Pirates

Pirates are not a uniform breed. Among them are rough and tumble men, seasoned sailors, former military personnel, fugitives, adventurers, and desperate poor souls. Within the crew, bravery, skill with weapons, seafaring experience, and loyalty to comrades are valued. Betrayal, theft of shared loot, and cowardice are despised.

Life at sea is hard: scurvy, dysentery, fevers, parasites, infected wounds, hunger, thirst, and shipwrecks constantly threaten the crew. Fresh food quickly runs out, water spoils, and wound treatment is limited. Many sailors die from disease and accidents even before a major naval battle.

Pirates are capable of severe violence, especially during resistance or punishment. However, constant senseless killing is disadvantageous: a captive may know the location of cargo, money, or other ships. Therefore, threats, intimidation, and displays of force are often used before actual combat. Punishments within the crew can also be severe.

The primary weapons are muskets, pistols, sabers, boarding axes, and knives. Firearms take a long time to reload, so after the first volley, combat often descends into hand-to-hand combat. Pirates prefer to capture a ship rather than destroy it: the vessel, cargo, and prisoners are of great value.

Pirates wear the practical clothing of their time: shirts, trousers, vests, jackets, and boots or shoes suitable for the deck. The clothes are faded, wet, patched, and soaked with sea salt. The constant filth and the smell of sweat, smoke, gunpowder, rum, and rotting food are a common part of shipboard life. The famous parrots, perfect leather boots, and identical luxurious suits are a later romanticization.

A pirate crew lives by the ship's rules. The spoils are divided among the crew according to established shares. The captain doesn't always have absolute power: he can be elected or removed. The quartermaster oversees the distribution of the spoils and maintains order among the crew.