly at heart).  She has been
  described as “middle size, well-propor-
  tioned, reddish fur, dark brown hair,
  rounded face, aspect comely rather than
  
  Chapter Five: Notes for the Game Master
  152
  majestic, with a soft, sweet voice.”
  Anne’s main interests were the War of
  Spanish Succession, in which she sup-
  ported the Austrian candidate Charles
  III, and the unification of Scotland
  with England.  The Prince of Denmark,
  who 
  was 
  appointed 
  Supreme
  Commander of the allied forces after
  William’s death, carried out her war
  policies.
  The Temple of
  Jerusalem
  Brief: Order of religious warrior-sorcer-
  ers.
  Species: Tend to predatory species.
  Resources: Most Templars are Furries of
  wealth and status, which they
  devote to the cause with the fervor
  of fanatics.
  The Knights Templar, like the
  Druids, are the re-establishment of an
  older Order which was destroyed, in
  this case by the French in 1313.
  Retaining their military character and
  devotion to God, the Templars are
  found fighting campaigns in the
  Middle East, Africa, or Central America
  to wipe out heathen practitioners of
  Magick, especially those who practice
  the Summoning of evil spirits.  Their
  zeal leads them to be somewhat undis-
  criminating.  Membership is reserved
  for male Furries of at least a 22 Social
  score, pure and upright character, and a
  capacity for fanatic loyalty.  It is not
  necessary to have sorcerous ability, but
  only those who have it will rise to the
  upper ranks of the Knights Templar.
  The Templars practice the Circles of
  Abjuration, 
  Alteration, 
  Elemental,
  Enchantment, and Illusion.  They are
  especially strong in Scotland, where
  many of the ancient sanctuaries are still
  standing.
  Story Ideas: English pirates are
  known to support the Mosquito
  Indians of Central America in their
  raids on Spanish settlements.  The
  Knights Templar might possibly take up
  pirate-hunting on this account.
  The Tokugawas
  Brief: Ruling dynasty of Japan, holders
  of the Shogunate.
  Species: Foxes
  Resources: Although Japan is a poor
  country, the Tokugawas have orga-
  nized its resources to maximum
  effect and usually have enough
  money to do whatever they need
  to do.  The ferocity and dedication
  of their samurai are legendary.
  Their sorcerers, however, are cho-
  sen more for loyalty than compe-
  tence, and are sometimes inferior
  to those at the Imperial Court or
  in the Buddhist temples.  As a mar-
  itime power, Japan is pathetic.
  Established in 1603 by Tokugawa
  Ieyasu, this dynasty brought a pro-
  longed era of peace and prosperity to
  Japan.  However, it is also an era of iso-
  lation and repressive government in
  which the outside world is shunned and
  the social order is completely frozen.
  Nonetheless, the national economy is
  in a state of rapid expansion.
  Story Ideas: Shipwrecked sailors are
  executed in Japan, so unless the GM
  can think of a reason why PCs should-
  n’t be, any adventure connected with
  the Land of the Rising Sun will be
  about escaping from it.
  Tsunayoshi
  (rules Japan 1680-1709)
  The fifth Tokugawa Shogun,
  Tsunayoshi worked hard in the early
  part of his career to promote
  Confucianism in government, with its
  emphasis on loyalty and hard work.
  Later, he started to ignore duty for the
  pleasure of the palace, and government
  became somewhat lax, and at times,
  eccentric.  Tsunayoshi was greatly influ-
  enced by Buddhist monks who told
  him he had been a dog in his previous
  life (not a Canine Furry, but an actual
  dog).  As a result, the Shogun decreed
  the death penalty for any Furry who
  harmed a dog, insisted that dogs be
  addressed in honorific terms, and kept
  some 50,000 of them at government
  expense, fed on rice and dried fish.
  Tsunayoshi is therefore known as the
  Dog Shogun.
  Yoshimune
  (rules Japan 1716-)
  After the death of Tsunayoshi and
  two more short-lived rulers, Yoshimune
  became the eighth Tokugawa Shogun.
  This austere Fox revitalized the bloated
  government left by his predecessors,
  rooted out corruption, and established
  the Kansei Code, the first law code of
  the Tokugawa regime, and a more mer-
  ciful one than had ever existed previ-
  ously.  Yoshimune had a more inquiring
  spirit than his ancestors.  Though he
  did not lift the ban on foreigners, he
  Life after death. Not pretty.
  
  Chapter Five: Notes for the Game Master
  153
  was inclined to converse with the
  Dutch merchants and learn about
  Western agriculture, science, and sor-
  cery.  Yoshimune was himself a pretty
  fair sorcerer in the Chinese tradition.
  The Undead
  Brief: Those dead who for whatever rea-
  son won’t stop meddling in the
  affairs of the living.
  Species: Any
  Resources: Varies, but the mindless ones
  have nothing.
  There are three basic types of
  undead: animated corpses without
  souls, lingering souls without bodies,
  and those that have managed to keep
  body and soul together after death.
  Following are some general descriptions
  of the more common undead.
  Zombie
  Any soulless animated corpse,
  regardless of what condition it’s in.
  These creatures can only be created by
  a necromancer or Voudon bokor using
  Healing and Enchantment in combina-
  tion.  They can only be controlled by
  use of Domination (Charming Undead,
  or Possession).  Otherwise, they simply
  wander, guided by mindless impulses
  left in the corpse’s brain (if any) which
  are sometimes poignant in a macabre
  way, but more often violent.  They are
  capable of speech if the necessary phys-
  ical apparatus has been restored, but sel-
  dom have anything to say unless
  instructed.  They are not capable of any
  action requiring complex thought pro-
  cessing, such as spell-casting.  Creatures
  like this have minimal magick defense
  and are very susceptible to demonic
  possession, or possession by other astral
  spirits, including ghosts.  A zombie gen-
  erally has whatever fighting skill it pos-
  sessed in life, hampered by its condition
  if the necromancer has done a less than
  perfect job, but assisted by the fact that
  it does not feel pain or fear.  A zombie
  must be reduced to its inverse hit
  points before it will stop fighting and
  finally die.  However, a zombie ordi-
  narily cannot be made with more hit
  points than it had in life.
  Ghoul
  A more or less free-willed zombie.
  These creatures have either been
  restored almost completely, or were
  made undead very shortly after death,
  so have retained more of their minds
  than other zombies.  They are quicker
  and more vicious in combat, remem-
  bering enough of their former lives to
  harbor hatred for all that lives, and they
  are given to eating the flesh of whatev-
  er species they were in life.  Being soul-
  less, they are still susceptible to
  Domination or demonic possession.
  Ghost
  Any astral spirit or soul of a Furry that
  cannot or will not leave the vicinity of
  the material plane after death.  Spirits
  can be bound to a particular location
  by the use of Abjuration, but more
  often they linger on purpose, bound to
  earth by some powerful emotion, such
  as love or revenge.  Most spirits are
  helpless spectators, but those who are
  very strong-willed (Ego score of at least
  24) or who were magic-users or latent
  magic-users in life can manipulate
  events on the material plane.  Exactly
  how any individual spirit can do this is
  up to the GM.  Some might be able to
  lift and move objects in the material
  world by telekinesis, some might be
  capable of possessing mortal Furries for
  a short time, others who were magic-
  users might be able to cast the spells
  they knew in life.  Particularly strong
  ghosts are those who were wizards with
  the skill of Astral Projection.  These
  spirits are already used to the astral
  plane and know the rules. They retain
  all the knowledge and skill they had in
  life.  Ghosts quickly exhaust themselves
  affecting the material world, and must
  rest in a dormant state at least twelve
  hours in every twenty-four — usually
  daylight hours, but not necessarily.
  Ghosts cannot be dominated, except by
  someone who is on the astral plane,
  and they cannot be possessed at all.
  They cannot be hurt by any material
  substance or energy.  Though their
  astral forms can be damaged and even
  apparently destroyed by someone on
  the astral plane, this damage is tempo-
  rary and the ghost will reform at some
  later time — hours later, or perhaps
  years later, depending on how extensive
  the damage is.  Abjuration will keep a
  ghost out (or in, or whatever) assuming
  the spell-caster can overcome the same
  magick defense the Furry had in life.
  This is only a temporary solution, how-
  ever, as Abjurations eventually wear off,
  and ghosts are extremely persistent.
  Generally, the only way to get rid of a
  ghost for good is to somehow convince
  it that whatever purpose it stayed for
  has been accomplished.  Ghosts can
  make astral projection hazardous, as
  particularly violent ones may attack the
  projectionist. 
  Vampire
  A Furry that maintains immortality by
  drinking the blood of other sentient
  Furries.  This is the sort that retains its
  soul in its lifeless body.  Stories of the
  origin of vampires are many and varied,
  but it is known that a new vampire is
  created when an old one drains a
  Furry’s blood, then gives it his own
  immortal blood to drink.  Anything
  which could hurt and kill the mortal
  Furry of before can hurt and “kill” the
  vampire of now, but it will rise again
  the next night, entirely whole and
  unhurt.  Only fire or sunlight will
  destroy 
  it 
  beyond 
  resurrection.
  Vampires are unnaturally strong and
  fast.  Their Strength, Constitution,
  Dexterity, and Agility scores are six
  points higher than the maximum for
  their species.  Beyond these bare facts,
  any individual vampire can be anything
  the GM requires.  Most of them come
  through the process of becoming a
  vampire with a whole mind, retaining
  all skills they possessed in life, and are
  capable of learning more.  Survival-of-
  the-fittest has ensured that the oldest
  vampires are the most powerful.  Nearly
  all of these are Magick-users (having
  had time to learn the art).  Domination
  magics are especial favorites among
  them.  In a culture where magic works
  and the existence of vampires is univer-
  sally credited, these creatures have to be
  exceedingly cautious if they are to sur-
  vive at all.  It is not necessary for them
  to drain a victim to death to get enough
  blood to live, and only the most fool-
  hardy do so.  Vampires thrive best
  either in very remote rural areas, or in
  very large cities.  Most of them are care-
  ful to avoid areas heavily dominated by
  the Church, which of course is dedicat-
  ed to hunting them down and wiping
  them out.
  Lich
  The undead form of a powerful
  necromancer who has used a combina-
  tion of Abjuration, Enchantment, and
  Healing to keep body and soul togeth-
  er after death.  The shock of dying and
  coming back to life gives this creature a
  rather slackened and haggard appear-
  ance, but otherwise there are no effects,
  and the Furry goes on just as if it real-
  ly were still alive, even continuing to
  age unless further healing spells are cast.
  However, the fact that the Furry truly is
  
  Chapter Five: Notes for the Game Master
  154
  dead can be seen in its aura by anyone
  with 
  the 
  skill 
  to 
  discern 
  it.
  Additionally, the Abjuration used to
  bind the soul into the body must be
  scarred, tattooed, or otherwise perma-
  nently etched into the shaved flesh of
  the necromancer.  If this Abjuration is
  undone, the soul will depart, leaving
  the body an empty husk (as a Zombie)
  If the Enchantment keeping the body
  alive is undone, the body will decay the
  number of years it has been dead.  If
  the binding Abjuration is still function-
  ing after that happens, the necro-
  mancer’s soul will be trapped in an
  unmoving dead body.  Naturally, a lich
  has the same skills, abilities, hit points,
  and magic defense it had in life.  These
  are very rare creatures, since necro-
  mancers are scarce in the first place,
  and also since it’s difficult to die and
  come back to life without anyone notic-
  ing.
  Warriors of the
  World
  Brief: Fighting Furries who are orga-
  nized into tribes rather than
  armies.
  Species: Any, but often carnivores or
  large, fierce herbivores.
  Resources: Varies with Social score; usu-
  ally very little.
  Warriors differ from soldiers in
  that they come from primitive and egal-
  itarian cultures, in which the individ-
  ual’s status is comparatively much high-
  er.  Furry for Furry, they tend to be bet-
  ter fighters, but they are seldom numer-
  ous or well organized.  European tactics
  and firearms tend to win the day, even
  against the bravest of them.
  Algonquins
  Highly skilled in tracking and
  ambush, the local Furries of the Eastern
  Seaboard of North America are most
  often armed with bows, axes, knives,
  and spears, plus muskets and rifles
  acquired from the French and English
  settlers.  Males of all sizes and species
  are expected to be warriors.
  Level: 5, Skill Attack: 10, BD: 18,
  UD: 35, MD: 35, PD: 25, HP: 25, Skills:
  Single Weapon, Unarmed Combat,
  Bow, Thrusting, Trigger, Ambush,
  Athletic, Tracking.
  American Militia
  The loggers, farmers, fur-traders,
  and tobacco growers of the English
  colonies are expected to defend them-
  selves, since there are no regular troops.
  Rifles, more useful for hunting than
  muskets, are the weapon of choice.
  Any size or species is possible.
  Level: 4, Skill Attack: 15, BD: 18,
  UD: 30, MD: 30, PD: 25, HP: 25, Skills:
  Single Weapon, Unarmed Combat,
  Trigger, Ambush, Trigger.
  Bedouin
  These are fierce, nomadic raiders
  who live to fight.  Expert horse-riders,
  skilled with swords, bows, or muskets
  (usually out-of-date and absurdly long),
  Bedouins specialize in hit-and-run tac-
  tics.  They tend to carnivorous species
  (herbivores stay behind and guard the
  camp).
  Level: 5, Skill Attack: 10, BD: 18,
  UD: 35, MD: 35, PD: 25, HP: 25, Skills:
  Single Weapon, Unarmed Combat,
  Thrusting, Trigger, Ambush, Athletic,
  Tracking, Horsemanship.
  Cossacks
  Tartar tribes mixed with outlaws
  and refugees from all parts of eastern
  Europe, Cossacks are the most savage
  fighters of the area.  The Romanov
  Tsars have been inducing them to enter
  Russian service in exchange for land.
  Half military colonists, half mounted
  bandits, the Cossacks use weaponry
  and tactics similar to the Bedouins.
  Mostly carnivorous species.
  Level: 5, Skill Attack: 10, BD: 18,
  UD: 35, MD: 35, PD: 25, HP: 25, Skills:
  Single Weapon, Unarmed Combat,
  Thrusting, Trigger, Ambush, Athletic,
  Tracking, Horsemanship
  Iroquois
  Very similar to Algonquin warriors,
  but better organized and more likely to
  attack en masse.
  Level: 5, Skill Attack: 10, BD: 18,
  UD: 35, MD: 35, PD: 25, HP: 25, Skills:
  Single Weapon, Unarmed Combat,
  Bow, Thrusting, Trigger, Ambush,
  Athletic, Tracking.
  Mosquitoes
  The fiercest remaining tribes of
  Central America, they are well-adapted
  to their tropical environment.  They are
  savage fighters, but find it difficult to
  lay paws on any firearms.  They are usu-
  ally armed with bows, knives, axes,
  spears, and blowguns which fire poi-
  soned darts.
  Level: 5, Skill Attack: 10, BD: 18,
  UD: 35, MD: 35, PD: 25, HP: 25, Skills:
  Single Weapon, Unarmed Combat,
  Bow, Thrusting, Ambush, Athletic,
  Tracking
  South Africans
  Tribes that roam the South African
  desert regions are excellent fighters, but
  poorly armed.  Spears, slings, knives,
  and bows make up most of their reper-
  toire.  On the other hand, they are
  fierce and well-adapted to their territo-
  ry.  Males of all sizes and species are
  expected to fight.
  Level: 5, Skill Attack: 10, BD: 18,
  UD: 35, MD: 35, PD: 25, HP: 25, Skills:
  Single Weapon, Unarmed Combat,
  Bow, Extension, Thrusting, Ambush,
  Athletic, Tracking
  West Africans
  West Africans are better organized
  and more numerous than their south-
  ern brethren, and occasionally armed
  with guns in addition to spears, bows,
  etc.  Any species, size of Light or better.
  Level: 5, Skill Attack: 10, BD: 18,
  UD: 35, MD: 35, PD: 25, HP: 25, Skills:
  Single Weapon, Unarmed Combat,
  Bow, Extension, Trigger, Thrusting,
  Ambush, Athletic, Tracking
  
  155
  T
  he year is 1703,
  the 
  place 
  is
  Bermuda.   Anne I is
  Queen of England. The War
  of Spanish Succession is rag-
  ing, involving all the great
  powers of Europe. While
  ships-of-the-line face off in
  home waters, privateers
  hunt sea-lanes all over the
  world for the merchant
  ships of the enemy.  Letters
  of Marque can be had for
  the asking, and plunder is
  out there for the taking.  It
  is a good time for Furries of
  courage  to turn robber on
  the salt sea.
  In the Bermuda Triangle, a
  war that began over a
  hundred years ago is flaring
  up again, and the player
  characters are about to be
  drawn in…
  Background
  The PCs are about to acquire a
  broadsword.  It is an ordinary weapon.
  There is nothing Magickal about it,
  either to the untrained eye or to the dis-
  criminating gaze of the sorcerer using
  Aura sight.  It is valuable, though, being
  an antique Toledo blade, two hundred
  years old and still in excellent condi-
  tion, with a silver hilt decorated with
  Catholic iconography.  The PCs are
  about to find it on board the Adroit, a
  French privateer on its way home from
  ravaging shipping on the American
  coast.
  The Hermandad de
  Salvacion
  This sword once belonged to
  Hernan Cortes.  To possess it is the
  obsession of a powerful Spanish sorcer-
  er, an aristocratic black Panther named
  Don Javier de Garra.  De Garra is a
  member 
  of 
  a 
  Philippine-based
  Sorcerous Order called the Hermandad
  de Salvacion.  Despite its quasi-religious
  title, this Order is not affiliated with
  the Catholic Church.   It was founded
  in the mid-1500s by renegade Jesuits
  who used the Inquisition on Chinese
  sorcerers to “salvage” the secrets of
  Oriental-style Magick.  Outlawed by the
  Church, the Hermandad managed to
  survive under the secret protection of
  various kings of Spain.  In the 1580s,
  the Hermandad came to the Bahamas
  to set a trap on the uncharted island of
  Santiago del Tortuga, by which they
  hoped to capture and destroy Sir
  Francis Drake and the other English
  pirates who plagued the Spanish Main
  in the age of the Armada.   The sorcer-
  ers of the Hermandad generated power-
  ful Illusion spells through an artifact
  called the Icon of Maya, which
  enhanced and prolonged the effects.
  These spells were used to blind and
  deceive pirates, play havoc with their
  navigation, and lure them to their
  destruction, either on the reefs sur-
  rounding the island, or under the guns
  of the Spanish fort above.  Although
  “El Draque” was never caught, the trap
  operated successfully for fifty years,
  snaring pirates, restoring gold to the
  Spanish Crown, and helping the
  Bermuda Triangle develop its sinister
  reputation for mysterious disappear-
  ances.
  With the downfall of the Spanish
  Empire, the island and the Icon were
  abandoned, the Hermandad returned
  to the Philippines, and the trap fell into
  disuse.  But recently, de Garra, who
  intends to reforge the Sword of Cortes
  into a mighty Magickal artifact and
  wield it to restore Spain to her former
  glory, has secretly come to Santiago del
  Tortuga to establish a new power base.
  He has brought his own pirate ship,
  crewed by wako from the South China
  Sea, with him.  And he has reactivated
  the Icon, in order to bring the Sword to
  him — along with the arrogant and fool-
  hardy Furries who dare to lay claim to
  it.
  Notes for the GM
  For the purposes of this adventure,
  the player characters will fall into one
  of two categories: those who would get
  into a fight with the Adroit, and those
  who would not.  If the PCs are English,
  Dutch, or Portuguese privateers, the
  French ship is an enemy.  If they are
  pirates, naturally it is fair game.  In
  either case, use Scenario A, below.
  However, if the player characters are
  smugglers or blockade-runners, or if
  their ship is no match for the Adroit,
  use Scenario B.  Either way, the PCs
  should not be of French nationality
  themselves.
  Encountering the
  Adroit: Scenario A
  One beautiful day in early
  October, the PCs are sailing the bril-
  liant cerulean waters some twenty knots
  west-southwest of Bermuda.  The GM
  and the players can work out for them-
  selves what they are doing there —
  haunting a major sea lane in search of a
  prize, heading for Bermuda to take on
  supplies or fence stolen goods, or
  bypassing the islands, which serve as a
  navigational mark on the route from
  the New World back to Europe.
  Suddenly, the lookout calls down to the
  quarterdeck: he’s sighted a sail in the
  northeast quadrant.
  Stalking
  The two ships are about five miles
  apart, give or take a GM’s fiat, when
  CHAPTER SIX
  THE ISLAND OF SANTIAGO DEL TORTUGA
  A Furry Pirates Adventure for Characters of 5th-7th Level
  
  Chapter Six: The Island of Santiago del Tortuga
  156
  they spot each other.  The wind is
  Moderate and blowing out of the west.
  The Adroit is heading southwest, so is
  at her Beating speed of 5.5 knots.  The
  PCs’ ship, pointed due east, is at
  Running speed, whatever that is (proba-
  bly half again what the Adroit is mak-
  ing).  The PCs have the weather gauge,
  therefore the tactical advantage should
  they decide to attack.  If both ships
  maintain course and speed, they will
  pass within a mile of each other in
  about twenty minutes, so the two cap-
  tains have a little time to size each other
  up and decide what to do.  The Adroit
  is a medium-sized, three-masted, square-
  rigged ship of the Corvette class (6th
  rate), with 32 gunports, flying the
  French flag, as the PC captain should
  be able to discern using a spyglass.  Use
  the Corvette Vessel Stat Sheet in
  Chapter Three for the Adroit, and give
  her 250 Crew Points.
  The Adroit is commanded by
  Henri-Martin Poncin (his stats are on
  page 166) a hard-bitten, tyrannical old
  bulldog who is examining the PCs’ ship
  as closely as they are looking at his.  If
  the PCs are flying an English, Dutch,
  or Portuguese flag, they are the enemy.
  If they are flying a pirate flag, so much
  the worse.  Either way, he intends to
  fight if he believes his ship can take
  them.  However, if the PCs ship is supe-
  rior to his own (a 5th rate warship or
  better), he may turn tail and run.
  The PCs may attempt a fake-out by
  running up the French flag, but Poncin
  is too canny to fall for it.  He will send
  his aerial scout to do a flyover.  If the
  PCs attack him, obviously they are ene-
  mies.  If not, the scout will get close
  enough to hail them and a few minutes
  shouted conversation will reveal their
  true nationality.  Poncin also has a sor-
  cerer, a Cheetah named Andre Latrec,
  who could use a Divination spell
  regarding the PCs’ origins and inten-
  tions.
  The PCs might also send an aerial
  scout of their own.  If the scout comes
  to parley carrying a white flag of some
  sort, Poncin will spare his life and send
  him back with arrogant orders for the
  PCs to surrender or back off.  If the
  scout comes to spy, as evidenced by not
  carrying a white flag, the crew of the
  Adroit will open fire with muskets and
  swivel guns as soon as the Avian comes
  within range.  Even if they were not
  inclined to fight initially, a few minutes
  of this attitude should convince the
  PCs to attack, or to give chase if the
  Adroit is running.
  The Battle
  If Captain Poncin decides to fight,
  he maintains his present course and
  speed (southwest at 5.5 knots) because
  it already presents the maximum num-
  ber of guns in the PCs’ direction.  Since
  he can’t turn any farther into the wind,
  he must let the PCs come to him.  If
  the PCs also continue on their original
  course and pass the Adroit without
  engaging, they will lose the advantage.
  Poncin will get the weather gauge, come
  about and attack with the wind at his
  back.  Smart PCs will change course to
  intercept or parallel the Adroit before
  passing her.  In this case, the French
  ship will maneuver as best she can,
  defending herself with cannon fire as
  soon as the PCs come within Medium
  range, and with Magick, deck-mounted
  swivel guns, muskets, and paw-to-paw as
  appropriate.  The GM may need to
  fudge a few attack rolls.  It is necessary
  to the adventure for the PCs to win this
  fight, although it need not be easy.
  The Chase
  If Poncin feels so outclassed that
  flight is the only alternative, he changes
  to whatever course will get him away
  from the PCs’ ship the fastest.   The
  Staging Notes
  Sample characters are provided
  on pages 170-173, should you want to
  use them. Only four are provided,
  though, so if you have more than
  four players, some will have to gener-
  ate their own.
  All of the sample characters are
  crew on the Raptor. The Raptor is a
  brigantine — use the Vessel Reference
  Sheet on page 78, and assume 300
  crew points.
  Since only four characters are
  provided, there are obviously officer
  positions aboard the Raptor that are
  filled by NPCs. The four that follow
  can be used to flesh out the crew.
  (They could also be used as inspira-
  tion for additional player characters.)
  Of course, if all the players want
  to make their own characters (which
  is recommended) there’s no reason
  they shouldn’t. In order to have a
  chance at success with The Island of
  Santiago del Tortuga, they should be
  5th-7th level and have a ship similar
  to a brigantine.
  Christian Herder
  Brief: Second Mate
  Species: English Sheepdog
  Loyal, steady, and competent
  when sober, which is more often
  than not.
  Level: 5, Skill Attack: 10, Skill
  Defense: 50, BD: 25, UD: 40, MD:
  33, PD: 22, HP: 24, Skills: Single
  Weapon: Sword, Thrusting, Teeth,
  Trigger, Athletic: Swimming, Sailor,
  Navigation, Gunner.
  Jem Raffles
  Brief: Bosun
  Species: Beaver
  Incredibly foul-mouthed and
  abusive, but good at his job.
  Cockney accent.  Always wears a hat
  pulled down over his eyes for some
  reason.
  Level: 5, Skill Attack: 7, Skill
  Defense: 48, BD: 26, UD: 38, MD:
  36, PD: 20, HP: 20, Skills: Single
  Weapon: Sword, Thrown Weapon:
  Tumbling, 
  Acrobat, 
  Athletic:
  Climbing, Sailor.
  Mavis Twilp
  Brief: Quartermaster
  Species: Badger
  Tight-fisted and miserly, but
  scrupulously fair when it comes to
  dividing loot.  She demands an exact
  accounting of all expenditures and
  frequently rails against the crew for
  spending money like drunken pirates.
  Level: 4, Skill Attack: 12, Skill
  Defense: 45, BD: 18, UD: 30, MD:
  39, PD: 26, HP: 23, Skills: Single
  Weapon: Pole, Hands, Teeth, Trigger,
  Sailor, Lore: Value, Craft: Clerk.
  David Blackdown
  Brief: Aerial Scout
  Species: Rook
  Young, enthusiastic and a bit
  reckless.  Not the sharpest pencil in
  the box.  Competent in the air, but
  a total klutz on the ground.
  Level: 4, Skill Attack: 5, Skill
  Defense: 53, BD: 14, UD: 38, MD:
  25, PD: 25, HP: 24, Skills: Double
  Weapon: Daggers, Talons, Trigger,
  Dogfighting, 
  Ambush, 
  Athletic:
  Flying, Sailor.
  
  Chapter Six: The Island of Santiago del Tortuga
  157
  best direction to run in is not necessar-
  ily the one on which his ship goes at its
  top speed, but the one on which she is
  likely to outperform the PCs’ ship.  The
  GM can compare the two ships’ Sailing
  Speed Charts to determine which way is
  best for him to flee in.  Again, since the
  adventure requires that the PCs capture
  the Adroit, the GM may wish to fudge
  a sailing attack roll, or bring in some
  external circumstance to slow her
  down.  For example, if the Adroit flees
  east-northeast, she will run into
  Bermuda, and in maneuvering to avoid
  the coral reefs of the area, she could
  easily lose the race.  It should be noted
  that Captain Poncin and his crew are
  experiencing navigational difficulties
  due to the effects of the Icon of Maya
  upon their ship and believe that
  Bermuda is south-southwest of their
  current position.
  When he is brought to bay, Poncin
  will fight to the death rather than sur-
  render, flogging his crew if necessary to
  keep them from slacking off. However,
  if he is killed in the engagement, the
  other officers and crew will go on fight-
  ing only as long as they believe there is
  a chance of survival.  When it becomes
  clear there isn’t, they will ask for quar-
  ter.
  Encountering the
  Adroit: Scenario B
  Smugglers and blockade-runners,
  or pirates or privateers who are out-
  gunned, might not attack the Adroit.  If
  the PCs fall into any of these categories,
  use this scenario.
  The Approach
  One stormy day in early October,
  heralded by the fabled “red skies in the
  morning,” the PCs are sailing the trou-
  bled gray waters twenty knots west-
  southwest of Bermuda, where they
  hope to put into port before being hit
  by the hurricane that seems to be
  approaching from due south.  Their
  hope is in vain: the tropical cyclone
  comes up with a wind over 80 mph, a
  horizontal torrent of rain, and waves
  that slap the ship between them like a
  tennis ball.  The sails must be dropped,
  the hatches battened down, and anyone
  who plans to stay on deck had better tie
  himself to something.  The storm lasts
  about six hours, makes everyone fur-
  soaked and miserable, and strains the
  ship (10-50 points worth of hull dam-
  age) but does not cause any serious dis-
  asters.
  When the wind drops off and the
  rain clears enough to allow visibility,
  the PCs see that they are a mile or two
  off a small group of low islands which
  they will correctly presume is Bermuda.
  They also see the Adroit, which, in grim
  testimony to the PCs’ luck in not being
  any closer to the Devil’s Islands when
  the storm hit, is hung up on the coral
  reef that surrounds Bermuda like a nat-
  ural amphitheater.  There are only 100
  survivors aboard (100 Crew Points) plus
  Captain Poncin and Andre Latrec.
  Many were swept overboard during the
  storm.  Others were knocked off and
  raked across the coral when the ship hit
  the reef.  (There are bloody limbs and
  broken bodies bobbing up and down in
  the surf).
  The Battle
  Captain Poncin is still stubborn
  enough to fight to the death.  However,
  the PCs will be able to maneuver into a
  position (aft and a little starboard) from
  which they can pound the hell out of
  the Adroit and only four of her cannon
  will be able to return fire.  The PCs will
  have to roll well on Seamanship to
  maneuver into close range without hit-
  ting the reef themselves (difficulty fac-
  tor of 40).  They will not be able to get
  close enough to board directly from
  their own ship. It will to be a stand-off
  fight until Poncin is killed and the rest
  surrender, or until the crew is so deci-
  mated that further resistance will obvi-
  ously be minimal.  The PCs can then
  send over a couple of boats while keep-
  ing the Adroit in the shadow of their
  guns. 
  Boarding the
  Adroit
  Whether the PCs capture her or
  find her wrecked, if the Adroit is with-
  in sight of Bermuda when the PCs
  board, they should hurry, or else be pre-
  pared to defend their claim to the
  French vessel.  Many Bermudans live by
  salvage rights on wrecked ships.  Within
  an hour a swarm of small vessels, most-
  ly unarmed fishing boats, but also a
  couple of luggers and a sloop, will
  approach, unless the PCs are openly
  flying the Jolly Roger.
  There is no outward sign of the
  effect of the Icon of Maya on the
  Adroit.  Aura sight does not reveal any-
  thing unusual about her.  Once the
  ship lost its ability to sail, whether by
  being wrecked or captured, the Illusion
  was dispelled.  The only damage is that
  inflicted by the hurricane and/or the
  PCs; otherwise she is all shipshape.  If
  there has been no formal surrender, the
  PCs or their crew may be fired upon as
  they board, or ambushed below decks
  by the survivors.
  Information
  When the PCs enter the Great
  Cabin, they catch the bosun’s mate, a
  grizzled old salt of a Hare, in the act of
  burning the ship’s rutter.  This is a jour-
  nal kept by captain or the pilot of a
  ship, detailing where it has been, how it
  got there, what it has encountered, and
  what it has done.  The PCs may guess
  that the Hare is trying to destroy
  French intelligence, or evidence of pira-
  cy.  If they act quickly to stop him, they
  will manage to salvage most of it.  If any
  of them can read French, the rutter tells
  how the Adroit was commissioned by
  Louis XIV to attack English and Dutch
  ships and disrupt their trade, in keeping
  with the policy of guerre de course
  enacted after the Battle of La Hogue in
  1692.  For the past several months, the
  privateer haunted the Eastern Seaboard
  waiting to intercept English company
  ships or colonial smugglers as they
  arrived from England or the Caribbean.
  Two weeks ago, she captured the
  Hopewell, a colonial sloop returning to
  Philadelphia from Barbados.  The crew
  transferred the Hopewell’s cargo aboard
  their own ship, then sank her.  The rut-
  ter does not say what they did with the
  survivors, but there are no prisoners
  aboard the Adroit.  The last clear entry
  indicates they were setting course for
  Nantes, a French port city in the Bay of
  Biscay, back across the Atlantic.  The
  rest has been burned.
  If the PCs encountered the Adroit
  using Scenario A, it may strike them as
  a little odd that the privateer was head-
  ing southwest when they met.  If they
  question the bosun’s mate or any other
  survivors about it, none of them under-
  stand what the PCs are talking about.
  They were heading east.  They have
  been heading east, and a little south to
  catch the trade winds that blow off the
  Carolinas, ever since leaving the
  Schuykill River.  They stick to that story
  even if pressured, though if questioned
  severely enough, some of them might
  start making up whatever it is that they
  think the PCs want to hear.  If the PC
  sorcerer attempts to Divine why the
  
  Chapter Six: The Island of Santiago del Tortuga
  158
  Adroit was sailing southwest, he gets a
  garbled and meaningless answer such as
  “The walrus,” or “To get to the other
  side.”  The Icon of Maya has a high
  magick defense, which is running inter-
  ference.  If the GM plays this right, the
  PCs will start thinking that the Adroit
  was on some kind of secret mission for
  the French government.
  Treasure
  When the PCs explore the ship,
  they find a hold full of refined
  Barbados sugar, worth five thousand C
  in any North Atlantic port, though
  some of it may be spoilt by seawater
  (give them a luck roll).   Thirty barrels
  of rum add another 450C.  A locked
  chest in the Great Cabin contains
  2,280C in English bank notes, pounds
  sterling, and Mexican silver dollars; this
  is the forty percent share of the loot
  captured by the Adroit which is owed
  to the French government under priva-
  teering rules.  Another 1,500-odd C,
  mostly in English money, can be found
  distributed among the officers’ and
  crew’s personal effects (many of them
  spent their share during shore leave in
  Quebec).  Among the officers’ accou-
  trements are six silver snuffboxes (5C
  each), four silver grooming brushes (3C
  each), three tortoiseshell grooming
  brushes (1C each) three gold watches
  (8C each), one set of Tarot cards (3C),
  a private stash of fine Virginian tobac-
  co (5C), ten ounces of ambergris (30C),
  eight bottles of well-aged Burgundy
  (28C), two bottles of brandy (6C)
  assorted rings, garters, medals, cuf-
  flinks, tail ornaments, and other jewel-
  ry (50C total), assorted fine clothing
  (60C total), wigs (40C total), one gold-
  hilted rapier enchanted at 6th level (a
  21 point bonus to Attack and Defense
  scores; this belonged to Captain Poncin
  and is worth 500C if anyone wants to
  sell it), one silver-hilted Toledo
  broadsword (75C), one silver dagger
  (2C), six other assorted blades (90C
  total) a pair of ivory-inlaid dueling pis-
  tols (24C), and twenty ordinary pistols
  (140C total) with powder and shot for
  an average of eight shots each.  In the
  armory, or distributed among the crew,
  are thirty muskets (150C total) with
  powder and shot for an average of ten
  shots each and a collection of knives
  and short swords (200C total).  In addi-
  tion to the cannon listed on the
  Adroit’s stat sheet, she is carrying half a
  keg of ready-mixed gunpowder, nine
  kegs of sulfur-saltpeter mix, and three
  kegs of charcoal; all told, enough to fire
  off all the cannon 30 more times.  The
  ship also has a fair supply of stores,
  from hardtack to spare sails to lamp oil.
  The 
  silver-hilted 
  Toledo
  broadsword is found in the first mate’s
  seachest, along with his share of the
  money, his personal effects, his gold
  watch, and his silver grooming brush.
  This is the Sword of Cortes: it was on
  its way back to Spain after its owner’s
  death when it fell into the paws of a
  nameless English buccaneer who had
  no idea of its history.  It has been
  changing 
  hands 
  throughout 
  the
  Caribbean ever since.  Most recently, it
  was on the Hopewell.  The Adroit’s first
  mate decided to sell it in France as part
  of his share of the loot, which is why it
  is in his seachest rather than clutched in
  his hand when found.  The PCs may get
  a chance to sell it in Bermuda.  GMs,
  you should prevent this without tip-
  ping your hand.  If a PC with the skill
  of Value takes a look at the sword,
  reveal that it’s an antique and probably
  worth a lot more than 75C to the right
  buyer, who is more likely to be found
  in Europe than in a backwater like
  Bermuda.  Be prepared to supply details
  about the rest of the valuable pieces
  found on the ship to keep the PCs
  from getting suspicious.  Poncin’s
  enchanted rapier should help distract
  them.
  Loose Ends
  The PCs will have to decide what
  to do with the survivors.  If they are
  pirates and have not seriously abused
  the French crew, at least half will be
  willing to join them, and the rest can be
  forced, or killed, or left to fend for
  themselves as the PCs prefer.  However,
  if the PCs fall into any other category,
  the survivors will not be interested in
  joining, although they will settle for
  being prisoners in preference to being
  killed or stranded.  As for the Adroit
  herself, she can be salvaged if she did
  not lose more than three-quarters of her
  Hull Points in the Scenario A battle.  If
  she’s on the reef, it’s only a matter of
  time before she breaks up entirely.  The
  PCs will have to decide if they have the
  time or inclination to repair her; if not
  the Bermudans will be happy to claim
  salvage rights (see below).
  Welcome to
  Bermuda
  If the Adroit is within sight when
  the PCs board her, the Bermudan
  Furries take a lively interest in the affair.
  They will not interfere if the PCs are
  flying a pirate flag, but simply wait and
  hope that the characters will come into
  port under English colors to spend the
  loot (and raise prices in anticipation of
  this event).  Any other flag emboldens
  a band of opportunists led by one John
  Horning (see NPC sheet below) to
  approach.  Horning commands a 12-
  gun sloop, the Wolverine (use the
  Sloop’s Vessel Stat Sheet in Chapter
  Three, but reduce the number of guns
  by six and give her a full capacity of
  Crew Points).  He is accompanied by
  two luggers armed with eight deck-
  mounted swivel guns each, and a small
  fleet of fishing boats full of Bermudans
  armed with ancient muskets, knives,
  fishing gaffs, boothooks, and whatever
  else they can lay paws on.  The PCs
  Bermuda
  Bermuda
  Somerset
      Island
  Little 
    Sound
  Great
    Sound
  Hawkens
    Island
  Ireland Island North
  Ireland Island South
  Boaz Island
  Ha
  mil
  ton
  Ha
  rb
  o
  r
  Harrington
     Sound
  Castle Harbor
  Saint George's
     Island
  Saint 
    David's 
      Island
  Town of Saint
        George
  St. George's
    Harbor
  Spanish
     Point
  Cobbler's 
     Island
  Fort St. Catherine Beach
  Watford Island
  
  Chapter Six: The Island of Santiago del Tortuga
  159
  may not be within sight of the islands
  when they capture the Adroit, but if the
  GM wishes to complicate their lives by
  introducing Horning anyway, she can
  arrange for the battle to be witnessed by
  a stray fishing boat or an incoming
  merchant ship.
  May I See Your
  License, Please?
  Horning, a tough and wily Elk, is
  little better than a pirate himself — in
  fact he has been one.  Were it not for
  the fact that he is outgunned, he would
  take the PCs’ loot by force and make
  up a cover story afterward.  As it is, he
  must use his wits and look for weakness
  on the part of the PCs.  In the mean-
  time, he approaches under a semi-offi-
  cial guise, as representing the governor
  of Bermuda (this is true, in that he will
  pay the governor a kickback if he gets
  anything out of it).  For example, if the
  PCs are English, he asks to see their
  Letter of Marque.  Finding some tech-
  nical flaw (it’s outdated, it’s not cor-
  rectly witnessed, it’s smudged, or what-
  ever), he informs them that it is worth-
  less.  If the PCs don’t want to be report-
  ed for this “act of wanton piracy,” they
  had better hand over a third of the loot
  to the governor, who will issue them a
  fresh privateering license in exchange.
  (All of these stalwart Bermudan Furries
  are, of course, on hand to make sure
  that his entire share safely reaches the
  governor).  If the PCs are not English,
  Horning will talk about import duties,
  tariffs, tolls, and “safe harbor” fees.  The
  best course of action for the PCs is to
  calmly refuse to yield to this extortion.
  Horning will not attack unless he finds
  a tactic or an advantage that will assure
  success, but if the PCs attack him, they
  will be refused safe harbor and branded
  as pirates by the Bermudans.  (OK, so
  it’s the pot calling the kettle black, but
  word will get around and cause lots of
  trouble).
  If the PCs put into harbor at St.
  George, Horning can continue to be a
  thorn in their sides.  He may, for exam-
  ple, bribe a crewmember to start a fire
  on board.   If their ship burns to the
  waterline and the loot ends up at the
  bottom of the harbor, who’s to say who
  it belongs to?  Even if the PCs put into
  port with the Adroit’s cargo safely hid-
  den and no witnesses to her demise, the
  GM can use Horning to make trouble
  for them, if desired.  However, he
  should be a nuisance rather than a
  major threat.
  The Devil’s
  Islands
  Bermuda is a series of continuous
  low-lying islands in the shape of a fish-
  hook, the emergent southeast rim of an
  underwater plateau.  There are seven
  main islands and over a hundred islets
  and rocks.  The whole comprises about
  twenty square miles of land, its highest
  point only 300 feet above the water.  It
  is sub-tropical, with temperatures that
  rarely fall below 50 degrees or climb
  above 90.  Rain falls regularly all year
  round, and a good thing too, because
  there is no fresh surface water.
  Hurricanes arrive between July and
  October, but it takes them so long to
  reach Bermuda’s latitude that they have
  usually expended the worst of their fury
  by then.
  Bermuda has a population of
  around 3,500 Furries, three-quarters of
  whom are free English colonists, and
  the rest African slaves or indentured ser-
  vants.  (Bermuda never had a native
  population).  Many of them live in the
  town of St. George, on the island of St.
  George, at the extreme northeast end of
  the chain.  The rest live on tobacco
  farms on the Main and the other large
  islands.  Besides tobacco, the islands
  produce cedar wood for St. George’s
  ship-building industry.  Otherwise, the
  Bermudans live off the sea’s bounty: by
  fishing, turtle-hunting, whaling, pearl-
  diving, piracy, and the even more despi-
  cable practice of deliberately wrecking
  foreign ships, luring them onto the
  reefs with misplaced lights.  This haz-
  ardous lifestyle is hard on the
  Bermudans, and there are currently two
  females for every male living on the
  island.  A variety of Furry species can
  be found here, although since the orig-
  inal colonists were a mixture of Lapines
  and Mustalids, these still constitute
  about half the population.
  Bermuda was originally run by the
  Virginia Company, then ceded to the
  Sommers Island Company, and has
  recently reverted to the English Crown.
  A royally appointed governor  and a
  locally elected Parliament, which meets
  yearly in the Sessions House at St.
  George, takes care of the affairs of state
  according to a very short Constitution.
  Lying on the best route from the New
  World back to Europe, Bermuda pos-
  sesses strategic importance and is
  defended by a number of coastal forts
  mounting cannon.  Unless enemy ships
  are sighted, these forts are usually
  deserted.  The population is too small
  to maintain a full-time armed force.
  Kicking It in St.
  George
  The town of St. George is a modest
  collection of limestone public buildings
  and cedar cabins lining the inner arc of
  St. George’s island.  The harbor, also
  called St. George’s, is full of colorful
  fishing boats and a brand-new, almost-
  finished sloop lying just outside the
  shipyard.  Aside from the PCs’ ship,
  Horning’s 12-gun Wolverine is the only
  one present with serious ordnance.
  Unless Horning makes trouble, time
  spent in St. George is mostly downtime,
  giving the PCs a chance to rest and
  regroup.  They can get their ship
  repaired if necessary, or they can dis-
  pose of the Adroit’s sugar cargo for
  about three-quarters what it’s worth in
  Europe.  They can purchase almost any
  normal item at half again the prices in
  Chapter One.  They can also carouse in
  the taverns, look for paid female com-
  pany, and get drunk on bibbey, a local
  beverage made from fermented palmet-
  to sap.  However, there are several dra-
  conian laws against public intoxication
  or indecency, and characters who are
  too free in their manners or speech may
  be fined or end up in the stocks.
  Other Services
  There are exactly four sorcerers in
  all of Bermuda.  One is an 8th level
  Freemason in the employ of the gover-
  nor, whose job is to use Elemental
  Magick to keep the periodic hurricanes
  from tearing the colony apart.  Another
  is his 3rd level apprentice, also a
  Freemason.  The third is a 5th level
  Cabbalist who has set up shop in St.
  George and specializes in casting
  Abjurations on important buildings
  and driving demons out of possessed
  slaves.  The last is a 6th level Druid who
  lives by himself in a cabin on the Main
  island.  All these individuals live in a
  seller’s market, so if the PCs want any
  of their services, it will cost a pretty
  penny.  None are of sufficient level in
  Divination to learn the truth about the
  Adroit.
  Talk in the Taverns
  Word going around the wharf is of
  a Dutch flute which left port only two
  days ago.  It was bound for New York
  with a cargo of indigo and ambergris.
  The flute is well-known as a slow and
  
  Chapter Six: The Island of Santiago del Tortuga
  160
  poorly-armed type of ship.  Ambergris
  is an incredibly rare substance, valued at
  3C an ounce.  Officers and crew were
  very free with their money while in St.
  George, and the quartermaster paid the
  “safe harbor” fees without batting an
  eye.  If the PCs need more details, feel
  free to make them up.  This informa-
  tion is provided in case the players need
  a hook before they will put out to sea
  again.  If they wouldn’t go after a
  Dutch ship, change its nationality.  As
  long as they have Sword of Cortes, they
  will never catch up with it.
  The Sorcerer
  Skulks
  All the while the PCs have been
  looting the Adroit, fending off extor-
  tionists, and carousing in St. George,
  the sorcerer de Garra (his stats are on
  page 167) has been observing them.  He
  stalks the water, the ship, and the island
  in spirit-form on the astral plane.  At
  his level, his Aura skill makes it possible
  for him to disguise his presence even
  from other sorcerers, while his magick
  defense allows him to ignore most
  Abjurations.  He has developed a strong
  link between himself and the Sword of
  Cortes, and can nearly always find it
  through the astral plane.  He is
  annoyed that the characters intercepted
  the Sword, but does not believe they
  will be any more difficult to ensnare
  than the Adroit’s crew.  As soon as the
  characters leave Bermuda, he will reacti-
  vate the Icon of Maya and trap them in
  a bubble of “reality” designed by him-
  self.
  What the Icon Does
  Imagine if you will, a tiny ship in
  the immensity of the Atlantic with no
  landmarks in sight.  The characters rely
  on the sun, the stars, the compass, and
  the octant to tell them where they are
  and what direction to head in.  Now
  imagine that they are enclosed within a
  sphere of Illusion in which the sky can
  be rotated.  Slowly, subtly, so as not to
  arouse notice, the heavens turn 90
  degrees left.  The sun is now rising in
  the south.  Do the characters suspect?
  No.  To them, the sun and the stars are
  absolute.  It is their orientation which
  changes, not the sky.  If he notices any-
  thing at all, the pilot assumes that a
  slight slippage to starboard is due to a
  freak gust of wind, and corrects the
  course.  Within a few hours, the ship is
  pointing 90 degrees away from the
  course the characters think they are on.
  Now imagine that control over visual
  effects extends down to minute details,
  such as the direction a lodestone
  points. 
  No matter which way the PCs
  think they are going, they are actually
  traveling in a straight line from
  Bermuda to the central Bahamas, pass-
  ing directly through the Triangle.   The
  Icon’s Illusion, centered on the ship, is
  keeping the sky and all navigational
  readings consistent with the course the
  characters believe they are on.  Since
  Bermuda is hundreds of miles from any-
  where, the PCs will expect to take at
  least a few weeks to get wherever they
  are going, so the duration of the voyage
  will not make them suspicious.
  However, the PCs may notice a few
  other signs that all is not well.
  Magick
  If the ship’s Sorcerer casts a
  Divination spell to determine their
  heading or position, he gets the same
  garbled and meaningless answers he
  received when asking about the Adroit’s
  course.
  Uncooperative
  Weather 
  When you travel in a straight line
  from Bermuda to the Bahamas, you are
  fighting the Gulf Stream and the pre-
  vailing winds.  The PCs will be tacking
  or sailing close-hauled most of the way.
  A few days or a week of contrary winds
  is nothing unusual, but when it lasts
  three weeks, the PCs should realize that
  something is amiss.  If they intended to
  head east, for example, the wind should
  be with them.
  Warm Weather
  If the PCs were planning to head
  for northern Europe or for the north-
  ern ports of the Eastern Seaboard, it
  will be difficult for them not to notice
  that the temperature is rising, not
  falling.
  Sighting
  After two weeks of maintaining the
  Illusion and spying on the PCs from
  the astral plane, de Garra begins to tire
  and his control slips.  If there is a sor-
  cerer aboard with Aura sight, he gets a
  glimpse of de Garra as he stalks
  through a wall from one part of the
  ship to another.  If there is no one with
  Aura, perhaps a PC or NPC with unde-
  veloped sorcerous potential, or “second
  sight,” might see him — the wavery,
  dark silhouette of an imposing Feline,
  trailing robes and arrogance behind
  him.  After getting spotted, de Garra
  will be more cautious, approaching the
  PCs’ ship on the astral only at odd
  intervals to check that all is going
  according to plan.  He does not need to
  be there to maintain the illusion.
  Outside Reference
  Point
  The bubble of Illusion that the
  characters are trapped in extends three
  hundred yards from the center of their
  ship.  If an Avian, or someone in a
  lifeboat, goes beyond that boundary, he
  will experience the world very abruptly
  returning to normal.  This doesn’t
  mean he will realize what’s going on.
  Subjectively, it will seem that his own
  position relative to the sun has sudden-
  ly changed.  When he recovers from the
  disorientation, he may notice that the
  ship is pointing the wrong way (If he
  has the skill of Navigation, let him roll
  against a difficulty factor of 50; other-
  wise let him roll using Reason, with a
  10-point penalty).  When he returns to
  the ship, the same thing will occur: the
  whole world will appear to rotate
  around him.  The GM may require the
  character to make a Flying roll to main-
  tain level flight and avoid nausea.
  What the
  Characters Can
  Do
  All is not lost if the characters fig-
  ure out what is going on.  If they come
  up with something absolutely brilliant
  to escape the Icon of Maya, accept it
  with a smile.  It doesn’t matter, because
  de Garra will come to them if he can’t
  bring them to him.  Be flexible and roll
  with the punches.
  Change Course
  If the PCs change course, the
  Illusion will simply compensate —
  again, very slowly — until they are once
  more going in the direction de Garra
  wants.  If they attempt to change course
  according to the wind, essentially saying
  “We don’t care what direction we’re
  going; we’re simply going to run before
  the wind,” this will appear to work,
  
  Chapter Six: The Island of Santiago del Tortuga
  161
  then it will seem that the wind has
  changed direction so that the ship is
  beating against it once more.
  Magick
  A sorcerer with the appropriate
  skill may travel to the astral plane to
  find out what’s going on.  From the
  astral, the character will plainly see the
  strange and colorful globe of Illusion
  his 
  crewmates 
  are 
  enclosed 
  in.
  However, even if he has the skill of
  Illusion, it is very unlikely he will be of
  sufficient level to dispel the effects of
  the Icon.  If the GM does not want him
  to return safely to the material plane
  with this information, he can encounter
  de Garra on the astral.  De Garra will
  project the aura of a friendly spirit,
  someone who is concerned about the
  fate that has befallen the PCs.  He will
  attempt to lure the sorcerer to Santiago
  del Tortuga by offering to show him
  the source of the curse on his ship.
  Once there, he will imprison the sor-
  cerer’s spirit in a handy Abjuration.  De
  Garra can then possess the character’s
  body briefly and warn the PCs that if
  they do not cooperate, their friend the
  sorcerer will die slowly.  If de Garra can-
  not lure the character away, he will fight
  a duel with him on the astral and prob-
  ably win.  This won’t kill the character,
  but he may be returned to his body as
  a drooling idiot, though this effect will
  be temporary.
  Getting Smart
  The characters may deduce that
  their problem has something to do with
  the treasure they garnered from the
  Adroit.  In this case, they may decide to
  collect it all and heave it overboard.
  This gets results all right — de Garra will
  be furious.  The Illusion spell contin-
  ues, but the evil sorcerer is now drawing
  them to Santiago del Tortuga so that he
  can destroy them personally.
  Getting Smarter
  One thing the PCs can do to out-
  wit the Icon is to put all the sails up,
  turn the rudder loose, and refrain from
  steering the ship at all.  In this case, the
  wind and current will push them back
  in the general direction of Bermuda.
  Once de Garra realizes what they are up
  to, he will have to come after them in
  the flesh, on his own ship, the Black
  Lotus (see the vessel stat sheet on page
  169).  With his ability to find the Sword
  of Cortes through the astral plane, de
  Garra is bound to catch up with them
  sometime.
  Other Complications
  Besides worrying about what’s hap-
  pening to their ship, the PCs may have
  a panicky and superstitious crew to deal
  with.  If they get wind of what’s going
  on  — and it’s nearly impossible to keep
  a secret on shipboard — they may react
  by mutinying or finding a scapegoat.
  Arriving at
  Santiago del
  Tortuga
  If the characters do nothing, they
  will get their first sight of land about
  three weeks after leaving Bermuda: a
  small sub-tropical island overrun with
  greenery in a sparkling blue sea, with
  the characteristic discoloration around
  it which indicates coral reefs.  Santiago
  del Tortuga is a cay, little more than a
  mile across, about thirty miles to the
  northeast of Cat Island.  For the past
  hundred years it has been concealed
  ��
  ��
  ��
  yy
  yy
  yy
  Black
    Lotus
  Trail
  Quarry
  Temple
  Trail
  Quarry
  Fort
  Fort
  Temple
  Trail
  1 Fathom
  2 Fathoms
  3 Fathoms
  4+ Fathoms
  MAP  KEY
  Cliff
  Contour 20'
  Island of Santiago del Tortuga
  Island of Santiago del Tortuga
  GROUND SCALE = One Mile
  
  Chapter Six: The Island of Santiago del Tortuga
  162
  from the prying eyes of English
  colonists and buccaneers alike through
  the Icon’s self-protecting Illusion spells.
  Apparently nothing is forcing the PCs
  to continue on there, but if they try to
  avoid it, within a few hours, they’ll find
  themselves making straight for it again.  
  The Approach
  The characters are approaching the
  north side of the cay.  They will note
  shallow waters, underwater hazards, and
  a  crumbly cliff wall which varies from
  ten to twenty feet in height, making a
  close approach impossible.  These con-
  ditions extend around the island, except
  on the east side where the harbor opens
  up.  If they sail around that way, they
  will see  the fort on the southeast head-
  land.  It is of Spanish architecture, but
  it looks pretty decrepit.  The native
  limestone walls are crumbling and there
  are no guns to be seen, nor any signs of
  life, at first.  The cliff walls around the
  fort are taller, between fifty and sixty
  feet.  The cliffs can be climbed in many
  places, but it is a steep scramble at best
  (difficulty factor of 20).
  Sailing past the harbor, they will
  see another ship just inside, a small yawl
  stuck on the rocks to the north side.  It
  is in even worse shape than the fort.
  Stripped of everything moveable, half-
  burnt and with a hull knocked full of
  holes, it would surely sink if moved off
  the rocks.  It looks as though it has
  been there for months, rotting below
  the surface and bleaching in the sun
  above the high-tide mark.
  If the PCs sail around to the south
  or west side, they will see a very odd
  structure about half a mile inland, on
  the island’s saddle.  It is a step-pyramid
  or ziggurat with stairs climbing the
  sides to a central structure on top.
  Characters well-versed in Lore, or who
  have visited Mexico, may recognize an
  Aztec temple, though this is smaller
  than the real thing.  The oddest thing
  about it (aside from existing on a
  Caribbean island) is that it looks far
  newer than the fort.  Built of the same
  native limestone, it shows no sign of
  weathering.  As far as the PCs can tell
  from here, it is equally deserted.
  Reconnaissance
  A flyover by the aerial scout will
  reveal the areas hidden from the ship,
  which are described below.  These
  include the rest of the ship hulks lying
  in the harbor, the limestone quarry
  lying just north of the Aztec temple,
  and the fact that the fort is not as
  deserted as it seems.  It also includes
  the Black Lotus lying in ambush just
  inside the harbor.  If the aerial scout
  gets spotted, the crew of the Lotus will
  try to ensure that he does not get back
  to his ship alive.  Bows fired from the
  deck, or Avians armed with knives or
  other small, quiet weapons would be
  good options.
  There is enough room to sail into
  the harbor, if the PCs wish to do so.
  Much of it is deep enough to float any-
  thing up to a fourth-rate warship.  Or,
  they could weigh anchor a mile or so
  offshore and send a boat in anywhere
  they like.
  What’s Going On
  At this point, although they don’t
  know it, the PCs have an advantage.
  De Garra has exhausted himself bring-
  ing them here.  Although the Icon of
  Maya supplies the mana required to
  maintain its Illusions, the directing sor-
  cerer must use his own mana to create
  or alter them.  Between that and effort
  of astral projection, de Garra is down to
  5 mana points.  He will not be doing
  any major spellcasting until he gets
  eight hours of sleep.  The task of deal-
  ing with the PCs has fallen to his
  apprentice, Ocelot Juan Vargas, and to
  Wu Fang, the Wolf captain of the Black
  Lotus (see NPC sheets).  They are both
  aboard the Lotus hidden in the harbor.
  If the PCs’ ship comes in, they will
  attack.  Otherwise, they are under
  orders to wait for de Garra to join
  them.  The Icon of Maya will continue
  to prevent the PCs from leaving the
  island, but nothing more.   Divination
  spells cast regarding the island will run
  up against the Icon’s magick defense
  and get nowhere.  However, the Black
  Lotus has only the magick defense of its
  captain.
  If the PCs do nothing for the next
  eight hours, the Black Lotus will come
  out after them, with a well-rested and
  very powerful de Garra on board to
  demanded their unconditional surren-
  der.   To be generous to the PCs, say
  they arrive at the island at noon so that
  it will be dark before the time is up.
  That way, de Garra will wait until morn-
  ing, and the PCs will have some hours
  of the night to cover their activities.
  The Graveyard
  of Ships
  If the PCs go into the harbor, a
  hideous sight greets them.  Including
  the yawl, there are a dozen hulks in
  here, beached, caught on the rocks, or
  adrift, half-sunk and turned sideways.
  They are all small or medium-sized ves-
  sels, of types that go unarmed, or light-
  ly-armed at best.   Partly to keep his
  wako pirates fed and happy, and partly
  to acquire the slave labor needed to
  build the Aztec temple, de Garra has
  been bringing Caribbean ships here for
  the past two years.  All told, there are
  four yawls, four small galleys, three
  brigs, and one American trade sloop.
  Some have been rotting longer than
  others, but all have been stripped of
  anything useful.  Holes and scorch
  marks suggest they were torn up by can-
  non fire and Elemental: Lightning
  spells.  Wooden debris festoons the
  beach or floats around the edges of the
  harbor.  There is another clear view of
  the Aztec temple from here.
  If the PCs have time to study the
  harbor closely, they will notice the half-
  buried skeletal hulks of several other,
  much older vessels lying on the bot-
  tom.  These are pirate ships of
  Elizabethan times, fallen to the power
  of the Icon.
  Pirates of the South
  China Sea
  Lurking around the rocky corner
  to the south, in the deep water below
  the tall cliffs and the fort, is the Black
  Lotus, with its cannon primed and its
  ferocious crew ready, waiting for the
  PCs to sail in.  It is a very obvious trap,
  but the best available under the cir-
  cumstances.  If the PCs are forewarned,
  they have the opportunity to come up
  with a clever counterattack and possibly
  win the day.
  The Black Lotus is a lorcha (see
  page 169), a hybrid ship consisting of a
  European hull equipped with Oriental
  junk-rigged sails.  Its captain and crew
  are among the most vicious Furry
  pirates to ever sail the South China
  Sea…and the only wako ever to cross
  the Pacific to Acapulco and sail around
  South America to the Caribbean.  They
  serve de Garra partly out of fear and
  partly out of self-interest.  The Spaniard
  is a barbarian in their eyes, but he is a
  very powerful sorcerer.  Also, the part-
  nership is incredibly profitable, what
  ´
  
  Chapter Six: The Island of Santiago del Tortuga
  163
  with the Icon bringing in these rich,
  unarmed ships and de Garra allowing
  the Lotus crew to keep all the loot.  The
  Lotus’ captain, Wu Fang, is a Chinese
  Wolf raised in the gutters of Manila,
  where he first met Don Javier de Garra.
  After Wu Fang became a pirate and rose
  to command, de Garra made an ally out
  of him with the gift of a European ship
  complete with cannon.  The crew
  promptly took down the square sails
  and replaced them with the type they
  were used to handling.  
  The Battle
  Because the harbor is deepest to
  the south, the PCs’ ship will be fairly
  close to the Lotus as it comes in, avoid-
  ing the rocks on the north side.
  Because the Lotus carries only twenty
  cannon and the crew is not totally
  expert with guns, Captain Wu is hoping
  to catch the PCs by surprise, give them
  one broadside at Close or Point Blank
  range, and then grapple and board and
  overwhelm them with sheer numbers
  and Juan Vargas’ spells.  If things don’t
  turn out that way and the two ships
  end up in a stand-off fight, the GM
  may want to break out the 1/1200 ship
  models and draw a rough circle 26” in
  diameter to represent the harbor.  A
  fight in an enclosed space is quite dif-
  ferent from a fight out on open water.
  If the PCs are sailing, say, a brigantine,
  and there is a Moderate wind out of the
  south, and they decide to head north-
  west (Quartering) under full sail, they
  will be traveling at 12.3 inches per
  minute… and they have a turning rate
  of 3 points per minute.  CRUNCH!
  You get the idea.  It would be polite to
  assume that the PCs came into the har-
  bor under shortened sail, but beyond
  that, you needn’t cut them any slack.  If
  the PCs’ ship has a draft of three fath-
  oms, they can use a 20”diameter circle
  within the harbor, skewed toward the
  deeper south side.  For each fathom
  less, give the PCs’ ship an extra two-
  inch diameter of space.  If you don’t
  want to determine the wind speed and
  direction yourself or roll it randomly,
  assume it’s a Moderate wind coming
  out of the south.
  If things go badly for the PCs, give
  them an opportunity to escape and get
  ashore.  All is not yet lost, since the
  wako won’t sink their ship (and all its
  cannon) if it can be salvaged.  If the
  PCs beat the Black Lotus, all the wako
  who are not captured or killed will
  abandon ship and retreat to the fort to
  hold their last line of defense.
  Information
  Presumably, the PCs will want
  know why they have been brought to
  this island.  Many of the wako do not
  speak Spanish, let alone English, so the
  PCs won’t get far in questioning them.
  However, there are two individuals
  from whom it might be possible to
  learn something, if they are captured
  and questioned.  
  One is the ship’s captain, Wu Fang.
  He is an opportunist, willing to jump
  ship to the winning side.  So long as he
  believes the PCs are winning, he will sell
  them information, bit by bit — a little
  for his own life, a little for the lives of
  any officers they have captured, a little
  for a berth on their ship, a little for a
  jump in rank, etc.  However, if the PCs
  threaten him, or go back on their word,
  he clams up.  He is strong-willed and
  very difficult to break. 
  The other is de Garra’s apprentice,
  Juan Vargas.  Vargas has been loyal to de
  Garra for years, but he has watched the
  Panther’s obsession grow and his sanity
  crumble over the past several months.
  Vargas is not cruel by nature and it was
  difficult for him to watch as the
  enslaved sailors — his fellow Christians
  — were forced to build the pyramid,
  then slaughtered by the heathen
  Oriental pirates.  Vargas may be willing
  to talk because he has come down with
  a sudden attack of conscience.
  Both Wu and Vargas know that de
  Garra wants the Sword of Cortes, and
  what he plans to do with it.  They know
  how the PCs were brought to Santiago
  del Tortuga, though Wu does not
  understand it as well as Vargas does.
  They know the Icon of Maya is inside
  the fort, and they have both seen it,
  although only Vargas can describe how
  it does what it does.  They can describe
  the interior of the fort and estimate
  how many fighting Furries de Garra has
  left.  Vargas can give the PCs a better
  idea of what level of sorcery de Garra is
  capable of, both with the Icon and on
  his own.  And either of them might
  mention that de Garra is asleep right
  now — a very important tactical point.
  Treasure
  Aboard the Black Lotus is a hold
  full of coin, jewelry, and other valuables
  with a total value of 50,000C, enough
  to put the PCs and their shipmates at
  least halfway to a comfortable retire-
  ment.  Some of it comes all the way
  from the South China Sea, but most
  has been picked up here in the
  Caribbean.   There is also enough gun-
  powder to fire off the ship’s 20 cannon
  five more times.
  Shore Party
  Follies
  The PCs may go ashore either
  immediately upon arrival, using boats
  anywhere around the island, or from
  the harbor after fighting the Black
  Lotus.  In the harbor, a path ascends
  from the beach and splits off to head
  toward either the fort or the temple.  If
  the PCs don’t want to use the path, it’s
  easy enough to push through the sub-
  tropical growth, although visibility is
  poor.
  Attempted Ambush
  If the PCs bypassed the harbor and
  went ashore on the south or west side
  of the island, they will be spotted by
  the lookouts in either the temple or the
  fort (see below).  The lookouts will sig-
  nal the Black Lotus, which will send a
  party ashore to ambush and capture or
  kill the PCs.  These will be average wako
  (see their stats on page 168) outnum-
  bering the PCs’ party by two to one.
  The Survivor
  Wherever the PCs come ashore,
  watching them through the dense
  underbrush is the lone survivor of all
  the ships sunk in the harbor: a Mustalid
  of Jamaican descent named Joseph
  Marten (see his stats on page 168).
  Joseph needs to roll vs. the PCs’
  Ambush defense to stay hidden.  If they
  don’t catch him, he will continue to
  observe them until he makes up his
  mind whether they are to be trusted or
  not.  If he decides they are, he cau-
  tiously reveals himself, asks for help,
  and tells his story.  Joseph will attach
  himself to anyone who shows him kind-
  ness and will gladly join the PCs’ crew.
  A slave from birth, Joseph was trav-
  eling with the captain of the Ladybird
  (one of the wrecked galleys) from Port
  Royal to Barbados, when the ship went
  mysteriously off-course and ended up
  on this island of the damned.   Terrible
  pirates speaking some alien tongue cap-
  tured their unarmed ship, killed all who
  resisted, and forced the others to work
  under cruel conditions with little food
  or rest.  Joseph describes laboring to
  break limestone from dawn to dusk,
  while others of the crew hauled stone to
  build the great heathen temple on the
  promontory.  He tells of finding the
  
  Chapter Six: The Island of Santiago del Tortuga
  164
  skeletons of those who broke stone in
  the quarry before him.  He guessed that
  each time the pirates captured a ship,
  they worked its crew until they died,
  then captured another one.  One night
  after the pirates had gotten drunk, he
  broke his chains with a pickaxe and hid
  in the jungle.  He has been here ever
  since, eating roots, drinking rainwater,
  and trying to stay out of sight.
  Meanwhile, the great temple was finally
  completed.  The pirates slaughtered
  those of his shipmates who had sur-
  vived that long, and threw their bodies
  into the quarry.  Joseph once saw the
  sorcerer de Garra, and refers to him as
  “the head devil.”  He knows that de
  Garra spends most of his time up at the
  fort along with some of the pirates.  He
  has no idea why de Garra wanted the
  temple built.
  The Temple
  De Garra had this monstrosity
  built as part of the elaborate prepara-
  tion he is making to reforge and
  Enchant the Sword of Cortes.  The
  final ritual will happen here, combining
  the traditions of  the Hermandad de
  Salvacion Order with the bloody Furry
  sacrifice rites of the Aztecs.   The pyra-
  mid is 100 feet square at the base and
  rises 60 feet in ten six-foot tiers.  Four
  sets of stairs ascend, one in the middle
  of each side.  At the top is a simple
  square limestone building with a fif-
  teen-foot ceiling and four doorways
  open to the elements.  The one-room
  interior has an altar equipped with
  chains and a couple of large stone
  bowls.  It is otherwise very bare, with
  none of the carvings or murals associ-
  ated with Mesoamerican architecture. 
  Lookout Post
  Wako lookouts use the temple,
  since it commands a good view out to
  sea in all directions except directly east
  where a rise blocks it.  There are usual-
  ly at least three pirates at the top using
  banners to signal the Black Lotus when
  they spot anything interesting (like the
  arrival of the PC’s ship).  One of them
  is always an Avian, in case more elabo-
  rate messages need to be relayed quick-
  ly.   Since they are on the high ground
  and the PCs will have little cover on the
  way up, give these wako an Ambush
  defense of 65.  If they get a message to
  the Black Lotus, assuming the PCs
  haven’t already dealt with the ship and
  its crew, another ambush party will
  soon be beating the brush for the char-
  acters.
  There are no other openings into
  the pyramid, which is really just a large
  pile of rock with a room on top.  De
  Garra didn’t have the time or the
  resources to build anything more
  impressive.  Aura sight used on the
  structure will reveal nothing supernat-
  ural, although it may provide a sense of
  the suffering endured by those who
  built it and the megalomania of the sor-
  cerer who commissioned it.  From the
  top there is a good view of the harbor,
  the quarry, and the interior of the fort.
  The Quarry
  Just north of the temple is a
  denuded area where a lot of limestone
  has been quarried out of the ground.  It
  provided the material to built the fort
  over a hundred years ago, and was
  reopened two years ago to supply the
  stone for the pyramid.  Around the
  edges are the miserable palmetto-frond
  huts where the slave labor was occa-
  sionally allowed to rest, and the cisterns
  which collected rainwater for them to
  drink.  Down in the quarry are aban-
  doned tools, broken-up scaffolding,
  trash, refuse, and the mortal remains of
  around five hundred Furries who
  worked on the pyramid at one time or
  another.  Having finished the temple,
  de Garra’s pirates use the hole to dis-
  pose of whatever they no longer need.
  The Fort:
  Scenario A
  If the PCs and their ship have not
  yet gotten into a battle with the Black
  Lotus, or if they have but were defeated,
  it should be possible for them to sneak
  inside the fort, so use this description
  of it.  If the PCs attacked the wako ship
  and won, the place is up in arms.  Use
  Scenario B, below.
  Sneaking In
  This structure houses de Garra, his
  entourage, his guards, and the Icon of
  Maya.  It is a simple collection of four
  stone walls, fifteen feet high and eight
  feet thick, reinforced with twenty-five
  foot tall towers at the corners.  There is
  one entrance, facing inland where the
  trail meets the fort.  Lacking a gate, this
  entrance is guarded at all times by at
  least four wako armed with swords and
  muskets.  The walls are cracked and
  crumbling, fairly easy to climb (diffi-
  culty factor of 35).  There are places for
  guns to be mounted on the north and
  west walls, but none are present.   There
  is one lookout in the top of each tower
  with an Ambush defense of 45.   The
  lower floor of each tower is used to
  house off-duty guards.  Each one con-
  tains six wako, about half of whom are
  drunk, camping out on the bare dirt
  floor.
  Inside the fort, only one building
  has survived the years of neglect: the
  Hermandad’s chapter house (see
  below).  The others, built mostly of
  wood and palmetto fronds, have
  decayed to their stone foundations.
  These foundations can give the charac-
  ters some cover as they move around
  inside the courtyard.  Set up in the
  ruins is an open-air smithy with all the
  accoutrements.  Also providing cover
  are the large stone cisterns used for
  catching rain, the only source of fresh
  water besides Juan Vargas’ Elemental
  spells.  
  If it is daylight, de Garra’s
  entourage (see their statistics beginning
  on page 168) will be pacing the court-
  yard, restless with anxiety and anticipa-
  tion.  The entourage includes de Garra’s
  chief engineer, Isidro Chavez, who
  designed and directed the building of
  the pyramid, a highly skilled swordmak-
  er named Vasco Puledo, whom de Garra
  hired to reforge the Sword of Cortes;
  six servants; and four fellow Spaniards
  who happened to be aboard the
  wrecked ships down in the harbor,
  whose lives de Garra spared.  Trapped
  like Captain Nemo’s guests, they are
  trying to pass the time until de Garra
  wakes up with board games and
  chitchat.  If there was a battle down in
  the harbor earlier, there was also an
  appreciative audience up on the walls.
  The Fort:
  Scenario B
  If the PCs captured the Black
  Lotus, her survivors took shelter in the
  fort and prepared to sell their lives dear-
  ly.  Unfortunately, there are not many
  preparations to be made.  The fort has
  no guns, only whatever small arms and
  melee weapons the crew managed to
  bring with them.  Since they probably
  had to swim to get ashore, they may
  well be running short of dry powder.
  Also, since the fort is only sixty feet up
  and a hundred and fifty yards in from
  the water, the PCs will be able to fire
  on it at Medium range.  Although they
  
  Chapter Six: The Island of Santiago del Tortuga
  165
  probably won’t breach the fort (it has
  the equivalent of 6,000 Hull Points),
  they can certainly clear the wall of
  defenders with a few well-placed bursts
  of chain or crossbar shot.  The fort is
  even more vulnerable to a land attack,
  since it has no gate.  If given time, the
  defenders will correct this problem by
  piling wood and stone rubble in the
  entrance.  If they can hold out long
  enough, de Garra will wake up with his
  mana restored and the tide will turn.
  In other words, the PCs are work-
  ing against the clock.  If they press the
  attack and capture the fort before the
  eight-hour time limit, they will also be
  able to capture de Garra and the Icon
  of Maya, thereby saving their own lives
  and bringing the sorcerer’s plans to a
  dead halt.  If they delay, deciding to rest
  up first, or make another attempt to
  escape the island, de Garra will regain
  the advantage.  If he has lost the Black
  Lotus, he will use the Icon to wreck the
  PCs on the rocks in the harbor, or on
  the reefs outside.
  The Chapter
  House
  The chapter house, built of native
  limestone, resembles a small Spanish
  cathedral, only lacking the cross and
  other symbols which would associate it
  with Catholicism.  It is shaped like a T,
  with the stem in front and the crossbar
  in back.  The crossbar is divided into
  two floors, while the stem has a vaulted
  ceiling.   There are windows on the sec-
  ond level all the way around, but hav-
  ing lost their glass a long time ago, they
  are boarded up.  The main entrance
  (going into the stem)  is a set of heavy,
  weathered oak double doors at the top
  of a few stone steps.  Carved over the
  arched entrance are the words Ad
  Majorem Gloriam Dei (For the Greater
  Glory of God), and the infinity sign,
  which was adopted by the Hermandad
  as its symbol.  Characters with the skill
  of Lore have a slight chance (difficulty
  factor of 80) of having heard of the
  Hermandad de Salvacion and being
  able to associate these carvings with it.
  Otherwise, they will associate the Latin
  motto with the Spanish Inquisition,
  and probably won’t know what to make
  of the infinity sign.  The doors are
  unlocked.  De Garra’s servants and
  guests come and go as they please.
  There is also a small kitchen door
  around in back (into the crossbar).
  Upper Floor
  In the crossbar section, the upper
  floor contains a dining room and quar-
  ters for de Garra and his “guests.” The
  dining room (A) is centrally located —
  de Garra’s and the other rooms open
  off of it.  Stairs descend from it to the
  lower floor.  De Garra and his guests,
  including Wu Fang when invited, are
  served their meals here.  During the
  eight-hour period in which de Garra is
  asleep, his bodyguard, Alejandro Kwan,
  is on  watch outside his door (his sta-
  tistics are on page 168).  The outer
  rooms each have a boarded-up window.
  If the PCs try to sneak in through one
  of them, wrenching the boards off has
  a difficulty factor of 25, while not wak-
  ing up the occupant, if any, or alerting
  Alejandro, has a difficulty factor of 60.
  De Garra has the large room (B),
  where he sleeps on a pad and bedding
  of Chinese silk.  He has a small collec-
  tion of books, including the writings of
  Cortes and his followers from the time
  of the conquest of  Mexico, history
  books on Spain at the height of her
  Empire, the secret history of the Order
  of the Hermandad de Salvacion, notes
  on the meditative methods of Oriental
  sorcerers, and a journal of his own
  progress in tracking down the Sword of
  Cortes and the other preparations he is
  making to Enchant it.  The journal
  makes it apparent that his aim is to
  wield the Sword to restore Spain to her
  rightful place as first among the nations
  of Europe, casting down the haughty
  House of Bourbon and the Austrian
  branch of the Hapsburgs, who believe
  they are entitled to the Spanish throne.
  There is also a small desk with candles
  and writing instruments. A large silver
  crucifix and the Spanish flag decorate
  the wall.  Aside from these items, the
  room is surprisingly spartan.  De Garra
  has the kind of obsession which makes
  him find everything not connected to
  the object of his desire trivial or even
  contemptible.
  Going clockwise from de Garra’s
  quarters, the five other rooms (C-G) are
  occupied by: Juan Vargas (when he is
  staying in the fort; otherwise Alejandro
  uses it), Isidro Chavez (a Wolfhound),
  Vasco Puledo (a Reptile), and four other
  “guests,” who share the last two rooms.
  Each room is furnished with ham-
  mocks, a seachest, and various personal
  items.  These rooms all have the air of
  prison cells in which the occupants are
  desperately trying to find ways to pass
  the time without thinking too much.
  Woodcarving is a favorite pastime, as
  are board games.  Vasco Puledo has
  carved an entire chess set, while Juan
  Vargas has learned to play Go from Wu
  Fang.  Having finished the pyramid, the
  engineer is occupying himself drawing
  architectural plans for entirely fanciful
  buildings.  The other guests, all mer-
  chants or traveling land-owners from
  Cuba or Hispaniola, spend a lot of time
  praying for deliverance from the mad
  sorcerer and his Oriental fiends, or
  scribbling journal entries describing the
  boredom and the tension.  If any of
  these individuals are present when the
  PCs storm the gates, they offer no resis-
  tance save to defend their own lives.
  They have long since been numbed into
  a passive acceptance of fate.
  Lower Floor
  On the lower floor toward the
  back are the servants’ quarters (H), the
  kitchen (I), the pantry (J) and other
  storage rooms (K), one set of stairs lead-
  ing up to the dining room above, and
  one set of stairs leading to the basement
  below.  The six servants are Filipinos
  from Manila, members of de Garra’s
  original household, all Lapines or Light-
  sized Rodents.  They will not betray or
  work against de Garra under any cir-
  The Chapter House
  
  Chapter Six: The Island of Santiago del Tortuga
  166
  cumstances, but neither will they risk
  their lives to defend him.  They will yell
  for help if surprised by PC burglars, or
  disappear like rabbits (or rats) if the
  place comes under siege.
  The stem of the T is the
  Hermandad’s ceremonial chamber.  If
  the PCs go in through the front door
  (but when do they ever do that?), it is
  the first place they will encounter.
  This hall (L) has the vaulted  and
  columned architecture of a church, but
  lacks the accoutrements: the pews, the
  statues, the altar, the stained glass, the
  crucifix, etc.  Instead, there is a shallow
  circular pool of water in the far third of
  the hall, with the Icon of Maya resting
  on a pedestal in the center.  The
  pedestal is underwater so that only the
  Icon shows above the surface, very
  clearly reflected in the water.  A heavy
  oak captain’s chair, for de Garra to sit
  in while using the Icon, is drawn up in
  front of the pool.  The hall is well-lit by
  candelabras which are kept burning
  night and day.  
  The Icon of Maya
  The Icon appears to be a solid
  piece of pure white jade in the shape of
  an infinity sign, two and a half feet
  long, a foot and a half high, and six
  inches thick.  It is carved in relief with
  Oriental dragons (the imperial five-
  clawed variety) twisting around its sur-
  face in a bewildering array of patterns.
  The Hermandad de Salvacion created it
  here, using a Chinese design but nam-
  ing it with a Vedic word (maya means
  illusion).  The large difference between
  the two cultures was somewhat lost
  upon them.  Even leaving aside its mag-
  ickal powers, the Icon looks priceless.
  Fortunately for the GM, it has
  some properties which will make it
  nigh-impossible for the PCs to use it, or
  remove it.  (These properties also
  explain why someone as obsessive and
  paranoid as de Garra isn’t concerned
  about its security).  First of all, it does
  not actually exist on the material plane,
  only on the astral.  What the PCs are
  seeing is its projected aura.  If they
  attempt to touch it, there is no sub-
  stance to be touched.  (You might even
  say the Icon is itself an Illusion).   Any
  spells cast against it will be up against a
  Magick Defense of 150.
  Secondly, in order to activate the
  Icon, a character must have the skill of
  Astral Projection, and be sufficiently
  experienced on the astral plane to have
  total control over “reality” there.  The
  Icon will only respond to someone on
  the astral plane with it who possesses
  such a degree of spiritual awareness.
  This requires the character to be at least
  10th level in Astral Projection.  Also, as
  in all Magick, the character must be
  able to name, or describe with unique
  characteristics, the intended victim of
  the Illusion.  This may require the char-
  acter to travel through the astral to find
  him, her, them, or it, as de Garra did
  with the PCs.
  Third, the character must be at
  least 10th level in Illusion in order to
  design the “bubble of reality,” which
  the Icon will project and maintain as
  long as is required.  If a lower-level
  Illusionist tries it, the Icon will drain all
  the mana out of that individual and
  leave him or her unconscious on the
  floor.
  Finally, it is, of course, necessary to
  know all this about the Icon before a
  successful attempt to use it can be
  made.  De Garra is the only one in the
  vicinity who knows that much about it,
  and he will not tell the PCs under any
  circumstances.  Meanwhile, the Icon
  continues to protect itself against
  Divination spells.  It will also protect
  itself against future intrusion, for unless
  the characters are physically present in
  the room with it, they will not be able
  to find it through the astral.
  Additionally, as soon as the PCs sail
  away, the Icon will once again hide
  Santiago del Tortuga from all prying
  eyes.  The Bermuda Triangle keeps its
  secrets safe.
  The Basement
  This area contains de Garra’s work-
  room (M), which he uses for casting
  minor Enchantments or Abjurations.  It
  has not been used much in recent
  months.  It has a dusty workbench and
  an Abjuration circle inlaid on the stone
  floor.  If a PC’s spirit was lured away by
  de Garra through the astral plane, it is
  confined here in a Binding spell, which
  can be easily broken by anybody on the
  outside.  If the GM wants the spirit
  released at a suitably dramatic moment,
  rather than forcing the player to sit out
  the whole game while the others try to
  find him, one of the servants might
  accidentally break it.  A chest contains
  a clutter of sorcerous components
  (chalk, candles, eye of newt, etc.).
  Off the workroom are three prison
  cells (N-P).  Currently, these are empty.
  De Garra needs some Furry sacrifices
  for his ritual, however.  He is planning
  to use whomever his wako happen to
  capture from the PCs ship, as a matter
  of fact.
  If the Characters
  Fail
  If de Garra gets the Sword of
  Cortes, and if the PCs are apparently
  no longer enough of a threat to worry
  about, he will set about Enchanting it.
  This will involve a day-long ceremony,
  held in the Aztec temple, where Vasco
  Puledo will melt the blade down and
  reforge it, while de Garra weaves his
  spells into the beaten metal.  The cere-
  mony will culminate in the ritual mur-
  der of six captured Furries, de Garra
  using the Sword to cut their hearts out,
  apropos of an Aztec sacrifice to the
  gods.  
  The Sword of Cortes will then
  become a 10th level Magick item (a
  bonus of 55 to both Attack and
  Defense scores), with the additional
  property that when it is used to kill an
  enemy leader, or destroy a symbol
  which is important to the enemy, they
  will suffer such a loss to morale that the
  wielder of the sword will easily carry the
  day.  De Garra intends to take this item
  with him to Spain, where he will rally
  the common Furries around him and
  get himself put on the throne instead of
  an upstart French Bourbon or Austrian
  Hapsberg.
  Non-Player
  Characters in
  Order of
  Appearance
  Henri-Martin Poncin
  Brief: Captain of the Adroit.
  Species: Bulldog
  Poncin is stubborn and unreason-
  able, a petty tyrant at sea.  If his priva-
  teering mission hadn’t been reasonably
  profitable, his crew would have
  mutinied by now.
  Level: 6, Skill Attack: 2, Skill
  Defense: 56, BD: 20, UD: 43, MD: 39,
  PD: 28, HP: 25, Skills: Sword, Fist,
  Trigger, Horsemanship, Athletic, Sailor,
  Navigation, 
  Gunner, 
  Linguistics:
  English.
  
  Chapter Six: The Island of Santiago del Tortuga
  167
  Special Note: Attack of -19 and
  Defense of 77 when using enchanted
  6th level Rapier.
  Andre Latrec
  Brief: Ship’s Sorcerer aboard the Adroit.
  Species: Cheetah
  Andres is restless, nervous, and
  wishing he were back on dry land.  This
  is Latrec’s first sea voyage, and he just
  knows it’s going to end in disaster.
  Latrec is a Rosicrucian, of the eternal
  undergraduate type.  His family pres-
  sured him into getting a real job.
  Level: 5, Skill Attack: 10, BD: 15,
  UD: 35, MD: 50, PD: 30, HP: 20, Skills:
  Abjuration, Alteration, Divination,
  Linguistics: Dutch, English, Lore:
  Current Events.
  French Sailors
  See “Average Seadog” on page 138.
  John Horning
  Brief: Native Bermudan, a local small-
  time pirate.
  Species: Elk
  Energetic and talkative, a born
  con-artist.  Horning did the Pirate
  Round with Thomas Tew back in 1694
  and though he lost all his money at the
  gaming table, he has never yet stopped
  talking about it.  He is always looking
  for some way to recapture his former
  glory.  He is extremely jealous of the
  PCs for having a ship more suited to
  piracy than his.
  Level: 5, Skill Attack: 10, BD: 15,
  UD: 35, MD: 50, PD: 30, HP: 20, Skills:
  Abjuration, Alteration, Divination,
  Linguistics: Dutch, English, Lore:
  Current Events.
  Bermudan Sailors
  Brief: Fishermen, whale-hunters, and
  tobacco-growers who occasionally
  turn to piracy.  
  Species: Any
  Tougher than your average week-
  end warrior.  Stubborn, independent
  types who like to pick a little treasure
  now and then.
  Level: 4, Skill Attack: 16, Skill
  Defense: 40, BD: 18, UD: 35, MD: 35,
  PD: 20, HP: 20, Skills: Single Weapon:
  (fill in the blank), Thrown Weapon,
  Trigger, Sailor, Navigation. 
  Don Javier de Garra
  Brief: Ambitious sorcerer, former
  member of the Hermandad de
  Salvacion.
  Species: Panther
  Don Javier de Garra is the arro-
  gant, and in some ways, rather stupid
  villain who will never give up and never
  negotiate, even if it’s to his advantage.
  It doesn’t occur to him to buy the
  Sword of Cortes from the PCs, for
  example.  He firmly believes in hierar-
  chy: aristocrats are superior to com-
  moners, Felines are better than Canines,
  who in turn are better than Rodents,
  and the Spanish are the best of all
  Europeans, who are the best of all other
  nationalities.  These beliefs make it eas-
  ier for him to justify the many crimes
  he has committed on his way to his
  dream: to restore Spain to her ancient
  glory and go down in history as a
  greater Furry than his hero, Hernan
  Cortes.   The Furries closest to de Garra
  believe that the time he has spent star-
  ing at the Icon of Maya has driven him
  insane, but that is a comforting illusion.
  De Garra is merely an extreme product
  of his own era and society.
  De Garra’s bigotry does not make
  it impossible for him to get along with
  others, such as Wu Fang.  He was raised
  to be polite, even while cutting some-
  body’s heart out.  He and Wu Fang
  regard each other as convenient means
  toward an end, and both are aware of
  the other’s attitude. 
  Born in Spain, de Garra was sent
  out to the Philippines as a half-grown
  cub to join his father, a Spanish gener-
  al.  As an aristocrat, he studied the mas-
  culine arts of war, especially riding and
  sword-fighting; as a recruit to the secret
  society of the Hermandad de Salvacion,
  he studied the Magickal arts and even-
  tually became supreme in his Order.
  Too young and too unstable to be
  appointed Grandmaster, he had a
  falling-out with the Hermandad, which
  refused to support his ambitions, and
  left its ranks.  He then recruited Wu
  Fang and his crew and sailed for
  Santiago del Tortuga, the first stepping-
  stone in his path to supreme power.
  Since then he has spent a lot of time on
  the astral plane, luring ships to the
  island and searching for the Sword of
  Cortes.
  De Garra is a fit and healthy
  Panther in his late forties, with a
  haughty and secretive attitude worthy
  of the Sun King.  When he wishes, he
  can be quite charismatic, certainly
  charming enough to persuade two well-
  off Spanish  professionals, an architect
  and a young sorcerer with a promising
  future, to abandon their families and
  their careers to follow his dream.
  Level: 10, Magick Skill Attack: -35,
  Fighting Skill Attack: 10, Fighting Skill
  Defense: 60, BD: 25, UD: 60, MD: 90,
  PD: 24, HP: 24, MP: 80, Skills: Sword,
  Trigger, 
  Horsemanship, 
  Athletic,
  Linguistics: 
  Cantonese, 
  English,
  Tagalog, 
  Lore: 
  History, 
  Occult,
  Abjuration, 
  Alteration, 
  Astral,
  Enchantment, Illusion.
  Special Note: When fighting on
  the astral plane, de Garra uses his mag-
  ickal skill attack score (-35) and magick
  defense score (90).  He is so strong-
  willed, and has such mastery over the
  astral that he comes across as a much
  better fighter than he is in the real
  world.
  Further Special Note: De Garra can
  use the Oriental method of spellcasting
  if he prefers, taking twice as long to cast
  the spell at half the mana cost.
  Wu Fang
  Brief: Pirate captain of the Black Lotus
  Species: Chinese Wolf
  Tough, ruthless, crafty, opportunis-
  tic, and totally without pity.  Not only
  is Wu Fang a pirate, but all of his large
  clan are pirates, and have been so since
  the Ming Dynasty.  With so many great
  ancestors to live up to, and so much
  competition in the South China Sea,
  Wu Fang took the chance offered by de
  Garra to make a name for himself and
  to become the richest and most power-
  ful wako anywhere.  When this little
  jaunt into the Western Hemisphere has
  netted enough loot, he will return and
  set himself up as the Pirate King of the
  Orient.  He may or may not kill de
  Garra before leaving; he hasn’t decided
  yet.
  Wu Fang commands the loyalty of
  his crew for a very simple reason: near-
  ly half of them are related to him.
  Besides, he is the biggest, strongest,
  smartest, and also the oldest among
  them.  He will be serious trouble if he
  manages to insinuate himself into the
  PCs’ crew.  His only real loyalty is to his
  clan.  If the Black Lotus is destroyed
  and de Garra is killed, his only aim is to
  capture the PCs’ ship for his own crew
  to sail home.
  Level: 7, Skill Attack: -3, Skill
  Defense: 63, BD: 24, UD: 53, MD: 53,
  PD: 30, HP: 27, Skills: Single Weapon:
  Sword,  Bladed Pole, Pole, Double
  Weapon: Sword, Dagger, Pole, Unarmed
  Combat, 
  Thrown 
  Weapon, 
  Bow,
  
  Trigger, Acrobat, Ambush, Lockpicking,
  Athletic, Poison, Sailor, Navigation,
  Gunner, 
  Linguistics: 
  Cantonese,
  Spanish, Tagalog.
  Average Wako
  Brief: The pirate scum of the Orient
  Species: Any, but half the crew of the
  Black Lotus are wolves.
  Life is a simple hierarchy to the
  crew of the Lotus.   They kowtow to
  Captain Wu, his officers, and his quai
  loh devil friend, de Garra. They kill or
  enslave everybody else.  Life is good so
  long as they follow the rules and run
  with the pack.  Wu Fang’s crew is a mix-
  ture of nationalities, mostly Chinese
  from Canton, but also Chinese from
  other provinces, plus Japanese, Koreans,
  and Filipinos.
  Level: 3, Skill Attack: 15, Skill
  Defense: 40, BD: 18, UD: 30, MD: 28,
  PD: 20, HP: 20, Skills: Sword, Dagger,
  Pole, Unarmed, Bow, Trigger, Ambush,
  Sailor, Linguistics: Cantonese plus one
  of the following: Spanish, Korean,
  Japanese, Tagalog, or one of a hundred
  other Chinese or Filipino dialects.
  Officer Wako
  Brief: Wu Fang’s favored Furries, all of
  whom are immediate family.
  Species: Chinese Wolves
  Wu Fang’s sons, brothers, and
  nephews, plus a few capable female rel-
  atives.  They had their doubts about
  this venture into Occidental waters, but
  family loyalty kept them quiet, and so
  far the trip has proved very worthwhile.
  Their enthusiasm for their captain is at
  a high point, and they will fight for him
  and for clan honor with boundless ener-
  gy, and cooperate with any trickery or
  treachery he might plan.
  Level: 5, Skill Attack: 8, Skill
  Defense: 50, BD: 20, UD: 40, MD: 35,
  PD: 24, HP: 25, Skills: Sword, Dagger,
  Pole, Unarmed, Bow, Trigger, Ambush,
  Lockpicking, 
  Athletic, 
  Medicine,
  Poison, Sailor, Navigation, Gunner,
  Linguistics: Spanish or Tagalog.
  Juan Vargas
  Brief: De Garra’s apprentice.
  Species: Ocelot
  A young Furry of good family liv-
  ing in Acapulco, Juan was apprenticed
  to the Knights Templar at a young age.
  His aptitude for Magick brought rapid
  advancement at first, but his reckless
  nature made his teachers decide to hold
  off after teaching him only two Circles
  of Magick.  Frustrated and impatient
  with the delay, Juan was easy prey for de
  Garra’s persuasive recruitment.  (De
  Garra, well aware of the lack of surface
  water on Santiago del Tortuga, was in
  port looking for a sorcerer with the skill
  of Elemental whom he would be able to
  control).  Once Juan was aboard the
  Black Lotus, it was too late for him to
  change his mind.  Juan’s character,
  essentially pure and upright in the
  beginning, has received a great many
  shocks over the past couple of years on
  the island, and he has grown, outward-
  ly at least, almost as cruel and detached
  as the pirates he now lives with.  This is
  a survivalist mechanism, however.
  Inwardly, Juan is still appalled by the
  bloody means de Garra is willing to
  take to achieve his end.  He has yet to
  find anything he can do about it.
  Level: 6, Skill Attack: 4, BD: 23,
  UD: 46, MD: 60, PD: 21, HP: 21, MP:
  50, Skills: Dagger, Pole, Trigger,
  Linguistics: Cantonese, Lore: Occult,
  Theology, Astral, Elemental, Illusion.
  Joseph Marten
  Brief: Escaped slave.
  Species: Pine marten
  Too desperate with hunger and fear
  to have much of a personality at first,
  Joseph will turn out to be a fairly intel-
  ligent and competent young Furry, if
  rather hesitant to advance his own opin-
  ions.  Aside from being 6th level in
  Ambush (Attack: 5, Defense: 71),
  Joseph has no pertinent skills.  He is a
  manual laborer.  As a sailor, he would
  be a quick study if given the chance.  
  BD: 15, UD: 30, MD: 20, PD: 24,
  HP: 24.
  Inigo Chavez
  Brief: Designer of the Temple.
  Species: Wolfhound
  Señor Chavez was also recruited in
  Acapulco.  De Garra promised him
  fame and riches for designing his tem-
  ple, but neglected to mention he would
  be living with pirates and working with
  slave labor.  A highly skilled architect
  and engineer, Chavez has no idea how
  to fight or why he would want to know.
  He is an extremely specialized individ-
  ual with an uncanny ability to shut his
  eyes to whatever is going on while he
  designs castles in the air.  
  BD: 17, UD: 25, MD: 42, PD: 20,
  HP: 18.
  Vasco Puledo
  Brief: A swordmaker hired to reforge
  Cortes’ broadsword.
  Species: Reptile
  One of the inner circle of the
  famed swordmakers of Toledo.  Señor
  Puledo started having dreams of an
  angel, which told him to get on a ship
  and travel to the Caribbean.  This was
  de Garra, reaching him through the
  astral and providing Illusionary visita-
  tions.  Devout and unquestioning,
  Puledo did as he was told and ended up
  on Santiago del Tortuga.  Here he has
  since seen such horrible things that he
  now believes de Garra is an agent of the
  Devil, at least figuratively.  But since he
  has so far not been directly involved, he
  has managed to persuade himself that
  God will not allow the worst to happen.
  Level: 4, Fighting Skill Attack: 15,
  Fighting Skill Defense: 45, BD: 26, UD:
  36, MD: 37, PD: 25, HP: 28.  Skills:
  Sword, Craft: Weaponsmith.
  Special Note: Puledo is 10th level
  in the skill of swordmaking; he also
  knows how to fight because his art
  requires him to know everything about
  swords.
  Alejandro Kwan
  Brief: De Garra’s bodyguard.
  Species: Ox
  Very large, very quiet, very loyal,
  very unimaginative — exactly the quali-
  ties de Garra needs in a bodyguard.
  Alejandro is a member of the original
  de Garra household in Manila, the son
  of a Spanish servant and a Chinese con-
  cubine.  His job is to protect de Garra
  with his life, and to keep him from
  being disturbed while he is asleep, even
  if the fort is collapsing around them.
  Nothing else worries Alejandro, because
  he doesn’t think about it.
  Level: 7, Skill Attack: -8, Skill
  Defense: 66, BD: 17, UD: 56, MD: 43,
  PD: 30, HP: 31, Skills: Two-handed
  Sword, Pole, Weighted, Unarmed
  Combat, Thrown Weapon, Ambush,
  Athletic.
  Chapter Six: The Island of Santiago del Tortuga
  168
  
  Chapter Six: The Island of Santiago del Tortuga
  169
  Ship’s Name:
  Black Lotus
  Size:
  Medium
  Draft:
  2.5 fathoms
  Crew Minimum:
  15
  Crew Capacity:
  300
  Description:
  Three masts, junk-rigged
  Sail Points:
  350
  Hull Points:
  750
  Current Crew Points: 
  400 (cargo space used)
  Pump Requirement:
  30
  Gunports:
  20 on one deck (8 each side, 2 aft)
  Cannon Maximum:
  960 total poundage
  Turning Rate:
  4 points per minute
  Notes:
  This is a hybrid vessel: it carries junk-rigged sails on European hull.
  Vessel Stat Sheet
  LORCHA
  Speed
  Wind
  Running
  Quartering
  Reaching
  Beating
  Hauling
  Dead
  Slight Breeze
  4.3 / 1.7
  5.3 / 2.1
  4.0 / 1.6
  2.8 / 1.1
  2.0 / 0.8
  0.4 / 0.4
  Light Breeze
  5.8 / 2.3
  7.3 / 2.9
  5.5 / 2.2
  3.8 / 1.5
  2.8 / 1.1
  0.6 / 0.6
  Gentle Wind
  6.8 / 2.7
  8.5 / 3.4
  6.5 / 2.6
  4.3 / 1.7
  3.3 / 1.3
  0.7 / 0.7
  Moderate Wind
  7.8 / 3.1
  10.0 / 4.0
  7.5 / 3.0
  5.0 / 2.0
  3.5 / 1.4
  0.8 / 0.8
  Strong Wind
  9.3 / 3.7
  11.8 / 4.7
  9.0 / 3.6
  6.0 / 2.4
  4.3 / 1.7
  1.0 / 1.0
  Gale
  3.5 / 1.4
  4.5 / 1.8
  3.5 / 1.4
  2.3 / 0.9
  1.8 / 0.7
  0.4 / 0.4
  The numbers before the slashes are speed under full sail, and the numbers after them are speed under fighting sail.
  Speed is in knots. Multiply by one hundred for approximate feet per minute.
  Guns
  Cannon
  Number
  Cannon
  Damage
  Crew
  Difficulty Factor By Range
  Type
  of Cannon Placement
  (each)
  (each/total)
  Point Blank Close Medium
  Long
  Extreme
  25 pounder
  8
  Port
  5
  10/ 40
  10
  20
  40
  50
  80
  25 pounder
  8
  Starboard
  5
  10/ 40
  10
  20
  40
  50
  80
  25 pounder
  2
  Aft
  5
  10/ 20
  10
  20
  40
  50
  80
  Gun Ranges Reference
  Range
  Feet
  Available Target
  Very Close
  0 – 50
  Hull (cannon) or Crew (swivel)
  Close
  50 – 200
  Hull, Sail, or Crew
  Medium
  200 – 800
  Hull or Sail
  Long
  800 – 2000
  Hull only
  Extreme
  2000 – 3000
  Hull only
  
  Sample Characters
  170
  TOM “REDCOAT” URSING
  Sample Character
  Species:
  Black Bear
  Build:
  Extra-Large
  Nationality:
  English
  Position:
  Captain
  Profession:
  Fighter
  Gender:
  Male
  Height:
  7’
  Weight:
  375 lbs.
  Eye Color:
  Brown
  Hair Color:
  Black Fur/No Hair
  Age:
  30
  Strength:
  36
  Constitution:
  28
  Agility:
  18
  Dexterity:
  26
  Ego:
  25
  Reason:
  20
  Luck:
  20
  Appearance:
  24
  Social:
  19
  Overall Level:
  6
  Experience Points:
  210
  Base Defense:
  20
  Unarmed Defense:
  39
  Magic Defense:
  41
  Poison Defense:
  28
  Healing Attack:
  22
  Hit Points:
  27
  Mana Points:
  —
  Damage
  Indicate damage with an X and stunning with a /.
  Skill
  Points
  Level
  Att/Def
  Single Weapon: Sword
  36
  8
  -12/64
  Fists
  21
  6
  3/49
  Thrown Weapon: Tumbling
  21
  6
  3/—
  Trigger
  21
  6
  3/—
  Ambush
  10
  4
  14/40
  Athletic: Climbing
  10
  4
  10/—
  Sailor
  21
  6
  3/—
  Navigation
  28
  7
  2/—
  Gunner
  6
  3
  18/—
  Lore: Ship
  21
  6
  19/—
  Gunsmith
  15
  5
  9/—
  Weapon
  Damage
  Stunning Initiative
  Medium Sword
  d12
  d6
  d8
  Fists
  d5
  d6
  d4
  Ax (large tumbling)
  d15
  d4
  d10
  Pistol (small caliber)
  d12
  —
  d6
  Equipment
  curly black wig, scarlet coat with gold thread, singlet, vest, breeches,
  baldric with weapons, powderhorn, shot, wadding, 104C, 15P
  History
  Tom Ursing went wild at an
  early age.  Apprenticed to a
  gunsmith, he ran away and
  became a highway robber.
  After a few years of this life, he
  was caught and sentenced to
  transportation to Barbados.
  Tom played a large part in the
  mutiny which took place on the
  transport ship on the way.
  Along with the other convicts
  and sailors, he turned to piracy.
  When their ship captured the
  Raptor, Tom was elected its cap-
  tain because of his fighting abil-
  ity and popularity on board.
  Wishing to make a name for
  himself, Captain Ursing struck
  out on his own with his new
  ship and crew.  Though still
  prone to wild behavior, Ursing
  has begun to settle down and
  accept a leadership role.
  
  Sample Characters
  171
  NATHANIEL ROE
  Sample Character
  Species:
  Deer
  Build:
  Average
  Nationality:
  Virginian
  Position:
  First Mate
  Profession:
  Fighter
  Gender:
  Male
  Height:
  5’ 10”
  Weight:
  165 lbs.
  Eye Color:
  Blue
  Hair Color:
  Reddish-brown Fur & Hair
  Age:
  26
  Strength:
  25
  Constitution:
  26
  Agility:
  25
  Dexterity:
  27
  Ego:
  18
  Reason:
  24
  Luck:
  20
  Appearance:
  27
  Social:
  22
  Overall Level:
  5
  Experience Points:
  150
  Base Defense:
  20
  Unarmed Defense:
  40
  Magic Defense:
  39
  Poison Defense:
  26
  Healing Attack:
  24
  Hit Points:
  25
  Mana Points:
  —
  Damage
  Indicate damage with an X and stunning with a /.
  Skill
  Points
  Level
  Att/Def
  Single Weapon: Pole
  21
  6
  2/56
  Antlers
  15
  5
  8/50
  Bow
  21
  6
  2/—
  Trigger
  15
  5
  8/—
  Ambush
  21
  6
  2/55
  Athletic
  10
  4
  15/—
  Tracking
  10
  4
  16/44
  Sailor
  15
  5
  8/—
  Navigation
  15
  5
  11/—
  Linguistics: Spanish
  6
  3
  20/—
  Weapon
  Damage
  Stunning Initiative
  Quarterstaff
  d10
  d12
  d8
  Antlers
  d10
  d12
  d8
  Longbow
  d10
  —
  d8
  Rifle
  d20
  —
  d6
  Pistol (large caliber)
  d20
  —
  d6
  Equipment
  Choose between quarterstaff, longbow with arrows, or rifle (other two
  left at home); pistol, singlet, breeches, vest, blue coat, tricorne hat,
  powderhorn, shot, oilskin case for bow or rifle, 28C, 12P
  History
  Son of a plantation owner,
  Nathaniel was captured by
  Susquahannock Indians as a
  teenager and spent two years
  with them learning the warrior's
  art.  After returning home
  through an exchange of prison-
  ers, he found colonial life very
  boring and ran away to sea.
  After serving as a merchant
  marine for a few years, his
  sloop was captured by the
  pirate ship Ursing served with
  and he was offered the chance
  at the short and merry life.
  When Ursing struck off on his
  own, he made Nathaniel his
  first mate.  Nathaniel has scru-
  ples and always votes against
  attacking any English or colo-
  nial ship, but his zest for adven-
  ture wins out if any other prey
  is on hand.
  
  Sample Characters
  172
  JACK MALLECK
  Sample Character
  Species:
  Ermine
  Build:
  Small
  Nationality:
  English
  Position:
  Ship’s Wizard
  Profession:
  Magick-user
  Gender:
  Male
  Height:
  3’ 9”
  Weight:
  42 lbs.
  Eye Color:
  Black
  Hair Color:
  White Fur & Hair
  Age:
  28
  Strength:
  13
  Constitution:
  25
  Agility:
  32
  Dexterity:
  20
  Ego:
  30
  Reason:
  28
  Luck:
  22
  Appearance:
  24
  Social:
  22
  Overall Level:
  5
  Experience Points:
  150
  Base Defense:
  22
  Unarmed Defense:
  47
  Magic Defense:
  53
  Poison Defense:
  25
  Healing Attack:
  25
  Hit Points:
  23
  Mana Points:
  43
  Damage
  Indicate damage with an X and stunning with a /.
  Skill
  Points
  Level
  Att/Def
  Teeth
  6
  3
  24/48
  Trigger
  10
  4
  20/—
  Ambush
  10
  4
  20/48
  Lore: Occult
  6
  3
  16/—
  Linguistics: French
  10
  5
  12/—
  Alteration: Flight
  21
  6
  –1/—
  Alteration: Invulnerability
  21
  6
  –1/—
  Elemental: Lightning
  15
  5
  5/—
  Elemental: Wind
  21
  6
  –1/—
  Necromancy: Healing
  28
  7
  –8/—
  Weapon
  Damage
  Stunning Initiative
  Teeth
  d2
  —
  d4
  Pistol (smallcaliber)
  d12
  —
  d6
  Equipment
  Singlet with frothy lace, velvet breeches,
  embroidered doublet, black velvet coat,
  floppy hat with ostrich plume, pocket pistol
  (remember to drop it before spellcasting!),
  28C, 12P
  History
  Jack Malleck was serving an
  East Indian when he decided to
  escape a lifetime of servitude to
  the Masonic Order by jumping
  ship.   He was surprised, but
  not too dismayed to find him-
  self on a pirate vessel, and the
  pirates were only too happy to
  have another Magick-user.  Jack
  learned Necromancy from the
  sorcerer already aboard the
  pirate ship, who had gotten as
  rich as a sultan and was ready
  to retire.  A few years of clean-
  ing up after sea battles has
  made him expert in Healing.
  Jack likes money and is  very
  fond of the good life.  He is
  quite the clothes horse, and
  spends a lot of his loot keeping
  the latest fashions in his closet.
  Magic Reference 
  Level Mana Die
  1
  1
  10
  2
  3
  20
  3
  6
  30
  4
  10
  50
  5
  15
  100
  6
  21
  200
  7
  28
  300
  
  Sample Characters
  173
  BONNIE MCLEOD
  Sample Character
  Species:
  Lynx
  Build:
  Light
  Nationality:
  Scottish
  Position:
  Master Gunner
  Profession:
  Gunner
  Gender:
  Female
  Height:
  4’ 10”
  Weight:
  85 lbs.
  Eye Color:
  Green
  Hair Color:
  Blond Hair/Spotted Fur
  Age:
  22
  Strength:
  19
  Constitution:
  20
  Agility:
  28
  Dexterity:
  29
  Ego:
  24
  Reason:
  26
  Luck:
  23
  Appearance:
  28
  Social:
  18
  Overall Level:
  5
  Experience Points:
  150
  Base Defense:
  23
  Unarmed Defense:
  43
  Magic Defense:
  41
  Poison Defense:
  20
  Healing Attack:
  30
  Hit Points:
  22
  Mana Points:
  —
  Damage
  Indicate damage with an X and stunning with a /.
  Skill
  Points
  Level
  Att/Def
  Double Weapon: Sword & Dagger
  21
  6
  0/59
  Feet
  15
  5
  6/53
  Trigger
  21
  6
  0/—
  Acrobat
  15
  5
  6/—
  Ambush
  15
  5
  6/51
  Chemistry
  6
  3
  18/—
  Sailor
  10
  4
  11/—
  Gunner
  36
  8
  –12/—
  Lore: Current Events
  6
  3
  18/—
  Lore: Value
  6
  3
  18/—
  Weapon
  Damage
  Stunning Initiative
  Sword
  d8
  d3
  d8
  Dagger
  d6
  d2
  d8
  Feet
  d5
  d10
  d8
  Trigger (small caliber)
  d12
  —
  d6
  Equipment
  singlet, knee breeches, leather vest, kerchief, gold earrings, shortsword,
  dagger, gunbelt with two pistols, oilskin bag with twenty cartridges,
  tinderbox
  History
  Since she was a tiny kitten,
  Bonnie has been attracted to
  fires, loud noises, and explo-
  sions.  An incident involving
  gunpowder and the local Town
  Hall got her run out of her vil-
  lage at young age.  Bonnie went
  to London and tried to join the
  Navy as a powder monkey.
  Because of her gender, she was
  turned down, but while wander-
  ing the streets in the middle of
  the night dressed as a boy, she
  was hit over the head and woke
  up aboard a Navy ship.  By the
  time the mistake was discov-
  ered, it was too late.  Bonnie
  jumped ship a year later and
  became a pirate because the
  Navy still would not let her
  play with the guns.  She has
  become a mature gunner, but
  retains her fascination with
  things that go boom.
  
  Character Sheet
  174
  FURRY PIRATES
  Character Record Sheet
  Name: ____________________
  Species:__________________
  Build:
  __________
  Nationality:
  __________
  Position:
  __________
  Profession:
  __________
  Gender:
  ______
  Height:
  ______
  Weight:
  ______
  Eye Color:
  ______
  Hair Color:
  ______
  Age:
  ______
  Strength:
  ____
  Constitution: ____
  Agility:
  ____
  Dexterity:
  ____
  Ego:
  ____
  Reason:
  ____
  Luck:
  ____
  Appearance:
  ____
  Social:
  ____
  Overall Level:
  ____
  Experience Points:
  ____
  Base Defense:
  ____
  Unarmed Defense:
  ____
  Magic Defense:
  ____
  Poison Defense:
  ____
  Healing Attack:
  ____
  Hit Points:
  ____
  Mana Points:
  ____
  Damage
  Indicate damage with an X and stunning with a /.
  Skill
  Points
  Level
  Att/Def
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  ________________
  ____
  ____
  ____
  Magic Reference 
  Level
  Mana
  Die
  1
  1
  10
  2
  3
  20
  3
  6
  30
  4
  10
  50
  5
  15
  100
  6
  21
  200
  7
  28
  300
  8
  36
  400
  9
  45
  500
  10
  55
  600
  11
  66
  800
  12
  78
  1000
  
  Character Sheet
  175
  Weapon
  Damage
  Stunning
  Initiative
  ________________________
  ______
  ______
  ______
  ________________________
  ______
  ______
  ______
  ________________________
  ______
  ______
  ______
  ________________________
  ______
  ______
  ______
  ________________________
  ______
  ______
  ______
  ________________________
  ______
  ______
  ______
  ________________________
  ______
  ______
  ______
  ________________________
  ______
  ______
  ______
  ________________________
  ______
  ______
  ______
  Equipment
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  __________________
  __________________
  __________________
  __________________
  __________________
  __________________
  Background, Personality, Relationships, & Notes
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  Currency
  C:
  ____
  P:
  ____
  Encumbrance
  ____
  Character Illustration
  
  176
  Come check out the
  Website exclusively for
  the Furry Gamer,
  www.furrygames.com.
  Featuring art, stories,
  and gaming resources for
  both Furry Pirates and
  Furry Outlaws, plus a
  wide variety of the weird
  and wacky for the anthro-
  pomorphic fan.
  You can even join in the
  fun by becoming part of
  the Furry Game Club,
  which entitles you to
  your own webspace.
  The webcommunity for the fur of it.
  
  ATLANTIC OCEAN
  GOLFE de
  MEXICO
  UNKNOWN
  CARIBBEAN SEA
  NEW SPAIN
  CALIFORNIA
  Lake Superior
  Lake 
  Huron
  Lake Michigan
  VENEZUELA
  NEW 
  GRENADA
  WEST INDIES
  COSTA RICA
  NICARAGUA
  HONDURAS
  YUCATAN
  GUATAMALA
  CUBAI
  BAHAMAS
  St.DOMINQUE
  HISPANIOLA
  JAMAKA
  PUERTO
  RICO
  LESSER ANTILLES
  FLORIDA
  CAROLINA
  VIRGINIA
  MARYLAND
  NEW
  JERSEY
  NEW
  YORK
  Lake Erie
  Lake
  Ontario
  PENNSYLVANIA
  NEW
  ENGLAND
  GASPA
  NEW
  FOUND
  LAND
  KADIA
  Iroquois
  Nation
  D
  A
  R
  IE
  N
  I
  T
  HM
  U
  S
  Gulf of
  Honduraso
  Gulf of Chameche
  Sea of California
  Gulf of
  St. Laurents
  St
  .
  La
  ur
  e
  n
  t
  s R
  ive
  r
  Chesapeak Bay
  Delaware Bay
  Mass. Bay
  Fundi Bay
  LONG ISLAND
  Straits of Florida
  Florida Keys
  CAYMAN ISLANDS
  Gulf of Panama
  Gulf of Nicoya
  Gulf of Fonseca
  MOSQUITO 
  COAST
  BAHAI
  ISLANDS
  TURKS ISLANDS
  VIRGIN 
  ISLANDS
  Albany
  Montreal
  Quebek
  Portland
  Port Royal
  Portsmouth
  Boston
  Providence
  New York
  Philedelphia
  James Town
  Mexico City
  Acapulco
  Cibda
  Puerto Cortez
  Guatamala City
  Beliz
  Havana
  Peurto Limon
  Portobello
  Panama City
  Cartegena
  Santa Marta
  Caracos
  Santa Domingo
  Port Royal
  Trinidad City
  TRINIDAD
  GRENADA
  TOBAGO
  BARBADOS
  St. LUCIA
  MARTINIQUE
  DOMINICA
  GUADALOUPE
  ANTIGUE
  BARBUDA
  St. KITTS-NEVIS
  St. EUSTATIUS
  BONAIRE
  LA GUAIRA
  St. VINCENT
  MARGARITA
  CURACO
  ARUBA
  SAONA
  Veracruz
  GRAND BAHAMA
  GREAT ABACO
  NEW PROVIDENCE
  EZ EUTHERA
  CAT ISLAND
  SAN SALVADOR
  Gt. EXUMA
  LONG ISLAND
  MAYA GUANA
  CALICOS ISLANDS
  ACKLUNS AND
  CROOKED ISLANDS
  Gt. INAGUA
  TORTUGA
  ANDROS
  ANDROS
  ANDROS
  COZUMEL
  Lake Nicaragua
  Santiago de Cuba
  Gulf de Venezuel
  Straits
  de
  California
  SOUTH  SEA
      PACIFIC  OCEAN
  or
  0
  250
  500
  Scale  in  Miles
  125
  1000
  BERMUDA
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Furry Pirates/Furry Pirates Corebook.pdf