Game with pirates?

@CasperTheLich you probably refer to the times when that was the short-lived pirate republic, quickly dismantled by the powers of the era. But, yes, pirates were anarchic and surprisingly for the time they wouldn't care about the color of your skin. Many pirates were recruited from the slave ships and wasn't uncommon to see an african captain or first-mate (asians were in a similar situation). Caribbean had probably one of the most colorful population of the times. While most of the pirate ships would have an anarchic democracy, there were some really brutal. The fabled Code was respected when the captain would choose to do so, but most of the time it wasn't. But for a  short time, the Caribbeans were the only free place in a world where actual freedom was still a distant dream. And that came from the people that were called the scourge of the sea. The irony of it.

Pick your male character background. 

1- @ivrognard victim of slave trade:  You observed carefully how the slavers manned their ship, knowing the time would come. You were right. After a fast strike against an unexpecting foe, you are now in charge of the ship. 

2-Deserter: After watching too many of your mates die in a war that wasn't theirs, you abandoned your post and embarked on the fist ship you could find. 

3- Victim of religious conflict: protestants and catholics have slaughtered one another for centuries and you had a feeling it was not going to end anytime soon. You joined a pirate crew after the captain promised to get you to freedom if you fought/used your skills for them on the way.

Pick your female character background. 

1- @CasperTheLich -  Caspers' fleeing bride: Your lover was killed to make you available for an arranged wedding. You knew the groom, and joining a pirate crew was the lesser evil.

2- The keeper: Captured by a bunch of pirates, you fell in love with the captain. Now nobody messes with you.

3- apply 1 or 3 male char. background.

I was also thinking of 3 routes that would depend on your choices in the game

Corsair route: You bow to none.

Privateer route: Prime targets are suggested.

Trader route: They can hire you to do the job or lose it to you those dangerous pirates we all keep hearing about.

 Thoughts/comments/suggestions?

@k9seals not bad.

i was thinking something more along the lines of mount and blade's character background system (if you've played it). you select several options that take place at various points in your character's backstory, those provide your starting stats (with perhaps a few free points given to place freely) and gear.

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and perhaps creates your arch nemesis, or driving motivation (aka objectives)

@k9seals  not bad those backgrounds, though they can use some extra work. Maybe some perks based on the actions from the game.

And now for some extra creativity, what would you like to see as a starting point after character selection?

Tavern? Port? Prison cell? Brothel? Convent?

You name it.

@k9seals  Let's combine: a port's tavern🙂

After all, most of the good pirate adventures start with a discussion in a tavern at some port😉

Ok. Here's another intro with the tavern and the port, what quests would you see come right after that?

You're at the tavern. You see a line on your way in and inquire about the job. An old man yells at the recruits telling them they're throwing their lives away, only to be kicked by a smiling, bearded and overweight character. He introduces himself as your new captain and says the ship leaves on the next day. Everyone is given orders with the promise of riches and going up in the ranks if they do what they're told.

It is now your turn to face the foreman and sign the crew manifest.

Choose character name, gender, appearance.

Pick your regular assignments: deck hand, vigil, cook, teamster, anchorman. 

Pick your battle assignments: gunner, swordsman, rifleman, repairman.

You ask to spend the night on board to see what you're getting yourself into. 20 bunks for a crew of 60. One latrine. A plank you hope never to stand on.

After a brief tour of the ship you consider this to be the best you could ever hope for, given the circumstances.

On the next day the crew embarks on a journey towards adventure, wealth, and freedom.

What comes next?

Write your quest below. Make sure you listen to this first.